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[10yearsofventuriantale]

Today is the Ten-Year Anniversary of “Gmod ELEVATOR SOURCE Part 2 - Funny Co op Adventure Mod! (Garry's Mod)”

[vtsrealty]

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[aquadreamhq]

✽◝☄◦.. 𝙬𝙚𝙡𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙖𝙧𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙖𝙦𝙪𝙖 𝙙𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙢 𝙘𝙧𝙪𝙞𝙨𝙚  ZANE & MOLLY we hope you will be pleased with your stay. be sure to check in at the front desk within 12 hours to receive your vouchers and map of the ship. next stop ⇢ bridgetown, barbados

omar apollo & shayzanco_

✽◝☄◦.. ( omar apollo ) ⇢ all aboard, ZANE GARCIA  ! according to the tabloids, ZANE is TWENTY FOUR, identifies as he/him, & is originally from BOSTON, MA. they’ve decided to set sail (because) HE WAS LOOKING FOR SOMETHING NEW and you often can find them at THE ARCADE. they’re typically LAID BACK, UNDERSTANDING AND FUNNY but you don’t want to see their CLINGY, IRATE AND ALOOF side. however, they’re a TWITCH STREAMER so they probably can afford the damage control. [ g, she/her, est ]

✽◝◦.. ( shayzanco_ ) ⇢ all aboard, MOLLY LAHAV! according to the tabloids, MOLLY is TWENTY TWO, identifies as she/they, & is originally from BURLINGTON, VT. they’ve decided to set sail because THEY’RE BORED WITH HER LIFE and you often can find them at THE POOL. they’re typically GENEROUS, CREATIVE AND ADVENTUROUS but you don’t want to see their NAIVE, INDECISIVE AND STUBBORN side. however, they’re a BOOK SHOP CASHIER so they probably can afford the damage control. [ s, she/her, cst ]

[hunterline730]

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Minecraft Practice/Training Map Beta 1.3.2 MLGs, Crafting, Target Shuffling, And More to Come. Challenge / Adventure Map. Cratornugget 3 weeks ago. posted last month.

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30 Years of Rock & Roll Tour - Dates Added

06/02/2021

We have extended the 30 Years of Rock & Roll Tour! 9/8/2021 through 10/9/2021!

Tickets On Sale NOW! Joining us will be very special guests STONER featuring Brant Bjork and Nick Oliveri. Also King Buffalo 9/8-18 and Telekinetic Yeti 9/29-10/9. Tickets on Sale at ClutchOnTour.com DATES: LEG 1 w/ Stoner & Telekinetic Yeti Sep. 08 - Norfolk, VA - The Norva Sep. 10 - Danville, VA - Blue Ridge Music Festival Sep. 11 - Reading, PA - Reverb Sep. 13 - Flint, MI - Machine Shop Sep. 14 - Flint, MI - Machine Shop Sep. 16 - Asheville, NC - Orange Peel Sep. 17 - Chattanooga, TN - The Signal Sep. 18 - Pensacola, FL - Vinyl LEG 2 w/ Stoner & King Buffalo Sep. 29 - Ft. Wayne, IN - Piere’s Guys Oct. 01 - Albany, NY - Empire Live Oct. 02 - New Haven, CT - College Street Music Hall Oct. 03 - Portland, ME - State Theater Oct. 05 - Buffalo, NY - Town Ballroom Oct. 07 - Long Island, NY - Paramount Theater Oct. 08 - Burlington, VT - Higher Ground Oct. 09 - Hampton Beach, NH - Hampton Beach Casino

2021 Tour Dates

05/18/2021

Dec. 27 - Baltimore, MD - Ram's Head

Dec. 28 - Sayreville, NJ - Starland Ballroom Dec. 29 - Cleveland, OH - Agora Theatre Dec. 30 - Detroit, MI - Fillmore Theatre Dec. 31 - Cincinnati, OH - The Icon Tickets will be available at www.ClutchOnTour.com.

Australian and European Merch Stores

01/20/2021

The Australian and European Clutch merch stores are open for business. Links below.

Australian Clutch Merch Store | European Clutch Merch Store.

Enjoy, and stay heavy.

Return of the Doom Saloon

12/01/2020

You are cordially invited to the heaviest show in the neighborhood. Casual attire required.

'Pure Rock Wizards' Shirt

09/12/2020

Available until Sunday ONLY! Then it's gone forever.

Design by Branca Studio

#PureRockWizards

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10 of the best things to do outdoors in New England this fall

New Post has been published on https://www.travelonlinetips.com/10-of-the-best-things-to-do-outdoors-in-new-england-this-fall/

10 of the best things to do outdoors in New England this fall

The pandemic has invited us to embrace the joys of nature. And in New England, autumn is a special time to enjoy the great outdoors. Leaves turn vibrant shades of crimson, gold and pumpkin.

Summertime heat and humidity are a memory, replaced by bluebird days and comfortably crisp nights. Fresh air enthusiasts are attracted to the spectacular scenery and variety of activities, from the adrenaline rush of zip-lining to a peaceful mountain hike. Aquatic adventures like fly fishing and kayaking are a good way to get acquainted with the region’s clear streams, pristine lakes and gorgeous seacoast.

Meet 10 of New England’s best outdoor activities to try this fall.

Mountain biking in Gorham, New Hampshire

Mountain biking is an invigorating fall activity — Photo courtesy of White Mountains New Hampshire

Mountain biking on a bright autumn day is invigorating, and Great Glen Trails Outdoor Center is a perfect car-free spot to pedal. Trails and carriage roads traverse meadows and rivers, with a carpet of crunchy leaves in suggestive shades of red, yellow and orange. Purchase a trail pass, rent a bike and required helmet, and away you’ll go.

Stay: At the base of towering Mount Washington, The Glen House is adjacent to Great Glen Trails Outdoor Center. Discounted trail passes, panoramic views, comfortable rooms and a restaurant with a fine selection of local beer sweeten the deal.

Falconry in Manchester, Vermont

Experience the majesty of a bird of prey on your gloved fist — Photo courtesy of The Equinox Golf Resort & Spa

A bird of prey on a gloved fist is a majestic sensation. Falconry is an ancient field sport involving trained but still wild hawks. At Green Mountain Falconry School, a master falconer teaches fundamentals of hawk handling, allowing participants to get personal with a regal Harris hawk within minutes.

Stay: The Equinox Golf Resort and Spa is an ideal spot to savor Vermont’s technicolor foliage, conveniently located near Green Mountain Falconry School.

Kayaking in Kennebunkport, Maine

Crescent Beach is serene spot for a fall paddle — Photo courtesy of Douglas Merriam

For an immersion in Maine’s stunning seascapes, a kayak is a winning perch. Kennebunkport has a wealth of beaches tailor-made for kayaking.

Goose Rocks Beach is a pristine stretch of white sand bordered by dune grass. Surf is usually gentle thanks to the buffer its crescent shape provides. When tides are favorable, paddle to secluded islands sprinkled with colorful changing leaves as migratory birds fly overhead. Kennebunkport Marina rents single and double kayaks with life jackets provided.

Stay: Tides Beach Club is an upscale hotel directly across from Goose Rocks Beach, with complimentary kayaks for guests. Relax on its old-fashioned porch with ocean views. Open through October.

Zip-lining in Jeffersonville, Vermont

Swing from the trees on a zip-line — Photo courtesy of ArborTrek Canopy Adventures at Smugglers’ Notch/Stowe, VT

Zipping across a series of suspended cables from treetop to treetop is an adrenaline-pumping aerial adventure. ArborTrek offers an autumn zip-line canopy tour that’s a vertigo-inducing sashay across eight cables surrounded by a rainbow of colorful leaves. As you glide, friendly guides inject tidbits of information on local flora and fauna.

Stay: ArborTrek is located at Smugglers’ Notch Resort. Roomy condo-style lodging and rambling grounds are perks.

Hiking at Mount Greylock State Reservation in Lanesborough, Massachusetts

Mount Greylock present’s a painter’s palette of fall color — Photo courtesy of Ogden Gigli

Hiking to Mount Greylock’s summit, the highest point in Massachusetts, is a low-tech way to leaf peep. Trails lined with balsam fir and spruce evergreen trees present a verdant backdrop for vivid splashes of amber, orange and scarlet leaves from a wide variety of deciduous trees. Auto roads to the mountaintop usually stay open until early November.

Stay: Tourists is a riverside hotel situated in a forest that’s walking distance from Mount Greylock. Open Wednesday-Sunday in fall.

