I spent today packing up and getting things ready for take off tomorrow. Got the rear shocks replaced on the car. And you know what I am tired of? This conversation:
"Hi, I'd like to get the rear shocks replaced on my car. Or maybe struts..."
"Well which is it? Shocks or Struts?"
(Well one of us is a professional auto mechanic... perhaps he should answer that question.)
On a packing note, how many T shirts does one need for two months? I started out culling the herd pretty sharply, but then I found that I still had packed 7 cotton T shirts and 15 synthetic. Total overkill. Now I am down to 5 and 10 but I sure it is still too much. Ah well at least I will not be carrying the results of this decision on my back.
Friday, February 29, 2008
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Beer!!!
I listed my status on Facebook as drinking beer in Portland for the last few days. Oh man, was that true.
Monday: had lunch at The Great Lost Bear (Sheepscot Boothbay Bitter on cask), visited the Allagash brewery (tasters of Allagash Black, Double, Triple and White), hung out with Sarah and Brett at their apartment (Weyerbacher Insanity, Allagash Triple)
Tuesday: visited Brett, Megan and Hannah (Casco Bay Pale Ale)
Wednesday: Ebenezer's Pub (Struise Earthmonk, Port Brewing Hop-15, Struise Black Albert, Lost Abbey Judgement Day)
Thursday: Portsmouth Brewery (Portsmouth '07 Barleywine on cask, sour brune taster) Track 84 with Abomb (Ayinger Celebrator Dopplebock, Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout)
Yep that's 16 different beers in four days. Time for bed....
Monday: had lunch at The Great Lost Bear (Sheepscot Boothbay Bitter on cask), visited the Allagash brewery (tasters of Allagash Black, Double, Triple and White), hung out with Sarah and Brett at their apartment (Weyerbacher Insanity, Allagash Triple)
Tuesday: visited Brett, Megan and Hannah (Casco Bay Pale Ale)
Wednesday: Ebenezer's Pub (Struise Earthmonk, Port Brewing Hop-15, Struise Black Albert, Lost Abbey Judgement Day)
Thursday: Portsmouth Brewery (Portsmouth '07 Barleywine on cask, sour brune taster) Track 84 with Abomb (Ayinger Celebrator Dopplebock, Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout)
Yep that's 16 different beers in four days. Time for bed....
Is There a Heaven For Beer Drinkers?
Well if there is a heaven for beer lovers then it is a magical place where the beer changes to fit each person's individual palate, presenting the perfect taste and consistency for that moment in time. Changing to create the perfect fusion of mood, food, climate and beer. Unfortunately a place serving such a beer does not exist on this lowly planet. There are however places that can only be described as outposts of beer heaven. Places where mere mortals labor in the world of beer to produce or serve the pinnacles of brewing. Beers that exceed all reasonable expectations for beers of that type and leave your mouth dying for another taste. Beers whose flavor and texture leaves a lingering imprint on your mind for years to come. I have been to three such places and many more poor imitations. Yesterday I drove up through the snow in Maine to reach Ebenezer's Pub.
Is there a Holy Grail of Beer? I would say there is not. I mean no two beer drinkers have the same palate. For example, my dad doesn't like heavy beers. He likes good beer. But I have tried several of the mostly highly regarded beers (among the beer drinkers world) on him and he just kinda makes a face and says "Not bad, but not for me." So with him I took a different tack. I have been plying him with the better rated beers in specific types that appeal to him, and this has worked out quite well. However this means that my "Holy Grail" would be nearly undrinkable for my father, and his would just crack my rotation as a refreshing summer beer.
Keeping that in mind, if there was a Holy Grail of beer you would find it at Ebenezer's Pub in Lovell, ME. Chris and Jeni, the proprietors have created a bar that is truly amazing. With 35 taps serving a crazy variety of always great and often incredible beers from around the world. The tap selection is fantastic but it is quite literally overshadowed by the unbelievable bottle selection. Chris has put together an absolutely unparalleled collection of rare and vintage beers. Stuff you just can't find anywhere else.
Well this is the part where I come in. Chris loves beer from a brewery in Santa Rosa, CA, Russian River. (As do I. It is another outpost of beer heaven, but it is one that will have to be addressed in a later post.) I recently made a trip to California and brought back some beer from Russian River. That is not as easy as it sounds, I brought back 19 bottles and they were all wine bottle sized. Bubble wrap and my clothes sufficed to keep them whole in my checked luggage despite my concerns. Both bags were nearly overweight, but not by much and the woman who checked me in didn't look at the scale.
In any case, yesterday I drove up to Ebenezer's to bring Chris the beer I brought across the country for him. And he was stoked. He drooled over the beer for a bit, and then we went into the bar and hung out drinking some of his excellent beer for a few hours. He fired up the deep fryer and we ate a medley of fried chicken parts to soak up the alcohol. Despite that I had to hang out for another hour or so 'til I was good to drive back to Portland through the snow.
