This morning I didn’t roll out of bed until 11am. I threw myself awake when Madeline arrived home from Paris; I said hello, got a shower and became coherent. Madeline told me about a free walking tour at 1:15pm that I figured I’d try to make to get an understanding of what is where. This city’s orientation confused me today and I kept getting turned around. I had about 45 minutes until the tour so I jumped on the bike and headed into the city. It was a different bike today that had a baby seat that worked well for my messenger bag, but the front rim was totally crooked which made it hard to steer straight. After riding for about a half an hour I realized I was totally lost. My map doesn’t include exactly where they live since it’s so far out so I couldn’t figure out where I was. I kept going the ways I thought would get me where I meant to be but that really didn’t work out. I was as far off as Oosterpark at one point but then made it to Waterlooplein where they had a flea market. This was somewhere I knew from last night so I locked the bike since I was already way late for the free tour.

I walked Waterlooplein flea market, shot it, and browsed around. I checked out City Hall, shot along the Amstel River, and then walked up to Rembrandt’s House. Dan let me use his Museumkaart that gets you into most of them for free. Rembrandthuis was pretty cool and the audio tour was free with purchase. After biking for 90 minutes I was really thirsty and laughed when the water in the bathroom sink was looking so refreshing. After the museum, I saw the souvenir shop with a lady I knew who spoke English. I bought a water, a shirt for my dad, and a post card. After that I grabbed the bike outside the Litzst House and was considering going to the Anne Frank Huis but realized it was in Jordaan and plan to go there tomorrow.

Sometimes you need to look up. Here’s the front of Rembrandt’s House

Venors at Nieumarkt

Next up was biking to Weeg where they had the old weighing house. This is where we parked the night before and the great microbrew was there. I grabbed a bock beer there and had a mini-souffles lunch before walking back through Chinatown towards Museum Amstelkrig (Our Lord in the Attic) which is a regular canal house that hid a small Catholic church in the attic during the protestant movement in the 1600s. The Museumkaart worked here but the guy did tell me I had about 10 minutes to see the museum since they closed at 1700.

This museum was at the edge of the Red Light District up a canal from the Hemp Museum and Oude Kerk (Old Church), so I walked the Red Light and one of the ladies opened her door; I smiled and moved quickly down the road. The Hemp & Harijuana Museum was 5euro for a pretty small single leveled room about the use of hemp overtime. I wasn’t actually expecting anything wild but I was expecting more than I saw there.

Poster in the Hemp Museum

After that I walked the canals and took some photos of the leaves changing and falling into the water along with sinking boats and rusted bicycles. From there I grabbed the bicycle and figured out exactly how to get back. My first landmark I needed was Mittetouren (Mint Tower), from there I headed back south and got home very quickly.

Check out the sign in the window

Landed at Schipol International Airport about 630am here in Amsterdam. I sat next to a quiet Dutch woman and tried to sleep quite a bit. I probably didn’t sleep more than three hours and I did watch Prince of Persia (I’d wanted to watch Karate Kid but I pushed the wrong channel). After a really easy trip through customs Dan and his daughters, Liliane (4) and Amelie (3), were waiting for me. We hopped into their Peugot wagon/mini-suv thingy and headed to their flat/apartment in south Amsterdam. Everyone got more ready for the day and we headed out to some old school seaport villages while Dan was off work for Sunday. (Madeline, his wife, is in Paris for the weekend and returns tomorrow).

Liliane and Amelie kept me busy and will help me get my little girl fix while I am away from Claire this weak. Our first stop was an ATM for me outside Hilton Amsterdam where John Lennon and Yoko Ono did their sleep-in before we headed to Marken, a small fishing village that originally was not connected to the main land at all. We walked the village, shot some photos like the boats below, and then walked back to the car.

Next we stopped at Monnickedam just because they’d never been there. They had a great kid park and the girls got to play for as long as they wanted for a euro per person. I had a koffie and Dan drank thee while we wanted them play.

It was fun listening to the girls speak good Dutch and good English. Then they’d throw in other words. I also learned that Pos Op means to watch out and Snell means to hurry. I figured they’d know some French (their mother is fluent) but they definitely know the other languages more.

On the way to Vondeldam sleep started to catch up with me and I was out. I woke up when we got there. It’s a small touristy town on the edge of the North Sea inlet. We ate kibberling (Cod) along the water while the girls filled my pockets with rocks they want me to take home to Claire. I also shot some windmills at Zaanse Schans and stopped at two different cheese and clog making shops.

When we got back to the flat, Dan’s friend Oleg called and wanted to meet for beers so we grabbed the bikes and rode from Dan’s place into the city center (centrum). Dan left his mobile at the flat so we couldn’t even call Oleg when we arrived, but the bike ride alone was an adventure. They have four bikes and I chose the one without a kid carrier on it. It also has no bell so I could not warn people I was coming.

