Jan 1, 2014 - 2014 UPGRADE
Jan 1st, 2014 I always get excited about a New Year. I choose to believe that the future is going to be better than the present, in a small amount because I work to make it so in my little corner of life, but despite all the evidence to the contrary, I believe that in the end the good in people will win out over the bad. It would be a terrible existence to truly believe the opposite.
But a new year is a great time to pause and take stock. What have you accomplished in the past year, what important milestones have you hit? To look at how much you have to be thankful for. To make plans for how you're going to achieve your goals, how you're going to evolve as a person, what new and interesting things you're going to learn in this new year. I believe in setting goals and then attacking them. Which is partly why I like the new year, it's a fresh opportunity to attack life.
I believe I'm a better person than I was 12 months ago. Not by magic or simply surviving another year on this planet, but because I have consistently and relentlessly worked at improving myself. Little aspects, little tweaks here and there, like snowflakes, eventually add up to something big. And I'm nowhere near perfect - ask anyone who knows me well - but you can be damn sure that 2014 David Weglarz is a better version than the 2013 model.
2013 was a huge year for me personally. There are many things that come to mind, but two tower above the rest. After years of hard work, I finally realized the beginning of my dream when I opened my own business. Even more important, my wife and I welcomed into this world our son.
I believe in personal accountability, so here are just a few of my goals for 2014:
2014 GOALS
-Be the best Father & Husband I can be -Introduce 2 new spirits -Double distillery output -Have 30+ barrels aging on Dec 31st, 2014 -Celebrate St. Louis' 250th Birthday -Barrel Age 12 cocktails -Throw a great 2nd Annual 630 Day Party! -Go to 12 new (to me) STL restaurants -Read 12 books -Cook 12 new dishes -Swim 24 miles, Run 120 miles, Bike 600 miles -Lose 15 pounds (start 253) -Obtain out of state distributor -Blog & Social Media Current -Launch Rum/Sorghum -Have an intern -Successful Mardi Gras -Win Spirit Medal -Celebrate Sidni's Bday -Celebrate Anniversary -Celebrate Mother's Day -Complete 2 Short Stories -Complete 4 Poems -Write children's book -Catch up w/Journal before March 1st -Frame Life Goals -Go Diving -Attend Kentucky Derby -Attend Monon Bell Game -Go Camping -Go Rafting/kayaking -Taxes done before March -Visit Chicago -Visit Indy -Leave the Country -Grow successful garden -Increase Flexibility -Make Stained Glass for (gift) -Finish Climbing Picture -Finish Guest Room (paint/hang pictures) -Complete An Athletic Event -No Procrastination, FWYS GOADI -Support a Charity -Volunteer -Go through all basement stuff & clean out clutter -Visit 5 old friends who live out of state
There they are. On The Record. Told you I like making a plan of attack. Now it's time to Go Out And Do It.
Make it your best year yet.
Cheers, David
Jan 3, 2014 - Miss Do It All
I've been meaning to post this for a while and I apologize to her for waiting... One of the great people I've been fortunate to meet on this wild journey, Cori Paige, has received some well-deserved recognition. Cori has been named as one of Imbibe Magazine's "Imbibe 75" A list of the adult beverage industry's top 75 people, places, and flavors to watch in 2014. (Imbibe Mag is definitely worth reading, FYI)
I got to know Cori through another friend (thanks Dennis) and have joined in on a couple podcasts for her show UnderMyHost (www.undermyhost.com), which I highly recommend if you have even a passing interest in booze and the colorful characters who run rampant in the industry. UMH talks with all the top people (brewers, distillers, winemakers, mixologists, etc) in the craft beverage world and it feels like you're just pulling up a bar stool to meet with old friends. It gives great insight into the (sometimes twisted) minds of the very people crafting the products you love.
Here are the two podcasts I weighed in on, listen for free: (Podcast 1) (Podcast 2)
But the podcast is just the tip of Cori's iceberg... she's founded, continued, and/or spearheaded many different projects, with more in the pipeline. She's got enough going on to keep a whole team busy, but she balances a new cocktail (she just created) in one hand, a laptop in the other, and a wit to balance it all out.
Aside from the stellar podcast, two of her best ventures going right now, or at least in the works, are her new, non-profit "Veterans In Craft" initiative and a craft beverage publication entitled simply: "CRAFT." I'm excited to get my hands on the first issue of Craft because Cori knows everyone in the craft world and so I'm sure she'll have articles and pieces written by the cream of their respective crops.
But it's "Veterans In Craft" that I'm most excited about. It's a venture that I hold very dear. It's always been my plan, but it's even more exciting now to make it a public initiative. The goal is to offer training and assist in connecting returning veterans with those employers looking to hire them. As a large group, we can do even more good and help offer another path for the deserving service men and women as they attempt to assimilate back into everyday life.
It seems to me that to help produce something that brings people together could be particularly helpful to our veterans, who've seen more than their share of ugliness. A no matter who you are, a drink with friends (old or new) is always good for the soul. If you're a veteran or craft producer looking to get involved, please reach out.
Back to Cori though... She's one of the best people to follow on twitter (@UnderMyHost) facebook (Cori Paige) etc if you like craft beer/wine/spirits/cocktails. And I look forward to the next time I can share a drink with Cori, that is if she'll sit still long enough! Cheers to you, Cori. Thank you for helping promote all us knuckleheads.
