National Auto Museum

Last weekend, we went to the National Auto Museum here in Reno.  Pretty
nice place, lots of interesting cars. Would have been nice to see more
modern era classics and more concepts, but hey, this is Reno.  I really
need to make an appointment to go to the Petersen Museum in Los Angeles
someday.

Anyway, here's Linda with the gold DMC-12.

Turkey Day 2010

Ahhh yes.

Some more pics.

Took my mom up to Pyramid Lake one afternoon.  Took some pics.

A couple pics from 11-13-10

We went back to the NV State Museum in Carson City to check out the
new wing.  A few pics.

JAPAN: A Summary

Let me think back.  As a kid, I didn’t realize it at the time, but I was already interested in Japan.  I was a huge (and still am) fan of all things Ninja. (sorry Pirate fans, Ninjas FTW) I loved Voltron and Tranzor Z and Spectreman.  It wasn’t until I was in my teens that I realized these awesome shows were all made by the Japanese.  And it wasn’t until later in life did I realize that lots of the weird toys I played with as a kid were Japanese too.  So basically, I’ve been a “Japanophile” all my life.  And I think the same goes for Linda.  For as long as I can remember, we’ve both wanted to take a trip to Japan.  We both love the food, the Otaku culture, and everything in between.  For a long time, a Japan trip just wasn’t in the cards.  We were either too busy or too broke or both.  Several times we started the planning process, but things just didn’t pan out.  We would just get our fix at the nearest Japan Town.  However this year, we got serious.  We started planning back in January, and with the tickets bought and the hotels booked, we were going to Japan for Halloween 2010!

Our arrival to Japan was somewhat muted, as we had to fly from Reno to LAX first, and then catch an eleven and a half hour flight to Japan from there.  We arrived at 4:00pm Japan time, and it’s hard to believe, be we didn’t even get to go outside until we arrived in Kyoto, where it was already dark.  Kyoto is a four hour journey from Narita International Airport.  Basically, you get off the plane at Narita, clear immigration, and walk through the airport and find the JTB counter to get your Japan Rail passes.  Then you go to a JR desk and secure seats on the Narita Express to Tokyo, and at the same time you can get Shinkensen (bullet train) seats as well.  Next, you walk through the building to the track and catch a train to Tokyo, which is about a 40 minute ride.  After the train ride to Tokyo’s Shinagawa station, you exit the train, still inside an enormous building, and walk to the Shinkensen track bound for Kyoto.  Then you board the train, and take a comfortable three hour ride at roughly 150 mph.  We chose to start our adventure in Kyoto, because travelling there and then back to Narita at the end of our trip would have just been too much.  Plus, we had events to attend in Tokyo during Halloween weekend.  So Kyoto had to be first.

DAY 14: Time to pack it in and pack it out...

A sad short post of pics from our last morning in Japan. 

This is the mess of shopping bags we left behind.

DAY 13: Our last full day in Japan :(

Just me and Linda for a day spent in Ikebukuru and Harajuku. By this time
we were both pretty spent.  But I have to say, this is the first time I've been
on a trip where I can honestly say, I wasn't really ready to come home.

Normally, after a long vacation, you kinda long to sleep in your own bed,
and do things in a familiar way.  At least I do.  But Japan was so much
fun that I really didn't want it to end. To know that after today we had 10+
hours of flying and traveling to do, all to come back home and dive right
back into work and all the responsibilities that go with life, was just plain
depressing.

That's not to say that I wasn't still super happy to have had the experience
and been able to see and do all the things we did. An A+ trip.

Thanks to my lovely Linda for all her hard work planning the trip, and
thanks to my good friends Tom, Jim and Kris for meeting us and
sharing the experience.  Let's do it again soon!

I love the girl in the middle.  Such a cool custom kit.

JAPAN BONUS 10: Tsukiji Fish Market

I have to thank Tom for wanting to go here, otherwise I probably would have never even
thought about it.  The Tsukiji Fish Market is said to be the biggest wholesale fish market
in the world.

