Weekly Recap: Bryn's Utah Adventures

My trip south began with a not-so-smooth camp breakdown due to the intense cold. I had to leave part of our sewage hook up behind because it was frozen into the threaded sewer inlet (going into the ground to the sewage tank). I had momentary panic when I tried to store our Starlink because the window we ran the power cord out of was frozen shut. A lot of frantic tugging later and I managed to get the window open and the Starlink stored away. The drive was a windy one, with the first couple of hours spent driving in a headwind and getting terrible gas mileage. Overall, the drive from Shoshone to Provo was uneventful. I set up everything and settled in for the night.

Sunday I was up bright and early to get to Alta, a skiers only mountain. I was VERY excited for this, pumped up by a ski instructor I talked to at Casino in Ketchum the weekend before. He convinced me the day ticket was worth the steep price, and boy was he right. I was incredibly lucky that the early snowfall in the mountains was heavy this year. With the exception of some more extreme terrain, the entire mountain was open. I had an amazing day exploring the bowls and groomers. I did end up in a sticky situation on a more remote side of the mountain, sliding down a narrow chute with skis and poles in hand. Thankfully, I only ended up with some bruises. But it was a pretty chilling reminder of how dangerous skiing/mountains can be. I will stick to easier terrain when I'm skiing alone in the future. 

Monday and Tuesday were work days, with building anticipation to Wednesday. I scored a very discounted day ticket to Brighton and took some PTO to go explore. It was a fun little mountain. Great variety in terrain and beautiful views. They have a classic, wooden A frame bar called Molly Greens that had a great, old school ski mountain vibe. I had an après drink and headed to downtown SLC to get some food. 

I was craving sushi, so I ended up at Itto Sushi which was a great choice. After my delicious dinner, I wandered down to Bodega and discovered a speakeasy called The Rest. Both Bodega and The Rest have great cocktails. The bartender at The Rest was lovely and made me a Christmas Mocktail on the spot. So delicious! From there, I went to Cheers 2 U and then Why Kiki. I had a really good time out and about in Salk Lake and headed home through the building snowfall.

Friday was an exciting day: SHAWN'S BACK!! After 2 full weeks apart, I was excited to see him.

 

Weekly Recap: Bryn's Idaho Adventures

Hey. 

It's Bryn. 

Shawn's gone and now it's me and Percy chilling in Idaho for a week. I dropped Shawn off at the airport in Boise and decided to go have myself a NIGHT in Twin Falls. But first, I had to stop by and see the Potato Hotel. The potato used to be a marketing tool before it was purchased and turned into an AirBnb. I continued to Twin Falls and made the last minute decision to get thai at Jasmine Thai. I got beef Pad See Ew. It was solid. From there I wandered through the cold night to Koto Brewing Co. and nursed a flight while chatting with the bartenders. Everything I tried was very nice! What a good spot! The vibe was chill and they have some really cool artwork throughout the brewery to admire. 

One of the bartenders heard my plea for a fun karaoke spot and pointed me towards DK's Log Tavern so off I went. I opened the door to DK's and was greeted with hazy cigarette smoke and some off-key karaoke. What a Catch-22. But I thought "Eff it. I'm here and it's 18 degrees outside." Pushing aside my shock at a smoking indoors bar, I signed up for karaoke and ordered a beer. Several songs and new friends later, I left to make the frigid 15 minute walk back to my car and begin my 30 minute drive back to the trailer. A miserable drive as I sat in my cigarette stench and realized I needed a full scrub once I got home. I bagged my clothes up so the trailer wouldn't smell and took a hot midnight shower. No more smoking bars for me!

Saturday morning I was up, caffeinated, and prepped for my first ski day of the season by 10:30. So exciting! Our campground is just over an hour from Sun Valley so I purchased a half day ticket. The drive was foggy. The fog in Idaho is unreal! Super heavy and eerie. It lifted about halfway to the mountain which I appreciated because the road started to get windy. After a yummy, hot lunch at River Run Lodge I was ready to hit the slopes. I did 6 runs top to bottom (only 4 lifts were open and I did every run available) then plopped down in front of the outdoor fire pit and had a Bailey's Hot Chocolate while listening in to a group conversation across the pit. Don't judge. I was alone!

 

After my drink I trekked back to my car and drove along a snowy, windy road in the Sawtooth National Forest to Frenchman's Hot Spring, a naturally occurring hot spring along Warm Springs Creek.

Guys.

Let me tell you. 

The JOY of sliding down a snowy river bank and sitting in scalding water along with a bunch of strangers after a ski day. 

UNPARALLELED.

