{"id":157,"date":"2017-05-07T16:43:55","date_gmt":"2017-05-07T21:43:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/nevergofastenough.com\/?p=157"},"modified":"2017-05-07T16:43:55","modified_gmt":"2017-05-07T21:43:55","slug":"first-blood-pilgrimage","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/nevergofastenough.com\/?p=157","title":{"rendered":"First Blood Pilgrimage"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Every year I enjoy taking a vacation to see somewhere new and get out of Chicago for at least a few days. Last year I went to New Orleans and rented a motorcycle for a day. It was great. This year I chose Seattle for a mere four days, which was the most time I could get off work. I have never been anywhere near that part of the country and being a Nirvana nerd I figured it was finally time.<\/p>\n<p>I&#8217;ve also always been a huge fan of First Blood after catching it on televeision when I was probably 9 years old. I&#8217;ve loved it ever since, nevermind the sequels First Blood is amazing. I have always wanted to go to the town whewre it was filmed as well. I randomly googled it after I decided I was going to Seattle and it was only 3.5 hours. Therefore I HAD to go when I was in Seattle.<\/p>\n<p>My current job could offer a few days off but money was very tight. In planning the trip I had to book a very expensive last minute hotel near the UW Campus. Air fare was the cheapest part of the trip. So I arrived on something like a Monday morning I believe as my flight out of O&#8217;Hare was at like 6:00am. I landed in Seattle and first went the EMP to see the Nirvana exhibit. It was cool, next I killed some time at a record store and found the Liquid Sky Soundtrack which I&#8217;ll write about later.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/nevergofastenough.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/IMAG0603.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-185\" src=\"http:\/\/nevergofastenough.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/IMAG0603.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"239\" height=\"423\" srcset=\"http:\/\/nevergofastenough.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/IMAG0603.jpg 1520w, http:\/\/nevergofastenough.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/IMAG0603-170x300.jpg 170w, http:\/\/nevergofastenough.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/IMAG0603-768x1358.jpg 768w, http:\/\/nevergofastenough.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/IMAG0603-579x1024.jpg 579w, http:\/\/nevergofastenough.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/IMAG0603-800x1415.jpg 800w, http:\/\/nevergofastenough.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/IMAG0603-1200x2122.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 239px) 100vw, 239px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>The next day I didn&#8217;t do to much I walked around and noticed how things there looked the same everywhere, maybe it&#8217;s cause I stayed in a college area. I did get a nice dinner and sat next to a rich SQL programmer. I should really pickup on that because it seems spillover from San Francisco is happening in Seattle. Making the young and smart very rich in a great spot.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>I wasn&#8217;t feeling all the greatest when I got to my hotel and lied down a while. When I sorta awoke I flipped through the channels and on fucking BBC America of all channels, First Blood was on! I was second guessing getting the bike the next day and riding to Hope,BC but I figured this was a sign of sorts telling me I had to go. In the morning I venture to the rental space and get the bike. Of course it&#8217;s not the one I ordered and of course a GPS is out of the question. I booked a regular Triump Bonneville but all they had for me was a goddamn Thruxton. The bike was great but not for riding on 8 hours in a day.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/nevergofastenough.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/IMAG0604.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-178\" src=\"http:\/\/nevergofastenough.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/IMAG0604-300x170.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"170\" srcset=\"http:\/\/nevergofastenough.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/IMAG0604-300x170.jpg 300w, http:\/\/nevergofastenough.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/IMAG0604-768x434.jpg 768w, http:\/\/nevergofastenough.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/IMAG0604-1024x579.jpg 1024w, http:\/\/nevergofastenough.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/IMAG0604-800x452.jpg 800w, http:\/\/nevergofastenough.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/IMAG0604-1200x679.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>So with just my phone GPS I make it to the USA-Canada border. I brought my passport and they ask me to go inside,as I had an Illinois License, a motorcycle with a Florida plate, and a pretty dark face. I tell the guy I&#8217;m going to Hope cause I like the movie First Blood and he&#8217;s baffled but they let me in. Third time I&#8217;ve ever been to Canada and the other times were just the Montreal airport. The ride is great and it feels weird when I make it to Canada, So what is probably 5 hours after picking up the bike I make it to Hope,BC where First Blood was filmed. I couldn&#8217;t believe it when I pulled it around 5pm to the same spot where Rambo just firsts confronted by the Sheriff. The gas station is still there. I ride around the small town a little and grab some food. It&#8217;s quite a small, broke, little town, surrounded by amazing Mountains. It has the usual things: run-down motel, shitty diner, VFW bar, hobby store some how and not to much else.