camping

Over the weekend, a bear tried to steal our food. We were in the Pike National Forest near Colorado Springs, Colorado. The little food bandit attacked in the night and was not deterred by our forces. It was us agaisnt the bear; nature vs. man.

He came right up to the car, where we were sleeping. The bear woke me and my fiance by trying to pull our food box away from the bumper. Our dog ended up sleeping through the first part of the encounter -- great dog.

I yelled at the bear. Slightly startled, the bear backed up. Then he came forward again. I yelled some more. Yelling wasn't working. I started to think: What do people do in this situation?

read the rest

If you’re excited about daylight savings then you’re probably itching for the upcoming weekend camping trips. I’m talking about filling the coffee mug after work then rapidly packing the car and heading out of town. But 15 minutes after you leave your house, you find yourself back at home putting your bike on the rack. Hopefully, after another walk through the house, the garage and the bathroom, you find yourself, your friends and your bike firmly attached to the transport mechanism. Another 15 minutes passes, while you are driving, you become worried that you forgot something. However, this time, you’re not going back. You’re not even going to voice concern. Quietly, you slip into a meditative state and drive. Meanwhile, you mountain bike shoes lie on the top of your car.

read the rest