McAlester, OK
See also: Crazy, Part 1 and Crazy, Part 2
Many of you have probably already heard this story - I've told it at least 20 times in the past few weeks, and it's usually the first one I tell people if they ask about interesting people I've met.
As I pulled into Ft. Bragg, CA I spotted North Coast brewery on the side of the road. I'd stopped at a brewery for lunch, but North Coast makes a few beers that I'm a pretty big fan of, so it's probably worth stopping, even if that means I'm not making it any farther tonight.
After dinner and a sampler of beers, I decided to head to Starbucks to charge my phone for a bit since it was almost dead, and I needed to find a place to camp. I got there at 8:30 - the sign said they closed at 9, but that should be long enough to look up a few places to go, and hopefully keep it going until I make it to a place to camp. I grabbed a hot chocolate, sat down, and started looking up places to camp.
While I was sitting there, a woman walked in. She had blond, greasy hair that didn't reach her shoulders, slicked back over her head. There wasn't much else of note about her, other than the fact that after she got her drink, she did a sort of half-nod at me - you know, the kind where your head just goes up, a sign of acknowledgment or greeting. I did the same back, and went back to my phone.
Apparently she took that as a signal to come talk to me.
Monday, August 8, 2011
Sunday, August 7, 2011
Just Do It
Dallas, TX
The other night, I surfed with some people in Katy, TX just west of Houston. It was a family - Mom, two brothers and a sister, and the girlfriend of one of the brothers - all in the house for the summer (there were two other brothers who were off other places). They were hosting three other surfers that night, and the mom had one of her friends over, so we had a straight up party going on.
I gave rides on my motorcycle to five different people, we sat around and talked about various things, we sat on the porch and smoked pipes together, we played ping pong, we learned to salsa dance (Thanks Holly!), we shared youtube videos... it was a complete blast. Definitely up there as one of my favorite couchsurfing experiences.
One of the guys I was hanging out with was talking about his travels - he's been to Australia, lived in France for a while, traveled through Southeast Asia, and quite a bit of other travels as well. In fact, the trip to Australia was when he was 16, and he's only 24 now.
I have to admit, I was pretty jealous.
The other night, I surfed with some people in Katy, TX just west of Houston. It was a family - Mom, two brothers and a sister, and the girlfriend of one of the brothers - all in the house for the summer (there were two other brothers who were off other places). They were hosting three other surfers that night, and the mom had one of her friends over, so we had a straight up party going on.
I gave rides on my motorcycle to five different people, we sat around and talked about various things, we sat on the porch and smoked pipes together, we played ping pong, we learned to salsa dance (Thanks Holly!), we shared youtube videos... it was a complete blast. Definitely up there as one of my favorite couchsurfing experiences.
One of the guys I was hanging out with was talking about his travels - he's been to Australia, lived in France for a while, traveled through Southeast Asia, and quite a bit of other travels as well. In fact, the trip to Australia was when he was 16, and he's only 24 now.
I have to admit, I was pretty jealous.
Saturday, August 6, 2011
In Decline
Houston, TX
It has been absolutely miserable riding weather these past few days. Once the outside air temp gets above body temp, it barely helps at all to be on the bike - rather than cooling me off, it feels more like if you drove down the road in your car with the windows down but the heat on full blast pointed at your face.
It's not like there's much I can do about it either. I can't really ride at night, because if I want to camp, there's no way I'll be able to do that during the day - it's hot enough camping at night. And if I'm couchsurfing, the chances of me finding someone who's willing to let me stay at their place and sleep all day while they're at work is pretty low. Mainly I've been spending a lot of time in coffee shops - probably more than I should, but it's really hard to get myself to go back outside and get on the bike when it's so cool and comfortable inside.
And despite all that time spent in coffeeshops... I'm not posting as much as I was before. I've noticed my priorities shift as various parts of the trip have passed. I've gone through different phases in the trip (like I mentioned here), but one thing that has not cycled back the other direction (yet?) is my posting rate. So far, it's only declined.
It has been absolutely miserable riding weather these past few days. Once the outside air temp gets above body temp, it barely helps at all to be on the bike - rather than cooling me off, it feels more like if you drove down the road in your car with the windows down but the heat on full blast pointed at your face.
It's not like there's much I can do about it either. I can't really ride at night, because if I want to camp, there's no way I'll be able to do that during the day - it's hot enough camping at night. And if I'm couchsurfing, the chances of me finding someone who's willing to let me stay at their place and sleep all day while they're at work is pretty low. Mainly I've been spending a lot of time in coffee shops - probably more than I should, but it's really hard to get myself to go back outside and get on the bike when it's so cool and comfortable inside.
