Camping in the Rain

For a couple of months now, Heather and I have been planning a trip for Spring Break. With Hannah more than seven months old, and our recent relocation to Austin, we figured a camping/hiking trip would be a great way to get away and enjoy what is usually the best weather of the year in Texas. We decided to go to Guadalupe Mountains National Park, to do some camping and hiking, including a hike of Guadalupe Peak, the highpoint of Texas.

We left early last Monday morning, while most of the Hill Country lay in a foggy mist. The drive was largely uneventful, except for a break stop in Ozona, for a diaper change and a brief stretch of the legs. The weather on the drive alternated between overcast and mostly sunny, so we really didn't know what to expect in the mountains. By the time we drove up the final stretch of highway, the clouds lowered, and we were in a pretty good rain storm. We arrived at the park, snagged the last camping spot, and set up camp in the rain, but luckily, there wasn't any wind. We managed to make dinner during a break in the storm, and then went to bed.

Throughout the night, the weather got cold, the wind picked up, and the fly flapped around. We didn't get much rest, as we worried about the possibility of losing the tent fly and getting very wet. Around 6am, after the tent had buckled a few times, we decided to pack up, throw everything into the car, and retreat to lower climes. It was quite disheartening, as we realized that we wouldn't be climbing Guadalupe Peak any time soon.

Instead, we decided to visit a few other sites in West Texas, including UT's McDonald Observatory, home of the 4th largest telescope in the world. We also stopped and saw the Fort Davis National Historic Site, one of several forts established in Texas during the last half of the 19th Century. It was also fun to drive through some of the mountains in West Texas.

After another long drive through a couple of thunderstorms, we made it home late Tuesday evening, and enjoyed the rest of a quiet Spring Break at home.

On blogging

In a recent comment, one of my friends asked if I had stopped blogging. In response, I've decided to take a moment to pontificate on the activity of blogging in general, and my participation in particular. If I wax too philosophical, skill to the end to see the answer to his question. :)

A blog is an interesting creation. It exists largely to disseminate information in a timely manner to a specific audience. The writer may have other motivations for blogging, but fundamentally a blog is just another piece of third-rate quasi-journalism, with a several of very important differences from traditional distribution media:

First, a blog can be published by anybody. Unlike a newspaper, a magazine, or even direct market mailings, writing a blog is something that requires no previous skills or experience. The cost of entry is incredibly low, and anyone with an internet connection, mediocre typing skills and sufficient quantities of spare time can write about anything he cares to. The end result is lots of people, spending lots of time, writing about lots of stuff, which they probably know little about.

That said, blogs can still contain useful information. I've learned much after combing the web for a little-known hack for MapServer. Many very intelligent people write lots of intelligent stuff, which can often be useful and instructive. By and large, though, most blogs are junk. Worse yet, the global signal-to-noise ratio goes down the toilet as the amount of junk increases.

Although the information posted to them is often very transient, blogs have the potential to be archived indefinitely. By using proper measures, one can avoid such things, but generally, once something is out on the 'net, it is infinitely harder to put the genie back into that bottle. For that reason, I tend to be overly conservative when it comes to what I post, and how I post it. Of course, there will always be content which is applicable and appropriate, and which I feel comfortable posting.

Third, a blog is an investment by the writer, not a source of income (for most). Whether it be hosting fees, time spent writing, or simply the thought put into generating content, a blog requires something in the way of cognitive cycles and resources. In some respects, living life is largely about the economics of time, and I don't have a whole lot of it these days. In the constant tug of infinite wants versus finite resources, blogging often gets the short end of the stick.

So what does this all mean? Am I done blogging? Will this space ever have more content again?

The answer is: the status quo will probably continue. Hubris dictates that I do have something interesting to say, and this forum is as good as any to say it, I suppose. Hopefully, I'll be a bit more diligent about posting relevant material here as I generate it.

How's that for an answer?

