Today’s Spider
Today’s Spider – We don’t go seeking these things out. They just happen, or, as in this case, we stumble upon them along a trail. I
The 1192
The 1192 – The 1192 climbs up the west side of Doi Inthanon, the highest mountain in Thailand. It’s a lesser known “snake road
The Wild Sunflower Field
The Wild Sunflower Field – In northwest Thailand there is a field, a mountainside, actually, that’s covered in wild sunflowers. If you are
Hill Tribe Clothing
Hill Tribe Clothing – One of the great treasures of the world are the small regional and district museums scattered around the planet. They ofte
Tuesday’s Cloud
Tuesday’s Cloud – I am not, by this post title, promising a cloud shot every day. I’m sure most of you, who are not sharing my curre
First World Problems
First World Problems – The first world is filled with problems. Do I have the absolute hippest gadget? Do I have the most fashionable clothes? D
Another Inexplicable Discovery
How does an Airstream get to the northwest mountains of Thailand? And, once it got here, who decided to turn it into a tourist kitsch version o
Death On The Trail
Death On The Trail – Here’s what death in nature looks like, at a small scale. This is a dead beetle being consumed by ants.
If you want to walk to Burma
If you want to walk to Burma – Just head out over those mountains. The mountains are covered with what the locals call forest, but we call jungl
Today, We Called It “Delicious”
Today, We Called It “Delicious” – Thailand has 102 national parks. We’ve been fortunate to visit a few of them. Today we visit
Stopping For A Cloud
Stopping For A Cloud – The urgent phrase “stop, stop, stop, stop” is frequently heard in and on our vehicles when we travel. It̵
Wachirathan Waterfall
Wachirathan Waterfall – There are a LOT of waterfalls in Thailand. Thousands. Who knows, probably tens of thousands. Some of them are close to c
Today’s Favorite Wat Photo
Today’s Favorite Wat Photo – If you have even a passing interest in history, culture or religion you visit a lot of Wats in Thailand. I
Four Steps of Zoom Yield Probiscus
Four Steps of Zoom Yield Probiscus – Step One: Step Two: Step Three: Step Four:
A Man and His Rickshaw
A Man and His Rickshaw – Pedaled rickshaws are not commonly seen these days. They are mostly used as curiosities and displays, such as these out
Scooter Transport
Scooter Transport – The scooter is the first step up the economic ladder for individuals and families in developing economies. It is usually the
Three Steps of Zoom Yield Arachnophobia
Three Steps of Zoom Yield Arachnophobia – Step One: Step Two: Step Three:
Well, to you it’s just a shoe…
Well, to you it’s just a shoe… But to the locals, it’s a home.
GE UM12C at Sawankhalok Station
GE UM12C at Sawankhalok Station – I was fortunate to be visiting the Sawankhalok Station, in Sawankhalok, Thailand, when a local freight train a
Sunrise at Wat Saphan Hin
Sunrise at Wat Saphan Hin – There are two periods of time when it’s worth shooting most outdoor locations: sunrise and sunset. These are t
The March of the Termites
We were out exploring some Wats that are surrounded by forest and jungle when Steph came across these termites on the march. Although the surfac
Why We Wander
Why We Wander – There’s a reason why we choose to wander about on our own. We’ve tried group tours. Once. We quickly learned that we are not gro
The Home for Wayward Tractors
Some things just cannot be explained. How do a bunch of antique International Harvester tractors and trucks end up in a roadside museum in Thailand? A
Chaos Monkey
Chaos Monkey – Many ask, “Hey, what’s the big deal? After all, it’s just a monkey. A monk
Photon Delivery Vehicle
Photon Delivery Vehicle – Vehicles come in all shapes and sizes. Just about every type of vehicle gets customized. This tour bus is my winner fo
Urban Prerunner
Urban Prerunner – The Toyota Prerunner model was introduced to leverage the mystique of purpose-built trucks used to pre-run off-road race cours
How Not To Start Your Day
As a shooter, this is not how you want to start your day.
Where are you going, anyway?
