1000 Miles to Graceland

Graceland.  I've heard little tidbits of information about this famous place throughout my life.  From seeing it on TV to talking locals, I got a good mix of reviews.  Regardless if they were positive reviews or negative ones, I believed I owed it to myself to take a trip over to Graceland to see what it was all about.  After all, not only is Graceland one of the most visited houses next to the White House, it is also a part of American pop culture.  I would argue that there is not one American alive that has never heard about, listened to, or seen the King of Rock and Roll, Mr. Elvis Presley.

I treated my mother to all expense paid vacation and took her along with me on this business/pleasure trip.  Elvis is her generation: she remembers seeing him on TV as teenager, listening to him through her twenties and thirties, and although she admits that she wasn't a crazed fan, she did admit that she liked him.  She also tried to play it cool the entire week like it was no big deal.  Yeah, you keep thinking I fell for that mom.  I know you better than you think!

The week started with a few random comments from my mother about Elvis: "I remember seeing him on TV.  He had those moves..."  Were you a big fan?  "No, I was too busy raising kids," she replied.  Uh huh, I thought to myself.

The week progressed.  We decided that I would work my usual Monday through Friday and we would see Graceland on Saturday.  Every day I came back from the room to more Elvis talk.  "The man downstairs (at the hotel) said Elvis bought that place in the early 50s.  I wonder how much he bought it for?"  "The man downstairs?  Who are you talking to while I'm gone?" I asked.  "Oh no one.  Just some guy who is also staying at the hotel.  You should try to be more social," she said.  "He bought it for $100,000.  It was a little over 10,000 square feet when he purchased it, and sits on almost 14 acres" I said (I knew this because I did a little research that day).  "That's not a mansion today, but it sure was back then.  That was a huge house" she commented.

Throughout the week little questions would pop up out of nowhere.  While watching the news one evening, I hear more Elvis talk: "You know Elvis was a very generous man.  He would buy people things all the time.  He was generous to a fault."  "That's interesting mom," I said.

One morning I'm doing my hair in the mirror and I hear, "I heard Graceland is decorated very tacky.  Another man downstairs said they let the house run down a little bit.  What a shame..."  My week continued to be filled with Elvis fun facts and questions:

"I wonder if all those houses around Graceland were there when Elvis bought it?"

"Do you think the area was that built up when he was living there?"

"How much of the estate does Lisa Marie (his daughter) own?"

"How many visitors do you think go to Graceland every year?"

"Do you think he bought his Cadillacs from the dealership down the street?"

I imagine this is similar to telling your kids that they are going to Disneyland for the first time and watching the excitement build up all week.  Yeah mom, I can clearly see that you are not excited at all.  lol

Saturday was upon us.  My mother was up, dressed, and packed, before I even took a shower.  "I'll meet you downstairs when you're done," she said and left the room.  It didn't dawn on me then, but damn mom...

I finally loaded up the car and we headed out.  More Elvis facts and questions filled the car's cabin the entire twenty minute drive there.  When we arrived I surprised my mother with a VIP tour.  She bitched at me about spending extra money for about a half a second until she realized this meant we see more of Graceland than everyone else.  We posed for a quick picture and boarded a special VIP bus that took us up through the gates to a different area of the estate.  Let the tour begin!

We were given an audio headset that gave us information as we toured the rooms, and we were then escorted to the front door where the interior tour began.  The first room we saw was Elvis's living room.  Prior to entering the house, I had read from several places that his house was decorated very "tacky."  I thought it was weird that the few places I read all used the same descriptions and keywords.  It is almost as if someone originally wrote it somewhere and the other writers agreed with the original writer and kept the ball rolling.  I am going to put a stop to it right now.  Graceland is not tacky.  I was actually pleasantly surprised how well it is decorated.  One does have to keep in mind that the King died in the 70s, so of course the house has not been updated to modern styles or fixtures.  I quickly noticed Elvis's attention to detail everywhere.  It was clear from the first moment I saw the house that this was not quickly thrown together.  A lot of time and money was spent everywhere you look.

Imagine this house in the 70s.  Cheap and tacky does not enter even the slightest thought.  The living room and little music room pictured above were elegantly furnished.  I was definitely impressed with the first room I saw.

A guest bedroom was up next.  Again, one can easily see a lot of time and money was spent furnishing this room.  From the furniture, to the drapes, to the chandelier -- this room was very well put together and I don't believe it would be that out of place by today's standards at all:

The tour proceeded through the foyer and we were told about the upstairs which is roped off.  As I understand it, the King's bedroom has been untouched since the day of his passing.  He died in a bathroom located almost directly above the foyer, and it remains roped off to this day so his exact place of his death does not get exploited.  Notice the drapes: blue was his favorite color.

The dining room is located to left side of these stairs, with the living room on the right.  The dining room is well furnished with a marble floor sectioned out for the seating area.  The blue drapes continue here, styled the same way they are upstairs.

I walked into the kitchen next.  My mother commented on how large it was for the day.  Notice the carpet floors.  Off to the right of the picture there is also a small security camera station with small black and white video screens surveying the grounds.  I hear at times there were unbelievable amounts of women screaming at the gates, even writing their phone numbers in lipstick everywhere they could.  Oh, the problems of being the King...

The TV room was up next.  It's located downstairs in the basement.  There are three TVs mounted in the wall because Elvis used to like watching multiple shows at once.  Consider it the 70s version of picture in picture TV.  I love the mirrors all over the place as well as the lively colors.  Off to the right (outside of the picture) is a small bar.

Next to the TV room was Elvis's billiards room.  This room was very interesting.  It was the first time I have ever seen anything decorated like this.  Everything was fabric.  It was all neatly creased and fanned out from the center of the room.  Although the fabric used was dark, it suited the pool table.  Out of all the rooms, I was probably most fascinated by this one.

