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This is a list of all the latest news and happenings at all six Touchstone Facilities. This blog also contains general information about Rock Climbing, Cycling and other items that Touchstone members may find interesting. Thursday, May 8, 2008Journey Through the Chakras Sacramento Pipeworks newest instructor Daljit Bains invites you to join her in an 8 week chakra workshop series. The workshops are free and are held during her regular Thursday 7:45 yoga class. “Chakra is a Sanskrit word meaning wheel” says Daljit, who teaches in the Kundalini style of yoga. She adds: “Your chakras are spinning vortexes (like a wheel) of energy which start from the root chakra, at the base of the spine, all the way up to the crown of the head”. Each chakra has a specific talent and characteristic associated with it, from creativity to willpower to compassion. She invites people of all abilities and yoga experience to come learn what each chakra represents, and how to more easily access the talents associated with each chakra. Beginning date is May 15th, with each Thursday focusing on a new chakra.Labels: event, fitness, pipeworks  Thursday, April 24, 2008Taking Yoga to the Streets If for some reason you find yourself walking one day on the tough streets of San Francisco's Tenderloin district, you may just happen across the odd sight of a woman instructing yoga right on the dirty sidewalk. That woman is Sacramento Pipeworks yoga instructor Tamara Standard who, as her alter ego Yoga Girl, rolls out yoga mats and challenges denizens of the Tenderloin to literally practice yoga on the streets. Her mission is to share with others; bringing yoga to the underprivileged and those who haven't been exposed to the practice or may not have an opportunity to practice."Yoga should be accessible to all people" she said. Tamara was inspired to begin her service as Yoga Girl 2 years ago when she was in the same down and depressed frame of mind that she now sees in the people she teaches. She finds most people she approaches on the street are actually willing to practice with her, often noting the softening of peoples faces and improvement in their posture or attitude after a session. "Yoga is a very transformative experience". Tamara is looking for people to help sponsor a small studio in the Tenderloin where she hopes to incorporate training others to help spread the word. You can watch video of her street work: http://yogagirlsf.com/index.html or anyone who wants to participate can contact her at: yogagirlsf@mac.com Labels: community, fitness, pipeworks, staff Wednesday, April 16, 2008TRS Wants YOU!!! It is once again time to get out your rope, tie in and climb. Touchstone Climbing is pleased to bring back the Touchstone Roped Series for its third year. This will be a series of five Roped Climbing comps that will be held on Friday evenings, one at all five of the Touchstone locations. All events will include a red point roped comp as well as refreshments, games and prizes. Points will be awarded for each comp with overall winners being announced after the final comp. The first event will be held Touchstone's newest gym, the Great Western Power Co. in Oakland on May 16th. There will be a comp each month for the following five months, with the finale coming in September at Mission Cliffs in San Francisco.May 16th G.W.P.C June 13th Diablo Rock Gym July 11th Berkeley Ironworks August 22nd Sacramento Pipeworks September 26th Mission Cliffs All comps will be from 6pm to 10pm and FREE FOR MEMBERS! Labels: climbing, comps, concord, ironworks, mission cliffs, oakland, pipeworks Monday, March 24, 2008Touchstone Staff Runs Fast On an extremely rainy and windy Sunday recently, staff members from Touchstone gyms in Berkeley, Sacramento, Oakland and Concord, teamed up to race each other around Oakland’s Lake Merritt. Hosted by Lake Merritt Joggers and Striders (LMJS), the Couples Relay event featured a two-person relay, with each runner given a 5K leg around the lake. At 30 years old, this unique competition is LMJS's oldest foot race. Having already run this race several times in the past, Great Western Power Company staff member Skimra Rodriguez thought it would be fun to challenge her colleagues at Touchstone to team up with a staff member from another gym. Thanks entirely to her stellar performance, Skimra along with Pipework’s Vaughn Medford won bragging rights as the fastest pair, but not without good-natured promises of revenge next year from the other teams. Labels: concord, oakland, pipeworks, staff Thursday, March 6, 2008Touchstone Represented At LA Marathon Despite a field of nearly 50 hand cycles and push-rim wheelchairs, Sacramento Pipeworks member Kent Gillis recently took an impressive 11th place finish in the hand bike division of the prestigious Los Angeles Marathon. The rewards, as well as the challenges, were many: because the field was especially large it made for a lot of flying elbows at the start, not to mention that the first mile-and-a-half were uphill, and he lost his only water bottle around mile 5. Despite the swerve and wobble it caused, one reward was a top speed personal record of 32mph on a two mile downhill stretch. Another reward were the many L.A. highlights that the course hit; Hollywood Blvd, swankalicious residential neighborhoods, Koreatown, the Coliseum and Staples Center among others. The audience was fantastic as well, with over a million spectators present. Kent was surprised that “Even in some run-down areas, they were out and cheering for every competitor”. Finishing downtown among the sky-scrapers was “kinda cool” Kent said, with spectators on both sides creating a tunnel of noise. “Unfortunately I wasn't in any condition to appreciate it. I barely remember crossing the finish line”. Kent completed the grueling 26.2 miles in a blazing 2:01:18. Congratulations to this fierce competitor! Click here to view a story and interview with Kent that recently aired on Good Day Sacramento: http://cbs13.com/video/?id=30961@kovr.dayport.com Labels: fitness, members, pipeworks Thursday, February 14, 2008Kickboxing Studio Opens in Sacramento Pipeworks will now be offering cardio kickboxing classes on Tuesdays at 5:30 inside our newly remodeled studio. This beautiful new space, situated beneath the yoga room, features a specially designed shock absorbing hardwood floor, along with lots of glass and exposed brick. Starting Tuesday February 19th, local teaching dynamo Jenny Stark will lead you through her special form of tough aerobic kickboxing workout. Come prepared to sweat! Friday, February 8, 2008Pipeworks Logo Photos Wanted If you have a photo of yourself doing something fun in a Sacramento Pipeworks logo shirt or hat, then we want that picture! Leave your picture (no larger than 5x7 with your name printed on the back) at the Pipeworks front desk and we will post it. The photo board will feature snapshots of members wearing Pipeworks or