V is for Venice

The hustle and bustle of Los Angeles is obvious almost anywhere you look in Southern California.  It is something that I am still not tuned to. I move at a slower pace due to my laid back attitude which I got from growing up in Hawaii. Everyone moves at that speed there. There is just something about the island that gives off a feeling of relaxation and ease. So it is not a surprise that I find most comfort in the town of Venice, California. That is why V is for Venice.

Image courtesy of Salzano Photo

Venice first got on the map back in the 70's where the "Z-boys" first introduced the world to skateboarding. It was also brought up when "Muscle Beach" moved from the Santa Monica pier to Venice. Today, a stroll along the Venice beach boardwalk will provide you with people from many different walks of life as well as vendors selling any and everything one could imagine.

The part that I enjoy is the laid back, easy-going feel that Venice has. I reminds me a lot of Hawaii. I can walk along the boardwalk here and I'm moving at the same speed as many of the people. That doesn't happen when I'm on the streets of Beverly Hills. I get honked at for crossing the street too slow in a crosswalk (the self-important drivers of Beverly Hills are a whole other topic).

Image courtesy of Me

Some of my favorite places to visit are the canals which were created by the founder of the city of Venice to make the marshlands into residential areas. Before you get super environmental, this was way back in the late 1800's so he did not know. I also recommend coffee or tea from "The Cow's End". It is quite tasty and makes a perfect fit for any occasion.

Image courtesy of Me

Venice is quite a unique place to visit, especially in LA. I'm sure the same can be said for many of the little suburbs but I have yet to get the same feeling in any that I have been to. Perhaps it just comes down to walking speed, no where else that I have been to in California, do people walk at a pace I do. On the other hand though, perhaps this whole time, it is really just a fact of me moving at an extra slow pace.

U is for Utah

Forgive me for the late post for U. I have been very busy this week and you will find out why with my "W" post. We are so close to the end yet it still feels so far away. I have a feeling though that once it is done, I am going to miss it. What can I say, I enjoy pressure on me. It is one reason why I do my adventure runs, to put pressure on myself to run and stay in the best shape I can. One of these mud runs, the "Spartan Beast", will bring me to Utah at the end of June. So I thought Utah would be fitting for my "U" post.

For any who haven't read yet, one of my goals for 2013 is to complete the Trifecta for Spartan obstacle races. This means completing one race at each of the distances in one calendar year. I started the year off strong by completing the Super Spartan at the end of January. If you want, you can read my post for Super Spartan by clicking here. With the short distance coming back to Southern California in November, I was just left with finding a place to do the longest distance. Enter Utah.

Utah has always had my attention as an outdoor person. There are so many things to do, so many places to go and explore. When I saw the distance I need was going to be there, I knew that was where I was going to do it. Now it is a catch-22 because since I am going to race, I can't do too much extra activity before and I certainly won't feel like doing much the day after. So I will get to see some of Utah but this time it will likely be limited to a little bit of Salt Lake City and then whatever I see on the course. If it is anything like the Super Spartan, I will see plenty of mountains and hills. In fact, I will probably hate the mountains of Utah afterwards.

Utah has so much outdoor beauty. Summer or winter, you will find it somewhere. I am sure the Spartan Beast will change my mind about it for a little while but I know in the end I will go back and spend time truly exploring it as I desire to right now.

Have you ever been to Utah? Where did you go? What did you like? What did you see or do? If you are curious about the Spartan Races, you can click here to check out their website and read more. Also, my post for "V" is set to publish this afternoon so please check back for it. I just wanted to give U some time to get read. 

T is for Trans-Siberian Railway

“A man on foot, on horseback or on a bicycle will see more, feel more, enjoy more in one mile than the motorized tourists can in a hundred miles.” ~ Edward Abbey

One thing that I have not been able to get used to with living in Los Angeles is the pace of everything. People here are always in a rush to get somewhere whether it be walking, driving or whatever else. I'm that driver who will be cruising along at 65 or 70 even on the freeways. When I'm walking, I'm often passed. I'm in no hurry anywhere. I feel that slowing down in life is one way to not only appreciate more, but see more too. The trans-siberian railway would be just that, way to slow down your life and see parts of the world very few people see. That is why T is for the trans-siberian railway. 

Image courtesy of wikipedia

The trans-siberian railway runs from Moscow to the Sea of Japan. It is the longest railway in the world with branches reaching parts of China, Mongolia and Manchuria. The construction started in the late 18th century and was completed in 1916. Its completion had a great impact on Siberian agriculture as goods could now be transported to larger cities. 

