Interesting Places You've Been to and Things You've Done

HawkGold

Well-Known Member
Given all the negative news lately including high gas prices that may be curtailing travel plans, what are some interesting places you've been and done. List your favorite 5 to 10. Bet there are some interesting things.

Anyone game?




































































cessaly in
 
When in my early 20s during the late '70s and '80s I lived in SF -- a bizarre time with mayor and city council assassinations, the flourishing of the gay community & punk rock. My contribution was running the 7.6 miles Bay to Breakers race across the city nude. About 10,000 folks were running/jogging the route on that Sunday morning -- it's sort of a moving party -- and a good friend carried my clothes in a backpack once the race started. Lotsa fun: the women liked to pinch and point, and....well, the guys too for that matter! I was somewhat surprised to see a picture of my tush in the next day's SF Chronicle newspaper with nothin' but my running shoes on. It was so much fun have done it a couple times since. Gives ya an adrenaline rush, for sure.
 
When in my early 20s during the late '70s and '80s I lived in SF -- a bizarre time with mayor and city council assassinations, the flourishing of the gay community & punk rock. My contribution was running the 7.6 miles Bay to Breakers race across the city nude. About 10,000 folks were running/jogging the route on that Sunday morning -- it's sort of a moving party -- and a good friend carried my clothes in a backpack once the race started. Lotsa fun: the women liked to pinch and point, and....well, the guys too for that matter! I was somewhat surprised to see a picture of my tush in the next day's SF Chronicle newspaper with nothin' but my running shoes on. It was so much fun have done it a couple times since. Gives ya an adrenaline rush, for sure.
Oh, my.
 
When in my early 20s during the late '70s and '80s I lived in SF -- a bizarre time with mayor and city council assassinations, the flourishing of the gay community & punk rock. My contribution was running the 7.6 miles Bay to Breakers race across the city nude. About 10,000 folks were running/jogging the route on that Sunday morning -- it's sort of a moving party -- and a good friend carried my clothes in a backpack once the race started. Lotsa fun: the women liked to pinch and point, and....well, the guys too for that matter! I was somewhat surprised to see a picture of my tush in the next day's SF Chronicle newspaper with nothin' but my running shoes on. It was so much fun have done it a couple times since. Gives ya an adrenaline rush, for sure.
I mean I'm not gifted or anything, but running for 7.6 miles with zero support sounds painful.
 
I'm pretty boring, but I'll play along.

Been to Canada fishing several times.

Coached in the state baseball tournament several times and football in the UNI-Dome several times.
Played my last game in college at Rosenblatt (no, it wasn't in the CWS, but I don't have to tell people that).

Niagara Falls is a pretty common tourist attraction, but it is indescribable. Absolutely unbelievable. To me anyway. Met The Big Show in the Albany airport. He was at the same desk as us and they lost his car reservation. I was pretty sure he was going to kill us. Needless to say we didn't take a picture.

Without a doubt the coolest thing I've done is the Baseball Hall of Fame on induction weekend. The atmosphere was so awesome. Everything was baseball. Along with that, we met Paul Blair, Yogi Berra, Gary Carter, Darryl Strawberry, Gaylord Perry, Jim Perry, Bob Feller, George Brett, Ozzie Smith, Jim Palmer, Fergie Jenkins, Wade Boggs, Ryne Sandberg, and Wayne Gretzky.

Sat in the front row for a WWF event. Was cooler than it sounds. Acted like a total idiot which made it even more fun.

Sat in the front row of an Aerosmith concert. World's biggest fan. They put on an incredible show.

Can't think of anything else right now, but there probably isn't anything because I'm a pretty boring person.
 
I'm pretty boring, but I'll play along.

Been to Canada fishing several times.

Coached in the state baseball tournament several times and football in the UNI-Dome several times.
Played my last game in college at Rosenblatt (no, it wasn't in the CWS, but I don't have to tell people that).

Niagara Falls is a pretty common tourist attraction, but it is indescribable. Absolutely unbelievable. To me anyway. Met The Big Show in the Albany airport. He was at the same desk as us and they lost his car reservation. I was pretty sure he was going to kill us. Needless to say we didn't take a picture.

