The Windy City

Chicago has that big city feel to it, with all the big city amenities, without the overwhelming crowds. It is very clean, with many public parks, bike paths and walkways. The riverwalk was one of my favorites.

Yes, it can be a bit expensive to live downtown, but nothing compared to NYC. Transportation is well developed, with buses, trains, subways and airports all nearby. There are lots of free public attractions, parks and recreational areas. One that stood out for me was the outdoor concert venue Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park.

The Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago organizes a marathon to raise funds for charitable causes. Please help my friend Des achieve his 2012 goal by making a tax deductible donation: www.ric.org/campbell

There are lots of fun things to see and experience in Chicago and I highly recommend you visit it!

Doing it the Detroit Way

Detroit is one of the wildest cities I've visited so far. It's such a unique place with an uncommon story behind it. Granted, people outside of Detroit have different views of it, a lot of them negative. But once you go there and experience the place for yourself and meet the people who live there you learn that this city has many positive things to offer.

Despite the statistics and the negative image, I believe this city has a lot of potential and could be a place to call home. You just need to have an open mind and look at the situation from a different perspective.

Welcome to Ohio

I'm spending two nights in Cleveland, OH. It was about a 4-hour drive from State College to here. Interstate 80 has a lot of truck traffic. The speed limit was 70 on some of the stretches. The cheapest gas I've seen so far is here in Ohio: $3.50 a gallon....!!!.

On Friday night I checked out Happy Dog, a local bar with live music. The Polka Happy Hour was covered by DJ Kishka, who was really hilarious:

Second stop: The University of Pennsylvania, State College PA

On Monday April 23 2012 I drove 45 minutes to State College. I stayed there until Friday.

I visited the university campus, including the Palmer Museum of Art and the famous Berkey Creamery.

They have great bars on College St. I went to Pickle's to watch the Champion's League game:

On Wednesday I checked out Indigo Night Club. The drinks there were sooo cheap and good. Cover at Indigo was $4, coat check $1, and I got a Grey Goose and Coke for $4!

On my last night, Thursday, I went to Zeno's Bub, which had some of the best and most varied beers I've ever tried. I had their Otto’s Apricot Wheat, Tröegs Scratch # 61 – Imperial Stout, and the Lindemans Lambic Framboise, all very different, but all highly recommended.

Departure, First Stop: Lock Haven, PA

I started in Stamford CT on Sunday April 22 2012. I drove 4 hours on the first day to Lock Haven, PA, where I stayed for one night.

 I visited the Lock Haven University campus and worked out at the REC center where they have an indoor running track.

It actually snowed here on that day. Gas prices in CT: $4.30, PA: $3.90.

Connecticut to Alaska: Extended Round Trip

My original idea was a one-way road trip from Connecticut to Alaska. How are you getting back, you might ask. Well, to be honest I was going to ditch my car once up there and hop on a plane. But now I may have the opportunity to extend my trip past Alaska...

What I'm thinking is, driving north through Alberta, Canada, Calgary, then Fairbanks, Denali National Park and Anchorage in Alaska, and then driving south through the Alaska Highway (my original route into Alaska) to Vancouver and Seattle. That way I could experience beautiful Alberta and I wouldn't have to drive on the same road twice. I would also get to keep my car ;)

Additionally, after Washington state I would drive down the coast of California to LA, then Utah, Grand Canyon in Arizona, and then Texas. It's a very ambitious  journey, and I'm not certain I will go through with this round trip idea or the orignal one way trip.

What are your thoughts on this trip? Please comment below. Click here for Google Map.

Why Alaska?

The first reason I give to people who ask me why I'm going to the places I'm going is "because I've never been there." I would like to go everywhere I've never been if I could; I think every place on earth offers something interesting to experience. Whether that place is pretty or ugly, pristine or perverse, majestic or dull, I think there's something great to see everywhere.
Of course it takes a certain amount of creativity and intellectual to appreciate things in plain sight that plain people might otherwise take for granted. Most people walk through life and places without admiring the details in their surroundings, either because they're unable to do so, or because they see the world revolving around them instead of the other way around.

There are many reasons why I'm going to Alaska. I was first inspired by the movie Into the Wild. Since then I've been taking action towards this imminent goal. I was also urged to experience the vast wilderness first hand by various shows on Discovery and Animal Planet of course.

Whatever the reason may be, my advice is to pause for a moment every time you're outside. Take a step back and learn to appreciate the simplest things in life, the air against your skin, the sound of trees, the color of the sky. Train your vision and look in directions you might not have looked at next time you pass by a familiar place. You'll be surprised by how many interesting details you miss on a daily basis. Once you've trained your senses to be deeply perceptive you will realize how unaware of everything people really are. It's funny, actually.