Category: Travel

  • 2022 Cross-country Drive (Part 5: Crisis of Confidence)

    2022 Cross-country Drive (Part 5: Crisis of Confidence)

    While this is part 5, and final, in my series covering my recent cross-country road trip, this one will be considerably different in topic. It will also be somewhat depressing to animal lovers at the start but hopefully swing back to a happier tone by the end. This one will not cover aspects of a…

  • 2022 Cross-country Drive (Part 4: Food)

    2022 Cross-country Drive (Part 4: Food)

    As someone who has worked entirely too much, and grinded through too many 12+ hour days, food has been one bright spot the past ten years. That occasional chance at a meal that is above and beyond, that becomes breaks, lunch, dinner, and an island of enjoyment in an otherwise crappy day. With a three…

  • 2022 Cross-country Drive (Part 3: Lodging)

    2022 Cross-country Drive (Part 3: Lodging)

    For those who travel a lot, myself included a long while back, talking about lodging is not very interesting. Unless the room is spectacular or perhaps a grim experience, most of us have experienced average hotel rooms. The biggest fail here, in the context of my trip, is not taking pictures of the single worst…

  • 2022 Cross-country Drive (Part 2: The Road)

    2022 Cross-country Drive (Part 2: The Road)

    Warning, this will be a photo-heavy blog sharing some pictures I took throughout the three weeks on the road along with commentary. Cities Bigger cities are all so different and it always astounds and pleases me. On this trip I passed through Chicago, Cleveland, Philadelphia, New York, Washington D.C., and Atlanta. Each are light years…

  • 2022 Cross-country Drive (Part 1: Overview)

    2022 Cross-country Drive (Part 1: Overview)

    Overview Over the last 10.5 years, I have taken all of two weekends completely off from work. Just those two times that I did not work at all. No other vacations, just working hard in start-up mode well past the start-up phase. I do not have strong enough words to warn you off from doing…

  • Stalking me in Las Vegas…

    I fly out to Las Vegas tomorrow for the trifecta of summer security conventions held in oppressing heat. BlackHat Briefings, BSides Las Vegas, and DEF CON 21. If you want to catch up to talk about attrition.org, OSVDB, or anything vulnerability related, look for the disgruntled person likely wearing a squirrel-themed shirt. If you would…

  • Fun Times, InfoSec, and No Wind in Chicago

    I just returned from a brief trip to Chicago, where I attended and presented at Thotcon, as well as attended BSides Chicago. Thursday: After a two hour delay due to “mechanical” issues, I arrived in Chicago. I am a bit surprised, as the flight crew in Denver did not give us a lot of confidence.…

  • Fine Dining, A Learning Experience

    I have had my share of good meals, and truly enjoy them. I tend to go out of my way to eat a nice meal every so often. Locally, it generally means a meal at one of the three Richard Sandoval restaurants he has in town. In Vegas, it may mean one of Gordon Ramsay’s…

  • Fish, but no Goats, in New Zealand

    Fish, but no Goats, in New Zealand

    Went out to the Goat Island Marine Reserve, off the coast of Leigh, north of Warkworth. The protected marine reserve is home to a variety of fish and marine life extending over a considerable distance. Most people scuba, snorkel and swim between the beach and Goat Island itself for safety. We spent just over an…

  • Horses, Lions, and Gannets in New Zealand

    Horses, Lions, and Gannets in New Zealand

    Headed out west of Auckland to the coast to do a horse ride. Arrived and three horses were there, ready to go. Adjusted the stirrup length on the English saddle (bleh!) and off we went with Antoinette, our guide. I got ‘Grace’, a ~ 16 hand tall Quarter Horse. A bomb-proof horse trained to provide…