Podcasts about Highway One

On November 12th the Fort Bragg City Council approved a 68-unit apartment complex on Highway One between the Fort Brag Outlet Store and the Emerald Dolphin Inn.  The developer originally planned to build two-story buildings with 53 apartments but must include inclusionary housing units.  The City agreed to allow three-story buildings to accommodate the 68 units, to make the project profitable for the developer.  The council also set a range of in-lieu fees for inclusionary housing developments from $4 per square foot for small developments to $8 per square foot for large developments.   The council discussed a pro-housing zoning amendment that could alter developers' requirements for parking, environmental review, and neighborhood input.  These changes are expected to come back to the council in December.Fort Bragg High School students gave a presentation about their exchange program with the City's sister city, Otsuchi, Japan.  Mayor Norvell read out a proclamation for Veteran's Appreciation Day. The City Council reappointed Jim Hurst as the Harbor Commission Chair pending approval of the County Board of Supervisors. It appointed Domenick Weaver to fill a vacant position on the Harbor Commission.  Council approved the spending or ARPA funding that will include new wayfinding signs in the downtown, a business improvement grant program, additional funding for downtown murals, and fortbraggbiz.com, a new website for businesses to access city resources.  

This week Paul is out of town on business but he still made the time to host an interview with Monterey County 4th District Supervisor Wendy Root Askew. That interview can be heard at the 30 minute mark of this week's program. Preceding that, Dan and Mark discuss the Coastal Commission approval of a busway adjacent to Highway One in order to benefit MST and we dive into an appellate court ruling that says a local government agency wrongly collected a tax from local residents. A taxpayer advocacy group brought a lawsuit against the tax and are victorious.

Meet Noel Bhavani Cianci, the founder and owner of Los Sagroados Horse Sanctuary in Pescadero. On a recent trip to Baja Sur, I chose to stay at Los Sagrados when I was looking for out-of-the-ordinary and “on-brand” accommodations near Todos Santos for my conversation with Carl Honoré. Carl is an award-winning author, TED speaker, and the voice of the slow movement. We found Los Sagrados quickly, just inland from Highway One, a short drive down a dirt road and behind a large locked gate. The ranch accepts guests happily. Carl stayed in a tidy stone cabin, and I chose the glamping tent. There's a bunk room inside the barn, and camping (for a fee) is allowed. The property features a communal kitchen and bathrooms. The outdoor showers may be the best in Baja! In this Slow Baja Conversation, we discuss Noel's background in fashion styling and the healing arts, her long love of horses, the sanctuary's history, visiting and volunteering opportunities, and the slow vibe that permeates the property. Learn more about Los Sagrados Horse Sanctuary: https://lossagrados.org/ Get your Baja insurance here: https://www.bajabound.com/quote/?r=fl... More information on Slow Baja Adventures: https://www.slowbaja.com/adventures

LA County leaders to cap rent increases starting next year for tenants in unincorporated areas. How Orange County cities are handling varying budgets. Why another landslide on Highway One in Big Sur is not preventable. Support The L.A. Report by donating at LAist.com/join and by visiting https://laist.com.  Support the show: https://laist.com

Episode Summary This week on Live Like the World is Dying, Spencer and Inmn talk about bike packing and how cool bikes are. What is bike packing? Where can you ride? What do you need? Find the answers here. Guest Info Spencer can be found on IG @spencerjharding or at www.spencerjharding.com Host Info Inmn can be found on Instagram @shadowtail.artificery Publisher Info This show is published by Strangers in A Tangled Wilderness. We can be found at www.tangledwilderness.org, or on Twitter @TangledWild and Instagram @Tangled_Wilderness. You can support the show on Patreon at www.patreon.com/strangersinatangledwilderness. Transcript Live Like the World is Dying: Spencer on Bike Packing Pt. I **Inmn ** 00:15 Hello, and welcome to Live Like the World is Dying, your podcast for what feels like the end times. I'm your host today Inmn Neruin, and today we're going to be talking about something that I've been wanting to do an episode about for a really long time because I really love to do it. And I think what I'm going to learn in this interview is that I have been doing it really wrong. Or not wrong, but making it so much harder for myself. And it's just going to be...it's going to be a lot of fun. And today we're gonna be talking about different ways that you can travel long distances, or short distances over strange terrain, on a bicycle. And we're gonna be talking about bike packing. But before that, we are a proud member of the Channel Zero Net of anarchists podcasts. And here's a jingle from another show on that network. Doo doo doo doo doo. [singing] **Dissident Island Radio ** 01:27 You're listening to Dissident Island Radio, live every first and third Friday of the month at 9pm GMT, check out www.dissidentIsland.org for downloads and more. **Inmn ** 02:15 And we're back. Thank you so much for coming on the show today. Could you introduce yourself with your name, pronouns, and just a little bit about what you do in the world? And what you're here to tell us about today? **Spencer ** 02:32 Hi, my name is Spencer Harding. My pronouns are he/him/his. I do a lot of things related to bikes and I have for the last...oh, at least 10 or so years. I'm currently a photographer, writer, and editor for a website called theradavist.com. We do all manner of cycling related articles and content reviews. I've worked as a bike mechanic at local community coops and full on bike shops a like, and I've been traveling by bike since 2009 pretty regularly. And that's been a huge focus of my interest in bikes and kind of my forte in bikes. **Inmn ** 03:18 Cool, cool. Um, it's funny because I know you real life and we, you know, we like play dnd together and I actually didn't know that's what you for work. And I just knew you knew a lot about bikes. So cool, great. **Spencer ** 03:40 I don't love that I'll know people for years and years and years and I think in a lot of the communities I've been in for years, no one really asks what anyone does. And it's not really important because we're all just doing these weird niche activities or hobbies together. And it's kind of fun. **Inmn ** 03:55 Yeah. I'm going to immediately go offer a little script. How did you get into bikes? **Spencer ** 04:07 I got into bikes right on the verge of the huge fixed gear craze that happened in like the early aughts. **Inmn ** 04:18 Oh yeah, I remember. **Spencer ** 04:21 So I was in school at Long Beach State in Southern California. I saw some people riding around bikes. It was the begining of my second year of college. I was moving off campus and I realized that I could buy a bicycle for the same price as a parking pass. And it took me as long to ride from my apartment to my classes as it did to walk from the parking lot to my class. So I took the, what, $130 that that parking pass would have been and I bought an old Schwinn off Craigslist. And it's been all downhill from there. **Inmn ** 04:59 [Laughing] I'm sure it has not been all downhill, but I appreciate the pun. We'll get into this later, but I did a big--introduction to me and biking--is that I have always just really loved bikes. Like similarly I had this thing in high school where a car became suddenly unavailable to me. And I lived in like a suburb of a suburb of a suburb. And I was like, can I take my dad's old Schwinn that's in the in the crawl space and ride it to the city? And the answer was, yes, I could. But like, fast forward many years to going on my first bike tour, and we like went over the continental divide and I was like, "So it's all downhill from here, right?" 06:00 [Laughing] That's one of the things. You never trust the elevation profile. There's always more up somehow. You could be on top of a mountain and somehow there will be some more uphill. **Inmn ** 06:11 Yeah. Always uphill. Always. Um, cool. Well. So yeah, let's just kind of happen to it. Um, what is like...what are the different kinds of scopes of bike travel? I feel like there's like a lot of words that were new to me as of a couple of years ago where I was just always "bike touring." But now there's all these kind of other words that people use that maybe seem like little subsets of bike touring, like gravel bikes or bike packin or r maybe there's other words that I don't know about. 06:50 There's so many buzzwords, and most of it is marketing, and like an ever smaller niche-ification of bikes. When we talk about bike travel, I think the word that comes to mind is bike touring, like, everything is bike touring. You're touring on a bike, you're riding, you're exploring, you're traveling by bike. The buzzword of the last decade has been "bike packing." And there's a lot of arguments about what that means, what that constitutes, what's bike packing, what's not bike packing. I won't go down a huge rabbit hole. I feel like the word bike packing ushered in a more modern sense of ways to pack a bicycle as opposed to what was classically bicycle touring. But if you're traveling by bike and you're strapping shit to your bike, you're going bike touring, Call it bikepacking. Call it gravel biking. You can call it...there's a multitude of other things like that. But when it boils down to it, it's all bike touring in my mind. **Inmn ** 08:09 Yeah. Okay. Um, golly, I'm going to immediately go on another tangent because I... [Spencer encourages it] It's reminding me of like.... I suddenly found myself thinking about like, wait, I wonder if Spencer knows the history...like what the history of the development of the bicycle was? This is a question I should have sent to you yesterday. And I mean, maybe you do, maybe you don't-- 08:39 I'm not super familiar. It popped in my head like I should probably do some sort of research. I mean I know the vagaries of it. But nothing specifically. I couldn't sit tell you names or dates or anything like that. **Inmn ** 08:53 Totally. But it's like, it is something that people have...like people have been riding long distances on bikes since bikes were invented, which is something that I find really interesting. Like there's.... Which I know you could take like a rewritten fairy tale and call it like absolute historical fact, you know but have you ever had any Angela Carter books. **Spencer ** 09:22 I haven't. **Inmn ** 09:24 She got famous for like rewriting the for rewriting a lot of fairy tales. And people were like, "Oh, you rewrote them with like a feminist lens." And she was like, "I absolutely didn't. My goal was to bring out the innate horror in all of these stories, and these stories just happen to be really like femicide-idle. And so that reads is feminism because the main conflicts in them are misogyny." But there's this story called Lady of the House of Love. About this vampiress who like lives in a collapsing, ruinous castle in Transylvania and is the offspring of like Dracula or something, who's just like quite bored in the world at this point. And there's this like whole diatribe in the story about this guy who she lures into the castle who has been traveling around France in Europe on a bicycle. And this is my funny tie in, and this is like in... this is like, in the early days of World War Two when this... Yeah, that's what.... And it's like, it's like these little nods where I'm like, okay, it's it's a fictional story, but I'm like, that sounds like a real thing people did, just travel around Europe on a fucking bicycle. **Spencer ** 10:56 I am 100% sure that there is some real world influence. Yeah, there's all those memes, you'll see. Like, there's some Scandinavian guy who just lived by his bike forever and ever. And, you know, big beard and all that jazz. I can't think of his name. But I can only imagine that there's some truth or they met some weird guy in a cafe one day and decided to just write them into the story after that. **Inmn ** 11:23 Yeah. Okay, wait, but back to the things. So if you had to kind of put a definition on what bike packing is, what is bike packing? **Spencer ** 11:37 So I would even back up to just bike travel. So bike travel is riding your bike multi day--so that could include a single night--somewhere, taking whatever you need for that journey, whatever that may be. Totally self sufficient. Maybe just change the clothes and a credit card. But using your bike as a means to explore and travel to somewhere. **Inmn ** 12:08 Cool. Cool. That sounds right. And what.... I guess maybe this.... It's like maybe some of these specific classifications kind of seems like it maybe gets down to what kind of bike you're riding or what kind of gear you're using? Or like something? I don't know. **Spencer ** 12:35 Yeah, there's been some discussion last few years about intent. So by touring, they've gone to the more recreational side of the venn diagram. So people on vacation, people going for a weekend trip, or for enjoyment. And by packing has, since it came at a time when people were packing less stuff on their bikes in new and creative ways that lent itself to more off road or very light and fast travel. So some people had defined bike packing as like a racing intent or like a competitive intent. And there are bike packing races. Someone who's staying with me right now, Austin Trace, she's training to ride the Arizona Trail and possibly some others. And that's an incredibly long distance. That's 800 miles of off road. There's many like 3000 plus mile bike packing races that happen all over the world over. So some people say bike packing for that kind of competitive intent. Some people will say they're going bike packing, when they're going camping for a weekend. There isn't really a line in the sand that I can thoroughly really draw. Bike packing is definitely like a new buzzword that's popped up in the last few years. And it encompasses everything that bike travel or bike touring would, depending on who you talk to or how you want to delineate that. **Spencer ** 14:07 Yes. And this is another fun thing where we have like, you know, all bikepacking Is bike touring but maybe not all bike touring is bikepacking. So all road bikes are gravel bikes, but not all gravel bikes or road bikes. If you really want to get into it--and this is even...I just wrote a review talking about how the word gravel needs to be split into two things because we're getting a recreational version of what gravel means and a competitive version of what gravel means, and those things are very different. Roughly speaking a gravel bike is traditional-ish road bike. You know, curvy handlebars, road levers. You're just getting bigger tires and typically a more relaxed geometry. That's the easiest without going into a whole mess of other unnecessary details, but the just is road bikes with bigger tires optimized for riding on dirt roads, like farm roads, forest roads, things of that sort. **Inmn ** 14:07 Yeah. Okay, that makes...that makes sense. And then there's this other word that I've been hearing people use a lot lately, which is--and by lately, I mean, this is years ago and I'm just like, really behind the the ball on things--but like, gravel bikes? **Inmn ** 15:35 Okay. Where can you ride a bike? **Spencer ** 15:40 These days? Where are there **Inmn ** 15:41 Or rather where are places that you can not ride your bike to? **Spencer ** 15:46 Legally speaking or terrain-limiting speaking? **Inmn ** 15:50 Terrain. Let's go with terrain limiting for right now. **Spencer ** 15:54 Okay, we don't need to dive into like the Wilderness Act limitations on mechanized travel. There are, if you're looking into that, there are so many crazy bicycles out there these days. There are very few places that you could not ride a bicycle. You're looking at incredibly steep and loose terrain or very deep snow or sand. But even that...like there's so many cool things with...like fat bikes have opened up just an incredible amount of terrain and versatility that wasn't available even like, you know, 20 years ago to bikes. And that's even expanding now. I've heard about some cool stuff I can't talk about, but there is some cool new stuff coming down the line that I'm very excited about in the monster truck realm of bikes. So there's.... Off road in the last few years has just totally exploded with gravel, with the accessibility of fat bikes, and like what those can.... So, fat bike, if I'm talking about, you're talking about four to five inch tires. They're just massive. So you run those incredibly low pressures like 10psi You're riding on snow, you're riding on sand, like, you know, that just opens up so many things that you can experience by bike and can travel across. And you can type in "adventure fat bike," and you'll get some crazy shit in fucking Alaska. A bunch of my friends have done it and they're just like...they have little boats and they're putting a bike on boats and they're riding down beaches and like...just places you would never would ever expect you could ride or get a bike to. And they can get a bike there and they can ride it. So there's obviously limitations like verticality or steep terrain but as far as like surfaces, you're...the world's kind of your oyster these days with that. There's so many options. **Inmn ** 18:07 Okay. Wow. Some of those are new to me and I'm like, okay, cool. Cool. Cool. **Spencer ** 18:14 I have a fat bike I just built it. You can come over and ride it. Play monster truck. Come over here, Inmn. I'll show you next time you come over for dnd. **Inmn ** 18:22 Wow. Love it. I, you know, on.... So like a background for me is my first bike tour, I didn't know anything about bike touring. I just knew that I wanted to do it. And so me and my friend Marie, we like...I met her up in Portland and then we rode our bikes to--Portland, Oregon--and then we rode our bikes to Boston. **Spencer ** 18:56 Oh, wow. Okay. [Laughing with incredulity] My first bike tour was taking the train to Santa Barbara with my like messenger bag and then riding back to LA as an overnight. You went full hog. Okay. **Inmn ** 19:11 Yeah, first first time ever riding a bike more than I could ride it in a day. **Spencer ** 19:19 Impressive **Inmn ** 19:19 It...you know, we're gonna go with a blend of impressive and utterly reckless. **Spencer ** 19:30 I know and I want to talk to this in the end too. Like, you can be really reckless on a bike and if shit goes totally pear shaped just.... Yeah, and like the accessibility of things going wrong and the ability to fix those or to get out of those situations is just such a cool component of bicycle touring that you don't get with like cars or motorcycles or, I mean, I guess hiking even less so, like there's even less to pickup. But yeah, tell me the story. How did it all go, you know, on the way to Boston? **Spencer ** 20:05 Oh, those are the worst. **Inmn ** 20:05 Um, well actually, you know, we're going to talk about that a little bit later, probably. But just, as this one funny tie in, was that in Glacier National Park, we met a...we met someone who is about to finish his bike tour. And he had been...he'd ridden the entire continental divide on a bicycle with like a little, like one of those little swivel trailers. **Inmn ** 20:06 Or, actually I don't know what they're called. They're like two wheels, in line. **Spencer ** 20:20 Oh, the bob trailer. **Inmn ** 20:42 Yeah, the bob trailer. Yeah, yeah. And he had crossed the Continental Divide like 30 times or something over the course of it. And it was utterly incomprehensible to me at the time. I'm like, "Are you riding on trails?" And he was like, "Sort of?" **Spencer ** 21:03 If I may do a quick... So the Continental Divide Trail is a long distance hiking trail that is mostly not bikeable due to the Wilderness Act thing with the wilderness stuff. I think the route you're referring to is the Tour Divide. **Inmn ** 21:18 Yes. **Spencer ** 21:20 Yeah. So those things kind of get interchanged, but they're vastly different beasts. The Tour Divide is a very popular off road route that a lot of people do these days and is one of the first mapped long distance routes, and still remains one of the longer documented off road touring routes in the world, too, which is super cool. **Inmn ** 21:42 Cool. Okay, wait, I'm trying to try to follow a little bit of a thread here. [Pauses, thinking] And maybe this is where to start. How do you...how do you start traveling long distances by bike in, you know, whatever capacity, whether you're like, I want to ride to a neighboring city, I want to ride across the country. I want to ride into the wilderness. These are vastly different. How do you get started? How do you get started? **Spencer ** 22:19 So my start was literally, my friend in college gave a talk, and at the time I was a backpacker. I'd done some backpacking, like three, four days. Stuff like that. And my friend gave this talk about how she went to France and took a bunch of kids bike touring and they took all the camping gear and they put it on their bikes and they just rode their bikes for like two months. And that blew my fucking mind. I was like, wait, I could put all my camping gear on my bike and go ride my bike. And this is in the very like first few years of me riding bikes. I was like, "This is the shit. I love this. Wait, I can go camping and do this?" So that was my first introduction. And I literally, New Year's Day, 2009, I took my road bike and my like good o'le Chrome messenger bag and I zip tied my sleeping bag under my saddle rails on my road bike and I took the train to Santa Barbara and I rode from Santa Barbara down like Highway One, like out near point Magoo, and I camped for the night. And I rode back to Long Beach the next day. And that's part of the Pacific Coast bike touring route. So it's just another established route from Adventure Cycling, who also does the Tour Divide, which you mentioned earlier. And that was my first time properly traveling by bike, and I was like, "This is cool." And a few months later a good friend of mine, Julia, who had just ridden across the country, kind of as you did. I can't remeber if she started in San Francisco or Portland as well. But she did that same trans-america ride. And she was like, "Hey, I just got off school. Like, I don't want to drive back to Southern California. Do you want to just like take a bus up here, and we're gonna bike back to LA together?" So I went back a few months later that summer and tried...like I got a different bike that had racks and all that shit and some bags. And you know, as that ball rolls, you get more bags, you get more specific stuff, you get bikes that are designed for it. And then I rode back from Santa Cruz to LA and then I was like, "This is fucking sweet." So, two months later, I flew to Seattle and rode all the way back to Santa Cruz that same summer too. So that ball kind of rolled pretty quickly for me. So, I think it's literally taking...like at the time I had a messenger bag and a sleeping bag and a stuff sack and that was what I took and I had a little tiny pocket stove and a sleeping pad. I don't know if I even brought a sleeping pad. I might not have. I have to look back at the photos. It might have been strapped to my handlebars or something. But it's really what you have. If you have most any kind of like reasonably lightweight camping gear, from car camping to backpacking. Like, all of that gear translates. And if you have a bicycle, there's--especially these days--almost...there's so many ways that you can affix things to your bike. **Inmn ** 25:14 And yeah, it's kind of funny, because I feel like I've seen this funny arc of like "bike luggage" or something. I don't know what to call it. [Spencer laughs] Where, like, when I was trying to get into bike touring, it's like--I'm sure like gravel bike/bike packing/offroad stuff, I'm sure I'm sure all that stuff existed, but I was less aware of it. But in the realm of bike touring, it seemed to be all about like how to like really neatly contain a lot of stuff on a bicycle, you know? And, like, now I see people's gravel bike or bike packing setups, and it's literally just like shit strapped anywhere that it could be. **Spencer ** 26:02 Yeah, so if we're gonna get into like, if we're gonna delineate two words, we're gonna do bike touring on one side and we're gonna do bike packing on the other. If we look at bike touring luggage, or traditional touring luggage, was usually two to four panniers [rhymes with "your"], Panniers [Rhymes with "yay"]. There's a whole video you can watch about someone from Webster's talking to my buddy Russ about how to actually pronounce that fucking word. It's a bag strapped to a rack. You can argue about it all day long. Typically two to four panniers, maybe a little bag on your handlebars, some water bottles, that was kind of the traditional setup that's been around since the inception of bicycles. Bike packing is when we're moving to more off road focus. So you, obviously panniers are just little hooks on a rack and maybe a bungee. If you've ever written off road with those they don't...they tend to eject. I've got buddies who have got busted collarbones from catching someone's unwanted, flying paneer **Spencer ** 27:02 Oh, no. **Spencer ** 27:03 So in the other corner, we have more modern bike packing bags, which arose from a cottage industry of people developing bags for things that they wanted to do that didn't exist at the time. There's a ton of them, like Revelate Designs has been around since the beginning and were big pioneers in a lot of these venues. And typically what that looks like is you have a bag on your handlebars. It's typically a double sided stuff sack, say 10 to 15 liters. Smaller, bigger exist. That's rolled on there, secured with some straps. There's harnesses and all that jazz. A big thing in bike packing that has really bled out to a lot of the other aspects of cycling, it's really convenient, is using the main front triangle of your bike. So bags that fit the center of your bike and fill that space. **Inmn ** 27:56 That's like the spot kind of like underneath where you're sitting, right? It's like the space between the seat and the handle bars, right? **Spencer ** 28:01 Correct. So, if you're thinking about a bike frame, this kind of goes back to the--I wanted to actually mention this in the history too--so a double triangle, like a diamond. So you have two triangles. You have the front triangle and the rear triangle. That design has been around nearly since the inception of bikes and fundamentally hasn't changed, which is kind of miraculous. There's there's always going to be some kooky weird shit that people are cooking up to make bikes better. But 99% of bikes that have ever existed have been the same design, and it's still the best and most efficient. So, you're filling that front triangle with gear. So it's where you would typically have your water bottles and things like that, but being able to put four liters of water, as opposed to two bottles, and a bunch of camping gear is more efficient. So frame bag. And then there's a bag attached to your seat post called a rocket bag or a butt bag or...[laughs] And this is where stuff gets real bondage-y. There's like 17 straps holding those fucking things on. They sway if you don't pack them right. And there's a bunch of designs to make that better, and we're getting really close to really nailing it. So you have those kind of are your three main staples for bike packing bags. There's bags that strap your fork, there's bags that go onto your down tube, there's ones that attach to your stem to put snacks in. If there's a tiny spot in your bike, there's a bag for it, I guarantee it. And those are kind of your two corners of like bicycle luggage. **Inmn ** 29:32 I see. I see. You know, what I.... Something I weirdly really appreciate about some of these bike packing luggage, or whatever, is when I was...when I was first hearing about some of this and I was like, oh.... Like I remember like 10 years ago when people were starting to have frame bags and stuff, and I was like "Where do you get a frame bag, like where can I go and buy this?" And the answer was, you had to just know someone who fucked around and made one and wanted to make you one. And it was like...it's like watching an entire--like, you know, fuck an industry, but it does make it more accessible for people that there's like more people making these things--but an entire way of making things, or a culture of making things, like erupting from like watching some people just fuck around with fabric and like cordura and vinyl and shit and just like.... Yeah, I don't know. I feel like...yeah, it's like watching that and watching the same thing happen with messenger bags like 15-20--I know, it's been more--years ago. But I don't know, it's something I've weirdly always appreciated about like bikes is that there's been a lot of innovation not on an industrial level. It's like on the level of people just messing around with stuff in their garages and figuring out some really cool things. I don't know, does that...does that track? Is that real? Am I under the right perception? **Spencer ** 31:11 100% There are so many cottage bag makers and a lot of them have scaled up and some of them are still really small. And a lot of the innovation is still coming from those cottage industries. Big companies have caught up. So there are a multitude of companies offering frame bags produced overseas that you can get at REI or on Amazon. There's a there's a host of options. Industrial production has caught up to it. One thing that's cool that they will never be able to do is there's a bunch of frame bike bag sewers--builders? What's the word? And you can send them a photo and they've written their various different scripts and computer programs and you send them a photo of your bike with like a ruler in it. And they will make a custom tailored bag exactly to fit your bike where you can put bolts through it, like just over the internet. And that's somethingl.... Like I personally have one from Rogue Panda. Nick is a crazy mad scientist and incredibly innovative. Yeah, you can just send him a photo of your bike or if they have the dimensions already in their system, they just sew you an exactly perfect custom bag. So you can get a bunch of off the shelf things that will work for most bikes, but if you have a weird like I do, or many that I do, you can get a custom one, and that's something that's always going to be around as like a cottage level industry. **Inmn ** 32:38 Um, okay, how.... Or.... Okay, so say...let's say I want to...say I want I want to ride my bike from where I live to a neighboring city. It's like...maybe it's four days away, or something, by bike. What...or, this is a regular thing that I want to do. This is a thing that I want to kind of invest in doing. And I'm asking this from the perspective of, so like on my month long bike tour, I feel like there was a way to have a bike that I didn't fucking hate riding. And so I'm wondering...I'm wondering kind of like what kind of bike do I need to do that? What will make my life be less terrible? I was on an old Schwinn steel frame that I put a mountain bike drive train on, essentially. And some like other mountain bike parts. I like converted it to 700s [wheel size]. I didn't know anything about fat tires. I just had like-- **Spencer ** 34:03 It barely existed back then. So yeah. **Inmn ** 34:05 It was like, I don't know like one and a half inch ties. This is embarrassing to say at this point. **Spencer ** 34:14 That's fine. I can't tell you the breadth of dumb ideas around bicycle. **Inmn ** 34:22 Yeah, yeah. And it's like my life was so bad in comparison to my road partner who was riding a Surly Long Haul. [Specialty touring bike] **Spencer ** 34:34 Yeah. So to segue out of this, if you ask the internet, the internet's gonna tell you the Surly Long Haul Trucker's the best bike touring bike for blah, blah, blah, blah. I'm going to tell you right now, the Surly Long Haul Trucker rides like fucking dogshit without about 100 pounds of gear on it, and I don't think is the right bike for almost anyone in this current day and age ofbike touring. But let's get into your actual question. So the cool thing about touring is the bags will fit to most bikes without racks or rack mount. So if you have a bike that's comfortable, that fits you, it's probably...it can probably be made to be some kind of touring ready. So every bike is a bike touring bike if you have enough gumption. I've written tall bikes halfway across this country on multiple occasions. So I wanna say that you can always a specific bike tailored to the trip or the adventure you want to go on. But you can probably make whatever you have work. And I could recommend, if you give me more specifics, I could be like, yeah, you should get this size tire. This is a great bike for that. Like, height matters. All right, before I run away on this, let's start at the...let's start at the bike. So more important than any other consideration is whether you have a bike that's comfortable for you? Does it fit you? **Inmn ** 36:07 What does that mean? **Spencer ** 36:09 So bikes come in multiple sizes for different bodies, different heights. Like, I'm all torso. I've got relatively short legs for my height, but I'm like 6'1" so I ride an extra large bike. If you're 5' or shorter, you might write an extra small. That's going to be...those bikes are gonna fit differently. So there's a varying size run. So most importantly, you want a bike that fits you. And that's going to mean different things to different people, depending on if they have any back issues or what have you. So comfort is going to be kind of paramount to start. So your four day trip, is it off road? Is it mixed between the two? Is it single-track mountain biking? You're not going to take your Schwinn Varsity on a bunch of single track trails in Arizona, because you're not going to have any fillings or teeth left at the end of that ride. So, once you have a bike that's comfortable, once you have a bike that fits you, then you want to say, "Does this bike...is it adequate for the terrain?" And that's typically going to be tire size. So tires come in a bunch of different flavors, but you're pretty much looking at anywhere between a 26" rim, a 27.5" rim, or a 29" rim, which is also coloquially referred to as 700c. And those come in--oh my God I'm really in the rabbit hole here--so many sizes. But, so is your bike comfortable? Does your bike fit you? Do you now have the appropriate tire size for the terrain you hope to traverse? And we're going to assume that you have all of those things. And the next consideration will probably be luggage. So how much frame bag space do you have? Can you get a frame bag for it? Do you have mounts to put a rack on the front, or even the back, of the bike? You want to make panniers to go on there? You can strap anything, like anything with the stuff sack, you can strap. I mean the quintessential like bike co-op special is the old kitty litter boxes with hardware hooks and some bungee cords. Like, do you have a cat? Do you use cat litter? And these are all things that can become bike touring luggage. It's so up to you and how you can fit it. I've seen such a plethora. There's such a rich community of people DIYing these things. And there's ways to use like old cutting boards to make handlebar rolls to hold stuff sacks, you know? Like, I could go on and on. So the next thing you want to figure out is how are you going to pack all your shit on your bike? And okay, we've got that. There's a plethora. And next thing is food and water. Is there water available? Do I need a water filter along the way? Where can I get more food, snacks, etc... along the way? How many days of food I need to pack? Those water and food options are probably going to inform how you pack or what kind of luggage you're going to need, beecause those your essentials. Like if you want the bike to move, you have to pedal it and you have to be alive to do that. So you're gonna need to eat and drink. **Inmn ** 39:36 Yeah, can I have a little segue off that? It was funny on this cross-country bike tour, like our attitude about that changed throughout the trip, you know, where it was like--Marie definitely had more like bike touring experience than I did--but like when we started, we were in rural Oregon, we were in Montana, we were in all of these big western states. And we didn't have a water filter, which is probably something we should have brought. But like, you know, we weren't camping. We weren't--or sorry, we were camping every night, but we weren't trying to ride off to find nice places. We were like, whatever's along the road, you know? And so we were like, "Okay, well, we just have to bring all of this stuff with us." Like, I think we had like two weeks' worth of food each and three gallons of water on us at all times. And it was utterly absurd, like our bikes were so goddamn heavy. But we often went a week without going to a grocery store. **Spencer ** 40:57 That could be the reality of your trip. And there's some of these long distance routes, especially the off road ones.... Like road touring, if you're on established routes, like highways or secondary highways, you're gonna hit a gas station hopefully once a day, if not every other day. And like, you know, it's not gonna be great food. But that's...those are all considerations to how much you need to pack. And that's...that's typically the first thing I would be like where's my reasonable resupply? Especially ifwe live down to the desert, like water is the main concern and the limiting factor for a lot of my trips. Like how much do I have to carry? Where can I get it? How can I get it? **Inmn ** 41:39 Yeah, cuz it's like, you're not--unlike being in the Northwest or something, you're not just gonna happen on a stream that you can like.... **Spencer ** 41:47 Exactly. I mean, maybe you can if you know that's there. But that's a big if, and I've planned to get water from a stream and then I got there, and the stream was dry. And I was like, "Oh, this is going to be interesting." **Inmn ** 42:01 But yeah, sorry. You're talking about water, food, etc... I don't know what you were going to say next. **Spencer ** 42:09 Yeah. So once you figured out how much water and food you need to be able to carry between places that you can get water or food, then you're gonna go to gear. So clothing, is it going to be hot? Is it gonna be cold at night? And then you're thinking about sleeping. So tent, sleeping pad, sleeping bag, at the bare minimum. How warm is that sleeping bag need to be? What's the weather going to be like? Is it going to rain a lot? How nice of a tent do you need? How many people are going to fit in that tent? And once you've figured out those things, those are all going to inform all the decisions we made already about like luggage. Like oh, I need to make a three person tent because there's three of us. Are we going to split it? Yada yada yada. If you've been camping at all, you understand that these are like kind of the basic things you want to have with you. Or maybe you're going there's a hotel every night and you're like, I'm just gonna get a hotel in and take a shower, and people do that and it's great. It's a different way to tour. **Inmn ** 42:10 We met someone like that who was credit-card touring, as it's called, I think. And, you know, I have a friend who just writes crazy distances in like single times, but like meeting this person who was like...he had a very fancy performance road bike and a couple regular small water bottles and like some granola bars and in his fucking lycra pockets, or whatever, and a credit card that was it. That was every single thing this person had. **Inmn ** 43:07 Still bike touring. My 20 year old self would be would be shaking at me saying that but still bike touring. **Inmn ** 44:01 Yeah, I mean if you got a credit card and he just like fucking get a hotel every night. **Spencer ** 44:08 But, you know, these are considerations with things. Like, I've stayed at hotels on bike tours. Like I had a real shit day got rained on for like this last trip I did in the Midwest past summer. We got stuck in like damn near a tornado. And I was putting up our tent in the downpour rain and then it was drizzling the whole next day. And I was like, fuck it. I'm getting a hotel. Going off route. I'm going to a hotel. Sleep in this hotel and shower and dry all of our shit out. And these are things you want to consider and this is all part of what goes into considering to go on a bike trip. **Inmn ** 44:44 Yeah, um, so we're getting close to the end of our time for today. I didn't say this at the beginning, but this is a two part episode. And I'm wondering if we could kind of end today's episode with, could you just tell us a story about going on a bike tour. Could have gone well, could have gone horribly. Kind of whatever. Tell us about a trip that you went on and kind of like what... Yeah. Yeah. **Spencer ** 45:21 Alright, I'm gonna tell you about my favorite bike tour. And it will bring it back together because you met that lovely gentleman in Glacier on the Tour Divided some years ago. So my buddies Kurt and Sam--this was 2016--so fledgling days of kinda packing bags. This is when one of the bigger companies, Blackburn, was getting into making bags. They sponsored a bunch of folks to go ride big long off-road routes. My friends got this scholarship sponsorship thing. And I was like, okay, cool, like, I'm gonna go meet them. I just finished up work. I worked as a bicycle tour guide, but the van stuff, not so much the touring that we're talking about, but going to hotels, yadda yadda yadda. And I got off work, drove out there. I took my dad's hybrid from like 1994 and I strapped a bunch of bags to it. And we went riding down. They had like slick bikes, all the new bags. But the fun thing was they were big rock climbers at the time. So we were carrying all of our camping gear and a full 60 meter rope, a full trad rack of cams and nuts and like our climbing harnesses and shoes, and every week we were climbing at least once a week. So we're doing trad climbing up some mountains in Montana or Wyoming or wherever the hell we want that being that week. And we packed nothing. We had.... Like none of us had real tents. We have like one spare tube between us because we just didn't have room for anything with all the climbing gear. It was just so reckless and stupid. We hitchhiked a ton and climbed a bunch of shit that was really sketchy. And it still to this day is one of my favorite memories of traveling by bike, just getting to go climb and just riding those wide opens stretches of Montana, Wyoming, a little bit in Colorado. And it was just the dumbest fun. God I miss you, Sam and Kurt, if you're out there listening somewhere. That was my bike penultimate trip that had been on. It just...it was silly and dumbn. There's photos and videos of that from years ago that I can send you some links to or whatnot. But the joy I still take from those memories and that trip stick with me. **Inmn ** 47:35 Hell yeah. That's wonderful. Um, one of my like, weirdly favorite memories of going on bike tour was--and we'll talk about this a little more in part two--but is preparation, how to prepare for a trip, how tolike plan an actual trip, you know. And me and Marie didn't plan literally at all. We just hopped on our bikes and started riding. Every day we woke up and we were like, "Yeah, let's go on that road. That makes sense. Whatever. It'll be fine." Weirdly, we did end up on...we accidentally ended up on Adventure Cycling routes, you know? Which makes sense. They were the most logical roads to ride on. We just didn't know. But our lack of preparation and planning was actually the most fun part of the trip. **Spencer ** 48:39 So my buddy Kurt on that trip, and we did a bunch of subsequent trips, and I'm a big planner and Kurt hates planning. He made me fly to fucking Columbia with zero plan and like one half contact that we called when we got to Bogota and a bunch of paper maps and was like, "Nah, we're just gonna figure it out." Speaking of accidentally winding up on ACA routes, did you the pro move where you found someone riding in the opposite direction and you asked if they were done with their maps because you were going the opposite way? **Inmn ** 49:11 No, that would have been smart. But we didn't... We met a couple other people on bike tour. We were incredibly surprised. We met exactly three people on bike tour on a two month long trip and I was actually surprised about it. **Spencer ** 49:30 Wow. I wound up on that TransAm for a little bit. And I didn't have any maps because I was being a total of shit bird and would be like, "Hey, you done with that section?" cause I didn't want to buy maps. **Inmn ** 49:42 Yeah, they're expensive. **Spencer ** 49:45 I mean, Adventure Cycling is a really lovely organization that has done a lot of good and they're a nonprofit. Do you ever, did you guys go through Missoula and go to the headquarts? **Inmn ** 49:55 We did. We got the free ice cream. **Spencer ** 49:56 Popscicles and soda. Yeah. Okay, well, that's why those maps are so expensive is they gotta give free sodas and ice cream to all the dirt bag toursists that won't buy them. **Inmn ** 50:07 Yeah, yeah. Cool. Well, that about does it for the time that we have today. Before we go, are there any things that you want to plug, any projects, any places that people can find you on the internet where you would like to be found? Anything like that? **Spencer ** 50:29 Anything on social media, is just Spencer J. Harding. Like I said, I write for the theradavist.com. You can type my name in there and there's a bunch of reviews and trip reports and stuff like that. My website is just SpencerJharding.com. There's a bunch of photos organized there from a bunch of my bicycle travels, if you want to check that out. **Inmn ** 50:50 Yeah. Cool. Cool. And for folks who...just to let you know what we're gonna be talking about next time, next time being next week, we're gonna be talking about how to actually plan a bike trip, what are things you should be prepared for kind of like on the road, why traveling by bike is just a really cool idea--if you haven't been swayed already--what are its limitations, and how does this fit into preparedness models for any kind of collapse or disaster situation that we might be in. So tune in next time. **Inmn ** 51:33 If you enjoyed this podcast, then go hop on a bike and ride around and see what happens. And also, if you like this podcast, you can please just tell people about it. It's the best way that people hear about the show and one of the best ways to support us. But if you would like to support us in other, I think, sillier ways, you can support the show financially. And you can support us financially by supporting our publisher Strangers in a Tangled Wilderness. And the best way to support us is to go to tangledwilderness.org and buy some books. There's some really cool books you can buy. You can buy a cool TTRPG that me, Margaret, Casandra, and Robin wrote called Penumbra City. You can get a lots lots of other really cool books too. And you can also support us by supporting our Patreon at patreon.com/strangersinatangledwilderness. And there's a bunch of different levels of support that you can give us, anywhere from like $5 a month, which kind of gets you a lot of cool stuff. It gets you discounts, it gets you digital versions of all of the stuff that we publish and just like lots of really cool updates. You can also get a zine mailed to you every month, that we put out as part of our monthly feature, which if you also just want to hear those, you can read them on our website or you can check out another podcast that I do called Ttrangers in a Tangled Wilderness, where we take our monthly feature and turn it into an audio zine and interview the author. And then there's another fun part of it, which is that for $20 a month, you can get us to thank or acknowledge anything that you want us to thank to or acknowledge, whether that be you or a cool organization that you want to get shouted out, or whether it's just someone you love and care about. Or as I'm still plugging for, a fictional or theoretical concept. So check us out on Patreon and we just want to give some special shout outs to these folks right now. Thank you alium, Amber, Ephemoral, Appalachian Liberation Library, Portland's Hedron Hackerspace, Boldfield, E, Patoli, Eric, Buck, Julia, Catgut, Marm, Carson, Lord Harken, Trixter, Princess Miranda, Ben Ben, anonymous, Janice & O'dell, Aly, paparouna, Milica, Boise Mutual Aid, theo, Hunter, SJ, Paige, Nicole, David, Dana, Chelsea, Staro, Jenipher, Kirk, Chris, Michaiah, and Hoss the Dog. Thank you so much for everything and we hope that you're doing as well as you can with everything that's going on and we'll see you next time. Find out more at https://live-like-the-world-is-dying.pinecast.co