As mentioned in my post for "M", I am hoping to complete the Mongol Rally. A stop on one of the lines would be Ulaan-Bataar. My plans do not stop when I reach the end of the rally. I do intend to take the railway back to continue my adventure. I know it is still just a dream and at least two years away but I already am getting excited at just the thought.

Does the tran-siberian railway sound like something you would do? What about some other railway systems?

Image courtesy of Internet Auto Guide

S is for Shark Cage Diving

The movie "Jaws" came out in 1975. While having much success in the box office, it had quite an effect on society. It brought out a fear of sharks and the ocean. As someone who has spent a good portion of their life in and around the ocean, I feel much differently. Sharks are very much misunderstood and misrepresented. What better way to get to know them than to take a dip and see them up close. That is why S is for Shark Cage Diving.

After "Jaws" came out, there was mass hysteria every time there was a shark attack. The knee jerk reaction was to go out and kill as many sharks as we could hoping that one of them might be the so-called "man-eater". The fear of sharks and more so, the unknown, was great.

Image courtesy of biganimals.com

The reaction is still the same today whenever there is a shark attack. The days and weeks following, you will see many pictures of sharks hanging dead. While this may be comfort for some, there should be a different approach. I feel people should become more educated about them. Take a second and think about things. Sharks have been around millions of years compared to our thousands. They are a perfect example of evolution doing its job.

Shark cage diving is one of the newer trends. I have seen a number of sharks up close yet it is still one thing that is on my bucket list. It is one thing to see them from above the water while surfing but another entirely to be underwater with them, seeing them face to face. The most sought after shark would probably be the Great White simply because of its reputation (courtesy of "Jaws"). The best places for these would be off the coast of San Francisco or South Africa. For the less adventurous, I would recommend even going to a local aquarium to see leopard sharks, just as fascinating.

Image courtesy of Dive Discovery

I apologize if this sounded a little save the world-ish. I have been told I should be a PR person for sharks. The truth is that they are amazing creatures. 99% of the time an attack happens, they are merely "checking" to see if we are a seal. When they realize we aren't, they go away. Don't you check your meat before you eat it? Besides, if some stranger came into your house wearing a speedo, wouldn't you attack them too?


Aside: For anyone that hasn't seen "Jaws", please go watch it. I will admit it is a classic movie. It does a great job of capturing horror and suspense. While the book is loosely based on true events, it is in no way a true story. That would be like saying "The Ghost and the Darkness" is an accurate portrayal of lions (another good movie in my opinion). And if you still think all sharks are out to eat people, check out the video below:

GoPro: A Blonde and a Great White Shark from GoPro on Vimeo.

R is for Rafting

Growing up in Hawaii, I was constantly in the ocean surfing. When I went to school up in Oregon, I to find new ways to entertain myself because I could no longer just go to the beach and surf. During the winter I tried my hand at snowboarding and found that I picked that up rather quickly because it was similar to surfing. I still was feeling a void with liquid water (snow kind of hurts when you land hard). This was where I found rafting. My first trip was as a sophomore. There was a trip through the school that was nothing more than class 3 rapids. I still had a blast. That is why R is for Rafting.

For those that don't know much about rafting, there are six classes of rapids. Class one and two are very mellow. I would say they pose no threat but there is always a treat when water is involved. Class 3 is when you can start feeling the rapids and if you want you, you can try and flip the raft. Class 4 and 5 is where things start to get more serious. Guides are normally required for anything above class 3. Normally they will stop, check out the rapid and pick out a line before going down the rapids. There is a fair chance you will get either tossed or flipped. Class 6 is considered unridable. This normally involves a waterfall of sorts.

Lower Klamath River. Image courtesy of Rogue River Trips

I've done everything from class 1 to 5. I've seen a class 6 rapid that didn't have a waterfall but it was ridiculous. One thing that people might lack appreciation for is the strength and power of water. It can give you the time of your life but if it is not respected, it can take away a life in the blink of an eye.

Cal Salmon River. Image courtesy of Noahs Rafting

Have you ever been rafting of any sorts? What did you enjoy about it? If not, is it something you might consider doing (even the mellow rivers are fun)?

