MOUNTAIN KHAKIS - Built For The Mountain Life Blog

RECAP: PaddleFest & the Reel Paddling Film Festival

On April 14, 2011 Appalachian State University Outdoor Programs hosted PaddleFest and the Reel Paddling Film Festival. The event kicked off at the Duck Pond with lots of people playing in kayaks and duckies and also participating games such as kayak polo and throw rope races. This also provided a great chance for the community to relax and enjoy the great weather we had that day. After everyone had their share of sun and water we headed over to I.G. Greer Theater for the Reel Paddling Film Festival and bonus film Frontier. We had a great turnout and people loved all the raffle prizes, including several pairs of Mountain Khakis. The enthusiastic crowd stayed until the very end, which was nearly 11pm. Thanks to all the sponsors, volunteers and everyone that came out!

RECAP: Nocatee Conquest AR 2011

Pangea Adventure Racing returned to beautiful Nocatee, Fl last Sunday for the 2nd annual Nocatee Conquest AR. Two divisions of adventure racers embarked on a challenging course that left them muddy, exhausted, and most importantly satisfied with their decision to take advantage of a gorgeous spring day outside in Florida.

The elite teams kicked off the day early with an 8 am start time for their ten hour race. Lest you think navigating through nature on bike, boat and foot is challenging enough, each team was given an extra teammate before departing. In the spirit of Easter, stuffed bunnies of various sizes were distributed with the condition that they be visible at all times to avoid penalty.

While the elites hustled all morning, 40 sport teams (many of whom were first timers) gradually filled up the start/finish in preparation for their five hour race. The usual pre race jitters prevailed for most rookies but like always they came back smiling knowing that they had more fun than anticipated.

When it was all said and done, perennial contenders Florida Xtreme took the elite race while up and coming We Blame Javan snagged another sport win. And the bunnies all made it back in one piece though some looked like that had it rougher than others.

Pangea Adventure Racing is focused on providing the best day out for simply anyone of any ilk and it just isn't possible without sponsors such as Mountain Khakis. The prizes they provide are the cherry on top for the racers who put it all out there and love to compete.

RECAP: Tally Rock Gym "Save the South"

Each year, as the damp Tallahassee winter blooms into a sultry springtime, the Tallahassee Rock Gym in Florida’s panhandle hosts an annual fundraiser bouldering competition to benefit the Southeastern Climbers Coalition. This year’s event, entitled “Save the South,” was a major success for Tallahassee’s sole rock-climbing facility.

Thanks to the support of sponsors like Mountain Khakis, the fundraiser collected more than $1,600 through donations, raffle ticket sales and entry fees to directly benefit the SCC. In addition to raising money for one of Tally Rock Gym’s most beloved organizations, the event presented a great day of bouldering and community bonding for climbers of the panhandle.

Special recognition goes out to the top scoring men’s and women’s climbers in categories ranging from beginner to open: Louie Talacay, Dave Valadivia, Nick Seale, Caleigh Louis, Allie Joura – and of course a big congratulations to all climbers who came out to support Tally Rock Gym’s Save the South benefit. Nearly every participant walked away with swag from the event raffle, but perhaps the most elated winner was Nick Seale, who snagged a Mountain Khaki compass to guide him during his next adventure.

From everyone at Tally Rock Gym: Thank you for sponsoring our Save the South competition, Mountain Khaki! We appreciate your contributions to our cause.

Written by: Katie Boué, official event coordinator for Tally Rock Gym’s Save the South bouldering competition.

RECAP: Nicaragua Health & Nutrition Program

Post by Jenna Johnson

Resilient People, Resilient Pants

It was time. I needed a break from graduate school. I wanted to step outside my comfort zone and clear my head. The opportunity presented itself and so I jumped: a weeklong service trip to two mountain communities in Nicaragua with a gaggle of wide-eyed college students and one not-so-nutty professor from Winthrop University. Sleeping in a hammock for a week? Mmmm… I’ll give it a try.

Beans and tortillas for every meal? I love beans and tortillas. It can’t be that bad. Helping out and learning from some of the hardy survivors of a war that is not such a distant memory? ¡Sí!

I boarded the plane to Managua wearing my MK Granite Creek Pant, which has a side zip pocket that is perfectly sized for a passport, a customs form, and a fistful of córdobas. These were the only pair of pants I brought for the trip. I was headed for 80-degree days, after all, and shorts seemed to take up far less space in my pack. We spent the first three days in the remote village of Pueblo Viejo: teaching English lessons to the children, painting the teacher’s house, starting a community garden, and conducting a cooking workshop for the locals whose diets are almost completely lacking in nutrient-rich vegetables. It rained every afternoon, which didn’t seem to faze the residents, but meant that we spent a good deal of time scraping mud from our shoes.

Truth be told, I ended up wearing my Granite Creek Pant on most days. They were light enough to be comfortable during the daytime heat, long enough to keep the mosquitoes at bay, and provided sufficient coverage to keep my ankles warm while sleeping in my hammock at night.

For the remainder of the trip, we set up camp in Tierra Blanca. Here we partnered with medical staff from the nearest city to offer a free health clinic on the front porch of one family’s home. Residents eagerly walked to the clinic for the chance to talk with a doctor and step on a scale. (Yes, getting weighed was a highlight for them!) They walked away, often with happy tears in their eyes, truly grateful for a Ziploc bag of donated children’s vitamins and antifungal cream.
 
Needless to say, my pants – and just about everything else in my pack – were a little on the dirty side after the first five days. So Reina, our delightful hostess in Tierra Blanca, offered to clean my Granite Creek Pant (and some of my fellow travelers’ clothes) on her washboard. The pants spent the day drying over a barbed wire fence and I looked forward to traveling home in clean clothes.

REC Back home in Charlotte, my pants and other belongings spent the night on the back porch, thanks to a bed bug scare on our last night, which was spent unexpectedly in a hotel in Matagalpa. I’m happy to report that the pants are now clean, my head is now clear, and I have a deeper understanding of the daily struggles of the Nicaraguan people. Their stories are sometimes painful. Their days are often long and difficult. But through the sadness in their eyes, you can also see resilience and hope. And that is one lesson I will never forget.

RECAP: Telluride AIDS Benefit Gala Fashion Show

This years Telluride AIDS Benefit Gala Fashion Show featured Mountain Khakis along with the Republic of Doom jackets and vests. Our 18th annual fashion show was a cross between Cirque du Soleil and New York Fashion Week. The show, which is dance and gymnastic intensive, was a perfect fit to show case the stylish yet tumble friendly Mountain Khakis in the opening number. After the show we auctioned off mens and womens Mountain Khakis with passes to some Telluride festivals, the package went for $6000.

Thanks to the help of Mountain Khakis we were able to raise over $200,000 for five HIV/AIDS charities in Colorado and Africa.