The Brooklyn Brothers

Sometimes I feel like Dave and I are connected by a bond akin to a fraternal slinky—we may stray from one another temporarily, but we will inevitably be drawn back to living in the same place. In 2013, as Dave approached college graduation, we all wondered where in the country he would end up. What great news when we learned he had chosen Brooklyn—the brothers were united once again! For nearly two years we lived in the same place, at first literally in the same house and then, later on, a 10-minute walk apart.

Ray, Dave, and two visiting friends on Dave’s first night back in Brooklyn, 

August 2013

In April, Dave moved to Denver and the fraternal slinky stretched out once again. But it didn’t take long for coils to begin to tighten—the very next month I accepted a job at the High Mountain Institute in the Rocky Mountain town of Leadville…Colorado here I come! But since New York is in out blood, it wouldn’t be fair for us to leave without a true Brothers Unite tribute to the great memories we’ve made here over the past two years.

Ray & Dave: just a pair of Nets supportin’…

Vegetarian food cravin'…

Vegetarian food cravin'…

Bright color wearin’…

Thrift store lovin'…

Christmas tree decoratin’…

Easter egg huntin’…

(Occasionally) church attendin’…

(Even more occasionally) volunteerin’…

…Brooklyn Brothers!

It’s been nothing short of spectacular, Dave. Can’t wait for the next chapter.

Cabin Fever

A few years out from college, Ray and I have both moved out from home. With all the places in the country that call to both of us, it's amazing that we've ended up living in the same neighborhood in Brooklyn! We now reside about five blocks apart in Crown Heights, just down the hill from Prospect Park and more conveniently located and certainly more "urban" than the house we grew up in (a mere 20 minute subway ride away). 

Finding that, despite our proximity, we don't see each other as much as would like, we decided to getaway on what is now the second annual Berkshires cabin trip! 

We arrived late on a freezing cold Friday night

and with the echoes of the workweek still in earshot 

we put our feet up

and began to make our own soundtrack. 

Just three hours earlier we were here, the business and tourism capital of the U.S.

and then we woke up here 

kings and queens

of our new backyard.

We are surrounded by nature

and by friends

with plenty to watch

and to admire.  

But mainly we were here for this

and this

for the sights of new places

and people

and time with old friends,

to be weird

and eerie

and to enjoy the view. 

Here's to a cabin trip that couldn't have come at a better time, or have been shared with better people. Here's to brothers who are privileged to regularly unite!

Legendary dirtbaggery.

McGaughey Family Unite! - The "Big O" 2014

Even a passive follower of Brothers Untie knows that Dave and I get together every year with our huge extended family on the Huntington side (see 2013 and 2012 Cousins' Reunion posts).  But did you know that the McGaughey Clan also does a massive family reunion that takes place every 10 years?  We call it the Big "O" since a number of family members have decade birthdays around these reunions--my grandfather would have been 100 this year.

The full McGaughey Clan unites every 10 years

Hailing from such exotic and distant places as Hawaii, Germany, Alaska, Oregon, and Minnesota (most exotic of them all) my aunts, uncles and cousins all traveled this year to Killington, Vermont where we shared home-cooked meals, hiked mountains, combined musical talents, and played countless games of foosball. 

The windy, rainy summit of Mount Killington

I couldn't resist a little Vermont nature photography...

What's going on here?

The major event of the reunion was the interment of my grandfather Melvin Ray's ashes next to my grandmother Grace.  We all chuckled as we recalled stories of Mel in a tuxedo protesting the Iraq War with a "Billionaires for Bush" sign or the way you couldn't call him on a Saturday evening when Prarie Home Companion was on the radio--a show that is near and dear to me because of him. 

  

McGaughey Siblings Unite!  A rare and beautiful moment with all five McGaughey siblings in the same place

Dave and I didn't fight too much...

But rather we chilled out and played a little blues...

And the reunion was so fun we decided 10 years is too long to wait...we'll do the next one in 5!

The Bonds, the Twins, a Brother and Two Friends

Since taking my full-time position as a salesman at Q Drinks (www.qdrinks.com)  I have become the poster child for a Weekend Warrior. Most work days last from 7am-6pm, followed by a few hours of work on business development for my kombucha company and, if I'm lucky, some social time.

As a tour guide Ray, on the other hand, is a Weekend Worker. Despite this fact we've still managed to spend a lot of time together this year. It helps that we have an overlapping peer group and still haven't found a way to get sick of each other.

Nonetheless, this past weekend I decided to leave Ray and NYC behind. Friday after work I hit the outbound traffic on I95 with two adventurous friends, Thea, Anna. Destination: the White Mountains of New Hampshire.

Saturday AM, first light after a late night. Notice my expert sleeping posture. 

En route to the White Mountains we stopped at Kingswood Camp, a place very dear to both Ray and me that has been the subject of several blog posts. This is the first summer I have missed in 15 years and it was wonderful and nostalgic for me to visit.

Saturday sunrise over Mt. Moosilauke at Kingswood Camp

After a quick stop with the other early birds at the world-renown FLAPJACKS Pancake House in Lincoln, NH (squeeze bottles of real maple syrup at every table!) we hit the trail.

The team limbers up.

Then, as it is on the trail to Bond Cliff, Mt. Bond and West Bond mountains, we hit the views.

After about three hours we break tree line at summit of Bond Cliff

Bond Cliff is one of the most stark summits in the White Mountains

Anna the Storm Queen

Thea and the sky

The Bonds are one of the few mountain ranges in the North East where you can hike for nearly two days and see no sign of civilization 

So we spent a lot of time doing this

Looking at views like this

While still having just enough time for this.

Twenty-two miles, two great friends, ten pounds of Trader Joes just-add-hot-water Indian Food and the best weekend I can remember for a long while.

All made possible by a commendable commitment from Thea and Anna to follow through on the plan when staying in Brooklyn was the easy move.


Oh, and by the Man Van.

Rolling through the Whites in the Silver Beast

A truly wonderful trip!

A brother, proud Weekend Warrior