Jun 11, 2014 - Fun Times at the distillery
But it's "Veterans In Craft" that I'm most excited about. It's a venture that I hold very dear. It's always been my plan, but it's even more exciting now to make it a public initiative. The goal is to offer training and assist in connecting returning veterans with those employers looking to hire them. As a large group, we can do even more good and help offer another path for the deserving service men and women as they attempt to assimilate back into everyday life.
It seems to me that to help produce something that brings people together could be particularly helpful to our veterans, who've seen more than their share of ugliness. A no matter who you are, a drink with friends (old or new) is always good for the soul. If you're a veteran or craft producer looking to get involved, please reach out.
Back to Cori though... She's one of the best people to follow on twitter (@UnderMyHost) facebook (Cori Paige) etc if you like craft beer/wine/spirits/cocktails. And I look forward to the next time I can share a drink with Cori, that is if she'll sit still long enough! Cheers to you, Cori. Thank you for helping promote all us knuckleheads.
Feb 1, 2014 - FEAST TV!
In early January, Cat Neville and the Feast TV crew came out to the distillery for a fun morning of filming. I was honored to be featured in their wonderful program, but I was totally unprepared for the final product. See for yourself below, they did a phenomenal job! I am honored to have been included with St. Louis icons like Tony's and Ted Kilgore's Planter's House. Cheers to you, Feast TV!
It was Big Jake's television debut as well... he can't believe it!
Apr 20, 2014 - A very Special Birthday
I want to take a minute and get personal. I want to wish an incredibly happy and wonderful birthday to my wife, Sidni! She is an absolutely amazing woman. She is smart, funny, loving, and beautiful! Perhaps best of all, she is a completely phenomenal mother. Watching her care for and teach our little guy has been incredible. She was an elementary school teacher (how else could she understand and put up with me!?) and is now focusing all that fantastic energy, patience, and love on our son. And it's a true pleasure watching him blossom under her care.
You mean the world to me, sweetheart. And I love you even more now than when I married you. I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with you and share the adventures that are in store for us. Happy Birthday!
May 11, 2014 - Mother’s Day
What a wonderful day this is. A chance to focus our thoughts and energies on the most deserving of people: Moms. We're all here because of one, and while some are better than others, none of them ever get the thanks they deserve. So I'd like to take a minute and talk about two of them that are near and dear to me personally.
First, is my MILly, my Mother-In-Law, Dana. She's such a phenomenal woman. She bikes crazy long distances and watches her grandson with pure joy and love. She has one of the greenest thumbs and biggest hearts I've ever seen. She's one of my biggest supporters and I can't thank her enough. (PS. I'm sorry for my beard scratching you!) The other is my wife, Sidni. The mother of our son who's also carrying our second child. I could write a novel about you and how amazingly wonderful you are. But I'll try to keep it simple by thanking you for being the spectacular, loving mother that you are. I cannot imagine someone I'd rather have by my side raising our children than you. You're so strong, intelligent, supportive, and beautiful. You inspire me to be the best version of myself I can be. Thank you for that.
And I can't forget the many other wonderful moms out there who deserve their own recognition! I know this isn't everyone I know, so forgive, me but I'd like to wish a Happy Mother's Day to Nan H., Jill S., Patti H., Amy S., Bri S., Laura A., Courtney J., Les R., Janet W., Joan I., Jill W., Ronna P., Lisa M., Mary P., Cindy P., Annie B., Jamie G., Cori S., Pam T., Abigail P., Allison T. and every other Mother I love whom I'd too dumb to include.
And of course, my mother. I love you and miss you, Mom.
Jul 1, 2014 - RallyPoint Maple Sunset
I know many of you have been patiently awaiting this release... So I'm very excited to introduce our newest spirit: RallyPoint Maple Sunset!
If you don't know the story behind the spirit, read all about it HERE!
There is a very limited number of bottles in existence, hurry in and get yours before it's too late!
12/23/14 UPDATE: SOLD OUT!! We hope you got to enjoy it! We don't know if we'll ever be able to reproduce it...
3/6/15 UPDATE: RALLYPOINT MAPLE SUNSET WON A GOLD MEDAL FROM THE AMERICAN CRAFT SPIRITS ASSOCIATION!!!
Jul 1, 2014 - RYES & SHINE - 2nd Annual 630 Day!
On Monday, June 30th, we hosted our 2nd Annual 630 Day Party... The theme was 'breakfast for dinner' and 'RYES & SHINE' was a big success! I'm so thankful to all the friends new and old who came out to the distillery, braving the heat of the first Heat Advisory of the year, to celebrate with us! Kyle and I planned and prepared for weeks for this event, and it all paid off. We had absolutely delicious food from Quincy St. Bistro. Their head chef, Rick Lewis, created a fantastic plate consisting of red-eye braised pork belly, atop a bed of cheesy grits and greens, topped with a sunny side up egg. I ate at least two plates of it!
When you think breakfast, you think coffee. So Jacque DesMarais, a barista and coffee cocktail whiz from Kaldi's Coffee, created a great cocktail: Over Easy (RECIPE HERE) that combined Kaldi's Coffee cold brew concentrate, RallyPoint Rye Whiskey, Campari, and lime juice. It was great.
