Grace Street Coffee, in Georgetown, offers delicious pour overs in a variety of single origin roasts. Their Wush Wush varietal from the Guji region in Ethiopia has everything I’m looking for: strong, fruity flavor notes, and it is consistently available for purchase.
I ran into Hilton Head Island Coffee Roasters in the final moments of a farmers market on the grounds of the Coastal Discovery Museum. They had sold out of brewed coffee and none of their beans quite fit my preference, but they told me they had just roasted a single-origin from Costa Rica that I could pick up the next day. I stopped in and was not disappointed. The bike and island theme hit the spot, the pour over tasted great, and I left with a bag of beans.
Hadley’s Point Campground in Bar Harbor, Maine, offers 14 basic but well-equipped cabins with easy access to the rest of Mount Desert Island.
The cabins have a queen bed, two twin bunk beds, a bathroom with hot and cold water and a shower, heat and air conditioning, electricity, and WiFi throughout the campground. Outside the cabin are a covered porch, picnic table, and fire ring.
Hiking & Beach Access
We stayed in Cabin #10, which was located on the perimeter of the campground. A short walk through the woods provides access to Bay View Drive. From there it is just a .5 mile walk to Hadley Point beach, shown below at low tide.
Anna Michener Cabin is located at 40°00’31.3″N 77°22’55.6″W. The closest parking is at the Anna Michener Parking Lot. The hike in is .75 miles along the Appalachian Trail and .25 miles along a connector trail to the cabin.
Outdoor Fires
Anna Michener Cabin has an outdoor fire pit and park-style grill near the cabin next to a picnic table.
Water
There is a spring about 65 yards west of the cabin just off of Dead Woman Hollow Trail. At the time, there was plenty of water flowing out of the spring into a stream that ran south from that point.
Privy
There is a privy immediately to the east of the cabin.
Prescribed Burn
The area immediately surrounding the cabin was a part of a prescribed burn in 2017. You hike through this area for most of the .25-mile trail from the Appalachian Trail to the cabin, and again on the Dead Woman Hollow Trail. The forest has only sparsely grown back since then, but this provides a beautiful sunrise view that would otherwise be hidden by the forest.
Hiking
In addition to the Appalachian Trail .25 miles to the north of the cabin, there is also the Blueberry Trail heading south from the cabin and the Dead Woman Hollow Trail heading west. Combining the two trails will create a 4.1-mile loop. There is a nice overlook at the peak of the mountain about a half mile south of the cabin on Blueberry Trail.
Blueberry Trail Overlook
The half-mile portion of the Dead Woman Hollow Trail that goes through the prescribed burn area is difficult to follow because the blazes are not frequent and the trail is overgrown with bushes and shrubs. As of July 2020, it was still navigable, though easier heading westward than eastward. The blazes are sometimes supplemented with fluorescent pink flagging tape on trees or bushes.
Trail Profile:
Note: This information is meant to supplement official materials, not to provide a comprehensive overview. It reflects my experience and the observations I made at the time I visited, but conditions and policies may change over time.
Little Cove Cabin is a modern cabin located at 4975 Little Cove Road, Mercersburg, PA. There is drive-up access to the cabin along a 0.5 mile gravel driveway.
Outdoor Fires
Little Cove Cabin allows fires in its outdoor fire pit. There is also a kettle-style charcoal grill available.
Trails & Hiking
There is are a series of trails surrounding Little Cove Cabin. Section 8 of the Tuscarora Trail is accessible via a 1.5 mile hike on the Reese Hollow Trail. The property is surrounded on three sides by Pennsylvania State Game Lands #124, so caution is encouraged during hunting season.
Note: This information is meant to supplement official materials, not to provide a comprehensive overview. It reflects my experience and the observations I made at the time I visited, but conditions and policies may change over time.
Morris Cabin is located at 38°19’35.8″N 78°31’18.1″W. With a four-wheel drive vehicle, there is parking accessible within 50 yards of the cabin.
The south-facing view from the cabin is narrow, but there is a better view from nearby Andy’s Overlook, a 0.25 mile hike.
