The USA Pro Cycling Challenge begins tomorrow

by Kraig Becker on

The inaugural USA Pro Cycling Challenge gets underway tomorrow in Colorado Springs, Colorado, where 128 of the best riders in the world are preparing to take on one of the toughest courses ever created. The route features long climbs, harrowing descents, hairpin turns, and more altitude than any other pro-cycling event in history.

The first day of the competition features a short five mile prologue that will set the stage for things to come later in the week. Then on Tuesday, the race really gets going with a 100-mile long ride between Salida and Crested Butte that will serve as a warm up for Stage 2, which features more than 9700 feet of climbing. Stage 3 is a time trial through the streets of Vail, while Stages 4 and 5 return to the road for two more challenging days, before the teams have a relatively easy finish on their ride into Denver on Sunday.

The Peloton will be filled with big names, including Australian Cadel Evans, who won the Tour de France last month, and brothers Andy and Frank Schleck, who both stood on the Podium in Paris as well. In all, the race features five former world champions and eight stage winners from the Tour.

To get an idea of what the riders are in for, check out the video below. The race will be televised on NBC and Versus, and if you’re in Colorado, there will be plenty of chances to see it live as well.

[Photo Credit: AP File Photo]

7-year old climbs Mt. Whitney

by Kraig Becker on

When he returns to school in a couple of weeks, 7-year old Tyler Armstrong of Yorba Linda, California will have plenty to say when he’s asked “What did you do this summer?”

Tyler recently became the youngest person to climb Mt. Whitney in a single day when he and his father Kevin hiked to the summit in just 7 hours and 50 minutes. Standing 14,505 feet in height, Mt. Whitney is the tallest mountain in the continental United States, and while it isn’t a technical climb, its height still makes it a considerable challenge for many.

The father-son climbing team set out from Base Camp, located at 8500 feet, at 2:05 AM and reached the summit around 9:55 AM. They both recorded their times in the summit log, and enjoyed the view, before turning back down the mountain. The descent wasn’t much easier than the climb however, as the return trip required more than nine hours to complete.

Kevin says Tyler first became interested in climbing Whitney after hearing him talk about how he had hiked the mountain with his father when he was 11 years old. While that was a memorable experience for Kevin, he adds that it was one of the proudest moments of his life to stand on the summit with his own son.

With a successful climb now under his belt, Tyler is hoping to turn his attention to other mountains in the future. For now, he’s content to stay close to home and hone his skills on other California peaks. But he says in the future he’d like to climb the highest mountain in Africa, Mt. Kilimanjaro, which stands 19,340 feet in height. Eventually, he’d like to turn his attention on Mt. Everest, the tallest mountain in the world at 29,029 feet.

[Photo credit: Geographer via WikiMedia]

Roman shipwreck found off Albanian coast

by Sean McLachlan on


An underwater archaeological survey has turned up a Roman shipwreck off the coast of Albania.

As the above video shows, the remains of the ship are now little more than a heap of amphorae, the characteristic pots the Romans used to transport wine. The team hasn’t had a chance to excavate the site yet, so more finds may lie hidden beneath the bottom of the sea.

The archaeologists estimate that the ship was from the first or second century BC and was part of an extensive wine trade on the Adriatic Sea. The ship was about 30 meters long and contained an estimated 300 or more amphorae. The excavation was funded by the RPM Nautical Foundation, which has discovered numerous shipwrecks in recent years.

Shipwrecks can tell us a lot about early technology and trade. Several museums are dedicated to them. In Stockholm, Sweden, the Vasa Museum houses the well-preserved remains of a warship that sank in 1628. Despite its impressive appearance, it was badly designed and sank less than a nautical mile into its maiden voyage. In Portsmouth, England, the Mary Rose Museum has a warship that sank in battle in 1545. The Viking Ship Museum in Roskilde, Denmark, houses five Viking ships dating to about 1070.

First domestic 787 begins construction

by Grant Martin on

Production and delivery of the 787 jumbo jet is starting to shift into high gear, and as ANA shows off its new Japanese aircraft the focus is now turning to the domestic carriers. Delivery of the new Boeing aircraft to its first domestic carrier is slated for the merged Continental/United airlines — it was Continental’s order (in 2004!) before the two giants joined forces.

Planned for delivery in the beginning of next year, the 787 is scheduled to begin service between Auckland, NZ and Houston, Texas.

In its current state, the aircraft is just having its wings attached at the Boeing plant in Washington. If you look closely, you can see that the fuselage is in multiple pieces and the tail isn’t even in sight. Either way, that fact that the airplane is on the production line is exciting news — we look forward to seeing the inside.

Russian firm reveals plans for a “space hotel”

by McLean Robbins on




The newest hotel plans in development are far out … literally. Russian firm Orbital Technologies revealed plans for a space hotel at a conference in Moscow this week. The hotel has a predicted 2016 opening, the Daily Mail reports.

Initial data suggests that a five day stay will cost around £100,000, not counting transportation costs of £250,000+.

The “hotel” will be “far more comfortable” than the International Space Station, says Orbital CEO Sergei Kostenko, and will feature seven guests in four cabins. The hotel “pod” will occupy 706 cubic feet and feature massive windows 217 miles above earth and be accessible via Russian Soyuz rockets.

Beds will have a horizontal or vertical option as well as sealed showers.

“Our planned module inside will not remind you of the ISS,” Kostenko said. “The hotel will be aimed at wealthy individuals and people working for private companies who want to do research in space.”

Kostenko aims to have his project finished before that of Virgin exec Richard Branson.

What do you think? Would you visit the space hotel?

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