Zip Cars!

Rocky is MIA as of late due to work in the mountains and up until now I've been just fine using a friend's car here and there when I needed to haul something bigger than my Cannondale could handle..which isn't often.  I made the decision to sell the only car I've ever had (owned for 6-months) last April before I headed to Alaska.  Felt great because as well all know with vehicles, with the freedom comes the expense.  I've been eyeing the zip cars  strategically placed around campus for some time and I finally just bought the $25/year membership as a back-up plan.  I'm sold!  I finally decided to complete the home brewing equipment kit I purchased a few weeks back and had to find supplies at (GASP) Wal-Mart.  Haven't been there in quite some time and walking through the doors made me feel like I'd just returned from Benin!

But first, zip cars.  Car-shares - What a fantastic idea.  Among the many Prius-es (Prius-i?) around, I had to reserve "Emmy" the Ford Escape because everything else was booked.  Not exactly the eco-image I was going for but whatever, the glaring zip-car logo on the side took care of my need to flaunt my greenity.  I show up at my reservation time that I so conveniently set up online a few hours prior, slap my personal zip card on the windshield sensor, hop in and drive away.  There was a half tank and they only request you leave a quarter, so Emmy and I were ready to roll.  When you DO fill the tank, please use the included gas card above the visor.  The total service is $8/hr but I end up spending less anyways because I'd fill a friend's tank just for goodwill.  As a last bonus, these are the nicest cars I've driven since staying with mom and dad.  No burning oil smell, smoke, or monster truck muffler faux-pas.  Again, I'm sold.

And yes, my eco-friendly car-share ride rolled me right into the Wal-Mart parking lot where I was desperately looking for a 15L kettle to steep my grains and boil my malt in.  No such luck and happy for it!  I may end up spending a few dollars more at the local brew store but I was so over Big Blue by the time I walked out, I'd have given my first born corgi (ok, maybe not) to avoid the droves of folks who had piled their carts high with corn dogs, fritos, and pallets of soda.  Not that I'm unsympathetic to the cost of food and hey, baby's gotta eat something!  It just threw me for a loop after my latest Whole Foods shopping spree.

So think twice before you fire up your 11-mile/gallon ride and start looking around for the strategically placed Prius.  It's totally worth your dollars!

Spring Happenings

Hey friends!  Decided to post an update during a much needed break.  It's been a month since the last post and nothing is as it was...so that's fun! Onward for the details: 

First, since I'm sure you're dying to know.  My fellows ruggers and I voted and we are now the fierce Fort Collins Cutthroats.   However, our colors are light blue and ...black (I think).  We all know how nicely blood comes right out of light colors...  We start outside practice this week with a potential coach so hopefully we'll get some time on the pitch this spring.  It's been a little start-stop-y due to lack of ladies and other teams who want to let us try out our sweet rugby skills.

Fort Collins has been kind with her weather.  Nothing too severe and I've been able to leave my road tires on my bike, though sometimes the cold wind requires I don my uber-fashionable snowboarding helmet, ca-ute!

I did make it up to the mountains with some friends who lit the motivation fire a few weekends ago.  Awesome time at ski cooper and got to see the new overnight yurts ( <-- click this link! ) at the Tennessee Pass Cookhouse.  What an amazing spot!  They just keep getting better and having a beer on the porch looking out to Mt Massive and Elbert made me appreciate the time I spent in Leadville even more.

X-Country skiing away from the cookhouse.

I'd like to post about the venture my team and I decided on since we bagged the Brazil green roofs idea, however I think I'l leave it with that photo for now.  Happy Sunday, stay tuned!