Compiled from our summer road trip up to Stanley, Idaho. Check out the full photo essay here.

New Orleans has long been on my list of places to visit – so this year we decided to make it happen for my 33rd birthday. Even better, we talked six good friends in joining us for the celebrations and managed to secure a babysitter for the week (thanks Grandma Karen). The Big Easy was everything I thought it would be, and I can’t wait to get back!

Find more photos from the trip here.

Find more photos from the trip here.

I’ve been grounded by a gnarly cold into a lo-fi folk funk these past few days. Among such tunes I’ve found to console the high-pressure system inside my head, is Iron & Wine’s Love Vigilantes, (which I later learned to be a New Order cover). For whatever reason, the song has since grabbed me and developed into a semi-obsession. It’s a simple song, with an oft-repeating, somewhat generic chorus, that on a first pass, sounds like an ordinary, if not a tad trite, love song. It’s only on further listens that the true tragedy of the song, and thus it’s excellence, is revealed, which I won’t spoil for you here.

Both the Iron & Wine cover (above) and the New Order original (below) are worthy of repeated listens.

First, the obvious – as a whole, 2017 was a rough year. However, on a personal level, it was one of the best yet, which mostly can be attributed to watching Josie transition from infancy into toddler-dom. Initially, the goal of this post was 17 of my favorite photos from 2017 which was quickly deemed near impossible, so instead it became 17 of my favorite moments and memories from 2017 (in order of date taken).

1. Feb 5th – Fat Biking With Dogs

Whether the path is dirt, sand, or snow, there is little in life that beats exploring in the wild with your favorite dog or two in tow.

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We took advantage of our indian summer over the long fall break weekend to head southward for a family camping adventure up on Gooseberry Mesa. With it’s easy trail access and plethora of picture-perfect campsites, Gooseberry has long-since been a favorite destination – and even more-so now that we can share it with Josie!

See more trip photos on Flickr

Into the Mystic via The Whole Enchilada

After years of poor scheduling, I finally managed to snag a ride that’s been on the bucket list since I first heard about it – that is, of course, The Whole Enchilada. For mountain bikers, the Whole Enchilada needs no introduction. It is the holy grail of mountain bike rides in the states, if not the world – and for good reason. Throughout the ride, you’ll climb to above 11,000′ (nearly above the treeline) before the trail drops you 7,000′ over the course of 35 miles. Along the way, you’ll ride through aspen groves on steep alpine singletrack, flowy bermy sections through sage and scrub, traverse across the famous Porcupine Rim on top of it’s chunky mix of slickrock and desert fun, before ultimately finding yourself where the sky meets the earth at the Colorado River. Add to an already epic journey a healthy dose of snow, wind, rain, mud, and sun, and you have an adventure of mythic proportions on par with Homer’s Odyssey.

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Historically, the dog days of summer were noted by the rise of Sirius, aka the dog star. Traditionally, they’ve been associated with heat, lethargy, drought, fever and are commonly the hottest, most uncomfortable part of summer. It seems this time of year, I lose interest in most things that don’t involve floating around with a cool drink in my hand – blame it on the dog days.

However, it’s awfully nice this time of year up at 10,000 feet. We even found ourselves bundled up trying to catch heat off the fire.

From last Sunday’s wildflower extravaganza through Alta’s Albion Meadows.