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Pizza, beer, and live music at Alva Brewing tonight.

Two glasses of beer are placed on a bar counter in front of a wall with a menu board.A yellow-walled room features a logo for Alva Beer and the phrase Plains Beer for Plains People, with tables and chairs arranged against the wall.

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Your town only has one water tower?! Damn, I bet you’ve only got cold water, too.

Two adjacent water towers labeled HOT and COLD stand behind a tree under a clear blue sky.
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Around Dodge City

A man sits facing a statue at a table with cards, mugs, and other items on it, in an outdoor setting.

A bronze statue depicts a man in a suit holding a hat, standing on a circular brick platform in a park setting.

A statue of a man wearing a hat and western attire stands in front of a brick building in a grassy area.

A bronze statue of a man with a cane stands on a circular base in front of a historic stone building with intricate architectural details.

A historical display features a photograph of Bat Masterson and text detailing his life and career.

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When your state includes two time zones, you apparently need two timezone-specific sundials.

Several large sundials are set up on a grassy area with brick pathways and a building in the background.A bronze plaque on the ground commemorates Route 66 in a grassy area.

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Marked off another location on my quest to visit all the locations in the Cash version of I’ve Been Everywhere

A person wearing sunglasses and a green shirt is posing excitedly in front of a Dodge City sign featuring silhouettes of cowboys on horseback.
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When the museum restroom is filled with interpretative signs…

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Enjoyed our stop at Dodge City Brewing. Decent beer, great logo, fun pint glass for water (we even bought one for home).

A sign featuring the logo and name Dodge City Brewing is mounted on a corrugated metal wall, set against a clear blue sky.Two glasses, one with water and one with beer, both featuring the Dodge City Brewing logo, are placed on a dark countertop with a branded coaster underneath the beer glass.A glass with the humorous message This water gave up its dream of becoming beer for you is filled with water.

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Stopped by the Buffalo Bill Cultural Center to see this impressive statue.

A bronze statue depicts a cowboy on horseback lassoing a bison under a partly cloudy sky.An outdoor exhibit with informational panels about historical figures and events, featuring a large sculpture of a buffalo hunt in the background.A dramatic sculpture depicts a bison and a cowboy on horseback set against a vast open landscape.A close-up view of a bronze statue depicts a mounted rider aiming a rifle with determination.

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I’ll admit, it’s been awhile since we’ve had beer bad enough that we only had a few sips before giving up and leaving. But at least they had some funny signs.

A colorful mural features three cartoonish figures, one holding a large barrel, another riding a buffalo, and a third holding a beer mug, set against a sunset sky with a building in the background.A water cooler with a bottle and cups is positioned beneath a humorous sign that reads FREE BUD LIGHT.A sign with the message Vote Yes for Beer Freedom is mounted on a wooden post.Two glasses of beer from Hidden Trail Brewing are placed on a wooden table with brewing equipment in the background.

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Managed to make it to Denver even with heavy rain and a touch of snow (wtf!?). Wandered over to a local brewery for some brews while I relaxed(?) while updating legal comments for this 🤬 data center.

A glass of beer sits on a wooden bar counter in a brewery with metal brewing tanks in the background.

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A scenic historic marker sign provides information about Wagon Mound, a landmark on the Santa Fe Trail located in New Mexico, with a view of mountains and a tree in the background.
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Dinner at a local brewery after a long day.

A plate of tacos and a glass of beer are on a bar counter with a colorful mural in the background.

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Tonight’s sunset over Albuquerque

A vibrant sunset sky is filled with swirling orange and purple clouds.
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My dad would have turned 91 today. Damn I miss him. Sooo much. It’s been two years since we celebrated the birthday that would be his last.

If he were here today, we’d be at the same bar talking about the new vehicle we finally chose (a topic of frequent discussion in the last two years of his life), how ASU did in the NFL draft, my efforts opposing a local data center, and our upcoming road trip, and more of course. I still catch myself unintentionally “logging” discussion items in my brain for the next time I see him. Man I wish I could give him an update today while cheersing him a happy birthday. Love you Dad. 🍻

An elderly man in a hat raises a beer in a lively bar atmosphere, with a smiling woman nearby and a dessert with a lit candle on the counter.Two people are raising glasses and smiling while sitting in a lively bar or restaurant.

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So the already approved data center that was a “done deal” and currently under construction that I dropped everything to oppose?

Well, not so fast my friend!

It’s now on hold, and it’s now currently not approved as a data center. So that’s a win, even if it’s just a temporary administrative one.

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I’ve been pretty absent on here for the last month, as I’ve been pouring all my free time into opposing a hyperscale data center that’s being built in the area.

But we finally managed to “pre-order” our new road trip vehicle: a Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid Nightshade edition! It arrives in June.

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8 years ago, I was announced as Backpacker Magazine’s “Local Scout” for Arizona—which involved writing some short pieces for the magazine and website, maintaining a calendar of hiking and backpacking related local events, and doing some gear testing. It was a fun side project for a year or two.

Auto-generated description: A person poses for a photo next to a magazine article titled Hike Like a Local, emphasizing hiking tips and information about different trails.

Auto-generated description: Two hikers walk along a rocky trail in a vast, mountainous landscape under a cloudy sky.

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Enjoyed a 13-mile roundtrip bike ride along some local greenbelts to our fav local taphouse for lunch and a beer.

A scenic park pathway winds through lush greenery with trees and a pond in the background under a clear sky.A glass of beer with a bee logo is placed next to a white CamelBak water bottle on a wooden table in a cozy indoor setting.

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Almost certainly the final mileage milestone for my beloved Sam the Subie. We’ve been plotting her replacement for years now, and we’re finally ready to do so. It’s crazy how few miles we’ve put in her since 2020.

A digital display shows a car in drive with an odometer reading of 210,000 miles and trip distance of 81.6 miles.
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The Wild Table of Love