Gear of the future at Interbike in Vegas

#Breckenridge, Colorado.

Held this week in Las Vegas, the Interbike trade show is an annual event where 1,000-plus brands show off new products for the following sales season. I’m in Sin City this week to scope the bikes and accessories for 2014. Here are a few items that have caught my eye so far.

Built-in lights — The days (or should I say nights) of bike lights as an accessory could be numbered if Quebec-based DeVinci is leading a trend. The brand’s Newton commuter bike has LED lights -- white on the front, red on the rear -- that are manufactured into the fork and frame. Bonus: No batteries are required, as Newton riders generate power as they pedal that’s then transferred via a hub generator to the glowing bulbs on the bike frame below.

Computer-controlled suspension system — The bike costs $8,000. But for that spend you get a pro-level steed with, get this, built-in computer sensors that auto-adjust your ride. The Spicy Team 27.5 model from Lapierre has accelerometers and other sensors onboard. When your front wheel hits a bump the system calculates the obstacle and its size, and it instantaneously adjusts suspension for your rear wheel. The benefits include a faster, less-bumpy ride... albeit with a tall price tag to get onto that smooth trail.

Hidden bike repair kit — It’s called the Specialized SWAT line, and that stands for storage, water, air and tools. The new line of hideaway tools and accessories affix to a bike unseen -- in special bottle-cage cases and in stealth unused places on the frame. One example: Specialized makes a chain break tool that hides under the stem cap.

Bike-helmet lock ­— To prevent bike theft, this “casual” lock from Lazer is a neat solution. Called the Cappuccinolock, it clicks onto helmet straps and turns your lid into an ad hoc lock -- clip the straps around your bike frame and to a solid post or rack to secure. Granted, a scissors can cut the helmet strap and let a thief steal your bike. But for preventing grab-and-go theft where your bike is in sight, Lazer gives an interesting option.

Lightweight fat bike — Oversized wheels and the frame it takes to support them make the category of “fat bikes” live up to their plus-size name. But heavy fat bikes might be less of a concern if brands like Borealis Bikes continue to innovate. The small Colorado company revealed a 21-pound fat bike this week, which is an astonishing 5 to 10 pounds lighter than many comparable models on the market. It’s made of carbon fiber and has tube-less tires to create a roll-over-anything machine likely lighter weight than the mountain bike in your garage.

Stephen Regenold is founder and editor of www.gearjunkie.com. Connect with Regenold at Facebook.com/TheGearJunkie or on Twitter via @TheGearJunkie.  Courtesy of the Summit Daily News.

Historic preservation work continues at Breckenridge’s Valley Brook Cemetery

#Breckenridge, Colorado.

On Halloween 1997, a freak storm with 100 mph winds ripped through Breckenridge’s Valley Brook Cemetery, causing gravestones and hundreds of lodgepole pines to break and topple over. Nearly 16 years after the storm, the Breckenridge Heritage Alliance and town of Breckenridge continue preservation efforts at the historic cemetery.

This week, David Via, a monument conservator from Virginia, will resume the gravestone conservation and maintenance work he started in 2001. Via said the type of work he does depends on what’s needed for each individual gravesite.

“Sometimes, it’s monuments; sometimes, in this case, an iron fence,” he said, indicating a site with leaning fence posts and sagging chains. “We do an assessment of what is wrong and then formulate a plan to make it right. Two of these posts have been pushed or settled out of plumb (over) time, so in this case, this chain, which is part of the original structure, is on the ground, in the ground, and rusting away.”

Preservation,

not restoration

Via has done stonework for nearly 40 years, having restored historic gravestones in 20 states, including Colonial Park Cemetery in Savannah, Ga.; President James Madison’s family cemetery in Orange County, Va.; and Columbia Cemetery in Boulder.

“It evolved out of doing stonework and being interested in doing repair work and preservation,” Via said. “So this line of work grew out of stonework, building fireplaces, walls, in the beginning, then being interested in repair work, preservation masonry, historical mortars, historical brickwork, so the opportunity came along to do some of this work.”

Via and retired aerospace engineer Jack R. Box, who apprenticed with Via and was hired to help him with this project, have returned to Valley Brook frequently over the past 12 years. They come out for two or three weeks each summer to assess and repair gravesites.

“(The monument is) often leaning or falling or fallen, so we would disassemble it and reset the foundation block level, and then we oftentimes add stainless steel pins, drill holes and add pins if it didn’t have one, to make it safe and secure,” Via said. “Sometimes we’re making the monuments safe for themselves so they don’t deteriorate more or break in case they fell, and sometimes we make them safe for people so they aren’t loose and could cause bodily harm if someone touched it and it fell over. It really evolved to safety first and cosmetic lastly.”

