Personal Made Public

We started our last day in The City with a Central Park carriage ride. Ariel has wanted to do one for years. We had a great driver and a horse named Sylvia Cookie. We told the driver that Ariel was our horse lover and that she had experience with riding, grooming and mucking stalls. At the end of the ride he asked her if she was really a horse person. She assured him that she is, so he gave her Sylvia's treats so that she could feed her. After that, he let her have one more unusually special treat:

We stopped for coffee and biscotti (I really need to start baking that at home). After our little respite we went to FAO Schwartz. In addition to toy cars that cost about as much as the total amount that Elizabeth and I have spent on real cars through the years, Ariel and I got to play on a giant keyboard. Can't get to New York? You can order one from FAO Schwartz for yourself for only $250,000 -- or you buy a house in Carrboro.

Lunch was a little pub. I'm amazed at the wonderfully tiny old buildings here in which are hidden restaurants. The footprint of this building was small enough that the restaurant had to stretch over several floors to fit everything in -- and still had cases of beer stacked in the hallway outside the restrooms on the third floor (all of which must have been carried there since no elevator was present).

Afternoon siesta was once again my chance to hit the park for another 5 miles or so of running. I really love running there. There are so many people running, walking, strolling, rollerblading, lying out, and biking. All ages. All races. All nations. Every language and dialect you can imagine. They keep you from ever getting bored as you knock out the miles. It's going to be hard running again in Carrboro where you have to continually watch every driveway for traffic and can run three miles and may not see another runner. Campus is nice, but that requires a seven and a half mile run and has no real mix of people: it's all students. I'm really going to miss Central Park.

Since Ariel's birthday is going to be spent traveling back home, we picked up some Baby Watson's cheesecake to celebrate it a little early.

We grabbed some pizza-by-the-slice before getting ready for the grand finale: Wicked. I won't dwell on the show, but will simply say that it lives up to its reputation and that the standing ovation was well-deserved. More generally, however, I have to comment on live theater. As I left Gershwin Theater I was paying attention to the people around me. One woman was singing No One Mourns the Wicked from the show as she walked. Another man was discussing how perfect one person was for their part. A teen was excitedly explaining the piece of the plot that did not fall into place for her until near the end. Smiles were all around. Conversations were lively.

No matter how big the budget or fantastic the special effects, no movie has yet to best the sheer emotion brought out by live theater. I admire, respect, and say thanks to those brave souls that give their lives to bringing to each of us these amazing works of art. I know a life in theater means long hours, hard work, difficult working conditions and little in money for most of these artists. They make the world a richer place through their dedication.

Now we've reached the end of this time here. I always hate leaving New York City. This is my kind of place. I love the people. I love their sense of style. I love the energy of this place. If it wasn't for the fact that being close to our family is important to us I think I'd have to try it here. This city pushes you: it demands your best. You see it in the people here, and you here it in the stories they tell. I'd love to have a go at it: to see what I could become here. To grab the myriad opportunities it offers. That's not going to happen anytime soon: being close to our parents is just too important to us. Maybe, however, we can take a bit of this city back home with us. A little more drive, a little more energy, a little inspiration and a litle style. I'm keeping a list of my inspirations from this trip. Now it's time to go home and actually do something.

Posted by Kevin at 05:07 PM | Permalink

Okay, today was an NYC tourist standard: shopping, great food and sightseeing.

The day started early to hit one of NYC's big tourist attractions: the Empire State Building.

We heard the lines get LONG, so we wanted to beat the crowds. We got there a few minutes before they started allowing people in (though we were actually in the lobby), so there were only thirty or so people in front of us. However, we had purchased tickets in advance. When the observatory opened the line split into "have tickets" and "purchase tickets". That put us in front with one other couple. We took the first elevator up and enjoyed an otherwise empty observation deck for the first few minutes up there. Great views, but what really surprised me was the sound of the city. You hear the sum of all the sounds a great metropolis makes, all forced skyward by the towering walls of steel, glass and concrete. The sound is much like the ocean.

Of all the pictures I took from the 86th floor Observation Deck I chose this one looking south because of the bridge in the background. I love great bridges, and this one is one of them: the Verrazano Narrows suspension bridge. The linked article includes a picture of the Concorde flying UNDER the bridge a few years ago.

After that we hit the famed Soho shopping district where we did our fall/winter shopping. New York! Where the stores actually stock size SMALL! With North Carolina being predominantly of German stock most stores stock very few small sizes. Medium is as low as they usually go, but you can find L, XL, XXL and sometimes even XXXL on the racks.

Lunch was a little Soho pub called Fanelli's Cafe that has been in business since 1847. With the food and service there it isn't hard to understand why.

After a little more shopping it was back to the hotel for siesta. I used the time to go for a four or five mile run from our hotel, once around the reservoir in Central Park (what a GREAT place to run!) and back to the hotel. The cooler weather here is a real treat!

Out again to finish up a little shopping and get some dinner at a really nice Italian trattoria called Pasta D'Oro. They treated Elizabeth's and Ariel's special not-on-the-menu order for gnocchi with marinara as a pleasure, sat us at an open air table at the front of the restaurant, and kept an close eye on our needs while not pressing the check upon us until requested so as not to rush us out the door. Another place I would heartily recommend for a dinner that feels more European than New York: a great escape from a rushed and sometimes brusk city.

After that, a stroll through Times Square with another browsing session at the Virgin Megastore, then back to the hotel for the night.

Posted by Kevin at 10:03 PM | Permalink

Up at 7:00, but up too late last night. We're going to have a hard time getting on schedule if we don't start now. That's easier said than done on vacation, but we have work and school the day after we return.

After the complimentary hot breakfast the hotel serves we headed over to American Girl Place so Ariel could do some birthday shopping courtesy of grandparents. This year it was all Native American.

After a trip back to the hotel (with an wander through Rockefeller Plaza) to drop off packages, we decided to explore Central Park. Watch your step! There's elephant poo in the park!

Our exploring covered a couple of miles worth of park: the Ramble, the Great Lawn, the Lake and Bow Bridge, Turtle Pond, and Belvedere Castle.

After all that my girls were pretty worn out (it was a very hot day here -- so hot the carraige rides stopped for the safety of the horses), so we headed back to the hotel for a break. While they rested I headed down to the hotel fitness center to knock out a quick 3.5 miles on the treadmill. :-)

Rested and rejuvenated we headed back to American Girl Place for dinner. They do a lovely job of providing a memorable dinner for girls and their dolls while providing good food and entertainment for the adults. Tonight featured a harp player that did a great job covering everything from the Harry Potter theme to American Pie.

After dinner we did a little shopping, stopped for a couple of drinks (Ariel had a pair of Shirley Temples and went through 11 cherries along the way). Elizabeth and I had Apple Martinis. My ONE cherry was the one with the pit still in it. After that we headed back to the hotel to call it a night a little on the early side. Tomorrow we hope to be up early to head to the Empire State Building.

Posted by Kevin at 08:49 PM | Permalink

This was another day with something for everyone, but I do believe Ariel got the best of the day.

We started off with a trip to 5th Avenue where we did a little shopping. A new keychain and necklace for Elizabeth along with her fall/winter perfume. I purchased workout gear across the street at Nike World. I have a terrible time finding anything in my size in NC, where the selections tends to be one or two mediums in odd colors a bunch of larges and a stacks of XL and XXL items.

After that it was a quick hot dog and off to Radio City Music Hall so Ariel could spend the next several hours studying dance under the tutelage of a Rockette. Ariel's instructor was Kara Marie Sandberg, a wonderfully talented dancer who taught enthusiastically. Clearly, she loves dance.

They stretched for close to half an hour followed by solid two hours of dance. They learned a jazz routine, a tap routine and a kickline piece. After all that they did mock auditions to demonstrate their mastery of the pieces. I am really proud of the job Ariel did.

Oh, I should also mention the tour we received of Radio City Music Hall. What a place! I think I'll have to give the tour a separate entry unto itself (it's late, I'm tired, OKAY?).

After the dance lesson we went to a Pan-Asian restaurant where the lighting changes color every few minutes: Blue Chili. Great place. All we had left in us tonight was enough energy for a trek over to Times Square, mostly just to soak it all in.

Posted by Kevin at 09:48 PM | Permalink

Today was mostly a driving day, so there isn't nearly as much to report. I got the chance to drive in Manhattan today. It's not nearly as bad as most people would suggest. Lines defining lanes are loose suggestions, but once you figure that out and roll with it everything falls into place.

I guess a non-adventure day was a good thing. Ariel was pretty tired out last night.

We stopped for lunch along the way to NYC, so we kept dinner quick and simple by visiting a hot dog / pretzel stand just down the block from the hotel. Speaking of the hotel: this one's great (Hampton Inn one block off Broadway and just up from the Gershwin Theater and Times Square). They just completed renovations and reopened at the beginning of August. Ample space and great amenities.

We wandered the area a bit, including a visit to Times Square and the Virgin Megastore.

It's a good thing I'm not a local: the Virgin Megastore is a dangerous place for me! Some of my favorite music comes out of the Britain and Ireland (The Corrs, Kylie Minogue, Natalie Imbruglia, Dido). The Virgin Megastore stocks imported CD's that are generally not available for sale in the U.S. Ouch. I'll probably be back there again in a day or two to do more damage to my checkbook (not that I really use checks, mind you...).

Ariel and Elizabeth decided to get watches together at the Swatch store.

We also had to walk by Radio City Music Hall since Ariel is going to be there tomorrow for a workshop with the Rockettes. Obviously, that will be a story for tomorrow. In the meantime, we'll get some rest.

Posted by Kevin at 09:37 PM | Permalink

Our last full day in the Poconos. No plans. Sounds like a day to rest up for NYC, right? Yeah, right!

We decided to head down to Delaware Water Gap. What, you might ask, is a Water Gap? "Gap" is used in the northeast the same way "pass" is in the Southeast. A "Water Gap" is a pass through which water passes -- in this case, the Delaware River. The Appalachian Trail passes through the area we chose (the town of Delaware Water Gap), so we hiked about a mile up Mt. Minsi. Great views of the river and surrounding mountains. Ariel has really become a good hiker.

