Amtrekker

I’m an unemployed vagrant. All I have is a backpack full of technology, a shoestring budget and a very important list. When everything is crossed off my list I get to go home! Let me know if you want to trade one of those shoestrings for help. brett@amtrekker.com

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?

Archive for February, 2008

Awesome Delays

Posted by Brett On February - 29 - 2008
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Hey Team,

As per usual, that plan that I outlined the other day is nearly completely shot. I guess that’s what I get for trying something new.

“Okay, universe. I understand. It’s not my place to make plans. It wont happen again. I promise.”

But the good news is, those plans aren’t shot for any severely negative reasons. In fact, I just got word today that I’m going to be interviewed for a spot on CNN’s headline news on Tuesday. It wont air for a few weeks but definitely exciting none the less!

So now I’m trying to decide if it’s worth making a quick side trip to Florida to climb the lowest highest point in a state.

I’ll keep you kids posted.

I’m done.

Brett.

Maybe you’d like to buy me a slice of pie?


Thanks!


GSU Sampling

Posted by Brett On February - 28 - 2008
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Hey Team,

Yesterday morning when I pulled into Atlanta I found myself still having to finish a good portion of the podcast. Naturally I couldn’t work on it at the Greyhound station so I went for a walk to see if I could find a cozy office-of-the-day. (Preferably one with some hot tea. Turns out Atlanta isn’t nearly as warm as I had hoped it would be. I STILL got snowed on yesterday.)

Amtrekker

About a mile from the station I found myself wandering through Georgia State University.

“Awesome. This many caffeinated kids in one place, there HAS to be a place to sit down and get some editing done.” I thought.

I approached the first two students I saw, two girls with backpacks and smiles. Can’t go wrong with smiling strangers.

“Excuse me. Do you know if there’s a coffee shop or a Starbucks nearby?” (I remember asking this verbatim because as soon as I said it I thought it was weird that in my head Starbucks was not the same as a coffee shop. Interesting.)

One stopped and thought the other continued to smile. “Um…yeeeaaaahh. I think…if you just go down this street here. Just here…” she pointed and looked me in the eye to make sure I was paying attention. (Smart kid, that’s probably 90% of the reason I get lost all the time. I forget to pay attention.) “Next street make a right…um…then go through a door.” A long pause signaled the end of the directions.

I gave a broad honest smile. I loved the way she said that. Exactly the kind of direction I would give. “So, you want me to make a right then go through a door?” I even ended it with a friendly chuckle. The smiling friend giggled too. Winner.

Then things took a strange turn. Direction Giver’s thoughtful gaze turned into a scowl, “I’m trying to explain, if you stop acting like an ass!” Whoops. Misstep.

It was very cold and I wasn’t wearing nearly as many clothes as I should have been, so my frozen mouthed apology came out something like, “MMmm Sowwy. I wasn makin fum.” Before I just gave up. This battle was over.

According to my sampling: 50% of all women attending GSU think I’m an ass.

And I really did just have to make a right and walk through a door.

I’m done.

Brett.

If you don’t think I’m an ass feel free to show it by clicking that donate button!


Thanks!


TASTHIB – City Museum – St. Louis, MO [podcast]

Posted by Brett On February - 27 - 2008
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Hey Team,

On my last day in St. Louis I finally took everyone’s advice and checked out the City Museum, a magical land of wonder and recycled architecture.

Seriously guys, this place rocked. It’s made completely out of recycled products. People tear down a building or are looking to get rid of their private jet and these guys say, “Do you mind if we just turn that into something awesome instead of letting you throw it into the trash?”

Thanks to everyone that recommended that place. It was, in a word…Incredible. I doubt this podcast could ever do it justice. But here goes nothing.

Get the Flash Player to see the wordTube Media Player.

And here’s that youtube link!

I’m done.

Brett.

If you like the podcasts then don’t be scared of that donate button!


Thanks!


Anti-Excitement

Posted by Brett On February - 26 - 2008
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Hey Team,

Better Fridge Magnets

“The Plan” was delayed by a day, which I suppose, just goes to show how useful plans are in my hands. (i.e. not very) BUT besides that, things are progressing nicely. At 3:30 am my bus leaves Nashville for Atlanta where I’ll meet up with a guy that lives about an hour south of there to learn the family fun past time of moonshinery (I’m going to call that one a word too.)

There’s SO much stuff going on behind the scenes right now that it’s been tough to stay on top of everything (I am but one man) but I can assure you it’s all very exciting.

AND it looks like I’m not going to have to be frantically editing to get the new podcast up tomorrow. I know. What the heck is that all about?!

So here’s the little teaser. Tomorrow by 6pm PST there will be a new TASTHIB podcast featuring City Museum in St. Louis. No joke, one of the coolest places I’ve been so far on this epic journey. Right up there with Fort Gorges on the list of Awesome Stuff That Happens In Between. More on that tomorrow.

Other than that, not a lot of news today. Yesterday was sadly uneventful as far as stuff I’m ready to share goes. So I guess that means…

I’m done.

Brett.

Maybe more donating would equal more excitment…you never know until you try.


Thanks!


The Plan

Posted by Brett On February - 25 - 2008
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Hey Team,

Just a very quick update. I’ve been trying out this new “planning” thing. I don’t know how well it’s going (…and it seems to take a lot of time) but I think it’s just as much of a new experience as hang gliding or milking a cow and so it deserves it’s time in the sun too.

I’ve got to say though. So far…not a fan.

