Just for fun, take a look at these lift rides at Heavenly ski resort. If you’re stuck at the computer too much this will give you a good feel for the great outdoors in a mountain setting.
The first is on a snowy day. Note the boader making a little jump right at the beginning.
Then check out this sunny day – same lift, same runs:
Finally, here’s the expert section of the ski run, further up the mountain:
Stainless steel and BPA-free water bottles are all the rage and I too want to avoid the harmful effects of BPAs. So I was delighted to receive two new water bottles as gifts: one stainless and the other BPA-free plastic.
The stainless bottle looks very rugged. Too bad it turned into an unstoppable fountain in the car on the way to Tahoe! Its really amazing how altitude and hence air pressure change got this little bottle to soak my car interior before being brought under control by my passenger. I’m curious to know the physics behind it, but don’t have time to find out. I did however find the time to write a one-star review
The BPA-free plastic bottle was cool-looking too and I like that its nozzle only lets out water when you bite to open it. So if you’re in the market for a new water bottle, I’d recommend this one:
You can check out all my Amazon reviews here
Lots of snow in Heavenly last weekend for very nice skiing! Then sunshine on Monday with terrific views of Lake Tahoe.
The “mystery bird” on Windy Hill is indeed a white-tailed kite. Here’s a photo from my hike this weekend when it made a close fly-by and then perched in a tall oak.
Thanks to Ron Pavellas for identifying the species.
Hard to believe that a day like today – unusually foggy in town – can be brilliantly sunny up on Skyline. We hiked the Long Ridge Trail. Highlights included an old moss-covered apple orchard, the “No Swimming” sign on the algae-covered Zen pond, and a few fungi along the path.
Windy Hill Mystery Bird
This weekend I finally got half-decent photos of the white bird that hunts near the top of Windy Hill Open Space Preserve. This photo and video below were taken near the top of Spring Ridge Trail on a very still evening.
Please comment or send me email if you think you might know what kind of bird this is.
REI.com is offering 10 free music downloads sponsored by various ski and board makers.
Click here and look mid-page to “Download your FREE Winter Soundtrack” of ten MP3 downloads.
Playlist:
Persephone’s Bee’s, “We’ve Just Begun” – MP3 presented by Salomon
Quadrillion, “Dropped” – MP3 presented by Ride Snowboards
Saxon Shore, “Bar Clearing Good Times” – MP3 presented by Volkl
Ohmega Watts, “Can You Hear it” – MP3 presented by REI.com
Robbers on High Street, “Training the Tricks” – presented by The North Face
The Apples In Stereo, “(baby its’) So Cold – MP3 presented by Burton
Eagles of Death Metal, “Now I’m a Fool” – MP3 presented by K2
Au Revoir Simone – “Fallen Snow (redux) – MP3 presented by Marmot
The Rentals, “Colorado” – MP3 presented by Smith Optics
American Analog Set, “Ice King” – MP3 presented by Rossignol
Here’s a couple notes to catch up on the hiking scene. Yesterday, we saw a relaxing coyote and circling red-tailed hawks at Windy Hill Open Space. No sign of my mysterious black and white dihedral-winged hunters.
The coyote froze in its tracks as we came around the corner for the last long pull up Spring Trail. After perceiving no threat, it lay down in the tall brown grass and rolled. As we approached up the trail, it oh-so-casually decided to get up and investigate the smells on the far shoulder of the hill.
Returning down the hill, we spotted two circling hawks. One sped to attack speed and dive-bombed the oak tree but came away with empty claws.
Another beautiful day in the neighborhood!
Please join me this Sunday for a hike on the lovely Tanbark Trail among the redwoods in Little Basin. I’ll be bringing up the rear of this leisurely 2 mile jaunt with a Sempervirens group. You get to see the beauty of Little Basin before it becomes a state park. Right now, the only way to get in is to come on one of these hikes — or join Sempervirens, POST, or HP. The hike is free, parking is $6 per car. Click here to sign up and get more details.
