Friday....morning of the last day
Well....here we are. Almost 7 weeks later. Wow. I don't want to write this right now...I'm sitting at Tim Hortons....had a long drive yesterday...nothing eventful...big head winds thru the prairies wishing the deli was either more aerodynamic or had more power....watched alot of Boston Legal, and arrived at Morgans after 12.
We stayed up till after 3 bs'ing and such...might of had a few captain and cokes :)....hemi slept with me on the couch...love that dog! And here I am. Last day.
What I don't want to write right now is my thoughts/re-cap of the trip....people, experiences, the good and the bad.
I can feel a bunch of emotion welling up just thinking about how grand this trek was.
It has changed me for the better hopefully. The man I was when I started this trip to where I am now...2 different people.....I said I was not going to write this and here I am writing it lol!
Well I'm going to gold off and go say hi to nana, then drop in at GSH and drop off a resume...then Kelowna bound....700km ish and it's done.
Wow.
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Amarillo by morning....Wednesday
What a great song...food ol George Straight. I've noticed that alot of country songs about the rodeo...the life described is very similar to that of aviation....I mean you have to replace a few words here and there...but it fits...having nothing...having it...the dream, cost you everything, girlfriends, family, health...long days...I love country music...I expect to catch a bunch of flack for that statement!
So G'day....I'm in Thunder Bay....it was funny, I dropped off a resume at a place called Wiskair....they have a tv there showing pics....and what do I see on there is some pics of Chinooks 206 GNC...turns out one of the low time drivers did his training there..so the gal that showed me around actually knew some of the same people I did...small world. We looked around the hangar and an engineer there.....we shook hands and he says...you look familiar....lol so we said where we worked and figured it was prob back in the Manitoba days...and he knew some of the same people I did....super small world.
So recap of the last few days. The last post was written monday before I met up with Joel. So I met up with him and his gf...we went for a drive around his neck of the woods, got some beverages for the night and went back to his place and made dinner. We had dinner, took the dog for a walk, drank and bs'd and watched a recorded UFC and crashed out. It was great to see him again...it's been a while.
I wanted to get up at 6 and get on the road...but the hangover had other ideas. We got up round 7, Joel made a yummy breaky and I was on the road for 8ish bound for Thunder Bay.
The weather round that area...Port Sydney was cold and snowy so the driving was not great. The Deli performed great as usual. The further north I went the better the weather got...there was a few kinda melty spots but once I hit Sudbury it was clear till later on in the evening.
I made a stop in Salut St Marie to drop off a res and have a meet and greet. It was with Ont Ministry of Natural Resources...nice guy...we had a great chat...talked about how it works with them...he gave me the number of a guy in Wawa...so I gave him a call and later on when I passed Wawa, I found the hangar and dropped off the res in a truck that was left open for me!
Went thru some windy and snowy sections after the but nothing to crazy. I made it to a town called Terrace Bay...it was 1200 by this time, I had been on the move for 16 hrs...with 230km to go...I was done. So I looked for a place to plug in to no avail, so I let the van run all night. It was -14 with the wind chill it was -21...if I shut the van down no way it was starting in the morning. So I shut off everything, hoped in the back and had a great warm sleep!
Woke up this morning and started up to here.....Thunder Bay.
So I grabbed a coffee...I don't need any food...I've still got tons left from what Uncle Geoff and Nicoletta loaded me up with in TO.
So the plan is right now, Winnipeg area tonight...like 8 hrs...nothing crazy...dump out 3 resumes tomorrow then make tracks for Calgary on Thursday. Friday morning sump out 2 more then Kelowna bound. These are realistic goals. I should be home Friday night. Then leave prob Monday for Calgary to hang with Morgan for a day, then zoo lights, the xmas extravaganza, then my Bday, then home to White Rock.
Ok....well that about covers it for now.....to recap, I love country music, the helicopter world is a small one and I've got lots of km's left but I'll be in my own bed Friday night :)
Cheers everyone.
What a great song...food ol George Straight. I've noticed that alot of country songs about the rodeo...the life described is very similar to that of aviation....I mean you have to replace a few words here and there...but it fits...having nothing...having it...the dream, cost you everything, girlfriends, family, health...long days...I love country music...I expect to catch a bunch of flack for that statement!
So G'day....I'm in Thunder Bay....it was funny, I dropped off a resume at a place called Wiskair....they have a tv there showing pics....and what do I see on there is some pics of Chinooks 206 GNC...turns out one of the low time drivers did his training there..so the gal that showed me around actually knew some of the same people I did...small world. We looked around the hangar and an engineer there.....we shook hands and he says...you look familiar....lol so we said where we worked and figured it was prob back in the Manitoba days...and he knew some of the same people I did....super small world.
So recap of the last few days. The last post was written monday before I met up with Joel. So I met up with him and his gf...we went for a drive around his neck of the woods, got some beverages for the night and went back to his place and made dinner. We had dinner, took the dog for a walk, drank and bs'd and watched a recorded UFC and crashed out. It was great to see him again...it's been a while.
I wanted to get up at 6 and get on the road...but the hangover had other ideas. We got up round 7, Joel made a yummy breaky and I was on the road for 8ish bound for Thunder Bay.
The weather round that area...Port Sydney was cold and snowy so the driving was not great. The Deli performed great as usual. The further north I went the better the weather got...there was a few kinda melty spots but once I hit Sudbury it was clear till later on in the evening.
I made a stop in Salut St Marie to drop off a res and have a meet and greet. It was with Ont Ministry of Natural Resources...nice guy...we had a great chat...talked about how it works with them...he gave me the number of a guy in Wawa...so I gave him a call and later on when I passed Wawa, I found the hangar and dropped off the res in a truck that was left open for me!
Went thru some windy and snowy sections after the but nothing to crazy. I made it to a town called Terrace Bay...it was 1200 by this time, I had been on the move for 16 hrs...with 230km to go...I was done. So I looked for a place to plug in to no avail, so I let the van run all night. It was -14 with the wind chill it was -21...if I shut the van down no way it was starting in the morning. So I shut off everything, hoped in the back and had a great warm sleep!
Woke up this morning and started up to here.....Thunder Bay.
So I grabbed a coffee...I don't need any food...I've still got tons left from what Uncle Geoff and Nicoletta loaded me up with in TO.
So the plan is right now, Winnipeg area tonight...like 8 hrs...nothing crazy...dump out 3 resumes tomorrow then make tracks for Calgary on Thursday. Friday morning sump out 2 more then Kelowna bound. These are realistic goals. I should be home Friday night. Then leave prob Monday for Calgary to hang with Morgan for a day, then zoo lights, the xmas extravaganza, then my Bday, then home to White Rock.
Ok....well that about covers it for now.....to recap, I love country music, the helicopter world is a small one and I've got lots of km's left but I'll be in my own bed Friday night :)
Cheers everyone.
Monday beginning of the last week
Well....once again I don't know when this will get up bit here is the fri, sat, Sunday update.
From my last post I was in the mall....more or less just wandered around Montreal till I met up with Steph later that night. We went to the Engineer pub....well it was a basement in a building in McGill! It was a great time! A bunch of first and second year kids, randomness, guys missing shirts, some drinking games, lab coats.....and 1.50$ Mooseheads!!!!! I had a few of those!
I met a couple of Steph's friends...one dude...I can't remember his name....but a cool dude!he ended up having with us the rest of the night....and he was impressed at the rate I consumed cheap beer!
We hung there for a bit then move back to the dorm, running half cut thru the cold Montreal streets trying not to get hit by cars! There was a floor Christmas party...well we get there and it was kinda quiet....prob about 10 people there just sitting and bs'ing....was actually kinda fun.
Then all of a sudden it was late....time for Pita pit! It's the go to place out there....because it's the only place that's open! We all hammered down some tasty late night fare and went back to the room and proceeded to crash out. I got up @ 6ish and was on the go by 630.....thank you Steph for letting me crash there....it was a great time!
so now it's Saturday and I'm on my way to Ottawa to check it out. From what some people have told me there is not much There except parliament....not so much...it's a beautiful town that I wish I would have budgeted more time for. I did randomly find the aviation museum and went for a looksee. Not quite the Smithsonian but refreshingly Canadian. I saw a some Canadian aviation history. I saw the first beaver....and what remains of the AVRO Arrow.....sad...I got the story of the nose section that survived total demolition. It was 'borrowed' by a teacher for metallurgic research....because at the time this was the most advanced aircraft ever with some exotic materials....so he borrowed it...and never returned it to the scrap yard. In the pictures you can see where it had been blow torched off of the rest of the plane....with a sharpie marker line that says....cut here. Sad.
I also took a tour of their storage/display/restoration hangar...had some neat stuff there. The guy who took us on the tour had great historical knowledge, but lacked technical knowledge. So him and the group asked some questions that I had long answers for lol! He said the museum could use a person with my knowledge base working there lol!
So after that off to the parliament buildings......at this point in the trip I'm giving priority and time to family and friends...parliament and Niagara falls will still be there for my next trip....so I drove by took some pics...very beautiful place....felt very Canadian at that point.
Inbound to Toronto, well Pickering to see my Uncle Geoff and his family whom I have not seen in 4+ years. His 2 sons were there for the weekend so my timing was great!
Alot has changed in that time, Sebastian and Liam have grown tremendously and turned into cool little dudes. And his little girl Bella....wow....she's 4 going on 14! She is just hilarious...a little personality that is full of life and energy. Wow! They are going to have problems with here later on! Lol!
So being the cousin they never see I was the object of alot of attention! Love it, we played Halo, NHL 2K8...we built forts, I drank wine when I had the chance, was a great night. After the kiddie went night I got to hang out with Geoff and Nicoletta abit until we fell asleep lol!
Sunday morning brought a typical wake up with Sebastian and Liam attacking me in my sleep! Lol! So I proceeded to get up and continue the beatings from the night previous! Lol!!! They loved that I could chuck them around! It was a pile of fun! Nicoletta and Geoff made a great breaky that evaporated quickly! Then Sebastian and I went ousted to play some street hockey...great times! Liam joined us later....then the snow started to fall.....and kept falling! Then all of us were playin hockey in a blizzard! Geoff had Bella on his team...she was not a god team mate....she would take a shot and then try to catch snow flakes on her tongue!
After that......we went to the back years to make a snow slide off the deck....we moved alot snow to make this! It went from the top of the deck down the stairs....and after it was packed down...it work not bad! No one took any mega spills on the plastic snowboard! Bella even went down on a sled! Then dinner, more video games and then the boys had to go back to their moms house...so we said good by....I'm gonna miss them.
Bella shows me her moated collection of Cars stuff....the movie Cars....wow...then it was story time for her and Nicoletta so Geoff and I went and sat downstairs and had a good chat...a long overdue chat. It was great to reconnect with him.
We all moved downstairs to watch some tv before bed...and we all fell asleep....3 kids will do that to ya lol!
Now it's Monday morning...shower, chuck everything in my suit case....Nicoletta makes me breaky and they give me a box, 2 soft coolers, and a ziploc bag of road food! Wow.....I'm not going to need to stop for food at all!
I'd like to thank Geoff and Nicoletta for everything. It was great to see everyone again...I just wish I ha more time...and I will make more time in the future. It was truly amazing to be out there and see you guys....thank you for everything.
So next stop is a friend of mine in Muskoka then the long....cold trek home....I have grossly underestimated the size of Ontario tho....there are some long cold days ahead...I'll be lucky to hit Kelowna by Friday...Saturday morning is prob more realistic.
Well that's the update for now. I have to pee...so I'm gonna go do that!
G'day everyone.
Well....once again I don't know when this will get up bit here is the fri, sat, Sunday update.
From my last post I was in the mall....more or less just wandered around Montreal till I met up with Steph later that night. We went to the Engineer pub....well it was a basement in a building in McGill! It was a great time! A bunch of first and second year kids, randomness, guys missing shirts, some drinking games, lab coats.....and 1.50$ Mooseheads!!!!! I had a few of those!
I met a couple of Steph's friends...one dude...I can't remember his name....but a cool dude!he ended up having with us the rest of the night....and he was impressed at the rate I consumed cheap beer!
We hung there for a bit then move back to the dorm, running half cut thru the cold Montreal streets trying not to get hit by cars! There was a floor Christmas party...well we get there and it was kinda quiet....prob about 10 people there just sitting and bs'ing....was actually kinda fun.
Then all of a sudden it was late....time for Pita pit! It's the go to place out there....because it's the only place that's open! We all hammered down some tasty late night fare and went back to the room and proceeded to crash out. I got up @ 6ish and was on the go by 630.....thank you Steph for letting me crash there....it was a great time!
so now it's Saturday and I'm on my way to Ottawa to check it out. From what some people have told me there is not much There except parliament....not so much...it's a beautiful town that I wish I would have budgeted more time for. I did randomly find the aviation museum and went for a looksee. Not quite the Smithsonian but refreshingly Canadian. I saw a some Canadian aviation history. I saw the first beaver....and what remains of the AVRO Arrow.....sad...I got the story of the nose section that survived total demolition. It was 'borrowed' by a teacher for metallurgic research....because at the time this was the most advanced aircraft ever with some exotic materials....so he borrowed it...and never returned it to the scrap yard. In the pictures you can see where it had been blow torched off of the rest of the plane....with a sharpie marker line that says....cut here. Sad.
I also took a tour of their storage/display/restoration hangar...had some neat stuff there. The guy who took us on the tour had great historical knowledge, but lacked technical knowledge. So him and the group asked some questions that I had long answers for lol! He said the museum could use a person with my knowledge base working there lol!
So after that off to the parliament buildings......at this point in the trip I'm giving priority and time to family and friends...parliament and Niagara falls will still be there for my next trip....so I drove by took some pics...very beautiful place....felt very Canadian at that point.
Inbound to Toronto, well Pickering to see my Uncle Geoff and his family whom I have not seen in 4+ years. His 2 sons were there for the weekend so my timing was great!
Alot has changed in that time, Sebastian and Liam have grown tremendously and turned into cool little dudes. And his little girl Bella....wow....she's 4 going on 14! She is just hilarious...a little personality that is full of life and energy. Wow! They are going to have problems with here later on! Lol!
So being the cousin they never see I was the object of alot of attention! Love it, we played Halo, NHL 2K8...we built forts, I drank wine when I had the chance, was a great night. After the kiddie went night I got to hang out with Geoff and Nicoletta abit until we fell asleep lol!
Sunday morning brought a typical wake up with Sebastian and Liam attacking me in my sleep! Lol! So I proceeded to get up and continue the beatings from the night previous! Lol!!! They loved that I could chuck them around! It was a pile of fun! Nicoletta and Geoff made a great breaky that evaporated quickly! Then Sebastian and I went ousted to play some street hockey...great times! Liam joined us later....then the snow started to fall.....and kept falling! Then all of us were playin hockey in a blizzard! Geoff had Bella on his team...she was not a god team mate....she would take a shot and then try to catch snow flakes on her tongue!
After that......we went to the back years to make a snow slide off the deck....we moved alot snow to make this! It went from the top of the deck down the stairs....and after it was packed down...it work not bad! No one took any mega spills on the plastic snowboard! Bella even went down on a sled! Then dinner, more video games and then the boys had to go back to their moms house...so we said good by....I'm gonna miss them.
Bella shows me her moated collection of Cars stuff....the movie Cars....wow...then it was story time for her and Nicoletta so Geoff and I went and sat downstairs and had a good chat...a long overdue chat. It was great to reconnect with him.
We all moved downstairs to watch some tv before bed...and we all fell asleep....3 kids will do that to ya lol!
Now it's Monday morning...shower, chuck everything in my suit case....Nicoletta makes me breaky and they give me a box, 2 soft coolers, and a ziploc bag of road food! Wow.....I'm not going to need to stop for food at all!
I'd like to thank Geoff and Nicoletta for everything. It was great to see everyone again...I just wish I ha more time...and I will make more time in the future. It was truly amazing to be out there and see you guys....thank you for everything.
So next stop is a friend of mine in Muskoka then the long....cold trek home....I have grossly underestimated the size of Ontario tho....there are some long cold days ahead...I'll be lucky to hit Kelowna by Friday...Saturday morning is prob more realistic.
Well that's the update for now. I have to pee...so I'm gonna go do that!
G'day everyone.
Friday, December 3, 2010
Friday from the food court
Ok....quick update.
I'm calmed down from my angry post yesterday....a good skate was what I needed. Steph and I had a great skate and some food chats. There was a gal out on the ice who was a figure skater...and good...wow. It's crazy to see someone do all that stuff up close...lots of skill for sure!
Then we went back to the dorm, dropped off our skates and headed for the beer store. We stopped at good ol dollarama and I got some decorations for the van and a few other things....beer and back home. I had a few, Steph had a snooze and then I left to go wonder St Catherine's street. Found a brew house...had a beer and a burger...yummy...took some pics...talked to Jay for well over an hour witch was nice...and then...ya...didn't get back till 130.....now at the dorm there are turn styles...and someone watching the entrance. When I came here I had to give a piece of ID for them to keep while I'm here....I go to try to get in lastnight...and the guy is like...you can't come in without your host coming to get you. Shit. I said, my ID is on file, she is sleeping Cus she has class in the morning, my phone is dead...what do you want me to do...and he just looked at me and shrugged his shoulders....what a dick. So.....I ended up sleeping on a couch in the lobby till Steph came down in the morning. Not the best sleep to say the least.
So we had breaky, the girl went off to class and I went up to the room to have a power nap....but first I in-clogged the tub....I think I got out 4 or 5 Bobby pins, at least 3 plastic razor guards and a large pile of hair....ya....yummy...but it works like a hot dam now!
So here I am in the food court of some mall in dt Montreal...stress level elevated...my trackball is broken on my phone...I pay 7$ a month for a plan where if my phone breaks, I get a new one...but...they mail it to me. I thought that I could go to any bell store and they could just give me a new one...but nope. So I'm fucked for now. I can still make calls but I can't check any of my emails txt or bbm msgs. Sigh...
So I'm going to put on some calming music again, go and check out old Montreal and relax....try and de stress....I'm starting to really worry bout money :(
Anyways...cheers everyone....I'm off to the capital of Canada tomorrow and Toronto tomorrow night.
Greg outp
Ok....quick update.
I'm calmed down from my angry post yesterday....a good skate was what I needed. Steph and I had a great skate and some food chats. There was a gal out on the ice who was a figure skater...and good...wow. It's crazy to see someone do all that stuff up close...lots of skill for sure!
Then we went back to the dorm, dropped off our skates and headed for the beer store. We stopped at good ol dollarama and I got some decorations for the van and a few other things....beer and back home. I had a few, Steph had a snooze and then I left to go wonder St Catherine's street. Found a brew house...had a beer and a burger...yummy...took some pics...talked to Jay for well over an hour witch was nice...and then...ya...didn't get back till 130.....now at the dorm there are turn styles...and someone watching the entrance. When I came here I had to give a piece of ID for them to keep while I'm here....I go to try to get in lastnight...and the guy is like...you can't come in without your host coming to get you. Shit. I said, my ID is on file, she is sleeping Cus she has class in the morning, my phone is dead...what do you want me to do...and he just looked at me and shrugged his shoulders....what a dick. So.....I ended up sleeping on a couch in the lobby till Steph came down in the morning. Not the best sleep to say the least.
So we had breaky, the girl went off to class and I went up to the room to have a power nap....but first I in-clogged the tub....I think I got out 4 or 5 Bobby pins, at least 3 plastic razor guards and a large pile of hair....ya....yummy...but it works like a hot dam now!
So here I am in the food court of some mall in dt Montreal...stress level elevated...my trackball is broken on my phone...I pay 7$ a month for a plan where if my phone breaks, I get a new one...but...they mail it to me. I thought that I could go to any bell store and they could just give me a new one...but nope. So I'm fucked for now. I can still make calls but I can't check any of my emails txt or bbm msgs. Sigh...
So I'm going to put on some calming music again, go and check out old Montreal and relax....try and de stress....I'm starting to really worry bout money :(
Anyways...cheers everyone....I'm off to the capital of Canada tomorrow and Toronto tomorrow night.
Greg outp
Thursday from Montreal
Greetings....I would post this quickly but getting my comp hooked up to the Internet is a challenging task here. Steph....who is good with comps tried last night to no avail....needless to say I don't have a clue!
