by Valley Gadfly | Feb 19, 2024 | Travel
Shamrocks & Shenanigans Set To Color Denver Green; Then Bunny Kisses & Easter Wishes Make Us Good Eggs
by Glen Richardson
May your heart be light and happy, may your smile be big and wide, the Mile High City is again Shamrockin’ & Rollin’ to Dublin Day in Denver.
Always celebrated with enthusiasm, with a bit of Irish blarney and a touch of magic too, St. Patrick’s Day begins at 9:30 a.m. on March 16 with the largest St. Patrick’s Day Parade west of the Mississippi River and one of the largest in the U.S.
With an Irish kiss, plus a snog o’ bliss, this month is egg-stra special with Easter falling on March 31. Hallelujah! Denver ends the month bringing baskets full of spring things to do ranging from egg hunt extravaganzas and bunny bolts to scrumptious spring feasting.
Mile High March: The largest St. Patrick’s Day Parade west of the Mississippi River steps off at 9:30 a.m. on March 16.
Magic Irish March
The parade will start on Wynkoop St. at 19th Ave., turn southeast down 17th Ave. before turning northeast on Blake St. — renamed Tooley St. for St. Paddy’s Day — then continue on Blake St. until 27th Ave. For a good viewing spot, people begin arriving at 6 a.m.
As in previous years, the parade is expected to draw more than 200,000 spectators. It will feature 10,000 plus participants, including Irish step dancers, marching bands, bagpipers, and elaborate floats.
The Mile High version is renowned, drawing nearly half a million people downtown on parade day. The St. Paddy’s Day crowd is believed to be Colorado’s largest single gathering in one place.
Pub Grub
Cherry Cricket Ballpark. Both the Cherry Creek and Blake St. locations offer deals in honor of St. Patrick’s Day, but the downtown space offers close access to the parade. Enjoy beer specials all weekend — including green Coors pours — plus Irish dishes such as Irish beef stew. Information: 303-297-3644.
The Irish Rover. This S. Broadway pub with a long lineup of Celtic brews, plus outdoor and rooftop seating, is the perfect St. Paddy’s Day spot. Try the Corned Beef Reuben & Fries, Shepherd’s Pie, and Bangers & Mash. There’s a Tent party on the 17th, 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Information: 303-282-4643.
Corned Beef & Cabbage: Slice of Irish- American culture is no longer served in Denver except at Monaco Inn Restaurant for St. Paddy’s. Enjoy for lunch and dinner on Monday March 18.
Monaco Inn Restaurant. Corned Beef & Cabbage originated as part of Irish-American culture, but is no longer served in Denver. A dozen years ago this South Monaco Parkway restaurant started serving the dish as the Saint Patrick’s Day special. Restaurant is closed on Sunday, but is serving on Monday, March 18, for lunch and dinner. Information: 303-320-1104.
Scruffy Murphy’s. Rustic knickknack- filled Irish bar and beer garden on Larimer St. serves up suds, Scotch & snacks, plus live music. Kitchen serves a few Irish mainstays like Shepherd’s Pie, and Bangers and Mash. Information: 303-291-6992.
Easter Ends March
Worship Services
Easter Sunrise Service: Easter begins early with the Colorado Council of Churches’ 77th Easter Sunrise Service at Red Rocks Amphitheater at 5:30 a.m. on March 31. Gates open for services in a dramatic and spectacular setting at 4:45 a.m., pre-worship service music begins at 5:30 a.m., with services starting at 6 a.m.
Free and open to the public, seating and parking are on a first-come basis. Reserved parking-seating is sold out. The event is not collecting food donations this year.
Stunning Sunrise: The 77th Easer Sunrise Service at Red Rocks Amphitheater is March 31, 5:30 a.m. Gates open at 4:45 a.m., pre-worship music begins at 5:30 a.m.
The Blood Brothers — a six-piece band that plays rock, folk, country, blues, and worship music — will entertain. Additional details were not available as the Chronicle went to press. Information: 303-825-4910.
Cathedral Basilica: Holy week at the Basilica on the corner of Logan St. and Colfax Ave. has the church’s most beautiful liturgies. Holy Saturday Vigil is 8:15 p.m., Easter Sunday Mass is at 8:30 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m., and 6:30 p.m. Information: 303-831-7010.
