Alex's World.

Christmas Time in the Canyon.

2011-12-10T09:59:00.001-07:00

A crackling fire, a full moon and Christmas lights, yep it's Christmas time in Coal Creek Canyon.

Christmas Time is Here by Charlie Brown Christmas on Grooveshark

Yard's ridin.

2011-12-04T20:35:00.003-07:00

Trax snowboards down the backyard. Game on.

Change a coming.

2011-11-27T19:35:00.010-07:00

Brown scrambles down a snow covered road.

I'm going to retire Alex's World at year's end.

Man Cave, It begins.

2011-11-23T16:40:00.012-07:00

Man Cave before picture.
This is the space after tearing down a couple of walls that formed a small bedroom and hallway the previous owner envisioned. Over the next few months I hope to create a man cave in the space. My goal is to spend less time staring at a monitor and more time in the man cave.

The Cave by Mumford & Sons on Grooveshark

urban sprawl

2011-11-15T19:00:00.002-07:00

Brown Dog knows we are not in our hood when he is leashed to a fence post. Sorry DB... burbs.

Colorado High School Mountain Bike League

2011-10-17T15:02:00.006-06:00

Trax races in last week event at Peaceful valley Ranch in the Black Forest, Colorado.

Colorado's newly formed High School Mountain bike league has been taking off in the last couple years. It saw 100% growth this year with kids from all over the state forming teams at their high schools, or groups of high schools (so called composite teams). Powered by local sponsors and enthusiastic volunteers the race series has us driving to some of Colorado most beautiful destination for the competitions. The guys (and girls which the numbers has quadrupled in a year) really take pride in the sport and I can actually see the camaraderie being built. Some of these kids can ride! No doubt laying the roots for a collegiate or pro level career.

Trax's Buddies Wyatt(Boulder High) and Griff (Monarch High) are neck and neck during lap # 2.

Fall

2011-10-12T20:04:00.002-06:00

Photo:Nell

Music from Austin City Limits 2011

2011-09-21T21:20:00.001-06:00

Manu Chao

Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley

John and Joe, A story on 9/11

2011-09-11T11:56:00.001-06:00

John and Joe from StoryCorps on Vimeo.

This is an animation base on a story told by Joe Vigiano, Sr. about his two sons – one a fireman, the other a policeman - who were killed during 9/11.

Smoked Slamon

2011-09-02T07:58:00.015-06:00

Before: The Labor Day weekend salmon. Alaskan Sockeye from the Kenai River.
De-rib and sprinkle liberally with sea salt.
Let meat achieve room temperature just before it goes on the smoker.

Remove from cookie sheet and place in the 'cool' part of the smoker.
Smoke over an Alder fire for 5+ hours.
Make sure to keep a constant temperature.
I like my heat right around 200 F with a light, lacy smoke from the Alder combustion.
Do not soak your wood in water before hand, let a small pile burn in the fire box. Add wood as needed (every 30 mins). You'll probably need a few beers for this process.
The Alder actually burning, instead of smoldering, will ensures a smooth smokey flavor, not bitter or ashy.

After: Alder smoked to perfection Kenai Sockeye.
Let cool, wrap in foil and refrigerate and/or enjoy.

Rocky Mountain Airshow

2011-08-28T21:21:00.018-06:00

more to come.

Photo:Nell

Forest lakes & Smoked Salmon Butter

2011-08-22T08:26:00.006-06:00

Beautiful summer day up at Forest Lakes

I can practice my Double Haul cast here.

Smoked Salmon Butter, great on toast.

Incubus at Red Rocks!

2011-08-18T11:20:00.002-06:00

Watch live streaming video from incubus at livestream.com

Saw Incubus at Red Rocks with my Bro last night! Here is the stream.
What an amazing venue and band, they killed. We got clear skies and temperatures in the 70's.

Utah Green River Trip 2011

2011-08-16T07:39:00.021-06:00

Our visit to Crystal Geyser in Utah.
via Wikipedia
It is a rare example of a cold water carbon dioxide driven geyser; geothermal activity does not play a role in the activity of the geyser. The ground water near the geyser has significant quantities of dissolved carbon dioxide, along with substantial underground gas accumulations in the surrounding area. Saturation of the aquifer with CO₂ creates enough pressure to force groundwater through the geyser and out on to the surface.

The geyser erupts sometimes to a height of 40 meters or more. During 2005, a study of the timing of the eruptions found them to be bimodal. About 66% of eruptions in the study occurred about 8 hours after the previous eruption, and the rest about 22 hours after. The geyser erupts for an average of one hundred minutes a day, with eruptions either lasting 7–32 minutes, or 98–113 minutes. The bimodal distribution of eruptions is not a well-understood pattern, but is found in other geysers, both cold-water and otherwise. Between eruption events, the water level is approximately seventeen feet below the surface of the geyser—at the level of the water table. In the preface to an eruption, water surfaces, fills the pond around the geyser, and begins to bubble.

The current form of the geyser was created by an exploration well drilled in 1935 in attempt to locate oil. The well was originally 800 metres deep, but an earlier owner of the land partially filled it in, meaning that the well is now only a couple hundred metres deep.

The area surrounding the modern geyser is covered in a thick layer of orange travertine. Near the river, adjacent to the modern orange travertine, are substantial deposits of white travertine, perhaps reflecting the original depositional environment of the geyser (before the exploratory well was drilled.)

Travertine deposits near the Crystal Geyser.
My bro Will and Brown Dog taking in the spectacular canon features.
This year's float was nothing like 2008's.
No this year's trip down the labyrinth was a little more than a gentle and relaxing paddle down one of Utah's gems. One word: mosquitoes! I know what you are thinking, its Utah, what's the big deal?
Female Aedes aegypti feeding. Photo: James Gathany

This year's Green River flow (blue line) via U.S. Geological Survey station recordings. USGS

The Green River flowed well above normal this season. Utah has not seen water like this since 1983-84. Many areas along the river including ponds, wetlands and farms, flowed for several months completely flooded. When it finally receded, much later than usual, it left sediment, mud and standing water. A path of soaked destruction. This had people cleaning up , digging out and repairing infrastructure. Access areas, roads, bridges and as we found out camping along the river were affected by the tremendous discharge. Wetlands were left with warm standing water, aka, mosquito marshes.

Trax and Nell navigate their Canoe down the Labyrinth.

Will and Trax float on by...and babushka Brown Dog.

Poor Brown Dog got a little heat and sun exposed on day one of our float. He had a rough night. His body temperature was boiling hot, showed signs of dehydration, and his eye were irritated(sunburned). He just wanted to lay in the cool sand and was not himself. We kept him covered with damp towels and Nell flush his eyes with saline. He came out of it in the wee hours of the morning as the canyon temperatures cooled.

The sun exposure on the river is no joke for humans, I can't imagine it is much different for dogs. We used Nell's Buff to provide some cooling and sun protection during the day but realized this is a problem. We do tons of things where there is sun exposure and your eyes can get cooked.

Doggles on a service dog.We might get Dudley some Doggles.

Bara, Nell and Will chill out in the Green River, UT 2011.

Sweetgrass Productions SOLITAIRE Trailer

2011-08-04T08:09:00.006-06:00

The Sweetgrass Crew released a new trailer!
Via Sweetgrass Productions...

WORLD PREMIERE SEPTEMBER 15th, 2011 in Denver, CO Gothic Theatre 7pm
For the DVD and Ski Film Tour info head to:
Sweetgrass-Productions.com

Patagonia and Dynafit present...

SOLITAIRE: A Backcountry Skiing, Snowboarding, and Telemark Film from Sweetgrass Productions

In the high desert of South America, winter takes hold, devouring bleached bones and abandoned shacks. Into these most inhospitable of lands, a handful of drifters emerge from the whiteout, ready to cast their lot on forsaken peaks both merciless and magnificent. Venturing beyond the frontiers of most mountain films, Solitaire is backcountry skiing forged in the tradition of Western cinema. Born in the spires of Argentina’s legendary Las Lenas, a lonely two-year journey begins through an abandoned world, wandering the length of a continent from Peru’s Cordillera Blanca to Chilean Patagonia.
Lost in the winds of snowbound badlands and the blizzards of primordial forests; seen from a horse’s saddle and a paraglider’s wings; ridden on ski and board and telemark...
Solitaire fuses western-inspired tales of backcountry gambles into landscapes never before visited on film.

Shot on location in: Las Lenas, Argentina; Portillo, Chile;
Nevados de Chillan, Chile; Patagonia, Chile; Bariloche, Argentina; Caviahue, Argentina; Huaraz, Peru; Iquitos, Peru; Uyuni, Bolivia; and Sajama, Bolivia.

Costa Rica Sound Clips

2011-08-01T21:45:00.005-06:00

Nell and I have been working on putting together some sounds from the trip.
Close your eyes and enter a morning in the rain forest.

