My topic will be "Hiking Safely in Rocky Mountain National Park", where I will highlight some of the risks the average hiker needs to be aware of when hiking the park. I'll cover proper gear and clothing, as well as how to identify altitude sickness, etc. I'll cover my experience while there last May and share what I've learned after four days of hiking and camping within the park.

I will be presenting Saturday, February 11th from 3-4 p.m. More details will be available soon on the official site http://theadventuresummit.com.

Please come out and support me!

Hanging Rock is a very scenic state park located in beautiful Danbury, North Carolina, about an hour north of Greensboro. I was lucky enough to get to make a pit stop here on a drive back from a tech conference in Raleigh. While I only got to spend about an hour here, I got the chance to see a really nice point of interest and have a very fun hike with a lot of solitude.

I spent my time at Hanging Rock taking the "Hanging Rock Trail", a 1.3-mile (one way) excursion up the side of a mountain to a 2500-ft. peak and rock formation for which the park is named after. Unfortunately, at the early time in the morning I was here, the mountain was still draped in clouds, so the view from the top was not as picturesque as I had hoped.

The trail starts at the edge of the visitor center parking area, and immediately descends down a paved path into the woods. After a few hundred feet, the trail becomes gravel and steeply rises upward into the dense woods. Soon, the gravel runs out and the trail becomes a traditional "trail", mostly dirt, but also somewhat rocky. The ascents and descents are fairly moderate, and only the last several hundred feet of the hike does it become anything near what could be considered "strenuous". In fact, the trail itself is rated as moderate for both its length and terrain.

The hike through the dense woods is serene, and a great way to take in the sights and sounds of the forest. Many birds and insects take refuge here in this quiet natural habitat. At the base of Hanging Rock, one can look up and see the rock formation overhead. There is a nice little cave area to the left to rest. Sadly, many people have found this a fun place to graffiti--detracting from the natural beauty. I will never understand why people cannot appreciate nature for what it is and not destroy it!

From the base of the trail up to Hanging Rock, there is a set of stone stairs widing up the side of the mountain. This hike is not hard by any means, but will cause a hiker to stop and take a breath every now and then. The rocks can be quite slippery when wet. Finally, once at the rock outcrop, the trail becomes very rocky. One can actually climb out on the outcrop, and on a clear day, see the Piedmont Triad area down below. My only view was a valley blanketed in clouds, but the peace and quiet of being up there alone was nice. I enjoyed a Clif Bar while sitting on the rock, took in some of the scenery around me, and headed back down. The trail down and back to the parking area is much easier and faster.

This park has many more trails I just did not have time to explore, including a 6-mile, "strenuous" loop around "Moore's Wall", which is visible from other areas in the park. There is also a very scenic lake here, which I imagine is a popular destination during the summer.

If you are ever in north central North Carolina, make a point to stop at Hanging Rock State Park. It's a scenic natural area with a lot to offer--only a short distance away from the big cities of Greensboro and Winston-Salem. Never stop exploring!

Images on Flickr:

http://www.flickr.com//photos/outlan/sets/72157627617117499/show/

Check out the video from the top of Hanging Rock on my YouTube Channel:

I can only count on one hand the number of "dream trips" I've had in my lifetime, but in May of this year I was able to add another to my "done it" list. I headed off to Denver, Colorado with my brother-in-law and another friend for a hiking/camping trip in the Rockies and surrounding area. Though I've been out west a number of times, seeing these mountains was like seeing them for the first time. And, since this was the first time I'd been in RMNP, it was an absolutely amazing experience all-around. It is amazing how different each western state is from another.