Saint John’s Cathedral: Cathedral is the seat of the Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Colorado at 1350 N. Washington St. Easter Services are at 7:30 a.m., 9 a.m., & 11 a.m. There will be an Easter egg hunt for children following the 9 a.m. services on the East Lawn. Information: 303-831-1350.
Egg Hunts
Celtic Charm: This rare variation of the three-leaf clover, according to Irish tradition represents luck, love, faith, and hope.
Infinity Park: Get the kids excited about Easter early by taking them to the Glendale Easter Eggstravaganza at Infinity Park’s Turf Field on Saturday, March 23, 10 a.m. There are three age group hunts: Ages 0-3, 4-6, and 7 to 12. Only one parent is allowed in egg hunts for children under the age of seven. No parents are allowed with children age 7+. Parking is in P1, located on the northeast corner of Kentucky & Cherry. Information: 303-639-4711.
Four Mile Park: One of the Valley’s biggest and far from conventional Easter Egg Hunts is at the 12-acre Four Mile Historic Park March 30, with events at 8:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. The event includes a search for golden eggs, each concealing special prizes.
This year the park has crafted three distinct egg scrambles catering to kids of all ages. The youngest — aged four and under — can partake in a hunt in the kiddie corral. Meanwhile, older kids — aged five-nine and up — can engage in two separate hunts.
Post-hunt includes photos with the Easter bunny, and spring-themed crafts. A kid-friendly concert by Animal Farm features Inspector Magic. There’s also a Victorian Egg Rolling contest plus Magical Egg Chairs. Delectable snacks are available from food trucks, plus shopping at the Spring Marketplace. For adults, the Four Mile Bar features mimosas, Bloody Mary’s, and a fully stocked bar. Information: 720-865-0800.
Egg-citing Eating
Egg-citing Egg Hunt: Four Mile Historic Park hosts one of the Valley’s biggest Easter Egg Hunts on March 30, at 8:30 a.m. and again at 1:30 p.m.
Edge Restaurant: Hop over to the Edge Restaurant & Bar in the Four Seasons Hotel downtown for their annual Easter brunch. A raw bar, appetizers, salads, several entrée options, plus a carving station are usually offered. Information: 303-389-3050.
Ellyngton’s: Celebrate the holiday with breakfast and Easter brunch in the restaurant’s regal 19th-century dining room at the Brown Palace Hotel. Choices usually include waffles, pastries, omelets, salads, sushi, grilled meats, other choices. Information: 303-297-3111.
Fire Restaurant: Experience brunch at the indoor-outdoor Easter setting in the ART Hotel on Broadway. Spring omelets, much more, plus a Bunny Menu for the kids. Information: 720-709-4431.
Local Jones: For a tasty holiday morning in Cherry Creek North, do brunch at this classic bistro in the Halcyon Hotel. Always delightful. Information: 720-772-5022.
Monaco Inn Restaurant: Presenting annual Easter special from noon to 8 p.m. Restaurant is serving Colorado Spring Leg of Lamb with Greek potatoes, Greek Salad, and Avgolemono Soup. Menu also has other Greek & American specialties. Saganaki appetizer, plus homemade baklava for dessert. Information: 303-320-1104.
by Mark Smiley | Oct 12, 2023 | Travel
Bouncing Beds: Like a gaggle of young kids playing in their grandparents’ room, six artists jump on two 600-pound beds that move on rotating platforms.
Corteo: In this Cirque du Soleil a clown imagines his own funeral as a carnival of sorts, blending the ridiculous with the tragic. The show will be performed five times in January at Blue Arena in Loveland.
CORTEO In Loveland from January 25-28, 2024 at Blue Arena
By Mark Smiley
Corteo, an arena production from Cirque du Soleil is back in North America and heading to Loveland. This unique production, directed by Daniele Finzi Pasca, first premiered in Montreal in April 2005. Since its creation, the show has performed in front of over 10 million spectators, in 20 countries, on 4 continents. Corteo will be presented at the Blue Arena for only five shows from January 25-28, 2024.