DAY 12: Kichijōji and then Ginza

Day 12 consisted of the Tsukiji Fish Market (separate post to follow) and then
a day checking out some other areas (Kichijōji and then Ginza for dinner)

We ate brunch at around 10:30am.  Our brunch consisted of a full plate(s)
of fresh sushi.  What a way to start the day!

JAPAN BONUS 9: A Very Special Dinner

I was supposed to post this bonus earlier, but I forgot.  These are photos from the Kaiseki
dinner Linda and I had in Kyoto.  Kaiseki is a very special, traditional, multi-course dinner
served in a very traditional way.  We sat on tatami mats and then we were brought several
courses of fine Japanese food.  I photographed each course, except one, the persimmons,
which I only forgot because I ate it too fast. :/

This was the first plate. Various seafoods and veggies i've never seen before.  All good.

DAY 11: Ueno Zoo

One small but specific thing I had to see in Japan, was a Japanese Giant Salamander.
Endangered in the wild, I knew the only way I could observe one would be at Ueno Zoo.

***Photo by Tom.

JAPAN BONUS 8: Food In Japan

One of the greatest things about travelling is eating. This aspect of
travel is only better when you ARE NOT in the USA.  I love Asian food,
and Japanese is easily my favorite with Chinese and Thai and Korean
all tied for 2nd.  So, naturally, I did a lot of taking pictures of our food
and drink. 

DAY 10: Akiabara District

Jim.

JAPAN BONUS NANA: Vending Machines

It sounds really dumb, but one of the things about Japan I am seriously going to
miss, are all the vending machines everywhere. And when I say everywhere, I
mean EVERYWHERE.  Tom said he read there is one vending machine for
every 27 people in Tokyo.  There are 13 million people in Tokyo. Do the math.
That means they must have an ARMY of people just to fill and maintain all the
machines.

And the vending machines over there are NOT like ours over here.  First of all,
they are on every corner, just about.  Usually one or two, but sometimes more
machines, all filled with various beverages and more.  While we tried and
failed to find Tom a used panty vending machine for ahem......"his friend", we
did enjoy all the regular machines we found, and the things we consumed
from them.

Oh, and not all, but many vending machines dispensed beer, sake and
energy drinks.  Its a fucking revolution!The vending machines almost always have recycle bins next to them. Imagine
that, a convenient, eco-friendly way to throw out your used container. No brainer,
right? Not in the USofA.  The only thing that could have made them better aside
from used panties, would be if they had some sort of urine recepticals next to
the recycle bins so I could stop and pee out all the excess fluid accumulated
because I couldn't stop drinking so much vending machine crap. LOL.

As you walk by these machines, as a gaijin, you can't help yourself.  Well, at
least I couldn't.  You see things, and you're like, "WTF is that?".  In goes 120
or 150 Yen so you can find out.

One such can of WTF looked like this: Pancakes with Butter and Syrup?  Let's find out!
It tasted like really, really, sweet milk tea basically.  Not really like pancakes at all. Hmmm.
By the way, it was hot.  ***Several photos by Tom.

DAY 9: Tokyo's Nakano District

On Monday Linda and I took a solo adventure to the Nakano Area.  We got mixed up on the train
and ended up at the wrong Nakano station, which sucked, because we ended up walking like 4
miles to get to where we wanted to be, and Linda must have sprained her ankle at some point
because her ankle got swollen and she was hurting pretty bad, but she toughed it out and we
made it to Nakano Broadway.  AKA, Nerd Heaven.

Linda in front of Volks Studio Alta Shinjuku first, and then on to Nakano.

JAPAN BONUS 666: Halloween Night @ Differ Ariake

A few weeks prior to going over to Japan, Linda secured tickets to the Halloween
Bash at Differ Ariake. We wanted to go to this event because Aural Vampire was
playing, our newly discovered fav Japanese band.  Check em out on YouTube.

To get there, we had to take the subway to another private rail system and catch an
elevated train to Ariake Tennis No Mori.  At first I thoght this would be kinda annoying
and difficult, but like all Japanese train systems, it was quite simple, quick, and as it
turned out it was a very beautiful ride through a part of Japan we hadn't seen yet.

