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Travel: Explore America
Travel: Destination Bucket List
There is so much to see and do in life. Unfortunately, our time here on earth is limited so it is up to us to make the best use of it. Here is a look at the places we want to visit before clocking out from Bourn Adventure!
Do you have a Destination Bucket List? If so, share some of the locations on your list with us in the comment section below.
- North America -
- South America -
- Africa -
- Europe -
- Asia -
- Australia / Oceania -
- Antarctica -
Thank you for reading this article. We hope you found it entertaining. If so, please share it with others and don't forget to leave a comment down below!
The world is a large place, and life is short. Together, we can accomplish much more than we ever could alone.
-Bourn Adventure
Due to the creativity, foresight, and hard work of so many men and women beginning over 100 years ago up until now and hopefully proceeding much longer into the future, we have the opportunity to Explore America through recreation.
As much of a gift as the National Park system is to the American people, that does not mean it is only for us to enjoy. Each year millions of visitors from all over the world travel thousands of miles just to experience our National Parks. Although it is estimated that over 100 countries have areas which are designated as national parks, ours are the most visited. What America lacks in historical sites (compared to the rest of the world) we make up for in wide-ranging, natural beauty which has been preserved for the betterment of the people.
The National Park Service (NPS) was officially created on August 25, 1916, after President Woodrow Wilson signed the act into law. This was known as the Organic Act which placed the National Park Service under the United States Department of the Interior. Since their creation and the aid of additional legislation, they have been given areas which at one point were under the control of other U.S. Federal Agencies such as, the War Department and the Forest Service of the Department of Agriculture.
As it stands today, the National Park Services scope of responsibility includes more than 400 areas which is encompassed in the following categories:
Today all of the land that is deemed natural, cultural, historical, and recreational falls under the control of the National Park Service, but that was not always the case. Since America is still relatively young, balance and control of certain areas has been - and still is a work in progress. Before 1916 some state and federal lands were split up amongst several different controlling entities, which made it difficult to manage and protect. Now, it is a more streamlined process which makes it easier for the government to preserve and more importantly, the visitors to enjoy.
To see a full list of units under the control of the National Park Service, please click here: List of the United States National Park System official unites
National Park Service Abroad
Taking it one step further, the United States National Park Service has also assisted in the creation of other counties national parks and protected areas. This has happened more through guidance and consulting help rather than physical or financial aid. Although that may not seem like a lot, to the people who are currently appreciating beauty in their country, that is!
It is all part of a larger picture. The world is filled with amazing areas and due to the efforts of the U.S. National Park Service and people all across the globe, more and more areas are being preserved than ever before in recorded history.
Some of these countries include, but are not limited to:
The First
Yellowstone National Park is the first National Park created in the United States and was signed into existence by President Ulysses S. Grant on March 1, 1872. This was known as the Yellowstone National Park Act and is the foundation of which all U.S. National Parks would be "built" on. It is also considered by many as the first National Park in the world. However, there is some controversy regarding which park or even country holds this distinguished title as the Mongolian government is said to have established Bogd Khan Uul National Park in Mongolia in 1778. Whether it is the first or second National Park, there is no denying that it plays an import role in our nation's history as it helped set a precedence of what would become of America's magnificent natural and man-made wonders.
As mentioned above, Yellowstone National Park is considered the first U.S. National Park. However, the Yosemite area was the first time land was set aside with the intent of preservation. This was known as the Yosemite Grant which was signed by President Abraham Lincoln on June 30, 1864. Although the Yosemite Grant predates Yellowstone by almost a decade, it did not officially receive the National Park designation until October 1, 1890. Therefore, Yellowstone holds that esteemed title while Yosemite technically is the third oldest National Park in the United States.
It should be noted, out of the more than 400 parks in the National Park System, there are only 60 with the designation of "national park". The rest fall into the other categories which were mentioned above.
Here is a list of the 10 oldest National Parks in the United States:
The Biggest
The United States of America, to include its territories is the third largest country by land mass covering approximately 3.8 million square miles (9.8 million square kilometers). Although America does not have as much protected land as other countries, that does not mean it makes the U.S. National Park Services job any easier.
They are responsible for approximately 131,250 square miles (339,935 square kilometers) of land located in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, America Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, Saipan, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. It takes an estimated 20,000 National Park Service employees and several hundred thousand VIPs (Volunteers-In-Parks) to help keep those areas in tip-top shape.
Here is a list of the 10 largest National Park in the United States by size:
If You Build It, They Will Come
In 1983, an American novelist and historian by the name of Wallace Stegner stated this, "national parks are the best idea we ever had. Absolutely American, absolutely democratic, they reflect us at our best rather than our worst." As someone who has an affinity for our National Park system myself, I could not agree with his statement more.
What started as a bold idea has turned into a lifestyle and one that draws people in from all walks of life, cultures, and locations from around the nation and the world. People are willing to drive or fly thousands of miles just to wait in lines to enter our National Parks and walk with crowds of people just to experience the beauty of America which has been so tirelessly preserved. This speaks volumes and helps to solidify the suggestion that in fact, this was Americas best idea!
It is estimated that in 2017 approximately 330 million domestic and international visitors walked through the gates of our National Park System. This number is up from years past and is expected to be even higher in the years to come. Since recreation visit records started being kept in 1904 up until now (2017), approximately 13,918,617,696 people have visited. In my opinion, the National Park Service does a phenomenal job of accommodating and educating such a large number of people.
At the time of writing this article, the 2018 numbers were not published on the National Park Service website. Once they are, this section will be updated.
Here is a list of the 10 most visited National Parks in the United States:
It's All About The Money
Each year the National Park Service, as part of the Department of the Interior, submits their budget to Congress for their review and approval. Although the National Park Service is funded by the United States Government, that does not mean that is their only source of revenue. They receive additional money through the use of park entrance fees, recreational fees, and partnerships.
The entrance fees can vary based on the Park and other factors to include, per vehicle, per person, per motorcycle, and Park-specific annual passes. To view these fees and options, please click here: Entrance Fees by Park
If you live near or frequently visit National Parks or other areas associated with the National Park System or National Park Service, an annual pass might be right for you. They also offer annual 4th grade passes, senior passes, volunteer passes, access passes, and U.S. Military passes. To learn more about these and other passes, please click here: America the Beautiful Passes
If you time your visit just right, you can take advantage of enjoying the National Parks for free. Typically, these days and dates change yearly so be sure to check before going. To learn more about this, please click here: Free Entrance Days in the National Parks
To learn more about the National Park Service, please click here: NPS
We here at Bourn Adventure have been fortunate enough to visit 20 National Parks (some more than once) and more than 100 of the 418 total other areas associated with the National Park System. The majority of these areas we have visited can be found on our website under the "ADVENTURES" tab. All of them have pictures from our time there and most have a story or stories of the adventure we had during our visit.
With all due sincerity and respect, I thank all the men and women who work for the National Park Service and strive each day to make these areas and this country even better. Without their efforts or the efforts of volunteers, there is no telling what the American people along with those of other countries would be missing.
Our goal is to continue to grow our collection of sites visited within the National Park System and deliver that content to you via our website, social media pages or emails. Although there is a world of information on the internet, it is not always easy to navigate. Our desire is to bring all of our travels, adventures, and experiences together into one, easy to find place, which could help identify locations for a future trip. Our hope is; by using information found on our website it makes your next adventure that much easier to plan, execute, and enjoy.
There is no better time than now to get out there and Capture the Journey as you Explore America and Live Your Freedom!
Sources: NPS.gov | Wikipedia.org | Worldatlas.com | Theculturetrip.com | Budgettravel.com | Tripsavvy.com
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Thank you for reading this article. We hope you found it entertaining. If so, please share it with others and don't forget to leave a comment down below!
The world is a large place, and life is short. Together, we can accomplish much more than we ever could alone.
-Bourn Adventure
Author: Baker
Adventures: 2018 in Review!
We would like to give 2018 a proper farewell before getting too comfortable with 2019. Just like in years past, 2018 had its ups and downs, but just like anything else, its all about how you handle that rollercoaster ride. For us at Bourn Adventure we try to always look at the positive side of things and 2018 was filled with plenty of them!
I would say Bourn Adventure (formally Bakes FJ) is better known for our massive road trips across the United States, some more than 10,000 miles long. On those adventures, our main focus was to Explore America and encourage others to do the same, even if it was just a short drive down the road. Adventure is everywhere and often times we overlook the closest opportunities to experience one.
For so many of those road trips, our old Toyota FJ Cruiser was the focus and inspiration behind the journeys. After the loss of the FJ due to a roll over and following rebrand from Bakes FJ to Bourn Adventure in 2017, we have strived to expand our adventures. Here are the highlights from 2018!
Petra, Jordan
Dead Sea, Jordan
Jerash, Jordan
Amman Amphitheater, Jordan
Baptism Site, Jordan
Amman Citadel, Jordan
Cozumel, Mexico
Muscat, Oman
Sinkhole Park, Oman
Wadi Tiwi, Oman
Al Hazm Castle, Oman
Tropic of Cancer, Oman
New Orleans, LA
National WWII Museum, LA
Abita Brewery, LA
Pensacola, FL
Nairobi, Kenya
The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, Kenya
Nairobi National Park, Kenya
Mt. Longonot, Kenya
Equator, Kenya
Chicago, IL
The Morton Arboretum, IL
St. Louis, MO
Thank you for reading this article. We hope you found it entertaining. If so, please share it with others and don't forget to leave a comment down below!
