Highgear Summit Wristwatch - going high tech for a small budget.

I have not had the chance to test this altimeter, barometer, and digital compass yet. I am just informing you on the purchase of this Summit watch. I got a great deal on it. The newer edition will run you around $160.00 and for right now that was a little out of my range. I found an discontinued older model of the Summit at Campmor for a little under $90.oo. I am currently tingering with it learning the ins and outs of this new wristwatch based technology that has been created by Highgear.com.

You may be asking yourself why not a Suunto. The outrageous price and accessories may it not even a piece of gear I would be willing to tryout do to lack of low budget outdoor folks being able to purchase it. Ya, this includes me! For a more realistic comparison an average of $350.oo and up for Suunto versus the Highgear $250.00 to $150.00 for basically the same thing.

My wife and I are going to Hawaii and the Summit will be taken into the field for true field testing by a low budget outdoorsman. You may be asking why I decided to purchase the Summit. I purchased the Summit altimeter to help with Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) issues that my wife has expereinced in the past. For more information about Acute Mountain Sickness check out our topic menu and click on tips. We have an article about the AMS and my reasoning for the purchase is detailed later in the article.

The top picture is the discontinued model and the second picture is the current model. The only difference in the two models is the coloring all the features are exactly the same.

Be sure to check back later for the total review of the Highgear Summit wristwatch.

Bentley - VentureTree Team

American Lung Association - Asthma Walk Saturday, May 3, 2008

Come out to play with us and support the American Lung Associations - Asthma Walk. Help the Kindred Hospital, Blow the Whistle on Asthma.

Take a short walk to raise money to support over 22 Million Americans that suffer from asthma. Together we can make an impact as we work toward cures, clean air and smoke free kids. The American Lung Association®, can give you 22 million reasons why we need to "Blow the Whistle on Asthma" and why you should help fight the asthma epidemic and make an impact. More than 22 million Americans currently have asthma. You probably know someone who suffers from this chronic disease. It could be a family member, a young child, a co-worker, a neighbor or maybe even you. Asthma Walk gives you the chance to get involved and help your loved ones breathe easier.

Asthma isn't always obvious; you can’t see asthma but you can count its devastating effects in the United States. Asthma is responsible for over 12 million lost school days in children and more than 14 million lost workdays for adults. Even more frightening is the fact that asthma can be fatal; nearly 4,000 deaths are attributed to asthma annually. The economic cost of asthma is staggering - over $16.1 billion dollars is spent annually. We need your help to make an impact in the fight against asthma. Join an Asthma Walk near you today. Asthma Walk is a nation wide effort to bring attention to this devastating chronic illness. We know a lot about asthma, but there is so much we don't know. Your participation will raise the funds necessary to provide life saving education, research and advocacy so we can better control asthma and soon find a cure.

Remember to visit the American Lung Association National web site at www.lungusa.org for information on lung helath resources, including programs and events in your area or call the toll-free Lung Helpline at 1-800-LUNGUSA.

The location for the event is 3777 Nolensville Pike Nashville, TN 37211.

-Bentley VentureTree Team

Prevent Child Abuse Tennessee (PCAT) Fundraiser

Goodday everyone,

Here is a local fundraiser that is working to help to Prevent Child Abuse in Tennessee. Our annual fundraiser is a wine tasting and silent auction event, The Taste of Spring. It is being held Thursday, April 17, 2008 at the Cheekwood Botanical Gardens. The VIP party begins at 6:00 and is featuring The Saucy Sisters, local sassy wine experts. You can review them at
http://www.saucysisters.com/Press.asp. Tickets to the VIP party are $100. You will enjoy a selection of premier wines, have the first chance to bid on silent auction items and have admission for the remainder of the general party.

The general party begins at 7:00 and tickets are $50. There will be an array of great wines to try, jazz music, and heavy hors d'oeurvres. Some sample silent auction items are: a Gatlinburg Getaway, a celebrity autographed guitar, hotel accomodations in Jacksonville, FL and Amelia Island, local restaurant gift certificates, beatiful art and jewlery, Nashville Sounds skyboxes and much more. I hope that you can join us for this great event and collaborate in our fundraising efforts. Please let me know if you would like to purchase a ticket or make a donation in lieu of a ticket.

