Jake's Journal: Keeping up with Team Garmin, Christian's recovery

It's a good thing that keeping an eye on Team Garmin is part of my job because it's hard work tracking cyclists in various countries and time zones, staying on top of injury updates and roster news, all while getting ready for a busy month of July when the world focuses on France. OK, it's not "hard work" but that's what I tell the boss so play along. Here are the headlines from yet another busy and successful week with the argyle armada.
>> Winning bidder secures spot at finish in Paris: Last night we were honored to join a group from the University of Missouri-Kansas City to watch the final hour of bidding on a VIP package that sends four people to Paris for an all-access weekend with Team Garmin. And a flurry of activity in the closing minutes of the auction resulted in a hefty sum of money being raised for UMKC's Bloch School of Business and Public Administration. I'll share more details later as I learn more about our winners. 
>> Vande Velde to race in Tour de Suisse: Yes, Christian will be at the start line Saturday in Switzerland after bouncing back quickly from his Giro crash that left him with seven fractures, including five vertebrae, one rib and his pelvis. "Less than a month ago he was in a hospital bed in Italy," Jonathan Vaughters said. "To come back this quickly is truly a testament to his character."
>> Millar third in Dauphine time trial, high in GC: Showing great form in the Stage 4 time trial, David Millar (above) was the fastest from the middle time check to the finish, placing him on the podium at Dauphine-Libere. "I had a lot of fun though," David wrote in The Millar Diaries. "It’s been a long time since I’ve gone that fast for so long on a bike, for about 10km on the way back I was well over 60km/h." And proving once again that he's far from a one-trick pony, David entered the weekend in the top five of the GC.
>> New Team Garmin site unveiled: You can find the latest team news, learn more about the sponsors and their innovative technology, share your pictures and videos in the fan zone, get connected with me and the team on Twitter and - we saved the best for last - enter to win some amazing prizes in the Tour with Team Garmin Sweepstakes. 

Ways you can win with Team Garmin

As Team Garmin gets ready for its biggest race of the year this summer in France, you can join in their winning ways simply by filling out a form and testing your luck. By entering the Tour with Team Garmin Sweepstakes, you have a shot at winning the grand prize of one Felt Team Replica F1 frameset and one Garmin Edge 705 with heart rate monitor, speed/cadence sensor and data card preloaded with City Navigator U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico street maps. The other top prizes are also impressive - First prize being a Zipp 303 wheelset and a Second prize of a 3T LTD set consisting of one bar, one stem, one seatpost and one roll of handlebar tape. And even if you're not lucky enough to be one of the big winners, Team Garmin-Slipstream and great sponsors such as Clif Bar, Pearl Izumi, CamelBak and Pedro's have kicked in more than 200 great prizes for their fans. So don't hesitate, enter the Tour with Team Garmin Sweepstakes today!

Of course, one superfan out there will get an unbelievable experience in Paris this summer, spending a weekend of VIP access with three friends and Team Garmin. Visit http://www.ebay.com/teamgarmin for details, and don't forget to check out the Team Garmin site for the latest news and rider data downloaded from Edge 705.

eBay winner will join Team Garmin in Paris for unforgettable weekend

Here's your chance to join Team Garmin for a once-in-a-lifetime weekend this July with behind-the-scenes access as they cross the finish line in Paris, France. An auction for VIP access to pro cycling's biggest finale is up for grabs on eBay to the highest bidder. And the winner will be helping education as the proceeds benefit the Henry W. Bloch School of Business and Public Administration at the University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC).

Here's what you'll be bidding on in this limited-time promotion at www.ebay.com/teamgarmin
-- Experience Paris and the race’s final stage for four people. (July 25-26, 2009)
-- VIP spectator access to team staging areas and events, refreshments included.
-- Seats in exclusive sponsor viewing area near finish line on Champs-Elysees in Paris.
-- Shuttle service to/from airport and to official events.
-- Two hotel rooms each for 3 nights at sponsor’s designated hotel. (July 24-26, 2009)
-- VIP access to restricted Team Garmin areas.
-- Attend the post race Team Garmin party on July 26th.
-- Garmin Edge 705 cycle computer and Team Garmin gear.

Ask Garmin: Any freebies at Sea Otter?

It's another big week in Garmin's fitness world. Team Garmin just got done fighting through tough conditions at Paris-Roubaix and now travel to the Netherlands for Sunday's Amstel Gold Race. Meanwhile, Forerunners everywhere are fully charged for the Boston Marathon next Monday, where Garmin will be on hand for the North American unveiling of the Forerunner 405CX with heart rate-based calorie computation. But first, across the U.S., cycling pros and enthusiasts will gather this week in California for Sea Otter Classic, which we described last year as a rock concert, state fair and bike race rolled into one. And what would a state fair be without some free prizes? This year, we're partnering with fellow Team Garmin sponsors CamelBak and Clif Bar to spice up Sea Otter.

To participate, just pick up the punch card from any one of our booths. At each of the participating sponsors' booths, you'll receive a signature. Once you've visited all of the booths, just head back over to the CamelBak booth and turn in the card. The first 50 people each day will receive a free Team Podium bottle (pictured above). The team bottle will also have a sticker on it with a discount code for the Argyle shop on the team’s site. If you're not in the first 50, you'll still be entered to win daily prizes. The prizes include CamelBak hydration backs and bottles, Clif Bar products, Garmin gear and an Edge 705 cycling computer. 

Daily prize drawings will be at the Garmin booth at 4 p.m. Thursday and Friday, and the grand prize drawing will be at Clif Bar Happy Hour at 4pm Saturday.

Jake's Journal: Lucky Winners in the Land of Oregon

So I just sent out an email to four people - Steven in Westminster, CA; Emily in Scott Depot, WV; Kyle in Riverton, UT; and Michael in Barstow, CA - and I usually don't share such notes but I thought you might want to congratulate these four if you know them ... or visit the Land of Oregon to see what you missed ... or start searching for Garmin geocoins in random caches. Here's what I sent: 

I hope this note finds you well – because we have some great news for you. You must have had a pretty good time in Garmin’s Land of Oregon minisite, because of the countless visitors – and the thousands who completed every task asked of them – you’re one of just four winners!

