man who climbed all 54 14ers in Colorado recounts tales of danger, beauty

He was withing 50 feet of the summit. With a protruding rock at chest level, he looked up and saw a hand hold that looked "bomb proof." Then, he committed hwat he calls the ultimate sin. He let go withhis left hand as he reached for the "bomb proof" hold to his right.

He fell 100 feet. He wasn't wearing a helmet.

"It was blind dumb lick that I didn't die," said Patrick Renworth, a 55-year-old attorney at law who climbed all 54 14er peaks in Colorado in the span of four months in 1985.

To read the full story click the picture!

Photo of Pikes Peak courtesy of 14ers.com.

namaste fellow adventurers 

salt in the wound of national parks

National parks in Colorado face substantial economic and environmental concerns after recent flooding and the government shutdown.

"This is a real double hit for Estes Park because it was devastated by the floods, closed for several weeks and access remains difficult and time consuming," said Congressman Jared Polis.

To find out more about how the National Park Service is being impacted by the shutdown and what you can do to help, click the picture.

Rocky Mountain National Park, CO. Photo courtesy of rockymountainnationalpark.com. 

namaste

the investigation on synthetic marijuana

Sorry for all the drug related posts! Bare with me because this is a very interesting one. Synthetic Marijuana, or Spice, has caused more than 250 people to be hospitalized due to a "severely altered mental state." Click the picture to read more about the symptoms, where this is happening and if you can buy it. 

 

namaste everybody!

corporate turned khaki, the story of one medical marijuana dispensary owner

Medical marijuana and recreational marijuana in Colorado. 

Here is a story I wrote for the Rocky Mountain Collegian about a medical marijuana dispensary owner's "budding" career. Also included: when Fort Collins, CO will "roll out" their regulatory model for recreational cannabis use.  Click the picture to read the story! 

Jars of cannabis sit out for patients at Solace Meds.  Along with herb, the dispensary offers a variety of other products including edibles, hash, pre-rolled joints and increasingly popular "Chia High" teas. Photo by Dylan Langille. 

namaste ;)

barefoot walking with michael sandler

     I attended a class at REI last night about the benefits of walking barefoot.  The speaker was Michael Sandler, best-selling co-author of Barefoot Running and Barefoot Walking.  Sandler was in a terrible roller skating accident (never thought I'd say that) and was told he would never walk again. As you may have guessed, he was able to become an intense athlete again through his lack of shoes. Sandler now swears by Vitamin G and D, the G standing for grounding and the D standing for dirt.  "Our feet were made to mold to the Earth," Sandler said. 
     He believes that "being grounded" reduces inflammation, a cause of some major health problems, such as MS and cancer. He has been featured in Men's Health, Shape, Running Times and Women's Day, talking on the benefits of being barefoot, or "awarefoot."  Sandler says that when one is barefoot they are more vigilant of their surroundings, using all of their senses.  This, according to Sandler and some highly-respected doctors, makes children smarter and extends the lives of seniors. 

  
     "Gentle is the new strong," according to Sandler. In his talk he pitched his idea and showed the audience how to walk how humans were meant to. He compared the human foot to an arched bridge, saying we only strengthen one side of the bridge, the heel, and instead need to focus on walking and landing on our toes. All shoes fit "exactly 0% of people," Sandler said. Shoes put a barrier between our foot and the Earth beneath us, which Sandler says is detrimental to our health and society.
    For those of you who carry 30 pound packs on your back, Sandler has some suggestions.  Don't start barefoot, as the added weight of your pack will surely cause you pain. He recommends a gradual transition to barefoot walking.  He and his wife, Jessica Lee, co-author of Barefoot Walking, have made the transition and backpack sans footwear. 

    
     Sandler's story was more than interesting.  In most ways, I agree with his ideas. I mean the pre-historic humans didn't wear shoes, right? In a modern lifestyle, however, I am not sure if being barefoot all the time is feasible.  Either way, I will be spreading my toes in the soft grass more often after hearing Sandler speak.  

