Long before arriving, I had made contact with a complete stranger, a darts player in Reykjavik, named Einar. We became fast friends through DartsUnderground, and he offered his hospitality for my visit. As I trundled out of the modern yet modest international airport, Einar was there at the turnaround, in his SUV, reflecting the first orange rays of morning light. Tall, dark, and svelte, Einar collected me and my bags with a hardy welcome and handshake, and the friendship grew quickly with conversation during the long pre-rush hour drive into the city.

We were heading to a new hostel housed in a former biscuit factory called Kex, the Icelandic word for “cookie” or “cracker”. Einar had recommended it in advance; first, because it was nice and new, and second, because its location was perfect–on the bay, in the heart of Reykjavik, and right next door to the Icelandic Darts Club! I contacted Kex in advance too, describing the purpose of my journey. “We’d love to have a dartboard in our game room,” the manager wrote.

Einar dropped me, my bags and my dartboard off at the back door, promising to return later to show me the darts club.

I was dead tired, but still running on excitement. I checked in, took pictures of the fantastic and affordable Kex Hostel, and presented the board to the staff and owners at the front desk. “This will be perfect for our activity room,” they said with smiles. I smiled back, took my key, and went upstairs to my elegantly simple private room, the first bed of my three month odyssey. I examined maps, got my internet working, charged the camera, and made plans to walk the town…after a quick nap. I’ve never had jet lag so bad in my life.

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A few hours later in the early afternoon, I woke with a start, thinking, “Come on Adam, how can you sleep when there are things to see and do!? You’re in Iceland!” I forced myself up and headed out for a walk down the main tourist boulevard, a block away. It was a beautiful sunny day, leaving me comfortable in pants, sleeves, my BlueSky Cap and my denim coat. My pockets held a 100,000 Kronurs, Iceland’s currency, plus my passport, waterproof camera, and my darts. I jingled a little as I walked.

This first outing was simply reconnaissance. I would scout the local culture and search for the nearest dart bars. I also stopped at the offices of Arctic Rafting–a sightseeing and adventure company I had also emailed in advance–to confirm my package on Thursday: whitewater rafting and the “Golden Circle” tour to see some of Iceland’s most famous natural wonders–like geysers, waterfalls, hot springs and rifts. Today was Monday, and I had three days to explore the walkable and welcoming capital city.

It’s always amazing to stroll through a new culture: hearing a unique language from passing pedestrians, seeing signs on restaurants and stores offering whale, puffin and shark dinners or sales on the latest in fuzzy warm Icelandic fashion, and studying the hardy faces of these Viking ancestors. Icelandic was already one of my favorite languages–it’s the only one in the world with a letter called “thorn“, a unique symbol in many ways. Other than some basics, like ” takk”, “já”, and “skál” meaning “thanks”, “yes”, and “cheers” respectively, I didn’t learn nearly enough. I never found time to try the “hákarl“, the infamous shark delicacy fermented for five months before serving, nor entrees of whale or puffin, although I did enjoy the renowned lamburger more than once. And then there’s the people. They couldn’t be a friendlier bunch. And, to my pleasant surprise, the women of Iceland are some of the more beautiful in the world.

I walked the main drag, snapping pictures of people and the civic beauty. Then, I found the dart bars. Would you believe that beer–not alcohol, just beer–was prohibited in Iceland until March 1, 1989? The date now represents

The first place I found was The English Pub, with one board, centrally located by the bar, between a half dozen screens. They had a “Wheel of Fortune” on the wall which, of course, reminded me of David Irete, our wonderful producer at DartsAroundTheWorld. I told the bartender who I was and asked about the local darts scene over a Viking Lager. It was still early afternoon, and people–and potential dart players–were yet to arrive after work. So, I ambled down to The Irish Bar, met a barkeep named Oddur–he told me they used to have a board, and offered me a shot of Iceland’s signature liquor, Brennivín, also know as “Black Death”. He suggested I try the Den Danske for darts, a nearby Dutch bar up the street. Soon, I was there, just in time to join the regulars for an impromptu shoot–one hundred Kronurs each, winner takes all. Despite my dartitis, I managed to win the first round, and two out of three, giving a little credit to my unusual claim of being a darts-travel writer, and being mistaken for a ringer.

A short clip of us playing in Den Danske…

Time flew as I drank different brands of local brew. We played all evening but by midnight, I was wiped out and starving, stopping to buy a bunch of late night treats at a convenience store on my way home to the hostel. Einar was busy until tomorrow, which was fine by me–I needed the sleep. But the following morning, after an amazing continental breakfast and coffee at the Kex, Einar appeared. We walked around the corner to an non-descript building with a small sign near the door that said “Iceland Darts Club”. The club had boards everywhere, plus a fridge stocked with beer and giant glass steins on the bar. Another friend and player, Gudmundur, joined us and, on my second day in Reykjavik, we played all afternoon, laughing and drinking and talking about darts in Iceland. Despite only playing darts for a year, Einar had already made the national team and would represent his country as the number two player at the WDF World Cup. After a ton eighty or two, it was clear that he deserved to be on the team, and that Iceland has some serious talent. And, as you will see in Thorn Reports to come, Einar “The Joker” Möller lives up to his nickname…

Over and double out.

