It's Friday, which means it's also time for our weekly "Adventure Quickies" column. This is my rundown of stories, gear reviews, travel bargains, and other items that I didn't have time or space to get to earlier in the week. Here are a few things you may have missed over the past few days.
- Alan Arnette Continues Virtual Everest Expedition: We're all missing the spring climbing season on Everest and other big Himalayan peaks, but thankfully there is one expedition that we can all still follow. A few weeks back I told you that Alan Arnette was writing a fictional account of an Everest climb this season, taking us on a virtual adventure along the way. Each of the entires into his blog posts have been carefully crafted to follow what would likely be happening right now had the coronavirus not shut everything down. Where do we stand at the moment? The Sherpas have reached Camp 2!
- ExWeb Examines the Cancelled Expeditions of 2020: The coronavirus continues to impact our daily lives and reshape how we interact with one another. It has also had a profound impact on the outdoor exploration and adventure community. Case in point, earlier this week our friends at ExWeb took a look at some of the long-distance expeditions that have been cancelled this year.
- U.S. National Parks Hint at Reopening: America's national parks were amongst the nonessential locations that have been shutdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, the country is starting to reopen and the parks are preparing to welcome visitors too. Many of the locations have now hinted at when they'll open their gates and the Chimani Blog has a good rundown of when that will happen. The post is being updated regularly as new information is revealed, but as of now there are already several parks that have reopened trails and roads.
- Outdoor Athletes Reveal Workout Playlists: Ever wondered what some of your favorite outdoor athletes listen to during their workouts? The folks at GearJunkie did to, so they tracked down a few to find out. In this article, you'll get some insights into what Ricky Gates, Caroline Gleich, Adrian Ballinger, and a host of others have in their ears while they train.
- Patagonia Now Makes a Micro Puff Quilt: Patagonia's Micro Puff Jacket has been a popular mainstay in its catalog for some time. This week, the company also released a Micro Puff Quilt that features many of the same features-namely durability and lightweight warmth-in a cozy blanket.
- Asila Africa Offers Special Rates for Healthcare Workers: One thing is for certain, once this pandemic gets back under control, there will be a lot of healthcare professionals who will need a good long vacation. When travel is finally viable again, Asila Africa wants to welcome those folks. This week, the company announced special pricing for those in the healthcare industry who have been putting their own lives on the line during the outbreak.
- Adventure Journal Profiles First Man to Solo the Grand Canyon: If you're looking for a tale of adventure and wonder, plus a good dose of inspiration, have a look at Adventure Journal's profile of Buzz Holmstrom. Who is that you ask? He's the first man to run the Gran Canyon solo. Oh yeah, he also did it in a homemade boat.
That's all for this week. See you next Friday for more adventure quickies.