Ghosts of Masten III- TR

“The spruce grove at Masten has become a beloved TT destination every October. I had a great time and got to meet many new people.

I led a bushwhack up Rock Run to a series of chasms. The weather was sunny, but cool. Everyone enjoyed the hike and the incredible beauty of the stream, with its crystal clear pools, cliffs, slides, and cascades. A highlight was a rock house built under a cliff. Rock Run is one of my most favorite places.

We stopped by one swimming hole where three teenages were swimming- the third one jumped in with some encouragement. They weren't in the water long.

We then drove into the McIntyre Wild Area and took a short hike to Band Rock Vista with its fines views. Of course, there was an obligatory stop by the ancient McIntyre Cemetery.

We returned to Masten and got a fire going- people began to cook an incredible buffet of peach cobbler, mac and cheese, curry chicken, soup, berry pie, pizza, and other goodies at the towering chimney. Of course, there were an assortment of beverages.

ENS and Lyra showed up with Liam, cute little kid. Even RichB and MSilver were also in attendance. It was also good to see Fritz after so many years.

What made this trip really special was that Jackstraw brought some friends who played bluegrass and they entertained us for a while with excellent music, and some whoops and feet stompin'. You couldn't ask for a better setting. Of course, we began to pass around a flask of a tea-colored beverage- what was that again?

MarkO led a brief and moving tribute to Bearmagnet. I met him once, and it was at Masten, two years ago. Some of his ashes were laid at Masten.

A truly memorable time and great crowd as always.

http://outdoors.webshots.com/album/568142673aENmJR?vhost=outdoors”

“Thanks for the great hike jmitch!

A most awesome weekend was had by all.

pics: http://outdoors.webshots.com/album/568138888kSCxfv”

“Some pix I took >>> http://outdoors.webshots.com/album/568140716pgLuhP”

“thank you all for the Great PA hospitality:

To Jmitch for the awesome Hike..
To Jackstraw for putting it all to together..
To the band for the awesome tunes (they were working on their rendition of Paradise by the dashboard light as we left this morining)

To Marco Cocoahead and all for getting my car started..

and finally to everyone for a great time...

I'm already looking forward to next year!!

(unfortunately when we arrived back in Richmond, HighMaintenance and CreekDancer had had their cars broken into.. Nothing major stolen, just a hassle getting windows repaired etc)..

Thank you all again!!!!!!!!!!

'32oz
last edited: 10/19/08 5:28:41 PM”

“It was good seeing everyone. I wish we could have stayed longer. Liam loved meeting so many TTers! It's always great being in Masten. Such an awesome place.

Harry, you did a super job with this years party! The band was great!”

“owls and coyotes filled the night sounds. At least I assume it was coyores. I heard my dog woof once or twice but he was much lower in tone and not as frantic. He was in the car at night and I suspect just issued an acknowledgment/warning that he was there.

It was too cold for him to sleep on the ground as he did in warmer weather. Plus everyone else had their "container" and he wanted to make sure he had his too.

We both had a good time but I suspect unless I can improve my cold weather rig this will be my last hurrah for the season. I know it got down to freezing because there was some frozen water in people's hydration tubes. I neec some better underquilts to handle that kind of temperature with grace. The ones I have settled out at 40 F or so. Even double layered they missed the mark although I switched rigs for Saturday night and slept warmer in my cold weather set up.

Thaks for the fun. It was great.”

“Hi Guys. Just got home. Marko and I had a great ride home. Hurricane Janet had an awesome dinner waiting for us. I'm kinda beat. The weekend was Fantabulous.

I want to thank everybody for helping make it so.

A special thanks out to the Paint Branch Ramblers who were awesome and made the trip up from Maryland to entertain us so fine.

Ill have my TR and pics tomorrow.”

“It was great to meet more of the TT folks and enjoy the fall colors and frozen-fingered bluegrass. Thanks to jackstraw, jmitch, the players, and everyone else.

