Travel is a funny thing. So many variables. Then, if you get other people involved in arranging your schedule, your priorities, your budget … man, what a mess it can be.

As I galavant around — from time to time — I have a rare opportunity to go home and take a break before the project is finished. And then, after a few days off, I return immediately to the same job. For instance, I just had a 10-day reprieve from the Dirty Gig in Dillon, Montana. Now I am back.

Sounds simple? Nay not so. You see, there is the baggage conundrum. What I mean? It’s a dilemma. Do I take the bags or not? When I travel, I am reimbursed for luggage fees, but who wants to carry a 59-pound bag if they don’t have to. If I were only gone a day or two, I would just keep my hotel room. But for 10 days, that would be pretty irresponsible.

Read More »

No More Ping Tails

Representin, Semi-Respectable

Well … I had already committed to donate hair to Locks of Love before I did some Google research.  It seems there are a few questions regarding the organization and its providing hairpieces to children with cancer and other ailments.  Oh well … I remain optimistic and hope my hair finds a good home … my “rescue hair” as I call it, is on its way.  Regardless … in spite of my friends’ criticism, I scratched off another bullet point on the bucket list.

That little triangle in the PingWi-Fi logo … no longer the freak flag:) (Ha … the triangle isn’t there to make a video play either … maybe you have clicked on it …) I digress …

About the haircut … For months I struggled with tangles, but more importantly, trying to devise some publicity stunt to raise awareness for Locks of Love.  I got nuthin.

So much for my grandiose idea for Yoko Ono to create some more hair peace … Didn’t hear back from The Flaming Lips about doing a cover and video of Hair … Tough being a blogger under the radar.  Frankly … I just ran out of ideas and did this with little pomp/circumstance … It’s the locks that count, right?

Read More »

In the event you may be new to this blog, here’s a PingPrimer:

PingWorthy

  Seldom do I expect “The Dirty Gig” to be glamorous. I mean … especially comparing it to the travel blog content that has pinged Major League press boxes, film festivals, bowl games, TV shoots, international flights, NFL games, skyscrapers and fancy places around the world. Typically, the disaster recovery portion of my travel means wading/crawling in nasty funk.

But, when I heard my assignment to help return order to the once lawless streets of a ghost town, I was optimistic. The Dirty Gig took me to Bannack State Park, near Dillon, Montana, the first territorial capitol of Montana … once a wild, wild gold rush boomtown — a town so wild they lynched the sheriff. This living history lesson was hit by a flash flood that came whipping and spurring down the mountains, affecting almost all of the 60 historical structures – jails, hotels, a drugstore, blacksmith shops, barns, etc. The historic Assay Office, or about half of it, was ripped apart and floated across town. The most amazing thing? The powerful water flooded the park just a few days before the scheduled Bannack Days — a yearly event that would have put several thousand people on the street, in harms way. That was a close one.

From The Bannack Association Facebook page … a blurb on the history: “On August 19, 1863, Peter Horan was convicted of premeditated murder for killing his mining partner at Bannack and was sentenced to death. That afternoon he was taken to the gallows that Sheriff Henry Plummer had hastily constructed and hanged. Ironically, less than five months later Sheriff Plummer would also be hanged from his own gallows.”

Read More »

If I don’t cash them in now, I think someday I may have enough hotel points to just retire and grow old in the nearest Holiday Inn. Now there’s an optimistic thought:) And with all those points stories have accumulated as well … life on the road leads to some pretty interesting hotel situations.

Read More »

Dumpster diving … ever do it?

Read More »

After a brief return to Fort Worth and Amarillo, fate finds me back in The Big Sky Country of Montana. Ha … after one day back on the job at The Dirty Gig, I had a day off. So, yes I hit the road. Today i drove to Missoula, but passed Butte on the way. Wait … I haven’t posted anything on Butte yet. Let’s do it.

Read More »

It’s official. As a travel blogger, I’ve toured all of the 48 contiguous states, and of course shot “selfies” on many a mountaintop, saving one of the best states for last. The Big Sky of Montana!  Montana … so important in the journey of those original travel bloggers — Lewis and Clark … Their names all over the map and all over the signs along the way …

Read More »

Tanzania Fashion Trend

In many cases, when we ping on-location, Wi-Fi is the whole story.  There are exceptions, such as The Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown.  At the BHOF we tested the hotspot quickly and then enthusiastically slid into the history and memorabilia, admittedly looking for one item specifically.

Ping The Hall of Fame

Read More »

I was blogging at Starbucks when a young woman pushing a baby stroller bumped into the back of my chair.  Quickly I moved to make more room for her to pass when she politely said there was plenty of room for her to manage.

Beneath all my long hair, with my smiley obscured by a scraggly beard, she didn’t recognize me.

Read More »