distracted

Circumnavigating the Catalinas

2012-01-24T21:16:00.000-08:00

It seemed like the right thing to do. I've ridden nearly every trail in the Catalinas - this ride felt like the finishing touch after 17 years of mountain biking on and around Mt. Lemon. In fact, I can say that I am one of three that participated in the first attempt to Drop The Lemon - this ride was the first group of riders to complete the entire mountain from top to bottom on dirt (as far as we know per new trail system) (of the nine riders that started I was part of the finishing three).

All photo credits go to Matt - I was too lazy...

The Round The Lemon ride itself was hardly exciting, but spending the day on the bike and achieving 100 miles with Matt ranks amongst some of the more epic athletic attempts of my life. I've been in better shape so this ride kicked my ass :

No shit. If you didn't know that you were on a winding mountain road at this point... Kind of like saying, oh by the way, you are a human...

We started at 7:30... ended around 4:45... total elapsed time on the ride around 9 hours. I am sure I added at least an hour as my back cramped around mile 50 and my stomach stopped cooperating soon thereafter. It took me 15 miles or so to get my second wind, but Matt tolerated the slower pace and we finished the ride after 5,600 ft. of total elevation gain / 98.3 miles.

early in the day.. not feeling too bad

back side of the Catalina - the San Pedro River Valley

nearly the half way mark...

nothing technical... dirt roads and more dirt roads

found... written in London from Grandma, sent to Oracle

Desert hiking

2012-01-10T19:56:00.001-08:00

Christmas Family Fun and Site Seeing

2012-01-10T19:52:00.001-08:00

Elaine, Matt and Liz host christmas at their house

Hiking Camelback Mt. in Phoenix with Malin, Jonas and Zan

Someone hauled a Christmas tree to the top of the trail? This is no small feat as the trail is hardly flat with an elevation gain of about 1300 ft.

Connect Four for adults

Desert Museum

baby hummingbird in a nest

Biosphere Two - leaving the lung

found / seen

2012-01-10T19:51:00.000-08:00

Couldn't help myself

The date on this reads Feb 2001 - note from the top of John Krein trail in the Tucson Mountains... and yes, that is a AZ Long Dog Gatorhead

Southern AZ day trip through Bisbee and Tombstone

2012-01-10T19:48:00.000-08:00

Tokay in the desert snow

2012-01-10T19:44:00.001-08:00

Visiting San Xavier

2011-12-20T10:18:00.000-08:00

last day in SF... (AGAIN!)

2011-12-16T10:03:00.000-08:00

seems appropriate

spontaneous generosity - the lovelies house and walk me - like a homeless retriever, I always come back to those who love me the most...

Bobby's Birthday party in Placerville - two days of gettin away

2011-12-16T09:56:00.000-08:00

seen on the drive in - making dreams come true...

Wendy working it....

Vito and Sage

dangerous people

backlit Shane

birthday boy

makin the bacon

juicin the juice

the nose knows

tired

A quick jaunt through San Diego

2011-12-16T09:39:00.000-08:00

Brandon and I retrieve a 28 inch pizza - certainly the largest I've ever seen...

morning came early - before the ten hour drive to Placerville

the most southern point of the CA coast

time to bib up an drive ten hours

Winter in the desert

2011-12-16T09:33:00.001-08:00

A glorious day on the bike

2011-12-02T17:53:00.001-08:00

Occupy Ventana Canyon

2011-12-02T17:46:00.001-08:00

11/15 - 11/30

2011-11-30T11:28:00.001-08:00

Conzelman is finally paved - probably the most exhilarating up/down hill road ride one can access without getting in a car from SF.... as fast as you can handle it - all the way to the light house...

that's Conzelman in the upper left:

Bright Lights Social Hour - this band will be huge...

no stranger to stark lighting... Heather rocks Tokay on a rainy eve

Betty Crocker before I drove 12 hours to the desert...

rainbow saying goodbye as I left the Bay

strange Tucson

The Daunis

on assignment with Grow Girl....