I went back upstairs and checked out the Jungle Room next!  This room was a little different.  It had green carpet everywhere, including on the walls.  The furniture looked all hand carved and Elvis installed a waterfall against the back wall.

I toured more outside the main house after the jungle room.  We went through the car port, and then I saw Elvis's shooting range!  From what I understand, he loved his guns and would even conceal carry everywhere, including carrying when he met the President!  In the small glass case are some of Elvis's spent casings that were found on the floor.

We walked the grounds some more, ending up in Elvis's racquetball court next.  The court itself was converted to display hundreds of his gold and platinum records.  I learned that globally, Elvis has sold over one billion records!  I couldn't believe the amount of awards I saw:

The awards were never-ending!  They stretched from the floor to ceiling, over fifteen feet high.  They also laced walls everywhere.  You have to realize that I'm not a big Elvis fan.  I mean I knew my man sold some records, but holy shit!  He makes current platinum artists with a few CDs out look like they haven't even graduated band camp.  I was, and still am, speechless.

There were also several cases with some of Elvis's favorite stage and movie outfits:

Soon after the racquetball court, we walked the grounds some more to visit Elvis's grave.  He and his immediate family are buried there.  I felt sad viewing his grave...

We spent the rest of the afternoon touring a little more of Graceland, and then we headed back to the other various museums on the grounds including his car collection and toured his private jets.  Graceland was definitely a pleasant surprise.  At first glance I thought I would have been shuffled through a couple rooms and directed to a gift shop, but it turned out to be so much more.  Seeing Elvis's house gave me a personal glimpse into the King.  I saw how he took care of his family and friends, including building them houses on his estate, how he gave away money to various charities, and how he shared his love of music.  Maybe I took away different things than most?  I truly believe that I did because I didn't see tacky, gaudy, outdated, or anything similar.  I saw a man who lived the American dream.  He came from a house slightly bigger than my shed and blew away the world with his talents.  He lived a rich, but not over-the-top modern day rock star life.  He had fine taste and he had his house decorated with all his favorite things, including his favorite color blue wherever he could.

I walked back to my car inspired.  I realize in life everyone can't be anything they want to be just like we all aren't born equal.  We are all born with our own unique talents.  If Elvis stayed a truck driver, I'm sure he wouldn't have been the best truck driver in the world.  Find your talent, develop it, and let it take you as far as it can.  Who knows, someday you might have your own Graceland.

I had an incredible time visiting, and I know my mother did too (even if she wouldn't openly admit it)!  If you find yourself anywhere near Memphis in your travels, take a day and go visit.  You don't have to be an Elvis fan to appreciate Graceland.  I promise you that you won't be disappointed.

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Posted in: Tennessee

Memphis, Tenneesee

I have to admit I was really excited to hear that I was going to Memphis this week!  I really didn't know anything about the Memphis at all besides it being the home of Graceland.  I wanted to do a little sightseeing this week so once I found out I was going, I immediately opened up YouTube on my phone and searched "Memphis, Tennessee."  An Elvis song popped up with the same title, so I took a quick listen:

I have to be honest here: I'm not a huge Elvis fan.  I mean his music is definitely good, and he has plenty of style, but he was a little before my time.  I do respect the fact that he is the King of Rock and Roll, and I believe it's the history and hype of Elvis that is drawing me in to his world a little bit.  It is very safe to say that Graceland is on the list of things to see while I'm here!

Another search on my trusty phone turned up a more familiar song that I've heard before, Walking in Memphis.  I like this song too and listened to it a few times in a row, studying the sights of the city and trying to figure out other points of interest I might want to check out:

This truly is an incredible song.  Regardless of what genre you listen to, one has to appreciate the composition and delivery of this track.  It's filled with history, meaning, and emotion, and it just makes me hit the replay button every time I hear it.  Memphis has to be proud of this one!

After watching a couple videos, I developed my game plan.  You have to realize that it's not like I travel for vacation, so I have to plan the little free time I have wisely.  I decided to stay through Saturday instead of my usual Friday so I can take my time exploring Graceland.  Unbeknownst to me Memphis is also the barbecue capital of the world, so you know for damn sure my ass is putting on five pounds at the local BBQ joints here this week. In fact, ribs are the menu tonight (and probably every night while I'm in town)!  I'm also going to walk around Beale Street and take in the local sights and sounds.  Now if only I didn't have to work...

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Posted in: Tennessee

Facts I Discovered While Trying Not to be Eaten Alive by Wild Alligators

I learned a few important things this past week while I was in Florida.  My sense of adventure got the best of me, for I put the idea in my head that I wanted to track down and pose for a picture with a wild alligator.  Why, you might ask?  To be honest, I have no idea why.  I'm one of the few idiots on this planet that gets an idea in his head and just goes for it without thinking.  If you are new to this blog, let me just start off by saying that I'm a city boy.  I by no means belong anywhere near the wilderness, and when I do venture towards the edge of civilization and stare into the abyss, you can rest assure that my dumb ass will, if left alone to do as I wish, end up getting into some beyond stupid life or death situation (see my Death Valley post or my bear encounter).

So there I was sitting behind a desk in Fort Lauderdale thinking to myself how cool it would be to find wild alligators while I'm in Florida.  I turned to my travel companion for the week, Chi, and told him my plan:  "I'll go to the store and buy some meat because everyone knows that alligators eat meat.  Then I'll research where we can find wild alligators, and we'll drive out there and feed them.  While we are feeding them, we can snap a few pictures and check another thing off that never ending bucket list of ours.  If we are really lucky, maybe we can grab one and hold it while we take pictures!"  He looked at me in amazement without saying a word.  This expression of amazement was not the kind of amazement that is like "wow, that is a brilliant idea" amazement, but more like "wow, what kind of f'n idiot says things like this" amazement.  I told him not to worry -- I have spent years watching the Discovery channel, and I think I know enough to keep us safe.  He said nothing and just continued to look at me with that dumbfounded expression.

