What are you doing this weekend??

“Kayaking on the lake..not a bad idea...my 17 footer hasn't seen the water this year.....”

“I bet Greens doesn't have this:

New Zealand museum thaws 100-year-old Scotch
Thu Jul 22, 10:20 am ET

WELLINGTON, New Zealand – A crate of Scotch whisky that has been frozen in Antarctic ice for more than a century is being slowly thawed by New Zealand museum officials — for analysis, not to be tasted.

The crate of whisky was recovered earlier this year — along with four other crates containing whisky and brandy — beneath the floor of a hut built by British explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton during his 1908 Antarctic expedition.

Four of the crates were left in the ice, but one labeled Mackinlay's whisky was brought to the Canterbury Museum in Christchurch on New Zealand's South Island, where officials said Wednesday it was being thawed in a controlled environment.

Nigel Watson, executive director of the New Zealand Antarctic Heritage Trust, said the whisky might still be liquid.

"When the guys were lifting it, they reported the sound of sloshing and there was a smell of whisky in the freezer, so it is all boding pretty well," he said.

An Antarctic Heritage Trust team that was restoring the explorer's hut found the crates in 2006 but couldn't immediately dislodge them because they were too deeply embedded in the ice.

Drinks group Whyte & Mackay, the Scottish distillery that now owns the Mackinlay's brand, launched the bid to recover the whisky for samples to test and potentially use to relaunch the defunct Scotch.

Watson said the whisky may still be drinkable but would probably not be tasted.

"This was a blend so they are hopeful if there is enough alcohol left and it is in good condition they may be able to analyze and hopefully replicate the liquid so in fact everyone could partake in this," he said.

"It has been put on ice for 100 years so I don't think it is too unromantic a suggestion. The reality is that it is very limited quantities and our focus is on the conservation and not the drinking."

Shackleton's expedition ran short of supplies on its long ski trek to the South Pole from the northern Antarctic coast in 1907-1909 and turned back about 100 miles (160 kilometers) short of its goal.

The expedition sailed away in 1909 as winter ice formed, leaving behind supplies — including the whisky and brandy.”

“Just drink it out of the bottle.

Who the heck needs a shot glass?”
chili36

this generally results in carnage, lots of
:(, ER visits and a mean headache.”

“I'll be on call for the next 7 days....

8(

I might sneak out back and go catfish'n Fri or Sat night.....


shhh, don't tell anyone!”

“Going to see Candlebox live tonight and then tomorrow back to work.”

“Midnight showing of "Who is Salt" tonight...begins the weekend....”

“i bet ya that somebody in that deal gets a bottle of the 100 year old scotch. i bet some of it ends up in a private collection for a special new years eve or sumthin”

“KISS concert tonight

”

“http://www.boingboing.net/2010/07/31/paul-stanleys-boots.html

Looks like Paul Stanley's boots need a little repair.”

“what would you like me to do?”

“I ended up going on a great hike to a familiar place.

There's this 3,000 foot mountain out here caled Boney Mountain - its this big, imposing chunk of rock that can be seen for a good 50 mile radius (including from my backyard). Saturday morning, my friend Frank showed up and we headed to the trailhead.

It's 9 miles round trip, and about a 2,500 foot climb. There's a normal trail (switchbacks, etc) that goes to the top, but there's also a back way. It used to be a maintained route, but some kid fell and died some 10 years ago, and the trail was abandoned and closed. Some old dude comes through and clears enough brush from the trail so it's still (faintly, occasionally) visible as a trail, but otherwise, it's gone feral. They call it the climbing route because the last 1.5 mile and thousand feet are done essentially on all fours, climbing up 45 degree bare rock and loose dirt, stumbling, clinging to roots, scratching your face up on scrub oak branches and impaling yourself on real nasty yuccas. You reach the top filthy, bleeding, panting and laughing. Best damn dayhike I've ever been on.

We call it the fun route. It's the only way we'll go.

There was extremely thick fog as we pulled into the parking lot, but by 2 miles in or so it was gone and it started getting hot. By the time we reached the top, we were drenched in sweat and had gone through a good 3/4 of our gallons of water.

Right at the top, off the trail in a hidden place we accidentally found, there's this small cave above a cliff. From the cave, you can see the Channel Islands, the coastline up to Santa Barbara (some 100 miles away), the Sespe wilderness (and California Condor refuge) to the north, and, in the winter, the snow-capped San Bernadino mountains to the east.

Someone long ago left a plank of wood with the poem "Desiderada" carved into it. People had since tagged the wood up with their signatures and dates. On my second journey to the peak, I left a notepad and pen in a plastic bag. It's still there, filled with the signatures of others who have discovered the site... filled with my own signatures and the people I brought. My uncle's, the day after christmas 2008. My wife's in January 2009. My original signature on the first page, August 2007.

We relaxed in the shade, watching a pair of peregrine falcons noisily circling below us, bothered at our proximity to their nest. Frank told me he was joining the army and that we had 5 more months to fill with as many backpacking trips as my wife would allow. We started planning. Joshua Tree. Death Valley. Santa Cruz. Utah. Maybe a squatter's trip through the oilfields and undeveloped valleys between here and Mt. Pinos. Then we hiked back down...

We were home by 1:00 after a stop at the store for steaks and sausages... we grilled them up and sat in the yard eating and drinking Foster's oilcans. About 30 turkey vultures passed over the house in a cloud and moved off over the valley, becoming black pinpricks in the sky before vanishing entirely. In the distance, Boney Mtn. squatted... it's impossible southern face clearly visible where just hours before we were stumbling and sliding.

It was a good day”

“That's a great write up. thx.”

