Rip & Tear

It´s been snowing all day and we´ve got at least six inches on the ground. The forecast is for heavy snow tonight. Earliery tonight we had dinner with a bunch of folks and a plan was concocted for tomorrow morning. Meet at 7 AM at the Sovick Casa. Head up to the ski resort. Hike up to the top of Red Lady lift and ride down to the Paradise lift to be in line for 1st chair up Paradise. This plan would be a joke in mid season but it´s early season and none of the good stuff is open yet so we´re going to make the most of what is open . . . and with another 6-10 inches tonight . . . it could be quite stellar tomorrow getting fresh tracks on Paradise Bowl. I´ll post some video tomorrow of how it all panned out.

The Storm

It looks like we are about to get our 1st real snow of the season. Check out the Winter Storm Warning below that has just been posted for us and the snowfall prediction!! People in town are super excited. It´s going to be a banner weekend . . .


/O.UPG.KGJT.WS.A.0010.071130T1900Z- 071202T1200Z/ /O.NEW.KGJT.WS.W. 0008.071130T1900Z-071202T1200Z/ GRAND AND BATTLEMENT MESAS-WEST ELK AND SAWATCH MOUNTAINS- NORTHWEST SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS-SOUTHWEST SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF... SKYWAY...CRESTED BUTTE...TAYLOR PARK... MARBLE...OURAY...TELLURIDE... LAKE CITY...SILVERTON...RICO... HESPERUS 812 PM MST THU NOV 29 2007

...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 12 PM FRIDAY TO 5 AM MST SUNDAY...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GRAND JUNCTION HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM WARNING...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 12 PM FRIDAY TO 5 AM MST SUNDAY. THE WINTER STORM WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT.

AREAS OF SNOW WILL SPREAD FROM SOUTH TO NORTH BY MIDDAY FRIDAY ...BECOMING WIDESPREAD FRIDAY NIGHT AND CONTINUING THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT. SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS FROM 1 TO 3 FEET ARE EXPECTED BY LATE SATURDAY NIGHT.

IN ADDITION...GUSTY SOUTHWEST WINDS FROM 20 TO 35 MPH WILL CREATE AREAS OF BLOWING SNOW REDUCING VISIBILITIES TO LESS THAN ONE MILE ...ESPECIALLY OVER THE HIGHER MOUNTAIN PASSES.

A WINTER STORM WARNING MEANS SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF SNOW... ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. STRONG WINDS ARE ALSO POSSIBLE. THIS WILL MAKE TRAVEL VERY HAZARDOUS OR IMPOSSIBLE.

The Journey Home

On my journey home today I was reading Ed Abbey´s The Journey Home and I came across the following passage:

"But I can think of other things that Yosemite Valley is not the proper place for. It is not the proper place for paved roads and motor traffic in any form. It is not the proper place for gas stations, supermarkets, bars, curio shops, barbershops, a hospital, a lodge, a hotel, a convention center, and a small city of permanent and transient residents. Above all Yosemite Valley is not a proper place for a jail, for administrators, for police wearing park ranger uniforms . . . What should Yosemite Valley be? It should be what it once was: the kind of place where a person would know himself lucky to make one pilgrimage there in his lifetime. A holy place."

That Don't Make Them Biscuits

Well, my stint here in the Southland is almost over. I've heard a few southernisms over the past week. Here's a few for you to chew on:

3) "Bless their hearts."

2) "Don't piss in my ear and tell me it's raining."

1) "Just because the cat got in the oven and had kittens, that don't make them biscuits."

And with that I bid farewell to the Confederacy once again. Until next time . . . see ya'll later.

Three Things . . .

Three things worth mentioning that I've seen lately:

1) My Fair Lady (the musical)

2) Katt Williams (the pimp chronicles)

3) Real Time with Bill Maher (the 11-1-07 episode)

Buy Nothing Day

"We,ve been convinced that the way to show your love for someone is by what you buy them, by what the price tag is, by what is represented on the receipt. And that's the wrong message to send out" says Morgan Spurlock, producer of the new documentary What Would Jesus Buy?

I think Morgan is on to something. Folks around the globe have been fighting the crowds and fighting their wallets on this day after Thanksgiving, but since 1992 a growing number of folks have called a cease fire and are buying nothing. You too can participate buy not participating.

For more info on Buy Nothing Day just point and click. And enjoy your day off from the spending frenzy.

