Archive for August, 2007
Male PMS
- July 2007 (17)
- 02: The Update (1)
- 04: Security Resistant Terrorists (0)
- 06: Philadelphia – The Good (2)
- 08: Philadelphia – The Bad (1)
- 08: Philadelphia – The Ugly (0)
- 09: Boston Uncommons (0)
- 10: Lancaster…no! Superfuncaster! (1)
- 11: Been There Milked That (0)
- 12: Spare Change (0)
- 13: A Californian in a Connecticut Yankee’s Court (2)
- 16: Which way? Fenway (1)
- 17: Pre-sliced American Cheese (3)
- 23: 66% Hitched (5)
- 25: California Screamin’ (1)
- 26: Comics are for Kids…and Amtrekkers (0)
- 29: Comic Comic Con (10)
- 31: I’m Not a Dad but I Play One on TV (10)
- August 2007 (14)
- 02: One’s Company (3)
- 05: The Podcast Cometh (2)
- 06: Less Than Amazing Race (3)
- 08: Gardening and Entering (8)
- 13: I Got Screwed…The Other Guy Got Nailed (4)
- 16: Niagara Falls…on my head (1)
- 19: Trojan Kayaks (8)
- 20: I Don’t Scream, But I Do Cry. (3)
- 21: Amtrak Mathamagicians (6)
- 22: Ins-N-Outs of Providence (7)
- 27: Boston T Parties (2)
- 28: Beercast?! (5)
- 29: I Love Couch…Not Lamp (3)
- 31: Male PMS (9)
- September 2007 (17)
- 02: I Think The Needle’s Stuck (2)
- 04: God Bless Hamerica (9)
- 05: Flying Fire and Fireflies (4)
- 07: Bee Careful What You Wish For (10)
- 08: Huckleberry Amtrekker (4)
- 11: Train-ed to Destroy (1)
- 13: Mmm…rBGH (3)
- 15: Glidin’ Seek (0)
- 17: No Air Time (6)
- 19: Click it and Ticket (10)
- 20: I hang glid (…hang glided…hang glode?) (9)
- 21: On The Way Down Yonder (4)
- 25: Chatta…who what now? (4)
- 26: #23 Hang gliding! [Podcast] (1)
- 27: Rambling and Ranting (1)
- 28: A Day in the Life (1)
- 29: Click…beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep (2)
- October 2007 (24)
- 01: The Other Orange County (4)
- 02: Tubing down the Chattahoochee! [Podcast] (5)
- 04: Go Fly Zone (8)
- 05: Quick Miami U Update (2)
- 06: Slo-Mo (9)
- 08: If you knock me on my butt, do I not bleed? (3)
- 09: #18 Pet a sloth [podcast] (6)
- 11: I Don’t Stand for Pedophiles (6)
- 13: How long?! (7)
- 14: Power Rangers Can’t Putt (5)
- 16: Train Travel FTW (3)
- 17: TASTHIB – Urban Golf [podcast] (8)
- 18: Whose life is it anyway? (1)
- 20: I Swung Danced [video] (5)
- 21: Fish out of water(…and into retaw?) (4)
- 21: #9 – Tales from the Wayback Machine. [podcast] (8)
- 23: The Green Kid (4)
- 25: Broken News (3)
- 25: #39 Motorcycle rally [podcast] (5)
- 27: I Think I Stepped in Knowledge (2)
- 28: Should’ve Listened to Detective Thorn (0)
- 29: I Flunked Hitchhiking [podcast] (7)
- 30: I Will Survive. Hey, Hey. (1)
- 31: Last Minute Costume Idea (3)
- November 2007 (24)
- 01: Which Town? [updated with pictures!] (8)
- 02: All That Jazz (3)
- 03: The Past Colors Memories of the Future (3)
- 03: Color Me Excited (0)
- 04: Mister Rogers Would Be Proud (6)
- 05: Salem, Massachusetts Halloween [podcast!] (3)
- 07: Salute Your Shorts (3)
- 08: Now What? (5)
- 09: Ode to Amtrekker (10)
- 10: You digg it? (2)
- 12: Update (1)
- 13: #47 Tour the Crayola Factory [podcast] (10)
- 15: Lobster Bucket (9)
- 16: Not The Most Beautiful Thing (3)
- 17: Give The Little Guy A Chance (3)
- 19: Enough Wading Already (5)
- 20: #27 Go on a lobster boat [podcast] (8)
- 22: Thanks for Giving (7)
- 23: Aggietrekker (0)
- 24: Fiamingo Family Thanksgiving (1)
- 26: Cranberries and Pennsylvanians [video] (12)
- 28: Just One of Those Days (10)
- 29: Don’t Forget to Smile (3)
- 30: Opposites Attract (8)
- December 2007 (23)
- 01: Impulse vs. Intelligence: Round 1 (2)
- 02: Stupid Grenade (1)
- 03: Beware Rampant Optimism (8)
- 04: Virginia Geocaching [podcast] (1)
- 05: “No, it’s not O.KKK.” (4)
- 07: Rhinestone Cowboys (featuring the anthropomorphic personification of exploding Bedazzlers) (3)
- 08: Quitters Never Prosper (5)
- 09: Bald Knob (for realsies) (6)
- 11: Crater of Mud State Park (4)
- 13: Escape from Arkadelphia (updated with pictures!) (10)
- 13: #15 Hitchhiking! [podcast (finally!)] (4)
- 16: Out of Texas -N- In to a Burger. (3)
- 18: Y’all Come Back Now… (6)
- 19: The Totally Rad Experience (3)
- 20: Show Me…Good People (2)
- 21: #15 Arkansas Crater of Diamonds [podcast] (2)
- 23: California Bum (3)
- 24: Home Is Where the Headache Is (3)
- 25: #46 See a Movie at the Alamo Drafthouse [podcast] (1)
- 26: Udderly Strange Christmas (1)
- 28: Ka-COW! (7)
- 29: More Christmas Jeer (3)
- 31: Paging Butt (2)
- January 2008 (25)
- 01: NYE in NYC (2)
- 02: Extra-Happy Hour (0)
- 02: Talk Show Eating Contest (wait…that sounds wrong) (9)
- 04: Hotdog Television Live (6)
- 06: Little Miss Update (1)
- 07: How-to: Travel on a Dime (1)
- 08: Not Even a Lump (1)
- 10: #22 Be a guest on a talk show BONUS #5 Enter a hotdog eating contest! [podcast] (6)
- 11: Other People’s Adventures (1)
- 12: Where’s Charles Atlas When You Need Him? (8)
- 14: Charley’s Going to Pee Himself (3)
- 15: Macworld Photos (0)
- 16: Stranger in a Same Land (7)
- 17: The Genuine Birthday Blog (2)
- 18: Surprise!!! (4)
- 19: #40 Ride a cow [podcast] (2)
- 20: 200?! (7)
- 22: Paging Mr. Copperfield (1)
- 23: No Cab Fare (7)
- 25: Everybody’s Creepy…Sometimes (1)
- 26: A New Day’s Resolution (9)
- 28: #41 Sandboarding! [podcast] (9)
- 30: Nature’s Plot to Make Me Look Stupid (5)
- 30: Day in the Life – Traveling to SLC [podcast] (8)
- 31: Salt Lake Pretty [updated with pictures] (4)
- February 2008 (22)
- 02: I’m Write (4)
- 04: Fire! (5)
- 04: Vote. (4)
- 06: Sweeping the Empire [updated with pictures!] (7)
- 06: The Land of Infinite Stairs [podcast] (4)
- 07: Hometown Highlights (3)
- 10: Go West Young Man (5)
- 11: The Brain Treadmill (6)
- 13: Amtrekker vs. Fire [podcast] (3)
- 15: Be Wary of VD (2)
- 17: What the?! (3)
- 18: Facing Jail Time (12)
- 19: Yoga and Booboo (2)
- 20: How to: Splash! [TASTHIB - podcast] (6)
- 21: I HATE (5)
- 22: Walk It Off (2)
- 24: “Hey Kettle You’re Looking Kinda…Black” (0)
- 25: The Plan (2)
- 26: Anti-Excitement (1)
- 27: TASTHIB – City Museum – St. Louis, MO [podcast] (3)
- 28: GSU Sampling (7)
- 29: Awesome Delays (2)
- March 2008 (21)
- 02: Super-secret Secret Squirrel (7)
- 03: What’s He Talking About? (7)
- 04: News To Me (1)
- 05: News to Me Inteview [podcast] (6)
- 07: Hashing (6)
- 08: Magic is About to Happen (9)
- 10: Magically Ambitious (4)
- 11: Quarry On (1)
- 12: #24 Be Part of a Stage Illusion [podcast] (4)
- 14: Lowest Highest Point. (3)
- 17: Swamptrekker (4)
- 19: Delayed Gratification (0)
- 20: #34 Scale the Lowest Highest Point in a State [podcast] (4)
- 21: A Beach By Any Other Name…Sucks (2)
- 24: Fishing for Donations (3)
- 25: Those Missing Days (2)
- 26: #45 Swamp Boat Ride With Gators! (6)
- 27: Angel’s Landing (1)
- 28: Where This Man Has Never Gone Before (2)
- 30: Microwave Potatoes (2)
- 31: Amtrekker Spirituality (5)
- April 2008 (24)
- 01: YOU’RE an April Fool! Jerk. (6)
- 03: #44 Fly-Fishing! [podcast] (1)
- 04: Party People (0)
- 05: What’s the Co-Motion? (3)
- 06: C’est La Vie (4)
- 07: The link to the CNN shindig (3)
- 08: Buses, Bums and Me (5)
- 09: The Immortal Words of Lewis Carroll (3)
- 10: Let’s Roller Coaster! (2)
- 11: Anti-Social Security (3)
- 13: Emotional Roller Coaster [completed objective] (2)
- 15: Days You’re Going to Need Time Off! (5)
- 16: #36 Ride the Fastest Roller Coaster in the Country! [podcast] (8)
- 17: Fifty Objective Pickup (0)
- 20: Silly Hat Bachelor Party! [updated with pictures!] (4)
- 21: Marathon Monday (0)
- 22: Marathon Madness (3)
- 23: TASTHIB – Boston Marathon Madness! (2)
- 24: What’s Colbert Hiding? (2)
- 25: How to: Be Interviewed on Good Morning America (11)
- 26: Good Morning Amtrekker (12)
- 28: New News (5)
- 29: Mid-flight Rescues (2)
- 30: Podcast Heads Up (4)
- May 2008 (16)
- 02: Internet Superstar (0)
- 03: #7 See a Live Taping of The Colbert Report! [podcast] (11)
- 06: Cause of Death: Hanging Out (6)
- 07: Viewer Mail Podcast (5)
- 09: Mega-Bust (2)
- 12: The Secret (2)
- 13: Passenger Diversity (1)
- 14: Beards, Blunders and BBQs (16)
- 16: In Transit (1)
- 19: Reenacting War = Enacting Discomfort (6)
- 20: Freezing My Musket Balls Off (8)
- 24: #12 Take Part in a Civil War Reenactment! [podcast] (7)
- 25: My Deliverance from #31 (7)
- 27: Spontaneous Raleigh Likin’ (4)
- 28: Pig Tails…Seriously (5)
- 30: #31 River Kayaking! [podcast] (*video problems fixed*) (1)
- June 2008 (17)
- 01: Less Than Helpful (5)
- 03: Wait…What Month Is It? (1)
- 04: Stuff to Gawk At (3)
- 06: #19 Help Out on a Plantation! [podcast] (6)
- 07: Boring Ol’ News, Exciting New Fun (0)
- 09: I Sailed. I’m a Sailor. I Can Sail Things. (No Big Deal) (6)
- 10: Metal Underpants and Nostalgia (2)
- 11: Bucket List?! (7)
- 13: Go Time (2)
- 13: I’ve Made a Huge Mistake? (2)
- 16: Kiteboarding! (4)
- 18: #16 Learn to Sail! [podcast] (6)
- 21: A Stitch in Time Saves Nine (7)
- 23: Pseudo-sport Olympics (13)
- 25: Toxic Stupidity Spill (0)
- 27: Greenie Green?! (4)
- 29: #29 Drive a Race Car! (6)
- July 2008 (15)
- 01: “Food” Stops (5)
- 02: #17 Kiteboarding! [podcast] (6)
- 03: Thank You (8)
- 04: Anniversary Sonnet (4)
- 09: The Grandest of Holes in the Ground (6)
- 11: The Wonderful World of Greyhound (3)
- 14: Assault on Miners (5)
- 16: #29 Drive a race car! [podcast] (5)
- 18: #25 Be in a Movie! (3)
- 21: The Day the Universe Decided to Punish Me (1)
- 22: Geocaching Attack! (0)
- 24: Frank’s Fort (1)
- 27: #3 Sleep in a Lighthouse! (10)
- 30: Charley Update (1)
- 31: La Dreamer and Stone Face: A Love Story (5)
- August 2008 (14)
- 01: #50 Hike to the Bottom of the Grand Canyon! [podcast] (3)
- 03: Get Well Charley (2)
- 08: Lake Shasta Shenanigans (2)
- 10: Hugfest 2008 (1)
- 11: Welcome to Crazytown. Population: Me (4)
- 12: Charley’s Malaise (3)
- 16: Ore-GONE! (0)
- 19: Where Oh Where Has My Amtrekker Gone… (0)
- 20: New Occupation: Used Car Salesman? (8)
- 22: Wholesale Slaughter (3)
- 25: #3 Sleep in a Lighthouse! [podcast] (2)
- 28: Nightmares (6)
- 29: Is Horse Feed Really a Good Idea Anyway? (5)
- 30: Disaster Looms (0)
- September 2008 (13)
- 01: What a Tangled Web We’ve Woven (2)
- 03: Baby Changes (0)
- 04: Disneylanding (3)
- 06: “Moonshinery 2008″ Update (0)
- 07: I Crashed an Ostrich (6)
- 09: #42 Ride an Ostrich! [podcast] (8)
- 11: American Rail Passes…FOR AMERICANS! (1)
- 14: Back on the Train (3)
- 16: Set Your Calendars! (3)
- 21: Pinko Commie Crops (4)
- 24: Crop Circling (4)
- 28: Stylish Dead Folks (0)
- 30: #13 Race Dirtbikes! [*updated with pictures!*] (2)
- October 2008 (14)
- 04: Uncertain Times (2)
- 06: #14 Make Moonshine Pt. 1 (4)
- 08: Dirty Minds (4)
- 11: Life of Brian (0)
- 13: #28 SCUBA Diving in the Atlantic! [*updated with pictures!*] (4)
- 14: Not Safe For PETA (6)
- 17: The Daily Buzz (1)
- 20: Death of the Dog? (1)
- 22: Instructions (0)
- 22: Auditions for Icabod Crane (2)
- 24: Bad News is Good? (0)
- 26: The End. (kinda) [pictures later] (7)
- 28: Party People (0)
- 31: Hey, Amtrekker! WTF (2)
- November 2008 (5)
- 03: Halloween Raid (0)
- 09: #2 Ride a Horse Through a Covered Bridge [podcast] (1)
- 12: Wolfe Manor (0)
- 24: A Night in Wolfe Manor [photos by CJ Johnson!] (1)
- 29: Iron Katy (0)
- December 2008 (4)
- 04: Stories Behind Stories (3)
- 14: #14 Make Moonshine Pt. 2 (4)
- 20: The First Four (3)
- 31: The Next Four (5)
- January 2009 (2)
- 02: A NEW List?! (10)
- 21: My Life as a Vegan (4)
- February 2009 (1)
- 25: 2009 Travel Blogger Awards (3)
- March 2009 (2)
- 06: Ghost Hunting at Wolfe Manor! [video] (3)
- 30: The Streamys! (5)
- May 2009 (4)
- 04: New Intro! (3)
- 07: Amtrekker: TALES FROM THE VAULT Premiere! (1)
- 18: A Popsicle is Better Than a Kick in the Ribs (3)
- 19: Latest Episode (1)
- July 2009 (1)
- 14: Geek Cred (2)
- August 2009 (3)
- 13: Road Trippin’ (3)
- 14: Road Trippin’ Day 2 (2)
- 25: Weird Things and Bigfeet (0)
- September 2009 (3)
- 02: Past Brett vs. Future Brett (6)
- 03: Northern Northern California (1)
- 05: Rubber Bands, Crustaceans and a Guest (0)
- October 2009 (1)
- 01: Arrestable Offense (2)
- November 2009 (4)
- 10: Meeting the Amazing Randi (3)
- 11: I hate Best Buy (1)
- 16: Cruise Overview (in haiku) (0)
- 22: A Few Rambling Thoughts on Cruising (3)
- December 2009 (1)
- March 2010 (1)
- 09: Amtrekker’s Newest Adventure! (0)
Hey Team,
Last night was kind of a rough night. Danielle used to call it “male PMS.” It may not be quite as regular as the chick version, but the results are always strikingly similar.
I wouldn’t exactly call it depression and I wouldn’t exactly call it loneliness…maybe more of a general malaise, or a low-grade frustration with life. It never really makes sense…and it’s rarely attached to any particular cause. But it’s usually characterized by me, in a bad mood, wanting to escape. Unfortunately, I’m kind of in the middle of my most complicated escape attempt to date. So where do I go from there?
In most cases I just want to get away from everything and everyone and do some good solid Goth style brooding (minus the creepy makeup and hair and clothing…and coffee…and clove cigarettes…and bad poetry…and the strange conformity to one given look that goes beyond any conformity that the Abercrombie mob has ever had. But otherwise JUST like that).
And it usually culminates in me getting up suddenly and going for a long, long run, by myself. But with a heavy pack full of tech I’m not very well equipped to go out for a long run these days.
Instead, I just started walking barefoot in the dark until I came across a neighborhood bookstore (my favorite places to kill time). While I was in there I started reading the preface to the original “scroll” version of “On the Road” by Jack Kerouac. It was just published this year, fifty years after the heavily edited version first saw print. (Incidentally, “On the Road” is the only other book besides “Travels with Charley” that I considered bringing with me on this trip. If not for lack of space I would have brought both.)
It was nice having something interesting to read and escape into (metaphorically of course, I would never have fit INSIDE the book, it was much to small) but reading the preface about how he went about writing “On the Road” only really served to desperately make me want to write a book. So, I guess, on the whole, the experience was kind of a wash. I still left the bookstore in a funk.