2011-11-13T23:07:00.001-08:00

Things aren't completely straight in the world today. Northern California is home to one of the fastest growing industries, supplying jobs and providing small towns with real economic growth - but, the feds can't seem to get their heads around the war on growers, regardless of the voters definitive mandate.

the publicist and the author pretty far from home

fan club

1.5.12

burning time

one day felt like forever - headed home... five went north, two rolled east and the three of us returned south... Garberville truly is an intersection of international crossroads

destroying a small town the night before the big show

Hallow's eve...

2011-10-30T20:29:00.000-07:00

It's Complicated and Red Scarlet hit the town

it takes a real man....

drag becomes you

ever elegant... Betty Boop satisfied post crepes

Rosie and her bitch

The Trashman Cometh - a weekend with Mr. Davis

2011-10-25T18:16:00.000-07:00

But first, I ride to the top of Tam. Sean arrives later in the day, so the liver and I spend some quality time together on the mountain bike. This is the top of Mt. Tam - weird, huh?

A romantic stroll on the Golden Gate Bridge.

How long will this bridge last?
Life without end.
We'll buy the bonds.

The good doctor

she studies pain

love in an elevator

Sunday is walk about day - the weather was perfect, the city was alive, the streets were closed to cars...

a friend of a friend

low

passing the warfield, Anthrax and Testament bringing down the house

Same as it ever was... Now With Kids!

2011-10-19T17:45:00.000-07:00

Dinner with Weiners. Ronnie's new pad on the 20th floor overlooks Oakland - not a bad landing spot with the kids right down the street. This time, they were gracious enough to have me along for paella and rehearsal:

Genetic Reclamation

2011-10-14T09:11:00.000-07:00

Battleship Bus : Mission - All your apples is belong to Roland

2011-10-09T14:12:00.000-07:00

We were given our orders.

The northern perimeter is a treacherous region, dotted with bucolic, semi-gentrified townlettes. Could one busload of determined urbanites conquer the reported infestation?

The apple is the pomaceous fruit of the apple tree, species Malud Doestica in the rose family (Rosacae). It is one of the most widely cultivated tree fruits, and the most widely known of the many member of the genus Malus that are used by humans.

Clearly, there are too many apples.

This is what happens when you eat too many apples...

A few days in Tucson

2011-10-09T11:17:00.000-07:00

Simpler Recessions

Archie

Archie and Libby

Matt and I return to the scene of the crime. It took a few passes to find exactly where I was bit by the snake. It turns out I was barely within ten minutes walking from the head of the trail - seemed like half an hour as I was hobbling out that day on 9/7/09.

this is the spot

1,497 Miles / 3 Days : Part Two

2011-10-05T11:50:00.000-07:00

Part Two

Matt, Liz and Elaine needed a driver - conveniently, I was available. I decided before I drove the first mile, to make a body of work out of the trip via Hipstamatic - simply shoot as many pics as conveniently possible - publish all of them and do no editing. 350 plus pics later, I believe this documents the feel of a three day trip through one of the most desolate - and visually stunning - parts of the US. Spend a few minutes scrolling through my three day construction of this expendium (I made that word up).

1,497 miles / 3 days : Part One

2011-10-05T10:12:00.000-07:00

Part One

One can contemplate the choices others make. Take this gas station, for instance. Truly, this was one of the most depressing slices of Americana I have ever experienced. Matt and I said little - we didn't have to. To get to the bathroom, one walked down a long, unlit hall that was simply spooky - there was a dark "lounge area" with old chairs and couches - I suppose this is what happens when your gas station is not part of the mega convenient exit. I was instructed to also witness the other mens bathroom - see pics below...

Hip Gangster Wanna Be : I don't care what color your skin is, nor do I care why you think you need to carry a gun... You can't fix stupid.

It's hard to see, but this old man has a very large firearm on a shoulder sling that was just waving in the wind - totally unsecured like a purse dangling from a shoulder.

A lot of miles, a lot of thinking.

ANOTHER gas station stop - Matt was getting horrible mileage dragging the trailer. There was a pine nut mobile filling up - I asked if I could take a picture of myself in front of the truck - I informed the owner of the truck that I was allergic - his response : "I call em Love Nuts"

We woke the second day in Page, AZ - home of the Page Boy motel, Glen Canyon Dam and Antelope Canyon.

This is the only edit - I enlarged the house to show off this Reservation Art - Banksy would be proud...