A bird walk with Omar and Nell. Photo:Nell

Alaska's Clam Gulch & the Kenai River Fishing Trip

2011-07-27T22:47:00.046-06:00

Jason and Keyrock dig for clams during low tide at Alaska's clam gulch.
Headed up to AK for the Sockeye run this year. Jason, Eric(Keyrock) and I toured the Kenai river area in a 28 foot RV that included all the comforts of home in a 1980's style rolling base camp. We often fished 5 to 8 hours a day with processing (cleaning, vacuum packing and freezing) the days catch usually keeping us up till the wee hours of the morning.

Keyrock demonstrates using a clam gun to dig for clams.
This was my first experience clamming. It is a skill that requires a little practice and knowledge of the clam’s position in the sand.
Note: The dimple recognition step, the first step, was the key for me.

Here is how to dig up a clam.
1. Look for a small (about the size of a US nickel) dimple on the beach. This is the clam’s “show” and is the result of water moving vertically to the surface as the clam siphons sea water (at low tide) for substrates while feeding buried about 6 inches in the sand. If you pause the video at about :01 you can see the dimple of a Butter Clam.

2. We used a clam gun most of the time but shovels work well too, the second step is basically digging up the clam.

With a clam gun: Position the end of the tube centered over the dimple. Slowly press the tube into the sand until it reaches a hard layer. Making sure to avoid rocks and clams by rocking the gun back and forth and side to side in the mud. This was the tricky part. Many clams were crushed as the gun slid into the sand. Is that a rock or clam? Crack!
It takes a few times of slicing the clam in half to feel the clam with the gun and make sure to include it in the core. There is an air hole at the top of the gun that is plugged with your thumb making the tube air tight and able to pull a core of sand from the beach. Hopefully including the clam. Shuffle through the core of sand looking for the clam and/or finish digging up the clam by hand. Some of the clams were deeper than others.

With a shovel:
Dig a hole in the sand just above the clam starting from the dimple and working slightly diagonal toward the shore. This was about 5 to 6 inches usually. Go slow at the bottom as to not damage the clam. Reveal the neck and shell of the clam by digging with your hands back on the diagonal. If you dig directly down you can accidentally crack or crush the clam.

Note: Crushed clams are just as delicious, just more difficult to clean.

Hurry they can dig surprisingly fast to escape. Once you start digging it is a race, you vs. clam. Yes, they win sometimes.

A family digs for clams.

One of the things I had on my short list for this Alaska trip was to enjoy a home-made clam chowder after clamming all day at the gulch. A dream clam chowder that was like nothing I'd had before. A clam chowder that instead of being mostly void of clams, like we get here in Colorado,watery, mostly potatoes; is a chowder that is completely choked was clams, a ridiculous amount of fresh caught clams. Where every bite is a heaping pile of clams and buttery chowder drips from the spoon. You might ask, "did we forget the potatoes?" kind of clam chowder.

Well, we nailed it. A dream come true.

Here is the clam chowder recipe we enjoyed that night.

1.5 cups of clams per person (really)
4 slices bacon, diced
1 cup chopped onion
2 cups diced potatoes
1.5 cups clam broth/juice
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
3 tablespoons flour
2 cups half-and-half
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon minced rosemary, thyme, oregano (equal parts)

Dice and boil the potatoes for fifteen minutes, strain, set aside.
Cook bacon until crisp in a large, heavy sauce pan. Remove bacon to paper towels, dice.
Add onion to bacon drippings; sauté until softened, then add potatoes, and herbs and breifly saute. Add clam broth simmer for 10 mins. Next add the clams and the diced bacon simmer for 5 more mins. Whisk the flour into the milk and add it with the half and half simmer for another 10 mins or until the chowder thickens. Server with torn baguette bread.

Eat two bowls.

Hauling ass up river in the 1985 Class C Ford Suncrest Honey RV.

The halibut charters leaving for the morning tours. Seward, Alaska

Combat fishing at Bings Landing near Sterling, Alaska.
Fishing shoulder to shoulder was a new experience for me. If another angler got within a few feet of me on a river at home, in Colorado I'm sure I'd have some choice words for the guy and/or at least a stink eye. But here in Alaska during the salmon run anyway it is pretty much the norm and all popular fishing spots are usually teaming with fishermen...lucky for us they are also teaming with Salmon and everybody was light hearted and friendly.

You could see a steady stream of fish heading up river day and night. On July 18th of this year over 225K were counted by Didson sonar heading up river, this was more than 4 times the average for that day.

We got an AMAZING run this year!!

Bits!!! This what we called all the left overs from the filleting process.
Jason and I were new to filleting salmon. It takes some practice to get good at, I would say probably about 10-12 fish. Our first attempts had us cleaning up the bones getting every missed sliver of meat after the fact, very time consuming but worth it. We called these pieces "Bits". We would include them in the next mornings breakfast usually sautéd in bacon grease, peppered and served with scrambled eggs and toast.

A few clips of the fishing.

Keyrock hooks a sockeye a few feet from the waters edge at our backcountry spot.

This spot requires a short bushwack through the forest to get to, hints there is no people here. We carried a fire arm, bear pepper spray and made plenty of noise on our walks in. Bear tracks and scat were everywhere. Packing up the day's catch in our backpacks had us walking double time back to the RV. Keyrock threaten my life, if I give the exact location...sorry Blogosphere, my lips are sealed.

Up near the Russian River and Kenai River confluence.

This dog has it made floating down the Kenai.

A cleaning station with the morning's catch and beverage.

The sign reads "Help keep Anglers safe and Bears wild. Chop! into numerous pieces & Throw into fast current."

Our campsite pit smoker made with heavy aluminium foil, our grill, and the site's fire pit.

Another thing on the short list was to smoke a salmon that was just a few hours old with fresh cut green Alder from the river. We smoked a fillet for about 4 hours using only Alder in the fire.

The finished product lasted about four minutes.

A staw bale in Cedaredge.

2011-07-11T10:02:00.008-06:00

Nell shapes the bales on the assembly line.

We headed to Cedaredge this weekend to help out with the construction of a straw bale home our friends Jamie an JP are building. This life long dream home will eventual accompany a small organic farm they will plant. The property is surrounded by water and even has a spring feed swimming pond. Nell did a great slide show from the weekend.(below)

Kizoa slideshow: Raisin' Bales - Slideshow

That guy...

2011-07-01T15:41:00.002-06:00

Yep, Never thought I'd be that guy.

Twin Lakes and the Canoe Rack

2011-06-27T17:33:00.032-06:00

I started sketching my canoe rack weeks before I plugged in any power tools and built it for last weekend's trip to Twin Lakes. The problem was getting an 80 pound canoe on top of a 10 foot Skamper for transport. The rack had to be strong yet light enough to be removed during outings.

Here is the basic mock up on the deck.
The rack combines two mechanical advantages:
The first is a 6 pulley system that lifts the canoe from the ground to a vertical bracket above the camper. This bracket is the width of the canoe and pivots on hinges to load the canoe horizontally. The bracket is swung on the hinges by using a 6 foot steal rod to lever the weight of the canoe into the vertical and horizontal position.
The pulley system reduces the force needed to hoist the canoe into the air to about 8 pounds. It is possible to load the canoe on the camper by myself.

The pulleys I made from 4" Clothesline pulleys, a U-bolt, a chunk of oak, and a coated steal cable loop.

Here is the proof of concept before I finished the rack.
This picture shows the front 3 pulleys (half of the complete system) suspending two cinder blocks (~80 lbs) about 3 feet into the air. Blue straps secure the rack to the Skamper. A yellow strap centered on the canoe bracket supports the weight of the canoe during lifting. The yellow painters extension in the proof was replaced with a 6 foot steal rod for levering the canoe into the horizontal position... mainly because it bent to shit.

Here is the completed rack with canoe loaded.
A single black straps secure the bow of the canoe to the truck.
I still have to seal the wood with a protective waterproof finish then I'll be done. It functioned as expected and for about $200 in parts (damn near half in straps!) helps lighten the task of putting the canoe on the Skamper to a one person job.

Our Old Town Discovery 169 at the lake. The solar panel charges a deep cell battery during our hikes. A little electric trolling motor uses this battery to quietly push us around the lake. Even in windy conditions this setup did just fine.

Brown and I stroll down the trail. photo: Nell
We used the Canoe to explore different areas of the lake's shoreline that take a while to hike or bike to on the trail. Last year we hiked along this same stretch of trail after a 3 hour bike ride. Today about 20 minute Canoe ride got us here.

Brown Dog and I don't play with sticks so anytime you see him with one he is being a wise ass. On this occasion he was running by every few minutes with things I don't approve of.

Nell and I found a fishermen's lean-to shelter and used to escape the intense mid-day sun.

Brown dog peers through the shelter.

Sunset 06-15-2011

2011-06-15T22:21:00.001-06:00

Tonight's sunset to Lopseyed's Dead End Vista.

