Small Gear At OAR

At OAR we have a large (and increasing) variety of gear related to biking, hiking, camping, hunting, fishing and more.

Sitting at my computer as I write this, I can see day and multi-day packs, fishing poles and reels, fishing nets, bicycle helmets, climbing harnesses, climbing helmets and shoes and gloves, a full face motor cross helmet, gun holsters, tennis rackets, bows, rifle scabbard, dove decoys, boots, more boots, a tent, camp chairs, scope, lanterns, camp cookware, black powder bag, gps holders, headlamps, sleeping bags, bicycle locks, water jugs, water bottles, small coolers, reflective vests, sun glasses, canvas saddle bags, tree climbing ropes, ice skates, youth snowboard helmets and one lonely snowboard, waders, snow shoes, roller blades, life jackets, swim fins, small canoe paddle and one very awesome kayak.

We also have a wide variety of technical clothing (both warm weather and cold weather, because the weather in the mountains can change on a dime). 

Mens and womens summer tops, work out shorts and quick-drying hiking shorts, nylon jackets for cool nights on the strip and insulated jackets for cold nights in the mountains, lined and unlined pants, hats and buffs and ear warmers and gloves, base layers, wool socks and tech socks, button down dress shirts by Salomon and fleece tops by The North Face.  The best selection of used camo clothing in town.

And lots more.  

If it is in good to excellent condition and related to any activity that people like to do when they head into the out-of-doors, OAR will accept on consignment and try to find each piece a new home.

Some quick pictures of some of the small gear we have at OAR:

REMINDER

We update our Facebook page on an almost daily basis.

Like us and check us out regularly to see what's new.

Info on our upcoming HUNTERS GEAR SWAP can be found on our FB page (it is pinned at the top of the page):

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Outdoor-Adventures-Revived-OAR/295312997264285?fref=ts

Please No More!

PLEASE NO MORE!

When a lady brought in a roof mount ski rack and two pairs of cross country skis last week, we did the paperwork on them, she walked out the door and I thought "What am I doing?"

It's mid-April and effective as of now, OAR will no longer be accepting any more winter sports equipment (including skis, boots, helmets, boards, poles etc.).

It's time to move on.

We took the old downhill skis off the floor this week (and they'll make an AWESOME bench when we cut 'em down this summer), but still have some gear left out, for those folks looking forward to the 2013/2014 season (which is only six or seven months away).

People are totally beginning to look for warm weather gear - camping, hiking, biking, boating, hunting, and (especially) fishing stuff.

Aside from the obvious gear, people have asked for things I would never have thought of (and it continues to be a learning experience owning an outdoor store in a place like Cody Wyoming).

People are looking for good, technical, name brand day and multi-day packs, but there is also a market for old-school beater packs (so guys can haul meat out of the mountains and not worry about messing up a good pack).

They're looking for lightweight and tiny back-country stoves, but they're also looking for cast iron cookware so that they can car camp.

They're looking for good, high quality fishing rods for themselves, but they're also looking for lightweight and cheap rods for their kids.

And soccer cleats!!!!!

TWO THINGS:

1.  If you have a good, high quality, name brand road or mountain bike, or a boat (canoe or kayak), we'll find room for it at our little store. 

At OAR we still have high hopes to be able to expand back, take up the entire garage bay we are currently renting and effectively double our space by the end of the summer.

We need your help to be able to do that.  The more great stuff we have at OAR, the more people will come by to see what we have.

The more great stuff we have at OAR, the more fun it is to dig through and check out what's new!

2.  If you're not sure we can use it, just give us a call.  You'd be surprised what people are looking for and what they'll buy.

We've been surprised many times over the past few months!

We have the awesome-est pair of boots in the store right now! They are a pair of vintage GALIBIER RICHARD PONTVERT hiking mountaineer boots. They were made in France, likely from the 1970's, in great shape for their age, weigh a ton and are virtually indestructible.

The sole looks brand new and is screwed to the upper (not glued like the newer, lighter, high tec boots). I LOVE these things! They're small - we couldn't find a size on them but I tried them on and would guess they're a ladies Size 10 (maybe a man's 8 1/2?). Totally old school and totally bomb proof.

Looked them up and found reviews on these boots: http://www.trailspace.com/gear/galibier/super-guide/

The boots came in with a pair of vintage Carman Super Gator lined gaitors. VERY COOL!

Area Public School And College Students Receive 10% Off All Their Purchases Everyday

We have a group of Outdoor Recreation students from Northwest College who drop by here regularly, and we say THANK YOU for your support of OAR!

YOU GUYS ROCK!!

Don't forget to follow us on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Outdoor-Adventures-Revived-OAR/295312997264285?fref=ts

Undertrained And Running A 50K - A True Story

I had been trail running consistently for a few years as one component of adventure racing training. 

After a tough year of illness, serious injury and divorce I decided to run a trail 50K.

I had never run that distance before and although I had spent a lot of time on trails it had been too sporadic.

I was under trained for that distance and weak mentally from too many "life hits" that had happened in such a short period of time.

And in reality that was why I needed to run the 50K.

Because I WAS under trained.

Because I was still sick.

Because I was mentally weakened.

Because it would hurt.

And I wanted to know if I could find the mental and physical energy to dig deep enough to finish the run.

Was I tough enough to finish it?

Or wasn't I?...................

I was making good time and felt solid and strong, but kept trying to hold myself back anyway not wanting to go out too fast.

Not wanting to implode.

I was totally in the zone, enjoying the run, life was good.

 I was fine for the first 18 miles.

By the time I hit 19 everything in my lower body began to cramp.

I was on medication and could not take anything for the cramping and everything only continued to tighten up more and more with each passing mile.

Over the next few miles running became shuffling became limping became walking.

Everything in my lower body was one continuous tight muscle and my good and solid run became a thing of the past.

People passed me and I continued to struggle to walk.

One step in front of the other one step in front of the other one step in front of the other...........

Runners had eight hours to complete the course if they wanted to be counted among official finishers.

I had to cross a field, maneuver across a shallow stream and then hit the final section of single track to the finish.

I made it to the single track, looked up and through the trees I could see the very large digital clock at the finish line counting down the time.

With alarm I saw that I had 1:47 left to go.  One minute forty seven seconds to make it an official finish.

I started to kick it in and something that I could only call magical happened.

I started to run faster and then faster and then faster still until I was sprinting.

I was running just as fast as I could and I saw people at the finish line clapping and cheering me on.

I crossed the finish line, slowed down, stopped and then leaned forward and rested my hands on my thighs, trying to catch my breath.

I had no idea if I had made it or not.

As I was still trying to breathe a guy came running down the hill yelling at me so excitedly you would have thought he had just won the lottery.

"Do you know what your time was??  Do you know what your time was??"

I looked up at him breathlessly and said "No - what was it?

7:59:59

True story............

A few pictures of my favorite trails.

They are located in middle Tennessee and I spent many years trail running, navigating and mountain biking on these trails in every kind of weather.  I knew every inch of that place.

Across the road from the extensive trail system is a huge reservoir and I also spent many years exploring every single cove by kayak..............

I surreptitiously left this trail gnome one day at the entrance to the mountain bike trails, because in middle Tennessee it is almost tradition for all trails to have a gnome (to bring safety and good luck to those who travel the trails) and I thought that my trails needed one too.

This little guy has sat in exactly the same place for the last four years............

We've Got A Counter

When we first took over half of the garage bay that we are converting into an outdoor gear consignment shop, there were two two-legged workbenches in the bay that were attached directly to the wall.

They were pure dirt and oil stained nastiness, but (since we are opening this store on a tight budget), what we lacked in money we hoped to make up for in creativity.

We asked the owner if we could use the benches and (after receiving the nod of approval) went to work on them.

The picture on the left is what they looked like after we added more legs to the tables so that they could be free-standing.

Tons of sanding, stain, clear coat, plywood, nails, screws and curse words later, and the picture on the right is what it looks like to this point.

It still needs work, but the rest of the work will be much more fun.  We'll add some character to it in the form of rope and horse shoes and whatever else we can dig up that will fit, but HEY!!  We have a counter!!

These pictures were taken of me kayaking last May at Buffalo Bill Reservoir here in Cody.

A kayak story from my adventure racing days.  This took place while I was doing a 24 hour race as a solo team:

Late at night, and in the middle of summer 2007 (and after having raced for about 14 hours to that point) I found myself gearing up for the second water leg of the race. 

I was kayaking and heading towards a small island on a lake in eastern Tennessee.

I had the checkpoint plotted on the south side of the island but I knew from talking with other teams that some had it plotted on the south and some had it plotted on the north side.

As I approached the island I saw headlamps dead center in the middle of the island.

I paddled around to the south side and as I was making my way around the shore looking for a place to stash my kayak ran into a fisherman in a power boat, fishing close to shore.

He yelled at me and asked me if I was looking for an orange and white flag.
"Yeah!!  Have you seen it??"
"Nope"
Slightly cranky because he had raised my hopes up that it was close, I thanked him anyway.  Best not to tick off the locals................
I paddled around to the north side of the island looking for a spot to ditch my boat so that I could make my way onto the island on foot.
After leaving the boat I climbed up the embankment and onto the island, zigged and zagged and bushwhacked my way through dense underbrush making my way to the center of the island, and did indeed find the checkpoint without incident.
And that is when I realized how much I had wandered and that most likely I was not going to be able to straight-shot my way directly back to my kayak so that I could continue on with the rest of the race.
I made my way back to the north side, looked down and............no boat.
I was fairly certain that it was located further down to my right and made my way along the side of the island, fighting soft dirt along the way that wanted to crumble underneath my feet.
Eventually the ground gave way under me for real and I started to slide uncontrollably, certain that I was going to take an uncontrolled fall down into the lake.
Thankfully a tree broke my fall (the second time that day that had happened and becoming a running theme with me as a racer).

Grateful for not falling six feet down into the water, and after catching my breath for a moment, I dropped down into the lake and swam the rest of the way to my boat................