The other arm

Sorry I have been away awhile.  Just getting a few things straight before the holidays.

We have come to our second installment of Tattoo You.  I am looking for concepts for the other arm.  I have spoken with my brother and we agree it may be time to modify or cover-up the bar-code which I have had on my other arm for over 13 years.  Some early thoughts I have are; a tribal rat from the Chinese zodiac, the other is Lono (the Hawaiian Tiki).  The best rat I can find on line does not look like it would cover the bar-code.  If we find the right Lono it could easily cover this.  I should probably employ my brother to come up with creative design in either case.  The jury is out on the design in general so feel free to comment.  My preliminary ideas are here.

The winner

Congrats Jen!  Your entry won out for implementation; I just couldn't say no to this in the end.  A combination of tribal art mixed with ancient eastern concepts was the right mixture for me.  I have always liked dragons but never had a fascination or obsession with them so it does not speak to one era or time in my life thus making it something that will last and I will never get tired of.

The winner for concept goes to Surf for her entry.  Not only is this as bad-ass as it gets but the story that goes along with this is a winner in its self.  A long story short; an honorable soldier stands up for what is right after doing the honorable thing, then proceeds to get shit on by less honorable people.  Very definately the hero.  His tattoo is below.  I may end up doing a variation on this in the future but not to this size.  Good work on finding this one Surf!!!

Tattoos

Well, I was on line looking for some interesting tattoo designs and came across this; too interesting not to post.  Now this is a guy with a sense of humor.

I thought we could have some fun coming up with my next tattoo.  Send entries to my e-mail.  I will be happy to post the winner.  Just poking around I have found some radical examples (see below).

Now, this is not what I am looking to do, all the same, too strange not to post.   I am probably going to go for something on the shoulder again.  Something has to compliment the bar code.

The number that keeps popping up.

New adventures on 2 wheels.

The weekend after I returned from the trip west I took a motorcycle training course which lasted two and a half days.  This was a beginner course and taught me all the basics of riding.  I did say basics.  The one thing I walked away with from the course is that you have to be hyper aware at all times.  In fact it left me wondering how anyone could enjoy the ride if they had to concentrate on all these riding factors perpetually.

Not being swayed I calculate that although you do have to be much more aware than when in a car, many of these factors must become second nature over time.  Practice along with a positive, safe attitude will go a long way to making the ride an enjoyable event.

I have been looking for a bike since I got my motorcycle license (automatic endorsement from the DMV upon completing the state approved course).  As big as I am it was not easy finding a bike I was comfortable on that allowed for comfortable use of the foot controls.  In the end I did find one and the price is amazing.  The picture above is the bike I plan to get next week.  It is a 2009 Yamaha V-Star 1300 in pearl white.  here is still a lot of practice to be done but I think I will have fun doing it.

AAnother little tid-bit.

Just before the parents picked me up they reported that western Texas had a new speed limit.  Thoughts?

Back home - I had to do it.

Well, this was just too cool not to do.  I am coming to you live from the C&J Trailways bus.  This is the bus that I take when I need to go from Dover/Portsmouth to Boston Logan airport.  Taking the bus savews an enormous amount of money in parking.  A round-trip on the bus costs about $42 as opposed to the $24 per DAY you would spend parking at Logan.

I had seen that the bus offers free wi-fi but I had never tried it until now.  As this blog is partially about blogging from strange and interesting locations, what better way to begin a blogging tour than to do so from the bus its self.  Very cool!

Goodnight Seattle!

Well folks, it's the end of the road.  Tonight I am coming to you live from SEA-TAC airport, terminal S (free WI-FI by the way - sweet!).

It has been fun.  I have managed to see some of the best areas the western US has to offer; and, of course, at break-neck speed.  The journey started in a desert and ended in a patch of fog.  I squeezed off just a shade over 2000 pictures; a best of CD will be coming soon to those who want one.  It was great to see the parents again and we made the journey without any serious injury (incidental or to each other).

The remaining question is...what's next?  Feel free to post suggestions; all ideas are good ones and nothing is taboo.

I hope everyone following the blog enjoyed the journey as much as I did.  Let me know what you thought.

Though this journey is over I will attempt to keep up the blog by posting from new and interesting sites.  See you there.

Day 10 & 11 - Glacier N.P.

Nearly 3000 feet straight down and only one mistake away from the bottom of Glacier National Park.  This is the going to the sun highway which was fun but a little nerve-racking.  The ride was beautiful but the light was not the best for picture-taking.  We did see a bear inside the park yesterday (see recent picture at the top of the blog).