One of America's most iconic photographers, widely recognized for his fine art, editorial and commercial work. Stephen's pictorial stories of Mainland China, California's Highway One, Ellis Island, the ravages of Hurricanes Katrina and Sandy and an impressionistic study of Burned Objects set the tone for a series of career-defining projects that catapulted him to the top of the photographic landscape. Stephen's work has been featured on NPR and CBS Sunday Morning as well as being on the covers of New York Times Magazine, Vanity Fair, Time, Fortune, National Geographic, Sports Illustrated, and many others. Day to Night, Wilkes' most defining project, began in 2009. These epic cityscapes and landscapes, portrayed from a fixed camera angle for up to 30 hours, capture fleeting moments of humanity as light passes in front of his lens over the course of a full day. Blending these images into a single photograph takes months to complete. His photographs are included in the collections of the George Eastman Museum, James A. Michener Art Museum, Houston Museum of Fine Arts, Dow Jones Collection, Carl & Marilynn Thoma Art Foundation, Jewish Museum of NY, Library of Congress, Snite Museum of Art, The Historic New Orleans Collection, Museum of the City of New York, 9/11 Memorial Museum, Fenimore Art Museum, Art in Embassies, U.S. Department of State and numerous private collections. 

www.atravelpath.com   00:00 Introduction 01:45 Why are the Florida Keys so Special to You? 02:22 Who Should Go to the Florida Keys? 03:40 How Long Should Someone Spend in the Florida Keys? 04:40 What is the Best Time of Year to Visit the Florida Keys? 06:50 The 7-Mile Bridge Drive 07:30 Kid and Pet Friendly Activities 08:34 Flying into the Florida Keys 10:15 Campgrounds in the Florida Keys 13:40 Duval Street 15:20 Nightlife in the Florida Keys 17:00 Dog Friendly Beaches 18:45 Favorite Restaurants and Key Lime Pie 22:40 In & Around the Florida Keys 31:13 Two Complaints about the Florida Keys 32:43 What is One Thing You Can't Leave the Florida Keys without Doing?   Laure and Jason on Social: YouTube Facebook Instagram   This was the ULTIMATE guide for visiting the Florida Keys! Jason and Laura did a fantastic job explain everything to do, from dining, snorkeling, museums, camping, things to watch out for, and much more. We feel like we have three weeks' worth of activities all planned out! Hope you enjoy!   Links Blog Resources: https://atravelpath.com/road-trip-with-kids/   Key West Calendar of Events   Catamaran from Fort Myers: Key West Express   State Park Campgrounds Bahia Honda Curry Hammock John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park   Dog Friendly Beaches Sombrero Beach Anne's Beach   Key Lime Pie Publix Key Lime Pie Bakery in Key West   Key West Fort Zachary Taylor State Park Garbo's Grill Airstream Restaurant Sloppy Joes Bar Key West Cemetery Mallory Square Hemingway House Key West Lighthouse Southern Most Point   Key Largo The Fish House Mangrove Tunnel Kayak   Islamorada Divers Museum Hurricane Monument Robbie's of Islamorada (restaurant and tarpon feeding)   Around the Keys Robert Is Here Fruit Stand Everglades National Park Big Cypress National Preserve Dry Tortugas National Park   Paws for a Cause Old 7-mile bridge fundraiser Modern Marvels Episode: Overseas Highway   *All content from atravelpath.com, including but not limited to The Travel Path Podcast and social media platforms, is designed to share general information. We are not experts and the information is not designed to serve as legal, financial, or tax advice. Always do your own research and due diligence before making a decision.     Transcript from YouTube hey Jason and Laura welcome back to the travel tips segment of the travel path podcast yes thank you for having us stat nice to talk again yes if you guys haven't heard we had episode 13 Jason lore and their daughter Alexis came on the show talking about their 75-day road trip they took with the three of them and their dog Polly um they talked about everything from the frustrations some of the hurdles and obstacles traveling with children so if you're looking to get into an extended road trip with kids definitely check that one out today travel tips we're talking about one destination they know best so Laura and Jason what are we talking about today the Florida Keys awesome I'm particularly excited about this because that is very high on my list where we're going to end up for a little while at some point this year but tell us why this is such a important special place for you guys I think just it's very versatile I feel like there's just there's a lot out there and there's a lot of availability and um it just it's a great it's a fun place you feel like you're on vacation it's one of those plac as you go and you're like okay I'm on vacation and you can drive there and you can drive there it's accessible I would say and uh you you feel like you are far far away from anything normal absolutely now obviously this is a great vacation destination if you want warm weather this is exactly where you should go but what would you say for someone who wants what type of experience who should go to the Florida Keys well and that's great because like it's be there's Beach there's a lot of water sports but there's tons of like history there as well that's super interesting if people are you know it's not our thing but people just like to go bar hopping I mean you can't beat Deval Street and Key West or fishing a lot of people go fishing is huge um but again she mentioned the history the beaches there's not a ton of beaches actually in the keys people might think oh there's beaches there's not a ton of beaches we'll mention we can mention some few of those that we like and but again it's there's a lot to offer for a lot of different types of people there and a very laid-back Vibe I think that's the biggest thing is you really do feel like you're on vacation when you go I mean just it is very laate back it's not for somebody who wants to climb mountains or anything like that there's not a lot of intense sports to do probably but um I guess snorkeling you know that that can work up a good a good workout but yeah it's definitely like that laidback I want to be on vacation Vibe perfect and sometimes you need that especially you know for us who are doing these extended road trips and you know Are Climbing like you said climbing mountains and just constantly on Trails sometimes it's nice to get that vacation in where you can actually just wind down reset relax get your vitamin D and fuel you a little bit more for those longer trips that we're going to take later to get that full Key West experience how long do you think someone should plan to take their trip there I know for us like we say we want to have at least five days there but you can actually do a day trip go down to Key West and come back you can spend months there it's again it's very versatile with timing is that you know there's tons of stuff to do down there or if you really ever like I only have one day or I only have one evening or two days still do it yeah it's uh just so people realize from Mainland Florida to Key West depending on traffic you're looking between two and three hour drive yeah which really isn't that bad especially if you just want to be able to go down and experience it for a day or a night and then you know head back into like you said the mainland I'm sure we'll talk about it later on but that two or three hour drive is probably worth it just for the keyan Pai alone right it is it definitely is the type of driving that you're going to do there is not like anything else that you can do either so it's it's worth it just to make the drive MH yeah very true what would you say is the best time of year to visit or what time the year do you guys like to go so I will say we have two opinions so this is this will be interesting so I love to snorkel and be in the water but I found that going in the winter for me I don't like being cold the water was so cold I couldn't even breathe in my snorkel mask properly because I kept getting salt water let's let's get this up straight though it's it's maybe cold by Florida standards it's not cold by Lake Michigan standards or anything in the Northeast 70 degrees it's 70 degrees is what the temperature is it's probably a little bit cooler in the winter time than you would might think that it is right so the water itself is 70 degrees on average um in the winter time and for me that's just too cold to I just I was shivering so much so um I now I've only been in the summer the fall and the winter I haven't been in the spring um but I actually really liked the fall even though it's hurricane season so I know you do need to watch the weather but for me the temperature was just perfect it was it about 90 degrees the water felt wonderful and because I love being in the water and Alexis agrees we both really liked the fall even though I miss the Fall colors you know that we have in New England and Michigan we have beautiful fall colors but I really liked going that to my year because of the temperature the summer is very very hot and I haven't been the spring so it could be the actually Springs the best time to go and we just don't know so we haven't been there in the spring so we were actually just there a few weeks ago and it was high 70s low 80s to me I don't think you can get more perfect than that right so if you're just going and not going in the water winter is probably the best time to go because the yeah it's perfect temperature and that's a few weeks ago just for context recording this right now end of January mid January so that's yeah beginning of January yeah yeah we were in Florida right around the same time you were and I you couldn't have paid me to go snorkeling in that water I touched and I was like absolutely not way too cold I was like walking way away from it yeah and well I made myself go in the water I'm like I know I'm like we're here in the Florida Keys and like I need to get in the water but I was like okay I'm in the water there are a couple people with West suits but yeah not many yeah most people just we in their swimsuits Yeah you mentioned that drive to the Florida Keys was a drive you can't get anywhere else what did you mean by that well especially the seven mile bridge that is a very unique Drive you're literally driving over the ocean the views are awesome especially if you're driving near Sunset but I will say up in between kargo and Marathon you may not really feel like you're in the keys you really have to get south of marathon Marathon to Key West where you really are going from one little island to the next Little Island going over all these different Bridges um I think there's over 100 different bridges in the keys that you drive over you get more of a water view more frequently South America okay oh that's a good point now you obviously are traveling with your daughter and your dog most of the time so is that completely accessible I know you said she likes to go snorkeling with you but how do it go with the dog and her when you're down there oh yeah it's actually great there's Key West itself is super dog friendly tons of restaurants um are dog friendly and even the stores at first we were having somebody weit outside with the dogs while the other two P went into the shops and I started noticing I don't see any signs saying no pets allowed on many of the stores and so we started taking the dogs in and everyone the people that worked there were like oh they're so cute so even the stores like so most places you can take your dog in Key West Key West kind of anything goes anyway yeah key again it's that laid-back Vibe where you're just like you know even the mannequins Alexis noticed the mannequins in the store she goes mom their hair is really messed up I'm like it's because anything goes in Key West it doesn't matter if the mannequin is crazy hair that's nice that very relaxed Vibe so transitioning a little bit to um you guys are going to Key West you're probably bringing your Airstream right yeah have you ever flown from home to Florida and we actually recently just looked into it because our we're coming up on our 20th anniversary which is the emerald anniversary so we wanted to kind of do something with Emerald Waters and we were looking into flying directly to Key West and from in in January from Michigan to Key West is about 700 a person so you can fly to Key West you can fly into Marathon um but marathon's even more expensive than Key West so what a lot of people would do is fly into Miami is pretty low cost to do and then drive to the keys but Key West does have a I think a pretty large airport by you know Island standards um there's quite a bit of traffic in and out so if you have the budget for it you can fly directly there just not in our budget right yeah well we want to save the uh funds for those uh excursions and experiences right now when you fly into Miami how far is that drive you're probably looking around three hours because you just never know what kind of traffic you're going to get um even from Miami uh even you know Highway One going down through the keys you never know what you're going to because it's one way in one way out we haven't experienced any horrible traffic there but I know people have right well sounds like whatever your budget is however you want to have your transportation there's a lot of different options yeah you can even take a boat we've never done this but the Key West Express Key West Express leaves from Fort Meers and I think it's aadar that takes you directly to qf well that's arriving in style yeah exactly and it was pretty low cost from what I remember it wasn't a horrible price yeah it was a reasonable cost for you know getting you down to Key West now obviously in Key West there's going to be a ton of different boutique hotels and you know Cottage options when you guys bring your camper what are some of your favorite campgrounds we love state parks just in general Across America and the Florida Keys especially because they're pretty pricey um any you know unless you're in a state park so bah Honda Isa very favorite place to stay they have about 40 campsites total so it's a small Campground and maybe 15 of them are Waterfront so those were are very very nice obviously and we were lucky enough to get a couple of those a couple times ago uh they have cabins there that you can rent they do have cabins and tent camping but if you know I want to make it known that anywhere other than the state parks and anywhere in the Florida Keys you're $200 a night for a campsite or more usually if if you can find anything wow now I have heard that um from some fellow campers that we've come across they said it's very hard to get into those campgrounds that you have to be way ahead of time with booking so how how have you guys experienced that how far Advanced are you looking for your for your campsites it's it is it's it's like you said it's pretty stressful because honestly I would get on at 8 o' the day of that they would open up I did that for a whole month did not get any key sites and I would look at um bahah Honda Curry Hammock and John Penny Camp there's three different state parks I would look at all three of them I start always with theah Honda I couldn't do it it was like over a month I tried so he again he just keeps looking for cancellations and that's how we got we were able to get for nights at bonda and two at John Penny Camp so you really just have to keep on the cancellations because it's very hard to get into people are always cancelling I don't care what the campground is even small campgrounds like I said are only 40 sites at Honda people are always changing in their plans and you will find a cancellation if you can if you stay at it and even if you can get there for you know two nights the staff there like the Rangers are very they're very easy to work with like you just let them know hey we'd like to be here a little longer and just go into the ranger station every morning and check in with them if you only have two nights say hey were there any cancellations and we even um the one time we had one site for five nights but we really wanted a waterfront site because it was just it's so nice and we said for us it's worthwhile to move there for one night and go back to our site and they were actually able to find us a cancellation for a waterfront site we moved over there for the one night and we went back to our other site this that the Waterfront sites are just they're amazing oh like one of the best when you have that Waterfront site you you really don't want to go anywhere you just and bonda the other nice thing about that state park is you have like I love Sunrise I love Sunset and you have a Sunrise Beach and a Sunset Beach so in the mornings we would wake up we go see Sunrise you could do the walk around and then again the walks the beaches are not dog friendly on bajah Honda but you can still walk the whole Little Island there with your dogs so we would do our morning dog walk and um and loop around and yeah to me bah Honda is the best place to Camp so when you guys go just keep keep trying to get BAH Honda yeah it's worth it in terms of booking those campsites are you using websites those Campground websites or is there another website you're using for booking no this the Florida state parks website and we'll put links Below in the show notes for all the resources talked about in Today's Show Now obviously you know it's Key West so there's tons of restaurants there's a lot of bars like you've mentioned where you can hop in and out I'm sure it has a very Lively night life for um the bachelorette parties things like that but as far as families at times maybe not kid-friendly it was when we were there for around Halloween I can't remember the Fest is called but there's some sort of Fan Fest during Halloween where when you drive down dual Street people are not close and dval street is really the street that if you're worried about what your kids might see just don't go down dval street anywhere else is going to be normally okay so we turned onto dval Street and I didn't want to make a big reaction because then kids were gonna want to see everything so I'm like oh hey Alexis did you want to watch a show she's like yeah so we just gave her the iPad the headphones and we just and she she saw nothing well that's a good travel tip so as far as that is there anything else that maybe if you are a f traveling with you know small children that you should kind of avoid in the Key West area it's more just if there's a festival going on because like we walked down toal street just this last time and it was just F dur during the day it's okay you'll might see some things that you may not want your kids looking at and some of the windows but you might take the opportunity to distract them like Laura mentioned right when you see something just oh look at over here there's a chicken because there's tons of chicken CH are walking all over the place so there's always a way to distract them from seeing something you may not want them to see but during the day because everybody I think is sleeping still it's this a totally different vibe Walking Down the Wall Street but when the Sun goes down it changes yeah but again that's just the Wall Street right so the rest of the Key West is still very very kid-friendly for sure and like I said extremely dog friendly for sure awesome so what do you guys like to do at night when that sun goes down we're not really night lifers I'll admit we love to go see Sunset and then but the one night we were out a little bit later we went to Robbie's um to feed the tarpon and that was pretty fun too and then again I I'd read mixed reviews of dogs were allowed or not um but we brought our dogs and they let us go out on the decks to feed the tarpon but the Pelicans were just they were really aggressive bold it was hard to feed the tarpon you know and Alexis is trying to like you know shoe the Pelicans away and they're biting at her feet and everything ply wouldn't even bark at her no ply was hiding behind us we're like P do your job bark at them but one thing I would say about NTI and it never gets talked about the Nik at least not that I've heard is they have a a beautiful night sky yeah the stars there so if you're into you know you know nighttime photography or just stargazing especally at beah Honda it it was pretty nice pretty nice night sky so honestly like if you camp at bajah Honda you can really just stay there for your whole time because there's just there's so much even just right there like if you really just want to take a really late back you know vacation to the keys I mean yeah B Honda is where it's at well they have the snorkel tour there so you can you have an Excursion you can take right from the state park their their dive shop has a small restaurant in there they even sell key lime pie from there um so literally you you you have two or three different beaches there you can check out there's kayak rentals there so like Laura says there's a lot of opportunity just to stay put if you'd like to and it can help save money as well right but I wouldn't recommend that you got to at least go down to Key West you had mentioned there weren't a ton of beaches and going back to talking about the pet friendly activities and we're both frequenters of Honeymoon Island in Duneden which is a dog beach are there any dog friendly beaches in the keys yeah so in like I think it was the marathon area there's Sombrero Beach which is a really pretty nice Beach actually small but there's really pretty palm trees on the beach and yeah that's completely dog fry the dogs can go in the water there's a few others that we didn't go to there's one called an's Beach that's right off of the road that look kind of like a neat spot dogs are allowed there um um but one of our favorite beaches that dogs are kind of allowed at is the Fort Zachary Taylor State Park which is at the you know to of the Florida in Key West there dogs aren't allowed on the Sandy part of the beach are in the water but there's just this beautifully shaded palm tree Beach area that the dogs are allowed so like since Jason doesn't really want to be in the water anyway he would hang out with Polly in that beautiful Beach area shaded and Alexis and I would go in the water and you're really on the beach you you are I mean you you're sitting there looking at you know all the beautiful views that the beach offers and you're still sitting in sand but you may have a nice palm tree over the top of your head keeping you out of the sun right so yeah so it's and to us we feel like that was one of the most beautiful beaches we've ever seen it's one of the nicest beaches out there I think and it's nice too and then if you don't have your dog with you then um the fort Zachary Taylor is a very cool tour to take you can tour the whole Fort and there's just all these really cool little nooks and cranage I mean you could spend a couple hours over there just touring the fort they have historical reenactments sometimes so there just that was like one of our favorite places I think in in Q West was the for Zary Taylor State Park very cool history beaches nightlife dog friendly there's Little slice of everything for everybody cool good stuff transitioning a little bit and talking about food what are some of your favorite breakfast lunch spots or just spots you think you should definitely hit when you're in Key West or the keys area well we are huge key lime fans so we actually found Forbes Top 10 key lime pies we only made it through five of them because um some of them were just a little bit farther for us to drive and we didn't want to make the drive but each one was very very good um I will say Honestly though one of our favorite key lime pies is at Publix oh yeah really the grocery store the the grocery store wow but the one that we went to where was it the Key Lime Pie Bakery in Key West yes we feel according to our t bu is the best right and it said that it was the original key line place from like 1865 but of all the ones we've tried and that wasn't even on the top 10 list yeah some of those lists you wonder who put them together and but that one we really enjoyed it but you can't really get a bad piece of key pie anywhere in the keys um but surpr if you just in Florida you're not in the keys and you like key line pie just go to Publix pretty good Publix has a very good key line pie and then the other thing that's kind of neat too is that each place has her own take on key lime pie you know some will do whipped cream some do the mering some people drizzle it with raspberry chocolate covered um we actually found one we really liked um that was a coconut key lime pie that was probably one of our favorites as well so it's kind of neat so if you're a key lime pie lover just have at it from a restaurant standpoint in kargo we went to this restaurant called The Fish House for for dinner and it had a really nice you know being a sea type Vibe you know it felt like you're on a boat and uh they had really good food as well there and in Key West being airst streamers there's a restaurant called garos in Key West that has the food is cooked in an Airstream and it's all outside seating and they have live music there and then there's like a separate bar that's in like a old Cottage House that the drinks come out of there and the food comes out of the Airstream and really awesome Vibe and pretty reasonably priced for being in t West really good tacos yeah I got like the Fish Taco Trio I had the uh the burger I always from Burger man but uh those are two places that we can highly recommend and it was nice because it was super dog friendly because they had this big sign that says dogs preferred humans tolerated you always know that's going to be good you go in the bar and there was I think three golden retriever laying on the around in the bar by the bar area and yeah it was just yeah super dog friendly and then I know there's a whole list of restaurants that are dog friendly so and one we didn't eat at but we've heard good things about was Sloppy Joe's Sloppy Joe's Bar is a landmark a lot of celebrities are known to frequent that County chz just played a surprise concert there so that that's one that we could recommend there's there's just a lot of options for whatever your taste might be right and we haven't had a bad bad meal in in the Florida no robbes even robbes Robbie's where you feed the tarpon yeah and what was that uh Alam marada that's in Al marado so it's like halfway down the keys they have a good restaurant there we have their key lime pie um outdoor seating right on Waterfront so that's that's another place we'd recommend that place had a lot of neat stuff to check out other than just the restaurant again you can feed the tarpon the fish how was it five bucks for a right yeah for a bucket of fish or something very reasonably priced yeah so yeah I don't feel like can really go wrong because most of the food is you know fresh fish you know key lime pie can't go wrong with that well you guys are definitely making me hungry and now we have our nice list to follow when we get to uh the keys so if you haven't mentioned them already are there any nearby attractions that you want to mention well honestly the other thing too I know not this is not everybody's cup of tea but we went to the Key West Cemetery that was very interesting and very educational like in just the different kinds like the graves are all above um the ground because of the water level and just reading about some of the different people they had some really interesting gravestones like one was a big conch shell one was like a um a bookshelf with books on it of all her favorite books and I don't I I've always really enjoyed going to really old Cemetery like that I don't remember what the year what the year is on it but it's either somewhere in the 1800s I believe well Key West is Florida's first city right a lot of people don't know that but um cool places to check out is merer square uh oh yeah you definitely want to be there for Sunset that's a bucket listing we we just were able to do that this last trip there's three performers that perform right there there usually cruise ship import again it gives you that feeling that you are somewhere far away uh another cool place that we didn't go to that we want to may get to pretty soon as the dry to ugas National Park you have to take a a float plane out there or boat it's the only way to get there but that place is really awesome from what we've seen uh Hemingway houses there and so is the Key West Lighthouse there's a lot of different museums also in Key West for you know whatever your interests are you know there's there's just tons to do in Key like even just in Key West there's just tons to do awesome so you really could spend probably a couple weeks there and have just a bunch of different experience oh yeah and actually when I asked Alexis how long we needed to spend there she's like oh at least three weeks that was her that was her answer I'm convinced that you can spend as much time as you want in almost any place right because there's just there is so much it sounds like and it sounds like you guys just planned our entire 3-we trip down to the Key West and we'll definitely be listening to this podcast when we're making our trip down there cuz yeah this was really really informative yeah oh actually there's one more really cool thing that um you can take the you can actually walk or bike the old seven mile bridge to Pigeon key which you can only Access Pigeon Key by the old bridge now the interesting thing is dogs are allowed on the old bridge but they are not allowed on pigeon key except for one day a year there's sometime in January they do some Ser of a dog fundraiser so dogs are allowed on pigeon Key island but that looked like a really cool thing too it's like I think it's about two miles two miles of the old seven mile bridge like the original one that the train tracks were on um and just even the history of the Overseas Highway is really very interesting I think Modern Marvels Modern Marvels has a good episode about the Overseas Highway that I highly recommend anybody to check out if you're going to be headed down there because it's nice to know how it all came about and there is a hurricane Museum there as well because there was a huge hurricane in the 1930s killed a bunch of people and kind of impacted the Overseas Highway and there's I believe that museum is in is it Marathon or Isa marada I'm not sure which one but that that's there to check out as well the divers Museum divers Museum there's a lot there's a lot to do the list goes on and on yeah we could probably have a three-hour segment on what to do in in the keys the Florida Keys yeah we'll transition into the 321 countdown segment of the podcast the final three questions so what are three things to do around the Florida Keys area one thing we super duper recommend is the Robert Was Here Fruit Stand you heard that right Robert was here is the name it was called Robert was here for say I believe they've been operating for about 60 years it's in Homestead Florida it's just outside the Everglade so that's more of you're coming on the east side and they have just the most amazing variety of tropical and exotic fruits and not only that they have the best milkshake we have ever had hands down the best milkshake ever like I got um it's all made with fresh really fresh fruit um I got the coconut lime vanilla milkshake and Alexis is a huge fan of dragon fruit so she literally just got dragon fruit and ice in her smoothie um but the interesting thing too is that they have three turnovers as far as like different fruits so when we were down in October it was a whole different set of exotic fruit in January it was like a whole another set of exotic fruits it's kind of interesting we got to try these things called SEL and pomy and like all these really interesting C you know just very interesting names and very interesting flavors and then when I asked they said also June is another turnover so the big times are like summer winter and fall they have totally different fruits and you can actually just buy the fruit or you can put it into a smoothie or a milkshake but that is hands down a big recommendation and when we go because we're off we're Towing our Airstream either down or back from the keys there's RV parking there as well so don't feel like you can't go there if you're you're towing your rig right and not only that like we always just kind of stop get our fruit get our milkshakes and go but they have tons of stuff around there they have like a little petting zoo um they have different um like a I saw blacksmith little area so they've got a lot of things so it can be like a whole little stop if you want it to be couple other things though I mean you're right there at the Everglades National Park is literally right there and so is Big Cyprus just a little bit further north that's a really cool place if you want to see alligators there's tons of alligators all over the place you want to take an Al those uh swamp boat tours oh yeah you know those are right there check those out highly recommend doing that if you never done that before it's a really great experience so yeah basically is if you're coming down from the East side you know instead of taking the main Highway what's the road that 41 so 41 goes through the big Cyprus area and at every single little turn off that you can go on they have like a little Boardwalk you can see alligators like all over the place it's just it's really a cool kind of aspect of like getting down there and like we've talked about wanting to spend the night there we haven't yet but it's definitely a there's multiple there's multiple campgrounds along 41 between Naples and Homestead that you can you can spend time there if you'd like to and I highly would I highly recommend that like say we want to do that just for airb rides or if you want to hike Che ey alligators just a different vibe there oh yeah again it's a just that laid-back Vibe even in that at the national park there is super laidback and actually I talked to a lady at the visitor center I guess her and her husband don't sleep very well they said they were out kayaking at 2 the morning and they saw a cougar like just steering right Florida pan oh I'm sorry Florida panther yeah they have signs all over the place for Florida panther Crossing even when you're in Naples which is you know a high-end area they have signs everywhere Panther Crossing and the lights are flashing you know like you're gonna see one at any second so we we've watched we haven't seen any but I bet if you drove at night there's a slight chance you might see going across the road that's cool it's cool how informative this episode has been in terms of things you've done but at the same time you're talking about things you want to do so you've been here so many times you have so much experience here but there's still a ton of things left to do that's great so so in terms of three things around the park I have the Everglades National Park the Robert Was Here Fruit Stand and then the Big Cypress swamp why I got kind of one more so we can kind of combine those two but um kaying through the mang gr now you can do this at John Penny Camp State Park um I actually haven't gotten the opportunity to do it because the first time we were there there was eoli in the water which kind of brings up another point that very good at monitoring the water to make sure it's safe for people to go in they're constantly checking the you know bacteria levels um but there's also a lot of other independent places where you can kayak the mangr and even take your dog with you as well and I think that to me that's it's on my bucket list of of kayaking the mangr giant Penny Camp is another place that you that offers offshore snorkeling opportunities we weren't able to do that because of weather both times that we were there but they do have it and it's supposed to be really good and they have the glass bottom boat tours which is nice when you go through the state park it's only like $30 a person whereas if you go go to an independent you know person it's going to cost a little bit more so that's a pretty low cost activity to do what are two complaints somebody might have or not necessarily complaints but things they wish they prepared for before visiting the Florida Keys I think one of the the biggest thing preparations is a mental thing like sometimes you can research a place and all you see are the most beautiful things you know something that kind of happened with us at Glacier too where all we saw these all these amazing views and like it's not all amazing views there are just Woods which are beautiful but the same thing with the Florida Keys like when you you kind of expect that it's all going to be the seven mile bridge kind of look we're really driving from you know up until Marathon it kind of just looks like Florida does you know there's just you don't really see the water that much once you get to the seven mile bridge to Key West that section is you know that's that has that feel the Florida key you see the water you go to these little Islands but that was something that especially for Jason he was kind of like whoa this is the Florida Keys like it was kind of like a little bit of a shock to him because he was expecting seven mile bridge and like all these water views the whole time where it really is from Marathon to Key West is where you get those views so that was one and I think the other one which I know we touched on a little bit was the cost is that you know if you can get into a state park and utilize a state park it's great but the campgrounds are super expensive hotel are super expensive flying they're super expensive so you you can do it on a lowc cost budget but it can also be a very expensive thing to do yeah those are great tips it's planning ahead and then managing expectations in terms of getting into the Florida Keys yeah now we talked about a lot today and I mean a lot but if you were to leave the Florida Keys what is the one thing you cannot leave the Florida keys without doing and we we kind of had different answers on this I also agree with this his answer but for me you have to snorkel because part of like the Florida Keys is getting in the water that's part of the cool thing about the Florida Keys is that has all the coral reefs that are surrounding you know all the Florida Keys I know he had something that I also agree with but you can't go without going to Key West and you know visit the southernmost point um get to your picture by that it's a large like a buoy that's on land if you're not familiar with it there's always a line to take a picture so be prepared do that cross that off your bucket list go to m Square for the sunset and I think that'll complete the trip perfect now any you start talking about snorkeling any favorite snorkel spots in the Florida Keys well I found I know I gu you never got to do a boat tour because it just never worked out in our schedule so I hear that those really are the best if you can go to a boat tour but if you are just snorkeling um by yourself and you're just going to Beach Fort zre Taylor State Park they have four different little sections of rocks and when you when you s those rocks and we saw so many different fish we saw jellyfish we saw Alexa saw an octopus even at the one little section but to me that place was like just magical like you really like I said you felt like you were swimming in an aquarium it was absolutely beautiful and that was one place you can go that you don't have to take a snor boat tour or to now do you guys bring your own snorkel gear or do you know if there's a place you can rent them if you're just flying in for the weekend so John Penny Camp State Park and beia Honda offer all rentals and you can purchase things there as well and there's also tons other dive shops in the area as well yeah I would say like every every little section of shops you'll have you know scuba and snorkeling gear key lime pie and you know it's kind like you kind of see the same things like over and over so yeah there's tons of places to buy things or yeah the state parks rent them and I'm sure even other places rent them as well perfect yeah awesome wow yeah this was a ton of information here everything from from cruise ship location snorkeling spots restaurants dog places um yeah thank you guys a ton for coming on and and sharing your experience and your advice on planning a trip to the Florida Keys we definitely have a full itinerary for sure good good well we looking forward to seeing that video that's right awesome Jason and Laura thanks again for coming on the show and once again if you haven't heard the first episode episode 13 of the travel path podcast they talked about their 75-day road trip across the country how they did that with their daughter Alexis and all the cool things they saw out there so give that a listen and one more time Jason Laura where can my audience find out more about you guys so we are on YouTube as Adventures of Mom Dad girl and a little white dog we're also on Facebook with that same name and then on Instagram um as idesa Airstream but I will admit that I'm not a big social media person so you can find me best on YouTube I try to I try to answer my comments as much as I can Perfect all right we will link those channels below Jason and Laura thanks again thank you thank you

