We’d like to thank everyone for their support over the last year.  We have come along way from four months roaming around South America, to three months discovering Delmarva, now back to exploring our own back yards.

With our crispy clean new look, we are also reinstating our photo of the day and plan on expanding to a larger field of topics.  So, tell us what you think and how we can improve on what we are already doing by dropping us a comment at our new location at http://www.waywardwinos.com!

Here are few of our popular articles:

Five Great Traveling Albums

[Featured on Sosauce] Spend Your Summer With Host Our Coast

A Study in Mate

Don’t forget to follow us on everyone’s favorite networking sites including Facebook and Twitter.

Enjoy the new site and to quote a great, if you keep reading ‘em, we’ll keep writin’ ‘em!

The art of a proper bus ride is a hard, but a necessary ability to hone, especially when in South America. Here is a continent of few, if any, trains; where buses will almost always be cheaper than planes. However, time as well as comfort are something of a sacrifice when riding on these buses. This is where mastering the perfect bus rides comes into play… Read on and find cheap plane tickets!

Grace Church Van Vorst barely seemed open from the outside Friday night, even as the first-ever Green Teen Music and Arts Festival was happening within. But as the red double doors swung open, the clamor of people gradually got louder until it swept over us like a rush of hot air from an oven.

Movable walls around the perimeter of Grace’s main room featured art from local Jersey City teens hailing from seven area high schools. Photographs, oil paintings and abstract art pieces hung proudly as the artists roamed about the venue hob-nobbing with other artists and friends.

The Wayward Winos have the pleasure of writing for the Jersey City Independent when it comes to events around their current home of Jersey City.  If you want to read the rest of this story, visit Jersey City Independent

A Lamp from the Georgetown Carriage Musuem

With Host Our Coast beginning to accept applications for this summers 2 month long travel writing/photography/video/social media gig, it is time to start putting together some ideas for that video submission.

The task is simple by introduction.  From the website,

“Your video submission must be 60 seconds or less and must be in English. This is your primary means of showing us that you are the right person to “Host our Coast” for two months this summer. Be entertaining, have fun, but most of all, make sure you show us why YOU want to Host our Coast and why we should pick YOU over all the other applicants.”

Although  60 seconds, a sole minute, seems like a short amount of time, it can be sometimes be daunting to fill with decent content.  In order to get those brainwaves moving in that direction, here are a few tips to help.

An Ooey Gooey from a Lewes, Delaware coffee house

Be Original – Step outside that box and think beyond the self interview.  Come up with a theme or a creative way to showcase your skills without bluntly listing them while speaking directly into the camera.  If you’re have trouble coming up with an interesting way of getting your point across, have a look at last years contestants, all of which had a great entry videos.

Have a Script – Having a script ready helps the video flow much better when it’s time to yell “action”; lines should be written down and practiced before the camera is set to record.  This will help with the direction of the video and prevent stuttering or the use of the ugly uh’s and umm’s; it will show composure and good communications skills.  Although the work during the summer will not be scripted (which is 99% of the fun), having a script shows initiative and willingness to work a little bit harder.

Watch the Clock – Keep it to as close to 60 seconds as possibly.  It is a very good possibility that the judges will receive many many entries, so you want to keep yours short and sweet.  If it begins to drag on, then it will be sure to be shelved.  This does not mean that edits should be done that cuts out the good parts, but if you find that your video is a bit long winded, go back to the drawing board and get the script a bit tighter without sacrificing the points that need to be made.

A community barbecue in Snow Hill, Maryland

Be Yourself – You don’t need to be the best photographer or the best writer, or a world traveler, just as long as you have a passion for what you are doing.  Don’t make yourself out to be the worlds’ most talented individual in the world, because no one is the perfect.  Highlight your strong points and showcase your virtues, and be true to yourself.

Have Fun – Host Our Coast is all about having fun and enjoying the summer, while going on interesting adventures and exploring the nooks and crannies of the Delmarva Peninsula.  Road bumps will surely be encountered, and you may have to wake up early sometimes, but it’s all in the name of fun, so show that the pearly whites and have fun during the video; have fun with the script and the filming, and it will seep through to the judges.  They are themselves are fun people so no need to be stiff and nervous.

With the submission season open, do you plan on waiting to see what some of the competition is doing, or have you started to compose the 60 seconds that could lead to a time of a life in Delmarva?

]]> http://waywardwinos.wordpress.com/2010/02/04/host-our-coast-tips-on-video-submissions/feed/ 3 Paul Cox III 3904435293_3c986ae4c0 3905218560_36e8e1c7cb 3904434761_868c21d701 http://waywardwinos.wordpress.com/2010/02/02/its-host-our-coast-time/ http://waywardwinos.wordpress.com/2010/02/02/its-host-our-coast-time/#comments Tue, 02 Feb 2010 20:02:54 +0000 Paul Cox III http://waywardwinos.wordpress.com/?p=589 ]]> Well, it is that time of year again.  The time when the winter starts to really bear down hard on the soul, with the bleak grey days and the bitter cold; the time when the novelty of sweaters and long johns begin to fade and the desire for swim trunks and the smell of sun tan lotion starts to bubble up.  With warm weather (especially with our friend Punxsutawney Phil calling for another six weeks of winter) still far off in the distance, there is something to look forward to and begin to prepare for:  Host Our Coast.

