 |
| Southern Utah |
 |
| Virgin River Gorge - always amazing |
Showing posts with label Road Trip. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Road Trip. Show all posts
Sunday, May 19, 2013
Road Trip Shots
Caught a few shots during last week's drive from California to Utah.
Monday, November 26, 2012
Thanksgiving Photos
Just some Scenic Byway photos from Thanksgiving week in Utah and the long drive home to the California desert.
Monday, September 17, 2012
Laguna Beach Sunset
One of the many great things about living out here in the Mojave Desert (Pioneertown), is that Los Angeles and San Diego are only a little over two hours away by car, along with all those beautiful beach towns in between. We went down to Laguna Beach for the weekend just to get away and see a new place. So, on Sunday morning we were sitting on the ocean watching the waves and surfers and the seagulls, then by late afternoon we were back in our little desert house (after some shopping and lunch in Corona along the drive home) with plenty of time to unpack, do laundry and get settled in and ready to start a new week. We drove down on Friday and returned on Sunday, but if you can handle a long day, then you could head down there just for a beach day, returning home at night with no need to pay for a hotel.
We caught this sunset on Friday evening, right at the main public beach area/boardwalk in downtown Laguna.
Saturday, September 8, 2012
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Scrumptious Clouds
The clouds were scrumptious today on the drive from Palm Springs back home to Pioneertown...
Sunday, June 24, 2012
the Rosewood Thieves
I don't write much about music here. This is not a music blog. But this blog is about travel, and what is travel without a soundtrack? Music is a part of the byway - always. Every adventure, every road trip needs a soundtrack. So, occasionally I do write about some music stuff.
This morning I just bought tickets to see Dr. Dog all the way out in October (!). I wouldn't normally buy tickets for a show so far in advance because I typically have no idea what I am going to be doing 3 months from now. I travel a lot for work and things come up. But the band is playing at Pappy & Harriet's in Pioneertown (my backyard in less than one week!) so how can I miss that? I like small shows - that is about all I can handle at this point in my life. I want an intimate music experience, not to be a speck in a giant crowded stadium where I have to see the band with binoculars. P&H is a fabulous venue and I can't believe a band like Dr. Dog is playing such a small venue. Absolutely I am going.
However this blog entry is not about Dr. Dog. It is about the Rosewood Thieves. Listening to Dr. Dog reminded me of them.
I stumbled upon this band in 2008 at a small bar on H Street, in Washington, DC. I think it was at the Red and the Black. I can't remember. But we were there to see a friend who was in a local band. The friend's band were ok, really just goofing around. Unbelievably the band that opened for them was The Rosewood Thieves. I say unbelievably because unlike this friend's band, this was a serious for real touring band.
Standing around waiting for our friends to perform, I watched the Rosewood Thieves show and was blown away. This was a tiny room. There weren't even 50 or 100 people in the room. I was right there feet from the band. It was one of those rare magical music moments in life - when you just stumble upon a band and see this intimate performance and it sticks with you forever. Its a great music on the Byway memorable moment.
I loved them. They were selling their CDs and I bought all three of them. To this day they are some of my favorite CDs (and I have 34 days worth of music on my computer music library). I love every single song they've done - all 22 songs.
I've checked periodically to see if they had any new releases. No. Tours? No. This morning I decided to do a little research and I couldn't find anything about them! Then sadly, I found this article. http://www.7dvt.com/2011breakdown. Well now I know. The band broke down and broke up.
The lead singer seems to be getting his career together again, with a new group of musicians forming the Rosewood Thieves. That is good. I like his voice (a bit of Bob Dylan in there?) and I hope the new band can carry on the beauty that was started under the original band. But its all made me a little sad because damn I love this band. Yes, there is a new band, but will it be the same? I sure hope so.
Here's some Rosewood Thieves music for you...do yourself a favor and give all the songs here a listen - they are all different and quite good. Good road trip music for your Scenic Byway adventures. xo
This morning I just bought tickets to see Dr. Dog all the way out in October (!). I wouldn't normally buy tickets for a show so far in advance because I typically have no idea what I am going to be doing 3 months from now. I travel a lot for work and things come up. But the band is playing at Pappy & Harriet's in Pioneertown (my backyard in less than one week!) so how can I miss that? I like small shows - that is about all I can handle at this point in my life. I want an intimate music experience, not to be a speck in a giant crowded stadium where I have to see the band with binoculars. P&H is a fabulous venue and I can't believe a band like Dr. Dog is playing such a small venue. Absolutely I am going.
However this blog entry is not about Dr. Dog. It is about the Rosewood Thieves. Listening to Dr. Dog reminded me of them.
I stumbled upon this band in 2008 at a small bar on H Street, in Washington, DC. I think it was at the Red and the Black. I can't remember. But we were there to see a friend who was in a local band. The friend's band were ok, really just goofing around. Unbelievably the band that opened for them was The Rosewood Thieves. I say unbelievably because unlike this friend's band, this was a serious for real touring band.
Standing around waiting for our friends to perform, I watched the Rosewood Thieves show and was blown away. This was a tiny room. There weren't even 50 or 100 people in the room. I was right there feet from the band. It was one of those rare magical music moments in life - when you just stumble upon a band and see this intimate performance and it sticks with you forever. Its a great music on the Byway memorable moment.
I loved them. They were selling their CDs and I bought all three of them. To this day they are some of my favorite CDs (and I have 34 days worth of music on my computer music library). I love every single song they've done - all 22 songs.
This New York based folk rock band was formed in 2004 and was fairly active until 2009. Lead singer and guitarist Erick Jordan started the band. You may have heard them and not known it as a few of their songs appeared on tv shows. Their song Los Angeles was on Entourage and Grey's Anatomy.
I've checked periodically to see if they had any new releases. No. Tours? No. This morning I decided to do a little research and I couldn't find anything about them! Then sadly, I found this article. http://www.7dvt.com/2011breakdown. Well now I know. The band broke down and broke up.
The lead singer seems to be getting his career together again, with a new group of musicians forming the Rosewood Thieves. That is good. I like his voice (a bit of Bob Dylan in there?) and I hope the new band can carry on the beauty that was started under the original band. But its all made me a little sad because damn I love this band. Yes, there is a new band, but will it be the same? I sure hope so.
Here's some Rosewood Thieves music for you...do yourself a favor and give all the songs here a listen - they are all different and quite good. Good road trip music for your Scenic Byway adventures. xo
Mad Man Blues
Los Angeles
Untitled #1
Not a great quality video, and not a great version (recorded one is fantastic) but probably my favorite song from the band.
Saturday, June 16, 2012
Monday, May 21, 2012
I've drunk the kool-aid...
Guess who got an iPad yesterday? I need one for the road. I am on my way to DC for work so decided to take the plunge.
When I was flying to Kenya and in that region and everyone had an iPad...I knew it was time. I can't be that far behind in the tech curve. I used to be a hardcore first adopter, now I've mellowed out.
I really wanted this because I wanted an I-reader and when I saw how fancy the Kindle Fire is getting I decided why not just get an iPad...like everyone else. It will be most useful during our many many roadtrips (in case you haven't noticed, we are always driving somewhere...thus the scenic byway...road tripping is deep in our lives these days and I dont see that stopping). We are always lookimg up hotels, restaurants and sites on our drives. The phone is too small. My computer plus the Internet device gets complicated. This is beautifully simple.
So is it wrong that I now travel around with a dell work laptop, an apple computer, two iPhones ( one personal and one work) and now an iPad? All in my carry on. I am like a walking apple ad and a symbol of the times. Maybe I should go buy the Steve Jobs bio on iBooks....
Friday, May 11, 2012
!!!!
Do you see it? The exclamation point in the sky? It was just hanging there one day as we drove south through Utah to the desert. Reminding us that the world is !!!! ...you know....awesome. Scenic byway moment.
Friday, April 27, 2012
Friday, April 6, 2012
Love the Crazy
I love crazy people. I do. I am not talking about the scary, violent type of crazy. I am talking about people who are just a little odd, just a little off, just a little to the side of your normal, every day (and usually boring) person. People who live in alternative universes and aren't trapped like the rest of us by societal constraints. They aren't afraid to say or do things that would make most "normal" people blush.
Have you ever watched the show the Big C? It is on Showtime (which sadly I don't have any more - was sick and tired of paying so much money to Comcast) and just about to start its 3rd season. I watched the first two seasons and loved them. The show is about a woman who is diagnosed with cancer and it is about her coming to terms with this and her impending death, and her dealings with family and friends. It is mostly funny, but of course also beautiful, bittersweet, and gut wrenching. I know, I know you are probably saying "I don't need to watch a comedy about cancer." But trust me, it is worth watching. Anyway, this post is not about the show, its about the crazy. I mention it because there is this great character on the show, Sean Tolkey, played by the actor John Benjamin Hickey, who is the brother of the main character Cathy Jamison, played by Laura Linney. He is this fantastic crazy person on the show. Described as an "eccentric, homeless, anti-establishment environmentalist." I love this character and its refreshingly and frustratingly weird. Anyway, he is a good example of the kind of crazy I am talking about.
Other kinds of crazy I like...
People who are just singing and dancing in the streets. For example, for those of you who live in the DC area, have you ever seen the guy who roller skates in the middle of the streets sometimes, often in very 70s looking roller skating clothes, with big headphones (obviously in his own musical world), spinning down the street in between rows of traffic? Is he still around? Love that kind of crazy.
People who stand on streets with very weird signs that talk about mind control and aliens and things of that nature (you can see a lot of that again in Washington, DC) or who drive around in cars, trucks or vans with hand made writing painted all over their vehicles, again trying to warn us about government mind control or the end of the world. Shouting it out to the world. Like this one we spotted yesterday on the scenic byway driving I-15 between Las Vegas and Baker, California (home of the world's tallest thermometer - a whole other area of crazy that I love - weird, Americana road side attractions). This man obviously has some good intentions - he wants to reach out to others and share his message. Its just that most "normal" folks wouldn't choose to do so by plastering their tractor trailer with giant words and pictures. But he certainly is getting his message out there, right? I for one love things like this. It makes the world a more exciting and interesting place. Crazy people make the world more fun.
Have you ever watched the show the Big C? It is on Showtime (which sadly I don't have any more - was sick and tired of paying so much money to Comcast) and just about to start its 3rd season. I watched the first two seasons and loved them. The show is about a woman who is diagnosed with cancer and it is about her coming to terms with this and her impending death, and her dealings with family and friends. It is mostly funny, but of course also beautiful, bittersweet, and gut wrenching. I know, I know you are probably saying "I don't need to watch a comedy about cancer." But trust me, it is worth watching. Anyway, this post is not about the show, its about the crazy. I mention it because there is this great character on the show, Sean Tolkey, played by the actor John Benjamin Hickey, who is the brother of the main character Cathy Jamison, played by Laura Linney. He is this fantastic crazy person on the show. Described as an "eccentric, homeless, anti-establishment environmentalist." I love this character and its refreshingly and frustratingly weird. Anyway, he is a good example of the kind of crazy I am talking about.
Other kinds of crazy I like...
People who are just singing and dancing in the streets. For example, for those of you who live in the DC area, have you ever seen the guy who roller skates in the middle of the streets sometimes, often in very 70s looking roller skating clothes, with big headphones (obviously in his own musical world), spinning down the street in between rows of traffic? Is he still around? Love that kind of crazy.
People who stand on streets with very weird signs that talk about mind control and aliens and things of that nature (you can see a lot of that again in Washington, DC) or who drive around in cars, trucks or vans with hand made writing painted all over their vehicles, again trying to warn us about government mind control or the end of the world. Shouting it out to the world. Like this one we spotted yesterday on the scenic byway driving I-15 between Las Vegas and Baker, California (home of the world's tallest thermometer - a whole other area of crazy that I love - weird, Americana road side attractions). This man obviously has some good intentions - he wants to reach out to others and share his message. Its just that most "normal" folks wouldn't choose to do so by plastering their tractor trailer with giant words and pictures. But he certainly is getting his message out there, right? I for one love things like this. It makes the world a more exciting and interesting place. Crazy people make the world more fun.
Thursday, April 5, 2012
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)