Wissahickon stairs

Wissahickon stairs
Originally uploaded by Richban.

Came down these while hiking in the Wissahickon valley. One of the things that I love about this place is the man-made amid the "natural." I told my kids that I stumbled upon the entrance to the dwarven kingdom....

Henry Avenue Bridge from below

Henry Avenue Bridge from below
Originally uploaded by Richban.

2010 in hiking continued. Freezing cold, had the park to myself. Beautiful day. Still no ice on creek.

First hike of 2010 - Wissahickon Valley

First hike of 2010 - Wissahickon Valley
Originally uploaded by Richban.

Nice start to the year. Passed a couple of people, but pretty much had the park to myself.

Camping Updates Coming

Some recent comments to the blog made me realize that I'm way behind in posting some details from our camping. So, to come soon, are trip reports from:

Kettle Creek State Park (May 2009)
Colonel Denning State Park (April 2009)
Hickory Run Revisited (October, 2008)

And thanks for reading!

Trees at Mammoth Hot Springs

Trees at Mammoth Hot Springs
Originally uploaded by Richban.

These trees at Mammoth Hot Springs in Yellowstone National Park have hardened to a stone-like consistency due to the uptake of minerals from the spring through their roots. Since the springs change course and some sections "dry-up" for years at a time growth is possible, but when the spring waters return, this is the result. Apparently, trees like this can stand for years.

This photo was taken in February, 2009 while quite a bit of snow was on the ground. Although we only got to the northern part of the park - the rest being closed to vehicles in the winter - Yellowstone is worth a visit anytime of the year.

Ice I

Ice I
Originally uploaded by Richban.

This strange ice was collecting at the bottom of the water fall near to where the Wissahickon empties into the Schuylkill River.

Philadelphia International Championship

Spotlight
Originally uploaded by Richban.

So glad that we have a world-class bicycle race in Philadelphia. And, better yet, that one of the best vantage points is right at the bottom of our street.

This year's extreme heat was brutal, but we still got out for a couple of laps. More photos at my Flickr page.