PlanetShoes is also one of the fastest growing private companies in the United States; as they have been selling active, comfortable, earth friendly-products out of Waltham, Massachusetts for the past decade, they really know their shoes.

They also know great deals. For all orders over $49, customers can get their shoes shipped for free. They also have a cozy holiday “gift shop” that makes finding that special pair of shoes for a loved one super easy. Just be sure that you know their shoe size before you shop!

Oh and while you’re shopping for that perfect pair of shoes that meets all your urban and eco-needs, be sure to snag a Monkey Bed bag while you’re on the site. That’s right, they carry bags, too, which you can sort based on category, price range and if their eco-friendly, one of a kind, made in the USA, vegan, or whether the company who makes the bag is philanthropic.

Go get your holiday shopping on at PlanetShoes.com!

So, if you’re passionate about enjoying the outdoors, take some time to lend a hand at preserving them for others, too. Here are some easy ways to get involved:

1. Sign the Pledge

Even if you’re not a devoted biker, surely you understand why the future of biking must be preserved. Biking is not only an extremely healthy pursuit; it’s also a powerful form of transportation with very little impact on the environment.  That’s why we recommend that you take a moment to sign the pledge to preserve the future of biking at PeopleForBikes, an organization that urges U.S Senators and Congressmen to make new, low-cost investments into biking programs and facilities (including the expansion of bike trails and paths in urban environments).

2. Become an Advocate

Learn about becoming an advocate for Parks and Recreation by visiting their website and reviewing the federal and legislative issues that impact parks and recreations. By just spending a few minutes on the website, you’ll learn the steps you need to take to help save your community’s green assets.

3. Support Local Initiatives

The best thing you can do to help your local green spaces is to support the initiatives that help make them thrive. Check out this local Trails and Open Spaces Coalition in Colorado and then research what you can do in your neighborhood, follow the associations that affect your region on Facebook, Twitter, and volunteer to help make community gardens thrive.

See you in the park!

41% off any Monkey Bed Product
November 26 – December 2
Use Coupon Code: frugalmonkey

Check them out at www.luckychic.com. You can bid on the Seashore blanket bag starting tomorrow,October 15 by clicking here. Now get on with your lucky self!

Race Across The Sky 2010 from Citizen Pictures on Vimeo.

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We’re heading to Martha’s Vineyard tomorrow to soak up the island and visit a few of our Monkey Bed retailers. If you’re on the Vineyard, we’ve got you covered. In Vineyard Haven, check out Rainy Day and ask Heather about anything in the store. Go score some gear or rent a surf board at The Green Room, it’s an outdoor lovers paradise. Head over to Edgartown and say hi to Danielle and Amy at Blue Fish at 11 Winter Street. Going to head out to Oak Bluffs? Stop by the General Store and say high to Mike at 24 Kennebec.

There you go, you’ve got things to see, places to go, people to meet. Get on it! Get out and enjoy the summer, hop on the ferry and soak it up, it’s easier than you think!

weekend also, and hey, it would be the perfect excuse to shamelessly promote Urban Blanket Bags as your perfect long weekend accessory, it’s also the day before our favorite annual event begins, Le Tour De France!

I know, I know, you just expended all the energy you have for ‘new’ sports interests on the World Cup, but now that our guys couldn’t stack up against Ghana, it’s time to tune into Le Tour! It’s this monkey’s opinion (and hope), that we’ve got an all-star year for American riders.

When I first got into following cycling, it was a pretty intimidating world with lots of names I’d never heard, technical lingo that seemed ridiculous, and short men in bright spandex. But then, I got my first glimpse of a breakaway move and it was lights out. I’m hooked. Here’s a classic Lance Armstrong video with one of his now infamous moments at 2:25 and a video of a Sandy Casar breakaway move that’s pretty jaw dropping considering those guys are already doing ~22 mph when he hits the ‘gas’ about 21 seconds into the video.

Ok, did that get your heart racing? Here’s some fun things to follow on this year’s Tour. Like every year, the route is a little different, so to give you some perspective, here’s this year’s route map. It’ll take these guys most of the month of July to complete it (you can watch live coverage starting on July 3 on Versus). One thing to make watching the Tour more understandable is to remember, this is a month long event based on the best overall time. So, there’s lots of talk about winning stages and dominating mountain sections, but it’s fastest overall time that takes the big prize.

Most of the hype this year will be around Alberto Contador and Lance Armstrong. Why the drama? Last year, Contador won the Tour de France with Lance on the same team taking third place. This year, Lance has created his own team poaching a large portion of the riders from last year’s winning team. Adding do the buzz, Lance has also indicated this is his last Tour.

Besides Lance and Condator, a lot of the talk and coverage will go to British rider Mark Cavendish (a truly legendary sprint finisher who has proven just about unbeatable in the final push to the line) and the young American, Tyler Farrar, who will try again this year to crack Mark’s record of perfection. Here’s a really quick video of a Cavendish finish to give you a flavor for how insanely fast this guy can go:

There’s also going to be plenty of talk about team Saxo Bank and the Schleck brothers who hope to unseat Contador, not just in the mountains where Contador beat up on them last year, but to win the overall race (Andy Schleck came in 2nd in ‘09).

Ok, you’re almost there, you’re ready for the action to begin, now you just need an “underdog” to root for. Well I’ve got my favorite American rider and I’m hoping you’ll be rooting for him too, because I’ve got a feeling he’s going to be sneaking up on all these guys to take a spot on the podium. Christian Vande Velde is the name, and pure bad a** is his game. He’s no rookie. In fact, he was a part of 2 of Lance’s winning Tour de France teams and has plenty of accolades of his own. But in 2009, he showed what kind of toughness he’s really got. Less than 2 months before the Tour, Christian broke 7 bones (five vertebrae, a rib and his pelvis). Seven weeks later, he took 8th place in the Tour. Do I need to say more? Ok fine, I will. Even finishing the Tour is a major accomplishment with all that can go wrong in 3 weeks of intense riding. To come in top 10 is a lot of these guys dreams when they are completely healthy. Go show them what you’ve really got Christian!

Now go get outside and enjoy the long holiday weekend, but don’t forget to tape le Tour!