Jake's Journal: Smiles and splashes at the Teva Mountain Games

"THAT is the coolest thing EVER!!" When he made this declaration, Alex and his friends had just watched our customized mini-fridge dispense a chilled can of Guayaki Herba Mate down a slide and into an ice bath below. His foursquare check-in moments earlier had triggered the process, and the TV next to the mini-fridge now displayed his name and picture: "Alex. Got. Served."

It's been like that all day at the Garmin Tent here at the Teva Mountain Games. People stop by to check out our little refreshment slide (and check in to join the fun), then they stick around to learn about the many fitness and outdoor recreation products we're showcasing. That's the beauty of being surrounded by all ages of runners, cyclists, skiers, climbers and people interested in every adventure sport you can imagine. Whether they're asking about our newest products or raving about their old ones that refuse to die (which would give them an excuse to upgrade), everyone has a story about how a Garmin has helped them enjoy their favorite activity or ramped up their results on race day. We have two more days out here, and the weekend promises to be even busier. That means more new friends and more smiling faces - especially when the fridge kicks into gear! Follow the fun on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and here on the blog.

Ryder Hesjedal reflects on his Giro win and what it took to get there

He hasn’t had much downtime since his big win at the Giro d’Italia, but Team Garmin’s Ryder Hesjedal reflects on his training and gives some insight into the mental and physical prep required to compete at the pro level.

How did the Edge 800 help in your training for the Giro?
The size of the screen and the way I can customize my data was very important in my training for the Giro. Being able to see time, distance, power, heart rate, and average power all on one screen is great when training for TTs, doing intervals and when climbing. Having all of that data at my fingertips helps me see and assess how I’m going.

Favorite scenes or fan interactions you had at the Giro?
I think one of the best moments of the Giro was winning the team time trial and getting Ramunas in the pink jersey. To stand on top of the podium as a team was really special. It was also great to see all the Canadian fans at the Giro – when you’re on a tough climb and you catch a glimpse of the Canadian flag it just gives you that extra bit of motivation to know that so many great people are supporting you. I was humbled by all of the support we received throughout the race.

Jake's Journal: Checking in at Teva Mountain Games

Greetings from the Teva Mountain Games in Vail, where we're once again surrounded by some of the best endurance/adventure athletes in the world! This is one of my favorite events of the year because it blends two of my passions - fitness and outdoor recreation - and brings together brands that share Garmin's excitement for getting immersed in the markets we serve. When we look around our tent, our neighbors are industry leaders such as GoPro, Thule and of course, Teva. Last year was our debut at the Games, and this year we've ramped things up a bit. Or, more accurately, ramped things down. Let me explain....

If you're in Vail, and you stop by the Garmin Tent and check in on foursquare, you've got a treat coming your way. Literally. As soon as you check in, our customized fridge goes to work, churning out a chilled refreshment - such as Guayaki Herba Mate - and sending it down a slide for a splash landing into a tiny pool full of ice water. With kayak stunts taking place in the river and Dock Dogs pleasing the crowd nearby, the project and pool just felt right. And I'll be honest, I giggle a bit every time one of those cans takes the plunge. 

Well, the festivities are just beginning, and we have a ton of fun ahead. We're showcasing our outdoor and fitness products, sharing what we see on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and here on the blog, and we'll be checking out activities from rock climbing to slacklines. And while we're checking those things out, people will be getting a treat when they check in!

Lucy's Logbook: Latest nav database cycle available today

My best friend called me several weeks ago to tell me she accepted a temporary research position in the Galapagos Islands for the summer. She explained her trip would consist of studying birds on several different Islands so naturally, I asked her several questions about how she was flying there and even suggested she may want a visitor for a few days. First thought: I better update my navigation database!

In the event you’re taking a trip to kick off the unofficial start of summer, navigation database updates can be purchased and downloaded on our flyGarmin website. The navigation database consists of airport information, airspace data, and in the case of our panel-mount avionics, allows pilots to be legal for IFR flight. Updates can be purchased in the form of a one-time update or annual subscription basis. Since the information changes often, a new update comes available for download every 28 days and the latest navigation database cycle begins today, which makes it a great time to update!

So, I know you’re wondering “Is Lucy really going to the Galapagos for the Summer?’  After we had a short conversation about actually getting to the Islands, my friend graciously informed me that flying there is rather difficult and a round-trip commercial flight just from Quito, Ecuador to the Galapagos is about $500…I guess I will be staying in Kansas for the summer!

Garmin Italy Works With the Red Cross to Welcome Pope Benedict XVI

Garmin's Italian office is assisting the Red Cross in this weekend's visit to Milan by Pope Benedict XVI. The Pope will deliver mass for up to one million worshippers on Sunday, and Garmin is doing its part to ensure the Roman Pontiff and his pilgrims stay safe.

In addition to its technical know-how, Garmin is providing GPSMAP 62st handheld devices to key Red Cross personnel, which will be used to help them navigate the throngs of people in attendance. Garmin is also working with the Red Cross to install GTU 10 GPS tracking devices on rescue vehicles. The whereabouts of these vehicles will be continually monitored from the control room of the Italian Emergency and Civil Protection Division, which in turn can quickly direct the ambulances to an unforeseen medical emergency.