As a result of your keen eye, quick wit and adventurous spirit, we’re sending you an Oregon 400t touchscreen handheld device, preloaded with topo maps of the entire U.S. and capable of sharing data with other nearby Oregon and Colorado units. We’re also sending you two limited-edition Oregon geocoins, with a little favor to ask. One of the geocoins is for you, no strings attached. The other is for you to stash, thus passing along the fun of geocaching and the thrill of discovery. You see, these coins aren’t available for purchase. The only way to get them is from Garmin HQ or to find one that’s been stashed. Then send me the cache location where you hid the coin so that I can keep an eye on the logs and see when and where they’re found. Just like that, cachers around the world will have memorable stories to share at garmin.blogs.com and at geocaching forums and gatherings, and it will be thanks to you!

So congratulations again to Steven, Emily, Kyle and Michael, and even though the contest has ended, the adventures continue in the Land of Oregon ... and beyond. And if you find one of those limited-edition coins that has been stashed, send us your story and we'll share it on the blog.

Peg’s Posts: We have a contest winner.

Two weeks ago, as I was anxiously preparing to run my first marathon, our faithful blog readers sent their predictions for my finish time. Surprisingly, I beat ‘em all, finishing in 3:47:28. Not surprisingly, the closest prediction of 3:50 came from a Garmin coworker, Steve. Perhaps Steve had some insider information, considering we’ve done trail runs (this pic's from a training run we did last winter), bike rides, 5ks, relays and, most recently, a half marathon together. Had I slipped and told Steve that I was going to try for a Boston qualifying time? Or is he just good with numbers? Considering he’s a software engineer, probably the latter. Knowing he had an inside track, Steve graciously offered his Garmin prize winnings to the next closest bidder, which happened to be a blog reader from the KC area. Al predicted, in his words, an aggressive time of 3:52. I’ll be sending Al some Garmin gear soon and a thanks for playing along. Thanks to all the others who made predictions and sent good luck wishes my way. It was just what I needed to help carry me through the miles.

Catching up with contest winners

Apparently saving a kick for the end isn't something Jake just tries while running. After announcing prizes for readers predicting times in his two recent marathons, Jake vowed to send them out by the end of the year. With a couple hours till closing time on New Year's Eve, he's over there scribbling notes and stuffing envelopes. So Laura, Brad, Steve, Jacki, Linda, Kelly, Chad, Thomas, Alberto, Jay and Tina - your winnings are on their way. (Jared and Marty, send us your address.)

In a matter of days, these lucky winners will be cruising around town in their Team Garmin T-shirts and showing off their limited-edition Oregon geocoins. And Laura, Thomas and Linda get a little something extra for having the best predictions when Jake ran a 3:31.18 in KC and 3:41.03 two weeks later in New York. You see, after American distance champ Ryan Hall told us why he loves his Forerunner (click here to hear his reasons), he was nice enough to autograph three NYC marathon posters. So each of our grand-prize winners gets one of those as well. That is, assuming that if Jake can run 26.2 miles in 3 1/2 hours, he can cover eight stories in an elevator in half that time.

Final chance to win sneak peek "24" tickets

By now you've probably seen the previews for FOX's new season of the hit show, "24." The two-night, four-hour season premier event airs on Sunday, Jan. 11 and Monday Jan. 12 8/7c, and we've been giving away tickets all month for a sneak peek preview at our Chicago retail store on Michigan Avenue on Jan. 8. Guests to this preview event will get to enjoy the first 24 minutes of the new "24:Season 7" premiere, meet Carlos Bernard who plays the character of Tony Almeida and take home a special Garmin/"24" goodie bag. And we've got one more pair of tickets to give out to this exclusive event - just send us the correct answer to the question below, and you'll be entered to win. Don't forget to enter the "24:Dossier Navigated by Garmin" sweepstakes for your chance to win one of 24 Garmin nuvi 850s, too. Click here for the complete list of rules and check back to the Blog on Friday to find out this week's winner. Good luck!

In the fifth installment of Jack Bauer's Dossier, he uses a Garmin nüvi for navigation as he's trying to track a suspect. Which Garmin nüvi features speech recognition and let's you talk back to your nüvi?

nüvi 765T

nüvi 500

nüvi 880

nüvi 265WT

Garmin/"24" week 3 winner, Monday's webisode preview

Linda from Chicago is this week's winner of a pair of tickets to Garmin's "24:Season 7" sneak peek party at our Chicago retail store, Jan. 8 from 6-8pm - congratulations! Jack used a Garmin Oregeon handheld in the third installment of his Dossier, and Linda correctly identified that these popular handhelds are touchscreen, rugged, waterproof and have wireless data exchange capabilities. Guests at our preview event will get to enjoy the first 24 minutes of the new "24" season seven before the two-night, four-hour season premiere event airs on Sunday, Jan. 11, and Monday, Jan. 12 8/7c on FOX. With only a few weeks before the new season, be sure to stay up-to-date with the weekly installments of Jack's 24:Dossier leading up to the new season. In Monday's installment, "Murder," Bauer is charged with unauthorized murders of key government witnesses and co-workers. Tune in Monday to see the rest, spot Garmin gear in action, and enter for your chance to win!

24TM & © 2008 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation.  All Rights Reserved.

Third chance to win "24" sneak peek tickets

We've given away two pairs of tickets to Garmin's exclusive "24:Season 7" premiere party at the Garmin Chicago store where fans will see the first 24 minutes of the new season, and we've got two more pair to give away! Kicking off the two-night, four-hour "24" season premiere event airing Sunday, Jan. 11 and Monday, Jan. 12 8/7c on FOX, this exclusive preview event is on Thursday, Jan. 8 from 6-8 pm. If you can't wait until the season premiere, watch the online webisodes in Jack Bauer's Dossier at fox.com/24/dossier and send us the correct answer to the question below for your chance to win! Click here for the complete list of rules, and check back on Friday for this week's winner. And don't forget to enter for your chance to win one of 24 Garmin nüvi 850s in the "24 Dossier Navigated by Garmin" sweepstakes while you're at it!

