White Mts, AZ

Jada took me on a wonderful trip to the White Mountains of Arizona, camping in the Apache National Forest on the Apache Reservation.

IMSA Races

This is one of the high end BMWs.  As a former
BMW owner, Murph felt a bit of
fondness for these German
"Ultimate Driving Machines."

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway hosted several classes of IMSA for a number of races, including a race that ran into the evening, requiring the fancy sport cars to use their headlights.  The various classes included a wide variety of makes including BMW, Porsche, Audi, VW, Aston Martin, Corvette, Hyundai, Toyota, Honda, Lamborghini, Ferrari, McLaren and probably a couple others.

Lamborghini

BMW

BMW

Check out the Mario brother & his parachute!

Dawn, a couple hours after an early start at the IMS track.

Porsche

BMW in Pit Lane

Top shelf BMW in Pit Lane

For video of Lamborghini Start, Click Here

For video of Lamborghini's in Pit Lane, Click Here

Vette Pace Car Starts IMSA Classes

For video of Porsche Classes Start, Click Here

IMSA Classes Race Together

Indy Bike Rides

This is the Central Canal Towpath just north of
Downtown Indianapolis.  Part of a ride on
September 11, 2023.

Click Here to see the FB Post.

Upon returning to Indianapolis, Murph enjoyed multiple bicycle rides.

This shot is also from September 11, 2023, 
the Fall Creek Greenway, just beyond Downtown Indy.

Numerous bike trails around Plainfield, Indiana,
Murph rode the Vandalia Trail segment.

This is the B&O Rail Trail south of Brownsburg, Indiana.

A ride Murph rode
multiple times, through
Speedway, Indiana.

The B&O Trail at Brownsburg.

The first couple miles and
the last 4 miles follow the
Central Canal Towpath.
Miles 3 thru 10 are the
Fall Creek Greenway and
the north-south trail is the
Monon Rail Trail.
All near downtown Indy.

Sit Up Straight!

While in Zelienople before the Labor Day Cruise to Baltimore, Murph picked up the Brookstone bicycle which was in the shop for a new set of handlebars.  The new handlebars permit the rider to sit up straight while riding, reducing pressure on the rider's neck as they look forward.

The Brookstone bike now adapted so
the rider can sit up straight.

On the bridge over Sugar Creek

The Sugar Creek Trail is
briefly gravel while it parallels the tracks.
Most of the trail is nicely paved asphalt.

Annapolis

Captain Sean just south of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge.

Mill Creek & Ego Alley, Day 4

From Captain Sean:

Labor Day Cruise, Day 4:  For our final day of the trip we got started Monday just after 0800 to beat the lunch rush at Cantler's. Allen Murphy motored out of our anchorage in Deep Creek, then once out of the Magothy we unfurled the jib on a starboard reach from there to south of the bridge. We still needed the motor to do most of the work in the light  morning air. We went into Whitehall Bay, then Mill Creek, and were the only boat in the docks at Cantler's at 1100, although the restaurant was already hopping by land. Bill Paviol got a lesson in crab meat extraction from our waitress Tara, as well as the bib we requested for him.  Bill's Pussers mug had bounced overboard during the trip, so after lunch we decided to go into Annapolis and pick up a new one.  I had my first trip down Ego Alley and it was a successful run. We weren't allowed to temporarily tie off at Pussers so we got fuel at the Yacht Basin while Bill ran around to get the new mug. We unfurled the jib one last time, killed the motor and sailed out of Annapolis Harbor, around Horn Point and to the channel to Back Creek.  Back at Port A, the crew loaded up their gear and hit the pool for a while before heading back to PA. It was a cruise to remember. We covered 76.9 nautical miles over the holiday weekend and hit a lot of great spots to and from Baltimore.

Enroute from the Magothy, past Sandy Point Light,
under the Bridge, then west up Mill Creek to Cantler's.

Murph must enjoy sailing!

Bill demonstrates that Murph isn't the only one to enjoy his time aboard!