So after my update in Quebec City yesterday I went and drove for abit and the rain kinda slowed down...so I parked plugged a meter and went for a rambling.
Very cool old city...lots of history as well. Neat old churches...tiny one way streets, lots of tiny bistros, shops, and people that smoke....lots of people smoke out here wow. So I'm just looking at stuff, taking pics...windy as all hell...then the rain starts again...great. I've got my hoodie on...so now wet and cold. But whatever....so I keep looking at stuff...I'm already cold and wet! More neat stuff, then I go into a coffee house, have an espresso and a croissant. Back to the van...was gonna go up the St. Lawrence abit....but by this time is was getting dark and still pissing rain. So I make the call and head for Montreal.
Got here and met up with Steph...found a place to park the van for the night...then off we...Stephe room mate as well...go to het some quick tai food. More or less just bs'd for the night...had a skype chat with auntie Sue...thats a neat thing skype...I'll have to get that working on my comp. Then we crashed out.
Her rez is in an old hotel so she gave up her bed for me and is sleeping in Olivia's bed....thanks Steph :) before I go I need to fix the drain in the tub.....2 girls with long hair and lots of girl products = clogged drain!
So go to move the van this morning to find a spot for it to sleep for a few days and there is a ticket on it. Fuck. Great....go and look at it and it's a ticket for being stopped in a place that I supposedly am not allowed to. Ok....look around...where are the signs...there is one but the arrow on it is pointing the other direction...ok...any time limits...nope...ok...make a call to the parking people and bitch. I want someone to come out and tell me why I have a ticket. Nope...that's not happening...so I took some pics and will mail them in with my notice of dispute. Fuck them....wow that put me in a foul mood. I almost wish it was a parking ticket or something that I was at fault for...Cus then hey...I fucked up, I pay. Done. But in this case, I'm not at fault...there was no signage. So...this is what will most likely happen....I will dispute this....mail it in with pics and such...and they will come up with some bs and I will still have to pay....85$ anyway... That's a good chunk of the running jacket I want......I feel like im going to push my thumbs thru my iPhone right now.
Anyway...found a place to park the van till sat am 20$ for 2 days....cheap for parking downtown.
Fuck me I'm spooled up right now......wooosaaaaa.....wooosaaaaa
I feel my stress level going up right now....and I shouldn't be. I'm in Montreal, the sun is now shining, Steph and I are going for lunch and then a skate...should be a nice day...but all I feel right now is rage. Rage against the parking guy, my fitness level, stuff....I know it's all aggravated by the ticket and that I haven't worked out in forever...I'll put on some calming music...
Ok....nothing I can do about it. I will fight it. And when I'm back in one place for more than a day or two, I will start to run and work out again.....I actually feel sick thinking about my fitness level right now. I had grand plans to run and workout every day but soon learned that that was not a practical idea. I have to look at it like....the net gain of the trip for me was worth the loss of the fitness. I can get it back...I will get it back....the trip was worth it...and necessary.
But anyway.....ok....I'm done venting now. Sorry for that.
Steph and I are going for that lunch and skate I mentioned before I went off on an angry tangent....should be fun!
Ok....everyone have a good day, I miss all :)
Greetings....I would post this quickly but getting my comp hooked up to the Internet is a challenging task here. Steph....who is good with comps tried last night to no avail....needless to say I don't have a clue!
So after my update in Quebec City yesterday I went and drove for abit and the rain kinda slowed down...so I parked plugged a meter and went for a rambling.
Very cool old city...lots of history as well. Neat old churches...tiny one way streets, lots of tiny bistros, shops, and people that smoke....lots of people smoke out here wow. So I'm just looking at stuff, taking pics...windy as all hell...then the rain starts again...great. I've got my hoodie on...so now wet and cold. But whatever....so I keep looking at stuff...I'm already cold and wet! More neat stuff, then I go into a coffee house, have an espresso and a croissant. Back to the van...was gonna go up the St. Lawrence abit....but by this time is was getting dark and still pissing rain. So I make the call and head for Montreal.
Got here and met up with Steph...found a place to park the van for the night...then off we...Stephe room mate as well...go to het some quick tai food. More or less just bs'd for the night...had a skype chat with auntie Sue...thats a neat thing skype...I'll have to get that working on my comp. Then we crashed out.
Her rez is in an old hotel so she gave up her bed for me and is sleeping in Olivia's bed....thanks Steph :) before I go I need to fix the drain in the tub.....2 girls with long hair and lots of girl products = clogged drain!
So go to move the van this morning to find a spot for it to sleep for a few days and there is a ticket on it. Fuck. Great....go and look at it and it's a ticket for being stopped in a place that I supposedly am not allowed to. Ok....look around...where are the signs...there is one but the arrow on it is pointing the other direction...ok...any time limits...nope...ok...make a call to the parking people and bitch. I want someone to come out and tell me why I have a ticket. Nope...that's not happening...so I took some pics and will mail them in with my notice of dispute. Fuck them....wow that put me in a foul mood. I almost wish it was a parking ticket or something that I was at fault for...Cus then hey...I fucked up, I pay. Done. But in this case, I'm not at fault...there was no signage. So...this is what will most likely happen....I will dispute this....mail it in with pics and such...and they will come up with some bs and I will still have to pay....85$ anyway... That's a good chunk of the running jacket I want......I feel like im going to push my thumbs thru my iPhone right now.
Anyway...found a place to park the van till sat am 20$ for 2 days....cheap for parking downtown.
Fuck me I'm spooled up right now......wooosaaaaa.....wooosaaaaa
I feel my stress level going up right now....and I shouldn't be. I'm in Montreal, the sun is now shining, Steph and I are going for lunch and then a skate...should be a nice day...but all I feel right now is rage. Rage against the parking guy, my fitness level, stuff....I know it's all aggravated by the ticket and that I haven't worked out in forever...I'll put on some calming music...
Ok....nothing I can do about it. I will fight it. And when I'm back in one place for more than a day or two, I will start to run and work out again.....I actually feel sick thinking about my fitness level right now. I had grand plans to run and workout every day but soon learned that that was not a practical idea. I have to look at it like....the net gain of the trip for me was worth the loss of the fitness. I can get it back...I will get it back....the trip was worth it...and necessary.
But anyway.....ok....I'm done venting now. Sorry for that.
Steph and I are going for that lunch and skate I mentioned before I went off on an angry tangent....should be fun!
Ok....everyone have a good day, I miss all :)
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Wed morning......from Quebec City.
Well made it here from PEI...think it was around 950km yesterday.....uneventful drive....other than the rain coming into the city. Navigating around a french city at night in the rain...even with a gps sucks!
I made a stop in Fredericton and tried to get new wiper arms at Can tire...but to no avail...so i lubed them up in the hopes that they will work better...i also got a set of those wing thingys...they work not too bad...
no real stories over the last couple days....just been reflective mostly. Thinking bout the end of the trip, the holiday season, friends and family.....stuff.....work as well.
dunno...not much to say right now.....in a bit of a weird mood right now....think the rain has bummed me out abit. I have been so fortunate with the weather this trip and now the driving cold rain makes it hard to go wonder the city.
Tomorrow im off to Montreal to hang out with Steph for a couple days and prob poison my liver abit.
Updating my pics on fb....ya.....thats all i got for now.
Miss everyone.
Cheers.
Well made it here from PEI...think it was around 950km yesterday.....uneventful drive....other than the rain coming into the city. Navigating around a french city at night in the rain...even with a gps sucks!
I made a stop in Fredericton and tried to get new wiper arms at Can tire...but to no avail...so i lubed them up in the hopes that they will work better...i also got a set of those wing thingys...they work not too bad...
no real stories over the last couple days....just been reflective mostly. Thinking bout the end of the trip, the holiday season, friends and family.....stuff.....work as well.
dunno...not much to say right now.....in a bit of a weird mood right now....think the rain has bummed me out abit. I have been so fortunate with the weather this trip and now the driving cold rain makes it hard to go wonder the city.
Tomorrow im off to Montreal to hang out with Steph for a couple days and prob poison my liver abit.
Updating my pics on fb....ya.....thats all i got for now.
Miss everyone.
Cheers.
Monday, November 29, 2010
Monday, beginning of week 5
Ok.....gday! So...I think I left off before the game last night...basically I sat in BP and watched the game...kind of a boring game with an equally boring half time show....capped off by a stupid decision by Durant to end the game. I was chatting on and off with the waiter bout the game and then the Sunday night NFL game. Then off to find a place to park for the night....looked for a place with plug in's...no dice...so I ended up in the Walmart parking lot...slept like shit.
Woke up to an overcast day, and had to make an emergency visit to the Walmart bathroom....got got situation taken care of...then went to wonder and saw some books...one by Kerry Fraiser...the best NHL ref ever...then this woman and her kid look at some books as well...then we started chatting, island life, Canadian politics, my trip, island dialect, finding one's self, and a bunch of other random stuff! Nice people!.....then got a double double, semi planned the route for the day.
I found the oldest lighthouse on the island, red beaches, dunes, tiny little communities, shitty little back roads....thank you Garmin...I made it to the north end of the island and took some nice pics then started the journey south. I was passing Sommerset but not thru according the gps...I'm like...hell no, made a turn and started down main street and saw a bunch of people lining the streets. I park and ask what's going on...Santa Claus parade! I go and put on my long johns and find a spot.....felt good to see a small town Canadian parade! Cold, snow, people and shitty 'floats' lol! It was great!
Made my way outta town and after a few missed turns...I'm not trusting the gps alot right now...I see a flow on the distance...looks like a fire...I'm thinking a slash fire or something...nope...structure fire....I pull up and park...and it's a shed or something...not as big as a house but bigger than a shed...it was half burnt when I got there. So I leave the van to go get some pics. No one really seemed to care so I just looked like was supposed to be there...this is the key. Anyways, I ask a firefighter what happened...he replied that it was a set burn to get rid of the structure Cus is was too expensive to demo. So they did some training on it and then torched it....good times! Got some pics....need a better cam lol! Headed for Charlottetown witch is where I sit now.
And the bar is closing so I must leave...that's the brief update...so I'm going to find a place to sleep tonight better than the walmart parking lot....tomorrow make tracks for Quebec City...bout 1000km...long day tomorrow.
So have a good one every one....Greg out.
Ok.....gday! So...I think I left off before the game last night...basically I sat in BP and watched the game...kind of a boring game with an equally boring half time show....capped off by a stupid decision by Durant to end the game. I was chatting on and off with the waiter bout the game and then the Sunday night NFL game. Then off to find a place to park for the night....looked for a place with plug in's...no dice...so I ended up in the Walmart parking lot...slept like shit.
Woke up to an overcast day, and had to make an emergency visit to the Walmart bathroom....got got situation taken care of...then went to wonder and saw some books...one by Kerry Fraiser...the best NHL ref ever...then this woman and her kid look at some books as well...then we started chatting, island life, Canadian politics, my trip, island dialect, finding one's self, and a bunch of other random stuff! Nice people!.....then got a double double, semi planned the route for the day.
I found the oldest lighthouse on the island, red beaches, dunes, tiny little communities, shitty little back roads....thank you Garmin...I made it to the north end of the island and took some nice pics then started the journey south. I was passing Sommerset but not thru according the gps...I'm like...hell no, made a turn and started down main street and saw a bunch of people lining the streets. I park and ask what's going on...Santa Claus parade! I go and put on my long johns and find a spot.....felt good to see a small town Canadian parade! Cold, snow, people and shitty 'floats' lol! It was great!
Made my way outta town and after a few missed turns...I'm not trusting the gps alot right now...I see a flow on the distance...looks like a fire...I'm thinking a slash fire or something...nope...structure fire....I pull up and park...and it's a shed or something...not as big as a house but bigger than a shed...it was half burnt when I got there. So I leave the van to go get some pics. No one really seemed to care so I just looked like was supposed to be there...this is the key. Anyways, I ask a firefighter what happened...he replied that it was a set burn to get rid of the structure Cus is was too expensive to demo. So they did some training on it and then torched it....good times! Got some pics....need a better cam lol! Headed for Charlottetown witch is where I sit now.
And the bar is closing so I must leave...that's the brief update...so I'm going to find a place to sleep tonight better than the walmart parking lot....tomorrow make tracks for Quebec City...bout 1000km...long day tomorrow.
So have a good one every one....Greg out.
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Grey cup Sunday
Ok...I'm not sure when this will get posted but anyway...last few days have seen alot of sights and alot of kms. I think I left off in a Starbucks in Halifax....
So I left there on my way to Cape Bretton and the Cabot trail. Bit of a rainy gloomy day...took the coastal route to the island...nice drive...NS reminds me of alot of places...in some spots Vancouver island...some Manitoba...it's a neat place! Once I hit the island I pulled over, cracked open a can of chicken....mmmm can of chicken....had a pee and continued down the road the remaining 200km to Sydney. Pull into town....quick cruise to see if there was anything going on.....ya...not much! Luckily enough I found a big mall with a future shop...so I got me another SD card....I've taken over 1100 pics so far...I've got some editing to do lol! And I want to make a slide show with some music....a MacBook pro would sure make that easy.....lol! Anyways....got some DVD's on sale and mall rat'ed it up for a bit...then hit up a BP's I saw on the was in. Had dinner, back into town found a place to crash...watched the end of Red October for the billionth time and crashed.
Woke up in the sun, grabbed a coffee, fueled up and of to the trail.
The first part of the trail gave the Delica suspension quite the work out...busted up shitty uneven roads...but this was for the most part short lived....they did improve nicely. So I came up to this ferry....should have been paying attn I guess! 5$....shit no cash...start ashtray mining and came up with the coin....this ferry was from start to finish.....half the distance or less of the Albion ferry....lots of stuff to see down the road...little towns, boats, piles of lobster traps and lots of old houses. Very cool...then I was coming around this corner and saw a beach with a waterfall...bust a righty.....park...time to go explore.
All this will make more sense once you see the pics...this beach had no sand...it was all rocks...and the sound was amazing! It was so different than a sand beach...think of throwing a big round river rock and it landing on a bunch of other round river rocks...that sound only with every wave, a deeper tone and thousands of them! Made my way to the waterfall and started up to it....fin little climb....had to actually think my way up there...climbing is fun! So I made it to the top.....oh....I took some pics before I went up....I did not have the tripod...but with a careful balancing act of a rock outcrop, another smaller rock to level the camera and the camera itself...you can make shot work lol!
So...at the top...wanted to make my way to the other side Cus I saw a outcrop at the top of the falls I wanted to sit on...after much surveying of the rocks across the stream...I made my way up to the bridge and went across...not as much fun but gets the job done. Traverse my way to where I wanted to be...relaxed for abit, took some pics and started my way back....keeping in mind how not fun it was to use the bridge...I found a way across....looked at it...was gonna be a bit of a sketchy landing...plan B...looked better...bit longer of a jump but more landing options! 1...2...3...well not exactly like that! But I made the jump...but misjudged how far I can actually jump and came up short...a little wet no biggie! More fun than the bridge!
Next stop was Meat Cove....lol! S few pic stops along the way...made it there....not much there...some houses a B&B...but spectacular scenery. Made my way back to the trail and lots of driving and sights. Got some fuel in a little town on the west shore...did some time crunching and figured I could be in Halifax that night easily....I could go see the Mellotones again! Boom done. Took the coastal route to the south end of the island and then burned to Halifax from there. Some snow on the way but nothing major.
Go to my parking spot in Halifax from thursday night...and make my way down to where they played before...the guy I asked where they were playing made it sound like it was forever away.....an aside.......I have come across this a few times on this trip....in Boston I was asking directions to get to the Gardens....I asked a bus driver and he's like 'oh, you gatta take the T man ( subway)' so I asked how far it was to walk...1/2 hour...45 min maybe...I'm like shit that's nothing. Are people afraid of walking or are they just lazy? Man.....So, back to the story...it's now getting late...prob 1030 ish...I'm thinking the band is going on @ 1100...get back to the van and find the address of the place...punch it into the gps and it's like a 4 min drive...jesus...so off I go, find it promptly...but all the parking is on a hill...not good. So I go back to my original spot and haul ass back over there on foot...cut across the Citadel park and over to the place.
Go inside......dead....like dead dead. Are they playing??...they are just not till 1200....sigh...I'll have a Keiths please! Opening band came on...not bad, one of the singer gals had a set of pipes on her...dam! She did a Janis Joplin song and shredded it. Finally the Melotones came on....at the last show I had met the bass players gf in the crowd...and I saw her again at this show...so we had a bs and a dance or two...then went out for a smoke and I engaged wallflower mode. Then...the drunkest gal in the bar comes over and grabs me and asks me why I'm not dancing.....eyes half shut and kinda glassy....that kinda drunk lol! We danced for a bit....well...she moved in random directions at random times and it was my job to keep her upright! Lol smashed! So she keeps talking of this guy she has a crush on who was there who she knows from dodgeball....ya...lol! So I'm like go dance with him...so she asked him and he said no....so she comes back to me and I'm like...I need a beer...so we head to the bar, I get a beer and she want a water... There was a jug of water and cups so I filled up a cup...it was not all the way full...I gave it to her...and she wanted more...there is not more! Then she started whineing...and I all of a sudden had to pee...weird! I do not see her the rest of the night!
Met up with the bass players gf again and she was busting a gut laughing at me and the smashed gal! We danced and sang until the ugly lights came on...stood around and bs'd for a bit and then I departed.
Made my way for late night pizza....all the bars had just closed and the pizza joint was packed! There are 3 pizza joints and one street meat hotdog stand in this one little corner area lol! Just packed...lined up outside! Got my za and got back to the ban where I sat and watched family guy, waited for the van to warm up and laughed my balls off! Then off to bed I go.
Wake up today, cold outside, warm in my sleeping bag lol! Sun is out in full force...bout 4 hours to Charlottetown today...should be a nice drive! Gonna find a place to watch the game and then tomorrow drive around the island and then start making my way to Quebec.....that should be fun....winter mode engage!
So....that's it for now...I'd like to write some more and I prob will later today...bit I don't want to waste too much daylight!
So cheers for now!
Ok...I'm not sure when this will get posted but anyway...last few days have seen alot of sights and alot of kms. I think I left off in a Starbucks in Halifax....
So I left there on my way to Cape Bretton and the Cabot trail. Bit of a rainy gloomy day...took the coastal route to the island...nice drive...NS reminds me of alot of places...in some spots Vancouver island...some Manitoba...it's a neat place! Once I hit the island I pulled over, cracked open a can of chicken....mmmm can of chicken....had a pee and continued down the road the remaining 200km to Sydney. Pull into town....quick cruise to see if there was anything going on.....ya...not much! Luckily enough I found a big mall with a future shop...so I got me another SD card....I've taken over 1100 pics so far...I've got some editing to do lol! And I want to make a slide show with some music....a MacBook pro would sure make that easy.....lol! Anyways....got some DVD's on sale and mall rat'ed it up for a bit...then hit up a BP's I saw on the was in. Had dinner, back into town found a place to crash...watched the end of Red October for the billionth time and crashed.
Woke up in the sun, grabbed a coffee, fueled up and of to the trail.
The first part of the trail gave the Delica suspension quite the work out...busted up shitty uneven roads...but this was for the most part short lived....they did improve nicely. So I came up to this ferry....should have been paying attn I guess! 5$....shit no cash...start ashtray mining and came up with the coin....this ferry was from start to finish.....half the distance or less of the Albion ferry....lots of stuff to see down the road...little towns, boats, piles of lobster traps and lots of old houses. Very cool...then I was coming around this corner and saw a beach with a waterfall...bust a righty.....park...time to go explore.
All this will make more sense once you see the pics...this beach had no sand...it was all rocks...and the sound was amazing! It was so different than a sand beach...think of throwing a big round river rock and it landing on a bunch of other round river rocks...that sound only with every wave, a deeper tone and thousands of them! Made my way to the waterfall and started up to it....fin little climb....had to actually think my way up there...climbing is fun! So I made it to the top.....oh....I took some pics before I went up....I did not have the tripod...but with a careful balancing act of a rock outcrop, another smaller rock to level the camera and the camera itself...you can make shot work lol!
