Stars start the drive down 3 points with 2 and a half minutes left in the game.  Playoffs on the line.  

6 hours ago, Diehardfan said:

Shame you didn't swing down to Moab for Arches, DeadHorse, and Canyonlands Island in the Sky and Needles. Arches is more spread out with amazing structures chocolate chipped through the park while Needles and Island in the Sky are stunning throughout. Goblin is about the same driving distance from Main Street as Needles and both are worth it.  I thought they'd all just be a bunch of rocks but it's amazing, especially at night. Coming from Philly I couldn't imagine the stars you'll see at night in Dark Sky Certified parks.

Doing that next week but adding on Monument Valley because of all those, it’s the only one I haven’t done before.  Wife’s first trip to Utah whereas I have been there multiple times. 

50 minutes ago, BigEFly said:

Doing that next week but adding on Monument Valley because of all those, it’s the only one I haven’t done before.  Wife’s first trip to Utah whereas I have been there multiple times. 

Bring bug spray.  Someone at Walker Drug with her arms covered in bites said the town ran out because of a nat infestation two weeks ago and now the mosquitoes are insane and getting worse.  How long will you be there?

11 hours ago, mattwill said:

Okay, since this travel theme has gotten some traction.  How about each of us describe the favorite trip we have ever taken.  I’ve described here two trips (neither being my favorite trip, but damn good ones nonetheless) … the 3,500 mile road trip this May, and the hitch hiking road trip from Ithaca NY to Max Yasgur’s farm in 1969.  What are the favorite trips you have taken?

Travel is one of my biggest passions.  God, family, work, travel.  I went through a tough time with work for a while when travel was my escape and happiness.  
 

My favorite trip is a Rome to Positano round trip.  Positano is incredible any time of year, but it’s very much NOT off the beaten path and is very touristy/crowded in the summer, as is Rome (and HOT).  Shoulder season…May/June/Sept and it’s magical.  One of the finest food destinations in the world…all reasonably priced too.  Hotels range from the best resorts on earth to reasonable vrbos with incredible views and old Italian hosts that bring you food.

I love going down the path less traveled and to places away from the common trips…but the more I travel, I also learn that touristy places are touristy for a reason.

8 hours ago, mattwill said:

Definitely beautiful country.  This YouTube video gives that part of the country an interesting wrinkle.  

 

 

Interesting.  I was taught the old theory given my age.  

4 hours ago, just relax said:

I've got two, in Europe and in the U.S. 

Between high school and college I took a "gap year" and went to Europe, starting in France. It started out as a two-week stay but ended up being 11 months. I hitchhiked, mostly - it was a simpler and more innocent time then and rides were easy to come by. All over France, Amsterdam, Bruges, Munich, Frankfurt, Rottenburg in the Black Forest, all over Switzerland, much of Italy. One thing I learned early on, you can always get work in a classy restaurant kitchen if you're willing to work really hard. Just knock at the back door. I washed dishes, bussed tables, chopped onions, swept floors, and ate fantastic food in the group meals before the restaurant opened. My best ride when hitchhiking was when I was going down to Monte Carlo to see the Grand Prix. I got picked up by an American in a sports car who wanted to practice his French. He was disappointed that I was an American too but we spoke French the whole way down. The road was straight up on one side and straight down on the other with no guard rails and he was doing four-wheel slides around turns.  I was terrified for about five minutes until I noticed that he was in complete control. The driver was Phil Hill, and he was driving in the race. I got to go down in the pits the day before to watch the crew work, though not on race day itself. He was driving for Honda, the first year they had an entry. Graham Hill from England won the race. I was given a great grandstand seat near the finish line, not more than 10 yards from where Princess Grace sat. She and Prince Rainier were there for the start, left for a while, and came back for the finish. I had a sleeping bag and slept on the beach below the Rainier castle. There were maybe a half-dozen others like me and the authorities never appeared. Like I said, different times.

In the U.S. I drove cross-country on my Honda 750. There are too many things I saw to list but the road from Cimarron to Taos was the most beautiful stretch of road I have ever seen and  that includes roads through the Alps in both France and Switzerland. There was a bar outside Tucson that was magic but I doubt it's still there.

You really ought to write a book.  Right now, my daughter and my wife are in a race to see who joins me at 50 first. Next summer, I may just help the former reach 49 with the latter getting to 50.  

1 hour ago, Diehardfan said:

Bring bug spray.  Someone at Walker Drug with her arms covered in bites said the town ran out because of a nat infestation two weeks ago and now the mosquitoes are insane and getting worse.  How long will you be there?

There is always bug spray in my car.  It’s going to be quick (for me) as I am giving kind of a highlights tour for the wife who hasn’t been out to Utah and Colorado before.  Probably only four or five days in Utah, more towards the east. (I already bargained a trip to western Utah and western NV with her. (My "Ponderosa” tour).   I have picked up a few new spots for myself so far on this tour. 