After getting to Waterlooplein, we grabbed a beer and decided to do Thai food for dinner. After a scrumptious Pad Thai, Dan walked us through the Red Light District and, yes, Virginia, there are hookers in them thar windows. I had Liliane on my shoulders so I think they figured I wasn’t interested. Actually a few times Dan and I wondered if the tourists were thinking “oh look, Amsterdam is so liberal that an alternative gay family has their two daughters out for the day.)

After our trek through the lights, we jumped back onto the bikes, Dan gave me lights to put on me and my bag, then we rode back to the flat for bed.

Over a decade ago my bestfriend, Dan, left our home state of Pennsylvania to begin his professional adventures in Phoenix. A year later during an innocent lunch at Red Robin, he says to me: “When are you moving to Phoenix?” Donna and I glanced at each other, shrugged and moved to the Southwest. After 7+ years in Phoenix, Dan (with his family now) were off for the next adventure, Amsterdam. Surely the family was hesitant because it was harder to see the granddaughters and the friends would miss them, but I was ecstatic. I wanted to visit!

On Superbowl Sunday 2008, Donna, Claire and I dropped Dan’s family off at SkyHarbor International Airport with more baggage than I’ve ever seen carried by two able-bodied adults. We said our goodbyes with promises of visiting and seeing each other soon. That didn’t happen.

Plane fare to Holland never dipped below a thousand bucks a person and there are three of us. We saw them when they headed back to the southwest; I think we’ve seen them in AZ three times in three years. The longest was when they cleaned out their storage and decided to stay in Europe indefinitely. That was February 2010.

Somewhere in late 2009 Donna mentioned off-handedly, “why don’t you just go alone? We can never all afford to go.” (Even though we would LOVE to take Claire to Europe at this age). I hopped at the idea but something always occluded a visit. October 2009 was throat surgery. Spring Breaks are usually professional conference travels. Nothing worked until Fall Break 2010. Yes, yes, why that’s is now. Guess where I’m going TOMORROW? Schipol International Airport, just south of Amsterdam. Yep, I’m gone. Stick a fork in me.

My “gadget” pile of stuff I need to take post-clothes packing.

This summer I had the opportunity to spend a month in my hometown of Pittsburgh, PA. Claire was with me the entire time and spent a good deal of the month visiting our family. I expected more time sitting, watching movies I’ve not seen, and generally being a log lump while working on my lengthy to-do list. I didn’t expect to travel around as much as I did. For example, one week I drove to Lawrence County to visit with my mother’s cousin all day on Monday, road around with my cousin Brian another day to shoot our city, and the third day I went with a friend I’ve not seen in 15 years to photograph another part of the city. Friends surprised us by driving from Virginia for a long weekend, and people I didn’t think I’d see I spent a lot of time with.

Auntie M & Claire on the John Deere in our parent’s backyard.

Claire and I fished at Trax Farm, my uncle and I had some good talks, I drove my mum back and forth to the train each day (so I could have the car), etc… My brother-in-law, Danny, and I installed lighting on my parent’s porch one day and another day we took Claire kayaking, after Donna arrived for two weeks in PA.

While there, we drove to Warren, PA for the fourth of July. I first made this trip 16 years ago with Donna when we first dated, and it was good to see so much of her family, including a cousin we’d not seen since our engagement party in 1999.

I shot many abandoned buildings and captured the history of Pittsburgh from the old farm homesteads out near Bridgeville to asylums in Scotts and New Castle to an old iron mill in Braddock. I also photographed the Strip District and Southside before turning the camera on the families.

I’d never live there again, but I know the true love I have for a city I once took for granted and now miss from time to time. A city that still holds my heart.

The weekend of September 11, 2009, Donna, Claire and I joined our friends at Upper Tonto Creek campground where we spent three really relaxing days far from technology and work. It was really nice. We hit the local hatchery, did some fishing, drove up the rim and relaxed.

I don’t mind traveling for work, and I enjoy flying around the country (for the most part), but being away from Claire is hard. When she was two months old she flew to PA while I took a trip down the east coast. This was a little hard because she was so new, but her mother was with her so that helped. In 2007 Donna and I flew to Europe without Claire. I’d been away from her for a few days before flying to Berlin that year, and by the time I hit Vienna I missed her so much. I can dig a day here or long weekend there, but once again she’ll be off to PA this summer to see her grandparents. I will literally be away from my daughter for 21 days: 3 weeks. Yes, I realize she will be around her grandparents and family and busy, and I will be super busy myself but it’s still hard. I hope to talk to her a few times, and I hope to Skype her. I will have to get my mother-in-law access to my ning to post photos of Claire so we can all enjoy them, too. Things’ll work out but it’s always a little disconcerting. In another decade she can just stay with us during this time and all will be fine.

Each time I have a chance to go to San Francisco, it never disappoints. This time it was the recent Conference on College Composition and Communication. A good friend of mine has recently co-published a research writing handbook, which was being pushed at this conference so a few of us decided to go to support her. We stayed just on the edge of The Tenderloin on the side of Nob Hill and had an awesome time. During the day, it was great session after great session but night time was all about site seeing, being wined and dined by the publishers and hitting some nightlife.