Without a doubt the coolest thing I've done is the Baseball Hall of Fame on induction weekend. The atmosphere was so awesome. Everything was baseball. Along with that, we met Paul Blair, Yogi Berra, Gary Carter, Darryl Strawberry, Gaylord Perry, Jim Perry, Bob Feller, George Brett, Ozzie Smith, Jim Palmer, Fergie Jenkins, Wade Boggs, Ryne Sandberg, and Wayne Gretzky.

Sat in the front row for a WWF event. Was cooler than it sounds. Acted like a total idiot which made it even more fun.

Sat in the front row of an Aerosmith concert. World's biggest fan. They put on an incredible show.

Can't think of anything else right now, but there probably isn't anything because I'm a pretty boring person.
Doesn't sound boring to me~
 
Been pushed away from an elevator by Imelda Marco (shoe lady).

Photographed political demonstrations in Kyiv Ukraine and talked to participants.

Kicked a 45 yard field goal at OSU Stadium. The orange and white one in front of an assistant coach. Been in the home of Jerry Parr who shoved Reagan into the limmo and talked about tomatoes and the assassination attempt.

Catapulted involuntarily off a tractor draw bar and came down on a rotating rear wheel and ended up between the fender and tire being beaten by the rubber lugs and survived.
 
When in my early 20s during the late '70s and '80s I lived in SF -- a bizarre time with mayor and city council assassinations, the flourishing of the gay community & punk rock. My contribution was running the 7.6 miles Bay to Breakers race across the city nude. About 10,000 folks were running/jogging the route on that Sunday morning -- it's sort of a moving party -- and a good friend carried my clothes in a backpack once the race started. Lotsa fun: the women liked to pinch and point, and....well, the guys too for that matter! I was somewhat surprised to see a picture of my tush in the next day's SF Chronicle newspaper with nothin' but my running shoes on. It was so much fun have done it a couple times since. Gives ya an adrenaline rush, for sure.

I lived in SF from June 1967 to the end of 1969

We went there for the music and atmosphere

Tickets to the Fillmore were $3 with a free poster for next week's show

Three top rank bands each week for $3

We would go on Thursday and Sunday nights, Friday and Saturday were what they called
teenybopper nights

Saw the Doors, The Who, The Byrds, JIMMY HENDRIX, Big Brother and the Holding Company
Cream, on and on

After a band would play they would mix with the crowd

We met Michael Clark drummer fo the Byrds and went to an afterwards party in Marin County
on Mount Tamalpais, it was a full moon that night

Most Excellent Times

:cool:



 
Been pushed away from an elevator by Imelda Marco (shoe lady).

Photographed political demonstrations in Kyiv Ukraine and talked to participants.

Kicked a 45 yard field goal at OSU Stadium. The orange and white one in front of an assistant coach. Been in the home of Jerry Parr who shoved Reagan into the limmo and talked about tomatoes and the assassination attempt.

Catapulted involuntarily off a tractor draw bar and came down on a rotating rear wheel and ended up between the fender and tire being beaten by the rubber lugs and survived.

Damn
 
When in my early 20s during the late '70s and '80s I lived in SF -- a bizarre time with mayor and city council assassinations, the flourishing of the gay community & punk rock. My contribution was running the 7.6 miles Bay to Breakers race across the city nude. About 10,000 folks were running/jogging the route on that Sunday morning -- it's sort of a moving party -- and a good friend carried my clothes in a backpack once the race started. Lotsa fun: the women liked to pinch and point, and....well, the guys too for that matter! I was somewhat surprised to see a picture of my tush in the next day's SF Chronicle newspaper with nothin' but my running shoes on. It was so much fun have done it a couple times since. Gives ya an adrenaline rush, for sure.

Freak!!

I'd run it but I don't like being slapped in the face by a cock every 2 seconds! ;)
 
I can't believe no one here has been to Duluth, Minnesota.

I went to Auburn, Iowa last Friday and saw a totally badass stretch limo that was a late 90's Monte Carlo with a NASCAR spoiler on it. I live dead center in the heart of NASCAR country, within 5 hours drive from every legendary historical track on the schedule other than Daletona, and I have never seen something like that down here.

On the drive last Friday my dad wanted to stop at every bar in Iowa between Omaha and Fort Dodge taking only back roads. Mercifully, not many were open. We drove by and checked them all. The one in Lake City in the old Carnegie Library looked pretty impressive but was closed, so I've been by it but never been inside. Not sure if that counts.