RANDOM WAYPOINTS PODCAST EP.05.31 | OVERLAND NEWS  TODAY| BUCKET LIST ROADS & TRAILS FOR OVERLANDERS0:00 INTRO0:46 SPONSORS1:17  DISCLAIMER1:27 SHOW START2:00 OVERLAND NEWS2:12 Tesla "Giga Train" https://twitter.com/teslaeurope/status/16986374585633878088:19 The 2024 Porsche Cayenne Turbo E-Hybrid SUV and Coupe16:44 Jeep® Brand Announces Sale of Five-millionth Jeep Wrangler20:52 2024 Jeep Wrangler30:15 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cCwJ-cuyRTc&t=3s38:10 Body Of Missing Climber Found In Glacier National Park 41:13 Search Underway In Shenandoah National Park41:36 If you've seen Mr. Bailey, call 540-999-3422@42:33 National Park Sites Reopening After Idalia43:33 RANDOM LISTS43:45 Bucket List Roads & Trails44:35 Karakoram Highway49:30 The Hamilton Road51:28 The road to Kjeåsen57:31 Australia's Highway One  "THE BIG LAP"58:16 Trip Planning Tip1:00:39 The Alaska Highway1:03:03 The Creole Nature Trail1:09:00 Travel Planning CHEAT SHEET1:21:02 Outro===================== GUEST ====================================CANDI SKEHAN @Chicksdoit2  ------------------CO-HOST------------------------------------Michael Ladden @Drive The Globe  https://www.drivetheglobe.com/——————————— CONNECT ———————————

View From Victoria: The NDP are scrambling to explain why they broke an election promise on widening highway one.  We get a local look at the top political stories with the help of Vancouver Sun columnist Vaughn Palmer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

YMR Podcast Interview and Bio Corey Dissin From slinging bologna sammies, to published author… From NE Philly to cruising down Highway One in Laguna Beach, California My first “3-Peat” guest, Corey Dissin, eloquently states…”from small acorns, grow big oaks…” Common theme for living, as well as a common theme from Corey Dissin's brand new book- GOING THE DISS-TANCE”  While Corey adds published author to his growing list of professional media accomplishments- we get to learn that the road less travelled, really applies to Corey. Hard work, killer relationships, combined with fierce resolve and incredible vision… these are just some of the traits that have enabled Corey to create an amazing life. We discuss the path and the book- and the convo gets deeply personal.  Corey Dissin's “Arc to Authenticity” is the stuff of legend.  Personal diss-claimer… I am an OG fan, friend, and proud alum of Go Get It Nation. Can't wait for you to hear this episode with my coach, creator, and friend. To learn more about Corey- go to… https://coreydissin.com/ https://www.amazon.com/GOING-DISS-TANCE-Championship-Lessons-Tribute/dp/B0C2S4MW9J/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

When Thomas took our American friends to get their tourist visa renewed; the first question was, why do you want to stay in the country. He found out very quickly, what the wrong answer was, “I have come as a missionary”. Most of the employees at those offices, would have been a members of one of Germanys state churches, either Lutheran or Catholic. Their response was, “Germany doesn't need missionaries”. Deutschland braucht keine Missionarien! We send missionaries to Africa, India and South America, and we don't need Americans here.” Part of the goal of our ministry, that was developing out of the Jesus People movement, was to be self- supporting. Therefore, it was also possible for the Americans to honestly reply, they would be starting a business, and it would be beneficial for the German economy. Compared to the life of a missionary, that went to a third world country, our job was going to be different. Thomas and I, had read the books about the experiences of missionaries to the jungles of Ecuador, and to war torn China. We had no idea, what kind of trials we would be, up against, living in a western country like Germany. Gradually, we would learn, that our warfare, would be of a spiritual nature. The subject of a “missionary calling”, was something that our parents also didn't really understand. Maybe it would have been easier for them, if our starting point, was going to a Bible Seminary for training. I want to begin with Thomas' words to my parents on the tape. He went to great depths to explain to them why we came, and why we were willing to make sacrifices. Both of our parents, would have preferred, that Thomas get a normal job, and that we would live in a normal house. This reminds me of the first conversation Thomas and I, had after we gave our lives to Jesus. It was early in the morning, foggy and damp out on Highway One. I was pregnant and we were hitchhiking to our tipi location. Thomas said, ”I guess we are Christians now because we believe in Jesus. But we are not going to be like those other Christians, who go around preaching to everyone.” This time, we were far away from California! I was pregnant again, and we were living in a cold brick farmhouse in Nienburg. Maybe God, was using our desire to communicate with my parents, to help us formulate what we  believed we were called to do. Our tape recordings were very personal, just talking in our room and imagining that someone would listen to our story.

If you're looking for a scenic road trip that showcases Maine's stunning coastline, historic landmarks, and charming towns, look no further than Route One. This 527-mile long road runs along the coast from Fort Kent in the north to Kittery in the south, and offers plenty of opportunities to take in the views, explore local attractions, and sample some of the state's famous cuisine.Here are some of the highlights you won't want to miss on your journey along Route One:HistoryRoute One has a rich history that dates back to its origins as a Native American trail. During the Revolutionary War, the road was a key battleground, with important battles taking place in towns like Wiscasset and Thomaston. Today, you can explore some of the historic landmarks along the route, including the Penobscot Narrows Bridge and Observatory and Fort Knox in Prospect.Scenic stopsOne of the main draws of Route One is its stunning ocean views and charming coastal towns. Some of the must-see stops along the route include:Boothbay Harbor: a picturesque town with a bustling harbor, art galleries, and restaurants.Acadia National Park: a stunning national park with hiking trails, scenic drives, and panoramic views of the coast.Portland Head Light: a historic lighthouse that has been in operation since 1791 and is now a popular tourist attraction.Cultural attractionsMaine is home to many unique cultural attractions, and Route One is a great way to experience them. Some of the highlights include:Maine Maritime Museum: located in Bath, this museum showcases Maine's maritime history, with exhibits on shipbuilding, lobstering, and more.Farnsworth Art Museum: located in Rockland, this museum has a collection of over 15,000 works of American art, with a focus on Maine artists.Owls Head Transportation Museum: located in Owls Head, this museum has a collection of over 150 historic aircraft, cars, and motorcycles.Food and drinkNo trip to Maine would be complete without sampling some of the local cuisine. Along Route One, you can find plenty of seafood shacks, lobster pounds, and craft breweries. Some of the must-try spots include:Red's Eats: a roadside shack in Wiscasset that serves up some of the best lobster rolls in Maine.Allagash Brewing Company: a craft brewery in Portland that's known for its Belgian-style beers.ConclusionWhether you're a history buff, a nature lover, or a foodie, Route One has something for everyone. Some practical tips for planning your trip include visiting in the summer or early fall to avoid the crowds, taking the time to explore some of the smaller towns and attractions along the way, and bringing plenty of sunscreen and bug spray. So hit the road and discover the beauty and charm of Maine's stunning coastline on Route One! View the blog post on my website...   To checkout listings all over southern Maine visit: https://www.makemaineyourhome.realestate/ Check out our Facebook: www.Facebook.com/MakeMaineYourHome You can listen to the audio podcast on any podcast app.  Just search for Make Maine Your Home. Be sure to subscribe, like, share and tell your friends.   To contact Doug you can call or text to 207-838-5593, email to doug@makemaineyourhome.com or check out http://www.MakeMaineYourHome.com. 00:00-01:32 Route One in Maine  01:32-02:00 Cultural Stops02:00-02:16 Best food on Route One  02:16-06:16 Where to stop on Route One06:16-06:51 If you Make Maine Your Home you don't have to do it alone!  

This edition features a stories on how International Security Assistance Forces aimed to improve civilian freedom of movement along highway one in eastern Afghanistan and Afghan National Army Commandos are mentored and trained by U.S. Army Special Forces. They are feared by Insurgents and respected by the Afghan people. Task Force Falcon trains Commandos in a Close Combat Attack Academy. Sound bites include Chief Warrant Officer 2 Robert Gross from Madison, AL. Hosted by Senior Airman Barbara Patton.

Vi kører igennem Californiens køligste pinot noir distrikter langs Stillehavet og Highway One. Vi smager følgende vine:  2019 Points West, Santa Maria Valley, Marc Piro (325 kr., Kildetoft Wine)  2019 Abscirrus, AuxMages (425 kr., Bichel)  2015 Ex Anima, Monterey, Wrath (249 kr., Vin og Velsmag)   2018 Mas Cavalls, Sonoma Coast, Marimar (449 kr., Hans Just)2018 Russian River Valley, Pico & Vine (220/150 kr. V 6 fl, Supervin.dk) 2019 Carneros reserve, Anthony & Dominic (379 kr., Vin & Vin) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Afghanistan har kurs mod middelalderen. Taliban har genoprettet sit rædselsregime og nu begynder de uhyggelige konsekvenser for især piger og kvinder at vise sig. DR's Mellemøstkorrespondent, Puk Damsgård, er kørt 1530 kilometer gennem landet for at undersøge det Afghanistan, der former sig i støvet fra Vestens farvel. I dag tager Genstart med hende på rejse langs Highway One - også kendt som Helvedes Hovedvej. Vært: Anna Ingrisch.

Fears some of our roads are just not safe enough, after reports a section of State Highway 1 north of Auckland has been peeling off and sticking to cars. Police say there were more than 40 complaints from motorists with tar stuck to their vehicles from the highway in Dome Valley on Saturday. It will be closed overnight for repair work. Transporting New Zealand Chief Executive Nick Leggett told Tim Dower that there's a couple of different issues at play for drivers. He says it adds costs for all motorists and also compromises safety, making it important that our roads are smooth and well-maintained. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Or Crying Lass, Pastried Flautist, Dawn Ding, Supposed Property, Scary Road, Ten Hundreds.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The heavy rain that's hit the middle and lower parts of the South Island is now causing a major headache for travellers, with the main state highway between Dunedin and Timaru cut off. Rain is forecast to continue over Otago until mid-afternoon, so closures and flood warnings may not change until rain and river levels subside.State Highway One is closed from Palmerston through to Dunedin's Botanic Gardens, as is State Highway 83 the Duntroon-Georgetown Road. In South Canterbury, SH1 is closed at St Andrews through Makihikihi to Glenavy north of the Waitaki Bridge. Kathryn is joined by Nicole Felts, Waka Kotahi Journey Manager for Otago and Southland.

Recently, I drove from Santa Cruz to San Francisco on Highway 1… …and there were so many places to stop and take pictures. I was by myself. I wasn't on a schedule. So I stopped some 10 times to take spectacular picture after picture. The views were epic. And, to put it simply, the drive was a reminder to see what was in front of me. Over the last six weeks, life has taught me that things can change in a second. Thus, being present is truly all that we can do. That's why we meditate. Meditation reminds us to come back to the present. As we quiet our mind chatter – the monkey mind – and we pay attention to our body and our breath, we allow the outside noise to fade away and to come into alignment with our center. Today, I invite you to meditate and consider: how do you feel in your body right now? Finally…if you ever get the chance to drive along Highway One in California, I invite you to do it. It includes some of the most breathtaking views you'll ever see. Enjoy! More resources from Melissa Traumas & Triumphs: neurology of the heart, self-care, tattooing, & the mind-body connection with Tara Whiteman-Fager Monday Meditation: observe without judgment Monday Meditation: how do you want to feel as you finish the year? Monday Meditation Series: Law 1 of the 7 Spiritual Laws Meditation More Today I Choose Meditations Today I Choose: Daily Intentions to Guide You Through Your Life Today I Choose: Daily Intentions to Guide you Through Your Life Volume 2 Melissa on Instagram Everyday Living with Intention Facebook Group More from Melissa --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/todayichoose/support

The Sibz hold their first live studio recording... think NPR Tiny Desk but in their friend's kitchen.  After a split second decision, they packed up Regina and drove 14 hours back to where it all started... the tiny snow globe town of Breckenridge Colorado! If you have any leads on apartments, DM them on Insta lol 

Happy Thanksgiving yall! This week the Saucy Sibz were graced with the presence of the OTHER Saucy Sib and middle child, Maximiliano. Max is an engineer, ER Doctor, world traveler, and without a doubt the "golden child." But don't let that fool you, they talk all things butt stuff and which Saucy Sib he'd rather have with him on a remote island.

Francesca & Nicodemus head to the Southwest to heal themselves of their sins... and also needlessly attack women who hike in their wedding dresses to get the shot. 

Francesca and Nicodemus leave LA and head to San Diego where they experience their worst Airbnb stay ever! We discuss Francesca's lack of driving skills and how no artist or creator wants to be seen starting from the bottom.

Francesca and Nicodemus keep trucking along the California coast! Regina (their car) got new brakes - Monterey turns out to be more dangerous than expected - and the Sibz may have moved to West Hollywood.

Francesca and Nicodemus discuss #Vanlife without the van, Napa Valley, the beautiful California coast, and how to still look chic when you might actually be changing behind a dumpster. Cheers! 

This week, we start out with a rousing round of Who Dis? and then we move on to our three topics:108-KEY ‘BIG BELEURA' PIANOStuart & SonsSony creates a new microphone for this instrumentYouTuber reviewMANCHESTER CAMERATA'S “UNTOLD” SERIES“Keith” (YouTube)BLUES OPERA WITH JOHN MCWHORTERJohn McWhorter's NYT NewsletterBlues Opera Suite by John Mauceri (YouTube)CLASSICAL MIXTAPEThe full playlistJohnStill, Highway One, USAKenshoHaydn, Trumpet Concerto, mvmt. 3TiffanyRamnath, Aalap And TaranaWillDia Succari, La nuit du destinTHINK YOU CAN STUMP US? GO AHEAD AND TRY!Google Form for “Name that Tune: Stump the Hosts Edition” You can reach us at classicalgabfest@gmail.com and on social media:FacebookTwitterInstagram

The Saucy Sibz' FIRST podcast! We discuss the sweet relief of quitting our jobs to go on a cross country roundtrip, where we're at, and what's to come!  Follow for more:Instagram: @SaucySibz

Crooked Goat Brewing and Valley Ford Cheese make up the beer and food pairing on this week's podcast episode of Brew Ha Ha. Brew Ha Ha today features Karen Bianchi from Valley Ford Cheese Company and Paul Vianello of Crooked Goat Brewing, who both join Herlinda Heras and Harry Duke who is sitting in for Steve Jaxon. Curtis Bedford is also in the studio, staying through from the previous segment live on The Drive on KSRO. (This podcast episode, published Sept. 30, 2021, was recorded live on the air on Sept. 23, 2021.) Vinnie and Natalie from Russian River Brewing Co. were just recently on a trip to Washington to choose hops for Russian River Brewing Company. Right now they are making two seasonal beers, Dribble Belt and Happy Hops. They will be in the studio next week with their fresh wet hopped beer and some fresh hops too. Paul Vianello has brought a variety of beers from Crooked Goat Brewery. The beer is in massive 32-ounce cans, Vanilla Bean, Blackberry Ale and a honey beer. Blackberry Ale is popular on warm days. It's a light easy-drinking beer with a hint of raspberry. Born to Run and uses hops from the Alexander Valley. They even ran into Vinnie from RRBC when they were up there hop hunting. “We survived the flood, we survived the pandemic, we survived the fires.” -Paul Vianello Their new brewer Ilya and assistant brewmaster Rich make a good team. They are hoping to open a second location in Petaluma by next year. Valley Ford Cheese & Creamery Karen Bianchi from Valley Ford Cheese has brought three cheeses: Highway One, Estero Gold extra aged, and some Gorgonzola, which is young and not piquant. They have a new location, a marketplace and restaurant on Hwy 1, between Petaluma and Bodega, about 6 miles in from Bodega Bay. They opened their new space two years ago and managed to survive the pandemic. Karen has brought in one of their signature sandwiches too. They also make their own home made potato chips, daily. They also make Pastrami, and the sandwich from it. The Honey Ale goes with the Rueben sandwich. Its sister beer is the Blackberry Beer, called Bramble. Crooked Goat has no kitchen of its own but offers access to food from various food vendors at the Barlow. There is a great core group of adjacent restaurants, so you can order food from any of them. The Beet Beer is the beer for someone who doesn't love IPA. It's a honey ale. They add the honey during a boil in the brewing. The Blackberry is made by adding a puree of the fruit. Brew Ha Ha "Brews News with Herlinda" is sponsored by Russian River Brewing Co. and by The Beverage People / Fermenter's Warehouse.   Brew Ha Ha is sponsored by the Santa Rosa branch of Yoga Six located in Coddingtown Center.  

Vaporwave is an art aesthetic that embodies the anxiety, disillusionment, and nihilism of the modern world.In music form, vaporwave dives deep into these unconscious anxieties, manifesting sounds from past decades - warping them, manipulating them, and summoning the ghost of the good times that were promised by modern capitalism, but never came.Vaporwave is an expression of the pains of the collective modern unconscious, taking the form of heroin-level escapism, ecstasy-inducing pop music, or dystopian ambient worlds.Because of its internet-based nature, its aesthetics have evolved so rapidly, further reflecting the chaotic subconscious of the modern mind.Vaporwave captures the modern unconscious of humans raised by the internet succinctly and understanding this art form matters.In each episode, we listen to tracks that make up the genre and give our thoughts, analysis, emotions, and commentary on them. Consider donating to us! $thevirutalocean on CashApp will get you your name and any message you want read at the end of the show, starting episode 63. Let's set sail on the Virtual Ocean.And now, for today's episode.Tupperwave is a future funk powerhouse, and Marina is a 2020 album that shows his experience of living in the ever-shifting world of vaporwave. Marina is sweet, euphoric, and transports you to a space of magic realism. Notable tracks for us are definitely "Esplanade", evoking that familiar feeling of experiencing heavy infatuation, as well as "Pacific Highway", bringing you to a perfect version of Highway One that could change the mind of any cynic.You'll just have to listen to see what we mean.Let's set sail for Tupperwave's Marina.

CEO Larry Korman, a frequent California Highway One traveler, and Lea, who drove it on her honeymoon and many times since, take us along the Pacific Coastal Highway from Mendocino to Malibu, with stops along the way:  realities like washouts, and the frequent pleasures of this spectacular drive, going north to south.-- We cover Mendocino with its glass beach; Bodega Bay where Hitchcock filmed The Birds (Larry is friends with star Tippi Hedren).-- We take a day trip into San Francisco; then down past the Devil's Slide and the Big  Foot museum to Santa Cruz,  Carmel/Monterey and the 17-Mile-Drive.--  Big Sur,  a gorgeous spot, is next, with the Falls and the Henry Miller Library.  Larry's comes as often as possible.-- On to San Simeon, and The Hearst Castle; San Luis Obispo, with the famed Madonna Inn;  Pismo Beach, with Monarch butterflies; Solvang, with its Danish influence; the wineries near Los Olivos; Santa Barbara, Santa Monica and Malibu, with is pier. And Los Angeles. -- Lea's gives her favorite memory, and then, Larry gives his._____Larry Korman is President of AKA Hotel Residences and Co-CEO of Korman Communities, a residential real estate company that has developed 30,000 homes and 20,000 apartments over the past century. There are 24 suburban and metropolitan locations within two brands: AVE and AKA (korman.com). The collection consists of exclusive high-rise, extended-stay properties in New York City, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Washington DC, and   London.Links: AKA corporate website:  https://www.stayaka.com/ ; AKA West Hollywood website:  https://www.stayaka.com/aka-west-hollywood; AKA Beverly Hills website:  https://www.stayaka.com/aka-beverly-hills; AKA corporate Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/stayaka/; AKA West Hollywood Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/akaweho/_____Podcast host Lea Lane blogs at forbes.com, has traveled to over 100 countries, written nine books, including Places I Remember, and contributed to guidebooks. She's @lealane on Twitter; Travelea on Insta; on  Facebook, it's Places I Remember by Lea Lane. Website: placesirememberlealane.com.  Please follow, rate and review this weekly travel podcast!_____

