A day off = A day in the woods!

(Above: Mt. Sophie fire tower framed by Maple trees)
This time of year, if its my day off from work and its a beautiful day, it means that I'm probably going to be spending the whole day out in the woods. And that's exactly what I did today. I spent all day wandering around the local logging roads and looking for fall color and any other interesting things I might come across.

(Above: Maple leaf on fern)

(Below: Fall colors and sun)

(Below: Moon Trees, Woodcock frozen in the headlights from my car)

Rutland Round 3 - Seaton - Morcott - Barrowden

4 miles almost. With Marta - a late start because of uncertain weather. Lunch in Barrowden - Exeter Arms.


One of those showery days with possible thunder forecast. Seemed like a good idea for a much shorter leg than usual - cue for a cartoon?

Seaton church
We left Seaton along the high road to Barrowden, where you get great views of the viaduct.

The footpath leaves the road on the left, via a stile and you quickly turn right, ignoring the stile straight ahead. Once over the stile you follow the edge of the field and the waymarks down to the disused railway at the bottom of the field.

Culvert/bridge under the disused railway

From here the path was clearly marked across fields and up the hill to the A47. It emerges opposite a minor road into Morcott. We had to cross the A47. The path goes to the right from the road opposite, soon after the junction. We veered too far to the left as we approached the village, misled by a fance that looked like a gate. If we'd consulted John Williams's Rutland Round book (pub CPRE), we would have done this:

Take the path aiming for the electricity pole to the left of the house in front. Continue across this field and, at the stile, go down Mount Pleasant Road turning right along High Street to reach the White Horse Inn.

Once we were back on track, we went past the White Horse Inn, and crossed the road to steps to a footpath into the field opposite. The path took us diagonally tot he left, then through a small wood back to the A47. We had to cross this again, and take the road into Barrowden. The windmill is on the right hand side of the road. The view is obscured from this angle at this time of year.







We reached Barrowden and had lunch at the Exeter Arms - our plan to sit outside was scuppered by the rain.

Echo in Branson -

Settled into the room at the Lawrence Welk Resort in Branson, MO. Spent the evening in the hospitality room catching up on everyone.
From what I have seen in the internet, Table Rock State Park (just a couple miles from here) has about 6 or so miles of singletrack. Don't think I will be riding the road bike much here - way too hilly.
Photography duties started already. Took a few photos and on set of "mug" shots. When I arrived, the reunion host related a story. The resort or someone had asked if we (the reunion) wanted/needed a photographer. Hank said he was sure the we would have our own with us -- me. :)

MIA

I haven't fallen off the face of the earth, or into the inky depths of The Devil's Urn. I've just been busy.
After the craft show at Homestead Hollow this weekend things should settle down a bit.
I was quite a bit more cranky than usual around tax time. On one particular no good, horrible, really bad day, I felt an overpowering urge to punch something. (I did in fact actually kick something, which is not really my usual style.)
But I stopped at the mailbox on my way into town, and my bad mood fizzled away.

Because I got a present.

Ah... Better than a Margarita. Perfect timing.
Thanks Tom! (That's a link to his blog The Art and Farm Report, which he doesn't update a lot, so you'll probably have to depend on El of Fast Grow the Weeds for the actual Farm Report part.) Click here for pictures of Tom's art at the Foley Gallery.

Paseo de las Montanas

The day started rather chilly with a breeze from the West. After my breakfast waffle, I spend the morning playing on the computer. Created the web site page about my visit to the Very Large Array.

I was ready for a bike ride today. Checking the Albuquerque bicycle map, I decided to check out the Paseo de las Montanas Trail. I parked at Jerry Cline Park - Louisiana & Constitution. Rode the bridge over I-40 and climbed the trail.

Knew that the trail would mean lots of climbing as the trail runs East-West. Several times I stopped to take photos, drink some water, and rest my legs.

When I reached the intersection with the Embudo Recreational Trail, I knew my legs were about shot. Just short of 3 miles, I called it quits, turned around to coast back down to the car.

Getting back at the park, I was feeling pretty good. Rode a little way past the car. That took me under Louisiana. But, not ready to resume climbing - so rode back to the car and called it a day. Salad day, so I ended the afternoon with salad and bacon cheeseburger at Applebees.

Dig update

The skeletons are still being uncovered in the dig at the University of Edinburgh's Old College. Here's a shot complete with archaeologist so that you get an idea of scale.
Still no news about the identity of the remains. Are they Mary Queen of Scots' third husband, Lord Darnley, murdered on this site in 1567?

Snappy answers to stupid interview questions part 1

Inspired by a thread over on FFC, and the following discussion on some of the stupid questions people get at job interviews. No doubt we've all heard them, things that are totally irrelevant to one's ability to actually do the job in question, things like "do you think you could sell this paper clip to me?" when you're applying for a job as a secretary.
I present the following contribution made by an unregistered poster simply known as "answers". If you ever get a stupid question at a job interview again, here are some things you can use. This is part 1, because I expect it will be an ongoing series. If anyone actually reads this and has some contributions of their own, feel free to add them -- you might even get to see your name up in lights (or HTML).
“Why are manhole covers round?”
Because your 'manhole' is round big boy!

“How many gas stations are there in the United States?”
one.
“How are M&M’s made?”
You take an M an ampersand an another M and stick them together.
“You have been assigned to design Bill Gates bathroom. Naturally, cost is not a consideration. You may not speak to Bill. What would you do?”
Boobie trap the f*cker, no more bill.
“How would you explain how to use Microsoft Excel to your grandma?”
Don't.
“Explain a scenario for testing a salt shaker.”
1) Shake the bitch
2) is salt coming out?
“How would you design a coffee-machine for an automobile.”
If you don't have time to stop for coffee, realign your priorities man.
“How would you go about building a keyboard for 1-handed users?”
You can type just fine on a regular keyboard with only one hand. Haven't you ever cybered?Would you like to?
“How would you build an alarm clock for deaf people?”
I'd make it really really really really loud.