Ben has developed a big map with travel blogs from around the world.

How’s it work?  1, 2, 3

1. Go to http://www.bigblogmap.com.  It looks like this:

2. Go to the area of the world of interest.  I selected Aspen, go figure.

3. Click and read.

Pretty cool, huh?
So, I decided to find out a bit more and Ben was kind enough to answer a few questions.

Who are you?

Hi, I’m Ben Jones, a twenty-something English guy who’s dedicated the last 3 years to backpacking. I’ve now settled in Berlin which is the closest thing to travelling while not actually travelling. Once upon a time I was a philosophy student, but now I’m starting the Big Blog Map.

What is the Big Blog Map?

The Big Blog Map is a project to Geotag the world’s best travel blogs. It’s basically a big map where each marker is a travel blog about that place. The blogs are collected from all over the web.

Anyone can contribute and add a blog, even if they haven’t written it. One of Kim’s blogs is geotagged here.

Why?

Travel blogs are a great way of researching for a trip. If you were going to Morocco, for example, you could just navigate there on the map and see all the appropriate blogs without having to search through multiple sites.

It’s also great for inspiration. Just spin the globe and be presented with real experiences of real people who’ve visited that place. It’s perfect if you don’t know exactly where you’re going. You can’t Google a place you’ve never heard of.

For me, the Big Blog Map is a way to get people to visit places they wouldn’t normally.

How did you come up with the idea?

Actually, I just woke up one morning and I just started to build a prototype. I don’t know exactly where the idea came from, but I have always loved geotagging photos and reading travel blogs.

I suppose the BBM suits my style of travel. When I go to a country, I don’t exactly know where I’m going, but I know roughly in which direction I’m headed.

What’s the plan?

The project was only launched a couple of weeks ago, but it’s already gained a lot of support across the internet from both Bloggers and readers. I hope to keep building the project up and eventually get it to a point where I can run while traveling.

You can also follow the Big Blog Map on twitter.

Photo credit: Greg Hull ©Chasing Light Media

The USA Pro Challenge announced the 2013 route today.

The route is more compact that in previous years and will start in Aspen, Colorado with a stage 1 circuit and a stage 2 start.

New cities this year include Loveland and Fort Collins and the time trial returns to Vail again this year.

USA Pro Challenge 2013 Route

Let’s Get Ready to Ski! Wk 3: Win a beautiful Baabaazuzu scarf! Photographed at the Aspen Gondola Plaza

Congratulations Jade Sims!

Week 3 Let’s Get Ready to Ski! winner of a a beautiful Baabaazuzu scarf!

Baabaazuzu

Baabaazuzu creates an exclusive selection of earth friendly, upcycled wool clothing and accessories made from recycled sweaters.

Early this year, we had a chance to meet with Sue Burns, the founder & creator of Baabaazuzu, and she gave us an overview of the fast growing brand.

Watch the interview >>

The Baabaazuzu scarf you may win!

Ladies – a perfect complement to your winter wardrobe & guys, it would be an awesome gift for any woman in your world!

The felted wool knit scarf consists of top stitched triangles of soft lamb’s wool, is trimmed with cardigan buttons, and is backed with a soft micro fleece for comfort and warmth.

The scarf measures approximately six feet in length Dry clean or hand wash only This upcycled product is one-of-a-kind and handcrafted in the USA The scarf retails for $72 Learn more & shop online at Baabaazuzu >>

Prize:
1 Baabaazuzu scarf! – retail value $72

How to enter:

1.  Like Middle Aged Ski Bum on Facebook (individuals only, Facebook pages are not eligible).
2.  Follow @FreeToSki on Twitter.

If you’ve already liked us on Facebook & follow us on Twitter, thank you! Continue to number 3.

3.  Complete the form on this page.
4.  Agree to the contest rules, promotion terms and privacy policy.

That’s it!  Good luck, tell your friends!