Day 1: We left Dayton on Frontier Airlines Friday morning, May 27th. It was a beautiful day, and the flight was perfect. After landing in Denver, we did our typical housekeeping activities at the airport and then header over to the REI downtown Denver flagship store. Imagine one store having everything you could ever want or need for camping/hiking/backpacking, etc.! We spent at least two hours in the store, checking out equipment and drooling over gear we couldn't afford. It was a blast! While there, an REI employee informed us many of the trails in the high country were closed due to snow, and that this was the most snow they'd seen in a very long time this late in the year. We knew we'd have to alter our hiking plans to lower elevations for this trip. Finally, we picked up our rental Kingdom 6 and Coleman propane stove for the campsite. REI is like a playground for any outdoor enthusiast--but bring your pocketbook. You won't leave the store without buying something!

After spending half the day in Denver, we headed to Boulder and then on to Estes Park. We got into Moraine Park campground by late-afternoon, and set up camp. I was amazed at the shift in temperatures. We went from 70's and sunny to 50's and rain at the campground. Still, it was beautiful. Herds of Elk were everywhere in the park--grazing within feet of our campsite. Even after being at Yosemite and Zion in the past, I had never seen so much wildlife in a national park before, and having these large animals up close and personal was almost like our own personal (non) petting zoo. Just over the hill behind our camp was a gorgeous view of Long's Peak, covered in feet and feet of snow. I whipped out my DSLR and started snapping feverishly.

Day 2: The next morning, we decided to head into Boulder and do a lower-elevation hike to acclimate a little. Our first hike of the trip was to Royal Arch in the "Flatirons" region of the Front Range. Now, I'm going to state for the record that "day hikes" in Colorado are a lot different than day hikes in Ohio, and the people of Colorado are a different breed. The hike to Royal Arch was, in my opinion, a strenuous one, gaining several hundred feet in a relatively short distance. The trail is steep, rocky, and an un-acclimated soul (like myself) might consider the pinnacle height of nearly 7,000 feet a little exhausting. Still, it wasn't anything a normal person in relatively good shape couldn't do. Dressed in full hiking gear and pack, I almost felt silly compared to the families with young children and dogs walking, jumping, skipping, and literally running up the trail. It was everything for me to manage my breathing and not pass out, while others had no problem going up this trail. The view at the top, though, was worth every step. From Royal Arch, one can view the entire town of Boulder and far beyond. It's a sight that can only be experienced and not relived through photos.

Later that day, we went on to "Dinosaur Ridge", near Golden, to see some fossils and dino tracks. This "touristy" site ended up being one of the coolest places we saw. The walk up a former road (now just used as a footpath) yielded some awesome red rock views on the other side of the hill we were on. From there, we checked out the "Triceratops Trail", a small--and almost hidden--little area about 20 feet down in a ravine. Here we saw Triceratops footprints, as well as fossilized plants.

After all that walking, we were parched, so we went on to Golden for dinner, where we got to see the Coor's brewery and partook in some fresh Coor's brew at a local establishment. It was a great night.

Day 3: Day three was our longest venture, with a total mileage of somewhere around 14 miles from Moraine Park, up to Fern Falls, on to Cub Lake, and back down through the Moraine Park Meadow and back to the campsite. We hiked from Moraine Park campground up to "The Pool", a cool and inviting rapid of gorgeous snowmelt. From there, the hike got...interesting. We had decided to make the hike up to Fern Lake, because of all the great things we'd heard about it. Because of all the remaining snow cover, there was still anywhere from one to eight feet of snow in the higher elevation. As we trekked up the mountainside, the snow got deeper, the air got thinner, and the hike was rough on this Ohio boy's body. It was an absolutely gorgeous day for hiking, though, with a clear blue sky and temps in the 60's. Fern Falls was rushing with ice water as it came down the mountain. We hiked further up, and it was a rough go slogging through the melting (but still deep) snow. Finally, we made it to Fern Lake, still frozen over. What a gorgeous sight! Still, what would have been a merely "moderate" RMNP hike was, for me, an exhausting one, and I soon learned what it was like to have acute mountain sickness. This was a not a good feeling, but it quickly went away as we came down in elevation. We decided to press on to Cub Lake (well worth it), getting some great shots and playing in the snow along the way. Finally, we came back down to "The Meadow"--an amazing hike with unprecedented views of the Rockies. We saw moose, elk, and other great wildlife as well.