Touchstone logo gear on top of Mt Whitney, Shasta, Half Dome, on the crux of your hardest outdoor climb, snowshoeing in Tahoe, at the end of a 10K run or 100 mile bike ride – anywhere your adventurous life takes you! Wednesday, January 30, 2008She Said Yes While there have been numerous love connections made at Sacramento Pipeworks, we have never had an actual marriage proposal in the gym. That is until now. Wendy Miller and Paul Galvin have been dating for only 7 months, but their friendship started 5 years ago when coincidentally, he was moving into a house that she was moving out of. That first encounter was in Missoula, Montana where Wendy lived and Paul was going to school. Fast forward to California. Wendy worked a bouldering problem with Paul dutifully spotting her. As Wendy jumped down to the crash pad and turned to face Paul, he gallantly dropped to one knee and asked her to marry him. He later explained that he used his Mothers wedding ring that arrived in the mail just 3 hours before he proposed! We wish Wendy and Paul only the best in the years to come! Monday, January 14, 2008Yoga Retreat Let Sacramento Pipeworks yoga instructor Robert Hallworth and adventure company Sadhanadventures guide you on a weekend of calming but intensive yoga practice in Bishop Ca. on January 25, 26 and 27th. All outdoors, days will begin at sunrise with hot tea and meditation followed by an intensive full yoga practice. A filling vegetarian breakfast caps off the morning. Afternoons are filled with independent activities, ranging from rock climbing to hiking, book reading to art gallery browsing. Evenings will bring a restorative and gentle asana practice as a gourmet vegetarian campground meal is prepared for you. Cost for this retreat is just $150.00 which does not include transportation, but assistance in arranging carpools is provided. Space is limited, so make your reservations early. For more information or to reserve a spot, go to: sadhanadventures.com Labels: climbing, fitness, pipeworks Monday, January 7, 2008Bike Club Sees Lights The Sacramento Pipeworks bike club met on a recent cold winter night for their 2nd annual Christmas lights bike ride. Bundled up, riding bikes decked in lights and armed with thermoses of hot chocolate or “holiday cheer”, club members followed a 10 mile route through some of the most beautiful holiday light displays in East Sacramento. Started in 2006 by club member Scott Clark, the ride has already become a tradition looked forward to by all club members. For pictures of more bike club events and activities go to online gallery.Labels: cycling, members, pipeworks Thursday, December 27, 2007TBS Hits Sac The third of seven stops for Touchstones Bouldering Series 3 was a big hit for boulderers of all abilities. Boasting over 60 problems ranging from V-0 to V-11, TBS 3 was held at Sacramento Pipeworks on Friday December 14th, with more than 125 people in attendance. Andres, who doubles as Pipeworks head route setter by day, played DJ - keeping energy high and the crowd in the groove. Pictures can be seen in the online gallery.Results are posted on our competitions page: http://touchstoneclimbing.com/comps.html Sideshows included a brilliant slack line competition that produced eye-popping tricks, as well as a donut eating contest that made the crowd roar! See you all at Great Western Power Company on January 11th as TBS3 will continue into the new year. Labels: climbing, comps, pipeworks Wednesday, November 14, 2007Pipeworks in Lights If approaching Sacramento Pipeworks on 16th street, you will now be directed to the entrance by a large new neon sign. Designed by Pipeworks employee Greg Cowper, the sign is reminiscent of neon from the 1940’s or 50’s and is intended to reflect the character of the building and surrounding neighborhood. Watch for its colorful glow to light up the night sky in the coming weeks! Labels: pipeworks Tuesday, November 13, 2007Sacramento Attends Cycle Oregon For the 3rd year in a row, Sacramento Pipeworks bike club sent 4 representatives to the bicycling endurance event called Cycle Oregon (CO). This year’s route was a loop starting at Sisters Ore. and returning back to the start via Crater Lake, featuring 481 riding miles spread over 7 days. To celebrate the events 20th anniversary, there was nearly a Mount Everest worth of climbing: 28000’! The event is a portable mini-city with amenities that include a daily CO newspaper, showers, a mobile pizza parlor, beer and wine garden, nightly music or entertainment, and a transportable kitchen with facilities to provide 3 meals a day for 2500 riders and staff. Our group was required to supply their own sleeping accommodations (a tent), and they unanimously agreed that the hardest thing about the whole ride was getting up to pack their camping gear in the bitter cold, oftentimes before sunrise. According to Kimberly, “breaking ice off the tents rainfly” was a daily chore. More than anything, CO is about extremes: the longest ride was 100 miles, the shortest 45, and temperatures ranged from a low of 28 degrees to a high of 95 on the same day. Will, a veteran rider with 3 CO’s to his credit admits that our group has been lucky: “There has not been one single flat tire in 2 years!” Congratulations gang! Monday, October 22, 2007Former Pipeworks Staff's Transcontinental Ride
When former Sacramento Pipeworks staff member Zane Griffin (above, with beard) and friend Scott Ferreter decided to ride bicycles across country this summer, they realized they had just 41 days to cover
 3500 miles, but thought “it sounded like a good idea at the time”. Having done only a few overnight trips on bikes before, to plan the trip they depended on internet research and local bike shops for advice. It was rather hard to find people who had real reliable information, and they managed to speak with only one person who had done it before.Regardless, one foggy day at the Golden Gate Bridge, with bikes weighing 80 pounds fully loaded, they started. Although there were no luxuries - no I-pods and only one cell phone which they ended up not using – the bikes were still heavy and hard to handle. Almost immediately they encountered the hardest section of the whole trip: Highway 50 through Nevada, with 85 miles between water. “I realize now why they call it The Loneliest Road in America” Zane said. They ate mostly at small diners, roadside bars or cooked for themselves; but adding to the challenge, both adhere to a vegetarian diet - incredibly difficult in the mid-west where a majority of meals are meat-based. Subsisting on granola bars, peanut butter, bagels and pancakes, they were always hungry - it was hard to intake the 4,000-5,000 calories per day Zane estimated they were burning. At night they stayed in City parks, or were invited to pitch their tent in people’s backyards. The generosity and warmth of strangers was the most amazing thing about the trip according to Zane - offers of a place to stay or something to