Memorial Weekend Fun

For the last 6 years I have taken some type of trip on Memorial Day weekend. It's always been a mark for me between winter and launching into a new year of adventures. It started with a canoe trip with my brother to Voyagers National Park. Other trips include backpacking with T.E.A.M. 42 and solo road trips. This year well be a more condensed trip but a trip none the less. The plan is to do some hiking and camping in the Black Hills of SD with my lady friend. We're going to squeeze in as much as we can but no matter what it will be a good time.

Gear List

Pack - Gregory Z55 54oz (3lb 6oz)

Sleep System (4lb 7oz)

Bag - REI Sub Kilo +20 31oz (1lb 15oz)

Pad - Therma-Rest Prolite XS 8oz

Bivy - NEMO Gogo LE 38oz (2lb 6oz)

Cook Set (4.9oz)

Stove - Alcohol Stove 1.4oz

Pot - Monster Pot 1.1oz

Spork - Sea to Summit Spork 0.3oz

Case - Neoprene Sleeve 1.3oz

Lighter - Bic Lighter 0.8oz

General Items

Water Purifier - Adventure SteriPen 4.5oz

First Aid Kit 4.5oz

Head Lamp - Black Diamond Ion 1oz

Compass 0.8oz

Water Bottle - Nalgene 1L soft side 3.8oz

Platypus 3L 3.7oz

String 2.6oz

TP 0.5oz

Shovel 3oz

Spot Receiver 4.2oz

Bear Spray 11.2oz

Bear Container - BV450/500 40oz (2lb 8oz)

Total: 215.7oz (13lb 8oz)

Right Where I Want To Be

Work has recently given me the opportunity to get out on the road for a couple of day trips in the opposite directions, in more ways than one. One trip took me south on I25 through Colorado, straight into Denver. The other, took me north on the same road but through Wyoming to Casper. Driving to Casper reminded me that Wyoming is exactly where I want to be. A place that still has some air, some elbow room. A short drive in Wyoming will get you out in the open, just the road with sparsely scattered areas of development. It provides a chance for some solitude and the ability to relax and enjoy the trip.

Driving the front range in Colorado provides the opposite. The deeper into Colorado the road goes the more development that lines the pavement. Houses, factories, shopping centers, skyscrapers and more. Cars and people pack into the highway so that driving becomes more of a stampede of cars. Consistently speeding up and slowing down without notice, changing lanes, trying to watch everyone around you. No chance to enjoy the trip. It's like a video game to see how long you can go without something bad happening.

Of course those areas provide opportunities for great things, which I enjoy from time to time. But that's not the place to for me to call home.

The Other End

I'm in for my share of the paved side of the spectrum this weekend. I'm head to Las Vegas for a little fun. It's also the end of the Transmission Line. With the Green Energy push wind farms have sprouted up across Wyoming. Some people criticize the word farm when it comes to wind but that is exactly what it is. Wind is farmed in one place and shipped off to another. Wyoming wind is only good to the developing companies if they can get it to market. To do that several large projects are underway to build Transmission Lines to carry the energy to market, and all of these lines end at Las Vegas. Have to keep the neon glowing and the cash flowing. Not all of it stays in Vegas though. The 'extra' gets shipped off to energy hungry California. Meanwhile back in Wyoming, wind turbines are protruding from the horizon changing the natural landscape in more ways than one. Wind is clean in comparison but there are a few things that everyone neglects to mention. Sure the aesthetic views are diminished but perhaps that's an acquired taste. The thing you never here about is how many raptors are killed by wind turbines. Eagles, hawks, ... all under protection of federal laws, killed by development backed by the same government. Life is truly shades of grey. No absolute right no absolute wrong.

So I've seen this end, time to see the other.

Ansel Adams Half Dome

I happened upon a situation to get an Ansel Adams Print of Half Dome, framed and all, for $40. I couldn't pass that up. Ansel Adams brought scenes of our National Parks to life very early on and continues to inspire people get out and explore nature.

Lightweight Cook Set 3/23

Started work on a new light weight cook set that includes a homemade alcohol stove and pot. I'm trying to make my stove out of special super bowl edition metal Pepsi bottles, similar to the metal beer bottles. For my pot, I know a lot of people make Heine Pots (out of Heineken Keg cans) but just to try something different I'm working on making a Monster Pot. I'm attempting to use Monster energy drink BFC cans (1 liter can - who needs that much Monster). We'll see how it goes.

Good first day. Took in a full day of skiing and now recuperating. Definitely putting my limited skiing experience to work. All in all, great fun.

3 State Day

Started in Colorado today and drove through Wyoming to join up with my buddies in Montana. A full day of driving through the sage with snow peaked mountains off in the distance. I did indeed see the deer and the antelope as well as some bison, or at least beefalo. I thought it was great. I've been couped up in an office for so long, it's nice to have a break.

Time for a little Recreation

Meeting some buddies up in Montana this weekend for a little skiing and rejoicing in our time away from work. Work hard, play hard. That's one nugget I got out of Teddy's "Strenuous Life" philosophy.

Trip Queue

I have tons of trip ideas but I have a couple trips that are seriously in the works right now.

- Cirque of Towers

- CDT in RMNP