waynebomberger

[waynebomberger]

3 Questions to Ask Before Buying a Whirlpool Tub

Content originally published and Shared from http://perfectbath.com

Are you buying your first whirlpool bathtub? Let us help you narrow down the choices. Start by asking yourself the following questions:

Will it fit in the bathroom? Make sure to measure your bathroom before you even look at a whirlpool, including any space you might gain taking down dividing walls or showers. “Most whirlpools come in three standard sizes,” says Morey. “Five feet, five and a half and six. But you can’t just consider the tub size — they’re all designed to be dropped into a deck, and that will take up more space, with the bare minimum adding at least a half-inch to your measurements on all sides.

“If you think you’d like to hold a lot of stuff like candles and oils near the water, you’ll also need extra space on the deck,” says Morey. “If you’re over six feet tall, you may want to forfeit deck space for more tub room.” Source: HGTV

Is your current heating system enough? If you choose to heat your whirlpool with your existing in-home heating system, make sure it can handle the amount of water needed to fill the whirlpool. With an external system, the water in the tub will get cool quickly due to the circulating jets, so you will need to frequently refill the tub with hot water. A 50 gallon quick recovery system should be sufficient.

The other option is a self-heating system. A self-heating whirlpool comes with its own internal heating system that circulates the tub water and reheats when necessary. This is a good energy-saving option and the best way to keep your water temperature consistent. Source: DoItYourself

Which type of jet should you pick? Choose between water jets or air jets. Water-jet whirlpool tubs force water through jets, giving more pressure and a forceful massage. In air-jet whirlpool tubs, air is forced through tiny holes for a lighter massage. A combination whirlpool tub uses both, but will be more expensive and may use more energy.

One drawback of water-jet and combination tubs is that you can’t use bath salts or oils, as these will damage the pumping mechanism.

Another water-jet and combination tub drawback is that some water stays in the jets, and mold can develop if they’re not regularly cleaned out. Source: WikiHow

We can help you figure out which brand or type of whirlpool tub will work best for your needs. Find out more when you call us today!

  Contact: Perfect Bath Phone: Toll Free 1-866-843-1641 Calgary, Alberta Email: info@perfectbath.com

The post 3 Questions to Ask Before Buying a Whirlpool Tub appeared first on Perfect Bath Canada.

from Perfect Bath Canada http://bit.ly/2W6LBE4

[waynebomberger]

Simple Garden Hacks To Save Money

Whether it’s your first year getting started with gardening or your 25th, inevitably you’ll think about all the investments you need to make to get your garden going. Between seeds, soil, mulch, garden tools, and of course time, the cost of gardening can get expensive. With that said, there are a variety of simple garden […]

The post Simple Garden Hacks To Save Money appeared first on Family Focus Blog.

from Family Focus Blog http://bit.ly/2IC8wEi

[waynebomberger]

How To Plan An Event Without Visiting The Venue – #EventIcons Episode 161

On today’s #EventIcons, we’re taking a closer look at how to plan an event without visiting the venue using AR and VR in events. During a very recent episode of the Event Tech Podcast, Will Curran and Brandt Krueger already tackled a similar topic. However, it’s never quite enough! When considering all the unbelievable potential of AR and VR in events, endless (Endless? Get it?) possibilities for discussion are out there. And this week, we’ll jump on the topic of venues, and what AR and VR can mean in this context.

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The advancements we’re witnessing in technology are staggering. And while the event industry might be a little slow in adopting some trends, attention should be paid to how our lives as event planners can change. One of the amazing possibilities of AR and VR is paying virtual visits to potential venues while simulating experiences. The concept alone is mesmerizing, and the number of resources that can be saved is more than appealing.

Not convinced yet? Well, then it’s time to join our hosts, Brandt Krueger, and Lindsay Martin-Bilbrey, for today’s episode of #Eventicons. They welcome special guest and icon, Sandy Hammer. Sandy has over 20 years of experience in the international events industry. She created AllSeated to revolutionize and digitize the event planning process. Additionally, with experience in the publishing, art, and high tech industries, Sandy previously founded conferenceART, a company that produces corporate conferences, seminars, forums and brokerage events around the world for customers such as Orange Global, Telefonica, and O2 UK, as well as many start-ups in Israel and the UK.

So, take a seat and listen as they discuss AR and VR in events, and more precisely, planning an event without visiting the venue. Let’s go!

Are you looking to create a more engaging event? Click here to download our free event planning checklist.

  We want to help keep you up-to-date with the latest and greatest!

Below, in our Epic Resources section, we link the awesome insider favorites that were mentioned in this episode! You WANT to check these out! What has been your favorite episode so far? Comment below and let us know!

You’re watching this recording of our event industry podcast episode here on our blog, but wouldn’t you rather watch live, ask your own questions, and participate in person? Subscribe now to watch live! (We’ll remind you of upcoming episodes.) We would love for you to join us LIVE and bring your questions for our icons.

