James travel Blog

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My Time In Maryland

October 1st, 2007 by james

Hey everyone, it’s me again and I am writing from Middletown, Maryland. I have been spending time with my Aunty Donna’s Parents Don and Sharon Boyer. They are Cross Country coaches so they have kept me busy. On the same day I flew in they took me to Brentsville Relay a nighttime Cross Country meet with something near 5000 spectators and runners on Saturday. We went and to see the Antietam Battlefield - one of the many battle sites of the American Civil War. Monday evening we went to the Frederick County Agricultural Fair and looked around. We had some funnel cake and saw some big cows as well as little piglets.On Wednesday we went to another Meet called Mountain Run were the team had to run up this big hill that I would never have tried to even jog. Thursday night we went to an American football game and had a great time. Friday we had a scrimmage with a pizza party after I also played my first game of Ultimate Frizzbee. Saturday we went to Hershey Park (a huge Amusement Park) where we went on almost every rollercoaster except the wooden ones and we ran out of time. Sunday Don, Sharon and I went to Washington DC to see the Air and Space Museum. It was really cool to see all the planes. We saw a movie about a gathering of all the rookie Fighter Pilots from multiple countries to partake in a large-scale air war exercise. I also saw the Washington Monument, Lincoln Monument, Vietnam Memorial, World War II Memorial, and the White House.On Monday I gave a presentation on Australia to three classes of thirty at Middletown High School. I was tired afterwards but it was a lot of fun. In fact this Wednesday I will be giving another presentation to two classes of Yr 12 students I am looking forward to this.On Wednesday it was Sr/Parent Appreciation night for the team. The team had a run with another school I was giving the ribbons to the top ten runners. It was followed by a picnic for all the runners and spectators. Nearly 250 people.Friday I went to the Outback Steakhouse with Don and Sharon. It is supposed to be an Australian Restaurant (I didn’t think it was very Australian just my opinion) but it is the closest thing they have. I was put off by the fact they didn’t have meat pies. (I miss them)Saturday the team had another meet called the Bull Run I didn’t even like looking at some of the hills they were that bad. I feel sorry for the people who had to run them. Sunday Sharon, Don and I went to the Boyer reunion I met Don’s uncles and Aunties as well as other relatives of theirs. I have had so much fun on my visit even on the days we didn’t go anywhere because we always have practice so I got to hang out with the team. I am looking forward to sharing the tapes of the presentation I gave to the classes with you guys when I get back.

James

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Oregon - Sand Dunes

September 4th, 2007 by james

Hi everyone I am back from my trip to Oregon

I have had so much fun this past week Quad bike riding in the sand dunes there where about 25 people there. My first ride in the dunes was with Markie on his Yamaha 450 his brother Andrew and his wife Natalie and daughter Ashlynn in the Rhino 4X4 and me on the Honda 400ex and I had a ball. The next day Markie, Andrew and me went crabbing and we caught about 20 crabs some where Red rock and some where something else the same day Dave and his friends rock up and went on a ride and that is another level of riding they go through shoots and follow trails that are only just wider than the bikes there are some points where just around a turn the is a 10 foot drop into water so Dennis took me out in the Sand-rail which is really fast so once again I had loads of fun. Usually at night we would all sit around a fire and eat, talk and plan the next day. I think on the fourth day I was there we all went for a big group ride with the guys and me riding the Quads and the women riding in the Rhino and Ranger they are both 4X4’s and we headed to Boxcar on the other side of the Dunes about half way there we ran into a road block someone had tried to get their toy-hauler onto the dunes and got themselves stuck blocking the only way to Boxcar but we only had to wait a little before they let us through. Once we got to Boxcar we relaxed and watched people drag-race each other. Boxcar was a great place the water comes right up the dunes and you can see out to sea. The ride back was really fun we followed the beach back and went pretty fast it took about half the time it did getting there to get back. the day after that Dave and his friends left and the Furr’s arrived so we went out on another big ride this time to Horsfall which is the same distance and direction as Boxcar but on the other side of the Dunes once again we took the beach back the the house. The second night the Furr’s were there we went to the rib place to celebrate Cory’s Birthday and we had lots of fun. after that things started winding down we still had fun but people where leaving. My last ride was with Markie, Pete and Crystal it was a technical ride through the harder trails it was more difficult than the other rides. There were tons of people at the house there was (The Furrs) Ron, Shanna, Cory, Trina, Ricky, (The McCullers) Steve, Debbie, Sarah, Justin, Victoria, Brad, (The Knorrs) Markie, Andrew, Natalie, Ashlynn, (The Seattle version of Dennis and Donna) Pete and Crystal as well as Dave and his four friends and don’t forget Dennis, Donna and Me.

That is what I have been doing for the last week it was heaps of fun.

James

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The Amusement Park

August 26th, 2007 by james

I’ve been lazy and not written about a couple of things like my trip to Marine World withÂ Donna Grant and RileyÂ I had lots of fun and went on my first big roller-coaster.

We saw some dolphins which was cool it was hard to get pics of them in the air but Donna got one.

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After the show Grant Riley and I went on a raft ride.

