Outdoor Thread

This forum is for talking about non-music-related stuff that the DBT fanbase might be interested in. This is not the place for inside jokes and BS. Take that crap to some other board.

Moderators: Jonicont, mark lynn, Maluca3, Tequila Cowboy, BigTom, CooleyGirl, olwiggum

User avatar
Beebs
Posts: 4335
Joined: Sun May 02, 2010 2:26 pm
Location: Chicks still dig the stash

Re: Outdoor Thread

Post by Beebs »

Just back from 10 days on PEI. Been there a few times now and and it was a very typical trip. Cold, windy rain gives way to a few perfect days with the ocean glassy even 5 miles out. Can't believe how effortless it was to pull monster cod out of the water, one after another. Toughest part of most days was deciding between the grill or beer batter.
Beebs is not a ragey man

User avatar
Jonicont
Site Admin
Posts: 3703
Joined: Wed Mar 24, 2010 6:33 pm
Location: Marvin,NC

Re: Outdoor Thread

Post by Jonicont »

Me and Smitty outside the stage door of the Variety Playhouse, Atlanta. 9/30/2017. After 2 nights of Rock Show church


Imagesmitty by jonicont, on Flickr
Always go to the show

User avatar
Clams
Posts: 14850
Joined: Mon Mar 29, 2010 1:16 pm
Location: City of Brotherly Love

Re: Outdoor Thread

Post by Clams »

Jonicont wrote:Me and Smitty outside the stage door of the Variety Playhouse, Atlanta. 9/30/2017. After 2 nights of Rock Show church


Imagesmitty by jonicont, on Flickr
I'm not sure standing in the street for a photo qualifies you for the Outdoors Thread. :lol:

Plus, has Smitty become a fucking hipster?
Everyone needs a friend, everyone needs a fuck

User avatar
Jonicont
Site Admin
Posts: 3703
Joined: Wed Mar 24, 2010 6:33 pm
Location: Marvin,NC

Re: Outdoor Thread

Post by Jonicont »

Clams wrote:I'm not sure standing in the street for a photo qualifies you for the Outdoors Thread. :lol:
I'll allow it
Always go to the show

User avatar
Smitty
Posts: 10900
Joined: Sat Apr 24, 2010 9:30 pm
Location: Fruithurst, Al
Contact:

Re: Outdoor Thread

Post by Smitty »

Fucking Mollusk wrote:
Plus, has Smitty become a fucking hipster?
Don't worry, I bummed that native spirit; I'm still a marlboro man. Good eye though!
E quindi uscimmo a riveder le stelle.

User avatar
schlanky
Posts: 1189
Joined: Fri Jun 13, 2014 3:27 pm
Location: Take a left on the interstate.

Re: Outdoor Thread

Post by schlanky »

A couple of weekends ago, "the sky was blue, sun was shining" so I made a backpacking trip to Cheaha State Park. It's a place I've walked a million times, but this was one of those rare trips when everything went perfectly.

I reached a campsite with an overlook before noon and spent the rest of the day soaking it all in. I laid around and listened to birds and the wind. I started a book and drank Wild Turkey with tropical punch drink mix. I built a fire and watched it get dark.

As the fire died down, a nearly full moon rose over the ridge behind me.  I slept solidly and had breakfast on the rocks, then packed up and walked slowly.

View from camp:

Image

Image
---
The trees are getting closer, it seems.

Image

The campsite was somewhere down that long ridge:

Image

And the rest of the way back to the car, "your eyes have a mist from the smoke of a distant fire" was stuck in my head.

Image
Let the outside air in

User avatar
Clams
Posts: 14850
Joined: Mon Mar 29, 2010 1:16 pm
Location: City of Brotherly Love

Re: Outdoor Thread

Post by Clams »

Great post schlanky, looks like a great time too.
Everyone needs a friend, everyone needs a fuck

Cole Younger
Posts: 3989
Joined: Sat Dec 17, 2011 6:34 pm

Re: Outdoor Thread

Post by Cole Younger »

Turkey season opens here next weekend! Can not wait.
A single shot rifle and a one eyed dog.