Surfing in Newport, Rhode Island

Surf’s up in Newport, Rhode Island — Photo courtesy of Corey Favino for Discover Newport

Newport may be known for its Gilded Age mansions, but for those who dream of surfing, it’s a coastal plunge straight out of a Beach Boys song. Autumn is a fine time to catch a wave, as seasonal Atlantic storms often bring swells.

Sachuest Beach, locally known as Surfer’s End, is a popular spot to hang ten. Easton’s Beach, with its gently sloping sandy bed, is a good bet for novices.

Rent a board and wetsuit at Island Surf & Sport, open all year.

Stay: The Wayfinder is a boutique property with a casual vibe and a collection of surfboards. The onsite restaurant is top-notch.

Boating in Mystic, Connecticut

Mystic’s maritime history makes it a perfect place to get out on the water — Photo courtesy of Connecticut Office of Tourism

With a seaport museum and world-class aquarium, maritime gem Mystic is a fitting place to go boating. The schooner Argia offers two-hour public sailing cruises in protected waters until mid-October. For late season boaters, Mystic River Cruises charters an antique picnic boat until mid-November.

Stay: Whaler’s Inn is a charming 45-room hotel in downtown Mystic near popular attractions.

Lobstering in Portland, Maine

Get up-close with a lobster on a Lucky Catch cruise — Photo courtesy of Maine Tourism

Maine and lobster go together like milk and cookies. For experiential travelers, a ride with a professional lobsterman on Lucky Catch Cruises is a deep-dive into this delectable crustacean. Haul traps and chat with lobstermen as you soak in Casco Bay’s picturesque lighthouses and historic Civil War forts. Cruises run through October.

Stay: Canopy by Hilton Portland Waterfront is walking distance from many of Portland’s delectable dining options and top attractions.

Fly fishing in Woodstock, Vermont

Fly fishing in Vermont’s cold, clean streams and rivers — Photo courtesy of Woodstock Inn & Resort

Part mental and part physical, fly fishing is a nuanced angling technique that hooks many who give it a try. Learn or perfect it in Vermont’s clean streams and ponds with Orvis-endorsed guides at the Woodstock Inn. Postcard-pretty foliage is a seasonal bonus.

Stay: Book an Angler Collection Room at the Woodstock Inn, decorated with antique fly rods and maps of nearby fishing locations.

Horseback riding in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire

Horseback riding at Bretton Woods — Photo courtesy of Omni Mount Washington

At Bretton Woods Stables, equestrians ride along bridle paths lined with tall pines, with pops of saturated saffron, burnt orange and bold burgundy leaves mixed in for good measure. Group tours and private rides allow both novices and seasoned riders to saddle up, while pony rides should satisfy tiny travelers.

Stay: Omni Mount Washington Resort provides guests with striking White Mountain views and warm hospitality.

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[govales]

PUBG Player

If you wish to carry on your progress on your mobile device, log in with the exact same Facebook account on the two programs. Another window opens through the setup procedure, and PUBG Mobile will start there when it is completed.

That is like saying gully cricket ought to be banned because individuals playing streets can't signify the country. Everybody should get a chance to play a game, however, they perform it. When the setup is done, simply open the game and you'll have the ability to play with PUBG on your Windows PC just fine. Then run the program from the desktop and log into a PUBG account. After that, click the"Install" button and you're finished. The dimensions of PUBG Lite are about 3.9GB so that it is going to require substantial time to download and set up the game. Now you can log into your own Twitter or Facebook account to sync your PUBG Mobile information or perform as a guest if you don't wish to log into your account. Also Read PUBG for windows

And in some instances, is somewhat more appealing -- particularly which it is possible to play with PUBG MOBILE on PC with mouse and keyboard controls. When you've set up PUBG, playing it's as straightforward as visiting a Steam library and then clicking on the Play button. But if you are entirely new to the world of battle royales, it may be worth your time to take a look at the training mode. PUBG may be a tricky game for novices, but spend some time practicing, and you are going to be winning matches in virtually no time. PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds is among the most popular battle royale games available on the market -- and for good reason. Fast-paced actions, amazing maps, and stressed firefights are principles of every round, which makes the demand for fast reflexes and decent teamwork paramount to your success. Joining online is simple, although unlike any titles in the genre, PUBG isn't a completely free game.

You will observe the Intense option but it's going to be greyed out. If you click it it'll say"Present setting doesn't support this frame speed. There is also a 5th option, Extreme FPS. For some reason, it is only accessible on Smooth images, but it makes the gameplay easier for noninvasive computers. PUBG Mobile will automatically correct your images once you first start the game. If you become aware of the game stuttering or freezing a whole lot then place it into Smooth. Under Fundamental settings, you might choose to empower"Peek & Fire". This is put into the"Q" and"E" keys to narrow your character right or left. Also Read How To Play Pubg Mobile On Pc Or Laptop 2021 Edition

How To Download And Play Pubg, Playerunknowns Battlegrounds On Mobile

Together with the 64-bit version, make certain you've empowered VT on your own PC. Nox Player has just one little drawback -- it isn't quite as quickly as some of the additional Android emulators, for example, Nox Player. Smooth and fast -- Nox Player is quick and provides smooth gameplay, such as customizable functionality settings. You may even select the number of CPUs and how much RAM you utilize. After the house screen loads, you may observe some preinstalled program icons; among these is your Play Store. Want to learn what the mobile game looks like in action?

To play with PUBG on your computer, you want to first download and then install Steam on your computer. As soon as you have Steam, hunt for PUBG following creating and signing up with your Steam account. You have to get PUBG for Rs 999 and then download and install it. It typically takes time to download and then set up and you want a secure online connection. Even though PUBG Mobile is totally free to play with the game, you have to purchase PUBG to play with it on PC through Steam. While the narrative and gameplay are like PC also, the PC version provides a more immersive experience.

Final Fantasy Xiv Free To Play: How To Play Ffxiv For Free 

What's more, you may even record your screen whilst enjoying PUBG onto it. In any case, you might even take screenshots of this display if you would like to anytime throughout your gameplay. If you happen to feel like discussing it with friends, you might even utilize its white plank function. This is the way you mirror PUBG mobile to PC working with this professional tool.

No longer will you need to squint at your mobile phone display and fumble with mobile controls.

To remain current with the latest PC gaming manuals, news, and testimonials, follow PCGamesN on Twitter and Steam News Hub.

Now that you have obtained the game and have applied the best settings, you can run this game.

One illustration is that the Player's Unknown Battleground or many commonly known as PUBG.

In reality, PUBG and PUBG Mobile are two distinct games created by two unique programmers. The PC version consists of PUBG Corporation that belongs to Bluehole Studio located in Seoul, South Korea. On a Samsung Galaxy S8 -- among the very powerful telephones from 2017 -- we had been advocated moderate settings, which is a bit disappointing. While it didn't seem great, it didn't seem bad and provided respectable performance. There were a few frame rate drops and there, but this isn't something absent from the PC version. From what we could see, PUBG mobile will faithfully offer you the battle royale game you enjoy on-the-go, but it's still better on PC. Seemingly, for the first time, we do not understand how to command the game in Gambling Buddy.

While control players struggle to integrate into PUBG Mobile, PC players have the simple route. Tencent Gambling Buddy not functioning -- Perhaps you have heard of LDPlayer? Give it a try and you will see that playing with an Android game onto your PC can be quite engaging and error-free. Consequently, they can not play PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds mobile together with the emulator. These are a couple of resolutions that may mend Tencent Gambling Buddy stuck in 98 percent. We recommend entering the configurations of Android emulators and correcting them for optimum functionality.

Articles About Pubg Mobile

In contrast to other games from the action genre, PUBG Mobile provides a lot to lovers, particularly with the Windows version. On a large-sized display, it is even more enjoyable, exciting, and adventurous. Considering that the game strives to be inventive at each step, you will never feel tired or dull. Using PUBG Mobile, you do not need to worry about missing out on the most recent events, versions, and upgrades.

