Regular readers may be familiar with my "Fat Dog To The Big Apple" Blog. I still can't decide whether to consolidate it into the main News from Nowhere Blog or leave it as a separate entity. This week's theme for Theme Thursday is "Pets" so it provides me with an opportunity of posting the latest Fat Dog episode here. For those unfamiliar with the project, Fat Dog is an exercise in virtual travel. Each day my dog Amy and I walk the streets of West Yorkshire but we carefully note our weekly distance and - when we can remember which, sadly, isn't every week - transfer it, via Google Earth, onto a virtual walk from Los Angeles to New York City. So far, after 59 weeks, we have got mid-way up the Oregon coast. Here is our latest weekly postcard.
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| Click the postcard to enlarge |
Alan, my dear......I love your blogs and I do love Amy, but I must ask you a question that keeps nagging at me.....in your virtual walk from LA to NY what in the hell are you doing in Oregon?.......just wondered. Beautiful state, but rather the long way to NY......
ReplyDeleteI want to visit North Bend.
ReplyDeleteI don't even get my kids 'happy meals'. Amy sure has you under her thumb. Yes? -J
ReplyDeleteYeah, Alan; how did you get all the way up in Oregon, which is so far off course? Or are you trying to avoid the desert in Nevada and Utah? If that's the case, then I'm going to have to burst your bubble - it's jut as dry in the eastern reaches of Washington and Oregon and into Idaho. That's pretty dry country all the way up and down the eastern slopes of the coastal ranges!
ReplyDeleteI thought I saw you and Amy walking across that bridge!
ReplyDeleteAlan, let me help you make your mind up about consolidation. A weekly episode of 'Fat Dog..'in 'News From Nowhere', would help to ensure that readers wouldn't miss a single step.
ReplyDeleteRe. Why Oregon : When I first calculated the time it would take me to complete the virtual walk it came to almost five years. I decided that if I was to undertake a project of such scale I might as well visit some of the places I had always wanted to visit. In addition to many places in California, I had always wanted to see both Portland and Seattle. So I decided to head north before heading east. And then Cousin Dave asked me to call in and see a lake just over the border in Saskatchewan his father used to take him fishing at. My son wanted me to call in at Pittsburgh to get him a Pittsburgh Penguins shirt and a number of my American blogging friends have invited me to virtually call in and see them. Thus the somewhat circuitous route. But, there again, if you want to travel "as the crow flies" travel with a crow and not with a virtual dog. There, you see, it all makes sense now doesn't it.
ReplyDeletewhen you get to VA let me know i will show you a natural bridge carved out of the stone...
ReplyDeleteIs Amy Barking In An American Accent Yet?!:)
ReplyDeletealan you are so extremely clever!! i can't believe i've been missing out on this wonderful virtual adventure!
ReplyDeletei do hope you and amy's route brings you through cleveland! but i'd prefer that it be real rather than virtual as that pub around the corner with the wall of tap handles does wait!
when we go to the irish festival each year i spend in addition to the music and beer, the highlight for me are the 'dogs of ireland' - several years ago i decided should i ever add my own dog to our household population it would be a wheaten terrier! now to find your amy is a wheaten - is that the soundtrack for the twilight zone i'm hearing!!
i have been to bend, oregon and it is very dramatic - have to pop over to your fat dog to the big apple blog to see where else your travels have taken you!
happy tt!
Alan, I love this project! Inspires me to do the same in reverse, say, virtually walking from Tintagel to Newcastle. Which of course wouldn't be as ambitious in terms of miles. Even so, I think I'm too lazy! Still...hmm... Anyway may I recommend visiting Sea Lion Caves and Depoe Bay ("world's smallest harbor"), which are looming closer on your itinerary?
ReplyDeleteThe Virtual Travel would be nothing without your imagination and conversations with Amy. Her opinions are so 'dog-like' that I wonder whether, in fact, they are not imagined at all...
ReplyDeleteLoving this tour of the US - you are saving me heaps in air fare.
My apologies to Amy for calling her April on my blog! :)
ReplyDeleteWhen you get to the states, you must come through Ohio!
Oh, my gosh, that was fun! Somehow I missed this series. I'm going to go back and read it all. You are too, too clever and I love Amy.
ReplyDeleteThis is so much fun, Alan! Amy sounds like a great companion on this virtual trip!
ReplyDeleteYou know, sometimes I with Amy on the whole bridge thing.
ReplyDeleteThe virtual walk with Amy is a great idea. Very creative.
wish to go there,
ReplyDeletesmart and fun post!
That's what I get for not perusing your other bloggos more often! I like this ;)
ReplyDeleteSo much fun but you must stop giving your dog junk food! I wish I had time to read all your blogs, you're so prolific! And a wonderful writer to boot actually.
ReplyDeleteAlan--this is so cool--I am going to follow your travels from now on--Amy is quite the beauty!!
ReplyDelete