Hiking + What’s Important – The Blonde Grape

Pickle Juice, Ultra Marathons, Comedy, Greek Wine and Hiking the Devil’s Head

July 30, 2016July 31, 2016 theblondegrape1 Comment

What too much for one weekend? Okay, so you have undoubtedly heard the phrase “Out of the box”, I despise that phrase. Loathe it…partly because it is grossly overused but also because it assumes (you know what that means) that we are starting within the box. Now, assuming you are reading this, the box is not enticing like it is to a two-year old. So therefore, I beg you, don’t just think out of the box, never step inside it.
One of the current fitness trends is imbibing a salt/vinegar combination to prevent cramps or help aid them and lessen them to function better of you. . To be honest, it is not bad (That does not mean it tastes good, but it does not taste bad…remember that). Pickle juice, we tried the bottles and not bad, hard to truly enjoy. I think it needs to spend time with a cucumber, it is freshness it lacks. There are several health benefits and I will continuously pursue, but fresh not bottled, the prepackaged falls a bit short.

The-amazing-health-benefits-of-drinking-pickle-juice

If you are going to run in a continuous loop to get yourself back in the habit of lifting your knees, swinging your arms and moving faster in hamster motion, you should do it around a lake. Nearby, we have Palmer Lake, CO which is doing some amazing things. They have embraced their lake (for those of you outside CO, I realize this is not large, but our water is shipped to AZ,CA and used for really good beer. Would you deprive beer for size? That is a whole other discussion.) There are several trails to follow as well for hiking. Click Secret Source but don’t tell anyone I told you. Clicking secret source

We imbibed in the prepackaged pickling solution as we looped around Palmer Lake, CO. Getting back into fitness after a couple of surgeries and other distractions of life, this is a beautiful location to begin that trek. As you can see from above, paddle boarding, paddle boats, fishing, Frisbee golf and mountains…you are invited to come and visit. Check out our local dining establishments, quite good.

We met wonderful people doing the same thing as we circled the great pond and prepared for our next trek the next morning, supporting the Pikes Peak Ultra 50 Mile and 30K race. I stress reiterate, because we did not run this, we showed up blurry eyed, slightly chilled and dispensed water, counted bib numbers and had a great time getting to know those brave-hearts strong enough, spry enough to challenge and go the distance. Age shmage..teens to late 70s…what’s your excuse? Another blog post. We did this because we are both runners and also, I am marketing for a local escape room. If you are ever in the area of Colorado Springs, visit www.planetdeadline.com Escape Rooms. The most fun you’ll have trapped into 60 minutes. Shameless plug now out-of-the-way.

Before you fully digest this smorgasbord, I interrupted it with a fabulous night of comedy from very funny talents, I never heard of..so, thank you to my neighbor Heather for introducing and organizing. My laugh-o-meter is much fuller now, a good thing. For you to check out for yourselves, neighbor night included a visit to Opa Grill and an evening with Tim Hawkins and Bob Smiley. Two talents worth your ticket dollars. A little sample: Here is Yoga Pants from Tim Hawkins: Yoga Pants

I normally do not enjoy Greek wine, but I do enjoy all things Greek. At least if I follow the religion of “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” one and two. I did not climb in the box, but tried a Greek Chardonnay-ish wine and it was quite good. I liked it and perfect for my Bacalao.
This wine is Avantis Estates. It is as it says, refreshing with some pear and melon aromas and refreshing. It goes with many things, whether you are vegetarian or not, it will go with fish and of course in the tradition of My Big Fat Greek Wedding, “you can make lamb”. What is my motto? Drink what you like…and to venture into Greece, it was cool not to have Ouzo. A great intro into the evening of comedy and the laughter long over due. Please check them out and go see them. The night will be memorable.

Back to the Ultra. These runners, athletes, slightly off of the cuff people are wonderful. Smiles surround their miles as all we hear as he pass through our aid station is “how beautiful the canon is” and “thank you for the drinks & food”. If you are in the area of Colorado Springs, do Visit Colorado Springs and for outdoor activities visit Cheyenne Canon Park.

