When Tom Gamble鈥檚 grandfather arrived in Napa Valley, California, in 1916, wine grapes did not seem like the best crop for a new farmer鈥攍awmakers were discussing Prohibition at the time. So Gamble鈥檚 grandfather planted olives, tomatoes, pears, walnuts, and hay crops, and he raised livestock. It wasn鈥檛 until the 1980s that the Gamble family got into the region鈥檚 most well-known crop, and now听Gamble is the owner of the 175-acre Gamble Family Vineyard, a sizable operation amid some of the valley鈥檚 most prestigious terroir.

As a third-generation farmer, Gamble knows that adjusting to the weather has always been part of agriculture. When he was a kid, the Napa River was dry, and he often rode his dirt bike in the riverbed. 鈥淲e would never do that today,鈥� he said鈥�the Napa Valley has made a concerted effort to restore the aquifers and protect the watershed through legislation and sustainability initiatives.

But the weather has gotten worse. Because of the human-caused climate crisis, Gamble and other winemakers are battling extreme heat, unseasonable cold, torrential rain, and drought, not to mention wildfires. Sustainability initiatives are no longer sufficient: according听to a Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, long-established vineyards in Napa and other wine regions around the world will need to migrate or adapt to the changing climate in order to survive. In a scenario where the earth warms by 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit)鈥攁 scenario that is 鈥攖he findings estimate that 56 percent of worldwide wine grapes would be wiped out. Losses may be unavoidable in countries that are already hot, such as Italy, Spain, and Australia. Meanwhile, historically cooler wine-growing regions, like Germany, New Zealand, and the Pacific Northwest, could become suitable for warmer varieties like mourv猫dre and grenache, while pinot noir, a delicate, thin-skinned grape that grows best in a cool climate, could expand northward into new viticulture regions. Oenophiles who鈥檝e come to love certain varietals and vintages are going to have to buckle up for change and uncertainty.

Napa Valley first achieved worldwide fame in 1976 at a prestigious French wine competition called the Judgement of Paris. Two wines from the region, a听听and a听, won the event鈥檚 top honors. This surprise win skyrocketed the wine industry in Napa.

Today there are more than 44,000 acres of vineyards in the Napa Valley, and over 50 percent of that acreage is dedicated to cabernet sauvignon, a small grape with thick skin that has a naturally low yield but makes complex, full-bodied wines with supple tannins and aromas of black fruit and leather. While it is grown in a variety of climates, the premium cabernets are from regions like Napa Valley and Bordeaux, France, where the fruit stays on the vine longer, allowing the grape and tannins to fully develop.

According to the , between 1895 and 2018, California warmed an average of 2.3 degrees Fahrenheit during the wine-growing season. Last year the state endured its听. Rising temperatures are forcing grapes to ripen too quickly on the vine, lowering their acidity and increasing their sugar, which makes for wines that taste flat and are less dynamic in the glass. A grape that ripens later also stays on the vine longer, which means it鈥檚 at a higher risk of听wildfire-induced smoke taint that can penetrate the grape鈥檚 skin and give the wine a smell and flavor of an ashtray or a campfire.

In the face of these challenges, many winegrowers in Napa Valley are slowly starting to make changes and experiment in the vineyard. This year, Gamble will begin replanting vines lower to the ground on weather-resistant native rootstock听and adjusting the vines鈥� row orientation to protect grapes from the hot midday sun. He is also experimenting with varieties like syrah and zinfandel, which are more suitable to a warmer climate, rather than the popular Napa cab.

Situated at the northern end of the valley, Larkmead Vineyards is a historic wine estate established in 1895. While the winery makes cabernet and Bordeaux-style blends, it established its reputation with merlot鈥攁 varietal known for its lush and velvety texture, with notes of red fruits and dark chocolate. But it鈥檚 getting harder to grow. With warming temperatures, the heat-sensitive,听thin-skinned grape overripens and the acidity drops, resulting in a wine that tastes flabby and lacks depth and complexity.

Last year in听its three-acre research block, Larkmead planted one white variety (chenin blanc) and eight reds, including tempranillo, touriga nacional, and syrah鈥攙arieties that have historically done well听in other hot viticulture areas like Italy, Spain, and Australia. They are typically more fruit forward and juicy, but Larkmead is mostly hoping to find out which grapes might blend well with cabernet. 鈥淐ab is not going away,鈥� says Avery Heelan, the head winemaker at Larkmead. 鈥淏ut it is getting hotter and hotter here every day, and we need to adapt.鈥�

It takes five years for a vineyard to hit a fully mature yield, so Heelan, Gamble, and others won鈥檛 see results any time soon. And replanting simply for temperature will not solve everything.听鈥淟ater ripening does not mean it is heat tolerant or uses water well,鈥� says Beth Forrestel, an assistant professor and a plant biologist in the department of viticulture and enology at the University of California at Davis. 鈥淎nd it doesn鈥檛 mean it makes good wine.鈥�

Forrestel is working on updating the Winkler Index, a study that growers use to match suitable wine-grape varieties with different regions in California. The new study is analyzing 24 varieties鈥攊ncluding Spanish, Portuguese, southern Italian, and Greek wines鈥攆or their response to heat extremes and drought, and assessing their tannins and aromas, elements which are critical to wine quality. It鈥檚 a long-term project, but Forrestel says she already has favorite varieties, although she won鈥檛 share which just yet. (She says she鈥檒l have some useful data to share in the next year or two.)

But听it鈥檚 not just vineyards that need to make changes. For all the challenges in growing wine grapes, consumers also need to adjust. And Tom Gamble thinks younger generations will be more willing to try new wines. Each generation has a better palate than the last, he says: 鈥淭hey are so experimental.鈥� According to the , consumers are now interested in a wide variety of alcoholic beverages, including spirits, craft beer, foreign wine, and spiked seltzers, instead of the premium domestic wine that previous generations gravitated toward.

In a few years, you might be听tasting a touriga nacional or tempranillo from Napa Valley, a mourv猫dre from Washington State, or a pinot noir from Canada. The wine might be something you have never heard of鈥攂ut the world hadn鈥檛 heard of Napa cab, either, in the 1970s, when the first wines from that region were showed at the Judgement of Paris.

