Sunday, June 30, 2013

Travel tip #19: Find something .... Anything.... to be passionate about!

John Browning Museum in Ogden
I remember being a child and complaining on trips.... "I'm Bored" "This is stupid" - "Are we there yet?" ... and I suppose my reason for acting like a child was simply because of the fact that I was a snotty nosed kid. It seems like at the time all I was interested in was Ninja Turtles and wrestling with my brother.
But now that I have grown and eat my Wheaties each morning. I find that traveling is much more than getting what you want in life. Traveling and exploring have one underlining purpose..... TO LEARN!


If you are on business its to learn how to make more money for your operation, if you are on vacation it might be to learn to relax! Either way as an adult I have realized that traveling is all about education. In order to take full advantage of your travels I offer you a simple tip on how to maximize your learning and enjoyment on any stretch of road or travel. BE PASSIONATE ABOUT SOMETHING!

I will offer you an example, I am currently on a road trip with my dad, a week running around Utah and some other western states. My father has a passion for guns, and anything to do with those who make them. On this trip he has shown me so many new things I never knew about fire arms, and the history of guns.

On Friday we visited a museum in Ogden Utah which was dedicated to one of the most famous and influential gun inventors in the world, John Browning. I know not every one is as passionate about guns as I am or my father, but I was amazed at how much we learned and enjoyed a simple museum, an activity which filled our afternoon with conversation and discussion. I was amazed to learn that john browning and his sons are responsible for the design on almost all of the influential firearms from 1880 to 1980 including but not limited to the :  Winchester 30/30 (cowboy gun), the famous 1911, the first machine guns, the 50 cal we use in today's military on planes and trucks, the Browning high power, and many more.

The main point here is that because we were passionate about something, we were able to come and enjoy something we didn't even know was there before. We learned, we became involved and we LEARNED!

So it doesn't matter if you like Porcelain Unicorns, Sports memorabilia, or American history - Find something you love and seek a way to make it part of your travel. I promise you that it will enhance your trip and make your travel something to look forward to.



The progression of Browning High Power Pistols


My nephew is passionate about trains ( lots of 5 year old's are) We took him to see an awesome train museum in ogden at the Pacific Union Station


Cool Train Station


They also had an really spectacular model train collection.

Thursday, June 27, 2013

Road trip with Dad - Enjoy it while you can!


’There are 3 stages in a man’s life: ‘My Daddy can whip your Daddy.’  ’Aw, Dad, you don’t know anything.’  ’My father used to say . . .”‘
-Dwight McSmith


Not very many people get the opportunity to work for or with their parents, but I happen to be one of those who do. Some people might cringe at the thought of working with family, but in my honest opinion it has been one of the greatest blessings to be surrounded by people who love you day in and day out. Sure we don't always see eye to eye, but no one here is afraid to tell each other what we really think.

This week I have a great opportunity to get out on the road to go see some clients. Because I am  driving from my home town of Reno to Salt Lake City Utah, I opted to invite my dad to come with me and to relive one of my favorite road trips from my youth.

My dad is a huge rock hound who loves everything about the Nevada deserts, and many of my favorite memories of youth are traveling all over the state with my dad on hunting, hiking and outdoors adventures in the Silver State. This weekend we are traveling to SLC the long way around, rather than cruise up the I-80 ( which is the most boring road in the state) we have opted to take the Highway 50... also know as the loneliest highway in America. I have hundreds of memories traveling this road with my dad and brother, and it seems like all of them are very fond ones. It was this road on which I first heard the song "the Gambler", It was on this road that I heard my first sonic boom as Air-force Jets raced overhead. It was along this road that I visited Lehman's Caves and was inspired to explore the world.
Leahman's Caves

To some the desert might seem an isolated place, but to me an my dad its a world of adventure. The Nevada desert has been home to countless Indian wars, the pony express, outlaws, ghost towns, hidden caverns, snakes, and even the occasional Alien Abduction. On this trip we will be traveling over the same trail as famous mountain men like Kit Carson, Jacob Hamblin, and Jim Bridger. To some its just an ugly desert, but to me its a special place, even a holy place.
Nevada Pony Express Station


Besides all the adventure that this road has to offer, the thing I'm looking foreword to the most is simply spending some time with my dad. Any good route to travel will consist of three main ingredients: Adventure, Understanding and Friendship.

We never know when the time will come that we wont have our family there with us, when we will lose someone special, but the one thing within our control is the amount of time we choose to spend with those that we still have.

