If you have lost faith in Good music, the Avett Brothers can restore it. The Avett Brothers are opening for Gov’t Mule at Red Rocks this Saturday, tickets are still available, and if you go, don’t be surprised if you leave with every bone in your body feeling Good.
Scott and Seth Avett are brothers who make music with a sense of emotion, positivity, and honesty that is rare in music today. In Salvation Song, they sing: “We came for salvation/we came for family/we came for all that’s good, that’s how we’ll walk away./We came to break the bad/we came to cheer the sad/we came to leave behind the world a better way.” Mission accomplished. It is nearly impossible to go to an Avett Brothers show and not come out smiling. Their shows are full of Good music, Good people, and an energy that will have you boot-stomping and dancing like there’s no tomorrow.
Rather than continuing to tell you how Good this band is, we compiled our top 5 favorite Avett Brothers videos so you can see for yourself what they are all about. Enjoy, and have fun at the ‘Rocks!
5. Swept Away:
4. The Ballad of Love and Hate:
3. At the Beach:
2. Murder in the City:
1. Laundry Room:
The Avett Brothers open for Gov’t Mule on Saturday at Red Rocks at 5:30PM. Tickets can be purchased here. The band’s newest album, I and Love and You, is on sale at Amazon.com for $5.
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This is really impressive.
The New York Times recently reported that having technology in the wilderness does not guarantee you success in a survival situation. This is true. Technology can instill a false sense of confidence or security in you, which can lead you to serious injury or death in the case of malfunction, loss, or overconfidence. While having the right advanced technology can be highly effective when it is functional and used properly (an avalanche beacon is a Good example), what is even more important is ensuring that you have the right knowledge to be prepared for the worst, to avoid accidents before they happen, and to know what to do when and if an accident does take place.
Books like this one can save your life.
Always do your best to prepare yourself so that you don’t need fancy technology to get you out of a bind. Build your skill set by studying books on your activity as you get more and more advanced (the eighth edition [50th anniversary!] of the classic mountaineering text Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills, now available for pre-order, is a great reference for mountaineers of all ability levels). Surround yourself with those who are highly experienced and trained at what you are doing, and use every opportunity to learn from them. If you don’t know people who are highly skilled at survival, rescue, or the basics of how to do your activity of choice safely, take a course.
REI offers free excellent programming that, while not as in-depth as a course, help prepare you to be safe in the outdoors. The REI website has a list of all of the upcoming Denver programs here and the Boulder ones here. Three notable programs happening in September include:
- Maps, Compasses, & Orienteering: Denver, 1PM 9/3/10 & 1PM 9/17/10 (FREE)
- How to Climb a 14er/High Altitude Hikes: Boulder, 7PM 9/14/10 & Denver, 7PM 9/16/10 (FREE)
- 3-Season Survival Skills: Denver, 7PM 9/15/10 (FREE)
The National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) is renowned for its wilderness education courses. NOLS offers courses in rock climbing, mountaineering, skiing, backpacking, wilderness medicine, and more on trips all over the world. The average age of NOLS students is 19-20, but there is no maximum age limit for taking a course. For a full list of NOLS courses, click here.
If you want a truly hardcore survival course, look into the Boulder Outdoor Survival School (BOSS). BOSS specifically rejects technology, taking you into the wilderness “with little more than a knife, a water bottle, a blanket, and a poncho.” Based out of Boulder, CO, BOSS offers its 7, 14, and 28-day courses on outdoor survival in the similarly-named Boulder, UT.
Whether you’re a hiker or a biker, climber or kayaker, educate yourself and be prepared so you stay safe, have fun, and keep on living the Good life!
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For a Good book about how more technology is not always better in life, check out Better Off: Flipping the Switch on Technology.
Yoga Rocks the Park
Yoga rocks. And every Sunday until September 19, Yoga Rocks the Park. Yoga Rocks the Park is group yoga featuring Denver’s top yoga instructors, live music (definitely unique), and a keg of High Country Kombucha for post-yoga refreshment. This is a great way to enjoy the fantastic weather outside, treat your body well, meet new people, and make a difference: the profits from your $10 donation go to Yoga World Reach, which brings yoga to correctional facilities, shelters, schools, and more. Not a bad way to spend a Sunday!
