First, in a story in MSN Money: http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/SavingandDebt/FindDealsOnline/big-discounts-on-little-pleasures.aspx

Second, in a story on FoxNews: http://www.foxnews.com/leisure/2010/04/16/rv-travel-beginners/

The Fox story included a link to our Travel web site, www.HackneysTravel.com, which was nice of them to include. I haven’t checked the traffic levels on the site yet to see if they spiked or not.

http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/02/dell-latitude-e6410-e6510-finally-make-it-to-us/

(click on any photo for larger size)

How this came about is, I’ve been waiting for the new Intel  i7 CPU update for the Dell Latitude to come out for months now.

My old Latitude is literally wearing out, so I’m limping to the finish line with it. Every day brings another prayer, another incantation and another stuttering trip through a day’s productivity, ever uncertain that I’ll reach tomorrow with a functioning computer.

Consequently, I’ve been monitoring the tech blogs and Dell’s site closely for signs of the updated Latutude’s arrival and spotted the 6510 and 6410 on Dell’s web site the first morning they were available in the U.S.

In the previous days I saw the new model numbers start to appear on the Dell site’s laptop accessories listings, so I knew the new laptops themselves were imminent. Sometime between 11:30 PM 30 March when I checked before bed and 6:30 AM on 31 March when I got up, the new models went live on the Dell U.S. site.

I ordered my 6510 while I drank my first cup of coffee that morning.

I do not know if mine was the first consumer order or not, but I doubt it. There was probably some guy in his pajamas sitting up all night, every night, waiting for them. That wasn’t me since I was, officially, sleeping every night. And besides, prior to their consumer launch the 6510 and 6410 were available to enterprise customers and large institutions for pre-order, so there wasn’t going to be any iPad level hype surrounding being first in line.

Engadget, a tech blog, monitored the updated Latitudes through their design and regulatory approval process, as well as their intro in foreign markets such as the U.K. After I ordered mine, I emailed the Engadget reporter who wrote the U.K. story for Engadget and used their “Tip Us” feature to give them the news. It took them more than a day to get it posted. Note that, yes, I waited until my order was in the queue before unleashing the masses straining to buy new Latitudes who might have delayed mine. Mea Culpa.

 The Dell Latitude series laptops are built and optimized for IT deployment in large organizations. The Latitude line has design requirements of five years of design and utilization stability for accessories, such as power supplies and docking stations, and 18 months for the design model (the laptop models themselves). This aids people responsible for purchasing, configuring and deploying large fleets of laptops in their organizations to buy products that will stay viable for lengthy time-cycles in their organizations. In addition, they are designed and built to withstand the rigors of delployment into the hands of a typical corporate workforce. That means getting coffee spilled on the keyboards, being dropped off of conference tables and desks, being plugged into outlets all over the world, getting punched when bad news comes in, etc.

After years of loyalty to Thinkpads, which I used for our entire field force in my last company, I bought our original D620 Latitudes on the recommendation of my brother, Jeff, whose company, Emerson, had excellent experiences with large deployments of Latitudes.

At the time, I needed two identical laptops, one each for Steph and I, that could survive going overseas for a few years.

I took my Latitude D620 out  of the box, plugged it in, loaded some software and ran it non-stop for a few weeks at 100% CPU load rendering video files for a massive family history project.

Between then and now my D620 traveled all over the world, from the world’s driest desert,

to the 100% humidity of the Amazon basin rain forest.

It spent a lot of time in the salt air of the beach at sea level,

and at very high altitudes for weeks at a time, such as on this road at over 16,000 feet  (4,877 meters) elevation.

While in some very unlikely places, such as next to this glacier,

I used my D620 to write thousands of emails, scores of blog posts, dozens of essays, a few white papers and two books.

As well as editing, processing and posting tens of thousands of photos.

(click photo for full size collage)

Including a few from some very special places,

and a few from places where we had absolutely no idea where we were.

So, now, after several hard drive and memory capacity upgrades, after thousands of hours of 100% load usage, after literally wearing through the keys, and after zero failures, it’s finally time to retire the trusty Latitude D620.

The King is dead. Long live the King.

It turned out to be one of the most popular essays of that era. 

We put up a Christmas tree last week for the first time since then. It was amazing to realize it had been five years since we’d either been in town or had a home to place a tree in.

This year’s Christmas tree resembles the tree in The Seekers. The only difference is that we’ve since collected so many objects from additional places around the world, there is no longer room for any balls, only lights and ornaments.

Otherwise, the story remains the same. You can read it here: http://www.hackneys.com/travel/seekers-12.pdf

.

All share a sense of grandeur that matches the contests staged there, and as you wander about the stones, if you are open to it, you can hear the echoes of long-ago cheers and smell the musk of human striving.