[noreasterbackcountry]

9 of 9: The “Kingdom Sampler” with my buddy @slimpickens4567 was definitely my favorite of the year. I fell in love with bikepacking while getting to tour my old NEK stomping grounds. Friends and adventure in an amazing setting... who could ask for more? See the maps and writeup through the link in my profile. . . #vermont #vt #mtbvt #nek #northeastkingdom #bikepacking #adventure #biketouring #mtb #mountainbiking #bestnine2017 (at Sheffield, Vermont)

[travelonlinetips-blog]

New Post has been published on https://travelonlinetips.com/37-hours-in-stowe-vermont-a-perfect-winter-getaway-for-outdoorsy-couples-2/

37 Hours in Stowe, Vermont: A Perfect Winter Getaway for Outdoorsy Couples

As a native of the northeastern United States for more than twenty years, I’m biased in saying that it’s the most charming region in the entire country. And, even though I’m a lifelong Rhode Islander, no state is more quintessentially “New England in winter” than Vermont. Soaring mountain peaks, quaint valley towns, covered bridges over icy crystalline rivers, and couples packing their requisite Subarus with skis, kids, copious amounts of hot chocolate, the family dog, and … everything necessary for a day on the mountain.

Which is how Kelsey and I have come to love the town of Stowe, Vermont for our semi-annual romantic weekend getaway. Just an hour from the Canadian border, this tiny mountain town is best known as a year-round mecca for outdoor enthusiasts.

Winters offer some of the best skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing and … well, you name it … in all of New England. And still, through decades of popularity amongst locals and tourists, it’s managed to maintain a picture-perfect small town feel.

Frankly, I’d recommend a visit any time of year. But here we provide a brief list of our favorite winter spots to visit in Stowe …

Day 1

Stowe is easily accessible by car from almost anywhere in New England or by plane with a quick stopover in a regional hub such as Logan or Manchester. With that in mind, plan to arrive by noon to kick off your 37-hour stay.

Lunch @ Cliff House

Mapletini at The Cliff House, Mount Mansfield, Vermont © Mike Richard

Start your long weekend with a breathtaking gondola ride up Vermont’s highest peak. Situated at nearly 4,400 feet above sea level, The Cliff House atop Mount Mansfield offers stunning views of the surrounding peaks and the town of Stowe below.

As you might expect, lunch is a variety of hearty soups (the onion soup is fantastic), stews, and entrees with a mix of apres ski-inspired cocktails, like their unique Mapletini. While I didn’t order this, I did steal a sip from my Kelsey and I’m not ashamed to admit that it was quite tasty.

2pm / Snowshoeing @ Wiessner Woods

If you’re looking for outdoor kit, you need only make one stop in Stowe: Umiak Outdoor Outfitters. This small, unassuming shop is a hub for winter sports enthusiasts, offering virtually any type of rental including snowshoes (rentals around $20/day), skis, extreme sleds ($5-20/day), and more. And, if you don’t know how to use it, the staff is more than happy to provide a primer so you don’t kill yourself!

Snowshoeing Wiessner Woods, Stowe, Vermont © Mike Richard

There’s no shortage of outdoor adventure options in Stowe. I’d recommend grabbing a pair of snowshoes and a trail map from Umiak. Nearby Wiessner Woods is an excellent choice for your first outdoor fix in town, with a small network of relatively short paths, all perfect for a quick, “we’re only here for the weekend” jaunt. There’s no hunting and motorized recreation is off limits, so it’s an ideal spot for grabbing some peace and quiet and communing with nature.

From there, head to Marshall Hill at Stowe Elementary School for some extreme sledding. Once a beginner’s ski slope, it’s since been converted into a badass sledding hill with a nearly 100-foot drop. Beware: this slope is not for the timid! Bonus: the nearby playground at the school is a nice spot for the kids (or childlike grown-ups) to relax between sled runs.

If you need a post-sledding warm-up, PK Coffee serves great artisanal espresso drinks and their Logan’s Hot Chocolate is arguably the best in Stowe.

Dinner @ The Bistro at Ten Acres

Lounge at The Bistro at Ten Acres in Stowe, Vermont © Termineater Montreal

The Bistro at Ten Acres is a fine-dining French-meets-American restaurant disguised in a casual and thoroughly unpretentious atmosphere. Everything from the burgers (and buns!), marinades, and steaks are made from scratch and the service is excellent to boot. Splurge on the Pan Seared Lobster — arguably their signature dish, splashed in bourbon, tarragon sauce, and polenta.

Overnight @ Stone Hill Inn

I’m hesitant to tout raw numbers but, as recently as a few years ago, Stone Hill Inn was ranked #16 among more than 21,000 (!) B&Bs by TripAdvisor readers. It’s a picturesque boutique property designed for couples in search of the perfect romantic getaway.

Stone Hill Inn in Stowe, Vermont

While I’m typically more a fan of budget/boutique hotels, Kelsey and I fell in love with Stone Hill Inn the first time we stayed there in 2012. With few rooms, it offers all the charm and intimacy of a traditional New England B&B but with plenty of space to ensure every guest has complete privacy. We like to think of it as a bed-and-breakfast for folks who don’t typically like bed-and-breakfasts (read: us).

Fiddlehead Room at Stone Hill Inn in Stowe, Vermont

Every room features a warm, beautiful design, unique floor plan, and modern appointments. Our Fiddlehead guestroom was a corner suite with almost 500 square feet to relax and spread out. A double-sided fireplace warms the bedroom and bathroom simultaneously — a luxurious feature we quickly grew to appreciate, particularly after coming in from the brisk Vermont cold. The adjacent, ensuite bathroom was almost as large as the bedroom itself with an oversized spa tub, walk-in shower, and dual vanities.

Guest Lounge at Stone Hill Inn in Stowe, Vermont

Innkeepers Todd and Kristie Roling ooze Southern charm, and get to know every guest personally. An hour after we checked in, they knew us and every other guest by name. They’re kind, gracious, and inviting.

Common amenities at the inn include free snowshoe use (with onsite trails), unlimited use of their DVD lending library, and a common area where guests can gather and relax around a towering fireplace. Plus, there’s local wine and beer available from the front desk, and the guest pantry is always stocked with free fresh-baked treats, coffee, tea, and soft drinks.

Day 2

Breakfast @ Stone Hill Inn

Wake up early for breakfast at the hotel where it’s prepared fresh daily by Todd, Kristie, and their family. In addition to a selection of fresh fruits, yogurt, cereals, granola, and muffins, hot a la carte dishes inspired by locally sourced ingredients are cooked to order.

Chicken and Sweet Corn Waffles at Stone Hill Inn in Stowe, Vermont © Mike Richard

The breakfast literally became the highlight of every day of our trip. The Roling’s herald from Texas, and there’s a distinct Southern-inspired flair behind every dish. Especially notable: the chicken and sweet corn waffles with maple butter and spicy maple syrup. Mimosas and Bloody Mary’s are also available upon request.

9am / Zipline @ ArborTrek Canopy Adventures

ArborTrek Winter Canopy Tour at Smuggler’s Notch, Vermont

It’s no surprise that, with so much varying terrain, Vermont offers some of the best ziplining in the country, and ArborTrek Canopy Adventures is the best in the state. At their Smugglers’ Notch location, you’ll spend upwards of three hours in the Green Mountains traversing up to 4,500 feet of zip lines, crossing sky bridges high above the forest floor, and rappelling from trees. It’s an ambitious trip for sure, but no experience is necessary making it perfect for kids or first-timers. (Note: due to road closures during the winter season, allow at least an hour to travel between the hotel to/from ArborTrek).

Noon / Wine Tasting @ Boyden Valley

Wine in Vermont?! Wait … what?? It’s true. And more surprising is that it’s pretty damn good. There’s a shorter growing season to be sure, but that just means the wineries must be that much more clever and work that much harder at making great wine.

Boyden Valley Wine, Vermont

Stop at Boyden Valley Winery for a tour and tasting with wine room manager Bridget Jones. Her endless energy, bubbly personality, and encyclopedic knowledge of all things wine make for an educational and fun tour. Don’t miss their Ice Ciders and Glogg (mulled wine served hot with a variety of added spices)! There’s also plenty of take-home bottles on offer, with the Big Red being their best seller.

2pm / Lunch @ Bench

The Copper Tap Wall at Bench, Stowe, VT

Like most eateries in Stowe, lunch at Bench is a low-key, unpretentious affair. So come as you are, belly up to the bar, and be sure to sample a few things from their lengthy menu. It’s all about comfort food, so expect hearty fare like duck fat fries, wood-fired pizza, and homemade lasagna. Although, there are more “adventurous” specialties like wood fire roasted duck and salmon tacos. The beer list is solid and almost entirely local.