Rules:

• Contest open to United States residents only
• Winner will be chosen at random on Nov 16, 2012 at 3:00 PM, MDT
• Winner will receive the Baabaazuzu scarf shown in images.
• eMail address will only be used to notify winners – we hate spam and un-requested eMails too.  Upon notification, winner will need to provide shipping address for package delivery.
• Entrance into the contest constitutes an agreement with and acceptance of these of Terms.
• Winner must have liked Middle Aged Ski Bum on Facebook  & followed @FreeToSki on Twitter at the time of the contest end to be eligible to win.

MiddleAgedSkiBum™ is a registered trademark. All other trademarks, trade names and logos are the property of their respective owners. MiddleAgedSkiBum and Chasing Light Media, LLC disclaims proprietary interest in the marks and names of others.

But, check the details & hurry – some are only for the next few weeks…

Colorado Ski Deals: Passes & Lift Tickets

Colorado Ski Deals: Lift & Lodging Packages

Colorado Ski Deals: Lift & Lessons

Colorado Ski Deals: Anniversary Special

Week 2 winner Elliott Aten!
and
Week 1 winner Ann Driggers!

Thank you to everyone who participated!

Let’s Get Ready To Ski! Week 3

The next round of Let’s Get Ready to Ski! will start on Monday morning, Nov 12, so stay tuned for further details.

Let’s Get Ready to Ski! Week 2

For week 2 of Let’s Get Ready to Ski! - you select what you need.

The prize: A $30 REI® eGift card

Contest Details

Prize:
1 $30 REI eGift card

How to enter:

1.  Like Middle Aged Ski Bum on Facebook (individuals only, Facebook pages are not eligible).
2.  Follow @FreeToSki on Twitter.

If you’ve already liked us on Facebook & follow us on Twitter, thank you! Continue to number 3.

3.  Complete the form on this page.
4.  Agree to the contest rules, promotion terms and privacy policy.

That’s it!  Good luck, tell your friends!

Rules:

• Contest open to United States residents only
• Contest begins on Nov 5, 2012
• Winner will be chosen at random on Nov 9, 2012 at 3:00 PM, MDT
• Winner will receive 1 $30 REI eGift card.  
• eGift card will be eMailed to winner – eMail address must be valid for gift to be sent.
• eMail address will only be used to notify winners – we hate spam and un-requested eMails too
• Winner must have liked Middle Aged Ski Bum on Facebook  & followed @FreeToSki on Twitter at the time of the contest end to be eligible to win.

MiddleAgedSkiBum™ is a registered trademark. All other trademarks, trade names and logos, including REI, are are the property of their respective owners. MiddleAgedSkiBum and Chasing Light Media, LLC disclaims proprietary interest in the marks and names of others.

What will you find?

Rows and rows of ski and snowboard gear discounted 20%-70%. Jackets, pants, goggles, skis, boards, poles – you name it, you’ll find it. Hiking and camping gear. Coleman has
a section of space with outdoor gear to try
and a good selection of hiking and winter
boots can be found nearby. Ski resort deals. Over 20 ski resorts are on hand offering specials & discounts on lodging or lift tickets and other resort activities. Attractions for the kids. From the Winter
Park Kid’s Slope to the Keystone Kidtopia
bouncy castle, there are plenty of activities to
keep the kids entertained.Also for the kids: curling, an obstacle
course, and a climbing wall. Pro exhibitions. Watch the Gibbon Slacklines pros performing demonstrations and participate in a competition and the MBS Mountainboard Zone entertain with demos and exhibitions.

Grab a brewskie. Dozens of handcrafted beers from local breweries are available for sampling at the Rocky Mountain Brew Fest – open Sunday from 2pm-5pm. Admission requires a Ski & Snowboard expo ticket and a separate Brew Fest ticket ($12/$15 at the door). Beer Fest attendees must be 21 and can sample 3 beers and enjoy one full beer.

The Ski & Snowboard Expo is open Sunday at the Denver Convention Center from 10am to 6pm. Admission is $12 for adults, kids under 12 are free.

It’s almost time to ski! 

To celebrate, Middle Aged Ski Bum will be giving away some awesome prizes to get you ready to ski over the next 6 weeks!

Let’s Get Ready To Ski Prize: Week 1

Kick off the ski season with 2 tickets to the November 1, 2012 showing of the new Warren Miller film, Flow State, at the Wheeler Opera House in Aspen, CO!