Yoga Rocks the Park takes place on Sundays through September 19 at 4PM in City Park near the intersection of York and 21st.
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Green Route Denver launched in February to provide people with a map of sustainable businesses in the Denver area. Tomorrow, the second edition of this map (a food and culture version) will be unveiled, and in celebration Green Route is throwing the first-ever Green Route Festival.
The Green Route Festival will feature local organic food and drinks, sustainable businesses, live music, farmer’s markets, live painting, and fire dancing. Organizers hope to have “zero impact” by composting waste, encouraging the use of bicycles and transportation, encouraging attendees to bring their own water bottles and eating utensils, and by utilizing a solar-powered stage. Tickets are $13.99 in advance or $20 at the door, though you can get an $8 discount on door tickets by showing a bike parking stub, an RTD pass, a water bottle, or a food utensil you brought from home.
The Green Route Festival is Saturday August 28 from 2PM-11PM at Walnut and 26th.
Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for the latest updates and Good links such as the recent article in the New York Times on Denver’s local food scene!
Some might consider the sales that occur around Labor Day a mixed blessing. The blessing: companies have to rush to get rid of last year’s inventory to make way for the newest products, so you get what was new and incredible months ago for dirt cheap. The mix: Labor Day sales signify that our precious summer is almost over.
Summer may almost be over, but we’ve got until September 22 until the fat lady sings. So let’s focus on the blessings:
- Black Diamond Epic Sale (August 23-September 1): The Epic Sale features “up to 30% off nearly everything,” but the emphasis here should be on the “up to”–most gear is not 30% off. Still, there are some Good deals in this sale on climbing gear, ski gear, and mountain gear; you just have to find them.
- The Wilderness Exchange: The Wilderness Exchange usually has plenty of Good gear on sale (such as tents, sleeping bags, and climbing shoes), and here’s a link to 10% off any one item–even if it is already discounted (valid through August 29). Follow Wilderness Exchange’s Facebook page to stay on top of their frequent Good deals.
- REI Labor Day Sale and Clearance (August 27-September 6): REI’s Labor Day Sale and Clearance has Good deals in nearly every store category: 15-25% off bikes and bike gear, up to 30% off camping gear, 15-30% off water sports gear, 25% off Clif and Luna bars, special deals on skis and boards (Denver store only), and much more.
- SNIAGRAB 2010 from Sports Authority (starting September 4): Save up to 75% off ‘09-’10 boards, skis, outerwear, and accessories. This sale is full of steep discounts–but be sure to get to the store early to get the best deals. If you are out of town for Labor Day weekend, have no fear: this will be the first year ever that SNIAGRAB will also be online.
- The Epic Pass: The Epic Pass is perfectly named. It gives you unlimited ski/snowboard access to Vail, Keystone, Breckenridge, Beaver Creek, Arapahoe Basin, and Heavenly for $599–totally epic. There also is a new Epic 7-Pack, which gives you (or probably a friend/family member planning a vacation) seven days of access to the same six mountains for $449. The Summit Pass, which was around last year, gives you unlimited skiing at Breckenridge, Keystone, and A-Basin for $409.* If last year is any indicator, you will probably be able to purchase these passes into late November, but don’t push your luck–get yours now while the price is guaranteed. We highly recommend the Epic Pass.
- The Colorado Pass: The Colorado Pass gives you unlimited access to Keystone, Breckenridge, and A-Basin, and 10 days at Vail and Beaver Creek (excluding blackout dates). This pass will go on sale starting September 3 for $449. *If you are considering purchasing the Summit Pass, consider this: for less than half of the cost of one day pass at Vail or Beaver Creek you can get 10 days of skiing at either by purchasing the Colorado Pass instead.
The next two deals could bless us a little more. But if you can put them to Good use, bon voyage!
- Frontier Airlines Labor Day Holiday Sale: If you want to fly on the Saturday or Sunday before Labor Day or the Wednesday after it, then this sale is for you. Frontier has flights from $49 to $129 one-way for travel on September 4, 5, and 8. Tickets must be purchased by September 3.
- United Airlines Discounted First-Class Tickets and Summer Deals : United is currently offering discounted first-class tickets to and from Denver (a 7-day advance round-trip purchase is required and travel must be complete by September 30). United also has summer deals to/from Denver from $49 one-way (tickets must be purchased 14-21 days in advance and travel on a Sunday is a no-go).