I nestled into the riverbed and enjoyed the beautiful winter scenery, which included a black squirrel running through the snow along the far bank. The river, which is held at bay by rock formations along each bank, is painfully brisk. The pools created by the rocks vary in temperature from scalding to lukewarm. The air was 23 degrees and I happily sat half in the water with a hat on for over an hour, slowly pruning myself and realizing that I was going to smell vaguely egg-y for the rest of the night thanks to the sulfur from the springs.

Undeterred, I made my way back into town for a flight/info gather at Sawtooth Brewery. The staff was more than happy to make recommendations for my next stop. After a beer tasting (plus purchasing a fantastic IPA to go) I bundled up and walked to Sun Valley Wine Company for a little pre-dinner wine and snack. The place was deserted, which apparently was a stark contrast to the night before. The owner and an employee were busy sorting wine so I sank into a chair by the fireplace and enjoyed some wine and an amazing burrata and roasted heirloom tomato salad while I got the low-down for the rest of my night from the owner's husband. According to the owner a premier Ketchum restaurant, Enoteca, actually had some open reservations that night.

My interest piqued, I headed around the corner in hopes of a bar spot at Enoteca, which I secured. I sat next to a woman named Margaret, fresh off the plane from a business trip and waiting for her takeaway order so she could go home. Enoteca is her favorite restaurant and I was told to get the bacon wrapped dates with gorgonzola. Sold. The dates were amazing. What other wisdom could Margaret offer? Get the trout and go to Casino and ask for Matt the Bartender. So I ordered the Idaho trout, panko crusted and served with a fresh arugula salad with a house-made raspberry vinaigrette. Phenomenal. I forgot to take a picture and scarfed it down.

Hoping to extend my night a bit, I headed across the street to Whiskey's, rather than go straight to Casino. I'm so glad I did, because I met Megan. Megan has made the drive from Idaho to Salt Lake City with a trailer multiple times each year for ages and told me exactly what to expect down to where I should stop for gas. I've been so nervous about making the drive on my own so this was a much welcome encounter. I feel very prepared! After Megan left I danced for a bit before crossing the street to Casino.

I found Matt the Bartender, told him I know Margaret, and got a free beer, my last of the night. I sat down at the far end of a long high-top between the bar and the game tables to enjoy my beer and take in the scenery. Immediately a group of friends sat down around me with bright green Appletinis. One of the men exclaimed "Appletinis are the F**KING BEST" and down the gullet his went. Round two followed quickly. One of them asked if I was part of the group and was delighted to talk skiing with me when he found out I wasn't. He's a ski instructor at Sun Valley and I HAVE to go to Alta. It's the best. I'm convinced! I'll go to Alta.

I didn't finish my last beer. The hour drive home loomed over me and I decided to leave my half drunk bottle by the door. I saw a deer on my way home through the fog. The drive is thankfully uneventful. I get home around 1 am and decide to finish my night at the local saloon a short walk away. It's Saturday night, after all! A couple shots with the bartender/patrons and two beers later, I wander home, have a snack, and collapse into bed at 2:30. A very successful night.

Sunday was a quiet recovery and prep day, as I had a survey in Butte, Montana, Tuesday morning and needed to pack/clean up for my departure Monday.

My business trip was uneventful, aside from a delicious dinner at Casagranda's Steakhouse in Butte. A standout place! I made my way home Tuesday in time to play a few hours of a one-shot DND campaign with friends (Shawn is our DM). We had a fantastic time! I'm looking forward to finishing the campaign. I think we got our friends hooked on DND now.

Wednesday morning I scheduled a massage first thing. It was Shawn's present to me for my birthday. Such a treat! I found an excellent massage therapist in Twin Falls and decided to make a day of it. I returned my rental car from my business trip after my massage and headed to Starbucks to work for the morning. At lunch I switched to 2nd Street Market, a very popular collective with 7 vendors (BBQ, Poke, PanAsian, Beer, Ice Cream, Coffee, and Pizza). Lunchtime was quiet but by 5 pm the place was packed with locals meeting up for drinks and dinner. 

The rest of the week was pretty quiet. Work, working out, and relaxing were the focus. I went back in to Twin Falls one last time to pick up Shawn's snowboard and my skis, which I had dropped off to be tuned and sharpened. I swung by Evel Knievel's jump site at Snake River Canyon which is a fun bit of history (Knievel failed the jump and was lucky to just have a few scrapes). 

I was early to bed after prepping the trailer to leave the next morning.

Brewery Recap #2 (Jackson, WY to Portland, OR)

Shawn and Bryn enjoy craft breweries and beer in general. Throughout our travels so far, we've been to quite a few local breweries and wanted to document them, both for our sake and for anyone who may be interested in visiting these places!