Day 4: On day four, we decided to take it easy on our aching bodies and explore more of Boulder. We headed back down to the "Big Blue Stem" trail--a four miler in relatively flat terrain, just outside the Flatirons. Along this scenic, almost desert-like environment I was reminded I was in the West, and was waiting for a cowboy to come riding out on a horse at any moment. Along the trail we walked right over a local snake, grabbed his picture and just kept going. After the day before, even four miles felt like ten.

From there, we came back and decided to take a drive as far up Trail Ridge Road as we could. We got up pretty far, but then ran into a "road closed" sign. The snow drifts alongside the road were 23 feet high in places. I hadn't seen this much snow since I was in Utah a few years ago. The wind was blowing and it was only in the 30's--it was incredibly cold. It was a good thing we had hats and gloves, even here in June. The western U.S. is definitely a wild and awe-inspiring place.

Day 5: Day five, our last day in RMNP before heading to Denver, we decided to do some driving and exploring around the area, and drove up to Bear Lake. Normally, there is a 1-mile paved trail around the lake which would be considered "easy". But, on this day it was covered in about six feet of snow. Without crampons or snowshoes, the slick, icy snow was treacherous to walk on. I opted to not even attempt it, while my counterparts took off and made a natural snow slide down a mountainside. I continued to capture amazing still shots of the surrounding mountains. From there, we went to Sprague Lake and captured even more amazing photos as we headed out of the park and down to Denver.

I literally could have spent another two weeks in Colorado with no problem, but my wife (and bank account) would have definitely disagreed. I have a secret love affair with the western United States.

While it is a good lamp, there might be better alternatives such as the Black Diamond Byte, or even an Energizer lamp. In fact, Outside Magazine's "Gear of the Year" did not even mention Petzl in their headlamp lineup at all.

Still, the two times I have used this it has served me well. I have used it for both camping in the Rockies and early morning fishing in Tennessee. The four different light modes are nice, but in pitch dark I generally keep it on the brightest setting. For night fishing, I used the red "night" light to be able to see and not scare the fish away. This worked well--I caught several fish.

The light housing seemed to resist water well while tromping through the rain from my tent to the latrine in Colorado. However, cold air killed my batteries fast. This isn't so much a fault of the lamp as it was my batteries. My biggest gripe is the "low battery indicator", that essentially warned me the batteries were low right before they stopped working altogether. Not very useful.

The Tikka Plus 2 is a good lamp and serves its purpose well. But, there might be better, cheaper alternatives on the market that outshine this popular item.

Pros: Lightweight and bright.

Cons: Heavy with regular AAA batteries. Beam is very focused to one point. Low battery indicator didn't give much warning.

Price Paid: $30 USD (Normally $40)

Zaleski Sate Forest is located in south-central Ohio, just a short jump north of the Ohio River. It is in one of the most rugged and scenic areas in the state, and boasts some of the truest "backcountry" conditions in the great state of Ohio. There are deep ravines, craggy cliffs, and rushing streams. Several of the higher hills reach 900 feet or more in elevation (with some topping 1000), adding to the sensation of being in a (very) small mountain range. These Appalachian foothills are truly natural gem.

The threat of rain loomed as we headed on the three hour drive to Zaleski State Forest. It held off most of the way and even stayed dry as we started the trail. We entered the South loop with a nice pine stand and gradual slopes as we moved further away from the parking lot and civilization. I was much more well-equipped for this trip than my first one this year--hydration bladder, raingear, lighter pack--The proper gear makes all the difference. As we headed deeper into the woods, thunder rumbled in the distance and the sky became dark. We knew we were in for rain, so the guys and I threw our raingear on and covered our packs. Soon, the light drizzle became a steady, soaking rain. The trail became a muddy mess as we pressed on towards the second campsite and our destination for the evening.