Where are you going, anyway? Implicitly and explicitly, we get asked these questions: Why don’t you just settle down into a regular life again? What
Getting There
Our first leg was on a new Airbus 380 with a capacity of 526 people. We were five rows behind the pilots and I got a peek into the flight deck. We
The Crossroads and the Compass
The Crossroads and the Compass – 7 April 2012 We don’t ride as much as we used to. That’s not a good thing, but it’s just the way it’s b
Great post on lessons learned from world travel
As most of you know, we spent most of the time between 2003 and 2009 exploring the world. We’ve got our own list of lessons learned from those t
Sunrise, Many Glaciers Lodge, Glacier National Park
This was the sunrise view from the balcony of our room today at the Many Glaciers Lodge, Glacier National Park, Montana, USA. (click on image for larg
One for OJ
19 July, 2010 While Scott is out wandering the world, we are left to more pedestrian, plebeian pursuits. Devoid of exotic destinations, we must settle
Steph Hits The News Again – Twice In One Day
Steph is in the news again. This time twice in the same day. First, in a story in MSN Money: http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/SavingandDebt/FindDe
Doug’s Tip Makes Engadget – the D620 Story
Steph was on TV on Wednesday and I get a mention on Engadget on Friday. Quite a week for us. http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/02/dell-latitude-e6410-
The Seekers – 2009
Back in 2004 I wrote a holiday message about our Christmas tree titled The Seekers. It turned out to be one of the most popular essays of that era
The Stadium
In traveling through 43 countries across six continents, we’ve seen quite a few ancient stadiums. From Rome’s definitive Coliseum to lesser known
Canon Powershot S90 Evaluation
S90 Information: August 19, 2009 Canon USA Press Powershot line press release: http://www.usa.canon.com/templatedata/pressrelease/20090819_powershot.h
It’s a Small World After All
Americans don’t get out much. That should come as no surprise considering that, according to the U.S. State Department, only 27 percent of Americ
The Old Ways
Reentering the grid is a challenging experience when planned and voluntary. When unexpected, arbitrary and not of your own making, it is doubly so. At
Expedition Detritus
Much to the chagrin of my long-suffering wife, I’m a bit of a pack rat, as well as a horizontal filer. What that translates into is an office that i
3rd World Gear
Setting up a house can often be laborious, if not tedious, but there are some hidden joys. Such as unpacking all the motorcycle stuff that’s bee
Any Major Move
Any major move begins with a truck full of stuff. Click here for the rest of the story: http://www.hackneystravel.com/writing/2009/texas/anymajormo
Truck Camper Magazine Interview – Part Two
Part two of our interview by Truck Camper Magazine is here: http://www.truckcampermagazine.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=842&a
Five Star Happy Campers
While unpacking the Fuso after its arrival from South America we found a few pounds of white powder. We were not amused. Click here for the rest of
The Fuso Stuff
We’ve been asked more than once what we carried on the Fuso in its 10,000 liters of locking storage space. Since we loaded it as we built it, an
Truck Camper Magazine Interview – Part One
We were recently interviewed by Truck Camper Magazine. The interview is here: http://www.truckcampermagazine.com/index.php?option=com_content&task
The Circle of Trust
OK, so it’s been a while… Four months, in fact. It’s been almost exactly four months since we handed over the keys and paperwork to ship
The Quotidian Effect
“The transition from ‘astronaut preparing to accomplish the next big thing’ to ‘astronaut telling about the last big thingR
Harkin vs. Loring
We’re visiting my mother and grandmother in northwest Arkansas. They are at an age and in a place where politics are discussed, religion is assumed
Band Jocks
This year we’re participating in an American summer tradition: The Drive Across The Country. Our route this year takes us from San Diego, Calif
Fuso Update
Our Fuso is still in South America. We’ve had some issues with the American shipping company we contracted to ship the truck from Guayaquil, Ecu
Kindle 2 Update
Here’s an update on My Life With Kindle After a little less than one month of use, my Kindle 2 died. It was a horrible, distorted death, manifes
The King is Dead
Someday, we will all look back and reflect on how significant it was that we lived through the death of the American newspaper industry. Right now, ho
How to Use a Kindle Overseas
Because our intention is to continue traveling overseas, Steph spent a lot of time iterating with Amazon sales and tech support to work out a viable s
Kindle 2 Review
Steph purchased an Amazon Kindle 2 (K2) for us while we were in South America. It was waiting for us upon our return, and gave me something to do whil
The End of Excess: Is This Crisis Good for America?
