Old Homestead

I was driving back from Abilene on Sunday morning and happened to look in my rearview mirror just in time to see a great little homestead scene. I whipped the truck around and stopped to grab the shot. And I'm glad that I did. It turned out to be a great panoramic shot opportunity, as well.

My big idea, stolen

About 10 years ago, I had an idea while on a twelve hour road trip to Kansas of opening a chain of nap spots where people could stop for an hour or two to rest and recharge before continuing on their way. I thought the idea could work in a lot if different ways and places - in malls (for those weary from shopping), in rest stops and storefronts along the interstate and in airports (for weary travelers). Then, in a stunning turn of events, I this in the Atlanta airport over the weekend:

I never could figure out how to keep my rent-a-room-by-the-hour idea from being abused and, let's say... sanitary.

Best of luck to them.

Whistle Pigs

I was right. According to Wikipedia, the animals I saw this morning on my mountain hike were, indeed, hoary marmots. Here's another shot I took of one this morning:

My morning on top of the world

This morning I woke up early - again - and decided to go ahead and get up and head up into the mountains. It would just be wrong to be in Denver and not climb a mountain, right?

So I got in the car and started driving.  Initially, the weather was really, really ugly and I thought the trip would be a bust.  But as I got higher up into the mountains the weather got better and better, so I kept on going.

My original destination was going to be Breckenridge, but I determined that there was no way I could make it there and look around and have enough time to get back for the first session at my conference. So I called an audible and found a road that looked promising and just took it.  Before I knew it, l was at Loveland Pass at the Continental Divide.  So i decided to get out and hike.

The air was still pretty cool and my ears and hands got cold pretty quickly. And I was really out of breath.  The sun was just starting to peek over the top of the mountain behind me, and soon it started to warm up.

So I kept climbing, stopping to take photos along the way.  It was an absolutely beautiful morning, and I kept wishing Kristi and the kids could share this with me.  So when I got to a little rise, I. Got a couple of bars on my phone, so I called them.  That made the experience.  Of course, the signal was weak, so we kept getting cut off.  

And I kept climbing.  Along the way, there were little streams of melted snow running down the mountain.  I cupped my hands and drank some, and it was cold and amazing.  Finally, after crossing through a patch of snow that was blocking the path, I reached the top of the ridge and saw more incredible snow-covered mountains on the other side.  It was breathtaking (or maybe it was the altitude).

I spent about twenty minute on top of the mountain looking around and taking pictures. I collected some rocks to take back to Kristi, which has been a tradition ever since we were dating. Then I headed back.

Along the way I kinda lost the trail and forged a little bit of my own.  But I was headed in the right direction, so I knew I'd be okay. Along the way, I happened to look up and saw something watching me from the top of a boulder.  It was small, about the size of a cat, and furry.  I was able to get pretty close before he moved.  And as I climbed up the hill toward the animal, I noticed another one, a little larger. They didn't seem to be too concerned with me, and actually let me get within a few feet. I think they were hoary marmuts, but I'll have to research that later. Anyway, from where I had climbed to, I could see that trail and that I wasn't on it.

As I headed back down toward the trail along a cliff, a cloud climbed up the side of the mountain and enveloped me. Kayci and i were just having a conversation the other day about what it would be like to be inside a cloud, so I made a little video for her with my phone.  I'll post that later if I remember.

Anyway, I headed back down to the car, hopped in and booked it back to Denver.  I got back just in time for my first session at 9:00. And I was a happy, happy James.

Here are a few of the photos I took:

HOW Now, Brown Cow

This afternoon I'm headed out to Denver for the HOW design conference. Ever since I heard about this conference a couple of years ago, I've been aching to go. Imagine thousands of designers all in one place talking about design and branding and typography and technology. [Note to self: change pants.] It's going to be awesome.

And in the perfect storm of cool things, while we're all there, WWDC is going on out on San Francisco with a Steve Jobs keynote. Now imaging thousands of designers talking about the new iPhone, too. Destructo likey.

I'm going to really, really miss my family while I'm there because it's summer and the funnest time of year. But I'm looking forward to going to Denver to get my geek on a little, also. And in a stunning turn of events, I also get to see my Aunt Peggy, who lives in Denver, during my stay.

So if Destructoville is a little light for the next few days, or if it's a little bit "designy," then please forgive me. I won't be able to help it.

And if anyone reading this is going to HOW also, be sure to look for me. I'll be the one in jeans with a t-shirt on (probably either black or gray) with tennis shoes. I'm sure you won't be able to miss me. [that's a design joke]

I'm so excited.

Road Food

I took a week-long business road trip last week, and I took photos of most of the meals I ate. It's amazing what we'll eat when we're on the road...

Jake & Dorothy's cafe in Stephenville

Fried green beans at the Pioneer Cafe in Wichita Falls

Chicken fried chicken and okra at the Pioneer Cafe in Wichita Falls

Chicken tacos at Tacos Garcia in Amarillo

Veggie omelet, sausage, hash browns and raisin toast at Waffle House in Amarillo

Baked chicken, squash, greens, carrot souffle, black bean salsa and sweet tea at Furr's in Lubbock

Veggie pizza at Mamma Mia Pizza Kitchen in Levelland

Veggie omelet and hash browns (pancake not shown) at Pancake House in Lubbock

Barbecue beef and ribs, green beans, carrots, pintos and apple cobbler at Underwood's in Brownwood

Buddy Holly and the Walk of Fame

I walked out of my hotel room in Lubbock to see a statue of Buddy Holly, Lubbock's most famous son, staring at me. So I walked over to the Buddy Holly walk of fame.

There are plaques all the way around the statue with other famous Texans, including Mac Davis, Waylon Jennings and ... G. W. Bailey? I bet they wish they had that one back.

But somewhere around 1997 they apparently had an "oh shit!" moment. It seems that whoever mounted the plaques every year had been mounting them lower and lower. So instead of fixing them, they just started back the original height, I guess hoping no one would notice.

And then apparently they ran out of famous people in 2006 and started making up names.

Jennifer Smith???? Was John Doe not available?

And then the Walk of Fame ends abruptly after 2006. Apparently they ran out of famous Texans. It's just a shame that Willie Nelson never got famous enough to make it in...

Mamma Mia!

If you happen to find yourself in Levelland , Tx - about 30 minutes
west of Lubbock - be sure to stop in to the Mamma Mia pizza kitchen.
Excellent pizza, friendly service and awesome cinnamon sugar pizza!
Tell them the guy who wanted veggie pizza sent you.

From the road: The Cadillac Ranch

That's right. I climbed up on top of one.

From the road: Macgregor, Tx