Malin was a driving force behind the inspiration to keep taking pics. When we first met I attempted to describe what the U S American Indian Reservations look and feel like. It is nearly impossible to explain to anyone - well traveled or not - just how poor and why these people live the way they do. Native Americans are simply different - not from this time, not of this time - they think and act differently - driving through the Navajo Nation one experiences the awesome juxtaposition between their lifestyle and the land. Maybe lifestyle is the wrong word - such a Western way of thinking about life... the style of life

Northern Arizona - approaching the Flagstaff Basin

Coming off the Northern AZ plateau and dropping down the mogollon Rim to Phoenix/Tucson. The sprawl starts to kick in, the air is hot, the people are everywhere, the highway is wide and the senses become numb as Matt and I know that we do not live here - anymore...

A week in SF

2011-10-04T08:15:00.000-07:00

As a gesture of thanks, Maya takes me to a most excellent lunch (I helped her move back in to our apartment).

Bobby and I hit the CalAcademy for Night Life

Another glorious weekend

2011-09-26T10:34:00.000-07:00

As the two year anniversary of my rattlesnake bite passes, I have been reflecting on just how fortunate I am to have to have both of my legs, much less to be alive. Over the past two years I've simply been living this way - a sort of shock - where I wake and say "holy shit, I'm still here" and attempt to make the most of each day. Now more than ever, as the shock has worn off, I chose to understand it - not simply live it.

Nothing reminds me more of of my fortunate situation than an amazing Northern California weekend. Well, there is one thing missing - but that too will have it's time (or shall I say, we).

Wysteria, Sugar and my dear friend Geneva

Geneva and I met when we were 18 - it seems lifetimes pass between each of our reunions - 20 years later, we pick it up right were we left off...

Although I have not attended burning man, I can feel that this default reality we call life is something that burners must readjust to after spending weeks on the playa. Geneva and I attend the Santa Rosa Handcar Regatta - a wonderful event, but most certainly an event, not an experience per se. Hints of burning man seen everywhere - from attire to the vehicles, but mostly the northern CA personalities that emerge to spend the day at Railroad Square.

Geneva and the swanmobile

the whiskeydome

dressing the part

Occidental, CA is one of those spots. The deeper you get into the California hinterlands, the more you discover. For example: Howard's Cafe - great breakfast and apparently a favorite of Tom Waits. I'm not so easily star struck, but the man is a genius - apparently he lives here.

this handsome fellow lives next door to Geneva's current address

loving the urban life more and more... Julie and I meet for brunch.

quite possibly the ultimate dive bar

Enjoying the view from Treasure Island. Bobby Lee calls this place home. Steps from his apartment we take in the energy and imagine where all those people are going, where they came from and what mischief they are up to on a Friday night.

that's right

One Weekend in SF

2011-09-12T16:33:00.000-07:00

Brunch in Marin with 5 Dads and 8 Kids

Dinner with Bobby and Wendy

9/11 Memorial before Giants vs Dodgers

Ball placed on field in lieu of first pitch to honor the victims

Firemen honored

Foul ball

Only in SF - Standard issue StealYour Face?

Seen outside Zeitgeist

EXTREME ARBONICS

Two weeks in SF

2011-09-04T20:28:00.000-07:00

Swede meet Cajun food, French swamp people with one of the best cuisines known to man, meet Swede

Maya gets her drink on

Tamarancho Redux - I realized during this ride that I had been riding Tamarancho (a mtb only park owned by the Boy Scouts) for ten years... Seems like yesterday, seems like a lifetime.

Mountain Bikes Must Stay on Single Track - gotta love regulations that favor your favorite activity...

Seen : I spent a Saturday riding with Dan Kasin, a long lost friend from back in the day - we ran across this amazing art installation in Marin. For scale - notice the bike wheel in the left side of the pic. An odd scene all around as this sits in a large patch off concrete, next to an abandoned school...

That's Dan. I think that one indication of real friendship is the ability to pick up where you left off. Dan and I haven't seen each other in eight years - we picked it right up where we left off.

