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Frustration

I have wanted to post a blog for some time now but have been very busy. Now that I have the time, the stupidity I wanted to rant about has come and gone. Why do we waist our time bitching about things we can not change. Like Politics, we have no real power to influence State or Federal officials. But we feel the need to discuss the wrong doings.

I just got back from Florida, I went through three toll booths on the same road in less than 20 miles. Why? I spent about $1.25 at each one, what was the point in that?

My son needed his social security card, the Newark office was moved across town away from every business that you might need a social security card for. The new office had 10 stations for workers but there were only three people working. There was a flat screen tv in the corner with a quiz playing to keep you ocupied while you waited. One of the quiz questions was, what was the most popular girl baby name in 1980. Seriously? What the hell are they doing spending our money on stupid crap like that?

The BMV, I went to get a driving permit for my son. I waited one hour in line only to find out that you don't buy permit packets anymore. Even though there was a sign hand written on hot pink paper taped to the desk declaring that permit packets would no longer be sold on Mondays. Why? What is so special about Mondays? Are they harder to print on Mondays?

After changing lines at the BMV the jerk behind the counter told me there was a sign on the door stating that permits were sold at the other end of the building. While waiting for my son, I went to the door and guess what? There was a sign on the door, a hot pink piece of paper, hand written in black ink. But the door was propped open so no one could read the sign. I wanted to bust the jerks head against the glass.

Three hours later my son, my first born son, had his fresh drivers permit in his hands. I didn't let the jerk behind the counter ruin this father son moment.

I have started a new photo project, HDR photography. What is HDR? High dynamic range imaging (HDRI or just HDR) is a set of techniques that allows a greater dynamic range of luminances between light and dark areas of a scene than normal digital imaging techniques. The intention of HDRI is to accurately represent the wide range of intensity levels found in real scenes ranging from direct sunlight to shadows.

So between home, the fire house and going back to work, I have been busy. But I hope to be posting some of my new images here for wordless Wednesday.

I have no energy or time to discuss political stupidity even though it is my favorite topic. I think I will move to Montana where there is hundreds of mile between myself and stupidity.

Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday

GAP Trail Report

Well, It's been more than a week since we went on our annual bike trip and we haven't posted a final report yet! So here it goes...

We started out from Cumberland, MD at about 8 or 9 a.m. Unlike last year when we rolled out at the crack of dawn, this time we decided to take our time.

After packing up the bikes, which included Firefighter hanging a camp pot off the back of his bike, we headed out from my house toward the Great Allegheny Passage. We joined the trail at Valley/Lee Street since it was closest to my house and headed northwest toward Pittsburgh.

It took forever to make the climb to Frostburg and then on to Eastern Continental Divide. I had never been farther than Frostburg going that way so it was new for me. The view from the Mt. Savage Tunnel was amazing. You really get a sense of the climb looking down from the mountain.

From there, it was almost downhill to Rockwood, PA. I thought it seemed more flat than downhill but the return trip a couple days later would prove me wrong.

We got to Rockwood with plenty of time to set up camp at Husky Haven Campground. This was one of the coolest campgrounds I've visited. It's right on the trail and has free firewood, a fire ring and picnic bench at each site. You have to ride a little bit to the bathhouse but it is worth the trip. Beautiful bathrooms, a lounge with computer and Internet access, pool table, Bowflex.

First night at camp we split a 12-pack of Bud Lite and boiled up some beans and rice and mac and cheese soup (Randy's specialty).

The next day we woke up around 6:30 or 7 a.m., poked around breaking down camp and cooking breakfast. I tried to make pancakes but they stuck to the pans like melted plastic. That is except for Randy's fancy Teflon camp fry pan which produced a couple of perfect pancakes.

On this second day of the trip, we continued into Pennsylvania, finally reaching Confluence just in time for lunch. This was a neat little town with lots of outdoor activities including kayaking and fishing on the two rivers that meet there, biking on the GAP.

After lunch in the town square, we turned around and headed back to Rockwood and the fabulous Husky Haven. Here we stayed our second night with more beer and then roasted marshmallows (which Randy acquired after a a long and circuitous trip by bike which included going around a train blocking the crossing and up and down several hills).

The next morning we headed back toward Cumberland. We tried to eat up all the food for breakfast to avoid carrying it back. The trip back the Continental Divide was more uphill than I thought but not that steep, just enough an get on your nerves after a while. After crossing the divide, however, we were rewarded with 20 miles of steep downhill, averaging +20 mph.

We rolled into Cumberland at around 2 p.m. and had an ice cream at the Queen City Creamery.

During the trip, we did a total of 140 miles in three days. We averaged just under 10 mph and about 46 miles per day. This was a far cry lower than last year's trip where we averaged more than 60 miles per day and by the end of the third day, you could tell the difference. Everyone seemed in good spirits and ready to tackle another few days on the trail. But alas, we all had things to do and had to stop there. There's always next year though.

Here are a few more pictures of the trip;

The Big Fat Lie, Obama

I was reading a few of Rush Limbaugh's transcripts from his radio show and it brought back a few points from the election I was trying to make to a few democrat voters.

Obama's slogan about change was a huge joke. Change, what is he going to change? His pants? What needed changing? Policy? Economics? What has he changed so far? Now there is talk of taxing health care benefits. Every time people talk of health care, it brings a tear to my eye. We already pay too much, now the democrats want to tax health care benefits? That's a change we need.

Oil prices are going back up again, over $70 a barrel now. Another change we were told would not happen and we don't need. For the economy to recover we need our oil to stay affordable. But we can't drill due to Obama reinstating the drilling ban.

If people would take the time to educate themselves a little, life would be a lot better. Take some time and read from Rush Limbaugh's web page or listen to him on a local radio station.

RUSH: And truthfully, Obama is destroying the private sector. I know it looks to you... This is what's fascinating about your call to me. You see him bailing out Wall Street, and you think, "If those banks coulda failed, let 'em fail. I mean in the old days, if they ran out of business, they'd go out of business. If the car companies would have gone out of business, they shoulda gone out of business." Now, theoretically, I agree with you. This whole bailout business got started last fall. It was a trick. It was a ruse. We were all told that the whole United States financial system would collapse in 24 to 36 hours if we didn't do the TARP bailout for example. But Obama has taken the opportunity of these events to now run these industries and to dictate to them, which he's doing right now in a speech from the East Room about credit.

I blame the ignorance of people more than politicians really. Some people will believe anything you tell them. It is our job to question authority. Everyone should.

Wordless Wednesday

We Made It!

The Great Allegheny Passage trip is done! We made it!