The two men repair broken headstones, when necessary, but Via said he could count the broken stones they have found in Valley Brook on less than one hand. Most of the work done is resetting and securing the stones and repairing the ironwork fences around the sites.

“One of the purposes in conservation — which is what we are doing, we’re not doing restoration — is to let the monument last as long as possible,” Via said. “We’re not making it like brand new; we’re helping it last in the form that it is in a high state of preservation. And everything that we do, we have an idea that we’d like for it to last at least 100 years. So we choose materials, techniques that are going to be long lasting and use traditional techniques and tools wherever possible.”

History in headstones

Valley Brook Cemetery dates to 1882, and its gravestones tell the stories of some of Breckenridge’s earliest residents and the hardships they faced. Like many mountain communities in the West, Breckenridge suffered the deaths of numerous children and young miners. Illnesses also ravaged the community. Visitors to Valley Brook will see that a large percentage of people were laid to rest in the year 1918, the year that an epidemic flu swept through Breckenridge.

In response to the ’97 storm that caused extensive damage, the community sought funds from the State Historical Fund to create a preservation master plan for the cemetery. To date, the town has contributed more than $200,000 to the preservation of Valley Brook, and additional money is budgeted this year for the conservation of historic gravestones.

Each preservation project at the cemetery is a new challenge.

“What are we going to do?” Via said he asks himself as he approaches each gravesite. “I’ve never seen this before; every one is different. Sometimes markers have concrete, it looks really simple to do a repair, and next thing you know, you have this complication.”

Both men described the more difficult projects they have faced.

“I was thinking about three that were natural stone,” Via said. “It was a poor quality piece of stone to begin with and they are deteriorating quickly. Some carved stone lasts indefinitely, and there are a few pieces that just aren’t going to last all that long.”

“I’d almost say the iron, the ironwork,” Box said, just as he dug to the bottom of one of the fence posts to find an additional crossbar jutting out to one side — complications. “And I suspect there were two or three monuments that were so eroded that they were placed on sandstone with lead embedded brackets.”

Box said preserving historic monuments is the most rewarding work they do.

“For many years, I’ve loved this work,” Via said. “I’ve been completely and totally immersed in it. I’ve been doing it since 1990 and cemetery work and stonework preservation since 1975. The most rewarding has been when I’m working for individual clients and there’s a personal connection.”

Valley Brook Cemetery is not a perpetual-care cemetery, meaning that families and citizens from all over Summit County and the United States care for individual gravesites. Volunteer stewards and town staff continue to maintain the natural, park-like setting of the cemetery year round, and Via returns frequently to continue his work.

“Valley Brook is unique in many ways, and it’s because of its setting and the monuments and the site is extremely well preserved, in part because it’s been left alone,” Via said. “No attempts have ever been made to irrigate, it’s not been over managed. People bury their family dead and it’s left alone, so it’s in a very natural state, which I think is great, it’s wonderful, it’s an attribute. There’s a lot to be said for leaving it alone.”  Courtesy of the Summit Daily News.

Late-season Summit County rain has delayed bright autumn displays

#Breckenridge, Colorado.

Deciduous trees’ green leaves are turning to vivid yellows, luminous oranges and gleaming reds — signaling a change of season in the high Rockies.

Autumn officially begins on Sunday, marked by the fall equinox. On the two equinoxes every year the sun shines directly on the equator, and the length of day and night is nearly equal.

It’s right around this time that Colorado’s deciduous trees change color.

With less light on short days, trees and shrubs return to an energy-saving mode to survive the winter, according to Planttalk Colorado, a Colorado State University Extension website. Short days and falling temperatures signal trees and shrubs to quit producing chlorophyll, which converts sunlight into sugars through a process called photosynthesis.

On average, the best time to view color is in late September and early October. But late-season moisture has caused color changes to occur a little later than normal this year, according to Colorado State Forest Service forester Ryan McNertney.

“We are just starting to see pockets (of color) here and there, but it may start to pick up, especially if we start to see cooler temperatures,” he said.

The best places to view colorful native trees are in the lower elevations of Summit County, McNertney said. Courtesy of the Summit Daily News.

Adventure Reel premieres Saturday at Breckenridge Festival of Fil

#Breckenridge, Colorado.

On Saturday, the Breckenridge Festival of Film will introduce the Adventure Reel, a series of films and discussions aimed at Summit County’s adrenaline junkies and powder pilgrims.

“The film fest itself is 33 years old,” said Clint Choate, of Epic Mountain Productions in Breckenridge. “This year, they wanted to bring some edge to it. They have a younger crowd directing, and they wanted to get younger people involved.”