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Feel free to follow the embedded links and contact people and places in Iceland–they’re a friendly bunch, and I highly recommend all of the establishments mentioned above.

As always, consider a subscription to BullsEyeNews magazine. More exclusive Thorn Reports from this journey can only be found there, in a six part series beginning with the March 2012 issue.

So, there I was, sitting at my table at the 42nd Oregon Open, drawing a poster for DartsAroundTheWorld, and dreaming of the places and people I’d discover on my amazing race to oches around the world. Meanwhile, players were pouring in from all around the western United States and Canada, gearing up for another wonderful weekend of darts. Groups arrived from Washington, Oregon, California, British Columbia, and others traveled even further. By now, I knew most of the best shooters–people like John Husman, Steve Arionus, Allan Nutter, Kevin Luke, David Foster, Andy Campbell, Bill Dennis, and many more, not to mention Brenda Roush and Brian Jackson. Those I didn’t know, like new youth player Matt Sagen, I soon met.

But, one player caught everyone’s attention more than most, especially mine. Patrick Kithi is from Kenya. He grew up outside of the capital, Nairobi, in a town called Machakos. As a young man, he often went hunting for small game with hand thrown wooden arrows, honing his action and focus. Later, he moved to Nairobi, and joined the darts league, quickly becoming one of the top players. He recently moved to Oregon, and with a love of darts, was quickly discovering–and being discovered by–the darts scene in the Pacific Northwest. He surprised a lot of players that weekend and had many top finishes, included a victory in the Men’s Cricket event. Patrick’s story is the perfect example of what I love about darts–darts brings people together through a common joy. I told Patrick about my journey to Africa when I was a young man, and how it changed my perspective on life, and certainly added to my insatiable wanderlust.

Find more photos like this on Darts Underground

Myself, I’d enter a few events without much success. It certainly wasn’t like my first experience a few years earlier, at the 39th Oregon Open, when I actually made the stage and won the blind draw–with the help of an exceptional player from San Francisco. But, my “victories” at the 42nd Oregon Open were even more cherished–an invite to the World Cup with a top pro, meeting a person like Patrick Kithi, and winning a new dartboard in the PortlandAreaDartsAsssociation raffle. Well, actually, Brenda won it, and gave it to me, since she needn’t fly it home to Denver. Winning a new board may not seem like much–until you find out where the board ended up going…

How did I end up in Iceland? Well, let me explain, and let’s get this journey started…

After April, it was rafting season. As an employee of BlueSkyRafting, I spent the next five months working and saving money. Every day on the river, I’d dream about where to go in Europe and how to get there. Every night at my home in the woods, I’d research and plan the possibilities. I knew this much–I would try to see as many countries as possible. I also knew that Iceland Air had some great deals on flights. So, I targeted Iceland as my entry point, and bought a one way ticket to Glasgow, Scotland, for $670, which included a four day layover in Reykjavik, Iceland’s capital. That would get me to the United Kingdom, where it would be easy to train, bus and ferry my way to Northern Ireland and to the World Cup in Castlebar, Ireland. But how and when would I get home?

If you know me, you know my love of water. So, I started researching the possibilities of floating back to the United States, across the Atlantic. I found a repositioning cruise in late October, fifteen days from Spain to Panama, for only $400. It was so cheap I could afford to pay double for a room to myself.

After buying my boarding pass, my basic plan was nearly set: I’d fly across to Iceland and the United Kingdom, I’d travel through western Europe to Spain, float to Panama, and bus my way back up Central America. If I was lucky, I’d arrive in Los Angeles in mid December, the same time as John Lowe’s exhibition and first stop on his US tour. What a plan. I’d be traveling for three months, to possibly twenty countries, and several islands along the way…

The day of departure, September 12, finally arrived. Much of my itinerary was set, other segments were wide open and flexible. I was packed and prepared for weather from the Arctic to the Caribbean–how often do you put a snorkel and ski coat in the same bag?

But, there I was, standing outside Portland International Airport with my bag and carry-on with computer and camera, ready for the darts adventure of a lifetime. I also packed up the dartboard that Brenda gave me–but you’ll have to wait until next week’s chapter of the Thorn Report to find out why.

Over and double out.

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For more on this story, subscribe to the BullsEyeNews today!

Comments on Dino, The Las Vegas Open, Shoot the Moon, the PDC World Cup, results, and more on the mathematics of seeding…

We had the pleasure this week to have Gary and Darin join us to talk about their appearance in the World Cup immediately following the event. Given the unique format of the World Cup, it was a blast watching Gary and Darin play doubles together on a stage with players that aren’t quite as familiar this style of darts. As each one of them would smile after one of them struggled or hit the big out, they were having fun up there. They didn’t exactly get the greatest reception from the German crowd (minus the one guy yelling USA at the most awkward times), they never seemed to be phased. On top of that, Gary was able to knock off Phil Taylor. Unfortunately, after a few chances to knock off England, they finally sealed the deal and sent the USA home packing. A lot of great insight into the world of the PDC from these guys. Bob Sinnaeve was also able to join us to give us all the info on the newly returned NAPDA. They are looking to develop a new ranking system for North America over 2 years based on earnings of the players. Tune in to this show to get most of what you need to know about this organization. Everything else can be found at www.napda.net. Don’t forget to find those hilarious dart related tweets and facebook posts for Colin Cosell’s new segment. Send all screen captures to host@dartsaroundtheworld.com. Have a great week dart world!

