Category Archives: Indoors

M4C: Man Seeking Coffee

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A good cup of coffee is surprisingly difficult to find.  The popular chain “coffee” houses usually serve some sort of foul brownish liquid made palatable with milk, sugar, cinnamon, caramel, and other such travesties.  These shops are in the business of serving “coffee-based beverages,” but I just want coffee.  DoubleShot Coffee in Tulsa, OK introduced me to coffee as a complex, flavorful beverage that stands on its own.  As I travel, I struggle to find decent coffee.  I’ve had many cups that barely deserve the adjectives “brown” and “warm”.  I’ve had a few good cups.

I recently visited Seattle, the supposed homeland of awesome coffee.  Here’s my opinion of a few shops:

  • Victrola Coffee Roasters – I visited the Beacon Hill shop.  At first, I didn’t see the shop and figured my smartphone had lied to me about location.  But, the shop is there nestled between several larger storefronts.  The espresso is fantastically creamy, thick, oily, and rich.  And, the barista was making fun of caramel machiattos.  Victrola is my current favorite espresso in Seattle.
  • Espresso Vivace – Parking anywhere near here was an hour long driving-in-circles hell.  But, the espresso is memorable and tasty.  Unlike other shops that pull doppios, Vivace pulls ristrettos only, espresso made with less water than usual.  Vivace lives up to its reputation for fantastic coffee, and I only wish I had more of it.
  • Caffe Vita – After finishing at Vivace, I noticed that Vita was just down the street.  With more than a hour left on my parking meter, I set out on foot.  The espresso is certainly excellent, though my ability to really evaluate and appreciate espresso diminishes after three in one day.  Vita was using bottomless portafilters, something I’d never seen before.
  • Stumptown Coffee – Stumptown was my final stop of the day and did not disappoint.  The espresso is definitely top tier, but my ability to say anything more intelligent diminished even more by the fourth in one day.  Stumptown coffee is available in branded shops and independent shops throughout the region.  The independent shops vary from pretty good to boring.
  • Mondo’s – This coffee stand is in a grocery store parking lot just off the freeway.  Judging by the morning traffic, it’s a popular stop for folks heading to work.  The espresso is decent.  The Americano is weak, watered-down, and nearly flavorless.  But the stand is convenient.
  • Vince’s Coffee - This shop is in Renton, a suburb southeast of Seattle.  I had business nearby and stopped here for breakfast.  The shop is pleasant with nice hardwood floors and plenty of seating.  The espresso is decent, although the burrito I had was uninspired.  If I lived nearby, I’d visit again.
  • The French Bakery – Good coffee seems frustratingly difficult to find outside of downtown Seattle.  This shop, besides offering very good baked good, sports a $22000 Mistral machine and the best espresso I’ve found in the ‘burbs.  Downtown shops are still much better in my opinion.
  • 148th Ave Coffee – This shop gets good reviews online.  It was conveniently located near a nice park, so I dropped in.  The staff is friendly, the WiFi is fast, and the environment is quiet.  However, I feel bad for the fine coffee plants that died to make this place’s espresso, marked with overpowering notes of thin, sour, and foul.
  • Starbucks – This chain offers the same mediocrity everywhere.  Don’t bother unless you need free (albeit usually slow) WiFi.

I’ve also briefly explored coffee options in Bend, OR:

  • Backporch Coffee Roasters - Backporch appears to be the single largest roaster in town with two shops.  Both locations are nicely done, but I prefer the southern location over the northern because their roaster is here and the environment is a bit more relaxed.  The coffee they were serving was very good but a bit too bright and acidic for my tastes.  The cappuccino was exceptional in the traditional 5 ounce size.
  • Lone Pine Coffee Roasters – Lone Pine is, literally, in a downtown alley and is a favorite.  The staff is knowledgeable and helpful, and they roast in shop.  The coffee is fantastic, and the shop is relaxed and pleasant.  If I lived nearby, I’d be a regular.

I look forward to finding more coffee on my travels!

 

American Computer Museum

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Shortly after pulling into Bozeman, I was surprised and skeptical to find a computer museum on my map.  Surely, I thought, the map must be mistaken.  This is Montana, Big Sky Country, not Silicon Valley.

But, I was wrong.  Nestled in an office complex just southwest of the Montana State University campus, I found the American Computer Museum.  It’s small but nicely done and enjoyable.  The museum emphasizes computing and communication, so the exhibits are not entirely computers.  Their website lists the collection.  I particularly enjoyed the Altair 680 (a Motorola 6800-based machine), the Apple I (yes, a real Apple I), the Minuteman missile guidance computer, and original manuscripts by folks like Curie, Bacon, Darwin, Newton, and Maxwell.

I wish a few of the computers were operational, but all of them were static displays.  I wish more of the computers had accompanying technical and historical details.

