Music Monday: Hoquiam - Zombies of the Sea

I think this band isn't playing together anymore, but you can still catch Damien Jurado playing live and releasing all kinds of new music.

Music Monday: Tony Rice and Mountain Heart- Me and My Guitar

Friday Five: Camping!

It's that time again! Yaaaay! Let's look at five different styles of camping. I am not a nature lover, and I can count the times I've camped on one hand, I have absolutely no business writing this. However, I am well trained in the art of gazing out car windows at vehicles in holiday traffic and also junior certified in tv episodes about camping. Let's do this!

1. TENT

Pro: Stealth- You can store a tent in a lot of places like the back of a Mini Cooper or a Motorcycle!
Pro: Convenience- You can tent camp just about anywhere.
Pro: Affordable- A trailer can be thousands of dollars. A tent might set you back $100.
Con: Weather- Tents are the lightweight jacket of camping. They block wind and rain but you might wake up flipped over and in a puddle.
Con: Set up- The set up of a tent can truly test the relationship you have with your fellow camper(s).
 Con: Security- A tent is pretty useless in bear country.
2. TEARDROP TRAILER
Pro: You look Awesome- So classic and stylish
 Pro: Lightweight- Can be towed by anything

Pro: Heat- If one body can fill up most of the cubic space in the trailer that makes it easy to stay warm.

Con: Tiny- You have to go outside to do everything except sleep- Let's face it, if you're camping in the Pacific Northwest, the only guaranteed nice summer days are the 5th of July and the first day of school. Chances are you're going to encounter some rain. Since the teardrop trailer's kitchen is in the back, you're cooking in the rain.
Con: Tiny- Can't store much in a teardrop trailer Con: Tiny- The teardrop trailer is not a family camper.
3. POP-UP TRAILER

Pro: Space saving design- Aerodynamic on the road, roomy in the campsite.
Pro: Easy hauler- (Again, I'm not a camper and I think the last time I was in a pop-up trailer was probably in grade school and the "camping" consisted of spending the night in the pop-up trailer in a buddy's driveway.) I see a lot of pop-up trailers on the road and their tow vehicles are not limited to trucks.

Pro: Keeps cool- The mesh "walls" keep the it cool.
Con: Stability- It is essentially a tent on wheels (see cons of tent above).
Con: Privacy- Don't forget about the mesh "walls." Even curtains can't block all noise and shadows.
If you can see out, we can see in

Con: Keeps cool- Pacific Northwest rain isn't really a warm rain.
 4. Fifth Wheel

Pro: Detachable- Once you're set up and camping you have a vehicle with which to travel about the area.

Pro: Self-contained- At this juncture we reach the point where we are now able to do everything indoors! Cooking, eating, bathing, and all the other things you can't do in a tent or a pop-up you can now do in your 5th wheel camper! Oh the convenience!!
 Pro: Lingo- Now you can get into deep conversations with your camping buddies and use words like "pop-outs," "dualies," and "awnings."
 Con: Towing- Lots of weight, fuel and traffic
Con: Location- Camping is limited to certain campsites that can accommodate such a monstrosity. Con: Is it really camping? Is it?! Is it REALLY camping?!
5. Class A RV

Pro: Convenience- It's a house on wheels and it's a tour bus c'mon! At this point, you're rollin' like a rock star

Pro: Towing- Again, you can tow a vehicle for day trips. Cool!

Pro: Socialization- There is an entire sub-culture of "rv-ers" that you will be surrounded by, meeting, getting to know, and who will happily embrace you into their fold.

 Con: Fuel- You very well may have to take out a loan to afford the fuel to go "camping" in this behemoth.

 

Con: Again, is it really camping or is it "second home-ing"? If I had to choose, this is about as close to camping as I'd get. I like camping with my own bathroom and shower, tv, fridge, stove and recliner.

Con: Socialization- There is an entire sub-culture of "rv-ers" that you will be surrounded by, meeting, getting to know, and who will happily embrace you into their fold.

 I feel we've just scratched the surface! I didn't get to the yurt, Airstream, truck camper or the semi camper...perhaps there will have to be a second installment...

Harbor 1/2 Marathon and 5k Run

I may need to preface this by, I am not a runner, but I play one on tv. 

Actually, I know quite a few runners who are geared up for this weekends 5k in Hoquiam.  13.1 miles designed for both beginning runners and for those avid marathoners. 

Bands will be playing at 8th street landing from 12:00-5:00p.m. and all runners will receive coupons from local businesses.  This is a great chance to get out and support the community and become a bit healthier at the same time.

The race is open to participants 19 years and older and will begin at 11:00 with registration between 9:00-10:30 at 8th street landing in Hoquiam. 

You can find all race info here including race route and registration form for your participation t-shirt.

If you are unable to participate this weekend, Hoquiam has so many fun runs lined up in the coming months including the Haunted Hoquiam, Turkey Trot and Ho Ho Hoquiam.. all of which are a good time frame away to start training.  Remember our interview with Sheena Paniagua?  Check it out again for some great tips on how to get started in the world of running!  Or check out another online resourse coolrunning.  Whatever you do this weekend, get outside and do something!