Corteo, which means cortege in Italian, is a joyous procession, a festive parade imagined by a clown. The show brings together the passion of the actor with the grace and power of the acrobat to plunge the audience into a theatrical world of fun, comedy and spontaneity situated in a mysterious space between heaven and earth.
The clown pictures his own funeral taking place in a carnival atmosphere, watched over by quietly caring angels. Juxtaposing the large with the small, the ridiculous with the tragic and the magic of perfection with the charm of imperfection, the show highlights the strength and fragility of the clown, as well as his wisdom and kindness, to illustrate the portion of humanity that is within each of us. The music turns lyrical and playful carrying Corteo through a timeless celebration in which illusion teases reality.
The stage has a unique setup as it will be set up in the center of the arena and audience members will be on either side with good sight views. Set Designer Jean Rabasse has divided the Grand Chapiteau and its rotating stage in two, with each half of the audience facing the other half, so they see not only the performance, but also have a performer’s eye view of the audience. There is one turntable built into the stage, which is about 41 feet long, and the track is almost 120 feet long.
The show lasts two hours and 30 minutes (with a 20-minute intermission) and is packed with death defying feats fans have come to expect from Cirque shows. Corteo was in Colorado in 2019 and is back by popular demand. Tickets for Corteo in Loveland are available online at cirquedusoleil.com/corteo.
The performance schedule is Thursday, January 25, 2024 and Friday, January 26 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, January 27, 2024 at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. and Sunday, January 25, 2024 at 1 p.m.
by Mark Smiley | Aug 28, 2023 | Travel
Founder: Adam Avery started Avery Brewing with his dad in 1993 and built it into one of the largest breweries in Colorado.
30th Anniversary: The Avery Invitational featured a curated list of invited breweries based on Avery’s employees favorites. There were 58 breweries from 14 states and five countries in attendance.
The Avery 30th Anniversary Invitational was held on July 29, 2023, at Avery’s 67,000 square foot brewery campus. To celebrate 30 years of brewing beer, Avery Brewing Company hosted an Invitational Beer Festival which brought together all of the beers and breweries that have inspired and worked with them throughout the past 30 years.
“It’s a celebration of beer,” said Adam Avery, founder of Avery Brewing Company. “I’m not a beer snob. I want the beers that my employees and co-workers want to have here. I want to have the best beers at the festival. It doesn’t matter if it is craft or 100 million barrels.”
The event featured live music and food trucks. The main attractions were the 58 breweries from 14 states and five countries pouring their beers. Additionally, Avery Brewing Company released an Anniversary Barrel-Aged Strong Ale, which is a blend of several styles and brewing techniques, representing the culmination of 30 years of brewing experience.
Adam Avery started the brewery in 1993 with his dad’s retirement nest egg of $90,000 and a dream. Along the way, Avery gives credit to his dad for believing in him and another few hundred people who helped him succeed. “How do you succeed in business?” Avery asked. “You don’t give up. My high school mascot was the bulldog and that is what I consider myself.”
After starting the business in a 2,000 square foot facility in 1993, Avery and his father did not pay themselves for over three years. “My dad has always pushed me and believed in me,” said Avery. The most gratifying part of the last 30 years is that he hasn’t once woken up and dreaded to go to work. “I feel like I haven’t done a day’s worth of work. It’s just my life. I am grateful to the people who have gotten me here. You don’t get here by yourself.”
Avery celebrates good beer no matter who brews it. He wishes there was less competition with so many breweries existing but he credits those who care about their craft. “There is no better time in the history of the planet to be a beer drinker than today,” said Avery. “It’s only going to get better. I feel super lucky that some people say Avery is on my list.”
You may ask what is on Adam Avery’s list or in his fridge. He always has Pacifico, Guinness, and Sierra Nevada’s Pale Ale in stock. He also recognizes Vinnie Cilurzo from Russian River Brewing as the best brewer in the country and admits the bar is set by him.
Avery Brewing is located at 4910 Nautilus Ct. in Boulder. You can find their beers in liquor stores throughout the state and 39 other states. Visit www.averybrewing.com for more information.
by Mark Smiley | Jul 20, 2023 | Travel
Old Hickory Steakhouse Now Open For Lunch
by Mark Smiley
Exterior Enhancements: A $22 million exterior enhancement project was completed in April 2023 at Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center.
