Great Sand Dunes National Park and The Joy of Detours

If you’re traveling from Denver to Durango, you’ve got a few options at your disposal. I-70 through Summit County and along the Colorado River is a solid choice. As is 285 southwest out of Denver. Or you could take 115 from Colorado Springs past Pikes Peak and into Salida. They’re all beautiful. Andrew and I were sitting in a coffee shop in Colorado Springs. It … Continue reading Great Sand Dunes National Park and The Joy of Detours

It’s Beginning To Look Nothing Like Christmas

This has become somewhat of a tradition for us. Christmas tree hunting the weekend of Thanksgiving. Every year has brought different weather. The first year was snowy and frigid. Last year was just a bunch of mud. It was cold, but the mud was inescapable. This year is warm. The trusty car thermometer said 49 degrees. Sunshine through high thin clouds produced a hazy warmth. … Continue reading It’s Beginning To Look Nothing Like Christmas

#OptOutside

It’s better to spend the day outside than it is spend it packed into a store fighting over deals. That’s how REI feels and a lot of people agree. They had this idea in 2015 to encourage their co-op members to choose nature over consumerism on Black Friday. It was a big thing when they announced it. Many other stores and outdoor brands quickly followed … Continue reading #OptOutside

Get Uncomfortable

At a certain point, I lost count of the times something didn’t go right. Navigating three feet of powder on a mountain side with cross-country skis strapped to numb feet seven miles from the nearest road; losing footing while trying to cross a river in waist-deep, snowmelt raging water; finishing your last water bottle in 104F heat 17 miles from the car on a bike. You … Continue reading Get Uncomfortable

Explore Before the Thaw

Minnehaha Falls is a popular park in south Minneapolis. Springtime finds prom couples taking photos, summertime means crowds at the park restaurant and fall makes for colorful picnics and piles of oak leaves. The real attraction shows itself when the crowds disperse and the temperature drops. The water of Minnehaha Creek falls 53 feet from a limestone ledge to the pool below. If you follow … Continue reading Explore Before the Thaw