And, that’s how this journey began–a epic adventure to discover and spread darts around the world.

It was April in Portland, Oregon, cloudy and rainy. Mt. Hood was hidden in the clouds, and the river and meadow below were wet with mist. A warm fire was glowing in the living room. My friends, Brenda and Brian, were chatting with me in my dining room over drinks.  Brenda Roush is a top US professional darts player sponsored by L-Style. Brian Jackson is the creator of the new Major League Darts tour in North America. They were both in town for the ADO sanctioned 42nd Oregon Open, a Portland Area Darts Association event that is the longest consecutive running steel tip tourney in the United States.

To my complete surprise, Brenda had just invited me to attend the WDF’s 2011 World Cup of Darts in Castlebar, Ireland, in September.  “And, let’s travel around Ireland for a week after the tourney, Thorn style, ” Brenda added. Brian looked at me and smiled. Knowing me and my love of travel and darts, they both knew I wouldn’t say no.

A preview of things to come…

Find more photos like this on Darts Underground

At that moment, I knew it would be the greatest darts adventure of my life so far–touring with a US pro, and meeting top dart players from forty countries around the world. What I didn’t know was that the two week invitation to Ireland would evolve into a much more ambitious itinerary–three months and twenty countries, a massive loop around the western hemisphere, from Iceland to Spain, across the Atlantic to Panama and back to the United States–to meet new cultures in new countries, and share the love of darts around the world.

There will be darts in exotic places–under the northern lights among geysers and glaciers, in the cloud forest with monkeys and pumas, from castles atop towering cliffs, and on black sand beaches of tropical volcanoes.

We will rub elbows with world champions, legends, and famous faces–John Lowe, Martin Adams, Scott Waites, Tony O’shea, Trina Gulliver, Larry Butler, and many many other prominent personalities  in our sport.

And, we’ll promote the sport in some of the world’s most famous cities: Reykjavik, Edinburgh, Belfast, Dublin, London, Amsterdam, Marseilles, Barcelona, Panama City, San Jose, Grenada, and Los Angeles.

Most importantly, we will make more international friends and connections than we can count, all through the love of darts, the greatest game on Earth. Believe it or not, through darts, we will even try to save the Earth itself.

And, it all starts today, right here in the Thorn Report.

Would you like to come with me?

Over and double out.
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Visit DartsAroundTheWorld and join me every Wednesday for another chapter of this amazing journey around the world of darts. And, for more on this adventure, subscribe to BullsEyeNews magazine today!

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Jeff Smith returns this week from the PDC’s Qualifying School to talk about winning his first ever tour card.  He described his experience as a confident one while he shot some of the best darts of his life. He looks forward to spending some time overseas and seeing what sponsorship can do for him to get him to travel more often. Congratulations Jeff! Immediately following the interview we turned to our panel of guests including Jay Tomlinson of Bullseye News Magazine, Steve Panuncialman of Dart Talk, Anthony Eugenia of Dart Players New York, Brian Jackson of Major League Darts and Chris Helms who recently became the next ADO President. With a fully diverse panel we set out to dissect the newly organized PDC North American Pro Tour. Thanks to Jay, we got a very detail explanation of how it is going to work. We got a sense that all on the panel were excited to see  what this new tour will bring to North America. Even better yet, organizations like Major League Darts and Dart Players New York will be able to contribute to these tournaments by sending top players to participate in these events. Oh, and don’t forget, all who are participating in these events need not worry about being disqualified for the WDF World Cup! Look out for more information to follow about the return of the PDC in the coming months. Stay tuned!

We recap the Lakeside Championship, preview the U.S. National Cricket Championship–including seedings and odds, and go off on (cough, cough, cough) the powers that be, the powers that wanna be, and the powers that will never be.

There may have been no round table in sight this week but Richard Ashdown could cover every seat at the table.  Previously, during our world cup coverage, we got to know Richard a little bit but due to the bandwidth issues in Castlebar, Ireland, it was tough to make out half of what was being said. Have no fear, he’s back! And may I say, he sounds great. Looks like he has done this sort of thing before. He tells us his great story involving Bobby George and the start of his career. He gave us so many great insights into the behind the scenes of major televised tournaments. From there, we talked about the two or three controversial events that took place up on the Lakeside stage. Two breeze issues in both semi-final matches of both World Championships, go figure! Given that this may have been the most in depth coverage we have ever had on the show, we will most certainly be having Richard back in the future.  We also added a small question and answer segment after the end of the music so stay tuned!

www.littlericharddarts.com

Richard’s Recommended Videos:

