I'm on TV.

Channel 6 is doing a story on PDD and Blogging in general tonight at 10. Tune in and watch Paul Lundgren and myself make fools of ourselves.

Keep 'em scared.

Here is a great montage of the Replublican's strategy to retain the Presidency.

-via the New Patriot and Chuck Olsen.

It's all downhere from hill.

What a day for a hike. The second Nonchalant Jaunt could not have asked for better weather. In case you don't remember, last year about this time 8 hardy souls decided to walk the length of Duluth. We took the low road last year so of course we had to go on Skyline Pkwy. this year. Paul Lundgren, God bless him decided we should start at the true beginning of the Pkwy., not just where the actual road now begins. This sounded fun enough until we realized that the Mission Creek Trail intersects the Mission Creek several times. Oh there used to be bridges I guess but not any more.


Well, this first crossing kind of had a bridge.



This picture is a better representation of the SIX crossings we had to make in ICE COLD WATER. We thought there would only be 4 crossings so the last 2 were extra tough.



We did finally make our way to the modern day beginning of Skyline Pkwy. The weather was warming up, our feet were dry and we were so happy.

Not to long later Laura joined the crew courtesy of Tony D. After scolding her for missing the early morning adventures we set off with a spring in our step.



After an hour or so we took our first break. We ate our PB&J's and our Bagels with Cheese. Then Lithis asked if we would like some Thunder Cookies. If you have never had a Thunder Cookie from the Positively 3rd Street Bakery, well you have never lived. In fact Paul Lundgren said he would run through a field of Blowjobs for a Thunder Cookie. All Hail Lithis, King of Geeks.

After the cookies we just walked and walked and walked. It was during this period that I forgot I even had a camera. Did I mention that I bought new shoes last night? About 4 hours in the blisters started forming. The only thing that kept me going was the beer waiting for me at the Buena. According to Lundgren's plan we should have arrived at the Buena about 2PM. Well that was not to be. We did arrive at at 5 however and much food and drink was consumed. This also was the end of the journey for me, Nick, Maria and Zoe. Lundgren, Lithis and Aaron decided to continue on for the final 8-10 miles. They are probably still toiling on as I a compose this post. So if you are driving on Skyline tonight beware of the weary travellers.



This is my favorite blister.



added: Spoke with Lundgren this morning. They did indeed finish the walk. 9:45pm to be exact. The only mishap occured when Lithis fell into a deep hole, no injuries received.

Nonchalant Jaunt Audio Post

Coolest Duluth picture you'll see today

I wish I could take credit for this - this is from www.bobbarthen.com.

Thanks Janice

V.O.T.E.

What's It Like, Part 3

What's it like to prepare and consume a Heater Meal?



So, on a recent trip to Canada, Ms. Jerree Small laid down a handful of Canadian looneys to purchase a Heater Meal from a truck stop. The concept behind the Heater Meal is simple. This is a hot, delicious meal that requires no refrigeration for storage, and no appliances to heat. It is, in fact, an MRE packaged for the general public. Needless to say, such an experience had to be shared with others. So we took this baby to the Starfire Lounge and fired it up while Edgewood provided the soundtrack.



Here's how you prepare a heater meal. First, you take it out of the box and remove the utensils and the Ms. Dash packet. Then, you rip open the bag of salt water and pour it on the heating tray, creating a chemical reaction that smells like an electrical fire. Finally, you place the meal box on top of the heating tray, and put it back in the box for 14 minutes. The Heater Meal we were preparing on this particular evening was the Mashed Potatoes, Gravy & Turkey Breast Heater Meal.



We were all very impressed with how hot the container got. You could barely pick it up!



Tomasz found the heat to be pretty sexy.



When the meal emerged from the box, however, we felt it did not quite look like the picture on the box.



Following the "Serving Suggestion" on the box, we tried to dress it up a bit, and this helped some. I think.



Let me tell you, it sat there for quite awhile before anyone dug in. I was the first to go. My assessment was that it tasted exactly like something that had a long shelf life and heated itself.



Jerree bravely dug in second.



Tomasz ate with gusto.



Paul seemed to be confused by the taste and texture.



So there you have it. I'll let those who partook come up with their own descriptions of the experience. For those of you who missed out, I wholeheartedly encourage you to visit heatermeals.com where you can learn about all the exciting Heater Meals available to the public, such as: Homestyle Chicken & Noodles In Gravy; Mushroom Gravy, Mashed Potatoes & Beef; Three Cheese Lasagna; Zesty BBQ Sauce & Potatoes with Beef, Chicken Pasta Italiana; Pancakes, Syrup & Sausage Links; and the unfortunately named Green Pepper Steak with Rice.

Are You Ready For A Walk?

"If you are ready to leave father and mother, and brother and sister, and wife and child and friends, and never see them again –- if you have paid your debts, and made your will, and settled all your affairs, and are a free man –- then you are ready for a walk."
--Henry David Thoreau

Soooo, maybe you're not quite ready for a walk, but maybe a nonchalant jaunt would do you some good. That's why PDD presents:



Nonchalant Jaunt II
A 25+ mile hike along Duluth's Skyline Parkway
Saturday, Oct. 2, 2004

We'll meet at the head of the Mission Creek Trail at 8am. To get there, take Highway 23 (Grand/Commonwealth Avenue) and turn up 131st Avenue West. Go past Fond du Lac Park and follow the street until it ends in an open field. Wait patiently for others to show up.

There's only one eating establishment along Skyline -- the Buena Vista. We won't get there until probably two o'clock. That means a picnic breakfast/lunch will be in order. There are a ton of great picnic spots along the way, so pack some food.

Wacky hijinks guaranteed.

Coincidence? I think so.