How To Subscribe:

Click here to watch the show live and get email notifications of new episodes.

Subscribe via iTunes: Video & Audio or Audio Only

Click here to subscribe via RSS (non-iTunes feed): Video & Audio or Audio Only

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Follow our iconic guest on Twitter:

Sandy Hammer of AllSeated (@AllSeatedcom)

Lindsay Martin-Bilbrey of Pathable (@lindsaythecmp)

Brandt Krueger of Event Technology Consulting (@BrandtKrueger)

Check out the epic resources mentioned in this episode:

Slack

Trello

How to Use AR and VR at Events

The All-Inclusive Guide to Virtual Reality at Events

What’s your take on AR and VR in events? Have you tried virtually visiting a venue? Let us know about your thoughts and experiences in the comment section below!

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from Endless Events http://bit.ly/2UydinR

[waynebomberger]

Heavy Is The Fred That Wears The Crown

Schools here in New York City are out this week, which means I've got my parenting helmet on pretty much full time:

(By 2021 we'll all be wearing connected helmets for everyday life, just you wait and see.)

This means if you're looking for me and I'm not here, you'll be able to find me over at the Bike Forecast, where you can also get a good sense of what we're dealing with here in this town.  Specifically, you can read about our dolt of a mayor, who regularly says things that reveal the only walking he ever does is from the SUV to the entrance of whatever building he's visiting:

"You don't see cars drive on the sidewalk a whole lot." -- Bill de Blasio pic.twitter.com/Qsfel7xjnI

— Bike Snob NYC (@bikesnobnyc) April 19, 2019

The above mayoral quote was by way of explaining his continued crackdown on delivery people riding ebikes. And speaking of crackdowns:

NYPD Seizes Bikes Without Bells, Arrests Cyclist Leading Group Ride #bikenyc #VisionZero https://t.co/CbkULD2GYl pic.twitter.com/Xs0HrCohjU

— Gothamist (@Gothamist) April 22, 2019

So basically that's the current state of affairs here in the fairest big city in America. As for me, I entered a bicycle racing competition this past Sunday, which I'm pleased to report I passed.  In fact, not only did I pass, but I also got a Strava KOM!

This absolutely has to be a mistake, because firstly there's no freaking way I was 23 seconds faster than the next-fastest person:

Secondly, I was clinging desperately to the back of the race the whole time.  So while I suppose it's possible I happened to be moving from the very back to the middle back of the group during that segment and had the benefit of a tailwind on top of it, it's far more likely that my GPS or Strava or both are both wildly inaccurate. Nevertheless, I'm choosing to file all of the above under "redacted" and wear the crown anyway.  It's the American way.

And finally, speaking of a lack of moral fiber, I've derided both plastic bicycles and cars extensively on this blog (as well as Strava, come to think of it)--and yet I can't speak highly enough of both my plastic bicycle and my Saris SuperClamp EX hitch rack, which I also used in tandem this past weekend:

I don't really drive my bikes places all that much, and for that reason the SuperClamp has proven more or less ideal.  Previously I'd been using a roof rack, and while it does go on and off pretty easily without tools, in practice I'd just been leaving it on there, which seemed like a waste given how infrequently I was using it--and on top of that I couldn't use it to carry a bike like my Jones without resorting to adapters. The Saris on the other hand is overall less of a hassle to install when needed and then remove when not in use--all you do is unscrew the pin, slide the rack out of the hitch receiver, and you're done.  Plus it carries every one of my bikes, even when they're of wildly disparate sizes:

And while it's not even remotely hard to remove a front wheel and lift a sub-20lb racing bike onto the roof of a car, it's even less hard to put it on a hitch rack without removing anything at all.  And really, isn't being incredibly lazy what driving to the ride is all about? Of course it is.

Yet at the same time it's also anti-lazy, since I can't just say "Fuck it" and leave it on there, because if I did the extra foot it adds to the length of the vehicle would insure I could never find a parking space ever again.  So I'm diligent about taking it off and returning it to the basement after every excursion. So I guess what I'm saying is don't get a car, because that way you won't have to worry about this sort of thing in the first place. You're welcome.

from Bike Snob NYC http://bit.ly/2vhMPR1

[waynebomberger]

Hikertrash: Life on the Pacific Crest Trail

I did enjoy this entertaining trip report published 2014.

Carl and Erin decide — on a bit of a whim — to thru-hike the PCT.

Through blisters and shin splints, jaw-dropping landscapes and craptastically unspectacular forests, searing heat and pouring rain, complete hilarity and utter exhaustion, this is the story of what day-to-day life is really like on one of America’s greatest trails.

As told through Hummingbird’s journal entries, this is the story of life on the trail – the people you meet, the things you see, and how,mile by mile, you eventually become Hikertrash. …

What Is Hikertrash?