Cole Younger
Posts: 3989
Joined: Sat Dec 17, 2011 6:34 pm

Re: Outdoor Thread

Post by Cole Younger »

schlanky wrote:A couple of weekends ago, "the sky was blue, sun was shining" so I made a backpacking trip to Cheaha State Park. It's a place I've walked a million times, but this was one of those rare trips when everything went perfectly.

I reached a campsite with an overlook before noon and spent the rest of the day soaking it all in. I laid around and listened to birds and the wind. I started a book and drank Wild Turkey with tropical punch drink mix. I built a fire and watched it get dark.

As the fire died down, a nearly full moon rose over the ridge behind me.  I slept solidly and had breakfast on the rocks, then packed up and walked slowly.

View from camp:

Image

Image
---
The trees are getting closer, it seems.

Image

The campsite was somewhere down that long ridge:

Image

And the rest of the way back to the car, "your eyes have a mist from the smoke of a distant fire" was stuck in my head.

Image
Man that's awesome. I have been wanting to make a trip there and hope to do so soon. Your pics just cemented it for me.
A single shot rifle and a one eyed dog.

User avatar
schlanky
Posts: 1189
Joined: Fri Jun 13, 2014 3:27 pm
Location: Take a left on the interstate.

Re: Outdoor Thread

Post by schlanky »

Clams wrote:Great post schlanky, looks like a great time too.
Thanks, Clams!
Cole Younger wrote: Man that's awesome. I have been wanting to make a trip there and hope to do so soon. Your pics just cemented it for me.
For accessibility, it's the best hiking in the state--but it gets crowded on nice weekends. If you're not familiar with the area, I can give you info for car camping with dayhikes or overnighters.
Let the outside air in

Cole Younger
Posts: 3989
Joined: Sat Dec 17, 2011 6:34 pm

Re: Outdoor Thread

Post by Cole Younger »

schlanky wrote:
Clams wrote:Great post schlanky, looks like a great time too.
Thanks, Clams!
Cole Younger wrote: Man that's awesome. I have been wanting to make a trip there and hope to do so soon. Your pics just cemented it for me.
For accessibility, it's the best hiking in the state--but it gets crowded on nice weekends. If you're not familiar with the area, I can give you info for car camping with dayhikes or overnighters.
That would be great. Thank you. I'm looking to do an overnight. I'm in Southwest Georgia so not so far away.
A single shot rifle and a one eyed dog.

User avatar
Smitty
Posts: 10900
Joined: Sat Apr 24, 2010 9:30 pm
Location: Fruithurst, Al
Contact:

Re: Outdoor Thread

Post by Smitty »

I'm not far at all from Cheaha (bout 15-20 minutes from the start of the highway that goes up the mountain)
Hit me up if y'all are ever back in this area!
E quindi uscimmo a riveder le stelle.

Swamp
Posts: 2732
Joined: Sat Apr 24, 2010 6:31 pm
Location: the swamps of northern Florida

Re: Outdoor Thread

Post by Swamp »

Wow! What blast from the past. Spent some time on Cheaha Mt back in 67 & 68.
Smitty, Is there still a little chapel on the road going up the mt with a couple of above ground tombs next to it.
The tombs were empty back then and we met the couple that was planning on being there.
and the rest as they say is uh er uh, well somebodies history somewhere?

User avatar
schlanky
Posts: 1189
Joined: Fri Jun 13, 2014 3:27 pm
Location: Take a left on the interstate.

Re: Outdoor Thread

Post by schlanky »

Cole Younger wrote: That would be great. Thank you. I'm looking to do an overnight. I'm in Southwest Georgia so not so far away.
I'll send you a message in the next day or two.
Let the outside air in

Swamp
Posts: 2732
Joined: Sat Apr 24, 2010 6:31 pm
Location: the swamps of northern Florida

Re: Outdoor Thread

Post by Swamp »