Which of the following is not a characteristic of the Oregon handheld featured in the third online webisode from Jack's 24:Dossier:

Touchscreen

Wireless data exchange

Touch-bezel

Rugged

Waterproof

24TM & © 2008 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation.  All Rights Reserved.

Garmin/"24" week 2 winner, Monday's webisode preview

Congratulations to Penny of Chicago, IL - this week's winner of a pair of tickets to Garmin's "24:Season 7" sneak peek party at our Chicago retail store! If you watched the second online webisode from Jack's 24:Dossier like Penny, you might have spotted the Garmin nüvi and Rino two-way radio used to help Jack get around the city. These Garmin sponsored webisodes are being posted every Monday leading up to the "24" two-night, four-hour season premiere event airing on Sunday, Jan. 11, and Monday, Jan. 12 8/7c on FOX, and we've got tickets to see the first 24 minutes of the new season before it premiers! Watch Monday's installment, "Torture," where Bauer is investigated for multiple reports of torture and extreme interrogation, then check back here Monday for the next question and another chance to win!

24TM & © 2008 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation.  All Rights Reserved.

Second chance to win "24" sneak peek tickets

Last week we gave away a pair of tickets to Garmin's exclusive "24: Season 7" premier party at the Garmin Chicago Store where fans can see the first 24 minutes of the new season. This sneak peek event on Thursday, Jan. 8 from 6-8 pm will kick off the two-night, four-hour 24 season premier event airing on Sunday, Jan. 11 and Monday, Jan. 12 8/7c on FOX. Simply watch the online webisodes in Jack Bauer's Dossier at fox.com/24/dossier, send us the correct answer to the question below, and you'll be entered for a chance to win! We're giving away three more pairs of tickets, so click here for the complete list of rules, and check back Friday for this week's winner.

The second online webisode, "Breaking Procedure," features product(s) from the following market(s) that Garmin serves:

Automotive

Outdoor/Rec

Fitness

Marine

Send us the correct answer, along with your name, address, phone number and email address, and we'll announce the next winner at the end of the week. Good luck!

24TM & © 2008 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation.  All Rights Reserved.

Garmin/"24" week 1 winner, Monday's webisode preview

Congratulations to Joan of Park Forest, IL, who was this week's winner of a pair of tickets to Garmin's "24: Season 7" sneak peek party at our Chicago retail store! She correctly identified the Oregon and GPSMAP found in the first online webisode from Jack's 24:Dossier. These Garmin sponsored webisodes are being posted every Monday leading up to the two-night, four-hour season premier event on Sunday, Jan. 11, and Monday, Jan. 12 8/7c on FOX, and we've got your ticket to see the first 24 minutes of the new season before it premiers! Today also kicks off the "24 Dossier Navigated by Garmin" sweepstakes, where fans can enter to win one of 24 Garmin nüvi 850s and other branded "24" items. Check back Monday for the next installment: Unlawful Detainment, where it's believed Bauer's illegal acts and torture lead to the death of a businessman. We'll also post the next trivia question for another chance to win tickets to our premier party, so stay tuned!

24TM & © 2008 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation.  All Rights Reserved.

First chance to win a sneak peek of FOX's "24"

In case you haven't heard about the Garmin gear that can be found on FOX's online webisodes kicking off their hit show, "24," today is the perfect day to join the fun. If you're waiting anxiously for the "24: Season 7" two-night, four-hour season premier event on Sunday, Jan. 11, and Monday, Jan. 12 8/7c on FOX like we are, here's your first chance to see a sneak peak of the first 24 minutes of the new season. For the next four weeks, we'll post a question on the blog that will relate to Garmin and the hit show, "24." Send us the correct answer, along with your contact information (name, address, phone number, e-mail), and we'll put your name in a drawing for a pair of tickets to the sneak peak party at the Garmin Store in Chicago on Thursday, Jan. 8 from 6-8 pm where fans will also have the chance to meet Carlos Bernard who plays the character of Tony Almeida, enjoy refreshments and leave with an exclusive Garmin/24 gift bag. Cilck here for the complete list of rules, and without further ado, here's this week's question:

Which of the following Garmin product(s) can be found in the the first online webisode, "File 1 - Extradition?"

Oregon

Forerunner

Edge

GPSMAP

Garmin nüvi

24 TM & © 2008 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. All rights Reserved.

Watch for Garmin gear in FOX's 24: Dossier

The icons are ready. The first two webisodes are live. The countdown to 24: Day 7 has begun! Next Monday, we'll post the first part of our sweepstakes in which you can win tickets to see a sneak preview of the first 24 minutes at the Garmin Chicago retail store in January. In the meantime, you can visit fox.com/24/dossier to see the all-new online episodes of 24:Dossier, where you'll find great Garmin gear in action as new documents are released each week reviewing Jack's past actions. In next Monday's online episode, Bauer is charged with forcing co-workers and civilians to compromise their profession and morality to serve his mission's agenda. Check back next week to catch the new installment and solve the puzzle for a chance to win tickets to the Garmin preview party. And be sure to save the date - 24: Day 7 begins with a two-night, four-hour season seven premier event airing Sunday, Jan. 11, and Monday, Jan. 12 8/7c on FOX.

24TM & © 2008 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation.  All Rights Reserved.

Garmin gear helps FOX's "24" kick off new season

Garmin is excited to announce its partnership with FOX’s awarding-winning drama, "24," in anticipation of the Day 7 premiere. The two-night, four-hour event airs Sunday, Jan. 11 and Monday, Jan. 12 8/7C on FOX. Leading up to the season premiere, weekly webisodes will go live where fans can see Garmin navigation (a GPSMAP 396, Oregon 400t, Foretrex 201, Rino 530HCx, Garmin Mobile XT and a nüvi 265WT to be exact) being used in 24 Dossier.

In addition to watching the webisodes, "24" fans have the opportunity to see a sneak preview of "24" Day 7 on Thursday Jan. 8, from 6-8pm at the Garmin retail store on Michigan Avenue. Those fans will also have the chance to meet Carlos Bernard who plays the character of Tony Almeida, enjoy refreshments and leave with an exclusive Garmin/24 gift bag. How can you be part of this extraordinary event? You have to win it!