Before anyone starts to freak out I should say; I’m feeling much better today. I’m finally on the road (I didn’t mean for that pun to happen but I like it, so I’m going to leave it and pretend it was on purpose…shoot I just gave away the truth.) again and I get to stare out the train window at the endless blur of green in upstate New York and listen to the wet sounding snores boil gentle out of the throat of the fat man sitting behind me. PLUS I got to write a little bit last night before I went to sleep (um…and right now, I guess, if you want to get technical).
So, life’s good again after a minor hiccup. I wouldn’t have written about it but I feel like I owe everyone as close to the whole truth as I can represent on a page a day and since I experience so much cool stuff it’s only fair that a tiny little negative sneak in there on occasion. Regardless, this was far and away the toughest story to write so far.
Okay, I’m on a train on my way to Illinois to knock off #30 and #33 this weekend and hopefully it’s not too late to find myself a firefly. Wish me luck! And on that note:
I’m done.
Brett.
Don’t let me stop you.
I Love Couch…Not Lamp
- July 2007 (17)
- 02: The Update (1)
- 04: Security Resistant Terrorists (0)
- 06: Philadelphia – The Good (2)
- 08: Philadelphia – The Bad (1)
- 08: Philadelphia – The Ugly (0)
- 09: Boston Uncommons (0)
- 10: Lancaster…no! Superfuncaster! (1)
- 11: Been There Milked That (0)
- 12: Spare Change (0)
- 13: A Californian in a Connecticut Yankee’s Court (2)
- 16: Which way? Fenway (1)
- 17: Pre-sliced American Cheese (3)
- 23: 66% Hitched (5)
- 25: California Screamin’ (1)
- 26: Comics are for Kids…and Amtrekkers (0)
- 29: Comic Comic Con (10)
- 31: I’m Not a Dad but I Play One on TV (10)
- August 2007 (14)
- 02: One’s Company (3)
- 05: The Podcast Cometh (2)
- 06: Less Than Amazing Race (3)
- 08: Gardening and Entering (8)
- 13: I Got Screwed…The Other Guy Got Nailed (4)
- 16: Niagara Falls…on my head (1)
- 19: Trojan Kayaks (8)
- 20: I Don’t Scream, But I Do Cry. (3)
- 21: Amtrak Mathamagicians (6)
- 22: Ins-N-Outs of Providence (7)
- 27: Boston T Parties (2)
- 28: Beercast?! (5)
- 29: I Love Couch…Not Lamp (3)
- 31: Male PMS (9)
- September 2007 (17)
- 02: I Think The Needle’s Stuck (2)
- 04: God Bless Hamerica (9)
- 05: Flying Fire and Fireflies (4)
- 07: Bee Careful What You Wish For (10)
- 08: Huckleberry Amtrekker (4)
- 11: Train-ed to Destroy (1)
- 13: Mmm…rBGH (3)
- 15: Glidin’ Seek (0)
- 17: No Air Time (6)
- 19: Click it and Ticket (10)
- 20: I hang glid (…hang glided…hang glode?) (9)
- 21: On The Way Down Yonder (4)
- 25: Chatta…who what now? (4)
- 26: #23 Hang gliding! [Podcast] (1)
- 27: Rambling and Ranting (1)
- 28: A Day in the Life (1)
- 29: Click…beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep (2)
- October 2007 (24)
- 01: The Other Orange County (4)
- 02: Tubing down the Chattahoochee! [Podcast] (5)
- 04: Go Fly Zone (8)
- 05: Quick Miami U Update (2)
- 06: Slo-Mo (9)
- 08: If you knock me on my butt, do I not bleed? (3)
- 09: #18 Pet a sloth [podcast] (6)
- 11: I Don’t Stand for Pedophiles (6)
- 13: How long?! (7)
- 14: Power Rangers Can’t Putt (5)
- 16: Train Travel FTW (3)
- 17: TASTHIB – Urban Golf [podcast] (8)
- 18: Whose life is it anyway? (1)
- 20: I Swung Danced [video] (5)
- 21: Fish out of water(…and into retaw?) (4)
- 21: #9 – Tales from the Wayback Machine. [podcast] (8)
- 23: The Green Kid (4)
- 25: Broken News (3)
- 25: #39 Motorcycle rally [podcast] (5)
- 27: I Think I Stepped in Knowledge (2)
- 28: Should’ve Listened to Detective Thorn (0)
- 29: I Flunked Hitchhiking [podcast] (7)
- 30: I Will Survive. Hey, Hey. (1)
- 31: Last Minute Costume Idea (3)
- November 2007 (24)
- 01: Which Town? [updated with pictures!] (8)
- 02: All That Jazz (3)
- 03: The Past Colors Memories of the Future (3)
- 03: Color Me Excited (0)
- 04: Mister Rogers Would Be Proud (6)
- 05: Salem, Massachusetts Halloween [podcast!] (3)
- 07: Salute Your Shorts (3)
- 08: Now What? (5)
- 09: Ode to Amtrekker (10)
- 10: You digg it? (2)
- 12: Update (1)
- 13: #47 Tour the Crayola Factory [podcast] (10)
- 15: Lobster Bucket (9)
- 16: Not The Most Beautiful Thing (3)
- 17: Give The Little Guy A Chance (3)
- 19: Enough Wading Already (5)
- 20: #27 Go on a lobster boat [podcast] (8)
- 22: Thanks for Giving (7)
- 23: Aggietrekker (0)
- 24: Fiamingo Family Thanksgiving (1)
- 26: Cranberries and Pennsylvanians [video] (12)
- 28: Just One of Those Days (10)
- 29: Don’t Forget to Smile (3)
- 30: Opposites Attract (8)
- December 2007 (23)
- 01: Impulse vs. Intelligence: Round 1 (2)
- 02: Stupid Grenade (1)
- 03: Beware Rampant Optimism (8)
- 04: Virginia Geocaching [podcast] (1)
- 05: “No, it’s not O.KKK.” (4)
- 07: Rhinestone Cowboys (featuring the anthropomorphic personification of exploding Bedazzlers) (3)
- 08: Quitters Never Prosper (5)
- 09: Bald Knob (for realsies) (6)
- 11: Crater of Mud State Park (4)
- 13: Escape from Arkadelphia (updated with pictures!) (10)
- 13: #15 Hitchhiking! [podcast (finally!)] (4)
- 16: Out of Texas -N- In to a Burger. (3)
- 18: Y’all Come Back Now… (6)
- 19: The Totally Rad Experience (3)
- 20: Show Me…Good People (2)
- 21: #15 Arkansas Crater of Diamonds [podcast] (2)
- 23: California Bum (3)
- 24: Home Is Where the Headache Is (3)
- 25: #46 See a Movie at the Alamo Drafthouse [podcast] (1)
- 26: Udderly Strange Christmas (1)
- 28: Ka-COW! (7)
- 29: More Christmas Jeer (3)
- 31: Paging Butt (2)
- January 2008 (25)
- 01: NYE in NYC (2)
- 02: Extra-Happy Hour (0)
- 02: Talk Show Eating Contest (wait…that sounds wrong) (9)
- 04: Hotdog Television Live (6)
- 06: Little Miss Update (1)
- 07: How-to: Travel on a Dime (1)
- 08: Not Even a Lump (1)
- 10: #22 Be a guest on a talk show BONUS #5 Enter a hotdog eating contest! [podcast] (6)
- 11: Other People’s Adventures (1)
- 12: Where’s Charles Atlas When You Need Him? (8)
- 14: Charley’s Going to Pee Himself (3)
- 15: Macworld Photos (0)
- 16: Stranger in a Same Land (7)
- 17: The Genuine Birthday Blog (2)
- 18: Surprise!!! (4)
- 19: #40 Ride a cow [podcast] (2)
- 20: 200?! (7)
- 22: Paging Mr. Copperfield (1)
- 23: No Cab Fare (7)
- 25: Everybody’s Creepy…Sometimes (1)
- 26: A New Day’s Resolution (9)
- 28: #41 Sandboarding! [podcast] (9)
- 30: Nature’s Plot to Make Me Look Stupid (5)
- 30: Day in the Life – Traveling to SLC [podcast] (8)
- 31: Salt Lake Pretty [updated with pictures] (4)
- February 2008 (22)
- 02: I’m Write (4)
- 04: Fire! (5)
- 04: Vote. (4)
- 06: Sweeping the Empire [updated with pictures!] (7)
- 06: The Land of Infinite Stairs [podcast] (4)
- 07: Hometown Highlights (3)
- 10: Go West Young Man (5)
- 11: The Brain Treadmill (6)
- 13: Amtrekker vs. Fire [podcast] (3)
- 15: Be Wary of VD (2)
- 17: What the?! (3)
- 18: Facing Jail Time (12)
- 19: Yoga and Booboo (2)
- 20: How to: Splash! [TASTHIB - podcast] (6)
- 21: I HATE (5)
- 22: Walk It Off (2)
- 24: “Hey Kettle You’re Looking Kinda…Black” (0)
- 25: The Plan (2)
- 26: Anti-Excitement (1)
- 27: TASTHIB – City Museum – St. Louis, MO [podcast] (3)
- 28: GSU Sampling (7)
- 29: Awesome Delays (2)
- March 2008 (21)
- 02: Super-secret Secret Squirrel (7)
- 03: What’s He Talking About? (7)
- 04: News To Me (1)
- 05: News to Me Inteview [podcast] (6)
- 07: Hashing (6)
- 08: Magic is About to Happen (9)
- 10: Magically Ambitious (4)
- 11: Quarry On (1)
- 12: #24 Be Part of a Stage Illusion [podcast] (4)
- 14: Lowest Highest Point. (3)
- 17: Swamptrekker (4)
- 19: Delayed Gratification (0)
- 20: #34 Scale the Lowest Highest Point in a State [podcast] (4)
- 21: A Beach By Any Other Name…Sucks (2)
- 24: Fishing for Donations (3)
- 25: Those Missing Days (2)
- 26: #45 Swamp Boat Ride With Gators! (6)
- 27: Angel’s Landing (1)
- 28: Where This Man Has Never Gone Before (2)
- 30: Microwave Potatoes (2)
- 31: Amtrekker Spirituality (5)
- April 2008 (24)
- 01: YOU’RE an April Fool! Jerk. (6)
- 03: #44 Fly-Fishing! [podcast] (1)
- 04: Party People (0)
- 05: What’s the Co-Motion? (3)
- 06: C’est La Vie (4)
- 07: The link to the CNN shindig (3)
- 08: Buses, Bums and Me (5)
- 09: The Immortal Words of Lewis Carroll (3)
- 10: Let’s Roller Coaster! (2)
- 11: Anti-Social Security (3)
- 13: Emotional Roller Coaster [completed objective] (2)
- 15: Days You’re Going to Need Time Off! (5)
- 16: #36 Ride the Fastest Roller Coaster in the Country! [podcast] (8)
- 17: Fifty Objective Pickup (0)
- 20: Silly Hat Bachelor Party! [updated with pictures!] (4)
- 21: Marathon Monday (0)
- 22: Marathon Madness (3)
- 23: TASTHIB – Boston Marathon Madness! (2)
- 24: What’s Colbert Hiding? (2)
- 25: How to: Be Interviewed on Good Morning America (11)
- 26: Good Morning Amtrekker (12)
- 28: New News (5)
- 29: Mid-flight Rescues (2)
- 30: Podcast Heads Up (4)
- May 2008 (16)
- 02: Internet Superstar (0)
- 03: #7 See a Live Taping of The Colbert Report! [podcast] (11)
- 06: Cause of Death: Hanging Out (6)
- 07: Viewer Mail Podcast (5)
- 09: Mega-Bust (2)
- 12: The Secret (2)
- 13: Passenger Diversity (1)
- 14: Beards, Blunders and BBQs (16)
- 16: In Transit (1)
- 19: Reenacting War = Enacting Discomfort (6)
- 20: Freezing My Musket Balls Off (8)
- 24: #12 Take Part in a Civil War Reenactment! [podcast] (7)
- 25: My Deliverance from #31 (7)
- 27: Spontaneous Raleigh Likin’ (4)
- 28: Pig Tails…Seriously (5)
- 30: #31 River Kayaking! [podcast] (*video problems fixed*) (1)
- June 2008 (17)
- 01: Less Than Helpful (5)
- 03: Wait…What Month Is It? (1)
- 04: Stuff to Gawk At (3)
- 06: #19 Help Out on a Plantation! [podcast] (6)
- 07: Boring Ol’ News, Exciting New Fun (0)
- 09: I Sailed. I’m a Sailor. I Can Sail Things. (No Big Deal) (6)
- 10: Metal Underpants and Nostalgia (2)
- 11: Bucket List?! (7)
- 13: Go Time (2)
- 13: I’ve Made a Huge Mistake? (2)
- 16: Kiteboarding! (4)
- 18: #16 Learn to Sail! [podcast] (6)
- 21: A Stitch in Time Saves Nine (7)
- 23: Pseudo-sport Olympics (13)
- 25: Toxic Stupidity Spill (0)
- 27: Greenie Green?! (4)
- 29: #29 Drive a Race Car! (6)
- July 2008 (15)
- 01: “Food” Stops (5)
- 02: #17 Kiteboarding! [podcast] (6)
- 03: Thank You (8)
- 04: Anniversary Sonnet (4)
- 09: The Grandest of Holes in the Ground (6)
- 11: The Wonderful World of Greyhound (3)
- 14: Assault on Miners (5)
- 16: #29 Drive a race car! [podcast] (5)
- 18: #25 Be in a Movie! (3)
- 21: The Day the Universe Decided to Punish Me (1)
- 22: Geocaching Attack! (0)
- 24: Frank’s Fort (1)
- 27: #3 Sleep in a Lighthouse! (10)
- 30: Charley Update (1)
- 31: La Dreamer and Stone Face: A Love Story (5)
- August 2008 (14)
- 01: #50 Hike to the Bottom of the Grand Canyon! [podcast] (3)
- 03: Get Well Charley (2)
- 08: Lake Shasta Shenanigans (2)
- 10: Hugfest 2008 (1)
- 11: Welcome to Crazytown. Population: Me (4)
- 12: Charley’s Malaise (3)
- 16: Ore-GONE! (0)
- 19: Where Oh Where Has My Amtrekker Gone… (0)
- 20: New Occupation: Used Car Salesman? (8)
- 22: Wholesale Slaughter (3)
- 25: #3 Sleep in a Lighthouse! [podcast] (2)
- 28: Nightmares (6)
- 29: Is Horse Feed Really a Good Idea Anyway? (5)
- 30: Disaster Looms (0)
- September 2008 (13)
- 01: What a Tangled Web We’ve Woven (2)
- 03: Baby Changes (0)
- 04: Disneylanding (3)
- 06: “Moonshinery 2008″ Update (0)
- 07: I Crashed an Ostrich (6)
- 09: #42 Ride an Ostrich! [podcast] (8)
- 11: American Rail Passes…FOR AMERICANS! (1)
- 14: Back on the Train (3)
- 16: Set Your Calendars! (3)
- 21: Pinko Commie Crops (4)
- 24: Crop Circling (4)
- 28: Stylish Dead Folks (0)
- 30: #13 Race Dirtbikes! [*updated with pictures!*] (2)
- October 2008 (14)
- 04: Uncertain Times (2)
- 06: #14 Make Moonshine Pt. 1 (4)
- 08: Dirty Minds (4)
- 11: Life of Brian (0)
- 13: #28 SCUBA Diving in the Atlantic! [*updated with pictures!*] (4)
- 14: Not Safe For PETA (6)
- 17: The Daily Buzz (1)
- 20: Death of the Dog? (1)
- 22: Instructions (0)
- 22: Auditions for Icabod Crane (2)
- 24: Bad News is Good? (0)
- 26: The End. (kinda) [pictures later] (7)
- 28: Party People (0)
- 31: Hey, Amtrekker! WTF (2)
- November 2008 (5)
- 03: Halloween Raid (0)
- 09: #2 Ride a Horse Through a Covered Bridge [podcast] (1)
- 12: Wolfe Manor (0)
- 24: A Night in Wolfe Manor [photos by CJ Johnson!] (1)
- 29: Iron Katy (0)
- December 2008 (4)
- 04: Stories Behind Stories (3)
- 14: #14 Make Moonshine Pt. 2 (4)
- 20: The First Four (3)
- 31: The Next Four (5)
- January 2009 (2)
- 02: A NEW List?! (10)
- 21: My Life as a Vegan (4)
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- 25: 2009 Travel Blogger Awards (3)
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- 06: Ghost Hunting at Wolfe Manor! [video] (3)
- 30: The Streamys! (5)
- May 2009 (4)
- 04: New Intro! (3)
- 07: Amtrekker: TALES FROM THE VAULT Premiere! (1)
- 18: A Popsicle is Better Than a Kick in the Ribs (3)
- 19: Latest Episode (1)
- July 2009 (1)
- 14: Geek Cred (2)
- August 2009 (3)
- 13: Road Trippin’ (3)
- 14: Road Trippin’ Day 2 (2)
- 25: Weird Things and Bigfeet (0)
- September 2009 (3)
- 02: Past Brett vs. Future Brett (6)
- 03: Northern Northern California (1)
- 05: Rubber Bands, Crustaceans and a Guest (0)
- October 2009 (1)
- 01: Arrestable Offense (2)
- November 2009 (4)
- 10: Meeting the Amazing Randi (3)
- 11: I hate Best Buy (1)
- 16: Cruise Overview (in haiku) (0)
- 22: A Few Rambling Thoughts on Cruising (3)
- December 2009 (1)
- March 2010 (1)
- 09: Amtrekker’s Newest Adventure! (0)
Hey Team,
I have two very important words for you. Couch surfing. Wait…maybe that’s one word. Couchsurfing. Hold on…let’s start over.
Hey Team,
I have one very important web address for you. www.couchsurfing.com. I’m sure you all know about my stubborn insistence on refusing to pay for lodging during my trip (hence the occasional sleeping on park benches). But how do I go about finding lodging when I’m not sleeping at a friend’s house or on a park bench?
Couch Surfing! (Or couchsurfing!)
It’s the coolest thing since liquid nitrogen! Couchsurfing.com is a huge worldwide network of travelers who all like to do things on the cheap and experience new cultures. And it’s absolutely the best way to discover a new city.
Before I left on this trip I was worried that having thoroughly explored California (after a lifetime spent in The Golden State) I’d already seen everything I was likely to encounter in the rest of the country. This was especially worrying when I was on my way from San Francisco to Los Angeles via the Central Valley a week before I left. In other words, I went from one of the world’s most important cultural centers to the second largest city in the country via a road riddled with tractor crossing signs. What else is there to see?