On the train to Ariake Tennis No Mori station.

DAY 8: 10 | 31 | 2010 IN TOKYO

By the 7th day of our trip, we knew we would be pretty tired out, so Linda had planned
a lazy morning and afternoon at a park before we had to get ready for the Halloween
show at Differ Ariake (see next post).  While we ate our First Kitchen cheese burgers
in the park, we took some photos.

DAY 7: Halloween Eve in Tokyo

Strange eye with moving gels behind it in the Shinjuku train station.

JAPAN BONUS 5: Japanese Cars

One of the things I was imediately interested in seeing in Japan were their automobiles.
I took lots of pics of cars and trucks.

Pimpy.

JAPAN BONUS 4: Japanese Bikes

With roads so cramped and small, its no wonder so many people ride
motor bikes and bicycles so much.  Some of them, very unique. Some of
them seriously cool.  Some just plain weird.

This bike is clean, simple and awesome.

DAY 6: Harajuku Love.

"Harajuku...Harajuku desu"...I love the trains in Japan.

JAPAN BONUS 3: The Cat Cafe

OK, let me just say first that the Cat Cafe is simply a brilliant idea, and again
something I wish we could have here in the States.  But for many obvious,
glaring reasons, something like this could NEVER work here, because
Americans are just too damn stupid. I'm not going to get into why I think
something like this would fail miserably here and be more trouble than its
worth, but I am sure you can figure some of it out on your own.

There are several cat cafes in Japan, we went to one Linda found near our
hotel. The concept of the cat cafe, is a nice place to relax, drink some coffee
or tea, and pet and play with kitties.  For $10, you get to stay for an hour or
so, you get one drink, and your spirits get inevitibly lifted.

OMG, Munchkins are freaking hilarious....and uber kawaii.

DAY 5: Our First Day in Tokyo

Going from Kyoto to Osaka to Tokyo was definitely a good decision.  This way, we
gradually worked our way up to the big city. Tokyo is freaking insane. The girls had
some serious shopping to do, so Jim, Tom and I set out for the Meguro district to
find the Parasite Museum. Going off my GPS lead us into a neighborhood for a
while, but got us in the right area, then using Tom's iPhone we homed in on the
right spot.

It was also raining again which sucked.

JAPAN BONUS 2: Signs, Graffiti, Stickers & More - PART 4

OK, I need to find someone who can read Japanese. I want to know if this
says, "For a good time call", found on a bathroom stall wall.

DAY 4: Osaka again...

On day 4 we checked out of our hotels in Kyoto.  Tom and Kris left for
Tokyo and Linda and I went to Osaka for another day to find some
stuff we missed.

JAPAN BONUS 2: Signs, Graffiti, Stickers & More - PART 3

How many parts are there to JAPAN BONUS 2? Several. :)

DAY 3: Osaka

Day 3 was spent in Osaka, only a 40 minute train ride on the Shinkensen. Still cloudy but we got
a break from the rain.

JAPAN BONUS 2: Signs, Graffiti, Stickers & More - PART 2

More signs, graffiti, stickers and etc to start today's string of Japan posts.

Loveless.  This store had the most beautiful clothes I have seen in a long time,
and that's saying alot coming from me because I really could care less about
clothes outside of T-shirts and camo pants.  I might add that nothing in Japan
fits me, save for the few XL shirts I could find, and if you want to shop at
Loveless you had better be loaded.  Average price of anything in the store was
like $1,000.

JAPAN BONUS 2: Signs, Graffiti, Stickers & More - PART 1

Japan's cities, or at least Osaka and Tokyo are filled with little things that catch your eye
and grab you and stop you in your tracks. Its such an overwhelming and inspiring sensory
overload, that sitting here at my desk at home sort of makes me feel entirely empty.  If it
wasn't for some music and all the fresh memories I am trying to record right now, all of it
would surely fade away. If you are like me, than you know exactly how adulthood and all
the responsibility and work that comes with it can quite easily and quickly sap your soul
of every drop of creativity and inspiration you ever had. Traveling, especially to such an awe
inspiring place, has the ability to breathe life back into your soul so quickly, its almost as if
you've become a kid again.

