My requirements for outdoor happiness:
- campfire
- tent
- woods
- tired dog
- tired legs
- yummy food
- swimming
- wheels
- friends
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Western Spirit: Cycling Trips
If you haven't seen the lust worthy trips over at Western Spirit, you must get on their mailing list. Every year around this time I get a killer catalog in the mail featuring Fruita singletrack, mountain biking in Idaho, and multi-day touring adventures through Utah. Here are a few of my dream trips:
Backcountry Hot Springs
Start by cycling through Ketchum, Idaho to the Dollarhide Summit, which sports a blanket of wild flowers in the right season. The fact that this trip involves daily trips to hot springs is just sublime. I can't think of anything better than mountain biking all day and retiring to a few natural hot springs. Did you see that they bring you chairs for the campfire? And the food, the pictures of the food are enough to make me want to go.
Start by cycling through Ketchum, Idaho to the Dollarhide Summit, which sports a blanket of wild flowers in the right season. The fact that this trip involves daily trips to hot springs is just sublime. I can't think of anything better than mountain biking all day and retiring to a few natural hot springs. Did you see that they bring you chairs for the campfire? And the food, the pictures of the food are enough to make me want to go.
Fruita Singletrack or Crested Butte Singletrack
Both of these singletrack based trips look amazing. On the Fruita Singletrack trip you jut over the Kokopelli Trail, ride a few serious climbs, huge descents, and finish it up on swooping singletrack. It sounds like a slice of mountain bike heaven. The Crested Butte Singletrack sports loads of views, fields of flowers, and stands of aspen mixed in with some serious climbing, which of course makes for some serious descents. Can you say Kowabunga?!
There are loads more trips that make my dream list from Western Spirit- but there's just not enough space. Check them all out here.
Both of these singletrack based trips look amazing. On the Fruita Singletrack trip you jut over the Kokopelli Trail, ride a few serious climbs, huge descents, and finish it up on swooping singletrack. It sounds like a slice of mountain bike heaven. The Crested Butte Singletrack sports loads of views, fields of flowers, and stands of aspen mixed in with some serious climbing, which of course makes for some serious descents. Can you say Kowabunga?!
There are loads more trips that make my dream list from Western Spirit- but there's just not enough space. Check them all out here.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Remember This
Do you remember last summer when I posted these photos of a camping trip?
That was a great weekend. Right now the weather is absolutely perfect, but I'm stuck inside trying to get a slew of work done before this weekend. After these next couples of weeks I quit on the all work and school and no play thing. Quit. Done. Then it's time to play.
All I really want right now is my darn fishing license and a pole. How's that for random?
All I really want right now is my darn fishing license and a pole. How's that for random?
Vibram Fivefingers Product Review: Just In
So yesterday I gave you a little peek at my new pair of Vibram Fivefingers. Now, I’m going to give you my intitial thoughts on these fivefinger things.
more pics to come!
Vibram Fivefingers hot to trot
For one they’re super hot right now. Everyone is wearing them where in the Northeast and everyone is chatting them up. When I went to the store to buy mine, I was literally followed into the shoe section by a sort of frantic women saying she called to have her size held. Thank goodness I wasn’t a size nine or I may have had to fist fight for mine.
The barefoot movement is picking up speed
If you didn’t catch my first post on barefoot running check it out here. Basically, the theory is that we all used to run around without shoes on years ago and didn’t seem to have as many foot problems because our bodies somehow compensated. It’s a nice idea and seems to be picking up some popularity. It’s sort of like unschooling your feet.
But I’m not much of a runner
My faithful readers know that I am not much of a runner. It’s always something that I say I want to pursue further, but find that two wheels are just so much quicker. My review will cover the range of active sports that Vibram totes they’re shoes can handle- things like hiking, kayaking, and galavanting around town. I’ll tell ya’ how it is.
