As regular readers know, ArmaSkin Ambassador Dr Kate is one tough cookie!  Some might remember her undertaking drastic and bruising arm to arm combat training in South Africa. As a psychologist, coach and trainer, Kate works with leaders, corporate managers, members of Australia’s special forces, and elite sporting teams both in Australia and overseas.

Her latest adventure took her to the Larapinta Trail.  The Trail is an extended walking track in the Northern Territory of Australia. Its total length covers 223 kilometres from east to west, with the eastern end at Alice Springs and the western end at Mount Sonder, one of the Territory's highest mountains. 

We couldn't resist sharing below the tender other side of Kate. But who knows? Is she preparing to unleash her inner ninja with moves to paralyse the unsuspecting macho man?

ArmaSkin Ambassador Sharon took her ArmaSkin to Uluru. Unlike other icons like the Sydney Opera House, and the Great Barrier Reef, Uluru is globally recognised as characterising the arid red heart of Australia.

Sharon who is an avid trail runner was blown away by the sight.  "I am amazed at the spectacular beauty of Uluru, today we were up early for sunrise & then ran around the base, a running dream come true - thankful, grateful, blessed."

For those with a curiosity as to how this "rock" came to feature so strongly on the landscape, Uluru and Kata Tjuta, a separate and stunning formation, started to form about 550 million years ago.

Back then, the Ranges to the west of Kata Tjuta were much taller than they are now. Rainwater flowed down the mountains, eroding sand and rock and dropping it in big fan shapes on the plains. One fan was mainly water-smoothed rock while the other was mostly sand.

Around 500 million years ago, the whole area became covered in sea. Sand and mud fell to the bottom and covered the seabed, including these fans. The weight of the new seabed turned the fans into rock. The sandy fan became sandstone (Uluru) while the rocky fan became conglomerate rock (Kata Tjuta).

400 million years ago, the sea disappeared. Rocks folded and tilted as the earth’s tectonic plates shifted. Kata Tjuta tilted slightly and Uluru tilted 90 degrees.

Over the last 300 million years, the softer rocks eroded away, leaving the spectacular forms of Uluru and Kata Tjuta behind.

From time to time we like to check in on extreme Aussie hiker, Lucy Barnard aka Tangles and Tail, who is attempting to be the first woman to hike the full length of the Americas.  That's about 30,000 km (20,000 miles) !

After starting in 2017 she was interrupted in Columbia by Covid travel restrictions.  At that stage she'd travelled about 9700km.

Since returning in December 2022 she has been moving with renewed determination, passing the halfway point midway through Mexico in October 2023.

She is now "steaming" through the USA.  At last measure from her mapping app, she was about 150 km South West of Albuquerque, New Mexico.  It appears she is on or near the Continental Divide Trail.

It is great to see that her support momentum is growing both in terms of the audience following her journey and direct assistance for her from Trail Angels and personal friends who are catching up with her from time to time.

At last check it seems her "Tail" Wombat is in doggie boot camp somewhere. Not surprising that she couldn't just saunter into the USA with her dog on a lead.

You can always check Lucy's progress via this link:  Tangles and Tail Map  

As it is our general rule to highlight the exploits of ArmaSkin wearers, in this case for full transparency, Lucy is not currently finding a need for our blister prevention.
 

To the good folks at Armaskin.

I purchased a pair of your socks for a trekking trip to Nepal. I wore them for two weeks solid and found nothing to complain about.

About ten years ago I suffered severe burns and needed skin grafts down past my ankles. This has meant that I have been unable to wear most sandals and have struggled to find shoes that leave my skin in place. Running has been out of the question as the motion of the shoes against my skin will leave me bleeding within minutes.

This morning, with the Armaskin socks I completed a half marathon and my feet, and more importantly, my burn scars are no worse for wear. 

I don't know if this information is useful to you but I would like to say thank you for your awesome product. It has literally changed my life!
Cheers 
Andy.

PS: You're more than welcome to use my story. I think anyone with grafts or scar tissue on their feet would be amazed at the difference your product makes.

ArmaSkin Ambassador and young entrepreneur Hayley who operates Set To Hike has just launched her first product on her path to being a self sustaining hiker!

Launched just last month, her new product is being grabbed by hikers across Australia with Victorians being the most enthusiastic!  Of course!