Once we got back down the mountain we grabbed a bite of lunch alongside a scenic lake just up from the trailhead. After lunch we took a trolley tour of the area. It was worth it simply for the information we received about sites to visit nearby.

First among these is the Cold Air Cave. This cave sits just off the road and apparently penentrates pretty deeply into Mt. Minsi. A stream of cold air (publicized as 38 degrees year round, but I'm thinking more like 55) rushes from the cave -- fast enough that leaves 50 feet down the ravine from the cave continuously rustle from the flow. Once upon a time a restaurant existed on the site which used the cave as a refrigerator.

While there, we spotted a bag lying on a rock near the cave with a notepad and a few odds and ends in it. Elizabeth and I both thought the same thing: an exposed geocache! Sure enough, the notepad was the log book. We logged our "find" and searched for the cache container (no luck). I re-hid the cache and we've sent an email to the cache owner to let them know about the problem. Our first completely accidental find of a real geocache.

From the cave we headed to a pedestrian bridge across the Delaware which lets you walk from Pennsylvania to New Jersey. Ariel ran ahead. Her first time out of state all by herself! :-)

We finished up the outing with some ice cream (and a chocolate MALT for me).

After that it was back to the hotel to get a little rest in order to be ready for the pool later.

Posted by Kevin at 04:04 PM | Permalink

Ariel has been eager to go horseback riding ever since the beginning of our trip, so today we went to Mountain Creek Riding Stable. Here is Ariel on Patch, Elizabeth on Banjo, and me riding Barnaby.

Somehow I ended up with a galoot of of horse. He was as gentle as could be, but acted as though he hadn't had his morning coffee. Trot? He'd rather not. Grass? Why, of course! He knew he wasn't supposed to eat along the way, but he'd grab for it if I wasn't watching him closely. Barnaby would slow down and tilt his head to better check out an upcoming patch of greenery. Ever so slowly he'd begin to drift to the side of the trail with the intention of a quick grab for a snack. After I realized how he operated I'd be ready with a "course correction" before he could get too close to his target. Barnaby wasn't an old horse but he sure acted like it! Oh, did I mention he was also the BIGGEST horse out there? He was as tall at the shoulder as my full height. We made quite the odd couple, but I can't complain about a lack of personality in my horse. The staff are great and the ride was fun -- we even spotted a deer along the way.

After riding we played a little miniature golf up the road from our hotel.

A peanut butter sandwich picnic lunch followed. We'd then planned a trip to a nearby winery, but the winery turned out to be a store for the actual winery which is nowhere near here. We stopped in American Candle instead -- a large shop full of holiday knick-knacks, candles, and a candy room. Ariel bought an assorted bag of sweets while Elizabeth and I opted for a few wasabi-covered peanuts. Ariel also paused for a few spell-casting tips from a local witch she met.

After a little siesta and a swim for Ariel back at the hotel, we went to Stroudsburg to find Siamsa, an Irish Pub in a bank building which was originally in Ireland before being disassembled, shipped to the U.S., and returning to life as a lovely restaurant.

We were lucky enough to arrive in time for (a) the table in the old vault door,

and (b) the $3 Guinness Stout special.

That's my first one I'm holding -- the goofy look is just normal for me when I'm happy!

After we stuffed ourselves senseless on Irish Breakfast (Ariel), Guinness Beef Stew (Elizabeth), and Dublin Fish and Chips (me) as well as dessert, we walked around downtown. Along the way we stumbled across a geodetic survey marker. Elizabeth spotted it and remembered that you can log those as Geocache finds, so we photographed it, verified it and logged it. Ariel was more interested in the cannon nearby.

After all THAT, it was time for one more trip to the pool for the girls.

I wonder what tomorrow will bring.

Posted by Kevin at 02:51 PM | Permalink

About an hour from our hotel lies Lake Ariel: an opportunity we couldn't pass up. Lake Ariel is a private lake, so there is no public access to it (though you do get to see it from the roads surrounding it). It seems to be a "weekend house" kind of lake. The little town (I guess it would be more appropriate to say "village") of Lake Ariel has a main street about one block long. We pulled over to get bearings and make plans in the Lake Ariel Diner / Countryside Cafe parking lot -- the name seemed to depend on which wall of the building you faced. Well, the aromas emanating from the old building were too wonderful to pass up, even though the condition of the building made it a place we would normally never even consider.

I'm going to have to sing the praises of this restaurant. It is a true village gem. It appears to be a small family restaurant with a long history. It's not in great shape: the wallpaper in the bathroom is peeling aside such that you can see the older paper behind it and the tiles of the floor are cracked. Someone hadn't shown up for work today, so the owner (at least I think she was the owner) apologized for tardy service since she was trying to wait tables and cook at the same time. Her son (probably about 14 or 15 years old) had been pressed into service as makeshift help. He didn't seem to know which way to turn, but there he was.

