I recently purchased a dutch oven (also called a "camp oven" because it has legs) and have been anxious to try it out.  I like to cook outdoors, even though I don't seem to be terribly good at it yet.  Dutch ovens are typically made of heavy cast iron and have been used in one form or another for hundreds of years.  In America, they have a strong association with the settlement of the American West and "cowboy cuisine", and have a long tradition of use in Boy Scouting.

I set up a small cooking platform in my back yard using some concrete patio paving tiles and bricks I got at Home Depot.  As you can see in the first photo it's also close to our fire pit, in a tucked-away little area that's slowly becoming a nice outdoor kitchen of sorts (the gas grill is also nearby).  Since it was a little breezy I put the dutch oven in a metal feed pan I got at Tractor Supply to help block some of the wind on the bottom, and it also serves as a great place to put ashes and lingering coals when the cooking is done.

For my first time cooking, I needed something relatively simple to start with.  I found a video on YouTube from a guy in South Carolina that has created a series called "Dave Can Cook".  If you have some time you can view the video below.  I think Dave is a hoot, and I appreciate him taking the time to create and post videos like this.

The recipe is very quick and easy:  olive oil, chopped onions, some garlic, italian seasoning, and salt & pepper.  Just what I needed... as is typical for me, I didn't leave work early enough, didn't get out of the grocery store quickly enough, and was running out of time to get everything done before it was time for the family to go to bed (after all, the process takes a couple of hours).

Getting more coals ready to continue cooking

The finished product wasn't too bad.  It wasn't quite as tender as I had hoped, but I'm guessing I probably cooked it for too long with too much heat... my roast was smaller than most recipes call for, but it's hard to know just how much to adjust for that.  Dutch oven cooking (and most outdoor cooking) seems to be more of an art than a science, and it will just take time to gain enough experience to really get it right.

The finished pot roast

Overall, I had fun with this, the roast was pretty good, and I look forward to trying more dutch oven recipes in the future!

Last weekend I completed the Motorcycle Safety Foundation's Basic RiderCourse.  I've had my motorcycle license for years, but I haven't actually owned a bike in a long time.  So while I'm saving my pennies to get one (along with a full assortment of riding gear) I thought it would be a good idea to take a safety course to freshen up my riding skills.

The course is actually conducted by ABATE of Indiana.  There are several hours of classroom instruction and (thankfully) many more on the riding range, which in our case was a parking lot at Carmel Middle School.  Twelve students are in each class.  We had two great instructors... "Skip" and "Scrounge".  Though I already knew how to ride, I really appreciated their coaching and the opportunity to focus on technique and precision.

I'd highly recommend the class to anyone, and quite frankly I'm not sure why more people don't take it.  The time commitment (Friday evening, Saturday, most of Sunday) and fee ($50) are both very reasonable.  And judging by some of the riders who showed up for the state riding exam which was being conducted nearby, more people could certainly use it.

Below are some quick cell phone photos I snapped while I was there.

On a business trip to Phoenix I had the pleasure of staying at the Sheraton Wild Horse Pass Resort & Spa.  Near Chandler, AZ, the resort is located on the Gila River Indian Community and its design reflects their heritage and culture.

It's really a very beautiful place, and very relaxing.  The staff (many of them from the Gila River Indian Community) was extremely friendly... probably the friendliest I've met in my various travels.  When one of them passed you in a corridor or met you on an elevator and asked how you were, they looked you in the eye and actually seemed sincere!  Something that is all too rare these days.  The food served at the resort was interesting and excellent as well.  I enjoyed my stay there, despite the fact that I was cooped up in meetings during each day.

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When you watch NHRA drag racing on TV, you're not getting even a fraction of the total experience.  The Pro Nitro cars (Funny Car and Top Fuel) are absolutely incredible... the sound and energy they generate shake the earth and rock you to your core.  It's like experiencing a violent thunderstorm during a massive earthquake... while being tear-gassed!  (from the spent nitromethane fumes)  In other words, it's awesome!

This recording is of two Top Fuel cars (8,000 hp each) during Sunday's round 4 qualifying session at the 2009 NHRA US Nationals.  The cars will travel from right to left.  Be sure to play this recording on a system with a good subwoofer... play it quietly first, and then once you know what to expect, crank it up!

The body of Bob Bode's Fuel Funny Car exploded in spectacular fashion during his qualifying run against Jeff Arend on Sunday.  I captured a recording of the event, and also found two YouTube videos that show it from different perspectives.  Fortunately, Bode was not injured.

John Force had a quick start in Sunday's round 4 qualifying but ultimately had to lift and was beat by teammate Mike Neff.  This may not be the world's greatest drag racing photo, but when you consider that the cars are approaching 300mph and that I got this with my little point n' shoot camera, it's not bad!

Traveled to San Jose, CA for a conference back in August '08 and took an extra day to visit my friend Eric who lives near Sacramento.  Rode dirt bikes at Prairie City SVRA in the afternoon and had a blast.  Just two Vermont kids and old friends hangin' out again... good stuff!

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Don't get to see one of these every day...

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