I was there for five days and was able to go to dinner at The House with family friends, we also hit the Empress of China restaurant in Chinatown after a cable car ride, and last night three of us spent most of the night in The Haight and in North Beach. Beautiful time and pictures coming to a Flickr near you (search ours for “cccc09″).

Donna and I visit the Payson/Pine/Strawberry area often (me more than her), and last summer I was excited to head up there and get out to see some nature. My friend, Coop, recommended Tonto Natural Bridge north of Payson off the Beeline, so after a wonderful weekend at Angelika’s cabin, we drove over there for an afternoon. For me, it was one of the coolest things we’d seen in Arizona, and I’ve talked about the state park to friends and students ever since. Many people have eagerly said they were going based on my recommendation alone, and I even blogged the experience here.

Tonight I was surfing through my gmail and checked today’s Flickr uploads. My friend and colleague Alan who lives near Tonto Natural Bridge posted a VERY disturbing photo on Flickr with an equally disturbing caption. I will post the entirety below, but here’s the link to the original.

“Short Sighted Government Stupidity in Action” posted to Flickr by Cogdog on March 3, 2009.

Hmmm, I’ve been waiting for a local cause and here it is. The far seeing Arizona state legislature has slashed $35 million from state parks, which are closing like falling dominoes across the state.

To me, the staggering stupidity of closing a park like this is much deeper then the grand canyon. Hopefully some of the dusty heads in Phoenix will get a clue.

This is ridiculous. Everything President Obama is fighting to fix nationally is still being screwed by local government. According to the official Tonto site, the park is closed because of maintenance which may be true but many of us question the validity of the timing. The site says it may be closed only six months so we’ll see. In the meantime the official press release states that it’s because the lodge roof leaks. I’ve been there, the lodge is NOWHERE near the bridge itself. According to Assistant Parks Director, Jay Ream, after the repairs are completed “after completion the Board will re-evaluate the budget situation for re-opening,” which means they’re being vague enough to screw the people who love this place in the end. I suggest all of you call Arizona State Parks at (602) 542-4174 (outside of the Phoenix metro area call toll-free 800-285-3703), ask for Jay Ream’s and tell him to keep our beloved parks open. While I am serious about the state government not following suit when it comes to turning around our current recession, I am not getting into what I’ve not properly researched, so I will only leave you with the beautiful video I have of the first (and what may be the last time) I am able to share such a wonderful natural wonder with my daughter.

Tonto Natural Bridge from Devon Adams on Vimeo.

In July 1994 I was dating Donna and her parent’s invited me to join them at Donna’s grandparent’s house in Warren, PA for the 4th of July. Donna and I’d been dating for a month at the time, and I’d be lying to say I was the most welcome boyfriend. I agreed to the trip, and Mom (as she is now and wasn’t then) drove Donna and I up to Warren. I remember sitting in the back with her singing Meatloaf songs. I love the house, which they built years and years ago when the huge oaks on their lot were saplings. I met the family that weekend, and we had a great time at the fireworks. Since then I’ve been back several times, and the most recent visit is now.

Donna and I haven’t brought Claire up here together since she was about 13 months old. That was the last time I was here, although Claire’s been here since when Donna and I were in Europe.

I adore coming here and eagerly agreed when Donna suggested we try to visit this Christmas. See, when I was younger I spent quite a bit of time camping, fishing, hunting and backpacking with my dad, cousins, and siblings in areas all around the small town, Warren, PA, where Donna’s grandparent’s live. We drive through and near areas like Franklin, Oil City, Tidoute, Tionesta, Kinzua, etc… Every time we drive up here, memories flood; this is probably why I always enjoy this trip.

This trip is a short one. Claire has a bad cough, so we headed to Urgent Care this morning to check her out. After getting a clear bill of health, Donna, her father, Claire and I drove north. We’ve spent the evening with her grand parent’s and Donna’s aunt and uncle.

Tomorrow we drive back to Pittsburgh, and those memories again flood my mind as head south.

In a world that is further and further more thrust into the panopticon, we now have a proliferation of speed cameras in and around Phoenix. I hate them. I drive fast. Look, if I am safe and go a little faster than the next guy, then who cares? I get the problems with zooming down the highway and flipping your truck because you’re an idiot, but when you’re driving out along the Mogollon Rim at 65 and come down into Prescott and the speed limit immediately shifts to 45 then it’s not fair. Forget it. This sucked, and it happened to me.

It wouldn’t have been that bad if 1) I didn’t have a ticket a few weeks earlier when Claire was sick and I was rushing to the doctor’s, and 2) if I didn’t already go to traffic school within the last two years. Damn.

Look, I am not unsafe, but if I always obeyed every traffic law then I would be more stressed out. I can’t help if I am running late sometimes because I have an unpredictable 3 year old. Sometimes she’s ready to run out of the house in the morning, and other times she’s like dragging a golem through the process of leaving for school.

I fear our world is going to be and more thrust into the public spotlight, and, of course, there are things that I do willingly to thrust myself there, but I still enjoy certain liberties that are slowly being stripped away.