November 30, 2011

Cassie

CassieOn Sunday, October 9, and after two visits to the no-kill Small Miracles Cat Rescue on Rt. 40 in Ellicott City, I brought Cassie (formerly Harmony, and now named for Mary Cassatt, home) for a foster period, and to see how her and the 10-year-old mutt got along.  I saw her story and photo in a daily email from Patch.com.  I fell in love and within a week fully adopted her.  She is somewhere between 3-4 years old, a long-haired, domestic, diluted calico (tortie), and the sweetest cat I’ve ever met. Cassie and Zena (and now Sasha, another cat — belonging to Christian) are all managing to co-habitate with little issues.  It’s great to see the word “Adopted” on her blog post and know that an adult was adopted out without being put under…as there just aren’t enough homes out there for all the pets in the world.

September 11, 2011

Shenandoah Valley Ballooning

Valley Ballooning, Woodstock, VAAt 6:05 am this morning, we met up with 4 other passengers and the pilot, Don, from Valley Ballooning company in Woodstock, VA. With a Living Social deal purchased earlier this year, all attendees went for about half price on either this, a sunrise ride, or a sunset ride. We had to reschedule our mid-June sunset ride due to thunderstorms…and we’re really glad we ended up with such great weather and views for our sunrise ride. We were in the air about an hour, including the time it took to find a good spot to land. I would highly recommend this and highly recommend Valley Ballooning. Was a blast!

March 6, 2011

Pura Vida! Costa Rica!

Costa Rican MonkeyWent to Costa Rica, my first time ever in Central America, from February 26 – March 5. This one goes down in the books. Best outdoor-adventure vacation to date! Celebrating 10 years of volunteering with the MOC and previously the AOC, with lots of longtime and some new friends too. Add into that a great man to spend it with. I couldn’t have asked for more!

August 23, 2010

Backpacking the White Mountains

Tuckerman's Ravine, Mt. Washington, New HampshireOn August 19th, eight members of the MOC met up with six members of the AOC for an adventure in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. Each member of the group averaged about 15 miles on rocky terrain, including going up the famous Tuckerman’s Ravine and Mt. Washington. We gained about 4,000 ft of elevation in total and lost about 3,000 ft. It’s a trip I’ll not soon forget. The group was fun, and it was a view-rewarding challenge. The huts and centers run by the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) are a great way to see the presidential range by foot. Before and after the backpacking, I was able to fit in some sightseeing in Boston, MA.

July 25, 2010

Hagerstown Sprint Triathlon

Hagerstown Sprint TriathlonI can now call myself a triathlete! My first attempt ever, and I opted into one with a shorter overall distance. I participated in the 90+ degree heat with over two dozen friends and their acquaintances in Hagerstown, MD, about 12 miles away from the Appalachian Trail. Over 350 people in total participated in the annual event. I hit the pool for a 300-meter (6 lap or 12 length swim), followed by an 11-mile bike ride, and a 3.1-mile (5K) run. My total time of 1:56:04 was better than my approximted first time completion of anywhere between 2 to 2.5 hours. And, bottom line is…I did it!

May 22, 2010

Warrior Dash Southeast

Warrior Dash Southeast 2010Participated in the third race of the nine-city stop of the Warrior Dash (course altered a bit from online map) in Mountain City, GA with about five dozen folks from the Atlanta Outdoor Club (AOC). I didn’t really go for speed as much as for fun…which is reflected in my time of 39:08.85 (4857 place of approximately 5500 on Saturday’s race day). It was roughly the distance of a 5k with 11 obstacles. Photos from race day and camping throughout the weekend at nearby Black Rock State Park campground.

I’ll also be participating in the Warrior Dash Mid-Atlantic in North Central Maryland on Saturday, October 9th. You are encouraged to join me and the gang from the Maryland Outdoor Club (MOC).

May 17, 2009

Hawaiian Adventure

Na Pali Coastline, Kauai, HawaiiAbout a dozen members of the Maryland Outdoor Club ventured to Hawaii to witness the joining of two hands in marriage, and to do some adventure-style exploring.  Here’s my personal recap from the trip, along with photos: