Travels With Mike

Welcome to Travels with Mike, a series of travel adventures designed to bring the world to you. Visit monthly for more stories as Mike travels around the country and the world, discovering what it has to offer. Plan your next vacation or just revel in Mike's misfortune as he tries to make the best of every trip, be it for vacation, work or deportation. More stories and pictures can be viewed at www.chicksdigmike.com.

Year 1: The First E-mails Visit Mike's Earliest Adventures! Before there was anything, there was a lonely business traveler who sent e-mails to friends and family, telling them about the wonders of the road. It's since spawned several websites and a major motion picture that has yet to be filmed or written. Mike's Latest Adventure Narita, Japan Rost In Transration An unexpected layover in Japan turns into an adventure chock full of ninja skills, moist buttocks and bizarre beverages. It's like an international visit to your grandparents! Mike's Previous Exploits Chicago, IL Elvis Is Alive! What do you get when you cross a 5K run with several hundred Elvis impersonators? If you're Mike, you get just another Saturday afternoon. San Jose, CA Over the river and through the nursing home In this follow up piece, Mike goes back to San Jose to visit his Nana. In an act of atonement, he has also brought with him a Cuckoo Clock. Will he be forgiven or forever forsaken? Chicago, IL Homoween It's tricks and treats when Mike cruises down to the annual Gay Parade on Haltstead and the for some Kereoke at a Gay Bar. This holiday will never be the same. Golden, CO Tapping The Rockies No two beer tours are the same. This is what Mike discovers when he ventures to the Coors Brewery, entering as a man and leaving as an Official Beer Taster. Really, he has the certificate to prove it. Bloomington, MN The Mall of (North) America Don't cry for yourself, Argentina. We've got the largest mall this side of the equator and there's nothing you can do about it! Except for building an even bigger mall, of course. But why pick on poor Minnesota like that? Orlando, FL Disney Vs. Disney Which is better; Disneyworld or Disneyland? For that matter, Coke or New Coke? Kramer Vs. Kramer? Chicks Dig Mike Vs. Girls Gone Wild? Follow Mike as he explores all these questions. Atlantic City, NJ/Washington DC From AC to DC Join Mike as he shows us that our nations capital has alot of historical buildings and at least one good bar. New Orleans, LA Mike Gone Wild Who would have thought a three day Bachelor party could wreck so much havoc on one liver? This could have been the greatest weekend ever, if only he could remember. Lots of pictures to accompany this one. Philadelphia, PA Phun Times In Philly Mike heads to the birthplace of democracy and Philly Cheese Steaks! Will these people never stop?? Denver, CO Low Down on the Lo-Do So this white guy walks into a bar full of Mexicans and....well, just read it. Lantau Island, Hong Kong Big Trouble in Little Lantau In his first overseas adventure, Mike decides it's a good idea to visit the last of Hong Kong's authentic fishing villages. Things get a bit complicated when he suspects he's been poisoned by his "Tour Guide". New York, NY Diary of a Most Unusual Thanksgiving What does a dozen dancing santa's, a fifty foot inflatable Ronald Mc Donald, a bloody mattress, Indian Casinos, a dinner table full of foreigners and a biker bar all have in common? They were all a part of Mike's Thanksgiving celebration. Branson, MO Missouri Loves Company You might not expect much from a state where the most common pick-up line is "Let me hear you squeal like a pig". But Branson is stocked full of some of the greatest talent you'll find between the Western Missouri border and the Mississippi! Massachusetts / Vermont /New Hampshire Touring the East Coast With his winnings from the casino the previous week, Mike takes a tour of breweries, confectionaries and more breweries all over the East Coast. Atlantic City, NJ Atlantic City Gambling is a severely underrated skill. Follow Mike to Atlantic City for the first time as he does his best to express his abilities at the blackjack table. Key West, FL Florida Keys A business trip to Miami takes a turn for the better with a quick trip down to the Florida Keys, which are the second best thing about Florida (after the Gator farm, of course). San Jose, CA Throw Nana from a Train In an attempt to visit the ladies of his life for Mother's Day, Mike gets sabotaged by his Nana. What grudge could be so severe that she would hold it against him for 25 years? Everglades, FL Gator? I Hardly Even Know Her! While the rest of the Spring Breakers are looking for beer bashes and co-ed's, Mike heads to the Everglades to find some tail of his own. Boston, MA Hat Trick on St. Patrick's A trip to the St Patrick's Day Parade in Boston by way of Indian Casinos, trendy restaurants and pubs. Lots and lots of pubs. At least, he thinks there was. New York, NY New York on New Years If he can't make it there, he can't make it anywhere. Mike travels to the Big Apple to ring in 2002 and set off a few department store alarms ... with his crotch! The USA 3,000 miles in almost 30 Days: This Truck's Story After getting to the East Coast, Mike waits for his truck to arrive. And waits. And waits. Thinking about shipping your vehicle somewhere? Trust me; drive it yourself. Montreal, Canada Va Bay Say Twa Mem? Wee Wee! Mike may not be French, but he has been known to kiss that way. See how he fares amongst those who do speak the language of love...and we're not talking about hookers. Montreal, Canada Duty-Free Disaster On his way to Montreal, Mike takes some time to decipher the mysteries behind Duty-free shopping. Apparently, he isn't the only one who hasn't quite grasped the concept. Tuscaloosa, AL/ Toronto, Canada Ala-bam-bam and Cana-Can-Can During a particularly busy period of travel, Mike compares the wonders of the Great White North and the Deep Grit Eating South. Tuscaloosa, AL/ Cincinnati, Ohio/ Chicago, IL Planes, Pains and Automobiles It should have been a simple arrangement. Wing it from Alabama to Ohio to Chicago to California. So why does it take Mike 24 hours to make six hours worth of flights?