Garmin teams up with Bavaria Yachts to develop unique docking station

Last year Garmin was selected to be the exclusive electronics supplier to Bavaria Yachts, one of the world's leading yacht manufacturers, and today Garmin announced that it has teamed up with the company to create a unique docking system on board their new Vision 46. Perfect for shorthanded sailing this docking system takes the stress out of entering your berth and makes mooring your boat like a professional seem simple. The system consists of two thrusters, a joystick and two actuators. Mooring your boat couldn't be easier - simply use the joystick to maneuver in any direction and with a designated page on the Garmin chartplotter, you are able to view the thruster status, RPM and gear status. This docking system is now available on board the new Vision 46, and will be available on additional models soon. 

OPENCACHING: Are You A Skilled Hider?

We want to reward you and your geocaching skills!! Starting June 1st and ending on October 31st, every five caches you hide or transfer to Opencaching.com earns you a pretty sweet custom "Skilled Hider" pathtag. All you have to do is get out there and prove you are indeed a skilled hider and we'll reward you! It's that easy. Just email the OX code of the published caches to: geocaching@opencaching.com for verification of the entry.

We have seen a recent increase in celebrities catching the Opencaching bug. From world class athletes to the internet's most notorious gossip columnist more and more people are giving this adventure a try and getting hooked.

For those wondering what the craze is all about:

It's been likened to an “electronic scavenger hunt” or a "high tech Easter egg hunt" - like being a modern day, landlocked pirate. Geocaching is a family friendly game that lets you enjoy the environment, see new places, and have quality time with your family and friends, all while looking for "treasure". The minimum that you need is a Garmin GPS unit and the coordinates to a geocache (cache)- which you can find on Opencaching.com and send directly to your compatible device.

Once you have the coordinates loaded up and GPS in hand, you can begin searching. You simply hike, climb, or meander along until you have reached the area and then begin searching for the exact spot using tips/hints provided. It’s a great way to explore the world and find new adventures- all while ensuring there is treasure at the end of the path!

Peg’s Posts: trap your lap without a tap

My life is filled with “buttons” and the act of pushing, tapping or clicking. From the moment the alarm ends my ZZZs and starts my day with an option to “snooze” or “dismiss” through a workday of keying words and clicking to find or send information, it’s all buttons, all the time. So when I use a device that’s smart enough to take direction without me lifting a finger, we’re fast friends. It’s like that with me and my Edge 800 bike computer. Love it for the touchscreen because I can start the timer with a touch and then quickly tap to change screens or data fields. Love it equally for an Auto Lap function (found on all our Edge devices) that lets me automatically lap by distance or position—no anticipating or button pushing on my part. I’ve been using Auto Lap by position lately for interval training on a looped course in prep for some local duathlons. Photos by SeeKCRun.

To set Auto Lap by position on the Edge 800:
Tap Menu > tap the settings icon > Auto Lap > Auto Lap Trigger.
Select By Position.
Select Lap At.
Select Lap Press Only to trigger the lap counter each time you press Lap and each time you pass those locations.
When you get on the course, simply start the timer on your Edge as normal. When you pass the point where you’d like the lap to start (could be used on a loop or any course), simply hit the lap button. Next time you cross that point, Edge will know it and automatically trigger a lap, and a small pop-up on screen flashes your lap time and speed.

Check out my Garmin Connect data from a recent training interval session using Auto Lap by position on a looped course.

RYDER WINS GIRO!! Team Garmin scores first Grand Tour victory

After 21 hard-fought stages and exemplary teamwork from his squad, Ryder Hesjedal today came from behind to win the Giro d'Italia - the first Grand Tour victory for Team Garmin and Canada's first win at the Giro. Though Ryder had previously worn the pink jersey of the overall leader on two different occasions earlier in the race, he claimed the prize for good Sunday with a daring dash through the time trial course.

When three weeks of professional cycling come down to the final day's race against the clock - and when the contenders' 90-plus hours on the bike result in a margin of victory of only 16 seconds, it's tough to do it justice in a post-race recap. For a quck glimpse of how excited fans were about this climactic finish, search for #Giro on Twitter, where Ryder was a top trending topic earlier today.

We've already given our Facebook and Twitter pages a makeover, and we'll be talking quite a bit about this huge win in the days to come - as well as Dave Zabriskie's win at the U.S. Pros that keeps him in stars and stripes for yet another year - but to best describe what's being called one of the best Grand Tours in recent memory, we'll turn to the professionals (and check out great pics from CyclingNews)....

Pro Paddle Boarder Jenny Kalmbach Takes Out The CNN FitNation Team in Kona

Last week, Dr. Sanjay Gupta and the CNN FitNation Team were in Kona, HI training and preparing for their first triathlon in Malibu later this summer. The team received great advice from Pro triathlete Chris Lieto, brother of Garmin sponsored athlete Matt Lieto, and had some time to jump on paddle boards with our own Jenny Kalmbach!! Armed with Forerunner 310XT and 910XT's they headed out. Here is what Jenny had to say:

Last week I had the opportunity to paddle with Dr. Sanjay Gupta and the “Lucky Seven” from CNN Fit Nation. The Lucky Seven are a group of CNN viewers who were selected to join the Fit Nation team with the goal of racing the Nautical Malibu triathlon later this year. They were on the Big Island all week swimming, biking, running and preparing for the months ahead.

We met at the Mauna Lani Bay Hotel & Bungalows in the morning and spent an hour paddling around the lagoon. It was such a great experience and I’m so stoked to have been able to meet such an inspiring group of people.