Author Archives: lexi80209

The Best Crabs You’ll Ever Have

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On our layover in Juneau between our East Turner Lake adventure and flying to Gustavus, we had exactly one hour before our plane left.  There was never any question between the four of us how we would spend that hour.  We literally ran from the airport gate to the taxi cab stand, flagged down a cab, and said “take us to Tracy’s Crab Shack.”  The cab driver raced through the outskirts of town to Juneau and careened up to the Shack.  We ran up and ordered 4 buckets of claws and Alaskan ambers.  (I’m drooling just writing this.)  Inhaling would be a good adjective to describe how we woofed down the moistest, most flavorful, meatiest crab legs you can imagine.  Tracy’s is a supporter of Alaska’s sustainable fisheries as well.   [slideshow]  Tracy’s King Crab Shack

We had our first taste of the divineness that is Tracy’s while we were in Juneau the night before heading out to East Turner Lake. The guide book had indicated good crab located by the cruise ships.  Both were understatements.The crab is amazing and the Shack is basically right up against the cruise ships right by the gang planks passengers use to load and unload from the ships.  It’s tiny size is dwarfed by the hulking ships a few feet away.  Tracy’s is one of those tiny shacks that make you wonder how they can produce the quantity and quality of the food they do.  Topping off the great seafood we had Alaskan ambers.  This was one of those moments you have to ask, does life get any better than this.

We jumped back in the waiting taxi and made it to the airport just as they were loading up the plane.  I think Greg is still in amazement at the fact that we spent $100 to get crab legs. Hope that gives you an idea of how good this hole-in-the-wall is.  To me, Tracy’s represents one of those places and times in a trip you just want to last forever.  Good food, good friends, great memories!  The spontaneous nature of this outing to Tracy’s is pure Life Bus living!

Zermatt – A Bucket List Must!!

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I have to admit that when planning our trip to Zermatt, I was looking forward to going there but I wasn’t so excited that I couldn’t contain myself.  I felt more like it was going to be one of those “check-off-the-list” kind of places that we should see since we were going to be close by in the Berner Oberland.  I thought it would be an over-rated tourist town with an interesting mountain.  NOTHING could be further from the truth!!  From the minute Todd and I got to Zermatt we were entranced by the natural beauty of the surrounding scenery and by the loveliness of the town of Zermatt itself.  It has become one of our favorite places ever and one to which we hope to return many more times in our lifetime.  [slideshow]

Zermatt lies at the end of the Matter valley (Mattertal).  To understand the majesty of this place you have to know that the Mattertal is only about a mile wide at most and that the town of Zermatt sits at roughly 5200 feet.  This valley is surrounded by Switzerland’s highest peaks.  Rising up abruptly on all sides of this narrow valley are many peaks with at least 50 of them exceeding 13,000 feet.  As if these peaks, and the numerous massive glaciers, weren’t awesome enough, add the massive, looming presence of the Matterhorn itself and you can begin to understand why this valley takes your breath away!!  The Matterhorn is so much more than just an interestingly shaped peak.  It’s presence is everywhere you go in the valley and it’s history and grandeur are awe-inspiring.  Do I sound really enthusiastic about this place yet?

The town of Zermatt is the quintessential, immaculate, geranium-bedazzled Alpen mountain town you would expect from the Swiss.  One  thing that really makes the town nice is that it is off limits to all motor vehicles unless you live there.  The only other vehicles are these funny little golf-cart type vehicles they use to transport hotel guests and luggage around.  To get to Zermatt you leave your car at a very large garage in Taesch and take an easy train ride into Zermatt.  Don’t panic about leaving your car behind.  Remember, this is Switzerland and the garage is extremely safe and clean.  The town can be a bit touristy but only in the sense that there are quite a few people there in the summer and there are the typical Swiss watch shops, etc.  We really didn’t see any tick-tacky touristy shops selling cuckoo clocks made in China or anything of that ilk.

You really don’t come to Zermatt to just hang out in the town anyway.  You come to Zermatt to experience the Alps and the loveliness  of the outdoors here.  I should mention, however, that the town does have a wonderful, little, rustic museum that is well worth a visit.  It has information on life in the Mattertal hundreds of years ago as well as quite a bit of mountaineering history.  The rope used on the first ascent of the Matterhorn, which then infamously broke on the descent, is on display at the museum as well.  There’s a small cemetery by the church dedicated to fallen mountaineers as well. Quite sobering!