Manzanillo, Costa Rica Part IV

2011-06-05T22:17:00.017-06:00

Inside a ceremony hut deep in the rain forest.

Hand-made chocolate!

Josh getting the picture I wanted.

Multiple ecosystems living on pretty much everything. Photo:Nell

The Red Winged Black Grasshopper. X6, can you see them?

Children play with toy trucks in the rain forest.

A Golden Orb spider poised in her web.
These spiders were everywhere in the rain forest. You can not miss them suspended on their webs in more open areas of the forest. A big thick web supporting a large brightly colored spider. This one is palm sized with a body about as thick as my thumb. The silk is so strong that it can trap small birds, which the spider doesn't eat. In the South Pacific tribal people have long used the webs to make fishing lures, traps and nets.

Can you see me? A small octopus perfectly camouflaged.

Manzanillo, Costa Rica Part III: Terraventuras Zip Line Canopy Tour

2011-06-02T06:37:00.003-06:00

Manzanillo, Costa Rica Part II: Jaguar Rescue Center

2011-06-01T11:07:00.006-06:00

Manzanillo, Costa Rica Part I: Journey from San Jose.

2011-05-22T14:17:00.024-06:00

San Jose, Costa Rica from our room at Hotel Presidente.

Our lucky Pigeon hangs out under our hotel window in San Jose. Our trip goes nearly without a hitch from day one.

We piled into the short bus, aka the Golden Egg, for our journey through the mountainous jungles of inland Costa Rica, to the white sands of Manzanillo. We took the direct route to the coast (HWY 32) which was not recommended by the hotel staff in San Jose due to frequent mud slides and adverse driving conditions. The rainy season tends to make traveling over the passes difficult. They warned it was unsafe and recommended a route that added another hour to the drive.

We made the call to push ahead on the direct route, our original plan, after checking the weather forecast and researching recent trip reports from the blog-o-sphere. Making great driving time with maps, a travel guide, a GPS, Colorado tested drivers, and a little luck we were relieved to make it over the passes safe and with no problems.

Their mountain driving conditions have nothing on ours in Colorado at least on this trip. We did see evidence of massive mud slides and mangled guardrails from accidents just like at home from our own mud slides or avalanches and douche-bags in SUV's.

Captain Dave with first lieutenant McCracken as navigator.
Along the way we passed a local going extremely slow on the highway. He gave us the "you should be slowing down" look after we flew by him with disgust . We realized why he was driving so slow after getting the Golden Egg completely airborne on a road-seam at a bridge junction. I'm sure that was a sight to see.

Our first morning at Congo Bongo felt like waking up on another planet.

One of three videos I'll be posting. With each one I learn a little more about filming, editing and story telling.

Back From Manzanillo, Costa Rica!

2011-05-19T12:13:00.010-06:00

Sizzzzzzle, like a hot coal dropped into spring snow. A fresh 7 inches to greet a mountain man home from the rain forest, a fine Colorado day. I felt like it snowed for me today as if to say welcome home.

The amount of media (photos, videos, and sound recordings) from this trip is staggering. Where to start? I'll be working on getting a teaser up ASAP.

Episode IV: Low Tide

2011-05-18T08:16:00.000-06:00

Episode IV: Low Tide: The Sweetgrass family lands in Las Lenas, Argentina, for several weeks of fending off women, beef, and various strains of the common cold in hopes of actually making some turns on snow.
"On The Road with Solitaire" is a 12-part webisode series following Sweetgrass Productions in the making of their new 2-year project, the South American backcountry ski and snowboarding film "Solitaire." New episodes will be released on the third week of every month.

Lake Pueblo State Park

2011-05-02T07:42:00.000-06:00

Bumpers, beers & Brown Dog

2011-04-23T18:57:00.003-06:00

On the Road with Solitaire Episode III: The Raptor

2011-04-22T15:03:00.000-06:00

Via the Sweetgrass Crew:
Episode III: The Raptor: After the chaos of Huaraz, the crew escapes the city with plans to paraglide over the glaciers of the Cordillera Blanca with cameras in hand. At 18,000 feet, it's never simple.

"On The Road with Solitaire" is a 12-part webisode series following Sweetgrass Productions in the making of their new 2-year project, the South American backcountry ski and snowboarding film "Solitaire." New episodes will be released on the 21st of every month.

My first video Blog.

2011-04-17T09:54:00.003-06:00

Av and I partake in a sled access Friday up near Winter Park.
My first video production! LOTS to learn! But having fun doing so.
Watch this in HD if possible.

rider's note: The tree I clip around 1:12 tore a huge hole in my $400 Loki Jacket and sends me off balance careening down the hill (almost into more trees). I bet thats not covered in their warranty.

Sled Access Colorado

2011-04-06T20:49:00.003-06:00

The WKS crew slaying one of my favorite areas. These guys get in some serous backcountry POW days, more than most people get at the resorts.

Another Watercolor.

2011-04-06T18:26:00.021-06:00

Crested Owl in the Gandoca Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge, Costa Rica. 5"X7"
I'm heading to Costa Rica in a month or so and really looking forward to the trip. We are staying in a coastal wildlife Refuge and my imagination is running wild with thoughts of jungle owls. Nell is doing a full-on project on jungle sound ecology down there for school. Should be a awesome trip. Anything to look for? what fish to eat?

BTW: Pulled up Crested Owl on google image search for my painting..whoa! Cool scary looking bird!

Painting note: A go at Cartoon style. I used a "fine" sharpe to outline major forms after color was complete. Also I skipped using a mask on this and just went for the white-space by eye.

Valley of the Cranes. Monte Vista, Colorado

2011-03-22T08:13:00.036-06:00

Sunrise over Colorado's San Luis Valley photo:nell
Nell and I headed down the Monte Vista, Colorado with River and the Brown Dog last weekend so she could study the Sandhill Cranes (Grus canadensis). These birds migrate through Colorado every year in March with numbers estimated at 25,000. Incredible birds with up to 7foot wingspans and weighing in at nearly 12 pounds these things fly like refueling tankers (C-17’s), very deliberate and controlled, even in gusty winds. It was amazing to learn from Nell about this species. Her going back to school has stoked the fire for her ornithology. So we took off, she’d take the pictures and I’d man the parabolic microphone to record the sounds in an attempt to capture the wonder of this migration.

The first real recording with the Homemade Parabolic mic. photo:nell

We visited the cranes at the Monte Vista wildlife refuge. This area was perfect for sound recording as there are a couple trails that get you a little closer to the birds and it is located away from the roads. The parabolic microphone and recording gear got its first actual use this trip. I even had a high wind day to test the windscreen(dead kitten) on day one. That recording was well trumped by day two’s morning recording of the cranes with no wind or highway noise. Nell and I have tried to count the number of different calls in the 2:50 min recording. There is at least 5 different species that I can make out.
Over all I think the parabolic preformed as expected. No real issues except for user jitters and movements that can be heard with the mic.

Users note: I had to hold the parabolic at the perfect levels for recording, sometimes way over my head, above reeds and cattails. I found that when the mic was well above the ground, pointed away from the road, holding still I got the best recordings.

Nell shows me her favorite shot from the day in the Skamper.
She read from her bird books, we had margaritas and she teased me that I should dance like the Cranes do.

Sandhill Cranes in flight, dig the 7 foot wing span. photo:nell

The Rig in the San Luis Valley photo:nell

Brown, River, Jasper, Linus. The guys waiting to hike. photo:nell
Our trip finished with a trip to South Fork to visit our friends Mo&D. We got in a hike and a mountain bike ride. Nobody else out in South Fork! We didn’t really see anybody this weekend on the trails. It felt really good to get away from the crowds on the Front Range. Is Southern Colorado the perfect place or what?

Also: I saw the largest mountain loin scat to date on our ride. BIG cats in the area!

Also, also: Brown Dog got worked by what we assumed was barbed wire on our hike day two. He pulled in (at full speed) with three major lacerations on his chest and legs. What the?!
So much garbage left in these hills from the cattle ranchers it tends to complicate things. Good thing DB's a fast learner.

Sweetgrass Productions: On The Road with Solitaire, Episode II

2011-03-21T09:14:00.000-06:00

Breckenridge Avalanche Control

2011-03-15T21:11:00.000-06:00

Using nature's genius.

2011-03-10T21:53:00.001-07:00

Clearly we have much to learn from the natural world. A truly inspiring talk.