South Paw at Cantler's

For a video of the instructions Bill got for cracking and eating his crabs, Click Here.

Greenbury Point as South Paw entered Annapolis Harbor.

Magothy River

South Paw at anchor in Deep Creek
off the Magothy River.

Baltimore Cruise Day 3

Captain Sean reported:

Labor Day Cruise, Day 3:  Sunday was my fantasy football draft, which I did from the Captain's lounge at Anchorage Marina in Fells Point, Baltimore.  Bill Paviol and Warren Stewart walked into town for supplies, then we left Baltimore for the longest (and hottest) leg of the journey. We were able to motor sail a bit, but then just motor. Allen Murphy was at the helm near the end of the Patapsco when we realized that the wind had finally arrived. We put out full sails and had a great sail out into the bay. Our windward tack had us pointing straight for the cut through the shoal at Rock Hall and we considered going there, but stuck with the original plan. Our single tack put us right on target and Bill sailed us right into the Magothy. On the way to the anchorage, the guys had to massacre a bunch of biting flies in the cockpit with the Bug-a-Salt gun. We spent a couple hours swimming at the beach at Dobbins Island, then motored over to Deep Creek to anchor and hit Donnelly's Dockside for dinner. Finally getting a real sail in has made this weekend complete.

Baltimore Inner Harbor

This official USCG navigation marker identifies the spot
where Francis Scott Key was aboard an anchored British
warship as the ship bombarded Fort McHenry in Baltimore
and Mr. Key penned the Star Spangled Banner.

Baltimore Cruise Day 2

As reported by Captain Sean:

Labor Day Cruise, Day 2:  Saturday we woke up in Bodkin Creek, had breakfast, and headed for Baltimore. The shipping channel was busy with freighters, barges, and recreational traffic. After passing Fort Carroll and the Key Bridge, we had to get some photos at the Frances Scott Key Memorial Buoy, the spot where he wrote the Star Spangled Banner during the war of 1812. We passed by Fort McHenry, and then on to Inner Harbor to anchor. Coming into Inner Harbor on my own boat has been a dream of mine since 9th grade when we stopped there for lunch on a band trip. As soon as we set the anchor, a tour boat captain hailed us, had us switch to 81, and said that he didn't think we could anchor there. My dream almost ended quickly. I replied that I showed it as an anchorage on my chart, then a lady from the Coast Guard said "I see the sailboat, he is in the anchorage, he's fine."  We were back in business!  So we dropped the dinghy, fought our way through all the sea dragons there, and took a tour of the Historic Ships of Baltimore. We got to see them all before they kicked us out at 5p. We motored up to Anchorage Marina and pulled into our nice slip E-33 with full-length floating fingers with tie-offs on either side. We got cleaned up and then went to a catered party they were having with a band. We met Ken and Chris, who have a motor cat named Green Envy that they take to the Bahamas for a several months every year. We hung out on their boat for awhile and talked about the full-time cruising lifestyle. We wanted to see Fells Point, so Allen Murphy , Warren Stewart, and I found and ice cream place to head to. We lost Bill Paviol at the party. No real sailing yet, but it was a great day.

Baltimore Harbor

Historic screwpile lighthouse in
Baltimore's Inner Harbor.

South Paw at anchor in Baltimore's Inner Harbor.

Murph capture's South Paw in the Inner Harbor.

Historic WWII submarine at
Baltimore's Inner Harbor.

Baltimore Clipper model at the entry to the "Constellation"

Bill takes over temporarily for a staffer.

Guy, Sean, Bill at the USCG Cutter

South Paw in her slip at
Anchorage Marina, Baltimore. 

The full time cruising catamaran we
met at Anchorage Marina.

We just liked the wild design!

 The band at the marina was terrific!

An historical anchor, I noted the 
similarity to our anchor on South Paw!

Notice the bent stock on South Paw's anchor!

Track for our cruise from Bodkin Creek to the Inner Harbor.

Track from our anchorage in the Inner Harbor to
our slip in the Anchorage Marina.