Monday, January 11, 2010
Mendocino mushrooms
I took a camping trip to Mendocino this past weekend (at and near Van Damme State Park). Hiking was great, including stunning coastal scenery, breaching whales, diverse and abundant mushrooms, and a pygmy forest. Pictures don't capture the beauty, but check them out below!
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Dogfish Head Brewery
I recently took a tour of the Dogfish Head Brewery in Milton, DE. If you aren't familiar with this craft brewery, they make some seriously off-the-wall ales. Relatively new to the beermaking scene, their sales have really spread in the last decade. The tour was adequate, but I was a little underwhelmed as a homebrewer. I was hoping for a little more depth, but I suppose a personal tour would have been better for that. Also, I was looking forward to sampling some non-retailed or rare beers, but they served only four standard beers. Still, a fun tour at a brewery that is pushing the envelope of craft beermaking.
We also got a chance to see the famed Palo Santo wooden cask, which is used to age some unique beer. The New Yorker covered this interesting story here. I'd love to see Dogfish Head do some lagers, but that is another story.
We also got a chance to see the famed Palo Santo wooden cask, which is used to age some unique beer. The New Yorker covered this interesting story here. I'd love to see Dogfish Head do some lagers, but that is another story.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Fall in Davis
Halloween has come and gone already. We hosted a fairly successful pumpkin carving festival. Mine was a screaming, crazy-eyed 'Foot Eating Pumpkin,' and luckily remained unmolested by neighborhood teenagers. (It's the one behind Jack Skellington in the photo below).
We lit our squash-like gords and set them on the front step, but they failed to bring many trick-or-treaters. I was reluctant to give candy to two kids who looked about 19, only one of whom had a costume. They were definitely past the cut-off, but I didn't want a trick. It could have gotten ugly:
Having recently discovered the UC Davis Meat Lab, we pitched in and bought half of a pig last weekend. The barbeque isn't finished yet, so we elected to cut the pig up and cook pieces individually. Bones made stock and fat was rendered for lard. Some cuts were smoked, others braised. A portion of the braised meat was pulled and fried in lard to make carnitas. Mushroom-stuffed trotters, paired with roast tenderloin, were excellent. The pig is a wonderful, delicious animal!
It is about time I start exploring what is actually outside of Davis. This year up north is going to come and go before I know it; the time is now to take advantage. Tomorrow, a few friends and I will be doing a half-day hike at Cold Canyon. Pictures to follow...
We lit our squash-like gords and set them on the front step, but they failed to bring many trick-or-treaters. I was reluctant to give candy to two kids who looked about 19, only one of whom had a costume. They were definitely past the cut-off, but I didn't want a trick. It could have gotten ugly:
Having recently discovered the UC Davis Meat Lab, we pitched in and bought half of a pig last weekend. The barbeque isn't finished yet, so we elected to cut the pig up and cook pieces individually. Bones made stock and fat was rendered for lard. Some cuts were smoked, others braised. A portion of the braised meat was pulled and fried in lard to make carnitas. Mushroom-stuffed trotters, paired with roast tenderloin, were excellent. The pig is a wonderful, delicious animal!
It is about time I start exploring what is actually outside of Davis. This year up north is going to come and go before I know it; the time is now to take advantage. Tomorrow, a few friends and I will be doing a half-day hike at Cold Canyon. Pictures to follow...
Monday, October 12, 2009
Mimosas in the countryside
Preface: I like mimosas. I like mimosas even more over an outdoor brunch in the countryside. The Krimmenel had us over to his new swanky spot, which happens to be out in the middle of nowhere. Perfect. He's got chickens, horses, gardens, copious (and delicious) prickly pears. We stopped by the Winters Farmers Market along the way for some fresh local fruit. I must say, I am mighty envious of his chickens... need to get my hands on some of those. What a great way to spend a Sunday morning. Finding time to relax is important!