Why I'm Switching . . .

Although I do not own a Mac (yet) I've been a Mac user for 2+ years now. I made the switch out of convenience initially . . . because my girlfriend had an iBook G4 laptop and I had this big clunky Dell Desktop. Her computer was portable, mine was not. Her computer had wireless, mine did not. Etc. You get the point.

I didn't really come to love the Mac until I started working on The Walkumentary. It was then that I was introduced to the seamless integration between software applications on a Mac. I used iMovie HD 06' to make the movie and this app works super well with iTunes, iPhoto, GarageBand and iDVD. Essentially I had an entire video production studio within these 5 software applications and all these software applications come standard on a Mac. Windows machines just can't deliver this type of package with the ease of use and flexibility that a Mac can. And I haven't even mentioned the little things.

And now that Macs run on Intel chips and come standard with BootCamp software . . . I could choose to run XP or shutter the thought . . . Vista on my Mac. By why would I?

Anything a Windows machine can do . . . a Mac can do better, easier and with a lot more style.

I'm about to pull the trigger on a 20" iMac . . . and I won't be pulling the trigger on any Window operating system to install on that iMac. Leopard has it all.

The other thing that has just this minute cemented my final switch from Windows to Mac . . . is the amount of screen freezing that goes on with this damn Dell Desktop that I'm working on. It's just a matter of minutes before the blue screen of death crashes down on me. So sure, I could run some virus scans and defrag the hard drive and troubleshoot . . . you know . . . the standard Windows routine . . . but I'm done with all that.

Computers should not get in the way of your work. They should help you complete your work. That's why I'm buying a Mac. Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Beowulf

I saw Beowulf tonight. I was told that it was going to be like 300 which it was not. However, it was really really good. The digital animation took a bit of getting used to, but honestly the story ends up taking over and keeping you into the movie. I didn't look at my watch once. Check out the trailer here and even though we did not see the 3D version, I think this movie would be even better in 3D.

I do have a question about the ending though . . . but if I got into that here it would give it away. I'll just say this . . . anyone out there that's read the story of Beowulf . . . Did the movie and the written story have the same ending???

And one more thing . . . if you read the story of Beowulf in your 12th Grade Literature class and found it boring, you will feel different after seeing this movie!

Peachtree

I'm back in the Homeland after a day of travel. Denver to Charlotte via US Airways without a hitch. I got to kick it with my homies Shep & Tremor last night . . . both of PCT 04' fame. I haven't seen Tremor since Sept 2004 when we finished the PCT. It's pretty cool how these trail reunions seem to happen more often than naught . . . and it helps living in Colorado . . . there's got to be more thru-hikers in the front range of Colorado per capita than anywhere else in the United States.

I'm still bummed about my camera. My idea was that I'd buy an ultracompact 5 Mp (anything more is overkill) point & shoot digital camera in the 4 oz. range and the Pentax Optio s5i fit the bill . . . but I'm having trouble finding one online. Any other ideas on cameras with the previously mentioned specs??

Sans Camera

Today was Day 2 of the "snow" season and I broke my digital camera. I got a new snowboard for this season and haven't put a stomp pad on it yet. So . . . I was getting off the lift and in the process of turning, my free foot slid off the board (because I had no stomp pad) and came out from under me and I went down on my right leg hard. My camera was in my right pocket and I ended up cracking the LCD display. This is the 2nd time I've busted the LCD display so I figure it's an omen . . . time to buy a new camera.

Opening Day

Unexplained Blue Cloud

I regularly listen to the podcast version of the Don & Mike radio show. The podcast is 2 days behind . . . so today I listened to the Wednesday show and when Buzz was doing the news he talked about an unexplained blue cloud that popped up at a Marathon gas station in Parma, Ohio. The video surveillance camera caught the action and a local news station ran a story on it. Some people think it is an angel, some a ghost, and some think it's a hoax. You decide.

Colbert Nation

If you have not heard of Stephen Colbert by now then you either live in a cabin in the woods somewhere . . . or you were the person in charge of booking Colbert as the keynote speaker for the 2006 White House Correspondents Press Dinner. The annual dinner is basically a roast of the sitting President and that is exactly what Colbert did to Bush . . . and then some. If you haven´t seen this yet, take 20 minutes and give it a look . . . your jaw will drop more than once:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-869183917758574879

The NY Times did a brief write up on the event. Colbert has his own show, The Colbert Report, on Comedy Central . . . and currently has a new book out entitled, "I Am American And So Can You." Hear Colbert himself reading excerpts from his book in addition to discussing his rise to fame & the previously mentioned dinner by clicking here.