Following is an essay on the recent history and status of the United States of America. I found it to be well written and I agree with, and have bee
Lessons from the past – 1979 Valedictory
The Economist recently posted a 1979 Valedictory from Sir Nicholas Henderson, Britain’s retiring ambassador to Germany and France. I found it
Server Rebuild Complete
As reported here, the night after the frame on the truck broke our server was mysteriously wiped out. The hosting company said they didn’t know
Straight in the Eyes
6 March 2009Amazon Basin Rainforest The trip into the Amazon basin begins by air, but must end on the water because there are no roads. Click here for
Fuso Frame Break Repair Complete
Frame repair is complete. Shots from yesterday. Shots from today. Frame break area. Crack area, reinforcement of passenger side to hopefully preven
Fuso Frame Saga Update
Our day began with a beautiful sunrise glowing on the snow capped volcano across the highway from where we were camped. We were in the parking lot of
Just Another Day on the Road
The day started like any other day out here. We got up, got around, had some coffee, tea and toast, and started out again, following our noses around
Fishing Lessons
A friend of ours is starting a new business. I recently spent a morning with the local fishermen, who had some things to teach those seeking busines
Two Books
Since I didn’t have much else going on, I also wrote a couple of books last year.The first, How The World Works, is a book of aphorisms, insight
Status Update
A brief update: Late Oct/November 2008: Ecuador – Cuenca, Otavalo & Quito Mid-Nov to early Jan 2009: Back in the USA for the holidays. We ca
The Guide
Hello. My name is Iggy and I’ll be your guide today. Click here for the rest of the story: http://www.hackneystravel.com/writing/2009/ecuador/
Fuso Footprint
It was pointed out on a forum I participate in that while I am advocating conservation and energy independence, we live in a vehicle that is not all
More Oil Info
Here’s some additional oil factoids: Source: DOE http://www.eia.doe.gov/kids/energyfacts/sources/non-renewable/oil.html Sourc
One Lap of America
The PDF version of this document is here: http://www.hackneystravel.com/writing/2009/ecuador/onelapofamerica.pdf Last year I met a European traveler i
Parallel Worlds
The tailcoat was electric blue, and being pressed up against the car, covered the window. I’d seen something close to the tailcoat’s color in a pe
The Hat Photo
I’ve been getting a lot of requests for a shot of me in the hat from the story The Hat Man, so here it is:
Stuff-o-holic
Hello, my name is Doug, and I am a stuff-o-holic. Click here for the rest of the story: http://www.hackneystravel.com/writing/2008/ecuador/stuf
Polywogs No More
300 years ago in the Royal Navy, we would have been dragged through the ocean from a yardarm and nearly drowned. Even today, in the United States Navy
2008 September Photos Posted
Photos from September 2008 are posted here: http://dhackney.smugmug.com/Travel-Photos-by-Year/2008/2008-09-September/ Photos are all from Peru
Instant Karma
“Instant karma’s gonna get you” I grunted and rolled over, but the knocks came again. “Knock, knock, knock!” harder this time. I crawled dow
The Hat Man
The old man motioned from the dark opening. Come in, he prompted, come here. Steph called over her shoulder as she crossed the street, “Doug, come o
2008 August Photos Posted
Photos from our travels in August 2008 are posted at: http://dhackney.smugmug.com/Travel-Photos-by-Year/2008/2008-08-August/ These photos are from
Lunch with Ernesto
We stopped at Cabo Blanco, Peru, for lunch today. Cabo Blanco is popularly known for a couple of things, and less known for two additional things, bot
The Promised Land
After more than a month of driving chicken bus roads, where our typical day’s average speed hovered around 20 to 30 kilometers per hour (12.5 &#
Black and White
If you had to choose between black and white, which would you choose? The Cordillera Blanca (White Mountain Range) is the second highest mountain rang
