It's almost here: Midwest Mountaineering Outdoor Adventure Expo

It’s coming! It’s almost here!! It only happens twice a year!!! If I sound overly excited, and amped on the Starbucks juice, it's because I am. The Outdoor Adventure Expo at Midwest Mountaineering starts tomorrow. Yay! 

Entrench yourself in free presentations and clinics, forage for samples of camping food, visit exhibits from manufacturers, ski resorts, environmental groups, outfitters, the list goes on. Then, imagine yourself backpacking the John Muir trail (Saturday, 9:15), adventure skiing in Kashmir (Saturday, 10:30), trekking to Macchu Picchu (Sunday, 1:45) or on the Pacific Crest trail (Sunday 3:00).

You absolutely must be present at this semi-annual event. A schedule of all the clinics and presentations is available here.

Afterwards, give your footsies a break and grab a seat for the Banff Mountain Film Festival. If you haven’t bought your tickets yet, I believe you can still do so at the door (but don't quote me on that). They’re $15 and worth it. I know this to be true because my friend Janelle is driving all the way from Eau Claire, WI for this very event.

This will be an exciting and productive weekend. Opportunities abound to get the skinny on winter activities that have captured your curiousity, and, since EVERYTHING will be on sale, what better time to start Christmas shopping for that special him or her? JetBoils, fleece, Camelbacks, Smartwool socks, base layers, backpacks, kayaks, GPS’s, anti-microbial undies. It’s all on sale and it all starts tomorrow.

Keep in mind that when you buy from Midwest Mountaineering, you support a local business that truly does give back to the community. So go to the expo. Go. Friday. Saturday. Sunday. Go. To. The expo.

Note: If you think I’m being a bully about the expo, wait until I start bloviating about Canoe U 2009…

SYATE (see you at the expo)