Gary Aitken

Gary, Mt. San Luis, Aug, 2005 Gary, Dona and Max

For the curious, I was born in 1949, but still try to behave like it was 1969. That gets harder every year, but I haven't resorted to playing shuffleboard yet. I'm an outdoor-oriented person. My favorite pastimes range across horseback riding, hiking, and horsepacking in the mountains; climbing; digital photography; cross-country skiing and snowshoeing; kayaking and canoeing, white-water or flat-water; sailing; fly fishing; scuba diving; and exploring odd places by about any non-motorized means. I like bird and animal watching, if I can sit still and stay warm long enough. I'm trying to play my banjo more. I'm improving, but then, there's lots of room to improve... I used to do a fair amount of backpacking, downhill powder skiing, cycle to work, and play tennis. Used to because my back is now somewhat trashed, there aren't too many tennis courts around here and I don't have a partner to play with. I'm somewhat of a computer geek, my profession since 1967.

There's not a lot here, and the layout stinks; someday I'll have time to work on that. A good rainy day project. You'd think a computer geek would do better, but there are way to many interesting things going on in the real world to spend too much time punching keys on a computer anymore.

This site is primarily a means of distribution of photos to friends and family.

Latest Additions

What's been going on

House

Tree Platform and Bridge

Opening a Bear Vault Easily

Bear vaults are sold as a great way to protect your food from grizzly bears in the backcountry. The bears can't open them — great! It's pretty dang near impossible for people to open them also ... not so great. Here's how to save your thumbs and maintain wilderness silence by avoiding cursing.

An Evaluation of the 2019 Subaru Forester

In January, 2019 we bought a new Subaru Forester. Here's my evaluation of it.

Why one shouldn't buy double-drilled aftermarket wheels

I discovered why one shouldn't purchase double-drilled aftermarket wheels for a vehicle.

Metal Building Insulation Problems

When we built a riding arena 25 years ago, we made the mistake of having it insulated. Here's why you shouldn't do that.

Hydraulic Coupler Incompatibility

I've mixed ball and poppet style hydraulic couplers for several decades with no problems, but I recently discovered a situation where ball type male couplers don't work

Outdoor Trips Close to Home

Pack trips, hikes and float trips in and around Montana.

Fishing

A few interesting trips done in the past. Sorry I don't have the good trip pix from the Koktuli, Ongivinuk or Nayorurun (Kashiak Cr.) up; need to do scan the old slides.

Climbing

Sailing

Diving

I don't have an underwater camera, so don't look for much here. Maybe one of these days I will get a housing and learn to take some underwater shots.

Computing

My professional life has consisted pretty much of computing, if you don't count the time I was raising sheep. But I was computing then, too.

Miscellaneous


Pictures of Dad
Pictures of Aunt Lynn
Pictures at Christi's after Rick died