Updated Route Map
I updated our expedition route map to reflect our recent camp sites. I also added elevation data to the info window for each waypoint. The expedition
Chicken Bus Roads
One common denominator of developing country travel is chicken bus roads. No matter where you go in the world, if you get off the tourist trail and ou
Line Ball
The Nazca Lines are located in southwest Peru near the modern-day city of Nazca. They were created by the Nazca culture, who flourished there between
The Transit Stage
We just completed a two day run from our last stop, Ollantaytambo, Peru, to what we hope is our last obligatory tourist activity in Peru, Nazca, home
Weavers 2.0
The 22 highland weavers of Patacancha, Peru received payment for goods sold today. Their efforts to revitalize and maintain the skills of the an
Ride Your Own Ride
The tourist walked up to the restaurant, stopped, glanced at the exterior, looked over the menu on display and smiled, apparently finding something he
Salinas
The hunter-gatherer bent down to the bubbling spring. The water was clear like the other springs he knew. The water was warm like some other spr
Photos Posted: May, June & July 2008
Photos for May, June & July 2008 are now posted at: May: http://dhackney.smugmug.com/Travel-Photos-by-Year/2008/2008-05-May/ June: http://dhackney
Photo Gadget of the Week
Photo gadget of the week is Steph’s Gorilla Pod made by Joby http://www.joby.com/ It enables support/mounting of our pocket cameras and Steph
Updated Conversions Spreadsheet
I updated the conversions spreadsheet and added it to the main travel site. The conversion spreadsheet automates conversions between U.S.A. and metric
Angels 12
The Andean condor (Vultur gryphus) is one of the largest flying birds in the world with a wingspan of up to 10.5 feet / 3.2 meters and weighing up to
El Ojo
I went down to the market and sat down on the curb. I asked around about who was holding but no one was talking. Click here for the rest of the story:
Sweet Sixteen
The air was so thin our breaths came in deep, raspy gasps. The wind whipped us with frigid blasts direct from Antarctica. The sun was setting. We knew
Updated Route Map
I updated our route map to include our camp sites from 2008-04-20 to 2008-07-23. To look at a particular area of our route use the zoom control in the
The Room of Wakes
For 391 years no outsider walked the passageways. For 391 years no outsider touched the walls. For 391 years no outsider saw the interior. Click here
Just Ask
10:15 AM I was sitting at the table outside the gas station using their WiFi to finish our monthly finances when I first noticed it. It was something
La Tirana
Every year there is a festival at La Tirana, Chile. La Tirana has about 250 full time residents. Over 10,000 people come to La Tirana for the festival
Fuso Units at Work
We visited the world’s largest open pit copper mine at Chuquicamata, Chile today. While we were there we had the chance to see the trucks ref
DG 080
Prior to departing for South America I collected a set of GPS waypoints from prior overlanders. They included service locations, fuel stops, poi
Fuso Units
Those of you who remember the post “How Big is Big” will remember that we try to express size in units other than arbitrary measures such as meter
The Shrine
You approach as any new pilgrim would after a long, long journey across the dry, dusty desert. You approach with trepidation. You approach with wonder
Relative Humidity
We crossed the border between Argentina and Chile at Chile Chico on 29 March 2008. We drove west until we hit the Carretera Austral and then tur
Market Town Saturday Night
We broke the rule. We knew the rule. We knew it very well. It was kind of hard not to know the rule since we wrote it ourselves. It is a simple
Pack List for Overland Expedition Vehicles
Introduction This pack list is based on unsupported global travel in developing countries. Developed countries have most of the resources available in
Where My Heart Lies
