Update from the road: LA, Vegas, and Roswell

Some technical difficulties (apparently, internet access isn’t high on people’s priority lists between Vegas and Roswell, New Mexico…they’re more COW people) have limited our ability to share some pictures, etc., but here’s a snapshot of Day 1, Part 1 (“The L.A. Departure”), of the Journey To Greatness.

Check back later today for some additional thoughts from each group member, pictures, and most telling quotes of the trip thus far. Back to Day 1 though before I lose this connection……

“The L.A. Departure”

Started off with a quick tour of Venice Beach - we met some interesting people that were definitely on their own life journey -- one that smelled of liquor and weed. As tempting as their journey appeared, we were not deterred from our mission: to further the greatness of TMA.

The most logical way to do that of course was hitting up a street shop, picking up some awkward-looking muscle sweatshirts and hitting up Venice’s famous Muscle Beach, ambitiously challenging strangers to physical exercises on the sand-filled training grounds (videos to follow).

It crushed our spirits a bit when our captain Tommy lost a rope-climbing battle with a 7-year- old girl, but I’m pretty sure she was on steroids, OR had the deepest voice of any 7-year-old in the world.

Regardless, Tommy’s eyes were filled with passion (followed by humiliated tears), and that’s all that matters to “TMA’s Little Urban Achievers.” That, and saving the world.

A quick stop to In-N-Out Burger was obviously next on the agenda. Nothing says Greatness better than cheese fries covered in mystery sauce, unless of course living past 40 is a goal of yours. Either way, those burgers sure were delicious - though I’m not sure what the differences are between numbers 1, 2 and 3 (the ONLY choices) on the menu. Probably just the “amount of greatness.”

Yes, if you’re keeping up with this post thus far, we decided that being sweaty, sandy and filled with In-N-Out Burger was the only way to start the trip off right. This interesting choice came back to bite us a bit when Matt fell asleep and provided the car with a ‘medley’ of sorts. You connect the dots.

A snapshot of Day 1, Part 2 (“Vegas, Baby”) to follow shortly. Look for some blogging done in the next hour or so from ‘Woman Of Few Words’ Paula and ‘High Octane’ Tommy G.

~Passionately yours, and your TMA Urban Achiever Email Correspondent,

Kevin 'the Snogle of all Pitts' Andounian