After many hours of convincing him that this truly is an incredible worthwhile idea, we finished up our day early so we could head off for our alligator hunt.  I found the Everglades in my navigation system and we drove off without a second thought.  Armed with two pounds of pepperoni, a couple flashlights, our cell phones, and a pocket knife, we entered the Everglades filled with anticipation.

This was the first sign greeting us as we entered the Everglades.  I actually snapped the picture without reading it or noticing how big the alligator was on that sign.  I learned a lesson here -- READ THE SIGNS!

As we drove down a dirt road deeper into the abyss, the sun started setting.  We passed another sign.  I read this one simply because the lettering was so large, but I can honestly say I didn't pay any attention to it:

Last chance?  Last chance for what?  To turn around?  There seems to be a lot of hoopla about these alligators.  I remember thinking these alligators are probably just like the bears in Yellowstone -- non-existent to the casual tourist.

We continued down the bumpy dirt road foregoing our last chance to go back to civilization.  The vegetation around us slowly got thicker and thicker.  At times the vegetation was like a solid wall filled with gigantic palm leaves and other interesting trees that I have never seen before.  We came to a clearing a few miles down and I stopped the car.  "We might be able to spot an alligator here," I said.  We were surrounded by water on both sides of us with just a thin strip of dirt road between the two large pond-like openings.  It was now dark, so we had to use the flashlights as we exited from the safety of our vehicle.  We both walked slowly to the water's edge -- I was on the drivers side, and he was on the passenger side.  I walked slowly, listening for alligators (I say this like I actually know what I'm doing.  I honestly have no idea what alligators sound like, but I just know that it seemed like the logical thing to do at the time).  I was standing at the water's edge with the flashlight pointed at the treeline in the distance about 25 yards out across the water.  I stood there scanning the water, straining my eyes in the darkness hoping to catch a glimpse of an alligator.  I saw nothing but lightning bugs.  I panned my flashlight from left to right, as if I was vacuuming the water with it, working it closer and closer to me with every pass.  I assume Chi was doing the same thing on his side of the road.

As I scanned the water, I remember feeling a little disappointed because I felt that we wouldn't see any alligators.  It was almost the same feeling I felt in Yellowstone when I didn't see any Grizzly bears when I wanted to.  I brushed off the lurking disappointment and concentrated on the narrow beam of light projecting out from my hand.  I started to feel a little hope and anticipation as the light slowly scanned across the water, but I figured that the night has just begun and I couldn't reasonably expect to find an alligator the very first time I stopped my car.

The light was now three feet out and closing towards me.  "Ahh, there are no alligators here," I mumbled to myself.  As I dropped the flashlight to my side I saw the most terrifying thing I have ever seen in my life.  I stood there for a second trying to make sense of what was happening.  I remember exactly what went through my head at that moment: "What the... What the fuck is... OH MY FUCKING GOD!!!"  I let out a scream as I jumped back in terror.  "Get over here!  Get the hell over here!!!" I screamed out loud at the top of my lungs.  There I stood, staring down a seven foot gator inches from me.

Our eyes were locked on each other.  I was thinking how the hell do I get away when he decides to attack, and he was probably thinking which part of me he wanted for dinner and which part he wanted to save for desert.  I have to say that that was the first time I was ever scared that I could actually be eaten.  Fearing death is one thing, but fearing being eaten alive is whole other thing.  It's a weird feeling to have.  I felt helpless in a way and in control in another.  At any moment this gator could have lunged at me and went for the kill.  I truly believe he would have the upper hand here, for this is his territory.  I knew that once he digs into my leg and hits an artery I would have minutes at most to live before I bled out, that is if he didn't pull me into the water first for that infamous death roll.  On the other hand, part of me felt in control because although he is more powerful than me, I am smarter (I think) and hopefully I could control the situation.  Either way, neither one of us were backing down.  We both stood our ground staring at each other in the eye.

There aren't too many wild animals in America that refuse to back down from humans.  It's calming to know that when a you walk through the woods everything usually runs from you: deer, rabbits, squirrels, raccoons, coyotes, wolves, almost everything runs except for a select few.  These few animals know for a fact that they are a little higher up on the food chain than you.  You can clearly see it in their eyes.  That pissed off black bear that I encountered in California had that look.  The great Bison of the American west have that look.  And this scary looking beast inches from me had that same terrifying "don't fuck with me or I will kill you" look.  Trust me, the message he was sending was clearly understood.

My partner in crime slowly came across the dirt road to see what I found.  He was more cautious than I was. He actually refused to cross towards the water for a moment.  I had to scream at him once again: "get the fuck over here!"  He crossed cautiously and jumped when he caught his first glimpse of the prehistoric beast.

We cautiously stood there inches from this gator.  After the alligator and us realized neither one of us were going to move, we put aside our differences for a moment and calmly stared at each other.  It was a surreal moment.  It's one thing to see these creatures in a zoo, but to experience them in the wild is whole other thing. It's a rush because your body is on full alert the entire time, for danger could be lurking anywhere.  Yes, we saw this guy right here, but then it dawned on me... who else didn't we see?  We quickly checked our surroundings a little more carefully now that we knew what we're looking for.  That's when shit got real scary.