We passed through deep woods, along a rocky overlook, and up and down over several steep ascents and descents. Zaleski makes decent use of switchbacks, but there are a couple steep climbs. I did something bad to my knee along the way, and was in intense pain the second leg of day one. A big dose of Ibuprofen helped me make it through and it we finally made it to camp.

Of course, the rain stopped by the time we made it to camp. Thankfully, we were able to set up our tents/tarp and eat dinner in dry comfort. Our fire never really got to where we wanted it, but was pleasant enough for a nice evening. We enjoyed chatting about stupid things and playing with a green laser pointer while an obnoxious group of high-schoolers/young college kids made serious noise at the campsite beside us. My idea of backpacking and camping usually doesn't involve obnoxious kids. It was annoying, to say the least, and they didn't go to sleep until after 1 a.m. We gave them a piece of our mind, which didn't seem to affect them. Over their loudness, I heard coyotes howling somewhere down in a hollow not far away. The more the girls in the youth group giggled, the more the coyotes howled.

About two in the morning, the rain started up again. It rained steadily all night, and we woke up to soaked tent flys and fog. It was chilly and damp but not raining as we packed up. The annoying youth group beat us to the trail, so we relished in our newfound quiet. We finally hit the trail and the sun came out, making for a nice second day. We wrapped up our backpacking excursion around noon on day two, and headed for home.

This truly was a great outdoor experience with my good friends, and Zaleski doesn't fail to deliver on adventure. If you're in Ohio and looking for some outdoor fun, think about hitting up Zaleski State Forest!

UPDATE: As I'm sure you know, everything worked out fine, and I got to see my beloved Rocky Mountains. Full blog post comes later.

Imagine flying across the country to go somewhere you've been dreaming about seeing your whole life, only to find the gate is locked once you get there. That is what I'm facing with the impending government shutdown and my planned trip to the Rocky Mountains this spring. Suddenly, I feel like Clark Griswold when he arrived at Wally World.

Now, I know it's not just about me, and this shutdown would affect thousands of individuals in a much worse way than myself. Federal workers could be without pay, and government-funded projects would grind to a halt (to name just a few things). This has happened before. Think 1995 and the Clinton Administration. The government shut down for twenty-one days.

Still, my anger grows at the thought of government gridlock preventing me from seeing a natural wonder. How did we get to this point? I am thankful for the fact the government is protecting our land, but when something like this happens, it is devastating. Where will I camp? Where will I hike? What amazing things will I miss just because RMNP is closed? I shudder to think.

Let's keep the government in our prayers, and ask the Lord to guide the lawmakers in their decisions.

For those of you who haven't heard of Twins Days (I never had before having twins), it is the largest annual gathering of twins in the world (yes, the WORLD). What was even more exciting for us is that this festival was only 3 1/2 hours away from home. Just outside Cleveland, Twinsburg is a small, little-known town in northeastern Ohio. It's a fairly exclusive area and doesn't even have its own Wal-Mart, much to our surprise. Twinsburg is known worldwide by twins, and this festival has been taking place for 34 years. Twins come from all over the planet, and this year there were sets from the Czech Republic, Australia, Japan, Canada, and more. At last count when we left on Sunday there were over 1800 sets of multiples registered for the event.

Twins Days is three solid days of twin-centric celebration starting with a twin-only event Friday night. This private event is only for twins and their families, and includes a prize raffle, free hot dog dinner, and lots of socializing. Not being a twin myself, I almost felt like I was crashing some private club meeting. I had never seen so many multiples in one location before--it was amazing. While we didn't win anything in the raffle, we met lots of really nice people as well as some great parents of young twins. People watching is an official pasttime here.

Saturday and Sunday was the actual festival itself, open to the public but still attended mostly by twins. Saturday morning was the parade, which we missed. There were also several contests, and we entered the boys in the "least alike under 12 months" contest. They ended up winning 2nd place and two "silver" medals! We were so incredibly proud of our beautiful little guys. We didn't even get to see much of the talent competitions or entertainment going on because there was so much to do. The festival grounds itself isn't that large, but there is still a lot to do, see, and eat.

