text:
|Thread Tools
|Search this Thread
|Display Modes
Joined: Oct 2005
Location: Wandering south....
Oddometer: 606
Fleeing the Burbs: Our 2-Wheel Education
Currently on our trip through the Americas and I'm finally getting our ride report started. Although we are much further down the road i will use some previous blog posts to get up to date as well as other photos and comments along the way. We are traveling as a family, myself, wife, and now 13 year old son on 2 GS's home schooling and exploring along the way. :-)
Departure Day September 13, 2014
By Sandy Borden
None of the members of the Trio really knew or could even grasp just how tricky it would be to leave the familiar. Wait, let me rephrase that… We didn't know how hard it would be to say goodbye. It really wasn't about saying goodbye to our home and our 'stuff', it was about our friends and family, particularly those who we're not sure will be there when we get back. My 83-year-old dad and I especially had a hard time letting go. For Terry, it was our friend Mike from our little town of McCloud. Though many tears were shed with promises of prayers and safe travels, it didn't make it any easier as we watched them become smaller and smaller in our rear views as we rolled down the road. Did you know it's difficult to see through the visor when sobbing?
One of our best friends from home
I could go on and on about what the past year has been like. I don't think mass chaos and constant panic attacks quite cover the scope of this life event. Think about it – we CHOSE to end our "dream" suburban lifestyle and take to the road for 18 months! EGADS! Instead of going on and on about the entire spectacle, let me just give you a brief synopsis of life since November of 2013: sold a house, bought a house, moved 3 ½ hours away, new school for Jack, Terry gone 3 nights a week, trying to sell a business, soft remodel on new abode, attempting to plan said trip, laundry, homework, meals, rinse, repeat, wine. There. Done. It gives me a touch of anxiety just typing that little bit! Many people ask how we did this. The best advice I can give when making a decision to change your life trajectory? Make sure you have a solid understanding and commitment with your partner(s); learn to communicate; learn to argue; and, own up to sometimes being a bit difficult to live with. That last piece of advice is by far the hardest for this strong-willed female.
When we closed the garage door on our McCloud home Saturday, September 13th, it was more bittersweet than we imagined. We were leaving most everything behind for 18 months. Huh… But, we didn't get very far that morning. We logged only a single mile to our favorite breakfast place to sit down and enjoy a meal with our McCloud family before we started our journey south. All of our friends showed up in their Adventure Trio t-shirts, curious as to how we felt, what was running through our minds, etc. There were hugs and tears as we said our final farewells, everyone waving as we were lead out with a sheriff's escort down the freeway to the county line. Many thanks, Louis, for the rock star treatment.
(Our good friend Louis from the Siskiyou County S.O. came back to town to give us an escort to the county line. His daughter Sarah rode with him and gave a sad wave from the patrol vehicle as we continued down the highway and he took the exit.
Old friends from town turned out for breakfast and farewells.
The young adults swapping some stories as well
A tough goodbye for these 2
Terry assuring Grant that we will see him upon our return
Last minute chatter before suiting up and heading off
Surreal feeling that we won't see this great town for a long while. Farewell friends....we'll be back
Our first day out had to be memorable for all members of the Trio. But, where to land that night? At only 4 hours way, it made sense to stay at the home of the grandfather of adventure travel, Ted Simon. Ted has been a friend for several years and has invited us to stay over on many an occasion. Though he wasn't home for this visit, Ted told us to come inside and make ourselves at home. So, we did. Thank you, Ted, once again for letting the Trio invade your abode.
The next stop on the tour was Healdsburg where my family eagerly awaited our 3-night stay. This stopover was not to be rushed. As my dad so fondly put it several months previous, "You'll be gone 18 months? Well, I'll be dead by then." Priceless, dad. Again, no rush. All three nights were spent with family from all sides. Cousins played, aunties and uncles got in one last hug and kiss, and sisters took pictures with promises of another get-together upon our return.
Sandwiched in that visit with dad and Arlene was a day trip to San Francisco to meet the newest Borden family member, month old Santiago, and Terry's youngest sister, Stacy. We had a brief visit with our brother-in-law, Jorge, before he had to catch a plane. We were soon joined by their friends who also brought along their little one's, the living area stuffed with new mom's and babies of varying ages. You know it's time to leave when the kiddos start to get tired, the crowd getting ugly, and the traffic beckons to trap you in its grasp. Santiago is going to be walking the next time we see him! This is when Skype comes in handy in helping to share in those milestones.
The night before our departure from Healdsburg, dad told us that if anything happened to him while we were gone, he didn't want us to come home. He wants us to continue our journey. Sorry, dad, but I'm a big girl and can make that decision for myself. He knows we have travel money set aside in case of any sort of emergency, though we'd prefer to use it to return for a surprise visit and not a celebration of life.
When it was time for us to roll out from dads, I didn't realize just how hard that moment would be. For as stoic this former Marine was on most occasions, our final hug and 'I love you' seemed to catch both of us by surprise. Dad and I could barely talk and preferred to keep the conversation short, both afraid of a complete breakdown. Jack gave his grandpa a big hug, even he finding it hard to say goodbye for now. I sobbed all the way to our next stop and for the next several hours, unsure if this was the last time I was to ever see my dad. Yes, this goodbye was by far the most difficult.
Jack & Grandpa sharing some goodbyes
Kickstands were down for one night in Santa Rosa at the home of one our best friends, Brooke. She confessed to not spreading the word of our arrival with the rest of the crew, admitting that she was being selfish with our time together. We were good with that. A night of pizza, wine and story swapping ensued, keeping us up later than we should have. We didn't mind, really. Brooke gave us a beautiful night and a royal sendoff. There's something about friends that you've known since childhood that make you feel like family.
Our old hometown of Davis was to be the place to land for the next 2 nights. We stayed with our friends, Allan and Claudia, who lived literally just around the corner from our former home of 15 years. Was it weird being back? Nah. We'd already moved on. But, it was weird to see that nothing had changed. What do I mean by that? The same frantic schedule mixed with the same need to be the busiest mommy with a splash of just plain nuts. None of us missed the usual routine. We did a short TV appearance on Good Day Sacramento, making a breakfast treat on air for our interviewer, Courtney, and sharing the story of our choice to change. Having done several interviews with this show in the past, it was yet another example of friends as family. We hung out for a while to make sure and see everyone before we were off to yet another event.
Our last night in Davis was spent with friends and former neighbors from the old the hood at the park where Jack and all the other kiddos spent countless hours on the jungle gym and see saw. Jack caught up with old friends that he'd known since birth while the adults noshed on homemade goodies washed down with a mug of homemade brew. Yes, our friend, Dan, brought a full keg of hoppy goodness to our gathering. Now, THAT'S how you go out with a bang!
It was another quick departure from Claudia and Allan's before one of us let loose on the waterworks. A few more of these moments were yet to come. The next difficult goodbye was after a few nights stay with our adopted parent's/grandparents', Dave and Judy. Terry, Jack and I never realized how hard this road of farewells was going to be, and all three of us needed this time to relax and be parented & loved. At just over 70, Dave still rides and followed us out for a few miles after finishing a ceremonial breakfast at their favorite breakfast spot in South Lake Tahoe. We were now off to meet up with our friend from McCloud, Mike, and ride to Mariposa for a weekend with our Horizons Unlimited family. It was at this event that we were to get a big sendoff and some much needed advice from our well-traveled crew.
Surrogate parents to us and grandparents to Jack, and fellow rider, in South Lake Tahoe
It's an amazing feeling knowing that you have people in your life that are more family than friends. For Terry especially, Mike is one of them. Mike wanted to ride and camp with us the week leading up to Horizons Unlimited (HU). It was a special time for stories and bonding, for Terry to get some advice and tips, and Jack to learn the basics of fly-fishing from a man who knew his way around a river. Though no fish were caught, it was a few days off the grid at Big Trees and time to tuck away some new memories. Upon our arrival at HU, we were immediately greeted with hugs and tears by our travel family, helping us find the proper spot to pitch our tent so as to remain close to our 'unit'. Yes, tears already. It was when our friend, Danell, and I locked eyes that we just couldn't keep it together. She, too, had been preparing for a yearlong journey, this one around the states. During the planning stage, we would text each other when feeling low or defeated, keeping each other moving forward and not feeling alone in our chaos. Jack found his friends of many years, Alana and Dmitri, their mom, Nicole, a very good friend and staunch supporter of our family from the beginning. Carla and Jonathan rolled in shortly after, Carla on a monster Indian that begged to be photographed by anyone with a camera. It was when Alison came rolling in with her 6 foot body on a little 225cc bike that all of us roared in laughter at this beautiful girl riding this little bike. "55MPH max!" she said. No kidding! She set up her tent next to Gina, a beautiful woman who lost her husband to cancer just one year previous. Though deaf, Gina doesn't let anything keep her from achieving her goals. It was when Fonzie rolled in on his Aprillia that we new the party had officially begun. He was yet another member of our crazy family, and we like it that way.
Nicole(Nicomama), Sandy, Carla, and Ginamarie
Nicomama's dauther, Alana & Jack, have grown up together at travel events and enjoy sharing travel stories of their crazy parents.
Sandy & Carla bid farewell....for now
We finally finished putting together our Saturday afternoon presentation and were quite pleased with the turnout. Yes, I cried…again. Such a sap. A sense of relief came over us as we were now done with our commitments and ready to cut it and roll. It was time to really get this journey started, but that meant leaving our HU family. This, too, was bittersweet because as sad as we were to say farewell, our HU family was excited for our new venture. That definitely helped make the transition easier. Goodbye for now to our motorcycle family.
(We're really doing this )
Off we go!
But, this would be a long goodbye as some of our clan followed us out through the Yosemite forest with plans to camp for the night at a remote hot springs. The idea of soaking in the springs sounded lovely as we had spent the previous night curled up in the tent, avoiding the rain and thunder that roared overhead. Unfortunately, the hot springs would not see any of our crew. A massive storm was brewing, threatening to descend upon our route with several inches of rain and snow. Delightful. Rain we can handle, but snow and freezing temps can be a bit much, especially for Jack. Inclement weather is a lot to ask of little man. And, we had lost one of our riding crew to a broken throttle cable. We had to say goodbye to Gina as she and her bike waited with the park ranger for a tow truck to take her back over the mountain. Not the way we wanted to part ways but very grateful we got to spend the extra time together.
One of our pack, Ginamarie, broke her throttle cable as we made our way through the storm to Tioga pass. After 30 minutes of attempting a roadside fix we were told she had to tow it and get off the road.
The snow and freezing temperatures almost got the best of us. It was all we could do to keep our hands from becoming hypothermic and our visors free of snow. Every scrape of snow off the visor was immediately replaced with yet another layer. The snow became rain once we started to lose altitude. A couple of shared hotel rooms were going to have to suffice for the night, Mike and Danell in one, the Trio and Fonzie in the other. With our cores once again warm, we meandered down the way for dinner and stories of surviving "The Great Blizzard of 2014".
It was the next morning and time for us to leave our friends and continue our journey south. The last of the long goodbyes was upon us. Danell was taking off for her year around the states, Fonzie was heading back to L.A. to work, and Mike was heading home to McCloud. It was a sweet embrace as neither Mike or Terry could keep a dry eye. We were leaving our McCloud friend and father, and he was leaving his kids. Safe travels to all of our families. You will be missed but, oh, the stories upon our return. PS to Mike: Your 'To-Do' list is waiting at home.
Our emotional goodbye to Mike as he headed north to McCloud and we were to head for Death Valley
Many have asked, "Do you have your route planned out? Where is your next stop?" Our answer? We're headed south. No planned route. No true direction except, well, south. Along this journey, we are making new friends who quickly become new members of our family. It is the people we meet along the way that help mold us into new and different versions of who we once were. As I finish this rather long entry, the three of us are surrounded by the family that run the tiny hotel that we have called home these past few days. They are as curious about us as we are about them. I can't even conceive how much all of us will learn about people and culture and history as we continue along this amazing ride. And, once again, we will have to say goodbye. We have to remind ourselves that it really isn't a goodbye as long as you take a piece of everyone with you, letting the experience consume you as well as change even just a tiny piece of your being. Remember, change is a good thing as long as you learn from the experience. Now, I must bid you goodbye…for now. Cheers.
Adventure Trio screwed with this post 02-08-2015 at 02:47 PM
Joined: Oct 2005
Location: Wandering south....
Oddometer: 606
October 2014
By Sandy Borden
When crossing any border, you are immediately met with a whole new set of challenges. Where do I go? Where do I stay? Where do I eat? Why does it appear that there are no rules to passing or turning or even going straight?!? Your education begins now, class. Seasoned travelers know that when entering many countries, especially Mexico, you want to get over the border early, get your paperwork in order, and start heading south. You need to have AT LEAST your first nights lodging planned as youre going to be plain exhausted once you put down that kickstand. Its a long day, but worth the mental gymnastics. So, having never been to mainland Mexico, we were expecting something like Baja with a splash of what weve been shown across every news and social media out there. Youre going to Mexico? Why? is the question we were asked most often. The best question? Are you bringing a gun? Ah, hell no! Thats one we still chuckle about. It was a conscious choice to go through this unknown piece of property. It was time to come to our own conclusions, and, as always, we made sure every member of the Trio was on board. All were accounted for. It was time to venture south and learn about this country for ourselves. You may be surprised by what you read or it may just bring up more questions for later. If nothing else, I do hope you come out on the other end a wee bit wiser about our friends to the south. Enjoy.
Everyone goes fast, but you dont get anywhere fast.
Speed limits are merely suggestions on most every stretch of road. If you dont plan on going at least 20 MPH faster than the posted speed limit, prepare to be passed. Dont fret when that large truck puts on his blinker to go around; hes done this plenty of times and will probably wave as he passes.
Left turn signals have a whole new role
Mexican drivers have it down! I have a new found appreciation for driving in Mexico. Most of the roads are only one lane each way and there really arent enough roads that take you from place to place. Well, at least safe roads. The rule for passing or being passed is turning on that left signal. Want to pass? The trucker or vehicle will turn on the left signal when it is safe for you to pass, and they will leave it on for the duration of the pass. Yes, its a wee bit scary on those narrow highways, but its the only way to get anywhere. Get used to it.
Youre always ON while riding
As a rider, your senses are naturally on high alert. Now, take that spidey sense and multiply it by 100. Thats how much you will need when it comes to making it safely to your destination. Why, you ask? Let me just give you a brief explanation of why rocks, dogs, squished dogs, people, burros, slow trucks, stopped trucks, potholes, random road construction, chickens, horses, goats, cement topes, metal topes, dips, locked gates, water crossings, mud crossings, sand, gravel. You get the picture.
120 miles is a looooong day on the road
See above.
Your senses are heightened
Im not talking just about the need to pay attention to the road. Im talking about the smell of mesquite burning, the ever-changing landscape, the aroma of fresh roadside tortillas, the pine forests and the always-present diesel exhaust. There so much to take in, no wonder you cant move once you put the kickstand down!
Youre exhausted after a day of riding
Again, see above.
Lots and lots of buzzards
Never have we seen so many of these huge birds flapping about! Granted, theres always something for them to dine upon on the side of the road, but WOW! And, heres a little story you might enjoy. Terry and Jack were rolling in front of me on the ride to Hidalgo del Parral one fine morning when out of nowhere, a very large buzzard comes flying out of the right corner and swoops down on them, ready to carry them off for their next meal. Just as I started to freak out, buzzard No. 2 comes swooping over MY right shoulder, talons out and next to my helmet. NO JOKE! I rolled on the throttle as fast as I could, sca-reeming into the com as Jacks head jerked around to see his mother almost get swept away. Seriously, talons
And, butterflies and, bees.
As I write this, Im about an hour in from my first bee sting of the trip. Seems the little bugger got into my coat somewhere along the way to Durango and decided to nest near my left armpit. Cant wait to swell with that one! Ill have fat old lady arm here in about 24 hours. Awesome. And, the butterflies are not afraid to fly right into your helmet. Visors closed, people!