And what's breakfast without a bloody mary? Not one I want to be a part of! So I also created a variation on the classic Bloody Mary cocktail: the Bloody Jake. Homemade Bloody Mary Mix, Big Jake White Dog Rye Whiskey, and celery bitters. (RECIPE HERE). According to the attendees, it was also a big hit.
We had Alpha Brewing Co here serving some of their beers for those who wanted something different. They were pouring their Topaz Pale Ale and their Imperial Smoked Black Ale... which was special because it's the beer that our joint collaboration is based on! So that was a special sneak peek.
But the star of the evening, was the release of our brand new spirit: RallyPoint Maple Sunset! It came into being as a single barrel of RallyPoint Rye Whiskey, aging in Missouri Oak barrels for 14 months before finishing it's maturation in an ex-bourbon (Knob Creek Single Barrel), ex-maple syrup barrel (Sweet Sophie Bourbon Barrel Aged Maple Syrup). The Wine & Cheese Place provided the barrel after they'd produced their Sweet Sophie and it added a spectacularly creamy and smooth maple syrup finish to the RallyPoint. It's truly one of a kind and will only last a short while. Once it's sold out, it's gone for good.
If you can't make it to the distillery or to the Wine & Cheese Place in person, the only two locations on Earth you can buy the Maple Sunset, then click HERE and you can buy it on the TWCP Blog and have it shipped to you!!
Again, we had a great night that wouldn't have been possible without the hard work of many people, specifically the folks at Yellow Ranger, Rick Lewis of Quincy St. Bistro, Paul Hayden of The Wine & Cheese Place, Alpha Brewing Co, and Jacque DesMarais. Working behind the scenes was the indomitable Kyle Albertson, Adam Larkin, Sammi, Johnny, Kara, and others. We really couldn't have pulled off such a great event without you guys, so thank you from the bottom of my heart!
And THANK YOU to all you whiskey lovers who came out to support your local distillery. It's your great and continued support that keeps us going!
Jul 30, 2014 - Craft Distilling…
There's been a lot of talk lately about craft distillers across the country who are or aren't making all their own booze — in essence, marketing brands rather than true distillers that buy booze from somewhere else and sell it. A recent article brings this discussion out in full (see article HERE). Being at the forefront of the craft distilling movement, I feel like I have a unique perspective to share. I've heard all kinds of perspectives from within the industry. Guys as authoritative as Dave Pickerell (former Master Distiller at Maker's Mark) readily acknowledge that it's basically the only intelligent, economical way to get started in the business (listen to his appearance on the podcast UnderMyHost HERE).
For example, let’s say you were starting a restaurant and wanted to serve your own home-grown vegetables. You wouldn't open it — pay all the utilities, the insurance, a full staff, etc. — only to not serve food for the first five years as you waited for your garden to come in. You'd buy your vegetables from somewhere else while you waited.
I for one, can fully understand and appreciate the strangling constraints of a tiny start-up budget. You can't even begin to compete if you can't stay alive long enough to do so. Craft distilling is unique. Its closest relative, craft brewing, is even fundamentally different in one key aspect: time.
A talented craft brewer (many of which we have here in St. Louis) can brew a beer in weeks that could rival or beat anything even the biggest global brewery could produce. However, with craft distilling, the enormous barriers to entry, time and money, are more significant. Even if the distiller creates a great spirit, there is no real shortcut to aging it appropriately to properly showcase the spirit.
I know firsthand how expensive and resource consuming it is to even distill a barrel's worth of whiskey — and then to intentionally set it aside for months, years even, before you see the first dime returned upon the investment (and that’s if it's good). And all that damn time, the greedy angels are taking their share! So I understand why a distillery would go that route. And I personally don't feel appropriate to judge them for that. I'd rather judge whether or not I enjoy their spirits. And I think there are good, quality spirits being made in this fashion.
I've said from the beginning that my goal is to create a lasting distillery that my children will run one day, and their children after them. A distillery St. Louis can be proud of. And I'm proud to say that I distill, barrel, age, and bottle everything in house. Come on by and see for yourself!
Aug 2, 2014 - Barrel Master Aging Complete!
Well, it's been six months now and our Barrel Master Home Whiskey Aging Kit has turned whiskey into much better whiskey! Unfortunately, those pesky angels have been quite greedy, taking about 40% of the spirit during those six months! (In reality, the staves on these smaller barrels are thinner than on 53 gallon barrels and therefore more evaporation occurs)
Start:
Finish:
However, I am responsible for about two snifters full of 'sampling' during those six months. And I started drinking this before I took the 'after' picture... The bottle was almost full. But as you can see, it produced a very rich dark color and the spirit itself evolved into something approximating a finely aged whiskey, picking up notes of toffee, vanilla, and oak behind the predominant grain notes, which are led by a rye spice mingled with corn and supported by the cereal barley. The mouthfeel became much more pronounced and rich while the legs on the sides of the snifter lengthened considerably.
Aug 17, 2014 - 340 Miles to Immortality ( Part 1)
I learned of the MR340 for the first time back in the end of April. Less than a week later I had signed up and stopped shaving. I knew that an undertaking this herculean would require all my strength. And there is nothing stronger than a magnificently fierce beard. But my beard and I would not be alone. To his ever lasting credit, my friend Josh Colbeck jumped at the chance to join me. He stepped up to the challenge and proved himself worthy at every turn.
