Endurance athlete and Julbo fan, Dimity McDowell is featured in Pilates Style Magazine

Pictured here in her favorite Julbo Contest sunglasses, Dimity shares with Pilates Style Magazine how four months of Pilates got her back out on the road after years of running and bad posture left her with back pain and hip and knee problems.

To read Dimity's story, click here.

Longtime fan of Julbo, Erica Tingey officially joins its bike team

For someone who has only been racing for 13 months, Julbo athlete Erica Tingey is making some noise on the pro racing scene. Although she just obtained her UCI Pro License earlier this year, she placed 21st among the 35 fastest female pro XCT racers in the country recently at the Sea Otter Classic, and she has her sights set on top placements at some of the burliest, most competitive races this year. A devoted mom, wife and cyclist, Erica trains year-round on road or on the network of singletrack outside her home of Las Vegas, Nevada. When race season really gets going, it’s north to Park City, Utah for cooler climes and higher climbs. Here’s the dirt on Erica, who also happens to love the Julbo Dirt.

How long have you been racing pro?
My first official mountain bike race was March 2010, just 13 months ago. I signed up for a local mountain biking series and quickly moved through the categories; three months later I was racing in the pro category. Most of the mountain bike races in the Western region don’t require a USA Cycling Pro License, and none of the races I did last year required one. So my early season goal for 2011 was to obtain a UCI Pro license. I won my first USA Cycling sanctioned XC race as a Cat 1 by enough that I was able to successfully petition for a Pro License.


What is your discipline, and what are your goals for 2011?
My discipline is cross country mountain bike racing, with a specialty in powering up long, sustained climbs. My goals for 2011 are to place top 15 at the Cross Country National Championship in Sun Valley, Idaho and the last Pro XCT in Missoula, Montana. I also plan to place top 5 at The Leadville 100 and Park City Point to Point.

When did you sign on with Julbo?
I signed on three weeks ago; however, I am quite familiar with Julbo glasses. I purchased my first pair in 1995; I climbed Mt. Rainier for the first time that year. It was well-known that the very best glacier glasses were Julbos – that was what you “had” to wear, so I saved up for a pair and loved them. A few years later I became a climbing guide on Mt. Rainier and wore those same great Julbos every day on the mountain. These days I find myself in need of high-speed, photochromic performance glasses. Julbo makes the lightest, most comfortable biking glasses I’ve ever worn! I am honored to represent such a high-quality, international company.



What are your favorite pairs?
The Dirt is my favorite all-around pair. I’ve raced in them a few times now and they’ve preformed perfectly! They are super lightweight and the transition lenses are perfect for mountain biking and racing in particular. I can go through trees, shade and sun and my eyes are always protected and comfortable. Plus, they look super fast! The Contest frames are ideal for my training rides. They have a great wrap-around style that keep out the low, early morning sun and the lenses transition really well from dawn to dusk and every type of terrain. I wear The Tour as my every-day and podium glasses. I love the way they look and feel. All of the frames are super comfortable, and I never experience the pinching or squinting that I have with other biking sunglasses.

What is a day-in-the-life of Erica Tingey like?
While my weekends are full of exciting, adrenaline-filled racing, my weekdays are very routine and domestic. I try and get as much of my focused training done in the mornings: a typical weekday training ride lasts between one-and-a-half to two hours, which means I’m out of bed and on my bicycle by 5 a.m. Once home, I turn my attention to my two-year-old, preparing breakfast, playing trains, and being a mom. My son is young enough that he still takes long afternoon naps, which is when I catch up on emails, clean my bikes, or return phone calls. Once he’s awake, it’s full-on mom time until my husband gets home and I can make the “hand-off!” By 8 each night my son is in bed and it’s time to relax. It’s a full day, but I wouldn’t trade it for the world!

– Interview by Christine Rasmussen

Julbo in the media: How to pack for Kilimanjaro

Julbo Explorer on Esquire.com



Julbo Hike in Business Week

Julbo Glen Session Packing Check List

Spring skiing is in the air, but it looks like the Julbo Glen Session trip participants are in for more snow than expected at this time of year in the Sierra Mountains!