Trying on Five Fingers
Trying on the Fivefingers is too funny for words. Let’s just say that forcing your little toes into the market is like trying to drunkedly throw a dart- it’s hard. Use all your resources-- including the sales clerk.
How do the Fivefingers feel
That’s hard to spit out- how do the fivefingers feel?! Let’s just say….odd. It’s sort of weird to have all your toes spread out and it certainly forces you to walk differently- sort of all splayed about.
So stay tuned as I give you a sport round up of the Vibram Fivefingers later this week.
For one they’re super hot right now. Everyone is wearing them where in the Northeast and everyone is chatting them up. When I went to the store to buy mine, I was literally followed into the shoe section by a sort of frantic women saying she called to have her size held. Thank goodness I wasn’t a size nine or I may have had to fist fight for mine.
The barefoot movement is picking up speed
If you didn’t catch my first post on barefoot running check it out here. Basically, the theory is that we all used to run around without shoes on years ago and didn’t seem to have as many foot problems because our bodies somehow compensated. It’s a nice idea and seems to be picking up some popularity. It’s sort of like unschooling your feet.
But I’m not much of a runner
My faithful readers know that I am not much of a runner. It’s always something that I say I want to pursue further, but find that two wheels are just so much quicker. My review will cover the range of active sports that Vibram totes they’re shoes can handle- things like hiking, kayaking, and galavanting around town. I’ll tell ya’ how it is.
Trying on Five Fingers
Trying on the Fivefingers is too funny for words. Let’s just say that forcing your little toes into the market is like trying to drunkedly throw a dart- it’s hard. Use all your resources-- including the sales clerk.
How do the Fivefingers feel
That’s hard to spit out- how do the fivefingers feel?! Let’s just say….odd. It’s sort of weird to have all your toes spread out and it certainly forces you to walk differently- sort of all splayed about.
So stay tuned as I give you a sport round up of the Vibram Fivefingers later this week.
The Vest
To me the best, most useful, piece of outdoor gear is a thin vest. When I first discovered my love of the outdoors at boy scout camp, I had a favorite camp counselor who was always sporting one. I soon coveted my own vest and randomly all these years later have realized the vest still tops my favorite outdoor gear list.
Why the vest? Here are my reasons:
Transcends sport
The vest transcends sport. Working perfectly for mountain biking, hiking, climbing, you name it. Now find me a half zip cycling jersey with two back pockets that can do that.
They’re affordable
Something about a vest, maybe the lack of two sleeves, that seems to keep them affordable.
They hide the belly
You can always have the after ride ice cream if you’ve brought your vest along. Wink wink
It’s perfect for Goldilocks
When I ride during the wee morning hours I find that a vest is just enough warmth, but not too much.
Kills the ride up
You know the ride up. You’re biking with a camelback-you’re hiking with a backpack- and your shirt, well you know… it rides up. For some reason vests don’t.
Transcends sport
The vest transcends sport. Working perfectly for mountain biking, hiking, climbing, you name it. Now find me a half zip cycling jersey with two back pockets that can do that.
They’re affordable
Something about a vest, maybe the lack of two sleeves, that seems to keep them affordable.
They hide the belly
You can always have the after ride ice cream if you’ve brought your vest along. Wink wink
It’s perfect for Goldilocks
When I ride during the wee morning hours I find that a vest is just enough warmth, but not too much.
Kills the ride up
You know the ride up. You’re biking with a camelback-you’re hiking with a backpack- and your shirt, well you know… it rides up. For some reason vests don’t.
Monday, May 3, 2010
Vibram Five Fingers Product Review Preview
Yup that's right- I've got me a pair them Vibram Fivefingers. I'll be reviewing the Five fingers this week and will pass along the skinny to you. For now- the try on:
Bare feet (PS silver is the new pink)
You put on the Fivefingers by putting your toes in first. This is much easier said than done- especially the first few times. For some reason, you don't have as much fine motor control over each individual toe as you do, say your fingers. So after a minute or two of me laughing and thinking- middle toe why won't you go over to the left- I got the little buggers on.
