text:
Claysburg-Kimmel senior 113-pounder Josh Brown wore a broad smile as the gold medal hung around his neck Saturday night at the Altoona Fieldhouse.
Finally, after three attempts at gaining that medal, he was a District 6 Class AA Tournament champion.
Brown had reached the finals twice before and had to settle for second, losing to Cambria Heights' Ryan Dupas two years ago and Justin Patrick last year. Brown, however, avenged three straight losses to Patrick, including in the district and Southwest Regional Tournament finals, with a 6-5 victory.
Article Photos
Photo for the Mirror by Tami Ogline Knopsnyder
C-K's Josh Brown (left) wrestles Ligonier Valley's Justin Patrick in the 113-pound championship match on Saturday.
"This feels good," Brown said. "I took second twice, and it feels good to win the championship. I was just out there having fun because I was there twice. I could have had [a title] before, but I was nervous before. This is my third time, and I felt pretty good going into it."
"Boy, it's been awhile coming," C-K coach Dave Marko said. "Even from earlier today to tonight, his motion was much better. He was so much more attacking."
Two other area wrestlers won, and they were both from Moshannon Valley.
Moshannon Valley's James Stodart captured his second straight title at 195 pounds, rallying to beat United sophomore Tyler Oliver, 9-6. He's the first Mo Valley wrestler to win back-to-back district titles since Ray Albright won in 1984 and 1985.
"It means a lot," Stodart said. "Everyone is going to be happy when they beat a record that's over 20 years old. I want to congratulate [West Branch wrestler] Abe Albright's dad [Ray]. I was talking to him earlier, and if he said if anybody broke his record, he wished it was me."
One bout later, the Black Knights made more history as Jake Ludwig defeated Westmont Hilltop's Don Shovestull, 9-5, to capture the 220-pound crown. It's the first time Mo Valley has had multiple champions since 1989.
"That was our goal to beat that record too," Stodart said.
"Both James and Jake wrestled tough," Mo Valley coach Justin Fye said. "I'm proud of those guys."
Cambria Heights went 0-for-3 in the finals as Joe Davis (120), Levi Niebauer (152) and Aaron Gill (285) lost. Huntingdon's Collin Glorioso (106) also had to settle for second place. Nineteen area wrestlers placed in the top four to qualify for the regional tournament.
Davis was beaten by Ligonier Valley's Josh Patrick, 9-0. Blairsville's Andrew Doak - one of three Bobcat champions - beat Niebauer, 6-4. Gill dropped a 5-4 overtime tiebreaker decision to West Branch's Morgan Selepack. Glorioso lost a 4-2 decision to Forest Hills' Triston Law, whose brother, Cody Law (160) was voted the Outstanding Wrestler.
West Branch, which had two champs, including J.P. Hayles (132), captured the team title by eight points, 153-145, over Mount Union, Cambria Heights (139), Blairsville (138.5) and Penns Valley (131) rounded out the top five. West Branch coach Jason Bainey was voted the Coach of the Year.
Brown was on from the start against Patrick, displaying quickness and an almost unstoppable low single-leg shot. He notched two takedowns in the first period off of the shot - the second coming with 10 seconds left in the period.
"I work on them a good bit," Brown said. "I've taken him down maybe once a match with that, but he always came out on top."
"That was quick," Marko said. "Those two are like mirror images. You look at them from behind or standing side by side you wonder which one is which. Patrick is a stud. There's no doubt about it, but this was Josh's night."
Brown gave up an escape in the second after narrowly chinning Patrick, who earned his 100th win in his 12-3 semifinal win over Sage Moist, to his back.
Blood timeouts for Brown (nose in the title bout, eye in his 1-0 semifinal win over Central's Kale Burket] stopped the action throughout, but it didn't stop his low shot, which he hit for a third takedown in the third period. Patrick escaped and got a meaningless takedown at the buzzer.
Brown raised his arms in celebration, and after the referee raised his arm, he ran into the arms of Marko in celebration.
"I'm real happy to see him take that next step," Marko said. "It's a lot nicer standing at the top of the podium instead of the second row down. It seems like he's always missed it. He set the pace right from the get-go. The only time he was in trouble was at the edge of the mat."
Given their history, Brown and Patrick could meet again in the regional finals.
"I'd be happy to see it again in two weeks," Marko said. "That is a loaded weight class."
Oliver led Stodart 4-1 in the second period thanks to a takedown and reversal, but Stodart reversed and put Oliver on his back for three points, nearly pinning him before the buzzer sounded. After Stodart escaped in the third, Oliver took him down, Stodart reversed with 13 seconds left and rode the rest of the way.
"He got taken down off of his shot," Fye said. "I really wasn't worried because he's worked hard on top, and on bottom he stays in good position. I told him 'Sometimes even when you don't have your A game, and you win, it's a big thing.'"
Ludwig, who finished second last season, escaped in a scoreless second period, powered Shovestull to the mat for a takedown and two back points. Ludwig got a takedown in the period for a 7-1 lead. Shovestull made a third-period comeback, but Ludwig reversed late to set the final. He got a big hug from Fye afterward.
"Once again, he was going out there and going after it," Fye said. "He's got real good hips, so he stayed in real good position. He was the aggressor on shots. He's put a lot of work in to get where he is."
"I saw that [Stodart] won, so I didn't want to be the one that ruined it," Ludwig said.
1. WB-West Branch 153; 2. MU-Mount Union 145; 3. CH-Cambra Heights 139; 4. B-Blairsville 138.5; 5. PV-Penns Valley 131; 6. H-Huntingdon 126; 7. MV-Moshannon Valley 122; 8. J-Juniata 106; 9. FH-Forest Hills 100.5; 10. LV-Ligonier Valley 92; 11. R-Richland 80; 12. WH-Westmont Hilltop 76.5; 13. SH-Southern Huntingdon 73; 14. MC-Marion Center 71.5; 15. U-United 68; 16. C-Central 66.5; 17. CK-Claysburg-Kimmel 49; 18. PC-Penn Cambria 47; 19. CC-Central Cambria 39; 20. P-Portage 37; 21. T-Tyrone 33; 22. BA-Bellwood-Antis 32.5; 23. G-Glendale 17; 24. JV-Juniata Valley 9; 25. NC-Northern Cambria 2.
106-Ostrowski, CC, maj. dec. Matson, LV, 12-0; Grassmyer, BA, pinned Kovach, G, :11; Bierly, PV, dec. Dautlick, CH, 4-2; Wiles, MC, pinned Cunningham, B, :53; 113-Bodenschatz, R, dec. Keiper, FH, 4-2; Dubbs, H, dec. Stevens, PC, 8-7; C. Decker, PV, dec. Sacolic, G, 7-0; Yost, WH, dec. Sankey, WB, 9-4; 120-Wilson, H, dec. Brown, WB, 4-2; George, R, dec. Foor, MU, 5-2; Whitsel, SH, won by forfeit over Fudalski, MV; Gilson, J, dec. Blackburn, WH, 5-3; 126-Quarello, C, dec. Albright, WB, 5-1; Rojas, G, pinned Gould, FH, 1:45; Hunter, T, pinned Caldwell, LV, 2:12; Zipf, WH, dec. Reid, J, 5-1; 132-Eckenrode, PC, maj. dec. Croyle, LV, 9-1; Thomas, CH, dec. Thomas, MV, 6-0; McCloskey, T, dec. Stewart, MC, 11-6; Barrick, J, tech. fall Pecze, B, 15-0, 3:58; 138-Heberling, MC, pinned Wagner, JV, 4:53; Wagner, H, dec. D. Farabaugh, PC, 4-3; Au. Gill, CH, pinned Fox, P, 1:32; Palmer, B, dec. Mock, BA, 12-5; 145-Ohler, MV, pinned Mack, U, 4:17; Templeton, FH, dec. Long, MU, 5-4; Green, WB, pinned Hommer, G, 2:42; Croyle, LV, pinned Hogue, PC, 2:50.