The world is a large place, and life is short. Together, we can accomplish much more than we ever could alone.
-Bourn Adventure
Author: Baker
Your ticket to adventure is here!
Adventures: The Morton Arboretum
While on our GX Winter Road Trip: 2018 we visited The Morton Arboretum which is located off of Route 53 in Lisle, IL. Their property sits on a sprawling 1,700-acre plot of land and is home to more than 222,000 plants.
They stay busy hosting events and their doors are open 365 days out of the year, which means there is always an adventure to be had and something to explore. One of the events The Morton Arboretum is most known for is the Illumination: Tree Lights at the Morton Arboretum. Although they are open year round, this Illumination event typically begins mid-November and run until the first few days of January. This is an entrance time controlled and ticketed event. They recommend purchasing tickets online and doing it in advance due to them selling out frequently.
This was the first time experiencing a show like this and to be honest, I figured it was just trees with lights on them. Well, it was much more than that. Not only is it trees with lights, but it is a full-on production with several different themed sections. Throughout the mile-long walking path, you are greeted by dazzling light displays which use trees, bushes, and grass as the canvas to paint beautiful scenes. One such display takes a life of its own due to the use of tall trees, lights, shadows, and audio.
We did the 6:30 pm show in mid-December. It was dark, cold, and misty that night, which in my opinion made for a much better display as the lighting bounced off the misty air. It was without a doubt an adventure and one we would gladly do again if we are there that time of year.
To learn more about The Morton Arboretum, visit their website by clicking here.
Thank you for reading this article. We hope you found it entertaining. If so, please share it with others and don't forget to leave a comment down below!
The world is a large place, and life is short. Together, we can accomplish much more than we ever could alone.
-Bourn Adventure
Author: Baker
How-To: GX470 CV Axle Swap
At some point you might have to swap out your old CV axles due to damage from the trail or just normal wear. You can either pay a shop to do it, which is easier, but more costly or you can do it yourself.
If you prefer the second option, but have some hesitation because you have not done it before, hopefully this "How-To" article will provide some insight and make your fix easier!
Even though this article is specific to a Lexus GX470, the process is very similar on other makes and/or models. We had access to a vehicle lift while doing our axle swap, but this can also be done in the driveway or on a trail, it just might require a few extra four letter words.
* Most of the example pictures are from the driver side, but the process is the same regardless of which side you are working on.
1) Remove tire
2) Remove dust cover
3) Remove the cotter pin, cap, and axle nut
*35mm socket for axle nut
4) Remove brake rotor and brake caliper
5) Remove cotter pin, castle nut, and outer tie rod end
6) Remove bottom bolts from spindle
7) Remove axle from spindle and axle housing
8) Replace seals on spindle and axle housing
9) Insert new CV axle using caution not to rip the rubber boots
10) Replace everything in reverse order and add gear oil
*Front axle nut torque is 173 ft. lbs.
*Wheel lug nut torque is 83 ft. lbs.
Thank you for reading this article. We hope you found it entertaining. If so, please share it with others and don't forget to leave a comment down below!
The world is a large place, and life is short. Together, we can accomplish much more than we ever could alone.
-Bourn Adventure
Author: Baker
Traveling the world and interacting in new and different cultures is a very rewarding experience. Having said that, it can also be a little overwhelming at times, especially if you are new to international travel.
One of the most problematic areas where people struggle is understanding foreign currencies. Thankfully, we have modern technology, more specifically, applications that can make that a little easier for us. Although the United States dollar (USD) is widely accepted as a means of payment in many countries around the world, when possible, I prefer to use the currency of the country I am visiting. I do this for a few reasons:
Although symbols, shapes, sizes, and numerical amounts differ from country to country, some similarities remain the same. In most cases, the physical bill size is proportionate to its value. Meaning, the smaller the bill size, the smaller the amount it is worth. Typically, their size goes from smallest to largest, which makes it easier to recognize value placements of currency when dealing with several different bill denominations. The same is also true with coins.
Even though you might have a bill from a non-English speaking county in hand, there is a good chance somewhere on that bill the numerical value is represented in English. For example: if you are purchasing goods in Jordan and they tell you 50 dinars (JOD)" you can do the math by simply locating the numbers.
Omani (OMR)currency
In my opinion, the language barrier problem is often overlooked when paying for something using a currency other than the local one.
Example: let's say you are in Bangladesh and you find a souvenir or something you want, but only have USD. You go to pay and they tell you "3,000 takas (BDT)". If you do not know the exchange rate, your response most likely would be, "what is that in USD"? If they do not speak English or you do not speak Bengali, chances are there is going to be quite a bit of confusion.
This could have all been avoided if you just exchanged currencies and when they told you the amount, you handed it to them. Although the language barrier still exists, 3,000 takas is still 3,000 takas.
Exchange rates (the rate at which one currency is exchanged for another) can often lead to confusion, hair pulling, and the occasional four-letter word. This can be amplified when you are in a hurry or other stress-induced situations. To further complicate things, most exchange rates have daily, weekly, and monthly fluctuation. Although the differences might be minute, they still exist and should be factored into your travels.
If you do not like the idea of always checking, fear not, some counties have fixed exchange rates! For instance, the Omani riyal (OMR) has a fixed rate to the United States dollar (USD) of approximately 0.38449. This simply means, one USD is worth approximately 0.38 OMR. From my experience, the list of fixed rate countries is smaller than those who do not have one.
Like I mentioned at the beginning of the article, there are applications that make it simple to track exchange rates. There are several great currency converters out there, but the one I use the most on my iPhone/iPad is called XE, which can be located in the App Store. They also have a website (xe.com) in the event you are using a computer.
On the plus side, if you are using the local currency, it takes a lot of the guesswork out of it when paying for goods and receiving change back, but you should still be mindful of the exchange rate to determine the true cost/value of something.
For example: if you are visiting Kenya and exchanged your currency (let us say USD) for the Kenya shilling (KES), which has a fluctuating exchange rate (minimal movement) and want to buy a painting from a local artist for 5,500 shillings (KES). Before making your decision, you would probably want to know the amount/value in your currency (USD), which at the time of writing this article would be about $54.00 USD. Understanding that helps ensure you make an informed decision.
Whether you are in a country that has a fixed or fluctuating exchange rate, the locals will know the exact exchange rate at the time. If you are not up to date, there could be a chance that you pay a different amount and it will not be in your favor.
The majority of vendors in most countries accept credit/debit cards as a means of payments, but that does not mean it will always work. This could happen for several reasons:
If your card does not work, cash is king, but if you only hold your country's currency and they do not accept it, then you might be in a bind, especially if it is for a service they already provided (meal, taxi, tour, etc.). This is another reason to have local currency on your person, even if you plan on using your card everywhere.
In my opinion, if you are in a country for more than a few days, it is a good idea to exchange money, especially if you plan on site seeing. Keep in mind, typically there is a fee associated with exchanging money and sometimes those fees are more if you do it in "convenient" place like airports, banks or hotels.
Thank you for reading this article. We hope you found it entertaining. If so, please share it with others and don't forget to leave a comment down below!
The world is a large place, and life is short. Together, we can accomplish much more than we ever could alone.
-Bourn Adventure
Author: Baker
Not only do we document our travels, but we also sell rad stickers, patches, and other products as a way to help others show off their adventures! Going to the mountains? We have a patch for that! Going camping? We have a sticker for that! Sun beating down on your head? You guessed it; we have a hat for that!
Since we launched our store in 2012, we have shipped products all over the United States and to more than 25 countries. To see all the places our products are in use, please click here: BAG Products World Map. We are blessed to have so many people around the globe rocking Bourn Adventure Gear. We wanted a way to personally thank them for their order.
Our solution was to create Bourn Adventure postcards. This allowed us the opportunity to give each order a personal touch while continuing to share adventures from all over the world. We breathe new life in our postcards by periodically changing destinations and showcasing new locations. Each postcard series is assigned a number and runs for a limited time. Once that particular postcard is gone, it is done!
So far all of the postcards have been a big hit and some people even started collecting them! Aside from that, customers have told us of conversations generated by the postcards hanging on their refrigerator or in their office. Hearing that something so simple could spark curiosity and encourage adventure brings a smile to our faces.
To place an order and get your Bourn Adventure postcard, please visit our retail site: Bourn Adventure Gear
Postcard Adventures
Thank you for reading this article. We hope you found it entertaining. If so, please share it with others and don't forget to leave a comment down below!
The world is a large place, and life is short. Together, we can accomplish much more than we ever could alone.
-Bourn Adventure
Author: Baker
Travel: Around The World
All around the world are amazing sites and structures. Some are well known and some are not. Our goal in this section is to showcase those places. Come take an adventure with us around the world as we Capture the Journey!
Travel: Our Adventures
The internet is filled with good explanations of all things Blockchain, to include all other related information pertaining to cyptocurrency and the technology supporting it. Due to all the resources available, it can be difficult to filter through all the websites and find the information you are looking for. These are some of the articles we came across that helped us understand the space better and we hope it helps you too.