Snake River Brewing, Jackson Hole, Wyoming

We went to Snake River after a long day of hiking around Jenny Lake in the Tetons. They have a compact beer list with a good variety of styles and some especially fantastic barrel aged options. We got appetizers (French onion soup and pretzels) which were delicious! The inside of the brewery is industrial with plenty of TVs for game watching and the outdoor space was relaxed and fun. The service was also excellent and they have a full bar for non-beer drinkers.

 

Ten Mile Creek Brewery, Helena, Montana
This is a small brewery in downtown Helena with a very laidback atmosphere and unique decor. The brewery smells strongly of malt from the brewing process, which takes place in the back. There is good, free wifi here so if you are looking for a work space in Helena, this is a nice option. The beer list is small but mighty with many different, but delicious, beer types. 

Mt. Ascension Brewery, Helena, Montana

A short walk from Ten Mile is Mt. Ascension, a modern (almost stark), two story brewery with a fantastic rooftop deck overlooking the mountains. Their beer list is a bit larger than Ten Miles' but not quite as diverse (lots of hop!) and they don't have the cozy, unique feel that Ten Mile offers. They do, however, have good wifi. 

Mountains Walking/New Hokkaido Breweries, Bozeman, Montana
These breweries have merged into a Japonesque, warm atmosphere with a fun and unique tap list that has more than just beer! There are seltzer and non-alcoholic options on tap as well. There are also beer slushies. The staff is very friendly and happy to talk about their offerings as well as mix up new flavors, like a hefeweizen/sour mix. A lot of their beer is available in to-go cans, which we've found is a rarity with smaller breweries. There is a kitchen with very tasty looking food.

Bozeman Brewing Company, Bozeman, Montana

Across the street from Mountains Walking is Bozeman Brewing, an old school, classic mountain brewery. They have a small outdoor area and a solid beer selection. Everything inside is old and wooden, which feels warm and cabin-like.

Tamarak Brewing Company, Missoula, Montana

Our favorite thing about this brewery was the 8 beer flight we got on a wooden arrow with a metal handle in the middle. The flight was all of their flagship beers, which is a super convenient way to sample everything. They have a great location in downtown Missoula (right next to Notorious PIG BBQ which we recommend!) and also has a basement area. This would be a solid place to get work done as the wifi is strong and they even have outlets with USB ports at the bar!

Imagine Nation Brewing, Missoula, Montana
This small but fun brewery is located close to the Clark Fork River with a nice outdoor space. There is a rotating food truck schedule, it's kid friendly, and they have live music on certain nights. This brewery also had a cool flight board: a bison!

Conflux Brewing Company, Missoula, Montana

This industrial brewery has its beer list displayed on a huge letterboard on one end of the bar. The interior is all brick and metal. They have tasty food and a large beer list.

Blackstar, Whitefish, Montana

This modern brewery has a condensed beer and food menu with nice options. They have a fun upstairs space, a rooftop patio with great views, and a large projector screen for game watches. The brewing equipment is in sight, which we are fans of. The walls are mostly windows and the space feels very open. It is right in the heart of Whitefish.

Ten Pin Brewing, Moses Lake, Washington
This place has EVERYTHING. A brewery. A tap house. A bowling alley. A casino! There are 18 Ten Pin brews on tap as well as guest taps plus a full bar and kitchen (with good food!). Their spicy blond ale is fantastic. This was a very lucky find, as it was Halloween and we really wanted to have fun. What a place! It's worth a stop if you happen to be passing by Moses Lake.

Granville Island Brewing, Vancouver, Canada
Granville Island is definitely a tourist trap. Parking is difficult and the small space seems impossible to navigate. But there are many gems here! This brewery is one. After an afternoon wandering around the shops, stop in for a cold beer. There is a curated list of beer covering many different types and flavor profiles. They also have food! We also enjoyed their flight method, in which they have a pre-printed, water resistant paper of their beers and then put your samples on the corresponding spot!

Yaletown Brewing, Vancouver, Canada

This brewery is located downtown. It's a large space which has more of a restaurant feel than brewery (one half restaurant, one half more of a bar). There was a DJ Saturday night. Terribly slow service! We didn't test the kitchen more but it's a full service bar and restaurant. They have a good saison but their DIPA was bitter and hard to drink. Shawn got the hiccups. We don't recommend.

Deschutes Brewery, Portland Public House, Portland, Oregon

Great spot downtown near Powell's City of Books. The food is good and there is a full bar in addition to classic Deschutes beers. We liked our time here and Deschutes beer is always good!