Jake's Journal: 26.2 reasons I heart NYC

We'll get to my time in a moment, but I wanted to note the most memorable parts of today's New York City marathon: 1) The highest climb of the race is right out of the gate, though it lasts 2 miles along the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge. 2) Staten Island. We spent three hours there shivering before the race - the longest time in any borough and the shortest distance. 3) My 40,000 fellow runners from around the globe, as gracious and enthusiastic as any I've met. 4) Brooklyn. From firemen to five-year-olds, they made miles 2-13 fly by. 5) My friend Joel, pictured. I never would've thought when I ran with him last year at our Garmin store in Chicago that we would be tackling the Big Apple together. 6) Water. Lots of it. 7) My Forerunner 405. Average pace, current lap pace, mile splits and distance on demand. It provided inspiration and necessary distraction. 8) Socks on my hands. It was cold. 9) My name on my shirt. There's something about the name Jake that makes people love yelling it. Whether short and staccato, or drawn out like celebrating a soccer goal (Jaaaaaake), the crowd's cheers paved the way.

Jake's Journal: Up and running in NYC

  My first 24 hours in New York went like this. Five meetings in four hours, all within a short walking distance bounded by Times Square and the Empire State Building. An hour spent doing a hands-on tutorial - much like our Forerunner 405 training videos, but you can't press stop - so that my friend at Vogue would be ready to run Sunday morning. She's most excited about the free, downloadable software update that will keep her watch active in training mode until she crosses the start line (rather than falling asleep while she waits in the crowd). Then I walked with my wife and sister-in-law around Manhattan - never boring, but you can imagine the fun on Halloween - and even randomly ran into Garmin colleagues Stan and Brandi while strolling down Broadway. It's a small world, even in the big city.

Today, it's been all about the New York City Marathon Expo, where Forerunners are flying off the shelves and  Ryan Hall, Deena Kastor and Constantina Tomescu-Dita are signing autographs and talking to fans in the Asics and Garmin booths. And as requested by fellow blogger Peg, I scored autographs on her respective copies of Runner's World. Deena was even gracious enough to tell us what she loves most about her Garmin Forerunner. Keep watching the Garmin blog and YouTube for her video response. Well, that's it for the first 24 hours. In another 24 hours, I hope to be scarfing down some finish-line goodies after completing my second marathon in two weeks. If you haven't already predicted how I'll finish, there's still time until the race begins. Click here to take a guess and have a chance for some free Garmin goodies.

Jake's Journal: Ready for another contest

The question I've been asked the most this week is "Are you ready?" As far as I know, yes. But to be fair, this is the first time I've run two marathons in a two-week span, with the New York City marathon coming up Sunday. Of course, this is the first time I've run two marathons in a calendar year. And yet it seemed like a good idea to stack my second and third marathons ever within a short time period. If I've already trained for one, I figure, why not cross two off my list. One of my friends here at work, who just did the Marine Corps Marathon, has two more 26-mile training runs planned before doing the Goofy challenge at Disney (a half and a full on consecutive days). So I know there are plenty of people who can do it. I just didn't know if I was in that group.

So I ran with my Forerunner 405, updated my software, listened to my Virtual Partner, shared training tales with Peg and chronicled my miles on Garmin Connect. Train, taper, race and repeat. And for you, another chance to win free Garmin gear: What will my time be in Sunday's New York City Marathon? Enter in the comments below, with appropriate coaching or smack talk, and we'll announce winners next week.

Jake's Journal: A marathon with many winners

Ideal weather, a patient and persistent training partner, tons of support from every direction and the ultimate running watch on my wrist. These factors combined to make the Kansas City Marathon the best race I've done, exceeding my own expectations and most of the predictions from our fun-loving blog readers. On a brisk October morning, Garmin came through for me - technologically and psychologically. While my Forerunner 405 was tracking my time, distance and average pace through the streets of KC, many of my colleagues were pounding the pavement in the marathon, half and 5K.

Before we get to the winner of our "predict my pace" contest, I have a few thanks to dole out. To my wife, Jocelyn, who made sure I was rested, hydrated and at the starting line on time (which meant a half-hour early for her 5K). To Peg, my Hood to Coast teammates and the whole Garmin running crew, many of whom ran the half and stuck around to cheer me through the finish. To Matt, Drew and Daniel, who were there at the 16-mile mark to lie to us and say we looked good at the race's southern-most point. And to my buddy Rock, who stuck with me even when we were going too fast too early, talking too much on a course with too many hills and jeopardizing our shot at personal bests.

Forerunner 405 on YouTube, at KC Marathon

The Forerunner 405 is getting a hometown hero's reception this weekend during the Kansas City marathon, half and 5K. The GPS-enabled features, the touch bezel and the automatic, wireless data transfer are being praised by elite athletes and joggers alike as everyone learns more about Garmin's top-tier sport watch.

To help promote the learning spirit, we're taking our Forerunner 405 training videos to the masses. These feature-specific online tutorials are great for people getting to know their Forerunner, making last-minute preparations for a race or doing early shopping for the holidays. And now you can find more of them on YouTube, including a tutorial on the touch bezel and how to charge your 405.

And if you want to take part in our latest blog contest, you can predict Jake's KC marathon time. Click this link and take a guess in the comments, and you could win a Team Garmin shirt and a limited-edition Oregon geocoin.

Jake's Journal: My pain is your gain

Here's another chance to win free stuff. Last year, when you were asked to predict my time in the Chicago Marathon, one lucky winner walked away with a Garmin goodie bag. When I line up in downtown Kansas City on Saturday morning, I'll be putting months (or at least weeks) of training to the test. All you have to do is ponder a few seconds and take a wild guess.

What will my time be in the KC marathon? If you have the best prediction in the comments below, you'll win an autographed Team Garmin shirt* and a limited-edition Oregon geocoin. Some factors to consider: 1) My time last year in Chicago was 3:49. 2) This year's 21-mile training run was at an 8-minute pace. 3) Mile No. 20 was not fun. In either instance. 4) I have a pacing partner who has run two previous marathons, one in 3:35. 5) I have a Virtual Partner on my Forerunner 405 who can run whatever pace I tell him. For more hints, find me in the Garmin booth Friday at the Expo or follow my Twitter updates (I may take a break when I'm actually running).