鈥淲e have pushed the limits, and we are swinging back to nuance,鈥� Gamble said. 鈥淣ow we are thinking about how we can make wine that is not only more indicative of the terroir in Napa at large, but all of the microclimates. These aren鈥檛 going to be your parents鈥� wines.鈥�

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Nothing halts an outdoor celebration like a broken bottle. While craft beer has been enjoying an abundance of options in cans over the past 20 years, until recently, those who preferred canned wine were limited to poor-quality reds and whites.听Now, at long last, more wineries are turning to aluminum packaging to showcase their offerings鈥攁nd we鈥檙e not talking about the headache-inducing cheap stuff.

Whether you鈥檙e drinking wine straight from the can or pouring it into a camp cup, there are delicious options on the market with various varietals and price points. Over three days, a test team of bartenders, servers, and sommeliers from mountain-town restaurants gathered outdoors to blind-taste more than 30 selections of canned wine. Each taster brought their own outdoor drinking vessel, which included reusable tumblers, coffee mugs, and plastic cups. We took notes on flavor, aroma, and suggested pairings, and scored wines based on overall drinkability. Of the six chosen favorites, below, all but one are standard beer-can size: approximately 12 fluid ounces.

Underwood Ros茅 Bubbly ($7)

The Underwood ros茅 bubbly was the unanimous favorite of our tasting panel. It was a winner when consumed from the can or poured into a mug, and tasted great served cold as well as while it warmed up. This Oregon sparkling wine听is made with pinot noir grapes and blended with chardonnay and pinot gris, resulting in a drink that鈥檚 lush, with notes of strawberry and watermelon. 鈥淚t鈥檚 delicious,鈥� one taster said. 鈥淪parkling ros茅 in a can鈥攚hat a time to be alive!鈥� No matter your preferred activity, be it spending the day lakeside, skiing spring corn, or riding singletrack, this bubbly will help celebrate a good day outdoors.

Revelshine White California ($15)

Crisp and refreshing, the Revelshine White blend is a top choice for drinking on a sunny听day. The wine is best consumed cold; however, a few tasters noted that it was still palatable at warmer听temperatures. 鈥淚 would like to drink this floating the river,鈥� one said. And you easily could, thanks to innovative packaging鈥攖he unbreakable aluminum bottle features a screw top, is recyclable, and can be resealed and reused. Testers agreed that, due to its volume (500 milliliters, compared with a standard wine bottle鈥檚 750 milliliters), this wine should be shared and poured into a camp cup, although at least one tester said, 鈥淚鈥檇 drink straight from the bottle.鈥� Light and pleasant on the tongue, with notes of citrus and stone fruits like apricot and peach, this is an excellent choice for a summer picnic or barbecue.

Las Jaras Waves White ($12)

Our team of tasters ogled at the packaging of the natural Waves wines (white, pictured here, as well as red and ros茅, which wow with a glittery colorful graphic by artist Jen Stark. Once testers got past the can, they agreed the wines were flavorful and enjoyable. This white was on the sweeter side of the wines in our taste test, and both soft and light. It had flavors of tropical stone fruits and, as one tester put it,听is reminiscent of Starburst candy.

Priest Ranch Ros茅 ($10)

Many of our favorite wines in a can were ros茅s鈥攖here are many good options available, probably because ros茅 lends itself to fluctuating outdoor temperatures. This one stood out above the rest. Testers agreed that Priest Ranch鈥檚 flagship wine in a can is 鈥渘ot just a summer wine鈥� and will be just as delicious while tailgating at the ski hill听as it is fly-fishing at your favorite river. The wine is a blend of 60 percent malbec and 40 percent Grenache blanc, and it offers notes of strawberry and raspberry. One tester suggested that it would pair well with smoked trout or a cheese selection.

House Wine Original Red Blend ($6)

On a sweltering day, the Original House Wine red blend tasted great consumed cold, straight out of the ice chest, both from the can or poured in a cup (unlike many red wines we tried). It also held up well as it warmed in the sunshine. This is a medium-bodied and fruit-forward red, with notes of red berries, made from 40 percent cabernet sauvignon, 40 percent merlot, and 20 percent syrah grapes grown in Chile. One taster said the wine was 鈥渓ike a party on my palate,鈥� thanks to its bright, juicy flavors. At 12.5 percent alcohol by volume, this offering isn鈥檛 as strong as other red wines, which means you (hopefully) won鈥檛 get obliterated after a big day outdoors.

Browne Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon ($15)

Without a doubt, this was the best red wine in our taste test: full-bodied but still super drinkable from the can. Cabernet is known for its tannins, natural preservatives that can taste bitter in a young wine,听and is best suited for aging in the cellar. But this wine from the Columbia Valley in Washington State was smooth on the palate and provided long-lasting flavors. Black-fruit notes, like boysenberry and plum, stood out, as did hints of leather, and it tasted best after being poured into a camping cup rather than consumed from the can. This wine will impress the true outdoors oenophile who does not want to give up quality for the can. One tester suggested pairing it with dark-chocolate s鈥檓ores and a campfire.

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Scott Jurek is going for the Appalachian Trail speed record鈥攁gain. In 2015, Jurek broke Jennifer Pharr Davis鈥檚 northbound record by 3 hours and 13 minutes. But his time of 46 days, 8 hours, and 7 minutes was later shattered by Karel Sabbe in 41 days, 7 hours, and 39 minutes in 2018.

鈥淚 feel like I left something on the table,鈥� said Jurek. 鈥淭he last time was like an on-sight project.鈥�

For this attempt, he鈥檚 heading southbound, starting in Maine and finishing the 2,189-mile route in Georgia. Jurek is already four days into the trail, having left on August 4 at 7 A.M. ET. Karl Meltzer set the current southbound record time of 45 days, 22 hours, and 38 minutes in 2016. But Jurek鈥檚 goal isn鈥檛 simply to break the southbound record. He wants to break 40 days, which would make him the fastest AT thru-hiker of all time in either direction by more than one day.

