Monthly Archives: April 2012

Alabama Outdoors – Wide Open Rewards Program

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When you sign-up for your free Alabama Outdoors account, you instantly are enrolled into our Loyalty Point Program.  Through this program, you earn 5% back on every purchase you make at any Alabama Outdoors location. (Purchases on merchandise discounted 30% or more is considered a non-qualifying purchase.)

Alabama Outdoors is pleased to announce the latest disbursement of loyalty certificates have been sent out via email to all qualifying customers!

To qualify for Loyalty Certificates, you must reach a threshold point level of 2,000 points.  2,000 points is equal to (1) $10 certificate.  For every 1,000 points over 2,000, you receive an additional $5 value in certificates.

For qualifying customers who have recently updated an email address or zip code, please click here to visit Wide Open Rewards and print your certificates.  Please contact us directly with any inquiries, questions, or if you need assistance accessing your Wide Open Rewards account at aocares@aloutdoors.com.

Access Your Rewards Certificates Here

 

Alabama Outdoors Trail Run

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Alabama Outdoors, in partnership with Red Mountain Park, is pleased to announce our upcoming trail run schedule.  Starting May 8th, and continuing on every Tuesday for the month of May, we have a trail run scheduled to take place.  Participants of all skill levels and ages are welcome to join us.

We plan to meet at the main entrance to Red Mountain Park at 5:45 P. M., with the run beginning at 6:00 P.M.  We will have 4-6 mile options available.

Pace groups to include:

Advanced – Run at 8:00/mile pace

Intermediate – Run at 10:00/mile pace

Beginner – Run at 12:00/mile pace

Representatives from The North Face and Inov-8 will be joining us on May 15th to demonstrate and introduce the latest from each respective manufacturer in trail running footwear.  In addition, a representative from Salomon will be on-hand May 22nd and May 29th to do the same.  We are excited to have them out for the event and hope you will join us!

PATAGONIA RAFFLE – The more trail runs you attend and the more Patagonia you wear, the more you can enter to win one of three Patagonia gift certificates. ($125, $75, $50)

At each trail run, you can enter your name in the raffle for every piece of Patagonia you wear.  IE- show up wearing Patagonia socks and undies, you get 2 entries!  Wear socks, undies, and shirt, you get 3 entries. Come to all four runs wearing socks, undies and shirt; you get a combined total of 12 entries! The more runs you attend and the more Patagonia you wear, the better your chances!

Certificates are redeemable at any Alabama Outdoors location!

Click here to see the Red Mountain Park trail map for terrain and other details.

Red Mountain Park is located at 277 Lyon Lane, Birmingham, AL 35211.

For further information about the run, please contact Lindsay Madonia, with Alabama Outdoors, at 205-871-3252 ext.107 or Chad Etheridge, with Alabama Outdoors, at 205-870-1919.

See you on Tuesday nights in May!

 

Earth Day Trail Run Festival

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Join us on Saturday, April 21st at Ruffner Mountain for the 2012 Earth Day Trail Run Festival, presented by Alabama Outdoors.

Event Details:

The Vibe

Trail running fun for the entire family.  Kid’s one mile fun run with medals for all finishers.  And for the rest of us, a variety of distances to chose from including a 5K, 10K, and 15K with medals galore for the winners in each category.

 The Course

The course is entirely on 1,036 acre Ruffner Mountain Nature Preserve in Birmingham, AL.  All races begin on the service road adjacent to the parking lot and Nature Center.  The kid’s run will stay close to the Nature Center on the Trillium and Marian Harnach trails and will include course sentries along the way to ensure everyone’s fun and safety.

The other races will head up the service road and split off with the 5K headed straight on the Quarry Trail going around Possum Loop, back on Quarry to the finish.  The 10 and 15K will start with a bit more service road spurring off to the right onto the trails headed down the Buckeye to Lizard Loop.  It will double back to the Ridge and Valley, then around Possum Loop and back on the Quarry to the finish.  The 15K will of course include a bit more distance.

The trails of Ruffner include diverse terrain with rocks, roots, and ample elevation change.  The 10 and 15K distances include the most challenging trails.