Come out and support PCAT.
Information provided by a fellow colleague and http://www.saucysisters.com/

Bentley VentureTree Team

Tennessee State Parks March/April Calendar of Events

Here is the March and April Calendar of events. I was going to post to our calendar but thought everyone would like to be able to print out a copy.


Tennessee State Parks Calendar of Events for March and April, 2008

Cumberland Trail March Sunday Nights 8:30 pm WDVX 89.9 fm
Join Bob Fulcher as he presents rare old-time bluegrass, gospel, rockabilly and more, 1926 to present day, from musicians who were born and raised along the Cumberland Trail. For more information contact Bobby.Fulcher@state.tn.us or 423-566-2229. web cast at http://www.wdvx.com/.

Sycamore Shoals March - October Guest Naturalist Tour & Lecture Series
Throughout the year, area naturalists will be joining us at varied times to share in their areas of expertise. Guided tours, hikes, talks, and field trips will explore the park and other areas of natural
interest. For more information, visit www.sycamoreshoals.org or call (423) 543-5808.

Sycamore Shoals March - December Traditional Arts Workshops
Join us for these great workshops that offer a unique opportunity to learn traditional and primitive art forms from expert instructors! Pre-registration will be required in addition to an instructor and materials fee. For more information, visit www.sycamoreshoals.org or call (423) 543-5808.

Cumberland Trail April Sunday Nights 8:30 pm WDVX 89.9 fm
Join Bob Fulcher as he presents rare old-time bluegrass, gospel, rockabilly and more, 1926 to present day, from musicians who were born and raised along the Cumberland Trail. For more information contact Bobby.Fulcher@state.tn.us or 423-566-2229. web cast at http://www.wdvx.com/.

Natchez Trace April Seagraves Trail Ride
Bring your horses and come to the Annual Seagraves Trail Ride. This ride is in memory of a local cowboy. The event is held at the Natchez Trace Wrangler Camp and will include a bar-b-que meal and auction. Contact (731) 968-3742.

Natchez Trace April 8th Grade History Trip
This is a field day for 8th graders. Students will have the opportunity to walk through a living timeline with re-enactors for various times in our states history. There will be demonstrations on various time periods including the 1700,1800, Civil War, CCC and Present Day. Alisha.Weber@state.tn.us or (731) 968-3742.

Sycamore Shoals April - October Guest Naturalist Tour & Lecture Series
Throughout the year, area naturalists will be joining us at varied times to share in their areas of expertise. Guided tours, hikes, talks, and field trips will explore the park and other areas of natural interest. For more information, visit www.sycamoreshoals.org or call (423) 543-5808.

Sycamore Shoals April - December Traditional Arts Workshops
Join us for these great workshops that offer a unique opportunity to learn traditional and primitive art forms from expert instructors! Pre-registration will be required in addition to an instructor and materials fee. For more information, visit www.sycamoreshoals.org or call (423) 543-5808.

Fort Pillow April 12& 13 144th Anniversary Reenactment Weekend
This event will give the public a chance to see what life was like for soldiers during the Civil War. There will be various living history programs and visitors will be able to tour both Union and Confederate encampments. Vendors will be available to provide food and souvenirs. A reenactment skirmish will take place both Saturday and Sunday. Greg.S.Taylor@state.tn.us or Robby.Tidwell@state.tn.us or (731) 738-5581.

Cedars of Lebanon April 17 Third Thursday Bluegrass Jam Session
Bluegrass Jam Session for individuals and groups. Pick in the back room, the front porch, under a tree or on stage with other bluegrass musicians. This is a great way for beginners to learn to play with a group and for the seasoned picker to stay in practice or show off their skills. This event takes place the THIRD Thursday of the month beginning November 15, 2007 and ending with the last Jam Session on April 17, 2008. For further information call (615) 286-1390.

Bledsoe Creek April 19 Earth Day Activites
Bledsoe Creek State park will be hosting Earth Day activities. Bledsoe Creek State Park is located at 400 Zieglers Fort Rd Gallatin TN. Their will be interpretive programs and many activities for the kids. Tangle wing, Corp of Engineers, TN State Parks, Friends of Bledsoe Creek State Park, and organizations from around the area will be present for the activities. Hope you will be able to join us for the fun and celebration the wonders our State Parks have to offer. 10 am - 2 pm. For more information (615) 452 3706.

