Miles the Wandering Chihuahua

Looking for advice from veteran bloggers.

2007-07-23T21:52:00.000-07:00

Being quite new at this, I'm looking for a little advice from those of you out there who've been blogging for a while. I'm experimenting with different ways to present photos with my travel stories. Previously I've just embedded them into the post for all too see, like this...

With cool underlining captions

but that system seriously limits the number of images I can include in a post before making my text seem like an afterthought.

So, on my last post I simply linked to the images in my text like this This method allows me to insert many, many more photos, but requires the reader to click a lot, in and out of my page, back and forth, which will eventually annoy the user into leaving forever. I've considered making the text links open up new windows, but that would probably be even more annoying. Nobody likes pop-ups. So my question to all you coding, designing bloggers extraordinare is, how can I effectively insert a bunch (let's say ten or so) photos into a five or six paragraph story without using enormous amounts of space, and without annoying my readers? I'm well versed with HTML and know the basics of CSS and JavaScript, but haven't gotten into any of the 2.0 technologies (AJAX, ect..) Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks a ton!

-Miles.

ENOUGH HAWAII ALREADY!

2007-07-22T21:26:00.000-07:00

Again, many terrible apologies for my lacks-a-daysical blogging habits. The problem is, believe it or not, I'm sick and tired of writing about Hawaii. Every time I sit down to write, I go completely blank, and wind up hitting my StumbleUpon button for a few hours. I've completely exhausted my supply of words, expressions, and comparisons to describe green and beautiful. Maybe I'll finish the eight other stories I have planned some time in the future, but right now I'm just completely bored with the whole island. Besides I'm sure my adoring fan is more interested in what I've been up to more recently.

Since Hawaii I've only been on one trip. For the third time this year, I returned to Idaho, this time for a few days relaxation in Lava Hot Springs. Lava Hot Springs is a small resort town built around several naturally heated pools that are a nice temperature for bathing. Unfortunately, the outside air temperature makes going near hot water unbearable until after sunset. During the daytime hours, the best way to cool off is rent a tube and float down the Portneuf River, or plunge 32 feet into the Olympic sized swimming pool. If for some reason you feel like NOT being wet for a little while, take a short walk through the Hanging Gardens. On display is a dizzying array of biting insects. Stop to slap a couple thousand before heading back to the safety of the water. And that's about it. The rest of Lava Hot Springs is composed of a few hick bars (Moose Drool on tap!) a couple of cheap restaurants, and kitschy souvenir shops. I spent three days in a lethargic stupor but went home feeling surprisingly relaxed and refreshed.

Closer to home, like the rest of the world, I've been swept up in Harry Potter fever. First camping out for 18 hours in front of the local movie theater for the opening night showing of the Order of the Phoenix, then hooking up with a group of imposters at FYE at midnight before the release of the Deathly Hollows. I haven't read the whole book yet, seeing as how I actually have to work and stuff, but so far I'm loving it. I lied awake for two hours nearly crying last night, and that's only after the fifth chapter.

Upcoming on the travel slate is a quick day trip to San Fransisco, camping, and maybe Denver. Methinks I'm going to attempt the dreaded same-day passport office. I'll be sure to let you all know how it goes.

-Miles

Wonders

2007-07-07T22:42:00.000-07:00

In high school one of my teachers once asked me to name the 7 Wonders of the World. My answer was something along the lines of; Um... the pyramids, and the uh, grand canyon, and erm, Rome.... right? Most people these days are only vaguely aware that there is such a thing as the 7 Wonders of the World, and very few know what they are. The main reason for this is only one of the original Wonders is still standing, the Pyramids at Giza. That's why the New7Wonders Foundation announced today (07-07-07) the NEW 7 Wonders of The World. And the winners are....

Chichen Itza, Mexico
Christ Redeemer, Brazil
The Great Wall, China
Machu Piccu, Peru
Petra, Jordan
The Roman Colosseum, Rome
The Taj Mahal, India

I personally am pleased as punch. I've always been a little disappointed at the fact that I'll never be able to say that I've seen all 7 Wonders of the World, but now that has changed. If you don't already know the story behind this amazing effort to find the best of the best of man's structures, go check out their website.

If you missed out on the opportunity to cast your vote for the New 7 Wonders, don't worry! It now looks like the New7Wonders Foundation is beginning to take nominations for the New7Wonders of Nature. Nominations will continue through 08-08-08 and then the top contenders will be voted on by humanity. Start racking your brains for the most beautiful, breathtaking, and awe-inspiring sites mother nature has blessed us with!

Miles

Is this how writers block starts?

2007-06-23T09:17:00.000-07:00

So, I'm a terrible blogger. Ok, not terrible, just INCREDIBLY slow. I'm averaging one post a month. Ewww..... I mean, I guess I could just make up some short little post everyday where I don't really say anything, but that's not why I'm here. I'm doing this blog because I want to learn how to write. I want to learn to write well. I've been studying travel writing for a while now and feel like it's time for me to give it a shot. But I'm just so SLOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWW.... I don't know any other writers, but seriously, how long should it take to write a five paragraph story. Certainly not a whole month.

I've been reading lots of travel writing lately. I finally decided to knuckle down and read some "classic" travel writing, namely The Innocents Abroad by Mark Twain and On The Road by Jack Kerouac. Now, it's Mark Twain and Jack Kerouac, so of course they're going to be brilliant, but as I'm reading I keep wondering how long it took them to come up with passages like this one from The Innocents

"The island in sight was Flores. It seemed only a mountain of mud standing up out of the dull mists of the sea. But as we bore down upon it, the sun came out and made it a beautiful picture - a mass of green farms and meadows that swelled up to a height of fifteen hundred feet, and mingled its upper outlines with the clouds. It was ribbed with sharp steep ridges, and cloven with narrow canons, and here and there on the heights, rocky upheavals shaped themselves into mimic battlements and castles; and out of rifted clouds came broad shafts of sunlight that painted summit, and slope, and glen, with bands of fire, and left belts of sombre shade between. It was the aurora borealis of the frozen pole exiled to a summer land!"