This week Kim gives us the download about her West Coast road trip from Seattle to Los Angeles, California. Planning a West Coast Road Trip Driving from Seattle to Southern California takes about three days if you want to take the scenic routes and make stops along the way. Ideally you will take 10-14 days for this trip. However, if you have less time you can drive from Seattle to Southern California and then fly home. The best way to take the trip is from north to south (Seattle to LA) versus south to north because you will have better views and the scenic pullouts will be on your side of the road. Try to plan no more than four hours of driving time a day to leave plenty of time for stops and attractions. There are three main routes that you can take once you are in California. The fastest route is on Interstate 5. Highway 1 is the coastal route which is the slowest but most scenic. Highway 101 will still take you through vineyards and farms with some scenic attractions but it is faster than Highway 1. You can start in Seattle or Portland, Oregon. If you start in Seattle, cut over to the Olympic Peninsula where you can see the Hoh Rainforest, Rialto Beach, Ruby Beach, and the famous tree of life before hitting some of Washington's small beach towns like Long Beach and Ocean Shores. On Kim's trip they drove straight to the Oregon border and stayed the first night in Astoria, which is a neat little town where the Goonies was filmed. You can also visit the Naval Maritime Museum. If you are traveling in the summer of 2021, keep in mind that many restaurants are still understaffed or not fully open so plan accordingly as these small towns get very crowded and overwhelmed with tourists, especially on the weekend. A few other stops in Oregon should include: Cannon Beach with Haystack Rock, Tillamook Creamery, Devil's Punchbowl, and the Oregon Dunes Recreation Area, and Agate Beach. Kim stayed her second night in Klamath on the Oregon/California border (be aware that there is major road construction going on in this area.) On the Oregon coast, check the tide charts to know when the high and low tides are because it can make a big difference in the experience. Try to avoid weekends in the small touristy town as much as possible. Google will also sometimes give predictions on when the busiest times are for attractions, which can help plan your itinerary. In Northern California, Kim stopped at the drive through tree in Klamath, Trees of Mystery, and Avenue of the Giants in the Redwoods. On the third night, Kim stayed in Ukiah, CA. The next day, Kim and the girls stayed in a glamping tent at Safari West and got to do the drive through safari. Kim then spent two nights in Monterey (read all about things to do in Monterey) and did an e-bike tour with Mad Dogs and Englishmen and visited Pacific Grove, staying at the Hyatt Regency Monterey Hotel and Spa. In Monterey, Kim recommends eating at Rio Grill, Alta Bakery, and Lucy's on Lighthouse, which is a hot dog stand with a skateboard theme. Keep in mind that highway 1 is often closed by Big Sur because of landslides so always check ahead to see what is open and take Highway 101 as an alternate. You can drive as far south as Bixby Bridge, but be careful and stay within the boundaries when taking a picture. Lily Valley is another great stop where wild calla lillies grow. If you are going to hike to the Hollywood sign, look for options for a four-mile hike, versus the six-mile hike from the Griffith Observatory, and go mid-week if you can. There is then so much more to do in Southern California but what Kim did would be at least a 7-8 day trip. Read Kim's Olympic National Park itinerary Read all about Kim's West Coast Road Trip itinerary and tips Read Tamara's tips for driving from San Francisco to Cambria on Highway 1 [00:00:00.060] - Kim Tate Today, we're winding down the West Coast.   [00:00:14.880] - Announcer Welcome to Vacation Mavens, a family travel podcast with ideas for your next vacation and tips to get you out the door. Here are your hosts, Kim from Stuffed Suitcase and Tamara from We3Travel.   [00:00:29.820] - Tamara Gruber Today's episode is brought to us by Safe Travels Kit, which does exactly what it sounds like and it helps keep you safe when you're traveling, whether it's on an airplane, a train or even in the car, it is all in one little pouch that includes a seat cover and a pillowcase and sanitizing wipes and a face mask. What I love about it is that it's super soft. So, Kim, the material, you know how sensitive my skin is, but if I'm going to put my face on a pillow case, I want it to be like super soft and comfortable.   [00:00:57.660] - Kim Tate And I love that part. And if there's anything that we've learned in this last years that there's a lot of germs out there and now I'm even more like not wanting them to touch me, definitely.   [00:01:07.950] - Kim Tate I can't even imagine using one of those airplane pillows at this point where you're never quite sure if they actually changed that white little non soft cover that they put over them.   [00:01:18.450] - Tamara Gruber Definitely. So this is very easy to pack in your carry on. It's actually sold on Amazon as well as you'll find it in many of the Brookstone airport stores or in Bloomingdale's. But you can find it on Safe Travels, Kit.Com, and we thank them for their support.   [00:01:35.360] - Tamara Gruber So, Kim, I know that your West Coast road trip feels like probably ancient history by now, but I know that we wanted to come back to it and really do a deep dive because so many of our listeners have planned on doing some type of California or West Coast road trip.   [00:01:52.010] - Tamara Gruber So I thought it'd be really helpful if we could, you know, talk about what you've done. And I know that you've done this trip quite a few times. You have a lot of knowledge to share. But can you fill us in, I know you did, what, two weeks down back in April from Washington down to California. But give us an idea of what was your overall itinerary like?   [00:02:14.890] - Kim Tate So in this trip, yeah, we had two weeks, but part of that was because we were going to hang out with friends at the end of our trip and then spent three days getting home. So I would say for this trip, we just focused on mainly driving along the Oregon coast and California coast a bit and then headed over and near Santa Barbara where we stopped, which is kind of the southern central. It maybe is considered like the northern tip of, I consider central California.   [00:02:44.140] - Kim Tate But some people might think it's kind of So Cal because it's near L.A. But I think of L.A. is kind of the northern part of SoCal. So anyways, that was a long ramble. So I would say we spent 14 days, but of that, we took about a five day, five to seven days to drive down. That's the timeline. I think that there's a few options. Like you said, we've done this trip quite a bit.   [00:03:07.850] - Kim Tate When we were going to Disneyland and spent a few days in Disneyland and we actually did a one way car rental and we drove from Seattle down and just did kind of the California coast and then stayed in Disneyland for a couple of days and then flew home to help save as much time as possible. So I definitely think that's an option for people. This trip, we actually did some of the Oregon coast and then California coast, which again is adds time and all of these things.   [00:03:34.360] - Kim Tate You just have to think about how much time you have. And then another option, if we had a lot of extra time and didn't want to spend as much time like in California being a tourist in California, if that makes sense, if you're just in it for the road trip, then adding the or The Washington Post, which is basically Olympic National Park, the Olympic Peninsula and a few of the Washington Southern Washington coastal beach towns, that's another option as well.   [00:03:59.020] - Kim Tate So I think if people are looking at a timeline, then it's going to depend on how much time you have on how much you can do.   [00:04:07.120] - Tamara Gruber Yeah, like what things you need to skip or whether you're taking the highway or the coastal route. And I mean, obviously the point of this is to see as much of the scenic parts as you can. So nobody wants to spend all of their time on the interstate. And I definitely think if people are from not from that area. So if you're coming from the East Coast, like us you would want to fly in and then just do it one way.   [00:04:29.530] - Tamara Gruber And if you did that, do you think which do you like better? Do you like the north to south or the south to north?   [00:04:34.510] - Kim Tate This is a huge, huge tip I have. And this I actually wrote this in my West Coast road trip post. I think north to south is the only way to go. Absolutely. And the reason I say that is for two reasons. One, the driver's most always going to be focused on the road and for safety reasons. I think that's good. So I think it's good that the passenger gets to look out and can have a phone and take pictures if they want.   [00:04:56.260] - Kim Tate But the bigger point that I think north to South works is because all the turnouts are on the, you know, far west side of the highway. And so if you're headed on the right side of the road, you are easily you have easy access to enter and exit the pull out into the lane of traffic as opposed to trying to cross traffic, which on busy you know, travel day is not a busy route like that. It actually can make a huge difference and kind of be a safety hindrance.   [00:05:22.780] - Kim Tate So I think north to south is the way to go.   [00:05:25.990] - Tamara Gruber Absolutely. I've only done, you know, a piece of it, you know, from basically San Francisco down to Central Coast. And I would totally agree. Definitely the better option, you know, from a driver and a passenger standpoint.   [00:05:41.200] - Kim Tate Yeah. And I think a few other tips for just planning when people are thinking about this is this is the kind of route where you really need to allow a lot of spontaneity and stopping time. And so our first time we did this and I mentioned this before, we way over packed our drive times and we were looking at, you know, five hour days and stuff and then with stops and getting started and going in the morning and then traffic and winding roads.   [00:06:08.080] - Kim Tate We we were getting into our next stop like at 7:00 or 8:00 at night sometimes. And it was just brutal. And so this trip, I tried to make sure that no day was longer than four hours and my target time for drive time each day was around three hours. So that's something to keep in mind that really, I think makes a difference in planning. It's not your typical, you know, open highway type road trip planning. It's a very I mean, you want to take it slow and easy.   [00:06:35.080] - Kim Tate I'm sure some people would even want to do, you know, a couple of days in one place and then an hour and another day and, you know, take it really slow. But for us, I found the three hour mark, kind of the sweet spot.   [00:06:46.270] - Tamara Gruber Yeah. I mean, if you have the ability to do slow travel and you can take, you know, the summer. Yeah. And that's wonderful. But otherwise, yeah, you have to have some trade offs. But it's good that you gave yourself that extra time this time, especially since you were the only driver to. But it well I guess Lizzy could have driven, but it gives you, you know, a nice little break and it makes it much more relaxed.   [00:07:07.720] - Tamara Gruber I hate that feeling of like I'm usually the one that wants to stop so the other people don't like mind skipping as much, but I hate that. Feeling of like missing out, you know, is something I really want to do, like how many times am I doing this trip? And so I hate like having to skip things that I wanted to do. But I also hate that feeling of like stress, like, are we going to get they're going to get there is going to be too late.   [00:07:29.530] - Tamara Gruber Everyone's going to be so hungry, you know.   [00:07:31.990] - Kim Tate Yeah, it can be horrible. And I'll just mention, like for people planning who are and pretend that people that maybe are not aware at all, even with all the extra time I had and trying to allow all this time, I still made some choices to shorten the trip. And so this is I'll give this little tip and information. I think people need to know that there's three main north south routes along, mainly along the California section. But this sort of applies to the Oregon and Washington, a little Oregon and Washington, the one and one on one, are kind of the same through a lot of it.   [00:08:04.780] - Kim Tate So it's not as noticeable. But once you get past the redwood forests of Northern California, you kind of start having this choice of Highway one is what hugs the coast. That is the one that, you know, is right there on the coast. And it's extremely slow going, but it's extremely beautiful. And then you have the 101 that kind of juts over. And that's when you start to get into like wine country and some of the agriculture area.   [00:08:31.180] - Kim Tate And you'll notice that the 1 and the 101 kind of travel together until you hit San Francisco and they kind of merge in a little bit together again. And then they split off again. And you're you're left with that same choice of the coastal routes versus the a little more. It's still coastal and not coastal, but it's still close to the coast in a way. But anyways, that's two things to know, that there are those two routes and they do separate.   [00:08:54.040] - Kim Tate And it's a very different driving experience over time as well as visual like what you're going to see. And then, of course, Interstate five is the main interstate that runs north and south all the way up to the California border, to the I mean, the Canada border to the Mexico border. So for us, we went down along, you know, the one and then we actually cut over to the 101 because between like Santa Rosa and San Francisco, the one, it's beautiful.   [00:09:20.410] - Kim Tate And there's some cool things to see. And like just north of San Francisco, you have Muir Woods, which is, you know, I've still never spent a lot of time on that side of the route. But it does add, you know, probably a couple of hours to what you would plan if you just went the 101, which is a little bit faster and more heavily trafficked. And then on our way home, we just drove by five the whole way because at that point we were just hurrying to get home.   [00:09:48.850] - Kim Tate So when people. Yeah. So I just wanted to give you a heads up that there's three main routes that people need to think of. One's going to be your slowest. So if you want to do the one the whole way, you really need to allow a lot of time.   [00:10:00.700] - Tamara Gruber Yeah, we've done part of the one. And I know what when we moved back up to San Francisco, we did the five and it was like, how did we just do that? And what, like an hour or two while the other took all day. And even that was kind of scenic because you go through so many like agricultural, like giant farms. And we realized like we're so much produce comes from. But yeah. So let's dig into your trip a little bit.   [00:10:23.650] - Tamara Gruber So what like what was your first day like, where did you stop along the way. Like if you can walk us through some of your itinerary would be great.   [00:10:31.240] - Kim Tate Yeah. So I think that like I said, if people are wanting to do this and they're not they don't live on the West Coast, Seattle is a great starting point. You could also do Portland, Oregon. That would be if you don't care about the Washington section of it. If you do want to do Seattle, you can do Seattle and then cross over onto the Olympic Peninsula and do your Washington side of the road trip, which is where you're going to see like the HOH Rain Forest.   [00:10:54.130] - Kim Tate You're going to see some of the beautiful, like beaches like Rialto Beach, Ruby Beach, a few things on the Olympic Peninsula. You'll see that famous tree of life that some people maybe have seen. And then you'll come into a few of the popular little Washington State beach cities. I think Long Beach and Ocean Shores are two of the main ones right there, the the border. And then you can also cross there's a really cool bridge that you can cross into.   [00:11:19.300] - Kim Tate But our first day we just drove I5 straight down to the Oregon border and then crossed over. And we stayed overnight in Astoria, Oregon, which we've been to before. It's kind of a neat little town. People may be familiar with it because of its famous for being the place where they filmed a lot of The Goonies.   [00:11:37.690] - Tamara Gruber That's what I thought.   [00:11:38.860] - Kim Tate Yeah, exactly. And they definitely have a kind of a seaside. They have a beautiful naval, kind of a fun Naval Maritime Museum. That's cool. So if you have a kid that is really into ships or even an adult that's really in the ships, that's a neat place. And the actual it's really neat to think because Astoria sits at the mouth of the Columbia River, which is a major, major, you know, like through route. And they have these pilot boat captains.   [00:12:05.410] - Kim Tate And it's one of the most rigorous piloting, I don't know what you would call it, like waters. There's a lot of sandbars and a lot of heavy. Tides and currents, and so it's a very you know, it's you have to have a lot of skill and experience to be able to pilot a boat and help get the barges in and out of that that little Columbia River mouth. So it's kind of cool to learn about that history. So I think a story is that is cool that way.   [00:12:31.440] - Kim Tate It's definitely a little bit of a grungy, you know, small northwest town. It's got some limited dining experiences, especially, you know, like we've talked about on our episodes. We hit there on a Saturday night and our dining experience was a headache. So just a heads up, if you are planning summertime trips around some of these smaller coastal towns, you really need to think ahead of your dinner time planning shows early. No, it's mostly just because there's only a few restaurants and then they have all these tourists that come in.   [00:13:05.490] - Kim Tate And so you have, you know, to wait for an hour to order or they're a small little restaurant and so they have five tables. And so people are waiting to just get takeout, even if there's just a long line, because you only have if you don't want fast food, you only have like three restaurants to choose from to find food. So it's just kind of a tricky situation with that. So just a heads up on some of those.   [00:13:27.360] - Kim Tate You know, the weekends, summer weekends we were traveling during spring break can just be a bit of a headache. We waited about an hour, just under an hour to order our food. And then it was another 40 minutes to actually get the food to take back to our hotel room. So, yeah.   [00:13:43.250] - Tamara Gruber Yeah. So some angry people at that point.   [00:13:46.440] - Kim Tate Yeah. And we had that same experience in Port Angeles on the Olympic Peninsula when we did our Olympic National Park trip in August of 2020, we had the same thing where those smaller coastal towns are just not used to it. And so on the weekends when you have a bunch of tourists that come in, they just really flood the few restaurants that are available and they just are so small they don't have a lot of seating area. And then their take out program gets really bogged down.   [00:14:11.460] - Tamara Gruber So, yeah, and we should mention that we did do an episode on your Olympic National Park, a trip last year, so people can look that up. And I'm sure you have a post on your website about it too. I do too.   [00:14:22.170] - Kim Tate Yeah, definitely. Yeah. So our first night was in Astoria, but we just basically got in there at night and that was probably the longest little stretch of our our drive, you know, of our trip. And then the next morning we set out and I had all these great. This is where you have to be, you know, fluid with a road trip. I had all these great plans. And of course, we're on the Oregon coast.   [00:14:42.270] - Kim Tate It's going to be awesome. We were going to go to Cannon Beach and see the famous Haystack Rock, which, you know, we had never really seen. And it was disgusting whether it was blowing blowing winds like, you know, you're holding white knuckling the steering wheel. So when the you know, the winds, the rain is blowing sideways and it's just gross. So my day for that day was a little ruined because I had all these plans.   [00:15:04.380] - Kim Tate So we were going to see Haystack Rock. We skipped we drove over there and kind of looked at it. But no, we didn't get out and hang out on the beach at all. And then we also were planning to go to the Tillamook Creamery, which is we've been to before. And it's really it's so funny because we went to years and years ago, it was actually when me we were headed down to California on this road trip for Mia's fifth birthday.   [00:15:25.080] - Kim Tate So that gives you an idea. It's almost, you know, ten years, nine years and it's gone through. Evidently, everyone figured out that it's an awesome destination because they have fully made a whole tourist attraction museum tour system. And on a Sunday, it was jam packed with wall to wall, people waiting outside to get in because they had limited entrance. So we skipped the Tillamook Creamery because we didn't want to stand in line for hours outside.   [00:15:55.170] - Kim Tate There's also a famous stop along the way called Devil's Punchbowl, which we skipped because of the weather. And then we finally we're going to end right around the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area. And again, because of the weather, we skipped that. So we got in really early to our, you know, best Western basic hotel in Reidsport. Oregon was where I kind of picked because it was near those dunes. And I thought it would be a fun a fun stopover, but it did not happen.   [00:16:22.380] - Tamara Gruber So, yeah, I it's so hard. Like we talked about, like, you know, letting go of things. I think, you know, you're a photographer. Like we both, you know, do this for work. It's it's sometimes it's not even just about missing seeing something, but it's like, oh, we had these dreams of like the pictures that you're going to get and, you know, how are you going to use them and you know all of that.   [00:16:41.340] - Tamara Gruber And then you're like, yeah, now this does not cooperate at all. I've had so many of those experiences where it's like, oh, I'm going to get these epic photos. And you're like, yep, nope, that's not happening. Yeah, but I think I find it interesting, like what you're saying about Tillamook, because I feel like in general, like agritourism has become so much more popular. You know, it's just something that is, you know, of a lot more interest.   [00:17:02.670] - Tamara Gruber And I really I think it's smart the way a lot of these farms and, you know, other makers have turned it into, you know, another revenue stream for them. You know, so it's interesting, I remember one time we were staying for a week on Cape Cod and it was pouring rain, so it's like opening the summer, like what are you going to do? You look like indoor stuff. And we're like, oh, let's go to the Cape Cod potato chip factory.   [00:17:25.940] - Tamara Gruber And we stood outside in line, you know, with an umbrella overhead for like an hour. Yes. Get into like this potato chip factory where basically all we did was like shuffle down a hallway and like, look at the machines working. Yes, we know. Yeah, they went to the gift shop. But I'm like, you could have gone to the grocery store and bought like five different flavors, like, why did we do this?   [00:17:44.070] - Kim Tate Yeah, yeah. That's what I was thinking. That's why we skipped Tillamook, because we kind of know already. I mean, it had been improved. So we thought, oh, it'll be neat to see it. And but you do you kind of just walk and you get to see the factory and, you know, the machines working. But it you know, it was a Sunday, too. So I was like, well, it's probably not really in operation right now because most of those factories also are just, you know, the the next day.   [00:18:06.740] - Kim Tate Yeah. So anyways, we skipped it and. Yeah. Just kept going. But yeah, I think that's, that was our, that was our idea is like, oh it'll be nice, go inside and have those inside things since it's such a gross day. But everyone had that same idea here. But the next the fun thing was this was where I talked about once we got to our hotel, since we're there early, I kind of started looking the next day to see if there were any, you know, like dunes on that stretch on our next day out.   [00:18:31.490] - Kim Tate And that was where I found that one random all trails where it was like some weird trailhead that held ten cars. And we went and it turned out to be this awesome, cool sand dune that we spent an hour at. So I think that, you know, it is fun when you can have those kind of things.   [00:18:47.120] - Tamara Gruber Yeah, it's nice. You can find, you know, find something that you didn't plan on that makes up for the things that you missed.   [00:18:53.690] - Kim Tate Yeah, exactly. And I think that's cool. You know, that would be something for people to know about, like the Oregon coast that I know California has it as well. There's you know, Pismo Beach is known and famous for their dunes. But that is something to just be known that Oregon is known for. And then as we made our way sort of south, we did, like I said, that scenic. It was like this scenic corridor that I saw from road trippers.   [00:19:14.930] - Kim Tate And again, it's just on the road, basically. And you just turned off. We just turned off and parked and did a little hike. And it's where you start getting that feel a little more of the California, you know, rocky coastal feel of stuff. But it's cool because in Oregon, it was still very Pacific Northwest with lots of, you know, evergreen trees. And so it was kind of a neat feeling as you move south and just see a little bit how things start different, differing, a little.   [00:19:42.650] - Kim Tate It's cool.   [00:19:44.000] - Tamara Gruber It makes me kind of want to see that landscape. But, yeah, one of the things about the summer is like, Glen, no matter what we do, like, I need a different landscape. I'm super excited about the trips that I have coming up around New England. And, you know, really, I can't wait for it, but I really want just a different landscape. And I remember years ago when Hannah and I were driving through central Oregon and we landed in Portland, we did a little bit of the Columbia River Gorge.   [00:20:07.130] - Tamara Gruber And then we started driving down to Bend and just driving through those forests, the pine forests of those towering trees. It's like we just don't have that here. And so, yeah, I'm picturing that as you're talking. Yeah. Like the redwoods and everything. Just kind of it's exciting to be in one of those types of forest. They're just so. Like magnificent.   [00:20:25.910] - Kim Tate You know, it is it's a really it's a cool part of nature and it's fun.   [00:20:30.170] - Kim Tate And when you do the whole coast, like, you know, Washington, Oregon, and then you make your way down into California, it's neat just to see, you know, when you're doing it on one trip like that, it's fun to go, wow, you know, things really start changing and feeling different. And it's cool. It's neat and fun. So, yeah, but then we so we kind of stayed overnight, right at the.   [00:20:51.140] - Kim Tate It's kind of funny how this happened too, because we ended up staying overnight in Northern California, a place called Klamath, California. And the cool thing about that, that you know, how you everyone's mind you get lucky on something is there was major road construction. And this is something to keep in mind, you know, on these smaller routes. And it's where it's, you know, the piloted car allowance. Do you know where they it's only one lane open.   [00:21:15.470] - Kim Tate And so they'll have like a truck that guides the, you know, northbound through and then the truck running right around three.   [00:21:21.530] - Tamara Gruber So I've experienced that before.   [00:21:22.930] - Kim Tate Yeah. So you know what I'm talking about. Well, we were crossing and it was right along the Oregon to California border and we were crossing and we didn't have any weight at all. We were like the fifth car and we got picked up on the next pilot and it was fine and didn't think anything of it. And then the next morning, like where we we're when we were getting out of the we were checking out of our hotel that we stayed at, they had notices all about like Oregon border, you know, construction and two hour delays.   [00:21:51.470] - Kim Tate And so I was like, oh, my goodness. So that's something to keep in mind also is that when you're on those two lane highway routes, you have to really be mindful of construction and stuff because they that route, Highway One is so susceptible to landslides and, you know, erosion where they have to close the road down because they're doing major repairs. So it's just something to keep in mind and. We lucked out being, you know, kind of at the end of the day and doing that crossover.   [00:22:18.210] - Tamara Gruber Yeah, well, it's funny, we were just talking, you know, on a recent episode about how bad the roads are and how much they need them fixed. I was thinking that today as I was driving Hannah home from school and there was road construction, two places that I had to, like, detour around. And I was like, you know, our roads are terrible, but why do they have to fix these?   [00:22:37.360] - Kim Tate We get all mad. Really, right? Can it just happen magically? Yeah. Yeah.   [00:22:43.380] - Tamara Gruber Well it sounds like that good that you avoided that. At least you got a good start.   [00:22:47.730] - Kim Tate Yeah. So I do think that, you know, something to keep in mind is like weekends right now in this season of local road trip travel that I feel like people are doing weekends. If you can avoid weekends as much as possible, it's definitely the thing to know, especially on those small, like touristy coastal towns. It seems like a lot of locals are going to them as well and are doing things on the weekends so that you're getting tourists as well as locals that are just getting out of their house and trying to do something.   [00:23:16.020] - Kim Tate And so just a heads up to people if you're planning a vacation at all, that's involving like smaller towns are road tripping, trying to avoid the weekends because that's something I noticed, not the most surprising.   [00:23:27.720] - Tamara Gruber Everyone is so excited to do anything and everything. Yeah. I mean, I found any little thing that we try to do is, you know, it's busy. Everyone is excited to be out of the house.   [00:23:38.680] - Kim Tate Exactly. Yeah. We have that experience. A couple places that I can mention, but definitely something I noticed. So as I said, we moved into Northern California and we were susceptible to billboard advertising, which how many people can actually say that? I didn't even know they worked anymore. But evidently when you have a 14 year old kid in your car, they can still work because my daughter saw this trees of mystery mentioned on the billboard as we were getting ready to cross into California.   [00:24:06.160] - Kim Tate And she's like, I really want to do that. You know, I always see that. And I you know, I never let them stop because I've always got the schedule planned. I'm like, no, we don't have time. And so this time, since I did try and allow more flexibility, I called them and they the last entrance was like four or something. And they said we probably wouldn't make it in time. And so I told me I was like, well, let's go do we'll do the drive thru tree, which I had planned for in the morning, and then we'll do the trees of mystery thing in the morning.   [00:24:32.310] - Kim Tate We'll just drive back up because it was about a ten minute is about ten minutes away from the hotel. So we backtracked a little, but it wasn't a big deal at all and that worked out perfect. So I would say try and have some flexibility with your planning, if you can at all. But it actually paid off because and here's another tip for people. We if you do like Google, if you do a search for Google, like for the destination.   [00:24:56.310] - Kim Tate So, for instance, I did the tour through Tree in Klamath, California, and I had navigated to it or something. And sometimes you'll see Google will give you like it's busier than normal or they'll have you seen that where they give you a little line graphs and tell you how busy it is? Well, I noticed that on the daytime, like in the mornings, it's very busy, but in the evenings it's not busy at all. And I was like, well, this will actually work perfect.   [00:25:21.870] - Kim Tate We'll go in on that Monday evening, get the pictures and do it because it's still fairly light out, you know, until 7:00 p.m. or so and do that. And then the next morning, it gave us time to go to Trees of Mystery. And we drove up and had no wait. And while we were there taking pictures, only one other car showed up. So that's the other thing to think about are some of these things. If you can actually, you know, eat somehow and then really use that, I would say it's the final two minutes, kind of it's like the five p.m. to seven, eight, especially in the summers.   [00:25:50.610] - Kim Tate You can really push it to eight or nine with the longer daylight. I think that's a sweet spot of like avoiding a lot of crowds if you if the places are operational and open.   [00:26:01.320] - Tamara Gruber So. Yeah, yeah. Well, it's like typical dinnertime. Yeah, no. So if you can either eat earlier or eat late, but just make sure that places are open, especially in small places like that. But that's good.   [00:26:12.780] - Kim Tate Well it's funny, the road trip routes, people kind of get to their hotels by four or five p.m. and they're kind of done for the day they go eat. And I mean, that's sort of what we would do. So then if you add something in during that time or go back out from your hotel, which is what you know, we did it, it really can pay off.   [00:26:28.590] - Tamara Gruber Yeah. It's funny that you mention, though, the the roadside like advertising, because I actually like that part of road trips where it's advertising a an attraction, you know, and not just, you know, whatever business or lawyer, you know, fill up at Shell. Yeah. Yeah. So when we were driving to Steamboat Springs, I was probably about two hours on this like smaller road. And I can't even tell you how many signs it had to be like one hundred signs, just like every, you know, whatever number of feet advertising this one, like cowboy hat and cowboy boots off.   [00:27:06.450] - Tamara Gruber So when we were in Steamboat Springs, we we had lunch there and then we walked around a little bit before we went to the ranch. I'm like, we have to go into this. Or I mean, they put so much effort into it, like not and we walked in and Glenn was like I'll be next door, I was like, OK, but I had to at least check it out. Yeah, exactly. Kind of like the wall drugs or, you know, of those sort of tourist attraction kind of places.   [00:27:29.170] - Tamara Gruber I don't know. Yeah. It kind of makes me happy to see those kind of things.   [00:27:32.050] - Kim Tate Yeah. There was another one in like southern Oregon that we kept passing signs for. That was like a wildlife drive through park thing. And the girls were like, oh, that's cool. And, you know, so, you know, it seems like that's the thing to do for some of those those attractions is probably how they get a lot of people. But again, that's where I say having some flexibility and not over scheduling your drive times allow you those a little bit of ability to be a little more spontaneous, which I think makes a road trip because and we've talked about this on our road trip thing where you needed to decide if the road trip is going to be just about getting to a destination or if the road trip is going to be a the the trip of itself.   [00:28:11.770] - Kim Tate Right.   [00:28:12.370] - Tamara Gruber Yeah. So so I'm getting from you, though, that the trees of mystery is worth skipping, whatever that mystery is.   [00:28:20.290] - Kim Tate I think it depends. It was definitely like it's a little pricey. It's like 20 dollars a person. So but if you we had fun. It's like rope walks and then you take like a little gondola way high on a hill. And the look from the hill isn't anything fun. But the girls had fun riding in the gondola and I mean, walking through the bridges, through the trees is fun.   [00:28:44.530] - Kim Tate And the girls liked that. But it's short. And I mean, I think I'd be more comfortable at the ten dollars per person mark. However, you know, I don't regret going. And the girls enjoyed it. And it was a good way to stretch your legs and stuff. And it's kind of a fun way to it's a quirky roadside attraction. It was the one thing where we saw it definitely was attract a lot of out-of-state tourists. We saw a lot of out-of-state plates in the parking lot.   [00:29:09.550] - Kim Tate We did see a lower mask compliance, just like passing people because it's outdoors and stuff. And this is where the outdoor like if you're vaccinated. So it I think it just attracts like it's an outdoorsy type place. So I could see that it could get really crowded on a weekend. Yeah. We definitely by the time we left, so it was good because we got up early because we are and like I say, we were only ten minutes away from our hotel.   [00:29:31.990] - Kim Tate We got up early, went there and it was it was great. I mean, we weren't like maybe it seemed like there was five other people there same night we were. But when we came out, it was just packed. And so we probably were leaving around eleven ish and we got there around nine thirty and. Yeah. Yeah. So that gives you an idea of just earlier the better for that thing. Right. Yeah. So then we entered into the redwoods as always that we've been to before.   [00:30:00.190] - Kim Tate We did notice something weird, like the main exit I normally take because I wanted to drive along like the Prairie Creek Road. They had that closed for some reason. So I went south and I could have come back in from the north route. But I don't know why they had it closed for any reason. But we decided to skip that little leg of it and just kept going. But here's something to think about. If you are doing a coastal trip and this is something that I mentioned in my Olympic National Park Post, and it also matters.   [00:30:28.360] - Kim Tate On the Oregon coast you really need to become familiar with tide charts when you're on the West Coast. And I'm sure the East Coast is the same thing. But it it makes a difference when you're expecting these great like things. One of the things we looked at that I wanted to do is called Agate Beach, and it's supposed to be a really popular place where you go and you can walk along a pretty beach and find these really cool Agate rocks and kind of collect some if you want.   [00:30:54.370] - Kim Tate And we found out, though, as we were coming through and looked at the tide schedule, that we are going to be there basically smack dab at high tide. It seems like it's not finding any rocks. Yeah. So we wouldn't and so I pulled in and it was a ten dollar. I thought, well, we'll still go look and see, but it was ten dollar, you know, park admission. And so I asked the they had a actually they had a park ranger on site there.   [00:31:17.560] - Kim Tate And so I asked if they had a you know, if it was even worth going down there. And he was like not really, not during high tide. So just something to keep in mind that if you're doing any like beach visits and things like that, that it can really make a difference depending on the tide charts.   [00:31:31.810] - Tamara Gruber Yeah, I feel like I saw that recently. Someone had posted something somewhere about the sea glass beach that you had gone to in the past, much in the past.   [00:31:40.270] - Tamara Gruber And they were super disappointed with it. And I was like, oh, that's interesting because someone else, you know, really liked it. So clearly it's a different experience, depending on if you're there, you can actually collect sea glass or not.   [00:31:51.430] - Kim Tate Yeah, exactly. Yeah. And that makes a difference. You know, we had the same thing, like with tide pools, like when the tide pool, when things are really high, the tide pools aren't as cool, you know, because sure, you can't walk out and see all the pools. And so you want to visit during low tide. And then something to keep in mind is it's always good when you look at the charts, you always kind of want the tide to be leaving as opposed to the tide come.   [00:32:13.520] - Kim Tate And because if you happen to go around like a jut that seems like it's dry at the time, but the tides coming in, suddenly you turn around to go back to where you parked or whatever, and it used to be a beach and now it's, you know, two feet underwater. And so that's just something to keep in mind when you're doing an app for that or just just the weather app that shows you the the tides as well. I just do Google searches and I click on one of the websites that does the tides.   [00:32:39.530] - Kim Tate I don't use just a general weather one. I definitely do like a specific, but I don't have an app. I'm sure you could install an app. I just do a Google search for it and I just search for the destination. So if I'm like I beach or it was called some park, you know, tide schedule and you can normally find a few different ones and I'll show you. And there's, you know, it'll show you like low tide times.   [00:32:59.030] - Kim Tate And based on the chart they give you, you can easily figure out if the tides leaving or the tides coming in. And then we kind of the big thing we did was the Avenue of the Giants, which is one of my favorite parts of the Redwood Forest. And so we still did that. And even though we've done the redwoods a lot in, the girls are just kind of like your mom. I don't need to do any hikes. And I accepted that.   [00:33:20.330] - Kim Tate I was like, yeah, we've done a lot of like walking in the redwoods. We still pulled over. There's a lot of little turnouts and we still pulled over and tried to get kind of some fun, you know, like tree road drive shots, like tree road pictures. That's a tip is you know, that would be another thing that if you're there at night, like between five to seven, it would look so much better because with the sunlight dappling through the trees, it looks pretty.   [00:33:42.170] - Kim Tate And it seems like it would be really pretty on like in photos. But it's not it doesn't look right at all. You definitely want the darker, moodier shot for those kind of shots. But sorry, that's a little photography talk. But we did have one little stop where we went and kind of explored a little. And there is this awesome big tree that the girls climbed on. And I got a fun picture on that, that you guys might have seen.   [00:34:02.120] - Kim Tate Those of you who follow me on Instagram. Yeah.   [00:34:04.340] - Tamara Gruber And reminded me of a shot that you and I had when we were in Santa Rosa.   [00:34:08.450] - Kim Tate Yeah, exactly. Yeah. It was even bigger than that tree at the Armstrong Woods in Santa Rosa. So it was kind of cool, but it was pretty epic. It was funny because I was taking these pictures with Lizzy and all of a sudden I'm like, Mia, where are you? And then she's like, I'm up here like thirty feet in the sky. It was crazy. But yeah. So we did the Avenue, the Giants, and then we went and stayed at a hotel just for the night to prepare for our two little kind of partnership things.   [00:34:35.120] - Kim Tate So we the next day we headed into Santa Rosa. This was a funny I'll just share with people our little tip, because this is something fun that I want to share. We so the weather in Seattle is normally pretty moderate. I mean, we don't even have an air conditioner at our house that I think, you know. You know, that summer we hadn't had major harsh hot weather yet from this road trip. Mm. Especially being on the coast.   [00:34:59.450] - Kim Tate Well, we stayed overnight in a place called Ukiah, and that was where we had kind of moved away from the redwoods in the coast. And we started moving inland at that point. And we woke up the next morning and we slept in it was asleep and day and got in the car and started driving. And it was boiling hot. I think by the I think when we left just before noon, the it was about seventy two or seventy three and then the temperature was going to hit like 81 or 82 that day.   [00:35:26.780] - Kim Tate And we started driving and we're all like sweating and the air conditioner is not working. Like I'm literally like my shirt sticking to my back and we're like, oh my goodness. And I'm trying to get a hold of Paul. I'm driving or trying to call Paul. And he's in meetings all day. And he's normally my I'll be I'll admit, like he's definitely the car guy for us and the fix it guy. And we then decided, like, what am I going to do?   [00:35:50.060] - Kim Tate And so I asked me to help look up a Honda dealership because thankfully this was a really short drive into Santa Rosa and there was a Honda dealership there. So I called them and said, here's the situation. We have a busy road trip. Like, I don't have any time, do you have any time to get in and look at it and maybe be able to fix it if it's something easy and they're like, yeah, go ahead, bring it on in.   [00:36:09.410] - Kim Tate And I said, OK, we'll be there in forty minutes. We're on the road. And so then we pull into this Honda dealership and they tell us that it's a five hundred dollar diagnosis fee, like just to diagnose. I'm not even to fix it. And Lizzie jumps on because she's learned from her dad, she jumps on YouTube and she types in like a Honda Odyssey air conditioner not working. And she finds this YouTube video that she starts to watch.   [00:36:34.850] - Kim Tate And in it, the guy talks about a Fuse, you know, they call it a Fuse. It's actually called a relay, I guess, or something. But she learned she's like, Mom, I watched this video. And there's just you take the you open the hood and you take off this lid on this thing and you use some pliers and pull out this thing. And I'm going, oh, great. You know, OK. And so we've sure enough find an auto autozone.   [00:36:54.860] - Kim Tate I get a hold of Paul. Finally, he has a short break and he's like, yeah, just go ahead and try it. And, you know, I've got another Mini I can't talk. And so I'm like, OK, great. So I'm going to the AutoZone and Lizzy and I just are watching this YouTube video. And so we talk to the AutoZone. They don't have any pliers or anything we can use. They try and sell us a fuse puller, because of that point, Lizzy keeps calling it a Fuse, and so we buy this Fuse puller, we go out there and open it all up and are like, this doesn't fit. This is not what it is. And so we go back in and return that and ask the guy like, can we just borrow some pliers? Because Lizzie said that's what the guy used on YouTube. And we buy the had to buy pliers for ten dollars.   [00:37:30.710] - Kim Tate And sure enough, we pull the piece, the part out that the guy recommended and take it into AutoZone. Do you guys sell this part? Nope, they don't sell it. So then we call Lizzy actually gets on the phone calls the Honda dealership that just told us they'd charge us five hundred dollars to diagnose it and asks if they have this part. Sure enough, they have the part for thirty four dollars. So we all hop in the car and drive back over to the Honda dealership, going to the parts department, buy the part in the parking lot.   [00:37:56.240] - Kim Tate We swap out this little Fuse relay and put it all back together, turn on the car. We have air conditioning. So instead of spending five hundred dollars plus, you know, they probably would have charged us seventy dollars for the part and another hundred dollars for to install it. We came out of there having Lizzy empowered about fixing her own car, our own car problem, and then also only spending thirty four dollars.   [00:38:20.780] - Tamara Gruber Yeah I think that's amazing. When you shared that story I even told Glenn and Hannah and we were all like, wow, we were so impressed with, with Lizzy and you guys are figuring that out. So awesome job. So Paul should be very proud of you.   [00:38:33.740] - Kim Tate He was, he was so excited. He thought it was the coolest thing ever. And he was a little, you know, worried, like, did you keep the did you put it all back together? You sure? You know, like a little a little concern, but we're like, no. And so it Lizzy is very proud of herself to which I think was was a lot of fun. But just a heads up for you guys. YouTube can teach a lot.   [00:38:52.910] - Kim Tate I feel bad sometimes for the parts departments, but my goodness. Or I mean not part the service departments of car places.   [00:38:59.360] - Tamara Gruber But it's helped me with my washing machine when I've had.   [00:39:02.010] - Kim Tate Yes, yeah. We fix so many things on YouTube. And I was so happy that Lizzy, you know, learn from her dad to look it up. And yeah, that was her thinking.   [00:39:09.230] - Tamara Gruber So empowering.   [00:39:10.340] - Kim Tate Yeah. So sorry guys. That was a little side note, but we did make it to Santa Rosa finally. And then, you know, we had air conditioning and we headed over to Safari West, which you and I have been to. And I think we talked about it on the podcast whenever we talked about our little getaway to Santa Rosa. But Safari West is a it's an accredited zoo association. It's part of the ACA and it's a wildlife park that, you know, is works towards conservation and education about primarily African animals.   [00:39:41.360] - Kim Tate And it's pretty cool because you can camp there overnight and they have these amazing, you know, like really luxury Botswana camping tents. And Tamara, you and I have stayed in one and we got to stay with the girls and had a great time.   [00:39:56.270] - Tamara Gruber Yeah, they're really nice tents, too. It's gorgeous. Yeah. I was always I was very impressed. I mean, I've now done a few different glamping tents and I would say that they were the best. I was. Yeah, probably. Yeah. Better than under canvas even which I would put maybe second. Yeah. Yeah. Really. Like although I did do a really nice one at KOA that had electricity and he and a bathroom with like a rain shower kind of thing, but not a super, super nice because where else in the U.S. can you stay in that tent and then step out onto your porch and look at giraffes.   [00:40:29.600] - Kim Tate Yeah. And that's where, you know, you you and I, we had a different they were like fully booked when they hooked us up for our stay. And so we were in a different location. We were up on a hillside. And I definitely like you and I had the better cabin and it's worth it. I think they cost probably about fifty more dollars to stay at that lower location. But for reasons of sound and just accessibility to the main lobby areas and then the view of the giraffes, I think the Antelope Valley is what those ones were called and it was well worth a little bit of extra, but they're definitely the premium.   [00:41:00.380] - Kim Tate I love all the linens they have, like you said, like the heating blankets. And it's you don't and they've got the space heater, whereas, you know, under canvas you're kind of dumping you have to manage your own fire to make heat. And then I also like that it's got two plugs in the bathroom. So you do have some electricity and then you can also turn on the shower like a normal shower with under canvas. It's a pull chain shower.   [00:41:22.160] - Kim Tate So. Yeah, yeah. But yeah, it was it was so nice. And I love it there because you can truly do, you know, like a getaway where they've got the restaurant, they serve you breakfast and then you can have dinner there as well. You can even arrange lunch if you want it. And then you get to do this, you can do this wildlife tour, which is about two and a half to three hours, and they drive you around and you get to see see all the different animals.   [00:41:44.540] - Kim Tate So it's really fun.   [00:41:46.460] - Tamara Gruber Do the girls really love it? I mean, they haven't been before, so now they haven't.   [00:41:50.630] - Kim Tate They loved it. Yeah, they thought it was cool. And they're excited about the they of course, really loved the giraffes and then they just had fun. Once we moved to the top, we weren't on the top in the giraffe section, but once we moved up to the top later on, they had a lot of fun. And when we were lower on, the ostriches came over in like we're really close to me.   [00:42:06.860] - Kim Tate And she thought it was so fun. And we just sat there and kind of looked at them up close and personal and it was pretty cool. So I think it's great and the food there is really good I mean, we had a great time and with it being covered right now, they've got it where you get to order your breakfast in advance and they have, like kind of your tent. You have a section you can set out for dinner and everything is just spaced well and you're eating outdoors.   [00:42:28.380] - Kim Tate And it just felt really nice. And relaxing, I think is the big thing is it's just a really relaxing type of trip, I will say, which you and I experienced. Mara, you do have to look at the temperature, especially the overnight temps, because when you go to bed at night, it can get cold fast. And then when you wake up in the morning to go into that bathroom, you keep the door to the bathroom close because they keep it kind of airflow for smells, I think, or something.   [00:42:51.540] - Kim Tate But it's really cold. So when you if you choose to take a shower in the morning, it's icy, the water's warm, but the room is just really cold.   [00:43:00.600] - Tamara Gruber Yeah, I had that when I did my glamping stay in New Hampshire and I think it was early October, but I was freezing, absolutely freezing. And I had like a little space heater in the bathroom and the warm shower. But it's still like it was harsh stepping out of it. Yeah, well, it sounds like a neat and fun, very different thing for California. So, yeah. So now you're like, you know, heading like out of Northern California to central California.   [00:43:27.810] - Tamara Gruber What was your next, you know, day?   [00:43:29.340] - Kim Tate So the next stop after Santa Rosa is passing through San Francisco and we almost always have driven across the Golden Gate Bridge. But on this trip, this was where we wanted to go swing by and just see the UC Berkeley campus. And so we actually went across the other bridge, which I don't know if it's the Oakland Bridge or if it's just some other bridge. I'm not sure which bridge it's called, but it was a pretty nice bridge as well.   [00:43:50.490] - Kim Tate And it just passed is kind of a little more east than the Golden Gate Bridge. And we drove through the Berkeley campus and then got back on the road and we were going to go to Santa Cruz near Santa Cruz place called Watsonville. There's the Martinelli's cider. And we've done that cider tasting there and we were so excited to do it again. But before we left, I made sure to check and I realized they're not even doing the tastings because of covid.   [00:44:16.620] - Kim Tate And so we didn't stop, you know, because it's all closed down. So thankfully, we figured that out before. We actually because it was a little out of the way, but not too bad. But we determined that. And we just made our way to Monterey, where we spent two nights in Monterey, and that was kind of the last part of our trip. So I think you've done more of the central coast, like from Monterey down you go through Big Sur and all of that.   [00:44:39.690] - Kim Tate Cambria, there's a lot of beautiful stuff that as you get ready to come in, like Ventura and Santa Barbara and stay along the coast there, the highway one was closed at Big Sur. So Monterey was kind of sort of the most the main the southernmost, most section that was still open. And so we headed over after Monterey, back over to the 101 and then headed down to stay with our friends.   [00:45:05.700] - Tamara Gruber So what do you do in Monterey? Did you go to the aquarium?   [00:45:08.160] - Kim Tate We did not. The aquarium was still closed, so they had not opened yet. But we actually did a couple of things. So we did a bike tour. So we kind of did an E bike tour, which was fun with a company called Mad Dogs and Englishmen. And so we headed out in the morning, met them, and they actually have a new little spot right there in Monterey on Cannery Row. And so you can park at the hotel.   [00:45:32.910] - Kim Tate They do free valet parking for the tour guests, which was a huge perk. And you can then get on your little E bikes. And they took us around like part of seventeen mile, seventeen mile, you know, Pebble Beach. Yeah. And only part of it though. And then we headed back around and came through some of the town and they just would stop occasionally. And of course Pacific Grove where they had the beautiful purple flowers just along the coast and just gave us some little tips and had some pretty stops along the way.   [00:46:00.930] - Kim Tate And it was E bikes, which is yeah, it's gorgeous. And it was kind of a cold morning. So I actually ended up buying like seventy dollar hoodies for the girls because both of them somehow managed to not get the message to wear coat because I guess it had been so hot, you know, at their other things. So we stayed at the Hyatt Regency Monterey Hotel and Spa, which is just kind of remodeled, I think, not remodeled.   [00:46:24.240] - Kim Tate The the rooms have been upgraded. So more of a soft linens upgrade and kind of refashion. And it looked really nice. And so we we stayed there. They are like fully open and have a couple pools open and then they also have a golf course there. So they at night they do these fire pits, kind of communal fire pits. But if one group's already there, you're not you're not supposed to go into it, if that makes sense.   [00:46:46.660] - Kim Tate So it was kind of a central it was a good jumping off point because we stayed there and then went around and did a few things. So that was good. We did drive down to the famous Bixby Bridge, which we just wanted to take a look at that.   [00:46:59.550] - Tamara Gruber Yeah, but I saw you guys there.   [00:47:01.920] - Kim Tate Yeah. And they're really they're trying to, like, not encourage travel there. People are just insane. So it's really limited parking, of course, but then they have these big, big rocks to try and. Encourage people to stay in, like right along the parking area and just look at the bridge and the coast, but I mean, these people are insane. They're like climbing over the rocks and climbing, like off the ledge, a little bit of the you know, because it's a it goes to the ocean and people have gotten hurt there and people are not caring.   [00:47:32.630] - Kim Tate So they're not necessarily encouraging that. But I just encourage you, if you're going to go to Bixby Bridge, make sure you stay safe on the ground. That's next. The parking area. And don't try and go get that perfect Instagram shot, which is what I saw. All the crazy people that were doing it were kind of going past that section. But sorry, I'm doing a so it's really a shame. Like how many things have turned into that?   [00:47:54.980] - Kim Tate Like, because of Instagram, I was going to get like this shot and it's it's definitely not worth taking your life in your hands.   [00:48:04.280] - Kim Tate So right near that is a place called Garrapata State Park.   [00:48:09.920] - Tamara Gruber I stopped there. That's beautiful.   [00:48:13.310] - Kim Tate It's beautiful. Beautiful. And they actually have a beautiful you can go, they have a white sandy beach area that you can hike down to and they also have not too far from there are really famous spot called Lily Valley which is where all these wild calla lilies grow. Wow. And it's kind of along a stream that empties over into the ocean and along this little streamy valley is this calla lilly Valley. It's just insane of all these wild calla lilies. So it's kind of a popular little tourist spot.   [00:48:41.030] - Kim Tate And we hiked around there and all the wildflowers and just kind of the it's like a cliff beach of a sort. So you're you're up a little higher and then you kind of look down on the white sand beach and the waves, it just seemed like a really nice place to hang out. And I think the parking lot is very the parking is limited. And you could see that it's probably really popular and can get busy.   [00:49:03.440] - Tamara Gruber So, yeah, when we stayed in Carmel, we we stopped there like on our way down towards Big Sur. But then we had also done like a day hike or, you know, like a spent part of a day at Point Lobos State Park, which is another gorgeous spot right now.   [00:49:19.130] - Kim Tate Yeah, that's that's a really popular spot. We didn't go there, but yeah, I could tell that was popular. There was people like hiking out to the highway from the from the park entrance. They marked it closed because there was no parking. I mean the park was open but you couldn't drive in there.   [00:49:32.460] - Tamara Gruber Yeah, I was full. I love that part of the coast. It's really beautiful. And it's so especially if you can if you can. I know some other people do like kayaking tours are where you can see otters and things like that. So there is definitely a lot to do if you, you know, for people that want to spend. Yeah. A couple or a few days in that area.   [00:49:49.040] - Kim Tate Well, in the Monterey Bay Aquarium is amazing and really cool. But like I said, that was it was closed, but it was opening. It was opening in May. So it will be reopen soon. And I have to say, I'll give a couple shout outs to food places in Monterey just because this is one place I know we're getting a little long, but one place that I really had some good experiences, one place we ate at was called Rio Grill, which it's kind of cool.   [00:50:09.530] - Kim Tate You can tell that they have kind of made their sidewalk and outdoor seating area and it was quaint. They had, you know, heating the heaters going and they had created kind of a wall of sorts from the parking lot with plants and. Yeah, fence. And it just looked great. So they did a good job at that. And the food was delicious and they were so helpful. Mia had ordered something and felt like she was like she started eating it.   [00:50:34.490] - Kim Tate They thought it was safe. But she's like, no, and it's normally eggs will do this. It wasn't nothing. But she's like, no, it doesn't seem right. And so they were like, oh, no problem, let's get you something. And so she took a Benadryl and then they got her something different. And it was so awesome. And the food was delicious and they were so friendly and so helpful. And then there's also a really famous bakery in Monterey called Alta Bakery.   [00:50:58.280] - Kim Tate And we stop there for breakfast the next morning before our bike ride. And I have to say they had some amazing things. There's a huge line normally waiting outside to place your order and stuff. So you do have to allow a little bit of time. And finding parking can be a little tricky, but it was an awesome little spot. And then lastly, I want to give a shout out to a place called Lucie's on Lighthouse, which was a hot dog joint that's got like kind of a skateboard theme.   [00:51:22.460] - Kim Tate And basically they have all these crazy hot dogs that you can get all these different, whatever it's called, you know, like toppings and stuff. So a little bit about that. It was really awesome. Sound fun. Yeah. And so for Monterey, we went, like I said, to our friend's house and that was kind of it, and that was in Ojai. And so we didn't really do much else. We did some day trips.   [00:51:45.950] - Kim Tate We hiked the Hollywood sign, which was a pretty epic fun thing to do. And that was about a I think it was just over four mile hike, round trip and, you know, some great views of L.A. It was not t

