Brian

@outdoortype

E pluribus unum. Photographer. Lover of books, maps, and pancakes & waffles. Student and practitioner of disasters. Will live skeet thunderstorms. SKYWARN Spotter. @NOLSedu WFR. Sometimes Northern Shenandoah Valley, sometimes Northern Virginia.

1,124 Following757 Followers2,201 Posts

Bluesky

Is this your profile?Claim it and outdoortype.dirty.social is yours.Claim profile

Brian@outdoortype· 9d

No really, I think it’s very cool how Dulles Airport saved so much money on signage directing people to the cell phone lot

Black-and-white photograph of the iconic main terminal at Washington Dulles International Airport, viewed from a moving vehicle on the arrivals roadway. The terminal’s sweeping curved roof and angled concrete columns dominate the scene beneath a sky filled with layered gray clouds. Several vehicles travel ahead toward the terminal entrance, including a black SUV in the foreground. Raindrops and faint streaks on the windshield subtly soften parts of the image, reinforcing the overcast, rainy atmosphere.

Brian@outdoortype· 9d

Received this happy surprise from @capitalweather.com in the mail the other day! Thanks you all!

Brian@outdoortype· 9d

My wife and her friends got to do a touch and go at Denver a little while ago

Screenshot of Apple Maps flight tracking showing United Airlines Flight 792 from Washington Dulles (IAD) to Denver (DEN) after landing at Denver International Airport. The aircraft is shown taxiing at 5 mph with an indicated altitude of 0 feet. The blue flight path includes a large looping pattern north and east of the airport before lining up for landing, illustrating an extended arrival sequence. Numerous aircraft icons are visible around Denver, reflecting heavy air traffic. Nearby labels include Hudson, Fort Lupton, Lochbuie, Keenesburg, and Interstate 76. The bottom panel identifies the flight as UA 792 operating on Sunday, August 2, from Washington, DC to Denver.

Brian@outdoortype· 20d

20 mins ago our house in the valley had this gnarly shelf cloud pass… now watching the tornado warned cell a little to our west #VAwx

security camera looks west across a wooded valley as a dramatic shelf cloud approaches. Thick, dark gray clouds form a layered, wedge-shaped leading edge stretching across the top of the frame, while lighter rain curtains are visible beneath the cloud base over the distant hills. The foreground remains green with trees and open fields, emphasizing the contrast between the calm landscape and the advancing thunderstorm. The timestamp reads 19:33:55.

RadarScope Super-Resolution Reflectivity from the Sterling, Virginia (KLWX) radar at 7:33 PM EDT on July 21, 2026. West Campus (“WC”) is marked just west of Front Royal near Route 55. A broad line of heavy thunderstorms covers the area, with orange and red reflectivity indicating intense rainfall over and north of a spot marked WC toward Middletown and Stephens City. Numerous lightning icons are embedded within the line, illustrating an active thunderstorm moving through the northern Shenandoah Valley.

Brian@outdoortype· 21d

Here’s my Pyrex dish that shattered after I pulled it out of the oven and set it on a cork trivet to cool RIP that cornbread…

Shards of broken Pyrex 9x9 pan lie on a kitchen counter and around a cork trivet

Brian@outdoortype· 22d

Trying to reinforce core memories of my kid’s time out in the Shenandoah Valley. Eventually I know they’ll hate the one hour drive, but for now I can remind them that there are horses to see and Spelunkers dinners to have…

Black metal pasture gate beside a wooden fence post with a sign reading, “Keep gate closed, no matter what the horses say”

Two horses (Wrangler and Cody) in a grassy pasture bordered by dense trees; a tan horse grazes while a dark brown horse faces the camera.

Close side view of a curly-haired girl wearing purple glasses as she looks through an open car window at two horses in a green pasture.

