Just Killing Time Till Après
Aprés with Steve Casimiro
Grab a cup of coffee and your notebook, and prepare to be schooled by Steve Casimiro. The man has launched two successful sites, is a contributing editor at National Geographic Adventure, and graces the pages of Powder, Sierra and Sunset—and he’s got some advice for communication specialists. All he asks for in return is world peace and a cure for cancer. Oh, and calorie-free fudge.
Learn how to get his attention at OR, what his “biggest (PR-related) sin” really is, and why he might just not be that into you.
Intrigued? Read on.
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Any nicknames?
Just the usual. Cas. Casimoto. Casimofo. Dumbass.
Outlets you write for
Most of my current work is for my two sites, The Adventure Life and The Gear Stash, but I’m also a regular contributor to National Geographic Adventure and a sometimes contributor to Powder, Sierra and Sunset.
What stories are you interested in hearing about?
I want the stories everyone wants—the ones that nobody else has. But you are never, ever going to find these in a press release. They’re found on chairlifts and in bars and at the top of a mountain bike climb when you’re waiting for someone to catch up. They come from conversations and relationships and happen organically.
Preferred method of contact: email or phone?
Email. Never, ever by phone for pitches.
To follow-up or not to follow-up?
What’s the phrase? Oh yes: “He’s just not that into you.” If I pitch a story and never hear anything, it means they don’t want it. If you pitch me or any other writer, and we don’t get back to you, it’s because it’s not right for our work, we don’t have an outlet for it, or we don’t think much of the product. Don’t stalk.
And an email that says, “Just wondering what you thought of the product”—that’s right on the edge of stalking. It depends on the product, and it depends on the relationship. Sometimes it’s a legitimate question to ask, other times it’s clearly code for “are you gonna write about it or not?” This will not engender good will or earn social currency.
Use social media to get story ideas?
Constantly. Twitter streams all the time on one side of my screen (but only displays the people I’ve “listed”) and has enabled me to break several relatively major stories. Facebook has value, but less so—if I’m seeing it, I’m assuming a lot of my readers are, too.
What do you read regularly?
What don’t I read regularly? I have 300-400 key websites bookmarked, at least that many in my RSS, plus dozens of Google Alerts. Of course, what and how often I see them might be pushing the definition of “regularly.”
New York Times is my home page and its app is on the home screen of my iPhone. I visit National Geographic, National Geographic Adventure, Outside, Cold Splinters, A Photo Editor and the Goat every single day. Facebook … can’t count the number of daily visits.
In print, I look forward to receiving the New Yorker and Esquire. Second tier: Wired, Rolling Stone, Photo District News.
Where do you get story ideas?
Where don’t you get story ideas; that’s really the question. I find them under rocks. On milk cartons. From the manicurist. Good story ideas are everywhere—and that’s one of the biggest reasons I launched The Adventure Life. Print magazines have the inherent limits of paper, ink and printing costs. The real estate isn’t just finite, it’s precious, which invariably means two things: Great ideas are left out and commercial constraints push out so-called riskier (i.e., non-formula) stories.
Online, though, is infinity times infinity, with absolutely no limitation on space, so the stories that once seemed like crumbs at best now have a place. My list of ideas for The Adventure Life is well over 200 at this point, and I add to it every day. Last week was typical: I was in the middle of a mountain bike ride and had to stop three times to write down ideas that occurred to me.
What’s the coolest thing you’ve seen in the active lifestyle/outdoor industry lately?
Outdoor gear is outdoor gear—it’s cool, it’s enabling, it’s inspiring. But with rare exception, it doesn’t dramatically change the fundamental nature of the experience. Technology, though, is rewriting our definitions of relationships, friendships, work, play, all that. It’s rewiring our brains. It’s changing the landscape dramatically, and we can only begin to predict where it will lead. So, I would say that the most compelling development of our times is the ability to connect to the internet almost anywhere, at any time, under any conditions. It changes everything.
Editor’s Note: Miss the great article about this summer’s OR show that sparked an equally great conversation? Read it here.
Media events: helpful or just an excuse to get out of the office?
They can be both. They can also be completely pointless. Personally, I rarely do them. I travel so much on stories, and I work for myself, so I don’t need another excuse to get out of the office. And unless it’s held in some epic place I’ve never seen, time on the road not making money plays second fiddle to being at home earning the mortgage. “Do you want to go to Borneo?” vs. “Daddy, will we be able afford shoes this year?”…a surprisingly difficult choice, but the puppy dog eyes usually win. Not always. But usually.