I am in a rural area. It is a flat plain, with rich, dark, loamy soil. The dirt here is dark, from cocoa to black – from merely laced with fertility
The Boots
We both wanted to buy real hiking boots before we departed the U.S. for this journey. The task slipped down the To Do list until we found ourselves at
Digital Photography Meta Data Overview
Introduction Winston Churchill’s immortal description of 1939 Russia as “A riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma” is equally true of the
Bigfoot Camper Berth Condensation
On 1 May 2008 we discovered major condensation in the berth area of our camper. Click here for the story of diagnosing and fixing the problem: ww
Propane Systems for Expedition Vehicles
Perhaps no other system on an expedition vehicle is as wrapped in mystery or inspires as much outright fear as the propane system. With its inherently
Field Fix: Garmin MapSource Registry Error
Background: Garmin MapSource (GMS) is software provided by Garmin with some of its map products. GMS is used to create, edit and manipulate way
2008 April Photos Posted
Photos of our travels in April 2008 are now posted at: http://dhackney.smugmug.com/Travel-Photos-by-Year/2008/2008-04-April/ Notes: 1. If you’ve
2008 March Photos Posted
Photos of our travels during March 2008 are now posted at: http://dhackney.smugmug.com/Travel-Photos-by-Year/2008/2008-03-March/
Fuel Log
I added our fuel log to the route map. You can click on the link at the top of the page to access the log or scroll down to find it. The fuel log summ
Rare Rewards
The rewards of travel are many. Some are small and some are big. And some rewards, the rarest rewards, are both at the same time. Click here for the r
Service Log
I added the service/repair log for our expedition vehicle to the route map page. Click the link for it at the top of the page or scroll down. Route ma
How To Create Route Maps
Garmin GPS to Google Earth For this task I use GPSBabel, a great little donateware utility, to generate the Google Earth KML files from GPX files crea
Route Map Photos Update
You can get an idea of the places where we are camping by viewing the photos on the route map waypoint markers. I added 800 pixel size photos t
Route Map Update
I updated the route map to include photos and comments for every waypoint after 2 December 2007. Basically, this means that almost every
Follow Our Travels
Route Map I added a route map of our travels to the web site. Click here for the route map: http://www.hackneystravel.com/index-routemap.htm Use th
2008 January & February photos posted
We are back in Chile and finally got a good internet connection, our best in a couple of months. I uploaded January & February’s phot
The Operator
If my foulies could talk, I’m sure they’d have expressed mixed feelings. Sure, they were grateful for finally breathing fresh air again after bein
Northbound on Ruta 7
04/09/2008 01:52:37 GMT 04/08/2008 21:52:37 Local It’s very dark now, but still raining hard, as it has for the last week or so. The work crew l
Tough on Tires
Here’s a shot of one of our rear tires with a newly mounted spare behind it. Total mileage is ~19,000 miles / 30,578 kilometers, with ~5,000 mil
Narrow Passages 2
More recent narrow passages… Tightest one yet. Exiting the main gate. Estancia Telken, Argentina.
To Tell the Truth
We were westbound on the Chile Chico road when we saw them. We’d been through the rough stretch from town to the mine and the subsequent narrow, sin
Best New Photo Gear
For this trip I left my trusty Manfrotto carbon fiber tripod at home. I wanted to get a tripod that was better designed for low shots, but I wanted to
Parallels
In the early 1900s Argentina was the second richest country in the world. In subsequent decades its middle class enjoyed a very high standard of livin
Bad Roads
“Bad roads bring good people.” – Mama Espinoza. That’s the most famous quote from the most famous woman of Baja California, a land of some pre
Firsts
22 March 2008 This has been a week of firsts. Some were invigorating, others interesting and a few downright spooky. For the rest of the story, c
How Big is Big?