152-Slippey, WB, pinned Driskel, PC, 1:51; Getz, T, dec. Je. Wilson, BA, 4-2 OT TB; Ca. Kephart, P, dec. Benner, J, 4-2; Mock, C, dec. Fisher, H, 3-0; 160-Norris, H, maj. dec. Ju. Hammel, CK, 17-6; Myers, WB, dec. Waite, SH, 5-3; Waksmunski, CH, dec. Schropp, WH, 9-2; Beitz, J, pinned Stewart, G, 2:25; 170-B. Thompson, B, dec. Hershey, J, 8-3; Hurd, PV, dec. Barron, WH, 3-0; Stahl, U, maj. dec. Yahner, CH, 15-4; Co. Kephart, P, pinned Carbaugh, SH, :57; 182-D. Kylor, MU, dec. McDowell, WB, 7-3; Foster, J, maj. dec. Strayer, CK, 10-2; Stewart, MV, pinned Husar, P, 4:33; Shawley, LV, pinned Ponder, C, 2:03; 195-Lauer, H, pinned Pearce, WB, 3:58; Treaster, J, pinned Litzinger, P, :43; Schlosser, PC, pinned Little, C, 2:13; Tripodis, B, pinned Elder, CK, 1:41; 220-White, B, pinned Rudd, MC, 1:27; Wholaver, H, pinned Stapleton, MU, 3:35; Maines, WB, pinned Fitzgerald, J, 3:42; Deitman, U, pinned Carlheim, G, 4:45; 285-Smith, MU, dec. Culp, JV, 3-1; Wilkinson, PC, dec. Jo. Hammel, CK, 4-1; Bunnell, MV, pinned Roman, WH, 1:21; Mountain, U, pinned Ness, G, 2:10.
106-T. Law, FH, dec. Dorian, WH, 7-1; Glorioso, H, pinned Deliman, WB, 3:09; 113-Ju. Patrick, LV, maj. dec. Moist, MU, 12-3; Brown, CK, dec. K. Burket, C, 1-0; 120-Jo. Patrick, LV, dec. Opdenhoff, CC, 6-0; Davis, CH, dec. Schopp, T, 7-1; 126-Myers, SH, dec. Green, H, 2-0 OT; Boozel, MU, pinned Bloom, MV, 3:03; 132-Hayles, WB, dec. Walsh, WH, 5-2; Shields, SH, dec. Russell, H, 3-2; 138-Heggs, J, maj. dec. Hoenstine, C, 14-2; Naglic, R, dec. Bumbarger, WB, 2-1; 145-Tarr, B, tech. fall Nanna, J, 17-2, 4:44; S. Decker, PV, dec. Lynn, H, 6-2.
152-Doak, B, dec. C. Confer, PV, 9-5; Niebauer, CH, dec. Crook, MC, 2-1; 160-C. Law, FH, pinned Smith, MU, 3:17; Hazel, PV, dec. Torsell, BA, 6-4 OT; 170-Pecora, R, dec. Kristofits, WB, 5-3; C. Kylor, MU, pinned Pinkas, FH, :37; 182-S. Thompson, B, pinned Crawford, CH, 2:59; Rogers, PV, maj. dec. Hropovich, U, 14-1; 195-Stodart, MV, maj. dec. Kyle, MU, 13-5; Oliver, U, dec. Swartz, PV, 3-2; 220-Shovestull, WH, pinned Marsh, LV, :40; Ludwig, MV, dec. McLendon, PC, 9-2; 285-Aa. Gill, CH, pinned Moose, R, 5:26; Selepack, WB, pinned Shawley, BA, 4:24.
106-Ostrowski, CC, dec. Grassmyer, BA, 7-3; Wiles, MC, pinned Bierly, PV, 2:30; 113-Dubbs, H, pinned Bodenschatz, R, 2:45; C. Decker, PV, dec. Yost, WH, 4-0; 120-George, R, dec. Wilson, H, 2-1; Gilson, J, dec. Whitsel, SH, 7-0; 126-Quarello, C, pinned Rojas, G, 3:26; Zipf, WH, pinned Hunter, T, 4:32; 132-B. Thomas, CH, pinned Eckenrode, PC, 1:21; Barrick, J, won by injury default over McCloskey, T, 4:56; 138-Heberling, MC, dec. Wagner, H, 3-1; Palmer, B, dec. Au. Gill, CH, 5-1; 145-Templeton, FH, maj. dec. Ohler, MV, 12-4; Croyle, LV, dec. Green, WB, 11-6.
152-Slippey, WB, dec. Getz, T, 5-4 OT TB; Ca. Kephart, P, dec. Mock, C, 5-4; 160-Norris, H, dec. Myers, WB, 8-6; Beitz, J, pinned Waksmunski, CH, 1:40; 170-Hurd, PV, maj. dec. B. Thompson, B, 14-2; Co. Kephart, P, maj. dec. Stahl, U, 15-5; 182-D. Kylor, MU, dec. Foster, J, 4-2; Stewart, MV, dec. Shawley, LV, 3-2; 195-Lauer, H, dec. Treaster, J, 8-5; Tripodis, B, dec. Schlosser, PC, 8-2; 220-White, B, dec. Wholaver, H, 3-2; Maines, WB, dec. Deitman, U, 5-4; 285-Smith, MU, pinned Wilkinson, PC, 1:19; Bunnell, MV, maj. dec. Mountain, U, 13-5.
106-Deliman, WB, dec. Ostrowski, CC, 4-2 OT; Wiles, MC, dec. Dorian, WH, 7-1; 113-Moist, MU, maj. dec. Dubbs, H, 12-4; K. Burket, C, dec. C. Decker, PV, 4-2; 120-George, R, dec.. Schopp, T, 3-2; Opdenhoff, CC, dec. Gilson, J, 8-2; 126-Quarello, C, maj. dec. Bloom, MV, 8-0; Green, H, pinned Zipf, WH, 2:03; 132-B. Thomas, CH, dec. Russell, H, 10-8; Barrick, J, maj. dec. Walsh, WH, 10-2; 138-Bumbarger, WB, dec. Heberling, MC, 7-4; Hoenstine, C, dec. Palmer, B, 6-4 OT; 145-Lynn, H, maj. dec. Templeton, FH, 12-0; Nanna, J, maj. dec. Croyle, LV, 13-5.
152-Slippey, WB, dec. Crook, MC, 3-1; C. Confer, PV, dec. Ca. Kephart, P, 5-2; 160-Norris, H, dec. Torsell, BA, 6-5; Smith, MU, dec. Beitz, J, 4-3; 170-Pinkas, FH, pinned Hurd, PV, 4:47; Co. Kephart, P, dec. Kristofits, WB, 5-2; 182-Hropovich, U, pinned D. Kylor, MU, 4:28; Crawford, CH, pinned Stewart, MV, 2:19; 195-Swartz, PV, dec. Lauer, H, 3-1; Kyle, MU, dec. Tripodis, B, 3-2; 220-McLendon, PC, dec. White, B, 5-1 OT TB; Maines, WB, dec. Marsh, LV, 8-5; 285-Smith, MU, pinned Shawley, BA, 4:59; Bunnell, MV, pinned Moose, R, 5:06.
106-Dorian, WH, dec. Ostrowski, CC, 7-5 OT; 113-C. Decker, PV, maj. dec. Dubbs, H, 15-1; 120-Schopp, T, dec. Gilson, J, 6-0; 126-Bloom, MV, maj. dec. Zipf, WH, 13-4; 132-Walsh, WH, dec. Russell, H, 8-2; 138-Heberling, MC, won by injury default over Palmer, B; 145-Templeton, FH, won by injury default over Croyle, LV.
152-Crook, MC, dec. Ca. Kephart, P, 3-0; 160-Beitz, J, tech. fall Torsell, BA, 15-0, 4:10; 170-Kristofits, WB, dec. Hurd, PV, 4-3; 182-Stewart, MV, dec. D. Kylor, MU, 8-5; 195-Tripodis, B, dec. Lauer, H, 5-2; 220-White, B, dec. Marsh, LV, 10-7; 285-Moose, R, pinned Shawley, BA, 1:13.
106-Deliman, WB, dec. Wiles, MC, 7-4; 113-K. Burket, C, dec. Moist, MU, 4-0; 120-Opdenhoff, CC, maj. dec. George, R, 10-0; 126-Quarello, C, dec. Green, H, 8-4; 132-Thomas, CH, pinned Barrick, J, 4:20; 138-Bumbarger, WB, dec. Hoenstine, C, 7-1; 145-Lynn, H, dec. Nanna, J, 4-3.