Restoring America’s Rivers: Preparing for the Future

2011-03-09T08:49:00.005-07:00

Sep 11th, 2008: American Rivers and NOAA awards grant for New Hampshire’s Black Brook.
Black Brook, New Hampshire ($50,000): Black Brook Dam has overtopped during recent major flood events and continues to threaten downstream communities, a local road, and businesses. Its removal will eliminate a significant public safety risk. Removal of the dam will also revitalize Black Brook, improving the overall water quality and ultimately removing the stream from the state’s 303(d) list, and restore eight miles of free-flowing river habitat for alewife, blueback herring, Atlantic salmon, and other migratory fish. The City of Manchester, who is administering the grant, is also planning a major park revitalization effort in anticipation of the river restoration project. Along with the City of Manchester, many partners have been involved in making this project a success, including the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services, the New Hampshire State Conservation Committee, the New Hampshire Corporate Wetlands Restoration Partnership, Trout Unlimited, New Hampshire Fish & Game, and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.

A watercolor and Brown Dog.

2011-03-06T22:01:00.016-07:00

Nell chills on a picnic table in Slick Rock, Moab UT. 5"X7"
This image is from the last campsite in the "J" section of the Slick Rock campgrounds. We usually pick this area to avoid the more popular sites by the trail heads. Those rides are another 15 minutes away from these sites but the silent nights are well worth it. On this day we tooled around working on skills and adjusting our bikes to slick rock. Random jeep roads and crossings made for quick dashes to the trails. Working on tricky sections or practicing techniques on day one, we usually take some time to get dialed...and sleep in the sun on the picnic tables.
I'm always rusty during the Colorado ski season on my bike in Utah late March. Like a fat, half-bearded kid on a tricycle, but... Nothing will kick your ass into shape like a 5 day romp through one of the nations finest natural areas on a well maintained mountain bike.
side note:
Last time we stayed here it snowed and Brown Dog was introduced to cactus!

Speaking of...Yeah he's suffering.

Sweetgrass Productions: On The Road with Solitaire

2011-02-21T21:10:00.005-07:00

Via the Sweetgrass Crew:
In the high desert of South America, winter takes hold, devouring bleached bones and abandoned shacks. Into these most inhospitable of lands, a handful of drifters emerge from the whiteout, ready to cast their lot on forsaken peaks both merciless and magnificent...

As the Sweetgrass Productions family takes to the South American peaks for two winters of filming, join them for a "behind the scenes" look at their upcoming film, Solitaire, coming to a town near you in Fall 2011. In the winds of snowbound badlands and the blizzards of primordial forests, from a horse’s saddle and a paraglider’s wings, ridden on ski and board and telemark, Solitaire fuses western-inspired tales of backcountry gambles into landscapes never before visited on film. Born in the spires of Argentina’s legendary Las Lenas, a lonely two-year journey begins through an abandoned world, wandering the length of a continent from Peru’s Cordillera Blanca to Chilean Patagonia.

The infrastructure for filming was spartan at best. Locations were often extremely remote and dangerous, and at altitude. Snow was notoriously unpredictable. The wind and cold were unfathomable. The sheer scale of the terrain was beyond daunting for a lone man struggling upwards on skins or snowshoes. However, despite facing unexpected difficulties and a challenging landscape, the basis of Solitaire’s dream held true through the troubles. Sweetgrass Productions set out to make a film about the individual alone in an unforgiving and impossible environment, built on the spaghetti-western ideals of cojones and perseverance. In Fall 2011, Solitaire will venture beyond the frontiers of most mountain films, bringing to the big screen backcountry riding forged in the tradition of Western cinema.

2 Years 5 Winters, a twelve-part series of shorts, is a behind-the-scenes peek at the wild experience of filming Solitaire in the remote and magnificent mountains of South America. Follow Sweetgrass Productions as they venture into uncharted territory to create a full-length mountain film that spans the length of the continent. Through monthly webisodes, Sweetgrass Productions will reveal the trials, tribulations, and unexpected joys of filming their third film

For more information, please visit www.sweetgrass-productions.com

Turns in the Yard.

2011-02-06T18:16:00.031-07:00

A shot of the house from halfway down "Free at Last" |green|
One of the things I noticed last year is the north facing aspect of the backyard holds snow pretty well. It even collects powder during our many wind storms from the trees west of the property. In years past I've had to wait for a big snow storm before I'd be able to ride "core-shot" worry free. In fact the snow on that face would never really setup and riding it sometimes had you breaking through into rotten snow and taking a nasty rock gouge. Bummer.

But this year I thought I'd be pro-active and tromp down the snow pack as we got it. I buckled into an old pair of snowshoes (nell too) and packed down our first handful of snow storms. Walking up and down the mountain moving rocks and branches so that uncluttered lines for future accumulations remained. Packing the layers from each storm helped the snow setup and cover rocks and other obstacles in the yard. This was a thankless task for about three months, as our base was still too shallow for riding...until.

This weekend snow storm brought the base to a decent depth and now we only need a few inches of fresh snow for a green light. Makes for about an hour of shralping and boot packing. I have roughly 5 lines at this point. Jumps and Hippie Jibs (made from forest) are to come.

300 Inches At Jackson Hole

2011-01-25T06:55:00.001-07:00

Light Dusting.

2011-01-25T06:49:00.000-07:00

Northern Colorado Sled Access Snowboarding

2011-01-23T21:06:00.009-07:00

Just after lunch time near the summit. (11500ft) photo:nell
More than two feet of fresh snow made access difficult and slow-going today. Lots of digging out the crew and panting breaths to fog goggles. Combine that with single digit wind chills and flat light conditions and you might start wondering, "Why the hell are we out here"...

JP schralps down the ski hill.
Then it blows over and skies clear to bluebird, bumping temperatures up those few critical degrees... and you remember.

Sled Access Wolf Creek Pass, Colorado

2011-01-18T12:33:00.005-07:00

Happy 2011 from North Michigan Reservoir, Colorado

2011-01-02T16:25:00.006-07:00

The Rig and two sleds at the North Michigan Reservoir campgrounds.

Nell sits at our picnic table near the site.

Brown dog in the camper.

A frozen one love sticker.

Continued Snowfall in Colorado: Game on!

2010-12-23T18:37:00.012-07:00

JP boondocks his HCR in a couple fresh feet of snow near Winter Park Colorado.

Miller and JP at the summit discussing snowboard lines.

First run of the day from the pickup, JP says "Hell Yeah!" I knew it'd be EPIC from that point on.

The Powder Cowboy as his known.

HCR break in

2010-12-19T20:04:00.005-07:00

Trax blasts through the powder.

The HCR goes through the motions.

Having just over 120 miles on it now, the HCR has finished its "break in" and wow! do I feel it. As I rode this machine in deep snow this weekend I realized how well balanced and designed it is. I felt this before when I got my full suspension mountain bike...which I call the "Butter Train." A feeling that is the result of experiancing great design.

SideNote: I did have to wrench on the sled alittle up there, having to swap out the spark plugs. I think the break in tank of gas may have played a roll here. I did not pre mix the first tank, instead I added oil as I filled it, thats not recommended by the manufacturer. ..oops.

Loveland Love

2010-12-07T21:41:00.000-07:00

2010-11-29T19:58:00.006-07:00

On the Fly Productions: Cast that Catch Fish

2010-11-14T17:47:00.011-07:00

I've watched this video at least ten times...

Emphasis on slack line presentation.
Carl (Bumcast) McNeil makes it look too easy!
Reach cast
Roll cast
Wiggle cast
Pile cast
Curve cast (this one looks like a curve ball)
Tuck cast
Aerial mends (very impressive presentations!)

Cast :50 - :54 is tear jerker.

Note: These guys can cast! I was waiting for a fish at any time.

From FRA photo stream

A Sweetgrass Production Short: The Desert River

2010-11-04T09:11:00.004-06:00

via:DPS Skis

From the Sweetgrass Crew:
Sweetgrass Productions in association with Patagonia and DPS Skis presents a short film, The Desert River.

Every spring in Haines, Alaska, a river bulges and rages towards the sea, fed by the thawing of a massive mountain snowpack. These same mountains fuel the hunger of those willing to test their skills
against the desolate beauty of Alaska’s high desert—giving life to river and skier alike.

Photographer Oskar Enander and DPS Skis founder Stephan Drake have been exploring the majestic Chilkats behind Haines for the past five seasons. In 2005, Drake and Enander, along with Gavin Cummings and photographer Mark Smith journeyed on a two-month skiing road trip that began in Colorado and parked for an extended stay in Haines. The foursome produced the timeless coffee table book, The Powder Road, as a result of the journey. The crew had previously visited mountains all over the world, but the Chilkats elicited something special. Enander describes the Chilkats as, "a place we have come to call our winter-spring home. We plan our year around being there. It's a dreamland of mountains, a puzzle of route and terrain selection; it’s a lifetime of challenges wrapped inside the best skiing in the world."

In the spring of 2010, Sweetgrass cinematographer Ben Sturgulewski and DPS skier Jon Larsson joined Enander and Drake for the four weeks of Chilkat exploration and descents. The result was unexpected: it was a colossal physical struggle, full of folly and impending doom mixed in with a few sweet spine descents. The team of four was plagued with regular injuries, sickness, mechanical problems and horrible weather through a season that featured amazingly deep snow in the upper alpine, but unseasonably warm conditions and challenging travel at the lower elevations.

