Out There Monthly November 08

MONTHLY

I N LA

THE INLAND NORTHWEST GUIDE TO OUTDOOR RECREATION

Can

// NOV 2008

// VOL. 4, NO. 10

N OVE N D N W M BE R O UTD OOR C A LE ND ( P G.0

0)

AR

Nature

Healthe Wounds

War?

OF

CYCLOCROSS ROOKIE

TELLS ALL PAGE/00

BETRAYED

BY PEAK OIL PAGE/00

SANDPOINT, IDAHO OFF-SEASON FUN PAGE/00 Alan Christensen, retired Marine, Iraq war veteran, works with the Veteran’s Conservation Corp at Turnbull Wildlife Refuge.

HIKES IN THE PALOUSE PAGE/00

PROTECTING YOUR SKIN IN WINTER PAGE/00

2

OUT THERE MONTHLY

/ NOVEMBER 2008

INTHISISSUE P.5 / FROM THE EDITOR Betrayed By Peak Oil

7

13

P.6 / OUT THERE NEWS Best of Banff Film Fest, Mountaineers Russia Presentation,

11

Ice Camp, Mountain Gets National Press

P.9 / ROADTRIPS Palouse WA & Hiking the Buttes

By Jordy Byrd

MONTHLY

P.10 / BOOK REVIEWS Personal Record, A Practical Camping Guide, New Thomas Friedman Book

P.11 / EVERYDAY CYCLIST Rookie Cyclocross Racer Tells All

By John Speare

WWW.OUTTHEREMONTHLY.COM OUT THERE MONTHLY / NOVEMBER 2008 PUBLISHER AND EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Jon Snyder jon@outtheremonthly.com ART DIRECTOR

Kaitlin Snyder kaitlin@outtheremonthly.com HEALTH & FITNESS EDITOR

Dr. Bob Lutz

P.12 / CAN NATURE HEAL WAR’S WOUNDS? Vets Get Outdoors After the War On Terror

By Dan Egan

SENIOR WRITER

Derrick Knowles CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER

Jeff Ferguson CONTRIBUTING WRITERS:

Bradley Bleck, Jordy Byrd, Michael Campbell, Mira Copeland, Dan Egan, Ashley Graham, Bob Husak, Jon Jonckers, Stan Miller, John Speare, David Tagnani, Yvonee Zipp DISTRIBUTION COORDINATOR

P.15 / HEALTH & FITNESS Protect Your Skin in Winter

By Dr. Bob Lutz

P.16 / SUSTAINABLE LIVING Before You Buy Those Organic Blue Jeans

By Yvonne Zipp

P.18 / WHAT’S YOUR GEAR? Eddie Isakson: Snow Camping

By Mira Copeland

P.19 / MUSIC REVIEWS & UPCOMING SHOWS The Pretenders, Kaylee Cole, The Ettes

P.20 / NOVEMBER INLAND NW OUTDOOR CALENDAR & SIX MONTH TRAINING CALENDAR

Barbara Snyder To request issues please call 509 / 534 / 3347 AD SALES

Jon Snyder: 509 / 534 / 3347 OUT THERE MONTHLY

Mailing Address: PO Box 559 Spokane, WA 99210 www.outtheremonthly.com, 509 / 534 / 3347 Out There Monthly is published once a month

by Snyderco DBA/Out There Monthly. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent of the publisher. ©Copyright 2008 Snyderco DBA/Out There Monthly.

The views expressed in this magazine reflect those of the writers and advertisers and not necessarily Snyderco DBA/Out There Monthly.

Disclaimer: Many of the activities depicted in this magazine carry a significant risk of personal injury or death. Rock climbing, river rafting, snow sports, kayaking, cycling, canoeing and backcountry activities are inherently dangerous. The owners and contributors to Out There Monthly do not recommend that anyone participate in these activities unless they are experts or seek qualified professional instruction and/or guidance, and are knowledgeable about the risks, and are personally willing to assume all responsibility associated with those risks.

Printed on 50% recycled paper with soy based inks in the Inland Northwest Proud member of

P.22 / THE LAST PAGE Sandpoint Sans Summer

By Bradley Bleck

ON THE COVER: RETIRED MARINE ALAN CHRISTENSEN. // PHOTO JEFF FERGUSON. INSET PHOTO: CYCLOCROSS RIDER FROM RAD RACING (NOT A ROOKIE). // PHOTO JOHN SPEARE

NOVEMBER 2008

/

OUT THERE MONTHLY

3

4

OUT THERE MONTHLY

/ NOVEMBER 2008

FROMTHEEDITOR: BETRAYED BY PEAK OIL A FUNNY THING HAPPENED on the way to the bank bailout bill. Two provisions that directly impact outdoor folks were snuck in: a long overdue extension of renewable energy tax credits, and a new tax break for bicycle commuting. More evidence of a relentless march towards a more sensible energy policy and more active transportation? Not quite.

As I write this, oil is hovering at about $70 a barrel, down from an all time high of $147 this summer, with the price likely to go lower if the economy continues to slow. The lower the price of oil the less short term economic incentive to invest in alternative energy and active transportation.

Natural gas prices are lower too. “Natural gas at $6 makes wind look like a questionable idea and solar power unfathomably expensive,� said Kevin Book, a senior vice president at FBR Capital Markets as quoted in a recent New York Times article.

With fossil fuel prices deflating so quickly, clearly something in addition to pure supply and demand was driving up prices to begin with.

Increased reserves, flat refining capacity, speculation, and the idea that oil production has peaked and will only go down all played a part. Peak oil deserves special vilification.

What if the most dire predictions on peak oil aren’t going to come true for a long, long, time?

What if oil hovers around $70 dollars a barrel for the next 5-10 years—making it cheap enough for us to drive our cars too much yet expensive enough to allow environmentally destructive practices like ANWR drilling and Canadian tar sands extraction to continue? A lot of folks tried to convince us that peak oil was the most important issue of our time. They neglected to mention that every day that peak oil doesn’t happen two other environmental concerns get worse; 1) climate change, which is exacerbated by fossil fuel use, and 2) conserving our fresh water supply, which is impacted by the sprawling development that cheap fossil fuels enable.

It took naked vote soliciting in an emergency bailout to get two common sense tax breaks that should have passed long ago. Big oil companies seem to have benefited more from the concept of peak oil than progressive energy policy has. The question is, do we, as a nation, have the intestinal fortitude to pony up for alternative energy and active transportation when the short term economics aren’t so rosy? I hope we do. // -----------------------------------------------------JON SNYDER, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF editor@outtheremonthly.com

Spokane Alpine Haus Ski Swap Specials 1 ' ', * 1 "#% . %()& ', 1 -, * 1 (% + ', # #' 1 " .#(* % %,"

Ski Binding Test & Adjust Reg. $15 $10 Ski Binding Remount Includes Hotwax Reg. $35 $25 Ski or Snowboard Tune & Wax Reg. $25 $15

Flu shots now available

Base repair available at additional cost Hot Waxing Reg. $8 $5 Ski and Snowboard Master Boot Fitting Race Tuning Professional Advice First Time to World Cup Racer

3OUTH 2EGAL s 3POKANE s WWW SPOKANEALPINEHAUS COM

483-4060 1 (+ )" '-+ 1 '# % ((*& ' 1 ' *'+ 1 *(($ (* '

1 % 0 ('(& * '$(

% (&#'! / ,# ',+ *(& #*," ,( *+ %

5901 N. Lidgerwood, #220 Spokane, WA 99208

NOVEMBER 2008

/

OUT THERE MONTHLY

5

NEWSCHUNKS

Winter Ale is back.

Wild Walls has a NEW GENERAL MANAGER, former Mountain Gear employee Brett Jessen.

He’s made some big changes, revitalized the staff, updated the routes and route-setters, repainted most of the main floor, and more is yet to come.

The gym office will now house a new yoga studio.

Special classes and Spider Monkeys training for kids will continue.

See website for current schedule and special holiday classes www.mainstreetyogaspokane.com

509-869-0817 20 W. Main, Spokane

20 60 / 156 43 0 5

Northern Lights Brewing Co. and Pub 1003 E. Trent Ave.

Spokane WA, (509) 242-2739

Arcade games for sale at . . .

-. ,' ! & %, - )!( &'$# ! & # # - $)( %$&(' & # #

$& # $

+++ ) '(& (%( $" " !($# 6

OUT THERE MONTHLY

/ NOVEMBER 2008

Flying Irish run every Thursday, but since Thanksgiving is on a Thursday, the O’Doherty’s runners will be participating in the Manito Park TURKEY TROT. For years the Bloomsday Road Runners Club, has hosted a fun run at Manito on Thanksgiving morning to offset some of the later guilt from turkey dinner gorging. For more info go to www.brrc.net.

Avalanche Awareness will be presented by Flow Adventures on November 5 at 7PM. Come join Flow Adventures for a two-hour clinic where you will look at & play with the latest in avalanche beacons and other essential equipment by many manufacturers. Flow Adventures will also discuss where to GAIN MORE AVALANCHE EDUCATION, how to find information about current avalanche conditions, techniques for searching & recovering avalanche victims. This not an avalanche course, only a short clinic! This clinic will be approximately an hour of inside discussion time, followed by an hour of outside practical time. Please dress appropriately.

The aforementioned FAITH & ENVIRONMENT NETWORK is looking for volunteers to help us

#$+ $ & $# ( $# # ! '' % & "$#(

! '' ' * ! !

FAITH AND ENVIRONMENT NETWORK COORDINATOR wanted; This full-time, 11-month AmeriCorps position working with the Faith and Environment Network (FEN) connecting congregations and people of faith with sustainable lifestyle resources and local advocacy and outdoor opportunities is based out of the Spokane area. FEN engages congregations and people of faith in caring for Creation. The position requires outreach and organizing skills, a knowledge of and passion for environmental issues and a desire to work with the faith community. Job starts January 2009. E-mail dknowles@conservationnw.org for a full position description and application details.

start planning for the 2009 Call to Care Workshop and other events and activities. If you are interested in helping out as a Network volunteer, please contact Shelli at faithandenvironment@ gmail.com. They are also looking for new potential board members to help guide and grow the Network in 2009. If you are interested or would like more information, please contact Derrick at dknowles@conservationnw.org.

Time B omb 711 N.

Mon (509) 326 roe, Spokane -6949 Vin

tage bik Records-C es-Toys-Tiki-Boo ksD Kulture-L s-Furniture-Kusto owbrow-M m buy, sell, ore! trade

12PM-6P M Tues-S

at

This month’s vintage cruiser bike ride has been moved up a few weeks in hopes of beating the snow. November 9th will be the date for the ELK DRUG DROP OUTS CRUISER RIDE. It starts at 3PM at The Elk in Browne’s Edition. Organizers call it a “nice little vintage cruiser crawl over to David’s Pizza and back. Probably the last one til Spring. Always fun and always interesting!�

More in at (509)499-5422, or http://elkdrugdropouts102008.shutterfly.com/.

Did you know that the League of American Bicyclists just released a list ranking the most bike-friendly states in the country?

WASHINGTON STATE IS RANKED #1. In your face Wisconsin! (Which ranked 2nd.) Check out the whole list at www.bikeleague.org. West Virginia is last. Oregon isn’t 2nd. Or 3rd. Let’s not mention Idaho’s ranking—they deserve better for no other reason than the all the cool North Idaho trails.

A frequent contributor to OTM and an avid fly fisher remarked to me recently that the trout fishing is the Spokane River is a lot worse than last year. What could be the reason? Where could he go to find out answers? I posed that question to our resident water expert Stan Miller and here’s what he said: The WA Dept of Fish and Wildlife may have some creel survey data that will support, or not the conclusion that fishing was better last year.

There is on physical factor this year that may have made it a poor fishing year. Last year, for the last several year’s summer flows out of Coeur d�Alene Lake have been low and warm. Under those conditions the trout tend to seek refuge in two or three areas where there is a lot of SVRP Aquifer recharge to the river—the area between Sullivan Bridge and Maribeau —is one notable area. Most flyfishers know this and focus on those location to catch fish—and they catch lots because the large number of fish in a small area make food scarce—they will often bite just about anything.

This year the flows have been much higher and I don’t think they have been as warm. I’m a Priest Lake guy not a C dAer but Priest didn’t get nearly as warm this summer as in the past 4 - 5 years. I assume Coeur d’Alene was the same. With more and cooler water the fish could spread out more, have more foraging area and thus be less hungry.

So they would be harder to catch

THIS SORT OF THING MAKES ESTIMATING POPULATION BY EASE OF CATCH RISKY. Only

doing good population surveys will get you any kind of reliable data. I don’t know how often WDFW does those things but you could ask them. Another possible source of info on this is the Spokane Tribe; they are quite knowledgeable about the lower river.

If you are looking for a toxics problem killing the fish off this year I think you are barking up the wrong tree. Nothing new hit the river this year and they have been surviving at these levels for a couple of decades. If there is a lower population of catchable fish this year it is more likely due to poor spawning conditions two or three years ago. We haven’t had a really good spawning year, until this year, for several years.

Anyway that’s what I know off the top of my head.

- Stan Miller Does anyone else have thoughts on Spokane River trout? Please let us know and we will share them on the www.outtheremonthly.com blog. //

OUTTHERENEWS BEST OF BANFF AT THE BING

18-YEAR TRADITION OF GREAT OUTDOOR FILMS CONTINUES

(C) THE UNBEARABLE LIGHTNESS OF SKIING // PHOTO COURTESY OF THE BANFF CENTER.

