Exxon has been postponing paying off a punitive damages suit for $2.5 billion for several years.  This suit brought on when the Exxon Valdez spilled 11 million gallons of oil in Prince William Sound Alaska, due to the incompetent actions of drunk Captain Joseph Hazelwood.  This $2.5 Billion,  down from the $5 Billion initially [...]

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Looking out the window,  we are now blessed with the legendary “perfect” San Diego weather,  after being hit with 3 pretty good rain storms.  It is now time to get outdoors,  and enjoy the beautiful but brief green season that San Diego blesses us with  starting this time of year.
In between storms this weekend,  I [...]

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Andrew Heinrichs is preparing to embark on an epic trip for a great cause Here is what he has to say about it:
In early June of 2008, I will begin a hiking and biking expedition in Colorado to raise funds for World Bicycle Relief’s Project Zambia. In order to raise awareness and support World [...]

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I arrived home from the desert last week,  to be greeted by a well preserved cluster of cholla spines that had hitchhiked on the sidewall of my tire for the 70+ freeway miles,  and appeared to be no worse for the trip.   Part of the allure,  and the dread of an off trail desert trip,  [...]

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The family decided to make an early afternoon hike in the Laguna Mountains today, as it was a holiday for all of us. We headed up Sunrise Highway with the intent of hiking around the Laguna Meadows. We originally were planning to park near the El Prado campground, but decided instead to [...]

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A fellow hiker in San Diego posted a report and pics of a bald eagle he spotted in the Laguna meadow in late January.   Check out is report here,    or his pictures here.

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In doing some research regarding backpacking equipment, I have come to the conclusion that the companies that produce this type of gear seem to be light-years ahead of most other industries when it comes to sustainable business practices. These companies tout their initiatives to help keep our environment as healthy as possible. [...]

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I was an assistant leader with a WBC group going car camping this weekend. We went and camped near Hayden Springs in the Anza-Borrego Desert, and the group spent Saturday morning learning how their tents work, how and what to pack for a backpacking trip, and generally getting to know each other. [...]

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I was doing a backpack packing demo last night for our “Wilderness Basics” class,   and I realized I have an affinity for carrying plastic bags as part of my weekend gear in the field.  I have pared down my weekend kit pretty well (under 20 lbs),  but as I was unpacking my stuff in front [...]

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Saturday, The San Diego Union Tribune ran an interesting article regarding Irelands use (or lack of use) of Plastic shopping bags. Among the more interesting tidbits in the article are:
We have used 43 billion bags as of last Friday
Ireland passed a tax of $.33 a bag in 2002, and within [...]

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