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It was fun up until some really cruel people payed 25c to shoot water cannons at the raft riders if I had know that I would have brought more quarters, instead I had to settle for shooting some guy that was trying to take a picture on an overpass looking down on the rafters.

Next was the Killer Whale show and that was something to watch.

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The Whale drenched every one in the first 6 rows so I got a laugh.

It was a long and fun day.

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Oregon With Photos

August 24th, 2007 by james

Hey it is 7:00pm august 24th 2007

Hi guys did you miss my riveting blogsÂ I am sorry I kept you waiting but I was in Oregon working with my Uncle and one of his friends Markie. We have been prepping the place for all the guys to come down on Labor Day weekend we pulled out a really big tree with only our bare hands ………….and a 337 Bob Cat excavator so we had some hard work to do.

Dennis’s friend Markie really likes his excavator so you have to watch him or he will get a little off task……

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Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â This is Markie off task.

This is a before and after pic of the tree stump we removed.

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BeforeÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â After

If you look closely in the after photo you can see me standing in the hole the stump left in the ground.

We had alot of fun working we pathed some sections and lad some gravel for the 5th-wheels A.K.A camper vans because Dennis’s yard was completley sand. The drive up to Oregon takes about 10 hours one way non-stop so just a short trip.

I am going back up there for a fun trip in about four more days hopefuly and thats for another week so I hope you guys don’t miss me too much.

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My past couple of days

August 14th, 2007 by james

Hi every body it’s 8:13 August 14th

I have been having so much fun in the past couple of days I have been to the Winchester Mystery House which has 160 rooms, had a maximum of 7 stories, at it’s peek covered 161 acres, has two basements, 1257 window frames, 950 doors, 47 fireplaces, 17 chimneys, 40 bedrooms, 6 kitchens, 40 staircases, 367 steps, 52 skylights, 13 bathrooms and 1 shower. All this cost $5,5000,000

Try saying that ten times really fast.

After that we went to Dave & Busters which is a really big arcade and that was really cool.

The next day we rode the quads and dirt bikes around the yard, then we went to Carnegie which has a lot of big off road tracks to ride on, I wiped out on the little 125 dirt bike but I wasn’t hurt so don’t worry I’m OK.

I will put some pics on the blog soon.

James

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Fun At Home

August 9th, 2007 by james

Hi it’s 6:59 August 8th 2007

Hey everybody it’s me again I know all you guys miss me like hell so I though you might like this………..

Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â James's New Do

This is what happens when you go to a party with my aunt and uncle.

And for all you guys that think I am slacking off here is a news flash my uncle and I are starting to prepare the Quad bikes so we can take them up to Oregon so we can drive on the sand dunes how is that for hard work.

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My days at the fair

August 3rd, 2007 by james

Hay it’s Friday August 3rd 2007

Yesterday and the day before I went to the county fair the first night we went to see the Quad Bike drag racing and it was really cool thereÂ four classes Little Kids, Under 15’s, B class and Unlimited class we the Little Kids and under 15’s where OK and the B class was cool but nothing matched the Unlimited Class there where some super expensive Quads in that class and they where fast some of the bikes had Motor Bike engines in them they sounded really cool. But as it happens when you race at those speeds one guy lost it and hit a fence he wasn’t hurt bad but still it look painful. There was one Quad in the Unlimited classÂ that looked more Dragster than Quad and it was really fast we thought for sure that this guy would win or go flying into the fence as well but in the Semi finals he accidentally started in Neutral and lost.

One the second night we wentÂ I got to see a Rodeo it was cool there where Bucking Bulls and this one guy who kept on harassing the commentator (he was aÂ rodeo clown he’s meant to) the guy was about to say a joke when the bull went after him for a while (this was more funny) when that finished we went on some rides then left.

We plan of going to more fairs later on and there is a State Fair coming up soon as well so until then bye.

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Photos

August 3rd, 2007 by james

Hi guys it’s Friday the 3rd August 2007Â 4:34 PM

Â So I said I would send some pictures of where I’m at so here they are.

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This is the house and back yard see why we call it our golden yard.

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This is our pet lizard Sticky I think he got his name from getting stuck on that fly paper stuff and having Uncle Dennis take four hours to get him off.

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This is the Rhino the night we took a late night spin around the block and almost hit a skunk in Dennis and Donna’s yard it belongs to one of Dennis and Donna’s friends.

I will send some Photos of me doing things next because I know you guys miss me.

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My First Week

July 28th, 2007 by james

Hi every one it’s ten past seven July 28th 2007

Sorry I haven’t been writing but I have been very busy visiting my Aunty Donna’s friends and I am having a lot of fun.

I have just finished my first meal at home all the others were at friends houses and restaurants I have had Mexican, Thai and food from a joint called In and Out.

Last night we had dinner at one of Donna’s friends house it wasÂ a lotÂ of fun we played cards most of the night.

It gets hot out here around 36 degrees butÂ it’s a nice dry heat they have what they call the golden hills and golden yards but that is justÂ a nice way of saying it’s all dead.

I will send pictures soon.

I am missing you all

JamesÂ

this is an update it is midnight and I just got back from a rhino ride (the car type) and I thought it was worthÂ mentioning because it was so much fun I will post pictures as soon as i can good night.

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