Blogs from United States, North America - page 4767

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North America » United States October 2nd 2008

Heading out west again in my Bellanca Super Viking........ Here the itinerary: 1. Depart FRG for Ohio 10.9 -10.13 for the Fur Peace guitar camp. Instructor: Bill Kirchen and You Tube Link 2. Albuquerque and points west - 10.14 - 10.22 . I am shooting for Moab, UT. and Leadville, CO. (highest airport in the US). Just added Henderson, NV. Free Hoover (inside the damn dam) Dam tour. Can't miss that. I need to get hold of Joe and Olga, Scott and Ricki. 3. Hawaii(Kauai) 10.22 - 11.8 via American Airlines. There has been some questions about taking N28179. No. No long range tanks. 4. Albuquerque to Home perhaps via Cape Hatteras. 11.8 - 11.11? It sounds like a have a lot of time but not when you think about weather, etc. Each flight is about ... read more

North America » United States » Virginia October 2nd 2008

The overnight stay at Super8 Elkins was one we would have preferred to have avoided.The room smelt alright when we inspected it but after a half hour in there the smell came to the fore.The problem was a mix of past smokers and "things"that appeared not to have been cleaned off the carpet fully.Anyway we left the window open all night in 40deg temperatures and held our breath. Breakfast was scant with the front desk lady,who was quite pleasant in herself, said that they had run out of milk and the truck hadnt been by yet !!Why they had to wait for some truck to come by was beyond us as the supermarket was at the bottom of the hill !! Anyway we had what was on offer and hit the road WV-55 for Front Royal ... read more
Murray and his West Virginian cousins(sheep that is)
The Happy travellers including Murray(in pocket) on the trail

North America » United States » California » San Francisco » Alcatraz October 2nd 2008

Here in San Francisco Hotel is nice but the location is a bit doggie at night during the day it’s not to bad. Pretty central location, only a 15 minute walk to fisherman’s wharf this is where the action takes place for tourists like us. Today we took a tour to Alcatraz Island one of the Golden Gate National Parks. Take the Ferry across to the island and then it’s a self audio tour which was very interesting. Walking through the tour you have headphones on and you are listening to the commentary about different parts of the prison. There are quite a lot of people doing the self audio tour but if you take your headphones off and listen you don’t hear anyone speaking, it’s a little ere. Alcatraz served the army as fortress and ... read more
Alcatraz
Alcatraz
Alcatraz Flyer

North America » United States » California » Los Angeles October 2nd 2008

Day 360 - Wednesday 24 September After taking my last overnight bus I arrived into LA at about half seven in the morning. I had to wait around an hour for Russ to turn up from Vegas before we made our way over to LAX airport. Although its a few more days before we fly home weve come to pick up a car. LA's such a big place it'll be impossible to get around without one. Yolandas been working hard using her contacts over here to sort us out a cheap hotel room. I wont mention the name of the well known hotel chain or any names so nobody gets in trouble but she'd managed to get me a $200 a night hotel room for just $40. Unfortunately the paperwork I needed to get the discount ... read more
LA Dodgers baseball game
Huntington Beach

North America » United States » North Carolina » Asheville October 2nd 2008

We were an odd bunch. 10 or 15 Jews standing next to a beautiful little creek below the Warren Wilson campus. Some of us were carrying little sambas, some PVC shofars, others with more serious items: real shofars, guitars, and challah! With song and dance, we looked into the ceremony we were about to complete: Tashlikh. Contemplation of our sins, or possibly looking at our regrets and finally casting them away in the river. It may of just been the quaint setting, by a babbling brook surrounded by Appalachian hills, sun streaming in, and the odd assortment of bamboo and other plants growing on campus, but there was a most surreal and spiritual effect to the ritual. After throwing bread crumbs or leaves into the river, we gathered in another circle for song and passing around ... read more


Leaving Idaho Falls, Idaho We asked the hotel staff as we left this morning if they had any insights for touring Grand Tetons or Yellowstone National Parks. One had just been there the weekend before and excitedly gave us the places we should be sure to see. In addition, she questioned how we were getting there. She recommended we reroute to a different highway in order to see the Tetons from the back, not just the more popular front side. We note that it really wouldn’t take us any longer and she confirms it is a much more scenic route. We decide to take her recommended route, make notes of her other recommendations and then got on our way. We noted a couple of huge Mormon Tabernacles on our way out of town and felt it ... read more
Mormon Temple
Ahh - Idaho potatoe fields!
Circle of color in the middle of potato fields?!

North America » United States » Illinois October 2nd 2008

Rockport, IL to Alton, IL 80.6 total miles. We woke up to a very thick fog, so we got a late start. We ran the entire day at 2200 rpm, which was around 9 mph. We used less fuel from 1.31 miles per gallon, the day before, compared to 1.79 miles per gallon, today. Better, but not a huge savings. Thus far, the water current has been about the same, anywhere from 2 - 3 miles per hour. The tall tower like structure was called a "Sky Ride". It was constructed back in the 1960's, in Clarksville, Missouri. At that point and time it was the highest point and view on the Mississippi river. It was similar to a ski lift that would take passengers to the top to view from the observation deck.... read more
Sky Ride

North America » United States » Arizona October 2nd 2008

Oct 2nd Up early at 5.30 and away before 8. Its an easy day today, only 33 miles to Safford, quite flat and ther are even a few towns with services on-route so I dont have to stock up with litres of ice and water.I have a coffee in Fort Thomas and notice I need some air in the rear tyre and later that the gears are clunking a bit. Its about time the bike had a service and I can do this at the cycle shop in Safford. I make good time and am in Safford bike shop and internet cafe located before mid-day - brilliant. The friendly bike shop owner advises me against the ACA route via mule creek and recommends an alternative via a town called Duncan. I consider this and take his ... read more
Melvin Jones
Ants
Cotton wool fields

North America » United States » Washington » Seattle October 2nd 2008

Tour of Microsoft Campus, Redmond For a billion dollar company our visit to Microsoft was surprising. There were several occasions during the morning that we nearly walked out. Anyway, not to dwell on the negatives we did eventually get into the technology centre that is set up with examples of how Microsoft think we will be working in the next 5-7 years. The confidentiality paper we had to sign to be allowed in means I better not describe in detail what we saw on this blog. There were some software items and ideas that would be incredibly cool if they pull them off. Of course adoption in UK Universities may take much longer. The physical layout of the "office of the future" display was surprising for the lack of technology. There were funky surfaces in group ... read more
Office of the future #2
Office of the future #3
Office of the future #4

North America » United States » Iowa October 2nd 2008

We awoke refreshed, and found dew on the grass for the first time. We drove up out of the wooded river valley and back up onto the plains, although there do seem to be a few more trees now. We crossed the Missouri between Omaha and Council Bluffs, Iowa. We have passed the halfway point. We have been buying American fuel the whole way - BP, Conoco, Sinclair, Phillips 66. Some places say they have biodiesel, but we haven't bought any. Again we're seeing corn and soybeans, but no irrigation now. The rows are contoured to the gentle hills. Occasionally there is open grassland, and some range cattle. We passed a few banks of wind generators. Guess what! There's even water in the rivers and creekbeds! At the rest area where we stopped for lunch, ... read more
Turkeys
Iowa landscape




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