Previously I thought these strange lights that I was seeing in the Everglades were lightning bugs all around us.  I actually didn't pay much attention to them until I met my first gator.  It was then that I realized the severity of what I just got us into.  It turns out not only do lightning bugs light up, but so do alligator's eyes!!!

We then re-scanned the water and reality quickly sank in.  We weren't hunting gators; the gators were hunting us:

(This is not an original picture.  My camera could not take this shot without making everything a complete blur because it was so dark, or maybe I was shaking too much?  Anyway, I assure you this is what it looked like around us.)

This discovery of all these hungry eyes closing in on us immediately brought me to these interesting facts that I had the pleasure of finding out first hand:

1. Searching for wild alligators by yourself without an expert guide is stupid.
2. Do not go into the Florida Everglades carrying 2lbs of fresh meat because alligators have noses.
3 Alligators swim surprisingly fast.
4. There is no such thing as a lone alligator, for they must enjoy hanging out in large stealthy groups which probably number in the hundreds.
5. Alligators are incredibly silent.
6. Alligators do not like fresh pepperoni.
7. Alligators prefer to chase humans over eating pepperoni even if pepperoni is launched in their direction as a distraction to try to escape from being eaten.
8. Make sure you have fresh batteries in your flashlight before you attempt risking your life with prehistoric man-eaters because shit gets extremely scary when you are surrounded by large beasts and everything goes dark.
9. Grown men screaming like little girls miles from civilization do not scare off alligators -- it only worsens the situation.
10. When in doubt, run your fucking ass off quicker than an Olympic gold medalist and lock yourself in a car.
11. Check for pee stains before embarrassing yourself by going back into civilization with wet pants.

Enough said about that.  I am retiring my alligator hunter dreams and going back to being a city boy for a little while.  My advice?  Save your underwear: visit these things in a zoo.

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Posted in: Florida

Big Dreams + Fate = $100,000

The tension was high. Sitting in a small office, I found myself across from two powerful individuals. One of these men was about to hold the fate of a young ambitious potential new-hire in his fist. Arguing words filled the room as we battled back and forth trying to determine this man's future. The question still remained: Do we hire this person and give him a real shot at a $100,000 position, or should we let him return to his humble life? Both sides had valid points. One man argued that he is too uneducated and too street to hold such a position. The other argued that in life we need to give people a chance to prove themselves and that it is not easy trying to break out of a poor environment. I stood quietly perched on the fence waiting to jump in: "You have no heart!" I shouted, "Give the guy a shot, what is the worst that happens? Fire him in a few weeks if you don't like him!" "Come on man, look at him," the one chuckled. The other person in the room quickly snapped back, "I believe in giving someone a shot. We've already hired a few solid candidates, I want to see what this guy can do!"

The one man then turned to me and asked if I have any coins in my pocket. I normally don't have any, but luck must have been on our side because I had visited the vending machine this morning to get an iced tea and was given a single quarter as change. I pulled that shiny almost new quarter out of my pocket and gently set it in his open hand. "We'll leave it up to fate. Heads and he is hired; tails he goes home. Deal?" We all shook our heads in agreement and watched with bated breath as the coin launched high into the air almost touching the ceiling.  It sparkled like a diamond underneath the harsh fluorescent lights as it tumbled...

My job is quite satisfying at times. Although for the most part I am employed to teach various classes for organizations, many times I am employed to hire new talent. It is an interesting job. I meet so many different types of people, and I hear all kinds of personal stories along the way. The American Dream is alive and well, and I see nothing but hope and ambition in these people's eyes. I listen to their dreams, from having families to driving Lamborghinis, and for a few of the extremely ambitious and driven ones, I help those dreams become reality.

This week I found myself in New York City. It is a city of big dreams, for anything can happen to anyone here. The population is so diverse -- from homeless to certified billionaires. There aren't too many cities that are as diverse as NYC in the world. With that diversity comes some really rough areas. I met a girl not too long ago that told me her fiance was murdered just by walking down the street -- he was randomly shot in the neck. Gangs are an everyday thing for many. For many people, the only way out of such a harsh environment is to become a thug just like the rest and hopefully move up and move out. You can't be a good boy in a land of monsters, and it is that same attitude that excels someone up the corporate ladder -- if only one could get past that someone's obvious humble beginnings.

This potential new hire has a lot going for him though. Despite his poor grammar, he still has an honest shot in NYC. One doesn't need perfect grammar here. In fact, perfect grammar and pronunciation almost raises red flags. This isn't Harvard Square -- New Yorkers expect a tone of toughness in one's voice. This city tends to eat up weak people: if you want to make it here, you have to go all out. That includes applying for positions way above your current skill set.

...I watched as the coin tumbled. It seemed to hover in the air for a few seconds at the very peak of its arch. On its way down I glanced at their faces. They were just as captivated as I was. The coin hit his palm with force, and he quickly slammed his hand down on the table to reveal this man's fate. It was as if a gavel struck as his slap reverberated around the room. He left his hand over the coin for a second as we all stared in anticipation. Slowly he raised it, and for a brief second I thought I saw George Washington smiling, for this candidate just turned into a new hire. We all laughed. It was a feel good moment. "The gods have spoken," I said, "He's hired!"

David, I know you will never read this blog, but I want to say that I wish you all the best with your new career. There are a few times in life where people are given chances. Real chances. This right here is one of those times. Although you might not be as equally educated as your new peers, you have something they don't -- heart. You are proof that one doesn't need an Ivy League education to earn six figures; one just needs the dream and the balls to go after it. You have the potential to literally make millions now, and if you continue with the same drive and ambition that you currently have, I promise that one day you will. It has been an absolute pleasure interviewing you, teaching you, and giving you your shot, even if a little luck was involved.  It's times like this that make my job so rewarding. Just remember to do you and ignore the haters. You got this bro... you definitely got this!

