– Carl Bidleman

There’s so much going on in this digital world that our entire crew feels as if we’re often playing “catch up.” So we’re grateful to have a newfound friend in Scott Beale of Laughing Squid who has taken us under his wing and patiently explains the mysteries of this new world to us. In this episode, Scott explains Twitter and how this “inside the box” service actually helps people connect face to face. (At Scott’s urging, we now have an OpenRoad.TV Twitter account but unlike Scott, we have no followers as of yet. This sort of rejection brings back memories of junior high.)

We also had the pleasure of meeting Thor Muller of Get Satisfaction and Eddie Codel of Geek Entertainment TV. And you’ll find Joel Martin (according to Thor, South Park’s version of the Soup Nazi) at The Butler and the Chef.

– Carl Bidleman

There’s a fine post in the forum that, if you love the Sierra, you should check out. RiversideRich has uploaded 8 photos (including Bullfrog Lake and Mt. Brewer below) along with the story of his 1968 journey hiking the John Muir Trail. Thanks for sharing Rich.

– Jim Wirth

Christopher Elliott has an impressive background in travel, and is known as the “Travel Troubleshooter,” which is also the name of his nationally syndicated weekly Q&A column that solves your travel problems.  Christopher also writes a regular blog called simply elliott, which is loaded with the latest travel news and tips. 

If you like using the internet to research and plan travel, you should check out Christopher’s recent article, Next Up: Travel 2.0, which appears in the March issue of National Geographic Traveler magazine.  In his article, Christopher discusses how Web 2.0 is aiming to “fundamentally change travel” with a bevy of new websites and online applications, several of which he goes on to describe. 

Back to that impressive background in travel…  a quick read through Christopher’s LinkedIn profile (another wonderful Web 2.0 site) indicates that among many other accolades, he is National Geographic Traveler’s ombudsman, host of “What You Get For The Money: Vacations” on the Fine Living network, and Editorial Director at Tripso.com, the oldest continuously published travel news and commentary site online today, which Christopher founded 9 years ago.

– Carl Bidleman

Scott Beale has been around San Francisco’s digital media scene since the very beginning. He’s very well-known as the curator and “Primary Tentacle” of Laughing Squid, an online journal of arts, technology and culture in San Francisco and beyond. Scott was good enough to give us an insider’s tour of South Park, a vibrant San Francisco neighborhood once known as “Multi-media Gulch” with a surprising history that dates back over 100 years.

– Carl Bidleman

A big storm is hitting the west coast promising gale force winds. For me it looks like a good weekend to hunker down, stay dry, edit a Life Outside the Box episode with Scott Beale for Monday, and imagine some future travels. But for Doug, the annual Santa Cruz Clam Chowder Cook Off & Festival has lured him to the boardwalk in Santa Cruz to judge the culinary arts. Hang on to your bowls, Doug.

Death Valley Photo: Betsy Husband

As for imagining future travels, we got a delightful new post from Betsy Husband today. She writes an evocative portrait of Death Valley.

And if you want more on Death Valley, check out the Death Valley Fun and Adventures video my neighbors Janet and Jeff Conley posted awhile back.

And finally, my wife, Karen, has been urging me to plan a winter trip to see Death Valley’s wildflowers. Anyone else have some tips they’d like to share and help me get a life outside the box?

– Carl Bidleman

If you love Yosemite and miss being there, I recommend one of my favorite blogs, Loyd Schutte’s Yosemite Blog. I take a minute to check it out every day. Today Loyd features a short compilation of quotes from Ansel Adams, including this gem:

“A good photograph is knowing where to stand.”

And speaking of Ansel, our Yosemite’s Ansel Adams video features an interview and tour of Yosemite Valley (during a beautiful snowstorm) with Ansel’s son, Michael Adams. Michael tells great stories of growing up in Yosemite and helping his dad make pictures. Plus you can see Doug looking like a member of the Continental Congress wearing what looks like a powdered wig.

— Carl Bidleman

John Battelle is a respected journalist, entrepreneur, professor and author of The Search: How Google and Its Rivals Rewrote the Rules of Business and Transformed Our Culture, and searchblog.com. He is also the founder of Federated Media, a company that represents and supports independent voices online, including, we’re very pleased to say, OpenRoad.TV.  John has written a great deal about life inside the box but also knows how to live outside it, too.

Photo by Doug: John Battelle inside the box.

– Carl Bidleman

Been at the computer too long? Need a little break? Take this 20-second vacation. Look, listen and imagine yourself at Pt. Reyes National Seashore. Then you can get back to work.