Mountain Gear welcomes the 32nd annual Banff Mountain Festival, a showcase of the world’s best mountain films, to the Bing Crosby Theater November 21-23.

This year marks Spokane’s 18th showing, said Phil Bridgers, events coordinator for Mountain Gear. “The Spokane audience has been great,” he said. In return, the festival has been good to Spokane.

Spokane is one of the only venues with three days of films. In addition, Spokane is the second show in the tour, making it a test market, says Bridgers, “for Spokane this is really exciting.”

The festival’s made possible by the Banff Centre, an international organization that promotes “… appreciation of the world’s mountain places…”

This year’s competition received 296 entries from 32 countries. A screening process will take place in Banff, Canada November 7. For more information and festival registration details, visit www.banffmountainfestivals.ca.

From there, the top 50 films will be selected for the world tour. Spokane residents have submitted films in years past, but nothing has qualified for

the festival, says Bridgers.

Spokane will feature a combination of feature length and short films, which can be inspiring and heartbreaking, says Bridgers. Although films vary in execution, they’re not always kid friendly.

Previous films ranged from bike trips across Saudi Arabia, to Bridgers personal favorite: a man in Africa who taught ducks to fish for his village.

Each night lasts approximately two hours, including scheduled intermissions with prize giveaways and drawings.

If you enjoy the outdoors and want to see what people are doing, you’ll enjoy the festival, says Bridgers. “This isn’t just one film about what people are doing worldwide, but multiple.”

Show starts at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 6 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are on sale now at Mountain Gear and Ticketswest.com. Tickets cost $12per day or $32 for all three days.

For more information about the Banff Center and film festival visit http://www.banffcentre.ca/.

For more information about the Spokane showing call Mountain Gear at (509) 325-9000. //

LOCAL SKI RESORT GETS NATIONAL PRESS SCHWEITZER PICKED BY SKI MAGS

SCHWEITZER RECEIVED ACCOLADES from National Magazines; “Best Lifts” and “Best Place to Ditch the Crowds” are two standout achievements.

This fall several national snowsports magazines spotlighted Schweitzer with special honors. Skiing Magazine editors chose Schweitzer Mountain Resort as “Best Place to Ditch the Crowds” in the magazine’s first annual Resort Awards issue. SKI Magazine readers placed Schweitzer in the top 10 resorts in North America for their chairlift system.

Powder Magazine claims Schweitzer has the “best park in the Pacific Northwest” and Snowboard Magazine says it’s a world class mountain with lots of soul.

“I see Schweitzer Mountain and the village bustling with enthusiastic visitors and vibrant energy so I must admit that I was surprised to receive the Skiing Magazine editor’s pick as the Best Place to Ditch the Crowds,” said Tom Chasse, Schweitzer’s President and CEO. “Turns out it’s a great remind-

er that even as we grow we are a far cry from the resorts where you have to wait in lift lines and weave through crowded slopes. Schweitzer really is a mountain with enough room for everyone, and with the new lifts we installed last season we are honored that Ski Magazine readers picked us as #10 for our lift system.”

The Stomping Grounds Terrain Park, which was named by Powder Magazine as “best park in the Pacific Northwest” is home away from home to Schweitzer’s Park Rangers. The Rangers maintain and build cutting edge park features, promote the Smart Style terrain park safety code, and generally make sure there is a safe flow of ski and snowboard traffic in the park. “The park crew works really hard fine-tuning jumps, adding new rails and features, and making sure everyone is having fun in the park,” said Dan Nylund, Terrain Park Manager at Schweitzer. “We’re all really proud to be noticed by Powder Magazine for the great experience we work so hard to offer.” //

Voted One of the Top Outdoor Rinks in the US - BY USA TODAY

O P E N D A I LY DISCOUNTED SESSIONS

Not valid during School District 81 breaks 7pm - 8:30pm

Monday

Night

Free admission with coupon and AAA card 7pm - 8:30pm .

Twosday Night $2 Deal $2.00 admission only 7pm - 8:30pm

Wednesday College Night Free admission with college ID 7pm - 8:30pm

Thursday Inlander Appreciation Night

Free admission with coupon 7pm - 8:30pm

Sunday Parents Skate FREE Parents admission is free when kids pay regular prices 11am - 1pm

Helmets highly recommended

Restrictions apply

509.625.6601 | spokaneriverfrontpark.com NOVEMBER 2008

/

OUT THERE MONTHLY

7

Spokanes' Best Music Store!

OUTTHERENEWS RUSSIAN WILDERNESS TRAVELOGUE PRESENTATION SET FOR NEXT MOUNTAINEERS MEETING

-Fast Special Orders!

-Hard to find easy to get!

-1000s of $1.00 vinyl!

PADDLING IN RUSSIA // PHOTO COURTESY OF BILL AND DEBBIE PIERCE.

s "EAUTIFUL YOGA CENTER ON THE 3OUTH (ILL s #LASSES FOR BEGINNERS AND ALL LEVELS s .ATIONALLY RECOGNIZED 9OGA )NSTRUCTOR 4RAINING 0ROGRAM s #HILDCARE AVAILABLE

spokane yoga shala 1610 N. Monroe, Spokane

EAST TH STREET SPOKANE

WWW SPOKANEYOGASHALA COM

CHANCES ARE YOU’VE DREAMT of a wilderness getaway. But if vacation seems too far away, stop by the Spokane Mountaineers general membership meeting for a glimpse of Russia.

November 17, Bill and Debbie Pierce will share their two-week trip into the Kamchatka Peninsula, in Russia’s Far East. Photographs and narrative tales will explore Russia’s untouched wilderness, active volcanoes and grizzly bears.

The presentation’s sponsored by the Spokane Mountaineers, an organization devoted to conservation and enjoyment of the outdoors. The organization’s members include everyone from youth, college students and climbers who’ve summitted Mt. Everest, said Tess Parry, vice president of the Spokane Mountaineers.

Bill and Debbie are committed Mountaineers, says Parry. “You can tell they’re passionate about what they do. This shows not only in their pictures and words, but in a spirit for their sport.�

Since 1985, the Pierces have taken fifteen international trips. Trips take a year of planning but preparation is half the fun, Debbie said. To train for Russia, the couple carried packs of flour and water, in anticipation of 50 pound packs. “We had to hike and hike to get ready for the trip,� Debbie

said. “Then we kayaked for hours on end to get our upper bodies ready.�

Dropped off by helicopter, the couple spent five days hiking along the Karimsky Volcano with “the occasional animal trail,� Debbie said. “We climbed through snow fields, in volcanic ash, hand over hand through alders.�

Next, they spent six days kayaking the Zhupanova River, and into the Pacific Ocean. The Pierces’ highlights include circling by helicopter around an active volcano, watching grizzly bears cross the river in front of their kayaks, and seeing Steller Sea Eagles (only seen in that area of the world). “This presentation goes to show what amazing experiences any normal person can achieve if they develop the skills, Parry said. “It’s continually inspiring to hear what average people can do.�

Mountaineer meetings are open to the public and held every 3rd Monday of each month, Parry said.

Meetings start at 7 p.m. in the Corbin Community Center, West 827 Cleveland. // For more information about the Spokane Mountaineers, including a list of upcoming events visit http://www.spokanemountaineers.org/.

BANFF ICE CAMP ANNOUNCED ICE CLIMB WITH ROB OWENS AND SEAN ISAAC

Come celebrate with us .4&,#&0 8 ", 2. /, 2015 N. Division

LIVE MUSIC 8 ART & MORE!

(across from Mt. Gear)

This event is brought to you by PEACH-People for Environmental Action & Community Health a tax exempt non profit organization dedicated to teaching simple sustainable living skills in the greater Spokane area. And Fresh Abundance LOCAL & Organic Foods – Bringing LOCAL Food to LOCAL People ™ 8

OUT THERE MONTHLY

/ NOVEMBER 2008

HAVE YOU EVER WANTED TO live out your favorite movie action scene? At the Banff Mountain Film Festival Ice Camp in Banff, Alberta (November 10-13), you’ll finally have the chance! Following the weekend-long Banff Mountain Film Festival, guests of the Ice Camp will spend four days ice climbing with ice climbing legends Rob Owens and Sean Isaac.

Camp participants will be exposed to the exhilaration of early season climbing in the Canadian Rockies, including ice and mixed routes on Mount Rundle, the Stanley Headwall, R&D, First Blood and Lower Louise. At the end of the day, climbers will return to the warmth and hospitality of Banff to relax and unwind.

While the participants will learn and expand their climbing skills throughout the camp, it is designed for people who possess basic rope handling skills and some experience climbing water-

fall ice.

The 2009 Banff Ice Camp is scheduled to include: ¡ Guiding throughout the camp ¡ Bag lunches throughout the week ¡ All group gear Participants are responsible for securing their own transportation to/from the climbs, their accommodations (special pricing may be available by contacting the Camp organizers), breakfast and dinner each day, and personal gear. //

The Banff Mountain Film Festival Ice Camp is US$611 plus tax. For more details, visit http:// www.alpineclubofcanada.ca/activities/winter/ bmff_ice.html.

ROADTRIPS MAKE TRACKS TO PALOUSE, WA Two Buttes Offer Great Hiking // By Jordy Byrd primitive first come, first serve campsites.

Campground access is limited from dusk to 7 a.m. and sites cost $15 per night, per 1 vehicle. Additional vehicles (2 maximum) cost $5.

Campsites include restroom access, picnic table, fire pit and space large enough for 18’ trailers.

The park also hosts two small and one large (capacity 100) group shelters. Shelters accommodate up to 100 visitors and may be rented for $50-$100. For more information about the campground or shelters reservations call the Whitman County Park Office at (509) 397-6238.

KAMIAK BUTTE, A GREAT HIKING STOP IN A PALOUSE ROADTRIP. // PHOTO BY JORDY BYRD.

IF YOU’VE NEVER BEEN TO Palouse, Washington you might be forgiven for thinking it’s only been given the title “town” because it has a post office.

With a population around 938, it may seem like a tiny speck on the map, but within 50 miles of Palouse you’ll discover an air of pastoral beauty.

PALOUSE The town in southeastern Washington State, (Whitman County) is small but packs a charming punch. Everything from an art gallery, to a printing museum to a National Natural Landmark adorn the town that sits snuggled in wheat fields.

One of the town’s most enjoyable attractions may be the drive there. Palouse is one of eleven communities along the Palouse Scenic Byway.

The byway combines 208 miles of rolling hills, abundant farmland and recreation along the way.

For more information about the Palouse Scenic Byway visit http://www.palousescenicbyway. com/ Let’s face it, by the time your get there you’ll be hungry, so why not give patronage to local businesses? If you’re looking for a light lunch visit The Bank Left Tea Room at 100 South Bridge St. The restaurant and art gallery serves organic salads, a variety of teas, gourmet drinking chocolates, coffee and desserts.

If a hearty meal is more toward you liking, visit the Palouse Tavern Act II at 127 East Main St. The tavern sells typical pub food and drinks including steaks, burgers, beer and wine. Also on Main Street you can try the Green Frog for pub food and nice beer and wine selection you wouldn’t expect from a speck on the map.

KAMIAK BUTTE

Three miles south of Palouse is Kamiak Butte County Park, a National Natural Landmark with more than five miles of forested hiking trails.

That’s right. Forested hiking trails… in the Palouse. According to the Whitman County Parks and Recreation, the area “was once the bottom

“That’s right.

Forested hiking trails… in the Palouse.” sand of an ancient sea uplifted up by volcanic forces to a height of 3,600 feet over the surrounding area.”

The park is home to more than 150 bird, mammal and vegetation species. Animals that might cross your path include Warblers, moose, great horned owls, songbirds, raptors, mule deer and white-tailed deer.

The parks’ trails have defined trailheads and maps at the park entrance, rangers said. The 3.5 mile Pine Ridge Trail is its largest, leading to the Butte’s summit at 3,641 feet (second highest point in Whitman County).

The switchback is for walkers only. Difficult is moderate as the trail gains about 1,000 feet in elevation, say rangers. On average, the trail takes approximately two hours to complete. The summit offers panoramic views of the Palouse and the Wallowa Mountains, visible from more than 100 miles away.

The park’s campground is open until the first snow fall. Park amenities include an amphitheater, shelters and playground. There are nine

STEPTOE BUTTE If you’ve discovered all Kamiak Butte has to offer, just north of Palouse is Steptoe Butte State Park, a 150-acre, 3,612-foot-tall natural monument. This giant outcrop of ancient quartzite eerily protrudes through acres of surrounding farmland.

Rangers said the Steptoe is an old rock formation that remained visible and untouched after lava covered the surrounding areas. The land is now maintained by Steptoe Butte State Park, open year round with winter hours from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.

According to rangers, “Native Americans called the butte the power mountain. It was believed that a journey to the butte bestowed a gift of power from the mountain’s guardian spirit.”

Park amenities include unsheltered picnic tables and fire pits. While there, look for Douglas Fir, Ponderosa Pine and Apple Cherry trees. Local mammals and birds include deer, elk, rabbits, quail, hawks and woodpeckers.

Rangers said the road to the summit reaches an elevation of 3,612 feet and is accessible for small automobiles. The summit holds several foot paths, and breathtaking views of the Palouse, including views of the Bitteroot Mountains of Idaho and the Blue Mountains of southeast Washington.

Regardless of whether you hit both stops or just take in the views along the way, you’re sure to enjoy the trip. A visit to the Palouse will prove there is beauty and recreation in every small town, and in every remote and differing landscape. //

WHEN YOU GO // Take ramp onto 1-90 W. Take exit 279 toward Pullman/Colfax. Merge onto US 195. Continue on US 195 until reaching Colfax. From Colfax take State Highway 272 (Palouse Highway) east for 5 miles.

