Something I’ve always wanted to do is travel. I never really did it as a kid.

Age: Places I’ve been-

• 0-17: Orlando, FL; Lake Gaston, VA
• 17-24: Nassau, Bahamas; Las Vegas, NV
• 25-26: Sandusky and Columbus, OH; Bogota, Colombia; New York, NY

My first plane ride I was 20 on my way to Vegas, but other than that I really haven’t been very far or seen very much. I’ve never even been to Miami.

Well I’m planning on making up some time. I’m thinking about doing a cross country trip on my motorcycle. I thought of this trip about 2 years ago when I bought my bike, but I was in school. Then I got a job that I couldn’t leave for more than a couple days at a time. Now I have a job that isn’t going so well (long story, but in short my boss won’t train me and I’m learning absolutely nothing working only 30 hours a week). I’m hoping that around May I can line up a new job for the late summer (I’m thinking about teaching, but that is something I need to put more thought and research into during these next few weeks.) After doing some research online it’s sort of common for people to do this, but one blog was of paticular interest to me from a 21 year old who did it in 2006.

If you need anymore inspiration for a trip this video will help. It’s a car trip that went to all 48 states, but they made a wonderful 3.5 min video:

The process…

Click here to see a very rough map of what I’ll be doing. Actually the map was just used for distance calculations and I would rather use back roads for the trip.

These are my calcs so far:

Distance/Gas: 8,300 miles, 75 gas stops @ $3 per gallon = $800+/- in gas.
Time: at 55mph for 5 hours a day it will take 31 days.

I plan on camping 70% of the time and finding a hotel or stay at a friends the other time.

I’m not sure if this trip will actually come true, but I sure hope so. I would like to try and do this in late May or early June.

There is only a few times in your life that you can take a trip like this. I’m not married, I don’t have any kids, no house, and may not have a job. So what better time than the near present. Also, being that 2012 may be the end of the world….I gotta get it in while I can.

Below: My bike, but I don’t have the front fairing and this is a 1200. I have the 600. I have to buy a windscreen.

It’s been 2 months and here is the run down:

November:

Thanksgiving Half Marathon:

Thanksgiving Outback Classic 2009 - Jacksonville, FL

Movember – A mustache growing event that helps raise funds for Testicular and Prostate cancer awareness. Yes…you read that right.

Movember - Jacksonville, FL - ClubTSI

December:

Cruise (pictures to come) – Super awesome, but the ocean was angry my friends.

Christmas (no pictures, but was awesome) – My first Colombian Christmas. They celebrate on Christmas Eve at midnight with a ton of food and drinks and a big sleep over with family and friends.

New years: Partied downtown with my b.e.a.utiful lady downtown at the landing with all my buds.

January:

The big January has arrived. The Disney Marathon I had been training for since September finally arrived. I was super slow. I wanted 4 hours, but ended with 5:12. I just wasn’t expecting what was to come. I first only trained up to 17 miles, the race is 26.2. It started at 5:30 a.m. at Epcot and runs through all 4 parks, but with 10-15,000 people trying to get to the park at once I had to be up at 3:30 and head to the park by 4:00. I barely made the start and it was only a :15 min drive. The traffic was a mad house. The weather was 17 degrees out that morning, but for the half marathon the day before there was snow and sleet. Ouch!

The day before the race though I had a great idea to dress like Mickey for the run. I don’t know if I would of finished if I wouldn’t of dressed up. So many people were screaming “Go Mickey!!!!” and little kids were like “LOOK!!!!”. It was pretty awesome. Thanks Mr. Mouse.

Jessie made my shorts and then surprised me by picking me up at the finish line dressed like Minnie. She’s such a cutie. (pics to come of us together. Camera needs to be developed…old school).

Disney Marathon 2010 - Castle

Disney Marathon 2010 - Finish

Disney Marathon 2010

Lastly was the “Race 5 to keep kids alive” this past weekend at Treaty Oak and then throughout the bridges. It was fun and I was proud of my time. It was a total last minute race. If you don’t believe look at my race number! Literally I paid my entrance fee with 10 min. before start. I had just come from the Pancake House after eating…pancakes and I felt so terrible afterwards, but it helps children.

It’s a terrible picture and looks kind of flamboyant (not that there’s anything wrong with that),  but it’s the only one I have.

Run 5 to keep kids alive - Jacksonville, FL 1/30/10

It was great! I didn’t have one thing to say that I didn’t like. The owner J. has really done a great job of picking out an awesome staff with great decor.

I may have found my new favorite place! So go and check it out!!!

View Larger Map

After many months of working on this project I finally finished. It took forever and I got about 2.5 hours of full use out of it. I wore this as I checked ID’s at the bar I worked at.

As the drunken crowd of people continued to slap the helmet (out of excitement that they thought I was RoboCop) they screwed up some of the electronics, and due to the wonderful weather of Jacksonville that doesn’t like jackets….I had to take it off, but I’m proud that I actually finished it.

This was started with Pepakura, fiberglassed and then bondo. I used a chrome spray paint, but I suggest to try something else because it didn’t hold up at all.

Thomas Bangalter – Pepakura Files

What jessie got me for our 1 year Anniversary!

In a previous post, TAL 2003, I explained that I have been listening to This American Life backwards for the past year. I’m just about to enter the year 2000. I only have till 1995 and will hopefully make it by the end of this year.

In the show I’m currently listening to they are debating about the Bush/Gore election and the recount in Florida. The show is pretty decent, but what I just realized is that 9/11 hasn’t happened yet. I want to yell at the people….I want to tell them future. It’s like watching a tragedy happen behind soundproof glass that you can’t stop.

But even if they could hear you….what would they do…and would it be spoiling the country.

You can tell a child an oven is hot and try to protect them, but the best protection is for them to get burned.

On a shallower note:

today is a Woot-Off

Then I thought “I wonder when my birthday is on a Friday again”. 2013…holy cow. I can’t believe we are so close to 2013.

So then I thought. How old will I be for my next Friday birthday….30….Really? 30…oh geeez. I can’t believe 30.

Maybe the 2012 end of the world theory will happen and I will end with a 29th birthday…on a Thursday

I got all preachy for someone talking behind somebodies back….and then…bloop…i did it. DAMNIT

Now I need to go confess or something.

What do you do when you are told, “Go do some marketing” with no direction, past history,  budget, and the person is extremely picky (but can’t say why they don’t like something).

Any ideas?

My first marathon though the 4 parks of the  happiest place on earth: 26.2 on 1/10/10

Disney Marathon

Here is write-up about this past years marathon.

I missed two shows last year that I’m really kicking myself for, Vampire Weekend and Against Me! Now is the time to redeem myself. I plan on seeing Junior Boys in October and Elvis Perkins in November.

I have found that October-November are the months to catch good shows in North Florida. Last year I got a chance to see The Faint w/ The Show’s the Rainbow and then followed it up the next day with some Portugal. The Man.

Junior Boys 10/27 $12

Elvis Perkins in Deerland 11/6 $10 -

Karen Kurycki of CMYKaren.com, Dog & Pony ShowPrints Collaboration - Elvis Perkins in Deerland

There is another show I would love to go see, but I’m not sure I can make it out. I had never heard of them until I saw this YouTube video on the Cafe Eleven website, BLK JKS. I could listen to this all day and I can’t figure out what it reminds me of, but I love it.