The weirdest/craziest pitch you ever received?
Surprisingly, most are within the range of common sense. But just last week I asked for suggestions for NGA’s Gear of the Year story and one PR agency sent me an email about these hats from a fashion brand. Okay, fine. But when I suggested that fashion hats aren’t really gear and probably aren’t right for National Geographic, they became insistent. And then a day later they followed up to see if I was going to cover them. Really?
Occasionally, you encounter terrible judgment. But mostly—and this is the biggest sin—we encounter PR people who haven’t done their homework. They don’t understand your work; they don’t understand the magazines you work with; they don’t understand why the product is right or wrong. It’s more typical of agency folks, but you find it sometimes with in-house peeps, too.
Look, it’s a big world. The number of media outlets is ginormous. Not everyone’s going to be spot on all the time. That’s cool—journalists are can be idiots, too. But all too often you can tell they’re just spraying: like a little kid shooting a machine gun, shots going in all directions with no clue or intention. And since journalists are trained to do their homework (what else do we do, really?) and get the facts straight, you pretty quickly lose respect when encountering egregious examples of those who don’t.
Ultimate PR ‘no no’s (bad grammar, spelling errors, misspelling name)
Yes. Also, getting my name wrong. And telling me how much they love my work in National Geographic Traveler.
Your biggest pet peeve when working with PR people
Inaccessibility. Not returning calls or emails. Magazine editors are the absolute worst about wanting it and wanting it now. I know that, so I work hard to provide a reasonable time frame on my requests. But from the press’s perspective, we should be able to reach the PR contact reasonably quickly—and if you’re unavailable or on vacation, you should communicate to use the backup contact. Many PR folks already do this, and I applaud them for it.
Also: Not getting the product there when it needs to be there and not following up to tell you.
Word/phrase that makes you cringe when included in a press release/pitch
“Environmentally friendly.” Retch! Little we do is environmentally friendly; it’s just occasionally less bad than other things.
Word/phrase that makes you smile when included in a press release/pitch
“The check is on the way.”
Tradeshow appointments- worth the time or just going through the motions?
Genetically incapable of keeping them, so I long ago gave up making them. On the rare occasion that I cave in and agree to one, I’m invariably late.
You know what’s the absolute best approach? At least for me, and I’m guessing for others? Send me an email 3-4 weeks before the show with a brief summary of product highlights, along with photos. Let me know what days you’ll be at the show. That’s it—you’ve helped me from coming into the show blind, tempted me with great descriptions of awesome products, and given me help prioritizing my schedule, so I don’t miss you.
Coveting anything?
World peace. A cure for cancer. The end of hunger. Access to clean water for everyone. Women’s rights in the places where it isn’t. An electric four-wheel-drive that gets 1000 miles on a charge. An ultralight that’s safe to fly. Calorie-free fudge.
When you’re the gear editor for National Geographic Adventure for 10 years, there’s little you don’t receive, test, or try.
Final thoughts?
Ha! That’s an open invitation to use up all your pixels.
We’re in the midst of the biggest transformation in communication ever, and I don’t know anyone who doesn’t feel overwhelmed by it. There are more media outlets and more channels than ever, so the PR professional has a huge job. I’m very sympathetic. But in the end, it’s still about relationships—about understanding your client or product, understanding your key contacts, and relating the most valuable information between them. If we all remembered that, the process would be a lot smoother.
“Bring Me My Yater Spoon … the 8′6″ – Cape Cod Old Timers, 2010
Colonel Killgore’s words rattle in my head like the rain on the roof as I ease my 9’6” out of the rafters. The intoxicating smell of Mr Zog’s Sex Wax wax makes me smile and I carefully carry my museum piece to the truck. Number 39, built in 1967, bought from some stoner who needed weed money for $125 about 20 years ago. The board lives in the basement for 11 months of the year, but every August it comes to life at the Cape Cod Old Timers Longboard Contest.
For at least 30 years, the small community of Cape surfers has kept this homage to the golden era alive, holding it in late August rain or shine, flat calm or triple overhead. I missed my first one in 20 years last August, something about I was getting married that day….seriously tried to figure out if I could do both and make it to the altar on time.
The rules are quite simple: ride a board at least 9 feet tall made before 1975. No leashes, no wetsuits, no whining, no taking it too seriously. I think through all these stipulations as my windshield wipers worked away and the East wind gusts under my truck as I drive to Whitecrest Beach in Wellfleet. “This is f-ing stupid,” I’m thinking, “NOBODY will come today.”