eat were plentiful. Despite the abundant hospitality, not knowing where they would stay or sleep every night still left them feeling vulnerable and exposed the whole trip. Due to fatigue and the Appalachian Mountains, the last 4 days were especially challenging: having booked thei  r return flight before leaving, the pair weren’t even sure they would make it to the airport on time. But make it they did – 41 days, 11 flats, 1 pair of shorts and 5 tires later they rolled into our nation’s capital - almost 90 miles a day with not 1 day off! In looking back, Zane said overcoming self-doubt and uncertainty were the biggest rewards of the trip. To other would-be transcontinental riders he quipped: “If you want to do it that fast, be prepared to be uncomfortable”.Labels: cycling, members, pipeworks Tuesday, October 9, 2007TBS3 Starts This Month!!! Touchstone Climbing will once again host the Touchstone Bouldering Series, now in its third season. With the opening of the Great Western Power Co. in Oakland, the series will expand to seven comps this year, that will be held on Friday evenings, one at each of the Touchstone locations. All events will include a red point Bouldering comp as well as refreshments, games and prizes. Points will be award for each comp with overall winners being announced after the final comp. The first event will be held in October in Concord and will conclude this year at Berkeley Ironworks. These comps are FREE for Touchstone Members Concord October 26th, 2007 in Concord San Jose November 16th, 2007 in San Jose Pipeworks December 14th, 2007 in Sacramento G.W.P.C. January 11th, 2008 in Oakland Mission Cliffs February 8th, 2008 in San Francisco Class 5 February 29th, 2008 in San Rafael Ironworks April 4th, 2008 in Berkeley Labels: class 5, climbing, comps, concord, ironworks, mission cliffs, oakland, pipeworks, san jose, touchstone Friday, October 5, 2007No initiation Fee in October In celebration of our newest gym opening later this fall, all Touchstone gyms will be offering a zero initiation fee deal. Take advantage of this great opportunity to save from $50 to $150 off the regular sign-up fee by becoming a member in October. Those folks wanting to become members at the new Great Western Power Company should contact manager, Lyn Verinsky, to get their names on the pre-opening list. Everyone on the list will be eligible for the zero initiation deal immediately after the gym opens. Or better yet, sign up now at Berkeley Ironworks and start enjoying Touchstone today. Once G.W.P.C. opens, you can transfer you membership to the Power Company for no charge. Remember, the days are just getting shorter and wetter, so sign up soon Labels: class 5, concord, ironworks, mission cliffs, oakland, pipeworks, san jose, touchstone Friday, September 28, 2007Change of Direction Sacramento Pipeworks member Harlan Reymont first started climbing at Utah's Little Cottonwood Canyon around 1976 while still in high school. After a time, by his own admission he "fell in with the wrong crowd", started drinking and smoking cigarettes, ultimately giving up on climbing. He didn't pursue a healthier lifestyle until 5 years ago while assisting his father after open heart surgery. Witnessing the effect an unhealthy lifestyle had on his father prompted Harlan to realize he had to give up smoking or eventually face the same consequences. Quitting cigarettes took a few tries, but after he finally shook the habit a friend told him about Pipeworks. One day 4 years ago he walked into the gym, ended up joining the same day - and has been coming regularly ever since. Initially he only came to Pipeworks for the climbing, but after a trip up Mt. Whitney someone challenged him to run a marathon. Harlan was ready for the test, so he bought a 'how to train for a marathon' book, ran for 4 months and recently finished The San Francisco Marathon in under 5 hours. Harlan is pictured above at the end of that race with his wife of 19 years, Kris. After a week long break from running he is already training for Sacramento's California International Marathon held in December. At the CIM he will be running to raise funds for Organs Are Us, an organization promoting awareness for organ donors, and this time he wants to finish the 26.2 miles in less than 4 hours. For donation information you can contact Harlan at turnedart@msn.com. We congratulate Harlan for his marathon success, but more importantly for showing the rest of us that it is possible to make huge changes in life via fitness! Labels: fitness, members, pipeworks Thursday, August 30, 2007Labor Day Hours This Monday, all Touchstone gyms will be open and operating on weekend hours. Standard weekend rates will apply for all gyms. Please contact your local gym to find out the exact hours of operation and pricing. REMINDER: The Bay Bridge will be closed all weekend. For more info, check here. Labels: class 5, concord, ironworks, mission cliffs, pipeworks, san jose Thursday, August 23, 2007Bike Club Rides Bodega Bay The Sacramento Pipeworks Bike Club, always willing to travel long distances for a beautiful ride, had a camping and riding get-together one recent weekend in Bodega Bay! The club took over 2 camp sites at the Bodega Dunes Campground on Friday and Saturday night, with 12 members showing up for the festivities. Friday night’s dinner was held at a great local family–style Italian restaurant in Valley Ford, before adjourning to the campsite to rest up for the following days ride. On Saturday morning a large breakfast was served before the group departed for a long day in the saddle. One group rode a 35 mile loop that included good amounts of flatland pedaling along with more serious hill climbs, while the second group added about 25 extra miles of strenuous climbing for a 60 mile day. Both rides featured gorgeous scenery and perfect weather. While lounging around the campfire that night, the days ride was relived over drinks, along with a good amount of teasing and joking. The huge post-ride dinner, prepared by Rhonda and friends, along with s’mores prepared by Tanya sent everyone off to their tents with a full belly and a smile on their face.Sacramento area riders who are interested in the club can be added to the email list by contacting Rhonda at: rosa_alba@msn.com Friday, July 27, 2007Pipeworks Produces Romance Sacramento Pipeworks member Stacy Epstein writes: “I have been climbing at Pipeworks for probably almost 4 years - I think I've been a member for around 3.5 years now. I can't believe how long it's been. Anyway, I just wanted to send you a small story about how Pipeworks has affected my life:When I moved back to the Sacramento area after law school, most of my friends were no longer around, so I posted an ad on craigslist to meet people to climb with, and that's how I started making friends. One day, I met my friends at the gym and one of them introduced me to Loris Degioanni, a Ph.D student at UC Davis visiting on a 6-month visa from Italy and