Quick internet research reveals : The 30 foot-high sculpture is by artist Robert Ellison and it is called "Four Times Daily." He originally built it in 1978 where it debuted at the San Francisco Civic Plaza (photo below). It was then moved to its current location in the 80s. The school was turned into the China Camp Design Center but that is gone too. The only thing that remains is Ellison's massive sculpture.

There's a pine cone lover in my life - she knows who she is... Pic taken at the top of Mt. Diablo. After all of these years, coming and going from the Bay, I finally rode to the top of Mt. Diablo. 14 miles, 3700 ft. of elevation gain, 3 hours... nothing technical besides riding the steepest fire roads conceivable.

Driving, driving.... From SF to Mazama, WA...

2011-08-29T13:38:00.000-07:00

Grizzly, ManBearPig, Swede?

Amerika!

Silly Americans.... The thriving wild west metropolis of Winthrop, WA is home to many things... Funny how the cut out actually resembles one of us, yet no matter how hard I try, I cannot achieve upper body weight gain

Elaine checks out her new macrame Converse...

We get super creative in the kitchen the last night and build our own dumplings:

Peace, Love and Happiness - bibstyle

Amerika!

The Great American road trip continues...

2011-08-29T13:26:00.000-07:00

I can drive for hours - so that is what we did... Off to visit Matt, Liz and Elaine in Mazama, WA... We stop in Seattle to spend some quality time with Jeffro and Linds. The new transplants show off the city with Nordic bar highlights and fish ladders. Unfortunately, Jeff missed the sea lion that made lunch out of at least 5 or 6 salmon right up against the ladders. Apparently this was a unique siting and tremendous one at that... we got to see technique up close - the sea lion would fish, come up and rip the salmon to death by breaching the surface and shaking the fish in its mouth, then eat at the surface... way cool....

Malin prays to the great god of Roe

Jellyfish and The Mystery Spot

2011-08-29T13:09:00.000-07:00

Back at HQ... spending some quality time in San Francisco...

Freedom, Housing, Justice - Read likes all of these things:

Whilst wrapping up the end of a lovely evening in Dolores Park, Malin, Jonas, Zan and I begin noticing Jellyfish, one after another, lighting up and bouncing around, until there were at least thirty... Invading the park....

The day before the day before (Thanks, Irene!) Malin leaves to head back to Nordicville, we drive down to Santa Cruz for a bit of Mystery....

This was my second trip to the Mystery Spot. For $5 you can't beat the value - skeptics and scientists love to talk smack about the circus that is the Mystery Spot and it is quite easy to get wrapped up in asking questions about this place. Optical illusions aside, one cannot argue with the numerous trees growing in corkscrew fashion or the undeniable odd physical sensations that you experience while here.

This was our guide:

Malin reads her copy of Adventure in Everything in Matt's new book, truly placing World Famous Pescadero, CA on the map....

I think I am turning Nordic, I really think so....

2011-08-29T12:50:00.000-07:00

Malin and I travel to Austin to see mom and dad... It was so bloody hot that I actually began missing cold weather. Austin is experiencing a serious drought - the city is brown and you can actually see the heat rising off the pavement as you walk around. But we did make it around a bit, enough for the Swede to experience a bit of Texas

Why I love Austin (and San Francisco)... This is our idea of being liberal - no topic is off the table...

Malin and Pam show off the new boots... Alan's Boots in Austin is the place - I am positive that Stockholm is not ready for this...

Rock Star out and about...

So much can happen in 30 days...

2011-08-05T09:42:00.000-07:00

Malin and I rode 30 miles from Stockholm to a boat launch where her father picked us up - another Ekholmen trip...

Channeling Bevis:

Mom, Dad, Malin and I drive north about 12 hours to participate in Morgan and Maggie's wedding. Malin and I stayed in a cabin at Morgan's Family's summer property. Across the street, we found a mono-forest that had been logged at least once in the past 30 years.

this section had been logged in the past month:

Prepping the bride:

Malin and I were proud, behind-the-scenes coordinators on the big day

Fingercuffs:

Mallin made cupcakes for everyone to munch on with their champagne right after the ceremony

One last trip to Ekholmen - Anna's Birthday Party

Ravioli for nine - the chef show's off a few tricks learned whilst in SF

One last chance to be MegaTourist - we visit the IceBar and the Fun Park before I leave for the states

bussed drinks

I return to Tucson just in time for my lesson from Finn - "this is how we rock in Man's World!"- actual quote from Finn Davis 7/29/11

Sightseeing in Stockholm, to Mariefred and the Vasa

2011-07-05T10:21:00.000-07:00

Mass cycling created... I was the 1,400th cyclist to cross the bike bridge that day. Malin was the 1,401st... motivating the general population to cycle is not so difficult when the government invests in such simple machines as this counter, telling us that we are part of something larger, something that 1400 other people had experienced that same day and 116,250 people had experienced that year so far ...