Brian@outdoortype· 24d

🎶 It’s a beautiful day in the neighborhood 🎵 #VAwx

Weather app screenshot for Oakton, Virginia, at 12:02 p.m., reporting smoky conditions, a feels-like temperature of 95°F, 70% humidity, and south-southwest winds at 9 mph. Active alerts include a Heat Advisory until 7 p.m., a Flood Watch from 2 to 8 p.m., and an Air Quality Alert through midnight. Outlook cards show an enhanced risk of severe weather today, including possible weak tornadoes, wind gusts over 60 mph, and hail larger than one inch, plus a marginal flash-flooding risk.

Brian@outdoortype· 25d

The view on June 30th…

Wide view from West Campus showing a lush green valley and distant Blue Ridge mountains beneath a pale blue sky

Brian@outdoortype· 25d

The current air quality within the National Capital Region (NCR) is Code Purple as of 5AM. Here’s the view from the cameras on my deck out in the Shenandoah Valley #VAwx

Camera view at 7:14 a.m. showing thick smoke obscuring the valley and distant wooded hills beneath a pale gray sky.

Camera view at 7:15 a.m. showing smoke drifting across the wooded mountainside and valley. Trees fill the foreground, with a wooden deck railing along the lower right edge.

Brian@outdoortype· Jul 11

Summerween has landed at Lowe’s

A towering Halloween display stands in the middle of a home improvement store aisle beneath a high warehouse ceiling. The centerpiece is a tall animatronic figure wearing tattered robes with a carved jack-o’-lantern head and long clawed hands extended outward. Two smaller pumpkin-headed creatures crouch at its feet on either side. The display sits on a yellow platform with “Try Me” buttons, surrounded by boxed merchandise and seasonal signage advertising Halloween decorations.

Brian@outdoortype· Jul 10

This storm just dropped over 1.3” of rain in under 30 mins #VAwx

Screenshot from the RadarScope Pro weather app showing super-resolution radar reflectivity from the Sterling, Virginia (KLWX) radar at 6:54 PM EDT on July 10, 2026. A large area of heavy rain covers much of central Fairfax County, with the most intense rainfall shown in red and orange centered near the I-66 corridor between Vienna and Fairfax. The user’s location marker sits near the center of the storm, surrounded by the heaviest precipitation. Nearby communities and landmarks shown on the map include Wolf Trap, Tysons, Merrifield, George Mason, Fair Oaks, Burke Centre, and Fairfax Station.

Screenshot from a weather station app showing rainfall conditions classified as “EXTREME” with a large icon of falling raindrops. The display reports 1.03 inches of rain recorded so far today and 1.10 inches recorded yesterday for station ST-00198038. Alert and rainfall status icons appear in the upper right corner of the screen.

Brian@outdoortype· Jul 5

Lightning definitely just within 10 miles of the Mall

RadarScope screenshot showing thunderstorm passing less than 10 miles of the mall where “150,000” people are watching a concert and fireworks show

Brian@outdoortype· Jul 3

The view from Oakton about twenty minutes ago. Didn’t get outside fast enough to see the new 747 which led this group.

Five military aircraft fly overhead in formation against a hazy blue sky. Four fighter jets fly in a loose diamond below a larger stealth fighter trailing the group.

Four military aircraft pass overhead beneath a cloudy sky. Three fighter jets fly in close formation while a stealth fighter flies slightly higher and to the right.

A large four-engine military aircraft flies high overhead against a clear blue sky, viewed from directly below.

A military jet cruises high overhead in a bright blue sky with scattered white clouds. The tops of leafy trees frame the bottom corners of the image.

Brian@outdoortype· Jun 29

The boy discovered our new analog weather station worked! His smile and look of amazement was awesome.

A young child sits barefoot on a patio, examining a homemade weather station mounted on a large tree stump after a rainstorm. The station includes a yellow rain gauge and an outdoor thermometer, with the rain gauge showing about 1.25 inches of rainfall. A grassy backyard and wooded area extend into the background.

Close-up of a yellow rain gauge mounted to a tree stump, showing approximately 1.25 inches of collected rainfall. Water droplets cling to the inside of the clear tube, with textured tree bark visible behind the gauge.