*The fine print: Because Team Garmin is spread out over the world right now, the only autograph will be mine. You can choose to decline the autograph. Saturday's race begins at a brisk 7 a.m. CST, so you have until then to enter. Good luck. And at least you won't be the one walking funny afterward.

Jake's Geocache: And the winners are...

Well loyal blog readers – we’ve read the comments, had a lot of laughs, and finally made a decision or two about divvying up our rewards. For those of you tuned in to the Great 2008 Tupperware® Scandal, you know that Scooter offered up Jake’s casserole keeper and a geocoin while Jake was pedaling from booth to booth at Interbike. Jake, realizing he’d either have to pony up for a new pasta porter or risk life and limb when he returned home sans Tupperware® quickly replied with an offer of his own. And that’s when things started to get interesting. Fortunately, our good friends over at Groundspeak – who happen to know a thing or two about geocaching – came to Jake’s rescue with a more-than-generous offer of cache containers for a few lucky commenters. So instead of shipping out leftover lunchware to one person, we’ve got three purpose-built cache keepers that we’ll be sending out. And we’re still making good on our promise of geocoins, too. So without further adieu, here’s our list of lucky commenters:

Joshua Abel is Scooter's choice, winning a cache container and a Colorado/Wherigo geocoin. John J. Grace is Jake's pick, earning him three Oregon/Wherigo geocoins. Our honorable mention nods go to Occam (cache container and Colorado coin), J.R. (cache container and Oregon coin) and Jonathan (Oregon coin and Colorado coin). We'll be contacting the winners via email - so be on the lookout.

Thanks to each and every one of you who left a comment and helped keep us entertained during the week. And for all of you who expressed a direct interest in Jake’s Tupperware® - stay tuned. Because while the Tupperware® is still in the office . . . it’s not in Jake’s possession.

Jake's Journal: Jury still out on captive cache

Well, I'm home from Interbike, but I have yet to see my container that was hijacked earlier this week. And when I logged on today, I was blown away by the amount of feedback from people with a passion - one way or the other - for Tupperware and geocaching. In case you're just joining the story in progress, Scooter - our Garmin Garage go-fer - overcomplicated a favor I asked of him by offering up my personal Tupperware as treasure to the masses. Being a man of my word - and the keeper of the coins - I wrestled the unregistered Colorado geocoin away from that little pipsqueak ... I mean, junior colleague ... I mean, Assistant to the Assistant Chief Mechanic.

But since we still have to work together in harmony, we're striking a compromise of epic geocaching proportions as we sift through your comments. Coins, containers are all up for grabs. And more may be added to the giveaway. If anyone wants to make a final plea for prizes, do so in the comments below. We're like ice-skating judges ... we can be swayed by something other than the facts. Happy caching this weekend, and remember to keep checking the blog.

Jake's Journal: Asking a favor from Vegas

When I checked in from Las Vegas this week I discovered the story so far: I left some veggies in the Garmin fridge before taking off for a week in Vegas. Not wanting to be "that guy" who leaves the nasty leftovers for an extended time, I asked Scooter from the Garmin Garage to keep an eye on them. He put the container - and an unregistered Colorado geocoin - up for grabs on the Garmin blog. Not cool, Scooter, not cool.

So yes, Scooter and his vegetable-hating cohorts are holding my lunch container hostage. And if you choose to sell your soul for one measly Colorado geocoin (OK, sure, they're scarce and you get the microwavable container as part of the ransom), you can play their little game.

Or, you can join my cause and help good win over spiteful -- as my colleagues and I spend precious time away from our families to spread the word at Interbike about the limited-edition Team Garmin Edge 705 cycling computer. (I mean, seriously, have you heard about this impressive device? It has maps, a color screen, wireless data transfer and power compatibility!) But back to the Tupperware. I'll offer 3 - count 'em THREE - Oregon geocoins to the person who saves my veggie vessel. Granted, a true geocacher would save one coin and stash the other two, but who am I to tell how to spend their riches? Whichever blog post - Scooter's or mine - ends up with the most comments pleading their case will be where we choose our winning entry from. Good luck, and remember - there's no shame in stuffing the ballot box. Game on.

Jake's Geocache: Get It Before Jake Does!

For those of you who follow Jake’s Twitter tweets, you probably already know that Jake’s at Interbike where he’s wheeling and dealing all things bicycle and Edge-related. And even though Jake is many miles away from headquarters – he still checks in to basecamp every chance he gets. So it came as no surprise to one Garmin associate to find a voicemail from Jake awaiting him (or her) this morning.  The reason for the voicemail?  Jake wanted to check on a piece of Tupperware® that he had left in the fridge over the weekend. Well, we’ve found it. And after taking a good, long look at Jake’s leftover transporter, we realized that the container shouldn’t be enjoyed by Jake alone. We want to give it away! So, in the spirit of our occasional “Jake Pranks” – we decided to share his Tupperware® with you.  Minus the leftovers. (of course, if Jake has some sentimental attachment to this, the winner may end up with a similar-looking piece of plastic . . . and they'll still get coin!)

Just leave a comment below and let us know why you need Jake’s Tupperware®. It’s the perfect container for starting a new geocache – and to sweeten the deal, we’ll throw in an unregistered Colorado geocoin to get you started! The most creative response will get the container, the coin, and the envy of every other commenter.  Sound like a good deal?  We’ll look back through all of the comments and decide by the end of the week – right before Jake gets back. So let us know! Jake’s loss could be your gain! And you could start a new cache that will leave a lasting legacy to Jake’s love of leftover asparagus!