Obviously, the outdoor adventure options in Zermatt, and the surrounding area, are too numerous to list them all here.  Todd and I spent most of our time hiking the trails off of the Gornergrat.  The Gornergrat is a ridge of the Alps surrounded by 29 peaks rising above 13,000 feet and several glaciers, including the Gorner Glacier – the second largest glacier in the Alps. There is a cog railway that makes several stops on its way to the top of the Gornergrat.  You can hop on or off at several stops a long the way.  Gornergratbahn

This trip truly impressed upon me why the Matterhorn and Zermatt are as famous and iconic as they are.  I urge you to make sure your Life Bus steers towards Zermatt at least once!!  You WILL NOT regret it!!  Have fun!!

The Best Darn Trail Runner Out There … La Sportiva Crosslite 2.0

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Let me preface this gear review by saying that I am by no means an expert trail runner.  I am, however, an avid and obsessed trail runner who tries to run as often and as many trails as I possibly can.  When my job took me to Wyoming, I would frequently find myself the only person around for miles period, let alone the only person on the trail.  This, of course, would routinely freak my husband and my mother out.

I am also someone who has tried numerous trail shoes and could never find one that truly fit my narrowish, mildly pronating feet well until …. I met the La Sportiva Crosslite 2.0.

This shoe has revolutionized my trail running.  This trail runner meets and exceeds all of my expectations.  Many of the trails I run are loose, technical trails.  This shoe has had great traction in every terrain in which I have found myself … including wet and slippery.  The shoe is extremely light weight and comfortable.  It feels almost weightless yet is rugged enough to protect and support my feet.  Running with this shoe is the first time my feet haven’t hurt after long periods of time running on trails.  There is a great toe bumper that has protected my tootsies many times.  La Sportiva

I have to admit that, at first, I was very skeptical of the integrated lacing system.  I thought I would forever be losing the laces under the material and not be able to fish them out easily.  Quite the contrary, this system may be my favorite feature of them all.  Instead of losing my laces all the time, this has been the easiest, quickest lacing system I have ever encountered.  With other shoes, I was constantly having to stop my run to retie my shoes.  With the Crosslite system, I never have to retie them.  As an added bonus, you can tuck the laces under the upper material so you don’t have the loops catching on branches and other pointy things which could potentially cause some nasty spills.  The Crosslite is also quite impressive in its ability to dry quickly after getting soaked.  I have run through streams and snow and the shoe always dried immediately and without causing blisters.

So, the next time you find yourself on a trail you have discovered while on the Life Bus, I hope you will be giving these trail runners a test run!!

As I said in the beginning, I am not an elite trail runner … but these shoes make me feel like I am.

Miguels Chile Rellenos and other Mexican Fare … Todos Santos Baja Mexico

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After a spectacular seven days sea-kayaking the Sea of Cortez (more on that in another post), Todd and I decided to see all that the southern most portion of Baja Mexico had to offer.  That’s how we found ourselves bouncing down the Carretera Transpeninsular headed from La Paz to Todos Santos in a tiny, rented tin can.  From what I understand, the highway has since been widened to 4 lanes.  The fact that there are no shoulders and that detours and / or road damage can occur with almost no warning apparently hasn’t changed.

Although Todos Santos is tiny, it’s one of those artist and surfer communities that is coming into its own where you can find galleries and eateries in neat old buildings.  Given the fact that Todd is really not much of a shopper, I don’t have much commentary on the galleries.  We did have some fun food pit stops here, however.  The food find that really stands out as a Life Bus moment is Restaurante Miguel’s.  If I could have designed my perfect rustic, Mexican, beach restaurant, Miguel’s would be it.  Thatched palm roof, dirt floor, no real walls … just thatched half walls and great chile rellenos … and beer!   A relaxing, Jimmy Buffetesque kind of place where you can kick back, enjoy a good meal, and soak in your Mexican vacation.