The Bedford Boys

Today is D-Day, the anniversary of the Allied invasion of Normady which signalled the beginning of the end of the Nazi regime in Europe. I've recently read several books about World War II, and I was looking for a book which told the story on a more personal note. The Bedford Boys: One American Town's Ultimate D-Day Sacrifice by Alex Kershaw is such a book.

The book recounts the story of Company A, 116th Regiment, 29th Infantry Division during World War II. Most of Company A came from the small town of Bedford, Virginia, where the young men had joined the National Guard during the Depression to help pay the bills at home. When the war started, the unit was activated, and eventually sent to England where they spent 22 months training for the invasion of Normandy. Company A was among the first wave to go ashore at Omaha Beach on D-Day, and suffered heavy casualties. Nineteen of the Bedford Boys died on the beach, and three more during the Normandy campaign.

I found the book well written and a surprisingly quick read. Kershaw develops the personalities of the young men and presents them as real people.  As a result, the conclusion of the book can be a bit difficult to get through emotionally.  In the end, though, it made me more grateful for the men who sacrificed themselves then, and those who continue to do so today.

The Men Who Built the Transcontinental Railroad

This summer, I've embarked on an ambitious reading campaign, mainly aimed at consuming spare time and increasing my exposure to material outside of my engineering vocation. So, far, I'm averaging a book a week, with the latest victim being Stephen Ambrose's Nothing Like It In the World : The Men Who Built the Transcontinental Railroad 1863-1869.

I found it an enjoyable read. As its title would indicate, the book tells the story of the American Transcontinental Railroad, from conception to completion. Although he does get into the business aspects of building the railroad, Ambrose focuses mainly on how the men actually built the road, the logistics behind organizing and funding a vast labor army and of conquering imposing mountain ranges. He tells the story as it was seen from the men laying the track at the end of the line, from the Irish and Chinese immigrants, to the Mormon workers near Salt Lake.

Like most of Ambrose's work, I found the book well researched and easy to read. At almost 400 pages, Nothing Like It In the World can be a bit lengthy for some, and I got bogged down a couple of times wondering when the workers would just finish the railroad. The feeling didn't last long, and overall, I enjoyed learning a bit more about this fascinating piece of American history. After finishing the book, I figure it's time for another visit to the Golden Spike National Historic Site.

A Visit to Arches

As one of our summer ideas this year, Heather and I wanted to go to Arches National Park in Southern Utah. After other plans fell through, this past weekend turned out to be the perfect time to go. The weather was a little warm, but not too hot, and we were both able to get Friday off of work. Plus, Heather's pregnancy is not to the point which precludes us from doing active things.

Arches National Park is just north of Moab, Utah. I have driven past it many times during the course of family vacations, but never had the chance to stop and see it. This time, we decided to make the three hour drive south and we were rewarded. We left Provo around 11am on Friday, and made good driving time. We arrived at Arches around 2pm, and stopped by the visitors' center. Finding a place to stay the night was a priority, but unfortunately, the campground in the park was full. Instead, we managed to find a lovely spot along the Colorado River just outside the park.

We spent most of Friday afternoon and evening working out way through the park, admiring the giant stone monoliths and arches. Along the way, we stopped and read all the interpretive displays which describe the process of arch formation, the kinds of rock which are currently visible and the other geologic processes at work. We ended the evening by hiking out to Delicate Arch, the unofficial symbol of Utah.

After a restful night, we again went back to the park to see more arches and formations. After seeing Broken Arch, Sand Dune Arch and Skyline Arch, we finished our stay with a hike to the extraordinary Landscape Arch, which spans over 300 feet. The sign at Landscape Arch, which is only 6 feet thick at its thinnest point, shows a picture from 1991 when a 60-foot slab of rock broke off. The arches in the park are still forming, and geologic processes continue.


On the way home, we stopped at Dead Horse Point State Park, just a few miles out of Canyonlands National Park, and admired the views. The point overlooks a sweeping turn the Colorado River over 2000 feet below, and, according to legend, was used as a corral by cowboys in the 19th Century.

All-in-all, the trip was well needed and a great time for both of us.