favorite present from x-mas past

Forget the toy train, the talking teddy bear, Hot Wheels, the Erector Set and the Lincoln Logs, one my favorite gifts from xmas past is pictured. Each time I wear these boots, someone will glance at them and ask "What is that shiny thing on your left boot?"

At the time of receiving said gift, my vacations were comprised of researching an area in the country that was mentioned as a mountain bike destination. As I have a problem waiting for people and enjoy going at my own pace, I went to said destinations solo. It's my vacation and one should enjoy it. 

After posting some post riding pictures involving some falls (and a bit of blood), my mom being a mom bought me a dog tag that more or less says to the world, if you find my son on the trails out cold, give me a call. 

Happy holidays.

Trail Head

Aqua Santa

While the kids on Santa's list who have been good this year get their presents when he shimmies down the chimney and throws the goods around the tree and grabs a few cookies along the way, what to do for those kids who reside on the water? Not to worry kids, I got a glimpse this weekend of Santa replacing the sleigh with...a surfboard.

While Lake Michigan probably doesn't compare to the Pacific Ocean in terms of wave intensity, some whitecaps (and some beautiful dune views) still the same.

Trail Head

Triptik - pre-cell phone GPS

The way back machine takes us back to the 1970's today when the Reeves' family made the decision (wise decision?) to drive cross country from Michigan down to Arkansas to see my aunt/uncle/cousins and west from there into Arizona to see my grandparents with a few 'giant ball of string' attractions along the way. 

Two parents and three kids ages roughly 10, 12 and 14; not exactly the age where kids can be patient for an extended time, especially yours truly with ADD so strong, any shiny object would throw any attention out the door. My dad worked at AAA insurance who also had a travel agency. This was pre-internet and pre-cell phone so travel agencies were ideal in getting there and AAA took care of their travelers, specifically with the invention of the Triptik!

The Triptik was GPS before there was GPS. You told the representative where you were going and they had people designated to create your trip via a flip booklet with maps that were highlighted with roads to take and potential construction obstacles/detours to make your trip smooth. For this whiny 10 year old, it probably saved my parents from hearing me cry that my brother was bothering me as I was the Triptik navigator! It was pretty much all known interstate the whole way but it was a big deal when we got to turn a page of the booklet into another step of the journey. 

While the Triptik was great, I can't say the same for AAA recommended hotels as we stayed at a few that had me questioning who the individuals were that put the seal of recommendation on them. Had to be some under the table payoffs going on there.

Trail Head