Still, I very much enjoyed the museum and was pleasantly surprised to find a non-profit computer museum in the middle of Montana.  My opinion of Bozeman and Montana are a bit higher because of it.

 

Escalante, UT

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“America’s Outback” — Escalante is dry, rugged, and filled with slot canyons. We’ve sacrificed 3 pairs of pants to the rough sandstone so far, and have had a lot of fun doing so.

Canyon pictures coming soon.

Guides Rick Green and Jim Clery of Excursions of Escalante got us in and out of the slots with skill and safety. Their technical canyoneering class teaches helpful backcountry skills for rigging, anchor building, and down climbing. After long days in the canyons, return for Amie Fortin’s warm smile and a bowl of Dulce de Leche ice cream, served on the front porch of the oldest building in town.

Escalante Outfitters makes great pizza — try the Aquarius with local smoked trout. The berry crumble and German chocolate cake are delicious and not too sweet. The Outfitters also sell an extensive collection of outdoor guide books and operate the town’s “package store”.

Smoked Trout Pizza on the Patio

The interagency visitor center offers maps, directions, and helpful advice.

When Escalante gets too warm, head north 30 minutes to the Aquarius plateau to cool off. This plateau is the top step of the “Grand Staircase” of rock that descends south and down to the Grand Canyon. At 11,000 feet, it’s the highest plateau in North America.  Rugged but passable forest service roads fan out into secluded camping spots. The forest is filled with aspen, spruce, and pine trees. Expect to see deer, bats, and no people. The edge of the plateau has panoramic views of Death Hollow canyon and Hell’s Backbone.

 

Logistics: Fill up on gas, water, and Wasatch beer at the gas station next to Excursions of Escalante. Broken Bow RV park offers the only public laundromat in town. It’s quite nice — clean, free wifi, and the magazine rack held copies of “Dwell”. Groceries: the grocery truck arrives on Tuesday morning (produce and nonperishables) and Friday morning (produce only). Afternoons on those days yield the freshest food. The rest of the week, the produce selection is pretty slim. Pleasant surprises at the grocery store were grass-fed beef from Kanab Meat and wild Pacific smoked salmon. There’s lots of dry camping spots off Hole in the Rock Road or on Stewart’s Mesa. Cell reception seems to oscillate between 2 towers — one gives good voice but poor data, and the other gives good data but poor voice. If you need stronger voice signal, turn off the cellular data on the phone to force a tower switch. In town, most businesses offer free wifi to their customers.

 

Emigration Trail and Sugar House, Salt Lake City, Utah

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Emigration Canyon was the first path into the Salt Lake valley for first the Donner Party and then the Mormon pioneers. This plaque along Emigration Creek describes the trip.

Of the many canyons rising out of the valley, Emigration Canyon’s slope is the gentlest. This makes the canyon popular for cyclists and runners. Emigration Creek flows down the canyon and into the Sugar House area, linking these two popular neighborhoods.

The neighborhoods of Emigration Canyon and Sugar House are beautiful places to live and visit. Here are some of our favorite spots:

Dining: For great local food, have brunch at Pinon Cafe or Eggs in the City.

Eggs in the City

From Eggs in the City, cross the street to Emigration Market. Try the gelato there, and top it with a pinch of sea salt. Check out the knitted bicycle rack and the dog parking station.

Emigration Market

Stroll around the Sugarhouse neighborhood to admire the houses and work up an appetite, then head to Sea Salt for dinner. We recommend the Vegetable Cruda salad, Caprese appetizer, and the crushed basil martini.

Places to work: There’s an unnamed small city park just east of Hogle Zoo that’s quiet and private. Park at the east end of the lot, next to the (informal) off leash dog area.

Park at Emigration Creek

Pinon Cafe and Emigration Market offer free wifi and ample plugs, and don’t mind if you settle in for awhile. The library at Mill Creek Community Center is newly renovated and has a cozy fireplace room.

Get clean: A $4.50 day pass to the Mill Creek Gym (upstairs from the library) buys a workout and a steaming hot shower in their brand new locker rooms. Village Cleaners offers a clean, well-lit laundromat with free wifi. Their Cottonwood location is just down the street from Whole Foods.

Telluride, CO

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We’ve been in Telluride for the past week to catch some spring skiing. If you’re going to ski-RV in Telluride, or stay in town longer than a week, a few local tips will come in handy.

Services:

The nearest laundromat, barber shop, or car oil change facility is 40 miles away. High-end salons will do hair cuts, though even a basic men’s haircut is $35. Most large apartment buildings and motels have coin-op laundry, if you happen to have friends staying there.