152-Slippey, WB, dec. C. Confer, PV, 5-4; 160-Smith, MU, dec. Norris, H, 7-5; 170-Pinkas, FH, dec. Co. Kephart, P, 5-4; 182-Crawford, CH, won by injury default over Hropovich, U; 195-Kyle, MU, dec. Swartz, PV, 5-1; 220-McLendon, PC, dec. Maines, WB, 6-0; 285-Smith, MU, pinned Bunnell, MV, 3:26.
106-T. Law, FH, dec. Glorioso, H, 4-2; 113-Brown, CK, dec. Ju. Patrick, LV, 6-5; 120-Jo. Patrick, LV, maj. dec. Davis, CH, 9-0; 126-Myers, SH, dec. Boozel, MU, 2-0; 132-Hayles, WB, dec. Shields, SH, 2-0; 138-Heggs, J, dec. Naglic, R, 6-4; 145-Tarr, B, dec. S. Decker, PV, 6-4.
152-Doak, B, dec. Niebauer, CH, 6-4; 160-C. Law, FH, maj. dec. Hazel, PV, 22-12; 170-C. Kylor, MU, dec. Pecora, R, 5-3; 182-S. Thompson, B, dec. Rogers, PV, 8-6; 195-Stodart, MV, dec. Oliver, U, 9-6; 220-Ludwig, MV, dec. Shovestull, WH, 9-5; 285-Selepack, WB, dec. Aa. Gill, CH, 5-4 OT TB.
Outstanding Wrestler-Cody Law, Forest Hills. Coach of the Year-Jason Bainey, West Branch.


text:
The valley station of the gondola railway lies a short way behind Reigoldswil. Trips down the valley are fastest with the aid of a scooter – and courage and skills are also put to the test at the Wald high ropes park if your'e out for adventure. And summer sees a few evening descents down the valley as well!
Altitude: 922m
From Liestal to Reigoldswil, 12 minutes on foot to the valley station, gondola rail to Wasserfallen
View: Over the Basel-Jura region; Chellenchöpfli and Passwang-scenic hills – on a clear day, as far as the Mittelland and Alps
Attractions: Exciting scooter rides to the valley station, Wald high ropes park by the mountain station
Culinary aspects: Local specialities served in the ten guesthouses around Wasserfallen, in part with seating for up to 120 people
Overnight stays: simple accommodation in the mountain guesthouses
Wasserfallen seminar hotel: 22 rooms, 34 beds
Groups: Wasserfallen seminar hotel, 4 seminar rooms
Winter: Gondola railway in operation, Waldweid cross-country center, snowshoe trails, toboggan run to Reigoldswil
Special comments: During summer, once a month until 11 p.m. on a Friday

subset: commoncrawl


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Hearing aids in 89128, Las Vegas, NV
We found 15 hearing clinics with 64 reviews within 96.5 miles of 89128, Las Vegas, NV.
Featured hearing professionals near you
University of Nevada School of Medicine Audiology Center
Jennifer Joy-Cornejo, AuD, CCC-A, FAAA
Jennifer Joy-Cornejo is the audiologist who serves patients at the University of Nevada School of (read more)
Sally Myers, Hearing Aid Technician
Sally Myers has been helping people hear better at Audiology Associates for over eight years. She (read more)
Advanced Audiology Institute - Las Vegas
Rhett Heppler, AuD, CCC-A, FAAA
Rhett Heppler, co-founder of Advanced Audiology Institute, provides only the highest quality of (read more)
David Anderson, AuD
Dr. David Anderson is the founder of Anderson Audiology. He earned his bachelor's degree as well (read more)
Jill Wyant
Jill Wyant provides our patients with top-notch hearing care. Her passion for the profession ensures (read more)
Ear, Nose and Throat Consultants of Nevada - Henderson
Laurie Abdo, BC-HIS
Laurie Abdo is a board certified hearing instrument specialist. Laurie earned a bachelors degree in (read more)
Advanced Audiology Institute - Henderson
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Licensed Doctor of Audiology Rhett Heppler's goal is to provide the highest quality of carefor (read more)
Lauri Sweeney, AuD, CCC-A, FAAA
Dr. Lauri Sweeney is the audiologist in our Henderson office. She graduated summa cum laude (read more)
Lance Greer, Au.D., FAAA
Lance is audiologist and co-owner of Advanced Hearing and Balance Specialists. He also serves as (read more)
Colorado River Hearing Centers - Bullhead City
Joann Borland, LHAD
Joann has been fitting hearing instruments since 1984 and was previously licensed in Wisconsin. (read more)
Katie Brown, AuD
Katie M. Brown earned her Doctorate of Audiology from the University of Arizona. Katie performs (read more)
Additional professionals near you
Anderson Audiology PC
View Clinic Details
Lubritz & Nasri LLP
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"Any of my hunting buddies know, I hate to shoot a bow or gun with bulky gloves. However, cold fingers end more of my hunts, or hunts with my boys than anything. The Incinerator Mitt is the perfect answer. While on stand or in the blind, I keep these finger savers on and simply slip them off quickly and quietly in the moment of truth, warm hands and accurate shots, a winning combination and more horn on the ground. The Mitt is also roomy enough to slide in hand warmers for those bitter cold days.
- Sitka Athlete Bobby Warner
See How Incinerator Flip Mitt Fits Into Bobby's System


text:
MARTINSBURG - Republican Mike Folk pulled out a narrow victory over Democrat Donn Marshall in the newly created 63rd House of Delegates district.
With 11 of 11 precincts reporting, Folk garnered 2,850 votes, or about 51 percent, to 2,793 votes, or about 49 percent for Marshall.
"It was a tough race," Folk said Tuesday night at GOP headquarters. "I was just myself. I was not going to be something I'm not. Everybody who said they would vote for me, I asked them to spread the word. It was a grassroots movement. It had to be. I was outspent 3-1."
This was Folk's first run for elective office. A lifelong resident of Berkeley County, Folk has held several professional positions.
Folk, 43, wants to get people involved.
"I want to reach out - it takes more than Republicans," he said.
After the 2010 Census, the 63rd district was one of two new House districts added to the Eastern Panhandle counties because of the region's increased population. It encompasses about the northeast third of Berkeley County. The additional district gave Berkeley County five full districts and one district shared with Morgan County.
This was Marshall's second run for a seat in the West Virginia House of Delegates. He unsuccessfully challenged veteran Delegate John Overington, R-Berkeley, two years ago in the old 55th district.
Marshall was visibly disappointed Tuesday night, speaking in the Berkeley County Courthouse where results were being projected on a giant screen.
"Two more years of excuses and ineffectiveness," he said. "I ran a positive campaign. There was a lot of mud thrown at me. I'm honored by the people who supported me. I met a lot of great people."
Originally from Morgantown, Marshall, 48, worked for the Defense Intelligence Agency.
All vote tallies are unofficial until certified by the Berkeley County Council after the vote canvass, which begins Nov. 13.
- Staff writer John McVey can be reached at 304-263-3381, ext. 128, or email@example.com.


text:
anyone carry full size 1911?
Tools and Technologies
Handguns: Autoloaders
> anyone carry full size 1911?
December 27, 2012, 04:43 PM
I really love how my 1911 shoots and thinking hard about carrying it now. Anyone else carry a 1911 and have advice for me? Thanks
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December 27, 2012, 04:45 PM
December 27, 2012, 04:47 PM
Yup. Full-size, all-steel. Year-round. Including 100+ degree summers. Get a good belt and a good holster. (Crossbreed Supertuck works for me.)
December 27, 2012, 04:48 PM
I'd check over in the Autoloader Handgun sub-forum:
December 27, 2012, 04:52 PM
Commander, close enough?
A good belt/holster combo goes a loooooong way. Carries really nice, though. The slimness makes it not feel like a brick to me.
If you don't currently carry something with exterior safeties, practice until its second nature.
December 27, 2012, 05:02 PM
Yup. Full-size, all-steel. Year-round. Including 100+ degree summers. Get a good belt and a good holster. (Crossbreed Supertuck works for me.)