Happy Trails

- Gullible



Sunday, June 23, 2013

WHERES GULLIBLE GOING NEXT? - DEEP DISH PIZZA!

Its the small things in life that mean the most..... I took my daughter to the library this week and we ended up spending an hour staring at a Where's Waldo book, a narrative with very few words but none the less an interesting masterpiece. 

Sometimes I feel I share a spirit with the awkward looking man in red and white. I'm all over the place and nowhere all at the same time.

The next few weeks will be full of travel so keep your eyes out and let me know if you have any travel hints for me.

Next week I'm off to Utah for a family reunion and some down time. Ill be hiking Mt. Timpanogos and Riding motorcycles on the Alpine Loop. I plan to visit Hill Air force Base and perhaps even make it to sun-dance the acclaimed location of the largest independent film festival in the US.

Then its off to Chicago and Milwaukee to do some business and eat some deep dish. Chicago is famous for a ton of reasons, but the reason I like the town is because of all the history, and the museums.

In four weeks Ill be headed out to LA and Tinsel town where I plan to see a movie at the Chinese theater and pay homage to Steve McQueen star on the sidewalk!

Saturday, June 22, 2013

Travel Tip #17: DITCH THAT GPS AND SHOOT FOR THE MOON!

Today's tip title seems fitting as there will be a super moon tonight!  (CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO)

But the tip really has nothing to do with the moon, its more the stars and everything else that surrounds the moon that ends up being what we really take home.

You have heard the saying, shoot for the moon and you will hit the stars.... Well it applies to travel as well.

Today while on a 400+ mile motorcycle day trip I happened upon a gem in the sierras and the only reason we found it is because we bit off more than we could chew while trying to find a different way of getting from point A to B.

My buddy Jeremy and I decided on Thursday night that we would try to make it out on our motorcycles to a set of waterfalls we had heard about called MacArthur Burney Falls. We decided that we would take the long way around to get to our destination on some roads we found on the map but that would add some extra distance to the trip hoping to do some exploring in the process. We spent a few hour rambling about trying to find a road that was on the map but that had never even existed. Out of this chaos we found something new. We never even made it to the falls because we stumbled across a national park that neither of us had ever been to before.  In our efforts to make it to the falls we passed through Lassen Volcanic National Park and discovered a gem neither of us even knew existed. Each of us had lived in the area for 30 years and never thought to visit the place.

At the end of the day the consensus was that had we stuck to the beaten path and simply followed the GPS we would have never experienced this awesome day of riding!

So go ahead DITCH THAT GPS AND SHOOT FOR THE MOON! -  You will find something new amongst the stars that will make your journey even more complete. 



Emerald lake view of Mt. Lassen


A man and his horse, I even wore cowboy boots! ( The ones I picked up on my last trip to Nashville)
Emerald Lake


The amazing winding road headed for the top of the pass.


Jeremy at the Mt. Lassen visitor center


This little table shows all the volcanos in the area and describes how the earths shape was formed.


Friday, June 21, 2013

Day Trippin! - A DAY ALL TO MYSELF!

So coming up in a few weeks I will be on the road for three weeks strait. First Utah, Then Wisconsin, Chicago, Detroit and finally LA.

However between now and the 4th of july I am taking it easy. But that doesn't mean I'm not going anywhere - NO SIR -  I can't seem to stay in one place for long..... bad for my reputation and all.

Tomorrow I have a day trip planned with a buddy, A nice 200 mile motorcycle ride across the sierras. It will be nice to take a day and get some fresh air and put my DL1000 through its paces. Many of my motorcycle buddies call it throttle therapy. I call it gloriousness!

Im headed toward Mcarthur Burny Falls   (See Map bellow).


View Larger Map


 I will try to post some pictuures of the ride throughout the day and keep you all up to date with any lessons I learn along the way. 


Thursday, June 20, 2013

Travel Tip #16: Recognizing the value of reminiscence

Yesterday.... When all my troubles seemed so far away - John Lennon


Today I was pondering on all my many travels and the question came to mind, which of my latests adventures will I remember 10 years from now, Which stories will I tell my children.



For me personally the answer was "The Long Ride to Sturgis" (click here) A 4500 mile motorcycle trip I took last year with one of my good friends who at the time was an employee.  We did the ride as a promotion for one of my products, but in the end the trip was a true journey. You can read all about it on my other blog - Myths Legends and Tales from the Road.


On that journey I learned about myself, I learned about the country, the beauty of the road and the vastness of the wilderness.

