Agent America by Stevie Haston.

This man was exposed to an American made weed killer! America systamatically sprayed huge areas of Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia, in doing so

 it killed or maimed an estimated 400,000 persons in Vietnam. 

500,000 babies were born with some kind of disability.

America has paid compensation to some of its soldiers and workers for 'de-weeding', but only after huge legal battles by the Veterans associations. No money has been given to the injured or dead people  of Vietnam, Laos, or Cambodia. Please remember that Bush took America and Britain, into another unjust war in Iraq, citing that Sadamie Hussein had killed 5000 Kurds with a Gas Agent! 

Agent Orange was produced by Monsanto. It was also produced by the Dow Chemical, but the Monsanto Orange was of a much higher concentration.

Monsanto have been involved in many poisons over the years, but continue to get away with it due to their friends in the America, and American government.Their latest friends are actor Obama, and the singer Bono.

Monsanto's biggest poison is happening now, and it is insidious, you eat it, you feed it to your ailing loved ones, and children, and babies. Please voice your concern, Worldwide Protest May 25th.......

Major Duck Phang, top photo.

La Sportiva Helios running shoe, by Stevie Haston.

La Sportiva have some of the best running shoes on the market, but clearly also some of the most colorful. The Helios is in some ways their best multipurpose shoe. It shines on most surfaces with ease. 

It is a light shoe, 460 grs is about half the weight of an approach shoe for instance.

The Helios has an internal gusset, and it's made of a very breathable fabric, the whole shoe is remarkably breathable, which makes it a great hot weather shoe. 

This is the sole.

The sole of an off road shoe is in some ways  the soul of the shoe, and this soul is very polyvalent.

The sole is good on dry grass, sand, mud, slabs, and generally lots of single track stuff. It is a bit light for really rocky terrain, scree slopes, and off track, deep in spiky forests. Plus, and this is probably a big plus for most people, this shoe takes tarmac really well.  You could even do a little speed work in it if you felt like it.

  If you go on a trip, and you don't want to take too many shoes this could be the one, you can wear it all day long, do a run and be cool looking at night. Oh yes it dries off like Lightning. 

Visit the La Sportiva site for more details.                      

As a final word La Sportiva recommends for the Helios for short distance, but I have to disagree, and say that a light or proficient runner, can take this shoe a very, very long way. There is a women version and  a cute girly blue.... for the Freddy Mercury in all of us, never forget, we will, we will, rock you.

Good luck and happy trails. 

Training, training partners, and teachers, by Stevie single Haston

 Ok, training partners are one of the most important parts of training. Sadly a good, or perfect training partner, is very hard to find. I am training a new training partner at the moment, but he is proving stubborn. You don't want a 'Cock of the walk', you want a mate, supportive and encouraging.

Yoga is great by your self.

Yoga is great by yourself but you learn more with a good teacher. I just did a few intensive days with my wife (which is not even ideal) and made much progress. I intend to do more of this as I really notice the difference.

This is the outside of my training room, with my training partner, and very quickly he feels my peace and settles down. The pollen is a bit down today, so I risked it, cos it's so mellow. Inside in the shade, I have to have some noisy, bang, bang music, to get something going, and it makes me too twitchy. Music has its place too, but today I want the vibe of the sun, and the late Spring. Good training to you, and I hope you find a good training partner, and teacher.

Explos film Fest and local larking. Stevie the Lark Haston.

So I took this photo of a poster at the Film Festival at Ax les Thermes, and realized afterwards that it was my bunny, snowboarding a first descent in the himalayas. Some times it's nice to be me!

Laurence had trouble controlling one of the children at the Kids Yoga, he was more interested in doing Axe kicks to the head!

This is Phil Bence the main man behind the festival having an enlightened moment, he has been a fantastic friend in caves and grottes to me, he taught me much, so much thanks.

This is Anne Arran, very, very pregnant doing her yoga class with Laurence, Anne has a local Gite, Chez Arran, which is very popular amongst visiting Brits. Anne is looking forward to doing 8a again!  

The Karate Kid was beaten by the Yogi, soundly told off, and told to stretch in the naughty corner.

Two of these keen youngsters cycled 135 miles to do some yoga and see a few films, I was very impressed with them and the other students.

There was a little exhibit of the local rescue Gendarmerie and I got to talk to Gael Perez, about rescue stuff, I always pay these lads and lasses great respect having been pulled out of 'La Merde' a couple of times. Gael is a local from Pau and a mountain man. The bit of kit  behind us, is what we need on Gozo, please take note you Maltese and Gozotans, we all need a ride from the cliffs one day!

Intuitive infinity, By Stevie infinite Haston

So I have been doing Yoga nearly all day long at Ax, as part of the Explos film festival. Actually Patagonia sponsored the Kundalini Yoga, with Laurence teaching. There are some good films etc, and some good climbers and cavers around to chat to, not to mention us other folk who are equally good to chat to.

James Pearson from the Uk is there with a nice little film, showing him, and his extremely talented climbing girlfriend, Caroline, find out more about them and check their Blog out.

Oh yes, great Organic beer, new shoe from La Sportiva, stiff trad and crack, beer is good in any kind of weather etc.

My foot in a very cool La Sportiva flip flop, non slip sole for those people who have had too much Bio beer, 6% is a good hit, especially if you have a six pack. Yoga was totally brilliant today, felt like I was getting somewhere, thanks to Betta Gobbi from Grivel who is one of Laurence's teachers. Yes Betta, it's working!

Core is Sore, by Stevie Haston.

Core is Key, for sure.

Grandkids are coming in a couple of weeks , gotta be fit for them.

Two of my grand kids do fighting arts, so got the old kick bag out.  This is very good for those weird toe hooks and ankle torque.

Laurence said she might try again, since I am home for a bit, and driving her crazy. She will be teaching some good core yoga classes at the Film Festival Explos in Ax les thermes in Ariège, here is the link to the program.

Might have to go to Spain, to get her a bargain grade! Local grades are way too hard.

Her local project has a few funky one leg knee bars, and we all know you are what you do, it's  not  what you think you are, it's what you make yourself. Anyway the rain has stopped, the flowers are bobbing their spring heads, and so are we after a bit of down time. Soup and carrots for a while, power pulls, and a bit of light leg endurance to get rid of a few pounds of lard.