Garmin Garage: Team Garmin Chase Car

As Week 2 (quickly) approaches on the Tour de France, we're releasing another Team Garmin vehicle so you can show your support for the team. The Team Garmin Chase Car - which you may have seen darting back and forth onscreen if you've been watching the Tour - is now available for you to download from the Garmin Garage. It's another free Team Garmin icon that's ready for you to download to your nüvi, zumo or StreetPilot. And if the Chipotle Burrito, the Felt Bicycle, and the Team Garmin Chase Car leave you wanting more Team Garmin Tour info, you can also follow Jake's Twitter Feed,
check out Garmin's Flickr Page for behind-the-scenes photos and visit our Team Garmin page - where you can register for your chance to win for a free Team Garmin Felt Bicycle, a Garmin Edge 705 bike computer, a Team Garmin Cycling Kit or one free Chipotle burrito a week for a year! So download the Team Garmin Chase Car today and help us rally the team to victory! Allez Argyle, Allez!

A Tour of the Tour

As the 95th Tour de France gets underway, we're giving Team Garmin fans the chance to ride along for each and every ascending and descending kilometer. You can follow the Team Garmin page, you can download the Garmin Tour Guide widget to get up-to-the-minute tour news, and you can track the team on Twitter. Resident blogger Jake is also up and running (riding?) on Twitter, too - so you can follow his tweets as he tracks the team from high in the sky and right alongside the route and also serves up some behind-the-scenes commentary about his time following the Tour.

And if you haven't already registered for the Team Garmin Edge Sweepstakes, be sure to sign up today! One lucky winner will ride off with a Team Garmin Felt Bicycle and we're also giving away five Garmin Edge 705 cycling computers, five Team Garmin cycling kits and twenty Chipotle gift cards that can be redeemed for one burrito a week for an entire year! It may be one of the tastiest giveaways we've ever offered!

So ride along and get your daily dose of Tour de France coverage. The race has just begun and it looks like it's going to be action-packed in every stage!

Stashed geocoins add to summer adventures

Word is getting out that our geo-stashers have ramped up their efforts, hitting caches across the country and leaving behind limited-edition Colorado/Wherigo geocoins for the next visitor.

From retrorambler: "It was a hot Thursday afternoon and I skipped out on work to do some caching on my way from Durango, Colorado to Santa Fe, New Mexico for a long weekend. What I didn't know was that this would become one of my favorite days out. My first cache of the day was Dallabetta Park (GC1BDAP). This is a new park in Durango that I had not visited. The cache box was a tackle box filled with travel bugs and coins. It took me five minutes to decide on taking this coin. I continued on my drive completing nine caches that took me along one of the most beautiful drives! I didn't know what I had until I tried to log it two days later and it was not activated. Upon closer examination I read the paper inserted into the cover and found that I had something special. Now I have Garmin Colorado envy. My 60CSx needs an upgrade!"

25 states, 24 days, 1 free geocoin

Another tale from the trails as geocachers around the country stumble across randomly hidden geocoins:

We found this coin Wherigo/Colorado series 2008 in cleveland rocks cache in Scottsbluff, NE. We were just starting our geocaching road trip without any real plans on where we were going. We ended up going to 25 states in 24 days, 6,200 miles and picked up over 300 caches. -- Wyo3838&Snoop46

There are currently hundreds of coins - the vast majority of a limited run - stashed in caches and Colorado 400t boxes from coast to coast. If you find one, send us your story and you could be featured on the Garmin blog.

Garmin teams with Kansas Lottery for great prizes

Garmin has teamed up with the Kansas Lottery for some extra special prize incentives this summer! In stores now, the $2 Garmin game offers players a chance to win up to $10,000 instantly. But if lady luck isn't on your side the first time around, fear not; the fun doesn't stop there. Players can also enter their non-winning Garmin tickets in a pair of second-chance drawings to win one of 20 Garmin merchandise packages.

So while we wish you the best as you take your shot at $10K, the second-chance drawings are our favorite part. We're excited because these package themes cater to all types of Garmin fans. On the Road, On the Trail, Onto Fitness or On the Water... there's definitely something in these prize packages for everyone! Good luck and happy playing!

   

Time to Vote for Your Favorite Vehicle

The time has come to choose the winner of the Garmin Garage Wrench 'n' Win Contest. We just announced the finalists from Week 4, and they've taken their places alongside the other entries hoping to find a place on your Garmin device. You can see all of the finalists by clicking here. Each person gets one vote, so you need to choose wisely. As soon as you make your selection, you’ll be able to see live voting results. And you can keep checking back to see how your favorite is doing.

Be sure to send this link to everyone you know so that they can help your favorite entry become a free, downloadable icon on Garmin’s devices. And speaking of Garmin devices, we’ll be giving the contest's grand prize winner a brand new nüvi 205! Take a moment right now to check out the finalists and cast your vote!

Look What's Hiding in Some Colorado 400t Boxes

First we gave them away in Las Vegas. Then we raffled them off in Seattle and San Jose. When we spent a weekend in Chicago, we gave one to each person we met at the Garmin store on Michigan Avenue. Since then, six winners received them for building creative cartridges for Wherigo. Unsuspecting geocachers have stumbled across them in caches across the country.

Now we're ready to give away most of what's left of our limited stock of Colorado/Wherigo geocoins. Here's the catch: We don't know who will get them, or where, or when. A few of us just got done stashing more than a hundred geocoins in random shipments of the Colorado 400t as they were getting ready to leave the warehouse. We have no idea which stores will receive them, or which parts of the country. All we know is that someone is going to open their brand-new Colorado 400t, which is preloaded with topo maps for the whole U.S., and they'll find that certain boxes are preloaded with a little something extra. If you're one of the lucky few to find a geocoin in your Colorado 400t, send us a note and tell us about it. Good luck!!

Wrench 'n' Win Contest: Week 3 finalists

The third week was charmed in the Garmin Garage Wrench ‘n’ Win Contest and we have another group of entries for your enjoyment on the finalist page. The Week 3 finalists thought outside the box - especially the pizza box - and the creativity and artistry impressed us yet again. As you know, we pick the finalists but you get to pick the winner. If you’ve already entered, be sure to let your friends and family know. And we announced it last week, but it's worth repeating: We’ll be awarding one lucky grand prize winner with a brand new nüvi 205! So keep those sketches coming and spread the word about the Wrench ‘n’ Win Contest!