Turns out…a lot.
And I have couchsurfing.com to thank for a lot of that. On the surface there ARE a lot of similarities around the country. And if I were just walking across the top of the local color Gerridae Ranatra fusca style and getting the Holiday Inn experience I probably wouldn’t even notice the differences. But when you’re staying with the natives you’re instantly thrown into their own personal network of friends and acquaintances. And from those networks an entire hidden world opens up, not just of local culture but little known points of interest that otherwise would have escaped view.
I guess this is kind of a love note to all the new friends I’ve already made so far on this trip. I’d specifically like to think all the couch surfers who’ve let me stay with them. Mike, George, Aaron, Cassie, Phil, Nickola, Margaret, Kelli, Cari, Eamon, Veronica, Vida, Todd, Matt. It takes a special kind of generosity to let a stranger (even one as kind as myself) into your house and show them your life and your town.
Thank you all so much!
I’m done.
Brett.
Okay, so lodging’s under control but there are still plenty of other expenses!
Don’t let me stop you.
Beercast?!
- July 2007 (17)
- 02: The Update (1)
- 04: Security Resistant Terrorists (0)
- 06: Philadelphia – The Good (2)
- 08: Philadelphia – The Bad (1)
- 08: Philadelphia – The Ugly (0)
- 09: Boston Uncommons (0)
- 10: Lancaster…no! Superfuncaster! (1)
- 11: Been There Milked That (0)
- 12: Spare Change (0)
- 13: A Californian in a Connecticut Yankee’s Court (2)
- 16: Which way? Fenway (1)
- 17: Pre-sliced American Cheese (3)
- 23: 66% Hitched (5)
- 25: California Screamin’ (1)
- 26: Comics are for Kids…and Amtrekkers (0)
- 29: Comic Comic Con (10)
- 31: I’m Not a Dad but I Play One on TV (10)
- August 2007 (14)
- 02: One’s Company (3)
- 05: The Podcast Cometh (2)
- 06: Less Than Amazing Race (3)
- 08: Gardening and Entering (8)
- 13: I Got Screwed…The Other Guy Got Nailed (4)
- 16: Niagara Falls…on my head (1)
- 19: Trojan Kayaks (8)
- 20: I Don’t Scream, But I Do Cry. (3)
- 21: Amtrak Mathamagicians (6)
- 22: Ins-N-Outs of Providence (7)
- 27: Boston T Parties (2)
- 28: Beercast?! (5)
- 29: I Love Couch…Not Lamp (3)
- 31: Male PMS (9)
- September 2007 (17)
- 02: I Think The Needle’s Stuck (2)
- 04: God Bless Hamerica (9)
- 05: Flying Fire and Fireflies (4)
- 07: Bee Careful What You Wish For (10)
- 08: Huckleberry Amtrekker (4)
- 11: Train-ed to Destroy (1)
- 13: Mmm…rBGH (3)
- 15: Glidin’ Seek (0)
- 17: No Air Time (6)
- 19: Click it and Ticket (10)
- 20: I hang glid (…hang glided…hang glode?) (9)
- 21: On The Way Down Yonder (4)
- 25: Chatta…who what now? (4)
- 26: #23 Hang gliding! [Podcast] (1)
- 27: Rambling and Ranting (1)
- 28: A Day in the Life (1)
- 29: Click…beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep (2)
- October 2007 (24)
- 01: The Other Orange County (4)
- 02: Tubing down the Chattahoochee! [Podcast] (5)
- 04: Go Fly Zone (8)
- 05: Quick Miami U Update (2)
- 06: Slo-Mo (9)
- 08: If you knock me on my butt, do I not bleed? (3)
- 09: #18 Pet a sloth [podcast] (6)
- 11: I Don’t Stand for Pedophiles (6)
- 13: How long?! (7)
- 14: Power Rangers Can’t Putt (5)
- 16: Train Travel FTW (3)
- 17: TASTHIB – Urban Golf [podcast] (8)
- 18: Whose life is it anyway? (1)
- 20: I Swung Danced [video] (5)
- 21: Fish out of water(…and into retaw?) (4)
- 21: #9 – Tales from the Wayback Machine. [podcast] (8)
- 23: The Green Kid (4)
- 25: Broken News (3)
- 25: #39 Motorcycle rally [podcast] (5)
- 27: I Think I Stepped in Knowledge (2)
- 28: Should’ve Listened to Detective Thorn (0)
- 29: I Flunked Hitchhiking [podcast] (7)
- 30: I Will Survive. Hey, Hey. (1)
- 31: Last Minute Costume Idea (3)
- November 2007 (24)
- 01: Which Town? [updated with pictures!] (8)
- 02: All That Jazz (3)
- 03: The Past Colors Memories of the Future (3)
- 03: Color Me Excited (0)
- 04: Mister Rogers Would Be Proud (6)
- 05: Salem, Massachusetts Halloween [podcast!] (3)
- 07: Salute Your Shorts (3)
- 08: Now What? (5)
- 09: Ode to Amtrekker (10)
- 10: You digg it? (2)
- 12: Update (1)
- 13: #47 Tour the Crayola Factory [podcast] (10)
- 15: Lobster Bucket (9)
- 16: Not The Most Beautiful Thing (3)
- 17: Give The Little Guy A Chance (3)
- 19: Enough Wading Already (5)
- 20: #27 Go on a lobster boat [podcast] (8)
- 22: Thanks for Giving (7)
- 23: Aggietrekker (0)
- 24: Fiamingo Family Thanksgiving (1)
- 26: Cranberries and Pennsylvanians [video] (12)
- 28: Just One of Those Days (10)
- 29: Don’t Forget to Smile (3)
- 30: Opposites Attract (8)
- December 2007 (23)
- 01: Impulse vs. Intelligence: Round 1 (2)
- 02: Stupid Grenade (1)
- 03: Beware Rampant Optimism (8)
- 04: Virginia Geocaching [podcast] (1)
- 05: “No, it’s not O.KKK.” (4)
- 07: Rhinestone Cowboys (featuring the anthropomorphic personification of exploding Bedazzlers) (3)
- 08: Quitters Never Prosper (5)
- 09: Bald Knob (for realsies) (6)
- 11: Crater of Mud State Park (4)
- 13: Escape from Arkadelphia (updated with pictures!) (10)
- 13: #15 Hitchhiking! [podcast (finally!)] (4)
- 16: Out of Texas -N- In to a Burger. (3)
- 18: Y’all Come Back Now… (6)
- 19: The Totally Rad Experience (3)
- 20: Show Me…Good People (2)
- 21: #15 Arkansas Crater of Diamonds [podcast] (2)
- 23: California Bum (3)
- 24: Home Is Where the Headache Is (3)
- 25: #46 See a Movie at the Alamo Drafthouse [podcast] (1)
- 26: Udderly Strange Christmas (1)
- 28: Ka-COW! (7)
- 29: More Christmas Jeer (3)
- 31: Paging Butt (2)
- January 2008 (25)
- 01: NYE in NYC (2)
- 02: Extra-Happy Hour (0)
- 02: Talk Show Eating Contest (wait…that sounds wrong) (9)
- 04: Hotdog Television Live (6)
- 06: Little Miss Update (1)
- 07: How-to: Travel on a Dime (1)
- 08: Not Even a Lump (1)
- 10: #22 Be a guest on a talk show BONUS #5 Enter a hotdog eating contest! [podcast] (6)
- 11: Other People’s Adventures (1)
- 12: Where’s Charles Atlas When You Need Him? (8)
- 14: Charley’s Going to Pee Himself (3)
- 15: Macworld Photos (0)
- 16: Stranger in a Same Land (7)
- 17: The Genuine Birthday Blog (2)
- 18: Surprise!!! (4)
- 19: #40 Ride a cow [podcast] (2)
- 20: 200?! (7)
- 22: Paging Mr. Copperfield (1)
- 23: No Cab Fare (7)
- 25: Everybody’s Creepy…Sometimes (1)
- 26: A New Day’s Resolution (9)
- 28: #41 Sandboarding! [podcast] (9)
- 30: Nature’s Plot to Make Me Look Stupid (5)
- 30: Day in the Life – Traveling to SLC [podcast] (8)
- 31: Salt Lake Pretty [updated with pictures] (4)
- February 2008 (22)
- 02: I’m Write (4)
- 04: Fire! (5)
- 04: Vote. (4)
- 06: Sweeping the Empire [updated with pictures!] (7)
- 06: The Land of Infinite Stairs [podcast] (4)
- 07: Hometown Highlights (3)
- 10: Go West Young Man (5)
- 11: The Brain Treadmill (6)
- 13: Amtrekker vs. Fire [podcast] (3)
- 15: Be Wary of VD (2)
- 17: What the?! (3)
- 18: Facing Jail Time (12)
- 19: Yoga and Booboo (2)
- 20: How to: Splash! [TASTHIB - podcast] (6)
- 21: I HATE (5)
- 22: Walk It Off (2)
- 24: “Hey Kettle You’re Looking Kinda…Black” (0)
- 25: The Plan (2)
- 26: Anti-Excitement (1)
- 27: TASTHIB – City Museum – St. Louis, MO [podcast] (3)
- 28: GSU Sampling (7)
- 29: Awesome Delays (2)
- March 2008 (21)
- 02: Super-secret Secret Squirrel (7)
- 03: What’s He Talking About? (7)
- 04: News To Me (1)
- 05: News to Me Inteview [podcast] (6)
- 07: Hashing (6)
- 08: Magic is About to Happen (9)
- 10: Magically Ambitious (4)
- 11: Quarry On (1)
- 12: #24 Be Part of a Stage Illusion [podcast] (4)
- 14: Lowest Highest Point. (3)
- 17: Swamptrekker (4)
- 19: Delayed Gratification (0)
- 20: #34 Scale the Lowest Highest Point in a State [podcast] (4)
- 21: A Beach By Any Other Name…Sucks (2)
- 24: Fishing for Donations (3)
- 25: Those Missing Days (2)
- 26: #45 Swamp Boat Ride With Gators! (6)
- 27: Angel’s Landing (1)
- 28: Where This Man Has Never Gone Before (2)
- 30: Microwave Potatoes (2)
- 31: Amtrekker Spirituality (5)
- April 2008 (24)
- 01: YOU’RE an April Fool! Jerk. (6)
- 03: #44 Fly-Fishing! [podcast] (1)
- 04: Party People (0)
- 05: What’s the Co-Motion? (3)
- 06: C’est La Vie (4)
- 07: The link to the CNN shindig (3)
- 08: Buses, Bums and Me (5)
- 09: The Immortal Words of Lewis Carroll (3)
- 10: Let’s Roller Coaster! (2)
- 11: Anti-Social Security (3)
- 13: Emotional Roller Coaster [completed objective] (2)
- 15: Days You’re Going to Need Time Off! (5)
- 16: #36 Ride the Fastest Roller Coaster in the Country! [podcast] (8)
- 17: Fifty Objective Pickup (0)
- 20: Silly Hat Bachelor Party! [updated with pictures!] (4)
- 21: Marathon Monday (0)
- 22: Marathon Madness (3)
- 23: TASTHIB – Boston Marathon Madness! (2)
- 24: What’s Colbert Hiding? (2)
- 25: How to: Be Interviewed on Good Morning America (11)
- 26: Good Morning Amtrekker (12)
- 28: New News (5)
- 29: Mid-flight Rescues (2)
- 30: Podcast Heads Up (4)
- May 2008 (16)
- 02: Internet Superstar (0)
- 03: #7 See a Live Taping of The Colbert Report! [podcast] (11)
- 06: Cause of Death: Hanging Out (6)
- 07: Viewer Mail Podcast (5)
- 09: Mega-Bust (2)
- 12: The Secret (2)
- 13: Passenger Diversity (1)
- 14: Beards, Blunders and BBQs (16)
- 16: In Transit (1)
- 19: Reenacting War = Enacting Discomfort (6)
- 20: Freezing My Musket Balls Off (8)
- 24: #12 Take Part in a Civil War Reenactment! [podcast] (7)
- 25: My Deliverance from #31 (7)
- 27: Spontaneous Raleigh Likin’ (4)
- 28: Pig Tails…Seriously (5)
- 30: #31 River Kayaking! [podcast] (*video problems fixed*) (1)
- June 2008 (17)
- 01: Less Than Helpful (5)
- 03: Wait…What Month Is It? (1)
- 04: Stuff to Gawk At (3)
- 06: #19 Help Out on a Plantation! [podcast] (6)
- 07: Boring Ol’ News, Exciting New Fun (0)
- 09: I Sailed. I’m a Sailor. I Can Sail Things. (No Big Deal) (6)
- 10: Metal Underpants and Nostalgia (2)
- 11: Bucket List?! (7)
- 13: Go Time (2)
- 13: I’ve Made a Huge Mistake? (2)
- 16: Kiteboarding! (4)
- 18: #16 Learn to Sail! [podcast] (6)
- 21: A Stitch in Time Saves Nine (7)
- 23: Pseudo-sport Olympics (13)
- 25: Toxic Stupidity Spill (0)
- 27: Greenie Green?! (4)
- 29: #29 Drive a Race Car! (6)
- July 2008 (15)
- 01: “Food” Stops (5)
- 02: #17 Kiteboarding! [podcast] (6)
- 03: Thank You (8)
- 04: Anniversary Sonnet (4)
- 09: The Grandest of Holes in the Ground (6)
- 11: The Wonderful World of Greyhound (3)
- 14: Assault on Miners (5)
- 16: #29 Drive a race car! [podcast] (5)
- 18: #25 Be in a Movie! (3)
- 21: The Day the Universe Decided to Punish Me (1)
- 22: Geocaching Attack! (0)
- 24: Frank’s Fort (1)
- 27: #3 Sleep in a Lighthouse! (10)
- 30: Charley Update (1)
- 31: La Dreamer and Stone Face: A Love Story (5)
- August 2008 (14)
- 01: #50 Hike to the Bottom of the Grand Canyon! [podcast] (3)
- 03: Get Well Charley (2)
- 08: Lake Shasta Shenanigans (2)
- 10: Hugfest 2008 (1)
- 11: Welcome to Crazytown. Population: Me (4)
- 12: Charley’s Malaise (3)
- 16: Ore-GONE! (0)
- 19: Where Oh Where Has My Amtrekker Gone… (0)
- 20: New Occupation: Used Car Salesman? (8)
- 22: Wholesale Slaughter (3)
- 25: #3 Sleep in a Lighthouse! [podcast] (2)
- 28: Nightmares (6)
- 29: Is Horse Feed Really a Good Idea Anyway? (5)
- 30: Disaster Looms (0)
- September 2008 (13)
- 01: What a Tangled Web We’ve Woven (2)
- 03: Baby Changes (0)
- 04: Disneylanding (3)
- 06: “Moonshinery 2008″ Update (0)
- 07: I Crashed an Ostrich (6)
- 09: #42 Ride an Ostrich! [podcast] (8)
- 11: American Rail Passes…FOR AMERICANS! (1)
- 14: Back on the Train (3)
- 16: Set Your Calendars! (3)
- 21: Pinko Commie Crops (4)
- 24: Crop Circling (4)
- 28: Stylish Dead Folks (0)
- 30: #13 Race Dirtbikes! [*updated with pictures!*] (2)
- October 2008 (14)
- 04: Uncertain Times (2)
- 06: #14 Make Moonshine Pt. 1 (4)
- 08: Dirty Minds (4)
- 11: Life of Brian (0)
- 13: #28 SCUBA Diving in the Atlantic! [*updated with pictures!*] (4)
- 14: Not Safe For PETA (6)
- 17: The Daily Buzz (1)
- 20: Death of the Dog? (1)
- 22: Instructions (0)
- 22: Auditions for Icabod Crane (2)
- 24: Bad News is Good? (0)
- 26: The End. (kinda) [pictures later] (7)
- 28: Party People (0)
- 31: Hey, Amtrekker! WTF (2)
- November 2008 (5)
- 03: Halloween Raid (0)
- 09: #2 Ride a Horse Through a Covered Bridge [podcast] (1)
- 12: Wolfe Manor (0)
- 24: A Night in Wolfe Manor [photos by CJ Johnson!] (1)
- 29: Iron Katy (0)
- December 2008 (4)
- 04: Stories Behind Stories (3)
- 14: #14 Make Moonshine Pt. 2 (4)
- 20: The First Four (3)
- 31: The Next Four (5)
- January 2009 (2)
- 02: A NEW List?! (10)
- 21: My Life as a Vegan (4)
- February 2009 (1)
- 25: 2009 Travel Blogger Awards (3)
- March 2009 (2)
- 06: Ghost Hunting at Wolfe Manor! [video] (3)
- 30: The Streamys! (5)
- May 2009 (4)
- 04: New Intro! (3)
- 07: Amtrekker: TALES FROM THE VAULT Premiere! (1)
- 18: A Popsicle is Better Than a Kick in the Ribs (3)
- 19: Latest Episode (1)
- July 2009 (1)
- 14: Geek Cred (2)
- August 2009 (3)
- 13: Road Trippin’ (3)
- 14: Road Trippin’ Day 2 (2)
- 25: Weird Things and Bigfeet (0)
- September 2009 (3)
- 02: Past Brett vs. Future Brett (6)
- 03: Northern Northern California (1)
- 05: Rubber Bands, Crustaceans and a Guest (0)
- October 2009 (1)
- 01: Arrestable Offense (2)
- November 2009 (4)
- 10: Meeting the Amazing Randi (3)
- 11: I hate Best Buy (1)
- 16: Cruise Overview (in haiku) (0)
- 22: A Few Rambling Thoughts on Cruising (3)
- December 2009 (1)
- March 2010 (1)
- 09: Amtrekker’s Newest Adventure! (0)
Hey Team,
Here’s the video for the beer tasting in Brookline, MA. You’ll see some honest opinions, a few confused looks and Mike shares the sound of his pants. Enjoy.
If you can’t see the video on the site click here to go directly to youtube and watch it there.
Leave a comment and let me know what you kids think of the video style. Is this the type of thing you’d like to see more of?
I’m done.
But you don’t have to be, you could always take a second and…
Don’t let me stop you.
