Amber Across America (AAA) – A Fitting Tribute To Ivoryman

[doglegg]

Hope everyone had a happy Independence Day. Amber spent the 4th lounging on a friend's dock on Lake Sara. It's an 800 acre reservoir just on the outskirts of Effingham. Pretty good Large-mouth Bass & Crappie destination. I used to fish there a lot, but today we just reminisced with friends and enjoyed the view. They have a firework display on the lake on the 3rd, but we missed it by a day. Amber did not get to see fireworks this year. That's on me

Pretty place.

[bestgear]

I want to bring to everyone's attention a route change for AAA. The eleventh stop for Amber was supposed to be Dan Richert (danno50) in Canada but due to the current climate of strikes and tariffs in Canada, it was mutually agreed upon that shipping to Canada right now was too risky. I successfully recruited Zach Harbath (That WeirdKnifeGuy) to be the eleventh stop for Amber and this post serves as the notice of that change.

This change was brewing at the same time that Zach made a post in the Favorite EDC thread https://www.allaboutpocketknives.com/kn ... tart=65775 about his Imperial that had "Iman approved patina". I knew at this moment that Zach was the logical substitution for Dan and I initiated the change to which Zach joyously accepted.

I will update the mileage and route map shortly to memorialize this change. All remaining participants have been successfully notified of the change. I guess it was unrealistic to assume that we'd be able to execute a year-long program like AAA and not experience any change. I know that danno50 was honored to be on the AAA participants list and that he will not forget Brian and keeps Brian's Case Barlow on his desk by my computer reminding his to carry it occasionally. I also know that TheWeirdKnifeGuy is equally as honored to be added as an AAA participant and that he gets what Iman was all about.

[ThatWeirdKnifeGuy]

Upon further review that may have been Kerry who made that specific remark. Here though, I set about with a knife from Iman's collection to see if I couldn't apply some patina which would be colloquially recignized as Iman approved
https://www.allaboutpocketknives.com/kn ... tart=17275

Tom and I chatted this weekend about being a part of this tribute. I've watched all along so I didn't require much catching up. I didn't known Iman as well as the other participants perhaps, but I have much respect for the man. In reading his posts after his passing I felt a close spiritual connection to him. It seems our great joys and goals in life were much the same. We were of similar occupation, and my oldest son's name is also Donovan. Caring for him and his twin brothers as a stay at home Dad is my life's work and greatest joy.

Thanks for having me along fellas. Looking forward to my turn

[bestgear]

Upon further review that may have been Kerry who made that specific remark.

Thanks for clearing that up for me Zach I guess I'm showing my age

The sequence of the trip across North America was planned to be the shortest route possible with 6,482.20 land miles and approximately nautical 2,706 miles for a grand total of 9,188.20 total miles traveled which is 177.36 miles shorter than the original journey.

[Bryan]

We had a good day today. My Wife, Amber & I checked on our small garden plants and found some cucumbers & almost ripe peppers. Jumped the gun and harvested a pepper because... no willpower to wait .

I hope everyone here has tried cucumbers and onions. Ingredients : Cucumbers, Onions, sugar, vinegar ... let set a day or so and keep that going all summer

This may be common, or it may be crazy talk, but we add sweet peppers sliced in rings.

These particular peppers have an interesting story. One year we planted some black beauty bell peppers and some Jimmy Nardello sweet frying peppers. We saved seeds from one or the other (can't remember which) and they had cross pollinated (rookie mistake).

It was a happy accident because the result was a really prolific plant that produced long thick walled fruit. When they fully ripen red, they are delicious. The wife and I purposely cross pollinated some under grow lights the next year and had same results from the seeds in the cross pollinated pods. We did some with Jimmy Nardello male / black beauty female and vice versa. Same result both ways.

The seeds from the hybrid plants result in less vigorous plants has been our experience. I read that is common. Nature is fascinating. Lucky to have Amber's company in Illinois' July. Should be plenty of garden harvesting going forward this month

[QTCut5]

That's just beautiful, Bryan.....your yard and garden I have fond memories of the cucumber onion salad you describe, it was a summertime staple in my home growing up, especially at picnics and barbecues.

Love the pic of the hand holding Amber by the pepper plant.....classic!

[1967redrider]

Looking awesome and the peppers sound deeeeeeeeeeeeelicious!

[wlf]

Great gardening, the squirrels have taken over our tomatoes . They have developed a love of Cherokee Purple tomatoes.
I've never tried cross pollinating, but loved raising my plants from seeds I'd saved.