We behave like tourists and take a steam ship from Stockholm to Mariefred. The ship has been running the same three hour trip from the city to Mariefred for over 100 years, with the same captain since 1965.

the sticks!

the simple life...

King Gustav III's castle - over 550 years old

armed, feeling at home

I snap a few interior shots before told that cameras are not allowed:

this is how Swede's play putt putt golf... explaining the grandeur of American mini-golf prepares me for the upcoming holiday...

ciao Mariefred... three more hours on the steamship

We FINALLY visit the Vasa. A warship built in the 1600's that sunk due to high center of gravity after sailing less than 100 meters in the port of Stockholm. Discovered in the 50's, the ship was rebuilt and preserved for all to visit.

This is how it is done. A new road is being built for bikes and cars. Look closely - a recently paved, elevated bike road...

Seen at the grocery store: according to this "Taco Dinner Kit", the box contains shells, taco spices and a jar of hot salsa. I am really curious about this, so I take a closer look. You cannot buy this kit - it has no price AND it has no contents. There were rows and rows of this kit above all of the other "Mexican" food for sale, but the box is a facade at best.... Taco kit tease? My inner-Mexican is destroyed and I am embarrassed at the imported concept...

Summer Fresh

2011-06-25T04:43:00.000-07:00

Sweden waits for the summer all year. At the solstice, the country celebrates Midsummer's Eve - a pagan holiday promoting bountiful crops. As well, there is a shampoo in Sweden called Family Fresh and some other advertisement for something called Summer Fresh. I find this all pretty amusing and often wonder what life would be like if families were not so fresh or what if the only fresh season in Sweden is the summer, and what does that mean for winter... is it foul?

We wait in line to get fresh for the summer

The Maypole will be buried (read: the penis will fertilize the earth)

This is the drunk guy in traditional dress that I held hands with when we all danced around in a circle

so fresh for the summer!

They shoulda never messed with the nest

2011-06-24T13:41:00.000-07:00

Amongst the hustle bustle of canal life, Malin and I witnessed the changing of the guards at this nest. There are boats, cars, bikes and the like all over the place. These guys make the best of the situation, gather materials and continue on.

The father showed up with food, mom moved aside to go run errands and dad sat down for a rest. Or maybe it was the other way around...

the feet are absolutely amazing

urban survivormobile and the nest

Bike parking at it's finest - Central Station Amsterdam

2011-06-24T13:14:00.000-07:00

Central Station Amsterdam is the nexus of to and fro. Trains, cars, boats, ferries, buses and above all thousands of bikes. The pictures show a triple decker bike parking garage. Unlike other parts of the city, there are seemingly few abandoned bicycles. A system of parking, a policy of duration and a general sense of respect for one another's ride is in effect...

Amsterdam Hipstamatique!

2011-06-24T04:30:00.000-07:00

this is a bike swivel bridge... bikes simply take precedent in the city

Family Portrait!

smart

tiny coffee

tiny truck

utopian child raising environment

BIG CHEESE

solar and wind

function meets design - low center of gravity works best for the Amsterdam traffic flow

Amsterdam: bikes, canals, architecture and blue heron

2011-06-24T03:08:00.000-07:00

have you seen my heron?

the Dutch have utility bikes mastered as self propelled wheels have priority over all other modes of transportation, including walking...

draw bridge at night

hey look, a boat full of tourists

look in the background - a triple decker bike parking garage

a great example of how accustomed people are to riding bikes... grandma with two kids in front and the third on her own ride... the streets move fast and there are rules - even the young and old follow the rules without question or change in trajectory

placeholder?

sundial on top of a church...