Todd and I also enjoyed an excellent lunch at Cafe Todos Santos.  The building is an eclectic old structure with lots of open, airy seating.  We had some great salads and they actually bake all of their own bread and cookies here.  Although we didn’t stay at the Todos Santos Inn, I wish we had!  This is a great, small inn housed in an old authentic hacienda.  The location in town is great and it is a beautiful, quiet property.  Todos Santos Inn

So, when exploring the Baja Peninsula, make time for a pit stop in this artisan community.  I think you’ll enjoy it!

The Perfect Honeymoon – Hiking the Aspen Four Pass Loop

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[slideshow]If you’re looking for a honeymoon idea, let me suggest the Aspen Four Pass Loop as an option.  Of course, you should throw in your dear friend and her husband and a sister-in-law to boot.  Fellow Life Busers Pam and Greg and Cinda joined us for this adventure.  What honeymoon is complete without a sister-in-law in the tent with you? All joking aside, hiking the Aspen Four Pass Loop with this crew was the icing on a perfect mountain-cabin wedding the weekend before.

Much has been written about this 26 mile stunning hiking loop with very good reason so I won’t bore you with all of the logistical details.  That information can be found on numerous other websites.  What I want to share are some reasons why this hike merits honeymoon and / or bucket list status.  See 50 Places to Hike Before you Die by Chris Santella.

Our plans were to hike this loop over Labor Day and to spend 3 nights doing so.  I know, I know it can be done by ultra-runners in a day but we wanted the opportunity to soak in all of the scenery and solitude.  I would highly recommend the Labor Day timeframe.  We had beautiful weather with a proverbial afternoon shower here and there.  In true Colorado style, the storms left as soon as they came.  You do have to time your hiking with these showers as there are vast expanses of exposed, treeless basins where you don’t want to be when it’s storming.

So, what did I love about this trip?  Where should I begin.  If you like to challenge yourself and work on your fitness, this route will do it for you.  You cross four passes that will definitely get your ticker pumping and lungs burning.  They are all higher than 12,000 feet with steep ascents and descents out of the wetland meadows below.  In fact, except for the beginning and the very end, the loop never descends below 10,000 feet.

I love exercise as much as the next person but that wouldn’t be enough for this trip to merit the bucket list ranking if it didn’t have stunning scenery to complement the physical challenge.   From the very start of the trek, you are treated with iconic imagery starting with the Maroon Bells and Crater Lake.  Don’t be deterred by the number of people visiting this landmark.  Once you head out towards West Maroon Pass you quickly leave people behind and, once you go up and over this first pass, the crowd thins out to almost nothing …. if not nothing.  In fact, once we got over West Maroon until we descended Buckskin (the final pass), we saw only 2 other people the entire time.  This route routinely gets rated one of the most scenic routes in Colorado for a reason.  The views of the Maroon Bells and the rest of the Elk Mountains are breath-taking.  The route takes you all the way around the Bells and Elk Mountains for virtually a 360 degree view of the rugged peaks.  After each pass you descend into beautiful, lush, green wetland basins with excellent camping locations.  The rugged beauty of Snowmass Lake was an unexpected jewel of this hike.

Another unexpected treat was the greeting we got from a family of mountain goats as we reached the top of Buckskin Pass.  We were privileged enough to see these guys, even the baby, successfully navigate a steep snowfield.

The effort this trek requires is so worth every step.  It is heart-warming to know that there is still such peace, solitude, and unspoiled beauty out there if you just go beyond the beaten path.

Yes, I think our marriage is stronger for having shared such a great honeymoon adventure with loved ones.

A Perspective on How to Live Life from an Ultra Marathon Runner

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Here is a quote from the book Ultra Marathon Man about Dean Karnazes.  This quote really spoke to my soul the first time I read it.  Since then, every time I get anxious or scared when getting out of my comfort zone, I think about this quote and it gives me the courage to go for it.  I believe this quote epitomizes the true Life Bus spirit.  I hope it motivates and encourages some one else to reach beyond what they thought was possible …. the way it did me.

“… Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming:  WOW!!  What a ride!”  … Cheers to that!

