This is the second time in a row Lee has won the Tour Divide, which is billed as the “toughest mountain bike race in the world.” He reached Antelope Wells on Tuesday, June 30th at 9:45 am. Lee said the weather had been treacherous and conditions on the trail incredibly difficult. He was unable to break his previous record of 17 days, 21 hours and 10 minutes.

From the Tour Divide website…

Given this year’s consistently bad weather, poor route conditions and additional 34 miles through the Flathead, it is an impressive finish. Matt described his final day as a “total slog,” complete with unexpected storms and sloppy mud. He even lost an hour after going back for lost eyewear in the desert north of Separ.

In spite of Matthew falling short of the overall record, four racers remain on record pace in the face of the continued inclement conditions. Chris Plesko is poised to break the singlespeed record and Jill Homer is still on pace to take the female record sometime in the next week. We also look forward to Jay & Tracey Petervary establishing a tandem record tonight. Deanna Adams, who seems to steadily make here way down the Rockies, can also establish a record for fixed-gear bikes is she finishes.

Watch the trailer below for the upcoming Ride the Divide documentary. Looks pretty awesome.

Celebrate Independence Day this year by exercising your right to great deals on great brands! Save big time on outdoor gear and outerwear, women’s clothing, men’s clothing, sandals, shoes and boots, kids gear, home decor, pet gear, backyard gear from Sierra Designs, Patagonia, Columbia Sportswear, Teva, Smartwool, Mountain Hardwear, Carhartt, Merrell and many, many more!

Fineprint: *Prices valid for web orders only. Must enter keycode SITESAVE4TH at checkout for discount to be applied. Cart total is taken before tax and shipping charges. 20% discount on cart totals $75.00 and over. Offer cannot be applied to previous purchases. The purchase of gift cards does not apply to minimum purchase requirement. Cannot be combined with other keycode offers or products that are already on sale.

Some exclusions apply:
# Current BarnBurner offer
# All Clearance
# Bikes
# Bike accessories
# Boats
# Sporting Optics

Abundant in apples, red onions, berries, cabbage, broccoli and green and black teas, quercetin has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and cell-energy activation properties that benefit health and increase your oxygen intake, therefore boosting your sports performance.

The study in the International Journal of Sports Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism followed 12 fit college students (who weren’t regular exercisers) for 14 days. For 7 days the students drank a placebo twice daily and for the other 7 days they drank a quercetin supplement twice daily. (Students maintained their normal routine and diet throughout the study.) Researchers then measured and compared their oxygen intake and endurance on a stationary bike.

During the 7 days when the students took quercetin, they increased their oxygen intake by 4% and their ride time on the stationary bike by 13%. Those are pretty substantial increases.

These findings suggest quercetin “may be important in relieving fatigue that keeps (people) sedentary,” Dr. J. Mark Davis, at University of South Carolina in Columbia, commented in a university press release.

If further studies confirm the results, Davis and fellow researchers believe quercetin could become an important supplement for athletes and exercisers. Either way, it couldn’t hurt to eat more apples, onions, berries and broccoli…

The synthetic trees don’t look anything like real trees. In fact, they look like small futuristic homes. But scientists and developers say they might be exactly what we need to regulate carbon emissions in the atmosphere.

“Half of our emissions come from small, distributed sources where collection at the site is either impossible or impractical,” said Professor Klaus Lackner, Ewing-Worzel Professor of Geophysics in the Department of Earth and Environmental Engineering at Columbia University. “We aim for applications like gasoline in cars or jet fuel in airplanes. We are going after CO2 that otherwise is nearly impossible to collect,” he told CNN in this article.

The technology works like this: wind blows through plastic “leaves” that trap carbon and store it as liquid carbon dioxide. Apparently this type of thing already exists to trap carbon emissions at coal power plants but currently cannot be used elsewhere. These trees could be used just about anywhere.

“We’re probably not going to stop CO2 rising until it’s double what it was near-1800 and maybe even more than that,” he said. “I think we will find that the planet is too warm, ice is melting too fast… and we’ll want to bring the CO2 back down again. The only way we can do that on a short timescale would be to pull it back out of the atmosphere.”

The biggest obstacle to synthetic trees actually coming to fruition (pun intended) is the cost. They’re expensive. However, Boehner rationalizes it by saying each “tree” would cost about as much as a new car but would trap the carbon emitted by 20 cars daily.

Worth it? What do you think?

Let me introduce you to Hoopnotica - a new hula hoop workout that tones muscles, increases flexibility, improves coordination and strengthens your cardiovascular system.

According to our friends at Hoopnotica, the hoop workout is used by Hollywood celebrities like Liv Tyler, Marissa Tomei and Beyonce (whose job it is to stay fit) and is described as “part dance, part exercise and ALL fun.”

To help spread the news about how effective a hula hooping workout can be, Hoopnotica is giving away a travel hula hoop and an instructional DVD. Just leave a comment below telling us about your fitness goals and why you’re excited about Hoopnotica and we’ll choose one lucky winner on Monday, July 6th to receive the free goods. (Read More and scroll down to leave a comment.)

But that’s not all. Read More to see the most incredible close-up picture of a major lightning strike I’ve ever seen… (warning: it’s almost blinding)

We’ve had a lot of lightning this summer in Colorado. Has it been stormy where you live?

One of the biggest benefits of camping is that there are no technological distractions in the wilderness. Have everyone check their cell phones, iPods, hand-helds and laptops at the tent door and spend some quality time together unplugged. Even if you’re only in the backyard, stick to this rule. Kids might complain at first but they’ll soon be making up games and playing with you or each other.