Amsterdam with Read and Amber

2011-06-24T02:48:00.000-07:00

Could I be more blessed? Amsterdam with Malin, Amber and Read. We rent bikes, eat amazing food, enjoy an apartment that Amber scored for us and generally had a great time enjoying one of Europe's finest cities. Amsterdam is many things to many people, for us it was simply an inspiring place to laugh and relax for three days - the roads are for bikes, the food is international, people are open minded and the city is oozing with culture and history.

International gnome siting

amateur hour dining experience

Cooper's dutch brethren

the lovelies

look closely : 12 people on 6 bikes

Thai confederate - The Bars and Stars seem to be making a fashion comeback

June out on the town

protesting something, for some reason, they are not sure what, but it was entertaining

interior of The Pathe movie theatre - mandala on the ceiling - there simply is no end to the eye candy in this city

the Rooster

we wander towards the music to find mid-day jazz in a picture perfect cafe by the canal

a photographer's heaven - The Dutch value design and function in the same light

this is how you do it

keep it in mind...

Thanks Ryan

2011-06-23T09:38:00.001-07:00

Stockholm to Amsterdam. Executive decisions are made, schedules are aligned, Amber and Read are persuasive and so we set sail for southern climes where city planning and high design come at a premium. Amsterdam it is. We spend one day alone, three days with Read and Amber on their European tour and the last day to ourselves after The Lovelies take for the rest of their wedding anniversary.

Ryan, are you there?

Ryan got us there...

burning time with Shrek on the way home

Return to Stockholm. Utilizing old military bases outside of major cities, RyanAir has designed a half price system of flying abut the continent. However, do not expect a high level of communication when your flight is delayed, diverted to depart from a different airport (in Germany) and you are told that you are to wait for a bus outside on the curb with everyone else. Everyone was sent outside with no instructions and no company representatives. Every bus that pulled up was mobbed, people lined up for the wrong buses, a news reporter showed up, a cop joined the fray and an airport representative (with no information) came outside... Eventually three buses came, the herd was carted off to Germany (the irony), we arrived at another airport with still no instructions and the herd took over, running about with no idea what to do or where to go. Through security. To a gate. Was this the right place?

Stockholm

2011-06-23T08:24:00.000-07:00

One of the many overpasses in the city

beach ride that hasn't moved from in front of the flat since I arrived

Stockholm Public Library

Parting Shot : Protect Your Ears GOTLAND

2011-06-11T03:13:00.000-07:00

In 36 hours we had seen the city, the same people three times over, experienced near perfect weather, enjoyed an amazing dinner, spent the night in a jail and toured the city walls/churches...

We agreed that there was this certain, ever present, home town feel that even this World Heritage site was not immune to. The teenagers gathered at night around their cars to watch the sunset, high heeled girls came in from the country in the evening and even Visby has it fair share of douche bags riding around in modified rice burners.

This guy kept a close eye on the three bars/cafes near the boat dock by driving back and forth (during the day, no less) in his slammed, yellow VW with his fair warning to the island plastered across the back window: Protect Your Ears GOTLAND : cuz his stereo is so loud that even he wears ear plugs (which he really was wearing - in his own car!) - gotta love the ubiquitous douche bag - he is everywhere, his car is loud, his Ed Hardy shirt is too small... even in the land of the Holy Goats!

Two days in Visby....

2011-06-11T02:54:00.000-07:00

The main city of Gotland is home to well over half of the island's population, with a World Heritage Site as it's primary attraction. We choose to stay within the old city walls at the jail turned hostel. Our cell featured a tiny bunk bed and a barred window. We stashed the bike and bags and went out exploring...

Arguably the best preserved medieval city in Scandanvia, surrounded by 4km of city walls that protect the town and original churches - inhabited as early as the stone age....

the original cathedral opened for business in 1225...

construction on the walls began in the 12th century and the towers were added during the 15th...

we meet the artists and discuss this, fired in place, piece of work...

home to the convicted murderer of King Gustav III, this is one of the last wooden houses preserved from the 15th century...

the ubiquitous Ren Fair....

Visby has good beer!