Every since Mrs S got snake bit she's been obsessed with keeping the yard blown off, not all of it, just an acre and a quarter of it. During the winter our yard looks more like a rolling beach as there is no grass which is alright with me, and obviously the wildlife like it too.
Maybe not all the wildlife. We have bird feeders all over the property. Unfortanatly the tree rats(yall call em squirrels) make pigs of themselves and that's where the "Rat Patrol" comes in. Amber, Margo and Patterson have the back yard and Little Bonnie and Lieske have the front.
Mrs S had been telling me of an occurrence when she blows just before dark, so I watched this past weekend as she rapped it up. She had just turned the blower off and put it in the box and was walking up to the house when I heard its wings. I looked up as it swooped over her head and Lieske and LB shot past her. It landed in a tree about 10 yds in front of Mrs S and about 3 ft above eye level. The dogs sat and looked up at it. It was about 18 in tall and he swivelled his head around and survyed the yard, then he gave Mrs S an aproving look. Then he looked down at the dogs and gave them a nod. They immediately ran to their pen for the night. The night shift had begun.
and the rest as they say is uh er uh, well somebodies history somewhere?

User avatar
Clams
Posts: 14850
Joined: Mon Mar 29, 2010 1:16 pm
Location: City of Brotherly Love

Re: Outdoor Thread

Post by Clams »

Swamp wrote:Every since Mrs S got snake bit she's been obsessed with keeping the yard blown off, not all of it, just an acre and a quarter of it. During the winter our yard looks more like a rolling beach as there is no grass which is alright with me, and obviously the wildlife like it too.
Maybe not all the wildlife. We have bird feeders all over the property. Unfortanatly the tree rats(yall call em squirrels) make pigs of themselves and that's where the "Rat Patrol" comes in. Amber, Margo and Patterson have the back yard and Little Bonnie and Lieske have the front.
Mrs S had been telling me of an occurrence when she blows just before dark, so I watched this past weekend as she rapped it up. She had just turned the blower off and put it in the box and was walking up to the house when I heard its wings. I looked up as it swooped over her head and Lieske and LB shot past her. It landed in a tree about 10 yds in front of Mrs S and about 3 ft above eye level. The dogs sat and looked up at it. It was about 18 in tall and he swivelled his head around and survyed the yard, then he gave Mrs S an aproving look. Then he looked down at the dogs and gave them a nod. They immediately ran to their pen for the night. The night shift had begun.
What was it? A fucking pterodactyl?
Everyone needs a friend, everyone needs a fuck

User avatar
Beebs
Posts: 4335
Joined: Sun May 02, 2010 2:26 pm
Location: Chicks still dig the stash

Re: Outdoor Thread

Post by Beebs »

Clams wrote:
Swamp wrote:Every since Mrs S got snake bit she's been obsessed with keeping the yard blown off, not all of it, just an acre and a quarter of it. During the winter our yard looks more like a rolling beach as there is no grass which is alright with me, and obviously the wildlife like it too.
Maybe not all the wildlife. We have bird feeders all over the property. Unfortanatly the tree rats(yall call em squirrels) make pigs of themselves and that's where the "Rat Patrol" comes in. Amber, Margo and Patterson have the back yard and Little Bonnie and Lieske have the front.
Mrs S had been telling me of an occurrence when she blows just before dark, so I watched this past weekend as she rapped it up. She had just turned the blower off and put it in the box and was walking up to the house when I heard its wings. I looked up as it swooped over her head and Lieske and LB shot past her. It landed in a tree about 10 yds in front of Mrs S and about 3 ft above eye level. The dogs sat and looked up at it. It was about 18 in tall and he swivelled his head around and survyed the yard, then he gave Mrs S an aproving look. Then he looked down at the dogs and gave them a nod. They immediately ran to their pen for the night. The night shift had begun.
What was it? A fucking pterodactyl?
Image
Beebs is not a ragey man

Swamp
Posts: 2732
Joined: Sat Apr 24, 2010 6:31 pm
Location: the swamps of northern Florida

Re: Outdoor Thread

Post by Swamp »

^^^^^ That's the guy and I'm pretty sure I've seen that flying saucer too.
and the rest as they say is uh er uh, well somebodies history somewhere?

Cole Younger
Posts: 3989
Joined: Sat Dec 17, 2011 6:34 pm

Re: Outdoor Thread

Post by Cole Younger »

Successful hunt this morning. Twenty two pound gobbler with a ten and a half inch beard and inch and a quarter spurs. I love turkey hunting!
A single shot rifle and a one eyed dog.