Fireplace: A fireplace with an 8-foot-wide hearth is the focal point on Old Hickory Steakhouse’s new terrace. Guests of the resort and residents are welcome to dine at Old Hickory Steakhouse. Parking is validated by spending at least $50.
Event Space: The addition of an event lawn with 10,000-square-feet of artificial turf area, four fire pits, and two natural boulder fire features were part of a $22 million exterior enhancement project. Adjacent to the Grand Lodge lawn is a games lawn featuring artificial turf, family-friendly games such as bocce ball, corn hole, and giant chess, as well as three firepits where guests can roast s’mores.
Phase one of a $22 million exterior enhancement project was completed in April 2023 at Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center in time for the summer months. With the indoor water park being closed for improvements, the outdoor development became increasingly more important. Ryman Hospitality Properties, which owns Gaylord Rockies Resort, purchased the adjacent 130 acres of land in 2021 and began planning for how to best utilize.
The project features an elevated arrival experience, a new games lawn complete with corn hole, bocce ball, and giant chess, expansion of the Grand Lodge lawn, new fire pits suitable for roasting marshmallows, and the addition of terraces to Old Hickory Steakhouse and Mountain Pass Sports Bar. The project also features more than 1,500 native and adaptive trees, 40,000 shrubs, groundcovers, perennials, and five acres of low water-use native grass mixes.
New Terrace: Old Hickory Steakhouse Terrace added an additional 96 seats to the restaurant by adding an outdoor terrace. They are now open for lunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
“The enhancements layer in a richness to the resort and create a more genuine lodge experience for our guests,” said Suzy Hart, General Manager of the 1,501-room resort. “While we are focused on the exterior enhancements and the new dining terraces, there are plans for future development of the 130 acres that surround the resort. We are currently in the design phase on what those 130 acres will look like, but it will complement the community and the resort with retail, dining, entertainment venues, and open spaces that bring people tog
ether,” she added.
The Old Hickory Steakhouse Terrace added an additional 96 seats to the restaurant by adding an outdoor terrace. A fireplace with an 8-foot-wide hearth is the centerpiece to the 2,600 square foot space. Now open for lunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., guests of the resort or residents who want to visit, can enjoy a variety of dishes, including salads, sandwiches, and burgers. Parking is validated with a $50 spend at Old Hickory Steakhouse or when a spa treatment is booked.
“Gaylord Hotels are known for their exceptional facilities including spectacularly designed environments, spacious indoor and outdoor gathering areas, and creative food and beverage concepts, and we believe this is the perfect time to enhance what the hotel already has to offer,” said Colin V. Reed, Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors of Ryman Hospitality Properties. “These current enhancements, combined with future development of the resort and surrounding area, will position Gaylord Rockies as a true leader in the market for both leisure and group travel,” he added.
Phase two will include a new Mountain View Pavilion for weddings and special events. More coverage on what phase two will offer will be covered in a future edition. The Gaylord Rockies Resort is located at 6700 North Gaylord Rockies Boulevard. For more information about the resort or to make a reservation, visit www.gaylordrockies.com.
by Mark Smiley | Jun 23, 2023 | Travel
by Mark Smiley
Local Favorite: Bonnie Hammontree, left, and Mickey Telles, General Manager Smōk Denver, served Asian pork belly burnt ends and their famous banana pudding at the 2023 Denver BBQ Fest.
The Denver BBQ Fest held its annual event over Memorial Day weekend this year as thousands of BBQ enthusiasts came to enjoy BBQ from pitmasters from around the world at Empower Field. This year’s event shifted to a ticketed venue making the crowd more manageable and allowed the pitmasters to prepare for a more precise amount.
Some of the returning pitmasters included Pappy’s Smokehouse, Ubons Barbecue, Black’s BBQ, and hometown favorites GQue BBQ and Sugarfire Smokehouse. New local restaurants were also on hand to dish out their well-known dishes including Smōk Denver which is located at The Source Hotel & Markethall.
