LS Digital Design Blog

Time to Hit the Trails Again! Where Will They Take You?

Sat, 24 Mar 2012 15:01:00-0700

Winter is out and spring is in, but you'd hardly notice it around here in Dayton, since winter was so incredibly mild this year. And, the last three weeks have felt more like the end of summer, with temps pushing 90 a few days! In March??? Wow. I wonder what July will feel like... It looks like that trend is about to break, though, and bring us back down to reality. Still, things are looking pretty good for getting back outside, and I can't wait to start hitting some trails again. I already have some backpacking trips lined up, and am re-assessing my gear inventory for this year. My biggest highlight of this season will be hitting the Dolly Sods Wilderness in West Virginia--a wild, rugged and mountainous area with incredible hikes and views. My pack and tent are screaming to be taken out of the closet! Simma down now, gear! I'm looking forward to making some great outdoor and gear review vids in the coming weeks, so I hope people will stay tuned to my YouTube channel for some exciting new stuff! Look for gear reviews on Marmot, MSR, REI, Big Agnes, and Black Diamond gear and more, and some trip vids to Kentucky, Ohio, and West Virginia. See you all soon!

Gear Review: Keen Pyrenees Hiking Boots

Mon, 27 Feb 2012 12:23:00-0700

In this latest gear review video, I give my thoughts on my new pair of Keen Pyrenees boots. Enjoy!

Adventure Summit Presentation

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 17:40:00-0700

My presentation is now available for download here: Adventure Summit PDF

Gear Review: Mountain Hardwear Windstopper Technical Fleece

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 15:23:00-0700

Prepare to be amazed by the first "full-motion" gear review on the Outlan channel in all its glory! Please be sure to go to YouTube and add your comments and suggestions!

Update on My Adventure Summit Preso

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 19:40:00-0700

The details for my presentation and bio are now live on the Adventure Summit site here. Please make a point to come out and support me on February 11th!

STOP SOPA/PIPA

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 01:26:00-0700

I had hopes of taking my site down today in protest of SOPA, but I just didn't get the chance. Plus, my site isn't really that popular, anyway. Still, today is a very important day to raise awareness of SOPA and PIPA and why they need to go away. To learn more, go here right now and fill out the form.

Favorite Outdoor YouTube Channels

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 15:58:00-0700

If you're like me, you're always looking for some inspiration on outdoor experiences, tips, tricks, etc. I love the Discovery Channel for its survival and outdoor shows like "Dual Survival", "Man, Woman, Wild", "Survivorman", and, of course "Man vs. Wild". But, the format can get a bit tedious after a while. I have turned to an immeasurable resource online, and found that one of the best places for great videos is, of course, YouTube. Something I never knew the real value of until lately, however, was YouTube channels. Subscribing to these can open up a world of audio/visual inspiration for just about any topic you can think of. Here are some of my favorite channel subscriptions so far: CampingGearTV - These guys are not only hilarious, but perform some great gear reviews on a pretty regular basis, and they've reviewed some gear I've actually been motivated to purchase. They've had occasional bad audio in the past, but seem to have corrected this as of late. http://www.youtube.com/user/campinggeartv Cr0cket20 - One of the best finds yet, Cr0cket posts videos almost every other day, and has some really inspriring vids on being outdoors, using gear, starting fires, survival techniques, etc. He also features some hunting-related vids (which I am not into), but generally has a good balance on outdoor activities. Since he apparently lives very close to the mountains in the West, he's always posting great shots from out there. Definitely worth subscribing to. http://www.youtube.com/user/Cr0cket20 REIFindOut - REI does a good job of posting outdoor vids of all kinds, including gear reviews and trips. They also showcase new store openings with inspiring marketing videos of the brand. This is a must for any outdoor lover and gear junkie. http://www.youtube.com/user/reifindout CutleryLover - For the kid who likes to play with sharp things in all of us, this guy does in-depth reviews of all kinds of knives and outdoor tools. Entertaining and informative, I highly recommend this one. http://www.youtube.com/user/cutlerylover StormDrane - Want one of those cool OD green paracord bracelets and be able to say you made it yourself? If you're the crafty type, subscribe to StormDrane's channel for instruction on making some very nice paracord creations. I've learned how to create paracord bracelets and lanyards, and have been inspired to take my knot-making ability to the next level. http://www.youtube.com/user/stormdrane OutdoorGearLab - Nice channel on outdoor gear with detailed and professional reviews. http://www.youtube.com/user/outdoorgearlab MarmotPro - I'm not ashamed to say that I'm a huge fan of the Marmot gear brand. I have a Marmot Precip jacket, hiking shirts, and a Limelight 3P tent, which I love. So, it's no wonder I'm subscribed to Marmot's YT channel. Especially entertaining are "Curly's Clips", where "Curly" will review a piece of Marmot gear in depth. http://www.youtube.com/user/marmotpro

