Here's a gallery of some of our Florida vacation photos that may display on some browsers.

Rolled in about 2AM. We left 80 degree shorts and t-shirt weather, and I'm just now looking out the window at snow flurries. Talk about your culture shock.

We were driving down the road towards the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge this morning and spotted this heron coming out of the canal along the side of the road. It had caught something, and was struggling to get airborne.

The heron flew out right in front of us, going down the road in the same direction. We had to slow down to keep from running over it. At first we thought it had a snake, but then we could see it looked like an eel. We followed the heron down the road for a minute, until it flew back over into the brush along the side of the road. We pulled over to watch. Click read more to see what happened...

The sea was angry today. This longboard surfer was up to the challenge. Looked like a lot of work. And dangerous. He was way out there, maybe 150-200 yards. I was a little worried. Thankfully, he came back in OK after a while. Taken a few minutes ago from the deck. It was overcast with bad light and I had the telephoto extender on, so these aren't as sharp as I would like. Bigger version and a couple more photos after the jump...

The jetty at Ponce Inlet, this evening

A local, enjoying the view

(click pictures for bigger...)

We're catching up on our reading. You sure can go through some pulp fiction with the TV turned off!

A partial list: Eleanor vs. Ike (Gerber), Double Whammy (Hiaasen), The curious incident of the dog in the night-time (Haddon), I Am Charlotte Simmons (Wolfe), Innocent Man (Grisham, non-fiction), Thunderbolt Kid (Bryson), The Summons (Grisham), Playing for Pizza (Grisham), A Confederacy of Dunces (Toole), Then We Came to the End (Ferris).

We're about ready for another trip to the book store. What's on your summer/beach reading list?

Sitting on the deck this AM, watching dolphins play. A few more photos after the jump...

We debated whether to go see the 2:28AM scheduled launch of STS-123. We went back and forth all day. It's an hour's drive down and back. It's scheduled for 2:28 AM. It might get scrubbed because of cloud cover.

Around 9:30 PM we decided we're here, the latest NASA reports said weather conditions were 90% go for launch and the main engines were fueled, so we figured why not. We loaded up and headed down to Titusville.

Some photos after the jump...

The Mrs. and I had the pleasure of meeting up with Fletch, the legendary photo blogger and self-proclaimed high-tech drifter. He's a super nice guy and just as peaceful and laid back in person as his photo blogging suggests.

We had breakfast at the Flagler Beach Pier Restaurant, and took a stroll around Flagler Beach and down to a nice county park on the Intercoastal Waterway. Fletch then took us a few miles further up A1A for a tour of the Washington Oaks State Park.

It's always nice to finally meet bloggers in person, especially someone who you feel like you sort of already know after five years in the blogosphere. Fletch's home base is in the Smoky Mountains and ours is in the foothills, but for some reason we had never met up before today, in Florida of all places.

Fletch and Bubba

The rental brochure forgot to mention that it's Bike Week in Daytona. It's over tomorrow, but we took a stroll downtown for a sampling of the crazy. Some photos after the jump...

Click for bigger

Been on the road and have just arrived at our new temporary HQ. Sitting here watching a big storm roll down the Atlantic coast. Tornado and severe thunderstorm warnings in effect. Welcome to Florida, I guess.

At the risk of being accused of self-promotion, Where in the World is Smokey? is one of the more interesting and enjoyable projects I've worked on at UT. We're mailing T-shirts to students, staff, faculty, and alumni and asking them to take photos of themselves wearing the T-Shirt during their travels. Since launching the site in October we've received photos from 17 states and 20 countries, and we're expecting to get a photo from Antarctica in the next week or two, which will give us posts from all 7 continents.

The promotion is a bit gimmicky, maybe, but it's been a fun way to raise awareness of the university's Ready for the World initiative.

So where's this lil booga sleeping?

...and worse. Read all about it at Domestic Psychology. Paging the Chamber of Commerce: cleanup on aisle seven.

John McAllister has put up a beautiful site for his panoramic views of a few British treasures. I found it while searching for information about Isambard Kingdom Brunel.