So...at the top...wanted to make my way to the other side Cus I saw a outcrop at the top of the falls I wanted to sit on...after much surveying of the rocks across the stream...I made my way up to the bridge and went across...not as much fun but gets the job done. Traverse my way to where I wanted to be...relaxed for abit, took some pics and started my way back....keeping in mind how not fun it was to use the bridge...I found a way across....looked at it...was gonna be a bit of a sketchy landing...plan B...looked better...bit longer of a jump but more landing options! 1...2...3...well not exactly like that! But I made the jump...but misjudged how far I can actually jump and came up short...a little wet no biggie! More fun than the bridge!
Next stop was Meat Cove....lol! S few pic stops along the way...made it there....not much there...some houses a B&B...but spectacular scenery. Made my way back to the trail and lots of driving and sights. Got some fuel in a little town on the west shore...did some time crunching and figured I could be in Halifax that night easily....I could go see the Mellotones again! Boom done. Took the coastal route to the south end of the island and then burned to Halifax from there. Some snow on the way but nothing major.
Go to my parking spot in Halifax from thursday night...and make my way down to where they played before...the guy I asked where they were playing made it sound like it was forever away.....an aside.......I have come across this a few times on this trip....in Boston I was asking directions to get to the Gardens....I asked a bus driver and he's like 'oh, you gatta take the T man ( subway)' so I asked how far it was to walk...1/2 hour...45 min maybe...I'm like shit that's nothing. Are people afraid of walking or are they just lazy? Man.....So, back to the story...it's now getting late...prob 1030 ish...I'm thinking the band is going on @ 1100...get back to the van and find the address of the place...punch it into the gps and it's like a 4 min drive...jesus...so off I go, find it promptly...but all the parking is on a hill...not good. So I go back to my original spot and haul ass back over there on foot...cut across the Citadel park and over to the place.
Go inside......dead....like dead dead. Are they playing??...they are just not till 1200....sigh...I'll have a Keiths please! Opening band came on...not bad, one of the singer gals had a set of pipes on her...dam! She did a Janis Joplin song and shredded it. Finally the Melotones came on....at the last show I had met the bass players gf in the crowd...and I saw her again at this show...so we had a bs and a dance or two...then went out for a smoke and I engaged wallflower mode. Then...the drunkest gal in the bar comes over and grabs me and asks me why I'm not dancing.....eyes half shut and kinda glassy....that kinda drunk lol! We danced for a bit....well...she moved in random directions at random times and it was my job to keep her upright! Lol smashed! So she keeps talking of this guy she has a crush on who was there who she knows from dodgeball....ya...lol! So I'm like go dance with him...so she asked him and he said no....so she comes back to me and I'm like...I need a beer...so we head to the bar, I get a beer and she want a water... There was a jug of water and cups so I filled up a cup...it was not all the way full...I gave it to her...and she wanted more...there is not more! Then she started whineing...and I all of a sudden had to pee...weird! I do not see her the rest of the night!
Met up with the bass players gf again and she was busting a gut laughing at me and the smashed gal! We danced and sang until the ugly lights came on...stood around and bs'd for a bit and then I departed.
Made my way for late night pizza....all the bars had just closed and the pizza joint was packed! There are 3 pizza joints and one street meat hotdog stand in this one little corner area lol! Just packed...lined up outside! Got my za and got back to the ban where I sat and watched family guy, waited for the van to warm up and laughed my balls off! Then off to bed I go.
Wake up today, cold outside, warm in my sleeping bag lol! Sun is out in full force...bout 4 hours to Charlottetown today...should be a nice drive! Gonna find a place to watch the game and then tomorrow drive around the island and then start making my way to Quebec.....that should be fun....winter mode engage!
So....that's it for now...I'd like to write some more and I prob will later today...bit I don't want to waste too much daylight!
So cheers for now!
Friday, November 26, 2010
Good Friday morning
Ok! Great night!!
So after I finished my updates I went and moseyed around the strip in Halifax....found my way into an HMV....got some new music for the trip...it was close to closing so one of the store gals came by to let me know...I asked her what there was to do on a Thursday night in Halifax.....she said do you like live music....yes, yes I do I replied. She pointed me in the direction of a little pub down on the water....they had a jazz band playing. Sit down, my pint of Keiths white arrives (not as good as Rickards white) order fish and chips....Cus well....that's where I am! The band starts playing and the night begins.
I don't know much about jazz...but I think these guys were good....they were a 4 pc...lead guy on trumpet, guitar, double bass and keyboards...good music! The waitress was super nice and at the end of the night....I mentioned I was from out of town...she said....are you ok with crowds?.....yes.....then she asked if I liked Motown music.....I replied with the same emphatic yes! She sent me in the direction of the Seahorse. So away I go....
Find my way there....her directions and her little map were....somewhat helpful lol....7$ cover....but as I'm walking down the stairs I hear Beat It by MJ.....with horns....a smile emerges! This is gonna be sweet! So here I am in this club that I had no idea I was going to...everyone is all dressed up in dressy casual club wear....no mega sluts or jabronies...and I'm in jeans....witch I would be wearing anyway and a long sleeve tshirt that is 2 sizes too big...oh well.
This band was amazing...they were an 9pc, sax, trumpet, trombone, bass, keyboards, lead and rhythm guitar, bongos, and drums. These guys were all excellent musicians....I was surprised at how good the guy playing the trombone was considering how baked he looked! So they rip off their first set....they did some original stuff and some James brown...alot of James brown....but the songs took on a life of their own...it felt like a sweet, rich, flowing, in time jam session....was so great!
There was this weird dude behind me where I was standing and dancing....well...moving to the beat more than dancing!...all I could smell was weed...like stale I smoke weed everyday and it's in my old smelly jacket smell...nasty....and he had on a shitty old Jean jacket, sunglasses, and a bandana on under his hat...oh he had a sweet handlebar mustache....that I don't think was for movember....an aside....I look fwd to December 1st so that everyone shaves off all of these douchy porn star staches....sorry...anyway....he's very eccentric and telling me he's been watching these guys for 15 years and they are like a fine wine...they only get better with age...lol! He was so smashed...funny guy!
So a band from Boston of all places comes out between sets...2 guys...cool stuff! One dude was keyboards, sax and a mixing board and the other guy was bass trombone and.....he was a beatboxer! Ha! Sweet! So they start...beatbox guy lays down a beat and loops it then another....there was a bunch of layers all looped then he looped in some trombone...you get the idea...very cool idea and it sounded great. And the dude ripped at beatboxing....jesus...
Set 2 begins and from the get go....they just whale! The dudes from Boston came out and played for abit with the main band...it was so good...everyone in the band had a chance to jam solo with the beat....I was groovin by now...in my little area! Great time for sure! Then the lights came on...time to depart....
Start making my way back to the van...find a pizza place, grab a slice....this was no ordinary slice....this thing was massive! I walk across the street to a retaining wall and sit and watch the drunk ppl try to find their lost friend and hail taxis! Make my way to the van and find a place to park for the night....was going to wake up early this morn....but 3 am 2 nights in a row said otherwise!
Halifax is a super nice city.....very laid back, rural, friendly people...beautiful area. I would like to come back here one day. But for now it's on the road for me. Today will be Cape Bretton and tomorrow will be the Cabbot trail. Then I'll have to find a spot somewhere to watch the Grey Cup on Sunday....that shouldn't be to hard.
It's an overcast day, little chilly, no snow....should be good driving today. As I head further out to the east...I'm not sure of the availability of wifi....so there might be a bit of a lul between updates.
So I hope everyone is doing well....and starting to get into the Xmas spirit....I'm not yet...bit I'm sure it will creep ip on me one of these days!
Later Y'all.
Ok! Great night!!
So after I finished my updates I went and moseyed around the strip in Halifax....found my way into an HMV....got some new music for the trip...it was close to closing so one of the store gals came by to let me know...I asked her what there was to do on a Thursday night in Halifax.....she said do you like live music....yes, yes I do I replied. She pointed me in the direction of a little pub down on the water....they had a jazz band playing. Sit down, my pint of Keiths white arrives (not as good as Rickards white) order fish and chips....Cus well....that's where I am! The band starts playing and the night begins.
I don't know much about jazz...but I think these guys were good....they were a 4 pc...lead guy on trumpet, guitar, double bass and keyboards...good music! The waitress was super nice and at the end of the night....I mentioned I was from out of town...she said....are you ok with crowds?.....yes.....then she asked if I liked Motown music.....I replied with the same emphatic yes! She sent me in the direction of the Seahorse. So away I go....
Find my way there....her directions and her little map were....somewhat helpful lol....7$ cover....but as I'm walking down the stairs I hear Beat It by MJ.....with horns....a smile emerges! This is gonna be sweet! So here I am in this club that I had no idea I was going to...everyone is all dressed up in dressy casual club wear....no mega sluts or jabronies...and I'm in jeans....witch I would be wearing anyway and a long sleeve tshirt that is 2 sizes too big...oh well.
This band was amazing...they were an 9pc, sax, trumpet, trombone, bass, keyboards, lead and rhythm guitar, bongos, and drums. These guys were all excellent musicians....I was surprised at how good the guy playing the trombone was considering how baked he looked! So they rip off their first set....they did some original stuff and some James brown...alot of James brown....but the songs took on a life of their own...it felt like a sweet, rich, flowing, in time jam session....was so great!
There was this weird dude behind me where I was standing and dancing....well...moving to the beat more than dancing!...all I could smell was weed...like stale I smoke weed everyday and it's in my old smelly jacket smell...nasty....and he had on a shitty old Jean jacket, sunglasses, and a bandana on under his hat...oh he had a sweet handlebar mustache....that I don't think was for movember....an aside....I look fwd to December 1st so that everyone shaves off all of these douchy porn star staches....sorry...anyway....he's very eccentric and telling me he's been watching these guys for 15 years and they are like a fine wine...they only get better with age...lol! He was so smashed...funny guy!
So a band from Boston of all places comes out between sets...2 guys...cool stuff! One dude was keyboards, sax and a mixing board and the other guy was bass trombone and.....he was a beatboxer! Ha! Sweet! So they start...beatbox guy lays down a beat and loops it then another....there was a bunch of layers all looped then he looped in some trombone...you get the idea...very cool idea and it sounded great. And the dude ripped at beatboxing....jesus...
Set 2 begins and from the get go....they just whale! The dudes from Boston came out and played for abit with the main band...it was so good...everyone in the band had a chance to jam solo with the beat....I was groovin by now...in my little area! Great time for sure! Then the lights came on...time to depart....
Start making my way back to the van...find a pizza place, grab a slice....this was no ordinary slice....this thing was massive! I walk across the street to a retaining wall and sit and watch the drunk ppl try to find their lost friend and hail taxis! Make my way to the van and find a place to park for the night....was going to wake up early this morn....but 3 am 2 nights in a row said otherwise!
Halifax is a super nice city.....very laid back, rural, friendly people...beautiful area. I would like to come back here one day. But for now it's on the road for me. Today will be Cape Bretton and tomorrow will be the Cabbot trail. Then I'll have to find a spot somewhere to watch the Grey Cup on Sunday....that shouldn't be to hard.
It's an overcast day, little chilly, no snow....should be good driving today. As I head further out to the east...I'm not sure of the availability of wifi....so there might be a bit of a lul between updates.
So I hope everyone is doing well....and starting to get into the Xmas spirit....I'm not yet...bit I'm sure it will creep ip on me one of these days!
Later Y'all.
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Late post from Boston
This is what I wrote while sitting in Copley Square...I pulled out one paragraph.
So this is from 2 days ago
Copley Square
So here I sit in Copley Square...watching the people, the birds, the artists sketching the Boston Public Library...I'm transcribing a Daft Punk song, enjoying the unseasonably warm Boston fall and thinking bout the trip that has gone by, the experiences, the people, the good days and the bad and realizing how much I needed to do this and how much of a fuckin downer I was before I left.
After being in Boston for a few days now, re charging, getting healthy again...my head is clearing...slowly. I'm thinking about work again and how I want to go back. I'm thinking of different options that I can look into...not limiting myself to anything.
(edit)
Ok....now that I got that out....I must thank S and J for the amazing hospitality over the last few days.....even tho they are never there ;) they gave me keys and said me casa su casa...I prob got that wrong but....I'm I pilot and AME...not a speller! Being here has made me so much better. The city, the runs, the atmosphere....has re-charged me and put a smile on my face that I can't get rid of. Leaving here will be hard. But I know I will be back again.....possibly to do the Boston Marathon.....just a thought at this point...it's a lofty goal.
So as the pigeons fly around and shit on things...as the wind blows, the leaves tumble...Nirvana Unplugged flows thru my head and the people wander.....WANDER thru the farmers market....I am very introspective today...if you couldn't tell! These days are sometimes good and sometimes bad...this is a good day.
So this is from 2 days ago
Copley Square
So here I sit in Copley Square...watching the people, the birds, the artists sketching the Boston Public Library...I'm transcribing a Daft Punk song, enjoying the unseasonably warm Boston fall and thinking bout the trip that has gone by, the experiences, the people, the good days and the bad and realizing how much I needed to do this and how much of a fuckin downer I was before I left.
After being in Boston for a few days now, re charging, getting healthy again...my head is clearing...slowly. I'm thinking about work again and how I want to go back. I'm thinking of different options that I can look into...not limiting myself to anything.
(edit)
Ok....now that I got that out....I must thank S and J for the amazing hospitality over the last few days.....even tho they are never there ;) they gave me keys and said me casa su casa...I prob got that wrong but....I'm I pilot and AME...not a speller! Being here has made me so much better. The city, the runs, the atmosphere....has re-charged me and put a smile on my face that I can't get rid of. Leaving here will be hard. But I know I will be back again.....possibly to do the Boston Marathon.....just a thought at this point...it's a lofty goal.
So as the pigeons fly around and shit on things...as the wind blows, the leaves tumble...Nirvana Unplugged flows thru my head and the people wander.....WANDER thru the farmers market....I am very introspective today...if you couldn't tell! These days are sometimes good and sometimes bad...this is a good day.
Thursday Nov 25
Ok...I haven't updated in a few days...I've just been busy. It was easier to update daily when I was going across the country CIA I had no one to hang out with! So now that I have some friends and family to see...id rather hang out and bs with them then write lol!
So let's see....I think I left off on a night in Boston...i do believe I went to bed shortly after posting that one. Woke up the next day after a great rest....S and J were at work doing doctor stuff...so I went to walk more around Boston......shhh it's coming back to me now...I had to go back to Lulu and give some feed back on the toque and the socks...did that and then went to a farmers market that I saw on the way thee in Copley Square.
Got there....prob a 5 min walk and took a look around. There was everything from fresh pastries to veggies, cheese, pies, apple cider and custom jewelry. Very cool neat stuff. The veggies were in baskets and it looked like a farmers market should I guess. I tried to take some pics....but of course my camera battery died. But I got a few. So I sat around on a bench...the temp was very balmy, the wind was blowing a bit...it was just a super nice day. I just sat....and thought....and wrote...I got some good thoughts down and realized some things. It was just one of those self reflecting times ya know.....when I was sitting in the Lincoln Memorial...it was the same thing but I was in a different state of mind...I was a bit down...for this one I was in a good frame of mind...positive, accepting, and realizing that shit happens and there are some things I can't change.
I sat there for a good chunk of time...I was planning on going to the north end of town...but when I looked at the time I needed to go back to base camp, go for a run, laundry, and then head out to see the Harry potter movie with S and J and Sima...one of their friends.
Run was not so good...time was ok...did my 10k...but I had some major cramps and some heartburn on the go...weird...but I got it done and I think my pace was 4:30/km ish...so not bad. So threw my running stuff in the laundry with what ever else I needed to wash, had a shower...S and J got home, we had some cheese I got at the market.....cumin cheddar...yummy....Sima came by...we made tracks for a pizza joint....more yumminess...and off to the move. I have not seen any of the Harry Potter movies...so it was lost on me....but the special effects were good!
Got back to S and J's place and said good by to J...he had to be up in the morning to go to the gym and work...and off to bed I go.
Scott and I went to flour for a coffee and breaky in the morning...more yumminess...we got the parking thing sorted out, I packed, went and got my van, said good by to S and down the road I go.......I just want to thank S and J for having me....it allowed me to re charge, get healthy again, and get back to being me again. With good advice and a solid base camp....the Boston experience allowed me to grow....thanks guys!
Getting out of Boston was a bit of a challenge but I made it out, up into New Hampshire where they have unbelievably cheap booze. I got a 60 of Captain Morgan spiced rum for 20$ and a few other things...more on that later. Windy as all hell driving yesterday....dam...the Deli not being of good aerodynamic properties did not fair so well....lol! I caught a few gusts that jerked me around good and hard!
Driving thru Maine reminded me of driving on the Island..the trees and the waterways....nice scenery. Then it got dark and I didn't see much till I hit the border.....
So....being a semi honest person ;) I tell the border gal I had got some booze...bad Idea....inside I go...where another guy says...and he was not being a dick about it...you have to give up one bottle or pay for it...to keep it would have been 2X the cost to buy it...so by by big bottle of rum :( Oh well....that's what ya get for being honest. No big deal I guess. Continuing down the road towards Floyds place...ran into Canadian winter around the Moncton area.....it felt right to be snow again....seeing as that's all I'm hearing about from back home!! In eventful drive to Floyds....got there around 1230 lcl and stayed up till 330 bs'ing and caryin on! We had a good night!
Got up and we went to the pub for lunch and a beer then Floyd took me on a tour of his city...nice little town...bout an hour north of Halifax. Then we got some oil for the van, went back to his place, pulled the van into the shop and I did my oil change...the van is happy again! We hung out for a bit more and I have now hit the road and am in downtown Halifax.
I'm thinking there is a school around here...it's all fashionable....or at least what they think is fashionable....lol...people in their early 20's....terrible! I'm like one of the only ppl in here not using a laptop or reading a paper....I am using my iPhone...that counts I guess....now I'm just rambling on....
Ok....well that's the update for now I suppose....
The plan for the next few days is variable....I want to be in MTL by the first and be back in Kelowna by the 10th I think...so I got some driving to do and shot to see...
Cheers everyone
Ok...I haven't updated in a few days...I've just been busy. It was easier to update daily when I was going across the country CIA I had no one to hang out with! So now that I have some friends and family to see...id rather hang out and bs with them then write lol!
So let's see....I think I left off on a night in Boston...i do believe I went to bed shortly after posting that one. Woke up the next day after a great rest....S and J were at work doing doctor stuff...so I went to walk more around Boston......shhh it's coming back to me now...I had to go back to Lulu and give some feed back on the toque and the socks...did that and then went to a farmers market that I saw on the way thee in Copley Square.
Got there....prob a 5 min walk and took a look around. There was everything from fresh pastries to veggies, cheese, pies, apple cider and custom jewelry. Very cool neat stuff. The veggies were in baskets and it looked like a farmers market should I guess. I tried to take some pics....but of course my camera battery died. But I got a few. So I sat around on a bench...the temp was very balmy, the wind was blowing a bit...it was just a super nice day. I just sat....and thought....and wrote...I got some good thoughts down and realized some things. It was just one of those self reflecting times ya know.....when I was sitting in the Lincoln Memorial...it was the same thing but I was in a different state of mind...I was a bit down...for this one I was in a good frame of mind...positive, accepting, and realizing that shit happens and there are some things I can't change.
I sat there for a good chunk of time...I was planning on going to the north end of town...but when I looked at the time I needed to go back to base camp, go for a run, laundry, and then head out to see the Harry potter movie with S and J and Sima...one of their friends.
Run was not so good...time was ok...did my 10k...but I had some major cramps and some heartburn on the go...weird...but I got it done and I think my pace was 4:30/km ish...so not bad. So threw my running stuff in the laundry with what ever else I needed to wash, had a shower...S and J got home, we had some cheese I got at the market.....cumin cheddar...yummy....Sima came by...we made tracks for a pizza joint....more yumminess...and off to the move. I have not seen any of the Harry Potter movies...so it was lost on me....but the special effects were good!
Got back to S and J's place and said good by to J...he had to be up in the morning to go to the gym and work...and off to bed I go.
