Posts Tagged → being a michigander-burgher-ite

A Short Break Of Sorts

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Wow, what to say about the past week? We’ve had snow, ice, sleet, ice again and then more snow. All that was enough to close schools, make traveling treacherous at times and ruin the local cross-country skiing. At the same time in my soon to be returned to homeland of Western PA they had temps in the 60s and rain. At least I won’t feel homesick when we travel to WPA this week, since by Tuesday temps will be VERY Michigan-like. Brilliant.

Much of my “doing stuff” the last few days was ruined due to the ice and snow. BUT it was still an OK-ish time and I did get some time in on the trainer to burn some pre-Christmas calories. Too bad I put them all right back on by finding Founder’s Imperial Stout at the beer store on Saturday.

I will (most likely) be taking a break from blogging over the holiday week. I won’t be going to the gym, riding, skiing, cooking or drinking. Just vegetating and counting the minutes until I return home.

Many of my fellow Michigander-burgher-ites are without power due to all the snow, ice and wind. I hope that they all get their power back soon so as to enjoy the holiday.

Have a great holiday. Ride, hike, ski, walk, sit, drink, eat, have fun, vegetate, do whatever it is that makes you happy until we usher in the new year.

Merry Christmas, happy holidays, peace on earth, get the Led out, etc., etc., etc.,

Like It Or Not

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Prior to this past week, there were threats here and there that winter was coming, but it’s now official–despite what the calendar tells us– winter with all its teeth grinding cold and blustery ice and snow is here. I could complain about it, Nay! I WILL complain it about over the coming months, but when you get down to it, there’s nothing any of us can do about it, especially a sub-par blogger and mortal human like me. Winter is here and survival (both mental and physical) is key.

To survive, some will ride fat bikes, some will brave the icy pavement on road bikes and some (like me) will retreat to the woods on snowshoes and cross-country skis (no matter how lackluster their skills), to basements and garages to climb aboard stationary trainers, or to the humid crotch-like stank of the gym. Almost everyone will bitch about it at some time or another. Such is life.

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Drinking Local (In The 989) II

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Bell’s beers are brewed here in Michigan, but I wouldn’t say they are exactly local (in the 989) with the brewery located a couple of hours southwest in Kalamazoo County. However they are more local than I had though! It turns out that the 2-row barley used in their Midwestern Pale Ale, Christmas Ale (seen in my fridge drawer above) and Harvest Ale is grown just a few minutes from my house on a farm down in Shepherd, Michigan. A farm that I have no doubt passed at one time or another on my rides. Of course I’ve ridden by so many farms, they all start to look alike.

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As you can see, the Shepherd wheat field and farm are both depicted on the labels of the Christmas Ale and the Midwestern Pale Ale. It’s pretty neat to know that beer that I enjoy quite often is made with ingredients grown just minutes from my home. You can see more about the Bell’s Brewery Farm at bellsbeer.com.

By the way, Bells’ Christmas Ale is one of my favorites of the season. It’s unusual in that it doesn’t have all the spices that one comes to expect in a Christmas beer, yet the lack of hops and the malts they use somehow give it a bready, candied toffee/carmel-ish taste that is very Christmasy and reminiscent of a Scottish Ale. I didn’t think I would be into it, since I usually like either BIG hoppy IPAs and Oatmeal and Imperial Stouts, but I am digging it.

Drinking Local (In The 989)

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Long before I ever moved to Michigan I was a fan of Michigan brewed beers from Founders and Bell’s. Then once I moved here I found even MORE delicious beverages from breweries like Short’s, Arcadia, Brewery Vivant, Dark Horse, Greenbush, North Peak, Right Brain and many more.

I am also lucky to live stumbling walking distance from pubs like The Brass Cafe and The Bird that aren’t afraid to serve craft beers from all over Michigan and the country.

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