You are currently browsing the category archive for the ‘Biking’ category.
Did you know that economics determine how far a person will venture for their outdoor adventures? In a tight economy, people make more of the resources available, and hence, the “backdoor adventure” is born.
But what is a backdoor adventure? Backdoor adventures are quick, close-to-home adventures that can be done at lunch, before or after work, or on weekends. Backdoor adventures such as trail running, biking, hiking–even yoga or long-boarding–are fun, easy, and require little equipment.
The advantage of integrating the outdoors into your day-to-day lifestyle has a variety of benefits. It’s no wonder these activities are taking the outdoor industry by storm; the advantages are clear:
- They have a short learning curve. Many backdoor adventures can be self-taught and don’t require lessons, reducing the barrier to entry.
- They are inexpensive. Backdoor activities are generally close to home and require little gear or equipment.
- Even the dog can come. Because these activities usually require less skill, they are appropriate for the entire family—dog, children, grandparents, too!
- It can be integrated into part of your lifestyle. Often referred to as “gateway activities”, backdoor adventures easily become part of a regular fitness routine. In fact, those who participate in backdoor activities generally participate in a higher variety of outdoor activities, and more often.
So grab your yoga mat, hiking shoes, and of course…dog leash, and head outside! What are you waiting for?
Team Ruff Wear Dirty Dawgs took 9th place (of 53 teams) in the Business/Service category in the Pole, Pedal, Paddle last Saturday. For those of you who don’t live in Bend, it’s a super fun, multi-sport race that begins at Mt. Bachelor and finishes in the Les Schwab Amphitheater in Bend, OR.
Here’s how our race played out: The race starts with a 200 foot sprint uphill to your skis. Chelsea, our downhill skier, flew down the Leeway run at mach 5. At the West Village lodge, Chelsea tags off to the XC skier (me). I got to skate ski in the slush for about 8k, with the last 2.5k all up hill. I finished at the Nordic lodge and ran, skis in hand, to Jesse who jumped on his bike. Jesse rode 22 mostly downhill miles back to town. At the next exchange, our runner, Rocco, took off for a 5 mile run along the Deschutes River. Rocco handed off to Will, who after being dumped in the river (oops!), kayaked a 2k out-and-back course. After his paddle, Will tagged off to Rocco, who sprinted (in under 3 minutes) to the finish line. We finished in just under 2 1/2 hours! Afterwards, we kicked back at one of the biggest parties in Bend, for well deserved beverages.
What a fun day for all!
The first time around we posted a list of our top-rated trails for dogs. This time, we asked our customers, and armed with this info, created an interactive map of dog-friendly North American trails. Click below to view trails in your area…and feel free to add your favorite trails, pictures, and descriptions.
To add new trails, click on the “View Larger Image” link or click here. Once the map opens up in Google Maps, select “Save to My Maps”. This will require a sign in using your Google or Gmail account. Once signed in, type the address or location of the trail in the “Search Maps” bar. Click on the marker point and select “Save to” and “Great Trails for Dogs.”
While canine paw injury prevention is key, it is also important to know how to deal with a paw injury if it does happen. Here are a few tips for identifying and treating sore and hurt paws.
Identify sore feet.
Being in tune with your dog’s activity level and personality can help you identify if they’re suffering from a paw injury. You should be able to tell if your dog is staying off his feet or favoring a paw. Look for the obvious – cuts, blisters, or in extreme cases a “sloughed” pad.
Customers often refer to our Grip Trex™ and Skyliner™ boots as “winter boots.” But did you know these boots were first created to provide paw protection on the trail year round?
There are major advantages to protecting your dog’s feet in the summer months. Among them, boots will prevent injury from over-exertion, new terrain, hot surfaces, and sharp rocks. If your dog has ever had a paw injury on the trail, you know that carrying a dog (especially a large one) back to the trailhead is no fun, so preventive paw wear should always be a consideration.
Go farther, longer.
As humans increase the number and duration of their activities, dogs are often not conditioned to do the same. Our gear-enhanced activities allow us to go farther, longer and on unusual terrain that unprotected dog paws are not equipped to handle.
Did you know dogs don’t sweat? Well, not really. Though they have a few sweat glands (mainly on the pads of their feet), their primary way of cooling down is by panting. So, the hotter the air, or the more physically demanding the activity, the less effective panting is at cooling a dog down.
A common scenario that causes heat stroke is leaving a dog in a hot car (anything over 72°F outside); but overexertion, humidity, lack of shade, and dehydration are also common culprits.