And despite all that time spent in coffeeshops... I'm not posting as much as I was before. I've noticed my priorities shift as various parts of the trip have passed. I've gone through different phases in the trip (like I mentioned here), but one thing that has not cycled back the other direction (yet?) is my posting rate. So far, it's only declined.
Friday, August 5, 2011
Help Me
Katy, TX
Earlier today, I was the first person on the scene of the accident. And I almost didn't realize it.
After I left Austin this morning around 11, I headed down towards Shiner, TX to check out the Spoetzl brewery, which is where Shiner Bock and other beers are made. I got there just before 2:00, and they had a tour starting at 2:30, so I decided to wait around. It was pretty crowded in their gift shop, especially after the 1:30 tour got done and they all came in to get their beer samples, so I sat in the side room where they were showing a 10-minute video on Shiner that was produced in 1998. I know it was 10 minutes, because after it got back to where I started watching it, I looked at my phone and was bummed that I still had 20 minutes to kill until the tour. And then my phone died, so I couldn't even use that to distract me.
Earlier today, I was the first person on the scene of the accident. And I almost didn't realize it.
After I left Austin this morning around 11, I headed down towards Shiner, TX to check out the Spoetzl brewery, which is where Shiner Bock and other beers are made. I got there just before 2:00, and they had a tour starting at 2:30, so I decided to wait around. It was pretty crowded in their gift shop, especially after the 1:30 tour got done and they all came in to get their beer samples, so I sat in the side room where they were showing a 10-minute video on Shiner that was produced in 1998. I know it was 10 minutes, because after it got back to where I started watching it, I looked at my phone and was bummed that I still had 20 minutes to kill until the tour. And then my phone died, so I couldn't even use that to distract me.
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Austin, TX
So today I had dinner on Facebook.
At Facebook, sorry. I was at Facebook. Like, their offices. And I ate dinner there, which I also did yesterday. For free, too. And honestly? Some of the best food I've had on the trip. Like, today I had a Guinness Steak shepherd's pie and an apple/endive salad with blue cheese, pecans, and a honey dijon dressing. And they had a vegetarian Thai pie available, and brussel sprouts (which at least two people at my table said was amazing), and steamed cauliflower - basically, some healthy, delicious options. And did I mention it was free? For anyone who works there (and their guests, apparently).
On an unrelated note, I'm thinking about applying for a job at Facebook.
So today I had dinner on Facebook.
At Facebook, sorry. I was at Facebook. Like, their offices. And I ate dinner there, which I also did yesterday. For free, too. And honestly? Some of the best food I've had on the trip. Like, today I had a Guinness Steak shepherd's pie and an apple/endive salad with blue cheese, pecans, and a honey dijon dressing. And they had a vegetarian Thai pie available, and brussel sprouts (which at least two people at my table said was amazing), and steamed cauliflower - basically, some healthy, delicious options. And did I mention it was free? For anyone who works there (and their guests, apparently).
On an unrelated note, I'm thinking about applying for a job at Facebook.
Monday, August 1, 2011
Carlsbad
Lubbock, TX
Made the trip a little out of the way to check out Carlsbad caverns today. I'm tired from not sleeping well the last few nights and riding a decent amount (I've done 1500 miles in the past five days), so today is just a picture dump of the cavern.
Carlsbad caverns + my camera's low light setting = awesome.
Made the trip a little out of the way to check out Carlsbad caverns today. I'm tired from not sleeping well the last few nights and riding a decent amount (I've done 1500 miles in the past five days), so today is just a picture dump of the cavern.
Carlsbad caverns + my camera's low light setting = awesome.
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Crazy, Part 2 - Rooster
Roswell, NM
See also: Crazy, Part 1
Imagine a parking lot at the end of a small town. The town's called Half Moon Bay, just south of San Francisco. The parking lot is in front of a theater, and there's an empty grass lot next to it. I set up the tent on the edge of the empty lot, with the motorcycle parked in the corner of the theater parking lot. Because it was next to a theater, and it was Saturday night, I figured no one would be getting to the theater too early in the morning, so I set my alarm a little later than I usually do when I'm camping in... less reliable places.
See also: Crazy, Part 1
Imagine a parking lot at the end of a small town. The town's called Half Moon Bay, just south of San Francisco. The parking lot is in front of a theater, and there's an empty grass lot next to it. I set up the tent on the edge of the empty lot, with the motorcycle parked in the corner of the theater parking lot. Because it was next to a theater, and it was Saturday night, I figured no one would be getting to the theater too early in the morning, so I set my alarm a little later than I usually do when I'm camping in... less reliable places.
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