Friday, April 10, 2009

Colorado's Peace of Art Cafe


Customers at the Peace of Art Cafe, Del Norte, Colorado. 2009
Photos: Nell
I had the lunch special of the day. It was a turkey Panini sandwich with roasted red peppers, red onion, Swiss cheese, lettuce, tomato and a side of blue corn tortilla chips. The sandwich was toasted hot with the cheese melting into the roasted red peppers, the vegetable were crisp and cold. It was a robust sandwich with great taste and texture. Absolutely delicious and hit the spot for the drive home. I finished lunch with a small double mocha which was also very tasty with good milk foam, a perfect temperature and not too much chocolate sweetness.Well done Peace of Art Cafe, I have a feeling this will be a regular stop in our journeys to southern Colorado.

Cordwood and recycled Glass bottle construction.


Via Peace of Art Cafe.

Wine bottles and "standing-dead" Cottonwood trees in the walls.

Fishing Colorado: The Dream Stream.


From the guys at Front Range Anglers here in Boulder.

Sunday, April 05, 2009

Colorado Powder Day: Wolf Creek


Sledding near tucker pond, 2009. There is a 600lbs Yamaha Apex in there somewhere.

Just days after I got my mountain bike tuned and oiled for the spring season it started to snow again in the Colorado Rockies. Thankfully so, the high country seemed eerily dry the last few weeks and I noticed the snow pack withering.
The latest storm cycle dumped on Wolf Creek Colorado; we received some 30+ inches in less than two days making for hip deep delight on the sleds.


Nell on her Polaris RMQ (Rocky Mountain Queen) slays the powder like never before; her first super deep day on a sled she handles with flying colors. Her riding is really progressing, her flow and comfort level on the machine is to a point where she is confident riding backcountry terrain.
Deep powder is a whole different experience on skis, a snowboard and/or a sled. One almost has to relearn things. It can be scary at first; the rider must make certain adjustments that are difficult to do initially.
Most powder hounds describe the adjustment as obtaining the feeling or flow to maintaining a speed faster than usual. This is necessary to achieve a cascade of momentum making it possible to glide atop the snow, instead of sinking into it. I've heard it described, "You just got to go for it."
If you can’t get there, deep snow is frustrating and exhausting, it will quickly sap your strength.
Ask any powder enthusiast, once you "Adjust or tune in", you’re hooked and no other conditions really compare.
"It is why we are out here."




Little Ez was along for the trip. Although too young to shralp the powder he was amazed at seeing bubbles for the first time.