The 21-stage Giro d’Italia kicked off Saturday and Garmin-sponsored Team Slipstream/Chipotle is making a fine showing in their first Grand tour. Slipstream won the time trial on Saturday and Christian Vande Velde, featured in Garmin’s latest Edge 705 ad, was presented the pink leader’s jersey. This first race stage was sponsored by Garmin’s U.K. office and we were proud to back the team on the podium. Stage 2 was a tough one with a brutal uphill finish. Christian, one of the team’s top climbers, gave it his all, finishing 10” behind Franco Pellizotti, who took over the pink jersey. David Zabriskie got tangled in a crash, resulting in a compression fracture to a vertebra, but he has suffered no neurological damage. Stages 3 and 4 were also marred with crashes, and the peloton is looking tired, yet Christian has managed to maintain his second place overall standing. Our thoughts are with David Z. as he returns home for recovery and we wish the rest of team safety and great racing in the upcoming stages. Check out Slipstream’s latest Garmin featured ride, in Girona, Spain.
76. David Millar +2′14″ 85. Ryder Hesjedal +2′54″ 178. Danny Pate +24′58″ 180. Julian Dean +25′44″ 184. Magnus Backstedt +27′08″ 188. Chris Sutton +31′33″ 190. Pat McCarty +31″51″
Next week is Kansas City's "Car-Free Challenge" and commuters across the metro will explore alternative ways to get to work and back home. Always up for a challenge, I joined Garmin's team as we try to defend our title. Last year, Garmin employees logged more than 2,700 miles on foot, bike, bus or carpool. And whether a person's motivation is driven by competition, the environment or their personal budget, the key is to do your part to help.
Here's the catch. I live 22 miles from work. On foot, that's my longest run before a marathon. And I'd have to leave home at 4 a.m. And then I'm stuck at work with sore legs and no way home. By bike, it's still a long haul (for me), but doable. The catch there is steering clear of roads too busy for my amateur status. That's where the Edge 705's mapping will come in handy. The other alternative - and one that I'll likely use at least part of the week - is to bike the 4 miles to catch the shuttle to Garmin. But regardless of how long or often I plan to ride next week, I had one major obstacle: cobwebs.
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.
Whenever I mention geocaching to someone, I get one of two reactions. People have either tried it and enjoyed it, or they've never heard of it. Most of the conversations fall into the first category. But for those of you who are unfamiliar with the activity, here are a few helpful links and recent stories to introduce you to this worldwide phenomenon.
Must-have sport watch meets must-see TV in these brief training clips featuring our own blog editor and running expert, Jake. He’ll show you the hottest features of the new Forerunner 405 and teach you how to use the innovative touch bezel. We’ll be posting a whole series of these videos at this site. Catch a few now, come back for more clips later, including a segment where Jake goes head to head with Forerunner’s digital Virtual Partner. For all our customers who’ve been patiently waiting to get their hands on our newest GPS-enabled sport watch, we’re happy to say the 405 is now in stores, including our Chicago Store on the Magnificent Mile, and it's going like hot cakes.
Slipstream’s Trent Lowe is Best Young Rider at Tour de Georgia
“Tenacious Trent” Lowe of Garmin-sponsored Team Slipstream/Chipotle won the honors of Best Young Rider at the 2008 Tour de Georgia. High honors for an under-25 rider and even more potent since he held the title previously—at the ripe young age of 20. Trent also got podium time yesterday, finishing the Tour second in the overall classification. Teammate Christian Vande Velde finished seventh. Belarusian rider Kanstantin Sivtsov of Team High Road finished first with a slim margin of just 4 seconds. Next up on the Slipstream touring calendar: Giro d’Italia, a 21-stage race beginning May 10, followed by the Tour de France, starting July 5.
Check out the team’s latest Garmin featured ride, recorded using the Edge 705. This 40-miler packs 5,065 ft of total elevation gain. Download the course to your Edge and see how you measure up to the pros!
