I’ll preface this review by saying that I have very picky feet. I can spend an hour picking out new shoes, trying on every different brand in the store.

I was surprised when I put the shoes on and they seemed to fit ok. They’re a low cut canvas shoe (click the link above to see what they look like) made specifically for cyclists. The soles are incredibly stiff, the laces have metal tips for durability and there’s even a loop under the laces to secure them so they don’t get caught while you’re pedaling.

One thing I did notice was that the very back of the shoe rubbed the back of my feet a little bit. I put on some thicker socks and it seemed fine.

I used the shoes for a few weeks while riding around town, running errands, going to the bars, etc. They’re extremely comfortable to ride in. However, they aren’t very comfortable to walk in.

I wore them this past weekend to the Taste of Durango, a street fair type event stretching a few blocks with plenty of walking. As the day went on the back of my feet hurt more and more. When I got home I realized I had bloody blisters on both feet from the shoes rubbing (picture below, not for the squeamish).

It’s not just the rubbing that was uncomfortable. The soles are so stiff (perfect for riding) which makes them pretty uncomfortable to walk in. They’re about as comfortable to walk in as my mountain bike SPD clipless shoes. Both are stiff, but the clipless shoes have the added advantage on the bike.

I’m going to give my Chrome Kursk’s another shot (I plan on throwing them in the wash to see if the canvas will get less stiff) and wear some heavier socks, but if they give me problems again I have no qualms about going back to clipless pedals and mountain bike shoes.

Click below for the pictures of my Chrome Kursk’s and blistered bloody feet.

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Chrome Industries – Kursk Shoe Review

Three Rivers will be giving brewery tours during the week and will have Red Mountain Wheat pints on special for $4.

Ska Brewing Co. is taking out all the stops with plenty of events and great beer all week long. Below is the list of events happening this week at Ska.

Mon., May 17

• 5 p.m. – “A Community Toast” is an informal event at Ska Brewing’s World Headquarters in Bodo Park. Beginning at 5 p.m., the craft-beer loving public is invited to join Durango’s Mayor Michael Rendon to toast the important role that craft beer and craft beer brewers, both professional and amateur, play in our community. A special tour of Ska’s World Headquarters brewing facility will be led by one of the Ska Brewing founders. Complimentary appetizers from Zia Taqueria.
• All Week: Canned Food Drive to Benefit Durango Food Bank
• All Week: Community members are encouraged to sign the Beer Declaration of Independence
• 5 – 7 p.m. – Craft Beer Week Kick-Off Party, featuring $2 pints (all taps) from 5 – 7 p.m.
• Two special beers on tap all week: True Blonde on Nitrogen, and Special ESB on cask and dry-hopped with Fuggles Hops … plus 5 more special beers to be tapped on Friday! Bring canned goods!

Tues., May 18

• 5 p.m. – Scheduled Brewery Tour
• 5:30 p.m. – “Dave’s Colorado Craft Beer History”, a short but informative presentation by Dave Thibodeau, Ska President and Co-Founder. Hear it from someone who was there.
• 5 – 8 p.m. Craft Beer Trivia Night / Canned Food Drive, featuring 2-for-1’s on all taps and prizes for the winners. Teams and individuals are welcome. Test your beer knowledge! Cash prizes! Bring some canned goods!

Wed., May 19

• 5 p.m. – Scheduled Brewery Tour
• 5 – 8 p.m. – Bike Night / Canned Food Drive: Ride your bike to Ska and $1 for every beer you buy will go to the Durango Food Bank. Throw some canned goods in your pack, and if you drive, bring even more!
• $3 Pinstripes & ESB’s – Sample 2 of Ska’s flagship beers, each for 1/3 of the cost of a downtown parking ticket.

Thurs., May 20

• 4 p.m. – Craft Beer & Cheese Pairing & Canned Food Drive at Ska Brewing’s Tasting Room. Bring some canned goods down to support Durango Food Bank and for every beer you purchase you’ll receive a complimentary, specially selected cheese from Guido’s to pair with it. A small menu will explain which cheese is paired with each beer, and why.
• 5 – 7 p.m. Live music from “The Assortment”. Local beers, local music, tasty cheeses. Don’t miss.

