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Going West: Hoodslam

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Going West will be a series of indeterminate length showcasing images from Lauren and I’s trip to San Francisco in October 2019 to visit some good buds, eat some good food and listen to some good tunes. Mission accomplished, more to come.

Part IV of Going West covers Hoodslam, a series of weekly amateur wrestling matches in Oakland. I didn’t know what to expect going into the event but it absolutely did not disappoint. The entire crowd was stoked to be there, totally engaged, riding the highs and lows with the wrestlers and chanting along with the MC every step of the way. If you’re in the Oakland area, I highly recommend checking out a Hoodslam event!

Going West: Strictly Friends

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Going West will be a series of indeterminate length showcasing images from Lauren and I’s trip to San Francisco in October 2019 to visit some good buds, eat some good food and listen to some good tunes. Mission accomplished, more to come.

Part III of Going West at the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival. A day wandering through Golden Gate Park surrounded by friends with the perfect tunes playing the background (Kurt Vile and Mandolin Orange amongst others!). What an amazing sun soaked day.

Labor Day at the Cabin

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Being forced to enjoy the outdoors in a more solitary way, my mind wanders back to a much needed weekend in the woods over Labor Day weekend surrounded by great friends old and new. Nestled in a comfy cabin with a perfect screened in porch and a little lake of its own, this place was unreal. What a blast.

Ricketts Glen State Park

We hiked the Falls Trail, a 7.2 mile hike with twenty-one waterfalls of all shapes and sizes along the way. It was a little crowded along the trail the day that we were there but it wasn’t hard to find secluded nooks and crannies to take a breather and enjoy each other’s company.

Down by the Lake

The Lake was the real MVP here! My favorite parts of the weekend were all spent down by the lake, grilling, wiffing, laughing, imbibing, etc.

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The Sullivan County Fair

We stopped at the Sullivan County Fair to take in the sights and smells of the demolition derby and the county’s best farm animals. Favorites included the front-wheel-drive class derby and the pigmy goat (not shown)!

Until Next Time

The Naturalist

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Below is a collection of images from a very informative hike in July 2019 along the Appalachian Trail north of Blairstown, New Jersey. The hike was lead by Lauren’s uncle Dennis, who is one of the most informed and passionate naturalists I have ever met. The hike was an out-and-back from the Mohican Outdoor Center to the Catfish Fire Tower. Dennis was able to identify and explain the purpose of just about every living organism along the trail and I learned quite a lot during the hike.

In addition to a vast knowledge of species native to the region, the property that he lives on is a small nature preserve of its own. Packed with native species of flora and fauna, the man is truly passionate about preserving native outdoor spaces.

The Catfish Fire Tower will always hold a special place in my heart. As a significant location in a hilarious but extremely eye opening high school camping trip, the tower reminds me how important it is to be prepared before going out into the woods.

Although a majority of Dennis’s property is dedicated to preserving native species, a significant portion is set aside each year as a place to grow vegetables, herbs, fruits and wild flowers.

In an office filled with photos of past bird watching expeditions, a collection of bones and skins found on the property sits along a bookshelf. The center skull is that of a fairly large black bear. Black bears are a frequent fixture on Dennis’s property and highly revered.

Lush summer flora along the Appalachian trail in western New Jersey. The mountain loral was POPPIN’.