Sweat time over, I rewarded my early riser friend with breakfast at Modern Market. A nice reward with magpies sounding in on their hunger but not receiving the reward. Good healthy food, but with a new twist, a box of water. It tasted great but I feel as if I was being lectured as the bottle listed the benefits of choosing a box to a bottle. As good as the water is, it is not easy to carry when running or cycling, or hiking…fix that and you are golden.

Okay, so we are tying this weekend together with similar things but yet are we following trends or choices? Do you want to get philosophical? The short answer is, a bit of both. I love fitness, I prefer to be informed and I know the truth of pickle juice, water, recycling and ultra running. The long answer is, I think if you choose to move whether a running, cycling, hiking or the Thighmaster, you will get healthier, but you have to do it. Boxed water vs bottled, is not a matter of taste but of lifestyle. I support both and think you should too. If you are sitting at your desk and using a disposable resource, go for the box. If you are more mobile and the box isn’t compliant, use a bottle of some sort. You have the power to choose..embrace it.

So, hiking is becoming trendy, I’ll join in as it is fun and a major calorie burner.
I am originally from the East Coast, so I do everything possible since I now live in Colorado to show that I am living in the Wild, Wild West, theme song and all of it. After volunteering, I took my Bordeaux out for a hike with my hubby. There are endless opportunities for you to explore your neighborhood, backyard or destination but you must leave your computer (this blog) to do so. This Greenland Open Space not far from the county line between El Paso County and Douglass County.

My big red dog, Bordeaux rehydrating and being obedient. I hear you chuckling, yes his name is Bordeaux…he is a red husky and you are reading TheBlondeGrape…here’s your reminder of where you are visiting. Of course, you may be giggling, because you know about huskies and being obedient can often be an oxymoron.

Enter Lyeth, pronounced Leeth. A great finish to a great start of a weekend that has no real plans but to get outside and enjoy what comes our way. Is it over, NO! But, do treat each event as a new beginning, YES!

This is a great red, perfect for a hot day that has had a few rain sprinkles to “just” cool it off enough to be lightly blanketed. This is a true Cabernet Sauvignon, but not so heavy that it can’t handle a lot of life leading to the great pour and first sip.

Folks, if you are learning nothing from me, learn this: Life is not meant to be lived on a schedule. There are places for that, but live life according to you. Start chipping away at it and learn to enjoy it. Drink well, drink what you like and Celebrate You!

Up next, adventuring north looking for Devil’s Head Fire Lookout.

Raise your glass and cheers!

What’s in Your Backyard?

July 11, 2016July 12, 2016 theblondegrapeLeave a comment

When a picture says it all. The two pics are of South Catamount Reservoir as you drive up Pikes Peak. Pikes Peak is one of the pinnacles of our region and is in my backyard.

Now, it is not that long ago, that the world was shocked and awed by the fact that the USA was producing wines and damn good ones. The west coast tended to lead the way and although a few other areas tried, they were not taken too seriously. Now, that is changing. I can say first hand that I have had wines made in Texas, New York, South Dakota and Colorado. I think there is still a lot of room for growth but we are well on our way to expanding our horizons in the vinicultural world and a new way to play tourist as we travel across the states. I may even try some Florida wine soon.

On the way home after a great day of kayaking on the reservoir.

I was reminded of just how lucky I am to be living in a place where I can hike, bike, kayak, or just be lazy outside with mountains surrounding the waters. Before, we made it all the way down the Peak, we decided we would cap it off and grab a bite to eat at a local restaurant, The Wines of Colorado. This place is great! It is small, very casual so whether you are a tired tourist looking for a great souvenir for you and yours or you are a local trying to do the same, you blend in. But, the food is really good and if you thought Colorado only had a couple of wines, you would be hugely mistaken. Yes, we are better known for our microbreweries (Pikes Peak Brewing, Bristol Brewing to name but a few) and growing distilleries (3 Hundred Days of Shine) but we have some really good wineries and the Wines of Colorado is the place to sample them.

They have two decks that are creek side and although directly off of Hwy 24, you do not hear the road. Rather, you hear a babbling brook and it is really a great little escape, especially for us locals.

