Elite Endurance Tri-Athlete Barbara Warren Dies After Biking Accident

Barbara Warren, one of the world’s elite high endurance tri-athletes, has died following a recent biking accident at the Santa Barbara Triathlon.  Barbara Warren was one-half of a famed twin sister combo that thrived on high endurance competitions in some of the most unusual and inhospitable environments in the world.  She was 65 years old.

Barbara Warren won her age group at the 2003 Ironman World Triathlon Championships.  She had competed in the Ironman Triathlon Championships 13 times, placing in the top 5 in eight of those outings.

Barbara Warren and her twin sister Angelika Drake successfully completed the 2,983 mile Race Across America in 10 hours.  The two then teamed up to tackle a 7 day race across the Sahara Desert and a triple Ironman event in France.  The Triple Ironman consists of a 7.2 mile swim, 336 mile bike ride, and a 78.6 mile run.

Barbara Warren’s death came as a result of an accident while biking in a stage of the Santa Barbara Triathlon.  Barbara Warren had broken her neck, as a result of the accident, and was paralyzed from the neck down.  She had to rely upon a ventilator to breath and was in very bad shape.  Her family decided to take Barbara off the ventilator after she agreed, through nodding her head and blinking, that she was aware of the circumstances and did not want to continue in that manner.  She passed away shortly thereafter with her sister lying next to her and her husband and kids in the room.

To me, this would have to be one of the toughest decisions in the world.  The manner is a little controversial, yet, unless you are in that situation, it is very hard to say what you would do.  Let’s keep Barbara’s family, friends, and associates in our prayers, as well as the thousands of athletes that she touched along the way.  She was a very gifted athlete and died in a tragic way doing what she loved to do.

To read more about Barbara Warren, from a more personal standpoint, head over to Ironman.com.

The Adventurist Goes ‘Odiogo’ For Your Listening Pleasure

Technology is a wonderful thing.  I recently came across a new innovation (new to me) while browsing the political website Politco.  It was a little buttun that said ‘Listen Now’.  I clicked the button and to my amazement the whole article was read to me.  That was quite cool.  After a bit of research, I discovered that the software maker for this innovation was a company by the name of Odiogo.  It is a funny name, but quite an amazing product.

Odiogo provides sound to anything you type.  I thought this would be a crap program that would mess up many of the words that are typed.  To my amazement, it was quite fluent and easy to understand.  I have brought Odiogo to The Adventurist.

Not only can you now listen to each individual article, but now you can even download these posts into your IPod or MP3 player, much like a podcast.  The words from the article will actually go across your IPod, IPhone, or MP3 player screen, as they are being read.

Another huge bonus to this technology is that now, not only can you listen and download articles, but I can also put these articles together into a Podcast.  (as soon as I figure out how.)  This saves me a huge abundance of time and effort for something that I have been working towards for quite some time.  You may eventually see a real Podcast program here, but for the time being, this is great!

I am already finding myself listening to my own posts.  Haha.

I am going to be working with this new program, over the coming days, to see just how far I can push this technology.  I know I am suppose to be on a break, but like usual, a break to me is quite different than what it is for most.

Click the audio, check out the new technology, and let me know your thoughts.  I will be making another post in the next few days to clue you in on how you can take better advantage of this new technology at The Adventurist.

Famed Slovenian Climber Pavle Kozjek Missing And Presumed Dead On Muztagh Tower, Search and Rescue Ongoing For Partner Dejan Miskovic

Reports are surfacing that famed Slovenian climber Pavle Kozjek has fallen from Muztagh Tower.  His climbing partners, Dejan Miskovic and Gregor Kresal, are in trouble, as well.  Gregor Kresal was evacuated from Muztagh Tower yesterday, while ongoing search and rescue efforts are taking place for Dejan Miskovic, who is stranded at higher altitude.

Pavle Kozjek is famous for releasing the stirring photographs of what has now become known as “The Nangpa La Incident,” where chinese soldiers gunned down a group of Tibetan refugees in 2006.  These photographs sparked outrage and concern the world over for the violence of the incident, when few others would speak up.  Pavle released the famed photographs to ExplorersWeb 3 hours after the incident took place, even while Chinese soldiers were still hunkered down in the climbing camps of Cho Oyu.

