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Jer Mahon
Jer Mahon

Jer Mahon

traveled in 22 countries Read more🇨🇦British Columbia
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  • USA (OOO-SAH)
    Grocery Store fun!
    Nummy!Didn't get one of these 🙄Sigh.How's anyone supposed to sleep on this? Even the staff agreed they weren't good.Shade, but dad got pooped on by a bird 😅Railway park, BirminghamGourmet homecooked at a comfy Airbnb

    Accommodation swap, again 🙃

    May 27, 2023 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

    Well the hotel room I found wasn't good either. It's sofa bed, not so much a bed. Airbnb helped out and provided a discount code to use due to the cancellation/issue of the last one. Messaging lots of hosts finally scored us one that looked ok.

    The charging station around the corner from the hotel was an experience. I realized that it couldn't be used without an adapter which was missing from the Tesla 😔. Thankfully a Supercharger was nearby with a fancy grocery store to wander around during the wait. Fancy donuts too!

    The food court we found near the park was ok, and our chosen Mexican food a bit disappointing.    Read more

  • USA (OOO-SAH)
    Clean much?

    Not as advertised 😭

    May 26, 2023 in the United States ⋅ 🌙 22 °C

    Well, the Birmingham Airbnb was not what the photos showed, nor the description 😵‍💫. The host knew of my request for no air fresheners, but it wreaked! Probably trying to cover up mold smells like the cabinet under the kitchen sink 🤢. It was not a two bedroom, but a repurposed flex space without a door. The smoke alarm was churping from the moment we enteted. On top of the condo unit issues, the building was unclean and stinky urine in parkade doorway... 😵

    It was 7pm so we left for a delicious pizza dinner on the corner.

    I immediately got in touch with the host. She said that the cleaners removed the air fresheners, and that's just how things were. Next it was time to contact Airbnb support! They promptly answered and heard my issues. They wanted a video and photos.

    Long story short, the host was ok with cancelling the reservation if we departed without staying. I found a hotel nearby for the night and we went over there! Phewf! Unnecessary stress 😮‍💨

     Time to sleep 😴    Read more

  • USA (OOO-SAH)
    Got my name on the fancy board 😎

    Managers Special EV

    May 26, 2023 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C

    I found a great deal with Hertz for the rental we needed for the week: The Managers Special EV! I signed up(for free) as a Gold Member to get J as a second driver without a fee! Ironically they didn't want to see his license 🧐

    The shuttle train from the airport was packed. We got to skip the Hertz queue of 60 people and go to the Gold queue, of 2 people. She directed us to go pick any EV! Turns out taking the 30% discount for the special was worth it. Tesla or Chev Bolt 🤔? I checked the battery charge levels. I wanted something below 75% so I wouldn't have to return it full 👍. As we waited in the car line to checkout we needed to play with the system to understand it.

    We thought we'd top up the battery and headed for the nearest supercharger which had open spots. By the time we got there it was full and a queue! Plan B, drive north to drop off our sun shade (from home) at the factory which needs warranty work. They will mail it back for us.

    OMG! Freeway construction detours were impacting traffic flow and the GPS didn't quite get it either. Needless to say it challenged our patients and relationship too! 🫨Thankfully we weren't in a rush. 😵‍💫

    After the drop-off we found a supercharger. We didn't feel like hanging out in the car like most people were doing. A few blocks away was a thrift shop which we walked to. In this car nation, we were the only ones walking in this suburb! 🚶🤣 The selection was impressive, but not exactly what I was looking for. I settled on a new running outfit 🏃👍.

    Charging was complete and it was back to the airport to pick up Dad. Ironically the quickest route was right through downtown, sigh.

    Upon arrival at the airport, we learned how unorganized the vehicle flow is. One sign says something, and 50ft ahead the info changes! People kept changing lanes 🤯, which explained why it was going so slow. When we finally got closer to the building J got out and walked to get Dad. I spotted them at the curb when I finally got there and we loaded up quickly. My new walking shoes are not driving shoes, as they were hurting my Achilles after a few hours. Time for driving thongs 🩲, er, I mean flip flops 🩴 😅.