4pm / Massage + Relaxing @ Top Notch Spa

Indoor Pool at Topnotch Resort & Spa in Stowe

After a hearty meal, it’s time to unwind at Topnotch Resort & Spa. The award-winning spa at this five-star resort is routinely ranked among the best in the country. And with good reason: the changing rooms alone are the largest and swankiest of any spa I’ve ever visited, complete with large seating areas, flat-screen TVs, fireplace, and comfy couches. It’s a perfectly relaxed atmosphere akin to hanging out in your (rich) friend’s living room.

Opt for the uber-romantic, 90-minute side-by-side couples massage. You’ll enjoy a treatment room larger than some apartments I’ve lived in, complete with fireplace, couch, and chairs. And if you really love the person you’re with, splurge on an even longer treatment with optional accouterments such as sparkling wine and chocolate covered strawberries.

Treatments here include access to the spa’s numerous amenities: a sauna, steam room, indoor and outdoor pools, and a hot tub with a waterfall (this last bit alone is worth the price of admission). Spend the rest of your afternoon by the pool, where you can order light snacks and adult beverages while relaxing in your robe and slippers.

Or, if you really love beer, abandon all that frilly nonsense and …

6pm / Stock Up at The Alchemist

The Alchemist Brewery in Stowe, VT © Jess Graham Studio

There’s no shortage of breweries, brewpubs, and beer-related destinations in New England. But, The Alchemist might just be the pinnacle, the mecca. Beer lovers travel — in their words, pilgrimage — hundreds of miles to visit the brewery. The reason is simple: it’s among the only places on the planet to buy the beer fresh (the only other outlets are located in Stowe). Their Heady Topper is routinely ranked among the best in the world.

Tasting Room at The Alchemist in Stowe, VT © Mike Richard

For a few four packs and a T-shirt, our bill in the taproom came to more than $70. And you can expect to wait an hour or more (on a good day) to cash out. But, it’s worth every penny!

Visitors are only allowed a few four-packs per beer variety. So, be sure to stock up before you …

Dinner + Overnight @ Stone Hill Inn

Once you’ve had your fill of several hours of relaxation, head back to Stone Hill Inn. I recommend planning a night in. Specifically: order a pizza from nearby Piecasso (the “Carcass” is among the best meat lover’s pizzas I’ve had anywhere in the States).

Pizza from Piecasso in Stowe, VT

Then, grab your Heady Topper and head to the inn’s billiard room for a few rounds of pool before kicking back in your room where you can enjoy a movie (from the hotel’s free DVD collection) and one last glorious soak in your private hot tub.

It’s the perfect end to a busy weekend of outdoor fun, gourmet food and wine tasting, and a perfect trip to one of the most quintessential New England towns in the Northeast.

The post 37 Hours in Stowe, Vermont: A Perfect Winter Getaway for Outdoorsy Couples appeared first on Vagabondish.

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[10yearsofventuriantale]

Today is the Ten-Year Anniversary of “Minecraft LORD OF THE RINGS Adventure Map! Part 2”

[craigwinslow]

2 0 1 6 👋

Go, Hustle, Be.

Personally, I’ve had a breakthrough of a year. I feel more confident, more financially stable, and just damn proud of what I’ve been able to accomplish.

Landing the Adobe Creative Residency back in April has propelled my independent design career in wonderful ways. It’s given me a massive platform to promote my work, share my process, and educate others along the way.

99U wrote a feature on Projecting West. Creative Review and then FastCo Design covered my work from the London Design Festival. Most affirming of all— one of my favorite publications, The Great Discontent, did a fantastic long-form interview on me.

I’ve met an incredible amount of new people, produced an impressive amount of work, but by the end of 2016 I had one big problem. One that’s hard to admit.

I’m completely overwhelmed.

I made a bunch of work in quick succession and it’s all piled up. Finding time to document work is a common struggle if you have another immediate project to jump to next. I push myself hard, but in the pressure put on myself to make the most of this residency, I’m drowning by being overly ambitious. 

Hell— even finishing this recap post has a been a crazy-daunting task. I haven’t even posted on my blog since I got the residency in April. That needs to change. I miss writing about bits of process & behind the scenes of projects.

Typically when I get stressed, I let myself go on a tangent and work on whatever I really want to work on. That usually means I start another new idea, but so long as I’m happy & being productive, it works. Eventually I’ll snap out of it, and stay up all night churning out actual work to get out of a creative rut. This time, I completely shut down instead.

So, I spent the holidays reflecting, took some good time with friends and family, and disconnected— slowed down to better move forward.

I’ve succeeded in many ways this year, grown personally more than any other year in my life, yet I can’t help but be self-critical and focus on the ways I failed. 

Here’s what I did this year.

january

Future is Inevitable

I kicked off 2016 with my first solo art show, which turned on just before midnight. Neutrally named, passers by stared into a magic doorway containing fleeting future memories.

Scoble Show — Napa Valley

Robert Scoble invited me to his 2nd annual party and I made a fun impromptu light installation on a tower of wine barrels and vineyard doors.

White Noise Now Announce Video

After quietly experimenting with materials and bouncing ideas, I filmed and edited this launch teaser for a new collaborative with movement artist Erika Senft Miller and sound designer Miles Dean. (Scroll down, we launched the first performance in VT in Oct!)

february

Take F(light)

An impromptu short made with two other PWLF artists, flying a glass airplane with a custom-built drone, to promote our creative works for the Portland Winter Light Festival.

Between Them — Portland Winter Light Festival

Bringing the bridges of Portland to life, imagining what inside jokes the pillars must have about these interesting Portland-folk. Given a spare projector, I showed the Future is Inevitable doorways on two neighboring pillars.

ZX + Future is Inevitable at AFRU Gallery

Same weekend as the PWLF, I showed these two pieces in a group show called ByteMe 5.0.

march

Object Theory Branding

I was fortunate to work with creative director Amy Hillman to create a visual brand for Object Theory, named Most Innovative AR/VR Companies of 2016 by Fast Company.

Epiccurence — The Montues

Invited by Dann Petty to augment the space, ended up creating an impromptu projection with live visuals. I met so many amazing creative humans.

Portland Monthly

I did a couple projection mapping installations at various events for Portland Monthly. One of them was ruined by an amazing sunset.

Applied for Adobe Creative Residency

My good friend Mike Ackerman told me about some creative residency thing but the deadline was only 2 days away. I stayed up all night and submitted my Light Capsules concept for it. Glad I pulled that all-nighter.

april

Soundtoys / Julianna Barwick

Projection mapping live graphics on a cyc wall at Soundtoys while responding to the beautiful sounds of Julianna Barwick.

Jackson Hole Road Trip

Drove out to Jackson, WY to hang out with a close friend Nick, scope out ghostsigns, and mentally prepare for the upcoming year of residency work.

Preparing for Residency

Adobe sent a video team to Portland to create an intro, announcing my residency. You’ll find that video directly above these words you’re reading.

may

Full Moon Masquerade with Greg Davis

Projection mapping into a fish tank, stairwell, and shipwreck at ECHO Aquarium. Thanks to my friends at Signal Kitchen for bringing me on!

Light Capsules — Adobe Creative Residency

For my residency I proposed a project I had in mind since Day 6 of Projecting West, projection mapping ghost signage around the world, bringing the previous layers of history back to life.

Light Capsule 001 — Burlington, VT

To kick off my residency project, I thought it was only right to start on the building where my design career truly began.

Light Capsule 002 — Joseph, OR

During a camping trip, I brought my generator and projectors, and found this little Shell sign and brought it to life at sunset.

Light Capsule 003 — Portland, OR

For a promotional live news segment about the project and my residency. Stay tuned for a Portland takeover for Portland Winter Light Festival 2017!

june

Light Capsule 004 — Astoria, OR

The first palimpsest of my residency project, the whole process from research to projection, was shared on Adobe’s Snapchat. I also wrote a big process post published for Adobe Create Magazine.

99U Article — Projecting West

After being interviewed by Matt McCue, he wrote a long piece on 99U about the story and origins behind our road trip kickstarter adventure, Projecting West.

july

Light Capsule 005 — Cincinnati, OH

Visited the incredible American Sign Museum, worked with Ronny Salerno, and revived the last remaining wall by sign painter Chuck Keiger.

PBR Unicorn Mask

Totally forgot to share this one. I worked with Jen Fuller Studios to design & produce a kit to make your own unicorn head out of a PBR box. They shipped the guide for Halloween 2016. You can get your own template for free on PBR’s site. Oh, and here’s the video I shot/edited as a making-of.

august

NikeLab x RT

As soon as I began the residency, I was separately approached by NikeLab for an animation/installation project. Adobe completely encouraged me to pursue it, taking time to focus on what resulted in an animated Ricardo Tischi pattern that was shown globally.

