send train!

Sore  No More for after you get pumped climbing? $6
Climb On! for when your fingers start falling off? 10$
Gas money to get to the Crag? 12$
Watching Hannah crush an 11 after recovering from her broken foot? Priceless!

Own the movement

Going to DC was a ton of fun, but the best part was the hands on volunteering! The Student Conservation Alliance gives summer jobs to inner city kids for doing volunteer work. Most of the kids grow up to volunteer a large chunk of time in adulthood. Volunteering with a program like SCA is an easy way to push for a healthier Outdoor Nation, not to mention a fun way. Put on a pair of coveralls, get stuck in the mud and tell me that you haven't had a good time.

Keeping it classy!

Entering Washington, DC is like entering a different world. And after camping in NYC's Central Park, I felt a little out of touch with the world of business suits and titles. So here I am in the capital with Outdoor Nation, readying myself for two days full of politicians, speeches, and, of course, lots of food!

Other than just being generally classy, Outdoor Nation brought us to DC to help lobby and raise awareness about the power of the outdoors, not just for health, but for jobs. The Outdoor Industry Association just released a report showing that outdoor recreation is an economic sector generating 646 billion dollars of spending and providing 6.1 million jobs - a ton! My and other ambassadors assignment is to convince congress that it isn't owls vs jobs - jobs vs jobs. Funding for parks, outdoor programs and the environment supports an important economic sector and generates jobs. I hope that I can make the point!

HUGE thanks!

To everyone who has made Outdoor Nation possible, a part of my life and hopefully an influence on many others. As the declaration that a ON ambassadors and I wrote a few years ago stated, we can and will make a measurable difference. I just watched some of that difference take place last week at the first 2012 ON Summit in NYC. There was a beautiful moment when member around the table looked at each other, and we all just started smiling. Smiling not just because we were having a good time or making great friends, but smiling because we knew that the ball was in our court. We could do something, really DO something to engage youth in our communities, and Outdoor Nation helped us realize that. In addition to helping us realize that we had the power to create change, Outdoor Nation gave our group the tools and resources to do it successfully with a grant. For this I am so grateful that there are companies like TNF, prAna, Osprey, Smartwool, Merrell; people like Chris and Ivan with a vision, and kids like the ones who I just met at the summit who believe in the importance of the outdoors in all our lives, and have the courage to keep believing.

"We are taking a stand. We are united together as a movement. We are Outdoor Nation!"... 

camping NYC... again

Once again, I find myself in another, how did i get this lucky moment. Not only did the rainstorms that scared the crap out of every pet on the east coast pass yesterday, it brought all the humidity with it, so here I am in central park, sleeping under the stars with both the sounds of nature and traffic. Who gets to do that?! On top of everything, the park rangers brought us on a tour and we had the chance to watch some of shakespeare in the park from the back! So here I am falling asleep, listening to a few talented members of the summit group sing barber shop near the picnic table,  wondering what I did to deserve this treat.

Inspired everyday

Every year I think that outdoor nation will get boring or hum drum, but every year there are new inspiring people who motivate me to get out and keep doing what I do. Here is a video of one of my team member's story about how he realized he could make a difference in getting his friends outside.

Featured!

On an outdoor nation interview - check it out!
http://www.outdoornation.org/profiles/blogs/anthony-shaheen-interviews-lorin-paley