Feb 22, 2014

I headed to Valley Forge in the morning to meet Joanna for a long bike ride to Manayunk and back. After we got on our bikes and headed to the trailhead we found it covered in snow and ice still. People on mountain bikes were having trouble with it. So after standing there staring at it for a while in disbelief we went back to the car and tried to regroup. Disc golf! But oh-- the course we wanted to play is closed only on Saturdays. Makes sense. I should probably just drink beer. Not even good beer as it turned out. I went to McKenzie's and tried their sampler. Some of them were average, but mostly not so good. I'm not even sure what it was.

We decided to go to Wissahickon Creek. Surely one of the more popular hiking, biking, and running trails very close to the city must be clear by now. Or it's still a solid sheet of ice with some developing puddles. Well then.

More beer it is. We went to The Abbaye, the one place that can't disappoint! I got a couple beers, we split the vegan lasagna, which was awesome, and then I had peanut butter pie for dessert. Jorge was even there to serve us! And I got the pie for free because they were out of ice cream.

There was still a while until I wanted to go into Union Transfer for the show so I sat in the car and listened to a podcast while almost falling asleep at times until I actually did go in. The World is a Beautiful Place and I'm No Longer Afraid to Die was really good. I think I'd like to check out their recorded music. Into It. Over It. was up next and they were phenomenal. This is the first time I've seen them since I knew the songs so it was even better than last time. 

I was directly up front singing along and it was great except not being able to hear the vocals sometimes. Evan was really funny and played most of the songs from Proper. I didn't leave wanting much. I already can't wait to see them again.

Nov 23, 2013

I had a meeting with potential clients for a wedding in the morning in Roebling, which is near Trenton. After rushing I got there just on time. The meeting went well and we talked about a bunch of things besides the wedding so I'm hopeful that they will hire me. I headed over to Wissahickon for a run to kill some time before meeting Jess later. It was quite chilly out, but once I started running the hills I warmed up really fast. I had a good run of about 3 miles, but I kind of turned my ankle twice on rocks. I'm surprised it wasn't worse considering how many rocks I have to sidestep on those trails. There were still enough leaves to make the trail really pretty.

I went over to Sedgley, where they were having their monthly tournament and found Philly's Mayor Nutter learning to putt at the practice basket. It was quite an unusual sight. He made one after a few attempts. The tournament was starting the second round and they weren't utilizing 10-18 so I played those first before getting back to 1. On hole 3 I caught up to two guys, Ben and John, who invited me to play with them. They were beginners and were quite amazed at my slight abilities. We had a good time playing, and somehow I was putting extremely well. I was hitting putts from twenty feet that I would normally miss for sure. 

I met Jess over at the Divine Lorraine and got a chai latte before trying to find our way in. This time we had to enter the adjacent building and go through the basement to get up into the hotel. After that it was familiar and easy. We checked out a few different floors as we climbed the stairs up. Jess was shooting more than I was because I wasn't interested in too much in the open, empty rooms. We got up to the top floor and then decided to take the fire escape access ladder up to the roof.

We had a beautiful view from the roof. The skyline was mostly unobstructed and when the sunset began it just kept getting better. The sky turned into burning magma cascading across the sky and it was just perfect. Right around sunset is when we suddenly looked up to see a guy standing there. It was very unexpected. He was followed by about 7 others. I thought we were going to be alone the whole time so that was a surprise. The people were from all over and met up on Instagram then decided to come here to meet in real life. Everyone was very nice.

After it started getting dark we turned on our flashlights and headed down the stairs, through the basement, up the ladder, and under the fence back to the street. It was quite a successful shoot. I headed home and met Ryan to play some of the Wii U Super Mario Bros. It's pretty great; just like the one for Wii. After some good playing we went out for a walk near the church. The wind was blowing like crazy and it got pretty chilly, but walking quickly helped warm me. The day tired me out so it's bedtime.

