Rants and musings, without care for substance.
Posted in events, outside, photography on Apr 23rd, 2012
It’s hard to express why I wanted to see Discovery make her final voyage, but I just had this feeling that I had to. A fascination and curiosity to see her in flight, without turning on a television or loading photos in my web browser.
I’ve wanted to see a night launch for years, experience night [...]
After I completed the 2011 Warrior Dash in Maryland, I saw a guy with a head-mounted video camera. As it turns out, he filmed his entire run through the Mechanicsville course. He sped it up a little bit in post, so the video is less than 15 minutes (per YouTube’s rule). No sound, but all [...]
The mud at Budds Creek smells like crap. Literally. It’s nauseating and when you take a dive and end up covered in the stuff from the neck down, the only thing to do is flail your arms and keep running.
I’ve got to hand it to the designers, the 2011 Warrior Dash in Maryland was the [...]
Posted in outside, photography on Apr 18th, 2011
Savannah is known for its squares. These twenty-two city-block sized plots of municipal property form the border of the historic district and are filled with gardens, grass, monuments, benches, paths, walkways, and all sorts of pleasantness. But as nice as these squares are, the historic district of Savannah is first and foremost a city of [...]
Posted in outside, photography on Nov 29th, 2010
Located in northern New Jersey, Camp Mason is one of many YMCA camps that caters to summer programs for kids, team-building weekends, and corporate retreats. I hadn’t been up to visit in more than a decade, so a lot has changed.
When the dam broke a few years back, the decision had to be made whether [...]
When it comes to splitting wood, there are two schools of thought.
This first is the old school method, with an ax. 100% shoulder building goodness, albeit with slightly modernized tools, and a surefire recipe for aches and pains in the morning.
The preferred way is with a gas-powered wood splitter, affectionately referred to as Olga. You [...]
Posted in life in general, outside, things i'd like to see on Sep 19th, 2010
The last two weeks have been absolutely gorgeous, a perfect example of the best weather Maryland has to offer.
It’s about letting the cool breeze flow through the house at night, without the need for a down comforter or heat. It’s the ability to wear shorts or jeans and being comfortable in either. There’s no humidity. [...]
Posted in events, outside, photography, travel on Dec 10th, 2009
Lately, I’ve been all about going out and doing things. With that in mind — and paying tribute to various anniversaries of sorts — on December 6th we drove down to Shenandoah National Park to climb a mountain. Old Rag, to be specific. Though my associates had been numerous times, it was my first time. [...]
Posted in life in general, outside on Nov 8th, 2009
On a chilly Sunday morning, a small carload of folks drove out to Bridgeville, Delaware, for the 24th Annual World Championship Punkin Chunkin. Soon after we arrived, the morning gave way to an uncharacteristically warm November afternoon. We soon discovered firsthand some true marvels of engineering; air cannons, trebuchets, catapults, and centrifuges, all designed and [...]
Posted in life in general, outside on Oct 3rd, 2009
I left work early yesterday to go water skiing on the Potomac River. My father and I drove up to Middletown to meet Ed (our host). The boat already prepped, we drove to the boat ramp at Four Locks. Just upstream from a dam, the facility is operated and maintained by the U.S. National Park [...]
Posted in outside on Aug 12th, 2009
Who would have thought that floating down the Potomac River would be so enjoyable? I remember floating around the water park at Wild World (then Adventure World, then Six Flags) a long time ago. This is pretty much the same, except the adult version. As the guide explained to our bus, “there’s no open containers [...]
Posted in outside on Apr 20th, 2009
I went skeet shooting yesterday.
When I think of skeet shooting, I envision very wealthy men wearing forest camouflage gear and bright orange shooting glasses, lugging a shotgun around a grassy field. Afterward they retreat to the club and indulge in snifters of scotch and top-shelf cigars, reveling in their awesomeness.
I watch too many movies.
In real [...]
Posted in life in general, outside on Mar 2nd, 2009
Since the snow removal guys haven’t gotten around to the side streets, several of the neighbors have taken it upon themselves to shovel the street. That’s a lot of street to clear.
Does the guy with the snow blower decide to help out? No, he does not. He clears his driveway and his 15-16 feet worth [...]
Posted in outside on Oct 6th, 2008
Staying in the same place for months, it’s easy to forget how beautiful this county is. Driving up 83N through northern Maryland and up 15N through Pennsylvania and New York this time of year is a rich and colorful experience. The leaves are turning and there’s a great mixture of green, red, orange, and yellow [...]
Posted in outside on Aug 12th, 2008
On Saturday I helped some friends with their latest backyard project. It’s a big one and they’re doing it themselves: an in-ground 30′ by 15′ liner-based pool with surrounding deck. So a few of us went over on a wonderfully mild Maryland afternoon to assist. The hole had been excavated and after a few minutes [...]
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