We need the rain.... but this is the worst combination of precipitation and temperature. I would much prefer 20 degrees colder, and snow, to a drenching, hypothermia-inducing rain. But I don't get to decide what Mother Nature is up to! Just thankful to have a warm cozy place to hunker down until the weather improves!
The Eight (Yes, Eight) Seasons
Welcome to Groundhog Days! We're entering the second of eight outdoor seasons this year - Groundhog Days are that period where it's still winter-cold, but the skies are brightening. This combo means ideal conditions for winter camping, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, etc. - Cold, brisk winter weather, snow, but with lengthening afternoons that actually give you…Read more The Eight (Yes, Eight) Seasons
January Photo Summary
A look back on the posted photos of January, 2018.
‘Possum Tracks
Some of you may have seen this on a recent YouTube title screen, but wanted to share frozen evidence of a roving opossum. 5 toes both front and back, long fingers/toes from a circular footpad, and splayed fingers, as well as "thumb" on rear foot. The critter walked across mud that then froze solid overnight,…Read more ‘Possum Tracks
Super Blue Cold Blood Moon – Salt in the Wound! (Astronomy: Week of 1/28/18)
So... It's an interesting conjunction of coincidental (and a bit arbitrary) alignments we'll see this week: a Super Moon (Moon at perigee - closest point to Earth - while full); a Blue Moon (arbitrary, second full Moon in January. Seriously, we made this up.); a Cold Moon (again, just the name we give the full…Read more Super Blue Cold Blood Moon – Salt in the Wound! (Astronomy: Week of 1/28/18)
Variety Underfoot
Trees in the forest are in constant competition with each other, growing higher, spreading farther, to catch more sunlight than their neighbors. Different species have adapted to different conditions, and the resulting variety of shapes and types is easily overlooked. They've all found a way to live together. This is posted in response to the…Read more Variety Underfoot
Rails to Trails
Abandoned railroads make great trails. Got the chance to "thru-hike" a developing one today - the Dahlgren Railroad Heritage Trail in eastern VA is currently permit-only, and almost 17 miles long. It has some beautiful remote sections, and ends with this old Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac boxcar and caboose at its west end in King…Read more Rails to Trails
International Space Station
The International Space Station cruises by Orion in this 20-second exposure, Jan 25, 2018. On board (and in this picture): Anton Shkaplerov (Russia), Commander; Mark Vande Hei (USA); Joseph Acaba (USA); Alexander Misurkin (Russia); Scott Tingle (USA); Norishige Kanai (Japan)
Pluto’s Ghost
Two- hundred feet under the surface, this 45' calcite column serves as a center point for the expansive galleries and chambers that make up Luray Caverns. Named for its color, and the Roman God of the underworld, it is called "Pluto's Ghost".
Orbits, and Orbital Decay (Astronomy: Week of 1/21/18)
In case you haven't heard, China's first space station, Tiangong-1 is about to make an uncontrolled re-entry into Earth's atmosphere. That's an 18,750 pound (8,500 kg) chunk of stuff, about to fall in a blaze of glory. We don't know when, and we don't know where.... but probably some time in March, 2018. To understand…Read more Orbits, and Orbital Decay (Astronomy: Week of 1/21/18)
Winter Camping Without a Tent
December was a crazy month - it always is during the run up to the holidays, trying to prepare at home, and preemptively get everything done at work. Like I mentioned in the run-up to Christmas though, I had plans, and some of them have come to fruition. In mid-December, I was able to complete…Read more Winter Camping Without a Tent
All The Comforts Of Home
No water, no electricity, but a fireplace AND a wood stove. Perfect! Tulip Tree Cabin, Potomac Appalachian Trail Club.
Silent Winter
The muffling effect of snow, the hibernation of animals, the calm of a cold morning. The world is holding its breath waiting for the warmth to return. A snowy forest would have conveyed this nicely - but the sight of all these paddleboards waiting idly in the snow, next to a frozen river, is also…Read more Silent Winter
Dinosaur Tracks!
A rare find! Dinosaur tracks in Maryland! The animal was EXACTLY the size of a wild turkey... a couple of them by the looks of it. =) These turkey tracks were left a couple days ago when the weather was warm and wet. Now the ground is frozen solid, preserving the tracks...for a while.
History’s Most Important Comets (Astronomy: Week of 1/14/18)
You might not have heard, and almost certainly didn't see, Comet Heinze (C/2017 T1), zip by Earth over the past week and a half or so. Discovered last year, it was expected to brighten up and make a good showing as a binocular comet through January 2018, but it's still very dim, at Magnitude 9.5. …Read more History’s Most Important Comets (Astronomy: Week of 1/14/18)
Flying Squirrel Outdoors 