Once, We Were Here...

... received an email the other day from a guy who said that they were booted out of the old 'Derry High Rocks' climbing area (with sufficient fine as well to be received by mail) by the "governing authorities" (you know who) - said that he and friends just hiked in to check out the place... oh well... "zero tolerance" is as does...

... as well - personally ran into a few of these recently...

... didn't notice 'em the last few weeks...

... oh well - F*k 'em - we know when we're not wanted... and we know the mountains - not the only places around by far...

... always a plus side - prompted us to look up some old 'High Rocks' photos... no good ones of our own, but found an old 'Goodman' disc that contained a "bit of gold"...

... the big boy top-ropin' what was considered the 'main wall'... he always liked to show off on the steep face climb photo-right when the local 'National Guard' was occasionally weekend-practicing their "rope-work" - he'd  (basically) solo-climb the route (named 'Mysticism' - rated 5.9) - placing two pieces of gear - then down climb, cleaning the same - the soldiers (in full gear - helmets, combat boots - the works - damn near ready for war - good guys all) always sat watching speechless, while he "hammed it up"... gotta' like that red-white-blue chalk bag - ya' even allowed to carry somethin' like that in 'America' now-days?... surely not in the "State Game Lands" we bet...

... the 'Sloth'... were always some 'big boys' up there most weekends - 'Kuperstock', 'Meyers', 'Govi', 'Gunther', 'Swoager' and such...

... was quite a few good photos on that disc - might as well post up a few - sort of like the way the television stations usually have a 'Memorial Day Weekend' tribute to the 'Duke' or 'Clint' - this will be ours to 'Goodman'... 

... 'Feed Me Jack' - a great 5.11 "trad route" up near 'Bear Cave' as we recall...

... higher up ...we we're up there one day messin' around top-ropin' that thing - each ran several laps - went up to remove the rigging when done - discovered that the lone 1" tubular anchor webbing had been worn thru to about a 1/4" fray from rubbing on the sharp edge at the top of the route! - luckily we decided to quit when we did!!...

... no idea where this is at - Seneca maybe?...

... first pitch of 'Soler' at 'Seneca' - always had to protect this move with a large 'tube chock' (which 'Markwell' at the 'Gendarme' would be glad to lend ya') before large 'Friends' came along...

... stumped again - no idea where...

... 'New River Gorge (NRG), WV...

... 'NRG'...

... 'NRG'...

... 'NRG'...

... 'NRG' (?)...

... 'Bellefonte Quarry, PA'...

... somewhere in 'Franconia Notch State Park, NH'...

... 'Greenwall' - 'Seneca Rocks, WV'...

... a large, unnamed cliff along the 'Yough River Trail' just south of 'Connellsville, PA - 'Poison Ivy Crack' - we had originally attempted to lead this thing on sight - got about half way when we got to a pretty difficult move protected by a small wire stopper - repeated falls on that pro (especially by a guy pushin' 230lbs - belaying here) got to be pretty nerve-racking to say the least - we eventually gave up (after detaching a large block/hand hold) - vowing to return the following week to work the move on top rope before another free attempt - however - Rob received such a heinous case of poison ivy while cleaning the route the day prior that we never returned - is still there for anyone interested - would be nice to see it go on gear, however, to keep it real...

... hikin' the 'North Fork Mountain Trail' above Seneca Rocks...

... anyway... we didn't forget... 

... ya' might need to turn up the volume...

MTBs SUPs 'Gooses' and Tanagers

... for the northeast, had been pretty much southwest weather last weekend (blue skies, 80+ degree temperatures/low humidity) - had four days off so made the most of it...

... figured to push it somewhat to get back in to some kind of decent shape after the past winter... although now days considered (by us) an "old man ride" on the MTB - around 840ft (vertical elevation) in a 5 mile non-technical "out and back" in the morning followed by a few miles SUP in the afternoon at the lake - was the plan for each day... only did the SUP the first day out - got a bit fried in the sun that day so didn't want to push it later... completed the ride each day - around 3,400ft vertical climbing total in 10 miles plus return for a total of around 20 miles ridden - not bad...

... out at the lake...

... so immediately got this 'Goose' hangin' out....

and hangin' out...

... and hangin' out...

... so what's up with this 'Goose'?...

... ????...

... finally decided to launch the 'SUP'... while walking off the stream bank noticed this small 'Gosling' floating in the shallows - staying very still and tryin' to hide in the tall grass....

... grabbed the camera to get a photo before he fled.... got in close - but he ain't goin' nowhere - he's really got himself snared in some abandoned fishing line...

... and for once I don't have a "blade" with me (removed the one from the pack I was carrying to fix a bike tube a week earlier and never put it back) - that was some heavy line as well - tryin' to hold that small "peeping, flappin' fowl" with one hand and untangling that line was pretty tough - and now the "mother goose" and her "gaggle'' of friends along the opposite shore are goin' nuts - they all start crossing the lake toward the action and like they want to attack - couldn't break that line for the life of me - had a 'BIC' lighter handy so was able to at least melt about a foot of line free - the remaining knot was pretty tight - couldn't for the life of me free it with only one hand while holding the squirming bird - and didn't want to release him as the line was pretty tight and probably cutting off his circulation - my efforts were only tightening it... saw a fisherman along the opposite shore - decided to make my way (by walking) around the lake (probably a quarter mile) as he surely had a knife - along the way here comes a car  - looked like a fisherman - flagged him down - he got a knife and is able to cut free the line...

... was able to eventually release the little guy back to freedom...

... unfortunately - 'Mom' and the rest had since moved to the far end of the lake... we're sure that they eventually reunited - he was doin' a lot of "peepin'" to help them relocate him...

... later, there were some really nice cloud formations to the east of 'Chestnut Ridge' - not a cloud in the sky "this side of the hills'... this photo "don't work" - ya' had to be there (or wait see it in 'IMAX')...

... later, while up in the hills...

(internet theft)

... spent probably a half hour trying to photograph an "elusive" 'Scarlet Tanager' (a large one) which I came across in the "deep woods" while riding the MTB - only had a compact camera and the bird remained at a pretty good distance - soaring from branch to branch - out of 92 shots screwed up everyone of 'em - swiped the above photo (a male) off the internet - nice work 'Sohl'...

(more internet theft)

... what was pretty cool was that a female eventually arrived (above photo - nice work again "Sohl-brother") - the two actually performed some cat-and-mouse type chasing each other around for awhile in the high forest canopy before "colliding" in mid-air - locking together and slowly spinning to the ground - just like ya' see those "helicopter seeds" doing - figured that it was some kind of mating ritual - they landed out of sight in the brush in the lower stream valley - started to feel like some kind of "leering pervert" at this point - so I moved on... not kidding - true story...

... further along the trail...

... mountain 'spruces' and 'hemlocks'...

... mountain 'hardwoods'...

... with some spring-time mountain wildflowers...

... man... time alone...