This year we got a good feel for what the event is all about and if we would want to go again. The boys were too little to really enjoy it, but seemed to have a good time being outside and getting so much attention (as well as banana popsicles). We've decided that Twins Days will now be an annual family tradition, and unless we're living across the country, we'll make the pilgrimage back to Twinsburg every August until the boys don't want to go anymore.

After traveling out west and seeing some amazing places such as Yosemite, Zion, and Chugach in Alaska, I realized there are some absolutely amazing sites in this world, and I need to make the time to see them before they are (or I am) gone.

This list is limited solely to places in the continental U.S. I would very much like to get out of the country and see places across the globe, but that is for another post and most likely not going to happen until my kids are in college.

Here is my top 10, in order of preference:

1. Yellowstone
2. Grand Canyon
3. Arches
4. Petrified Forest
5. Bryce Canyon
6. Black Hills
7. Painted Desert
8. Grand Tetons
9. Rocky Mountains
10. Crater Lake

This is not necessarily my entire list, but that would be too long and most likely unattainable. This is my "realistic" list for now.

Rhonda and I just got back from her aunt's home on Lake Norris in Tennessee. It was a very good weekend. We got some serious relaxation in, and I did a ton of fishing. The fish weren't really biting for me, but I did catch a small bass this morning before leaving. Rhonda's aunt caught a channel catfish on Saturday and Jim and I filleted him and we had him for dinner--it was the freshest fish I've ever had! Normally, I don't enjoy fish, but this one was pretty good fried up and battered.

The lake was THE place to be this weekend. I've never seen so many boaters, skiers, jet skiers, kayakers, swimmers and tubers in my whole life. The highlight was a party at Flat Hollow Marina complete with a band and fireworks.

I forgot just how much I love summer. Winters around Dayton tend to do that to a person, I guess. There's nothing like a hot summer evening, just hanging out. These kind of days go by way too fast in my opinion...summer needs to be much longer than it is. Or, maybe I need to be somewhere that doesn't get so dang cold in the winter ;-)

Catch the photos and vids here.

If anyone out there has been to OSK before, drop me a line and let me know what's fun to do, what to see, where to go, etc. I'm not sure how much free time I'm going to have (if any), but from what I understand we're going to have at least one free evening. Apparently, this area is one affected by the major Midwest flooding, so I'm not sure what I'm in for.

Things are quite different this year, though. The conference was pushed from March (hence "Spring Break") to June. I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to attend since I'm hitting CFUnited in June also, but was able to pull some strings and my boss let me go. The conference is still sponsored by Adobe, but the keynote speaker hasn't been announced, yet (it has been Ben Forta the last few years). Apparently, Eric Meyer, the CSS master, will be doing the lunchtime keynote.

The biggest shocker this year is the price increase. It was originally free (just two years ago), then, last year, the price was $25. This year it shot up to $45 and $55 for hands-on sessions. For as long as it took them to get anything online about the conference this year, I was very hesitant to go or pay the fee this time around. We'll see if the higher fee is worth it this year. I will be blogging from the conference and posting to Twitter so be sure and stay tuned!

We were looking for a hotel the other night, and we were able to just touch "POI's" (Points of Interest) and search for "hotels". Then, we were able to look up and get phone numbers for all the hotels near us. We found a $60/night room when everything else was $90-$100+. How awesome is that?

Oh yeah--not to mention the really feature of keeping me from getting lost. Worth every penny.

Rhonda just found out she is going with her friend to Los Angeles next month. She's very excited, and I'm excited for her. I wish I could go, but I just have way too much going on here for the next couple of months. She'll have a great time.

Rhonda and I head out for NC in a couple days...now just trying to get some of the last minute things done for school and around the house. I posted some pics to Flickr of the new Thule luggage carrier we put on the Vue. Hopefully, it will survive the trip!