Introducing Adam Holbrook

Hi there.
My name is Adam and this is my first Blog. I'm a keen bushwalker here in Tasmania, and a photographer. Feel free to check out my website at TasmaniART

When walking in the Tasmanian wilderness you can find yourself in some remote locations, so you need to be pretty self sufficient. So it’s important to be able to rely on your gear in such conditions. I therefore look for the best equipment that I can afford.

I’ve known about Smitten merino for some time, and everyone that I know that’s tried it has agreed it’s excellent stuff. So I’ve just gone and spoilt myself and got a few layers, replacing the poly thermals that are getting a bit tired, with some merino ones. Better still, locally made!

Now I’m really looking forward to my next walk which is coming up towards the end of this month, so I can try out my new Smitten gear.

Looking forward to sharing with you all some more of my adventures, both ones that I have done, and those which I am yet to do.

Cheers, Adam. TasmaniART

Below is a taste of some of my photography.


Sunrise at Ketchem Bay, Southwest Tasmania













A very windswept Horseshoe Inlet, Port Davey, Southwest Tasmania













Afternoon sun, Lake Windermere, Overland Track, Tasmania












Winter Summit, Mt Ossa, Tasmania

An 8 day walk which involved the summits of Mt Pelion West, Mt Achilles, Achilles Heel, Perrins Bluff, Mt Thetis and Paddys Nut, not to mention some interesting tracks between them all.











The view east from Perrins Bluff, Tasmania

The South Coast Track over 9 days was fun, as was the trip into the Western Arthurs.

Coastline cave, Granite Beach, South Coast, Tasmania













Lake Cygnus, Western Arthur Range, Tasmania

Smitten does the Ditch

Mr Smitten Carl Mason was Joined by 5 fellow adventures for a 6 day expedition along 120 km of Tasmania's Franklin river in early January 2011. Included on the trip were Tassie paddling legend Daniel 'Harry' Harris, North west Taz paddlers Bryan Gorrie, Justin Cripps and Andrew Jarman and Carl's team Danger offsider Ian Smith.

The first day was spent shuffling cars between Strahan and the Collingwood River where the paddling started. An hour later and the Junction of the Franklin itself is reached and then its off into the Wilderness. We camped at the Irenabys that night and the next day walked up Frenchman's Cap. Its over 1500m to the summit with the start of the walk at around 350m. From the river and back takes around 8 hours and by the end we were all ready for a nice dip in the river. Whilst on the Summit Carl achieved cellphone reception and was thus able to put together a few last minute Smitten deals as well as a quick chat with the family. As for the rest of us, other than wanting to throw Carl's phone off the top we had a relaxing lunch and took in the magnificent views, which ranged from Cradle mountain in the north, the southern ocean in the west, to the Arthur range in the east.

Mr Big negotiates another deal.

in the Irenabys


The next day we paddled down to the Great Ravine and camped above the Churn rapid at a campsite first used by the Hawkins and Dean party in 1959. They were the first canoeists to complete a full descent of the Franklin. It took them 3 attempts to achieve it though. This campsite was one of the trip highlights with small caves for bedrooms (complete with resident glowworms) and a large rocky overhang to shelter from the rain.

The next day was spent paddling and portaging our way through the ravine, with a side trip into Livingston Cut. This is a very narrow canyon that is hundreds of meters deep and joins the Franklin in the Great Ravine between the Corruscades and Thunderush rapids. The deeper you go into the cut, the more isolated and primeval the atmosphere becomes. A wonderful place worthy of more exploration in future.

Carl in the Corruscades

After the trickiest of the portages at the Cauldron, we cruised down to Rafters Basin and spent the night there with a few well earned ports and rums.

The next day took us through some of the prettiest parts of the river in the Propsting gorge and Glen Calder. Also some of the best rapids to paddle, including 'Ol' 3 Tiers and Newlands Cascades.

Carl and Ian enjoying Rock Island Bend Glen Calder


That night we camped at Flat island where once again a few ports and rums were enjoyed along with another of Harrys culinary masterpieces. By this stage of the trip it was becoming apparent which members of the party were wearing Smitten thermals and which members weren't. Lets just say some people were nicer to be near than others.

After a leisurely breakfast of pancakes (thanks Bryan), we headed off on the flnal leg to the Gordon River. On the way we called in at Kutukina Cave, inhabited by Aboriginals during the last ice age 12,000 years ago. A very interesting place. We also explored Pengana cave which has tunnels and passageways that take you out onto a balcony overlooking the river. The return route we took back to the boats involved some very sketchy rock climbing down some very slimy rock.

Due to our very relaxed start to the day we only made it to our final destination at Sir John Falls on the Gordon at 8pm. Luckily our pick up boat 'Stormbreaker' was already tied up ready for the next mornings departure, and so our fresh supply of beer was at hand.

Carl, Check out those Smitten Boxers, Ian, Justin, Harry,

Bryan and Andrew enjoying

the 1st beer at Sir John Falls.

All up a fantastic weeks paddling was enjoyed by all, and another great test of Smittens thermal range, which of course it passed with flying colours.

