NickTrip.com

If you know football coaching tirades, you might get this one. Dennis Green, talking about the Bears a few years ago.

Ok, so the weather cooperated, the food was great, and the only thing on my list that I didn’t get to do was go to a Royals game. But I did manage to watch them on tv for a bit. I watched some Chiefs preseason football. My prediction, after some early season struggles with the line and the running game, they will start to click, just in time to close the season on a nice run for a 5-11 season. I make a bet that they don’t finish last. Any takers?

Some of my restaurants of choice on this trip (ranking from favorites down to lesser favorites. Note, the last few on my list are still good choices…at least to me, if for nothing else, some nostalgia)  Taco Via, Planet Sub,Minsky’s Pizza, Chilis,Chipotle, Applebees. Taco Via is second to none. The flat nacho, what an invention!

I was able to get around into the suburbs, check the Waldo area out, head down to the Power and Light district (which may be too swank and pricey for me), but still a GREAT option for the KC area. I loved the rainshowers that came down, the evening storms that only folks in the midwest can appreciate. I could sit and watch a stormcloud and watch lightning for hours. Made it to a casino, Ameristar, and lost $20 dollars. I hadn’t been in a while, almost 3 years.

Overall, the trip was great. I was able to catch up with a lot of friends and family. The enchilada party with some Rummikub was great, followed a week later by an ever larger taco party at home. I played some dominoes also, which was fun. Had to leave early…but with a comfortable lead. Ate some porkchops as well, and got some brisket sandwich in me, to get my bbq fix. Seeing my family was great, catching up with former co-workers, and friends is always nice.

So, I am planning on getting back in December, rather than wait another year to come home. See you in a while. Take care, keep in touch

Been back in KC for almost a week. I absolutely love the fact that I can watch cable tv. Oh, how I miss my old friend. This is the first summer since I finished college that I haven’t worked. The best. Spend a lot of time resting, from what I’m not sure, but resting nonetheless.

Went to a b-day party, had some nice dinners and a breakfast made for me. I appreciate those things for sure. Seen my family, and some friends. Just trying to catch up, but at a slower pace than last summer. Race For The Cure KC, 29,000 roughly. Nice event. Love it every year. Hope to see those that I haven’t seen yet. Keep in touch.

So the rumors of 100 degree weather have been held off, for at least until monday. It has been nice, 70’s-80’s, and will get close to 90 this weekend, but that is tolerable. Once the real heat gets here, I’ll be off to Bend for the Cascade Lakes Relay, to…wait, more hot weather!

How are the Jayhaws looking for football? I’ve read 7-8 wins from the articles I’ve read out here on the west coast. I’m hoping for 8 at least, with a bowl win, 9? I’m certainly ready for football season. I’m glad most games will be on tv, but I don’t get the 11am kickoffs. Perhaps I’m selfish, since I have to wake up at 9am for those games. But I love watching KU football games on tv.

Famous Dave’s in Portland opened up a month ago or so. Still haven’t been. I did eat at Mississipi St. BBQ though in Portland, if I didn’t mention that. North Carolina style. I suppose those that are still bitter about Roy W. wouldn’t eat there. But I did.

Well, the heat left for a while, but then it has kicked back in, and will be back in the 90’s for a while. I don’t mind though. Beats the rain. So I am training for the Cascade Lakes Relay in a few weeks. Well, if 3 weeks of workouts are considered training for 2 days of running, then let’s call it that. I have a 7 mile leg to run. Hopefully I can get through that, since my last leg is 2.4. My conditioning is coming along, as is my confidence, which was very shaky just last week.

I’ve been reading a lot lately. Started with the old testament, some short stories to keep up with my Spanish. Went to a lot of movies last week to beat the heat. Some new, some at the discount movie theatre. XMen Origins: Wolverine-good  Angels and Demons-good

Transformers: Rise of the Something or Other-sucky  The New Harry Potter Movie-great    The Hangover-excellent.  All in all, worth the money spent. I hadn’t really seen a movie in months, so I had some catching up to do. Do anyone hear the rumor that Dave Chappell was in portland for an impromtu comedy show in the heart of downtown, Pioneer Courthouse Sqaure, which by the way, is ranked in the top 4 in the nation in public gathering spaces. So this was some twitter triumph, or failure, since it leaked out on some twitter pages, he only had a 4 foot amp and a mic, and tried to get thousands of people to listen. Didn’t work. I missed it. Would have been funny just to see all those people. Check it out on the net, that’s really all I know.

I’ve been eating pizza a lot lately. I figure since I’m running a bit, I earned it. Pizza Oasis-ok,big slices though    Hot Lips Pizza-good, also decent sized. Perhaps better ingredients, but .25 cents more than Oasis    Escape from New York- I was underwhelmed. Maybe I need to try it again. All of them are thin crust style, which is not my preference. But, I wish Eat Pizza sold by the slice, since it is my favorite.

To close, the AAA All-Star game was in Portland last week. After a run at Lincoln HS, I was walking by the stadium. It was packed, and more folks than usual lined up on the sidewalk outside the left field fence. No lie, I picked my spot, in left-center, and the first pitch I saw, 6th Inning, some dude belts a homer. The melee insued, and it was great. A bunch of crazy dudes fighting after this ball like it was a Bonds crush way back. Well, I moved near the pack, just in case there was a tv camera on the fun. I didn’t get a call from Hollywood to get my acting/modeling career going, so I will say no chance on the camera.

I was a bit sick after I got back from the Europe trip. I’m back on my feet, broke down and went to the doctor. I’ve been enjoying the nice weather lately, in the 70’s. It was in the mid 90’s when I got back. Sick, no AC, and mid 90’s. Bad set of 4 days.

So, I finally went to Burgerville, which is like Braum’s, if you’ve ever been there. The milkshake was great. I’ve been working on a checklist lately. I wrote about 10 activities that I wanted to do in Portland, and I’m down to about 3 more. Well, 2 more. Bungee jumping is off the list.

I’ve eaten some good bbq at Russell St. bbq, and eaten some good mexican food on the east side of town, por que no? Good tacos.

Ok, I still need to play some putput golf, and head back to Vancouver for some awesome bowling and air hockey. Well, I am going to

be home for a visit Aug 4-23rd I believe. Hope to see you.