Well, I guess I called it. Day Two started off sideways thanks to the utter betrayal of a piece of usually trustworthy technology we rely on for these trips, and now we’re in a fairly shitty situation. Okay, that’s not entirely true: I’m pretty sure the previously lauded Road Mode played a part as well. It’s been well-established by now…

We are happy to report that, miraculously, Day One is in the books without having nearly killed anyone, and all my medical supplies remained securely, albeit overly bungee corded, inside the car-top carrier. Safety first, that’s the motto of the guy paralyzed from the neck down after launching himself off a sketchy pile of snow. As opposed to last time, this trip…

Oh yes, this is happening. Another road trip is set to commence in just a few hours as the Bobbsey Twins, my lady friend and I all pile into the Silver Bullet and head south for the second time this year. This time we are bound for Las Vegas, where a national paralysis conference awaits. I’m sure it will be a…

After devoting all of Saturday to cover the 826 miles between San Francisco and home, and then losing most of Sunday to regaining my bearings with sleep and unpacking, it is pretty safe to say that, by Monday, the vacation hangover had officially set in. It’s difficult to readjust to daily life after having been on a 15-day roller…

Of course the last real day of vacation would save the best experience for last. I got to spend the afternoon in the spinal cord injury rehab gym at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center with Kathy Kobayashi, an Occupational Therapist who helped my good friend Ian Mackay during his inpatient stay there almost 6 years ago. I brought a…

It was just before 9 AM when someone began pounding outside our hotel room. Still half asleep, Alicia staggered her way to the door expecting to find an overzealous housekeeper or an incensed neighbor on the rampage for us being a little too loud the night before. She ripped the door open, a warm sliver of light slashing through the room and lo and…

We already know that bad things happen in threes. So it goes without saying that we’d been waiting since the third day of the trip for that last straw to appear. Well today may have finally delivered. After bidding farewell to the two octogenarian lovebirds, we started our slow trek north towards home. We made a brief pitstop in Ventura for some shakes…

I’m not sure how many people out there would think spending an entire day with a couple of 89-year-olds one of their favorite birthdays ever. Then again, only a handful of us are lucky enough to call these two crazy kids their grandparents. This picture pretty much sums up my 35th birthday. Okay, if you want to get technical, this was…

In an effort to get back into the spirit of the road trip, I had to resort to desperate measures; the most hideously touristy palm tree shirt I could find. After pairing it with a trusty (see: cheesy) pair of aviators, I felt ready for a trip out to the Marine base in Twentynine Palms for a visit with my old friend…