Here are my thoughts:

1. I’m going to be in southern Utah the second week in March to see what fly-fishing is like.

2. If I head west now I’ll end up there WAY too early.

3. There’s still plenty I need to cross off in the southeast.

4. So it makes sense to cross off as much as I can in the south over the next three weeks.

5. I THINK I can do #s 2, 14, 24, 28, 29, 34, 45 and maybe 12. But NONE of those are sure things so if you have any leads let me know.

6. I’m going to start this whirlwind tour of the south by heading to Atlanta tomorrow and hoping for some moonshine action.

Wish me luck.

See that was kind of like planning, right? At least I know which direction I’m headed in. That’s better than usual…

Okay, I’m done.

Brett.

If you like the adventures…you should plan on donating.


Thanks!


“Hey Kettle You’re Looking Kinda…Black”

Posted by Brett On February - 24 - 2008
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Hey Team,

I’ve never made any attempt at keeping secret the fact that Greyhound is my least favorite method of travel. There are some pretty unsavory characters rolling around those terminals.

When I was traveling to St. Louis I had the privilege of sharing the bus with an older man with a bushy white beard, a head just a little too small for his body and a persistent hacking cough. All in all, nothing out of the ordinary there.

BUT, as I was standing in line with the rest of the dregs of humanity today, getting ready to leave St. Louis (bound for Atlanta by way of Nashville), I look to my right and what should I see? A small old man with a bushy white beard, a head just a little too small for his body and a persistent hacking cough wearing the exact same clothes he was wearing three days ago! So naturally, I instantly looked down upon him as a dirty slob with no direction in life.

It was shortly after that when I realized I’d just called the kettle out for wearing a Mickey Mouse jacket.

I better go change my clothes.

I’m done.

Brett.

I know what would make you feel better!


Thanks!


Walk It Off

Posted by Brett On February - 22 - 2008
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Hey Team,

I’ve recently discovered two very interesting and telling facts about the people living in this great country of ours.

1. NO ONE’S concept of “walking distance” is the same as mine.

And

2. NO ONE has any concept of distance. Period.

I explored the better part of St. Louis by foot today and for the most part it was great. There’s A LOT to look at here.

The Arch

Nothing I can really cross off the list besides the geocaching but the architecture is AWESOME (yeah, I’m kind of a geek for design).

However, eventually came the time when I realized I had to find a bank or I was going to go hungry tonight. Sadly, it was already pretty late in the day. (I wish the following exchange were an isolated incident but sadly only the places and faces change.)

“Sorry we’re closed.”

“Is there another Bank of America nearby?”

“Not within walking distance.”

“How far is it?”

“You can’t walk there.”

“About how far is it?”

“Pretty far.”

“Pretty far as in, it’s in Nashville…or pretty far as in, I should take a bus.”

“*sigh* Jenn, how far away is the Jefferson and Gravois branch?”

“Two miles.”

“It’s two miles.” This she said with a tone that added, “SEE. Idiot. You can’t walk two miles. Don’t even bother.”

So, I started walking the two miles to the bank…which turned out to be five miles. I still managed to get there eight minutes before closing time though. I didn’t, however, manage to get there before they locked their doors and said they were closed.

I’m kind of hungry.

I’m also done.

Brett.

Don’t be afraid of that long walk to the donate button!


Thanks!


I HATE

Posted by Brett On February - 21 - 2008
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Hey Team,

I’m sure there are a few of you out there that already know this but I don’t think I’ve ever written about it so most of you are probably in the dark. There are precious few things in this life that I would file under the category of “Things Brett Hates.” All in all I’m a pretty easygoing guy; I stay up beat. BUT the things that ARE on my list are things I HATE with a loathing red-hot passion.

Let me take a step back. Yesterday was a GREAT day. Period. Way up there on the list of great days even. I got to go to the diggnation live show.

diggnation

The couch

I met some really interesting people and I’m staying with a great couchsurfing host in a very interesting city. There. Consider that a disclaimer.

Now. There are only four items on my list of things I hate. That means that only four things that I have come across on a regular basis in my short life are so putrid, so utterly intolerable, so loathsome that I have a difficult time even thinking about them. And it’s a testament to what a great day yesterday was to be able to STILL say it was a great day considering I was forced into encounters with no less than 75% of the things I HATE!

The list. (In order)

1. Laundry: I despise everything about the laundry process. I hate touching my own dirty clothes. I hate separating. I hate unbunching my socks. And I hate that it’s such a ridiculously long process. If I ever find myself with more money than I know what to do with I’m donating all of my dirty clothes to the homeless at the end of everyday and only wearing new clothes. (I had to do laundry yesterday!)

2. Glitter: Maybe you have to have been a designer at Disney to REALLY appreciate how deplorable this gift from Pandora really is but I think Demetri Martin said it best when he said something along the lines of, “Glitter is the herpes of craft supplies.” Once it gets on you it’s not going anywhere and it’s all too easily transmittable. I used to shake at the thought of having to touch glitter ridden Christmas ornaments without latex gloves.

3. Taxi Cabs: It’s RIDICULOUS that if you’re traveling more than five miles by taxi you might as well be renting a car. Nothing could possibly justify those rates. (Yesterday it cost me more to get a third of the way across St. Louis than it did to get from Boston to Chicago last week. I wish I were joking.)

4. Cold Weather: I don’t ask for much out of life. I just want to be able to do whatever I want, whenever I want and have perfect weather everyday. Sometimes you want to be snowboarding and for that cold weather is perfect…but as soon as I’m done I want to be able drive back to summer. (It’s snowing right now. I’m not snowboarding.)

Bottom line: Now you guys have a little more insight into the inner workings of an Amtrekker…and there’s some proof that yesterday was awesome.

What do you hate to HAVE to deal with?

I’m done.

Brett.

If you love to hate then donate!


Thanks!


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