 "Life is movement, movement is life." - Michael Sandler

namaste

eating artichokes minus the butter

I love artichokes, but I have only ever eaten them accompanied by an ocean of melted butter. Mmmmm butter... sorry not the point! I have been searching for a healthier way to eat this vegetable, but didn't find anything that looked adequate. So, I made my own concoction. 

Making artichokes in this way is simple and much healthier than dipping each leaf into melted butter and tastes almost as good! 

• boil water, olive oil, lemon juice, Italian spices and s + p
• cut off the stem and the tops of the leaves
• steam your artichoke for 20 minutes
• while it is steaming, add more oil and spices to the top so it can soak up the flavors
• remove your creation, add cheese  (I used grated parmesan), let the cheese melt
• devour

Let me know what you think! Also, how do you guys prepare artichoke? Happy eating. 

namaste 

my new puppy: australian shepherd + border collie

Guys, I just had to.  This is my new puppy! His name is Lebowski, but I call him The Dude based on the 1998 film The Big Lebowski. If you've never seen it, see it now!

The Dude and my other dog, Calli. She is a golden lab and he is a border collie and Australian shepherd mix. 

He loves to cuddle. And play with this toys..... 

O.K., I'm done now. Is it too obvious that I love him? Have a great night everyone and if you're having a bad one, hopefully these pictures will cheer you up. 

namaste

filling and healthy breakfast parfait

Ingredients:

• sunflower seeds
• berries
• low fat yogurt
• granola
• chai seeds

What to do:

      First, soak about 2-3 tbsp of chai seeds in water for at least 20 minutes until they become squishy (for lack of a better word). After your chai seeds have soaked up all that water, place them at the bottom of your glass or bowl. Then add yogurt, granola, yogurt, berries and finally, the sunflower seeds.  Obviously, feel free to vary those layers according to your preferences. This breakfast parfait keeps you full and energized all morning.  The chai seeds expand further in your stomach, making you feel satiated for longer. And who doesn't love the salty, sweet combination of sunflower seeds and fresh berries? Yum! Please add your own flare to this breakfast dish, and let me know what you come up with! 

namaste 

lots more moab pictures

 I have been getting some requests for more pictures of my trip to Moab this Spring Break.  This is me humbly complying with said requests.  This picture is from my first campsite in Elephant Canyon of the Canyonlands.  Absolutely stunning view, but the high exposure made for a cold, windy night. There is no way you can fully appreciate these rock formations from a simple photograph, by the way. 

This is from the same campsite, but a different perspective and time of day, obviously.  Seeing the dark rock formations against the fading sky was artistic in itself, I just snapped a photo.  

Speaking of rock formations, this one caught my eye. Does anyone else see a phallic nature to this particular rock? Or is it just me and my mind in the gutter alone?! This is near my second campsite in Lost Canyon. Much more protected from the elements here and close to a fresh water source. Score!

If you have never been to Moab or the Canyonlands, these little piles of rock are what guide you along the trial.  Known as cairns, these man-made piles of rock are a trail marking idea created in prehistoric Eurasia. I really loved searching for the cairns as I wove my way through canyon after canyon.  It made me feel like I was on the right path, but still, in a sense, creating my own. 

My favorite formations I saw were these "mushrooms." They come to be through erosion and weathering of the weakest layers of rock first, which are under a stronger layer, creating the mushroom effect.  The picture below also shows signs of weathering.  I was obsessed with the textures, grains and diversity of all the rock here.   

This last photo is of me just starting my journey into my first canyon.  Along the trail there are a few ladders and this hand rail, but be warned, backpacking in the Canyonlands is not for the out-of-shape individual.  You are truly adventuring when you backpack here.  Which, in my opinion, is just how I like it.  What fun is anything if there is no sense of danger accompanying it?