Finally, don’t forget about 30% off Gap, Gap Outlet, Gap Factory Store, The Gap Generation, Banana Republic, Banana Republic Factory Store, and Old Navy August 26-August 29 with 5% of your purchase being donated to Teach For America.
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Did you know? Denver is predicted to be the fourth-most visited U.S. city on Labor Day weekend.
An EPIC bike ride will be taking place this Sunday, August 29, 2010. Billed as “the toughest century ride in the United States,” the Deer Creek Challenge spans 106.11 miles and a whopping 12,751 feet of elevation gain.
The ride starts in Deer Creek Canyon by the Botanic Gardens Chatfield and over the course of the day takes riders up the canyon, through Conifer, Evergreen, and Kittredge, and ends with a glorious descent down the beautiful and aptly-named High Grade Rd. back through the canyon to the Botanic Gardens. After the ride, cyclists will be treated to post-ride barbeque, free massages, and free beer.
The organizers seem to have done a great job of planning the race. The course will be freshly swept; there will be eight aid stations featuring amenities ranging from the expected (water, fruit, GU Electrolyte Brew) to the awesome (PB/J, pizza, and homemade brownies); there will be limited traffic; and they are even offering on-demand SAG wagon support (just bring your cell phone).
If you don’t feel up to conquering the century ride, you can opt for the metric century (100km/62 miles) or the 33-mile course. But, then again, can you really turn down the challenge of completing the toughest century ride in the United States?!
Online registration closes on Friday, but if you’re having trouble committing, you can still register at the event on ride day.
Smooth cruisin’!
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Deer Creek Challenge Map (Click to Enlarge)
30% Off Gap
From August 26-29, Gap is offering 30% off what you spend in-store at Gap, Gap Outlet, Gap Factory Store, The Gap Generation, Banana Republic, Banana Republic Factory Store and Old Navy. What’s more, 5% of what you spend will be donated to Teach For America. All you need to do is bring in this coupon.
Teach For America places high-achieving recent college grads in our nation’s toughest schools to help close the educational achievement gap between low-income students and their more affluent peers. The program has operated in Colorado since 2007, and last year more than 180 Teach For America teachers impacted approximately 11,000 students in both Denver and Colorado Springs.
To learn more about Teach For America Colorado, click here.
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Is The Good Life Denver back for Good? We’re not sure, but we couldn’t resist coming out of sabbatical to tell that tonight the sweetest, most awesome, local, handcrafted ski company featuring hand-drawn art on the skis, Icelantic Boards, is unveiling its 2010-2011 line of boards, and we can tell you the line is EPIC!
The new skis will be unveiled tonight, starting at 6PM at Icelantic’s studio at 948 W. 8th Ave. (8th and Santa Fe) as a part of Art Walk, and in case the skis weren’t enough to get you in the door (they are, trust us!) there will be 4 kegs to celebrate.
Welcome (back?) to The Good Life! Love you all!
-TGLD
Icelantic Boards has been added to The Good Map.
Good friends: sometimes life throws some Good curveballs.
A really Good curveball was thrown this way, and we couldn’t help taking a swing. The Good news is that we got a base hit. The other news is that, while we’re running the bases, we probably won’t be able to put up any new articles at least through May.
Thanks for your patience while we follow a dream.
TGLD
One of the main reasons we love Colorado so much is its ability to quench our appetites for adventure in so many different ways. We love to live in a state that is home to world class hiking, biking, climbing, skiing, rafting, and so much more.
The Denver Post wrote an article in 2007 entitled, “Top 10 Things to do in Colorado Before You Die,” including must-do adventures such as climbing a 14er, visiting Great Sand Dunes National Park, and rafting the Arkansas river. They updated it on Monday with 10 more activities, including hiking the Colorado Trail, attending the stock show, and visiting Garden of the Gods.
Westword’s Candace Horgan posted her “Stuff to do: Outdoors Resolutions 2010” which are a bit more aggressive and physically challenging, including alpine rock climbing, ski mountaineering, and climbing or skiing under only the light of a full moon.
What makes your list of Colorado must-dos?
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