Month: September 2012

World Maker Faire 2012

Maker Faire it’s just plain fun! This was the third year in NYC and this year Mayor Bloomberg declared it Maker Week. Amazing! The result was a huge increase in attendance over last year to 55,000 people across the two days. With 500 exhibits, a roster of speakers (that kept me busy running from venue to venue), many how-to workshops and a wide variety of attractions I was flat-out on a tear all weekend. My official agenda was constantly being adjusted by chance meetings with friends, impromptu business meetings, and interviews for articles. The MAKE folk work very hard to pull off excellent events and I think they do a remarkable job … as do the legions of volunteers.

Tags Maker Faire, OHW

Make

Open Hardware Summit

The goodie bag had a lego-based name tag.

The Open Hardware Summit and World Maker Faire were back-to-back in New York so how could I be anywhere other than in the New York City during this week? The Open Hardware Summit is a chance to get current while meeting many people who care about advancing the powerful concepts of sharing hardware designs.

Tags Open Hardware Summit

Family Ocean Travel

Move West?

SoCalCoast 068 — Cups of yum on Coronado as we work our way down the coast.

Moving East was never in the cards but now we’ve lived in the D.C. metro area for over 20 years. Not planned but it happened. Not since Courtney was six weeks old have we lived in the West. Not since 1990 have we called California home. Not throughout our daughters’ entire childhoods did we call any place other than Maryland or Virginia “home”. Now that the nest is empty Beth and I are considering a move to better living out west.

Family

Kelsey Goes to College

KelseyCollege 063 — Another daughter off to college!

After a long process and much hard work, Kelsey checked into her room at UCSD. She visited many many schools, applied and was accepted to several excellent institutions and after much heart wrenching angst she chose this gem in the University of California system. Did I mention it was located in paradise? This’ll be a fun four year ride!

Tags Beth, Kelsey

Family Lake Travel

Visiting Art’s Cabin in Big Bear

Post author By TravisGood
Post date September 15, 2012
No Comments on Visiting Art’s Cabin in Big Bear

ArtCabin 060 — Viewing Big Bear Lake from a perch high up on his property.

Kelsey and I were scurrying from a week in Yosemite to meet Beth’s flight from D.C. when we chose to route through Big Bear Lake. Why? My uncle has a cabin in Big Bear, holds an annual JazzTrax festival there, and has had a relationship with the area for 40 years. My thought was I’d show Kelsey his place but little did I know it would be a soup-to-nuts tour!

Thinking he was at his Palm Springs home we called to ask a question about the lake. “Why is the tributary lake almost empty and is that a reason for concern?” Don’t remember the answer he gave but do remember the happy surprise to learn that he was in his cabin. We dropped by, toured his home and property, exchanged stories and had a great visit.

Canyon Falls Family Hike Mountain Road Travel

Red Rock Sprint to Yosemite

Post author By TravisGood
Post date September 9, 2012
No Comments on Red Rock Sprint to Yosemite

First hike after Art's was up San Jacinto, first by way of one of the world's longest tram rides and then by foot. We were shooting for the peak but ran out of time. — After Art’s in Palm Springs we climbed San Jacinto, first by way of one of the world’s longest tram rides and then by foot. We were shooting for the peak but even with long days we ran out of time.

What to do between visiting Art in Palm Springs and climbing Half Dome in Yosemite?
Why not sprint through a stretch of Red Rock Country? Book ends to the sprint could include epic hikes. And why not? This was trip with my road-ravaging, outdoor-trekking, college-bound super daughter Kelsey!

Tags Kelsey