Scott and I went to flour for a coffee and breaky in the morning...more yumminess...we got the parking thing sorted out, I packed, went and got my van, said good by to S and down the road I go.......I just want to thank S and J for having me....it allowed me to re charge, get healthy again, and get back to being me again. With good advice and a solid base camp....the Boston experience allowed me to grow....thanks guys!
Getting out of Boston was a bit of a challenge but I made it out, up into New Hampshire where they have unbelievably cheap booze. I got a 60 of Captain Morgan spiced rum for 20$ and a few other things...more on that later. Windy as all hell driving yesterday....dam...the Deli not being of good aerodynamic properties did not fair so well....lol! I caught a few gusts that jerked me around good and hard!
Driving thru Maine reminded me of driving on the Island..the trees and the waterways....nice scenery. Then it got dark and I didn't see much till I hit the border.....
So....being a semi honest person ;) I tell the border gal I had got some booze...bad Idea....inside I go...where another guy says...and he was not being a dick about it...you have to give up one bottle or pay for it...to keep it would have been 2X the cost to buy it...so by by big bottle of rum :( Oh well....that's what ya get for being honest. No big deal I guess. Continuing down the road towards Floyds place...ran into Canadian winter around the Moncton area.....it felt right to be snow again....seeing as that's all I'm hearing about from back home!! In eventful drive to Floyds....got there around 1230 lcl and stayed up till 330 bs'ing and caryin on! We had a good night!
Got up and we went to the pub for lunch and a beer then Floyd took me on a tour of his city...nice little town...bout an hour north of Halifax. Then we got some oil for the van, went back to his place, pulled the van into the shop and I did my oil change...the van is happy again! We hung out for a bit more and I have now hit the road and am in downtown Halifax.
I'm thinking there is a school around here...it's all fashionable....or at least what they think is fashionable....lol...people in their early 20's....terrible! I'm like one of the only ppl in here not using a laptop or reading a paper....I am using my iPhone...that counts I guess....now I'm just rambling on....
Ok....well that's the update for now I suppose....
The plan for the next few days is variable....I want to be in MTL by the first and be back in Kelowna by the 10th I think...so I got some driving to do and shot to see...
Cheers everyone
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Tue night
Good evening....just saw the new Harry potter movie...hitting the road tomorrow...I'm kinda tired...so I am going to bed...not much to update at the moment. But I will do a full update tomorrow :)
I did write some more stuff today that I don't know if I want to post...I'll sleep on it.
Ok...so Gnite for now...sorry...just bagged.
I did write some more stuff today that I don't know if I want to post...I'll sleep on it.
Ok...so Gnite for now...sorry...just bagged.
Monday, November 22, 2010
Monday night....Baaaaston
Good evening.
Well let see...last night was nice and relaxed, Scott and Jason went to be and I watched the football game...crashed out after that.
Woke up this morning...put my van back in the parking garage, then went for a coffee and a breakfast bagel at a local bakery that S and J told me about...super tasty. Went back to the Boston home base...grabbed a few things and started rambling for the day.
I was heading for a Lulu store to see if they had anything diffrent in the states. So go in and the gal there notices my hoodie...and we have a nice chat about the productsand customer feed back. She was also pumped that I was from Vancouver and liked the product and had something to say about it...so she comped me a insulated running toque! So I have to go back tomorrow and give her some feedback. I also got some socks there...and I now have a blister...she'll hear about that for sure!
Across the street was an Apple store...so I went in and talked to a guy who was very helpfull and knowledgeable about the product. So I know what I want from there...now I just need the 1199$ to buy it lol!
So continued rambling around, got lost and turned around a few times but found my way to familiar spots. I walked past a barber shop and this sounds bad...but a black guy was getting his hair cut...so I thought, hey...these guys will know how to cut my hair...So in I go....and got the best haircut of my life!!!! Was so happy!
After some more wrong turns and such I made my way back here and suited up for a run.
Made my way to the river and had a great run! I think my cold is going away, I was rested, S and J are feeding me lol! It was a nice night for a run...cool, no rain. Lots of other ppl running as well. I did 13k in 54:19 so my pace was 4:10....better than my last run. My stride is still not there like it was when I was running more...but I'll get it back and I will dominate once again!
Came back here...showered up, cracked a bottle of wine...had dinner..now S is off at a quick work thing, J is doing work stuff and I'm writing my blog lol! Arnt we cool!
I am really enjoying my time here...the company, the city....it's all so good! I'm going to stay till wendsday morning.
I'm kinda tired...but feeling way better if that makes sence.
I'll write more tomorrow...the iPhone is pissing me off right now lol!
Gnite all :)
Well let see...last night was nice and relaxed, Scott and Jason went to be and I watched the football game...crashed out after that.
Woke up this morning...put my van back in the parking garage, then went for a coffee and a breakfast bagel at a local bakery that S and J told me about...super tasty. Went back to the Boston home base...grabbed a few things and started rambling for the day.
I was heading for a Lulu store to see if they had anything diffrent in the states. So go in and the gal there notices my hoodie...and we have a nice chat about the productsand customer feed back. She was also pumped that I was from Vancouver and liked the product and had something to say about it...so she comped me a insulated running toque! So I have to go back tomorrow and give her some feedback. I also got some socks there...and I now have a blister...she'll hear about that for sure!
Across the street was an Apple store...so I went in and talked to a guy who was very helpfull and knowledgeable about the product. So I know what I want from there...now I just need the 1199$ to buy it lol!
So continued rambling around, got lost and turned around a few times but found my way to familiar spots. I walked past a barber shop and this sounds bad...but a black guy was getting his hair cut...so I thought, hey...these guys will know how to cut my hair...So in I go....and got the best haircut of my life!!!! Was so happy!
After some more wrong turns and such I made my way back here and suited up for a run.
Made my way to the river and had a great run! I think my cold is going away, I was rested, S and J are feeding me lol! It was a nice night for a run...cool, no rain. Lots of other ppl running as well. I did 13k in 54:19 so my pace was 4:10....better than my last run. My stride is still not there like it was when I was running more...but I'll get it back and I will dominate once again!
Came back here...showered up, cracked a bottle of wine...had dinner..now S is off at a quick work thing, J is doing work stuff and I'm writing my blog lol! Arnt we cool!
I am really enjoying my time here...the company, the city....it's all so good! I'm going to stay till wendsday morning.
I'm kinda tired...but feeling way better if that makes sence.
I'll write more tomorrow...the iPhone is pissing me off right now lol!
Gnite all :)
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Sunday night in Boston
Hey there.
Well lets see....yesterday....i awoke from a comfy bed...showered and well rested. Scott was at work for the day so got a chance to hag out with Jason and bs for a bit. We had breaky...was nice. He had to do some research and i had to update my pics.....so we sat at either ends of the table, not talking and doing our thing lol! Then i suited up and went for a bit of a run...did 6.5k....avg pace of 5/km....lots of stops tho....I'm back to square one with running now and that's a bummer. The cold is not helping but my endurance is low....but i am very motivated to get it back and get back in the gym. So got back from my lass than impressive run, had a shower.....i seem to be mentioning showering alot.....lol! Ive had 3 showers in less than 2 days! so nice! lol......anyways....got my laundry done, had a bite to eat and a beer with Jason...and began my walk to the Gardens. Its confusing here....all the streets go every direction not n s e w.....they go on angles. Jason gave me some directions....but i quickly got messed up! I had a general direction to go...and so i went that way! I ended up seeing a good portion of Boston at night...very nice city...a little chilly....but tis the season. After asking a few questions....i made it the the Gardens.....bout 1.5hrs later....i left knowing i had a ways to go. Find a scalper and got a decent ticket....got him down on the price and away we...or I go.....found my seat and watched a great game at an old history filled rink. There is not much of the rink left showing its age...it all looks very new and re-built.....i was kinda sad to see that. I was hoping for some history....the banners for the Bruins and Celtics were neat tho. Before the game they had a nice moment of silence for Pat Burns who had passed the night before due to a long battle with cancer. As i said....great game....great atmosphere....Boston came back from a 3-0 deficit to tie and fore ot then a shoot out in witch they lost...but still a great time.
There was a ton of Quebecois there...and a pile of ppl from the maritime's there.....after the game they were all out infont of the arena taking pics infornt of the Bobby Orr statue......also puking everywhere.....so smashed....and they all sounded like Newfies! lol! Go Canada!
Left there, found a brewpub.....had a good burger and some tasty beer.............An aside.....Amercian beer. The attitude towards it is that its all shit. In my travels i have learned that this is not true. Americans have the big breweries as we do back home that pump out the same shit boring beers....your Bud lite, Miller Lite, Molson Canadian, Labbats Blue....and so on. Both countries have their shit beers. But both countries have very very good micro breweries.....and that's what you have to find. I have found some great brew houses down here....with some very good beers. In the states this is where you have to go for the most part to get good beer. At home, we can go to the store and get a variety of great beers.....you can here but your choices are more limited. But Yankees can and do make good beer.
Ok....after i left the brew pub started making my way home...hoped on the T (subway) and got off near where i wanted to....Jason gave me directions on where to get off...but they had recently changed the name...so i missed it lol! Got off at the next stop, figured out where i was....i got to the surface and recognized some things....i had ran buy there earlier in the day...super....so i made my way back home.
Woke up this morn...had a great cup of coffee, Scott made a great breaky and we all watched the SNL from the previous night. Then we all headed for the city for a walkabout. Saw some cool old spots, grabbed a 2 for 1 Starbucks....and just rambled around....Scott was getting cold lol! Beautiful city....very old, full of history and culture. We went to an old Italian pastry bakery....its been there for ever...got canolies then made our to to the T and back here.
Now Scott...the master Chef...has dinner in the POT (his fancy new dutch oven).....Jason and i have been busting his balls all day over it...lol and the Dutch oven jokes are abound!
Been a great day......feeling better....re-charging and starting to get a leg up on this effin cold. Think I'm going to stay till Tue morning and then making my way up towards the maritime's to say hi to my to some ppl up that way....Also doing some....and Chance I'm going today and get this right.....wander...did i get it right?!
Ive been getting flack from ppl regarding my spelling!! lol!
So tomorrow I'm going to try and do a 10k....wander around the city, relax abit more, hang out with the boys...enjoy one more night in a comfy bed and then hit the road Tue morning........i need to change the oil on the deli as well....ill find a spot outside of Boston for that...
Ok dinner time....so have a good night everyone....I also updated my pics on fb.
Cheers
Well lets see....yesterday....i awoke from a comfy bed...showered and well rested. Scott was at work for the day so got a chance to hag out with Jason and bs for a bit. We had breaky...was nice. He had to do some research and i had to update my pics.....so we sat at either ends of the table, not talking and doing our thing lol! Then i suited up and went for a bit of a run...did 6.5k....avg pace of 5/km....lots of stops tho....I'm back to square one with running now and that's a bummer. The cold is not helping but my endurance is low....but i am very motivated to get it back and get back in the gym. So got back from my lass than impressive run, had a shower.....i seem to be mentioning showering alot.....lol! Ive had 3 showers in less than 2 days! so nice! lol......anyways....got my laundry done, had a bite to eat and a beer with Jason...and began my walk to the Gardens. Its confusing here....all the streets go every direction not n s e w.....they go on angles. Jason gave me some directions....but i quickly got messed up! I had a general direction to go...and so i went that way! I ended up seeing a good portion of Boston at night...very nice city...a little chilly....but tis the season. After asking a few questions....i made it the the Gardens.....bout 1.5hrs later....i left knowing i had a ways to go. Find a scalper and got a decent ticket....got him down on the price and away we...or I go.....found my seat and watched a great game at an old history filled rink. There is not much of the rink left showing its age...it all looks very new and re-built.....i was kinda sad to see that. I was hoping for some history....the banners for the Bruins and Celtics were neat tho. Before the game they had a nice moment of silence for Pat Burns who had passed the night before due to a long battle with cancer. As i said....great game....great atmosphere....Boston came back from a 3-0 deficit to tie and fore ot then a shoot out in witch they lost...but still a great time.
There was a ton of Quebecois there...and a pile of ppl from the maritime's there.....after the game they were all out infont of the arena taking pics infornt of the Bobby Orr statue......also puking everywhere.....so smashed....and they all sounded like Newfies! lol! Go Canada!
Left there, found a brewpub.....had a good burger and some tasty beer.............An aside.....Amercian beer. The attitude towards it is that its all shit. In my travels i have learned that this is not true. Americans have the big breweries as we do back home that pump out the same shit boring beers....your Bud lite, Miller Lite, Molson Canadian, Labbats Blue....and so on. Both countries have their shit beers. But both countries have very very good micro breweries.....and that's what you have to find. I have found some great brew houses down here....with some very good beers. In the states this is where you have to go for the most part to get good beer. At home, we can go to the store and get a variety of great beers.....you can here but your choices are more limited. But Yankees can and do make good beer.
Ok....after i left the brew pub started making my way home...hoped on the T (subway) and got off near where i wanted to....Jason gave me directions on where to get off...but they had recently changed the name...so i missed it lol! Got off at the next stop, figured out where i was....i got to the surface and recognized some things....i had ran buy there earlier in the day...super....so i made my way back home.
Woke up this morn...had a great cup of coffee, Scott made a great breaky and we all watched the SNL from the previous night. Then we all headed for the city for a walkabout. Saw some cool old spots, grabbed a 2 for 1 Starbucks....and just rambled around....Scott was getting cold lol! Beautiful city....very old, full of history and culture. We went to an old Italian pastry bakery....its been there for ever...got canolies then made our to to the T and back here.
Now Scott...the master Chef...has dinner in the POT (his fancy new dutch oven).....Jason and i have been busting his balls all day over it...lol and the Dutch oven jokes are abound!
Been a great day......feeling better....re-charging and starting to get a leg up on this effin cold. Think I'm going to stay till Tue morning and then making my way up towards the maritime's to say hi to my to some ppl up that way....Also doing some....and Chance I'm going today and get this right.....wander...did i get it right?!
Ive been getting flack from ppl regarding my spelling!! lol!
So tomorrow I'm going to try and do a 10k....wander around the city, relax abit more, hang out with the boys...enjoy one more night in a comfy bed and then hit the road Tue morning........i need to change the oil on the deli as well....ill find a spot outside of Boston for that...
Ok dinner time....so have a good night everyone....I also updated my pics on fb.
Cheers
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Ok...big update time from Boston
Alrighty....where did i leave off. I don't remember where i did that last update from!....Ahh...it was a Starbucks north of Baltimore i think. Anyways....oh....i need to update from the day before as well.
I woke up that morning bound for the Smithsonian air and space museum @ Dulles airport.....Made my way there....not too difficult....and that started the toll trend of the day...boourns...that gets expensive fast!....so get there....security check of course....oh....that's one thing i forgot to mention about the holocaust museum was the security....armed guards everywhere....was crazy! Sorry....coming back to the original story...do the check and one of there dudes points me in the direction of another guy who was a huge Packers fan....I had my GB hat on! So we had a good bs about that and off to the hangar i go. Wow...what a collection...They had the first aircraft to break the speed of sound, the fastest airplane ever, some cool German WW2 stuff.....i wont geek out too much on here but some really neat stuff....Spent the whole day there, and was going to drive and bypass all of the Philly and NYC traffic....I had called Scott and told him of the plan...him and Jason were looking fwd to seeing me..as i was them. I got Caught in a huge traffic jam....they were doing construction somewhere around Baltimore....3 lanes of interstate down to 1...that set me back more than an hour :(....Time to find a Starbucks and coffee up.
I got a fb msg from Marissa.....saying that she had tomorrow of and i should come out and see her. Sounds good.....she was working initially at the time i was going to pass thru but ended up getting the time off. Sweet! Got ahold of S and J let them know bout the change of plans and away we go. I was going to push for Marissa's place but came up about 2 hrs short...i started seeing stuff while i was driving...and that's my cutoff point....found a service plaza and a dark spot and hopped in the back of the van for a 4 hrs snooze.
Good morning...from where ever that was....lol.....started the remaining 2 hr drive....got lucky and missed all of the rush hour traffic! Met up with Ris, had a coffee and then went to go and get breaky....along the way we decided it would be a better idea to get NY bagels! Did that... and headed downtown. I can proudly say i have driven, and the Delica has been in downtown NYC! Parked the van and started to ramble!
Made our way to Central park where we got some hot nuts......haha!...hot nuts!...and wondered around there for a while...then down to...shit...everywhere....5th ave, past stores i cant even go into...Louis is Louis........haha! (inside joke) Tiffany's...and a bunch of other places i cant afford! Went past times square, found a good deli, had a sandwich, went to timmys in Times square...lol and then we got canolies......my heart is slowing down as i type....then we headed for the van and out of the downtown area before traffic turned into a monster.
Got back to her place and hungout for a while and then i headed for Boston. More traffic along the way...north of NYC and south of Hartford....but made it here with no problems.
So I'm in the updating process right now, uploading a good amount of pics....sitting here with Jason who is studying....Scott is working today and tomorrow....had a shower last night and slept like a log in a nice comfy bed. Once I'm all done....think I'm gonna suit up and go for a run and see if i can sweat this cold out...the cold is winning battles...but i will win the war.
I have made the decision to skip NFLD...i just don't have the time...as it stands now, getting back in time for the party in Calgary and having time to unpack, laundry, clean the van, do some maint, repack and head for ctown from Ktown...gonna be tight. I am still making stops in Halifax, MTL, and the Tdot....and if i have time...id like to do an AB swing, say hi to some friends...dump off some resumes...then go back thru Williams lake and say hi to all my friends there....all.....3 or 4 of them lol!....
Im gonna hang out in Boston for a few days for sure, try and kick this cold, enjoy the sights, a bed, a shower......and i guess the company of Scott and Jason ;)
So there is the update for now....Gonna finish uploading some pics, and go for a run.
Hope everyone is doing well...
I woke up that morning bound for the Smithsonian air and space museum @ Dulles airport.....Made my way there....not too difficult....and that started the toll trend of the day...boourns...that gets expensive fast!....so get there....security check of course....oh....that's one thing i forgot to mention about the holocaust museum was the security....armed guards everywhere....was crazy! Sorry....coming back to the original story...do the check and one of there dudes points me in the direction of another guy who was a huge Packers fan....I had my GB hat on! So we had a good bs about that and off to the hangar i go. Wow...what a collection...They had the first aircraft to break the speed of sound, the fastest airplane ever, some cool German WW2 stuff.....i wont geek out too much on here but some really neat stuff....Spent the whole day there, and was going to drive and bypass all of the Philly and NYC traffic....I had called Scott and told him of the plan...him and Jason were looking fwd to seeing me..as i was them. I got Caught in a huge traffic jam....they were doing construction somewhere around Baltimore....3 lanes of interstate down to 1...that set me back more than an hour :(....Time to find a Starbucks and coffee up.
I got a fb msg from Marissa.....saying that she had tomorrow of and i should come out and see her. Sounds good.....she was working initially at the time i was going to pass thru but ended up getting the time off. Sweet! Got ahold of S and J let them know bout the change of plans and away we go. I was going to push for Marissa's place but came up about 2 hrs short...i started seeing stuff while i was driving...and that's my cutoff point....found a service plaza and a dark spot and hopped in the back of the van for a 4 hrs snooze.
Good morning...from where ever that was....lol.....started the remaining 2 hr drive....got lucky and missed all of the rush hour traffic! Met up with Ris, had a coffee and then went to go and get breaky....along the way we decided it would be a better idea to get NY bagels! Did that... and headed downtown. I can proudly say i have driven, and the Delica has been in downtown NYC! Parked the van and started to ramble!
Made our way to Central park where we got some hot nuts......haha!...hot nuts!...and wondered around there for a while...then down to...shit...everywhere....5th ave, past stores i cant even go into...Louis is Louis........haha! (inside joke) Tiffany's...and a bunch of other places i cant afford! Went past times square, found a good deli, had a sandwich, went to timmys in Times square...lol and then we got canolies......my heart is slowing down as i type....then we headed for the van and out of the downtown area before traffic turned into a monster.
Got back to her place and hungout for a while and then i headed for Boston. More traffic along the way...north of NYC and south of Hartford....but made it here with no problems.
