Tuesday night (January 22nd), Team NORSA members Adam, Julie Brockman, Alan Stewart, Mike Rhodes, and newcomer Don Lenfeste drove to Chapel Hill to join up with Sir Walter's Hash House Harriers http://www.swh3.com/ to do a 'hash run.' None in the NORSA crew had any experience and the only background came from reading various websites, but we did know it involved running, drinking, and a bit of a team scavanger hunt.
Without giving away too much, the night featured wades through waste deep water, sprints through dark forest, and an all-important beer break (in addition to the beverages consumed before and after the event).
Hashing is an event in its own category, and if running, adventure, and a laid back attitude are your cup of tea, check out your local Hash House Harriers, or join the NORSA crew for their next hash (a now regular event for many members).
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
On-On!
Monday, January 21, 2008
NORSA Relaxes Country Style in Emmitsburg, MD
NORSA Team members took some time over MLK weekend to relax at Steve's country house in Emmitsburg, MD. The house is
located so close to Mount Saint Mary's college campus that it might as well be part of the college, and is older than the United States (well ... half of it). Steve will be the first to tell you the history of the house part of which pre-dates the Declaration of Independence, the other half of which was built as an addition sometime in the 1800's.
Using the country house as home-base, NORSA members were able to go on varying outings including trips to Cunningham Falls, a hike to Cat Rock, a tour of the Gettysburg battlefield, and mountain snowsports at various ski resorts a stone's throw away. There was warmth from the fireplace and a place to relax when NORSA members returned from their various voyages. Rich in history and relaxing in spirit, Steve's country home is truly a haven for NORSA folks who need a break from the slap-dash life of the daily rat-race. MLK weekend provided that much needed break. Kudos, country house!
Friday, January 11, 2008
The Origins of NORSA's Annual ICE
View of the Shenandoah from atop Kennedy Peak in the Massanutten Mountain Range
NORSA's annual ICE, or Insane Cold-weather Excursion, will be hosted in February by original ICE venturers Adam, Steve, and Tom. For several years, starting as far back as 2001, the ICE was unofficially the annual testament to the irrational commitment to outdoorsiness of NORSA members. Now, finally an official part of the regular NORSA repertoire, the ICE takes its rightful place as heir to the cold-weather trip that started it all ... that's right, the first-ever official Georgetown Prep Outdoor Club (GPOC) camping trip into the Monongahela that spawned the very notion of NORSA in the minds of Adam and Tom.
The original trip was a sub-freezing foray into Dolly Sods, a wilderness area in the Monongahela National Forest. The task of keeping warm kept the crew busy for most of the evening and night. Nonetheless, the trip was smashing good fun and has led to annual overnighters to various peaks along the more local Massanutten Mountain range in the George Washington National Forest near Strasburg, VA. With it's unintended inception in 2001, ICE has been an annual NORSA event for the winters of 2002, 2003, and 2004. Now after a three-year hiatus, ICE is back in full effect.
This year's event will be a throw back to the humble beginnings of the trip. After the initial GPOC debacle, the real and true birth of ICE in its annual version was a trip to Signal Knob undertaken by a meager three people: NORSA regulars Adam, Tom, and Steve. Now, with NORSA's rapidly growing member-base, ICE has the potential to become a staple of the NORSA outdoor agenda without lapsing into another three-year suspension. Therefore, as a tribute to its shaky start, this year's night will be spent on none other than that very same Signal Knob where the event was truly born.
So, come one, come all - join us for this year's ICE. ICE is for everyone!! If you like nature so much you can't stand to be indoors and want to freeze your face off, ICE is for you. If you're new to camping and want to go on a simple trip that's really nothing more than walking uphill and sitting around a fire trying not to freeze before you sleep and walk down again, ICE is for you! If you're the competitive type, now is the time to do something crazy just to show your friends that you're more hardcore than they'll ever hope to be. Tentatively scheduled for February 9-10, ICE is the opportunity you've been waiting for to leave your warm home, sit in the cold, and complain. Final date will be announced next week, so check back soon!
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
Team NORSA Cycling Attempts 1st Stage of the BBBT - The Virgilina Twelvety
[Courtesy of Alan Stewart and sailnaway.blogspot.com]
For the last 3 weeks or so, Adam, Mike and Alan had planned a ride from Raleigh North to Virgilina, VA. Virgilina is a very small and unique town in that half of it is in NC and half in VA a total of about 120miles round trip and the plan was to complete the whole ride in one day leaving early in the morning. Tim was also exited about it and joined the group as did Adam's friend Steve who drove down from DC for the weekend. Team NORSA was on the road again.
We rolled out from Base Camp (Mike and Alan's apartment) at 7:36am Sat. morning bundled up for the low 40 degree temperatures and 100% overcast skies that greeted us. The forecast for the day was low 40s all day with increasing chance of rain after about 1pm in Raleigh and 100% chance in the evening. Being an optimistic bunch we just decided that we would probably be ok. We took flashy bike lights along since we figured that we would not make it back before dark. We were off.
From left: Adam, Steve, Mike, Tim (Alan w/ camera). It was cold but we were making good progress and having fun. Averaging about 15mph and with purpose we were exited to be on an adventure and awaited what challenges might lie ahead of us. Dun dun dun (...thats foreshadowing).
Adam had one flat tire at the bottom of a hill just before we got to Falls Lake which is exceptionally low due to the severe drought in and around Raleigh. We waited up for him and all was well. We made it to a gas station for a bathroom break in Stem, NC about 32miles out when the rain started. Mike noticed the drizzle at first and then bigger drizzle quickly followed. A check on time revealed that we would definitely not be making it home before and dark and while we are a rough and tough bunch, even we were not prepared to ride home in the dark...in the rain...in the freezing cold. No thanks. We voted, and with more weather on its way decided to return to base camp. It would be lunch in Raleigh at IHOP for this chilled crew
But not before photo proof of our progress as the Stem Town Hall Police Department building served as a backdrop. With a renewed energy we headed back to Raleigh. About a quarter of the way back we outran the drizzle storm that was moving west south west and the roads were dry again but it was definitely a little colder.
We made it home around 12:30 after riding a solid 65miles. Feeling good about our accomplishment and now fully realizing how much the temperature had dropped as the darker clouds filled in faster than expected we enjoyed a satisfying IHOP lunch and good conversation. Team NORSA has unofficially vowed to attempt the ride again in the near future. If you're interested in coming along just let us know.