Leave your ego and Its all about me attitude at the border!
Those two things have no place in this country. Nobody cares about the new iWhatever youre always staring at; no one cares what happened on the last episode of The Real Honey Boo Boo Kardashians. Whenever you cross the border, you immediately become an ambassador for your country. Remember that and act accordingly.
Is that bus coming right for me?!?
Yes, it is. But, not to worry as it will pull back into its own lane before you become a mark on the grill. Most all of the roads are very narrow, making it a bit hard at times for larger vehicles. Just stay calm and press on.
The people are very proud of their country
Mexicans are a very proud culture. Everyone claims to have the best homemade tortillas or salsa, that we will not find anything better in the next state or country. The cities are full of life and music and art. You have to be willing to settle into the culture and take it all in. Locals will tell you what you need to see or experience before you move onto the next town.
They are so excited to have Americans visiting!
They love us here! No, Im not kidding. Weve already experienced so many tales of how excited the locals are to have Americans visit their country. They want to know where youre from, why youre here and where you will be visiting next.
You will eventually find yourself eating a meal in someones personal kitchen
This is something you will come to enjoy once you get over the initial weird feeling of eating in a strangers house. Those little buildings may look closed, but, most likely, there are not. If the sign says Abierto, they are open for business. Also, you may run across a home with a small list next to the front screen announcing the meals offered for the day. You will see items like tacos, tortas and hamberguesas, all items carefully made right in the kitchen by what you are sure is your Mexican grandmother. Its cheap, its good, and leaves you wanting more of those authentic moments.
Smile and wave when you pass by locals
A genuine smile and a hearty wave go far in this country. This is especially true, as you must remember, they dont see too many Americans rolling through some of these parts. Its up to you to be an ambassador of your country and lead by example.
If they dont smile and wave back, you dont stop!
Other travelers told us early in the trip that if people dont smile or wave back, DO NOT stop in that town. That is considered a place not to be trusted, therefore, continue on your journey to the next town.
Unless you plan to take toll roads the entire time, youre guaranteed to be riding off-road at some point in your journey
If youre dirt adverse, its time to get out there and prepare for a few dusty, muddy trails before you head south. Most every bike can easily handle the roads, but these shortcuts may last for up to 6 miles, and you need to be comfortable having rather large trucks and buses passing you by. Its just the rules of the road. Scary at times? Id be lying if I said no. But, with proper training and time off the road, youll be just fine. Also, I highly recommend investing in a heavy-duty skid plate like the ones we run from Black Dog Cycle Works. It will save your under carriage!
The terrain can change almost immediately
Now is the time to erase your memories of the dry, desert dust bowl that has been represented in far too many movies. Our first couple of days found us climbing thousands of feet into the wonder that is the Sierra Madres. The twists and turns of this constant climb shows you not only the mandarin colored flowers that dotted the mountainsides, but you eventually found yourself at 8,000 feet, praying youll acclimate as soon as possible. At that elevation those first few days, if something had chased me, Id be buzzard fodder.
Many people we talk to have lived in the states at one time or another
Oh, SO excited to share their American stories! Between our broken Spanish and their broken English, its just plain awesome. Many are former farm workers who now run their own ranch back home. We even had one woman follow us for several blocks until she stopped us and asked, Do you speak English? We chatted for several minutes about her years in Houston, how she loved her time in Texas, and now she was back to raise her family. She was lovely.
They love that Jack is fluent in Spanish
When this little (HUGE!) gringo opens his mouth and speaks perfect Spanish, there are jaws agape and questions as to why Terry and I are not also fluent. Were getting there, I promise. They ask him about his immersion school, where were going, and why his parents had him learn Spanish. Well, it was important to us that Jack be fluent in at least one other language, Spanish being the first choice. The locals like that answer.
You swear youre in Northern California
Yes, we were just as surprised. When we neared the ridge of the Sierra Madres, we were surrounded by pines, manzanita, and quaking aspens. It was fall in the Sierras, and we were getting to experience the season we thought we had left behind. The aspens were just beginning to turn to their golden hue, dancing in the breeze as if only for us. The smells, the sights...we were home once again. When we rolled into a small town for the night, Terry and I were on the coms trying to pinpoint just what part of California this new area reminded us of. For those of you who know Fall River Mills, weve found its Mexican counterpart. Now, if the trout fishing is just as good
Anything can fit into the back of a 64 Chevy truck
I mean, ANYTHING! This includes boulders, hay bales 5 deep and 5 high, grandma, grandmas wheelchair, every member of the family including the neighbors kids, roosters, goats, water tanks, you name it. You swear any number of the trucks you see creep by are about to give up and split in two. But nope, Im sure they still have a good 50,000 miles left on them. They sure use them like they do!
Mexico is amazing!
The people. The landscape. The architecture. The food. And, back to the people. Ive lost count of how many Mexican grandmothers we have found over the course of only a few weeks. Its a beautiful land of music and art, friendships and families. If we had left it up to the scare tactics of the media, we wouldve never left the country. Drugs! War! Disease! Theyre out to get you! AHHHH!!! Terry admitted today that not once has he felt like he was threatened in any way. Of course, we know we stand out. Wed be silly to think we didnt. Sometimes that makes others want to approach you even more, and not just for a peso. Just like in the states, you dont go to certain places at night. Thats common sense. You dont hang around border towns, you trust your gut, and you ultimately start to settle in. If you know Terry, you know that this is a major 180-degree from the usual.
So, class, have we learned anything today? I do hope we have. Our family certainly has, and isnt that why were here? Each day brings a new sensation, a new lesson and a new appreciation for Mexico. Ill be honest, some days we just want to lay and bed with a movie and room service, as the exhaustion can sometimes take over. Riding a motorcycle for a 9-hour stretch is a physical and mental challenge, especially in this country. But, thats okay. It was our choice, and we wouldnt change a thing. Well, maybe the choice to not bring a blow dryer Cheers.
ADVenture mowing
Joined: May 2008
Location: Lwr Mi
Oddometer: 485
Bravo! I'm glad to see you are getting this written up! Looking forward to more!
Also-this was the first time I have heard of the waving advice. Makes sense.
-you never see a motorcycle parked outside of a psychiatrist's office.
Joined: Oct 2005
Location: Wandering south....
Oddometer: 606
Joined: Oct 2005
Location: Wandering south....
Oddometer: 606
Many have written asking us to share photos and stories from our experiences with the celebration in Mexico known as Dia de Los Muertos, known to many Americans as Day of The Dead. What I previously thought as only a 1-2 day event celebrating the lives of those who had passed is actually a 4-5 day celebration of food, music, Halloween and personal memorials throughout the cemeteries and towns of Mexico. My original intent was to capture these events on camera, thinking it was the best way to tell the story. I came out with a much different feeling, one that made me take a step back, take off my tourist hat, and not be that stranger who only values the festivities for its photo opportunities. Yes, there was tremendous beauty, but it was much more than that. It was about respect for the living as well as those who had passed. Unbeknownst to me, I was to share in the festivities with my own bit of history.
It wasnt until about a week ago that I let Terry in on a little something. During our travels, I carry a small picture of my mom and dad from their wedding day from too many years ago. With it safely tucked away in my riding jacket, I was waiting for the proper moment to share its meaning with my family. Having had a kiddo in a Spanish-immersion elementary school, our family had learned about Dia de los Muertos and the value the Mexican culture has placed on this holiday. While most of America considers death a tragic sentence, this culture celebrates the dead, bringing their memories back to life in food, stories and song. Somehow, I wanted to be a part of this celebration of life.
Terry, Jack and I have spent many weeks riding past many beautiful cemeteries, all the shrines adorned in pictures and wreaths of flowers. This wasnt just a day; it was a life event. All I could think while rolling was, I have to capture this on camera. What a brilliant pictorial! My thoughts would change as the end of October drew closer and the crowds grew larger. Through even the smallest of towns, the streets outside the cemetery walls were lined with cars, families carrying trays of food to the family site, children trailing along holding flowers and trinkets. Even the dogs were in on this as they followed along in procession. This is like a grand party, I thought. When we land, Im going to grab the camera and follow along to capture these moments. It was after this fleeting thought that I witnessed a single moment that changed my mind. As we passed the rows of cars and locals directing traffic, I saw to my left two young girls, sitting alone beside a headstone. They werent celebrating. They werent laughing. They were having a moment alone, heads bowed. Though I didnt know what they were saying, I could read what their body clearly. They were mourning. This is the moment that changed my course.
Even though I was told by a few that it was okay to walk the cemeteries and photograph the event, I felt otherwise. I didnt want to be an observer. I wanted to be a participant.
It was the afternoon of November 2nd when on a short walk, a flower caught my eye. A glowing crimson hibiscus bloomed over my shoulder, perfect in color and design. It was time to celebrate my mom. Some of you may know my mom passed when I was 19, too young really at any age. I took out the wedding photo from my pocket and lay it next to the flower, silent in my private moment. The memory of those two girls remained close by. That night, we cooked a grand feast with friends, our dessert consisting of looking at maps and Google searches. This was my celebration.
Have I brought the room down too much? Sorry. I need to stop doing that! I will tell you that we walked around Sayulita with our friends, Mike and Shannon, one night during this time, stopping at many of the private memorials setup along the sidewalks. Okay, I took pictures of those. Why? They were such amazing displays of life for all to view with no one around to show us otherwise. It was another lesson for this Trio never let the memories of those who have passed fade into a headstone. Keep them close and allow them to guide us through these tricky lives we lead. Cheers.
Joined: Oct 2005
Location: Wandering south....
Oddometer: 606
December 30, 2014
Im sitting this morning, sipping Guatemalan coffee on the couch of a friends house, just me and the cat wondering what the day will bring. I know what we HAVE to accomplish this lovely Saturday, but there are too many things yet to do; finding Jack a new pair of shoes is one of them. This is one of the first mornings I have been upright before 8AM. Its not because Im lazy or on vacation. The truth? This family motorcycle travel thing is soooo much more than we ever expected. Its not just the time together, the lure of the road or showing Jack how to bargain for a fixed-blade knife. No, theres a whole other level of survival and exhaustion that comes with this kind of family travel. Its been an education in itself, taking several months to find a groove that translates from border to border. Now that we have our groove, lets just see how and why we had to relearn and readjust everything we thought we knew up until September 13th. And here we were, thinking that were some kind of experts or something ..
(After many hours spent meticulously picking coffee beans they are hauled to the organic processor)
(Some are able to be more efficient with the help of livestock)
Okay, we all know that basics of survival. Food, water, shelter, warmth, we get it. In Guatemala and many other poorer countries around the globe, daily survival is daily life. Having spent a week with a traditional Mayan family, we were up close to the action and learned what it takes to raise a family during a traditional Mayan day. Let me see if I can paint a better picture of the day in the life of a Mayan woman wake up at sunrise, start breakfast, spouse off to work in the coffee fields/construction/forest, get kids dressed, clean up breakfast dishes, start laundry, head to the market for fresh ingredients, feed the animals, start lunch, feed kiddos again, hang laundry, clean lunch dishes, gather eggs, start dinner, fold laundry, spouse home from day of carrying bags of coffee/swinging a hammer/hauling bails of wood, feed family, bathe kiddos, get animals fed again, get ready for bed, fall into bed. Aside from the daily search for water that occurs in most countries, this is a rough sketch of their every day. Its an arduous life though no one complains. Everyone smiles throughout the day, and they even find time to take care of sick guests who cant even get out of bed let alone help with the laundry. Yes, yours truly. Interestingly enough, we have found that this outline (aside from the chickens and other barnyard friends) has become more or less our daily life. Crazy true. Proper shelter, whether it be tent or a room PLUS secure parking for two BMWs is the first constant. As any rider knows, even if its the best of rooms or apartments, if there is no secure parking for the bikes, you move on. Why? These are our homes, our only mode of hauling our wears and getting all of us safely from country to country. Fortunately for this family, weve been quite blessed with most of our accommodations. Remind me later to tell you the story about our German host and his attempt to back his vehicle in the lake. That was one of the more odd experiences.
(The contents of both bikes tend to explode once we hit the room)
(Secure parking is priority)
(Camping with a view at Lake Atitlan)
Food. Glorious food! Solo travel means you can carry a can of tuna and a box of crackers and be somewhat satisfied most of the day. Two-person travel gets you an extra can, spare crackers, and someone to unpack the gear while the other prepares the meal. Two riders plus a teenager? That gets you an argument as to why they have to unpack now, wheres lunch, a mom feeling guilty she hasnt fed her family as of yet, and a dad that mediates all the madness. Okay, this is not every day, but doesnt it make the situation seem more normal? I do what I can to provide lively entertainment. Unlike Terry and I who can survive on a few granola bars and a lime, Jack requires more of a meal than a snack. Jacks least favorite days? When we have to make up the miles with only a bag of chips and a Coke for lunch. This kid wants a meal. And, you know what? Keeping the pillion happy means another 50 miles in our day. Whats stopping at the roadside cart going to cost us really in the end? Having mentioned that, there are many choices for street food in every country. Guatemala seems to be big on pollo y papas (aka fried chicken and fries). This smell emanates from most every town you roll through. If you find yourself closer to the ocean, roadside ceviche is an excellent choice. With so many culinary roadside options, weve narrowed down our list of What it must have before well stop list. One Tablecloths. Not joking. This little added touch lets us know that theyve taken the time to class up the joint thus attracting more hungry bellies. Two There must already be people sitting down eating. No people equals no Bordens. A crowd does psyche one into thinking it must be good. Three No drunk customers, garbage lying around or pack of dogs. Nuff said. Four If you try and flag me into your establishment, Im moving on. MAN! That gets very annoying very quickly. You may have one or two of your own to add, but this formula has worked out pretty well so far.
(Some of our best and most interesting meals are roadside stands)
(Typical Mayan meal prepared by our host)
(The mother of our host was fascinated with the camp chairs. This is where we found her each time we returned from town)
Finding a balance between riding, writing and enjoying our surroundings has plagued us this entire journey. You go into this thinking, Im going get so many pictures and have so much time to get the blog done! Wrong. Im going to just hit the road every day and get to South America before Christmas! Wrong, again. There is no right way to travel, but you do need to find YOUR right way to travel. Charging headfirst and thinking we were going to accomplish all this work is just not happening as we had first thought. We are now at the point that were setting aside work hours, WIFI pending (WIFI is a mere suggestion in Central America, not a guarantee). Weve claimed the mornings as our work time, watching the clock carefully as its very easy to let time slip away. Jack does his online work as well as some reading and writing, Terry does trip planning and research, I sit at the computer and attempt to come up with something witty. Theres also the chore of getting footage off of 4 different devices. Because that never causes a squabble over cords and computers This, too, was a groove we had to allow to come into its own, letting it take shape with time and patience.
(Packing a few days worth of groceries to feed our crew)
Now, finding time alone has become a tricky little goal to attain. Traveling within the confines of a very tight budget means a lot of time spent in a small hotel room with two double beds and just enough floor space to line our luggage, making nighttime trips to the bathroom just that much more exciting. (Note: Dont get too excited when the ad says king size bed. Youre going to open the door and find a full size bed. Just deal with it.) Terry and I are getting accustomed to sharing bed space whilst Jack gets his own to flail and kick as he pleases. Trust me, its better to let the boy have his own space instead of becoming his Size 13s newest kickball buddy. We have the camping thing down with the whole two tents action, but sometimes you just need some time away to sit, read and let the farts fly without the threat of snickers from the Testosterone Twosome. Brutal honesty here, folks! We are adjusting to our room situations, absolutely enjoying any outdoor space that provides a little extra room to spread out.