Although this list contains similar articles, each one includes additional details or explanations that others did not. If you know of any articles that should be added to our list, please contact us.
- Blockchain -
1: How Does the Blockchain Work? (June, 2016) – Michele D'Aliessi
2: Blockchain Explained: The Ultimate Guide to Understanding How Blockchain Works (March, 2018) - Ray King
3: What is Forking? – Hard Fork and Soft Fork in Cryptocurrency
4: Blockchains & Distributed Ledger Technologies
5: Review of the 6 Major Blockchain Protocols – Bryant Nielson
6: Guide to Forks: Everything You Need to Know About Forks, Hard Fork and Soft Fork – Aziz
- Cryptocurrency -
1: Types of Cryptocurrency (April, 2018) - Adam Levy
2: Token vs Coin: What's the Difference (March, 2018) - Ray King
3: Different Categories of Cryptocurrencies (January, 2018) - Phil Glazer
4: Understanding the Different Types of Cryptocurrency (March, 2018) – Ray King
- Wallets -
1: Cryptocurrency Wallet Guide: A Step-By-Step Tutorial (2017) – Ameer Rosic
2: How to Choose the Best Cryptocurrency Wallet (April, 2018) – Ray King
3: Guide To Cryptocurrency Wallets: What Do You Need To Know? - Aziz
4: My EtherWallet Review: Full & Detailed Guide (April, 2018) – Ray King
- Investing -
1: Cryptocurrency Trading for Beginners: How to Start? (March, 2018) – Ray King
2: What is an ICO? Understanding Initial Coin Offerings (April, 2018) – Ray King
- Miscellaneous -
1: Decentralized Application: What is a dApp? (March, 2018) – Ray King
2: What Is a Smart Contract and How Does It Work? (March, 2018) – Ray King
3: A Complete Guide On What Is Bitcoin Mining and How Does It Work? (March, 2018) – Ray King
4: What Is a Bitcoin and How Does Bitcoin Work (March, 2018) – Ray King
5: Beginners Guide: What is Bitcoin? (August, 2017) - Vincent Wondra
6: Cryptocurrencies are the "future of money": The United States Congress (July, 2018)
Hackernoon.com | BitDegree.org | Cryptodecoding.com | Coincentral.com | Bitcoinwarrior.net
Disclaimer: I am not a financial advisor, nor am I giving suggestions, recommendation, guidance, advice, or tips. I am simply stating my opinion and giving my observations of the market, Cryptocurrency, or other related topics. If you decide to act on or follow any of the information provided (past, present, or in the future) you are doing so on your own free will and not on my recommendation.
Thank you for reading this article. We hope you found it entertaining. If so, please share it with others and don't forget to leave a comment down below!
The world is a large place, and life is short. Together, we can accomplish much more than we ever could alone.
-Bourn Adventure
Author: Baker
Occasionally your air conditioning drain line can become clogged. This could happen because of dirt or in my case, due to a Mud Dauber that plugged it up. Without regular inspection, you may not know that it is clogged. One of the telltale signs is water dripping onto your passenger side floorboard. If you see this, chances are you need to clear your line.
You can locate the AC line protruding out of the firewall on the passenger side. It can sometimes be viewed easier from the bottom side versus the top side.
1) Using a coat hanger or old dip sticker, gently clear the line
Thank you for reading this article. We hope you found it entertaining. If so, please share it with others and don't forget to leave a comment down below!
The world is a large place, and life is short. Together, we can accomplish much more than we ever could alone.
-Bourn Adventure
Author: Baker
Cryptocurrency (crypto) pretty much got its start in 2009 with the creation of Bitcoin. Early adopters saw the advantages of the genius technology behind Bitcoin, but for the most part cryptocurrency laid dormant for several years. Due to media attention, word of mouth, and social media, cryptocurrency saw an influx of activity in 2017.
People from all walks of life, living all over the world took notice as the market capitalization of cryptocurancy began to rise. Wide-eyed and eager to make money, people began investing without understanding what this "new" fangled blockchain technology was. To their credit, there are a lot of confusing words, terminology, acronyms, and definitions that get thrown around in the crypto space, which can be difficult to keep up with.
Much like the stock market, the crypto market is a place where investors can see some serious gains or losses depending on how they invest. There is always a risk when investing money, but even more so when one does not understand the space they are operating in.
Our goal is to help educate people who are just entering crypto by putting the most commonly used verbiage into one easy to locate area. This is something we wish was available when we first started lurking around.
Keep in mind, these are basic definitions, not full historical or technical break downs of how the technology works. There are numerous articles out there that explain in depth that type of information. To make life simpler for you, we have compiled a list of informative articles, which we found extremely helpful. (click here to see our list).
Nonetheless, this is a good starting point.
Cryptography: The art of writing or solving codes.
Hash Function: Any function used to map data of arbitrary size to data of fixed size.
Cryptographic Hash Functions: Take data of any length as input and output a shorter, fixed length hash, which can be used for a digital signature.
Cryptocurrency: A digital asset, which works as a medium of exchange that uses cryptography to secure transactions, control creation of additional units, and validate asset transfers.
Blockchain: A digital database, similar to an open ledger.
Nodes: Network containing many computers.
Consensus: Group agreement among nodes through mining.
Mining: When nodes verify transactions/data, they are rewarded for their work, usually a predetermined/specific amount of currency native to that blockchain.
Block: When nodes verify a transaction, the information/data is added to a block (hence the term Blockchain) and protected using cryptography.
Symmetric Cryptography: Sharing a key between sender and receiver (cryptography techniques).
Wallet: A means (online/hot/mobile or cold storage) to store and protect digital assets with the use of keys.
Public Key: A key that is public and allows for receiving digital assets only (think of it as your email address).
Private Key: A key that is private/secret and allows the sending of digital assets (think of it as the password for your email address).
Smart Contract: A computer protocol which digitally facilitates, verifies, or enforces the negotiations or performance of a contract.
Coin: A digital asset native to its own blockchain (NEO, Bitcoin, Litcoin, ect.)
Token: A digital asset created on existing blockchains (ETH/ERC-20 or NEO/NEP-5)
Alternative Coin: Anything other than Bitcoin.
Store of Value: An asset that can be saved, retrieved, or exchanged at a later date and be predictably useful when used.
Peer-to-Peer: A distribution application architecture that partitions tasks or workloads between peers within a network.
Market Capitalization: Total dollar market value of a company's shares or assets. Also known as Market Cap.
Bull Market: Trending up.
Bear Market: Trending down.
Purgatory Market: Limbo, not moving that much in either direction.
Exchange: A place to purchase or trade cryptocurrency.
Fiat Currency: Legal tender whose value is backed by the government who issued it.
Pump and Dump: An asset that within a short time has been deliberately manipulated by certain investors with the intention to increase price (pump). Once the value is raised, they quickly sell, causing the asset price to fall rapidly (dump).
Moon: When a coin or token takes off and the value skyrockets. Could be the result of natural or popular growth or due to a "pump and dump".
Bag/Bags: Left holding a bag or bags of poo after buying an asset or assets when it was high and now it is worth much less.
Altcoin: Anything other than Bitcoin.
DApps: Decentralized Applications
ICO: Initial Coin Offering (similar to a Initial Public Offering on the stock market)
KYC: Know Your Customer (typically used by ICOs or exchanges as a way to verify their investors)
ROI: Return on Investment
P/E Ratio: Price-Earning Ratio (sometimes referred to as the price multiple or the earnings multiple is a calculation to help determine the amount of money an investor is willing to pay for current earnings)
TA: Technical Analysis
DCA: Dollar Cost Averaging (spreading buys and sells over a period of time to reduce portfolio volatility
ATH: All Time High (pertains to the highest price/market cap an assets has reached)
ATL: All Time Low (pertains to the lowest price/market cap an assets has reached)
RSI: Relative Strength Index (measures the speed and change of price movement, which oscillates between zero and 100. Often times the RSI is considered oversold below 30 and overbought above 70)
FUD: Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt or Disinformation (news, real or fake, that could or does causes sell off of an asset or assets)
FOMO: Fear of Missing Out (rushing into an investment while its on the rise). Could lead to holding bags
HODL: Hold On for Dear Life or Hold (don't sell/long term/ride it out)
IoT: Internet of Things (a network of devices and other items equipped with software and other electronics that allow objects to connect and exchange information)
P2P: Peer-to-Peer
DLT: Distributed Ledger Technology (a consensus of digital data spread across multiple platforms)
PoW: Proof of Work (measure to deter service attacks and abuse by requesting and requiring work from the user/computer/network)
API: Application Programming Interface (set of subroutine definitions, protocols, and tools for building application software)
Dev Team: Development Team
Resources: New Oxford American Dictionary | BitDegree | Wikipedia | Investopedia
Disclaimer: I am not a financial advisor, nor am I giving suggestions, recommendation, guidance, advice, or tips. I am simply stating my opinion and giving my observations of the market, Cryptocurrency, or other related topics. If you decide to act on or follow any of the information provided (past, present, or in the future) you are doing so on your own free will and not on my recommendation.
Thank you for reading this article. We hope you found it entertaining. If so, please share it with others and don't forget to leave a comment down below!
The world is a large place, and life is short. Together, we can accomplish much more than we ever could alone.
