Memorial Day

"We will always remember. We will always be proud. We will always be prepared, so we will always be free".

Ronald Reagan

The Sound of Distant Thunder

A heavy thunderstorm rolled through our area the other evening & I managed to snap a few photos of the light show as it moved across the sky.



The darkness was interrupted by brilliant flashes of white light and hues of deep purple and blue black as thunder rumbled in the distance.





Ash & I have a kind of history with thunderstorms, from being holed up in our MSR tent in Grayson Highlands while a mountain thunderstorm pummeled the area around Big Wilson Creek, to being driven out of our North Face tent during a trip to Portsmouth Island when a ridiculously strong storm hammered us at 3:00am. With no real cover from the dunes, we spent the rest of those early morning hours huddled in the 4-Runner watching lightning arc off of the Atlantic Ocean 30 yards away.

Morning Glory

After a week full of Alpha personalities be it good or bad, I made it a point to hit the reset button on Saturday morning.

I was on the lake by 7:30 and a combination of overcast skies and heavy fog made for an obscured backdrop as the canoe sliced silently through the copper water.

On my first cast I landed this guy,which hit the bait almost instantaneously as it broke the surface of the water.


You have to respect the fight that even a small bass will put up with light tackle,and after he mugged for his picture he was on his way.

I couldn't help but think, "Oh, it's going to be an epic day for fishing", but as time passed from one hole to another, I realized that the fish did not share my enthusiasm.

I threw the canoe back onto the 4-Runner and made it home by 11:00am to find a fresh pot of coffee and veggies from the Goochland Farmer's market.



Ash had picked up some local sweet potatoes, golden squash, and zucchini, not to mention goat feta cheese.

Ash is the kind of person who can look at a seemingly random hodgepodge of ingredients and make something delicious out of it every time.

For those of you keeping score...
Local Farmer's: One
Micky D's: Zero

Of Pirates & Prestige

This blog seeks to pursue the idea that the journey is certainly more important than the destination.
My bike is my “way out”, it’s how I express myself, how I cope, and how I bleed off excessive amounts of angst & energy that are my constant companions.
That being said, a bike is just a simple tool, a device that gets me to where I’m going, both physically & mentally.
I don’t ride as much as I would like, and the balancing act of wants & needs is ever present.
While I understand complete devotion to a single ideal, this blog is not one dimensional in that respect, the bike might be the center piece, but going on a trail run, backpacking, or even dropping a line can also cure what ails you.

If you’re looking for the intricacies of truing a wheel you won’t find it here.

What you will find is a guy who is trying to simplify his life through great craft beer, delicious home cooked eats, and the pursuit of those precious few seconds where you find yourself in the perfect groove on a piece of flowing single track.