Getting closer to the coast

July 1, 2008

Well I was going to leave for San Diego today but the hostel I was staying at was just too nice so I had to stay another day, that and it was 107 degrees outside and I didn’t want to ride at all. I spent the day at the pool just relaxing, reading, catching up on ridiculous amounts of emails I have been putting off, and meeting the other people at the hostel. Everyone there seemed to have traveled so far, most of the other people were international travelers who basically took a year or so off to travel around the world. So more pool relaxing and some postcard writing as well, and of course napping. I had basically been traveling every day straight since I left Tyler’s in Milton Florida so of course I needed a break.

Once the evening rolled I met up with Dave, a fellow VMI classmate of mine who is a Las Vegas native. We had a really good time and went to this cool bar called the Griffin, which I highly recommend if you are in downtown Las Vegas away from the strip. So Dave and I were just sitting there enjoying a couple drinks talking some VMI when the guy next to us leans over and asks, where exactly did we go to school. So of course we replied VMI, and he was shocked as were we because turns out he was an 89 grad from VMI and somehow we randomly picked the one bar in Las Vegas on a Tuesday night and sit down right next to a guy who graduated from the same school as us. Turns out he had moved to Las Vegas and started a club a few years back but had just sold it that week. So we talked VMI some more and had a good time just relaxing. Then Dave and I decided it was time to see some more sights, so we headed to downtown Vegas, not the strip with all the flashy hotels. Now Dave being an excellent Blackjack player asked if I wanted to play, so we found a good $5 table and he taught me the ropes. The table got going then I cut the deck and it seemed like the table didn’t get going. Then it picked back up again and before long our table was full and we we’re making some money. I ended up doubling my money which is always a good thing, and not being one for gambling I had a ton of fun playing blackjack. I ended up leaving Vegas the next day a good $80 richer which is nice because tomorrow I would be heading to the glorious land of California and $5.00 gasoline.

July 2, 2008

Death march is the only word I can use to describe the drive from Las Vegas to California. I made my way to Edwards Air Force Base which is where another friend of mine from VMI, Phil, works. I met him there and I saw all sorts of planes, like the F-22 raptor, the Global Chicken, also known as the Global Hawk, the SR-71 and an assortment of other US Government flying contraptions.

It was a very cool visit to say the least. But yes the drive was extremely hot. It was 104 something that day when I left Vegas, and it only kept getting hotter on the drive. I had to take tons of water breaks, and Mav wasn’t doing too well either, and overheated a couple times so I would have to stop and let em cool off every 30 minutes or so of riding. When I got to Edwards I met Phil at his office and I didn’t know this but Phil is a fellow motorcycle enthusiast as well and he has a very nice and fast Honda CBR. We did a quick base tour saw some more planes and we rode back to his place, and a nice place at that. Phil has an amazing house about an hour outside LA complete with a movie theater, pool table, and all the workings of a fun place to live. Now when we got there Phil asked if I was hungry and of course I replied with a resounding yes, and he asked me if I liked sushi and again I replied with a very definitive yes. And if anyone knows me one of my favorite restaurants in Charlottesville is the China King Buffet, a plethora of amazingness which includes all you can eat sushi. Well Phil suggested we go to this place called Big Tuna which is a Sushi restaurant that has all you can eat sushi, and well the outcome was shear amazingness. I think I had 12 different rolls that evening each one better than the next. I have been traveling all over the country this summer and I have been looking for an all you can eat sushi place and finally I have found the one. By far the best meal I have eaten on my entire trip. I left full as can be and equally happy. I am just glad to be out of the desert and nearing the Pacific!