WILD WALLS Climbing Gym & Yoga Studio

UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT

CALENDAR Women’s Night - Mon. Super discounts for women.

Men, please stay home!

Spider Monkeys - Tues.

6pm - 8pm

Vertical Intro - $35 Thurs. 6pm - 8pm Sat. 4pm - 6pm

2 hour class & 7 days of FREE climbing included.

College Night - Fri

JOIN :: CLIMB TEAM :: ages 12 - 20 starts Wed, Nov. 5

ial Specunts o Disc

Birthday Parties Corporate Groups Church Groups Students call for details!

509.455.9596

202 W 2nd Ave Spokane, WA 99201

✷ NEW ✷ Come visit our newly remodeled yoga studio with...

Turn right onto Clear Creak Road for 7 miles.Take a sharp right onto Fugate Road and travel .5 mile to Kamiak Butte County Park Road. The park entrance is on the left. Steptoe Butte is located 12 miles north of Colfax on U.S. 195. Turn east on Scholz Road and follow signs to Oakesdale and Steptoe Butte. //

for more info & class times 509.270.0001 mellowmonkeyyoga.com

NOVEMBER 2008

/

OUT THERE MONTHLY

9

Banff

Mountain Film Festival • Coming to Spokane

November 21, 22, 23 •

THE BING CROSBY THEATER Fri. Nov. 21, Sat. Nov. 22 (7 p.m.)

Sun. Nov. 23 (6 p.m.)

•

Tickets

Now On Sale

Tickets: $12 / person or $32 for all 3 days

• MOUNTAIN GEAR Get your tickets at

2002 N Division, Spokane • on line: mountaingear.com

or

TicketsWest

•

Brought to you by

2002 N. Division, Spokane • (509) 325-9000 • mountaingear.com Store hours: Mon - Fri 9:30 am - 8 pm, Sat 9:30 am - 6 pm, Sun 11 am - 5 pm 10

OUT THERE MONTHLY

/ NOVEMBER 2008

BOOKREVIEWS PERSONAL RECORD Rachel Toor, University of Nebraska Press, 2008, 164 pages

I READILY ADMIT I’M A SUCKER for great books about running, and I confess that I do like the Penguin Chronicles. I’ve notched enough marathons to appreciate gutsy races, ridiculous workouts, and the esoteric prose that some writers put forth to champion their cause, their world belief and all of their personal records.

Nonetheless, far too many running books are weighed down with pride.

Thankfully, this is not the case with Personal Record. Oddly enough, I dare the reader to find more than one or two of Rachel’s records. At a recent reading at Aunties, Toor remarked, “This is a book for runners, but this is also a book for friends or relatives or spouses of runners who just don’t get it.” In a stroke of genius, she wrote 26.2 chapters and essentially traced the route of her running career through coaches, boyfriends, stand out races, heartbreaking setbacks and numerous observations found along the way. The .2 is the acknowledgements—rightly so since it’s your support team that truly make the final marathon push possible.

Considering Clif Bar sponsors her as a pacer for marathons across the country, she draws from a huge pool of races. Throughout the book, she notes the irony of her endless running shoes, peculiar race directors, and something she calls Speed Goggles. She even draws out the humor found in never going anywhere without her unwieldy computer watch, as well as keeping Shot Blocs in her running bra for an electrolyte snack on the long four-hour training runs.

Personal Record passionately displays a talented running career, a vision for witty writing, and a striking snapshot of an athlete who, by her own account, took a long time to discover what running would do for her heart. “Not the knobby muscle that pumps blood through the body, the organ that keeps the physical self alive, but the notional place where feelings pool and clog and eventually spring free.”

If you know a runner, and you don’t get it, then perhaps Personal Record can help. Jon Jonckers

WILDERNESS PLEASURES: A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO CAMPING BLISS Kevin Callan, Boston Mills Press, 2008, 240 pages

KEVIN CALLAN’S LATEST BOOK HAS a simple yet lofty goal: to inform readers how to make their camping experiences more comfortable and pleasurable. Sounds great, but the book’s expansive range of topics, broad audience, and quirky sense of humor hinder the accomplishment of this goal.

The topics covered by this book range from indispensible to bewildering. Sections on trip preparation, camp gadgets and gear, and camp food all make perfect sense, but do readers really get much out of sections on how to choose camping companions? A “how to” section on map parties? This extraneous and useless information distracts the reader and diminishes the book’s effectiveness.

Wilderness Pleasures is aimed primarily at inexperienced campers. But Callan is an avid canoeist, so much of the advice within Wilderness Pleasures seems aimed at paddlers. The section on eating

well, for instance, assumes access to fresh ingredients without regard for weight or the ability to keep things cold. Backpackers, therefore, will find this information useless, but car campers or paddlers will find a wealth of helpful hints about how to maximize their backcountry dining experience, including quite a few recipes.

If Wild Pleasures is an accurate reflection of its author, then Callan is a goofy guy. The book abounds with pictures of Callan and his companions in goofy poses and silly faces. Other attempts at humor include the lists that frequently interrupt the text. Some of the lists offer up helpful information in a quick-access format. But some are just silly, such as “Top Ten Songs NOT to Listen to Before You Go.” The humor quickly wears thin.

There is a lot of genuinely useful information here, especially for the inexperienced camper. The tips and tricks are the sort only learned through experience. But the author’s insistence to continually inject himself and his quirky humor into the text proves distracting. Some may find it charming; I found it distasteful ornament. David Tagnani

HOT, FLAT AND CROWDED: WHY WE NEED A GREEN REVOLUTION – AND HOW IT CAN RENEW AMERICA Thomas L. Friedman, Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, 2008, 437 pages

AS IF THE THREAT OF GLOBAL CLIMATE change were not enough to get us out of our gas hogs Pulitzer Prize winning author Thomas Friedman gives us another, world peace.

Hot Flat and Crowded is full of the technical background verifying that human actions are accelerating global climate change. He divides the opponents of this view into three camps, the scientists working for the fossil fuel industry, the small minority of scientists who have examined the data and decided that the rapid increase in greenhouse gas emissions will not effect the planet’s livability, and finally those whose political agenda of less government cannot tolerate the governmental actions needed to reverse the trend to ever increasing use of fossil fuel.

Friedman discusses five reasons that the United States needs a new “green revolution:” energy supply and demand, petropolitics, climate change, energy poverty and biodiversity loss. He explains how the American lifestyle is spreading around the world sucking up resources at not just unsustainable but catastrophic rates. Friedman presents a multitude of examples of how America has lost its influence in the world through our government’s refusal to be part of the solution to runaway consumption. While consumption of all resources is a problem, the reliance on fossil fuels is the greatest. He points out how the flow of petro dollars to countries with fewer freedoms than we enjoy in the “west” fuels the further loss of freedom in those countries.

But reading Hot, Flat and Crowded will not leave you depressed like many books on energy.

Friedman provides a plan through which America can regain its status as a world leader through developing sustainable energy sources and curbing our consumption of other resources. At the same time the country can become a leader in producing “green” energy and products that will restore the U.S. to a position of leadership in the industry of the “Energy-Climate Era.” Reading this book will leave you energized. // Stan Miller

http://cyclingspokane.blogspot.com

EVERYDAYCYCLIST ROOKIE CYCLOCROSS RACER TELLS ALL GROWING SPORT IS GREAT FOR THE FALL // BY JOHN SPEARE

INLAND NW CYCLOCROSS SERIES HIGHBRIDGE PARK RACE. // PHOTO JOHN SPEARE.

John Speare grew up and lives in Spokane. He rides his bike everywhere. Check out his blog at http://cyclingspokane.blogspot.com.

29 8%-/%&/)

(-6-21

$ ! $

! "

" $ $ $ ! # " $ # #

$ %

! !

#

$

'

!

*2+/)23 031+4& )&'0/)33 031+4&-

!

!

!

)5+3 -&2,

!

!

!

!

$ !

! #

!

#

# " $ $

$ !

#

$ "!

#

#

$

!

)%674-1+ # &" & $" ! "$ & "! # " "'! $ % "! #% "(!% # ! & "! " &$ & $ %% " ' $% ! $ !&% " & % ' & '# $ %

cornered maze-like section.

Being good at cyclocross requires agility, speed, good sprinting, good bike handling skills on a variety of surfaces, and huge aerobic capacity. But what’s neat is that you can jump in as a rookie and have a bunch of fun as you improve all of these skills. This is not a sport that requires expertise or elite fitness to compete at the rookie level.

That said, I benefitted hugely from some preseason cyclocross clinics put on by the local bike club, Spokane Rocket Velo. This was a four-class clinic that taught bike handling skills for cyclocross. Among other things, I got the basics on dismounting the bike at speed, running over obstacles, mounting the bike at speed and how to do run-ups. The classes are taught by local cyclocross racers. The classes are informal and not intimidating in the least. It’s a great introduction to the sport and to the local cyclocross culture. The men and women who race and put these races on do it because they love it and they like to bring more people into the sport. It’s a fun and supportive crowd to mix with.

As a spectator, watching cyclocross is much different than watching a road race. Most road races are spread out over long courses, so as a spectator you might only see the competitors fly by just once. With cyclocross, the courses are comparatively much more compact so you see a lot more action from a single vantage point. Additionally, as long as you stay out of the way, you can walk around the course and find the best spot. For example, picnicking by a run-up or a fast corner is a great way to enjoy a meal outdoors on a crisp fall day. It’s like live-action lunch theatre in the woods. And it’s free.

If it’s raining or snowing, watching cyclocross is even more fun. Bundle up; bring a thermos of something warm, and enjoy watching the mud bath.

This year’s local cyclocross series is about halfway done. Usually, races are on Sundays. The next race is at 7-mile in Riverside State Park on November 2nd. You can find the schedule online at the Emde Sports website (emdesports.com). I don’t know why these races are not better publicized. As a rookie racer, they’re a blast, and as a spectator, they are a no-brainer: easy no-moneyfun for the whole family.

AS A CYCLIST, LATE AUTUMN is traditionally a transition time. The short sleeves of summer are long packed away and endless calibration between under-dressing and over-dressing makes for a good distraction from the anticipation of mounting the studded tires. Luckily, there is a growing segment of racing that serves as an even better distraction: cyclocross.

Cyclocross is essentially racing a road bike on the dirt. To make things more interesting, obstacles and “run-ups� are included in the course.

Obstacles force racers to dismount their bikes and jump over barriers. The goal when racing over obstacles is to maintain speed, so dismounting, jumping over the barrier, and mounting the bike again are all done at a sprint. A run-up is a steep section of trail or maybe some steps that require cyclists to “shoulder� their bike and sprint up the incline.

If you are a cyclist in just reasonable shape you should give racing cyclocross a shot. And if you are not a cyclist but are looking for a fun way to spend a cool autumn day with the family, you should consider attending a local race.

This year is my first year as a racer. I’m a rookie and so far, I’ve really enjoyed racing.

You don’t need to be in crazy great shape to give cyclocross racing a shot. It’s hard because it’s so aerobic, but racing in the “rookie� class, your race is only 30 minutes. The course spreads out quickly and once you get your pace set you end up racing against the few people around you. So you needn’t worry about embarrassing yourself as the pack leaves you behind, because you’ll have company. I ride a lot, but I certainly don’t ride fast, so for me, racing cyclocross is a huge effort and a worthy goal. Even as I come in near the end of the pack, I’m having a lot of fun and it’s really rewarding just to finish.

You don’t need a fancy bike for cross racing. The bike I am racing this year is an 18-year-old road bike. Any bike that can take about 35 mm wide knobbie tires will probably work. Traditionally, cyclocross riders race drop-bar bikes, but many ride mountain bikes and flat-bar bikes, especially in the rookie class.

A big part of what makes cyclocross fun is the variety of the surfaces that you race on. A typical course might have some grass sections, open field or dirt sections, some single track, a bit of double track, maybe a smattering of pavement, and at least one obstacle and one run-up. Often, a wide open space is marked off to create a tight-

!

!

!

!

&'2)( )&24 031+4&-

,) 7/6-0%6) 622/ *24 6,) 74&%1 ):3/24)4

" !% ! % !

555 /5.&13 '0. #)56 34%+7) 8) 32.%1) #

2916291 '241)4 2* 34%+7) %1( 29%4(

November 2, 2008 Qualchan Cross Country Series run

November 27, 2008 Turkey Trot

more info at

www.runnersoul.com Spokane's only running specialty store.

221 N. Wall St. 509.624.7654 NOVEMBER 2008

/

OUT THERE MONTHLY

11

AS A KID GROWING UP IN MEDICAL LAKE, VETERAN SHAWN GRAVES. // PHOTO JEFF FERGUSON.

Can

Nature Heal

War’S

?

Wounds

By Dan Egan

12

OUT THERE MONTHLY

/ NOVEMBER NOVEMBER2008 2008

Washington, Shawn Graves wasn’t much different than his buddies. As a self-described “outdoors type person”, he used to love to to ski, snowmobile, hike and fish. Just about anything that would get him outside. “Now,” he says, “I can’t do anything like that alone for fear of what might happen when I’m out there.”

It’s a fear that started worming it’s way into his psyche on a September day in 2004. He was a 28 year-old army sergeant stationed in Mosul, Iraq.

