#FindingWinter with Mountain Hardwear
It wasn’t more than a week ago in Minneapolis that I could walk outside in an unbuttoned without a chill. I could bike home from work without gloves, crack a window and night and hear the crunch of leaves underfoot. Things are different now. Winter coats are required, sidewalks need to be shoveled and that crunch underfoot is ice and snow. Winter is here. I’m … Continue reading #FindingWinter with Mountain Hardwear
Fly Tying. Not For The Impatient.
Mend Provisions, my local fly shop, is the reason I’m into fly fishing. I was given my first spin casting rod and reel when I was three and began fly fishing when I was six or so. My form was awful, but the panfish didn’t seem to care how the fly got to the water. That’s all it was. I would infrequently use my dad’s … Continue reading Fly Tying. Not For The Impatient.
Backcountry Cross-Country Skiing: Your New Winter Plans.
You could stick to the groomed trails–play it safe and easy by riding the tracks of many before you. Or you could cut your own trail. It isn’t easy, but the sweat you trade for the experience you’re rewarded with pays off. Minneapolis offers many miles of groomed trails and inner-ring suburbs offer many more. These groomed trails are top-notch. Some are just wide enough … Continue reading Backcountry Cross-Country Skiing: Your New Winter Plans.
“No Turning Back” As Rad As Expected
If you get a chance to view a Warren Miller film in a theater, do it. I don’t care if you have other plans. Your new plans involve Warren Miller. It’s like going to a concert, but this concert has skiing and snowboarding, a fun crowd, prizes and travels the world. It was a night of fun and mountain wanderlust. But first, the pre-party. Thanks … Continue reading “No Turning Back” As Rad As Expected
Lebanon Hills
Minneapolis has been seeing a fantastic fall. Plenty of sunshine, little rain and temperatures regularly above 60F. If you like fall colors and dislike humidity, this has been the month for you. And it looks to continue. Seeing the colors change around Minneapolis proper, Audra and I wanted to get in a hike to enjoy fall before it transforms into winter. Lebanon Hills in the … Continue reading Lebanon Hills
Whitewater River. One last hurrah: Day Two
So. We thought the Minnesota trout season was over. We were wrong. Thanks to some new regulations, fishing in state parks is catch-and-release all year. It seems we’re in for for more adventures. But first, to close out a stellar weekend on the Whitewater. Temperatures in the campground hit 25F that night, which was fun because the forecast said the low would be 38F. *takes … Continue reading Whitewater River. One last hurrah: Day Two
Warren Miller’s “No Turning Back”
The greatest ski filmmaker ever turned 80 this week. He’s been a part of the production of the production of over 750 films, with 64 of those being his own. The man is a legend in the ski world. His 65th film, “No Turning Back” will have a screening on Friday, October 24th at the State Theatre in Minneapolis. My love for Warren Miller films … Continue reading Warren Miller’s “No Turning Back”
Everything Except The Fish
When you spend a lot of time on the river, you receive questions. What is it like to fly fish? What is the biggest fish you’ve ever caught? Have you ever seen “A River Runs Through It”? No, I have never seen said film. But thanks to Topo Designs, you can get a feel for fly fishing in a short video. Very little about … Continue reading Everything Except The Fish
One-star Yelp Reviews of National Parks
This is why Yelp was created. I’m sure of it. Moral of the story: Ranger Wiener is a real dick. But seriously, nature is to be appreciated with an open mind. National parks preserve some of the most beautiful places on the planet, let alone in the U.S. Visit a park. Experience a new place. Enjoy the sights. Photo source: (http://imgur.com/gallery/bwsrB) Continue reading One-star Yelp Reviews of National Parks
Whitewater River. One last hurrah: Day One.
Well, kind of one last hurrah. But more on that later. While I was fishing Skunktown Creek in Iowa, my buddy Phil had a productive weekend on the Whitewater River in southeast Minnesota. He posted a photo of one of his fish, a 16″ brown that was more orange than anything else. It was a gorgeous fish and it was in that moment I decided … Continue reading Whitewater River. One last hurrah: Day One.
Birch & Flannel 