User avatar
Jonicont
Site Admin
Posts: 3703
Joined: Wed Mar 24, 2010 6:33 pm
Location: Marvin,NC

Re: Outdoor Thread

Post by Jonicont »

Cole Younger wrote:a ten and a half inch beard !
Does size really matter?
Always go to the show

LBRod
Posts: 4362
Joined: Sat Mar 05, 2011 8:15 pm
Location: Beneath Pacheco Pass

Re: Outdoor Thread

Post by LBRod »

Jonicont wrote:
Cole Younger wrote:a ten and a half inch beard !
Does size really matter?
I'm impressed.
Don't hurt people, and don't take their stuff.

Cole Younger
Posts: 3989
Joined: Sat Dec 17, 2011 6:34 pm

Re: Outdoor Thread

Post by Cole Younger »

Jonicont wrote:
Cole Younger wrote:a ten and a half inch beard !
Does size really matter?
I've been fortunate in that regard. :D
A single shot rifle and a one eyed dog.

User avatar
schlanky
Posts: 1189
Joined: Fri Jun 13, 2014 3:27 pm
Location: Take a left on the interstate.

Re: Outdoor Thread

Post by schlanky »

I'm still obsessed with the Barkley Marathons. There were no finishers this year, but it sounds like they still had fun:

As we navigated towards our next book the epicenter of the storm started to unleash on us. We had curtains of rain rolling over us and visibility was down to about a foot or two at most. Neither Guillaume nor Ally had ever been on the Barkley course at night before, this was their first counterclockwise loop, we were in a rainstorm, on a pile of mud, in the Tennessee wilderness, with temperatures in the single digits, and their fearless leader had 100 lumens of light to work with.

The death by a thousand briar cuts had begun.


http://garyrobbinsrun.com/blog/2018/3/h ... -marathons
Let the outside air in

Cole Younger
Posts: 3989
Joined: Sat Dec 17, 2011 6:34 pm

Re: Outdoor Thread

Post by Cole Younger »

schlanky wrote:I'm still obsessed with the Barkley Marathons. There were no finishers this year, but it sounds like they still had fun:

As we navigated towards our next book the epicenter of the storm started to unleash on us. We had curtains of rain rolling over us and visibility was down to about a foot or two at most. Neither Guillaume nor Ally had ever been on the Barkley course at night before, this was their first counterclockwise loop, we were in a rainstorm, on a pile of mud, in the Tennessee wilderness, with temperatures in the single digits, and their fearless leader had 100 lumens of light to work with.

The death by a thousand briar cuts had begun.


http://garyrobbinsrun.com/blog/2018/3/h ... -marathons

I'm currently training to run the Georgia Jewel. Would love to try the Barkley. I am going to do my best to get in but as you probably know...nobody knows what the criteria for acceptance is.
A single shot rifle and a one eyed dog.

User avatar
schlanky
Posts: 1189
Joined: Fri Jun 13, 2014 3:27 pm
Location: Take a left on the interstate.

Re: Outdoor Thread

Post by schlanky »

Cole Younger wrote:I'm currently training to run the Georgia Jewel. Would love to try the Barkley. I am going to do my best to get in but as you probably know...nobody knows what the criteria for acceptance is.
They have a similar race to that on the Alabama Pinhoti. Are you training to run the full 100 miles of the Georgia Jewel? (I see they have several mileage levels.)
Let the outside air in

Cole Younger
Posts: 3989
Joined: Sat Dec 17, 2011 6:34 pm

Re: Outdoor Thread

Post by Cole Younger »

schlanky wrote:
Cole Younger wrote:I'm currently training to run the Georgia Jewel. Would love to try the Barkley. I am going to do my best to get in but as you probably know...nobody knows what the criteria for acceptance is.
They have a similar race to that on the Alabama Pinhoti. Are you training to run the full 100 miles of the Georgia Jewel? (I see they have several mileage levels.)
Nah I'm starting with the 25 mile. I want to do the full hundred at some point though.
A single shot rifle and a one eyed dog.

User avatar
schlanky
Posts: 1189
Joined: Fri Jun 13, 2014 3:27 pm
Location: Take a left on the interstate.

