Spring Thaw (Paddling Part 1)

So the outdoor temperature gauge climbed as high as 58degreesF today - bright sunshine - not a cloud in the sky... here's last Sunday...

... local 'Sasquatch' sighting...

... a fun snowshoe approach - "Dr Bob" Coblentz...

... and good conditions at 'Secret Cliffs' - Tim Anderson and a new line on the 'Beast Wall' - 'Frankenstein' (Grade 5)...

... Laura Hahn "seconding"...

... "Dr. Bob" - anchors aweigh...

... heading out...

... Laura checkin' the snowpack - was 'near blizzard conditions' all afternoon...

... "don't matter"...

... so long as the vehicles start...

... UH OH!!!...

... 'Yough River' and 'Mojo Rapid' then...

... and today - runnin' near 6.8ft on the 'Ohiopyle Gauge' (OPG)...

... which reminded us of a "big thaw" of a few years back that we decided to check out up close at the time...

... a few photos from "back then"...

... 'Mojo' shoreline...

... still lots of frozen snow and ice...

... dropping down in to 'Mojo Rapid' - a decent surfing spot at lower summer levels (<3ft OPG)...

... the 'channel' below...

... a good shot of the "ice-pack" - check out the imbedded tree trunks - that's Rob Hyatt for scale - Rob was "one tough dude" - we got in to a 2 to 3 year obsession of paddling the local creeks when high and runnable (maybe 2+ to 3+ difficulty water, but usually committing - not many 'eddies' to rest)  - which meant November thru April ninety-five percent of the time - he worked full-time in a freezer at a local food distribution warehouse back then - temperatures consistently <10degreesF 365 days/year he said - figured that I wouldn't complain of the cold until he did, which never happened - we had a high one year of sixty-eight paddling days, and I'll bet that seventy-five percent of those I sat at the take-out, in the vehicle, warming completely frozen feet prior to "peeling" off paddling boots - while he sat outside on the tailgate, barefoot and finishing off the remaining sixteen-ounce COORS from the ice cooler... he could also paddle that 'Sit-on-Top' - can't think of one time he "swam" for it... 

... good guy!!...

... ditto...

... a "secret camp" we built and maintained for a few years - we unearthed quite a bit of miniature (marble-size) 'wild onions' while clearing this spot - were good on campfire hamburgers!!...

... 'Yough' today - still playin' (and fascinated) with the panoramic camera functions - it will come...

February "What Not" (with some Ice Conditions)

... had some time today for a short hike back in to 'Irishtown'...

... here's the main flow at the 'Lower Wall' - or what's left of it lying on the ground and covered with about a foot of recent snow - was surprised to see that - pretty bad conditions throughout - although, that large free hanging dagger is about eight feet from touching the ground - have never seen that in all these years - wouldn't get excited as it's supposed to warm up late next week (high 50's)... followed a single line of fresh footprints in the snow on the walk in, had to be only minutes ahead considering the snow that was falling - they went straight to the mine, then followed the trial to the upper quarry wall - I didn't bother walking up there - but there were no prints that backtracked on the way out - and no other parked vehicles or recent vehicle tracks as well... ???...

... then took a ride out to the 'Gun Club' to check out the snow and let the dog roam about - as mentioned, about a foot on the ground around here since last nights addition - played around with the 'Panoramic' function on the 'T2' - here's the 'Main Wall' - a bit distorted at the "in camera stitching", but not bad...

... this one's OK - again, some slight distortion - visible here, but disappeared with a slight (software) adjustment of the photo 'brightness'...

... here's the 'Main Wall' from this past mid-week - that's Tim and Laura heading in...

... however, was mostly "candle-wax" upon close inspection...

... so they headed over to the seldom seen 'Pistol-Whipped Wall' and checked out a new line on TR...

... Tim approaching the top of the route (upper right in photo) - some pretty good looking stuff on that wall...

... a lazy 'SnowCat' (that ain't snow)...

... the end...