Josh Colbeck - Savage
The MR 340 is firmly entrenched on my life's highlight reel.
Oh, wait, what's this blasphemy you speak? You're not familiar with the MR 340? You've never heard of the longest, most-grueling, continuous kayak race on the planet? Shave your face immediately while I enlighten you. This is the longest, most-grueling, continuous kayak race on the planet Earth. The "MR" stands for the Missouri River, one of the greatest rivers on this continent; the river that Lewis & Clark's expedition (two truly indomitable spirits) followed upstream to start their journey into history. The "340" stands for 340 miles. That is the distance. You must propel yourself three hundred and forty miles. No motor. No sail. No tying up with other boats. You have to paddle yourself down river. In the words emblazoned on the tie-dye t-shirt I got paddling the Nolichucky River years ago: "Paddle or Die."
This race starts at 8am on a Tuesday morning, timed to coincide with the full moon. Appropriate considering only savages could complete such an undertaking. The race time limit expires at midnight on Friday night. You have exactly 88 hours to paddle 340 miles down the Missouri River from Kaw Point in Kansas City, KS to St. Charles, MO. Sleep if you can.
Fear not, this race of maniacs is strictly voluntary. Your average person doesn't tackle a challenge like this. Can't handle it. Though our beards were still growing and not yet fully developed, we thought we stood a chance.
Handsome devil. Beard: less than one month.
Josh and I were fully excited, but a little unsure of what paddling such distance would be like physically. Having worked together for two years, we knew our personalities were extremely compatible, and I was thankful for that. During times of extreme stress and discomfort, you need other people with positive attitudes, people who can find that gallows humor and help you make the best of a shitty situation. Josh and I both have that adventurous spirit. Which explains why we both jumped at this challenge. And to us, this was a personal challenge. Like this race was created specifically with the thought of calling us out in mind. You can't have Sam Jackson's wallet from Pulp Fiction if you can't back it up. You know what his wallet says on it...
This isn't some float trip where your drunk ass floats mindlessly on the river trying to untie bikini tops while dodging empty beer cans. Every year, the AVERAGE is more than 30% of people fail to complete this race. Oh, but you ran a marathon once? Neat. (Seriously though, good for you!) That's 26.2 long miles. You probably did that in 4-6 hours. How many people that started the race didn't finish? 8? Out of thousands? If 300 people attempt the MR 340, you can count on 100 or more dropping out along the way. Bit off more than they could chew.
So we did what every great explorer has done before us. We gathered as much information as we could. We read books, online forums, checked and rechecked our gear, and did several training paddles. We focused on the last stretch of the race, which also happened to be the one nearest our home. We were also very fortunate that this race was in our backyard. It's not like we were driving across country for our first look at the river on race day. We were fortunate to get direct experience on the Missouri River ahead of time. The last section of the race, from Washington, MO to St. Charles, MO, is 40 miles by river. During our training runs we learned the importance of getting comfortable in the pain box, minimizing shore time, of river levels impacting overall speed, and on one paddle, just how much the elements are out of our control.
We also knew that to complete the MR340 you need to paddle at night, so having never done that, we knew we needed to practice beforehand. So, along with our buddy John Pollihan, we put in at Washington at 9pm, eventually finishing a little after 5am in St. Charles. It was the best paddle we'd done yet. The weather was phenomenal, low 70s, and a clear night with lots of stars and a super moon literally casting shadows on the river. The tranquil river quietly flowed towards St. Charles and we paddled gently with it. It was a glorious time on the river.
Emboldened by our successes and our growing, yet still immature beards(<1.5"), we decided to try a longer stretch, 77 miles, from the Gasconade River just West of Hermann, MO back to St. Charles. We paddled the first mile or so and made it to the confluence of the MO. As soon as we entered the bigger river, we were smacked in the face with gusting winds, 20-25+ miles per hour. Being inches off the mighty river in a tiny floating kayak was not a fun place to be. At least, not if you were planning on paddling 76 more miles. The wind was so fierce that it created 2' waves that crested into foaming whitecaps all over the river. If you stopped paddling, you started floating backwards. Quickly. UP river. Against the current (3mph). It took us much cussing and effort just to make it 8 miles down river to Hermann in 3 hours. This blew up our time table for the training run as we had obligations the next morning that we were now hopelessly behind schedule to meet. Luckily we were able to call a friend to pick us up and aborted our paddling there. Though our evening ended with BBQ and whiskey at Hendrix BBQ in St. Charles, the river defeated us that day.
And our beards grew longer, but that defeat lay heavy on our hearts as the race drew closer...
(Continued in: PART II)
Aug 18, 2014 - 340 Miles to Immortality (Part II)
So we did what every great explorer has done before us. We gathered as much information as we could. We read books, online forums, checked and rechecked our gear, and did several training paddles. We focused on the last stretch of the race, which also happened to be the one nearest our home. We were also very fortunate that this race was in our backyard. It's not like we were driving across country for our first look at the river on race day. We were fortunate to get direct experience on the Missouri River ahead of time. The last section of the race, from Washington, MO to St. Charles, MO, is 40 miles by river. During our training runs we learned the importance of getting comfortable in the pain box, minimizing shore time, of river levels impacting overall speed, and on one paddle, just how much the elements are out of our control.