Two of IKB's many many accomplishments are featured. The SS Great Britain, the first iron-hulled, propeller-driven ship to cross the Atlantic, is shown on display in its clever dry dock.

The Clifton Suspension bridge spanning the Avon Gorge is probably his most popular design. It was completed in 1864, five years after his death, and is still in daily service.

Here from You Tube is a short time-lapse video of the bridge.

Click image for larger view

Still sorting through photos of our New England trip, and I think this is one of my favorites so far. This is near Stockton Springs, Maine, next to an old church that is now an American Legion post on US1/Highway 3 between Belfast and Bucksport along Penobscot Bay.

After Philadelphia and Valley Forge we set out for Massachusetts by way of the Delaware Valley on our way to Cape Cod, Plymouth, and Boston to see the JFK Library.

The next stop on our road trip was Philadelphia and Independence National Historical Park and then on to Valley Forge National Historical Park.

Our next stop was Gettysburg PA, and the driving tour of the Gettysburg National Military Park.

I had been there as a youngster, but barely remembered it. It's quite moving. You try, but it's hard to imagine what it must have been like to fight there in such a bloody battle. It's similar to Vicksburg, but on a much larger scale. I recommend both if you're ever in the vicinity of either.

Some photos...

The first overnight stop on our New England road trip was in Staunton, VA. It was just supposed to be a sleepover, but we discovered a neat little town and, bonus, the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library and Museum...

As you may have gathered, we finally took some time off for a road trip to New England. Here's a trip summary...

Y'all may have noticed that we've been MIA for a while. We've been on a road trip and are on our way back to Tennessee. Here's a view of one place we visited. Anyone recognize it? (Click image for larger view).

Passengers for the fiscal year that ended last September numbered 24.3 million, setting a record for the fourth year in a row when comparing the same routes along the 21,000-mile system serving 500 stations in 46 states and Washington, D.C.

Cool. Now if they just allowed the pupster to travel with us.

Why is it this reminds me of this (except on a mega-scale)?

Smoky Mountain Vacation Guide
Copyright (c) 2004 South Knox Bubba/R. Neal

A vacation in the Smoky Mountains can mean only one thing -- time to load up the mini-van and head for the world famous family vacation hub of Pigeon Forge, Gateway to the Smokies. 

Forget the beach. Forget Disney World and Six Flags. Pigeon Forge is your ultimate family vacation destination. Pigeon Forge offers a great opportunity for your family to explore the natural beauty and wonders of the Great Smoky Mountains. Scenic vistas abound, and your family will wonder at the sights.

Because the Smoky Mountains National Park boasts one of the world's most diverse ecosystems, your children will treasure lifelong memories of their interactions with nature.

Where else will your family have the opportunity for close encounters with such a wide variety of native wildlife in its own natural habitat?

Your visit will be educational for the kids, too. For example, did you know that octopi and land sharks were indigenous to the Southern Appalachian rain forests?

You'll also learn about the giant dinosaurs that walked the earth in prehistoric times. Exhibits of scientifically accurate reproductions portray these giant "thunder lizards" exactly as they appeared when they roamed the hills and valleys of the Smoky Mountains.

The Smoky Mountains' close proximity to Oak Ridge has resulted in some interesting effects, too. Be sure not to miss the giant native fowl and fishes collected by Great Smoky Mountains National Park biologists:

After a long day of communing with nature, what could be more fun than a fast-paced game of paintball? There is regular airborne assault paintball:

And painless paintball:

For a different and more futuristic style of simulated violence, perhaps your kids would prefer an exciting game of laser tag:

One interesting thing about laser tag is that it seems to bring out the very best in our local architects:

If learning to solve problems with aggression and violence isn't your kids' cup of tea, perhaps they would be interested in Hillbilly Skydiving (at least I think that's what this is, I'm not really sure):

But what about Mom? By now she's probably bored with all this educational nature and child development stuff. She's probably ready for a little shopping. And she's come to the right place!

