Kodak, Sam and Alex at Checkers in Florence, SC.
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Sept. 27, 2019
Sam
Aug. 17, 2019
Sam’s first day of first grade
and dropping her off at UNC- Chapel Hill
dorm room before Sam
dorm room after Sam
Aug. 15, 2019
Packing late at night!
July 27, 2019
The Great Channels in SW Virginia. I hiked here a couple of years ago in the cold and snow, today was much warmer.
It’s fun to explore the cracks and crevices.
and a daughter to show scale
these are the main “slots” – we explored trying to find more remote ones, but only got tangled in vines and bushes.
Another fire tower I can’t climb (Middle Knob) and since I was here last, the care taker’s cabin is gone.
Elizabeth recorded our track through the Channels
One last sunset
July 13, 2019
So happy to wake up in my Flippac again after it broke a couple of weeks ago!
Ride #2 FATS (Fayetteville Area Triathlon Society) visit FATS (Forks Area Trail System) ride was cut short after I double flatted, used 3 CO2 cartridges, 2 tubes, 2 patches and a CX tube to get out. Great trails and I had a blast on Great Wall and Skinny Loops
An afternoon and evening at Bill and Shanda’s, low country boil, swimming in the rain and an evening boat ride for Purple Martins (if we had enough gas in the boat)
July 10, 2019
A big day…. Sam enters UNC Chapel Hill
This was not a pretty dorm room! Luckily she only has to spend 1 night here!
official!
After breakfast with Sam as she waited for stuff to start, I rode a new trail system for me, Brumley Nature Preserve in Chapel Hill. Just like when Steph went to Kent State, I will get a ride in when picking up/dropping off. This is a flowy and fast system and a lot of fun!
Dinner – lettuce wrapped lamb burger…. I may have missed some important carbs today! My USTA singles match went 2.5 hours in 90 plus degrees, I won 7-6 and 7-5 to remain undefeated this summer, but it hurt.
July 7, 2019
Day 2 of FlipPac repair! To do: install new hinges and torsion bar, seal hinge openings, fiberglass repair the holes we drilled in the back, remount on truck. Success! Thanks again to James Hays and Elizabeth Collins I would have never been able to do the repair without them! Video
After we finished it was time to go swim and cool off!
Swimming hole at Jumping Off Rock in Uwharrie National Forest
My Taco is topless, first time in 5 years or so. I love the look but can’t wait to get my adventure truck back today!
June 23, 2019
This morning was a slow start, see last night’s fire side festivities, I did get up and got a long run in on some hiking trails – no idea what it was or where I was…. after bathing in the river, I figured out no one was exploring today and Sam wasn’t up to back tracking to the elk, so time to head to Asheville for lunch and a beer.
We stopped at a second hand outdoor gear place called – Second Gear – I found a pair of pants I really liked, till I saw the $61 price… nothing for me, but Sam got this cute dress.
June 22, 2019
I was up early but couldn’t run since the trail into the camp spot was under water from last night’s storm, good thing there is a waterfall to photograph. This is teh top of Wolf Creek Falls.
Just trying different angles
Sadly I chose to only bring my mirrorless Panasonic and couldn’t get the wide angle I wanted
That did force me to climb to a place I have never photographed the falls from.
Sam is ready to go…..
But even to leave, we had to use a chain saw.
Whenever we are here, we hike up Max Patch
Sam took off and hiked up alone, when I found her, this is what she was doing, I love she is happy in the moment and not because she hiked to the top.
Rain or sun?
Back to driving dirt roads.
a railroad bridge over the French Broad River in the Cherokee National Forest
of course we all crossed the bridge like in “Stand By Me.”
Camp site #2, on the banks of the French Broad.
Mini-moonshine, beer and shots of whiskey around a fire = a great night!
May 25, 2019
I was talking with a friend about how I wanted to get back to 165. I am close – 60 pounds lost in 14 months. The way this week ended, I might be there by Tuesday!
The adventure truck on a dried mud plain after flooding to put in kayaks,,,, why carry when you have 4×4?
The start
floating along
Where we were when I wanted out of the kayak
the water level was way down, so it had a few fun spots to play in.