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The Adventurist: Taking A Much Needed Break

Many of my daily readers may have noticed that my posts have been a bit sporadic over the past couple of weeks.  This is due, in a large part, from a very emotional month both on here and in my personal life.  I apologize, but sometimes that’s the way life goes.

Brief Rundown–

August 1st, news breaks that there has been a terrible climbing accident on K2.  I follow this story as it unfolds.  In the process, my dog runs away.  I know.  That was a bit random.  My family mourns the loss of our loving dog, everyone’s in tears, then we get a phonecall that the local Humane Shelter had picked up our pooch for loitering.  After our $50 bailout, everyone was happy again.

The dog comes home, but right away he isn’t acting right.  He won’t eat.  If he does, he throws up.  We watched him for a couple of days-still not eating, but puking.  We take him to the vet, get some tests ran, and sadly find out that he has acute kidney failure.  There was nothing we could do.

Most people will say that a dog is just an animal, but we all know how attached we can get to an animal.  My wife and I recieved this dog a week after we got together and he was just always a part of our family.  It was heartbreaking to watch my family and see them suffer, it was harder to see the dog wither away.

Most of you don’t know me on a personal level.  To an extent, that is good.  If you did know me, then you would also know that I am the type of guy that would wreck my truck to dodge hitting a frog hopping across the road.  (True story, but it was a near wreck.  Luckily, I corrected in time and missed the frog).  I feel it is not my place to take a life, no matter how small.  This put me in quite a predicament.  My dog was clearly suffering.  I know I made the right choice in having him euthanized, but emotionally it still lingers.  I KNOW!  IT IS ONLY A FRIGGIN’ DOG!!

Right after that ordeal, it was time to pack up my oldest daughter for college.  She is attending the University of Evansville, for Biology, with every intention of becoming a doctor.  My house quickly shrunk from 5 members (including the dog) to three.  My wife was crying, and without adding to much emphasis, I was, too.

To make a long story short, I am going to take some time, not yet determined, to clear my head of some of this turmoil and reevaluate what I am doing.  I need to play the good husband and be there.  Quick changes are never easy, but I want to make sure that I am there for my family and not preoccupied with making sure I have 3 posts up a day on my blog.  The Adventurist comes second fiddle in my band.

To my readers, I will be back, hopefully in a few days.  While I am taking some time away from here, I might try catching up on a couple of other projects in my free time–including U.S. Outdoors Today, and our newly launched forums.  So, I will be away, but not totally…

I appreciate you stopping by, and check back in, I will be back up and going shortly.  (hopefully, a bit more emotionally stable).  In the meantime, check out some of the links in my sidebar, or visit The Adventure Blog for the latest in adventure news updates.  I know Kraig will appreciate it.  I will still be checking my emails and keeping an eye on things, so don’t be surprised if something big happens, that I may make an update-other than that, I am going to enjoy my time off with my family and wish all of you a safe Labor Day weekend.

Georgia Bigfoot Hoax Hits Close To Home–Lawsuit Filed

The recent uproar over the discovery of a ’supposed’ Bigfoot corpse has now been proven to be nothing more than an elaborate hoax perpetrated by two individuals from Georgia.  One individual, a police officer, who was involved with the elaborate scheme, has since taken the role of ‘former police officer’ as he was fired for fraudulent behavior.  It looks like the bad news just keeps coming…

My home state of Indiana has been sparking some mutterings that it may have been the spot for the scientific study of the Bigfoot corpse…hence, a Bigfoot autopsy.  Two doctors were said to have paid upwards of $50,000 each to bring the Bigfoot corpse in to a scientific environment and check to see if it was indeed a Bigfoot corpse, or just another elaborate scheme to spark millions of imaginations and draw some public interest.  We all know now that after the body was turned over to the doctors (in a block of ice) that it was soon discovered that something wasn’t right.  It’s human-like feet were made of rubber and it’s head was empty. This evidence led the scientists to believe that the Georgia Bigfoot was nothing more than an elaborate ape suit frozen in ice.  <<<See Photo of Georgia Bigfoot

This hasn’t set to well with the two scientists who paid $50,000 to study this supposed corpse.