We also knew that to complete the MR340 you need to paddle at night, so having never done that, we knew we needed to practice beforehand. So, along with our buddy John Pollihan, we put in at Washington at 9pm, eventually finishing a little after 5am in St. Charles. It was the best paddle we'd done yet. The weather was phenomenal, low 70s, and a clear night with lots of stars and a super moon literally casting shadows on the river. The tranquil river quietly flowed towards St. Charles and we paddled gently with it. It was a glorious time on the river.
Emboldened by our successes and our growing, yet still immature beards(<1.5"), we decided to try a longer stretch, 77 miles, from the Gasconade River just West of Hermann, MO back to St. Charles. We paddled the first mile or so and made it to the confluence of the MO. As soon as we entered the bigger river, we were smacked in the face with gusting winds, 20-25+ miles per hour. Being inches off the mighty river in a tiny floating kayak was not a fun place to be. At least, not if you were planning on paddling 76 more miles. The wind was so fierce that it created 2' waves that crested into foaming whitecaps all over the river. If you stopped paddling, you started floating backwards. Quickly. UP river. Against the current (3mph). It took us much cussing and effort just to make it 8 miles down river to Hermann in 3 hours. This blew up our time table for the training run as we had obligations the next morning that we were now hopelessly behind schedule to meet. Luckily we were able to call a friend to pick us up and aborted our paddling there. Though our evening ended with BBQ and whiskey at Hendrix BBQ in St. Charles, the river defeated us that day.
And our beards grew longer, but that defeat lay heavy on our hearts as the race drew closer...
(Continued in: PART II)
We arrived early afternoon, check in quickly, and then high-tailed it over to Boulevard Brewing Co for their smokestack tour. It was a great tour with even better beers at the end. A really nice way to kick off the adventure. And though we didn't see much of KC up close, I'm excited to go back. Seems like a cool town.
Our supplies...
We staged our kayaks that afternoon. And that was our first dose of reality: no other kayak was nearly as short as ours. That had to mean something... After the safety meeting, we rechecked our gear for the fifth time, rolled up all loose ends, and went to bed like kids on Dec 24th.
(Continued in: PART III)
Aug 19, 2014 - 340 Miles to Immortality (Part III)
We kicked off at 8am Tuesday, August 12th from Kaw Point in Kansas City, KS. This was a famous Lewis & Clark site with corresponding monuments and statues.
The mayor was present, as were several re-enactors of the early 19th century life. They fired cannons and muskets to start the race. I paddled my ass off to the front, for a brief moment, I was leading the race. Almost immediately I was way behind.
Our plan was simple: paddle like savages the first day. Bank enough time ahead of the Reaper (the boat that travels at the exact cut off speed, fall behind, you're DQ'd) so that we could rest later. So we did. From 8am Tuesday (we'd gotten up at 5am), we paddled for 26 straight hours. Twenty-six. Hours. We ticked off 142 miles before we stopped for our first nap. Now, I've stayed up late before. Gone whole nights without sleeping. But most of the time I was taking it easy watching movies or playing games or partying.
Never before had I done physical exercise for twenty-six straight hours.
A couple hours into the race, we passed a guy our age who said he was already "deep in the pain box." Not a great start to an 88 hour grueling endurance race. Every year, for all sorts of reasons, roughly 30% of paddlers Do Not Finish (DNF). However, most people we passed or more accurately, who passed us, that first day were in high spirits. It was finally go time. We were all out here, lunatics trying to paddle across an entire state. And hot damn, the weather was fantastic and we were ahead of the Reaper! There was an extra special feeling as we passed the large office buildings of downtown KC, knowing that thousands of poor saps were hopelessly toiling away inside.
Later, during the second stretch, we passed 'mr. pain box' again. This time, he was up on the shore, arms around his knees, looking miserable. We called to him, he assured us he was okay, so we continued on, feeling guilty we didn't offer more encouragement to someone clearly about to quit.
We left Kaw Point and passed Lexington, the first check point, 50 miles in. Then passed Waverly, 23 miles later. We stopped briefly at Miami, 105 miles down river, before forcing ourselves back in the boat and heading for Glasgow. We arrived at 10am, 8 hours ahead of the Reaper. Tired, triumphant, and hungry, we clamored ashore. After some breakfast burritos, we stumbled over beneath a big shade tree, laid down on the grass, pulled our hats over our faces and shut down.
I gotta take a second and say a special thank you to the boy scout troops and other organizations that had food tents going at all hours of the night to fill us paddlers up with burgers, brats, and pulled pork. And to all the volunteers who manned the safety boats and helped put on the race, we truly appreciate you!
(Continued in: PART IV)
Aug 20, 2014 - 340 Miles to Immortality (Part IV)
Almost two hours later, we awoke. After 26 straight hours of hardcore paddling, you'd think that double digit minutes of sleep may not seem like much... and you'd be right. But it completely rejuvenated us half-way. Enough so that it seemed like a good idea to continue. A gorgeous summer day, what better to do than paddle the great river? Nothing.And though paddling under the beautiful late summer sun was fantastic, the river was best after the sun went down. Because that's when the stars came out. The river was most silent, gently flowing ever downstream with only the occasional wing dike or buoy to create an audible ripple. Sitting there in the dark in a tiny kayak, floating with the current, you can literally feel the pull of the mighty river as it inexorably carries you downstream. And not just that it's pulling your boat along, but it feels like the river has an energy to it that's magnetized and moving and you're caught right up in it, flowing through one of the main arteries of the continent itself.