Lauterbrunnen: A Magical, Majestic Swiss Valley

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When the Life Bus took Todd and me to Switzerland, there was one place we had to see above all others – Lauterbrunnen.  There aren’t enough adjectives to fully explain the beauty of this Swiss jewel.  Lauterbrunnen, in the Bernese Oberland, is situated in one of the most beautiful glacial valleys in the world.  This valley boasts more than 70 waterfalls, the most famous, Staubbach Falls, plunges more than 300 meters to the valley below.  The valley itself is only about 1 kilometer wide and all around has imposing, granite walls rising straight out of the valley floor, at heights of thousands of feet.  The valley floor is dotted with picturesque farms and their grazing cows, sheep, and goats.  Many of these farms sell their own homemade dairy products.  Running through the center of the valley is the glacially fed Weisse Luetschine river.  The green of Lauterbrunnen valley is some of the most intense green you will ever see.  [slideshow]

There is so much to do in this area.  Todd and I enjoyed a beautiful run on a gravel footpath that runs most of the length of the valley.  This gravel path hugs the river for quite a ways.  It is a relatively short run but probably one of the most scenic I have ever done.  The tiny, serene hamlet of Stechelberg lies at the end of the road in Lauterbrunnen valley.  From here, you can access many hiking trails of all levels.  The Swiss have hiking down to a fine art and have great trail signage.  Look for the yellow and red plastic trail signs that are frequent and well placed.  For those seeking even more adventure, there are via ferrata options in this area.  BASE-jumping is also huge here.  While we were on our run, we would hear the sounds of parachutes unfurling.  Looking up we could see people in brightly-colored squirrel suits descending into the valley.  Of course, Lauterbrunnen is also the gateway to some of the best known excursion destinations in the Jungfrau region. A railway links Lauterbrunnen with Wengen, perched high above Lauterbrunnen, and the Kleinen Scheidegg, the station where you change trains for the ride to the UNESCO Jungfrau-Aletsch-Bietschhorn region.

Todd and I ate outside at the Hotel Restaurant Stechelberg in the shadow of the Jungfrau.  We had great typical Swiss food and great service.  Hotel Restaurant Stechelberg  We did not stay at the Alpenhof B&B in Stechelberg but it looked like a great, simple, peaceful place to try next time.  From Stechelberg, you can also catch the cable car ride up to one of the area’s biggest attractions, the Schillthorn.

You definitely go to Lautrbrunnen for the scenery, not the lodging.  We stayed at the Hotel Staubbach primarily for its proximity to the Staubbach falls and views of the valley.  On that note it did not disappoint.  We had a front-facing room with great views of the falls and some surrounding mountains.  Do not expect any type of luxury, however from this hotel.  It was basic and no-frills. We pretty much knew this going in and, therefore, weren’t unhappy with it.  Given the Lauterbrunnen location, however, who wants to stay in their rooms anyway?  Hotel Staubbach

Aspen Golden Leaf Half Trail Marathon

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Every person who loves beautiful fall foliage, gorgeous mountain views, a fun personal challenge, and an epic ski town has to do this race at least once!!!!  Aspen Golden Leaf Half   This race was recently rated by Trail Runner Magazine as one of America’s Top 14 Most Scenic Races.  This is my fifth year running this race and I will probably be running it for as long as they continue to host the event.  The Aspen Golden Leaf Half trail race is a spectacular run that takes you from Snowmass into the town of Aspen on the Government Trail’s sweet singletrack. The date of this event is perfect for peak fall foliage viewing.  It is always the 3rd weekend in September.  The event is extremely well-coordinated and sponsored by Ute Mountaineering in Aspen.  Your entry fee gets you a technical tee, a pair of Smartwool socks, and typically some Clif Blocks or some other similar schwag.  Start time is a nice 8:30ish (depending on your time wave).  [slideshow]

So, let’s talk about what the race itself is actually like.  I won’t lie, for the average trail runner like myself, the first 1.5 miles is a real humdinger, lung-burner.  It’s 1000 feet of elevation straight up a forest service road.  At this point you’re at about 9600 elevation.  Once you’ve gotten past this first challenge (where you swear will you never, ever think of doing this race again), the trail is an undulating gorgeous run through aspen groves, pine forests, and across open fields that are ski runs in the winter.  The views of the surrounding mountains are gorgeous and the color of the aspens across all of the hillsides is breath-taking.  There is another 300 feet of climbing at about the 5 mile mark.  At about mile 8, you begin a bomber downhill run for a few miles.  For the last 2 -3 miles, you’re on the flats into Little Cloud park in Aspen proper.

