06/25/2008 10:15 Mountain Time
Fields of Gold relates to the upper Jeremy Ranch mountain biking trail system. Here, on the north east side where the Preserve Connector trail starts to head from Jeremy into the Preserve is where there is an ABUNDANCE of yellow wildflowers. Every once in a while you will see BRIGHT red flowers and an occasional blue/purple. But yellow dominates. Absolutely beautiful!
While riding on Sunday around 16:30, I ran into all of 5 people. A great, lazy, Sunday afternoon spin with no one around. This will all change as the snowmelt is at its peak and the ski hills open up for summer activities. The weather is beautiful (an occasional rain would be nice to quell wildfire risk).
"Locals" summer activities are also in full swing. Mountain Town Stages (Making the Mountains Swing) is in full glory with multiple stages around town. Free music, mountains, cocktails, friends. What could be better than that on a Wednesday evening?
Speaking of Wednesday evening, Locals Have More Fun - An Environmentally Cool Company has a busy week:
06/29 Park Silly - Embrace the Madness on Main Street
07/02 Deer Valley Mountain Town Stages
07/04 July 4th at Miner's Park
Locals tip: Locals will have hoodies for men and women!!!
Have a great holiday!
Head Local
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Main Street Stores Don't Think Green Part II
06/19/2008 07:30 Mountain Time
I wrote this article about a year and a half ago and thought it would be appropriate as I took a recent stroll on Main Street and didn't see much difference. Also, being a trader in the financial markets and understanding the pain that high energy and commodity prices are causing the consumer, I thought it would be appropriate to stress the importance of "environmental comon sense".
*****************************************
While walking up Main Street on a bitter winter day, I was thinking about a recent editorial regarding what park City would be like wihtout snow. This winter we have waited and waited for the snow to come and it finally has! This winter has also provided us with our first Save Our Snow initiative and countless global warming "warnings".
While I walked, I was astonished to see numberous businesses with their doors held OPEN with door stops and wire hangers, inviting shoppers. I stepped into one of these businesses and felt a blast of warm air. Are local business owners thinking green?
Other stores with their doors wide open have stickers on the windows showing off their "support" for other green initiatives. Even worse offenders are the multi-national corporations with stores on Main street that sell organic cotton shirts and "combat global warming" books.
Main Street businesses' doors are open, but their minds are shut. Keeping your door open with the heat blasting or the air conditioner running (summer time is no different) is a deplorable way to attract customers. What are the chances that the managers behind these decisions are inattentive in their own homes as well?
Is our town really that concerned with global warming or, more importantly, using common sense? Many businesses on Main Street obviously are not.
Head Local
Park City
I wrote this article about a year and a half ago and thought it would be appropriate as I took a recent stroll on Main Street and didn't see much difference. Also, being a trader in the financial markets and understanding the pain that high energy and commodity prices are causing the consumer, I thought it would be appropriate to stress the importance of "environmental comon sense".
*****************************************
While walking up Main Street on a bitter winter day, I was thinking about a recent editorial regarding what park City would be like wihtout snow. This winter we have waited and waited for the snow to come and it finally has! This winter has also provided us with our first Save Our Snow initiative and countless global warming "warnings".
While I walked, I was astonished to see numberous businesses with their doors held OPEN with door stops and wire hangers, inviting shoppers. I stepped into one of these businesses and felt a blast of warm air. Are local business owners thinking green?
Other stores with their doors wide open have stickers on the windows showing off their "support" for other green initiatives. Even worse offenders are the multi-national corporations with stores on Main street that sell organic cotton shirts and "combat global warming" books.
Main Street businesses' doors are open, but their minds are shut. Keeping your door open with the heat blasting or the air conditioner running (summer time is no different) is a deplorable way to attract customers. What are the chances that the managers behind these decisions are inattentive in their own homes as well?
Is our town really that concerned with global warming or, more importantly, using common sense? Many businesses on Main Street obviously are not.
Head Local
Park City
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Red Rocks, Swift Rivers, No Fish
06/17/2008 19:00 Mountain
Have you ever driven north on Highway 82 from Aspen? Once you hit I-70, there is the most beautiful mountain of red rock.
