If you are at the point where getting outdoors for some fresh air and exercise in January has just meant shoveling the snow off your driveway, you might need a little inspiration to get you motivated to get out and do something fun again. It’s easy to find yourself in a bit of a slump after the holidays, so I have a couple of things coming up this weekend that will probably motivate you to release the white knuckle grip you’ve had on the TV remote recently.
Close to home here in Golden, the Colorado Mountain Club is going to be hosting the Backcountry Film Festival Jan. 27-28. This will be in the Foss Auditorium on the third floor of the American Mountaineering Center at 710 10th St.
This is produced by Winter Wildlands Alliance and is presented as “a collage of human-powered stories and backcountry-inspired experiences” that “ignites wild conversations and inspires action to communities that celebrate the present while looking towards the future.” It’s a collection of short films that highlight people getting out in the wilds and enjoying nature in various ways. I have a feeling these will be mostly positive perspectives, so you probably won’t be seeing folks recounting their experiences with Bigfoot in Montana. That’s what YouTube is for.
Winter Wildlands Alliance is actually a national nonprofit organization that partners with groups like the Colorado Mountain Club at a local level to inspire and educate the backcountry community to protect and care for their winter landscapes. Funds raised at each screening stay in the local community to support human-powered recreation and conservation efforts, winter education as well as avalanche and safety programs and to raise awareness of winter management issues. This is sort of a traveling show that moves through a few different locations around the state that are centers for a lot of outdoor activities.
Doors open at 6:30p.m. and the films start at 7p.m. Tickets run $15 for CMC members, $18 non-members. For more information and to order tickets in advance go to the Colorado Mountain Club website at cmc.org/events/backcountry-film-fest.
Another event that is coming up this weekend is happening in Denver but will probably be of interest to a lot of people here in Golden, judging from the number of biker friends I have here in town. It’s the 45th Colorado Motorcycle Expo 2023 that’s going to be happening on Jan. 28-29 at the National Western Complex, located at 4655 Humbolt St. in Denver.
For all the “old-timers” in the area, this is the show we always just refer to as “the swap meet” but it’s grown into the largest motorcycle show in the Rocky Mountain region. This is the place to go for anything and everything related to motorcycles you could imagine and a little inspiration to get out and ride again.
First off, there will be over 100 show bikes there competing in more than a dozen categories. The thing is huge and they will also have over 800 vendors selling everything from motorcycle parts and accessories to art, jewelry, tattoos, clothing and even new and used motorcycles. Then there’s the food and drinks, live music and other entertainment, clubs and rider organizations representatives as well as rider educational booths. And yes, it’s still a swap meet too, so you can barter for stuff just like you always did.
The Colorado Motorcycle Expo will be open from 9 a.m.- 7p.m. on Jan. 28 and 9 a.m.- 4 p.m. on Jan. 29.
Tickets run $75 for the VIP Package which includes a weekend admission/parking pass, VIP lounge access with free tastings, VIP area access for all special events, two free drink tickets and a swag bag with coupons and freebies.
Or you can just get a Saturday ticket for $25 that includes free admission on Sunday or a Sunday ticket for $20.
They also offer $2 discount for Active Military and Seniors 65+ (with proper ID at the door only) and children 12 and under are free. For more information go to coloradomotorcycleexpo.com.
John Akal is a well-known jazz artist/drummer and leader of the 20-piece Ultraphonic Jazz Orchestra. He also is president of John Akal Imaging, professional commercial photography and multimedia production. He can be reached at jaimaging@aol.com.