*sigh*Did Twain sit for hours on end pouring over that paragraph, writing, rewriting, editing, and rearranging, as I would have had too? Or was he simply so brilliant that he barely had to think about it? Just write what was in his mind, make a few small changes, then send it off to the publisher. Either way, I have prose envy.

Who you calling Chicken?

2007-06-02T21:17:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned before, when you befriend someone at a hostel there's no telling where you might end up. Especially when that someone needs a place to live.

Jewels, my friend from Little Beach, had recently moved to Maui. She is one of the bravest, most confident people I've ever met. Tired of the dirt, pollution, and crime in New York, she'd simply decided it was time to go, and off she went, just like that. The only things she'd brought were a few changes of clothes, a mandolin, and a burning sense of independence and determination. She'd been living at the Banana Bungalow for about a week and had finally found a place to live. Some locals in town had told her about a place way out in the middle of nowhere called the The Chicken Shack. It was owned by an old hermit hippie who's only aspiration in life was to sit around and grow pot. I was a little skeptical, but it was her only option, and she seemed pretty excited about it. The problem was she didn't have a ride, and her new landlord's only advice was to hitchhike. So, donning my shiny silver rent-a-car armor, I set out to rescue the displaced damsel.

Our first challenge was actually figuring out how to get there. Jewels had been to the Chicken Shack once and could only remember small fractions of how to get there. We called the landlord, and he spat out a dizzyingly complex set of driving directions fast enough to get a speeding ticket. I asked if he could slow down, but he simply scoffed and hung up. We began our journey with what little bits of knowledge we could piece together. Start out on the Hana Highway, over a bridge, and turn left onto a dirt road just past the first fruit stand. We made it that far alright, but the minute we left the main road we were instantly lost. When you leave the well paved tourist highways in Hawaii, the dirt paths quickly become a maze of car-sickness inducing ruts more appropriate for a horse and buggy than a rented Cobalt.

At first our fruitless meandering was quite pleasant. We rumbled up and down small hills and curves, past odd and eccentric homes surrounded by colorful flowers and old Volkswagen Beetles that were once tie-dyed but now mostly rust. But as we got deeper into the outback and further from civilization, things began to get spooky. The jungle leaned in closer after every turn and drop. We were completely enclosed by trees and being funneled down a narrowing road with no hope of turning around and making an escape. This is exactly the way grizzly slasher movies start. A couple of dumb kids head out into the woods to find some pot party and wind up getting eaten by the deranged inbred chainsaw brothers. Know I knew why the chubby little man behind the car-rental counter had sternly warned me to NEVER take the car off the paved roads.

We nervously crept forward. Eventually we came to a bridge over a small creek. It looked a little shaky, but my real worry was the large toy horse brutally impaled on a wooden spike on the other side. I asked Jewels how quickly she thought I could navigate this road in reverse, but she was fairly certain this was the way, so we pressed on past the grisly totem. Suddenly the road wasn't even dirt anymore, just a crude path of crushed weeds and grass. I was about to begin an impossible 30 point turn when Jewels gave out a little squeal of relief. We pulled into a large sunny clearing and arrived at the Chicken Shack without running into a single bloodthirsty lunatic. I thought we were out of danger. Then we met the landlord.

The Chicken Shack, in all it's dilapidated glory
The owner of the Chicken Shack was an unbelievably ancient and vile man. Tall and gaingly, he walked with his legs bowed out like a chaffing skeleton. He'd obviously abandoned all notions of personal hygiene sometime long ago. A thick layer of dirt filled in the deep lines of his face. Dozens of flies went undisturbed as they spun drunken circles in the terrible ripe odor oozing from him like hot tar and car exhaust. Large white spots marked the stringy blond hair scattered over his scalp and across his face. More uninviting than his outward traits was his personality. I was concentrating far too hard on controlling my gag reflex to pay much attention to his hazed and stuttering speech, but he seemed extremely skeptical about Jewels' ability to pay the rent every month. She'd already given him $500 to secure her room, and had plenty of money to live off of until she got on her feet, but he wanted more. Everything about him reeked of utter contempt and disrespect for everything, including himself. After an eternity of barely contained dry heaves, the landlord from the black lagoon shuffled away into his tiny hut at the edge of the property, muttering at us to go ahead and move in.

Gardens, and some unexplored dome thing
The Chicken Shack was a large two story house that had been divided into half a dozen or so apartments. These apartments, or at least the one Jewels would be staying in, were roughly the size of an airplane lavatory, but more foul. The entire room was just large enough for a bed, a dresser, and a closet that didn't have enough room for it's own doors. One large white room on the end of the house served as the kitchen, dining room, and living room combined. Large windows let the sun's heat in but not out, and the greenhouse-like effect was staggering. Outside, the house was surrounded by gardens that seemed to be doing well. Short rows of vegetables provided the house with most of its food. Dozens of the house's namesake birds wandered, clucked, and pecked unhindered throughout the property. The entire house shared two bathrooms, one for the boys and one for the girls. I noted that the girls bathroom didn't contain a bathtub or shower. When I pointed this out to Jewels she just giggled and then led me outside.

Yes, it's an outdoor shower. If you can't tell, click on the image to see it bigger

A small shower head was attached to a tree just outside the main entrance. Loofahs and bottles were hidden in the limbs and branches. As fascinated as I was by the idea of showering outdoors, I thought it was more than just a little convenient that only the women were expected to use it, and that the view of the shower from the landlord's bedroom window was obstructed only by the small forest of marijuana he had growing on his ledge.

