Coming soon to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport?

American Airlines and US Airways are destined to merge, if you believe the many airline industry talking heads. If the merger is inevitable, it opens many questions and concerns. But I don’t want to go there. Instead, I offer my wish list for an American Airline and US Airways merger. Are my suggestions practical or workable? I have no idea. But they’re food for thought. What would you add?

Follow US Airways into the Star Alliance
When I fly US Airways, I earn miles that I could use on Asiana Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines, Air New Zealand or even United Airlines. That gets me to a lot of great destinations on highly rated airlines (well, except for United). On American’s OneWorld side, Qantas and Cathay Pacific are the best offerings. Star Alliance just has a bigger, better footprint.

More intercontinental flights from Phoenix
The nation’s seventh-largest metro area has some of the most meager, provincial airline service in the country. One not-even-daily intercontinental flight to London Heathrow. I have to fly to LAX, Houston, New York or Chicago to get off the continent. That’s intolerable, and the American Airlines – US Airways merger could be a game changer for a metro area of 4.2 million people. More intercontinental flights would take a bite out of a major obstacle for leisure travel: time and stops.

Turn it into a true US flag carrier
When an American flies a national carrier like Qantas, Air New Zealand or Asiana, we get our very first taste of the countries they represent. And next to U.S.-based airlines, they’re a revelation. Look at what our domestic carriers offer visitors from abroad: a bunch of airlines rated at three stars by Skytrax. A merged American Airlines and US Airways should make it their mandate to represent the U.S. around the globe – and they need to aim for airlines that people enjoy flying.

Bring back the 747
The 747 represents American innovation and longevity. Its latest iteration, the 747-8i, is a magnificent piece of technology. Is it not strange that two airlines that name-drop the country’s name don’t have the 747 in their fleets? Bring it back and, along with the 787, the merged US Airways and American Airlines will be represent.

Re-Brand with a vengeance
Make this a new beginning. Think of this as using existing assets to create a new entity with no bad baggage. Make it destroy pre-conceived notions. New logos, new liveries, new attitudes, new destinations, new mission, new culture. Make this opportunity more than another bland merger.

Comments

• May 16, 2012, Paul Strickland writes: I'm curious how they're going to name the merged airline...
• May 16, 2012, WanderingJustin writes: Yep. This should be a pretty interesting merger. American's name is mud to a lot of the flying public, and US Airways ... well - also kind of "meh." I hope for an entirely new name.

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Rich Maines tackles the hills and rainy weather. (Courtesy of Rich Maines)

Rich Maines is one of the faster mountain bike racers in Arizona. The guy absolutely flies on a singlespeed.

Even better, Rich makes a strong case for me to label him The Most Interesting Mountain Bike Racer in the World (stay hydrated, my friends). Why? Well, he combines cycling with travel. He blogged in-depth about a four-day cycling tour of the mountains west of Hanoi, Vietnam – Hanoi, Son La Province, Phu Yen, Tam Dao – in March. I really admire this since Rich is a local rider, not a superstar in the Hans Rey sort of mold. He’s a regular guy who went out on his own to craft a cool adventure – and he succeeded by any measure. Rich logged 27 hours of total ride time, 370 miles and 22,913 feet of elevation gain during his tour. He also encountered buckets of rain since March is the rainy season.

Rich got his share of awesome views – sugar cane fields, rice paddies, banana treas and enough fields of tea leaves to keep America awake until the next ice age.

Rich gets some carbs and electrolytes. (Courtesy of Rich Maines)

The route had more hills than Rich expected … which led to some challenges on a singlespeed, fixed-gear road bike. Judging from some of the photos, a mountain bike would’ve been at home.

“I just figured I’d walk what I couldn’t ride. If I couldn’t hit all the planned destinations, no worries, I was there to see the beautiful surroundings and enjoy the experience,” Rich says.

Rich’s trip proves the power of the bicycle: Local kids were eager to greet the strange Westerner pedaling through the mountains. He had no shortage of offers for food and invitiations to stay and visit.

“The people of Vietnam were very gracious and hospitable, even in the tiny, remote mountain villages,” Rich says. “Getting the opportunity to pedal there was an incredible thrill.”

You can – and should – read more about Rich’s racing and riding adventures at his Rich Maines – Endurance Mountain Bike Athlete blog. Just prepared to be jealous since he’s sponsored by cool companies like Ergon, Stan’s No Tubes and Hammer Nutrition. 

Comments

• May 16, 2012, Roy Maines writes: Very cool indeed.. Adventure is in the Maines spirit!

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The 2012 Scottsdale Night Run managed to get one of the most important elements of running a race dead wrong: water.

