taking the camry around the country: boston edition

writing from our seventh hotel on the NY/Boston trip.

2009-10-05T14:12:00.000-07:00

the hotel rocks. its an old place with like antique everything. it was listed as a luxery spot but the place isnt too expensive with a hotwire.com booking and the parking is just right across the street. its pricey but you cant really do any better whilst in new york. manhattan is an expensive place. i get the feeling the economy being down might spur some cheaper rates but otherwise thats that. the people outside seem kinda crazy, lots of different types, every race firstly ,and many different types of people. those folks that are like me are certainly in the minority. this isn't a city of similar people. everyones different. there are populations of folk like me, but you wont run into every odd person on the street resembling you. new york city kinda gives you that feel that the world is a very very diverse place and its only by moving our way through whats around us will we find things that have meaning to us. you could easily come to some global understanding about things whilst roaming the streets of new york. the MoMa was terrible, i'd been to the one in england and expected good things... but didn't get it. the british one is spectacular, while the american one sucks.

nyc / east coast day 6

2009-10-04T12:50:00.000-07:00

according to this shit its better to like, come in outside of new york by train, and park your car away from new york. so we can either book a hotel here or we can park the car for a week. if we parked the car for a week we could probably take the shuttle down and get hostels. i kinda wanna keep the car with us for now though. and i like the whole thing ive been doing about not booking more than one night at a time.

so i guess brooklyn is where we wanna go. at least, that's where the hipsters are supposed to be. that's where the music scene's supposed to be. that's where most of the people are meant to be at. that's where the cheapest spots to live seem to be at. and that's where i guess i wanna head to today.

apparently bjork is moving to brooklyn. http://www.brownstoner.com/brownstoner/archives/2009/08/bjork_moving_to.php

brooklyn's like a popular spot i guess.

brooklyn heights?

open mics, nyc apparently brooklyn and long island have most of the shows. 5 in brooklyn, 13 in long manhatten.

so we're movin to boston

2009-09-22T21:59:00.000-07:00

here's the cities driven through on I-90

states driven through

chicago stuff

2009-08-16T12:46:00.000-07:00

train transport.

the magificent mile

the pass

the hotel

cool singer

our wifi spot

my old school

chicago

2009-08-16T03:31:00.000-07:00

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicago

to do list:

top priority:
old house
roycemore
other school

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World%27s_busiest_airport
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_city

chicago

2009-08-14T06:52:00.000-07:00

http://openmikes.org/calendar/IL

open mics on friday and saturday.

we're planning on being back sunday, and in columbus sunday night.

aunt n uncle in town

2009-08-11T05:05:00.001-07:00

1. ket rec
2. af museum
3. ikea
4. zoo
5. osu

west coast

2009-08-05T13:50:00.001-07:00

so basically:

total distance 6,610 miles - 4 days, 3 hrs driving time
day1(hotel) detroit
3 hrs 24 mins to get there
doable in one day
day2(hotel) chicago
4 hrs 30 mins to get there.
doable in one day
day3(hotel) minneapolis
6 hrs 45 mins to get there
day4(hotel)denver
13hrs to get there
day5(hotel)salt lake city
7hrs27mins to get there
day6(hotel)LA
10hrs3mins to get there
day7(hotel)fresno
3hrs25mins to get there
day8(hotel)sanfrancisco
3hrs4mins to get there
day9(hotel)portland oregon
9hrs59mins to get there
day10(hotel)seattle
2hrs29mins to get there
day11(home)dayton
35hrs to get there

24 hrs in a day - 9 spent sleeping
checkout time tends to be 11 or 12

given that, sleep probably begins latest @ 1 or 2.

1or2through10or11. given checkout time.
so besides that we've got... 10or11 to 1or2. which'd be... 15 hrs. to do shit.

so in a given day there's like, time to travel, time to rest, time to see shit. plus time to sleep.

so outa day 1, of the 15 waking hours we've got, we'll like... spent about 3.5 of 'em getting there, leaving us with... 11.5 to ourselves, to divide between rest & seeing the place.

dad tends to reccomend 2 days to see a place, but if we can get away with driving there, seeing the place, then leaving the next day, that'd rock too.

so we arrive in detroit, with about 11.5 to see the place. then sleep. and wake. around 10 or 11am.

we then depart for chicago which is 4.5 or our 15 leaving us with 10.5 to see the place. again decent ammount of time. we sleep around 1or2 wake around 10or11, and set off.

next is minneapolis, which'll take about 6.75 or our 15, leaving us with like... 8.25 to look around. still decent. sleep, wake, 10 or 11, and depart.

denver'll be like 13 hrs to get there, meaning it'll take 13 of 15, leaving us with 2 hrs. not enough time to see the place, so we'll sleep, wake, explore for 15, sleep, wake and leave. (2 day stay).

next up's salt lake city, with 7.5 hrs of 15 to get there... leaving us wit 7.5 to look around. that's potentially enough in my book. look around, see the sights, sleep, wake, and we're off.

next up's LA. taking us 10 of 15 to get there, leaving us with like, 5 to look around. i dont know, that might be enough, we'll see. given a departure of around 10, plus 10 more to get there, we'd arrive around 8pm. that's a potential problem given the fact that most things are closed then.

chillin in a panera @ the millenium mall in orlando

2009-07-31T11:12:00.000-07:00

so, our roads closed. which means we're going to jacksonville.

the wiki

so the main claim to fame that town has in my opinion is the origin of Black Kids an indie band that got big lately.

where we're at

after jacksonville comes atlanta. supposedly racist.

no idea how it'll be.

then knoxville with kirby from mvs in dayton ohio.

after it'll be cincy perhaps stopping at ikea then home
.

orlando to dayton

2009-07-30T21:37:00.001-07:00

dayton, cincinnati, lexington, knoxville, atlanta,

4 south to 408
408 west to 91
91 west to 75
75 north to gainesville florida, valdosta, tifton, macon, right through atlanta, whichs huge, dalton, chattanooga looks pretty big, knoxville, corbin, daniel boone national forest, lexington, cincinnati, dayton.

960 miles, 15 hours, there are tolls, but not many. the only tolls are getting out of florida.

so... atlanta looks interesting, knoxville is where kirby is, and uh... then the forest looks kinda cool. the names cool i wonder if he was a real guy and then they named it after the actual guy. and then when we're in cincinnati we can always go to ikea. plus theyve got a zoo, and that jungle jims store that we've never gone to.

2009-07-30T20:29:00.001-07:00

so currently we're in orlando soon to be heading to ohio.

trip so far

2009-07-23T22:55:00.000-07:00

NY

2009-07-19T16:51:00.001-07:00

new york check list:
things already done:
seen / visited times square
stuck anita on her first train
stuck anita on her first nyc subway ride
figured out the subway system somewhat
seen / visited / from the outside / the aircraft carrier
seen / visited / from the outside / the museum of natural history
seen / visited / strawberry fields / central park
bought a bag / times square
taken about 1200 photographs combined
figured out last train time / jersey
seen / visited / grand central station / photographed set of step up 3

new york stuff

2009-07-18T14:57:00.000-07:00

strawberry fields - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strawberry_Fields_(memorial)
field dedicated to john lennon
new york stock exchange
chinatown
central park (strawberry fields)
statue of liberty
museum of modern art (moma)
intrepid sea-air-space museum - air craft carrier - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intrepid_Sea-Air-Space_Museum
ellis island (immigrant families)
american museum of natural history
cooper-hewitt museum in andrew carnegie's mansion
little india - east 6th street
hell's kitchen - irish population
little italy - mulberry street area
yorkville - german quarter
united nattions building
chrysler building - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chrysler_building
world trade center site
statue of liberty ferry (to the island)
trinity church - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trinity_Church_(New_York)
wall street - former wall to keep indians out of manhatten, current business center
new york stock exchange - built in 1903
world financial center

chelsea market?
museum of sex?

w4 means west fourth street
times square has: 1,2,3,7,q,n,r,w,s,a,c,e lines running through it(weird names)

RI 2

2009-07-16T14:15:00.001-07:00

community college of rhode island
bank of america skating plaza
waterfire
the providence @ india point park
thayer street
Rhode Island School of Design
Roger Williams Park Zoo
The Arcade Mall

The area which is now Providence was first settled in June 1636 by Roger Williams, and was one of the original Thirteen Colonies of the United States.[9] Williams secured a title from the Narragansett natives around this time and gave the city its present name.