I was thinking of going to see the Handsome Family at the Fine Line Music Cafe on Nov. 6, but then I remembered that Duluth's first UFO convention is on the same day at the Lakeview Castle. I think I'll stay in Duluth, but how's that for a win-win decision?

Pirate Presidency

In honor of tomorrow's visit by our Vice President--and since the Ripsaw won't hit the streets until after he leaves town--I thought it would be fun to post this today. It's an illustration Brian Barber did for my opinion piece in October's Ripsaw.
- Tony D.

I knew him when he was nothing, and he hasn't changed a bit

So, guess who's on the Late Show with David Letterman tonight?

Word of the day:Cockaigne

The depiction of the land of Cockaigne was a popular subject- allowing the narrator to fantasise on food for free - horses born with saddles and fish that leap out of the river and offer themselves as food. A poem in Dutch of 1567 describes (among other facilities) tarts that cook themselves and fences made of sausages.

This Friday, October 1st

Cartoon Art Show at the MAC by Gonzo Scientist Jim Richardson. There will be beer tasting hosted by Lake Superior Brewing (!) and goodies provided by Whole Foods Co-op and Northern Waters Smokehaus. Featuring musical guests Sloe Lorus, Crew Jones, and The Housing Project. Reception 6-8, music from 8 on.

Nonchalant Jaunt II

As many longtime PDDers will remember, one year ago (on Sept. 27, 2003), a crew of bloggers set out on a quest to walk from one end of Duluth to the other. The 26-mile feat was accomplished, and the triumphant party of six was quickly recognized as better than everyone else.

The journey began at the Wabegon Supper Club and followed Commonwealth Avenue, Grand Avenue, Superior Street and Scenic Highway 61 to the Lakeview Castle. It took about eight hours, with long stops at the Gary New Duluth Senior Center, the Sunshine Cafe, R.T. Quinlan's Saloon and Pizza Luce (along with a few other stops that were more brief).

Of course, I mention all this because we're going to do it again -- taking a different route -- and, as usual, you are invited.

More details and maps and crap will be posted next week, but for now all you need to know is:

Saturday, Oct. 2, 2004
Nonchalant Jaunt II
A walk along Skyline Parkway, from the Mission Creek Trail to Seven Bridges Road

Paul Lundgren's Everything-You-Need-to-Know Review of:

1) "Who's Afraid of Virgina Wolff" is one of the best written plays EVER, in case you didn't know.
2) Renegade Comedy Theatre's performance is outstanding, however, it is also THREE AND A HALF HOURS LONG. Get comfortable.
3) They sell beer at Renegade!!!

Sweet dreams!

Fun on the Island

If you haven't been to Madeline Island, you are missing out on quite the drinking experience... I'm not talking about Tom's Burned Down Cafe or the ritzy Beach Club... I'm talking about the Island Oasis... instead of turning right off the ferry dock to go into town, take a left, drive about a mile, and look for a house with neon beer signs in the window, and you'll have found the true treasure of Madeline Island... the Island Oasis.

Run by Bud, who also does boat tours of the islands, the menu is quite simply beer, beer, and more beer. Hours vary, and with an open container law on the island (as long as you're not driving), drinking can last far into the wee hours of the morning. One of the only bars that I've ever run into that has a combo record-player/8-track player with flashing beat lights, the tunes are great, and the company is better. Watch for the deer that Bud feeds wandering into the yard, and enjoy the quiet peace of the island with a walk down to the lake.

Just remember, you're drinking in Bud's living room... Crazy things can happen at the Island Oasis - make sure you check it out...

And if you're not doing anything for Thanksgiving, come to Bud's. My friends and I are cooking Thanksgiving dinner for anyone who happens to show up... bring your blaze orange and your blankets, because we're aiming to have a great time!

He's Drunk, He's Nationwide

Slim Goodbuzz, longtime reviewer of bars for Duluth’s Ripsaw magazine, is now also a featured columnist for Ruminator, a St. Paul-based magazine with a national readership.

Goodbuzz’s first Ruminator column appears in the magazine’s September/October issue. His review of ‘R’ Place Bar & Grill, a “dingy old bar on State Road 13 in South Range, Wisconsin,” describes how a golden retriever there performs a lewd impression of what “the girls in Hurley do.”

Goodbuzz began reviewing Twin Ports-area bars for the Ripsaw in 1999. His first book, “Perverse Verse: Filthy Limericks From the Head of the Lakes,” was published last fall by Whoppin Unlimited. A Slim Goodbuzz message board and drinking guide was launched earlier this year at www.slimgoodbuzz.com.

Goodbuzz can also be heard on the radio every Thursday at 8 a.m. during an interview segment on “The X106 Morning Show.” Broadcasts can be heard in Duluth and Superior on 106.3 FM and in neighboring communities on 104.3 FM.

Ruminator is a bimonthly magazine with a primary focus on reviews of literary fiction and serious nonfiction books. It was founded in 1986 as the Hungry Mind Review. The bimonthly magazine is available in Duluth at Northern Lights Book & Gift.

Oh Baby Baby it's a Wild World

I'm sure you've all heard about it already, but this has got to be the funniest news story of the year. With this being in the running somewhere, maybe like 18th place but worth an honorable mention.

P-R-O-T-E-S-T!!!!

Hillmeyer had a great idea for a Starfire Lounge, a full night of PROTEST MUSIC. So we are going to do it on Thursday, October 28th. That is the last Thursday before the general election and we need to make some noise.

I do need some help though. What is your favorite PROTEST SONG? Would you like to come down to the Lounge and play some music. Would you like to register voters that night? How about making a poster to promote the event. Any help or suggestions on making this a succesful event are appreciated.

Most importantly GET OUT THE VOTE!