For fuel and propane fills, we recommend Mike at the country store on highway 145 at the west end of town. He knows propane systems and does a good job. For fresh water, he generously let us use the tap on the east end of the building (near the door to the auto glass shop) for fills. Even in winter, this tap ran. It can be hard to get fresh water fills in Telluride in winter, so we sure appreciated it!

Food deals:

$3 local microbrew drafts every day at Tomboy Tavern in Mountain Village. They make their money on the food instead, so eat before heading over. Recommed the Left Hand Milk Stout on Nitro. The Nitro makes the head super creamy. If you wish to eat, the truffle fries or the Ahi burger are satisfying accompaniments

Breakfast at La Cocina de Luz. The entrees are big enough to feed two. If you’re solo, they’ll sell a half order if you ask.

Parking:

Telluride and Mountain Village are both very walkable, and the free gondola connects the two towns. Plan to park the RV once for the day.

Telluride: Free daytime parking at Carhenge on Pacific and Tomboy. Plenty of room for RVs and larger vehicles. The lot is open from 6 am to 2 am daily. The river trail makes a nice walk to the gondola.

Mountain Village: The gondola garage fits RVs and charges $7 per day.  A grocery store is right around the corner, and the garage has ski in/out access to the slopes.

Overnight parking:

The closest campground that’s open all winter is Caddis Flats outside Placerville. It’s a 30 minute drive from Telluride.

As the snow melts in Spring, forest roads become accessible. They can be muddy, though. The Telluride visitor center has a helpful map of the dispersed camping areas that are near town.

Mail:

The Telluride post office actually answers the phone (hooray!) and accepts packages mailed to General Delivery.

Shopping and Paring Down:

The 2-story hardware store is impressively well-equipped.

Need to get rid of stuff from your RV? The free box or animal aid thrift store accept donations. The thrift store has some great deals on designer clothes and ski gear, too.

 

Lift Off

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The Yeti has rolled away from Jeff’s shop, RV Interiors and Custom Woodworks, and we’re living full time in the van.  It’s been a rough week learning the van and moving in, hence the lack of recent updates.  Overall, everything is going well.  I’ll have more details, photos, and comments over the coming weeks.  Until then, please enjoy the pictures.

Green Flash Brewery and The Gooch

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Tasting Garden at Green Flash

Had a taster fest at Green Flash Brewery in central San Diego. Thanks to $1 tasters, we tried everything on the menu for $13. Favorites included the “Le Freak” ale, Hop Head Red, pale ale, and Double Stout. There were also some beers that were made for tasting — odd flavors that stretch the tastebuds but aren’t exactly drinkable in abundance. These included the syrupy Barleywine, a Trippel that reminded Katherine of dirty socks, a spiced winter brew reminiscent of vintage herbal cordials, and an ale that tasted of cilantro and lemon.

Tasting Room at Green Flash

Green Flash is in a large office park near the corner of Top Gun Drive, Genetic Center Drive, and Sequence Drive. So, it’s at an interesting nexus of military and genetic engineering firms. The crowd was packed with folks in khakis and polos, many still wearing their corporate badges.  The large tap room extends into a fenced patio with picnic tables and lighted trees. The patio wraps around the food truck parking pad, and the brewery website keeps an updated food schedule. It looks like there’s a different food truck almost every night of the week.

The Gooch Food Truck

Gourmet food trucks are a West Coast innovation, arising out of Portland and expanding to San Francisco and San Diego. Sure, every town has loncheras selling soggy sandwiches and pop. But these West Coast trucks are a whole other concept. “The Gooch” (slang for bully) bears the slogan “Give Us Your Lunch Money”. In return, they served the Baby Momma, a Vietnamese-inspired slider topped with pickled vegetables and siracha aoli. Peter eyed a cheeseburger topped with bacon jam. Yep, bacon jam.  Not a good place to be a vegan, though the menu did please locavores with a farmer’s market-sourced menu and grass-fed meat.

A nice family-friendly environment. We saw many picnicking families and strollers, as well as people of all ages. There’s plenty of parking up front, and even a parking attendant to guide you to a spot.

If you’re in the neighborhood, this is a great place to stop by for happy hour or dinner.

Skiing in Telluride, Part 2

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We recently spent a lovely week on the snow in Telluride. It was great to see family, share good ski runs together, and play in the snow. Here’s what we did and learned. Hopefully this will help a few other families to plan their ski vacations.

Snow conditions: Early season conditions. Telluride is a packed powder mountain with the occasional fresh powder day. The powder turns to crud in the afternoons, so the best skiing is early when the lifts open at 9:00 AM. We got a few glorious days of fresh powder. Prospect Bowl was knee deep on powder days. So much fun!

Routes: We love the classic cruisers like See Forever, Polar Queen, and Misty Maiden.  We love the expansive views from so many runs. Peter tried small bumps for the first time on Henry’s and Alta.