The Dynamic Duo that is Dart Talk runs down the Rae Chesney Winners (apologies in advance to Trish Grezik) and warn the free world about the dangers of entering a dart hall containing Bob Miske. We mention Lakeside. And the seedings for the Virgina Beach Pro Cricket Championship. And we cover some basic strategery involving cricket…

Jeff Smith and Gary Mawson came on the show Wednesday night to talk about their upcoming trip to the PDC’s Q-School. This is an opportunity for players not yet playing on the tour to obtain their very own tour card. The object? Win as many legs as you can and make it to the top 16. Easy? Not a chance! With players showing up from the BDO (Dave Chisnall won a tour card through Q-School), the field is guaranteed to be a major challenge. Jeff and Gary did not show a hint of worry as we chatted them up on the show. We also talked to Gary about his upcoming trip to play in the PDC’s World Cup of Darts with Darren Young representing the United States. This tournament has been one of my favorites since I last saw it with its interesting format and team play. As soon as Jeff returns from Q-School, we expect him back on the show regardless of the news on January 25th live at 9pm EST on Darts Underground to give us a little insight into his experience. I’d also like to announce our next round table episode on January 18th where we will be talking about this sudden appearance of a PDC Pro Tour in the US. I hope you are excited so far about what 2012 is bringing us, we can’t wait to see what’s next!

The first show of the year from Dart Talk includes a new co-host and the apparent end to technical glitches. Steve and ‘Mystery Mark’ remark on the PDC Championship, including some snark for Wes Newton and Paul Nicholson (“Just mail him a check next time, Paul”) and some remarks on draughts. Also, the 2012 North American Tournament Buyer’s Guide: a discussion of the most prestigious and lucrative tournaments open to North American Darters this year. The new PDC tour, Dartslive Asia, MLD, ADO: there are many more opportunities for players this year, but how does one choose which tournaments to attend and why? Ever the helpful types, Dart Talk can help. Also, we recap the 2011 Players of the Year and Most Outstanding Players for men and women, and identifiy the 2011 Newcomer of the Year.

Taking these valuable relationships and our obvious love of broadcasting, we felt it was our obligation to offer a bright future for dart players all over North America.  Besides highlighting many of the great players and personalities on our show, we would like to take their skills and present them on a full video broadcast. Up until recently, we were never able to broadcast events and view them from our homes anywhere in the world. Our first attempt at delivering a professional broadcast was at John Lowe’s first US Exhibition tour stop in Los Angeles. With six high-end cameras, the help of a dedicated volunteer staff and the ireplaceable guidance of our Director/Producer L. David Irete, we made it a complete success! Take a look at some of the photos from that event.

Photography compliments of Brian Jackson(MLD Darts)

December has brought darts galore with not just what we are doing, but the PDC’s Player’s Championships, Ladbrokes World Championships and the Final Stage of the The World soft-tip Grand Final. Christmas come early this year! With the word spreading everyday and more people starting to get involved, things are looking up in the world of darts.

So how can YOU help? For starters, you could contact Mark Clifford of the PDSL and ask him about starting a progressive singles league that uses a long format system. Then, contact Brian Jackson of Major League Darts to make your league count towards the MLD ranking system just like Anthony Eugenia did with Dart Players New York. You could also take it a step further and outfit your bar with a few webcams and broadcast it to the world like at the Irish Rover in Queens, NY. (see here) Want something more? Send us an email and tell us you want to volunteer to be apart of our live broadcast staff at future major events!

Well, that should get you started. 2012 has a promising future and with your help we could make that possible. Don’t just stop with YOU, get your dartner involved! The darting community has such a strong social connection and it can only get stronger. We, at Darts Around The World, would like to wish you a happy and healthy holiday! Say goodbye to an amazing 2011 and hello to an even better 2012!!

Talk about big trips. After almost one hundred days, I had discovered over one hundred dartboards, from Iceland to Spain to Panama, and back again. I’ve only been home in Oregon for one week, and I’m still trying to recall all that I saw, and prepare to deliver it to you in the Thorn Reports for 2012. Of course, there are plenty of teasers in my travel blog on dartsunderground.com, and I still owe you a summary of the last months worth of adventure through the Caribbean and Central America…

Let’s see. Last time we talked I was in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.

The islands I visited in the Caribbean–St. Maarten, Barbados, and Antigua–were, as we all know, paradise. Unfortunately, time didn’t allow me much time to explore–instead, I spent shore leave lounging on beaches, under palms trees, with beautiful women, good friends and ice cold beers. To my surprise, St. Maarten’s darts scene was on the French side of the island, not the Dutch. In Barbados, I just missed connecting with Michael Heal and Wayne Mardle, director and host of the Barbados Darts Festival. On Antigua–a place where I once played darts on the beach–I was on a tour all day and couldn’t find a board in my few spare minutes. No worries; the Thorn Report archives are already filled with Carib dart discoveries…

My cruise ship completed the trans-Atlantic crossing, and arrived in Colon, Panama. Some mates and I quickly crossed the infamous isthmus, paralleling the canal, to Panama City. I stayed in the heart of downtown, explored the city and found The Londoner, a classic English bar. Steel tip is rare here, but there was some soft tip to be found, and I threw my share of hattricks that night.