The cool part of this event doesn’t end once you reach the finish line.  This is one post-race expo for which it is definitely worth sticking around.  The food is always quite good and the post-race raffle is probably the best in the country.  Thanks to Ute Mountaineering’s vendor relationships, there is a seemingly endless amount of raffle items for runners to win.  These are no mere raffle prizes.  In the past, raffle items have included BD trekking poles, Smith sunglasses, Vasque trail-runners, Chacos, Patagonia windstopper jackets, restaurant vouchers, Aspen Sky hotel vouchers, etc.  Todd has won items in the raffle the last two years:  one Timex watch and one Patagonia technical long-sleeve shirt.  As a runner you are automatically entered with your bib number into this raffle.  Just make sure you listen carefully for your number.  I’m sure you wouldn’t want to miss out on a new backpack!  One other note, this race generally fills up quickly so if you’re up for the challenge make sure you register early.

Trust me on this one, you won’t regret it!!  Have fun!!

Red Rocks Trail Race in Colorado’s National Monument

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Despite the fact that in this 25 mile trail run there is about 4,000 feet of elevation gain and even in April it can be pretty toasty out on this exposed trail, The Desert Rats Fruita 25 mile event is a must race for the avid trail runner.  When I first signed up for this event I naively thought it looked like a beautiful course winding through the Colorado National Monument.  My brain read the 4000 feet of elevation but it didn’t really register in my mind what that was going to look or feel like on race day.  Now obviously, I’m not an elite ultra-runner or anything but I do fancy myself to be a decent trail runner with some grit and fortitude.  For the elite runners this course is a walk in the park. For the average trail runner, it is a beautiful, challenging course.  The 4000 feet of elevation definitely got my attention on race day.  The primary challenges for me were Within the first few miles, you are climbing up a mountain on a trail called Moore Fun.  Depending on your mindset, this may or may not actually be more fun.  The hurdle that almost brought me to my knees, however, is at mile 18 where you climb up a seemingly endless dirt road with lots of false-summits thrown in for good measure.  Once you’re past that little treat, the rest is a beautiful run along the top of the ridge with great views and a downhill decent for the last 4 -5 miles.

The reason this race is one of my favorites is for the reason that even though you are running up and down rollers and hills constantly, the scenery is so breathtaking and inspiring that it can help but lull you into a runner’s high.  This isn’t the race with throngs of spectators lining the course with cowbells and horns.  This is a race where runners begin to spread out and it’s just you, the rhythm of your footsteps, scenery that you actually want to slow down and take in, and you are inspired by nature and her beauty.

I also like that the Desert Rats coordinators have taken on an environmental angle and do not have paper cups for beverages at the aide stations. The runners must bring their own water bottles or collapsible cups.  Despite not having cups, the aide stations are well supported with chips, coke, orange slices, watermelon (my personal favorite), and lots of other well appreciated snacks.

A Pie Worth a Trip to Otis

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To understand just how good the pie is at the Otis Cafe and why it merits its own pilgrimage to Otis,  you have to know that you are going to Otis exclusively for the cafe.  Otis is basically an unincorporated community in Lincoln County, OR.  It is one of those places so small that it has been put up for auction with a starting bid of $3 million dollars.  Included in this fire-sale were such items as:  the gas station, mini grocery store, Pronto-pup corn dog stand, two houses, the Otis post office, the Otis Cafe, an auto-repair garage and … well you get the idea … a very small place.

Have I mentioned before that I love food … very high on that list of favorite foods is strawberry-rhubarb pie.  In fact, Todd and I make it a goal to try to find some form of this tasty treat on every trip we take.  So when we heard about the Otis Cafe and its pies there was no doubt that we would have to make our way to Otis.  The gods were smiling on us that day.  To date, this is still the best strawberry rhubarb pie we have ever experienced.  The cafe is a quintessential, quaint roadside diner that epitomizes a road trip pit stop.  There wasn’t anything we had that wasn’t amazing.  And if strawberry rhubarb isn’t quite as much your thing as it ours, never fear, there are numerous other pie options to delight your tastebuds.  So please, if you’re driving along the Oregon Coast, do yourself a favor and veer off the road to the Otis Cafe.  Enjoy!!  And, as always, if you try Otis Cafe out, let me know your thoughts.