Asian Tour Bus and the Beer Bible

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Brewfoo
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Asian Tour Bus and the Beer Bible

Post by Brewfoo »

As summer vacation is winding down, I would like to share some information about Asian tour buses, what they have to offer, and some of my vacation pics...

If you live near or in an Asian community such as Rowland Heights, Alhambra, or the like, you may have noticed us with our luggage standing in the parking lot waiting to be herded into the tour buses. Some parking lots will have as many as 10 or more buses lined up to take people to Indian casinos or sightseeing landmarks throughout the U.S. Asian tour buses are relatively cheap considering they normally include all hotel stays (Best Western type) and the usual continental breakfast.

Our family trip costed $408 dollars per ticket for a 7 day bus trip to Yellowstone National Park. Buy 2 tickets and the 3rd is free (does not include tip for the driver or tour guide). The down side of such a trip for me was the fact the guide spoke 95% of the time in Chinese. There were a few other people like my family who grew up in SoCal on the bus but the tours are always marketed for out of the country visitors who want the most picture opportunity for their buck as possible. We went because it was cheap, and the sites we saw were the sites we only saw in brochures and history books growing up.

The tour started for me at the Best Western parking lot in Rowland Heights:
U.S. Lion Tour is one of the major Asian tour bus companies.  They pick up and drop off from various Asian communities.
U.S. Lion Tour is one of the major Asian tour bus companies. They pick up and drop off from various Asian communities.
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The bathroom inside the bus is for emergencies only so they make frequent potty breaks at truck stops like this one:
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My son and I are seen here preaching the gospel of Palmer to the Bud Light drinking public.
My son and I are seen here preaching the gospel of Palmer to the Bud Light drinking public.
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Beer....it's the new "water."
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Brewfoo
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Re: Asian Tour Bus and the Beer Bible

Post by Brewfoo »

The bus ride itself could be quite relaxing as it rocks you to sleep during most of the long hours. We live in a beautiful country and not many people take the time to look around.
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We headed east towards Las Vegas first:
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Our first destination was going to be Utah's Arches National Park. I don't remember the names of most of the cities we passed by and they pretty much look all the same. I'll continue to post more each day for your amusement.
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Beer....it's the new "water."
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Brewfoo
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Re: Asian Tour Bus and the Beer Bible

Post by Brewfoo »

In the middle of nowhere with my bible.
In the middle of nowhere with my bible.
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Arches National Park, Utah.
Arches National Park, Utah.
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Brewfoo
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Re: Asian Tour Bus and the Beer Bible

Post by Brewfoo »

Sandstone mountains take the shapes of odd things.
Sandstone mountains take the shapes of odd things.
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Our Chinese tour guide, Steve.
Our Chinese tour guide, Steve.
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A Vietnam Memorial on our way to Wyoming.
A Vietnam Memorial on our way to Wyoming.
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brahn
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Re: Asian Tour Bus and the Beer Bible

Post by brahn »

Hah, this is great, someone should send this thread to John Palmer.
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Brewfoo
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Re: Asian Tour Bus and the Beer Bible

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Continuing...(thanks brahn. I wasn't sure if this thread was going to be too self indulgent. It's really just a goof on my family who roped me into going on this bus trip and for those magazines I read when I was a kid where they held up their favorite magazine in order to get their faces published.)

A memorial bench and a granite wall of names of the decease here.
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I read earlier this week about the death of all those Navy Seals recently in the helicopter that was shot down in Afghanistan. The article mentioned how the Seals are so secretive in their operation and personnel that we will never know their names or have a hero's welcome home with a flag draped casket in their honor. For whatever cause they died for and whether you believe in the war or not, let's toast to the fallen who gave their lives not for money or fame, but for something they believed in and for our country in which the beauty you may clearly see in these photos.

I arrived in the Black Hills of South Dakota and stood inside the Crazy Horse Indian Memorial Museum.
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The Crazy Horse granite mountain carving is far from done. The same sculptor as Mt. Rushmore started this project but it looks stalled due to the economy. It's an ambitious piece, several times bigger than Mt. Rushmore. The mountain itself is quite further away and required a shuttle to get to the base. Our tour guide only gave us a hour to run around.
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Brewfoo
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Re: Asian Tour Bus and the Beer Bible

Post by Brewfoo »

The finished piece will hopefully resemble this:
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If man can carve a granite mountain into a piece of art, I know I can someday make good beer.
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Nearby, we stopped at "Bear Country" where wild animals like these albino wolves roamed caged free while we drove around in our vehicles. It kind of looked like Jurassic Park, only with sad zoo animals including some real mangy bears.
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Brewfoo
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Re: Asian Tour Bus and the Beer Bible

Post by Brewfoo »

My journey to Yellowstone continues but we made another stop at this little granite carving in the the background.
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Imagine not my face on the mountain top but the "Book."
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I'm not proud of myself in this picture:
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Brewfoo
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Re: Asian Tour Bus and the Beer Bible

Post by Brewfoo »

I took a photo of a local beer in the area at this bus stop near Wyoming.
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Finally, at Yellowstone.
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Brewfoo
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Re: Asian Tour Bus and the Beer Bible

Post by Brewfoo »

Natural hot springs and geysers at Yellowstone.
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Re: Asian Tour Bus and the Beer Bible

Post by Brewfoo »

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I took a short video of this amazing waterfall at Yellowstone. Be sure not to miss a surprise at the end of this video clip. Pay attention!
http://youtu.be/F1FK0ZmgtBE
Beer....it's the new "water."
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Brewfoo
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Re: Asian Tour Bus and the Beer Bible

Post by Brewfoo »

I've been away too long from this thread and thought maybe I should just end it with a few more photos since summer is winding down and my son is back in school.

Anyways, we stopped by the copper mine in Utah on the way home and finally made it back safely....Thanks for indulging me in this thread...
It sure is a big hole in the ground.
It sure is a big hole in the ground.
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An old bottle in their museum.
An old bottle in their museum.
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Thank you for viewing this thread and farewell from the Brewfoo family!
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Beer....it's the new "water."
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lexuschris
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Re: Asian Tour Bus and the Beer Bible

Post by lexuschris »

Thanks for sharing the cool pictures from all over the US! Most are from places I've always wanted to go, but have not yet been.

You have inspired me sir! So, in honor of your own inimitable style .. I present you...
Sedona, AZ
Sedona, AZ
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:happybeer: Prost!
--LexusChris
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StarRaptor
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Re: Asian Tour Bus and the Beer Bible

Post by StarRaptor »

Growing up across from Kennecott (the world's largest open pit mine) I have to say those were my favorite pictures of the bunch
brien
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Re: Asian Tour Bus and the Beer Bible

Post by brien »

Nice pics.

@StarRaptor: I grew up across from an old pit mine up in Sparks (near Reno). It flooded in the 90's and now it's a waterpark/casino. Go figure.
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