Waking the fleet up early for our adventure.  The resurrected CRV loaded down. — Waking the fleet up early for our adventure. The resurrected CRV loaded down.

Serious. Urban. Kayaking. Our circumnavigation of NYC.

Tom McCorkle August 30, 2016

We Beat Manhattan, all 31 miles of it. It was hot, windy, smelly, humid, sometimes scary and very tiring. We paddled our kayaks the entire way around Manhattan Island, in a day. My buddy Loren (who you may remember from the last post as getting his SUV seriously stuck in the mud) and I have been meaning to do this trip for a while now. I honestly don't remember who came up with the idea, but I'm going to give it to him, since he is the NYC resident.

Leaving Point Judith on the Ferry to Block Island

Memorial Day in Rhody

Tom McCorkle August 19, 2016

This is another adventure that has been stuck in the pipes, I was finally able to get it out for you all to see. At the end of May Sloane and I took a trip up to her home state of Rhode Island to visit with our family - and enjoy the first days of summer - New England style.

Stuck in the mud, CheatFest and Spring Crick 2016

Tom McCorkle August 6, 2016

Once again, I am really late posting images, but better late than never.

First up - a return to spring crick in early April, for the annual gathering on the first day of trout fishing season in Pennsyltucky. I did not spend a lot of time with my camera this trip - I was too busy hiking, eating and drinking most of the time - but here are a few choice shots from the weekend. We had amazing weather yet again, so good, I am positive it will snow next year. It was sunny, warm and dry in the Allegheny National Forest the entire weekend. I think some people even caught fish - once again I didn't bother to bring my fishing gear.

Car camping at its finest.  Tables, hatchets, comfy chairs, tarps to make garages with and gourmet food. — Car camping at its finest. Tables, hatchets, comfy chairs, tarps to make garages with and gourmet food.

From hammocks to room service, and everything in between.

Tom McCorkle April 13, 2016

We had a great hang in the Pinebarrens recently. Frank got to use his new hennessy hammock and 0 degree bag, Loren tested out his new underquilt, and I got to try out the aquaquest tarp that I modified to use with my hammock for foul weather, it now has doors.

Morning (iphone) low-country view from Barb's balcony, through the bug screen.

Southern Fried Holidays

Tom McCorkle January 12, 2016

Sloane and I packed the car and headed south for some sunshine and warm weather this holiday season (not that it wasn't warm up north). First stop was our old home in Charleston, SC - I apologize to the folks we didn't see while in town - we wish we could have stayed longer and seen everyone. We arrived in town on Saturday evening, before Christmas. On our way into Charleston we were able to swing by our friend's amazing new design studio and pop-up shop and surprise them.

Paddling the Pine Barrens of New Jersey

Tom McCorkle November 26, 2015

Plans to spend my 33rd birthday on the water were thwarted by work this year, but I still managed to get out paddling with some good friends the days leading up to it. The original idea was to paddle and camp at Assateague Island this time, but finding a third sea kayak for the group was proving to be a challenge. Loren had suggested a trip in the pines earlier this fall, and I had been intrigued by the giant green spot on google maps in southern Jersey since I had moved north, so we decided to make the flat water rivers of the pine barrens our adventure.

The total lunar eclipse on september 27th, as seen from our bathroom window in Baltimore, MD.

Fall

Tom McCorkle November 16, 2015

This past month I had the opportunity to travel all over the state of Maryland, and even PA. From the eastern shore of MD to the south west corner of Pennsylvania, I experienced the best that this amazingly short season has to offer, and of course I brought my camera with me so I could share it here.

Sunrise during our departure from Bmore and Maryland.

Summer ends, fall begins

Tom McCorkle October 8, 2015

Sloane and I took a trip to the Adirondacks at the beginning of September to attend an amazing wedding with some friends from Sloane's college. Although we were too early for any fall colors and the sun hid from us most of the time, the Daks still offered up some incredible scenery.

The crew in search of a campsite on the first day on the water.

Paddling the Delaware River

Tom McCorkle August 24, 2015

Some friends joined me on a river trip in early August to paddle 34 miles of the Delaware River - it was a fantastic time, on a beautiful river. Five of us met up on a Thursday evening at the Worthington State Forest campground, so we could get an early start Friday. We decided on this river mostly because it was less than a four hour drive for everyone. Adam and I drove together and were the first ones to the camp Thursday.

Relaxing in the hammocks, it was a bit toasty for the hot tub in the afternoons.

We took a vacation.

Tom McCorkle August 4, 2015

Sloane and I have not been on a vacation, where it is just the two of us, for 4 years. It was way past time to treat ourselves. We found out the evening before our departure that the property we had originally booked, in Cape Charles VA, was occupied by someone else - which was mostly our fault - it is a long story. We scrambled on air b&b to find anything open for the next 5 days, and found a ski house in Canaan Valley WV. A rapid unpacking of beach items, and repacking of hiking gear consumed our evening, and by noon on Saturday we were ready to head for the mountains. We were lucky enough to find a nice place, with a hot tub and a community pool to make up for the lack of beach.