namaste

goji berries: a himalayan superfruit

     Sun-dried goji berries are my new obsession guys! They are known as "power food for the modern lifestyle," but let's be honest, none of us live a modern lifestyle. That just wouldn't be any fun. I like to refer to them as a Himalayan superfruit packed with vitamin A, vitamin C and iron. Still, my favorite benefit of this delicious berry comes in the form of protein. A vegetarian's dream! Goji berries have been used in Asian herbal medicine for more than 5,000 years and provide beta-carotene, antioxidants and trace minerals necessary for a healthier you. As seen above, I like to pair my berries with some sort of nut, but are also very tasty in smoothies, tea, yogurt, granola and salads.  Other uses? How about an awesome snack while camping, hiking and adventuring? Finding this beneficial of a food that actually makes my taste buds happy is a rarity, a rarity I would like to share with you. Make sure to buy your goji berries certified organic to receive the full benefits from this superfruit. 


namaste

gear for moab: a relationship, an art

Gear of all sports and activities is one of my favorite things to talk about.... and spend money on. Your gear is a pure extension of your soul and body. Okay, okay, so maybe it's not that important, but it is pretty essential to whether you have a good adventure or a not so good one. As seen in the picture, I use several "vintage" pieces of gear. My tent is a backpacking tent called a walrus.  Complete with quick set-up, spaciousness and rain flaps, this lightweight, two-person tent easily serves its purpose.  Also pictured is my large Coleman Peak 1 External Frame backpack, an item I am not as in love with.  However, after living out of a backpack for several days, one tends to create a bond with that pack.  It is pretty obvious to me that, that relationship is one of love and frustration.  I really need a new pack.... (any suggestions?) 

A  love-filled relationship has blossomed between the MSR Pocket Rocket backpacking stove and myself.  This 3 oz. stove is shockingly powerful and boiled about two cups of freezing water in less than two minutes.  I'm not trying to advertise here, I'm honestly saying this is my favorite piece of gear I currently possess.  And how important it is, considering how much I love food and tea!

 
All packed up with my stove, pots/pans, tent, food, book (Tao the Watercourse Way), extra layers, climbing shoes, maps, massive amounts (and pounds!) of water and a 0° sleeping bag, I was pretty exhausted after the first day of hiking.  Somehow I managed to somewhat accomplish tree pose atop this interesting rock at the start of my journey into The Needles of Moab, Utah.  Gear can be your best friend, your only chance of survival, but it can also be a real pain in the ass! What is some of your favorite gear?

namaste 

 

spring playlist for yoga + meditation + relaxing

Due to my new found love of yoga, I have compiled a few songs that I most enjoy preforming my practice to.  In my practice, I look for tranquil songs that make me feel something.  If you are not a yoga enthusiast, these songs are  also geared toward relaxation, sleeping and stress relief.  

First, these songs are meant for a more fast paced yoga, or flow. More work-out based yoga practices include ashtanga, bikram and power yoga.  

Bloodstream by Stateless

Fairy Night by WDemon

These next songs tend to have little to no vocals, focusing on instrumental and natural sounds.  They are meant for practicing slower yoga, pranayama, asana, and meditation. 

Haust  by Olafur Arnalds

Surrender by Omar Akram 

Primavera by Ludovico Einaudi

After my practice I like to continue my feelings of relaxation, joy and accomplishment.  Being a huge fan of reggae and similar tunes, these feelgood songs are what I listen to prior to my practice. 

Dream by Iration

Closer to the Sun by Slightly Stoopid

She Knows Now by Stephen Marley

I will be adding new posts with songs and playlists at random from now on.  Do you love or loathe these tunes? Any requests or comments are welcome! 

namaste

backpacking: a blossoming addiction

I made it out alive! Not only that, I made it out with a new experience, one I will never forget.  As I have just arrived home today, I am exhausted, so this post will be just a preview of posts to follow.  Moab was absolutely breathtaking, almost overwhelmingly.  The pictures do not do it justice.  This one is of me meditating after a six-mile hike to the first campsite.  I stayed in the Needles area of the Canyonlands, renowned for its backpacking opportunities.  I hiked a total of fourteen and half miles over three days and stayed at two different campsites.  Later I will write more about the equipment I used, like my “vintage” backpack and  my new MSR Pocket Rocket stove.  Also, I will talk about backpacker issues like cryptobiotic soil, water and meals for your journey.  Many more pictures will be up soon.  What you should take from this post is that my backpacking trip to Moab was incredible, magical and taught me a few things, and that there will be several more photos and posts about the wonders of backpacking.  Let me know if you have any specific questions or topics you would like me to cover. I can’t wait to tell you more!