Ice Conditions (It's Getting "Ducky")

... was "out and about" yesterday and photographed some improving ice conditions from out at the 'Gun Club'...

... not bad - main flow looking good - blue ice...

... actually, lookin' real good from this angle...

... 'Sky Monkey' and 'Internet Connection'...

... give this one another week...

... the rest of the wall...

... the 'Pistol-Whipped Wall'...

... actually, rare to see it forming this well - wouldn't expect it to get "fat"- probably "in" as far as mixed routes go - off to the side of the range and out of the "line of fire" as well - ya' could "belay off your bumper"...

... view from the side...

... will bet that 'Tim' is "licking his chops"- for lots more information regarding current SWPA ice conditions and activity, check out his 'Blog' - http://climbpa.blogspot.com/ - he's been out a good bit...

... how 'bout these new stairs, courtesy of the 'CSX Railroad' - they didn't skimp on the materials either - all aluminum...

... definitely will need some 'beach repairs' come spring...

... 'Yough river...

... and again a little further north - viewing over toward 'Mojo' rapid...

... just back from the 'groomer' and "all slicked up" - was shedding fur to the point of "moulting like a duck" prior...

... speaking of which...

... had been planning for a long time (the past two years, at least) to film/photograph several colonies of 'Wood Ducks' that thrive along the 'Lower Yough' - they're pretty cool to observe...

... preparations even included rigging up this electric, remote-control 'Outrigger Boat' on which we planned to mount a few miniature 'Drift HD Ghost' cameras - chose the 'Ghost' due impart(?) to the 'two-way remote' and 'Wi-Fi Datalink' features - although, haven't got that far yet - don't know how the latter would work 'out in the wild' - probably not - but thats OK...

... plans are (or were) to camouflage the craft with shore grass and weed and float it down into the 'midst of the ducks' - propulsion is only for maneuvering and retrieving the thing...

... then this past week we came across this 'Nature' documentary (or 'DUCK-umentary, as they advertise it) on PBS television - here's a preview from 'YouTube'...

... brilliant!! - no way you'd ever top this - not just 'Wood Ducks' either, they've got ducks from Australia to the Arctic - ducks that climb to ducks that paddle 'whitewater' - how they photographed the ducklings leaping high from their 'Oak Tree' nests at all those various camera angles "boggles the mind" - you can check out the full video here - http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/episodes/an-original-duckumentary/full-episode/8068/...

... highly recommended!!...

Spring Preview (Drag Racing Part 3)

... crazy weather of late - below zero temperatures mid-week - today the outdoor thermometer is currently reading 56degreesF (from a high earlier of 58degreesF) with bright sunshine - nice day - "short-sleeve weather" - might as well post some more photos from last September and 'Nostalgia Day' over at 'Pittsburgh Raceway Park', which we have been meaning to do...

... some track action...

... '60's Chevelle...

... Ford Fairlane ('67?) - very nice...

... 'Hemi' Plymouth and Chevy Nova SS...

... Chevy Camaro ('69?)...

... gotta' post this one - '71 Chevelle SS - (see '400 Horsepower Nostalgia - Part II') - "boohoo - sobsob!!"...

... a track icon - B&R Speed Shop's Nova SS...

... man, ya' can't get enough of those old '50's Chevys...

... '52!!...

... '30's-'40's Ford Coupe and John Milner?...

... another crankin' '60's Fairlane...

... '55-'57 Chevy smokin' a '70's Ford Maverick - HA! - good memories - first car ever owned was a Maverick identical to that - alas, six-cylinder engine - didn't matter at the time - seventeen years old - that car saw more action while parked, anyway...

... '50's Chevy and '70's Pontiac Firebird...

... they eventually bring out the 'rails' to work up the crowd...

... aka - 'Southern Slingshots'... 

... and finally, a crowd pleasing 'Funny Car' "crescendo" - the track photographer in action as well...

... funny car close up...

... those things scream...

... gotta' give 'Pittsburgh Raceway Park' ten stars out of five for a good time - it's just like "livin' in America" - enjoy it while it lasts...