Rappshine

This weekend was one to remember. Karie had her graduation which followed with a dinner at the Inn to celebrate on Thursday night. Friday Steve, Eddie and I hiked up White Oak Canyon; spotting a bear along the trail. After the hike I rode the motorcycle across the county and back. Saturday Katie had her first prom at the old schoolhouse in Sperryville. That night Steve, Matt, Marshall and I camped out at the new cabin or "lodge". Sunday was a twelve mile hike with Marshall and a cookout and touch football back at Millwood.

Rain, Fire & Icing

This weekend it rained, a lot, in fact its still raining. I believe the current tally puts the total rainfall around seven inches in the past few days. Since the rivers were up Matt and I checked out White Oak Canyon and then had a our fill at Pig & Steak. Saturday afternoon the family went to the Wayland's for Sarah's wedding. Beautiful ceremony and reception, not to mention tapas by four & twenty! Then to cap it all off Steve, Matt, and I had the new cabin's first fire.

The Bloom

This weekend the crew came out to Winchester from this years Apple Blossom Festival or "The Bloom". It was a great time, two four hour parades blarred on through out most of the weekend. Nights were out bar hoping in a crowded Old Towne. I think I consumed enough deep fried food to last well into my forties... Sunday afternoon was back in Rapp, walking among the fields of gold. As requested Ryland has made an appearance in my blog, caught skipping through the buttercups overjoyed that he duped Megan into marrying him.

Old Town

Thursday night old town is being transformed into a circus for the Apple Blossom Festival. Carnies have descended upon the town like a swarm of cicada ready to feed on the 250,000 people about to turn this town into a Virginia Mardi Gras come sunrise. Its gonna be a wild weekend.

Spring Slackin'

Friday night the guys came out to Wincester for a rainy night out on the town. Saturday we squared Steve's bike up and I followed him back through the twists and turns to Rappahannock. The weather couldn't have been better. Drenched in warm sunlight we walked out to the Cabin project dow by the pond and dreamed of the perfect BBQ's to come, when the construction finally is finished. Back up at the house sitting outside one by one Marshall, Matt and Chad pulled to the Homestead. In between grilling steaks and chicken we passed the afternoon on the slack line. And when our hunger still refused to subside we ordered in pizza from Sperryville. Sunday the weather was cold but the rain held and we made our way out to the Park and did a little rock climbing. Another great dinner at the house and then back onto Winchester to saddle up for another work week. Can't wait for the warm breezes to linger all summer.

Tree Huggin'

This weekend Steve grilled up some amazing burgers, the recipe is worth a few million at least. Before the cookout Chad thought it would be a great idea to climb and repel into a huge tree out in our woods. Surprisingly it was very hollow and clean inside the tree, how does a 5 foot wide by 50 foot mass of solid wood disappear into thin air?? There is no hole in the bottom of the tree and it is alive and well, I can't figure out where it all went. Sunday it rained all day, so plans for rock climbing vaporized.

Crocodile Smile

I don't know whats going on with blogger, but its struggling to upload photos, I'll add more to this post when it lets me. This weekend was crab legs up in Fairfax, so good, and then bouldering on Old Rag Saturday and Sunday. My hands hurt now, that granite is rough! Think I'm gonna call it a day early tonight.

Unlocking the Sequence

While clinging to a tree that overhangs a 150 foot cliff on the Salmon River Gorge, trying not to slip, I snapped the shot above of Chad topping out on a sick lead climb. We spent the weekend climbing on the last ice of the season, driving all the way to Upstate New York to find it. Battling waist deep snow and the thought of ice avalanches made the weekend memorable to say the least. The evenings were hanging out around Scudder's place back down at Cornell. A lot of driving, but well worth the trip.

Tent Rocks

Saturday was a hike at Tent Rocks just north of Santa Fe. For a short trek it was stunningly beautiful. I did most of the hike with little ben on back, he really enjoyed the outdoors. Sunday was the trip back home and now its the usual white noise of the work week. Looking forward to some warmer weather...

Santa Fe

In Santa Fe now taking a oil painting portraiture class, good stuff, but hard. Santa Fe is a great town, a lot of culture, kind of like Charlottesville in the high desert. Tomorrow we are going for a hike in the Sangria de Cristo mountains north of town, I can't wait to get out in the mountains around here. I wish I could stay another week and just wander the canyons.

Sketchy Ice

Friday Chad and I got on some seriously thin ice, actually it was mostly rock, but we made due. Saturday the lazy ass SNP Park Rangers closed the drive for no reason, so we had to hike in from the valley, it was almost to warm climb, almost. Later that afternoon was a cookout, tomorrow is Santa Fe. The top photo is me climbing mostly rock sprinkled with ice, the middle on is a Bard Owl, and the bottom shot is Chad on a overhung, thin route.