Boston T Parties
- July 2007 (17)
- 02: The Update (1)
- 04: Security Resistant Terrorists (0)
- 06: Philadelphia – The Good (2)
- 08: Philadelphia – The Bad (1)
- 08: Philadelphia – The Ugly (0)
- 09: Boston Uncommons (0)
- 10: Lancaster…no! Superfuncaster! (1)
- 11: Been There Milked That (0)
- 12: Spare Change (0)
- 13: A Californian in a Connecticut Yankee’s Court (2)
- 16: Which way? Fenway (1)
- 17: Pre-sliced American Cheese (3)
- 23: 66% Hitched (5)
- 25: California Screamin’ (1)
- 26: Comics are for Kids…and Amtrekkers (0)
- 29: Comic Comic Con (10)
- 31: I’m Not a Dad but I Play One on TV (10)
- August 2007 (14)
- 02: One’s Company (3)
- 05: The Podcast Cometh (2)
- 06: Less Than Amazing Race (3)
- 08: Gardening and Entering (8)
- 13: I Got Screwed…The Other Guy Got Nailed (4)
- 16: Niagara Falls…on my head (1)
- 19: Trojan Kayaks (8)
- 20: I Don’t Scream, But I Do Cry. (3)
- 21: Amtrak Mathamagicians (6)
- 22: Ins-N-Outs of Providence (7)
- 27: Boston T Parties (2)
- 28: Beercast?! (5)
- 29: I Love Couch…Not Lamp (3)
- 31: Male PMS (9)
- September 2007 (17)
- 02: I Think The Needle’s Stuck (2)
- 04: God Bless Hamerica (9)
- 05: Flying Fire and Fireflies (4)
- 07: Bee Careful What You Wish For (10)
- 08: Huckleberry Amtrekker (4)
- 11: Train-ed to Destroy (1)
- 13: Mmm…rBGH (3)
- 15: Glidin’ Seek (0)
- 17: No Air Time (6)
- 19: Click it and Ticket (10)
- 20: I hang glid (…hang glided…hang glode?) (9)
- 21: On The Way Down Yonder (4)
- 25: Chatta…who what now? (4)
- 26: #23 Hang gliding! [Podcast] (1)
- 27: Rambling and Ranting (1)
- 28: A Day in the Life (1)
- 29: Click…beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep (2)
- October 2007 (24)
- 01: The Other Orange County (4)
- 02: Tubing down the Chattahoochee! [Podcast] (5)
- 04: Go Fly Zone (8)
- 05: Quick Miami U Update (2)
- 06: Slo-Mo (9)
- 08: If you knock me on my butt, do I not bleed? (3)
- 09: #18 Pet a sloth [podcast] (6)
- 11: I Don’t Stand for Pedophiles (6)
- 13: How long?! (7)
- 14: Power Rangers Can’t Putt (5)
- 16: Train Travel FTW (3)
- 17: TASTHIB – Urban Golf [podcast] (8)
- 18: Whose life is it anyway? (1)
- 20: I Swung Danced [video] (5)
- 21: Fish out of water(…and into retaw?) (4)
- 21: #9 – Tales from the Wayback Machine. [podcast] (8)
- 23: The Green Kid (4)
- 25: Broken News (3)
- 25: #39 Motorcycle rally [podcast] (5)
- 27: I Think I Stepped in Knowledge (2)
- 28: Should’ve Listened to Detective Thorn (0)
- 29: I Flunked Hitchhiking [podcast] (7)
- 30: I Will Survive. Hey, Hey. (1)
- 31: Last Minute Costume Idea (3)
- November 2007 (24)
- 01: Which Town? [updated with pictures!] (8)
- 02: All That Jazz (3)
- 03: The Past Colors Memories of the Future (3)
- 03: Color Me Excited (0)
- 04: Mister Rogers Would Be Proud (6)
- 05: Salem, Massachusetts Halloween [podcast!] (3)
- 07: Salute Your Shorts (3)
- 08: Now What? (5)
- 09: Ode to Amtrekker (10)
- 10: You digg it? (2)
- 12: Update (1)
- 13: #47 Tour the Crayola Factory [podcast] (10)
- 15: Lobster Bucket (9)
- 16: Not The Most Beautiful Thing (3)
- 17: Give The Little Guy A Chance (3)
- 19: Enough Wading Already (5)
- 20: #27 Go on a lobster boat [podcast] (8)
- 22: Thanks for Giving (7)
- 23: Aggietrekker (0)
- 24: Fiamingo Family Thanksgiving (1)
- 26: Cranberries and Pennsylvanians [video] (12)
- 28: Just One of Those Days (10)
- 29: Don’t Forget to Smile (3)
- 30: Opposites Attract (8)
- December 2007 (23)
- 01: Impulse vs. Intelligence: Round 1 (2)
- 02: Stupid Grenade (1)
- 03: Beware Rampant Optimism (8)
- 04: Virginia Geocaching [podcast] (1)
- 05: “No, it’s not O.KKK.” (4)
- 07: Rhinestone Cowboys (featuring the anthropomorphic personification of exploding Bedazzlers) (3)
- 08: Quitters Never Prosper (5)
- 09: Bald Knob (for realsies) (6)
- 11: Crater of Mud State Park (4)
- 13: Escape from Arkadelphia (updated with pictures!) (10)
- 13: #15 Hitchhiking! [podcast (finally!)] (4)
- 16: Out of Texas -N- In to a Burger. (3)
- 18: Y’all Come Back Now… (6)
- 19: The Totally Rad Experience (3)
- 20: Show Me…Good People (2)
- 21: #15 Arkansas Crater of Diamonds [podcast] (2)
- 23: California Bum (3)
- 24: Home Is Where the Headache Is (3)
- 25: #46 See a Movie at the Alamo Drafthouse [podcast] (1)
- 26: Udderly Strange Christmas (1)
- 28: Ka-COW! (7)
- 29: More Christmas Jeer (3)
- 31: Paging Butt (2)
- January 2008 (25)
- 01: NYE in NYC (2)
- 02: Extra-Happy Hour (0)
- 02: Talk Show Eating Contest (wait…that sounds wrong) (9)
- 04: Hotdog Television Live (6)
- 06: Little Miss Update (1)
- 07: How-to: Travel on a Dime (1)
- 08: Not Even a Lump (1)
- 10: #22 Be a guest on a talk show BONUS #5 Enter a hotdog eating contest! [podcast] (6)
- 11: Other People’s Adventures (1)
- 12: Where’s Charles Atlas When You Need Him? (8)
- 14: Charley’s Going to Pee Himself (3)
- 15: Macworld Photos (0)
- 16: Stranger in a Same Land (7)
- 17: The Genuine Birthday Blog (2)
- 18: Surprise!!! (4)
- 19: #40 Ride a cow [podcast] (2)
- 20: 200?! (7)
- 22: Paging Mr. Copperfield (1)
- 23: No Cab Fare (7)
- 25: Everybody’s Creepy…Sometimes (1)
- 26: A New Day’s Resolution (9)
- 28: #41 Sandboarding! [podcast] (9)
- 30: Nature’s Plot to Make Me Look Stupid (5)
- 30: Day in the Life – Traveling to SLC [podcast] (8)
- 31: Salt Lake Pretty [updated with pictures] (4)
- February 2008 (22)
- 02: I’m Write (4)
- 04: Fire! (5)
- 04: Vote. (4)
- 06: Sweeping the Empire [updated with pictures!] (7)
- 06: The Land of Infinite Stairs [podcast] (4)
- 07: Hometown Highlights (3)
- 10: Go West Young Man (5)
- 11: The Brain Treadmill (6)
- 13: Amtrekker vs. Fire [podcast] (3)
- 15: Be Wary of VD (2)
- 17: What the?! (3)
- 18: Facing Jail Time (12)
- 19: Yoga and Booboo (2)
- 20: How to: Splash! [TASTHIB - podcast] (6)
- 21: I HATE (5)
- 22: Walk It Off (2)
- 24: “Hey Kettle You’re Looking Kinda…Black” (0)
- 25: The Plan (2)
- 26: Anti-Excitement (1)
- 27: TASTHIB – City Museum – St. Louis, MO [podcast] (3)
- 28: GSU Sampling (7)
- 29: Awesome Delays (2)
- March 2008 (21)
- 02: Super-secret Secret Squirrel (7)
- 03: What’s He Talking About? (7)
- 04: News To Me (1)
- 05: News to Me Inteview [podcast] (6)
- 07: Hashing (6)
- 08: Magic is About to Happen (9)
- 10: Magically Ambitious (4)
- 11: Quarry On (1)
- 12: #24 Be Part of a Stage Illusion [podcast] (4)
- 14: Lowest Highest Point. (3)
- 17: Swamptrekker (4)
- 19: Delayed Gratification (0)
- 20: #34 Scale the Lowest Highest Point in a State [podcast] (4)
- 21: A Beach By Any Other Name…Sucks (2)
- 24: Fishing for Donations (3)
- 25: Those Missing Days (2)
- 26: #45 Swamp Boat Ride With Gators! (6)
- 27: Angel’s Landing (1)
- 28: Where This Man Has Never Gone Before (2)
- 30: Microwave Potatoes (2)
- 31: Amtrekker Spirituality (5)
- April 2008 (24)
- 01: YOU’RE an April Fool! Jerk. (6)
- 03: #44 Fly-Fishing! [podcast] (1)
- 04: Party People (0)
- 05: What’s the Co-Motion? (3)
- 06: C’est La Vie (4)
- 07: The link to the CNN shindig (3)
- 08: Buses, Bums and Me (5)
- 09: The Immortal Words of Lewis Carroll (3)
- 10: Let’s Roller Coaster! (2)
- 11: Anti-Social Security (3)
- 13: Emotional Roller Coaster [completed objective] (2)
- 15: Days You’re Going to Need Time Off! (5)
- 16: #36 Ride the Fastest Roller Coaster in the Country! [podcast] (8)
- 17: Fifty Objective Pickup (0)
- 20: Silly Hat Bachelor Party! [updated with pictures!] (4)
- 21: Marathon Monday (0)
- 22: Marathon Madness (3)
- 23: TASTHIB – Boston Marathon Madness! (2)
- 24: What’s Colbert Hiding? (2)
- 25: How to: Be Interviewed on Good Morning America (11)
- 26: Good Morning Amtrekker (12)
- 28: New News (5)
- 29: Mid-flight Rescues (2)
- 30: Podcast Heads Up (4)
- May 2008 (16)
- 02: Internet Superstar (0)
- 03: #7 See a Live Taping of The Colbert Report! [podcast] (11)
- 06: Cause of Death: Hanging Out (6)
- 07: Viewer Mail Podcast (5)
- 09: Mega-Bust (2)
- 12: The Secret (2)
- 13: Passenger Diversity (1)
- 14: Beards, Blunders and BBQs (16)
- 16: In Transit (1)
- 19: Reenacting War = Enacting Discomfort (6)
- 20: Freezing My Musket Balls Off (8)
- 24: #12 Take Part in a Civil War Reenactment! [podcast] (7)
- 25: My Deliverance from #31 (7)
- 27: Spontaneous Raleigh Likin’ (4)
- 28: Pig Tails…Seriously (5)
- 30: #31 River Kayaking! [podcast] (*video problems fixed*) (1)
- June 2008 (17)
- 01: Less Than Helpful (5)
- 03: Wait…What Month Is It? (1)
- 04: Stuff to Gawk At (3)
- 06: #19 Help Out on a Plantation! [podcast] (6)
- 07: Boring Ol’ News, Exciting New Fun (0)
- 09: I Sailed. I’m a Sailor. I Can Sail Things. (No Big Deal) (6)
- 10: Metal Underpants and Nostalgia (2)
- 11: Bucket List?! (7)
- 13: Go Time (2)
- 13: I’ve Made a Huge Mistake? (2)
- 16: Kiteboarding! (4)
- 18: #16 Learn to Sail! [podcast] (6)
- 21: A Stitch in Time Saves Nine (7)
- 23: Pseudo-sport Olympics (13)
- 25: Toxic Stupidity Spill (0)
- 27: Greenie Green?! (4)
- 29: #29 Drive a Race Car! (6)
- July 2008 (15)
- 01: “Food” Stops (5)
- 02: #17 Kiteboarding! [podcast] (6)
- 03: Thank You (8)
- 04: Anniversary Sonnet (4)
- 09: The Grandest of Holes in the Ground (6)
- 11: The Wonderful World of Greyhound (3)
- 14: Assault on Miners (5)
- 16: #29 Drive a race car! [podcast] (5)
- 18: #25 Be in a Movie! (3)
- 21: The Day the Universe Decided to Punish Me (1)
- 22: Geocaching Attack! (0)
- 24: Frank’s Fort (1)
- 27: #3 Sleep in a Lighthouse! (10)
- 30: Charley Update (1)
- 31: La Dreamer and Stone Face: A Love Story (5)
- August 2008 (14)
- 01: #50 Hike to the Bottom of the Grand Canyon! [podcast] (3)
- 03: Get Well Charley (2)
- 08: Lake Shasta Shenanigans (2)
- 10: Hugfest 2008 (1)
- 11: Welcome to Crazytown. Population: Me (4)
- 12: Charley’s Malaise (3)
- 16: Ore-GONE! (0)
- 19: Where Oh Where Has My Amtrekker Gone… (0)
- 20: New Occupation: Used Car Salesman? (8)
- 22: Wholesale Slaughter (3)
- 25: #3 Sleep in a Lighthouse! [podcast] (2)
- 28: Nightmares (6)
- 29: Is Horse Feed Really a Good Idea Anyway? (5)
- 30: Disaster Looms (0)
- September 2008 (13)
- 01: What a Tangled Web We’ve Woven (2)
- 03: Baby Changes (0)
- 04: Disneylanding (3)
- 06: “Moonshinery 2008″ Update (0)
- 07: I Crashed an Ostrich (6)
- 09: #42 Ride an Ostrich! [podcast] (8)
- 11: American Rail Passes…FOR AMERICANS! (1)
- 14: Back on the Train (3)
- 16: Set Your Calendars! (3)
- 21: Pinko Commie Crops (4)
- 24: Crop Circling (4)
- 28: Stylish Dead Folks (0)
- 30: #13 Race Dirtbikes! [*updated with pictures!*] (2)
- October 2008 (14)
- 04: Uncertain Times (2)
- 06: #14 Make Moonshine Pt. 1 (4)
- 08: Dirty Minds (4)
- 11: Life of Brian (0)
- 13: #28 SCUBA Diving in the Atlantic! [*updated with pictures!*] (4)
- 14: Not Safe For PETA (6)
- 17: The Daily Buzz (1)
- 20: Death of the Dog? (1)
- 22: Instructions (0)
- 22: Auditions for Icabod Crane (2)
- 24: Bad News is Good? (0)
- 26: The End. (kinda) [pictures later] (7)
- 28: Party People (0)
- 31: Hey, Amtrekker! WTF (2)
- November 2008 (5)
- 03: Halloween Raid (0)
- 09: #2 Ride a Horse Through a Covered Bridge [podcast] (1)
- 12: Wolfe Manor (0)
- 24: A Night in Wolfe Manor [photos by CJ Johnson!] (1)
- 29: Iron Katy (0)
- December 2008 (4)
- 04: Stories Behind Stories (3)
- 14: #14 Make Moonshine Pt. 2 (4)
- 20: The First Four (3)
- 31: The Next Four (5)
- January 2009 (2)
- 02: A NEW List?! (10)
- 21: My Life as a Vegan (4)
- February 2009 (1)
- 25: 2009 Travel Blogger Awards (3)
- March 2009 (2)
- 06: Ghost Hunting at Wolfe Manor! [video] (3)
- 30: The Streamys! (5)
- May 2009 (4)
- 04: New Intro! (3)
- 07: Amtrekker: TALES FROM THE VAULT Premiere! (1)
- 18: A Popsicle is Better Than a Kick in the Ribs (3)
- 19: Latest Episode (1)
- July 2009 (1)
- 14: Geek Cred (2)
- August 2009 (3)
- 13: Road Trippin’ (3)
- 14: Road Trippin’ Day 2 (2)
- 25: Weird Things and Bigfeet (0)
- September 2009 (3)
- 02: Past Brett vs. Future Brett (6)
- 03: Northern Northern California (1)
- 05: Rubber Bands, Crustaceans and a Guest (0)
- October 2009 (1)
- 01: Arrestable Offense (2)
- November 2009 (4)
- 10: Meeting the Amazing Randi (3)
- 11: I hate Best Buy (1)
- 16: Cruise Overview (in haiku) (0)
- 22: A Few Rambling Thoughts on Cruising (3)
- December 2009 (1)
- March 2010 (1)
- 09: Amtrekker’s Newest Adventure! (0)
Hey Team,
I went up to Boston (again) to celebrate a friend’s Birthday and to try and catch up to an important package…and true to form the city sucked me in again. One day turned into three but it was a great three days so I guess I wont hold it against Boston. Here’s the quick outline.
Friday found me running down the middle of a street with a backpack full of technology and holding a door above my head trying to get to a park before the “Surprise!” portion of a Surprise Party.
Saturday was chock full of one adventure after another. Highlights: I spent several hours at a beer tasting with some of my favorite Bostonians and learned more than I’ll ever be able to remember about New England craft breweries. One thing I won’t forget…Haverhill brews taste like rancid lemonade (just to clarify: that is definitely NOT a compliment).
It was a great time and really well organized. Seventy-five different beers were out and I met a TON of interesting people. There’s a lot of video to go through but hopefully I’ll have another quick and dirty cut up by later tomorrow.
From there I went to “The Aquabats!” concert! They’re a California ska band and easily in my top 1 favorite musical groups. Unfortunately they wouldn’t let me bring my camcorder inside (again) so I had to walk down the street and hide it in another construction vehicle a la San Diego. But once I was in they put on an awesome show and I totally recommend checking them out if you get the chance. It was a REALLY young crowd though; apparently their music is something you’re supposed to grow out of. Oops.
We were up front and center getting crushed by waves of sweaty kids and jumping around like we had pogo sticks for feet. Every time I touched another fan (usually out of a desperate desire to protect the poor kid, Lucy, that came with us to the show) it was like sticking my hand in a pond.
Once we were back at the house there was a quick round of charades followed by Soccer Jersey Saturday!
Which mostly consisted of a bunch of people wearing soccer jerseys…plus, you know…it was Saturday. It also consisted of going out and making new friends at the party we crashed and stayed at until three in the morning. Which admittedly made Sunday’s ultimate game a little rough.
In other news: As soon as that package arrives (hopefully today) I’ll be on my way to Illinois and my first experiences with the mid-west! AND I have #30 and #33 all lined up for Labor Day weekend care of “Hog Days” in Galva, Illinois! Ka-Kooow! (<—– That’s my “I’m excited” noise. Sound it out and say with some feeling.)