I had those thoughts as I approached a coliseum last night. It too, rose above the surrounding terrain like a temple of glory.

(click photo to view larger image)

 
It too had towers piercing the sky.

 (click photo to view larger image)

 
It too had cavernous chambers.

(click photo to view larger image)
 
But unlike the ancient stadiums I’ve explored, this one required being wanded by a metal detector for entry.

 (click photo to view larger image)

 
Included a multi-tiered press box.

(click photo to view larger image)

 
And a video scoreboard featuring instant replay.

 (click photo to view larger image)

 
So as the sun slipped below the horizon.

 (click photo to view larger image)

And the teams erected their respective end zone cameras to record the action.

(click photo to view larger image)

 
I was treated to an American football game in a very impressive, modern stadium. The stadium was larger than many university stadiums we’ve seen in North America and around the world. It was larger, in fact, than some professional football stadiums we’ve seen overseas.

What university or professional team were we there to watch?

None.

I came to attend a Texas high school football game at a high school stadium.

 (click photo to view larger image)

*******

Not all Texas high school football games are played in stadiums this large or by teams so well staffed (14 coaches are listed on one team’s staff) and supported (thousands of fans drove over two hours to cheer for the visiting team).

(click photo to view larger image)

This game was a quarterfinal game in the Texas 5A state championship. 5A is the largest class in the state, for high schools (typically grades 9 – 12) with thousands of students.

There is another group of Texas teenagers who play American football for much smaller schools, some with only a few dozen to a few hundred pupils. Those schools are so small they cannot field a full 11 man American football team, so they play a version of the game that only uses six players on each side.

Those games are played at fields that lack video scoreboards and multi-level press boxes. Those games are played by kids that don’t wear cowboy boots as an affectation; they wear them as a matter of course.

 
Photo by Jay Janner/AMERICAN-STATESMAN

There is a wonderful story about the Texas kids who play six man American football, their coaches, and their towns here: http://www.statesman.com/sports/content/sports/stories/highschool/2009/11/15/1115sixman.html

 *******

Unless otherwise credited, all photos by Douglas Hackney

August 19, 2009 Canon USA Press Powershot line press release: http://www.usa.canon.com/templatedata/pressrelease/20090819_powershot.html

August 19, 2009 Canon UK S90 press release: http://www.dpreview.com/news/0908/09081907canons90.asp#press

Canon USA S90 site: http://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/controller?act=ModelInfoAct&fcategoryid=223&modelid=19210

DP Review S90 brief hands on: http://www.dpreview.com/news/0908/09081906canons90handson.asp

Evaluation Context:    Overlanding / Expedition use

Purpose of this evaluation: Provide initial impressions and testing results of the S90 compared to other Canon “point and shoot” compacts, pro-sumer and professional cameras. For full technical testing of the S90, please see DP Review or other sites.

Background:

I’ve been shooting digital since the late 90s. I moved from Sony to Canon when I returned to shooting with SLRs in 2003. We have owned more than a dozen Canon still cameras since then, and have overlanded with them in six continents.

I have owned and used a Canon SD / Digital Elph since the product line was introduced.

Purchase purpose:

Replace my SD870is, which still works fine, but I put two black spots on the display by burning it on a sunset in Chile in mid-2008.

Current inventory:

Me:

• Canon 1D MkIII

• Canon 1D MkII

• Canon G10

• Canon SD870is

Wife:

• Canon 40D

• Canon 30D

• Canon SD880is

Utilization criteria:

The S90’s purpose is to take the role of pocket/jacket camera. I typically store this camera in a belt pouch or in my motorcycle jacket front pocket.

In our world of travel and everyday use, the pocket camera is used for:

• Grab shots

• Records shots

• Snapshots

• “Please take a photo of us here” shots

• Stealth shooting where the big SLRs draw too much attention/risk

The most important role the pocket/jacket camera plays for us is that it is always there. The most important camera you own is the one you have with you. In that sense, our pocket cameras have always been the most important cameras on our travels.

Evaluation Criteria:

Overlanding / expedition use places different demands on a camera than stateside suburban utilization. Aspects of design, packaging and efficiency can be much more important in the bush than back in the ‘burbs. For instance, the ability to share common batteries and chargers between multiple cameras can mean a lot when picking new or additional cameras. Small details of ergonomics and use, such as control placement and consistency of menus become very important in high stress moments in remote areas. And of course, rock-solid reliability is critical, since the repair depot is thousands of miles away past multiple customs officers all eager to delay the shipment and tack on expensive duties.

Methodology:

The evaluation consists of handling the camera, stepping through the menus, shooting some test shots and comparing it with other Canon cameras for size, weight, ergonomics and performance.