We lugged all of Jewels' things to her new room, but suddenly realized something wasn't right. The dresser was full of clothes and there were dozens of posters on the walls. Jewels went and found the landlord. He sneered as he told her that the current guy wouldn't be out until tomorrow and she'd have to come back then. I couldn't believe it. The despicable old monster had had us waste our entire morning lost in the Hawaiian wilderness, then sat back and watched as we carried all of Jewels' things to the furthest corner of the house before telling us to pack it all back up and do this over again tomorrow. I wanted to scream at him but he completely ignored everything I said. He simply interrupted my tirade to demand I help him find his wallet which for some reason he'd thrown away earlier that morning. Disgusted and defeated, we drove away, wishing more than anything that there really were deranged chainsaw-wielding cannibals out in the woods, and that they were in the mood for something greasy.

-Miles

Sunny buns and the flying flapjacks.

2007-05-23T21:40:00.000-07:00

When you befriend someone at a hostel there's no telling where you might end up. Half the fun of staying at hostels is meeting people and hearing about the crazy places they've gone or are going and then heading there yourself. Such was the case with Jewels.

Jewels was staying at the Banana Bungalow for about a week while looking for a place to live. She'd recently moved to Maui because she didn't have anything better to do and wanted to get away from annoyances like New York and the Bush administration. Fate brought us together on the hostel's daily tour to the beach and after talking for a few minutes she decided to show me everything.

The beach we were visiting sits on the drier southern part of the island, past the enormous mega resorts and sprawling golf courses of Wailea. As the largest undeveloped beach on Maui, it is blessedly void of giant hotels, showers, water fountains, souvenirs carts, snorkel rentals, or fast food. Just green trees, golden sand, and clear blue water stretching on forever. This gigantic slice of bliss is simply called Big Beach.

Jewels had somewhere a little different in mind however. She led me to the far end of the beach where a volcanic rock wall jutted out from the trees and into the ocean. It looked totally impassable from a distance, but when we got closer there was a sort of stairway carved sideways into the wall. I don't know if it had formed naturally, or if someone had created it, but it completely hid our ascent from the people standing on the sand. After climbing up this secret stairway and over the wall, we were presented with Big Beach's mischievous younger brother, Little Beach.

When standing on top of the wall the only noticeable difference in the two beaches was size. Little Beach is only a hundred yards long, compared to Big Beach's impressive 1.5 miles. About half way down the sandy slope to the other side several other differences bounced and jiggled their way to my attention. In fact, differences were bouncing and jiggling all over. I quickly dropped into one of the only beaches on the island where local police tolerate nude sunbathing. Not everyone was nude mind you, not even the majority, but there was certainly enough skin to let me know this isn't Gidget territory. I was a little nervous at first, but quickly remembered I'm a dog and I don't wear clothes anyways. I didn't think swimming au naturale would be so different for people, but according to the humans, it is. There's a sense of freedom and mischief, and even a childish innocence. If any displays of "unsavory" passion took place on the beach that day they were far off in the bushes, well out of the sight and minds of the people sunbathing, swimming, and playing in the sand.

The real entertainment on Little Beach was the other inhabitants, mostly of the grime smudged, dreadlocked, earth-muffin persuasion. At first they just sort of sat around soaking in the sun, but as the day wore on a drum circle slowly appeared. It began with only a few bongos and a flute, but by the time the sun was setting a wild mass of hippies in various states of undress were dancing, drumming, spinning, twirling, and generally partying in that very special way only produced by a steady diet of granola, yogurt, and marijuana (Don't worry mom, I stayed far, FAR, out of contact high range.)

Most of the revelers carousaled in a more or less controlled way, but the role of wild bacchanalian woman was filled by a middle aged woman who must have been sweating psychedelics. I first noticed her drifting shoulder deep in the water for about an hour with both arms held up at ninety degree angles above her head, apparently offering prayers to the sea. I accidentally floated too close to her and she suddenly whipped around, fixing me with a wide eyed glare and demanded "Where was she?!" Speechless, I helplessly pointed towards the beach. She drifted away and then spent the next two hours jumping in circles. That's right. Jumping in circles. Wild, crazy circles. Tornadoes of arms and legs and breasts circles, giddy and dizzy. The really disturbing part of this whole performance was she didn't really have breasts so much as large day-old pancakes, and her rotations gave the impression that she was somehow trying to flip them over without a spatula. I couldn't help ponder her earlier inquiry. Where was she?

Unfortunately, but I'm sure you understand, I don't have any pictures to share with you of this unique experience. Cameras, while not expressly forbidden, were an obvious faux pax. I did however, snap this one candid shot just as we were leaving.

He must have made friends with someone from his hostel.

-Miles

Miles in Maui: Part 2. Jurasic Park, or Skull Island?

2007-05-20T23:43:00.000-07:00

Looking upward this all seems familiar somehow, like a scene from a big-budget adventure film. I'm in the bottom of a deep moist valley surrounded by daringly steep cliffs. Sheer faces of black volcanic rock, ruggedly bearded with thick green bushes and trees, stare solemnly at one another. The vegetation defies gravity, growing horizontally over the valley. Heavy grey clouds slouch low, washing out most of the spiked mountain tops. A Tyrannosaurus Rex or King Kong could come crashing out of the jungle any second.

I am here in Iao Valley, in the western part of Maui. Fortunately the only monstrosity crashing towards me is a group of chain-smoking Japanese tourists coming from the parking lot below, not the jungle above. Iao (which is pronounced "EE-ow") Valley's abundant beauty has made it a favorite tourist stop. As is often the case with beautiful places, someone thought the natural elegance could be "enhanced" with paved pathways, steel handrails, and large brick restrooms. The someones who think these things are wrong. All this does is simply allow (or force) tourists to look at the rich lush nature here in Hawaii without risking the unbearable possibility that they might have to actually touch it too. Oh well, it's still gorgeous, but mostly when you are looking upwards. At least there are no cheesy gift shops around. Yet.