a former climbing instructor. That was a little over three years ago. Last month we got married! My sister, who also climbs at Pipeworks, bought us the cake-topper. Thanks for having such a big impact on my life!” The staff at Pipeworks extends these two special newlyweds our very best wishes! Tuesday, July 3, 20073 Wheeled Hand Cycle A while ago, long-time Sacramento Pipeworks bike club member Kent “Touchstone Man” Gillis was diagnosed with a rare neurological disorder that would ultimately prevent him from riding conventional 2 wheeled bicycles. Never one to give up easily, Kent began looking for alternatives to the 2 wheeled machines and soon purchased a custom-built 3 wheeled hand cycle. He knew it would take months of training to pack enough muscle onto his upper body to propel himself forward using only arm strength, but that thought just made him train harder. Eventually he decided it was time to try his hand at racing, with his first foray taking place recently at the Truckee Criterium. The hand bike race, a fairly flat .8-mile circuit around downtown, was the warm-up act to the pro criterium, so there were quite a few enthusiastic spectators lining the streets. Kent describes the race: “...gnarly crash right in front of me on the very first turn, two bikes got together and one guy splashed on the pavement....welcome to crit racing! I hit 21.5mph on the slight downhill back-stretch, followed by a hard right-hander executed on two wheels (NOT intentionally). The rest is a blur, but I think I did seven laps, came in 6th place and was lapped by the winner twice.” Kent got to do it all over again the next day in downtown Reno on a longer circuit that had a short arm-crushing climb. More spectators, more speed and more fun. “Unfortunately, the downhill to the start/finish line was into an insane headwind, so what should have been a 35mph screamer was only 25mph” Kent remarked. “I was more relaxed this time, being a veteran racer and all, and enjoyed the experience more, but was toast by the end. This time around I finished 7th and was lapped once.” Everyone in the Sacramento Pipeworks Bike Club looks forward to watching Kent flash by in his Touchstone jersey at the next hand bike criterium! Labels: cycling, members, pipeworks Friday, June 22, 2007360 Degrees of Pipeworks Recently there have been a lot of questions about the large 360 degree panorama photo of Sacramento Pipeworks climbing wall displayed near the front desk. Click here for a virtual tour of one of these stunning works. The photos are true works of art by photographer Mike Posehn, a professional software author and amateur photographer of many years. "Early on I was intrigued by the possibilities of digital photography and was an early adopter of digital cameras and computer-based digital darkroom technology" he said. His unique pictures are created by combining multiple digital photographs - stitching them together with software to form a composite wide angle image. When captured in a panoramic representation, everyday locations reveal a wealth of information and personality - an immersive feeling of being there. Mike, who also holds a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, says "Most of my work has been more traditional landscapes and cityscapes. Recently my work has been evolving into a documentary style and I have been doing a series of indoor panoramas by photographing people in their personal work environment." Another thing he has been involved in lately is creating short films for YouTube. He's had over 3.2 million views and has been ranked in the top 100 all-time YouTube directors. You can see his channel at youtube. You are also welcome to contact him or see more of his work at: www.dogsleap.com. Labels: pipeworks Wednesday, June 6, 2007The Johnson Brothers: So Big Yet So Small Two of Sacramento Pipeworks youngest members, brothers Gary (7 years) and Grant Johnson (9 yrs), have been climbing at Pipeworks for less than two years but have just recently begun participating in local climbing comps. They may be small in stature (Gary is 50” tall and 50 lbs, Grant 53” and 65 lbs) but they haven’t let their youth and relative inexperience prevent them from killing in the competitive climbing scene. Grants’ debut competition was January 28th in Davis where he took first place. He then moved on to a competition in Fremont where he again placed first in his age group while brother Gary took fourth. The diffident duo then traveled to Reno, NV where they placed first and second respectively. From there it was back to Davis for the boys to participate in their first USA Climbing sanctioned competition, with Grant placing first and Gary taking sixth. The boy’s second USAC comp was held at Touchstone Concord and again Grant and Gary did very well, placing both second and third overall and second and fourth in the speed climbing portion of the comp. When asked about the brother’s meteoric rise on the competition scene, their father Tom said “They trained for 18 months before even considering competing. I finally found something that they LOVE – and I owe it all to this gym!” Sacramento Pipeworks is happy to be the home gym of Gary and Grant and we expect that this won’t be the last we hear from these young rock stars of the future. We wish them the best of luck at the USAC Divisional competition in Tigard, OR on June 8th. Labels: climbing, comps, kids, pipeworks Monday, April 30, 2007DJ Wokstar at Pipeworks If you’re wondering about the dreadlocked guy who spins all the great music you hear at Pipeworks every Friday night, his name is Walker Townsend, AKA “DJ Wokstar”. 20 years ago he started spinning because he owned all the records that his friends wanted to hear, so they were constantly asking him to make mix tapes. He has been playing music professionally ever since. Walker moved from Hawaii to Sacramento 7 years ago and says he wants to play “songs that make people feel good”. Currently he plays Fultons underground in old Sacramento and has had a gig at The Blue Lamp for 4 years. Walkers favorite music genre are Reggae, Afro-Funk and Soul but he is best known for playing an array of music that is diverse enough to keep every music lover happy. He has been written up in articles for The Sacramento Bee and been featured in Spin Magazine as well. When asked why his spinning produces so much more energy in the gym than a pre-recorded CD he said “People react because they see me giving them something - putting forth an effort to make them feel good. It just makes people try to have a good time”. Aside from his interest in music, this 37 year old single father of 3 great boys is an avid climber and says that his goal is to climb Mt Everest. To hear Walkers special blend of music, stop by the gym any Friday night after 7:30 or come to a climbing competition at Pipeworks where he will always be the one spinning tunes. Wednesday, March 28, 2007TBS2 Comes to an End The sixth and final competition in the