This probably won't come as much of a surprise to most of you - I am not a badass outdoorsman. I think I'm pretty mediocre - a middle-aged dad, a weekend warrior. Enthusiastic, maybe, but I'm not out there doing Fastest-Known-Times, first ascents of remote Himalayan peaks, or the like. I sort of think the…Read more Outdoor Adventure: Celebrate the Small Stuff
Backpacking: Browns Hollow and Emerald Knob, Massanutten Mountain, Luray, VA
Aug 31-Sept 1, 2024 -- Racing thunderstorms to reach a beautiful spring-fed pond high up on the ridges of Massanutten Mountain within George Washington National Forest, Luray, VA. The embedded video tracks an overnight trip in late summer, dealing with wet weather and finding surprising isolation within the very narrow Massanutten ridge system. Spring-fed Emerald…Read more Backpacking: Browns Hollow and Emerald Knob, Massanutten Mountain, Luray, VA
Ka’anapali Humpback Whalesong – Maui, HI
Late November to mid-March is peak humpback whale season in Hawaii. Every year thousands of them migrate from waters off Alaska to the Hawaiian islands, where they give birth, mate, and nurse their young until they're strong enough to make the journey back to rich feeding grounds in the cold waters of the North Pacific.…Read more Ka’anapali Humpback Whalesong – Maui, HI
Happy Imbolc!
Feb 2 (this year) marks one of the traditional "cross-quarter" days of the year, halfway between the winter solstice and the spring (vernal) equinox. Astronomically, it occurs specifically at 6:50pm Eastern Standard Time on Feb 2. This specific event was celebrated by ancient Gaelic cultures, no doubt using various stone henges to mark the time,…Read more Happy Imbolc!
BepiColombo: Why Is It So Hard To Get To Mercury?
Back in October, 2018, the BepiColombo mission launched. It intrigued me then, and I made a note to learn more and write about it at the time. What piqued my interest most was the journey BepiColombo would have to take, a journey of over seven years to reach a planet that's only an average 48…Read more BepiColombo: Why Is It So Hard To Get To Mercury?
Backpacking Sugar Knob / Racer Camp Hollow – VA/WV
Oct 27-28, 2023 -- A beautiful 12 mile loop in the Great North Mountain area of the George Washington National Forest, along the VA/WV border. The embedded video tracks an overnight trip in October, slightly past the peak of fall color in the Allegheny Mountains. I had numerous and varied wildlife sightings and solitude during…Read more Backpacking Sugar Knob / Racer Camp Hollow – VA/WV
Observing Mars Retrograde: A Beginner’s Guide
Mars is in retrograde, and with some prominent stars and easy constellations in the background, now (and over the next few weeks) is a perfect time to see it! When the ancients were trying to figure out the nature of the heavenly spheres, motion of planets caused a lot of confusion. This is particularly true…Read more Observing Mars Retrograde: A Beginner’s Guide
Disappearing Islands In The Chesapeake Bay
I remember James Island. At least, I remember a version of it. When I first moved into the Chesapeake Bay area in the mid-90s, there was an island nearby - actually two, at the time - in the mouth of the Little Choptank River on the eastern side of the Bay. I used to fly…Read more Disappearing Islands In The Chesapeake Bay
Comets Old And New
You may or may not have heard, but there's a really bright comet out there right now. Comet C/2024 G3 ATLAS (catchy!) reached perihelion (closest approach to the sun) on Monday, January 13th. It passed by the Sun at a distance of 0.094 AU. One Astronomical Unit (AU) is the average distance from the Earth…Read more Comets Old And New
Resolutions
Happy 2025! I'm back - at least I'm trying to be. I knew that the biggest obstacle to keeping up a site like this was maintaining the routine - and after a few years of dogged semi-consistency, I found too many excuses to STOP. I always told myself I wouldn't be one of those people…Read more Resolutions
New Mexico or Bust
We're almost ready. After numerous small trips (of escalating difficulty and complexity), skills work, planning sessions, gear shakedowns, shakedowns, and more shakedowns, we're on the homestretch. Within 72 hours, we'll all be headed for Colorado, and then New Mexico, for a two-week expedition. The training has paid off. We've managed to get a bunch of…Read more New Mexico or Bust
Little Stoney Creek
Enjoying a moment of solitude at the end of a long day backpacking. Little Stoney Creek, in GWNF along the VA/WV border. Little Stoney Creek drains the basin between Little Sluice Mountain (east) and Mill Mountain (west), and was a welcome sight after spending the day high and dry among the ridgetops. We also happened…Read more Little Stoney Creek
Partial Solar Eclipse, MD
The solar eclipse that took place this morning, June 10, 2021, was an annular eclipse in some parts of the world - notably Greenland and parts of northeastern Canada. There, the Sun was blocked by a Moon slightly farther away from us than average, such that it appeared just too small to cover the entire…Read more Partial Solar Eclipse, MD
Iceland 2019 – Part 8, Gluggafoss, and Parting Thoughts
This is the last in a series outlining my family's exploration of Iceland during the summer of 2019, pre-COVID. It was a mostly outdoor experience, exploring the wild and natural sights of a beautiful country during the height of summer. For the full journey, and notes on places to go and things to see, check…Read more Iceland 2019 – Part 8, Gluggafoss, and Parting Thoughts
Dam 5, Potomac River, C&O Canal
Dam 5, C&O Canal towpath along the Potomac River. Built in 1835, the dam raised the river level enough to fill 22 miles of the canal. It's a great place to stop and rest after a day of biking the towpath!
Flying Squirrel Outdoors 