I thought about how hard parts of it were, I thought about the snapshots I keep in my mind, my favorite moments which flash in the front of my mind like a slide show when I dream. I became very reminiscent of the adventure it entailed and so today my recommendation for all those who travel is to REMEMBER.... to look back on where you have been and what you have done and try to identify what made those memories .

The next step is to start a plan, a wish-list, a bucket list if you will of all the things you would do again if afforded the opportunity. If you can get that far then maybe you can get together the gumption to make one of them (even if its the simplest one) happen again.

Just so you know after I made my bucket list I chose a goal that is slightly ambitious. I am making it a goal to return to Paraguay where I spent two years a missionary when I was 19 years old. I plan on making the trip on Motorcycle - So there you have it..... Perhaps I have bitten off more than I can chew but I'm going to try! This little exercise helped me to feel alive.... Even if I never make it happen, I will have enjoyed dreaming about it.

Sunday, June 16, 2013

Why are Fathers special? - THE MODERN DAD

First off, I would like to extend a special thanks to fathers everywhere.



In today's world the role of the father is taking on more meaning than ever. When I say father I dont mean SPERM donor, I mean those men who fully contribute their lives to the welfare of their families.  I mean those men who take an active role in making sure their wife feels loved, who break the NATURAL MAN's tendency to breed and run away, and instead take an active role of participation and nurturing with their children. To those who do more than men have ever been expected to do I truly do salute you.

I was in bed this morning thinking of all the things Men in this century do that was not expected of men in the last century:


1. Men today spend on average 7 hrs a day caring for their children

2. Men today contribute on the average 80% of what they earn to being a provider and raising a family.

3. Men today are expected to both cook and clean in fair share (not all of us do, but we are getting better)

4. Men in this century attend approximately 600% more marital therapy sessions then men of the last century. 

5. IMO  - Men of this century speak kinder, are less abusive, listen better, and spend more quality time with their families.

6. IMO - Men of this century spend more time studying with their children, and plan more for their children's educations. 


Because all things evolve, Fathers are evolving and I think the world is getting better for it. I want all you fathers, Including my own, to hold your heads a little taller today, and know that (on the whole) You are better fathers than any period of prior history. LETS KEEP IT UP!

Saturday, June 15, 2013

Travel Tip #15: CHUCKLE!

A day without laughter is a day wasted! - Charlie Chaplain

I sat down at the computer this morning with the intention of planning out my next trip to the Chicago/ Milwaukee area. But as usual an hour latter I had achieved no planning and found my self cruising facebook.

What do you say was the cause of this great distraction?

MY EMPLOYEES!

At Long Ride Shields - (A company I started in college) my staff have been using humor to their advantage and have gotten us from 500 all the way to 19k Likes - Just by using funny pictures. 

I spent the last hour laughing at all the funny pictures my employees had been posting over the last few months.

Here is the FB page for those interested enough to read the comments and pictures.

LONG RIDE SHIELDS FACE BOOK PAGE


I had forgotten how healthy a little laughter can be, and then I started to think about how a simple chuckle or finding the funny in an otherwise serious moment can help us relax, regroup and re-think.

When traveling as a road warrior I think a little laughter can go a long way.... So next time you are out and about exploring the world - Find Something to laugh at- you might just enjoy yourself!

Friday, June 14, 2013

Travel tip #14 - Enjoy coming home!

Lets face it, Traveling is wonderful! You can see the world and experience new life, you can see more and enhance your knowledge of the far reaching horizons.

BUT.........

The real reason for living is what exists at home. Our friends, families, spouses and loved ones are the reason we wake up each morning. Coming home to them can be just as fun and exciting as leaving for an adventure.

Often the drive to get home to your own bed, your spouse or even hobbies is enough drive to make ones sense of adventure dull enough that returning home is a greater drive than seeing the world.

One of my favorite songs, "Sitting on a dock on the the bay" has the following line which I think sums up my thoughts.

"So many Miles I've roamed, Just to call this place MY HOME!"

After getting home from my last trip to Nashville I thought about how much fun we had together, and how much more being with my wife on this trip made me miss the things about home that I often miss when traveling for work.

When we did get back home this week I took my employees out to dinner as a reward for their successes and diligence while I was away traveling. I am grateful for a crew who will keep the boat afloat while Im out of the office. We had a great time together, and "Tiny" one of our newest team members even impressed us all with his ability to eat an entire ice cream scoop of wasabi!

IM ENJOYING BEING HOME!

These hillbillies were playing on the streets of Nashville, I helped their knowledge fund!