Light Capsule 006 — Portland, ME

Of course I had to put my hometown on the map. This one was quite a challenge to figure out, with a few mysteries that remain... Read more about it in my latest article on Adobe Create Magazine.

Light Capsule 007 —Portland, ME

For a “ghost sign,” this one wasn’t too worn, but I couldn’t resist using it to confuse people in the Portland out west.

september

XOXOFEST 2016

Collaborative light installation with my studiomate Ben Purdy. To commemorate the 5th year and impending hiatus of the festival, we blended glitched recap & speaker videos of past with a secret live feed from the bar. This was our first time actually working together on a project. (We’ve actually been paid to not work together before, but that’s another story.)

London Design Festival

Whoa. Huge trip to London to bring a series of Light Capsules across the pond. Collaborated with Sam Roberts of Ghostsigns. I was also honored to kick off the festival by speaking at the V&A Museum and share my story & process.

Light Capsule 008 — Take Courage

I couldn’t not do this sign for Courage Beer. The message actually comes from war time era, and ‘take’ is used like ‘take your medicine.’ So many meanings and history in this simple two-word phrase. So good in fact, we did this sign twice, the Saturday to start the festival, and the following Saturday to end it.

Light Capsule 009 — Barlow & Roberts

Up close & personal, this wooden sign tucked under a bridge and squeezed between two structures was a great way to demonstrate the projection mapping technique and process.

Light Capsule 010 — Cakebread Robey

Another palimpsest, this one up in Stoke Newington, it was interesting to analyze the two layers and see what changed as the business changed and grew.

Light Capsule Worldwide Party — Distillery Bar

Halfway through the London Design Festival, we took over a blank wall and brought to it a digital collection of signs from all over the world.

Light Capsule 011 — Wire Works

The left part of this sign was on the corner of a building that collapsed during the war. When it was rebuilt, they filled in the bricks, but didn't repaint.

Light Capsule 012 — Westminster Gillette

As the finale of the London Design Festival series, we brought to life this triple palimpsest that took some special figuring out using historical photographs.

october

White Noise Now presents — SALT

When we announced this back in January, I had no idea the second half of my year would get so insane. Fortunately, Adobe was super supportive of the WNN project, funded it, and I roped it into my residency. It was named Best Art Installations of 2016 by Seven Days. We’re very close to sharing the video of this performance installation, and I can’t wait to grow this collaborative further.

Light Capsule 013 — Detroit, MI

Pushing the Light Capsules project further, I collaborated with Miss Van to augment her mural alongside an existing ghost sign. This was also recorded in 360º on a Gear 360.

november

Adobe MAX Speaker

Third talk of the year, and the biggest of my life. I broke down a 60 min talk into a 10 min backstory, 20 min on Projecting West, and 20 min on Light Capsules. It went super well.

Adobe MAX BASH — Entrance

I created a light installation at the entrance to the MAX BASH, projection mapping on a sculpture of 42 surfboards. Naturally, I titled this MAX BORTS.

december

New work studio

Prior to the closing of the XOXO Outpost, my studiomate Ben Purdy noticed a new studio on craigslist… with a ghost sign in it. We toured a few other places, but the Goldsmith Blocks are pretty great and now I work up close with Big Philip.

New loft apartment

In another crazy timing circumstance, my roommate was moving out and I noticed a dream apartment opened up downtown: a big gorgeous studio loft in a converted historical industrial building. Pulled the trigger on it. Moved everything in a day. First time living alone, too, but it feels just right.

Monster Project SF

My mentor at Adobe, Stefano Corazza, organized an incredible gallery show for The Monster Project, hosted in the freshly renovated Adobe SF Headquarters. I flew down to create something fun and impulsive for it. With only a day to put something together, I brought on my pal Mike Ackerman and we ended up getting a bunch of paper lanterns and turned a festive tree into a creepy monster.

1 Hotels

Another side venture started in 2015 that is gaining some solid momentum, I’m working with 1 Hotel to realize an experimental new type of immersion room in their South Beach location. Details to come!

This recap post.

Last year I was in the same situation, everything piles up, holidays hit, and I bury myself in unrealistic expectations for a massive end of year post. (You know, something epic like what Mailchimp does.) This year, I reached a limit, and quietly imploded.

2 0 1 6 mantra. Go, Hustle, Be.

GO. — I certainly went. Even hit my goal to go international, too. London, Vancouver, Tijuana, plus lots around the states.

HUSTLE. — Looking at the above, I definitely got a lot done this year. Biggest accomplishment by far was landing the residency of my dreams.

BE. — I’m proud of the quality time I’ve had with many of the new people in my life, but I still need to dedicate more time to reflection and sharing my process.

2 0 1 7 mantra. Let’s do this. (smarter, better, together)

Everything is lining up for me to propel myself forward with the momentum gained through this residency with Adobe. I want to do some incredible things next… but I can’t possibly do this alone. Nor do I want to. 

Especially in the wake of this volatile election, I want to band together with my creative peers to build projects that bring people together and create ripples of positive impact.

This year I’m going to take serious steps to work smarter, optimize my workflow, and take more time for myself. I’ve stopped flying around like an idiot for a bit, and started an actual routine. I wake up at a certain time, make breakfast, coffee, read a chapter of a book, then walk to the studio. 

And now I’ve completed this post, and can somewhat satisfyingly check it off my list, and move forward.

Let’s do this, 2017. —Craig

A FEW THINGS COMING UP 2017:

Jan 20 — Speaking at Adobe Creative Jam Portland, PSU Feb 1-4 — Light Capsules series at Portland Winter Light Festival Feb/Mar — Light Capsules road trip to SXSW from LA to Austin Mar 30 — Immersive visuals for Beowulf at Princeton University.

[alisonwriter]

There was a noise like the twang of the deepest note of a bass guitar. My breath caught in my throat and my feet stopped involuntarily as the sound reverberated through every cell in my body. My body was poised for my next step, but frozen, my caveman DNA was pricking every sense to its most perceptive. The hair on my arms stood straight up.

Around me were waist-deep ferns hiding the muddy trail. On either side of the clearing were stunted pitch pines growing out of rocky crags. To the left, somewhere miles below me, were the tiny roads and rooftops of Stowe, Vermont. But on this mountaintop traverse I was alone.

Alone with whatever made that sound.

My lungs expanded, filling again. I neither saw nor heard another creature after that noise. Reluctantly, my foot rose off the ground to take another step forward. Was I moving toward or away from the source of that mysterious noise? It continued to reverberate in my chest. I listened to its echo in my ears as I resumed the hike, pushing through the ferns to the next narrow passage between rocks and trees. There was plenty of trampled underbrush and side trails to indicate the presence of large animals. Would moose bother to climb mountains for the succulent ferns in these rocky swales along the ridge? Or was it more likely a bear that was disturbed by my approach, just warning me to stay away?

After a few minutes at a faster pace my heart stopped fluttering and I fell back into my routine of singing or whistling the same three notes over and over. One one rugged micro-climb along a jagged outcropping, the ground was clearly chewed up by animal hooves and feet but the mud wouldn’t disclose anything more specific.

This was actually the most relaxed part of my 10-mile, 7-hour traverse from the east side of Hunger Mountain northward to Worcester Mountain. You see, we’ve sat on the porch of Mike’s cabin and watched the sun set over these mountains for several years. I couldn’t take the suspense anymore, I needed to explore them and find out what’s actually up there. He wasn’t as enthusiastic about my adventure.

Leaving Mike on a logging road outside of the small Vermont village of Shady Rill, near Worcester (VT) was harder. I was a little nervous but had studied the topo maps, was anxiously following my own progress on my phone (using GAIAGPS), and I’d even biked the six miles to our nearby country store the day before to Google my proposed route.

“No problem,” I told Mike. “I get to the top of Hunger Mountain then follow the ridge trail north past Stowe Pinnacle to Worcester Mountain. Even I couldn’t get lost. There are no wrong turns I can take.”

Getting up the east side of Hunger Mountain was harder than the west side hike we’d done about five years earlier. Instead of a trail there’s a sheer rock face. The topo maps didn’t show the iron stairways built into the trail but I was grateful for them. Halfway up I laid down against the rock, took a few pictures of the panorama spread before me and waited for my legs to stop wobbling. It was way too soon for that. I wondered if I’d consumed enough carbs, or water, or what was going on that would make me shaky so early in the hike. No matter, because I wouldn’t be turning back.

