I’m a pumpkin!
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Tag Archives: Ze Frank
Song for a snowy Friday: “Great”
My day with the Human Baton
Things have been so crazybusy that I haven’t had the chance to udpate you on my Human Baton experience last week.
Here’s the lowdown: I met up with Luke (aka the Human Baton) and his transporters from Baltimore very late thursday evening, around 1:30am, at the Eat ‘n Park in Somerset. We had a bit of coffee and gave them a chance to get their bearings after hours in the car, and then all three of them stayed with me at Hidden Valley. 
Sometime in the dead of night, the Baltimorians slipped out the door and back across the state, leaving only a very polite note as evidence that they had been there. Around 9am Luke demonstrated that he truly is the Running Fool, as he jumped out of bed and directly into his running gear, and headed out for a 10 mile run through the mountains. He made it safely back, showered and packed, and we headed west toward Ohio.
Due to the late start we didn’t have time to swing through Pittsburgh to show him the pretty rivers and bridges. But honestly I think he was probably too tired to enjoy sights anyway. 
So along the Pennsylvania Turnpike we went, through the fog, skimming past farms and construction projects.
We crossed into Ohio and wound our way around the Youngstown area up to Girard, to Jib Jab Hot Dog Shop. There we met Leslie and her darling daughter. Leslie had gone to extra trouble to honor the moment, in that she’d decorated the rear window of her car with the name of the website, HumanBaton.com.
Since we were still behind schedule and miles for Luke to travel, we didn’t sit down to enjoy a famous hot dog. Instead, we shot a couple of quick photos and went our separate ways. 
I hopped right onto I-80 headed east and was quickly home. And Luke carried on with his trip — he’s now up in New England, having spent a bit of time in Philadelphia, NYC, and along the eastern states.
What a fool believes
UPDATED: Just got a call — it’s on!
Tonight I’m scheduled to rendezvous with Luke Vaughn — the Running Fool, the Human Baton — and his Baltimore-to-Hidden-Valley driver, some time around 11pm.
I last heard from him on 12/8, and we haven’t actually confirmed the location for the handoff. I just heard from Luke, and he’s pretty much on schedule. But the itinerary page of his trip wiki says he’s en route … and he’s got a heck of a day today:
Depart Raleigh, NC: 9am, 12/21 – driver: GW **IN PROGRESS**
Arrive Richmond, VA: 1:00pm, 12/21 – driver: GW
Depart Richmond, VA: 2:00pm, 12/21
Arrive Washington, DC: 4:15pm, 12/21
Depart Washington, DC: 5:30pm, 12/21
Arrive Baltimore, MD: 6:30pm, 12/21
Depart Baltimore, MD: 7:30pm, 12/21
Arrive Hidden Valley, PA: 11:00pm, 12/21
Sleep 12/21-12/22 – bed: My Brilliant Mistakes
Depart Hidden Valley, PA: 10:30am, 12/22 – driver: My Brilliant Mistakes
Arrive Youngstown, OH: 12:00 noon, 12/22
He has my cellphone number. I assume I’ll get a call eventually.
Since I haven’t communicated with Luke recently, I haven’t been able to confirm that we can squeeze in a side trip through Pittsburgh tomorrow. Still hoping to make that happen.
In any case, I’ll try to get a photo or bit of video to share with you folks afterwards.
Speaking of video, someone has created a video compilation of photos and footage from week 1 of Luke’s trip. Oddly inspiring.
If you’re somewhat northeast of me, and you wish you’d signed up for this fun, please note that certain legs of the trip are currently up for grabs: Medford, MA > Troy, NY > Rochester, NY > Buffalo, NY > Guelph, ON >Woodstock, ON
Have lunch with the Human Baton
Things are busy here at My Brilliant Mistakes HQ, and I apologize for the even-lighter-than-usual posting. Given that I’m very busy, it’s about time for me to cram something strange and needlessly time-consuming into the schedule.
Right on schedule: I’ve signed up to help transport the Human Baton for a leg of his cross country journey.
The story in brief: This guy Luke (aka "Running Fool") decided to spend his Christmas break crossing the country from Eugene, OR, to the East Coast and back, and depending as much as possible on the kindness of strangers. He floated the idea on the wiki of Ze Frank, and fans of Ze’s show (known as Sports Racers) signed up to help.
Including me. I offered to drive a little ways, and to have Luke stay at my parents’ ski house in Hidden Valley, PA, near Seven Springs and Somerset. Luke wrote back that Hidden Valley looks very pretty (which it is) and he wanted to include it in the trip. As I read the map of the chosen route, he’s going far out of his way to see the Laurel Mountains, so he must have seen some *really* pretty pics online somewhere.
I’ll be meeting him and the previous driver on Thursday night in Somerset, and then we’ll crash at the ski house. On Friday morning I’ll drive him to Youngstown, OH. On the way I thought we might take a slight detour through Pittsburgh, so he can see the bridges and the rivers and all the pretty buildings. (Yes, the buildings in Pittsburgh *are* pretty. Some of them. You hush now.)
We should hit downtown in time for a late lunch — I’m thinking Primanti Bros. but am open to suggestions. Where would you take the Human Baton this Friday for lunch? And while we’re at it, would you like to join us? The schedule will have to be flexible — according to Luke’s blog of the trip he seems to oversleep often, and who knows what traffic will be like. But most likely lunch will be around noon.
If you’re interested, say so in the comments or send me an email. Also, we’re supposed to give him pins — so bring a pin.
Go Luke, go!
My loves collide
One of my favorite short story writers is Matthew Klamm. (See Sam the Cat and Other Stories.)
The one vlog I watch every day is by one of my all-time favorite people on the web, Ze Frank.
Sunday’s New York Times Magazine includes an article by Matthew Klamm that features Ze Frank, along with other popular web video series like Ask a Ninja. The article is sort of odd, but then it would have to be.