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.
This week's travels bring me to Emmaus, PA, the home of such fitness magazines as Runner's World, Bicycling, Men's Health, Women's Health, Best Life and Prevention. With a population of only 11,300 and several hundred healthy-lifestyle journalists employed here, Emmaus would appear to be up for the title of fittest city per capita (based on my unscientific research). Especially this weekend, when more than 4,000 runners crowd the area for the annual Lehigh Valley Half-Marathon and 5K.
One of the topics sure to be discussed this weekend is the Forerunner 405, which will be the star of Garmin's booth after making its debut at the Boston Marathon. The 405 has received rave reviews for its sleek design, touch-sensitive bezel and wireless data transfer. Check out this review from DVICE, which starts by saying "The Garmin Forerunner line of GPS-enabled watches just took a giant leap in techno-goodness. If you’re a runner or walker, you're going to like the way this new Forerunner 405 ($300) measures and records your speed, distance, elevation and even heart rate." Click here for the whole review.
After sweeping the team time trial ride yesterday at the Tour de Georgia, Garmin-sponsored Team Slipstream/Chipotle is leading in nearly all of the results categories. Best young rider jersey was passed from Tyler Farrar to teammate Trent Lowe. Tyler continued to move up in the points classification, earning sprint jersey honors, and the Slipstream team leads all others in the overall team classification with 12” over second-place Astana and 18” over team High Road. Team director Jonathan Vaughters dedicated Friday’s race to teammate Timmy Duggan, who was injured in a crash in Wednesday’s race. Since Timmy, an excellent time trialist, couldn’t race, his teammates pulled off a big win in his honor. Our thoughts are with Timmy for his continued recovery and with the rest of the team as they head into 3 more days of racing, finishing with a circuit race in Atlanta on Sunday.
MapQuest site sends to Garmin: A step-by-step demo
We're all about options. From the wide variety of nuvis and intuitive features we offer to the ways that you can use them to maximize your time and minimize your stress. So we're excited to show you yet another way you can search, save and find your destinations - whether it's a quick lunch or a weeklong vacation. We recently announced a collaborative effort with MapQuest that lets you send the results of your online trip planning directly to your Garmin GPS device. It's fast, free and so easy to use that Jake can show you the simple steps in just a few seconds in this video.
All muscles are not created equal. That's the only way that I can explain my showing this morning at Bicycling Magazine's group ride. Well, that and the disclaimer that I'm a recreational runner who enjoys trying new things. Like cross-country skiing. And geocaching. And road biking on the hills of coastal California with some of the industry's best cyclists. Fortunately, I forfeited any inhibitions - and pride - long ago.
Even with the sweet ride I borrowed - a SuperSix from Cannondale (thanks for the loaner, Bill) - my legs weren't what I would have expected. Ask any triathlete or duathlete, and they'll tell you that you use completely different parts of your legs for cycling and running. And that's the logic I'm sticking to after dragging my deadweight up a neverending hill along the 17-mile Drive. And that's another thing, notice the capital "D" on Drive? Somehow our tour of 17-mile Drive resulted in a 30-mile ride. It's equations like that that push kids away from math. All in all, though, it was a wonderful outing. Peg and I had a blast hanging out with - and keeping up with - the group. The Edge 705 charted our progress perfectly, and my Forerunner 405 was the perfect training partner. And a huge thanks goes out to Steve (pictured above) from Bicycling for sticking with a longtime runner and helping him find his way on wheels. Now where was Steve when I tried skiing?