Monday, October 5, 2009
Wonderful Davis and Midwestern nostalgia
I'm settling into Davis very well. Here, in no particular order, is a brief list of things I am enjoying:
1) Biking EVERYWHERE (and saving money on gas)
2) Farmers markets selling produce that is actually local
3) Having these at home again: a real table to eat on, big kitchen to cook in, and backyard to garden
4) Amazing housemates (and they cook!)
5) An incredibly professional, supportive, and welcoming graduate group
6) Big green trees
7) Friendly people and a slow way of life (despite the hustle of grad school)
On the other hand, I am waist-deep in grant writing season. :/ It would be nice to score some cash this year ... we will wait and see, wait and see.
In other news, I took at trip to my alma mater (Ohio State) recently. It was great to catch up with old friends - those that are still around town. I also had the chance to meet with some colleagues from my old lab. I felt nostalgic.
The campus looks great, too. Renovation of the main library is complete and the new student union is almost done. I felt nostalgic.
It rained the whole weekend, but what better representation of Columbus? I hadn't sat and listened to a thunderstorm in over a year. I felt nostalgic... but in a good way. :)
1) Biking EVERYWHERE (and saving money on gas)
2) Farmers markets selling produce that is actually local
3) Having these at home again: a real table to eat on, big kitchen to cook in, and backyard to garden
4) Amazing housemates (and they cook!)
5) An incredibly professional, supportive, and welcoming graduate group
6) Big green trees
7) Friendly people and a slow way of life (despite the hustle of grad school)
On the other hand, I am waist-deep in grant writing season. :/ It would be nice to score some cash this year ... we will wait and see, wait and see.
In other news, I took at trip to my alma mater (Ohio State) recently. It was great to catch up with old friends - those that are still around town. I also had the chance to meet with some colleagues from my old lab. I felt nostalgic.
The campus looks great, too. Renovation of the main library is complete and the new student union is almost done. I felt nostalgic.
It rained the whole weekend, but what better representation of Columbus? I hadn't sat and listened to a thunderstorm in over a year. I felt nostalgic... but in a good way. :)
Thursday, September 17, 2009
The Odyssey
I've just returned from The Odyssey. Sounds intense, right? The Odyssey is a week-long extended orientation field trip for new ecology students at UC Davis, with the goals of introducing us to field stations, research opportunities, and each other. We packed up into 6 vans and drove east. First stop: Tahoe Environmental Research Center for a tour of Lake Tahoe. Oh and I started out in the "Mario Van," which included built-in Super Mario Bros. 3 for the entertainment factor. The slogan, "Keep Tahoe Blue," has a lot of truth to it. Because the watershed is so small compared to the vast size of the lake, the water is clear and a surreal shade of blue.
We spent the night at Sage Hen Natural Reserve and were off to Mono Lake the next day. Mono Lake is like something from another planet. It is super salty, but alkaline (it feels oily like soap). Not much can live in this environment, mostly brine shrimp and alkali flies. Washed up along the shoreline are piles upon piles of fly pupae casings. Hungry yet? However, the lake does have some redeeming values. Tall carbonate deposits, called 'tufas,' can be found here. Also, Mono Lake acts as critical resting and feeding habitat for migratory shorebirds. Nearly all of the migrating shorebirds in North America stop here for lunch.
The TAs wore costumes the whole trip, which lightened the mood and was an integral part of the experience. Vans had themes... Big Lebowski, Derek Zoolander's Derelicte Campaign, Mario & Luigi, etc. Pink day and costume dance parties were absolutely wild. Acting ridiculous is a great way to get to know someone!
We next visited the Sierra Nevada Aquatic Research Lab, or SNARL (nice acronym, huh?). Late night activities included hot springs, which I had never experienced before. It was pretty incredible. A series of pools provided a gradation of heat to suit your taste.
We visited Rock Creek and Inyo National Forest for a bit of hiking, although a few people fly fished instead (catching lake trout mostly). During the hike to Mono Pass (10,599 ft) we went for a dip in Ruby Lake, which is snowmelt-fed. I lasted about a minute. The vistas of mountains and high-elevation forests were unbelievable. Until now, I hadn't done much exploring at this elevation, among such striking mountains.