And even more recently, he launched a bid for the Presidency to run as South Carolina´s native son only to be shot down by the South Carolina Democratic Party´s executive council. They decided he was not worthy enough for the ballot.

Sam & Noah

Had dinner tonight with the Noodleheads.

Hung out with Sam & Noah.

Good kids.

A Tigger Climbs Mt. Kilimanjaro

I just got word today that my good PCT friend and fellow blogger Shawn Olson a.k.a. Tigger is en route to Tanzania for a one month jaunt all over Africa. Highlights will include Tanzania, South Africa, a stay on the island of Zanzibar and a climb up Africa´s High Point . . . Mt. Kilimanjaro! I´m not jealous . . . I swear. Uhm yeah. Check out her blog for the complete low down and the Bellingham news for the story on her trip.

From Nov 18 - 26 during the Kilimanjaro climb portion of the trip, Tigger will be posting text and
(hopefully) photos from a satellite phone at
http://alpineinstitute.blogspot.com.

If you know Tigger, the idea of her using a Sat Phone willingly is enough to tune in.

And Tigger if you end up seeing this post, just know that there is a long distance hiker in Central Colorado that would love to be in your shoes right now.

UPDATE: Tigger summitted Kilimanjaro on November 24th. A big congrats! And if you are curious about the above photo . . . it´s the "Babe the Blue Ox" costume at a Halloween Party.

A Bike Ride . . .

I was walking out of the Big House today and the Big Man told me that he was going mountain biking this afternoon. I was inspired. Crested Butte is one of a few towns that lays claim to having started the sport of mountain biking. I´ve lived here for the better part of 2 years now and haven´t done any legitimate mtn biking until today. I did a 10 mile loop out Slate River today on P.O.D.´s Gary Fisher and it was gnar. Most of the trail was snow free and in decent shape. I got worked going up a few hills. All in all it was a good ride and I just might have to get out and do some more before the snow flies.

Speaking of which, the fake snow has been flying at the ski resort every night and they are getting a decent base built up in a few places. Opening Day is 6 days away, which is hard to believe considering the weather.

Side Trails

Dinner for $1.88

No Joke . . . $1.88. The strange brown goo is BBQ Sauce so perhaps that would add another $0.04 or so. My guess is that if I were to look back to what I was eating 10 years ago this very night . . . it might possibly be the same exact thing. Bon Appetit.

The Results Are In . . .

The results of the Crested Butte town council election are in:

Town Council Seats (Top 3 of 5 win)
Kimberly Metsch 356 Votes
Reed Betz 236 Votes
Daniel Escalante 220 Votes
Bob Godwin 213 Votes
Todd Carroll 176 Votes

Mayor
Alan Bernholtz 326 Votes

Ballot Issue 4A:
Yes 1496 Votes
No 1555 Votes


I´m quite pleased with the results minus the ballot issue. Although I do not think a lot of people understood the specifics of the ballot issue and that´s probably why it failed. Most importantly to me the 3 folks I voted for . . . one of whom I wrote a letter to the editor for . . . got elected!

So here is my Fox News "Fair & Balanced" No-Spin Zone interpretation of these results. I think the 3 folks that got elected to town council won on 2 issues: 1) the proposed mine on Red Lady & 2) the proposed ski expansion on Snodgrass Mountain. They also won because they Got Out The Vote, took nothing for granted and they articulated their views and values well. The 2 folks that lost did not articulate their stances well or at all on certain issues. One of those 2 was a former mayor of Mt. Crested Butte, which goes to show that nothing is a given in the town of Crested Butte. How´s that for being in the No Spin Zone?!

Green Tea Martini ???

New Year´s Eve 2003 I went to a crazy party at some friends of some friends´ house in Arlington, VA. The friends were Porter & Soupy and the friends of some friends´ were Catherine & Tommy. Catherine has been blogging for 5 or so years now and I check out her blog fairly regularly. She works for The Washingtonian and is lucky enough to review drinks for them from time to time. So in her post from today, she made reference to the Green Tea Martini (see photo). I don´t know if it was the photo that caught my interest or the ingredients . . . actually I think it is the fact that this martini has a tea bag in it when served!!! As disgusting as I think this martini looks I can only conjure up one thought . . . if anybody´s buying, I´m drinking.

