Maui Jungle Flora

We went on a day hike on a plantation in North Maui. Along the way we found waterfalls, a swimming hole and some very interesting plants. One plant featured protective leaves that turn inward to protect itself from insects, and another had a flower that tasted exactly like mushrooms.

If you have help me identify these plants I’d love it.

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Book: Born to Run

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I picked up an interesting book today. Born To Run says runners are more likely to get injured in expensive shoes than in less expensive shoes, and even less likely to get injured running barefoot. In other words, the author believes customers are spending money to hurt themselves.

Could it be that cheaper shoes force runners to run properly on the ball of the foot, and that this method of running prevents injuries? Chris McDougall thinks this running style is better for and is more efficient.

I personally still wear my Nike Free shoes in the gym, but I have switched to Vibram Five Fingers for running and rowing. I am also looking to the Five Fingers shoes to help correct my toe position, after years of being stuffed inside tight mountaineering boots my pinkie toe curves inwards too much.

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How to Prepare for the 7 Summits

globe

7 Tips to Begin Preparations for the 7 Summits

  1. Climb lots of other mountains first, the kind with snow at the top
  2. Start now, life will only get busier and your ability acclimatize decreases with age
  3. Be prepared to climb a couple of them twice. I was fortunate to summit each on my first try, this is rare
  4. Read Into Thin Air, Freedom of the Hills
  5. Buddy-up with a climbing partner who shares your values and ambitions
  6. Cost will exceed $100k. To raise sponsorship dollars you must identify why you’re “above the fold”
  7. You can do the 7 unguided, privately guided or with a large commercial guiding service. Good commercial guides: Alpine Ascents, Jagged Globe, Adventure Consultants. Good private guides: Exploradus and Evan Howe

Got questions? Email me. We’ll talk.

About me: In 2005 I completed the 7 Summits, at the time I was the 120th person in the world. The Seven Summits are the highest mountains of each of the seven continents.

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