DIE TAN - The Story of a Boy and His Jeep
DIE TAN The Adventures of a Boy and his Jeep
Pacific Ocean

We made it to California!  As we dropped into San Diego it was snowing, but we were on the water again yesterday at La Jolla exploring sea caves with some seals, and surfing a few waves.  I'll post a full update and pics in a day or two, but wanted to let everyone know we are safe and sound.  Jason is probably in Atlanta by now, and I'm taking a break from the road for a few days to visit my Dad.  Will type again soon.
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Posted by David Burden at
1/21/2007 10:57 AM | View Comments (3) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (0)
1-15-07 Update
I hope that you enjoy the pictures, and that it takes you far less time to browse them than it's taking me to upload them. As a reward for your patience, I can finally offer you a gift worth giving. The official DIETAN.net stickers should arrive within hours at my unsuspecting mother's house in Bluffton, SC. If you send me an e-mail with your address and a kind and entertaining request for a free sticker, I'll send you one from San Diego at the end of the week. Come on... you know you want one. Send me your info at gonesailin@yahoo.com and start checking the mail next week.
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Posted by David Burden at
1/15/2007 2:22 PM | View Comments (5) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (0)
Sputtering into Alpine
Granted, it was cold when we fired her up this morning. 33 degrees according to the news. But still, I expected to be able to pull some power out of the engine as we climbed out of Sanderson and on to Marathon, Texas. An hour or so later we were still struggling to get the engine over 1200 rpm, and 30 mph. Not cool. West Texas is pretty and all, but I want to see these views at 60 miles an hour as I'm on my way to the river. By the time we rolled into Marathon we were really struggling. We loaded up on coffee, ripped out the old air filter and kept our fingers crossed on the drive toward Alpine. Maybe the engine would kick in once the sun warmed us into the 40's. Maybe it's just the altitude. Maybe we're completely screwed.
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Posted by David Burden at
1/15/2007 11:51 AM | View Comments (0) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (0)
January 7th Update
Although I'm pretty sure that my sister is the only one reading this, I'll thank all of you for coming to check out DIETAN.net. So far I have been having a great trip. And a wet trip. There's been quite a bit of rain down South this year. The fact that I have been having so much fun and getting wet doing it means that I have been doing a piss poor job of updating this web site. Tonight I am half way between Del Rio and Terlingua Texas with Jason. We walked into Mexico today and bought a groovy set of horns for the front of the Jeep. Tomorrow we're putting in on the Rio Grande for 4 or 5 days. This means that I will continue doing a piss poor job of updating this site. However, I have been taking pictures and notes. The pictures from the trip so far are all up at photos.dietan.net.
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Posted by David Burden at
1/15/2007 11:47 AM | View Comments (0) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (0)
Florida Kayaking and on to Cross Creek
After we put away the tape measure and exhausted both sides of the rudder/skeg debate. It was time to get back on the road. I was recharged after a little time on the water with new friends, and packed up wishing I had some more time to get them to show me the real paddling treasures in this part of Florida. As I loaded up the Jeep Greg showed me a couple of satellite pictures of our intended destination and gave me directions to the beach and a good bar. Did I mention that these guys are great hosts?
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Posted by David Burden at
1/15/2007 11:46 AM | View Comments (0) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (0)
Sea Kayak Georgia on my mind
This guy seems to know what's up, and all I need is the vague sense of permission that accompanies the confused look on his face when I tell my story and ask if I can jump the fence. Within seconds I have the X-Ray on my shoulder, and a slightly puzzled co-conspirator to pass it to. 2 minutes later I'm on the road and my new friend is still standing in the parking lot at Sea Kayak Georgia holding my card and a note that could have been the final clue in the DaVinci Code if it were any more nebulous.
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Posted by David Burden at
1/15/2007 11:44 AM | View Comments (0) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (0)
Heading South From Bluffton
The list is getting shorter. The cast is dwindling. The Jeep is loaded. It's time to leave. All I'm waiting for is one quick phone call from the fine folks at Sea Kayak Georgia down in Tybee Island. I need to see them to pick up the 2nd kayak that I'll be crossing the country with. They've had a pretty yellow fiberglass X-Ray on loan from Point 65 for a few months, and it's time to go get it. If they would just call me back.
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Posted by David Burden at
1/15/2007 11:41 AM | View Comments (0) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (0)
Long Overdue
I have managed to talk the night clerk at the Motel 6 in Carlsbad into letting me use his computer for an hour or so. I just had to "misplace" my 12 pack of Lone Star and agree not to harass anyone looking for a room. I have also been keeping a decent journal on the laptop just waiting to be shot out to you, and have taken about 700 pictures that will be available for your viewing pleasure just as soon as I can get plugged in. In the mean time, I'll go ahead an fill you in on the bare bones details of what I've been up to since that splendid night at South of the Border.
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Posted by David Burden at
1/13/2007 8:50 PM | View Comments (0) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (0)
The Journey Begins
The weather was perfect. The Bay was slick calm under a beautiful sunset, and the Jeep seemed to purr a little as we rose up over the high rise and took in the scene that surrounded us. Of course that purr was actually more of a throat clearing which was followed by a couple of coughs and the spitting out of some clutch fluid and 8 ounces of oil.
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Posted by David Burden at
12/28/2006 9:11 PM | View Comments (8) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (0)
Coming Soon to the water near you...
At some point in the near future, this space will hold the trip details, random thoughts, photos, and whatever else pops up along the way from the DIETAN Retirement Tour.  Please stop back in from time to time to see what we're up to.  Right now it's time to get the shop cleaned up, winterize the house, fix the clutch in the Jeep, and head home for Christmas.  Thank you for checking in.  I hope to have something meaningful up here within a few days.
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Posted by David Burden at
12/21/2006 5:20 PM | View Comments (2) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (0)
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