Disheartened

It probably wouldn't have worked out anyway.

The snappers have bred so successfully, that the minute his little webbed feet touched the pond, this duckling would've become turtle food. We think they were even behind the recent demise of the tweed duck, the largest of our Runners.

Indian Runner ducks aren't supposed to go broody. But this one did, and sat on a great many eggs. I didn't figure she would stick to it... after all, this is the home of the Muscovy duck who thinks she only has to sit on her eggs at night, and the hens who play musical nests when trying to brood.

This gal turned out to be amazingly fierce when protecting her eggs. Only this baby hatched, though. Oh, he was so cute! The first time I saw him, I'd leaned over to question her (in the proud tradition of prospective grandmothers everywhere), "Why haven't you had any babies yet?" And there he was, standing on her back.

There is not much in this world cuter than a duckling. Quick, run get the camera! By the time I'd returned, the baby was in this position, trying to take a little nap by her side. I had to use the zoom - she didn't want us anywhere near him.

He died three days later, of unknown causes.

Gray Skies and Work Things

Skies have been gray all week, but this morning instead of cold drizzle we have pouring rain.

In the photo, Hubby and Jasmine check things out after the worst of hurricane Ivan, September ...

By the time we returned, the power had come back on, making all my elaborate junk food survival plans unnecessary.




Html has changed a lot since 1997, but my knowledge of it has not. I’m hoping that later in the day I can at least figure out how to add links on this page.

If the title sounds poetic, it’s not because I wrote it. I stole it from one of my favorite Lilac Time songs (from the album Astronauts). Except I think they wrote it as Grey Skies and Work Things since they're British.

Sugarloaf triple-trail challenge, Ohiopyle trail running

Here's another trail run that I'd like to share with fellow trail runners local or visiting the Laurel Highlands of SWPA. I offer this one up as a challenge to see how fast anyone can complete it or as a great training run for "the hill of it". As always comments are encouraged regarding the route and your experience while on it! A few posts back I highlighted the Bear Run, Trail Run Challenge hoping to help fellow trail runners find the great running trails of the Laurel Highlands. This is the second route I'd like to highlight since its easy to follow and offers a great hill workout. This route takes advantage of 3 great trails that Ohiopyle State Park offers. Sugarloaf trail, McCune trail and Baughman trail pretty much in that order. I've named it "The Sugarloaf Knob Triple Trail Challenge". It utilizes all the great elevation between the train station and the peak of Sugarloaf Knob. I've been running a shorter 10 mile variation of this route for several years. I've added a new section which makes it just shy of 15 miles (seems like a better training distance). I found it to be a nice change of pace from the normal out and backing usually done on the early miles of the Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail (LHHT) for hilly runs.

The Start/End point at the train station

Here's the route: Start the clock at the red line under the information kiosk outside the train station (see the above photo). Follow the bike trail a short distance to the turn off for Sugarloaf Trail. Turn right onto Sugarloaf trail. Follow Sugarloaf trail up the ridge for about 5 miles to the Sugarloaf mountain bike/sledding area. From the parking area take a right onto Sugarloaf Road and follow less than a mile to the McCune trailhead. Follow the McCune trail loop 3.5 miles back to Sugarloaf road. Retrace Sugarloaf Rd. back down to the mtn biking/sledding area, retrace Sugarloaf trail downhill a short distance to the intersection with Baughman trail. Turn right onto Baughman trail and follow back down to the bike trail. Turn left onto bike trail and follow back to train station Start/End.




Trail maps are available at the Train Station visitors center. The trails are easy to follow and for the most part single or double track. The whole thing is very runnable if you've got the legs and lungs. Two vistas are passed along this run. One on the McCune loop (at the bench) and one at Baughman Rock Overlook which is passed on the way down. Both worth stopping to check out, unless going for the speed record ;)




My experience on this run: The temps were hovering around 83 with high humidity. I worked hard to keep my run going up the initial long climb. I was grinding away with my head down. I find looking up on long steep sections can be mentally defeating. Most of the run was in the shade, but the heat took its toll. I ran with my Nathan hydration pack filled to capacity (70oz.), which on most days would be plenty. I was drinking more than normal with the high heat and humidity which caused me to run out (thankfully only) 2 miles from the finish. I consumed 3 elete tablytes and 2 gelsfor electrolytes and energy. I completed the course in 2:27:50 which felt like a good first effort. I look forward to running this one again... I hope you do too!

This bench was recently installed at the overlook
along the McCune trail. Mile 7.5

The view from Baughman Rock overlook. Mile 13ish

FKT (fastest known time):

6/25/13 Tim Anderson 2:27:50

Memorial Weekend

In the course of 24 hours, the park went from being fairly quiet to being a little city in itself. Almost every site was taken, and there were families everywhere. They had lots of fun activities and the beach was packed, so it looked like people have a great time.

Beachcombing #2

Padre Island National Seashore
Corpus Christi, Texas
February 17, ..

Pretty in Pink

I've been threatening to buy Coco a pink collar since she became a family member. The poor girl gets called a boy by everyone. I know how much I'd hate that, so I really feel for her there. Since Austin left her with us for the week, I took full advantage of it. In trying to snap some shots to show him how nice she looked, I realized that pets are like kids when it comes to taking pictures of them. It starts with trying to get them to get close enough and to hold still.



Wait a minute...that's a bit too close. Coco...oh drat...squirell!



Let's just call this one good or we'll be here all day.





So what do you think about the pink collar? Can you tell she is a girl now? Living the life in Florida!

Rock Detail - Latourell Falls

Columbia River Gorge, Oregon







I had the urge today to look through some images from the trip out west that I took in and work on a couple of waterfall images from that trip. Latourell Falls was my goal... I had remembered taking some photos of that falls that I really liked but hadn't worked on yet. Of the many waterfalls within the Columbia River Gorge, Latourell is unique among the best-known Columbia gorge waterfalls, in the way that it drops straight down from an overhanging basalt cliff. Most of the falls tumble to some degree, but not Latourell. The thing I found most amazing about this waterfall was the interesting rocks on the cliff face behind the falls.