Seven of the fourteen institutions of higher learning in Rhode Island have campuses in Providence (city proper):
Brown University, an Ivy League university
Community College of Rhode Island (Downcity and Liston campuses)
Johnson & Wales University, notable for its culinary and hospitality program
Providence College, a top master's level college and member of the Big East Conference.
Rhode Island College
Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), one of the country's top art colleges
University of Rhode Island (Providence campus).

Providence Station, located between the Rhode Island State House and the downtown district, is served by Amtrak[114] and MBTA Commuter Rail services, with a commuter rail running to Boston.

Roger Williams Park, in the southern part of the city of Providence, Rhode Island, is an elaborately landscaped 427-acre (173 ha) city park and National Historic District.

providence rhode island

2009-07-15T23:45:00.001-07:00

trolley tours of providence
city hall
providence public library
providence performing arts center

trolley tour:
401.421.3825
on corner of fountain and eddy street
fatty mcgee's dublin pub
55 union street
401.831.3288
books on the squre
471 angell street
401.331.9097

Community College of Rhode Island

bank of america skating plaza
two kennedy plaza

waterfire, fires tended on the three rivers passing through providence
sunset to past midnight

the providence, a replica of a revolutionary war era ship that gets used in pirates of the carribean
naragansett bay
( india point park )

rhode island state capitol - with tours
francis street
401.222.2080

thayer street - college crowd

Rhode Island School of Design

roger williams park

Narragansett Bay Lighthouse Tour

Providence Place Mall

Waterplace Park
Historic Federal Hill
Providence Place Mall
Fleet Skating Center
RISD Museum
East Bay Bike Path
Roger Williams Park Zoo
Trinty Rep
Providence Performing Arts
The Arcade Mall
The State House
Brown University
Thayer Street
Wickendon Street
India Point
Historic Benefit Street
Cable Car Cinema
Avon Cinema
IMAX Cinema

open mic @ brooklyn coffee tea house
730 to 1030
209 Douglas Ave

open mic @ everyman
555 valley st
401.751.3630

NYC

2009-07-13T23:26:00.000-07:00

nyc subway system

its interesting how new jersey and new york are right next to each other.

*central park is a must see
empire state building, not sure about that
*statue of liberty is an icon
*times square is cool to see
not sure about this rockefeller center nonsense
wtf is the deal about brooklyn bridge - manhatten / long island connection
uh, world trade center? destroyed isnt it?
met art - eh... dunno, art museums usually suck.
*wall street - center of the nations financial shiz, might be cool to see.
grand central station? - elaborately done station
united nations HQ - guided tours
subway metrocard / funpass
ellis island - point of entrance to america
macy's - large store, like harrods of london
fifth avenue
natural history museum
sr patricks cathedral

boston

2009-05-22T13:44:00.000-07:00

well anita's done with her drivers liscense and has court coming up soon so that'll wrap that up. she's got her debt sorted, in both sources, and we're nearly good to go to swap cities. we visited sinclair and noticed that you are guarenteed admission @ state schools when graduating from a community college. that'd be the ticket for the boston school, or wherever it is we decide to end up. but boston does seem like a good option.

detroit & indianapolis

2009-05-14T04:20:00.000-07:00

so these're both cities that're 2 hoursish away from dayton, both seem worthwhile for a visit, so we're planning on hitting 'em in the next few days. originally the plan was to hit boston, but as we checked the days, it just didn't seem to make sense. the whole thing about like... driving there, staying there for three nights, coming back, after we'd already been doing alot of shit, like, with her court, and then the recent mail from the gov't. things have been real active, so we're gonna go drop off the check @ the bank to end her debt, which's a huge thing since it blocks her from getting a loan, then also hitting detroit just cuz, for the visit-factor, a place neither of us have been, that's nearby and notable enough to visit, and then there's indianapolis, which just sounds like it'd be interesting to cmoe across, sort of like exploring a jungle, except it's in the middle of indiana. so-called racist town, kinda broken down, and disconnected, i kinda want to sift through the ruins that make up indiana's capital.

2009-05-08T21:30:00.000-07:00

beavercreek to chicago, estimated driving time: 5 hours 26 minutes

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2009-04-30T05:25:00.000-07:00

so anita's been bitching lately about how i'm playing games too much. she's also got alot to say about how i've been bothering her about the stuff she's got to do. and also how i hate when she makes me repeat her.

well... firstly. its my fucking right do whatever thf cuk i want to fucking do. you can't fucking control me. if i wanna play a fucking game, then im fucking gonna. you can't fucking make any money, or fucking go to school, or fucking do anything, if you fucking give all your fucking time to someone. that's probably fucking why shit hasn't gotten done lately. and she's fucking trying to say i don't fucking give her attention. well if she fucking let me go over there when i fucking wanted, then fucking shit would fucking be alright. but fucking right now she just fucking comes over, bothers me and goes away. and then she fucking blogs about how i fucking ignore her. she's just fucking bored and trying to get me to appease her. im not fucking here to keep her fucking entertained. ive got shit im trying to do. she's got shit she's trying to do. and in our downtime we spend it with each other. she just doesn't get this simple thing. right now shit isn't right. she's trying to get all my time. she's trying to get me to be with her always. and it's just fucking pissing me off. and it's fucking doing the opposite. she turns herself into something i want to avoid. i fucking need some fucking freedom. a fucking relationship isn't a fucking jail sentance. but it fucking sure feels like that sometimes. some of the shit she fuckin says fuckin really gets on my nerves. tryin to fuckin say i ignoreher. thats fuckin not the truth at all. how many fucking times have i fucking talked to her about her shit. she doesnt understand what a fucking limit is. she doesnt understand what a fucking boundary is. sometimes i need to fucking focus on my shit. if she wants to fuckin join fucking in with what i fuckin do, thats fuckin great. but fuckin otherwise, she's fuckin tryin to just fuckin stop me. don't fucking put yourself as a barrier between me and what i'm trying to do. it's fucking simple. you've gotta understand that there's shit that i do, that i'm gonna wanna do, and there's not a fucking damn thing you can do to stop me. if you wanna fuckin be around me, then fuckin try and do it with me. instead of fucking trying to stop me from doing it, and then fucking just... fucking getting me to do boring shit.

lying on a fucking bed. how fucking boring is that. when im fucking feeling active. i know she's fucking feeling miserable right now. but im fucking not. i fucking know how to avoid that shit. and she fucking tries to fucking get me to lie with her. fucking do nothing all day. im fucking sorry but i have a fucking way of doing shit. and my fucking way gets shit done. your fucking way leaves me fucking not doing anything. that fucking list on my wall fucking hasnt been touched. she's just fucking acting like im supposed ot be there always. so all the shit i used to do i cant do now. fucking rediculous. so im supposed to just fucking volunteer all my fucking time to fucking help her with her fuckign shit and fucking never focus on my shit. this is what she fuckign wants and she's fucking not gonna get it. i was born and i will die. between then i wanna do a few things. supporting someone is ok. but i dont wanna devote every second of my life to doing that. if you wanna fucking be aruond me, do shit with me. if we have nothing in fucking common, then that's the fucking sign that we're not fucking right. you know that we fucking have music in common. maybe there's fucking other things too. fucking figure those out, and fucking do them.