Probably one of the most interesting places I've been was the WWII ship museum in Kure, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. I absolutely love the engineering of the Japanese ships as they tried to evade the Washington Naval Treaty and turn battleships into carriers. They also had a 1/10 scale Yamato, which surpassed the badass scale model of the USS Iowa at the Capitol in Des Moines in my mind (that Iowa is a beautiful model, though). The Kure museum also has deactivated one man suicide torpedo submarines and a pristine Mitsubishi Zero. There's also a bunch of kamikaze and human torpedo suicide notes that are also translated into English. I also went to the nuclear museum in Hiroshima. 0/10, would not visit again, would not recommend. That tricycle still haunts me.
 
I can't believe no one here has been to Duluth, Minnesota.

I went to Auburn, Iowa last Friday and saw a totally badass stretch limo that was a late 90's Monte Carlo with a NASCAR spoiler on it. I live dead center in the heart of NASCAR country, within 5 hours drive from every legendary historical track on the schedule other than Daletona, and I have never seen something like that down here.

On the drive last Friday my dad wanted to stop at every bar in Iowa between Omaha and Fort Dodge taking only back roads. Mercifully, not many were open. We drove by and checked them all. The one in Lake City in the old Carnegie Library looked pretty impressive but was closed, so I've been by it but never been inside. Not sure if that counts.

Probably one of the most interesting places I've been was the WWII ship museum in Kure, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. I absolutely love the engineering of the Japanese ships as they tried to evade the Washington Naval Treaty and turn battleships into carriers. They also had a 1/10 scale Yamato, which surpassed the badass scale model of the USS Iowa at the Capitol in Des Moines in my mind (that Iowa is a beautiful model, though). The Kure museum also has deactivated one man suicide torpedo submarines and a pristine Mitsubishi Zero. There's also a bunch of kamikaze and human torpedo suicide notes that are also translated into English. I also went to the nuclear museum in Hiroshima. 0/10, would not visit again, would not recommend. That tricycle still haunts me.
Ha Ha about Duluth. Been there about 4 times and passing through in a couple of weeks.
 
I can't believe no one here has been to Duluth, Minnesota.

I went to Auburn, Iowa last Friday and saw a totally badass stretch limo that was a late 90's Monte Carlo with a NASCAR spoiler on it. I live dead center in the heart of NASCAR country, within 5 hours drive from every legendary historical track on the schedule other than Daletona, and I have never seen something like that down here.

On the drive last Friday my dad wanted to stop at every bar in Iowa between Omaha and Fort Dodge taking only back roads. Mercifully, not many were open. We drove by and checked them all. The one in Lake City in the old Carnegie Library looked pretty impressive but was closed, so I've been by it but never been inside. Not sure if that counts.

Probably one of the most interesting places I've been was the WWII ship museum in Kure, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. I absolutely love the engineering of the Japanese ships as they tried to evade the Washington Naval Treaty and turn battleships into carriers. They also had a 1/10 scale Yamato, which surpassed the badass scale model of the USS Iowa at the Capitol in Des Moines in my mind (that Iowa is a beautiful model, though). The Kure museum also has deactivated one man suicide torpedo submarines and a pristine Mitsubishi Zero. There's also a bunch of kamikaze and human torpedo suicide notes that are also translated into English. I also went to the nuclear museum in Hiroshima. 0/10, would not visit again, would not recommend. That tricycle still haunts me.
Kyiv Ukraine has a WW2 museum with Holocaust stuff. Like lampshades the Nazi's made. What humans can do.
 
Freak!!

I'd run it but I don't like being slapped in the face by a cock every 2 seconds! ;)


It would be a fight to the death

Chicken Fight GIFs | Tenor


Damn
 
I’ve had my fair share of interesting and “wow” experiences that I might try and catalog in a post if I get time, but reading this made me think of a coworker of mine. Mid 50s, always lived in the same house in the same small town where we work. One time in conversation a couple years ago it came up that he had never in his entire life been farther away from NW Iowa than Lansing, IA and I guess that was in the late 90s. He’s been in Iowa, Minnesota, South Dakota, and nebraska, and nebraska was just barely across the river into South Sioux City. In 50 plus years. My mind was blown. This is a dude who’s never been to a concert, in an airport, seen a big sporting event, been on a vacation trip…he’s literally done nothing even remotely interesting whatsoever. Really good guy, has two grown kids that are super good people, just never done anything but go to work and go home, all in a tiny little town in NW Iowa.