30-Day No Car Challenge

I´m 24 days into a 30-Day No Car Challenge. The rules of the Challenge are simple . . . I cannot drive my car for 30 days. Partially inspired by An Inconvenient Truth and The 11th Hour, I decided to see how drastic or subtle of a life change it would be for me not to use my car for a month. And honestly it´s been more subtle than drastic.

For starters I never actually planned to do the challenge. 17 days ago I realized that I had not driven my car for a week. I thought to myself . . . hmmm . . . I wonder if I could go for a month without using my car??? 24 days into it I´d say . . . so far so good. The experience has shown me that this "necessity" is not really a necessity but more of a luxury and a desire versus a real need. The experience has also forced me to consider and actually put more planning and thought into how I´m going to get from Point A to Point B. In most cases that has meant carpooling, riding my bike or taking the free public bus in town. And it has not been that much of an inconvenience at all.

It makes me wonder how much $$$ I could save if I no longer owned a car . . . no money spent on gas, no money spent on oil changes, no money spent on car maintenance and repair, no money spent on car insurance, no money spent on property taxes and car registration, etc. I´ll update this with a dollar amount after I crunch the numbers. The benefits are not just the money savings, but also the climate savings . . . as I would represent one less person contributing carbon emissions from a car into the Earth´s Atmosphere . . . not too mention that I would no longer be a consumer of fossil fuels as a car owner (gas & oil). Hmmm??

I guess the big question is that after being a car owner for 14 of the last 31 years, could I really part with an automobile?? We are conditioned . . . almost expected to believe that we have to own a car to get around, go to work, run errands . . . live life, etc. Now I´m not so sure???

But then again, what if I really do need it? :)

Triangle Pass Hike

The picture above shows the Triangle Pass Trail in the Maroon Bells Wilderness Area which my buddy Matt and I tackled today. You can see Matt if you look really closely in the center-right of the picture.

Our original plan was to do the 9 mile hike up and over Triangle Pass to Conundrum Hot Springs, soak for an hour, and then do the 9 mile hike back to the trailhead. Triangle Pass sits at 12,900´and getting to the top involved some postholing in ankle deep to knee deep snow alternating with talus field traversing. Once on top of the pass looking North into the Conundrum Basin and all of it´s snow, we decided that we would not have enough time to hike down to the Hot Springs, soak, and then hike back up and over Triangle Pass and make it back by dark. So we headed back and detoured over to Copper Lake and called it good.

Highlight of the day was watching 2 large mountain goats rummaging around Conundrum Basin enjoying the day completely oblivious to us sitting up on the pass above them. I'm beat.

Into the Wild

I went and saw Into the Wild tonight with some friends. It was a sold out show, which isn´t that surprising to me given the types of folks that live in Crested Butte and the fact that this was the 2nd night of the movie´s showing here in CB.

The movie was based on Jon Krakauer´s book Into the Wild and the book was based on the life of Chris McCandless whom after graduating from Emory University, gave his entire savings of $24,000 to OXFAM, abandoned his car and ended up dead in Alaska 2 years later. Wikipedia has a good synopsis of the story.

I read the book back in 1997 and it left a deep impression on me to say the least. I saw some of myself in Chris McCandless. I´ve often thought of that book and his story. Tonight brought a lot of that back to me. I haven´t been this affected by a film in a long long time. The film stayed true to the book although they had to cut some parts of the book out to fit it all into the movie. I´d recommend either one.

B-I-N-G-O !!!

Tonight was the KBUT off-season Bingo. Over 100 people were there and it was rowdy and I´m not kidding. This ain´t your grandmother´s bingo. I got so so close to winning the final round which was a $100 cash prize to the first person who could "blackout" their card. I was one away and then some schmuck called Bingo and all my hopes and dreams were swept under the rug like a ball of lint.

At least I got a few beers in me before it was all said and done.

Tax-Payer Funded What???

In the United States we have a:

Taxpayer funded Police Force

Taxpayer funded Fire Protection Force:

Taxpayer funded Postal Service

Taxpayer funded Public Library System

. . . is it such a stretch to have a Taxpayer funded Health System???

There are 47 Million people in the United States that have no health insurance.

That is 1 out of every 6 people in this country.

Learn More.