Hey There Harborite: Kyle Pauley

Name/Age: Kyle Pauley/30

Where do you live: Cosmopolis

Profession/Day Job: Journalist at KXRO/Owner at AXB

Loyal to: Wishkah Loggers

Best Harbor Moment: Growing up I heard about Metal Church from harborites, but never had a chance to see them until a few years ago.  I've been to a thousand concerts but seeing Metal Church return and play at the NW passage before they broke up is the highlight of my concert life.

Favorite Coffee Stand: Anywhere with White Coffee.  I usually only drink my 16oz quad shot white chocolate mocha with white coffee when garage sailing on Saturdays.  Black coffee and energy drinks fill my days.

Favorite Local Business: Can I count AXB as my favorite?  This is a hard question because how do you choose?  Growing up I loved the mystery of Judy's Collectibles, but as an adult I love Pure Clothing.  I have a fondness toward Tom Cat Tatoo, Roseveers and astickymess.com.  I love any business that knows that not every person is exactly the same and you can be yourself.

Grunge, Metal or Country: Yes. Grunge will always hold a place in my heart.  My Zune is filled with everything from Hall Aflame to Kanye, Dave Matthews Band to Slipknot.  If I am working on something new I prefer Rage Against the Machine, but usually it is something acoustic.

Beach, Forest, or River: I grew up in Wishkah and was surrounded by the forest.  I would get lost for hours on a deer trail and I will always feel most at home there above the others.

Favorite outdoor adventure or day trip: I have always loved the Jetty for the same reason I love junkyards and abandoned buildings.  I love to go out as far as possible before dropping down and crawling as far as I can through the tunnels and finding random rope and sticks.  Inside I'm still a 5 year old boy.

Define the Harbor in one word: Home.

If you could change one things about the area, what would it be: When I was in college at GHC, I was thinking of where I wanted to go and what I wanted to see, but I realized then that this is where I need to be.  I want to do everything I can to show people that this area is filled with things to do and there is so much good happening.  The fact that people still see The Harbor as a "depressed logging community" or the buzz phrase of the day is what I would like to change.

Grays Harbor's best kept secret: Mallards.  Whatever you are doing right now, make a reservation.

X Marks The Spot...

Or is it N 46° 59.156, W 123° 44.609? For geocachers, it’s the latter.

Yes, fellow muggles (non-geocachers), there is a modern day treasure hunt taking place all around us and the treasure is surprisingly…ordinary. There’s no commandeering ships or scouring secluded tropical islands for chests full of booty. No, definitely not. But if you watched a geocacher on the hunt successfully locate the cache they were seeking, you’d think it was full of gold doubloons instead of the typical log book and possible trinket. It’s the thrill of the hunt, the game of hide and seek, the sense of adventure that is making geocaching the hippest new pastime. And it’s free! You can’t beat that.

the "treasure" geocachers seek

For those of you who are bemused by the idea of a modern day treasure hunt with no actual treasure, you aren’t alone. Geocaching is a relatively new past time just celebrating its 12^th birthday last month. The game is simple and mirrors the childhood game of hide and seek: someone hides a container (of varying size) with a log book and optional trinkets inside. They post the GPS coordinates, such as on geocaching.com, for others to find, and voila – you have a new treasure to seek! Did you know this was happening in Grays Harbor? In fact, according to geocaching.com there are 2,293 different Geo Caches within a 25 mile radius of Aberdeen. That’s a lot of adventure!

My first geocache at Lake Aberdeen

If you were wondering how to make your summer economical yet fun this might be your solution. It’s a largely family-friendly activity, remotely inexpensive and very outdoors, plus it gives a taste of adventure even in familiar territory. In fact, it might even get you to explore parts of Grays Harbor you’ve never bothered to visit before. Or you don’t have to go far from home. Just look at the map below and you’ll see a plethora of caches right here in the Aberdeen city limits. Did you have any idea our neighbors were playing scavenger hunt all around the community? How much fun is that!

To get started, you need GPS technology. These days, most SMART phones have some sort of navigation program you can punch coordinates into, and apps that you can download (I recommend the free C:Geo app that links to your geocaching.com account). If you don’t have a SMART phone, there are handheld GPS units for sale at places like Cabela’s and Wholesale Sports in Lacey. Next, you’ll need to sign up for an account on geocaching.com- a basic account is free- as this is the only way to get coordinates for the difference caches. Now, go caching! Make sure you wear appropriate gear for whatever type of cache you're seeking - hiking clothes, water bottles, snacks, etc. And don’t forget to Log your Visit on geocaching.com after you’ve found a cache.

c:geo app screenshot

There’s quite a culture in the world of Geocache. I recommend you explore these additional resources to get the most out of your Geocaching adventure:

Geocaching 101

Glossary of Geocaching Terms

Here's a quick video for anyone new to Geocaching:

Lastly, keep an eye out because Go Go Grays Harbor will soon be setting out 5 brand new geocaches in the Grays Harbor area to help you get in the spirit!

Music Monday: Jimmy Bryant and Speedy West- Flyin' High