Photos A Walk in Nature

DirtDawg · Oct 22, 2023

Just Tom. said:
Pawpaws! And yes!

Asimina triloba - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

I discovered this year that you can pick them when they are just a little underripe, and they will ripen up nicely in a few days at home. They can still be hard to find in that state, most being either hard as rocks or complete mush, but it did mean I got to eat more of them this year.

I have a 2-night bike trip along the canal planned for next Sunday-Tuesday, upstream from where I ended my last trip. They are calling for temps near freezing at night, but the days should be nice.

I look forward to hearing about your bikecamping trip, and to see what knives accompany you on your journey.

Just Tom. · Oct 22, 2023

DirtDawg said:
I look forward to hearing about your bikecamping trip, and to see what knives accompany you on your journey.

I was originally planning on leaving today and camping 2 nights, but predicted high winds caused me to change my plans. Just a single night trip, then, but it’s better than nothing. I plan to visit Fort Frederick along the way, which dates originally from the French and Indian war, so I’m thinking a period-appropriate carry will be the way to go:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Frederick_State_Park

https://www.nps.gov/choh/planyourvisit/upload/Park_Planner_FY_2017_Recent-titled-2018.pdf

https://dnr.maryland.gov/publiclands/Pages/western/fortfrederick.aspx

RayseM · Oct 22, 2023

Enjoy your short outing Tom.

CelloDan · Oct 22, 2023

DirtDawg said:
Trail time with a couple of good friends... Moxie & Buck.

Hey Frank, thanks for taking us along !
Sad to hear about your faithful companion. Thanks for sharing your last ride together.
Wish you the best as you continue your cardiac rehab and looking forward for more glimpses of your neck of the woods.

Just Tom. said:
I was originally planning on leaving today and camping 2 nights, but predicted high winds caused me to change my plans. Just a single night trip, then, but it’s better than nothing. I plan to visit Fort Frederick along the way, which dates originally from the French and Indian war, so I’m thinking a period-appropriate carry will be the way to go:

All the best amigo, you must be in your tent by now. Hope is not too cold or too windy.
I expect a full report upon your return

Today, Admiral Diana announced the official ending of the 2023 sailing season.
She said I should just go sit down, relax and read some books until May of 2024

So I did what I was told.

Keeping my Sailors Rope knife close by while I read

The sun has set for this season ... now to dream about a sunrise

RLB0414 · Oct 23, 2023

CelloDan said:
Hey Frank, thanks for taking us along !
Sad to hear about your faithful companion. Thanks for sharing your last ride together.
Wish you the best as you continue your cardiac rehab and looking forward for more glimpses of your neck of the woods.

All the best amigo, you must be in your tent by now. Hope is not too cold or too windy.
I expect a full report upon your return

Today, Admiral Diana announced the official ending of the 2023 sailing season.
She said I should just go sit down, relax and read some books until May of 2024

So I did what I was told.

Keeping my Sailors Rope knife close by while I read

The sun has set for this season ... now to dream about a sunrise

Thank you and the Admiral for taking us along one your trips. Your photos show awesome scenery and show those of across your southern border areas we might not see otherwise.
Looking forward to your winter adventure photos

DirtDawg · Oct 23, 2023

Matterhorn Monday on the Nature Trail

It ain't pretty, but it still functions as a knife.
This one was gifted to me by an old friend some time back. I believe it's time to clean it up a bit.

Just Tom. · Oct 24, 2023

CelloDan said:
All the best amigo, you must be in your tent by now. Hope is not too cold or too windy.
I expect a full report upon your return

Sorry, Dan - it was Sunday night I skipped due to winds. I left Monday morning and got home this afternoon.

Fall colors beginning to show:

I visited Fort Frederick, as I mentioned earlier I had planned:

I ate Camembert and Stilton to represent each of the warring parties:

I was worried that the racket from a pack of coyotes, which made itself known at nightfall, would disturb my sleep, but I slept like a log.

Early morning coffee:

Misty morning on the river:

Pallares assisted in breakfast preparation by sharpening the stick:

This thing can get more work done than you would think!:

(A beaver felled this tree and I had to pull it off the towpath to pass this morning)

Five or six wild turkeys crossed my path this morning, but they ran off too fast for me to get a shot.

RayseM · Oct 24, 2023

Beautiful and inspiring and funny too Tom :thumbsup:

Great share.

CelloDan · Oct 24, 2023

RLB0414 said:
Thank you and the Admiral for taking us along one your trips. Your photos show awesome scenery and show those of across your southern border areas we might not see otherwise.
Looking forward to your winter adventure photos

Thank you !
I appreciate the kind comments you have given us regularly on many of our little adventures.

