Half of Nothing At All

Settled In and Cold in Montana

2009-12-07T05:09:00.000-08:00

I have set up shop in my Montana cabin about 23 miles northwest of Yellowstone. Two things I had not expected have reared their ugly heads. One, I knew it was going to be cold. But the cold here seems much colder than almost anywhere else. Two, the spiders!!! This place is crawling with spiders, and believe me, they are tough little buggers.

I did a bit of research and wrote How To Get Rid of Spiders. It's not too scary and I hope you enjoy it!

Will be posting some of my forays into Yellowstone in the weeks and months ahead.

Ted

Pretty Windy at Chimney Rock

2009-11-10T05:58:00.000-08:00

Chimney Rock Historic Site is a landmark along the old Oregon Trail. It was a marking place for thousands of westbound settlers.

For me, it was a cool place to rest on my way to Yellowstone. The wind here was incredible and it reminded me of all the drafts I used to experience in my wonderful old house.

So what did I do? You guessed it. I wrote Get Rid of Drafts.

Please read and enjoy,

Ted

Lots of Leaves at Harry Truman's Pad

2009-11-05T04:38:00.000-08:00

Decided to drop by Harry Truman's on the way to Yellowstone. My favorite president. Give 'em hell, Harry!

Truman lived in a normal old Victorian house in Independence, Missouri. The park service has kept it up beautifully, but there were sure a lot of leaves on the lot.

It got me to thinking about all the leaves I have raked over the years, and I was inspired to write How To Get Rid of Leaves.

Happy reading. I should be at the cabin in a few weeks.

Ted

A New Adventure - Yellowstone!

2009-10-30T09:15:00.001-07:00

My barber has a friend who owns a small cabin about 25 miles from Yellowstone.

He has been gracious enough to lend it to me for a few months!

The cabin will serve as my home base while I explore this great national park during the late fall and winter months.

I was so excited to score such excellent lodging that I ran out and did what any sane person would do ... I wrote an article about how to Get Rid of Acne.

Skip and I leave tomorrow, expecting to arrive in mid November. I'll write along the way.

Happy traveling,

Ted

Exhausted at the End of the Trail

2009-10-16T06:20:00.001-07:00

Reached Springer Mountain yesterday and officially finished the AT.

What a trip!

Haven't written an article to celebrate. Rather, I've given a lot of thought about where to go next.

My first inkling is to try Yellowstone during the winter months. The solitude would provide plenty of impetus to write a bunch of "Get Rid of ... " articles.

We'll see, but for now, we rest!

Ted

Crazed By Gnats at Blood Mountain GA

2009-10-09T04:42:00.001-07:00

Even the gnats could not bother me at Blood Mountain. Incredible sunset for Skip and me. We'll be finishing up early next week.

I really thought we had seen the last of the gnats, but they really were out in full force.

Gnats are something everyone would be glad to be rid of. I wrote Get Rid of Gnats and included some instructions for building your own gnat trap.

I'll have to try it myself when/if I ever settle back down.

Till next time, may you have a pest free day!

Ted

No Man Boobs at Tray Mountain, GA

2009-10-06T06:05:00.001-07:00

In Georgia now. Tray Mountain is a great place to overlook what I just hiked through in the Nantahala National Forest.

All this hiking has gotten me in shape. I noticed today that I have lost my dreaded man boobs.

This was not my intent when I started the AT trip, but it sure is delightful.

Wrote Get Rid of Man Boobs. No ground breaking thoughts, just some common sense.

Happy hiking to all!

Ted

Got the Hiccups at Dicks Creek Gap

2009-10-01T05:40:00.000-07:00

Rolled through Dicks Creek Gap yesterday. Getting near the end of the trail!

Had a bad case of the hiccups. Probably from drinking water too fast.

The hiccups lasted for awhile.

They were kind of fun, actually.

Had a lot of fun writing Get Rid of Hiccups.

Enjoy the "hic" read. Boo!

Ted

Contemplating Stomach Fat at Standing Indian, NC

2009-09-29T05:54:00.001-07:00

Spent a lovely time in the Standing Indian Basin, Nantahala National Forest, North Carolina.

One of the peaks surrounding the basin is known as Big Butt. I never had a problem with my butt being to big. However, I used to have quite the gut on me.

No big belly for me anymore, brother. Walking for months on end will do that for you.

I wrote Get Rid of Stomach Fat in honor of my long lost blubber. Hope you enjoy the read as much as I have enjoyed slimming down.

Happy hiking to all,

Ted

Skunked at Clingman's Dome, NC

2009-09-21T04:40:00.000-07:00

I got skunked on Clingman's Dome, the second highest peak in the Smokeys!

Wasn't expecting it. In fact I didn't know I had spooked poor little PePe until I felt the stinky liquid streaming down my backpack.

My dog Skip avoided all the action. Lucky him, unlucky me. Unfortunately there is nothing for me to do except let it wear off over time. Who knows how long this will take?

Oh well, what are you going to do? I know what I did. I wrote How to Get Rid of Skunk Smell.