Leaving for Costa Rica by bus. the first stop was Dominical, a gringo infested surf town on the Pacific coast. To my surprise, there was some sisal in town, and I spent the next few nights playing in the San Clemente Bar and Grill, when I wasn’t paddling mangrove forests or partying on the beach.

Next, I trucked up the cloud forest to an eco-reserve called Cloud Bridge near Mt. Chirripó.  Surrounded by waterfalls and jungle, filled with birds and monkeys, we decided to make a contribution to the reforestation education program by creating a dartboard using some soft cyprus and paint. I donated a set of darts too, and the ‘Thorn Board” will hang in the school room, where students will throw darts to decide what to study or explore that day after their lessons.

Next, I was headed for San jose, Costa Rica’s capital. Again, I was shocked to discover a dart bar, Ozzy’s, just blocks away from my hostel. After one night of play, I met a local payer who quickly connected me with members of the local league, Dardos Ticos. Even more surprising was that I learned San Jose has a thriving and unique darts league, with over thirty bars! Before I knew it I was attending three straight nights of tournaments in parts of the city that tourists rarely see. Greatest of all, I contacted the WDF and arranged to help Costa Rica form its first national darts team!

Heading north into Nicaragua, I had more mixed luck. In Granada, a well known colonial town on the north shore of Lake Nicaragua. I found the Maragarita Bar and Grill with a steel tip board, shooting bulls to the tunes of Jimmy Buffet. Two days later, my search for darts took me to Ometepe, a an exotic island with double volcanoes. And three days after that, I smacked down in San Juan del Sur, another epic beach town. Between counting iguanas and toasting at sunsets, I was darting on one of three boards in the International Surf Club.

After a quick zip back to San Jose for my flight home–and one more night of darts with my Tico pals–I flew to  Los Angeles, Californian, in the United States of America…

Just in time for a weekend with John Lowe, Major League Darts, and Darts Around The World.

And then, I flew home to Portland, exactly three months and seventeen countries later. Over and double out.

After T19 days abroad, I’ve wound my way through D6 countries, seeking out the culture and nature and spreading the love of darts. I’m currently in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, sitting in the Viking Crown disco, S13 stories above the warm blue water on Royal Caribbean’s Grandeur of the Seas as it repositions to Panama. I’m watching flying fish and dolphins play in the starboard waves as I reflect on the journey so far. A multitude of passengers have become new friends–from Switzerland, Costa Rica, Brasil, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, and countless other nations–and are enjoying the good life on the decks below. The last month alone has more memories than one article can contain, but here are some highlights from the second leg of my big trip, from France to Spain and into the Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic Ocean…

In Marseille, I walked the glorious waterfront beaches of Marseille, past medieval ruins and forgotten fortresses to the yacht-filled harbor to play darts with a dozen French locals and an equal number of international tourists–and seeing the sun, moon, stars and planets from hotel balcony the following dawn…

Bussing across the wine fields of Southern France, along the French Riviera, and climbing up the Pyrennes mountains and down through the Catalan foothills…

A D6s worth of days exploring Barcelona, seeing the sights and sounds of Spain’s famous city by day, and promoting darts at the George Payne bar by night while meeting a DB’s worth of friends–including members of Team Catalan from the World Cup, the entire staff at the bar, and all of the international patrons that played darts with me…

Visiting Canet del Mar, a quiet beach town north of Barcelona, and dipping my feet into the Mediterranean surf…

Flying to Palma de Mallorca, an infamous Spanish island filled with bars and beaches, exploring the British sectors of Magaluf and Palmanova, and the quintessential German town of Arenal–and discovering more pubs, darts and friends…

Boarding my boat, cruising past the Rock of Gibraltar and Morocco’s Casablanca, followed by a struggle of a search for darts in Tenerife, in the Canary Islands…

Five days forging across the Atlantic on a luxury liner filled with seasoned travelers, all following the wake of Christopher Columbus five centuries later…

The next S3 days include stops in St. Maarten, Barbados, and Antigua, where I know I can find a dartboard or two. Then, it’s on to Colon, along the canal to Panama City, before moving north and west to a jungle eco-preserve in the mountains of Costa Rica, with the rest of Central America laying in wait for me to discover into December. But who knows where I’ll end up, because in my world, plans can change fast. Over and double out.

Fanned (and rightly so) by the Old Dart Coach, Howie Reed, there’s been a bit of banter in recent weeks (although hardly enough) about the World Cup and finagling by Olly Croft, Roy Price and possibly outgoing American Darts Organization (ADO) president, Buddy Bartoletta, to boot Stacy Bromberg from the American team.

Love her or not, Bromberg – the ADO’s top ranked female player for 16 years, National Team member for 12 years, National 501 Champion for 12 years, National Cricket Champion for 4 years, 4-time World Cup gold medalist, Bullshooter Top Gun Champion and MVP for 4 years each, and the one and only PDC Riley’s/Unicorn Ladies World Champion – earned her right to play. The decision to remove her from the team was contrived, unfair and wrong. The ADO should have gone to the wall on Bromberg’s behalf.

READ MORE!