Paddling at night was incredible. The stillness of the wind made the water, silently flowing, look like liquid glass. So calm and peaceful. The super moon, full on Monday, slowly waned throughout the week, but provided a nighttime guide light, casting dark shadows in the night.
But for the first two hours of night before the moon came out was my favorite part of the trip. It was cool and clear. Showing some of the most incredible displays of stars I've ever seen.
They gave you plenty of light to paddle by, but when the full moon hit, it was blazing. (Incredible that the moon is actually a terribly poor reflective surface, similar to an iron skillet in that it reflects only about 5% of the sunlight that hits it! I spent a lot of time marveling at that).
But the best thing about paddling at night was the laser light show. Because the race was postponed a month, it coincided perfectly with the Perseid Meteor shower, and that alone turned out to be worth the wait. It was incredible. Starting right after dusk the sky was lit up with countless meteors all night. Though they were a little harder to see with the full moon outshining all else, they were still flashing through the sky every couple minutes. For hours on end. When judged by duration, tail length, brightness, and sheer numbers, there's no doubt we saw the best meteors I've ever seen! It was incredible and it seemed like it was all just for us. For extended periods of time we'd fall silent just staring up at the sky, broken only by someone's exclamation of another sighting. My neck developed a serious cramp from staring straight up while I paddled.
It was common practice to paddle in groups during the night, just safer and more fun than paddling alone in the night on a terrifyingly dark and sinister river. We had several companions at night, but one in particular stuck out: Terika. She was a badass girl who was paddling all by herself and at the point she was tagging along with us (or more appropriately: hanging back), she was 5th in the Women's Solo division! She was a real trooper and I give her immense credit also because she joined us at one of our lower points energy-wise. That night she heroically kept the conversation going while we were essentially zombies mechanically paddling straight ahead trying not to roll over into the water. It helped so much to talk and make the time go by faster. Thank you, Terika!
But another night, when just Tony, Josh, and I were trying to grind out some miles, we ran into the proverbial wall. That wall was made out of exhaustion and fog. Fog on the river can be a very dangerous thing. You can't see potential obstacles on the river (which could potentially include barges bearing down on you) like uprooted trees, buoys, wing dikes, etc and it's very easy to get disoriented.
We'd just pushed on past Katfish Katy's and we're running low on energy. Trying to press on, I kept getting more and more tired. Kept startling myself awake as adrenaline dumped into my system when I realized I'd just dozed off... still slowly paddling! The adrenaline kept getting less and less as the dozing became more and more frequent. I wasn't talking. I was sleepily aware that I should be keeping up with the other guys... and then I'd snap back awake again. And again. And again.
The fog was building around this time. Terrible circumstances coming together. When I'd come back to, I'd be alarmed by the tree floating a few feet in front of me with big branches sticking out above the water! Then as alertness came back and my gaze focused, I'd see it was only fog. I remember bits and pieces from this part of the race... the thickening fog around my kayak was illuminated by my faint nav lights and it began to look physically present, like a solid object. I thought I saw uprooted trees, an actual wall, and even once I swear to God I saw a tiny little canoe with people about a foot tall paddling across the river in front of me. I actually watched them travel a few feet before I realized it was a wisp of fog.
I was at the end of my reserves. Sooner rather than later I was going to lean over in my sleep, roll the kayak, and awake in a terrifying position under water in the middle of this enormous river. At night. I told the other guys and they agreed they were exhausted too. We tried to find a place along the bank to stop at, but when Josh paddled over to the shore, something large and unknown fell/jumped/dove out into the water with an enormous splash that echoed across the river. We have no idea what it was, but it was plenty unnerving. We paddled on. We kept talking about awesome movies we'd seen and when we named actors, we tried thinking up any movies we'd ever seen them in and liked. Believe it or not, that conversation kept our attention enough to keep us awake. And we finally made it to Cooper's Landing a few miles downstream. We got out, greeted by some local drunk teenagers who were appropriately amazed at our ragged physical and mental state, and laid down on picnic benches to sleep. I got maybe an hour's worth of sleep but I was continually awoken by my shivering. That was the coldest night of the race and I was sleeping outside, on a bench, in a tshirt, two long sleeve tshirts, and my pfd. Wasn't too warm.
So after about two hours, we dragged ourselves up and went down to the river to push on, nothing else to do. When we saw the river, I gotta say I was a little excited. The fog had gotten so thick, there was no way we could paddle anywhere on it safely. No choice but to stay on shore and wait. And at that exact moment (like 5am), we saw a car pull up and a woman unlock the store. Like zombies we stumbled inside after her, just to soak up some of the warmth. She recognized us for what we were and indulged our presence. And my God, she turned on a tv in a side room that had a futon and some chairs! I think I asked her if I could lay down for a minute, she said yes, and I went face first into the futon. It was incredible! I got two hours of deep sleep. I think the other two guys slept in the chairs. But that warm sleep changed everything. Gave me the energy I needed to finish the race. (we found out later that the lady had even fixed up a killer breakfast for the racers, but we'd slept right through it!) I have no idea what her name is, but I thank her profusely...