Cameras in test:

• Canon 1D MkIII

• Canon 40D

• Canon G10

• Canon S90

• Canon SD880is

• Canon SD870is

Size comparison:

L to R: SD870is, S90, G10, 40D, 1D MkIII

System size comparison:

A camera is not just a camera. When you are traveling with a camera, you are also traveling with its family of chargers, batteries, memory cards, bags and accessories.

In this shot, the S90, G10, 40D and 1D MkIII with 580 EXII strobe are shown with their respective batteries and chargers. Note that the S90, G10 and 40D have integrated stobes. The 1D MkIII requires an external flash, along with its supply of batteries and/or external power supplies.

This shot adds samples of typical bags used for the respective camera systems. The S90 is shown with two varations: a slip case (used by my wife in her purse) and the belt pouch I typically use when we’re not traveling by motorcycle (the small Sandisk pouch is used to carry an additional battery and memory card).

Ergonomic and control differences SD870is vs. S90:

The S90 is nearly identical to the SD870is it replaces in size, shape and weight.

The primary differences are the lens control ring protruding from the front and the top control dial. There are also some differences in the rear controls, with the removal of the ISO position from the rear control dial the most significant for day-to-day use.

The lens control ring is a huge improvement in camera control in this form factor. Software configured, it can control six different functions. This additional control input is something this class of camera has sorely lacked until now.

Two major downsides to the new design are mostly related to the “Please take our photo here” scenario. The S90 has a very small power button and a small shutter release button. Just about everyone you hand this camera to will attempt to push the top of the control dial to release the shutter.

One significant improvement in ergonomics is the thumb rest located beneath the control dial on the back side. It provides a natural place to rest your thumb and greatly aids one handed operation.

S90 vs. G10 Comparison

The G10 has a smoother and easier to control power zoom. It is possible to set the framing on the G10 with more precision than with the S90.

The G10 is significantly larger, but does not weigh that much more than the S90.

The G10 is a (very) large pocket camera, more suited to a big belt pack than a pocket. The S90 is a true pocket camera.

The G10 has more direct dial controls than the S90. I find it easier to control the camera with direct button or dial controls than via a menu. The S90 makes significant inroads here with the lens control dial, a feature the G10 lacks.

The G10 includes an optical finder, while the S90 is limited to the rear display.

The G10 also features a hot shoe for external flash and a higher pixel count at 14.7. Published reports state that the G11, the current model replacement for the G10, uses the same imaging chip, and thus resolution, as the S90.

Of the two, the G10 is more suitable for a serious hobbyist or “pro-sumer” who requires an optical viewfinder and/or is interested in exploring the capabilities of external flash and prefers direct camera control via buttons, knobs and dials.

For the shooter who is looking for RAW format, manual focus, multiple operating modes and other pro-sumer capabilities in a smaller package, the S90 is the perfect choice.

Capabilities:

The S90 is packed with pro-sumer capabilities in a very small package. Based on years of overseas overlanding and expeditions, of greatest interest to me are RAW format files, manual focus capability, and P, Tv, Av and M modes. While we assume that high ISO performance will always get better with new cameras, we could not assume that manufacturers would ever push down fundamental capabilities from the higher end cameras to the pocket camera world.

The ability to post-edit the RAW file is critical to saving borderline images from tough shooting situations. Manual focus provides the opportunity to selectively compose an image in a very small camera. Multiple operational modes that match pro-sumer and pro bodies enables you to utilize consistent mental models and creative paths regardless of the camera you happen to have along that day.

If I could have had any two of these three capabilities in this camera size during our last two years overlanding I could have brought back significantly more successful images.

Conclusion:

Based on features and capabilities, the S90 is the camera I wish I could have taken with us for the last two years.

You can make your own judgments on the image quality tests which follow.

I will post additional thoughts after I’ve used the camera in the field.

Test Parameters:

Setting: Interior, multiple light sources (some daylight, two different color temperature fluorescent), static subject, static tripod.

Because it is essentially impossible to match framing with power zoom cameras, I chose to maintain a consistent camera to subject distance of 115 cm / 45.25”.

I tested the cameras under consistent lighting conditions and shot each with and without strobe.

All cameras were set to auto white balance and evaluative metering.

Auto focus was used on all cameras for all shots.

Camera self timer mode was used for shutter release for all shots on all cameras.

Because the higher end cameras can operate in Av mode, I shot two sets of images with the mid-range cameras (S90 & G10). The first set is in P mode to match the 870is’s P mode of operation. The second set is in Av mode at F5.6 to match the higher end cameras.

The 880is and 870is generated largest size, lowest compression JPG files. The S90, G10, 40D and 1D MkIII all generated RAW and largest size, lowest compression JPG files.