Screenshot of a weather station app showing rainfall data for East Campus on June 28, 2026. The Day view is selected, displaying a total rainfall of 1.24 inches over 513 minutes. Navigation arrows and tabs for Day, Week, Month, Year, and All Time appear at the top of the screen. This verifies the analog rain collection tube.

Brian@outdoortype· Jun 28

32 years ago today I was 18, a recent high school grad (all of six days), and a few days into the best job I’ve ever had… Philmont Ranger (i.e. professional backpacker – where I first learned of the magical “Pro Deal”). This is a photo used as both souvenir and/or SAR identification.

A group portrait of a Philmont Scout Ranch expedition taken outdoors in Cimarron, New Mexico, in 1994. Twenty-three Scouts and adult leaders pose in two rows in front of a sign reading “Philmont Scout Ranch, Boy Scouts of America, Cimarron, New Mexico, Expedition 627 Q 94.” Mountains and a clear blue sky form the backdrop, with most participants wearing matching white expedition T-shirts and several crew members in green staff-style shirts seated in the front row (including one nerd (me) in socks and sandals.

Brian@outdoortype· Jun 27

Chat, why am I running out of storage?

Screenshot of the iPhone Storage screen in Settings showing that 1.01 TB of 1.02 TB of storage is in use. A horizontal color-coded storage bar indicates that photos occupy the vast majority of the space, with smaller portions used by applications, music, podcasts, TV, messages, mail, iOS, and system data.

Brian@outdoortype· Jun 24

Backyard analog weather station in progress. Next step is to make the top of the stump more level and turn it into a sun dial

A homemade weather station mounted on a large tree stump features a yellow rain gauge and a round outdoor thermometer. The stump sits on a patio in a sunny backyard, with grass and mature trees stretching into a shaded woodland behind it.

Brian@outdoortype· Jun 22

First day at her new school! It is going to take a little time to wrap my head around the fact that I can get there in the same amount of time that it used to take to reach our mailbox and the first public road at our other house.

A young child with curly hair walks up a brick pathway carrying a large rolled towel and wearing a mint-green backpack decorated with a fox illustration. The child is heading toward the front steps of a house, framed by potted flowers and lush garden plants in warm evening sunlight.

Brian@outdoortype· Jun 17

Day 3 of working on this tree. Would be going a lot faster if the goal was just to cut it up and clear it, but I’m planning to use most of it for a natural playground at our new house.

Getting better with the chainsaw, though not quite ready to start carving woodland creature statues.

A young child jumps from a cut tree trunk onto a bed of wood chips beneath tall trees. Several sections of the fallen tree have been arranged as balance logs in a shaded natural play area surrounded by forest.

Brian@outdoortype· Jun 12

Stepped out to the Oakton backyard this morning and discovered that the leaning tree I’ve been worried about is no longer a worry #VAwx

Wide view of storm damage behind a brick house, showing a large tree downed along a forested property line. A tall, previously trimmed trunk remains standing near the left side of the image, while fallen trees and debris stretch across the edge of the lawn.

Brian@outdoortype· Jun 7

Wife and kids had a beary exciting drive out of the neighborhood this morning! Wife said, “That is a very big dog running down the road!”

A black bear stands in a lush green forest clearing, partially obscured by fallen logs, saplings, and tree trunks. Sunlight filters through the canopy, illuminating patches of bright vegetation around the bear as it looks to the left.

A black bear walks through dense woodland undergrowth, visible between slender tree trunks and leafy branches. The bear is side-on to the camera, moving through a sunlit patch of forest with green vegetation covering the ground.

Brian@outdoortype· Jun 3

Tonight in there’s a first time for everything, a couple guys tried to deliver a horse to our house. Sorry guys, you’re supposed to be next door! Took the kids over a little later to meet Cody.

Two young children stand at a black metal fence outside a large wooden horse barn glowing with warm evening sunlight. One child in a cowboy hat and blue plaid shirt looks through the fence, while the other climbs the rails to peer inside the open barn doors. Long shadows from nearby trees stretch across the barn’s orange-brown siding during golden hour.

