4.16 - Lightning!

Friday evening, a line of severe thunderstorms rolled through the Cincinnati area setting off some pretty spectacular fireworks. I grabbed my trusty digital camera and a tripod and set it up on top of my Jeep.

On a 15 second exposure, and after about 20 tries, I was able to capture the image to the left. All danger aside, it has to be the best storm picture I've ever taken. This time I was happy not to be hanging between two trees.

11.29 - Void

It's been over a year since we last hit the trails -- our annual hiking/canoeing trip never materialized through the haze of busy schedules and a hot, humid Summer.

I've been playing soccer pick-up games on the weekends to get back in shape. (Too much time in front on the green glow of a computer monitor.) Hopefully I'll see a difference by the time I have to strap on my pack and walk for 4 hours. Granted, it's a a lot different than sprinting up and down the soccer field in the cold rain but it's got to help a little.

Red and I have been throwing around the idea of going to a Camp Jeep outing or something similar. It looks pretty sweet, but the cost is steep and the closest are usually 8 or more hours away. There's just something appealing about 4x4 camping. Patience patience...

4.10 - The Itch

Today, temps in Cincinnati soared into the 80's. Time to drag out the gear, take inventory, and plan this year's first hike. I'm thinking a nice relaxing (short) hike to start with. I'm not sure I'm ready for another big one.

8.28 - Shawnee Forest

We're planning another trip to Shawnee Forest. This time, we're either going to hike from the main trailhead to Camp 1 or hike to Camp 5 via a parking area near Camp 4 (I think?). This time, we're a lot more prepared than we were on our first trip!

2.3 - Mammoth Cave Web Cam

Found a nifty site that has a webcam overlooking the Green River in Mammoth Cave National Park.

1.26 - Then The Hail Came

I just finished reading a trail journal, titled Then The Hail Came, written by George Steffanos who hiked the Appalachian Trail in 1983. It's an excellent story of personal growth and the challenges that a thru hiker faces on the 2100 mile trail.

11.29 - Hiking Links

Found of good website with tons of links: The Trail Database.

11.28 - Canoe Camping

It's just now starting to get cold here in Cincinnati and I'm already dreaming about next year's trip. We've been talking about canoe camping in the local area (IN,OH,KY, or WV). Here are a few good links:

• Canoe Camping on Green River (KY)
• Eagles Nest Outfitters (WV)
• Little Miami Canoe (OH)
• General Canoeing Links

10.9.2004 Backpacking: Shawnee Forest - Camp 5

Two Jeeps, six guys and 200 pounds of gear.

2.7.2004 Winter Hiking
It was cold and snowing, but we still decided to go out for a day of Geocaching around East Fork Lake.

10.7.2003 Backpacking: Mammoth Cave - First Creek Lake
Our second trip this year to Mammoth Cave National Park -- no angry rain or lightning on our mountain like last time, just relaxation by the lake...

5.18.2003 Backpacking: Mammoth Cave - McCoy Hollow
Mammoth Cave National Park near Bowling Green, Kentucky contains one of the largest cave systems in North America -- this year, our backpacking trip lead us into the backcountry area on a surface hike.

10.20.2002 Hiking: Paint Creek
Paint Creek has a few easy trails, but the best part about it is the dam. I somehow managed to take 142 pictures...

8.10.2002 Exploration: Chilo Locks
While at a family function near the river, Eric, Tim and I decided to check out Chilo Locks and Dam.

5.10.2002 Backpacking: Shawnee Forest
Shawnee Forest, located in Southern Ohio is the largest of the 20 state forests in Ohio with over 60,000 acres. This short story of our journey into the forest covers only 8 miles.