View from Morris Cabin
View from Andy’s Overlook
Outdoor Fires
Morris Cabin features an outdoor fire pit, an outdoor stone grill, and a kettle-style charcoal grill.
Water
There is a spring nearby that flows into a cast-iron bathtub. At the time I was there, it was flowing fast enough to fill a gallon container in seconds. This is the most reliable water source for at least one other Vining Tract cabin, Johnson Cabin.
Privy
There is an outdoor privy at Morris Cabin.
Note: This information is meant to supplement official materials, not to provide a comprehensive overview. It reflects my experience and the observations I made at the time I visited, but conditions and policies may change over time.
The house offers beautiful views of the Shenandoah and Potomac Rivers and Harpers Ferry beyond the ruins of St. John’s Episcopal Church.
Hiking
In addition to being located 30 feet from the Appalachian Trail, there is nearby access to the Maryland Heights Trail offering views of the town.
On December 21, 2019, a train derailment destroyed a portion of the pedestrian footbridge across the Potomac River. As of July 7, 2020, the bridge has reopened.
Modern
As a modern cabin, Highacre has running water, electricity, and a full bathroom.
Outdoor Fires
There are no outdoor fires permitted on Highacre property, but there is an outdoor grill.
The Gerry Connolly Cross County Trail is a 40-mile trail in Fairfax County, VA. This summer I completed 29 miles of that trail over a series of distance runs.
Fairfax Circle to Miller Heights
I did this as part of a 12.25-mile run.
Miller Heights to W&OD Trail
I did this as part of a 14-mile run.
W&OD Trail to Potomac River
I did this as part of an 18.5-mile run.
Fairfax Circle to Eakin Park
I have run this segment dozens of times—but here it is—as part of a 4-mile run.
Eakin Park to Old Keene Mill Road
I did this as part of my last distance training run (20 miles) for the 2019 Marine Corps Marathon.
Myron Glaser Cabin has an outdoor fire pit with benches on the northwest corner of the cabin.
Water
Water is available from a spring 60 yards northwest of the cabin along a short blue-blazed trail. The flow of water from the PVC pipe in the ground was a steady trickly when I was there. I was able to collect about 4 liters of water every 15 minutes.
There were also dish-washing basins in the cabin that would fit under the spout and fill in about 30 minutes.
Alternatively, there is a creek about 100 yards south of the cabin.
Privy
The privy at Myron Glaser is kept locked and usable only for guests of the cabin.
Trail
After a short spur from the parking area, it is a 1.6-mile hike along the Appalachian Trail to the southern signpost for Myron Glaser Cabin. Both the southern trail and northern trails from the AT to the cabin are 1/4 miles long. When I was there, the Myron Glaser trails had been maintained better than the AT itself.
Trail Profile:
Note: This information is meant to supplement official materials, not to provide a comprehensive overview. It reflects my experience and the observations I made at the time I visited, but conditions and policies may change over time.
Argow Cabin offers great north-facing views along Eaton Hollow and towards Elkton, VA.
Outdoor Fires
At one time, Argow Cabin had a fire pit built into the deck, but this fire pit has been removed. There is a stone fire pit on the lawn to the east side of the house.
Water
Water is available from a spring near the cabin. The flow of water from the PVC pipe in the ground will vary due to rainfall. I set one of the cabin’s drink coolers underneath the pipe to collect the water over time. When I was there, I was able to collect about 4 liters of water every 3 hours.
There is also running water available from Schairer Trail Center, 3/4 mile back up the trail.
Yard Hydrant at Schairer Trail Center
Privy
Argow Cabin offers an outdoor privy.
Trail
Eaton Hollow Trailhead
The trail from Eaton Hollow Overlook is easy to follow. After the first 1/4 mile, the trail leaves Shenandoah National Park.
At 1/2 mile, Schairer Trail Center will appear in a clearing to the west (left side of the trail). From Schairer Trail Center to Argow Cabin, the trail follows a fire road.
Fire Road
While some maps (including the one below) show the fire road continuing north at the switchback, that fire road no longer continues, and the only obvious way to stay on the trail is to follow the path to Argow Cabin.