This week we pitched some big-race movies! Some of Australia's best love actors battle it out in a wacky race to be the first to do a full lap of the country. But does the race's founder Hugo Weaving have an ulterior motive? Honourable Mentions: Spit/Second - when a court case deemed that spitting across the finish line contained enough DNA to construe a win, the face of professional track athletics changed forever. This documentary looks at the fallout, following the former fastest man in the world as he hopes to change it again. The Man that Won the Wimbledon 500 - When Tim Henman has his last chance at Wimbledon glory robbed from him in fluke cross-sport mishap, a cricket batsman vows to win the competition in Tim's honour. But his misunderstanding of the rules might just turn this tennis tournament into a race that will change the sport forever.

This week we check in with Tamara about her family's spring break road trip to look at colleges. Find out how the trip went and why her visit to the Vista Verde Ranch in Colorado was the perfect spring break retreat. College Road Trip Stops The first stop was in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania to visit Lehigh University. This historic town is popular at Christmas time and offers a cute downtown with lots of restaurants. The historic Hotel Bethlehem is nice but in need of renovation. If you visit, try the Social Still for dinner and the Flying Egg for breakfast. The second stop was in Cleveland to visit Case Western Reserve University. Located in the University Circle neighborhood near the Cleveland Clinic, this is a nice area to explore the city's museums such as the Museum of Art, Museum of Natural History, and Botanical Gardens. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland is offering timed-entry tickets, temperature checks, one-way traffic, and social distancing. It was not crowded at all, making it a good time to visit. The third stop was in Ann Arbor to visit the University of Michigan. The Graduate Ann Arbor is a perfect spot to stay to visit the college and offers one-bedroom king suites for families. If you are staying in town, have lunch at Zingerman's Deli, dinner at the Slurping Turtle, and breakfast, lunch or dinner at Sava's. Next up was the University of Madison - Wisconsin. Again, The Graduate Madison is a good spot to stay just off State Street and close to campus. If you are traveling through Nebraska, the Old Haymarket District of Lincoln, Nebraska, home of the University of Nebraska, is a cool neighborhood to visit. The next college stop was at the University of Colorado - Boulder. The Embassy Suites in Boulder offers beautiful views, one-bedroom suites, and modern decor within walking distance to campus. When in Boulder, plan to spend time in the Pearl Street Mall area. Two great dinner stops are Oak at Fourteenth and Santo Boulder. If you are visiting Colorado Springs, you will probably want to visit the Garden of the Gods park, but be prepared for crowds in addition to beautiful red rock formations. Tamara's family then spent a few days relaxing at the Vista Verde Ranch. This all-inclusive luxury ranch was an ideal spring break retreat offering snow tubing, snow shoeing, cross country skiing, ice fishing, snow mobiling, horse back riding and other indoor and outdoor options. The food is amazing and plentiful and there are a number of cabin options on property ranging from one to four bedrooms. On their way back, Tamara stopped in Topeka, Kansas, St. Louis, Missouri, and outside of Pittsburg, PA. In St. Louis, the Hotel St. Louis, an Autograph Collection property by Marriott, is a great place to stay with gorgeous large suites and a convenient location. If you are planning on visiting the Gateway Arch, be sure to by timed-entry tickets in advance. The social distancing protocols make for a pleasant, uncrowded stay with designated tram cars and viewing windows. See Tamara's tips for road trip mistakes to avoid.   Full Episode Transcript [00:00:00.120] - Kim Tate We're back. Stay tuned to hear about our latest adventures.   [00:00:16.230] - Announcer Welcome to Vacation Mavens. A family travel podcast with ideas for your next vacation and tips to get you out the door. Here are your hosts, Kim from Stuffed Suitcase and Tamara from We3Travel.   [00:00:31.260] - Kim Tate Tamara, we have just had, you know, a couple of awesome road trips. So I'm sure our listeners are dying to hear all about it. Everything that we've done, everything we learned or discovered. So this is our episode to kind of dish and just tell them about our latest.   [00:00:46.920] - Tamara Gruber Yeah, I was thinking as I was driving, I'm like, hmm, this is what I want to say about Nebraska. This is what I want to say. Well, you know, just kind of and I was like, I really should make notes, but I was driving for half the time, so I didn't actually make notes.   [00:00:59.400] - Tamara Gruber But I'm excited to chat with you. It's been so long and I know we're going to go into more detail about your California road trip in a couple of episodes, because I know that that's a trip that probably a lot of people want to make.   [00:01:11.370] - Kim Tate But we should definitely talk about your epic one, because how many miles and how many states did you hit?   [00:01:15.990] - Tamara Gruber Oh, my God, 5000 miles. I didn't realize it was going to be quite that far. And I think I think because of the way we came back, we actually hit 16 states.   [00:01:26.970] - Kim Tate Yeah. My goodness. Yeah.   [00:01:28.260] - Tamara Gruber And I mean, a lot of those actually, for me, I had been to all of them before. But for Hannah, there were some new ones. For Glenn, there are some new ones. We saw, you know, a lot of ground, I will say, because we went in mid-March. I remember before we went, you were sending me pictures like it'll be pretty and you're sending me pictures of, like fields of wheat in the sun, sunset and like. Yeah, no, it is just brown.   [00:01:50.940] - Tamara Gruber It's brown, brown, brown. So it was not a scenic road trip at all. I think a lot of our listeners know that we were going to look at colleges. We did have a really beautiful part of Colorado, you know, where we were in Colorado and we stayed at a ranch. And, you know, I could talk about that a little bit, but it did convince me, too, that I really should consider moving to Colorado at some point. But it was most of the trip was, you know, a little bit boring when it came to the scenery.   [00:02:21.990] - Tamara Gruber But we did get to see quite a few colleges. And you know what? There's something about driving through huge parts of this country that it just stirs me. You know, like I just I it's so important to me to feel like connected. And I feel like I can visualize, like, what it is like to live in other parts of the country, you know, get a little bit more sense of like where people coming from, what their, you know, regular life is like, you know, because I'm just I've lived all my life in the Northeast and the Northeast we know is like, you know, it's crowded.   [00:02:55.050] - Tamara Gruber It's just, you know, like one city blurs into the other, you know, in our rural areas are, you know, like you can't drive for miles and miles without finding, you know, a place to get gas or, you know, like any of these things.   [00:03:08.490] - Tamara Gruber It's just very different. And so I really appreciate every time I'm able to, like, drive through a lot of this country. And I really I really hope that more people, you know, can do that kind of thing. You know, like even if it wasn't pretty, there was just something to it.   [00:03:21.810] - Kim Tate It's just something to like the vastness and the diversity and everything to it. Yeah, I think that it's good for the coastal people to realize and experience the breadbasket of America like they term it because it is so different. And, you know, I grew up in the Midwest, of course, and knew nothing really about toll roads and all that stuff. And so that's always something. When I go to the coast, I'm always like, oh, there's there's toll roads in these places.   [00:03:47.310] - Tamara Gruber So I just wrote a post about like road trip mistakes that people make because I feel like tolls is definitely one that people don't always pay attention to.   [00:03:56.130] - Tamara Gruber And nowadays there's not always a man toll booth like it's often like electronic billing. And if you're not from that area, you don't have that system. And so then you have to try to figure it out. I can't even tell you how many hours I spent trying to figure out where I was supposed to pay the Illinois tollway, you know, and I don't I'm not sure I'm expecting I mean, like eight tickets in the mail.   [00:04:16.530] - Tamara Gruber And I'm like, I registered for your site. I filled out everything. But I'm not seeing, like, where I actually I we took pictures of every single, like, gate kind of thing. Like the time and the number, you know, because Glenn's been there before and I'm like, I can't figure this out. So some of the systems are not so easy to figure out. Come to the northeast and they're like what do you mean it's fifteen dollars across the bridge. I'm like yeah.   [00:04:44.040] - Kim Tate Yeah. And it's you know, well we have on the West Coast like HOV lanes. Right. So we had where we couldn't even use the lane near San Francisco because we didn't have you there. And we have that in Seattle as well. Like you can use the HOV lane for a fee for a fee.   [00:05:00.150] - Kim Tate But if you want to use it as a high occupancy vehicle, you have to have the, you know, Washington tag that's in your windshield and is registered to your vehicle on your plate. And so, yeah, it was kind of frustrating. I was like, oh, because we got hit in a major traffic. And like, I was like, oh, I want to be in that carpool lane, but I couldn't. I didn't want to pay whatever the fee was because, you know, in Washington, if you don't have the past, you have to pay three dollars to pay it by mail. They charge you a three dollar surcharge. So anyways, it's crazy.   [00:05:32.830] - Tamara Gruber Well, I will say, I have a lot of overall observations of driving 5000 miles. Number one, our roads are crap. They are terrible.   [00:05:42.130] - Tamara Gruber Like I know they're trying to pass an infrastructure bill and I can't even say how much we need it. Like I always comment on that around, like where I live. But I feel like I live in such a busy area, like it's get so much traffic. Well, you know what, we're driving i 80, i 70, i 90 like.   [00:05:59.500] - Tamara Gruber And it's all trucks, there's so many trucks and it was you know, I don't know if it's more now or not, but like it was the point where it's not relaxing at all, even though it's just a straight highway. It's like because you're constantly passing trucks like we had had to drive. She just has a permit. Knock wood. By the time you hear that, she'll have her license. But she drove for like three hours in Nebraska and three hours in Kansas. And the speed limit is like seventy five. And she's like constantly like trucks are passing her, she's passing trucks. And it was she's like, I'm exhausted. I don't know if you see that on the West Coast, but it was terrible.   [00:06:44.740] - Kim Tate Yeah, well, we went through Oregon and I guess in Oregon, it's one of the few states that allows three semi links. And I think you probably passed some, but I we don't have it in California or Washington. Oh, but it's semi trucks allow three, you know, the back seat and it says long load.   [00:07:07.660] - Tamara Gruber I even said it like those trucks drive like they rule the world and like who cares about you. I had one literally drive me off the road like I'm so glad that I was driving and not Hannah because I managed to keep us like in the like in not a shoulder. I had to go into the grass but like straight without like like she probably would have with the car. It's like they I was next to it and not like far back, like next to its cab.   [00:07:38.740] - Tamara Gruber Yeah. And it started, you know, it put its turn signal on and it started coming and I'm like laying on the horn and it just kept coming. And so I had to go into the median and again, you know, you're like you're driving through grass and you're like seventy five miles an hour, you know?   [00:07:52.790] - Tamara Gruber And then I was able to like, you know, safely get us back up, you know, on the road. And that almost happened to me multiple times. So I will say, like, it's not you know, it was not always pleasant driving. I would have loved to have gotten off on just some of the smaller roads, like when we were in like Wisconsin and Colorado, we were in some smaller roads that were like much more pleasant. Although let me tell you the other thing that I observed about Wisconsin.   [00:08:21.730] - Tamara Gruber I felt like I was in another country. We have you ever seen this where the instead of, you know, how you have interstate, you know, we have Interstate 95, we have high U.S. Highway One, we have state route two. There are like state highways or, you know, it was like exit for Highway X, Y or an X.   [00:08:42.070] - Tamara Gruber It was the letter letters I've never seen. I know we're going to have listeners that are like, what's wrong with you? But like, I had never I never seen that either.   [00:08:52.570] - Kim Tate I didn't know that either. I are. We're just inspiring people to take road trips with all these. I'm just kidding.   [00:08:59.050] - Tamara Gruber Sorry. anyways, these are the things you learn, right?   [00:09:02.830] - Kim Tate Yeah, these are the things you learn. But I always think it's cool how the states have different highways. They have the little symbols. And I've never seen anything fun like in California or Oregon or Washington. But I know once we were in like I think Utah and they have like a beehive. Is there like have you seen.   [00:09:18.400] - Kim Tate Oh yeah. It's like different shape. So, yeah, different states have fun little shapes and stuff, but I don't think we have anything fun. So I was wondering if you saw any fun shaped state highways.   [00:09:28.510] - Tamara Gruber Not that I recognize, but I can kind of picture that. I'm pretty sure in New Hampshire there's looks like one of the mountain faces. I did learn that Nebraska. Oh, what's that? What was the town?   [00:09:40.410] - Tamara Gruber Kearney, Nebraska is the sandhill Crane, capital of the world. As we're driving, this is the time that Hannah was driving. So I was sitting in the back because I'm like, you know, I need a break. And if I'm in the front, like, somebody needs to, like, be paying attention to her. Yeah, exactly. Yeah. I'm just going to sit in the back for a little bit. I can't do it long because I get carsick, but I'm like, I'm going to go back there.   [00:10:01.450] - Tamara Gruber So I'm just like looking out the window and I just see all these birds that I'm like they kind of look like Osprey, like they look like water birds, but they're all in these open fields, you know, because it's just like plowed fields now. And I'm like, this is so I. And I'm like, did you guys see that, did you guys see that and they're like, what? What's, you know, like I have nothing else to look at back here. You can't, like, look ahead of me, you know?   [00:10:22.150] - Tamara Gruber So anyway, then we would drive past the sign that says the sandhill crane capital of the world. I'm like, oh, that's fascinating. Yeah, that's cool.   [00:10:29.380] - Kim Tate I was going to mention with bathrooms when you're talking about stops and stuff is surprisingly I forgot about travel centers like for when you know about travel centers.   [00:10:43.450] - Kim Tate They normally have like a food place in them, but I find they're the restrooms at most of those travel centers, like the big ones, like the TravelCenters of America, like the big T and A..   [00:10:52.750] - Kim Tate Yeah. Although it's funny, like growing up in the Midwest, we always laughed about the T and the giant T&A. But anyways, you know, it's normally a pretty good one. And so we stopped at that a couple of times. And I think that the other thing we had done was because she was looking for like a cheesy California keychain for a friend. And I was like, oh, we need to find a travel center, because that's the kind of stuff they have there.   [00:11:16.480] - Tamara Gruber And yeah, like, that's that kind of thing is very common here in the East Coast. It's not like they're not always the labeled ones like like they're just like like if you're driving like I-95, it's like, you know, here's this rest area and it's there's gas and there's inside there's bathrooms, there's, you know, food court. And there's the little shop and the bathrooms there.   [00:11:36.790] - Tamara Gruber Like I actually they're usually pretty clean, like they weren't when I worked at one back on the New Jersey Turnpike when I was 16.   [00:11:43.630] - Tamara Gruber But it's pretty clean and you don't have to touch any doors, you know, like everything touchless, you know. So that is and it's very open like versus going into like a gas station that has like a one.   [00:11:56.020] - Kim Tate Yeah, yeah. Or they've got like the paddle key you have to get. Yeah. That people have touched in the last fifty.   [00:12:00.250] - Tamara Gruber But even and even if they have like one that has multiple stalls, it's like two or three styles and people might be waiting in a line and it's very close, whereas those are like so open, you know, that like the circulation is much better.   [00:12:11.090] - Kim Tate Exactly. And there's normally find parking and certainly easy to get on and off and back on the highway. Yeah. So I really like those. And then we used rest stops a lot actually. And I was really impressed.   [00:12:20.860] - Kim Tate I think rest stops are like the gift to road trips because for us, especially with teenagers and when they were little kids, we discovered this.   [00:12:28.900] - Kim Tate Inevitably somebody is waiting for a bathroom, are looking for and they end up wandering down the aisles and wanting to get this chip in this drink. And you spend another hundred and fifty dollars on snacks that day because of all the stops for bathrooms that you ended up buying junk food. And I noticed at least on the West Coast, I think it was practically 100 percent mask wearing on all the rest stops. And I even noticed one point because I kind of I think it was partially me, because I noticed this older couple was walking towards me like walking their dog and they didn't have my son.   [00:13:02.530] - Kim Tate And I, like, gave them a wide berth. Like I walked in the grass to go around them. And as soon as I passed, I heard the woman go, Oh, honey, we have our mask. Let's see, I'm going to go to the car and get our mask. Like she hadn't thought of it because she was thinking they were just going to walk our dog. But then she realized, you know, there's a lot of foot traffic.   [00:13:17.050] - Tamara Gruber Right. Right. I've had that experience, too. Yeah. So for you, like when you say, like, rest stop, So that's like the building off of the highway where like, yeah, people walk the dog and there's bathrooms and sometimes there's like a brochure's or something but that's like yeah ok. Yeah.   [00:13:31.810] - Tamara Gruber Great. Yeah. Yeah we have been, we have like the big ones kind of too.   [00:13:36.460] - Kim Tate So yeah these are, I'm talking about the ones that are just like literally on and off the highway, I-95 there almost every twenty five miles ish most of the time. So but yeah. And there's definitely different qualities in some of them are nice and have lots of stalls and others are not great.   [00:13:52.660] - Kim Tate But everyone we all went to always had toilet paper, had seat covers, running water, all that. So it was a good, good thing for us.   [00:14:00.670] - Tamara Gruber It shows you our priorities that we're spending like five minutes talking about bathroom. I'm so sorry, everyone.   [00:14:06.280] - Kim Tate They're like, OK, yeah, I'm bored. Yeah, we're like twenty minutes. And we haven't even started talking about your road trip. So let's jump to that.   [00:14:18.220] - Kim Tate Let's talk about your specific road trip. We've talked about the mileage and the states, but what were the highlights?   [00:14:23.980] - Tamara Gruber Let's see. I'll just run through an order because it's easiest for me to remember, like, in that way. But we our first stop was in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, which is known for its like Christmas things, because, as you can imagine. So we visited Lehigh University there and that was good. It was actually a very cute little downtown. It was good.   [00:14:43.600] - Tamara Gruber I liked the university was beautiful, but it was not Hannah's favorite just because she wants something a little more integrated, even though it was like a very cute town, she's like it's more like town adjacent than town, like into like, OK, so that was our first stop.   [00:14:56.440] - Tamara Gruber And then we headed off to Cleveland and we stayed in the university circle neighborhood of Cleveland. So we didn't see a lot of downtown, but I really explored that area. It's so it's case Western Reserve University is the school that we're visiting and it's right next to like all the hospitals and Cleveland Clinic, but it's also near there. Museum. So they have like this really nice green area, you know, with like parks and it's like the Wade oval and around it there's a botanical gardens, a museum of natural history, an art museum.   [00:15:28.080] - Tamara Gruber And then also just a few minutes away, kind of right next to campus, too, is a contemporary art museum. So there's a lot of museums around there to explore. There's like a Little Italy neighborhood, you know, and of course, we spent time, like walking around campus.   [00:15:42.210] - Tamara Gruber But then one of the things that we got to do was to go to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, because I'm like, if we're going to go to Cleveland, like, we have to do this, like we all love music.   [00:15:52.230] - Tamara Gruber You know, Glenn, you know, especially like is such a classic rock guy. But I was really surprised by, like, how up to date it was, you know, they had like outfits from Billy Eilish, you know, like it was it was very like all the like Harry Styles to like all the way up to date.   [00:16:08.280] - Tamara Gruber And here's going to be my plug in my learning for this. It's like I know that everyone's going to head to the outdoors in the national parks this summer. I know in a couple weeks we're going to be talking about one of those kind of road trips. But I will say, if you want to be counterintuitive, it's actually really cheap to be in cities right now.   [00:16:27.870] - Tamara Gruber And the indoor attractions are very quiet.   [00:16:31.470] - Tamara Gruber And it's so well managed that I we felt so much safer in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame than we did when we went to the Outdoor Garden of the Gods in a park in Colorado Springs because you had to get timed entry tickets.   [00:16:47.100] - Tamara Gruber Everybody has temperatures taken. It's one way traffic. It's all sanitized like everything. Like I really felt we were obviously were there on a Monday afternoon. So it wasn't like primetime.   [00:16:57.090] - Tamara Gruber But I was like, could there even have been 50 people in this entire building of like three or four floors? Like, it didn't it was not crowded at all. Some of the interactive types of things were closed. So I'm sure it would have been more fun if we could have done more of that, like listening kind of things.   [00:17:13.140] - Tamara Gruber But we still like, you know, we really enjoyed it. We got a lot out of it. So I feel like maybe it's not too bad to do some of these indoor things or things that are usually crowded when there's not the crowds. So I can throw that out there as an idea.   [00:17:26.520] - Kim Tate You know, I totally sorry. I was going to say I totally agree. I was just talking to Carolyn, our friend Carolyn, about that, because I went to the mop up museum in Seattle and it was the same thing. It was like a timed entry ticket that you bought online, got temperature checked. Everything's one way.   [00:17:39.510] - Kim Tate And there is it felt like nobody felt like we had the exhibits to ourselves. And of course, like you said, we went in the weekday. But I definitely think you're right that that's the place to, like, really take advantage of your, like, staycation local cities. If there's some museums you avoid or I think now's the time to.   [00:17:56.100] - Tamara Gruber Yeah, because and like I said, the the days I mean, for the most part, almost all of the hotels we were in, we it was not like they they are kind of concentrating people on certain floors, I think probably for housekeeping reasons.   [00:18:08.010] - Tamara Gruber So it's not like we're the only one on the floor, but only in I think one place did we sometimes encounter people like on the elevator and we'd have to wait for the next elevator. But for the most part, there was like no one around and it was cheap, you know, so that all worked out well.   [00:18:23.010] - Tamara Gruber So we moved from Cleveland and I actually really like that school, too. So so maybe we'll be back and explore more in Cleveland. We'll see. But from then, we drove like about two and a half hours to Ann Arbor, Michigan. And I will say, like, I know Michigan is a huge school, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and they have the largest stadium football stadium in the Western Hemisphere, the big house.   [00:18:43.680] - Tamara Gruber And so I thought the school is going to feel immense and like really just spread out and like not manageable and confusing. And it really didn't like first of all, Ann Arbor is the cutest town. You know, like there's great, like restaurants and like just little districts. And, you know, walking around was great. And the campus felt like there's like a north campus that you definitely have to drive to. But then the rest of it felt like pretty compact. And there's just so much school spirit there.   [00:19:10.110] - Tamara Gruber Like everyone that you walk by is wearing like Michigan or something, you know, like sweatpants, sweatshirt, you know, like it just you could tell, like, they're super into it. So and we had a couple we brought in.   [00:19:21.630] - Tamara Gruber Well, one time we eat outside at a deli. Zingerman's Deli is like really famous there. So we had to check that out. And then we brought in from like an Asian place called Slurping Turtle, which was delicious.   [00:19:33.300] - Tamara Gruber We stayed at the graduate there, which again, I love graduate hotels for college towns because they have so much personality. And there it was, you know, not crowded at all. And it was adjacent to campus, like adjacent to State Street, like everything was convenient. So if you go in to Ann Arbor, like, I would definitely look at a stay there. It was you know, it was a really nice property.   [00:19:55.680] - Tamara Gruber We I had booked a suite, so it wasn't quite as big of a separate little room as I thought, but it had like this little living room area, you know, I usually like the suite would be like the main room is like you walk into, like the living area and then the bedroom would be off here. You walked into the bedroom and then off the bedroom there was a. A little like I would call it a den, you know, like it had a little tiny couch and a little like a TV and a chair.   [00:20:20.810] - Tamara Gruber So we put Hannah in there and like you, you could extend the bed, but you couldn't then walk around it, like, crawl across.   [00:20:28.400] - Tamara Gruber So it's very small, but it was perfect because, you know, she had at least her own little space. And then the next morning before we left, we had this amazing brunch.   [00:20:37.920] - Tamara Gruber I have to, like, look up where it was. But we had this, you know, amazing brunch of this beautiful place. We actually had to knock on the door, like to have them open for us.   [00:20:46.790] - Tamara Gruber So we were the only people in there for a while. And I think that was one of the like, you know, eating inside still makes us nervous. So we're like, OK, it's like a two story place. We're the only people in here, so we're good. So if you go to Ann Arbor, the place is called Savas. And it was it was delicious. I'm sure it would be amazing for lunch or dinner, too.   [00:21:03.350] - Tamara Gruber But from there, we moved to Madison, Wisconsin, and I've been to Madison before, as you know, and I really liked it a lot when we got there.   [00:21:11.780] - Tamara Gruber It was pretty like rainy, but like an icy cold, you know, windy kind of rain. So it wasn't like ideal conditions for exploring. But luckily, like a friend of ours, their daughter goes to University of Wisconsin, Madison. So she was able to walk us around, I think, which definitely made an impression on Hannah because the other places we were just exploring on our own because tours weren't open right at the time. So, you know, so that was good.   [00:21:36.320] - Tamara Gruber And we that day was actually St. Patrick's Day. So I was like, I am not going out on St. Patrick's Day in a college town. Like, there's no way. Not a pandemic, no way. So we brought in some food there. And we also stated a graduate there and actually the graduate there, we stayed at we again booked a suite. It was called like the Camp Wanda Wenga Suite or something. But it's set up like very camp style.   [00:21:58.190] - Tamara Gruber And the separate little room had bunk beds and it had like an Atari and like, you know, a little gaming system and stuff. So it was really cute. And I was like, oh, my. Like, top bunk is going to be for this and I'm going to be in the bottom bunk. And I know she she had fun that she had bunk beds. That's cute. So that was good.   [00:22:13.250] - Tamara Gruber And then we drove. That's the day that we then drove and we stayed in Nebraska. So that was just like we had a driving day and then we had another driving day and we got to Boulder, Colorado, and we definitely loved our stay in Boulder.   [00:22:25.250] - Tamara Gruber It's such a cute it's a cute city. Has is like this Pearl Street district where it's just like an open pedestrian mall with tons of like restaurants and shops and stuff off of it.   [00:22:35.570] - Tamara Gruber And we stayed at an Embassy Suites. And I will say, like Glenn and I were, we used points for a lot of these. And so Glenn and I were kind of expecting, you know, a lot of embassy suites are kind of old, right?   [00:22:46.910] - Kim Tate You know, like, yeah, they have this in the nineties. Like this big center foyer. Pyramid or whatever.   [00:22:54.500] - Tamara Gruber Yeah, yeah, yeah. This was like a brand new Embassy Suites. It was the nicest Embassy Suites or looked brand new that I've ever seen.   [00:23:02.240] - Kim Tate And we had a nice we had an Embassy Suites in Seattle.   [00:23:07.220] - Tamara Gruber Really nice. Yeah. It's just. Yeah yeah I agree because you get that stuck in your head about certain brands. Right. You kind of have like what your expectations are. So I was like, well you know, we're using points like whatever, it's an embassy suites and I got there, I'm like, oh this is really nice. And again had a suite again. We were on the road a lot, very close together. So a few times I wanted to splurge and have a suite and have like a little more space, you know, to be in.   [00:23:32.150] - Tamara Gruber But it overlooked the you could see the campus, which is kind of up on a hill, then behind it, the Flatiron Mountains. And it was stunning. It's like, you know, to to open up the window and see, that was amazing.   [00:23:45.530] - Tamara Gruber And just the campus was beautiful. We love you know, she loved the campus. She loved Boulder. I just loved, you know, they had just gotten like two feet of snow a week before. So I thought it was going to be crazy. And, yeah, there was some snow on the ground, but it just doesn't stick. I think, like, you and I are both come from like wet climb, you know, colder like wet climates.   [00:24:02.660] - Tamara Gruber And so we'll get ice, you know, it sticks around. But there I think because it's dry, like the snow just melts and evaporates right away.   [00:24:10.970] - Tamara Gruber But yeah. So one day we drove down, we were going to go to Rocky Mountain National Park, but then I was reading about it and it looked like a lot of the trails, like I would need snow shoes. And then I'm like, well, you know, you can only drive so much of it because the main road is closed in the winter. You know, you can't go all the way across the park.   [00:24:28.520] - Tamara Gruber And so I was just debating, do we bother to go up there? We're going to have we're going to do snowshoeing and stuff when we go on our next stop. So I didn't really want to rent equipment to do that. So instead, we it was a beautiful day. It was like seventy degrees, which is crazy. So we drove down to Colorado Springs and we went to the Garden of the Gods, which I think everyone has seen pictures of.   [00:24:48.800] - Tamara Gruber And I just oh, it looks so beautiful. Like let's go down there.   [00:24:51.830] - Tamara Gruber First of all, we got stuck in all this traffic, which was crazy. And then, you know, so that was stressful. And then we got there and it was insane. It was it was a Saturday afternoon. It was seventy degrees, but it was insanely crowded. So I had and I got there. I had to use the bathroom speaking bathrooms. So I did wait in line like outside, because everyone that came in to the visitors center had to like sign in and provide your.   [00:25:14.170] - Tamara Gruber Contact information for contact tracing, which was a joke because it's interesting that they're still doing that. Yeah, like everyone else, like tons of people didn't even go inside. And so we're walking, you know, then into the park and like, no one had masks, hardly anybody had masks on.   [00:25:30.550] - Tamara Gruber And these are like jammed walkways, like you cannot avoid being within six feet of people. And it says, like, you know, mask is required even outside for when you can't be. It wasn't like it required all the time, but it's like when you can't be with, you know, more than six feet away. But it's like you clearly no one can be.   [00:25:50.440] - Tamara Gruber So we were wearing a mask and we're like trying to like, you know, get through it really quickly in a way. But it was it was definitely stressful.   [00:25:57.370] - Tamara Gruber It was like it was really like all of us were feeling it were a super stressful, you know, like trying to, like, look away when somebody, like, walked by you and like, you know, like just I don't know, like just protect yourself.   [00:26:07.860] - Tamara Gruber And I know what's outside. And you generally passing people like within seconds. And there's probably very little danger, but it's still kind of freaked us out, you know, like it's been a long time since we've been around a lot of people.   [00:26:19.090] - Tamara Gruber And it was not really fun. And I wanted it to be fun and I felt bad. So that's just my feeling is that granted, if I was in that situation and I had been vaccinated already, I wouldn't feel quite as worried. But I do really worry about being in crowded places like this summer and like what that's going to be like in some of the parks. And I know some people will feel like very comfortable because they're vaccinated. But like, if things are still circulating a lot, you know, like we still have to take certain precautions.   [00:26:47.890] - Tamara Gruber And, you know, I don't know. It does make me a little bit worried about being in, like I said, crowded places in the summer.   [00:26:54.370] - Kim Tate But was it pretty, though?   [00:26:56.110] - Tamara Gruber It was beautiful. It was. It was. But it probably was a little more crowded than I would have liked anyway. I just have to get used to that.   [00:27:04.900] - Tamara Gruber So after Boulder, we ended up going to a ranch for a couple of days, which was like definitely the highlight of our trip. And, you know, you know that when we went to the ranch in Montana a few years ago, it was still like one of our top trips. We just kind of love that experience. But I wasn't quite sure what it was going to be like in the winter, spring, you know, kind of season, like what activities there would be and what it would be like.   [00:27:30.400] - Tamara Gruber But it was exactly what we needed. You know, it was like time outside. We had, you know, time. It was just such a relaxed environment, I think. So we went to the Vista Verde Ranch, which is just a little bit north of Steamboat Springs, and it is a luxury ranch. So they definitely have more amenities and, you know, service than the ranch that we went to before. And I think both can be great.   [00:27:56.950] - Tamara Gruber But I felt like for this, especially for this season, it was nice to have the kind of that extra level of of amenities and activities and things. But there max capacity is something like 50 people, you know. So I think it's like a dozen cabins. They have cabins that go from one bedroom up to four bedroom. And you have you know, you have your own space because you have a cabin.   [00:28:17.500] - Tamara Gruber So it felt like a very covid friendly type of vacation. And I wasn't sure because everything that we did before was so like community oriented.   [00:28:26.590] - Tamara Gruber And I think that that does it is sad that you don't have some of that now, because that is like one of the really cool things about a ranch environment. Right. But it's still like they did it in such a way. That was it was just really nice. So I just can't like I don't know, I was so happy. Like, I wish we could have stayed longer. It's definitely pricey, but it is, you know, just a very unique experience.   [00:28:47.980] - Tamara Gruber I mean, we did activities they have like you can sign up for activities like the day before. They have a calendar out. There's morning activities and afternoon activities, and sometimes there's a night activity. And so we did snowshoeing one day, which was just fabulous. And the way that they do it, you know, they have all the equipment on site, they have guides. And what they're doing now is like if you're with a family or small group, they're sending you out with like a private guide.   [00:29:17.470] - Tamara Gruber So you're not even in a group of people, you know, it's just you and your family, which is kind of nice because I think I've told a story about like one other time when I went snowshoeing and I showed up and like all my ski gear, like thinking I was going to be freezing and I showed up and there were this there was like the guide in this other couple and they were in, I don't know, like a sweatshirt and like winter pants kind of thing.   [00:29:40.480] - Tamara Gruber And they were like, I hope we're going to really get our hearts going now. And I'm like, oh, crap. I did it myself into and the whole time I'm like huffing and puffing because there it was like climbing in, like trying to keep up with them and sweating and ripping off layers of clothes. And then I would catch up to them and then they'd be like and then they would keep going, you know what I'm like. I didn't get a chance to have a rest. And so I feel like to go by yourself. And the other time I did it was in Idaho and it was just me and a guide. But she was like twenty three. She was out there on the mountain every day, you know, and I was like my foot hurt from. For the last few days and, you know, it's just like you're at altitude and you're climbing up and I remember being like, I'm going to stop and take a picture.   [00:30:21.760] - Tamara Gruber I'm going to stop stopping and taking pictures because I needed a little break. But this one was like, you know, he kept stopping and he was just like, how are you guys doing? We're like, no, we're good. Like, let's keep going and let's let's climb up there. And, you know, we climbed up to this point. We had a beautiful view and know. So they really can match your peace. And like he says, like, you know, with a family, like your patient, with each other, you know, it's not like a group that, you know, someone's left behind or annoyed or, you know, all that.   [00:30:48.020] - Tamara Gruber So so that was, you know, really worked out well. And then I think that afternoon, Hannah and I did a trail ride. I forget what Glenn did. Maybe he just decided to skip it. But we did a trail ride. And so, you know, typical, like, you know, line up my horse.   [00:31:06.100] - Tamara Gruber My horse was a little nasty, though. Apparently, it was like the I don't know, what's the queen bee of horses, you know, like it has like seniority. So I kept trying to bite all the other horses. I would like to try to walk by. And so, yeah, like then the other horses were like, given it the side. I'm like, hold onto it like really tight. So stop trying to like bite the other horse. I have a little like a little bully over here.   [00:31:43.810] - Tamara Gruber I was talking to one of the ranch hands afterwards about it and she was like, oh yeah, he's got a little attitude, you know, but they're so used to some of it that I don't know, like I just I felt like like it was a personal reflection on me.   [00:31:55.360] - Tamara Gruber One of my horses tried to, you know, be nasty to another was like I wasn't controlling it well. But he was just like an hour, you know, ride like through a trail. But it's, you know, everything was still snow covered. So it was really it was just pretty. And I can't even tell you how much we enjoyed the weather because it was like sunny skies, blue skies, which I'm leaving looking at my window now in April.   [00:32:17.440] - Tamara Gruber And I'm just seeing gray, you know, and it's just it makes me feel like so much more alive when the sun is out.   [00:32:24.310] - Tamara Gruber And even though it was like twenty, thirty degrees when we were doing these things, like we went snowshoeing and I just had a base layer. And like a zip up fleece and that's it. And like my snow pants and I was totally fine and like that's kind of it felt like thirty degrees warmer than it actually the temperature was.   [00:32:46.150] - Tamara Gruber So we had a good time with that. And then afterwards they let you go into the paddock for this thing they call a spring shed. And so basically the horses are shedding their winter coat and so you can go and help like brush them and you can just like, you know, go up to any horse.   [00:33:01.840] - Tamara Gruber And so I was like, do we need to be careful around there? Like, no, just kind of like them. No, like, talk to them, let them know that you're coming.   [00:33:08.380] - Tamara Gruber And so we're brushing them and of course, like it was starting to be mud season. So it's like a little icky out there, like with the poop.   [00:33:16.900] - Tamara Gruber And and so I'm like, OK, I really wish I brought my rain boots that I could just, like, spray off. Yeah. So my tip would be to bring like a plastic bag or anything that is coming back from there. But it was, you know, it was just fun. Like Hannah loves horses.   [00:33:32.650] - Tamara Gruber So it was like, you know, fun for her to just be able to to do that for a while and then, oh, the food was crazy good, like so, so good and so much food like the first night we got there and it was barbecue night.   [00:33:47.590] - Tamara Gruber So you think it's going to be, I don't know, like family style. First of all, it's all like table service. And what they've done is they did used to have like community tables, but now because of covid, you can choose to have your own table. And so they've spread things out. So they have like them spread out in the dining room.   [00:34:04.030] - Tamara Gruber And ours was actually in the main lobby, which is like towering ceilings, like beautiful lodge. And we were by a window. So we had this amazing view. There was no table anywhere near us. So it was like so comfortable, you know, for like indoor dining. And they would know. So you had a printed menu every time, like beautiful place sitting. Everything was like a starter, an entree and a dessert. And the first night it was like brisket, ribs or Alaskan king crab legs.   [00:34:33.400] - Tamara Gruber And I'm like, I didn't even get Alaskan king crab legs when I went on an Alaskan cruise and I went to the seafood restaurant, you know, like so Glen was like, well, I can't decide, like, can I get everything? And the girl was like, sure. And he was like, what? Like, you don't expect people to do that, you know? And she's like, yeah, like if you want like whatever you want, like I can bring you a little bit of this, little bit of that. And in the next morning scene with like breakfast, I was like, OK, well can I have like a pancake and an egg and some bacon. She's like, sure. So they it was so much food and it was really. Yeah, it was delicious, you know. And the next night was a formal night. So the kids have an option of doing like grab and go. Dining where it's more like a kid's meal, you know, that they can just take and they can eat it in the cabin and or go do a kid activity, but it's a little bit more of a formal meal. But it wasn't like you had to get dressed up. But these chefs came out and like presented and then they had like a wine pairing to go with it. So that one was I think we had like a salmon over like a lemon truffle, cauliflower risotto and Brussels sprout leaves. And, you know, it was like really it was it was fine dining.   [00:35:43.710] - Tamara Gruber And every meal was great, like, you know, you had lunch. And I was like, OK, let's start with like a giant salad and then a burger and then dessert. And I'm like, I can't do this. Like, I can't keep eating.   [00:35:54.360] - Tamara Gruber It's like it's so much food. But it was all so good. So definitely like a food is food is like a major highlight there.   [00:36:06.780] So you go at happy hour at like five thirty and they have a selection of wines and beer. I don't even know if they had cocktails. I think it's wine and beer and then like a little like aperitif, you know, you had at one night was like a prosciutto wrapped date.   [00:36:21.760] - Tamara Gruber And one night was like a deviled eggs, you know. So you had these little like snacks with your drinks. And that's the time where people can socialize if, you know, if they want to. So like there was oh, we just sat at our table because we were already in, like, that large area with our reserved table. So we would just sit there. But then there was this one group, like a big family group that would gather by the fireplace.   [00:36:40.890] - Tamara Gruber And sometimes they were a little forgetful when it came to like putting on their mask, when they stood up to walk to back to the bar or whatever. But luckily, like, we're like, OK, we're over here. You stay over there. Yeah, but it felt weird to, like, not be super friendly, you know, like it's the kind of thing where usually you'd have more interaction with people. But then what do we do? The next day we went and we did cross country skiing because Glenn really wanted to try that. And all I can say. Have you done cross-country before?   [00:37:07.860] - Kim Tate I have once. Paul is really into cross-country skiing and something they did in Edmonton a lot.   [00:37:12.180] - Tamara Gruber But yeah, I could see that because he's like the triathlon kind of guy. Yeah, yeah. It's not my thing. That's all I'll really say we were doing.   [00:37:20.820] - Tamara Gruber It was funny because we were gearing up and they said, like, it's not really great conditions for it because it's a little too icy, because that day it was like a little bit snowy, a little bit, it was still pretty cold in the morning there. It's like it's better in the afternoon. But we wanted to do something else in the afternoon and we're only there for a couple of days. So we didn't have like a ton of choice.   [00:37:39.330] - Tamara Gruber And so we're like, you know what, it's included. This is our chance to try it. Let's just go and do it. And they kept saying, like, oh, like when you fall, this is what you do.   [00:37:47.460] - Tamara Gruber And I'm like, fall. Like, isn't this just like walking? Like, when are we going to fall on cross country? And they do have like groomed trails, but they took us into like backcountry. And so then we were going like up a hill and then we had to go downhill. And I, I had no idea how different the skis are, you know. So, like, there's just I'm used to being able to, like, dig in or like control.   [00:38:09.750] - Kim Tate And it's just, you know, was your heel is free.   [00:38:12.430] - Tamara Gruber So, yeah, I'm like walking and the edges, there's just not like the edges that you have in downhill.   [00:38:16.710] - Kim Tate No, not at all. Yeah. So you stay, the whole idea is like, I mean I guess some people like plow but when I that time I went cross-country skiing. You're kind of in a rut of already done.   [00:38:28.530] - Tamara Gruber So you kind of I think it would have been cool if we did like the groomed trail but. But they're groomed trail was more like almost like a track, like an overall kind of thing. And then they it's more used to get people comfortable with it and then they go out to backcountry. Yeah. So like that part, I mean we made it fine. It was fine. Hannah actually really liked it and she liked like going ahead and laughing at us a bit.   [00:38:51.120] - Tamara Gruber But I just, I definitely love snowshoeing. So I'm like I don't think I would choose like cross country over snowshoeing. You know, I just I, you know, me and my control, like, I like to be in control and like, it's so easy to be in control.   [00:39:06.720] - Kim Tate Snowshoeing is better for that with than cross country. Yeah. I took out, yeah. I took out my father in law because I didn't know anything about it or how to stop and he had stopped to like look at something.I just kept going. I don't know what to do. So it's kind of funny. I mean it we were fine but yeah.   [00:39:25.260] - Tamara Gruber Yeah that was cool to get to try that, you know, and then the next thing we did didn't end up quite as well, but we went snow tubing and again, it's like a little bit icy. And so they have, you know, there this is just all on their property.   [00:39:40.710] - Tamara Gruber So they have a hill where they have kind of, you know, trails. But it's not like this. Quite the same grooming that you would have, you know, if you went to a ski resort type of of snow tubing. But they pull you up in a snowmobile, so they take you up there up to the hill on the snowmobile, you tube down, then they snowmobile you back up, you know, so that's kind of cool. And it was a lot of fun.   [00:40:00.450] - Tamara Gruber Like, we were definitely having a ton of fun, like Glenn and Hannah were going down, like in Hannah. And I did it, too, like together together, you know, and like, go down. But when you went down, you were going really fast.   [00:40:10.680] - Tamara Gruber They're like it's really slick, just so you know. So if you. Want to slow down like you use your foot to, like, kind of slow you down, like it's better if you went on your belly. We're usually like sit in the tube, you know, go on your belly and then you can, like, control it a little bit more.   [00:40:23.870] - Tamara Gruber And then at the bottom, they had some, like, barriers. And it's like you don't really want to go past the barrier because you're not going to go off a cliff. But it's it's not going to be great if you keep going, you know.   [00:40:32.150] - Tamara Gruber So I would always, you know, slow myself down, but it definitely was getting sicker and sicker. And then Glenn and Hannah, which we're almost it was almost going to be like the end anyway, like we're almost at the end of the day. But he went and then I saw, like, the two of them went like because there's two runs and I was waiting at the top. And then I went down. I kind of saw Glenn go like, oh, you know.   [00:40:52.790] - Tamara Gruber And then I was like, oh, what happens? I get down to the bottom and he can't stand because he he was using his foot to slow down and he felt something. And then when he went to stand up afterwards, the snow is like really deep, but it was just a little bit crusty on top. So then you kind of fall through and you might you know, you might be like a couple feet deep and snow and you have to, like, lift your foot out.   [00:41:13.970] - Tamara Gruber And so he kind of fell in to someone's like hole and then his foot, like he just felt something so like a few to three years, two years ago, he fractured his foot doing, you know, like he was doing a half marathon.   [00:41:27.650] - Tamara Gruber He was running a lot and he had like a stress fracture. So he says that this is what it felt like. So that was not the ideal end to our little trip. Yeah, it's a bummer because it sounds like you guys were having such a good time.   [00:41:40.610] - Kim Tate And then now it's a, you know, kind of like the end as calmly as you want it.   [00:41:46.160] - Tamara Gruber And then, yeah, it was especially great that while at least I was like, OK, let's like put ice on it and wrap it and like, put it up and just like, relax for a while and like see how you feel. But then he called a friend and the friend was like, you really should get x rays before you go, like all the way home, because we're leaving the next morning to start at 10, 12 hour drive to Kansas.   [00:42:07.160] - Tamara Gruber And so then I was like, I really think I have to go get x rays. And by this point it's like five o'clock. And I'm like, well, by the time I get you to Steamboat Springs, like we're missing dinner here. And then we're driving back here at night after dark, which not like great roads for driving after dark when you're not familiar with them.   [00:42:26.510] - Tamara Gruber And then we're just getting up and leaving the next morning and we're we'll have to drive back, pass through Steamboat Springs, you know, like we were north and we needed to go south. So I was like, OK, I think what we should do is just pack up and check out early and I should take it as Steamboat Springs and then like, let's just stay down there and then start our drive from there in the morning. It just, you know, it just wasn't worth it to come back, like just for breakfast and so sad, like we only really had to two nights there, but it worked out like we drove down.   [00:42:56.810] - Tamara Gruber I got us all packed up and checked out and we drove down to Steamboat Springs and dropped them off at the hospital for X-rays. I'm like, well, I can't come in anyway. So like, let me go take care of, like, getting gas in the car and finding where we can get some food to pick up and, you know, researching where to stay. And so, like, we could have stayed in Steamboat Springs, but we were kind of like, you know what, let's just drive down to 70, Interstate 70, so that in the morning, like, we definitely have less of a big drive tomorrow.   [00:43:22.340] - Tamara Gruber And so we we thought it was all going to be good. And we he was finally done at like eight o'clock. So it's like, you know, maybe before eight o'clock is like just turning dark and we start driving and we have to go up like over a mountain pass.   [00:43:36.950] - Tamara Gruber And I'm driving, of course, because he has like a boot and crutches and it starts snowing like swirling white out snow, like I can barely see. So I'm driving this mountain pass like I don't know how easy it is, you know what I mean? Like, is it is it really slick? Like, it was terrifying. I will tell you, like even like everyone in the car just like was quiet. So I could like, just very much focus on my drive.   [00:44:04.100] - Tamara Gruber And I was like gripping that wheel and going like twenty five miles an hour and just trying to be so careful because, you know, like it's a mountain pass in Colorado, like.   [00:44:14.180] - Tamara Gruber Yeah. And all I could think was if I pull over, are we going to end up one of those people that like died on the side of the road because they froze overnight. And, you know, like, what if it gets worse, you know, versus better?   [00:44:25.220] - Tamara Gruber And so I just, like, pushed through. And when we finally started coming back down, at least it stopped snowing. But then I was like, still so tense, like the rest of the drive. It was like a two hour drive to get like south to Interstate 70 because, you know, it's just dark and small mountain road. And then we had to look out for deer. There's all these signs for Deer Crossing. And they even I saw a couple bridges.   [00:44:48.500] - Tamara Gruber So I think it's where they've made those like wildlife. Yeah. Crossing thing. Crossing things. Yeah. Yeah. So and and the people at the hospital had warned Glen, like, if you're driving that way, like watch out for deer. So, you know, we finally made it to our hotel and it was good that we were plant we had booked ahead because when we got there the hotel parking lot was jammed. And so I dropped Glenn and he ran off up front, you know, because he has crutches and they went in to check in and like I.   [00:45:12.700] - Tamara Gruber To go park so far away and as I got out of the car, I realized a lot of people were actually sleeping in the car and their cars were running. And I'm like, what's going on? And then I realized that, like, they had closed Interstate 70 because of snow. And people were just, like, waiting it out there, I think.   [00:45:30.520] - Tamara Gruber So I'm like, oh, I'm really glad that I had booked the hotel room and I'm glad that we didn't plan to go any further. But I was so exhausted. We got there and I was like, I just need a minute. Like, I just I need to decompress. Like it was I was at the point that stressful. Yeah, I felt like breaking down in tears. I was just like, I need to like, let out all the stress, like I was so like I just really needed to breathe for a little bit.   [00:46:01.570] - Tamara Gruber I really, really enjoyed the ranch part and then from there we just, you know, we headed home and we, we stayed. I will give a lot of credit to Marriott because we booked a lot of our hotels with points and we ended up on the way back, like having to adjust.   [00:46:16.720] - Tamara Gruber Like, I just like to have our hotels booked on a road trip because I don't know, like I'm just worried. Like, what about the thing like with, you know, Interstate 70 and like the hotel gets sold out or, you know, something like that. So we're planning on stopping in. You will know. Is it Seleena or Salina? Salina, yeah.   [00:46:34.180] - Tamara Gruber So we were planning on stopping there, but because we had started from, you know, like an earlier like because we had already gone south and we were starting it was going to be not as long a drive. We're like, let's just push on and go a little further. And so we decided to push on. I don't even remember where we stopped, but it was like closer to Kansas City. I think it was still in Kansas, like, I seriously can't even remember. But we called, you know, on at least it brought us like another hour or two, you know, like, yeah, further east.   [00:47:03.310] - Tamara Gruber And so Glen called and he had you know, he's so big into his like, I got the email the day before, you know, because I'm like, whatever status does in already. So, yeah, we want to change it. But he's already checked in like .   [00:47:15.700] - Tamara Gruber And so I was like, well you need to call because like if y'all like maybe they'll say something, you know, they'll let you. So they were like, OK, we're canceling it. But, you know, you booked this with a certificate, so you're going to have to call like Marriott to get it, like reinstated. So then luckily I'm driving because Glenns. But, you know, so he's calling. He gets them to, like, give him back his points and then immediately, like, we rebooked somewhere else, like with the points.   [00:47:41.770] - Tamara Gruber So it was all like very seamless. Yeah, it was great.   [00:47:44.680] - Tamara Gruber So we did that and then. Oh I think it was Topeka. Oh I think that's where we stopped.There was a very good coffee shop across the street. That's all I know. Which I don't, you know, I don't even drink coffee but it was really cool.   [00:48:07.150] - Kim Tate I saw people become coffee drinkers just because like when the craze of the coffee shop aspect and then, like, working at home, I think people it's kind of funny to think that way, but I'm convinced.   [00:48:18.700] - Tamara Gruber Yeah, it was. And then. Yeah. So the next day we just had to drive to St. Louis and so we got there and you know, you and I had talked about on a previous episode like that, we were going to go to the arch and so I had bought tickets in advance. And it's another thing, just like the Rock Hall of Fame, where it was such a better experience because there were hardly any people, you know.   [00:48:38.800] - Tamara Gruber So I bought the tickets in advance, which is good. When we showed up, there was a big sign that was like we're sold out for the day, but we had something at the end of the day anyway. So we got there. We didn't have time to do the museum downstairs first because we were a little like five minutes late for our tram, you know, up to the top. You did that, which definitely it is.   [00:48:58.540] - Tamara Gruber If you've not done it is not good for claustrophobic people. So it's like these little pods. I don't know if you remember from when you went, but it's like this little round pod that, like, you get in. But they've done it.   [00:49:09.310] - Tamara Gruber It's kind of like a Disney ride now. So like you get a boarding pass and you stand on like Circle five and then you're going to be in pod five. And somehow in normal times, they could fit like five or six people in these pods. And I have no idea, like a gondola pod.   [00:49:28.810] - Tamara Gruber But then you're going up. I mean, it's kind of fascinating technology because first we're like, how do they do this? Like how do you go up on an angle.   [00:49:36.010] - Tamara Gruber So you have to like read about how they do it. But it's like because it's like a you know, like a round pod, they can like, rotate it like you don't feel it. But anyway, it's it's interesting, but it does have like a glass door. So then you can like, look down. So that's also not so great for some people. Even Hannah was like, I don't really like this, but it's like I think three minutes up or like maybe four minutes up, three minutes down or something like that.   [00:49:59.710] - Tamara Gruber But then when you get to the top, you have an assigned viewing window. So like we were window five and one on both sides.   [00:50:07.150] - Tamara Gruber So no one, you know, like you're not fighting with anyone for like a photo. No one's leaning into your. Like, you have your own little window again, and I didn't love it because you had to, she's getting like a little bit nervous with some heights you had to, like, lean just like you said, like you have to lean to look out the window.   [00:50:24.540] - Tamara Gruber Yeah, but and also it had been raining and so it was pretty foggy, but it was still is a pretty view. I'm glad we did it. We went downstairs. There was a really cool museum, which, you know, a lot of things.   [00:50:35.130] - Tamara Gruber She's like, oh, that's in our AP history class. And, you know, like all the, you know, things that she had learned recently. So it's a nice museum. Then they were closing. So we left and we had to leave the building. But it's pouring torrential rain when we walk out and we have to walk like ten minutes back to the hotel. And so we were like, well, like we just have to walk. Like, I hadn't brought an umbrella and I had a coat that's at least like water-Resistant, but hers was not really. And luckily it wasn't freezing, freezing cold, but it was so torrential, like we were laughing, like we were just so completely soaked, like to our skin that we were just laughing. And we got there.We walked in and Glen was like, oh, my God. Like, look at you guys. And like, the front of our pants were like a completely different color than, like the back of our pants.   [00:51:28.710] - Tamara Gruber Are you sure that I could feel the water like running down my leg inside my pants, like into my shoe. It was so bad but it was like funny. So we immediately were like, OK, we're like stripping out of this. I think we yeah.   [00:51:41.160] - Tamara Gruber We did like a room service, like drop off thing for dinner and we got into like the robes and stuff. Oh. And this was the place it's called Hotel St. Louis. It's an autograph collection of Marriott. And it is it was great. Like it was a beautiful, historic kind of property. And are we again got a suite like Glen did the upgrade thing with his points. And it was a huge, beautiful suite. And it had this big bathroom with like this nice shower stall and a tub. But it had something I've never seen before. And it had a heated toilet seat with like a built in bidet. But like when I pulled off those wet pants and I sat on that toilet seat and it kind of like, OK, I