The food! Okay, the building is showing its age. The tea was cloudy. We were short some silverware. The food made up for it all! Elizabeth and I both ordered the "Monte Crisco" sandwiches (which we normally know as "Monte Cristo" sandwiches, but it fits with the restaurant) and Ariel opted for the L(ake) A(riel) Slam, a breakfast combo of eggs, sausage, bacon and pancakes. The food was amazing! The sandwiches were huge and delicious. Good fries to go with them -- and a generous helping to boot. More than enough to satisfy the hungriest patron, but it didn't stop me from poking at the huge, fluffy pancakes Ariel hadn't finished -- how could she? They violated the old rule:

Never eat anything bigger than your head.

Ariel has requested that I replace my pancake recipe (gleaned from the esteemed Alton Brown, geek god of the kitchen) with their recipe.

Bottom line: If you are ever near Lake Ariel, PA (you won't be, but IF) make sure you stop in at the diner for a good meal.

After lunch we headed to a nearby geocache to launch a Travel Bug. We picked up a keychain at Bushkill Falls that seemed appropriate, and we really wanted to launch one near Lake Ariel in honor of Ariel. It's called Bushkill Hiker:

We dropped it off about 4 miles (as the crow flies) west of Lake Ariel. You have to follow a trail about 2/3 mile into some state-owned game lands to get to the cache. We checked the signs and AS FAR AS WE COULD TELL it is not open season on anything at the moment. That did not stop us from keeping up a rather loud, inane chatter all the way to the cache and back: the nomination of John Roberts, the bugs, the old wall we saw in the woods, and Elizabeth's rendition of the Dukes of Hazzard Theme Song -- which devolved into a discussion of the politics of the Confederate Battle Flag with Ariel (but I digress...).

We found the cache about a quickly as the nasty, biting insects along the trail found us: really fast. Easy find for 3TombRaiders.

Once our Travel Bug was placed in the cache, we beat a hasty (and noisy and bug-ridden and wet-due-to-the-recent-rain) retreat. We exited the game lands without incident or any sign of any other person, but this particular cache had the edge to it that only the threat of live ammo can give.

Back to the hotel! And laundry! Sometimes even the hardiest adventurers need a time out to get clean socks and undies.

Posted by Kevin at 07:41 PM | Permalink

No camp Jeep today, but the spirit stays with you. Today was not a day to sit, but to adventure.

Not far from our hotel (probably fifteen or twenty miles) lies Bushkill Falls: "The Niagara of Pennsylvania". Okay, Niagara Falls it isn't, no matter what the pamphlet claims, but it is a fantastic series of ten or so waterfalls. To view all the falls requires a two mile hike through some rough trails and major changes in elevation (they claim 1267 stair steps along the route). The gift shop sells pins which read "I Survived the Red Trail". They do have shorter trails which reach only the vicinity of the main falls.

Speaking of the Main Falls, here they are!

The Main Falls drop approximately 100 feet. They're gorgeous, but the real treat is reserved for those that take the Red Trail. As it abandons the easy trails a large sign warns all comers that the trail is for hikers only and is NOT an easy walk. In some places there are stairs, but in many the path is nothing more than the footsteps of those that have gone before. The other falls are up another creek which is much smaller. The falls are much smaller -- much more human in scale. The drop into lovely little canyons which you can reach directly from the trail. The pools at the bottoms provide a good supply of stones for skimming.

We chose to do the trail clockwise. This involved a quick descent and a long uphill climb back. However, this meant that the many beautiful smaller falls were approached from below -- definitely the way to go.

The farthest falls out on the trail are a lovely set of cascades.

The rest of the is flatter until a large set of steps near the end. It's a lovely walk with ample opportunity to catch your breath.

After the hike we avoided the grill (from which wafted the wonderful aroma of all sorts of unhealthful foods!) and made peanut butter sandwiches instead. Ariel really wanted to rent a paddle boat for the little lake, so we did. No pics since we were all in the boat, but it was lots of fun. Not the most low-energy activity since those boats don't exactly have the most efficient propulsion system ever invented.

Oh, Ariel DID get that "I Survived the Red Trail" pin.

Posted by Kevin at 07:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

The official title for Camp Jeep this year:

Camp Jeep No. 11: Back to Basics

This was the last day for Camp Jeep this year. It ran one day less than last year but had more to do than last year. The lines were therefore much shorter, so you had time to do a lot more.

This was the tamest day for us. No trail ride, and Camp would close at one in order to get everyone over to the closing concert. Ariel and Elizabeth made themselves some seashell-encrusted flower pots at the Coastal Living tent while I spent about half an hour over at the Fender tent playing guitar. I wanted to figure out if the enormous difference I had seen in the quality of my sound there was really due to the amp or if it was the humbuckers on the guitar: definitely the amp. I noticed a Camp Jeep photographer grabbing some pics while I played. Fender had a bunch of picks available, but only a few Camp Jeep/Fender pics. I got two of those last year (Camp Jeep symbol on one side and Fender on the other) and used one of them until the tip wore off completely. I mentioned that to one of the guys at Fender, so he dug under the table and pulled out about eight of them for me.

We then went over to watch the skate and bike demo. Tony Hawk was on hand with several other world-class skaters and a biker. It's amazing what those guys can do! Ariel was really eager to see Tony Hawk ride. I'm not sure where she learned about him, but she definitely had. Here's a random collection of pictures from the demo:

No, that last picture wasn't a crash. That guy managed EIGHT flips one after another.

