First Hike, 2012

Lookie what we have here. A new blog post from everybody's favorite blogger. I know you guys say you like Joanna's blog, but I also know that when you are reading it, you are silently weeping about the fact that it's not one of my posts. I can't really say that I blame you. I AM pretty awesome. It is a shame that more people aren't me, but then, could the world really handle that much spectacularosity? Anyway, on to the blog!

Joanna took a weekday off work yesterday so we had the rare opportunity to spend a day together. So we decided it would be best to get our first hike of the year out of the way now while it's still kind of chilly up there (the reason I am so heavily layered) and we can avoid all the other people so that we can stop to catch our breath periodically without the fear of being judged for being so out of shape by all the fit hikers. We (Joanna) chose Maxwell Falls as our destination this go-around, and it was for the most part a good hike for us to get back into the swing of things. There was one caveat, but I will get to that at the end. Now it's time for my exceptionally funny captions under each picture.

p. s. I am also toying around with the new formatting tool for blogger. So if some of my pictures aren't lined up right, too bad. If the new format causes you to not be able to view the blog in your browser, find a browser that works.

Joanna is a little out of practice taking the obligatory "Hold still and look at the camera so we can prove to people that we actually spend time together" picture, so it took a few tries. Half my head is gone in this one.

Now I'm blocking the sign.

Close enough. Let's move on.

Here we see the remains of a campsite which for the rest of the day we referred to as the "Kill Site".

This place got seriously shredded by something.

Something with a serious hankering for some smarties. We found some more smarties about twenty feet away, but Joanna didn't want to take a picture of those.

Who can identify this print?

Nice view to get things started.

 

Again?

At this point, it had more or less just been us walking. It was now time to start our serious adventuring! Gotta check the gear.

My sweet new electronics gadget pouch. I have one on Joanna's pack too. Our phones fit in them perfectly.

I am properly outfitted. Now, let's hike!

It didn't take long for us to get to this rock out-cropping. It was a pretty amazing view. So amazing that Joanna didn't even bother to take a picture of it. Silly girl.

Here we have a gap in the rocks.

See?

Here are some big old rocks



This is my skeptical face. I am skeptical because once I determined the direction that the trail went, another route was plotted. In the spirit of adventure (and because I was already writing this next bit in my head) we went with the new route.

"I don't know if this is the right way Honey..."

"I don't think we're meant to walk along the very edge of the cliff like this..."

"Don't be silly Tony. It IS called Cliff Loop Trail. Now hold still, I just remembered that I am supposed to take pictures of the view on our hikes. O. K. we got that out of the way. Now keep moving along the path that I say is the trail. You KNOW I am right."

Time will tell.

"Honey, I'm sorry for doubting you. This is obviously the way we should be going. It's just that some inconsiderate jerk put this big rock in the way. I'll just move it and we can be on our way."

I am inadequate.

"Maybe we should go through this hole? We can totally fit right?"

"What can we do?"

I like to call this picture "Righteous Indignation".

This is us pondering whether or not the previously identified trail was, in fact, the right direction after all.

Here are the only "falls" we really got to see at Maxwell Falls, but more on that later.

Close up. To make you think that they're bigger.

Joanna takes pictures of trees and stuff.

More trees.

So, that was the bulk of our hike. There were some more trees and stuff, it was pretty heavily wooded. But the trail that we were on, UPPER Maxwell Falls, didn't really afford us a view of the falls when we finally got to them. Apparently, LOWER Maxwell Falls takes you right by the place where people take the pictures  that eventually end up on the website the state or whatever uses to advertise how great this place is. We got to stand at the top of the falls and hear them. Yay. Once we got past the falls however, there was one oddity...

So, you tell me, is this just one person's idea of a really good place to put a church T, or the final resting place of the unfortunate camper that was in the tent at the Kill Site?

Bet you wish you left those smarties in the fucking truck now don't ya?!?

Coming Soon

SUMMER VACATION!!!!!

So.....

I don't know how long it has been since I took a whole week off from work, but as of about 5:00 p.m. yesterday I began an actual vacation. It just so happens that my vacation coincides with Joanna's (funny that) so we will be enjoying a whole week of fun/together time that hopefully won't culminate in the death or institutionalization of one or both of us.

But let's back up the calendar just a touch to Friday. Friday was my birthday, and with my impending vacation quickly approaching, I was in a pretty good mood. I got home to find a package waiting on me. Now, as my age keeps needing increasingly complex combinations of roman numerals, I no longer expect to receive gifts on my birthday, but it's still awesome to get one. My in-laws (who I absolutely adore) sent me a wonderful new kitchen apparatus. Because I love to cook, very often their gifts to me involve food in some fashion. Keep it up guys! I love food-themed fun-li-ness. This year, I got a massive 20" x 14" carving board. Not a cutting board mind you. This thing has way more important uses than chopping veggies.




What's that sitting on top of the microwave?



Still can't quite make it out. What's that say?



That's right. SPIKED carving board.



The six metal "meat spikes" hold the meat in place while I cut the little piggies/chickens/cows/baby seals/children to pieces.



Scary huh? these should teach the neighbor kids not to make too much noise after ten.



Here I am getting out my wonderful Wusthof (Pay attention out there anyone who still wants to send me a gift.... Wusthof Classic) carving kit. I love my life sometimes.



Mwahahahah!



Here I am taking the chick off my Drunken Chicken Roasting pan. A gift from my sister. I don't generally buy stuff for the kitchen for myself. Again... Wusthof Classic.



You like the spikes chicken????



Just kidding, I don't care if you like them.



Impaled chicken. A funny phrase in any context.



I had to have at least one picture of me actually cutting the chicken.



In addition to the meat spikes, this baby also has "sloped juice channels". Awesome.



Gravy Fixins! Not that I actually made gravy last night, but you get the point.

Thank you in-laws so much for my new Carving Board. I will get a lot of use out of it. Once again you have managed to get me a gift that I am excited about, and is practical. I love both of you and hope to see you very soon.