+1, I use the supertuck, very comfortable for full size 1911. If your pants keep dropping consider using suspenders and a belt, works for me.
December 27, 2012, 05:29 PM
I do carry a 45 right now - Taurus PT145 - bulky but it works - have a great belt and a great IWB holster. Summer time in shorts is a bit different, but it works. I do like the slim-ness of the 1911.
Ky Larry
December 27, 2012, 05:43 PM
I carried a full size Kimber Custom Defender II in .45 ACP for years. Lately I've been carrying my CZ PCR 9mm more and more. I still love Ol' Slabside but sometimes it's just too big.
December 27, 2012, 05:56 PM
Yes......be fat.....it makes it easier
December 27, 2012, 07:06 PM
Sig C3...year round
December 27, 2012, 07:13 PM
Yep, Kimber Custom II Target on occasion. Thanks to Bob the Tomato, very seldom I hear of any advantage to my being a "man of (excess) substance".
December 27, 2012, 07:23 PM
I do- mostly appendix carry. You never forget its there. Make sure you get a full length sweat shield, or the hammer will eat you up.
December 27, 2012, 07:29 PM
December 27, 2012, 07:43 PM
1911s are child's play to carry. I prefer a light weight Commander size, but a good holster and belt are both mandatory for the steel versions. It is really concealable in an IWB holster though.
Try carrying an N frame revolver and then we can discuss a challenge. A 1911 is a very thin weapon.
I carry at 4 o'clock with a Versamax II. A very effective holster.
December 27, 2012, 07:45 PM
Occasionally, but I'd rather carry a Commander or a CCO. The slightly shorter barrel makes it more comfortable carrying IWB.
It ain't that hard really, makes me wonder why people whine about the weight of a steel 1911... Do they not own belts or something?
December 28, 2012, 12:34 AM
My biggest problem with carrying a Government Model IWB is the limited space it leaves between the muzzle and my back pocket. Makes pulling my wallet out a bit more difficult.
I carry in a Summer Special style holster with a real gun belt and the weight is not a problem. For OWB I'd recommend either the highest riding holster you can find that isn't floppy or a Commander length. I would suggest deciding on which condition you will carry in (Condition 1 for me) and I would suggest not using a thumb break style holster. Sort that out and you'll be fine.
A good place to start: http://www.5shotleather.com/
December 28, 2012, 12:49 AM
Not yet, but I will some time after 6-9-13 !! :D
1911 guy
December 28, 2012, 01:33 AM
I've carried nothing but a full size 1911 for years. The hard part of concealing a handgun is the width and the grip frame length. The 1911 is thinner than most and no longer in the grip frame than any other decently sized handgun. I did try to carry a Kel-Tek P3AT as a BUG for a while, but actually found it much more uncomfortable, it kept poking me in the side.
Step one is to make the decision to carry a decent sized pistol. Accept that you won't be able to pocket carry, most "tuckable" holsters will make you look like a cossack dancer and people who carry mouseguns will tell you you're needlessly torturing yourself. Remember what you're gaining. A larger pistol that is easier to operate, has a longer sight radius, less recoil, chambered in something far larger than .32 or .380 and you happen to shoot it well. If you haven't made up your mind to really do it, you'll wind up leaving it at home. It can be a pain in the tuckus until you get it worked out for yourself. Decide to do it and persevere. It will become second nature.
Step two is a good gunbelt. A nice, thick leather belt isn't necesarily a gunbelt. A gunbelt is purpose made and will cost you anywhere between forty bucks for a Wilderness (my personal favorite, regardless of cost) to hundreds if you go in for custom work with all the fancy engraving and exotic materials. A good holster is worthless is held up by a crappy belt.
Step three is the holster. Decide if you want to go IWB or OWB. I find IWB gives me a bit more leeway in clothing, but OWB is a bit more comfortable. I carry OWB when I can, IWB when I need to. Expect to buy more than one holster. Expect to buy more than three or four holsters. Every maker has certain angles and features that differentiate them from everyone else. It will take some experimenting. You don't have to go broke, though. Research your first purchase as well as you can, then compare your experience to what else is available. Make due with the first while you save and research the next. And so on. One day, you'll find "it". And it will be different than my "it" because we are shaped differently, move differently and have different levels of required retention and concealment. We also probably have differing levels of acceptance for discomfort or inconvenience. All these figure into holster choice. Off the rack, Galco and El Paso Saddlery make good stuff. If you are willing to wait a bit, there are custom makers that will provide leather just as good, in a lot of cases better, for the same money. Custom stuff I like includes the Crossbreed Supertuck, Sparks Versa-Max, Sparks Summer Special, Bromeland Max-Con (I think he's out of business, though) and one whose name escapes me. I can't go look, my wife's asleep in the bedroom. Waking her up looking at holsters is a recipe for disaster. I personally don't like shoulder holsters and can't tell you a thing about them. Some people like them, though. You may wind up being one of those unfortunate souls, ahem, I mean lucky individuals.
Step four is magazines. If you carry ANY type of autoloader, you need at least one reload. Tossing lead downrange has nothing to do with it. The most common source of malfunctions in an autoloading pistol is magazine failure. I find that especially carrying OWB, two reloads simply balances out the weight better. IWB it doesn't seem to matter as much since the waistband of my pants, as well as the belt, are supporting the pistol. If you go this route, remember that two single carriers take up less real estate on the belt than a double carrier. Unless they're paddle style. Then they are massive space hogs.
Step five is to realize that ninety nine percent of the people around you are positively clueless. One percent will spot a little lump in your clothing, and ninety nine percent of those will assume it's a cell phone, blackberry, etc. When in doubt, do the mirror or spouse check. If I question the "hang" of a certain shirt or jacket, I simply ask my wife. Sometimes I ask her when I'm not carrying, just to keep her honest!
December 28, 2012, 02:25 AM
Ria all day every day
December 28, 2012, 05:33 AM
1911 guy gives great advice. I carry my Colt XSE LW Commander OWB in a cheap Tagua thumbreak belt holster and it just disappears under a medium size T-shirt, very comfortable.
+1 on getting a good belt, the one I have now isn't very good, I'm always readjusting it when I'm carrying.
Sergei Mosin
December 28, 2012, 07:12 AM
1911 guy speaks wisdom. Lots of us carry full-size 1911s and don't think anything of it. Come to think of it, my 1911 is the smallest gun I've ever carried!
December 28, 2012, 07:17 AM
I carry a Springfield Armory M1911A1 .45 ACP in the winter-time, because I don't trust my 115gr 9mm +p+ JHPs to make it through winter clothing.
December 28, 2012, 08:30 AM
Strong side IWB, Blade-Tech UCH.
I like the BladeTech UCH because of the adjustable kant; I wear the pistol at about 3:00 with it canted forward so that it doesn't print.
Two things I did with this holster to make it perfect for me: one, I canted it all the way forward then put clear adhesive sealant all over the area where it would / could have moved preventing any unwanted slipage, second I removed what I deemed excess material from the holster, now it's perfect.
December 28, 2012, 09:03 AM
Yes, carry a full size Colt 1991A1 (ORM) in the fall/winter. Use either a Galco outside or Milt Sparks summer special inside the waist band. Usually carry a Kahr CM9 or S&W M&P9c in the summer.
December 28, 2012, 09:32 AM
Yup. Full-size, all-steel. Year-round. Including 100+ degree summers. Get a good belt and a good holster. (Crossbreed Supertuck works for me.)
^^^^Best advice right here....There are clones as well, I too wear a 1911 every day. Get a good belt, and shirts one size larger than you wear now. I conceal in the summer under a T-shirt no problem.
I use a Theis holster which is a clone of the Supertuck. Get the horsehide as it doesn't absorb sweat. That and clean your gun weekly, check it daily(press check), everytime you put it on......and practice.
Good luck,
December 28, 2012, 05:48 PM
Yes, my primary carry gun is a 5" all steel Wilson Combat CQB in .45 acp....
and I use either a Kramer horsehide leather ...outside waist band Scabbard with a forward FBI tilt....or an IWB with the same tilt.
I'm a little bigger than the "average buffalo" at 6'5" and 290...so its easy to have large, loose fitting shirts, vest or jackets...and hide a 1911...with a good belt and a good holster...
