More Than Just a Change in Season.

Two weeks have passed and so much has changed. It's officially fall - my favorite season.

A few updates:
1) As promised, I have two fall recipes to share
2) 10 more miles have been added toward my goal
3) I accepted a new position in Salt Lake City, Utah and will be moving in just over a month. Crazy right?

For my first round of fall recipes I give you Quinoa Lasagna brought to you by Averie Cooks and Spicy Southwest Pumpkin Soup by A Spicy Perspective.

These ladies were spot on with their recipes and I didn't modify either recipe aside from using lactose free dairy products and a spicy marinara for the lasagna. Both recipes were easy, filling, and vegetarian. Perfect for fall and could easily have meat added if you prefer.

Last weekend I ventured back to the Bitterroot for another hike into the Selway Bitterroot Wilderness up Sweeney Creek. Given that I was in a time crunch, I only ventured to the first of three lakes, Peterson Lake. The hike was 10 miles round trip which puts me at 47 miles since I've returned from New Mexico. I have one week and 13 miles to go to reach my goal!

Here is a view of Peterson Lake from the trail. From this point the trail takes a long descent down to the lake and then continued to climb back up to the upper lakes.

After hiking Saturday, it was time to celebrate Lindsey's 25th birthday. The Griz had a win and we played drinking games that had not been thought of since we were 21. Funny how things change. After the game we went out to celebrate and see my favorite local band, The Lil Smokies. I was lucky enough to see them the following day as well at Montana Snowbowl where they opened for David Grisman.

Ski areas, beer, and live music. What more could I want?

Now begins the countdown for the big move. I can't believe how fast these next five weeks are going to pass. I have so many trips, hikes, and places to eat for my last hurrah (for now) in my favorite state and place I call home. Kettlehouse, you'll be seeing me...many times.

I'm really looking forward to exploring, skiing, and adventuring in Utah. I can't wait to add another state to my list of places lived. The Northwest Gypsy forges ahead.... but let's not get ahead of ourselves. It's my favorite time of the year in Missoula and I intend to enjoy every moment.

Grab your boots and party pants, this will be one hell of an October.
Hike on and beer me.

k.

Time Flies.

The last month has been a bit of a hiatus between driving back to Missoula, going out on a fire assignment, and traveling around catching up on all the summer hiking in Montana that I missed. How is it already the second week in September? This month marks my sixth year in Missoula and I seriously don't know where the time has gone. Over the years I have been able to explore and experience so many great things in the area, but there's always room for more.

To all my fellow day-hikers, I highly recommend checking out your local REI or Barnes and Noble for any hiking book by Robert Stone. If you're in the Missoula area, I recommend "Day Hikes Around Missoula". I always had thought I was pretty knowledgeable about day hikes around Missoula and had been on many. After buying this book I realized how many I didn't know about and how over the years I had clearly found my favorites and put myself on repeat.

I tried to diversify my first hikes back with all new routes. Some were simple, some were long, but they were all beautiful. It feels great to be back in the forests. I finally visited the largest Western Larch in the country last weekend which is right outside of the town of Seeley Lake.  Over Labor Day weekend my dad and I made a rainy and cold (48 degress) 10 mile trek in the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness.

Ravine Trail - Grant Creek/Rattlesnake Wilderness

Morrell Falls - Lolo National Forest

Bass Lake - Selway Bitterroot Wilderness 

The snow hasn't started to fall quite yet. There is still plenty of time to check a few more off of the list and still be able to hike a few of my favorites. My goal is to get 60 miles in (since I've been back to Montana) by the end of September. Currently I'm at 37 miles, game on.

If I haven't mentioned before, I love fall. The weather is great, ski season is almost here, and it's football season. GO CHIEFS. Fortunately I missed the game yesterday because I was hiking as they lost terribly to the Titans. The thing about being a fan of a team that is hit or miss every year is that you finally accept the "no expectations, no disappointments" attitude and find that you will be much more happy. Especially when they pull through with a win.

Cooking during the fall/football season is also one of my favorite seasons to explore in the kitchen. Time to dust off the crockpot. Bring on the baked goods and beer-cheese dip.

I hope to have an update on my mileage goal and will have a new recipe next time, I promise.

Go explore.

k.