Touchstone Bouldering Series 2 was held at Sacramento Pipeworks on a beautiful St. Patrick’s Day, Saturday March 17th. Over 185 competitors came from all around the bay area as well as Sacramento for the grand finale of this ever more popular series. Competition was friendly yet fierce as contestants tried to improve their standings in the overall series. Prize packages were awarded to the top five men’s and women’s finishers in each of three categories. There was plenty of pizza and refreshments after the competition, in addition to a troupe of fire dancers who wowed the crowd with their pyrotechnic prowess. Check out the series final results here or the photos in our gallery. Watch for Touchstone Roped Series 2 (TRS2) dates coming soon! Labels: climbing, comps, pipeworks Friday, March 23, 2007Overheard: Thought Beta "I was falling off of a hard series of bouldering moves and couldn't seem to make headway. My partner insisted that the problem was that I wasn't thinking about my right elbow enough. Next try, I thought about my elbow as I moved. I got the problem. We dub this technique 'thought beta.'" Matt McCormick -- Sacramento Pipeworks Labels: climbing, members, pipeworks Tuesday, March 20, 2007Bike Clubbers Go For A Run As reported several months ago, 8 members of the Sacramento Pipeworks bike club formed two 4-person relay teams to complete the California International Marathon (CIM) held in Sacramento last December 2nd. Of those 8 people, 7 committed to training for the Chico Bidwell Classic Half Marathon that was held Saturday March 3rd. Injury and illness sidelined a couple runners, but 5 were left to stick it out. Rhonda Hurst ran the 5K and placed 10th in her age group, with the remaining 4 bike clubbers running the half marathon. Tina Johnston placed 5th in her age group and 97th overall; Scott Clark placed 6th in his age group, 40th overall; Kristen Venditelli placed 16th in her age group, 353rd overall and Pipeworks manager Vaughn Medford placed 23rd in his age group, 269th overall. “We plan to continue running as a group but I think we all agree that it’s time to get back on the bike – at least until this years CIM!” Medford said. Congratulations everyone!Labels: cycling, fitness, pipeworks Tuesday, March 13, 2007TBS2 Finale: This Saturday!! The grand finale of this year’s very popular TBS will be held in Sacramento on St. Patrick’s Day, Saturday March 17th from 10am to 4pm. The last in the series of 6 events is expected to draw well in excess of 200 people from all over the bay area as well as the Sacramento Valley. All abilities are welcome, with problems ranging from V-0 through V-11. There will be a hefty amount of prizes, t-shirts, pizza, beer and refreshments. In addition there will be a troupe of fire dancers to entertain everyone after the competition! Entry is free for Touchstone members and $10 for non-members.Labels: climbing, comps, pipeworks Thursday, February 22, 2007Pipeworks at Night On a recent Saturday night more than 20 members of the Sacramento Pipeworks youth climbing team, their friends, coaches and even some parents spent an entire night in the gym rock climbing and playing teambuilding games. The overnighter was dreamed up by team coaches Scott Kugler, Sean Wilkenfeld and Sadie Rex. “We just wanted something out of the ordinary and thought this would be a fun way for the kids to bond as a group. Everyone had a blast and got to know each other better” said coach Wilkenfeld. There were an array of teambuilding games, a potluck dinner, a dodge ball tournament, a zip line (the crowd favorite) and of course everyone climbed to exhaustion. Each person brought pajamas and a sleeping bag, with most kids eventually getting a few hours sleep while some managed to stay up all night. Thanks to an overwhelmingly positive reaction, our coaches say that overnighters such as this are destined to become an annual event for the team. To learn more about the youth climbing team, overnighters, teambuilding or other special programs at Sacramento Pipeworks call 916-341-0100.Labels: climbing, kids, pipeworks Thursday, February 1, 2007Pipeworks Featured Artist... The Sacramento Pipeworks featured artist this month is our own front desk staff member Jason Bove. He has been creating artwork for 14 years and is currently attending Sacramento State for a degree in interior design. Jason has been rock climbing for 12 years and has worked in the outdoor industry for a number of years. After starting his outdoor career at Prana clothing in southern California, Jason then moved on to another local climbing gym in Sacramento before finally landing at Pipeworks a few months ago. A bit tongue in cheek, he says his art is about “Suffering from the common disorder of order and developing products for the reduction of wall space”. The show is slated to hang until March, and while his art is typically geared toward custom or commission work, everything on display is for sale.Labels: pipeworks Wednesday, January 31, 2007More Yoga at Pipeworks In response to the overwhelming popularity of the Yoga program at Pipeworks, we’ve added a new 7:45 pm class on Wednesday night taught by Setareh Mahdavi. Setareh was born into a yogi household in Tehran, Iran – her father is the founder of the first and most well-known Yoga center in Iran. At a young age Setareh decided to follow in her fathers footsteps, later taking the Sivananda teachers training course in South India and is now a certified international Sivananda teacher. Her style integrates the teachings of her father and the yoga school, resulting in an eclectic combination of Sivananda, Vinyasa Flow, Ashtanga and Iyengar Yoga. Come try this great new instructor! Monday, January 15, 2007Free Slackline Clinic Free Slackline Clinic January 23rd at Sacramento PipeworksHave you seen people walking the tightrope in the gym? It's called "slacklining" - a great balance sport utilizing tubular nylon webbing stretched tight between two anchor points. The origins of modern day slacklining are generally attributed to rock climbers living in Yosemite Valley in the early 1980s, but it is a good way to work on your balance and core strength even if you’re not a climber. We'll offer a free 1-hour introductory clinic to slacklining on Jan. 23rd at 6:30pm. Instructed by Pipeworks route setter and expert slacker Peter Dixon. Wednesday, December 27, 2006The California International Marathon Sacramento Pipeworks Bike Club Members complete The California International Marathon!The California International Marathon (CIM), named “one of the world’s best small marathons” by Runners World Magazine, is an annual event boasting more than 5,000 runners and is both a Boston Marathon qualifier, and an Olympic Marathon Trials qualifier. Starting at Folsom Dam, the event weaves through outlying Sacramento area communities, passing beautiful tree-lined downtown streets, and finally finishes over 26 miles later at the historic California State Capitol building in