After one month of travel, precisely D15 days, I’ve seen D4 countries, and have collected a Ton80 of unforgettable travel and darts memories. Even as I write this, I’m sitting on a bench, in a park, in Marseilles, France, on a gorgeous day, waiting for my new Russian friend, a traveling street performer from Moscow, who’s replacing his lost passport. I helped him find the embassy. Last night we found two dart bars along the vibrant city harbor, after shopping in a vintage guitar shop owned by an famous pedal maker, and eating Turkish kebabs on the colorful streets before returning to our Moroccan Hotel. And that’s just the last twenty four hours…

Here are some other highlights from the first third of my trip…

Meeting team Iceland, and many locals, from pubs like Den Danske, The English Pub, and The Irish pub. We played darts like mad, when I wasn’t touring geysers, waterfalls, and whitewater with Arctic Rafting (www.adventures.is). Not to mention Kex Hostel, a fantastic new hostel on the waterfront, who let me stay for free in exchange for a dartboard.

In Scotland, I not only met some of the best local players in the one and only dart shop, but was treated to many beers and legs, in a classic Scottish dart pub, with my new friend Adam, a young addict to the game. Edinburgh is like Harry Potter on steroids, and home to the author’s initial inspiration. In Glasgow, I hooked up with Des, a linguistics professor, on the train and ferry, who I’d eventually find again in Dublin, and take darts even further around the world.

In Belfast, North Ireland, I met D3 fantastic women in Belfast, and found the Spaniard, the only dart bar I could find in my short stay. The board was 6 inches high and crammed in the corner, but nonetheless, I made friends around the world through the game.

In Ireland, of course, I met the whole world of darts at the World Cup. I couldn’t begin to pick a favorite moment, from hanging with Team England to Team India and every country alphabetically before, between and after. I made a million contacts and Dartbook exploded with new members and countries. There was one lowlight to the World Cup, but that’s between me, Hascup, and Bones.

In Ireland, part two, I travelled to seven cities with Brenda Roush, Queen Bee, and top player on the US team. We made friends in a dozen dart bars and saw all the sights we could see in a week that was far too short. But, we did enjoy some first class travel writing. And who has heard of the BDC, the OOO, and the ‘Tache Man’? I have, and you will, and you’ll be amazed. Find him on Dartbook now. I also hit my second ton80, including Iceland, and overcame dartitis. I even hit a deadeye bulling for the start against Brenda with my new darts, bought off a bar in Castlebar.

In Wales, I hit my third ton-eighty of the trip, first leg, against a top shot in Holyhead. A day later I bombed across to London, walked the Thames, and found a fine pub before hopping the ferry to Holland.

The Netherlands was another dream come true–it seems I fall in love with every country I go to! After bartering with the hottest hostels in Delft and a great dart bar, I got both to add dartboards to the games they offer guests. Not to mention, going to the booth with Jacques Nieuwlaat, master caller for the PDC, BDO, and WDF! A hundred new members signed up to DartBook after Jacques plugged our sites. So, be sure to friend anyone from Holland. You won’t regret it.

Now I’m in France, having traveled here with my Russian friend. Running low on money, I decided to join him as a street performer and rake in Euros for two weeks, accompanying him on drums, until my next guaranteed stop in Barcelona. Too bad he had passport problems and ran back to Paris. Now I’m alone again, walking the streets and harbors of Marseille. Good thing I’ve found a couple dart bars. But, despite the new friends I continue to make, I wish you were with me.

That’s the last month in a nutshell. Although there are 501 memories and 1001 pictures I’ll save for my post-world-tour Thorn Reports. But, I can tell you, the next two months will be just as interesting–and the darts, harder to find. But beware, the Thorn Reports are going to pour in, in full, when I return. Over and double ‘oui’.

Links:

In the Year 2000, according to a survey conducted by the American Darts Organization (ADO) the average dart player in this country was 38 years old, so I guess you and I are now about 50. In my case (and the Old Dart Coach’s) this is good news.

Our average household income was $56,564. Today, if we’re still playing darts – and we sure as hell are – our household income is only half this figure, because our spouse has walked out.

Most of us had jobs: trades (19%), technology/telecommunications (16%), professional – including financial services, engineering and sales representatives (13%), government workers (12%) and real estate-related (10%). Fewer of us are employed today, thanks to politicians in Washington.

READ MORE!

Links:

www.mastercaller.com
www.littlericharddarts.com

Iceland. Scotland. Northern Ireland. Ireland. The World Cup of Darts. More Ireland. England. Holland. Belgium. France. Spain. Portugal. Gibraltar. Morocco. Mallorca. The Canary Islands. St Maarten. Barbados. Antigua. Panama. Costa Rica. Nicaragua. Honduras. El Salvador. Guatemala. Belize. Mexico. And the USA…

Last Spring I was invited to attend the 2011 WDF World Cup of Darts in CastleBar, Ireland with the US Team. If you know me, you know I jumped at the chance. A great-deal-on-Iceland-Air-and-Royal-Caribbean later, an adventure was planned that might eclipse all of my previous journeys around Earth. Twenty countries in three months, from Iceland to Morocco to Panama and back again. My goal: discover the wonders of more cultures and countries, and seek out and spread the sport of darts, and to unite us all through the sport we love…via DartsAroundTheWorld. Look and listen for updates on the DATW pocasts and in my profile and blog on Dartbook.