Imagine my surprise when I arrive to a packed parking lot with about 150 people crowded around the lifeguard chair, watching a heat already in the water. Stomach-high easterly windslop rolled through the lineup, tinted red from the summer algae bloom known as “mung,” a hazard of summer Cape surf. Lugging the Yater down the hill, I hear the megaphone call for 41-50 “Corporate Types”…my heat. Super.
The boys from Jasper’s Surf Shop are yelling at me to get in the pre-heat line up, so I quickly change into trunks, stumbling as I put one foot clumsily through my Birdwell’s and inadvertently bare-ass a family of 6 enjoying the contest when my towel slips off. The “Puppies” (20-30) had already surfed, and the “Yuppies”(31-40) are flailing their way through the windblown swell in the final minute of their heat. I watch a twenty-something telling his girlfriend how cold it is out there…teeth chattering so hard I cringe.
“DOW! Let’s GO!”. I pull another slug off my Dark ‘n Stormy and run my board over to the judges’ stand. We line up in front of the crowd with our antiques standing up behind us…a 2-liter bottle of Ten High bourbon is passed down the line of pale, doughy, forty-somethings and we all grimace while trying to be 21-yr-old frat boys again. Each competitor is introduced over the loudspeaker (and ridiculed)…
“Jesus Billy, you need a bikini top for your man boobs!”
“Nice Tan Casper!”
The horn sounds and we run for the not-so-clean swell dumping on the beach. Did I mention there are no wetsuits? Holy Crap, August? A week of southerly swell has taken the water temps down into the 50’s, and as I feel the bite of wax on my stomach and chest I choke through a mouthful of mung-filled water and laugh to the guy next to me “God, I love this sport.”
By the grace of Neptune, I pull a clean left ride and one clean right among all the pearling, flailing, near collisions and El-Rollo’s. The judges mock us over the loudspeaker the entire time, finally ending our torture by sounding the horn and waving us in. I’m greeted by a local guy from the next heat asking frantically, “Can I borrow your board?” I hand the magic spoon off to him and head for dry clothes and a cup of the infamous Wipe-Out punch that has been created and handed down over the years. (Legend has it, you can actually refinish furniture with it.)
The guys in the 50-60 heat (Social Security) are where its at. They’re always the ones noseriding, headstanding, spinning, dead cockroaching, all in total garbage waves. You shoulda been there yesteryear, this is the group that was there for the days of glory back in the 60’s. Several have pristine Greg Noll “Da Cat” boards, some truly glorious Dewey Weber Performers, Hansen, Bing, G&S, the list goes on. You cannot help but feel pride in being a surfer as we watch these nearly retirement age guys give the break a going-over.
There are several more heats: Team Fat, the ladies, National Seashore Lifeguards and Legends: guys with names like Willie Wipe-Out, Bug, Fatass and Johnny Go Right. The waves get worse, and the tide fills in, dumping some of the women onto dry sand as they get to their feet. Everyone hoots and cheers when anybody does ANYTHING, and we all tilt another cup of Wipe-Out as they tally the results.
I didn’t win anything this year , maybe my family mooning incident hurt me. Guys have been penalized in the past for wearing trunks that were neon, paddling an illegal board, or just because they barfed in the lineup. My wife sometimes contends if you aren’t a local/native the fix is in, but I have won this great contest 4 times over the years with some pretty piss poor surfing.
I drive home in the dark, the Yater carefully padded on the tailgate of my truck, the smell of a new long-sleeve t-shirt on my body reminding me I now have 21 years in this contest behind me. The Spoon will go back in the rafters until next summer-hopefully our kids will ride it someday in the Old Timers 2035.
Colonel Killgore was right: “Charlie don’t Surf.” But I always will.
New Series: Aprés with Our Favorite Media
Recently Bulldog Reporter and Cision distributed the “2010 Journalist Survey on Media Relations Practices” which included a few interesting (brow-raising) points in its executive summary including journalists expressing concerns with PR professionals. “In terms of frustrations in the relationship between media and corporate communications and PR professionals, journalists report a wide range of dissatisfactions.” Examples listed: communication professionals don’t understand the subjects they’re pitching and they only have “some understanding” when it comes to a journalists’ media outlet, job and editorial focus. Ouch.