Contest Details

Prize:
2 tickets to the showing of Flow State in Aspen, CO
Film date and time: November 1, 2012 6:00pm
Location: Wheeler Opera House, Aspen, CO

And the Winner is…

Ann Driggers!

Congratulations Ann – your tickets have been emailed.

Thank you to everyone who participated
in Week 1!

Let’s Get Ready To Ski! Week 2

The next round of Let’s Get Ready to Ski! will start on Monday morning, Nov 5, so stay tuned for further details.

MiddleAgedSkiBum™ is a registered trademark. All other trademarks, trade names and logos, including Warren Miller Entertainment and Flow State, are are the property of their respective owners. MiddleAgedSkiBum and Chasing Light Media, LLC disclaims proprietary interest in the marks and names of others.

We met with Personal Trainer, Rachelle Edinger, at the Aspen Club & Spa this week and she designed a ski training workout for us that can be done at the gym or at home.  Any equipment used is minimal, with most available for under $100.

For each segment of the ski training workout, Rachelle explains what to focus on, how to progress and demonstrates the exercises.

 The Ski Training Workout

	Building a ski training workout: Ski conditioning overview Ski conditioning benefits Ski conditioning focus The ski conditioning program Ski conditioning during ski season Learn more >>
Building a ski training workout: Warm-up & agility Warming up using the fitness step Agility and power training on the step Progressing with the drills   Learn more & watch the video >>
	Building a ski training workout: Using the BOSU® ball Improving core strength & balance with the BOSU ball BOSU ball ski exercises Agility, balance, core, and power drills Learn more & watch the video >>
Building a ski training workout: Core strengthening & balance Importance of a strong core Using balance discs in a ski training workout Core strengthening drills Learn more & watch the video >>
	Building a ski training workout: No equipment needed Training for skiing without equipment A focus on agility, balance & strength Bodyweight exercises Learn more & watch the video >>
Building a ski training workout: TRX® Ski training TRX is a strength & core conditioning training system Using the TRX Rip Trainer Using TRX Suspension Trainer Learn more & watch the video >>
	Meet our ski training workout designer, Rachelle Edinger Rachelle is a Personal Trainer in Aspen, Colorado who works with people of all ages and fitness levels, specializing in creating diverse routines based on individual needs and goals.   Meet Rachelle Edinger, Personal trainer >>
The Aspen Club & Spa The Aspen Club & Spa is Aspen’s premier fitness club with advanced fitness equipment, the best in pampering offerings and experts in fitness, health and healing. Learn about The Aspen Club & Spa >>

The Tour of Utah will retain its position on the international cycling calendar during the first full week of August, Tuesday, August 6 to Sunday, August 11, 2013. The overall route and host cities will be announced in the coming months.

Tour of Utah 2012 sets record results

Tour of Utah organizers confirmed that new records were set in 2012 for economic impact, national audiences, and media coverage.

• Out-of-state spectators contributed as much as $14 million in direct economic impact for the state of Utah
• National television viewership almost doubled from 2011
• Media impressions grew by nearly 50%

“The Tour of Utah has enjoyed tremendous growth this year. Judging by the excitement of the crowds, the cycling fans who tuned in online and on FOX Sports Network, and the positive feedback from the key stakeholders, the Tour of Utah has a solid foundation in place for the future.

It is great to hear partners like the Utah Sports Commission confirm that the Tour of Utah has become one of the largest sporting events in the state. The gears have already started turning for 2013.” – Steve Miller, Tour of Utah President

 

About the Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah

The Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah is a six-day, professional bicycle stage race along the Rocky Mountain’s Wasatch Range. Known as “America’s Toughest Stage RaceTM,” the race covered 543 miles of racing with 38,500 vertical feet of climbing through some of Utah’s most beautiful and challenging terrain. 2012 marked the eighth year for the Tour of Utah, which is now a UCI 2.1-rated stage race for the best professional cyclists in the world. The event is owned and operated by the Utah Cycling Partnership. Larry H. Miller Group of Companies continues as the title sponsor.

Related: Tour of Utah 2012 Results & Photos

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