I'm pretty comfortable with either holster...but outside waist band Scabbard is more comfortable in winter - when you have a coat on.
December 29, 2012, 09:34 AM
Not yet, but I will some time after 6-9-13 !! :D
Thank you for your service on the Abe Lincoln.
Roadking Rider
December 29, 2012, 10:34 AM
I carry mine on occasion when I'm going just leaving the house for a short period of time, but my full time EDC is a Kahr PM9.
December 29, 2012, 11:07 AM
I carry my Colt in OWB Glaco Fletch during most days, Ruger stainless if really rainy out. The Galco holster is very comfortable for me. In the cooler days a jacket covers it well. Warmer days I have a vest from Travel Smith that covers the rig well. I use a belt and suspenders.
December 29, 2012, 02:32 PM
Mostly this one in a Bucheimer with a spare mag as an open carry. After a scare on a motorcycle with failing stitching - I'm switching to a cross draw when I find one that will also carry the spare mag.
The only real problem is folk wanting to finger it when I'm out or the "true believers" trying to talk me into a Glock. No kidding, having a 1911 on your hip seems to draw them outa the wood work in an effort to convert you.
December 29, 2012, 05:36 PM
Chuck norris does... haha
December 29, 2012, 06:41 PM
In response to post #18. It paints a bit of a false dichotomy, there is quite a spectrum of carry guns between duty sized guns like a 5" 1911 and mouse guns like an LCP.
I have carried a 1911, full size, steel frame (its not my current choice or preference for various reasons). It is certainly doable though. As others have said, a proper belt and good holster go a long ways. Since you already have the gun, try it out.
December 29, 2012, 06:43 PM
I carry mine a lot. Usually open carry, but with a baggy enough shirt to conceal it if I want to.
I use a crossbreed gun belt and either a serpa paddle or Falco owb holster.
December 29, 2012, 07:11 PM
I carry a full-size Springfield in a Galco Concealable holster. It's pretty much for show, you know, barbeque gun.
I'm more likely to carry a Springfield EMP, also in a Galco Concealable.
If I'm hunting, fishing or doing something that might get my gun dirty I carry a Glock in a Galco Concealable.
December 29, 2012, 09:24 PM
EDC of a 5" 1911 here. I do have a few words:
Lightweight frame
High quality, adjustable angle IWB holster with thumb break strap
Good 1-3/4" belt
December 30, 2012, 12:47 PM
I carry a Springfield Armory M1911A1 .45 ACP in the winter-time, because I don't trust my 115gr 9mm +p+ JHPs to make it through winter clothing.
I have changed my mind. I m going to stay with my OC G17.
Vern Humphrey
December 30, 2012, 06:02 PM
My biggest problem with carrying a Government Model IWB is the limited space it leaves between the muzzle and my back pocket. Makes pulling my wallet out a bit more difficult.
Start carrying your wallet on the weak side.
Remember, when you are carrying under a jacket, and reach back under the jacket for your wallet, you can expose your gun if you carry the wallet on the strong side.
December 30, 2012, 06:24 PM
IWB so it isn't exposed. OWB I bring the whole rig forward to about 4 o'clock. I don't lift my shirt with either but the wallet's removal requires movement toward the relatively close muzzle. I may have to break down and change pockets but like any habit good or bad it's hard to break.
Vern Humphrey
December 30, 2012, 06:44 PM
But not impossible to break -- and there are no serious consequences to an occasional lapse. I started carrying my wallet in the left back pocket many years ago, and now it would seem strange to carry in in the right pocket.
January 1, 2013, 12:21 PM
I really love how my 1911 shoots and thinking hard about carrying it now. Anyone else carry a 1911 and have advice for me? Thanks
Yes, much of the time, I carry a Les Baer Thunder Ranch Special. I prefer OWB carry, usually in a Bulman FDS, but sometimes use a Milt Sparks VM II for IWB carry.
January 1, 2013, 08:44 PM
You bet! I carry a Springfield Armory 1911-A1 in condition 1 as my primary and a Glock 32 chambered in .357 sig as a backup. I love the weight and reliability of the full sized mil spec .45 auto for CCW any day! The trick is to use a belt slide leather holster for a smooth but quick draw allowing the weapon to fall into a natural point of aim for a very fast first shot. If you have ever had the unpleasant experience of having to shoot someone that is trying to kill you, then you will understand how critical it is to put that threat down with 1 shot!
January 1, 2013, 10:27 PM
I really love how my 1911 shoots and thinking hard about carrying it now. Anyone else carry a 1911 and have advice for me? Thanks
It's not easy, especially in summer wear. Long shirt tails and dark clothing is a must for me. I have "high ride" pancake holster which rides very high on my hip.
A good thing about it however, most people never make it out even when it prints heavily. I have never been made yet, even though the bottom of the holster may extend past the shirt at times by accident.
Just make sure you know the law and follow it precisely.
January 1, 2013, 11:29 PM
a LW COmmander in El Paso IWB 98% of the time.
January 3, 2013, 09:46 PM
Most of the time for a number of years, usually IWB. In town is 45 auto, most of my time is spent at my place or other rural areas, then it's 38 Super. The Super has been used a number of times on vermin, including very close shots. :)
January 3, 2013, 09:49 PM
All day every day. I use a Don Hume IWB strong side.
January 4, 2013, 06:45 PM
My most carried 1911 is a Colt Super .38. It's my "birthday gun", made in 1952, and has a Bar Sto barrel, but otherwise stock Colt parts (although some are from a 1927 Argentine Colt). http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m247/matquig/DSC06174.jpg
January 4, 2013, 11:28 PM
My EDC, rides in a don hume pcch for now until my buddy finishes my custom IWB holster he is making me.
January 5, 2013, 01:21 AM
My most carried 1911 is a Colt Super .38. It's my "birthday gun", made in 1952, and has a Bar Sto barrel, but otherwise stock Colt parts (although some are from a 1927 Argentine Colt). http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m247/matquig/DSC06174.jpg
That is sweet, I like the grips too. :)
January 5, 2013, 08:12 AM
I carry OWB and am 5-9, 180. In the winter I wear sports coats and in the summer long linen shirts. It conceals really easily.
January 5, 2013, 08:23 AM
I really love how my 1911 shoots and thinking hard about carrying it now. Anyone else carry a 1911 and have advice for me? Thanks
Yes. Carry some potent 230gr JHP ammo.
January 5, 2013, 12:32 PM
i have found my 5" Springfield milspec to be a very doable edc. i carry in a bladetech phantom iwb on a wilderness instructor belt with two reloads in the factory Springfield mag carrier.
January 5, 2013, 05:01 PM
I prefer to carry more along the lines of a Commander, an Officers Model, or a New Agent. But I do have a Lightweight Government that I have been thinking about putting into the regular rotation.
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University of Illinois Dairy Nutrition CD & Book
Dairy Nutrition CD from the Univ. of Illinois online course, Advanced Dairy Nutrition is team-taught by
Dave Fischer, Mike Hutjens, Jim Drackley, Jimmy Clark, Richard Wallace, Ric Grummer, Garrett Oetzel and Ken Nordlund.
Price includes CD and 2008 Hoard's Feeding Guide book.
NEW EDITION: Teaching modules have simultaneous text available; The Advance Dairy Nutrition Handbook is now a searchable PDF; there are two new handouts, "Rules of Dairy Nutrition" and "Evaluating Feed Additives" ; CD now runs on both PCs and Macs.
Previous students have included feed nutritionists, veterinarians, students and owner/operators of private dairy farms. Modules are 10 to 15 minutes in length, and users can go on to register for the online class and credit, if desired. The CD includes 67 modules totaling almost 14 hours on ration formulation; energy and protein considerations; transition feeding and health; minerals, vitamins and additives; feeding forages; phase feeding; feeding systems. Just added is material on rumensin and feed efficiency.
View similar products:
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PITTSBURGH - Some Pirates-related thoughts as Pittsburgh gets ready for its postseason baseball game in 7,660 days:
* Neil Walker has seven home runs this month, a power surge that's better late than never.
Walker has had a disappointing offensive season, but he can salvage it if he takes this hot month into the postseason. It's remarkable the team has posted 93 wins (entering today's finale) considering how many soft touches the batting order has had.
