Posts by Hank

One Shining Moment

It’s time to announce the winner of the “Ricky’s Favorite Things” playoffs, and I have to admit, I’m feeling pret-ty guilty — for two reasons. One: Nepotism. Yes, the winner was Matt, my oldest son — with a perfect score of 30. I obviously should have realized that in a contest of this nature…

Lewis and Clark

Last Sunday, Ricky and I discovered a brand-new hiking area. Well, all right, we didn’t actually discover it. My friend Sarah, who has China the chow chow, told me about it, but Ricky and I did have the whole place to ourselves on Sunday. Well, all right, not exactly to ourselves — but there cer…

Playoffs

Yesterday on the FAN, Joe and Evan were analyzing the Jets’ dwindling playoff chances. I have to admit — earmuffs, Robby — they were more bullish than I am at the moment. Their conversation brought to mind a recent family discussion about what Ricky likes most. Of course, we then started ranki…

The Beagle Has Landed

Yeah, yeah, yeah — the beagle actually landed four weeks ago. I know that. I thought of this title the day after writing “It’s a Wrap,” my first post LA/XC-2 report, and have been wishing I’d used it ever since. Sort of the way Barack felt, I’m sure, on October 4, when he thought of all his gre…

LA/XC-2: It’s a Wrap! (Part 1)

LA/XC-2 SUMMARY Total state tally LA/XC-2: 26 (Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho, Nevada, California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virg…

Falcons Win! Jets Lose! Beagle Man and Ricky Make It Home to CT!

LA/XC-2 DAYS TWENTY-THREE, TWENTY-FOUR, TWENTY-FIVE, AND TWENTY-SIX: LEAVING AUSTIN; LOUISIANA-MISSISSIPPI-ALABAMA; ATLANTA; DELAWARE Day Twenty-three mileage: 453 Day Twenty-four mileage: 457 Day Twenty-five mileage: 260 Day Twenty-six mileage: 676 Total L…

Marfa Who?

LA/XC-2 DAYS TWENTY-ONE AND TWENTY-TWO: SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO; AUSTIN, TEXAS Day Twenty mileage: 333 Day Twenty-one mileage: 376 Total LA/XC-2 mileage: 6,214 Weather leaving Santa Fe: 75 and brilliant sunshine Road Music: Texas favorites, in honor of Austin, “Live Mus…

Standin’ On the Corner In Winslow Arizona

LA/XC-2 DAYS NINETEEN AND TWENTY: CALIFORNIA; SEDONA (ARIZONA); ROUTE 66 Day Nineteen mileage: 486 Day Twenty mileage: 413 Total LA/XC-2 mileage: 5,506 Weather leaving San Francisco: 77 and sunny Road Music: XM Radio regulars; Adele (21); Singles playlist; Monday Ni…

Trojans Win! Jets Win! Falcons Win! Great Weekend!

LA/XC-2 DAYS SIXTEEN, SEVENTEEN, AND EIGHTEEN: SANTA MONICA, L.A., SAN DIEGO Let me set the stage for you. It’s 45 minutes before kick-off . . . Falcons vs. Chargers . . . on a sunny, super-hot Sunday in San Diego’s Qualcomm Stadium. We’re enjoying all sorts of access to the Falcons via ou…

Big Dean’s: Beagle Man’s Bar in Santa Monica

LA/XC-2 DAYS FOURTEEN AND FIFTEEN: LAGUNA BEACH; SANTA MONICA; LOS ANGELES The first time we stayed in Santa Monica back in the spring of 2010, when Robby was in town for his first look at USC, I pegged Big Dean’s “Muscle In” Cafe as my perfect “home” beachside bar and hangout. Right on the San…