Jan 8, 2012

Ryan and I headed up to Wissahickon Creek for a run in the morning. The day was a pretty moderate temperature so we could run in shorts and t-shirts. We ran for about an hour around the various trails, up and down the hills of the park. It was tiring and I got turned around a few times.

After the run we met back up and took a walk in the area so I could shoot some photos and so we could do some climbing and bouldering. We both climbed up to the Quaker statue and then tried some things on a nearby rock wall. We went to Chili's to get some lunch on the way home.

Around sunset I decided to go out and check out the lake. The colors on the water were beautiful so I was trying to capture that. I ended up focusing on the crashing waves as well, getting the little splashes each time a wave came in. I got some nice shots.

I went to Kate's later and we played some Mario Kart online for a while.

Jun 12, 2011

I wasn't sure what I'd be doing today, but since it was the last day of Art in the Open in Philly along the Schuylkill River, I decided to go up and check it out and meet Leslie from Philadelphia Sculptors at the same time. She had a piece in the show so she was easy to find.

Her piece had to do with memory and each person who chose to be a part of it had to choose an image that related to a memory and give a thumbs up or down to tell whether it was good or bad. Then she emails the photo to you. Interesting concept. I like the actual piece better than the interactive part. We talked for a while about what I would be doing for the organization and then I headed out after she kept having to stop to give people the rundown on her sculpture.

I went over to Wissahickon Creek and did a little bit of climbing before taking to the trails and running up and down the rocky hills. It was an awesome place to run, I wish it were closer. I ran most of the way around until it got too steep and I walked a bit.

I took a trail I didn't know and then found my way back to a familiar area where I ran the rest of the way back for a total of almost three miles at a really good pace somehow. Always a fun spot to come and now I have another reason.

I climbed down to the rocks in the stream and chilled there for a while eating trail mix until I was cooled off and ready to get going.

I went over to Sedgley, which was packed full of people. Discs everywhere. I managed to play four or five holes before I decided that it wasn't worth the trouble and waiting around. I came home and had some good food.

Ryan came over a bit later and went to the cemetery for a run. We did a timed run this time so we set a twenty minute limit and we ran around the paths wherever we wanted until time was up. I ran 2.5 miles. It seems to be my magic number, but I was happy with my pace.

Lots of running today. It felt good to shower and lay down after all that. I feel much better being able to run frequently again.

Feb 26, 2011

Nathan met up with Alex, Cait and myself and we headed to Wissahickon Creek in Philly to have a hike. It's been too long, outdoors!

There were a few people on the trails, but for the most part we had it all to ourselves and we had a good time with it. We climbed up some hills, some of us more enthusiastically than others, and went over the Walnut Street bridge.

We took a little break at a water crossing to enjoy the scenery. I climbed over the side since Cait said I wouldn't. I did not sit down on the other side.

When we began to head back, Nathan took to the rocks and climbed up onto them.

I joined him shortly after and climbed to the summit. Okay, it was only about twenty feet up but it looks pretty impressive, right?

This is us walking... or standing on one of the many cement crossings in the park.

Nathan is by far the most comfortable looking person in this picture. We took some photos and then took another trail back to the trailhead where we parked.

Cait directed us to a nice little restaurant off of South Street called The Latest Dish. It looked promising and the food didn't disappoint. I got the Seitan meatloaf. It was awesome. So much on the menu looked great but I think I made a good selection. And I know a place I'd like to return to.

I went home for a while and then headed back up to Cait's to watch the BBC Life series. We watched a few of those and the behind the scenes parts before putting on some random television shows. We had Golden Monkeys to enjoy as well.

It was a long, fun day and night. More of these, please.

Sep 19, 2010

I picked up Heather and we headed through Philly very slowly because of the Sunday traffic. It could have been much worse but it took a while to get to Wissahickon Creek. Once we got there we headed out on the main trail first and started climbing things. She fell on the way down her first hill but an unleashed dog came and made sure she was alright. This same dog would start attacking a leashed dog just a few moments later and incite a screaming match between the owners of both dogs and cause the daughter of the leashed dog's owners to cry. It was kind of a crazy scene.