So there you have 'em- the Vibram Fivefingers try-on...and a piece of fuzz on my carpet...and my dog's foot, because what's a try-on sess without your dog sniffing things out?
Complete review to come. I'll try them out with a couple of different sports/activities and let you know. Pray for my knees. Pray for my knees.
Complete review to come. I'll try them out with a couple of different sports/activities and let you know. Pray for my knees. Pray for my knees.
Bug Season
Right after my little brother's favorite season- mud season- it becomes my least favorite season- bug season. We are starting to head into peak bug season now and I thought I would hit on some of my current bug solutions.
- Bug spray with deet- I am petrified of it, the deet that is, but at the same time I am sort of petrified of getting Lyme disease too so most days the deet wins that contest. But really, I try to spray it only on clothing and I try to only use it when I think I'll really need it.
- Cover up- if the weather allows it- I will just put on long sleeves and long pants. On my cycling trip last year the only long pants I brought were rain pants- so I wore rain pants while cooking dinner to keep the bugs away.
- For Misty- while I have heard you can safely use Skin So Soft on your dog to keep the bugs off them, I find it messy and smelly. Instead I find that a really good flea and tick repellent like Advantage works the best.
- Ride fast- no lie sometimes this is my only solution. It's sort of a pace yourself thing. You need to ride just fast enough to stay ahead of the swarm and just slow enough that you can keep the pace up the entire ride.
- Avoid riding with groups- ha! It's true though. Don't you hate getting eaten alive waiting for the last rider to show up at the trail junction? For the love.
- Head nets- In really heavy season I've worn a head net. Not the kind your lunch lady wears, more like these Bug Out Headnets
Newbie Backpacking
If you’ve enjoyed the outdoors for a while now, you will inevitably take a newbie hiker/backpacker on a trip sometime.
I’m talking about the kind of newbie where you must explain wicking fabrics vs. cotton, hanging food, etc. Having gone on a few of these trips myself, I’ve started a collection of odd items that people bring on trips.
I’m talking about the kind of newbie where you must explain wicking fabrics vs. cotton, hanging food, etc. Having gone on a few of these trips myself, I’ve started a collection of odd items that people bring on trips.
- Glass dog bowl- because it was their dog’s favorite bowl. Trust me- once your dog has put in a few miles, they could care less about what they are eating from. I’ve even used a plastic bag in a pinch.
- Decorated backpacks- oh right that is me.
- Rolls of paper towel- ummm what do we do with the dirty ones may I ask?
- You won’t believe this one- Lysol. Yes, Lysol. The logic was to use it for the latrines. For me- if the latrines are that bad I’m using the woods.
Terry Pro Deal
If you haven't signed up for Terry's Pro Deal Monday email, you are missing some great deals. Every Monday they send out an email with a few hand picked items at half price. They're not just trying to unload unwanted merchandise either- these are sweet products.
Take for instance one of this Monday's Pro Deal items- the Damselfly saddle. I just purchased this last year and reviewed it here. It's a killer saddle for performance mountain biking. I really needed something that allowed me to get far back on descents and this saddle answered the call.
Take for instance one of this Monday's Pro Deal items- the Damselfly saddle. I just purchased this last year and reviewed it here. It's a killer saddle for performance mountain biking. I really needed something that allowed me to get far back on descents and this saddle answered the call.
Not to mention the cute skorts on sale this week.
I really like Terry's cycling gear. If you haven't tried their stuff yet, here are a few things they do really well:- Gear specifically designed for women. Lots of companies claim to do this, but Terry is the real deal. It's all they do. You won't get any weirdly long sleeves or straps, because they really find and make some of the best cycling gear for women.
- Saddles- their saddles are heaven. If you are a picky bike seat person, you must try one of their saddles.
- Padded bike shorts- I've tried many different bike shorts and I really love Terry's. Hits in all the right places if you know what I mean.
- Enough yet? You already love them? Nice!
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