So I'm in the updating process right now, uploading a good amount of pics....sitting here with Jason who is studying....Scott is working today and tomorrow....had a shower last night and slept like a log in a nice comfy bed. Once I'm all done....think I'm gonna suit up and go for a run and see if i can sweat this cold out...the cold is winning battles...but i will win the war.
I have made the decision to skip NFLD...i just don't have the time...as it stands now, getting back in time for the party in Calgary and having time to unpack, laundry, clean the van, do some maint, repack and head for ctown from Ktown...gonna be tight. I am still making stops in Halifax, MTL, and the Tdot....and if i have time...id like to do an AB swing, say hi to some friends...dump off some resumes...then go back thru Williams lake and say hi to all my friends there....all.....3 or 4 of them lol!....
Im gonna hang out in Boston for a few days for sure, try and kick this cold, enjoy the sights, a bed, a shower......and i guess the company of Scott and Jason ;)
So there is the update for now....Gonna finish uploading some pics, and go for a run.
Hope everyone is doing well...
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Thrus 17th
Howdy...just put up my update from yesterday....right no in somewhere in Maryland south of Baltimore having a coffee trying to wake up. I'm just bagged right now. My head is clear but I'm so tired.
I'm not going to post a full update right now...I've got some driving to do tonight...gonna get past Philly and ny....I got caught in traffic around DC I guess....I'm getting fed up with driving in big cities.
Anyways, I'm going to shoot for north of NYC tonight....6hrs I'm thinking. Then ramble fro most of the day tomorrow and write an update from today.
Cheers every one.
I'm not going to post a full update right now...I've got some driving to do tonight...gonna get past Philly and ny....I got caught in traffic around DC I guess....I'm getting fed up with driving in big cities.
Anyways, I'm going to shoot for north of NYC tonight....6hrs I'm thinking. Then ramble fro most of the day tomorrow and write an update from today.
Cheers every one.
Update from wendsday 17th
Wed night
Well I'm not sure when I will post this so I can't open this with a good evening or morning...so I'll go with howdy.
Well let's see....after I signed off last, I was sitting at the Rock Bottom brew pub....relaxing....went 'home' got comfy and crashed out...only to be woken up a few hrs later by the pitter patter of rain.....and wind. I woke up and looked outside, just a normal rain, nothing special....then the waves of rain and wind started...and lightning....then it went nuts! Like within 2 mon all he'll broke loose! It was sweet....especially with the roof! Super heavy rain, big wind, and lots of lightning....it was a good show!
Back to sleep, woke up to see one bus pass...shit. Ok gatta get moving....and then another one passed...double shit. Well prob gatta walk now. Brush my teeth, and Rebeca pulls up! Hey!....she said...She had to do a quick couple things with her family and then she was free for a bit. So I got to meet the family she works for, and we went for coffee. Nice visit...then she left and I got on the metro...off to the Holocaust Museum.
Found my way there, and in I went. I had decided previously that I was not going to take pictures....I thought it would be in bad taste and I would not put them on my albums to show ppl anyway....it's not for me to show people that...it's their choice....anyways...there was no pics allowed anyway. Good deal.
I won't go into detail of what is in there. But I will say that it was extremely well done. The architecture of the museum was done in a cold, hard way...it was done like this to resemble the camps and such. Lots of steel, bars, brick, and stone.
You enter the museum on the first floor and take an elevator to the fourth floor then start making your way down. You start with a history of how Hitler and his party came to power and all of the reasons why it happened the way it did. From there into the roots of antisemitism and the roots of the hatred toward the Jews, and other groups....then to how Hitler started acquiring more territory with out war and the beginnings of the movement to purify the German race....also how the jews were told to leave...but they had no place to go...other countries didn't want them. From there to the invasion of Poland and Europe and to the 'Final solution' Then to fall of the empire, what happened to the surviving Jews and the fallout. Very well done museum/ memorial. Lots of artifacts, literature, and videos. Some heavy stuff. Also they had an exhibit all about Nazi propaganda and how it was used....I did not have enough time to really read all the little things because the museum was going to close but I got the jist of it.
So I came out of there after about 5 or 6 hrs...feeling kinda drained....and started to make my way towards the Verizon Centre for the Caps game. Nice walk over...went past the white house and thru a very rich uppity district with some nice clubs and lounges. Found the rink, over heard a scalper trying to unload a single....so I walk by and he asked what I needed....single I say...'I got one here for ya man, 65$ ticket...you can have it for 40$' I said.....I'm gonna go look around see what else is out there...'how much you wanna pay....30$?'....I said I gatta to crack a 10.....'20$ is good' Done!!! Fair deal! So I go and get a burrito...the line was long so I assumed it was good.....well it was cheap and good!
Off to the game...for a 65$ ticket, my nose was sure bleeding! So I the first steve, scope out my next move, got my mark, section and row all figured...end of the first steve I make my way down...but the rows I counted were wrong....there was a bunch of folding seats that screwed me up and my mark was gone. So I moved to a different section....watched the first half of the second, found a spot and made a move....good seat for 20$. Great game as well, Caps won 3-2 over the Sabers in their sweet throwbacks! Oh! I forgot! I caught a burrito T-shirt! And taped to it was a card for a free burrito from the place I went to earlier! So after the game I head back there and grab a burrito bowl...did not know if I'd ever see one of those places again...so I figured I'd top up, slam back a big pile of food....kinda like a snake!
Start making my way to the metro...where the track I need to be on appears to be shut down for an emergency or something....still not sure I make my way to the other track and ask someone if she knew what the deal was....she did not know either, cue she was a Canadian from Toronto! WTF! I must have Canadian radar lol! So we had a quick chat and went our separate ways.
The train operator was hilarious...he was making psa's jokes, and being very...just funny! Get to my stop, all the busses are done so I begin my walk back to the van....thank you for the directions Rebecca! And here I sit, charging my phone, camera battery, watching Xfiles and writing this.
I'm doing a good job fighting this cold, it seems to be contained in my nose, throat, and chest....I think this is why I couldn't run all that well the other day.
I think tomorrow will be the rest of the air and space museum at Dulles airport, and then if I can find it, Arlington cemetery. Then start north to jersey or Boston....
I'm thinking I'm not going to have time to hit up the rock....but to be honest I'm not too bummed about that....I don't want to do to Newfoundland what I did to Yellowstone park. I can always fly there or road trip it there with a friend and spend a proper amount of time there.
Anyways it's now 0103 EST and it's bed time....think I'll go pee on a tree in a million dollar subdivision! Fancy!
Cheers
Well I'm not sure when I will post this so I can't open this with a good evening or morning...so I'll go with howdy.
Well let's see....after I signed off last, I was sitting at the Rock Bottom brew pub....relaxing....went 'home' got comfy and crashed out...only to be woken up a few hrs later by the pitter patter of rain.....and wind. I woke up and looked outside, just a normal rain, nothing special....then the waves of rain and wind started...and lightning....then it went nuts! Like within 2 mon all he'll broke loose! It was sweet....especially with the roof! Super heavy rain, big wind, and lots of lightning....it was a good show!
Back to sleep, woke up to see one bus pass...shit. Ok gatta get moving....and then another one passed...double shit. Well prob gatta walk now. Brush my teeth, and Rebeca pulls up! Hey!....she said...She had to do a quick couple things with her family and then she was free for a bit. So I got to meet the family she works for, and we went for coffee. Nice visit...then she left and I got on the metro...off to the Holocaust Museum.
Found my way there, and in I went. I had decided previously that I was not going to take pictures....I thought it would be in bad taste and I would not put them on my albums to show ppl anyway....it's not for me to show people that...it's their choice....anyways...there was no pics allowed anyway. Good deal.
I won't go into detail of what is in there. But I will say that it was extremely well done. The architecture of the museum was done in a cold, hard way...it was done like this to resemble the camps and such. Lots of steel, bars, brick, and stone.
You enter the museum on the first floor and take an elevator to the fourth floor then start making your way down. You start with a history of how Hitler and his party came to power and all of the reasons why it happened the way it did. From there into the roots of antisemitism and the roots of the hatred toward the Jews, and other groups....then to how Hitler started acquiring more territory with out war and the beginnings of the movement to purify the German race....also how the jews were told to leave...but they had no place to go...other countries didn't want them. From there to the invasion of Poland and Europe and to the 'Final solution' Then to fall of the empire, what happened to the surviving Jews and the fallout. Very well done museum/ memorial. Lots of artifacts, literature, and videos. Some heavy stuff. Also they had an exhibit all about Nazi propaganda and how it was used....I did not have enough time to really read all the little things because the museum was going to close but I got the jist of it.
So I came out of there after about 5 or 6 hrs...feeling kinda drained....and started to make my way towards the Verizon Centre for the Caps game. Nice walk over...went past the white house and thru a very rich uppity district with some nice clubs and lounges. Found the rink, over heard a scalper trying to unload a single....so I walk by and he asked what I needed....single I say...'I got one here for ya man, 65$ ticket...you can have it for 40$' I said.....I'm gonna go look around see what else is out there...'how much you wanna pay....30$?'....I said I gatta to crack a 10.....'20$ is good' Done!!! Fair deal! So I go and get a burrito...the line was long so I assumed it was good.....well it was cheap and good!
Off to the game...for a 65$ ticket, my nose was sure bleeding! So I the first steve, scope out my next move, got my mark, section and row all figured...end of the first steve I make my way down...but the rows I counted were wrong....there was a bunch of folding seats that screwed me up and my mark was gone. So I moved to a different section....watched the first half of the second, found a spot and made a move....good seat for 20$. Great game as well, Caps won 3-2 over the Sabers in their sweet throwbacks! Oh! I forgot! I caught a burrito T-shirt! And taped to it was a card for a free burrito from the place I went to earlier! So after the game I head back there and grab a burrito bowl...did not know if I'd ever see one of those places again...so I figured I'd top up, slam back a big pile of food....kinda like a snake!
Start making my way to the metro...where the track I need to be on appears to be shut down for an emergency or something....still not sure I make my way to the other track and ask someone if she knew what the deal was....she did not know either, cue she was a Canadian from Toronto! WTF! I must have Canadian radar lol! So we had a quick chat and went our separate ways.
The train operator was hilarious...he was making psa's jokes, and being very...just funny! Get to my stop, all the busses are done so I begin my walk back to the van....thank you for the directions Rebecca! And here I sit, charging my phone, camera battery, watching Xfiles and writing this.
I'm doing a good job fighting this cold, it seems to be contained in my nose, throat, and chest....I think this is why I couldn't run all that well the other day.
I think tomorrow will be the rest of the air and space museum at Dulles airport, and then if I can find it, Arlington cemetery. Then start north to jersey or Boston....
I'm thinking I'm not going to have time to hit up the rock....but to be honest I'm not too bummed about that....I don't want to do to Newfoundland what I did to Yellowstone park. I can always fly there or road trip it there with a friend and spend a proper amount of time there.
Anyways it's now 0103 EST and it's bed time....think I'll go pee on a tree in a million dollar subdivision! Fancy!
Cheers
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Update from Bethisda
From DC
So yesterday after Starbucks I went off to Jonestown to see the incline plane....sounds weird right....well it's this cable run car lift that goes up the side of this mountain. It was built back in the 1800's to get ppl and equipment to the farming community at the top of the hill. It foes up at a 35 deg angle... Up 800feet I think. Very cool. Went up there and looked around...had a real nice view from up there. Came back down and headed for the YMCA I passed...paid my 10$ did a 5k.....and it kicked my ass. Once again, no excuses....I'm doing this to myself...poor diet, lack of excersise , a cold, and walking around all these stadiums where ppl are smoking are all factors working against me. I went to go lift after the the weight room was packed and super small, so I went to do sprints...but the treadmill did not go fast enough...so I cranked up the incline, and gave er a go....no dice...I was getting light headed...I was done. So shower, shave, and out to the van.
Hang up my workout clothes thru-out the van...I checked my phone and their was a msg from an old friend I hadn't seen in forever. So I sent her a msg and we met up in DC...well just outside of DC....Bethesda.
Rebeca Stanley!....or Johnson I should say! Wow! So we met up and had a couple beers and caught up....just a good bs!
So after that...we left the pub and she pointed me in the right direction for a place to stay...said good night and I drove for abit...found a good spot and called er a night.
Woke up this morning...hopped on a bus...and of course I did not have any change...rebeca gave me a fair card and I thought it would work on the bus...not so much....but the bus driver was super cool and one he'll of a character and he let it slide!! He was a super terrible driver tho!!
Got to the station and got on the metro for the Smithsonian....one change from red line to orange, 2 more stops and I was there....pretty simple! Found my way to the National air and space museum....wow they got some stuff there!
So I joined in on a tour group.... Learnt some good aviation factoids and then meandered, moseyed, rambled, whatever you want to call it for the rest of the next 5 hrs or so. But I also learned that a good portion of the collection is at the airport...so I'll be hitting that up on my way out of town prob Thurs.
Tomorrow will be the holocaust museum.....that's going to be a good but heavy experience....and see what else there is to see down there.
After I left the museum...I started walking towards the Washington memorial.....took a look round there and started making my way to the Lincoln memorial. On the way there I went thru the WW2 memorial...wow, very cool...very nice at night....very humbling to see and read the quotes carved in stone. Spent some time there in the wind and the rain....and made my way to the reflection pond...neat.....and on to the Lincoln memorial.....
There I sat, on the cold marble floor off to the side....feeling very very small. Feeling like I have done nothing with my life. I sat and wrote down my thoughts...I don't know if I'll post that one....don't get me wrong...I'm not drowning in self pity...not at all.....everyones life has a different path and I guess the path I'm on is meant for me...obviously eh. I feel at 28 I think how I should have felt 5 or 6 years ago....
Anyways...so I took some pics, reflected alot and started making my way back to the metro. Got back to Bethesda and Rebeca picked me up and dropped me off at my van that was still there!
So here I sit at a nice brew pub. Tasty beer in my hand and a burger on the way. I find myself starting to worry about money now. I'm actually being pretty good...not alot of frivolous spending...I've only got smashed once or twice at the bar and it was under 40$ each time. But this part of the trip...being in larger cities is proving to be more expensive. Parking, food, stuff to do and look at....5$ here, 10$ there...adds up quick. But...all I can do is limit the....extra curricular activities...and I am. There is an inherent cost doing something like this and there is no way I could do this without the Delica. That's saving I'd say on average 100$ a night....so that's a plus.
Anyways....tomorrow will be much of the same and Thurs will be more airplane geeking out and start making my way towards jersey I think.
So.....Gnite I suppose. I hope every one is well and happy. Miss y'all........really do.
So yesterday after Starbucks I went off to Jonestown to see the incline plane....sounds weird right....well it's this cable run car lift that goes up the side of this mountain. It was built back in the 1800's to get ppl and equipment to the farming community at the top of the hill. It foes up at a 35 deg angle... Up 800feet I think. Very cool. Went up there and looked around...had a real nice view from up there. Came back down and headed for the YMCA I passed...paid my 10$ did a 5k.....and it kicked my ass. Once again, no excuses....I'm doing this to myself...poor diet, lack of excersise , a cold, and walking around all these stadiums where ppl are smoking are all factors working against me. I went to go lift after the the weight room was packed and super small, so I went to do sprints...but the treadmill did not go fast enough...so I cranked up the incline, and gave er a go....no dice...I was getting light headed...I was done. So shower, shave, and out to the van.
Hang up my workout clothes thru-out the van...I checked my phone and their was a msg from an old friend I hadn't seen in forever. So I sent her a msg and we met up in DC...well just outside of DC....Bethesda.
Rebeca Stanley!....or Johnson I should say! Wow! So we met up and had a couple beers and caught up....just a good bs!
So after that...we left the pub and she pointed me in the right direction for a place to stay...said good night and I drove for abit...found a good spot and called er a night.
Woke up this morning...hopped on a bus...and of course I did not have any change...rebeca gave me a fair card and I thought it would work on the bus...not so much....but the bus driver was super cool and one he'll of a character and he let it slide!! He was a super terrible driver tho!!
Got to the station and got on the metro for the Smithsonian....one change from red line to orange, 2 more stops and I was there....pretty simple! Found my way to the National air and space museum....wow they got some stuff there!
So I joined in on a tour group.... Learnt some good aviation factoids and then meandered, moseyed, rambled, whatever you want to call it for the rest of the next 5 hrs or so. But I also learned that a good portion of the collection is at the airport...so I'll be hitting that up on my way out of town prob Thurs.
Tomorrow will be the holocaust museum.....that's going to be a good but heavy experience....and see what else there is to see down there.
After I left the museum...I started walking towards the Washington memorial.....took a look round there and started making my way to the Lincoln memorial. On the way there I went thru the WW2 memorial...wow, very cool...very nice at night....very humbling to see and read the quotes carved in stone. Spent some time there in the wind and the rain....and made my way to the reflection pond...neat.....and on to the Lincoln memorial.....
There I sat, on the cold marble floor off to the side....feeling very very small. Feeling like I have done nothing with my life. I sat and wrote down my thoughts...I don't know if I'll post that one....don't get me wrong...I'm not drowning in self pity...not at all.....everyones life has a different path and I guess the path I'm on is meant for me...obviously eh. I feel at 28 I think how I should have felt 5 or 6 years ago....
Anyways...so I took some pics, reflected alot and started making my way back to the metro. Got back to Bethesda and Rebeca picked me up and dropped me off at my van that was still there!
So here I sit at a nice brew pub. Tasty beer in my hand and a burger on the way. I find myself starting to worry about money now. I'm actually being pretty good...not alot of frivolous spending...I've only got smashed once or twice at the bar and it was under 40$ each time. But this part of the trip...being in larger cities is proving to be more expensive. Parking, food, stuff to do and look at....5$ here, 10$ there...adds up quick. But...all I can do is limit the....extra curricular activities...and I am. There is an inherent cost doing something like this and there is no way I could do this without the Delica. That's saving I'd say on average 100$ a night....so that's a plus.
Anyways....tomorrow will be much of the same and Thurs will be more airplane geeking out and start making my way towards jersey I think.
So.....Gnite I suppose. I hope every one is well and happy. Miss y'all........really do.
Monday, November 15, 2010
Monday day 21
Good morning.....well afternoon i guess now where i am......Jesus..its 1230 already....dam....
Well yesterday re-cap after i left the rainy Starbucks.....
So i had may parking taken care of...time to find a ticket.....cross the bridge and start to run into some scalpers....first guy was like....'yo man...what need'...I replied....ya a single.....'yo man...i gots a club seat here for ya....600$'.......hahaha!....ya man not so much!....Hes like, how much you wanna spend....so we go back and fourth and i get a ruff idea of how much its going to cost me to get a ticket...at this point I'm thinking I'm not going cus he said bout the cheapest I'm gonna find a ticket for is 200-250$...that was a bit too much for me...but i thought...ill find something...so i continue to mosey around...run into more scalpers....find this one guy....and he was good dude....i told him what i wanted, we dealed back and fourth...finally, he made a call...and his ticket pimp pulled up in a silver range rover....guy was a fat Latino....hes like yo, what you need.....ya ya.....i got ya covered...i just needed to hit a bank machine....so i hopped in and away we went.....done and done got one for a decent price in my range.......To hell with aviation....i want to be a ticket pimp....this is one hell of a racket. This guy had dudes all over the place buying and selling for him....i paid 40$ over the face value for my ticket...prob more of a markup on nicer seats. I did learn a good lesson in scalping tho....wait till the first quarter is over....a guy sat down next to me paid 40$ under face value....at that point the scalpers want to cover cost....depending on what time i get to DC tonight i might put this into use for the Monday night football game.
So....got my ticket....decide to go for a walk...got lots of time to kill...go down to the river and there is this old post WW2 sub.....go and check it out...you can go in it for 5$...a fair deal indeed. It was initially built as an attack sub, 6 fwd shooting torpedoes, 4 aft shooting, but later on they turned it into a picket or recon sub. Very tight inside....would not be much fun for long periods of time. The sub...is more like a ship that can submerge when needed. Because of the diesel engines...4 of them, inline 10's....1100 hp each turning 1500KW jennys....when submerged...you can only use battery power to turn the props and power the boat...so the most you could only be down for a couple days and then you would need to surface, fire up the engines, charge the batteries and change the air......where as today with all the technology and nuclear power...they can stay down for months at a time......very neat look into what it was like back then.