Its amazing what you learn about yourself once youre forced out of your comfort zone. We chose this path, so we know we must own any repercussions. Knowing this trip could mean total Trio inhalation or love fest, we went for it anyway. Many have claimed to be on a soul-searching journey, trying to find themselves. Hell, I know where Ive been for 40+ years. I just want to have control over where I spend the next 40+. This is part of what this journey is about, trying to figure out the next chapter of our life. Were still learning more about what makes each of us tick, but I must be frank when it comes to a couple of things. Jack has by far been the easiest personality when it comes to change and just rolling with it. Terry has learned to leave behind the 80-hour workweeks, and quite well I might add. Myself? I didnt realize I was such a miserable coot most days. I was so accustomed to GO! GO! GO! all the time that I was a bit hard to live with the first couple of months. I can admit it now that Ive owned up to this new realization, finding myself apologizing to my boys more than once for making their lives a tad hellish. Its tough pulling a Type A personality from a controlled world into a realm that cannot be put into a time slot on a calendar. Hi. My name is Sandy, and Im a control freak. All three of us will continue this change with each border crossing.
(Jack grabbing a quick shot while trying not to rock the boat)
(Police in San Juan ready to escort us around Volcan San Pedro where robberies are known to occur)
Okay, one more thing Sometimes, being the only female on this adventure can be, well, lonely. As much as I claim to LOVE being with my boys, sporting a dirt mask and bragging about doing my own pedicures, a girl once in a while does need a little girl time. Roll your eyes all you want, but this is a real fact when it comes to being a female in a male-dominated sport. A while back our friends Simon and Lisa Thomas (http://www.2ridetheworld.com) spent a fair amount of time with us at our home in Northern California. Theyve been on their global tour around the globe for over 11 years. Youd think they were in need of nothing. But, what was Lisas biggest request once she landed at Chez Borden? Getting out for some girl time. Seriously, do Simon and Terry look like the luncheon and shopping type? It takes a girlfriend to understand your need and fill it. So, Lisa and I walked slowly through our little town, stopping at various shops, enjoying some time away from our constant companions. As much as we love our boys, we still need our girls. Along this journey, Im finding myself craving this same girl time. Fortunately, Im discovering that much needed time away as we make our way south. Trust me, its good for all parties involved if this member of the Trio gets out to play once in a while.
(Some girl time with our new friend Mishka)
So, there it is. Out in the open for all to read and judge. Im not joking when I say this is much harder than it looks. Yes, we have many years of family motorcycle travel in the books. But, long-term family travel is a learned art form especially when rolling on two wheels. We know its not for everyone nor should it be. But its us, its different, and its the way we like it. Cheers.
Butler Maps
Joined: May 2002
Location: Fort Collins, Colorado
Oddometer: 18,827
Awesome! Been following some of your stuff from Touartech's posts.
A few years ago we spend 6 months in Guanajuato then 6 in Sayulita w/ alot of traveling in the middle, so i'm familiar with those typical gringo questions. My 4yr old daughter, just went to the Mexican schools. It was awesome and will still think about it as life in the US is not as exciting. We are heading to Zacatecas this summer for 4+ weeks.
I don't get the whole I'll never see you again or atleast 18 month thing???
I told people to come visit us when we are in the typical tourist towns and they did (friends, parents and other family members). It's prime for US people to visit the southern beaches now for a vaca!
Happy trails and enjoy the ride!
You 3 will be VERY different people when this is over...you'll also realize the burbs suck!
Butler Maps - motorcycle maps for riders by riders -
Alaska NM map COBDR AZBDR IDBDR South East map
Butler Maps website:
ADVenture mowing
Joined: May 2008
Location: Lwr Mi
Oddometer: 485
Great intro/update. I especially like the Dia De Los Muertos perspective. I feel the same and would love to go there for the celebration one day. Looking forward to more...thanks for taking the time to write it up.
-you never see a motorcycle parked outside of a psychiatrist's office.
Joined: Oct 2005
Location: Wandering south....
Oddometer: 606
February 20, 2015
We are now over 5 months into our journey to South America, and theres one thing that has perplexed me for many months. No matter what little Mexican and Central American families own as far as material possessions, no matter how small their house or few dollars they earned, the vast majority is happy. Why is this when they have so little? Ah, but thats the thing. Too many in North America (NA) feel that in order to be happy in life, you have to have more stuff. Whether its high-end clothing or that new car, plumped up kissers or a collection of Mont Blanc pens, we feel the need to accumulate. Through the magic of advertising, from birth we are programmed to believe that to have more stuff than the person next to you is to be happy. You need this NEW and IMPROVED Twist Tie in order to be happy until the NEWEST AND IMPROVIEST Twist Tie comes out next week. Wait, are you sure about that? Because weve been traveling through some very, very poor areas of what some would consider Third World countries and these lovely people are not just happy, they want to share their happiness and homes with you. Most North Americans (NAs) have more stuff than them, so why are we so, well, angry? Why is it that North America is considered the land of success and prosperity yet we seem to be so disgruntled and bitter for no particular reason? Lets find out together. (NOTE: Though to date we have traveled through mainland Mexico and 5 countries in Central America, the values remain the same. Because of that, Im going to focus on Guatemala as my Latin American example. Why? Guatemala is the country that really made us think and, love and, learn.)
We spent weeks living, talking with and observing many different cultures and lifestyles during our time in Mexico and Central America. And in that time we have come to this conclusion They have it figured out when it comes to being happy. You know what they have that we dont? Appreciation and respect for true simplicity in this life. Wherever we go, the same basic needs are always there. Food, water, shelter, family. That doesnt change from country to country. But what they do embody is a genuine appreciation for all they have. Only packed down dirt for a floor? They sweep the leaves and pebbles off that floor every morning to make it look nice for the day. A freshly picked basket of garden veggies and some homemade tortillas? Theyll make sure you eat first as guests are considered family when in their home. They also have respect for their neighbors, their family and themselves. They have respect for their culture and what those who came before them created and achieved. Do you see where Im going with this? Let me give you a much deeper example.
We stayed for a week with a lovely Mayan family in San Juan la Laguna on Lake Atitlan. This was a home-stay that Terry found on Air B&B, the lure being that you are essentially coming to live with and be a part of this traditional Mayan family. When we swung open the front sheet metal gate, this is what we found: a perfectly swept dirt and rock path that led to 4 separate, small buildings that housed a husband and wife, their 3 year old son, their 20 day year old daughter, the grandmother, a sister and her husband, 4+ dogs and countless chickens. Oh, and one cat. Yes, you read that correctly. A newborn. Our Mayan family welcomed us with glasses of purified water, freshly sliced watermelon, and a charming room with 3 beds and a private bath. While the young family of 4 stayed in one room, we were given the suite while the grandmother stayed in the smaller home in the back with easy access to feeding the chickens. I set up our camping chairs in front of our home and chuckled as the grandma pronounced it her seat and settled right in for most of our stay. Our young hostess, Esmerelda, quietly nursed her daughter while standing at the stove making sure dinner was coming along nicely. Terry and Jack sat at the front of the yard with our host, Pedro, and his son, Pedro Antonio, as they attempted to fix a problem on Pedros 125cc motorcycle, the familys only method of transportation. Esmerelda shared with us many traditional Mayan meals and special teas made from leaves grown in the region. The home was very clean, very small, but filled with something too many American homes have lost pride. Not an arrogant pride that haunts many egos in our culture. But pride in what they have, not in what they have not. Pride in walking the streets of their small town and introducing us to their friends. A smile and Buenos dias was shared with every local farmer as they carried enormous sacks of coffee beans or sticks uphill to be weighed and purchased at the mill, the strap of the sack pressing tautly along his forehead as it beared the bulk of the weight, the hands free to carry a machete or sickle. No matter the circumstance, there was always time to smile and greet each other on the street. Always. This was appreciation for the new day you were given. This was respect for your neighbor and the family the next generation they were raising.
So, lets highlight a few things and see if we cant get out of our own way long enough to make a few changes to our daily lives:
Trust me, all that I have described are lessons that all 3 of us have had to learn along our journey. A choice to change means you have taken the time to listen to yourself instead of being driven by the actions and suggestions of others. Choosing a life with less stuff means a lightness that youve craved though never knew just how much until you took the chance. Its been quite nice this 2-wheel classroom weve been rolling through these past several months. Who knows where well be in another 5 months! Stay tuned. Theres a lot more to learn, and were ready for the challenge. Cheers.
Joined: Oct 2005
Location: Wandering south....
Oddometer: 606
Tales and photos of the broken wrist in Costa Rica and our Ferry Express experience coming soon.
Joined: Jun 2014
Location: on the road...
Oddometer: 4
Subscribed! For folks with young families, you are an inspiration. Hear the whispers from the roads, mountains, and distant lands, and recognize the voice emanates from within. Plan on following your travels eagerly, and am sending you the warmth and light from our home hearth!
Joined: Oct 2009
Location: Hesperus, CO
Oddometer: 2,039
Really, really stoked to see this reporting on ADV. Keep it safe you guys and keep the rubber side down. Do report in as often as you can. Thanks!!
All things being equal... fat people use more soap
Joined: Oct 2005
Location: Wandering south....
Oddometer: 606
So, I'll pick a random country to start in as we are just making sense of all of the photos and stories swirling in our heads.
The border crossing from Honduras to Nicaragua was the usual inefficient central American crossing. Fairly quick on the Honduras side of all things and a mere 3 1/2 hours on the Nicaraguan side. Not that we were in that big of a hurry but we had already done the El Salvador to Honduras crossing early in the morning and it was now 4pm and the guy behind the glass could care less about getting this through. It almost seemed as if he didn't know what to do, sifting through our packet of papers and then through other vehicles who had crossed earlier that day. My biggest concern was the fact that this would have us riding at night to reach a town with semi proper lodging.
My concerns were not unfounded as we were now riding through an area with large holes, not pot holes, but 12" to 18" round and 5" to 9" deep. A miss in judgement would mean a long trip delay with bent and blown tires or worse. As the sun set we were not in to great pavement and just hitting the coast road towards La Libertad. We had thoughts of finding any spot between here and there to get us off the road but as it became pitch black we pressed on. Luckily for us the Clearwater lights turned dark in to day and our worries of bad people in the night turned to families cooking roadside and wandering from abode to abode. The pavement continued to be surprisingly good and the kilometers counted down. Finally to La Libertad we sought to find a cheap stay. Sketchy as it was in the dark we headed back towards El Tunco and found a semi affordable spot with a restaurant next door and a small pool to cool ourselves before bed. The next morning the pool was used to cool (and clean) our suits before pressing south.
We had been referred to Lago de Apoyo by some friends and Sandy had made a reservation there to last a few days. We had been on the road with a busy schedule and a few days off sounded great. Parking was front and center if only the bikes would fit.
A trip to the grocery store on the way there gave us a chuckle as to what Nicaraguans considered the American gourmet section. Stove Top stuffing and Bac-Os topped the list. We're not gonna lie, there were a few welcomed sights there as Sandy hadn't see pickles in many weeks. Rum was incredibly cheap here as well. Hhhmmmm
After settling in to our dorm we quickly found out who really ran the place. Dogs really say a lot about the vibe of any place we stay and it is a welcoming sight to have them around.
The next day while Sandy and I sorted through photos and got some of the bike maintenance done Jack found some new friends of his own. Mind you he's 13 and fluent in Spanish, but sometimes a little shy, these Israeli girls asked him to take some photos. They claimed not to speak Spanish although I heard them speaking find when needing directions, Jack obliged and took the required photos of them in kayaks and rafts ..this is a photo I found on my point and shoot camera.
Poor guy.
ADVenture mowing
Joined: May 2008
Location: Lwr Mi
Oddometer: 485
Poor guy indeed. I wished I had it as bad when I was his age.
-you never see a motorcycle parked outside of a psychiatrist's office.
Joined: Oct 2005
Location: Wandering south....
Oddometer: 606
Departing Lago de Apoyo we were to head for the Costa Rican border we left early and got to the Nica side by 8:30am. A few "fixers" were also on their way to work and followed us to the border trying to get our attention to use their services.
Once we got parked we met up with another rider from Australia on a Yamaha. We hadn't seen any other riders for some time so it was great to see someone else on 2 wheels.
Lined up and ready to wait
Apparently a few others had the same idea
Getting in to Costa Rica was more of the same, very hot with lines, and didn't take many photos. We had high ambitions of getting to Monte Verde that evening to a spot I found on iOverlander to camp. About an hour in to our travel in our new country we were met with the Costa Rican sticker shock of how expensive things were. Fuel at more than $4.25 a gallon was more than it had fallen to in the U.S. and our fast food lunch was $26 for the 3 of us. Certainly not the $9 total bill we had grown accustomed to in Nicaragua.
We pressed on to our destination while watching the clock seemingly run at double speed. It was not after 5pm and our twisty little road now turned to rough graded gravel, no problem, just not helping the time.
Was this a sign
The sky drew darker.....and darker and then the rain started. Not too bad considering it kept the dust down. 40 kilometers in the rain in the near dark on heavy bikes takes a long time. We arrived at our spot for the night where we had planned to camp. The guy at the desk of the inn looked alarmed when I said camp even though I had booked it a few days earlier. He said "it's pretty soupy out there". We asked about a room and for $38, near the same price as our 3 cheeseburgers earlier in the day, we had a good place to bed down. One queen bed and a set of bunk beds of which Jack chose the top bunk.
Fun for a 13 year old until he rolls out of his bunk at 7am sound asleep. The 6 foot fall woke us from a dead sleep and had me falling twice before I could get to him. Sandy was already at his side and he was trying to get up half asleep. The 3 of us had taken an extensive back country first aid course to top up our skills before we left and we went in to action assessing the damage and keeping him calm. He wanted to get up but knew that being a good patient was going to help him in the long run. His wrist didn't look right and a quick examination told us this wasn't going to be fixed with band aids. We helped him to the bed and I took off to the office of the inn beating the shit out of the front door until someone finally stirred. I needed ice and to find out what medical facilities they had in town. Short story long they had a clinic but were unable to X-ray here. A taxi ride to the clinic and quick exam began the conversation of getting to the hospital for X-rays and better care. We were told where not to go and arranged to have their ambulance take us to San Jose. I joked about being able to take him on the bike......mama and Jack didn't laugh.....I'll keep quiet.
We both begin thinking of logistics as San Jose is 3 hours away and we have 2 motorbikes and all of our gear, plus one of us will be riding with him. The doctor says they have room in the Ambulance for all of our bags, suits, and helmets if that helps. Hell ya it helps.....Sandy and I taxi back to the inn and finish packing. She had the forethought to do so while we waited for the taxi to the clinic. We grabbed all that would fit in the ambulance and I suited up to ride the 800 to the city. During all of this I contacted Touratech in Costa Rica and asked if they had a spot for me to leave a bike, of which they did. The doctor said they could give me a ride back late that evening to Monte Verde to get the rest of our kit and my 1200, stay the night and head south the next morning.
Not a happy guy....
My view once we were on the way......until the doc wanted to stop to grab a coffee and muffin before leaving town. We couldn't really complain as they were doing alot for us.
The first hour was spend crawling along the dirt roads back to the highway slow enough as to not jar the patient. One we got to the highway the driver ran with lights and siren all the way to the city. It central American driving isn't crazy enough try chasing an ambulance down the center line matching his every move. The 3 toll booths were a bit confused when I was on the rear bumper of the ambulance with lights flashing as well trying to look like I belonged.
The doc got us checked in and made sure my credit card got swiped before we saw the orthopedist. X-rays were fast and the verdict was a fractured and dislocated wrist. Surgery was required but he was hoping for a closed reduction without having any metal installed.....that was the only time Jack shed a tear. Luckily that was the case, not cutting required, but a cast up to his bicep for 3 weeks.
Rolling all of our gear through the hospital on a cart from the maintenance dept.
The before shot
Who knew bunk beds were more dangerous than motorcycles.....
|Thread Tools
|Search this Thread
|Display Modes
Linear Mode


