Hong Kong, July 2015: Mark and I drag our jetlagged bodies to the front desk of our hotel seeking information about Hong Kong street food. A lovely, petite young woman greets us. As is typical for us, we start the conversation with “So… what is your favorite place to eat with family and friends?”
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June 3, Day 3: Birmingham earned the nickname “Bombingham.” Between 1947 and 1965, more than 50 dynamite bombs devastated black homes and churches to suppress desegregation efforts in Birmingham.
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June 4, Day 4: It’s mid-morning and time for Porsche Track Experience Part 2: The Big Track. After practicing fundamentals early in the morning, I am ready to barrel down straights, squeal through corners, and fly over hills lapping the Barber track.
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June 4, Day 4: This is the big day… the Porsche Track Experience at Barber Motorsports Park near Birmingham (PTX Bham).
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June 2, Day 2: I arrive at the Porsche Driving School 30 minutes early. I want to review the track before threading someone else’s $100k Porsche through the tight curves that morning. A lone instructor is lapping in the cool morning air at the Porsche Experience Center Atlanta. This is going to be a very good day!
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2015 Sydney, Australia: Mark and I looking for the elusive Mr. Wong in Sydney. It’s not as easy as you might think. We read about its legendary menu and carefully plot “3 Bridge Ln” on Google Maps. But, Mark and I began to doubt our sanity as we walked up and down the alley trying to locate the door…
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July 15, Day 43: Silver Falls should be a National Park. Jean and I assess every hike in terms of it’s “payoff” – the reward for the effort. Typically, this is a great view or wildlife. This park has a ten-fold payoff: ten stunning waterfalls in a single eight-mile loop hike! Three of the falls are over 100 feet tall, with the highest at 178 feet. The trail cuts behind the falls in four places, with sunshine and rainbows before you as you rest in the cool of the rock alcoves. A huge payoff!
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June 11, Day 10: We rose early in the morning to catch Arches National Park at Daybreak. Views were surreal; it was as if we were in a Mars science-fiction movie. The rocks reflected the fiery orange of the sunrise, with the gibbous moon hanging high above in the azure vault of the sky. In the far distance, Colorado peaks were still touched with snow, and dusty green brush filled the broad foreground.
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July 20, Day 49: An extra “Byte” for today – wrestling marmots! Jean and I were hiking down Mount Rainier on the last leg of Skyline Loop Trail and found these two agitators. They were talkin’ smack (well, barking really) and facing off. The action was about to begin.
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July 20, Day 49: Yesterday, we watched the sunrise at Rainier; today, we set out to hike Skyline Loop Trail. Snow still covered much of the mountainside, even in late July. Where it had retreated, bright green grass and wildflowers of every hue displayed their brief glory.
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