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Posted in: New York

Research One Must Do BEFORE Traveling with a Gun!

In my last post I discussed why I travel with a firearm.  In this post I want to discuss the research one must do before traveling with a one.  There are severe penalties, including massive amounts of jail time for misusing or even traveling to certain places where a firearm might be prohibited.  Before we get into anything, let me first cover my ass by saying that I'm not a lawyer, nor have I ever claimed to be.  Take my advice and opinions as just that -- advice and opinions.  If I cite a law, please note that laws change and are likely different by the time you read this.  You must look up all information on your own prior to taking any trips or doing anything with your firearm to make sure you have up-to-date correct information.  Simply put, do not take my word for anything, for I am just a stupid travel blogger.

Before you decide to even carry a firearm, you first must check your state laws to see what is required of you to do so.  Most states require a person to get a license to carry, and every state has different requirements.  A simple phone call to your town or county police department will answer all of your questions regarding what is needed to get your license.  I will address what you need to do AFTER you get your CCW (Carrying Concealed Weapons) permit.  Please note that states use different terminologies for concealed carry permits/licenses.  I will use CCW permit as a universal term, even though your state might call it something else.

So you have your CCW permit and you're ready to take your trip?  Before you decide to head off, you have a few hours of research to do.  The very first thing you should do is look up which states have a reciprocity agreement with yours.  Believe it or not, all states do not currently recognize each other's CCW permits.  To make a long story short, the state Attorney Generals negotiate with each other and decide who they like or don't like and then decide which state permits they will honor and who will honor theirs.  To find out which states honor your CCW permit, you can look it up on your state's attorney general's page.  Here is a link to Pennsylvania's: http://www.attorneygeneral.gov/crime.aspx?id=184

If you are traveling to a state that does not honor your CCW permit, you cannot carry your firearm concealed there (you might be able to open carry -- more on that later).  You also must look up all the states that you are traveling through to make sure they honor your permit.  For example, If I was to travel from Pennsylvania to Indiana, I must travel through Ohio.  Indiana recognizes my PA permit but Ohio does not.  This means I must stop at the PA/OH state line and disarm, locking up my firearm and ammunition separately in the trunk (I always carry two small lock boxes so they are there whenever I need them).  Once I pass into Indiana I can reload my firearm and rearm myself.  Failure to disarm before I hit Ohio could mean a possible felony and jail time even though I am licensed to carry in other states.  Bottom line -- if a state does not honor your CCW permit, you cannot conceal carry there at all.

You must also research magazine capacities.  In my Pennsylvania to Indiana example, PA does not have any magazine capacity law.  My Glock 19 has a 15 round magazine.  I also have a factory 33 round magazine which is totally legal in Pennsylvania and Indiana, but it is illegal in Ohio.  So if I was traveling through Ohio, I must leave the 33 round magazine either locked up in the trunk or at home.  Is this starting to sound confusing?  This is why a few hours are required to plan your trip.

So what if I had a Pennsylvania CCW permit and I wanted to carry in Ohio, what do I do?  Nothing.  I can't carry there.  However, I can look up which states Ohio honors and see if any of those states accept CCW applications from non-residents.  Well what do you know, Florida happens to be one of those states that accepts non-residents and is allowed in Ohio!  I now have to apply for a Florida non-resident permit.  Once that permit is received, I can carry in Ohio on my way to Indiana (but I still cannot carry that 33 round magazine).  Holding multiple CCW permits is common practice for travelers so we can maximize the amount of states we can travel in.  Here are the states I can carry concealed in with my PA CCW permit:

GREEN: My resident state - BLUE: States that honor my permit

RED: States that do not honor my permit

Now look what happened to the map after I received my Florida CCW permit:

Most of the country turned blue!

If you weren't confused before, you are probably confused now.  Unfortunately, there is no simple way to find out all this information, but there are a few sites I can recommend to get you started.  The first site I always use is: www.usacarry.com (the maps above).  This is an interactive map that will highlight which states honor your CCW permit(s).  Just remember that even though a state may honor your permit, it does not mean your firearm is legal there.  To dig a little deeper, I then go to www.handgunlaw.us and read through the state laws.  If I am still confused, a simple phone call to any police station in the state should answer any remaining questions I have.

Beyond finding out if your permit is honored in any given state, you must also note where you can and cannot carry your firearm.  For example, I can carry my firearm in a bar in Pennsylvania, but that is illegal in Ohio.  Some states allow open carry and some do not.  It is perfectly legal to carry a firearm in plain sight in PA, but it must be concealed in Florida.  The site I use to check open carry laws is www.opencarry.org

In some states you must inform an officer that you are carrying when pulled over, while other states have no such requirement.  In Ohio I must inform immediately, but in Pennsylvania I don't have to mention it at all.  Do you see a trend happening here?  Every single state has different laws and you must research and abide by those laws.  It basically comes down to the timeless expression "when in Rome, do as the Romans do."  Failure to do so can bring drastic life-changing events, including mandatory prison time.  This is exactly what has happened to several people recently in New York City.

Ryan Jerome, a former US Marine, traveled to Manhattan and was arrested on September 27th, 2011 when he decided to visit the Empire State Building and tried to check in his firearm.  He now faces a mandatory 3.5 to 15 year sentence for carrying a firearm in NYC, even though most of the country honors his Indiana CCW permit.

On December 22, 2011, medical student Meredith Graves traveled to New York City for a job interview from Tennessee.  She decided to stop by the World Trade Center memorial and noticed a sign stating "No guns allowed."  She immediately asked someone where she can check in her firearm and was arrested on the spot.  New York City does not honor her CCW permit.  Meredith now faces the same minimum of 3.5 to 15 years in prison and will be labeled a felon if convicted.  I'm pretty sure she can kiss her medical career goodbye if that happens.