The crew playfully blamed their troubles on a mysterious dark force they called "The Great Magnet," written about by Drake on Patagonia's The Cleanest Line, here. Despite struggles, the crew emerged with a few short sessions of skiing and filming. The Desert River was captured in three afternoons of skiing, and a stint of glacial camping. The five-minute release comes at the halfway point of Sweetgrass Production's two-year South American feature project to be released in the fall of 2011.

From the Web: Firaduaz's commute.

2010-10-24T17:39:00.010-06:00

via: duraath
Firdauz Haron commutes about 14 miles everyday back and forth along the busiest freeway in Johor Bahru. He rides a black with white single-speed geared for a beast. This guy can FLY!
All footage shot with a Nikon 35mm f/1.8G on a D300s. Edited with Premiere CS4.

The music...perfect!

2010-10-22T12:41:00.002-06:00

Instead of watching TV, do a Watercolor.

2010-10-19T19:52:00.043-06:00

I usually have about 7 hours a week to paint with no TV. Taking the leap a few years ago I experienced a relief in anxiety not having one in the house. I have spare time now! I miss the NFL, and Avalanche hockey..thats about it. Here are my paintings of late. I like them to varying degrees with my favorite posted first. I'm working on darkening tones (not being such a Sally with paint) and faces, as usual. One thing about painting that is different than my other craft photography is, a painter can change the weather. I'm painting 4 to 5 pieces a month.

Nell and Brown Dog at Crystal Lake, Curt Gowdy State Park, WY.

A Blue Bird perches near Twin Lakes, Colorado.

Nell on a Girl Scout Cookie Box. My first leap in abstract, near Longs Peak in my imagination.

Nell at Shaw Arch in the Lower Grand Gulch, Utah.

The Ogdens and Pedro in the Holy Cross Wilderness.

Havasu falls, Grand Canyon, AZ

Trax takes a breather to check out the scenery near Wolf Creek Colorado.

From the Web: Travis Rice Neverland Part 2010

2010-10-18T19:00:00.004-06:00

Don't know where this video came from (probably WY) or what the music is about but the riding in it is off the chain. Mostly backcountry terrain these guys (Rice & Carter) make it look easy.
Favorite Line: 0:37 - 0:56.

Wyoming's Curt Gowdy State Park

2010-10-12T19:28:00.010-06:00

Crystal Lake, Wyoming. photo: Nell

Brown Dog October 2010.photo:Nell

The Osprey had no problem catching fish.

The goof ball.

Nell takes the picture posted above of Crystal Lake.

A Wyoming Fall Texture.

Colorado Indian Summer 2010

2010-10-03T20:00:00.024-06:00

A beautiful fall weekend in Colorado with summer like conditions. Day time temps in the 80's.

Fishing the small pools in the Wild Basin, Rocky Mountain National Park.
Alpine pools require ninja like stealthy-ness and tiny(20 - 22) dry flies. I love these zones for the sheer bounty. The trout up here spook really easily but are veracious and aggressive.

Brook trout have got to be pound for pound one of the most fierce predators on the planet.

Nell treated for an awesome ride through the golden Aspens of Boulder County Colorado.

Note; We met a French Bulldog named "Meatball" at the stables. They called him "Meaty B" for short. He was a cool charter who didn't mind the chipmunks in his water dish, something unheard of at Dudley's house.

Her day was filled with nature, art, food, horses and smiles from friends and family. An absolutely perfect finish to the summer.

From the Web: Tapâm - a flyfishing journey

2010-09-27T18:15:00.001-06:00

Tapâm - a flyfishing journey from tapamthemovie on Vimeo.

Snow in Colorado Overnight

2010-09-23T06:44:00.003-06:00

photo via - skicrestedbutte
Reports of snow in the high country last night kicks off Fall 2010.

Empathic civilization

2010-09-16T19:09:00.000-06:00

Double Haul Casting

2010-09-12T20:19:00.013-06:00

Firing my Double Haul cast in a shallow beaver pond near the base of Mt.Elbert. Caught and Released 3 greenback trout. Photo:Nell

I have been working on my different fly casting lately. I'm finding learning more about fly fishing is perpetual cycle. I'm using the follow casts as much as I can to step out of my usual style.

Tip Cast - Looks like a hatch, great for short range and pools. <--Most under rated cast.

Reverse Haul - Loads the rod during back casting, great for chasing fish without a false cast or sneaking up on a hole.

Roll Cast - I'm working on extending my distance and keeping the loop tight.

Statue Cast- Tuck yourself between a couple evergreens on a narrow stream and try using anything else. I'm too splashy with this one.

Butt Cast - This is a rod motion that really loads the rod from the bottom up. My Scott 9/5 just response beautifully with this cast, the result is another 10- 20 feet.

The Double Haul Cast is great for windy conditions and/or long range angling. The extra power with cast can be felt the fist time it is done correctly. I use my single haul cast all the time (usually forward Haul) but wanted to learn the double haul for the times where I need to shot most of my working line into a head wind.

Labor Day at the Lakes, Mt. Elbert, & FourMile Canyon!

2010-09-06T22:31:00.019-06:00

The 4 Mile Canyon blaze as seen from the back deck.
My commute home today included traffic filled canyon roads, single digit speeds on I70 and a forest fire.

News note: Fourmile Canyon on fire, 3,500 acres burning, 1,000 homes evacuated.

Aerial Photo of the Fourmile Canyon fire.

Google Map of the area affected by the fire.

Labor Day post to come....

The Diggleberry Prince lounges in the Pool.

2010-08-19T18:46:00.010-06:00

Brown Dog in his kiddie pool.

Being a WHV isn't all trophies and aptitude. Young Brown Dog get a treasure chest of dingelberries from time to time that we usually have to cut off when he has his bath (if we get to them first). Luckily the pool this summer has helped mitigate the issue. Now all we can expect is his swam gas and charming disposition.

Long, Skinny, and Silly Couloir

2010-08-11T17:49:00.000-06:00

Backpacking Colorado:Roosevelt National Forest

2010-08-08T19:55:00.014-06:00

Gems of Glenwood Springs, a Traveler's Guide

2010-07-26T22:07:00.016-06:00

Simple accommodations at Ami's Campgrounds.
There have been a number of times where I'd be passing through Glenwood Springs, Colorado to other destinations and thought; I'd hangout here for the night, if I could park and sleep in my jeep/truck/camper/tent. Most of the time I find dealing with the tourist in the town's congested streets, looking for parking, and finding an affordable room too much and I speed on through thinking, "Man...there has got to be a place where I can crash for the night around here somewhere."

But what is this?
Ami's Acres Campground: (970)945-5340 amisacres@yahoo.com
The best place for a pit stop in Glenwood Springs for under $40 bucks.

Note: If you are looking for a secluded primitive camping experience, Ami's Acres is NOT for you. Thats not what they do.

If you have a place to sleep, Ami's is a great place to squat for the night or two near the highway and/or Glenwood springs amenities. Bring ear plugs for sleeping the highway is in ear shot...Like most of Vail. (ha!)
Glenwood Spings "proper" is a short bike ride, to pretty much everywhere. 15min to the town. You'll not need to circle for hours looking for parking if you ride from Ami's. They have tent sites and Rv sites with full hook up, clean bathrooms and showers. Being inexpensive and just off the highway you can pull off and sleep quickly for road closures and other delays on I70, Launch quickly avoid Glenwood traffic, and for about $36, which is at least $40 less than the cheapest room in Glenwood, you can sleep in your truck.

We found another favorite gem in the Glenwood Canyon.

Dudley and Nell Swim in a favorite pool of the Colorado River.

Exposed: The Last Roll Of Kodachrome

2010-07-21T20:06:00.000-06:00

2010-07-16T19:12:00.000-06:00

The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, but wiser people so full of doubts.
- Bertrand Russell

Backpacking Colorado: Missouri Lakes

2010-07-14T21:17:00.010-06:00

Google's terrain map for the Missouri Lakes.

Last week Brought me to the Missouri Lakes (elev:11430fT) in Eagle county Colorado, the Holy Cross Wilderness.
To Access: (From Denver)
39.3922, -106.5150
Travel west along I-70 to exit #171 for Minturn, Leadville, and Highway 24. Turn right onto Highway 24 and travel south for 13 miles to Homestake Road #703. Turn right onto Homestake Road and continue past Gold Park Campground to mile 8.5. Turn right onto Missouri Creek Road #704 and continue 3 miles to the dirt road to a "T" at 10,200'. Turn left, the trailhead will be on the right.

We camped at the largest lake, sunny side. Nell gets in some Hammock time Day 1.
The hike to the largest lake is an enjoyable 3.5 miles. The trail follows the Missouri Creek drainage and is sprinkled with small ponds and pools along the way. We fished the creek with size #22 dry flies, having good luck with Parachute Adams,Caddis, and Green Drakes.

