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Drive Ireland trip, 2010

2010-08-20T01:28:20Z

A while back my girlfriend Jen and I were chatting and I mentioned that I needed a vacation. "Go back to Ireland" she says. Soon I'm getting links to vacation package deals from her, and one catches my eye as a good deal with travel and accommodations for a week and I really started considering it. And, we got to stay a night in a CASTLE!

"Want to go?" I asked her, and before you know it, both of us were booked for our third trip each over the pond to Ireland for a week of driving on the left side of the road, zig zagging from east to west to north to south. From Dublin to Galway to Giants Causeway in Northern Ireland to Doolin to Blarney & Cobh before heading back to Dublin.

Here's some pictures from the trip... enjoy.

White Sox press pass day @ Sox Park

2010-07-26T02:19:28Z

Tribune Media Group hosted a Press Pass day at Sox Park on Sunday, July 25. Wasn't sure what to expect, but I had a trip walking through the ball park. Winding from the Scout Seats lounge area, out to the field behind home plate, down into the visitors dugout & locker room area, and then up to the Stadium Club for some food & listen to Moose Skowron and Ron Kittle talk baseball.

Fun day, have to say.
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Me & the Cup

2010-06-29T02:21:15Z

Been less than a month now since the Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup, and I think I've played Kaner's game winning goal 1,000 times on TiVo.

Since the Hawks brought home the Cup, I've managed to see it three times: once in the parade, once in the Tribune newsroom during it's media tour day, and once at the United Center during a Blackhawks Standbys meeting.

Never got to linger around it long enough to read all the names... but at least I got to touch it. Twice. As little as four years ago, I wasn't sure if that would ever happen. Now, if I only had a good camera shot of me & the Cup... ha!

Thank you, Blackhawks.

2010 Chicago Blackhawks: Stanley Cup Championship Parade

2010-06-12T21:24:18Z

2010 Stanley Cup Champion Chicago Blackhawks playoff & parade photos

Much like I did in October 2005 when the White Sox won the World Series, I took the day off of work and walked amongst thousands of other Blackhawk fans (and other people who were not hockey fans but don't need an excuse to converge with a crowd) to watch the Hawks parade up Michigan Avenue with the Stanley Cup.

Also, here's a view from half a block south on Michigan Avenue as the Chicago Blackhawks Stanley Cup rally kicks off with the standard National Anthem. We could barely hear anything that was being said on the stage where we were standing (poor speaker placement), but you can kindof make out the voice of Jim Cornelison in the background.

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Amped up for hockey night in Chicago

2010-05-08T01:17:24Z

If these videos don't get you ready for Blackhawk hockey, I don't know what will...

The Logo

Testify by Rage

91 All Star Game Anthem

Now, these last two aren't Blackhawk-centric, but I still dig them.

Stompin' Tom Conors

Cup Raise

hockey weekend in vancouver

2010-01-27T01:43:40Z

It was a long way to go to see the Blackhawks lose a hockey game, but the chance to see the city of Vancouver was worth it nonetheless.
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Friday morning bright and early with hangover state of mind we had a tour of the city. The afternoon, as the Advil had taken full effect, I shuttled freely back to North Vancouver to visit the Capilano Suspension Bridge to take a wobbly walk 200 feet above a stream. Friday evening back at the hotel bar, we mingled together along with some Blackhawks who made an appearance to meet and greet us, and sign their name on memorabilia many fans conveniently packed along with them.

Saturday morning we got to see the Hawks take their morning skate at the arena. Afterwards, I wandered aimlessly about the city streets, seeing what there was to see and killing some time before the main event, the Blackhawks vs. the Canucks. Unfortunately, the Hawks weren't up to the task on this particular evening.

If I was thinking ahead, a return flight to Chicago would have been delayed until later in the day Sunday as to afford me a little more time in that beautiful city (or, more to the point, time to partake in some zip-lining down Grouse Mountain).

I guess I'll have to leave the zip line until next time I return to Vancouver. Until then, feel free to check out what I saw as preserved the moments in picture.

Star Wars in Concert @ the UC, Part 2

2009-12-07T05:06:37Z

Photos from the Star Wars in Concert show from the UC tonight . . . . . . . . . . .

Fun show... front row seats didn't allow us much of a view of the entire orchestra, but the musicians sync'd up to the edited clips from the movies was really well done. But both Mike & I felt something was missing... having only two tickets and not three so our good buddy Allen could have come down from Wisconsin and joined us. He probably would have enjoyed it more than the two of us did combined.

And oh yeah, the @unitedcenter crew that got me the tickets wanted a picture of us, check THIS out!

More info on Star Wars in Concert.