* The postseason isn't always for the best hitters. Sometimes it's for whoever happens to be hot at the right time. People like to think that the best players consciously raise their performance level, but it doesn't always work that way. Ted Williams hit .200 in his only World Series. Willie Mays had a .239 average and no home runs in four World Series.
On the other hand, journeyman Gene Tenace batted .348 with four home runs in the 1972 World Series after he'd gone 1-for-17 (.059) in the playoffs.
* The postseason roster offers some flexibility with each round. The Pirates have no need for Jeff Locke on Tuesday, but they should find a spot for Kyle Farnsworth. As wobbly as the back end of the bullpen has been in the last few weeks, another pitcher experienced in closing is a necessity.
* Funny, there haven't been any complaints lately about how the Milwaukee Brewers have a bigger payroll than the Pirates.
The winner of the annual Pirates contest will be posted on the "Mainly Mehno" blog at altoonamirror.com later this afternoon.
Stuck in the middle
Three games in, we have ample evidence that the Steelers aren't a good team.
But it's also unlikely that they're completely awful, and that's too bad.
As painful as a 4-12 season might be, it would a long-term benefit to the organization because it would translate into a much better drafting position.
The Steelers went 8-8 last year, missed the playoffs, but didn't get their draft call until the 17th turn. Franchise-caliber players are gone by then.
Unless the whole AFC improbably sinks into a morass of 8-8-ness, the Steelers aren't a playoff team.
If you can't make the playoffs, make the top five list at the draft.
The Steelers are in a unique position where they can easily absorb a bad season. They don't have tickets to sell. People will continue to buy "LAMBERT 58" jerseys. The only downside is the endless babble of talk radio, and what does that mean? People were complaining when they were 12-4.
For all the gloom that has come with the 0-3 start, it looks like the Steelers have a bunch of games they can and should win, starting with today's overseas date with Minnesota.
After next week's bye, they play the Jets, Raiders, Bills, Lions and Browns over the course of seven weeks that includes games against the Patriots and Ravens.
The Steelers are going to win some games - not enough to get them in the postseason, but too many for their long-term good.
SUBHEAD: British invasion
England sends us the Beatles and Rolling Stones, and we send them the 0-3 Steelers vs. the 0-3 Vikings?
That doesn't seem fair.
Then again, maybe this is the way we pay them back for George Michael and Wham!
(Mehno can be reached at: firstname.lastname@example.com)


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Helen L. Wallace, 48, Altoona, died Friday morning at her residence.
She was born in Altoona, daughter of the late Richard and Mildred (Weatherwalk) Stapf.
Surviving are her husband, Henry M. Wallace Sr.; three daughters: Jody M. Chipperfield of Osceola Mills, Becky L. Ropp of Loretto and Jamie A. Smith of Altoona; three sons: Henry M. Jr. of Altoona, Richard D. of Sinking Valley and Michael L. at home; six grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; three sisters: Brenda Neff of Finksburg, Md., and Donna Miller and Thelma Stapf, both of Baltimore, Md.; and two brothers: Arthur Bradley of Hanover and Nelson Stapf of Baltimore.
She was preceded in death by a son, William; a granddaughter, Raelynn; a brother, Richard; and a sister, Melita Ertwine.
Helen was a homemaker and enjoyed cooking. She loved animals, especially her dogs, and was devoted to her family.
Friends will be received from 1 until the 3 p.m. funeral service Sunday, Nov. 11, 2012, at Vincent J. Good Funeral Parlor, 328 Fifth Ave., Altoona. Interment will be at Blair Memorial Park.


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Watch 1980s video clip of WWUH in the News!
When the University of Hartford was incorporated just over 50 years ago by business and community leaders, they envisioned a center of education and culture for Greater Hartford. At its core, it would be a university for the community created by the community.
The University has come a long way since its humble beginnings on Hartford's last remaining farm, evolving from a local school for commuters into a comprehensive university that attracts students from throughout the world. Yet it remains true to its original mission of serving as a valued resource for individuals, families, businesses, and communities throughout the Hartford region, offering hundreds of programs that serve the University and its neighbors every day. For over 45 years listener supported WWUH has served an important role in the University's community service mission.
Accent on Creative Music - Conga Bop
Join host Maurice D. Robertson for Accent on Creative Music, this Wednesday, January 23 from 9 p.m. to midnight. At about 10 p.m., Maurice will be joined in in the studio by percussionist, Ed Fast, and guitarist, Atticus Kelly, of Conga Bop.
Ed Fast and Conga Bop perform, Sunday, January 27 from 3-4 p.m. in the Baby Grand Jazz Series at the Hartford Public Library, 500 Main St.


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There are two things to know, up front, about Aspen, Colo.
First, it is truly possible to careen off the side of a steep mountain (hairpin turns, no guard rails) if you drive in from Denver via the precarious Independence Pass. Do it anyway. The views will leave you breathless.
Second, a single cocktail in this thin-aired enclave gives you approximately three times the feel-good effect of that same drink in Texas. Imbibe accordingly.
Aspen's stereotype as a glamorous international ski playground for the rich and famous exists for a reason: It is. The Victorian-dotted mountain village also has a thriving off-season that trades snow for lush green (mostly). If you plan right now, you can still make it up by June for the fabled Food & Wine Classic, which turns 30 this year.
Aspen makes up one third of the Holy Trinity of Dallas society getaways — Santa Fe and San Miguel de Allende being the other two — and you'll bump shopping bags with plenty of familiar faces. Two of the most likely encounters? With Sam and Cheryl Wyly, whom we've declared unofficial ambassadors since they not only maintain digs there, they bought and saved the legendary Explorer Booksellers shop downtown in 2006, and they have their names on the wall of the modernist Aspen Animal Shelter. In fact, the billionaire couple routinely brings homeless Texas pooches along on their private jet for nonstop service to Aspen, where the pups can romp. (We can think of worse ways to hitch a ride.)
So what, exactly, goes on up there when it's not about schussing and snow? Take notes.
House-hopping is Aspen's time-honored overnight of choice. There is no shortage of Dallas-owned chalets and ramblers with room for one more, but here are our favorite local stays. The Little Nell (675 E. Durant Ave., 970-920-4600, thelittlenell.com) is Aspen's famed 5-Star grand dame and the hub of the see-and-be-scene during any season. The luxury ski-in, ski-out hotel just completed a Holly Hunt makeover of its Living Room lobby lounge last winter and is planning a November reboot — new name, decor, everything — of its staple Montagna restaurant. (We highly recommend the wagyu beef burger, sourced from a Colorado ranch where the cattle are serenaded by violins — no kidding.)
The St. Regis Aspen Resort (315 East Dean St., 970-920-3300, stregisaspen.com) is not only chic and centrally located to the action downtown, but it welcomes Fido and keeps a fleet of Mercedes-Benz convertibles ready for guests' complimentary use during fair-weather months. Bonus: The hotel's oxygen lounge inside its Remède Spa offered us the perfect antidote to mild altitude sickness. (Maybe it was a hangover.)
Handsome cowboy valets welcome you inside Hotel Jerome (330 E. Main St., 970-920-1000, hoteljerome.com), a historic hotel that celebrated its 120th anniversary in 2009. Whether you stay here or not, order a drink at the elaborately wood-trimmed Jerome Bar, dubbed the J-Bar by locals.
How does a high-style decompression chamber plugged into nature sound? Aspen Meadows Resort (845 Meadows Road, 1-800-452-4240, dolce-aspen-hotel.com) is a getaway of studio suites (more like apartments) designed by late Bauhaus architect and artist Herbert Bayer. (That explains the original Frank Gehry Hat Trick chairs in the hotel's restaurant.) The modular compound sits about one mile from the city's center on the bucolic grounds of the Aspen Institute. To that end, you'll find events held there such as the annual Aspen Ideas Festival. Other past events have brought overnight guests ranging from the Dalai Lama to the late Steve Jobs. Texan Lance Armstrong has a place nearby, and Aspen Meadows is a favorite for his overflow guests. Don't miss the hotel's walking tour, where you will marvel at massive outdoor art installations including the triangular Intuition by British sculptor John Robinson.