Choate said the Adventure Reel provides a platform for more action-intense films to be part of the festival.

“They’ve really talked about the Adventure Reel being a bigger and bigger part of the festival for the next several years,” he said. “They want to spark some local creativity; they want people to really start contributing.”

Breckenridge is one of the most exciting places to live in the country, Choate said, and festival organizers are hoping this year’s Adventure Reel will inspire local amateur filmmakers to generate their own shorts for next year’s event.

“Us being a local production company, we’re really excited to be a part of it from the beginning and see where it goes next year and the years after,” he said.

‘The Scenic Route’

Seven films will screen Saturday as part of the Adventure Reel, starting with “The Scenic Route,” an 18-minute journey directed by Margot Czeropski.

“Basically, ‘The Scenic Route’ follows three young individuals who, after living through the economic recession and increasing competition in work and school, take a more scenic route and pursue their passions,” Czeropski said. “When it comes down to both routes — more stable and traditional or following your passion — both of them have the same uncertainty. There’s no certain outcome no matter what.”

The film was a thesis project for Czeropski, a graduate of Chapman University in California. She said she wanted to inspire and motivate instead of focusing on the economic recession or the unstable future facing people of her generation.

“The American dream is you’ll get the job you want and the stability you want,” she said. “I was inspired by the people around me who took the more optimistic view of a pessimistic situation and chose their passions instead of something else because, either way, there’s no certainty.”

“The Scenic Route” follows the lives of a photographer who took a break from school to follow and photograph pro surfers around the world, a car enthusiast and mechanic from Palo Alto, Calif., and man inspired by old American R&B. Czeropski said she wanted to show the diversity of experience that happens when you follow your passion. The film is a good fit for the new Adventure Reel, Czeropski said.

“The films that follow — they each show a character that does follow the scenic route in their own way in their lifestyle,” she said. “Most people who search for a little bit of change or like to change up their routine can really relate to it, even it doesn’t mean changing their entire career path.”

‘National Ski Patrol’

Choate directs Epic Mountain Production’s contribution to the Adventure Reel, “National Ski Patrol: Life of a Patroller.”

“We shot the film for the National Ski Patrol,” Choate said. “They came to us and I guess their marketing in the past had led a lot of people to believe they were like the police of the mountain.”

The National Ski Patrol didn’t want to be perceived in that light, Choate said, so the film was made to show people that patrollers are friendly, approachable and fun.

“They do their job because they love the mountains as much or more than us,” he said.

Most of the ski patrollers with the National Ski Patrol are unpaid volunteers, Choate said. The film follows their lives throughout the year and took eight months to shoot, including summer sessions filming high-ropes rescue practice and aerial shooting with Flight for Life helicopters.

“They are training year-round,” Choate said. “Most people don’t know that they train during the summertime, and it’s a year-long commitment.”

The Vail Resorts properties in Summit County — Arapahoe Basin, Keystone and Breckenridge — hire paid ski patrols, but Copper Mountain and Loveland Ski Area utilize the National Ski Patrol. The film is a good addition to the Adventure Reel because of its local angle and insight into something only superficially familiar to most local residents, Choate said.

“Of all the aspects of the Adventure Reel, there was nothing specific to Summit County featured,” the filmmaker said. “We thought it would be an awesome fit because the mountains are in our backyard; 90 percent of footage is from Copper and Loveland.

“We really let the patrollers tell the story. None of the interviews were that guided. We let them talk bout their passion and followed a couple of our subjects around for a couple of days at time and really got to enjoy a day in the life.”

Choate and the rest of the team at Epic Mountain Productions is already getting amped up for next year’s edition of the Adventure Reel.

“We’ve already started storyboarding a documentary and are starting filming immediately that should be the best production we’ve ever produced,” he said. “We’re filming specifically for the festival, so we’re really excited to see where it goes next year.”

Courtesy of the Summit Daily News.

Silverthorne the first Colorado town tapped for Tesla Motors supercharging station

#Silverthorne, Colorado.

In an effort to provide its customers with the ability to take cross-country road trips, Tesla Motors, Inc. announced last week it would install a free supercharging station at the Outlets at Silverthorne.

Ryan Hyland, assistant town manager for the town of Silverthorne, said Monday Tesla representatives contacted town officials in February about Silverthorne serving as a venue for a supercharging station. Town officials then put Tesla representatives in contact with several property owners they thought would be interested in housing the station.

Ultimately, an agreement was worked out with the Outlets to construct a supercharging station in the Green Village, behind Under Armour. It will be the electric carmakers first supercharging station in Colorado.