"Nerve endings. That's what it all comes down to. Billions of rooted synapses, like trees entwined in erratic soil. Lightning strikes every millionth of a second, the charges scattering across the gaps and down a spinal braid." - Ryan Galloway, Biome || 01. Alva - Natural Trip [Nutek] || 02. Jakaan - Humans [Digital Om] || 03. Estefano Haze - Preciousness of Life [Iono] || 04. Ghost Rider & Kathy Brauer - Only One [VOOX] || 05. Sundose - Sun Valley [Iono] || 06. Metronome - The Choice (Deep Kontakt Remix) [Blue Tunes] || 07. MoRsei - Web of Life [Digital Om] || 08. Heisenberg - Reality [Savva] || 09. Ovnimoon - Pistilo [Infused Traxx] || 10. Audiomode - Beautiful Yesterday [Solar Tech] || 11. Static Movement - California Dreaming [Sol] Never miss an episode! Subscribe to the Full Spectrum podcast, find the latest releases at https://ffaze.com

"Nerve endings. That's what it all comes down to. Billions of rooted synapses, like trees entwined in erratic soil. Lightning strikes every millionth of a second, the charges scattering across the gaps and down a spinal braid." - Ryan Galloway, Biome || 01. Alva - Natural Trip [Nutek] || 02. Jakaan - Humans [Digital Om] || 03. Estefano Haze - Preciousness of Life [Iono] || 04. Ghost Rider & Kathy Brauer - Only One [VOOX] || 05. Sundose - Sun Valley [Iono] || 06. Metronome - The Choice (Deep Kontakt Remix) [Blue Tunes] || 07. MoRsei - Web of Life [Digital Om] || 08. Heisenberg - Reality [Savva] || 09. Ovnimoon - Pistilo [Infused Traxx] || 10. Audiomode - Beautiful Yesterday [Solar Tech] || 11. Static Movement - California Dreaming [Sol] Never miss an episode! Subscribe to the Full Spectrum podcast, find the latest releases at http://ffaze.com, or join us on facebook at http://www.facebook.com/frequenZphaZe

The Arvo Flow's Clayton Bester on FlowFM catches up with Adam Harvey, who is about to hit the road touring for 7 months including NSW, Victoria and South Australia, on the 19 February release of his new album "Songs from Highway One". Adam introduces the song 'All for Rum' at the end of the episode -- Read more at FlowNews24.com.au :- https://www.flownews24.com.au/blog/going-on-highway-one-with-adam-harvey-on-the-arvo-flow

U.S Supreme Court Rules Against Parts of California's Ban on Indoor WorshipOver the weekend, some parishioners gathered in houses of worship across the state after the U.S Supreme Court ruled against parts of California’s ban on indoor worship services put in place because of the coronavirus pandemic. Collapse of Highway 1 Means Big Economic Consequences for Big Sur CommunitiesHighway 1 along the coast of Big Sur is one of the most scenic stretches of pavement in the country, but it can also be fragile. A big chunk of Highway One collapsed in heavy rains last month, and that has big economic consequences for the tourism-dependent communities in Big Sur. Reporter: Erika Mahoney, KAZU Campaign to Recall Newsom from Office Appears to be Gaining SteamA recent poll by UC Berkeley shows support for Governor Gavin Newsom falling. And the campaign to recall him from office, once a fringe idea, appears to be gaining steam. Recall organizers have until March 17th to turn in a million and half verified voter petition signatures to qualify a recall measure for the ballot. Inside a Vaccination Super CenterMore than nine million Californians get their health care from Kaiser-Permanente. And for both its members and non-members, Kaiser is playing a growing role in the distribution of the coronavirus vaccines. Guest: Dr. Michael Moore, a director of Kaiser's COVID-19 vaccination programs Families Wait for Relief After President Biden Revokes Travel BanOne of Joe Biden’s first actions as president was to revoke Donald Trump’s travel ban against several Muslim-majority and African nations. Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED 

10 days in a small van, these two idiots get closer than ever! We decided to drive up the coast of California for ten days. Hear all about our crazy time and wild weather! From Ruba crying for seven hours to Allison annoyed by Ruba in the car this trip pushed us out of our comfort zone! Listen now to part one of this two part series! Hope you enjoy it, until our next adventure! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/2idiotswithacar/message

Morning birds adajcent to Valencia Creek, Polo Dr. Highway One and Soquel Ave in the background. And camcorder noise too. But hey. It's real life. Oak titmouse, acorn woodpecker, California scrub jay, American robin, oak titmouse, American crow, European starling, and likely other stuff too. 2 November 2020 Recorded by Alex (audio ripped from some acorn woodpecker video footage)

A stunning debut novel about what it means to come home, from the winner of the 2017 Richell Prize for Emerging Writers.

New in this update:Monday Covid-19 updateThere has been one death and two new cases of COVID-19 in the Island Health region. The new cases are among 267 confirmed in BC since Friday. The death is among three that occurred over that time. Two deaths were residents of long term care homes on the lower mainland. BC's Provincial Health Officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry says health officials did not know the man who died on Vancouver Island was suffering from COVID-19."This was a man in his sixties, who did have underlying health conditions and unfortunately died in the community at home and was identified as being positive for COVID after his death. So very disturbing and tragic for his family and our condolences go out to his family and his community."—Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry.The unidentified man's death is the first in the Island Health region since May the 6th. 233 people have died from COVID-19 in BC, including six in Island Health. In other COVID news, there has been a new community outbreak in Kelowna where five cases of the virus have been tracked to a service at the Calvary Chapel Church on September the 20th. And, there are three new outbreaks at care homes on the lower mainland. In those cases, one worker at each facility has tested positive for the virus.Woman killed on Highway One near Nanaimo AirportA 37-year-old woman from Nanaimo and her dog were killed on Highway One, just south of the airport, early this morning. The highway was shut down for several hours while investigators surveyed the scene. It appears the woman may have deliberately stepped into traffic. She was hit head-on in the southbound lane of the highway just before 6 a.m. RCMP Corporal Chris Manseau says a preliminary investigation has found no fault with the driver."The road conditions were good at the time, although that area is known to be dark. It's not believed that speed, alcohol or distracted driving were a cause of this collision."—RCMP Corporal Chris Manseau.The driver of the Blue Nissan sedan was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.BC Liberals make their first big election promiseIn his first major announcement during the election campaign, Liberal Leader Andrew Wilkinson says if elected, his party will eliminate the Provincial Sales Tax for one year. And reinstate it at 3 per cent in the second year. Wilkinson says the idea is to stimulate the economy by leaving British Columbians with more money to spend. Eliminating the seven per cent PST for one year would mean close to $7 billion dollars in lost tax revenue—but Wilkinson says a BC family with a $120,000 dollar a year income would save more than $1700 if the PST was eliminated. The NDP has responded by saying a PST cut would disproportionately help the wealthy who spend more on luxury items.

Betty by Tiffany McDanielThis is a book for anyone who loved Where the Crawdads Sing which has been very popular lately. It's about Betty, named after Bette Davis – child of a Cherokee father and a white mother, and whose very poor family settle in the foothills of the Appalachians. Her father teaches her about the ancient ways and the Cherokee connection to the natural world; and her mother teaches her that life's not fair for girls and is full of endless suffering. It's tough in places but it's wonderful.State Highway One by Sam ColeyAlex returns to New Zealand after the sudden death of his parents, from whom he was estranged after a life of privilege but emotional neglect. With his twin sister Amy he sets off on a road trip the length of State Highway One, from Cape Reinga to Stewart Island – a journey of grief, self discovery and reconciliation – all set against a landscape we know so well.LISTEN ABOVE   

Since opening his studio in New York City in 1983, photographer Stephen Wilkes has built an unprecedented body of work and a reputation as one of America’s most iconic photographers, widely recognized for his fine art, editorial and commercial work. Wilkes’ early career interpretations of Mainland China, California’s Highway One, and impressionistic “Burned Objects” set the tone for a series of career-defining projects that catapulted him to the top of the photographic landscape. Day to Night, Wilkes’ most defining project, began in 2009. These epic cityscapes and landscapes, portrayed from a fixed camera angle for up to 30 hours capture fleeting moments of humanity as light passes in front of his lens over the course of a full day. Blending these images into a single photograph takes months to complete. Day to Night has been featured on CBS Sunday Morning as well as dozens of other prominent media outlets and, with a grant from the National Geographic Society, was recently extended to include America’s National Parks in celebration of their centennial anniversary and Bird Migration for the 2018 Year of the Bird. Day to Night: In the Field with Stephen Wilkes was exhibited at The National Geographic Museum in February 2018.   Photographer Links:  Stephen Wilkes Jay Myself Film Jay Maisel Girault de Prangey   Education Resources: Creating Personal Breakthroughs Tokyo: Exploration of the Metropolis 2.0 Momenta Photographic Workshops https://momentaworkshops.com/workshops/   Candid Frame Resources Making Photographs: Developing a Personal Visual Workflow Download the free Candid Frame app for your favorite smart device. Click here to download for . Click here to download Support the work we do at The Candid Frame with contributing to our Patreon effort.  You can do this by visiting or visiting the website and clicking on the Patreon button. You can also provide a one-time donation via . You can follow Ibarionex on and .

A humanist cult, a Danish hideaway, a gravitational anomaly, towering trees, a spoiled rich kid's castle, clothing-optional hot springs, and the cutest animals (and weirdest) imaginable: welcome to Highway One, the most beautiful highway in the world! In this episode, we cover everything you need to plan your trip up the California Coast and all the weird history you never knew about the stops along the way.Planning a road trip up the Pacific Coast Highway? We've got a few blog posts that will help:The Ultimate 10-Day Highway One Road Trip Itinerary8 Places to Visit on California's Central CoastSelf-Guided Los Angeles Brewery TourTravel Guides: Mendocino, Morro Bay, & Paso RoblesWe’ve also created a free, printable Highway One itinerary! The 7-page PDF also includes our San Francisco Self-Guided Walking Tour. Plus, we’ll also send you our favorite tips to help you plan an amazing California road trip!For more ridiculous adventures visit us at PracticalWanderlust.com and follow @practicalwanderlust on Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook!Audio production & music composition by Tyler Hafer.

Episódio 020 - Califórnia (parte 2) No episódio desta semana do podcast "Viajando na Maionese" a gente continua nossa conversa sobre a Califórnia. Vamos explorar o roteiro através da "Highway One", uma rota cênica da costa da Califórnia a partir de São Francisco, passando por Monterey, Carmel, a região do Big Sur, Cambria, Santa Barbara e Los Angeles, com uma esticada até San Diego. Para saber mais sobre o "Viajante Rei" acesse o nosso site: https://viajanterei.com.br. Para participar do podcast é fácil: envie sua mensagem para podcast@viajanterei.com.br ou um áudio para nosso WhatsApp: http://bit.ly/VR-WA.Esperamos você na próxima semana, em mais um episódio do podcast "Viajando na Maionese"!

Today was the biggest day to date for Mitch and Josh. They set out with a lofty goal of riding a touch over 90 mile/145km. Looking briefly at the map last night, they decided there weren't going to be many places to stay or refuel. Alas, it was time to go big. They encountered their first flat tyre of the trip. Unfortunately, Mitch rode over an extremely fine piece of steel and it went straight through his tube. It was Amy & Ron, two local cyclists that came to the rescue. Both being well versed in bike repair, cycling and replacing tubes, they were able to help the boys and get Mitch back rolling again in no time. After this, the boys pushed on for another 100km. The route was noticeably undulating compared to the first two days. Big hills had their legs burning. Follow along the journey on instagram: @joshlynott or my blog: www.joshualynott.com/blog or on strava by searching Josh lynott. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/josh-lynott-project/message

Olá Viajante! No episódio desta semana do podcast "Viajando na Maionese" a gente continua nossa conversa sobre a Califórnia. Vamos explorar o roteiro através da "Highway One", uma rota cênica da costa da Califórnia a partir de São Francisco, passando por Monterey, Carmel, a região do Big Sur, Cambria, Santa Barbara e Los Angeles, com uma esticada até San Diego. ****************************** Quer ajuda para planejar sua próxima viagem? Para falar com a gente é fácil: você pode enviar um WhatsApp por aqui http://bit.ly/VR-WA ou para o número +55(21)97925-4747 ou um e-mail para contato@viajandonamaionese.com.br. Os Cursos e Treinamentos recomendados por nós estão disponíveis em: https://viajanterei.com.br/cursos/. Esperamos que você aproveite o conteúdo e nos vemos no próximo episódio do “Viajando na Maionese”. Até lá, Viajante!

Monterey Bay California We started off 2020 with a trip to Northern California to do some filming for my main channel, Yoga with Melissa and our membership community. We stayed with one of my dear friends in the San Francisco Bay Area. Our first full day in California we took a day trip to Monterey Bay for some filming. On our way to Monterey Bay we drove through the mountains, down Highway One and stopped in Santa Cruz at Cafe Gratitude for lunch. My favourite part was the Brave Immunity Boosting Shot! Perfect for the day after travelling on an airplane. We reached Monterey Bay just as the sun was going down and filmed a yoga nidra meditation for self love for our Yoga with Melissa channel for you. We had a lot of challenges with filming on this trip. The TSA had rooted around our filming equipment and was rather rough with my headset microphone and so we had a lot of challenges getting good sound. The main thing Tim wanted to do in California was go to In ‘n Out Burger because of watching the classic film Pulp Fiction. In ‘n Out burger did not disappoint. The burgers were delicious and the price offered great value. Wish we had them here in Victoria B.C. too, although Big Wheel Burger is great too! Yoga with Melissa Cafe Gratitude Santa Cruz  Members 25 min Audio Yoga Nidra Self Love Meditation: Click Here Yoga Nidra Self Love Meditation oceanside sunset video will be released on Yoga with Melissa on February 7, 2020: Click Here Yoga Nidra Meditations: Click Here Yoga Nidra Explanation: Click Here Yoga Classes for Self Love: Click Here Membership Community: Click Here Add Your Email Address Above to Receive a Free PDF of 4 Easy and Practical Ways to Incorporate Compassion Into Your Life

Diese Woche fuhren wir den Highway One hoch, an Los Angeles vorbei und an wunderschönen Küstenabschnitten entlang, bis nach San Fransisco. Was haben wir alles gesehen? Wie haben wir Thanksgiving verbracht? Alles das und noch viel mehr - hörst Du jetzt! :D

Millennial-favorite Ctrl Alt Delete Podcast host Emma Gannon regales host Soterios Johnson with tales of her latest road trip down Highway One from San Francisco to Huntington Beach. Travel blogger Jessica Wright shares Gold Country hidden gems from the farm-to-fork capital Sacramento to the heart of the state's “golden” history in Coloma to the vineyards of Amador County. Author and ghost-hunter Richard Senate gives few recommendations for those bold travelers who are seeking a little scare.

Cattle rancher John Varian tells listeners how they can spend a couple days driving cattle in the Central Coast. The Food Network host Aida Mollenkamp describes her ideal road trip down Highway One, including the best fresh fish restaurants, farmers markets, beaches, and even a special “bee” experience. Bikes & Hikes LA tour guide Elizabeth Conway takes listeners on a virtual hike up Mt. Hollywood and describes what it’s like to cycle around town, with stops in West Hollywood, Beverly Hills, and Venice.

We dive straight into the Xander Zone this week. While we dial back the Magic, Dr. Pepper and Japanese girls. We dial the amount of Vin Diesel up to 100, because how could we not? If xXx taught us anything it's that Vin Diesel is THE BEST.   Important Talking Points: Homeless Apl.de.ap, Calorie Scars, Highway One, 30 Days of Dust, Forever Subscribers, The Gooniverse.   Website: www.vrtcast.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/veryrealtournament/ Instagram: www.instagram.com/vrtcast/ Twitter: www.twitter.com/vrtcast YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCGApDqDdgFD0DvaGdrlcdhA Email: Vrtcast@gmail.com

We dive straight into the Xander Zone this week. While we dial back the Magic, Dr. Pepper and Japanese girls. We dial the amount of Vin Diesel up to 100, because how could we not? If xXx taught us anything it’s that Vin Diesel is THE BEST.   Important Talking Points: Homeless Apl.de.ap, Calorie Scars, Highway One, 30 Days of Dust, Forever Subscribers, The Gooniverse.   Website: www.vrtcast.comFacebook: www.facebook.com/veryrealtournament/Instagram: www.instagram.com/vrtcast/Twitter: www.twitter.com/vrtcastYouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCGApDqDdgFD0DvaGdrlcdhAEmail: Vrtcast@gmail.com

Henrik jobber seg nedover Highway One til San Fransisco, mens Kaspar vedlikeholder Superhost-statusen hos Airbnb ved å tilby kinesiske gjester en ekslusiv såpe han har kjøpt hos Nille-killeren "Normal". Vi diskuterer: Har Magnus Carlsen gått fra å være sjakkens Mozart til å bli sjakkens Donald Trump? Er tekst-TV kommet for å bli, eller er det en flopp? Fortjener filmen Snatched ratingen 4,5 på IMDB?Og - bonuspoeng-faglig: Er American Express-kampanjen på 30.000 eurobonuspoeng til nye kunder verdt å slå til på? For information regarding your data privacy, visit Acast.com/privacy See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Before we begin we would like to thank a few people for giving us a five star review. Providing reviews on itunes and other podcast directories as well as facebook helps us get the podcast out to more listeners. If you enjoy this podcast please post up a review, it really helps.Now here is a shout out to our fabulous listeners who gave 5 star reviews. We will eventually get to all of you, so hang in there!Special thanks goes out to Socrates Monsour, Kaylin Klaneski, and Lisa Sabo Your support of this podcast is truly appreciated!It was a bright sunny day when Ron Yakimchuk and his wife Terry Pettit decided to head East across Canada. They had big plans and were excited to start their new life.Ron and Terry left Edmonton, Alberta Canada on June 9, 1973 to head east to Montreal, attend a friend's wedding and then settle in the Maritimes where Ron hoped to land a teaching position, and Terry, a journalist intended to seek employment at a newspaper.En Route they stopped in to friends in Brandon, Manitoba and the next day mailed a one-word postcard back home to family in Edmonton telling them they had made it as far as Dryden, in time, and without a breakdown – and owed a $50 bet!However, Ron and Terry did not show up at the wedding as planed and were never seen from again.This is unsolved mysteries of the world season 4 episode 9 The Unsolved Disappearance of Terry Pettit and Ron Yakimchuk.Ron and Terry had packed the 1959 Volkswagen Beetle as much as possible. The tiny car was battered, but drivable. The faded red color and mismatched green hood and fender made the vehicle stand out but not nearly as much as the 6 ft bright white Kayak tied to the roof and the many boxes and household supplies packed into the tiny backseat. The bright yellow Alberta license plate would also have stuck out to any eye-witnesses.Friends said that the couple were adventurous and even said they may travel as far as Europe. At the time, however, only Terry had a passport. Ron was described as laid back and extremely sensible and mature and would have not made any quick decisions. Terry is described as more adventurous who drank scotch whiskey, rolled her own cigarettes and loved to drag friends off on adventuresThe last known location, according to police is that the couple were in Dryden, Ontario. Police are uncertain if they continued on the journey through Canada via Highway One, which at the time was narrow, hilly and very remote, or if they decided to cross into the United States at International Falls and continue to Duluth Minnesota via larger and faster interstate highways to cut across and slip back into Canada near Sue St, Marie or Detroit. At the time, no records were kept of border crossings. It is uncertain if they did cross any borders.Since their last known location their bank accounts were never used. Ron's life insurance policy was never cashed in and the couple, even after all these years has not been declared dead.What is more baffling is that the highly visible VW Beetle and all the contents, including the Kayak disappeared as well.Police indicate they have received tips over the years but nothing significant has surfaced.However, Vivian McCroary indicated she witnessed the vehicle and occupants in July of 1973 in Parry Sound, Ontario, some 1450 kilometres south east of Dryden, Ontario."I phoned the police at the time and they didn't even take my phone number and name," she said. "I swear it's the same car."Vivian says she remembers it well because the 1959 VW was parked on the roadway with the couple and another man standing near it and her husband slammed on the brakes and swerved around it narrowly avoiding an accident. She remembers seeing an Alberta license plate as well. The vehicle was in the southbound lanes of highway 69 and the rear engine hood was up. There was no sign of the white Kayak, tied to the roof, however."There was a tall, slim fellow with dark hair and ... a hippy hair cut," she says. "He was standing more in the ditch. There was this other man and woman and they were on the left hand side in front of the vehicle. I couldn't see the man particularly well. He was pretty well behind the woman. He wasn't much taller than her."OPP Det. Const. Scott Johnston says he is following up on the tip from 35 years ago and indicated there was another incident with a VW at about the same time that may be related, but did not elaborate.When the couple did not make it to the wedding friends and family were concerned but not overly taken up by the couple's absence. The report of them missing came weeks later and it took months before any earnest search of the couple began.Adding to the mystery is that friend Winston Gereluk, said "Terry told me they were going away and nobody would find them for a while.”Friends did some snooping on their own. They checked to see whether the driver's licences were renewed, or social assistance was being collected or taxes being paid."As time went on, I think we said that if they went underground, boy they did it really well because they just sank without a trace,” adds Gereluk.Police have also collected DNA from family members to check on unidentified remains. So far, there has been no matches.The case remains unsolved. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

情景3：旅游路线规划 随着生活水平的越来越高，也越来越多的国人喜欢出国旅游，如果是自助游就要自己规划旅行路线，对自己要去的地方做相关的了解。 Me: I will rent a car to go travelling with my family. 我：我和家人打算租车旅行。 Friend: That’s lovely. Where are you going? 朋友：太好了。你们准备去哪里？ Me: We’re going to Western United States. 我：我们准备去美国西部。 Friend: Western United States is the most popular tourist route. 朋友：美西是最热门的旅游线路。 Me: I heard the west is far more beautiful than the east. 我：我听说美国西部的风景比美东漂亮得多。 Friend: That’s right. You can go to these places, such as Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Las Vegas and beautiful Highway One. 朋友：对的。你们可以去这几个地方，如：洛杉矶、旧金山、西雅图、拉斯维加斯和美丽的一号公路。 ...

Johanna söker psykologhjälp för några anonyma skrivande kompisar och får svar av leg. psykolog Jonas Hjalmar Blom som debuterat med Förvaltningen, en dråplig roman om livet på en arbetsplats i offentlig sektor. Och Mariette Lindstein kommer till studion och pratar om sitt författarskap och om livet under och efter sekten. Det handlar om att är … Fortsätt läsa "#22 Highway One"

Samantha Brown, PBS host of  Samantha Brown’s Places to Love talks about the gorgeous views along Highway One and raves about the area’s iconic destinations and also celebrates some of the hidden gems in the region and shares her insights about how to experience them. Outdoor expert and author Ann Marie Brown, offers essential advice on chasing waterfalls in the Golden State, including what to wear and where to go. And finally, acclaimed chef Tanya Holland takes listeners on a tour of her restaurant, Brown Sugar Kitchen, and shares her favorite places to see in the vibrant, diverse city of Oakland.