Pigeon Forge is world-renowned for its shopping, with stores offering the widest possible variety of goods. For example, where else could you find not only moccasins, swimwear, and windmills, but also an unusual collection of fudge knives -- all in one place!

Available in Infinite varieties, fudge is indeed a popular item in Pigeon Forge. For example, you've probably never sampled exotic diesel fudge:

T-shirts are a popular item, too. This merchant offers an incredible collection of colorful and skillfully rendered artistic designs.

For the discerning upscale shopper, Pigeon Forge offers an impressive selection of fine art, such as this lovely lawn sculpture collection:

Indeed, Pigeon Forge merchants cater to a diverse clientele. People of every ethnic background are welcome here:

In fact, Pigeon Forge is a great place to learn about East Tennessee culture, and offers many opportunities for cultural exchange:

Not to mention the abundant historical artifacts:

By now, the whole family has enjoyed a fun-filled, action-packed day of learning and adventure, and the finest shopping experiences. The question on everyone's mind at this point (especially Dad's) is... What's for dinner? If you're looking for the best dining experience, look no further. Pigeon Forge has your favorite casual dining establishments in a relaxing and picturesque setting:

Or, if fine dining with a value proposition is more your style then you've come to the right place:

But for something completely different, may we recommend the dining experience everyone is talking about. That's right, it's the Dixie Stampede, which combines fine dining with an  entertaining and informative portrayal of the rich Southern Appalachian Cowboy Heritage:

Now that everyone is tired from a full day of fun and stuffed full of the finest in East Tennessee cuisine, it's time to retire to your luxury Pigeon Forge accommodations.

Yes, indeed. The Smoky Mountains National Park may boast millions of species of wildlife, birds, insects, and plant life, not to mention cool mountain streams and unbelievably
scenic vistas. But what a man really needs at the end of the day is a cheap room, highlight reels, and the latest Sopranos episode. This is, after all, America.

Anyway, we hope you enjoy your visit to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Pigeon Forge. Y'all come back now, y' hear?

OK, then.

For years I would no go up into the Arch in St. Louis for this very reason.

About 200 people were trapped inside the 630-foot Gateway Arch for about two hours after an apparent power outage, authorities said.

I finally went up about 10 years ago. It was great!

The power went out around 8:45 p.m. Saturday night, stalling two trams filled with about 40 people each,...

Now this I don't understand. The "car" we went up in held only 4-6 people, depending on the size of the person. A very little car, quite claustrophic.

Went to get our passports renewed today. The Mrs. was able to file for a renewal even though it had expired because it was still within 15 years of issue. I had to apply for a new one because I was a couple of years past that.

They are more expensive than I remember - $127 a pop. Plus $30 for photos for me (no charge for the Mrs. on a renewal). Plus "expedite" fees. They say that even with the backlog, expedited requests should be filled within a month, but don't plan any travel until you have your passport in hand.

We went to the Cedar Bluff Post Office passport office. Fast and efficient, and only had to wait about fifteen minutes which was just about long enough to fill out the forms.

Oh, and a bit of irony. Yulie, the nice lady who helped us at the passport office, is from Russia. She immigrated to the U.S. about eleven years ago.

We had been talking about getting a portable GPS for a while (we get lost a lot!). On long road trips we've used notebook PC based systems that you can get for around $100 with a GPS antenna and software (e.g. Microsoft Streets or DeLorme Street Atlas). They're OK (and great for trip planning) but not very convenient to use in the car.

Some friends who travel a lot got a portable touchscreen GPS a year or so ago, and it was pretty neat but I wasn't yet convinced.

Factory installed navigation systems were options on the last couple of cars we bought, but cost anywhere from $1500 on up and aren't portable. Plus in one vehicle you had to buy a package that included a backseat DVD player that we would never use and that I would never buy just on principle (look out the window or read a book if you're bored!).

After getting lost a couple of times recently (and saying "maybe we should have gotten the GPS navigator option"), even the Mrs. was enthusiastic about the idea. So I got to looking at the latest crop of handheld portable GPS systems.

The Garmin nüvi looks to be a breakthrough consumer GPS product, and fits the bill nicely for us.

Read more...