I wonder if you can see it better these days due to the Mountain Pine Beetle attacking the pine trees, or the forest fire that burned acres of forest. Regardless, it is the most beautiful red rock, almost shimmering in the daylight. It reminded me of the Na Pali Coast on Kauai in Hawaii with its fluted ridgelines and vast array of light and dark hues.
Thinking about the beetle reminds me of a road trip to Aspen to the famed Conundrum Hot Springs. My buddy Paul drank the fat tire and when talking about the pine beetles and the decimated trees, he combined a few words and called them treetles. Very funny!!
Back to the red rocks. Below those beautiful red rocks is the raging Colorado River. Swollen, muddy, and fast from this year's plentiful snowfall and the resulting melt. This melt made the Roaring Fork, Frying Pan, and Difficult Creek very difficult to fly fish.
No fish, but more time to spend in Aspen. It was the Aspen Wine and Food Classic and I hear Bobby Flay was in town. Aspen is magical in the summer. It made me want to say: I would like to summer in Aspen. Strange, but true!
Have a great day,
Head Local
Have you ever driven north on Highway 82 from Aspen? Once you hit I-70, there is the most beautiful mountain of red rock.
I wonder if you can see it better these days due to the Mountain Pine Beetle attacking the pine trees, or the forest fire that burned acres of forest. Regardless, it is the most beautiful red rock, almost shimmering in the daylight. It reminded me of the Na Pali Coast on Kauai in Hawaii with its fluted ridgelines and vast array of light and dark hues.
Thinking about the beetle reminds me of a road trip to Aspen to the famed Conundrum Hot Springs. My buddy Paul drank the fat tire and when talking about the pine beetles and the decimated trees, he combined a few words and called them treetles. Very funny!!
Back to the red rocks. Below those beautiful red rocks is the raging Colorado River. Swollen, muddy, and fast from this year's plentiful snowfall and the resulting melt. This melt made the Roaring Fork, Frying Pan, and Difficult Creek very difficult to fly fish.
No fish, but more time to spend in Aspen. It was the Aspen Wine and Food Classic and I hear Bobby Flay was in town. Aspen is magical in the summer. It made me want to say: I would like to summer in Aspen. Strange, but true!
Have a great day,
Head Local
29 Miles Per Gallon
06/17/2008 18:30 Mountain
Hello Friends,
Thank goodness for technology.
I recently took a road trip from Park City, UT to Denver, CO, stopping in many resort towns along the way. My Ford Escape SUV Hybrid, loaded down with camping gear and Locals Have More Fun clothing hummed along at 29 miles per hour.
Steamboat Springs, Edwards, Avon, Beaver Creek, Vail, Frisco, Breckenridge, Dillon, and Silverthorne were hit in on Friday. Denver, Boulder, Golden, and Aspen were hit on Sunday.
There is something to be said about that Rocky Mountain High. It was great to be in a state with somewhat normal liquor laws (3.2 beer is still envogue). A high five was given as we crossed the state line into Colorado and the Tabernacle Choir welcomed us across the state line into Utah as we passed Dinosaur.
Locals had a strong weekend with a strong performance in a weekend fair in Holladay and then in Colorado with a strong response from soft goods buyers in the resort towns and healthy meetings with sales reps and our screen printers.
The momentum is gaining and Locals will be able to offset its carbon footprint, educate, and give back sooner than thought.
Have a great day,
Head Local
Hello Friends,
Thank goodness for technology.
I recently took a road trip from Park City, UT to Denver, CO, stopping in many resort towns along the way. My Ford Escape SUV Hybrid, loaded down with camping gear and Locals Have More Fun clothing hummed along at 29 miles per hour.
Steamboat Springs, Edwards, Avon, Beaver Creek, Vail, Frisco, Breckenridge, Dillon, and Silverthorne were hit in on Friday. Denver, Boulder, Golden, and Aspen were hit on Sunday.