Fri., May 21

• 5 – 8 p.m. – “She’s Crafty…” the Craft Beer Week Blowout Party featuring:
  • Special Ska Taps: Expand your craft beer horizons with these special, limited release Ska beers on tap: Black Trippel, American Amber, Imperial Brown, Flanders Red & Merlo Stout!

• • Live Ska Music from “The Casual Fridays”, with “Shadow Hills Trio” opening.
  • One free pint for all the crafty, craft-beer lovin’ women who come out!
  • Final chance to sign the Beer Declaration of Independence
  • Cover? Nope. Just bring some canned goods for the Durango Food Bank!

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Craft Beer Week at Ska and Three Rivers

I moved to Durango about a year and half ago, about the same time I started this blog, and have been enjoying it ever since. But for various reasons my wife and I are headed back to the coast. There are a lot of things I’ll miss about Durango, but plenty of things I’m excited about in San Diego.

I’ve decided to change the focus (a bit) of my blogging when I head out west, if you’re a regular reader of this blog, you may have noticed I wrote about beer a lot more than I wrote about cycling. Because of that I’ve decided to let this blog lie dormant, it won’t be updated, but should stay intact for a while, and start a new blog with a focus on my new home. Soon this blog won’t be seeing any more updates, but my new blog, San Diego Beer Blog will be seeing quite a bit of action.

I’ve had a great time blogging and drinking in Durango. Meeting brewers and like minded beer folks. I’d especially like to thank Dave and Thomas at Ska Brewing Co. and Mike and Guy at Carver Brewing Co. for keeping me in the loop about the happenings at their breweries. It really makes a beer blogger’s life easier when we”re sent press releases and info about upcoming beers and events.

So check out San Diego Beer Blog for beer news coming out of the far corner of California. Follow me on Twitter @SDBeer.

And if anyone knows the liquor store nearest to San Diego that carries Modus Hoperandi (in Arizona I’d presume as Ska doesn’t distribute in CA) let me know!

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From Durango back to San Diego

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FLC Produced Documentary Short about Ska Brewing Co.

In the meantime my latest beer article for Buzztown.com has been posted. Check it out here.

Stop into Star Liquors tomorrow afternoon to sample some Belgian beers, from their email:

The following are the beers that we will be tasting free of charge to the public from 3 – 6 pm on Friday April 30th.  Please come by and try some great Belgium beers, hope to see you there.

Gouden Carolus Classic     $8.49/4pk
This “Emperors-beer” is still brewed in our brewery. The “Gouden Carolus” is brewed with dark, very balanced dosed maltsorts according to the classical infusion-method.  Through the combination of caramel and aromatic malts, and with the traditional high fermentation we get a special beer that combines the warmness of wine and the freshness of beer.
ABV 8.5%

Gouden Carolus Tripple   $8.49/4pk
In spite of modern brewing technology, this beer is brewed according to ancient traditions. It is matured at length in cellar and bottle, and is guaranteed to be brewed only from pale malts. It is traditionally top-fermented and is 100% pure. The Gouden Carolus Triple has a unique color and a full flavor due to its well-balanced hopping.  To properly savor the Golden Carolus “Triple”, pour slowly in one movement leaving the yeast deposit in the bottle. This beer may be served cool but not chilled: 7-8°C is recommended.
ABV 9%

Gouden Carolus Hopsinjoor   $8.49/4pk
4 types of hops are used:  Golding,  Spalt, Hallertau and Saaz. These hops were fractioned at several times in the cooking process in order to keep a maximum of aroma.  Regarding to taste we can say that the beer has a gentle, but nevertheless bitter aftertaste. Gold-yellow color.         Hoppy aroma.
ABV 8%

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Light Blogging Lately (And an Article on Belgian-style Beer in Durango)

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Ska Sour on Beer Tap TV

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Further Information and Thoughts on Steamworks/SEAR

Beer brewing coming back to Bayfield

Steamworks Brewing Co. enters joint venture with SEAR Beer Holdings

DURANGO, Colo. – In a fortuitous move that helps spur economic development in Bayfield, and financially boost Steamworks Brewing Co. in Durango, Steamworks has entered into a joint venture with SEAR Beer Holdings for lease of the brewery’s industrial property in Bayfield, Colo. The facility will now be known as Bayfield Brewing Co.

Formerly the extended brewing operation for Steamworks, the restaurant/brewery in Bayfield Center (which had come to be known as the Bayfield Beer Factory), was closed December 31, 2009 as Steamworks consolidated its efforts in Durango and ceased national distribution of its award-winning brews.