鈥淭he goal is to really go for it,鈥� said Jurek. 鈥淗opefully I can utilize and learn from last time.鈥�

Jurek is the seven-time听winner of the Western States 100-Mile Endurance Run and has notched victories in the historic 153-mile Spartathlon in Greece and some of North America鈥檚 most grueling ultramarathons, including the Hardrock 100 and the Badwater 135-Mile Ultramarathon. He is The New York Times best-selling author of and , which he co-authored with his wife, Jenny, about his record-breaking northbound run on the AT.

鈥淭he terrain is mind bending at times, the mountains are big, the way the trail courses, the social aspect, the history,鈥� he said. 鈥淐oming out to the East feels a little like a homecoming to me.鈥�

In his second run on the AT, Jurek will have more experience and knowledge to draw from, especially when things get rough. 鈥淭he amount I learned last time was huge鈥攙ast,鈥� said Jurek. 鈥淲hat amazes me with endurance events is the depth and level I am able to go. Just when I think I have gone to the edge, I have to go out even further on that edge. That part of me had been explored in ultrarunning, but not to the level I had to go on the AT.鈥�

Meltzer鈥檚 current southbound record is ten hours faster than Jurek鈥檚 northbound time, though Meltzer thinks his record is 鈥渟oft,鈥� explaining that he had several 鈥渓ousy鈥� days. 鈥淚 was great for 18 days, and then I had shin problems,鈥� said Meltzer. 鈥淚t didn鈥檛 all click in the middle sections for me鈥攖here is room for improvement.鈥�

While Jurek agrees the southbound record can go lower, he also says with a laugh that 鈥渋t鈥檚 definitely not soft.鈥�

The typical thru-hiker takes five to seven months to complete the AT, and most prefer the north-to-south direction because the terrain is more manageable to start and it gives them time to get their trail legs under them. But Meltzer thinks a well-trained runner can be faster going southbound by running the more technical and challenging terrain early on while the legs are fresh, and then moving quicker at the end.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a personal preference,鈥� he said, but 鈥渋t鈥檚 not easy either way.鈥�

Since his northbound record in 2015, which is still the third-fastest today, Jurek has become a dad twice. 鈥淣othing has changed at all,鈥� he joked. 鈥淣o, really, things have changed drastically. It鈥檚 tough finding a balance and ways to incorporate things we love to do and hauling the kids around.鈥�

That鈥檚 why it鈥檚 taken six years to find the time to go back to the AT. Since having kids, Jenny has been working on regaining fitness and running marathons. The entire family has spent a lot of time on the track together. Now Scott is looking forward to his kids being a part of his own endurance goals for the first time.

Jenny will again be driving a support van with Raven (5) and Evergreen (3), but she won鈥檛 crew full time and will be off and on the trail finding playgrounds and spending time with friends and family along the way.

A full-time, three-person crew including Meltzer, Thomas Gathman, and Cate Striplin will support Jurek in another van.

鈥淚t is a gift to be able to explore the world, moving through the land with an appreciation for the people who came before us,鈥� said Jurek. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not just about the record, it鈥檚 about experiencing the land and my body鈥檚 potential, but I just love being out there and looking at plants and trees and rocks.鈥�

The post Scott Jurek Is Attempting an FKT on the AT, Again appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

As my sisters and I walked through the front door of the nursing home in Valencia, California, Dad ran past the reception desk with two nurses in close pursuit. Dressed in听blue jeans and a plaid flannel shirt, he did not look like a runner, but you could see it in his stride.

Dad had been a runner for as long as I can remember. Growing up, I watched him run听races and eventually started jogging with him. I could spot听his tall frame lumbering from a distance. He was a heel striker who was always pushing the pace.

The nurses chasing after him seemed less worried than inconvenienced. A receptionist behind the desk pushed the sign-in sheet toward us. It was late afternoon, and staff members were setting up tables in the dining room. Across the hallway, seniors were听gathering for punch in a sitting room where visiting musicians played at a weekend happy-hour reception.

Dad was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer鈥檚 disease at 58. When he was 64, the degeneration had progressed to the point of needing help. He got lost in the neighborhood he had lived in for over 30 years. He left the stove on. He couldn鈥檛 speak in complete sentences, and he wandered outside at night. He was a danger to himself.

We worried about him getting hit by a car or burning down the house. My sisters and I worried about Mom鈥檚 health, too. As his primary caregiver, the stress was taking a toll on her body. She had dark circles under her eyes and had lost an unhealthy amount of weight.听So听we moved Dad into a care facility. The place was close to home, it had nice landscaping, and we could visit easily and often. Still, it was the hardest decision of any of our lives. It felt like giving up.

As he ran by that day, Dad smiled, looking over his shoulder at us, his three girls. He laughed wildly and kept running. That听was two years before he died. The disease was ravaging his brain, and at the听moment he was sprinting听down the hallway as if it were a childish game of chase.

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The adventure photographer and filmmaker Cody Tuttle听died in a paragliding accident in the Southern Sierra Nevada on Wednesday, August 14. At approximately 1:20 P.M., an Inyo County Sheriff鈥檚 dispatch of Tuttle鈥檚 emergency InReach activation north of Striped Mountain and south of Taboose Pass, near Independence, California.

A Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks helicopter located Tuttle at 12,600 feet and confirmed that he was dead, but because of the altitude and afternoon heat,听rescuers听were unable to complete the recovery until the following morning,听with the assistance of California Highway Patrol Coastal Division Air Operations.听He was flown to Bishop Airport, where custody was transferred to the Inyo County coroner.听

Tuttle was with three other paraglider pilots听who had launched from Walt鈥檚 Point, near Horseshoe Meadows, outside the town of Lone Pine. The others landed safely in Bishop. It is unclear if he activated the emergency device while flying or if it happened on impact, and at this time, there is no conclusive information on what went wrong.听

After a long flight the day prior, Tuttle was looking forward to what he considered good flying conditions, which were lining up just right for an attempt at breaking the California distance record that day. Owens Valley is notorious for its turbulent thermals, high winds, and potential for long flights. The region is considered extreme for paragliding, and Tuttle described it as a 鈥済ood training ground for Himalayan adventures鈥� in a 2018 article that he wrote for 听magazine.