Smōk Denver will celebrate its 5th anniversary in August 2023. They served Asian pork belly burnt ends and their famous banana pudding in the booth next to Black’s Barbecue, a renowned BBQ from Central Texas. Smōk Denver features a hybrid of Kansas City and Texas style barbecue with Kansas City style rubs and Texas style smokes. Smōk Denver uses a post oak wood to give it the Texas style smoke which is a cleaner and lighter smoke so they can add what they want to it and not overpower the meat. “We want the meat to talk for itself rather than what we have going on underneath it,” said Mickey Telles, General Manager Smōk Denver. “We want the flavor to be set there but we want you to feel that meat.”
The flavor was front and center at the fest and introduced attendees who may not have normally been familiar to their BBQ. This was Smōk Denver’s first BBQ Fest and the largest event they have ever done as a team. “It’s been great,” said Telles. “It’s been an incredible amount of fun and the staff here has been fantastic at taking the anxiety of setting everything up away. It has been smooth sailing.”
In addition to serving their popular dishes, they learned a little from other pitmasters along the way. “It’s nice to meet people and see how they’re doing it,” said Telles. “BBQ is cooked meat but everyone does it differently. Any slight change anybody puts on that creates a different product. It’s interesting to see how everyone else does it.”
Smōk Denver was started by Bill Espiricueta who was born in Austin, Texas, and has enjoyed BBQ from an early age. “Our pitmaster Bill [Espiricueta] is the reason all of us are here,” said Telles. “He has been around the food industry for quite awhile and came from Kansas City. We found a really good spot up in the Source Market and thought that was a really good spot to go for it. We have been chugging along ever since.”
Smōk Denver is located at The Source Hotel & Markethall at 3330 Brighton Blvd. in Denver. Visit www.denversmok.com for more information. Mention this article and receive a 20% discount on your order.
Pitmasters: Shane McBride, Pig Beach BBQ; Erin Campbell, Ubons Barbecue; Jason Ganahl, GQue BBQ; and Leslie Roark Scott, Ubons Barbecue, celebrate another successful BBQ Fest in the mile high city.
The Denver BBQ Fest is not about winning awards or competition. It is about serving great BBQ in a friendly and collaborative atmosphere. Six days prior to the fest, Shane McBride, Pitmaster, Pig Beach BBQ from New York and Florida, won an important competition in Memphis.
Ribdiculous Bar-B-Krew earned the coveted title of Grand Champion of the Memphis in May World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest on May 20, 2023. It was the first time in 21 years that a rib team had won. They received a rare perfect score in the preliminary round. “I cried for hours,” said McBride. “Any picture you see, I have tears in my eyes.”
McBride started making BBQ professionally in 2008 and has enjoyed running his business, Pig Beach, in New York and Florida ever since. He enjoys coming to Denver and was in a relaxed mood after winning the Grand Championship. “It’s a great festival [Denver BBQ Fest],” said McBride. “To sit and cook BBQ steps away from a beautiful football stadium in a legendary football town, it’s pretty awesome.”
Baby Back: Joebaby Michaels, Bent River Records, left, and James Boatright, Boatright’s BBQ, show off the baby back ribs served in the VIP area that had guests smacking their lips.
He has advice for the backyard enthusiast. “The number one thing about BBQ is patience,” said McBride. “It’s not something you can rush. Whether you’re cooking a chicken to a whole hog, it’s patience. You also have to rest your meat. It’s all about time management, patience, and resting.”
Advice also rolled in from James Boatright, Pitmaster of Boatright’s BBQ, St. Louis, Missouri. “A lot of pitmasters put information out on Youtube,” said Boatright. “I would say don’t be intimidated by that. More than anything, keep it simple and pay attention to time and temperature. A lot of people get in a rush and want to make it look like Boatright’s BBQ. Take your time and make simple BBQ and enjoy your family and friends.”
Boatright’s served Beef short ribs in the VIP area of the festival. Boatright joked, “Nothing against the other pitmasters, they’re great. But they [guests] said I was the best so far. When the people speak, you listen.”
The people definitely spoke and enjoyed Boatright’s attention to seasoning and flavor. He prides himself on doing things just a little bit differently. “Anything you do, you can’t be one dimensional,” said Boatright. You have to think outside the box and I believe in challenging myself with flavor profiles and building layers. I like to keep it simple and have people’s tastebuds happy. Keep it real and put some love into it, you can’t go wrong.”
