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Exploring iPhone Portrait Mode

:: Tags: Camera, Dylan, Photo, Too Cool!

Well I finally traded up to the new iPhone Xs last weekend and I have to say, I am impressed. Like everyone else, I’ve been hearing a lot of hype about the new portrait mode, so I spent a little time trying it out around the house. I use to have to use my large Nikon DSLR to get nice portrait shots like this, but now… actually being able to do this with your smartphone camera… that’s huge! Here are a coupe of photos with the iPhone Xs and portrait mode turned on.

2019 Air Force Cycling Classic

:: Tags: Biking, Cycling, Dylan, Family, Friends

One of our favorite local community events is the annual Armed Forces Cycling Classic in Arlington, VA. The event refers to a weekend of road bicycle racing events held annually in June just down the street from where we live. The weekend consists of several amateur events, including kids races which Dylan and his friends race in, and two professional races in the criterium format, the Clarendon Cup and the Crystal City Cup. The Clarendon Cup Men’s Pro race is always right after the kids races and we try to stick around and cheer them on. My brother is a big cycle-cross racer, so he knows lots of people and racers in the pro road bicycling circuit. Here are some photos from this years kids race events.

Cub Scout Move-up Ceremony

:: Tags: Dylan, Family, Friends, Scouting

This year we decided to hold the Pack 1229 move-up ceremony outdoors at the Congressional School amphitheater. It was the perfect venue for the event offering lots of seating and a large stage/platform for the evenings events. All the Scouts in my Webelos den completed their adventure requirements, thus earning their Webelos Rank and would be allowed to move up to the AOL Den next year. And take a wild guess who will be officially leading all thirteen of the Scouts next year to get them through AOL and ready to move on to a BSA Troop… Me, That’s who! Don’t worry… I Got This!

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Pack 1229 Spring Campout

:: Tags: Camping, Dylan, Friends, Outdoors, Scouting

This years Cub Scout Pack 1229 spring campout was held at Lake Fairfax, Virginia. It was a pack level event and there was a good turnout despite the last minute event planning of Pack leadership. One thing that worked out well was putting Leader Bruce in charge of the food situation… specifically dinner, because he Crushed It! It was a great weekend for a campout and the Webelos that attended all worked together and earned one of their elective adventure pins. And as an added bonus, the boys had the opportunity to watch the International Space Station fly over from the athletics filed that night after the campfire. You can see the ISS in the pictures with the full moon.

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Dylan’s Falcon Class Overnighter

:: Tags: Dylan, Friends, Outdoors, School

As part of the celebration for the 3rd grade graduating class at the River School, Dylan’s Falcon Class gets to go on an overnight team building event to Camp Horizons which is an educational outdoor adventure camp located in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Harrisonburg, VA. Accompanied by his teachers and other River School staff, Dylan and his classmates will get to participate in outdoor activities such as kayaking, canoeing, rock climbing, zip-lining and swimming. After the trip, Dylan told me that he only got about three hours of sleep that night, because all the boys were keeping each other up all night, but he said everyone had a great time. One of his teachers also complemented us on Dylan’s canoeing skills which they said he was very proud of. Dylan was very apprehensive about this trip early on, but it was nice to see that he had a good time with his friends and made the most out of it.

RS Falcon Class Play 2019

:: Tags: Drama, Dylan, Friends, School

This years River School Spring Play was an original production of Inside the Library & Out of the Book, staring the 3rd grade Falcon Class. The kids did a great job for a sold out crowd of parents, grandparents and friends. I’ve been asked not to post the video of the production, but here are some pictures from the event. We are so proud of Dylan and all the other students of the 2019 Falcon Class!

River School River Walk

:: Tags: BBQ, Cookout, Dylan, Event, Friends, School

This years annual River Walk was very special for Julie and I, but even more so for Dylan because this would be his last River Walk as a student at the River School. It was also very special knowing that Dylan’s artwork was imprinted on every tee shirt and poster for this years event. The weather for this years River Walk wasn’t all that great with rain forecast for the entire day and of course that made for a wet muddy mess on the trail. But Dylan and his Falcon Class friends still had a great time regardless.

Webelos @ Alexandria Fire & Rescue Station 210

:: Tags: Dylan, Friends, Scouting, Too Cool!

This weekend the Webelo Scouts from Cub Scout Pack 1229 visited the Alexandria Fire & Rescue Station 210 training center as part of their First Responder Adventure requirement. We scheduled our tour with the Alexandria Fire Department several weeks before and were told that while there was no problem with having the boys tour the station, they couldn’t guarantee that all the equipment and trucks would be on site. Well we lucked out… they had all kinds of toys in the garage and the fire fighters were more than accommodating in showing us around and demonstrating how all the equipment worked. Now I remember why I wanted to be a fire fighter when I was a kid… it’s an equipment intensive profession where you get to work with cool gear and the job makes you work both with your mind and your hands. This is also the reason I became a technical wreck diver… it’s also very equipment intensive and dangerous. Here are some of the photos from our visit to Alexandria Fire Station 210… Thank for having us guys!!

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Webelos Adventure – First Responder

:: Tags: Dylan, Friends, Scouting

As part of the Webelos First Responders Adventure, one of the requirements is to visit a fire station and ask questions about what they do and how they help to save lives. This year we went one step better and invited a certified Medical Technician with the Alexandria City Fire & Rescue Department to come out to the Congressional School and join us for a den meeting. The Scouts got a chance to ask questions, see the different types of equipment they use and get a first hand tour of an advanced life support unit. With Cubmaster Darryl’s help, we even demonstrated how to immobilize an accident victim with a neck collar and back board for transport. A big thank you to Clayton for allowing us to use him as our rescue dummy. I still think the personal hands on approach with stuff like this works best with kids.

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Shooting Sports Weekend @ BSA Camp Snyder

:: Tags: Camping, Dylan, Friends, Hiking & Camping, Outdoors, Scouting

Every Spring the Boy Scouts of America and the NCAC put on a weekend event known as Shooting Sports Weekend at Camp William B. Snyder in Haymarket, VA. This year was no different, except that for the first time (that I’m aware of anyway) Pack 1229 would be represented at the event at the Pack level. This is a BSA sponsored event that combines an overnight camping trip with instructor lead courses in shooting sports on Saturday afternoon. Over the course of the weekend, the Scouts learn the safety rules and techniques for safe handling and use of bb guns, slingshots, and archery. This was Dylan’s first experience with Shooting Sports and he not only approached it with a positive, respectful and mature attitude, but also turned out to be a crack shot with the bb rifle. We also had a Pack campout to deal with, so there was food, fun, adventures and the evening campfire too! Sunday morning was cold, but thanks to Ed and Bruce, we had a roaring campfire first thing… even before the coffee was ready!

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