“From the town’s perspective, anytime you can land an amenity or service that no one else has, that’s a home run and we are excited that they (Tesla) have partnered up with the Outlets,” Hyland said in an email to the Summit Daily News. “It’s certainly an economic development win for the Outlets and the Town.”

Crews from Denver-based Mason Wireless Solutions were at the future Tesla station Monday installing the supercharging cabinets. Each cabinet is capable of powering two charging pedestals. The Outlets received four cabinets and will feature eight charging stations.

Although Hyland touted the partnership as key for economic development, Outlets officials could not be reached by press time to discuss how a free charging station would benefit Silverthorne’s economy.

Tesla Motors, Inc. is based in Palo Alto, Calif., and currently offers one electric car model, the Model S, which was named Motor Trend’s 2013 car of the year. The sedan is available with three different types of batteries capable of traveling between 208 miles and 265 miles on a full charge, according to Tesla’s website, www.teslamotors.com. The car is capable of accelerating from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 4.2 to 6 seconds depending on the battery.

The base model has a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $63,570, which can be financed for $579 a month, and features a 60-kilowatt battery. Upgrades for an 85-kilowatt battery or an 85-kilowatt performance battery are available for an extra $10,000 and $20,000, respectively.

The two upgraded battery options also come with a supercharging package, which includes free charging at all Tesla supercharging stations in the country.

Although the Model S includes equipment to charge the vehicle’s battery at home using standard 7- or 10-kilowatt outlets, Tesla announced in May an aggressive campaign to construct 120-kilowatt supercharging stations throughout the country. The company plans to build supercharging stations along major highway routes and in every metropolitan area in the U.S. and Canada by the end of 2015.

Superchargers would not only allow Tesla car owners to travel coast-to-coast without having to spend a dime on fuel, but would also reduce charging time by 33 percent, according to a company news release issued in May.

By comparison, a 120-watt supercharging station can provide 200 miles of battery life after just 30 minutes of charge time. A 7-kilowatt and 10-kilowatt outlet can provide 10 and 15 miles of battery life, respectively, in the same amount of time.

Tesla also is preparing to roll out in early 2014 its Model X, a sport utility vehicle complete with falcon, or Delorean-style, doors. Details about the Model X’s specifications are limited on the company’s website, but the new model is expected to have a less expensive sticker price.

Courtesy of the Summit Daily News.

Summit County pets available for adoption

#Breckenridge, Colorado.

 

Beautiful creatures available for adoption at the Summit County Animal Shelter.  Located at 0058 Nancy's Place in Frisco.

Contact the Summit County animal shelter at (970) 668-3230.  Or better yet, drop by for a visit.

CATS

CATALONIA, 4 years, Domestic Shorthair mix, white and black, spayed female

MASYA, 7 years, Domestic Mediumhair mix, tricolor and gray, spayed female

JEREMIAH, 9 years, Domestic Shorthair mix, black, neutered male

COPPER, 3 years, Domestic Mediumhair mix, tortie, spayed female

COCO, 1 year 2 months, Domestic Mediumhair mix, black, spayed female

BAGHEERA, 1 year 7 months, Domestic Shorthair mix, black, neutered male

GRACIE, 10 years, Domestic Shorthair mix, tortie and brown tabby, spayed female

PEARL, 2 years, Birman and Siamese mix, white and brown, spayed female

ALADDIN, 4 years, Domestic Shorthair mix, black, neutered male

MONA, 9 years, Domestic Shorthair mix, brown tabby, spayed female

MISSY, 3 years, Domestic Shorthair mix, tortie, spayed female

ROY, 6 years, Domestic Shorthair mix, orng tabby and white, neutered male

CUBBY, 10 years, Domestic Shorthair mix, gray and white, neutered male

CALEB, 2 months, Domestic Longhair mix, black, neutered male

AIDAN, 2 months, Domestic Mediumhair mix, black and bl tabby, neutered male

WINSTON, 9 months, Domestic Mediumhair mix, white and brown tabby, neutered male

MOON, 4 years, Domestic Shorthair mix, black and white, spayed female

RHODY, 1 year 1 month, Domestic Shorthair mix, brown tabby, spayed female

DOGS

PHOEBE, 1 year 7 months, Pit Bull Terrier mix, brindle and white, spayed female

LADY BUG, 4 years, Beagle, white and tan, unaltered female

DAKOTA, 8 years, Australian Shepherd mix, brown and white, spayed female

JOEY, 1 year 9 months, Labrador Retriever mix, white, neutered male

PIPER, 1 year 8 months, Anatolian Shepherd mix, white and tan, spayed female

FRANKIE, 8 months, Great Pyrenees, white and tan, neutered male

LEVI, 3 years, Labrador Retriever, black, neutered male

INDIANA, 8 years, Labrador Retriever mix, black, spayed female

IZZY, 3 years, Boxer mix, black & white, spayed female

HARTMUT, 3 years, Mastiff and Rottweiler mix, black and tan, neutered male

BELLE, 1 year 2 months, Pomeranian mix, brown and tan, spayed female

FANCY, 1 year 2 months, Pomeranian and Chihuahua - Smooth Coated mix, tan, spayed female

