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Home: Gary J. Wolff's Blog: Gary J. Wolff's Blog Archives, July-September, 2016

Gary J. Wolff's Blog Archives
July-September, 2016


This page shows archived posts for Gary J. Wolff's blog from July-September, 2016.

Enjoy...

Cheers, 
Gary


Sept. 24, 2016 - Video of GW's 2016 Wild West Road Trip


GW's 2016 Wild West Road Trip
(If player above is not visible, you can view video @ YouTube here.)

 0:00 Smokey Bear Historical Park museum, Capitan, New Mexico
 1:13 Headwaters of the Pecos River, Cowles, New Mexico
 1:48 Runners receiving cheers after Pikes Peak Ascent, Manitou Springs, Colorado
 2:38 Tom preparing BBQ Mexican tacos
 3:24 Wind turbines in southeast Wyoming
 3:57 Horse-drawn stagecoach in Jackson, Wyoming
 4:21 Eruption of Old Faithful geyser, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming
 8:04 Inside Lake Yellowstone Hotel lobby, Yellowstone National Park
 8:28 Mud Volcano, Yellowstone National Park
 9:17 Lower Falls (from Artist Point), Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone
 9:39 BIG buffalo walking down the highway, Yellowstone National Park
10:27 Upper Falls, viewed from Uncle Tom's Parking Area, Yellowstone National Park
11:08 Brink of the Lower Falls, Yellowstone National Park
12:54 Glacier Park Lodge, E. Glacier, Montana
13:33 Mountain stream on Highline Trail, Glacier National Park
14:11 Aster Falls, Two Medicine Lake, Glacier National Park
14:52 Grizzly bear sow with her 2 cubs, Hwy. 2, just west of E. Glacier
15:38 Musician Benjamin from Austin, performing in Glacier Park Lodge
18:28 Amtrak train, departing eastbound from West Glacier railroad depot
19:37 Gödöllő, Hungary sub-camp of Area 3 during the 1967 Boy Scout World Jamboree, Farragut State Park, Idaho
20:06 Flock of wild turkeys near Scott Field in Farragut State Park
21:23 Ranger Lisa leading the Fiery Furnace Tour in Arches National Park, Utah
22:06 Grand View Point Overlook, Island in the Sky district, Canyonlands National Park, Utah
22:33 Horseshoe Bend Overlook, Colorado River, Glen Canyon, Arizona
23:54 Wahweap Overlook, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, Hwy. 89 north of Glen Canyon Dam, Arizona
24:32 Ranger Rachel leading the 8:30 am Nature Walk near the Grand Canyon North Rim Visitor Center, Arizona
25:50 Texaz Grill steakhouse, Phoenix, Arizona
26:35 Max's Sports Bar, Glendale, Arizona
27:10 Phoenix Texas Exes, Football Game Watch Party vs. Notre Dame, Thirsty Lion Sports Bar, Tempe, Arizona
30:39 Piestewa Peak hiking trail, Phoenix, Arizona
32:24 Valley Metro light rail train station, N. 19th Ave. @ W. Northern Avenue, Phoenix, Arizona
33:19 Live country music band & children's slide, Rustler's Rooste, South Mountain, Phoenix
34:12 Entrance ramp meter traffic lights, southbound I-17, Phoenix
34:26 Interpretive trail signs, Picacho Peak State Park, Arizona
35:56 Saguaro National Park, Tucson, Arizona
36:51 Brian entertaining us with his guitar
39:08 New Mexico landscape panorama
39:26 Highlights from the 263-acre Windlinger Ranch in the beautiful Texas hill country




Sept. 18, 2016 - GW's 2016 Wild West Road Trip

It was an absolutely amazing trip...28 days, nearly 7700 miles, 8 states, 10 national parks, and an uncountable number of national forests... connecting with my past & visiting places thru the years where I've lived, worked, and camped out as a Boy Scout.

I hope you enjoy my nearly 800 pics @ Flickr. Cheers!

Arches National Park
Arches National Park, Utah
GW's 2016 Wild West Road Trip
Aug. 15 - Sept. 11, 2016




Aug. 4, 2016 - YOU KNOW YOU'RE IN TEXAS IN AUGUST WHEN...

  • Trees are whistling for dogs.
  • The best parking place is determined by shade instead of distance. 
  • Hot water now comes out of both taps.
  • You learn that a seat belt buckle makes a pretty good branding iron.
  • You discover that it only takes 2 fingers to steer your car.
  • You break into a sweat the instant you step outside at 7:30 a.m. 
  • Ah, what a place to call home.
  • God bless the great State of Texas!



July 31, 2016 - In Loving Memory of Don Davis

Three years ago today our wonderful, longtime American friend went to be with the Lord at the ripe young age of only 60, after fighting a brief illness in a Tokyo hospital. Don was one of the most gracious human beings one could ever know, and was a longtime entertainer for young Japanese children in English education stage shows conducted in public halls all over Japan.