Nell ties up her rig.

Nell enjoys the solitude the evening hours bring.
This is a popular day hike for Vail locals and tourist. We'd see a number of groups up for lunch or doing the 8 mile fancy pass loop in the area. The largest group we saw was on the walk out, a group of 20 or so retirees, the oldest in the group was 75 years old. All role models, I hope to be so lucky.
All and all the crowds weren't too bad, as most of the people cleared out before dusk.
But if you'd like to stash yourself away...There are a number of hidden campsites near the smaller lakes that would be ideal for privacy, a short walk off the trail will reveal them.

From The Web: Best dry fly fishing in the world.

2010-07-07T22:46:00.000-06:00

A Short film showcasing what the Elk Valley has to offer for Flyfishing. Includes shots from the elk river, wigwam, michelle creek and more. Best dry fly fishing in the world.

From The Web: 2010 Chrom Chaser Promo

2010-07-01T18:13:00.000-06:00

Last Couple weekends in Pictures.

2010-06-27T21:44:00.010-06:00

The "We Know Snow" Crew's June 14th powder Day!

2010-06-15T19:59:00.000-06:00

Jordan Marrou 2010 M8 June 13th 2010 18" of powder in the Snowies from Jordan Marrou on Vimeo.

Jordan Slays A June Powder Day! Wait, What? No really, watch the vid.

From The Web: Save the Colorado

2010-06-15T19:15:00.000-06:00

Save the Colorado
To serve the needs of human populations, for the last decade the Colorado River has been completely drained dry by the time it reaches the Sea of Cortez. While the destruction of the river is a clear and obvious consequence of our actions, additional threats to the Colorado River - from its headwaters in Rocky Mountain National Park, all the way to its dry destiny near the Sea of Cortez - are increasing with each tick of the clock.Climate change is looming, population growth is escalating, more dams and diversions are planned, species are on the brink of extinction, oil/gas/mineral exploration near the river is increasing, and invasive species are continuing their march up and down the river and its tributaries.The Save the Colorado campaign won't be able to address all of these threats, but it's important to tell the whole story and begin the critical work of restoration.

A Sweetgrass Production Ad.

2010-06-08T11:11:00.006-06:00

Some deep powder riding/skiing in Niseko, Hokkaidō via the Boys at Sweetgrass.

Memorial Day Weekend in Southern Colorado

2010-05-31T18:46:00.013-06:00

photo via wcp

Dudley's NAVHDA Natural Ability Test

2010-05-24T10:16:00.028-06:00

Dudley Brown and I wait in the shade before the tracking section of the test.
Photo: Nell

Following text is from the: NAVHDA A Newcomer's Guide to the Natural Ability Test.

The Natural Ability Test consists of:

Search and Pointing

In the Natural Ability search phase, the dog is expected to search diligently for game for at least 20 minutes and point what it finds. The judges will ensure that the dog is in an area where it can pick up the scent of a bird.

Dudley holds a long point during the "search and point" test. Photo: Nell

Pheasant track

For the pheasant track, the flight feathers are pulled on a cock pheasant, which is then shooed to run off into some cover out of sight of the dog. The dog is expected to track the running bird a reasonable distance. It is not necessary for the dog to catch the bird and retrieve it (or even extra credit) but it’s always satisfying for the handler. (Dudley caught his bird and returned it alive.)

Dudley's teeth are examined by the judges. Photo:Nell

Physical examination

The physical examination is part of the dog’s permanent NAVHDA record and is important if the dog is to be used for breeding. Besides the physical attributes, temperament also is noted.

Dudley hits the water like a freight train. Judge comments, "I bet he can do this all day." I replied "All Day!" Photo:Nell

Swimming is one of Dudley's favorite things to do.
Photo:Nell

Swimming

At the water, the handler throws a retrieving dummy out far enough for the dog to have plenty of swimming depth. The dog doesn’t actually have to retrieve the dummy, but it does have to swim. If the dog won’t swim for a dummy, a bird is thrown out. The dog can pass if it retrieves the bird, but the score suffers.

Additionally, the dog are evaluated on Use of Nose, Desire to Work and Cooperation, based upon performance in the other phases. Also, two blank shots will be fired at the beginning of the search to test for any gun-shyness.

Dudley Brown Results:(1-4)
Search and Pointing: 4
Pheasant track: 4
Swimming: 4
Physical examination: Normal
Gun Shyness: Not Gun shy
Temperament: Normal
Coat: Medium thickness,Medium coarse
Work and Cooperation: Strong
Final score: Prize I with a perfect score:112!

We are so proud of our little Brown Dog! I knew he'd do well but I was not expecting him to ace the test. The thing that I think sets him apart is his ability to focus in the field. The transformation to "all business" is key and Dudley just does that.

The polish supplied by:
BIG Thank You to Dudley Brown's trainers at Bird Mtn, Bryan and Amanda Johnson, they added the polish to Dudley's performance and are most responsible for his perfect score!

4.0 in Shreducation.

2010-05-21T17:40:00.001-06:00

A ski and snowboard documentary made by Montana State University film students about balancing snow sports and school work...or Shreducation!
Edited Directed and Filmed by
Steve Popovich and Daniel Gibeau

Martin Sexton at the Ogden, Denver Colorado

2010-05-21T17:39:00.000-06:00

Nell (Nell's surprises are always the best!) and I saw Martin Sexton last night a the Ogden Theater in Denver, Colorado.

First off, Martin and his Band Killed! It was a great show and we had a blast!
After seeing Martin Sexton everytime he has come to Colorado(Boulder, Denver) the last 5 years, I have to say, this show is what I've been waiting for. Don't get me wrong, I love the classic shows where it is just Marty, a guitar, a microphone, and we leave saying, "wow, I can't believe that much sound can come out of one dude"... but I always wished I could hear the full sound and experience the show that he brings with a live band backing him. Well Last night he delivered.
First thing I thought about half way through the show was, "Wow, He never plays these songs." The second was, "Man, he sounds great! Polished, strong, and fresh."

This was the first time I looked at Martin Sexton and instead of seeing kind of a struggling folk musician from Syracuse, NY living from show to show as he drives his VW Bus across the country (all in my head, I know), I saw Rock-Star Martin Sexton that has finally paid his dues and is now ready to kick your ass with a tight band and even louder mouth. He has quite possibly the strongest singing voice I've ever heard..last night it was like a canon he unleashed for the audience.

Martin Sexton has a new record out called "Sugarcoating".

2010-05-19T16:09:00.001-06:00

Hainzer #6 from 4FRNT Skis on Vimeo.

Mountain Biking Fruita, Colorado

2010-05-16T22:02:00.018-06:00

Some of our favorite rides in the Book Cliff area. These are ride in-ride out from the campgrounds, Fruita goodness!:

Via: singletracks.com
Intermediate
Chutes and Ladders

Whoa! Smooth singletrack with very little effort required. The trail gradually makes its way up to the bookcliffs. At the cliffs, you'll see why this trail is called chutes and ladders. A few nice drops...
Joe's Ridge

Smooth and often challenging singletrack that climbs up to the ridge and the skirts along the top of the ridge with some cool views and steep descents. A thrilling ride anytime, but icing on the cake when ridden in conjunction with Prime Cut and/or The Kessel Run.

Kessel Run

Sweet fast singletrack that you can ride after heading up Prime Cut or head up 18 Road to the Joe's/Prime Cut/Kessel Junction. The trail is narrow slalom like trail with dips and tight twisty turns. Locals say it can be used an out and back, but with the amount of people coming back down, ...
Zippety Do Dah

Zippety offers a scenic ride along with some fun, technical, and frankly some scary sections.
Prime Cut

Sweet singletrack that you can ride as an out and back, or combine it with Joe\'s Ridge, Chutes and Ladders, or the Kessell Run. Ridden as an out and back, it\'s a good gradual climb that will get you warmed up for the long downhill run back to the jeep road. This trail has something for e...

From The Web: Fly Fishing for Pike in Colorado

2010-05-13T09:43:00.003-06:00

Jay and Tyler fly casting to Northern Pike in Colorado's Rocky Mountain Arsenal Wildlife Refuge.

From The Guys at the Shop. Check out their Blog!
Via: Front Range Anglers, Boulder Co.

Jay with a Colorado Pig Northern Pike!

2010-05-06T10:23:00.001-06:00

Thompson Pass, Valdez, AK with Ralph Backstrom from UnofficialSquaw on Vimeo.

Dudley Brown the Good Citizen

2010-04-25T10:25:00.003-06:00

Dudley Brown passed his AKC Good Citizen test yesterday.

