Weekend at Coos Canyon

Post by Greg – Last weekend Mark and I took the wheelers to Byron Maine to check out the area trails.

 

We set up camp at  Coos Canyon campground on the the Swift River which is also known for gold panning.

 

About 100 feet behind our site was this gorge cut into the bedrock by the river. The cliffs are up to 30 feet high and during the day it’s a popular swimming (and jumping) spot.

 

 

There are many unique features carved into the rock along the river. The technical term for them are ” hydraulic erosion features”.

 

 

 

I was impressed with this tree on the rim.  Still not sure how it survives.

 

 

Some of the available accommodations at the campground were pretty rustic.

Others were very nice. So there is something for everyone.

 

 

 

We rode the trails most of the day Saturday  stopping to take in the views .  The local variety store was a popular stop for lunch and gas.

 

 

On Sunday morning we spent a little more time exploring the river before packing up and heading home. We didn’t find any gold, but  we did experience  a scenic and ATV friendly part of Maine..

 

Beanpot Invitational 2011

Saturday, we got the opportunity to go to one of Derek’s shows. These pictures  and videos do not do it justice. Drum Corp has come a long way since the days of the Fulton Goucho’s. We sprang for the VIP tickets which got us seats on the 50 yard line, programs and VIP parking. We decided that was the best way to go from now on. The air was full of excitement with the buses, people and kids. Above is the equipment bus for the Spartans. They also travel with a food wagon, 3 coach buses and lot of helpers.

Greg caught this shot of the guy sitting in front of us. It has their summer schedule on the back.

Don’t you just love a man in uniform. The Spartans are based in Nashua, NH. Each group gets approximately 10 minutes to perform. They are also judged on getting their gear on and off the field within a certain time limit. Derek is a member of the pit. They have a lot of equipment to move. The Spartans performed second. The first group was the Muchachos from Manchester, NH. They are the only group that doesn’t age out. Their members range from 14-69. The other groups have age limits. This was Derek’s only opportunity because you can’t be older than 21. The Spartans are in the open class and competed against the 7th Regimen. The Spartan have dominated each time so far this season. All the other groups are in Class A. They are much larger and complex.

The Spartans are coming onto the field. The guy in front is the drum major. All the drum majors have their own platforms and conduct the group. If you watch some of the other videos you will see that the larger groups often have more than one.

Derek was on chimes, gong, mallets and base drum. He was hopping. The sun was setting as the Spartans performed so unfortunately the video wasn’t as good as it could have been. Click on photos for larger view.

After each group played they came around and marched off in front of the grandstand (which was packed).

Spartans (click to view)

7th Regiment, New London, CT (Click to View)

 

Jersey Surf, Camden County, NJ (click to view)

 

Madison Scouts, Madison, WI (click to view)

The Scouts were incredible in their precision and sound. They are unique in they are all men including the color guard, very impressive group.

 

 

 

 

 

The Class A groups have been touring the country for the whole summer. It’s a huge commitment for the kids, parents and all involved.

 Spirit of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA

(click to view)

The Spirit used music from show tunes. The girl in the red dress came slowly across the field wrapped in a black cape. It was a great show.

 

The photo below is also the Crossmen. Unfortunately my battery died partway into the Boston Crusader show and the Carolina Crown from Ft. Mill, SC. They were the group that took first place.

Oh Deer!

Yesterday, in our back yard we had some visitors. A mom and her baby.

Ooops, I mean babies.

I don’t know how common twins are in the deer world, but they sure were cute.

Gazebo Repair

19 years ago when Emily was born, Dad made a little gazebo for her. The sign over  the door reads, Emily’s Gazebo. There was a time when she could fit in and played in it, now it’s more of a decorative piece in our landscaping. (click on photos for larger view.)

Unfortunately over the years and our forgetting to cover it for the last few winters it’s showing its age with rot. Last weekend Greg and Mark started the restoration process. This is the base.

They moved it to the side so that Greg could replace the rotted areas. Mark was there to lend moral support.

And of course every job needs a foreman.

Greg rebuilt most of the base.

They leveled it up and put the frame on top of it. The roof still needs some work and will be left for another weekend. I’ll post a photo of the completed project when available.

Derek and Leah

Leah is Derek’s girlfriend. They met while he was teaching Trition Regional School Winter Percussion. She was in charge of the color guard and has been doing this for a few years. As a matter of fact she was one of the people that interviewed Derek. They have been dating more seriously since April and seem very happy. Leah just turned 24 and is a graduate of Syracuse University. She has a job as a video editor. She’s not sure this will be life-long passion and is thinking about going back to school to perhaps be a teacher.

For those of you who know Derek you know how picky an eater he is. The irony is Leah is a vegan. I’m not brave enough to invite her for dinner but I did tell Derek I wouldn’t be offended if she wanted to bring her own food. She is also quite tall as they are both standing in this picture.

Drum Corp is really picking up for Derek now. He has been marching in parades weekly and Monday is their first competition in Bridgeport, CT. There will be several local competitions before they go on tour at the end of July. He’s very excited about competing. Below are some samples of Spartans in the past. Drum Corp is very disciplined, military-like and a fantastic opportunity for anyone that is tough enough to handle it.

Spartans 2010

Spartans 2007

Spartans 2008

Father’s Day Ride

Yesterday, Father’s Day, was spectacular in the weather department. Greg and Mark decided to head north to Waterboro, ME for the first ride of the season. They got their 4-wheelers filled with gas and lovingly inspected every nook and cranny. Mark had to clean out a mouse nest (photo above left) before he could go. 

Mark, filled with excitement proudly climbed into the drivers seat and they were off on their adventure.

Now the two pictures above you might think I goofed and put in twice, but if you look ever so closely under the ATV on the trailer you’ll notice the first picture is missing the ramps. Twenty minutes into their adventure they were back to get the ramps so Mark could unload his ATV. (All part of the fun.)

They finally made it to their destination and enjoyed their afternoon, even getting stuck in the mud was all part of the fun. My road warriors returned, tired, Greg with an aching back, somewhat muddy but having enjoyed the day.

Oh and if you were wondering what I did. I took a 7.5 mile bike ride, worked in my garden and relaxed. It was a win win for all.

Slow Growing

The picture on the left is my garden taken June 5th. The one on the right is a week later taken on the 13th. We had a few days of summer-like weather but of late it’s been very cool.

I have green and yellow beans planted on the deck. The top photo is from the 5th, the bottom a week later.

The rhododendron near the deck has a funny shape. It’s been trimmed over the years by the deer. Speaking of deer, they are a frequent visitor. The photo on the right was from June 9th and the left from the day before. I don’t think they’re the same deer.

My boss surprised me at work last week with a 30 year pin. The triangle is the company logo and there appears to be a diamond in the center. When I started back in 1981 I was full time. As I started having kids I cut down to 20 hours and eventually went per diem as I had more kids. July of last year I started back at 16 hours per week. It amazes me how fast the time has gone by. I’ve been doing dialysis and have seen a lot of changes over these 30 years.