It was bound to happen sooner or later

YouTube was started in early 2005. Time magazine, in usual slow-to-catch-up fashion, hailed it in 2006 as “Invention of the Year.”

Today in 2007, video is ubiquitous on the Web. So you knew eventually someone would put together a site of backpacking videos.

It turns out that someone is Jason Klass.

Check it out: backpackingvideos.com

Nice site, Jason, but no RSS feed? That’s so 2004.

UPDATE:  As Jason notes in the comments, he’s added an RSS feed to the Latest Videos page. Subscribe!

Goodbye and don’t let the door hit you on the way out

‘Road to Nowhere’ won’t be finished

The National Park Service said today it doesn’t plan to build the so-called “Road to Nowhere” through Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Still hiking

I was trying to do some catching up tonight. After a couple weeks of an on-and-off (most off) Internet connection, I got everything to work, so I checked in on a few thru-hikers on the AT.

While reading Tom-B’s trail journal, I came some surprising information about another hiker I’ve talked about here and here.

Also met a Southbound hiker who started last July, and is hiking bearfoot! Tyvek is his trail name – his cause is www.thelongwalkhome.org – check it out, especially if you’re a vet.

Apparently Ron Zaleski is back on the trail, but I can’t confirm that because his site is down.

Winter adventures in summer

A friend of mine, Dave Lew, is like me in many ways.

• I’m not-so-young but I feel young. He’s young.

• I like bicycling. He was once a junior pro-level cyclist.

• I like whitewater kayaking. He paddles big water in Utah and Peru.

• I like mountains. He climbs mountains all over the world.

Okay, so we’re really not that much alike. Or maybe he’s like me, only more extreme.

Anyway, today I received word from Dave that he’s arrived at his next great adventure, spending the summer on a scientific expedition in Greenland. He’s there for a project called the Greenland Halogen and Hydrogen Radical Photochemistry Experiment.

And that’s another area where I’m not much like him. I haven’t a clue what a Halogen and Hydrogen Radical Photochemistry Experiment could possibly be.

Dave says his team has started a blog. If you’re into halogen and hydrogen radical photochemistry experiments, or just curious what it’s like to live and work in Greenland, check it out.