So today we are debuting a new blog series called “Aprés with…” in which we’ll provide you, our readers, a better look at how some our favorite media members operate. We hope that these posts will help in alleviating frustrations for both the PR professional and the media – we need one another so best to work together. And it’s applicable for all of us in the communications industry – whether you’re at an agency, a sole proprietor or in-house – learning more about the journalists you’re pitching is basic Media Relations 101.
(cue healthy chorus of kymbaya)
To kick off the series we have a serious heavy-hitter… Sarah Bowen Shea.
Think you’re busy? Think again.
Sarah Bowen Shea, or SBS to those who know her well (no, seriously “know”), is a freelance writer who has her fingers in nearly every pie on the table. She’s a contributing editor for Runner’s World, the athletic footwear editor for Shape magazine and co-author of Run Like a Mother – a book that is literally blazing trails on the social media scene. (weak pun was totally all mine. sorry)
Sarah graciously gave us a few minutes of her very valuable time to answer some questions….take notes kids, this one is brimming with info:
Outlets you write for:
I write about fitness, gear, and health for variety of pubs including, Runner’s World, Shape, SELF, Whole Living, Fit Pregnancy, Health, MORE, and occasionally the New York Times. (But I DO NOT have a direct line to them!!)
What stories are you interested in hearing about?
Trends–genuine, interesting trends—in fitness and gear.
Preferred method of contact: email or phone?
EMAIL. I’m NOT a phone-gal. And do NOT call my cell phone unless you want call to be dropped by lousy 3G service in my house.
To follow-up or not to follow-up?
No follow-up please unless I request it. If I’m interested I’ll respond—I’m very responsive on email when I’m intrigued.
Use social media to get story ideas? Following anyone interesting on Twitter?
Hmmm, I guess it hadn’t even OCCURRED to me to use social media to get story ideas unless you count paying attention to what fans on my co-authored book’s Facebook page are talking about. (Run Like a Mother: The Book. Score points with me and pay attention to it!)
What do you read regularly?
I live for the New York Times. I read Runner’s World and Entertainment Weekly cover to cover.
Where do you get story ideas?
Majority of stories I write are assigned to me, not ideas I pitch. But the ideas I do pitch I get from savvy PR people; from Outdoor Retailer trade show; from doing what I love (running and working out); from interacting with friends and fans of Run Like a Mother. (If you have to ask, you haven’t been paying attention!)
What’s the coolest thing you’ve seen in the active lifestyle/outdoor industry lately?
Hmm, it’s been a while since my skirt was blown up by anything super-cool. First thing that jumps to mind is Saucony’s Sleep Suit at Winter OR Show.
Media events- helpful or just an excuse to get out of the office?
Depends, but usually the latter. You forgot to add third option: A great way for a freelancer to make valuable connections with editors. Thus don’t just invite freelancers—we’re a fun group, but then there’s no biz contacts made. Oh, and fourth option: A time-suck away from my family and desk. I’m FAR more choosy about press trips now than I was in my mid-20s.
Fellow PR peeps, are you guys taking notes?!?!
The weirdest/craziest pitch you ever received? (either a product or the actual pitch. Don’t worry, no brands/companies/PR people will be named)
None come to mind. But one company, who shall remain nameless, used to tick me off greatly with all the useless, showy packaging they’d assemble to announce one little bit of info. Thankfully the recession has eaten up such waste.
Note: send Sarah simple direct mail pieces.
Ultimate PR ‘no no’s (bad grammar, spelling errors, misspelling name)
Where to start: Typos are a big-bad on my list. As is leaving “h” off my first name. Oh, I know biggest bad: Sending unsolicited product or press kit with WAY too much packaging or overnighting it. Heck, give me the $30 you paid FEDEX and email me a link to online press room instead! Minimize carbon footprint and save some trees, people!!
Updated Note: send SaraH electronic simple direct mail pieces.
Your biggest pet peeve when working with PR people:
Sending wrong product when specifications.have.clearly.been.spelled.out.for.them. Don’t make me ask you for your FEDEX account number to return stuff to you! I’m still perfecting my X-ray vision so I can see through cardboard boxes so I can know when to refuse a delivery.
Oh, runner-up: Requiring a signature on some dinky package. I need to sign for an overnighted press kit, really?
Update to the updated note: send SaraH RELEVANT electronic simple direct mail pieces not requiring signature. CHEEEECK.
Word/phrase that makes you cringe when included in a press release/pitch:
Made-up words. Oh, and “green” is so 2007.
Tradeshow appointments- worth the time or just going through the motions?
