It’s that time of year when, to stave off the post-Christmas blues, everyone rushes out to bag themselves a bargain. With stores jumping over the cold, dead carcasses of their failed competitors to offer you the best deal it must be hard to know what to spend your limited cash on.

That’s why I love the concept of Whiskey Militia. It’s like no online store you’ve seen.  It only offers one deal at a time and only for a 30 minute period.  Miss it and the deal is gone. 

Oh and when I say ‘deal’ I mean the kind of scary discount no high street retailer would dare offer.  As I write you have only a few minutes to buy a DC Roofstar hoodie at 65% discount.  By the time you read this it will probably have expired but you should definitely check out the latest steal.

If you’re into your snowboard, skate or surf fashion, Whiskey Militia is worth a look.  I think I’ll hold out for some summer gear or a snowboard jacket for when I finally get to book myself that trip.

Thanks to boardsanddecks for the heads up.

If this actually happened to me, it would be terrifying and not in the least bit funny.  Because it happened to someone else, it’s hilarious!

A skier at the Vail resort in Colorado was left hanging upside down and completely exposed after he slipped from the chairlift.  The Smoking Gun has the pictures. 

Hopefully he warmed up pretty quickly and didn’t suffer frostbite (ouch!).

Thanks to @ColoradoOutsidr for the heads up.

As an island country, you’d think we Brits would have worked out by now how to look after our coastline.  Our beaches and dramatic coasts are a huge asset to the country and a source of immense pride to many but sadly, too few of us.

‘Mermaids’ Tears’ are the tiny plastic pellets used in the manufacturing process of a whole range of products.  Surfers Against Sewage (SAS) have launched a campaign to promote the safe containment of these materials, to prevent them being washed into drains and ultimately our seas. 

Featuring an SAS covert video, Huck Magazine have covered a small victory in the battle against little plastic pellets on UK beaches.  It seems some manufacturers are opening their eyes to the impact they’re having and have promised to clean up their act.  Hopefully they can become the standard to which all British industry aspire.

I think we need to get more people out to the coast, to enjoy it and realise its value.  Only then will the whole country rally behind the great work being done by organisations like SAS. 

After all, we’re an island.  We can either clean up our act or do nothing and sit, bathing in our own filth. 

I know which I’d prefer.

Climbing - Heart of Stone Video

This 20 min video, produced and directed by Andrew Kornylak, shows the work being done on behalf of climbers in the southeast U.S.  It’s an inspiring story that just proves what grass-root work and co-operation can achieve.

Heart of Stone - via ClimbingNarc.com

Cycling - Spokes for Women!

Who knew cycling was a tool for such significant social change?  Cycling Info talks Women’s Cycling in an interesting comparison between modern ladies cycling clubs and their Victorian counterparts.

Rafting - fail, just…FAIL!!

The title says it all.  Hilarious.

Via Rafting Newsbeet

Pretty much any day of the week I can be found passionately ranting about the benefits of ‘adventure’, what it can do for confidence and self-esteem and its potential to overturn the risk averse, ‘health and safety’ culture we’ve found ourselves in.  To me, adventure is good for the soul and can make you feel more than yourself.

But there’s a flipside I don’t talk about quite as much, the isolation and fear.  Miles Masterson’s post ‘The solo surf session’ really nails it.  Sometime’s it’s good to see fear in those more experienced than us. 

It’s even better to see them overcome it and move on; bigger, better and more soulful.

To celebrate Enterprise Week, The Conch is tipping it’s hat to the heroes in this world or, more specifically, the chance to be your own.

King of S.N.O.W

(via broblog) A new snowboard-trick contest launches on the 15th December 2008 with a massive $5,000 prize.  It’s free, open to everybody and involves repeating tricks performed by an expert and uploading it as a video.  The King of S.N.O.W is the boarder with the most points, awarded by the community.

Tricks can be performed anywhere in the world as long as obstacles are similar to the original video and there’s a ‘4 strikes and you’re out’ system that will keep the competition wide open until the very last round. 

To register or to vote for videos, check out http://www.king-of-snow.com/

I can’t wait for the launch.  Maybe I’ll even enter myself.  I wonder if they’ll allow ironing boards…

Bike Hero

I love this video.  I’ve not played Guitar Hero but if it were a bit more like this I’d never stop.  Thanks to SoCalCycling for the tip. 

Definitely a wave of water-themed links today.  There are some great videos that are definitely worth a look.

