Seoul's soul, Seoul's sole

Seoul, South Korea. The 2 biggest and busiest metropolitan city in the world. Neon streets filled with people, markets, cars, style, and attitude I wonder if there could possibly be any more room for a bike. In my familiar Northwest culture biking happens to be ingrained into my very being. I ride my bike to school nearly every day, ride my bike for fun on a beautiful day, and almost hit a biker nearly every time I drive. I feel lucky to be privileged enough to live somewhere where biking is loved and welcomed but I am also curious, if biking is not ingrained into a culture or a person, can it be adopted? In a large a busy city (such as Seoul) can it be possible to create a passion for biking in Seoul's soul?

Here I take a look at how biking could possibly be transcended into Seoul, how biking can be influenced by culture and how culture can influence biking.

How do you stand out in a big city? Color, Style, and Tricks. Be seen in Seoul.

the KARAbiner pen

As we last left our climber he was setting out on an unchartered journey with is Mammut 24 kN Wiregate straight polished Karabiner, set out to track his steps and mark his climb.

So why does the climber take the Mammut 24 kN Wiregate Karabiner? Rated as one of the best carabiners for professional and amateur climbing and capable of holding up to 5,000 lbs, the Wiregate Karabiner "works great as the rope-end carabiner on quickdraws for sport and traditional climbing" says REI Specialist.

"Wiregate makes rope clipping smooth and fast with its flat shape; low mass minimizes gate lash, a momentary opening of the 'biner's gate during falls" says Mammut Customer

In my opinion the qualities of a good pen include, a clicking top, a smooth rubber grip, and a non-smearing ink. And so here is what happens when a pen collides with a carabiner...

the Pen KARAbiner.

a lifeline in disguise...

For most outdoorsmen and outdoor recreation enthusists a carabiner is an unqestionable essential that you carry without even thinking about it. Good for climbing, clipping, attaching, securing, tracking, and holding carabiners can serve many purposes and serve many audiences. For rockclimbers carabiners are a lifeline, an object by which you literally rest your life in, for amateur users a carabiner could simply be an attachment to your key ring, but in either case carabiners are known to be strong and trustworthy, and similar to a pen; capable of being carried without the user even thinking about it.

When considering these aspects of a pen and a carabiner and how they could be inspired by another, cartography (map making) immediately came into my mind. While climbing, or on other outdoor excursions often times travelers will use a pen to mark routs and maps of where they have been and details about the climb. By attaching a pen to your existing carabiner you would have readily acessable pen attached to the shoulderstrap of your bag, on your chalkbag, on your belt loop, or even on your keys.

And so a story begins.... The climber who needs a tough, durable, and trustworthy carabiner sets out on an excursion to a domain he has never conquered...

OSK

The "Oh Shit Kit", a just in case portable survival kit, is designed with the average outdoorsman in mind. The OSK guarantees to keep you dry, hydrated, and toasty for up to 3 nights on a mountain.

Our walk in the Whit...

The Whitaker District in Eugene is typically known for being an outrageously colorful place with plenty of off the beaten path stores and off the wall people. Here marks Sarah, Ian, and I 's walk through the Whit, playing a somewhat game of adult Ispy...

Grey Pants...

While I was recently stumbling around on a

favorite blog of mine Design Sponge I found a design team made up of three twenty something designers that have completely captured my interest.

3 men by the names of Gentry, Grizzle, and Junker have formed a design company that uses architecture principals for design use. Grey Pants has a wide variety of furniture and furnishings that use line and fit to bond them together. Below is my favorite piece of theirs, and in my eyes a very well designed piece....

The "Slice Chair"

the Top Ten

1. excellent use of line

2. a great space saver- the ottoman can be slid underneath the seat of the chair to keep it from obstructing a space.

3. I love how perfectly the peices fit together to support one another.

4. the finish on the wood is understated making the lines the focal point of the piece. The wood serves as a blank canvas for the function to take the glory.

5. the angle of the seat back keeps the user from slouching, but also supports the lower back and shoulders.

6. the oval shape of the ottoman is a nice contrast to the right angles on the bends.

7. the chair is self transforming. no other parts necessary.

8. it is made out of basic plywood- I love raw materials

9. the ottoman can also be transformed into a magazine rack, how cleaver.

10. it is set low to the ground, so that the seat can bowe a little and it will not keep the user too suspended.

I'm thinking I want a pair of Grey Pants...