Fred Vankirk was arrested on January 7th, 2011 for possessing firearms in his NYC hotel room.  Fred, 59, from Ohio, is legally allowed to posses and travel with his firearms, although NYC feels that he is not.  He now faces the same fate as Meredith and Ryan -- mandatory prison.

These are just a few of the many that are arrested every year for doing something they thought was perfectly legal -- carrying a firearm.  I mean, who would have thought that the Second Amendment is not universally understood and recognized by all in America?  It is only in our Constitution!  Why is it that every single state will honor each other's driver's licenses, but they won't honor each other's CCW permits?  In fact, Tennessee recently urged the state of New York to drop the charges on Meredith.  They even went as far as to threaten New Yorkers:

HJR0585
01098550
-1-
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION 585
By  Niceley
A RESOLUTION urging the State of New York to use common
sense and sound judgment in the disposition of
the case against Meredith Graves.
 WHEREAS, on December 22, 2011, Meredith Graves, a registered nurse, fourth-year
medical student, and Tennessean traveled to New York City for a residency interview at
Brookhaven Memorial Hospital on Long Island; and
WHEREAS, while in New York City, the soon-to-be doctor and her husband, Richard
Disharoon, decided to pay their respects to the victims of 9/11 and attempted to enter the
hallowed memorial at Ground Zero; and
WHEREAS, believing the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution was still
in effect and possessing a fully authorized license to carry from the great State of Tennessee,
Ms. Graves arrived at the memorial with her .32 caliber pistol stored in her purse, never
imagining the mayhem that would shortly ensue; and
WHEREAS, as she quietly approached the sacred landmark, Meredith Graves caught a
glimpse of a sign, warning, “No Guns Allowed,” and, as any law abiding citizen would do, she
quickly reached out to a security guard and inquired as to the proper procedure for checking a
firearm; and
WHEREAS, the guard directed her to a separate section and explained that she was in
luck because it just happened to be “Law Enforcement Day;” and
WHEREAS, with no reason to be concerned, Ms. Graves followed the guard’s
instructions and respectfully asked a police officer the same question; and
WHEREAS, reacting with undue haste, the officer immediately arrested Meredith Graves
on a weapons-possession charge, and she was subsequently held on a $2,000 bond; and  - 2 -  01098550
WHEREAS, despite having no prior criminal record, Ms. Graves must report to court on
March 19, 2012, when these charges will be prosecuted by the Manhattan District Attorney, who
plans to pursue a conviction on felony gun possession. This serious allegation carries a
minimum sentence of three and one-half years; and
WHEREAS, clearly, this incident was simply an unfortunate misunderstanding and any
attempt to pursue legal action against this devoted health care professional would be a grave
miscarriage of justice; now, therefore,
 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED
SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE, THE SENATE
CONCURRING, that we hereby urge the State of New York to use common sense and sound
judgment in the disposition of the case against Meredith Graves.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that we remind the citizens of New York, especially those
residing in New York City, to drive carefully through the great State of Tennessee, paying extra
attention to our speed limits.
 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that a certified copy of this resolution be transmitted to
Michael R. Bloomberg, Mayor of New York City.

Source: http://www.capitol.tn.gov/Bills/107/Bill/HJR0585.pdf

I feel like we're going back to the times of the North and South here.  Why do we have to have states threatening each other over a right bestowed upon us in our constitution?  All this might come to an end soon, for there is currently a bill waiting to be voted on in the Senate that was Passed through the House that will force all states to honor other state's permits, just like they do driver's licenses.  We'll save H.R. 822, the National Right-to-Carry Reciprocity Act of 2011, and how that would change all the confusion of where one can and cannot carry for my next post.  For now, as far as we are concerned here, make sure you plan your trip carefully before heading out with your firearm or you might suffer the same consequences as the few mentioned above.  Do not take any website for granted and always double check your information.  When in doubt call the police and document everything, including which websites you got your information from and which police officers you spoke to.  Cover your ass and have safe travels!

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Posted in: Concealed Carry

Do I Ever Feel Unsafe When Traveling Alone?

I received an email recently asking me if I ever worry or feel unsafe while traveling alone. After all, I never know where I'm going to next or who I might run into along the way. Believe me when I say that I have stayed in some shady motels and spent quite a few nights in my car at various dimly lit rest stops and truck stops during the course of my travels. The macho answer to this question would be no, but the truth is that I do worry for my safety -- I worry all the time.

To properly answer this question regarding if I feel safe when I travel alone, I need to give a little background on myself. I grew up in Northern New Jersey, not too far from Manhattan. I'm a hustler -- street smarts is a must around that area. I am Ivy League educated with an above average IQ. I am also above average in size: 6'1" 220lbs, and while I'm not solid muscle anymore, I used to live in a gym. The reason I am giving a quick profile of myself is because it is relevant to how one measures feeling safe. For example a 4'11" 92 pound girl might feel different than a 6'4" 280 pound man in regards to personal safety and defending oneself. While I am not the biggest and baddest guy out there, I am far from the smallest.

I didn't give any thought to personal safety when I started traveling. I mean after all I'm a decent size guy who is smart enough to know where I do and where I do not belong, right? It wasn't until I was rudely woken up one night at a truck stop by someone pounding on my window demanding money that I started to rethink this whole personal protection thing. After sharing some words with the guy that included yelling and a little cursing, I decided I'll pick up a knife next time I was home. I now personally carry a Benchmade Mini Barrage:

I am smart enough to know that a small pocket knife is a pretty useless self defense tool, even if one gets a high end "tactical" model. But as useless as it might be, when compared to nothing, I'd take the knife any day.  In my book, anything is better than a knife fight. I once read that the winner of a knife fight is the person who bleeds the least. No matter how you look at it, everyone involved is getting cut, and for that reason, I don't think I'd ever actually use it for that role. It does help me to open boxes and cut tags off new clothes I buy though.  Looking at the knife purchase objectively, I think it's just one of those feel good things.  It's comforting to know you have it, even if it won't really get the job done.

