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Some relevant, some random, all interesting.
Top 5 Archaeological Discoveries of 2006
The Most Dangerous Roads in the World
Top 5 in entertainment
Top 5 used Freeware (NERDS!)
Top 10 movies of 2006 - though completely wrong, there is a table showing the most popular things searched for on LYCOS, so that is pretty cool.
and if those aren't good enough for you... find your own.
Cottonwood Canyon, UT. Every now and then it pays off to be up at 6am on a Saturday. Capturing pictures like this almost makes it worth while.
Telluride, Colorado - Beautiful mountains, plenty of snow, and prayer flags. God's country for sure.
A cold, sunny day on the lifts in Steamboat Springs, CO. 
The Sunset in Boulder, Colorado. Taken just before Thanksgiving 2006.
"Top" lists are more or less a necessary evil to recap any good adventure. Even more so, being that the year 2006 a.d. is about to conclude, top lists are popping up all over the place. Well, here at the Built Tour we'd hate to disappoint, to please enjoy our version - The Top 5 pictures taken in the Rocky Mountains.
Apparently the exhaust from the 50-ton di
esel trucks we've been tailing around the country shouldn't be our biggest cause for concern. Turns out that it's the livestock in the trailers doing all the damage to the environment. Read about Evil Cows - HERE.
Livestock production accounts for 65 percent of the human-related emissions of nitrous oxide, a result of using nitrogen fertilizer. Nitrous oxide has 296 times the global warming potential of carbon dioxide.
The findings point to the agricultural role in limiting climate change, especially in the developing world, where agriculture's role in global warming surprisingly gets less attention than energy's, according to the report. That's the opposite of the challenge in the United States.[snip]
Global production of meat is expected to more than double by 2050, and milk output will likely increase by 80 percent.
Where adobe buildings blossom like spring buds and the southwestern flare permeates the air. Thanks 
to our friends at Taos Mountain Outfitters for showing us around, picking up our parking ticket, and recommending we eat at Orlando's New Mexican Cafe. If you like Mexican food and are in the area, definitely worth stopping by...
No big deal, just practicing the MK version of Blue Steel. (photo courtesy of Ben Edmonson)
Hands down, Kip's Grill and Cantina has been some of the best food we've consumed in the last month (save all but Thanksgiving dinner). Definitely a local watering hole, they offer plenty of spicy food and PBR on tap. Recommend the Buffalo Burger with Mozzarella-stuffed Green Chili's. Check it on your next time through, thanks to Ron and Ann at Switchback for the great recommendation.
Buddy got to ride up the gondola at Telluride with the team last week. Here is an edited, sped up synopsis of his trip. Enjoy!
Snowbird, Ut - North America's first ski tunnel officially opened itself for business. Check out the link HERE, then watch the video by Ski-Saltlake.com
Pretty cool indeed.
When you've hit over 30,000 miles of open road in 8 months, sooner or later you run into things; mechanical setbacks, fuel shortages, traffic jams.... and sometimes cute baby owls. Luckily, nothing drastic has happened along the way (knock on wood), but this cute baby owl has unfortunately become the first casualty of war. Damn we felt bad.
(Photo removed due to complaints by the faint of heart... never fear, look for a reappearance of the little guy, though in a much more constructive context)
Whether your a vet to the Built Tour blog, or this is your first time, be sure to check out the many photo galleries we've posted up along the way. Located at the lower left of the blog homepage, they are sometimes not the easiest things to find unless you know what your looking for. Definitely, definitely worth checking out when you find them; some cool shots from some great places.
One of the many public services in Telluride, and one of the many testaments to its close-community, is the local 'Free Box' - a place to put your slightly used, new, and unwanted items for others to take... for FREE! It's a simple system that provides a simple service, and it's success rests entirely on the integrity of the people in the community, hence the reason it works so well in T-Ride.
As the saying goes, one man's junk is another man's gem. Point and case. 
Having grown up in the shadows of the Rocky Mountains in the grand state of Colorado, it's a wonder that neither MK Road Warrior has not set foot nor laid eyes on such a city as Telluride. Set at the base of a huddle of 13000 ft peaks, T-Ride (as the locals say) is 100% destination and 0% stop-along-the way. It's like a natural culdesac.
A short list of local spots to check out:
the Jagged Edge - where locals shop
the Brown Dog - where locals eat, drink beer, watch games
the 'Buck' - where locals go late-night
In a town of 2000, the community/family feeling is great and the public services are awesome too. The tram to the top of the mountain and into Mountain Village is free and runs late. They even have Pet Parking, a system of tying your dog up outside while you parade around town. The problem... no one asked the dogs if that was okay with them (note before and after pics below).
If you've never been to T-Ride, put in on your list of places to go before you die.
for those of you stuck indoors, in front of a computer, and haven't seen snow-capped mountains in years.
Alta, UT
Steamboat, CO
Salt Lake City, UT
If you're American and eat meat, chances are that you like beef jerky. Like us, you're probably hesitant to buy the stuff at the gas station that you can find just about anywhere. Well, you're in luck. Pat's Beef Jerky, based out of Kansas, is awesome. Dedicated to producing a quality product that people will come back for takes precedent over making the big sales. Quality over quantity, yum.
The guys over at Backcountry.com maintain another great blog about the outdoors, perfect for enthusiasts in search of an adventure fix. Complete with gear reviews, videos, pics, and guest posting, backcountryblog.com is a must read for anyone with an interest in being outside.
Read it, learn it, love it, live it HERE.
It's freezing cold, has just snowed 2 feet in 24 hours, spending the day at the renowned Glenwood Hot Springs is a little outside your budget and you're looking to have a good time.
Ladies and Gents, looks no further. The Doc Holiday Tavern is the place for you. A small, modest tavern on Main St in Glenwood that sits next to the famed Summit Canyon Mountaineering retail shop, Doc's has plenty of personality and legend to go around.
The menu at Doc's reads: ...In May of 1886, [Doc] arrived in Glenwood Springs attracted by the claims of the healing hot springs located here. Ironically, the sulfuric fumes from the hot springs greatly aggravated his condition and soon he was bedridden at the Glenwood Hotel... Doc Holiday's life ended in November of 1887 at the Glenwood Hotel [site of Summit Canyon Mountaineering, though the original building burnt down in 1945.
Doc's has a complete menu fit for the hungry mountain man (or traveling MK dude), pool tables, karaoke (tues nights), and Fat Tire on draft. One couldn't ask for much more. Not to worry... Doc's is a friendly enough place to bring the wife and kids to as well. Raise 'em up and toss 'em back, just like Doc Holiday were sitting there with you. Who knows, if you believe in ghosts, he may very well be.
Great question. Here is the answer. Updated often.
Who needs meteorologists anyway? Isn't that a glorified name for 'guesswork'? The Storm Prediction Center allows you to take matters into your own hands and pass your own predictions on how your daily weather may work out. Check it out HERE. Another great (read "free") service provided by the WorldWideWeb.
Copper Mountain, Colorado. Site of the first leg for this year's telemark ski demo tour. With only 35% of the runs open, turns can be a bit congested. But for the die-harder skier or shredder, Summit County offers plenty of snow to have a good time.
The Telemark Demo Day went well. Over 200 folks registered to demo some gear.... for free. If you live in, near, or about any of the areas this year's tour stops, definitely stop in and check out some first-class products.
From beginners, to hard-core enthusiasts, all are welcome to stop in and try out some skis, boots, poles, or whatever for a few turns.
See you in Alta, UT Dec 2nd!
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