-Bourn Adventure
Author: Baker
Road Trip: A Colorado Christmas
In July of 2017, my husband Stephen and I took the boys (ages 8 and 10 years old) to Colorado for their first time. They had a blast seeing real snow-capped mountains and snow for the first time despite it being the middle of summer. Since then, their Christmas wish has been for us to take them back to Colorado to play in the snow for Santa's arrival. With my husband and I being in love with Colorado, we were happy to oblige!
We made reservations for December 23rd-27th using VRBO (online vacation rental booking site), which we had never used before. VRBO was recommended to us by one of our friends in Colorado, who used the service for ski weekend getaways. We compared locations and prices with Airbnb (also an online vacation rental booking site), which we have used before, but found better deals on VRBO for this trip, especially since we were bringing the kiddos. We reserved a one bedroom condo with a fold out couch and full kitchen that was within walking distance from downtown Estes Park. What exactly do we mean by walking distance? A town block! It was super convenient.
We have had the pleasure to visit Estes Park several times before and love the downtown area. It is a very quiet and family friendly place with cute shops, quaint restaurants, encompassed by the beauty of the Rocky Mountains. Rocky Mountain National Park has two entrances just outside of town for easy access to mother nature's treasures. We highly recommend the park; it holds a special place in our heart as it's where we got married on a road trip in 2016! That's a whole other story, but I digress, we thought this would be a great location to take the boys for Christmas and to play in the snow.
Alright, so one thing Southerners need to be ready for is snow, and driving in the snow! Do not take risks and do not drive like normal. We kept a close eye on the forecast as the date approached, and were alerted to a winter storm in the works. With that in mind, we left a couple of days ahead of our reservations in order to beat any travel hiccups.
The first leg of our trip was a short trip from Austin, Texas to Fort Worth to stay with my aunt for the night. We were lucky to have my mother meet us there to pick up our family dogs. While we would have loved to of brought them with us, the VRBO we selected did not allow pets. The next morning we departed at 0430 bound for Morrison, Colorado. Our good friends, The Odvody's, opened their home to us to accommodate an early arrival in Colorado.
Since we packed most of our gear on the roof, we decided to keep a small selection of clothes and shower gear in a suitcase in the cargo area in the back of our car. We drive a Jeep Grand Cherokee, which has pretty great amenities but it could definitely use more trunk space. During the summer we purchased a Thule roof rack to help out with this issue.
It has come in pretty handy - especially when both kids and dogs are in tow. During the summer we were not as concerned about weather conditions as we were this trip, so before the Christmas road trip, we purchased some pretty sweet duffle bags to throw up on the roof. We also have some old Army duffle bags that we just waterproofed by layering the insides with thick trash bags.
We usually take road trips several times a year, and we always make sure to take a few things: tire jack, jumper cables, fix-a-flat, baby wipes, power inverter, and of course snacks and water. My favorite road trip snack is definitely white cheddar popcorn….it is literally the most impractical (especially if you are the driver) but it is the most delicious thing ever! Bringing the kids along we wanted to make sure to have some healthy snacking options, so we brought: apples, Gatorade, and Z-bars (Kid Cliff Bars, our kids prefer the oatmeal and chocolate brownie).
We also included two thick blankets, jackets, hats, gloves, snow cables, and several jugs of water in our back cargo area where they were easily reachable. You want to be a pessimist when traveling like this and be prepared for anything, especially with kids so you can keep your family safe and warm if the worst case occurs. Here are some pics of our gear on the roof.
Two small waterproof duffel bags, one large green duffle full of our snow gear, two bags for the boys, snow scooters, and the tire jack. We strapped all of this down using three ratchet straps, but two are sufficient. A quick review of our Adventure Lion waterproof bags, they seem awesome. Our only complaint is we wish they were a little bigger, like the same size as my Army ones - we purchased the largest they offered which is 40 liters. To their credit, they are meant more for kayaking so smaller is probably better for that situation. They held up nicely to the wind, rain, ice, snow, and strapped down nicely.
*Links to: Waterproof dry bag and Kids snow scooter
Arriving in Morrison, CO
Alright, so we arrived in Morrison, Colorado that evening as planned and caught up with our friends. We stayed there for two nights before moving on to Estes Park. Just a note here is that our original plan was to depart Fort Worth, Texas in the wee hours of the morning and head straight to Estes Park but we modified that plan according to weather because we knew we had alternate places to stay along the route.
Departing Morrison for Estes Park CO
The drive up from Morrison to Estes Park was smooth sailing. We were careful to check the road conditions constantly using this site: Cotrip.org
Arriving in Estes Park, CO
It finally started to snow on us about ten minutes out from Estes Park and by the time we parked it started getting heavier - we were thrilled! The boys were super excited too, so we all worked together to get the car unloaded and settled into the condo before heading out to play in the snow. Downtown was lit up beautifully for the holidays. We enjoyed the sites and had tons of fun playing in the freshly fallen snow. That night I went to the grocery store and picked up breakfast, lunch, and dinner essentials for the week. We did not eat out once the entire stay! I cooked quick and easy recipes like chicken noodle soup, chili dogs, and hamburger helper for dinner. Breakfast was typically eggs, toast, and bacon. Not to mention we were not eating fast food. I despise fast food, but sometimes it is unavoidable on the road. I know these still may not seem like the absolute healthiest, but they were easy and kid friendly!
Day 1 - YMCA
The first full day we found some snowy spaces at the YMCA of the Rockies which was literally like a 5-minute drive from our condo. We had a blast and were freezing by the end of the day! One side note - I did get us stuck by trying a 17 point turn in a snowy parking lot. I think subconsciously I was testing my limits on the snow in a populated area. Luckily some friendly passersby helped us get the jeep "unstuck" and we continued the mission. Of course, the running joke for the rest of the trip was that we were about to get stuck again every time there was snow in view! The views from the area where we played that day were absolutely breathtaking! We also found a small piece of a tree to take back to the condo and decorate for our Christmas tree. That night we made a gingerbread house, decorated the tree, and ate cookies! It was Christmas Eve so of course we saved some for Santa too.
Day 2 - Christmas Day
Christmas day we woke up to find out Santa did know we were in Colorado! The boys enjoyed playing on their new tablets, and we all stayed warm and bundled up inside for a while. That afternoon we took a walk around downtown Estes and picked up a few souvenirs for ourselves and some family. This was kind of our down relaxing day where we just enjoyed the views and stayed warm. We were all pretty exhausted from all the playing the day before.
Day 3 - Hidden Valley Snow Recreation Area in Rocky Mountain National Park
Alright, this place was amazing. When we first arrived, we thought it was closed due to snow on the trail leading up to it. However, we found out we were wrong and on the last day made it up there. We were definitely worried about driving on the snow packed and icy roads, but we had snow cables in case. We did not end up needing them though. We drove very slow, like between 10-20 mph, the entire way up. It was a 6-mile drive into Rocky Mountain National Park, but only about 3 of them were super snowy. Our Jeep Grand Cherokee is not four wheel drive, so we wanted to be sure to be very careful. We had the most fun of the whole trip this last day! I even went snow sledding face first on our snow tubes, and it was incredible. The boys preferred their snow scooters. I will warn you it is a hike up the hill each time you sled down. It can definitely get exhausting, but it is totally worth it. I have added some pics from our drive and our snow play below.
*Link to: Hidden Vally Snow Recreation Area
Day 4 - Headed Home
The last morning we woke up and ate breakfast then packed up all our stuff and headed out. Check out was a breeze because VRBO does everything through an app and the door auto-locks itself. We will definitely be returning! I will say the only complaint about our condo was some sound coming from stairs in the condo above kept squeaking, other than that it was stress-free and relaxing. We pulled off the trip home all in one day.
I wanted to write this post to encourage families to take trips and travel with your kiddos. It was a great trip where we all got to experience new things together and make tons of new memories. We absolutely love to travel and learn more about ourselves, each other, and this world we live in every time! I hope this post encourages you to go take a trip and Explore America!
Thank you for reading this article. We hope you found it entertaining. If so, please share it with others and don't forget to leave a comment down below!
The world is a large place, and life is short. Together, we can accomplish much more than we ever could alone.
-Bourn Adventure
Guest Author: Cheyenne Izaguirre
A few days ago when the crypto market was a sea of red, I was scrolling through the top 100 on coinmarketcap.com when I stumbled upon a high climbing coin I had not heard of before.
Now, I have only been in this space for several months, so it was no surprise I had not seen this coin before as there are so many, but the name is not what caught my attention. You see, as I was scrolling through, I was focusing on the "Change" tab which shows the percentage (up/down) of change for each coin or token within a 24 hour period.
This particular coin had a positive change of 2,156.20% while the others, above and below, were ranging from negative 5.70% (red) to positive 9.48% (green). Although the change was showing green, the percentage was a red flag to me.
After seeing that, I curiously clicked on this fast-moving, must have crypto which goes by the superhero name of E-coin. Superhero? Of course! It was the only coin that was successfully battling and surprisingly beating this bearish market we were in at the time. Not only was it beating the bear, but it was also roundhouse kicking it, with both feet, right in the baby maker.
