Part Time Vagabond

Friday Snapshot: Portland, Maine

// February 26th, 2010 // 2 Comments » // SNAPSHOT

Down by the Maine State Pier, just off to the left across from the Narrow Gauge Railroad, is a marina where a sailing school is based and marine maintenance work is done. On one of my acquaintance walks, where I was wandering around getting to know my new home, I came on this large beam covered in black, shiny mussels. The beam must have just been removed from the ocean for cleaning. I thought it was fascinating to see so many of these little crustaceans and realize that they were living beings.

BREWS: Long Trail Double Bag

// February 24th, 2010 // 2 Comments » // BREWS

Long Trail Double Bag

When I picked up a Long Trail Double Bag, I knew absolutely nothing about it. The only reason I bought one bottle from the local convenience store was because my buddy Josh mentioned in a tweet that he was enjoying one himself, and he made it sound good. Really good. I was in the mood for a good, strong beer.

I ran up the street and did a little jig to celebrate the fact that they carried LT Double Bag, ignoring the strange looks from the good folks behind the counter. Running back home (ok, let’s face it, I didn’t want to agitate the fine brew. I slowly lumbered home), I quickly made my way to the kitchen to pour myself a glass.

What I noticed first as I poured the beer into my pint glass was the rich amber color, which gave way to a thick off-brown, foamy head. The beer is toasty and malty on the nose, with some floral notes and a bunch of fruit dancing around in there. I definitely got hints of cherry, maybe a little tiny bit of clove. I found later that Double Bag is a Strong Ale, so I could then understand its bold tones with subtle flavors. It’s got a nice, smooth mouthfeel that rolls around nicely. It had a good rounded taste that actually got better and more pronounced as the beer warmed up a bit. Double Bag has a pretty high ABV, but at 7.2% you hardly notice it over the malt. It actually feels pretty mellow, a nice warm feeling beer with almost no hop taste at all. It finishes pretty dry thanks to the high alcohol content. It’s very drinkable, though not the best strong ale I’ve ever had. It’s definitely worth stocking a 6 pack in the fridge for cold nights by the fire.

VIDEO: The Path Less Pedaled Interviews – the decision

// February 22nd, 2010 // 1 Comment » // Feature, VIDEO

Some people are homebodies. Creating a close network of family and friends in a relatively small area keeps them grounded and safe. They have a local community to support them. This works for most people in life.

But some people find that their lives are lacking something in their current situation. Their worlds have been shaken up, and they need to do something more, something different. So when Laura Crawford, a jewelry maker, and Russ Roca, a photographer, decided to sell most of their belongings and fit the rest onto their bicycles, they had an idea that they would be pedaling indefinitely around the United States, in search of a life less ordinary.

In this episode of Part Time Vagabond, Russ and Laura of The Path Less Pedaled talk about how they came to the decision to leave it all behind for two wheels and the open road.

Snow White – Winter Mountain Biking

// February 18th, 2010 // No Comments » // VIDEO

I love winter. Don’t get me wrong, summer is a favorite month too, but there’s something about winter: the falling snow, the crisp sunrises, the frozen snotcicles… Just makes me all warm and fuzzy inside. The only problem with winter is that I can’t do my favorite summertime sports. Mountain biking takes a back seat in winter for me. No bombing down singletrack in February for this snow bunny. I do love skiing though. Winter downhill sports are fun. But you can’t have both the adrenaline of mountain biking with the fresh packed powder of skiing/snowboarding.

Or can you?

Hat Tip to Casey at Just Northwest for pointing out the video.

HOW TO: Deal with Cabin Fever

// February 16th, 2010 // 1 Comment » // HOW TO

It’s mid-winter, and I’m antsy. Shorter days, being stuck indoors, and lack of sunlight (plus – surprsingly – a lack of snow here in Southern Maine) will really take a toll on even the heartiest of souls. For some, Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a very real problem that can lead to depression, anxiety, and physical problems. Even if you’re not suffering from SAD, another affliction – cabin fever – can set in after too many hours/days/weeks/months of being cooped up indoors. What to do?

Seasonal Affective Disorder

SAD is pretty easy to detect. You’ll feel lethargic and have crashes, especially in the afternoon. You’ll crave carbs, have an increased appetite, and want to sleep more. A lot more. Worst of all, you’ll start to feel depressed, and that can lead to social anxiety and withdrawal. No one wants to feel that way, but unfortunately, SAD feeds off itself, so it can be difficult to pull yourself out of it, especially when you’re stuck inside.