Star Wars in Concert @ the UC, Part 1

2009-12-06T16:32:40Z

Not too long ago I saw a half hour program on WTTW-TV (Chicago PBS) about the Star Wars In Concert production. Nice behind-the-scenes look at the show that features an orchestra playing the music from the Star Wars movies accompanied by a multimedia presentation of the movies.

When they announced it was coming to the United Center, I dropped an email to my buddies Mike & Al who are fellow SW movie geeks. Everyone was interested in it, but the price tag was a little steep for everyone.

So then last week, I notice the @unitedcenter Twitter account run a contest to win a pair of tickets, so I threw my name into the hat just for the hell of it, and for the first time in my life, the Jedi Mind Trick WORKED.

Check out how it went down. . . . .

JR

2009-11-19T23:57:15Z

When the Hawks announced they were going to have a Jeremy Roenick heritage night, I knew that I was going to go to that game. The Blackhawks under new management really go nuts with these gimmick nights (can't wait for Sergei Krivokrasov night!), but it was nice to see JR back in a Hawk sweater, one even he admits he should never have been removed from (thanks old management).

I grew up watching Payton and the Bears, Jordan and the Bulls, Baines and the White Sox, but for whatever reason never embraced the Blackhawks until JR came around. I missed a lot of Savard, Wilson, and Larmer years and the anthems in the Old Barn; but glad Roenick, Chelios, and Belfour woke me up and opened my eyes to the greatest sport to watch.

So cheers, JR. Nice to see you again. And nice to see the Hawks beat San Jose 4-3 in overtime (cheers, to Seabrook too).

Foley calls

Fixer

High Performance Delivery

Back Breaking Hits

Puck Drop

Thank You, Fans

Ireland pictures never get old

2009-10-24T01:27:44Z

It's been well over a month, but pictures from Bike Ireland friends still float by now and then. And with every one, it makes me wish I could go back immediately.

This one was sent by Jan in Nebraska. Seeing this, I want to go back, and take my Orrie with me. Something tells me he'd love it over there too.

Chicago Marathon coverage

2009-10-11T15:24:50Z

Chilly morning for a marathon (in the mid-30s), so Orrie & I didn't last long out there watching the marathon. We did see a Green Man, Darth Vader, Fred Flintstone, and Grim Reaper run by, as well as whatever the hell this thing below is camped out across the street from where we were standing.

We didn't see my friends Adam Caldarelli or Greg Gugger go by. I'm sure they did, but the crowd of runners makes it difficult to catch familiar faces. Standing there watching the waves of people run by, it can get you a little seasick. And it's exhausting standing out there in one spot for so long watching people run by the halfway point of a 26.2 mile marathon.

And since I do like to see the finish of the marathon as well, we went back home and turned on the TiVo and watched some of the race, and I actually saw me & Orrie on tv, ha!

One Last Ireland Entry

2009-10-09T03:37:42Z

So, a few people questioned if I was actually in Ireland due to the lack of my own face in my pictures--of which there was one that I posted, so they must've missed that one. Go back and look if you missed it.

Perhaps they don't know my policy of preferring to be behind the camera rather than in front of it. But thanks to my good friends Wendell & Diane on the trip, I do have proof I was actually there.]]> A stop at Kilmacduagh.

The crew outside the Lady Gregory in Gort.

Diane & I enjoying some Guinness.

The crew making a human wall to fend off the wind for a friend.

Do these dudes look like they were out until 5am the night before this ferry ride out to the Aran Islands?

Cheers!

Chillin' in Doolin.

At the bar in Doolin. Slainte.

Just what in the hell is Jose drinking, anyway?

And this is what I'm going to look like in 20 years.

Bike Ireland photos

2009-10-01T01:09:41Z

These are about a third of the total pictures I took over there... a lot of the other ones were a lot more of the same in most cases, or blurry out-of-focus shots from my cheap Sony Cybershot. Gotta get me one of those badass cameras like Wendell had on the trip. Can't wait to see the pictures he took.

Also posted these on a Jalbum and a SnapFish account for sharing & slideshows.

Here's a map of the towns we stayed in, ate in, and some we stopped in during the trip. Points are approximate in most cases, and I thought about connecting the dots with the paths we took, but it proved to be a little difficult. But figued you get the idea well enough here.

View Ride Ireland in a larger map

One Night in Doolin

2009-09-21T00:04:52Z

Been asked a lot where my Bike Ireland photos are, and I'm working on getting those together. Until I can get them posted, here's a story to tide you all over.

Here I sit on my last night of vacation, looking through hundreds of photos that I took on my week long bicycle trip through western Ireland and remembering what a great week it was to experience. So much to see, new people to meet, and one amazing night in Doolin.
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Most of the evening we were entertained by traditional Irish music played by an old-timer guitar player and two ladies--one playing a tin whistle and the other a flute. The ladies, seemingly rather young, were only there until about 10 or 11 and then had to leave. The guitar player kept playing on after they left, however. He was funny; he sang happy songs, sad songs, Irish songs, American folk songs... the guy was an encyclopedia of musical knowledge. "Fields of Athenry" was my personal favorite of the evening, a request from John.