They can go either way. I love seeing PR people I’ve known for years, and when the appt has a relaxed, let’s-make-this-productive-yet-enjoyable for us both vibe. I like mining appts for trends and insights I can use in pitches. Instead of just showing me your latest and greatest, surprise me with some stats and figures.
Anything else?
Don’t send a slew of images unless asked for.
And do NOT guilt-trip me into writing about a product or getting back to you. I gotta lotta balls in the air: I’m doing my best over here, as I know you are too.
Tune in next week when we put another heavy-hitter in the hot seat! (Got suggestions on questions you’d like to have answered? Send ‘em!)
Petzl Announces RocTrip 2010 in Jilotepec, Mexico
Petzl, a leader in technical climbing gear and hands-free lighting, today announced the destination for Petzl RocTrip 2010, to be held in Jilotepec, Mexico, south of Mexico City. Often referred to as “Jilo”, Jilotepec was originally established as a traditional climbing area and is now home to over 120 sport climbing routes ranging from 5.9 to 5.14. Petzl RocTrip is an annual gathering of climbers and Petzl athletes that features climbing, clinics, slideshows, RocRally, music, and parties, happening this year from October 30th through November 6th.
“RocTrip Mexico will be the biggest climbing event in our country by far,” said Alejandro
Rivera of Alta Vertical, Petzl’s Mexico distributor. “In addition to tons of great climbing,
holding RocTrip at Jilo will highlight pre-Hispanic and colonial culture in Mexico. Jilo is a
perfect pace for climbers to gather to experience the quality of the climbing, to connect,
and to celebrate the sport together.”
From Saturday, October 30, to Monday, November 1, the public is invited climb and hang
with the Petzl pros at the massive El Chonta cave, outside of Taxco, Mexico. Among the
Petzl Team athletes who plan to attend RocTrip Mexico to give clinics, climb, and put their
heads together to complete the specially equipped “Ultimate Routes” are: Dave
Graham, Nina Caprez, Dani Andrada, Lynn Hill, Martina Cufar, Saïd Belhaj, Liv Sansoz,
Daniel Woods, Lisa Rands, Joe Kinder, Steve Mcclure, Emily Harrington, Sean McColl, Chris
Lindner, Jon Cardwell, Alizée Dufraisse, and more.
“Like climbing itself, Petzl Roc Trip is about community, travel, and, of course, getting on
great routes,” says John Evans, Petzl’s head of marketing in North America. “On top of the
good times, we always try to leave a positive legacy. This Roc Trip is no different – along
with developing new climbing routes for all abilities and donating proceeds to the local Redwood preserve in Jilotepec, we’re also working with Pan Access America on regional
access issues.”
Starting Tuesday, November 2, Petzl RocTrip will head to Jilotepec for a continuation of the
event. Details so far include:
• Nov. 2 – Ultimate Route climbing, slideshow and presentation at the Municipal
Theater
• Nov. 3 – Ultimate Route climbing
• Nov. 4 – Rest day
• Nov. 5 – Climbing clinics (Petzl athletes and local guides will team up to lead the
clinics), climbing, gear demos, and slideshows/movies in the evening
• Nov. 6 – RocRally all day / party all night! (The RocRally is a competition in which
pros and citizens climb designated routes in a competition to amass the most
points. All in good fun…)
For additional information on the cost of attendance and clinics, places to stay, the areas of
Jilotepec, to see videos from past Petzl RocTrip events, and more, visit:
http://petzl.com/us/page/roctrip-mexico-2010
Petzl RocTrip Mexico 2010 supporting sponsors include: Acrobarium, Alta Vertical, Corona
Jilotepec, Direccion de Turismo Jilotepec, Grutas de Cacahuamilpa National Park, Fusion
Rocodromo Climbing Gym, Hotel Montetaxco, Hotel Xilonen, La Gran Montaña, Montañas y
Cavernas, Sportiva, Naturalexa, Nikwax Waterproofing, The North Face, the Town of Taxco,
and Vertimania.
About Petzl
For over 50 years, Petzl has been developing innovative tools and techniques used by
those entering the vertical world. Today, the Petzl brand is closely associated with
adventure, exploration, rescue, and many notable exploits in the worlds of rock climbing
and alpinism. Petzl climbing hardware and headlamps can be found in outdoor specialty
shops and premium sporting goods retailers around the world. For more information, log
on to www.petzl.com.