(Concluded in: PART V)
Aug 20, 2014 - 340 Miles to Immortality (Part V)
So if you count our total time at Cooper's Landing, then we slept for another 4 hours, bringing my total sleep clock to 6.5 hours for the race. Which we would finish in an elapsed time of 81 hours. And I'm not even sure that does it justice, because it's not like we were simply awake but resting any of that time. We were physically paddling those other 74.5 hours! The next day after Cooper's Landing, the morning sun burnt off the fog and we pushed on. We paddled and paddled until night came again, this time we were nearing Hermann and we were planning to meet our ground crew there. Tony's buddy DJ was there with beers and so was our good friend John Pollihan, who had to work the next morning at 6am, but still met us out at the landing in Hermann at midnight to resupply us with food, water, and good cheer. He even dragged us over to the local bar and bought us a round of shots! Awesome idea, John.
After the shots, I stupidly tried to sleep on the ground, not 15 feet from the train tracks... which were used about every 15 minutes as huge freight trains rumbled by. Needless to say that didn't work at all. So we got back on the river and paddled. And paddled.
The last day was great because we finally made it to Washington, MO, which is where we'd started all our training runs. We'd finally made it to our home turf and we plowed through the last 40 miles in record time for us. And a couple minutes past 5pm on Friday, 340 miles and 81 hours after we started way back Kaw Point in Kansas, we reached the finish line and all three of our boats nosed up at the same time! We did it. We made it out of the pain box! And with that, we became part of a sacred brotherhood, members of the indomitable tribe of people who have finished the MR 340, the worlds longest continuous paddling race! Eat it, Will Smith, WE are Legend.
It's humbling to know that a full third of the people who started the race back in Kansas on Tuesday morning dropped out for one reason or another. But us, in our stupid, tiny little kayaks, paddling 3x as many strokes as most, managed to finish the race. At times, it hurt; my back, my neck, my hands, my legs were aching, stiff, and sore; I was exhausted, hallucinating and falling asleep paddling; but with sheer willpower and determination we pushed through. To me, that is what it means to be indomitable. No matter the odds, never give up.
I've told how we met Tony Rocca. Over the next 250+ miles and 70 straight hours, we got to know him. Out of a race full of amazing, incredible, and interesting people, Tony was in a different country. Monikers abound and fall short. Entrepreneur. Alaskan raft guide. Artisan. Globe trotter. Video producer. Craftsman. Movie/Commercial worker. Expedition leader. Busch lover. All around great dude.
Josh Colbeck, the Clark to my Lewis, the magnificent savage who stood up and said that he would tackle this challenge with me, I am so thankful that he was there to plan with me, train with me, and push me. Like Tony, Josh is a man of many talents, snow-boarder, Roganite, power lifter, mechanic, and he can build anything. He's an awesome guy whom I'm proud to call my friend. Couldn't have done it without you buddy.
Between Josh and Tony, I felt like I kept laughing for miles and nippin' off that whiskey. Our conversations and inside jokes got deeper and deeper. We really enjoyed trying to talk other paddlers into having "a nip" any chance we could. (I've since learned that we were called the "rye whiskey crew"... which is obviously awesome!) I think we probably mentioned every single awesome movie I've ever seen or heard of.
I'm so proud of myself. Seriously. This is a huge accomplishment that very few people ever can or will accomplish. I wasn't sure if I was up to the challenge. Especially when I saw everyone else's bigger, better boats. I wasn't sure my back could handle it (I had back surgery twelve years ago). I'd been talking boldly about the race beforehand and I was terrified of failing. But having succeeded, I feel incredibly emboldened, more proof to my belief that I can accomplish anything in this life that I set my mind to. This is going on my life's resume.
I am damn proud of myself. And I feel the exact same way about these guys who finished with me. We stood upon the mountain top together because we got there together. And we got there because of each other.
Django, here's a free man.
You can call me: "Mr. 340."
Nov 8, 2014 - Art of Food
Last night was Slow Food Stl's event: Art of Food at The Luminary on Cherokee St. It was a great event featuring small bites from the best chefs around paired with delicious beverages made by local producers. The Corn Bread Soup cocktail was especially phenomenal, especially when paired with the duck pate from Juniper's owner/head chef, John Perkins. Another favorite was the cheese dumplings from the Scottish Arms. Too many delicious things to list them all, but I want to highlight the dish that StilL 630 was paired with. Jenny Cleveland, master chef and part of the duo behind the highly regarded Edwardsville, IL restaurant Cleveland-Heath, created a broach bean dish, think mexican stewed beans with braised pork belly and a whiskey float on top! And that was paired with our RallyPoint, but not just regular RallyPoint. This batch received an intimate fat-washing courtesy of Tom Halaska of ArtBar and it was wild. I've never done anything like that before, though I've heard brief mentions of it before. It's definitely something I'll have to play with at home... The flavors were so rich and intermingled very nicely. They both did a great job and I'm proud to have been a small part of the Art of Food! It was a really nice evening and I hope to go again next year!