but its fucking rediculous. all the fucking shit i've been feeling, it's fucking true. im just trying to fucking play my game and she comes over and btiches and it's like wtf? why the fuck are you botherin g the fuck out of me just to get me to lie in that stupid uncomfortable bed and do fucking nothing for hours wh the fuck do you think that that's fun and that i am somehow obliged to do sjust because you're my "girlfriend" a title that doesnt mean anything. yes i like you i want the best for youbut that doesnt mean now i become your slave because of it but yeah its rediculous. so im like sitting there on the coch in the middle of a fight and she'll like come between me and the pc on purpose its like she's decided the pc is her enemy and it's like... why are you doing this... you never did this with my guitar... bhut the truth of it is basically its because she doesnt play computer games but she does play music. she used to go disappear in a room and play music and i wouldnt bother her i knew she was busy and i knew she was doing something cool so i was looking forward to her coming out and showing me what she had and thats how it turned out. with this im getting better at a game im coming to understand a genre of game an dits cool and then she's like trying to tear me away from it ebcause apparently the only good thing this game has going for it is the time it takes what a narrowminded view that is man this game does a hell of alot more than that it's teaching me about turn based games which are hugely popular in the industry but ive never really spent much time with at least with the turn based STRATEGY games secondly its a fairly popular game heavily modded and that opens up the programming avenue but thirdly ive not been playing ANY games for a LONG while whereas i used to game EVERY DAY so like this is fucking nothing compared to my EQ days. she needs to have a better appreciation for how much time a realy time consuming game will take from you. but the main thing is if she can't enjoy me playing it maybe she can enjoy playing it herself. yes, maybe she should try the game out instead of demonizing it like some mom or like some evangelical witch-burning fool.

basically im pretty fucking tired of like every loittle fucking like objection when i just do what i want to do. since when did i lose that right. when did i give that shit away. and what exactly am i getting for it. just an earful of bitches. a bedfull of lying around and doing nothing. and a list full of errands and places that im supposed to drive her. she does the fucking laundry and mowes the lawn, but nobody fucking told her to do it. she just does it, then whines cause she "has to" do it. i ask her for sandwiches because i think she doesnt mind and even enjoys it, but even this has now because "one of those things" that basically bother the fuck out of her. her main problem is she's too much of a pussy, she'll hate all the shit she does, but not say a single fucking word about it. instead she'll just sit there, smile, kiss you, hug etc, sit on her pc, like normal. which btw she's completely ignoring. she spends like all day on her pc, with headphones on. at least i dont fucking put phones on. cause if i did she wouldnt eve be able to takl to me. which is like how it is with me and her. i have to like repeat shit like 50 times before she hears me, and by that point i just completely have lost interest in talking to her at all. so she's lookin at me and im just pissed off more than anything for having to repeat myself alot. and like, when there's no music, no tv, why the fuck do you still need to put headphones on. it's fucking rediculous. so basically, you fucking hypocrite, take your damn headphones off before you start bitching about the shit i do. and then the mess, its like, look at your fucking place, youre supposed to be clean, but instead you just live in a mess. wtf. and she's like "cleaning makes me happy". and she's obiovusly like real down right now. then fucking clean. stop being so damn stupid and just clean your shit, and you'l fucking feel better. it's called TAKING CARE OF YOURSELF. try it out sometime. you might find your a way more functional person for it. fuckin rediculous. and then she comes over here, bitches about games. wtf. she games herself. maybe not now, but she's tryin to get me a wii ps3 or xbox360. then i play a pc game, which is the SAME FUCKING THING and then she like fucking bitches. wake the fuck up. you just spent a week trying to get me to buy one. now i have one, and you bitch. welcome to a situation that YOU CREATED. stop bitching and just look in the mirror, because its your own fuckin fault. if you wanna bitch, at least speak the whole truth and mention that it was your idea to buy the game, that i was turning it down. so wake the fuck up. fucking complaining about nonsense. and then the food shit. ok, so i ask for a sandwich. you can always say "no". but apparently thats too difficult for you. and apparently its easier to write like six paragraphs on blogger instead. fucking rediculous. speak your fucking midn out. dont hold back and then bitch on the net. fucking rediculous. walkin around causin trouble. and like, whinin about attention and shit. fuckin rediculous. this place is shitty enough. parents who fuckin are like fuckin prison guards. but when you start to bitch, its like wtf. just fucking cool your fucking shit. wake the fuck up and realize that nobodys trying to fucking fight you. youre just trying to make people feel shitty for no reason. and youre fucking making yourself feel shitty too. its fucking rediculous. you have no reason to do that. except maybe your dad who fucking beat you, your fucking grandpa who fuckin raped you, your fuckin mom who fuckin ignored you, maybe your fuckin schools, maybe your fuckin drug friends, maybe your fucking fuckup friends. who fucking knows. maybe its all of them. maybe its none of them. but the bottom line is thats how you are. fyucking address it. its like she wants me to like, address the fact that im on the pc with a game, yet she doesnt wnana address her own shit. she;s like depressed all the time. she actually goes out of her way to make herself depressed. then there's all the bullshit about like, how she's basically like talkin herself down at every twist and turn. she like, fuckin goes over to her parents, to get yelled at. and then like a few days later, she's taklin bout how she wants to go back. im like... wtf. yourstepdad just yelled and now you wanna head abck there? wtf is wrong with you. wake up and recognize that you needa fuckin avoid that place. if you value yourself at all anyway. if you think you are a piece of shit and eserved to get beaten / yelled at and the like, then fuckin go ahead and walk right into the lions den. otherwise if youre a self respecting and positive person if you think you deserve to be treated with dignity and respect, then fuckin make a decision that fucking backs that fucking viewpoint, and just fucking never go back to your stepdads again.

2009-04-26T04:11:00.000-07:00

so this whole traveling thing is interesting. we've got like the boston thing sitting hte back ofour minds still of coruse. the land of the punks irish and the east coast bostonian new england capital european HQ that i've been salivating over for awhile. the truth of it is i have no interest in going to Boston persay, but it is a step in the right direction for any sort of England / UK life. Now I've been doign some figuring and it's strange, how i still consider myself british right? because i've lived so many years over here, and you'd think i'd by now maybe give it a rest and just admit that perhaps i'm american. but something inside me has always kinda driven me to kinda proclaim myself british. i was born there, lived there for about... well... seven years. fifteen other years were over here in the states, so go figure. but the thing of it is, is that well ic an probably move back and forth either way without issue, its not a huge deal. i just need to find out like wherei wanna go hah.

boston - cali - minnesota - colorado - maine

2009-04-19T22:55:00.001-07:00

this are indeed places that i am interested of visiting. so there are places where i think i'd like to go to. california is keeping my fancy and making me feel like i'd rather enjoy my own place.

Boston:

2009-02-26T09:23:00.001-08:00

pittsburgh, baltimore, philadelphia(ornyc), boston

2009-01-14T08:18:00.001-08:00

we want to leave on the seven day trip in one week

travel ideas

2009-01-09T09:28:00.001-08:00

portland in maine
new york

chicago
minnesota
seattle
fuck portland
fuck sanfrancisco
fuck sacramento for sure
fuck phoenix
fuck california
fuck arizona
kinda wanna go to colorado
fuck texas
fuck atlanta
fuck florida
fuck south carolina
im curious about delaware
vermonts supposed to be really liberal

why do you wanna go to birmingham?
why do you wanna go to liverpool?
yeah, fuck london
fuck ipswich
fuck norwich
fuck bristol
there's fuckin nothin in swansea
are you just fuckin readin names? portsmouth, what the fucks in portsmouth?
oh brightons pretty fuckin cool
you wanna go to aberdeen?
you wanna go to see snowdonia?
what the fuck is in spain?
what the fucks in madrid?
you wanna go to amsterdam?
but what the fucks in belgium?
what the fucks in berlin?
copenhagen, what the fucks in there
scandinavian countries?
you wanna go to norway?
what about sweden?
you wanna go to finland?
how bout iceland?
do ya wanna go to greenland?
what the fucks in ireland?
why do you wanna fuckin go to ukraine?
you wanna go to fuckin rome?
you wanna go to sicily?
what the fucks in morocco?
but what the fucks in egypt?
why the fuck do ya wanna go to new zealand?
fuck korea
do ya wanna go to japan?
why do you fuckin wanna go to china
but the fuck do you wanna go australia
why the fuck do you wanna go to india thailand and indonesia
screw africa
do you wanna go to the arctic?
do you wanna go to south america?
you think we could drive down through south america?
the fucks in venezuela?
and why the fuck do you wanna go to paraguay?
why the fuck you wanna go to argentina?
why the fuck you wanna go to cuba
why fuck you wanna go to canada?
why do you wanna go to alaska?

minnesota

2008-12-03T08:03:00.001-08:00

LOL so i called anita rita in the last post ;p

just watched an episode of bizarre foods with andrew zimmern.

so he did one on minnesota and yeah seemed pretty badass. lots of scandinavians, their football team is called teh vikings after all, i think the biggest concentration of scandinavians in the world outside of scandinavia so they said. but yeah lots of people from iceland finland norway denmark and the like and the language availablity of icelandic might actually be a reality.