We had some Struise Earthmonk, Port Brewing Hop-15, Struise Black Albert, and Lost Abbey Judgment Day.
Another fantastic journey into the woods to visit the man who would guard the Holy Grail of Beer if there was such a thing.
Is there a Holy Grail of Beer? I would say there is not. I mean no two beer drinkers have the same palate. For example, my dad doesn't like heavy beers. He likes good beer. But I have tried several of the mostly highly regarded beers (among the beer drinkers world) on him and he just kinda makes a face and says "Not bad, but not for me." So with him I took a different tack. I have been plying him with the better rated beers in specific types that appeal to him, and this has worked out quite well. However this means that my "Holy Grail" would be nearly undrinkable for my father, and his would just crack my rotation as a refreshing summer beer.
Keeping that in mind, if there was a Holy Grail of beer you would find it at Ebenezer's Pub in Lovell, ME. Chris and Jeni, the proprietors have created a bar that is truly amazing. With 35 taps serving a crazy variety of always great and often incredible beers from around the world. The tap selection is fantastic but it is quite literally overshadowed by the unbelievable bottle selection. Chris has put together an absolutely unparalleled collection of rare and vintage beers. Stuff you just can't find anywhere else.
Well this is the part where I come in. Chris loves beer from a brewery in Santa Rosa, CA, Russian River. (As do I. It is another outpost of beer heaven, but it is one that will have to be addressed in a later post.) I recently made a trip to California and brought back some beer from Russian River. That is not as easy as it sounds, I brought back 19 bottles and they were all wine bottle sized. Bubble wrap and my clothes sufficed to keep them whole in my checked luggage despite my concerns. Both bags were nearly overweight, but not by much and the woman who checked me in didn't look at the scale.
In any case, yesterday I drove up to Ebenezer's to bring Chris the beer I brought across the country for him. And he was stoked. He drooled over the beer for a bit, and then we went into the bar and hung out drinking some of his excellent beer for a few hours. He fired up the deep fryer and we ate a medley of fried chicken parts to soak up the alcohol. Despite that I had to hang out for another hour or so 'til I was good to drive back to Portland through the snow.
We had some Struise Earthmonk, Port Brewing Hop-15, Struise Black Albert, and Lost Abbey Judgment Day.
Another fantastic journey into the woods to visit the man who would guard the Holy Grail of Beer if there was such a thing.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
My Life's Brief Intermission
So here I go again dipping back into the world of blogging. I think my motivation this time will again be that I am going to have a lot of time on my hands, and I need something to fill it up with. My last blogging attempt was more due to lack of motivation and boredom during school, but this time is different. I am going to have time on my hands for a different (much better) reason. On top of that I have no lack of motivation for my everyday activities. I do however have a bit of motivation to relay my everyday experiences to friends and family that would like to keep track of me.
What's my deal? Well my life has changed drastically in the last year. I am sure there are people who have had much worse and drastic life changes that I have. In fact I am fairly happy with my life right now, but nonetheless I am a single man again despite my having previously thought that I would never return to that state of being. I have completed my PhD work at Stanford ending six and a half years in Palo Alto (and about 23 years of school in a row overall). I have moved out of California, sort of. Technically I don't have a home right now but that is cool, cause I am ready to hit the road.
I am currently blogging from Portland, ME. I am up here visiting my sister and some friends from college. On top of that, the Beer Advocate #1 ranked beer bar in America lurks in the woods a mere 1:15 drive from here. Tomorrow I'll be heading back to my parents house in Warwick, RI for a few more days to pack up and be ready to hit the road for real.
On the road I will be trying to post to this blog with a few stories and photos from my adventures climbing, backpacking, and drinking beer while trying to never pay for a hotel room. I guess that's enough for now. I will include more of my plans and hopes in the next few days.
What's my deal? Well my life has changed drastically in the last year. I am sure there are people who have had much worse and drastic life changes that I have. In fact I am fairly happy with my life right now, but nonetheless I am a single man again despite my having previously thought that I would never return to that state of being. I have completed my PhD work at Stanford ending six and a half years in Palo Alto (and about 23 years of school in a row overall). I have moved out of California, sort of. Technically I don't have a home right now but that is cool, cause I am ready to hit the road.
I am currently blogging from Portland, ME. I am up here visiting my sister and some friends from college. On top of that, the Beer Advocate #1 ranked beer bar in America lurks in the woods a mere 1:15 drive from here. Tomorrow I'll be heading back to my parents house in Warwick, RI for a few more days to pack up and be ready to hit the road for real.
On the road I will be trying to post to this blog with a few stories and photos from my adventures climbing, backpacking, and drinking beer while trying to never pay for a hotel room. I guess that's enough for now. I will include more of my plans and hopes in the next few days.
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