In the middle of May I noticed something lying amongst the wood cihps and dirt on the 10th hole down at Silver Creek's Disc Golf Course. To my surprise it was someone's cell phone. It had been lying camoflauged for nearly two weeks (based on the last received text message and the fact that the service had been discontinued), but the battery still worked. I didn't think much of it and I immediately took the phone into the police station.
The following day I realized that I may have stumbled upon something more than JUST a lost cell phone. What if it was another Apple prototype? A week earlier the internet had been all abuzz about a recovered and reviewed iPhone 4G. Was I just as fortunate. Well, I was going to go back to the police station to request the phone back but instead Josh and I found another phone at Silver Creek the next time we were down there. The following review/video ensued. I did it quickly in one take, just so I could return it to the owner. The thing rang like crazy, we're talking a phone call every couple of minutes.
New York Times - Moment in Time
This is where I caught myself on May 2, 2010 at 10:00 am for the New York Times "moment in time." You could say that I was caught with my pants down.
I actually had to stage the shot, because I had rushed out of the house to go discing, and completely forgot about wanting to take a picture of what I was doing at that time. However, this probably worked out even better.
Moving and Settling
I also aided the future president in moving out of his current house. It was absolutely horrible. I was expecting to just lift some heavy stuff, eat some pizza, and have a beer or two, but it turned into a whole lot of packing, moving, and thinking. I could have done without the thinking and the packing. In hindsight, I'm thankful because I'm quite sure no move will ever be as bad as this one. And when we move into the White House we'll have Sevret Service members there to do the moving for us.
Much time has been spent settling Catan. The whole family is hooked on this fantastic eurogame.
The Milwaukee Bucks made a little noise in this year's NBA playoffs and Ben and I jumped right on that bandwagon.
We attended game 6, expecting to see the Atlanta Hawks knocked out of the playoffs in the first round, but instead the Bucks scored 11 points in the 3rd quarter reminding me more of a grade school girls' basketball game rather than an NBA performance. The Hawks ended up with a lopsided victory and eventually eliminated the Bucks in Game 7.
The few highlights were Jerry Stackhouse singing the National Anthem and Bango and the Rim Rockers high-flying acrobatics. I also made some sweet posters, but I quit using them after jabbing the man in front of me in the head with one.
Ben's Brewers Boondoggle
As always Ben's Brewers Boondoggle was a great time, albeit time spent with way too many people from Illinois. This drawback was magnified by the fact that the Cubs were the opposing team.
However, Train and I didn't care because we stayed in the parking lot, playing cribbage, while everyone else went in and saw the Crew get creamed. There's only one real way to enter Miller Park (to the left), blowing THE Trumpet to the Baywatch theme. I was surprised that passersby were not fans of the Hoff. I know we're not in Europe, but come on, this is the Hoff we're talking about?
I also had the opportunity to give some guy frmo Chicago a homemade replacement Britney Spears T-Shirt for his circus t-shirt that I had stolen off of my back during last year's festivities. Thanks Ben, it's always a great time.
Easter = Canceled
I raced all the way home, driving for nearly 24 hours without rest, to surprise my parents on Easter Sunday only to find out that my Mom went ahead and canceled Easter.
Who knew. This is why I should mention my plans to others. Oh well, it's still good to be home.
This might be the riskiest decision I've made since I've been living on the road. The decision was to eat a Big Mac as far away from a McDonalds as a person can get in the contiguous United States. It was risky in that once the two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, yadda yadda yadda hit my lips I might turn to a life of nourishment by Bic Macs and Big macs alone. I also ran the risk of running out of gas in the middle of nowhere.
My hunger was sated by the Big Mac (even though it was cold upon arrival) and my car was thirsty for gas when I pulled into Pierre, SD (where the closest McD's lies), but I am almost certain that the first Big Mac of my life will be my last as well.
It took a tank of gas, and the northern grasslands of SD weren't all that interesting but it was a satisfying detour on my return trip to Wisconsin. Plus, someone has finally sullied these pristine grasslands with special sauce and deep fryer grease. Someone had to do it. Why not me? It was interesting that fast foot litter (by my observation) travels about 90 miles from centers of fast food commerce (AKA cities).
The 50,000th Mile
I knew this was coming. THE 50,000TH MILE OF THIS ROAD TRIP. That's a lot of miles. I'm going to have to do some comparisons. I do know that's about two trips around the earth.......if only my car could drive on water. This was just on the very eastern edge of Oregon before I arrived in Ontario, OR.
Henry the Bear
I think Henry was bibernating. OR there's a slight chance that a very elaborate April Fool's Joke was going on in Mitchell, OR when I passed through. I went looking for Henry the Bear and he was nowhere to be found. Taking a trick from those drunken Manitowoc idiots who lost a few fingers feeding bugles to the zoo's bears, I stuck my bum pinky into the cage and even that didn't lure him out. Next, I went looking for the gas station employee. No luck. Next, I had a look around a small park. It was obvious that a family was living in a tent here, but again no one was home. I started to put things together when I read a sign that said "Easter Egg Hunt, April 1, 2010 at 2:00 PM." I was just in time for the hunt. I poked around, trying to hunt the hunt with the same results with the bear, gas station employee, and squatting family. April Fools?? Maybe, I have no idea what was going on there, but I do know two people filled up with gas, didn't pay, and went on their way. Neither of which was me.
March myPinkyUpdate: Volume 1, Issue 9
Just your typical Portland Fun.