Via: AKC’s Canine Good Citizen® (CGC)
Training/Testing: CGC Test Items
Items on the Canine Good Citizen Test include:

Test 1: Accepting a friendly stranger
This test demonstrates that the dog will allow a friendly stranger to approach it and speak to the handler in a natural, everyday situation. The evaluator walks up to the dog and handler and greets the handler in a friendly manner, ignoring the dog. The evaluator and handler shake hands and exchange pleasantries. The dog must show no sign of resentment or shyness, and must not break position or try to go to the evaluator.

Test 2: Sitting politely for petting
This test demonstrates that the dog will allow a friendly stranger to touch it while it is out with its handler. With the dog sitting at the handler's side, to begin the exercise, the evaluator pets the dog on the head and body. The handler may talk to his or her dog throughout the exercise. The dog may stand in place as it is petted. The dog must not show shyness or resentment.

Test 3: Appearance and grooming
This practical test demonstrates that the dog will welcome being groomed and examined and will permit someone, such as a veterinarian, groomer or friend of the owner, to do so. It also demonstrates the owner's care, concern and sense of responsibility. The evaluator inspects the dog to determine if it is clean and groomed. The dog must appear to be in healthy condition (i.e., proper weight, clean, healthy and alert). The handler should supply the comb or brush commonly used on the dog. The evaluator then softly combs or brushes the dog, and in a natural manner, lightly examines the ears and gently picks up each front foot. It is not necessary for the dog to hold a specific position during the examination, and the handler may talk to the dog, praise it and give encouragement throughout.

Test 4: Out for a walk (walking on a loose lead)
This test demonstrates that the handler is in control of the dog. The dog may be on either side of the handler. The dog's position should leave no doubt that the dog is attentive to the handler and is responding to the handler's movements and changes of direction. The dog need not be perfectly aligned with the handler and need not sit when the handler stops. The evaluator may use a pre-plotted course or may direct the handler/dog team by issuing instructions or commands. In either case, there should be a right turn, left turn, and an about turn with at least one stop in between and another at the end. The handler may talk to the dog along the way, praise the dog, or give commands in a normal tone of voice. The handler may sit the dog at the halts if desired.

Test 5: Walking through a crowd
This test demonstrates that the dog can move about politely in pedestrian traffic and is under control in public places. The dog and handler walk around and pass close to several people (at least three). The dog may show some interest in the strangers but should continue to walk with the handler, without evidence of over-exuberance, shyness or resentment. The handler may talk to the dog and encourage or praise the dog throughout the test. The dog should not jump on people in the crowd or strain on the leash.

Test 6: Sit and down on command and Staying in place
This test demonstrates that the dog has training, will respond to the handler's commands to sit and down and will remain in the place commanded by the handler (sit or down position, whichever the handler prefers). The dog must do sit AND down on command, then the owner chooses the position for leaving the dog in the stay. Prior to this test, the dog's leash is replaced with a line 20 feet long. The handler may take a reasonable amount of time and use more than one command to get the dog to sit and then down. The evaluator must determine if the dog has responded to the handler's commands. The handler may not force the dog into position but may touch the dog to offer gentle guidance. When instructed by the evaluator, the handler tells the dog to stay and walks forward the length of the line, turns and returns to the dog at a natural pace. The dog must remain in the place in which it was left (it may change position) until the evaluator instructs the handler to release the dog. The dog may be released from the front or the side.

Test 7: Coming when called
This test demonstrates that the dog will come when called by the handler. The handler will walk 10 feet from the dog, turn to face the dog, and call the dog. The handler may use encouragement to get the dog to come. Handlers may choose to tell dogs to "stay" or "wait" or they may simply walk away, giving no instructions to the dog.

Test 8: Reaction to another dog
This test demonstrates that the dog can behave politely around other dogs. Two handlers and their dogs approach each other from a distance of about 20 feet, stop, shake hands and exchange pleasantries, and continue on for about 10 feet. The dogs should show no more than casual interest in each other. Neither dog should go to the other dog or its handler.

Test 9: Reaction to distraction
This test demonstrates that the dog is confident at all times when faced with common distracting situations. The evaluator will select and present two distractions. Examples of distractions include dropping a chair, rolling a crate dolly past the dog, having a jogger run in front of the dog, or dropping a crutch or cane. The dog may express natural interest and curiosity and/or may appear slightly startled but should not panic, try to run away, show aggressiveness, or bark. The handler may talk to the dog and encourage or praise it throughout the exercise.

Test 10: Supervised separation
This test demonstrates that a dog can be left with a trusted person, if necessary, and will maintain training and good manners. Evaluators are encouraged to say something like, "Would you like me to watch your dog?" and then take hold of the dog's leash. The owner will go out of sight for three minutes. The dog does not have to stay in position but should not continually bark, whine, or pace unnecessarily, or show anything stronger than mild agitation or nervousness. Evaluators may talk to the dog but should not engage in excessive talking, petting, or management attempts (e.g, "there, there, it's alright").

Equipment
All tests must be performed on leash. Dogs should wear well-fitting buckle or slip collars made of leather, fabric, or chain. Special training collars such as pinch collars, head halters, etc. are not permitted in the CGC test. We recognize that special training collars may be very useful tools for beginning dog trainers, however, we feel that dogs are ready to take the CGC test at the point at which they are transitioned to regular collars.

The evaluator supplies a 20-foot lead for the test. The owner/handler should bring the dog's brush or comb to the test.

Encouragement
Owners/handlers may use praise and encouragement throughout the test. The owner may pet the dog between exercises. Food and treats are not permitted during testing, nor is the use of toys, squeaky toys, etc. to get the dog to do something. We recognize that food and toys may provide valuable reinforcement or encouragement during the training process but these items should not be used during the test.

Failures – Dismissals

Any dog that eliminates during testing must be marked failed. The only exception to this rule is that elimination is allowable in test Item 10, but only when test Item 10 is held outdoors.

Any dog that growls, snaps, bites, attacks, or attempts to attack a person or another dog is not a good citizen and must be dismissed from the test.

From The Web: Fisherman Style

2010-04-23T14:49:00.002-06:00

Fisherman Style from Ian Provo
via: Catching my Fair Share
Fly fishing stoke!

Southeast Utah

2010-04-22T18:27:00.017-06:00

NAVDA Preparation

2010-04-11T20:03:00.005-06:00

Western Medowlark

60 Days to Change Climate Policy

2010-04-08T18:00:00.002-06:00

Big Mountain Man Jeremy Jones Preaches it!

Bike Friendly USA: Top 50 cities!

2010-04-08T17:58:00.000-06:00

Bike Friendly cities map presented by bicycling.com, listing the top 50.

Colorado has 3 cities listed!

via bicycle.com
"There are many important things a city can do to gain our consideration for this list: segregated bike lanes, municipal bike racks and bike boulevards, to name a few. If you have those things in your town, cyclists probably have the ear of the local government—another key factor. To make our Top 50, a city must also support a vibrant and diverse bike culture, and it must have smart, savvy bike shops. If your town isn’t named below, use this as an opportunity to do something about it. Already on the list? Go out and enjoy a ride. (Note: We considered only cities with populations of 100,000 or more, and we strove for geographical diversity to avoid having a list dominated by California’s many bike-oriented cities.)

I started looking at the map and noticed most of these cities I would consider more liberal or progressive than conservative. I wanted to know if there was a correlation. So I pulled up last years election results by country. That looks like this:

Red vs Blue voting in the 2008 presidential election by county.

If you overlay the two maps you get this, which is kind of hard to pin-point what county each city is in.

But if you look at the data, matching city to county, then to the 2008 election results.
80% of the Top 50 Most Bike friendly cities voted democrat in the last presidential election.

1. Minneapolis, Hennepin(blue)
2. Portland OR, Multnomah(blue)
3. BoulderCO, Boulder(Blue)
4. Seattle, King(blue)
5. Eugene OR, Lane(blue)
6. San Francisco, San Francisco(blue)
7. Madison WI, Dane (blue)
8. New York City, Brox(blue), Brooklyn(blue), Manhattan(blue), Queens(blue), Staten Island(Red)
9. Tucson AZ, Pima (blue)
10. Chicago, Cook (blue)
11. Austin TX, Austin (red)
12. Denver CO, Denver (blue)
13. Washington DC, District of Columbia(blue)
14. Ann Arbor MI, Washtenaw (blue)
15. Phoenix/Tempe AZ, Maricopa (red)
16. Gainesville FL, Alachua (blue)
17. Albuquerque NM, Bernalillo (blue)
18. Colorado Springs CO, El Paso(red)
19. Salem OR, Marion (blue)
20. Scottsdale AZ, Maricopa (red)
21. Louisville KY, Jefferson(blue)
22. Chattanooga TN, Hamilton (red)
23. Long Beach CA, Los Angeles(blue)
24. Cary NC, Wake (Blue)
25. Milwaukee, Milwaukee (blue)
26. Boston, Suffolk (blue)
27. Philadelphia, Philadelphia(blue)
28. Pittsburgh, Allegheny(blue)
29. Charleston SC, Charleston(blue)
30. Arlington VA,Arlington(blue)
31. Sioux Falls SD, Minnehaha(blue)
32. Boise ID, Boise(red)
33. Kansas City MO, Jackson(blue)
34. Columbus OH, Franklin(blue)
35. Tulsa OK, Tulsa(red)
36. Grand Rapids MI, Kent(blue)
37. Billings MT, Yellowstone(red)
38. St. Louis, St. Louis City(blue)
39. Cleveland, Cuyahoga(blue)
40. Greensboro, NC, Guilford(blue)
41. Lexington-Fayette KY, Fayette(blue)
42. Omaha, NE, Douglas(blue)
43. Salt Lake City, Salt Lake(red)
44. Miami, Miami-Dade (blue)
45. Indianapolis, Marion(blue)
46. Fargo ND, Cass(blue)
47. Anchorage, AK, Alaska(red)
48. Baltimore, Baltimore(blue)
49. Little Rock AR, Pulaski(blue)
50. Rochester NY,Ulster(blue)

Skampin Through the Desert.