We are trying to get excited about winter with not a lot of success yet lol.

I tend to have a bit of an adjustment period at this time of the year but what surprised me was when my better half told me the same thing was happening to her.

Walking the local trails regularly always helped … a lot

DirtDawg said:
Matterhorn Monday on the Nature Trail

It ain't pretty, but it still functions as a knife.
This one was gifted to me by an old friend some time back. I believe it's time to clean it up a bit.
View attachment 2366266

Nice picture of a meaningful gift from your good friend Frank !

Just Tom. said:
I left Monday morning and got home this afternoon.

Hola Tom

Great to hear you had a good time my friend

I enjoyed the pics !
The Admiral and I must definitely try that bread on the stick next year for sure

… hopefully with some fish as well

CelloDan · Oct 28, 2023

Today's theme:
Crab apple picked up on the trail, Case stockman , chickadees, sun and moon

Sun "setting" the foliage ablaze

A glorious full moon soon followed

Horsewright · Oct 28, 2023

CelloDan · Oct 30, 2023

October 30th.
The “white stuff” has arrived

redsparrow · Oct 30, 2023

Snow is a good thing! AFAIK your's is the first report of the blessing. Enjoy.

mbkr · Oct 30, 2023

redsparrow said:
Snow is a good thing! AFAIK your's is the first report of the blessing. Enjoy.

Yeah...been there done that

I'm ready for spring

redsparrow · Oct 30, 2023

mbkr said:
Yeah...been there done that
I'm ready for spring

As a life long Michigander who loves the out-of-doors (year round) I feel that there is very little bad weather but
lots of bad clothing. YMMV

mbkr · Oct 30, 2023

redsparrow said:
As a life long Michigander who loves the out-of-doors (year round) I feel that there is very little bad weather but
lots of bad clothing. YMMV

I used to prefer doing field work when it was cold. No bugs, no mud, no poison ivy to speak of, and better lines of sight. Now that I'm retired and maintaining two properties 600 miles apart, I'd just as soon it stay above freezing

C'mon spring

Just Tom. · Oct 30, 2023

mbkr said:
No bugs, no mud, no poison ivy to speak of, and better lines of sight.

Sounds like surveying. I would agree for boundary or topo work, but having to use a frost pin to punch holes in frozen dirt for every single hub and stake on a windy exposed jobsite makes construction stakeout very unpleasant in the cold. Luckily, the last time I had to do that was like 20 years ago…

.

mbkr · Oct 30, 2023

Just Tom. said:
Sounds like surveying. I would agree for boundary or topo work, but having to use a frost pin to punch holes in frozen dirt for every single hub and stake on a windy exposed jobsite makes construction stakeout very unpleasant in the cold. Luckily, the last time I had to do that was like 20 years ago… .

Most of the surveying I did was topo work, although we set ground control for aerial photogrammetry too. Now, I understand they are downloading surveying information from the internet that is accurate enough to design and build with - even for small sites in the middle of nowhere. Lidar from satellites?!

I reclaimed abandoned coal mines.

Just Tom. · Oct 30, 2023

mbkr said:
Most of the surveying I did was topo work, although we set ground control for aerial photogrammetry too. Now, I understand they are downloading surveying information from the internet that is accurate enough to design and build with - even for small sites in the middle of nowhere. Lidar from satellites?!
I reclaimed abandoned coal mines.

I haven’t heard of LiDAR from satellites being used - maybe in very remote areas? Our jobs range from dense urban to very rural, but all are going to tie in to some sort of existing infrastructure somehow. GIS data from various sources can be used for some very preliminary planning, but we always get controlled aerial photogrammetry, usually with LiDAR, and supplement all the critical tie-ins with field-run topo. I have a crew setting ground control tomorrow :thumbsup:

.

I guess this is the Traditional Knives in Engineering and Surveying thread now. Sorry…

CelloDan · Oct 31, 2023

mbkr said:
Most of the surveying I did was topo work

Just Tom. said:
I guess this is the Traditional Knives in Engineering and Surveying thread now. Sorry…

Hey guys, I am sure many of your skills can be of great benefit in water navigation as well

You see, I rely on my iphone's gps + a navigation app on our little adventures and I am always concerned about battery life or depending too much on electronics.

I know that losing my bearings will most likely not impress the Admiral at all

Tom ? Mike? any tips ?

One of our favorite stomping grounds ... I mean waters