This past Sunday I joined a group of friends to watch the Carolina Hurricanes take on the Washington Capitals and I must say, it was quite exciting, though not for the reason you may think. I may have missed the fun at the tailgate before the game but once the game started rolling, I did something I don’t normally do. I opened DraftKings and started making a...
While at the Grits N Granite Bonspiel I was asked to take up the second position at another bonspiel the following week. As I was still out of work, I naturally agreed and headed for Atlanta for the Night of the Curling Dead Bonspiel. This was yet another opportunity to get some experience at another curling venue, visiting friends in the area and take in some local...
Drove down to Atlanta Georgia for another Curling Bonspiel and took the opportunity to stop by the Georgia Aquarium. This is a bucket list location for me as its one of the few aquariums in the world to have a whale shark in its tank. While the whale shark stayed at the top of the tank during my stay, it was still very impressive to see this majestic animal swim pass...
This past weekend I made my way down to my hometown to take part in the 2024 Grits and Granite Curling Bonspiel at the Charlotte Curling Club. The host club put on an excellent spiel and ensured all curlers felt welcome. I curled with my friends from the Triangle Curling Club and took up the Lead position responsible for setting up guards and positioning the initial...
Work has been stressful as we are all wondering if you jobs are safe in the upcoming restructuring. To combat the stress, I went up to Norfolk VA to visit a few friends and enjoy my first visit to the Roar and Pour Event. This event opens the Zoo to visitors who can try various brews from the local breweries while taking in the various animal exhibits around the Zoo...
Welcome to Robbinsville NC, also known as Deals Gap, aka the “Tail of the Dragon”. The Dragon is known by car and motorcycle enthusiast alike for is 11 mile stretch of 318 turns through the mountains. This was my first journey to the Dragon but definitely won’t be the last. Plus, it’s close to the Blue Ridge and Smoky Mountains which means...
It had been several months since I last packed my bags and raced off to explore another destination around the world. I had considered multiple paths including working remotely from somewhere in Europe for a month. Ultimately, the decision was made when my company mandated a week a leave for US based employees. So I set off and found a great deal for a 6 Night stay...
Each time I looked for locations close to Tokyo to visit Nikko popped up every time. I finally made it and was welcomed with cooler temperatures and great seasonal colors. I started my day with a walk from the station to see the Shinkyo Bridge before making my way to Nikko Toshogu, Nikko Futarasan Jinja and the grave of Prince Rinnoji. After, I took a bus through the...
My time is winding down here in Japan and I have a great weekend planned. I’m choosing to stay local for my trip today and visited the local Shinagawa Aquarium. This small aquarium was positioned at the end of a neighborhood park and showcased a dolphin and sea lion show plus a smattering of other exhibits. If you’re looking for a reprieve from the busy...
Yesterday I didn’t venture far out, nonetheless, I enjoyed a leisurely walk around Ikegami. This included stops by the small Buddhist temple Shoei-in, the 5 story Honmonji Pagoda, the Ikegami Honmonji Temple, Daibo Temple with its beautiful garden and Koi pond and lastly a stop at the Honmonji Tahōtō Pagoda which had a very distinctive shape not seen throughout...