While in Japan, I had to stop and take quick snaps of some of these little things.  Mostly,
these things consisted of signs, graffiti, stickers, random artwork, weird looking doors, etc. 
There was just so much.  Unlike our cities here, Japan seems to have such a vast variety
of everything, I don't think I would ever get bored there.  After looking at some of our photos,
my Mom said,  "it looks like a giant amusement park".  I never thought about it that way, but
she's right.  Everything is larger than life and customized and different and meant to make
you see it.  I think all of these things are meant to make you stop and look, and it works. 
Anyway, this is Part 1 of a multi part series of LJ posts that will deal with nothing other than
all these things I took snaps of.  Enjoy.

I'll start off with this sign, for Nikon, which obviously is import.

DAY 2: Volks Kyoto and more...

After an amazing first day in Japan, we set out for Volks Kyoto, the HQ for Linda's dollies.

To get there, we had to hop on the train to a different area of Kyoto.

JAPAN BONUS 1: Gion Cemetery

One of the places on the agena for Kyoto was Gion Cemetery.  Words can barely describe the
place, but I'll try.  Photos do no justice, but they help.

The cemetery is nestled in with all of the ancient and beautiful Gion temples and shrines, and
it backs up to some densely wooded mountains behind it.  This cemetary is just as remarkable
as Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris, but in a completely different way.  The weather in Kyoto was
warm, humid, swampy and rainy.  While this was hard for me to deal with (I hate heat, and humidity
especially) it did make for some nice low contrast photography.  However, the sky was totally grey-
white/light blue, which made getting a good exposure somewhat challenging.

 

DAY 1: Kyoto

Our first full day in Japan was spent in the city of Kyoto. From the moment we left our hotel I knew we were at the start of a trip of a lifetime. Kyoto, a city full of ancient temples and shrines, is an immaculately clean place. Not a leaf on the ground out of place. Its hard to describe exactly how clean this city is, you just have to experience it for yourself. I've never seen anything like it.

Konnichiwa, Nippon!

As you may or may not know, Linda and I embarked on a two week adventure to the island
of Japan last month. We've wanted to go to Japan for as long as I can remember, and there
were many times in the past when we started to plan the trip, but due to one thing or another,
it just wasn't in the cards.  But 2010 was the year we made it happen. Linda painstakingly
planned every hour of every day of the trip so we could maximize our experience, and to my
surprise I think we accomplished over 85% of the things we wanted to do, which I think is
pretty impressive, since most of the time you run into problems on trips like this that
prevent certain things from happening.  One other thing that was nice about this trip, is that
we met up with our close friends (Tom & Kris from Chicago and Jim up from Singapore)
while there which made the experience that much more fun because we could share it with
other gaijin.

So, with out further ado, I will start documenting the trip here on LJ.  But be warned, some of
the following posts will be epic in size, as I just have too many photos to share.  I did my
best to organize things, with a post for each day there, and several separate posts that will
deal with individual aspects of the trip in more detail.

Also, I must apologize ahead of time for the quality of my photos.  Being on the move
constantly really does not bode well for careful photography, and many of the photos
were taken with my little Sony Cybershot, some on the sly, and many in poor lighting
situations.  Anyway...

Here we are, still in the US waiting for our flight...

A quick snake trip...

Went over the hill for a day to see what kind of fall snakes we could find.  We went
to a place that has never let me down.  For the first 4 hours, we got completely
skunked, everything was dry as a bone and there were no herps to be found
anywhere.  At the very last spot, the road of uber snakiness came through and
provided this little beauty.

Fun Fishing Weekend

So we did some serious angling this weekend,  Things started out good along the
Truckee, but we had some rain and then the river got really muddy and basically the
fish stopped biting all together, so yesterday, we hit the carp hole to see what was biting.
The results were good.

I hooked up first with a moderately sized MagiKarp. Sweet.

Messing with HDR again...

This weekend was quite boring and empty, but I did try to mess around with a little more HDR
photography.  The above shot is the best one I got.  I need to find more dynamic situations to take
advantage of what HDR is capable of, so these photos were really just practice so that I can
learn and remember what to do in the future....I want to get the process down pat so I can take
some dramatic shots while in Japan.