text:
American Bully Puppy UKC ABKC
American Bully 1st Pick Male Available for Adoption with ReHoming Fee. This Puppy is 16weeks old (4months) Fees Include All Up to Date Shots & Dewormer, Duel Registration UKC & ABKC Papers Purple Ribbon Bred.
Long Family Bloodlines Consists of 3xKurupt, 2xRemyLines
This ...
Mar 28 -
German Shepherd Mix Puppy (Female)
German Shepherd/American Pit Bull Mix Puppy's
Vaccination's Needed.(You Vaccinate)
1 Female
(Color is Brindle. )
No email please.
Mar 28 -
Australian Labradoodle (RED)
I have a red medium sized sweet, loving, 11 month old Australian Labradoodle. He is neutered and has all his shots. He is well behaved, potty trained, sits, shakes, lays down on command and walks perfectly on a leash. Gets along great with other animals and loves adults ...
Mar 28 -
El Dorado Hills
Amazing AKC French Bulldog Puppies available - boys
We have a litter of babies born on the 8th, out of our stunning solid chocolate pied girl Arya and Cream boy Boss... CHAMPION bloodlines on both sides
these babies are absolutely amazing and one of a kind french bulldog puppies, full of wrinkles, flat faces, short and ...
Mar 27 -
Grass Valley
Top of the Line AKC French Bulldog Puppies due in 2 weeks
Love a Loyal Bulldog's Skye and Scarlet are both expecting,.. they were bred to our outstanding boy Boss whos dad is CH sired..
We are expecting creams, fawns and honey pieds.. for more information please visit our website below ;
all families ...
ukc bully pup ewok king kong
little over 3 months. male. off(ewok x loca) strong ped. phenom, miagi, king kong. piks speak for themseves. good price on this bad boy. textme for info. 916.757.0994
Mar 27 -
French Bulldog Mix Puppies
1 female and 1 male puppy left for adoption. They are 9 weeks old and they have their first shots and they have been de wormed. They are potty pad trained and they are very smart little pups. They love children and are so much fun. This is a very loyal breed and do great as ...
EXCEPTING DEPOSITS FOR MUGZ AND MALO S PUPS 4BOY 5GIRLs*DONT MISS OUT
Reserve your puppy now:
Now excepting deposits with receipt for MUGZ AND MALO'S puppies.
PAY ment plan available with receipt
PAY $250 to reserve your pick and pay $250 on the day of pick up .
*Must pick up on agreed date
I do not want to miss ...
Mar 27 -
AKC Yorkshire Terrier puppies will be avail. 04-30-15
I have a BEAUTIFUL litter of 4 male Yorkie puppies. Puppies are 3 weeks old. They are Gorgeous!!! Both parents are on site. Puppies will be around 4 lbs. Dam is 5 lbs. & Sire is 4-1/2 lbs. Puppies ears are up. They will be ready to go to their new homes on April 30th, 2015. ...
Flynn - 3 Pound Black and Tan Pomeranian Male
Flynn is a gorgeous Black and Tan 3 pound male, located in Sacramento, Ca, but shipping is available if needed. He is available to pet or small breeding home (to be approved). He is a proven stud and has produced beautifully. He is tiny, and very well mannered. Doesn't bark, ...
RED NOSE AMERICAN PIT BULL TERRIER PUPPIES 500 with papers
MALO x MUGZ PUPPIES READY IN MAY
MALO x CHANTICO "TICO" PUPPIES READY NOW
German Shephard/Central Asian mix Puppies
My friend has an unexpected litter from her Pure bred German Shepherd and pure bred Central Asian Shepherd. Come and get your puppies. They will be great for farm or guard dogs. for more info contact me @916 600 1392 .
Yorkie-Poo puppies! $450.00
$450.00 each. These puppies are the sweetest, most adorable, most loving puppies!!! If you are looking for a puppy that you can hold, kiss and snuggle...these are the puppies for you. They were born 01/17/2015. They have had 1st shots & de-wormer done on 03/16/2015, due ...
Mar 27 -
Granite Bay
English Springer spaniel puppy 9 weeks
Beautiful female ess for rehoming. Big personality, lots of energy. Please contact only by text or phone as email does not work.
Male English Bulldog Puppies
Male AKC English bulldog puppy with varies **Champion Bloodlines.** Red/White. Beautiful full markings on every pup. Puppies will have First shots, deworming, health and show quality.
Puppies are bred with highest standards, bone structure and evaluation. Taking deposits( ...
ONE BEAUTY LEFT ! HOUSEBROKE, FLUFFY, BABYDOLL FACE, WONDERFUL FAMILY COMPANION. 9 WEEKS OLD. FIRST SHOT, WORMED. THICK COAT. SEE TO APPRECIATE !! *CALL* FOR MORE INFO> 916 645 7428. no text or emails,thanks.
Mar 27 -
SUPER TINY Miniature Dachshund puppies. DOUBLE REG.!!!
We have a gorgeous litter of Miniature Dachshund puppies. These puppies are double registered.
We have 3 gorgeous girls that absolutely love everyone.
The are ready to go to their new homes. They have been started on shots and worming. They are going to be VERY small. They ...
Tea cup chihuahua
Hello I have 2 beautiful tea cup chihuahua they both have dewormed and with shots I am asking 450 please text 4155297878
This ad was posted with the eBay Classifieds mobile app.
Toy ...Super Teddy Bear Face ...Double Thick Coat....Non Shredding Hypoallergenic...9 weeks with 1st 5in1 parvo shot plus 6 dewarmings(we will provide you the record) 1 female all white ...1 male cream....Puppies will be 5-6 pound fully grown as adult...Daddy is 5 pound all ...
Small Toy ...Super Teddy Bear Face ...Double Thick Coat....Non Shredding Hypoallergenic...9 weeks with 1st 5in1 parvo shot plus 6 dewarmings(we will provide you the record) 1 male cream ...1 female all white....Puppies will be 5-6 pound fully grown as adult...Daddy is 5 ...
Maltipoo mix Shih Tzu
Small Toy ...Super Teddy Bear Face ...Double Thick Coat....Non Shredding Hypoallergenic...10 weeks with 1st 5in1 parvo shot plus 6 dewarmings(we will provide you the record) 1 female black ...1 male chocolate....Puppies will be 5-7 pound fully grown as adult...Daddy is 5 ...
AKC afghan hound
It's with a heavy heart that I must find a new forever home for my 5 month old Afghan hound. She is adorable and elegant. Black/brown brindle with white chest. Perfect disposition and confirmation. She will come with AKC limited reg. parents are posted in photos - mom ...
Mar 26 -
Handsome Olde English Bulldogge ready to stud!
Gunnar is a handsome brindle and white olde English Bulldogge. He has already proven to be a stud after his first breeding with a litter of 13 puppies and only one attempt at consummation. This will be his second breeding. Gunnar is great with ALL other animals, people, and ...
Mar 26 -
Cute German Shepherd Puppy!
Beautiful Pure breed German Shepherd Puppies! 10 weeks old. Black and red and Black and tan female and male available. Vaccinated and dewormed. Excellent temperament and great conformation. Will make a wonderful protection dog or family pet. Very friendly and playful. Great ...
Mar 26 -
North Highlands

