Beach Report - How cold is that ocean?

9 a.m. - A brisk 15/16 C (knee deep) at Hirtle's Beach

How cold is that ocean? Not as cold as last week!

Current ocean temp.: 3.5 C
Air temp.: 10 C

Feet temp. after 2 hours surfing: not cold

Everything's coming up Millhouse!

Blowin'

Gaff Point

Jan. 12, 2014

Winter beach

Hirtle's Beach, NS

Feb. 2, 2014

Scrape, shiver....mutter...

Upper Kingsburg, NS

Nov. 15, 2013

I haven't been taking many pictures lately, here's a typical winter morning scene.  I'm one of the few maniacs looking forward to the snow on Sunday.  Now where did I put my ski boots?........

Smokenator 1000 Beef Brisket

Thanks to my new Smokenator 1000, I am able to get the kettle temperature below 250 F, welcome to flavour country!  If you have a Weber bbq, pick up one of these muthas!

Brisket begins

The finished product.  

I smoked the brisket with oak chunks I dug out of last year's firewood pile.  Don't believe everything 'purists' say, the smoke did not impart a bitter or weird flavour.  I was very pleased with the results, check out that smoke ring!  I'm glad I planned ahead and had the brisket marinating in the rub for 24 hours, great flavour.

When the recipe says 7-8 hour cooking time, they ain't kiddin'.  I smoked it for ~5 hours and had to finish it in the oven.  Lesson learned.  

Lunenburg Bike Barn Cyclocross Race #2 at the MARC

The switchback starts to fill up with early race leaders in the first lap. 

All photos Dec. 1, 2013 @ the M.A.R.C., Dayspring, NS

 Still more room at the top....

Almost full of riders!

I decided to play around with capturing speed blur shots for the rest of the race, here are some of my better results:

Shawn Marshall, race leader for many laps, finished #2.

 Not sure if the smiles were due to the early stage of the race or the fact that the labyrinth/spiral/vortex race feature was gone.

Shane Eno with his eye on the prize.

Jack be nimble....

Glad I lucked out and got two racers in this shot.

Jack be quick....

The aftermath of the race.  Mild temps made for slicker conditions than last week.  I witnessed a couple spills during the race but luckily nothing serious.