Columbia Bugagloves

I entered a twitter contest yesterday to win a pair of these sweet electric powered Bugagloves. With little, hope as is expected with online contests, I entered.

To my surprise I won!

Currently awaiting their arrival! I am way excited to see what kind of heat this little guys pack!

Expect a review very shortly, loads of excitement in my camp tonight!

-J

New Holland Brewing: Ichabod

Chilly Autumn evenings call for bonfires, good stories and appropriate beer.

I'm talking about some pumpkin ale, rich, spicy pumpkin ale, make it from Michigan.

New Holland's Ichabod is the perfect companion for a cool Autumn night.

Rich amber color in the glass with a decent head that hung around for a bit.

The first distinguishable thing with this pumpkin ale is that it seems to fill your mouth while holding a syrupy consistency. Through the thick feel you get hit with a mellow malts and definite spices: nutmeg being the most prevalent. Once you taste the nutmeg hold on because the pumpkin will soon follow. Though the pumpkin flavor is mild and mellow it is there, and quite easily discernible.

Ichabod finishes a bit acidic with coppery hints that sort of cleanse your pallet for another drink.

I find it enjoyable and quite easy to drink, though one per session might be enough so that the acid doesn't get to you.

-J

New Toys!

Last week I ordered these sweet rock rings from Moosejaw in Ann Arbor. I just picked them up and am foaming at the mouth to give them a try!

I am going to play with them for a week or so and then give you guys a video demo!

Time to continue enjoying my three day weekend!

Go do something fun!

-j

Michigan Showing Off

Look who started showing off in my backyard!

The changing leaves give proof that Fall is a great season in Michigan!

Have a great day,

-J

A late birthday gift

I am still on this goal to do some indoor bouldering and rockwalling. However, I would like to show up to the gym and be in shape for the rigors of climbing. This means strengthening my fingers, forearms and back with various pull-up combinations.

Enter the use of rock rings! I have played around on these nifty things at MooseJaw a few times and I think that they will do the trick!

I would really like to have one of the 3D training boards, but you have to have a good spot to put that up, and something tells me that the landlord would not like be mounting that in the wall!

Well, here they are: 

Ordered them from MooseJaw on Friday. 

PS, those people at MooseJaw are super handy and friendly. A great company with loads of character! Not a big box store with bland faces.

Have a great day.

I will let you know how these things work when they get in!

-J

Trickity Trick Dog Cafe

Have you ever found yourself in search of just the right piece of eclectic art or décor to complete your look, or possibly to serve as the perfect gift for that lover of contemporary art on your list? If you have, then you should drop what you are doing and take a day trip to Elberta, a village that is sandwiched between the curves of M22 and the endless expanse of Lake Michigan and serves as the home-base to Trick Dog Gallery.

Trick Dog houses the art work of Greg Jaris. Jaris is a Northern Michigan artist whose artwork has a uniquely Northern Michigan summertime feel. He depicts people enjoying sunshine, wine, various animals and a host of differing dog characters. The art is playful, fun, amusing and very much original. I can guarantee that you will not find anything like it.

While the artwork inside the building is great, if you step back you will see that the building itself is a true work of
art.

During your walk from the parking lot to the entrance you are greeted by giant statues, a fence with a mind of its own and finally a beautiful mosaic mural at the store’s entrance.

While at the gallery make sure you take the time to
appreciate each and every detail. The unique furniture on the patio was constructed by Jaris, proving that he is an artist
of function and design. Every aspect of the building has the touch of an artist from the great mosaic mural down to the
concrete where Jaris stamped in varying patterns and imprints.

Trick Dog always serves as a great way to energize my creative side.

I recommend sipping the house espresso on the patio while taking in the views of Betsie Bay.

Bandemer Park Disc Golf

You know that I love hiking, biking, kayaking and basically anything that has even the slightest hint of being outdoor oriented.

The view from the beginner's tee on hole 1

Well, with the hope of expanding my scope of outdoor activity I picked up a beginner's set of disc golf discs. This sport has always intrigued me, I just have never been able to find the time. I thought that it was the kind of thing that you had to devote a whole day to, and that seemed like a large barrier to entry as a beginner.

Not so though. For whatever reason I got these discs and went out to a local spot on Friday morning: Bandemer Park.

Friday morning was crisp and clear; a perfect lead-in to Fall in my opinion. So, out I go, poised to attack this new activity.

The whole course is surrounded by a walking path.

Each fairway is covered with wood-chips and appears kept-up.

Between holes players are treated to pleasant trails.

This course, being my first, did not seem too challenging. However, I stuck to the beginner's tees. I did play the 8th from the middle tee with decent results.

I will return from time to time as my schedule allows.

Though the course was strewn with litter; beer bottles, Gatorade containers, cigarette butts, and chip bags, and a fair amount of graffiti, it provided me with a nice break from the brick and mortar, the green-yellow-red and the noise. Nestled almost under the freeway you feel like you are miles out of the town, a comforting feeling for me.

Disc golf, who knew I would like this stuff!

Here is the set that I have: They seem to work pretty well.

Super cool hole: you have to zip the disc through that branch!

An odd disc golf retreat?

Teeing off on the 7th.

My first attempt from a mid-length tee. It was cool throwing downward.

Give it a try, not too much to invest and it gets you out of the house and walking around!

-J