Milestone...

I noticed today that the counter on the blog had turned 180 days since my hypnosis session and formal quit time. I almost missed that I had reached the milestone all ex smokers eventually reach... 6 months and counting.

The last 6 months have not been without temptation and some degree of failure. I wouldn't be truthful with you if I told you that I hadn't touched as a single smoke in the last 6 months. Honestly, that would be a total fabrication. I have, on occasion... and usually under the influence of legal intoxicants, succumbed to the temptation to smoke a cigarette. Please understand that this has not made me a smoker, but just continued to reinforce that quitting was a good idea. I still consider myself a non-smoker, and I don't intend to restart the habit.

That being said, I'm glad that the process of quitting has been as easy as it has been. I am still using replacement therapy including either a patch or nicotine lozenge daily. I really don't know if I need them or if they are just a crutch. I don't really care at this point as long as I continue not smoking. As the doctor said... the patch is a whole lot better for your health then smoking.

Well... that's it for now. I hope that in another 180 days I can write about the next major milestone being as unremarkable as the first. I assume that at some point it won't be about counting anymore. It will just be something that I look back at and wonder why I ever smoked in the first place.

- ND

PS - The $680ish saved so far is helping to finance my petroleum addiction.

Old friend... New blog...

My friend Judy has created a new blog to narrate her journey across the country as part of the RAAM (Race Across America). She is crewing for a team of riders who are "relay riding" bicycles across the country. I'd try to describe her role in the process, but she'd probably do a better job.

Check out her blog at: http://www.adventuresahead.blogspot.com/

Find out more about RAAM here: http://www.raceacrossamerica.org/

I have added a link to her blog to the links section on the lower right. I'm sure that she would love to hear from you.

- ND

I'm with the band dude...

This just in...

Nabor Dan has been officially invited to join his favorite band as they travel to Oklahoma to participate in a huge rock festival. The band "The Real Me" will be reprising their original name FRONTRUNNER for the event.

We will be traveling to a town just outside of Tulsa for the huge "Rocklahoma" event. FRONTRUNNER will be playing the side stage on Thursday, and then we will be taking the RV to The Lake of the Ozarks for a gig on Friday at Topsiders.

Nabor Dan is very excited about the invitation from the band to participate in this trip, and will now stop talking in the third person.

- ND

The hat makes the man...

I was told that a cowboy hat is necessary for the horse camping excursion and have acquired one. My friend Dave generously offered to provide one for me, but I decided that I'd find one and bring it along. Dave gave me "fair warning" that cowboy hats were invented long before airplanes and that they could be awkward and difficult to manage on the flight. I decided that preparation for the trip would be part of the whole experience, and that buying a hat was one of the high points of preparation.

So here is a picture of my choice. I got the brown version. I picked it up at Cabelas.



Dave commented on the Aussie style with the word... Eeewww. But I have come to understand that he is a stickler for detail, and only something that fits his old west image would have met with a positive response. I have yet to break it to him that this hat looked best with the assless chaps I intend to wear. (Thanks to Guy Fawlkes for breaking that story)

I like the way it looks, so for the moment I'm going with it.

- ND

Guns - revised...

My friend Dave has suggested a gun that he feel is more appropriate based on my experience with firearms and current cowboy "image".

Here's the image he thinks I should be looking to emulate.


And these are Nabor Dan's friends... Nabor Dan doesn't need enemies.

- ND

Guns...

As I prepare for my great western adventure, I am learning that horse camping in the Sierras is not the same as a typical Missouri camping trip. After the obvious differences like location, and horses, and the mountains... there's the guns difference. Apparently when you horse camp you carry a sidearm.

I've been told that having a gun when horse camping serves a variety of purposes. The first is the care of the horse. If by some unfortunate accident, the horse would become critically injured in the process of riding, you have but one choice... put the horse down. I've been informed that the most humane method of doing this in a remote area is with your sidearm. Apparently other options are available, but every one that was mentioned sounded far too slow or gruesome to me, so I'm on board with the gun option.

Another reason for the weapons is wildlife. Apparently man has managed to run all of the big predatory animals out of Missouri, but that is not the case in northern California. I've been told to expect that there are bear and big cats lurking out in the wilderness of California, and that your best defense is a good offense. The idea is to scare not harm, but if they refuse to leave, that we are prepared to make a stand rather then become dinner.

Not being one who has ever carried a sidearm, I'm not sure what to expect. My friend has a small arsenal of weapons, so the most difficult part of this might be choosing the one that matches my western attire. I have been given a slew of options... here is the one I liked the best.


OK... I know that you're probably asking yourself what kind of western attire goes with a Beretta? I wish I could answer... but all I can think of is mine... I guess.

I'll be posting more as I start getting ready for the trip.

- ND

Vacation scheduled...

So it's official. I'm headed out to California to do some horse camping with my friend Dave. I purchased the tickets today, so I'm officially "bought in" for the trip.

I'm looking forward to getting away from the cell phones and doing some riding. That's not to imply that I have any experience in riding horses. I haven't had my butt in a saddle in 20 + years. The last time was in Mexico on a beach with a horse that probably would have been turned away from the Elmer's corporation. Dave's horses by no means fall into the same class as the Mexican horse.

Here's a pic of the horses. I think Dave wants me to ride the little one in front of the guy in the middle of the photo. It looks pretty small to me, but he's the expert.



- ND