Ask Garmin: Add New Vehicles to Your nüvi

Our e-mail this week comes from M. Smith: "I recently purchased a nüvi 260 and know nothing about GPS systems." As proof of the popularity of all of the new vehicles we're adding to the Garmin Garage, topping our e-mailer's to-do list was downloading new vehicle icons. "Can anyone help me?"

Absolutely. Not only is it easy, it's free! We have a cheat sheet for installing new vehicles, and we'll explain the steps in detail later in this post. In less than a minute, you can be cruising in style. For those who spend their days helping others, we have the popular service vehicles bundle. We also cater to outdoor enthusiasts, Elliott Sadler fans, or anyone looking for something sleek or pink or futuristic.

Not seeing your ideal vehicle? Draw your own and enter our Wrench 'n' Win Contest!

Wrench ‘n’ Win Contest: The Grand Prize Has Arrived!

Greetings Garmin Garage fans! We’re right in the middle of the Wrench ‘n’ Win Contest and we’ve been flooded with so many great entries, we may have to make more room in the Garmin Garage! If you haven’t already entered, now’s the time to do so. Because in addition to our prizes for our weekly finalists, we’ll also be awarding one lucky grand prize winner with a brand new nüvi 205! This portable GPS device is one of the newest navigators in our extremely popular nüvi line-up and we can’t wait to give it away to the winning entry! So keep those sketches coming and be sure to let your family and friends know about the Wrench ‘n’ Win Contest! And remember – we pick the finalists but you pick the winner! We can’t wait to see what arrives next.   

Forerunner 405: Perfect for Mother's Day - or Win One for Yourself

With its release at the Boston Marathon and arrival at running stores, the Forerunner 405 has raced to the top of wish lists everywhere. And today only (May 7), you can win a free Forerunner 405 from Women's Health magazine. Click here for details and to enter the Women's Health contest.

And with Mother's Day coming up this weekend, Shape magazine says the Forerunner 405 is the perfect gift for active moms. "Speedy moms who still sign up for marathons, races or triathlons, one after the next, can better track their mileage, times and trails with the Garmin Forerunner 405," explains Shape's gift guide. "Near buildings or under trees, no matter where she strides, this gadget will track your mom's distance, elevation, calories burned, pace, and more." Click here for Shape's complete Mothers Day Gift Guide.

Get Reckless, Win A Garmin

Many of us here at Garmin HQ are fans of Reckless Kelly, an Austin, Texas-based rock and roll band with a rootsy twang.  On June 24, they'll release Bulletproof, their 7th album, which is chock-full of hard-charging anthems and heartfelt, down-on-your luck ballads.

You can pre-order the album today, and we strongly encourage you to do so.  Not only is it great music, but if you purchase the album, you stand to win a Garmin nüvi 760!  What's not to like?

Wrench ‘n’ Win: Week Two Finalists

Another week has passed for the Garmin Garage Wrench ‘n’ Win Contest and another round of great entries can now be viewed on the finalist page. Congratulations to the Week Two finalists. The submissions continue to amaze us and we’re sure the voting is going to get tougher and tougher each week. Of course, we pick the finalists but you get to pick the winner. So keep the great ideas coming. We’ve got some great prizes in store for all of our finalists and for the winner, too. And if you’ve already entered, be sure to let your friends and family know, too. A little competition is always fun, right?

More Garmin Geocoins Discovered in the Wild

Stories keep coming in about finding unactivated, limited-edition Garmin Colorado/Wherigo geocoins in random caches. That's what happens when crafty colleagues leave a little something for casual cachers. You see, we could activate them or announce the coin drop on the cache page, but what fun would that be?

Doris sent us this note just two days after Jake visited: "I just found a Colorado/Wherigo coin in a cache, Man's Best Friend, in Emmaus, PA. It was a very nice surprise." And this post showed up at geocaching.com shortly after Team Garmin was in California for the Sea Otter Classic. "BEAUTIFUL walk to this one! New places are wonderful to find," wrote luvnatuRRRE in the cache log. "Found a Colorado wherigo.com geocoin in this one that appears to not be activated yet."

So keep an eye on those caches. Where Garmin goes, a geocoin may follow.

Wrench 'n' Win Contest: First Week Finalists

Well, it’s been a week since we announced the Garmin Garage Wrench ‘n’ Win Contest and we’re now pleased to release the first week finalists! Be sure to stop by today and take a look! We heard from Garmin Garage fans far and wide and we were quite impressed with all of the entries. There are still three weeks to go and we’re sure we’ll be amazed by the next rounds, too. So keep sending those sketches, drawings and ideas. We have lots of great prizes that we'll announce soon and remember - at the end of the contest, the winning entry will be voted on by all of you and it will then be turned into an icon for everyone to download!

Also - we appreciate all of the photographs but legal reasons prevent us from making icons based on photographs of actual production vehicles or mass-produced items. Apparently, it’s one of those “lawyer things”. Congrats to our first finalists and good luck to everyone!

Wherigo/Colorado geocoin contest heats up in final week

Saving their best for last, our Wherigo Builders finished up our contest in style. Jake and Brad the Engineer were perplexed, not just in sorting out the adventures the competing cartridges took them on, but in choosing a winner. In the end, they let the contest go up in flames.

"The story behind my Wherigo cartridge is based on a true story about a fire that happened down the road from me," wrote John "JDubPooch" about his entry that earned him a limited-edition Garmin geocoin. "The pictures are true pictures from the scene and links to the real videos about the fire."

Wow, John (or should we call you JDub or Pooch?) - that's how you blend the spirit of geocaching with the creativity of Wherigo. And those pictures look awesome on the huge, vibrant screen of the Colorado 400t. Speaking of the Colorado 400t, Jake just checked in from the road and said that he used his Colorado to stash a couple more geocoins at undisclosed caches in Pennsylvania.

For more about John's "Firehouse" cartridge and our two runner-up entries, click on the jump below.

