********** The scene: Saturday Night Live’s “Weekend Update” with Stefon Zelesky and Seth Meyers. Stefon Zelesky (in his soft, breathy voice): “New York’s hottest new nightclub is: Crease. The club promoter has gone all out. This place has everything: banjos, lights, stilts, ice sculptures, bear traps, screaming babies in Mozart wigs, carnival barkers, a cat from a... Continue Reading →
Trip Report: Wild “Wet” Oak Trail (28 miles, May 2-4, 2025)
IT'S GREAT BEING RED A quick disclaimer that I am not trying to match David O's creative writing prowess of "It's Not Easy Being Green". This is merely an attempt to highlight another humble amphibian that became the unofficial mascot of our Wild Oak Trail hike: Red-Spotted Newt. We've counted 22 of these little guys... Continue Reading →
Trip Report: “It’s Not Easy Being Green” or “Severance, Season 3—the Backpacking Version” (Green Ridge S.F. Thru-Hike, Flintstone, MD) (April 25-27, 2025) (40 miles)
PROLOGUE It was Friday night, and the Green Ridge State Forest frogs were having the party of the year. Nothing shouts “mating season” like the first warm, drizzly evening of springtime. The loud disco music kept the crowd hopping as they all chanted in unison along with their favorite tunes. The alcohol was flowing—most enjoyed... Continue Reading →
Trip Report: “The Whisky Ain’t Workin’ Anymore” (Appalachian Trail from Front Royal to Ashby Gap, Virginia) (April 19-20, 2025) ~22 miles
“Of every tree of the garden you are free to eat; but as for the tree of knowledge of good and bad, you must not eat of it.” — God, Genesis 2:16, JNP, 1985 “There was a time I could drink my cares away . . . but the whiskey ain’t workin’ anymore.” — Stuart,... Continue Reading →
Trip Report: Massanutten PC small group
Massanutten PC small group 13 members + Whiskey Fairy/Evan adding you all to the group. Disappearing trip report message time set to never. Team- establishing a principals hikers group for coordination of trip report memories and feats. I was deputized by U-Turn/Michael to pull together a statement of backpacking conclusions. 13 backpackers set out on... Continue Reading →