Upon closer examination, it appeared E-coin (ECN) was less of a superhero and more of a manipulation, which meant, impulsive "when Lambo?" investors would be the lucky recipients of those kicks.
If some, most, or all of the other coins or tokens had similar rapid growth, then maybe 2,156.20% change would not be so out of place, but since nothing, anywhere, was remotely close to that, it's what the F.B.I. would call, a clue.
-Screen shot from Coinmarketcap.com
I put on my snazziest Columbo tie and dug in a little deeper. Looking at E-coins (ECN) history charts, I noticed it had never seen movement like this before. At the time, E-coin (ECN) was trading for $127.96 USD per coin, with an all-time high (ATH) of approximately $23.12 USD. Throughout its history, it has had several spikes, but for the most part, it was reasonably level. Shortly before jumping to 31 in the top 100, the price was hovering around $6.00 USD per coin.
-Screen shots from Coinmarketcap.com
To me, this signaled a "pump and dump." If you are not familiar with that term, basically it means, a group (typically organized) using a specified marketplace/exchange invests heavily into a particular coin or token (can also apply to stocks) at a lower price with the intention to sell everything at a higher price. This sudden, large movement drives the price up, causing that Cryptocurrency to gain attention and attracting more investors (most unaware of the sell plan) thus pumping it higher. Suddenly, massive amounts of coins or tokens are sold off, causing that crypto to fall or dump drastically. Usually, this sell-off occurs once that crypto reaches a predetermined worth, on a predetermined date/time, or there is a sell command internally given to those in the "know." Those who are outside of the "know" who bought on the high are now left holding bags of poo and getting roundhouse kicked in the adult area.
There are three types of investors involved in a "pump and dump."
1: Those initiating and controlling it (in the know)
-little to no risk as long as they sell when it is time
2: Those who see it, identify it and want in on the action (outside of the know)
-Medium risk, but requires said investor to actively watch the market in real time and wait for visible signs of sell-off. If not and it dumps before said investor can sell it, they can take heavy losses
3: Those who do not recognize it, but invest because they see huge gains (outside of the know)
-High risk and heavy losses are almost always guaranteed
On top of the apparent "pump and dump," I noticed another odd thing. The E-coin website was not loading, which might be because of a high volume of traffic, the link was broken, or the website was nonexistent.
Given the information and multiple red flags, I knew this was not an investment opportunity for me. I'm sure there were people who saw this and FOMO'ed (fear of missing out) in and bought high.
Once the dust finally began to settle, E-coin was nestled in the 348th spot and worth $3.53 USD per coin. A difference of $124.43 USD in less than eight hours. It was the only red in a sea of green. Several hours after that, it continued to drop in value and rank.
-Screen shot from Coinmarketcap.com
Looking at the coin or token history charts, you can see when "pump and dumps" took place. This was the first time I had seen one on the pump. When I identified it, I decided to take pictures, follow the action and stick around for the aftermath of the dump. I figured this might be beneficial information to help prevent people from becoming the third type of investor during an active "pump and dump."
The ability to identify these types of market manipulation can mean the difference between a profitable investment or a loss of investment. It is essential to understand, just because a coin or token is doing well, does not mean is it a victim of a "pump and dump." It is up to you to identify any positive or negative indicators and determine if the growth is natural or unnatural. Also, "pump and dumps" might not follow the same type of inflated and aggressive rise up as demonstrated here with E-coin, it could be more subtle with a longer gestation period before sell off. It is also worth noting, "pump and dumps" are not just specific to a coin or token. If enough large investors get together, they can influence the market, causing a potential "pump and dump" on a massive scale.
Disclaimer: I am not a financial advisor, nor am I giving suggestions, recommendation, guidance, advice, or tips. I am simply stating my opinion and giving my observations of the market, Cryptocurrency, or other related topics. If you decide to act on or follow any of the information provided (past, present, or in the future) you are doing so on your own free will and not on my recommendation.
Thank you for reading this article. We hope you found it entertaining. If so, please share it with others and don't forget to leave a comment down below!
The world is a large place, and life is short. Together, we can accomplish much more than we ever could alone.
-Bourn Adventure
Author: Baker
As far back as I can remember, I have wanted to travel and see new places and experience new things. I had always enjoyed road trips, which my mom and I took together when I was younger. Over the years I have done a reasonably good job at pushing myself outside of my comfort zone and taking on adventures. Some include moving across the country without much thought, planning or even money. I will admit, picking up and moving several thousand miles without a care in the world could lead to failure, but I made the best of it and enjoyed every moment, good and bad.
As I got a little older (dare I say "matured") I learned a few things when it came to traveling, more specifically, road trips and how crucial it is to plan rather than rely on luck alone.
Now to explain the article title and how it ties into the picture. At the time (November 2014), I was in the process of planning a road trip from Lafayette Louisiana to Washington state, down to California and back. In total, this trip would span approximately 8,000 miles and cover 14 states. I had taken several long road trips before, but never to this extent.
The primary purpose of this trip was to spend Christmas with my mom, who at the time lived in Washington state. The way the holidays fell, along with vacation days, I could take a significant amount of time off work, making it possible to visit Mount Rushmore, Yosemite, the Hoover Dam, Grand Canyon and other areas I had not yet seen. I wanted to take advantage of this once in a lifetime trip as I did not know if or when an opportunity like this would present itself again.
Since this trip would take place in December a considerable amount of planning and preparation was warranted because my route took me through mountainous regions which were subject to harsh weather conditions and road closures. Even though I would be making the journey in my modified Toyota FJ Cruiser (vehicle article coming soon), which had four-wheel drive, recovery gear, and other equipment, I knew that was not sufficient. I needed to have enough supplies (fuel, food, water, medical, clothing, ect) onboard that could sustain living in the vehicle for several days in the event of an emergency. The more I thought about it, the more time I spent second-guessing myself. I thought about just flying to Washington instead as I was feeling a little overwhelmed with the planning and logistics of the drive.
All of this was rushing through my head as I walked down the dark, desolate streets of downtown Lafayette. It was early in the morning, and I was on my way to meet a few friends for breakfast. I had walked this stretch several times before and never noticed what I did that morning. There, in the windows of the Children's Museum, read the word DISCOVER. Not only was it in large, bold print, but it was lit up. It stopped me in my tracks, and I felt as though life was dropping a not so subtle hint.
Before completing my walk, I pulled out my iPhone and snapped this shot. Over the course of the next few days, I repeatedly looked at this picture which eventually encouraged me to take action. About a month later I was on the road, discovering parts of America I had never seen.
Was it a coincidence? Possibly. What I do know for sure is, that was the moment that changed my mind about the road trip that later changed my life.
Thank you for reading this article. We hope you found it entertaining. If so, please share it with others and don't forget to leave a comment down below!
The world is a large place, and life is short. Together, we can accomplish much more than we ever could alone.
-Bourn Adventure
Author: Baker
Outside of traveling, photography, vehicles, and other interests, we have recently become involved in Cryptocurrency. We are still relatively new to this space. Several months ago we decided to dip our toes in the market to get a feel for it. Since then, we have jumped into the deep end.
After the metaphorical dive (us, not the market) we have learned a decent amount of information regarding the technology behind crypto, the markets, and of course, the coins/tokens themselves. Every day more knowledge and experience is gained. I make a conscious decision to digest as much information as I can on all things related to crypto. Why? Because I want to make informed, well-thought-out investments rather than just blindly handing money over in hopes of success.
I will be the first to admit, I have made several mistakes (learning points) since starting, and I'm sure I will make more along the way, but I have no problem calling myself out and sharing that information in future articles.
Our goals with any upcoming Cryptocurrency articles is to share our experiences, thoughts, failures, successes, and anything else that might be beneficial to people, especially those new to Cryptocurrency.
How Does Crypto Tie Into Travel?
What we have learned is, a lot of people within the "travel/adventure" community are also involved with crypto, which makes sense.
Here are a few of the reasons why I say this:
By no means are we experts in this field. We are just starting, but that doesn't mean we can't share what we have learned with others.
We have no intention of abandoning our travel content; the Cryptocurrency related articles is what is known in south Louisiana as, Lagniappe (something given as a bonus or gratuity).
Since we believe in the possibilities of crypto and the crossover between it and travel, it only makes sense that we would cover this space too. We hope that you will continue with us as we journey down this new path.
I hope you found this article enlightening. If so, please feel free to interact with us in the comment section of this post.
Disclaimer: I am not a financial advisor, nor am I giving suggestions, recommendation, guidance, advice, or tips. I am simply stating my opinion and giving my observations of the market, Cryptocurrency, or other related topics. If you decide to act on or follow any of the information provided (past, present, or in the future) you are doing so on your own free will and not on my recommendation.
Thank you for reading this article. We hope you found it entertaining. If so, please share it with others and don't forget to leave a comment down below!
The world is a large place, and life is short. Together, we can accomplish much more than we ever could alone.
-Bourn Adventure
Author: Baker
How-To: GX470 Window Reinitialization
If you are having issues operating the passenger windows from the driver's control switches and just recently disconnected/replaced the battery, no worries, the problem is normal and can be fixed!
You may have noticed, the only window you can control is the driver's window, but the auto up/down feature is not working properly. This is the same for all windows. They only work from their switch. You may have also noticed the lights are flashing on the individual window switches and drivers control switch panel.