Thursday, March 13, 2008 Dear Nakeya, We spent the last two days at Perito Mereno Glacier in Argentina. The glacier was very, very big. When I am arou
The Duck
8 March 2008 We did our first bit of Ruta Cuarenta (Route 40) today. Surprisingly, a short section was paved, but more than a hundred miles was its
The Land of Towers
7 March 2008 The Land of Towers held many wonders. Including waterfalls For the rest of the story, click here: http://www.hackneystravel
The Watching Waters
28 February 2008 We heard of a place, faraway; a place of lakes, mountains and mystery. Photo by Stephanie Hackney For the rest of the story, cl
The Road to Ushuaia
Ushuaia, Argentina, the southernmost city in the world, is more than a place on the map, it is a symbolic destination that becomes a Life List goal fo
Sure Signs
Many times when you see a highway warning sign you never know if they are worth heeding or not. For instance, down here in Patagonia, if you see a gua
Days of Many Moods
14 February 2008 Lago Fagnano, Tierra del Fuego, Southern Patagonia, ArgentinaS54.53362 W67.22849 We found a nice campsite along Lake Fagnano a cou
The End of the World
02/14/2008 54° 48.73′ S We’ve reached the end of the world. All is well. We’re in Ushuaia, Argentina. It’s the southern
The Gas Man
One of the challenges of world travel is procuring fuel. Generally, gasoline and diesel are not a problem unless you are in an area of spot shortages
Making Good Time
02/08/2008 02:10:34 GMT We are 6,186 miles / 9,955 km from the center of the culinary universe, the Maid-Rite in Newton, Iowa. But we are only 697 mil
South American Waypoints
I created a Garmin GPS data file containing South American waypoints from five sources. If you know of any other web sources of overlan
Gildas Kansas Jones
3 February, 2008Trevelin, Argentina Dear Troop 27, One of the best things about traveling around the world is that you discover unexpected things in
The Falcon Sanctuary
01 February 200812:06:37 GMT I was a car guy most of my life. I became car aware pretty early. By the time I was eight or so I was making model dis
Patagonian Light
Before we left Chile we were told by our friend, Jorge, who is a pro shooter, that the light in Patagonia would be like nothing we’d ever seen o
Northern Patagonia
We’re in northern Patagonia. I’m on the BGAN sat system, so this is the most expensive blog post you’ve ever read. Here’s a co
In Argentina
01/28/2008 01:43:25 GMT We crossed the Andes today. Now in Argentina. All is OK. Sent via Skymate
Impressions of Santiago, Valparaiso, Viña del Mar & Riñaca
We spent our first month in Chile in Santiago and the Valparaiso areas. In general, Chile is a fully developed economy. There is very, very little tha
Green – Green – Green
In NASCAR parlance, we’ve come off the red and out of the yellow. We are Green – Green – Green. Currently south of Santiago about 10
The Next Sunday
One week ago, our rig came off the ship damaged. We didn’t know if it was destroyed or not. One week ago, a couple of kids playing with matches sta
The Inferno of La Cruz
Thursday, 17 January, 2008 Our rig came off the ship at 6:20AM on Sunday, 14 January. We had a chance to partially inspect the rig later that day a
Mystery of the Universe
File this one under: Mystery of the Universe When we opened up the camper on the docks here in Valparaiso only one thing was out of place. Our wine op
Fuso vs. Valparaiso Dock Crew – Part 2
We returned to the docks on Wednesday, 16 January, 2008. We were scheduled for an inspection meeting involving three of the parties that operate on th
Fuso vs. Valparaiso Dock Crew
The ship carrying our Fuso, Seaboard’s Thor Nectar, arrived late morning on Saturday, 12 January. Thor Nectar Jorge and I spent from 2PM until
The Long, Dark, Dead End Alley
Have you ever been in a new city, in a new country and done something that broke every safe traveling rule you’ve ever been told or learned? Have y
Emergency Beacon / GPS Tracker
I just came across this company and their product launched 1 November, 2007. Small, lightweight and portable, it combines EPIRB type emergency beacon
Ready to Ship – Final BEV Buildup Photos
We are pulling out to put the rig on the ship to Chile in a couple of days. I am still working down the last items on the endless “to do”
Hackney Travel Update – 7 October, 2007
Following is an update on what we’ve been up to lately. Web Site Upgrade Project The updates to our travel website are complete. The changes were
Blowing the Glass Balloon
While we were in Lincoln City, Oregon, Steph arranged for us to learn how to blow glass at the Jennifer L. Sears Glass Studio. I’ve been intere
The Dorymen
In the first light of day, before even the dawn, they come. Down to the base of the dune cliffs, down to the sea’s edge, they come. They come as
Money Creek, MN rally site destroyed by flash flood
Message below from our Milwaukee friend Bob Grambling. I met Bob at a sushi bar down the street from my apartment when I was living in downtown Mil
In This Land
Please see the PDF document at: http://www.hackneystravel.com/writing/2007/in-this-land.pdf
Hitt Wash Crossing
30 July, 2007 Hitt Wash Santa Maria Mountains Northwest Arizona, USA The white Toyota Tacoma pickup slowly moved into the water, dipping its front whe
Ladies and Gentlemen
The crowd of 8,000 was a ten on the scale of eclectic. From the upper stratosphere of the moneyed, to the denizens of the Free Box corner, to the blue
My Favorite Cubs Game
One summer afternoon, sometime in the mid-80s, we were sitting around the kitchen table at my friend Floyd’s place. It was the 2nd story of a typica
Aren’t You Afraid?
