Tormod Amlien and Klaus Ulvestad may not be your best friends yet, but sure you could live vicariously through their Norwegian escapades in an attempt to make the round-the-world trip on vintage motorcycles. The new age Vikings started their journey April 1st 2009 in none other but Toten, Norway. From there the fantastic duo will journey through the Baltic countries, up through Siberia, through Mongolia and then to the most easterly point of Asia before sailing or flying to Anchorage, Alaska. Saying that the two have a plan would be using that term very loosely. As described by Amlien and Ulvestad, making plans doesn’t make sense when criss-crossing central and South America, or going through Africa. What are the only definites on the journey? An amazing trip brought to you by two guys riding 70-year-old Danish Nimbus motorcycles equipped with side cars.

Sites: KCCD, KCCD Blog, KCCD Videos

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So what makes these two the best men for the job? Well besides the fact both have been riding Danish Nimbus motorcycles since an early age, it seems from their blog absolutely nothing. The two have a true understanding of their simple machines, and plan on doing any roadside work to their cycles by hand. Since the times of the Vikings, and even earlier, Norwegians have had the deep desire to explore and travel, so it makes sense it would be in the blood of these two overly ambitious men.

The purpose of the trip seems so simple at first, they must have a death wish and want to end it all while on the uncomfortable hard tail 1937 Nimbus motorcycles. Upon closer observation, they reveal it happens to be one of the manliest ventures point-to-point that any person, or couple of everyday chaps, could undertake. Where as in the past, Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman made the journey from London eastward to Manhattan on the comfortable BMW crafted cycles, Tormod and Klaus are roughing it without the repair crew, and stuck on hard tail vintage overhauled toys. Much like a college road trip, the two men will do repairs on site, and the trips are planned based on where friends live, and which roads are less traveled.

The noble steeds these two heroes enjoy their long days on are anything but the ordinary. The 750cc Single overhead cam straight fours are overly exposed, along with the valves and rocker arms. Although exquisite to see a bike’s motor like that in action, it can leave the riders at the mercy of the elements they plan on traveling through. The flat strips of steel and lack of rear suspension seem to be the least supportive of any motorcycle, but that just adds one more thing to this momentous journey.

So it seems with a lack of any direct planning, a couple of 1937 Danish Nimbus motorcycles, and two guys with the largest of hopes, a trip aptly name “The Dumb Way Round” comes to fruition. Although Tormod Amlien and Klaus Ulvestad may not be household names just yet, their journey is going to be one for the record books, and definitely a couple of fellows you want to keep a close eye on as their journey continues back across the US in the coming months.

Source: Bike EXIF

Star Wars changed the world forever when it hit the big screen in 1977. In a series of photographs called “The Dark Lens,” photographer, Cédric Delsaux, captures the characters in an apocalyptic world transformed by war. When first looking at these photographs, one wonders, is this our world we’re looking at it, or theirs? C3PO is stranded in a field of alien machinery in what looks to be an old parking garage. Silver androids with arched swan necks, armed by machine guns line up against what could be this years’ newest Chevy truck, while R2D2 stands alone with what looks like a disassembled helicopter in an abandoned repair shop. There is an obvious devastation on whatever planet they may be on. The world seems to be vacant of any human life. Delsaux’s photos create an interesting dilemma for the fan by placing the beloved characters in an unknown world with unknown tragedy. Will they try to leave or attempt to start over? Will they have their own race wars to determine who’s in charge? Will Darth Vader be President!? One can only hope.

Footnote: All these photos were shot at a Star Wars amusement park in Dubai!

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Source: Fubiz

The new Denim Debate site hopes to unveil some truths about high-end denim quality. A collective of bloggers, store owners and stylish associates have come together in a challenge of sorts to compare their respective brand of jeans by chronicling its life from purchase to alteration to first wash and to that “perfectly worn-in” look.

