Living, Playing & Writing in the Outdoors
The new Bratz ‘Study Abroad’ Doll collection is out now, in time for the holidays. Yasmin showed up on the doorstep and Sage couldn’t wait to review it for everybody.
Seeing as how I never really played with dolls, this one was all Sage. Here’s her honest take on one of her favorite toys:
I swear one of these summers I’m going to get in the water and spend all day there. The Summer Outdoor Retailer Show for 2015 kicked off with the annual demo day at Pineview Reservoir near Ogden, Utah, and once again I looked longingly at all the bodies paddling but kept my distance.
It’s actually ridiculous when you think about it. The Demo Day is set up for exactly the opposite effect. You’re supposed to get down and wet with the gear. Of course, I’m touching and feeling and asking pertinent questions but there are so many other things to see that by the time I’m through the booths, I’m hot hungry and ready for a nap not a paddle.
The weather cooperated with 80+ heat and no clouds. Ripe for testing Beyond Coastal’s new pump sunscreen and checking out bug repellents.
Solar chargers owned the event this year. They came all shapes and sizes; new and improved. Like those from Biolite. The wood-powered stove designer has a new panel that features a crosshatch so you can get the most power from your sun.
Even if we’re looking to go off the grid we still want our toys powered on.
Speaking of powered, Polaris arrived to give attendees the opportunity to test out their mountain eBikes. The power you feel as you pedal is unreal.
The abundance of kayaks on the Demo Day waters has now officially been supplanted with standup paddle boards. By last summer it felt like a 50/50 showing of sitting paddle products to standing ones but now those monster surfboards dominate.
Kayaks – especially flatwater and recreational boats- are still a sizeable part of the outdoor market but it looks like buyers prefer boards for next year. Aside from boards and traditional boats, there weren’t as many crazy devices on the water as in year’s past but you could pick out one or two.
The Outdoor Retailer Summer Show 2015 is the largest showcase of its kind for outdoor recreation brands in the hiking, biking, paddling, climbing and lifestyle categories. Not only is it the place for retail shops to connect and purchase from manufacturers but it’s the launching pad for technical innovations and trends. This year, organizers estimate 27,000 manufacturers, retailers and media will fill Salt Lake City’s Salt Palace Convention Center and will generate $25 million dollars for the state over the five-day period. It’s also one hell of a block party.
I came across this new, outdoor invention while perusing Kickstarter last night.
My immediate reaction was, “Oh cool!!”
I guess others must have thought the same as the Aquabot company has raised $71,000 against their initial goal of $15,000. Just goes to show that you don’t have to have a high-gloss presentation if you have a kick-ass idea.
Check it out:
“That’s so cute,” Sage laughed as we headed south on 700 East. “That dog looks like a sheep!” She was referring to the large fluffy head of a poodle mix that was straining its head out the back window and staring back at us. We laughed together yet what I thought about were all the warnings I’ve heard about letting dogs drool in the breeze.
I get it. I usually take my guy everywhere with me. But my AC works and he stays home if it looks like he’d have to stay in a parked car in the summer. But what if your AC is broke? What’s a good mom to do when Fido’s nose presses against the window? What you don’t do- according to several authorities- is roll it down. The law is unclear in Utah. Most people seem to think you can get a ticket for an unrestrained pet but I’ve scoured the web and can’t find a single Utah law to back that up.
Only a handful of states make it illegal to let dogs roam freely in moving vehicles and usually those laws actually apply to dogs in the back of pickups. New Jersey cops can pull you over and slap a $250-1000 ticket on you for disorderly conduct under animal-cruelty laws. Maine, Arizona, and Connecticut use distracted-driving laws to get you.
State Farm Insurance is using “The Pet Lifestyle Coach” Megan Blake to remind you that in the summer your pets are your kids. “Dogs, like children, should never be allowed to ride with their heads out the windows,” says Megan. “Flying debris, including bugs, could harm them, and their lungs or ears could be injured from high-speed wind. Unrestrained pets in cars pose serious potential risks, including becoming a major distraction to drivers; and unrestrained pets can easily be seriously injured, killed or even lost after being thrown from a car.
Good advice to keep the windows up as we head down the road or meet at the trail head. Here are a few top items for keeping your four-footed kids safe en route:
Ruffwear LoadUp Harness– Leash her down and feel confident she’ll stay put even in a crash. The harness attaches to existing seatbelts for a universal fit. Can also be used for short walks. $80
Kurgo Tru-Fit Enhanced Strength Harness– With five adjustments points, it’s easy to get a near custom fit for any dog. It can also be used as a no-pull walking harness. $36
I’m out. My little tube of white velvet that I scored during the Sundance Film Festival is depleted. I’ve been using Sugar Advanced Therapy from Fresh religiously in the morning and night for four months. The PR person called it an anti-aging lip treatment that’s supposed to nourish, plump, and smooth lip wrinkles. OK, I sure felt a difference in the state of my lips even if I never saw one.
I have handfuls of lip balms in every drawer of my home yet Sugar was the one I found myself using. The balm’s silkiness was pure heaven. It’s packed full of ultra-rich ingredients like Cupuacu Butter, Plum Seed Oil, Passionflower Seed Oil, Orange Extract (an antioxidant) and Sea Fennel. Plus, it comes in a stout metal cylinder that twists closed. No crushing or losing caps. It’s supposed to also have “Hyaluronic Filling Spheres” to plump lips but here’s where truth in advertising breaks down. I did not see lips any fuller using Sugar than I did with a regular tube of Chapstick.
Now comes the true test however. How much will I miss my little whistle wetter? I’ll probably have to work my way through my stash of alternative lip products before justifying a $25 purchase on a replacement tube but if you feel like splurging on your own Sugar Treatment for lips, you won’t be disappointed.
