Here’s a quick look at a Truth Train team member’s patio setup this summer. Keep an eye out for an upcoming “how-to” post about potting a palm tree…
Author Archives: truthtrain
Schwinn Gladiator
The Gladiator is a BMX//bicycle/Razor scooter hybrid that was produced by Schwinn in the 1990′s. They offer a stable ride and are a fun way to get around. We predict that hipsters will soon ditch their fixed gear bikes en masse and start riding these once they realize that pedals and chains may be just as unnecessary as extra gears. They fact that they’ll never see anyone else riding one on their street doesn’t hurt either. Gladiators occasionally appear on eBay, so snatch one up if you get the chance… before they become even more rare!
Caveat: As our tester notes in the video below, many Gladiators still have the original bicycle brake components from 1990 (Hammer time), so be sure to give them a once over before cruising downhill.
All aboard!
Alite Designs Monarch Butterfly Camp Chair
This camper’s delight comes from Alite Designs, a San Francisco based company.
The Monarch Butterfly chair is light weight, at 18 oz. and packs into a 4.5 x 13 in. stuff sack. Expanding on the aluminum pole design, seen in most new tents, set up is quick and easy. The chair is made with nylon fabric and mesh side panels for breathability. despite its nimble weight, it’s capacity is rated to 250 lbs, even your bigger buddies can use it.
The 2 rubber feet can be a balancing act (pun intended), but with practice can become quite relaxing. So prop your feet up and enjoy the campfire all year long!
ALL ABOARD!!
Harrah’s Casino in Metropolis, Il
This, uhhhh, shall we say, “succinct” review of Harrah’s Casino in Metropolis, Il just goes to show that blackjack + losing = brevity. In all seriousness, it’s not the Luxor, but we always find ourselves stopping in for a few hands whenever we’re driving through the Land of Lincoln. The casino also occasionally holds electrifying limbo contests in the “Party Zone”. The contests are not to be missed, and we’re not just saying that because one of us has a second place finish under their belt.
Stay on the Platform
Posted in Vices
Tagged Blackjack, Casino, Gambling, Harrah's, Metropolis, parking lot
Music City Hot Chicken Festival
Posted in Food & Drink
Tagged 400 Degrees, Bolton's, Chicken, East, Festival, Hot, Nashville, Prince's, Yazoo
Gold Strike Casino
If you find yourself wandering south of Memphis with an appetite for fun, free drinks, and fake Chihuly sculptures, look no further than the Gold Strike Casino Resort in Tunica, Mississippi.
A group of friends and I made the four-hour drive from Nashville to the Magnolia State for a weekend sojourn in the Paris of the Mid-South.
Allegedly, this parcel of land rests on some unseen body of water, but all we could locate was a moat and maybe some marsh lands. Potential legal issues aside, the Gold Strike an exciting place to spend a weekend.
For what Tunica has to offer, the Gold Strike is one of the classier joints in which to try your luck. The rooms are comfortable, stylish and modern. The ground floor is full of craps tables, roulette wheels, and thematic slot machines (my personal favorite was the “Sex and the City” slot).
In addition to the myriad of games available for you to blow your paycheck, there are other ways to spend your time. While listening to a live band play one-hit wonders from the 90s near the bar, you can take a break from gambling and enjoy a refreshment at no cost to you.
The Chicago Steakhouse is an upscale dining venue in the casino, but if you want to get away for the evening, check out historic downtown Memphis. Several other casinos are within walking distance, but frankly, you have no reason to ever leave the Strike. Be careful if you step outside for some fresh air (the casino floor can get a little smoky). You may bump into a cadre of college-age girls in argyle. (We did, anyway).
I lost $60 there, but my friend won $300. You never know how Lady Luck will strike. Regardless of the outcome, the memories you make at this resort will be golden.
All aboard!
Posted in Entertainment, Food & Drink, Vices
Tagged Blackjack, Casino, Gambling, Hotel, Mississippi, Slots, Steakhouse, Tunica
Robert’s Western World
If you have a hankerin’ to go honky tonkin’ on Broadway in Nashville, you have to check out Robert’s Western World… it may be the only legitimate spot left. Bypass those urban posers at the Stage and enjoy a High Life while enjoying traditional country music and viewing the extensive selection of cowboy boots for sale on the wall. You won’t regret it, and you’ll gain instant street cred with the locals.
All Aboard!
Posted in Entertainment, Vices
Tagged Bar, Country, Cowboy Boots, Legit, Nashville, Western
Screwpop™ (4-in-1 keychain tool)
Have you ever opened a cooler full of beer only to see nothing but pry-off tops? Have you attended a birthday party where a gang of unruly 3rd graders insists that batteries be immediately installed in all of the new toys? There is no need to fear these situations any longer thanks to Screwpop™.
The Screwpop™ is an extremely convenient tool that fits right in the palm of your hand. As a screwdriver, it leverages surprisingly impressive torque delivered through a reversible snap-in Flathead and Phillips screw-bit. Old, weathered, and rusty screws were no match for the tool in our tests. The compact design even functions as a ¼” nut driver for tightening loose bolts and works as a mini pry-bar for working things apart (using flathead bit). The Screwpop™ also functions as a bottle opener for people who’ve worked up a thirst unscrewing things.
Noticeably smaller than most car keys, its compact size fits nicely in the pocket without adding significant bulk. I added it to my keyring this weekend and had no trouble adjusting to the extra mass. The Screwpop™ has a high build quality, including some etchings on the tool (absent in the pictures above) that add a nice level of detail.
With a paltry price of $4.95, you really can’t afford to not have one of these on your keyring.