At least I decided to get in touch with nature

Simply gorgeous
Iao Valley State Park is small. It only took me about an hour to walk all the wavy winding paths, but I could have stayed all day. Iao Valley is the second wettest place in the state, and it shows. The only things here that aren't green are bright delicious yellow. Most of the water finds its way into the Iao stream. The small waterway bubbles and sloshes its way down to the ocean from towards the Iao Needle, a monolithic spike of hardened lava towering 1200 feet from the valley floor.

Iao Valley, the Iao Stream, and the Iao Needle are at the end of a beautiful winding road known as the (surprise!) Iao Valley Road. Just a little earlier along this road is Kepaniwai Park. Kepaniwai park was built to memorialize the many different cultures that exist in Hawaii. Scattered throughout the lush gardens and trees are traditional Hawaiian, Portuguese, Chinese, Japanese, and New English structures. The center of the park is dominated by an enormous banyan tree. Several local families were holding BBQ and celebrating the birth of a new family member.

The pentagon pagoda, and a home fit just for me!
Lush, extraordinarily green, and teeming with life, Iao valley is a good place to get a taste of the incredible environment and natural wonders that Maui provides. It's touristy and, I think, overdeveloped, but most of Hawaii is anyways. I suppose it's pointless to wish for pristine untouched environments in one of the most popular destinations in the world. Besides, if Iao was still in all its primeval glory, I'd have to deal with all the hungry dinosaurs and giant gorillas.

Traditional Japanese Sculpture, Kepaniwai Park

-Love, Miles

Miles in Maui: Part 1

2007-05-19T21:21:00.000-07:00

Just a little teaser photo

Well folks, I have just returned from my most amazing adventure yet! Maui was everything I dreamed it would be and more. I did so many things, went so many places, and met so many people I scarcely know where to begin. It seems to be difficult for people (myself included) to pay attention to things that take more than five minutes so I'm breaking this trip into several smallish posts. Hopefully this will alleviate some of the ADD syndrome that has surely taken hold during my previous novels. I mean... posts. For those of you who simply CAN NOT wait, I've uploaded most of my photos so you can take a peek while waiting for the stories behind them. Enjoy!

-Miles

Quick update from Maui

2007-05-14T11:48:00.000-07:00

Inside a ramshakle dilapidated building with peeling paint, holes in the walls, and bare floors, I've found a miniture paradise. The Banana Bungalow Hostel is in the ghetto part of Wailuku in the north central part of Maui. I've been calling it home for two days. The Ritz-Carlton it ain't. The walls are thin, the windows are dirty, and the community showers are full of sand. But that doesn't matter, because the people are amazing. I've already made some fast friends and met all kinds of interesting and unique people. The community room is always full of free spirits reading, playing, cooking, and planning their day. Friends abound. Every day the hostel hosts free tours to different parts of the island. Yesterday we visited Big Beach. The largest undeveloped beach on the island, and it's cousin, Little Beach, which I'll talk more about later. ;)

Every creeping minute on Maui is filled with lush green vegitation and chill breezes and attitudes. Today I will hopefully be taking a helicopter tour of the island. Who knows what other adventures await?

-Miles

Soulforce continues to have impact

2007-05-10T22:05:00.000-07:00

A recent post at PrideDEPOT caught my attention. They've been covering the Soulforce Equality Ride in great length over it's journey. Their most recent post on the subject revealed that the Equality Ride has indeed had positive effects on the schools they've visited and society as a whole these effects include

* Six of the schools on this year’s route have new gay-straight alliances.

* An unofficial LGBT support group at Pepperdine University has been granted a new hearing on achieving official group status.

* At Baylor University, students have started a petition asking the institution to review its policy on “homosexual behavior.”

* At University of Notre Dame, the gay and lesbian alumni network has called for a boycott on giving to their alma mater.

* Seattle and New York City proclaimed April 11 and April 14, respectively, as the official Soulforce Equality Ride 2007 Day.

* Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, changed its policy during the course of the Equality Ride. The revised policy clarifies that the university will respond to “homosexual behavior rather than to feelings or orientation.” The previous policy had sanctioned “homosexual behavior, whether implicit or explicit.”

As I mentioned before, I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to participate in this movement. Thanks Soulforce! Keep the love rolling! To read the whole PrideDEPOT article, click here

-Miles

Excitement Excitement.

2007-05-10T21:37:00.001-07:00

I'm like a little kid at Christmas. My mental clock is slowly ticking away the hours. 38 of them left until I head to MAUI! I feel a little shiver (not the genetic kind) run through my fur every time I think about it. I've never been to Hawaii and I simply can't wait. I've had my bag packed for two days now. If I don't constantly distract myself time crawls to a standstill like a drop of honey deciding it's oozed quite far enough.

I can't believe I'm actually doing it! I've been obsessing over this trip for months. It's almost a relief. Now I can start planning something else! I'll be honest, Hawaii is going to be aw some, but it's not on the top of my to-go list. Basically the only reason I'm going is I don't have a passport yet and Hawaii is the best I can do. You can be sure my next big trip is definitely going to be outside the old US of A though.

Planning this trip has been an enormous learning experience for me. Hopefully I've learned the right lessons. First, I'm beginning to figure out that there is such a thing as over-planning. It's best to leave a large chunk of your time free to do whatever happens to come your way. Second, rental car companies don't like renting to dogs. Especially ones as young as me, however, you should always check with whomever you work for to see if they have any corporate discount codes. They may lower the minimum age and species requirements and can waive the underage fees. Also, if you reserve a car with a credit card instead of a debit card, they won't put an enormous deposit freeze on your account. And third, talk to everybody you know about where you're going. You never know who's been there already and can tell you all the best places to go and things to do.