Adios New Mexico

August already? Amazing how time flies when you're having fun. I didn't know what to expect on my journey to New Mexico. I figured I'd get a tan (more freckles), eat delicious food, and go on a few trips to hike. All of which I did aside from the tan, therefore remaining one of the most pale people in the state. Can't win them all.

My goal was to do as much as I could. I made lists of places to eat, visit, and explore and I can honestly say I completed all of these things except catching a lizard, those little devils are quick. I really fell in love with the Southwest. Call me crazy, but there is something about the colors and culture that just got me.

 Looking back, I couldn't be more happy about the things I have accomplished. My hiking goals were exceeded by hiking the tallest peak in New Mexico (and in my life) and defeating that record by hiking my first 14er. I absolutely loved stand up paddle boarding the Rio Grande even though I couldn't see the bottom of the river. I loved that I was able to meet up with my close friends who live in Colorado and have others come and stay with me.

After experiencing Albuquerque and many parts of New Mexico to their fullest, I'll share my favorite places to go and things to do if you ever find yourself here.

1)  La Cumbre and Marble Brewing - great beer and a good atmosphere.
2) El Patron - The best queso I could find and you'd better believe I tried many.
3) The Sandia Crest- accessible by tram or car, it's a beautiful view and trail in the forest overlooking the city and across the desert.
4) Bandelier National Monument - such a unique area about an hour north of Albuquerque full of ancient Native American petroglyphs and gorgeous landscapes. 
5) The Shed (Santa Fe)- if you find yourself in Santa Fe you must go here. Yes you'll need reservations or it'll be a long wait, but the food is worth it.
6) Taos- my favorite place in New Mexico. Breweries, the Rio Grande Gorge, Taos Cow, ski areas, and mountains. I can't wait to get back. 

I really could go on about the places to visit. In the end, the things I'll miss most about New Mexico are:
1) Lizards and road runners
2) Breweries not closing until midnight
3) Inexpensive and delicious Thai food
4) Ristras decorating the streets and buildings
5) Real margaritas and salsa - they will just never be the same up north
6) Hot air balloons filling the sky in the morning (Balloon Fiesta, I'll see you someday)

Things I will not miss:
1) The worst drivers in the country - this has been confirmed by people who live here, I'm not being biased.

Some of my favorite moments from this trip:

Blue Sky - Rebel Donut

Wine kisses

Mt Lindsey accent

The. Best. Pho. Ever.

Petroglyphs at Bandelier National Monument

Williams Lake - Taos

The last two months have exceeded my expectations of New Mexico and have been truly wonderful. I'll be seeing the Land of Enchantment soon.

Fire season is heating up in Montana. I can't wait. Missoula I'm coming for you. 

k

Desert Dessert

The weather in Albuquerque couldn't be any better than it has been in the last couple of weeks. Days of sunshine that don't get scorching hot and evenings full of wild thunderstorms and rain.

If I haven't mentioned it before, I love rollerblading aka "blading" and call my fellow members near and far as "bladers" (we kind of have a gang-thing going, apply within). Albuquerque has several paved biking trails that are uninterrupted by cross traffic making them perfect to blade on. My favorite trail is the Bosque Trail which parallels the Rio Grande. I've been able to go on many tours on the trail to soak up the sunshine before hurrying back to the AC.

This past weekend I was really excited to have my friend Erica come and stay with me for the weekend on her way back east from the Grand Canyon. Erica and I originally bonded over outdoor activities and Missoula breweries so it only made sense to take her to my favorite breweries in the Querque.

Erica at our second trip to Marble

The weekend consisted of many pounds of New Mexican food, four different quesos, beers, and acquiring a CD from a local hip hop artist (performance included). Luckily my friend from high school Sydney, who lives in Albuquerque, was able to join in the festivities. All I have to say is if you ever have the opportunity to listen to live, local music - even if it's not your style- do it. I don't think the start of our night could have been anymore entertaining than the four-man lineup at Ghost Flame that we stumbled across on Saturday.

In the same shape she left me in. Broken foot.

I realized the other day that as much as I am enjoying being in the Southwest this summer, I was really missing something that always reminds me of summer and home: rhubarb. I love rhubarb. My mom has always made rhubarb pies, sauces, cakes, you name it, she makes it and it's always delicious. I worked at a pie and ice cream shop for three years in South Dakota that serves up some of the best pies I've ever had and especially the ones with rhubarb. Surprisingly the rhubarb in New Mexico was looking good and inspired me to bake.

Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

This is one of my favorite desserts. I love crisps because of the crunch on top and they are a heck of a lot easier to make than a pie. I like to taste the tartness of the rhubarb so if you feel the need to adjust the recipe accordingly then do so. The granulated white sugar can be substituted with honey or agave nectar. I would only use a couple of tablespoons if you choose to go that route.

Ingredients:
2 lbs of fresh strawberries, hulled & sliced (roughly 2 lbs)
2-3 cups of chopped rhubarb (make sure to cut larger stalks in half before chopping to make smaller pieces)
1 cup granulated white sugar (to taste)
2 TBS cornstarch
Topping:
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
3/4 cup brown sugar
6 TBS butter, slightly softened
Dash of salt

Method:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Place chopped rhubarb in a bowl, sprinkle 3/4 cup sugar on top and stir. Let sit for 10-15 minutes. Place sliced strawberries in a bowl, add remaining 1/4 cup sugar and stir. Let sit for 10 minutes.

Drain any excess liquid from the bottom of the two bowls after time has passed. Combine fruits into one bowl, add cornstarch, and stir until cornstarch is absorbed. Pour fruit mixture into a 9x13 in baking dish. In a separate bowl mix brown sugar, oats, and a dash of salt. Add butter to this mixture and combine using a pastry blender or two butter knives to cut the butter in. Combine until crumbly. Sprinkle oat mixture evenly over the top of the fruit.

Place dish in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes. Start checking your dessert around 30 minutes as you don't want the crisp to burn. At 35 minutes I shut the oven off and let the crisp bake the remainder of the 40 minutes.

I plan on finishing this pan. Treat yo'self always. Enjoy this dessert from the desert. 9 days until I travel north.

k

The Countdown Begins

The last five weeks have absolutely flown by. I can't believe my time in the Southwest is coming to an end in just over two weeks.I have been lucky to travel around and do so many new things while being in New Mexico. Seeing roadrunners multiple times in the last week has been awesome. I will take roadrunners and lizards over deer any day.

This past weekend my mom came to town and we were able to play tourist a bit a check several items off of my "to-do" list. Some of which were:

1.) Riding the Sandia Peak Tramway to the top of the Sandia Crest. The tram is the longest single cable tram in the country and the third longest in the world. The ride up gains about 4000 feet in elevation ending at 10,378 feet. From the summit one can see 11,000 square miles into the desert. Pretty neat.

Sandia Peak Tramway

2) Eating at The Shed in Santa Fe. A local favorite full of color and delicious food. Santa Fe is awesome. If you plan on going here I highly suggest reservations or showing up at 4:30 (for dinner), putting your name on the list, and grabbing a margarita while you wait. Our favorite thing by far was the cold raspberry soup. Try it. I swear I could eat it every day. You may even see it as a recipe on here someday.

Cold raspberry soup at The Shed

3) Roadtripping to the Jemez Mountains and Bandelier National Monument. Just an hour north of Albuquerque are the beautiful Jemez Mountains, home of the tallest waterfall in New Mexico. For those of us from coastal states or anywhere with many water features, this falls may not seem that high. After spending over a month in New Mexico I'll take what I can get. East of the Jemez Mountains lies Bandelier National Monument, home of the ancient Pueblo Indian ruins and petroglyphs. My mom and I visited the Tsankawi Ruins in the northeast corner of the park which were awesome. Climbing ladders to the tops of mesas, petroglyphs, and the dwellings in the lava rock were all worth the hike in the storm. The paths and staircases along the rock were slowly carved out of the rock with many years of foot traffic.

Natural walkways carved into the rock

4) Eat a green chile cheeseburger. This inevitably needed to happen. New Mexico is known for their green chile cheeseburgers, fries, eggs, you name it, they have it. Though most places in Albuquerque sell a green chile cheeseburger, I decided that if I was going to eat a burger it was going to be one of the famous ones-even if that means a semi fast food (cringe) burger. In honor of National Junk Food Day yesterday (why does America even need this as a day?) I went to Blake's Lotaburger after passing many of these restaurants for the last month. Make no mistake this burger is spicy and 100% New Mexican. All in all, I'm happy that Blake's Lotaburger broke my streak of not eating fast food for over a year. Until next year National Junk Food Day.

