The book was extremely useful to introduce me to the world of high quality beer and hidden trails to ride free of traffic.
Mr. Mercer explains everything very clearly and gives you an honest opinion about good places to ride and to enjoy a beverage, including directions, prices and ambiance.
I have been riding road bikes for many years, but Bike and Brew America has inspired me to try to go back to nature and explore hidden trails.
An extra good feature is all the possible updates available through the website that Mr. Mercer gives you in his book.
A very good book. I highly recommend it.

Todd has done it! Here is one of those rare gems that just makes you sit up and say "Why didn't I think of that?". As an avid rider and beer drinker in the Rockies, I can tell you that Todd's descriptions, both of the trails and the breweries, are right on! Reading throught the Boulder section had me re-living glorious afternoons of winding singletrack up on Walker (featured in the book) followed by perfect pints of Mountain Sun beer. There's a group of us from all over the country that gets together three or four times a year to go explore a new place in search of sweet singletrack and hoppy pints. We've found our new bible! I can't wait for the others to come out! I even had a chance to meet Todd at the 2001 Oregon Brewers' Festival. On top of being a first rate author, he's a super nice guy. This book is a great companion for anyone who enjoys craft-brewed beer and wants to find the best of the local trails. Ride on!

This book is excellent and is ideal for the mountain biker who is searching for vacation destinations. The maps, camping information and trail descriptions make it easy to find your way around foreign territory and guarantee a worthwhile experience. I was especially impressed by the accuracy of the trail reviews. The anticipation of riding the trail after reading the review is matched by the saddle experience itself. The author is right on with his duration and technical difficulty ratings. Todd Mercer also seems to have a pretty good taste for beer. After being directed to and visiting the Mountain Sun in Boulder, Colorado, I didn't want to come back to work. I can't wait for my next vacation so that I can check out some more of the Rocky Mountains using this book as my guide.

What an excellent guide! Very through. Great maps. The book covers every drainage in Idaho from ice out to ice over.

This book is the best Idaho guide I have seen. It has clear directions (especially for people who are not familiar with Idaho), plenty of maps, and good complimentary information such as fly shops, motels, and restaurants. It is well written without being condescending, yet it is of just as much use to the experienced flyfisher as it is to the novice. I have not tried out all the streams and lakes listed (obviously), but Retallic and Barker's descriptions and evaluations match those of the fly shops on the internet as much as could reasonably be expected. If I could fault anything, it would be that the book is 5 years old and many things can change in that time. I would really like to see an update. Other than that, I would rate it 4 ½ to 5 stars.

Retallic and Barker know of what they speak. The writers live near, and fish, the water of which they write. It is refreshing to see a "hook and bullet" book that does not try to browbeat you with the authors casting expertise or remembrances of the West of long ago.

This is a very good, easy touse guide on idaho water. If you are going ther, buy it.

The author does a fairly good job of telling those of us who paid for the book where we can find some trout in the Rocky Mountains. If you are like me and have traveled hundreds of miles into the back country (Wyoming is a perfect example) only to find "no tresspassing" signs EVERYWHERE at the end of EVERY road, you too will wonder why strip maps (or any maps at all) were not included in this book. If you are thinking to get this book for photos of wilderness and wild trout - forget it - there are only a few photos. If you are willing to invest a lot of time (and money on topo maps)trying to find the spots in the book, and have loads of free time to pick apart the directions while peering over a map this is a good book. I am willing to hump a pack up a mountain to fly fish for wild trout - I just think the book could of left out the first 142 pages and included maps and photos and made a great guide book...

Fly Fishing the Rocky Mountain Backcountry is a very comprehensive guide to backcountry fishing. Rich Osthoff gives the reader a generous portion of his extremely comprehensive understanding of backcountry fishing. He delves into different backpacking styles, reveals his theories of alpine lake fishing, recounts numerous fishing experiences, and motivates the reader to get on the trail, ready to trek for Trophy Goldens, Rainbows, Cutts, and Brookies. His information on the Goldens of the Wind Rivers alone is reason enough to buy the book. Osthoff should be commended for sharing what he has learned during his 25+ years of backcountry fishing. If anyone wishes to seriously fish for big backcountry fish, this book must be purchased, read and re-read.

essentially the bible for backpacking into the rockies in search of trout and solitude. Although it is a bit dry, and not nearly an interesting of a read as John Geirach, it is very informative.

