My 2011 | Not just another year

I kicked the year off snowboarding Aspen snowmass on New Year’s Day

© 2011 Brett Heliker

Then deep fried anything and everything we could find

© 1970 brett. All rights reserved.

(remember the bacon wrapped oreos?)

Finally realizing a long-held dream, I ascended the summit of Kilimanjaro, highest point in Africa

© 1968 brett. All rights reserved.

(more pictures)

Where I watched the most magnificent sunrise of my life.

© 1966 brett. All rights reserved.

And wrote a little essay about it: Kilimanjaro: No moon, no stars, blackness. Freezing, failing headlamps reveal only a couple meters of terrain around me. The 60kmph wind howls around us, cutting off speech and chilling us through to the … Continue reading →

At a more leisurely pace I drove through the Serengeti on an African Safari

© 1964 brett. All rights reserved.

(more pics)

Before coming home to share some amazing times in Tahoe with close friends

© 1962 brett. All rights reserved.

We climbed to new heights on my 30th birthday!

© 1960 brett. All rights reserved.

Awesome job, Haley! (more pictures)

And my beer brewing “hobby” has spun out of control with this 3bbl upgrade!

5 March

© 1958 brett. All rights reserved.

Then more snowboarding. What a great season!

27 March

© 1956 brett. All rights reserved.

Thanks to the MTB Crew for all the great memories.

A quick “adventure race” started off the spring in style (and soreness).

2 April

© 1954 brett. All rights reserved.

We’ll kick ass next race, Patrick.

But I soon left the country again for Argentina

12 April

© 1952 brett. All rights reserved.

(more pictures)

Where I drank excellent Argentine whiskey over 300 year old glacier ice,

14 April

© 1950 brett. All rights reserved.

(more pictures)

Visited the sublime mountains of Fitz Roy, and…

15 April

© 1948 brett. All rights reserved.

(more pictures)

Paddled to the end of the Earth.

21 April

© 1946 brett. All rights reserved.

Stef, you are the best travel buddy ever. When’s the next trip?

Back home again we explored the local haunts like Big Basin

2 May

© 1944 brett. All rights reserved.

and did a bit of beer drinking. Photo:

“Ran” the Bay 2 Breakers race in San Francisco

15 May

© 1942 brett. All rights reserved.

And rang in the summer by celebrating Dana’s birthday with Guns, Trucks, Fire and style.

28 May

© 1940 brett. All rights reserved.

(more pictures)

I then summited Mount Shasta, setting a personal best with Alan’s help.

12 June

© 1938 brett. All rights reserved.

So sorry about the eyes, Alan! (more pictures)

Came back down to mountain bike, wine taste, and enjoy the company of the best crew ever.

25 June

© 1937 brett. All rights reserved.

Sadly, we had to say goodbye to a long-time roommate.

25 June

© 1936 brett. All rights reserved.

We miss you, Rooster!

I crawled through one of the deepest caves in the Peninsula.

26 June

© 1934 brett. All rights reserved.

(more pictures)

The SantaAnamal house celebrated the Fourth of July in good old southern, white trash style.

4 July

© 1932 brett. All rights reserved.

Everyone looked GREAT. Congrats King Badier and Queen Renee! (more pictures)

Mountain biked some more

9 July

© 1930 brett. All rights reserved.

Explored the undiscovered bits of the Bay Area

10 July

© 1928 brett. All rights reserved.

And celebrated Max’s birthday. (’nuff said)

17 July

© 1926 brett. All rights reserved.

(more pictures)

Visited, climbed and trekked in Tuolumne, Yosemite a few times as summer came to a close

31 July

© 1924 brett. All rights reserved.

Another upgrade: a new fermentation vessel. Isn’t it gorgeous?

3 August

© 1922 brett. All rights reserved.

(But, seriously? What are we doing?)

I found a new guitar, a real work of art

© 1920 brett. All rights reserved.

A wedding!

© 1918 brett. All rights reserved.

Some downhill, intense mountain bike riding in Mammoth Mountain with the MTBers again.

© 1916 brett. All rights reserved.

That weekend was so much fun! (more pictures)

And lots of quality time with the Roomies

© 1914 brett. All rights reserved.

Did some climbing in Boise, Idaho

© 1912 brett. All rights reserved.

I found some fantastic waterfalls in Iceland

© 1910 brett. All rights reserved.

More pictures coming “soon”…

Thanksgiving with the beloved family, as always

© 1908 brett. All rights reserved.

Wished a dear friend goodbye and good luck on her new adventures

© 1906 brett. All rights reserved.

We raced our hardest to celebrate Dave’s Birthday

© 1904 brett. All rights reserved.

(more pictures)

Enjoyed a fantastic Christmas with the family!

© 1902 brett. All rights reserved.

And closed the year out with old friends in an old favorite setting. Happy New Year!

© 1900 brett. All rights reserved.