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Introducing Talerpik and Saamik Right and Left came to Greenland with me for one last trip, but while there they announced their retirement and chose some successors. Hanging out at the hotel they met some Thulemen, traditional Inuit carvings that stand about four inches tall. They asked for their replacements to be customized somewhat in their likeness - slightly smaller proportioned and more travel-friendly. And thus Talerpik and Saamik (Right and Left in Greenlandic) were born. In the background, Tuborg Paarngaq is the native soft drink of Greenland and features the awesome Greenlandic flag on the label. Soft drinks in Greenland come in relatively heavy plastic bottles that are re-used several times before being recycled, rather than being recycled every time so the bottle appears new at each use.

Introducing Talerpik and Saamik

Right and Left came to Greenland with me for one last trip, but while there they announced their retirement and chose some successors. Hanging out at the hotel they met some Thulemen, traditional Inuit carvings that stand about four inches tall. They asked for their replacements to be customized somewhat in their likeness - slightly smaller proportioned and more travel-friendly. And thus Talerpik and Saamik (Right and Left in Greenlandic) were born.

In the background, Tuborg Paarngaq is the native soft drink of Greenland and features the awesome Greenlandic flag on the label. Soft drinks in Greenland come in relatively heavy plastic bottles that are re-used several times before being recycled, rather than being recycled every time so the bottle appears new at each use.

West Palm Beach Talerpik and Saamik check out the beach.

West Palm Beach

Talerpik and Saamik check out the beach.

Gasparilla Island Light Talerpik and Saamik visit the rear range light at Gasparilla Island.

Gasparilla Island Light

Talerpik and Saamik visit the rear range light at Gasparilla Island.

100111 I rolled over 100000 miles on my way from Fort Myers to Saint Augustine, but it was pouring rain and Talerpik and Saamik didn’t want to get out for a photo op, so instead they waited for the more pocky-appropriate 100111. I guess they’re looking forward to 111111. I was at 88888 when I left the Bay area (not counting the return trip for the first jaunt down to San Diego), putting me at over 10000 miles for this trip so far. I always think that’s a lot, but then it seems most Americans commute that far in a month. Crazy Americans and their cars and commutes.

100111

I rolled over 100000 miles on my way from Fort Myers to Saint Augustine, but it was pouring rain and Talerpik and Saamik didn’t want to get out for a photo op, so instead they waited for the more pocky-appropriate 100111. I guess they’re looking forward to 111111. I was at 88888 when I left the Bay area (not counting the return trip for the first jaunt down to San Diego), putting me at over 10000 miles for this trip so far. I always think that’s a lot, but then it seems most Americans commute that far in a month. Crazy Americans and their cars and commutes.

Food Lion What is it with the crazy east coast grocery store names? I’d like to see either a fight between or the offspring of a Food Lion and a Giant Eagle.

Food Lion

What is it with the crazy east coast grocery store names? I’d like to see either a fight between or the offspring of a Food Lion and a Giant Eagle.

Okracoke Lighthouse wikipedia: Ocracoke Light was built in Hyde County, on Ocracoke Island, North Carolina in 1823 by Massachusetts builder Noah Porter. The lighthouse stands 75 feet (23 m) tall. Its diameter narrows from 25 feet (8 m) at the base to 12 feet (3.7 m) at its peak. In 1864, Confederate troops dismantled the fourth-order Fresnel Lens, but Union forces later restored it. Ocracoke Light is the oldest operating light station in North Carolina. The lighthouse was automated in 1955. During the summer months when there is a U.S. National Park Ranger on duty, visitors may enter the base of the lighthouse. However, climbing, unfortunately, is not allowed. The lighthouse was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1977 as Ocracoke Light Station.

Okracoke Lighthouse

wikipedia:

Ocracoke Light was built in Hyde County, on Ocracoke Island, North Carolina in 1823 by Massachusetts builder Noah Porter. The lighthouse stands 75 feet (23 m) tall. Its diameter narrows from 25 feet (8 m) at the base to 12 feet (3.7 m) at its peak. In 1864, Confederate troops dismantled the fourth-order Fresnel Lens, but Union forces later restored it.

Ocracoke Light is the oldest operating light station in North Carolina. The lighthouse was automated in 1955. During the summer months when there is a U.S. National Park Ranger on duty, visitors may enter the base of the lighthouse. However, climbing, unfortunately, is not allowed.