I have a few more goals to accomplish in the coming weeks. Old friends visiting and spending time with new friends. I am really hoping to see the monsoon season before I head north.

PS. If you ever have the chance to come to Albuquerque, check out Flying Star Cafe, it's my favorite and I will miss it dearly. Also- get a creme brulee beignet. You will not regret it. Not even a little.

k

New Heights

One of my favorite beers I've found in New Mexico is the La Cumbre Elevated IPA as I've mentioned previously. La Cumbre means "the summit" in Spanish which brings me to the topic of this post: summits. But first, let's talk rivers.

The Rio Grande flows right through the middle of Albuquerque. The river isn't very deep, I would say an average depth of 3 feet with some parts more shallow or deep. Last Saturday I decided to do a 5 mile stand up paddleboard (SUP) tour down the Rio Grande. The tour was half tour and half a lesson on how to maneuver the river and it's obstacles. For example, getting in and out of eddy's, ferrying to shores, multiple paddle strokes, and finally a quarter mile upstream race (ouch). The Rio Grande is the first river I've been on where I couldn't see the bottom. The water was completely brown from agricultural runoff. The tour was awesome and worth every hour in the dry desert heat. I digress...

This weekend I journeyed out of town to meet Melody and her boyfriend in Colorado to do some hiking and camping. By hiking I specifically mean conquering my first 14er, Mount Lindsay. West of Walsenburg, CO in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains stands the 14,042 foot tall peak. I was not only excited to set a new PR for the tallest peak I've hiked, but to complete it with these two. Being really organized for a hike like this is essential from not only planning where to camp, what to bring, and what the route will be. I highly suggest utilizing the 14ers website when planning your hike.

The road to the trailhead was a bit of a trek, but ended at a spectacular view and a great camp site next to the trailhead.

View from the parking area where we camped

We started our hiked at 5:30 a.m. which was a great choice given the heat and the frequent afternoon thunderstorms that happen in the mountains. Here are some photos from our ascent before we were above the tree line. 

Wildflowers were in bloom along the creek

Just before the boulder field

Sunrise

After reaching the saddle of the start of the ridge it was time to put our helmets on, get the map out, and determine our route along the northwest ridge of the mountain. There were about ten others hiking Mt Lindsey on Saturday as well. It was nice to have a sense of comradery with our fellow hikers, especially when things got tough. There are 2 main routes to the top, we chose the rock climbing ridge route for the ascent and the scree of rocks in the gully for the descent, thankfully. 

From the base of the saddle, the false summit is pictured here. 

None of us had ever had to do this level of rock climbing to get to a peak. I was nervous but felt better being with people I trusted and somewhat knowing the route we were planning to take. The following are the photos I was able to take during the ascent. I can honestly say that at one point during the "semi class-4" climbing area, it was the closest I have ever come to having a panic attack. The important thing I learned was being able to overcome my fears and really apply mind over matter.

Final steps to the top of the false summit

One of the easier crevices we were able to climb

Our route was scurrying on the left and down the ridge

Reaching the top of the false summit was such a feat. It was only a short distance to the actual summit on a defined trail. By this point we had reached 14,000 feet and it felt so good. The trail had a very great string of cairns that were even throughout the ridge. At that, we had reached the summit.

Cairns at the summit

Apparently my excitement and relief to be at the top of this beast resulted in a power stance. I secretly think I was having a post-panic grounding stance. Blanca Peak is directly behind me. It was such a beautiful view from the top.

After finishing our lunch and signing into the log, we began our descent down the gully. As opposed to the very sturdy granite we had climbing up, the gully was a steep scree of loose rock that we mostly had to slide or side step down. After the gully it was just a long route down of dodging hail and aggressive marmots. 

We were pretty spent after our trek and in search of a well deserved beer. I was so happy to have these two with me for this experience. I love accomplishing personal goals especially in good company. Colorado, you never disappoint. Mount Lindsey, thanks for being my first and definitely not my last 14er. 

Now go out there and get elevated.

k

America's Birthday Dinner - Southwest Style

As my third week in New Mexico comes to an end I've made some headway on some local eateries and watering holes in Albuquerque.

For those of you who don't know, the chili situation in New Mexico consists of red, green, or Christmas (combo of the two). Each restaurant differs as to which kind is hotter. The few times I've been out, I've gone with Christmas, seems to be the best of both worlds for me.