18 hours ago, mattwill said:

Okay, since this travel theme has gotten some traction.  How about each of us describe the favorite trip we have ever taken.  I’ve described here two trips (neither being my favorite trip, but damn good ones nonetheless) … the 3,500 mile road trip this May, and the hitch hiking road trip from Ithaca NY to Max Yasgur’s farm in 1969.  What are the favorite trips you have taken?

Holy crap you were at Woodstock?

I did chuckle yesterday when I saw BGN do a puff piece about how Covey is under appreciated as a returner.  The blog, as always, says hi!

Happy Juneteenth. 

47 minutes ago, BigEFly said:

Happy Juneteenth. 

The first girlfriend I ever had, today is her birthday and wedding anniversary.  She married the next guy she dated after me; I think that's happened 2-3 times (might as well nickname me The Practice Tee).

 

On 6/18/2023 at 1:24 AM, BigEFly said:

Next time you are near Santa Fe, check out Bandelier National Monument. Think hands on without the tour group Mesa Verde. We took the back way to it out of Albuquerque.  

@HazletonEagle avoid I81.  I have traveled it way to much headed to Texas.  Got a better route for you.  Take the Blue Ridge down to the Smokies. Enjoy Shenandoah on the way, Natural Bridge.  If you need to go a little faster at times, pop onto the Lee Highway.  See Ruby Falls. Then cruise over towards Birmingham and down through Montgomery and Selma towards Gulf Shores.  Then over to Mobile Bay and then Gulfport.  Take the Natchez Trace north.  Be sure to take in Merriweather Lewis’ murder or suicide mystery and the Indian Mounds. Take the trail in the Cypress Swamp. Hop off in Tupelo and look for Elvis’ birthplace.  Do Broadway in Nashville then pop up to Mammoth Cave and do the tour.  ((That’s also where the Corvette museum is that partly caved into a sinkhole.  Then head towards the Blue Grass Parkway considering some side bourbon trips then up to West VA. Get off the highway in WV  Explore the parks. Then over to Harpers Ferry (tour it,maybe kayak the river)  over to Frederick (consider the B&O, Catoctin National Park) up 15 to Gettysburg. Got you back to PA so I think you can find home again.  That should kill some of the dead time for you.

It's an easy drive through Frederick out to Harpers Ferry.  I81 south to the Blue Ridge Parkway is pretty scenic.  You get a great view of the Shenandoah Valley.  If you take the Parkway, I would stop in Asheville.  Asheville is a great city.  You should take a day and check out the Biltmore.  I would also consider taking HWY 74 west out of NC through the Nanthala National Forest.  It's one of the prettiest drives in NC.  

I hope all the dads here had a wonderful fathers day

Saw Paul Goldschmidt to the Phillies rumor been circulating... Wonder what that would cost us in a trade

https://www.si.com/mlb/phillies/news/philadelphia-phillies-seen-potential-trade-fit-mvp-first-baseman

 

Whatever it is, it's too much. 

 

It's now officially the NFL preseason:

 

 

3 hours ago, garingovt2000 said:

Saw Paul Goldschmidt to the Phillies rumor been circulating... Wonder what that would cost us in a trade

https://www.si.com/mlb/phillies/news/philadelphia-phillies-seen-potential-trade-fit-mvp-first-baseman

 

No. 

On 6/17/2023 at 10:12 PM, HazletonEagle said:

Yeah what I'm wondering is,  is there a parking lot or garage at the stanton island ferry,  or the jersey city train station? Or do you have to reserve parking ahead of time somewhere nearby?

I'm all for just driving in to jersey and riding over on some sort of public transit.  I'm just not sure how that works either. 

I'm certainly no expert when it comes to NY/NJ and how to get to and from. I do know that quite a few people going to north Jersey/NYC park at Princeton Junction which is away from urban areas. There are trains to and from NYC thru  Princeton Junction. You may also be able to go P Junction to near Newark airport then grab another train into NYC. I would certainly feel better parking at P Junction that most central NJ train stations if parking overnight.

1 hour ago, eglz1 said:

I'm certainly no expert when it comes to NY/NJ and how to get to and from. I do know that quite a few people going to north Jersey/NYC park at Princeton Junction which is away from urban areas. There are trains to and from NYC thru  Princeton Junction. You may also be able to go P Junction to near Newark airport then grab another train into NYC. I would certainly feel better parking at P Junction that most central NJ train stations if parking overnight.

Thanks. 

It went be over night but that's good to know if we ever do go longer. 

On 6/18/2023 at 11:24 AM, mattwill said:

Okay, since this travel theme has gotten some traction.  How about each of us describe the favorite trip we have ever taken.  I’ve described here two trips (neither being my favorite trip, but damn good ones nonetheless) … the 3,500 mile road trip this May, and the hitch hiking road trip from Ithaca NY to Max Yasgur’s farm in 1969.  What are the favorite trips you have taken?