Caribbean Flavors: Johann Callender, Pitmaster, Barbados Smokehouse, was the first International pitmaster invited to BBQ Fest.
Boatright has been a fan of BBQ his entire life. “I have been doing this since I was knee high to a grasshopper,” said Boatright. “My first memory of BBQ was watching my dad dig a hole in the ground. I was about five years old and he put the whole hog in the
Happy Attendees: Denver BBQ Fest was a ticketed event this year and held over Memorial Day weekend.
ground and I was blown away with it. Ever since, I have been fascinated with it.”
Boatright started his professional career in 2015. Readers may remember him from the popular Netflix show, Barbecue Showdown. Follow Boatright on Facebook and Instagram @boatrightsbbq He is also a singer and his latest song called “I Can Take You Further” can be found on Spotify and other platforms.
Johann Callender, Pitmaster, Barbados Smokehouse, came the furthest to participate in this festival. Callender has been a pitmaster for four years and last year, he was here on a program in conjunction with the U.S. State Department. He was invited this year to be the first International pitmaster at Denver BBQ Fest. There are not many options for BBQ in Barbados so Callender started out catering small events and took off from there.
They served Smoked Flash Fried Chicken with a Caribbean twist and pimento wood smoked jerk lamb at his tent. “We wanted to bring a very Caribbean known dish,” said Callender. “We used a lot of pimento, cilantro, green onion, and garlic. Everyone seems to be super happy with the food. We have smoked over 600 pounds of lamb this weekend.”
Follow them on Instagram @barbadossmokehouse and be sure to visit if you travel to the island.
Woodhill Small Batch BBQ, another local participant who runs a food truck and catering business, served brisket, macaroni salad, and Woodhill twinkies this year. “The twinkies this year came about because the first year that we did this, I was doing the twinkies and serving them out the back door for the super special people,” said Jodi Segura, owner of Woodhill Small Batch BBQ. “That was a massive hit and I think because it was such a hit, they had me do them for everyone this year. I did over 1,400 of them the last two days.”
Family Owned: Keith and Jodi Segura, Woodhill Small Batch BBQ, are available to book for weddings, events, and catering. They are a local and family owned and operated business serving BBQ that rivals any from Texas, Kansas City, or St. Louis.
Woodhill Small Batch BBQ is family owned and operated by Keith and Jodi Segura. They won best BBQ restaurant back-to-back years in Castle Rock as well as best food truck in Castle Rock last year and Lone Tree this year. They pride themselves on a family first approach and although they are available to cater your event, they do not sacrifice being a part of their high school son’s activities.
That family first approach resonates with the food they prepare and the price point in which they charge for it. “I want people to understand we are a local company where families can come eat at our trailer at a reasonable price and have a great enjoyable meal,” said Segura. “I want people to realize that BBQ is great here in Colorado. It isn’t just St. Louis and Texas. We are trying to make a name for BBQ and make BBQ great in Colorado.”
Visit www.woodhillbbq.com for more information, where to find their truck or to book for your next event or catering.
BBQ Fest will return in 2024. For more information and updates, visit www.qbbqdenver.com.
by Mark Smiley | May 22, 2023 | Travel
Camping season is here and many valley residents have already booked their reservations or will do so soon. There are obvious items you need for this sojourn and the below are no exception.
Coolers
Rugged Road: The Rugged Road 65 is the lightest premium cooler and has the capacity and ice retention that most consumers look for.
The coolers you take on a camping trip are not a small detail. You want something that will retain ice, keep your items cold, and be easily transportable. Many premium coolers today do not have wheels and they are heavy to carry.
Two coolers to consider for your next camping trip are the ROVR ROLLR 80 and the Rugged Road 65. The ROVR has wheels and the Rugged Road is the lightest premium cooler on the market.
ROVR is a company based in Longmont, Colorado, and they have a line of coolers in every size. The ROVR ROLLR 80 weighs 52 pounds empty so it is on the heavier side but the ease of wheeling this to your destination makes up for this. This cooler is ideal for camping trips as it has an official certification from the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee for app
ROVR: The ROVR ROLLR 80 is a massive cooler that can haul dry goods such as chairs and umbrellas and also keep your items cold for days.
roved usage in areas shared with grizzlies.
