Category Archives: On the Road

What Price Data?

My parents, the Notorious Babs and Big L, declared 2013 the year of the iPhone, thusly granting Her Royal Highness and Odd Number their own royal instruments. I use a flip phone that is reminiscent of Captain James Kirk’s “communicator”. My texting prowess consists of prose such as “?” Or “ok” sometimes shortened to “k” […]
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Warming Up at the Ice Rink

Yeah I know — hockey doesn’t conjure visions of warmth. But this is seriously messed up. My loyal and faithless readers (hey mom and dad!) will think I am making this up, but it finally warmed up to single digits below zero Fahrenheit here in Bozeman, Montana. As Her Royal Highness and I drove to […]
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Distracted from the CDT — Again

I want to be writing about the awesome Continental Divide Trail, but between a twisted hail storm beating the crap out of my home and garden and having 2 teenagers, I keep getting distracted. Maybe we’ll talk about the hail storm later, but for now — share my terror. Her Royal Highness just gave Odd […]
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Same Ole River, New Perspective

Although the city limits of Podunk hug the banks of the Salmon River, Iron Chef and I had not floated the wilderness stretch of the Main all the way through to the West side of the state for more than 10 years. Her Royal Highness and Odd Number were little tikes then, and we kenneled […]
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Glamping in Ririe

Every now and then our orthodontist, who makes monthly visits to Podunk, requires instead that we travel to Idaho Falls for Odd Number’s 15-minute appointment (no doubt at the nudging of Exxon Corp). Idaho Falls, as you may remember, is a 300-mile round trip that I make only when I have to, which is too […]
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We Did Know the Way to San Jose!

Day 3 of our journey from Podunk to San Jose, California, started in Truckee, CA with a sickening gasp. Her Royal Highness gulped oxygen as she appeared to be looking at her phone. I immediately jumped to the conclusion that she had just received a text informing her that the bridge we needed to cross […]
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4 States in 8 Hours …. At This Rate….

After a 1-day layover in the Spring Break locale that threatens to overtake Fort Lauderdale — Mountain Home, Idaho — we hit Interstate 84 bright and early. I -84 between Mountain Home and Boise is a stretch of road that I convinced myself as a child would soon be replaced my bullet trains and other […]
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Road Tripping without Wings

Hockey has made my family crazy, and now it is taking us to San Jose, California, which is Spanish for “near San Francisco.” Her Royal Highness’ Big Sky Wildcats team re-paid me for driving to Gillette, Wyoming by qualifying for the national tourney, extending what is the world’s longest sports season. Without a doubt, this […]
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Nice Surprises

I am a sucker for nice surprises, like Sting making a cameo appearance at the Grateful Dead’s 1993 Vegas show, or Iron Chef giving me fancy chocolate when it’s not my birthday or anniversary … Or finding out that Garden City, Idaho is the somewhat unlikely home to some amazing wine tasting. Garden City has […]
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Guest Post — Alabama Shakes, a Professional Review by Jackie the Journalist

Hello Podunk Meets Paradise readers! I’m just an Oregonian visiting the big Capital City for a very special 30th birthday. Due to a few unforseen circumstances I’ve been elected to recount last night’s events, at least from my point of view. Before getting started I will divulge that I am sort of a professional, spending […]
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