After the knife purchase, I was harassed again. This time it was not at a truck stop, but at a rest stop: no store, no gas station, just parking spaces and a bathroom. Same scenario -- a guy pounding on my driver's door window asking for money. This guy was a little slicker than the last one though. He had a story about how he was also from Jersey and needed gas money to get back home (he saw my license plate). When I asked him what town, he couldn't answer and just demanded money. After seeing I wasn't going to back down, he walked away cursing me out. I then decided to be a little more proactive with my deterrent and get rid of the whole defend myself with a knife idea. I purchased a hammer next:

Go ahead and laugh. My reasoning behind the hammer?  One can see the hammer and not be immediately threatened like one could be with displaying a knife.  The hammer can be on the seat in plain view without any legal issue.  Everyone knows that it can be a devastating weapon, but it's technically not a weapon.  Bottom line is this -- you don't want to mess with a guy with a hammer because you know it will hurt like hell (or kill).  And if you see a guy sleeping in a car with a hammer, you are more likely to go bother someone else who doesn't have one.  I'm not positive if my theory works or not, but I can say that no one woke me up asking me for money ever again.

The sad part about this story thus far is that as much as common sense would tell me to bring a gun if I was that worried about my safety, I couldn't legally conceal carry because New Jersey doesn't issue CCW licenses (that stands for Carrying Concealed Weapon). I once tried to apply for a non-resident Pennsylvania LTCF (License To Carry Firearms - Pennsylvania's version of it), but was told I couldn't get it because you only qualify for a PA non-resident LTCF if your home state doesn't offer a concealed carry license. New Jersey technically does have one, but nobody can have it. Non-resident LTCF denied!

The more I traveled, the more I saw how popular concealed carry was. Many states even allow open carry, and in many areas one can see more guns strapped on hips than cell phones. I quickly found myself feeling very frustrated and pissed off at New Jersey.  Disgusted is probably a better word for it once I finally realized how bad I have it in New Jersey when compared to the rest of the nation. Walk into a gun store in New Jersey and you feel like a criminal. You can't hold a gun unless you have a permit to buy one. You can't get a permit to buy one unless you jump through all kinds of hoops for three to six months.  You can't buy ammunition unless it is logged in some book and you have a firearms ID card. BB guns are illegal -- you must register one as a real firearm. You can't even use a slingshot in NJ without committing a felony:

"Firearm or firearms" means any handgun, rifle, shotgun, machine gun, assault firearm, automatic or semi-automatic rifle, or any gun, device or instrument in the nature of a weapon from which may be fired or ejected any solid projectile, ball, slug, pellet, missile or bullet, or any gas, vapor or other noxious thing, by means of a cartridge or shell or by the action of an explosive or the igniting of flammable or explosive substances. It shall also include, without limitation, any firearm which is in the nature of an air gun, spring gun or pistol or other weapon of a similar nature in which the propelling force is a spring, elastic band, carbon dioxide, compressed or other gas, or vapor, air or compressed air, or is ignited by compressed air, and ejecting a bullet or missile smaller than three-eighths of an inch in diameter, with sufficient force to injure a person

Source: http://www.state.nj.us/njsp/info/pdf/firearms/njac-title13-ch54.pdf

You read that right: tie a rubber band between two sticks, shoot a rock, and it is jail time in New Jersey. If you're not speechless after reading that then shame on you.

The honest truth is that after experiencing so much of America and finally realizing just how bad New Jersey was in general when compared to almost every other state out there, I quickly decided to move the hell out.  It was the best decision I have ever made in my life. Fast forward to today and I am now a Pennsylvania resident who has proudly traded in his hammer for a Glock 19:

I know what are some are thinking at this point.  Who the hell needs a gun?!?  If you are thinking that, or perhaps you have never given personal safety much of a thought like I did when I first started traveling, take a moment and turn on the news.  You are bound to hear about someone being shot, stabbed, raped, kidnapped, or killed in your area today.  Ask yourself one question when you see one of those stories: did that person wake up this morning with plans of being killed today?  Did that girl plan on being raped when she laced up her sneakers for that morning jog?  Did that family plan on being gunned down while they stopped off for a couple cheeseburgers and Cokes?  No, none of them ever imagined it in their wildest dreams.  I am smart enough to realize this, and I am also smart enough to know that my chances of running into one of these nightmares drastically increases every minute I am out of my house and on the road.

While I still worry about my safety on the road, I can now say with 100% confidence that I feel completely safe when I travel, as long as my trusty Glock is on my side.  But is the road really that scary of a place?  No, not really.  In general, America is a very safe country.  After all, I've been traveling the country for nearly three years with zero problems besides a few idiots begging for money in the middle of the night.  But just because it didn't happen yet, doesn't mean I shouldn't be prepared for it.  We all carry spare tires in our cars, don't we?  It is there just in case we ever need it so we can safely get back home.  The same applies to my firearm.  It is simply just there in case I ever need it so I can safely get back home.

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Posted in: Concealed Carry

One Year Wiser

This week I find myself sitting in a chair.  This chair is not an ordinary chair, even though at first glance it might look like one.  After all, it's a simple run-of-the-mill folding metal chair that is just like any metal chair that anyone can find in hundreds, if not thousands, of stores across America and perhaps the world.

