Coupon code for Monkey Pillows: SUMMERDEAL25

New summer coupon offer now available until the end date of Aug 31, 2013!

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Closer and closer...

Looks like we are getting a lot closer to a new sewing machine at a much quicker pace than expected.  We sold a used Iphone and both of the previously listed items at this point.  We are nearly ready to place our order for the new machine.  Right now unless otherwise advised, we are planning on buying a Brother SE400.  That machine has quite the reviews, and also has quite the amount of features that could really lead to success for HikeBikeDale.com.  Thanks for all the support that everyone has offered... and we will soon be placing our order for a new machine!!

Raising revenue for a new machine!

So it has been a while since I have posted here on the blog.  Life has been busy, and there are always going to be ebbs and flows to my posts based on how busy I am at times.  But right now I wanted to post a few pics that I need to use as reference.  So I figured that I would explain what I am trying to do, so that if anyone wanted to help, they could do just that.

I am trying to sell a few things to raise funds to get a new sewing machine.  Nothing wrong with this sewing machine, but we are in need of a machine that has more options, more quality, more efficiency, and for sure we are going to get a lot of use out of it.  So if you have interest in the things I am posting here, just reach out for pricing and availability, and I will see what I can do for you.  I am selling some things that I have no use for anymore, to raise the revenue.  1 GoPro Hero 2, and 2 Thermarest UL sleeping pad chairs.

New Yellow Momentum!

I have heard from some folks that maybe Monkeys are not the "manly-est" material that exists.  People ask if there is any more man like fabrics.  Well, here is another version that represents that cottage feel of ultralight fabrics called Momentum.  If you are interested in picking one up just stop by the store and grab the 1 I have available currently.

ETSY STORE!!!

Remembering a snowy morning on the trail...

I was just reviewing some Youtube vids from my channel when I came to this one.  What a memory to behold.  I would trade any day of work in the world to be on the trail in the snow.  No doubt, that I miss my time hiking out in the woods.  We are heading to Enchanted Rock State Natural Area next weekend... I hope I get my fix soon!

New design, New materials, Awesome turnout!

I just finished the new envelope pillow design.  I had gotten feedback that maybe the Monkey pillow needed to be able to close at the end.  So I implemented a new envelope type design.  The overlap will keep anything inside sufficiently.  Also I used Momentum 50 fabric that I was testing, along with 100 weight fleece to make it even lighter.  The outcome is a 1.9 oz large product.  Very sleek, very awesome feeling, and very light.  Please check out a few photos listed below.

Received the tags/labels!

Going to try and get these integrated this evening!  Very excited, I think that they look great.  I just need to develop my techniques to get these sewn into the pillows.  Plus we are about to offer some new colors and patterns tonight as I have finished a few and will be putting them into the store.

Large Exped Air Pillow fits in size Large Monkey Pillow!

I have had a lot of interest in whether the large size of the Monkey Pillow will fit with the large Exped Air pillow.  I took a few shots and included one here.  The answer is YES!!!  It fits!  Keep in mind, when you inflate the Exped, it will shrink in width and length and fits very well.

New Pattern in process...

Last night I spent time working on a new fleece pattern.  I made a large and a small version of this pillow.  This should be available by this weekend for purchase in the Etsy store.  So be on the lookout for that announcement!

In this picture, the large is on the bottom, and the small is upside down on top.  Planning on using the black elastic for this one.

New Tags for the Monkey Pillows!

I placed an order on Etsy to get some fabric tags made specifically for the Monkey Pillows we are manufacturing here at HikeBikeDale.com.  Here is a snapshot of what they will look like.  They are coming from France, and this might delay the time of arrival, but soon... we will have TAGS!

To access the seller I bought these from on Etsy... CLICK HERE!

TrailGroove Magazine / Website

For anyone out there who is not aware... I have a friend who writes an online digital magazine.  It is awesome and you should definitely CHECK IT OUT!!!  Click on the link below to be redirected to where you can view all the issues that have been released at this time.