In the past four years, Tuttle has established himself as a fixture in the small yet elite alpine听and paragliding hike-to-fly scene. As an , he was sponsored听by brands including Big Agnes, F-stop, and Lowa.听

In July, Tuttle went to the Brooks Range on a听self-supported paragliding and camping trip, hiking and flying across the Arctic National听Wildlife Refuge . Others have flown in the Brooks Range previously, but their听was the first expedition with the goal of crossing a major section of the mountains听via a series of flights. They set out for 18 days to experience the large swath of wilderness, which is currently in danger of being opened for drilling.

鈥淭he world is quickly changing and these moments are fleeting,鈥� Tuttle wrote upon his return . 鈥淭he time is now to go have an experience like this, to see the world, and fight to protect these wild places. The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is worth fighting for.鈥�

Friends described Tuttle as humble and kind. 鈥淗e was a solid, good guy,鈥� close friend Josh Dibble said. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 know many people who love [their] wife as much as he did.鈥�

In 2015, Tuttle, who was rapidly growing his action-sports photography career, went paragliding for the first time on assignment to film Dave Turner, a record-breaking California pilot who also lived in the Eastern Sierra Nevada.听

鈥淥ut here on the east side, all the flying sites are wild and free. There鈥檚 no membership, no insurance, no license, no certifications鈥� everything is cowboy out here,鈥� Turner . 鈥淭he Owens Valley and the Eastern Sierra are world-famous for turbulence, extreme flying conditions, extremely high altitudes achieved with the paraglider, and strong winds.鈥�

Later that year, Tuttle was on an American expedition of Annapurna in the Himalayas when a 7.9-magnitude earthquake devastated Nepal. The climbing team retreated from its听base camp and joined the relief effort, trekking听over high passes听in the听mountainous regions of Gorkha and Manasalu to reach remote villages cut off by the听landslides.听

鈥淭his changed the way I looked at the world,鈥� Tuttle recently said in .听 鈥淚 began to switch my focus from documenting action sports to sharing stories of humanity and exploring how I could use my influence as a photographer to tell the stories of the voiceless.鈥澨�

He returned to Nepal the following year to continue working for听relief efforts听and also began a short film documenting one low-caste family听in the isolated Himalayan village of Samagau and the ongoing struggle of the Nepali people to survive.听

It was during these return trips for some of his documentaries that Tuttle began to dream about flying from Himalayan mountaintops. He mentioned the idea to a few friends and started training.听

He published this photo essay about his Himalayan travels on 国产吃瓜黑料听Online.

In 2017, Matt Segal, a flying partner of Tuttle鈥檚, had a near fatal accident near Bishop while training for a Himalayan expedition. In writing about that accident for Cross Country, Tuttle reflected on the dangers of the sport:

So, the question I have been asking myself is: how do we keep our ambition in check, yet still push the boundaries of the sport? How do we remain true to those child-like feelings, which made us take those first flights before any knowledge of what was possible? How do we keep emotion out of the decision-making process while participating in a sport that at its core delivers such powerful emotional experience?听 As a pilot, I face this as my greatest work in progress.

Tuttle, originally of Port Huron, Michigan, was 32 years old. He is survived by his wife, Cherise Tuttle, parents Tod and Kathy Tuttle, and sister Danielle Bukowski.

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On Friday, July 12, Sheryl and Joseph Powell, both 60-years-old听from Huntington Beach, California, pulled off on a dirt road in the of California鈥檚 White Mountains, a remote range that divides the Golden State and Nevada.

After looking around for a few minutes, they agreed on a campsite. While Joe repositioned the vehicle, Sheryl and their four-pound, 12-year-old Yorkie Poo听named Miley, stood under the shade of a tree.

Within five minutes of听parking听the car, Joe noticed Sheryl and Miley were gone. He searched the area, honked the horn, blew a whistle, and called for her, but didn鈥檛 hear anything. About 45 minutes after they first arrived at the campsite, he activated an emergency signal on a SPOT device and a multi-agency search was soon underway.听

Joe knew something was off. There was no way she could have just gotten lost while setting up camp.听A mountain lion attack seemed unlikely鈥攊t would have left a trace of something. Rattlesnakes don鈥檛 eat humans whole. She was not planning on going for a hike: she had no phone, food, or water.

Joe had the windows rolled up while he moved the car. Sheryl wandered close by, looking for a flat place to pitch the tent. She peed behind a tree.

According to Sheryl, a man appeared, made a sexual remark,听and threatened her with a knife, grabbing her left wrist. She managed to wrestle free of his grip and run. She ran fast and far, carrying Miley under her arm. Not knowing if the man was chasing her, she chose to avoid the canyon she鈥檇 fled from and instead hiked cross-country with the intention of going back up the road to the camp. Sheryl soon听realized she was lost.听

Meanwhile, Sheryl鈥檚 children Greg, 29, and Farrah, 27, drove up to the area from their homes in Los Angeles听and Santa Barbara, respectively. The family set up听a GoFundMe听on July 13听and raised听$40,000. They wanted听to use the funding to hire a private investigator. News trucks arrived (they are now in the process of issuing refunds). Psychics called. Posters were posted.

Days passed. Sheryl eventually found a spring with stagnant water. She worried about her family searching for her. She ate cactus and rationed a turkey treat for Miley听that she was carrying. She鈥檇 seen helicopters, but they did not see her. She thought she needed to get to higher ground to be spotted.听With the heat and her waning energy, Sheryl decided she needed to leave Miley behind.听

She tied the dog to a tree near the spring; she听planned to come back for her. On the afternoon of July 15, the search team heard Miley barking. A few hours later, they听found Sheryl.