Day 8 & 9 - Grand Teton & Yellowstone

Well, the weather was great this morning leaving Grand Teton but it rained when we hit Yellowstone.  We did get to see Old Faithful erupt but several roads were under construction and we did not get to see any other areas.  We did see many bison and elk.  I ate elk night before last; not bad.  I crossed over the border into Montana this evening thus completing my mission to visit all 50 states.  Tomorrow we are off to Glacier NP.

Day 7 - Salt Lake City.

Today we took it easy.  We began our trek to the north and will stay over in Salt Lake City.  We checked into the hotel early and took a walk around town.  Our hotel is right on Temple Square downtown.  The architecture is astounding inside Temple Square.  The rest of Salt Lake City is equally nice and...clean!

On our way in, on the approach to Provo, we saw a huge windmill farm.  It is nice to see clean energy at work.

Day 6 - Arches National Park

Great fun today!  This park was amazing!!!  Each arch required some level of hiking to get to it.  This worked out well considering the amount of time we have spent in the car.  We spent so much time in Arches N.P. that we did not get a chance to go into Canyon-lands N.P.  I highly recommend this site to anyone who has some time in the area.

Day 5 - Bryce Canyon & Natural Bridges

Well, I will not drone on about how beautiful the parks are, this goes without saying.  I will say that the formations of all these rocks are simply amazing.  Further, you can go from red rock in Hoodoo formation to wavy white sandstone in just a few miles.  There was a stretch of rocks just east of Capitol Reef  that had formations I had never seen before, even in picture-books; formations that looked like aliens had left behind some ruins (see FB pictures).  We saw wild turkeys today along with antelope and deer.  We finished the day in Natural Bridges NP.  This small park featured 3 natural bridges all in close proximity.  I did take a small hike down to get a better shot of the one above.

We had tio drive through the mountains today.  We passed through a 2.5 mile stretch of road known as "Hell's Backbone".  Try to imagine a road, on top of a mountain with a shear drop off on either side for  2.5 miles at 9600 feet.  Well, this sucked!  I am not much afraid of heights but I have to admit this one had me a little tense.  Much of the car ride today did consist of winding, high altitude mountain driving with up to 10 degree grades.  Fun!

Day 4 - Zion National Park

With Las Vegas a distant memory we made tracks for lower Utah and Zion National Park.  We had to trek up winding mountain roads with few guardrails.  Beautiful scenery goes without saying.  We drove through a series of tunnels.  Each area of the park was as beautiful as the last with colorful flowing rock formations.  This breaks out onto a plateau at an elevation of 7770 feet.  We photographed bison grazing in a field to the south.

Day 3 - Hoover Dam / Las Vegas

We crossed the Hoover dam today.  The bridge is almost complete.  When it is there will be no traffic allowed on the dam.  It is kind of cool witnessing history; being amongst the last to drive across the Hoover Dam.  We walked across the dam taking pictures in 108 degree heat

By the time we made Las Vegas it had hit 111 degrees (but it is a dry heat).  Dad and I took the monorail up to the north end to see the Stratosphere.  Atop the 109 floor structure there are several things you can engage in.  One is a free-fall while attached to a cable harness (I saw this with my own eyes and am proud enough to tell the story having taken no part in it).  Another is an amusement ride that effectively holds you over the edge of the building and spins you face down (shown above).  Fun watching what this does to people.

Day 2 - Grand Canyon National Park

We arrived mid day and got to see a good part of the park.  Pictures really do not do it justice.  I had a chance to hike down Bright Angel Trail.  I did not hike down the entire 7 miles you understand, but far enough to get some good pictures from inside the canyon.  All kinds of good scenery.  I will post some more pictures on FB.

Day 1 - End Report.

Well, at the end of day one I have been awake for 22 hours and have had a lot of fun.  I met up with the parents right on the money.  After 2100 miles of travel they were pulling into the Albuquerque airport loop just as I was walking out of Baggage claim.  We ate lunch then hit the road driving through towns like Gallup, Shiprock then landing at the 4-corners.  Although we are in the middle of a desert the scenery is absolutely beautiful.  Tonight we will spend in Kayenta, Arazona located on the Navajo Reservation.

We sampled the local cuisine and are ready to crash hard.  I am too tired to be funny.  I can't even come up with a crack about the local cuisine.

