Two months after we moved to Coeur d’Alene in 2008, the Inland Northwest received a heavy dump of fluffy snow. The morning after, my husband Young donned his cane snowshoes and vintage Outdoor Research Crocodile Gore-Tex and Cordura gaiters and trekked across town to open the Starbucks where he was then employed. Those gaiters kept […]
Gear Flashback: A Gaiter Love Story Read More »
Outdoor Groups Spokane Bicycle Club This is a recreational club offering multiple scheduled group rides each week, March – November. Their rides are designed to accommodate all skill levels. This is a membership organization that costs $15 individual $20 family. Evergreen East Mountain Bike Alliance This is a non-profit for people who love to bike that costs $35/year
Outdoor Clubs / Organizations Read More »
December reminded us just how good winter can be here in the Inland Northwest: knee-deep resort days; cross-country skiing and sledding in city parks; urban fat biking; backcountry ski conditions that get you looking for camper vans on Craigslist; and the silent, white beauty of snow as it piles up in feet across the region.
Reimagining Winter Read More »
If you have been contemplating a fall or winter trip up to British Columbia, do it! As of September 2015, the currency exchange rate is around 30% in favor of the U.S. dollar, and it’s been that way for a while. The potential savings for U.S. travelers is huge and not likely to last forever.
Save 30% on Your Next B.C. Road Trip with the Best Exchange Rate in over 10 Years Read More »
More Ways to Find Family Fun on the Mountain This Winter Skiing and snowboarding aren’t always for everyone in every family, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have fun together up on the mountain. Even skiing families sometimes enjoy a change of pace that involves other wintertime activities. From snowshoeing and snow tubing to splashing
Skiing and snowboarding with your family is a fun and healthy way to spend the winter months, and it can still be plenty affordable if you put a little effort into saving on the cost of outfitting yourself and the kids. There are many ways to find deals on new and used ski and snowboard
Lease, Swap and Save on Gear for the Whole Family This Season 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 »
The Methow Valley’s skiing, scenery, and extensive trail system has been getting attention in recent years well beyond the Pacific Northwest for being the nation’s largest cross-country ski area. For good reason too. 120 miles of well-groomed, peaceful Nordic trails with a growing network of fat bike and snowshoe trails nestled in the majestic North
Winthrop Winter Wonderland: Ski, Bike, Snowshoe Read More »
Like most outdoor fitness activities, there is a dizzying array of gear available for both the classic and skate styles of Nordic (cross-country) skiing. Waxable or no-wax skis. At least three unique binding and boot systems. Poles that range in price from $20 to $1,000. This volume of options isn’t remarkable in our day of
A Brief History of Skinny Skis: The Evolution of Cross-Country Ski Gear Read More »
The Skinny Ski Solution for Winter Fitness and Fun Ever since my first Spokane winter nine years ago, I craved some way to keep fit outside in the snow. I wanted to revisit a childhood spent outdoors during rural Alberta’s long winters. But unless you have a deep and abiding love affair with slush and
Confessions of a Cross-country Skier Read More »