Hikertrash: a long distance hiker, shabby and homeless in appearance, rarely bathed and rank in odor, more at home outdoors than in society, with a deep reverence and respect for all things wild.

Amazon

from besthike.com http://bit.ly/2IVXWqK

[waynebomberger]

Crowd Mics: Turning Phones Into Mics For Events

Another Monday, another Event Tech Podcast, today we are telling the story of Crowd Mics for events! Everyone can relate to the annoyances of sound during a live event. Whether it’s the speaker, the audience, or the AV company, these little glitches affect everyone. Ultimately, they affect the success of an otherwise awesome event, and no one wants that.

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How often have you asked yourself: “Wouldn’t it be awesome if I could just turn my phone into a mic?”. Well, you’ve probably wondered about this in several situations of your life. But with events, in particular, imagine just how much this small tweak could be a game changer. No more mic runners for anyone! If an attendee wants to ask a question, he could just turn his phone into a wireless microphone. Almost sounds like magic, right? Well, it’s not – it’s actually Crowd Mics for events!

Back in 2013, two brothers conceived this idea. The following year, the product was launched, and our host Brandt Krueger got to sit down with them for the first time. And today, five years later, Brandt and Will Curran welcome brothers Tim and Sean Halladay. For this week’s Event Tech Podcast, the four reminisce about the rollercoaster past, what’s new in the present, and what the future might bring. Amp up your speakers, because this week is all about the journey of Crowd Mics for events!

Subscribe to the Event Tech Podcast here and never miss a beat!

Click here to download the full audio transcription.

Crowd Mics For Events: The Beginning

Everything Starts With An Idea!

Tim and Sean’s lives took a very interesting turn. None of them was quite on the track to become an entrepreneur – Sean was actually in nursing school. But once an idea hits, you have to embrace it!

“Tim and I were actually sitting at a meeting together and we couldn’t hear what somebody was saying just a couple seats from us”, Sean recalls. “I leaned over and I said, “Man, Tim, what if there was some way you could turn your phone into a microphone? Like, I don’t know how. I don’t know what the technology,” I had no clue, “But what if you could just pull out your phone out of your pocket, talk into it, and everybody hear you over the sound system?” And he was like, “Wow, I don’t know.”

From then on, the rest was history. The two embarked on a journey to introduce the product to the world. In 2014, they had their first product launch, and the event industry went crazy!

All This Buzz For What?

“Twitter kind of just exploded and every event person that I knew was like, “Have you seen this thing? Oh, my God. You can just talk into your phone and it solves the whole issue”, says Brandt. The buzz got them $1 million in investment. All the way from Arizona, the two made their way to Salesforce’s event, Dream Force.

They got up on stage. “Hey, what’s up, everybody? I’m Tim Holladay from Crowd Mics”, Tim began. “So, we want you to download an app. Everybody’s gotta download this app. We’re gonna be giving a gift card away whoever download’s the app first.” And so, people started downloading and we’d start to get them on board, and we’re using all of this footage to capture so we could show investors and we could show other event planners and that we could show people it works. There were 200 people in a room, they were talking into their phone, and you could hear it and it could work”, recalls Sean.

What Now?

They got their product out into the world, with proven value. The first couple of events were free, and the issue of pricing eventually came up. “I mean, this is a product that did not exist on the planet. So, we’re pricing this thing and having a hard time. Is this an event app? Which has a kind of a pricing model. Is this a microphone? Which has a pricing model. Yes, do both. And so, we finally kinda settled in on a per event cut fee and just started charging and people started paying. And we just started running events”, says Tim.

The Challenges

Starting your own company seems like all fun and games, right? Actually, it’s more like hustle and…more hustle. There are more barriers than finish lines, and brothers Tim and Sean know all about it.

Educating

“Like, you gotta realize this is a brand new product that we’re taking to market. So, a lot of time it was educating why it’s important to have audience interaction and why it’s important to be able to capture that audio for recordings and why it’s important to let people express themselves and that’s why they came here. And so, a lot of it was educating and trying to get people to understand why we thought and why it was important in the market”, says Sean.

Validation

Tim compliments Sean’s point of view with the issue of market value: “From both event planner and technical side of things, this is a new product you have never seen before, you have 200 executives from your company that has hired you to pull off an incredible event, you’ve got everything dialed in, you’ve been working on this for a year, and then you bring in these two brothers with some sketchy-looking tech that sounds awesome, but is sketch.”

“I mean, you can see how that would be a little bit like, “Ah,” and in a lot of ways, it was. Meaning, there are a couple of technical X factors that were always a challenge for us to overcome. And so, we had to kinda take everything on a case by case basis in the early days.”

Another Event App?

Will touches upon the matter of people having to download yet another app. How can this issue be tackled?

“It’s kind of like how bad do you want it to work? How bad do you want the tech? How bad do you wanna use it? And in some cases, they say, “Not that bad. Not bad enough to do that. So, can we use your texting? Can we use your polling?” And we would lead them that way, and we did a number of events where all they used was our text feature, all they used was the polling feature, and that was fine”, explains Tim.