The windows need to be reinitialized. Once this process is complete, the driver will have control of all windows and the auto up/down feature will be available again. This is a simple fix, one that will take about 16 seconds plus walk around time.
1) Place the key in the ignition and turn to on, auxiliary or running.
2) Start with any window (no specific order required).
3) Hold the window switch down (two-stage switch, be sure it is all the way down) till window is in the down position. Once down, continue holding the switch down for an additional two seconds and release.
4) Hold the window switch up (two-stage switch, be sure it is all the way up) till window is in the up position. Once up, continue holding the switch up for an additional two seconds and release.
5) Once complete, the window switch light should change from flashing to solid and the auto up/down features should be available again. Also, the window(s) should operate from the driver's window switch panel.
6) Repeat the same process on all windows, to include the driver's window.
Thank you for reading this article. We hope you found it entertaining. If so, please share it with others and don't forget to leave a comment down below!
The world is a large place, and life is short. Together, we can accomplish much more than we ever could alone.
-Bourn Adventure
Author: Baker
Team: The Bourn Adventure Crew
Bourn Adventure was created with the intent of encouraging others to Explore America through content in which they develop while traveling the country. Over the years Bourn Adventure has grown and so too has their adventures. They now focus on destinations all over the world, like Petra, Wadi Tiwi, and Nairobi National Park to name a few.
They are excited to add like-minded people to the Bourn Adventure Team who can share their stories, experiences, and adventures with others. As times goes on and Bourn Adventure continues to grow, they intend to regularly publish even more articles on various topics and add additional authors and content contributors to their network.
The world is a large place, and life is short. Together, we can accomplish much more than we ever could alone. Bourn Adventure hopes to do just that with the help of our crew and great people like you following along!
special operational units, to include: Narcotics, S.W.A.T. Team, Tracking Team, and Task Force Officer for the United States Marshals Service. He left law enforcement with the rank of Sergeant (SGT) to pursue overseas work, which he still currently does.
To date, Baker has visited 48 states and over 30 countries. He is a hobbyist writer and photographer who enjoys traveling, meeting new people, and hearing their stories. He is passionate about adventure and even more passionate about sharing it with you.
To learn more about Baker, please click here: Expanded Bio
rather large fur baby. Keira, their 110 pound, five year old Akbash mix, spends most of her days training to be a door mat. She is multi talented and proficient in the following: laying in doorways, stepping on feet, knocking over small children, and sleeping. In her spare time Keira works as a Therapy dog, visiting nursing homes, hospitals, hospice facilities, and other places where she can best utilize her skills. Ashlie has diligently worked to train Keira and make it possible for other people to enjoy her as much as Ashlie and Baker does.
To date, Ashlie has visited 42 states and 2 countries. When she is not traveling, Ashlie enjoys playing the piano, knitting, sketching, and working on her Living Healthy website. Her blog provides people with information and resources to live a healthier life, which she takes great pride and enjoyment in.
To learn more about Ashlie, please click here: Expanded Bio
a handful of Army Commendation medals, the kind you get for being really good with a mop and not being directly responsible for setting things on fire, Kennedy decided that he could more effectively be a force for laziness as a Pizza Hut driver, so he left the Army for the coveted position of delivering pizzas and finding out first-hand that porn movies have been lying their butts off for years.
To date, Kennedy has visited 34 states and 9 countries. He enjoys rappelling, things that go pew pew, and traveling. He has been the Co-Commander for two Bourn Adventure road trips, one to the east coast and one to the west coast.
To learn more about Kennedy, please click here: Expanded Bio
Thank you for reading this article. We hope you found it entertaining. If so, please share it with others and don't forget to leave a comment down below!
The world is a large place, and life is short. Together, we can accomplish much more than we ever could alone.
-Bourn Adventure
Travel: Breaking The Clouds
Although flying is not my preferred means of traveling stateside, no doubt when going international, it's quicker and more convenient to take a bird. Even though you miss a lot of the sites and sounds in a plane, it does provide moments of beauty and awe. For instance, taking off during a dark, gloomy rain storm and suddenly breaking through the clouds only to see the sun, blue sky and what looks like an endless, soft pillowy floor of clouds beneath you.
Those are the moments I appreciate. As simple as they may be, they are breathtaking, especially since this type of birds-eye view is still something relatively new to us. Before modern technology, we were confined to ships, horseback, and our feet to explore the world around us. The same trips we take for granted today, not to long ago, would cost people their lives. They risked life and limb just for the possibility to experience something new.
Reaching our destination is never guaranteed for us today either, but we have a much higher chance of obtaining our goal. What took people months to do, we can effortlessly accomplish in a day or less with little to no planning, resources or obligation.
Whether it is in a plane, train or automobile, create some time, get out there and live your adventure!
Thank you for reading this article. We hope you found it entertaining. If so, please share it with others and don't forget to leave a comment down below!
The world is a large place, and life is short. Together, we can accomplish much more than we ever could alone.
-Bourn Adventure
Author: Baker
Vehicles: 2005 Lexus GX470
Unicorn: a mythical, magical creature believed to be responsible for all things awesome.
More elusive than Sasquatch in board shorts and a Hawaiian t-shirt chewing on beef jerky, Unicorns are the rarest and most exquisite creatures ever to grace our planet. After months of searching, we located ours, and as it turns out, it was hiding in our backyard.
Earlier this year, we rolled our Toyota FJ Cruiser outside Ontario, Oregon (rollover article). Soon after that, the search for a replacement rig began. We narrowed the list down to a few vehicles within the Toyota family (FJ Cruiser, 4Runner, Tacoma, Land Cruiser, GX460, and GX470). We did not want to rush buying and building our next off-road vehicle, so we took our time, weighed the options, and got feedback from people within the community.
Early on we were leaning towards a Lexus GX470, more specifically, a 2005 model. Reason being, they have more cargo space than our previous FJ Cruiser, larger engine (V8), higher towing capacity, and the average price for a used GX470 is typically much less than other Toyota options. Buying used meant spending less on the vehicle and allowing for money spent on the build versus modifying a brand new vehicle as we did with the FJ.
Even though we were reasonably confident we would go with a GX, we kept our options open and did more research (drinking cold beer while searching the internet) on all the vehicles on our list, including the GX470. While digging a little deeper into each one, we quickly learned the optional in-dash navigation system with integrated climate controls is prone to failure in earlier GX470 models. Also, if you want to upgrade the head unit, and maintain some of the auxiliary controls, it can be very difficult to do since everything is built into the stock display.
We narrowed a target year down for the GX470 we wanted. The 2005 had the highest producing horsepower engine available for the 470 models. We were also leaning towards the grayish (Ash Blue Mica) color with gray interior. A Sport variant was released that year too. Although the same basic vehicle, it did have some subtle differences, to include: smoked bezel headlamps, and black bird's eye maple wood trim pieces on the interior.
Now, here is the Unicorn part of this puzzle. Finding a gray (exterior/interior) 2005 GX470 can be somewhat difficult. Finding one without navigation can be even more difficult. Finding it in a Sport model, well, that would be a Unicorn!
In terms of a Lexus GX470, we knew what we wanted, but we were not entirely sold on the fact that this was the right adventure rig for us. We had a few questions that were completely subjective and could not be answered in a simple drive down the road in someone else's GX. Comfort on long trips, sleeping in the vehicle, and drivability after being built were some of the questions we had.
Those questions, plus some were all answered when Metal Tech 4x4 tossed us the keys to their 2005 Lexus GX470 and told us to drive it from the Portland, OR area to Asheville, NC for Overland Expo East (road trip Itinerary). Even better, they wanted us to take it off-road and see what life was like living out of it for about 15 days during the BA / MT Coast-2-Coast Road Trip (article coming soon).
Ashlie was not able to join me on this adventure, but my good buddy and professional photographer, Jonathan DeRise (Jon DeRise Photography) did. Here is what I learned from this epic road trip and in-depth, hands-on test drive. The GX470 is the perfect platform for our next adventure vehicle build. Not only was it comfortable and performed great on and off the road, but if two, middle age, bearded fat guys can be comfortable living out of it, I know my petite wife and I will be too.
Here is the when and where part of this story. While driving the Metal Tech 4x4 GX470 from Texas to Louisiana for another meetup during our road trip, we discovered there was a Unicorn sitting on the lot of a small dealership just outside of Lafayette, Louisiana (our home). The date was September 23, 2017, and it was late in the afternoon when we saw it online. Too late as a matter of fact to call them and ask questions about it.
Following our meet with members of the Bayou State Land Cruiser Association on Sunday the 24th, DeRise and I stopped by the dealership before heading out to Alabama. Because of the day and time, the dealership was closed, but that didn't mean I couldn't at least look at it. After some heavy breathing and creepy touching we left, but before doing so, in my best Terminator voice, I whispered to the GX, "I'll be back."
In my absence, another good friend of mine, Cory Landry (Cory Landry Music), test drove the GX for me. The next day, Ashlie went to the dealership and completed all the paperwork. This particular Lexus GX470 is a grayish 2005 Sport, non-nav with approximately 174,000 miles and one owner. Out the door with tax, title, and license we paid nearly $9,500 for it.
After waiting several months, and with the help of friends, Ashlie and I captured our Unicorn! LET THE MAGIC BEGIN!