Peg’s Posts: Spinning our wheels with Bicycling Magazine
It’s day two of the Sea Otter Classic bike show and it promises to be a jam-packed day of racing. Jake and I started our day with a 30-mile road bike ride with Bicycling Magazine and their media guests. Our route took us through some beautiful scapes along the Monterey Peninsula and Pacific Grove. It was a great chance to test our new Edge 705 units with color mapping, elevation, speed, distance, heart rate—the works. Also a chance to try out some top-of-the-line bikes. I was lucky enough to get a loaner Ruby S-Works bike from Specialized. Talk about one smooth ride. Thanks to Allie from Specialized for setting me up! Specialized has put a ton of research and effort into designing women’s frames bikes, and it shows. Now it’s time for Jake and I to refuel and then meet up with our colleagues at the Garmin tent. I’ll be here for two more days of cycling action, so watch for more pics and stories to come.
Maybe it's because I spent last weekend driving through snow flurries. Or it might be that I knew I was dodging midwestern hailstorms. Or it could be that I was just giddy in anticipation of my first Sea Otter Classic. Whatever the reason, I was feeling adventurous and generous on a sunny day in California. So Peg and I went geocaching with our colleague Brandi and a Colorado 400t, and we left behind a few surprises: a limited-edition Garmin geocoin and another coin given to me by Brad the Engineer. Happy hunting, and be sure to send us a note if you find the cache and the stash. Also - if you can't view the video below, it can be found here.
It's Day 1 at Sea Otter Classic, and Peg, Jake and the team are off to a great start. The Garmin Jeep, decked out with hands-on devices on display, made the voyage from Kansas to California to be the centerpiece of our tent. Then there's the larger-than-life banner celebrating our sponsorship of Slipstream's elite cycling team. And the Edge 705s that we're selling are quickly filling up people's wish lists. With the number of people stopping by the booth, it's easy to forget that this is just the beginning, typically the slowest day of the Sea Otter spectacle. Think Lollapalooza meets state fair with a little Olympics thrown in - all on two wheels. Look for updates from Jake and Peg, and let us know if there's anything you want us to check out. And if you're coming to Sea Otter and planning to do some rides, stop by and have the guys from Garmin Connect/MotionBased download the courses for free.
Anticipating the release of the Forerunner 405 at the Boston Marathon, an e-mailer asks "What's the difference between the Garmin Forerunner 305 and 405?" Aside from the specs on our "click-and-compare" table, the two biggest differences with the 405 are the innovative touch bezel and the wireless data transfer. The touch-sensitive bezel controls the bulk of the functions while making the 405 look more like an everyday watch. The wireless transfer is easy to use when sharing data unit-to-unit, and any new data automatically downloads when you're within range of your PC's ANT receiver.
Available in a multi-sport bundle that maximizes its potential for duathletes and triathletes, the Forerunner 305's power, versatility and reliability have made it a must-have training tool. So it's hard to go wrong. Runner's World UK discusses some of the differences in their thorough 405 review, and Robin Adams, a New York sports anchor and fitness nut, just blogged about using a Forerunner in marathon training and said "Garmin is the way to go!"
I grew up surrounded by teachers - both parents, my sister, aunts, uncles, friends' parents, even my grandma, who turns 90 on Saturday. I grew up not knowing that anyone worked during the summer. (I'm still not a big fan of the idea.) So I'm excited to get the chance to spread the word about the many features and functions of the highly anticipated Forerunner 405. The first tutorial video, shown below, will get you started on your first run. More quick clips will follow and focus on key features of the Forerunner 405, which will make its debut at the Boston Marathon. We'll also be covering other Garmin products, so send us an e-mail and tell us which lessons you'd like to see come to life.
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."
A Forerunner customer who recently ran the Shamrock Shuffle 8k in Chicago asked us why the distance shown on her Forerunner varied from the official race distance of 5 miles … or 4.9709695379 if you want to be ultra precise. If the distance shown on your Forerunner is slightly more than the official race distance, it just means you weren’t cutting corners—quite literally. According to the IAAF (International Association of Athletics Federation) course measurement guidelines (pg. 20), a road race course is defined by the shortest possible route a runner could take without being disqualified. For most races, a certified measurer rides the course on a bike, staying near the curb and taking every available tangent. This ensures that all runners will run at least the declared race distance. After the race, if Forerunner shows that you ran a little farther, this just accounts for extra steps you took to run around others participants, hit a water stop or stay to the middle or outside lane.