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The Next Big Leap

“If I were to look back at one of the biggest challenges that we had with Crowd Mics was that we probably pushed too far too fast, right? Too many markets, too many opportunities, too many just big wide eyes, and didn’t focus as much as we could have. We did the best we could with what we had, but that kind of wanting to explore other markets really spread us very thin quickly, and we ended up into a situation where we were not profitable”, recalls Tim.

What to do in such a situation? “So, the options are either raise more money, figure out how to charge more and get more revenue coming in, or just shut her down. I mean, we literally got to that decision point”, Tim continues.

The Decision

Sean remembers that period quite well, and what it came down to: “To give it a shot, we cut back and I just made the hard decision to go and find something else to do to give the startup life, to give it a chance to go. So, yeah, that was a tough decision and sucked to fire yourself from your own company that you founded and dreamt of, but it was the reality to make it work and to give it a chance. Which now, in hindsight, was the best decision that we made, but it was a tough one in the moment, for sure.”

Tim was the one who stayed. “Sean connected with a friend of his, Shaun McBride, known as Shonduras on the interwebs, and started to do some work up in Utah. So, Sean uproots his family, his little kids, little twins, and literally on a cold December night, moves to Utah. And I’m left here with our developer to keep Crowd Mics moving”.

The Biamp Connection

“So, Biamp, for those that don’t know, they’re a really, a kind of audiovisual provider, a manufacturer based in Beaverton, Oregon up near Portland”, Tim explains.

“They saw us at Info Com, thought it was cool, kept in touch a little bit, and then one day, Sean’s long gone in Utah, I’m keeping things kind of buzzing along, and they came along and said, “Man, this is really interesting. We like what we see. Are you interested in selling Crowd Mics?” Out of nowhere. Completely out of the blue. And the timing, guys, was just-it was the right timing. It was the right timing, it was the right situation. I would either have to raise more capital or figure out a different way and when they came along, it was the right thing to do”, he recalls.

They officially announced it a month ago, but the transaction actually took place in 2018. Ever since, the two brothers have been up to other exciting projects.

Fast Forward To Today

“We work with some of the biggest talent from Peter McKinnon to Tanner Fox to the Ace Family, Chris Ramsay. So, some huge talent on YouTube and Instagram where we go out and work with brands, both to just get paid promotion, basically, to spread the word on what they’re doing”, says Sean.

Tim is still up to some Crowd Mic business: “Biamp, when they bought Crowd Mics, the idea was to do something with it, but at the time, they just saw the opportunity to grab it, but really hadn’t had a formulated plan on what to do with it. So, they grabbed it and kind of sat on it for a little bit. I shouldn’t say sat on it, but they just didn’t really actively pursue doing much with it. So, I kind of just did some consulting work with them and with some other people doing some consulting with a couple local companies, and just recently, they said, “You know what, Tim? We’re gonna launch this sucker. Let’s just-let’s do it. We’d love to have you involved. Let’s launch Crowd Mics. Let’s re-launch Crowd Mics.”

He’s also aiming for some higher flights: “So, right now, I’m doing consulting work with Biamp and I thought, “Man, I’m just such a nerd. What could I do to exploit my nerdiness?” So, I’m a speaker. I’m a future speaker. You go to timholladay.com, I’m just now starting, just getting warmed up where I will do keynote and breakout session type speaking all about looking 5 to 15 years into the future and understanding how, as corporations, as organizations, and just as people, how we can best watch out for the pitfalls and then take advantage of incredible opportunities in the future”.

Some Good Advice

What could these ingenious brothers have to offer in terms of advice to future entrepreneurs?

On Sean’s part, it’s all about who you surround yourself with: “You’ve gotta surround yourself and find people that are genuine and will give you real feedback and thoughts and input. And make the connection when they say they can make the connection and introduce you to people that are gonna benefit and help you”.

Tim’s an advocate for the “you only live once philosophy” – knowing very well what that might mean: “Now that you’ve got yourself surrounded by good people, is just to freaking go for it. Like, really. Life is just way too short to not just do it. Meaning, what I found is all of us truly do have just this 24 hour-it’s super cliché, but we literally all have the same amount of time, and it does require giving up some things. You might need to back off on the Insta kind of trolling, you might need to back off on that latest Netflix series, you might need to make some hard decisions, you might need to put some cash in, you might need to sell your house and rent”, he says.

Conclusion

Overall, it comes down to hard work. “Those who hustle, those who grind, those who can just work, they’re gonna be able to make money. Might as well just do what you wanna do, even if it ends up bombing in a flaming ball of fire, it is worth the journey. Because the next one won’t bomb as bad, and then the third might hit, and then the fourth will change your life”.