Living in Montana has really raised my standards for beer and breweries. Atmosphere is really important and of course, so is good beer. The first brewery I visited was La Cumbre. It's laid back, has an eclectic group of people, and good beer. I tend to judge a brewery by their IPA and the Elevated IPA at La Cumbre definitely passed. Last Sunday I made my way downtown and visited Marble Brewing. This was the first brewery in Albuquerque. Marble has a great vibe with an outdoor stage and local food trucks scheduled daily to be parked outside. The brewery recently took first in the world Pilsner competition. My favorite beers here were their double IPA and the Marble Red. Unlike Montana, New Mexico does not have laws that put a limit on the number of pints you can drink and most stay open until 1:30 AM.

After a suggestion from a Missoula coworker, I made my way to a downtown bar called Anodyne. Anodyne is an upstairs pool hall/jungle. The space is filled with hanging plants and about 15 pool tables. The beer selection is extensive and diverse. From imported Belgians to local sours. Made me feel like I was back in Missoula.

I still have many places to check off my list before I head back north. In the meantime, I've been doing a lot of cooking of my own. It's been ages since I posted a recipe, so today I'll be giving you four, yes four. It's what I like to call: America's Birthday Dinner, Southwest Style. This dinner features: Fresh Watermelon Margaritas, Buffalo Chicken Tacos, Garden Vegetable Salad, and Flag Cheesecake. Let's begin.

Fresh Watermelon Margarita
4 cups of fresh cubed watermelon (seedless)
3-4 Limes
Silver Tequila
Triple Sec
Salt, for the rim

Puree the watermelon in a blender and add the juice of the limes. Have an additional lime for garnish if you'd like. When making margaritas, I follow the 3-2-1 rule. 3 parts mix, 2 parts tequila, 1 part triple sec. Typically I just measure with a shot glass. Salt the rim, fill it up, and garnish with a lime.

Buffalo Chicken Tacos
I don't think I even need a recipe for this one, but this is what you'll need:
Chicken breasts (cooked and shredded)
small corn tortillas
purple cabbage (or some sort of leafy garnish)
cheese (I used feta)
green salsa (I love tomatillo)
avocado
Frank's Buffalo sauce

Preheat the oven to 375. Drape tortillas into the slots of the rack to make narrow taco shells. Bake 7-10 minutes. Remove from oven. Heat cooked and shredded chicken in a saucepan with the buffalo sauce. Cook until heated all of the way through. Assemble tacos as desired!

Garden Vegetable Salad

• Vinaigrette:
• 3 tablespoons fresh orange juice
• 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 2 1/2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 teaspoons honey or agave
• 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
• Salt and pepper to taste

• Salad:
• 1 1/2 cups (1 x 1/4-inch) julienne-cut zucchini
• 1 1/2 cups (1 x 1/4-inch) julienne-cut yellow squash
• 1 cup fresh corn kernels (about 2 ears)
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh basil

Cut up all of the vegetables, add vinaigrette and let chill. Overnight is best. I am absolutely in love with this salad. It's perfect for summer and barbecues. 

The originally recipe can be found here: Garden Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette

Last but not least, a patriotic dessert. I know the flag cheesecake is a little cliche, but it's my first time making a flag dessert and a no-bake cheesecake. It was amazingly easy and delicious. On a side note- apparently fresh blueberries are not sold in New Mexico so blackberries had to suffice. 

No-Bake Flag Cheesecake

Crust: 

1 1/2 cups of ground graham crackers

1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature. 

1/4 cup sugar ( I didn't use any sugar, but add as much as you'd like)

Filling:

16 oz cream cheese (I used lactose-free)

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup vanilla greek yogurt 

Strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and/or blackberries

Mix ground graham crackers, butter, and sugar. Press into square pan. With an electric mixer, mix cream cheese, sugar and vanilla greek yogurt until it is smooth. If you don't have flavored yogurt or you like a strong vanilla flavor, add 2 tsp of vanilla extract. Spread mixture over the graham cracker crust. Refrigerate until chilled. Top with berries in a flag, USA, or any display of red, white, and blue America theme you'd like. 

There you have it. I hope you all have a great holiday weekend full of sun and all things America. You can find me rollerblading, enjoying a PBR, and watching fireworks all while avoiding a sunburn. Until next time!