Sheryl was immediately taken to Northern Inyo Hospital and was treated for dehydration. She was discharged the same day and is expected to recover quickly.听

鈥淚t鈥檚 a miracle鈥攁 miracle of all miracles,鈥� said Joe.听

Inyo County Sherrif鈥檚 department released the following statement: 鈥淲e are asking that the public be on the lookout for anyone matching the following description: under 6 feet, 180 pounds, bald/shiny head, dark eyes, brown eyebrows, white male but with tanned skin, potentially with a Southern accent, around 50 years old, no visible tattoos, stocky, dark colored backpack, dark green button up shirt with long sleeves, dark colored pants, armed with a 6-8 inch bladed knife with a dark colored handle…

鈥淭his case is considered an open investigation – we are urging the public to report anything that might assist by calling 760-878-0383, option 4.鈥�

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When David Roberts first climbed in Alaska, in 1963, he felt what he describes as a 鈥渨istful sorrow鈥� that he was unable to explore an unmapped region like the British explorer Eric Shipton had just a generation prior. 鈥淓very explorer thinks he was born too late,鈥� Roberts told me over the phone from his home in Watertown, Massachusetts. Yet he still managed to summit unclimbed mountains in Alaska with the help of .

His stories about those early harrowing climbs, first ascents, and deaths of climbing partners launched his writing career. His first book, the mountaineering classic , focused on the death of Roberts鈥� climbing partner Ed Bernd during the descent of Mount Huntington in Alaska. It also asked the question: Is it worth it? Over the next 50 years, Roberts established himself as a prolific climbing and adventure writer with a compulsion for that same self-examination.

, released in February, continues the trend while addressing historical expeditions, why we go on them, our relationship with risk, and Roberts鈥� own history with his friends and wife. Questions of mortality are prevalent, but it鈥檚 a different kind of mortality, as he grapples with stage four throat cancer and reflects on his relationship with his wife, Sharon. 鈥淚 might die in a year or two鈥擨 had to come to terms with that. I didn鈥檛 want to ignore the cancer, I wanted to write about it,鈥� Roberts says. (Full disclosure: I met Roberts six years ago at an outdoor writer鈥檚 conference, and he has since become a good friend and mentor.)

Research for Roberts鈥� books typically involves expeditions and physical demands he could not take on with cancer. Limits of the Known was a book he could write while undergoing treatment. In his weakened state, Roberts hired a research assistant for the first time, wrote longhand, and dictated to his wife, who then 鈥渢irelessly typed away.鈥� His illness also changed his perspective. 鈥淚 thought in a way that I hadn鈥檛 before,鈥� Roberts says. 鈥淲hat do all of these years of adventure and climbing and hiking and exploring add up to? What is it about? Not just for me, but what is the value of adventure in other people鈥檚 lives and in society?鈥�

There is a lot history packed into this book in order to answer those questions, starting with Norwegian explorer Fridtjof Nansen, who, in 1893, got closer to the North Pole than anyone had before. (The title of Roberts鈥� book is a nod to Nansen and part of a quote from his book, .) Roberts also writes in-depth about Shipton and H.W. Tilman, pioneers of the light-and-fast alpine climbing style and early explorers of Pakistan鈥檚 Karakoram Range.

Though Roberts celebrates great explorers of our time through the current era, he also contrasts what he considers true adventure with what it has become today with the prevalence of cell- and satellite phones, radio, internet, rescue planes, and helicopters. He maintains that technology and the 鈥渕achinery of communication鈥� have adulterated exploration and adventure.

Writing about Henry Worsley鈥檚 much-lauded 2016 attempt to , Roberts notes that although the attempt was noble, Worsley was in 鈥渃onstant contact via radio and sat phone to a support team.鈥� The team rescued Worsley when he collapsed 30 miles short of his goal; he died two days later in a hospital. 鈥淵es, Worsley died in the effort to set a polar record. But compared to the paragons of the golden age of Antarctic exploration鈥擲cott, Shackleton, Amundsen, Mawson, and their men鈥擶orsley and his rivals in the modern polar game are not playing for keeps,鈥� Roberts writes. These chapters are full of detail, easy to read, and ultimately thought-provoking: Why are so many of us attracted to risk and exploring the unknown?

But Roberts鈥� view of today鈥檚 state of adventure is more optimistic than it seems at first. 鈥淔or years I鈥檝e been a grumpy critic of things like guided trips on Everest that seize all the media attention鈥攖hey are essentially bogus versions of adventure,鈥� Roberts says. 鈥淚 wanted to also make a case for the kinds of things that were going on that really are adventurous, like what Sam Meacham is doing in the cenotes in the Yucatan.鈥� Cave diving, Roberts says, is in its golden age of exploration, even if the general masses have not taken notice.

As he tackles the big question of why we adventure, Roberts also posits that the idea that adventure leads to self-discovery is as overreaching as saying travel changes a person. Psychotherapy, Roberts writes, has been a better tool for understanding the why that so many of us go searching for. 鈥淲e go off again and again on our voyages in quest of the undiscovered world because we can鈥檛 help it,鈥� he says. 鈥淲e cannot claim that it does anybody besides ourselves any good.鈥�

The most personal chapter听comes late听in the book, when Roberts writes about the intimacy of his most significant climbing partners, from the late Don Jensen to his longstanding relationships with Matt Hale, Ed Ward, Jon Krakauer, and Greg Child. But his greatest life partnership is with his wife.

Roberts writes about their trips together in Alaska鈥檚 Brooks Range鈥擲haron carrying a 45-pound load and waiting at camp with a loaded rifle while he goes off to summit a peak. When Roberts went on expeditions without Sharon, he felt the weight of risk and was concerned about her worrying about him. Married for more than 50 years now, Roberts has not written in-depth about their relationship in other books. Again, it was the cancer diagnosis that changed his perspective, sharpening his appreciation for the love that they have.

鈥淧ost-cancer, I recognize that I craved that island of safety as longingly as she did, that as much as I thought I needed to flee from the oasis of domestic tranquility, its absence had left a hole in life. Love in its purest form had always terrified me,鈥� Roberts writes.

Limits of the Known devotes its pages to where adventure has been and where it is going, but ultimately it is a book about Roberts鈥� greatest personal exploration. Sometimes the most terrifying adventures are the most rewarding after all. In grappling with his own inevitable mortality, Roberts says that in his last moments, he won鈥檛 be thinking of a mountain summit, but of Sharon.

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If you walk into a mega sports retailer to buy a pair of athletic shoes, chances are the sales rep will try to convince you to buy insoles. They鈥檙e often billed as part of the shoe-fit system, and sometimes they鈥檙e mentioned before you even select a shoe.