So, that was a brief overview of this amazing journey with Crowd Mics for events. Let us know what you think about the technology, and of Tim and Sean’s incredible story, in the comment section below!

Resources:

Crowd Mics

TH: Tim Holladay

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from Endless Events http://bit.ly/2IA3Lep

[waynebomberger]

Palm Springs to Paradise Cafe – day 6

Trip report by BestHike editor Rick McCharles

Another fantastic campsite. Great weather again.

Here are views looking up from my tent.

Majestic.

I’d been steadily descending from the snowy heights. Vegetation now changing rapidly.

My only health worry was hot foot. Would I get blisters?

Just in case I took off the shoes every hour or two.

I’ve used the same pack for many a year – the super light frameless Granite Gear Virga 2.

The similar Granite Gear Crown2 is the 5th most popular on the PCT. My next pack will be a Hyperlite, the 3rd most popular. It’s heavier but near waterproof. And more durable, I reckon.

Cactus.

Here’s one of the main reason people buy the Guthook app — to find off-trail water in the desert.

Though I treated this pipe water, it did look and smell great in April.

Water is scarce. Researchers use watering holes to check on the health of mammals in the area.

Successful in the desert are birds, snakes and lizards.

Down, down.

Into the trees.

Here’s where PCT hikers often get their water. GIFTS from Trail Angels.

I finally reached the first road. Would the mini-resupply I’d hung in a tree still be there?

YES!

I had enough food for the final 40 miles to Warner Springs. Yet I diverted one mile down the highway to famed Paradise Cafe.

My camp fuel was running low. I didn’t think I could make it two more days.

Unfortunately Paradise does not sell camp fuel. I returned to the trail hoping my Jetboil Flash would run on fumes.

Back on the PCT, I made it another couple of miles.

It looked like wind and rain so I set up my broken tent high enough in the wash to avoid flash flood.

As I feared, my stove fuel ran out before I could boil water for dinner.

___ day 7

Weather forecast for today was for rain and very big winds. Not good.

I started south. Stopped. Then turned around and headed back towards Paradise.

Skipping the next 40 miles meant missing most of the desert wildflower bloom. Too bad.

Three reasons for quitting on my intended route:

broken tent

no stove fuel

weather forecast

The restaurant was packed. As usual.

I ended up seated with a tourist couple from Philly. As they were headed for Palm Springs I offered to pay for breakfast in exchange for a lift to town.

My PCT week was over. After breakfast.

Despite glitches — I really enjoyed hiking southbound on the PCT during peak season. The highlight was seeing hundreds and speaking with dozens of normal people whom — for one reason or another — wanted to try to hike from Mexico to Canada.

They are inspiring.

from besthike.com http://bit.ly/2KUGeH0

[waynebomberger]

Palm Springs to Paradise Cafe – day 5

Trip report by BestHike editor Rick McCharles

Tent sites don’t get much better than this.

Another gorgeous night. No fly. And my broken tent held up for the night on the ridge.

It was windy.

My gear got sooty from the 2013 forest fire burn.

It’s a stark and beautiful landscape.

I LOVE this section of the trail. Every step gorgeous.

Inspired, I left a Summit Stone for a PCT hiker to discover.

I was in a philosophical mood. In camp I was listening to an audio book about a man who lived alone for a year in Patagonia exploring the effects of deep solitude.

Here I left the State Park and entered San Jacinto Wilderness.

A father and son recommended a campsite where they had stayed the previous night. I found it using two popular PCT apps.

That’s Guthook. A paid app that most PCT hikers use.

I also used the free (no longer updated) Halfmile PCT app.

Though hidden from the trail, GPS found the place oft used by rock climbers. I was pleased to find a camp chair and large tarp for keeping my gear clean.

from besthike.com http://bit.ly/2vfyGUI

[waynebomberger]

Palm Springs to Paradise Cafe – day 4

Trip report by BestHike editor Rick McCharles

Thru hikers are normally asleep by 9pm. Up and moving at first light.

Idyllwild is an exception. It’s a party town.

Everyone loves Idyllwild. It’s a great little mountain town.

Again without hitchhiking, I caught a lift from town with a hiker and her dog headed back up to the trailhead.

The Devil’s Slide trail. That’s about 2.5 miles of switchbacks up to Saddle Junction on the PCT.

This is Tahquitz Peak, the 1000-foot granite face where American rock climbing was born. Yes, before Yosemite.

Here I am — back on the PCT. I’ve travelled surprisingly few miles from where I started.

Saddle Junction

I headed south into a snowy wonderland.

I scrambled this rock with a local guy.

Unlike the PCT hikers, I was in no rush.

Even by California standards, this hike is gorgeous.

I was pleased not to be down on the hot, dusty desert floor.

The day was a gorgeous ridge walk. Mostly down.

I wanted to find a tent site on the ridge — to maximize both evening and morning light.

25 miles of this section burned in 2013. It was closed until fairly recently.