Smitten and Pole to Pole Run

Recently I visited the international headquarters of Smitten Merino in Sandy Bay to collect the balance of clothing for an upcoming North Pole expedition. Pole to Pole Run is an attempt by ultra-distance runner Pat Farmer to (mostly) run from the North to South Pole via the Americas. With Pat, myself as guide (www.icetrek.com), Clark Carter (www.clarkcarter.com) as communications technician and secondary cameraman and an as yet un-named film-maker, we depart from the North Pole on April 2 and, hauling supplies in kayaks behind us, ski 800km and 50-odd days across the frozen Arctic Ocean to Ward Hunt Island, Canada, arriving mid-May. From WHI we are collected and flown to Resolute and then Yellowknife where Pat begins his road-running journey to Ushuaia in Argentina, averaging 2 marathons daily with no days off. In December we fly to Antarctica and ski from the coast to the South Pole, a distance of around 1000km. See www.poletopolerun.com for details. I am glad to be taking Smitten Merino to ward of the Arctic chills, thanks to Nic and Carl for sponsoring the expedition. Media of Pat can be seen at www.poletopolerun.com

Lost World Canyon

Tribe White Water Grand Prix

The Tribe White Water Grand Prix is a new style of white water event.
It is comparable to a surfing big wave invitation and it incorporates a range of different disciplines into a 14 day event in May 2011 - Quebec, Eastern Canada.

The first of its kind will have a big wave competition, extreme races, down river competition, and best drop run over the space of 2 weeks.

This is the kind of event that white water kayaking has been crying in the past few years of incredible progression.
Freestyle worlds which are being held on a small hole in Germany is defiantly not the progressive side of the sport that we should be showing main stream media and progressive competition is the name of the game at the Tribe White Water Grand Prix.

25 competitors, 12 have been invited, the 12 that have been invited are asked to choose the following 13 competitors from video applications, so here is my video application for you to check out.

Random footage from the last couple of years, BC, Tassy, The Kimberley, Laos, China and Indonesia

Wish me luck

Tribe White Water Grand Prix Entry from Lachie Carracher on Vimeo.

Kentucky

Hey guys,

It's about time I kicked off my first post....

Things over here in Kentucky have turned out a little different as expected.

As many of you know I came over here to the states on a swimming scholarship to study my degree and compete for 4 years with University of The Cumberlands. I had been training hard in the pool until mid-October when I learned some bad news. The NAIA had decided to penalize me 3 years of competition due to my acceptance of financial reimbursements for nationals over the past few years which I had received from my club back home. They claimed this to be an unfair advantage having accepted 'money'. Consequently, the University made the decision to only allow my scholarship to run through to May when the academic year ends. As a result of this decision I will be continuing my studies here and in May I will be transferring to UTAS.

The University has appointed me to the positions of Assistant Swim Coach and the sole Fitness Coach (Personal Traning background) - taking charge of and the development a new dry-land program.


This means I can come home and resume modelling with Smitten Merino which is a huge plus!

Anyway, I arrived to a humid Kentucky August. Settling in was a little different.....manditory participation in the Annual Gallon Challenge....1 gallon (3.78 litres) of milk to be finished in 1 hour and held down. As being one of only 2 to succeed; throwing up after was inevitable (decided not to post the video!).


The Smitten sleeveless T was a perfect choice for the challenge when the air turned from humid to a little fresh.

Thanksgiving Break (November 23rd-28th) saw me travel to Rhode Island, down to Philadelphia via Connecticut, New York & New Jersey. I then headed back up to New York for a night and then travelled to Ohio and back down to Kentucky.


As one would expect, November's weather had turned to chilly zero degrees celcius so rugging up became vital. Hitting up Broadway (above) I wouldn't dare have left my hotel without wearing my Smitten Leggings and Crew Hoody underneath my coat. It was imperitive that my body core temperature remained stable.

It's now December and dumpings of snow have become a regular occurance. temperature is consistantly below freezing and as one can imagine, my Smitten gear: Leggings, Crew Hoody, Boxer Shorts, Zip Jacket, and both my long and short sleeved Crew Neck Top are getting a HUGE workout.


My Smitten Merino Singlet is working perfectly in the gym, keeping my body dry in allowing moisture to be whipped away from my skin.....

....Couldn't ask for more.

Keep up the good work Smitten Merino.



Until my next post...



Charlie Gard

Photos from the Asian Jungles

Hey Guys,
Quick update to say I am really happy to be part of the Smitten team.
I do not know how I did without Smitten products on the roads and rivers of the world.
I am in the middle of a 3 month tour of Asia and wearing Smitten almost every day.

In the Sumatran Jungles I was instructing an advanced white water course on the Asahan river with an Indonesian kayak group. From Indonesia I headed up into the cold mountains in amazing Central China. Here I was paddling the big waves and huge rapids of the Salween River, Yunaan Province.

In the hot and humid jungle I wear a light weight Smitten T's, both on and off the river, they breath save you from the sun and don't stink.

In the cold Mountains of China I was wearing the super heavy weight tops and bottoms as the sole layer under my dry suit.

Photos of China to come soon but for now enjoy the Asahan Valley - Sumatra