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Moorlach overtakes rivals in special election
Story | Mar 17, 2015 | 10:23 PM
Moorlach overtakes rivals in special election
Story | Mar 17, 2015 | 10:23 PM
Special election set for Tuesday
Story | Mar 14, 2015 | 5:07 PM
A special election to fill the vacant seat for the 37th state Senate district is being held Tuesday. Throughout the district — a wide swath of Orange County from Laguna Beach to Anaheim Hills — nearly 1,000 poll workers are scheduled to...
Commentary: It's time to challenge O.C.'s Republican 'industrial complex'
Story | Mar 13, 2015 | 12:08 PM
During this election season, much has been made of "fixing" California. California is beautiful, and Orange County hails as one of its jewels. The issue lies within the directives and role of the few who run our governing bodies. There is a political...
Venezia: Bergeson is in another tough race — against cancer
Story | Mar 13, 2015 | 10:15 AM
This post has been corrected, as noted below. With politics on everyone's minds these days, I thought I'd check in with one of my favorite iconic women in the game: Marian Bergeson. She's been a school board member, assemblywoman, the first woman in the...


text:
Can I have different pine floor colors?
We are installing wide plank pine floors downstairs in two rooms. The main rooms have rust ceramic tile. We'll eventually continue with the pine floor upstairs and the entire 2nd floor. The rooms will transition from tile to pine floor downstairs and the starter step will be pine meeting tile flooring as well.
I've kept up with these forums for a few years and have read where some of you have hardwoods upstairs and softwood floors downstairs. We'd like to keep the upstairs plain wood with waterlox finish. But, I'd like to keep the downstairs more formal looking with a darker stain. Especially since the pine will meet the rust tile. The stairs will be stained dark too.
Does anyone have experience with how the two different color pine floors will transition at teh landing strip upstairs? Will this be a good idea or look funny? Any and all advice is welcome. Pictures of such a scenario will help.
You can make the color change anywhere you want.
In old houses I have seen, the first-floor flooring was carried up to the first landing (if it had one) or to the top of the stairs if it was a straight staircase. Then the lesser flooring took over. The objective was to make it look like the expensive stuff went all the way up.
One house had three changes of flooring: something hardwood (walnut or cherry) on the first floor, which went up to where the staircase turned, then oak for the next floor where the main bedrooms were, then pine or cypress going up to the nursery and attics. The servant's staircase was pine all the way.
The only house that had fancy all the way up also had a ballroom on the top floor ... can't have the guests stepping on pine!
Right! I have oak throughout my 1885 house. At some point in the 1930s, the owner put linoleum down in the kitchen and then various layers of more linoleum and plywood through the years. When I took out the coverings, the oak is so pristine, it could have been put in yesterday.
Point is, I intend to put a darker stain in the living room and dining room and keep the light in my kitchen. There will be a faux painted threshold just to separate them and it will be just fine. This will mirror the faux marble in the foyer where the wood could not be nicely salvaged. Just as long as you are happy with the overall look, it should be fine.
My house is a little different. There is oak on the whole bottom level. The 2nd level is all "cheap" southern heart pine. However, the stairs are heart pine as well.
My house isn't "fancy" so I suspect the wood choice had more to do with durability for downstairs than anything.
We chose not to stain either and just let the natural colors show through. Have you talked to the installer/finisher about the dark stain yet. In my woodworking experience, very dark stains are a little iffy on most pine since the wood tends to absorb stain unevenly.


