Tuesday, July 05, 2011
And We're Back!
Howdy Cats and Kittens! Did ya miss me? After a couple of years of mayhem and all manners of bizarre haps, I'm back to the blog again. Actually, after a couple of comupter moves and snafus, I've just FOUND my blogs again. I'm not a smart man but I mean well. I'm intending to get back to posting so that friends and family can keep up. Don't look for continuity or a clear dialogue path, just strap in and come along for the ride! A lot of craziness, good and bad, has gone down in the last four or so years since I've posted, and I got it all on digital, so get set. Here we go!
Friday, January 20, 2006
Hey kids, I'm back...
for more! I got a new computer for Christmas from the folks (yeah, I know, it's awesome), so I'm ready to blog out with you all once again. I am not going to make any promises as to my dedication to task, but stop in periodically to check out the pics. As usual, the nature of the project will be a rambling reconstruction of years past and an update on what's going on now. I'll start off the year with some pics from the olden days. These are shots I recovered from damaged negatives using my new scanner. The shots are circa 1992.
This is Joe B. and I on top of Mount Pisgah in North Carolina. We were going to a wedding and borrowed my dad's van. And having all of that room, we decided to take the gear. Several tourists and Park rangers stopped by to catch a tune or two, and one lady got out of her car to put a dollar in my boot, which I had removed just so that I could play the bass better. Hey, a buck's a buck.
This is my corner of the Fishing Hole, the basement of the Trout House, where Kilgore Trout, the world's premiere science fiction power trio, was based.
Ahh, the old drum kit. I had a kit that looked great. I gave the illusion of talent if not the reality.
Tuesday, February 15, 2005
I Know This Sounds Like A Load...
...of crap, but I am innocent of lying to you about blogging yesterday. The Toner was on the computer till he left at 13:00 and he turned it off when he left. When I got on a half hour later the server was down so I couldn't get on line. I'm a victim. Sorry to let you down. I'm gonna show you some pics of one of my favorite places on the planet-southern Utah. I have thousands of photos I've taken over the years of going there, but none of them are digitized, so I can't put them on for you. Any of you who want to send me a scanner will be rewarded with more photos than you ever cared to see, as I can scan the past twenty years of my life in pictures.
Anyway, Patrick and the Toner went to Arizona and Utah last year and Patrick took some great shots, a lot of which are the same ones I've taken over the years from the same places. And away we go...
Anyway, Patrick and the Toner went to Arizona and Utah last year and Patrick took some great shots, a lot of which are the same ones I've taken over the years from the same places. And away we go...
This is Checkerboard Mesa in Zion National Park. Go there now. You'd hate to die tomorrow and regret having missed it. It's Yosemite in pink and white.
This is a view of the Zion Valley from the lower section of the Angel's Landing Trail--the most amazing trail on earth. I know it's a bold statement, but dang, check out the next few shots.
To give you an idea how steep parts of the trail are. Certain sections have these chains to hold on to. I always make it my mission not to use the chains, but it's really tempting in spots.
The trail goes along this ridge of rock that sticks out into the valley. It's a long way down either way you choose to fall.
Views like this make this one of the top trails in the world according to yours truly.
Toner at The end of the trail. I have lots of pictures of this scene.
This is Bryce Canyon. It's like God was playing with Silly Sand. Incredible formations of sandstone.
More Bryce. I know this looks like a balance from my other blog, but I didn't do that one.
Monday, February 14, 2005
I'm Gonna Prove You Wrong...
...all of you detractors (Dave, I'm looking at you) who have pointed out that I haven't posted on this blog in two weeks, while the rock blog is updated almost hourly. More disturbing, (I'm told) is that the rock blog requires taking, downloading, and transferring photos. This seems to indicate a deeper commitment of time and energy. For this I must apologize to you, the dedicated reader, for my lack of attention to his forum of pertinent Budman life data.
I admit this rock thing has taken hold, but I promise that tomorrow I will be back to thrill you further with harrowing tales of daring-do from the wild and wooly past of yours truly.
I admit this rock thing has taken hold, but I promise that tomorrow I will be back to thrill you further with harrowing tales of daring-do from the wild and wooly past of yours truly.
Monday, January 31, 2005
Under The Weather...
...in more ways than one. I've been sick and the weather's been lousy. Still had to work, though, and that's a drag when you feel crappy.
The Suz has been in hospital of late with a gut full of woe, but she's home now and was back at work today against doctors' orders. The mom went to help her recoup last week.
On Wednesday I'll be driving to Asheville, NC to visit my friends Dave and Anne Russell. Check my Rock Blog on Friday for all the pictures you can stand. I'll have a few here, too, but not with rocks.
The Suz has been in hospital of late with a gut full of woe, but she's home now and was back at work today against doctors' orders. The mom went to help her recoup last week.
On Wednesday I'll be driving to Asheville, NC to visit my friends Dave and Anne Russell. Check my Rock Blog on Friday for all the pictures you can stand. I'll have a few here, too, but not with rocks.
Tuesday, January 25, 2005
A Final Word On Rocks ( on this blog)...
The whole rock stacking thing is a natural offshoot of my love for rock climbing. I love the feel of the rock, warmed by the sun, the shapes, the possiblities. I have an enormous respect for the rock. You never beat it, you just get to enjoy it in different ways at different times if it finds you worthy. You can't force it, you can't make it do what you want, you just hope to find a place where you are existing together in harmony and happiness at the same time. Like some other great things in this world. Here are some pics from a trip that the Toner, Mike (aka Jumbo Mug, aka Fruit Pie--see the nickname discourse in a previous post), and I took to Moab, Utah in May of 2002 to climb a tower in Castleton Valley.
Monday, January 24, 2005
This is Owl Rock in Arches National Park. Arches is my favorite. It's an amazing place. Owl Rock is 120 feet and goes about a 5.8 on a scale of 5.0 to 5.14 in difficulty of climbing. Read on...
Me leading Owl Rock. Note that my belayer seems to have no hands on the rope. My pal.
This is our first view of Castleton Tower as we drove into the valley. I mean really, don't you want to climb that sucker? We camped at the bottom ( where the bushes are) and then it's a 1000 foot elevation change to the bottom of the tower. the tower itself is 400 feet.
Me at the base of Castleton Tower. We spent four hours at the base of this climb (after a hellish hike up the talus cone) with sustained winds of forty miles per hour and gusts up to sixty. We finally had to bail and then go to Wall Street. Wall Street is a mile long stretch of cliffs along the Colorado River right outside of Moab.
Climbing at Wall Street. This is a route coalled the Snake. Slippery but fun. Like a snake, I guess.