There is something to be said about that Rocky Mountain High. It was great to be in a state with somewhat normal liquor laws (3.2 beer is still envogue). A high five was given as we crossed the state line into Colorado and the Tabernacle Choir welcomed us across the state line into Utah as we passed Dinosaur.
Locals had a strong weekend with a strong performance in a weekend fair in Holladay and then in Colorado with a strong response from soft goods buyers in the resort towns and healthy meetings with sales reps and our screen printers.
The momentum is gaining and Locals will be able to offset its carbon footprint, educate, and give back sooner than thought.
Have a great day,
Head Local
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Recycle Utah Tip of the Day
06/11/2008 7:00 Mountain
Locals Have More Fun green tip of the day:
Recycle Utah, located on Woodbine Way now accepts bike tubes and tires!
Relating this green tip to the Locals Have More Fun sustainable clothing line: we now have
male and female mountain bikers!! Just in time for another June snowstorm, go out there and get on your bike (but let the trails dry out first!)
Locals Have More Fun green tip of the day:
Recycle Utah, located on Woodbine Way now accepts bike tubes and tires!
Relating this green tip to the Locals Have More Fun sustainable clothing line: we now have
male and female mountain bikers!! Just in time for another June snowstorm, go out there and get on your bike (but let the trails dry out first!)
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
The Home Depot Loop
06/10/2008 17:00 Mountain
Hello Friends,
An update on the Head Local's road bike ride - a ride to stretch the legs out and basically just go out for a spin.
The ride begins in Pinebrook and heads East on North Frontage Road (Rasmussen) and goes past Kimball Junction. This road is traveled very infrequently and the pavement is very good.
Once you pass Kimball Junction, the road (I think) turns into Bitner, but before long, you cross under the highway to Trailside (South Frontage Road). This is a great stretch as you have the Swaner Nature Presserve on your right - a wide expanse of prairie grass and wetlands where wildlife is abundant.
Wind east and then turn south ending up at the Silver Creek Exit - staying on the same road the entire way.
At the stop sign, make a left and go over Highway 40. Home Depot is here (hence the ride's namesake) as well as a gas station for Gatorade, etc...
Turn right on, yes, you got it, Frontage Road (these all parallel major highways). Heading south you enter what is called Round Valley/Quinn's Junction. It is a decent road with one little climb just past Home Depot and then flat for a few miles - nice to have the wind at my back but I know I will pay on the way home. Oh how little did I know!
At Quinn's Junction, you head East on Kearn's Boulevard into Park City. The road is nice but there are rumble strips so pick the white line, or a little to the right where you are inside the rumble strips. Stay straight until the road comes to a T. On the right, you will find Squatter's Roadhouse Bar and Grill - a great brewpub with good food. Service can be slow at times. They do have a frequent diner card - always a bonus. I love my Squatter's pint glasses!
Make the right turn at Squatter's and head north, down, down, down into Kimball Junction where you once again meet up with North Frontage Road. Make a left and home is only 2 flat miles away.
Those 2 flat miles felt like 10 as the moment I came into Park City (past PC Hill) the wind said, HELLO! The wind stayed with me for the final 40 minutes and I was cold enough that when I got home:
I turned on the fire
and the heat
took a hot shower
put on socks
pants
2 sweatshirts
a hat
and hopped in bed, underneath 2 blankets.
Nonetheless, the ride is about 22 miles from door to door and is a great "spin" as it is flat the entire way, save the headwind.
Have a great day,
Brian
Hello Friends,
An update on the Head Local's road bike ride - a ride to stretch the legs out and basically just go out for a spin.
The ride begins in Pinebrook and heads East on North Frontage Road (Rasmussen) and goes past Kimball Junction. This road is traveled very infrequently and the pavement is very good.
Once you pass Kimball Junction, the road (I think) turns into Bitner, but before long, you cross under the highway to Trailside (South Frontage Road). This is a great stretch as you have the Swaner Nature Presserve on your right - a wide expanse of prairie grass and wetlands where wildlife is abundant.
Wind east and then turn south ending up at the Silver Creek Exit - staying on the same road the entire way.