We found more rocks to climb farther into the hike after alternating who chose which way to go at each divergence of the path. We were also behind an older man with a parrot on his shoulder for a short time.

I tried some climbs that I couldn't quite do and then I found some that I could do to make myself feel better. Heather joined me for most of them.

I climbed up this part of the rocks to get to the statue. It was pretty difficult in some parts but coming down was worse.

When I did come down Heather had found a crevice to squeeze into. I squeezed in as well and it was actually somewhat comfortable in there. We waited for people to walk by on the trail and quietly stared at them until they noticed and awkwardly looked away or laughed and made strange comments.

This gives you a better idea of what the crevice really was like. Nice and cozy.

When we came to the river we decided to cross it and I committed us to that by throwing my shoes across. Heather did the same but her first one landed upside down in the water. At least it didn't float down stream..

The walk across was only a little precarious in one spot where the water was rushing pretty fast. Once I got past that it was easy besides the rocks hurting my feet.

Once we got into it the water was a really nice way to cool down for a while after all the climbing. We stayed there for a bit, walking around in the water and taking photos as people walked their dogs along the banks.

We sat on the bank until my feet had dried enough to put my socks and shoes back on and then headed onto the next trail. We took a few trails before heading back to the car and seeing what looked like a body in a small crack on the side of the water. We'll never know...

We were both quite hungry so I went downtown to Maoz since Heather had never had it. It was delicious and she agreed. This face reminds me of the best burger ever face Chuck and I were making the other day.

When we got back to Rowan I went to Westby to work in the dark computer lab on my Typography homework for a while. I came up with some good ideas after I sat there for a while listening to Farewell Continental and Copeland.

I went to Heather's once I finished where we watched I Love You, Man while eating pumpkin pie and drinking Yuengling. They're actually a really good combo. There might have been some chips with spinach dip that her roommate graciously shared with us as well.

I love that movie. And pumpkin pie. And beer. And hiking/climbing/fording rivers/crevices and whatnot. And falafel. It was an awesome day.

Nov 8, 2009

Up early on a Sunday and headed to Wissahickon Creek/Forbidden Drive on the other side of Philly for a hike and some photos. We walked the opposite way from where I went last time to do something new.

We climbed down to the stream pretty much as soon as we got there and spent some time taking shots of the stream. We had to get in the middle of it for the good stuff.

These shots didn't make me as happy as my waterfall shots from Mt. Tammany but I still liked a few of them.. like this one.

As we walked along the trail, we encountered a wall of rocks that was perfect for climbing so we went ahead and climbed it. I could only get so far but Joanna had to show me up by making it all the way to the top.

And then looked down on me. Good thing we were working on our "power" assignment..

When we got to the top, we ended up at the Pilgrim Monument, where Ryan and I had climbed to a few years ago from a different side of the rock face.

We enjoyed our view and (her) accomplishment. There really wasn't much of a view unfortunately, all the leaves had already died for the most part.

There were a lot of bikers on the trail so I practiced panning some of them and taking some other pictures on the walk back down the trail that I took last weekend.

This part of the river/creek/whatever looked nice today with the trees in the background as we ended our hike and got back to the car.

Instead of going to the Art Museum as planned, we went to Sedgley Disc Golf Course because it was so nice out. Somehow, on hole 14, where you can't see the basket and I only had an idea of where to shoot...

I aced it! My first one for a very long time. I didn't even see it but Joanna did. I heard the chains but didn't think it was my shot. At least someone saw it!

Joanna was actually really good, ending up with a few birdies and plenty of par shots on the course. It was good competition. After the game, we went to Maoz and got falafel for the road and headed back to Vineland.

Ryan met us at the home course and we played another game, where I practiced some panning again with his shots. We all did pretty well but I ended up with my best game somehow... -5 is my new best! Big disc golf day for me.

Later on, Ryan and I played some tennis under the bright lights until they shut off at 9. We went for a run around Vineland after that to make up for the games we missed out on.

I enjoyed my run but I wanted to do more. Ended up watching tv and not running though...