This Just In: This Blog Has Been Updated

It’s been awhile since I’ve updated, but here we are.

September:

This was a great month for work. Adecco (Modis) has made me permanent at the company. Now I get benefits and healthcare….wooo! It has been a few years on the healthcare, but my mom is hyped about it.

I have cut my hours at Dos Gatos to only working ArtWalk. I love this job, but the late hours were killing me. J and Joy really have been some of the most understanding/awesome bosses I’ve ever worked with and J taught me quite a bit about the inner workings of a bar and I bet I barely scratched the surface. J if you happen to read this, thank you for giving me the chance to work for you and Joy. I truly appreciate it.

On another note, women think chivalry is dead, but I think a general respect for your fellow man/woman is just in the gutter now-a-days. Especially in respects to the bro code….read it….live by it. No one ever went wrong by giving somebody respect. It’s kind of like not drinking (J don’t read this): No one has ever said man I was so sober last night that me and my buddy got into a fight, spent a night in jail, and I have the worst headache!

October:


This week I might be going to Vampire Weekend with Beach House opening for them, but I will def. be seeing the Flaming Lips on Friday at the St. Augustine Amphitheater though with my very amazing woman. Please see picture above for an amazing shot of what’s to come.

From the evening of 20th until late the 24th will be my Smoky Trip Do Over. It’s going to be cold, but I can’t wait. I’m scared, nervous and excited all at once. I bought the “Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance” , the 1974 philosophical novel, to keep me company. If you don’t know anything about the book it’s not what it seems.

The next week for Halloween I will be visiting my little sister up in Brooklyn. I’m very excited to see my sister operating on her own and for her and I to get some time together. It’s been way too long. She has a speakeasy she wants to take me too…..way to go sis!

Upcoming November:
Movember starts Nov. 1 with the Shaving Party at Dos Gatos. Get your baby face on and let your upper lip know it won’t be cold for too long….there’s a stache on its way. This is the same event I did last year as well to help raise money for prostate and testicular cancer. Join me!

Later that month I will be running Thanksgiving Outback Classic Half Marathon and will be volunteering with Sam at a soup kitchen (not sure which one) later that day…..

It should all be a great time. I have to say this has easily been a great year and appreciate all my friends for helping make it happen.

Smoky the bear says, “Only You Can Make You Happy”

Well Smoky never said that, but I like it and it’s my blog and I can make up whatever words a fictional character says.

Well Thursday (4/15: End of Tax Season) I’m getting laid off and I’m Super Excited. In a previous post I mentioned I was trying to do a cross country motorcycle trip that would take around 30 days. Well due to losing my job I now have the opportunity to do a 5 day backpacking trip in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park with my good friend Matt….Wooo! What do you when you don’t have a job? Vaca!

This trip doesn’t include my motorcycle, but it does involve hiking and camping….so 2 out of 3 isn’t bad. Plus, I still needed to buy a new wind screen for my bike and some decent saddlebags. When I get money…those items are going to happen. There is a road that we’ll be traveling down that I wish I could take my bike on known as Tail of the Dragon. It’s 318 curves within 11 miles!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqtdJKM5Mfk]

So what is there to do in a National Park? Wrong question: What can’t you do? The weather is supposed to be great. Highs in the lower 70’s and lows in the mid 40’s. Now that’s great walking and sleeping weather.

Below is the itinerary. When I mention “campsite” it’s the only site around for a few miles. This isn’t  Hannah Park (which is awesome as well, but in its own way. Stayed there 2 weeks ago and had a blast at the beach). It is just a designated clearing with a fire ring  so that the park knows your location. When you check into the park there is no gate. Just a billboard where you fill out a permit and that’s it…you’re on your way to roughin it.

Day 1: Thursday

Day 2: Friday

  • Drive about 30 min. to the park and enter at the TwentyMile Ranger Station
  • Hike about 10 miles until we reach campsite 96

Day 3: Saturday

  • Hike about 12 miles through part of the AT until we reach campsite 113

Day 4: Sunday

  • Hike about 4 miles to campsite 93

Day 5: Monday

  • Matt’s Birthday!
  • Hike about 2 miles back to the car
  • Drive on back to Jacksonville so Matt can make it to birthday dinner

Day 6: Tuesday

  • Look for a job

May look like a boring itinerary, but there is going to be a ton of walking, fishing, and just good ole’ enjoying nature.