The other day I asked him, “When’s the last time you were farther away than Sioux Falls?” (Sioux Falls is where people here go shopping and it’s 50 ish miles away). He said, “Late 2000s my wife and I went to Des Moines for the state basketball tournament.” So for OVER A DECADE the guy hasn’t been more than 50 miles from his house. I can’t comprehend it.
 
I’ve had my fair share of interesting and “wow” experiences that I might try and catalog in a post if I get time, but reading this made me think of a coworker of mine. Mid 50s, always lived in the same house in the same small town where we work. One time in conversation a couple years ago it came up that he had never in his entire life been farther away from NW Iowa than Lansing, IA and I guess that was in the late 90s. He’s been in Iowa, Minnesota, South Dakota, and nebraska, and nebraska was just barely across the river into South Sioux City. In 50 plus years. My mind was blown. This is a dude who’s never been to a concert, in an airport, seen a big sporting event, been on a vacation trip…he’s literally done nothing even remotely interesting whatsoever. Really good guy, has two grown kids that are super good people, just never done anything but go to work and go home, all in a tiny little town in NW Iowa.

The other day I asked him, “When’s the last time you were farther away than Sioux Falls?” (Sioux Falls is where people here go shopping and it’s 50 ish miles away). He said, “Late 2000s my wife and I went to Des Moines for the state basketball tournament.” So for OVER A DECADE the guy hasn’t been more than 50 miles from his house. I can’t comprehend it.

We call those people Agoraphobics!
 
We call those people Agoraphobics!
Really though if you met the guy you’d think he’s completely normal, and to be honest he is. He just has zero desire to do any sort of traveling or to experience anything other than NW Iowa.

He thinks I’m an idiot driving 5 hrs to Iowa City 15 times a year for football and wrestling and he’s probably right.
 
I’ve had my fair share of interesting and “wow” experiences that I might try and catalog in a post if I get time, but reading this made me think of a coworker of mine. Mid 50s, always lived in the same house in the same small town where we work. One time in conversation a couple years ago it came up that he had never in his entire life been farther away from NW Iowa than Lansing, IA and I guess that was in the late 90s. He’s been in Iowa, Minnesota, South Dakota, and nebraska, and nebraska was just barely across the river into South Sioux City. In 50 plus years. My mind was blown. This is a dude who’s never been to a concert, in an airport, seen a big sporting event, been on a vacation trip…he’s literally done nothing even remotely interesting whatsoever. Really good guy, has two grown kids that are super good people, just never done anything but go to work and go home, all in a tiny little town in NW Iowa.

The other day I asked him, “When’s the last time you were farther away than Sioux Falls?” (Sioux Falls is where people here go shopping and it’s 50 ish miles away). He said, “Late 2000s my wife and I went to Des Moines for the state basketball tournament.” So for OVER A DECADE the guy hasn’t been more than 50 miles from his house. I can’t comprehend it.

I don't know how uncommon that is. I remember being on a bus once moderately drunk after a Cubs game and I started BSing with a black dude who was about my age. He asked me where I was from and when I said Iowa and told him where I had lived he told me he couldn't recall a single time he had ever been outside of Chicago, then he thought about it and said he once went to Six Flags in Gurnee. I think maybe a third of the population might actually be like that, in no small part due to economic constraints.

I'm not a fan of NW Iowa in winter, I don't know how you could never leave, especially if you have kids. I understand the guy in Chicago not leaving, he didn't appear to be of significant means and his family unit probably couldn't afford to travel much, but the guy from Iowa raising kids and never taking them to even the Twin Cities is totally insane. But I do remember a fair number of people growing up who had never been on a plane who would say that Omaha was the biggest city they had been to outside of Iowa. It's just insane. My kid is 6, there's been a pandemic for a third of his life, and he has been to Japan 9 times now plus Mexico, Honduras and Jamaica. I don't understand how someone can raise kids without getting them some experiences. That's one of the best parts of having kids.
 

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