Hold you nose while you read,

Odoriferously yours,

Ted

Mount Guyot, North Carolina

2009-09-15T05:40:00.000-07:00

Can you see me? I'm at the top of Mount Guyot, NC, the fourth highest peak in the Appalachian range.

I love the breeze on mountaintops. Everything is so clear and crisp. There's nothing better than taking a deep whiff of fresh mountain air. My allergies never bother me up here.

It's a far sight different than being indoors with loads of dust. The air is so totally clean up here. In fact it inspired me to write How To Get Rid of Dust.

Hope you and your nose enjoy the read.

Have a sneeze free day,

Ted

Hot Springs, North Carolina

2009-09-09T05:08:00.000-07:00

Rambled into Hot Springs, NC yesterday.The Appalachian Trail runs right through Main Street!

Grabbed a bite to eat at a fruit stand in town. Two tomatoes, one peach and a summer squash. Delicious. The lady at the stand was as friendly as could be, but she had a hickey the size of a plum. I've never been a fan of hickeys, but I understand their allure.

We traded our views on passionate kissing, then I wrote How To Get Rid of Hickeys.

Take a peek if you like, and have a great day!

Ted

Roan High Knob, Tennessee/North Carolina Border

2009-09-03T03:39:00.000-07:00

Just spent the night at a shelter near Roan High Knob. There was a chill in the air.

The shelter was excellent except for the spiders. They were all over the place. Now you would think that spiders would not be a concern out in the wilderness, right? Should be used to spiders by now, right? Spiders are good little arachnids, right? Well maybe not so much ...

You see, spiders still give me (and a lot of others) the c-r-e-e-p-s. It's illogical, I know, but it's the truth. So I decided to pen Get Rid of Spiders.

Hope you enjoy the read. It's not so creepy.

May you bask in the waning days of summer,

Ted

Watauga Lake, Tennessee

2009-09-01T03:56:00.000-07:00

I'm enjoying the beauty of Watauga Lake nestled in the Cherokee National Forest, Tennessee.

Roads do not find there way easily up here. I say "up here" because Watauga Lake is 1,959 feet above sea level. Very few day hikers wind their trail this way so it's just the trees and me enjoying the scenery.

I noticed a good deal of bagworms on the pines. They won't affect the foliage too much around here because Watauga Lake is loaded with trees. But I remember when I was a property owner and the terrible anguish that these camoflage crazy bagworms brought as they devoured my cypress trees.

That's why I wrote Get Rid of Bagworms.

Hope you enjoy the read.

To my fellow travelers, good luck and good hiking.

Ted

Damascus, Virginia

2009-08-28T11:26:00.000-07:00

I've just spent a wonderful few days in the town of Damascus Virginia.

The town bills themselves as "Trailtown USA" and you could not find a nicer group of people. Hospitable, friendly, charming!

I took a shave at a local hostel. Let me tell you, there is nothing as wonderful as a fresh shave after weeks of building up the stubble. It reminded me of my days in the work-a-day world when I shaved all the time.

Shaving wasn't such a delightful experience back then because I was prone to razor bumps. Yet another small annoyance of modern day life.

I wrote a little essay entitled How To Get Rid of Razor Bumps.

I hope you enjoy the read.

I'm heading south this weekend as I continue my hike on the Appalachian Trail. Maybe I'll see you!

Best wishes,

Ted

Shenandoah National Park, Virginia

2009-08-17T05:38:00.000-07:00

I'm sitting on the overlook at Little Stony Man mountain, just off Skyline Drive. I woke up to a beautiful view.

As I was preparing my morning joe, I was irritated by a painful canker sore that's been bothering me. I enjoy nothing more than a steaming cup of mud in the early morning of a summer day, and there is nothing that ruins it more than a painful, persistant canker sore.

That's why I wrote Get Rid Of Canker Sores.

Please read (hopefully with your morning brew) and enjoy!

Ted

Overlooking Harper's Ferry

2009-08-13T05:14:00.000-07:00

Weverton Cliffs, Maryland
Overlooking Harpers Ferry

I've been doing a lot of walking this summer along the Appalachian Trail. Good hiking boots are a necessity and you would think everyone would know this.

Yet I am amazed at how many of my fellow hikers complain of foot problems brought about by poorly fitting footwear. That why I wrote How To Get Rid of Corns. Corns are a particularly painful reminder of stupid shoe and boot selection.

Read about corns, what they are, how you get them, and how you can remove them.

Cheers to all,

Ted

Duncannon, Pennsylvania

2009-08-10T04:50:00.000-07:00

The Doyle Hotel

I recently realized that I probably have attrocious breath. There are lengthy periods where my dog Skip and I don't see another human so I have no feedback ... the blanched face, the turn of the head ... nothing.

Bad breath doesn't matter to me. Skip doesn't complain and I've gotten use to my own smells, but I know halitosis is a great embarassment to many others.

I spent some time researching the causes and remedies of bad breath in my latest article Get Rid of Bad Breath.

Give it a read and let me know what you think.

Cheers,

Ted