Hike in to City Reservoir - July 4th

Taking the advice of our neighbor, we decided to hike in to the "City Reservoir" area of the Wemuniche Wilderness area over the 4th of July. The hike is spectacular, and not too aggressive. We used the Eindlich Mesa trailhead, located atop Eindlich Mesa Road. To get there, drive past Lemon Reservoir, and continue straight as the road turns to a 4wd track. The road is in good shape, and any all wheel drive car or truck should be able to get to the top. It's 10+ miles, and takes an hour. The best advice we got was to make sure and have some cold beer handy for the trip down. The approach is mostly above treeline, so you'll want to get going early to avoid storms. The drop in to the Res is steep, but short, and the climb out to the ridge top only takes an hour.

Us looking back into the Vallecito Creek valley.

Happy Doodle #1!

The intrepid team.

Taking a break.

The peaks that comprise the south buttress of Chicago and New York Basins with silver mesa in the foreground.

Checking out the landmarks on the ridge above City Reservoir.

Doodles LOVE hikes!!

City Reservoir, queue the John Denver.

I think they dug it!

Happy Doodle #2!

Our campsite.

Before heading out.

Ska press release focuses on loss

Ska Brewing Oddly Focused On “Loss” at Recent Beer Competition

DURANGO, COLO., (July 20, 2011) —Judging has been completed in the 2011 Los Angeles International Commercial Beer Competition, and Ska Brewing didn’t win a single medal, or even an honorable mention. Despite winning gold and silver medals in the 2010 competition, Ska came up empty-handed this year.

“Our friends at Odell Brewing and Lagunitas Brewing won medals,” said Dave Thibodeau, Ska Brewing President and Co-Founder. “Last year we won two medals in L.A… Samuel Adams Light won a medal. How am I supposed to tell our shareholder about this?”

Despite recently winning two medals at the Australian International Beer Awards—a silver for Modus Hoperandi, and a bronze for ESB, out of 1195 total entries—Thibodeau remained strangely focused on the loss. The medals in Australia weren’t the only recent wins, either, with Ska winning a silver medal at the Denver International Beer Competition for Buster Nut Brown Ale, and a two medals at the North American Beer Awards—a gold for Pinstripe and a bronze for Steel Toe Stout.

“We’ve actually been winning a lot of medals this season, but this loss at L.A. is all I can think about,” said Bill Graham, Ska Co-Founder and Overlord of Brewing Operations. “I know [Ballast Point Brewing’s] Sculpin IPA is a nearly perfect IPA, but I thought Modus would bring home some hardware. Nebraska Brewing didn’t even name their IPA. I don’t know where the justice is in this crazy mixed-up world.”

According to well-placed sources, Ska has actually won as many competition medals this season as they ever have, including a previously unmentioned bronze for Modus Hoperandi IPA and a silver for ESB at the AmeriCAN Craft Beer Festival. That fact notwithstanding, Thibodeau insisted on putting out a press release about Ska’s “loss” in L.A. According to a Ska PR manager who requested anonymity in order to speak candidly, Thibodeau didn’t even want to make the release funny, or poke fun at beer competitions in general. “Press releases are supposed to show your company in the best possible light,” said the source. “No one here listens to me. We’ve been winning things left and right, and all these guys can think about is not winning at one event. I don’t know if I can keep doing this.”

Telluride Bluegrass Festival 2011

I missed Thursday, but finally made it up to the show on Friday. This is the Durango Crew for 2011.

This is the only pay phone in Telluride. Time to get that iPhone, babe.

The direct effect of 90% market penetration for cell phones.

The old home place.

Hoopin!

Drew Emmit & Billy Nershi

Emmit/Nershi Band with Sammy Bush on Violin.

Yonder!

Girls trip to the Weminuche

A second spring excursion to Vallecito Creek with a much bigger doodle!

Jess & Rufus!

He hehe hehehe.

Summertime!

Catching up with friends out on the deck downtown back in June.

Summertime - finally!

Animas River Days 2011 Pt 2

Owner/Operator Mike deftly guides the New Wave towards the maw of the wave. Note Enis (rear right) squealing like a biaatch at the first taste of cold water.

The New Wave takes the brunt of the wave.

Drama ensues as owner/operator mike looses his right oar.

Will they make it?!?

WILL THEY MAKE IT?!?

I think they're gonna make it!

Uh - OH! SwimmerS!

Which way did they go?

Oh, SHIT!

Owner/Operator mike wondering what n' tha frick jus' happened?

Animas River Days 2011

Animas River Days was a blast. The river was up, and we hit it with two boats - one under the able command of 'River Man' Dan, and the other with owner/operator Mike on the oars.

'Big Red' approaching the "Big Water".

In the Shit.

Munched by the wave (brrr).

Dan can't believe we made it!

Gunning for more action.

The Animas is PUMPIN'!

Check it out - 5400cfs this morning!

We ran at 4200 on Sunday. The latter pics are of a serious log jam/ sweeper combo setting up across from the parking lot at Santa Rita. With the water this high, the 40' TREE sticking into the current is not visible from upstream. STAY LEFT!

The quote below from Durango FD:

"I wanted to give an update on a new hazard that occurred on the river in the last 2 days. The flow this morning Wed 7th is 5500 cfs. There is a growing log jam on the river right below smelter rapid. This is a concern because water is flowing through the jam at this time and it is the area where swimmers will be pushed into. To my great surprise I also did see a large group of tubers on the water yesterday, no pfd, no protective gear! Natural selection at work! I encourage all shifts to take a look at this new log jam. A rescue would be very difficult. On Saturday evening the boat parade for Animas River Days is taking place! There will be hundreds of very “sober” boaters on the water starting at 1730. Come out for the weekend of river fun!"

Rufus' Summer Hiarcut

Fancy Boy!