Keep rambling, run into a group of people...of course i find some Canadians from Hamilton and Sioux St. Marie Ont......have a BS with them for a bit, a beer and continue down the road. Different tailgating in Pitts vs GB....Pitts was more of a party atmosphere...so was GB, but in GB it was abit more laid back i think...not as rowdy...still a wicked good time tho.
I see a big pile of people over at Jarome Bettis's grill.....go check it out...they had an outside bbq going on. so i get in line for a burger and a beer and start chatting with a guy named Eric....super cool dude....i ended up hanging out with him, his gf, and another couple for the rest of the night till we got inside the stadium. We played beer pong, chucked the football around and did shots of Southern Comfort.....not so good! There were some NE fans beside us hanging out as well....they were fun, but the rivalry was undeniable!
Started making our way to the stadium...meeting random ppl along the way...good times. Get in...and they head off to their seats and i head to go check out this band that was playing....they were kick ass! They were just a cover band....but they put a nice spin on the tunes they played....the drummer was real good! he was shredding it up....mega double kicks, wicked fills, and cool rhythm's with some neat off beat stuff!
There was a lot of freakin ppl in there....make my way to my seat.....and start to watch the game....not a great start for the Steelers....good start for the Pats.....2 drives, 2 scores....the mood was not great in the stadium. Well....it did not get much better...the Pats defence was stifling big Ben and the Steelers offence, Heinz Ward went out with a concussion i think....good coverage and a solid pass rush kept the Steelers from doing much. The Pitts Defence was getting thrashed....Wes Welker was open all night....Brady was able to go to work.....and that's the story of the game for the most part. Ben threw a pick 6 with about 8 min left in the game...and everyone headed for the exits...Pitts tried to make a game out of it near the end but to no avail...
The rain had stopped by the time we started walking to the field, so my walk back to the van was dry....plunked into the GPS a place east of Pitts and away i go.
So here i am in Somerset PA and I'm sitting here updating...and this guy sits down beside me....hes getting his laptop out as well...and we start chatting....nice guy. He gave me some good ideas on whats to see near here....so I'm going to go check them out.
Other than that...not much else going on. I'm feeling a little run down at the moment....getting a cold....witch is not too surprising considering I've been around in the last week....prob, well, 73,000 in GB, 14,000 in Columbus and 65,000 people last night.....That combined with my stellar diet of cliff bars, Gatorade G2, late nights, beer and what not....is not helping my immune system. This next few days should be good tho....going to spend a good amount of time in the Smithsonian geeking it up....not drinking and partying....not that that's what I'm doing....I've been pretty good....but this next couple days will be a good recharge. I need to find a YMCA, gym, of at least a truck stop....shower time...been....5 days i think....well the night i got to Cleveland....so whenever that was.
I want to upload some pics, but the wifi here is to dam slow...so they will have to wait for another time...got some good ones to put up.
Well time to get gone i suppose.....im prob going to run right smack dab into rush hour in DC.....but then again...depending on how long it takes to do the stuff around here....i might be ok...we shall see i guess.
Still feeling abit lonely...but ill live....I'm having fun so its all good.
Cheers yall.
Well yesterday re-cap after i left the rainy Starbucks.....
So i had may parking taken care of...time to find a ticket.....cross the bridge and start to run into some scalpers....first guy was like....'yo man...what need'...I replied....ya a single.....'yo man...i gots a club seat here for ya....600$'.......hahaha!....ya man not so much!....Hes like, how much you wanna spend....so we go back and fourth and i get a ruff idea of how much its going to cost me to get a ticket...at this point I'm thinking I'm not going cus he said bout the cheapest I'm gonna find a ticket for is 200-250$...that was a bit too much for me...but i thought...ill find something...so i continue to mosey around...run into more scalpers....find this one guy....and he was good dude....i told him what i wanted, we dealed back and fourth...finally, he made a call...and his ticket pimp pulled up in a silver range rover....guy was a fat Latino....hes like yo, what you need.....ya ya.....i got ya covered...i just needed to hit a bank machine....so i hopped in and away we went.....done and done got one for a decent price in my range.......To hell with aviation....i want to be a ticket pimp....this is one hell of a racket. This guy had dudes all over the place buying and selling for him....i paid 40$ over the face value for my ticket...prob more of a markup on nicer seats. I did learn a good lesson in scalping tho....wait till the first quarter is over....a guy sat down next to me paid 40$ under face value....at that point the scalpers want to cover cost....depending on what time i get to DC tonight i might put this into use for the Monday night football game.
So....got my ticket....decide to go for a walk...got lots of time to kill...go down to the river and there is this old post WW2 sub.....go and check it out...you can go in it for 5$...a fair deal indeed. It was initially built as an attack sub, 6 fwd shooting torpedoes, 4 aft shooting, but later on they turned it into a picket or recon sub. Very tight inside....would not be much fun for long periods of time. The sub...is more like a ship that can submerge when needed. Because of the diesel engines...4 of them, inline 10's....1100 hp each turning 1500KW jennys....when submerged...you can only use battery power to turn the props and power the boat...so the most you could only be down for a couple days and then you would need to surface, fire up the engines, charge the batteries and change the air......where as today with all the technology and nuclear power...they can stay down for months at a time......very neat look into what it was like back then.
Keep rambling, run into a group of people...of course i find some Canadians from Hamilton and Sioux St. Marie Ont......have a BS with them for a bit, a beer and continue down the road. Different tailgating in Pitts vs GB....Pitts was more of a party atmosphere...so was GB, but in GB it was abit more laid back i think...not as rowdy...still a wicked good time tho.
I see a big pile of people over at Jarome Bettis's grill.....go check it out...they had an outside bbq going on. so i get in line for a burger and a beer and start chatting with a guy named Eric....super cool dude....i ended up hanging out with him, his gf, and another couple for the rest of the night till we got inside the stadium. We played beer pong, chucked the football around and did shots of Southern Comfort.....not so good! There were some NE fans beside us hanging out as well....they were fun, but the rivalry was undeniable!
Started making our way to the stadium...meeting random ppl along the way...good times. Get in...and they head off to their seats and i head to go check out this band that was playing....they were kick ass! They were just a cover band....but they put a nice spin on the tunes they played....the drummer was real good! he was shredding it up....mega double kicks, wicked fills, and cool rhythm's with some neat off beat stuff!
There was a lot of freakin ppl in there....make my way to my seat.....and start to watch the game....not a great start for the Steelers....good start for the Pats.....2 drives, 2 scores....the mood was not great in the stadium. Well....it did not get much better...the Pats defence was stifling big Ben and the Steelers offence, Heinz Ward went out with a concussion i think....good coverage and a solid pass rush kept the Steelers from doing much. The Pitts Defence was getting thrashed....Wes Welker was open all night....Brady was able to go to work.....and that's the story of the game for the most part. Ben threw a pick 6 with about 8 min left in the game...and everyone headed for the exits...Pitts tried to make a game out of it near the end but to no avail...
The rain had stopped by the time we started walking to the field, so my walk back to the van was dry....plunked into the GPS a place east of Pitts and away i go.
So here i am in Somerset PA and I'm sitting here updating...and this guy sits down beside me....hes getting his laptop out as well...and we start chatting....nice guy. He gave me some good ideas on whats to see near here....so I'm going to go check them out.
Other than that...not much else going on. I'm feeling a little run down at the moment....getting a cold....witch is not too surprising considering I've been around in the last week....prob, well, 73,000 in GB, 14,000 in Columbus and 65,000 people last night.....That combined with my stellar diet of cliff bars, Gatorade G2, late nights, beer and what not....is not helping my immune system. This next few days should be good tho....going to spend a good amount of time in the Smithsonian geeking it up....not drinking and partying....not that that's what I'm doing....I've been pretty good....but this next couple days will be a good recharge. I need to find a YMCA, gym, of at least a truck stop....shower time...been....5 days i think....well the night i got to Cleveland....so whenever that was.
I want to upload some pics, but the wifi here is to dam slow...so they will have to wait for another time...got some good ones to put up.
Well time to get gone i suppose.....im prob going to run right smack dab into rush hour in DC.....but then again...depending on how long it takes to do the stuff around here....i might be ok...we shall see i guess.
Still feeling abit lonely...but ill live....I'm having fun so its all good.
Cheers yall.
Sunday, November 14, 2010
So I might as well go....I'll have a job soon enough...I hope...and I can kick into ultra Jew mode.
So here I sit outside a packed Starbucks in downtown Pittsburgh on a rainy, gloomy day. Guess it's time to make my was down to the field...I'm seeing all of ppl heading that way now.
Feelin kinda lonely today
Next report tonight or tomorrow I suppose.
So here I sit outside a packed Starbucks in downtown Pittsburgh on a rainy, gloomy day. Guess it's time to make my was down to the field...I'm seeing all of ppl heading that way now.
Feelin kinda lonely today
Next report tonight or tomorrow I suppose.
The rain finally found me
Good morning all.
Well let's see....so thought I was going to go to a hockey game yesterday...find the rink...drive thru another getto that reeked of weed....it had a sweet run down barber shop, old shitty buildings, and some dude in a sweet lime green suit! So I parked and started to wonder around...still lots of time before puck drop...oh...I covered this already didn't I....ya I did...ok...well after that it's now like 1.5 hrs to game time, no ppl, no anything...check the secd again...I read it wrong...pens are playing...just in ATL...shit...my bad.
So off to Hienz field I go to find some tailgate action as I did in Green Bay...ya not so much. Nothing....in GB the party started a full 2 days before the game. So I park and find Jarome Bettis's grill.....nice place and not too expensive. Packed tho...so I talked to one of the gals up front and she said just find a spot at the bar....she also liked my hoodie! Got me an ok burger....not as good as at Flannigans in Cleveland but still good...watched the pens game then grabbed the tripod and went down to the river and took some pics. Got back to the van round 11...watched some Xfiles and called er a night.
Woke up this morning....found a place to park for 5$ as opposed to 35$ near the stadium...it's prob a 30 min walk to the field from where I parked. So now all I have to do is find a cheap ticket...not going to be easy I think. But I'm here...
Well let's see....so thought I was going to go to a hockey game yesterday...find the rink...drive thru another getto that reeked of weed....it had a sweet run down barber shop, old shitty buildings, and some dude in a sweet lime green suit! So I parked and started to wonder around...still lots of time before puck drop...oh...I covered this already didn't I....ya I did...ok...well after that it's now like 1.5 hrs to game time, no ppl, no anything...check the secd again...I read it wrong...pens are playing...just in ATL...shit...my bad.
So off to Hienz field I go to find some tailgate action as I did in Green Bay...ya not so much. Nothing....in GB the party started a full 2 days before the game. So I park and find Jarome Bettis's grill.....nice place and not too expensive. Packed tho...so I talked to one of the gals up front and she said just find a spot at the bar....she also liked my hoodie! Got me an ok burger....not as good as at Flannigans in Cleveland but still good...watched the pens game then grabbed the tripod and went down to the river and took some pics. Got back to the van round 11...watched some Xfiles and called er a night.
Woke up this morning....found a place to park for 5$ as opposed to 35$ near the stadium...it's prob a 30 min walk to the field from where I parked. So now all I have to do is find a cheap ticket...not going to be easy I think. But I'm here...
Saturday, November 13, 2010
1606 EST
Ok, so I wrote the previous post this morning in Zanesville or what everit was called lol!
I'm now sitting in the Marriott hotel across the street from the rink...I just walked in and am sitting in a comfortable chair stealing wifi! I might even use their nice bathrooms!
I'm a little worried about the van. The rink is right on the edge of the getto....I drove thru it trying to find some parking and...once again...lock the doors...I had the windows down and all I could smell was weed lol! So I turend around, found some meters near the rink...the one I found had like 7 hrs on it. So I hid everything as best as I could and left her there....I'm going to go see if I can find some more secure parking. Then I have to find tickets without spending a shit pile of money on em.
Pittsburg is a nice city sofar....busy with alot of roads going everywhere. Very industrial city. Around the rink there is not much...some churches, houses....nothing like in Columbus.
So I think I'm going to go and see about ticked and parking....still 2+hrs to puck drop...so should be able to do some rambling in there.
Also..the Steelers play tomorrow....not sure if it's here or away...if it's here...might have to look into some tailgating and maybe see the game....cheaply of course.
Ok....I'm off.....To all the Oregon people....have an outstanding night....I do wish I was there...so have a frosty beverage for me and I ll prob call later.
Cheers!
I'm now sitting in the Marriott hotel across the street from the rink...I just walked in and am sitting in a comfortable chair stealing wifi! I might even use their nice bathrooms!
I'm a little worried about the van. The rink is right on the edge of the getto....I drove thru it trying to find some parking and...once again...lock the doors...I had the windows down and all I could smell was weed lol! So I turend around, found some meters near the rink...the one I found had like 7 hrs on it. So I hid everything as best as I could and left her there....I'm going to go see if I can find some more secure parking. Then I have to find tickets without spending a shit pile of money on em.
Pittsburg is a nice city sofar....busy with alot of roads going everywhere. Very industrial city. Around the rink there is not much...some churches, houses....nothing like in Columbus.
So I think I'm going to go and see about ticked and parking....still 2+hrs to puck drop...so should be able to do some rambling in there.
Also..the Steelers play tomorrow....not sure if it's here or away...if it's here...might have to look into some tailgating and maybe see the game....cheaply of course.
Ok....I'm off.....To all the Oregon people....have an outstanding night....I do wish I was there...so have a frosty beverage for me and I ll prob call later.
Cheers!
Hello from Pittsburg
G'day
Well not too much exciting happened yesterday....woke up in the parking lot of the hotel I stayed at in Cleveland....made tracks for the airport to see about the food thing Kennith and Keri were talking about....drove around the airport abit....and did not get hassled by the cops!! Found the convention centre....then I remembered the the Blue Jackets were playing.....so I made tracks to Columbus....bout a 2.5hr drive.....I got a text from K and K about 1.5hrs later wondering where I was! Dam it!.....
Pull into Columbus, nice town...find the rink, park and begin to ramble around.
The arena is in the 'arena district' It's the rink of course, apartments, shops, and a shot pile of bars. So still rambling along....I ask some guy where to get tickets....he mentions that there are 10$ seats......ding dong! Line up, 10$ ticket in my hand! You can't get a beer in some rinks back home for 10$! Rambling continues, still 2 hrs before the game....I found a nice brew pub! Sit down at the bar....happy hour! 3$ beer.....and really really good beer too! They had a really nice IPA and a super super good......I have no idea how to spell it...heyfervitsen.....sound it out! Really tasty.....had a pizza...equally delicious, had a good chat with the bar tender and off to the game I go.
Get into the rink...not a bad place, not as nice as the Wilds rink but not bad....head up to my seat, got a nose bees on the way there....2 rows from the top lol! Started scoping out better seats and in the middle of the first...made the move to some.....better seats! My recon was good but foiled by a jacket...the seats I was scoping were right on the ice, row one, but buddy had his jacket on them...so I aborted and settled for row 10 on the blue line....I'm ok with that for 10$
So of course the seat I'm in...someone comes back....I just pull the 'I'm in the wrong section' line and move...same thing happens one more time and then I found some for sure empty ones! Sweet. Watched the Jackets get smashed by the Avalanche....and left the rink.
Some of The people that were there cared about the team...but there were alot of ppl there that had no idea....I kept hearing ' fight him!!! Smash him!!' the organization was trying really hard to get the fans into the game...with giveaways, draws...like they do in all rinks...but more so...alot of empty seats....yet the Ohio State Buckeyes....a college football team will draw 80,000 or more. But that's a whole different ball of wax as Kennith explained to me the other night.
Anyways, left the rink to go find a place to have a drink....and the bartender from earlier was outside having a smoke, saw me walking by and said hey! So I got a beer and joined him and some of his friends...nice people....James was his name...nice guy...we had some stuff in common and we both had a couple good stories to tell....he had a crack head smash up his car...while he was trying to get away from him! Smashed out the back window, a couple side windows and did a bunch of other damage....we were talking about insurance for some reason....so I told him my motorcycle story....we both had a good chuckle, raised our glasses and drank some good beer.
I wanted to peel off and go make sure the van was still ok, then meet up with James later at Rbar...just wanted to make sure the van was not torched, stolen, smashed...and check out the parking situation. When I pulled in, it was 8$ event parking....guy said take the ticket and you pay on the way out. Ok.....so I go talk to the gal in the ticket booth....shes like....well I don't know what that guy was doing...not his job apparently....she said....well it's 5$ for the night....I said deal! That's all taken care of, back to the bar.
Get to Rbar....it's just fun to say....say it like a pirate....say it with me.....RRRRRRRRRRRbaRRRRRRR lol! See that was fun!
Sorry lol! So James is no where to be found. Get my self a 3$ tall boy of shit beer....wonder around, watch some hockey, some skanks, and some jabronies. Very entertaining. Finish my shitty tall boy...and out to the street......packed....unreal!
It was a meat market the likes of witch I have never seen. Skinny jeans, short....and I mean short skirts....wow.....and shoes the gals could barely walk in! So the slut factor was extreme but sure was fun to watch! Lol! Greasy! But conversely....the douche bag slime ball jabronie factor was equally as Impressive. I can't comment on most of what the dudes were wearing.....cuz well....I was not checking out the dudes! Lol! But there were a couple beauties!! Shiny shirt wearing, pointy shoes, super lame hair...and some of them trying to work on gals that are just wrecked! It was very entertaining!
Also amongst all of this.....somewhere I made a call to the other party going on in Roseburg! And said hi to every one there!
Hopped in the ban and headed east just to get out of town....found a truck stop and good night. Woke up today....sun was shining....hot.....it's freakin warm....tshirt weather for sure! It's middle november and the weather since I was in reno has been nothing but sun! I hope it continues...but I have my suspicions that once I hit the east coast it's gonna shit....and if it does....depending on how bad it gets or is....the trip might get modified or shortened. Halifax, Montreal, and Toronto are the only for sure stops I want to make. I can always fly or drive out to the rock another time. I'll see how it goes.
So....I should hit the road.....I think the pens are playing tonight...see if I can get a cheap ticket!
Lol! I'm in a Tim Hortons in Zanesville OH! so I've written this on the iPhone.....thank you again Neil.....your 40's of shitty 2.49$ 9% malt liquor have been acquired!....so I just need to find some wifi and put it up.
Cheers every one!
Well not too much exciting happened yesterday....woke up in the parking lot of the hotel I stayed at in Cleveland....made tracks for the airport to see about the food thing Kennith and Keri were talking about....drove around the airport abit....and did not get hassled by the cops!! Found the convention centre....then I remembered the the Blue Jackets were playing.....so I made tracks to Columbus....bout a 2.5hr drive.....I got a text from K and K about 1.5hrs later wondering where I was! Dam it!.....
Pull into Columbus, nice town...find the rink, park and begin to ramble around.
The arena is in the 'arena district' It's the rink of course, apartments, shops, and a shot pile of bars. So still rambling along....I ask some guy where to get tickets....he mentions that there are 10$ seats......ding dong! Line up, 10$ ticket in my hand! You can't get a beer in some rinks back home for 10$! Rambling continues, still 2 hrs before the game....I found a nice brew pub! Sit down at the bar....happy hour! 3$ beer.....and really really good beer too! They had a really nice IPA and a super super good......I have no idea how to spell it...heyfervitsen.....sound it out! Really tasty.....had a pizza...equally delicious, had a good chat with the bar tender and off to the game I go.
Get into the rink...not a bad place, not as nice as the Wilds rink but not bad....head up to my seat, got a nose bees on the way there....2 rows from the top lol! Started scoping out better seats and in the middle of the first...made the move to some.....better seats! My recon was good but foiled by a jacket...the seats I was scoping were right on the ice, row one, but buddy had his jacket on them...so I aborted and settled for row 10 on the blue line....I'm ok with that for 10$
So of course the seat I'm in...someone comes back....I just pull the 'I'm in the wrong section' line and move...same thing happens one more time and then I found some for sure empty ones! Sweet. Watched the Jackets get smashed by the Avalanche....and left the rink.