About Petzl Roc Trip
For nearly a decade, Petzl RocTrip has brought together members of the international
climbing community in celebration of our sport. RocTrip is about fun — climbing, contests,
clinics, music, parties, and more — but it’s also about making a difference. Past RocTrips
have raised funds and awareness for local and national access issues, and has even
assisted with payments on climber-owned areas, as was the case with a 2007 RocTrip in
Kentucky’s Red River Gorge. RocTrip attendees have helped with climbing area development, replacing old bolts and putting up new routes in the areas they’ve visited. For
more information on Petzl RocTrip, visit: http://petzl.com/us/page/roctrip-mexico-2010.
SNEWS TV Debuts at Summer OR Show
This month SNEWS TV made its debut at the Summer Outdoor Retailer Show and it appears that they’ve got a winner on their hands! Check out the coverage from day one as host Michael Hodgson – energetically - goes on a whirlwind tour of Momentum’s clients including Mammut, Petzl, STANLEY and Lolë. Where does he get this energy??? And more importantly, can OUR clients get their ‘elevator speech’ down to 60 seconds?!?!
Me and Ms. (Sharon) Jones –
Rarely do I get star struck and I’ve seen my fair share of celebrities. Usually elite athletes who have made the cross-over into pop culture (Phelps, Armstrong, Hincapie). And of all places be rendered speechless is Outdoor Retailer show. But it happened….and I learned the hard way….with Sharon Jones.
Last night, Ms. Jones played The Twilight Concert Series at Pioneer Park here in Salt Lake City – she put on a phenomenal show. And with some boldness I don’t necessarily possess, Ben and Ryan at the STANLEY Built for Life decided to contact Ms. Jones through Facebook and in a move that proved to be a prime example of her truly amazing spirit, she responded…and invited them to the evening’s show.
But that wasn’t all she did – besides giving them backstage passes (score one for Nancy S.), Ms. Jones also joined the group for an after-show drink. She has an incredible attitude and is so generous, down-to-earth, and lovely. What an awesome lady — coming from the “Female James Brown”….
If you don’t know her music, do it. Now.
Headed Your Way: STANLEY Built for Life® Tour Hits the Road for Cross-Country Adventure
STANLEY, a brand of PMI, announces the launch of a national road tour – the STANLEY Built for Life® Tour. Designed to promote real-life tales of durability, heritage and survival, the STANLEY Built for Life® Tour showcases legendary adventures with Stanley product collected over the brand’s near 100-year history. These stories include amazing feats of strength and performance like the man whose Stanley bottle stopped a bullet from hitting his wife and the man who used his Stanley bottle as a car jack. They will be featured on the tour in the Classic 1967 refurbished Airstream turned traveling showroom and will be used to inspire more story submissions from a new generation of Stanley owners.
“We’re constantly amazed by the impact the Stanley brand has had on people’s lives. From camping adventures with Grandpa to near death experiences, the Stanley bottle has survived it all and people love to tell us about it. This tour is about bringing these stories and our products to life using the power of events, on-site engagement and social networking” explains JoAnne Anderson, PMI Senior Marketing Manager for the Stanley brand.
To further encourage people to submit their own stories, there is a “Legends Club” contest where stories with Stanley product are entered for a chance to become memorialized in future advertising and packaging. The winner of the “Legends Club” contest will also receive a $5,000 prize package.
Aimed at connecting with consumers through their passions, the tour will make stops at outdoor sporting and music events across the nation. It will also stop at partner retailers, and other outdoor and urban city landmarks along the way. The tour will run through December 2010, finishing off at the US Gran Prix of Cyclocross Race in Portland, OR.
Highlights of the Built for Life Road® Tour include:
- Classic 1967 refurbished Airstream travel trailer showroom.
- STANLEY legendary bottles display, showcasing real-life bottles that stopped bullets, survived bulldozers, dropped from helicopters and more.
- Merchandise commemorating the various sponsored events.
- “Legends Club” contest offering consumers the chance for their story to be memorialized as one of the brands most iconic stories. Winning story will be included in advertising and packaging and the winner will receive a $5,000 prize package.
- www.builtforlifetour.com site chronicling the latest news from the road, highlights from events and Stanley Story submissions. It will also serve as a portal for connecting to the various social networking outlets also highlighting tour footage and Stanley Stories.