I’m done.
Brett.
Fact: Awesome people give away money.
Don’t let me stop you.
Ins-N-Outs of Providence
- July 2007 (17)
- 02: The Update (1)
- 04: Security Resistant Terrorists (0)
- 06: Philadelphia – The Good (2)
- 08: Philadelphia – The Bad (1)
- 08: Philadelphia – The Ugly (0)
- 09: Boston Uncommons (0)
- 10: Lancaster…no! Superfuncaster! (1)
- 11: Been There Milked That (0)
- 12: Spare Change (0)
- 13: A Californian in a Connecticut Yankee’s Court (2)
- 16: Which way? Fenway (1)
- 17: Pre-sliced American Cheese (3)
- 23: 66% Hitched (5)
- 25: California Screamin’ (1)
- 26: Comics are for Kids…and Amtrekkers (0)
- 29: Comic Comic Con (10)
- 31: I’m Not a Dad but I Play One on TV (10)
- August 2007 (14)
- 02: One’s Company (3)
- 05: The Podcast Cometh (2)
- 06: Less Than Amazing Race (3)
- 08: Gardening and Entering (8)
- 13: I Got Screwed…The Other Guy Got Nailed (4)
- 16: Niagara Falls…on my head (1)
- 19: Trojan Kayaks (8)
- 20: I Don’t Scream, But I Do Cry. (3)
- 21: Amtrak Mathamagicians (6)
- 22: Ins-N-Outs of Providence (7)
- 27: Boston T Parties (2)
- 28: Beercast?! (5)
- 29: I Love Couch…Not Lamp (3)
- 31: Male PMS (9)
- September 2007 (17)
- 02: I Think The Needle’s Stuck (2)
- 04: God Bless Hamerica (9)
- 05: Flying Fire and Fireflies (4)
- 07: Bee Careful What You Wish For (10)
- 08: Huckleberry Amtrekker (4)
- 11: Train-ed to Destroy (1)
- 13: Mmm…rBGH (3)
- 15: Glidin’ Seek (0)
- 17: No Air Time (6)
- 19: Click it and Ticket (10)
- 20: I hang glid (…hang glided…hang glode?) (9)
- 21: On The Way Down Yonder (4)
- 25: Chatta…who what now? (4)
- 26: #23 Hang gliding! [Podcast] (1)
- 27: Rambling and Ranting (1)
- 28: A Day in the Life (1)
- 29: Click…beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep (2)
- October 2007 (24)
- 01: The Other Orange County (4)
- 02: Tubing down the Chattahoochee! [Podcast] (5)
- 04: Go Fly Zone (8)
- 05: Quick Miami U Update (2)
- 06: Slo-Mo (9)
- 08: If you knock me on my butt, do I not bleed? (3)
- 09: #18 Pet a sloth [podcast] (6)
- 11: I Don’t Stand for Pedophiles (6)
- 13: How long?! (7)
- 14: Power Rangers Can’t Putt (5)
- 16: Train Travel FTW (3)
- 17: TASTHIB – Urban Golf [podcast] (8)
- 18: Whose life is it anyway? (1)
- 20: I Swung Danced [video] (5)
- 21: Fish out of water(…and into retaw?) (4)
- 21: #9 – Tales from the Wayback Machine. [podcast] (8)
- 23: The Green Kid (4)
- 25: Broken News (3)
- 25: #39 Motorcycle rally [podcast] (5)
- 27: I Think I Stepped in Knowledge (2)
- 28: Should’ve Listened to Detective Thorn (0)
- 29: I Flunked Hitchhiking [podcast] (7)
- 30: I Will Survive. Hey, Hey. (1)
- 31: Last Minute Costume Idea (3)
- November 2007 (24)
- 01: Which Town? [updated with pictures!] (8)
- 02: All That Jazz (3)
- 03: The Past Colors Memories of the Future (3)
- 03: Color Me Excited (0)
- 04: Mister Rogers Would Be Proud (6)
- 05: Salem, Massachusetts Halloween [podcast!] (3)
- 07: Salute Your Shorts (3)
- 08: Now What? (5)
- 09: Ode to Amtrekker (10)
- 10: You digg it? (2)
- 12: Update (1)
- 13: #47 Tour the Crayola Factory [podcast] (10)
- 15: Lobster Bucket (9)
- 16: Not The Most Beautiful Thing (3)
- 17: Give The Little Guy A Chance (3)
- 19: Enough Wading Already (5)
- 20: #27 Go on a lobster boat [podcast] (8)
- 22: Thanks for Giving (7)
- 23: Aggietrekker (0)
- 24: Fiamingo Family Thanksgiving (1)
- 26: Cranberries and Pennsylvanians [video] (12)
- 28: Just One of Those Days (10)
- 29: Don’t Forget to Smile (3)
- 30: Opposites Attract (8)
- December 2007 (23)
- 01: Impulse vs. Intelligence: Round 1 (2)
- 02: Stupid Grenade (1)
- 03: Beware Rampant Optimism (8)
- 04: Virginia Geocaching [podcast] (1)
- 05: “No, it’s not O.KKK.” (4)
- 07: Rhinestone Cowboys (featuring the anthropomorphic personification of exploding Bedazzlers) (3)
- 08: Quitters Never Prosper (5)
- 09: Bald Knob (for realsies) (6)
- 11: Crater of Mud State Park (4)
- 13: Escape from Arkadelphia (updated with pictures!) (10)
- 13: #15 Hitchhiking! [podcast (finally!)] (4)
- 16: Out of Texas -N- In to a Burger. (3)
- 18: Y’all Come Back Now… (6)
- 19: The Totally Rad Experience (3)
- 20: Show Me…Good People (2)
- 21: #15 Arkansas Crater of Diamonds [podcast] (2)
- 23: California Bum (3)
- 24: Home Is Where the Headache Is (3)
- 25: #46 See a Movie at the Alamo Drafthouse [podcast] (1)
- 26: Udderly Strange Christmas (1)
- 28: Ka-COW! (7)
- 29: More Christmas Jeer (3)
- 31: Paging Butt (2)
- January 2008 (25)
- 01: NYE in NYC (2)
- 02: Extra-Happy Hour (0)
- 02: Talk Show Eating Contest (wait…that sounds wrong) (9)
- 04: Hotdog Television Live (6)
- 06: Little Miss Update (1)
- 07: How-to: Travel on a Dime (1)
- 08: Not Even a Lump (1)
- 10: #22 Be a guest on a talk show BONUS #5 Enter a hotdog eating contest! [podcast] (6)
- 11: Other People’s Adventures (1)
- 12: Where’s Charles Atlas When You Need Him? (8)
- 14: Charley’s Going to Pee Himself (3)
- 15: Macworld Photos (0)
- 16: Stranger in a Same Land (7)
- 17: The Genuine Birthday Blog (2)
- 18: Surprise!!! (4)
- 19: #40 Ride a cow [podcast] (2)
- 20: 200?! (7)
- 22: Paging Mr. Copperfield (1)
- 23: No Cab Fare (7)
- 25: Everybody’s Creepy…Sometimes (1)
- 26: A New Day’s Resolution (9)
- 28: #41 Sandboarding! [podcast] (9)
- 30: Nature’s Plot to Make Me Look Stupid (5)
- 30: Day in the Life – Traveling to SLC [podcast] (8)
- 31: Salt Lake Pretty [updated with pictures] (4)
- February 2008 (22)
- 02: I’m Write (4)
- 04: Fire! (5)
- 04: Vote. (4)
- 06: Sweeping the Empire [updated with pictures!] (7)
- 06: The Land of Infinite Stairs [podcast] (4)
- 07: Hometown Highlights (3)
- 10: Go West Young Man (5)
- 11: The Brain Treadmill (6)
- 13: Amtrekker vs. Fire [podcast] (3)
- 15: Be Wary of VD (2)
- 17: What the?! (3)
- 18: Facing Jail Time (12)
- 19: Yoga and Booboo (2)
- 20: How to: Splash! [TASTHIB - podcast] (6)
- 21: I HATE (5)
- 22: Walk It Off (2)
- 24: “Hey Kettle You’re Looking Kinda…Black” (0)
- 25: The Plan (2)
- 26: Anti-Excitement (1)
- 27: TASTHIB – City Museum – St. Louis, MO [podcast] (3)
- 28: GSU Sampling (7)
- 29: Awesome Delays (2)
- March 2008 (21)
- 02: Super-secret Secret Squirrel (7)
- 03: What’s He Talking About? (7)
- 04: News To Me (1)
- 05: News to Me Inteview [podcast] (6)
- 07: Hashing (6)
- 08: Magic is About to Happen (9)
- 10: Magically Ambitious (4)
- 11: Quarry On (1)
- 12: #24 Be Part of a Stage Illusion [podcast] (4)
- 14: Lowest Highest Point. (3)
- 17: Swamptrekker (4)
- 19: Delayed Gratification (0)
- 20: #34 Scale the Lowest Highest Point in a State [podcast] (4)
- 21: A Beach By Any Other Name…Sucks (2)
- 24: Fishing for Donations (3)
- 25: Those Missing Days (2)
- 26: #45 Swamp Boat Ride With Gators! (6)
- 27: Angel’s Landing (1)
- 28: Where This Man Has Never Gone Before (2)
- 30: Microwave Potatoes (2)
- 31: Amtrekker Spirituality (5)
- April 2008 (24)
- 01: YOU’RE an April Fool! Jerk. (6)
- 03: #44 Fly-Fishing! [podcast] (1)
- 04: Party People (0)
- 05: What’s the Co-Motion? (3)
- 06: C’est La Vie (4)
- 07: The link to the CNN shindig (3)
- 08: Buses, Bums and Me (5)
- 09: The Immortal Words of Lewis Carroll (3)
- 10: Let’s Roller Coaster! (2)
- 11: Anti-Social Security (3)
- 13: Emotional Roller Coaster [completed objective] (2)
- 15: Days You’re Going to Need Time Off! (5)
- 16: #36 Ride the Fastest Roller Coaster in the Country! [podcast] (8)
- 17: Fifty Objective Pickup (0)
- 20: Silly Hat Bachelor Party! [updated with pictures!] (4)
- 21: Marathon Monday (0)
- 22: Marathon Madness (3)
- 23: TASTHIB – Boston Marathon Madness! (2)
- 24: What’s Colbert Hiding? (2)
- 25: How to: Be Interviewed on Good Morning America (11)
- 26: Good Morning Amtrekker (12)
- 28: New News (5)
- 29: Mid-flight Rescues (2)
- 30: Podcast Heads Up (4)
- May 2008 (16)
- 02: Internet Superstar (0)
- 03: #7 See a Live Taping of The Colbert Report! [podcast] (11)
- 06: Cause of Death: Hanging Out (6)
- 07: Viewer Mail Podcast (5)
- 09: Mega-Bust (2)
- 12: The Secret (2)
- 13: Passenger Diversity (1)
- 14: Beards, Blunders and BBQs (16)
- 16: In Transit (1)
- 19: Reenacting War = Enacting Discomfort (6)
- 20: Freezing My Musket Balls Off (8)
- 24: #12 Take Part in a Civil War Reenactment! [podcast] (7)
- 25: My Deliverance from #31 (7)
- 27: Spontaneous Raleigh Likin’ (4)
- 28: Pig Tails…Seriously (5)
- 30: #31 River Kayaking! [podcast] (*video problems fixed*) (1)
- June 2008 (17)
- 01: Less Than Helpful (5)
- 03: Wait…What Month Is It? (1)
- 04: Stuff to Gawk At (3)
- 06: #19 Help Out on a Plantation! [podcast] (6)
- 07: Boring Ol’ News, Exciting New Fun (0)
- 09: I Sailed. I’m a Sailor. I Can Sail Things. (No Big Deal) (6)
- 10: Metal Underpants and Nostalgia (2)
- 11: Bucket List?! (7)
- 13: Go Time (2)
- 13: I’ve Made a Huge Mistake? (2)
- 16: Kiteboarding! (4)
- 18: #16 Learn to Sail! [podcast] (6)
- 21: A Stitch in Time Saves Nine (7)
- 23: Pseudo-sport Olympics (13)
- 25: Toxic Stupidity Spill (0)
- 27: Greenie Green?! (4)
- 29: #29 Drive a Race Car! (6)
- July 2008 (15)
- 01: “Food” Stops (5)
- 02: #17 Kiteboarding! [podcast] (6)
- 03: Thank You (8)
- 04: Anniversary Sonnet (4)
- 09: The Grandest of Holes in the Ground (6)
- 11: The Wonderful World of Greyhound (3)
- 14: Assault on Miners (5)
- 16: #29 Drive a race car! [podcast] (5)
- 18: #25 Be in a Movie! (3)
- 21: The Day the Universe Decided to Punish Me (1)
- 22: Geocaching Attack! (0)
- 24: Frank’s Fort (1)
- 27: #3 Sleep in a Lighthouse! (10)
- 30: Charley Update (1)
- 31: La Dreamer and Stone Face: A Love Story (5)
- August 2008 (14)
- 01: #50 Hike to the Bottom of the Grand Canyon! [podcast] (3)
- 03: Get Well Charley (2)
- 08: Lake Shasta Shenanigans (2)
- 10: Hugfest 2008 (1)
- 11: Welcome to Crazytown. Population: Me (4)
- 12: Charley’s Malaise (3)
- 16: Ore-GONE! (0)
- 19: Where Oh Where Has My Amtrekker Gone… (0)
- 20: New Occupation: Used Car Salesman? (8)
- 22: Wholesale Slaughter (3)
- 25: #3 Sleep in a Lighthouse! [podcast] (2)
- 28: Nightmares (6)
- 29: Is Horse Feed Really a Good Idea Anyway? (5)
- 30: Disaster Looms (0)
- September 2008 (13)
- 01: What a Tangled Web We’ve Woven (2)
- 03: Baby Changes (0)
- 04: Disneylanding (3)
- 06: “Moonshinery 2008″ Update (0)
- 07: I Crashed an Ostrich (6)
- 09: #42 Ride an Ostrich! [podcast] (8)
- 11: American Rail Passes…FOR AMERICANS! (1)
- 14: Back on the Train (3)
- 16: Set Your Calendars! (3)
- 21: Pinko Commie Crops (4)
- 24: Crop Circling (4)
- 28: Stylish Dead Folks (0)
- 30: #13 Race Dirtbikes! [*updated with pictures!*] (2)
- October 2008 (14)
- 04: Uncertain Times (2)
- 06: #14 Make Moonshine Pt. 1 (4)
- 08: Dirty Minds (4)
- 11: Life of Brian (0)
- 13: #28 SCUBA Diving in the Atlantic! [*updated with pictures!*] (4)
- 14: Not Safe For PETA (6)
- 17: The Daily Buzz (1)
- 20: Death of the Dog? (1)
- 22: Instructions (0)
- 22: Auditions for Icabod Crane (2)
- 24: Bad News is Good? (0)
- 26: The End. (kinda) [pictures later] (7)
- 28: Party People (0)
- 31: Hey, Amtrekker! WTF (2)
- November 2008 (5)
- 03: Halloween Raid (0)
- 09: #2 Ride a Horse Through a Covered Bridge [podcast] (1)
- 12: Wolfe Manor (0)
- 24: A Night in Wolfe Manor [photos by CJ Johnson!] (1)
- 29: Iron Katy (0)
- December 2008 (4)
- 04: Stories Behind Stories (3)
- 14: #14 Make Moonshine Pt. 2 (4)
- 20: The First Four (3)
- 31: The Next Four (5)
- January 2009 (2)
- 02: A NEW List?! (10)
- 21: My Life as a Vegan (4)
- February 2009 (1)
- 25: 2009 Travel Blogger Awards (3)
- March 2009 (2)
- 06: Ghost Hunting at Wolfe Manor! [video] (3)
- 30: The Streamys! (5)
- May 2009 (4)
- 04: New Intro! (3)
- 07: Amtrekker: TALES FROM THE VAULT Premiere! (1)
- 18: A Popsicle is Better Than a Kick in the Ribs (3)
- 19: Latest Episode (1)
- July 2009 (1)
- 14: Geek Cred (2)
- August 2009 (3)
- 13: Road Trippin’ (3)
- 14: Road Trippin’ Day 2 (2)
- 25: Weird Things and Bigfeet (0)
- September 2009 (3)
- 02: Past Brett vs. Future Brett (6)
- 03: Northern Northern California (1)
- 05: Rubber Bands, Crustaceans and a Guest (0)
- October 2009 (1)
- 01: Arrestable Offense (2)
- November 2009 (4)
- 10: Meeting the Amazing Randi (3)
- 11: I hate Best Buy (1)
- 16: Cruise Overview (in haiku) (0)
- 22: A Few Rambling Thoughts on Cruising (3)
- December 2009 (1)
- March 2010 (1)
- 09: Amtrekker’s Newest Adventure! (0)
Hey Team,
I started my day wandering the streets of Providence, RI without direction. I had a map…but my inadequacies towards directions rendered it fundamentally ineffective. (That sounded kind of hoity-toity…let’s just say I suck at trying to get places.) So, next thing I knew I was in what can only be described as the slums of Providence as I passed one adult movie store after another. My impressions of Rhode Island were definitely spiraling downward and despite my usual tendency to avoid backtracking at all costs I decided to head back the way I had come, towards the only civilization I knew existed.
Once I was back in the “heart” of Providence I started making my way to the nearest geocache to knock out another 1/48th of an objective. On my way I realized my map had fallen out of my back pocket. Despite the fact that it was completely useless in my hands I still felt the need to go back. (I’m prone to extreme guilt when it comes to littering…save the planet, people!)
I made an abrupt about face and for the second time in a day started heading back the way I had come.
“That was a quick turn around,” The voice came from a little old lady, five feet tall with white hair and a smile on her face.
“I think I dropped my map somewhere.”
“I might have one in my car.”
Here’s the turning point of any conversation with a stranger. Everything in my body wants to say, “That’s okay, I should go get mine.” And walk away. Which is perfectly reasonable. We’re trained not to talk to strangers after all.
BUT, the one thing that has made this trip stand out from all others is the incredible people I’ve met and all the exciting things that happen in between the exciting things I actually expect. So instead (Focus on this, people. There’s a lesson to be learned here.) I decided to see where this conversation was going to go.
“You’re offering your only map to a stranger?”
“I’m a volunteer tour guide for Providence.”
