Today as the world seems to get smaller and smaller, spinning faster and faster we seem to have an App for everything.
Question is why? Better yet why didn’t I think of this as soon as I learned Al Gore had invented what I was sure to be the final frontier of technology we call the worldwide web?
Maybe we are all thinking this about now? Those who actually did it instead of trying to log onto AOL, listening to a modem dial and waiting long enough to make toast they are hearing the sweet sound of a cash register as the money rolls in. Cha Ching! With Facebook paying millions and millions for the latest and greatest its easy now to say I should have thought of that.
Moving on…
While I’d have to get my 12-year-old in here to list all the hot new apps out there for everyone I want to focus on 3 outdoors related apps that will make your FresYes outdoors experience a little bit more fun, competitive at times and relaxed when the time is right.
First up, STRAVA.
For the cyclist and runners out there who have done ANY ride around town or the foothills or run in ANY race or fun run there is a STRAVA segment that you can upload your GPS workout to and compare yourself with your friends, rivals or perhaps a random Pro who happened through town and posted a ride/run. Once you are in the STRAVA death grip it’s almost impossible to get away from as you can walk into just about any Starbux and overhear somebody talk about a KOM, QOM, PR, or the dreaded secret segment. You can even have the pleasure of waking up to an email letting you know somebody beat your best time…….talk about motivation! STRAVA can be found on the WWW, Itunes, Android and probably everything else you can imaging. It’s the Dark Lord of training and people love it.
Say you are not the competitive type but like the outdoors and want to go on a hike, within an hour of town and love to take your dog with you. What do you do? Call a friend? Wing it?
Noooooooooo I say there is an app for that task.
Y
ou go to alltrails.com! It’s a cross between Trip Advisor and Yelp for the outdoors enthusiast. I find it pulls me in and “makes” me look up trails in places I’ve never been to or perhaps will ever be but the information is awesome. Want to climb Buzzards Roost at Millerton Lake….. It’s on there. Want to climb Mt. Whitney…..got that too.
They have trail distance, times, difficulty. But no it doesn’t stop there if you call now you can find out if it is dog friendly, good for bikes, horses, fishing, fly fishing, camping and much much more. It gets a solid silver medal in this one judge contest.
Lastly, what if you dont like to excercise but you love to be outdoors? Maybe you like to lay in a hammock and drink some local wine while looking at the stars. BAM. Starchart is waiting for you.
The Starchart free app for iPhone is perfect for anyone who loves to look up at the night sky. Just make a selection out of the wine spectator, find a moonless night sit back and use your phone to tell you all that a 1970’s encyclopedia Britannica had to offer plus maybe even one or two more fun facts about M55 that we didn’t even know about back then.
We all love our phones, don’t even try to deny it. Whats great though is we can now use them for the power of good. Let’s use them as a tool to get outside and enjoy ourselves.
Your next Facebook update can wait……
Better yet let it be about what you did in your life outdoors.
- Invitation to the Ball - November 6, 2015
- Sportsman’s Warehouse, the New Kid In Town - July 20, 2015
- The Freewheel Project - July 13, 2015
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