The Rides Keep Rolling In

Since we announced the contest at the beginning of the week, we’ve been flooded with lots of great ideas for the Garmin Garage Wrench ‘n’ Win Contest. We are sure going to have our work cut out for us when we pick the five weekly finalists. It’s been great to get such creative ideas and we can’t wait to see what’s next. So keep those sketches coming and remember – we can only use drawings of original artwork and ideas. As much as we’d like to create icons for your personal vehicles, we have a feeling we’d be hearing from some lawyers pretty quickly if we used real-life vehicles. Send those sketches, drawings and ideas our way and you might just see your icon brought to life in the Garmin Garage!

Talladega kick-off contest

Talladega Superspeedway is home to this weekend's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Aaron's 499. If you're not one of the 175,000 fans that have a seat at the largest track in the circuit, here's a fun way to score some No. 19 gear while you're watching from home. Since this weekend's No. 19 car will debut the Garmin paint scheme, here's a friendly competition for all of the Garmin/ Elliott Sadler fans out there. Be one of the first few folks to send in the correct numbers to the following bits of trivia, and we'll send you a No. 19 Elliott Sadler t-shirt, Garmin-style. Good luck and we'll see you back here on Friday for the race weekend preview!

By the numbers...

Elliott has earned how many pole awards in his racing career?

An avid hunter, Elliott uses the Garmin Astro dog-tracking system with his Tennessee Walker hunting dogs. How many dogs can he track at one time with an Astro?

One week from today, Elliott will what age? 

Photos for Fodor's could win a nüvi 760

Have you taken a journey to Juneau? Dropped anchor in Anchorage? Do you believe there's no place like Nome? Submit your photos to Fodor's and you could have a chance to win a free Garmin nüvi 760 as part of their "Show Us Your Alaska" photo contest. Click here for details on how the Fodor's giveaway will reward shivering shutterbugs.

With its widescreen navigation and preloaded points of interest, the nüvi 760 is perfect for any vacation or business trip. And the nüvi 700 series is there to help when drivers need it most, answering two of the most common questions: “Where am I?” and “Where’s my car?” To add to your traveling experience, supplement the nüvi's vast database of locations with Fodor's Travel Guide. Just plug this handy card into your nüvi and get helpful details about the destinations that you discover. Good luck!!

Help Wanted

When we opened the Garmin Garage last November, we never realized we’d be so busy. Well, now we’re asking for your help with the Garmin Garage Wrench ‘n’ Win Contest! We want you to design the next vehicle for the Garmin Garage. All you have to do is sketch out your idea and submit it to the Garmin Garage . We’ll collect all of our entries each week, choose 5 finalists and then post the finalists' submissions for everyone to view. At the end of 4 weeks, we’ll open up the voting and you’ll be able to choose your favorite. The winner will have their sketched-out idea turned into an animated icon for the Garmin Garage! We’ve got weekly prizes and a pretty nice grand prize for the lucky winner! So start drawing, sketching and sending those ideas our way. We can’t wait to see what you create!

Visit the Garmin Garage Wrench 'n' Win Contest page for details!

Wherigo Geocoin Contest Enters Final Week

TeacherMike continues to impress us with his Wherigo cartridges, and the latest entry from the Week 3 runner-up was awarded the top prize in Week 5. Mike's persistence serves as a lesson for everyone hoping to win a limited-edition Colorado/Wherigo geocoin in the final week of competition. In the spirit of Monday night's NCAA championship thriller, we're expecting everyone to give it their best shot as time expires in our Wherigo contest.

The challenge in "My Dog Goes Where I Go or Help Find Rex" is to help a boy find his lost dog. "This cartridge takes you around the campus of the University of St. Francis in Joliet, IL," Mike says. "This one addes a timer at one point, multiple choice answers, and the use of the inventory."

Let the Sun 'n Fun begin

This stunning picture has made a name for itself as one of the most frequently asked about photos on the Garmin home page. Pilots and Garmin avionics fans from near and far have written in wondering where this scenic runway is located in hopes of making it their next destination.

But before we fill you in on the details, we want to hear from you! And since today kicked off this year's Sun 'n Fun avionics show in Lakeland, FL, what better way to start a week of flying fun than to have a giveaway?

If you think you've got it figured out, be one of the first to send the Garmin Blog crew a note with the correct answer and we'll send you some cool Garmin schwag! Good luck and keep checking back for more updates from the show.

Jake's Journal: Is there a coin in a cache near you?

We love it when a plan comes together. We hide them. You find them.

Cacher "Rozecki" wrote: "We found a Garmin Colorado/Wherigo Coin today while caching in Yardley, PA. The cache was GC3809. It was that cache owner's first hide and they managed to bring us to a very nice trail complete with large markers identifying the different varieties of trees. As we were leaving the trail a young family and their dog were excitedly starting the trail. Maybe they will be geocachers in the future?"

And "Emmbers" found a coin "at Celeste's Funny Cache (GC18F2Z), while my daughter and I were out geocaching today (in Overland Park, KS). There were two trails in the park she took one, I took the other. I got lucky and had the right trail so I got to the cache first. ... This is the best find ever for me. I'm not sure where I'm going to start it's journey yet, but I bet it will be exciting! Thanks!"

If anyone else finds these coins hidden across the U.S., let us know and we'll post your story.

Week 4 Winner of Colorado/Wherigo Geocoin

Maybe it's the "CSI" fan in each of us or a "Forensic Files" overdose, but we do love solving murder mysteries. Especially when they involve elaborate adventures for our inner Sherlock Holmes. Rachael and Kevan, under the caching name USCCouple, are this week's winners of our Wherigo Builder Contest for "Farewell Mr. Pratt." They worked hard to earn their limited-edition Colorado/Wherigo geocoin: "In this game you will be on a search for the killer which will take you all across Columbia, SC. Before you begin, be forewarned, it will not be easy. Ahead of you is over 60 miles of driving, a short hike and some other surprises!" Makes us glad the Colorado 400t has an automotive profile.

Our Week 4 runner-up, "The Treasure of East Sioux Falls," is the first cartridge for Sioux Falls, SD, created by Chuck Henson, aka StaticTank, who says, "It is a short but fun little quest taking place where the City of East Sioux Falls used to be. It is now the Perry Nature Area. I even included a reference to an incident I had with a park employee in the adventure." Intrigued? So were we.