And that, my friends, is the exact moment my day turned around. Suddenly, I found myself with my own personal tour guide for the next two hours! Louise literally and completely turned around my impression of Providence. It’s amazing how much history this tiny city has. (Especially considering my hometown’s only historical claim to fame is having the first sub-franchised McDonald’s.)
Here’s my soapbox speech: Everyday we run into friendly people and we don’t even know it. If someone says something to you…anything, then they’re willing to talk. If you just tripped over a curb, proving to the world your inability to walk and chew gum and someone says, “Are you okay?” don’t be afraid or embarrassed. Have that conversation, that’s when life happens. If you don’t interact with the rest of the world then you’re the only one missing out. I knew that, but today was one of those days that it really hit home.
Be nice, kids.
Just mentioning McDonald’s made me REALLY want an In-N-Out burger…THERE’S something I can hold against Providence.
I’m done.
Brett.
Want to pay for free advice?
Don’t let me stop you.
Amtrak Mathamagicians
- July 2007 (17)
- 02: The Update (1)
- 04: Security Resistant Terrorists (0)
- 06: Philadelphia – The Good (2)
- 08: Philadelphia – The Bad (1)
- 08: Philadelphia – The Ugly (0)
- 09: Boston Uncommons (0)
- 10: Lancaster…no! Superfuncaster! (1)
- 11: Been There Milked That (0)
- 12: Spare Change (0)
- 13: A Californian in a Connecticut Yankee’s Court (2)
- 16: Which way? Fenway (1)
- 17: Pre-sliced American Cheese (3)
- 23: 66% Hitched (5)
- 25: California Screamin’ (1)
- 26: Comics are for Kids…and Amtrekkers (0)
- 29: Comic Comic Con (10)
- 31: I’m Not a Dad but I Play One on TV (10)
- August 2007 (14)
- 02: One’s Company (3)
- 05: The Podcast Cometh (2)
- 06: Less Than Amazing Race (3)
- 08: Gardening and Entering (8)
- 13: I Got Screwed…The Other Guy Got Nailed (4)
- 16: Niagara Falls…on my head (1)
- 19: Trojan Kayaks (8)
- 20: I Don’t Scream, But I Do Cry. (3)
- 21: Amtrak Mathamagicians (6)
- 22: Ins-N-Outs of Providence (7)
- 27: Boston T Parties (2)
- 28: Beercast?! (5)
- 29: I Love Couch…Not Lamp (3)
- 31: Male PMS (9)
- September 2007 (17)
- 02: I Think The Needle’s Stuck (2)
- 04: God Bless Hamerica (9)
- 05: Flying Fire and Fireflies (4)
- 07: Bee Careful What You Wish For (10)
- 08: Huckleberry Amtrekker (4)
- 11: Train-ed to Destroy (1)
- 13: Mmm…rBGH (3)
- 15: Glidin’ Seek (0)
- 17: No Air Time (6)
- 19: Click it and Ticket (10)
- 20: I hang glid (…hang glided…hang glode?) (9)
- 21: On The Way Down Yonder (4)
- 25: Chatta…who what now? (4)
- 26: #23 Hang gliding! [Podcast] (1)
- 27: Rambling and Ranting (1)
- 28: A Day in the Life (1)
- 29: Click…beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep (2)
- October 2007 (24)
- 01: The Other Orange County (4)
- 02: Tubing down the Chattahoochee! [Podcast] (5)
- 04: Go Fly Zone (8)
- 05: Quick Miami U Update (2)
- 06: Slo-Mo (9)
- 08: If you knock me on my butt, do I not bleed? (3)
- 09: #18 Pet a sloth [podcast] (6)
- 11: I Don’t Stand for Pedophiles (6)
- 13: How long?! (7)
- 14: Power Rangers Can’t Putt (5)
- 16: Train Travel FTW (3)
- 17: TASTHIB – Urban Golf [podcast] (8)
- 18: Whose life is it anyway? (1)
- 20: I Swung Danced [video] (5)
- 21: Fish out of water(…and into retaw?) (4)
- 21: #9 – Tales from the Wayback Machine. [podcast] (8)
- 23: The Green Kid (4)
- 25: Broken News (3)
- 25: #39 Motorcycle rally [podcast] (5)
- 27: I Think I Stepped in Knowledge (2)
- 28: Should’ve Listened to Detective Thorn (0)
- 29: I Flunked Hitchhiking [podcast] (7)
- 30: I Will Survive. Hey, Hey. (1)
- 31: Last Minute Costume Idea (3)
- November 2007 (24)
- 01: Which Town? [updated with pictures!] (8)
- 02: All That Jazz (3)
- 03: The Past Colors Memories of the Future (3)
- 03: Color Me Excited (0)
- 04: Mister Rogers Would Be Proud (6)
- 05: Salem, Massachusetts Halloween [podcast!] (3)
- 07: Salute Your Shorts (3)
- 08: Now What? (5)
- 09: Ode to Amtrekker (10)
- 10: You digg it? (2)
- 12: Update (1)
- 13: #47 Tour the Crayola Factory [podcast] (10)
- 15: Lobster Bucket (9)
- 16: Not The Most Beautiful Thing (3)
- 17: Give The Little Guy A Chance (3)
- 19: Enough Wading Already (5)
- 20: #27 Go on a lobster boat [podcast] (8)
- 22: Thanks for Giving (7)
- 23: Aggietrekker (0)
- 24: Fiamingo Family Thanksgiving (1)
- 26: Cranberries and Pennsylvanians [video] (12)
- 28: Just One of Those Days (10)
- 29: Don’t Forget to Smile (3)
- 30: Opposites Attract (8)
- December 2007 (23)
- 01: Impulse vs. Intelligence: Round 1 (2)
- 02: Stupid Grenade (1)
- 03: Beware Rampant Optimism (8)
- 04: Virginia Geocaching [podcast] (1)
- 05: “No, it’s not O.KKK.” (4)
- 07: Rhinestone Cowboys (featuring the anthropomorphic personification of exploding Bedazzlers) (3)
- 08: Quitters Never Prosper (5)
- 09: Bald Knob (for realsies) (6)
- 11: Crater of Mud State Park (4)
- 13: Escape from Arkadelphia (updated with pictures!) (10)
- 13: #15 Hitchhiking! [podcast (finally!)] (4)
- 16: Out of Texas -N- In to a Burger. (3)
- 18: Y’all Come Back Now… (6)
- 19: The Totally Rad Experience (3)
- 20: Show Me…Good People (2)
- 21: #15 Arkansas Crater of Diamonds [podcast] (2)
- 23: California Bum (3)
- 24: Home Is Where the Headache Is (3)
- 25: #46 See a Movie at the Alamo Drafthouse [podcast] (1)
- 26: Udderly Strange Christmas (1)
- 28: Ka-COW! (7)
- 29: More Christmas Jeer (3)
- 31: Paging Butt (2)
- January 2008 (25)
- 01: NYE in NYC (2)
- 02: Extra-Happy Hour (0)
- 02: Talk Show Eating Contest (wait…that sounds wrong) (9)
- 04: Hotdog Television Live (6)
- 06: Little Miss Update (1)
- 07: How-to: Travel on a Dime (1)
- 08: Not Even a Lump (1)
- 10: #22 Be a guest on a talk show BONUS #5 Enter a hotdog eating contest! [podcast] (6)
- 11: Other People’s Adventures (1)
- 12: Where’s Charles Atlas When You Need Him? (8)
- 14: Charley’s Going to Pee Himself (3)
- 15: Macworld Photos (0)
- 16: Stranger in a Same Land (7)
- 17: The Genuine Birthday Blog (2)
- 18: Surprise!!! (4)
- 19: #40 Ride a cow [podcast] (2)
- 20: 200?! (7)
- 22: Paging Mr. Copperfield (1)
- 23: No Cab Fare (7)
- 25: Everybody’s Creepy…Sometimes (1)
- 26: A New Day’s Resolution (9)
- 28: #41 Sandboarding! [podcast] (9)
- 30: Nature’s Plot to Make Me Look Stupid (5)
- 30: Day in the Life – Traveling to SLC [podcast] (8)
- 31: Salt Lake Pretty [updated with pictures] (4)
- February 2008 (22)
- 02: I’m Write (4)
- 04: Fire! (5)
- 04: Vote. (4)
- 06: Sweeping the Empire [updated with pictures!] (7)
- 06: The Land of Infinite Stairs [podcast] (4)
- 07: Hometown Highlights (3)
- 10: Go West Young Man (5)
- 11: The Brain Treadmill (6)
- 13: Amtrekker vs. Fire [podcast] (3)
- 15: Be Wary of VD (2)
- 17: What the?! (3)
- 18: Facing Jail Time (12)
- 19: Yoga and Booboo (2)
- 20: How to: Splash! [TASTHIB - podcast] (6)
- 21: I HATE (5)
- 22: Walk It Off (2)
- 24: “Hey Kettle You’re Looking Kinda…Black” (0)
- 25: The Plan (2)
- 26: Anti-Excitement (1)
- 27: TASTHIB – City Museum – St. Louis, MO [podcast] (3)
- 28: GSU Sampling (7)
- 29: Awesome Delays (2)
- March 2008 (21)
- 02: Super-secret Secret Squirrel (7)
- 03: What’s He Talking About? (7)
- 04: News To Me (1)
- 05: News to Me Inteview [podcast] (6)
- 07: Hashing (6)
- 08: Magic is About to Happen (9)
- 10: Magically Ambitious (4)
- 11: Quarry On (1)
- 12: #24 Be Part of a Stage Illusion [podcast] (4)
- 14: Lowest Highest Point. (3)
- 17: Swamptrekker (4)
- 19: Delayed Gratification (0)
- 20: #34 Scale the Lowest Highest Point in a State [podcast] (4)
- 21: A Beach By Any Other Name…Sucks (2)
- 24: Fishing for Donations (3)
- 25: Those Missing Days (2)
- 26: #45 Swamp Boat Ride With Gators! (6)
- 27: Angel’s Landing (1)
- 28: Where This Man Has Never Gone Before (2)
- 30: Microwave Potatoes (2)
- 31: Amtrekker Spirituality (5)
- April 2008 (24)
- 01: YOU’RE an April Fool! Jerk. (6)
- 03: #44 Fly-Fishing! [podcast] (1)
- 04: Party People (0)
- 05: What’s the Co-Motion? (3)
- 06: C’est La Vie (4)
- 07: The link to the CNN shindig (3)
- 08: Buses, Bums and Me (5)
- 09: The Immortal Words of Lewis Carroll (3)
- 10: Let’s Roller Coaster! (2)
- 11: Anti-Social Security (3)
- 13: Emotional Roller Coaster [completed objective] (2)
- 15: Days You’re Going to Need Time Off! (5)
- 16: #36 Ride the Fastest Roller Coaster in the Country! [podcast] (8)
- 17: Fifty Objective Pickup (0)
- 20: Silly Hat Bachelor Party! [updated with pictures!] (4)
- 21: Marathon Monday (0)
- 22: Marathon Madness (3)
- 23: TASTHIB – Boston Marathon Madness! (2)
- 24: What’s Colbert Hiding? (2)
- 25: How to: Be Interviewed on Good Morning America (11)
- 26: Good Morning Amtrekker (12)
- 28: New News (5)
- 29: Mid-flight Rescues (2)
- 30: Podcast Heads Up (4)
- May 2008 (16)
- 02: Internet Superstar (0)
- 03: #7 See a Live Taping of The Colbert Report! [podcast] (11)
- 06: Cause of Death: Hanging Out (6)
- 07: Viewer Mail Podcast (5)
- 09: Mega-Bust (2)
- 12: The Secret (2)
- 13: Passenger Diversity (1)
- 14: Beards, Blunders and BBQs (16)
- 16: In Transit (1)
- 19: Reenacting War = Enacting Discomfort (6)
- 20: Freezing My Musket Balls Off (8)
- 24: #12 Take Part in a Civil War Reenactment! [podcast] (7)
- 25: My Deliverance from #31 (7)
- 27: Spontaneous Raleigh Likin’ (4)
- 28: Pig Tails…Seriously (5)
- 30: #31 River Kayaking! [podcast] (*video problems fixed*) (1)
- June 2008 (17)
- 01: Less Than Helpful (5)
- 03: Wait…What Month Is It? (1)
- 04: Stuff to Gawk At (3)
- 06: #19 Help Out on a Plantation! [podcast] (6)
- 07: Boring Ol’ News, Exciting New Fun (0)
- 09: I Sailed. I’m a Sailor. I Can Sail Things. (No Big Deal) (6)
- 10: Metal Underpants and Nostalgia (2)
- 11: Bucket List?! (7)
- 13: Go Time (2)
- 13: I’ve Made a Huge Mistake? (2)
- 16: Kiteboarding! (4)
- 18: #16 Learn to Sail! [podcast] (6)
- 21: A Stitch in Time Saves Nine (7)
- 23: Pseudo-sport Olympics (13)
- 25: Toxic Stupidity Spill (0)
- 27: Greenie Green?! (4)
- 29: #29 Drive a Race Car! (6)
- July 2008 (15)
- 01: “Food” Stops (5)
- 02: #17 Kiteboarding! [podcast] (6)
- 03: Thank You (8)
- 04: Anniversary Sonnet (4)
- 09: The Grandest of Holes in the Ground (6)
- 11: The Wonderful World of Greyhound (3)
- 14: Assault on Miners (5)
- 16: #29 Drive a race car! [podcast] (5)
- 18: #25 Be in a Movie! (3)
- 21: The Day the Universe Decided to Punish Me (1)
- 22: Geocaching Attack! (0)
- 24: Frank’s Fort (1)
- 27: #3 Sleep in a Lighthouse! (10)
- 30: Charley Update (1)
- 31: La Dreamer and Stone Face: A Love Story (5)
- August 2008 (14)
- 01: #50 Hike to the Bottom of the Grand Canyon! [podcast] (3)
- 03: Get Well Charley (2)
- 08: Lake Shasta Shenanigans (2)
- 10: Hugfest 2008 (1)
- 11: Welcome to Crazytown. Population: Me (4)
- 12: Charley’s Malaise (3)
- 16: Ore-GONE! (0)
- 19: Where Oh Where Has My Amtrekker Gone… (0)
- 20: New Occupation: Used Car Salesman? (8)
- 22: Wholesale Slaughter (3)
- 25: #3 Sleep in a Lighthouse! [podcast] (2)
- 28: Nightmares (6)
- 29: Is Horse Feed Really a Good Idea Anyway? (5)
- 30: Disaster Looms (0)
- September 2008 (13)
- 01: What a Tangled Web We’ve Woven (2)
- 03: Baby Changes (0)
- 04: Disneylanding (3)
- 06: “Moonshinery 2008″ Update (0)
- 07: I Crashed an Ostrich (6)
- 09: #42 Ride an Ostrich! [podcast] (8)
- 11: American Rail Passes…FOR AMERICANS! (1)
- 14: Back on the Train (3)
- 16: Set Your Calendars! (3)
- 21: Pinko Commie Crops (4)
- 24: Crop Circling (4)
- 28: Stylish Dead Folks (0)
- 30: #13 Race Dirtbikes! [*updated with pictures!*] (2)
- October 2008 (14)
- 04: Uncertain Times (2)
- 06: #14 Make Moonshine Pt. 1 (4)
- 08: Dirty Minds (4)
- 11: Life of Brian (0)
- 13: #28 SCUBA Diving in the Atlantic! [*updated with pictures!*] (4)
- 14: Not Safe For PETA (6)
- 17: The Daily Buzz (1)
- 20: Death of the Dog? (1)
- 22: Instructions (0)
- 22: Auditions for Icabod Crane (2)
- 24: Bad News is Good? (0)
- 26: The End. (kinda) [pictures later] (7)
- 28: Party People (0)
- 31: Hey, Amtrekker! WTF (2)
- November 2008 (5)
- 03: Halloween Raid (0)
- 09: #2 Ride a Horse Through a Covered Bridge [podcast] (1)
- 12: Wolfe Manor (0)
- 24: A Night in Wolfe Manor [photos by CJ Johnson!] (1)
- 29: Iron Katy (0)
- December 2008 (4)
- 04: Stories Behind Stories (3)
- 14: #14 Make Moonshine Pt. 2 (4)
- 20: The First Four (3)
- 31: The Next Four (5)
- January 2009 (2)
- 02: A NEW List?! (10)
- 21: My Life as a Vegan (4)
- February 2009 (1)
- 25: 2009 Travel Blogger Awards (3)
- March 2009 (2)
- 06: Ghost Hunting at Wolfe Manor! [video] (3)
- 30: The Streamys! (5)
- May 2009 (4)
- 04: New Intro! (3)
- 07: Amtrekker: TALES FROM THE VAULT Premiere! (1)
- 18: A Popsicle is Better Than a Kick in the Ribs (3)
- 19: Latest Episode (1)
- July 2009 (1)
- 14: Geek Cred (2)
- August 2009 (3)
- 13: Road Trippin’ (3)
- 14: Road Trippin’ Day 2 (2)
- 25: Weird Things and Bigfeet (0)
- September 2009 (3)
- 02: Past Brett vs. Future Brett (6)
- 03: Northern Northern California (1)
- 05: Rubber Bands, Crustaceans and a Guest (0)
- October 2009 (1)
- 01: Arrestable Offense (2)
- November 2009 (4)
- 10: Meeting the Amazing Randi (3)
- 11: I hate Best Buy (1)
- 16: Cruise Overview (in haiku) (0)
- 22: A Few Rambling Thoughts on Cruising (3)
- December 2009 (1)
- March 2010 (1)
- 09: Amtrekker’s Newest Adventure! (0)
Hey Team,
I just renewed my North American Rail Pass and jumped on a train bound for the tiny state of Rhode Island and it occurred to me that even though I’ve been traveling almost entirely by train I’ve yet to talk about those crazy kids at Amtrak.
Let me just start off by saying, “I love traveling by rail.” There. Done. Over with.
Now let me say, “You have to be a freakin’ mathamagician to figure out how they come up with their menu prices!”
Take a look at this handy little snapshot of their drink prices.
If you take a close look you’ll notice that:
1. It costs negative $0.25 to carbonate and put syrup in water. (Soda = $1.25; Bottled Water = $1.50!)
AND
2. There’s an 80% discount on water if you’re willing to let it cool down. (Hot Water = $0.25; Bottled Water = $1.50! Still!) So the energy loss in heating up water costs an additional negative $1.25?!
My brain hurts.
I have a couple more things to say about Amtrak food service. First of all it should be a federal offense to serve a Girl Scout troop Frapachinos and Red Bulls. I HATE horror movies and it’s like watching a low budget Grudge re-remake as those little terrors crawl up and down the walls.
