Numbers

28 seconds during the 48-hour limit for Matt Mahoney during the Hardrock Hundred Mile Endurance Run in Silverton last month. He is not considered an official finisher of this year's race, which gains 33,000 feet and goes over 14,048-foot Handies Peak, but he has finished it four times.

8 people from Colorado completed the Badwater Ultramarathon, a 135-mile race through Death Valley, Calif.: Nattu Natraj (41 hours, 54 seconds), Jamie Donaldson (41:00:57), Martin Franklin (41:29:24), Marshall Ulrich (41:44:23), Anita Marie Fromm (42:53:08), Brett Sublett (43:33:32), Jack Humphrey (46:18:12) and James Smith (48:18:28).

JOE ON THE GO

The dilemma: There's nothing like a night spent in the great outdoors-until morning comes and you barely can zip open your sleeping bag without your daily cup of joe.

The fix: GSI Outdoor's H2Jo! coffee filter.

Why it works: There are plenty of options for brewing coffee in the backcountry but perhaps none quite this lightweight and neat. Simply pour hot water into your own water bottle, screw on the filter and add ground beans. Unlike with some coffee press/ mug combos, there's no chance of grounds floating around in the drink. Plus, it's easy to share - if you must.

Bottom line: This ounce (and a half) of prevention is worth every pound of premium java you put into it.

Get it: $9.95; gsioutdoors.com.

Cindy Hirschfeld

FROM THE BOOKSHELF

The book: Dog Body, Dog Mind: Exploring Your Dog's Consciousness and Total Well-Being by Dr. Michael W. Fox.

Cost: $24.95 (Lyons Press).

Why it's worth a read: We all wish our dogs could talk. This book by a respected veterinarian and newspaper columnist tells readers how to best communicate with their dogs by learning behavioral cues and understanding how the dog's mind works.

The best part? The ending, titled "Let's Be Worthy of Our Dogs," in which Dr. Fox writes, "Dogs mirror some of the best and worst qualities of the human species. . . . What we do to dogs is indeed a reflection of our humanity - both individually and culturally."

Who should read it: Anyone who has shared his or her life with a dog.

Deb Acord