Preparing preserves

My bourbon-cask stout is finally about six months old, so I bottled it up. I'm not sure why, but there seems to be no pictures after washing bottles. Oh well - the whole batch made 46 bottles after the neck popped off of one. It also became apparent that I can't cap the big clay Rogue bottles without a bench-top capper, which was a bummer. I need to make sure and use some regular bomber bottles next time. Time for some more cooking at any rate - all the carboys are empty!

Dry dirt at last!

Cody had been diligently calling the local state-park hotline to check trail conditions for who knows how long now. Finally the toasty warm weather took care of the trails and everything opened up. Not only were they open, but they were the driest I've ever seen them including the dead of summer, let alone spring. I think it was about 80° or so and clear most of the time. 

Getting hot out, plenty of water was downed.

Corrine's front tire fell victim to a locust tree attack. Thankfully the only one of the day which is pretty good considering the quantity of thorns we saw.

Stripped, tube replaced, rolling again. No problem, though it did make me want some Stans. 

Had to get a picture of Cody's new whip.

Only a memory

It almost seems impossible, having just put away a week of 70° days and a week-end at 80°+, but these pictures were taken at the end of February. It is now the middle of March - yeah, almost three weeks. I had them uploaded but forgot to make a post. 

It was a pretty neat snow- piling up on and sticking to everything. It didn't last long obviously, but was probably about the biggest single snow-"storm" we had this year. If that says anything about how the 2011/2012 winter has been.