Schwinn Has Your Perfect Rendezvous For Valentine's Day

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Just in time for Valentine's Day, Schwinn Bicycles is launching their Perfect Rendezvous Sweepstakes during which they're looking to give you, and that special someone in your life, a great night out on the town, plus a couple of bikes too. To enter the contest, simply go to the Schwinn Facebook page between today and February 28 and share your perfect rendezvous with either a picture or a brief description.

The winner will be selected at random and will receive quite a nice prize package. In addition to scoring a gift card to their favorite restaurant and movie tickets to catch a show, they'll also go home with a woman's Rendezvous bike and a men's 4 One One. Two nice bikes that will provide hours of fun and exercise.

Entering the contest couldn't be easier, so head on over to the FB page and share your idea of a great date. Who knows, maybe your romantic side will earn you a new set of wheels for you and your sweetie.

Winter Climbs 2013: Summit Push Underway On Broad Peak

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It was a very busy and active weekend on Broad Peak where the Polish team has launched their summit bids amidst forecasts of better weather ahead. As is typical with this squad, they have been taking a methodical and focused approach with two-man teams alternating going up higher as they fix ropes and build camps. One of those teams is hoping for a successful summit push today. If that happens, it'll be the first winter ascent of the 8051 meter (26,414 ft) peak.

Over the weekend, two members of the team, Adam Bielecki and Artur MaÅ‚ek, were able to push as high as 7820 meters (25,656 ft) in their push but returned to Camp 3 after completing their work. Another temporary camp is now in place at 7400 meters (24,278 ft) which is where summit bids are being launched today. The hope is that with three or four rotating squads, they'll continue to assault the summit while the weather window remains open.

Keep your fingers crossed for the team. They've been working very hard this season and their goal is now in sight. Lets hope they get up and down the mountain safely.

Over on Nanga Parbat, the whereabouts of Joel Wischnewski remains a mystery. Last week I reported that he had been in contact with his support team and that everything was fine, but if you missed the update to that story, it turns out that report was in error. There still has been no word from Joel, who was incredibly sick the last time we heard from him. That was nearly two weeks ago, which doesn't bode well for the French snowboarder, who claimed that his summit push would be three days in length. Now ExWeb is reporting that a search and rescue operation is underway with a team of local climbers now on the Rupal Face searching for the missing climber. Lets try to hope stay positive and hope for the best.

Crew Wanted For Pacific Ocean Row

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Have you ever wanted to row across an ocean? If so, you'll definitely want to read this post. 
Earlier today, adventurer Alastair Humphreys, who rowed across the Atlantic last year,  posted a call for a crew to row across the Pacific next year. Alastair, who says rowing one ocean was enough for him, has shared a message from Philip Cavanagh who is looking to put together a team to compete in the Pacific Ocean Rowing Race that is scheduled to take place between California and Hawaii in 2014.

The note reads as follows:

Philip will be participating in the first Pacific Ocean row in June 2014, and is looking for crewmates. The race is a 2,100 nautical mile row from California to Hawaii, and the boat will be powered by human strength alone. Everything needed for the row will be onboard, and the crew will receive no assistance during the race. 

To join the crew, you do not need rowing experience! All we want is a sense of adventure, a desire to succeed and the will to do something extraordinary! 

The shift pattern will be a demanding 2 hours on 2 hours off for the duration of the race. (Which means you’ll be able to sleep 50% of the time… glass half full!)
If you’d like to express an interest, or would like more information, contact Philip at Philip.cavanagh3@gmail.com

 So there you go. If you're looking for a big adventure next year and rowing across a giant body of water sounds like something you'd like to try, then drop Phillip a note and find out more of the details. This could be a fantastic opportunity for the right person.

The Adventurists Launch Unsupported Bike Race From London To Istanbul

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The Adventurists, whose devious minds have brought us the Mongol Rally and the Rickshaw Run, are launching a new adventure this summer and this time its geared  for the cycling crowd. Starting in August, the first ever Trans Continental Race will get underway, launching Europe's longest unsupported race covering more than 2000 miles between London and Istanbul.