2008-11-06T12:16:00.000-08:00

so this might end up turnign into a reality soon been talking with my new friend rita about taking her along and she wants to go so i might go with her along it should be itneresting i want to see alot of cities and i think shes just the kind of person to bring along for something like this.

2008-10-25T17:11:00.000-07:00

this ideas still active, but i havent really done anything to plan for it. ill probably need to book hotels in all the different spots and then just go for it.

2008-10-08T21:58:00.000-07:00

so i think it'd be cool to hit boston and the canada spots plus the uh... other east coast bits like maine and such, by car, in the next week or so. yep, i think that'd rock, and if i bring a few bits n bobs, i could record a pretty sick album just with a laptop. but the main thing is drivin to these places. so yea.

ive got some time off

2008-10-08T15:30:00.000-07:00

so ive got some time off, and i think it might be a good chance to go out to the east coast n see all these places i was thinkin of, so this may very well happen

2008-08-18T23:55:00.001-07:00

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Beavercreek
to Cincinnati 1hr 6mins
to Dallas 14hr 2mins
to LA 20hr 36min
to San Fran 5hr 48min
to Portland 9hr 56min
to Seattle 2hr 52min
to Denver 18hr 54min
to Beavercreek 18hr 9min

2008-08-18T22:54:00.001-07:00

View Larger Map

Beavercreek
to Toronto 7hrs 25mins
( sleep there 1 )
to Montreal 5hrs 42mins
( sleep there 2 )
to Portland Maine 5hrs 44mins
( sleep there 3 )
to Boston 2hrs
( sleep there 4 )
to NYC 2hrs 58mins
( sleep there 5 )
to Philadelphia 1hrs 53mins
( sleep there 6 )
to Washington DC 2hrs 41mins
( sleep there 7 )
to Beavercreek 7hrs 58mins

my family got to go to cali

2008-08-08T18:18:00.000-07:00

and im ready to go myself. turns out my school ends or rather begins on the 23rd of september and that leaves me with 7 14 21 more days than i thought i had so im thinking through th details of a trip to... cali.

Hollywood

2008-07-01T10:14:00.000-07:00

the hollywood wiki
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hollywood

so they're saying it's a district of los angles in cali. they've got the hollywood "walk of fame". there's famous cinemas that premiere films.

The current season of real world is being filmed in hollywood.

California

2008-07-01T10:06:00.001-07:00

Alrighty, so brain storming about California, the things I know of that I've heard of that sound cool are the Redwoods, the Beaches, Surfing, the Culture, the Music, the Atmosphere, the Weather, the center of Technology, perhaps Green technology, the center of Film... I think that's a good starting point.

So the technology is supposed to be... Silicon Valley. And then Surfing'd be on the Beaches. and... the Redwoods I *think are in the Northern part of the state. Green Tech'd be all over the state, I could find out about Orgs via the net and see what they're about and up to down there. The center of Craigslist is in San Francisco? I think.

There's the Sony Fan Faire in Las Vegas.. Nevada.

the california wiki:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California

the SoE ... thing

2008-07-01T10:03:00.000-07:00

What is a Fan Faire?
The SOE Fan Faire is a Sony Online Entertainment-sponsored event designed to allow players the chance not only to meet one another, but also many of the more prominent SOE personalities. It's a great opportunity to meet the real people behind the online avatars and the game itself. Though attendees will have plenty of opportunity to mingle freely with one another and make new friends, they'll also have the chance to participate in a number of panel discussions and game-themed live events.

from http://events.station.sony.com/fanfaire/faq.vm

Las Vegas - Aug 14 15 16 17

Denver, Colorado

2008-04-25T22:39:00.000-07:00

Southern Rocky MountainsThe High Plains are a subregion of the Great Plains in the central United States, located in eastern Colorado, western Kansas, western Nebraska, central and eastern Montana, eastern New Mexico, western Oklahoma, northwestern Texas, and southeastern Wyoming. In some definitions of the subregion, parts of western South Dakota and North Dakota are included. From east to west, the High Plains rise in elevation from around 750 m (2500 ft) to over 1800 m (6000 ft).

The High Plains are semiarid, receiving between 250–500 mm (10–20 in) of precipitation annually. Shortgrass prairie and scrub vegetation cover the region, with occasional buttes or other rocky outcrops. Agriculture in the forms of cattle ranching and the growing of wheat, cotton and sunflowers is the primary economic activity in the region. The aridity of the region necessitates either dryland farming methods or irrigation; much water for irrigation is drawn from the underlying Ogallala Aquifer. Some areas have significant petroleum and natural gas deposits.

The High Plains has one of the lowest population densities of any region in the continental United States; Wyoming, for example, has the second lowest population density in the country before Alaska. In contrast to the rather low and stagnant population in northern and western High Plains, cities in west Texas have shown sustained growth. Amarillo and Lubbock, Texas both exceed populations of 200,000. Smaller towns often struggle to sustain their population.

Miami, Florida

2008-04-25T22:36:00.000-07:00

It is an international center for popular entertainment in television, music, fashion, film and the performing arts. The city's Port of Miami is known for accommodating the largest volume of cruise ships in the world and is home to many cruise line headquarters.

Dallas, Texas

2008-04-25T22:33:00.000-07:00

One major art infusion in the area is the city's lax stance on graffiti; consequently, several public ways including tunnels, sides of buildings, sidewalks, and streets are covered in murals. Today, Deep Ellum is home to hundreds of artists who live in lofts and operate in studios throughout the district alongside bars, pubs, and concert venues. The Cedars has a growing population of studio artists and an expanding roster of entertainment venues. The area's art scene began to grow in the early 2000s with the opening of Southside on Lamar, a Sears warehouse converted into lofts, studios, and retail.

New Orleans, Louisiana

2008-04-25T22:25:00.000-07:00

worst civil engineering disaster in American history
80% of the city flooded
56% of the pre-Katrina population

Detroit, Michigan

2008-04-25T22:18:00.000-07:00

Detroit area is the only major U.S. city that looks south to Canada. It is known as the world's traditional automotive center. Popular local bands producing and performing music included artists like: the MC5, The Stooges, Bob Seger, Amboy Dukes featuring Ted Nugent, Mitch Ryder and The Detroit Wheels, Rare Earth, Alice Cooper. The city also has an active garage rock scene that has generated national attention with acts such as: The White Stripes, The Von Bondies, The Dirtbombs, Electric Six, and more recently by bands like The Hard Lessons and former P-Funk Allstar drummer Gabe Gonzalez's Funk Band The Enemy Squad. Detroit hip hop rose to prominence in the late nineties with the emergence of Eminem, Slum Village, D12, J Dilla, Obie Trice, Proof, and Esham.

a top 50 list

2008-04-25T22:15:00.000-07:00

Popular Destinations in United States of America

1. New York City
2. San Francisco
3. Las Vegas
4. Chicago
5. Los Angeles
6. Boston
7. San Diego
8. New Orleans
9. Seattle
10. Orlando
11. Philadelphia
12. Honolulu
13. Dallas
14. Houston
15. Atlanta
16. San Antonio
17. Miami
18. Key West
19. Baltimore
20. Portland
21. Austin
22. Yosemite National Park
23. Grand Canyon
24. Denver
25. Saint Louis

26. Minneapolis
27. Yellowstone National Park
28. Miami Beach
29. Monterey
30. Phoenix
31. Tampa
32. Death Valley National Park
33. Tucson
34. Cincinnati
35. Detroit
36. Fort Worth
37. Pittsburgh
38. Anchorage
39. Savannah
40. Charleston
41. Saint Augustine
42. Kansas City
43. Memphis
44. Albuquerque
45. Richmond
46. Cleveland
47. Indianapolis
48. Salt Lake City
49. Sacramento
50. Niagara Falls

2008-04-25T11:29:00.001-07:00

American football is the most popular spectator sport in the United States. It is a combat game where highly trained athletes skillfully and brutally execute strategic plans. Attending a football game often begins with a "tailgate party" in the parking lot of the stadium followed by several hours of rowdy, emotionally charged excitement. Most fans watch football while gathered in a local bar or at a friend's home in front of a big-screen TV.

