Beyond Thunderdome

SSCXWC09 is this weekend.
I still think cyclocross is dumb but I might show up for the Festivities Ride and party on Saturday. Anyone else going to be there?

NBA update!

Shocking excerpts from the book the NBA doesn't want you to read!

"If Javie was on the court when Iverson was playing, I would always bet on the other team to win or at least cover the spread. No matter how many times Iverson hit the floor, he rarely saw the foul line."

"Studying under Dick Bavetta for 13 years was like pursuing a graduate degree in advanced game manipulation."
"We were running up and down the court, laughing our asses off as the players got hammered with no whistles. "

a walk around

Strawberries in October? Thank you genetic science.

The tomatoes are mostly done though.

I thought I didn't like kale but it turned out I wasn't using enough bacon grease.

The winter beds. We emptied every single clod of dirt, found and patched the holes in the mesh where the voles were getting in, refilled the beds with new dirt and compost and planted radishes, mustard greens, cabbage and more.



Natty's eyebrows.

My killing team has kicked it into high gear. It's been an endless parade of mice, shrews, snakes, dragonflies, a few birds and the occasional worm. Next up : voles, moles, gophers and squirrels.

CMWC

Not sure where I got this photo but it must be from CMWC Tokyo because that's Augie in the middle. Looks like a fun time. I was excited about Chicago's bid for CMWC 2011 but I've read it went to Warsaw instead.

Mustache Ride

Another fun Mustache Ride. There was wall ball, lockshoes, a beanbag toss, 4 square and some spirited frisbee 500.
We also happened across some kind of Dada boating event. A posse of hipster artists (who were actually really nice) built boats in Old Town, using nothing but cardboard, duct tape and spray paint, then launched them into the river for a race. Very entertaining.



Disco talked his way onto this "ship" as a mate.


Interior view of the vessel.

The predictable but hilarious results.



I spotted this sweet timetrial machine at a quickemart in the NEP.

Big Air at Blackrock

Drove out to Blackrock with Mace, Tom and Boston on Sunday. Super fun. I didn't get especially rad but I did clean the entire climb for the first time ever, so that was gratifying.




Hang loose, Boston!

No boats or love in these pictures!

The cats seem to think we've arranged for the filberts to fall for their enjoyment. 13 acres of cat toys!

Sunset through the Hinoki.


I was going to eject this spider from the house but then it caught a yellow jacket. I guess the enemy of my enemy must be my friend.

Wood chips plus goat manure equals strange fungus.

Mustache Ride!

The 4th Annual Mustache Ride is Saturday, September 26. The day begins at Col. Summers Park at 1:30pm and concludes with a twister wrestling tournament. Mustaches required!

more pictures about boats and love

The African Queen?
Captain Murphy.


Perfect weather for a schooner race.

Getting moto at Blackrock

The tools of the trade.

I felt like the woods were watching me.

Justine was railing it, until :

a slippery root tripped her up.

A weekend in Port Townsend

Ah, the joys of boating. In the interest of stopping a leak we pulled all the pulleys (or I guess we call them blocks on a boat) off and recaulked them.

A sweet converted elevator car for rent as a food cart.



On the throne at Memory's Vault, Fort Worden.

Team Wreck Yacht Club

The TWYC Advisory Committee is traveling North to look at a possible flagship.

Scenes from the Polk County Fair

City boy and mountain man.

4H kids taking their goats to auction.


Horses seem a little outmoded to me. Sure, they were of great use for a portion of our history but now I see them as a luxury item. We don't eat them or use their milk, most people use them for pleasure or status. Though many are still used to herd and drive cattle a lot of ranchers use ATVs instead. I'm sure some Luddites still use them to pull wagons, plows, carts, harvest timber, etc. OK, maybe horses aren't outmoded but I still think they're overrated.

She makes a compelling case.




6 for 6.That's a $5 dollar penguin.

One of the founders of Oak Grove.


This clown couldn't match the talking robot of 2 years ago but she held several local kids enthralled.


For steep vineyards I guess.

I didn't know this existed. I bet it's called a bucket-claw or loader-thumb. This could make short work of several brush/blackberry zones around the farm.