Why work?

So I am entering the workforce again after my 2 year vacation... this sucks. I am not sure any other words can fully encapsulate it better than that. Of course, as I do with all things in life, I am not just getting one job but technically 4. I know what you are thinking (He is crazy) but I figure that if I work 4 jobs I can get back to my vacationing 4 times faster.


The jobs are as follows.... I am doing lawn work (mowing 3 lawns, mulching, painting doors, weed eating, trimming hedges), Working at the local GNC, Working for the US Census as a census taker, and picking up some hours acting (as a patient for the medical school so they can practice). I have been mowing for a few weeks now but the others all start in the next week. Speaking of which, I am due to start at GNC in 10 minutes and I am not ready.... hope they don't mind it if I am late for my first day. Gotta run....

VIdeo of Snowshoe Total

So here is the compilation video from the 30+ minutes I got this season.... just remember that all the best stuff is never captured on tape.

Riding with some folks

Sunset at Snowshoe

I shot this clip the other day and condensed 5+ minutes of video down to about 35 secs. The clouds were actually in the valley so the view from the apartment was great.

Driveway terrain

Now that rain has set in here on the mountain I can post this video for the other week when we didn't even need the slopes to pass the time. 3 guys, a driveway, and some shovels.

Jumping off the 3rd floor balcony

I realize that I have rarely posted this winter but the internet connection is iffy at best. Actually I realize that this is a horrible excuse but I have also been taking care of a lot of business. It appears that I am actually going to have to go back to work after 2 years of traveling and nursing a broken leg.

Luckily this video did not cause another broken leg...

Video from the Shoe

I just left the mountain for Xmas in Florida but here is an update.

POWDER!!!!!

The other night I could barely sleep... I was ready to go but sadly it was 4 hours until the mountain was ready to open and I was riding out the alcohol in my system from the night before. The snow had been pounding the mountain for almost a solid twelve hours and I couldn't wait for the mountain to open for an epic powder day... life is good

DAY COUNT THUS FAR FOR DAYS ON MY SNOWBOARD.... 12

number should continue to grow drastically after New Years.

Camera low on battery

I have been up here on the mountain for a while now and hitting the slopes daily. Sadly I have misplaced my camera charger and have been conserving batteries to make a video at the end of the season of all my days on the slopes. I think I the number is around 8 or 9 days on now.


Here is a map of the slopes up here. More open up every day and my couch is still as comfortable as ever. No break until after this weekend for the X-mas holiday so at least 3 more days on the slopes to get the most out of my season pass.

The era of "guy on couch" begins

In setting up shop on the mountain, Robbie and I took some of his stuff up to the top and I slept on the couch for the first time. I think I am going to like it there.

First Days On My Snowboard

I have already picked up my season pass for the year and I spent the past 3 days breaking myself in for the new season at Snowshoe Mountain. My friend Aaron moved up to the apartment the other day and as the official "guy on couch" I accompanied and managed to make my first runs of the season.

There was some natural snow out and the crowds were minimal which was great due to the fact that they had cut it down to 2 runs (that they call six but using the terms upper, middle, and lower don't fool me... I know what two options look like) and one lift but it was enough to start building up some confidence for the coming season.


Here is a shot of Aaron clipping into his board "The Lightning"



Needless to say I was enjoying myself.


If you have read my blog for any amount of time you might ask yourself, "How does he pay for this?" Sadly my funds (which I have saved up myself... if you want to sponsor me however I would be open to the idea) have run short and I am in the process of setting up some work abroad towards the end of this winter. Posts are sure to come soon as I get more info.

Caving - Lost World

I realize that I haven't really been updating this but life at home seems different than it used to so I am still trying to re-acclimate a bit to it while still keeping up my sense of adventure. Recently my friend Ashley invited me to do some caving at Lost World Caverns here in Lewisburg and I couldn't pass it up.

Basically I spent the day living like a spider monkey (one that lives in caves that is)

I did manage to see some cave geckos, crickets, and bats while I was down there.


I blindly charged into compromising situations and luckily didn't find out that I was claustrophobic halfway through.

