14erskiers finally has stickers available, designed by our friend Lauren Hybinette. We’d love for our viewers to have some of them! We aren’t seeking to make a profit, but we would like a contribution of 50-cents per sticker to cover shipping and printing. If you are interested, please contact us at brittany@14erskiers.com. Please include your name, address, and how many stickers you would like. Thank you for your support!
Neova contacted me a couple of months ago, asking me to review their sunscreen products. I’m always game for testing anything out. But, I have to admit, I was skeptical as I am usually particularly picky about sunscreen. I didn’t know that Neova would send me the best facial sunscreen I’ve ever used.
I usually find that facial sunscreens are too scented and feel like a glop of grease on my face. Those that pass the initial odor and grease test often still continue to clog the pores on my already oily face, causing break outs. The one or two sunscreens that don’t do any of the above still rub off easily if I want to use them while playing in the outdoors. Neova sunscreen is the only sunscreen I’ve tried that passes all these criteria.
After using Neova every day for the last month, I’ll be honest, I’m amazed at Neova’s performance. Using “transparent” zinc oxide, this sunscreen feels light when applying to my face. Instead of contributing to the oil on my face, it seems to reduce it. In fact, using this sunscreen has actually caused me to have less break-outs. With SPF’s in the 40′s it’s a great, and essential, sunscreen for a high-altitude girl like myself.
More than just a Sunscreen
Neova DNA Damage Control does so much more than protecting you from daily doses of UV-rays. This sunscreen also contains DNA repair enzymes which help correct and reverse some of the cellular damage already caused by harmful UV-rays. Liposomes are used to deliver the DNA repair enzymes, targeting the site of the DNA injury, reducing the risk of skin cancer and premature skin aging. After using this sunscreen for a month, I already notice a reduction in dark spots and an increase in softer, younger-looking skin.
This video gives a brief explanation of how the DNA repair enzymes work:
Not just for the Ladies
There is no doubt that Neova DNA Damage Control Sunscreen is geared toward women. But, I did have Frank test the sunscreen as well. In his words, “Even a guy can tell that’s some mean sunscreen.”
Two Products
I had the opportunity to test two different Neova DNA Damage Control products: the Everyday sunscreen with SPF 43 and the Active sunscreen with SPF 45. Both sunscreens boast transparent zinc oxide for broad-spectrum protection, DNA repair enzymes, Vitamin C to promote vitality, and a superantioxidant (L-ergothioneine) to suppress free-radical damage.
While still providing the same basic protection and repair, there are a few things that do differ in the sunscreens. The Everyday sunscreen contains sodium hyaluronate to provide a moisturizing boost and Vitamin E for it’s anti-oxidant and moisturizing properties. The Active sunscreen comes in a formula that is highly-water resistant, perfect for outdoor athletes.
I find the Everyday and Active sunscreens to be the perfect mix. Living at 9,800 feet, I know I am unusually susceptible to the sun, and I tend to wear sunscreen every day. The Everyday sunscreen is perfect for the weekdays where I work and then play hard after. The Active sunscreen is perfect for the weekends where I play hard all day. Either way, Neova DNA Damage Control sunscreen has become part of my daily regimen. I highly recommend this product to both active men and active women, especially those who have sensitive and picky skin like me. Like I said, it’s the best facial sunscreen I have ever tried.
Link to Neova DNA Damage Control website.
While the 2011-12 ski season here in Colorado may be one of the worst in many years, old-timers are saying that this is one of the best years ever to skate Blue Mesa, Colorado’s largest body of water just outside of Gunnison. This really shouldn’t be much of a surprise, since snow is the enemy of good skating ice and there hasn’t been much snow to speak of this season. The few inches that fell last weekend up in Crested Butte only added up to a trace on Blue Mesa. While the trace of snow didn’t slow us down, it was a little disappointing that we missed out on the clear black ice that everyone had been raving about before the snow. Andy Eflin, Pete Sowar and I laced them up at the Elk Creek marina, which was a little surreal frozen in the ice:
I’ve skated on many ponds over the years, but this was my first time on such a large lake (20 miles long and 96 miles of shoreline). I was in for a surprise, as pond skating has as much in common with large lake skating as a one-run bunny hill has with a mega resort in the Alps. Pond ice doesn’t talk- Blue Mesa does.
When I say that Blue Mesa talks, I’m referring to the ice creaking, groaning, and straining as we skated on it. Imagine a snowpack that constantly whoomphed, and you’ll have an idea of what skating on Blue Mesa is like. It was disconcerting to put it mildly.
We explored a few of the inlets, and they had some fun play areas along the shore. Pete:
Occasionally the ice has small cracks, which may not be a concern as far as falling in, but they do pose their own hazard:
Then there’s the big cracks, know as pressure ridges, also something you don’t see on a pond. Kind of crazy, and a scary obstacle to cross.
Experienced skaters actually seek out thin ice, as it tends to be the fastest and can sometimes even forms a wave of ice for extra speed. Yes, this sounds crazy, and no, I don’t think I’ll try it. But we did have a great time and I’ll probably head back down there if the snow doesn’t start falling. I might even make some lag bolt bracelets to claw my way out if I fall in, as Andy is sporting here, along with his rope:
Think snow!
We’ve been waiting for this. We’ve been waiting for far too long. On Saturday morning, we were awakened by the sound of a snow plow. The building shook as the mighty machine scraped the two inches of snow off the parking lot pavement and dumped it on top of our tiny snow banks. It’s been a bad snow year so far. There’s no debate about it. And while last year two inches of fresh felt like dust on crust, this year’s dry spell has made two inches feel more like two feet. It was declared a powder day.