Brian@outdoortype· Jun 1

Good morning meteorological summer! #VAwx

Wide panoramic view of a river valley at sunrise with a dense layer of white fog drifting just above the treetops. Morning sunlight illuminates patches of bright green forest and open meadows beneath the fog, while blue mountain ridges stretch across the horizon under a clear sky streaked with thin, wispy clouds. The fog forms a continuous band across the landscape, partially obscuring the valley floor and emphasizing the contours of the river corridor.

Brian@outdoortype· Jun 1

The kids spent hours today in the backyard swinging, climbing, and experimenting with our “marble run” which is a bunch of loose parts I fashioned from fallen trees and leftover downspouts. Sent acorns, rubber duckies, and a reusable water balloon through the series of tubes

A long homemade water chute made from aluminiuim pipe sections and split logs runs downhill through a shaded woodland play area. The chute is supported by short log stands and slopes toward a red basin at the lower end. A child stands near the upper section beside a hammock and outdoor play equipment, while sunlight filters through the surrounding trees, creating patches of light and shadow across the forest floor.

View uphill through tall trees toward a house nestled among the woods. Bright sunlight shines through the canopy near the top of the frame, creating lens flare and casting dappled light across the forest floor. Near the house, two small children stand beside outdoor play equipment and a picnic table, while hammocks hang between trees. The scene combines shaded woodland with patches of sunlit greenery under a clear blue sky.

Brian@outdoortype· May 29

I’m going to miss the parts of my commute that let me cowboy for a minute. The calf up in the left had wandered across the cattle guard and onto the road and I got it back home to momma

A gravel farm lane curves gently uphill through a sunlit pasture bordered by mature trees. A red metal gate stands open on the right beneath a sprawling oak tree, where a black cow is partially visible in the shade. Another cow stands farther up the grassy hillside. Late-afternoon sunlight streams through the tree canopy, casting long shadows across the road under a clear blue sky streaked with a thin white cloud.

Brian@outdoortype· May 29

This morning in the valley

Panoramic view of a river valley at sunrise with a long band of white fog suspended above the treetops. Early morning sunlight illuminates fresh spring-green forest and open fields below, while blue mountain ridges rise in the distance beneath a clear sky. The fog follows the river corridor across the landscape, creating a bright horizontal ribbon between the valley floor and the wooded hills.

Brian@outdoortype· May 27

Stormy weather #VAwx

Dark, turbulent storm clouds hang low over a forested Shenandoah Valley landscape with mountain ridges in the distance. Ragged cloud tendrils descend beneath the cloud base above the tree line.

Wide view of a dramatic layered storm cloud stretching across a green valley and forest canopy. The underside of the cloud appears textured and rolling, with darker rain-filled sections approaching from the right.

Heavy gray storm clouds with swirling textures loom above a wooded mountain ridge. Soft rain curtains are visible in the distance beneath the cloud deck, while foreground trees remain brightly green from spring growth.

Brian@outdoortype· May 27

I’m at least five miles away from this (whatever is happening), but it seems that we’ve learned our lesson about notifying people about shelter in place situations. Last year I drove into one and had no idea… This intersection is one of the main ways through town.

Front royal police department advises to shelter in place due to heavy police presence in the area of East stonewall drive and South commerce avenue.
Updates will be provided as available. any questions please contact the front royal police department at 540-635-2111

Brian@outdoortype· May 27

Today in friends

Gray tree frog resting on a reddish stained wooden railing.

Box turtle with a dark shell marked by vivid yellow-orange patterns moving through wet clover, grass, and leaf litter after rain. Water droplets are visible on the surrounding plants.

Young boy and girl holding hands while walking down a quiet brick-and-concrete pedestrian shopping street lined with trees, planters, and storefront windows. The boy points ahead as the children walk away from the camera on the damp pavement.

Brian@outdoortype· May 25

Took the kids to Gravelly Point today to watch some planes take off and downloaded ATC and holy shit does that app make you wade through a bunch of crap just to start listening. Also, $89/year ?!?!?!