On Monday we’ll meet our nephews, now 13 and 14, along with their mom and dad, at the Minneapolis/St. Paul Airport. We’ll take off on a backpacking adventure in Southern Spain and Portugal. The areas we’re visiting are familiar to me; dare I say they’re curated for this family trip. We’re traveling much as we’ve…… Continue reading Backpacking in Southern Spain and Portugal
Author: Tom Wilson
Continuously Variable LEGO Pneumatic Control
In previous LEGO robotic arm builds I’ve used servo motors to move each joint in the arm. However, the weight of the motor and related mechanism meant each arm needed to be reinforced to the point it became too bulky and exhibited excessive inertia. By contrast, pneumatic cylinders are light, and can apply significant force…… Continue reading Continuously Variable LEGO Pneumatic Control
Three Princes and a Pencil
Today, as I do most Tuesdays in warmer weather, I went for a cycle ride with my friend, Dave. Sometimes we like to punctuate our ride with a theme: today, our theme was murals. Or, to be more precise, murals connected with music, plus a sculpture depicting a large pencil. We thought up the idea…… Continue reading Three Princes and a Pencil
Reminders Of War
Medals and ribbons, delivered to my widowed grandmother, 1917. We’re surrounded by reminders of war. Generally, most of us get the choice to look away, but many do not have that luxury as they live with the emotional and physical consequences of war. Today, Memorial Day, I’ve been picking out old posts that reference war…… Continue reading Reminders Of War
As the Apartment Garden Evolves
Over the past three years, while Dwight has been happily tending to plants in our apartment garden, I’ve been regularly upgrading the technology. This is mainly my side of the story.
A Walk to San Francisco
In April we completed a multi-day, inn-to-inn hike across and down the Marin County peninsula, across the bay from San Francisco. We walked through Muir Woods and across the peninsula to the Pacific. We then crossed back to the Bay side before heading to downtown San Francisco. This was an easy adventure: each day we…… Continue reading A Walk to San Francisco
We Always Stop For Trains
Most weeks, when the weather is fair I go cycling with my friend, Dave. I always look forward to our bicycle adventures: we indulge our curiosity about the world around us, the conversation flows, and we get some exercise. Yesterday our cycle ride included the recently completed Robert Piram Trail in South St. Paul. When…… Continue reading We Always Stop For Trains
Settling in One Place for a Month
This winter we stayed in an apartment in Palm Springs for a month. Until this year, we’ve never settled in one place for that long when traveling. The number one reason we went to Palm Springs is easy access to hiking trails: we walked to mountain trails right from our front door. The daytime temperatures…… Continue reading Settling in One Place for a Month
Hiking Tucson
For two weeks in January we hiked the trails around Tucson, Arizona. The city is an excellent base for winter hiking: daytime temperatures were in the 60’s and we used just nine gallons of gas driving our rental car to nearby trailheads. Sabino Canyon Recreation Area On our first full day, we hiked an in-and-out…… Continue reading Hiking Tucson
Vacation Rentals: Embracing Imperfection
We’re in Tucson, hiking wonderful trails, with trailheads just minutes from where we’re staying. Our legs aren’t quite as supple as they once were, so we’re having a rest day. We’re relaxing in a rental apartment and contemplating a short walk out to lunch. Vacation rentals are great value, especially now, with hotel room prices…… Continue reading Vacation Rentals: Embracing Imperfection