namaste   

backpacking in moab this weekend

Good news and bad news today folks! Good news is I am going backpacking in Moab this weekend and will return with photos, experiences, reviews and more. Bad news is I won't be able to post again until Sunday. Be strong y'all for the reward is great. Well hopefully it is... we'll see how my photography skills work out.  Speaking of photography, check out this breathtaking view of the Druid Arches that I will be visiting on my voyage.  My next few posts will contain anything from gear reviews (especially of my new MSR Pocket Rocket stove), photos of the journey, recipes, information about Moab and its pros and cons. I do hope you are 1/1600th as excited about this as I am! Comment any suggestions, requests or anything you want me to take note of while backpacking. I am also hoping to get some climbing and yoga done on this trip to really make it perfect. Have a peaceful weekend.

namaste

roasted veggie + quinoa

The perfect blend of vegetables has been discovered with this filing and highly nutritious meal.  I have created this recipe for the nutritious food lover, not a health psycho. As you can see, it has potatoes and salt, so it is not 100 percent perfect for you.  However, the medley of vegetables sans potatoes would not be as good in my opinion.  I also took the liberty of adding teriyaki marinated chicken to this dish to make it especially yummy and something even kids will eat.  My favorite veggie in this dish is surprisingly the squash (I used an acorn squash).  Roasting the squash really brought out the best of its flavors.  My least favorite was the zucchini, but I'm not a huge fan of that particular veggie. I highly recommend toasting the quinoa first (directions for this should be on the packaging).  Overall, this made for an easy, healthy and edible dinner, which is always my goal when cooking.  If you want to make this dish even healthier, take out the potatoes and do not add chicken.  Play around with this recipe, and make it fit for you and your lifestyle.  Let me know what you think!

namaste  

why we breathe: yoga documentary review

WhyWeBreathe is a documentary, presented by Back to Awake Productions, about why people do and love yoga.  It is a compilation of many interviews of experienced yogis that allows us to gain an insight into the possibilities of yoga. Many of us, including myself, began our practice because of the physical benefits. This documentary tells us that through that physicality, we can find that mental clarity all those yogis keep talking about.  Articulate yogis share their reasons for loving, teaching and continuing their practice of yoga.  Recommending others to practice five days a week, these yogis are absorbed in the practice of their lives. They love yoga because it makes them feel good, plain and simple. "It forces you to deal with yourself," explains acupuncturist and yoga teacher at the Nike World Headquarters, Tiffany Cruikshank. She and the other interviewees consistently touch on the idea that yoga is meant to help you understand and accept yourself.  "Yoga has taught me that the key to enlightenment and happiness is embracing each moment as it arrives," said yogi, Kathryn Budig.  Budig is another of my idols being an international yoga instructor, writer, food lover and Women's Health Magazine's yoga expert.  They all say that yoga is so addictive to them because it is ever-changing; there is no endpoint.  You are never too old or inflexible to start your practice, instead you must rid yourself of the preconceived notions of what yoga is, suggests this documentary. Adding more shots of the yogis preforming their practice is the only thing I would change about this piece. If you are at all interested in starting yoga or need some motivation to continue, watch this 50 minute film. Click on the picture above for a link to the WhyWeBreathe website and a free version of the documentary.    