2008-04-25T11:27:00.001-07:00

The Indian reservations are actually sovereign nations within the United States of America. They govern themselves; maintain their own police force and their own system of justice. When you visit a reservation, you are under the laws of the tribe. Some Indian tribes have taken advantage of this independent political status by allowing gambling on their reservations while the states around them prohibit it. Indian casinos now attract many tourists from the surrounding no-gambling states. On some reservations, the tribes also sell cigarettes, alcohol or gasoline at reduced prices due to their exemption from state taxes.

The Indian reservation is the spiritual and cultural center for all members of the tribe including those living far from it. The native language, the cultural traditions and the religious ceremonies are typically preserved by the tribal members living on the reservation. Unfortunately, you will not get much chance to experience Indian culture by visiting the Indian casino or by purchasing cheap cigarettes in the reservation store. Most of the authentic religious ceremonies and cultural events are not open to the public.

The Number of Countries in the World

2008-04-25T11:18:00.001-07:00

Mar 18 2008
A very frequent geographical question is "How many countries are in the world?" Different numbers pop up when one inquires or reads about the number of countries in the world. Each source you use often yields a different answer. Ultimately, the best answer is that there are 195 countries in the world.

United Nations

There are 192 members of the United Nations. Unfortunately, the number 192 is too often used to represent the number of countries in the world. Although this number represents almost all of the countries in the world, there are still two recognized independent countries, the Vatican City and Kosovo, that are independent and are not members of the U.N. so 192 is not the number of countries in the world.

U.S. Department of State

The United States' State Department recognizes 194 independent countries around the world. Their list of 194 countries reflects the political agenda of the United States of America and its allies. Missing from the State Department's list is one entity that may or may not be considered a country, depending on who you talk to.

The One Outsider

Taiwan meets the requirements of independent country or state status. However, due to political reasons, it fails to be recognized by the international community as independent. Nonetheless, it should be considered as independent.

Taiwan was actually a member of the United Nations (and even the Security Council) until 1971, when mainland China replaced Taiwan in the organization. Taiwan continues to press for full recognition by other countries, to become "part of the club" and fully recognized worldwide but China claims that Taiwan is simply a province of China.

Thus...

Your Guide considers there to be 195 countries in the world, which is probably the best current answer to the question, "How many countries are in the world?"

However...

Recognize that there are dozens of territories and colonies that are sometimes erroneously called "countries" but don't count at all - they're governed by other countries. Places commonly confused as being countries include Puerto Rico, Bermuda, Greenland, Palestine, Western Sahara, and even the components of the United Kingdom (such as Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and England - they're not fully independent countries, states, or nation-states).

capitols of every country in the world

2008-04-25T11:15:00.001-07:00

Afghanistan - Kabul
Albania - Tirane
Algeria - Algiers
Andorra - Andorra la Vella
Angola - Luanda
Antigua and Barbuda - Saint John's
Argentina - Buenos Aires
Armenia - Yerevan
Australia - Canberra
Austria - Vienna
Azerbaijan - Baku
The Bahamas - Nassau
Bahrain - Manama
Bangladesh - Dhaka
Barbados - Bridgetown
Belarus - Minsk
Belgium - Brussels
Belize - Belmopan
Benin - Porto-Novo
Bhutan - Thimphu
Bolivia - La Paz (administrative); Sucre (judicial)
Bosnia and Herzegovina - Sarajevo
Botswana - Gaborone
Brazil - Brasilia
Brunei - Bandar Seri Begawan
Bulgaria - Sofia
Burkina Faso - Ouagadougou
Burundi - Bujumbura
Cambodia - Phnom Penh
Cameroon - Yaounde
Canada - Ottawa
Cape Verde - Praia
Central African Republic - Bangui
Chad - N'Djamena
Chile - Santiago
China - Beijing
Colombia - Bogota
Comoros - Moroni
Congo, Republic of the - Brazzaville
Congo, Democratic Republic of the - Kinshasa
Costa Rica - San Jose
Cote d'Ivoire - Yamoussoukro (official); Abidjan (de facto)
Croatia - Zagreb
Cuba - Havana
Cyprus - Nicosia
Czech Republic - Prague
Denmark - Copenhagen
Djibouti - Djibouti
Dominica - Roseau
Dominican Republic - Santo Domingo
East Timor (Timor-Leste) - Dili
Ecuador - Quito
Egypt - Cairo
El Salvador - San Salvador
Equatorial Guinea - Malabo
Eritrea - Asmara
Estonia - Tallinn
Ethiopia - Addis Ababa
Fiji - Suva
Finland - Helsinki
France - Paris
Gabon - Libreville
The Gambia - Banjul
Georgia - Tbilisi
Germany - Berlin
Ghana - Accra
Greece - Athens
Grenada - Saint George's
Guatemala - Guatemala City
Guinea - Conakry
Guinea-Bissau - Bissau
Guyana - Georgetown
Haiti - Port-au-Prince
Honduras - Tegucigalpa
Hungary - Budapest
Iceland - Reykjavik
India - New Delhi
Indonesia - Jakarta
Iran - Tehran
Iraq - Baghdad
Ireland - Dublin
Israel - Jerusalem
Italy - Rome
Jamaica - Kingston
Japan - Tokyo
Jordan - Amman
Kazakhstan - Astana
Kenya - Nairobi
Kiribati - Tarawa Atoll
Korea, North - Pyongyang
Korea, South - Seoul
Kosovo - Pristina
Kuwait - Kuwait City
Kyrgyzstan - Bishkek
Laos - Vientiane
Latvia - Riga
Lebanon - Beirut
Lesotho - Maseru
Liberia - Monrovia
Libya - Tripoli
Liechtenstein - Vaduz
Lithuania - Vilnius
Luxembourg - Luxembourg
Macedonia - Skopje
Madagascar - Antananarivo
Malawi - Lilongwe
Malaysia - Kuala Lumpur
Maldives - Male
Mali - Bamako
Malta - Valletta
Marshall Islands - Majuro
Mauritania - Nouakchott
Mauritius - Port Louis
Mexico - Mexico City
Micronesia, Federated States of - Palikir
Moldova - Chisinau
Monaco - Monaco
Mongolia - Ulaanbaatar
Montenegro - Podgorica
Morocco - Rabat
Mozambique - Maputo
Myanmar (Burma) - Rangoon (Yangon); Nay Pyi Taw (administrative)
Namibia - Windhoek
Nauru - no official capital; government offices in Yaren District
Nepal - Kathmandu
Netherlands - Amsterdam; The Hague (seat of government)
New Zealand - Wellington
Nicaragua - Managua
Niger - Niamey
Nigeria - Abuja
Norway - Oslo
Oman - Muscat
Pakistan - Islamabad
Palau - Melekeok
Panama - Panama City
Papua New Guinea - Port Moresby
Paraguay - Asuncion
Peru - Lima
Philippines - Manila
Poland - Warsaw
Portugal - Lisbon
Qatar - Doha
Romania - Bucharest
Russia - Moscow
Rwanda - Kigali
Saint Kitts and Nevis - Basseterre
Saint Lucia - Castries
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines - Kingstown
Samoa - Apia
San Marino - San Marino
Sao Tome and Principe - Sao Tome
Saudi Arabia - Riyadh
Senegal - Dakar
Serbia - Belgrade
Seychelles - Victoria
Sierra Leone - Freetown
Singapore - Singapore
Slovakia - Bratislava
Slovenia - Ljubljana
Solomon Islands - Honiara
Somalia - Mogadishu
South Africa - Pretoria (administrative); Cape Town (legislative); Bloemfontein (judiciary)
Spain - Madrid
Sri Lanka - Colombo; Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte (legislative)
Sudan - Khartoum
Suriname - Paramaribo
Swaziland - Mbabane
Sweden - Stockholm
Switzerland - Bern
Syria - Damascus
Taiwan - Taipei
Tajikistan - Dushanbe
Tanzania - Dar es Salaam; Dodoma (legislative)
Thailand - Bangkok
Togo - Lome
Tonga - Nuku'alofa
Trinidad and Tobago - Port-of-Spain
Tunisia - Tunis
Turkey - Ankara
Turkmenistan - Ashgabat
Tuvalu - Vaiaku village, Funafuti province
Uganda - Kampala
Ukraine - Kyiv
United Arab Emirates - Abu Dhabi
United Kingdom - London
United States of America - Washington D.C.
Uruguay - Montevideo
Uzbekistan - Tashkent
Vanuatu - Port-Vila
Vatican City (Holy See) - Vatican City
Venezuela - Caracas
Vietnam - Hanoi
Yemen - Sanaa
Zambia - Lusaka
Zimbabwe - Harare

