Camping in cold weather

Sometimes, two fires are necessary. This wasn't one of those times.

Camping can be a miserable time if you're try to sleep on the ground in a tent with no matting of any kind as rocks and roots stab your back. Or maybe it's too hot and you start sweating if you do as much as blink. Perhaps the bugs are eating you alive or worse, one is stuck in the tent and just flies around into the wall trying to get out and failing miserably.

Other times though, things go well. Maybe you decide to go during October where the heat won't be an issue and the bugs are long gone. Then you remember a mat to sleep on so when you wake up in the morning you still feel your back. Sometimes, things work out in your favor.

Although the first night was incredibly cold, the sleeping bags were quite toasty. Loud people with the worst voice ever? Not entirely avoidable, but once you crank up that fire, the cracking of the wood can at least provide some semblance of being outside alone, even if there are other campsites 20 feet from you.

Add in some delicious hot dogs with macaroni and cheese, a beef stew that couldn't stay frozen forever, pumpkin cream cheese on a bagel.. well, now you got something.

Brace yourself for a set of posts related to the camping trip of October 2012 in Rhode Island!

Honk! Festival 2012

The beginning of the parade.

Today was Honk! Festival, a parade starting in Davis Square in Somerville that went over to Harvard Square in Cambridge, consisting of marching bands, strange costumes, and bicycles. The music was fun with some bands being better than others, particularly the band that is assumed to have been from New Orleans. They seemed to be cohesive. There was this little girl that kept going in the street and attempting to direct the bands. It was funny.

Maybe the New Orleans band? They were excellent.

The parade itself consisted of many groups and lasted roughly an hour. That's a long time when it's chilly and windy, but overall, it was a good experience.

There was a guy on a two person bike with a skeleton.

The little girl directs the bands.

So yeah, weird costumes certainly took over the event. After it ended, we bought some pumpkins. Which reminded me of an article I read that involved hollowing out the pumpkin, putting a spigot into the pumpkin. BAM- pumpkin keg. It probably won't happen, but it should.

Tractor Pull

I couldn't think of a better way to spend an afternoon than watching old tractors try to pull more weight than one another. Luckily, that was exactly how I was able to spend a day this past August, in a small town fair involving two cylinder tractors from John Deere to International, with some other unidentified machines thrown in there for good measure. Except they didn't get a good measure when it was their time to pull. The favorite seemed to be the D, though one had to wonder what the G might bring to the table. Would the 630 impress us? Remember, click any picture to get at full size.

Someone decided to hook up his land tractor to the sled, which from what I remember weighed 1000 pounds. Unless it was 2000. Either way, this happened-

It went no where.


After more tractors wasted our time, eventually the B hooked up, and handled the 2000 pounds-

The International H looked nice, but was only able to pull so much.

Yes, that is an A next to the H..

The main event though would come down to the 630 and the D as I was disappointed to see the G not participate. The 630 looked ready to go though, straight pipe and all-

Here's some poor quality of the 630 pulling-

But, the show was all about the D-

And the weight that the 630 couldn't pull? Not a problem for the D-

Some other random pictures from the day-

Long Trail - Pumpkin Ale

It is that great time of year when the weather is cool and the humidity has finally disappeared. The leaves have started changing colors. Orange and brown will be dominating the color spectrum in the coming weeks as we have finally entered Autumn. With Fall comes the harvest season, with pumpkins in particular when it comes to beer. Today, the Long Trail Ale Brewing Company's version of Pumpkin Ale is on the menu. It delivers that familar taste of pumpkin, almost like pumpkin pie. Not a large variety of spices, just a solid, medium thickness drink that reminds you of the season. It is a smooth ale with the aftertaste of pumpkin. Perfect for a late September day.

Also, it's a hilarous label. While not entirely clear based on the above picture (taken moments ago on our beautiful wooden floor, after I knocked over the cat water and spilled it on myself while trying to take the photo), the bear has a look of confusion on his face while looking at the cart of pumpkins. It's a wonder how that pumpkin on top is balanced. Perhaps that explains the look of confusion.

Anyway, great beer to open the Autumn beer season. Try one of these fine Vermont beers when you have the chance, you will not be disappointed.