Wish me luck! Aloha!

-Miles

Soulforce Equality Ride 2007

2007-05-01T14:49:00.000-07:00

On the 5th of May in 1961, a group of young men and women, white and black, boarded a bus together. They set out to test the Supreme Court's 1946 decision in the Irene Morgan case, which declared segregated seating of interstate passengers unconstitutional. Along their journey they were met with violence, hatred, and imprisonment, including their bus being fire-bombed, riders hospitalized, and 60 days incarceration in a Mississippi jail. What was meant to be a two-week experiment became a national news story with global implications. Today their journey is known as the Freedom Ride.

With those thoughts in mind I found myself sweltering three inches off of the Brigham Young University (BYUI) campus in Rexburg, Idaho. As tiny dots of sweat began sliding into the corners of my eyes I began to wonder. Is what I'm doing ever going to have any of the significance of that journey over forty years ago? There is no true threat of violence here, but the tension is nearly as hot as the early spring sun. My feet and knees throb, yearning to collapse. "Undercover" police officers standby in the shade of small trees, just a yard away, making sure none of us cross onto the cool, inviting grass. I'll bet the Freedom Riders wished they'd had it this easy.

More fun than Where's Waldo! Where's Miles?
The Equality Ride is a two month journey inspired by the Freedom Ride and the civil rights movement. Fifty young adults, three of whom are very close friends of mine, have traveled the country, by bus, visiting thirty two christian colleges along the way. Their goal is to have a dialog about the LGBT students at these schools and how they are suffering because of the homophobic policies held there. Guided by the teachings of Gandhi and Martin Luther King, the Equality Ride hopes to end religious based oppression of homosexuals through non-violent resistance.

I joined the Equality Riders on their stop to BYUI because frankly, I'd rather go somewhere boring and do something cool than go somewhere cool and do something boring. When I called Mike Cramer, my one-time roommate and now a regular Rider, to see how the journey was going, I didn't have any specific plans. However seeing that their schedule matched perfectly with mine I once again found myself winging north to exotic Idaho

My first night with the ride was a true eye opener. More startling than realizing I'm not quite as open minded as I had assumed, was seeing just how much more open-minded my friends had become. They were assured and confident. As we talked it seemed like they knew something I didn't and desperately wanted to tell me, but were waiting for the right questions. When I told Mike that he wasn't the same person as when he left, his reply was simply "I'm afraid that I still am."

The next morning, everyone gathered in the parking lot of the dingy motel where the riders were staying. BYUI had told the riders that they were not welcome and if they set foot on campus they would be arrested for trespassing. Fortunately, due to construction, there was a public road that led almost into the very center of campus. We would stand vigil on that road and attempt to talk with students about how the school's policies are harming gays, lesbians, bisexuals, and transgenders. Each rider would hold a photo of their family to help show the importance of family to LGBT people. As we stood quietly in a circle holding hands, Alexey Bulokhov, one of the co-directors of the ride, helped us prepare for the days events. "Inhale strength and focus and exhale anything that might distract you from your mission."

Mike, Alexey, and Havin at press conference

Soon after forming our vigil line students began to arrive. Those who didn't go out of their way to avoid us hurried by, deliberately dodging eye contact. One girl stooped like she'd stepped in front of someone trying to take a picture, then gave a little yelp and ran as fast as she could away from us. I was confounded. How could people be so terrified of us? I remember when I was young seeing protesters outside large church meetings. I was curious about what they had to say but was too afraid to listen. Is that how these students thought of me now? Did they believe I was there to destroy their faith and deny God? Did they think that we had come with the intention of attacking their beliefs? I began to see just how badly these people needed us.

Equality Ride Vigil Line
Just as I was beginning to worry that we wouldn't be able to share our message with anyone, a nervous young man stepped forward and asked to talk with us. He seemed supportive and glad we were there. This just might work. We managed to talk to dozens of students that day, but we had hoped for hundreds.

We began our planned act of civil disobedience at around 2PM. Eight of the riders stepped out of the vigil line and onto BYUI property. There they set down their family photos, symbolizing their hope to put an end to the hatred and violence that tears families apart. All eight riders were arrested. We would later find out that a mere five hours earlier a man had shot himself after murdering 32 other people at the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.

In light of the Virgina Tech attack, we canceled our plans for the next day, deciding instead to perform community service. After removing restricting berms from around trees in Nature Park, we weeded and trimmed the pathways surrounding the park. The trees hadn't bloomed yet, but I could tell the park would be beautiful later in summer. We talked to a few locals in the park and they were appreciative of our efforts. Later that evening we held a community picnic. Many locals attended including the city police chief who provided fried chicken for everyone. Unfortunately I had to say goodbye before the picnic was over to catch the last flight home.

Our actions didn't bring about any sweeping changes in BYU's rules, nor did any of the schools the Equality Ride visited revoke their discriminatory policies, but I do believe that we have made a difference. I believe that if change is going to happen, it will be through actions like these. After all, look at the original Freedom Riders. After months of hardship, attacks, and unlawful imprisonment, United States Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy petitioned the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) to draft regulations to end racial segregation in bus terminals. The ICC was reluctant, but in September of 1961 it issued the necessary orders, and the new policies went into effect on November 3, 1961. Change can happen, we can and will be the catalysts behind it.

-Miles

If you'd like to donate to Soulforce or would like to find out about participating in their actions, please visit their website at www.soulforce.org

Boring nothingnessess.