Some of The people that were there cared about the team...but there were alot of ppl there that had no idea....I kept hearing ' fight him!!! Smash him!!' the organization was trying really hard to get the fans into the game...with giveaways, draws...like they do in all rinks...but more so...alot of empty seats....yet the Ohio State Buckeyes....a college football team will draw 80,000 or more. But that's a whole different ball of wax as Kennith explained to me the other night.
Anyways, left the rink to go find a place to have a drink....and the bartender from earlier was outside having a smoke, saw me walking by and said hey! So I got a beer and joined him and some of his friends...nice people....James was his name...nice guy...we had some stuff in common and we both had a couple good stories to tell....he had a crack head smash up his car...while he was trying to get away from him! Smashed out the back window, a couple side windows and did a bunch of other damage....we were talking about insurance for some reason....so I told him my motorcycle story....we both had a good chuckle, raised our glasses and drank some good beer.
I wanted to peel off and go make sure the van was still ok, then meet up with James later at Rbar...just wanted to make sure the van was not torched, stolen, smashed...and check out the parking situation. When I pulled in, it was 8$ event parking....guy said take the ticket and you pay on the way out. Ok.....so I go talk to the gal in the ticket booth....shes like....well I don't know what that guy was doing...not his job apparently....she said....well it's 5$ for the night....I said deal! That's all taken care of, back to the bar.
Get to Rbar....it's just fun to say....say it like a pirate....say it with me.....RRRRRRRRRRRbaRRRRRRR lol! See that was fun!
Sorry lol! So James is no where to be found. Get my self a 3$ tall boy of shit beer....wonder around, watch some hockey, some skanks, and some jabronies. Very entertaining. Finish my shitty tall boy...and out to the street......packed....unreal!
It was a meat market the likes of witch I have never seen. Skinny jeans, short....and I mean short skirts....wow.....and shoes the gals could barely walk in! So the slut factor was extreme but sure was fun to watch! Lol! Greasy! But conversely....the douche bag slime ball jabronie factor was equally as Impressive. I can't comment on most of what the dudes were wearing.....cuz well....I was not checking out the dudes! Lol! But there were a couple beauties!! Shiny shirt wearing, pointy shoes, super lame hair...and some of them trying to work on gals that are just wrecked! It was very entertaining!
Also amongst all of this.....somewhere I made a call to the other party going on in Roseburg! And said hi to every one there!
Hopped in the ban and headed east just to get out of town....found a truck stop and good night. Woke up today....sun was shining....hot.....it's freakin warm....tshirt weather for sure! It's middle november and the weather since I was in reno has been nothing but sun! I hope it continues...but I have my suspicions that once I hit the east coast it's gonna shit....and if it does....depending on how bad it gets or is....the trip might get modified or shortened. Halifax, Montreal, and Toronto are the only for sure stops I want to make. I can always fly or drive out to the rock another time. I'll see how it goes.
So....I should hit the road.....I think the pens are playing tonight...see if I can get a cheap ticket!
Lol! I'm in a Tim Hortons in Zanesville OH! so I've written this on the iPhone.....thank you again Neil.....your 40's of shitty 2.49$ 9% malt liquor have been acquired!....so I just need to find some wifi and put it up.
Cheers every one!
Friday, November 12, 2010
Good Friday morning
Greetings from a Starbucks loft in downtown Cleveland OH.
So Thursday re-cap i suppose.......ok, lets see.....
Woke up, went for breaky in the hotel, loaded the van, paid my 5$ to park for the day, and off i go to the Rock and roll hall of fame. So I'm wondering around downtown......i get a little....miss placed....there was this gal near me so i asked her if she could point me in the right direction.....she replied in a German accent....'No, I'm sorry, I'm not from here either.' Neither am i....so we chatted about our travels abit and where we each needed to go. She needed to go to the train station, me to the HOF. Figured we would help each other out....I saw the lakefront thru some buildings and was able to accertain where i was...perfect...we found a guy who pointed in the right direction for the train station.....its right next to the HOF! She also wanted to go the the HOF as well...So she did her stuff @ the train station, and we went to the HOF together!
Now.....i cant remember her name cus it was a crazy German name....B........something! She is a guitar maker back home....so i was pumped.....I'm going to the HOF with a guitar junkie! Good deal! She was in town on a violin making conference.
On the way there we chatted bout music, travel, guitars and such....super chill person. Got to the hall and wondered around for a while......lots of cool stuff there...no pics allowed tho....almost got shot i think! Michael Jackson's diamond glove was there as well as the jacket from the thriller video....lots of original lyrics sheets, outfits from various people, tonnes of guitars, write ups, history lessons, a large amount of Hendrix stuff, Stones, Beatles....really a cool place.
Near the end of our trip to the hall.....she runs into some other people that were at the same conference....so bs with them for a bit and then we all left.....they had to go to another seminar. So we all shook hands and went our separate ways......A fun start to the day.
So off the the Body's exhibit....sweet.....have not seen this in a long time....At the beginning of the exhibit, they have a recorded thing plays that says 'over the next hour'.............i was in there for 5hrs! Amazing stuff....and this time i had a better understanding of the body......still incredibly limited but more than the first time i went so it was even more impressive. If you have never sen it........you have to. It really shows you how complex and amazing this machine...your body really is....truly cool. I wish i was smarter so i could study it and understand it more.....but i think that's above my pay grade! Another cool thing was they had med students wondering around so you could ask them questions....very helpful!
Left there.....dinner time.....looked around...and of course all the places looked like i couldn't afford them, so off i go to Flannigans again. Sit down at the bar, Guinness...and i orded nachos.......Jesus! They're huge! Anyways.....sitting, drinkin, trying to shred thru the giant freakin pile of nachos in front of me....and this couple sits down. Kennith and Keri................wow.........super nice down to earth people!
Kennith stared up the chatting....and we all bs for the rest of the night...was a great time! I learnt how American collage football works and how silly it is! We talked NFL......unfortunately Kennith was a Dallas fan...so we had a good chuckle and a chat about that lol! We talked life, music....from country to 90's rap. Airplanes, kids, travel.....and laughed at the European gal with the big rock on her finger pretty much throwing herself at 2 married guys behind us! It was quite the display lol! Another continent does not count if i remember the rules correctly!!
It was a great experience with some great insight and a fresh perspective. I gave them my number and email...and they hit the road for their hotel. I got 2 phone calls....my call id does not work down here...so i couldn't who ever it was back......Just got another call this morning....and its Kennith....it was them calling me last night to see if i wanted to stay with them....they were worried about me sleeping in the van cus it was cold and they wanted to make sure i was ok! Wow....the world needs more people this. Kennith and Keri, you guys rule!
So i made the cold walk back to the van....i had no jacket...i left it in the van....i was not expecting to be walking home at 1:15am....fired up the van to get the chill out of the air....and crashed out. A good night for sure!
So here i am in the Sbucks loft.....this is a mega busy place! There is a Food tv thing going on @ the Cleveland airport that Ken and Keri told me about that they are going to so i might go check that out...then i might make my way to Columbus for a hockey game tonight...we shall see....gatta watch the $$
Oh and to all the folks in Roseburg....lol....that was a funny phone call....lol.....I hope tonight is drunker than last night! Hoist one for me! I truly wish i could be there to party and celebrate with all of you. Its going to be an amazing time. Please don't think that I'm not there because i think that my life is more important......i guess its just the way it worked out.......but on the bright side I'm starting to feel better, happier....this is a good thing. So everyone....I says hi......and have an outstanding time...wish i was there having a few beverages with yall. Miss everyone.
Ok....time to bust out and make some moves.
Cheers!
So Thursday re-cap i suppose.......ok, lets see.....
Woke up, went for breaky in the hotel, loaded the van, paid my 5$ to park for the day, and off i go to the Rock and roll hall of fame. So I'm wondering around downtown......i get a little....miss placed....there was this gal near me so i asked her if she could point me in the right direction.....she replied in a German accent....'No, I'm sorry, I'm not from here either.' Neither am i....so we chatted about our travels abit and where we each needed to go. She needed to go to the train station, me to the HOF. Figured we would help each other out....I saw the lakefront thru some buildings and was able to accertain where i was...perfect...we found a guy who pointed in the right direction for the train station.....its right next to the HOF! She also wanted to go the the HOF as well...So she did her stuff @ the train station, and we went to the HOF together!
Now.....i cant remember her name cus it was a crazy German name....B........something! She is a guitar maker back home....so i was pumped.....I'm going to the HOF with a guitar junkie! Good deal! She was in town on a violin making conference.
On the way there we chatted bout music, travel, guitars and such....super chill person. Got to the hall and wondered around for a while......lots of cool stuff there...no pics allowed tho....almost got shot i think! Michael Jackson's diamond glove was there as well as the jacket from the thriller video....lots of original lyrics sheets, outfits from various people, tonnes of guitars, write ups, history lessons, a large amount of Hendrix stuff, Stones, Beatles....really a cool place.
Near the end of our trip to the hall.....she runs into some other people that were at the same conference....so bs with them for a bit and then we all left.....they had to go to another seminar. So we all shook hands and went our separate ways......A fun start to the day.
So off the the Body's exhibit....sweet.....have not seen this in a long time....At the beginning of the exhibit, they have a recorded thing plays that says 'over the next hour'.............i was in there for 5hrs! Amazing stuff....and this time i had a better understanding of the body......still incredibly limited but more than the first time i went so it was even more impressive. If you have never sen it........you have to. It really shows you how complex and amazing this machine...your body really is....truly cool. I wish i was smarter so i could study it and understand it more.....but i think that's above my pay grade! Another cool thing was they had med students wondering around so you could ask them questions....very helpful!
Left there.....dinner time.....looked around...and of course all the places looked like i couldn't afford them, so off i go to Flannigans again. Sit down at the bar, Guinness...and i orded nachos.......Jesus! They're huge! Anyways.....sitting, drinkin, trying to shred thru the giant freakin pile of nachos in front of me....and this couple sits down. Kennith and Keri................wow.........super nice down to earth people!
Kennith stared up the chatting....and we all bs for the rest of the night...was a great time! I learnt how American collage football works and how silly it is! We talked NFL......unfortunately Kennith was a Dallas fan...so we had a good chuckle and a chat about that lol! We talked life, music....from country to 90's rap. Airplanes, kids, travel.....and laughed at the European gal with the big rock on her finger pretty much throwing herself at 2 married guys behind us! It was quite the display lol! Another continent does not count if i remember the rules correctly!!
It was a great experience with some great insight and a fresh perspective. I gave them my number and email...and they hit the road for their hotel. I got 2 phone calls....my call id does not work down here...so i couldn't who ever it was back......Just got another call this morning....and its Kennith....it was them calling me last night to see if i wanted to stay with them....they were worried about me sleeping in the van cus it was cold and they wanted to make sure i was ok! Wow....the world needs more people this. Kennith and Keri, you guys rule!
So i made the cold walk back to the van....i had no jacket...i left it in the van....i was not expecting to be walking home at 1:15am....fired up the van to get the chill out of the air....and crashed out. A good night for sure!
So here i am in the Sbucks loft.....this is a mega busy place! There is a Food tv thing going on @ the Cleveland airport that Ken and Keri told me about that they are going to so i might go check that out...then i might make my way to Columbus for a hockey game tonight...we shall see....gatta watch the $$
Oh and to all the folks in Roseburg....lol....that was a funny phone call....lol.....I hope tonight is drunker than last night! Hoist one for me! I truly wish i could be there to party and celebrate with all of you. Its going to be an amazing time. Please don't think that I'm not there because i think that my life is more important......i guess its just the way it worked out.......but on the bright side I'm starting to feel better, happier....this is a good thing. So everyone....I says hi......and have an outstanding time...wish i was there having a few beverages with yall. Miss everyone.
Ok....time to bust out and make some moves.
Cheers!
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Thurs morning
Good morning.
Well, not much happened last night....went out, found a nice Irish pub, had a great burger and pint of Guinness! Not too shabby! Then went and wondered around downtown, took some pics and did some people watching.....and there are some weird people down there! From a big black rambling on preacher, to a super cool dude playing a sax.....lots of homeless and people you just want to avoid.
Side note.....the homeless.....a terrible situation. People are so rude sometimes. There is no need to be. I did not have any change on me...and i have helped out before......i would rather give food tho...and on this trip i have....there was a kid at a truck stop....didn't ask me for anything...but i gave him some stuff...that's all...nice kid. Last night i saw a girl give a guy a granola bar.....not everyone is bad. Just don't be rude.
Anyway....found a cool little street......4th street.....all cool bars....that i cant afford to go into lol.....and trendy tap bars as well. Wondered around some more and came back to the hotel....finished my laundry and went to bed.
Today is Body Works (CS wish you were) and the HOF. Im going to find a place to park down town and sleep tonight and then tomorrow.....well i don't know. Might go south to Columbus OH to catch a hockey game, then over to Pittsburgh...for a hockey game.....then to DC for a Monday night football game...and a hockey game...lol.....i can prob scalp tix for 20$ to the hockey games....the Monday night game....well we shall see.
Ok....well gonna go look at some stuff....ill up load some new pics tonight i think.
Oh....if you look on the right upper chunk of the blog...I've posted links for my pics....just copy and paste i think and it should work.
Gday!
Well, not much happened last night....went out, found a nice Irish pub, had a great burger and pint of Guinness! Not too shabby! Then went and wondered around downtown, took some pics and did some people watching.....and there are some weird people down there! From a big black rambling on preacher, to a super cool dude playing a sax.....lots of homeless and people you just want to avoid.
Side note.....the homeless.....a terrible situation. People are so rude sometimes. There is no need to be. I did not have any change on me...and i have helped out before......i would rather give food tho...and on this trip i have....there was a kid at a truck stop....didn't ask me for anything...but i gave him some stuff...that's all...nice kid. Last night i saw a girl give a guy a granola bar.....not everyone is bad. Just don't be rude.
Anyway....found a cool little street......4th street.....all cool bars....that i cant afford to go into lol.....and trendy tap bars as well. Wondered around some more and came back to the hotel....finished my laundry and went to bed.
Today is Body Works (CS wish you were) and the HOF. Im going to find a place to park down town and sleep tonight and then tomorrow.....well i don't know. Might go south to Columbus OH to catch a hockey game, then over to Pittsburgh...for a hockey game.....then to DC for a Monday night football game...and a hockey game...lol.....i can prob scalp tix for 20$ to the hockey games....the Monday night game....well we shall see.
Ok....well gonna go look at some stuff....ill up load some new pics tonight i think.
Oh....if you look on the right upper chunk of the blog...I've posted links for my pics....just copy and paste i think and it should work.
Gday!
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
ok......
Alright....so i left off in Milwaukee.....So i wondered around there for a while....nice place nice downtown core, a cool art building with a moving wing thingy on it...very cool.
Hopped in the van and made tracks for Chicago. Sounds simple enough.....the odyssey begins.....
So, I'm coming into the north end of Chicago....by north...i mean not even close to downtown....anyways.....traffic was a freakin mess.....you think traffic is bad in Vancouver or Calgary....try Chicago rush hour....so...north of town....hey...I'm passing O'hare airport...ill go watch some airplanes...simple enough...go to the terminal and talk to guy there and he points me in the direction of where to go. Cool. On my way...kinda.....not entirely sure where to go but i found a good spot off the end of the runway on the side of the road....amazing airport...2 dep runways 2 arrival's....unreal busy! So, I'm sitting there.....cop pulls up behind me, lights on....'please step out of the vehicle'....shit....here we go. Give him my passport and DL....he goes back to his car i get back in the van....another car shows up....then another....now all the cops are all out having a chat.......'im going to jail' i thought. Fantastic. They come back up, i get out....one more car on the other side of the road...so 4 now.....lol...shit!
So...the questions start...have you ever had any trouble with the law? have you ever been in jail? Why are you here....and so on. No to all of the above...I'm kinda nervous now...one dude pats me down and hops in the van and starts rooting thru it...the others asking questions still.
Apparently there was another Greg Reed with the same date of birth and name who uses aliases such as Glenn (my middle name) and he was a violent offender. Oh my......I said, I'm just on a road trip, watching some airplanes waiting for traffic to die down.....well you cant do that here he said. Ok....so i diffused the situation with some talk of the trip and where to get a good chunk of pizza in Chicago and was on my way...
So back into rush hour, trying to find this exit the cop told me to take...getting more frustrated by the minute with idiot drivers and traffic. So i just get off the interstate and start making my way east towards the water....traffic still fucked and ppl are still idiots......one way streets, flashing lights every where....getting super mad and hungry....ok...ill find a place and get some chow. Go into the gps to find me something....and i go to this one place....that does not exist...great....i passed a lounge, ill go there. Go in......waft.....smoke...i guess you can smoke inside here....I'm out. Off to Subway i go. Get my sub and smash down the whole thing. Cooling off abit. There was a Food and Liquor store right there....so i got a couple 40's for a friend of mine...booze is so cheap here...and smokes.....Its weird...just not used to seeing smokes right out there...its like 5$ a pack...they want you to smoke and drink down here....anyways..
I'm done with Chicago. Making tracks east to Cleveland....getting the hell out of this place. Hit the interstate again, GPS doing its thing i thought. The roads and the off ramps happen so quick...and once the Delica is up to speed....quick lane changes are not really a possibility....fuck.....missed my off ramp. Follow the GPS directions........thru south Chicago.....where i went straight thru a sweet getto....nice....doors locked now.
Boarded up run down buildings all taged up, shitty beat down cars with giant stupid chrome rims, roads that are just shit kicked....i thought the Deli was going to come apart. One Jeep Cherokee passed me with bullet holes in it....i need to get out of here....So i fuming now....but I finally get back on track...i didn't get shot, the deli is in one maybe Two pieces....im on the interstate east bound and down.
The relief was profound. Found a truck stop in Elkhart Indiana...called er a night.
Cleveland bound now. Got here.....easy. Found the rock and roll hall of fame....found a cheap hotel...get set up. Went for a nice 9k run thru downtown 38:42, pace was a 4:15...not bad...a few stops here and there. Was down by the lake....there was a bunch of birds standing on the ground...fun time! So i sprint towards them and they all start flying above me....sooooooo cool! But.....they also started dropping bombs on me! Bastards! So i had to do some dodging, but i made it out ok!
So here i sit in my hotel room, all showered up ready to go out....just waiting for the laundry to finish.
Tomorrow will be the HOF and on my run.....i saw Bodyworks is in town!!!! So ill be doing that as well! should chew up most of the day. If i can find a place to crash tomorrow night ill prob stay in town one more night.....Very nice place here....i like it.
So that's it for now. Ill try to update before i leave the hotel tomorrow.
Cheers everyone
Hopped in the van and made tracks for Chicago. Sounds simple enough.....the odyssey begins.....
So, I'm coming into the north end of Chicago....by north...i mean not even close to downtown....anyways.....traffic was a freakin mess.....you think traffic is bad in Vancouver or Calgary....try Chicago rush hour....so...north of town....hey...I'm passing O'hare airport...ill go watch some airplanes...simple enough...go to the terminal and talk to guy there and he points me in the direction of where to go. Cool. On my way...kinda.....not entirely sure where to go but i found a good spot off the end of the runway on the side of the road....amazing airport...2 dep runways 2 arrival's....unreal busy! So, I'm sitting there.....cop pulls up behind me, lights on....'please step out of the vehicle'....shit....here we go. Give him my passport and DL....he goes back to his car i get back in the van....another car shows up....then another....now all the cops are all out having a chat.......'im going to jail' i thought. Fantastic. They come back up, i get out....one more car on the other side of the road...so 4 now.....lol...shit!
So...the questions start...have you ever had any trouble with the law? have you ever been in jail? Why are you here....and so on. No to all of the above...I'm kinda nervous now...one dude pats me down and hops in the van and starts rooting thru it...the others asking questions still.
Apparently there was another Greg Reed with the same date of birth and name who uses aliases such as Glenn (my middle name) and he was a violent offender. Oh my......I said, I'm just on a road trip, watching some airplanes waiting for traffic to die down.....well you cant do that here he said. Ok....so i diffused the situation with some talk of the trip and where to get a good chunk of pizza in Chicago and was on my way...