I finally got around to building a memorial page for him. Click link to read more of his story, see some pics, and view a short video: In Loving Memory of Don Davis

 
Don Davis collage
In Loving Memory of Don Davis
June 2, 1953 - July 31, 2013




July 27, 2016 - At last! The solution.

At last! The solution.
"Do you mind if I strap your phone to my forehead so I can pretend you're looking at me when I talk?"




July 25, 2016 - あぶない (danger)!!

Don't go in the sea or you will be swallowed by a giant wave (or a whale) (or a great white shark)!! smiley

Don't go in the sea
あぶない (danger)!! Don't go in the sea.




July 17, 2016 - The "What’s New? Line Game"

In my quarter-century of teaching Japanese learners of English in Tokyo, one of the most popular activities in my university classes has been a warm-up exercise at the beginning of class called "What's New?".

The What's New? Line Game is a 5-10 minute warm-up exercise conducted at the beginning of class where students line up in 2 lines at the front of the classroom, giving them a chance to discuss with up to half of their classmates anything of interest in their lives since the last class.

Students enjoy this very relaxed and motivating method...

Read more at: The "What's New? Line Game"




July 15, 2016 - Target bird golf (ターゲットバードゴルフ) tournament

Ever heard of target bird golf? Well, neither had I until I made this video a few years ago. But it looks like a LOT of fun, using a badminton shuttlecock as the "ball." Only in Japan! smiley



Target bird golf (ターゲットバードゴルフ) tournament
(If player above is not visible, you can view video @ YouTube here.)




July 9, 2016 - It's Mt. Fuji climbing season!!

The official 72-day Mt. Fuji climbing season officially began last Friday on July 1st, with the opening of the main Yoshida Trail from Yamanashi Prefecture.

This route serves Tokyo & most foreign tourists and accounts for about 60% of the total Mt. Fuji climber traffic. The other 3 trails from Shizuoka Prefecture are scheduled to open tomorrow morning @ 9 am, and all 4 trails will close on Sat. Sept. 10.

Mt. Fuji at sunrise
Mt. Fuji at sunrise, taken from Kitadake-sanso, Aug. 14, 2011


If you're planning to climb Mt. Fuji, you'll definitely wanna check out my Climbing Mt. Fuji FAQ page. Four years ago it became the most visited page on my entire site, and as gracious site visitors have populated it with more & more of their stories & inquiries, it became so LONG last year that I had to break it down into 2 separate pages.

So far this month these 2 pages are receiving nearly 800 page views per day. Hoo wah!! Let's climb Fuji-san!

"If you come to Japan and don't climb Mt. Fuji, you're a fool; but if you climb it more than once, you're an even BIGGER fool."   smiley

--old Japanese proverb, especially tailored for gaijin--




July 6, 2016 - Japanese post office drop box with thatched roof

I spotted this on my way to work this morning. Never a dull moment in Japan! smiley


thatched roof Japanese post office drop box
Japanese post office drop box with thatched roof




Japan-Texas ebook cover thumbnail
A FREE download at Smashwords



Pattaya ebook cover
Only $1.99 at Amazon
(¥214 at アマゾン日本)




Alaska ebook cover
Only $2.99 at Amazon
(¥340 at アマゾン日本)



Summer 1974 hitchhiking trip ebook cover
Only 99¢ at Amazon (¥105 at アマゾン日本)




Let's connect!!

Gary J. Wolff
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GW's road trip ebook cover
Only 99¢ from Amazon
(¥114 at アマゾン日本)




new Climbing Mt. Fuji book
Only $2.99 at Amazon
(¥343 at アマゾン日本)




Only $2.99 at Amazon
(¥343 at アマゾン日本)




What's New?

  1. Mt. Fuji access fees to be doubled to 4,000 yen ($26)

    Dec 19, 24 07:11 PM

    Climbers using the most popular trail on Mt. Fuji are expected to be slugged with a doubled fee of 4,000 yen ($26) from next summer as the Yamanashi prefectural government seeks to tackle overcrowding…

    Read more

  2. My Grown Up Christmas List

    Dec 17, 24 08:44 AM

    Performed December 13 at the "A Christmas Gift 2024" charity Christmas concert in Tokyo, Japan by singer Charito & dancer Ikumi. In its 21st year, the annual charity concert is organized & sponsored b…

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  3. End-of-year ebook sale! FREE BOOKS!

    Dec 15, 24 09:01 PM

    BIG CHANCE! Smashwords, the world's largest publisher of indie ebooks (>228,000 participating ebooks from nearly 60,000 authors) is now holding its 8th annual end-of-year sale from now till Wednesday…

    Read more