2007-04-13T00:13:00.000-07:00

So, I've been playing with the design of my blog a little today and realized, 'by god! I haven't posted anything in AGES!' I had most of a post done on my last trip, but at the last minute my comp died, taking my work with it. I haven't gotten around to re-writing it yet, but I will soon. Promises. I should also let you all know that my next big trip will be Maui in May! Hooray! Which is not to say that I won't take a smaller trip or two in between now and then, but that there is something big to look forward too! Can't wait to tell you all about it!

-Miles

Oh Boise....

2007-03-15T22:16:00.000-07:00

Just outside city hall
Inspiring no?

OK yeah, No. Boise is a fine city, but overall, my six hour stay was pretty much the worst trip I've ever been on. The trouble started as soon as I got off the plane and found that I'd missed the bus into town and the next one wouldn't be there for another hour. I wandered around the airport for a few minutes before reaching for my iPod. And then reaching again. Then scrabbling furiously through my overturned backpack before sprinting back to the ticket counter. Long story short, some lucky passenger or enterprising airline employee is currently enjoying 60 gigs of digital entertainment courtesy of my mind, which was apparently still at cruising altitude. Quick travel trip: Never ever EVER put anything in the backseat pocket in front of you on an airplane. No matter how many times you remind yourself it's there, you WILL forget it. And you will never get it back.

The Idaho State Capitol Building
The logical first thing to see in Boise is the state capitol building. Like most capitol buildings (at least the ones I've seen) it's a long flat building topped by a large dome. The interior is gorgeous, made entirely of white marble and decorated with antique furniture. Soft white lights make the building seem to glow in a warm friendly kind of way. As beautiful as the capitol is, it was a little stuffy and pompous.

Inside the dome of the Capitol
Feeling the need for a good stretch and maybe a nap in the grass, I found myself at Julia Davis Park. Dull and empty, the park was dotted with dozens of bare, looming trees. Each tree was surrounded by a three foot perimiter of raw dirt, making them look like they had been set down by UFOs. Squirells twittered nervously and lept from tree to tree, never touching the grass. Something wasn't right here. Cautiously, I took a step forward. The moment my paw touched earth, hundreds of small black cylinders sprang up like booby traps and began wildly machine-gunning water in every direction. Quickly retreating, I barely escaped with my dryness, and, I'm quite sure, my life.

Something about near death expiriences gives me the munchies. Dozens of resteraunts are littered all over downtown Boise, but none of them were really calling my name. I eventually noticed a group of buisness people entering a small mexican resteraunt. "When in Rome" I muttered to myself and followed them in. Inside was dim and over-decorated but clean, and the service was friendly. It looked like the locals knew what they were doing. Unfortunately the cook did not because my first bite of burrito revealed bright red pork, green tomatoes, and brown lettuce. Wondering how anyone could get all the colors of a meal so perfectly confused, I paid for my drink and left.

Sustained by two baskets of chips and a glass of Dr. Pepper, I proceeded to the Idaho Anne Frank Human Rights Memorial. The center piece of this beautiful monument is the 180 foot Quote Wall which is covered in inspirations from hundreds of poets, philosophers, and presidents as well as children, slaves, and unknowns. Inspired by the journal of Anne Frank, the park was built with the hopes of promoting respect for human dignity and diversity. Children wandered along the wall, searching for quotes for a school assignment, while an elderly couple attempted the keep the brisk wind from stealing their picnic. The entire park radiated peace and harmony, and was by far my favorite part of the city.

With at least some of my disgust and frustration of the day nuetralized, it was time to return home. After realizing that there are no actual bus stops downtown and you simply flag the busses down, I made it safely back home and off the plane, this time with everything I got on with.

Till next time, don't sweat the petty things and don't pet the sweaty things.

-Miles.

Vegas or Cliche

2007-03-03T23:22:00.000-08:00

I'm sitting in a soon-to-be darkened theater, contemplating the last two day's events. Hundreds of miles away from my original destination, I've thrown all of my meticulous planning out the proverbial window and spent the last 48 hours simply following my nose, trusting serendipity and karma. And ya know, sitting here, waiting, I'm beginning to realize that this is the ONLY way to travel.

But I'm getting ahead of myself.

As you have hopefully realized, I'm not in Long Beach. The night before leaving I double checked the location of my hotel, and found it's actually about 30 miles away from the ocean. I'm beginning to suspect some sort of curse involving me and the beach, but irregardless, for someone who is automobilly challenged, Long Beach was now a no go. (At least for now.) I still however, had set aside two days for travel and intended to use them. I began reading through my previous posts and realized I have some unfinished business to attend too, therefore.......

BAH DA DA BUM BUM BUM!!

Yes folks, here it is... in all it's glitzy, trashy, neon-ness, LAS VEGAS!! Nearly 30 resorts and casinos are jammed into the 4 miles of desert highway that is commonly referred to as the Las Vegas Strip. In some places they are so tightly compacted that they seem about to explode out into the street like too many books on a shelf. The truly miraculous thing is not however, that they all find room to simply exist. The miracle occurs when you enter and discover that somehow, they all seem even bigger on the inside than they do on the out. From the cavernous interior of the Luxor pyramid, to the seemingly endless Desert Passage mall, I was constantly amazed at these building's ability to contain.

Vegas is truly in a class of it's own. I can think of no where else in the world where so much beauty and elegance is crammed so tightly with so much tackiness, vulgarity, and outright filth. There's nothing quite like gazing beyond the exquisite fountains of the Bellagio at a moving van artfully adorned by a young woman wearing nothing more than stilettos and a large amount of silicone. Written in large block letters across the sides of these trucks are the words "HOT BABES! DIRECT TO YOU!" and a phone number. I couldn't help but wonder how many "hot babes" they managed to fit in a single van, and if half of them had to stand on their heads in order to accommodate their artificial anatomies. Or perhaps the trucks contained only one stilettoed strumpet, accompanied by an assortment of fur-coated restraint devices and a satin sealed mattress. Little red-light districts on wheels. Curiosity, thankfully, did not get the better of me.