Off to the Grand Canyon tomorrow and some real good pictures.

And we're off...

Here we have a pre-post to tomorrows departure from Boston's Logan Airport.  The pre-post is due to the fact that I have a scheduled departure of 6:05am which requires me to catch the 3am bus out of Portsmouth, NH.  The 4am bus would cut it a little too close.

That is right, Maurice, I have to wake up at 2am and bolt!  Can you just smell the insanity from where you are?  Would Maurice ever do such a thing?  What would Maurice do?

So, A short stay in Dallas and I am off to State number 48.  For those of you who don't know I officially lost the 50 state sprint to both my mother and to Portland Mike.  Congratulations to both of you by the way, but I have one question; did either of you do it under the age of 40?  I shouldn't jinx myself, I will not have made my 50th state for another week.  49 being Idaho and 50 being Montana (gonna be a dental floss tycoon).

This is going to be a fast paced, high impact infusion of beauty and culture.  We are going to see some of the most beautiful landscapes that the US has to offer; and we are going to do it at break-neck speed.  My mission, to take as many pictures as possible and bring the adventure home to all of you by way of the digital super-highway.  And, oh ya, I will get to spend some quality time with my parents...in the car.....for hours and hours.  Is that the smell of insanity again.  :)

Anyway, lots of fun ahead; hopefully for everyone.  See you in New Mexico.

Free Wi-Fi

Kickin' back with a decaf coffee and blogging tonight from the Barns &Noble in Newington, New Hampshire.  I thought I would try getting used to the traveling blog thing.  I have to say the scenery is much better than at my apartment.  I do not know why I didn't think of this before.  Getting back from the trip west I will have to make it a point to find a new Wi-Fi spot to report from at least once a week.  It is not that hard to find a hot spot, just hard to find an interesting one.  I see several trips to Boston in my future.

I  may have to keep the air-card going or at least find out how much it is for a two year contract.  Imagine a live report from the whale watching boats..although late May is the best time to watch them, when mating occurs.  It will take some thought and creativity.  I am sure Mike could come up with some interesting blog spots out west.  he just reported hiking the falls just east of Portland last night.

You snooze, you loose.

Well, I managed to procrastinate my way into missing the Boston/Portsmouth air show this weekend.  The web site says that there are tickets available but when you go the area that says buy tickets, you find that you can only buy them at "the door" Saturday and Sunday.  Looking further there is an indication that the door tickets are sold out though it does not say that exactly in that way.  In any event, I am going down anyway to see if I can get in.  It has happened the last couple years but it would be a shame if they stopped doing it.

A first time for everything.

Well, I just watched Blazing Saddles for the first time, start to finish.  Mel Brooks defiantly has a unique sense of humor.  Although crude in today's world, it is nice to see that artistic creativity was not stifled by political situations at the time.  I do believe this is, or at one time, was my Bro's favorite movie.  Sorry it took so long to see Bro (start to finish); we had watched it several times in the past but always while doing other things.  Ah, it brings me back to the old times, Bro.  Playing Zelda, screwing around on the computer, playing Aggravation, throwing wax on our friends....easier times.  Funny movie Bro!

Western Adventure

Well, only one week until my trip out west.  I will meet my parents in Albuquerque and we will have a terific western adventure.  This will span the Grand Canyon, Las Vegas, Bryce Canyon, Salt Lake City, Grand Teaton, Yellowstone, Glacier National Park and Seattle.  It is my plan to keep up with the blog while I am away.  I will post some interesting pictures along the way.  It is also my plan to post some pictures on Facebook as that seems a better medium for photo album's. 

If anyone needs anything while I am out west be sure and let me know.

Hollywood Genius or Prostitution

Well, while I wait for my vacation and get ready to upload pictures from my trip I thought I would pay my bro homage and post a small rant.

While Avatar was a very impressive movie I have to say that I am a little disappointed in Hollywood or James Cameron or whoever had the idea to re-release the movie less than a year after the original release with a whopping 8 minutes of extra coverage.  To me this seems like they deliberately left 8 minutes out of the original so they could re-release it and get everyone back in the theaters for 9 bucks a ticket for a second time.

I can't say I blame them.  If the cattle will pay again to see it, then buy the blu-ray a second time, then good for them.

I don't know if I should laugh or cry watching the exploitation of the human nature.  It is just a shame that Hollywood would stoop so low to shake the change out of the pockets of the people who are already paying a ridiculous price for movie tickets and DVD's.