    Birmingham here we come!    Read more

  • USA (OOO-SAH)
    Street car
    Flag-tasticInman Park Lock BoxGreat decoratingPretty prettySpringvale Park Ravine. This guy landed to say hello for a photoMini door find (4" tall)1Peach slushie 🍑👍

    Revolution Dognuts

    May 25, 2023 in the United States ⋅ 🌙 17 °C

    Hopped on the Street Car. It's a cute idea but it's such a small route, and ridership is low. It's a big money loss for the transit system. It was fun to pop over to the Market to see it, though smaller than expected.

    Walked through the Sweet Auburn area past Atlanta history.

    Keeping J under control https://www.wabe.org/inman-park-lock-box/

    A quick map search revealed amazing donuts!

    Transit back to the hotel for a relax at the pool. Thankfully the bar opened at 5pm so we enjoyed a drink.

    Another great day, and our last big exploration of Atlanta.    Read more

  • USA (OOO-SAH)
    Crazy wildlife in the park.
    Ponce Street MarketBiggerstaffBiggerstaff smoked jerk cauliflower egg rollsFetch Park O4W. The dogs were so happy!I had to capture these blue bottle caps. They were everywhere around the transit train.The LOUDEST music was outside the hotel! I had to research it. https://youtu.be/u2efiiC1oWc

    smoked jerk cauliflower egg rolls

    May 24, 2023 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C

    The afternoon was more fun! Ponce Street Market, the old Sears and Robuck building. Beltline south. Weather was great. Lots of people watching. Some folks kept going back and forth on short seconds of the trail, biking, running or skating. Bikes and wheeled folks zipped closely past us walkers at crazy speeds!

    We stumbled upon the perfect patio at Biggerstaff ❤️ yummy egg rolls too! My Conflict Management – Vanilla Chai Blonde Ale- 5.5% ABV, delicious! One was enough to feel great 😝    Read more

  • USA (OOO-SAH)
    1About a 9ft stem from the pot on the corner to this flower!Biggest magnolia bloom we've ever seen! J has huge hands 😉Cladding the greenhouse structure with bark for the plants to use!Wholly curtain of blooms!Alligator snapping turtle! It lures in fish with its bubbles and weird tongue 🐢😛

    Botanical Gardens

    May 24, 2023 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

    A quick transit ride to the Botanical Gardens in Piedmont park.

    Wow! It's impressive 👍

    We wandered around for almost 4 hours! I've never seen or smelled orchids like they have in the greenhouse 😍

    Their multitude of other areas, displays, and presentations are awesome! The suggested 1.5-2hrs wouldn't allow enough time to get a sense of it all. If we lived closer I'm sure we could enjoy visiting every month 😎

    Trolls. Bringing new life from pallets
    https://atlantabg.org/trolls/    Read more

  • USA (OOO-SAH)
    Beltline trail
    ROOTS! So neat, growing on angle.Trail front living 👍Beltline apres run.Everything needs more paint!Krog street tunnel, under the tracksHistory of ATL and its role in the railway networkMeowNew York's cousin bullQuack!

    Deep Fried avocado

    May 23, 2023 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    The day started off with a transit ride to an unpaved section of the Beltline trail near Glenwood. Again, some friendly folks on the bus chatting us up. We learned about the famous people in Oakland cemetery: Margaret Mitchell who wrote Gone With The Wind. Glenwood is a neat planned neighbourhood which won awards for its focus on pedestrians/bikes and less cars.

    The 4 miles of trail (to-and-fro) were prefect for the run! We grabbed a smoothie on the way back and took the Beltline paved trail north through Reynoldstown and Cabbagetown. The neighbourhoods have a good feel. Then we looped back to the Peachtree area to get back to the hotel.