Re: Outdoor Thread

Post by schlanky »

Cole Younger wrote:Nah I'm starting with the 25 mile. I want to do the full hundred at some point though.
That's about 24 miles farther than I could run (my knees made me give up running years back). Good luck!
Let the outside air in

User avatar
tinnitus photography
Posts: 7251
Joined: Mon Apr 26, 2010 6:49 pm
Contact:

Re: Outdoor Thread

Post by tinnitus photography »

apologies for the length of this one... it was an epic week plus a day. went on a bit of a torrid stretch of skiing recently... 7 days over 8 days. aside from one day, conditions were uniformly awesome. the adventure started on friday, when i joined two ex-colleagues for a day at Sunday River. they'd just gotten a bunch of snow and the conditions were pretty minty. spent most of the time at Aurora and Jordan, but also did the woods at Last Tango a few times.

Image




here are my friends going so fast they ruptured the time/space continuum

Image


it was still snowing when leaving SR and we headed to Sugarloaf, where we'd meet up w/ a larger group of people i used to work with. waze decided to make it one of the more treacherous drives of my life by sending me on a remote route where we only saw 8 deer and a bunch of abandoned houses. pro tip - if you drive a minivan in the winter, put snow tires on it. my wife's car had none, so it was white knuckle both up and down the hills... i didn't want to try to figure out the strategy had we become stuck in the middle of steven king's maine, and it was a real possibility. one of the descents, despite my cautious driving, i went into an uncontrolled slide. luckily the fresh snow that was dumped meant that the snowbank on the right served as a bumper rail used in kids' bowling lanes, so it gently popped us back on the road and i managed to not overcorrect and keep in a straight line. i was never happier to see relatively black pavement.

sugarloaf had gotten more snow than SR, but they too had been in a relative drought and the entrance to brackett basin was gullied out, with some roots and occasional rock ledges that took careful negotation. the rest of the mountain was excellent. not untracked powder, but tons of loose, soft snow. later in the day the moguls got pretty big, and the trails that weren't groomed for sunday got even bigger.


Image


and now it was off to Utah. with the impending storm, we had to make a decision about our tues evening flights, and we decided to change them to monday. well, my kids and i did, as well as one of my friends. the other one on the trip decided to roll the dice, and of course his got canceled so he didn't make it out until very late Wed night. which actually turned out pretty good for Frank.

Image

Walter, my other friend, was trying to deal with getting his skis ready... he bought a new pair of Elan Rip Sticks and wanted to mount AT bindings on them, but the REI location didn't have the right ones in stock. they said they could 2 day ship amd mount at no charge, but the shipping got delayed and Walter had them drop ship to a shop at Park City. while he was dicking around with getting them installed, the kids and i decided to do a half day at PC. word of caution - don't ski Park City/Canyons if you want to save money... the day lift ticket is $142 and the half-day ticket is only $20 cheaper. i guess what else would you expect after Vail bought that resort?

Image

we decided to ski anyway, as it was a gorgeous 50F day and the snow was soft. but then it got weird. the snow got really grabby in spots, and was highly unpredictable. made for some pretty tedious skiing, and after my youngest crashed out of his skis and had a loose ski give him a nice shin bruise, we called it a day. it was also a good warning sign to recheck his DIN settings. the skis were 2 years old and he grew at least 8 inches since then, so he went from a 4 to a 6.5. the next day Walter joined us, and it was pretty nice in the morning. not very cold, overcast, snow still soft. did a nice mogul run down Chimera after lunch, but then the rains started to get heavy and the mountain got put on lightning hold at one point. we were all pretty drenched so called it a day once again.

with Frank in the group, we set out for adventure on Thursday. what had been rain at the lower levels was snow higher up, and we were treated to 5-7" of snow. nice! taking the Orange Bubble up kept our butts warm via heated seats and safe from the precipitation. i guess that $142 is starting to reap dividends.