2008-04-25T11:13:00.000-07:00

there are 195 countries in the world

I've pinned 47 cities in 11 countries

i've got a long way to go, lol.

west coast

2008-04-24T17:16:00.001-07:00

The "West Coast", "Western Seaboard", or "Pacific Seaboard" are terms for the westernmost coastal states of the Western United States, comprising most often California, Oregon and Washington. Arizona and Nevada, while not coastal states, are also often included in the West Coast due to their proximity to the Pacific Coast and their economic and cultural ties to California (such as Arizona's two largest universities which are members of the Pacific 10 Conference). Although not part of the contiguous United States, Alaska and Hawaii do border the Pacific Ocean and could be included in the West Coast. As of 2007, the estimated population of the West Coast ranged from approximately 50–60 million, depending on which states are included in the estimate.[1]

An older term, thought to have arisen in the Northeastern United States, refers to the West Coast simply as "the Coast." The West Coast can also be referred to jokingly as the "Left Coast", a pun based on its lefthand position on a north-centric map of the U.S., as well as its reputation for being more politically liberal (or "left-wing") than some other parts of the United States.

east coast

2008-04-24T17:10:00.000-07:00

First encountered by Europeans in 1524 by Italian explorer Giovanni da Verrazzano, this region of the North American continent became part of the Atlantic world, and had elaborate trade interconnections with Britain, France, Africa, as well as with the British, French and Spanish colonies of the New World. It was also the scene of large scale colonization by the British starting in the 1580s. Some colonies failed but most thrived. On the other hand the Dutch, Swedish, Spanish and other colonies were eventually taken over by the English speakers. A series of wars between Britain and the French (and Indians), and Spanish, and then wars between the Americans and the British and their Indian allies, kept the frontier regions violent down to 1814. The Americans grew rapidly, and moved to frontiers in the west, and also to the North and South, in unstoppable waves after 1750. The attempts by the (British) Government to prevent European settlement west of the Appalachians (in order to pacify former Native American allies following Pontiac's War, were the primary cause of the American colonist's rebellion. The very rapid demographic growth was due to enormous amounts of good land, ample food, and a favorable disease environment. The Americans doubled in number every 25 years by natural increase. This was augmented before 1775 by steady flows of new migrants from Britain, as well as large numbers from Germany, plus slave purchases. Immigration fell off after 1775, then resumed about 1840. Millions of "old" immigrants came from Britain, Ireland, Germany and Scandinavia before 1890, and even more millions came from Southern and Eastern Europe between 1890 and 1914, when war and immigration restrictions stopped most population movement. Large scale immigration did not resume until the 1960s.

The 13 colonies developed their own political culture in the 18th century, called republicanism. They revolted in 1775, creating the new "United States of America" in 1776.

the current location list

2008-04-24T16:49:00.002-07:00

* Boston, MA
* Portland, OR
* Washington, DC, DC
* Maine
* Texas
* California
* Colorado
* Seattle, WA

