Planet Stahl

Dan turned me on to these guys…  Gogal Bordelo.  The song is called Wanderlust King.

Love ‘em!

That was a fake smile!

Man… That sucks!  Girl at work hit my car while pulling out.  It should fix easy enough though.

I have been wanting to post some more details about our trip.  So, I may sit down and do that in the next few days.

I love playing with this thing! 

Here is the GPS reading taken from the Garmin, and then viewed in Google Earth.  It autofilled when I forgot to turn it on leaving the cabin on Sunday, so that is why the line is so straight on the right side.

That reminds me…  If you click on the “Maps” view when looking at a Picasa album…  It kinda gives you a view of where we were at.

Here is a link to the August Map:  http://picasaweb.google.com/grouchomarkks/August2008/photo#map

Just added a heap of photos from the past 3 days.  We were at Annette’s family cabin up by Gladwin…  And internet was not an option!  Cell phones were barely an option!

So, look at all the goodies on the Picasa August 2008 album…  Most have a description and location where taken.

Hey, that Ipod went for 5  bucks plus shipping!  Better than throwing it away!

We are still out and about…  Tonight in Gaylord Michigan.  Nice name huh?  (Must be the high school humor in me!)  The kids are in bed early tonight after a long couple of days…  And in anticipation of a few more long days with the Giancarli’s. 

Yesterday…  Sleeping Bear Dunes, beach time, Travers City and a long drive to Petosky.  Today, swimming, driving to the UP, catching a ferry to Mackinac Island, riding bikes for 2 hours, shopping, driving to Gaylord, and then hitting a “Big Boy” resturant to top off the day! 

Added lots of pictures of the last few days to the Picasa link (Upper left navigation links), so check’em out.  Cool new feature:  Google Maps locator on many of the pics

Dont get any ideas!  We have people watching the house!

Picture above is from Warren Dunes.  Starting off our week in Michigan by just barely crossing the border!

Actually, we started the trip Sunday at the Field Museum in Chicago on Sunday.  Thank God for some Dinosaur bones and an authentic American Indian home…  If they did not have those… I think the kids would have climbed out of their skins!

Later that night we went to New Buffalo Michigan.  Took a walk on the beach… Only to find paramedics were called out to haul people off in an ambulance… Not once… But twice while we were there walking.  It was cold…  And I am guessing they had hypothermia.

Today we hit Warren Dunes after spending the night in a roadside motel.  Summer was happy to recite Ang’s disdain for such humble places after we left.  Spoiled!!!  It was cheep, and across the street from the beach.  Good enough for me.  And yes… It was clean!

We climbed the giant dune first thing this morning…  Talk about a workout!  Then played on the beach till 3PM. 

Tonight, we are just 7 miles away from Sleeping Bear Dunes… In a comfy, newly constructed Best Western.  Everyone seems to be happy!

Oh, lots of pictures on the photo page.  Check August 2008

Getting ready to head out of town…  And its going to be a relief when we do… But, there have been a few things going on that will have me mentally strung out on every penny!

1. Just getting done with a remodel.
2. Ruined Ang’s 200.00 iPod.
3. Found out our Microwave does not work.  (Fancy cabinet mounted one, so you know we cant go with a cheapo)
4. Angs horses have been eating corn from the neighboring field.  Come to find out… our electric fencer is not working!  So, gotta get one of those too!

Get me out of here!

Ipod Update:  Its up to $1.25!  4 days left.

You hear 10 mile ride and think Ang and a horse… right?

No, that was our family fun for Saturday!  Ang, Summer, Aiden and I trekked over to the East Peoria bike trail (I have no idea if it has a better name) and proceeded to ride 10 miles!  Now, in all fairness, it was not an aggressive ride… It was 2 hours of casual riding.  But when you consider that Aiden is on his tiny little bike…  Well…  Thats more like 20 miles to him!  The last 3 miles were uphill…  He nearly had a mental breakdown before it was all over.  We were proud of him for getting it done.

Left: A picture from Google Earth, taken from GPS data I recorded.  (Thats how I knew it was 10 miles).

We got on at the midway point…  Rode to the North side of Morton and Interstate 74.  Then turned around…  And nearly made it to down to the middle of East Peoria.  Ang was sure it was only a 1/4 of a mile… And after looking at the map… She was right.  The ride back from EP was harsh.  GPS calculated that we went up 50 meters in the span of 2 miles.  Again…  Not that hard on Ang and I… But it had to be brutal on a kids bike without a gear select!

Well… That didnt turn out too good!

We did our interviews with all the neighbors.  After harrasing most of them over the past few days… And having no luck, I was ready to make a replacement purchase.

In the meantime, another neighbor of mine called and needed my assistance on working his old Windows 98 computer.  When I walked in the door…  There was a beatup blue Ipod Nano.  I said “What have you got there?”… Knowing full well who’s and what it was.

I did not realize it… But Del (My neighbor) has his grandson over for the next month.  His Grandson then began to explain to me that is was an Ipod, and:

1. Someone had lost it.
2. Someone else had run over it.
3. He had found it in the road.
4. It doesnt work.

Mystery solved.  They were nice enough to give it back.

I am thinking about putting it on ebay with some sad story.  Actually…  A true story about how my Wife wants to kill me might be the best way to go!

I just put it on ebay.  Wish me luck!  If I get 2 dollars… It will be more than I would have had throwing it away!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250278351521

Throw this link around… Create some buzz!