While taking a break for lunch, he sat down to eat his sandwich in a lunch hall when the building exploded from a suicide bomber attack. Twentytwo people inside the building were killed instantly: 14 soldiers, 7 civilians and the bomber. Over 80 people were wounded in the bombing, including Shawn, whose chest and abdomen were torn apart by shrapnel. From that day on, fear has become an all too close companion; it’s that unwanted houseguest that never leaves.

“I had a bunch of intestines removed,” he says, recalling his surgeries like he’s reviewing a to-do list, “my esophagus repaired, my lungs had to be reinflated, take out a rib, they took out my gallbladder—basically, rework my whole insides.” For three weeks he was in a coma, in which he was terrorized by gruesome dreams and nightmares.

Dreams that he says are impossible to describe.

“My brain would dream actual events that were happening…I remember dying. I’d say the dreams bothered me more than the actual bombing event.

The dreams were pretty rough, they haunted me for about a year.”

The surgeries left him feeling increasingly vulnerable and physically fragile “They had to leave my abdomen open for about two years, where it was split down the middle and where they put in some skin grafts. That was worrisome,” he says, “because, basically the only thing protecting my intestines from the outside world was a thin layer of skin. That fear of something falling into me, puncturing me.. it’s pretty rough.”

Graves medically retired in 2006 and returned to Medical Lake. He suffers from PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) as a result of his combat experience. “The fear is the worst part,” he says.

It’s a fear that tells him to stay inside, in the safety of his house when his heart says, “go outside.”

-----------------------------------------------------PTSD –THE UNSEEN WOUND Some 1.6 million troops have served in Iraq and Afghanistan since 2001 and nearly one–fifth of the troops—about 300,000 men and women have returned reporting some form of posttraumatic stress disorders. It’s been called by different names—shell shock, battle fatigue—but PTSD has been around as long humans have been fighting wars. Still, it remains the unseen wound.

A recent RAND study found that, mainly because of a stigma connected to PTSD, only about half of those afflicted seek treatment. Symptoms include intrusive thoughts and images like flashbacks and nightmares; sufferers often isolate and withdraw from the world, they’re irritable, easily startled and hypersensitive to sounds. Shawn Graves still has trouble sleeping at night and when he goes into crowded buildings and crowded spaces it causes him extreme anxiety.

Depression and the rate of suicide among veterans and active-duty personnel have been rising as well. Of the nearly 5,000 soldiers who’ve died in Iraq and Afghanistan, 15% killed themselves.

Every day, five U.S. soldiers try to kill themselves.

The VA estimates that every year 6500 veterans (of all wars) take their lives. That represents 25% of all suicides in the U.S. Mike Ogle is a veteran himself who counsels combat veterans at Spokane’s Veterans Outreach Center. He says it’s impossible for someone who’s

Resources For Vets Veterans Conservation Corps Veterans Environmental Academy Contact: Seth Maier | Phone: (509) 869-4236 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Spokane Veterans Outreach Contact: Mike Ogle | Phone: (509) 448-8387 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing Contact: Ed Nicholson | Phone: (301) 643-2148 www.projecthealingwaters.org

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Wounded Warriors Project Phone: (877) 832-6997 www.woundedwarriorproject.org

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------National Veterans Suicide Hotline Phone: 800-273-TALK ABOVE: LOREM IPSUMER REGUALT ESSE ESSE CONSEQAUT DOLORE. // PHOTO COURTESY OF WIDERSTAND.

never served in the military to understand how difficult the adjustment from military to civilian life can be. “You know what the number one question they get asked all the time,� he says, ‘“did you kill anyone.’ Is that an appropriate question to ask someone? Because, you know something, when you kill people, you don’t feel good about yourself.

We grew up learning that killing people is a bad thing. So you may not feel like you’re worthy of anything because you broke that commandment.

What happens if someone asks you if you killed someone and you say, ‘yeah, I killed someone,’ you know what’s next? They say, ‘how could you do that?’ We don’t want to talk about it. Those are the things that haunt you. People ask stupid questions that haunt you.� “There’s a saying in Iraq,� he says, stressing his point about the difficulties of readjustment. “Drive it like you stole it.� When driving a vehicle in Iraq, he says, “You go like hell, because if you get hit with an IED (improvised explosive device), your chances of survival are greater if you’re going at a higher rate of speed. It’ll save your life, so you’re driving like that all the time. When you come back here, you’re hyper-vigilant. A lot of people still have that driving-fast thing going on,� he says. “They’re still in survival mode.�

-----------------------------------------------------STAYING CONNECTED, GETTING OUTSIDE

Along with counseling, Ogle is a strong advocate of getting veterans active in the outdoors.

Working with professionals in the community, he organizes outings for fishing, kayaking, biking and climbing. He works with the Wounded Warrior Project, a non-profit organization that promotes healing and outdoor activities. For combat veterans, one of the biggest readjustment issues is a sense of isolation and detachment, a loss of identity and connectedness. “I think getting out there, learning to do new outdoor activities gets them away from the plastic culture—you know, the machines, video games, the mall—it shows that you can succeed.�

Shawn Graves got hooked up with the Wounded Warrior project thanks to Ogle and the Outreach Center. He participated in a couple of events, or “combat stress recovery retreats,� including a week in Texas, horseback riding, fishing, hunting, and 8 days fishing in Kodiak, Alaska. “It changed my life,� he says. “It’s a great thing to be able to get outside and not have to worry about anything but having fun. One of my problems was I secluded myself from the outside world. Half the battle is getting out of the house. This shows us that we’re not alone and it makes it a secure environment for me. It helps us reconnect with our brotherhood from the army. When we do events with each other, we feel normal.�

Along with the value of reconnecting socially, Graves feels comfort in connecting with the natural world. “Nature’s got a way of healing,� he says. “You get to see what this life is all about. You get to see the world as it should be.�

Another program is also helping vets put their lives back together while putting them on a career track for outdoor environment-related jobs. The Veterans Conservation Corps, a creation of the Washington Department of Veterans Affairs started offering post-9/11 veterans a path towards “green collar� jobs through a higher education program called the Veterans Environmental Academy. The 9-month program pays veterans

a $1,000 a month stipend while pursuing a certificate through the Natural Resources program at Spokane Community College. They can choose from several career tracks: Natural Resource Management, Water Resources, Soils, Parks and Recreation and Wildlife and Fisheries.

Seth Maier, the program’s Spokane coordinator, says it’s been a lifeline for combat veterans returning home from war, many of whom continue to struggle with readjustment issues. “They’re coming from an experience that could have taken their life. Now they’re home and they start to isolate, sitting there, ‘I can’t get a job, so I’ll sit on my butt.’ It can snowball to the point where just

Weather is no longer an issue

You are officially out of excuses!

Studded Tires Starting at $45

Warm clothing

and bright lights, too!

Get the best gear to ride all year at

www.northdivision.com ! !

ABOVE: LOREM IPSUMER REGUALT ESSE ESSE CONSEQAUT DOLORE. // PHOTO COURTESY OF WIDERSTAND. NOVEMBER 2008

/

OUT THERE MONTHLY

13

MARINE CPL IAN ANDERSON, ARMY SGT TREVER PHILLIPS AND ARMY SFC SHAWN GRAVES IN KODIAK, ALASKA JULY 2008 WITH THE WOUNDED WARRIOR PROJECT(WWP) OUTDOORS PROGRAM. THE COMMUNITY OF KODIAK ALASKA HAS HOSTED THE WWP FOR 2 YEARS. THE GROUPS THAT GO FISH FOR 5 DAYS. THIS PICTURE WAS TAKEN AT SULTRY PASS DURING A 4X4 EXCURSION. // PHOTO COURTESY OF SHAWN GRAVES.

VETERAN SETH MAIER TURNBUL. // PHOTO JEFF FERGUSON. 14

OUT THERE MONTHLY

/ NOVEMBER NOVEMBER2008 2008

getting out of their house gives them an anxiety attack,” he says. “Just getting them out in the fresh air is helping.”

-----------------------------------------------------READJUSTMENT AND COMING HOME Alan Christensen is one of 14 students enrolled in the program and it couldn’t have come at a better time. He just returned home this spring after serving seven months in Ramadi, Iraq, where he was an artilleryman and a provisional MP. His job was to escort convoys from the border to Baghdad. “Once you got out of the Anwar Province, that’s where all the funky shit starts to happen,” he says. “Roadside bombs, small arms fire, IEDs (improvised explosive devices), you name it.” He said he had “a kind of fatalist kind of feeling about it. If it’s my time, it’s my time.

There’s nothing I can do about it. I was in the back seat, so if something happens it’s totally out of my hands. It’s one of those feelings like, ‘let’s take a page from the 91st psalm and let’s hit the road, man.’” Christensen was never physically wounded and after completing his tour he returned home to Spokane in April 2008.

Shortly after the euphoria of just being home wore off, he found himself struggling to find the answer to the increasingly heavy question of, “now what?” “I’m 42, I got a mortgage, a kid and a wife,” says Christensen, who just retired after 23 years in the Marine Corps which included several combat deployments. “When you’re over there,” he says, “your head is so far from reality it’s not even funny.” He had a vague plan of going back to school but said he got a rude awakening when he was told the new GI bill would not be funded until August 2009. He worked a number of low-paying jobs; factory work, office work, prison guard, but he says it felt like he was trying to put a square peg in a round hole. “All I know is I liked being outside, so I knew I wanted a job that would keep me outside.”

Christenson, who had been a marine for his entire adult life, was finding, like most veterans, that the transition from soldier to civilian was more than just trading in the uniform for a sweatshirt and a pair of Levis. “I was suffering an identity crisis,” he says. “My last day in the Marine Corps was a depressing day for me. It was a Sunday, I sat on the couch and I just channel-surfed, watching old movies and drinking beer. I felt like shit.

For twenty-three years my identity was secure. I mean, I was somebody who they’d ask ‘what do you think.’ My opinion mattered. It was ingrained in my soul. For more than half my life I had been a marine, that’s really significant. I was just feeling at a loss,” he says. “I was adrift.”

Christensen, who says he does not suffer from PTSD, but was just having readjustment issues, had an epiphany, which he said cemented his decision to join the program. “It hit me hard one particularly lousy day. I was driving home after looking for a job and I pulled off the road by a little park along the lower Spokane River. I took off my shoes and socks, rolled up my Dockers slacks and I was just standing there in the water thinking ‘man, what am I gonna do?’ Then it just hit me, ‘this is what I want to do. I want to do something outdoors, in nature, that helps the environment that is a part of this. That’s what I want to do.’”

As the number of Veterans of the Global War on Terror (which has now lasted longer than World War II) continues to grow, so has the need for services. Many of which are realizing the value of nature as therapy. Programs such as Project Healing Waters (PHW), a program that sends wounded veterans on fly-fishing trips to help them recover both physically and emotionally continue to expand. It started in 2004 at Walter Reed Veterans Hospital by retired Navy Captain Ed Nicholson following an operation he had there.

Its philosophy is based on the premise that getting out in nature and mending fly lines can also help to mend the lives of injured soldiers. Thousands of veterans come home broken, missing an arm or leg or suffering from traumatic brain injury.

Programs like Project Healing Waters helps them realize they are still capable of doing things while in the setting of a trout stream. “We use fishing not just as a recreational pursuit but as adjunct to therapy,” says Nicholson, who hopes to establish a PHW at the Spokane VA. On a recent, crisp fall morning, Seth Maier, whose Veterans Environmental Academy also lets veterans volunteer for local environmental activities, lead a group of 20 veterans out to Turnbull Wildlife refuge to plant some trees along a stream bed. The group works with different outdoor agencies on projects like stream restoration and habitat development. Two veterans from the program also worked at the Spokane River cleanup last month and prompted organizer Steve Faust of Friends of the Falls to say this: “These guys with the military training and discipline to stay calm and on-task are so valuable to us. We absolutely couldn’t do the clean up with out them.”

-----------------------------------------------------NATURE’S CURE Maier’s enthusiasm about the value of being outdoors is infectious. “I’ve experienced it. I go out to the woods; it’s the only place I can get away.

My mind’s not thinking about all the things that are stressing me out,” he says. “When I come out of the woods, I’m recharged.”

When asked for any examples of veterans healing through the connection with nature, he describes a scene he recently experienced. A group of veterans were out planting trees along a stream when he noticed one veteran was tying something to a tree branch. When asked what he was doing, the young veteran, who had recently returned from the war in Iraq, told him, “I’m naming this tree after my buddy who died. There’s not a day that I don’t see his face. He took his last breath in my hands. I think about him all the time and I can’t talk to him because he’s dead. So I thought maybe if I named this tree after him, I’ll be able to come back and talk to him again.” Maier never saw that soldier again, but he did see the tree recently and noticed the nametag was still there. He says for that young soldier to be able to return to this place and “see this tree grow and imagine how big it’s gonna be, that’s healing all by itself.”

It was Hippocrates, the father of medicine himself, who said, “Nature Heals.” Allen Christensen agrees. “I think you can learn a lot about life by watching nature,” he says. “The whole cycle of the seasons, and the cycles of life. I mean, things are born, and things live, then they die. And that whole process, it kind of puts your mind right.” In the Veterans Environmental Academy he chose to focus on water resources. “I realized what I value most is my ability to feel like I’m contributing something to society. And with this program, I realize water is important. All life begins with water. You have to have it.”

So far, nearly 30,000 U.S. troops have been wounded fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan. Add to that the 300,000 suffering from PTSD and consider the thousands more who are scheduled to return home in the next year. The individuals, who make up these statistics, and those who love them, understand what the war actually costs. “My wounds are invisible,” says Graves. “If you see me on the street, you would never know.” As a soldier, he said he was trained to feel that he could overcome any obstacle. But with an injury and PTSD, you don’t feel that way. “You’ve kind of been stripped of that internal strength,” he says.