As the old man continued to play his guitar, the crowd began to dwindle. Eventually all that was left were an older couple at the bar who seemed to be locals, a couple from Australia, two ladies from Canada, another couple from the States (can't recall from where), the guitar player, the bartender, and those of us from our bike tour including myself, tour guide John, and a fellow from California named Jeff.

At one point, the bartender goes and turns off the light out over the front door and locked it so noone else could come in. Meanwhile, the guitar player kept playing.

The bartender started to pick up the bar stools and turn over the chairs that weren't occupied. The guitar player kept playing and singing.

Mind you, all this time, pints kept flowing as well.

The bartender then picked up his mop and swept the floor around the guitar player, who kept playing and singing. Tour guide John was singing along as well. There was even a bit of dancing as well.

The bartender finished his closing-time duties, poured himself a pint, walked over near the guitar player, pulled up a stool and sat and listened like the rest of us. The guitar player kept playing.

The local couple sitting at the bar started to make their way out, but before they reached the door, the old man stopped by the guitar player, grabbed the instrument and played a couple songs before excusing himself and his wife for the evening.

The guitar player even sang a few songs without the guitar.

There was singing and laughing and good times by all. It went on until quarter to five in the morning when the guitar player said he didn't have the voice to play any more for the evening.

The bartender let us out and locked the door behind us. John chaperoned the Canadian ladies home to make sure they made it there safely while Jeff & I stumbled down the block back to the hotel our group was staying at while in Doolin. We got there and walked up to the door and it was locked.

No key card access to swipe our keys or anything in sight. On the door, a sign said "For after-hours assistance, call this number..." I called it and through the glass door I could hear the phone ringing in the lobby and see a light flashing on the phone at the desk. No one was there to pick it up.

A few minutes of "what the hell do we do now?" passed. I thought when John would get back we'd have to sleep in the bike tour van the rest of the night. Eventually, I remembered my room was on the ground floor on the other side of the hotel. Earlier that day, I had cracked open the window for some fresh air in the room, and noticed the window didn't have any screens. So we grabbed a chair from the hotel patio, walked around to my window, pushed open the window as wide as it would open, and boosted myself up on the chair & I crawled into my hotel room through that window. I don't think it was a clean landing inside the window, but no bones were broken. I walked through my room, down the hall, across the lobby and opened the door from the inside to let in Jeff and John (who had just returned from walking the Canadians home and missed out on all the improvising).

Luckily, we took the next day off the bikes and had a boat ride out to the Aran Islands for a non-cycling tour day instead, or else we would have been in huge trouble on two hours sleep having to bicycle 30 more miles like we'd normally done. Thankfully, the waters were still and not choppy at all, or else it could have been a messy ride.

So, aside from all the amazing things I'd seen of the western Irish countryside and coastline, that night was probably the highlight of my trip. But don't fret, pictures are coming soon...

Last gear up ride before Ireland

2009-09-05T20:41:31Z

Five more days until I leave, and this was the last full day I had nothing on the agenda so I could devote the day to riding. Started north, headed back over to Bucktown to get a haircut. Kept riding after that up to see my buddy John tending his store up on Lawrence & Pulaski.

After getting a Gatorade & some sunscreen, kept heading north riding for the first time up the trail along the North Branch of the Chicago River. Nice path, reminded me a little of the Salt Creek trail back in La Grange Park (the smell, at least). Heading up through Skokie, passing some public sculpture art along the way, until I saw a sign for Northwestern Football with an arrow pointing east.

I started meandering my way through shady Evanston streets, occasionally passing some students & alumni in purple gear on their way to support the team.   I didn't actually ride passed the stadium as my turns wandered off the mark, but I ended up where I figured my northern most destination would be for the day, the Baha'i House of Worship.

Driven passed this place a bunch of times, and only know a little bit about the Baha'i themselves, but figured this would be a good day to check out the place a little more closely. A chill in the air meant for a slight fog coming in off the lake to make this a bit of a creepy experience.   But well worth it.   The structure is amazing, but inside and out.

So after catching my breath and finishing off the Gatorade, it was time to make it back south towards home. Back down Sheridan Road, through the Northwestern University campus, down through Rodgers Park & passed Loyola University, down Broadway through Uptown & Edgewater, over to Clark & Southport passed the Music Box Theater, down to the Finkle Steel plant, over to Ashland and on home.

So about 30 miles in all, and yeah, my muscles are a little tight.   Not exactly the shape I should be in for the rides I'm going to be taking next week. I'm a little concerned about that.

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