After that we picked up some free sno-cones and did another off-road test drive. I haven't said much about those, but they were huge fun. I drove a Wrangler, a Liberty, a Commander (coming out in September) and a Wrangler Rubicon. Elizabeth drove a Rubicon, a Grand Cherokee, a Liberty and the Commander. The commander is a three-row seven passenger vehicle. I was really surprised by how well it handled off-road conditions. Elizabeth took great pride in the fact that she made it through the tight tree-filled course without ever having to back up during a turn -- a rare accomplishment on the Camp Jeep trails. My favorite vehicle was the Rubicon, though I would love to have any Wrangler. Last year the waits for the off-road courses were too long to get more than one shot at them. This year we just kept coming back to try different vehicles.

After a few more stops around camp we headed over to the stage area to wait for the start of the closing concert. We could have watched some championship mountain biking first, but we wanted to find a good seat. Unfortunately, a pretty intense thunderstorm blew up, so our attempt was in vain. It was still time well-spent talking to other Jeep People and each other. As you can see, we were all pretty relaxed by this point.

Ariel wanted a picture with the Sirius satellite radio dog. We bought one of the receivers while we were here (they were running abnormally large discounts for attendees). Elizabeth says that the Jeep always gets a present for or at Camp. Now I know where Ariel gets her belief that one time makes something a tradition! Now Elizabeth can get Radio Margaritaville in her car -- the channel that sold her on Sirius.

With the start of storm we bid farewell to Camp Jeep for another year. As we headed back through the rain, Elizabeth made the kind of comment that only a true Jeep lover could seriously make:

They need to make tarps for Jeeps so the rain can't wash the mud off.

See you next year, Camp Jeep!

Posted by Kevin at 08:11 AM | Permalink

Jason Mraz:

Like the geek in Jeep.

I can't even begin to cover this day in half the detail it deserves, so I won't try. The day started with our second trail ride: my turn! Wake up was at 5:15 to get to the staging area by 6:30. Luckily for me it RAINED the night before. I don't have any decent pictures of all the rocks, mud, and dips we went through (because rocks, mud, and dips make it difficult to hold a camera steady). Instead, you'll have to take a wild guess at what it was like based on the expression on my face while in the thick of it.

After the ride we headed back to the camp. Ariel and Elizabeth hooked themselves into a giant slingshot made of bungee cords for some elevated fun. I guess I didn't bounce them enough on the trail ride!

Okay, enough adventure! How about a nice safe break in the Kid's Tent (which is air conditioned)? Ariel made a leather wristband with her name stamped into it. Careful with that mallet!

Hmmmm... maybe Ariel could find something safer than wielding a mallet. Oh, I know! How about a portable Tesla Coil? Here she is using high voltage arcs to light up an unplugged flourescent bulb:

This coming February I'll finally start receiving longevity bonuses for having been with UNC for 10 years. I've been wondering what I might spend it on. I made the mistake of stopping by Fender's tent and playing an American Strat with double humbucker pick-ups on a really good amp. Looks like I'll be buying a better amp...

Ariel got some practice in on a course for remote-controlled Jeeps. These are used in RC racing and cost several hundred dollars each, so I'm reluctant to refer to them as "toy Jeeps".

Time to eat! How do you entertain a hungry crowd waiting in line for dinner? How about a surprise second airshow overhead?

After dinner was the Jason Mraz concert. He has a new CD out (of which we are quite fond), and is best known for his hit single "The Remedy". Jason Mraz gave a great casual, laid-back performance that was a perfect fit for Camp Jeep. We had a good view.

After the concert was the fireworks show. As was the case last year, the show was spectacular. Camp Jeep puts on the best light show I've ever seen in person -- and the only one I've seen on TV to rival it was the Bicentennial fireworks in NYC. These shots are NOT from the finale! The fireworks went on just like this for at least 15 minutes. We were too busy watching the finale to take pictures. We also got to see one misfire that came too close for comfort.

After the show we headed back to the hotel to get some sleep. The day lasted 17 hours from wake-up to bedtime. No wonder I didn't get anything blogged last night! The formatting on this entry is a little rough, but at least you're up-to-date. Next up: Day Three!

Posted by Kevin at 07:11 PM | Permalink

Camp Jeep:

It's a Jeep Thing, you wouldn't understand.

First off: a shot from the parking lot. Our Cherokee is the little Jeep in the middle.

Camp Jeep opened, as usual, with the National Anthem. This year the Oak Ridge Boys did the honors.

Once inside we headed over to the Rubicon Challenge first thing. A much rockier, tougher and more interesting run than last year -- and last year was great! We were too busy driving to get pics of the course -- maybe I'll try to snap a pic or two of others running the challenge tomorrow.

After the Rubicon Challenge Ariel opted for a little virtual kayaking.

In the same area there is mountainboarding, a skydive simulator, the Adventure Tower of Certain Painful Death (okay, I'm embellishing), mountain biking (Jeep now has a two-wheel drive mountain bike!), bungee bouncing, and I-don't-even-remember-the-rest! Ariel also got a chance to run some wicked cool RC Jeeps around a very challenging track filled with obstacles.

