Link via ESPN

Three ultra-endurance athletes have just done something most would consider insane: They ran the equivalent of two marathons a day for 111 days to become the first modern runners to cross the Sahara Desert’s grueling 4,000 miles.

“This has been a life-changing event,”
said American runner Charlie Engle

In less than four months, they have run across the world’s largest desert, through six countries — Senegal, Mauritania, Mali, Niger, Libya and finally Egypt.

I’m looking for a good recommendation on a travel bag/backpack. I’m currently using a Timbuk2 messenger bag and a monster of a bag that my company issues along with your laptop. Problem is, neither of the bags work for a day trip. One is too small and the other is too large. I need a good bag in between the two in size. So if anyone out there has a reco on a good backpack style bag with a laptop area, let me know.

P.S. - And none of the wheel bags. I like to carry the bag myself.

Update: I’ve decided on another Timbuk2 bag. The Blogger has exceeded my expectations for fit and functionality.

One of my favorite new television shows is Survivorman on the Science Channel. In this show, Les Stroud is dropped off in some extreme location with no food, no shelter, and no fresh water. Les has to survive for 7 days in the extreme environment while lugging around 60 pounds of video equipment he uses to shoot all the footage.

Les teaches how to build shelter, build a fire, and find food by using only what the earth has to provide. The show does a fantastic job of showing what the human body can endure when faced with no food, no fresh water, and cold, wet clothing in sub-freezing weather for extented periods of time.

The show has been to the Artic, the Jungles of Costa Rica, the swamps of Georgia and even ventured out to show you how to survive a plane crash in the snowy forests of Ontario, Canada. Those are just a few places Les has been dropped off to survive in.

If you’re interested in learning more or catching the show live, hop on over to the Science Channel and catch a time when the show is airing. You’ll be glad you did and who knows, you may even learn a thing or to about survival.

A few things I’ve learned about Philadelphia over the past few weeks:

• Great food (yes, cheesesteak)
• People watching is amusing
• Area of great history
• Beautiful countryside
• Short train ride away from New York
• Horrible airport

If it weren’t for that last one, Philly would a-okay!