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/nevergofastenough.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/IMAG0611.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-181\" src=\"http:\/\/nevergofastenough.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/IMAG0611-170x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"170\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"http:\/\/nevergofastenough.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/IMAG0611-170x300.jpg 170w, http:\/\/nevergofastenough.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/IMAG0611-768x1358.jpg 768w, http:\/\/nevergofastenough.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/IMAG0611-579x1024.jpg 579w, http:\/\/nevergofastenough.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/IMAG0611-800x1415.jpg 800w, http:\/\/nevergofastenough.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/IMAG0611-1200x2122.jpg 1200w, http:\/\/nevergofastenough.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/IMAG0611.jpg 1520w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 170px) 100vw, 170px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>I eat some awful food there and then realize &#8220;shit&#8221; I don&#8217;t have much money and I have another 5 hour ride back to Seattle. So I immediately head back, which sucks but I had to. I didn&#8217;t want to get lost in Canada in the night. I make it through the border again and just when I&#8217;m about an hour away I get incredibly cold and tired. The weather dropped like a rock and when going 80 on an unlit deserted two lane blacktop, a lot of worries hit my mind. One rock and I&#8217;d be on the pavement and no one would see me. I find a Casino on an Indian Reservation and get a room for the night. It was real nice, bigger than my old apartment and had a jacuzzi in the bedroom. I rest for a few hours then hightail it back to Seattle. Oh btw I DID NOT have the money for this hotel but put it on a credit card.<\/p>\n<p>So a couple hours later I drop the bike off and make it to my original hotel and relax for a few hours. Next thing I know I&#8217;m at the airport, I hear All Apologies and board my plane. Back in Chicago nothing has changed but I blew far more money that I had on the trip. Don&#8217;t regret it though I fucking made it to Seattle and Hope. Maybe one day I can go back and really enjoy it.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/nevergofastenough.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/IMAG0623.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-182\" src=\"http:\/\/nevergofastenough.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/IMAG0623-579x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"579\" height=\"1024\" srcset=\"http:\/\/nevergofastenough.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/IMAG0623-579x1024.jpg 579w, http:\/\/nevergofastenough.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/IMAG0623-170x300.jpg 170w, http:\/\/nevergofastenough.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/IMAG0623-768x1358.jpg 768w, http:\/\/nevergofastenough.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/IMAG0623-800x1415.jpg 800w, http:\/\/nevergofastenough.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/IMAG0623-1200x2122.jpg 1200w, http:\/\/nevergofastenough.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/IMAG0623.jpg 1520w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 579px) 100vw, 579px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Every year I enjoy taking a vacation to see somewhere new and get out of Chicago for at least a few days. Last year I went to New Orleans and rented a motorcycle for a day. It was great. This year I chose Seattle for a mere four days, which was the most time I could get off work. I have never been anywhere near &hellip; <a href=\"http:\/\/nevergofastenough.com\/?p=157\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">First Blood Pilgrimage<\/span> <span class=\"meta-nav\">&raquo;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[8,9],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/nevergofastenough.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/157"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/nevergofastenough.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/nevergofastenough.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/nevergofastenough.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/nevergofastenough.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=157"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"http:\/\/nevergofastenough.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/157\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":187,"href":"http:\/\/nevergofastenough.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/157\/revisions\/187"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/nevergofastenough.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=157"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/nevergofastenough.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=157"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/nevergofastenough.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=157"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}