A long and diverse list of denim lines are represented on the site including The Flat Head, Studio D’Artisan, Kicking Mule Workshop, Levi’s Vintage, Rising Sun, 3Sixteen, APC, Nom de Guerre, Self Edge and much much more.

Each contributor documents the progress of their denim with regularly updated posts that will uncover methods of the wear process, the various fits for body types, color fade and several other elements that attribute to denim’s character.

This project is encouraged to be interactive with the readers which will enable them to comment on preferences and share their own denim experiences. All parties gain to learn something through this effort.

So bookmark the Denim Debate, and check out this impressive roster of enthusiasts, converts and overall passionate students of denim. I’m a proud participant of this project, and I’m sure you’ll recognize some other faces as well.

Note: my prized Self Edge x Real Japan Blues will prove to be a standout.

You can also follow Denim Debate on their Twitter page: twitter.com/denimdebate

TRANSIT ELITE from Dave Christenson on Vimeo.

As part of their Nepal Project, Apolis Activism partnered up with cycling clothiers Rapha for a special Transit Elite Sweater release. Both brands decided to document the whole process of making the sweater by capturing on video the women of Nepal who produced and knitted this special product. The film not only shines light on the humble hard workers of Nepal, but it also gives us a peak into the beautiful mountain ranges that surround the country. Luckily enough, Shea Parton of Apolis Activism and Cole Maness of Rapha were able to cycle these mountains, and it’s inspiring to see that they were able to capture the sights and sounds of the area by doing the things they’re passionate about.

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Source: Valet

Vogue Diaries has an interesting video that goes behind the scenes of a photoshoot that includes some of the fashion industries most influential bloggers. Among them are a few of SwipeLife’s favorites such as Tommy Ton of Jak & Jil and Todd Selby of The Selby. Other noted bloggers in the video include Bryan Boy, Michelle Phan, Mary Tomer, Yvan Rodic, Hanneli Mustaparta, Catherine Kallon, and Garance Dore. This video is a great view inside the minds of the bloggers and how they interpret the fashion industry according to their thoughts, words, and images.

Source: Style.com

If you’ve ever wondered what it would feel like to actually sleep on a plane that’s tailored to your specific luxury needs, then you should check out this Hotel Suite in Teuge Airport, Netherlands. Dubbed the Vliegtuigsuite, this Cold War East German aircraft turned luxury suite comes with features such as flat screen TVs, a Blu-ray player, a sauna, and a jacuzzi. You have access to every luxurious nook and cranny of the plane so don’t hesitate to claim the pilot section right away. For more information visit http://www.hotelsuites.nl/.

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Source: Gizmodo

Christian Acuña is changing the way men think about skin care. His all-natural line of products specifically tailored for men are both simple and essential for maintaining healthy skin (something most of us take for granted). Christian has spent many years researching and developing his products and he is considered to be a pioneer in the field of organic men’s skin care. With his entire product line and packaging being 100% biodegradable, Christian Acuña products are at the forefront of the all natural and earth friendly men’s skin care industry. Luckily for our readers, we have teamed up with Christian Acuña for some product giveaways that will be running through the end of February. The rules are pretty simple.

All you have to do is join our Facebook Fan page and make a comment, and also join our Twitter page.

A few lucky winners will receive a Christian Acuña skin care set.

Continue reading for more information on Christian Acuña Skin Care Products and our giveaway:

About Christian Acuña:

Christian was born in Zarautz, Spain, a place of natural wonders and beautiful beaches. It was a place that help him develop an appreciation for nature . As a fond reader of the Adventures of Tom Sawyer books, Christian was curious about the world, and his curiosities landed him in Sydney, Australia in 1997. Just a few years after arriving in Sydney, he opened up his own skin care clinic, which eventually lead him to develop and use products on clients.

Christian always thought there was a void in skin care products for men. There wasn’t really anything out in the market that were free from artificial additives and chemicals. It was his idea then to fill that void in the market and base his products from the studies and wisdom of Aboriginal culture, where most of the ingredients come from. One of the most powerful anti-oxidants on the planet is the kakadu plum. Other ingredients such as a berries and other fruits that Aboriginals have consumed for many generations are also main ingredients in the line. Christian strongly believes that these ingredients are the key to great skin: organic anti-oxidants that have been tried and proven through many generations.

