MICROBREW MONTANA

Flathead Lake Brewing: Great View, Great People, Great Beer

Some Montana microbreweries are hard to find, tucked away in alleys or side streets or even up in the timber at the end of an unpaved road, but not Flathead Lake Brewing. You can't miss it; it's right in the middle of Woods Bay along scenic State Highway 35 at mile marker 26, which is also the name of one of its award-winning, handcrafted beers.

And when you walk into the taproom, you don't find owner Terry Leonard in back room brewing beer or counting his money. Instead, you find him sitting at the bar enjoying a cold brew with his customers.

VACATIONING ON THE OREGON COAST

Crabbing Oregon

In late August, I spent two weeks vacationing Oregon Coast. Like earlier trips to the OC, I thoroughly enjoyed the hiking and cycling and beach sunsets--and of course, that fresh seafood so hard to find here in Montana. This year, for the first time, some of it was extra-fresh because I caught it myself while crabbing Oregon.

Although I've been known to get really crabby, I'm certainly no expert at crabbing. But I've learned a few things that might help you enjoy your first time out.

MICROBREW MONTANA

Neptune’s Brewery: Where the Brew is Taylor-Made

One thing I didn't expect to find when I launched into the Microbrew Montana series was a brewery with a maritime theme. But then, I didn't know about Neptune's Brewery in Livingston, the self-proclaimed "Heart of the Rocky Mountains," and a small market (8,000 population) for a brewery. At Neptune's, everything is about the ocean, ships, sailing and maritime culture and lore--the logo, art, taproom furnishings, beer names, even the owner's only employee, Katrina.

You'd think a brewery in Livingston would feature a ranching or outdoor theme, or maybe even a movie star aura to appeal to all the local stars who have escaped Hollywood and landed in the Paradise Valley. So, of course, I had to ask why.

YEAR-ROUND FUN

Vacationing on the Oregon Coast, a Chronology

Imagine this. The Oregon Coast is 383 miles long and every inch of it is public land, which is why's it's called the People's Coast.

For the past four years, in both winter and summer, I've been spending a few weeks each year vacationing on the Oregon Coast, thoroughly enjoying the beach sunsets, hiking, cycling, crabbing and other outdoor activities, and just relaxing, reading few books, and letting the ocean music drown out the stress of living in today's world. It's definitely something you should experience yourself.

As a sampling of what awaits you, here is a chronology of articles I've posted after these trips.

MICROBREW MONTANA

Kettle House Brewing: The Little Brewery That Cans

When you go into the Kettle House taproom, which is tucked away on a hard-to-find side street in mid-town Missoula, you find something you see at most Montana microbreweries--a crowd of local folks enjoying good beer and good conversation in their adopted neighborhood pub where it's always "Hoppy Hour." But when you peak into the back room or decide to buy some tasty Kettle House brew at the grocery store, you see something you don't see at or from any other Montana microbrewery, beer cans.

Because Kettle House is the only little Montana brewery that cans.

Crawdad Canyon

A Utah Desert’s Unlikely Gem

The Mojave Desert in southwest Utah is desolate and dry, until Highway 18 takes you across a canyon that is overflowing with lush greenery, sheer rock walls, and gin-clear springs. Locals have known about this unique oasis—dubbed Crawdad Canyon—for many years. As long ago as 1920, travelers on the Old Spanish Trail could pay to swim and relax here, and the family of homesteader "Gramps" Cottom ran it as a low-key recreational area until 1995.

But it was only in the past decade that Crawdad Canyon acquired its unique new identity: a private climbing resort, among the first in a wave of eco-sensitive, specialty vacation destinations.

WILL THEY EVER FIND A CURE FOR THIS FEVER?

Skating for Steelhead

One of the biggest challenges any outdoor writer faces is writing an article about a fishing trip when he couldn't catch a fish. It's scary, really, especially when you're doing it on Halloween, which is precisely what I was doing last Friday. I'd already spent most of three days frantically flaying the waters of the Grande Ronde River without raising a single steelhead.

Then, it happened.

SASKATCHEWAN FLY-IN FISHING LODGES

Oliver Lake: Where Fantastic Fishing Is Only Part of the Fun

Anglers spend a nice chunk of change to go to a fly-in fishing lodge, and the primary reason is always the terrific fishing. But fly-in fishing lodges offer more than fishing. What goes on before and after--and during--the fishing also matters, which is what makes the little fishing camp on Oliver Lake so special.

Northern Saskatchewan has about 60 fly-in fishing lodges. Of those, about a half-dozen are large corporate operations with their own landing strip, planes and pilots, large marketing budgets and a sizeable staff to make it all work. Large lodges cost more, mainly because they coat the fishing with a lot of luxury. They often cater to high-net-worthers and corporate clients, even offering corporate retreats and team-building seminars with a little fishing thrown in on the side.

YES, YOU CAN TRY THIS AT HOME

Shore Lunch: More Than the World’s Finest Fish and Chips

Many people haven't even heard of shore lunch, but if somebody started a restaurant and served it, I suspect he or she might be quite successful.

In early September, I spent a week in northern Saskatchewan at an angler's paradise called Oliver Lake Wilderness Lodge. During my stay, I not only had fantastic fishing but I was reminded how really great shore lunch can be.