Pollywogs!

Cause darfurwall.com apparently is full of h4x. I don’t believe either of our sites are full of h4x, but that is up to you to decide. Do you trust your browser and your antivirus? I trust my host. Here’s to sharing the herp and the syph…cheers…

Hiked the Bob Webber Trail last week, figured I’d post some notes from the trip. A brief search didn’t result in a site specifically dedicated to the Bob Webber trail, so I’ll try to be complete here.  I did find this topographic map with the Golden Eagle Trail AND the Bob Webber trail marked. You can find all of our images on Flickr.  Make sure you check out the vista on “original size”, the size of this vista was epic in it’s sweep.

Wolf Bald Vista, Bob Weber Trail

The trail starts at the Ross Run canoe launch, along Pine Creek and Route 414.  This launch is about 2 miles north of Cammal.   The parking was great, a very well maintained site even with it being only March.  The trail-head starts immediately across 414 with a clearly marked sign.  It ascends gently across the bottom of the hill through some pine trees, with the first trail register on the left as you climb.

After clearing the pine plantation, the trail ascends with some straightforwardness up the side of the mountain.  Before you know it, you’re halfway up.  There are no switchbacks along this first section, the only thing to break the climb was when our circulatory system couldn’t take it anymore and forced a short break to catch our breaths.  Too much sitting around over winter!

Once the trail wraps around the north face of the first hill, the trail changes, a moister feel with many fallen birch.  There is a modest view of Raven’s Horn from below along this point.  The trail continues to wrap around the hill and stays fairly level (unlike how the topo shows the route) until it changes direction back to the northeast and ascends the second hill.  The trail “dries out” as it leaves the north face and moves onto a saddle connecting the two hills.  As we began to climb this second hill, something inside me decided to give up and die.  It didn’t seem I could climb more than a dozen steps without losing it, so we took a short break for about two or three minutes overlooking the saddle with its impressive forest of immature pine trees coming up, and in general enjoying the weather.  There was a pretty convenient flat rock which I made myself comfortable on…

After hardening my resolve, the trail began to switchback, which I very much appreciated…it gave me an excuse to take a twenty second break at each turn.  Near the top of the second hill, the ground flattened out with a small rise the trail climbs.  At the end of the switchbacks, there was what looked to be a fairly well cleared but unmarked trail heading off to the right.  I had read about a spring, and sure enough about 50′ off the main trail there was a damp area tucked under a couple trees.  Leaves had blown in and covered the spring, but after clearing them I exposed the sliver of pipe which is used to sluice some water down to fill your bottle (or cupped hands).  Delicious!

The hike along the ridge line was quick and easy…and the view…the view made the distress my body had been reminding me of simply dissapear.  I’ve hiked a lot of trails in Pennsylvania, seen a lot…and this vista was simply EPIC.  Words do not do it justice.  My panorama does not do it justice.   You must see it in person…I think the Wolf Bald vista may be the best vista I’ve ever seen.  It is certainly in the top three.  I am definately going back once the wilderness has put on her spring best and the laurel is in bloom.

The hike downhill was effortless and felt like it took fifteen minutes.  It was rather nice, was able to appreciate the views  a little more when I wasn’t worried about having a stroke due to asking my body for 110% after just idling all winter…

We got back to the trailhead about two and a half hours after starting out, making this a very short but rewarding hike.  Being only a couple miles up the road means we’ll be visiting again, hopefully quite soon!

The short length but intense terrane means that this is a very good starter trail to stretch your legs on before doing the Golden Eagle Trail or perhaps hiking a couple sections of the Mid State Trail.  At least, that’s our plan!  Hike the Bob Webber until it is reasonably effortless without a pack, and by that point we should be ready to head out into the wilderness for a day or two…

So we went to see some live music over the weekend, and I managed to maintain presense of mind to film one song in it’s entirety.  So without further ado, I present to you The Ups and Downs playing their song “Hey Girl”:

Make sure you click the HQ button in the bottom right ^^ it makes a significantly improvement!

Part 1 can be found here: http://www.garrettsocling.com/2007/11/02/citizens-bank-can-eat-a-big-fatdick/

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So.  As you may remember, I don’t like Citizens Bank.  Today, I finished brutalizing the remnants of the card, $40 poorer than I used to be.  Citizens Bank can eat a big fat dick.

I was a fool to ever give those lying whores a second chance.

Last month, I go to pay my bill online and a few days later I get a letter in the mail saying that a recent payment was denied.  I knew my checking balance was fine, so I go online and submit the payment again.  Who knows, ghost in the shell, I don’t know what happened but whatever.

A few days later I get another letter in the mail saying that a recent payment was denied.  I’m like WTF, but try again and then think…”no, they didn’t”.  Yes, they did.  My account number was changed, again.  What.  The.  Fuck.

AND!!! they charged me $20 each time my payment was denied!  I add a new account with the correct information, pay my bill off except for the $60 in fees.  Fuck, fuck, fuckers!

So last week or whenever this went down, I tried to call and I was on hold a combined 6 hours over two days trying to reach someone.  I rage quit and figured I’d try later.

So, this afternoon was later.  I call them up and explain this is the second time THEY changed my account information on me.  I did not change it, all I do is go online, hit ‘Pay Bill’, and log off.  I ask that they refund the fees.  The lady says they can only refund one.  I say I’d like to close my account.  She says please hold.  The new lady is a smarmy bitch, but I’m rigidly, irrefutably polite back.  I explain why I’m closing my account, and she gives me some kind of run around.  HELLO FUCKERS, YOU DON’T KNOW WHY YOUR BANK CHANGED MY INFORMATION TWICE.  I’m like no, I cannot trust you with my business anymore, goodbye. The whole time I was honestly polite, it isn’t this smarmy bitches fault that her bank keeps fucking me over, but at least she could have not had them steal $40 from me on the way out.

Nice scam Citizens Bank has going on there.  This has just been my personal business, but I recommend anyone and everyone stay away from those worthless cunts, take your business somewhere where it may be appreciated.  I’m trying to get into a credit union at the moment…