Thank you to Jon DeRise Photography for providing some of the pictures and other media used within this article.
To learn more about Metal Tech 4x4, click here: Facebook / Website
Thank you for reading this article. We hope you found it entertaining. If so, please share it with others and don't forget to leave a comment down below!
The world is a large place, and life is short. Together, we can accomplish much more than we ever could alone.
-Bourn Adventure
Author: Baker
GX470 Promo Video
It has been almost a year since we rolled our Toyota FJ Cruiser in Ontario, Oregon. Just enough time has passed where people are starting to trust our driving again. Hooray for us!
That said, we are excited to announce that our friends at Metal Tech 4x4 (MetalTech4x4.com) are giving us the keys to their Lexus GX470! Not because they want us to clean it or add a bunch of stickers to it (although that will probably happen #SorryNotSorry), but because they want us to drive it from Portland, Oregon to Ashevillle, North Carolina to attend Overland Expo East.
If you are not familiar with Metal Tech 4x4, they are a Toyota/Lexus specific off road company. They have been in business for over 17 years and specialize in designing, fabricating, and producing some of the industry's highest quality bumpers, sliders and other components, which are designed to outlast your adventures.
We ran their products on our Toyota FJ Cruiser. Without a doubt, we tested their quality, performance, and durability during the time we had our vehicle. From 10,000 plus mile long road trips in ever changing environments to bouncing off/over obstacles on trails and even a roll over, they all held up to the challenges.
The main purpose of the Bourn Adventure, Metal Tech Coast-2-Coast Road Trip is to personally interact with the Toyota/Lexus off road community along with education on the comfort, performance, and capabilities of the Lexus GX platform through hands on experience.
My good friend and professional photographer, Jonathan DeRise (Jon DeRise Photography) will accompany us on the road trip. Both he and I are hairy, homeless looking individuals from south Louisiana. We are sure to get some interesting looks from people when we step out of the Lexus. We'll be the fanciest hobos around!
We can't thank Mark and the rest of the Metal Tech 4x4 crew enough for this opportunity. We have scheduled several stops, M&G's (Meet and Greets), and off road events planned across our route. If we are passing through your area and you're able to attend one of these events, please come out!
Most of our itinerary is complete, but we are still working on the details. Some of the locations, dates, groups/clubs, meets, and events are tentative at this time. As we lock in more specifics, we will update this article with the most current information, so please check back periodically.
The majority of these meets are geared towards the Toyota/Lexus off road communities but are open to anyone. If you, your family or friends do not own a Toyota/Lexus off road vehicle, but are interested in learning more about them, you are more than welcome to join us. Or, if you own something other than Toyota/Lexus, but are an off road enthusiast or just want to show your support, come on out! We would love to have you there and are more than happy to answer your questions.
The best way to join in on the adventure and watch as we Explore America is through our social media pages. Typically, different content is dispersed across our various social media platforms, so be sure to follow each one individually. Also, feel free to leave any questions/comments in the comment section at the bottom of this article.
We look forward to the adventure and hope to see you soon!
Thank you,
Bourn Adventure
Metal Tech 4x4
Author: Baker
Zero Day: Thursday, September 14
1: Portland, OR (fall in on GX)
* Facebook Event Page
Day 1: Thursday, September 14
1: Seaside, OR (see the Pacific Ocean)
2: Meet & Greet in Hillsboro, OR
* Facebook Event Page
Day 2: Friday, September 15
1: Medford, OR (meet with Team Overland "MORNING") 345m/8h
2: Turlock, CA (meet with Team Vegabond "AFTERNOON") 397m/8.5h
3: Corona, CA (drive to ****** "NIGHT") 343m/7h
Day 3: Saturday, September 16
1: Meet at ****** ("MORNING")
2: San Diego, CA (Meet with SoCal FJ Cruisers "AFTERNOON") 96m/2h
3: Phoenix, AZ (drive "NIGHT") 355m/8h
Day 4: Sunday, September 17
1: Phoenix, AZ (meet with AZFJ/AZ4R "MORNING")
2: Hoover Dam (pictures "AFTERNOON") 279m/6h
3: Las Vegas, NV (meet with Vegas FJ Cruiser "late AFTERNOON) 34m/1h
* Facebook Event Page
4: Zion National Park, UT (drive "NIGHT") 160m/4h
Day 5: Monday, September 18
1: Zion National Park, UT (pictures/videos "MORNING/AFTERNOON")
2: Moab, UT (drive "NIGHT") 346m/7h
Day 6: Tuesday, September 19
1: Moab, UT (meet up/top of the world/pictures/videos "MORNING")
2: Ouray, CO (drive "late MORNING") 150m/4h
3: Ouray, CO into Telluride (Imogene Pass "AFTERNOON") 20m/4h
4: Grand Junction, CO (meet up "NIGHT") 127m/3h
5: Boulder, CO ("NIGHT") 256m/7h
Day 7: Wednesday, September 20
1: Boulder, CO area (meet up Venture Overland "MORNING/AFTERNOON")
* Facebook Event Page
2: Oakley, KS (Monument Rocks "NIGHT") 274m/6h
Day 8: Thursday, September 21
1: Oakley, KS (Monument Rocks/pictures/videos "MORNING")
2: Austin, TX (the Chive "MORNING/NIGHT") 812m/15h
Day 9: Friday, September 22
1: Austin, TX (the Chive pictures/videos "MORNING/AFTERNOON")
2: Dallas, TX (meet up "AFTERNOON/NIGHT") 196m/5h
3: Barnwell Mountain Recreational Area (drive "NIGHT") 132m/3h
Day 10: Saturday, September 23
1: BMRA (meet up/wheeling "MORNING/AFTERNOON")
* Facebook Event Page
2: Lafayette, LA (meet up "NIGHT") 288m/6h
Day 11: Sunday, September 24
1: Lafayette, LA (meet BSLCA/LLK "AFTERNOON")
* Facebook Event Page
2: Gulf Shores, AL (see the Gulf of Mexico "AFTERNOON/NIGHT") 300m/6h
3: Atlanta, GA (drive "NIGHT") 346m/8h
Day 12: Monday, September 25
1: Atlanta, GA (meet up with ATL 4R/Georgia FJ "AFTERNOON/NIGHT")
* Facebook Event Page
2: Charleston, SC (drive "NIGHT") 301m/8h
Day 13: Tuesday, September 26
1: Charleston, SC (see the Atlantic Ocean/pictures/video "MORNING")
2: Raleigh, NC (meet with NC FJ Cruisers "AFTERNOON/NIGHT") 280m/7h
3: Asheville, NC (Expo "NIGHT") 247m/6h
Day 14: Wednesday, September 27
1: Prep for Overland Expo East
Day 15: Thursday, September 28
1: Prep for Overland Expo East
Days 16 - 18: Friday, September 29 - Sunday, October 1
1: Overland Expo East
* Facebook Event Page
Explore America Flag Vinyl Decals
Vehicles: The FJ Lives!
As many of you know, our 2012 Toyota FJ Cruiser saw adventure from coast to coast. We hit all lower 48 states, parts of Canada and traveled about 70,000 plus miles in road trips. We attended events all over America and had the pleasure of meeting thousands of people along the way. We even started a small business (Bakes FJ, now Bourn Adventure) all because of the FJ. It's safe to say; we had a lifetime's worth of experiences because of her.
For those who might not know, we rolled our FJ on January 4, 2017, while crossing through Ontario, OR. This happened when we encountered a freak snowstorm while traveling on I 84 east. Due to the extent of damage, it was totaled.
After rolling the FJ, we knew our story wasn't over yet. In fact, it gave us the opportunity to start writing a new chapter. This chapter would be titled Bourn Adventure and would allow us to revisit previous destinations, see new places, meet new people, and use different vehicles to Explore America.
Although we knew life would continue for us, we feared that was not the case for the FJ. We thought the roll over was the final chapter for her. Period, end of story, book closed! As fate would have it, she too is writing another chapter!
On February 7th, 2017 a gentleman named Mahmoud Awada found the FJ on Copart, which is an online auto auction site. Not knowing much about the FJ, other than it was a 2012 with approximately 86,000 miles on it, he bought it. Mahmoud is the owner of Awada Motors Group in AL Janub in Lebanon and frequently buys vehicles from the United States and other countries. Once he purchases these vehicles, he has them shipped to his shop with the intent to rebuild/repair and resell.
A few days later, a customer of his asked if he had any FJ Cruisers coming in. Mahmoud sent him a picture of the one he just bought. It just so happened, that customer followed Bakes FJ and recognized it from various social media posts.
After doing some research, Mahmoud reached out to me to inform me that he purchased the FJ. He said the journey would take about one month and ten days before it would reach her new home there in Lebanon.
Mahmoud and I have stayed in contact over the last few months. He was kind enough to send pictures of the progress he made with the FJ. By no means has the rebuild been easy. The FJ had significant damage to the A-pillars, roof, and body. I had also removed the majority of the aftermarket parts, which meant he needed new replacement OEM or aftermarket parts. If that was not enough, some of the suspension components and other parts damaged from the roll over stayed on the vehicle, leading him to deal with that headache too. The stock seats were there, but in pieces, because I used parts from them for the aftermarket seats. On top of all that, it can be difficult and/or costly to find replacement parts or aftermarket parts there in Lebanon.