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Breaking (Updated): Search Called Off For 10 Missing In Mont Blanc Avalanche

10 people are missing and 8 others are hospitalized after an early morning avalanche on Mont Blanc du Tacal, one of the routes climbers use to get to the top of the famed Mont Blanc peak.

From CNN:

The missing include five Austrians and three Swiss, and the nationalities of the other two were not immediately known, said the Haute-Savoie regional government office in a statement.

The avalanche was set off around 3 a.m. (0100 GMT) by the fall of a massive block of ice on the Mont Blanc du Tacul, one of the peaks in the Mont Blanc range, at an altitude of some 3,600 meters (11,800 feet), it said.

Authorities deployed a vast search mission, involving three helicopters, dozens of rescue workers, doctors, Alpine guides and sniffer dogs, said the statement. Local officials reached by phone declined to comment further.

French Interior Minister Michele Alliot-Marie hurried to the area to meet with rescuers and some of the eight people injured and taken to a regional hospital, her office said.

Much like the recent tragedy on K2, a massive block of ice set off the avalanche at 11,800 Ft.

Let’s keep everyone in our thoughts and prayers as rescue workers continue to try to reach the victims.  I will update more once I receive more information.  Subscribe below to catch the latest updates.

Update: What??  Search Called Off For Missing Climbers On Mont Blanc!

After viewing the area by helicopter, French Interior Minister Michèle Alliot-Marie said there was “no chance of finding anyone alive”

This seems a bit premature…

Photos Released, Before and After, Of Recent Snowcave Collapse And Rescue In Washington State

KVAL, out of Eugene, Oregon, has released a series of photos taken from family members of two boys who recently got trapped after their snowcave collapsed near Denny Creek, 50 miles outside of Seattle..  The snowcave collapse resulted in a massive rescue effort as family members looked on in horror.

The snowcave is thought to have been made naturally by a nearby creek.  The two boys had stepped inside the cave for a quick photo op when tons of snow and ice came crashing down on them.  Rescue workers spent the better part of five hours attempting to reach the boys who were buried beneath 6 feet of solid snow and ice.  After chipping away at the mass with shovels, axes, and chainsaws, rescuers were finally able to break the boys free.

The last update I have seen had one of the victims listed in serious condition, while the other was listed as stable.  Both individuals had suffered broken backs and were expected to have surgery on Friday.  Most of the injuries involved were due to exposure and the falling ice.

By looking at the photos, which begin with the boys inside the snowcave, it is pretty hard to believe that they were able to survive the collapse.  Luckily, family members heard the collapse and went running for help, while also making a 911 call to local authorities.  Both boys had to be Heli-Evaced from the area, but thankfully, they were alive.  The rescue authorities and the family members all deserve some credit for responding in a fast and efficient manner–luckily, this time things lined up right.  Let’s hope these guys can recieve the required help and get on the path of recuperation.

Adventure Widget: Check It Out

Amazing: Adam Ondra Repeats Possible 9a route ‘Il Piccolo Orsa’ In Austria

15-year-old climbing sensation Adam Ondra has repeated a route that has turned back sixteen years’ worth of climbers.  Il Piccolo Orsa was first redpointed back in 1992 by Stefan Fürst and given a grade of 8c+.  Over the years, with no one else having success at the elusive route, it was upgraded to 9a–the toughest climbing grade currently in existence.  Only one other route has been rated 9a in the world and that belongs to a route with the conspiciously short name of “Om”.

It is amazing that after sixteen years, a 15-year-old has repeated one of the world’s toughest and most exclusive routes.  Adam Ondra is no ordinary 15-year-old though.  He is currently ranked 2nd in the world for tough routes on the 8a.nu climbing site.  He also posesses the 4th highest lifetime rating by quite possibly the largest climbing site in the world.  Adam Ondra is no fluke.  In 2007, he marched in and claimed the 2007 Youth World Championship title for climbing. He has put up dozens of first ascents and repeats on some of the toughest routes in the world in what amounts to very little time.

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Proof: Michael Phelps Lost Race For 7th Olympic Gold

Michael Phelps’ amazing run at eight Olympic gold medals is sparking one of the biggest controversies in Olympic history.  Read more

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