[url]http://community.webshots.com/album/568140853VmDbrf[url]”

“Many thanks to Jackstraw for putting this all together. Great people, great music, great food and a great time. Can't wait for next year, but could someone please hide the Crown Royal from me next time. :)”

“Excellent trip and I enjoyed seeing everyone again and meeting some new people too. Thanks Jackstraw for making it all happen. Also, thank you to the band members for providing the outstanding music. They were great! I think this was the first Masten trip that no rain fell. The weather was superb for hiking. A little cold at night, but not harsh, probably in the 20's since some people reported frozen water bottles. Marko suggested moving the trip up next year so the weather is warmer. I posted some pictures here”

“I want to thank the TT community for making sure I did not freeze to death. Thanks to Jackstraw for the liner, Mrs. Crazypace for the down booties, Crazypace for the gloves, and to Spindle for the hot nalgene bottle and for sending me to bed. Next time I will be sure to bring an appropriate sleeping bag.”

“You're not the only one who was unprepared for the cold, Creek Dancer! It hasn't been all that wintery down in Southern PA yet, so we just figured we'd be warm enough, LOL. At least we didn't camp! Poor old Liam was wearing 3 pairs of leg warmers while hanging around Saturday night...one on his legs under his pants, one on his hands, and one on his feet!

We only hung around for 3 hours or so, but it was very fun. That bluegrass band was awesome!! It was good seeing all the usual suspects again, and meeting Fritz for the first time. :-)

Thanks Harry & MarkO for bringing the bag we forgot!”

“It was great seeing everyone, we even did a little hiking too. Big thanks to Jackstraw for putting this together.

here's a little snippit of the bluegrass:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7yn7pC2xPI
last edited: 10/20/08 6:20:59 AM”

“It was a great time and the steady breeze made sure that things stayed as cold as a well-digger's arse.

The only bit of debris that we found as the clean up crew was that little backpack that belonged to Liam.

The Ramblers were awesome and total professionals!!

The amount of food was ridiculous!!

The worst thing of all is that the keg was not empty when we returned it.”

“Great pics, everyone.”

“here's some pics:

http://community.webshots.com/album/568153118XqZbHL?vhost=community”

“Geez Marko, did you really have to tell everyone that! Wait, I thought I saw nogranola sucking the keg dry yesterday morning.”

“He did. For breakfast. Said it was nice and cold too.”

“MarkO and I arrived at Masten about 1am Friday morning and proceeded to put a nice dent in a fine bottle of scotch. We woke to find No_Granola who had just finished the Old Loggers Path. Seems he had used up his back up beer supply and thats why he haddnt heard all the whootin and hollering eminating due to said bottle of scotch.

Spindlette and the Crazypace's were already rolling in as we headed to Williamsport for the keg and some last minute supplies. No_Granola decided to make his legendary Meatballs and sauce so there was much to look forward to that day.

Weather was awesome.”

“this is a good video!
http://outdoors.webshots.com/video/3033413270103737910BjKWmY

Can't wait for 2009!”

“Great time, next year I'll stay the night.

The Weyerbacher Pumpkin Ale was tasty- thanks Spindle.”

“A bunch of folks rolled in throughout the day Friday including my friends Stacie and Peter Jensen. They were fresh off a trip to the Daks. A fine dinner of Meatballs with Angel Hair Pasta, a huge Bon fire built and many a smooth warming elixer passed around.

We made a valiant effort to put a dent in the keg.”

“That Weyerbacher Pumpkin WAS good”

“Jmitch, you're welcome. Next time I'll sneak a couple Blithering Idiots in there. ;)

Thanks to Peter I can't pry the image of a brass monkey from my brain. Those two are a lot of fun.

coco, yeah, they do good work. Especially with their seasonals.
last edited: 10/20/08 11:29:47 AM”

“Like Pie in a bottle!”

“You all need to try their heresy imperial stout.. oh my...

'32oz
last edited: 10/20/08 11:33:47 AM”

“Saturday morning brought Awesome sunny weather and Jmitch our esteemed trail guide. He asked who was hiking and nearly everybody raised their hands. No_granola, Rev and MarkO assured us they'd try to put a hurting on the keg. Rev wasted no time, but hey it was after breakfast.

We drove around the backcountry to the trailhead. I kinda laughed to myself because we drove ALOT. its kinda like one of those cheesey Gangster movies where I'm the Pigeon and found myself saying " So where we headed guys?" "ShhaaaduP!

The hike was awesome. Jmitch really knows these woods. We climbed in and out of ravines a little scrambling, and just beautiful fall colors.

Stacie asked me, " is this a loop or are we eventually backtrack?" I said, "Hmm.. I don't know" Thats what made it so cool. Just out there exploring. Thanks a ton Jmitch.”

