Post Holiday Blues
Posted on 19. Jan, 2011 by Ben in Ben, Nicole, The Gear Movers

The famous Tram at Jackson, fresh Pow here we come... Photo Courtesy of www.snowrev.com
If you’re like the rest of us, you probably had your fair share of holiday gifts, parties, lights, trees, crowds and hoopla. You’re ready to bundle up and grit your way through the winter months with a few glasses of red wine and wait for spring to arrive when we can all go out and play again!
Well, we have a few ideas that will help pass the time and, hey, maybe even make winter fun…
First idea? Well, skiing of course. Tons of snow in the high country means plenty-o-pow for you powder junkies. And, yes, we have a nice selection of skis, backcountry equipment, and warm clothing to get you out and playing for a reasonable, affordable cost. If you’re like me, you’ll want to spend that extra money you save on a trip to, well, Jackson Hole, WY. Did you know that you can get 3 nights lodging and 2 days of skiing for only $229 per person when you go up with 4 or more people? Ya, just found that out, I’m heading out at the end of the month and am likely skiing while you’re reading this – HA! Now, it’s Your turn!

Hiking the ridge at Jackson Photo courtesy of www.onthesnow.com
Second idea? Clean out the house. Ok, this one is not as fun; but the wife and I have been on a cleanse binge and it feels great to simplify our lives! Once you start, you won’t stop ‘till the house feels right. How do we get rid of all that extra junk? Oh yes, it’s another plug for The Gear Movement! Turn that old junk into cash so you can go to Jackson Hole!
Last idea? Go to the Denver Stock Show. Ok, too late now, but put it on your calendar for next January. If you live in Colorado, you must go ‘hick’ at least once, and this is the perfect opportunity. My kids loved it. They got to ride the merry-go-round driven by real ponies, pet the pigs, lamas and goats, and even see a real live, um, ah, cow show. How exciting! Ok, no kids? Then just go to the Rodeo at least, it’s a blast and you get to drink beer (which is a change from the wine you’ve been drinking).
Fast Tube by Casper
T-Shirt Contest? That’s it, I’m all out of ideas – let us know some of your ideas and we’ll give a free T-shirt to the best idea. Maybe even post that idea in our next Newsletter. Email us your winter fun ideas and you could win a sweet Gear Movement T-Shirt! If you dont want to be creative we can sell you one… just shoot us an email and we will hook it up!

The Gear Movement T-Shirt. Win yours today!
Rock On – Ben!
On the Road…
Posted on 15. Jul, 2010 by Elizabeth in The Gear Movers

The Shadow of our Amazing RV as we travel west!
The latest adventure took me through thousands of miles of the western United States, experiencing the continually changing landscape by RV, raft and boat, and even simply walking down its coastal highways. It all started with an RV, set rolling on wheels that haven’t moved in five years, and four friends ready for a new rafting adventure (as we’ve done in years past). A vintage RV, straight from 1978, complete with the general yellow tinge and faded fabrics, wood paneling, and brown shag carpet. Four of us left Colorado, driving this top-heavy, gas eating machine through Wyoming, Nevada deserts, and on to Oregon, taking the RV to its new home. After only one night relaxing in Oregon, we traded our spacious ride for a tight squeeze in a Jeep that backfires and only has two seats for four people, plus gear. But we make it work, and continue on our trip to the Klamath River in Northern California, encountering fewer and fewer other humans, moving further into the wilderness.

Driving down the lonely road heading west in Nevada

Avenue of the Giants - the Majestic Redwoods

Oregon Flowers and Shadows in the Summertime

Nic, Appel and Matt in the Jurassic Forest in Oregon

Fire, smoke and sunshine, in the Oregon forest in the summertime

Our modes of transport when not on the river in Oregon, good times!

The Redwoods in July
The river – the second goal of the trip. We inflate our craigslist purchased raft and set off on our way. It doesn’t take more than ten minutes before we find ourselves bailing out the boat, hit by a huge swell of water and gushing rapids spitting us out of the river. But this is the worst of it, or maybe it’s just we’re more prepared for what’s ahead. For three days we paddle and drifted through beautiful redwood forests, stopping every night under cloudless night skies to camp. We explored the river with the bears caught lazily swimming, the eagles flying over head, and ventured into the dense, enormous trees at the river banks. The last day on the raft, the mouth of the river becomes wider and wider, and we pull the raft to shore in sight of the white breakers of the Pacific Ocean.

The Klamath Crew July in the summertime

Awesome river foliage in the summertime in Oregon

Yum Yum, fishy eggs in the river

A jet boat on the river in July

Matt jumping in, this is one of our favorites!
Fog and wind roll in as well pull our raft to shore, but the journey is not over yet. In three days we covered about 90 miles on the river, but by road, it’s more like 120 miles between our only vehicle, the Jeep, and us. So, two of us set off on foot, each with a small bag slung over the shoulder, just in case we don’t make it back in one night. Thumbs out. Within minutes our first ride, a bright blue jet boat, drops us off at Highway 101, where we walk for a mile before our second ride. A savior, a traveler reluctant to return to LA, takes the rest of the way back to our car, chatting about the Illuminating, the Green Party, and random historical facts the entire way.

A Black Bear in the Klamath River in July

A Banana slug by the river
After camping on the beach, we make our way down the coast, along the 101 and back towards civilization, to San Francisco where we catch a flight. Almost exactly a week later, we are ending where we started, in Colorado.

The number one driver of the RV, its me!

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