Another gorgeous sunset. Though windy, I did not put on the tent fly.

from besthike.com http://bit.ly/2V6knjR

[waynebomberger]

Upcoming Peppa Pig Live Show at the Grand Ole Opry House in September!

Your kids are probably familiar with Peppa Pig as Entertainment One’s (eOne) top-rated Nick Jr series animated children’s TV show. Now they can see Peppa Pig, George and their friends are in a brand new live show, Peppa Pig’s Adventure! It is the latest rendition of Peppa Pig Live!, one of the most successful family […]

The post Upcoming Peppa Pig Live Show at the Grand Ole Opry House in September! appeared first on Family Focus Blog.

from Family Focus Blog http://bit.ly/2GzKsQh

[waynebomberger]

New Outside Column!

Happy Friday, and Happy Good Friday! (Aren't they all?) Here's a new Outside column, and it's all about how much we love parking and how much we hate children and bikes:

We really should just change the name of this country to The Land of Guns and Parking already... from Bike Snob NYC http://bit.ly/2V9auSu

[waynebomberger]

Palm Springs to Paradise Cafe – day 3

Trip report by BestHike editor Rick McCharles 

Having hiked 1 day and 2 hours so far … I took a zero in Idyllwild, California.

Most PCT hikers take a zero in Idyllwild. It’s one of the most popular towns on the PCT. Party time. But most hikers have put in 10 hard days or more to get here.

Civilization

I hadn’t planned on taking a zero. I was fresh.

But the day prior my beloved MSR Hubba tent pole broke in two places. It took a couple of hours, one splint and plenty of duct tape to hack a fix.

There’s one good gear shop in Idyllwild – Nomad Ventures.

By the time I got the tent fixed and packed up … it was Noon.

The library opened at Noon. Free internet. A chance to fully charge all my electronics. I couldn’t resist. One thing led to another and …

… the library closed at 5pm. Too late to get back on the trail.

I returned to the $5 PCT camping area and set up my fragile tent. Again.

Reportedly the least expensive rooms in town were $150 / night. And were full.

Dinner was rotisserie chicken, my favourite townie food. And then I headed over to Higher Grounds Coffee Shop for LIVE music on Friday night.

I hung around the campfire until 10pm. That’s an hour later than usual. Hiker midnight is 9pm.

PCT hikers were in holiday mode. One insisted I have a beer.

OK.

from besthike.com http://bit.ly/2UQ7fQA

[waynebomberger]

4 Important Tips When Using Essential Oils in Your Bath

Content originally published and Shared from http://perfectbath.com

More and more people are falling in love with aromatherapy. It doesn’t just smell good, it also provides health benefits depending on which oil you choose to use. But be careful about putting it in your bath without proper research beforehand, or you might risk burning your skin. Take note of the following tips:

Avoid direct contact with essential oils “When it comes to putting essential oils in the bath, remember — oil and water don’t mix, which is to say the essential oils are not water soluble,” warns Teachey. Translation: When you climb into the tub, the small drops of oil can adhere to your skin (and tender nether regions!) just as if you’d applied the undiluted oil directly your skin, which can irritate and burn. Ouch!

Use carrier oils You don’t want essential oils just to sit on top of the water; you want them dispersed throughout. The best way to do that is combine essential oils in a carrier oil first, like coconut, olive, sunflower, or jojoba. “For a single bath, three to 12 drops of essential oil in a tablespoon (15 ml) of carrier oil is sufficient to create a very aromatic, therapeutic bath,” says Teachey, who suggests stirring the bath before climbing in to help circulate oils. Source: GoodHousekeeping

Choose skin-friendly essential oils As much as we love essential oils, there are some that don’t belong in the tub. Avoid essential oils that can irritate the skin or mucus membranes. On this list: basil, lemongrass, oregano, thyme, nutmeg, peppermint, cinnamon, clove, black pepper, and bay. Source: HelloGlow

Don’t stay for too long Soaking for just the right amount of time in your luxurious bath will ensure that you get the most benefits from your aromatherapy session.

You’ll want to soak in your aromatherapy bath for about 15-20 minutes to get the most benefits. Staying in longer can dry out or damage your skin.

Consider using bath props, such as a pillow or rose petals, to help you relax further.

A warm washcloth over your eyes will also help you enjoy your bath. Just make sure to warm it in water under the faucet so that you don’t get any essential oil in your eyes. Source: WikiHow

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The post 4 Important Tips When Using Essential Oils in Your Bath appeared first on Perfect Bath Canada.

from Perfect Bath Canada http://bit.ly/2IIEyOa

[waynebomberger]

On the NASCAR Circuit with Sugarlands Distilling Co.

There’s something about horsepower belching out of a V8 that kicks on an adrenaline switch in my body. The raw power of an internal combustion engine that’s been tuned to perfection holds all sorts of promises of adventure, and it’s with real difficulty that I sometimes drive cars that don’t have the ability to accelerate like I just broke the law.