I also decided that a nice relaxing bath in sub 50 Fahrenheit water miles away from the entrance was a good idea to clean myself off a bit. Ashley told me that this was the first time she had ever heard of anybody doing such a thing.

Bath or no bath, I still needed a shower after over 3 hours underground... maybe I will take one someday.

VIDEO - Gameday in Morgantown

GO TO THE BLOG TO SEE THIS

Shopping... wastin more time with the camera

To pass a day I accompanied my mother out for a day of shopping. It is a definite culture shock after spending most of the last year plus traveling around the globe to set foot into a humongous Sam's Club like the one pictured above:


I also got the experience of going to arts and crafts stores.... I recommend hiding from any place called the Hobby Lobby...


I actually chose to hide inside of the Hobby Lobby... yes, the plants were fake.


I was then asked to leave.... how was I supposed to know that these signs were to take home and hang up? I can read French and they reserve these signs for certain locations. Clean up on aisle 5.


They did recommend that I head back to the adult diaper aisle though... yes there was an entire aisle at Sam's for them.

Del Sol - Worst Wings on the Planet?

Recently I headed out in my hometown on a Wednesday to hit up wing night at a local bar. I have long know that a wing night existed at Del Sol Lounge here in town and hot (buffalo) wings are one of my favorite foods on the planet, but this was my first trip down there for them due to my lack of interest in spending too much time there.

I ordered 12 of their traditional buffalo wings (no choice of hot or mild) and found myself yearning for the pieces of celery and carrot that sat near the edge. The meat itself was good but the sauce was terribly disappointing. It carried only a slight smell of spice but only managed to make the chicken feel oily. 12 wings were also discount priced at $6 so it really wasn't a special when you consider that you can get them around town (normally in the sacrilegious boneless variety for cheaper). Needless to say I will not be doing this again


There were 2 business travelers parked next to me and they ordered the wings before asking my recommendation. I actually felt bad when their order came out. I finished mine because I refused to waste the food but they finished maybe 3 of their 12 and then decided they would do dinner somewhere else.

So wing night is not worth it and on Friday's they want to charge $5 for entry to pay for the DJ. Just to put this in perspective... a DJ in WV can only be compared to going for a nutritious and pleasing meal at a strip club - enjoyable at first but at the end leave you running toward the door (a bathroom door in the case of the strip club).

Trail with Padre - Bald Eagle

In my new pursuit of fitness I hit the trail with Padre to log a few miles on the bikes. Why join a gym during the summer around here?


Of course I took the faster/lighter bike because he logs a lot more miles a year than I do.


At mile marker 8 on the trail we looked across the river and spotted what we believe to be a bald eagle. There are a few that live near here though neither of us have spotted one here before. I managed a quick if blurry pic from where I was at before he flew off but he definitely looked the part. (On the rock in the center... click on the pic to blow it up).


Here are the stats from the ride. I logged 16 miles in total and dranke1.5 bottles of water (I am a little out of shape still).


I did manage to post the fastest speed of the day with 24.62 mph so that was a plus.


Sadly Hector couldn't make this trip but I might have him out again tomorrow...

Driving my hometown... video

College Football Kickoff - WINGS

To mark the opening game of West Virginia University Mountaineer football I decided that some buffalo wings were in order so I make up 4+ pounds of meat.


The finished product was a sight to behold


I also had my own cooler to keep my PBR cold and refreshing


I took the food down to Joshua's where we demolished it


Here is Josh sitting in front of his massive television that we watched the Mountaineers beat Liberty on

Where I'm From

Here are just a couple of shots from the small town life that I am back to. This first one is from the main stoplight in the center of town... the Brits should not that we drive on the right side of the road.
And here is one coming back from the main drag to the grocery store, banks, and fast food etc.

Adios England

After returning to England I spent some time in and around London with my friend Bex that I met while traveling in Argentina. Sadly I was all pictured out and didn't get any real pictures except for this one from the train station in Chorleywood (quite a happening locale).

Other than that I have spent my time here saying goodbye to my friends


I will miss that even on a Monday things can be busy (now back to WV) where things are barely busy on the weekend.


I am not sure what to type about this photo but I thought I'd throw it into the mix anyway.

I fly out tomorrow at 8am into Dublin and then from there to Washington DC.