Tuesday, May 26, 2026

Former Athlete Visits

Rich, Spider, and Maggie's paws and tail. 
Click on photos to enlarge. 


Back then we called him "Spider" because of his ski jacket. Now, Steve is an engineer, rock and ice climber, backcountry skier, and mountaineer. He's living his best life. On Sunday morning over  Memorial Day weekend, he stopped by for a chat. I heard about his work adventures, his exploits in the mountains, and his fiancĂ©. 

Spider lives near Mount Shasta in Redding, CA. He spends a lot of time skinning the mountain's slopes and often sends his old hometown friends photos of his treks. Steve was in Maine to celebrate his Dad Ernie's 90th birthday, to catch up with family, and to visit his old ski and soccer coach. Maggie immediately took to Steve and placed her head on his feet when she took one of several naps.   

Here's to the lives we lead, and the way we journey through our days on earth. We all find our own paths. Onward, Spider! 

Friday, May 8, 2026

Blue Ridge Parkway

Blue Ridge Parkway Trip 

I've never done much exploring in the south, especially in Virginia. This spring we fixed that. We traveled 2266 miles through nine states, including Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia, and Virginia at the end of April and beginning of May to visit the Blue Ridge Parkway

This trip, I spent more time staying at camp grounds. I liked the electric hook up and walking the grounds was more pleasant than Walmarts, Cracker Barrels, or Lowe's.