Also, I spent quite a bit of money on a cheeseburger. You know how sometimes in burgers you get that little crunchy bit that kind of freaks you out. It’s way too hard to be meat but you just swallow it anyway, more out of fear than anything else because you have NO desire to find out what it really is. But most of the time you can enjoy a burger without ever once running into one of these mystery bits.
My burger was the burger they put ALL the mystery bits into that they took out of all the mystery-bit-free burgers to maintain an average of one mystery bit per burger. (You might have to read that a couple times but I promise it makes sense…maybe.)
Further more, this is what $2.50 worth of fries looks like in Amtrak’s world.
Even after all that I still prefer the train. But I think I can fix that.
The big problem with air travel now days is security. It can take hours to get through TSA at some airports (Hartford, I’m talking to you.) and it can destroy an otherwise great travel experience. Because I only ever fly one way or on short notice I’m consistently flagged as a terrorist and forced to empty the contents of my carefully packed backpack. Every trip through an airport is a grueling experience. Don’t get me wrong. I LOVE the concept of air travel. Who doesn’t love getting where they’re going as quickly as possible?
“So, Brett, how do we solve this ugly situation,” you ask?
First, let’s examine how we got here. Some guy tries to blow up a plane with his shoes…now we all have to take our shoes off. Some guys try to blow up a plane with liquids…now we have to throw away all of our liquids.
How do you get rid of something you don’t like? Break it. All we need to do as a country is to find ourselves a scapegoat willing to attempt another bombing. Here’s the important bit though: he has to try to blow up the plane using his pants.
If that doesn’t work we’ll just have to find some lady that’ll try to blow something up with her bra.
Come on people, there’s has to be a point where we as freedom loving citizens say, “I don’t want to take off anymore clothes…I just want to fly to Denver.”
Where was I?
Oh yeah…I like the train.
I’m done.
Brett.
Want to help pay for travel costs?
Seriously, don’t let me stop you.
I Don’t Scream, But I Do Cry.
- July 2007 (17)
- 02: The Update (1)
- 04: Security Resistant Terrorists (0)
- 06: Philadelphia – The Good (2)
- 08: Philadelphia – The Bad (1)
- 08: Philadelphia – The Ugly (0)
- 09: Boston Uncommons (0)
- 10: Lancaster…no! Superfuncaster! (1)
- 11: Been There Milked That (0)
- 12: Spare Change (0)
- 13: A Californian in a Connecticut Yankee’s Court (2)
- 16: Which way? Fenway (1)
- 17: Pre-sliced American Cheese (3)
- 23: 66% Hitched (5)
- 25: California Screamin’ (1)
- 26: Comics are for Kids…and Amtrekkers (0)
- 29: Comic Comic Con (10)
- 31: I’m Not a Dad but I Play One on TV (10)
- August 2007 (14)
- 02: One’s Company (3)
- 05: The Podcast Cometh (2)
- 06: Less Than Amazing Race (3)
- 08: Gardening and Entering (8)
- 13: I Got Screwed…The Other Guy Got Nailed (4)
- 16: Niagara Falls…on my head (1)
- 19: Trojan Kayaks (8)
- 20: I Don’t Scream, But I Do Cry. (3)
- 21: Amtrak Mathamagicians (6)
- 22: Ins-N-Outs of Providence (7)
- 27: Boston T Parties (2)
- 28: Beercast?! (5)
- 29: I Love Couch…Not Lamp (3)
- 31: Male PMS (9)
- September 2007 (17)
- 02: I Think The Needle’s Stuck (2)
- 04: God Bless Hamerica (9)
- 05: Flying Fire and Fireflies (4)
- 07: Bee Careful What You Wish For (10)
- 08: Huckleberry Amtrekker (4)
- 11: Train-ed to Destroy (1)
- 13: Mmm…rBGH (3)
- 15: Glidin’ Seek (0)
- 17: No Air Time (6)
- 19: Click it and Ticket (10)
- 20: I hang glid (…hang glided…hang glode?) (9)
- 21: On The Way Down Yonder (4)
- 25: Chatta…who what now? (4)
- 26: #23 Hang gliding! [Podcast] (1)
- 27: Rambling and Ranting (1)
- 28: A Day in the Life (1)
- 29: Click…beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep (2)
- October 2007 (24)
- 01: The Other Orange County (4)
- 02: Tubing down the Chattahoochee! [Podcast] (5)
- 04: Go Fly Zone (8)
- 05: Quick Miami U Update (2)
- 06: Slo-Mo (9)
- 08: If you knock me on my butt, do I not bleed? (3)
- 09: #18 Pet a sloth [podcast] (6)
- 11: I Don’t Stand for Pedophiles (6)
- 13: How long?! (7)
- 14: Power Rangers Can’t Putt (5)
- 16: Train Travel FTW (3)
- 17: TASTHIB – Urban Golf [podcast] (8)
- 18: Whose life is it anyway? (1)
- 20: I Swung Danced [video] (5)
- 21: Fish out of water(…and into retaw?) (4)
- 21: #9 – Tales from the Wayback Machine. [podcast] (8)
- 23: The Green Kid (4)
- 25: Broken News (3)
- 25: #39 Motorcycle rally [podcast] (5)
- 27: I Think I Stepped in Knowledge (2)
- 28: Should’ve Listened to Detective Thorn (0)
- 29: I Flunked Hitchhiking [podcast] (7)
- 30: I Will Survive. Hey, Hey. (1)
- 31: Last Minute Costume Idea (3)
- November 2007 (24)
- 01: Which Town? [updated with pictures!] (8)
- 02: All That Jazz (3)
- 03: The Past Colors Memories of the Future (3)
- 03: Color Me Excited (0)
- 04: Mister Rogers Would Be Proud (6)
- 05: Salem, Massachusetts Halloween [podcast!] (3)
- 07: Salute Your Shorts (3)
- 08: Now What? (5)
- 09: Ode to Amtrekker (10)
- 10: You digg it? (2)
- 12: Update (1)
- 13: #47 Tour the Crayola Factory [podcast] (10)
- 15: Lobster Bucket (9)
- 16: Not The Most Beautiful Thing (3)
- 17: Give The Little Guy A Chance (3)
- 19: Enough Wading Already (5)
- 20: #27 Go on a lobster boat [podcast] (8)
- 22: Thanks for Giving (7)
- 23: Aggietrekker (0)
- 24: Fiamingo Family Thanksgiving (1)
- 26: Cranberries and Pennsylvanians [video] (12)
- 28: Just One of Those Days (10)
- 29: Don’t Forget to Smile (3)
- 30: Opposites Attract (8)
- December 2007 (23)
- 01: Impulse vs. Intelligence: Round 1 (2)
- 02: Stupid Grenade (1)
- 03: Beware Rampant Optimism (8)
- 04: Virginia Geocaching [podcast] (1)
- 05: “No, it’s not O.KKK.” (4)
- 07: Rhinestone Cowboys (featuring the anthropomorphic personification of exploding Bedazzlers) (3)
- 08: Quitters Never Prosper (5)
- 09: Bald Knob (for realsies) (6)
- 11: Crater of Mud State Park (4)
- 13: Escape from Arkadelphia (updated with pictures!) (10)
- 13: #15 Hitchhiking! [podcast (finally!)] (4)
- 16: Out of Texas -N- In to a Burger. (3)
- 18: Y’all Come Back Now… (6)
- 19: The Totally Rad Experience (3)
- 20: Show Me…Good People (2)
- 21: #15 Arkansas Crater of Diamonds [podcast] (2)
- 23: California Bum (3)
- 24: Home Is Where the Headache Is (3)
- 25: #46 See a Movie at the Alamo Drafthouse [podcast] (1)
- 26: Udderly Strange Christmas (1)
- 28: Ka-COW! (7)
- 29: More Christmas Jeer (3)
- 31: Paging Butt (2)
- January 2008 (25)
- 01: NYE in NYC (2)
- 02: Extra-Happy Hour (0)
- 02: Talk Show Eating Contest (wait…that sounds wrong) (9)
- 04: Hotdog Television Live (6)
- 06: Little Miss Update (1)
- 07: How-to: Travel on a Dime (1)
- 08: Not Even a Lump (1)
- 10: #22 Be a guest on a talk show BONUS #5 Enter a hotdog eating contest! [podcast] (6)
- 11: Other People’s Adventures (1)
- 12: Where’s Charles Atlas When You Need Him? (8)
- 14: Charley’s Going to Pee Himself (3)
- 15: Macworld Photos (0)
- 16: Stranger in a Same Land (7)
- 17: The Genuine Birthday Blog (2)
- 18: Surprise!!! (4)
- 19: #40 Ride a cow [podcast] (2)
- 20: 200?! (7)
- 22: Paging Mr. Copperfield (1)
- 23: No Cab Fare (7)
- 25: Everybody’s Creepy…Sometimes (1)
- 26: A New Day’s Resolution (9)
- 28: #41 Sandboarding! [podcast] (9)
- 30: Nature’s Plot to Make Me Look Stupid (5)
- 30: Day in the Life – Traveling to SLC [podcast] (8)
- 31: Salt Lake Pretty [updated with pictures] (4)
- February 2008 (22)
- 02: I’m Write (4)
- 04: Fire! (5)
- 04: Vote. (4)
- 06: Sweeping the Empire [updated with pictures!] (7)
- 06: The Land of Infinite Stairs [podcast] (4)
- 07: Hometown Highlights (3)
- 10: Go West Young Man (5)
- 11: The Brain Treadmill (6)
- 13: Amtrekker vs. Fire [podcast] (3)
- 15: Be Wary of VD (2)
- 17: What the?! (3)
- 18: Facing Jail Time (12)
- 19: Yoga and Booboo (2)
- 20: How to: Splash! [TASTHIB - podcast] (6)
- 21: I HATE (5)
- 22: Walk It Off (2)
- 24: “Hey Kettle You’re Looking Kinda…Black” (0)
- 25: The Plan (2)
- 26: Anti-Excitement (1)
- 27: TASTHIB – City Museum – St. Louis, MO [podcast] (3)
- 28: GSU Sampling (7)
- 29: Awesome Delays (2)
- March 2008 (21)
- 02: Super-secret Secret Squirrel (7)
- 03: What’s He Talking About? (7)
- 04: News To Me (1)
- 05: News to Me Inteview [podcast] (6)
- 07: Hashing (6)
- 08: Magic is About to Happen (9)
- 10: Magically Ambitious (4)
- 11: Quarry On (1)
- 12: #24 Be Part of a Stage Illusion [podcast] (4)
- 14: Lowest Highest Point. (3)
- 17: Swamptrekker (4)
- 19: Delayed Gratification (0)
- 20: #34 Scale the Lowest Highest Point in a State [podcast] (4)
- 21: A Beach By Any Other Name…Sucks (2)
- 24: Fishing for Donations (3)
- 25: Those Missing Days (2)
- 26: #45 Swamp Boat Ride With Gators! (6)
- 27: Angel’s Landing (1)
- 28: Where This Man Has Never Gone Before (2)
- 30: Microwave Potatoes (2)
- 31: Amtrekker Spirituality (5)
- April 2008 (24)
- 01: YOU’RE an April Fool! Jerk. (6)
- 03: #44 Fly-Fishing! [podcast] (1)
- 04: Party People (0)
- 05: What’s the Co-Motion? (3)
- 06: C’est La Vie (4)
- 07: The link to the CNN shindig (3)
- 08: Buses, Bums and Me (5)
- 09: The Immortal Words of Lewis Carroll (3)
- 10: Let’s Roller Coaster! (2)
- 11: Anti-Social Security (3)
- 13: Emotional Roller Coaster [completed objective] (2)
- 15: Days You’re Going to Need Time Off! (5)
- 16: #36 Ride the Fastest Roller Coaster in the Country! [podcast] (8)
- 17: Fifty Objective Pickup (0)
- 20: Silly Hat Bachelor Party! [updated with pictures!] (4)
- 21: Marathon Monday (0)
- 22: Marathon Madness (3)
- 23: TASTHIB – Boston Marathon Madness! (2)
- 24: What’s Colbert Hiding? (2)
- 25: How to: Be Interviewed on Good Morning America (11)
- 26: Good Morning Amtrekker (12)
- 28: New News (5)
- 29: Mid-flight Rescues (2)
- 30: Podcast Heads Up (4)
- May 2008 (16)
- 02: Internet Superstar (0)
- 03: #7 See a Live Taping of The Colbert Report! [podcast] (11)
- 06: Cause of Death: Hanging Out (6)
- 07: Viewer Mail Podcast (5)
- 09: Mega-Bust (2)
- 12: The Secret (2)
- 13: Passenger Diversity (1)
- 14: Beards, Blunders and BBQs (16)
- 16: In Transit (1)
- 19: Reenacting War = Enacting Discomfort (6)
- 20: Freezing My Musket Balls Off (8)
- 24: #12 Take Part in a Civil War Reenactment! [podcast] (7)
- 25: My Deliverance from #31 (7)
- 27: Spontaneous Raleigh Likin’ (4)
- 28: Pig Tails…Seriously (5)
- 30: #31 River Kayaking! [podcast] (*video problems fixed*) (1)
- June 2008 (17)
- 01: Less Than Helpful (5)
- 03: Wait…What Month Is It? (1)
- 04: Stuff to Gawk At (3)
- 06: #19 Help Out on a Plantation! [podcast] (6)
- 07: Boring Ol’ News, Exciting New Fun (0)
- 09: I Sailed. I’m a Sailor. I Can Sail Things. (No Big Deal) (6)
- 10: Metal Underpants and Nostalgia (2)
- 11: Bucket List?! (7)
- 13: Go Time (2)
- 13: I’ve Made a Huge Mistake? (2)
- 16: Kiteboarding! (4)
- 18: #16 Learn to Sail! [podcast] (6)
- 21: A Stitch in Time Saves Nine (7)
- 23: Pseudo-sport Olympics (13)
- 25: Toxic Stupidity Spill (0)
- 27: Greenie Green?! (4)
- 29: #29 Drive a Race Car! (6)
- July 2008 (15)
- 01: “Food” Stops (5)
- 02: #17 Kiteboarding! [podcast] (6)
- 03: Thank You (8)
- 04: Anniversary Sonnet (4)
- 09: The Grandest of Holes in the Ground (6)
- 11: The Wonderful World of Greyhound (3)
- 14: Assault on Miners (5)
- 16: #29 Drive a race car! [podcast] (5)
- 18: #25 Be in a Movie! (3)
- 21: The Day the Universe Decided to Punish Me (1)
- 22: Geocaching Attack! (0)
- 24: Frank’s Fort (1)
- 27: #3 Sleep in a Lighthouse! (10)
- 30: Charley Update (1)
- 31: La Dreamer and Stone Face: A Love Story (5)
- August 2008 (14)
- 01: #50 Hike to the Bottom of the Grand Canyon! [podcast] (3)
- 03: Get Well Charley (2)
- 08: Lake Shasta Shenanigans (2)
- 10: Hugfest 2008 (1)
- 11: Welcome to Crazytown. Population: Me (4)
- 12: Charley’s Malaise (3)
- 16: Ore-GONE! (0)
- 19: Where Oh Where Has My Amtrekker Gone… (0)
- 20: New Occupation: Used Car Salesman? (8)
- 22: Wholesale Slaughter (3)
- 25: #3 Sleep in a Lighthouse! [podcast] (2)
- 28: Nightmares (6)
- 29: Is Horse Feed Really a Good Idea Anyway? (5)
- 30: Disaster Looms (0)
- September 2008 (13)
- 01: What a Tangled Web We’ve Woven (2)
- 03: Baby Changes (0)
- 04: Disneylanding (3)
- 06: “Moonshinery 2008″ Update (0)
- 07: I Crashed an Ostrich (6)
- 09: #42 Ride an Ostrich! [podcast] (8)
- 11: American Rail Passes…FOR AMERICANS! (1)
- 14: Back on the Train (3)
- 16: Set Your Calendars! (3)
- 21: Pinko Commie Crops (4)
- 24: Crop Circling (4)
- 28: Stylish Dead Folks (0)
- 30: #13 Race Dirtbikes! [*updated with pictures!*] (2)
- October 2008 (14)
- 04: Uncertain Times (2)
- 06: #14 Make Moonshine Pt. 1 (4)
- 08: Dirty Minds (4)
- 11: Life of Brian (0)
- 13: #28 SCUBA Diving in the Atlantic! [*updated with pictures!*] (4)
- 14: Not Safe For PETA (6)
- 17: The Daily Buzz (1)
- 20: Death of the Dog? (1)
- 22: Instructions (0)
- 22: Auditions for Icabod Crane (2)
- 24: Bad News is Good? (0)
- 26: The End. (kinda) [pictures later] (7)
- 28: Party People (0)
- 31: Hey, Amtrekker! WTF (2)
- November 2008 (5)
- 03: Halloween Raid (0)
- 09: #2 Ride a Horse Through a Covered Bridge [podcast] (1)
- 12: Wolfe Manor (0)
- 24: A Night in Wolfe Manor [photos by CJ Johnson!] (1)
- 29: Iron Katy (0)
- December 2008 (4)
- 04: Stories Behind Stories (3)
- 14: #14 Make Moonshine Pt. 2 (4)
- 20: The First Four (3)
- 31: The Next Four (5)
- January 2009 (2)
- 02: A NEW List?! (10)
- 21: My Life as a Vegan (4)
- February 2009 (1)
- 25: 2009 Travel Blogger Awards (3)
- March 2009 (2)
- 06: Ghost Hunting at Wolfe Manor! [video] (3)
- 30: The Streamys! (5)
- May 2009 (4)
- 04: New Intro! (3)
- 07: Amtrekker: TALES FROM THE VAULT Premiere! (1)
- 18: A Popsicle is Better Than a Kick in the Ribs (3)
- 19: Latest Episode (1)
- July 2009 (1)
- 14: Geek Cred (2)
- August 2009 (3)
- 13: Road Trippin’ (3)
- 14: Road Trippin’ Day 2 (2)
- 25: Weird Things and Bigfeet (0)
- September 2009 (3)
- 02: Past Brett vs. Future Brett (6)
- 03: Northern Northern California (1)
- 05: Rubber Bands, Crustaceans and a Guest (0)
- October 2009 (1)
- 01: Arrestable Offense (2)
- November 2009 (4)
- 10: Meeting the Amazing Randi (3)
- 11: I hate Best Buy (1)
- 16: Cruise Overview (in haiku) (0)
- 22: A Few Rambling Thoughts on Cruising (3)
- December 2009 (1)
- March 2010 (1)
- 09: Amtrekker’s Newest Adventure! (0)
Hey Team,
I’m sad to say I have mixed feelings about yesterday. Yes, I got to cross another one off my list (#48). But at what cost? It seems this trip isn’t just about exploration and good times. It’s also about sacrifice.