鈥淔rom a pure business point of view, the stores are seeing value in it,鈥� says Mark Sullivan, director of , the running industry鈥檚 trade show. 鈥淚t鈥檚 good business, so they are more aggressively selling them.鈥� According to the National Sporting Goods Association, sales of over-the-counter sporting inserts increased 18 percent from 2010 to 2014, an average increase of 4.5 percent per year, generating $398 million. Athletic footwear rose by just 2 percent in 2014.

That鈥檚 a sound business strategy for retailers. On average, insoles have a 55 percent profit margin, compared to 42 percent on athletic shoes, according to a Leisure Trends Group report.

With the increase of insole sales comes an influx of new products, all offering some way to make running just a bit easier and less painful. Spenco鈥檚 new line claims to alleviate common foot ailments such as plantar fasciitis and metatarsalgia. Vancouver-based sells customized 3D-printed insoles that are built from a foot scan taken on an iPhone. And , Europe鈥檚 leading sports-specific insole, entered the North American market in 2013.

None of these upstarts compete with behemoth Superfeet, which dominates a whopping 80 percent of the U.S. insole market. Over the past four years, the Washington-based company has expanded its product line from 17 to 32 models听and has even entered the fashion market.

Of course, with so many new options to chose from, the perennial question remains: Are any of these insoles actually worth the money?

According to a recent听study鈥攆unded by CurrexSole鈥攆rom the 听at the German Sport University Cologne, which worked on the Nike Free and Brooks Pure lines, the answer is yes. The report compared five different insoles to the sock liner of running shoes in a blind test. It found that runners gave higher comfort scores to products with a dynamic-flexible construction (CurrexSole) than to a more rigid one (Powerstep, Sidas, Sole, Superfeet).

Since the results were released at the 33rd International Conference for Biomechanics in Sport in Paris, Superfeet Europe announced its new flex insole sized by arch profiles similar to the higher-scoring CurrexSole RunPro. However, although听the results favored a dynamic flexible design, we know that most doctors don鈥檛 swear by any one insole. Their answer听is simple: run in what鈥檚 comfortable.

Researchers and doctors interviewed for this article agree that to make a purchasing decision, the insole should be immediately comfortable and feel better than the liner that comes with the shoe. They also agree that the choices today are better than ever before. 听

Selecting the best insole shouldn鈥檛 be complicated. According to Benno Nigg,听one of the most respected biomechanics researchers in the world, perceived comfort in running shoes and insoles results in fewer injuries. His听study听published in July 2015 in the British Journal of Sports Medicine听concluded that for them using their 鈥渃omfort filter鈥澨齠or selection.

鈥淭he people in the store, salespeople, even the people that make the insoles or the researchers, we don鈥檛 know what to measure to tell you what you should use,鈥� says Nigg. 鈥淭he only thing we have is our comfort feeling, which, as a matter of fact, is something that is quite good.鈥�

So if perceived comfort is the only scientifically proven way to reduce running injuries, making a decision is actually quite simple: whether it鈥檚 a rigid heel cup, 3D-printed foot scan, or dynamic flexible insole,听you know better than a salesperson what makes your feet happy.听

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The U.S. Olympic Trials marathon is shaping up to be an exciting race through the streets of Los Angeles. In addition to a few highly anticipated debuts from half marathon qualifiers, there are a lot of 2:12-men aiming for a breakthrough at the trials, as well as a few experienced threats. Among the top men seeded by qualification time there are two Olympians, one Olympic silver medalist, two U.S. marathon champions, and eight athletes hoping to make their first Olympic team this weekend.

1. Meb Keflezighi听

Three-time Olympian and 2004 Olympic silver medalist, (Sketchers) enters the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials marathon as the defending champion and fastest qualifier. Keflezighi, 40, ran his personal best 2:08:37 en route to win the 2014 Boston Marathon. Most recently, the 2009 New York City Marathon champion returned to the city in 2015 to break the American masters record running 2:13:32 for seventh place overall and first American.听

After missing the Olympic team in 2008, Keflezighi returned to win the marathon trials in 2012 and went on to place fourth at the London Games. 鈥淔our years ago I didn鈥檛 think I would be able to do what I鈥檓 doing right now,鈥� Keflezighi said in a media call. 鈥淒oing the small things makes a big difference. It鈥檚 the discipline and commitment, and also nutrition. The running part is the easy part.鈥�

2. Dathan Ritzenhein听

Three-time Olympian (Nike) will toe the line at the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials marathon as the second fastest entrant. With a 2:09:45 from the 2013 Chicago Marathon, Ritzenhein, 33, is the only other runner at the trials to dip under 2:10 during the qualification period. His 2:07:47 from the 2012 Chicago Marathon is the fastest personal record in the field and makes him the third fastest American in history.听

At the 2008 Olympics marathon in Beijing, Ritzenhein finished in ninth place overall and top American. The World Half Marathon Championships bronze medalist also made the U.S. Olympic team in the 10,000 meters听in 2004 and 2012. 听With a number of debut marathoners, returning Olympians, and a lot of 2:10-2:12 guys aiming for a breakthrough, Ritzenhein expects the 2016 trials to be more competitive than ever before. 鈥淪ix months ago a lot of people were telling me how the trials would be weak鈥攊t has since changed drastically,鈥� he says. 鈥淭his race will be amazing and it just shows the talent and depth we have in this country.鈥澨�

3. Luke Puskedra听

In his third ever marathon, Luke Puskedra (Nike) ran a personal best 2:10:24 for fifth place and first American at the 2015 Chicago Marathon. The 25-year-old nearly quit running after his debut at the 2014 New York City marathon when his times stopped improving, but after some time off he returned to racing better than ever before. His performance in Chicago was the听 and Track and Field News ranked him number one for American men鈥檚 marathon last year.听

In 2012, Puskedra competed on the track in the 10,000听meters听at the 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials finishing in eighth place. He enters the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials marathon as the third fastest qualifier.听

4. Jeffrey Eggleston听

(Adidas) ran a personal best 2:10:52 at the 2014 Gold Coast Marathon in Australia, which makes him the fourth fastest qualifier entering the U.S. Trials marathon. In 2013, Eggleston, 31, led the Americans at the World Championships marathon in Moscow placing thirteenth overall. He also represented Team USA at the 2011 and 2015 World Championships, and the 2011 Pan American Games. In 2012, Eggleston qualified for the marathon trials but did not start.