One of the things that make this place great is that you get to sample the wines, not just before purchase of a bottle, but before purchase of a glass. That is very cool but, be careful, your taste buds may get greedy (easy to do) and the tasting could take you a while. I suggest you sample before you sit down, remember which ones you like and then go to your table. I tried several and the ones I liked the most were Pikes Peak Chardonnay, it was a little smokey and yet smooth. I also tried Garrett Estate Cellars a very well-balanced, smooth 2011 Chardonnay that is unoaked. We ended up buying a bottle of the latter and we also bought a red blend Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah from The Winery at Pikes Peak , called Parliament Blend.
Upon arriving you walk through an indoor patio and then the wine shop with a great bunch of “stuff” for the wine enthusiast. Everything from shirts, hats but also wine holders, aprons etc. I couldn’t resist taking a few pics as they show that we oenophiles have a good sense of humor. Make sure you click on that last link if you have any doubt of what the word means. Once you do, you may use it all the time just to see the reaction on people’s faces when you do.

More samples of stuff:

Your challenge, should you choose to accept it is to see if there is a local winery near you (or even in your state). Get out and explore your backyard and safely imbibe on the flavors that contribute to the fermented grape and enjoy. You may be surprised at what and how much you find when you sample what is growing in your backyard.

Cheers!

Pairing Wine With a Dog

July 6, 2016July 6, 2016 theblondegrapeLeave a comment

For the record, I have three dogs. Today, I will introduce you to Mojito. She comes from a long line of spirited dogs in our family. We started with Champagne, Cognac, Chianti, Merlot, Bacchus and the other two current ones are Bordeaux and Riesling. So, this affair with wine or dogs, is legitimate.

We took our Alaskan Malamute, Mojito on a hike. She loves to be outside and she loves water even more. When dad got a pebble in his shoe, she jumped in to stomp around in the squishy mud.

In our house, you may hear Elvis, but probably not Hound Dog as it doesn’t reflect too nicely on a dog just because he failed to catch a rabbit. You might hear The Monkees because since we have three, we tend to agree with the theory, Gonna Buy Me A Dog. I realize, inserting the link to identify Elvis was probably not needed but when Kurt Cobain has surpassed him in searches, I thought I would just be safe and give equal time.

So, what do you pair with a spirited malamute named after a refreshing latin drink?

Yes, you serve a pinot noir from Chateau La Paws that proudly supports no kill animal shelters and serves up a really nice red wine. I tend to pair my wines with the weather too, and summer is perfect for a full-bodied red but that is on the lighter side. Plus, the terrier on the label is so cute, could you resist this face if you saw it on a shelf? I didn’t think so. I have had others from the vineyard, and I encourage you to try them next time you are purchasing wine.

If you want to know if Merlot approved? See for yourselves.

Mojito giving Chateau La Paws’ pinot noir a good sniff

She gives it a good sniff and was pleased with the decision.

Until next time, keep waggin’ and celebrate you!

Pairing Wine with Rain

February 15, 2010June 16, 2016 theblondegrape1 Comment

When Hiking, One Must Set the Priorities

A recent hike to Eleven Mile Reservoir in Lake George, we were visited by afternoon rainstorms. These downpours would time themselves perfectly so that grilling would be difficult. It was a routine as it rained upon arrival, which was around dinner time and the second day after a full day of hiking and kayaking. Two nights in a row without dinner but as you can see by the image below, as the rain tried multiple times to permeate the tent, the wine stood strong and was unaffected.

Tent and wine — Happy Feet, A Clos du Bois Chardonnay

Happy Feet in Color — It was a long storm, this wine was fantastic. Bodegas Breca 2013

Now, some of you may be thinking the movie with Penguins when one says Happy Feet. If you are more like me, you think back to Steve Martin and his Happy Feet Routine. This is not revealing my age as I have older brothers but getting old is relevant, considering if we do it right, we age like wine and improve over time. So, my dancing may suffer but after a great day in the outdoors, it is great whether rain or shine, to sit back and drink wine.

Cheers!