My Missoulian Images

Danica Winters, local romance novelist, sits at her home outside of Frenchtown Wednesday morning. Winters' novels are often inspired by events that have happened in her life. She began writing children’s books but moved to romance novels because “I like the challenge that writing novels offers,” says Winters. 

Josh Clark, candidate for Missoula County Sheriff, announces to a small group of Missoula County residents that he is running for sheriff in the 2014 elections. Elections will be held June 3rd, 2014. 

Monica Roscoe scopes out a sled run for her daughters on the hills above the east side of the University of Montana Golf Course. 

From left, Isadora Welzenbach and Jane Roscoe share a sled pulled my Hillary Welzenbach while her daughter, Alena, and Monica Roscoe and her daughter, Ruby, lead the group to the top of a small sled hill on the east end of the University of Montana Golf Course friday morning.

Alena Welzenbach and Ruby Roscoe take a short break after their first sled run Friday Morning. Heavy snowfall Friday morning allowed for people to sled, cross country ski, and snow shoe at the University of Montana Golf Course. 

Ruby Roscoe and Alena Welzenbach, from left, walk their sleds to their next run on the University of Montana Golf Course Friday morning. 

Brent Gyuricza talks about his plans for his new business, Maverick Motorsports. Gyuricza says he wants to almost quadruple the size of the business space and increase his inventory. He plans on having the move to 4950 North Reserve Street complete by late spring.

Mike Tingley started Mike Tingley's Motorsports 44 years ago on South Avenue in Missoula. Tingley and his wife, Betty, plan to volunteer and pursue their hobbies now that they have sold their business to Brent Gyuricza.

Recent Maverick Motorsport's customer, Brian Rogers chats with salesman, Wyatt Blevins and sales manager, Scott McLinden, from left, last week. Rogers recently bought a 2013 Suzuki DRE  400 from Maverick Motorsports. 

Preslie and her mother, Shanda Richards, take a short break from shopping to throw a penny into the fountain at the Southgate mall in Missoula. 

These are what I have been producing while I've been working at the Missoulian. 

Captions to come later. 

Football

My facebook news feed has been blowing up with sadness and happiness as a result of today's football outcomes. So, in honor of football, and being all into sports and stuff, here are some photos I took of the University of Montana vs. Weber State game. 

Climbing Aint Easy, Kids.

Yesterday I had the opportunity to take photos of one of Missoula's climbing power couples, Michelle Felix and Mackenzie Moore. They each attempted their respective projects in Kootenai Canyon, and although neither sent, they both walked away with more beta and more stoke.

It was chili, there was snow on the ground, and they were prepared to send. Michelle's stoke even seemed to wear off on to the police officer that pulled her over. Going 86 in a 70 and let off with a warning... she must be contagious.

Michelle's project is Venus Fly Trap, a 5.12d/5.13a sport line on the second buttress. It's gently overhanging and the holds are small; many are sloping, making them even more difficult to grab and hold on to. It's a good looking climb on beautiful Bitterroot granite/mylonite. She finished it after taking a few falls, but thinks that she can get it next time around.

Mackenzie's project is Sick Man, a very overhanging 5.12d/5.13a sport line in the Sick Bay cave. It's long, sends the climber horizontal on a couple occasions, and relentless. It climbs near the right side of the cave and slowly traverses left towards the center where it tops out on the crest of the cave. Mackenzie hurt his finger while climbing and wanted to rest for a competition he plans to climb in over the weekend.

Here are some of the photos taken during the climbs.

Remember kids, climbing ain't easy.






All Photos copyrighted. ©Elliott Natz

How to Make a Didgeridoo: With Dave Hobbs

Hobbs sands down the face on the Didgeridoo, Thor, to get the correct texture for a smooth look.

Hobbs sands in the finer sections of Thor's face trying to achieve the right texture.

Hobbs separates the freshly but pieces on Thor so he can begin carving out the center.

Hobbes carves out the inside of Thor. He uses a grinder with a chainsaw attachment to takes the larger chunks out then smooths the inside later with a few different grinder attachments and a circular sander.

Hobbs pours spar varnish down the center of the didgeridoos to seal the inside from moisture. The specific didgeridoo that he is holding here is called the "Squidge."

Hobbs paints spar varnish on the outside of another didgeridoo.

Hobbs preps a didgeridoo for an internal application of spar varnish.

Hobbs takes a break at the end of an evening of didgeridoo making.

Dave Hobbs and Brian Martens play a jam session of some of the didgeridoos that Hobbs has made.

Hobbs jams on Thor in the tunnel underneath Orange Street. The acoustics in the tunnel make the didgeridoos louder and allow for more echoing.