Richard is joined by Bob and Ryan Craig to talk about their Kickstarter Campaign Monster Highway and it's just a whole large amount of silliness from the start. Please listen, please give their campaign a look and please join me in the wonder of unicorns popping bubble wrap... JUST listen.. ta   LINKS OF NOTES www.twitter.com/onedaywestgames www.instagram.com/onedaywestgames  www.Facebook.com/onedaywestgames  One Day West Games - YouTube Page:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCF6VxJhylQZD1kXC1qhqNfA Kickstarter Campaign: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/onedaywestgames/monster-highway  One Day West Games Blog: https://onedaywestgames.wordpress.com/blog/ Website: www.onedaywestgames.com Board Game Geek page:https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/231783/monster-highway   ____________________________________________________________ If you like what you have heard, please take some time to Rate, Subscribe and Review us on iTunes.  https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/were-not-wizards/id1084198405     YOUTUBE - PLEASE SUBSCRIBE https://www.youtube.com/c/WereNotWizardsTabletopPodcast www.patreon.com/werenotwizards Board Game Geek - https://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgamepodcast/35093/were-not-wizards  Website - www.werenotwizards.com    Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/werenotwizards   Twitter.com - http://www.twitter.com/werenotwizards   If you like what you have heard, please take some time to Rate, Subscribe and Review us on iTunes. https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/were-not-wizards/id1084198405   Get us on Stitcher - http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/were-not-wizards   Get us through acast - http://www.acast.com/werenotwizards  Get us through Podknife - https://podknife.com/podcasts/4048   Check out our pictures - www.instagram.com/werenotwizards  BUY SOME MERCH - https://www.redbubble.com/shop/we're%20not%20wizards#_  .   Music is owned entirely by We're Not Wizards and thanks to DouglasVB Email us magic@werenotwizards.com   Remember, we are many things but We're Not Wizards

The RunRunLive 4.0 Podcast Episode 4-352 – Frank Gianinno – The USA Cross Country Record Falls  (Audio: link) [audio:http://www.RunRunLive.com/PodcastEpisodes/epi4352.mp3] Link MarathonBQ – How to Qualify for the Boston Marathon in 14 Weeks - Hello and welcome to Episode 4-352 of the RunRunLive Podcast.  How are you doing?  Hanging in there?  Good.  It's been a weird couple weeks, But we made it. Here we are.  It's the middle of November. I am another year older and as far as I know the sun is going to come up today.  Although I can't be too sure because we're in that part of the year where we wake up in the dark and come home in the dark up here in New England.  The leaves are all down and the bones of the old Earth are poking through the great canvas.  It's cold in mornings and that feels good on our old bodies.  I've already had a fire in the fireplace.  Today we have a great chat with Frank Gianinno who held the record for the cross USA run until Pete Kostelnick broke it! In section one we'll talk about the advantage of creating seasons of losing fitness into your endurance careers.  In section two we'll inspect how today's environment is wired to keep us from focusing on long term, high value projects.  And I'll issue a challenge for you to join me in a 30 day project. My running is going fine.  I'm starting to lay on some more miles now that I'm fully recovered from Portland.  I've been doing a lot of strength work especially in my glutes and hips.  Buddy the old wonder dog is doing fine.  He's nuts though.  Compulsive border collies don't make the best retirees.  He's up in the mornings, ready to go and bothers me like a 3-year-old until he collapses on his bed for a 2-hour nap.  I'll take him out at lunch for a short run in woods behind my house.  He can still manage a slow 20 minutes but his hips bother him.  We give him the Glucosamine treats and those help.  As near as I can tell Buddy will be 13 this month.  He's gone a bit deaf as well, but I think some of that may be an affectation.  He just doesn't want to listen anymore.  It's a bit like living with a crazy old person.  He'll start barking for no reason and running around the house.  He hears imaginary threats.  The RunRunLive podcast is Ad Free and listener supported.  We do this by offering a membership option where members get Access to Exclusive Members Only audio and articles. Yes, we are still working on setting up the separate podcast feed for the member's content.  Most recently I recorded and uploaded the first chapter of the zombie novel I've been writing for 30 years.  Member only race reports, essays and other bits just for you! Exclusive Access to Individual Audio Segments from all Shows Intro's, Outro's, Section One running tips, Section Two life hacks and Featured Interviews – all available as stand-alone MP3's you can download and listen to at any time. Links are in the show notes and at RunRunLive.com … I've been filling my birdfeeder this month.  The wild birds in my yard love it. It's a party outside the window every day.  I've got all your normal wild New England birds.  There are the small black and white chickadees that are our state bird.  There are the similar looking nuthatches.  There are titmice and a flock of sparrows that come in like a motorcycle gang taking over the town.  There are mourning doves and cow birds who pick up the leftovers on the ground.  I've got a pileated woodpecker or two and some angry looking blue jays.  Occasionally we'll be surprised by a goldfinch or a ruby crested kingslet or some other unique visitor.  This morning I got up to let Buddy out at 5AM.  As I held his collar in one hand and reached for his lead with the other I saw some movement out of the corner of my eye.  It was a big old skunk snarfing around under the birdfeeder for left overs not 2 feet from where I was standing with the dog.  I quickly pulled the dog back inside.  Crisis avoided. Imagine how different my day could have been?  On with the show! Section one – Purposeful Deconditioning - Voices of reason – the conversation Frank Gianinno – Cross USA world record holder 1980 – 2016 Frank's Store: Frank's Custom Shoe-Fitting Happy Feet, Guaranteed329 Route 211 East, Middletown NY 10940 845.342.9226 frankg@shoe-fitter.com Frank's Story: I began fitting running shoes in 1977 in Eugene, Oregon, while attending school there.   I have been a shoe store entrepreneur since 1983.  Two friends, Bob Bright and Bill Glatz, opened a running store in New Paltz, New York, in 1978 called Catch Us If You Can.  I was with them when Bob suggested the idea to Bill.  I ran regularly with Bob and Bill and helped them in their store.   I knew it was just a matter of time before I too would own a running shoe store.   Orange Runners Club co-founder, Bruce Birnbaum, gave me that chance at ownership in 1981.  The Middletown New York store was called Blisters Ltd.  Blister's was opened for business for only one year.  The next opportunity at ownership was with Albert Weinert Jr. in 1984.  At first the business was called Frank's Run-In Room.  A few years later we incorporated the business under the name Orange County Sporting Goods.  I became the sole proprietor in 1991.  In 1998, I changed the name to Frank's Custom Shoe-Fitting.  In 2003, I became a Board Certified Pedorthist.  Here are the (14) key life experiences that put me on the path to the running shoe business: 1. Received the Eagle Scout Award, Troop 55, Blauvelt, New York, 1967; 2. Ran Track at Tappan Zee High School my freshman year; 3. Ran Track and Cross Country for three years at Valley Central High School in Montgomery, New York, graduated 1970; 4. Ran Cross Country during my two years at Orange County Community College, Middletown, New York; 5. Completed Army basic training at Fort Dix, New Jersey, 1972; 6. During advanced basic training at Fort Huachuca, Arizona, I watched the Olympic Games in Munich on television as Frank Shorter won Olympic Gold in the Marathon and Steve Prefontaine finished 4th in the 5,000 Meters; 7. Lived in Anchorage, Alaska, from December 1972 thru June 1975 during the “Black Gold Rush”, ran my first marathon there; 8. Spent the entire summer 1975 traveling from Alaska thru Canada and all over the USA really seeing the sights and getting to know the lay of our great land; 8. While attending SUNY New Paltz in 1975-76 ran (3) marathons in Buffalo, Maryland and Boston running Maryland in a lifetime personal best of 2:39:34; 9. While living in New Paltz that year I trained almost every day with Bob Bright; 10. While in Flagstaff Arizona 1976-77,  completed my undergraduate degree and learned a great deal while training at an altitude of 7,000 feet; 11. Spent the summer 1977 traveling around the west with my brother John; Attended the University of Oregon for two semesters and lowered my personal best 10K to 32:59; 12. Worked in my first store selling running shoes Sugar Pine Ridge in Eugene, Oregon; 13. Returned to New Paltz in April 1978 for the Boston Marathon to handle for my two friends Bob Bright (27) and Bill Glatz (20) where they ran 2:37:24 and 2:32:00 respectively.  The running scene in New Paltz had really elevated. While living in Flagstaff and Eugene, I really missed running in the Gunks and of course my friends and the social scene in New Paltz.  14. While in Boston I noticed a book called My Run across the United States by Don Shepherd, and started to dream about a run of my own.  Soon after Boston 1978 I knew my career path was going to have a great deal to do with running.  Everything I was doing revolved around the running lifestyle.  Nothing ever felt more real.  I have stayed close to the running sports ever since.  I will continue to do so until the day I die. Frank's record setting run across the USA There were actually two Runs. The first effort began on March 1, 1979, in Santa Monica, California. During a pre-dawn rain, Frank and his friend Bill Glatz scooped up some Pacific Ocean water. They handed it to their friend and handler, Rebecca Wright, to store in their donated motor home. The water would be part of a ceremony of "West meets East" on the water's edge at New York City's Battery Park at the completion of the Run. Run #1 began from the parking lot of the Four Seasons Restaurant on Highway One, overlooking the Pacific.   Prior to this, Frank and Bill often trained in the Shawangunk Mountains near New Paltz, NY. Arguably, New York's Hudson Valley Region is one of the best places to train on Earth. The mountain trails of the 'Gunks', world- famous for rock climbing, hiking and boldering, also feature some of the best 'Rave Runs' anywhere. Currently, the U. S. Marathon team trains there. The countless miles on the carriage trails of Mohonk and Minnewaska helped prepare them for their odyssey. After a rough start, Billy decided not to continue. He departed Run #1 early on day eleven in Phoenix, only after he was sure that Frank and Becky would be able to keep up the 50-mile per day pace needed to reach the finish in 60 days. Despite daily terrain and weather challenges, Frank's greatest concerns were physical. Thankfully, symptoms that could lead to injury would disappear, despite running all day, day after day. Much of this was due to creative shoe modifications, lower leg compression hose and an understanding of self, along with the constant help of Becky. Frank, with Becky's undaunted support and friendship, finished Run #1 arriving at New York City Hall on April 30, 1979, sixty days and six hours after that rainy start. They ran through thirteen states, covered 2,876 miles, averaging fifty miles per day. Their adventures along the way have become legendary. At the end of a brief ceremony in Battery Park, the Twin Towers looming overhead, Frank answered a reporter's question regarding, "Would you ever do it again?" by saying he was definitely going to do another run: this time from San Francisco to New York. He knew that for his next Run he would need greater financing and a larger support crew. Four months later, Frank won the Kingston Half Marathon in 1:12:05. Then in March of 1980, he finished second in the St. Patrick's Day 10K in New Paltz with a time of 33:00. All the high mileage coming across the country paid off, as Frank enjoyed the best racing performances of his life. His only other standout performance, time-wise, was his 2:39:34 in the 1975 Maryland Marathon. RUN #2 Sixteen months after the finish of Run #1, after a brief ceremony, Frank began Run #2 from the steps of San Francisco's City Hall. This time his support crew consisted of his family and a friend. His brother John stayed with him on a bicycle to give immediate support. He had a radio/cassette player mounted on the back of the bike, as well as medical supplies and food for he and Frank. His parents, Frank Sr. and Josephine Giannino, drove the motor home and provided all-round support. His friend Bruce Goldberg did the public relations work, contacting the media, United Way representatives and running clubs along the way. Frank Sr., a retired male nurse, looked after Frank's health and the health of everyone on the trip. He drove and maintained the motor home. Josephine created a homey atmosphere in the motor home, did the cooking and calorie counting, and kept a detailed diary of her experiences. The family dog, Brindle, was on the trip too. Things were not easy on Run #2. On the 4th of July, Stan Cottrell of Georgia raised the performance bar, completing a well-financed run from New York City to San Francisco in 48 days 1 hour 48 minutes, an average of 64 miles per day. Frank's original plan for Run #2 was to average 60 miles per day. Cottrell's effort raised the bar. Not only did he have to better that average, but he had to do it convincingly. Frank did not have the gifts of a fast ultra-marathoner, but he did have two things going for him — he had done this before, and he had the perfect support team to do it with - his family! If he was going to average more than 64 miles per day, everything was going to have to come together perfectly. Frank's plan was to reach Fort Collins, CO at an average of 60 miles per day. After that, he planned to average 70 miles per day. The plan was to run 2.5 miles at 10-12 minutes per mile, walk a little, run 2.5 again and repeat the process through twenty miles; then break for breakfast for one hour; run/walk another twenty miles; break one hour for lunch; then run as many miles as possible into the nighttime hours. The first four days across California were rough. Frank's pace was slow. California roads were very busy. The family was not making enough sacrifices in an effort to reach seventy miles per day. Instead of foregoing showers and parking near the finish marker, the family would drive out of its way for a KOA, in order to be comfortable after the fifty or so miles they had covered. This pace was far below the 60 miles and ultimately 70 miles that would be needed daily. With a renewed resolve, all family members dug in and made sacrifices. In some cases, the sacrifices were painful. Frank Sr. came down with dysentery in Nevada. John's bike was run over. Bruce survived stomach problems. Frank lost three toenails. Brindle, more than once, managed to collect burrs in her fur while seeking relief during roadside pit-stops. The stories, as on Run #1, are legendary. Suffice it to say, things worked out in the end. The group tightened up the routine. They grabbed showers when available. Only Frank bathed at the end of the day in the motor home shower. Frank's mileage routine increased. After Fort Collins, the crew awoke at 3:00 AM; Frank ran 25 miles; broke for breakfast; twenty five more miles; lunch; then as many miles as possible by dark. They reached the 70-mile goal almost every day and finished in 46 days 8 hours 36 minutes. The Guinness Book of World Records still lists it as the fastest crossing of the United States on foot. Many people influenced Frank's decisions to do these runs. None more than the efforts of Dave MacGillivray. One of Dave's many personal accomplishments was his 1978 run across America for the Jimmy Fund. David is the director of the Boston Marathon and is a great and cherished resource. Section two Urgency and long term thinking - Outro Well my friends you have run completely across the country to the end of episode 4-352 of the RunRunLive Podcast.  Are you tired? The next race for me will be the Thanksgiving morning Turkey trot.  I don't like 5k's.  You'd think I'd be ok with 20 minutes of intense effort versus a multi-hour campaign.  But, no, I'm not.  It takes my body 10+ minutes to warm up to race effort.  If I jump in cold the race is almost over before my heart rate normalizes.  It hurts too.  It's a foreign feeling for me now to force myself to race at tempo pace.  I'd much prefer the slow dull blade of a fat adapted endurance effort to the white-hot burn of a short race. I'll tell you a story.  When I was 14 or 15 this time of year I ran cross country for my school.  We would take the school van to other small New England prep schools in within driving distance for meets.  I remember one cold morning in November we went to an away meet.  When the race began it started snowing.  The snowflakes were those big fluffy ones that you get early in the season when winter isn't quite sure of itself yet.  They float down like big, fluffy, wet potato chips and dissolve into anything they hit.  When we ran in those days we ran in short shorts and a racing singlet.  I can remember those big snowflakes covering my exposed thighs as I raced, making them numb as the snow evaporated.  I don't remember anything else about that day, just the crunch of the leaves under my Nike Waffle Racers and the numb wetness of my thighs. I'll see you out there. MarathonBQ – How to Qualify for the Boston Marathon in 14 Weeks -

The RunRunLive 4.0 Podcast Episode 4-352 – Frank Gianinno – The USA Cross Country Record Falls  (Audio: link) [audio:http://www.RunRunLive.com/PodcastEpisodes/epi4352.mp3] Link MarathonBQ – How to Qualify for the Boston Marathon in 14 Weeks - Hello and welcome to Episode 4-352 of the RunRunLive Podcast.  How are you doing?  Hanging in there?  Good.  It’s been a weird couple weeks, But we made it. Here we are.  It’s the middle of November. I am another year older and as far as I know the sun is going to come up today.  Although I can’t be too sure because we’re in that part of the year where we wake up in the dark and come home in the dark up here in New England.  The leaves are all down and the bones of the old Earth are poking through the great canvas.  It’s cold in mornings and that feels good on our old bodies.  I’ve already had a fire in the fireplace.  Today we have a great chat with Frank Gianinno who held the record for the cross USA run until Pete Kostelnick broke it! In section one we’ll talk about the advantage of creating seasons of losing fitness into your endurance careers.  In section two we’ll inspect how today’s environment is wired to keep us from focusing on long term, high value projects.  And I’ll issue a challenge for you to join me in a 30 day project. My running is going fine.  I’m starting to lay on some more miles now that I’m fully recovered from Portland.  I’ve been doing a lot of strength work especially in my glutes and hips.  Buddy the old wonder dog is doing fine.  He’s nuts though.  Compulsive border collies don’t make the best retirees.  He’s up in the mornings, ready to go and bothers me like a 3-year-old until he collapses on his bed for a 2-hour nap.  I’ll take him out at lunch for a short run in woods behind my house.  He can still manage a slow 20 minutes but his hips bother him.  We give him the Glucosamine treats and those help.  As near as I can tell Buddy will be 13 this month.  He’s gone a bit deaf as well, but I think some of that may be an affectation.  He just doesn’t want to listen anymore.  It’s a bit like living with a crazy old person.  He’ll start barking for no reason and running around the house.  He hears imaginary threats.  The RunRunLive podcast is Ad Free and listener supported.  We do this by offering a membership option where members get Access to Exclusive Members Only audio and articles. Yes, we are still working on setting up the separate podcast feed for the member’s content.  Most recently I recorded and uploaded the first chapter of the zombie novel I’ve been writing for 30 years.  Member only race reports, essays and other bits just for you! Exclusive Access to Individual Audio Segments from all Shows Intro’s, Outro’s, Section One running tips, Section Two life hacks and Featured Interviews – all available as stand-alone MP3’s you can download and listen to at any time. Links are in the show notes and at RunRunLive.com … I’ve been filling my birdfeeder this month.  The wild birds in my yard love it. It’s a party outside the window every day.  I’ve got all your normal wild New England birds.  There are the small black and white chickadees that are our state bird.  There are the similar looking nuthatches.  There are titmice and a flock of sparrows that come in like a motorcycle gang taking over the town.  There are mourning doves and cow birds who pick up the leftovers on the ground.  I’ve got a pileated woodpecker or two and some angry looking blue jays.  Occasionally we’ll be surprised by a goldfinch or a ruby crested kingslet or some other unique visitor.  This morning I got up to let Buddy out at 5AM.  As I held his collar in one hand and reached for his lead with the other I saw some movement out of the corner of my eye.  It was a big old skunk snarfing around under the birdfeeder for left overs not 2 feet from where I was standing with the dog.  I quickly pulled the dog back inside.  Crisis avoided. Imagine how different my day could have been?  On with the show! Section one – Purposeful Deconditioning - Voices of reason – the conversation Frank Gianinno – Cross USA world record holder 1980 – 2016 Frank’s Store: Frank's Custom Shoe-Fitting Happy Feet, Guaranteed329 Route 211 East, Middletown NY 10940 845.342.9226 frankg@shoe-fitter.com Frank’s Story: I began fitting running shoes in 1977 in Eugene, Oregon, while attending school there.   I have been a shoe store entrepreneur since 1983.  Two friends, Bob Bright and Bill Glatz, opened a running store in New Paltz, New York, in 1978 called Catch Us If You Can.  I was with them when Bob suggested the idea to Bill.  I ran regularly with Bob and Bill and helped them in their store.   I knew it was just a matter of time before I too would own a running shoe store.   Orange Runners Club co-founder, Bruce Birnbaum, gave me that chance at ownership in 1981.  The Middletown New York store was called Blisters Ltd.  Blister’s was opened for business for only one year.  The next opportunity at ownership was with Albert Weinert Jr. in 1984.  At first the business was called Frank’s Run-In Room.  A few years later we incorporated the business under the name Orange County Sporting Goods.  I became the sole proprietor in 1991.  In 1998, I changed the name to Frank’s Custom Shoe-Fitting.  In 2003, I became a Board Certified Pedorthist.  Here are the (14) key life experiences that put me on the path to the running shoe business: 1. Received the Eagle Scout Award, Troop 55, Blauvelt, New York, 1967; 2. Ran Track at Tappan Zee High School my freshman year; 3. Ran Track and Cross Country for three years at Valley Central High School in Montgomery, New York, graduated 1970; 4. Ran Cross Country during my two years at Orange County Community College, Middletown, New York; 5. Completed Army basic training at Fort Dix, New Jersey, 1972; 6. During advanced basic training at Fort Huachuca, Arizona, I watched the Olympic Games in Munich on television as Frank Shorter won Olympic Gold in the Marathon and Steve Prefontaine finished 4th in the 5,000 Meters; 7. Lived in Anchorage, Alaska, from December 1972 thru June 1975 during the “Black Gold Rush”, ran my first marathon there; 8. Spent the entire summer 1975 traveling from Alaska thru Canada and all over the USA really seeing the sights and getting to know the lay of our great land; 8. While attending SUNY New Paltz in 1975-76 ran (3) marathons in Buffalo, Maryland and Boston running Maryland in a lifetime personal best of 2:39:34; 9. While living in New Paltz that year I trained almost every day with Bob Bright; 10. While in Flagstaff Arizona 1976-77,  completed my undergraduate degree and learned a great deal while training at an altitude of 7,000 feet; 11. Spent the summer 1977 traveling around the west with my brother John; Attended the University of Oregon for two semesters and lowered my personal best 10K to 32:59; 12. Worked in my first store selling running shoes Sugar Pine Ridge in Eugene, Oregon; 13. Returned to New Paltz in April 1978 for the Boston Marathon to handle for my two friends Bob Bright (27) and Bill Glatz (20) where they ran 2:37:24 and 2:32:00 respectively.  The running scene in New Paltz had really elevated. While living in Flagstaff and Eugene, I really missed running in the Gunks and of course my friends and the social scene in New Paltz.  14. While in Boston I noticed a book called My Run across the United States by Don Shepherd, and started to dream about a run of my own.  Soon after Boston 1978 I knew my career path was going to have a great deal to do with running.  Everything I was doing revolved around the running lifestyle.  Nothing ever felt more real.  I have stayed close to the running sports ever since.  I will continue to do so until the day I die. Frank’s record setting run across the USA There were actually two Runs. The first effort began on March 1, 1979, in Santa Monica, California. During a pre-dawn rain, Frank and his friend Bill Glatz scooped up some Pacific Ocean water. They handed it to their friend and handler, Rebecca Wright, to store in their donated motor home. The water would be part of a ceremony of "West meets East" on the water's edge at New York City's Battery Park at the completion of the Run. Run #1 began from the parking lot of the Four Seasons Restaurant on Highway One, overlooking the Pacific.   Prior to this, Frank and Bill often trained in the Shawangunk Mountains near New Paltz, NY. Arguably, New York's Hudson Valley Region is one of the best places to train on Earth. The mountain trails of the 'Gunks', world- famous for rock climbing, hiking and boldering, also feature some of the best 'Rave Runs' anywhere. Currently, the U. S. Marathon team trains there. The countless miles on the carriage trails of Mohonk and Minnewaska helped prepare them for their odyssey. After a rough start, Billy decided not to continue. He departed Run #1 early on day eleven in Phoenix, only after he was sure that Frank and Becky would be able to keep up the 50-mile per day pace needed to reach the finish in 60 days. Despite daily terrain and weather challenges, Frank's greatest concerns were physical. Thankfully, symptoms that could lead to injury would disappear, despite running all day, day after day. Much of this was due to creative shoe modifications, lower leg compression hose and an understanding of self, along with the constant help of Becky. Frank, with Becky's undaunted support and friendship, finished Run #1 arriving at New York City Hall on April 30, 1979, sixty days and six hours after that rainy start. They ran through thirteen states, covered 2,876 miles, averaging fifty miles per day. Their adventures along the way have become legendary. At the end of a brief ceremony in Battery Park, the Twin Towers looming overhead, Frank answered a reporter's question regarding, "Would you ever do it again?" by saying he was definitely going to do another run: this time from San Francisco to New York. He knew that for his next Run he would need greater financing and a larger support crew. Four months later, Frank won the Kingston Half Marathon in 1:12:05. Then in March of 1980, he finished second in the St. Patrick's Day 10K in New Paltz with a time of 33:00. All the high mileage coming across the country paid off, as Frank enjoyed the best racing performances of his life. His only other standout performance, time-wise, was his 2:39:34 in the 1975 Maryland Marathon. RUN #2 Sixteen months after the finish of Run #1, after a brief ceremony, Frank began Run #2 from the steps of San Francisco's City Hall. This time his support crew consisted of his family and a friend. His brother John stayed with him on a bicycle to give immediate support. He had a radio/cassette player mounted on the back of the bike, as well as medical supplies and food for he and Frank. His parents, Frank Sr. and Josephine Giannino, drove the motor home and provided all-round support. His friend Bruce Goldberg did the public relations work, contacting the media, United Way representatives and running clubs along the way. Frank Sr., a retired male nurse, looked after Frank's health and the health of everyone on the trip. He drove and maintained the motor home. Josephine created a homey atmosphere in the motor home, did the cooking and calorie counting, and kept a detailed diary of her experiences. The family dog, Brindle, was on the trip too. Things were not easy on Run #2. On the 4th of July, Stan Cottrell of Georgia raised the performance bar, completing a well-financed run from New York City to San Francisco in 48 days 1 hour 48 minutes, an average of 64 miles per day. Frank's original plan for Run #2 was to average 60 miles per day. Cottrell's effort raised the bar. Not only did he have to better that average, but he had to do it convincingly. Frank did not have the gifts of a fast ultra-marathoner, but he did have two things going for him — he had done this before, and he had the perfect support team to do it with - his family! If he was going to average more than 64 miles per day, everything was going to have to come together perfectly. Frank's plan was to reach Fort Collins, CO at an average of 60 miles per day. After that, he planned to average 70 miles per day. The plan was to run 2.5 miles at 10-12 minutes per mile, walk a little, run 2.5 again and repeat the process through twenty miles; then break for breakfast for one hour; run/walk another twenty miles; break one hour for lunch; then run as many miles as possible into the nighttime hours. The first four days across California were rough. Frank's pace was slow. California roads were very busy. The family was not making enough sacrifices in an effort to reach seventy miles per day. Instead of foregoing showers and parking near the finish marker, the family would drive out of its way for a KOA, in order to be comfortable after the fifty or so miles they had covered. This pace was far below the 60 miles and ultimately 70 miles that would be needed daily. With a renewed resolve, all family members dug in and made sacrifices. In some cases, the sacrifices were painful. Frank Sr. came down with dysentery in Nevada. John's bike was run over. Bruce survived stomach problems. Frank lost three toenails. Brindle, more than once, managed to collect burrs in her fur while seeking relief during roadside pit-stops. The stories, as on Run #1, are legendary. Suffice it to say, things worked out in the end. The group tightened up the routine. They grabbed showers when available. Only Frank bathed at the end of the day in the motor home shower. Frank's mileage routine increased. After Fort Collins, the crew awoke at 3:00 AM; Frank ran 25 miles; broke for breakfast; twenty five more miles; lunch; then as many miles as possible by dark. They reached the 70-mile goal almost every day and finished in 46 days 8 hours 36 minutes. The Guinness Book of World Records still lists it as the fastest crossing of the United States on foot. Many people influenced Frank's decisions to do these runs. None more than the efforts of Dave MacGillivray. One of Dave's many personal accomplishments was his 1978 run across America for the Jimmy Fund. David is the director of the Boston Marathon and is a great and cherished resource. Section two Urgency and long term thinking - Outro Well my friends you have run completely across the country to the end of episode 4-352 of the RunRunLive Podcast.  Are you tired? The next race for me will be the Thanksgiving morning Turkey trot.  I don’t like 5k’s.  You’d think I’d be ok with 20 minutes of intense effort versus a multi-hour campaign.  But, no, I’m not.  It takes my body 10+ minutes to warm up to race effort.  If I jump in cold the race is almost over before my heart rate normalizes.  It hurts too.  It’s a foreign feeling for me now to force myself to race at tempo pace.  I’d much prefer the slow dull blade of a fat adapted endurance effort to the white-hot burn of a short race. I’ll tell you a story.  When I was 14 or 15 this time of year I ran cross country for my school.  We would take the school van to other small New England prep schools in within driving distance for meets.  I remember one cold morning in November we went to an away meet.  When the race began it started snowing.  The snowflakes were those big fluffy ones that you get early in the season when winter isn’t quite sure of itself yet.  They float down like big, fluffy, wet potato chips and dissolve into anything they hit.  When we ran in those days we ran in short shorts and a racing singlet.  I can remember those big snowflakes covering my exposed thighs as I raced, making them numb as the snow evaporated.  I don’t remember anything else about that day, just the crunch of the leaves under my Nike Waffle Racers and the numb wetness of my thighs. I’ll see you out there. MarathonBQ – How to Qualify for the Boston Marathon in 14 Weeks -

Is retirement all it's cracked up to be? Yes, a new study says it makes you happier and healthier. In this episode, we focus on retirement and it's many benefits, particularly retirement and RVing. Plus our usual tips, RV news, Tech news and destination reports. [spp-player] Complete shownotes for Episode 68 of Roadtreking: The RV Travel Podcast Mike and Jennifer share their New Year RV resolutions, their immediate travel plans and a look ahead to a year of RV stories from across North America [spp-timestamp time="2:43"] JENNIFER'S TIP OF THE WEEK: RV Travel Map with State Stickers If you are like Mike and me, you love keeping track of the different states and Provinces you visit in your RV. For us – since we started our RV travels nearly five years ago – that works out to 38 different states. [spp-timestamp time="12:33"] I've seen folks who have maps on their RVs that show where they've been so when we found one on Amazon, we ordered it. The one we got is called the RV & Travel USA State Sticker Map and it shows each state in vibrant solid colors. It's printed on durable, premium 3M automotive vinyl/ You can put it on an inside wall or outside. In our case, on the rear door of our RV. It measures 12.7" x 19.6", so it's not gaudy or too big. You get the map on one sheet and the individually cut self adhesive states to apply on the outline of the states on the base map. It's all very simple, though you want to take your time sticking the states on the mark, lining them up on the outline. We are very happy with it. The vinyl is of excellent quality. We've long wanted one like this, just a simple map with bright colors. It costs $35 and is shipped free. It's available at http://amzn.to/1R1QDe0 READER QUESTIONS AND FEEDBACK Mike answers reader questions about streaming video in the RV and using a 50 amp to 30 amp power adapter and why he and Jennifertraded up to a Roadtrek CS Adventurous XL this year [spp-timestamp time="15:56"] RV NEWS - RV saves big money over traditional vacations A follow up study confirms the findings of the Recreational Vehicle Institute of America that RV travel saves money. [spp-timestamp time="28:54"] TRAVELING TECH TIPS - Apps to help you stay organized in 2016 The beginning of the year is a great time to get organized and a number of great apps can help you make 2016 your best organized year yet! [spp-timestamp time="33:58"] Any.do wins lots of praise for its ease-of-use and number of smart features, including the ability to simply add tasks with your voice. You can share lists with friends, family, or anyone else. You can also sync to the cloud for accessing tasks on any iOS or Android device. You can even add tasks by sending an email. The app is free for iOS and Android. 2Do is one of the most powerful and customizable task managers around. It features clean graphics, a great interface, and a bunch of super handy features. Creating a to-do item is easy and can be done with the touch of a button. It can be synced with services such as Dropbox and iCloud Reminders. The app is $7.99 for iOS and $3.80 for Android. The Clear app is another great one for making to-do and task management tools. The goal is to make it as easy to use as pen and paper. Among other things, the app gives you the ability to make multiple and customizable theme-based lists, along with the ability to set reminders. The app is $4.99 for iOS. OFF THE BEATEN PATH - LIMEKILN STATE PARK, CALIFORNIA Terri Speakman tells us about the little known Limekiln State Park in California, a park that offers breathtaking views of the Big Sur Coast, the beauty of the redwoods, the rugged coast and the cultural history of limekilns. The park has 24 campsites. The park is 56 miles south of Carmel, off Highway One; two miles south of Lucia. [spp-timestamp time="36:14"] Main Topic: Retirement and the RVer We report on a new study that shows surprisingly strong health and happiness benefits from retirement and we fact check it through th...

With thirteen solo albums, three Grammy nominations and one brush with death under his belt, Peter Case is back with 'Highway 62', his new album on Omnivore Records.  In this twenty-minute discussion as Case makes his way up California's Highway One, he talks about his new songs and his (song)writing more generally, the making of Highway 62 and the musicians who played on it (Ben Harper and D.J. Bonebrake, among others), connecting with the audience, the differences between northern and southern California and obtaining some of his education at City Lights Books. Case is just embarking on the first leg of a US tour in November, with the second leg early next year.  www.petercase.com 

3 artists share their creative endeavors an discuss art. Painter Katherine Coons discusses her recent exhibit in France, global travels and living in Alaska. Author Justin Herrmann reads from his highly acclaimed story collection Highway One, Antarctica and shares his experiences doing janitorial work at McMurdo Station in Antarctica. And Augmented Reality Creator Nathan Shafer explains The Institute for Speculative Media-- “making what has melted away visible again”. (Note: there are sound gaps due to speaker transitions at the mic and during the Q & A. A patient listener, however, will be thoughtfully captivated by the artists.)

Nach einer länglichen Pause melden wir uns zurück mit der achten Folge, und versuchen uns daran, nur ein einziges Thema zu besprechen. Zufälligerweise handelt es sich bei diesem Thema um das, was David in der Sendepause gemacht hat: seinen Urlaub, oder wie es sich in Kalifornien so radfährt und -reist. Olli versucht also, Interessantes aus David zu quetschen, der währenddessen lieber in Anekdoten vom Highway One schwelgt.