text:
"Good match of author and narrator"
A serious Hemingway fan, I have been unable to read this book from beginning to end. Dennehy's flat voice is a perfect match to the often self-parody prose of the novel. As a captive audience of one as I commute each day, I have found that the audiobook has made it possible to enjoy this book in a way that the novel itself does not.
(None of the foreign words Hemingway employs really make or break any plot points, but it's worth checking the glossary at the end of the print edition for a fuller understanding of his pidgin-Swahili.)
Report Inappropriate Content
If you find this review inappropriate and think it should be removed from our site, let us know. This report will be reviewed by Audible and we will take appropriate action.


text:
Update: Equipment failure led to Dickinson power outage
A large portion of Dickinson was without power for 30 to 40 minutes Wednesday night after an outage being attributed to equipment failure affected Montana-Dakota Utilities customers.
Get the full story
Subscribe or Log In
Are you a newspaper subscriber but you don't have a Digital Access account yet? Activate your account.
You will need your subscription account number and phone number. Not sure if you have an account? Call (701) 225-8111 and we can help you.


text:
Highland Lochs, Glens and Whisky Small-Group Day Trip from Edinburgh
Read what other Viator.com travelers think about the Highland Lochs, Glens and Whisky Small-Group Day Trip from Edinburgh. What they loved, what they liked and what they think could be improved, it's all here to help you make the most of your next trip.
Click here for tour details, schedule and pricing
We enjoyed the tour very much, really does give you an idea of what the Highlands are like in one day, if that is all the time you can manage, you will want to come back for more though. Enjoyed the small groups.
This was a wonderful taste of the Highlands and our guide was terrific - Ian, I believe. His narrative and descriptions were entrancing and he was very responsive to our group's questions and interests. We would highly recommend this tour - the scenery was unbeatable and we liked the inclusion of the little nature walks on some of our stops.
Mariet L
South Africa
A definite must do !!! Our tour guide was knowledgeable and funny !
Our guide Duncan was FANTASTIC! True Scottish charm and amazing knowledge, his story telling was WORLD class and he made every single mile memorable!
This is an excellent tour - very interesting, great guide and spectacular scenery. It was a little difficult to find the tour start area as the streets in Edinburgh are numbered differently from ours in the US. Other than that, the trip was perfect. Thank you.
With two other friends, we went on the day trip to the Highland Lochs, Glens and Whisky on the 21st August 2012. It was simply superb, and my friends and I recommend it unreservedly. The tour guide, Al, was excellent and very very funny. And, the same was true for the driver, Steve. Great day, trip and people.
It was a lovely trip and just what we were hoping for. Our driver Jonathan was fun and full of information. We're very glad we took this tour.
Great day with a fun tour guide. Nice size group and fun stops. Good way to see some of the country.
It was a very good experience. My guide, Duncan, was a very knowledgeable and nice guy Definitely recommended.
Great views, very courteous guide and driver.
The day long trip was very enjoyable. Our driver/guide, Mike, was entertaining and educational. A great Scottish story teller.
Mike walked the trails with us, explaining the history, sights and folklore.
Great scenery, fun and knowledgeable guide made for a fantastic day trip! Thank you.
This was excellent. The guides were fantastic. I loved the smaller size of the tour. You should offer more small group options.
This was a wonderful trip! The company was excellent and we all loved our tour guide, Sarah! I am so glad I took this trip; if not I would have missed a fab experience, seeing the Highlands and all its beauty! It was a worthwhile trip and I am so glad I booked it your company.
Haagse Harry.
This day gives you Scotland.... With a guide as Shalby you have a beautiful day !!!!! This trip is THE trip from Edinburg. Thanks Viator...