If you're attending the Food & Wine Classic and want to save your pennies for dinners out, the best value in town may be the LimeLight Lodge (355 S. Monarch St., 970-925-3025, limelightlodge.com). The chic-but-straightforward sister property to the Little Nell is located right by the festival's tents downtown. If you can, nab one of the larger suites on the quieter backside: You'll have a gas fireplace and a patio overlooking the mountains.
Open less than five months, Finbarr's Irish Pub & Kitchen (415 E. Hyman Ave., 970-925-2719) is a hot gathering spot for locals and Dallas expats. The pub is owned by Kelly O'Donovan Wyly (as in the Dallas Wylys) and her Irish hubby, Denis O'Donovan, who put his family name of Finbarr on the venture. The couple partnered with longtime friend and Dallas restaurateur Mico Rodriguez (co-founder of Taco Diner and MiCocina) to install it in the below-ground space next to their Elliott Yeary Gallery. The menu is "good elevated pub food and cold Guinness," says O'Donovan, but not Tex-Mex — although Rodriguez jokingly suggested naming it "Pedro O'Donovan's."
BB's Kitchen (525 E. Cooper Ave., second floor, 970-429-8284) has craft beers, house-baked breads hearty enough to be their own meal and a happening upstairs patio with killer treetop views. The roasted Colorado lamb is a nice splurge, or opt for BB's wildly popular sausage-and-oregano pizza.
In a sun-streaked room above the Explorers bookstore and spilling out onto a tranquil patio, Pyramid Bistro (221 E. Main, 970-925-5338, pyramidbistro.com) is a meditative respite for vegan food that's organic, minimally processed, local and nutrient-dense. We had trouble deciding between the sweet-potato lasagna and the lemongrass tofu with "forbidden rice," ginger, steamed bok choy and spicy carrot emulsion — so we got both. Dallas insider note: The restaurant's previous incarnation was created by Monica Greene before she returned home to open Oak Cliff's B.E.E.
Ellina (430 E. Hyman Ave., 970-925-2976, ellinaaspen.com) puts a modern spin on Italian cuisine with everything from simple oven-roasted tomato soup to spaghetti, reimagined with prawns, cannellini beans and basil con casè. Did we mention the eatery, named for northern Italy's fertile Valtellina valley, previously nabbed Wine Spectator's Award of Excellence in 2010? The courtyard patio is a scene at Cache Cache (205 S. Mill St., 970-925-3835, cachecache.com). The French bistro serves ornately plated dishes, including a memorable calf liver paired with spinach and smoked bacon.
Dallas mixologist Michael Martensen declares that Jimmy's (205 S. Mill St., 970-925-6020, jimmysaspen.com) makes "the best cocktails in Aspen, including a killer Manhattan." We also love the local institution's comfort classics such as crab cakes and mac and cheese, not to mention live Latin music on Saturday nights.
The best people-watching in Aspen is at busy Ajax Tavern (685 E. Durant Ave., 970-920-6334), where everyone who is anyone comes to sit on the eatery's mountainside patio and take in the views (and spy on the others). Our overwhelming favorite on the menu? The Ajax double cheeseburger and truffle fries.
Nestled in an old downtown Victorian, Explore Booksellers (221 E. Main St., 970-925-5336, explorebooksellers.com) was opened in the '70s by Katherine Thalberg, the daughter of actress Norma Shearer and 1920s movie mogul Irving Thalberg. The bijoux shop remains a local favorite with its meandering rooms and elegant old carpets. Sam and Cheryl Wyly bought the store and its upstairs vegan cafe to save it after Thalberg's death in 2006 and left almost every beloved nook and cranny untouched.
Christopher Martin Gallery (525 E. Cooper Ave., 970-925-7649, christopherhmartin.com) flung open its doors in Aspen last June, making it the abstract contemporary artist's second outpost outside of his native Dallas. (The other gallery is in West Hollywood.) Crisp walls and distressed hardwoods nicely contrast Martin's slick, swirly paintings, including one that went opening night for about $30,000. Martin's Aspen gallery director, Shelly Glasser, has Texas roots and still holds her day job as a movie producer for films such as Jennifer Aniston's The Good Girl.
Chanel? Louis Vuitton? Christian Dior? Yes, yes and yes — and with prices so low, you can cover your airfare here with the savings. The Little Bird (525 E. Cooper Ave., 970-920-3830, thelittlebirdinc.com) is the red-hot women's consignment shop launched in 2007 by Aspen's Keele Loyd. Only pristine merch is accepted (Loyd is notoriously finicky) and everything is painstakingly organized and displayed. Texas note: Loyd opened a second Little Bird last fall in Houston.
O2 Aspen (605 E. Cooper, 970-925-3161, o2aspen.com) has long been an Aspen darling with its Main Street yoga studio, spa and clothing boutique. The retail outpost on Cooper Street opened last year and adds even more sporty finds to the mix from labels such as Lululemon and Nicole Miller.
If you wish your Aspen digs to be glamorous, not granola, get to Paris Underground Antiques (520 E. Durant, 970-544-0137, parisunderground.com). The shop is a haven for midcentury modern French antiques and accessories, including Murano-glass lighting and a sexy, '50s, white-leather armchair we wished could fit in an overhead bin. The store is a creative outlet for the certainly glamorous Laura Blocker, a former Dallasite, and her high-profile writer husband Mark Seal, a Dallas Morning News alum, contributing editor for Vanity Fair and author of a recent bestseller, The Man in the Rockefeller Suit: The Astonishing Rise and Spectacular Fall of a Serial Imposter.
To describe Amen Wardy (520 E. Durant Ave., 970-920-7700, amenwardyaspen.com) as a Candy Land for the home would be an understatement. The sparkling, two-story showroom reflects its namesake owner's taste in everything from luxe china, flatware and crystal to gourmet foods and gifts. Among his Dallas clients? Turbopowered literary agent Jan Miller.
We not only love the contemporary and often outrageous art at Baldwin Gallery (209 S. Galena St., 970-920-9797, baldwingallery.com), but the space itself is killer, with a steel-and-glass staircase to the basement gallery. Jetsetting Dallas couple Donald and Celine Chick deem it a must-stop.
IWM Cellars (665 E. Durant Ave., 970-544-3800, iwmcellars.com) inside the Little Nell is a sleek spinoff to New York's Italian Wine Merchants wine store. Come in for a bottle, to schedule a tasting or to hire this elite team to organize and manage your home cellar. (They've even been dispatched to manses back home in Highland Park.)
Aspen Grove Fine Arts (525 E. Cooper Ave., upper level, 970-925-4296, aspengroveart.com) is a sister showroom to Dallas' Galerie Zuger on Dragon Street. The collection is diverse, from pop to traditional landscapes, and displayed upstairs and at the courtyard level.
Even high altitudes couldn't slow our frenzy to scour the entire Aspen Saturday Market (corners of East Hopkins, South Hunter and East Hyman Avenue), which is a don't-miss during summer. The multiblock collective and community gathering kicks off in June, in sync with the Food & Wine Classic, and runs each Saturday through Oct. 16. The bounty is staggering: mountain-goat cheese, local veggies, jewelry, clothing. We especially love the midcentury-style pottery on display in the Artstream Nomadic Gallery (in, what else, a vintage Airstream) and the colorful fedoras inside the Susan Carrolan millinery booth.
Of course, the friendliest and most ahh-inspiring tent at the market belongs to the Aspen Animal Shelter and its weekly roster of dogs available for adoption. Shelter director Seth Sachson (T-shirt: "Alpha Male") is a transplanted Dallasite who combined his love of dogs and a psychology degree, with an emphasis on animal behavior, to make a life in Aspen. His mom is Dallas arts patron Gail Sachson, and his buddies at St. Mark's include fellow alum Rhett Miller of Old 97s fame. View Sachson's current list of adoptable cats and dogs at dogsaspen.com.
Grab a Patrón-tequila-spiked ice pop — ours was pineapple, lime and cilantro — and get ready to elbow your way through the white tents of the ultimate gourmand gathering. Food & Wine's annual Aspen Classic (tickets at foodandwine.com/classic) turns 30 this year and, like everything else, has been turbocharged by smartphones and social networking. As soon as you get your ticket, download the official app, "Food & Wine Classic in Aspen," free in the iTunes app store (cellphone service downtown is spotty at times, so it's best to study up before you go), for G.P.S.-specific details on demos and speakers, plus walking maps, news and a live feed of tweets with the hashtag #FWClassic.
