R&D » Travel

Rose Parade 2006 – “It’s Magical ” – The spirit is there!

Adnan Masood — Mon, 02 Jan 2006 10:09:54 +0000

Just drove back from Colorado St; despite of pouring rain and bone chilling cold, spectators are hanging in there. Not even as half as last year but so isn’t the weather. For those who don’t know “The Tournament of Roses Parade is the 116-year-old traditional parade generally held on New Year’s Day in Pasadena, California, eight miles north of downtown Los Angeles.” (Src. wikipedia)

And it’s amazing how up to date and pertinent wikipedia is about the rose parade date issue.

“This convention allows for religious observance, but was originally instituted because the Parade’s many equine participants would not tolerate the pealing of the church bells along the route. The Tournament of Roses Association Web site has an alternate equine explanation. It says the “Never on Sunday” policy was instituted in 1893 “to avoid frightening horses tethered outside local churches and thus interfering with worship services.” In 2006, the parade will be held on January 2.”

Some pictures from the high spirited. Will be gearing up and walking down there in 4 hours. Gotta go and get some sleep.

Tournament of Roses

Tournament of Roses Parade – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Hiked Mt. Wilson (5,710 ft) and Got Rescued by Helicopter

Adnan Masood — Sun, 25 Sep 2005 08:58:28 +0000

On Saturday 10th Sep, I along with a friend Antony hiked Mt. Wilson (5,710 ft (1,742 m)) . On the way back from a 20 mile trail completely exhausted, we got lost and ended up on a landslide dead end. After about two hours of wandering around searching for way down and it got dark, we had to signal (flashlight) and call for help. Altadena county Sheriff and Mountain rescue team tried to get us across the landslide but it didn’t work so they had to bring a Los Angles County Fire Department helicopter (N15LA) to rescue us. It did a one touchdown operation and took us out; pretty scary to get into “the bird” as cops and mountain rescue puts it. Thank you cards are on their way for Altadena Station and Altadena Search and Rescue, they really helped us out. Rescue wasn’t really a photo opputunity but you can see the cops flashlights in Mount_Wilson_Hike 111.jpg, wish can video tape the event.

So for those who want to hike Mt. Wilson through Eaton Canyon, stay away from Mt. Wilson Toll Road / Horse Trail Loop.

Bye Bye Seattle, Hello Vancouver

Adnan Masood — Sun, 04 Sep 2005 15:32:35 +0000

Marvels of technology, I’m sitting here in Amtrak traveling to Vancouver, British Columbia while talking to a friend in England on skype with verizon wireless broadband connection, checking work emails and posting this entry in my weblog.

The coast line is amazing; I found nature humbling me as its vast and pure, was here and will be, even when I wasn’t here or I won’t be.

ok, I’ll be watching “Some Like it hot” on DVD, so you can join. Car #3 Amtrak 510 Cascades.

Blogging from Microsoft Building 10

Adnan Masood — Sat, 03 Sep 2005 18:24:05 +0000

We’re at Microsoft building 10 3240; awesome hi-tech campus.

Blogging from Seattle

Adnan Masood — Sat, 03 Sep 2005 16:14:45 +0000

I’m traveling Seattle, Victoria and Vancouver BC on the labor day weekend. Washington is beautiful; no wonder Microsoft select it as a place to make its software headquarters; right atmosphere, right light, right place to brainstorm to create software for world’s market leader.

I’ll be visiting Microsoft Campus, seeing space needle, Pacific Science Center and IMAX today. Tomorrow is the ferry to Victoria and Vancouver.

Ok, sounds like my “Gourmet” coffee is brewing…