It’s May in Arizona. That means every water station should be in place before the starting gun ever goes off. I ran past the site of the first station, and volunteers were still carrying the table and water into place. It wasn’t until nearly 5 miles into the race that I saw my first water station.

And there? I got myself two cups of air-temperature water. And, again, it’s May in Arizona. Failure. And potentially dangerous for the people who struggle to complete the distance. I’m not exactly a fast runner, and I started the race a good two minutes late. Yet the water station wasn’t ready to go. Some people behind me were able to get some water, though.

More notable problems: There were no mile markers, and there were long stretches of the course that were completely dark … and over bad pavement. And I still can’t believe any race organizer thinks it’s a good idea to route a running race through Scottsdale’s club district … which is generally full of idling, exhaust-spewing taxis.

The water, though, is the biggest problem with the Scottsdale Night Run. If organizers had gotten everything wrong but the water, I could be somewhat forgiving. But I can’t see signing up for the Scottsdale Night Run again. Not without some guaranteed changes. First, water. Then, course.

I feel bad for the Scottsdale Night Run volunteers who probably endured the wrath of people who needed to vent. The paid folks deserve the blame, not the kind people who did their best and donated their time.

Comments

• May 14, 2012, Laura writes: This was my first year doing The Night Run. I'm relatively new to running, and also not a fast runner. I read that on their page about the water. And I do agree that seems like a pretty huge fail. I fortunately was running with a Camelbak, so I didn't even stop at the water stations or notice the problems. But had I not had water, I'm sure I would have pretty desperately needed it by that point because it was quite warm. But! I did want to say that beyond that, I really enjoyed the race. I thought that the lighting was actually better than what I expected. But I'm used to running in the dark in the mornings. I can see it being problematic if you're not used to running in the dark. And I actually enjoyed running through the club district. I thought it was sort of a neat experience since they had half the street cordoned off for us. It was a neat way to see that part of town. I thought the course as a whole was really nice since we got a bit of downtown, residential areas and the park and lake. Anyway, I know it's your blog, but I just thought perhaps for the other-side-of-the-coin's sake, I'd throw in my two cents.
• May 14, 2012, WanderingJustin writes: It's always good to have someone else pitch in, Laura. I've done the Night Run before, so the club district thing might just be "been there, done that" for me. I overheard a few funny conversations from by-standers that made me laugh a bit, though. I always used to run with a Camelbak. I switched to a Nathan setup with two small bottles ... but I figured for a race as short as an 8k I wouldn't need it. Lesson learned - I'll bring it for anything longer than a 5k just in case anything goes haywire (like people stealing water stations!). That's the first time in 10 years of racing that I've seen anything like that happen. Over time, I've become kind of minimalist, and it came back to bite me this time.
• May 17, 2012, John writes: My name is John Lookabaugh and I am the race co-director for The Night Run. You have some valid points and I take full responsibility and am sorry for the water problem at mile two. What you saw when you ran by was the replacement water station getting set-up. The original was stolen and we will certainly take precautions next year to avoid this. Emergency water (in jugs) was always there, but no cups. Not our plan, but the reality. The water station at mile four was operational for the entire event. As for the course - take it or leave it. It is definitely unique and many participants have written us to say that they loved it, especially the twists and turns through the club district. And it is a "night" run, so it is going to be dark in some areas. There will be more prominent mile markers next year, but the course will remain the same - similar to the course which has been used for 25 years. Three state age records were set on this course at this event. Sorry about your timing issue. Raceplace Event Systems, our timing company, is the best in the business. The Chronotrack system uses RFID chips attached to your bib. Very rarely is there a problem reading the chip, but this may have happened to you as you crossed the start line. A bib that is not worn in the correct orientation can cause a read failure. For what it's worth, we had many volunteers, including the race directors, who worked very hard to bring this event back. Many of them were RNs from Scottsdale Healthcare. We had no health issues reported other than a scraped knee.
• May 17, 2012, WanderingJustin writes: Hello, John. Take this from a guy who's run races from Seoul to Reykjavik: I want very much to love this race. But I barely even like it, despite being able to walk to the starting line from my house. It might be a good course for the front and back of the pack. In the middle? Not so much fun. This was my second running of the Night Run, and the first experience hardly blew me away, either. My wife, a far better racer than I am, has zero desire to sign up for the Night Run next year. So I think you'd do well to put all options on the table to figure out how to improve it. Remember, this race got cancelled in 2010 - that's because of the costs for police presence along the route, right? So, would a different route not make the event a greater success in raising funds? And just maybe ensure its future? Raceplace usually does very well. I like the new system of attaching the chips to bibs - WAY better than the shoes or ankles. And glitches happen - it's not like I was anywhere near the front. But it was just one more thing that didn't go well. John, I recommend that you take a hard look at what you can do to make the Night Run better. Explore every option, including the route and venue. There may be options that racers would love even more.