5. Ryan Vail听

(Brooks) earned a spot on the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials marathon start line running a personal best 2:10:57 at the 2014 London Marathon where he was tenth place overall and the first American. 听In 2012, Vail, who鈥檚 29, ran his debut marathon at the trials finishing in eleventh place, and then ran the 10,000听meters听at the track trials where he finished in sixth.听

鈥淚鈥檝e grown a lot as a marathoner,鈥� he said. 鈥淢ore than anything it鈥檚 just experience鈥攅xperience in the training and experience in the in racing aspect of it. Going in there knowing what to expect makes a big difference.鈥�

6. Bobby Curtis听

At the 2014 Chicago Marathon, (Brooks) ran his marathon personal best 2:11:20 for ninth place overall and first American. The Hansons-Brooks athlete competed at the U.S. Olympic Trials in the 5,000听meters听in 2008 and 10,000听meters听in 2012.听

鈥淭he marathon trials could be a changing of the guard,鈥� Curtis said. 鈥淪omeone will make their third or fourth Olympic team, or there will be a new guy making their first team. There is a lot of talent and experience, and emerging guys, but you can鈥檛 get too bogged down thinking about the competition. I plan on just taking care of myself.鈥�

7. Elkanah Kibet 听

In his debut at the distance, (U.S. Army) ran 2:11:31 at the 2015 Chicago Marathon where he led much of the race and eventually finished in seventh. The Kenyan-born runner gained U.S. citizenship when he joined the Army in 2010. After returning from deployment to Iraq (June 2014 to March 2015) where he served as a financial management technician, Kibet started training for his first marathon.听

Since his debut, Kibet was accepted in the Army鈥檚 World Class Athlete Program. His base is at Fort Carson, Colorado, but he is currently at a training camp in Tucson, Arizona. 鈥淭wo things have changed (since running a debut marathon). I used to work full time, but now my work is to run,鈥� Kibet said. 鈥淭he assignment is to come in and train. Now I have people to train with and time to relax after I run. The training is good. I should be ready.鈥�

8. Fernando Cabada听

(Newton Running) ran a personal best 2:11:36 at the 2014 Berlin Marathon where he finished eleventh overall and was the top American. Cabada, 33, ran a then-PB at the 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials marathon for seventh place. In 2008, he won the U.S. Marathon Championships. The native-Californian is currently training in the high altitude mountains outside of Mexico City.听

9. Nick Arciniaga

At the 2014 Boston Marathon, (Under Armour) ran 2:11:47, which makes him the ninth fastest qualifier for the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials. The time was just shy of his personal best of 2:11:30 from the 2011 Huston Marathon. Arciniaga, 32, competed at the 2008 and 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials marathon where he finished eighth. In 2013, he won the U.S. Marathon Championships in 2:13:11 at the Twin Cities Marathon. The California听native听lives and trains full time in Flagstaff, Arizona.听

鈥淭he competition to make the Olympic team is wide open, 鈥淎rciniaga says. 鈥淗owever, to say there are no favorites is disrespectful to both Meb and Dathan, who have established themselves and the guys to beat. Both time wise and performance wise they are a lot better than guys anyone else. Those are the two that I will be racing to beat.鈥澨�

10. Matt Llano 听

(Hoka One One) cemented his place among the top ten qualifiers for the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials marathon by running a personal best 2:12:28 at the 2015 Berlin Marathon. In his third attempt at the distance, Llano, 27, was the first American and thirteenth overall. At the 2014 U.S. Half Marathon Championships in Huston, Llano ran a personal best 1:01:47.

鈥淚 plan to approach this race just like any of the other marathons I've run, but with more emphasis on competing,鈥� Llano says. 鈥淲hile I am relatively inexperienced at the marathon distance (the Olympic Trials will be my 4th marathon), I feel that there is a big learning curve for it and I'm confident that I'm honing in on how to be really successful and prepared.鈥澨�

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The City of Los Angeles is preparing to host the country鈥檚 fastest marathoners at the U.S. Olympic Trials on February 13. With eight women running sub-2:30 entry times and 244 total qualifiers, the women鈥檚 field is the deepest and largest听ever. The top ten seeded women by qualification time听include the American record holder, the Olympic Trials record holder, four Olympians, and six women hoping to make their first Olympic team.听

#1:听Shalane Flanagan

Two-time Olympian (Nike) ran 2:21:14 at the 2014 Berlin Marathon to take third place and become the second fastest American woman of all-time. She is not only the top entrant in 2016, but also the U.S. Olympic Trials Marathon defending champion and event-record holder. In 2012 she finished 10th at the London Olympic marathon.

Flanagan, 34, won Olympic bronze in the 10,000 meters in 2008 at the Beijing Games where she also set the American record in 30:34.49. The Bowerman Track Club athlete returned to the track in 2015 placing 5th at the World Championships in the event. Flanagan will be competing to make her third Olympic team at the trials this year and will be toeing the start line with her new teammate and training partner, Amy Cragg. 鈥淚 just thrive on a team environment and having someone to kind of share this journey and process,鈥� Flanagan said in a press conference.听 鈥淚 was very fortunate that Amy wanted to join me on this journey. We have the same goals, and that is to be in the top three.鈥�听

#2:听Desiree Linden

(Brooks) will be competing to make her second Olympic team in the marathon. With a 2:23:54 qualifying time from the 2014 Boston Marathon,听Linden is the second fastest entrant. She holds a 2:22:38 personal best from the 2011 Boston Marathon. Most recently Linden dominated marathon racing with top American finishes at the 2014 New York Marathon and 2015 Boston Marathon.