Nov 8, 2014
Motion at the Still
We hosted our first film fest (Motion At The Still) last night at the distillery and it was a huge success!! My MR 340 buddy, Tony Rocca (of Mountain Hard Pair, etc) put it together, his dad manned the grill cooking brats, dogs, and chili, his brother Nick brought in an enormous big screen for the films (it was 16'x9'!), and Tony brought some huge fire pits, tables, and the movies.
Beamer Eisele of the new St. Louis establishment Modern Brewery brought delicious beers, including a stout that had been aged in one of our used sorghum whiskey barrels that was incredible! And I made a huge batch of my Hearth & Home cocktail which was a big hit.
The videos that Mountain Hard Pair put on were fantastic. Huge whitewater from all over the country, incredible paddling skill, and the debut of "Colorado River: Sorry, We Party", which is Tony's documentary about the epic 21 day rafting trip he and his friends, organized, executed, and dominated down the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon. There are few things I love in life more than paddling through white water rapids (maybe whiskey) and these videos were awesome. They perfectly captured that deep adventurous spirit that burns inside us all.
We had bonfires, beers, bbq, white water videos, and whiskey. Add to that good friends old and new and you have yourself a recipe for a great time! The fun went on into the wee hours of the night... it was badass. Even though I was working the whole time, I still had a great time and it seemed like everyone else did too! Who knows, maybe there'll be another film fest in the future... I, for one, would love to be part of making the videos for it!
Raise a glass to the indomitable spirit in all of us.
Nov 20, 2014 - Maximum Exposure
I finagled my way onto tv again! Yesterday, Beth Heidrich (the driving force behind STL Culinary Tours!) and I went on FOX2 News to promote our upcoming Market St. Culinary Tour on Nov 22nd! As expected, I couldn't keep my mouth shut, but Beth was a good sport and let me talk. I'm sure it had nothing to do with the shots we took before we went on air... I don't always drink in the morning, but when I do, I like to go on tv.
And I even got to make a cocktail I created on air! Check it out here: http://fox2now.com/2014/11/12/take-a-tasty-tour-with-market-street-gastro/
Nov 27, 2014 - Giving Thanks
I'm a big fan of Thanksgiving because I love eating and drinking otherwise socially-unacceptable amounts. When I was younger, it was an alright holiday, but far below Halloween and Christmas on my own scale. But as I've gotten older and my own family has grown, so has my appreciation for this holiday. I've stopped being as concerned with what I get for candy or presents and now I take much more enjoyment out of celebrating all the blessings in my life.
My life isn't perfect. In fact, I hope no one's is. Perfection sounds terribly boring. There's no hope for improvement in the future, only fear of things worsening. Regardless, I feel immensely blessed by all the wonderful things in my life.
I have an incredible family that brightens my day no matter what has happened. A loving partner who has agreed to tie her star to mine and share our dreams. She's a spectacular mother to our two little awesome dudes. Neither of them can form a sentence, but together they own my heart. And of course, Big Jake is always there to sneak a slobbery kiss on your face when you least suspect it! I love you all!
I have a spectacular extended family, brothers & sisters, father, in-laws, grand parents, aunts & uncles and cousins! A huge support network that genuinely and unselfishly wants the best for us and helps with the little guys whenever they can. I love you all!
I am so fortunate to have an incredible group of friends and though they are scattered far and wide, I know I can call on any of them at any hour and they would be there for me. I wish so badly that I saw you each more often, but regardless of whether it's been a week or a year, I love you all!
I have a great helper in Adam Larkin, who selflessly does whatever is necessary to help the distillery grow. Many of you have enjoyed a drink somewhere around town because Adam did whatever was needed to deliver that bottle. Thank you, Adam.
I have the physical and mental capacity to pursue my dreams. Thanks to the support and patronage of great people in and around St. Louis, StilL 630 continues to grow. For that, I could not be more thankful.
I don't mean to brag about everything I'm so fortunate to have; I want to burst with excitement. I don't deserve it all, but I try to do my best to. And I'm sure going to make the most of all these blessings and, every day, be thankful for the wonderful things in my life. But the flip side of that, I feel, is to yourself be a wonderful thing in someone else's life. And to know that there is someone out there who is thankful today to have me in there life... that is an incredibly humbling and exhilarating feeling.
And I want to say a special THANK YOU to each and every person who has ever had our spirits or helped our business. Without you, it would not be possible.
To everyone, I hope that you and your loved ones are together today, and that you have realize how much you have to be thankful for. God Bless. Happy Thanksgiving!
Dec 25, 2014 - Merry Christmas to One and All!
I just wanted to take a moment and wish a very heartfelt Merry Christmas to all of you! I hope that this holiday season is filled with loved ones, joy, and delicious holiday spirits! So whether you're curled up by the fire, opening presents under the tree, or watching your seventeenth straight hour of A Christmas Story, I hope that you are taking a moment to be thankful for all the blessings you have. I know I am.
Cheers, and Merry Christmas!!
PS. Maybe some of you were even lucky enough to have a special someone who got you a great gift from the distillery! (or maybe you bought yourself a little something!) If so, we'd love for you to take a picture of yourself & your gift and share it online!
We're on twitter @still630 Facebook HERE and instagram @still630, please tag us and maybe we'll share it with the world!