The cooking demos and classes will be held marathon-style, all over town, with celeb chefs such as Grant Achatz, Tom Colicchio, Bobby Flay, Susan Feniger and Jacques Pépin, but the masses turn out for the aptly named Grand Tastings, held precisely at noon and five each day in the big tents. Survival tip: Learn how to expertly juggle plate, fork and wine glass and, above all, keep moving.
The best part of the classic is really at night when the unofficial parties and invitation-only dinners happen all over town. Once again, Twitter proves to be a valuable connectionhere. (Fort Worth celeb chef Tim Love used it last year to stage a pop-up party with beer and pizza inside his decked-out black camper trailer.)
Be sure to represent by hitting the 11th annual Texas Outlaw Party, June 15 at Kenichi Aspen, conceived and hosted by Dallas foodie publicist Jeffrey Yarbrough and Kevin Williamson of Austin's Ranch 616. Last year's party was off the proverbial hook and drew plenty of Dallasites, including pastry chef Katherine Clapner of Oak Cliff's Dude, Sweet Chocolate, who created a stir by serving cracklings dipped in dark chocolate and coated with Moroccan spices. Cedars Social owner and former NFL player Brian Williams and wine guru D'Lynn Proctor kept things lively as well.
A taste of the classic closer to home? Texas' Hill Country Wine and Food Festival recently joined forces with Food & Wine to morph into the first Austin Food & Wine Festival, April 27 to 29. Co-hosts include Uchi chef Tyson Cole, La Condesa Austin owner Jesse Herman and Tim Love, of Fort Worth's Lonesome Dove and Love Shack. For a schedule and tickets, check out austinfoodandwinefestival.com.


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Each December, cowboys and cowgirls from across the country make the journey to the super bowl of rodeo, the Wrangler National Finals.
This year, 119 contestants competed in seven events. The top 15 in each event qualified for the WNFR, and included Colorado cowgirl Christy Loflin, Franktown, who placed seventh, cowboys Wade Sumpter, Fowler, who placed 11th in steer wrestling and Casey Colletti, Pueblo, who placed ninth in bareback riding. The two highest placers were bull riders Tyler Smith, Fruita, who placed third in the world, and Josh Koschel, Nunn, who placed fifth. Smith rode four out of his 10 bulls, which placed him fifth in the average. He took home $156,277 for 2013. This was his second trip to the NFR.
"The finals went fair. It could have been worse, and it could have been better. I was hoping to ride all my bulls, but only rode four out of 10. There were some I wasn't too excited about, but everyone feels that way," he said.
He added, "However, the whole experience was still great. The money is great. The animals that you get on buck great. You can't explain it unless you are behind the chutes."
Smith's training is pretty simple: ride bulls. "If I feel like I need to get in better shape I enter more rodeos. You can ride almost every day if you want," he explained.
He first started riding steers when he was nine, and got on his first big bull when he was 14. He loves riding bulls, and hopes to continue doing so, and to eventually win a world title.
"It would mean everything. It's someone I have always dreamed of. I've done everything else in bull riding that I've wanted to do except that," he said. Next year he hopes to have a little better placing going into the finals, but knows he must stay healthy to do so. Last year he got hurt in July, which kept him out of several large rodeos.
Fellow Colorado cowboy Josh Koschel experienced his very first NFR this year, and he was happy with her performance. "It was good. I didn't have any great scores or be quite what I anticipated, but I still finished fourth in the average and fifth in the world, which is a pretty good accomplishment," he said.
He added, "It was pretty much what I expected. It's nice to see your hard work pay off and to see results."
Koschel has spent much of his rodeo career in the PBR, but has worked toward making the NFR as a goal. "I knew I had to commit to that if I wanted to accomplish this goal. I didn't have the qualifications before to make it, and this was the first year that I was set up to go and have the qualifications," he explained.
"That's everyone's dream to win the NFR. Now that I have making it out of the way I can set bigger goals."
This next year he is going to keep doing what he did this year. "The only difference I would like to see is to make every rodeo count and increase my consistency. I rode pretty well all year, but sometimes I wasn't riding my best, other times as good as I ever had. I want to ride my best all year long and have a better chance of making it," Koschel said.
In the bareback riding event, Kaycee Feild, Payson, Utah, picked up his third straight championship. He won the average as well, and finished the season with $239,465.
The steer wrestling champion was Hunter Cure, Holliday, Tex., who won his first buckle. He entered the WNFR in seventh place, but his third place finish in the average helped propel him to the win. He won $173,355 on the season.
Team ropers Clay Tryan, Billing, Mont., and Jade Corkill, Fallon, Nev., also earned their second NFR titles, but their first as partners. Tryan earned $179,688, and Corkill earned $178,057.
In the saddle bronc event, Chad Ferley, Oelrichs, S.D., earned his second world title. He earned $204,432 on the year.
Shane Hanchey, Sulphur, La., picked up his first world title in the tie-down roping event. He earned $207,672 on the season, and broke the WNFR record with a time of 80.1 seconds on ten head.
In barrel racing, Sherry Cervi, Marana, Ariz., earned her fourth world title on her horse Stingray, who was his second. They won three rounds and placed in every round, which helped Cervi to win the Ram Truck Top Gun Award for earning more than any other contestant during the finals.
She brought home $155,899, which boosted her season earnings to $303,317.
In the bull riding event, J.W. Harris, Mullin Tex., earned his fourth gold buckle in six years, which is the second most dominate bull riding span behind Don Gay, who won seven titles in eight years during 1974-1981. He earned $252,829 for the year.
In the all-around race, Trevor Brazile, Decatur, Tex., dominated the field yet again, earning his 19th gold buckle. "I've never dreamed of setting 19 world championships as a goal, because I'm into setting goals I can reach. I watched Guy Allen dominate. I wondered how someone could do something as hard as winning a world championship 18 times. It's little different, because he did it in one event. I witnessed his dominance firsthand, because I was the bridesmaid on many occasions," said Brazile.
He also became the first contestant to pass the $5 million mark in career earnings, earning $5,029,313 after the WNFR this year. He earned $426,011 in 2013, which is the second highest single-season total. He currently holds that record as well. This was the fourth time in his career that he earned more than $400,000. Winning that many gold buckles takes hard work and dedication every single year. "This is a little bit surreal. It sounds like a number to most people. Just because you have 18 doesn't mean they give you 19. World titles are never get any easier to win, and that's why they all hold something special for me. There are 15 guys in every event here every year, and none of them just lie down and let you have it. This is what we dream about from when we were little. No one wants to let go of that part of it," he stated.
He continued, "I'm happy, and I'm proud of the sport. I know how hard every world championship is to win. I know great cowboys with one world title...or even none. None of them are ever easy. NFR qualifications aren't easy. I've been blessed way more than I could ever believe."
The WNFR saw a record crowd of 18,242 people during the 10th and final round. The WNFR was held from Dec. 5-14 at the Thomas and Mack arena in Las Vegas, Nev. ❖


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Complications Arise When Wedding Politics and Marriage
It's OK to marry a liberal, but if your partner is an atheist, watch out.
The Pew Research Center released a study today that showed how political polarization affects the way government works in the U.S. and how it affects our personal lives.
Most Americans are comfortable with political differences inside their households. However, when you ask people who considers themselves consistently conservative how they would feel if an immediate family member married a Democrat, 30% said they'd be unhappy. Twenty-three percent of consistent liberals said they'd be unhappy if an immediate family member were to marry a Republican.
Religion plays a far bigger role for families. Almost half (49%) of Americans said they'd be unhappy if an immediate family member were to marry an atheist. If you are consistently conservative, that number jumps to 73%.
Nine percent of Americans say they'd be unhappy if a loved one married a "born-again" Christian; however, that number jumps to 27% if you are consistently liberal.
Liberals also don't want to see their family members marry gun owners, with 31% saying they'd be unhappy; only 1% of consistently conservatives would feel unhappy about a gun owner.
CORRECTION: An earlier version of the chart incorrectly labeled "No college" as "College educated."