Q is for Quoteception

Q was always going to be a hard post. There are not many bucket list items or places that begin with "Q". Then it hit me. I love quotes. So I was going to do a list of some of my favorite quotes. However, I decided to take it one step further and make an A-Z list of quotes, thus "Quoteception" was born. For anyone that doesn't know the reference, it is to the movie "Inception". The quotes will either have an author with the corresponding letter in their name or will start with that letter. Without further adu:

A:   ”Adventure is in the eye of the beholder.” ~ Annie Andre


B:   “All journeys have secret destinations of which the traveler is unaware.” ~ Martin Buber


C:   “A journey is best measured in friends, rather than miles.” ~ Tim Cahill

D:   “Do not lose hold of your dreams or aspirations. For if you do, you may still exist but you have ceased to live.” ~ Henry David Thoreau

E:   “Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.” ~ T. S. Eliot

F:   “There’s no such thing as bad weather, only inappropriate clothing” ~ Sir Rannulph Fiennes

G:   “Travel makes one modest, you see what a tiny place you occupy in the world.” ~ Gustave Flaubert

H:   “It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit.” ~ Harry Truman

I:   “If you’re not living on the edge, you’re taking up too much space.” ~ Anonymous

J:   “People don’t take trips. . .trips take people.” ~ John Steinbeck

K:   "Death is just life's next big adventure." ~ J.K. Rowling

L:   “Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming – “WOW – What a Ride!” ~ Anonymous

M:   “The bad news is time flies. The good news is you’re the pilot.” ~ Michael Althsuler

N:   “Never take life too seriously. No one gets out alive. ” ~ Anonymous

O:  "I never travel without my diary. One should always have something sensational to read in the train.” ~  Oscar Wilde

P:   "A man practices the art of adventure when he breaks the chain of routine and renews his life through reading new books, traveling to new places, making new friends, taking up new hobbies and adopting new viewpoints.” ~ Wildred Peterson

Q:   Like is said to start, Q was a hard letter to work with. If you can think of any, please let me know.

R:   “When you come to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on.” ~ Franklin D. Roosevelt

S:   "Every exit is an entry to somwhere else."  ~ Tom Stoppard

T:   “Tourists don’t know where they’ve been, travelers don’t know where they’re going.” ~ Paul Theroux

U:   "Adventures don’t come calling like unexpected cousins calling from out of town. You have to go looking for them.” ~ Unknown (I know I cheated here...)

V:   “As a well-spent day brings happy sleep, so life well used brings happy death.” ~ Leonardo da Vinci

W:   “Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

X:   "Writing is an extreme privilege but it's also a gift. It's a gift to yourself and it's a gift of giving a story to someone." ~ Amy Tan

Y:   "Your good friend will come bail you out of jail at 3 am. Your best friend will be sitting right next you say saying 'That was f@$%ing awesome.'"

Z:   "Zero. That is the total number of regrets you should have in your life. Anything you might regret, view as a lesson. This will help you continually learn and life live to the fullest." ~ Me

What are some of your favorite quotes? How about some favorite people to quote?

O is for Others

We have reached the halfway point for the A to Z challenge. While part of this challenge is to push us as writers by having us write every day, another aspect of this challenge is to both expand our reader base as well as make new friends. For today, O is for others. While I've been browsing many different blogs while doing the challenge, these are some of the ones I find myself reading on a daily basis.

The Warrior Muse - Shannon is one of the team members of the challenge. So I feel bonus points for not only posting every day but also helping coordinate and check on how every many blogs are in her section. Her theme is history's mysteries and she has had some great ones. Stop by and check it out. You'll probably learn something new.

Destination Unknown - Kellie has traveled around the world and has the pictures to prove it! As a great photographer and adventurer, she has already experienced more than most people do in a lifetime. Check out her travels and explore someplace new through her photography

The Transformed Nonconformist - I look forward to the comedy style of his writing every day. His topics are varied but his humor is consistant. If you need a good laugh, take a look. I'm sure it will put a smile on your face.

Misadventure Abound - While she has been a little inconsistant due to some bad timing with things, I look forward to new posts. They are filled with a unique perspective and sense of humor that I enjoy. Stop by and say hello, it might inspire her to keep posting.

Strange Pegs - Ever want to learn how to be a lumberjack? How about a model? Strange pegs will tell you. His theme is "How to" with topics being from lumberjacks and models to an Ornithologist. His wit and humor make the posts entertaining yet still somewhat informative.

These are a few of the blogs I look at every day. Do you have any? What do you like about them?