Some of my first tinkering projects involved rebuilding these engines and cars with my dad. He bought a pickup truck that had a dragster engine, and I learned a lot about the mechanics behind these machines along the way. The most important lesson I learned was that the more power you produce, the easier it is to break, which is how I became proficient at fixing things.

I broke a lot of expensive parts (sorry, Dad) learning how to mash the throttle, bang a clutch and burn rubber. I wouldn’t trade those days for anything.

I grew up reading Car Craft and Hot Rod magazines, JEGS catalogs and shop manuals. I spent most of my teens working on and racing that pickup truck, a 1971 Oldsmobile Cutlass, and some of my friends’ cars and boats. And I religiously watched top fuel funny cars and NASCAR on television.

The roots of the trend of engine modification for maximum speed are deeply intertwined with the Prohibition era because bootleggers needed to outrun the cop cars while they ripped up and down Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky and Tennessee on delivery runs of distilled corn nectar.

The history of moonshine, outlaw brewing and hot rods is a fascinating glimpse into a time that, while unfortunate for the folks who enjoyed a stiff drink, produced three carburetor engines called “six-packs,” innovative suspension systems for high-speed turns and a culture that endures to this day.

This tie between NASCAR and moonshine was something we dove deep into when we traveled the length of the Tennessee Whiskey Trail two years ago. It was also then that we met the fine people behind Sugarlands Distilling Co. in the Great Smoky Mountains town of Gatlinburg and fell in love with the products they serve up in their 10,000-square-foot tasting room, both full flights of samples and liquor-by-the-drink specialties (try the one with Cheerwine, and just trust us on this).

Going to My First NASCAR Race

Sugarlands is the official moonshine for NASCAR so it was a natural marriage for us—lovers of distilled spirits and the rocket cars that were spawned from them—to visit the iconic track at Bristol for a taste of the action.

We had Hot Passes for the race, which included access to the pre-game pit setups, pace-car laps and a VIP suite overlooking the start/finish line. Being the first of the day to take full-throttle runs on the empty track in the newest version of the Chevy Camaro was a real treat and surprisingly fun for Kristin, who normally freaks when I reach ludicrous speed in my own hot rod.

The racetrack at Bristol, Tenn. is one of the shortest on the NASCAR circuit and is memorable for its steeply banked turns and roaring thunder of noise from 40 hotrods zipping around the stadium.

Naturally, I was in heaven.

Wait until we go to the raceway at Talladega! That track is one of the longest of NASCAR, and the stock cars get up to 200 miles per hour on the regular.

For those of you looking to recreate our NASCAR weekend, Sugarlands Shine 250 will be held on Oct. 12 in Talladega and is the perfect place for next level super speedway action.

  Tailgating at NASCAR

Tailgating is a rite of passage in the South, one I wasn’t introduced to until I met Kristin and started attending UT football games with her at Neyland Stadium. The parking lots surrounding any NASCAR event are full of grills, coolers and full bar spreads, but we made do with a bag of ice, a couple of cups and Sugarlands’ latest elixir, the coconut-and-childhood-memories elixir of fruit juice in a box called Cole Swindell’s Pre Show Punch.

We sipped a few pre-race drinks from the boot of Kristin’s Jeep while entertaining the idea of traveling to Charlotte, N.C. for Cole’s concert at the Monster Energy NASCAR All-Star Race on May 19. Cole’s also on the Sunset Repeat tour with Luke Bryan for you country music fans looking to share a pre-show shot with him; we were at one of his shows in Nashville each month when he told us this collaboration was born out of his own pre-show ritual (makes sense, right?).

But NASCAR fans go all out where tailgating is concerned. Not only do they camp out in the parking lots of the racetracks, but they even take coolers stuffed with booze inside the grounds with them. Coolers are allowed inside the speedways, but can be no larger than 14 inches by 14 inches by 14 inches. This is polar opposite from what I have experienced at NCAA and NFL games where you’re patted down and prohibited from so much as sneaking a mini-bottle in.

Making Our Own Sugarlands Shine Cocktails

Sugarlands has a deep well of recipes available on its site, but we were loading up the Jeep to go to NASCAR for the day, so I also set up a mobile bar of sorts, throwing in a mixer here, a garnish there, and created my own race-day concoction.

In all honesty, the 50-proof Pre Show Punch is really great just on its own. All you need is a cup and some ice, and you’ve got yourself a pre-made drink, perfect to sip when you’re on the go and don’t want to pack up your entire home bar. But I wanted to up kick it up a notch and moderate some of the sweetness of the base moonshine, so I brought along a little vodka, sparkling water, pineapple and pure lemon juice.

The Hot Gas Punch

1 cup Cole Swindell’s Pre Show Punch

1 cup vodka

2 cups sparkling water

½ cup pineapple juice

2 shots of pure lemon juice

This drink is best made in batches, so keep the ratio about the same, and whip up a pitcher to share. Stirred, not shaken.

