Sunday, January 18, 2009

Funny thing happened in Rabbit Hash, KY

Another cold Sunday found us paddling over the rough, Ohio river waters to Rabbit Hash, KY. We meet at the public landing in Rising Sun to paddle across to see the best kept secret in Kentucky, Rabbit Hash. The General Store attracts many awesome musicians. I mean, awesome. It's almost like a rites of passage thing for any serious musician in the midwest area to play the General Store. If they don't play it free, it's very cheap. They are not playing here for the money, I'll put it that way.

We canoe over there, well, because we like to canoe anyway... and Rabbit Hash it right across the river from Rising Sun. A little walk up the bank on the other side, and you're right in the middle of Americana. Imagine this, you walk in, and you're greeted by the locals with a genuine welcoming smile, there's cornbread and taters on the wood stove, and a buffet of other country-folk food brought by the locals placed there to help yourself. No cover, no charge, just buy your beer, play nice and be merry. Be yourself.

A few friends of mine head over about once a month and I'm in attendance whenever I can. There's ALWAYS great bands that play in the General Store... sometimes in "the barn". Last time I was there, we watched the "Gregory Morris Group." Today, we saw "The Tillers." Just plain out good times, good friends, true music, the good people of Rabbit Hash and the best dutch oven corn bread this side of the Appellations.

But you know what made today's visit exceptionally awesome? As I was shaking hands with the locals and listing to the Tillers rippin' on the dobro and stand-up bass, I was bending over to ladle out a some chicken and and dumplings off the stove and I bump hands with... Jean Robert de Cavel, yeah, that one, the biggest chef in Cincinnati, and he has his little girl with him. And he wasn't the only one with a kid there. This place is essence of my most nostalgic place on earth.

Many of you know my love of cooking... and food/wine experiences, so I'm really interested in what Jean Robert is eating, or not eating. Last time I saw him was at Seven Days for SIDS at the Cincinnati State Culinary Institute... next to the likes of David Cook (Daveeds, in Mt Adams) and other culinary dignitaries. Seeing Jean Robert ladle out the same dumplings as me, is like meeting Donald Trump partying in a trailer park. This goes to show that a true culinary experience... has to be found, and it's alive and well in Rabbit Hash.

The General Store can probably only hold 35-40 people legally. It was shoulder room only and everyone is just happy. Happy on a Sunday. Happy in general. Man, it's really what the doctor ordered.

Labels: canoe, friends, jason, music, water ski, winter

posted by Jason Morgan at 8:49 PM 0 comments

Saturday, January 05, 2008

Flat Rock Canoe Trip

On a brisk, late December morning, the crack of dawn found the fellas and I heading to St. Paul to find some more Indiana water... and some scenery.

A couple of canoes, cameras and some MRE's provided a the fun for the day. The sights included an screeching eagle, a flock of wild geese dragging their wings in the water as they took off, loads of natural rock and river formations and some wild, very cold water.

Take a look at these fine photos and videos and you'll agree that winter is as beautiful as summer.

Labels: canoe, friends, jason, winter

posted by Jason Morgan at 6:56 PM 1 comments

Tuesday, September 05, 2006

Our 5th Wedding Anniversary

It was all Susan's idea. Of the many things she could choose from for our 5th anniversary, she wanted to do a canoe trip with just the two of us... something that has not happened since "before kids."

It was a great idea, and it turned out in a manner that is noteworthy. It was Labor Day weekend. The weather was already if'y. Since it was just the two of us, we didn't have to pack bottles, a ton of food and countless other articles. We simply took one dry-bag with our camera, a couple towels and a small cooler with some tuna salad and vodka and cranberry... of course.

We were ready and even expecting rain. We did get misted on a little but I think it made it all the better.

It was a great trip and I wouldn't have changed a thing. It reminded me that we are still capable of taking a lightweight trip and willing to take whatever Mother Nature intended.

By the time we got off the river, Greg had some people setting up the field for a huge fireworks display. These were genuine Class 6 works (see the picture of launch tubes) - They took the whole day to set up and the field was staged for a huge, private display. There couldn't have been more then 30 people (family) here watching this awesome display.

The show lasted longer than the WEBN fireworks and of the same caliber too. The picture here does it no liberty, but my accompanying video does.

These guys just got back from Japan to "test out the latest" at the canoe livery. It turns out they struck a barter (canoe and camp for fireworks display)

I couldn't think of a better way to celebrate 5 years with my lovely bride.

Labels: anniversary, brookville, canoe, fall, family

posted by Jason Morgan at 8:41 PM 0 comments

Monday, July 10, 2006

July 2006 Camping at Morgan's Canoe

Another great trip was had by all. It was good to be with friends and family on this not-so-easy-to-assemble trip. Greg allowed us to take the canoes out and we just headed up river to some sandy banks. The dogs were in heaven.

It was a bright sunny weekend in Brookville and we had the sweetest spot we could imagine on the riverside. We could have easily fit another family or two at our site.

I look forward to doing another trip again whenever people speak up and say they want to. Thanks and love go out to everyone and we look forward to not staying strangers too long.

Email me if you need any hi-res versions on the pics.

Click here to view

Labels: brookville, canoe, family

posted by Jason Morgan at 8:41 PM 0 comments

Thursday, February 09, 2006

Morgans Canoe and Outdoors Centers website launched

I just deployed the new website after several all-nighters before the big trip. It's up and looking and working good. I might also point out that while I personally threw this together over the course of a few days, it was really the efforts of the entire Innersync team that whacked this code into what it is today.

Yes, the new Morgan's Canoe site is a perfect example of everything a website should be. It's fast-loading, compliant, scaleable, easy to update and maintain. Behind the scenes, it uses 100% pure CSS and is coded in a way that allows people to get in via Macromedia Contribute and make updates all while we shield their view from the technical inter-workings. All the navigation is driven by XML and structured in a way that as we allow regular Contribute clients/people into edit, they only have access to the appropriate things. For the sake of time, that is about all I have to say. Enjoy the site.

www.morganscanoe.com

Labels: canoe, jason, web

posted by Jason Morgan at 8:35 PM 0 comments

Friday, January 20, 2006

Morgan's Jungle Lodge in Costa Rica

The Jungle Lodge is back on track. My uncle and cousins have done so many deals in Costa Rica, I finally lost count. They've been trail-blazin' from the west side of the Osa Penninsula (Carate) to the east side (Puerto Jiminez).

But it sounds like they have finally settled on the place that they plan to "civilize." Several write-ups have been done in the past including this one in City Beat. It shows a little of the progress going on down there, but so much is yet to come. I'm currently working on the new site as the old one is now out of date and way off.

One day, you might hear me say "C'mon, man, let's load up and head on down to Costa Rica and do some primitive vacationing." Hit the existing site to see the tent-cabins, incredible wildlife and what you can get with a stay at the lodge.

A lot is in the works and I'll make another entry when there is something new to talk about.

Labels: canoe, jason, web

posted by Jason Morgan at 8:00 PM 0 comments