We continued to gain elevation, exploring the bristlecone pines in the alpine tundra of the White Mountains. The geology and biology of this region is, of course, breathtaking. Bristlecones grow very slowly at high elevation, resulting in incredibly dense wood. They are thought to be among the oldest organisms on the planet (some perhaps 5,000 years old). Even the dead trees are beautiful, since decomposition occurs so slowly at elevation. Small lichens growing on rocks are typically thousands of years old, as well.
Finally we reached the ultimate goal of The Odyssey: climbing White Mountain (14,254 ft). The hike started at about 12,000 ft and is roughly 5 miles each way. But, the climb is "up-down-up-down-up" and with the thin air was intense. It is remarkable how low oxygen kills performance. We first five up the mountain made it in under 2 hours - respek! Lunch and nap on the warm roof of the summit building was a necessity before the return hike. The next day, on the drive back to Davis, we stopped by Yosemite for lunch.
In every way, this was an amazing trip. Definitely full of memories that I will cherish. More amazing than the stunning sights and exciting activities were the 50 new friends I made. In meeting all these new people, I am really looking forward to a year at Davis. :) It is going to be hard to leave.
We spent the night at Sage Hen Natural Reserve and were off to Mono Lake the next day. Mono Lake is like something from another planet. It is super salty, but alkaline (it feels oily like soap). Not much can live in this environment, mostly brine shrimp and alkali flies. Washed up along the shoreline are piles upon piles of fly pupae casings. Hungry yet? However, the lake does have some redeeming values. Tall carbonate deposits, called 'tufas,' can be found here. Also, Mono Lake acts as critical resting and feeding habitat for migratory shorebirds. Nearly all of the migrating shorebirds in North America stop here for lunch.
The TAs wore costumes the whole trip, which lightened the mood and was an integral part of the experience. Vans had themes... Big Lebowski, Derek Zoolander's Derelicte Campaign, Mario & Luigi, etc. Pink day and costume dance parties were absolutely wild. Acting ridiculous is a great way to get to know someone!
We next visited the Sierra Nevada Aquatic Research Lab, or SNARL (nice acronym, huh?). Late night activities included hot springs, which I had never experienced before. It was pretty incredible. A series of pools provided a gradation of heat to suit your taste.
We visited Rock Creek and Inyo National Forest for a bit of hiking, although a few people fly fished instead (catching lake trout mostly). During the hike to Mono Pass (10,599 ft) we went for a dip in Ruby Lake, which is snowmelt-fed. I lasted about a minute. The vistas of mountains and high-elevation forests were unbelievable. Until now, I hadn't done much exploring at this elevation, among such striking mountains.
We continued to gain elevation, exploring the bristlecone pines in the alpine tundra of the White Mountains. The geology and biology of this region is, of course, breathtaking. Bristlecones grow very slowly at high elevation, resulting in incredibly dense wood. They are thought to be among the oldest organisms on the planet (some perhaps 5,000 years old). Even the dead trees are beautiful, since decomposition occurs so slowly at elevation. Small lichens growing on rocks are typically thousands of years old, as well.
Finally we reached the ultimate goal of The Odyssey: climbing White Mountain (14,254 ft). The hike started at about 12,000 ft and is roughly 5 miles each way. But, the climb is "up-down-up-down-up" and with the thin air was intense. It is remarkable how low oxygen kills performance. We first five up the mountain made it in under 2 hours - respek! Lunch and nap on the warm roof of the summit building was a necessity before the return hike. The next day, on the drive back to Davis, we stopped by Yosemite for lunch.
In every way, this was an amazing trip. Definitely full of memories that I will cherish. More amazing than the stunning sights and exciting activities were the 50 new friends I made. In meeting all these new people, I am really looking forward to a year at Davis. :) It is going to be hard to leave.
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