Speaker. Maker. Writer. Traveler. Father. Husband.
MakerCon Co-Chair (MakerCon.com)
Maker City San Diego Roundtable Member
San Diego Maker Faire Producer (SDMakerFaire.org)
OK, it’s official … I’m on a Lincoln kick! Thru a highly improbable series of web clicks I ended up on YouTube watching a video about a Lincoln exhibit at the Library of Congress that was ending in two days.
I got right on it!
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Cave visits seem to be a recent theme so I thought I’d surface one of the very best. Located in New Mexico, this National Monument is vast, vast, vast and chalk full of formations. Better still for a photographer, you can enter with a tripod and go at your own pace. This luxury affords a great opportunity to capture wonderful images.
To see some shots from Carlsbad Caverns click here.
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I won’t mince words. I love my daughters. My older daughter Courtney is a student at the University of Virginia which could be along the way of this road trip if I wanted it to be so I stopped both ways and each time Courtney graced me with some attention. She can make a father’s heart soar!
On my way west, as I entered West Virginia I drove by a National Park Service sign. These always catch my attention because they’re without exception wonderful places to visit. “Cool” I thought “I need a little break from driving so I’ll check it out.” I’d never heard of the mis-named New River but it’s one of the oldest rivers on the continent with the deepest gorges in the east. The bridge pictured above spans the New River gorge and is the longest arch bridge in the world. How great! Seeing it wasn’t even on my list!
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After my earlier adventures caving, I decided I wanted more. Mammoth Cave is world-famous and only in nearby Kentucky so I set my sights on the National Park as my primary destination. However, the entire region is limestone and much is covered by sandstone so it’s ripe territory for caves.
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My interest in President Lincoln started by accident.
Kelsey and I were driving down historic Route 66 in Illinois when Beth for the 20th time suggested we stop in Springfield and visit the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum. “Why in the world would we want to do that?” we wondered but assuming it was good advice we sought it out. Wow! What a fantastic show! It did the job of educating me a bit on Lincoln but more importantly it kindled a desire to learn more about the man.
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This blog post of the National Museum of the Marine Corps has nothing to do with the traditions of the Marine Corp or its history as portrayed at the museum. This visit was simply an exercise in shooting shapes and playing with depth of field. With that in mind …
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There’s not a lot of action here in the dead of winter at this come-back-from-the-brink amusement park. Founded in 1891, this facility changed many times and in many ways. Now it’s owned by the National Park Service and operated by Glen Echo Park Partnership for Arts and Culture. This national park now hosts art, history, and environmental programs thru the year … when it’s not too cold. Even in mid-January you can see its charm below.
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Today’s winter weather promised to be unseasonably sunny and 60 degrees so at 7:30AM I headed out the door for Baltimore. Only an hour away, I’ve given Baltimore almost no attention over the years but after consulting AAA.com I found an abundance of interesting sites to visit. Today I hit Fort McHenry, the Baltimore Museum of Industry, and the B&O Railroad Museum.
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A busy, busy couple of days! Intended as a pleasant two-day drive to acquaint myself with the Delmarva peninsula (Delmarva = Delaware, Maryland,Virginia) it turned into a very substantive trip. The original plan was to head to Jamestown, drive north to Chincoteague, and return home via Baltimore. Simple, right? No. As is so often the case, the closer you look, the more there is to do.
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Recently the short trip theme has seen lots of activity. Two hours from home is Charlottesville and only 45 minutes further puts you in Staunton, VA. “So what?” you may ask, “What’s there?” To which I say “A surprising lot!”
Here you have it: I visited Woodrow Wilson Museum and Birthplace, the P. Buckley Moss Museum, Mary Baldwin College, the Lunatic Asylum, historic downtown Staunton, the Frontier Culture Museum, and Sunspots Studios. I’ll tell you, I was not hurting for things to do!
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