“Here are my pics:

http://community.webshots.com/album/568164964dlUuPv”

“Jackstraw, in my drunken stupor I forgot to give you back your rain pants.

email incoming...”

“heresy imperial stout..

Legacy Brewing in Reading, PA brews that. Personally, I prefer their Euphoria Belgium Ale.”

“This is the one that I had...

http://www.weyerbacher.com/cwo.php?id=7&page_id=14

Weyerbacher..”

“http://www.legacybrewing.com/beers/?PHPSESSID=03d45fe0e5fc7db737352274803a0fa4

”

“When spindlette recovers from her drunken stupor, she will realize rain pants cannot be emailed. ;)

Jamie and I had a great time!

Thanks especially to jackstraw and jmitch, and also to everyone else who contributed to the organization and the fun in various ways.

I was happy to see some folks I haven't seen in a while...to meet some "old" friends for the first time (MarkO, "her adorableness," and Creek Dancer) and to meet some newer friends as well.

As MarkO and others said, lets try to dial up some warmer weather and do it again next year. :)
last edited: 10/20/08 4:49:14 PM”

“Thanks Fritz, for the heads up. I'm almost out of Stoli and I can expect that bit o'reality to arrive right around mid-morning on Thurs. Forewarned is forearmed and all that. ;)

Bring Jamie back to see up again please?”

“Great pics dude!!
Wow, Rob looks like he's gotten older, hmmmm...lol
See ya later.
Randall”

“Looks like a great time, one of these years I'll get there!! ENS brought the little one, that's awesome! Nice pics everybody!”

“After the hike everybbody started putting together dinner. It was nice because 32oz and Cocohead wated no time firing up theier dutch ovens and plying us with pizza and whipping together desserts. 320z Sweet and sour soup had just the right zing. Creek dancers Twiced baked Mac and cheese was to die for. About this time Kyle and Mike the balance of the Paint Branch Ramblers to attend (there are six altogether) showed up and in no time broke out their instruments. With dinner done and the music everything just flowed.

I had an awesome time. Got to meet some new TT folks.

Sunday everyone woke and had breakfast, Cocohead , MarkO and I were the heavy weights and put a hurting on the keg till about 1pm . The portapot folks came up and had a beer or two.

Thanks everybody for doing a great job keeping the place tidy. Ranger stopped by just as we were rolling out and we got by with a Beep and a wave. This speaks volumes as we had over 25 people there.

Hopefully 80 years from now people will Wiki Masten and it will say: Logging town, CCC Camp, TT gathering place. : )”

“A dutch oven has appeared in my house.
Hmmmmmm.......???

Just when I was thinking that I would like to have one to try out........there it is.”

“Was there anything in it?

I really want more of cocoheads peach cobbler. nom!”

“Have at it Bro. Let me know what you cook up.”

“Thanks for the great trip reports Jackstraw.

I lost my titanium spoon if anyone found one. I lost it Saturday night so it could be anywhere at all. :(”

“I still have a spork in my pocket.”

“I picked up a spork at Masten, Creek Dancer. But it was last year's. Pennsy still has to come to CO to claim it.”

“I am sure you do nogranola. :)

so msdoolittle, maybe someone is holding my spoon hostage too. lol”

“I have an extra spoon. A Brunton.

I like you and all, but I won't hold it hostage while dangling rock at you just so I can get to belay you.

nudge nudge wink wink say no more

Oh MsD...I "helped" the Pennsonator up a scramble on the Dacks trip. It's worth holding onto that spork. ];>
last edited: 10/21/08 12:40:55 PM”

“Its Ryan , not Kyle of the Paint Branch Ramblers.

Here is their website:

http://paintbranchramblers.wordpress.com/”

“Thanks again JS for all your work, the band was great!

Spindle I'm sure we'll meet again you'll have another chance to ply me with those blithering idots....merry monks...some of your weaving...”

“Oh MsD...I "helped" the Pennsonator up a scramble on the Dacks trip. It's worth holding onto that spork. ];>
Spindle

A little hands-on, eh?

“I still have a spork in my pocket.”
nogranola

Perhaps that is why you are walking funny.

There is nothing in the dutch oven, Spin.
I gotta figure out how to turn it on.”