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That’s when I hear English accents (forgive me, but I still have a hard time discerning exactly which type). Not just English accents, but English accents talking about mountain biking. A man and a woman.

Could it be? I recalled that the infamous @beerbabe (aka Judy) and @beerbiker mentioned they’d be in Colorado (visiting from the Surrey/Sussex border in the UK) around this time. But they didn’t mention Arizona. Still, I have to ask.

“Wait a second,” I say. “You’re from England and you’re mountain bikers?”

The answer is … yes.

“I think I follow you two on Twitter!”

Cue a scene of amazed recognition, hugs, posing for photos.

This is what’s awesome about the combination of social media, blogging and shared interests. Sarah returns from the restroom to see me in the middle of animated discussion with my Twitter friends from the UK.

Zach the bartender has to join in – he asks us to explain this unlikely, highly coincidental meeting.

This post is for the many out there who berate meeting people online, who say things like “why don’t you meet some real people in person?”.

I admit, it doesn’t always happen this way. But when it does? It’s one of the most amazing ways to shrink the world.

Judy also has a blog that you should check out.

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Queenstown is the starting point for many trips to Milford Sound.

New Zealand knows its natural resources are its most-important assets. And preserving them is the key to Kiwi tourism.

But it seems the New Zealand Department of Conservation, led by Kate Wilkinson, has a case of amnesia. The department granted consent in principle to build a bus tunnel that runs through and under the Te Wahipounamu World Heritage Area.

Opponents hope an online petition will help stop the project, which will bring even more tourists to Milford Sound. So far, more than 4,300 people added their names to the petition. Organizers say there are already plenty of ways to get from Queenstown to Milford Sound.

They also argue that the $150 million NZ route (which would include a 7-mile tunnel) would violate a National Park Policy of New Zealand that forbids new roads in national parks – and that a new road could endanger the area’s status as a World Heritage Area. Some even argue that the construction of a tunnel through Te Wahipounamu, a UNESCO site, amounts to nothing short of vandalism. On her website, New Zealand resident Sissi Stein offers great details about the project and an intelligent outline of why she opposes it.

According to The Southland Times, the tunnel to Milford Sound would burrow under a forest populated by threatened species of birds and bats – plus a swath of virgin forest.

I realize that there’s often more than one side to a story – and that policies about a UNESCO World Heritage Area are seldom as clear as the petition organizers make it sound.

But here’s an important point: The tunnel through the Te Wahipounamu UNESCO site would be for buses only … and only for buses from a company called Milford Dart Limited. It would give the bus company a huge leg up on competition by slicing the time of a trip from Queenstown to Milford Sound from four hours to two hours.

I’m also swayed that residents from nearby communities like Glenorchy oppose the tunnel. If there was a true economic and social benefit to the route, it seems a rural community could cash in. Instead, Glenorchy seems to uniformly oppose the project.

Given the commercial advantage the project creates and opposition from residents, this project seems like a bad idea for the Te Wahipounamu UNESCO site. Will signing the petition do any good? It’s tough to tell. But it can’t hurt for now. I’ll also watch for more news and more concrete ways for anyone concerned to voice an opinion about the Queenstown to Milford Sound bus tunnel.

Thanks to WanderingJustin.com reader Amanda for the news tip!

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Seoul - a really cool place for a good marathon, half-marathon or 10K.

Being a large Caucasian guy in South Korea is a weird experience. As I warm up for the Hi Seoul 10K run, a TV news crew fixates on me. The camera sweeps over me. Records every move. Captures every lunge, backbend, hamstring stretch.

It’s been like this since I stepped off the bus from Incheon to Seoul. I’ve caught so many glances from the corner of someone’s eye. The Koreans have been discrete. And no look has been hostile. Just … curious.

The 10k race (and the marathon and half-marathon) brings out the few other Caucasian types – ex-pats who make their living as a English teachers. They stick together in their own cluster before the race.

I’m by myself, though. Sarah went to line up with the half-marathon crew. At 6’2 with a long mop of hair, it’s no wonder the camera hovers inches from a lone white guy like me.

If the TV crew expected me to be fast, they were mistaken. The gun goes off to start the 10K race. I thread my way through the crowd. As the theme from Star Trek Voyager plays, I’m penned into the pack. After about a mile, I can finally reach a natural stride.

