Potatoes for the win, bad-mouthing a wedding song, pros and cons of working from home, and a badass adventurer.
Hey there, Traipsingistos,
Recently we sneaked away mid-week for a couple days hanging out in the old-growth on the west side of the Cascades. Is there anything cooler than a tree that's watched over the land for hundreds of years? I submit no.
In other news, how is it SEPTEMBER? Also, how do I think that every single year?
This Week's Newsletter:
Potatoes for the win, a famous (bad?) wedding song, why working from home is both awesome and terrible, and the guy you want at your next dinner party.
Onward,
Dakota
Potatoes a la Hiking, plus a view of the Three Sisters
(Gate Creek Trail)
Ditch the Energy Goo: Potatoes For The Win
I realized OD'ing on Sour Patch Kids was possible while bikepacking the Oregon Timber Trail. Delicious at first, then too much of a good (ok, bad) thing!
I did the same with Shot-Bloks last year during the High Cascades 100 mtb race. Sugar overload...must...find...real...food.
Enter potatoes, those healthy-yet-innocuous chunks we mash, french fry and otherwise belittle. Thanks to my scientist friend David, I recently discovered via this study that potatoes are as effective as eating carbohydrate gels (aka "disgusting goo shots").
We've eaten potatoes on hikes for awhile, but now it's on! Our simple approach: throw a half-dozen small purple or red potatoes in the microwave for three minutes. Stick them in a plastic bag and shake some salt over them. DUNSKY. Out the door.
Can You Hate A Wedding Song?
You all know the wedding processional song Canon in D by Pachelbel. It's sweet, soaring, hopeful.
Well, isn't that nice. Rob Paravonian hates that song and tells us why in this classic comedy sketch.
A quick aside: As I learn (err, hack my way through) famous classical works on the piano, I'm quickly researching them. One reason Canon is so popular is because wedding musicians can easily repeat middle sections in case it takes 18 minutes for the procession to get down the aisle. Doo doo de dooo, dum de dum...
Solitude in the trees! A van escape with my lady.
Why Working From Home Is Both Awesome and Terrible
I'd somehow forgotten about The Oatmeal comic until recently. If you haven't seen his work, spend five minutes (that will turn into 30) and go check it out.
Here are three Oatmeals that cracked me up:
In response to my blog post last week, my friend Aaron sent me the following email:
Hey you a-hole, you cut me out of the story! If I recall correctly, that was MY TI-89 calculator you threw in the budding days of our friendship! "Heeeey my calculator!" It was at that moment I knew we could be friends. How could you even trust someone who didn't have an inner Dak the Destroyer?
HA. Fair enough, Aaron. I'd completely forgotten it wasn't my calculator!
That's it for this edition. To everyone emailing a hello or sending me thoughtful email responses and links to your favorite finds, please keep them coming!
