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Hiking in the New Year

 

Some time ago, we fell into a tradition of taking a hike on New Years Day, if the weather is good. We skip the whole drunken party deal, opting for sore muscles instead of a sore head. Seems to work out better.

This year Apple Orchard Mountain got the nod, and by noon we were hiking down from the highest point on the Blue Ridge Parkway to Apple Orchard falls, one of the nicest in Virginia. You hike downhill along the stream, following cascades all the way, and about 1000 feet below you get to the main falls. It’s hard to capture scale in photos, but the main section drops over 200 feet.

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Cabin Porn

 

Just because I came across this recently, and Doug made me think of it:

http://freecabinporn.com/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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The Boat Hoist

Hibernating for the Winter 

 

The hoist took quite a bit of pondering. It needs to be easy to use, but strong enough to hang a boat for months at a time. Old problems tend to have many solutions, and lifting heavy objects is about as old as problems get. Often each method will create a new problem for every one it solves, so settling on the right combination required some thought. It can get complicated. Like friend Steve Early, I confess to a preference for simple tools. Well, in my case, it’s an actual need, a handicap, and I believe I go a bit further than even he does.

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The Boat Shed

New Old Shed 

 

The old shed is still old, but now it’s an old boat shed. A remarkable improvement.

The door opening needed to be about two feet wider to allow clearance for the trailer. Which, of course, meant the old doors would no longer fit. They were getting pretty ratty anyway. Spent two days making new ones. I’ll get a bit of paint on them if the warm weather lasts, but they’re already nicer than the old ones.

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A Christmas Story

 

 

 

Really well done.

Regardless of your spiritual beliefs, it’s a great story.

So many ways to celebrate the return of the sun (son).

 

 

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360 Degree Music

“Come and Go” 

 

This is fun. A music video shot with a 360 degree video lens. People exit out of frame right and simultaneously reenter on the left. Trippy. The music is pretty catchy, too. (Best when played full screen.)

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Remembering Ocracoke

Ocracoke Lighthouse

 

From a trip to Ocracoke Island back in 2007.

 

Might be time to go back, but with a pair of little sailboats. Sailing around the harbor, Silver Lake, and in the lee of the island along the sound, would be nice indeed.

 

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