So back into rush hour, trying to find this exit the cop told me to take...getting more frustrated by the minute with idiot drivers and traffic. So i just get off the interstate and start making my way east towards the water....traffic still fucked and ppl are still idiots......one way streets, flashing lights every where....getting super mad and hungry....ok...ill find a place and get some chow. Go into the gps to find me something....and i go to this one place....that does not exist...great....i passed a lounge, ill go there. Go in......waft.....smoke...i guess you can smoke inside here....I'm out. Off to Subway i go. Get my sub and smash down the whole thing. Cooling off abit. There was a Food and Liquor store right there....so i got a couple 40's for a friend of mine...booze is so cheap here...and smokes.....Its weird...just not used to seeing smokes right out there...its like 5$ a pack...they want you to smoke and drink down here....anyways..
I'm done with Chicago. Making tracks east to Cleveland....getting the hell out of this place. Hit the interstate again, GPS doing its thing i thought. The roads and the off ramps happen so quick...and once the Delica is up to speed....quick lane changes are not really a possibility....fuck.....missed my off ramp. Follow the GPS directions........thru south Chicago.....where i went straight thru a sweet getto....nice....doors locked now.
Boarded up run down buildings all taged up, shitty beat down cars with giant stupid chrome rims, roads that are just shit kicked....i thought the Deli was going to come apart. One Jeep Cherokee passed me with bullet holes in it....i need to get out of here....So i fuming now....but I finally get back on track...i didn't get shot, the deli is in one maybe Two pieces....im on the interstate east bound and down.
The relief was profound. Found a truck stop in Elkhart Indiana...called er a night.
Cleveland bound now. Got here.....easy. Found the rock and roll hall of fame....found a cheap hotel...get set up. Went for a nice 9k run thru downtown 38:42, pace was a 4:15...not bad...a few stops here and there. Was down by the lake....there was a bunch of birds standing on the ground...fun time! So i sprint towards them and they all start flying above me....sooooooo cool! But.....they also started dropping bombs on me! Bastards! So i had to do some dodging, but i made it out ok!
So here i sit in my hotel room, all showered up ready to go out....just waiting for the laundry to finish.
Tomorrow will be the HOF and on my run.....i saw Bodyworks is in town!!!! So ill be doing that as well! should chew up most of the day. If i can find a place to crash tomorrow night ill prob stay in town one more night.....Very nice place here....i like it.
So that's it for now. Ill try to update before i leave the hotel tomorrow.
Cheers everyone
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Quick post
Howdy....don't have much time to update right now...a friend who was just here said I have to go to the art gallery at noon....the roof moves around apparently!
got here late lastnight....I stayed in Manituwoc for a not long than I thought I was going to...on my way to leave, I found a YMCA...perfect, ran 5k, worked out, got a shower and a shave in..feel good....
Drove to Milwaukee...ended up driving thru the getto...that was fun lol...it's a nice city at night, buildings are all lit up with different colours...looks cool. Drove around some more, found a spot and calld er a night. Good sleep and good walk this am on the lake.
It's funny, Green Bay is nothing compared to Milwaukee! And gb has the football team.
So I'm off to go see the art gallery roof move, then Se if I can find the miller brewery and see about a tour then off to Chicago I think.
Cheers everyone
got here late lastnight....I stayed in Manituwoc for a not long than I thought I was going to...on my way to leave, I found a YMCA...perfect, ran 5k, worked out, got a shower and a shave in..feel good....
Drove to Milwaukee...ended up driving thru the getto...that was fun lol...it's a nice city at night, buildings are all lit up with different colours...looks cool. Drove around some more, found a spot and calld er a night. Good sleep and good walk this am on the lake.
It's funny, Green Bay is nothing compared to Milwaukee! And gb has the football team.
So I'm off to go see the art gallery roof move, then Se if I can find the miller brewery and see about a tour then off to Chicago I think.
Cheers everyone
Monday, November 8, 2010
Day 14 Thoughts
Ok...got that one done.....now....plans and thoughts.
Thoughts first........People....like everyone seems to be totally surprised that I'm doing this trip alone. And i guess at the beginning i was surprised i was doing it by myself as well. But now that I'm here...its no big deal....i guess.....I mean i miss everyone, i miss going to my gym, running on my routes, sleeping in my bed, having a shower everyday!.....and stuff like that. But its a good thing....its an experience. The guy that i was talking to last night said some great things.....he said....what your doing is amazing, and you'll look back and go wow.....and i said, ya i know....but right now......it doesn't feel like such a big deal...the experiences and things I've done......doesn't seem that grand. But its because I'm here, right now in it. When i look back it will be even better....more memorable.....if that makes sense......he said....yep...so have fun and enjoy the ride! (it would be easier to enjoy the ride in a 500,000$ motor home!)
So now that the first 2 weeks are done, 6000 or so km behind me......i think the real trip starts.....and to honest.....I'm a bit scared. The first two weeks, there was a loose plan.....i like plans....now its all open, random.....I've got an idea where i wasn't to go...Milwaukee, Chicago, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, DC, Boston, and back up into Canada.....but i find myself hesitant. But ill hit the road and make it work. That's the only way to do it i guess.
So.....having one of those days. I don't feel all that great, prob cus i haven't had a shower or worked out in a week or so...and I've been drinking for the last 2 days......not making excuses or complaining....i made my bed ill sleep in it.
Choices need to be made.....choices are being made....weather they are good or bad....i made the choice to booze it up and have fun...and that's ok....i have to be ok with that. But i feel guilty for doing it. I don't want to go back to 235lb Greg. Never again.
Being on the road....its hard on your body for sure.....once again...no excuses....just talking.....id love to go run every day, and work out and sweat.....but personal hygiene becomes a problem as well as laundry.....i can barley stand myself right now! Its stuff you don't think about at home. I have been looking for gyms....they are harder to find than you might think down here....drop in would prob be 10$...same as a shower at a truck stop....so its a better option, i can work out, have a shower and move on....maybe once i hit some bigger cities ill run into some.....So anyway....when i get the chance i do......but i just have to watch what i eat.....mostly cliff bars, chicken and G2.......and know that when i get home its going to be an up hill battle to get back what i have lost. Ive never really been to comfortable in my skin....even after losing 20 lbs..even knowing I'm a good runner....i still think i look like I'm 230lbs. I have to learn to be ok with me......and this is a battle that will rage on forever.
.........You may wonder why I'm spilling my guts on here and getting into my issues and putting them out there...my answer is......well...i don't know. I said to myself that anything i type can not be deleted...it must be posted........There is a great line from a Sara McLachlan song.....'we are screaming inside, but cant be heard' That's kinda how i feel right now. I guess this is my way of being heard......I want to scream and lash out....but i cant......there is so much uncertainty right now, work, relationships, life paths......will my van make it home (lol).
I love my freedom....i love that i can do what i want when i want to.....and everyone that has a job, family, house, kids, mortgage, car payment, responsibilities......wants to be where i am right now, stinky, hungover, feeling very gross sitting in a Starbucks in Green Bad WI......I'm happy I'm here....but i look fwd to getting my life back on track and moving fwd and having some responsibilities. Stability is nice. Everyone's life is different...and everyone wants different things in life.......everyone needs to be happy with where they are, what they are doing...don't be jealous of anyone....enjoy you and your situation and the ppl around you. At the end of the day....friends,family and your own happiness are all you have....don't take them for granted. I hope that friends and family reading this know how i feel bout all of them.
Ok..........im done for now........time to hit the road to Milwaukee and see whats down there.
Cheers
Thoughts first........People....like everyone seems to be totally surprised that I'm doing this trip alone. And i guess at the beginning i was surprised i was doing it by myself as well. But now that I'm here...its no big deal....i guess.....I mean i miss everyone, i miss going to my gym, running on my routes, sleeping in my bed, having a shower everyday!.....and stuff like that. But its a good thing....its an experience. The guy that i was talking to last night said some great things.....he said....what your doing is amazing, and you'll look back and go wow.....and i said, ya i know....but right now......it doesn't feel like such a big deal...the experiences and things I've done......doesn't seem that grand. But its because I'm here, right now in it. When i look back it will be even better....more memorable.....if that makes sense......he said....yep...so have fun and enjoy the ride! (it would be easier to enjoy the ride in a 500,000$ motor home!)
So now that the first 2 weeks are done, 6000 or so km behind me......i think the real trip starts.....and to honest.....I'm a bit scared. The first two weeks, there was a loose plan.....i like plans....now its all open, random.....I've got an idea where i wasn't to go...Milwaukee, Chicago, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, DC, Boston, and back up into Canada.....but i find myself hesitant. But ill hit the road and make it work. That's the only way to do it i guess.
So.....having one of those days. I don't feel all that great, prob cus i haven't had a shower or worked out in a week or so...and I've been drinking for the last 2 days......not making excuses or complaining....i made my bed ill sleep in it.
Choices need to be made.....choices are being made....weather they are good or bad....i made the choice to booze it up and have fun...and that's ok....i have to be ok with that. But i feel guilty for doing it. I don't want to go back to 235lb Greg. Never again.
Being on the road....its hard on your body for sure.....once again...no excuses....just talking.....id love to go run every day, and work out and sweat.....but personal hygiene becomes a problem as well as laundry.....i can barley stand myself right now! Its stuff you don't think about at home. I have been looking for gyms....they are harder to find than you might think down here....drop in would prob be 10$...same as a shower at a truck stop....so its a better option, i can work out, have a shower and move on....maybe once i hit some bigger cities ill run into some.....So anyway....when i get the chance i do......but i just have to watch what i eat.....mostly cliff bars, chicken and G2.......and know that when i get home its going to be an up hill battle to get back what i have lost. Ive never really been to comfortable in my skin....even after losing 20 lbs..even knowing I'm a good runner....i still think i look like I'm 230lbs. I have to learn to be ok with me......and this is a battle that will rage on forever.
.........You may wonder why I'm spilling my guts on here and getting into my issues and putting them out there...my answer is......well...i don't know. I said to myself that anything i type can not be deleted...it must be posted........There is a great line from a Sara McLachlan song.....'we are screaming inside, but cant be heard' That's kinda how i feel right now. I guess this is my way of being heard......I want to scream and lash out....but i cant......there is so much uncertainty right now, work, relationships, life paths......will my van make it home (lol).
I love my freedom....i love that i can do what i want when i want to.....and everyone that has a job, family, house, kids, mortgage, car payment, responsibilities......wants to be where i am right now, stinky, hungover, feeling very gross sitting in a Starbucks in Green Bad WI......I'm happy I'm here....but i look fwd to getting my life back on track and moving fwd and having some responsibilities. Stability is nice. Everyone's life is different...and everyone wants different things in life.......everyone needs to be happy with where they are, what they are doing...don't be jealous of anyone....enjoy you and your situation and the ppl around you. At the end of the day....friends,family and your own happiness are all you have....don't take them for granted. I hope that friends and family reading this know how i feel bout all of them.
Ok..........im done for now........time to hit the road to Milwaukee and see whats down there.
Cheers
Weekend update....day 14
Well hey there. Thanks for stopping by!
I wanna start this one off by saying....I'm done polluting my body for a while......it costs too much money and i feel and look like shit.....that might also be due to the fact i haven't had a shower since.........Idaho?....ya, Idaho.
Ok.....so....driving to Green Bay.....you think....big football team = big town.....not so much.....think of Green Bay like.....i don't know.....its a farming community, there is nothing in town, all old buildings, no high rises, lots of churches....very very rural. And then boom......Lambeau Field.....and a mega football team. 100,000 people in town....73,000 at the game......un real experience. The team is owned by the people.....there are 112,000 share holders in the team, its the only team in the NFL like that.
So I'm on the outskirts of town....looking for....something...anything...and there is this shitty yellow sign nailed to a tree that says Lambeau field.....so i bust a right and follow it down this nice treed road with these old houses....i come to an intersection.....and boom....there it is. This huge stadium in the middle of nothingness! Park and start to walk around. Green and Gold every where....brought a smile to my face! Made my wy up to the stadium from the parking lot.....so busy....there was a women's show going on, a wedding, and something to do with girls football. Went tinto the pro shop.....Packer heaven.....so much shit to spend money on! Anything and everything with a G on it was there. So wonder around for a while...go back to the main area and get my self a ticket for a tour of Lambeau....11$....fair deal....had to kill some time...back to the pro shop, got a hat and a few things for a friend then tour time.
Got a Packer history lesson, got to go up yo a luxury box, got to go out the tunnel the Packers do...really a cool experience......now before the tour, i was wondering around and i herd ' those guys are from Canada' so i ask and this lady pointed to this group of dudes....i ask...are yall from Canada?....yep....Winnipeg....I'm from Van! They are there on a batch party and were actually at the Wild game the night before as well! So they do their tour, i do mine...and we happen to bump into each other after the tours.....time to have a beverage....Up to Curlys....its on the second floor in Lambeau.....and sitting and bs'ing slamming down Captain and cokes! Fun dudes! Got outta there before i had to many so i could still move my van to the Kmart parking lot! Moved my van.....and wondered around the party for abit.....then went to meet up with those dudes again for some wings.....went out to a club after that...then they bailed to the titty bar...guess they forgot about me! oh well. So i met some people, a big black dude, a Marine....did some dancing, and stumbled back to the parking lot for some more tailgating and sleep.
Woke up.....went to the gas station, grabbed some beers....let the tail gating begin! Wondered around to some people i had met the night before, and to this one group..they had a old school bus all in green and gold, had a beer there and a chat...they had a mega intense game of beer pong going!....everyone is super nice! "hey you need a beer?....you need a burger?" So cool! Had some pudding shooters, apple pie shooter......strong...watch out! Brats.....people were bbqing up a storm! Open booze everywhere....Cops did not care...as long as everyone was good...no worries. So wondering and drinking, throwing the football around....met some more cool dudes down for the game....ended up hanging with them for the rest of the day. We did a few laps around the parking lot...then i want back to the van to get some more beer....and the people parked in front of me said HEY!....i was like HEY! "you wanna slap the bag?!".......Yes, yes i do. Not knowing what 'slapping the bag is! So out comes a bag of rosey wine....some one holds it up, you take a good pull and after.....with great style of course....you slap the bag! Good times! One of the guys brother in laws.....something...i don't really remember......was from White Rock! Small world eh!
So went and met up with those other guys and we made our way around again.....slapped the bag one more time, and then down to the Lambeau parking lot for some tailgating down there. Mega.....lots of ppl! So much fun....in the parking lot of Lambeau, playing football with random people! There was this one gal and her boyfriend chucking it around.....so i start playing....it ended being like.....what was that game called.....like..."300!!!" and you have to catch the ball....anyways...played for a while....she could play! She was not afraid to mix it up! We were playing this among lots of ppl wondering around! So much fun!
Time to head inside for the game.......Wow......unreal. Ill never forget it. It brought a tear to my eye....amazing. It was awesome, every one in the joint was into it...the atmosphere was electric...if a big play happened, the place exploded! and there were alot of big plays that night!
The game was great...Dallas got stomped! The people who's seat it was that i bought were sitting in the 2 seats beside me....real nice people and they said if i ever want tickets of play off tickets to give them a call! So nice!
So after the game...i hung out for a while and soaked it in a bit more....and made my way back to the Kmart parking lot.....there was not a heck of alot going on....alot of ppl had packed up and gone home....there was a few ppl givin er tho. Met up with the tailgating group of guys again....they were surprised i was still going...i witch i replied.....'im Canadian!.......it how we roll!' Threw the ball around abit more and i went back to the van, fired it up to get some heat in there before bed....saw a lone dude stand by a 500,000$ or so diesel pusher...went and said hi, chatted for a bit.....and called er a night.
I wanna start this one off by saying....I'm done polluting my body for a while......it costs too much money and i feel and look like shit.....that might also be due to the fact i haven't had a shower since.........Idaho?....ya, Idaho.
Ok.....so....driving to Green Bay.....you think....big football team = big town.....not so much.....think of Green Bay like.....i don't know.....its a farming community, there is nothing in town, all old buildings, no high rises, lots of churches....very very rural. And then boom......Lambeau Field.....and a mega football team. 100,000 people in town....73,000 at the game......un real experience. The team is owned by the people.....there are 112,000 share holders in the team, its the only team in the NFL like that.
So I'm on the outskirts of town....looking for....something...anything...and there is this shitty yellow sign nailed to a tree that says Lambeau field.....so i bust a right and follow it down this nice treed road with these old houses....i come to an intersection.....and boom....there it is. This huge stadium in the middle of nothingness! Park and start to walk around. Green and Gold every where....brought a smile to my face! Made my wy up to the stadium from the parking lot.....so busy....there was a women's show going on, a wedding, and something to do with girls football. Went tinto the pro shop.....Packer heaven.....so much shit to spend money on! Anything and everything with a G on it was there. So wonder around for a while...go back to the main area and get my self a ticket for a tour of Lambeau....11$....fair deal....had to kill some time...back to the pro shop, got a hat and a few things for a friend then tour time.
Got a Packer history lesson, got to go up yo a luxury box, got to go out the tunnel the Packers do...really a cool experience......now before the tour, i was wondering around and i herd ' those guys are from Canada' so i ask and this lady pointed to this group of dudes....i ask...are yall from Canada?....yep....Winnipeg....I'm from Van! They are there on a batch party and were actually at the Wild game the night before as well! So they do their tour, i do mine...and we happen to bump into each other after the tours.....time to have a beverage....Up to Curlys....its on the second floor in Lambeau.....and sitting and bs'ing slamming down Captain and cokes! Fun dudes! Got outta there before i had to many so i could still move my van to the Kmart parking lot! Moved my van.....and wondered around the party for abit.....then went to meet up with those dudes again for some wings.....went out to a club after that...then they bailed to the titty bar...guess they forgot about me! oh well. So i met some people, a big black dude, a Marine....did some dancing, and stumbled back to the parking lot for some more tailgating and sleep.
Woke up.....went to the gas station, grabbed some beers....let the tail gating begin! Wondered around to some people i had met the night before, and to this one group..they had a old school bus all in green and gold, had a beer there and a chat...they had a mega intense game of beer pong going!....everyone is super nice! "hey you need a beer?....you need a burger?" So cool! Had some pudding shooters, apple pie shooter......strong...watch out! Brats.....people were bbqing up a storm! Open booze everywhere....Cops did not care...as long as everyone was good...no worries. So wondering and drinking, throwing the football around....met some more cool dudes down for the game....ended up hanging with them for the rest of the day. We did a few laps around the parking lot...then i want back to the van to get some more beer....and the people parked in front of me said HEY!....i was like HEY! "you wanna slap the bag?!".......Yes, yes i do. Not knowing what 'slapping the bag is! So out comes a bag of rosey wine....some one holds it up, you take a good pull and after.....with great style of course....you slap the bag! Good times! One of the guys brother in laws.....something...i don't really remember......was from White Rock! Small world eh!
So went and met up with those other guys and we made our way around again.....slapped the bag one more time, and then down to the Lambeau parking lot for some tailgating down there. Mega.....lots of ppl! So much fun....in the parking lot of Lambeau, playing football with random people! There was this one gal and her boyfriend chucking it around.....so i start playing....it ended being like.....what was that game called.....like..."300!!!" and you have to catch the ball....anyways...played for a while....she could play! She was not afraid to mix it up! We were playing this among lots of ppl wondering around! So much fun!
Time to head inside for the game.......Wow......unreal. Ill never forget it. It brought a tear to my eye....amazing. It was awesome, every one in the joint was into it...the atmosphere was electric...if a big play happened, the place exploded! and there were alot of big plays that night!
The game was great...Dallas got stomped! The people who's seat it was that i bought were sitting in the 2 seats beside me....real nice people and they said if i ever want tickets of play off tickets to give them a call! So nice!
So after the game...i hung out for a while and soaked it in a bit more....and made my way back to the Kmart parking lot.....there was not a heck of alot going on....alot of ppl had packed up and gone home....there was a few ppl givin er tho. Met up with the tailgating group of guys again....they were surprised i was still going...i witch i replied.....'im Canadian!.......it how we roll!' Threw the ball around abit more and i went back to the van, fired it up to get some heat in there before bed....saw a lone dude stand by a 500,000$ or so diesel pusher...went and said hi, chatted for a bit.....and called er a night.
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