When trying to find a place to climb in Tulsa it can be difficult.  Chandler park is a popular area for bouldering but doesn't have much in the way of top roping.  Not long ago though I stumbled across a little known area 3 miles west of chandler park that some refer to as the Lost City.  It's nearly impossible to find if you don't already know it's there.  You literally have to pull off the side of the road and hike about fifty yards in to get to it.  Once you find it though, it's worth it.  With 30 foot walls it's a great place to top rope.  There are a surprising number of anchors set up throughout this area and with foot access to the top of the cliffs you don't have to worry about leading anything.  Climbers of any level can challenge themselves out here from beginner to expert.  I've personally found plenty of routes that completely defeated me.  There's also routes that a first timer can enjoy.  This area is actually where we take beginner climbers for training courses so if you're interested in checking this area out let us know.

Here's some footage.

Why in the world would I want to try to climb up the side of this rock?  What possible fun could that be?  This is exactly what was going through my mind when Sean convinced me to go rock climbing for the first time.  I was nervous, but I thought "let's just see what this is all about".  We hired a guide and headed out to Moab - Utah’s Wall Street and a great place to learn to climb. I put the harness on and asked the guide about three different times to make sure I was securely fastened. They showed me how to tie the knots and taught me all the lingo.  I then watched the guide lead-climb the route I was about to take. He made it look very easy.  I thought to myself that it didn’t look so bad.  He came down, and then it was my turn.  I was tied in, spoke the proper words and began climbing. I was doing it! One step up after another, and then it happened - I was stuck. The route was impassable.  I remember thinking that no one could get past this part, even though I had just watched the guide do it in about 35 seconds.  My legs started shaking like Elvis, and I was beat. To make matters worse, I looked down and realized I was only about four feet off the ground. Talk about a bruise to my ego.  So, I composed myself and started to listen to Sean and my guide. To my disbelief, I was able to pass the impassable portion of the climb and continue to the top. It took me 30 minutes to negotiate my first climb, but I did it. I climbed to the top and sat down staring at the view from above. My thoughts should have been how beautiful the view was, but all I could think about was how the heck I was supposed to get back down!  I did finally get down and looked at the rock I had just conquered. I was proud of myself for not quitting or giving up. I conquered my fears and climbed the rock.  We have been climbing many times since then, and it gets a little easier with every climb. But, I will always remember my first climb and how I passed the impassable pass. My advice to you: try new things that make you nervous or scared.  You will surprise yourself at the things you can do!

Bonvoy participated in Youth Services of Tulsa's annual Blank Canvas event last month.  It is a cooking competition between some of the best chefs in Tulsa.  They also had a silent auction in which we were able to raise $800 for their cause.  thanks to the Youth services of Tulsa for allowing us to participate in this event.

March 20-21 Bonvoy Adventure Travel will be exhibiting at the Adventures in Travel Expo in Chicago, IL.  We'd like to invite anyone in the area to come by and visit.  We also have free tickets for anyone interested.  Please email us at Contactus@travelbonvoy.com to request tickets.  Limit of 2 per person.

Bonvoy had the opportunity to donate a trip to the American Heart associations’ annual Heart Ball.  The Tulsa Heart Ball, attended by more than 650 of Tulsa’s most prominent citizens, is the annual “Cowboy Cocktail” gala benefiting the American Heart Association in its mission to raise awareness and funds in the fight against heart disease and stroke.  We are proud to say we were able to raise over $2,800 for the AHA and would like to thank them for letting us be a part of this wonderful event.

To have a fun safe time while mountain biking follow these simple rules put out by the IMBA and explained by me!

1. Ride on open trails only

Respect trail and road closures. If your not sure ask someone. They are closed for a reason, to protect the trail and more importantly you!

2.  Leave no Trace

This means to pick up your trash and take it with you, but it also means to watch the soil and trail conditions. If you are going to be leaving huge tire marks in the soil then the conditions to ride are probably to wet. Plus it's terrible for your bike!

3.  Control your bike

Ride at a safe speed to ensure your safety and the safety of other riders around you.

4.  Always yeild the trail.

When making a turn or passing on the trail make sure people know you are doing it.  A hand mounted bell or just a friendly gesture will suffice just make sure they know you are turning or passing to avoid accidents.

5.  Plan Ahead

Know your equipment, your ability, and the area you are riding in. Be prepared for the area you are riding in.  Wear a helmet and keep your bike in good working order. Make sure you have the necessary supplies for you trip.

Follow these simple rules and you and everyone else around you will have a great and safe time enjoying the great outdoors on your bike.

Ever wonder when you're shopping for a sleeping bag what the differences are in the filling?  Here's some helpful tips when choosing what to bundle up in next time you're out camping.

Down is a natural insulation that comes from geese.  It's actually the soft clumps underneath a goose's feathers and not the feathers themselves.  Down has thousands of overlapping filaments that create air pockets.  It's actually the generated body heat that gets trapped in these air pockets that creates the warmth down provides.  You'll often be looking at the dozens of choices of sleeping bags and wondering what the difference between 600 fill and 800 fill is.  This numbers refers to the number of cubic inches occupied by a single ounce of down.  The larger the number the larger the cluster.

Down has the best warmth to weight ratio, and compresses much better than any other material.  Down is also the most durable and long lasting and if protected will last decades.  But there are some cons.  Don't get down wet because it will become useless.  Down is also much more expensive with prices ranging from $200 to $400.

Synthetic material is made of polyester fibers that are crimped to produce air pockets.  Synthetic material is best for wet conditions so if you have a lot of rain you might think about synthetic over down.  The polyester won't collapse when wet so it will maintain it's warmth.  Synthetics will also dry faster and are much cheaper than down.  The cons are they are bulkier and heavier.  Synthetic filament won't compress nearly as well as down so if you're trying to fit that sleeping bag into your backpack down is definitely the way to go.

I recently purchased a GoPro helmet camera.  It takes some pretty nice video.  Here's some footage of me mountain biking just outside of Tulsa.  Make sure and change the resolution to 720 before watching.

The right pair of shoes makes all the difference no matter what sport you are trying. In 2006, I was training for my first marathon. I had trained for 12 weeks in a pair of New Balance 720’s.  About one month from the marathon I decided it was time to get a new pair of shoes. 

Big mistake! I went to a local sports store and told the sales clerk what kind of shoes I was wearing. I then made the mistake of letting him sell me a more expensive pair of shoes. I thought, “why not? If they cost more, they must be better.”  WRONG!  I did two long runs in the new Asics, and two weeks before the marathon, I got out of bed and realized I couldn’t walk. I was devastated. Almost 15 weeks of training down the drain because of the wrong pair of shoes.  It’s not that the shoes were bad shoes; they were just bad for me. They didn’t fit my feet they way they should. I should have stuck with the old shoes or bought the same exact shoe. 

I won’t make that mistake again. Now, I run in a pair of Brooks Adrenaline shoes that have taken me to China and back. I am on my eighth pair and hope I never have to change.

So, when you are buying a shoe for the first time, go somewhere where the sales clerks know what they are talking about, will take the time to look at your feet and get you the right shoe – not necessarily the most expensive one.  I recommend taking this approach to all shoes you buy not just for running.