“We were open to different ideas for use of the property, and we considered a lot of options,” said Kris Oyler, Steamworks co-founder and CEO. “Partnering with SEAR Beer Holdings is the absolutely best option as they will do contract brewing and beer packaging, and the building will be used for exactly what it was designed for.”

Contract brewers essentially brew beer on contract for other, established labels, explained Oyler. Working with SEAR will allow Steamworks to ramp back up with its beer production and continue to serve some of the previously established markets and distributors, particularly in Colorado, which has been the core market since Steamworks began off-premise, wholesale sales in 2004.

“This joint venture will improve Steamworks’ financial strength and allow us to really focus our efforts on the Durango brewpub and our brand development,” continued Oyler. “By not selling the property, it also allows us to maintain a financial interest in Bayfield.”

SEAR Beer Holdings is a Delaware Company that specializes in the beer and brewing industries, including glass bottle manufacturing, keg management services and malt, chemical and hop distribution. It is managed by the venture capital firm SEAR Capitol, a limited partnership run by Scot Elliott, Tim Schick, Wes Froebel and Mark Rieth, The Bayfield facility will now be the largest brewing asset, based on annual capacity in barrels, in SEAR’s portfolio.

“SEAR and its partners are excited by the opportunity to work with the great team at Steamworks, as well as the town of Bayfield, Region 9 Economic Development District and the state of Colorado,” said Scot Elliott. “This facility allows us to quickly expand the reach of our own entities, expand our contract packaging, and gain a foothold in the West. We needed extra brewing capacity, and a state-of-the-art facility that can grow quickly. The Bayfield facility offers that immediately.”

SEAR is currently also exploring a relationship with a management company to build a large scale warehouse operation in Bayfield to handle raw and finished goods from the Bayfield Brewery.

“We will look to double production capacity in the next 90 days, depending on availability of equipment,” said Elliott. “And we expect employment of at least 20 within the next two years. More if Colorado wants the canning line operation.”

According to Elliott, if the State of Colorado provides economic development assistance, SEAR may install a new canning line in Colorado versus New York or Michigan. SEAR Beer Holdings has received in excess of $350,000 in economic incentives for the $2 million-plus facility now under development in New York.

“The joint venture is an incredible win-win for the entire county,” said Oyler. “Beyond the economic development benefits, it will help reinforce the region as the Napa Valley of hand-crafted beer and bring greater notoriety to Southwest Colorado.”

Steamworks Brewing Co. corporate headquarters and brewpub is located at 801 E. Second. Ave., Durango (970.259.9200). For further information, visit www.steamworksbrewing.com.

For further information on SEAR Capitol, visit www.searcapitol.com.

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Steamworks Brewing Co. Enters Joint Venture with SEAR Beer Holdings

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31st Annual Rosarito-Ensenda 50 Mile Fun Ride

• The first fits the theme of this blog perfectly: Peaks and Pints Brewery Tour. The 220 mile ride on the San Juan Skyway, starts in Ridgeway and will stop at breweries in Telluride, Dolores, Durango and Ouray from August 30th to September 3rd.
• The Colorado Peace ride follows the same route, but for a different cause. They’re raising money for the Sophia Peace Center in Dolores. This ride is beginning and ending in Durango and happens July 29th-August 1st. My friend Vanessa is doing the Peace Ride, raising money for charity. You can support her here.
• Ride the Rockies starts near Fruita and heads down the 550 through Durango and Pagosa Springs before going over Wolf Creek Pass and heading north to finish in Salida.
• The Across America and The Race Across the West will come through Durango. The Race Across the West starts June 9th in Oceanside, CA and will end in Durango. The Race Across America has a staggered start depending upon category between June 8th and June 12th. They’ll be passing through Durango on their way to Annapolis, MD.
• 12 Hours of Mesa Verde, the endurance race at Phil’s World near Cortez is happening May 8th.
• Last but not least, The Iron Horse Bicycle Classic happens every Memorial Day Weekend in Durango. Check the site for the full schedule, there are plenty of events for both cyclists and spectators.

There are so many great rides and races in Southwest Colorado, I’ve surely left some off this list. If you know of any add them to the comments below.

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Rides and Races In Southwest Colorado