The full frame RAW and JPG files are unedited and unaltered in any way. The 800 pixel shots used in the text are sharpened for screen viewing.

All selection, editing, etc. was performed in Adobe Lightroom 2.5, Camera Raw 5.5. LR handled the S90 RAW files with no issues. File import was via Breeze Systems Downloader Pro V2.2.2.

The primary light sources were two different Ott-Lite sources, one with “HD” bulbs and the other using their “natural” bulb. You will notice the wide variation in color balance in these shots. Overall, the 1D MkIII shots are closest to the actual colors as my eyes perceive them.

The SD870is and SD880is only have P mode, so there was no way to preset the aperature. I matched the P mode in the S90 and the G10 so people who are looking to move up in capability from a pure “point and shoot” compact could see and compare that upgrade path.

The 5.6 shots were done in Av mode to match the 40D and the 1D so people looking to retain creative capability in a smaller camera could see that migration path.

Please Note:

All images are unprocessed, unedited and unaltered.

The full rez JPGs are factory default output from the cameras.

The RAW files are unaltered.

If you want to compage with an image from a camera you own, be sure to process the files accordingly, e.g., if you normally apply sharpening, alter black levels, etc.

Test Shots

Side by side comparison of 600 x 600 crops is here:

http://www.hackneys.com/photos/S90-eval/s90-600×600.htm

Camera: SD870is

Lens: 4.6-17.3mm

Mode: P

File: 2009-10-27-SD870 IS-0707

Dimensions: 3264 x 2448

Exposure: 1/60 sec @ F4.5

Focal Length: 10.833mm

ISO: 100

Flash: Did fire

Full rez shot is here:

http://www.hackneys.com/photos/S90-eval/2009-10-27-SD870%20IS-0707.JPG

Crop 600×600

Camera: SD870is

Lens: 4.6-17.3mm

Mode: P

File: 2009-10-27-SD870 IS-0710

Dimensions: 3264 x 2448

Exposure: ½ sec @ F4.5

Focal Length: 10.833mm

ISO: 100

Flash: Did not fire

Full rez shot is here:

http://www.hackneys.com/photos/S90-eval/2009-10-27-SD870%20IS-0710.JPG

Crop 600×600

Camera: SD880is

Lens: 5.0-20.0 mm

Mode: P

File: 2009-10-27-SD880 IS-9977

Dimensions: 3648 x 2736

Exposure: 1/60 sec @ F4.5

Focal Length: 12.524 mm

ISO: 100

Flash: Did fire

Full rez shot is here:

http://www.hackneys.com/photos/S90-eval/2009-10-27-SD880%20IS-9977.JPG

Crop 600×600

Camera: SD880is

Lens: 5.0-20.0 mm

Mode: P

File: 2009-10-27-SD880 IS-9974

Dimensions: 3648 x 2736

Exposure: 1/2 sec @ F4.5

Focal Length: 12.524 mm

ISO: 100

Flash: Did not fire

Full rez shot is here:

http://www.hackneys.com/photos/S90-eval/2009-10-27-SD880%20IS-9974.JPG

Crop 600×600

Camera: S90

Lens: 6.0-22.5 mm

Mode: P

File: 2009-10-27-S90-0032

Dimensions: 3648 x 2736

Exposure: 1/60 sec @ F3.5

Focal Length: 12.845 mm

ISO: 100

Flash: Did fire

Full rez shot is here:

http://www.hackneys.com/photos/S90-eval/2009-10-27-S90-0032.JPG

RAW is here:

http://www.hackneys.com/photos/S90-eval/2009-10-27-S90-0032.CR2

Crop 600×600

Camera: S90

Lens: 6.0-22.5 mm

Mode: P

File: 2009-10-27-S90-0034

Dimensions: 3648 x 2736

Exposure: 1/4 sec @ F3.5

Focal Length: 12.845 mm

ISO: 100

Flash: Did not fire

Full rez is here:

http://www.hackneys.com/photos/S90-eval/2009-10-27-S90-0034.JPG

RAW is here:

http://www.hackneys.com/photos/S90-eval/2009-10-27-S90-0034.CR2

Crop 600×600

Camera: S90

Lens: 6.0-22.5 mm

Mode: Av

File: 2009-10-27-S90-0037

Dimensions: 3648 x 2736

Exposure: 1/60 sec @ F5.6

Focal Length: 12.845 mm

ISO: 100

Flash: Did fire

Full rez is here:

http://www.hackneys.com/photos/S90-eval/2009-10-27-S90-0037.JPG

RAW is here:

http://www.hackneys.com/photos/S90-eval/2009-10-27-S90-0037.CR2

Crop 600×600

Camera: S90

Lens: 6.0-22.5 mm

Mode: Av

File: 2009-10-27-S90-0040

Dimensions: 3648 x 2736

Exposure: .8 sec @ F5.6

Focal Length: 12.845 mm

ISO: 100

Flash: Did not fire

Full rez is here:

http://www.hackneys.com/photos/S90-eval/2009-10-27-S90-0040.JPG

RAW is here:

http://www.hackneys.com/photos/S90-eval/2009-10-27-S90-0040.CR2

Crop 600×600

Camera: G10

Lens: 6.1-30.5 mm

Mode: P

File: 2009-10-27-G10-2218

Dimensions: 4416 x 3312

Exposure: 1/60 sec @ F3.5

Focal Length: 13.761 mm

ISO: 100

Flash: Did fire

Full Rez is here:

http://www.hackneys.com/photos/S90-eval/2009-10-27-G10-2218.JPG

RAW is here:

http://www.hackneys.com/photos/S90-eval/2009-10-27-G10-2218.CR2

Crop 600×600

Camera: G10

Lens: 6.1-30.5 mm

Mode: P

File: 2009-10-27-G10-2220

Dimensions: 4416 x 3312

Exposure: 1/3 sec @ F3.5

Focal Length: 13.761 mm

ISO: 100

Flash: Did not fire

Full rez is here:

http://www.hackneys.com/photos/S90-eval/2009-10-27-G10-2220.JPG

RAW is here:

http://www.hackneys.com/photos/S90-eval/2009-10-27-G10-2220.CR2

Crop 600×600

Camera: G10

Lens: 6.1-30.5 mm

Mode: Av

File: 2009-10-27-G10-2225

Dimensions: 4416 x 3312

Exposure: 1/60 sec @ F5.6

Focal Length: 13.761 mm

ISO: 100

Flash: Did fire

Full rez is here:

http://www.hackneys.com/photos/S90-eval/2009-10-27-G10-2225.JPG

RAW is here:

http://www.hackneys.com/photos/S90-eval/2009-10-27-G10-2225.CR2

Crop 600×600

Camera: G10

Lens: 6.1-30.5 mm

Mode: Av

File: 2009-10-27-G10-2228

Dimensions: 4416 x 3312

Exposure: .8 sec @ F5.6

Focal Length: 13.761 mm

ISO: 100

Flash: Did not fire

Full rez is here:

http://www.hackneys.com/photos/S90-eval/2009-10-27-G10-2228.JPG

RAW is here:

http://www.hackneys.com/photos/S90-eval/2009-10-27-G10-2228.CR2

Crop 600×600

Camera: 40D

Lens: EF24-70mm F2.8L USM

Mode: Av

File: 2009-10-27-40D-0821

Dimensions: 3888 x 2592

Exposure: 1/2 sec @ F5.6

Focal Length: 34 mm

ISO: 100

Flash: Did fire

Full rez is here:

http://www.hackneys.com/photos/S90-eval/2009-10-27-40D-0821.JPG

RAW is here:

http://www.hackneys.com/photos/S90-eval/2009-10-27-40D-0821.CR2

Crop 600×600

Camera: 40D

Lens: EF24-70mm F2.8L USM

Mode: Av

File: 2009-10-27-40D-0825

Dimensions: 3888 x 2592

Exposure: 1/2 sec @ F5.6

Focal Length: 34 mm

ISO: 100

Flash: Did not fire

Full rez is here:

http://www.hackneys.com/photos/S90-eval/2009-10-27-40D-0825.JPG

RAW is here:

http://www.hackneys.com/photos/S90-eval/2009-10-27-40D-0825.CR2

Crop 600×600

Camera: 1D MkIII

Lens: EF24-70mm F2.8L USM

Mode: Av

File: 2009-10-27-1DMk3-3925

Dimensions: 3888 x 2592

Exposure: 1/3 sec @ F5.6

Focal Length: 43 mm

ISO: 100

Flash: Did fire

Full rez is here:

http://www.hackneys.com/photos/S90-eval/2009-10-27-1DMk3-3925.JPG

RAW is here:

http://www.hackneys.com/photos/S90-eval/2009-10-27-1DMk3-3925.CR2

Crop 600×600

Camera: 1D MkIII

Lens: EF24-70mm F2.8L USM

Mode: Av

File: 2009-10-27-1DMk3-3928

Dimensions: 3888 x 2592

Exposure: .6 sec @ F5.6

Focal Length: 43 mm

ISO: 100

Flash: Did not fire

Full rez is here:

http://www.hackneys.com/photos/S90-eval/2009-10-27-1DMk3-3928.JPG

RAW is here:

http://www.hackneys.com/photos/S90-eval/2009-10-27-1DMk3-3928.CR2

Crop 600×600

.