Here are a few tips for your first family camping trip:

Family Camping 101

1. Pack some of your kids’ favorite snack foods (maybe those you don’t usually keep stocked in the cupboard). Don’t forget the s’mores! (If you’re camping in the backyard and can’t have a fire, you could always use the microwave inside - just don’t check your email when you do.)

2. If you have an only child, allow him or her to bring a friend along (or invite a friend over) to join in the experience.

3. Involve the kids in the planning, preparing and packing. Let them help choose a campsite and pick which activities you’ll do.

4. Teach your kids outdoor ethics. Introduce them to the principles of Leave No Trace. Make sure every camper knows and respects the rules of the campground.

5. Stage a camping trip in the backyard before you head out to the wilderness. Teach the kids how to pitch a tent, organize their gear and arrange their sleeping bag. Getting them comfortable with the process at home will make for a more enjoyable camping trip (for everyone) when the time comes.

6. Give each child their own disposable camera - or let everyone take a turn with your camera. It’s fun to see the campsite through the eyes of a child.

7. Give everyone their own flashlight and explain the sounds of the night to ease any fears that may arise.

8. Plan for bad weather - just in case. Bring along games, crossword puzzles and books to keep the kids busy if it rains on your parade.

For packing lists, shopping lists, more tips on family camping and tent and sleeping bag selection, check out Family Camping 101. Enjoy!

If we could get him to work on his expression a bit, he’d be the perfect promotional model for our new Employee Wellness Program. (Psst, Curtis - it’s supposed to be educational, not terrifying.)

While Curtis works on looking less like he’s got a needle in his arm, wellness coordinator Jen Boland (pictured on next page) stopped by the Blogging Post to give us the low-down on Sierra Trading Post’s new Employee Wellness program…

“Each year Sierra Trading Post brings Interactive Health Solutions into the office to conduct a basic blood screening for all employees covered under our insurance plan. The program is voluntary, of course, (though Curtis may need to be strapped down) but gives our employees an assessment of their health including cholesterol levels, glucose levels, blood pressure, BMI, and basic blood counts.

Like most organizations, Sierra Trading Post has seen a rapid increase in health care costs. While many of our employees are active and healthy, we’ve also seen an increase in the rate of diabetes, asthma, heart disease and cancer along with the rest of the country.

The good news is that these diseases are largely preventable through diet and exercise. But people who don’t exercise regularly may not know where to start. That’s where I’ll come in with the tips, information and motivation to help get people started on a path to health and wellness.

Each month we’ll be launching a new initiative to help our employees take steps to better health. We’ll also be making healthy changes to our espresso bar menu and vending machine choices.

As we launch this program, we’ll be inviting you to participate with us, follow our employees’ achievements and even ask me questions about starting a wellness program in your organization (or your home). Stay tuned!”

You don’t have to go far to have a great camping experience. Join thousands of families across the country this Saturday, June 27th, for a night of camping out under the stars - either in your own backyard, one of the Great American Backyard Campout campsites or a campground of your choosing.

Sponsored by the National Wildlife Federation, (one of my favorite organizations) the Campout aims to introduce the joys of nature and camping to a generation too often glued to the computer or television.

From the Great American Backyard Campout website:

The Great American Backyard Campout provides an opportunity for everyone to relive — or to experience for the first time — how much fun it is to spend a night sleeping under the stars and enjoying the sounds of nature. Everyone camps for different reasons - but the bottom line is - connecting our kids with nature is good for them (and adults too). Camping reminds us how we can live with less, in tune with nature, while having a great time.

Check the list of campsites for a campground near you or simply register on the website and set up camp in your own backyard this weekend. There’s a ton of great information - like a packing checklist, activity guides and even a place to share your camping photos.

We got so excited here about the Campout that we sponsored the event. We sent a bunch of Sierra Trading Post water bottles to Great American Backyard Campout headquarters to be used in their camper kits.

Are you camping this weekend? Tell us about it!

Check out our Family Camping 101 Guide for more helpful information.

But we don’t just save on outdoor gear, apparel and footwear. We also like to save in other areas. If you’re reading this, you probably do, too. That’s why we’re introducing a new series of savings tip posts called How to Save.

Because we’d all like to save money on our electric bills, we’ve got two great tips this week on How To Save Electricity:

1. Don’t just turn electronics off at night - unplug them to save electricity. Better yet, put your computer, television, stereo, etc. on a smart power strip that cuts power to devices and turn it off nightly or whenever it’s not in use.

2. Unplug your chargers. Don’t let your cell phone, camera or iPod charger sit in the outlet when not in use. Power is continually drawn through the charger, whether your device is plugged in or not.

Now for the fun part! We’re inviting you to leave a comment below (click Read More) with additional savings tips on How To Save Electricity. We’ll pick one save-savvy winner from the comments section each month to win a $100 gift card. (Feel free to also send me an email with new topic suggestions.)

Fineprint: Your savings tip must be less than 100 words to be eligible for the $100 gift card. We’ll pick a winner monthly based on creativity, originality, usefulness, and clarity. Sierra Trading Post is the sponsor of the How To Save contest and employees and families are not eligible to win the gift card, but are welcome to submit tips. Please include your email information with your comment so we may contact you. You may also send in suggestions or request a list of winners by mailing it to: Sierra Trading Post, 3050 Campstool Rd. Cheyenne, WY 83005 Attention: Josh Reese. (Of course, we’d rather you just left a comment.) Void where prohibited.