MIMI, 10 months, Beagle, black and white, unaltered female

LAYLA, 5 months, Australian Shepherd mix, white and tan, spayed female

TEDDY, 5 years, Miniature Pinscher mix, brown and tan, neutered male

NALA, 3 years, Siberian Husky mix, gray and white, spayed female

CLEMENTINE, 2 years, Pit Bull Terrier and Boxer mix, white and tan, spayed female

Thinning out Summit County forests will need public buy-in, experts say

#Breckenridge, Colorado.

The pine beetle epidemic left tens of thousands of dead trees in its wake — and hundreds of acres of potential fuel for wildfires.

While professionals agree the expired trees should be removed ­­— along with healthy trees and shrubs near power lines, water supplies, houses and other buildings — to protect the public from wildfire, getting people to buy into the process can be difficult.

Local government officials, the state and U.S. Forest Service, local nonprofits, utility companies and homeowners associations came together on Thursday afternoon to share information about how they’ve been tackling forest health issues. The gathering was the first of four meetings designed for Summit County forest stakeholder groups to coordinate resources.

“One of the challenges we’ve had is about how to get the message out, and find ways to better dovetail with each other within Summit County,” said Forest Health Task Force founder and meeting organizer Howard Hallman.

At the meeting stakeholders identified successes to date — including the design and implementation of Summit County’s Community Wildfire Protection Plan — along with the barriers to attaining their forest health goals.

“It’s important to understand the scale and complexity of the problem even just within Summit County,” said Ross Willmore, the East Zone fire management officer in the White River National Forest.

The lack of public education was identified as a hurdle to efforts to dodge the consequences of a catastrophic wildfire. Community Wildfire Protection Program members said they’ve had some success tackling parts of the wildfire plan identified as having the highest risk and greatest consequences associated with wildfires, but a lot of work remains to be done to make Summit County forests healthier and safer for residents.

“Some areas still need public buy-in where it could be highly contentious to have thinning projects,” county Commissioner Dan Gibbs said.

The history of wildfires throughout the West and the aftermath of the mountain pine beetle epidemic are evidence that forests must no longer be thought of as a wild and vast landscapes; they must actively be managed. The problem is getting people to change the way they think about the forests, said Dan Schroder, a natural resources extension agent for Colorado State University.

“A big part of my job has been to get people to think differently about the landscape. Hiding yourself behind the veil of trees really isn’t how we do it anymore,” he said.

“The primary challenge is to continue to educate folks and have them hear the message,” said Sam Kirk, president of the Friends of the Lower Blue River organization. “I think we just need to keep beating the drum and let people know what is necessary to be prepared for a wildfire evacuation and about wildfire mitigation.”

Courtesy of the Summit Daily News.

Beer and rain in full force at Breckenridge Oktoberfest

#Breckenridge, Colorado.

Main Street in Breckenridge was packed with smiling people, beer steins in hand, during Saturday’s Oktoberfest activities.

 

Smells of bratwurst and onions wafted from barbecue grills as people strolled down the street chatting and laughing with each other. Other festivalgoers decked out in lederhosen linked arms and skipped around as the sounds of polka music filled the air.

 

Breckenridge resident “Naked” Pete Baldwin was lured out of his downtown apartment Saturday morning to join in the party.

 

“The ground was shaking with polka music and I thought I’d come down and check it out,” he said. “Everybody’s happy and partying and dressed to the nines.”

 

Baldwin made sure to buy an official beer stein. His favorite activities during Oktoberfest are drinking beer and eating brats.

 

“If I lived in Germany I’d weigh 400 pounds,” he said.

 

An afternoon downpour had people ducking under trees and awnings and into nearby restaurants and bars, but the mood wasn’t spoiled.

 

Denver resident Carolyn Floyd and her friends got plastic ponchos to wear over their dresses and kept the party going. The women traveled to Breck from the Front Range to celebrate a bachelorette party.

Floyd described her to-do list while at Oktoberfest as, “drink and drink more.”

 

Today is the final day of Breckenridge Oktoberfest; things get started at 10 a.m. and continue till 5 p.m.

 

Courtesy of the Summit Daily News.

‘Chasing Shakespeare’ will show Opening Night of Breckenridge Festival of Film

#Breckenridge, Colorado.

