Gorge-Us!

Nothing like a trip up to Woodstock, Vermont, and a stop at Queechee Gorge to remind us of how beautiful New England is, and how lucky we are to be within driving range of beaches, the ocean, and the White and Green Mountains.

This E Streeter trip north coincided with us running the Covered Bridges Half Marathon, of which you'll read more of in a subsequent post.

For the purposes of THIS post, however, it's a chance to take in the beauty of Queechee Gorge, not to mention a pasta supper and a physcal exhibition the likes of which you aren't likely to find on too many blogs out there.  More on that later.

First off, a few breathtaking shots from atop the bridge over Queechee Gorge.  Breathtaking for the panoramic nature views, not for the beefcake getting in the way of those views.

Naturally, we needed to trek to the bottom of said gorge, to do some exploring.  A great landscape awaits, and another chance for some E Streeter father/son and group shots

There was a famous Saturday Night Live skit in the 1980s featuring Dana Carvey, where he repeatedly intones that "Mountains Do Funny Things to a Man."

  The following pics are modern day proof of that 1987 adage. 

When you hit rock bottom, however, you'd be surprised at the inspiration you can find all around you.  And not just in nature.  Take a read at this plaque resting at the base of Queechee Gorge.  Kinda helps put things in perspective.

Finally, the trek back up top, where the day's Main Event awaits.

Yes, pasta.  And for those of you so concerned, fret not.  Andrew got fed.  You might say he gorged.

And happily, we were able to rendezvous with the other members of our party.  Tommy shows off his healthy choices.  Sitting next to Sean, however, is not one of them.

Outside Suicide Six, the name of the ski resort, and the Start line for the the next day's race, it's the Sensational Seven.

And finally, the aforementioned physical exhibition.  Prepare yourself.

Off in the distance, Barry had spied a bar perfect for pull-ups.  After letting Spider-Man show off his acrobatic skills, and then turning down a pull-up competition with said athlete, Barry decided to show us how many pull-ups he could do.  Place your wagers now.

Here, he prepares his approach, sizing up the challenge.

Time to grab the bar!

And finally, success!

For the results, scan through the following pics in rapid succession, you'll see the motion.

Now go back, repeat the pics over and over and over and over and over and you'll figure out how many times he successfully pulled himself up to the bar!

A fabulous day in a gorgeous setting!  Time for a good night's sleep before a scenic half-marathon in  delightful spring temperatures.  Yeah, right.