At the stop sign, make a left and go over Highway 40. Home Depot is here (hence the ride's namesake) as well as a gas station for Gatorade, etc...
Turn right on, yes, you got it, Frontage Road (these all parallel major highways). Heading south you enter what is called Round Valley/Quinn's Junction. It is a decent road with one little climb just past Home Depot and then flat for a few miles - nice to have the wind at my back but I know I will pay on the way home. Oh how little did I know!
At Quinn's Junction, you head East on Kearn's Boulevard into Park City. The road is nice but there are rumble strips so pick the white line, or a little to the right where you are inside the rumble strips. Stay straight until the road comes to a T. On the right, you will find Squatter's Roadhouse Bar and Grill - a great brewpub with good food. Service can be slow at times. They do have a frequent diner card - always a bonus. I love my Squatter's pint glasses!
Make the right turn at Squatter's and head north, down, down, down into Kimball Junction where you once again meet up with North Frontage Road. Make a left and home is only 2 flat miles away.
Those 2 flat miles felt like 10 as the moment I came into Park City (past PC Hill) the wind said, HELLO! The wind stayed with me for the final 40 minutes and I was cold enough that when I got home:
I turned on the fire
and the heat
took a hot shower
put on socks
pants
2 sweatshirts
a hat
and hopped in bed, underneath 2 blankets.
Nonetheless, the ride is about 22 miles from door to door and is a great "spin" as it is flat the entire way, save the headwind.
Have a great day,
Brian
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Green Headquarters
06/04/2008 14:15 Mountain
Hello Friends,
A neat little article from the magazine Stocks, Futures, and Options regarding the new headquarters at PFG in Cedar Falls, Iowa. Here is the part I love:
"Further, it will encourage employee loyalty and recruitment of top individuals. Part of the reason for constructing an environmentally positive buidling is to recognize the importance of the people who work for us. If we are willing to go the extra mile to create a green buidling for our employees, it sends a message to them that we not only are concerned about the environment but are concerned about them as well- that we want to provide a healthy work environment for them."
What a cool concept. Google employs this mentality as does Patagonia, Fat Tire, and other green companies that care about their eomployees and employees families.
This philosophy is the backbone of Locals Have More Fun. Required reading for our employees is Yvon Chouinard's book, Let My People Go Surfing. As the founder of Patagonia, he became a businessman his way, on his ideals.
Locals strives to be the same type of company. Valuing our sourcers, distributors, and you, the end user.
**********************
Locals tip of the week in Park City: yard sales, yard sales, yard sales. The weather is warming up (although cold and rainy today and tomorrow), but by the weekend, the deals will be in the front yards!!!
Locals tip of the week II: FatKid Pizza in the Sidecar Bar and Restaurant. The best red sauce in Utah!
Have a great day!
Hello Friends,
A neat little article from the magazine Stocks, Futures, and Options regarding the new headquarters at PFG in Cedar Falls, Iowa. Here is the part I love:
"Further, it will encourage employee loyalty and recruitment of top individuals. Part of the reason for constructing an environmentally positive buidling is to recognize the importance of the people who work for us. If we are willing to go the extra mile to create a green buidling for our employees, it sends a message to them that we not only are concerned about the environment but are concerned about them as well- that we want to provide a healthy work environment for them."
What a cool concept. Google employs this mentality as does Patagonia, Fat Tire, and other green companies that care about their eomployees and employees families.
This philosophy is the backbone of Locals Have More Fun. Required reading for our employees is Yvon Chouinard's book, Let My People Go Surfing. As the founder of Patagonia, he became a businessman his way, on his ideals.
Locals strives to be the same type of company. Valuing our sourcers, distributors, and you, the end user.
**********************
Locals tip of the week in Park City: yard sales, yard sales, yard sales. The weather is warming up (although cold and rainy today and tomorrow), but by the weekend, the deals will be in the front yards!!!
Locals tip of the week II: FatKid Pizza in the Sidecar Bar and Restaurant. The best red sauce in Utah!
Have a great day!
