HEADED ON A PIG HUNT!

Which ever side of the animal rights issues you land on, I just want you to know that I have been an avid hunter for my whole life.

I grew up this way, and as hickish as it might seem I love to do it. There is something about going hunting that has always brought me back to my roots, and has reminded me about the good times I spent with my dad and brother when I was a Kid.

This weekend I'm headed out to Idaho with my buddies for the first annual Boar Hunt in Idaho. Because we were not able to draw deer tags here in Nevada, we had to look elsewhere for our excursion and found a ranch up in Idaho that specializes in Boar Hunts.

If you are still hating me at this point but have continued to read I have just one word for you that I hope will make you feel better...... BACON!  

That's right I am going to have a years supply of the best stuff on earth, and it just so happens that its just in time for the holidays,  so I'll have a ham for Christmas dinner and chops for new years day.

Either way this weekend should be a good adventure. All my buddies are bringing their little kids and hopefully I will get to bring my daughter with me..... Perhaps some of you out there like me have memories of hunting with you family, well life goes full circle I guess, I'm going to have to find some camo pants in pink!

Travel tip #24: Get a little dirty!

So my goal for this weekend was to hydroplane my ATV, but as It so happened finding enough water to do it on was more difficult than I had thought. So I made the most of a dry situation and destroyed a mud hole at full speed.

The interesting thing is that driving through that mud hole put a bigger smile on my face than six birthdays worth of presents. 

I felt a smug sense of satisfaction as the mud splattered all over my clothes, so my travel tip for this week is to go out of your way and get out of your comfort zone by doing something dirty!

Dirt washes away, but memories are with us for a lifetime

Pics from Saturdays adventure

Ryder, a border collie, ran the entire 11 miles behind the ATV he slept pretty well that night. 

Mark, Becca, Mike and Matt ( Yes Mike is pulling an Issacc zurita)

THERE ARE 9 DEER ON THIS HILL - CAN YOU SEE THEM???? 

This is a hidden valley fed by 9 natural springs coming out of the mountain. 

At the time I took this picture there were 9 deer and 6 antelope up on the mountain, its amazing how well they blend in. 

Tomorrow will be an adventure .....

Three weeks ago I went riding in the desert (ATV) with one of my best friends and his boys. We discovered a hidden canyon with an oasis in the desert, quite literally the most dry part of the desert valley had a spring where water filled the valley and at the end of the valley the water disappeared back into the ground. At the end of the trail I found a magnificent canyon with lots of petroglyphs and sheer cliffs.

A prior attempt to hydroplane just got us muddy!

As I stated yesterday my adventure goal for the weekend was to hydroplane an ATV over a stream, so tomorrow might be the day.

Tomorrow morning I'm headed back into the hidden valley with the intent of exploring even more.

Tomorrow will be a great day to get out and hike around a bit. For those of you who cant understand why anyone would want to live in Nevada, this is why, there are still places to explore here.

Ill post pictures tomorrow.


Here is a map of where im headed

Travel Trip #23: ADVENTURE IS OUT THERE!

Having been inspired by the Disney Movie "UP"  - I took some special meaning from the innocent kids who proclaimed the phrase of their hero - ADVENTURE IS OUT THERE!

Sometimes life catches up with us and we become stuck in the web of adult life, but after spending a few minutes on the couch watching this movie and I caught my zen moment, a tidbit of inspiration. Its time to find some adventure........  Now where is my pit helmet and elephant gun....... (NOT THAT I WOULD HUNT ENDANGERED SPECIES)




I'm Brainstorming a few close by adventures and here are my top 4 so far



Deep Sea fishing Monterrey coast

Hydroplane a ATV/Motorcycle across a stream (Ill be riding this weekend)

Experiment with Bulletproof Glass ( I have some left over from a recent project I did with my company)

Fly Fishing on the Feather river (Relaxing adventure)

Jaded by the road!

This week I took a ride over the hill from Reno to Sacramento( along the I-80 over Donner pass), and as I drove the route I had driven hundreds of times before, I realized that I was just going through the motions. I hate the idea of passing by history swept up in my own little world without thinking what might have happened along this road to those who passed before my time.

I thought about the Pioneers, the Donner party who ate each other, the gold miners and the Mormon Battalion, and all the Chinese immigrants who worked almost as slaves to build the railroad over the sierras into the Nevada desert. So many people who paved the way before me so that I can now cruise 75 over the hill and be in Sac town in 2 hours.

I noticed the trees and views that I had seen many times before, but realized that to a person from kansas or ohio, these views would be breath taking, but how I find them normal...... My complacency is killing me inside and I have to do something about it.

So tonight I am dedicating this post to everyone who paved the road I drive, I want to thank them for what they did, I want Mother Nature to know she is incredible, and I want my mind to get over itself and to be amazed over and over. After a few minutes of web searching here are some images of those who came before me.

I hope you open your eyes this week and consider who paved your roads.

Japanese and Chinese Immigrants carved the mountain to make the railways over the pass - Thier children and grand children were later intered in WWII concentration camps by the US GOVT.

BUILDING THE RAILWAYS

THE DONNER PARTY MADE THEIR CAMP ON THIS ICE COVERED LAKE AND RESORTED TO CANABALISM

This bridge stands today and is one of the most majestic views from the Interstate 80 or the old route 40

Melissa Coray - This woman walked nearly 7000 miles with the Mormon Battalion and was at Sutters mill when gold was discovered sparking a gold rush to California. She is an awe inspiring figure whose journey shatters any glass ceiling that could be perceived.

Jim Beck-worth - Most notorious African American mountain man of all time, discovered a little known low altitude pass through the sierras  near Quincy California, this pass has no snow during the winter and follows the majestic Feather River into the California valleys. He is one of the most interesting figures of American west history, I highly recommend study on his history.

Road to the covered train tracks atop the Donner pass Circa 1915, At the time the road over the hill to california was treacherous and must have been an extreme adventure.

DUNE FEST ROAD TRIP REPORT

This weekend I took a road trip up to Coos Bay Oregon to the Oregon Dunes for Dune Fest 2013.

Our main goal for riding up was to be there for the release of an amazing new OFF ROAD MACHINE. The Polaris RZR 1000, which is essentially a BAJA worthy race truck scaled down to fit on a trailer.

We were invited to take a ride along with some of Polaris's Pro drivers, who with all their experience were able to put these machines through their paces and give us the thrill ride of the century. Watch the video below to see the ride from my perspective and see what these machines can do. I have never had such a cool experience in an OFF ROAD ADVENTURE MACHINE! They even let me drive it for a while and I found that the new RZR was a life changing experience, this gives new meaning to taking the road less traveled, you can just make your own new road in these things. For any adventure seeker needing a way to make it through the thickest jungles or the dustiest desert this is one expedition vehicle that is up to the task. The suspension had so much travel that even when our machine got air going over jumps, the machine simply floated back to the earth like a feather. The stability in whoops and turns was phenomenal! I feel lucky to have had this experience. A big thanks to my friends at Polaris who made this possible.

My buddy and I finished up our road trip with a visit to the Coos Bay Fisherman's Wharf for some Clam Chowder and Crab melt sandwiches. I will definitely be headed back that way again, I really enjoyed the ambient at the Wharf and the food was fantastic.