Apologies for the terrible lighting. My photography skills are nonexistent

As I mentioned before, I am a true blue Trekkie, so naturally, the number one thing on my to-do list was the Star Trek Experience at the Hilton. The Borg invasion was fun, if a little cheesy and lukewarm, however, the Klingon encounter was a total blast. I'm still baffled as to how they transformed a boring waiting room into the transporter pad in the THREE SECONDS of darkness caused by an "unexpected power failure."

Stepping onto the bridge of the Enterprise was a dream come true. Every detail was perfect. I couldn't help but sneak to the back of the group to try scanning for lifeforms. Computer was non-responsive. After being shuffled through several sharp turns in the plot and a motion simulator, I was safely delivered to Quark's Bar where I celebrated my victory with a highly alchoholic Borg Sphere.

I even met some of the Enterprise crew, and had a little borg encounter of my own!

"Hey, are you seeing a show tonight?" That's how they always begin. It's their lure. I innocently replied that no, I was not. "Would you like too?" Three hours later I was still attempting to explain to a beautiful Italian woman that not only could I barely understand her accent, but that I was not interested in buying time-share. It actually wasn't as bad as I'd anticipated. After staying the minimum amount of time, I simply began interrupting at every opportunity with a quick "I'm really not interested." About eighteen repetitions of the phrase got me out the door with a free two-night stay on the strip and tickets for tonight's showing of Mama Mia, the hit musical based on the songs of Swedish super-group ABBA.

So here I am. Sitting in a soon-to-be-darkened theater, contemplating. Travel often brings out the startling, the overwhelming, and the unexpected, but that's why I love it. It makes my heart pound iron and my imagination spin cartwheels. Every time I leave my front door I come back a stronger, better person. But now the lights are dimming and the overture has begun. A spotlight reveals a young woman sitting alone, outside an inn in Greece.

I have a dream,
a fantasy,
that gets me through most anything.

Till next time, Miles.

(P.S. To see all my Vegas Photos, check out my photobucket. http://s169.photobucket.com/albums/u230/wanderingchihuahua/)

Coming soon to a chihuahua near you.

2007-02-25T09:49:00.000-08:00

I've decided to head for Long Beach, CA this coming Wednesday. I know, I know, it's like the only place I ever go is California, but the beach is practically screaming my name through a megaphone. Right now I'm looking out at a dirty grey sky looming over three inches of violently windlashed snow and thinking, I'm going to have to go out into that to pee aren't I? Not that I'm exceptionally picky about where I pee, it's just so darn inconvienent when it comes out three inches, freezes, and you have to break it off and start again. So get ready Long Beach! I'm holding it for you!

-Miles

A day in LA

2007-02-20T16:24:00.000-08:00

My original intention in heading to LA for the day was to simply lounge on the beach for a few hours. I've pretty much had it with all of the rotten cold weather back at home and I needed an escape. So off I went, nievely assuming that because it's southern California the sun would be shining, the water would be beautiful, and everyone would be tan and beautiful.

What a dupe.

The instant I stepped out of the airport, it was fairly obvious this was not a beach going type of day. The sky was cloudy and overcast, and brisk gusts of wind occasionally sent shivers through my body. (Even more than a chihuahua is naturally inclined too.) With that realization I immediately ditched my original plans and decided to see the city instead.

Now, I didn't really have a lot of planning or direction through my adventure in LA, so maybe this opinion is unfair, but LA is NOT a good city to try and see on foot or bus. Everything is sooooo spread out.

I'd never been to LA before and had no idea where to start, but a friend of mine had told me that I HAD to check out West Hollywood. I had no idea where West Hollywood was but determined to find it, I hopped on the Metro and headed down town. I got off on the stop labeled West Hollywood and found my way to the surface. From there, I promptly got lost. After stopping in a coffee shop and asking for directions, I found out I was about 3 miles away from where I wanted to be. Great. An hour and a half of bus transfers later, I finally found my way to the gay mecca that is West Hollywood.

I managed to glimpse the sunset strip as the bus sped past, but was a little slow on the pull string and decided not to get off till Santa Monica. Santa Monica Boulevard was nice, with all sorts of nice resteraunts and other um, interesting establishments

All in all, it was an ok day, but I wish I would have done a little more research before I left so I could have spent less time traveling and more time seeing the sights. Maybe I'll go back someday and check out something cool, but for now I've learned some valuable lessons about travel, and a little about LA. Till next time, keep your stick on the ice!

-Miles

Still gettting nowhere.

2007-02-03T23:41:00.000-08:00

Ok, so. Blah. I still haven't been anywhere since San Jose. Ok, I guess I did hit up the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah for a day, but I forgot to grab my camera so I don't have any cool celeb photos for you. I did just happen to walk past Cuba Gooding Jr. and that tall skinny guy who played Shaggy in the Scooby Doo movies. And that black guy who played the Arab dude in the Chronicles of Riddick. Other than that though I didn't really have the time or money to check out any cool indie films or go to any swank parties, but it was fun to just walk around and be in the atmosphere. Kinda like a carnival, but without all the greasy bums trying to get you to pay 10 bucks to throw a ball in a bucket. Other than that, life is as life is for a dog. I eat, I sleep, I scratch. But I shall travel again soon. SOON I SAY!!!!! That's all

-Miles

Well, now what?

2007-01-19T22:17:00.001-08:00

So it's been about a week since I got back from San Jose, and I'm already getting the itch to head out again. I'm not going to have much time when I go (Most of my trips are about three days) and I'm still trying to finish paying for San Jose, so I want to do a ramen noodle trip. That's right folks, cheap, quick, and easy.