This series seems to get less exciting the more books you read. I am not sure what it is about it. This book was extremely dull in the middle, but the beginning is suspenseful and the ending you just have to stick around for!

This was new for Lori Wick. I had already read quite a few books by Lori Wick, but this book suprised me. Not that it was a bad book, it was a great book. It was just that Lori Wick, as I had thought, was a pretty easy-going writer. Nothing extreme. Her books didn't have much action. Not that, that is a bad thing, but this was the first book that actully had a villian. Well, a mean villian. I thought it was cool that Pup was a spy. And it pretty much had everything I wanted in a book. I thought it was so interesting and fascinating I read it in abou 6 hours.(:

I really like "To Know Her By Name". McKay is a handsome, daring man who was wounded in a fight. A country, reclusive woman finds the hurt man and takes him in. As he heals he finds out more and more about this woman. It turns out Callie is not as clueless and country girl as he thinks. It turns out she's working for the government as an undercover agent and is working on the same case he is. (He works for the treasury department.) Travel with McKay and Callie as they work to catch a criminal and slowly fall in love with each other.

Wisdom of the Guides is a fantastic book for all levels of flyfishers. The book is full of helpful hints to improve your chances at landing great trout. It is also filled with interesting tales from guides who have seen it all. The book was hard to put down. It is a must read book both for the rec fisher and addict. Remember ....its all in the presentation !

The great value of this book to the western fly fisherperson is twofold. First is the amazing agreement amongst the 10 guides interviewed on many basic points of importance: less false casting, get closer to the fish, mend the line continually while nymphing and dry fly fishing. Secondly the specific fly recommendations and specific suggestions on how to present them. It goes on and on, but there are many fundamentally important points that will help me be a much better fisherman.

Reading Paul Arnold's book was like sitting on the back porch talking to a good friend. As a beginning fly fisherman, I was looking for honest advice about what kind of tackle to buy and other such stuff. What emerged from the interviews was honest advice and comments that I found very helpful; advice that was not burdened with any ulterior motives. You can't be sure of getting this kind of advice in a store, when the motivation to make a sale can color the advice that is dispensed.

While some of the more advanced topics were somewhat over my head, I suspect experienced anglers would find the homey treatment of this information just as refreshing as I found the topics of interest to me.

By its nature, a "How to" book is colored by the preferences of the author. In the case of "Wisdom," the reader is able to weigh the preferences of many experts, then come to his or her own judgments. I recommend this book for anyone interested in fly fishing.

Michelle Black pens a sturdy novel worth acknowledgement from those that adore the years of the gold rush. I am one of those people infatuated by anything that brings those early days of gold rush fever to life. This story takes place in the high hills of Colorado, called Leap Year. In separate stories, the old days are revealed through letters written by Darcy Close's great aunt, Grady. Aunt Grady has died, but in a surprise gesture, willed ownership of the entire (ghost) town of Leap Year to Darcy. When Darcy explores the historic old home on her first visit, she becomes aware that the place has been ransacked in the aftermath of her aunt's death. An intriguing secret makes itself known in the letters Grady has written to Darcy, unfortunately, many pages are lost and tangled in the chaos left behind by the persons responsible for breaking into the home. Darcy begins to question alot of the events that occurred long, long ago, and the circumstances of her aunt's death in the very home she is in.

Therefore, two stories are weaved together. The lust for knowledge of the days long ago are satisfied. Wonderfully described are the harsh, freezing Colorado winters, and the methods of survival by these tough minded, original folk that literally make their own rules in the high elevations of Colorado. In contrast, Darcy's city ways begin to take a backseat as the prospects of a new love interest, western lifestyle and unique personalities reveal new possibilities for her. She finds herself becoming comfortable in the small town, yet there is danger in Darcy being in Leap Year.

