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Talkeetna: Funky Mountain Town with the World’s Best Cinnamon Rolls

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[slideshow]In true Life Bus fashion, Pam. Greg, Todd, and I were continuing our Alaskan adventure by driving to Denali National Park to try our hand at backpacking in Denali’s backcountry.  On the highway to Denali we saw signs for Talkeetna and veered off the road to make a pit stop here.  All we had really heard about Talkeetna was that Talkeetna was a tiny, scenic mountain town and the place where most climbers begin their quest to summit Denali.  Despite the fact that our views of Denali and the surrounding mountains were obscured by low clouds and mist, Talkeetna is a pit stop any Life Busser has to make when venturing in Alaska.  With or without the spectacular views of the Alaska Range, Talkeetna is a town with a great vibe, great food, and great people.  Even if you are not part of the mountaineers heading out to take on Denali, you can’t help but feel a part of something cool when you are here. You almost feel like you want to grab some crampons and go for it.  Normally I would never speak kindly of dampness but in Talkeetna it makes you want to grab a cozy fleece and head in doors for a cup o’ coffee and one of the world’s best cinnamon rolls. Talkeetna might be the epitome of a Life Bus pit stop.

In Talkeetna you will see people getting ready to push their limits on Denali, people who have chosen a slower life way off the grid, and people like us who love these small, out-of-the-way towns with character and scenery in abundance.  This scenic, historic, “end-of-the-road” town feels like you just stepped onto the set of Northern Exposure.  This is a town where, we were informed by the locals, they have a sign-up list for moose road kill.  When a moose is killed on the roads, the carcass gets shared with whomever is on the list.  Talk about using all of your resources to the fullest! Quaint, historic store fronts line the town’s tiny main thoroughfare with lush, beautiful flowers that appear to thrive in this damp climate.

For such a tiny town, there are quite a few great looking watering holes.  We ventured into the Roadhouse for a bite to eat.  Wow, what a find!!  Talkeetna Roadhouse.  The Roadhouse is the quintessential, mountain-town, breakfast joint jam packed with patrons hanging out in various levels of fleece / climber fashion.  The walls are adorned with tons of Denali climbing memorabilia.  It is a small, busy place and you wonder how they turn out such amazing food in a building  built in 1917.  Anyhoo, let’s get to the really important part of all of this …. the food.  We saw pancakes the size of platters draping over the edges of the plates, burritos the size of your head, and yes …. gooey, not too sweet, humongous cinnamon rolls that are gifts from heaven and still have me dreaming about them.  So good I recently tried to FedEx them to Colorado for my husband’s birthday.  No dice, they said they won’t travel well.   We then cruised over to the West Rib Pub.  We had good hamburgers and a great local bartender.

In all honesty, there isn’t a ton to do in Talkeetna proper.  It is clearly an access point to lots of outdoor adventure.  It is, however, very beautiful, has great food, and a cool vibe which makes it worth a stop.  And, if you’re lucky to have good weather, the views of the Denali and the Alaska Range are said to be breath-taking.  One caveat, we had the misfortune of sharing this quaint town with a tour bus full of cruisers from a Princess Cruise tour. They apparently descend on the town periodically.  Oh well, what do you do? So, take your bus to Talkeetna sometime.  The beauty and cinnamon rolls are worth the trip!!!

Great Food in Coral Bay St. John’s USVI

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So ya’ gotta eat while you are on an adventure, right? My friends routinely tease me because I vividly remember meals I have eaten on my travels. What can I say, I am a devoted foodie. I was blessed to have a mother who was an amazing cook and food was a big part of our family and our travel experiences. It isn’t typically super fancy food that I love, however. I am usually a sucker for the local watering hole with simple local specialties. Two tiny restaurants in Coral Bay, where I can remember each morsel I ate, are worth mentioning.