    The afternoon Happy Hour was calling us. J found Tom Dick and Hank, a short bus ride south of us. The facade wasn't very inviting, but a friendly staff member saw us through the window and invited us in. My instinct was to veto the visit. Their patio was on the roof, along with their Hookah bar 🚬. Guests were also enjoying their cigars, so we opted to change seats after a bit to get less in us. No beers on tap 🍺😕, but ok bottle selection. The happy hour rib tips and fish bites were delicious! The server commented that we got a whole rack, but there was lots bone🍖! It was an experience, but we didn't stay longer than needed🏃

    We ended up walking north to the Garnett train station. There's a fair bit of homelessness in the area, likely due to support services in the vicinity . Everyone is friendly, but it can be a bit challenging determining who's stable...

    We explored Midtown area. WOW, it has a great vibe like Vancouver's West End! Including a very eccentric street person laying on the sidewalk laughing hysterically! Piedmont park is being set up for the upcoming Jazz weekend.

    Next we tried to find Taco Tuesday, but its passe. Rreal Tacos for a snack and a maragita tasting flight (to share) 🍹

    To continue the theme we grabbed a can of mixed Maragita (Canadian of all origins!) and created home made tacos a-la-condo!

    Wowzers, 33k steps (28.6km) is a long day 😊

    A great movie on Netflix to wrap up: Colette.    Read more

  • USA (OOO-SAH)
    1Flower powered!
    Second floor chilled brew roomImpressive silver tubes with beer lines to the barhttps://www.thegatemuseum.org/Lovely and quiet after a rainy day1Fresh after the rainYum yum!

    Private swim

    May 22, 2023 in the United States ⋅ 🌧 20 °C

    We recovered well from the Red eye flight with close to 11hrs of sleep! 😴

    We popped up a bit north in town to Atlantic Station shopping area. My walking shoes were needing replacement as they no longer had any tread and I was slipping on the Granite curbs around town. The Nike store had a nice selection of discount options. I tried on everything and settled on a trail runner. The shopping complex was pretty, but too much of a big box feel.

    We tried Happy Hour at a nearby pub. They had some food specials, but none of their large draft selections 😕. The service was lacking even with the automated touch screen at our table. Very dirty bathrooms were the tipping point. Sigh.

    With the intermittent rain that afternoon we headed back to the hotel. The roof top pool the day before was very busy. My guess that it would be empty was correct! A private quiet swim was lovely!    Read more

  • USA (OOO-SAH)
    Our Magic Mickey plane! (not my photo)
    As much of a good photo that I could take.Thank goodness it's only fog(not smoke) at this airport!Peachtree station is DEEP!Club Wyndham suite!Across the street from our hotelCool architecture at the hospitalDolly is so right!Great view for an air conditioned run

    Bubblegum pain

    May 21, 2023 in Canada ⋅ ☀️ 11 °C

    We landed 20 min early in Atlanta. But, the baggage was unloaded before the passenger bridge installed! Once they opened the bridge we had to wait another 2 min for boarder control to decide if we needed to be screened. Yes, we did! Another 15 min wait in line as there was either a coffee break or shift change: "agents cease processing," they instructed on the PA.

    Super easy screening with boarder agent thankfully! Maybe they're wide open for all tourist dollars? The bags were waiting on carousel. A friendly helpdesk lady pointed us in the direction of the transit. It was another 10 min wait for shuttle to the domestic terminal where the train to the city starts.

    Omg, it was like being in a bubble gum factory! I believe it was the deoderizer in the AC system, but geezus. The 15 minute ride felt like an eternity. My eyes were burning 😭

    A guy was eager to assist us to the correct location for the train. We didn't have any spare change and politely excused ourselves. Another 5 minutes figuring out that we couldn't pay for transit (MARTA) at kiosk with our Canadian credit cards as it wanted a zip code. So, we downloaded the phone app and ended up saving a couple bucks by not needing to buy a physical card. Next a 15 minute wait for the train to arrive.

    So, 2.5 hours after landing we were moving on the transit train to downtown!

    Early check in possible thanks to Shelly and Imani at the hotel. A quick two hour nap.