A wonderful blend of mystery, romance, entertaining characters, and accurate locale portrayal. What a treat to be privy to the real reasons behind the facts of ancestors' lives--something the present-day heroine isn't even totally privy to, as we can never know the real stories of our parents, grandparents, etc. And, like the main characters, I moved from the Philadelphia area to a small old goldmining town (pop. 270) in the Colorado Rocky Mts. five years ago. If you're drawn to this area, read this book!! It is an accurate representation of living "at altitude" and in a small town filled with "characters"!

Mingling the past and the present makes for an intriguing tale of murder, deceit, survival and love. Pure Rocky Mountain Magic!

The thrills of mountain climbing and caving can be found in this book. TJ Burr's book "Rocky Mountain Adventure Collection" gives one the feeling of being there with him.

TJ Burr covers a wide variety of high country adventure activities with his real life stories of backpacking, skiing, exploring, running, climbing, caving and prospecting. He'll take you to the top of Longs Peak, and into the bowels of a mountain cave. I really enjoyed the way he described his wild caving experiences - I felt like I was in there with him. His book is for anyone interested in high country adventure in the Rockies, not just hard core participants.

TJ wrote in a style that really helped me feel like a bystander watching him climb in the Rockies. He had me on the edge of my seat when he had to race down a mountainside to escape the worsening thunderstorm high above timberline. His descriptions of crawling into mountain caves made me feel claustrophobic. I shared the same sensations through his emotional writing style. You can almost feel the excitement of his adventures through his tales of climbing, skiing, and backpacking. I really enjoyed how the author helped me visualize high country places I've only dreamed of visiting. Whether you are an active participant in outdoor adventure or not, you'll enjoy this book. This was the first mountaineering related book I read, and I really enjoyed it.

This small field guide supposedly covers from Colorado/Utah north to the Canadian border, but many of the animals illustrated also range into the Pacific Northwest, western Canada and California, so this book is useful for most of western North America. There are two pages for each of the 70 mammals, birds and reptile/amphibians. Every animal has a small-scale range map, overall sketch, sketch of its droppings, large sketch of forward and rear footprints and a sketch of the pattern left by several footprints. I found the latter especially useful since many times the individual tracks are not too clear, especially in sand or dry snow, but the track pattern provides a positive identification. This lightweight, pocket-sized format makes it convenient to carry. Highly recommended for hikers, campers and nature buffs.

This small field guide supposedly covers from Colorado/Utah north to the Canadian border, but many of the animals illustrated also range into the Pacific Northwest, western Canada and California, so this book is useful for most of western North America. There are two pages for each of the 70 mammals, birds and reptile/amphibians. Every animal has a small-scale range map, overall sketch, sketch of its droppings, large sketch of forward and rear footprints and a sketch of the pattern left by several footprints. I found the latter especially useful since many times the individual tracks are not too clear, especially in sand or dry snow, but the track pattern provides a positive identification. This lightweight, pocket-sized format makes it convenient to carry. Highly recommended for hikers, campers and nature buffs.

Winner of a 1999 National Outdoor Book Award, this small guide contains a wealth of information.

As an environmental educator who has been teaching tracking classes for over 15 years, this is the book I now use for all of my classes. Page for page, "Scats and Tracks" is the most useful and useable resource for track identification in the field that I have found.

Packed with information that is useful to both the novice and the more experienced tracker, "Scats and Tracks" is the easiest of the various guides for beginners to use, yet contains enough information to remain relevant as one's skills improve.

The quality of its contents make the book an invaluable resource; its size, format, and organization make it easy to understand and use effectively. If you're going to buy just one of the many books now available on track identification, "Scats and Tracks" should be the one!

I found Honor's Pledge bascially dull and unexciting for the first three-fourths of the book. The author spent a great deal of time developing Abbie and Monte's mutual attraction to each other and not enough time developing their characters. After Monte marries someone else because of his honor's pledge, the book suddenly gets eventful. The last fourth of the book contains all the plot development and excitement, including a murder, a kidnapping, a surprising rescue, encounters with Comanches, a scarlet fever epidemic, and a gold strike. I had originally planned to give the book three stars, but added one just because of the last part of this book. Overall, however, I've read much better Christian historical romances, and I hope that the next in this series will improve on plot and develop the characters more fully.