PRELIMINARY TOUR SCHEDULE (go to www.builtforlifetour.com for the latest)
July 23-25 Capitol Hill Block Party Seattle, WA
July 31 Cabela’s Salt Lake City, UT
August 3-6 Outdoor Retailer Trade Show Salt Lake City, UT
August 7 Sportman’s Warehouse Salt Lake City, UT
August 20 Cabela’s Seattle, WA
September 18 Star Crossed (Cyclocross Race) Seattle, WA
September 21 Interbike Tradeshow Las Vegas, NV
September 22 Cross Vegas Las Vegas, NV
September 25-26 USGP (US Gran Prix of Cyclocross) Madison, WI
October 8-10 National Courier Cycle Championship Atlanta, GA
October 16-17 Bridge Day Festival Fayetteville, WV
October 23-24 USGP (US Gran Prix of Cyclocross) Louisville, KY
November 5-7 Fun Fun Fun Fest Austin, TX
November 13-14 USGP (US Gran Prix of Cyclocross) Fort Collins, CO
December 4-5 USGP (US Gran Prix of Cyclocross) Portland, OR
As Predicted in Our Post Three Summers Ago, SUP is Taking Off
At least, according to everyone but my Dad.
It was a great day for windsurfing. Or sailing. Not so much for Stand-Up Paddling, never mind a SUP race on the Charles River – one of our nation’s most notoriously polluted resources. But, like buying Tiki Bar for our covered porch 2 years ago, it seemed like a good idea at the time.
The time was about 2 months ago, when my most persuasive friend – (the only one that can convince me that surfing at 5:45 a.m. is a good idea – and in doing so inadvertently introduce me to my husband – but that’s not important right now) convinced me that our support was needed at this race, which was really a fundraiser for Christopher’s Haven, which was also also an awareness building event for the Cape Cod Bay Challenge.
Anyway, 2 months later and I had trained, well, not at all. 2 half-hour quiet paddles on a flat beach day and in Pleasant Bay, so named for good reason, in no way prepared me for 4 miles in 15 mph winds on the nose of my husband’s SUP board, so borrowed because it’s a bit longer and more stable than mine.
The first leg of the first loop was a bit like paddling upstream into the wind – no, wait, it was exactly that. I was digging deep to make small and insignificant gains on people who actually paddle more than 3 times per year. The breeze was a small relief to the 94-degree day and the 150-degree brown water lapping all over the board and around my ankles. Ew. Ignore it. Ew. Ignore it. Don’t fall in. Do not. fall in.
The downwind section of the first loop took u
s through the “lagoon” – the quiet and serene, wind-blocked part of the river – which, without the breeze, felt a bit like paddling a longtail boat in Thailand. At high noon. In August.
But the support boat was puttering near, with my friend Jess snapping official event photos, and as I approached the pass under the first bridge, I heard my name. The voice, one of the two most familiar of my life. There was my Dad, up on the bridge above, arms outstretched, smiling…calling my name.
I looked up, encouraged and happy to see him. And as I gasped “Hey, Dad!” he continued…
“WHAT is THAT? That’s the stupidest sport I have ever seen! What are you doing that for?!?!” Did I mention that after nearly 40 years of living in Boston, he still has a Jersey accent?
I paddled under the bridge, with the support boat beside me, necks craned upward to see who the heckler was.
I popped out the other side, where Dad had run across the bridge to the opposite rail, to be sure I heard, “I raised you to be smarter than that! Ridiculous!”
With what little breath I had I pointed and nodded toward the finish, in the direction of the free beer I had promised him earlier in the day. But I wasn’t even close.
After the lagoon leg there was the along-the-Longfellow bridge leg, which was cool and all if you love getting side slapped by wind waves and cut-off by novices from Boston Community Sailing. I almost yelled “Starboard” to two sailboats and three kayaks. Couldn’t they see by the sheer volume of pain on my face that I clearly had the right of way???
Then there was the up-the-Cambridge-side-to-Mass-Ave.-bridge leg which was the longest, but only because it required the greatest amount of suffering, again directly into the wind. I made a friend for a minute on that leg. The guy paddling off my tail asked me if I paddled a lot. “You look like you know what you’re doing”. I could only respond that desperation breeds determination, or something like that…
Around the mark and along the Mass ave bridge. More side slap. A hydration pack would have been a good idea about an hour earlier.
Around the last mark, and back down through the lagoon. All bridges were clear of supportive parents, and I dug with everything I had to pass a girl I’d had in my sights for the last 3 marks, but she was strong and she looked like she knew what she was doing for real.