Miss Lucy’s is a tiny restaurant where your dinner table is practically sitting in the waters of Coral Bay. I can’t imagine many better places to enjoy a meal than looking out over the Caribbean with your toes almost in the water. Sometimes, the setting of a restaurant can compensate for a lot when the food is merely mediocre. This is absolutely not the case with Miss Lucy’s. If anything eclipses the fabulous setting it is the pina colada pancakes. These were LOADED with pineapple, coconut, and banana chunks and the fluffiest batter I’ve ever tasted. Todd and I also ate dinner and lunch at Miss Lucy’s. All of these other meals were very good as well. It is the pancakes, however, that I continue to dream about!! [slideshow]

Donkey Diner with kick ass food was another culinary highlight. Exactly what you’d want on a Caribbean adventure. Total boho vibe with amazing food. Todd had the stuffed french toast with mango pineapple chutney and I had the burrito special. Both meals were amazing and the staff was great. You can see that I really do vividly remember every great meal experience. So when the Life Bus takes you to Coral Bay, make sure you check out both of these places for your meals. Great locations, great vibe, and great food. What more could one ask for?

The Awesomeness that is St. John’s USVI

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Who knew that you could find quiet beaches, secluded hikes, pristine snorkeling, and an environmentally friendly resort in the Caribbean without shelling out hundreds of dollars a night? Todd and I certainly didn’t until we happened upon St. John’s USVI and the Concordia Eco Resort.[slideshow]

On a whim, Todd and I decided to go to the Caribbean over Christmas. Not exactly the cheapest place to visit that time of year! Just as we thought it wouldn’t work out,  without a huge financial commitment, we came upon an article I had torn out about snorkeling Waterlemon Cay on St. John’s and the Concordia Eco Resort.  We called immediately and, as luck would have it, they had one room left for the nights of our trip.

We couldn’t have imagined a better Caribbean experience.  Even at the busiest time of year in the Caribbean, we found ourselves frequently alone on hikes and on beaches.  Thanks to philanthropist John D. Rockefeller, approximately two thirds of St. John’s is preserved as a US National Park.  This means that for most of the island there are few roads, mega resorts, mobs of sunburned tourists, or drunk cruise ship passengers over running your paradise.  Cruz Bay, despite being a port town,  is remarkably laid back and retains it’s charm.  Coral Bay, on the opposite side of the island, is even smaller and more laid back than Cruz Bay.  It does have amazing dining, however.  (See Food Finds post on restaurants here).

So, what to do while you are on this paradise?  The options are numerous but here are some of the things we did which turned out to be fabulous!  Waterlemon Cay surpassed our expectations for snorkeling.  To get to Waterlemon Cay, you hike along a beautiful trail around Leinster Bay.  You can snorkel all the way around Waterlemon Cay but be mindful that with strong winds, the far side can be a bit rough for a novice swimmer.  Be sure to bring a picnic lunch and sunscreen.  Combine this with a hike up to the Anneberg Ruins for an amazing day of sun, snorkeling, views, and sheer Caribbean beauty.

The Reef Trail hike was a beautiful hike where you can get some good exercise.  Todd and I started at Little Lamshur beach and hiked up.  There was actually a decent amount of elevation gain on this hike.  We made it to the old plantation ruin, covered in a beautiful pink vine, before it got too late.   Little Lamshur is in the national park, it is a rather quiet beach.  At dusk, when Todd and I found ourselves alone on this beach, we threw caution to the wind and skinny dipped!!  The road to the beach is a bit bumpy but well worth the ride.  (4×4 may be advisable.)

Then of course there is Trunk Bay, Hawksnest, Cinnamon, and Maho Bay.  These have all been written about extensively and rightly so.  Beautiful, beautiful beaches.  FYI – Trunk Bay does get a lot of day-trippers from the cruise ships.  We went here later in the afternoon and had the beach all to ourselves.  No skinny dipping this time.

Driving is of course a small thrill unto itself on St. John’s.  You drive on the left side of the road and the steering wheel is also on the left.  Not too bad getting used to.  The roads are narrow two lane roads with sharp turns and 20% grades.  Nothing scary, just fun.  4×4 totally the way to go.

Last but not least, is our awesome hotel the Concordia eco resort.  Concordia is not for someone seeking a luxury 5 star Caribbean hotel experience. Concordia is a special place for so many other reasons. The location of this resort is unbeatable. Concordia is near Coral Bay.  Even though it’s only approximately 12 miles across this island, the steep, narrow, curvy roads make it hard to drive faster than 10 mph. Most people don’t even venture over to this side of the island.  The Coral Bay side of St. John’s is so much quieter you feel almost like you are alone in the Caribbean. The USVI National Park lies between the two sides of the St. John’s.  www.concordiaeco-resort.com/

Todd and I stayed in Premium Eco Tent #19.  A permanent canvas tent with everything a happy camper could want.  Full pan and dish set with 2 cooking burners, a sink for washing dishes, a cooler chest for food / beverages, a separate smaller building with solar shower / WC, and endless beautiful scenery. Potable water stations are located everywhere.  The way the tents are situated it is almost impossible to have any of your neighbors get a glimpse of you unless they are really motivated to do so.  Given the secluded setting of each tent, you can (and should) unzip all of the walls of your tent and let the amazing breezes blow through your tent along with the sounds of the sea and the glimmer of the stars.    In the event  you don’t feel like leaving this great place, the food here is very good as well.