Americans don’t get out much.

That should come as no surprise considering that, according to the U.S. State Department, only 27 percent of Americans hold a valid passport. That means that 73 percent of Americans couldn’t get out to see the rest of the world even if they wanted to; even if all they wanted to see was Mexico or Canada.

And where do those approximately 81 million Americans who do hold a valid passport travel to when they seek to explore the world? Almost without exception, they travel to fully developed countries or stay in walled off resort compounds.

The top five international destinations for Americans are:
• Canada
• Caribbean/Bermuda
• Mexico
• British Isles
• France

Of the few places Americans visit outside their borders, the international destinations that please them most are those that require the least amount of cultural adjustment, learning or adaptation:
• Australia
• London
• Ireland
• Scotland
• British Columbia

Given these facts, it should then come as very little surprise when I tell you that most Americans are shocked to learn that the developing world is not as undeveloped as Americans tend to think it is. They are surprised when we relate the realities of third world life, given that their impressions of the world outside the U.S. border are mostly informed by sensationalist news stories and charity appeals featuring infants and toddlers with distended stomachs and squadrons of flies.

Americans tend to think of everyone in the world outside of Western Europe, Japan, the boom cities of China and Australia as living an extremely isolated dirt poor existence; struggling for survival and weeks of travel from the nearest civilization. The facts on the ground are different than the typical American’s perceptions. For instance, there are more people with cell (mobile) phones in India than there are people in America. And a new study by the World Bank and the European Commission’s Joint Research Center shows that nearly everyone on the planet is within two days of land travel from a major population center.

That last bit, essentially everyone being only two days from their nearest Kentucky Fried Chicken outlet, is very disorienting. After all, when you view the earth’s vegetation, it’s hard to imagine that could be possible.

(click on image for full resolution version)

When people in the west think about developing world travel, they tend to think about ox carts or camelback. In reality, the world has about 800 million passenger vehicles now and is headed for having one billion cars and light trucks by 2020.

The world’s road network is vast, and penetrates much more of the planet than people typically predict.

(click on image for full resolution version)

Even in regions most Americans would predict would be remote areas filled with grass huts populated by hunters and gatherers, such as West Africa, there are extensive networks of roads and tracks.

(click on image for full resolution version)

.
And even where there are no roads, there are rivers, the conduit of commerce in prior centuries.

(click on image for full resolution version)

.
When you add in railroads,

(click on image for full resolution version)

.
and ocean routes,

(click on image for full resolution version)

You can see that the world really knows how to get around.

Add it all together,

(click on image for full resolution version)

and what you get is a world that is very, very connected.

In this map, the bright colors indicate short travel times, dark areas indicate long travel times to the nearest city of 50,000 people.

There are some surprises here. For instance, in the Amazon basin, a place most Americans would consider extremely remote, only 20% of people are more than two days land travel from a major city, about the same percentage as Canada’s Quebec Province (which some Americans would no doubt consider equally remote, exotic and challenging).

So, where is the most remote place on earth, the place farthest away by travel days than any other?

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It is the Tibetan plateau (34.7°N, 85.7°E). From that spot it is a three-week trip to the cities of Lhasa or Korla – one day by car and the remaining 20 on foot.

So the next time you really want to get away, even farther away than a Caribbean resort, far enough away there are no McDonald’s drive through windows, far enough away that your smart phone won’t ring, far enough away it would take days for anyone to come and remind you of the next deadline or to take out the trash, you know where you’ll need to go.

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Sources:
• European Commission Joint Research Centre
• World Bank
• New Scientist
• International Finance Corporation
• New York Times
• TNS
• U.S. State Department
• Toronto Star

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At times, the pragmatic aspects are overwhelming in their breadth, requiring an entire life to be reconstructed and assembled out of sometimes moving parts. But those challenges pale in comparison to the psychological and spiritual hurdles of integrating back into a culture and its norms and expectations.

At times like these, humans seek refuge in comforting spaces, where some things are still the same, a space with a soft, soothing salve of consistency.

They seek a place where grandpa’s tools are still on the shelf. 
 

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And his old steam traction engine tool box still holds pride of place, along with its words of wisdom.

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What man, especially a still-mentally-off-the-grid man, cannot receive solace and guidance in those words?

And what could be more centering, more grounding, than the old familiar reference works?

 
But while some things are familiar, some things are the same—but different.

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I turned my back for five or six years and they went and eliminated one of man’s most treasured rituals, the search for the WD-40 straw.

Even more disorienting is the lack of a garage radio.

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Music, video, shopping, online reference, and more, all from this? In my garage? Is it possible to do anything without a computer anymore?

 It certainly is not possible to find your way around without one. And therein lay a very important symbolic act in the course of re-entry.