Ok ok ok so Las Vegas isn't really famous for any of those (except the local girls) but what the hell. Las Vegas here I come! I'm a total trekkie and ever since I heard about the Star Trek Hilton I've been dying to go, so now's my chance! I haven't decided on an exact date yet, but it should be soon. Wish me luck and if any of you have any hints on the best things to see and do in Vegas or the best way to get into the Star Trek Experience please let me know. I'd love to hear from you!

Later y'all, and remember it's always darkest before dawn, so if you're going to steal your neighbor's newspaper, that's the time to do it.

-Miles.

Do you know the way?

2007-01-13T23:20:00.000-08:00

So here it is folks! My first grand adventure! Ok, it wasn't particularly adventurous, but it was certainly grand. I've just returned from beautiful San Jose, California. I decided to go to San Jose because it was the only place that I could get a plane ticket. For my first trip I wanted to go to somewhere relatively easy. Vegas or maybe San Diego, but I guess it's conference time and everything was booked. Bleh. Anywho, San Jose is lovely.

Boring factoids.
San Jose is the 3rd largest city in California and the 10th largest in the US. It has also held the title of Safest Big City in America for, um, a while. The last one I can attest too. I never felt nervous wandering the streets, even late at night. Most of the people there are very friendly and helpful.

I like to do things on the lightest budget possible, so I took buses just about everywhere. The VTA is a great bus system that was extremely reliable and got me everywhere I wanted to go for a fraction of what a taxi or rental car would cost. (Besides, I'm not that great of a driver.) I like busses. They allow you to meet locals, and get a better feel for the city.

Blessed Are The Geek

My first major stop was The Tech Museum of Innovation. It was way cool. I've been a geek since I found out what electricity was so this place was right up my alley. It's full of all sorts of high-tech exhibits and presentations. My personal favorite was a game that interacts with your shadow. Admission includes an IMAX presentation in their gigantic dome theater. If you think you've seen IMAX, you're wrong unless you've seen it in a dome.

Everybody is someone else's wierdo

Of course, no visit to San Jose would be complete without a trip to the world famous Winchester Mystery House. The house was built by Sara Winchester from 1884 though her death in 1922. Sara was... well.... a few ants short of a picnick if you know what I mean. She was the wife of the guy who owned the Winchester Repeating Arms Company and was therefore pretty damn wealthy. However, after her husband died of tuberculosis in 1881 and her only child died of marasmus things began to go downhill for her.

Sara consulted a psychic who told her that her family was cursed and she was being haunted by the ghosts of all the people who were killed by her husband's rifles. Oh great. So, what is a distraught, ridiculously loaded and suddenly widowed old woman to do with herself? Down a couple of gallons of ice-cream and watch sappy old movies for a few weeks? NO! Instead, how about you move west and spend the rest of your life building a house designed by dead people. That sounds like a good idea right? Well, it must have to poor Sara because that's exactly what she did. Following her psychic's advice, she purchased a home in Northern California, and immediately began building and didn't stop until the day she died. Sara never used any blueprints but said she got the designs for the house directly from the spirits through her nightly seances. The end result of all of this craziness is one of the most baffling buildings on the planet. The house features 160 rooms, including 40 bedrooms and two ballrooms. The house also has 47 fireplaces, 10,000 window panes, 17 chimneys (with evidence of two others), two basements and three elevators, and that's just the normal stuff. There's also stairs into the ceiling, cupboards that open to flat walls, and doors that lead to two story free-falls onto the hedges outside. She also appearantly had a fetish for the number 13 cause it's EVERYWHERE. 13 stairs in a flight, 13 windows in the bathroom, 13 bathrooms, and 13 palm trees in the driveway, to name a few.
Long story short (too late) if you're in San Jose, check out the Mystery House. It's pricey at $26 for the full estate tour, but worth it if you enjoy architecture, the paranormal, or bored sounding museum guides.

History, plants, and a nap.

The last notable thing I did in San Jose was visit the Rosiscurian Egyptian Museum. It houses an amazing collection of Egyptian and Mesopotamian artifacts, most of which I didn't really know anything about. It's still cool to see a scrap of papyrus though and know that you're probably looking at some ancient egyptian's grocery list. I can't tell you what the 45-minute show in the museum planetarium was about because I only stayed awake for the first minute and 23 seconds. Seriously, if you go, skip the show. The gardens behind the museum were lovely and featured many foriegn and exotic plants, and there is a cool re-creation of an egyptian tomb in the basement.

All in all San Jose was fun, safe, and easy to get around. Don't be fooled just because it's in California, it can still get COLD, so if you're going in the winter, pack an extra sweater.

Till next time, just accept it, your parents HAVE had sex before. Love, Miles

Boring First Post

2007-01-13T22:03:00.000-08:00

Heeeyyyyy y'all!

What's that in the sky? It's a bird! It's a plane! It's a frog! A frog?
Not bird, nor plane, nor even frog,
just little old me, the wandring dog!

Ok, sorry, that's cheesy, but then again, so is the idea of a travel blog written by a stuffed animal. Bonus points to the first person who can tell me where the quote is from anyways. So, here I am, in the big bad blogosphere. Not so tough. Just another cool adventure. You'll find that I'm all about adventures. All of the blogs here are going to be about my travels. I haven't gone many places yet, but I'm always planning new trips and adventures. And I'm always open to new suggestions. I'll also be sure to let y'all know where I'm headed next so if you know of something cool I should check out or if you want to meet me, I always love to make new friends, and I promise I won't hump your leg. I'm also totally new to blogging, so if you have any coaching tips for me, let me know. That's it for now! Look forward to my first trip coming soon! Later!