“Getting out there in nature, it helps you to kind of rebuild that.” // ------------------------------------------------------

HEALTHANDFITNESS PROTECT YOUR SKIN IN WINTER

An Extra 15 Pounds Shouldn’t Be Your Christmas Present This Year

DON’T LET THE WEATHER MAKE YOU FLAKY // BY DR. BOB LUTZ

Natural nutrition, efficient exercise, and body balance should be!

Give yourself and others the gift that never stops giving…health!

TIS THE SEASON FOR MOISTURIZING // PHOTO JOE BOUCHARD.

THE DRY COLD AIR OF OUR Inland Northwest winters might be great for skiing, but it’s lousy for the health of your skin. The combination of cold temps and low humidity cause skin to dry out at faster rates than during the summer. Combine this with lathering up and taking a hot shower after coming in from the cold, and you can effectively deplete your skin of its natural oils. This leads to itchy, flaky skin, cracking and fissuring of thicker areas of skin, like the soles of your feet and palms, and with enough scratching, possibly secondary infections. Let me provide a few tips to maintaining healthy skin throughout the winter.

Emollients, (aka moisturizers) are oily products that occlude the skin, thereby trapping and sealing water in the outer layer. This makes the skin softer, smoother and less likely to become dry, cracked and itchy. They come in four classes (ointments, oils, creams and lotions) that, in general, the greasier, the more effective. Plan on applying your moisturizer a few times throughout the day.

Ointments (e.g., Vaseline, Aquaphor) are the most potent, but their greasy consistency is a turnoff for many (hint-use a small amount and rub it into the skin very well to lessen this problem). It may sound strange, but for very dry and fissured areas, a nightly application covered by cellophane wrap for occlusion will help it penetrate into the deeper layers of the skin, as well as keeping it off your sheets.

Oils (e.g., baby oil, mineral oil) are less greasy than ointments and can also be very effective. The best time to apply these (as with all moisturizers) is to partially dried skin within a few minutes of getting out of the tub or shower. Be careful if you use bath oils as it can make the tub very slippery.

Cream moisturizers (e.g., Eucerin, Nutraderm, Nivea, Moisturel) typically disappear after being rubbed into the skin and are very popular, as they’re heavier than lotions but don’t leave you with a greasy feeling.

Finally, lotions (e.g., Vaseline Intensive Care, Keri, Nivea, Nutraderm), the least potent type of moisturizer, are suspensions of oily chemicals in alcohol and water. Although commonly used, their alcohol content can lead to drying your skin with repeated applications. Additionally, fragrances are often added that may be a little much (I’m not keen on smelling like apples or watermelon, but…).

Now you may assume that there’s not a “right”

or “wrong” way to bathe in the winter, but surprise, of course there is. Short showers (<5 minutes) no more than once a day, in warm water (vs. scalding), leaves some of your body’s natural oils behind. Don’t go crazy with the soap, and consider using mild products (e.g. Dove, Neutrogena, Aveeno). Baths can be very relaxing, but also very drying. Consider using a basic bath oil, and maybe adding a few drops of an essential oil, like eucalyptus (great for sore muscles) or lavender (relaxing), to your bath oil. When finished, gently pat your skin dry rather than rubbing and apply your moisturizer as per above. // WINTER SKIN CARE TIPS: 1.

Avoid long soaks in hot, soapy water.

They may feel great but they’re tough on your skin 2.

Limit your bathing to once a day (if possible) 3.

Use mild soaps (the most heavily fragranced are sometimes the harshest) 4.

Towel dry by patting rather than rub bing 5.

Apply a moisturizer within a few minutes of drying off 6.

Consider using different potency moisturizers for different parts of your body (e.g., ointments on your soles, creams on your face) 7.

Reapply the moisturizer throughout the day 8.

Beware of added chemicals that may cause itchiness and allergic reactions 9.

Stay well hydrated 10.

Eat a diet rich in fruits and vegetables to ensure you’re getting adequate amounts of vitamins A and B, or take a multi-vitamin/multimineral and a B-100 supplement daily 11.

Omega-3-fatty acids (cold water fish, flax seed) should be a regular part of your diet 12.

Consider using a humidifier at home if you have dry heat 13.

Apply a dab of Crazy Glue to fissures in your heels and fingers

Functional Medicine meets nutrition & metabolic testing to help you achieve health and wellness Deaconess Health & Education Bldg 910 W. 5th Ave., Spokane WA (509) 747-7066

WWW.THEMETABOLIC-INSTITUTE.COM

WomanHealth has been serving the Spokane area for 26 years as an obstetricgynecologic practice dedicated to providing excellent health care to women in all stages of their reproductive life. Our setting is designed to foster a physicianpatient relationship in which the patient actively participates in her health care and health care decisions. We pride ourselves in our friendly individualized approach to providing state of the art office and surgical gynecologic care. We accomplish this by being a “health care team” which includes physicians, health care providers, nursing and administrative staff and YOU, the patient!

Pamela Silverstein, MD Lewis Meline, MD Valerie Ewert, CNM Shelley Northern CNM Leanne Zilar, ARNP Sara Edge ARNP Adie Goldberg, ACSW, M. ED

DEACONESS HEALTH & EDUCATION BUILDING 910 W. FIFTH AVE., SUITE 510 (509) 747-1055

NOVEMBER 2008

/

OUT THERE MONTHLY

15

SUSTAINABLELIVING

BEFORE YOU BUY THOSE ORGANIC BLUEJEANS...

Which is most ecofriendly, organic cotton or polyester? The answer may surprise you. // By Yvonne Zipp Sarnoff, founder of EcoStiletto, an online magazine for the environmentally concerned. “Even the fact that we have so many alternatives— two years ago, none of it was here. Now it’s in Nordstrom.”

ORGANIC CLOTHES HIT THE MAINSTREAM One illustration of growth in ecofriendly clothes can be found in the fact that Wal-Mart purchased 10 million pounds of organic cotton last year. This has caused some concerns from environmentalists who say it may result in a diluting of what it means to be organic. But Todd Copeland of Patagonia, the Ventura, Calif., company that’s long been recognized as an industry leader in ecofriendly clothes, would ask the naysayers to hang on a moment.

“We’re pretty happy that Wal-Mart is now the biggest purchaser of organic cotton [in the US], because Patagonia was for years and years, and we’re not that big a company,” says Mr. Copeland.

HELENE KUHN, IN MIRROR, SHOPS FOR VINTAGE CLOTHING WITH HER COUSIN ALEXANDRA KUHN AT AN OUTDOOR MARKET ON EAST 1ST STREET IN NEW YORK CITY ON SATURDAY AFTERNOON. “I LIKE THE IDEA OF HAVING SOMETHING THAT HAD A LIFE BEFORE YOU HAD IT,” SAYS ALEXANDRA KUHN. // PHOTO BY ANN HERMES - THE CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR.

Cardboard piling up?

Office paper going in the trash?

BUSINESS PICKUPS

Call to schedule a pickup

We come get recyclables at your business!

0

DONATE, Don’t Dump Call us for details.

Help us build homes.

9 16

OUT THERE MONTHLY

/ NOVEMBER 2008

HERE’S AN ECORIDDLE FOR a concerned shopper: A store has two business suits for sale. One is made of renewable bamboo, the other of recycled polyester. Which is greener?

Before you start wrinkling your nose at petroleum-based products, wait a second. Despite the plant origins of the bamboo, the polyester wins hands down, says Pat Slaven, a textile expert at Consumers Union in Yonkers, N.Y., which produces Consumer Reports magazine. “Don’t get me wrong,” she says. “I love cotton, I love natural fibers, but polyester’s going to clothe the planet.”

As with organic produce, environmentally friendly garments are becoming easier to find and are coming down in price — although a buyer can still pay $290 for a pair of organic jeans.

The good news is there are many more ecofriendly options available—with everyone from Levi’s to Target and Wal-Mart offering organic or recycled options. The bad news is that a consumer could be forgiven for thinking they need a degree in textile chemistry to sort out the shades of green.

Shoppers now face a wealth of questions that go far beyond “Does this make me look fat?” How many pesticides went into growing the material?

(Approximately one-third of a pound for a conventional cotton T-shirt.) Does it have to be drycleaned? How were the sheep that produced the wool treated? If it’s made of organic cotton, what kind of dye was used? How far did it have to be shipped before reaching store shelves?

Then there are a variety of new materials —from bamboo to soy, sasawashi to Tencel— claiming to be green and charging a premium accordingly.

“It’s a huge shift in consciousness,” says Rachel

OLD MATERIAL WITH A NEW NAME This is not to say that “greenwashing” (making a misleading or unsubstantiated environmental claim about a product) isn’t rampant. In some cases, experts say, the garments should come with a pair of the emerald spectacles they used in Oz. Ms. Slaven points out that some of the “new” fabrics actually have old names: Chemically processed bamboo, for instance, is virtually identical to viscose rayon. And the process used to manufacture it—involving acid, disulfides (“pretty nasty stuff,” she says), and strong caustic—isn’t her idea of environmentally friendly. “It’s pretty outrageous at this point,” says Slaven, who recently testified before the Federal Trade Commission on “Bamboozled by Bamboo.”

“Almost all the bamboo that’s on the market is essentially viscose rayon…. Consumers are paying a lot of money for it. It’s a legitimate manufactured cellulose. But when consumers are paying half again to double [the price for another fabric], that is not a value to a consumer,” she says.

However, both Slaven and Ms. Sarnoff point out that manually manufactured bamboo —which feels like flax —doesn’t deserve to be tarnished with the same label.

Before you give up and start weaving a hair shirt, analysts say it’s a case of consumers figuring out what they already like to wear and how to take steps to make that greener. The answer is not to throw your old clothes out or fling money at the problem, figuring that the most expensive clothes must be the greenest.

“Personally, I shop a lot less,” says Sarnoff. “I’ll go and look around and realize that there’s not many things [that] pass my test of things I want to support.” When she does buy, she says that she wants to make sure her dollars go to help companies that are genuinely concerned.

But she acknowledges it can be difficult for consumers of limited budget who want to help the environment and still look stylish at work. “I wish there were a green Gap,” she says.

SUSTAINABLELIVING If your clothing budget doesn’t stretch to paying for high-end fashion – where ecofriendly is trendy – just head for the consignment store.

Buying vintage is one of the easiest ways to go greener, says Kristi Wiedemann, of GreenerChoices.org, an environmental website run by Consumers Union. With vintage clothes, there is no additional energy use or pesticides, she explains, since the clothing has already been manufactured and there are no further transportation costs, since the garments are already local.

“The question is consumption. The greenest shirt is the one you don’t buy,” says Ms. Wiedemann.

She also cautions against trying to compare different fabrics to try and figure out which one is the greenest. Instead, she says, it makes more sense to consider the spectrum of each cloth: For cotton, for example, the greenest option would be used clothing, then recycled, organic, and finally, conventional.

Part of the challenge is that there is currently no oversight governing manufacturers’ claims, explains Jamie Bainbridge, director of textile and product development for Nau, an ecoclothier in Oregon that pledges to use no new oil in its garments and is working to set up a system whereby consumers will be able to trace the wool in its

sweaters back to the source.

For example, a manufacturer can make a shirt of organic cotton, but the dye used in it doesn’t have to be organic at all. “They can say anything they want to right now, because nobody’s governing them,” says Ms. Bainbridge.

“The consumer can’t be as highly educated as they need to be,” adds Bainbridge, a member of an ecological working group that’s trying to devise ratings that are clear and consistent. They hope to come up with a way to tell consumers how green the garment they’re buying is.

“We need to cut out the ‘greenwashing,’ and tell the consumer what they’re really getting,” she says.

“We have to build a rating system that’s strong enough – it needs to be as simple as the LEED system [for green construction],” she adds.

“That way a consumer can say, that’s organic or it’s not.” //

This story originally appeared in The Christian Science Monitor and is reprinted here by permission. Article copyright 2008 The Christian Science Monitor.

SUSTAINABLE LIVING CALENDAR // (ONGOING WEDNESDAYS) AFFORDABLE GROUP ACUPUNCTURE. WHEN: 5:007:00 PM. WHERE: 3418 S. Grand Blvd.

Acupuncture in a group setting for a sliding scale of $15-25. Soothe aches, pains and emotional strains with acupuncture.

INFO: (253) 273-5235, or newmoonacupuncture@earthlink.net.

(NOVEMBER 13) KAMIAK COMMUNITY MOVIE NIGHT. WHEN: 6PM. WHERE: Kamiak Christian School - South Hill, 3621 South Fancher Rd.. What: BADGERED - (Short Film) WHO KILLED THE ELECTRIC CAR? (Feature). Taste Free popcorn & apples.

INFO: (509)590-0226, or www.kamiak.org.

(NOVEMBER 13) NORTHWEST ECOBUILDING GUILD STEERING COMMITTEE MEETING. WHEN: 5PM. WHERE: O’Doherty’s Irish Grille. Help us plan events around water conservation.

INFO: julietsinisterra@yahoo.com.

(NOVEMBER 17) SPOKANE RIVER WORKSHOP. WHEN: 6:30pm - 8:30pm.

WHERE: LakeSide Middle School. Celp is holding a FREE workshop on the Spokane River and all the changes that are going on. Come see how this affects you. INFO: (509) 209-2899, www.celp.org.

