As a bike aficionado, I’m not exactly hard to convince that I need another bike. Apparently owning a bike for every type of cycling in all kinds of conditions is an affliction that many bike lovers suffer (although perhaps the spouses of said cycling addicts do the suffering). I feel rather great joy whenever I
Rolling a Fatty: One More Way to Love Winter Read More »
How much gear does an outdoor family need to have fun and stay comfortable outside all year long without breaking the bank and focusing too much on flashy things? These five items top our list. 1) Dedicated play clothes: Equip children with a stash of used clothing for rugged outdoor playtime, including stained shirts, worn-knee
Five Must-Have Items for Year-Round Outdoor Families Read More »
Feel that winter chill in the air? Like many, I run on trails year-round, and I adjust my clothing and gear with the weather. Some people like to wear slip-on gadgets for their running shoes, or clothing with the latest and greatest material. I have tried several types of clothing, running shoes, traction devices, screws
Dressing for Winter Running Read More »
Where were you on May 18, 1980? Longtime residents of the Inland Northwest remember that day that Mount St. Helens erupted, blowing 520 million tons of ash into the atmosphere and bringing darkness to the region in the middle of the day. Thirty-five years after the big explosion, I visited the famous summit with some
How Not to Climb a Mountain Read More »
You might think you don’t need another stuff sack, but that’s because you haven’t tried the Gobi Gear SegSac. This light and compact little sack has four internal compartments to keep whatever you put in it exactly how you packed it. I used the SegSac this winter on ski trips to keep my ski socks,
Gear to Cure Spring Fever: Gobi Gear SegSac Read More »
For long-time Silver Valley residents like Chase Sanborn, owner of Wallace Brewing Company, Lookout Pass Ski and Recreation Area is the perfect place to leave the crowds behind and immerse yourself in the winter wonderland of the Bitterroot Mountains. “I learned to snowboard up there in 1991,” says Sanborn. “It’s always been a fun mountain.
Everyone knows this essential truth: children enjoy playing outside. “A standard recommendation for well-child visits with my patients is the ‘9-5-3-2-1-zero’ guideline,” says Spokane-based pediatrician Dr. Matt Thompson, regarding a child’s daily needs. “This means at least nine hours of adequate sleep, five servings of fruits and vegetables, three glasses of water, two hours or
Keeping Kids Active Outside All Winter Long Read More »
With the growing popularity of fat biking on snow-covered trails, more people are confronted with the question of what to wear to keep warm without overheating and getting drenched in sweat. John Drumm, store manager and resident fat bike expert at Fitness Fanatics in Spokane Valley has some thoughtful fat biking gear advice based on
Fat Bike Gear: What to Wear to Stay Warm and Dry Read More »
As an avid Nordic skier, I’m always on the lookout for fun events to scratch my competitive itch. So when I saw an advertisement for the “Spokane Nordic Challenge Loppet,” I was naturally intrigued. Now, what exactly is a “loppet”? I polled my coworkers, and their guesses ranged from logical to absurd: A large rabbit, a Scandinavian folk dance,
Don’t Knock it Until You Loppet: Take the Mount Spokane Nordic Challenge Read More »
If you’re waiting for warmer temperatures or mellow river conditions to book a river trip, don’t. Floating lazily down the river on 80 degree days in sandals and board shorts is pretty nice, but waiting also means you’re missing out on some of the season’s biggest, thrilling whitewater. It’s a secret that’s kept many seasoned
Big Water, Big Fun: Early Season Rafting on Inland NW Rivers Read More »