And what is this product?  It is a first of its kind Australian Hiking Scratch Poster  ! 

Don't miss out on a unique gift idea for your avid hiker friend, or couch potato!

The poster features 56 of Australia's best hikes.  Each hike has an individual image created by Hayley, but here's the cracker,  To keep to the spirit of the Poster, you can only expose each image after completing the hike.  On Hayley's Set To Hike youtube channel there is a video of all the creative effort that went into this project...WOW!!

Well done Hayley!!   And well done to anyone who clicks this link: Australian Hiking Scratch Poster

ArmaSkin Ambassador Erick "Having my Walter Mitty moment. On top of the CDT world. Gray's Peak. The highest point of the CDT 14, 278 ft. Colorado has been beautiful but has really tested the body. And the Colorado finish line is right around the corner and then it'll be onto the flat heat of Wyoming.

It is lots of fun to follow Erick's entertaining videos on youtube DogFoot Trailing  Blended in with great landscape grabs is Erick indomitable frank and dry humour and discourse about the Trail.

Pretty Pace on the Klondike 100. 
ArmaSkin Ambassador helped us with a blog on her recently completed Klondike 100km Ultra trail run where she made it to the podium in third place.

How far can you stretch an ArmaSkin
Some tips on getting the greatest distance from your ArmaSkin.

What a kick in the guts!

After years of planning, costly investment and training for the 2020 miles of the Yukon River, Art's challenge to canoe the Yukon River ended just 16 miles from the endpoint in the Bering Sea.  It was simply a matter of Mother Nature insisting that it was not to be!  The prevailing weather was highly likely to put Art's safety at risk and consequently cause risk and inconvenience to emergency services people.

Art is still coming to grips with the outcome, "I'll never square away the Yukon expedition efforts. It has left me in debt mentally and financially. 

I'm not used to failing; it's simply not part of my psyche to accept. I tried really hard to make this work ever since it budded as an idea in February 2019. I thought I met all the challenges in respectable fashion. Everyone has been very gracious and encouraging but to end so close, with only 0.006% of my goal remaining, still makes me feel like a failure. I have to give this one to Mother Nature; she controlled my destiny."

Clearly we congratulate Art on his 99% score.

Knowing that when he returns to Arizona, where Art's better half Karen, is ready to ground him, he has squeezed in one more adventure.   That is to join the attempt to row through the North West Passage.

And how is that NWP Challenge unfolding?

As the above pictures show the Arctic is experiencing the glory of  Dwarf Fireweed blooming across the Arctic tundra.

And out to sea, the snap from Art's drone shows that the ice conditions are improving everyday. 

"I work six hours everyday on the HERMIONE ocean rowing boat. Busy cleaning it after sitting all winter, including mould abatement.  Drying out the bilges, sorting through left over gear, and clothing.  It will take me three days to sort through all the meal bags, removing bad items, and preparing to store them in gear hatches."

The other crew members have arrived; Skipper Leven Brown, and the other two rowers Mike Harding and Stefan Hacker. Leven has suggested the rowing will start early next week.

Art will be wearing ArmaSkin as part of his personal protection equipment, not for blister prevention but to help keep his feet dry on the journey ahead.

ArmaSkin is delighted to have our logo on the Hermione as recognition of this inspiring adventurer.

We will of course be keeping our readers up to date on the Expedition but for those more keenly interested, there will be pics on the NWP Instagram page

A growing Ultra presence in Australia is the teaming of Maddie and Tom, two ArmaSkin Ambassadors.  This couple target Ultra runs with a view to achieving Fastest Known Times.

Readers may recall their recent record breaking Te Araroa thru hike.  Back in Oz, Maddie and Tom are operating under their brand of "The Adventure Gene."

With their vast experience on trails in extreme conditions it is good to hear their tips.  Here's one just recently shared.

"Over the past few years, we have discovered the value in carrying a plastic golf ball or small cork ball with us.

We find rolling out our feet and massaging tight muscles goes a long way in preventing overuse injuries. This was invaluable whilst setting the FKT on Te Araroa earlier this year, and significantly reduced the amount of foot pain we experienced."

You can keep up with this super couple on The Adventure Gene instagram page.

 

AND, if you have big plans for 2024, how about dropping us a line telling us what you are doing (email ian@armaskin.com).

We'd love to be able to share your journey with the ArmaSkin community.