Do you remember Mike Riley, Chargers head coach from 1999 through 2001? His was a short, dismal captaincy, compiling a record of 14-34 and a .292 winning percentage. I wrote at the time: “Lashed to …
September 1, 2010
United States
Former Chargers head coach Mike Riley has figured out who he is
Oakmont Loop
The pint-sized (244-acre) Verdugo Mountains Open Space Preserve covers a scruffy patch of east-facing slopes in the city of Glendale. The circular hiking/biking route described here is pieced out of fire roads and residential streets …
August 11, 2010
Mount Washington, New Hampshire
I'm just glad I wasn't driving. The road that snakes around Mt. Washington is narrow and terrifying. There's no guardrail to prevent cars from flying off corners and smashing down steep cliffs. Just to make …
August 8, 2010
Smugglers scatter in San Diego, Texas
Woolly Weather. As Hurricane Alex approached the coast of Northern Mexico during the Independence Day weekend, nearly ten inches of rain flooded the streets of San Diego and other parts of Duval County. In Freer …
August 4, 2010
Tranquil Pacifica, California
Another quick jaunt north is the scenic town of Pacifica, California. As a student at San Francisco State University, I once lived here eons ago, but it is still as quaintly scenic and tranquil a …
July 29, 2010
Punk Rock Bowling, Henderson, Nevada
Henderson in Nevada, Sunset Station, Punk, Bowling, Pabst Blue Ribbon. What’s the connection? Three words. Punk Rock Bowling – a weekend of raucous and drunken activities having something to do with bowling and music. Normally, …
Louisiana’s Swamps and Wetlands
It is said that when Thomas Jefferson bought the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, he was mainly interested in New Orleans and its surrounding swamps. Two centuries later, it is now the section of the country …
Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch, San Antonio, Texas
With their unpredictable temperament, the ostriches took the meal event to another level. One approached our car, acting like a machine in War of The Worlds with its stilt-like legs, tank-like feathered body and garden-hose …
July 19, 2010
Shattuck Avenue, Berkeley, California: A Gourmet Ghetto
A trip to the East Bay Area and Berkeley makes for a wonderful weekend getaway. Fly to Oakland and take the Richmond BART train from the airport into Berkeley. Seven easy blocks north of the …
July 10, 2010
Immigrant Song
On June 3, Chicano rock band Los Lobos announced that they would join the list of businesses boycotting Arizona in protest of the new immigration law there by canceling their June 10 concert in Scottsdale. …
July 7, 2010
Twelve Hours in Miami
A 12-hour layover in Miami isn’t anybody’s idea of a bad time. I arrived from Chicago O’Hare so early, I couldn’t even check my bag. Transforming an inconvenience into an opportunity, I began to search …
July 2, 2010
Forks, Washington and Twilight
Not long ago, Forks, Washington, was among the dreariest and most unremarkable expired lumber towns in the country. Teenagers would kill time getting twisted on the “A” road, a desolate lumber route rumored to be …
June 30, 2010
Frenchmen Street: A Bourbon Street for Locals
Where would you go out at night in New Orleans? Bourbon Street, right? Me too. But after satiating the people-watching craving via the drunken crowds and after having enough of the flashing neon signs, I …
June 26, 2010
Garapito Loop
In spring and late summer, the “elfin forest” of chaparral in the Santa Monica Mountains takes on a dozen shades of green and bursts forth with nectar-bearing blossoms that are often more attractive to the …
June 23, 2010
Santa Fe: Something for Everyone
Santa Fe is a haven for artists, foodies and wilderness lovers – so it's pretty much a place for everyone. The art on Canyon Road extends up a mile-long road with gallery after gallery filling …
June 21, 2010