St. John’s was a serendipitous, spur of the moment Life Bus experience.  One I could repeat year after year!  Enjoy this Caribbean jewel.  Oh yeah, don’t forget to keep a look out for the donkeys and sheep that roam the island freely.

Yes, you can sleep like a baby while backpacking

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I am the kind of person who can sleep anywhere, anytime and yet I have never been able to get a good night’s sleep while backpacking.  Despite the extensive collection of sleeping pads I have amassed (5), I have until recently been unsuccessful in achieving my goal of a reasonably comfortable night while backpacking.  Carrying a car-camping pad or a white-water Paco pad into the backcountry was of course not an option.

I am excited to say that Big Agnes has finally made my dream come true.  It is with great pleasure that I recommend to you the Big Agnes Q-Core sleeping pad!!  I feel passionately about the Q Core.  It is incredibly comfortable regardless of whether you are a side or back sleeper.  I am a side-sleeper and the Q Core is the first sleeping pad I have ever tried that allows me to sleep on my side without my shoulder falling asleep or my hip bone sinking into the hard ground.  If you are a back sleeper, the pad’s quilted pattern allows you to sleep comfortably without falling into the grooves created by some pads that have vertical, inflated tube structure.  Since I’m not an engineer or a technical person of any sort I won’t carry on too much about the technology behind Q Core except to say that the comfort is apparently a result of the I-Beam internal technology.  This technology allows for a smoother, more comfortable feel.  It’s true!!

The cool part is that the Q Core provides this great comfort without excess weight or size, making it excellent for backpacking.  I would even consider it a comfortable enough option for car-camping.  The Q core is a light and compact three season pad at 3.5”/9cm thick for extra comfort.  When rolled up it is about the size of a Nalgene bottle.  The pad has an estimated R value of 5.  I have heard a few comments about how long it takes to blow up the Q Core.  It took me about 5 minutes to blow the pad up while camping at an altitude of about 11,500 feet. A  small sacrifice for the quality of sleep with which you will be rewarded.  So while you’re heading out on your own life-bus experience, give this sleeping pad a try.  You really can sleep like a baby while backpacking!!

One Perfect Weekend in the Indian Peaks Wilderness

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Lone Eagle Peak

[slideshow]In a state filled with so many iconic images, it’s hard to find one that seems to still be somewhat of a secret.  So, when I heard about Lone Eagle Peak in the Indian Peaks Wilderness from a good friend of mine, I was instantly hooked by the images of this beautiful mountain.  I knew this is a place that I needed to see with my own eyes.

I got to fulfill this goal when four of us Life-Bussers decided to head out recently for an over-night camping adventure to check out Lone Eagle Peak.  On a beautiful, bluebird Colorado day, the four of us made our way to the Monarch Lake Trailhead in Granby, CO.  This is where the trek to Lone Eagle Peak begins.  We had gotten our Indian Peaks camping permit, signed in at the ranger station, and we were off.  It was 7.1 miles in to our destination – Mirror Lake.  Crater Lake is another .2 from Mirror Lake.  The hike is a steady, gradual climb with a few moderate switchback areas.  At the last 1.1 mile turn off you are about to be rewarded with one of the most breathtaking scenes in the Colorado backcountry – a glimpse of Lone Eagle Peak and the cirque of the Indian Peaks.  At this point, you do have to pay attention to the trail as it becomes a bit less defined.  Fortunately, someone has put up cairns which makes the route finding easier.  There is one bridge out at this last 1.1 mile portion but if you look up stream you will see a make-shift replacement bridge.

So there we are, tromping around looking for the campsite near Mirror Lake.  We all cruised right by campsites 1- 3 without any awareness that campsites were there.  Turns out the campsite markers blend very well with their environment.  So, keep your eyes peeled as you get close to Mirror Lake.