It has an 80-quart capacity and holds up to 120 cans and 20 pounds of ice. It comes with a removable deepfreeze dry bin with two compartments that keeps items cold yet dry. And the nine-inch all-terrain tires make it easy to wheel across a soccer field, in sand, or to your campsite. The motogrip handle makes it comfortable to wheel with one or two people without bumping into the back of your feet.
This cooler is a one stop shop as it has functional accessories that allow for easier transport of items. The bin that velcros to the lid of the cooler pops up to tow items like chairs, blankets, and tents to your destination. It also converts into extra padding if you want to use the cooler as a chair.
The Rugged Road 65 is another cooler to consider as it is the lightest on the market, coming in at 13 pounds empty. It is almost 10 pounds lighter than the competition. And ice retention, which many people point to as a benchmark for a premium cooler, is outstanding. In our test, ice remained in the cooler for four days after use.
Accessories such as a snack pack and divider are included and there are four colors to choose from. Perhaps one of the coolest features and applicable for a camping or fishing trip, is that this cooler floats on water. It also has a detachable and reversible lid.
It holds 65 12-ounce cans and the size you see on the outside, is the size on the inside.
The ROVR ROLLR 80 retails for $549.99 and includes a five-year warranty and more information can be found on www.rovrproducts.com. The Rugged Road 65 fetches $349.99 with a lifetime warranty and can be found by visiting www.ruggedroadoutdoors.com.
Jacket
Coalatree: The Baseline Midlayer is a zippered lightweight jacket that is perfect for those cool nights of camping.
It may be chilly in the evenings on that camping trip so consider bringing the portable Baseline Midlayer made by Coalatree. Coalatree is based in Salt Lake City, and was founded in 2010. Their designs have eco-minded gear and apparel for athletes and photographers, to your average city folks, and weekend warriors.
The Baseline Midlayer is a zippered lightweight jacket that packs into one of its own pockets, keeping it in a tight, tidy package for when you’re not wearing it. It would also work well in a backpack. A technical midlayer is made with honeycomb fabric that doesn’t leave any microplastics behind in the wash. Spent coffee grounds are mixed and melted down with recycled plastic bottles to create the fibers.
Also, the fabric guarantees that the piece is anti-microbial and odor resistant. This jacket also has double reinforced stitching for enhanced durability. It retails for $99. To learn more, visit www.coalatree.com/products/baseline-layer.
Speaker: The XSound Mega is a Bluetooth speaker to consider for just about any activity. One of the nicest features is the fact that it is waterproof. It also delivers quality sound.
Portable Bluetooth Speaker
A speaker is a nice addition to any camping trip and the XSound Mega Bluetooth Speaker does not disappoint. It is a powerful, portable Bluetooth speaker that offers three listening modes: Music, XBass, and Audiobooks. This speaker offers enough horsepower to play at a backyard party or that camping trip you have planned. It features 30 watts of power and a frequency range of 60Hz to 20kHz.
The speaker is waterproof which is nice if you want to use it by the pool or if you get caught in the rain. XSound Mega features 5.0 Bluetooth connectivity and broadcast pairing so you can connect multiple speakers at once for party pairing. It’s waterproof, so it can be submerged in just over three feet of water for up to 30 minutes. The waterproof rating is IPX7 so you have no issue with using this speaker at the beach, lake, or pool; it’s also 100% splash-proof.
Rubber feet on the bottom panel keep the speaker firmly in place on flat surfaces. Another cool feature is the multicolor lights that synchronize with the music playing. The Tribit XSound Mega offers extra-long battery life of up to 20 hours depending on light modes and volume. We found this speaker easily lasted for days without charging and is also quick to charge fully when needed.
In addition to the USB-C charging point, the back includes a standard USB connector that lets you charge other devices. The Tribit also has a 3.5mm aux input. This port used to be a standard feature, but many recent portable speakers leave it out.
At time of press, this speaker has a price tag of $79.99 and can be purchased on www.tribit.com.