Fortunately, you can treat yourself for SAD. Aside from seeing a doctor who can prescribe medications for the depression, a change in diet, exercise habits, and time spent outdoors can really help to alleviate, if not eliminate, the problem. Sure, you can use a light therapy lamp to get some more daylight, and it will likely help. A better solution is to go outside, no matter how cold (layers, people. Layers), and enjoy what daylight you do have. The extra exercise will get your blood flowing and your body burning extra calories and the “bad fats” that would normally be stored as extra weight. Plus, you’ll stay warm!

Diet is also a key factor in treating SAD. Erin Dow, Expert Chef for Guiding Stars Licensing Company (GuidingStars on Twitter), says  “For me, eating a diet that includes healthy portions of dairy and eggs, fish, lean white meats, avocado, and nuts [is] helpful; it provides me with a boost of Vitamin B-12, Vitamin D, and tryptophan, an amino acid that many believe aids serotonin production in the brain and boosts mood.” Erin knows first hand the effects of SAD. “SAD is a bona-fide medical condition that I believe should be evaluated by a professional. I…believe that with our diet, we can help ourselves through these long winters. Eating a varied and colorful diet reduces…overall stress, keeping [your] body and mind healthier overall. Frankly, eating delicious foods makes me happier anyway, so it’s a win-win situation.”

In addition to a poor diet, if you’re confined by four walls with only a little bit of light streaming through the windows, it’s not enough to just sit by those windows, as your body knows it’s still got the darkness around you.

That leads me to a less severe, but no less irritating, winter problem:

Cabin Fever

We’ve all had this problem: You’re stuck inside because it’s too cold/snowy/dark outside, and you just don’t feel like going out into that. But you’re getting antsy, and you need to move around. Nah, you don’t want to go to the gym. No, you don’t want to go for a walk (didn’t they just hear you? It’s too cold/snowy/dark outside!). But man, you gotta do something! Maybe you’ll clean your room; you end up cleaning the entire house. Ok, that’s done. Hey, look at those old photo albums! You haven’t looked through all 97 of them in years! Well, ok, those weren’t as interesting as you thought. Maybe you’ll just go take a nap (SAD anyone?). But all you can do is toss and turn. Guess you’ll just go watch a movie on tv. Can’t watch a movie without popcorn. Oh, and a soda too. Maybe some candy to cheer me up. Nope. Hey, it’s raining out now! Well, you can still go out in that and be ok. You just need your raincoat. Now where is it?

Sound familiar?

Cabin fever is less serious than SAD, but no less irritating. While cabin fever is not an official medical condition, being stuck indoors for extended periods of time can lead to some of the same symptoms of SAD, on a less debilitating level. Cabin fever is not actually an official diagnosis of anything except needing to get your ass out of the house. It’s a damn fine excuse to strap on your boots, put on an extra layer of clothing, and hit the trails or wander the neighborhood.

I’m telling you: GO OUTSIDE!

Yeah, that’s actually a really good solution to all this. Go outside more. Even if you spend twenty minutes a day outside walking, running, getting the mail, something, that time spent with natural daylight will make you feel that much better. And the more time you spend out there, the better you’ll feel. If you’re at work, take a few minutes during your lunch break to walk around outside. The weekends are a prime time for outdoor activities, and the calories you’ll burn will actually make you feel better. Also, as we learned earlier in this post, eating the right kinds of foods can only help things improve. When it comes to both SAD and cabin fever, you have to take action to make things better. Once you take that very first step, your winter life will improve.

Disclaimer: No one in this article (myself or Erin Dow) are medical professionals. If you feel any of the symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder, I recommend you seek professional medical attention immediately. Seriously, do it. You’ll feel better.

Friday Snapshot: Sedona, Arizona

// February 12th, 2010 // 2 Comments » // SNAPSHOT

Bell Rock and Courthouse Butte - Sedona, Arzona

I took this picture of Bell Rock (on the left) and Courthouse Butte in Sedona, Arizona on a cross-country road trip way back in June of 2004. The Southwest American desert is so unlike any place I’d ever been, especially when you come from New England. The colors are truly fantastic any time of day, but the landscape seems to glow red at sunset when the heat of the day has baked the red rocks. The amazing thing is that these beautiful rock formations – formed by millenia of wind and rain erosion – is that they are highly accessible, these two laying mere yards off of Arizona’s Route 1 in the village of Oak Creek.