We stayed at Campsite #1 and had beautiful views of Lone Eagle and the cirque.  As a bonus we had Cascade creek flowing directly through our camp.  Camp 4 and Camp 6 are also excellent locations as well.  Camp 6 may take some effort to get to, however.  Topping off all of this beautiful, natural scenery, was the fact that we were almost completely alone in this wilderness … except for one other small group of campers and some marauding wildlife that made off with our water filter, sunglass case, and Daisy’s dog treats.

After a great hike back out we were all definitely ready for some good eaten’ and a beer.  We wound up at Maverick’s Grille in Granby and had a meal that didn’t disappointment four hungry hikers:  chips, guacamole, elk burger, cobb salad, jalapeño and cheese burger, and a crispy chicken salad wrap with some brews.  Very nice service and mountain town food that totally hit the spot.  www.mavericksgrille.com

The only thing I would change about this whole weekend is that I would stay 2 nights instead of one the next time.

If you love beautiful Colorado backcountry this hike is for you.  GET OUT THERE!

Fun and easy singletrack ride close to Colorado Springs and Denver

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[slideshow]For those days when you just want to relax, have fun, and see some pretty scenery I recommend a mountain bike ride near Larkspur, CO.  Todd, Pam, and I rode some nice, smooth singletrack at the Spruce Mountain Open Space.  Now if you’re thinking epic single track where you will be launching yourself off of cliffs, this ain’t it.  What Spruce Mountain does offer is nice, mellow, tight singletrack through the 6 mile Meadow loop.  We were also surprised by beautiful wildflowers all along the Meadow and Eagle Pass trails.  You can then ascend up Spruce Mountain either via singletrack with switchbacks or a long, rather steep service road for another 5.5 miles of biking.  The Spruce Mountain trail offers beautiful overlooks as well as a loop around the mountaintop through pines and firs. Beautiful views of Pike’s Peak and sweeping vistas are yours for much of the entire ride.  So go ahead, give this route a try.  It may not be the baddest trail you’ve ever ridden but you won’t be without a smile looking at the scenery and enjoying some smooth singletrack.  One caveat,this might not be your first choice if it is toasty outside.  For a good map of the trails and directions check out this link:  http://www.cospringstrails.com/hikes/pdf/spruce.pdf

The Life Bus Begins

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Hello world!

Welcome to the Life Bus! So I’m guessing you might be wondering what exactly is the “Life Bus?”  The Life Bus is a concept that grew out of a group of very close friends who had reached corporate success and once we got there thought … is this all there is?   Is this really what life is all about?  Instead, we all had the proverbial “a-ha” moment where we realized the ultimate goal in life is really to be master of your own destiny, to own your soul, to own your spirit.  That life should be a journey of adventures, of taking the road less traveled, of the wonder of how each day will unfold before you. We all decided we should ditch our very successful corporate jobs and instead spend a year (or more) traveling around together in a bus exploring our world.  Well, we are still working on having that master plan come to fruition.

In the meantime, we are living that philosophy in our day-trips, weekend getaways, vacations, and every day.  This blog is dedicated to sharing all that we discover during these Life Bus adventures with any kindred spirit who feels the same way we do.

It is my hope that you will enjoy traveling around virtually with me and my closest friends as we explore our world.  I will be sharing information on anything and everything awesome we experience … trails, competitive events, gear reviews, food, festivals, and anything else that we think you should definitely know about!!

So who are these other Life Busers?  This is truly an eclectic group: real rocket scientists, a management consultant with crazy photography skills, avy experts, rope rescue expert, climbing gurus, backcountry ski bum, biomedical engineer (my husband), a preschooler, and more.  One additional bond we all share is our membership on the Alpine Rescue Team which I may write about from time to time as well.  Stay tuned, they will all be making guest blog appearances from time to time.  Oh yeah, there is one 4 legged friend on the Bus as well … our beloved brown dog Daisy.

I truly hope you like what you read and look forward to hearing from you if you try out any of the things I blog about.

Life is short, get out there and live!!

Cheers,

Lexi

Where the Life Bus has ventured

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If you were wondering what kinds of information and adventures you would find on this blog, check out these photos.  They will give you a glimpse into the places we Life Busers have ventured and what kinds of things we like to do.  In addition to our new explorations, each one of these photos will be blogged about as well.  So, stay tuned!