You Blend Me Right Around Baby Right Round

Getting into shape/pursuing a healthy lifestyle usually goes hand in hand with adopting a serious affliction for smoothies, which also usually goes hand in hand with forking over a large sum of money for a blender. Rejoice, the Ninja Master Prep! Under $40, eligible for Amazon Prime shipping, what more could you possibly want?

The blender comes with two sizes of containers (the smaller one is great for individual portions) and offers plenty of bang for your buck. I've been able to blend all kinds of smoothie ingredients, from ice and frozen fruit to kale and other greens.

It's not the most quiet blender in the world, but it's not as deafening as many other models. Plus, at this price point, can you really complain? It's been up to the task for every recipe I've made and is still going strong a year later with almost daily use. 

It's designed upside down from how most blenders are, but I actually love it that way. It's much easier to clean and load up. That long grey plastic thing in the middle is what the blade is attached to, which makes the blade easy to grab, pull out, and rinse off without risking cutting yourself (always a bonus for the accident prone like myself). You can wash easily by hand or throw everything in the dishwasher. Plus, you don't have to worry about spilling anything once you've added all your ingredients. 

I'm very spill-prone and constantly worried about whether I screwed on the bottom of previous blenders tightly enough, but with this blender you just pop the lid on and then attach the motor and press down. There aren't multiple settings, but I never knew how to use all of those on other blenders anyways. Keep it simple, right?

You do have to hold down the top to keep it blending, but I've never made anything that has taken more than a minute-ish, so this hasn't been an issue for me. I truly love this blender and highly recommend it for anyone that wants to enjoy the wonderful world of smoothies on a budget. FYI I didn't get paid by anyone to say any of these things, I just wanted to share some blender love with you all. Happy blending!

May's Adventure Dog: Scarlett

**Wow, that was fast! A foster from DMK Rehoming will be taking Scarlett in. Thanks Outdoor Beginner readers!**

And Now, For Something Completely Different: Snorkeling in Looe Key

Despite what the recent trends of this blog may suggest, I do actually venture outside of the state of Colorado. I used to spend my winters working in Florida (less glamorous than it sounds, believe me) and I’m willing to try almost anything once (unless it involves jumping out of anything or close encounters with carnivorous animals). My boyfriend and I headed down to Key West for a weekend getaway, and had an absolute blast snorkeling in Looe Key.

The Looe Key Reef Resort and Dive Center is reasonably priced and highly recommended by yours truly (and our resident Key West expert/friend who lives in the Keys). For $39 per person, you get a half day of snorkeling plus all the equipment that comes with. If you’re stupid and forget sunscreen (totally NOT me and Billy), they also sell biodegradable, reef-friendly sunscreen for only a few bucks (I was 100% convinced I would shell out $20 for an 8 ounce container. Not so!).

The dive center is actually located on Ramrod Key, about a 35 minute drive from Key West proper. We were staying on Summerland Key, so it was a bit shorter from there. It’s super easy to find and is literally right off the highway, so you can’t miss it.

Trail Review: St. Mary's Glacier

St. Mary’s Glacier is a bit of a hidden gem, so I’ve been a little reticent to share it here. They actually removed the “Glacier” part from the highway sign so fewer people can find it, but I guess I’ve come to terms with the fact that I’m okay with (potentially) ruining that. It’s definitely a hike you should do once, if not to say you’ve seen/been on a glacier, than for the spectacular views (although this is admittedly a common theme in hiking in Colorado).

On the topic of common themes, this was also a heck of a hike for me as a beginner. However, it is one of many trails that are tough, but doable. I’m a big believer in taking as many breaks for water/getting oxygen as you need. The point of hiking is to enjoy your beautiful surroundings, so why put pressure on yourself to get done AS FAST AS POSSIBLE. It’s not a race.

Elevation is always a factor for what to wear while hiking, but this is particularly true at St. Mary’s.  It is WINDY. We went in mid-September, while it was still quite hot in Denver, and were bundled. As always, dress in plenty of layers and carry a backpack to carry them as you peel them off on the way down.

Finding St. Mary’s does require some driving on non-paved roads, which can get a little rough. Take the St. Mary’s exit of off I-70, after passing through Idaho Springs (which, by the way, is the mother of all post-hiking lunch options. Hit up Tommy Knocker’s Brewery, BeauJo’s Pizza, or Smokin Yard BBQ. All are epic). It’s about an hour drive, depending on traffic.