WORKSHOP. WHEN: 6:30pm - 8:30pm.

WHERE: 35 W. Main, Spokane - Lobby.

Celp is holding a FREE workshop on the Spokane River and all the changes that are going on. Come see how this affects you.

INFO: (509) 209-2899, www.celp.org.

(NOVEMBER 28, 29, 30) FESTIVAL OF FAIR TRADE. WHEN: 10am-6pm. WHERE: Community Building at 35 W. Main in downtown. The Festival of Fair Trade is held Thanksgiving weekend. The Festival of Fair Trade will include Ganesh Himal Trading, Kizuri, Moonflower Enterprises, Singing Shaman Traders, ConoSur Imports, and others. To learn more about Fair Trade the National Fair Trade Resource Network has a well written guide “The Conscious Consumer: Promoting Economic Justice through Fair Trade” which will be available at the Festival.

INFO: (509) 464-7677.

(DECEMBER 5) NORTHWEST ECOBUILDING GUILD/SLOW FOOD SPOKANE HOLIDAY DINNER. WHEN: 6 PM. WHERE: EcoDepot, 1326 East Sprague. Potluck meal. Bring food to share rom your own garden or from a producer you have met. Green Building presentation by Kelly Lerner. INFO: julietsinisterra@yahoo.com. //

(NOVEMBER 24) SPOKANE RIVER

NOVEMBER 2008

/

OUT THERE MONTHLY

17

WHAT’SYOURGEAR?[SNOW CAMPING] BY MIRA COPELAND EDDIE ISAKSON

ISAKSON OUTDOORS. // JON SNYDER.

FALL IS IN THE AIR, AND WHILE that makes most of us want to curl up next to a cozy fire, it invokes a different response from Spokane’s Eddie Isakson. “I feel it getting colder and I keep thinking, ‘I can’t wait to go camping,’” he says.

That’s right, Isakson is an avid snow camper.

He grew up camping with his family and as a boy scout, then joined the Air Force, where he taught survival skills for air crew life support.

spokane, washington

His past trips have taken him to the areas around Spokane, parts of Canada, the Cascades, and even Alaska for the Air Force’s Arctic Survival Training Course, where “it never got above 40 below”—cold enough to freeze boiling coffee instantly.

“Anywhere new is my favorite place to go,” he says, “I find my trail head and then depending on the level of snow I just hike in or snowshoe.”

------------------------------------------------------SNOWSHOES: MSR Lightning Ascent. “Any lightweight snowshoe will work. In the military, we used the tennis racket type, but they’re not as good,” he says, because they’re larger and unwieldy. “The MSRs will keep you gliding right along no matter how much snow there is.”

------------------------------------------------------BOOTS: “My Asolo hiking boots keep me pretty warm if I’m just hiking, but for snowshoeing I use the Sorrell Conquest boot. They keep my feet dry and toasty, but they’re not huge and honking so they still fit in your snowshoes.”

------------------------------------------------------LAYERS: “Everything against my skin is polypropylene, then I wear a layer of wool over that.”

Isakson says he doesn’t have a preferred brand, but “I find that the Army surplus store is a great place to get that stuff.” For waterproof protection, he wears a gore-tex shell (pants and parka), which is typically military issue, and for added warmth in camp he adds a fleece jacket.

“Your first line of shelter is your clothing, so make sure you have extras and take care of the gear you have on,” he says.

-------------------------------------------------------

Please join us on for next year’s clean up – October 3, 2009! www.friendsofthefalls.org

THANK YOU! To the 800 volunteers at the 6th Annual Spokane River Clean-Up who picked up 8 tons of trash, of which 2 tons were recycled.

And thanks to our clean up sponsors:

And our event partners: Out There Monthly, David’s Pizza, Mountain Gear, Center for Justice–Spokane River Project, City of Spokane, The Lands Council, Veterans Conservation Corps, Thomas Hammer Coffee, Spokane Transit, REI, Northwest Whitewater Association, Gonzaga University, Rings & Things, Thinking Cap Communications & Design, Conservation Northwest, Downtown Spokane Partnership, Earthworks Recycling, Faith & Environment Network, FLOW Adventures, WSGA Inland Empire Geocachers, Inland Northwest Trails Coalition, Sierra Club Inner City Outings, Spokane Bicycle Club, Spokane Canoe & Kayak Club, Spokane Fly Fishers, Spokane Mountaineers, WSU Spokane, Spokane Falls Community College, ASEWU Epic Adventures, Inland Empire Mountain Bike Patrol, Northern Lights, The Spokesman-Review/ Down To Earth, Glover Mansion, Jensen Distributing, Trout Unlimited

18

OUT THERE MONTHLY

/ NOVEMBER 2008

GLOVES: “Usually I like mittens—you don’t have

as much dexterity, but mittens are the warmest.”

------------------------------------------------------HAT: “Just an old cap or balaclava, but I take a scarf, too.”

------------------------------------------------------PACK: The Osprey Argon 70. “It’s a great pack— big enough to hold everything but with a small profile.”

------------------------------------------------------TENT: An all season mountaineering tent by Walrus. But, he adds, “if I know the area pretty well and I think there’ll be enough snow, I’ll ditch the tent and just take a poncho and a shovel and make a snow shelter.”

To build a snow shelter, Isakson says, try to find areas where the drifts have already built up, out of the way of other hikers or woodland creatures who might stumble on top of (or through) the shelter. The shelter should be 8 inches thick all around, have a ventilation hole, and an entrance lower than the level at which you sleep to keep the heat inside.

------------------------------------------------------SHOVEL: “Anything collapsible, lightweight, and sturdy” will work, Isakson says.

Sleeping bag: REI’s 20 below bag, with synthetic fill that performs better than down if it gets wet.

Isakson also uses a silk bag liner, which “makes it more comfortable and warmer.” He adds, “it’s important to fluff your sleeping bag and strip down to let the bag do the work in keeping you warm.”

-------------------------------------------------------

SLEEPING PAD: “What I usually do is cut pine boughs and sleep on those, and I sleep great.”

------------------------------------------------------STOVE: MSR Whisperlight. “I’ve had mine forever,” he says.

------------------------------------------------------FOOD: Isakson takes army surplus MREs (Meals Ready to Eat), snacks like beef jerky and Powerbars, and dehydrated food “to treat myself.”

He sometimes takes a snare wire to trap small game.

------------------------------------------------------KNIFE: Any good bolt knife about 6 inches will work, he says. He also often carries a Sog pocketknife and a small axe.

------------------------------------------------------LIGHT: Petzl E-Light headlamp. He likes its emergency features, including a red bulb in addition to the white, and a strobe feature.

------------------------------------------------------NAVIGATION: “I always carry a compass and a GPS,” he says. “It’s important to use the GPS as little as possible,” he says, since you might run out of battery power in an emergency, so he uses it to mark important points or to establish his location, then navigates by compass and topographic map.

The most important gear, though, is knowledge, Isakson says. “I would never go out without educating myself on where I’m going.” //

MUSICREVIEWSBYDR.OSLONORWAY and Cocoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s vocals retain and improve upon her trademark sneering-yet-soulful-and-seductive delivery. The songs, as ever, are short, sharp and driving.

THE GLOBES The Globes EP (self-released)

CASY & BRIAN â&#x20AC;&#x153;Rumble in the Jungle 1974â&#x20AC;? from a forthcoming 7â&#x20AC;? release

CASYYY! Boom-by-ay! BRIAN! Boom-by-ay!

After a cancelled date last summer (Brian tore his ACL in a skateboard incident...), one of the Bay areaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s coolest duos makes their much-anticipated debut in Spokane. Casy & Brian, while in Seattle, were known on the house party scene for their, what they deem, â&#x20AC;&#x153;grime punk.â&#x20AC;? The duoâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; two dudes, mhmm, one Casy, the other Brian, a Casio and a drum set--relocated to San Francisco a couple of years ago, where theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve set out to inspire the same spastic dance. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s awesome. And itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s even awesome-r in person. And now, thanks to select awesome individuals in the community, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll get a chance to check it out. November 28 at Caterina Winery. That means you can spastically dance away your turkey. Mmm.

KAYLEE COLE Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re still here missing you (Aviation Records)

Kaylee Cole is a talent mostly unheard of on the eastern side of the state. But, gosh, Spokane, I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to tell you that, right? Coleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s path to local fame has been well catalogued (on both sides of the mountains, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s worth adding), and her star is no doubt going to continue its rise with the release of her debut full-length album.

Full of the sweeping melodies and mystical lyricism with which Cole is known for intoxicating her audiences, Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re still here missing you is the latest big triumph of her burgeoning career. Sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bigger here than ever before (in sound), more confident, and all-the-more charming because of it. Watch outtt, world. Coleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s CD release show is November 8 at Caterina Winery.

EAGLES OF DEATH METAL â&#x20AC;&#x153;Wannabe in LAâ&#x20AC;? from Heart On (Downtown)

When I casually met Jesse Hughes a few years ago, the 15 or so minute conversation we had was so flavored by â&#x20AC;&#x153;Yeah, babyâ&#x20AC;?s and â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s right, girlâ&#x20AC;?s that I was mostly just tempted to skip out on the crazy redhead. But, truth be told, Hughes is actually sort of refreshing (albeit in a seemingsexist, definitely over-the-top sort of way). Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s unapologetically having a pretty ridiculously good time with a few of his friends (most notably Josh Homme of Queens of the Stone Age fame), and his music isâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;unapologetically, and likely admittedlyâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;pretty ridiculouslyâ&#x20AC;Ś alright. But itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s catchy as hell! If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve hated, give it another shot. Remember, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s totally aware of its own stupidity (donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think that â&#x20AC;&#x153;Wannabeâ&#x20AC;? in this trackâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s title isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t ironicâ&#x20AC;Ś).

THE ETTES Look At Life Again Soon (Take Root)

Coco, Pony and Jem are back with their second album of 60s-style fuzzy garage goodness, looking and sounding sharper than ever. I caught the always well turned-out inter-gender LA threesome at a club in Vegas a few years ago just as they were releasing their solid but very lo-fi debut, and I believe the improved sound on this one recreates their live intensity much better. Ponyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s drums sound positively crushing

The fellas of the Globes have already proven themselves an imaginative, creative, and ambitious bunch. This EPâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first track is a great reflection of that talent. I say only the first track because, well, the copy the dudes sent over hits some hella skippiness starting mid-way through the second track. The first though, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Killers/ Saints,â&#x20AC;? has me sold and intrigued (read: pissed) over those other tracks. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s catchy and melodic without being tired, and ultimately really lovable.

Lovable not so much in a cuddly way, but lovable in an obsessive, go-to-every-show, kind of way, yâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;knowâ&#x20AC;Ś Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not the most kid-friendly of tuneage, which may be stunting their growth in their new home of Seattle, but Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m gonna give it some time to hit the right venues and take overrrrr.

THE PRETENDERS Break Up the Concrete (Shangri-La)

Chrissie Hynde and company have added a newfound touch of Americana to their trademark melodic power pop and in the process theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve recorded their best album in well over a decade.

In some cases, as in â&#x20AC;&#x153;Loveâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a Mystery,â&#x20AC;? theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve simply countrified slightly their classic â&#x20AC;&#x153;Back on the Chain Gangâ&#x20AC;?-type pop balladry, and elsewhere, as on the title track, they try their hand at up-tempo roots rock. The results of these experiments are successful more often than not, due in large part to Hyndeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s strong, matured songwriting throughout. Perhaps most interesting is the jazzy â&#x20AC;&#x153;Almost Perfect,â&#x20AC;? in which Chrissie shows us her sultry side.

SECRET MACHINES

// OTM SUGGESTS //

UPCOMING SHOWS! NOVEMBER 3 (HEAVY PUNK)

Secret Machines (TSM)

On their first album since the departure of guitarist/vocalist Ben Curtis and the addition of former Tripping Daisy guitarist Phil Karnats, the Secret Machines sound as though they havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t lost a step in their ability to turn out Paisley Underground-style neo-psychedelia mixed with arena rock bombast. Their combination of crushing guitars, huge drums and trippy, meandering, melodic song craft at times reminds me of nineties cult favorites Hum but with better vocals.

Perhaps the best track is â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Walls Are Starting to Crack,â&#x20AC;? wherein they slow things down to a crawl and come up with an effectively creepy, haunted vocal melody before letting the song devolve momentarily into an atonal freakout that would make Syd Barrett proud.

AKIMBO, BELT OF VAPOR EMPYREAN 154 S MADISON ST, 838-9819 NOVEMBER 6 (CRAZY ROCK)

KING KHAN & THE BBQ SHOW EMPYREAN 154 S MADISON ST, 838-9819 NOVEMBER 8 (COOL SONGSTRESS)

KAYLEE COLE CATERINA WINERY, 905 N. WASHINGTON, 328-5069 NOVEMBER 8 (HIP HOP)

LOCKE CD RELEASE, NO FI SOUL REBELLION THE BLVD., 333 W. SPOKANE FALLS BLVD. NOVEMBER 14 (HORROR PUNK)

MISFITS

YO MAJESTY

KNITTING FACTORY, 911 W. SPRAGUE, 244-

Futuristically Speaking: Never Be Afraid (Domino)

Tampa, Floridaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s finest foul-mouthed lesbian hiphop duo have finally released their debut album after plugging away in the underground for years.