That's about all the time we had before grabbing lunch and heading to Elizabeth's trail ride. We were slated for "E" but it turns out that the trail ratings are substantially different here than they were in Virginia last year. The "scenics" here are about as challenging as the "intermediate" last year. The "intermediate" trails here were eating stock vehicles. We moved to a "scenic". It was a rough trail -- and rougher still thanks to our trail guide taking a wrong turn! It was IMPERATIVE THAT YOU KEEP YOUR HEAD AND HANDS INSIDE THE VEHICLE AT ALL TIMES. Elizabeth -- I think this meant YOU!

The rocks and hills left you feeling pretty beat up. Elizabeth did snack on a rock somewhere along the way.

If you look closely you'll see that the bar across the front is supposed to go all the way across as a straight piece. It now takes a substantial detour near the front wheel.

Back at Camp Jeep we had just enough time to change my Intermediate trail to a "scenic" at 7:00 a.m. tomorrow, hit the Jeep Store for a few minutes browsing, and to let Ariel make a "rain stick" in the Kid's Tent. Then it was time to head to the airfield for the airshow.

Jeep sponsored an airshow featuring vintage WWII aircraft. They also had a bunch of old military vehicles around. The flying was impressive,

as were the planes on the ground.

There was supposed to be a USO show as well, but thanks to the onset of a storm we decided to head back to base to rest up for our early morning wake-up (5:15) before hitting the trails for a little more redecorating of the Jeep. First, though, you have to find your Jeep in a sea of them. Ariel finally spotted it. Victory!

As you can see from Ariel's sense of accomplishment, that was no small task.

A little tanned/burned and a whole lot dirty, we're glad to be back at the hotel for a good night's sleep. We earned it.

Posted by Kevin at 08:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Okay, so we left work a little early yesterday -- that still doesn't make it count as a vacation day! Thus, today is Day 1 of Summer Vacation 2005.

Last night fortune smiled upon us. We had feared it would be fast food time, but as hunger struck we found a Pizza Inn buffet. Pizza Inn is my favorite buffet since they make that really thin crust. I can have more types of slices that way without stuffing myself sick.

Today we reached the Poconos. It was a long drive, but fortunately a Chocolate Break was along the way in the form of Chocolate World at Hershey, Pennsylvania. Mmmmm, tasty... As you can see, Ariel had a miserable time there:

Tomorrow morning Camp Jeep opens. HURRAY!!! We're already encountering our fellow Jeep People and comparing damage from days gone by, various mods, and speculation about the coming trails. The parking lot outside our hotel (30 minutes from Camp) is a sea of Jeeps. We have GOT to get a Wrangler! And a lift! No, a winch! Or big knobby tires...

Posted by Kevin at 09:18 PM | Permalink

I have just finished a wonderful book: How the Irish Saved Civilization: The Untold Story of Ireland's Heroic Role from the Fall of Rome to the Rise of Medieval Europe by Thomas Cahill.

I had a good feeling about this book from the very first sentence:

The word Irish is seldom coupled with the word civilization.

Thomas Cahill did not disappoint. A subject matter that could have been extraordinarily dry and academic is instead personal and riveting. Mr. Cahill does a brilliant job of giving us a glimpse into the hearts of the Irish during and after the Fall of Rome.

The only slow part of the book for me was his coverage of Augustine (who wrote City of God and Confessions), but I now recognize and appreciate that material as it serves to highlight the differences between Latin thought and Irish thought. It is a necessary side trip, so be patient with that one chapter.

Personally, though, I was struck by the realization of how much my own culture is Irish. Clearly my Irish grandmother passed along much more to me through my own mother than I ever realized. I live in an area which is dominantly British and German in ancestry (which a liberal dash of Scot thrown in). My outlook, manner and speech have often led me to feel a bit "outside" of my local culture -- not too much so, just a slight feeling of not being quite aligned with those around me. Through Cahill's exploration of the Irish I can recognize myself. It's been a great lesson to me in the fact that we often stay more true to the culture of our ancestors than we might think.

Whether Irish or not, I heartily recommend reading How the Irish Saved Civilization. For most readers who have received a standard world history course in high school, the book will help paint a vivid picture of the world on the fringes of the decaying Roman Empire: a time and place typically neglected in high school history. It also conveys both a good factual overview of the Irish and a wonderfully intuitive emotional understanding of this people. If you, like me, count the Irish among your ancestors, you might even gain some insight into yourself.

Posted by Kevin at 09:33 PM | Permalink

Someone recently posted a comment to my recent post entitled "Cool Site of the Day: Understanding Evolution".

Here is the comment:

The problem here is that Darwinists care about what's scientific over what's true and the Creationists care about what's true over what's scientific.

I don't think ID belongs in science curricula because it is not science. In other words disproving Darwin hardly is a proof for the existence of God. However, I do believe that some of the criticisms of evolutionary theory proffered by Creationists like Charles Johnson deserve at least a mention in science classes (even if only to be rebutted) since many of these criticisms are logical and therefore valid.

Charles Johnson?

Is this Darwin's midshipman on the HMS Beagle? I doubt that is the right Johnson since he could offer little of merit to current understanding of evolution and natural selection.