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There was nothing more poignant than the simple act of changing the GPS software from metric to statute. While eminently pragmatic, nothing could be more emblematic of the psychological trauma of reentry. It was the physical manifestation of leaving a tribe of six billion people who measure and weigh everything by simple powers of 10 and voluntarily drinking the Kool-Aid of teaspoons, feet and quarts. Welcome back to America, the land of innovation and progress, where every school kid knows that there are 43,560 square feet per acre, 256 tablespoons per gallon, 1,760 yards per mile and that one bushel equals 1.24445608 cubic feet or four pecks or 74.4734238 pints.

But all was not ironic and regressive.

There was the ritual flagging of the pannier box. And since one box was completely full of places we’d ridden,

 
that meant I had to continue filling out the other box.

It was interesting to contrast the two boxes. One filled with lots of countries we’d ridden in a couple of years and the other with just a few countries that we’d spent two years exploring. This contrast is a reflection of things we learned along the way and put into practice with a change in our approach to travel: see less but see more.

And to see more, I needed to mount the GPS from the Fuso on the bike, along with its promise of adventures yet to come.

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But what adventures would those be? How could we keep the flame of exploring the world alive, while temporarily tethered here in the U.S.?
 
To do that, we sought out a place that was at once entirely familiar and almost foreign; a place so steeped in quirkiness it can be challenging to sort out the animate from the inanimate.

A place where there’s almost always live music,

 
a place where love lasts forever, or at least for the weekend, 
 

 
and a place where, as everybody who’s anybody knows:

But what purpose could take us there, could pull us from our reverie in the overwhelming, stifling and sometimes suffocating easiness of American life back out into the relative unknown?

Nothing more than to visit some old friends.

 
Some rare.

 
Some familiar.

And some less so.

 
 
The ride and the event were a small step, a baby step, along the path of coming back into this culture, of reconnecting to the grid. It was a stop at a familiar shrine, a touchstone of constancy, a reassuring marker on this flowing river of change.

It was a place of old things made in the old ways.

But sometimes, when you’re searching for a way to reconnect, the old ways are the best ways.

*****      *****      *****      *****      *****      *****      *****      *****    

Click here for information on the event: http://www.harvestclassic.org/

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What that translates into is an office that inevitably evolves into stacks of material covering every horizontal surface.

To my wife’s and others amazement, I can locate the correct strata of any desired document, object or material to within a few millimeters in very short time spans, from minutes to seconds. However, in her, ummm, organized perspective, this occasional rapid retrieval speed does in no way make up for her forced long-term exposure to my infinite layer cake of stuff. Consequently, she limits her exposure to my office to brief forays; her bravery accompanied by pursed lips and squinted eyes, all in an effort to avoid catching a bad case of disorganizitis.

However, pack-rattedness does come with some upsides. Among them, the discovery of hidden treasures whenever the strata are moved from one location to another. During this process, like an archeological dig, the layers yield their secrets and surprises.

On this occasion, a dig through six years of strata produced the following fragments from former expeditions.

2003, Botswana, border customs receipt

This brought back a lot of memories of Africa and Botswana, starting with our high speed get-off in a mud hole and ending with a mind-altering visit to the Okavango Delta.

All through South Africa, our local guides kept reminding us that “real Africa starts at the border.”

They were right.

The border crossing featured a huge bound journal entry book, covered in dust, crammed so thick with pages that it looked like the journal must date back to the late 1800s. Each vehicle’s identifying numbers were painstakingly entered into this book.

It was here that I learned a valuable lesson from Helge Pedersen: write your VIN, motor number and license plate number on the back, inside cover of your passport. It’s a huge time saver at 3rd world borders.

Once across the border, indeed, real Africa began.

2003, Namibia, Twyfelfontein Country Lodge receipts

This was the place where we went out on a long, hot three hour hike, only to arrive at a destination completely different than we thought we were headed to. When we asked our guide about the petroglyphs we expected to see, he replied, “Oh, that is the other hike. There are no petroglyphs on this hike.” Our companion, Bud Robinson, a champion cross country runner, proceeded to run back to the hotel and arrange for a driver to take us to the petroglyphs. Once there, we paid the lady overseeing the site to allow us to stay after closing, then gave her a ride home. It turned out to be a great experience, and like many great experiences underway, it all started with things getting off-plan.

2004, Turkey, Speeding Ticket

I collected this while cruising down a back road in Turkey. The police are obligated to put out a warning sign of impending radar speed traps ahead, but I blithely blew past the sign with nary a notice or care. A few kilometers later I was waved over by a very excited man in a spiffy uniform.