As is typical with an event put on by the Adventurists, this race gives participants a lot of leeway in how they get from the starting gate to the finish line. Riders will be allowed to take any route they see fit, although they will have to pass through a few checkpoints along the way. These CP's will ensure that everyone faces similar challenges on their ride to Istanbul, with one of the biggest of those being a crossing of the Alps. Navigation along the route is also very flexible and competitors are free to use good old fashioned maps, a GPS device or simply get directions from those they meet along the way. The point is that there are very few restrictions to the race, aside from getting across Europe to the finish line.

As noted, this is an unsupported race, which means the riders will need to carry all of their gear and supplies with them when they set out. That will require them to make tough decisions about what is absolutely necessary and what can be left at home. It comes down to shaving weight off the bike while still having all of the necessary gear with them for a prolonged journey.

Registration for the Trans Continental Race opens tomorrow and the event is scheduled to begin on August 2. This looks like it will be another great adventure open to everyone this summer.

North America's First Trail Running Conference Comes To Estes Park Colorado

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Trail running in one of the most popular and fastest growing outdoor sports in the U.S., so it seems only natural that the first ever conference in North America focused on the sport should take place later this year. The inaugural Estes Trail Ascent is scheduled to take place June 20-22 in Estes Park, Colorado - one of the premiere trail running destinations in a state that is known for its amazing locations for all mountain sports.

The event is tailored for athletes, event organizers and vendors alike, with something to offer everyone. The daily schedule, which is still being completely filled in, will include seminars, speaker panels, a gear expo and of course trail runs – including a 5.9-mile (9.5 km) race that features 1900 feet (579 meters) of elevation gain.

Event organizers will be especially interested in the Event Director College. This first of its kind event will run at the same time as the trail running conference and is designed to give race directors all of the tools they need to focus on and build a quality event. Seminars and panels will share secrets on finding sponsorships, event management, marketing, public relations and more. Managers of successful trail running events across the U.S. will share their wisdom and knowledge that will allow the sport to continue to grow in new areas.

Registration for the Estes Trail Ascent is now open. If you're interested in attending, book your plans now.

It is great to see this kind of event cropping up in the U.S. for the first time. Trail running is popular with outdoor enthusiasts, so its wonderful to see the sport growing to the point that a conference of this type can take place. Estes Park is also a beautiful setting for the event as well and well worth attending just to spend a little time in the area.

Walking The Nile: Trekking The Length Of The World's Longest River

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Two British adventurers are preparing to set out on one very long and demanding expedition that will see them pass through seven countries, covering more than 4250 miles (6840 km), along the entire length of the Nile River.

Inspired by Ed Stafford's record setting walk along the Amazon, Levison Wood and Simon Clarke have dubbed their adventure Walking the Nile. If successful, they'll become the first people in history to walk the longest river in the world from source to sea, and along the way they hope to encourage others to get off their couch and seek adventures of their own.

Their journey will begin in the highlands of Burundi and Rwanda before descending into the thick jungles of Tanzania and Uganda. From there they'll walk along the edge of Lake Victoria before entering the newest country on the planet – South Sudan. Crossing through the largest swampland on the planet, they'll move into North Sudan before passing into the Sahara Desert for the final leg of the expedition in Egypt. Wood and Clarke estimate that it should take them roughly 12 months to complete their adventure.

No date has been announced for the start of the expedition, but presumably you'll be able to follow progress on Facebook and Twitter once they get underway. For now though, you can get a sense of what they are facing in the short video below.

Walking The Nile from Secret Compass on Vimeo.

Video: Powder Highway Road Trip #1 - Sun Valley

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Remember earlier today when I mentioned that we tend to see a lot of ski videos this time of year? Here's a case in point. This video is the first in a new series of road trips to visit some of the top ski resorts in the western part of North America. The series was launched today by our friends over at National Geographic Adventure and it features skier Zach Crist and friends looking for perfect powder where ever they can find it.

Powder Highway Dispatch # 1 Sun Valley from Stellar Media on Vimeo.