Standing Stone April 18 &19 Spring Naturalist Rally
Join our park’s special guests, at the Standing Stone Naturalist Rally, for a fun, educational experience as we take a jaunt through Standing Stone’s wild woods and natural history. Regardless if you’re a nature enthusiast or just enjoy a walk in the woods the rally has something to offer everyone. We hope you will come, enjoy your visit, and learn much about the natural history of the area. Contact: Shawn Hughes, Shawn.Hughes@state.tn.us or (931) 823-6347.

Warriors Path April 18 - 20 Spring Nature Festival
Experience the delights of spring nature discovery in the great Tennessee outdoors. Participate in seminars taught by professionals, and hikes guided by trained naturalists. Topics include: spring wildflowers, tracking, astronomy, stream life, local geology, spring trees, and more! Free. Marty.Silver@state.tn.us or (423) 239-6786. Sycamore Shoals April 19 Landscape Seminar & Plant Auction An exciting array of unusual ornamental & native perennials, trees and shrubs will be auctioned during this event. A great opportunity to add new species to your landscape! Sponsored by The UT Extension Service, E.Tenn. Nursery Assoc., and the Eliz/Carter Co. Chamber of Commerce. For more information, visit www.sycamoreshoals.org or call (423) 543-5808.

Davy Crockett April 22 Earth Day Celebration
Birthplace Join us in celebrating nature on Earth Day. Environmental awareness and improving wildlife habitats will be our focus. We will plant deciduous trees native to our region on the park and we will have a limited amount of free trees to give away for all those that participate in this event. Activities will begin at the Campground Pavilion at 1:00 pm. For more information please contact Dawn.Coleman@state.tn.us or call (423) 257-2167. Sycamore Shoals April 26 Community Plant Exchange The front parking lot will be bustling this morning! Bring cuttings and potted outdoor and indoor plants, to exchange for species you don’t have. A fun way to meet other gardeners and increase your collection. For more information, visit www.sycamoreshoals.org or call (423) 543-5808.

Sycamore Shoals April 26 Mountain River Concert
Our continuing series of performances highlight the talents of traditional musicians from our region. Join us at 7:00pm in the Sycamore Shoals Visitors Center on the last Saturday of every month except July, September, November, and December. Admissions Charge. For more information, visit www.sycamoreshoals.org or call (423) 543-5808.

Information provided by: www.tnstateparks.com.

Bentley VentureTree Team

The Bonnaroo Aftermath

Bonnaroo ’07 turned out to be a very big disappointment. I felt that the a lot of things had changed from good to horrible since Bonnaroo 2003. Commercial vendors lined most of the main walkways and the lights caused way too

much distraction, made it difficult to walk, and could not imagine trying to sleep near one for the smells and sounds of their equipment. The do-it-yourself vendors where forced to use less than adequate areas to sell their merchandise and some of those locations were next to the line up of portable restrooms. Due the drought that had been going on in the area the whole area was extremely dusty. Bonnaroo tried to water down some of the walkways and streets around campsites, but they did not do this inside the actual venue. During Tool I could barely breathe due to all the dust that was stirred up from everyone moving to and fro. This dust problem continued through out the entire weekend. It was so bad various cars seemed to have at least an inch of dust on them.

The music side of Bonnaroo was less the normal. It appeared to have a long list of artists but in most cases it all sounded the same. For some artist like Tool, Government Mule, Galatic, STS9, Mute Math, String Cheese Incident, Ziggy Marley, Ben Harper, Kings of Leon, The Roots, Dierks Bentley, and a few others created a great atmosphere for everyone to enjoy. Then there were artist like Sting and the Police that for a lack of a better word sucked. There was no stage presence and they appeared to be a bunch of strangers up on stage trying to play together. They were suppose to play from 9:00p.m. to 11:30p.m. The fans decided around 10:15 p.m. right about the time that Roxanne played that it was time to leave the Police and go sit for the next artist at the other stages. Now, this would not be bad if the other artist would start at a time shortly after 10:15, but the other artist did not start until midnight. If approximately 75% of your fan base leaves to go seat and wait on something else that will start an hour and forty-five minutes later, I think I would have tried to come up with something to get them to stay and watch my performance and there was nothing. The bottom line Sting and the Police were very poorly represented. The music stages were divided into one main stage, one medium stage, three somewhat small stages, and three bar size stages. The big artist got to play at the big stage and so on.