Likewise, some maps and PATC trail descriptions show the Argow Cabin Trail cutting east off the fire road and heading straight toward the cabin, but as of September 2019, that trail was heavily overgrown and not maintained. The only clear path to the cabin was along the fire road. This is a slightly longer route than described: the total distance from Eaton Hollow Overlook to Argow Cabin is 1.22 miles, but the PATC documentation states it is 1 mile.
Trail Profile:
Note: This information is meant to supplement official materials, not to provide a comprehensive overview. It reflects my experience and the observations I made at the time I visited, but conditions and policies may change over time.
This cabin is within Shenandoah National Park, and no outdoor fires are permitted except in approved, pre-built structures. While some reports and photos show a fire pit at this cabin, it was no longer there in July 2019.
Water
Corbin Cabin is just yards away from the Hughes River, which provides plenty of water (after purification).
Hughes River
Privy
It is a primitive cabin without running water or electricity. It does feature a an outdoor privy for the exclusive use of cabin guests. Because of its proximity to the Nicholson Trail, it is kept locked when not in use.
Trail
The Corbin Cabin Cutoff Trail from Skyline Drive to Corbin Cabin is 1.4 miles along a descent of 984 feet. The trail is well-maintained.
Documents report that at around 1.3 miles in, there is a cemetary off the west (right) side of the trail, but I did not see it.
Trail Profile:
Note: This information is meant to supplement official materials, not to provide a comprehensive overview. It reflects my experience and the observations I made at the time I visited, but conditions and policies may change over time.
My first nitro cold brew was at Stumptown Coffee Roasters in Portland, Oregon. I was instantly hooked on this creamy, smooth version of cold-brewed coffee.
In 2008, I read about the Coffee Equipment Company’s Clover coffee brewer. The machine allowed a barista to dial in precise temperatures and brewing times, and it would automate the rest.
At that time, Grape + Bean in Old Town Alexandria had one of the machines, and I stopped in to try a cup. Both cups I had that morning were the finest examples of brewed coffee I had ever tasted.
Later that year, Starbucks bought the machine’s maker, Seattle-based Coffee Equipment Company, and chose to only sell and support the machines internally. From what I can tell, after a very limited run in select shops, their use waned and is almost nonexistent these days.
For Volpone, I built four identical Savonarola chairs. The designer liked the Savonarola style, but wanted to contemporize them to match the look and feel of the overall design.
This chair, by Design Toscano, was one of the research photos showing the traditional Savonarola chair.
This is a designer sketch showing how he wanted to contemporize the style.
Based on the research pictures and conversations with the designer, I drew a 3D model of the chair using Google SketchUp. Drawing the chair in 3D allowed me to virtually construct each piece before cutting a single board.
The most time consuming part of the construction was cutting the legs. Once I gridded, cut, and sanded the template, each leg had to be traced, cut, and flush-trim routed to size. The seat, arms, legs, and back were cut with the same process.
After all the pieces were cut, they were base coated. The legs and seat pieces were then assembled using 3/8″ threaded rod through pre-drilled holes at the joints, capped on each end with acorn nuts.
Pictured here (upside-down) is the chair with the legs fully attached to the seat.
The arms and feet were attached next.
And finally, the back.
The four chairs together, before final paint.
Two of the completed chairs, painted gold to match the set, each with a custom pillow.
At Radford University, I built this steel bender because of a recurring need for steel curves in our scenery. After reviewing two similar machines, I researched, designed, and built this one. The basic concept of this machine is simple. By pressing the steel to beyond its yield point and then rolling it through a series of rollers designed to withstand this force, one can create a slight curve in a steel beam. If this is repeated for several passes, a curve to virtually any radius can be created.
A construction overview of the steel curve-bender, shown in three different orthographic views.
A 3D isometric drawing of the steel curve-bender.
A 3D isometric drawing of the steel curve-bender.
The vertical supports held in place with a wooden jig and clamped down, ready to be welded.
The completed carriage unit.
The carriage unit about to be welded to the vertical supports and base.
The completed steel curve-bender in action, about to bend a beam of 1″ x 1″ square tube steel.
After about 25 passes through the bender and about 45 minutes of work, the steel beam has a diameter of about 3 feet.