Kristen Heitzmann is a talented author who really captures the beauty of the Rocky Mountains. Honors Pledge will keep you into the book and not wanting to put it down. It's a book that you'll want to read more than once.

I have really enjoyed Kristen Heitzmann's first book and series. She does excellent character developement and plot twists that emotionally wraps the reader. What I liked best is that her books are not predictable. You'll never know what she would put upon you next. Young Abigail Martin is a headstrong, determined, feisty and tomboyish woman who loves to call Rocky Bluffs, Colorado her home. She meets aristocratic and sophisticated Montgomery Farrel from South Carolina who stirs the romantic fires in her heart. So dashing the hopes of her long-time childhood friend Blake McConnel, Abbie sets her cap for the handsome gentleman. Little did she know that Monte had a pledge to fulfill, a pledge that will forever change the relationship between her and Monte. Abbie must learn to let things work out to God's timing instead of her own. Through devastation, murder and the terror of being kidnapped by ruthless outlaws, Abbie grows up to become a changed young woman as she surrenders her destiny and fate to God. Monte will learn also the grace of God and that all things work out good together for those who love God. Though the book is a bit boring in the beginning but you must read on because there is descriptions of the lovely Colorado plains and rugged mountains, the people who struggled to make a living there, the Indians in the Post-Civil War era. I definitely recommend reading this book and the series if you have enjoyed first Kristen's DIAMOND OF THE ROCKIES and Twilight. I am looking forward to reading and enjoying her latest book, A Rush of Wings.

"For fun and pleasure" is why seventeen year old Lewis Garrard went west with Ceran St. Vrain's wagon train in 1846. What unfolds is a unique first hand narrative of overland travel along the Sante Fe Trail to Bent's Fort, Colorado and then on to Taos, New Mexico. This book is supposedly the only eye witness account of the trials and hangings of the revolutionaries who attempted to overthrow the newly acquired American occupancy in Taos by murdering Govenor Charles Bent and several others. Garrard's writing is commendable, being such that the reader feels they are right there with him. We read descriptions of how it was to live with, travel and meet trappers, frontiersmen, mountaineers, and Indians (both friendly and hostile), go on buffalo hunts, endure starvation, lack of water, the forces of nature, etc. while in the mountains and deserts of the southwest. Considered an historical masterpiece and rightfully so.

Garrard's book, besides being of particular interest, ties in with others about the west that combine to inform the reader as no other way can. The language used by such a young author is remarkable, but we must recall that usage changes with time. It helps to keep a dictionary handy. The first person account puts the reader not only on the trail, but in Cheyenne teepees and Bent's Fort where so much of the history of the west, and of those who opened it, came together. Susan Magoffin's book (Down the Santa Fe Trail, and into Mexico) is of another trip along the same route six months apart, and lends a womanly and complimentary view to that of Way To Yah. For those who found Garrard's book less than five star value, I say, read the book again. Often when I do this, appreciation of the work is enhanced. The more one reads of Santa Fe and those who traveled it's trail, the greater will become their respect for Lewis who opens to us the eyes of a young man thrilled with his situation, and who expresses himself as honestly as anyone I have had the joy to read. We are fortunate that he lived to weave into the fabric of the west his wonderful tale. Susan Magoffin reveals another side of the "trail" in her book, both of which combine to inform the reader while revealing truths of a time unfortunately past. Fascinating reading and a must for anyone seriously interested in the Santa Fe trade. Susan died at home, age 26. Lewis and she each wrote just one book.

This newsy contemporary recounting of a trip that includes being a guest in Cheyenne lodges, freezing on the Texas plains, witnessing the trials of the murderers of New Mexico Governor Charles Bent, and wonderful conversations with mountain men and French Canadian voyageurs is written by a boy with an enthusiasm for his experience and a good eye and ear. Lots about horses, mules, food and dancing. A lovely book and fine language.