Good job Bryan family.

[Bryan]

They have developed a love of Cherokee Purple tomatoes.

Well... I mean... Can you blame them, really?

We usually make sure to have a Cherokee Purple plant in the garden. Failed that mission this year, though, so we're in pretty bad shape on that front, ourselves

[Bryan]

Thanks everyone for the kind comments. The wife is to blame for anything that looks good in the garden or otherwise in those pics.

[Bryan]

My time with Amber has come to an end. She was packaged up today and placed in the care of Effingham's post office with the responsibility to send her on her way to Wisconsin. I have one more parting picture to share.

[LKSKNIVES]

My time with Amber has come to an end. She was packaged up today and placed in the care of Effingham's post office with the responsibility to send her on her way to Wisconsin. I have one more parting picture to share.

Nice photo Bryan.
The knife included. I’m all about the food and when it comes to fresh tomatoes there’s nothing better.
Steve

[rea1eye]

My time with Amber has come to an end. She was packaged up today and placed in the care of Effingham's post office with the responsibility to send her on her way to Wisconsin. I have one more parting picture to share.

Nice parting shot!

Bob

[knifeaddict1965]

My time with Amber has come to an end. She was packaged up today and placed in the care of Effingham's post office with the responsibility to send her on her way to Wisconsin. I have one more parting picture to share.

Great shot, Bryan! Hope you enjoyed your time with Amber and look forward to following her on her next adventure with Zach.

[bestgear]

Looks like Amber is finding love at every waypoint in her journey and I’m sure her time in Wisconsin will prove the same. Thank you Bryan for being a part of AAA and for keeping the memory of Ivoryman alive.

[Sasquach]

Those tomatoes look delicious!!!

Bryan, I'm glad you enjoyed your time with Amber, she's a sweetie. So now amber is off on the next leg of her journey and new adventures in a new place. Ivoryman's memory is riding shotgun right beside her.

[ThatWeirdKnifeGuy]

Happy to be next in line and patiently waiting on the mail guy

[ThatWeirdKnifeGuy]

Amber is now in Wisconsin. She showed up yesterday, in my mail box waiting for me when I got home. In true stay at home dad fashion my day started with waking up early to get over of my sons to an eye appointment. Then from there, since it's halfway, we drove to Green Bay to spend the day at Bay Beach. It's a small amusement park that's a wonderful throwback to how fairs and rides used to be. Tickets are 25 cents, the most expensive ride is 4 tickets. It's owned and operated by the city so things are priced reasonably. We spent 30 on tickets, 40 on food, then 20 dippin' dots. We came home with 15 worth of tickets still. My sister was with us too, so that's the cost for 6 people. The only bummer was that the Zippin' Pippin was closed. It's an old wooden Rollercoaster whose claim to faim is that Elvis once called it his favorite Rollercoaster. It ended up being hotter than we expected, and all three boys have a cold so it was a pleasant though somewhat arduous day.

Once home we settled the boys into watching a Charlie brown dvd so they could rest a little. I, however, turned back around and went to my work where my friend had used his Sysco account to order me 250 pounds of potatoes. Those had to get loaded up, carried in, washed, dried, boxed back up, carried down to the basement. Not much for Amber to do in all this but ride along and witness the life of a stay at home dad with various side hustles.

Should be able to get some pictures today. Tomorrow I set up, then Thursday morning starts the 4 day county fair where I hope to fry and sell every last one of those potatoes, plus hopefully another 100 to 200 pounds. It's a pretty greasy affair. I carry a knife and a leatherman, but only all metal and stainless. I've already determined that Amber will ride along, safely in my backpack and out of the blast zone.

[Sasquach]

It's good to hear that Amber arrived safely, TWKG. Now she can help you peel some of those taters.

[bestgear]

Now she can help you peel some of those taters

that will enhance her patina Charlie

[ThatWeirdKnifeGuy]

Today Amber gets to experience waiting in a parking lot while my son has a therapy appointment. This one is usually two appointments, but one therapist went home early today so it's just one 45 minute session. I had hoped to take a few pictures of Amber with this other one I'm carrying today. It's a small ERN manicure knife I inherited from my wife's great grandfather. It's one of my favorites, I brought it just for the occasion. Alas, it's raining so I won't get to stage a nice outdoor shot. The classic knife in lap shot where I try desperately but to no avail to hide my fingers and ugly mug from reflecting in the bolsters will have to do.

[1967redrider]

Cool duo, TWKG! Nice to see Amber has a friend.