While he chattered away in Turkish, I smiled and nodded. Finally giving up in frustration, he turned to Steph and proceeded to communicate with her, the more linguistically talented of the two of us. In a combination of his few words of English, writing vigorously on a notepad in very large numbers, and emphatic, red-tinged-with-purple facial expressions, he said I had been going too fast.

The way Steph now relates the tale, it went something like “60 kilometers per hour, OK. 120 kilometers per hour, NOT OK!”

Meanwhile, while she was getting dressed down, I was investigating the combination radar / photo printer unit in the police car, which had obligingly driven down to our location from its hiding place. I was having a great time smiling, drawing in the dirt, making guy noises, all the usual, when I noticed Steph, still trapped with the Red Faced Officer, was not having such a good time.

Just about then we figured out that we needed to pay the ticket on the spot, in cash. We don’t know if it was a glorified contribution to the Policeman’s New Year’s Party Fund or not, but at least we got this receipt.

2004, Jordan, Itinerary

This is what happens when you overland—things change. If you always put flexibility at the top of your list, then you have a good time. Otherwise, if you cling stubbornly to rigid schedules, you will be frustrated and ultimately, unhappy.

In this case, we needed to completely flip our anticipated travel plans for a trip down to Petra, Jordan, and back. As it turned out, we later modified this schedule again when we discovered just how unhappy a place Jordan was in those days.

2004, Bhutan, Border Visa Receipt

Bhutan is a little known, small Buddhist country located high in the Himalayas. When we visited, they were only allowing about 2,000 tourists a year, and of those, only a handful by motorcycle.

Often ranked as the most pure, untouched remaining culture in the world, the people, customs, and traditions of Bhutan are extraordinary.

Wherever we went, from remote mountain villages to the small cities, we consistently met remarkable people and had equally remarkable experiences.

2004, Japan, BMW business card

Japan was a super trip, one we remember fondly, and the country remains one of the very few places we would return to prior to seeing more countries we have yet to experience.

Along the way in Japan we were consistently treated with something close to awe, being foreigners on our own motorcycle.

We had fantastic experiences with the people of Japan, especially those in the small rural villages, some of whom had never before seen an American in the flesh.

2004, China, Forbidden City Starbucks receipt

This receipt tells a lot about China in 2004. While the rural areas looked frozen in the post-revolution communal era, the developed cities along the coast were overrun with capitalism’s global brands.

This receipt is from a Starbucks located within the Forbidden City, the former palace of the Chinese Emperors. In the days of the emperor, a commoner would be killed merely for stepping through the gates of the Forbidden City. Today, you can sip a triple-shot, skinny vanilla latte while you wander the stones of the vast courtyards and palaces.

 
Currency and Coins

I also found some currency and coins. We diligently collected stamps, coins and currency of all denominations in each country we visited, which we gave to our nephew for his collections. These are some of the extras.

Full rez version here: http://www.hackneys.com/travel/photos/2003-southafrica-currency.jpg

Full rez version here: http://www.hackneys.com/travel/photos/2003-namibia-currency.jpg

Full rez version here: http://www.hackneys.com/travel/photos/2004-syria-currency.jpg

Full rez version here: http://www.hackneys.com/travel/photos/2004-chinese-currency.jpg

Full rez version here: http://www.hackneys.com/travel/photos/coins.jpg
All photos and images Copyright (c), 2003-2009, Douglas Hackney, all rights reserved.

Such as unpacking all the motorcycle stuff that’s been stored in various locations around the U.S.A. for the last few years.

While there were plenty of Christmas morning moments for me, one of my favorites was this container:

This container held tank bags used in a variety of trips earlier this decade.

Some trips were local, such as this one, a wonderful day ride around SoCal following a hand drawn map. As any rider will tell you, any trip that uses a hand drawn map is almost always a good one.

The next tank bag map pouch also brought back a lot of great memories. It  contained coins from Japan and a  Nazar (nazar boncuğu) from Turkey, which is an amulet used to ward off the “evil eye.” We’ve found them to be very effective in our travels. We’ve gone through quite a few, and they always seem to break or disappear when we run up against bad situations. Coincidence? You can be the judge. We consider them ablative materials in the traveler’s battle with bad juju.

The last one held a map and a dried flower from China. I thought I’d forgotten most of that China trip, but the sight of the flower triggered memories of Steph picking that flower, along with many more great experiences on that trip.

It was wonderful to spend a few minutes reliving those trips, and thinking about the food, places and people we discovered along the way.

Those memories kept me going as I finished that little organization project.

The end result was the first time most of our riding gear has been in one place in over four years.

But even though it is nice to get all of our stuff organized in one place, I’m already thinking about pulling one of those containers down and putting it to use:

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Click here for the rest of the story: http://www.hackneys.com/travel/docs/anymajormove.pdf

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