We grabbed our skis and headed to the ski area. Yelps and smiles and shouts of elation were everywhere. Two inches became three inches and three inches became five as snow continued to fall throughout the day. I felt my edges carving through the newly fallen snow as if they were razor sharp, something I rarely feel on the man-made frozen congealed slop.
We made our way to the East River lift. “Scrape, scrape, brush, brush,” was the sound our skis made as we glazed over rock after rock and blasted through the small trees and bushes. The coverage was thin, but it was natural snow- natural snow with fresh snow on top of it. And that made it fantastic.
Last year we were spoiled. We would have either laughed or cried at the desperation we find ourselves in today, where skiing a black diamond bump run laden with rocks and bushes has been the highlight of our lift-served experience, where two inches of fresh is declared a pow-day. But, no skier on the mountain yesterday could deny that it wasn’t a good day. Because it WAS a good day!
Sometimes the best days are the ones that remind you what you’ve got 
Besides our Berthoud Pass tour, we did a bit more frolicking during our time in the Front Range over the holidays. One day we headed up Herman Gulch for a little tour.
Our intended line, but strong winds kept us from venturing above treeline.
Happy New Year to everyone! While we welcome 2012, but at the same time, I’m sad to say good-bye to 2011. The past year has been full of some of the greatest and most memorable adventures. From a fantastic winter to finishing my 14er project, a spring full of fantastic skiing, our wonderful wedding followed by the perfect honeymoon, a fall full of fun riding and a few early-season pow-days. 2011 was simply a fantastic year for us. In tribute to the past year, I’ve put together a slideshow video showcasing the year’s highlights. Enjoy it
In continuation from our previous entry where we posted a slideshow video from the first part of our honeymoon in Spain, here is Part II of our honeymoon. We spent the second half of our honeymoon in the Azores, which are a group of volcanic islands in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. These islands belong to Portugal. Enjoy the video!
With some free time during the holidays, we’ve taken some time to reflect on the fantastic times we’ve enjoyed throughout the last year. As part of it, we’ve put together this long-overdue slideshow video which captures the first half of our honeymoon, which we spent in Spain in June. I know it’s winter and this is a flashback to summer, but we hope you enjoy it anyway!
It’s that time of year again where we mingle with friend and family that we just don’t see often enough. Enjoy the smiles, the togetherness…. and the snow Happy Holidays everyone!
As outdoor enthusiasts, most of us realize the importance of trying to do our part in living sustainably in effort to minimize the resources we use and protect the outdoor environment that we love and enjoy. Many of us put forth the effort to recycle, separating containers into piles for the recycling companies to pick up on “garbage day”. We at 14erskiers.com typically recycle more than we throw away, and we make the extra effort to haul recyclable materials that are not collected by our local recycling company (such as office pack and newspaper) down to the recycling center in Gunnison.
Still, there is more that each of us can do. For example, check out TerraCycle. This program allows outdoor enthusiast such as ourselves to upcycle things that we’d typically throw away, like our wrappers from granola bars, gels, and energy blocks. So, now, the things that we “pack out” to keep the slopes clean can be diverted from landfills and upcycled. Better yet, this process can earn money for charity. Check out the press release below and the TerraCycle website for more information.
Instead of throwing out their garbage, hikers, park-goers and outdoor enthusiasts have another option for their non-recyclable trash after they pack it out: sending it free of charge to pioneering company TerraCycle® to be recycled. TerraCycle collects people’s trash and recycles the non-recyclable into eco-friendly, affordable, and practical products.
The “leave no trace” policy, which has evolved into the “pack it in, pack it out” policy of taking all your trash out of the park with you, is furthered by TerraCycle’s Brigade® program, through which people can send in difficult-to-recycle food wrappers for recycling and upcycling and earn cash for charity. Usually, wrappers from products including Kashi, Bear Naked, CLIF BAR, and Revolution Foods, among others, are non-recyclable.
TerraCycle upcycles some wrappers into tote bags, coolers, notebooks, laptop cases and mini-speakers. Wrappers that aren’t upcycled are melted down and turned into plastics such as trash cans, flower pots, and clipboards. The snacks that hikers use while enjoying the outdoors can become eco-friendly, long-life products that support the environment that hikers are enjoying. Instead of just leaving no trace on the parks, hikers and outdoorsmen can also leave no trace on the Earth.
Anyone can sign up for TerraCycle’s Brigade programs and send in their wrappers for free. For every wrapper TerraCycle receives, two points are awarded that can be put toward buying a specific charity gift, or converted to money and donated to a charity of the participant’s choice. Most importantly, the Brigade will be keeping these wrappers out of the local landfills and off the ground.
So far, TerraCycle has kept over two billion pieces of trash from leaving their mark on the Earth, and with its partners, dispersed over $2 million to charity through the Brigade program.
For more information on how to sign up, send in trash and earn extra cash for your favorite school or charity, visit www.terracycle.net.
Photo courtesy of TerraCycle
So, please, and an outdoor enthusiast, do your part to keep our outdoors a beautiful playground. If you don’t recycle, consider making a recycling plan for yourself as part of a New Year’s resolution. If you recycle already, begin TerraCycling! We all make a difference in the world in which we live! Live it and treat it well
Maybe “mature powder”...
