cXc and the Winter Hill Gang

Some fine young lads, Swat XC '06 and '07, two of whom have yet to appear in the annals of cXc fame. Welcome, gentlmen, welcome.

cXc in the Philippines

This delightful cXc comes to us from the terraced landscape of the Philippines. Special thanks to non-XC runner Emily for putting the cXc on the map in East Asia.

So this is Africa...

At long, long last...a shot from me somewhere mildly specatular. On a butte/ mesa somewhere in Niger. I forget (that is, could never remember or pronounce) the name of the closest town, but from the small village where I visted a current PCV, we walked a few kilometers into the town, then a few more kilometers up the butte. Also, got pics of some pushups in precarious positions and pullups in precarious positions...but that's the matter of another blog... (and an internet connection that works)

XCs Across Amber Waves of Grain

These pics are coming at you from the good ol' U.S. of A., where a few intrepid explorers drove across the country. In the first one, Dan Hodson '09 stands in a field of hardened lava in the Craters of the Moon National Monument in Arco, Idaho. This is as close to the moon as you can get on Earth; the Apollo astronauts trained here before their missions into space. D-Hods, therefore, essentially carries the cXc to the moon.

Next up, we have some of the greatest men in American history witnessing the next American giants: the Swat XC team. If you look closely, old George seems to be smiling down on the cXc. He wishes we could have lived to see the cXc.

That's all for now! Keep those cXc's riding high!

Doing Didyma, Performing at Pergamon

Temple of Apollo at Didyma, one of the largest temples in the ancient world. Current home to stray dogs.

The great theater at Pergamon, built into a mountainside, with modern town below. In Roman times, this city had 150,000 people. Off to the left of where I was standing was the great library, rivalling the one at Alexandria. Apparently, the Egyptians weren't too happy about that, so they cut of the supply of papyrus, forcing the Pergamese to develop parchment from animal skin.

Donnie Digs for ɔXc

I spent most of the summer excavating at Zincirli, an Iron Age city. 115 degree heat and 4:30am wake-ups were appropriately hardcore. Additional note: You may notice, on close inspection, that my collar is popped. This is for heat and sun protection alone, and should not (here's looking at you, Dan Hodson) be seen as condoning the practice in any larger context. Donahue Erb-Satullo '07

Trojan CXC

Many an epic battle took place beneath the walls for Troy, where Swift-Footed Achilles fought Hector, Breaker of Horses. Though ruins now, Troy is once again achieves epic grandeur by association with the cXc. --Donahue Erb-Satullo '07

2010: we're out!

goodbye everybody!

cXc along the Presidential Range

This is from my Backpacking trip along the Presidential Mountain Range in NH. The weather was great up until Mt. Washington, where upon some fog/cloud covered the entire mountain, followed by snow/hail that started to hit us (my backpacking buddy and myself). On the top of Mt. Washington, it was 27 degrees, with 47 mph wind at our face, which came to a 16/17 degree wind chill, on a nice August day.

-Eric V
class of 13'

Cross Country in Kilts

This is Arthur's Seat, the highest point in Edinburgh, Scotland. There is a really good trail around the hill for running and a hike to the peak takes about 15 minutes-it is over 800 m above sea level. Edinburgh is a very historical city and a huge Summer music festival makes it a lively place, until 7:00 pm when all of the shops and restaurants close.

Holy Carp! CXC is in Mesopotamia!

In the Cradle of Civilization, there is a city called Urfa. In that city, there is a pool. And in that pool live sacred carp. Huge, ravenous sacred carp. If you go "all in" with the tray of fish food they hand out, they writhe in a slippery flopping mass. This needed a CXC for the novelty.

Ancient Rituals at Göbekli Tepe

11,000 years ago, sedentary hunter-gatherers worshiped in these, the oldest man-made temples in the world. Think Stonehenge is old? A greater time separates these temples from Stonehenge than separates Stonehenge from the present. This image shows a reenactment of the ancient ritual of CXC in a setting that is, I would say, appropriate.

The National Pistol/Rifle (I was there for the pistol) Championship are held at Camp Perry, Ohio. I made the New Jersey team, and ended up 9th overall Junior (out of 47) of the nation.

Ecuadorian XC

Chalk up another continent and hemisphere (southern) for the CXC. This one comes from the mountains of Ecuador above Quito (top) and the equator itself (below). Thanks to Nicole Belanger for being the first to plant the CXC in Latin America.

CXC in Cyprus

Delays with our excavation permit led to a trip to the Beaches and Harbors of Cyprus. This is at the Kyrenia (Girne) Castle, built by the French and the Venetians.

Beaches of the Eastern Med. Sandy, warm water, and the perfect place for a CXCing. By some strange turn of events, this was where we attended the graduation party of the Nigerian students at Eastern Mediterranean University. That was an odd night on a number of different levels.

Capturing Cappadocia

Some unexpected delays in excavation plans freed up a weekend in Turkey for travel to this unique landscape of fairy chimneys, rock cut cave churches, and underground cities.


This first CXC was taken deep beneath the ground in one of the underground cities of the region, carved from soft volcanic rock to provide an escape from Arabs, Persians, and other invaders. Very little is know about their regularity of occupation and even their earliest occupation, which may reach back to the Bronze Age.

This next one is overlooking the Ilhara Valley with its Rock-Cut Churches and Monasteries. Another classic illustration of CXC proselytizing.

Cross-Country at Karatepe

Adorning a monumental gateway at the Neo-Hittite fortress of Karatepe. Most likely an age record for the CXC--these are from the 8th century B.C.

A True Performance

Not since the days of Alexander (who passed by this town en route to Egypt and Babylon), has the theater of Hieropolis been blessed with such a performance. Except, perhaps, when that brother of a medieval king got boiled alive in that castle in the upper left.

Map

As you can see, we've gotten a good start towards world domination of the CXC. By my count, we have six countries, all in Europe and North America with the exception of the Asian part of Turkey. Anyone planning a trip to Africa or Latin America?

CXC goes to Turkey

This CXC was posed in from the the Cave-Church of St. Peter in Antakya (ancient Antioch). Much to my surprise, I did not see any holy hand grenades. It is supposedly the earliest place where Christians gathered to worship in secret. The facade here was built by the crusaders after they recaptured the city in 1098. I believe this is also the first CXC ever posed in Asia.

Cross Country at Cahokia and Crystal River

Cahokia

Crystal River

Continuing with a tradition of CXCing at archaeological sites, I travelled to two North American mound sites in Illinois and Florida in the past month. Cahokia is the largest pre-European settlement north of Mexico, and may have contained as many at 20,000 people. The largest mound, Monk's Mound, has a footprint the size of the pyramids in Egypt. This Crystal River mound, though not as large, is made mostly from shell... the product of years of eating seafood in this Florida estuary.