Friday, January 9, 2015

The Ingredients of the Fountain of Youth...


Revealed! 

Every now and then someone will compliment me by saying, "Jeff, you don't look or act your age. What's your secret?" 

Well, I reckon the obvious ones are never getting married and possibly divorced (the chances in the US are almost flip-a-coin-able), and not siring any children (that I know of). 

The more apparent reasons are my consistent use of two preservatives. 
Before you scoff, hear me out.

Jif Peanut Butter is my choice ingredient for all the PB&J bagels and or sandwiches I consume in the course of a year. Jif can handle the rigors of Barley the Van travel. 100 degree heat or water freezing temperatures, it's still edible and spreadable. Now, that's the power of preservatives. 

India Pale Ale is brewed with ample quantities of hops. The female flower of the hop plant acts as a natural preservative. That precious yellow liquid had to stay fresh during those long voyages to the Sub-Continent. Those British brewers were smart and thirsty colonialists. 

As you know, I'm a hop-head. Love the IPAs and probably more so than Jif. 

So...by drinking/ingesting these two preservatives, I get preserved.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.
Besides, it was a slow news day.

Good night,
Jeff


Thursday, January 8, 2015

Not all IPPY Award Winning Books...


Are equal. 

I shlepped this non-tome (Google the definition, I'm right) from the Mainland to Kauai. I can only judge it based upon the trail descriptions provided within its pages. (None of the other topics interest me). This literary drivel could be equivalent to the guidebook the infamous Donner Party used en route to the California coast, minus the cannabalism. 

I hiked the Powerline Trail today. Here's the info: "the trail is an old dirt road." Well, not so much as you can tell from the photo. Not only are the descriptions inaccurate, they are possibly dangerous if you follow the author's lame advice.

Take for instance, the use of flip-flops for river crossings. Is Mr. Doughty high? You and your sandals might be on a one way swim to the Pacific Ocean. The flip-flops won't be the ones screaming out for help though.
He also advises dumping water to save weight on the uphill slogs. (I won't toss drinking water until there is a faucet within reach).
He never mentions the squatters taking up space in his Na Pali Wilderness hike description. I did!
http://jeffsambur.blogspot.com/2014/12/occupy-na-pali.html

Check out the 4X4 who lost the Happy Hour "I dare you to drive your Toyota on the Powerline trail." There's probably three other vehicles beneath it.

I included a photo of a well-written, entertaining, informative and accurate IPPY gold medal winning book. 
BTW, this exciting travelogue can be found on Amazon. I hear the author has become a blogger. 

Good night from Kapaa,
Jeff 






Tuesday, January 6, 2015

The Hawaiian Kings weren't Snowbirds...


They were Rainbirds!

 A fun Aloha State factoid: The old time Kauai Kings performed an annual migration within the island. In the winter they would escape the wetter, cloudier and cooler land mass near Wailua and head southwest toward dry and toasty Waimea.

And here I thought the Jews of the US were the originators of human seasonal migrations. 
Another Urban Legend shattered.

To be honest, I'm still amazed (after three weeks of being here) that there can be so much variation in weather on a speck of land 25 miles long by 33 miles wide. Isn't the Edmonton Shopping Mall of Alberta, Canada larger eh? 

Warm and dry is better than cold and wet,
Cheers!
Jeff