    Walked to the grocery store for some food for our suite. Then an amazing view on the treadmills, whilst listening to happy squeals of the kids in the pool on the other side of the glass.    Read more

  • USA (OOO-SAH)
    Blue above the smoke
    Fun in the airportCalgary and its artMore summer artChecking for sizing 🤣Even more shiney spheresLounge showerLounge yummy!Nifty smoke effectsFaux fire in the airportRock Star boarding first.Moose course he got his own seat!

    Smoked Calgary Afternoon 🔥

    May 20, 2023 in Canada ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    We saw clear skies on the flight over! Then we decended into a smokie city.

    As we exited the airport to make use of our 12hr layover we chuckled spotting 3 pine cones dropped (by a kid?) in the baggage arrival over a 80 ft distance. Or was it a squirrel?

    Stop one was a pair of International Driving Permits, which we'll need in Europe. It was a warm 26c day, and the transit train was not operational downtown due to maintenance, during a long weekend?! Why? This added some extra time and mental gymnastics to the journey.

    We also shopped for light summer jackets. Ironically a hot day isn't ideal when your toting luggage across town, but what the hey! We got it done and will probably be glad in a month or so when in cooler areas of Europe.

    Refreshments and a snack at Leopold’s Tavern. The pints arrived fast, but 30min later no food! I asked the server if our food got lost? Yes! The Printer rang out of paper, so the kitchen never got it 🤣. They covered our meal cost, so that was a win!

    Transit back to the airport to make great use of our $11 day passes. I recalled that I had free airport lounge passes from my credit card. It was a bit convoluted getting to the Domestic area for the lounge even though we were flying international. Everyone I asked said it was ok.

    The lounge was amazing! We lucked into getting right into a shower to freshen up after the smokie, sweaty afternoon! The food and drink order in goon the app was incredibly fast. It was delicious! For the small cost of the tip, it was a another deal for the wallet! We stayed until closing, as our flight wasn't until midnight.

    Turns out nobody on our flight was precreened by American customs. But we did get cute stickers on our passports from some security people.

    Boarding first made us feel like rock stars! We looked forward to the extra service in our Premium Seats.    Read more

  • USA (OOO-SAH)

    Hitting the less smokie skies

    May 20, 2023 in Canada ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    After a couple weeks back home we're back at it. A lot of preparation went into getting ready. We packed as light as we could. One checked bag, a carry on, plus a motorcycle helmet!

    We were able to help a friend who was out of town and kept his car for him so he did not have to pay for parking at the airport. He flew back the same day we were leaving, so we returned it for him to be able to drive himself home.

    The air quality has been horrible from the wildfires, so we were very happy to leave! Additionally it was great the airline we were flying with resolved a contract agreement with their pilots. We had prepared to forego the first week of this trip to ensure we weren't missing out on unused hotel nights if reassigned flights happened. So I quickly cancelled Plan B(made 3pm Thursday) on Friday morning!

    We were pleased that our flight wasn't very full. Our seats in the second row came with an invite to spread out and use a pair of seats each! I suppose that is premium-extra?

    Yahoo!    Read more

  • Local BC

    Next chapter: USA!

    May 20, 2023 in Canada ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C

    Three pretty intense days of wildfire smoke 😭

    Cleaning up the house and items to prepare for our departure.

    After worrying about a pending strike by pilots for our next adventure, and rebooking items last minute we were final heading onwards.

    Add this new trip, and follow along!

    https://findpenguins.com/8i3ywzhbqyuve/trip/646…    Read more

  • Local BC
    Before
    DuringMuch better!

    Operation New Door

    May 11, 2023 in Canada ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

    J left for a visit with his parents at the lake.

    I couldn't shut our front door! It was never that great for an old door, but this was my breaking point. The hardware store near by had one in stock! I called three times and even had them text me a photo to ensure I was not going to be driving 45 minutes for nothing. Ironically the first stock person who tried to find it commented, "I don't think we have these." 😡 I channeled my inner Zen and waited patiently. Five minutes later another employee showed him where they were. They had changed the stock codes, no wonder he couldn't locate it.