The Colorado premiere of Danny Glover’s latest release, “Chasing Shakespeare,” completes the lineup for the Breckenridge Festival of Film’s 33rd anniversary event, slated for Thursday through Sept. 22.

 

Co-starring Graham Greene, the film parallels a modern-day love story with that of William Shakespeare’s 16th century “Romeo & Juliet” — and incorporates Native American spiritual and mythical themes, to boot.

 

Named Best Feature Film at AFI Cannes Film Festival, Audience Favorite at SXSW and winner of several awards — including Best Actor — at FirstGlance Hollywood Film Festival, “Chasing Shakespeare” will open the festival at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, alongside the Oscar-nominated, live-action short “Death of a Shadow.”

 

The short, created by Belgian filmmaker Tom Van Avermaet, follows Nathan Rijckx, a deceased World War I soldier stuck in limbo between life and death, as he collects shadows to regain a second chance at life and love. With two shadows left to collect, he discovers something that shakes his world completely.

Open, close and shorts

 

The two films kick off a lineup of more than 50 films that range from the independent, feature-length Austrian thriller “Body Complete” to the adrenaline-pumping and visually intriguing kayak descents of waterfalls in Mexico in “Cascada” by Camp 4 Collective. Filmmakers compete for the coveted Audience Award, offered in conjunction with selection committee awards, including the festival-culminating Best of Fest, a not-to-miss lineup on Sept. 22.

 

Closing Night features the North American premiere of “Language of a Broken Heart,” a story about Nick Brown (Juddy Talt), a neurotic, best-selling author who finds his fiancee with another man, sending him into a tailspin reflecting on his numerous romantic failures only to find hope again with quirky antiquarian bookseller, Emma (Kate French), who challenges him to let people appreciate him for who he is. “Language of a Broken Heart” is a fresh, sweet comedy about love’s inherent possessiveness and the realization that it’s not how you love but who you love. Charming and engaging, it touches on love, hate and everything in between.

 

The festival’s eclectic lineup also features dramas and short dramas, including “Watercolor Postcards,” with Jonathan Banks of “Breaking Bad,” John C. McGinley of “Scrubs” and Bailee Madison in a heartbreaking yet uplifting tale of family, music and love in a small Texas town. “The Gold Sparrow,” an animated short drama, intertwines graphic novel with music video in a young adult-oriented tale of villain and superhero sparring over color in a creative world.

To read the rest of this story, please go online to www.summitdaily.com.

Documentaries

 

Acclaimed documentaries are again a focal point of the festival, including the United States premiere of New Zealand photographer and filmmaker Anthony Powell’s “Antarctica: A Year on Ice,” where time-lapse photography and intricate tales paint the picture of those who live and work year-round on the southernmost continent. Catering to the thought of snow on the ground locally, the world premiere of “Bumming Colorado’s Ski Country” and “We Ride: The Story of Snowboarding” feature known names in the ski and snowboard world, artfully intertwining history with modernity — including shots of Breckenridge itself.

 

Musicians rejoice: Not only is there a chance to see the man behind the music for Elvis Presley and BB King in “AKA Doc Pomus,” but “Bumming Colorado’s Ski Country” director Kent Gunnufson brings his soundtrack musicians to the festival for a pre-screening jam session at the Riverwalk Center on Friday night.

 

Catering to the young and young-at-heart in Colorado are a number of films lined up both for the all-new Adventure Reel and interspersed in regular screenings. Student favorite “Why We Climb” is paired with unprecedented footage of snowbikes descending the steep alpine slopes of the Grossglockner in “The Path (Der Weg).” Spin the globe, and you’re soon in Indonesia with a handful of stand-up paddelboarders surfing the waves in “H2indO.”

The serious side: Dramas

 

The more serious side of film is also addressed by the Breckenridge Festival of Film, as it features short drama “Ying and Yang,” a story of a young man wrestling with his sexual identity. The festival’s spiritual track addresses themes of brave women and hidden people, while special discussions arise around two films about Alzheimer’s disease and three films about domestic violence and child abuse. In “Duk County,” a Boulder mountaineer-turned-filmmaker visits South Sudan on a medical mission. Clips taken to remember the journey eventually turned into an unexpected, 37-minute, award-winning documentary.

 

Staying true to its educational mission, Breckenridge Festival of Film has added two new forums to its historic free offerings with the Summit High School Best of Fest, CU-Boulder Film Studies Program (featuring “West Side Story” this year) and the independent filmmaker forum. “The Democratization of Film” (free) addresses the question of what makes a filmmaker in an age of accessible equipment, and amateur and professional filmmakers can gather to hear the experts talk about the making of their favorite clips in “Making of the Shot,” which kicks off the ticketed Adventure Reel series.