After the lovely Instagram-worthy bare rock summit of Hunger Mtn I checked my watch and kept moving, knowing my legs would only get more tired later. The semi-flat hike across the summit was easy and I thought that’s what the rest of the afternoon would be like. That was a dumb assumption to make.

The only other hikers I saw after Hunger were at the Pisgah spur, a superfit couple from Stowe. We chatted about the mud, and I looked at the trail sign for a brief moment, then kept going. That’s when I was sure I screwed up somehow. The trail from there seemed to turn east instead of north and it went down, down, down. I stopped and looked around, certain I’d followed a drainage trough rather than the trail. There were no blazes to be found. But a little further along the trail there was a ladder, so it really was a trail — but was it the right trail? I was in a col, shady and damp. Would I get dumped out somewhere near the village where I started? I looked at my GPS tracker a dozen times but wouldn’t be sure as there was no clear trail on the map. Should I turn back? I started second-guessing myself. Did I miss a turn-off? The maps I saw online didn’t show a spur going north-east, so by default this had to be the right trail, correct? Aggravation.

I plodded on, continuing to follow the trail I was unsure of, and even fell once on wet rocks. A good 40 minutes (nearly a mile) later, it lead me back to the ridge traverse, headed north.

[Yes, the picture above is actually a part of the trail. I wasn’t exaggerating about the scrambling and moss.]

Despite this being a traverse it was a very challenging route when sustained four hours or more. The mountaintops required a lot of rugged scrambling up over square granite boulders and sliding down mossy slopes. How much progress was I making? There weren’t as many valley views as I had hoped but the immediate trail was frequently as idyllic as a Hobbit kingdom, with scraggly trees and mossy rocks disguising little caves.

My objective was to do some thinking on this hike but the terrain kept me occupied otherwise. Just staying focused and alert took all of my energy.

Finally, between hours 6 and 7 of nonstop hiking I approached Mount Worcester. The sun was starting to fade and I knew I’d have no time to savor the summit. My legs were rubbery and I’d just finished my water — all of it. That’s when I misread the trail and turned right, into an overlook/campsite dead end. I hadn’t seen an alternative. How could it be? I wondered. Was there no trail descending from the summit? Would I have to bushwhack to the base? It would be dark in 90 minutes. I started to panic, even gasping. It was exhaustion thinking for me, rather than rationality.

Here’s where the GAIAGPS tracker ($20 a year and well worth it!) saved me. It showed the turn I made rather than going straight to the summit. When I walked back to that junction I could see what made me turn, the path to the campsite was more obvious than the path to the summit. One short scramble up a rock and the summit was clearly ahead of me. Relief cascaded through my whole body until my legs shook.

I took a few minutes for a photo and even remembered a bottle of Gatorade I’d buried deep in my pack just for emergencies. Having consumed just 100 calories an hour, I was out of granola bars so the timing couldn’t have been better. It was orange and sticky on my teeth but I didn’t care. I got out my poles and turned toward the descending trail.

The trail met a logging road cris-crossed by a stream and full of sparkling gold stones. The descent felt good on my tense, sore legs and hips. I’d be drinking a beer on the cabin porch soon, and the thought made me smile.

I still have no idea what made that noise.

  Hunger to Worcester Traverse (VT) There was a noise like the twang of the deepest note of a bass guitar. My breath caught in my throat and my feet stopped involuntarily as the sound reverberated through every cell in my body.

[finchanddora]

Planetarium Brain Explosions

It’s been too long, and I have no idea where to start. Feels like a generation (of iPhones) has passed since the last time I wrote one of these, but here goes…

At some point we left Quebec and headed north to L’Anse-Saint-Jean and did things. And now, a quasi bulletized version of said things:

·         Stars – more of them than Nadav’s brain cells (by a large margin given I only have three called Jim, Jim, and you guessed it… JiNancy)

·         Restaurant by a lake with some nice beer

·         Hike to old, wooden statue overlooking fjord along with a squirrel running away with a full-sized Steve (otherwise known as an apple)

·         Hike overlooking fjords from higher up at a different spot. No squirrels with Steves this time. Did meet the woman who started that trail with her husband back in the day. Nice lady. Invited us over to their house after she told us she isn’t weird, which was reassuring.

·         Whale watching by Tadoussac. Basically, we rode on top of a blue whale up a waterfall of belugas while singing all-time classic opera songs with some seals as back-up dancers. Opera is very danceable if you have the right seals.

·         Hung out at Tadoussac, eating chocolate in some lady’s basement and drinking beer on some brewery’s patio. We then went on an adventure to find gas in the middle of nowhere Canada in the middle of the night. Unfortunately, no gas stations are open at that point in the night (or in existence at that point on the Canadian map), so we’re still searching for gas. Inside of a bear. So at least it’s warm in here, and there are plenty of berries for sustenance. The only downsides are that the cellphone reception is pretty bad; the poops this thing takes are massive, which really shakes the little teepee we built in here out of the berry bushes; and the beer selection is downright terrible. Hopefully, the bear thanks that nice Canadian guy we found who led us on a high-speed chase to a gas station 20 minutes in the opposite direction of where we were staying and basically saved our lives, keeping us from getting consumed by a bear.

·         Vermont is 80% trees. Irrelevant to this list, but Alexandra just told me that out of nowhere so I thought I should mark it down somewhere.

After L’Anse-Saint-Jean (no idea how to pronounce btw), we drove back to Quebec, stopping at Baie-Sainte-Catherine (also outside of my pronouncing abilities) to attempt to get our car towed and walk around staring through the windows of art galleries while wondering why the person we spoke with over the phone said they were open until 9 PM. We were able to make up for it by spending 1.5 hours at a restaurant waiting for gazpacho and salad. Needless to say, Baie-Sainte-Catherine will be marked high on our list of must-revisit-after-we-do-literally-everything-else-on-earth-Mars-and-Hungary places. We spent the night and the next workday hanging out with a fat cat who owns a nice house on the outskirts of Quebec with a couple of well-fed adult humans and a baby in it. Nice of the cat to let them breed naturally.

Our next destination was Montreal, where we hid at a grocery store because a drunk guy was having a fight with the ground and throwing glass bottles at it; tried all the food in the city (seriously, they’re out of food now and you should go support their GoFundMe); watched Venus Williams and Maria Sharapova’s underwhelming performances at the Roger Cup; partied with some drag queens at the opening night party for Pride; cheered on some crazy good dancers at the Under Pressure festival; ate at Sushi Momo, which has the most spectacular sushi ever; visited the botanical gardens; had our brains explode in the planetarium; Mr. Cleaned our brains off the walls of the planetarium; climbed Mount Royal for a view of the city; hung out with the Spice Girls; found the “fucking construction” that one guy at the lavender field on Ile D'Orleans warned us about; and probably did a bunch more things I’m forgetting.

After Montreal, we adiósed Canada, sneaking over the border back to the US. Only had to surrender two pieces of fruit to the border officer as a bribe, and Alexandra didn’t have to threaten anyone with her exploding suitcase! Good thing the officer didn’t know about our moldy cucumbers (your choice on whether you want to take that literally).

We spent the rest of the week hanging out in Saint Albans, VT, with its spectacular attractions of a Taco Bell AND a McDonald’s! To be fair, the Taco Bell also had a brewery in the kitchen, a live orchestra performing marching music in the bathroom, an Idaho potatoes superstore, a bike path, and a Mortal Kombat-style fighting tournament featuring the entire cast of the Looney Tunes. (Taz won.) It was a pretty big Taco Bell. And I’m a pretty big liar.

After that magical experience in Saint Albans, we proceeded to Burlington to drink out breweries (FOAM!), go to a comedy, eat more the foods, creepily stare to skateboarders doing an tricks, converse with Bernie Sanders about the plight of the venetian spider crab (which mostly consists of being recommended to be eaten at Trattoria Al Gazzettino, the #69 restaurant in Venice), and climb Mount Mansfield.

Since Burlington, we’ve been hanging out in Montpelier, the biggest capital city in the country, encompassing an unreal 13.6 humans (lots more trees, though, as mentioned previously). We have managed to keep ourselves entertained with some hikes, staring contests with the geese hanging out in the shed of our Airbnb, and a delicious burrito. That burrito was hilarious. Like a Jim Gaffigan, but tastes much better. We also hung out with some mop dogs and their super weirdo parents for a minute. Apparently there’s only 2000 of those (the dogs, not the humans in Vermont, though maybe that, too).