Back home, I got into the mixologist spirit once more and started whipping up another cocktail with a flavor we had on the shelf. Kristin has always been a fan of the classic Tennessee milkshake, the Bushwhacker, and I’m nothing if not creative in keeping her entertained. I came up with my own spin on it, using one of her favorite flavors: hazelnut.

The Squirrel Smuggler

2 cups Sugarlands Shine’s Mark & Digger’s Hazelnut Rum

2 cups coconut cream

2 cups Graeter’s vanilla ice cream

2 cups ice cubes

Swirl of chocolate syrup in the glass

Grated nutmeg

Dump all of the ingredients into a blender, mixing until the liquid is the consistency of a milkshake. Drizzle chocolate syrup into a glass and pour the mixture from the blender to the rim.

Garnish with grated nutmeg (optional, though we have some delicious nutmeg leftover from Grenada we are always looking for an excuse to use).

Interested in making your own shine cocktails? Sugarlands Distilling Co. is sponsoring a raffle giveaway of their swag for a lucky C&C reader! Simply tell us in the comments what your favorite cocktail is to make from home, check the box that you’ve done so below, and we’ll choose a winner to get a gift bag that includes T-shirts, cups, flasks, gift certificates and other Sugarlands swag.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This project was sponsored by Sugarlands Distilling Co. All opinions are our own.

  PIN IT HERE

from Camels & Chocolate: Travel & Lifestyles Blog http://bit.ly/2vcT7l3

[waynebomberger]

The Way We Were

So this morning my phone did that weird "Black Mirror"-type thing where it tells you that you have a "memory" and then sends you down a Proustian nostalgia hole by showing you a bunch of photos it has somehow figured out are significant--and as it happens the photos that my phone chose were from a Gran Fondon't some two years back:

A look back into my archives (if it weren't for my phone and my blog I'd remember absolutely nothing) reveals that I billed this particular ride as the "BSNYC BOOMB!* Pre-Fondon't Ride," "BOOMB" being an acronym for "Beers on Old Man Brooks," because we all got beers at the Bronx Alehouse afterwards and I stuck Brooks with the bill. I then did an extensive write-up for the Brooks Blog, which didn't appear until October, and when it did finally appear they deleted almost all the photos because, as it was explained to me, "the brand have been pushing for using high quality images within our blog articles and the website in general" and "a lot of the pics were not quite up to the new 'standard' as it were." Of course asking me to blog for you and expecting good pictures is like buying a pet badger and thinking your couch is going to stay intact, but the fact is that there was some staff turnover at Brooks between the time I started blogging for them and the time I got that email, and I suspect the new people didn't really "get" me.  (Or, more likely, they got me perfectly well and realized my shitty sense of aesthetics was fucking up their blog.) Also, now that I think of it, if I recall correctly a precondition of the ride was that everyone had to take pictures along the way and give them to me to use in the Brooks Blog, so I don't even think it was my shitty photography.  (Not that it matters--though I thought that was a fun element, and it's too bad Brooks didn't appreciate it.) None of this is to say that I have any hard feelings.  Sure, they really did fuck up what had been a pretty good blog post, but you don't last as a semi-professional curator of words if you're precious about what you write.  And of course Brooks and I did continue to work together.  In fact, since they weren't into my shitty photos, they went so far as to have my next post professionally illustrated:

Still, my stock-in-trade is rambling ride narratives illustrated by shitty photography (whether by me or others), and they wanted me to blog on specific themes that they suggested, so it never really came together. I still love Brooks and Brooks saddles, and I'm sure they still love me too, because who doesn't? All of this is to say that the derailleur failures:

And token gravel sections:

And forced dismounts:

And fixie riders feeling justifiably pleased with themselves for braving the OCA on skinny tires:

And of course beer:

Has, until now, been lost in the mists of time. In fact, it's all enough to make me consider curating another Fondon't, just for old time's sake. I'll keep you posted. from Bike Snob NYC http://bit.ly/2vdqlk5

[waynebomberger]

ADHD Self-Esteem Issues And What Helps

It seems that ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) is a fairly common condition these days in both adults and in children so whether you struggle with this as a parent or you worry for your child, there are lots of great resources to help deal with having ADHD. Today, I am very happy to have […]

The post ADHD Self-Esteem Issues And What Helps appeared first on Family Focus Blog.

from Family Focus Blog http://bit.ly/2Up5epo

[waynebomberger]

11 Best Things to do in Tashkent, Uzbekistan

All the best things to do in Tashkent Uzbekistan. Plus a travel guide to the city featuring where to stay and some of the best restaurants in Tashkent...

Keep reading

The post 11 Best Things to do in Tashkent, Uzbekistan appeared first on Emily Luxton Travels.

from Emily Luxton Travels http://bit.ly/2Dj034w