Hardtail Heaven

Heaven or hell. After an hour and 5 miles on the MCB Quantico mountain bike trails, I wasn't so sure which one to choose. GOSH!!! It's only been 5 years since I hit the trails with Sam for the last time. I just couldn't pass up a 60 degree day in February after discovering a map of the mixed use trails on the "mainside" of the base. Time passes on and how quickly ones butt and hands forget just how hard a hardtail (no shocks) MTB rides. Even on the softer, sandy trails my arms and shoulders were buzzing from the vibration of a 2 mile gradual downhill.

The trailhead parking and starting point behind the Quantico Child Development Center.

The top of the last long uphill where lunch was knocking on the door to get out.

Doah!!! Topo map reading hasn't always been my strong suit. I dicided to take the trail out and the powerline back. WRONG!! As you can see, powerlines go straight UP and DOWN the hills.

Elvis Has Left The Building

As I do my last time ticket and approval, transfer my last employee to a temporary supervisor, check my Trilogy email one more time, scan my SAC badge for entry, leave a final voice message on my phone and check my drawers one more time, I am more than a bit sad at leaving Quantico and ERF for the last time.

Today is my last full day with BAE Systems assigned to a contract with the FBI. I will receive my LOW, Lack Of Work letter on Monday morning.

I have been coming to this campus, every day since the fall of 1997. I think the first time was in 75 or 76. Even when I retired, it was only for 4 days before I came back, going from a blue (FBI) badge to a green (contractor) badge. Next time it will be white badge with a big red V , for visitor.

This time, leaving has more finality, but along with it more hope and excitement.

One of my world wide FBI ham friends sent me a wonderful God Speed in reply to my last official Trilogy, in house email.

Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for wholeness and not evil, to give you a future and a hope."

Elvis has left the building, but the Lord is by my side.

Once a Mountaineer, Always a Mountaineer

CAVU Day At Sky Meadows

Clear And Visibility Unlimited (CAVU)
A great term to discribe the day we had on the hillside at Sky Meadows State Park this past Saturday. The temp at 11:00 when we arrived was about 26 degrees and never went above freezing. Valerie and I hiked about 7 miles, starting with the Snowden loop and then heading up (1100 feet) to the Appalachian Trial on the ridge line.

Snowden Manor Ruins

We bumped into a Sierra Club group doing the same 7 mile loop.

New Game In Town ~ Waymarking

I discovered a new game, way to explore, past time, technology application.

Waymarking.

A mix of multiple GPS based applications like geocaching, mapping, photography, travel documentation and mega geekdom. http://www.waymarking.com/ allows "members" to document a waymark (a point on earth captured on your GPS) that can be placed in a category. Presently there are 158145 waymarks worldwide, listed in 858 user-created categories.

It is basically telling a story and sharing interesting information (if your a history, outdoor adventurer or technology geek) about your world both locally and your travels.

Here are a few I recently added.
Structures - Abandoned Train Tunnels
http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WM5MD0
Signs of history
http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WM5MG3
Bicycle Shops
http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WM5MFZ

You can even go as far as visiting a waymark and then document that visit on line. It is a huge searchable database of locations.

Here are a few of the more interesting categories:
Garage Door Art
Gargoyles
Castles
Dinosaur Statues
Converted Firehouses
Free For Your Birthday
Gluten Free Restaurants
Butterfly Houses
Self Serve Pet Wash
Miniature Railroads
'Marry Me' Markers
Grave of a Famous Person
Elevated Everyday Objects
Super Fund Sites
Geographic High Points
Orphaned Bridges
Coin-Op Binoculars

I think you get the idea. Visit waymarking.com and do a search using your Zip code and enjoy some of your undiscovered local color. Or be a geek like me and take your GPS and camera out the next time you walk the dog.

Respectfully submitted for your ridicule....... garmin_geek

2 Years Of Blogging

How can it be.
Today is the 2nd anniversary of this blog. It has been such a roller coaster ride of emotion. Getting Sam back safely from his Army deployment in Iraq and keeping our sanity was the main focus when we started here so many months ago.
And I will say this blog has done it's job. I am still semi-sane and really enjoy sharing my family, photos, beliefs and heartache with all who dare stop by.
It the words of Bartles & Jaymes,
Thank you for your support

Birthday Choice

Molly mention she had decided on a Hefeweizen for her first "official beer". I thought the Paulaner was a good choice. We enjoyed another great meal and "Steal The Glass Night" at the Capitol Ale House in downtown Fredericksburg. Flying Dog Brewery was the featured beer last night. I got the Gonzo Porter (drinkable but not my favorite) and got to keep the glass. The manager delivered our food and when we told him what we were celebrating, he gave Molly a Flying Dog pint glass too.

Oh to be 21 again.