The lack of music and too many events at Bonnaroo made me feel like there was more stuff to do rather than to listen too. I am a music-a-holic. I enjoy listening to variety of music from a variety of different talented artist. I enjoy meandering through the stages from time to time to experience and hear something new. I usually start at a artist that I do not know yet listen for a about 30 minutes and then meander off to the next stage and so on until I have visited all the medium to small stages. If someone has truly caught my ear I will stay or head back that direction if they are still playing. If that does not satisfy my hunger I head over to the Lala music tent and purchase a compact disc to add to my never ending collection. This year I felt that Bonnaroo was more like the state fairgrounds with there setup. There were too many distracting activities to do and lack of really good music.

As I walked through the crowds people focused on any area that had shade, the internet tent were you could check your email or contact a friend, the mushroom water fountain, and the unique merchandise tents were places of interest. Showers for $10.00 and sulfur water to drink just did not float my boat and some just use these things because there was nothing else. The water was sulfur free from about Thursday morning to about late Friday afternoon. Then from the point on sulfur water was in all the water stations around the venue. If you had a slight hangover or was just basically struggling that day you could just imagine what the smell of sulfur water would do to you. The water stations unlike in the past (2003) were placed inside trailers that made it hard to get into with too many faucets and too little room to get you water bottle filled without embedding your shoulder in your neighbor who was at the faucet next to you. If you were trying to just douse your head in the water there was just no room. Another thing was that there was no warnings, suggestions, or statements telling the public at the venue to hydrate yourselves in the humid weather as a kind reminder. They did not even mention the death of a patron during the weekend and had no “Just Say NO” advertisements or suggestion to the public about the effects of alcohol, various drugs and dehydration have on the body in varied climates. Better yet there were not any tents concerning this matter.

It appeared that they were more focused on making money or trying to raise money for some specific cause but were not willing to help the patrons that have some issues right in front of their face. They did represent in great detail the eco-friendly clubs and events. One of the few good points was the emphasis that they put on trying to get everyone to be eco-friendly and to recycle. They have stations set up all around the venue to separate the dark glass, light glass, plastic, and cans into separate metal drums. They made artistic statues and decorations out of recycle products to demonstrate in a hands on approach.

In conclusion I would prefer to have way too much music than a lack of there of. I would rather keep my $184.50, $199.50, or $214.50 and go to the state fair and fight a smaller crowd to have more fun riding all the various rides. This way I could still go home and have a nice shower for near free and not have to pay $10.00 or suffer with drinking smelly sulfur water. I could even flip through the various compact discs or my XM radio to here more artist and songs for a better price that what was offered this year at the Bonnaroo.

Bentley Venture Tree Team

McNett Micronet Towel | Travel Towel

I got a real chance to test the towel last year in Mexico. We stayed in a house that had no dryer and we were on the move a lot so having a towel that dried fast and stored compactly was crucial. No one wants a heavy damp towel in their gear bag. On real hot, dry days, this towel dries in minutes. It works great and has a variety of uses.

The towel has a chamois feel to it and when you are drying you have to almost bunch it up and rub your limbs dry. But it gets the job done, and that's the important thing. Its microfiber weave allows it to dry faster after it has been used. Some people will argue that the "drying" experience isn't like a cotton towel, but I say, you're in the woods, its all about getting away from those creature comforts. Plus, this beats some of the other "travel towels" out there as far as comfort and drying ability. Mcnett's medium size allows me to fold it up and stuff it in my back pocket, a feature you won't get with a regular towel...Unless you dry yourself with a washcloth sized towel.

Features: the size I was testing was the medium (20 x 40 in). I would suggest getting the larger size (30 x 50 in) for car camping and normal traveling. As far as backpacking where lightweight is a necessity, the medium size works great at 3.5 ounces The Mcnett towel came with a store bag that I hardly use. It has a mesh front with a waterproof back. The other side of the storage bag is another pocket to add a small shampoo bottle and some soap and any other essentials. On one corner of the towel there is a hang strap that has a snap closure to secure it on the back of a backpack, the handle of a shower stall or sometimes as my case is, a tree branch near a river or creek.

This towel does what it's supposed to do. It's light, compact, dries you, and dries fast.

They run about $15-$20 and well worth the price.
You can find one at: botachtactical.com/mcnetttowel.html

Pikka | Venture Tree Team