Winter Sowing

Here's a little update on what's been going on at the community garden. I finally pull out the butternut squash, my most successful crop this past summer and began prepping for winter. I put in a few seeds, and thanks to the rain they popped up with no trouble. I did fava beans, bok choy, radishes, and sugar snap peas seeds and bought red cabbage transplants. Yesterday I added lettuce and kale seeds to the crew as well. I'm feeling pretty good about the prospect of this winter season. Thank heavens I'm in a place where I can garden year round.

First day on new board and surfmat

 Got the new guy out last weekend for some eh-waves. Had a few good rides and got a little bit of the feel of the board, but not the best waves or feel for it yet. Super pumped to get some more waves on this one though!

                                                 

up top

 down low

These guys were in action, as always. never gets old

 bottom side

 Then i got out on this new toy! What is that?......

a surfmat! 4th gear flyer classic model! really pumped on this and to get more rides on it too. a bit difficult to get the hang of it, but i've gotten a couple of good rides so far. i've had it out a couple of times now, and i think my first ride i actually got was my best one so far - beginner's luck! thanks mike!

NEEEEWWWWW BOARD!

Started working on this guy a couple of weeks ago when I scored a "second quality" longboard blank from Foam EZ. I basically wanted to make this one because Im not overly psyched on the longboard I made a few months ago: http://afedbearisadeadbear.blogspot.com/2012/08/new-longboard-done.html

The previous board just feels very stiff in that it's slow to turn and like to keep a straight line. I think this is mostly because I left the rails too thick, so they basically resist sinking down into turns a little more, and for a guy like me, lightweight, I would like some easier turns. the nose and tail on that board were too thick also, looking back at it....The board basically feels like riding a skateboard with tight trucks, and not that I hate this board, but I hate tight trucks. 

Regardless, this new one has a similar outline, but much thinner rails, somewhat bladed, throughout the whole thing. I made the concave under the nose a bit longer, just for aesthetics really though, made the nose and tail much thinner, and almost have a step deck effect. Without the fiberglass on it, the nose felt really flexy. Almost too flexy, and I got scared this would potentially fracture. maybe I'm wrong, but I ffigured I want this to last, so I ended up glassing it with two layers of 6 oz cloth on the bottom, whereas on the last longboard, I only used one layer of 6 oz. We will see how that feels! I also glassed in a tail patch for strength for the finbox. anyways, here's some pictures. 

 Sanding and getting close to being done with the sanding. Can't tell the outline very well from the angles I can get in the garage, but taking it through that door in and out seems like a good way to ding a foam core...

 Final sand, very rounded and almost hull-like bottom, with up rails big time in the back end. This will help the water suction up around the rail and suck the tail down when you're towards the front end of the board.

 Glassed the bottom last night! my tape wouldn't stick to the top of the board (side not shown here) when taping it off last night, and I got pretty frustrated with it. not sure if there was too much humidity or what, but after three tries to tape off the board, I gave up. so this was done by free lapping it, which is a bit messier looking, but you won't be able to tell in the red or grey, just the clearish area in back. Regardless, I'm super pumped on how this looks!

Looks like I bumped my head and bled everywhere

 And I also modeled this board in Solidworks, and tested out the colors I like on it. Here's a couple pics! Psyched on how this came out and that I can do this in Solidworks now! This is the side view obviously

 Top view

And some perspective

Camping at Little Jimmy Camp

We headed up to Little Jimmy campground two weekend ago, and got out for some super nice weather, and good temperatures. We'd camped here before, and it's really nice and wooded and secluded. It's a 2 miles hike in from the parking area, decently uphill the whole way in. With the 2 open all the way through the forest you can come up from the southside of the mountains, so it was only about an hour and a half/forty five minutes from Long Beach.

Hiking into camp, all smiles

There are fire pits here now, which there weren't our first time here a couple years ago, so that's a huge plus! Morning tea helped with the temperatures

some picnic tables and even fire ovens at the campground. 

There are maybe 10 firepits, which kinda designate where to camp, but no real markers. Seemed you could camp anywhere around here

Hiking out, all smiles, success!

Really pretty views along the trail, basically the entire time.

Halloween!

So, we didn't go all out like we'd been thinking for about the past 8 months, but the night was still super fun. Here's just a couple pics. Mel can maybe add more here????????

Classic 80's face

Nerd alert

Autumn in Indiana

So I/we got back to Indiana last week for a bit. I was in town to enjoy the season a bit longer than Mel, but she got to enjoy it also. Here's some pics from the trip. Spoiler: if you are over seeing pictures of fall leaves and trees, you're going to be over this. But I'm not. 

 

Couldn't have started the trip off any better way than Story's 3rd birthday party! She was pumped on the day!

Walked the train tracks with Mom some, one of "her" spots

Got to Eagle Creek for some hiking. A bit more green in this picture than most spots

Eagle Creek

My first taste of the fall colors!

Nothing like this in Long Beach

Lone session with Devlin at MT! Definitely nothing like this in Long Beach

Big D has some new tricks. I was most impressed with this air and the grab! Check the knees!

Lake Lemon from the dock

Another covered road - I didn't realize how many of these there are here

Lake Lemon up the hill

Dad, cruisin, soaking up the rays

Best place to be in the fall

Again,

closer

again

another covered road!

Waldo on his local turf, stylin!

skated till we couldn't see anymore, classic Waldo session....

Skated with TA in downtown Indy! So so so much fun. He was going to fast to capture here

Indy

Another covered road?!

Brown county park

Autumn

Brown county park with Mom

 

Can't remember this lake's name, but in Brown County

Good park

lookout

OMG, another?!

Tall trees or mouses view of flowers?

Another lake in Brown County

Another lookout

Mrs. Curls! Yes!

Autumn colored beers

Yats, can't do a trip to Indy without Yats

Story taught me how to play the guitar

So I taught her how to surf for when she comes out here. Here she is popping up

And surfing. She's a natural

Oh and we went to an awesome wedding for Chris and Sarah Maher! So much fun!

Mel just would not stop dancing

Hung out with this new guy too! Gunner

 These two, always  eager to hang with you

And one more