Please see the PDF document at: http://www.hackneystravel.com/writing/2006/afraid-03.pdf
Reflections on China
A friend asked me for some thoughts on China based on my research and travels. Please see the PDF document at: http://www.hackneystravel.com/writin
Year One
Just before midnight local time on the night of 27-28 August, 2005, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) weather buoy #42003, lo
22 Men
While visiting the R.B. McLean Mill National Historical Site, the last remaining commercial scale steam powered sawmill in North America, I had the op
The Rhythm
Turkey Creek Community Gulfport, MississippiSaturday, September 24, 2005 The sky in the east begins to lighten. The rhythm begins. I slip out of be
Down at Del Mar
Please see the PDF document at: http://www.hackneystravel.com/writing/2005/delmar.pdf
Cetacea Incognita
We were approaching the area where the North Atlantic ocean floor rises up to meet the continental shelf, just South of the Grand Banks, which are eve
The Points of the Compass
The sailboat’s compass glowed red in the 3 AM darkness. Quetzal, a late ‘80s Kaufman & Ladd 47 foot monohull, purpose built for the Bermuda ra
The Old Tent
Please see the PDF document at: http://www.hackneystravel.com/writing/docs/the-old-tent.pdf
The Seekers
December 25, 2004 It took some time to get our tree this year. We had a couple of abortive attempts, but one or the other of us was just not in the mo
One Out, One In
5 October, 2004 I was watching the GPS count down the kilometers. We were riding down a dirt road on the outskirts of Beijing. It was a rough track, f
Fire in the Hole!
3 October 2004 “Fire in the Hole!” I screamed it before I consciously thought about it. To my right, Dennis, who tells horrific, blood curdling ta
The Death of Development
7 September 2004 Japan is dying. Japan, a nation that has existed for thousands of years, a nation that has the world’s most developed infrast
Today’s News
June 23, 2004 I just read the newspaper for the first time in over six weeks. That may not seem like too big of a deal, but I’ve been reading the pa
America Knows No Tribe
June 22, 2004 America knows no tribe. This fact was first brought to light for me by a Sikkimese businessman during a three hour interview I con
The Footsteps of History
June 5, 2004 Hello to all, This morning I awoke to the soft pastel light of sunrise illuminating the two story high stone wall of our bedroom. The lig
Our Conversation with the Bedouin
Please see the PDF document at: http://www.hackneystravel.com/writing/2004/syria/05-conversation-with-the-bedouin-16.pdf
e-Postcard from Sikkim, India
April 12, 2004 I felt like Ralphie. I couldn’t think of a single thing. My mind was as blank as a mid-winter Iowa cloud-covered sky. Ralphie, hero o
e-Postcard from Darjeeline, India
Please see the PDF file at: http://www.hackneystravel.com/writing/2004/india/darjeeline.pdf
Independence Day
“Hold on, I’ve got to take this call” “Ok, no problem,” I said. I was sitting in my friend’s office in Chicago. I’ll call him Tony. His