The 6-mile route takes me to parts of workaday Seoul. I move to pass someone … and discover that I’m about to plow over a lad who comes up to my solar plexus. His dad notices that I’ve revved up to pass, and pulls him out of the way.

"Who is this long-haired guy, and what is he doing here?"

Soon, I’m at the finish line. I paw through my race goodie bag … I find canned spicy chicken and chopsticks. My sweat and the morning breeze make me shiver.

I wait for Sarah to finish her 13.1 miles – and just enjoy being an oddity in Seoul.

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Cruising the red rocks at Papago Park. (Photo by N. Scott Trimble)

Mountain biking near Phoenix offers any rider some hard choices. There’s no shortage of great mountain bike trails. A few years ago, I published a list of my favorite trails. Now it’s time to refresh it with some new info. Things change – so my old list may not be as much help anymore.

Rather than a “best” list, I’ll list all the spots of ridden regularly and give them a grade. The letter grade reflects trail quality, amenities, traffic and all that good stuff. I’ll make extra notes about location – it’s a bit unfair for some great trails to get dinged for being a bit further away.

This list is NOT complete. If I don’t mention your favorite mountain bike trail, I welcome you to add it in the comments. Click the links in each section for a more in-depth look at the trails.

Black Canyon Trail
Barely close enough to the Valley for this list. But I can’t let a nationally recognized mountain bike trail go ignored. The southern reaches start off flat and firm. Go north, and the action gets steep. All told, this is supposed to stretch way far north. I’ve heard Prescott and beyond. Far northwest of Phoenix. Grade: B+

I have a long history with Trail 100 and the Phoenix Mountain Preserve.

Deem Hills
A new bit of mountain biking fun out in the West Side, right in view of the I-17 freeway. Your ride will start with a hard slog to the top of a mesa. That’s where the fun singletrack lives. Great flow up there once you get up that grunt of a climb. Grade: B-

Fantasy Island North Singletrack
Named for the famous bit of State Trust Land in Tucson. This was built on private land a few years ago – miraculously, the land owners haven’t closed it. Tight, twisty and turny. Only one really long climb, but lots of rolling terrain. Far out to the southwest. Grade: A

Gold Canyon
Just did my first ride here in May 2012. Well-designed singletrack – tight turns, steep chutes, quite a few technical bits. Some of the best scenery around since it’s right near the foot of the Superstition Mountains. Far to the southeast. Grade: B+

The sort of riding you'll find at McDowell Mountain Regional Park.

Hawes Loop
An East Valley favorite. There’s quite a bit of road riding involved. But the downhill sections have great flow. You’ll need to check your speed. If you head a bit north, the terrain will get steeper and more technical. Dead east of Phoenix. Grade: B

McDowell Mountain Regional Park
Pack lunch: You’ll find more than 50 miles of singletrack mountain biking. There’s the Competitive Track, the Pemberton Loop and numerous off-shoots – plus a pump track! Home to some of the best races. Northeast of the Valley, north of Fountain Hills. Grade: A

Papago Park
Lots going on here, all just moments for Sky Harbor International Airport. Fast groovy singletrack; gets more technical as you head south. Some short power climbs to get your heart going. Home to the informal STP races. Grade: B

A little Pima and Dynamite fun.

Phoenix Mountain Preserve
Well more than 30 miles of action. Trail 100 is the out-and-back backbone of this mountain bike trail system. Lots of off-shoots. The far east and west portions are the most fun, with the middle third fairly bleak and rocky without much flow. 15 minutes north of Sky Harbor. Grade: B

Pima and Dynamite
A nearly-uncountable amount of singletrack, most of it on State Trust Land. Wild and wooly undulations, with a high likelihood of wildlife encounters. Gets more technical the further northeast you ride. North Scottsdale. Grade: A

South Mountain
The Desert Classic gets a lot of love, but the really technical mountain biking is up on the Mormon and National loops. Plenty of offshoots no matter where you go. Lots of rattlesnakes in the spring. These trails get a lot of use – check yourself. Grade: B+

Comments

• May 2, 2012, Harry writes: South Mountain gets a B? I think it deserves an A+. The only problem with SoMo is that it packs too much epic-ness If you're going to mention South Mountain at all, you have to mention the new trails on the south-west end of South Mountain - the 620 area. Busera, Valley, Gila, Pyramid. They are outstanding.
• May 2, 2012, WanderingJustin writes: I had to deduct points for the crowdedness. You're right about trying the new trails - I don't get over there very much. Door's open to ya if you ever feel like doing a guest post. That's your home turf!

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They look cool. They feel cool. They just ARE cool.

