Pat

Retired. Have time for the things I love: travel, my cat, reading, good food, travel, genealogy, walking, and of course travel.

The Balkans

Dubrovnik Croatia

I graduated from Purdue University a history major. Yet, what I know of the Balkans could be counted on one hand 1) where it is 2) Tito lived there 3) Milošević was there 4) the Saracens, Mongols, Huns, Manichæans, Romans, Byzantines, Christian Crusades, Venetians, Ottoman Turks, Napoleon, Italians, Austrians, Hungarians, Nazis and Communists sacked and pillaged at their pleasure over the centuries, and 5) if Franz Ferdinand had stayed home instead of traveling to Sarajevo in 1914, the world could have waited a little longer before plunging into World War One. Therefore, my goal before I dock there in May is to read as much as possible and arrive less ignorant.  If I offend any Croat or Serb in this process, it is out of my ignorance, not out of my efforts to understand a complex situation.

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By Pat, ago

Skxawng – Always good for a laugh

Do people not have a life? Certainly not the Skxawng of this planet who populate my spam folder. Suggestion to you earthly morons: “Get a life!” Even though I permanently delete messages from my spam folder, I admit I am drawn to read some for laughs. It makes me feel superior as I read examples of ignorance. Takes me back to the days of being an English teacher trying to teach acceptable 5th grade grammar and spelling.

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By Pat, ago

CREATING YOUR OWN TRAVEL EBOOK

Creating a personal travel guidebook is relatively easy and free. If you research and plan your itinerary, destinations and attractions, then creating an eBook of your research is a way to leave behind all those weighty travel books (or tearing them apart for the few pertinent chapters). There exist online services to do this for you but it is not personal and their information comes from the same web sites you will use. I am creating my project on a Mac but this can be done on Windows using MS Word.

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By Pat, ago

♫ ON THE ROAD AGAIN ♬

San Rafael Swell, Utah

October 17, 2011 – Again I load my CRV and drive the highways of my nation. Destination: Chicago. Déjà vu from California’s Central Coast to beyond Las Vegas (which btw, I view as ugly and a city to quickly drive through). The buttes and mountains north of Vegas are beautiful. Driving Interstate 15 takes Tom Tom and me through the Moapa Valley, a corner of Arizona, and into Utah. First stop is St. George. The geology is interesting, gas is cheaper and the 75 mph a good idea. Not many people on the roads, particularly heading east.

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By Pat, ago

Portland – End of the Oregon Trail

Colorful homes of Portland

Downtown icons

7th Sept – I sit in Pioneer Square with other multitudes, seeking respite from walking, eating a Philly Cheesesteak from a food cart, and planning my next move. So far I have not found what the hoopla is about. I walked the Pearl District where the restoration is ongoing midst vagrants, pornography strewn around the Federal Building, and busy streets. (more…)

By Pat, ago

Washington State Relatives

iPad traveler

3 Sept – Beautiful, sunny morning with temps in the 50s and a hot air balloon rising into the blue sky. I head south toward Missoula along the west side of blue, blue Flathead Lake with countless sailboats on its surface. I think at least every 10th car is towing a boat. Pretty scenery and easy roads, 70 mph speed limits. I angle west and meet up with I 90 which will take me through the panhandle of Idaho and straight to Bellevue WA. I think the GPS mentioned 350+ miles but I blanked that part out. Once in WA, the interstate quickly became desert and dull. Most interesting part of this highway are the “cell phone pullouts.” (more…)

By Pat, ago

Top of the World – Glacier National Park

Once site of Glacial Lake Missoula

30th Aug – Not only did I loose an hour for Mountain Time, I lost a day. Then I discovered I rushed the month, too. I know precisely where I am, just not what day it is. To be on a road trip and unaware of the day is ideal.

I drove north to Glacier National Park. Drove a different route to visit the Bison National Refuge. It is a 19-mile gravel road out of MoIese on the northwestern side of the refuge. Twisting, climbing to over 4700′ with awesome vistas of what used to be the huge Glacial Lake Missoula and what is now a vast valley basin, I find driving around the park peaceful and solitary. Wildlife consists of bison, elk, deer, pronghorn antelope, bighorn sheep, and black bear. (more…)

By Pat, ago