Jeff Dean

From the minute you leave the airport and start driving in, you realize that Chicago rocks.

It’s clean, filled with young liberals, decent food (the best Flan I’ve ever had), a bustling downtown and relaxing outskirts.

Sheer beauty – multi-thousand foot limestone cliffs and spires as far as the eyes can see.

A clean, beautiful city in the shadows of the Dolomites. The food (especially the gelato) was fantastic, the people were friendly and (I hear) the wine was excellent. Worth moving to…

As museums go, Venice is a good museum. As malls go, Venice is great for window shopping but a bit overpriced. As far as going there it is undoubtedly beautiful and unique, but if it slips into the sea, you won’t be worse off for not seeing it.

I went there during the annual hash bash – the hash bash was a total let-down, but the farmer’s market was great!

After spending a week in Invermere with Rigging for Rescue, when Kirk Mauthner still ran it, I had seem a beautiful part of BC.

Then I went to Vancouver, and while it was a beautiful city, I can’t say much for the police. As we were driving in (in a car with New York plates), we were pulled over by a police man who proceeded to very pleasantly talk to us about what we were doing and recommended some good hotels.

When I asked why he had pulled us over he said that we “piqued his interest”, and after he looked at the picture on my license he said “boy, you look like a terrorist!”

The last time I was in Bozeman was in the fall of 2001, and there was a fire outside of town that was so large that you I could see the smoke for almost the entire 12 hour drive from Seattle.

From the Pow Wows at the local university to the skiing and hot springs nearby, Bozeman is a very hip place.

Although most Americans probabley wouldn’t mind a repeat of the war of 1812, during which the white house was set on fire, DC is the home of the Capital Steps comedy troupe!

When you come off of Book of Solemnity, with your fingers bloody and your ego boosted, there’s nothing better than getting brick oven pizza by the EMS.

In the summer, after climbing the slabs you can go for a swim and enjoy the unbelievable weather there. In the winter, well, you probably don’t want to swim – even if you could break a hole in the ice big enough to get through.

And watch out for Moose on the Kankamangus!

The last time I was in the Dacks we were ice climbing by Chapel Pond – and when we were done the Cliffhanger Cafe was closed!

I’ve been to the Dacks since I was a kid and I always get excited when I turn off the northway and start to see the contours change.

If you’re there in the winter, you must hike Giant – and slide all the way down on your bum! Just remember to take your crampons off…