Nar to Visby by bike

2011-06-11T02:15:00.001-07:00

Parents Sicking left at 5am for their ferry from Visby, I set out via bike to meet Malin in Visby a few hours later. The 40 miles took three hours, rose no more than 200 feet (all in the last half mile as I entered the city)... flat, straight, no wind...

the same town, over and over... hipster purgatory - you do not need brakes here and they love to knit... grow your own food, compost and leave the city behind...

this isn't the church we built...

Faro Excursion

2011-06-10T08:07:00.000-07:00

Malin and I set out for a day trip north to Faro, a well preserved island to the north of Gotland. Familiar churches, green pastures, thick stands of pine tress and quiet towns dot the landscape.

We take the ferry (ten minutes from island to island) to spend a few hours on a somewhat lunar landscape. The Baltic Sea is cold most of the year, but the recent sun has promoted some tidal pool growth.

Rock formations called "Rauk" can be found around the shoreline. These were a result of erosion during the Ice Age and are unique to Gotland and Fårö.

AgTech...

We stop for water, bread and a look around someone's obsession with American industrialization. Malin, ever fair and non-judgmental, does not see that we have landed in something of a freak colony. Iggy Pop sold us bread, some other guy with a wretched disease was mowing the lawn, another guy was revving his motorcycle for what seemed no reason and as we were leaving a preppy looking gay gent sauntered up... good times on an island with less than 600.

Swedish filmmaker Ingmar Bergman lived and died on Fårö and several of his films were filmed there - we looked for his grave at this church, but the unusual architecture was distracting...

The same church...

2011-06-10T07:13:00.000-07:00

From Wikipedia:

Gotland (Swedish pronunciation: [ˈɡɔtˈland] (Gutnish: Gutland) is a county, province, municipality and diocese of Sweden; it is Sweden's largest island and the largest island in the Baltic Sea. At 3,140 square kilometers in area, the region makes up less than one percent of Sweden's total land area. The region also includes the small islands of Fårö and Gotska Sandön to the north, and some tiny islands, including the Karlsö Islands to the west. The island of Gotland has an area of 2,994 km², the province has 3,183.7 km² (3,151 km² of land excluding the lakes and rivers).^[3] The population is 57,221^[2] with about 22,200 living in Visby, the main town.^[1] The main sources of income to the island are tourism, agriculture and concrete production from locally mined limestone.

Gotland is dotted with churches that all look, more or less, the same, beautiful, none-the-less:

The two old farm buildings at the Sicking's Country House...

Next door...

The front of the main house...

Math student at sunset...

Gotland Tour and dinner with Jenny

2011-06-10T06:07:00.000-07:00

We bought honey and potatoes at a self serve "store"whilst driving around the country side.

Gotland is full of artists that open their studios to those driving about. This fine gentleman artist explains the story of a painting (the one on the floor that he is walking on) about his now dead neighbor that never married the love of his life due to his mother's lack of cooperation around the issue...

you save money when you spend it...

Jenny and Malin, childhood friends, on the Swedish Savannah

Ferrys : leaving Ekholmen, heading to Gotland (land of Holy Goats)

2011-06-10T05:54:00.000-07:00

After a night of ass kicking pente (sort of - thanks, Per) and getting ass kicked at Settler's of Catan, Malin and I leave her sister Anna and boyfriend Per at Ekholmen. The day before, Per and I decided to take the motor boat to the store on Namdo, fill up on petrol and get a couple of groceries (read: beer). The store and the gas station were both closed, but the people that work at both were enjoying the restaurant. We sat with the locals and had a beer (a real beer). My tolerance has been affected by the lack of full alcohol beer available - I forgot to check the status of the gas tank on the boat after we landed back at the house. The next day Per and Anna got to row the boat home after Malin and I hitched a ride halfway by a benevolent boater. This was not such a big deal as the weather was cooperating - but... well, let's just call it Couple's Therapy.

Malin, myself and the parents Sicking head to Gotland the same day. Another ferry, another car ride... we arrive safe and sound after midnight to the country house.

Arriving in Visby after dark...

"Take a picture of that!" Malin and I take a walk around the ferry - she sees what turns out to be a rather descriptive image : bored teenagers crawling around the boat, checking each other out, parents waiting back at the chairs with the luggage...