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Rising Commodity Prices
06/03/2008 18:25 Mountain
Hello Friends,
I found a geat article in Transworld Business - The Leader in Boardsports News and Information, by Jeff Harbaugh regarding the labor chase and commodity prices. Are we going to come back to the United States in order to produce so the Europeans will have more purchasing power. Probably not, but it does make you wonder if the labor chase is ending and if the US Dollar's purchasing power is ending as well. Regardless, retailers will have to pass on higher production costs to the consumer.
A great way to stay on top of changing fundamental trends and a way to profit from it is to check out Into The Markets - Investment Education One Step at a Time.
As a currency trader, it is interesting to see how these massive fluctuations and devaluations in one currency can affect the outdoor apparel industry. A very strong industry right now, but if a recession takes place, how will it hold up?
Have a great day and GO PENS!
Hello Friends,
I found a geat article in Transworld Business - The Leader in Boardsports News and Information, by Jeff Harbaugh regarding the labor chase and commodity prices. Are we going to come back to the United States in order to produce so the Europeans will have more purchasing power. Probably not, but it does make you wonder if the labor chase is ending and if the US Dollar's purchasing power is ending as well. Regardless, retailers will have to pass on higher production costs to the consumer.
A great way to stay on top of changing fundamental trends and a way to profit from it is to check out Into The Markets - Investment Education One Step at a Time.
As a currency trader, it is interesting to see how these massive fluctuations and devaluations in one currency can affect the outdoor apparel industry. A very strong industry right now, but if a recession takes place, how will it hold up?
Have a great day and GO PENS!
Wildflowers of Every Color
06/03/2008 18:15 Mountain
Hello Friends,
I wanted to follow up on my rockin mountain bike ride this past weekend. It wasn't EPIC, but it was a great Sunday morning ride.
I started from my home in Pinebrook and went under I-80 to the Jeremy Ranch side. Past the LDS temple, parking lot packed to the gills and down the back nine of Jeremy Ranch Golf Club.
At the back of the course, in the scrub brush, starts a gnarly climb from the valley floor. 25 minutes up, up, up so now I am looking down on the manicured lawns of the golf course.
Wildflowers - yello, blue, red, purple are springing up everywhere. As I climb the trail known as 24/7, I start to level off - still climbing, but some rollers come in every once and a while. I climb high enough to meet with the Preerve Connector and then the Flying Dog trail.
I have never been on the Flying Dog before, but I immediately liked it as it took me from southwest facing slopes to northeast - the trail was firmer (not as sandy as the front side) and the wildflowers were everywhere. The colors were more intense. Blues and purples mixed. Stunning!!
The Flying Dog kep winding up, up, up and provided great views of the Jeremy Ranch and Pinebrook neighborhoods and my new home in Southridge! I turned around after savoring the view and enjoyed the rolling downhill with a few creek crossings - merging with the Preserve Connector and heading up and around the backside of Jeremy Ranch and cresting the Preserve neighborhood.
Here, they are putting in new roads (like we need more new roads for 2nd/3rd homes that are 4000-6000 square feet. Do these people care about the environment when they are in these homes 2-4 weeks out of the year? Regardless, I crossed the road and headed up to the trail connector and the largest mule deer I have ever seen galloped across the road.
When I say large, I mean large. It was galloping in S-L-O-W motion and I could see every muscle fiber in its hind quarters propelling it across the road. It seemed as though it took 4 steps to cover 30 yards. It was majestic - sort of like the scene in the Queen when she saw the buck.
For a lazy Sunday morning ride, it was quite phenomenal. Flora, fauna, blue skies, and a decent sweat.
Have a great day,
Brian
Hello Friends,
I wanted to follow up on my rockin mountain bike ride this past weekend. It wasn't EPIC, but it was a great Sunday morning ride.
I started from my home in Pinebrook and went under I-80 to the Jeremy Ranch side. Past the LDS temple, parking lot packed to the gills and down the back nine of Jeremy Ranch Golf Club.
At the back of the course, in the scrub brush, starts a gnarly climb from the valley floor. 25 minutes up, up, up so now I am looking down on the manicured lawns of the golf course.