Before yesterday I could not have imagined a time or place I could have been more depressed. More importantly, I could NEVER have imagined feeling a sadness that could run so deep. I’ve lived a fairly happy life and I’ve yet to lose a close family member, so up until yesterday when discussions steered toward loss I found myself unable to relate.
Now I know pain.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookie Dough R.I.P. You will be missed.
I’m done.
Brett.
Want to help buy my way out of depression?
Seriously, it might take the pain away. You never know ’til you try.
Trojan Kayaks
- July 2007 (17)
- 02: The Update (1)
- 04: Security Resistant Terrorists (0)
- 06: Philadelphia – The Good (2)
- 08: Philadelphia – The Bad (1)
- 08: Philadelphia – The Ugly (0)
- 09: Boston Uncommons (0)
- 10: Lancaster…no! Superfuncaster! (1)
- 11: Been There Milked That (0)
- 12: Spare Change (0)
- 13: A Californian in a Connecticut Yankee’s Court (2)
- 16: Which way? Fenway (1)
- 17: Pre-sliced American Cheese (3)
- 23: 66% Hitched (5)
- 25: California Screamin’ (1)
- 26: Comics are for Kids…and Amtrekkers (0)
- 29: Comic Comic Con (10)
- 31: I’m Not a Dad but I Play One on TV (10)
- August 2007 (14)
- 02: One’s Company (3)
- 05: The Podcast Cometh (2)
- 06: Less Than Amazing Race (3)
- 08: Gardening and Entering (8)
- 13: I Got Screwed…The Other Guy Got Nailed (4)
- 16: Niagara Falls…on my head (1)
- 19: Trojan Kayaks (8)
- 20: I Don’t Scream, But I Do Cry. (3)
- 21: Amtrak Mathamagicians (6)
- 22: Ins-N-Outs of Providence (7)
- 27: Boston T Parties (2)
- 28: Beercast?! (5)
- 29: I Love Couch…Not Lamp (3)
- 31: Male PMS (9)
- September 2007 (17)
- 02: I Think The Needle’s Stuck (2)
- 04: God Bless Hamerica (9)
- 05: Flying Fire and Fireflies (4)
- 07: Bee Careful What You Wish For (10)
- 08: Huckleberry Amtrekker (4)
- 11: Train-ed to Destroy (1)
- 13: Mmm…rBGH (3)
- 15: Glidin’ Seek (0)
- 17: No Air Time (6)
- 19: Click it and Ticket (10)
- 20: I hang glid (…hang glided…hang glode?) (9)
- 21: On The Way Down Yonder (4)
- 25: Chatta…who what now? (4)
- 26: #23 Hang gliding! [Podcast] (1)
- 27: Rambling and Ranting (1)
- 28: A Day in the Life (1)
- 29: Click…beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep (2)
- October 2007 (24)
- 01: The Other Orange County (4)
- 02: Tubing down the Chattahoochee! [Podcast] (5)
- 04: Go Fly Zone (8)
- 05: Quick Miami U Update (2)
- 06: Slo-Mo (9)
- 08: If you knock me on my butt, do I not bleed? (3)
- 09: #18 Pet a sloth [podcast] (6)
- 11: I Don’t Stand for Pedophiles (6)
- 13: How long?! (7)
- 14: Power Rangers Can’t Putt (5)
- 16: Train Travel FTW (3)
- 17: TASTHIB – Urban Golf [podcast] (8)
- 18: Whose life is it anyway? (1)
- 20: I Swung Danced [video] (5)
- 21: Fish out of water(…and into retaw?) (4)
- 21: #9 – Tales from the Wayback Machine. [podcast] (8)
- 23: The Green Kid (4)
- 25: Broken News (3)
- 25: #39 Motorcycle rally [podcast] (5)
- 27: I Think I Stepped in Knowledge (2)
- 28: Should’ve Listened to Detective Thorn (0)
- 29: I Flunked Hitchhiking [podcast] (7)
- 30: I Will Survive. Hey, Hey. (1)
- 31: Last Minute Costume Idea (3)
- November 2007 (24)
- 01: Which Town? [updated with pictures!] (8)
- 02: All That Jazz (3)
- 03: The Past Colors Memories of the Future (3)
- 03: Color Me Excited (0)
- 04: Mister Rogers Would Be Proud (6)
- 05: Salem, Massachusetts Halloween [podcast!] (3)
- 07: Salute Your Shorts (3)
- 08: Now What? (5)
- 09: Ode to Amtrekker (10)
- 10: You digg it? (2)
- 12: Update (1)
- 13: #47 Tour the Crayola Factory [podcast] (10)
- 15: Lobster Bucket (9)
- 16: Not The Most Beautiful Thing (3)
- 17: Give The Little Guy A Chance (3)
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- 20: #27 Go on a lobster boat [podcast] (8)
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- 26: Cranberries and Pennsylvanians [video] (12)
- 28: Just One of Those Days (10)
- 29: Don’t Forget to Smile (3)
- 30: Opposites Attract (8)
- December 2007 (23)
- 01: Impulse vs. Intelligence: Round 1 (2)
- 02: Stupid Grenade (1)
- 03: Beware Rampant Optimism (8)
- 04: Virginia Geocaching [podcast] (1)
- 05: “No, it’s not O.KKK.” (4)
- 07: Rhinestone Cowboys (featuring the anthropomorphic personification of exploding Bedazzlers) (3)
- 08: Quitters Never Prosper (5)
- 09: Bald Knob (for realsies) (6)
- 11: Crater of Mud State Park (4)
- 13: Escape from Arkadelphia (updated with pictures!) (10)
- 13: #15 Hitchhiking! [podcast (finally!)] (4)
- 16: Out of Texas -N- In to a Burger. (3)
- 18: Y’all Come Back Now… (6)
- 19: The Totally Rad Experience (3)
- 20: Show Me…Good People (2)
- 21: #15 Arkansas Crater of Diamonds [podcast] (2)
- 23: California Bum (3)
- 24: Home Is Where the Headache Is (3)
- 25: #46 See a Movie at the Alamo Drafthouse [podcast] (1)
- 26: Udderly Strange Christmas (1)
- 28: Ka-COW! (7)
- 29: More Christmas Jeer (3)
- 31: Paging Butt (2)
- January 2008 (25)
- 01: NYE in NYC (2)
- 02: Extra-Happy Hour (0)
- 02: Talk Show Eating Contest (wait…that sounds wrong) (9)
- 04: Hotdog Television Live (6)
- 06: Little Miss Update (1)
- 07: How-to: Travel on a Dime (1)
- 08: Not Even a Lump (1)
- 10: #22 Be a guest on a talk show BONUS #5 Enter a hotdog eating contest! [podcast] (6)
- 11: Other People’s Adventures (1)
- 12: Where’s Charles Atlas When You Need Him? (8)
- 14: Charley’s Going to Pee Himself (3)
- 15: Macworld Photos (0)
- 16: Stranger in a Same Land (7)
- 17: The Genuine Birthday Blog (2)
- 18: Surprise!!! (4)
- 19: #40 Ride a cow [podcast] (2)
- 20: 200?! (7)
- 22: Paging Mr. Copperfield (1)
- 23: No Cab Fare (7)
- 25: Everybody’s Creepy…Sometimes (1)
- 26: A New Day’s Resolution (9)
- 28: #41 Sandboarding! [podcast] (9)
- 30: Nature’s Plot to Make Me Look Stupid (5)
- 30: Day in the Life – Traveling to SLC [podcast] (8)
- 31: Salt Lake Pretty [updated with pictures] (4)
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- 02: I’m Write (4)
- 04: Fire! (5)
- 04: Vote. (4)
- 06: Sweeping the Empire [updated with pictures!] (7)
- 06: The Land of Infinite Stairs [podcast] (4)
- 07: Hometown Highlights (3)
- 10: Go West Young Man (5)
- 11: The Brain Treadmill (6)
- 13: Amtrekker vs. Fire [podcast] (3)
- 15: Be Wary of VD (2)
- 17: What the?! (3)
- 18: Facing Jail Time (12)
- 19: Yoga and Booboo (2)
- 20: How to: Splash! [TASTHIB - podcast] (6)
- 21: I HATE (5)
- 22: Walk It Off (2)
- 24: “Hey Kettle You’re Looking Kinda…Black” (0)
- 25: The Plan (2)
- 26: Anti-Excitement (1)
- 27: TASTHIB – City Museum – St. Louis, MO [podcast] (3)
- 28: GSU Sampling (7)
- 29: Awesome Delays (2)
- March 2008 (21)
- 02: Super-secret Secret Squirrel (7)
- 03: What’s He Talking About? (7)
- 04: News To Me (1)
- 05: News to Me Inteview [podcast] (6)
- 07: Hashing (6)
- 08: Magic is About to Happen (9)
- 10: Magically Ambitious (4)
- 11: Quarry On (1)
- 12: #24 Be Part of a Stage Illusion [podcast] (4)
- 14: Lowest Highest Point. (3)
- 17: Swamptrekker (4)
- 19: Delayed Gratification (0)
- 20: #34 Scale the Lowest Highest Point in a State [podcast] (4)
- 21: A Beach By Any Other Name…Sucks (2)
- 24: Fishing for Donations (3)
- 25: Those Missing Days (2)
- 26: #45 Swamp Boat Ride With Gators! (6)
- 27: Angel’s Landing (1)
- 28: Where This Man Has Never Gone Before (2)
- 30: Microwave Potatoes (2)
- 31: Amtrekker Spirituality (5)
- April 2008 (24)
- 01: YOU’RE an April Fool! Jerk. (6)
- 03: #44 Fly-Fishing! [podcast] (1)
- 04: Party People (0)
- 05: What’s the Co-Motion? (3)
- 06: C’est La Vie (4)
- 07: The link to the CNN shindig (3)
- 08: Buses, Bums and Me (5)
- 09: The Immortal Words of Lewis Carroll (3)
- 10: Let’s Roller Coaster! (2)
- 11: Anti-Social Security (3)
- 13: Emotional Roller Coaster [completed objective] (2)
- 15: Days You’re Going to Need Time Off! (5)
- 16: #36 Ride the Fastest Roller Coaster in the Country! [podcast] (8)
- 17: Fifty Objective Pickup (0)
- 20: Silly Hat Bachelor Party! [updated with pictures!] (4)
- 21: Marathon Monday (0)
- 22: Marathon Madness (3)
- 23: TASTHIB – Boston Marathon Madness! (2)
- 24: What’s Colbert Hiding? (2)
- 25: How to: Be Interviewed on Good Morning America (11)
- 26: Good Morning Amtrekker (12)
- 28: New News (5)
- 29: Mid-flight Rescues (2)
- 30: Podcast Heads Up (4)
- May 2008 (16)
- 02: Internet Superstar (0)
- 03: #7 See a Live Taping of The Colbert Report! [podcast] (11)
- 06: Cause of Death: Hanging Out (6)
- 07: Viewer Mail Podcast (5)
- 09: Mega-Bust (2)
- 12: The Secret (2)
- 13: Passenger Diversity (1)
- 14: Beards, Blunders and BBQs (16)
- 16: In Transit (1)
- 19: Reenacting War = Enacting Discomfort (6)
- 20: Freezing My Musket Balls Off (8)
- 24: #12 Take Part in a Civil War Reenactment! [podcast] (7)
- 25: My Deliverance from #31 (7)
- 27: Spontaneous Raleigh Likin’ (4)
- 28: Pig Tails…Seriously (5)
- 30: #31 River Kayaking! [podcast] (*video problems fixed*) (1)
- June 2008 (17)
- 01: Less Than Helpful (5)
- 03: Wait…What Month Is It? (1)
- 04: Stuff to Gawk At (3)
- 06: #19 Help Out on a Plantation! [podcast] (6)
- 07: Boring Ol’ News, Exciting New Fun (0)
- 09: I Sailed. I’m a Sailor. I Can Sail Things. (No Big Deal) (6)
- 10: Metal Underpants and Nostalgia (2)
- 11: Bucket List?! (7)
- 13: Go Time (2)
- 13: I’ve Made a Huge Mistake? (2)
- 16: Kiteboarding! (4)
- 18: #16 Learn to Sail! [podcast] (6)
- 21: A Stitch in Time Saves Nine (7)
- 23: Pseudo-sport Olympics (13)
- 25: Toxic Stupidity Spill (0)
- 27: Greenie Green?! (4)
- 29: #29 Drive a Race Car! (6)
- July 2008 (15)
- 01: “Food” Stops (5)
- 02: #17 Kiteboarding! [podcast] (6)
- 03: Thank You (8)
- 04: Anniversary Sonnet (4)
- 09: The Grandest of Holes in the Ground (6)
- 11: The Wonderful World of Greyhound (3)
- 14: Assault on Miners (5)
- 16: #29 Drive a race car! [podcast] (5)
- 18: #25 Be in a Movie! (3)
- 21: The Day the Universe Decided to Punish Me (1)
- 22: Geocaching Attack! (0)
- 24: Frank’s Fort (1)
- 27: #3 Sleep in a Lighthouse! (10)
- 30: Charley Update (1)
- 31: La Dreamer and Stone Face: A Love Story (5)
- August 2008 (14)
- 01: #50 Hike to the Bottom of the Grand Canyon! [podcast] (3)
- 03: Get Well Charley (2)
- 08: Lake Shasta Shenanigans (2)
- 10: Hugfest 2008 (1)
- 11: Welcome to Crazytown. Population: Me (4)
- 12: Charley’s Malaise (3)
- 16: Ore-GONE! (0)
- 19: Where Oh Where Has My Amtrekker Gone… (0)
- 20: New Occupation: Used Car Salesman? (8)
- 22: Wholesale Slaughter (3)
- 25: #3 Sleep in a Lighthouse! [podcast] (2)
- 28: Nightmares (6)
- 29: Is Horse Feed Really a Good Idea Anyway? (5)
- 30: Disaster Looms (0)
- September 2008 (13)
- 01: What a Tangled Web We’ve Woven (2)
- 03: Baby Changes (0)
- 04: Disneylanding (3)
- 06: “Moonshinery 2008″ Update (0)
- 07: I Crashed an Ostrich (6)
- 09: #42 Ride an Ostrich! [podcast] (8)
- 11: American Rail Passes…FOR AMERICANS! (1)
- 14: Back on the Train (3)
- 16: Set Your Calendars! (3)
- 21: Pinko Commie Crops (4)
- 24: Crop Circling (4)
- 28: Stylish Dead Folks (0)
- 30: #13 Race Dirtbikes! [*updated with pictures!*] (2)
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- 04: Uncertain Times (2)
- 06: #14 Make Moonshine Pt. 1 (4)
- 08: Dirty Minds (4)
- 11: Life of Brian (0)
- 13: #28 SCUBA Diving in the Atlantic! [*updated with pictures!*] (4)
- 14: Not Safe For PETA (6)
- 17: The Daily Buzz (1)
- 20: Death of the Dog? (1)
- 22: Instructions (0)
- 22: Auditions for Icabod Crane (2)
- 24: Bad News is Good? (0)
- 26: The End. (kinda) [pictures later] (7)
- 28: Party People (0)
- 31: Hey, Amtrekker! WTF (2)
- November 2008 (5)
- 03: Halloween Raid (0)
- 09: #2 Ride a Horse Through a Covered Bridge [podcast] (1)
- 12: Wolfe Manor (0)
- 24: A Night in Wolfe Manor [photos by CJ Johnson!] (1)
- 29: Iron Katy (0)
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- 14: #14 Make Moonshine Pt. 2 (4)
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- 21: My Life as a Vegan (4)
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- 30: The Streamys! (5)
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- 02: Past Brett vs. Future Brett (6)
- 03: Northern Northern California (1)
- 05: Rubber Bands, Crustaceans and a Guest (0)
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- 01: Arrestable Offense (2)
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- 10: Meeting the Amazing Randi (3)
- 11: I hate Best Buy (1)
- 16: Cruise Overview (in haiku) (0)
- 22: A Few Rambling Thoughts on Cruising (3)
- December 2009 (1)
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- 09: Amtrekker’s Newest Adventure! (0)
Hey Team,
It’s always a little sad when you see awesome historic sites all boarded up and plastered with signs that say authoritative things like, “Do not enter” and “No Trespassing.” Only slightly less sad is when you see historic sites that have been SO renovated that you have to pay an arm and a leg to see them AND if you touch anything they chop off a limb.
So, just imagine how freakin’ excited I was yesterday!
After much debate about how we were going to spend the day my couch surfing host, Nickola and I tied a couple of recreational kayaks (care of Margaret and Kelli!) to the roof of a minivan (care of Margaret and Kelli!) and made our way over to the bay. After a little over a mile long paddle we landed at Fort Gorges, a historic fort no longer in use that can only be reached by kayak or small watercraft! It was there that I saw the one sign that never fails to get my heart pumping and put a spring in my step…”Enter at your own risk!”
No lies, kids. This was one of the coolest places I’ve seen so far! The fort was built in the mid-1800s and was never actually garrisoned. The place has fallen into disrepair but I would venture to say that was 90% of the cool-osity(…coolnessitude?).
I’d also venture to say that I’m one of the biggest sissies I know when it comes to exploring dark, dank caverns in an abandoned fort. I spent most of the time hiding behind Nickola under the auspices of getting good footage.
Here’s the link if you can’t view the video on that wacky internet explorer browser.
I think I’ve harmed my limited masculine reputation enough for one day.
I’m done.
Brett.
You know what you should do…?
Seriously, don’t let me stop you.
Hey Team,
I was playing with a new format a little bit tonight. What do you all think of the shorter story with a quick and dirty no frills video? Not worth the video? Not worth the words? Spend more time on the video? Spend more time gouging my own eyes out with a spoon (cause it’ll hurt more you imbecile)?
Leave a comment and let me know.
UPDATE: For some reason the Amtrekker site and Internet Explorer don’t seem to be playing nice. I recommend using the Firefox browser. You can get it here:
Thanks,
Brett
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I travel. I share my adventures. I meet TONS of incredibly kind strangers. And I have not wet the bed in over twenty years. What else needs to be said?