Tiny taking his first big bite of WASABI


Tiny Enjoying the Wassabi, More than I have ever seen one man eat!




OH WOW THAT WAS HOT!

Sunday, June 9, 2013

Gullible's Destinations

It took me a few years, but this is a map of all the places I've visited, Ill keep working on the map and upload pictures and descriptions, but this gives you a good Idea of how much I'm on the road.

View Matts Destinations in a full screen map

Travel tip #13: You can never have enough clean socks!

One of the best movies of the last 20 years, Forrest Gump taught us many lessons. But the lesson that most applies to travel in my own opinion was that taught by lieutenant Dan!

Always wear clean socks

There are several reasons why travel can wear you down and make you feel less than fresh. But it is true, new socks can help you feel like a million bucks. ( my wife informs me that fresh underwear do the same trick.)

If I could have one selfish concession in life.... One aristocratic whim that a fairy godmother might grant me, it would be a new pair of socks for every day of my life.

The numbers aren't as staggering as you might think.

If I purchased the socks in bulk, it would cost about a buck a sock.

So 365 x 2 socks per day is $730 a year, I spend at least that much each year on movie tickets, French fries and even texting. So why not? Aren't my feet worth it. Your feet have to carry you your whole life. In fact, after my grandfather died I found out he thought his feet were so important that he would get secret pedicures done once a month. I might not be at his level, but I know how good it feels to get fresh socks!

Smokers spend up to 15 dollars a day on cigarets and that's nearly $5500.

Perhaps once I've worn them once and washed them I could donate them to a charity willing to take once used socks and then write the cost off on my taxes.

Lets say I live another 40 years, I might spend an average Americans yearly wages on foot wear. But it would be soooo worth it.

Anyhow that's my travel tip for today!

Happy Trails

- Matt



Saturday, June 8, 2013

Travel trip # 12: stop and smell the roses!

When in the course of normal travel there lies a tendency or a natural inclination to just MOVE! We feel that we have got to get from point A to point B as quickly as possible because there is no way we could possibly know what waits for us at the other side of B. However what is really the most important about travel is smack dab in the middle of point A and B.

A journey is what happened while you travel and not where your GETTIN TO!

Yesterday I had a great experience traveling back from memphis to Nashville - a 3 hr strait shot drive.

Kirsten was asleep in the front seat of the beastly rental truck and I was listening to the adventures of Sherlock Holmes when I saw an exit in-front of us for Jackson Tennessee, I had Heard of Jackson Mississippi, Jackson Hole Wyoming, but never thought of any significance in a small town of Tennessee.

Rationalizing my sense of adventure with the need to fill the big ole truck full of gas I pulled over and headed for the nearest station to fill up the tank.









Upon filling up the tank I noticed an old fashion steam locomotive reminiscent of one of my favorite Buster Keaton black and white silent films called "The General" a story about a confederate soldier whose job it was to conduct trains through the south during the civil war. 

As I approached the train I noticed a sign saying that the train and all the area around it was a museum dedicated to non other than CASEY JONES! 

For anyone who doesn't know who he is Casey was a rail way engineer who was made famous in literature and folk legend for losing his life while saving an entire train full of men women and children from a tremendous train wreck. The train in the movie Dumbo was named the Casey Jr. after the iconic american hero. 

At this location there was an amazing general store which was made of buildings reaching back to the early 1800's



This general store was awesome, and there was a candy shop, a real deal Soda Fountain and a world of antiques and interesting americana. 




We found the prettiest little chapel which made us want to get remarried..........


But kirsten settled for preaching her own sermon instead.......


This vest apparently belonged to kit carson who was the mountain man that Carson City was named after, he also discovered the Truckee meadows which is where I lived. 


Kirsten kicked my butt at a game of bottle cap checkers, and then gloated about it for hours.... Shame Shame!


Anyone want candy!


My wife kirsten is an epicurean of pecan pies, and she found the world smalles pecan pie ... Then DEVOURED IT!
I found one of those cigar holding "Native Americans" that used to stand outside drug stores.



Earlier tha day we had visited Graceland the Mecca for all things elvis, and I took some pictures with the KING!






We topped the day off with a visit to the Grand Ole Opry to see Carrie Underwood, Mel Tills, Josh Turner and a few other bands perform a great night of country music. This day was full of just taking it slow and seeing those things that Make Tennessee what it is. 

Sometimes you have to stop and smell the roses and in my experience you will find things that you never even knew were there. 










I even picked up some Cowboy boots, Im liking the feel a lot.