 

The Breckenridge Festival of Film makes a free offering to families and children in its Saturday morning Children’s Program, this year featuring “Hotel Transylvania,” with free pizza from Downstairs at Eric’s for the youngsters. A family highlight in the regular festival lineup is the Saturday afternoon screening of animated short “Light Me Up” and historical basketball drama, “Dream Team 1935.”

 

“The Breckenridge Festival of Film has again compiled an intriguing lineup of films that caters to a wide audience spectrum,” said Janice Kurbjun, executive director of the festival. “The depth and breadth of documentaries, comedies, dramas and spiritual films creates an impactful experience filled with heart, humor, imagination and creativity. Coupled with the festival’s renewed focus on education through its added forums, the Breckenridge Festival of Film truly does bring in relevant perspectives of all kinds.”

 

Courtesy of the Summit Daily News.

Celebrating International Bacon Day and Oktoberfest in Summit County

#Breckenridge, Colorado.

Bacon enjoys a reputation as a fun and popular food. It’s so popular that entire festivals are held in its honor and there is even an International Bacon Day. This day to revere bacon, generally celebrated the Saturday before Labor Day, falls at the advent of Oktoberfest.

 

Summit County has already celebrated two Oktoberfests, in Frisco and Keystone, with another on the way in Breckenridge this weekend, and fall is only just getting started.

 

Fortunately, for those who want to keep the bacon celebration going while enjoying the frosty brews of fall, there are plenty of ways to get a fix for both bacon and beer here in Summit County.

 

“Bacon and beer go so well together,” said Justin Brunson, chef and owner of the Denver Bacon Company, as well as restaurants Masterpiece Delicatessen and Old Major. “The whole smoky, saltiness of bacon goes great with beer, especially German-style beers.”

 

Brunson and his bacon-business partner, Eric Clayman, made an appearance at the Keystone Blue Ribbon Bacon Tour this summer. The pair has quickly grown the bacon company and now routinely make 1,000 pounds of bacon with each batch.

 

For that extra bacon-y touch to any fall barbecue or Oktoberfest pre- or post-celebration, Brunson suggested bacon wrapped scallops — a combination of scallops and bacon on skewers — combining the smokiness and salt of the bacon with the sweet flavor of the scallops.

 

To wash it down, Brunson suggested the Sour Apple Saison from Epic Brewing Company, which is just about to open a Denver location.

 

Fall is also the advent of everything pumpkin, from pumpkin-flavored beer and coffee drinks to actual pumpkins. Although the two might not sound like an immediate combination, bacon and pumpkin can go quite well together, Brunson said. In fact, he’s currently planning his fall menu to include a braised bacon and pumpkin soup.

 

Although Oktoberfest celebrations come and go, the German beer celebration is always happening at Prost in Frisco. Named after the word for “cheers!” in German, Prost is a Bavarian-style restaurant that has brought a taste of Europe to Summit County for the past three years.

 

Currently, Prost is celebrating its Oktoberfest menu, which includes three different Oktoberfest beers on tap — Hofbrau Dunkel, Paulander Oktoberfest and the Ayinger Celebrator. These beers were specifically chosen because they are the official beers that will be served at the original Oktoberfest held in Munich.

“If you walk into the Hofbrauhaus tent in Munich, you’d have the same beer we’re having here,” said Prost owner Scott Pohlman. “You don’t have to travel all that way to have the same beers.”

 

Although they don’t have bacon, they do have the next best thing — authentic German bratwurst and sausages. The Weiss sausage, made from veal, is one traditionally served at the Munich Oktoberfest. There is also the Prost signature sausage, featuring a pork brat made with Paulaner Oktoberfest beer, which “pairs perfectly” with any three of the Oktoberfest beers on tap, Pohlman said.

 

Although Pohlman has visited the Munich Oktoberfest three times, he said he’s happy to be spending this year’s celebration in Summit County. He described the Munich festival as “overwhelming,” although now he’s got the hang of it.

 

Prost will be celebrating the same Oktoberfest dates as Munich, starting Sept. 20.

“We’re doing a big shindig that night,” he said, including music from Those Austrian Guys, who have been playing at the local Summit County Oktoberfests.

 

Whether the craving hits for bacon, beer, brats or all three at once, there is definitely a way to satisfy it this fall in Summit County.

 

Courtesy of the Summit Daily News.

Breckenridge Festival of Film provides insight into filmmaking world and platforms for local nonprofits

#Breckenridge, Colorado.