Having signed with UK-based Domino records, Yo Majesty enlisted the aid of several heavyweight European dance producersâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;including Basement Jaxx, CLP and Hard Feelings UKâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;who created old school Miami bass-inspired beats for the project over which MCs Jwl B. and Shunda K. spit their highly skilled, rapid fire rhymes. The lyrical content is all over the map, but partying hard seems to be a common thread throughout. //

3279 NOVEMBER 22 (POWER POP)

SCISSORS FOR LEFTY THE BLVD., 333 W. SPOKANE FALLS BLVD. NOVEMBER 9 (SWINGIN)

HOT CLUB OF COW TOWN MASONIC TEMPLE, 1108 W. RIVERSIDE, 6242728 NOVEMBER 24 (STRAIGHT TALK)

â&#x20AC;&#x153;MARIJUANA: ITâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S TIME FOR A CONVERSATIONâ&#x20AC;? WITH RICK STEVES THE BING, 901 W. SPRAGUE, 227-7368

JAY REATARD Matador Singles â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;08 (Matador)

Ever since Memphis-based Jay Reatard signed with Matador early this year, heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been turning out seven inch singles of his usual lo-fi garage punk-pop at an alarmingly fast rate. Now Matador has complied those tunes, plus a bonus track, and released them as a cohesive album.

Reatard writes and plays everything himself, and his recordings sound as though they were laid down on an old four-track in his garage, but his adamantly do-it-yourself spirit belies a distinctive pop sensibility that distinguishes him from the vast sea of crappy punk out there. There are even a few quality moments of acoustic balladry to be found on the album.

SCISSORS FOR LEFTY â&#x20AC;&#x153;Nickels and Dimesâ&#x20AC;? from Underhanded Romance (Eenie Meanie)

One week prior to Casy & Brianâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s entry into Spokane, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be treated to the local debut of anotherrrr San Francisco gem, one Scissors for Lefty! This track from last yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s amaaaazing debut LP, reps SFLâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s pop prowess at its best. The band is self-releasing a new EP on this Northwest tour, which weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve not yet had the pleasure of previewing, but believe, through our past experiences with the band, will be fantastic. This band is impossible to resist. Seriously. The smilinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Garzas and Krimmels knock your socks off on November 22 at the Blvd, with headliners Shim and guests.

Sasquatch buys his t-Shirts at

Boo Radleyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

Pop Culture Paradise Toys , ## ' , & ' , #& , ( .

232 N. Howard St.

across from the Car#)' #*"(#*" $# aloo (509) 456-7479

NOVEMBER 2008

/

OUT THERE MONTHLY

19

OUTDOORCALENDAR CLIMBING

html

(NOVEMBER 5) “AVALANCHE AWARENESS. When: 7PM. Where: REI, 1125 N Monroe St. Come join Flow Adventures for an informative clinic where you will look at & play with the latest in avalanche beacons and other essential equipment.. Info: (509) 328-9900, www.rei.com/spokane.

CYCLING

(ONGOING, MONDAYS) WOMENS CLIMB NIGHT.

When: 6PM – 8PM. Where: Wild Walls, 202 W. 2nd Ave. Please call ahead. Come climb and learn to climb with other women in the Spokane area every Monday Night. Cost is $12. Join the Fun at Wild Walls! Info: (509) 455-9596.

(ONGOING) SPIDER MONKEY CLIMBING CLUB. When: 6PM – 8PM (Tuesdays). Where: Wild Walls, 202 W. 2nd Ave. For kids ages 4 – 10 years. Please call ahead. For ages 4 and up. Come climb with friends! Cost $12 (single visit), $74 (8 punch pass). Info: (509) 455-9596.

SUBMIT YOUR EVENT AT WWW.OUTTHEREMONTHLY.COM

(ONGOING) SPOKANE’S BIKE BUDDY PROGRAM.

When: Ongoing. Where: Spokane, WA. The Bike Buddy Program matches you with a trained volunteer familiar with the commute between your neighborhood and workplace. Sponsored by the Spokane Bicycle Club and Bicycle Alliance of Washington. Info: SpokaneBikeBuddy@aol.com.

(NOVEMBER) INLAND NW CYCLOCROSS SERIES.

Where: Various, WA. Info: (509) 326-6983 or www.emdesports.com.

(OCTOBER 14) FULL MOON FIASCO. When: 8pm.

Where: Starts at The Swamp. A relaxed bike ride through Spokane during the full moon. Any bike.

Any level of rider. Any level of beverage enjoyer.

Info: http://fbcspokane.blogspot.com

(OCTOBER 19) ELK DRUG DROP OUTS CRUISER RIDE. (OCTOBER 21) DISCOVER ROCK CLIMBING. When: 6

PM – 8 PM. Where: Mountain Gear, 2002 North Division. Everything you need to harness up, tie in and belay with confidence. This class is for those who wish to get into climbing, as well as for parents wishing to get their young ones climbing safely. Cost: $20. Info: www.mgear.com.

(NOVEMBER 10-13) BANFF MOUNTIAN FILM FESTIVAL ICE CAMP, BANFF ALBERTA.. Info: http://www.

alpineclubofcanada.ca/activities/winter/bmff_ice.

When: 3pm. Where: The Elk, Brown’s Edition.

Vintage bike ride to David’s Pizza. Come have fun and meet other vintage enthusiasts. Hopefully it won’t snow! Probably the last one til Spring.

Always fun and always interesting! Info: (509) 499-5422, or newtimebomb@hotmail.com.

(NOVEMBER 1) PEDALS2PEOPLE ANNUAL PUBLIC MEETING AND POTLUCK. When: 5-7PM. Where:

Spokane. Come meet Spokane’s hands-on nonprofit bicycle organization that’s working to get more people on bikes. Info: Please RSVP to (509) 842-6597, www.pedals2people.org.

RUNNING/WALKING/MARATHONS (THURSDAYS—MARCH-NOVEMBER) FLYING IRISH RUNNING CLUB. When: 6PM. Where: O’Doherty’s

Irish Grille 525 West Spokane Falls Boulevard.

Weekly 3 mile fun-runs, with walkers always welcome. Run six times and earn a free shirt good for food & drink discounts afterwards. EZ & fun 3 milers with food & drink half-priced afterwards!

Free clothing too! Info: (509) 747-0322, or www. flyingirish.org.

(NOVEMBER 1) ZETGEIST HALF MARATHON. Boise,

ID. Info: www.zhalfmarathon.com.

(NOVEMBER 2) BLOOMSDAY @ QUALCHAN 12K.

When: 10am. Where: High Drive @ Manito Boulevard, Spokane’s South Hill. Challenging ‘real’ cross-country running race on the South Hill bluff. 12Km (like Bloomsday) and includes a ‘Doomsday Hill.’ Entry $4 (BRRC members $3) Info: (509) 448-2616, or http://brrc.net/race_ forms/Race_Forms2/Cross_Country_2008.html.

(NOVEMBER 16) NEW BALANCE FALL CLASSIC HALF MARATHON. Vancouver, B.C. Info: www.fallclas-

sicrun.com.

(NOVEMBER 27) ANNUAL TURKEY TROT. When:

Morning. Where: Manito Park. Work off that dinner before hand. Info: www.brrc.net.

CONDITIONING CLASS. When: Tuesday/Thursday

7-8am, noon-1pm, 6-7pm. Where: U-District Physical Therapy, 730 N. Hamilton. 5th annual Ski/Snowboard Conditioning Class. Get in shape for the upcoming season. $75 per month (8 sessions). More info www.udistrictpt.com Info: (509) 458-7686, www.udistrictpt.com.

(NOVEMBER 1-2) ANNUAL SKI SALE & SWAP. When: 9AM-6PM Saturday, 11AM-5PM Sunday. Where: Fitness Fanatics, 12425 E. Trent. To sell come to Fitness Fanatics before 5pm 10/31. . Info: (5090 922-6080, or www.fitnessfanatics.com.

(NOVEMBER 1) WINTER SWAP. When: 9AM-3PM. Where: Kootenai County Fairgrounds. Fundraising event for the lookout pass and silver mountain volunteer ski patrols. Buy new and used snow sport equipment for bargain prices. Info: (208) 818-3133, winterswap.org.

(NOVEMBER 6) SKI TUNE UP CLASS. When: 6:30PM – 8:30PM. Where: Mountain Gear, 2002 North Division. Call for details. Info: (509) 325-900, or www.mgear.com.

(NOVEMBER 8) BRING THE FLURRY-WINTER SPORTS KICK OFF. When: 11am-5PM. Where: REI, 1125

N Monroe St. Kick off your winter at REI with our local ski mountains & the industry’s leading brands. 11AM-4PM: Vendor meet & greet. Info: (509) 328-9900, www.rei.com/spokane.

(NOVEMBER14) MATCHSTICK PRODUCTIONS SKI FILM “CLAIM.” When: 7:30PM. Where: Cataldo Hall

Globe Room, Gonzaga University. Claim brings the best skiers and most insane terrain together into what they call the best ski film ever. $5 Students and $10 General Admission. Info: (509) 313-4189, or outdoors@gonzaga.edu.

(NOVEMBER 30) CROSS-COUNTRY SKI TRIPS-WITH TRANSPORTATION. When: 9AM-4PM. Where:

Lookout Pass. Cross-country ski close to the Spokane area, in cooperation with the U.S. Forest Service. Cost: $32.00, rental gear additional $7.00.

Registration: (Ages 7 & over) call 625-6200 or go to www.spokaneparks.org.

(DECEMBER 4,7) CROSS-COUNTRY SKI FAMILY LESSONS (2 SESSIONS). When: 12/46:30-7:30 PM, 12/7 10

AM-12 Noon. Where: 1st session Mountain Gear, 2nd Session Mt. Spokane. Discover a great family activity. Learn about clothing, equipment, and ski skills. Info: call 625-6200 or go to www. spokaneparks.org.

TRIATHLON/MULTISPORT (ONGOING WEDNESDAY’S THROUGH SUMMER) MOMS IN MOTION TRIATHLON TRAINING. When:

Every Wednesday at 5:45PM. Where: Witter Pool in Mission Park. Train for triathlons this summer with Moms In Motion. Info: (509) 327-9143, www.momsinmotion.com.

YOGA (NOVEMBER 28) YOGA: GATITUDE PRACTICE. When:

10am-12pm. Where: Main Street Yoga, 20 W. Main, Spokane, WA. Guided practice with meditation. Info: (509) 869-0817.

EVENTS, MOVIES, MISC. (NOVEMBER 1) NORTHWEST SPORTS CAREER SEMINAR AND JOB FAIR. When: TBA. Where:

Spokane Arena. The Sports Career Seminar and Job Fair is ideal for college seniors, recent graduates or anyone else who is interested in starting a career in sports management. Seminar & Job Fair registration is $49. The fee includes full participation in the event, lunch and a ticket to the Spokane

SIX MONTH TRAINING CALENDAR // CLIMBING (MARCH) RED ROCK RENDEZVOUS. Las Vegas,

NV. Info: www.mgear.com.

MARATHONS (MARCH) SNAKE RIVER CANYON HALF MARATHON.

(JANUARY) METHOW VALLEY PURSUIT. Winthrop,

WA. Info: www.mvsta.com.

(FEBRUARY) STARLIGHT RACE SERIES. Schweitzer Ski Resort, Idaho. Info: www.schweitzer.com.

(FEBRUARY) LANGLAUF CROSS-COUNTRY SKI RACE. Mt. Spokane. Info: www.spokanelan-

Pullman, WA. Info: www.palouseroadrunners. glauf.org. org.

RUNNING

(FEBRUARY) SHEIMO CUP. 49 Degrees North.

Info: www.ski49.com.

(DECEMBER 13) JINGLE BELL RUN & WALK.

Spokane, WA. Info: (206) 547-2707 or www. (MARCH) WORLD CUP TELEMARK FINALS. Sandpoint, ID. Info: www. schweitzer.com. spokanejinglebellrun.kintera.org.

kaneriverrun.com.

(APRIL) SPOKANE RIVER RUN. Info: www.spo-

(MARCH) TANDEM SKI RACES. Lookout Pass Ski Resort, ID. Info: www.skilookout.com. //

(MAY 3) LILAC BLOOMSDAY RUN. Info: www.

TRIATHLONS

bloomsdayrun.org.

SKIING/SNOWBOARDING

(MARCH) WINTER TRIATHLON. Winthrop,WA.

Info: www.mvsta.com. //

(NOVEMBER 30) AMICA SEATTLE MARATHON. Seattle,

WA. Info: www.seattlemarathon.org.

SNOWSPORTS (ONGOING OCTOBER- JANUARY) SKI/SNOWBOARD 20

OUT THERE MONTHLY

/ NOVEMBER 2008

HAVE AN EVENT YOU WOULD LIKE TO LIST? // Please visit www.outtheremonthly.com and click the “Submit Your Event” link. // Events MUST be sent in by the 20th of the month to be listed in the following month’s issue. Please follow the when, where format as seen in the calendar. Ongoing events need to be re-submitted each month.

OUTDOORCALENDAR (NOVEMBER 10) CPR FRIENDS AND FAMILY, PEDIATRIC. When: 6:30-8:30pm. Where: St.

Luke’s Rehabilitation Institute, 711 S. Cowley St. Spokane, WA. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for the infant and child is offered as a oneclass session to members of our community. This class provides CPR techniques for infant (birth to age 1) and child (1 to 8 years old). Other safety techniques taught include management of choking, and accident and poison prevention. This is a course designed for parents, grandparents, foster parents, older siblings and teachers. Fee: $25 per person. Info: (509) 232-8138.

