Mudfest 2009

A festival that is fearlessly devoted to one thing...well maybe two things...getting dirty and getting absolutely, unequivocally, shnithoused. I started my Saturday with a round of golf and the weather was beautiful. We had plans to load up the cooler around one and hit the road. As we set out and the weather turned for the worst we again learned some valuable lessons that will definitely set us up for later success.

1. The road network in Korea, after the highways, is utterly chaotic. Roads numbers merge and branch which leads to a couple of very confused captains. That brings us to my next point:

2. Never try to navigate with only a map printed on a party brochure...we were so lost it hurt. Luckily, we found a map in the car (we say found because when we buy our cars here from people who's tours are over they leave a lot of "stuff" in the car, some useful, some not.

3. Bus lanes on the highway are for buses. We actually got pulled over by the Korean National Police.

4. When stopped by the Korean National Police (see above) always try to play dumb. "Ohhhhhhhh that's the bus lane" worked this time, though may never work again.

4.1. When stopping in a no stopping zone and approached by a cop asking for ID try to change the subject to ask for directions to your hotel.

5. Bring a cooler full of Sam Adams to a festival in Korea where everybody is drinking the piss that is Cass, OB, and Hite, and you will be a hero...everytime...period. We just look at it as international relations.

6. My buddy had a teal green poncho in the trunk of his car...he did not know it was there (see #2) but it was clutch when the sky opened up.

7. Sometimes, when your car is a beater, you have to consider that a window going down doesn't always equate to a window going up.

8. If I dare you to do anything at 1am don't do it...especially if you don't know me from Adam. I DO NOT have your best intentions at heart. It's a mean streak I have..."It is what it is"

9. Korea is great, but its not home...not even close.

Golf!

Another great day on the course...an 8 shot improvement from last week. Like I said, its not every day you can golf with guns and missiles as a backdrop. Tee Box on #4 with Korean Vulcan anti-aircraft guns guarding the sky.




#8 green...you can see the Patriot Missiles of Delta Battery to the immediate right of the flag...That is my tee shot on the green...straight M.O.N.E.Y!

An Awesome 4th of July!

Hello Pyeongtaek City!

America & Wet Shorts

The fireworks are "that way".

Just wanted to thank my friends and colleagues who joined me on my roof in the Jung Woon Villas to celebrate our Independence Day. The thing about Americans is we know how to celebrate the days that matter the most even though we are more than 5,000 miles from American soil. It was a great night filled with libations and great friends.

Happy Birthday America!

Living outside of the United States makes you appreciate how lucky you are to live in a country such as ours. One cannot chose what country they are born into, but once born they can choose what country to live in. For many people over the last 233 years our country has been one of hope. A country where you are limited only by your own imagination. I have been in the army for six years and have spent 3 of those years outside of the country on the 4th of July. But being resourceful young 'Mericans we always manage to celebrate wherever we are. Tonight will be filled by the scent of the grill, ice cold beer, American flags, and fireworks...why, because that's how we roll. I have 81 Soldiers in my battery. Those 81 Americans, average age 22, will be spending their 4th 7,000 miles from their homes and loved ones. For many this is their first time out of the country. Some, a year ago, had just graduated from high school. When you look at a flag today think of them, raise your glass for them, and know that because of kids like them, we all have a free and secure country to call our home.

I miss you all... happy Independance Day from freedom's frontier.