Tree Top Flyer

Saturday night Steve and I met the Rapp crew at Whitlows for the WW&Co. show. These are few photos from the first set, after which we had to shoot back home so Steve and Katie could catch an early flight out to Puerto Rico. Wish I was going, but Santa Fe is coming up this weekend. Sunday was a hike in Shenandoah National Park and a good dinner. Now its one more week of work till vacation!

Earth Shadow

I took some photos of the lunar eclipse tonight, they all sucked though. My cheap-ass 300mm lens has the optical quality of a coke bottle. Certainly not up to NASA standards, but it looks like an eclipse... in a Monet sort of way.

Moonlight Miles

Friday night the moon was fairly bright and the temperature was alright so Katie and I headed out to scale Old Rag. We got to the top quickly and without the aid of any artificial light. I took a few photos using about a twenty second exposure. The electric orange glow of civilization almost looks like the beginnings of a sunrise. After taking the ridge trail to the summit we opted to take the back way down the mountain and swing back to the parking lot. That plan didn't go quite as planned though, due to cloud cover the moon wasn't quite as bright and we ended up on the wrong road. After the detour we had at least fifteen miles under our belts. So the next morning my muscles were a bit sore, but it was a good hike and a great view.

Fly Away

A few Tuscan pigeons take flight cause, I guess, I scared them. Old photo, as I haven't been to Italy for a few years now, but I like it. So, I'm hoping to get a few new photos this weekend so I can actually throw up something more along the lines of my usual posts. Until then, check out my self portrait, times six.

Warm Front

This weather is making me crazy, I'm ready for warm breezes, longer days, cookouts, and hammocks. I have a wireless keyboard and mouse, I don't see why I can't put a hammock up in the office...

Red Oak Mtn. Sunrise

I haven't taken any photos lately so I threw up one my shots from the archives. The watch tower is painted white, but when a bleeding morning sun hits it just right it glows like an ember. I'm off to Santa Fe in a couple weeks to take a course at the portrait academy there, should be a great time, I can't wait to get out outta town for awhile.

Before the Thaw

Post more photos later on.

Big Snow

After waiting in the airport all day Wednesday my flight out to Arizona was cancelled, due to a snow storm in Atlanta of al places. So Steve had to drive back from Prescott by himself. We ended up with at least six inches of snow in Woodville. We had a good time sledding and walking around the farm. The photo above is the Woodville tree, now split in two, so you can imagine how large it used to be. After a thirty-five hour drive Steve should be rolling into Millwood late this evening. He has driven back from Arizona for the last time, beginning a new chapter in his career as a commercial pilot.

Woody

Woody was put to sleep tonight. It was the most difficult thing I've ever had to watch, but it was the right thing to do. He wasn't himself, he could barely lift his head up. I just can't believe how fast he became ill; I was running through the woods with him just last week. I didn't anticipate how much this hurts. He was twelve years old, for half my life he has been my best friend. Tomorrow we will bury him by the house. I miss him so much; having him has been the most rewarding experience of my life. I know he had a good life up on the farm.

Keep on Runnin'

On Holiday

This Christmas and New Years offered a nice break from the usual monotony. Waking in the shadows of basement with Mr. Timmy glaring up at me, demanding more wood be thrown in the stove. Rising to the scent of breakfast in the kitchen, as only Steve could make it. Lying in the cold grass with Woody, who has not had an easy time of late. Amazing dinners under the glow of a thistled chandelier. Quick draw on stumps in the woods with Steve and the P22; silenced of course. Cafe negro through the twists of Skyline drive. A quite New Years for a change.

Ice Storm

This weekend held some very interesting weather. Between the ice and the wind I imagine the higher elevations of the park were likely ripped to shreds. I'll post some more photos tonight.

White Lace & Promises

Saturday was a sick bushwhack to some not so hard ice; it was 50º and sunny. However the ice held long enough to get a couple runs in. Few more weeks and the ice will be huge, if it gets cold. Sunday I went out with Katie and cut down this years Christmas tree. We threw in the bed of ToJo and putted back to the farm. Quick bite and now its back to the usual white-noise of the work week.

First Snow

Ye Olde Towne tonight on this years first snow. Its cold and the roads sucked today, VDOT better turn up the heat. Gotta drive into downtown DC in the morning to school a group of Washington's finest architects on green building with FSC certified wood. This weekend is a search for some fresh ice to climb; I'm doubtful that its been cold for long enough, but we'll see.

Break at the Bend

This weekend saw Jim Gaffigan at the Warner Theatre in DC. Hilarious. Hotpocket. I left my camera in the car! So instead of a photo of Jim, heres a park in Paris. Hopefully with some colder weather on the way, I'll get some good ice climbing shots up on the blog.

Exfoliate

Tearing some perfectly good skin off our hands Chad and I spent the last hours of the Thanksgiving weekend bouldering up on Old Rag. Now its back to work for a few weeks...

Bird Day

Great Thanksgiving Holiday this year. We jumped in some leaves, ate a ton of amazing food and took a shopping trip up to Georgetown. Also, today Chad and I went bouldering up at Old Rag, othern than that the weekend was mostly just relaxing and eating; as it should be.