“it was a nice hike. I used to head up there practically every weekend. It's been awhile now”

“going backpacking.
a few old timers are coming along too!”

“Chili and I took a mechanized hike on Saturday as it is too hot here for anything else. We went to North LA to find the crash site of the "freebird" nothing really to see but atleast we can say we have been there. Then we went to visit Windsor Ruins. It is the site of an antebellum mansion built in the 1800's. All that is left after a fire in the late 1800's are the 40 ft high pilars that surrounded the mansion. Its an errie yet beautiful place.”

“went camping with my kiddos, we had a great time. Checked out Florisant Fossil Beds National Monument and drove to the top of Pikes Peak (no i don't count that as a 14er summit).

It was fun spending unplugged time with the kids, making smores, just hangin out around the campfire with them. I'm glad, that being teenagers and stuff, they still like to hang out with me. :)”

“HPD....how was your concert???”

“tree and myself are going backpacking
yyoohhooo

next one is planned for Aug 21”

“It was EXCELLENT! KISS isn'tvso talented musically (as they admit) but they'recall about putting on a hell of a show! lots of pyrotechnics! FIRE! FIRE!”

“this weekend not to exciting as last - working on pavers for a 560 sqft patio area in the back yard.”

“Starting a week hiking trip from Abingdon Gap to Mt Rodgers HQ. Hoping for decent weather and lots of blueberries as I go through Greyson Highlands.”

“Doing a backpacking/fishing trip with my dad. Haven't done one of these in probably 10 years.”

“Writing a trip report. Gaining weight.”

“Did my weekend Tuesday-Wednesday, lots of bugs around the Santa Ana River South Fork, but very cool for this time of year.”

“Went hiking this weekend with a guy whom I have been dating for a while. It was the third a forth time I went with him on a hike. He thinks hiking in the mountains is exciting. We share a lot of ideas, views and beliefs. He hikes in jeans.”

“Driving, driving and more driving. We left Thursday morning and drove 13 hours to Winston Salem, NC to take my kids home. My daughter was checking in to college Sat morning for her Second year and the other 2 have open house this week and start back next week. My middle daughter is starting High School...ugh...they grow up so fast. My son will be in 7th grade. We left NC on Friday, drove thru Mt Airy and took a stroll thru Mayberry. Then headed west and north toward our ultimate destination of Warsaw, KY and a family reunion. We went thru Virginia and West Virginia then into KY, then more North almost to OH. I dont think we will have a coal shortage anytime soon as everywhere you look in southern West Va there is nothing but coal. It was a very interesting and educational drive. We had the ultimate lesson in contradiction when we stopped for gas at the only Exxon in 50 miles. There were about 6 grungy, dirty, overweight rednecks gassing up their 4 wheelers and staring at the bleach blond, DD chested, hot pink tank top wearing chick in the Red Camaro in the next bay...it was the funniest and most contradictory sight you would have ever expected to see in no where west Va...Left Warsw Yesterday morning and drove straight back..another 12 hour day...it was a nice trip and nice to get out of town for a long weekend. but now it is back to reality.
last edited: 8/16/10 6:55:57 AM”

“I brewed up a batch of beer, did a little climbing with my son (hellyeah) and took my daughter shopping for school clothes.

But, this next weekend I'm gonna be a tourist in Chicago!

:)”

“nothing...NOTHING NOTHING!!!!!!

and it will feel great!”

“Upluver and I did nothing nothing nothing this past weekend and it was GREAT! Enjoy! I think we watched 6 or 7 movies

This weekend, backpacking and maybe a little mountain biking!”

“school clothes shopping. ugh. but on the very bright side, i have the money for it this year! and this means BrianSean will be a very happy young man. Yay!!!”

“Hey Stokley, sorry we could get connected this weekend! Glad you guys had a nice lazy weekend..those are the best!”

“Jeans are okay; glad you had a good time. Hope to get out soon - will report to the Rockburn thread.”

“Went hiking saturday. Sunday I called an emergency meeting with the Tough Girls Club and we went swimming and eating ice cream.”

“Working 28 hours in two days...”

“Tough Girls Club went to get Ie Ceream?
did I miss something?

heck, my sister and my daughter are going white water rafting and maybe zipline ...now that is tough!”

“Maybe jeans are okay.”

“Hopefully shopping for new work clothes, and maybe a dayhike if I can interest gojo.”

“push him a bit and he will :-)”

“I am trying to forget last wknd.

This wknd I'll hopefully be going to my buddies to cut firewood, do some shooting and have a couple beers.”

“hope you do all of it in THAT order...
reverse it may not work out well LOL”

“Hey mapes, one of our "tough girls" club member is in training (3 years old) can't be TOO rough on her yet LOL!”

“packing up for a week in the Sierras... this may be the first trip I've been on where more people are coming than planned, so there's a bit of last-minute shuffling”

“Have a great time, Pepsis!

I did a nice northern Sierra day hike last weekend and am doing three days of camping (trailer stylie) this weekend in Carson-Iceberg. Ahhh, marinated ny strip on the grill and chilly Green Flash by the fire after a day of hiking in the gorgeous Sierra. It's gonna be a good one. Cheers!!”

“going to chicago, cubs game on friday, hanging out with old friends sat and sun.

:)”

“a day hike in the Sierras... I'm jealous. I'd love to live near enough to do a day hike out there.

Not that there aren't some good day trips this way... but nothing like the Sierras.”

“Heading up to the mtns for a five day backpack on Thursday through Desolation Wilderness. WOOT!”

“Trying to decide if I am going to Grayson Highlands or Mount Mitchell.”

“MRNRA”

“I may see you there Sticks.”

“Backpacking in the GSMNP for four whole days! Can't wait!”