Summer weekends.

The past few weekends have been fun. Last post covered climbing on the North Shore. The weekend following was scheduled to be a sort of dude-reunion from my college days, also on the North Shore, but it fell through at the last minute. But my friend Nate and I, who still wanted to go, did anyway, and got our wives to come with us, and it ended up being a great trip. We camped, ate, hiked, ate, swam, ate, hammocked, ate...you get it. Relaxing in the North woods. And that pattern actually started a couple days before that trip, as Alison and I were at her family's lake cabin in WI vacationing with her side of the family. There was even some kayaking done there. I want one. First a garage though, I suppose, as we are in a one bedroom apartment with six bikes right now. I'm not sorry. :)

This past weekend I headed out to Portland, OR to check out the OR Brewfest, a festival of craft beers, with a couple friends from my days in Minot, way back when. A hot day filled with beer sampling sure tires a guy out but I wasn't complaining. My favorite of the day was from Grand Teton Brewing- an ESB called Bitch Creek. I have to admit we tried it just because of the name, and it turned out to be the day's best. I hope I can find it in St. Paul, or better yet clone it at home.

This weekend, I can't decide between Salt Lake, the North Shore again, or actually staying at home, possibly to do a big road ride and catch up on things I haven't done in the midst of all my playing. In case you're wondering I have been working like crazy during the weekdays; I'm not that lucky. :) But pretty spoiled non the less.

Paddling on Big Bearskin Lake, WI...Alison is pointing to four otters that decided to swim up and grunt at us....

Lunchtime along the Temperance River....

Enjoying sunset in Grand Marais...

Cairns stacked at Artist's Point, Grand Marais, MN...