A truly inspirational documentary with a unique take on yoga and why people do it. 

namaste

the clymb: cheaper gear

The Clymb is the absolute best website for lovers of all things outdoors.  It delivers member-exclusive pricing on top name brand products and experiences.  The sales last for 72 hours each and can be up to 99 percent off retail price, but usually don't go above 70 percent off. Membership to this Portland based company is completely free! I have bought so many items from this website and have never been disappointed.  The Clymb was founded in 2009, and since then, has grown immensely.  The private website offers shoes, yoga mats, climbing gear, camping supplies, clothing and accessories, ski/snowboard gear, fitness gear, cycling gear, etc.  If you find yourself spending all your money on gear, like me, then you should give The Clymb a serious look.  I guarantee you will be elated when you see the prices.  Click the picture above to link to theclymb.com. Send me some feedback about your first impressions of this amazing website.

namaste 

child's pose (balasana)

Who doesn't love child's pose?! This beginner yoga pose, also known as balanasa, is one of the most restorative and stress reducing poses and is simple as can be. The name is derived from the Sanskrit words "bala," meaning child, and "asana," meaning pose. This gentle stretch focuses on relieving stress in the back, shoulders, neck and hips. Kneel on your mat, (mine is a YogaRat mat) touching your big toes together and separating your knees a little wider than your hips. Take the deepest breath you have all day, and exhale as you lay your torso between your thighs, stretching your arms out in front of you. This is the arms extended variation of child's pose. If your shoulders are requesting a resting position, the main variation is with your arms relaxed along the side of your legs, palms up. Balasana is a resting pose that can occur anywhere from 30 seconds to several minutes. Whenever I have a rough day, I like to practice balasana for about 3 minutes, propagating in me a sense of physical, mental and emotional relief. This pose is almost as relaxing as savasana (simply laying down on your back)! 


namaste

yummy + healthy granola bars

Makes 20+ bars. I whipped up a batch of these bars last night, and I must say, they actually agree with my taste buds more than I anticipated.  I created this easy recipe to be packed with flavor, nutrition and energy.  Some of my favorite foods are in here: dates, pepitas and chai seeds.  I recommend the medijool dates because they are more nutritious than other dates and are packed with potassium, dietary fiber and dismissive quantities of calories, fat, cholesterol and sodium. Pepitas are the seeds of pumpkins, but taste like sunflower seeds. They contain a wealth of essential amino acids, minerals and vitamins and are known to increase energy and liver and prostate health.  Chai seeds are a dieter's dream, cutting cravings and making you feel full longer without the extra calories.  Anti-aging and antioxidant properties are also a benefit of this tiny seed.  The last ingredient I'll tell you about is tahini, the health nut's version of peanut butter.  Don't be fooled, tahini in no way tastes as good as peanut butter, but the heart, muscle and bone benefits are through the roof.  I really recommend these as a super healthy breakfast bar or on-the-go snack. If you make these, let me know what you think! Also, this makes for a great pin on Pinterest.

namaste

simplicity

I'll start with this graphic illustrating a quote from Yvon Chouinard, the co-founder of Black Diamond and  Patagonia Clothing Company. Chouinard will be written about a lot more in the future considering he is one of my idols.  I first met this man through the inspiring documentary 180° South, which will also be talked about very soon (check it out on Netflix!). As an extreme climber, environmentalist, published writer and outdoor industry businessman, it is easy to see why I respect this man and his wisdom so furiously.  The more you know, the less you need, he says.  This phrase is something that will continuously be at the back of my mind as I compile this blog.  The idea of simplicity is something I am trying to make a value of mine and will be a main theme of this blog. I have posted this graphic to get you thinking about what changes you would like to make in your life and what values and beliefs you posses as of now.  Think on that today. Also, let's get one thing straight: I am in NO way close to where I want to be as a person.  Instead, I am just starting, just taking my first steps to becoming that person. I would love for you to take those steps with me. 

namaste 

welcome and namaste

I'm sure no one is reading this, but I shall disregard that and post anyway! As seen in the description, this blog will be composed of ways I believe we can achieve wellness, or at least, better ourselves.  I will write about anything from a healthy trail snack to the actual hiking trail itself.  I have recently become interested in yoga, climbing and running, so those topics will likely be touched on.  Mostly, I'm a writer and aspiring health nut looking for a venue.  I must say, I am very excited about this blog, and I do hope you gain something positive from these posts, as they will all be written to inspire, inform or improve. More to come!

namaste