Gotland is a popular destination for Swedes. Few make it beyond Visby, a town of 50K people that dates back to the time of dust with an enormous city wall, churches and houses that have survived russians, icy weather, fires and most recently - savage tourists.

Kayaking to Namdo : Running around the island

2011-06-10T05:38:00.000-07:00

The sun rises at 4am and sets at midnight while we we spend another six days at Ekhomen. I began kayaking over to Namdo, which takes about 20-30 mins, then jogging around the island. I had, in a matter of two days, seen most of one of the largest islands in the Stockholm archipelago by boat or on foot. Certainly, there are many side trails and the like, but Namdo is the social hub for the surrounding islands, replete with a gas station for boats, general store that keeps finicky hours another potato and fish restaurant, many old farming buildings, a small church and less than 20 full time residents.

one wheel barrow per customer please... from boat to cottage - the hotel concierge keeps it simple

Kayaking Excursion...

2011-06-10T05:29:00.000-07:00

Return to Ekholmen

2011-06-10T05:25:00.000-07:00

Walk around the island.... nature reveals that a tree can grow in less than a couple of inches of soil on top of a rock...

floating, wood fired sauna...

stones were stacked and moved to the side to develop agriculture plots... glacial farming

Stockholm Excursion : Goal - locate good beer

2011-06-10T05:11:00.000-07:00

Unfortunately, a man cannot marry multiple Swedish women. However, this advanced country does have something in common with the archaic village of Utah - near beer, government run alcohol monopoly retail booze outlets selling warm (albeit full alcohol) beer and the ever important measuring device found at a bartender's disposal (this should be banned world wide).

But, the sun was shining, a double freakin rainbow appeared and I had the internet / wheels (bike, not car - I have yet to determine if riding a bike buzzed has the same penalty as driving drunk here : 20,000 years in jail and they make you wear an A on your sweater). I set out in search of a watering hole with more than three taps dispensing the same pilsner... I needed an IPA and a Stout, stat.

Conclusion: not concluded, but task completed

Ekholmen - Parting Shot

2011-05-20T02:43:00.001-07:00

I first discovered the Parting Shot whilst reading Thrasher magazine as a kid. I quickly learned that the best photo was on the last page and that was were my attention leapt immediately when a fresh copy of my favorite rag arrived (thanks mom and dad - or maybe I paid for it with my well deserved allowance?). That same habit followed me from Automobile to Nat Geo. Anyhow, and as it were or as it is - the blogoshpere being backwards and time demanding forces the reader to keep up! Otherwise, you can read about Ekholmen and our vacation within a vacation in any order you like.

Going Home

2011-05-20T02:39:00.000-07:00

The trip to Ekholmen took about three hours door to door. we left the flat before 6am, walked four long blocks with a ton of weight and jumped on the subway. Five minutes on the underground I realized that I left a key piece of luggage at the house (half of our groceries and my sunglasses). It didn't matter - we had more food than we could eat anyhow and there was a very sexy pair of glasses waiting for me on the island. We ventured on, after contemplating a return to the flat (complete with actually getting off of the subway and catching the next train). Subway to bus, bus to ferry, ferry to boat taxi. Ten days on the island. Mr. and Mrs. sicking joined us for a productive weekend of property clean up, wood chipping, fire making, boat cleaning and most importantly - math tutoring.

The trip home took less time as we eliminated the boat taxi to ferry portion and ferry all together by hitching a ride on the Albatross. Uffe and the Dive Captain were kind enough to take us to the mainland on their way home (actually we did have to boat taxi approx 30 ft from Elkholmen to the rock via kayak - it took two trips).

The Captain raises the anchors as we depart.

Malin ventures into the boat's galley as Uffe continues to show us around the beast that has been building a public dock outside of the Sicking's property for the past month.

We tour the Captain's quarters.

Saying one last goodbye to the Island of Oaks.

French Rock - according to Uffe, there are numerous wrecks below the surface here - the cold waters preserve the boats, awaiting a technological breakthrough in marine preservation.

The Albatross is a WWII German relic - tank traction remains on the deck on the boat, as do signs in it's native language.

On the bus now. Assimilating back into the easily left behind social fabric, in need of a shower, we carry our uncrushed recyclables, bags and remaining food. However, the old man troll smells worse than we do.