Wildflowers - yello, blue, red, purple are springing up everywhere. As I climb the trail known as 24/7, I start to level off - still climbing, but some rollers come in every once and a while. I climb high enough to meet with the Preerve Connector and then the Flying Dog trail.
I have never been on the Flying Dog before, but I immediately liked it as it took me from southwest facing slopes to northeast - the trail was firmer (not as sandy as the front side) and the wildflowers were everywhere. The colors were more intense. Blues and purples mixed. Stunning!!
The Flying Dog kep winding up, up, up and provided great views of the Jeremy Ranch and Pinebrook neighborhoods and my new home in Southridge! I turned around after savoring the view and enjoyed the rolling downhill with a few creek crossings - merging with the Preserve Connector and heading up and around the backside of Jeremy Ranch and cresting the Preserve neighborhood.
Here, they are putting in new roads (like we need more new roads for 2nd/3rd homes that are 4000-6000 square feet. Do these people care about the environment when they are in these homes 2-4 weeks out of the year? Regardless, I crossed the road and headed up to the trail connector and the largest mule deer I have ever seen galloped across the road.
When I say large, I mean large. It was galloping in S-L-O-W motion and I could see every muscle fiber in its hind quarters propelling it across the road. It seemed as though it took 4 steps to cover 30 yards. It was majestic - sort of like the scene in the Queen when she saw the buck.
For a lazy Sunday morning ride, it was quite phenomenal. Flora, fauna, blue skies, and a decent sweat.
Have a great day,
Brian
Monday, June 2, 2008
Truly A Local Weekend
06/02/2008 13:50 Mountain
Hello Friends,
It was a beautiful weekend in Park City. Mid 70's, light winds, an occasional drop of rain.
We seem to have cleared the hurdle of May with colder temps and a rain/snow mix. It is the first weekend of June and as my friend Gary said, "this is why we live here"
He said it as we were at a friend's house, standing on the deck looking northwest from the top of Pinebrook. The sun had just gone over Parley's and the sky was clear, not a hint of wind, and all types of colors started to fill the sky. Gary commented (over a few vodka/crans) that he wouldn't think of leaving Park City during this time of year. No tourists, 2 for 1's at the restaurants, perfect weather, and friends.
He is right. A day of exercising, hanging with the family, and then getting together in the evening with a few friends and sharing the sunset. Not bad!
******
Here is a recap of the weekend regarding things to do.
***The mountains aren't open for summer activities, so the official summer season doesn't kick off for a few more weeks. (Still a lot of snow up there, so the resorts may be pushing back that date - not unlike pushing back the start to this banner ski season when there was very little snow).
***The south facing trails above Jeremy Ranch/Glenwild are in terrific shape. A few are:
24/7, Flying Dog, The Preserve Connector
Have a great day,
Brian
Hello Friends,
It was a beautiful weekend in Park City. Mid 70's, light winds, an occasional drop of rain.
We seem to have cleared the hurdle of May with colder temps and a rain/snow mix. It is the first weekend of June and as my friend Gary said, "this is why we live here"
He said it as we were at a friend's house, standing on the deck looking northwest from the top of Pinebrook. The sun had just gone over Parley's and the sky was clear, not a hint of wind, and all types of colors started to fill the sky. Gary commented (over a few vodka/crans) that he wouldn't think of leaving Park City during this time of year. No tourists, 2 for 1's at the restaurants, perfect weather, and friends.
He is right. A day of exercising, hanging with the family, and then getting together in the evening with a few friends and sharing the sunset. Not bad!
******
Here is a recap of the weekend regarding things to do.
***The mountains aren't open for summer activities, so the official summer season doesn't kick off for a few more weeks. (Still a lot of snow up there, so the resorts may be pushing back that date - not unlike pushing back the start to this banner ski season when there was very little snow).
***The south facing trails above Jeremy Ranch/Glenwild are in terrific shape. A few are:
24/7, Flying Dog, The Preserve Connector
Have a great day,
Brian
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