Sacramento. The CIM attracts top athletes from all over the world in addition to local first-time marathoners. Thursday, November 30, 2006Pipeworks: Yoga Workshop Come to practice and learn more about the Chakras (vital energy centers) with two of Pipeworks best Yoga teachers, Natasha Sedykh and Robert Hallworth. Both Robert and Natasha lived and trained in the Satyananda Ashram in Bihar, India and have been sharing their practice with others for many years. This Yoga workshop will explore the subtle energy body through the specific Asanas (poses), Pranayamas (breath control) and Mudras (gestures) that bring our awareness to and trigger the Chakras. Chakras are the main energy centers that reside along our spines and influence so much of our physical/mental well being The workshop is on Saturday December 9th, 2:00–5:00 pm, and cost is $30.00 (space is limited). This is part one of a continuing series of workshops to be held at Pipeworks throughout 2007. Tuesday, November 21, 2006Happy Thanksgiving We would like to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving. All gyms will be closing Wednesday at 6pm, will be closed on Thanksgiving but will reopen on Friday with normal hours. (Please note that weekend rates will apply and there will not be any fitness class on Friday.) Labels: class 5, concord, ironworks, mission cliffs, pipeworks, san jose Friday, November 17, 2006Spinning Will If you ever meet Will Harris, expect him to be pedaling. For the past two years he’s been a Spin instructor at Sacramento Pipeworks. As a member of the Pipeworks Bike Club, he bikes 50 to 100 miles most weekends. And he bikes to his day job as a geologist at the California Geological Survey, about a 10-mile round trip.“It keeps my butt from getting soft,” says the 44-year-old Sacramentan. While Harris is bike-centered, he’s not self-centered. Earlier this year he was instrumental in setting up a bike cooperative program for residents of Quinn Cottages. The transitional housing for the formerly homeless is right across the street from Pipeworks. Harris got the idea while on the weeklong Cycle Oregon ride in 2004. Many volunteers and volunteer groups help to organize the annual ride, including folks from Portland’s Community Cycling Center. Harris learned of the CCC’s annual bike collection drive that puts bikes in the hands of Portland’s disadvantaged youth. Harris and fellow Bike Club members transplanted the idea to Sacramento and, with the help of the Quinn residents, modified it. They set up a bike “library,” where bikes can be checked out by any Quinn resident. The Quinn folks call it the QuinnWorks Bike Corral. The Pipeworks Bike Club collected 25 bikes from gym members, friends and coworkers for the Corral. They fixed the bikes up pretty and raised more than $1,000 for more bike repair and general operating expenses. “Quinn Cottages is just half a mile from the American River Bike Trail,” Harris says. “We wanted the Quinn residents to be able to take advantage of the beauty and recreation the trail has to offer, and we want them to have bikes for general transportation. Sacramento is so flat—it’s ideal for bike commuting.” The Corral opened this past spring with a group ride on the trail — a “non-Lycra ride,” says Harris — and included a dozen Bike Club members and 17 men, women, and kids from Quinn. In the Corral’s first week, Quinn residents checked out bikes more than 40 times. Harris was back on the Cycle Oregon trip this past September, a 500-mile loop starting along the Columbia River and through the Blue Mountains. He was joined by Pipeworks Bike Club members Scott Clark and Kent Gillis. They rode with about 2,000 cyclists, stopping and staying in small towns in central and eastern Oregon. The visits extend the tourist season for those rural communities just a bit longer. Cycle Oregon provides an opportunity to get to know good friends better and to meet new friends, all while riding through beautiful country, says Harris. And you never know what kinds of neat ideas might present themselves along the way. Labels: community, cycling, members, pipeworks Tuesday, November 7, 2006Powerlifting Sacramento Pipeworks is proud to host the 2006 BEST IN THE WEST Powerlifting Championships on Saturday November 11th. Powerlifting is all about raw strength, with contestants lifting as much weight as possible in three different disciplines: The Squat, The Bench Press and The Deadlift. There will be more than 30 entrants from all over California and several from out of state. Joan McHale from Team Bodytribe will be attempting to break all of her APA (American Powerlifting Association) world records for the women’s 60-64 year old division, while most of her female team members are looking to break current state records. There are several age categories and weight classes, with most of the strongest competitors in the 275 lb and above class. Lifting starts at 11:30 am and spectators are warmly welcome. Tuesday, October 31, 2006Senior Games Held in Southern Utah each October since 1987, the Huntsman World Senior Games has been recognized as the premier senior athletic event in the world. Sacramento Pipeworks Bike Club member Barry Marcus entered two cycling events this year (his second Senior Games). “I didn't win any medals this time but I was happy with my effort and had a good trip” Barry said. “The hill climb was a 5K time trial with a course that ranged from 6-8% and a short section of 10% steepness. I improved my hill climb time from 24 minutes last year to 19 minutes - good for 10th out of 13 in my division”. The Senior Games goal has been to create an international sports event open to men and women 50 years or older, that fosters health and physical fitness becoming a way of life, not an occasional hobby. There are 22 athletic events over a two-week period, with contestants coming from as far as Russia and Australia. “I met up at the games with Jesse De Jesus, father of Jessica De Jesus (the preeminent bay area Touchstone Bike Club organizer)”. Barry went on to say, “Jesse started the 25 mile time trial only to find his handlebars were loose so he turned around, went back to his car, tightened the bars and took off again. He figured he lost 5 minutes. Well he still finished in 1:02, good for 6th place. The winner in his division did the ride in 55 minutes. Without the loose handlebars Jesse would have been second!” Barry ended his story with:” I finished the 37 mile road race, my second event, in guess what - 10th out of 13. It was beautiful course and I felt good the whole ride - just outclassed. There were two long climbs for a total of about 2,000' and a fast, fun descent at the end. I finished in 2:04, with the winners coming in at around 1:45 - the course record is 1:43. These old guys are awesome. There was actually one guy riding at 99 years old!” Friday, October 20, 2006Cycle Oregon Most people can’t imagine the effort it takes to ride a bicycle for 7 days straight, in excess