Earlier this week we announced a new Send-to travel tool that enables users to search locations through Google Maps or MapQuest.com, send and save them to their Garmin device, and navigate to the destination from the convenience of their computer. Since then, many of you have already written in wondering how the process works. Well, ask and you shall receive! To show you just how simple it is to search, send and navigate from your PC, we put fellow blogger, Jake, to work on a tutorial just for you. Watch the video below and let us know what you think!
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.
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.
Random things I learned on Mount Washington in New Hampshire: With its GPS-enabled two-way radio, the Garmin Rino 530HCx is a must-have at ski resorts. The grooves on a Nordic trail are the perfect training wheels for a cross-country beginner. A seven-year-old mastered the functionality of the Colorado 400t in mere minutes. Teamwork is the best approach to snow-caching, and even a well-planned cache gets a 5 on the difficulty scale after 6 inches of fresh snow. More than a century ago, while working on "a railway to heaven," workers would descend Mount Washington - racing down more than 3 miles in less than 3 minutes - on a piece of wood dubbed the "Devil's Shingle." I guess they wanted to cover all of their options.
Mary Jo Tarallo, the Director of Education for SnowSports Industries America, attended every one of our GPS sessions and won an eTrex Vista HCx in our raffle. Mary Jo is a huge fan of geocaching and encourages kids to pursue outdoor activities. She was intrigued by the Colorado 400t and the potential of Wherigo in education and recreation, as exemplified by the winners of our Wherigo Builder Contest.
I've posted pictures below, and I'll be adding more to our Flickr account. And blogs such as nj.com are discussing the alpine demos and the snow-caching.
This week's top two entries in our Wherigo Builder Contest again exemplify the versatility of Wherigo. From entertainment to education, Wherigo is bounded only by your creativity. This week's winner, Laurie Southwick of St. Louis, proves that: "Easter Hunt takes people around a trail in a park seeking out the Easter Bunny. Players make a decision in each zone. If they answer correctly, they get an egg. There are a couple of surprises thrown in. It can be played to completion using the emulator, but the zones are not visible, so it will require clicking along the trail to find them." Thanks, Laurie, a limited-edition geocoin is in the mail!
Coming in a very close second, TeacherMike lives up to his name: "This is a walking tour of Downtown Joliet, IL taking people to famous and historic places in Joliet. Then at the end it takes the player to one of the oldest and most famous places in Joliet with a cache at the end."
Days like this I'm reminded of how many different people in different places (in different climates) turn to Garmin devices to make their lives easier. Last month, I was on a sailboat soaking in the 80-degree breezes of Miami while we were being guided by Garmin chartplotters and other marine products. This week I'm in New Hampshire, where I was greeted by temps in the 40s and mounds of snow. Why? Two reasons: the Rino 530HCx and Colorado 400t, two of our many outdoor handhelds that thrive on the slopes of ski country.
I'm joining snowsports journalists to discuss the many ways GPS technology can lend a hand during winter activities. From keeping track of your friends on the mountain to finding your way back to the lodge, Garmin's high-sensitivity handhelds can keep the focus on having fun and getting some exercise. This week, these snow-goers will see the Rino or Colorado in action, enjoying the Rino's two-way radio and "buddy tracking" functions, or checking out the Colorado's U.S.-wide preloaded topo maps that jump to life amid the snow-capped mountains around us. And at the welcome reception, I heard stories about guests finding the resort with a nüvi or hitting the trails with an eTrex. Warms my heart and almost makes me forget that sailboat. Almost.