Image




first run of the day was nice! video link:
http://photos.tinnitus-photography.com/ ... 29-210.mp4



follow the snow to the drift-filled land
Image


Since Park City bought Canyons a few years ago and combined the two resorts via the Quicksilver gondola lift across a canyon, it's become the largest US resort and at 7300 acres, 348 trails, and 41 lifts, you have to take your time exploring it... so we stayed on the Canyons side for that day as well. highlights included Diamond Ridge off Tombstone Lift, the always enjoyable glade runs of The Aspens and The Pines on either side of the ridge that Saddleback Lift traverses, and the 9990 Lift, so called for the elevation at the top. that was pretty steep terrain, but more was yet to reveal itself.

a clip from the 9990 peak

this is a run from the Aspens, probably my favorite ski run ever. there are so many lines to take and as you make your way down the kinda but not too tight aspen trees, it steepens a bit into a gulch that usually has a bunch of launching points. so much fun.

The Aspens



we didn't rent a car due to the expense of having it sit mainly in the driveway, and with five people and full gear, we'd either have needed two vehicles or one ginormous one. plus, the free shuttle bus system gets around PC very well. but we hired a shuttle to head over to Alta for Friday, and we hit it perfect (aside from the poor choice of leaving one of my ski boots underneath someone's ski - wet liner to start the day wasn't exactly my first choice).

Image

to paraphrase Robert Duvall's character in Apocalypse Now, I love the sound of avalanche control charges in the morning. clear day to start, with that light, fluffy powder that utah is renowned for. alta is a big mountain... loads of exposed peaks as scenery, helicopters overhead to ferry skiers to untouched stashes, and a base that sits at over 8000'. the bowls had untouched powder, and the steeps were steep. we hiked up a little bit from the top of the Supreme Lift to access The Catherines, and that was my kids' and my first dose of hella-steep glade skiing. Frank is an excellent skier so he was a good person to have in the group, and we all had a blast.


Image


pictures never really convey the true pitch, but this one was pretty freaking steep

Image


saturday was our last day and we skied PC again... the plan was to catch a shuttle first thing and start at the PC side and make our way across the mountain, but a couple of stragglers got to the bus stop late and we missed it, so we started on the Super Condor side and made our way from there. it had snowed all night and there was a lot of soft white snow delivered for our pleasure.

this was our first run, down Massacre.
http://photos.tinnitus-photography.com/ ... 41-210.mp4


Frank on his way down Molly's, a giant gladed face to the skier's right of McConkey's Bowl.
http://photos.tinnitus-photography.com/ ... 52-210.mp4


after a few runs down Jupiter, i think everyone's legs were waning... we didn't ski Jupiter last time as my youngest wasn't confident, and all the trails are marked double black. but we did three runs down it, one in the bowl and two in the steepest section of trees i've ever been in.
Image



i kinda wish we had hit this first with fresh legs, and hiked up the ridge to get to untracked terrain. next time. we ended up making our way back across the mountain, to the Canyons side. After another run down Grande, a double-black glade run off Tombstone, we huffed it over to Saddleback for one last run through the Aspens. so fun. and as we made our way to the lift, the attendant was unfurling the orange snow gate and closing the lift, right in front of us. we convinced him to let us get last chair, so it was one final run through the trees. couldn't have asked for a better trip.


last run on The Aspens



grand total: 115 runs, 130K total vertical skied. can't wait until the next trip.

User avatar
RolanK
Posts: 3037
Joined: Sun Oct 02, 2011 10:52 am
Location: drivin' home early Sunday morning through Bakersfield

Re: Outdoor Thread

Post by RolanK »

That looks awesome!

(I skied once in the Lake Tahoe area many years ago, wasn't optimal as it hadn't snowed for a while, but still have wanted to ski in the US again some day ever since)
Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa

LBRod
Posts: 4362
Joined: Sat Mar 05, 2011 8:15 pm
Location: Beneath Pacheco Pass

Re: Outdoor Thread

Post by LBRod »

RolanK wrote:That looks awesome!

(I skied once in the Lake Tahoe area many years ago, wasn't optimal as it hadn't snowed for a while, but still have wanted to ski in the US again some day ever since)
The best skiing of my life was many years ago at Alta. Mostly because it was the best snow I have ever skied.
Growing up on the Sierra cement we get so often here in Ca, it was a revelation having the ability to turn in powder.
Don't hurt people, and don't take their stuff.

Post Reply