Wear the right shoe for the right job. Follow that rule, and your life will be better.

But sometimes, you’ll find a shoe that can do more than one thing well … very well, like the Teva Churn. The Churn’s existence was a surprise to me – when I think of Teva, I think of sandals for the sport-minded. I don’t think of fully enclosed, meshed, quick-dry shoes with tread. Teva classifies them as water shoes.

Nature Shop sent me a pair for review. I converted my usual size US 12-14 foot to UK sizes. The UK 11 fits me right on the dot. Teva designed it for wet conditions that require grip. To me, it looked like a comfortable, go-anywhere shoe. After nearly four weeks of wearing the Teva Churn water shoes, here are some thoughts:

• The Teva Churn is probably the lightest shoe I’ve ever worn. It’s breathable, like air conditioning for your feet. The Churn is also very compact – it makes my monstrous hoof look far less unwieldy.
• If you have travel plans, the Churn is a great shoe for US security checkpoints. It slips on and off easily; instead of laces, it has a drawstring-style system similar to what you’ll see triathletes use. Water shoes? Sure. But you could just as easily call them travel shoes.
• This is superficial and I know it – but the Teva Churn Just.Looks.Cool.
• We got a little wet weather last week … just enough water to soak our sprawling concretescape. When a co-worker and I scurried off to Royal Coffee Bar, I splashed through lots of puddles and slick surfaces. The grip was impressive, though I didn’t push my luck. I’ll need to take these somewhere with slick rock and some running water (Sedona, anyone?).

A few interesting features of the Churn water shoes from the Teva web site:

T.I.D.E. GRIP

• Spider Original rubber outsole for uncompromised grip in wet environments
• Nylon shank for torsional rigidity and stability

T.I.D.E. HYDRO

• Mesh upper drains water and dries quickly
• Drainage channels in forefoot allow water to escape

T.I.D.E. COMFORT

• High abrasion synthetic leather and mesh upper
• Fold down heel with Shoc Pad™ for additional cushioning
• Compression molded EVA midsole
• Encapsulated Shoc Pad™ in the midsole for shock absorption

That all adds up to a slick, compact pair of water shoes that can do well outdoors, in the airport or on the go just about anywhere – wet or dry.

Nature Shop is an online retailer selling premium “nature inspired” brands and products that are kind to your body and to the environment. In 2010, Nature Shop introduced a new policy that will see it spend a minimum of 10 percent of its net profit each year on environmental and social initiatives including charitable donations to the World Wildlife Fund, donations to kids charities and carboNZero certification. Nature Shop had this independently verified by KPMG; you can view this verification here.

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A look inside a room at Busan's Queen Hotel

The amenities in a South Korea “love hotel” are not what you’ll see at your local Holiday Inn: flashing colored lights over the bed, a higher-than-average number of mirrors, a “personal massager” for sale in the minibar.

If you travel to South Korea, though, you’ll find some good reasons to check into a love hotel. Here’s what you need to know about the “love hotel” experience:

Why They Exist

In South Korea, it’s not unusual for several generations of a family to live together. Sure, that can make for a close-knit family. But it also detracts from privacy. So when couples feel like gettin’ freaky/frisky/funky, they might leave the family at home and check into a love hotel for a night – or even a few hours.

Why They’re Different

An outside view of the Queen Motel in Busan

First of all, a love hotel in South Korea is cheap – as much as half the cost of a conventional hotel. And they’re considerably nicer than hostels or guesthouses: You’ll find a generously sized TV, a computer with Internet and very likely a fancy Japanese toilet that can blast a jet of water a good 12 feet. It’s everything people need while they travel – and then some. Also, you’ll enter through a discreet entrance designed to conceal guest’s identities. You’ll pay through a bank teller-like window (and possibly not even make eye contact with the staff) in cash per day. And I’m serious about the in-room amenities. The staff issues a little care package with things like powdered coffee, tea bags, razors, hair ties, bubble bath gel … and condoms.

Why You Might Think Twice

As far as I could tell, most love hotels allow smoking in rooms. That’s a tough smell to get out of the rooms to nonsmokers’ satisfaction. It took a little arm twisting to make sure it was eradicated from our room – or at least enough to pass muster.

A typical love hotel amenity kit

How You Can Find One

It seems love hotels don’t really fly their flag on the Internet. There’s a feeling that the people of South Korea consider them ever-so-slightly tawdry (if necessary). But they stick out in the landscape. Just look for a building that’s on the garish side, likely with a word like “Queen” or “Castle” or somesuch in the name: I saw one called the Wow Motel. If you see neon, fringe and jarring colors, you’ve found yourself a love hotel.

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