text:
I stayed at Marni for a wee as a last minute booking away from work. Cannot fault it! The apartment was great. Cleaned daily and linen changed twice during my stay. The reception were very helpful and welcoming. I was taken to my apartment on a late arrival. Straight to the bar for a beer and met Manos. Great guy and host for the duration of my stay. Elenor and Anna were great too. The three of them made my stay! I will bd back. I met some great people and the owner was very welcoming. Even bought me a beer. The food was great as were thr chefs. Katarina was lovely and came to say goodbye. Thanks to all at Marni. There is also so much to do around and see. Would recommend this hotel to everyone.
- Official Description (provided by the hotel):
- Set on a beautiful, quiet and elevated position, just 150m from the traditional, picturesque Cretan village "Koutouloufari", MARNI VILLAGE enjoys splendid panoramic view of the resort area of Hersonissos bay. A perfect place for relaxing holidays, enjoying sunshine and hospitality on the Island of Crete.The whole complex is situated in an area of approximately 24,000 square meters, among 10,000 square meters of well-kept gardens with trees, flowers and bushes. Experienced and friendly personnel will always be there for you to make your vacations more comfortable and make you feel like home.MARNI VILLAGE wishes to combine on one side, a timeless, calming, nature environment overlooking the gathering crowd in the busy area of Hersonissos, and on the other side the entertaining part of Hersonissos with its exciting nightlife, plenty sandy beaches and the old harbour (about 1km away). ... more less
- Reservation Options:
- TripAdvisor is proud to partner with Expedia, Booking.com, Travelocity, Despegar.com, HostelBookers, Hotels.com, Priceline, TripOnline SA, Odigeo and Tingo so you can book your Marni Village reservations with confidence. We help millions of travelers each month to find the perfect hotel for both vacation and business trips, always with the best discounts and special offers.
- Also Known As:
- Marni Village Hotel Chersonisos
- Marni Village Hersonissos
- Marni Village Hotel Hersonissos
- Marni Village Crete, Greece


text:
Building new home, electric down 800ft drive?
I'm building a new home and want lighting at the end of a 800ft drive, and maybe a powered gate in the future. What guage wire and and is any form of "transformer" or booster needed for that span?
Determine your maximum load and use one of the many voltage drop calculators on the web. If your gate uses an induction motor, note that it will have a high starting surge current, so be sure to allow for that.
Code recommends no more than a 5% voltage drop.
For example, using the calculator below we see that you can deliver 15 amps at 120 volts 800' away with #4 wire with a 6% voltage drop (ehhh ...)
If you decide to forgo the gate and limit yourself to nothing more than two 26 watt compact fluorescent lights, you can get away with #14 wire and have only a ~2% voltage drop.
Note that the "1/2 Total Circuit Length" is actually just the total length of the run out to the end of your drivway.
Here is a link that might be useful: Voltage Drop Calculator
To elaborate further on the post by brickeyee, for a given wattage load on a given conductor, the voltage drop at 240 volts will be 1/4 the drop that will be experienced if the system is at 120 volts. As a practical matter, if an induction motor will start and power the load, the tolerable voltage drop can be greater if the load is of short duration with significant cooling periods between loads. That seems to fit the gate application.
"for a given wattage load on a given conductor, the voltage drop at 240 volts will be 1/4 the drop that will be experienced if the system is at 120 volts."
Don't think so.
At the same wattage (say 240 watts) 240 V is half the current (1 amp vs. 2 amps at 120 V) so half the voltage drop.
The presence of a neutral does not affect the drop in a 240 V circuit since the neutral is not used.
The POWER lost will be 1/4.
Either way, wiring for 240v instead of 120v will let you reduce the size of the wire and save some money. You can then choose to use a transformer to give you 120v at the gate, or perhaps look for 240v lamps and gate equipment and wire them directly.
I don't know exactly what style of gate & opener the OP is considering, but I think the power requirements are being greatly over-estimated.
I have a 16' swing gate at the end of our driveway with a remote controlled opener. Power requirements on the opener's label are 12 VDC @ 25 watts when operating - which is supplied by the internal rechargeable sealed lead acid battery rated 12V 7.0Ah. For most of the year it's only charge is received from it's 10 watt solar panel. This time of year (3-4 months) I supplement it with it's 18VAC/40VA class 2 transformer for a few hours (on timer) each day.
The driveway is about 600' but since it curves as it comes up, a straight feed from the house across the property reduced an underground run to around 400'. I ran 12 gauge in conduit (gophers!) to power two 13 watt CFL lamp post fixtures on photocells and an outlet for the gate transformer. With both the lights and transformer on it measures 34 watts.
The opener is a Mighty Mule similar to the current model 500 and can handle gates up to 850 lbs depending on length. I'm including a link to the manufactures website as a reference.
Here is a link that might be useful: Mighty Mule gate openers
I had a similar situation - 600ft drivway and wanted a gate. I wasn't sure what I was going to need for the gate when the house was being built so when the well trench was dug (which is about 100 ft from the drive entrance), I had them drop a #10 AWG direct burial cable into the trench and bring it into the house. That allowed me a 6 amp load at the gate with an acceptable voltage drop - more than enough to power a gate. I also dropped in a direct burial phone cable, TV cable, and a 4 conductor 16 gauge low voltage cable. Turns out for me that all of these were kind of important to have.
I installed a lightweight gate made my Amazing gates. It is a double gate with a 16 ft span and each leaf weighs around 130 lbs. I went this route because I could install it myslef easily and it really looks like an iron gate.
The power for the gate actuators are driven off of a battery in the gate controller housing and is low voltage DC. The battery trickle charges and that can be done with either a direct 24V AC power from the house or from a 120V AC source at the gate which is what I used. Heavier gates require more power and a 120V may be the only way to make those work - you need to make that decision before your drop your cable.
What i did not realize - and luckily had the cable to do it, was that I also wanted a call box so that people could buzz me when they wanted to come in OR the gas company could let themselves in when I am not home if I provide them an access code (and this is a big deal for me - I am never home when gas company shows). Power for the call box comes from the 120V outlet powering the gate controller but the box itself requires 24V DC. The way the call box works is that you must run a phone line from the house to the box and then back (you need 4 conductors). That allows the call box to seize the phone line and create a special ring tone on my house phone so I know someone is at the gate. I can then answer the phone and buzz them in. It also allows the gate box to call me on my cell phone (if there is no answer after 4 rings) and I can talk to the person at the gate and buzz them in remotely - very cool and handy! Just make sure you set your house answering machine to pick up after the gate box (e.g. gate box set to 4 rings, house answering machine set to 6 rings)
The call box also has an optional video camera which i have not installed yet but might do in the future. If you want to see who is at the gate, you will need a shielded video cable and seperate LV power to drive the camera.
Someday in the near future I also plan to add an lighted address sign near the gate so the 120V feed gives me the flexibility to power that.
Finally, I added the 120V gate circuit onto my power generator backup so that when the power goes out, my gate battery still charges.
You can do it all with low voltage wire but I think having the 120V outlet at the front provides more flexibility and easy install of the gate controller. Of course there is the cost factor - the cable wasn't cheap.
There are online calculators that willl tell you the maximum voltage drop for a given cable length, guage and load. You can balance your power needs vs cable size and cost. Then just make sure you don't plug in a device that exceeds the max load.
I suggest picking out your gate controller and call box now and downloading the installation instructions (you don't have to buy it - just get the documents). It will have all of the wiring requirements for the gate. There are quite a few add ons that you will need - like Firebox (so the fire dept can open the gate if you aren't home and the house is ablaze), automatic gate opener for exiting vehicles , and IR beams for safety to make sure that the gate won't close on a car that stops in the closure path. There is a lot more wiring a gate than the power.
Good luck with the project.
Extra wires and foresight are a great thing. I was also going to suggest considering using aluminium wire with the appropriate fittings/paste etc, you can then use heavier gauge for less money. Round here, all subpanels et al are interconnected with armoured aluminium.


text:
Date — 12 September, 2012
Miami, August 28, 2012 – The Swiss watch manufacturer IWC Schaffhausen is pleased to announce the opening of its latest boutique in North America. It is located in Miami's most luxurious shopping mall, Bal Harbour Shops. IWC's other boutiques within the US can be found in the renowned international shopping destinations New York City and Beverly Hills.
Known worldwide for its ambience and luxury, the expansive Bal Harbour Shops offer discerning customers the ultimate tropical setting for luxury shopping abundant with lush vegetation and water features. "Bal Harbour Shops is a natural location for IWC, given its reputation as an iconic luxury destination. The opening of our new boutique is an exciting moment for IWC and showcases the dedication to our customers," explains IWC Brand President of North America, Gianfranco D'Attis.
Precision in Paradise
Following the successful opening of the Flagship Boutique on Madison Avenue in New York City, IWC is continuing to expand its presence in North America. The brand was in fact founded by an American, Florentine Ariosto Jones, in 1868. The new Bal Harbour boutique is not only a high-profile retail location for the company's much coveted timepieces, but also an expression of its core values of innovation and engineering excellence. The boutique, designed by IWC's in-house team of architects and designers, reflects IWC's spirit and philosophy. Each of the company's six watch families is displayed within the unique architectural envelope.
The boutique features a mix of dark woods, set off against touches of white and chrome, reflecting the architectural style of its modern colonial surroundings. Every attention is given to fine detailing and craftsmanship, which further emphasizes the technical pioneering spirit for which IWC is globally renowned. A unique attraction for visitors is the range of special editions available exclusively in IWC boutiques. The experience of acquiring an IWC timepiece provides long-lasting excitement, but it becomes that much more extraordinary when customers are able to obtain an extremely rare model.
—Bal Harbour Shops, 9700 Collins Ave Bal Harbour, FL 33154
IWC North America
Jamie Williams
Senior Manager Public Relations
Tel. +1 (212) 891 2353
E-mail email@example.com
IWC Schaffhausen
Uwe Liebminger
Department Manager Public Relations
Mobile +41 (0)79 957 72 52
E-mail email@example.com
To honor the Tribeca Film Festival® and support its nonprofit affiliate, Tribeca Film Institute (TFI), IWC will auction a unique timepiece – the Portofino Monopusher Edition "TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL 2015" Unique Piece – and therewith introduces a new complication to the company's watch collection portfolio. Read Article
Against the exclusive backdrop of the renowned Goodwood Members' Meeting, IWC Schaffhausen unveiled its new Ingenieur Automatic Edition "AMG GT". Read Article
Swiss film promotion receives fresh boost: film director Marc Forster, Georges Kern, CEO of IWC Schaffhausen, Zurich Film Festival co-directors Nadja Schildknecht and Karl Spoerri, and Ringier CEO Marc Walder have joined forces to found the joint "Verein zur Filmförderung in der Schweiz" (Association for Film Promotion in Switzerland), with the aim of increasing the significance of national film projects. Read Article
IWC Schaffhausen and around 800 prominent guests gathered to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the legendary Portugieser watch family at the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH) in Geneva. Read Article