[vacationsoup]

New Post has been published on https://vacationsoup.com/jet-ski-adventure-around-north-hero-vt/

Jet Ski Adventure Around North Hero, VT

Jet Ski Adventure

I can’t let a beautiful day go to waste on Lake Champlain. With a full tank of gas in my jet ski, I left the dock at The Green Cottage in Grand Isle, Vermont on my quest to circumnavigate the Champlain Island town of North Hero.

The Water Route

Circumnavigate North Hero Map

I decided to execute the tour in clockwise manner. I knew that I’d stop along the way to collect photos or just to admire boats, mountains and wildlife. I’ll share some of the landmark photos with you as I describe my tour.

The Cut at Bow and Arrow Point

I started heading west to exit The Gut of Lake Champlain. I had to go through the cut formed where a railway line used to travel through the Champlain Islands. In fact the Colchester Causeway Bike Path, which has a bike ferry, is part of this same former railway. In our area, The Gut of Lake Champlain is separated by a cut in what was once this railroad bed.

Cut Leaving the Gut

I understand that when this was used as a railway, a T-bridge rotated to allow boat traffic through. Today, the cut is clear with Grand Isle to the south and Bow and Arrow Point to the North.

Looking Back at the cut into The Gut

The Broad Lake

We refer to the area of the Lake between Vermont and New York as the “broad lake”. You will often see bigger boats in this area.

Sailboat on Lake Champlain

On my excursion, I saw plenty of sailboats. Many were too far away for my Iphone camera to pick up. I moved in a little closer to capture this Canadian sailboat around the southern tip of the Champlain Island town of Isle La Motte.

Cut into Carry Bay

I know that it’s 7.5 land miles one way from The Green Cottage to North Hero Marina, so I’m guessing I traveled about the same by water to reach the cut into Carry Bay. The marina sits on Pelot’s Point which is the south side of the cut.

Sailboat Enters Carry Bay

I was patient as this sailboat decided to enter the Bay from the North even though it arrived at the cut from the South. It was a big boat and even running by motor, I think the skipper didn’t want to play games with the wind from the north.

Carry Bay and the Alburgh Passage

Immediately upon entering the cut into Carry Bay, North Hero Marina is on the right. If I wasn’t on a mission, I might have stopped in to visit Two Heroes Grill and Tiki Bar. The atmosphere and food are always enjoyable.

North Hero Marina on Pelots Point

Instead, I passed by this big sailboat and cruised the Alburgh Passage heading north. In the scheme of the lake, this passage is “narrow”, but two lanes of boat traffic can easily cruise in both directions without causing issues to each other or those on shore. The passage is marked by the town of Alburgh, Vermont on your left (west) and the Champlain Island town of North Hero on your right (east).

Riding the Alburgh Passage

The town of Alburgh is a peninsula town — it’s surrounded by water on all sides but the north. On the north side, it’s adjacent to Canada! The only way to get to the town of Alburgh, Vermont without going over a bridge or riding a boat is through Canada! Pretty cool, huh?

Bridge to Alburgh, Vermont

As I approached the bridge to Alburgh, I noticed a whole slew of bridge jumpers! I’m pretty sure it’s illegal, but I can understand how the kids enjoyed this exciting way to cool off.

Kids Jumping Into Lake Champlain

You can click the photo to watch the You Tube Video or go to our Vacation Rentals In Vermont YouTube Channel to see this and our other videos.

Maquam Bay

There were plenty of side places that I wanted to stop along the way, but not knowing how I would do on fuel or how much time my entire journey would take, I limited my one side adventure to Maquam Bay in Swanton, Vermont. After passing the northern tip of North Hero, I headed eastward. This large bay is shallow throughout. It’s a perfect place to hang out because the lake floor is soft sand — perfect for your feet! I was not surprised to see all the boaters and jet skiers hanging out when I arrived.

Maquam Bay, Swanton, VT

I noticed plenty of boats pulling tubes in the area too. I guess this is a nice spot to take a break for those rough riders.

Tubing on Lake Champlain by Maquam Bay

The Journey Southward

I could see where I wanted to go in the distance — a tall tower on the southern end of North Hero. Everything looks close until you attempt to reach it! I know it takes about 20 minutes by car to reach North Hero State Park at the northern tip of the town. I’m guessing it took me that much time or longer to travel the “inland sea” to reach the Grand Isle-North Hero Drawbridge, the east entrance to The Gut.

The inland sea is the area of Lake Champlain that is bordered by mainland Vermont to the east and Vermont’s Champlain Islands to the west. There’s lots of Lake to explore in the inland sea, but tall boats have access only through The Gut and the drawbridge from the broad lake.

Drawbridge and Ladd’s Marina

Back into The Gut and The Green Cottage

Ladd’s Marina is just on the east side of the drawbridge. It’s our quick destination for fuel fill-ups. Many of our guests have rented boats from the Marina too. They have sail boats, a pontoon boat and a variety of fishing boats. Less than a mile away from The Green Cottage, they’re extremely convenient!

Within minutes of passing under the drawbridge, I was arriving back at our dock at The Green Cottage. My whole excursion took 1-3/4 hours and a half tank of gas. Maybe next time I will take a few more side trips!

The Green Cottage in Grand Isle, Vermont

[whosbahd]

Green Mountain Growler: 2 weeks of awayness, in 3.5 days.

As a father of 3 I had high expectations for a solo Father’s Day long weekend getaway. Dirt, the unknown, the wildcamping... a different kind of adventure from the daily constant-party of having 3 kids at home, work, routine etc etc.. And just like all proper vacations and adventures, the trip starts as soon as it’s on the calendar. Bikepacking is so simple, yet the constant dialing in of gear and of route, amounts to hours of late night planning and assessment - should I take the full length sleeping pad, or the 3/4 length that weight 100grams less? 

Some thoughts and photos of the trip below.

My Ride With GPS Route: Green Mountain Gravel Growler- 3night Abrviated note, some POI (camping , food etc.) I did not visit. Others are from the BP.com original track. Strava, day 1/2  Strava day 3/4

The  original Green Mountain Gravel Growler route and information

My expectations and hopes were high. The plan was to follow a slightly altered Green Mountain Gravel Growler route, covering  220miles (20,000′ of up) in 3.5days. I expected rolling hills, great views, some river swimming, and of course excellent food and beverages. High mileage days, unknown track- pretty much an ideal few days. 

Meh... is what i have to say about this brewery...overdone and maybe because there are so many other options, but Heady T isn’t what it used to be. 

My 3.5 day abridged Green Mountain Gravel Growler entirely and fully  over delivered.  In addition to meeting my expectations of challenging mixed terrain miles, I was energized and in awe of the architecture and the people I met. The quiet and reserved homesteads melded into the landscape. There were plenty of impeccably maintained homesteads and sagging funky farm houses. The ‘fabric’ of the landscape and culture was pure VT .

Like there are micro climates on each side of a hill, where forest patterns change and cool breezes come and go, the cultural and physical fabric varied. It takes a while to notice this, but as you go through multiple backwoods dirt road communities you sense the subtle changes in society and land development.

Looking back, I say it felt like 2 weeks away in 3.5 days. True. My body feels great and strong, my excitement for further summer family riding and camping is ramping up.

when was the last time you asked a farmer to camp on her land and woke at sunrise to the sounds of birds all around you?

Met a lot of young rippers out there. 

The people (and Angora goats) I encountered in Vermont were welcoming and not overly chatty. The annoying New Yorkers that flocked the trendy breweries stuck out and were almost physically repulsive in context to plain and simple friendliness the village store cashiers, old guys fishing, farm girls, diner regulars, and artist communities that I encountered. One bickering family of New Yorkers were so annoyingly arguing about nothing at all, that I had to leave the building. 

Of course as a brewery tour the trip did not disappoint, mostly because where there is good beer, there is good filling food. The tour circles arguably the IPA capital of the world. I did not linger and have a few of anything. It was all business: rest the legs, slow sip enjoyment of tasty coldness to lighten the brain,  and keep going.… My favorite beer? This sour. 

Yes, this Hogback Mountain Sour was my favorite beverage on the trip, found at the hopping Saturday Waitsfield Farmers Market  Apparently it pairs great with Yak sausage topped with eggs.  Everything on sample by Hogback was excellent...I almost had another. But Lincoln Gap was an hour away.