When I finish this epic odyssey, there will be unbelievable and detailed stories from places across Europe, Africa, Caribbean and Central America–even the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. And you can join me for all of it at DartsAroundTheWorld and in BullsEyeNews magazine. You better renew or begin that subscription.

Spread the love. Spread the sport. Thorn is going around the world again, looking for people like you.

Over and double out.

“Now when I was a little chap,” recalled Joseph Conrad at the beginning of Heart of Darkness, “I had a passion for maps. I would look for hours at South America, or Africa, or Australia, and lose myself in all the glories of exploration. At that time there were many blank spaces on the earth, and when I saw one that looked particularly inviting on a map (but they all look that) I would put my finger on it and say, ‘When I grow up I will go there.’ ”

I was the same way as a boy. I think the Old Dart Coach, Howie Reed, must have also been. I don’t know what sparked his wanderlust but I remember the moment I new I would go to far away places…

READ MORE!

They call him the “Dragon” and he’s a former world champion. He has basked in the glory of his ‘sport,’ one that some describe as “just the right mix of skill and intellect.” Growing older and with a family, he is still highly regarded, puts in the practice and travels frequently in his quest to add another world championship to his resume. And he’s currently one of the most well known and popular promoters of his game.

But who is the Dragon? And with recent rumblings of a push to see his ‘sport’ added as a demonstration activity at the 2012 London Olympics one must also ask: Why the hell is the Olympics in London? Was Toledo booked?

READ MORE!

That’s darts. But it reminds me of something else…

In case you haven’t noticed, I have a third love: travel, darts and…water. Especially rivers. And in whitewater lingo, a “five” is the ultimate in excitement–the highest rating a runnable rapid can receive. “Class V” means huge volumes of technical water, undulating hydraulics heaving over hidden rocks, whitecaps cresting higher than your helmet that crush across your bow, blinding your drop into the next monstrous trough, a deafening roar as the guide screams paddle commands, “Forward! Forward! Forward!”…

Now, imagine combining travel, darts, and rivers.

I fell in love with water years ago, spending countless summers floating my inflatable boat down the many rivers of the Pacific Northwest. Generally, it’s a pleasure cruise, with life jacket and twelve pack at hand, enjoying the views and mellow class III’s and II’s with a few friends. When I travel further, I always scout for bigger opportunities to go with the pros, and I have had the thrill of almost killing myself on class V’s from Alaska to Argentina. And, last summer, I did something I wish I did a long time ago: I got a dream job, as office manager and photographer at a local whitewater outfit, Blue Sky Rafting, in the gorgeous Clackamas River valley east of Portland. To my surprise, there’s a company trip at the end of each rafting season, and an opportunity I wouldn’t miss.

Specifically, the plan was a five day float through Hell’s Canyon, the notorious seventy mile stretch of the Snake River on the border of Oregon and Idaho. At 8000 feet, this gorge is the deepest in North America, inaccessible by road. Nez Percé legends and the ghosts of lost pioneers and murdered miners linger in the steep basalt walls. Pronghorn deer hide in the crags, keeping watch for cougar, to the sound of a lone rock tumbling down the cliffs. At sunrise, long shadows cross the cavernous chasm as osprey and vultures begin to circle. At sunset, dusk seems to last forever before the stars and planets fade in a full moon’s glow. At night, a campfire burned as we counted meteors and the moons of Jupiter. By day, powerful jet boats, loaded with tourists, regularly bomb up and down the epic rapids, making it look easy. But for the non-motorized, pushing off with nothing but a paddle and PFD, the journey was nothing less than intense.

There were ten of us in five boats: two kayaks, two framed oar rafts, and a paddle raft loaded with all the gear and grub we’d need for four nights camping. The daily routine was predictable: breakfast and break camp, load the boats, paddle the flats and pound the rapids, make camp, eat and drink, stargaze, sleep and repeat. Day one included the two biggest rapids, White Sheep and Granite–both football sized fields of class IV and V whitewater, hence the D5 dart reference. Both required stopping for long stares, studying the lines, scouting our path through the exploding torrents. The following days had handfuls of moderate rapids, but, like the scenery and ghostly history, they never ceased to impress. Every day we explored old mines dug into the cliffs, pioneer cabins and farm equipment, remnants of boom towns gone bust a century ago. We found springs during stony hikes up side canyons, and spied rarely seen wildlife: black widows, rattlesnakes, bighorn sheep and bald eagles.

