StringGrrl sees the World

  Rocky Shoreline along the Licking River StringGrrl 5.0 & 4.3 On occasion, when work needs me someplace other than home or local office a road trio is necessary. Generally, any distance i can drive in 5 hours is just as convenient to drive to as it is to fly. Flying requires following someone else's timetable, getting to the airport, getting from airport to customer site, dealing with "airport people" (who are the worst), and is generally a soul-sucking endevor.  Driving is my preference with driving early or late enough that camping on the way just makes sense. A visit to Toyota in KY opened up the opportunity for some dispersed camping in the Daniel Boone National Forest. phone photography fails to capture just how magic the sky actually appeared Pulling into the riverside dispersed campsite by headlamp is pretty awesome After dropping of critical and delicate equipment with my host at Toyota, I drove about an hour east from Georgetown to Morehead Kentucky, where I...

  Shady Stage 3 My first Blissfest experience was in the late 1900's on my way back from Michigan Tech, downstate. That was the 13th or 14th annual festival back then. This year marks the 44th Blissfest -- 2020 & 2021 were paused for global pandemic.  Taste of Bliss - Beer and Wine tasting Stonehound Brewing shared a  Local Winery who kept dumping their rinse water over StringGrrrl's head before paying us in wine Stage 1 viewed from a shady spot  Early morning calm on Mishigaami (Lake Michigan) Brewed Fresh just for us Brought a few beers up north from GPW Hiding out in the shade Deployed for second year in the same spot between stages 1, 2, and 3 Disc Golf Camp, new favorite spot, let's see if i can grab it next year Last beer before wildcat camping on the shores of Lake Michigan and Sturgeon Bay Dunes Theo Katzmann or Galactic, I forget which night was which. Edit: not until a week or two after returning home, did I and many others learn that Saturday night (or...

  Central Falls, Rhode Island StringGrrrl's siblings live in Rhode Island, presumably to maximize distance from the 'rents in Michigan. Just outside of Providence we found Central Falls and the Blackstone river, providing a nice morning paddle with the opportunity to visit some local breweries.  Below Central Falls, no idea how to access the water here Graffitti artists have some game around here :-) A quiet spot to pause and brew coffee Just below the reservoir dam, riffles and current halted attainment Many old industrial sites pepper the riverbank Blackstone River Greenway Alternate Continuum (Barrel Aged Saison) & Greenway (NE IPA session) Mordax (NE IPA) & Coarse Woody Debris (Saison)   Oops! I accidentally brought some home

How it started, a beautiful day of skiing I've been unpacking some significant trauma or maybe it is post-trauma response, whatever. Suffice to say 3 years ago this week I came within centimeters of deadly injury. Since then it's been pain, questioning of my willingness to survive, fears of living in constant debt and pain, and instead of a "new lease on life" which many assume that surviving accidents should have brought me, I have a healthy fear of "surviving" in today's fraught world. Don't panic, it's not a cry for help or indication of a crisis, but certainly a recognition that there are many ways we can go and long suffering ends will not be my favored way.  That's us at the top After a full day without incident on the skis   I am fortunate to have friends who cared enough to visit me Luckily travel insurance paid everything, so survival wasn't a curse. If it had not?  Better that we don't dwell on that. Hospital Coffee and Yogu...