My first night, I camped with these folks. IN just a couple weeks, the boystrous crew cut a barn frame. The crane arrived for the raising the morning I left. After having ribs at Lost Nation in Morrisvegas (Morrisville), this hearty band of timber framers, invited me for smoked meat and beers! and a hot tub soak! 

Said ribs. This brings us to the bike and gear.  The GT Grade carbon Ultegra. It is a great bike. It’s a fast gravel ripper with a very very comfortable and unique rear end - slender compliant seat stays that soak up so much. It’s super light and very durable - I have ‘underbiked’ a lot on it and it has always impressed with it’s composure. 

Gearing:  I was on a 52/36 - 11-36 Ultegra drivetrain. Ideal for me, would have have been a 38t x 11-42 ish 1x drive-train.  The 52 chainring was great on a few occasions but really not necessary. A dropper post and beefier tires, 40mm>2.1”, would have been welcomed on this ride. 

Bags are all Revelate Designs, I’ve been amassing over 5-10 years. First ride with the Tangle framebag and it was great as it forced my knees apart a bit, keeping them healthy and mashing pedal stroke composed. 

Huge shout out to Hampshire Bicycle Exchange in Amherst for helping me get kitted out over the years. And to Northampton Bicycle, for the Grade and last minute help dialing in my new  cassette (thanks Neal!) 

Unknown to me, this field led to splendid singletrack that dropped into Montpellier. 

 The GT Grade can only take up to a 35mm tire.. but I think I found a perfect match: The WTB Cross Boss 35mm are fantastic semi-aggressive durable tire that roll well on roads. On this trip I dialed in the pressure between 30ish and 55 psi a few times and the tires responded fantastically. (Grail/DT240 wheels. ) 

As a mountain biker first and foremost that enjoys exploring rough trail, I am better suited for one of the new breed of 27.5” Adventure bikes. Ibis Hakka MX, next Warbird, or similar ti custom is on my list. Isn’t it amazing how there is always an N+1 vision that will genuinely up your riding ? 

yes please. 10am coffee stop.

TIP: Weed out necessary stuff. Load up at home and ride uphill for a few minutes. You’ll get a sense if you’re carrying too much weight (probably are) , before starting your trip. Make a list and edit it at the end of your trip, for the next one. Carrying too much is okay when you’re traveling flat, but if your route has a lot of climbs - go as light as you can!

one of the best coffee experiences of my life. 

Favorite gear items: Bedrock sandals. I purchased these after seeing them on bikepacking.com  They are my favorite footwear. Each long break, I took off my stiff Sidis which made a huge difference in recovery and general enjoyment. Highly recommend these sandals. 

Shelter: Nemo Apollo 3. 

 In need of a 1 person shelter option, I bought the Nemo Apollo 3  . I found it for a crazy good price and it over delivered. Hardly any weight, easy to setup and pleasurable to sleep in . I’ll echo other reviewers by saying this is NOT a 3 person tent.  1 + bike/gear or 2 + gear only.  It’s nice to know that in case of severe rain , I could have brought my bike and packs in the tent with me. The Nemo mesh bivvy was great on one night when mosquits were bad.  

Weight - After day 1 , I unloaded about 3-4 lbs of excess- giving it to my cousin in Craftsbury: ‘extra riding and camp clothes, sleeping bag outer layer for 30degrees, rain gear, battery lipstick storage, heavy bar light.  This made a huge difference and I feel no loss.  I slept in my warm layers, wore the same bibs each day, and got rained on in my riding clothes.. no problem at all . I am confident that I could have ridden forever with my setup, assuming regular food stops. It took several trips,  but I think my list is dialed now. Food- meat sticks , occasional chocolate, and electrolites were all I carried. The Epic brand bison, salmon, venison meat bars were a particular favorite that I found all over. 

Tip: keep some meat for beastly dogs!  I almost wielded a large stick to defend myself from a large territorial dog coming down in Waitsfeidl. Fortunately a taste of dried salmon allowed me to throw the second piece, and bolt down the hill to safety.

Maps, route building, and tech Garmin 820 for turn-by turn. I forgot to put in auto-sleep mode and burned through 50% in the first couple hours. I never had an y problem running out of juice. Iphone 7plus with GaiaGPS downloaded maps and route for backup , phone in airplane mode. I paid for the RWGPS $6/mnth version to easily edit the original Growler Route, added a bunch or points of interest, and then uploaded to Garmin and GaiaGPS. My confidence in route building and nav has increased tremendously.

singletrack for breakfast!

Route improvements and notes: Out of Little River State Park, mountain bike singletrack would be a better climb. Look at the trails on OSM or Strave Heatmaps and map some switchback climbs  to the higher singletrack and forest road. 

Heading South of Montpellier, it would have been preferred to stay on the Boyer St Forest singletrack (awesome trails!) instead of bomb down the extremely washed out road.  Tip: Wild camping.  Use google maps to scope out potential wild camping spots and add them to your route as points of interest. I added a couple potential spots in each landing spot. Even though local advice and invitations were much better, it was nice to know I had some options ready. I also scoped out friendly looking farms ahead of time( CSAs, homesteaders, etc)  one of which provided an amazing camping spot. Next year, my teen son and I hope to bikepack in Europe!  Cheers!

[andrea-cristina-travel-blog]

Scientists Say This Is The Ultimate U.S. Road Trip

Get your motor runnin’ Head out on the highway Lookin’ for adventure And whatever comes our way—Steppenwolf (1968) Are you looking to explore the U.S.?  Do you like road trips?  According to science, this is the ultimate U.S. road trip. Yes, if you’re thinking about taking a road trip across the United States, the ultimate U.S. road trip has finally been mapped out for your convenience.  It was planned by Doctor Randy Olson, a senior data scientist at the University of Pennsylvania.  The idea was proposed to him by Tracy Staedter of Discovery News.   How’d He Do It? Olson employed a sophisticated genetic algorithm that came up with the best routes and the lowest amount of backtracking.  He reports the trip will require driving a total of 13,699 miles or 224 hours of driving.  If you wanted to drive the entire circular route in one long road trip you would need (numerically-speaking) approximately 9.33 days.  Olson says, however, that “in reality” it would actually take between two and three months to do it. True Distance  The map uses “true distance” or the “shortest route by road between every landmark.”  Additionally, this road trip map even allows you to both start and finish in your home state.  You simply consult the map to locate your home starting point.  Then, you follow the mapped out route until you arrive back home. This road trip across the continental U.S. is so well-conceived that you will be able to visit every single important landmark in each of the 48 (continental) states. Just get your friends in the car, crank up the tunes, hit the gas and drive. The Landmarks Grand Canyon, AZ Bryce Canyon National Park, UT Craters of the Moon National Monument, ID Yellowstone National Park, WY Pikes Peak, CO Carlsbad Caverns National Park, NM The Alamo, TX The Platt Historic District, OK Toltec Mounds, AR Elvis Presley’s Graceland, TN Vicksburg National Military Park, MS French Quarter, New Orleans, LA USS Alabama, AL Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, FL Okefenokee Swamp Park, GA Fort Sumter National Monument, SC Lost World Caverns, WV Wright Brothers National Memorial Visitor Center, NC Mount Vernon, VA White House, Washington, DC Colonial Annapolis Historic District, MD New Castle Historic District, Delaware Cape May Historic District, NJ Liberty Bell, PA Statue of Liberty, NY The Mark Twain House & Museum, CT The Breakers, RI USS Constitution, MA Acadia National Park, ME Mount Washington Hotel, NH Shelburne Farms, VT Fox Theater, Detroit, MI Spring Grove Cemetery, OH Mammoth Cave National Park, KY West Baden Springs Hotel, IN Abraham Lincoln’s Home, IL Gateway Arch, MO C. W. Parker Carousel Museum, KS Terrace Hill Governor’s Mansion, IA Taliesin, WI Fort Snelling, MN Ashfall Fossil Bed, NE Mount Rushmore, SD Fort Union Trading Post, ND Glacier National Park, MT Hanford Site, WA Columbia River Highway, OR San Francisco Cable Cars, CA San Andreas Fault, CA Hoover Dam, NV The post Scientists Say This Is The Ultimate U.S. Road Trip appeared first on Must Do Travels.

https://www.mustdotravels.com/scientists-say-ultimate-u-s-road-trip/

[10yearsofventuriantale]

Today is the Ten-Year Anniversary of “Gmod ELEVATOR SOURCE Funny Co op Adventure Mod! (Garry's Mod)”