10 most beautiful

2008-04-24T16:49:00.001-07:00

1. Red Rock Country (Sedona, Ariz.)
Ever since the early days of movies, when Hollywood has wanted to show the unique beauty of the West, it has gone to Sedona, a place that looks like nowhere else. Beginning with The Call of the Canyon in 1923, some hundred movies and TV shows have been filmed in and around town. We fell under Sedona's spell, too, and while debating our No. 1 spot kept returning to it for the same reasons Hollywood does: The area's telegenic canyons, wind-shaped buttes and dramatic sandstone towers embody the rugged character of the West -- and the central place that character holds in our national identity. There's a timelessness about these ancient rocks that fires the imagination of all who encounter them. Some 11,000 years before film cameras discovered Sedona, American Indians settled the area. Homesteaders, artists and, most recently, New Age spiritualists have followed. Many cultures and agendas abound, but there's really only one attraction: the sheer, exuberant beauty of the place. People come for inspiration and renewal, tawny cliffs rising from the buff desert floor, wind singing through box canyons, and sunsets that seem to cause the ancient buttes and spires to glow from within. We hear the canyon's call and cannot resist. For more, go to www.sedona.net.
2. Nighttime view from Mount Washington in Pittsburgh
In a nation with a wealth of stunning cities full of compelling stories, ranking Pittsburgh as the No. 2 beauty spot is perhaps our most surprising choice. But the Steel City's aesthetic appeal is undeniable, as is its very American capacity for renewal. Standing atop Mount Washington, the steep hill that rises giddily on the city's south side, sightseers enjoy the unforgettable panorama of the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers flowing together to create the mighty Ohio, that waterway so essential in the nation's settlement. The rivers cup downtown's lustrous Golden Triangle, where landmark skyscrapers thrust upward like rockets. At night, lights twinkle on no fewer than 15 bridges. Almost as breathtaking as the vista itself is the urban renewal that made it possible. A century ago, a pall of smoke lay so thick over town that streetlights burned all day. As Pittsburgh continues an evolutionary course that has taken it from trading post to transportation hub to industrial goliath, we salute its reinvention into one of America's most scenic and livable communities. In the life of a city, there's nothing more beautiful, or inspiring, than a renaissance. For more, go to pittsburgh.net.
3. The upper Mississippi River
For third-place honors, we turn to an area less celebrated than others, but nonetheless packed with the unique beauty our nation abounds in. Its low profile makes it all the more charming. To truly appreciate the Mississippi, we leave the familiar territory of Huck and Tom and take a spin on the Great River Road as it runs alongside Old Muddy's upper reaches through Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin and Minnesota. One of the nation's most scenic routes, it winds over hills, atop towering bluffs and through one 19th-century river town after another. The sites along the way read like chapters in American history. Ancient Indian burial mounds punctuate rolling parkland, sidewheelers ply the river, and villages on either bank present fine examples of Steamboat Gothic, the ornate architectural style born in the heyday of river travel. In Galena, Ill., 85% of the buildings are on the National Register of Historic Places. At Trempealeau, Wis., the Trempealeau Hotel has offered haven to watermen since 1888. The whole laid-back region's real draw is the river itself. Steady and timeless, it makes one fine traveling companion as it rolls toward the Gulf.
4. Hawaii's Na Pali Coast
At the country's extreme western edge, half a world away from the cradle of the American Revolution, we gain a flash of insight into the restlessness that drove our forebears from New England to the Pacific Ocean and beyond. They pushed west in search of paradise. Amid the coral reefs, beaches and mist-shrouded volcanic peaks of Hawaii's oldest island, they surely found it. Along the Kalalau Trail on the Na Pali coast of Kauai, verdant mountains plunge 4,000 feet into the sparkling Pacific. A short hike inland, where Hanakapi'ai Falls pours into a crystal pool and tropical flowers dapple the lush hillsides, the play of color and light creates the effect of an Impressionist painting gone native. Experience the splendor at your own risk: The hardest thing about a trip to Kauai is boarding the plane to go back home. For more, go to kauaivisitorsbureau.org.
5. Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco
Engineering marvel, art deco icon, monument to progress: The Golden Gate Bridge does much more than connect San Francisco to Marin County. Named for the strait it spans -- the 3-mile passage between San Francisco Bay and the Pacific -- the bridge is a grand symbol of one of the world's most striking cities. Completed in 1937, the $35 million structure of concrete and steel embodied a city's unquenchable spirit -- and, by extension, the nation's. Set off by its signature orange paint job, twin 750-foot towers that seem to disappear into the heavens and spidery cables that stretch like harp strings, the Golden Gate was unlike anything else ever built. At 4,200 feet, the main suspension span was easily the world's longest. (Almost 70 years later, it ranks seventh.) Facts and figures tell only a partial story: Admired as a practical feat, the bridge is beloved as a work of art, one of the greatest the 20th century produced in any medium. For more, go to sfvisitor.org.
6. Grafton, Vt.
Had the French explorer Samuel de Champlain arrived in Vermont in the autumn of 1609 instead of summer, he never would have dubbed the land "Vert Mont." In fall, the foothills of the state's namesake Green Mountains blaze red, yellow and orange. Among the choicest spots to take in nature's annual art show is Grafton, right, one of the state's prettiest hamlets and, thanks to the efforts of the non-profit Windham Foundation, arguably its best preserved. The foundation has rehabilitated more than 50 historic buildings, including the Old Tavern at Grafton, a one-time stagecoach stop. Other man-made attractions include the award-winning Grafton Village Cheese factory, a pair of graceful New England churches, a nature museum, a smattering of art galleries and the almost obligatory covered bridge. But the compact village of 600 isn't really about picturesque buildings. It's about the Yankee virtues of simplicity, modesty and saving things that matter. Past and present harmonize sweetly in this vital community. Come fall, you'd swear you can hear the brilliant hillsides singing. For more, go to www.graftonvermont.org.
7. Jenny Lake in Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming
America has older mountains than the Tetons, and higher ones. But it has none more dramatic. The jagged range was formed 6 million to 9 million years ago, when grinding pressure along the Teton Fault caused two massive sections of the Earth's crust to come unhinged. On the rift's west side, a block reared up to form the Teton range. On the east, a separate block buckled under, creating the valley known as Jackson Hole. This geologic violence is what makes the Tetons so spectacular: Forgoing the nicety of foothills, a dozen 12,000-foot peaks shoot abruptly from the valley floor, literally an eruption of granite. Amid the grandeur lies glittering Jenny Lake, left. Named for the Shoshone bride of a 19th-century trapper, the pristine, 2.5-mile-long body of water mirrors the mountains' glory. Beloved by canoeists, hikers and honeymooners, lovely Jenny is also popular with elk, moose and trumpeter swans. Small and dazzling, she is one of the true jewels of our glorious national park system. For more, go to nps.gov/grte/.
8. From Key Largo to Key West in Florida
So little actual land, so many associations: coral reefs, Key deer, manatees, pirates, Key lime pie, silver palms, Bogart and Bacall downing gangsters in Key Largo, Hemingway downing mojitos at Sloppy Joe's in Key West. Florida's freewheeling Keys, it has been said, is where things settle when you pick up the continent and shake it. This much is certain: In the Conch Republic, as Key West is sometimes called, a spirited sense of American individualism prevails. Skipping down the fragile, ribbon-thin 110-mile archipelago on U.S. 1, visitors see things that exist nowhere else in the country. With a peak elevation of 18 feet, the land mass can seem but an afterthought to the shimmering Atlantic on one side and the blue-green Gulf on the other. In places the only thing separating them is the roadway itself, panoptic water enchanting travelers with the deliciously disorienting sensation that they've become one with the sea. Along with famously colorful residents and fauvist sunsets, it's one more Key reason to visit this beguiling place. For more, go to fla-keys.com.
9. Clingmans Dome along the Appalachian Trail in Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Winding through 14 states as it makes its rugged way from Georgia to Maine, the entire Appalachian Trail ranks high on any list of scenic gems. First proposed in 1921 by hiking enthusiast Benton MacKaye, the trail came into service as a continuous footpath across the Eastern states in 1937. A monumental achievement, and one that has given countless Americans fresh appreciation for the vastness of the land, it rewards exploration of every well-trod mile. Clingmans Dome, at Tennessee's eastern edge, rises to 6,643 feet, the highest point along the 2,172-mile trail. The surrounding Smokies support more than 4,000 species of plants, 230 types of birds and some 65 mammal species. From a lookout at the summit, hikers gaze upon a fog-streaked wilderness and see the East as it existed hundreds of years ago, lush forest stretching unbroken in every direction. Among the clouds, one feels doubly awed: by our county's magnificent nature, and by our duty to steward it. For more, go to nps.gov/appa/.
10. The squares of Savannah, Ga.
In this charmed city, the urban and the pastoral gracefully mingle in a uniquely Southern way -- that is, with gentility and a generous dollop of mystery. Shaded by live oaks, perfumed by magnolias and surrounded by historic buildings, 22 enchanting public squares (including Columbia Square, above) beckon like secret gardens. Feasts for the eyes, balm for the soul, the vest-pocket parks serve as gathering places, serene retreats and tourist attractions all rolled into one. Spanish moss romantically drapes Pulaski Square, named for Revolutionary War hero Gen. Casimir Pulaski. At Chippewa Square, lorded over by a statue of Georgia's founder, James Oglethorpe, pay respects to the man who drew up Savannah's triumphant 18th-century street plan. Forrest Gump had the right idea: He contemplated life from a bench in Chippewa Square. For more, go to

seattle

2008-04-24T16:46:00.000-07:00

wbritstyle (7:39:48 PM): yo
pFoDisciple (7:39:55 PM): word
wbritstyle (7:40:02 PM): so im tryin to figure out where to go n shit
wbritstyle (7:40:20 PM): boston portland dc maine texas cali colorado
wbritstyle (7:40:25 PM): anywhere else?
pFoDisciple (7:40:31 PM): seattle is awesome
wbritstyle (7:40:53 PM): i heard it sucks
wbritstyle (7:40:57 PM): why is it good
pFoDisciple (7:41:11 PM): great music scene, plenty of people our age
wbritstyle (7:41:11 PM): i have never been
wbritstyle (7:41:19 PM): sold
pFoDisciple (7:41:26 PM): just lots of cool shit in general
pFoDisciple (7:41:33 PM): when you go there
pFoDisciple (7:41:38 PM): you NEED to go to EMP
wbritstyle (7:42:01 PM): what is the emp
pFoDisciple (7:42:15 PM): one sec
pFoDisciple (7:42:18 PM): I'll find the site
pFoDisciple (7:42:45 PM): no one will appreciate this place more than you
pFoDisciple (7:42:47 PM): I think
pFoDisciple (7:42:48 PM): http://www.empsfm.org/
wbritstyle (7:43:06 PM): first reaction, looks lame!
wbritstyle (7:43:16 PM): but i think i know what it is
wbritstyle (7:43:20 PM): i think i've seen a doc on this place
wbritstyle (7:43:34 PM): so that's in seattle is it
pFoDisciple (7:43:40 PM): yup
wbritstyle (7:43:48 PM): cool
pFoDisciple (7:43:53 PM): and the sci-fi museum is cool if you're into that
pFoDisciple (7:44:04 PM): but the music stuff is amazing
wbritstyle (7:44:05 PM): don't they have storm troopers in dc
wbritstyle (7:44:18 PM): in the ... big museum name of i've forgotten
pFoDisciple (7:44:21 PM): theres soundbooths all over the place, and you can just fuck around in em, even record your stuff
wbritstyle (7:44:41 PM): sounds like i need to see it
pFoDisciple (7:44:45 PM): you'll like it

