Across Continents

Ken's Blog

Thanksgiving

November 24th, 2011

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Thanksgiving. Barak Obama had just pardoned a couple of White House turkeys. I was confused. Thought Presidents usually only did that sort of thing at the end of their tenure in office. But it’d got me thinking. What was Thanksgiving all about?

Usual commercialism aside, there appears to be mixed opinions as to the origins of this North American celebration. From what I can discern, the early settlers were having a bit of a hard time of it. Marking the end of their first year in the New World with a bit of a bash. Raise the spirits.

Seems the native Indians felt sorry for the settlers and gave them a turkey or two to slaughter for the festivities. So far so good. Unfortunately, in subsequent years appears everyone was just right out of poultry. Which was good news for our feathered friends. And very bad news for the Indians.

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Unplanned stop

November 23rd, 2011

Ken is forced to make an unplanned stop on his way into San Francisco..

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Route One

November 23rd, 2011

Ken stops for a short break on Route One. Pushing hard for San Francisco..

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Sunday morning oats

November 23rd, 2011

Ken muses about Sunday morning oats..

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Sign of the old home town

November 22nd, 2011

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My home town. Been gone a while, but smaller than I remember…

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Rules are the rules

November 22nd, 2011

Spot of minor trouble at a hiker-biker site. Cue Californian State Parks Police…

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The Fog

November 22nd, 2011

Ken remarks on the ever present sea mist… spooky stuff…

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Pacific coast highs

November 21st, 2011

Ken reaches the highest point on the Pacific Coast bike route. Feeling pretty moist…

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SuperDave

November 21st, 2011

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"Gaddafi is dead" he announced, clutching a small battery operated radio. He’d introduced himself the previous evening as "SuperDave". Heading south towards Santa Barbara for the winter with dog Jasper. Explaining his faithful, if somewhat lethargic, friend preferred a steady seventy degrees. He was getting old.

The pair had been migrating south each winter for nine years. Thirty or so miles each day. Where did they normally stop each night, I enquired, knowing campgrounds were rarely that close together, and some were now closed.

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Campgrounds aside, he explained, you could pitch on land, or behind empty buildings, provided there were no signs to preclude it – "Posted" or "No Trespassing". Never inside dwellings or structures. And not near schools.

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Glimpse of SuperDave

November 21st, 2011

Ken catches a glimpse of fellow traveller SuperDave and his dog Jasper..

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