Behind the glare of the lights and the weight of celebrity names, the Breckenridge Festival of Film is supported by a strong mission to engage its audience in the world of filmmaking, not only to entertain but to educate. In addition to its own purpose, the festival allows filmmakers and, through them, local nonprofits to bring their causes and issues to the minds of the public. Panels and forum discussions enable conversations to occur between experts and audience members.

The world of filmmaking

 

“To me, a big part of it is to educate,” said Breckenridge Festival of Film vice president Cynthia Gordon, of the festival’s mission. “It is so much fun to meet these filmmakers and so inspiring.”

While one doesn’t need to be an aspiring filmmaker to enjoy the festival, to those who do, the event offers myriad opportunities to learn firsthand from professionals in the field.

 

“It’s an opportunity to learn more about film. There are film forums, people will be talking about how to do everything from using your iPhone to become a mini filmmaker to just having a chance to hear some people who are in the business talk about how they do things,” said Gary Martinez, festival president. “It’s an experience. It’s a chance to learn, it’s a chance to enjoy.”

 

Two forums in this year’s festival focus specifically on filmmaking — “The Democratization of Film” and “Making of the Shot.” The first discussion centers on what it really means to be a filmmaker in today’s age of relatively cheap equipment and cameras that come on phones. The second discussion, which is paired with the new Adventure Reel event, goes into the technical aspects of cinematography, dissecting what makes a “good” shot and how to make it happen.

 

“It’s accessible to amateur all the way up to professional,” said executive director Janice Kurbjun.

For those who want to be part of the festival, there are still plenty of volunteer opportunities.

“Volunteers are what make the festival go round,” Kurbjun said. There are a variety of jobs available, “whether they’re holding the filmmakers’ hands and showing them around town and attending parties with them, or operating the DVD players and taking tickets. They are a huge part of what makes the film festival successful.”

Platform for important issues

 

Many of the films to be shown at the film festival are documentaries and even those that aren’t often focus on a specific theme or issue. This year’s films follow topics such as providing medical care to war-torn areas, Alzheimer’s disease and domestic violence. Film festival organizers have teamed up with several area nonprofits to take advantage of the messages of these films and hold panels to bring further awareness to the community.

 

One such panel highlights child abuse and domestic violence and involves the filmmakers of two movies to be shown as well as representatives for the local chapter of CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) and Advocates for Victims of Assault, which are sponsoring the films.

 

The three films each take a different approach to the issue of child abuse and domestic violence. “No One Knows” is a 10-minute short performed by actors featuring a young boy who witnesses the abuse of a next door neighbor. “The Children Next Door” takes 37 minutes to explore a real-life case of domestic violence that ended in a woman’s murder. “Pursuit of Truth: Adult Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse Seeking Justice” is the longest at 59 minutes and features interviews by victims of abuse who have spoken out as well as experts in the medical and legal aspects of such cases.

 

After the films have shown, the audience is encouraged to attend a panel featuring Kathy Reed, executive director of CASA of the Continental Divide; Amy Jackson, executive director of Advocates for Victims of Assault; Val Aneloski, child welfare supervisor in Summit County Social Services; Barbara Shaw, domestic violence consultant and expert; Bunee Tomlinson, filmmaker of “No One Knows;” and Valerie Gibson, filmmaker of “Pursuit of Truth.”

 

Each member of the panel will introduce themselves and speak from their perspective on the issue, followed by a question and answer period from the audience.

 

“What we’re hoping to accomplish is, after the viewing of the movies, that people will get the opportunity to realize that domestic violence happens across the board, and so it’s not limited to race or economic status or any of those kind of things,” Reed said. “My portion is specifically talking about the impact on the children that are involved in domestic violence, and the cases that we’re seeing district-wide.”

 

Reed has had the opportunity to watch “No One Knows” before the festival and described it as “extremely impactful” in showing how domestic violence affects a family as a whole.

 

“What I really appreciated about it was it talked about the conflicts that the children feel when they see the violence but they still love the people that are the perpetrators, and that really speaks to the families that CASA serves because we have figured that about 66 percent of the cases that we served last year involved domestic violence, sexual abuse and physical abuse, and so … it’s interwoven with what’s happening in the family.”

 

Although the topic is a heavy one, Reed said she’s glad to see it as part of the film festival and hopes that people will take the chance to learn more about the issue by watching the films and attending the panel afterward.

 

“I think it’s going to be informative. I think that people that are on the panel all have information from different perspectives and I think it’s going to help our community as a whole in order to be more healthy,” she said. “At least in the perspective I’m coming from, it’s real human beings, it’s real people, and I think that makes a tremendous impact on those lives. I think there are also areas of hope that things can be better and I think that’s why it’s worthwhile.”

 

Courtesy of the Summit Daily News.