VIEW THE SITE HERE!!!

Recipes from REI's Camp Cooking for Couples...

I was just thrilled to host/teach the class for camp cooking for couples at the San Antonio, TX REI location. I am posting here a few pics of the recipes that we reviewed during the class.  I could not be happier about the turnout, and the excitement level of the class.  Thanks everyone for showing up and making this a truly successful endeavor!  I truly had a wonderful time just talking about these things to so many new people.

****Any and all views expressed in this article are 100% that of my own and not of REI Corp.  I devised all the opinions and techniques and experiences 100% on my own without help from REI Corp.

New Materials have arrived!

Just wanted to post a few pictures of the new materials/patterns that have arrived to the HikeBikeDale factory.  Here is a snapshot of the new designs, colors, patterns that will be produced in the near future.  There are still 2 production models available HERE at Etsy.com if you are interested.  Otherwise, please be patient, the new versions will be arriving very soon!

Please note that we will have a new set of options at this point.  We plan on having a few various size options, as well as design changes.  We will have the "ultra cuddle" patterns, but also fleece versions that will be in the shop.

Also, please see the last photo that showcases the new FEMALE version that will be available also.  Girls like to get their camp on too, you know?

 Ultra Cuddle

 Standard fleece

Girl version

Thoughts?

Lost Maples Hiking weekend!

Just took a great weekend with some super awesome friends and camped at Lost Maples State Natural Area.  Here are just a couple photos of the trip that we had.  The video should be complete by the weeks end... but until then, here is a taste:

New Monkey Pillow style & color in the Etsy store!

HikeBikeDale.com Etsy Store!!!

Be sure to check out the new design that I finished up tonight.  These are selling quick, so get your own before they are gone!

Great days on the trail...

I was going through my Youtube videos of the trail and I came across one extra awesome day.  When you come out of the trail at certain points, people offer you TRAIL MAGIC.  This is when they offer food, drink, services, or anything to help you out.  "Quiet Paul" is a great guy... and I truly appreciate the day he cooked me a plate of food for breakfast!!!

Monkey Pillows are on Etsy.com!!!

I just posted the first production run of Monkey Pillows on Etsy.com.  Please visit the following link to purchase your own personal Monkey Pillow!!!

ONLY 1.68 OZ!!! GET YOURS TODAY!!!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/HikeBikeDale

 

Should you have any questions, reach out to me at this time.

SupaChef

Analyzing exercise foods and beverages

So with the last post as a reference, I wanted to move into a similar analysis of recreational use foods and bars that we turn to when we hike, or camp, or whatever you do.  Personally I turn to bars for outdoor adventures, exercise, and lunches everyday to fill in the gaps while I am at work, or have long days.  But I cannot afford, or should I say don't want to pay for, the bars that are premium.  Clif bars, Bonk Breakers, Stinger Waffles, and all other types of hard food can be analyzed in CAL/GRAM.  Then we can reference those numbers with our choices from the local HEB grocery store.

However, before moving on to a large specific analysis of these types of foods, I want to make a disclosure.  My friend Mitchell and I were talking about something that needed to be said or disclosed.  Just in case you were new to this blog, maybe things would not make sense.  These bars and foods that I am about to speak of are specifically for workout foods, camping/hiking foods, travel foods, and daily lunchtime supplements for easy calories that are tasty and fun.  I am speaking from the perspective that I eat a well rounded diet of healthy whole foods consisting of a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, carbs, proteins, and various nutritional components that I personally consider a well rounded diet.  People all over the world and the internet are going to have their own version of what is good, or better for you than other folks.  So please, keep this in mind that these analysis are solely based on my personal preference, experience, and a scientific approach to the data that I have on the packages.  So if it is not what you think... just tell me.  Make a comment, ask a question, but certainly don't hold it inside.  How can I know what is being percieved about what I am writing if no one tells me.  So with that... Let's get started.