    The quick project turned into a few day adventure. Including another trip to the store as it wasn't prepainted like I had thought.

    It was a great surprise for J. Just in time too as wildfire smoke returned to our town and we had to batton down the hatches to keep the smell out!    Read more

  • Local BC
    Neat mango
    Active PassMy shipDuffy LakeLillooet and the Fraser River

    Drive back north

    May 9, 2023 in Canada ⋅ ☁️ 2 °C

    Headed to to the ferry terminal early. I thought I was going to be the third to last on the ship, but there was actually a bit of empty room.

    I enjoyed a delicious, but weird looking mango on the ship. It dawned me to that maybe I could find some travel company for the drive north. I tried Poparide app. Instantly I had a request from Squamish to Whistler. He was a nice guy, who ironically lived for a while near where we'll be in July, Zermatt Switzerland! Then I picked up another fellow in Whistler and took him to Pemberton.

    Pemberton to Lillooet was a fun drive on the Duffy Lake road. I chose this route to avoid construction and flooding in Ashcroft.

    I arrived safely at grandma-in-laws to a delicious dinner. We had a great visit again.    Read more

  • Local BC
    The random stuff that they sell.

    Lasagna & Dad

    May 7, 2023 in Canada ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C

    Dad's return day home from his motorcycle tour, so I whipped up a big lasagna for him.

    I enjoyed an afternoon visit with friends and their two daughters. We had not seen one another in years. She baked amazing lemon bars!

    Dad's plane was on time!    Read more

  • Local BC

    Lightening

    May 4, 2023 in Canada ⋅ ☁️ 11 °C

    J stayed in Vancouver while I returned to Victoria. He enjoyed having lunch with a long time friend.

    My ferry ride was relaxing. That evening I could see a lightening show in the distance. Lightening around Vancouver Island isn't common. Looking on an app I saw that it was 25km away around Shawnigan Lake. Someone had a very loud noise next to their house and dock! I hoped that none of the strikes would cause a fire. Nothing on the news the next day!Read more

  • Local BC
    Jeremy happily returning the bike after the test. That's one of the instructors he had.
    Magnolia beautifulMmmmm steak!Full meal deal, before the green salad course.Deer Lake Trail. More hills than expected.Sweaty in 23c! Needing to acclimatize for the warm European summer ahead

    Motorcycle road test

    May 3, 2023 in Canada ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

    Jeremy enjoyed his motorcycle road course in March at a Vancouver school. The Last couple weeks of riding were excellent preparation for the big day. He was borrowing a bike from the school so we drove across town to pick it up. Then he did a practice test with the school. I joined him for a quick lunch before his test.

    The weather was warm and sunny. The test invigilator was a little late due to some staffing issues. Jeremy's garmin watch registered the whole 4hr afternoon as lotsa STRESS! It must have been good stress as he successfully passed! He has his full license now!

    We stopped at Deer Lake park in Burnaby on our way home for a run in the warm summer weather.

    For dinner I cooked up an amazing mouth-melting massive prime rib steak which all four of us shared eating on the outdoor garden patio.    Read more

  • Local BC
    Beach time
    Artsy weedProud gardenerFresh brews and bright sunRun fun

    Hop on a boat

    May 2, 2023 in Canada ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

    Beautiful morning in Victoria again! Today's run was around Uvic campus. I studied there for 5 years in the early part of the veg century, so it brought back memories. The outer trail is newer than my days.

    We enjoyed a quick by beach walk before parking the car and walking on the ferry to the Mainland, Vancouver. We took public transit to our friends' house. This included a trip down East Hastings street, and its sad reminded of the homeless and drug issues faced by many.

