La Salle Explorers

[sardis]

Spent the last week at Jasper, Banff, Glacier, Yellowstone, and Grand Teton National Parks. They're all fairly close together, so you can knock them out in a week. I wouldn't go back again in the summer, though. Too many people, maybe September or May would be better. In Banff and Jasper 90% of the tourists were European and Asian whereas mostly Americans in the other parks. I think it's that the Canadian currency is such a deal on the conversion, that Canada makes more financial sense for them. Besides the tourists, it was also very hot in the American Parks.

It was alot better when I started East out of Grand Teton and into rural West Wyoming. Taking Rte 26 from Teton until about Riverton is a beautiful drive and not many people around. It was also cooler due to it being 8,000 - 10,000 ft elevation. Didn't see a grizzly the whole trip until yesterday at a rest stop in this area (rest stops in Wyoming are just portapotties on a dirt road off the route. Came out of the shitter and there he was on a bank 25 yards from my truck. Didn't have bear spray with me so I booked it to the door and shut myself in. He didn't go after me at all. He was too busy looking for food. This was a little west of one of my favorite towns in Dubois, WY. Not too touristy, Old West feel downtown. A couple bars, a supermarket, couple cafes/diners. There was a motor lodge for sale and, of course one fantasizes of owning it.

I'm now at a truckstop in Murdo, SD, making my way back home because I really need a shower tomorrow morning. The drive will be dull from here on out, and to be honest, I'm tired of driving right now. I'll hit a few Great Lakes, but I'm not that excited about driving more. A month is too long, two -three weeks is about the limit.

So far the towns I visited where I could see myself living are
Georgetown, CO
Wells, NV
Susanville, CA
Crescent City, CA
Gold Beach, OR
Long Beach, WA
Jasper, AB
Dubois, WY

Not that I would because all of my family are on the East Coast, but you never know.

[eCat]

went to Banff 4 years ago, we stayed in Canmore, Jasper was on the other side of the Banff so we didn't go there.

We went in early June, it wasn't too crowded yet, although every major attraction had a bus full of Asians show up. Since we mostly hiked, once we got on the trail we weren't bothered by them.

I loved Canmore - a little too pricey and socialist Canadian for me but in a if I in the lottery kind of way, I'd like to live up there, at least part time.

Next week we go to the EAA show in Osh Kosh.

We'll either go back to Banff or Alaska next year.

[Tree]

[media] [/media]

[Jungle Rat]

The man jumped

[hedge]

Ali?

[Jungle Rat]

Yep. He didn't float like a butterfly either.

[Tree]

He was a Vietnam vet who had basically lost it. Ali came speeding in, in the wrong lane, and ran up to save him.

[hedge]

What's your excuse?

[Tree]

Finally getting around to putting a small bud in the air fryer and see what happens when you open it up. Hoping for the best.

[hedge]

I'd like to put a small firecracker in your ear canal and see what happens when it opens up...

[Tree]

Solid B

[Jungle Rat]

The shit he listens to is about the same.

[eCat]

EAA airshow in Osh Kosh was fun. I don't think I"ll ever do it again.

I will say for such a mass of people, it was organized and pretty well managed.

I haven't seen Milwaukee, Green Bay or their peninsula area , but what I did see of Wisconsin led me to believe I would never want to live there. It just seemed bland. No wonder those people drink so much up there, its naturally depressing. Normally I'm the guy that sees how great these areas are and think of how I'd want to live there.

That didn't happen in Wisconsin.

[eCat]

I just sat in on a meeting with a military contractor and they talked about how we'd support them in developing Space Command hardware.

I thought that was a TV Show about a fake branch of the military. I was like wait - we're seriously talking about this?

in this meeting they talked about how far behind they are with compared to the Chinese and how there is going to be a big push to catch up in the next 5 years.

spoiler alert - its going to be with AI

[hedge]

SkyNet?

[eCat]

sounds like it

I am adding AI training to our program next year

[aTm]

They made the TV show about a real branch of the US military because the media (mainstream and social) made the whole thing out to be "Trump's crazy dumb idea" internet meme, when in reality it was always something that was planned happen by around 2010 but got put on hold by 9/11 and the "War on Terror"

[eCat]

welp, they are going full bore with it now. I don't know any details other than we're going to be the recipient of some government funding.

[Tree]

eCat = socialist

[hedge]

Real comforting to know these clowns are going to be seeding the upper atmosphere with nuclear weapons systems and such...