Quarantine Playlist

Found this list in my notes today.

1. Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door

2. Country Roads

3. Brokedown Palace

4. America

5. Sittin’ on the Dock of the Bay

6. Rocky Raccoon

7. The Weight

8. House of the Rising Sun

9. Wild Horses

10. Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright

11. Nights in White Satin

12. Slip Slidin’ Away

13. Country Honk

14. Wild Night

15. Loser

16. Comin’ Into Los Angeles

17. While My Guitar Gently Weeps

18. Mr. Bojangles

19. Tequila Sunrise

20. I Know You Rider

21. Take It Easy

22. Things We Said Today

23. Redemption Song

24. Willin’

25. Honky Tonk Woman

26. Box of Rain

27. Tuesday’s Gone

28. White Rabbit

29. American Pie

30. Bell Bottom Blues

31. Free Bird

32. Melissa

33. Folsom Prison BluesDeal

34. It Ain’t Me Babe

35. Something

36. Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo

37. Wish You Were Here

38. Lyin’ Eyes

39. I’m Yours

40. And I Love Her

41. Space Oddity

More to come!

Davos 2022

I learned about skiing in Davos as a corporate spouse, tagging along in prior years during the World Economic Forum. In those relatively recent but bygone days, WEF took place in January, and its attendees and their entourages snapped up all the accomodations for miles around. That meant particularly empty ski slopes, and I enjoyed two trips there, skiing in blissful solitude.

After a couple of years off, WEF returned this year, but in May. Meanwhile, back in February, I was trying to plan a ski trip somewhere in the US, but the lodging and lift prices, as well as air fare (whether in dollars or miles) were a bit pricey (read: ridiculous) for my taste. “Hmm, what about Davos?” I decided on a bit of a whim to check for mileage award availability. IAD-ZRH nonstop for 60k miles and $12 in fees. Hmm. What about hotel? Six nights, single room in Davos by the station, $300, with breakfast. Not per night – six nights. Hmm. How about lift passes? Stowe or Killington, weekend day pass $175+. Davos, entire region, five days, $300.

That was, as we say, that.

 

Couple of walks and a ride

After all the rain we’ve had it was a bit cooler and drier yesterday. Good day for a couple of dog walks and a nice ride.

Today’s activities
Moonlight walk

More Insta360 video experiments.

Old Georgetown to Rockville Pike hyperlapse.

Doom-scrolling hiatus

Well, I decided to take a break from Facebook this July, as I did in 2020. But I kept reading Twitter several times a day — I don’t post much there but I do follow a lot of news sources. But I think I need a break from the doom-scrolling. So off goes Twitter to join Facebook in deleted-from-my-devices land! I’ll read some real content on the Atlantic, Vanity Fair, and the Washington Post, and perhaps get back into twit.tv (This Week in Tech).

Tuesday Ride

Looked like rain this afternoon, but it cleared up by around five pm so I decided to go for my regular weekday ride, about 22 miles down Beach Drive and back via Ross Drive, Broadbranch, and through Chevy Chase Section Four and Bethesda back home.

Weekday 22 mile loop

Today I’m trying out posting from my phone, grabbing a few screenshots and a photo and writing a bit of text, all in preparation for a longer bike trip later this month.

Today’s ride stats

To help prepare for the trip I’m shooting for about 100 miles a week. This week I got in an extra ride on the holiday weekend.

Weekly stats

Lots of deer and rabbits out on these warm Summer days. Here’s a friend from today.

Deer along Beach Drive checking me out.

July 4, 1776

Declaration of Independence – full text.

He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.

He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.

He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.

Food for thought.

360 Camera Experiments

Starting to prepare for my bike trip (Passau to Wien along the Danube), so I’m trying some experiments with my Insta360 One X2 camera.

For today, I rode my usual ‘longer’ route, down the Beach Drive/Rock Creek cycle trail and back up the Capital Crescent trail. It was a bit cloudy this morning and the recent (torrential!) rains left quite a bit of mud and detritus on the road and the cycle trail.

Downed tree along the Capital Crescent trail. There was a newly-trod narrow path around the side (left side of photo)

Here’s the first video, a short sequence along the Georgetown waterfront by Key Bridge. 360 cameras take video in all directions at once, and you can reframe, pan, and zoom in the editing app after the fact. Some of the effects can be a little dizzying, but it’s fun to try to make interesting shots.

Cycling around the Georgetown waterfront.

Next up is a segment along Beach Drive. Here, the camera is mounted on my helmet, for a drone-like vantage point. You can see the mud on the road from what must have been quite a flood in Rock Creek.

Muddy Beach Drive

The last video was taken along K Street NW under the Whitehurst Freeway, ending with a view of Rosslyn and the Key Bridge. There’s a really bad, old joke about Jimmy Carter and Key Bridge, Rosslyn, etc. But I’ll spare y’all.

K Street NW

Finally here are a couple of photos from the One X2. They’re based on the same 360 shot, reframed and lightly adjusted for better exposure/contrast.

Key Bridge. One X2 photo.
Panoramic shot from the One X2. Full Image

Next up, perhaps some low-light shots or music?