Here is a brief overview of the six basic drifting techniques that Keiichi Tsuchiya demonstrates during the Drift Bible.

the six ways to drift. practice practice practice.

--timball

Drift Japan � Drifting Technique � Drift Bible

The popular and impressive art of drifting is controlled oversteer for dramatic effect using either rear or four wheel drive cars. There are many different methods of inducing oversteer, your choice depends on the properties of your vehicle. Once oversteer has been invoked, you'll need to control the drift using the throttle and the steering. To maintain an accurate line while going sideways is tricky, and will take lots of practice. Many different drifting track days are emerging such as the annual Autocar 'Sideways Challenge' where you can learn this art.

Drifting is fun for the whole family. Just don't practice on mom's merc

--timball

Drifting

1. Download Google Earth (14 Mb) if you haven’t done yet. This application requires a broadband Internet connection and is recommended you use a computer that is “less than four years old”.

2. Open this page and click here to download all the 240 tracks or click on one of the links below:

· Ciro’s Racing Circuits (All tracks: 240 racing circuits)

· Formula One (65 racing circuits)

· F1: 2006 (18 racing circuits)

· F1: 1950-2005 (46 racing circuits)

· F1: Test & Demo Circuits 2006 (4 racing circuits)

· F1: Factories (13 factories)

· Champcar 2007 (17 racing circuits)

· NASCAR 2006 (23 racing circuits)

· Other racing circuits (180 racing circuits)

This is a .kmz of car tracks from around the world. All of formula one, all of nascar. + 180 additional tracks.

--timball

Downloads

yet another article about traveling via container ship.

--timball

How to Travel by Cargo Ship

We primarily use data reported via the World Meteorological Organization's Voluntary Observing Ship (VOS) program to provide a snapshot of current weather conditions at sea, worldwide. This data can also be used to track the progress of ships at sea. Many ships do not report their weather observations to WMO, or report only sporadically; these ships will not have records in our database. Additional information comes from the YOTREPS network of cruising yachts; YOTREPS positions are updated only once per day.

This site tracks all (friendly) ships at sea... including freight liners.

--timball

Weather observations and positions of ships at sea

Amsterdam apartments and cosy houseboats. We directly confirm reservations
and respond to your questions (by email) within a few hours. We've made also
a selection of Charming and Luxury Hotels in Amsterdam.

This is a neat sight. At some point I'm gonna go visit .nl and http://www.houseboathotel.nl is a way for me to rent a boat instead of a hotel. They don't have just boats, but rent looks reasonable and it's definitely a unique way to travel.

--timball

Speciality of Amsterdam - Houseboats - Amsterdam Apartments

We advise clients seeking one-way freighter passage to ALL foreign destinations that they must bear onward travel documents. In addition, we advise all clients to check with consulates and embassies of the countries they will visit for additional information on entry requirements, including necessary period of passport validation for entry into that country. Due to increased security concerns, travelers should expect increased entry requirements and entry scrutiny for the immediate future.

The listings below represent the majority of reliable passenger-carrying freighters departing from North American ports and select foreign departures. The ports are "typical": all itineraries are contingent on cargo. No two sailings are identical and ports of call and length of voyage are never guaranteed. Fares, unless otherwise noted, are in U.S. dollars, per person, double occupancy and are subject to change. Vessels are fully containerized unless otherwise indicated. Rates on many freighters listed are subject to foreign currency fluctuations. For more details on any service, contact the TravLtips Reservation Office, P.O. Box 580188, Flushing, N.Y. 11358. Toll Free (800) 872-8584.
Fax: (718) 224-3247. E-mail: info@travltips.com. We are not responsible for errors, omissions, fare or schedule changes.

This listing is intended to be a guide. Changes occur constantly, so please request a rate sheet for the latest information.
The information in these listings is accurate to the best of our knowledge, but we reserve the right to make corrections.

Please Note: The Euro fluctuates daily against the dollar, and has remained strong recently. Therefore, the exchange rate is unchanged in this issue. Most fares in this listing are based on a conversion of Euro 1.00 = US$1.45. However, euro-based fares are subject to change at any time. The actual US$ fare will be based on the exchange rate at the time the currency is purchased. Any decrease in the fare at time of ticketing from that quoted will be refunded; any increase will be collected.

So here's the deal. You must get all your visas BEFORE you get on these boats or else you'll be spending lots of time on the docks or worse. Food and amenities are limited. Most boats have 6-12 spaces for passengers. (If the boat has more than 12 passengers the boat is a "passenger liner" and requires a doctor.) For all of this hardship you get three meals a day, a boat basically to yourself + the crew for over a month and the occasional "social drinking" activities.

Considering most commercial cruises cost +$10k this sounds like a doable option for those who want to float for a while. I wonder what network is like on these boats.

for a story about a freighter trip from NYC -> NYC via south america check out this NYT article

--timball

Freighter Directory from the specialists in cruise & freighter travel

A list of hot dog stands in the United States. I just found this place dunno how reliable it is yet.

--timball

www.hotdoggintheus.com

Unlike hunting, I was not raised fishing. My family owned a set of hand-me-down rods from someone who might have fished at one point. The rods themselves are classics, but in hopeless condition. By todays standards, they are antiques. The body of the rod I prefer to use is laminated wood, and the guides are rusted and have a tendency to grab the line. At one point they may have been proud shining brass. The reel was a mess, and for the longest time the whole rig sat inside my parents shed. Fishing was something we did on weekends, in stocked ponds, for fish that never knew better. One day when helping my father clean things up, I stumbled across the old rod which no-one had used in a decade and got a crazy idea: I was going to take up fishing.

A pretty good article about how to start fishing from the geek up.

--timball

A Fin Too Far: A Guide to Freshwater Fishing || kuro5hin.org

Three years before Ray Kroc began franchising McDonald’s, Wright’s Dairy Rite of Staunton, Virginia, started serving Superburgers. Two beef patties with cheese and lettuce, topped with special sauce and layered in a triple-decker bun, this monumental hamburger is still served as it was in 1952 – by car hops at the window of your vehicle in a car slip at the side of the restaurant. Wright’s added a dining room in 1989, so it is possible to eat inside, where décor includes a handsome Wurlitzer juke box (with compact discs rather than 45s) and vintage Wright’s menus from the 1950s and 1960s; but for us, the joy of this place is in-car dining.

If really, really hungry, we forgo the Superburger for a Monsterburger. That is one-half pound of beef barely sandwiched in a bun, available in a basket, with French fries or, better yet, with Wright’s homemade onion rings. To drink with this festive heap of food, one needs a shake. At Wright’s, milk shakes are the real thing, available in chocolate, strawberry, or vanilla, as well as with real bananas or strawberries (mmmm!), and with or without malted milk for additional richness. While on the subject of dairy products, we should also note that this place knows how to make a fine banana split, a float (a big blob of ice cream set adrift in the soda pop of your choice), and a flurry (candy and/or cookies blended into soft-serve ice cream).

Wright’s serves three meals a day, and the menu goes well beyond burgers. There are regular and foot-long hot dogs, pork barbecue on a bun, sandwich baskets with potato chips and a pickle, whole submarines, hearty chili with beans, and even some recently added low-fat wraps. In addition to milk shakes and soda pop, the beverage list includes that drink known to connoisseurs of Dixie mixology as the champagne of the South – pre-sweetened ice tea, served in cups that range up to one-quart size.

Yet another place that I ate at off of I-81. The malted milkshakes (yes I hate ice cream, but I do love a good malted) and the superburger were awesome. I'll definitely be hitting this place again.

--timball

Wright's Dairy Rite - Staunton, VA