Fly Fishing In Minnesota
I’ll start by letting you in on a secret. Minnesota doesn’t have 10,000 lakes. We’ve actually got 15,291. Something like 6% of the state is covered in water. Needless to say, lots of fishing is to be had. But instead of lakes, let’s talk about rivers and the exceptional trout fishing to be had. Minnesota trout fishing is largely divided into two areas: North Shore … Continue reading Fly Fishing In Minnesota
Fly Fishing: Still Learning
It’s been four years since I started regularly fly fishing for trout. The handful of times I picked up my dad’s fly rod and caught panfish as a kid don’t count. Every time I fish, I learn something new. Sometimes I learn many new things. And sometimes I learn them the hard way. On a recent trip, a few lessons were learned. Here they are. … Continue reading Fly Fishing: Still Learning
Fat Biking in Tromsø
The best way to see a city is on a bike. Doesn’t matter if it’s sunny or rainy, crowded or quiet, hot or cold. You’ll notice parts of town that you just can’t when you’re in an Uber, on foot, or in a bus. It’s a different experience entirely, and one that I wholeheartedly recommend. Let’s talk about Tromsø. It’s a small island city in … Continue reading Fat Biking in Tromsø
Labor Days And Other Days Off
It’s the unofficial end of summer, this long weekend. The warm season starts on Memorial Day weekend and ends on Labor Day weekend. Summer abides by long weekends, it seems. I do, too. And I take every chance I can get to thoroughly spend time outside when I’m not at work. We were planning on camping over the weekend, but plans changes and we were … Continue reading Labor Days And Other Days Off
A Lesson In Mental Health From Crosby Lake
A good day in the woods can meet the need of a week-long vacation. It saves money, too. When quiet tree-lined dirt trails are less than 10 miles from my house and I’ve got the mood to sweat before getting dirty, I get on the bike. The trails aren’t really official (or even marked, for that matter). In the gorge at the confluence of the … Continue reading A Lesson In Mental Health From Crosby Lake
Shooting Stars And Milky Ways And Alcohol
Photographing the night sky was always something I thought required a professional-grade camera, an $8,000 f/1.8 lens, and otherworldly editing skills. It was something I rarely attempted because my photos were shit compared to other shots I’ve seen. Everything was always either blurry or over-exposed or under-exposed or just bad. Sometimes all three, against all odds. Then I was drunk at a bachelor party the … Continue reading Shooting Stars And Milky Ways And Alcohol
Overnight Getaway
Always bring a tent. Even if you think you’ll sleep in your car instead. Even if you’d rather not set up said tent at 11pm. Even if you’re just lazy. I learned this lesson because mosquitos can squeeze through cracked windows, bite you in the night, and leave blood spots on the interior roof of your car when you rage-kill them all at 3am. Always … Continue reading Overnight Getaway
Fourth Weekend
It was as American as a beer-filled pontoon parked on a sandbar. It helps that it was the weekend of the Fourth of July, too. And that’s how Minnesotans do it. We all have a cabin or know someone who does. So when work wraps up on Friday, we all head North. Cabin traffic is a thing ’round these parts, especially on holiday weekends. My … Continue reading Fourth Weekend
Angry Catfish x Surly Brewing Solstice Ride
The longest days of the year makes for extended daylight perfect for long rides to a spot to watch the sunset. This was something I’ve wanted to do for a while. Ride to Mounds Park in St. Paul with a cooler full of beers and watch the sunset behind the skyline during Solstice week. A group met up at Angry Catfish at 5pm for pre-ride … Continue reading Angry Catfish x Surly Brewing Solstice Ride
An Evening In El Paso
No, I didn’t drive to Texas. Or fly to Texas. It’s a tiny, tiny town in Wisconsin on the Rush River. It’s also one of my favorite places to catch fish. On a summer night after the sun disappears behind the steep valley walls and a fog hangs in the air, there are few places I’d rather be. This stretch of the river is known … Continue reading An Evening In El Paso
Birch & Flannel 