(NOVEMBER 13) PINK SHAMROCK FOUNDATION GRANT AWARDS. When: 6pm-8pm. Where: Saranac

Art Projects, W. 25 Main St., Spokane Wa. Join us in an evening of thanks, love and perserverance as we remember the legacy of Denny Murphy, and announce recipients of the 2008 Pink Shamrock Foundation Awards.

Spokane, WA. Description: Pre-diabetes affects more than 41 million Americans, are you one of them? If you, or someone you know, is at risk for or has been diagnosed with pre-diabetes, please join us. This is a two part class series. All participants will receive a free testing meter. PreRegistration is required. Fee: $30 per person. Info: (509) 232-8145.

(NOVEMBER 24) SPOKANE RIVER WORKSHOP. When:

6:30pm - 8:30pm. Where: 35 W. Main, Spokane Lobby. Celp is holding a FREE workshop on the Spokane River and all the changes that are going on. Come see how this affects you. Info: (509) 209-

2899, www.celp.org.

(NOVEMBER 28, 29, 30) FESTIVAL OF FAIR TRADE.

When: 10am-6pm. Where: Community Building at 35 W. Main in downtown. The Festival of Fair Trade is held Thanksgiving weekend. The Festival of Fair Trade will include Ganesh Himal Trading, Kizuri, Moonflower Enterprises, Singing Shaman Traders, ConoSur Imports, and others.

To learn more about Fair Trade the National Fair Trade Resource Network has a well written guide “The Conscious Consumer: Promoting Economic Justice through Fair Trade” which will be available at the Festival. Info: (509) 464-7677. //

Say no to paper and plastic.

Choose Reusable.

(NOVEMBER 17) DIAGNOSIS: PRE-DIABETES. When:

6-8pm. Where: Location: Holy Family Education Center, Rooms 4 & 5, N. 5633 Lidgerwood, Spokane, WA. Description: Pre-diabetes affects more than 41 million Americans, are you one of them? If you, or someone you know, is at risk for or has been diagnosed with pre-diabetes, please join us. This is a two part class series. All participants will receive a free testing meter. PreRegistration is required. Fee: $30 per person. Info: (509) 232-8145.

(NOVEMBER 17) SPOKANE RIVER WORKSHOP. When:

6:30pm - 8:30pm. Where: LakeSide Middle School.

Celp is holding a FREE workshop on the Spokane River and all the changes that are going on. Come see how this affects you. Info: (509) 209-2899, www.celp.org.

(NOVEMBER 21) BEST OF BANFF FILM FESTIVAL.

(NOVEMBER 23) WARREN MILLER FILM: CHILDREN OF WINTER. When: 6:30pm. Where: North Idaho

College: Schuler Auditorium. Description: Free Lookout Pass day pass for first 800, raffle, and discounted season passes. $15 General Admission, $12 NIC Students/ children. Info: (208) 769-7809, or jessica_thompson@nic.edu.

(NOVEMBER 24) DIAGNOSIS: PRE-DIABETES. When:

6-7pm. Where: Location: Holy Family Education Center, Rooms 4 & 5, N. 5633 Lidgerwood,

www.solidwaste.org Partial funding provided by a grant from the Washington State Department of Ecology.

OUTDOOR

(NOVEMBER 21) CPR FRIENDS AND FAMILY, ADULT.

When: 8-10am. Where: St. Luke’s Rehabilitation Institute, 711 S. Cowley St. Spokane, WA. Description: This class is for the “lay” rescuer that is interested in CPR for the Adult population. This class covers CPR for the adult/child victim and relief of foreign body airway obstruction (choking). It is the perfect compliment to the Infant/ Child CPR class also offered. Fee: $25 per person.

Info: (509) 232-8138.

Recycling Hotline 625-6800

CALENDAR

When: 7pm Friday and Saturday, 6pm Sunday.

Where: Bing Crosby Theater, 901 W. Sprague, Spokane, WA. Mountain Gear celebrates it’s 18th year of bringing great outdoor films to Spokane.

Shows sell out so buy tickets soon. Info: (509) 325900, or www.mgear.com.

Reusable shopping bags. Simple. Convenient.

Good for the earth.

Don’t leave home without them.

NOV2008

Chiefs Hockey game that evening. Info: (509) 3244014 x323, www.spokaneindiansbaseball.com. //

SUBMIT YOUR EVENT AT WWW.OUTTHEREMONTHLY.COM

NOVEMBER 2008

/

OUT THERE MONTHLY

21

LASTPAGE

Sandpoint Sans Summer North Idaho Town Is Great For Off-Season Overnights

SANDPOINT CULTURAL TREASURE THE PANIDA THEATER. // BRADLEY BLECK.

IF YOU’VE VISITED SANDPOINT only during the summer, you don’t know what you’ve been missing. There’s a reason this town of nearly 7,000 souls on Lake Pend Oreille has received a swarm of national notice. Sunset magazine labeled it the number eight “dream town” in the west, calling it “a four season outdoorsy resort that’s also a real town.” Outside magazine lauded Sandpoint for fulfilling cravings for the comfort of community and access to wilderness. A New York Times headline hailed Sandpoint’s “old west atmosphere in a sporting paradise.”

Just 75 miles from downtown Spokane, Sandpoint’s visitors can experience its “real town” feel during the off-season. Much of this feel comes from Sandpoint’s emphasis on being a walking town. One way to take advantage of this pedestrian friendliness and see the city is an art walk.

Start at the Pend Oreille Arts Council gallery in the Powerhouse Grill and stroll to the displays at Bonner General Hospital, the Commissioner’s Office, University of Idaho Extension, and other locations around town. See the POAC website at www.artinsandpoint.org for information.

Most walking routes will pass Sandpoint’s several art galleries. One is ArtWorks Gallery, Sandpoint’s “co-operative gallery of local and regional artists and craft artisans.” Another, though seemingly not an artist’s gallery, is

Northwest Handmade Furniture which features Maria Larson’s paintings of wildlife scenes overlain marine and topographical maps of Lake Pend O’reille and its surroundings. Yet another is The Hen’s Tooth which offers wildlife themed art, some being the fishing themed work of gallery owner Ward Tollbom. Visitors can also make an artists’ studio tour, but a bike or car is required. Information can be found at www.arttourdrive.org.

A gallery walk can be broken up with shopping. While some Sandpoint merchants offer the typical touristy tripe, many offer uniquely Sandpoint merchandise. A must visit for many is Sandpoint based Coldwater Creek’s store. For the walking weary, or those uninterested in women’s fall fashion, the Coldwater Creek wine bar offers rest and refuge, plus food, drink and a ski-lodge atmosphere complete with a roaring fire. Other “must shops” include Finan McDonald for casual outdoor clothing, Cabin Fever for household furnishings and funky women’s clothing, boots in particular, and Pedro’s on the Bridge for natural fiber clothing and exotic yarns among other wares.

Much of Sandpoint’s thriving cultural community is centered around the Panida Theater, a member of the League of Historic American Theaters. In addition to films, November’s events include the “Stolen Sweets” Jazz Concert on the

Share a Little Time.

Make a Big Difference.

BY BRADLEY BLECK 7th, the “Hot Club of Cow Town” as part of the Think SWING! Jazz & Blues Festival on the 8th, classical pianist Xiayin Wang on the 11th plus the Eugene Ballet’s Nutcracker on December 3rd. Other music spots include the Pend O’reille Winery which hosts jazz on Saturdays from 5 to 7 pm. Di Luna’s, Roxy’s and Downtown Crossing often feature live music.

There are plenty of ways to work up an appetite in Sandpoint. Long Bridge provides a scenic fourmile roundtrip across the lake for walkers, runners, and bikers. On a clear day the bridge offers views of the Cabinet Mountains to the east and the Selkirks to the west where Schweitzer Mountain’s runs can be seen among the trees. In the fall, the lake’s surface is generally free of all but ripples or waves from the wind while waterfowl bob on the water and catch their breath during their migration south.

Much of Sandpoint’s thriving cultural community is centered around the Panida Theater.

Along with walking the bridge or the town, one can bike. From the west end of Long Bridge to the bike path terminus at Dover Bay, there are seven miles of flat, scenic and largely traffic-free biking. Among the longer rides, Lake Shore Drive follows the west side of the river to Priest River. If the roads are clear and you are feeling strong, the climb to Schweitzer Village is nine miles of up, up and more up. If you make it to the top, you’ll know you are fit for the ski season. Plus, you can warm up with an espresso before the descent which will be brief compared to the climb.

When it comes time to eat, there are plenty of satisfying options. Among the best for dinner include the Sand Creek Grill which features artisanal cheeses, seasonal seafoods and more exotic choices such as wild boar baby back ribs. Café Trinity’s “modern American cuisine” features a somewhat more traditional menu featuring rack

of lamb, chilean sea bass and New York Strips.

Ivano’s and Arlo’s are two choices for Italian. For lunch, there’s the Powerhouse Grill and Cedar Street Bridge Café with indoor sidewalk seating.

Breakfasts unique to Sandpoint can be found at the Blue Moon Café or Connie’s Café.

When you’ve walked enough, the Pend Oreille Scenic Byway and the Lake Pend Oreille and Kootenay River Loop offer scenic driving. The Byway runs east from Sandpoint along the Clark Fork River and into Montana, looping back to Sandpoint after 143 miles. Along the way is the Kootenai National Wildlife Refuge, near Bonner’s Ferry.

Visitors can drive through the refuge or walk among the grasslands, marshes and canals while observing resident and migratory waterfowl. One might also spy moose, deer, beaver, otter or muskrat. Some trails are closed to walkers during waterfowl hunting season. Duck migration peaks early in November and is closely followed by Bald Eagles who come to feed on the straggling ducks.

Those looking to be pampered might stay at Seasons at Sandpoint which provides a full service spa, fitness center, pool and concierge. Rooms start at $300 nightly with a three-night minimum.

Dover Bay, three miles west on Highway 2, has condominiums and waterfront bungalows with a restaurant, health club and pool. Either can be booked through Sandpoint Vacation Getaways (888.896.0007) or Sandpoint Vacation Rentals (866.263.7570). In Sandpoint proper is the Inn at Sandcreek, home of the Sandcreek Grill.

Something cozier can be found among a number of B&Bs, such as the Church Street House (401 Church Street; 208.255.7094), an Arts and Crafts bungalow within walking distance of downtown.

The Coit House (502 N. 4th; 208.265.2648) and the Waterhouse are also a short walk from downtown. Monarch Mountain Lodge (363 Bonner Mall Way; 208.263.1222) is just north of downtown. Double rooms start at $72 and breakfast includes sourdough Belgian waffles.

Sandpoint in November provides the opportunity to enjoy a day-trip, a weekend, or something longer without the crowds of summer or deep chill of winter. Whether it’s your first visit or your first off-season visit, you owe it to yourself to see the real Sandpoint, the one that’s earning all the accolades. //

• • Football player • BIG BROTHER

Look for Code 1 & 2 on your plastic bottles.

“It’s a real fun experience for me.

It actually makes me feel like a kid again. Give it a try, become a Big Brother.”

There are 117 boys in Spokane and Kootenai County waiting for you Be A Mentor…call today!

Trust us, it’s a lot easier than finding your car keys.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Inland Northwest 222 W. Mission #210 Spokane, WA 99201

Call (509) 328-8310 www.northwestbigs.org 22

OUT THERE MONTHLY

/ NOVEMBER 2008

Plastic bottles, jugs & jars

Partial funding provided by a grant from the Washington State Department of Ecology.

The cycle starts recycling hotline: 625.6800 www.solidwaste.org

with you. Regional Spokane Solid Waste System

Come Jingle for a Cure!

Saturday, December 13 Riverfront Park, Spokane

Featuring a 5K Run & Walk

The new 08-09 Go Green Directory is out now.

www.gogreendirectory.com

and 1K Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Run with the Elves For more information visit www.arthritis.org or call 877-232-2898

NOVEMBER 2008

Kiz002ol.indd 1

10/27/08 11:48:29 AM

/

OUT THERE MONTHLY

23

Atlas 2-piece pole $29.95

Your Adventure Starts Here.

Full-service shop, rentals, demos, classes and an experienced staff!

Wish you were here?

The North Face Chilkats Boots $85.00 Atlas 8 Series Snowshoe $129.95

Cross Country Ski Package:

Package includes: Salomon Elite 5 Ski, Salomon Escape 4 Boot, Salomon Universal Profile Binding, Karhu Nordic Way Pole

Photo: Brett Jessen

regular $328.95 Package Price $259.00

s t n e v E r e b m e v o N

Patagonia Down Sweater Women’s $199.00

ri, Sat, Sun F / 3 2 , 2 2 , 1 2 v o 2 for all 3 days m Festival: N

Banff Fil

Sat 7 pm; Sun @ The Bing; Fri /

6 pm; Tickets $12

or $3

12 / Wed v o N t: h ig N p s’ Trade-U

Kid

ee ision (4-8 pm) Fr

on Div @ Mountain Gear

8, 25 / Tues 1 , 1 1 , 4 v o N : g mbin

Rock Cli Discover ea r on Division @ Mountain G

(6-8 pm) $20

2002 N Division, Spokane • (509) 325-9000 • mountaingear.com/retail Store hours: Mon - Fri 9:30 am - 8 pm, Sat 9:30 am - 6 pm, Sun 11 am - 5 pm 24

OUT THERE MONTHLY

/ NOVEMBER 2008

Black Diamond Powerstretch Glove $19.95

The North Face Apex Bionic Jacket Men’s & Women’s $128.95

New snowboard department featuring product from: Oakley, Salomon, Voile, Atomic, Arbor, & Never Summer