2008-04-24T15:56:00.001-07:00

Popular Destinations

1. Las Vegas
2. New York City
3. Chicago
4. Atlanta
5. San Francisco
6. Reno
7. New Orleans
8. Miami
9. Washington
10. Orlando

florida

2008-04-24T15:19:00.000-07:00

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florida

atlanta

2008-04-24T15:17:00.000-07:00

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlanta

most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia

In the early 1980s, Atlanta was the home of a thriving new wave music scene

Liberty_bell

2008-04-24T15:16:00.000-07:00

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberty_bell

The Liberty Bell, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is a bell of great historic significance. The Liberty Bell is one of the most prominent symbols associated with the American Revolutionary War. It is one of the most familiar symbols of independence within the United States, and has been described as an international icon of liberty and justice for all.[1]

According to tradition, its most famous ringing occurred on July 8, 1776, to summon citizens of Philadelphia for the reading of the Declaration of Independence. The bell had also been rung to announce the opening of the First Continental Congress in 1774 and after the Battle of Lexington and Concord in 1775.

maine

2008-04-24T15:10:00.000-07:00

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maine

a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America.

It is known for its scenery — its jagged, mostly rocky coastline; its low, rolling mountains; and its heavily forested interior — as well as for its seafood cuisine, especially lobsters and clams.

USA map

2008-04-24T15:09:00.001-07:00

silicon valley

2008-04-24T15:08:00.001-07:00

A 2006 Wall Street Journal story found that 13 of the 20 most inventive towns in America were in California, and 10 of those were in Silicon Valley. [6] San Jose led the list with 3,867 utility patents filed in 2005, and number two was Sunnyvale, at 1,881 utility patents.[7]

silicon valley

2008-04-24T15:06:00.000-07:00

Silicon Valley is the southern part of the San Francisco Bay Area in Northern California, United States. The term originally referred to the region's large number of silicon chip innovators and manufacturers, but eventually came to refer to all the high-tech businesses in the area; it is now generally used as a metonym for the high-tech sector. Despite the development of other high-tech economic centers throughout the United States, Silicon Valley continues to be the leading high-tech hub because of its large number of engineers and venture capitalists. Geographically, Silicon Valley encompasses the northern part of Santa Clara Valley and adjacent communities.

Sony Online Entertainment headquarters in San Diego

2008-04-24T15:02:00.001-07:00

washington dc

2008-04-24T15:01:00.001-07:00

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washington,_D.C.

Washington, D.C., (pronounced /ˈwɒʃɪŋtən ˌdiːˈsiː/) is the capital of the United States.

colorado

2008-04-24T14:58:00.001-07:00

The last time we were in Denver was January 23, 1995. The new airport was scheduled to open the next day, and elaborate logistical schemes were afoot to shut down operations at Stapleton, the old airport. Exactly at midnight, everything from landings to rental car pickups commenced at Denver's futuristic new facility.

Denver International Airport was already world famous, not because it's the largest in the United States, but because the amount it ran over budget exceeded the gross national product of a medium-sized country. In addition, United Airlines' computerized baggage-handling equipment was reported to be better at mangling than delivery.

As soon as Denver International Airport opened on January 24, 1995, it fell out of the headlines. Even the baggage equipment worked like a dream, and it is rapidly becoming the major hub it was built to be.

We needed to buy a plane ticket, so we decided to do it at the airport. The first thing we noticed was how far away it is from downtown. Denver's a boomtown, and the planners must be looking ahead. The main terminal, with its range of white peaks, rises solitary from a plain. "It would make a perfect set for a science fiction movie," said Mark. Inside, the terminal looks like a cross between a big top and a cathedral. The floors are polished granite, and a forest of subtropical trees fills the center. Dignitaries from another planet could be greeted in proper style here, and the Enterprise would look perfectly natural sitting at one of the gates.

We didn't have the pleasure of lifting off from the runway and watching the white sails disappear below us. We heard later they're supposed to represent the tallest peaks in the Rockies. With the growing popularity of Denver's mega-port as a hub, it won't be long until they're a familiar site to every frequent flyer.

http://coolcities.us/ - addressing global warming

2008-04-24T14:57:00.000-07:00

All over America, communities are taking action to help solve global warming. From hybrid vehicle fleets in Charlotte, to green buildings in Austin, and homes powered with renewable energy in Seattle, local governments are moving forward with innovative energy solutions that curb global warming, save taxpayer dollars, and create healthier cities. These local leaders are moving America toward a safer and more secure future. Register or log in now!

arizona

2008-04-24T14:55:00.001-07:00

In 1962, London Bridge was falling down. Built in 1831, the bridge couldn't handle the ever-increasing flow of traffic across the Thames River. The British government decided to put the bridge up for sale, and Robert McCulloch, Founder of Lake Havasu City, Arizona, and Chairman of McCulloch Oil Corporation, submitted the winning bid of $2,460,000.

boston

2008-04-24T14:53:00.001-07:00

Boston (pronounced /ˈbɒstən/ (help·info)) is the capital and largest city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

chicago

2008-04-24T14:51:00.000-07:00

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicago

Chicago is a city in the U.S. state of Illinois, and the largest in the Midwest.

texas

2008-04-24T14:50:00.000-07:00

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas

Texas is the second largest U.S. state in both area and population, with an area of 268,820 square miles (696,200 km²) and a growing population of 23.9 million. Houston is the state's largest city. The Dallas/Fort Worth area is the largest metropolitan statistical area.

Traveling from east to west, the landscape of Texas gradually evolves from that of the Deep South into that of the desert Southwest, going from piney woods to semi-forests of oak and cross timbers, into rolling plains and prairie, then finally to desert in the Big Bend. It is these wide open spaces of the Texas prairie that have lent currency to the phrase that "everything is bigger in Texas."[3] Due to its long history as a center of the American cattle industry, Texas is associated throughout much of the world with the image of the cowboy.

Historically and culturally, partly due to settlement patterns and its membership in the Confederacy, Texas has close ties to the American South. However, having once been both a Spanish and Mexican possession, it can also be classified as a Southwestern state. While most residents acknowledge these categories, many claim an independent "Texan" identity superseding regional labels.

Spain was the first European country to claim Texas. In 1836 it became the independent Republic of Texas. In 1845 it joined the United States as the 28th state, causing the Mexican-American War and planting seeds for the U.S. Civil War. The discovery of oil in the early 1900s led to an economic boom in the state. It has become economically diversified, with a growing base in high technology.

toronto

2008-04-24T14:49:00.000-07:00

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toronto

largest city in Canada

NYC

2008-04-24T14:48:00.000-07:00

New York is the birthplace of many cultural movements, including the Harlem Renaissance in literature and visual art, abstract expressionism (also known as the New York School) in painting, and hip hop,[6] punk,[7] salsa, and Tin Pan Alley in music. In 2005, nearly 170 languages were spoken in the city and 36% of its population was born outside the United States.[8][9] With its 24-hour subway and constant bustling of traffic and people, New York is known as "The City That Never Sleeps;" it was first linked with "Gotham" by Washington Irving in 1807.[10]

new york city

2008-04-24T14:47:00.001-07:00

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City

most populous city in the United States

portland

2008-04-24T14:44:00.000-07:00

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portland%2C_Oregon

Oregon's most populous city

cali

2008-04-24T14:41:00.000-07:00

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California

It is the most populous U.S. state. Its four largest cities are Los Angeles, San Diego, San Jose, and San Francisco.

climate varies from Mediterranean to subarctic

2008-04-24T14:40:00.001-07:00

i want to drive to some places~