of 500 miles, and with an incredible 28,000 feet of climbing. This was exactly what Sacramento Pipeworks Bicycle Club members Scott Clark, Kent Gillis and Pipeworks cycling instructor Will Harris did at the recent Cycle Oregon benefit ride. It was Scott and Kent’s first time on the CO and Will’s second. Cycle Oregon was a tale of extremes: temperatures ranged from a 38 degree low to a high of 100 degrees; most days were windy and some days it rained; the longest day was 89 miles while the shortest was 49. Kent, who is slim to begin with, lost 14 lbs on the challenging ride. Kent’s remarks reflected how extreme this challenge was also. From: “Day four was my best day on a bike – ever” to “It was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. It was physically, mentally and emotionally tough as well”. There were nearly 2000 other participants, necessitating a traveling tent city with nightly entertainment, rest rooms, showers, and facilities to feed over 2000 people three meals a day. Aside from 3 flats and some minor knee trouble, the whole trip went by trouble free. Congratulations guys, everyone at Pipeworks is proud of you!Labels: cycling, members, pipeworks Friday, September 22, 2006Youngest Bike Club Member Sacramento Pipeworks Bike Club members Bruce and Tawni Parr are proud to introduce their newest addition to the Touchstone family: Madeline Olson Parr. Born August 8th and weighing in at 6 lbs 14 oz, daddy Bruce promises “We'll have her on a bike and leading club rides in no time.” Tawni, a long-time Sacramento Pipeworks cycling instructor adds: “Maddie is going to be disappointed that she can't join you on the All Club Ride - she's been looking forward to showing off her new Touchstone kit!”Labels: cycling, kids, pipeworks Thursday, September 7, 2006Pipeworks: Climbing, Fitness & Live Music On a recent busy Friday night, over 100 Sacramento Pipeworks customers were treated to a rather impromptu night of live music. Featured artists were Adrian Bourgeois, son of notable hometown musician Brent Bourgeois, along with rising Sacramento star and local golden boy, singer-songwriter Justin Farren. First Farren, a Sacramento News and Review “Sammies” award winner, played a smoking acoustic set, after which Bourgeois, who lists influences as diverse as The Beatles and The Clash, played an electric set with his band. Pipeworks members were delighted by the unexpected treat and remarked at how the live music really inspired them to climb harder. Pipeworks patrons should watch for more spur of the moment musical treats in the near future! Wednesday, August 30, 2006Labor Day Hours This monday, all Touchstone gyms will be open and operating on weekend hours. Standard weekend rates will apply for all gyms. Please contact your local gym to find out the exact hours of operation and pricing. REMINDER: East bound span of the Bay Bridge will be closed all weekend. For more info, check here. Labels: class 5, concord, ironworks, mission cliffs, pipeworks, san jose, touchstone Monday, August 28, 2006Bicycle Club Success Story Rhonda Hurst, a Pipeworks member since 2003 says of Touchstone’s Sacramento club: “The gym is in a good location; it’s not fancy like other gyms with mirrors everywhere” and “it has a good feel to it, a good vibe”. Initially too intimidated to take a standard weeknight spin class, her interest in cycling began with a private Saturday morning class offered by Pipeworks personal trainer Laurie Dakin. After that, Rhonda became a regular at the Tuesday / Thursday performance cycling classes and shortly set a personal goal of 5 indoor cycling nights a week for 1 month. Before long she discovered she was comfortable with the routine, so after the month passed she just kept going. In a little while her initial fear was forgotten and she eventually learned the value of rest days and cut spinning back to 2-3 days a week. Soon looking for an even bigger challenge, Rhonda found herself buying a road bike and a week after her new purchase she showed up to ride with the Pipeworks bike club. Rhonda developed rapidly as a road rider and promptly became one of the most consistent riders in the club. She started bike commuting to work during The Million Mile Challenge in May and still makes the 40 mile round trip at least once a week. When Rhonda began riding with the Pipeworks bike club, another rider asked if she ever thought about riding a century (100 miles in a day), and she replied “Oh no I couldn’t do that – maybe next year”. To her own surprise, less than 3 months later Rhonda found herself completing her first 100 mile day! Since taking up cycling in March of 2006, she has completed a Century, participated in 5 organized rides, lost more than 40 pounds and lowered her cholesterol count by an astonishing 65 points! Congratulations Rhonda, you are a true success story!Labels: cycling, members, pipeworks Tuesday, August 22, 2006Women Only Sacramento Pipeworks is proud to offer a Women Only Technique Clinic in August! In this Woman-centered general skills clinic, staff member Anna Tortosa focuses on techniques and information that will make the grade you are climbing easier. This is a great class both for females new to climbing or seasoned climbers alike. Anna, a 4 year climbing veteran, will address footwork, resting, finding the most efficient way to do hard sequences, and a handful of other elements that are specific to the woman climber. This clinic is on Wednesday August 30th at 6:30 and costs only $25 for members. If enough Women show up in support, it may become a regular monthly offering! Wednesday, July 12, 2006Tour de France Party The Sacramento Pipeworks Bike Club will meet on Wednesday July 19th to watch stage 16 of the Tour De France: Bourg d’ Oisans to La Toussuire. If the previous day’s famed Alpe d’ Huez stage doesn’t decide the Tour’s outcome, then this even tougher stage will do the job. Climbs include 42km at a 4.5% incline, 22km at 6.9% and a monstrous finishing run of 18km (even longer than the Alpe d’ Huez) at a punishing 6% grade. With the absence of 7 time winner Lance Armstrong and hit by a doping scandal that took out several riders favored to win, the 2006 Tour is up for grabs!The Bonn Lair pub at 3651 J st. will be our meeting spot. They have great beer, food is available and we will have our own area reserved to watch the race on the big screen. The event will be broadcast from 5-8pm (approximate times). Happy hour is from 4-6, so don’t be late! Labels: cycling, event, pipeworks Thursday, July 6, 2006Bike Corral On behalf of The Sacramento Pipeworks Bike Club, Will Harris recently accepted an award from Quinn Cottages for creation of the QuinnWorks Bike Corral program. The QuinnWorks Bike Corral is a western-themed bike loan cooperative serving Quinn Cottages, a transitional housing facility for the formerly homeless, located near the American River Bike Trail and the Sacramento Pipeworks gym. The corral provides a stable of 25 bikes (plus