We made fish Tacos....

'

Rinda

I had an idea that I thought would be cool....

Sony Cybershot W350 Panoramas

So in preparation for our upcoming trip to Nippon, I purchased a new point and
shoot.  I wanted something extra small and discreet, so we can shoot inside
stores and restaurants and not look like a giant stupid gaijin with a huge
Nikon rig all the time.  I also didn't want to spend a fortune on one either so I 
settled on the Sony Cybershot W350.  It comes with this gimicky feature called
Panorama Shot.  Basically, you just move the camera in a horizontal flow and
it captures everything in a half circle.  While it is a gimick, it is actually kinda
cool.

I took it with last night to our local ghetto grocery store, and got some interesting
pics.

1987 Isuzu Impulse RS Turbo Special Edition

1987 Isuzu Impulse RS Turbo Special Edition

Just took possession yesterday.

I bought the car from the original owner.  It's a 99% original, garage kept, Arizona
car.  A fine addition to my little Isuzu fleet.

The Isuzu Impulse was conceived by the famous Italian auto designer, Giorgetto Giugiaro,
the same genius behind the DeLorean DMC-12 and the 1974 VW Scirocco.  The 1st generation
Impulse is now an extremely rare car, rarer than my Isuzu Vehi-CROSS, so finding one in
this condition was a true stroke of luck I think.  Or maybe I'm just kidding myself because I like
it so much.  Either way, here it is!

Camping near the Ruby Mountains

I took a couple days off at the end of the week so Tom and I could
go check out the Ruby Mountains area in Eastern Nevada. 

Camping With Tom & Scott

So, after Tom & Scott arrived, we went camping in the hills behind our
neighborhood.  We had a good time wheeling around and exploring
and getting lost (because I forgot my GPS).  Tom & Scott brought the
PPV Jeep to test out in the rocky NV terrain. (most photos by  )

Awesome picture of Me and Linda and my Mom...

This is from our early days...must be mid 90s...cool.

How To Make Okonomiyaki

After our trip to LA where we gorged on Japanese food (especially Okonomiyaki) we decided
to try to make it at home.  So we went to our local Asian supermarket (which isn't the best, but
it isn't all that bad either) to get some of the essential ingredients.

1) The Stuff

Silver Forked Toungues

Sunday we went west along 50 to Silver Fork Road to look for zonata. No
luck with the zonies, but we did see four snakes.  Two gophers and two
rattlesnakes.  I found the first gopher and then Beej found all three sub-
sequent serpents.  This is the first snake of the day.  It bit my brother
which was pretty damn funny.  The gopher snakes up in this area were
actually a lot more colorful than most of the gophers I have seen.

The Back Yard Monkey...

A late spring at Rock Lake

On Sunday, the broski and I hiked up to Rock Lake. We left early to stay out of the heat
which was good.  Once we got to the creek crossing (which one can normally just hop
over) we realized that we were going to have to have to take off our shoes and socks
and wade through.  With so much rain and snow, the creek was raging and full. Once
we got across, we dried off on a rock and then hiked up the steep hill to the lake basin.

This was the first time I've seen the lake this full.
 

The Shoe Tree (and other desert oddities)

Great Basin National Park - Memorial Day Weekend

Scorpion under blacklight.

9 years and counting...

This year we went to The Sea Ranch. 
My dad went here and said, "You guys should really check out Sea Ranch".  So we did.

The Sea Ranch is a "get-away" spot located in Sonoma County about 2.5 hours north of
San Francisco.

Gas is killing me...(Part 2)

So, I ended up camping on the gravel at a crappy RV park right off 101 in Windsor.
Definitely not a nice camping spot, but I was so tired I didn't care.  I just needed to
get some damn sleep as I had another full day of herping and driving ahead of me.
Here is a shot of the spot from the morning. I quickly packed up my site before the
"landlord" of the RV park found I was there.  I didn't want to pay for this piece of crap
camping spot.  The highway is RIGHT behind the trees in this photo.