We are going to do a chart that involves the analysis of a few different types of supplements that I use when outdoors, exercising, or trying to recover from being physically active.

If you extrapolate from here, we can deduce any food and the cost of that food in reference to this chart.  I honestly don't believe any SIMILAR product will vary that much from what is being stated here.  I would almost gaurantee that similar products will be nearly exactly the same.

With that being said, what types of foods do you use when exercising?  What thoughts do you have about my breakdown, and the chart I have created?  I am eager to hear your thoughts.

Food for Thought: Calories & Science

I have spent quite a lot of time in analyzing how food compares in all types of categories.  I have done some quantifiable comparisons measuring CAL/GRAM and determining calorie density of food.  During the thru-hike we had used the CAL/GRAM comparison to measure how foods compare to one another, and which calories would give the best bang for the buck.  Lets run through a quick comparison and set the stage for what CAL/GRAM really means to YOU.

THE FOLLOWING EXAMPLES WERE BASED ON 100g SERVING SIZE.

Table of calorie density for foods from 1-8:

Green Beans	31	0.31
Carrots	41	0.41
Pineapples	48	0.48
Apples	52	0.52
Oatmeal	62	0.62
Dried Milk	64	0.64
Kidney Beans	82	0.82
Bananas	89	0.89
Black Beans	91	0.91
Wheat Bread	259	2.59
French Bread	274	2.74
Raisin Bran Cereal	321	3.21
Dried Blueberries	325	3.25
America cheese	337	3.37
Freeze Dried Blueberries	352	3.52
Creamy Wild Rice Soup	361	3.61
Brown Sugar	377	3.77
Cheddar cheese	403	4.03
Saltine Crackers	428	4.28
Chocolate Chips	479	4.79
Peanuts	567	5.67
Almonds	578	5.78
Cashews	581	5.81
Cashew Butter	587	5.87
Peanut Butter	588	5.88
Almond Butter	633	6.33
Olive Oil	884	8.84
Sesame Oil	884	8.84

Now obviously I just made a chart with a wide variety of things for you to analyze.  Please use this equation to examine foods around your house, or that you regularly consume... and what do you see?  Good?  Bad?  Not what you thought?  So if you study this chart for a few moments, you can begin to see the characteristics of food density.  I am going to be analyzing some foods coming up in the next couple of posts down the road.  I am planning on analyzing things like, if buying bars from expensive nutritional companies is better than buying the cheap supermarket brand.  I bet we have some seriously amazing results.  And I don't mean in favor of the expensive nutritional brands EITHER!!!

ALL THESE #S ARE JUST APPROXIMATE NUMBERS FROM A WEBSITE CALLED (http://www.fatsecret.com/)  PLEASE BE ADVISED THAT THESE ARE JUST GUESTIMATES, BUT TO MY EXPERIENCE THEY ARE VERY ACCURATELY CLOSE TO WHAT I HAVE SEEN IN MY STUDIES.

Recent Traffic and new comers...

To those who are new, to those who I meet at REI, and to those who have been reading for a long time, I would like to say thank you.  I thank you for stopping by, supporting me and my site, and for being into the subject matter that I too enjoy thoroughly.

With school over and the holidays coming up, I hope to get some real blogging started, and also to get some videos going again.  Also we are planning a camping trip in January.  So that ought to yield some pretty awesome footage that I hope to be able to post about.  I still owe something from the hike that used the REI equipment.  So at last here is an unedited clip from the trip to Lost Maples State Natural Area with my buddies Scott and Chris.

Cheers...

So much to say, so little time...

Just wanted to check in for those out there hoping to hear some review information or that trip report that I owe.  Just to give a clear idea... I work about 60 plus hours a week right now, and I am in school also.  So as soon as I can get to those things I am going to get them posted.  Until then know that I am really wishing I were spending my time blogging instead of working!  Necessary evil right?!