Registration

$15.00 kid’s fun run.  $30.00 all other distances.  

On-line www.ruffnermountain.org look for the raceit.com link starting March 1st.  Registration by 3/31 guarantees the best swag.  Race Day Registration starts 6:30 am, price increase of $5.00, no guarantees on swag.  No refunds.  All proceeds benefit Ruffner Mountain to keep the trails we love open year round.

Snow Peak Hybrid Trail Cookset Introduction

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The Hybrid Trail Cookset from Snow Peak is a multi-functional cookset with several redeeming qualities.  The first time I handled the set, my first thought was “Wow! This is light”.  “No kidding”, I told myself.  It was manufactured by Snow Peak and they are very well known for making high-quality, lightweight Japanese titanium steel.

After getting past the weight factor, I pulled the lid off the cookset to take a look at the contents.  I quickly find that the lid is actually a functioning pan, with dual handles that fold inward.  I love this ingenious design detail from Snow Peak with the lid/pan.

The next aspect you notice is the bright orange, silicone bowl.  As stated in the video, the silicone bowl can be used in many different ways including as a bowl or cup.  It fits so snug in the titanium pot that it looks more like a liner than a bowl.  When you go to clean it, all you have to is flip the bowl inside-out for a quick cleaning.

Weighing only .5 oz, the spork that comes with the set is the perfect complement for this cookset.

In my opinion, and for everything you get with this set, $52.99 is a bargain buy.

 

 

MSR Micro Rocket Introduction

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The MicroRocket, successor to the MSR PocketRocket from Cascade Designs, is lighter and more compact than the Pocket Rocket.  According to MSR, “The new MicroRocket stove is not just our smallest and lightest, it also delivers the best mix of weight, size, performance and price of any stove in its class.” This stove gets no more ideal for the minimalist backpacker.  The Micro Rocket weighs approximately 2.6 oz and retains great stability.

 

The nifty Piezo ignitor (shown above) that comes with the stove actually does a superior job of capturing gas for optimal performance in ignition….this is mostly due to the cylindrical shape of the ignitor itself.   The concave burner on the MicroRocket concentrates the flame well, boiling 2 liters of water in about 3 1/2 minutes time.  This is actually identical to the PocketRocket, so no performance was lost in this category.

In the next few weeks, we will be sharing a field test review of the MicroRocket, so stay tuned for that.  In the meantime, click here for more information about the MicroRocket from MSR and Cascade Designs.

 

 

 

Lake Tuscaloosa – North River Waterfest

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2012 Lake Tuscaloosa and North River Waterfest

Friday May 4th and Saturday May 5th

See the event on Facebook.

Join Alabama Outdoors and the University of Alabama’s Outdoor Recreation Program as we celebrate the 2012 Waterfest and Clean Our Lakes Day in Tuscaloosa.

On Friday between 9 am and 4 pm, visit the Phelps Activity Center at Rock Quarry for hands on demonstrations, educational activities, and more at the Water Information Fair. Tours of the water treatment plant and boat rides on Lake Tuscaloosa will also be available.

On Saturday, the real work begins as volunteers help beautify and preserve our lakes. From 8 am until 2 pm, supplies will be provided at three different registration locations. Once you register, you’ll be given an area of the lake to help clean up. Trash and debris can be brought back to the registration site where volunteers will be on hand to help you unload.

New this year, in addition to the Binion Creek and Rock Quarry registration sites on Lake Tuscaloosa, a Canoe and Kayak registration site will be set up at the Lake Nicol Recreational Area. Don’t have your own boat? Our friends at the University of Alabama Outdoor Recreation Program will have their fleet of canoes and kayaks ready for you to use at no charge.

Lake Nichol, only a few miles from Rock Quarry, is enjoyed by thousands of residents each year. Take this opportunity to help preserve the lakes that we depend on for our drinking water, recreation, and more!

Food and T-Shirts will be provided for volunteers while supplies last.

From The Tuscaloosa News: “Lend a Hand; Events Highlight Importance of Local Lake, Water Quality”

For more information, contact Scott Sanderford, Lakes Manager – City of Tuscaloosa 205-349-0279