The lighthouse was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1977 as Ocracoke Light Station.

Talerpik and Saamik Slay The Giant Furry Beast

Talerpik and Saamik Slay The Giant Furry Beast

Cape Hatteras Light The Cape Hatteras Light is a fascinating one. Not only can you walk to the top, but it was dragged half a mile inland when erosion was threatening the original location. Rather than disassembling it, they dug under it and skidded the whole mess to a new spot without toppling it over. Read more.

Cape Hatteras Light

The Cape Hatteras Light is a fascinating one. Not only can you walk to the top, but it was dragged half a mile inland when erosion was threatening the original location. Rather than disassembling it, they dug under it and skidded the whole mess to a new spot without toppling it over. Read more.

Grave Digger Talerpik and Saamik experience that cultural icon of contemporary Americana, the monster truck. Who knew that along the side of a country highway in North Carolina one would find the Grave Digger headquarters, complete with all manner of retired trucks parked in the yard?

Grave Digger

Talerpik and Saamik experience that cultural icon of contemporary Americana, the monster truck. Who knew that along the side of a country highway in North Carolina one would find the Grave Digger headquarters, complete with all manner of retired trucks parked in the yard?

Benton Park St. Louis is made out of brick, including their grain elevators. If you’re in the area, I recommend breakfast at The Mud House, simple and tasty and worth the drive from wherever, really.

Benton Park

St. Louis is made out of brick, including their grain elevators. If you’re in the area, I recommend breakfast at The Mud House, simple and tasty and worth the drive from wherever, really.

Gateway Arch The Gateway Arch is a hell of a thing. The Gateway Arch, or Gateway to the West, is an arch that is the centerpiece of the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial in St. Louis, Missouri. It was built as a monument to the westward expansion of the United States. At 630 feet (192 m), it is the tallest man-made monument in the United States, Missouri’s tallest accessible building, and the largest architectural structure designed as a weighted or flattened catenary arch. Located on the west bank of the Mississippi River where the city of St. Louis was founded, the arch was designed by Finnish American architect Eero Saarinen and structural engineer Hannskarl Bandel in 1947. Construction began on February 12, 1963, and ended on October 28, 1965, costing US$13 million at the time ($90,491,005 today). The monument opened to the public on June 10, 1967. Ridiculously large scale public monuments like this represent a long passed golden age for America.

Gateway Arch

The Gateway Arch is a hell of a thing.

The Gateway Arch, or Gateway to the West, is an arch that is the centerpiece of the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial in St. Louis, Missouri. It was built as a monument to the westward expansion of the United States. At 630 feet (192 m), it is the tallest man-made monument in the United States, Missouri’s tallest accessible building, and the largest architectural structure designed as a weighted or flattened catenary arch.
Located on the west bank of the Mississippi River where the city of St. Louis was founded, the arch was designed by Finnish American architect Eero Saarinen and structural engineer Hannskarl Bandel in 1947. Construction began on February 12, 1963, and ended on October 28, 1965, costing US$13 million at the time ($90,491,005 today). The monument opened to the public on June 10, 1967.

Ridiculously large scale public monuments like this represent a long passed golden age for America.

Badlands Coming up the 550 in New Mexico the badlands just spill out of nowhere, but below grade so you can’t see them until you’re in them. Angel Peak appears to stick out of the middle of a field and it was worthwhile to u-turn so Talerpik and Saamik could survey the situation. View Larger Map

Badlands

Coming up the 550 in New Mexico the badlands just spill out of nowhere, but below grade so you can’t see them until you’re in them. Angel Peak appears to stick out of the middle of a field and it was worthwhile to u-turn so Talerpik and Saamik could survey the situation.


View Larger Map

House Dunno what lived here and T & S were to scared to go in to find out.

House

Dunno what lived here and T & S were to scared to go in to find out.

Hole Up on the top of the wall was a suspicious looking hole. Talerpik and Saamik danced around it, but couldn’t make it do anything.

Hole

Up on the top of the wall was a suspicious looking hole. Talerpik and Saamik danced around it, but couldn’t make it do anything.

Natural Bridges National Monument Natural Bridges is an interesting spot, but not particularly photogenic. Instead have a photo of Talerpik and Saamik doing some rock climbing.

Natural Bridges National Monument

Natural Bridges is an interesting spot, but not particularly photogenic. Instead have a photo of Talerpik and Saamik doing some rock climbing.