We were back at the Brewer’s for the second phase in ‘Learning to Homebrew. ‘ Most of the work was done last time around. In between classes, Curt took care of switching the beer to it’s secondary fermentation container. This time, there was much less brewing and much more drinking. Not bad.

The bottling went pretty quickly. The process consisted of sterilizing the tools, adding sugar to the mix, filling the bottles and capping. The bucket was filled with water & bleach, caps were boiled in water and the bottles went through a couple cycles in the dishwasher. Curt admitted that the dishwasher method is a shortcut and some may frown upon it, but he hasn’t had any problems yet. (more…)

Yes I know. I am lazy. I have been lounging around not doing anything productive. School has started and I am getting back into the swing of things. I guess I cannot complain I teach mountain biking, winter wilderness survival, and desert field studies among others. However being in close proximity with others this time of year takes its toll and now I am sick. So I am sick and tired and lazy. My apologies. I will post informative pieces soon enough. Wish me a quick recovery and yes I now have an excuse for hot toddies!!!!!!!! Until then I will look at the snow falling on my front porch and wish I was else where. NURSE…..I NEED A DRINK!!!!!!

Just wanted to let everybody know about one of our buddies blogs. This guy, commonly known as UTM or Uncle Travelin’ Matt is of the UpaDowna mentality and just started his own blog! He has come out strong and already posted a few great insightful rants and ramblings on his site, Burntcrisp. So if you get the chance check it out and give him some props!

While not limited to Colorado we are seeing some of the coldest temps in years. Colorado has been battling with subzero temperatures as well as cycle after cycle of snow storms. This has led to a few things for us Coloradans:

1. We must be diligent in our pursuit of outdoor activities, last weekend I skied Breckenridge and Arapahoe Basin and had a difficult time recalling when I had been that cold before. The hot cocoa, Beer and Brats on the tailgate were a welcome break from the biting wind on the slopes.

****DISCLAIMER: Alcohol reduces your ability to regulate temperatures and make good decisions it is an absolute no-no in frigid temperatures especially when participating in high risk activities****

2. Be prepared when in the backcountry or driving along the passes for inclement weather events such as icy roads, whiteout conditions, and avalanches.

3. Know your limits and be smart about the choices you make, don’t push so hard you suffer just to get every dime out of your ridiculously priced lift ticket, buy smarter and get a season pass next year!

Season pass math for dummies:

Seriously do the math: 1 day @ Breckenridge is $86.00 the Colorado Pass which allows unlimited skiing @ Breck, A-basin and Keystone is $479.00 (this is the full price and there are always pre-season discounts of up to $100.00 off) So $479/$86= 5.5 days on the slopes for it to pay for itself. So if you ski more than 5 days out of the season GET A PASS!!! Not to mention that the pass allows 10 days at Vail and Beaver Creek.

There are not to many publications that have remained true to their roots and fortunately Backpacker is one. This outstanding magazine never ceases to amaze me, each month I eagerly await another issue anxious to flip through the glossy pages and soak up everything from the tear out GPS trial maps to the amazing Adventure sections. (more…)

Today sees the passing of one of the greatest adventurers. Sir Edmund Hillary was the first man to stand atop the world, the summit of Everest. Please pay your respects with a toast to Ed. If you know nothing of this great man…read a freaking book!! Until then here is the report of his passing.