Host Our Coast is the ultimate summer job; a free place to stay in Delmarva (the peninsula of Delaware, Maryland and Virginia), adventures abound, and fifteen thousand dollars to boot.  The job description? Go on said adventures, have a blast, meet cool people, eat great food, and blog, make videos, tweet, and facebook about the entire thing.  Sounds like something that would interest the freelance writer, photographer, and especially traveler in you, than dust off the video camera, and stop watching TV because it is application time.

The application process is easy.  Simply make a sixty second video of why your best person for the job.  From the website, “Be entertaining, have fun, but most of all, make sure you show us why YOU want to Host our Coast and why we should pick YOU over all the other applicants”

Then write a 500 word travel essay showcasing a trip you have had or wish to have.  Again, be creative and show your style here.

As having served as last years “Host Our Coast”, the Wayward Winos will be posting some of our favorite adventures in Delmarva over the next month wetting the appetites and hopefully warming up the winter.

So will you be the next “Host Our Coast”?

“The morning was crisp and fresh, hinting at the soon arrival of Chris Kringle and the children running around the capital, with the Capital Building sitting nearby and proud, brought the holiday cheer more to the forefront.  We arrived at the gardens around noon for its annual Holiday Magic exhibit held from November 26 until January 10, just beating the long line of families coming for the same beautiful showcase of plants, flowers, and trains.”

To read more check out the they Sosauce blog here

The often come with a nifty case too!

will be useful or treasured by the receiver.  For travelers, usually minimalists by definition (since a happy traveler is typically traveling light), the best gifts are ones that will make for an easier, safer, fun trip.  Although there are ton’s of useful items that all travelers can benefit from, here are a few gift ideas from past surprises and future wish lists.

1. Utility Knife:  There is much to say for having a utility knife.  It might be the single most useful item in any travelersbag.  There has been more than one instance when the Wayward Winos were stuck in situations with nothing more than a couple cans of tuna for hundreds of miles on a bus, hungry and tired.  If it wasn’t for our all-purpose knife, those cans of tuna would have been nothing but a weights and teases.  Not only did this tool serve as a can opener, but it did hair cutting while we were on the road, fixing of glasses and cutting of firewood when camping in the middle of nowhere (not to mention a sense of security against the wilds of the night).

2. Moleskin Journal: The moleskin journal is a quintessential need for every traveler.  It serves as their log of events, keeper of memories, and holder of stories; it seals the journey forever in its pages.  Be it a writer, painter, doodler, or just simply a traveler, a traveler will certainly fill the off white pages of the moleskin journal with games played to pass the time between places and stories of people they met and traveled with, as well as the posting board to tape ticket stubs, leafs from distant trees and receipts of favorite meals.

3. Flexible tripod: Along with writing down the wonderful memories, capturing them with a camera is another favorite of travelers, but it sometimes can get hard to get that fun, unique shot.  A flexible tripod helps with

that but allowing the shooter to set up the camera on various objects like a bridge or a tree in order to get that fun shot of both them and their new or old friend.  With screw threading that is nearly universal on all camera mounts, this really does make it an easy and effective gift that can easily fit in any backpackers sack.

4. Marmot Mica Jacket: The weather is not something that you can ever really predict.  And even if you could, the hardcore traveler stays traveling through hell or high water, no matter what kind of precipitation is falling.  So little is more important than something that offers proper rain protection without weighing you down, and few, if any, do it better than Marmot.  The Mica Marmot jacket is both lightweight and very breathable, so it will keep you dry while hiking the Andes (or biking for that matter) and not suffocate you while trying to keep dry during a spring shower.  Also, since the MemBrain Strata fabric material, a “lamination technology that rates a whopping 20,000mm in waterproof performance and 20,000 gr in breathability”  , is very malleable, it can be compacted so to not take much space up in the bag, which is key to any seasoned traveler.  This does not mention how light the jacket is, weighing in a whopping 198 grams (or about half a pound) which also so crucial; as I said before, a light traveler is a happy traveler.

From the Webtog website:

“The Marmot Mica Jacket is winner of several prestigious design awards, it couldn’t be any lighter and still be called a jacket. Supremely detailed and pro-minded, The Mica is made for traveling light in tough conditions. The Mica is 100% seam taped, waterproof, and highly breathable, thanks to MemBrain Strata fabric. It also features an attached adjustable hood and Velcro cuffs, a water resistant front zip, and it packs neatly into its own pocket.”

For more information on the jacket, check out this Webtog and check out their outdoor clothing for other cool outdoor gear.

How about you? What are some traveling gifts on you list?

Red Bank Battlefield is a magnificent park pushed up against the Delaware River and on a perfect autumn day, the breeze swings in hard from the water and rustles the beautiful orange and red adorned trees.  Field Day this year, like many in memories, was this perfect day.  The air was crisp and clean, and the sky was clear illuminating the nearby historic city of Philadelphia right across the river.  Vendors served funnel cake and Italian sausages as the opposing forces assembled in their respectful fields and prepared for battle.  And a glorious battle it was,even if it was a reenactment.