2010-03-30T21:42:00.022-06:00

Looking south at a passing snow storm from the Bookcliffs near Fruita, Colorado.
There is something strangely settling about packing your sandals during a blizzard. We can sense a journey on the horizon, one that incudles warmth and sand.
A bathing suit, the sun-shower, shorts, t-shirts, polys for the evening, and of coarse the Butter Train (what I call my mountain bike) could mean only one thing, Moab! ...With a Fruita springboard. The mind changes. The destination, thoughts of its climate and terrain drives the preparation. Visiting in the mind while packing is a great way to not forget anything.

The Day we wanted to leave (Friday) it snowed 2 feet.
Leaving Friday, right?
In a mad scramble before leaving town to beat a massive storm, we packed up the rig a day early and kind of stressed the inital push. But the storm arrived sooner than expected and delivered to the central and northern Rockies making a Friday night launch impossible. Vail Pass was closed and our launch day was pushed back to Saturday despite our efforts. Which meant we had to wait for ski traffic west bound on I70 Saturday morning. Adding to the delay and mayhem of the launch.
So our trip started Saturday afternoon with a quick skamp(what I'm going to call rolling in the Skamper) over the Continental Divide to Glenwood Springs for a meal and a therapeutic soak.
We met up with a group of our friends, who had taken the train from Denver with their children earlier in the week, for dinner (Vallarta Restaurant) and a soak in the pool. We dropped right in to their vibe which was established by a few days of soaking in mineral springs and drinking really good red wine. The stress of leaving melted away. We ended up staying in an extra room and having breakfast with everybody the next morning before finally pushing for Fruita. This stop set the tone for the rest of the trip.

Nell reads her book in the Skamper during a rain shower in Fruita, Colorado.
Photo: Trax

Snow covered peaks taken from near Porcupine Rim.
photo by: Nell

"Stay Brown" from near the Bookcliff's ride Chutes and Ladders.
photo by: Nell

Dudley finds a fresh puddle on the slickrock. He gets a drink and a much needed bath. photo by: Nell

Find the brown dog.
Dudley managed to find every snow patch in the desert on our walks. A true mountain dog, he'd then roll in and eat it.

Moab's last supper was grilled bacon wrapped tiger prawn both with and without a slice of jalapeño, with a side of steak.

Trax rips up the Prime Cut.

The Skampers maiden voyage to Moab (with me at least) is a banner success.

Deeper Unplugged - Episode 7 - Tour Ronde

2010-03-18T16:14:00.002-06:00

From The Web: One Hilarious Moment

2010-03-11T18:12:00.002-07:00

Drew Gregory is attacked by a goose while fishing.

Dudley Prepares for NAVHDA

2010-03-08T06:28:00.006-07:00

Dudley holds a long point at a Chucker stashed in the tall grass.
Working with Brian from Bird Mtn, Dudley prepares for his Natural Ability test for the NAVHDA (North American Versatile Hunting Dog Association).

He is all business in the field. I love watching the transformation from "wiggle U" to bird dog. Nell took pictures!

Now Smile Brown Dog

2010-02-26T19:02:00.003-07:00

Dudley is so stoked in the morning. He usually grabs a "baby" and prances around like a damn fool.

From The Web: Jim Stovall - Changing our minds

2010-02-25T10:43:00.009-07:00

There are a number of people in my life right now that are facing the challenges of reinventing themselves due to layoff, divorce and other misfortunes. We all experience these things from time to time and it can be very scary as the outcome or/and the destination is unknown and we must follow our instincts. Why is this so nerve racking?!

I get Jim Stovall's weekly column via email. I wouldn't call him a motivational speaker, although some people would. To me he is just a guy who gets it. This weeks title is "Learning to Re-Learn", I thought I'd post it and this video to help those in my life who are in the valley and are looking for support and encouragement to start climbing the peak.

February 25, 2010
"Learning to Re-Learn"
By:Jim Stovall

You've probably heard it said that once you learn how to ride a bicycle, you never forget. This may be true, but if you haven't ridden the bicycle in 20 or 30 years, you may want to avoid heavy traffic areas when you first try to ride the bicycle again. Likely, your cycling skills will have diminished to a point where you will have some close encounters with curbs and mailboxes. You may even crash and burn several times before you re-learn the skills you once mastered and, therefore, begin to call yourself a bicycle rider again.

There are many skills we had once mastered that have atrophied over the years. There are certain skills that come naturally to us, and we lose them over time. When we are born, we do not know fear except for loud noises and falling. All other fear is learned. When you hear about someone overcoming their fear, they are actually re-learning a skill they were born with which is not being afraid. They have to re-learn being fearless.

I spend a great deal of my speaking and writing time dealing with helping people find and reach their dreams. Reaching your dreams or making your goals a reality is actually easier than establishing the dream or goal itself. Most people never really adopt a dream or a goal as something they intend to achieve to an extent they begin moving toward it.

It is hard to establish dreams and goals, because we have learned how to fear failure. Our maturity has given us the knowledge to understand all the reasons why our dreams might not come true.

We were all born with the ability to dream. When we were four or five years old, the world was full of endless possibilities. When I was first exploring this concept, I made a video with a group of preschool dreaming experts. I would like to share that video with you and those you want to pass it on to in your personal and professional life.

When you watch the video, with these marvelous preschool kids exhibiting the innate ability we all have to dream, avoid the temptation to begin mentally calculating their odds of success and formulating rational reasons why they can't achieve their goals. This process of rejecting and rationalizing is the great dream killer we all develop that obliterates the natural gift of dreaming we each had when we were born.

As you go through your day today, re-learn how to dream and unlearn how to rationalize and reject the dreams you have.

Today's the day!

Jim Stovall PortraitJim Stovall is the president of Narrative Television Network, as well as a published author of many books including The Ultimate Gift. He is also a columnist and motivational speaker. He may be reached at 5840 South Memorial Drive, Suite 312, Tulsa, OK 74145-9082, or by e-mail at Jim@JimStovall.com.

Presidents Day Weekend 2010: Breckenridge Colorado

2010-02-15T21:15:00.016-07:00

The meadows off Tiger Road had about 12 -24 inches of fresh snow.
We headed to Breckenridge Colorado for the long President's day weekend in the camper pulling the sleds. Our friend Miguel's annual Skiesta! Which is basically four fun filled days playing in the snow with friends and family with the accommodations provided by Miguel. We took the camper and plugged into the house to add capacity for the event. Almost 40 people visited throughout long weekend which added to the charge and popularity of his tradition.

Colorado's beloved ski county deliveries with evening flurries that would break to partly cloudy by midday, leaving behind 4-6 inches of “refills” for the skiers. Snow conditions got progressively better in Summit County with the moderate precipitation finally adding to their relatively dry season.

Nell braps her RMQ around the trails and meadows near Breckenridge, Colorado. Her riding is steadily progressing.
With folks all the way from Australia attending, the weekend was an eclectic blend of characters and personalities. The group celebrated a couple birthdays and Valentine's day before it was all over.

Trax manhandles the 1000cc APEX before getting bucked off and breaking bones.
One of the things that every(most anyway) sledder must deal with when riding in the backcountry is getting bucked off the sled. This usually means hitting a hidden obstacle and flying off the machine. If you're lucky only the machine is damaged. Other times it is the body which breaks. Trax found this out the hard way by breaking his wrist in two places on day 1's outing. Luckily we were not to far from help and we were able get him patched up and mending before the days end.

The man of the hour entertains his guesses with crazy eyes and thunderous song.
Here, Here Paco. Well Done.

From The Web: Google Street View via Snowmobile.

2010-02-09T16:47:00.003-07:00

Whistler by snowmobile.

Best Cinematography: Sweetgrass Productions

2010-02-03T09:18:00.001-07:00

Brown Dog's Ice Beard

2010-01-31T20:36:00.001-07:00

Nell took this image of Dudley's sweet ice beard.