Speaking of, about a 1/3 of a mile from the finish, I took a look at my husband’s paddle and wondered if I’d been holding it correctly this whole time. 4 miles and an hour and a half in is the perfect time to wonder if you’re doing it right.
Turned the paddle around and dug some more, thinking only of water at the finish. And as I crossed it, my husband recording the competitors’ times overheard a woman in the crowd. “Oh…that poor girl has her paddle turned the wrong way. Shame.”
Two hours and two free beers later, I found my Dad at the after party on the community sailing docks. It really was a stunning evening as the day cooled down, the sun set its reflection on the Prudential and Hancock towers, and the Red Line trains shuffled back and forth across the Longfellow.
Someone started blowing a Conch Shell (seriously?) and awards were being announced. I was halfway back to the bar when I heard my name. Second place, women’s stock. What.
I looked around and did not see anyone else who looked like they shared my name and worked my way through the bar line and the crowd to claim my “trophy” – a very cool wood-carved mini SUP board trophy handmade by Chatham Wind and Time.
Upon receipt, I looked around while retreating back into the crowd. I couldn’t place my husband – he was hiding behind a lens, former photographer that he is. He’ll never admit he was as surprised as I was – though he willingly admits I’m “always full of surprises!”. I kept looking, and placed my Dad. There he was, behind the free cheese plate, not beaming with pride, but eating a banana, sideways, the way some people eat corn on the cob.
I’m no SUP star, but this sport is definitely growing – from beaches to urban centers, and anywhere there’s water in between. In a few weeks, two friends and maybe 40 others will paddle 28 miles on SUPs across Cape Cod Bay, from Plymouth to Provincetown, in an effort led by a cancer survivor, raising money for kids with cancer.
And that’s cool.
No matter what my Dad says.
(Love ya, Dad.)
Lole’s Big-Screen Debut: Twilight’s Eclipse Movie
Whether you’re part of Team Jacob or Team Edward, you can dress like the film’s star, Bella [Kristen Stewart], with a sweet Lole jacket. Self.com published an interview with the Twilight series’ costume designer, Tish Monaghan, who talked about several of the character’s wardrobes, including the Lole Amazone jacket which Bella was wearing as she spent the night on the mountain with Jacob to keep her warm (which Edward kept a watchful eye!). Find yourself without a phasing werewolf to keep you warm? Get yourself a Lole jacket!
Bella gets 'feminine' while Edward gets 'casual' for Eclipse
Momentum Media PR Adds Senior Leadership to Team with Bethany Mousseau
(Boston, Mass. and Boulder, Colo.) – Momentum Media PR, a results-driven PR agency specializing in bringing active lifestyle brands to the forefront of their markets and the consumer mindshare, announced today that Bethany Mousseau has joined the firm as Senior Account Manager, effective immediately. With nearly a decade of experience in public relations, Bethany will provide account management and leadership to Momentum’s clients, including communications counsel and strategic planning. Bethany’s relationships with both traditional and digital media will complement Momentum’s extensive network as will her expertise in social media and business to consumer communications.
Bethany’s experience includes time at Weber Shandwick Worldwide, Stanwood & Partners PR and Carmichael Lynch Spong. Her account work has ranged from outdoor and active lifestyle brands to business-to-business and technology – providing invaluable experience on both emerging brands and global corporations with household names. Past clients and projects include PowerBar, New Balance, Whirlpool/Amana, DuPont and Sara Lee. Her work in the technology sector will add to Momentum’s ahead-of-the-curve approach to social media strategy.
“Bringing Bethany on adds a layer of senior leadership to Momentum, as well as excitement for our current and future projects in the social media realm,” said Alycia Cavadi, President and Founder of Momentum Media PR. “Bethany’s experience models our agency’s strengths – deep client and media relationships, with an eye to the future and what’s next. We’re truly looking forward to what Bethany’s role will bring to our clients and to our agency as a whole.”
Bethany will work primarily from Momentum’s Boston office with close proximity to New York’s media epicenter, and will also have a presence at Momentum’s main office in the active lifestyle media mecca of Boulder, Colorado.
When not tinkering with her bikes, pushing through a trail run or attempting to get in touch with her inner yogi, Bethany gets her daily exercise by chasing after her two small kids, Olivia and Charlie.
About Momentum Media PR
Momentum Media PR is a results-driven PR agency specializing in bringing active lifestyle brands to the forefront of their markets and the consumer mindshare. Our strengths begin with media relations and editorial coverage and expand to social media strategy and execution, custom branding campaigns, and consumer-facing publicity.