Grooming: Limited and spotty. About 1/4 of the mountain was open.  Grooming was not always done in a logical fashion. For example, the only exit out of the groomed Prospect Bowl was an ungroomed and cruddy Upper See Forever. Rock and ice chunks were present in the groomed snow, even during morning first tracks.

Unique situations: World Cup snowboard racing and a 750 person group from Kellogg School of Management seemed to absorb most of TelSki’s resources. Snow cats and snow blowers were focused on the World Cup course, and they didn’t seem to have enough capacity to fully operate the rest of the resort. The movements of the large group made it difficult to experience the “relaxed and unhurried atmosphere” that Telski promises. These two groups come to Telluride annually or semi-annually in mid December. It is exhilarating to watch World Cup athletes leap under your feet when you’re hanging out on chair 4. However, it’s not worth the loss of skiable terrain. We recommend scheduling your ski trip to avoid these groups.

Ski school: Telluride has a diverse and very experienced group of ski instructors. Ski instructors David Brown, Howard Davis, Kevin Edholm, and Shayne “Doggie” shared helpful tips. David had helpful advice on stance and balance. Howard’s toe movement trick makes rotary motion much easier. Kevin had great advice on adapting to crud and chop. Shayne helped Peter to ski more confidently in bumps.

The ski school has some new policies this year that are problematic for returning clients and for safety.

1) Addition of a “hot lap” to the morning clinic shortens actual clinic time by 25% without adding value for the client.

2) Modified treatment of returning students makes continuity of learning more difficult.

The ski school previously honored instructor requests from returning students. This attracted a loyal clientele and supported progressive learning. For example, our parents advanced from never-evers to black diamond skiers in a few years under the consistent training of Telluride ski instructors.

The new policy only honors returning business for consecutive days. So, if you take a rest day or a day to practice your newly-learned skills, you’re no longer able to ski with the same instructor.

Lack of instructor continuity impacts the student in two ways. a) Instructor teaching style shifts from coherent progression to a single overwhelming data dump. b) Skills conflict when taught by different instructors.

I started out the week as a confident level 5. Then each instructor modified my stance and technique, and each method conflicted with the other. By the end of the week, I was a confused and hesitant level 4, and well-meaning instructors were advising me to “relax and be more confident”. So frustrating!

3) Pressure for group size creates unsafe situations

We felt pressure throughout the week to advance to the next level when our skills didn’t support it. Advancing skiers makes larger lesson groups. However, it can also cause safety problems.

One day, we had a skier in our level 5 (intermediate parallel skiing) group class who had started out as a level 1 (never skied) skier 3 days ago. He was athletic and learned quickly. However, he didn’t know how to get off a lift correctly (a level 1 skill). When coming off of lift 5, he wedged his skis and kept his weight back in the chair. (Rather than having tips together and up and weight forward.) His ski tails stepped on top of mine, and we fell off the lift. Being advanced too rapidly proved embarrassing for this skier, and dangerous for his ski school classmates.

Locker rooms: This is a great service at Telluride. Mike is super friendly and keeps the locker room running smoothly.

Transportation:

United Express offers a direct flight from Los Angeles to Montrose. This saved a lot of time. We flew out of Carlsbad, which is the most relaxing airport we’ve ever been in. There’s a patio restaurant next door to the ticketing counter. There, we sat in the sun on comfy sofas and watched the plane arrive. Security doesn’t even open until 15 minutes before flight time, so we had plenty of time to enjoy a snack in the sun.

Flights went smoothly until United mishandled their baggage count on the last flight. Of course, having half the Austrian Snowboard Team did create an unexpected situation. The airline had accepted too many snowboards for the plane capacity, and didn’t figure this out until everyone was boarded. So after buckling up, we sat on the ground for an hour while the World Cup athletes negotiated snowboard transport.

Telluride Express offers timely and friendly van service from Montrose to Telluride. We appreciated the fact that they still served our incoming flight, despite the plane arriving an hour late. I was concerned that my seat belt was sliced halfway through, and that the driver seemed more irritated than concerned when I brought this safety issue to his attention.

Food: Try the chili mac at Poachers, the Detroit deep dish pizza at Brown Dog, locally brewed beer at Smugglers and Tracks, the organic and spicy migas with red sauce at La Cochina de Luz, and the fried calamari at Cosmopolitan. Good deals: 2-for-1 pizza night at Brown Dog and the half price happy hour at Cosmopolitan. Telluride Truffles and herbal tea blends at the Steeping Leaf make a delicious dessert. The tequila and rock salt truffle is unique and savory. Siam’s new fusion mango miso sauce was rich and creamy, and their extensive tea list completed the meal.

Lodging: Recommend the Columbine Condos. Walking distance to the Gondola and Siam. The large, open kitchen and living area were great for cooking meals together.