Water Skiing

I’m generally an optimistic guy.  This has been known to wind my friends up no end as I refuse to accept that the world is going to hell in a handcart.  As hard as I try though, I can’t resist posting about a poem on the Creaky Rowboat blog.  Entitled ‘Ode to Winter’, it may well sum up what a lot of us are feeling right now.

Beach Wars

Who are the worst people at the beach?  Anglers?  Kitesurfers?  Jetskiiers?  James’ Douglass makes the case for each activity and indeed those non-adventurous intruders onto our coastline…bloody onlookers!!  There’s a poll too so go and make your voice heard. 

The optimist in me cries "Why can’t we all just get along?"

Windsurfing

Chris Eldridge posted this great freestyle windsurfing video on the Waterlogged by Scooper blog.  These guys have such great control.  I’m really up for trying windsurfing with Club Conch in the next year.  Another activity added to the list.

And to round it off nicely, Groove Armada’s ‘At the River’ just came on the radio.  Are you fond of sand dunes and salty air?  I am.

Christmas parties place a heavy demand on women.  From start to finish, this month long party expects them to look fresh, fashionable and downright sexy.

At The Conch we like to help in any way we can, so here’s our usual adventurous links with a luxurious, pampering twist.

Stage 1 - Soul Food

Before any spa treatment begins, we recommend an intense, yet spiritually rewarding exercise programme.  Think spinning, with views, demonstrated by the guys from Bike Carson.

Stage 2 - Mud Treatment

The next phase includes some more exercise, but you’ll notice we’ve added mud and rocks to the mix.  These are an effective exfoliant and will help create an uplifting experience where you’ll feel like you’re literally flying! (via Team Geared Up)

Stage 3 - Pedicure

With the hard work done it’s time to pamper and what better way to do that than a (fishy) pedicure?  Thanks for the recommendation by my kayaking buddies.

Stage 4 - LBD

Now, it’s time for the most important festive season accessory, the Little Black Dress.  Of course, for those of you who had a particularly active summer, it would be a good idea to check it still fits!  Thanks for the heads up Rock Climber Girl.

Stage 5 - Party!!

You’re fresh, trim, smoothed and scrubbed.  You’ve picked the perfect outfit to show off any new muscles you never knew you had.  Not only that, but while everyone else at the party drones on about their latest gym session, squat thrusts and credit crunches, you’ll have stories of adventures they could only dream of. 

You truly are prepared for this year’s festivities.  Eat, drink and be merry and try not to consider the hard work that awaits you in January to shift all that extra weight.

Introducing the frogfish, name yourself a shipwreck and ‘Goggles vs Masks’ - the snorkeler debate rages on.

Scuba Diving

Thanks to Steve at A Kona Hawaii Scuba Diver Babbles On for introducing this little fella.  Not a particularly beautiful fish (big face, tiny eyes) but worth a peek nonetheless.

Might be worth checking under the sofa cushions for some lose change.  You’ll need it for this Ebay purchase.  Put your name on a missile shipwreck for just a $1.3m.  Totally worth it in my view.  (Via Divespots.com - Captain’s Blog)

Snorkeling

Goggles or Masks.  For snorkeling, which would you prefer?  Snorkeling Online wade into the debate with some shocking news.  One of the options is a fraud!!!  Who knew? Thanks for clearing that one up guys!

Last week, having said I’d post a few adventure links from around the blogosphere, I went a bit quiet.  Trouble was, I was searching through blogs for over 200 adventure activities and was so busy subscribing that I barely had time to post.

Now, with the hard work done, I can get back to sharing some of the amazing things the most adventurous people around the world are doing, saying and feeling. 

Cycling

As one global bike ride ends, another begins.  Joff Summerfield rolled into Greenwich Market, London on Sunday having circumnavigated the world on a pennyfarthing (via Cycling Info).  Ouch.

Meanwhile, The Conch wishes all the best to Ferg and Si from Revolution Cycle who set out to complete the first Irish circumnavigation of the globe by bicycle .  You can follow their exact location on their website and get updates via their twitter feed.  Good luck guys!!!

Snowboarding

Snowbroader’s Broblog have gone Russian for a couple of posts.  They’ve got teasers for two awesome looking videos, ‘Kitchen’ by Stereotactic and ‘Trace of Souls’ from White Label Films.  Note to self… must save up to go snowboarding soon.

Of course, I’m always looking for more adventure-related blogs so feel free to make recommendations in the comments.