In just a few short months, he has repaired all of the damage and added some new modifications. Mahmoud has done a fantastic job overcoming the obstacles he faced with this rebuild. The attention to detail is amazing. He even managed to get the red LED interior lighting and outside rock lighting back in working condition. Mahmoud was kind enough to leave all the stickers on the FJ too!
The FJ is now on the road and in the process of writing its next chapter. The FJ has come a long way from laying upside down in a snow covered ditch to Exploring a new part of the world.
From the time the FJ made her maiden voyage, till now, she has been a part of some epic adventures. Although we miss her, we look forward to following along on the adventures the FJ and Mahmoud (or new owner) experience together. We also have an open invitation to visit the FJ there in Lebanon at some point, which we would love to do!
To read the roll over article, please click HERE
To read the JCW MINI Cooper article, please click HERE
Thank you for reading this article. We hope you found it entertaining. If so, please share it with others and don't forget to leave a comment down below!
The world is a large place, and life is short. Together, we can accomplish much more than we ever could alone.
-Bourn Adventure
Author: Baker


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Caroline Beadle helped direct "Two Rooms" when she was in college 15 years ago. Caitlin Robertson performed the lead role in the play when she was in college 10 years ago.
Today, both say, the play about a man being held hostage in the Middle East and how his wife in the United States seeks the government's help for his return is even more relevant than when it was written in the late 1980s.
Beadle is directing the play, which opens Sept. 18 at Three Brothers Theatre in Waukegan. In the play, written by Lee Blessing, an American teacher is held hostage in Beirut while his wife holds vigil for him in an empty room in their home in Washington, D.C. She gets caught between a journalist who wants to tell the wife's story and a government official who wants her to remain silent.
"It's unbelievably relevant considering what's going on in Syria, and hostages being taken now," Beadle, of Wadsworth, said. "When this was written, 9/11 hadn't happened yet. I feel it's almost more powerful now than when I first helped direct the show."
While rehearsing, she and her cast sometimes stop and say to each other, "This is still happening today," she said.
"It's not a story you easily forget," said Waukegan resident Robertson, who portrays the wife in the play.
She is hoping, Robertson said, to bring even more emotion to the part than when she first performed it.
Beadle said, "We're focusing very much on the emotion of it. We're trying to make it very intimate."
Beadle said she researched Middle East history, as she did when she helped direct it 15 years ago. But so much more has happened since then, she said, and she wanted to be as up-to-date as possible.
She also asked her cast to read the nonfiction book "Den of Lions" written by Terry Anderson about his kidnapping in Lebanon in 1985. The book was published in 1993.
Reading the book helped the cast prepare emotionally for the play, Beadle said. "It gave them a sense of being able to have a true personal story that can help them apply it to fiction. The book was written in the same way as the play from the perspective from being kidnapped and then what it was like for his wife," she said.
Robertson added the play is also a love story. "Even if you aren't particularly up to date or educated on all the various conflicts that the play discusses, it's still, at its core, about the human condition, about longing for something, wanting to protect someone you love," she said.
"It's not going to be one to miss. It's a story everyone should remind themselves is real."
"Two Rooms" is being produced as part of ArtWise, a new program of the Waukegan Arts Council with the theme Those Who Serve.
Sheryl DeVore is a freelance writer for the News-Sun.
"Two Rooms"
Where: Three Brothers Theatre, 115 N. Genesee St., Waukegan
When: Sept. 18-Oct. 3
Tickets: $15-$20
Information: 708-548-0283; 3brostheatre.com

subset: commoncrawl


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The funeral of your family is not the first thing you think about when you are pregnant or have just given birth. That is logical because you have completely different things at that moment. But you will have to think about it at some point. Because of course you want everything to be well arranged for the next of kin if something unexpected happens to one of the family members.
Why you want to organize the funeral of your family well
The fact that someone is dying is already terrible enough. If at that time you also have to arrange everything yourself and have to find out what is financially feasible, at least not ideal.
By properly recording in advance the wishes and possibilities for a funeral of your family, you avoid unnecessary extra ballast during the difficult period after a death.
First of all, it is wise to take out funeral insurance. This can be done in various ways that I will explain later. In addition, you will have to record your wishes yourself or at least have to discuss them with your partner and / or other relatives. Although you do not want to think about it, you will have to arrange this not only for your own funeral but also for your child or children.
A funeral for a baby or child
Something you do not want and never hope to experience is the funeral of your baby or child. As a new mother I know that this will leave a huge void and pain.
Unfortunately, a funeral of your family can also be a funeral for your baby or child. Many people "forget" to arrange this, on the one hand because they do not think about it and on the other because they do not want to think about it.
The funeral of a child and in particular the funeral of a baby is more emotional than any other funeral. The funeral society and the employees of a funeral home, crematorium or cemetery also have a lot more emotions at such a funeral.
Several companies have special protocols for the funeral of a baby. For example, they have a roadmap to relieve the parents as much as possible during this difficult period of their lives.
What is involved in a funeral for a child?
In addition to the "normal" matters that have to be arranged at a funeral, you have extra things at the funeral of a child such as:
- The support and role of brothers and sisters during the funeral.
- The support of the school and classmates where the child sat.
- Other social contacts of child.
- Help with the even more emotional funeral speeches.
- The support of the grief processing in the family members.
- Guidance and advice for the difficult period after the funeral.
It is therefore important to take out a good funeral insurance. Do not just look at the price but also what the additional conditions are. That way you know what to expect when you need the insurance.
Compare funeral insurance policies
It is therefore important to compare funeral insurance policies, for example on zorgvaart.nl. On this comprehensive website you can directly compare the possibilities and conditions of various large funeral companies.
Pay attention to the following conditions when taking out insurance for the funeral of your family:
- Is the policy based on a fixed amount or does it grow?
- Do you pay the premium continuously or for a fixed period?
- Is the insured amount paid in kind or in cash?
- Are you obliged to have the service provided at a connected funeral home or do you have more freedom of choice?
- Is there personal guidance before, during and after the funeral?
These are a number of things that you need to consider when you take out insurance for the funeral of your family at health care or another funeral insurance provider. If you have any questions or doubts, let yourself be informed about the (im) possibilities so that you can make the right choice.


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Acting professional Akshay Kumar distributed the first movie trailer of Rustom on Thursday. The Khiladi of Bollywood has returned again with a tale that 'led to the end of jury system in India'.
Bollywood's Khiladi Akshay Kumar will now be seen as Leader Rustom Pavri in 'Rustom'. The movie is in accordance with the real-life occurrence of Naval Official K.M. Nanavati, and it has been helmed by Tinu Suresh Desai.
Patriot? Traitor? Murderer? Run up to the judgement day begins.#RustomTrailer : https://t.co/UyJzwOqCtU @Rustom_Film
— Akshay Kumar (@akshaykumar) June 30, 2016
Previously, Akshay took to Tweets and Share a little intro forward of the film's movie trailer launch. Enough hype has been designed before we actually get to see Akshay in and as 'Rustom'. Iieana D'Cruz performs the women cause in the Movie.
As the amazing situation originates in the rather lengthy movie trailer, we realize that there's much more to this saga: Treason and blackmail are just some of the possible plots the three-minute-long movie remaining us with.
Watch Rustom Official trailer:


text:
The Juneau County Radio Club tests all classes of Amateur Licenses.
Test Session for 2019
Test dates are listed on ARRL Website
Time: 9:00am to 12:00pm
February 9th
April 13th
August 10th
Location: Mauston Area Ambulance Building
302 South Union St
Mauston, WI 53948 (Community Room)
Contact: John Noga KC9ILO email@example.com
What to bring to test sessions.
1) One form of ID
2) A copy of your current license(if Upgrading)
3) $14.00 for the cost of the Exam
Please note that if you are interested in taking an exam please call or email ahead of the time. we are there at 9, but if we haven't had anyone sign up, we will leave around 10.
Thanks you.


text:
Should residents continue to support the Houghton County Medical Care Facility?
It's a question that some have asked recently as the millage renewal for the facility is set to appear on the August 2nd ballot.
The facility serves as the safety net for all the vulnerable citizens in the area that need nursing home care regardless of their ability to pay.
With 197 beds, they provide care for roughly 375 local residents on an annual basis.
Houghton County Medical Care Facility Administrator Tammi Lehto said, "One of the services is traditional long-term care that is typically provided in a skilled nursing facility. We also have a 28-bed memory care neighborhood and we also provide short-term, or post-acute care services. So, when somebody is discharged from the hospital and they're requiring additional skilled therapy or skilled nursing services prior to being discharged, we provide that service as well."
If the millage renewal fails, it could affect funding for maintenance and the facility's more than 300 employees and plans for a building project may be put on hold.
But one thing is for sure, the lives of those living at the Houghton County Medical Care Facility will be changed.
Lehto said, "I've been administrator for the last three years, but prior to that, I've been in the nursing department for about 22 years and so I have a direct knowledge in regardsto the importance of maintaining high quality staff and appropriate numbers to care for our residents to meet their needs. So, there would probably be some challenge in that area that would have to be reviewed and we hope that there would be no negative affects on quality of care."