The Julbo Glen Session trip is departing for Bishop, California on Friday, April 15th. On the 16th the 10 person crew will head out into the backcountry with Glen Plake as the fearless guide in his homegrown Sierra romping grounds, along with SP Parker from the Sierra Mountain Center. They will be back on Monday, April 18.



Everyone is packing up their gear this week and we wanted to share with you the gear list that everyone is expected to pack and carry with them for a weekend the Sierra Backcountry:

*The Essentials*
- Skis- Telemark mountaineerin or alpine touring skis
- Boots- Stiff
- Climbing Skins- Make sure the glue is in good shape
- Poles- Teleschoping styles are best
- Internal frame backpack- 4,000- 5,000 cubic inches
- Sleeping Bag and Pad
- Avalanche Beacon, probe and shovel

*Clothing*
- 4 pairs of wool and synthetic liner socks
- Long underwear
- Down Jacket
- Warm sweater
- Waterproof pants and jacket
- Hat and helmet
- Liner and Shelled Gloves
- Down Booties

*Etc.*:
- Julbo Sunglasses and Goggles
- Sunscreen
- Waterbottle
- Personal First Aid Kit
- Headlamp
- Camera
- Swiss Army Knife
- Reading materials
- Ice Ax
- Crampons

We will be getting updates as the trip progresses, so be sure to stay tuned!

Julbo in the Media: Perfect for Kids

Julbo Solan in the April Issue of Fitness Plus Magazine

Glen and Kimberley Plake surprise visit Bluewood Ski area in Washington

As part of the famous Glen Plake "Down Home Tour", Glen and Kimberly have a great stop at Bluewood Ski area.

Thanks to the ski area's General Manager for the e-mail about the tour stop:

Hello,

I just want to take a moment to thank all of you who have supported the "Down Home NW tour". My family and I have recently taken over operation of Ski Bluewood ski area in southeast Washington and were lucky enough to have Glen and Kimberly stop by for a visit. They sure do a great job of reminding us why we do what we do! Our ski school was particularly lucky to have the opportunity to share in some new skills as Glen joined in their clinic and wowed everyone, I think at one point there must have been a pod of 30 or so instructors skiing around and trying things they had never done before, it reminded me just how long it had been since i really worked on my skiing. Of course, they are very down to earth and it was fun to charge around the mountain, tow out into the backcountry and share our ideas about the mountain, marketing, products and just general stories. Their patience when signing autographs, shaking hands and taking pictures with the kids put a lot of smiles on a lot of peoples faces. So thanks again, and we hope to see this continue as the Plakes are truly wonderful ambassadors for you as well as the sport. What an opportunity!

Thanks again,

Travis Stephenson
General Manager
Ski Bluewood

Rachel's Adventures in Desert Rock Climbing

Rachel grabbed a friend, her Julbo Whoops, packed a bag and headed south from Seattle to the Utah desert. While her aching muscles, bruises, and sore feet reminded her to keep in mind quality versus quantity, the trip provided her with a brief moment of serenity and some rad photos.



Check out Rachel's pictures and blog post about her desert rock climbing trip with friends on her blog, Rachel's Adventures.

Julbo in the Media: Outside Magazine April 2011: Veterans' Climb

In the April 2011 Issue of Outside Magazine, Brian Mockenhaupt wrote about his journey with 11 combat veterans in Nepal as they test adventure as a promising new postwar therapy. The climb up the side of 20,075-foot Lobuche in Nepal's Himalayas was chosen by the guides as a middle ground of challenge and accessibility and helped the veterans find what some felt they were missing.

Read the full article about their incredible journey by Brian Mockenhaupt at OutsideOnline.com.

WayPoint Namibia will premier in April on NBC's Universal Sports

WayPoint Namibia, a film featuring a small team of rock climbers, including Julbo athlete Majka Burhardt, will premier on April 5th on NBC's Universal Sports. The film captures the story of the rock climbers' journey to find a way up an unexplored face and to gain a deeper understanding of southern Africa.

Find out where to watch here:
http://www.universalsports.com/tv-listings/Universal_Sports_on_TV.html