Useless Road Trip Facts, and Other Undertakings

I feel pressure (in my head), to write something about my recent road trip to Texas and back. And I will. You hope.

In the meantime, let’s ooh and aww over some jawdroppingly useless facts:

Start and end point: Washington, D.C.

Miles driven: 3,465 miles

Days traveled: 11 days

States visited: Seven (Virginia, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, Arkansas)

New states: Three (Tennessee, Alabama, Arkansas)

Speeding tickets: Two

Times drank coffee: Infinity

Wiener dogs riding shotgun: One

Baseball Stadiums visited: Two (Houston and Texas)

Times ate BBQ: Three (Alabama, Texas x 2)

Photos taken: 197

Museums visited: One and done

Cities stayed in/visited: 6 (Gatlinburg, TN; New Orleans, LA; Houston, TX; Arlington, TX; Fort Worth, TX; Nashville, TN)

Tacos eaten: Confirmed

Free drinks from the hotel’s happy hour open bar: Burp

Texas girls deserving a double take: Hey now!

Local pumpkin beers consumed: Three

Times I wanted to photograph Nolan Ryan’s beef: Everytime

 

What were you thinking I meant?

Five Random Vacation Photos Shared in September ’14

Sage advice. Too bad I read this after I used the urinal…

 

The only thing risky was the amount of BBQ they give you.

 

Power nap before his driving shift.

 

Random courtyard in Nawlins’

 

Don’t mess with Texas. Seriously, their wieners will hurt you.

Bonus!

If ever a photo didn’t need a caption, I would guess this is it.

Coffee First

 

 

My goal in June and July was to check out some new coffee shops in whatever part of the world I happened to be in at the time. I did that. Congratulations to me.

June/July Goal: Visit 14 new (to me) coffee shops

Final stats: 14

Result: Triumph!

What can I say about it?

1. I sipped coffee in five different states and the non-state of Washington, D.C.
2. 50% of the new coffee shops were in D.C.
3. While drinking an iced mocha, I ate one Puyallup Fair scone (not sold at the Fair mind you) for the first time in 10 years (or since moving to D.C.). I regret not eating all of them.
4. La Colombe was the best place. Tucked away in an alley, with the side that opens to the outside.
5. 29% were Starbucks! Take that!
6. 14% were in airports.
7. 93% involved me drinking an iced mocha. I regret it wasn’t 100%.

 

The full list of coffee shops visited:

1. Kafe Bohem (Florida Ave NW, Washington, D.C.)
2. Starbucks (Pentagon Centre, VA)
3. Chesepeake Bay Roasting Company (BWI Airport, MD)
4. Caribou Coffee (Minneapolis Airport, MN)
5. Central Perk and Deli (Puyallup, WA)
6. The Coffeehouse Stage (Firefly Music Festival, DE)
7. Starbucks (H St NW, Washington, D.C.)
8. La Colombe (NW, Washington, D.C.)
9. Starbucks (Alexandria, VA)
10. Killer E.S.B. (Alexandria, VA)
11. The Wydown (14th St NE, Washington, D.C.)
12. Filter Coffeehouse (Dupont NW, Washington, D.C.)
13. Lot 38 Espresso Bar (Navy Yard SE, Washington, D.C.)
14. Starbucks (Navy Yard SE, Washington, D.C.)

 

 

peace!

Decision

In a recent post, Choices, I hypothesized two potential road trips I could take in September.

It’s time to reveal The Decision!

Dun dun dun…

I’m going to Houston and Dallas to see Minute Maid Park and Globe Life Stadium in Arlington!

I’ll also stop in for a Sounders game in Dallas.

Round trip from D.C. is a mere 3516 miles!

Along the way, I’ll stop at the Great Smoky Mountain National Park and a night in New Orleans. On the way back, I’ll probably stop off in Nashville.

Kuma is excited to ride shotgun. Somewhere in all this, we’ll eat good food, try new beers and listen to lots of music.

Map it!

On the road again. I just can’t wait to get on the road again.

75 for September/October: Sporting Events + Running

Football season is finally here!

Over the next couple months, I’ll be attending or watching or playing in a good number of sporting events. To make my monthly goal easier, I’ll just add all those up and call it awesome. Plus I’m still training for the Army 10-miler on October 12th, so I’m sure to run a heaping helping of miles.

September/October Goal: Watch, play in or attend enough sporting events and run enough miles so they total 75

Here are some of the ways I can top-up on sporting events:

1. Play Fall flag football games
2. Play Fall volleyball matches
3. Run the Army 10-miler
4. Attend University of Washington Football Watch Parties
5. Attend Seattle Seahawks Watch Parties
6. Attend two Seattle Mariners road games (in Houston)
7. Attend one Texas Rangers game (in Arlington)
8. Attend the October 6th Monday Night Football game: Seattle Seahawks @ Washington Football Club
9. Attend one Seattle Sounders road game (in Dallas)

Get it!

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Now let’s look at how I did for my July goal…

July Goal: Complete enough projects in my apartment and run enough miles so they total 35

Final stats:

• Run = 30.35 miles
• Projects = 5

Total: 35.35

Result: Success

First off, I hurt my back in mid-July. Probably doing too many activities. So for one week, I didn’t run. Rather then scrap the goal, I just added an extra week into August. I make the rules.

I did not do nearly as many projects around my apartment as needed, but it was good to get the few I did do out-of-the-way.

List of projects:

1. Took out the epic piles of recycling
2. Sorted a year’s worth of restaurant cards and movies stubs
3. Cleaned my book shelf and gave away a number of books
4. Cleaned my living room, especially the table which had become a reckless pile
5. Set up a iPod/iPhone speaker in my living room

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And how about my August goal?

August Goal: Watch zero TV shows

Boom clap! Success!