Could it be a reference to Charles Johnson, president of the Flat Earth Society? The guy that argued that the Earth is flat and that the space program is faked? The arguments of the Flat Earthers against the Spherical Earth Theory are very much like those of the Intelligent Design movement, but it appears that Charles Johnson spent little effort on the subject of Evolution.

I suspect the comment meant Phillip Johnson, auhor of Darwin on Trial, so I'd like to talk just a little today about the rebuttals raised by Johnson in Darwin on Trial.

Darwin on Trial is a criticism evolutionary theory with laypeople as its target audience. Much like The Case for A Creator (by Lee Strobel) it strays far afield from the actual scientific body of knowledge in its attempts to disprove evolution. For example, Johnson claims that the fossil record fails to reveal transitional organisms. This is a widely circulated complaint in popular rebuttals to evolution. However, a cursory investigation of the scientific body of knowledge quickly reveals this claim to be specious. In fact, the Evolution site at Berkeley covers exactly this topic. While arguments such as these concerning "gaps in the fossil record" are repeated by numerous organizations and individuals voicing opposition to the Theory of Evolution, these arguments are only found in non-scientific publications intended for a lay audience because they directly contradict the accumulated body of evidence that is widely known in biology, anthropology and paleontology. The arguments are therefore only persuasive to individuals outside the scientific community.

I have chosen to address a single misrepresentation of the facts in Darwin on Trial, but the egregious nature of the misdirection (egregious in that anyone with knowledge of the scientific data could not in good consience portray this argument as evidence undermining evolution) brings the validity of the entire book into question. I can't begin to address all the problems in the book, but for anyone interested, I suggest reading this article concerning it.

None of this addresses the many fundamental problems with Intelligent Design. However, Intelligent Design is often promulgated a a valid alternative to Evolution by its proponents because of numerous flaws they cite in the Theory of Evolution. These flaws, however, are only considered valid outside the scientific community due to the fact that any examination of the body of accumulated data readily rebutts the claims of lack of evidence or contradiction of fact. A good explanation of some of these claims and the actual science supporting evolution is covered in the portion of the Berkeley site dealing with misconceptions about evolution and the evidence for it.

Evolution is considered to be an incredibly strong theory. This is theory in the scientific sense of the word, NOT the lay sense. The distinction is critical for anyone that wishes to understand how strong the support for evolution is among scientists that understand the field. I have written previously on the difference in meaning of "theory" in science as opposed to daily speech. I strongly suggest that anyone that does not know the differences in the use of the term read that entry before evaluating the Theory of Evolution and the support for it.

Posted by Kevin at 08:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

The American Republic will endure, until politicians realize they can bribe the people with their own money.

Alexis de Tocqueville

I think it fair to say the Republicans should put away their rhetoric that the Republican party is the party of fiscal restraint. We've seen taxes cut (particularly for the wealthy) while spending has soared during these recent years of Republican majority in Congress and Republican control of the White House. Now, some may justify the tax cuts as stimulus for the economy and the spending as necessary for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, but no one can possibly claim anything but a pure disdain for fiscal constraint if they examine the 1,752-page transportation bill that just passed the House and Senate. President Bush plans to sign the bill into law on Wednesday.

On a per capita basis, Alaska fared the best with $1,501 allocated per person (the other 49 states averaged $83 per capita). Alaska representative Dan Young (R-AK) is the chairman of the House Trasportation and Infrastructure Committee. He was quoted by the media as commenting on his efforts to bring money to Alaska via the bill:

I stuffed it like a turkey.

Well, at least he's honest about his pork! The Knik Arm Bridge (to be named "Dan Young's Way" in his honor is a $231 million dollar undertaking which will link Anchorage to, well, nothing. Empty land. Another $223 million dollars has been allocated to for a bridge connecting Ketchikan, Alaska to Gravina Island, population 50. That's an astounding expenditure of 4.5 million dollars PER PERSON. It would be cheaper to buy everyone on the island their own amphibious vehicle!

Now I am not saying that Democrats wouldn't contribute their share to pork if they were in charge (although the books do usually balance better under Democratic presidents than Republican presidents), but I am saying that Republicans can't really keep saying they are the party of fiscal responsibility while generating these levels of pork spending.

In other words: if you claim to be the party of smaller government either PUT UP or SHUT UP!

Posted by Kevin at 07:26 PM | Permalink

According to multiple sites including the Washington Post:

President Bush is getting the kind of break most Americans can only dream of - nearly five weeks away from the office, loaded with vacation time.

The president departed Tuesday for his longest stretch yet away from the White House, arriving at his Crawford ranch in time for weeks of clearing brush, visiting with family and friends, and tending to some outside-the-Beltway politics. By historical standards, it is the longest presidential retreat in at least 36 years.

The August getaway is Bush's 49th trip to his cherished ranch since taking office and the 319th day that Bush has spent, entirely or partially, in Crawford - nearly 20 percent of his presidency to date, according to Mark Knoller, a CBS Radio reporter known for keeping better records of the president's travel than the White House itself. Weekends and holidays at Camp David or at his parents' compound in Kennebunkport, Maine, bump up the proportion of Bush's time away from Washington even more.