Moon Palace in Cancun

Lots of restaurants. Bunch of tours to do. Great service and beautiful beach. Also the resort was amazing 

I've come to a realization. I've been trying to hide it and push it down, but I can't, so I'm just going to embrace it.

I still haven't gotten over the SB. The Eagles were the better team, they still are the better team, and that game only ended the way it did because of a bunch of fluky BS and Gannon being a traitorous turd.

My realization is that the only thing that will satisfy me in 2023 is beating the Chiefs in the SB and getting revenge. If the Eagles get back to the SB and beat say the Bills or something of course I'll be happy. I'll be partying and grinning from ear to ear like everyone else. But there will be a part of me feeling unfulfilled.

I'm done trying to get over it and move on. I want revenge and I want it badly. If you could guarantee me right now I could a) have a Super Bowl championship this upcoming season, no questions asked, but it would be vs a team not named the Chiefs or b) I could guarantee the Eagles get to play the Chiefs in the SB again, but can't guarantee they win. I'm taking b without a second thought. I need closure and I'll never get over that game until they get it.

I realize to focus in such a specific outcome is foolhardy, but I don't care.

Give me the Chiefs in Super Bowl 58. Please.

9 minutes ago, Sack that QB said:

I've come to a realization. I've been trying to hide it and push it down, but I can't, so I'm just going to embrace it.

I still haven't gotten over the SB. The Eagles were the better team, they still are the better team, and that game only ended the way it did because of a bunch of fluky BS and Gannon being a traitorous turd.

My realization is that the only thing that will satisfy me in 2023 is beating the Chiefs in the SB and getting revenge. If the Eagles get back to the SB and beat say the Bills or something of course I'll be happy. I'll be partying and grinning from ear to ear like everyone else. But there will be a part of me feeling unfulfilled.

I'm done trying to get over it and move on. I want revenge and I want it badly. If you could guarantee me right now I could a) have a Super Bowl championship this upcoming season, no questions asked, but it would be vs a team not named the Chiefs or b) I could guarantee the Eagles get to play the Chiefs in the SB again, but can't guarantee they win. I'm taking b without a second thought. I need closure and I'll never get over that game until they get it.

I realize to focus in such a specific outcome is foolhardy, but I don't care.

Give me the Chiefs in Super Bowl 58. Please.

Nah.  They couldn’t run the ball, they couldn’t stop the run, they never got close to the QB, and Hurts left 7 points laying on the field behind him to get picked up.  They got beat in the trenches and made too many mistakes.  They weren’t good enough on that day.

It’s done and there isn’t any going back.  The Eagles were better than the Raiders in 1980, too.  They (Jaworski) stunk it up and there’s no going back — just like the 2023 Eagles aren’t going to live in the 2022 season

Lions unveiling their new alt’s on Wednesday. 

3 minutes ago, Alphagrand said:

Nah.  They couldn’t run the ball, they couldn’t stop the run, they never got close to the QB, and Hurts left 7 points laying on the field behind him to get picked up.  They got beat in the trenches and made too many mistakes.  They weren’t good enough on that day.

It’s done and there isn’t any going back.  The Eagles were better than the Raiders in 1980, too.  They (Jaworski) stunk it up and there’s no going back — just like the 2023 Eagles aren’t going to live in the 2022 season

They weren’t good enough that day, but they were the better team generally. I’ll die on that hill.

And I’ll also stand by that if they play on a normal field that day they win and probably by double digits. Two things can be true. The Eagles made mistakes that cost them(fluky mistakes) but I do believe on a normal field the pass rush is much better and they get to Mahomes much more than they did.

Beating the Patriots in 2017 was so satisfying as revenge for cheating in 2004 and beating Brady and Belichick. Beating the Jags that year just wouldn’t have felt the same. Same applies in 2023 for me. I need to beat the Chiefs in the worst way.

21 hours ago, BigEFly said:

Interesting.  I was taught the old theory given my age.  

Was the old theory you were taught plate tectonics or pre plate tectonics?  Being in Davis, we have had the immense pleasure to know Eldridge Moore’s, one of the "fathers” of plate tectonics.  He died in October 2018, so the data that Nick Zentner discusses.  Moores asked us in one of his workshops, "When you go from west to east from Hawaii, where does the North American plate begin?”  His answer was "Somewhere near the Utah-Colorado border.”   He then explained to us that Utah, Nevada, and California are "island arcs” that moved from locations on the Pacific Plate eastward and crashed into the North American Plate in "wave after wave” appending their mass as an extension of the continent beyond the actual plate boundary.  There is a marvelous book written by John McPhee called Assembling California that has at its core McPhee’s travels along Interstate 80 from just west of Reno to San Francisco. It is beautifully written and intellectually mind blowing. As is detailed in this Wikipedia article, McPhee has deep roots in the extended Philadelphia community, having written one of his early books on the Pine Barrens.  He also has an abiding love of sports and has written several books on Sports topics.  I would be really interested to hear his thoughts on the Zentner lecture.