Mammoth Cross Country Skiiing Weekend

After getting canceled last year due to excessive snow, we finally got up to Mammoth for a XC skiing weekend.  The drive up was uneventful and we checked into the Tamarack Lodge.  The weather was nice so we did a snowshoe hike up to the top of Panorama Dome which had great views even with the low clouds.  The lodge restaurant was booked so we headed over to the Mammoth Tavern for a nice dinner.

The next day, we had our XC lesson.  The instructor was very patient and had Jyoti up and skiing.  After lunch, we skied around the groomed trails.  For dinner, we had a cheese plate in the fun and cozy lodge bar.  We went to bed early since we were worn out.  The next morning, we go up early and headed out.  We made a stop in Randsburg which was very cool.

Panorama Dome summit

Learning to ski

Hitting the trails

Downtown Randsburg

Hitler Had Some Good Ideas?

 Hitler in Munich, April 12, 1922:

"thus we were the first to declare that this peace treaty was a crime. Then folk abused us as 'agitators.' We were the first to protest against the failure to present this treaty to the people before it was signed. Again we were called on the masses of the people not to surrender their arms, for the surrender of one's arms would be nothing less than the beginning of enslavement. We were called, no, we were cried down as, 'agitators.' We were the first to say that this meant the loss of Upper Silesia. So it was, and still they called us 'agitators.' We declared at that time that compliance in the question of Upper Silesia must have as its consequence the awakening of a passionate greed which would demand the occupation of the Ruhr. We were cried down ceaselessly, again and again. And because we opposed the mad financial policy which today will lead to our collapse, what was it that we were called repeatedly once more? 'Agitators.' And today?

Of course, he took the guns and enslaved those he didn't like.

Ham Shack

I have been doing a lot of radio stuff lately.  Mostly in the field but doing configuration and testing in my shack.  Thought it would be nice to highlight my home station.

My primary home rig is an Alinco DX-8R. It is a nice, fairly easy to use HF 100W transceiver.  I can use in digital modes as well with some special cables.  I bought it used from a retiring ham and got a nice Alinco power supply with it.  With power poles everywhere, I can power all my stuff very easily.

I have been doing lots of emcomm operations, so have my Yaesu FT-817 and QRLabs QDX going as well.  Also been operating various rugged computers and tablets, like the CF-20 pictured below.

The primary antenna I use at home is a Wolf River vertical coil.  I have various coils and whips to go to 80M.  Living in a condo, I have a small space so the vertical is very handy.  I can get a dipole up sometimes but it will go out into the sidewalk.

Ham shack

Wolf River coil

Latest Books

I haven't posted a books read list in a while, but not for lack of reading:

• The Three Cornered War: The Union, The Confederacy and Native Peoples in the Fight For the West by Megan Kate Wilson 
• Encyclopedia of Weapons of World War II by Chris Bishop
• Herbal Medic: A Green Beret's Guide to Emergency Medical Preparedness and Natural First Aid by Sam Coffman
• Rosemary Gladstar's Medicial Herbs: A Beginner's Guide: 33 Healing Herbs to Know, Use and Grow by Rosemary Gladstar
• Combat Contrails: Vietnam by William B. Scott
• Crowns in the Gutter by Ted S. Raicer
• Last Boat Out of Shanghai: The Epic Story of the Chinese Who Fled Mao's Revolution by Helen Zia
• Spymaster: Startling Cold War Revelations of a Soviet KGB Chief by Tenant Bagley
• Small Arms of WWII: USA by Ian McCollum

Weekend Activities

• Went a nice hike at Torrey Pines and got rained on a bit
• Drove up to San Juan Capistrano, in the rain, to visit the mission.  Good thing they have umbrellas to lend.  The mission was a great spot and we had lunch with friends afterward.

Old stone church at Mission San Juan Capistrano