helmet, lock and light) that residents can borrow to enjoy a days outing along the river or ride to work or to run errands. The Corral is managed by dedicated Quinn residents who check bikes in and out, as well as perform basic maintenance.Harris, a Pipeworks cycling instructor, got inspiration for the project from a similar venture by the Portland Oregon Community Cycling Center. Starting with more than 25 bicycles of all types and sizes that were donated by Pipeworks Bicycle Club members, gym members, friends and colleagues, the next goal was to get the bikes in working order prior to turning them over to Quinn. Pipeworks Bike Club members spent several days cleaning, adjusting and oiling the bikes, getting them ready for the inaugural ride. A donation fund (that eventually grew to over $1000) was also established to purchase supplies, tools, and equipment for the bikes. Everything else, including more than 30 bicycle helmets, was donated or provided at cost by sponsoring bike shop The Bicycle Chef. The day dawned sunny and warm for opening of the Corral. Seventeen residents, ranging from kids to adults, joined 12 Pipeworks bike club members as the group rode for two hours along the American River Bike Trail. For one Quinn resident, it was the first time in 30 years that she had ridden a bike. The future looks rosy for the QuinnWorks Bike Corral as the bikes were checked out by residents more than 40 times in its first week of existence! Labels: community, members, pipeworks Thursday, June 29, 2006Closed: July 4th All Touchstone gyms will be closed on Tuesday, July 4th. We will resume normal hours on July 5th. Have a great July 4th Holiday.Labels: class 5, concord, ironworks, mission cliffs, pipeworks, san jose, touchstone Thursday, June 22, 2006Youth Sport Climbing Divisional Championships Nearly 200 competitors from California, the Pacific Northwest, Montana and some from as far away as Alaska gathered in Sacramento over two days, June 10th and 11th for the Youth Sport Climbing Divisional Championships. The top finishers moved on to compete in the National Championship to be held next month in Tigard Oregon. Competition was fierce on the first day as 200 climbers were slowly pared down to the strongest 100. The end of the second day featured a thrilling head to head tie breaking super-final route between Scott Cory and Simon Benkert. Cory, who climbed first, came off the 5.13A route only three holds from the finish. Benkert, climbing second, managed to flash the difficult route to cheers from the very large crowd. Check our online gallery for more photos from this contest.Labels: climbing, comps, event, kids, pipeworks Monday, June 19, 2006TRS - Pipeworks Over 60 competitors showed up in Sacramento on Friday June 9th for the second of our roped climbing competition series. Touchstone members from as far away as San Francisco braved the heavy traffic and 3+ hour driving time to compete in this low-key event. Many competitors remarked that the routes were exceptionally good, and everyone enjoyed the pizza, beer and soda that were served afterward. The prize table was especially heavy and everyone went home with a prize in hand. You can see the complete results here. Check our photo gallery for more photos from this contest. The next installment of the Touchstone Roped Series will be at Class 5 on Friday July 14th.Labels: climbing, comps, pipeworks Thursday, June 8, 2006USA Climbing Divisonal This Weekend On June 10th and 11th, Sacramento Pipeworks will hold the Divison 1 Sport Climbing & Speed Divisonal Championship. This comp serves as a qualifier for Nationals in Oregon this July. This is a great chance to check out the future stars of climbing. To learn more about this comp or USA Climbing, check out the USAC website.Labels: climbing, event, kids, pipeworks Sunday, May 28, 2006Art Show We’ve been questioned many times about the striking art hanging on the walls at Sacramento Pipeworks. The current show is by local artist Christopher Frieders whose steel and metal sculptures are inspired by the area in which he grew up and now lives – the Sacramento River Delta. Freiders says: “My work captures the spirit of the rugged California landscape from coastlines and inland mountains, to the stillness of its valley nights.” A farmer by trade, and fifth generation on his family's farm near Walnut Grove, he has spent his entire life tending and caring for trees and vines. “I have always been passionate and proud of producing crops that people appreciate, and now my art is an extension of this.” Freiders believes California's agricultural industry and lush central valley is being lost sight of and its history more distant. The notion of small agriculture in California is slowly fading into a quiet collective memory, along with the many generations of family farms. “This art helps me feed the passion of creating something that comes from nature; these works preserve it indefinitely.” All of Freider's sculptures are very reasonably priced and can be viewed at Pipeworks during regular business hours.Labels: pipeworks Tuesday, May 16, 2006Fake Crack Here is one of the benefits of owning a climbing hold company: Stone Age Climbing has set up a one of a kind artificial crack at Sacramento Pipeworks. Using 26 of their 'handcrack' holds, they have put together a unique 5.10 d crack. Be sure to make a trip to Sacramento and try it out. Touchstone Climbing acquired Stone Age Climbing holds in 2004 and moved the company to Sacramento. This has allowed Touchstone to consistently provide exciting new holds for you to climb on at all of the Touchstone locations. If you ever need holds for your home wall, let us know. Tuesday, April 25, 2006My Favorite Place Join us at Sacramento Pipeworks in welcoming adventure journalist Jason Paur and action sports photographer Corey Rich, who will sign their collaborative book “My Favorite Place” on Wednesday May 10th at 8pm. Their book follows some of the world’s greatest outdoor athletes to their favorite places to play. While providing heart stopping photography and enlightening text, My Favorite Place is also a soulful look at the relationship between the adventurer and the landscape. The event will be a combination of photo exhibit, multimedia show, and book signing. Books will be available for purchase and we will be displaying large format photographic prints of the best images from the book, both before and after the presentation. Thursday, April 20, 2006Pipeworks: Guts and Butts Sacramento Pipeworks is proud to offer a new fitness class, Guts & Butts. A 50 minute blast that focuses only on the legs, abs and core muscle groups. This class is designed to tone, strengthen and improve the stamina of these muscles using props and your own body weight. All fitness levels welcome! Every Thursday at 12:10 in the yoga room, starting May 4th. Click here to see the current Pipeworks calendar.Instructed by Adrienne Robinson Tuesday, April 18, 2006Bicycle Donations | ||