Acuña’s thoughts on the importance of Organic products:

Organic means pure, directly from mother earth. Only nourished by the best organic soil and rainwater. Organic is safe and is a source of purity for our skin. When you buy organic you buy a product where all its content are going to nourish your skin as it uses 100% active ingredients. There are no additives, no artificial emollients to create volume. Sometimes we buy skin care products from our local supermarket or pharmacy but these products may only put 0.5% of active ingredients to your skin and the rest is just chemicals and “stuff” your skin does not need. This is money that you are just throwing away while putting who knows what into your system. Just read the ingredient list of any of the cheaper skin care products and tell me if you recognize any of those names. I bet you won’t.

You may have never drank grapefruit or seen an Aloe Vera plant, but it doesn’t sound foreign to you. This is not just using products directly from Earth. We are also helping organic farmers to treat the soil with respect for many generations to come. We don’t create any chemical waist or toxics that can harm the planet. We are absolutely committed to maintain an environmentally friendly range of products where making a profit doesn’t link to destruction of the planet; to the contrary we treat the planet with love and respect and in exchange we produce for you the very best that mother nature can give you; my organic skin care range.

Christian Acuña on creating the Skin Care line:

My skin care line is divided in 3 simple lines; face essentials (the basics of skin care maintenance), face repair (for those with more skin needs), and body.

We are continuously looking to improve each of our formulas as new mixes and ingredient performance are always in constant upgrade. Australia is by far one of the countries with most controls when it comes to getting a product certified organic. For a product to be “certified organic” implies that at least 95% of its content is organic. Other countries quality control will approve a certified organic product if their content is at least 0.5% organic, a big difference! Here in Australia we are under constant scrutiny by the TGA (Therapeutic Goods Administration). Needless to say, it’s a long process from the initial idea into a final off the shelf product due to the intricacies of creating products of such high quality and efficacy.

On “The Men’s Beauty Room” and his Clinic:

The Men’s beauty room was the “lab” of Christian Acuña skin care… it’s where all it started. The clinic is “by appointment” only because I want to provide my clients with a unique and personal experience. I specialize in natural face rejuvenation treatments where abrasive ingredients or procedures are not practiced. I also specialize in hair removal treatments focused on the specific needs of men.

For more information please visit: www.christianacuna.com

Levi’s goes viral with a very fascinating project that allows for a simple cardboard box to act as a pop-up closet. Store your jeans, shirts, socks, and more, and all you have to do is flatten the box again to save space. The concept comes from the Moriterbrigade agency in Belgium.

Continue reading to view the video and see more images of the Levi’s Pop Up Closet.

Source: Ads of the World

British GQ readers will be lucky to know that supermodel Kate Moss will be gracing the magazine cover for the February Issue. The cover was shot by David Bailey, and should soon hit your newstands. Note also, that this is GQ UK’s Style Issue, which should make up for an interesting read besides staring at pictures of Ms. Moss.

Source: Design Scene

Reigning queen of VOGUE cover (number should be round 90 covers to date) Kate Moss lands the cover or next months British Gentlemen’s Quarterly Magazine, photographed by David Bailey. Log on to www.davidbaileyphotography.com for Davids official web portflio.

There’s no doubt that Avatar was one of the biggest films of 2009. Amazing special effects combined with James Cameron’s genius and a talented cast allowed it to become an awe inspiring movie experience. In this LIFE magazine photo series, Photographer Jeff Vespa captures the people that made it all happen. Jet-Setting across different countries for interviews, photo ops, and openings, Vespa was able to capture some candid moments with Avatar stars Sigourney Weaver, Zoë Saldana, Sam Worthington, and James Cameron.

You can view the entire series at LIFE.