John told us what makes his Cooper cartridge so unique: "I'd say it's the theme. I created a bunch of 'evidence' and strategically placed the stuff in the zones. Zone 3 (bush) for example, has a black tie hanging in a tree. Attached to the tie is a note that reads 'This tie is ugly. Cooper obviously had no fashion sense.' An ammo can at the end is also filled with evidence: FBI reports, photos, a letter from the FBI director, and so on. Having played numerous Infocom text adventures, I really believe the physical items add a little something to the adventure." We agree, John. Continue reading below for some of the entries that made this a tough decision and have us excited to see what everyone will come up with next week!
In the spirit of showing up on a sweepstakes winner's front porch with balloons, a TV camera and an oversized check, we wanted to do something special for our first weekly winner of the Wherigo Builder Contest. So with a Colorado 400t, his digital camera and a Colorado/Wherigo geocoin in hand - we couldn't find an oversized check - Brad the Engineer traveled to California to meet the creative mind behind "Murder in the Outfield."
Turns out "Murder" has some back story to it. David Brewer, who caches under the name cache_in_pocket, was tipping his hat to a tongue-in-cheek feud with caching friends. And David's mystery was intriguing and entertaining enough to earn him a limited edition Colorado/Wherigo geocoin. To join David as a weekly winner, read up on the rules, build a cartridge at Wherigo.com and send us an e-mail with a link and brief description. Each week's deadline is Tuesday at noon Central.
Today's question comes from Bill, who asks: "Do you make an accessory for a nüvi GPS that provides traffic info?" Bill, you're not alone in hating highway headaches, so we offer several different nüvis and receivers that can warn of logjams ahead. Go to garmin.com/traffic for details.
For starters, we have FM traffic receivers that monitor highway traffic and road construction in many metro areas. Your Garmin device will adjust your route accordingly - or tell you if your current path is still the best way, regardless of a slight delay. Click here for more info on FM traffic and which of our products are compatible.
Then there's MSN Direct, the service that goes far beyond traffic jams. Not only will it solve your commuting concerns, MSN Direct also provides weather updates, fuel prices, movie listings, headline news items, stock listings, local events and custom locations sent directly from Windows Live Local. Click here for MSN Direct details and compatible Garmin devices.
...set to get a limited-edition Colorado/Wherigo geocoin this weekend. What, did you want me to announce the actual winner in this post? That would be too easy. If the Oscars and politicians can draw out the drama, we can't be blamed for wanting to do a little something special for our first winner in the weekly Wherigo Builder contest.
What I can tell you is that Brad and I have spent the past week downloading the cartridges that all of you built (as long as you sent us an e-mail to tell us about them) and playing them on the Colorado 400t. If you click on the jump below, I've included links to some of our favorites (in no particular order). And because our weekly contest starts anew every Tuesday at noon Central, we're well into the second round of contestants. So go to Wherigo.com and learn about the Wherigo Builder program. Build a cartridge and upload it to Wherigo.com. Send us an e-mail with a brief description and link to make your entry official. And you could join this week's winner in being the proud owner of a Colorado/Wherigo geocoin. That's all for now. I have to go play ... I mean, work.
The 21-stage Giro d’Italia kicked off Saturday and Garmin-sponsored Team Slipstream/Chipotle is making a fine showing in their first Grand tour. Slipstream won the time trial on Saturday and Christian Vande Velde, featured in Garmin’s latest Edge 705 ad, was presented the pink leader’s jersey. This first race stage was sponsored by Garmin’s U.K. office and we were proud to back the team on the podium. Stage 2 was a tough one with a brutal uphill finish. Christian, one of the team’s top climbers, gave it his all, finishing 10” behind Franco Pellizotti, who took over the pink jersey. David Zabriskie got tangled in a crash, resulting in a compression fracture to a vertebra, but he has suffered no neurological damage. Stages 3 and 4 were also marred with crashes, and the peloton is looking tired, yet Christian has managed to maintain his second place overall standing. Our thoughts are with David Z. as he returns home for recovery and we wish the rest of team safety and great racing in the upcoming stages. Check out Slipstream’s latest Garmin featured ride, in Girona, Spain.
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