The Hansons-Brooks athlete says it鈥檚 an exciting time to be an American distance runner. Linden, who will be 33 on race day, expects the competition to be deeper than ever before. 鈥�2:25 is the new 2:30,鈥� she jokes. But it鈥檚 not the race that Linden is most looking forward to. 鈥淚 love the three- or four-month听build-up where you slowly build into it and you pile on day after day after day,鈥� she says. 鈥淚鈥檝e never gone through a segment where I have not learned something about myself, or had to overcome something and felt better about it on the other side. It鈥檚 a real process of self improvement.鈥�

#3:听Amy Cragg

Olympian (Nike) earned a spot on 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials Marathon start list with a fifth place finish at the 2014 Chicago Marathon where she tied her personal best in 2:27:03. The newly married Cragg (formerly Hastings) will be 32听years old听on race day. She recently made the move West, switched sponsors, and joined the Nike听Bowerman听Track Club where she trains with听Shalane听Flanagan.听听

After finishing fourth at the 2012 Olympic Trials Marathon, Cragg went on to earn a spot on the Olympic team by winning the 10,000 meters on the track.听

#4: Deena Kastor

(Asics)鈥攖he American record holder, Olympic bronze medalist, and three-time Olympian鈥攔an her personal bests in 2006, setting American records in in the marathon, 2:19:36 and half marathon, 1:07:34. More recently, Kastor, 42, broke the masters world record in 1:09:38 at the 2014 Rock and Roll Philadelphia Half Marathon and the masters American record in 2:27:47 at the 2015 Chicago Marathon.听

Even after her performance in Chicago, Kastor was unsure if she would compete in the trials. But in helping her ASICS Mammoth Track Club teammates prepare, she remembered the spirit of the Games and decided to toe the line alongside her training partners. 鈥淭he U.S. has great depth and I think it is due to runners training in groups to push each other鈥檚 abilities and also the use of altitude,鈥� Kastor says. 鈥淢y fastest days are behind me, but I am exploring how to be tougher, more resilient, and more determined than ever before.鈥�

#5: Serena Burla

(Mizuno) ran a personal best 2:28:01 at the 2013 Amsterdam Marathon. Burla, 33, was the top American and 10th place overall at the 2015 World Championships Marathon in Beijing. 鈥淚 was honored to represent the United States. The World Championships was a really good learning experience for me,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t was an opportunity to practice championship style racing and help prepare me for various race scenarios.鈥澨�

鈥淓very marathon my hope is the same鈥攖hat I cross the finish line knowing I gave it everything I had,鈥� she said.听

#6: Annie Bersagel听

Annie Bersagel (Under Armour) ran her fastest marathon in 2:28:29 for the win at the 2015 Dusseldorf Marathon. The 2013 U.S. Marathon Champion ran a personal best at the 2014 World Half Marathon Championships and finished as the top American in 1:10:10.听

The 32-year-old international lawyer lives and trains in Norway, but loves to come home to compete. 鈥淚 try to schedule it so that I can see my family while I鈥檓 in the country,鈥� she says. 听鈥�(Competing) is a great excuse to come home.鈥� In preparation for the marathon trials, Bersagel scaled back to work part-time, but she still enjoys having a job. 听鈥淚 find that working gives my day structure and something else to focus on outside of running,” she says.

#7:听Kellyn Taylor听

In her debut marathon, (Hoka One One) ran 2:28:40 at the 2015 Houston Marathon to become the sixth fastest American female debutante in history. In 2012, Taylor competed on the track in the 10,000 and 5,000 meters at the U.S. Olympic Trials. She enters her first marathon trials as the seventh fastest entrant.听

鈥淚 am really looking forward to the (trials) atmosphere,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 am also really looking forward to grinding it out in the front pack with some amazing ladies and seeing how things play out.鈥� No matter the outcome, Taylor, 29, will be celebrating with a move into a new house with her husband, daughter, and four dogs. 鈥淭hat could be a really good week if things go well at the trials!鈥� she says.听

#8: Lauren Kleppin听

(Hoka One One) ran a personal best 2:28:48 for third place at the 2014 Los Angeles Marathon. A few weeks earlier, Kleppin placed second at the 2014 U.S. Half Marathon Championships, which earned a her a spot on the World Half Marathon Championships starting line where she finished as the second American in a personal best 1:10:16.

Kleppin, 27, credits her continued success in the sport to a college art professor who handed her a life-changing poem and encouraged her to spend the summer working as a river rafting guide. That job led to subsequent work as a ski lift operator, a marina girl, and sports bar waitress. 鈥淯ltimately all these experiences, far removed from the track or roads, led me back to running, but with a mental girl scout sash full of badassery that gave me the confidence and spirit to risk it and compete with the very best,鈥� she said.

#9: Becky Wade听

(Asics) did not run competitively immediately after graduating from college. Instead, she traveled the world exploring running cultures for a year on a Thomas J. Watson Fellowship. Since her return to competition, Wade ran 2:30:41 in her debut at the 2013 California International Marathon. In 2012 she competed at the Olympic Trials in the steeplechase.

Wade, who will turn 27 a few days before the trials, is currently writing a book about her year abroad鈥�Run the World, will be published by HarperCollins in July, 2016. 鈥淚t鈥檚 been a very challenging but rewarding process, and a great excuse to reconnect with tons of people that I met on my trip,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 gained an immense amount of respect for authors of all types through this process, and have also brought my self-discipline to new levels.鈥�

#10: Sara Hall听

(Asics) cemented her place among the top ten entrants by running 2:31:14 at the 2015 Chicago Marathon. The 2012 U.S. National Cross Country Champion and Pan American Games gold medalist has represented Team USA at numerous World Indoor Track and Field Championships and World Cross Country Championships. Hall, who also ran personal bests in the half marathon and 10,000 in 2015, will be competing in her first U.S. Olympic Trials Marathon this year. In 2012 she competed at the Olympic Trials in the steeplechase.

Sara and her husband Ryan recently adopted four sisters from Ethiopia. If anything, Hall says the challenge of parenting has complimented her training. 鈥淚t has been a really fun adventure and we are so blessed by our girls,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 am thankful that since having the girls I have gotten in some of the best training of my life, something I didn't assume would be possible. They are amazing鈥擱yan and I are definitely the lucky ones.鈥�

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