As they organized on opposite sites of the field where Fort Mercer once stood, they cleaned their rifles and sharpened their bayonets; the drummers beat their rhythms as the women sat in the tent preparing their gauze for the wounded.  When the battle began, the side lines were packed with onlookers – ogling children and parents alike – held back by the rope.  Booms from the army canons and bangs from their guns rang in the ears of the watchers and frightened the really young.  The fight raged on with actors taking damage and playing dead in the grass until the the skirmish was over; Colonials victorious.

Although the original battle was probably fought much different (in an actually fort and considered one of the big blunders of war by Colonel Von Donop), the day isn’t any less fun or enlightening.  The vendors, all dressed up in 18th century garb, enlist the passer-byers to shop, but also to learn about the times and customs – about what could have been happening right where they stood nearly 350 years before.

With two battles on the schedule that day, the park was open from morning into afternoon with tours of the Anne Whitall House or perusing the shops showing off things of revolutionary times.  Also, the day came complete with the aforementioned run that begins in Haddonfield.  If so inclined, the beginning of the run can be witnessed in the quaint downtown of this also historic little town – the place where it was decided that New Jersey would be deemed a “state” rather than a “colony”.

Even though Field Day is only held once a year, the history of Fort Mercer and the Red Bank Battlefield remain year round and can be visited at any time.  The Whitall House can be toured and the monuments can be explored.  The vast fields that were once a plantation, then a spot of the second victory in the revolutionary war, can be trodden and enjoyed.  The well kept pitch can be a place for a fall touch football match or a spring picnic while staring out across the river where boats lazily drift into Philly’s port, between Jersey and Pennsylvania.

And if the moods strikes, take the drive to Haddonfield.  Follow what’s left of the path Jonas Cattell took along Clements Bridge Mall (don’t mind the Deptford Mall).  Stroll through the boutiques and have lunch at a local delicious restaurant or cafe and visit the historical Indian Tavern and Historical Society nearby.

For more information check out these sites:

Red Bank Battlefield

Battle of Fort Mercer

Events vary from a walking ghost tour of historic Woodbury on October 23, to the Main Street Colonial Day festival tomorrow, October 24, that involves costumes, crafts and trolley rides through the town.

On Sunday, the weekend culminates with the annual reenactment of the Battle of Fort Mercer at Red Bank Battlefield.  It is coupled with the memorial run of Jonas Cattell that led to the victory of this battle for the Colonial Army.

Jonas Cattell was a blacksmith working in Haddonfield, NJ during the time of the revolution.  On October 21, 1777, the Hessians arrived in Haddonfield and had taken several people captive, including Jonas, most likely for his valuable trade as a blacksmith.

During the night, the captives were forced to tend to the soldiers – build fires, prepare meals – as they were able to sit within an earshot of the army’s plans.  That night Jonas Cattell overheard the Count Von Donop’s plan to invade Fort Mercer, a fort the Cattell helped built months before.

After his release the next morning, even after staying up all night being forced to work under enemy command, Jonas Cattell, started his memorable journey from Haddonfield to the banks of the Delaware River in what is now West Deptford.  Ten miles by foot, he trudged through the icy autumn rain.

Cold, wet, and tired, Jonas Cattell arrived with plenty of time to warn Colonel Nathanael Greene and have his troops at Fort Mercer prepared for the incoming assault.

Starting in the heart of Haddonfield, the Jonas Cattell Run is held every year and is ran by many in celebration of this momentous event leading to the second victory of the war (after the battle of Saratoga three days prior).  The entire day is filled with different events including a reenactment of the Battle of Fort Mercer.  Tours of the Ann Whitall house, which was private occupation that was turned to a hospital during the fight and is now a musuem, can be had.

So, if in the South Jersey area, stop by historic Woodbury on Saturday or the Red Bank Battlefield on Sunday and support the runners as well as take in some good old fashion Revolutionary history.

For more information, check out Red Bank Battlefield, as well as Woodbury Events.

Registration of race is still open as of Friday, October 23.  It is fifteen dollars on race day. For registration or more information, call 856-251-6710. On the day of the race call 856-853-5120.

Photo by Paul Cox

On the hunt for the changing leaves, Mystic Connecticut fell in our sights.  So we packed up our bags with sandwiches, fruit and cameras and headed the two hours up 95.

Photo by Melanie McLean

Although many of the trees were still too green for what we were looking for, there were certainly were patches of vibrant oranges, yellow, and reds.  Mystic itself is a quaint little town, not to far off the beaten path of I-95, but it doesn’t let you know that.  Small cafe’s and shoppes line the streets of this small seaport town.  Sail boats  slightly bob up in down in the water as the lush trees and beautiful houses surround community.

Photo by Melanie McLean

The four hours driving up and back was easy and pleasant with the sun shining bright above us.  The trees that were turning proudly displayed their colors in the perfect light, although they were the minority.  The time spent in the car was worth it for the relaxing day having lunch on the Mystic River and breathing in the crisp autumn New England air.

Photo by Melanie McLean