text:
Carey Mulligan chats with Vulture about everything from nudity in "Shame" to her late night drive with "Drive" director Nicolas Winding Refn. (He was in a Puma track suit, she was high on "seventeen Red Bulls" when they almost got arrested.) Mulligan begged Steve McQuee...Read More »
Yes, my fellow Oscar pundits are talking about the rising fortunes of the top trio in the awards race, "The Artist," "War Horse," and "The Descendants." All along, I have been puzzled by why they aren't taking another Oscar contender more seriously: "Moneyball....Read More »
The love story of Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill had a perfect start. They first met through a mutual friend - Ed Norton - at a Radiohead concert. Catherine Keener then suggested Hill for "Moneyball" while they were shooting "Cyrus"; after he played Peter Brand at a "Moneyball&quo...Read More »
Angelina Jolie Talks Blood & Honey on 60 Minutes: Afghanistan Set War Drama is Next, Punching Through Gender Stereotypes & Being Scared in a Good WayRead More »
DreamWorks put Steven Spielberg onstage in New York with moderator Mark Harris at an advance screening of "War Horse" on Sunday, which was simulcast live via satellite at preview screenings in nine other cities--Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Dallas, Boston, Washington, Seattle, Miam...Read More »
INTERVIEW: Cronenberg Talks Intellectual Menage a Trois A Dangerous Method, Knightley's BondageRead More »
Go nuts, Batman fans, new details on "The Dark Knight Rises" have landed. Director Christopher Nolan confirms to Empire that the "first six, seven minutes of the film" will screen in select IMAX cinemas on December 21, and will give "an introduction to Bane [the villain, pla...Read More »
Here's some brutal honesty from Jeremy Renner, whose "Mission: Impossible -- Ghost Protocol" comes out December 21, followed by "The Avengers" in May 2012. Career comes first: "Even now, any woman would take a No. 2 seat to my job." No thanks, "Transformers&qu...Read More »
Michael Fassbender has been so busy that it's tough for him to keep up with all the talking that goes with movie openings. He's up for awards consideration for all the performances he gave in the 2011--from "X-Men: First Class" and "Jane Eyre" to "A Dangerous Method&...Read More »
Bogdanovich, Shepherd, Bottoms, Leachman and Brennan Talk The Last Picture Show, Forty Years LaterRead More »


text: Marie-Jose van der Kolk (born September 16, 1973 in IJmuiden, Netherlands) also known by her stage names Loona and Charisma, is a singer, songwriter and dancer. She is most noted for her collaboration with DJ Sammy, performing as a duo under the stage name of DJ Sammy feat. Charisma. She has a daughter, Saphira Maria (born February 10, 2005).


text:
The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay
A Novel
In 1939 New York City, Joe Kavalier, a refugee from Hitler's Prague, joins forces with his Brooklyn-born cousin, Sammy Clay, to create comic-book superheroes inspired by their own fantasies, fears, and dreams.
McMillan Palgrave
& Taylor
In 1939 New York City, Joe Kavalier, a refugee from Hitler's Prague, joins forces with his Brooklyn-born cousin, Sammy Clay, to create comic-book superheroes inspired by their own fantasies, fears, and dreams. By the author of Wonder Boys and The Mysteries of Pittsburgh. Reprint.
From Library Staff
Diane's pick.
Author: Michael Chabon
Areas Featured: Midtown, Flatiron
While the climactic moment atop the Empire State Building offers the most iconic image from Michael Chabon's masterpiece, its the early moments in the lives of the young artists that will resonate with anyone who's ever moved somewhere ... Read More »
Joe Kavalier escapes from Prague in 1939 and creates comic superheros with his Brooklyn born cousin, Sammy Clay. Winner of the 2001 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.
Diane's pick
How two cousins create a comic strip empire.
From the critics
Community Activity
CommentAdd a Comment
This is a dense, interesting book. I'm afraid I haven't found it a compelling read so far. I keep putting it down, reading something else and coming back to it for a few pages. But it's an interesting time period.
Interesting characters and plot, but Chabon uses 3 words where one well-chosen one will do. Because of that, I could only plow through about 40 pages at a time. Fans of Thomas Hardy will enjoy. Others may not.
I read this book years ago and really liked it. It was a look into another world and very interesting.
I did not like this book, it's a heavy brick of a read. The plot and characters did not interest me. I only got half way through and gave up.
This is 2014/15 selection for "One Book, One Chicago" The characters, plot, and themes lack any sort of interesting, analytical depth that makes a book worth reading. I was extremely disappointed with this novel. I only read about ten chapters and returned the book back to the library.
I have a new back today. For real
Beautifully written, prolix ramble through pre WWII America...very readable, very enjoyable, and just a tad self-indulgent IMHO. Still, it's worth a go if you have the time and patience.
This was not just a great story with a complex plot and characters, but written with a knowing touch. Highly recommended!
The many kinds of love (romantic, brotherly, love of art) and love stories in K & C make it one of my very favorites.
A wholy remarkable book, presenting only a few qualms.
As a history of the comic book, including the real world contextualization against the backdrop of the Jewish-American experience and the 20th century's myriad new mediums... I don't think you'd find a parallel. Chabon captures all the fascinating psychological bearings of the comic book superhero.
The plot develops in a straightforward fashion, the protagonists are easily sympathized with, and there's nothing ugly about the writing or structure to get worried about.
It fits the subject matter, and it fits the 'history-bio' style but I did pause a few times to tell myself to ignore the pomp of the 'momentous occasions' that make up a few anecdotes. It's a big book. It's an epic book. It's an important book. But its best moments are smaller, and quieter.
(And the best bit is the Antarctica bit.)
SummaryAdd a Summary
An epic novel about two cousins who find themselves at the epicenter of the golden age of American comic books when they create the prewar superhero, The Escapist.
QuotesAdd a Quote
Hope had been his enemy, a frailty that he must at all costs master, for so long now that it was a moment before he was willing to concede that he had let it back into his heart.
AgeAdd Age Suitability
There are no ages for this title yet.
NoticesAdd a Notice
There are no notices for this title yet.
Find it at NYPL
Other Formats
- eBook: Check availability» Go to eBook
Buy It Now
Support your library, keep it forever!View Purchase Options Learn more about this program
Your Cart
Hello! We noticed you have the following items in your cart right now:
If you'd still like to purchase the items you have in your cart, you can do that now.
You'll be able to purchase your eBook after you have checked out your current cart.
To continue with your eBook purchase immediately, you can clear your cart by clicking below.
All items will be removed from your cart.
I'd like to keep browsing! I'll decide later.


text:
Quilter's Dozen - Sept 10th - grammyp
tinyteenaAugust 18, 2013
This is the post to acknowledge when you send your block to grammyp - Beverly.
Beverly will also acknowledge here when she receives each block.
Beverly - I have already sent my block to you and it should reach you around 26th August
Mailed your block this morning. It was a quick block to do. I hope you like the color combination. I think I've made this block every year I've been in the Birthday Block Exchange. I think I might make a quilt using this block. I bet it makes up into a pretty quilt.
Happy Birthday,


text:
Within City
Within 1 mile
Within 2 miles
Within 5 miles
Within 10 miles
Within 20 miles
Sort by
best match
most reviewed first
closest first
highest rated first
alphabetical order
sponsored result
"Small but mighty. Great Day Spa. Very peaceful atmosphere. Several massages to choose from. Great deals too."
"I have been going to O Spa for over five years for waxing services. The staff is professional and the clients are equally clean and professional. I highly ..."
"If you are looking for experience, dedication, and thorough follow through, this is the company you should be working with! I have felt completely secure in all of ..."
"Pat from the Kneaded Touch gave me the stress relief I was looking for in my LaStone Therapy massage. Ooohhh....the hot stones felt magnificent on my overworked muscles ..."
"This cozy spa on the corner of Moulton and LaPaz has the best massage I've ever experienced. The spa is tucked into a family style strip mall but ..."
"Are you ready to get a great therapeutic massage in a spa like setting for the low price of $39 dollars for an hour session or only $57 ..."
"Socorro gives a wonderful massage. She uses her entire body when she massages you! She's a petite little thing, but she can sure work the knots out between ..."
"I have been going to natural health for over 5 years, they treat me well, its easy to schedule an appointment, and it actually works!"
"Because I always get compliments on how my skin looks like peaches and cream, I'm going to continue to get facials from Renee. She puts you at ease ..."
"Jodi is simply the best massage therapist around. In all respects, she pays attention to individual needs of her clients and her knowledge of how to relieve pain ..."


text:
Anecdotes from the ArchiveDan Schlenoff edits the "50, 100 & 150 Years Ago" column for Scientific American. He is a keen student of the role of science in history.
First Sea Battle of World War I
Reported in Scientific American this Week in World War I: September 12, 1914 The Battle of Heligoland Bight took place in the North Sea on August 28, 1914. Reports of the fight took a couple of weeks to make it into print. The battle was a convincing victory by the British Royal Navy against the [...]Keep reading »
ObservationsLarry Greenemeier is the associate editor of technology for Scientific American, covering a variety of tech-related topics, including biotech, computers, military tech, nanotech and robots. Larry can be found on Twitter as
Fostering warmth after the supercold: Nobel laureate Wolfgang Ketterle talks up U.S.-German collaboration for innovation
More than a decade ago, Massachusetts Institute of Technology physicist Wolfgang Ketterle was honored with University of Colorado researchers Eric Cornell and Carl Wieman for work that led to the discovery of a new state of matter called the Bose–Einstein condensate. Together, they won the 2001 Nobel Prize in Physics. Citing his success, Ketterle called [...]Keep reading »