Meanwhile Al Qaeda issued more threats against Western targets and our military personnel in Iraq. Bush responded

"The comments by the number two man of al Qaeda make it clear Iraq is a part of this war on terror, and we're at war," he told reporters at his Texas ranch.

How can any president justify FIVE WEEKS off?
How can he POSSIBLY justify a FIVE WEEK VACATION while Iraq threatens to unravel and are troops continue to die? It seems to me that someone doesn't have an appropriate sense of duty.

Posted by Kevin at 08:16 PM | Permalink

With President Bush revealing his poor science understanding by championing "Intelligent Design" as a valid "alternative theory" to evolution, I though I should mention a great site that clears up a lot of misconceptions about evolution and natural selection and which does a great job of explaining what the theory of evolution actually is, the evidence supporting it, and just what the word "theory" means in science as opposed to everyday speech. Check it out!

http://evolution.berkeley.edu/

Posted by Kevin at 08:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Back in May I blogged on British MP George Galloway's comments to the Senate about Iraq and heaped much praise on him. Well, his comments may have been courageous, insightful and accurate, but it turns out he's a loose cannon with some poor judgement.

Here's what the BBC is saying today:

In one speech, the MP said: "These poor Iraqis - ragged people, with their sandals, with their Kalashnikovs, with the lightest and most basic of weapons - are writing the names of their cities and towns in the stars, with 145 military operations every day, which has made the country ungovernable.

"We don't know who they are, we don't know their names, we never saw their faces, they don't put up photographs of their martyrs, we don't know the names of their leaders."

Mr Galloway was expelled from the Labour Party over his outspoken remarks about the Iraq war.

He told Syrian Television: "Two of your beautiful daughters are in the hands of foreigners - Jerusalem and Baghdad.

"The foreigners are doing to your daughters as they will.

"The daughters are crying for help and the Arab world is silent. And some of them are collaborating with the rape of these two beautiful Arab daughters."

Are there no statesmen left in world today?

Posted by Kevin at 06:56 PM | Permalink

Whoa. I think Chris Anderson is onto something over at The Long Tail.

This resonates with me. It also concerns me a little. Our digital world may give us more ideas and entertainment that tightly intersects with our particular interests and desires, but it seems to me this could also have the downside of fragmenting us into thousands upon thousands of microcultures trying to coexist in the same geographic space while becoming more and more culturally isolated from one another.

Posted by Kevin at 07:13 PM | Permalink

My office has no window. However, I would like to help my suffering aloe plant out with a little extra light. I thought about a grow lamp, but I hate to run something that hot and energy-inefficient. A quick look on the web shows me that chlorophyll absorbs mostly between 650 and 680 or so nanometers. NOW I'm on to something! All I need to do is make a high-efficiency light source for my plant concentrated along near the peak absorbtion of chlorophyll.

Over at Radio Shack I found some nice bright LED's that emit at 660nm. Not perfect, but close enough. Now, how to hook them up correctly...

Which brings me to Discover Circuits, my pick for Cool Site of the Day. If they don't tell you how to wire it, they probably point you to someone that can. From there I found the wiring diagram I want over at web-ee.com. It's for LED brake lights, but the idea is the same.

I guess it's about time for a run to Radio Shack for some LED's. Of course, with the number I want I may need to order online...

Posted by Kevin at 09:49 PM | Permalink

and be thought a fool than to open it and remove any doubt.

Bush: Schools should teach Intelligent Design

The question in my mind is where to put it in the curriculum. It certainly isn't a scientific theory, so where should we stick it?

(No Ron, I KNOW where you would suggest we stick it, so don't even say it!)

Posted by Kevin at 08:32 PM | Permalink

What does John Bolton (just interim-appointed to be our UN Ambassador by Bush) think? In his own words:

http://movies.crooksandliars.com/UNbelievable.mov

Posted by Kevin at 08:29 PM | Permalink

One of the really great things about having a really great marriage is the conversations that you can have that leave other folks wondering what just happened:

I went by Elizabeth's office today to pass along some information. Her officemate and a coworker were there, so I wanted to keep it to the point:

Me: Mañana.
Elizabeth: Merci.

I walked away, thought about what we'd said and went back:

Me: So...
Elizabeth: Yeah.

I love that: the ability to convey so much with so few words that no one else has a clue what you're saying. It only works when you know each other as well as we do. :)

Posted by Kevin at 07:38 PM | Permalink

I saw this handy guide to how video game ratings come about in a Slashdot comment this morning:

No violence, swearing: For all
Violence, no blood, no swearing: 12
Violence with blood & swearing: 15
Extreme violence with blood & swearing: 18
Boobies: OH MY GOD 25 AT LEAST WON'T SOMEBODY THINK OF THE CHILDREN??????

Okay, that's not really how it's done, but it is a fair approximation of the process.

What is it with this country that a little skin provokes righteous indignation but violence is so readily accepted? If the choice was mine we'd flip these values around. Let's accept sex as a natural part of life and make violence the unnatural act.

I guess I should add that I'm not that concerned with the violence, either, just that if I was choosing one over the other I'll take a little extra skin any day.

Posted by Kevin at 06:38 AM | Permalink