    The warmth of summer was happening so we enjoyed sitting their yard for dinner and into the early eve.    Read more

  • Local BC
    Jordan River
    Cod Father burger1Which of these things isn't the same?1Port RenfrewOlde School snack timeSunset at the condo

    Pothole tour

    May 1, 2023 in Canada ⋅ ☁️ 10 °C

    We decided to do the big loop through Lake Cowichan and Duncan on our bikes. The day seemed like it was going to be warm, but we could have used another layer while on the ocean road out to Port Renfrew. It had been years since I've been out there. I was surprised that the section before Port Renfrew all the way to Lake Cowichan was in such rough shape. Lots and lots of potholes and chasms in the road!

    We enjoyed lunch at Bridgeman's. Afternoon coffee was supposed to be at the Olde School coffee shop in Cobblehill, but they weren't open (only their drive through) , so we enjoyed our own snack on their tables.

    It was a great 270km loop. To replenish our energy we whipped up some homemade Lamb Poutine 🍟🐑😋.    Read more

  • Local BC
    Perfect coffee!
    These past few days have been prefect for all the tree blossoms.Assistant for house cleaning 🏡🤠

    R & R Sunday (run and Ritual)

    April 30, 2023 in Canada ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C

    A nice sleep-in Sunday 🛌💤
    Cappuccino success ☕
    A easy run around the golf course🏃💨
    Babushka, "my flying birds," was her greeting. 🧓

    J remembered about Ritual Nordic Spa and we squeezed in a last minute booking for today: massage and the circuit! ♨️🧖 www.ritualnordicspa.com

    We relaxed for the afternoon and prepared for hosting my cousin L and her guy S. A little bit of house tidy too.

    The last of the Ranch Lamb. It was tender and delicious! The instant pot is magic 👍. We enjoyed a couple rounds of the board game, Blokus, and dessert.    Read more

  • Local BC
    Old dock piles?
    CASCADE Falls2Unusual place to find theseUno, dos, tres Eagles!

    Cascade Falls

    April 29, 2023 in Canada ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

    W&A picked us up for a hike out at Cascade Falls. It was a prefect day for a walk in the woods; not too hot or busy. Afterwards they treated us to lunch at a pub. The sun beams were toasty, so we took advantage of the umbrella on the patio. J's seafood crepes were "unique": baked in a dish covered with cheese. Delicious and lots of calories to replenish energy expended during the hiking.

    We set up our new motorcycle communications headset which arrived in the mail. Off we went for another ride out to East Sooke and a Bear Mountain. We even zipped by the William Head "institution". Probably the most luxurious ocean side prison in Canada!    Read more

  • Local BC
    Strawberry and tiger tail
    11km long run. Our favourite, Elk LakeWhat's this beach find?Eastern most point of Vancouver IslandAt eastern tip

    Hot day = ice cream!

    April 28, 2023 in Canada ⋅ ☀️ 12 °C

    Garmin trainer said it was a long run day. So off to Elk Lake for a fun hour.

    Another motorcycle ride in the mid 20s sunshine. We found ourselves in Sydney and J thought, "ice cream!" We spotted the small business hiding in plain sight on the main drag. We know it wasn't just us, as a lady saw me holding the cone in front of the store and asked, "where'd you get that?" So, I pointed right beside us. She laughed! 🤣

    Homeward we went to prepare a delicious meal for our good friends P&G. It was scrumptious and we enjoyed some board games afterwards. J was great with his acting for air quotes 😂! It will be memorable forever.    Read more

  • Local BC
    Onion starts
    Huddling insects on the trunk of a treeWarm ocean airTrumpet practice on the ferry ride

    Walk your parrot

    April 27, 2023 in Canada ⋅ ☀️ 13 °C

    We had a lovely sleep and woke up to fresh dew. Down to the garden we headed. Four flats of onion starters needed to find their homes in a bed. J and I got to it, assisted by canine supervion. The sun breams were hotter than expected and we got our first post-winter kiss.

    Lunch was in Ganges at the Food Truck park. The Japanese noodles were scrumptious. We hit the road on the bikes and covered 90% of the island before arriving at the Vesuvius terminal. We traced the route south which we had done a few days earlier. This time there was some cool air and rain in Shawnigan Lake.

    In Maple Bay we passed a couple, they had their parrot on arm for their walk!    Read more

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