Although this chair is rather uncomfortable, and literally on the cold side, it is still a very unique and special chair to me.  It is not special because it folds or because it matches the decor of this room, but this chair is special because it is the same exact chair I found myself sitting in almost exactly one year ago today.  That might not seem too special to most people, but when you travel the entire country from the Atlantic to the Pacific, you are almost guaranteed not to sit in the same exact place at the same exact time of the year too often.  But when you do happen to find yourself sitting in that familiar place that you have not sat in for a long time, something magical happens -- memories begin to flood your mind.

The first things that come to mind is just how much I accomplished and how much I didn't accomplish this past year.  I do have to say that for the most part I have accomplished a lot, as I went far beyond my personal and professional expectations.  I remember sitting in this very room having no idea where the year's road will take me.  I was filled with excitement and anticipation.  Looking back, I had one hell of an adventure in 2011 -- from high power executive meetings to being lost in ghost towns to almost having my brand new car rammed by a pissed off bison.  I never imagined I would have experienced all that the last time my butt was sitting on this ordinary, yet special, steel chair.

There were also some downs along with the ups this past year.  Having a coworker leave the company was a little upsetting.  We got along great, and I must admit that I miss sharing our travel stories every week and laughing about our mishaps on the road.  On the other hand, there are many new road warriors that joined our ranks, and they seem to keep me busy with a million daily questions despite me pointing them to this travel blog which would probably answer most of them.  Even though they might be a pain in the ass from time to time, I don't mind it at all -- they're all family to me.

I think one of the biggest hurdles I had to overcome this past year was the job transition.  I changed fields but stayed on the road.  It can be a challenge when you have to figure out new things by yourself.  The more I think about it, I actually enjoy solving these challenging problems though.  It seems that the further I work my way up that corporate ladder, the more problems I have to solve.  And it's not just one problem, it's a ton of problems -- every minute of every day coming from every direction imaginable.  When you first start out on that corporate ladder, you just have to solve your own problems -- that's usually not that hard.  Then you move up a little bit and before you know it you have to solve your own problems and all your direct reports' problems (basically your problems times the amount of employees you have underneath you).  Another promotion and you still have your problems, your employees' problems, and now your department's problems (department problems are always fun problems that usually involve the consumption of your all of your free problem-solving time with endless meetings, conference calls, and emails).  Keep going up that ladder and those problems then include your problems, your employees' problems, your department's problems, the other department's problems that are affecting your department's problems, the company's regional problems, and so on and so on.  I say it like it's a bad thing, but trust me it isn't.  I can honestly say that I enjoy nothing more than solving problems now, and I think I'm pretty good at it.  (I know that I have started rambling, but after all, isn't that the name of this blog?)

While we're on the topic of solving problems, let's solve my current rambling problem by getting back on topic.  I can't help but wonder what 2012 has in store for me.  I know I have plans for another cross country road trip, but other than that, I'm clueless.  Maybe next winter I will find myself back here in this room sitting with my old cold friend reminiscing about my adventures and how far I hopefully came once again.  I have to admit, the thought of that does sounds nice.  Hell, I'll even bring some hot chocolate and one of those seat cushions next time.  All I can say is that I love the uncertainty of the road, even if all the chairs I sit in along the way aren't that comfortable.

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Posted in: General

Office Work? Ewww...

I've been on a little break from the road these past couple of months because my office thought it was funny to park my ass in a desk for a little bit. While I found no humor in it whatsoever, it was a little relaxing to finally unpack my suitcase and go back to using a closet and full size soap. I'm going a little stir crazy though -- I miss the road.

All I can say is that you can sit me behind a desk all day long, but you can't stop my mind from wondering across America! I have so many incredible memories from all over this great country. I'm actually in the midst of planning a few more trips (non-business related, but don't worry, I'll still be blogging about plenty of business travel). One of my trips I'm going to start planning is riding a motorcycle across the country via Route 66 in the spring. Taking a bike across the country has always been a dream of mine. There's something magical about cruising on a motorcycle down the open road: wind in your face, pavement whipping past, and non-stop smiles from some unexplainable freedom felt from underneath you that no other vehicle on this planet can give. So seeing how I sold my bike this past summer, I have to head down to the Harley Davidson dealer in the spring to pick out a new one. Any suggestions? I'm eyeing up the Forty Eight. Hmmm....

I also think I'm going international next year by visiting China. I have an old high school friend who lives in Hong Kong and one of my coworkers is from there as well. When I heard my coworker was thinking about going next year, I jumped at the chance. Are you kidding me?!? How could I pass up an opportunity to go to a foreign land with a native speaker? You can't get any better than that!!! Well, come to find out he speaks Cantonese and the mainland speaks Mandarin. I don't know anything about the differences in Chinese dialect, but I can only imagine it's like sticking me in Mexico. Yes, I can probably order a tequila and ask where the bathroom is, but having interesting conversations with locals or getting directions back to wherever I'm lost from probably isn't happening very easily. I have a feeling this trip might be a mix of Dumb and Dumber and The Hangover. F it -- everyone needs an unknown adventure from time to time! I wonder how the boneless spare rib combo meals taste there?

And yet another cross country trip is in the works with my mother as well! She keeps talking about bison (I think that's her new favorite animal). So you can count on another adventure with mom to somewhere out west for 2012. My poor car -- I'm going to put on 100,000 miles next year if I keep this up!

It sounds like I have some serious traveling in store for me. If any of my readers feel like possibly joining me on that cross country motorcycle trip, shoot me an email! You can do all or part of it with me. And if you don't have a bike, maybe we can stick you on the back of one! Now let me get back to this boring desk of mine for a few and make like I'm actually doing some work! lol

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Posted in: General,Route 66