At 4AM our Apple Watch alarms went off. But I had been awake since 3AM. It was eclipse day and we didn't want to get stuck in traffic on the drive north!
Why the Tesla Model 3 Will Revolutionize the Auto Industry
The new Tesla Model 3 is the final step in Elon Musk's 2006 Secret Master Plan, an "even more affordable car", offering a set of features that together make it the first EV that can serve as the primary or only car for the average middle class person in the developed world. No other EV currently on the … Continue reading Why the Tesla Model 3 Will Revolutionize the Auto Industry
The EV Revolution and Elon Musk’s “Secret Master Plan”
Way back in 2006, Elon Musk publicly posted his Secret Master Plan which he summed up this way: Build sports car Use that money to build an affordable car Use that money to build an even more affordable car While doing above, also provide zero emission electric power generation options Don't tell anyone. In those days almost … Continue reading The EV Revolution and Elon Musk’s “Secret Master Plan”
My First Rocket Launch: There is No Substitute for Being There!
I've probably seen over a hundred rockets launch into orbit and beyond: on video. None of that prepared me for what it is like to experience a launch in real life...
Reflections on Kyoto Time
Our three-week stay in Kyoto felt less like a "vacation" and more like simply "being there". Which was the point...
Evening Scenes
Our last evening in Kyoto we went for a walk after dinner, as we often do.
A Thousand Torii…Or Were There Thirty Thousand?
I didn't try to count them. But today I definitely saw enough torii to last me for a lifetime. The Fushimi Inari-taisha shrine on Inariyama hill just south of downtown Kyoto is famous for its vermillion-colored torii gates, which number anywhere from 4,000 to over 30,000 depending on which source you choose to believe. After walking the entire … Continue reading A Thousand Torii…Or Were There Thirty Thousand?
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Katsura Imperial Villa…
For our last day in Kyoto we decided to go see the Katsura Imperial Villa which contains some of the finest gardens and traditional structures in Japan. I had checked the the online information and found that tours were "first come first served". The crosstown Hankyu Kyoto subway line made it easy to reach the Katsura station and from … Continue reading A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Katsura Imperial Villa…
Hiking Mt. Ibuki: Better Late Than Never
The mountain looked very high. Though the cheery route map at the trailhead appeared to indicate that small children regularly raced to the top.
Blooming Aijisai, Flitting Tombo, and…Pooh Bear
Our good hiking friend Aki recommended that we visit the Mimurotoji Temple in Uji, a short train ride to the south of Kyoto. He said that in early June the temple's famous hydrangea garden (in Japanese, aijisai) would be in bloom. He was right!