Speaking at the Adventure Summit!

Sat, 31 Dec 2011 09:59:00-0700

It's official! I'm speaking at the Adventure Summit at Wright State University in February. My topic will be "Hiking Safely in Rocky Mountain National Park", where I will highlight some of the risks the average hiker needs to be aware of when hiking the park. I'll cover proper gear and clothing, as well as how to identify altitude sickness, etc. I'll cover my experience while there last May and share what I've learned after four days of hiking and camping within the park. I will be presenting Saturday, February 11th from 3-4 p.m. More details will be available soon on the official site http://theadventuresummit.com. Please come out and support me!

Merry Christmas!

Sat, 24 Dec 2011 08:23:00-0700

Backpacking Gear

Tue, 01 Nov 2011 19:13:00-0700

A quick video showcasing some of the gear I take with me backpacking. To comment, please visit my YouTube channel.

RIP, Steve Jobs

Fri, 07 Oct 2011 01:01:00-0700

With the loss of Steve Jobs this week, I wanted to take a moment to tell the world just how big the loss of this individual is. We have lost a true innovator of our time--"a modern day Thomas Edison". People like Jobs are not one in a million, but one in a billion. Not only did he revolutionize the computing industry, but also music, movies, mobile technology, and the way we live our lives every day. There may never be another like him in our lifetime. I am not trying to make him into a modern day idol, but I believe in giving credit where credit is due. He is certainly due the credit. Apple will live on, computers will get smaller and smarter, technology will continue to improve, and new groundbreakers will innovate the things of our wildest dreams. But, it might never again be with so much style, flare, or black turtlenecks. RIP, Steve. You will be greatly missed.

Day Hike in Hanging Rock State Park

Tue, 27 Sep 2011 22:51:00-0700

Hanging Rock is a very scenic state park located in beautiful Danbury, North Carolina, about an hour north of Greensboro. I was lucky enough to get to make a pit stop here on a drive back from a tech conference in Raleigh. While I only got to spend about an hour here, I got the chance to see a really nice point of interest and have a very fun hike with a lot of solitude. I spent my time at Hanging Rock taking the "Hanging Rock Trail", a 1.3-mile (one way) excursion up the side of a mountain to a 2500-ft. peak and rock formation for which the park is named after. Unfortunately, at the early time in the morning I was here, the mountain was still draped in clouds, so the view from the top was not as picturesque as I had hoped. The trail starts at the edge of the visitor center parking area, and immediately descends down a paved path into the woods. After a few hundred feet, the trail becomes gravel and steeply rises upward into the dense woods. Soon, the gravel runs out and the trail becomes a traditional "trail", mostly dirt, but also somewhat rocky. The ascents and descents are fairly moderate, and only the last several hundred feet of the hike does it become anything near what could be considered "strenuous". In fact, the trail itself is rated as moderate for both its length and terrain. The hike through the dense woods is serene, and a great way to take in the sights and sounds of the forest. Many birds and insects take refuge here in this quiet natural habitat. At the base of Hanging Rock, one can look up and see the rock formation overhead. There is a nice little cave area to the left to rest. Sadly, many people have found this a fun place to graffiti--detracting from the natural beauty. I will never understand why people cannot appreciate nature for what it is and not destroy it! From the base of the trail up to Hanging Rock, there is a set of stone stairs widing up the side of the mountain. This hike is not hard by any means, but will cause a hiker to stop and take a breath every now and then. The rocks can be quite slippery when wet. Finally, once at the rock outcrop, the trail becomes very rocky. One can actually climb out on the outcrop, and on a clear day, see the Piedmont Triad area down below. My only view was a valley blanketed in clouds, but the peace and quiet of being up there alone was nice. I enjoyed a Clif Bar while sitting on the rock, took in some of the scenery around me, and headed back down. The trail down and back to the parking area is much easier and faster. This park has many more trails I just did not have time to explore, including a 6-mile, "strenuous" loop around "Moore's Wall", which is visible from other areas in the park. There is also a very scenic lake here, which I imagine is a popular destination during the summer. If you are ever in north central North Carolina, make a point to stop at Hanging Rock State Park. It's a scenic natural area with a lot to offer--only a short distance away from the big cities of Greensboro and Winston-Salem. Never stop exploring! Images on Flickr: http://www.flickr.com//photos/outlan/sets/72157627617117499/show/ Check out the video from the top of Hanging Rock on my YouTube Channel:

Welcome to the VLog!

Thu, 08 Sep 2011 19:41:00-0700

My first video blog in a new series of video gear reviews I will be doing over the winter! Stay tuned for much more!

GearFest 2011

Fri, 05 Aug 2011 06:52:00-0700

It's almost time once again this year for GearFest--a Friday and Saturday event sponsored by Five Rivers MetroParks here in the Miami Valley. The purpose of this event is to spark enthusiasm for the outdoors as well as showcase the latest and greatest outdoor gear and apparel. This year GearFest will take place Friday, September 30th through Saturday, October 1st. GearFest has really come into its own in the past couple years, growing from an extremely small event to a large-scale conference with big-name sponsors such as Subaru (the main sponsor), Yakima, Eddie Bauer, Mad River Mountain, Leinenkugel's Beer, and more. The conference includes vendor displays/stores, competitions, gear demos, live bands, and--of course--food and beer for sale. One of the best aspects of the event includes the Yakima Beer Garden, which started last year as a Friday-only event. This year, it will be both Friday and Saturday night. Check this out for some amazing samples of Leinenkugel's, one of the best microbrews around. There is plenty else to see an do, including gear demos and vendor displays. Each year, there are multiple vendors from local and regional state parks, reserves, climbing and hiking areas, etc. And, don't forget the free SWAG from the vendors if you like stickers, patches, pens, flashlights, 'biners, and more. Also, there are many chances to win real gear prices from such places as Great Miami Outfitters. Additionally, this year Backpacker magazine's "Get Out More Tour" will be making an appearance both days at the event. This husband-and-wife team has been touring the country and will be presenting gear workshops and skill seminars for anyone interested in the outdoors. The event also features free overnight camping in the Eddie Bauer Campground. This year, as opposed to previous years, I plan on pitching my tent and camping next to the Great Miami. Hopefully, the weather decides to play nice. GearFest is located at:
Eastwood MetroPark
1385 Harshman Road
Dayton, Ohio 45431
(937) 275-PARK (7275) The event is FREE, so if you are close to the Dayton, Ohio area there is no reason not to at least make an appearance! Get out and LIVE!

How I Got Started in ColdFusion...

Mon, 01 Aug 2011 07:30:00-0700

In honor of "How I got started in ColdFusion" day, I thought I'd briefly share my story. I was introduced to CF in 1999, after graduating with an Associates degree in Web design/Visual Communications from a local community college. These were the early days of the Internet (the original "bubble" before it burst). I started work at a local Yellow Pages company designing simple one and two page HTML sites for clients, but that quickly morphed into much more. I was soon required to start doing more advanced Web development, and the tool our department used was ColdFusion (version 4, I think). I knew nothing about it, and hadn't taken any official CIS/programming classes, but had used computers ever since I was about eight years old. It was about that age I started writing programs in Basic, so picking up programming in CF was fairly easy for me. I took several intense courses on relational database design, XML, and Web programming and quickly got very proficient at application development. I was soon writing database-driven applications built on top of ColdFusion with Oracle backends that were being served up to people all over the world. Were my first few apps good? Probably not. I've learned so much since I first started in CF, and continue to learn new things every day. While I still don't consider myself a "Jedi", yet, I think I've created some pretty quality work. I'm now using CF8 and 9 on top of SQL Server to create some very cool stuff, and I'm really looking forward to seeing what the future brings for ColdFusion and the Web. With other awesome technologies like jQuery, Flex, and AIR, there is so much still to be done, and I think we've only just scratched the surface so far.