As for darts, I knew it would be a tough find. I tried to find a bar or two with a board in the small eastern Oregon towns we passed through before and after the river. No luck, although some said they had dartboards way back when. On the river, I found a fine collection of Native American arrowheads on display at an old pioneer museum. At one campsite, I discovered a worn pictograph etched in the rock, a stick figure under two semicircles, that looked more like a dart in the double bull. Also, someone brought a colorful set of bocci balls that made for some rousing afternoon competitions on the sandy shores, and certainly appeased my need to aim and throw something. And, while reading our waterproof topographic map, I was pleased to see two creeks named after yours truly…

But, in the end, the failed search for darts was just as fun, even if it paled compared to the thrill of running Hell’s Canyon. And, for those of you who haven’t had the adrenaline rush of two class V’s, I have a surprise. A partner in the paddle raft had a high definition helmet cam rolling through both…It’s one of those moments in life when you must see the line, clear your mind, dig deep, and go for it with a perfect stroke.

By the way, if any of you can visit Portland this summer, Blue Sky Rafting and I would love to send you down the river on a dartplayer’s discount. Check out the website, BlueSkyRafting, or just email me if you’re interested. And if whitewater isn’t your thing, let’s go on a DATW cruise together!

And definitely watch the video below.

Hell’s Canyon Trailer from Janus Kober on Vimeo.

Over and double out.

www.redeyerhinodarts.com

As darts in America becomes more and more exciting, you will start to see some incredible people coming out of the woodwork. Anthony Eugenia is one of those guys. He already does so much for this sport with his progressive league in NYC. It takes a very determined and passionate person to be able to accomplish all that he does with a full-time job and a family. Being that we are working on building an elite group of promoters and players to create a spectacle never seen before in the United States, it is going to take many more people like Anthony to make this dream a reality. If you are doing something very special with darts and you would like to join us in our mission, please contact us immediately at host@dartsaroundtheworld.com. We are doing this so that we can provide the motivation that our players need in the country to become successful and to actually live their dream of being a professional dart player. We thank Anthony for all of his hard work and dedication to the sport we all love and we are looking forward to working with him in the near future.

As John started to show some life before the midway break, he came back with a focus like no other. Starting off with a 180, we knew he had a comeback in him. Then a second 180, I could feel the adrenaline start to pump. Finally, he sunk the triple 20, the triple 19 and then the money-maker, DOUBLE 12! Yup, in joy I screamed at the top of my lungs and almost fell off of my chair. What a remarkable shot by John Part and we would like to all congratulate him on such an accomplishment.

Scotty Burnett joins us on the program to discuss his career, travel and one little hot-button issue that got him over 100 responses on facebook. He proves to be a very passionate dart player and stands strongly behind his beliefs. He shared a couple stories about his travel abroad in France, England and Asia. There are so many travel opportunities in darts and this really helped us prove that with some of the comedic responses Scotty gave us. He is looking to accelerate his career not only here in the United states but overseas as well. He is so competitive that he will race his son to see who can finish their burrito the fastest. Yup, its in our blood folks. Forget about the “no child left behind” policy. (I kid scotty of course) Now for a little after hours stories from Scotty, be sure to listen past the closing music of this weeks show. Please contact us if you enjoyed/hated this weeks show at host@dartsaroundtheworld.com. We want to hear from you either way. We will be back next week with an all new episode. Thanks for listening!

Another sea lion finds time to relax between meals.

Remember, at this point in time and space, in the summer of 2006, I’d only played darts for a year, with only one season of league experience. My blogging had hardly begun; my pseudonym was still just the name of my first darts team. I didn’t know who Phil Taylor was, or any of the other greats. I certainly didn’t know who Johnny Kuczynski was. But, I had recently heard about the World Series of Darts–the latest effort to inspire competition in North America. A televised tourney would pay one million dollars to any American that won. However, only one American made it out of the first round. It was Johnny Kuczynski.

Whether fate, destiny, or coincidence, it must have been the fourth or fifth day of my trip. Gavin and gang were hanging out after work with me in the Sea Breeze bar, getting the “local discount” on beers and bombing some darts. Multiple televisions happened to be showing the WSOD, which I only glanced at occasionally, a bit oblivious. Another family was there for an early fish-n-chip dinner, with some children. Their toddler, maybe one or two, became transfixed on the darts on TV, and was soon groping on the glass of the flatscreen. Seeing a young dart player in the making, I took a photo…and in that picture, I unknowingly captured Johnny’s image.

If you know Johnny K, you know this: he’s a great shooter, a great representative of the sport, and a fabulous supporter of children via his increasingly successful annual Toys-for-Tots drive. I didn’t meet Johnny in person until the 2009 PacMania2 tournament in Burbank, California. By then, I was much more familiar with professional players in Europe as well as in North America, but I was still a relatively unknown darts blogger, with very little playing experience at bigger tournaments. By chance, I drew Johnny in ’01 singles, and despite being an average player and shooting horribly, Johnny played an extra leg with me and gave me advice on my shot. It was clear to me that Johnny was very down to earth, very kind, and the kind of role model that hopefully all players can continue to follow. Since then, I’ve gotten to know Johnny better, most recently at the 2011 Vegas Open and via DartsAroundTheWorld and DartBook. And, there is nothing I’d like more than to bring added attention to Johnny’s toy drive, and help him set another fundraising record for needy children. Let’s show the world what the people of darts are really about.

So, before concluding this entry with more photo captions to capture the fading memories, I’d encourage you to visit his site or find him on DartBook, and offer your support!
Johnny Kuczynski’s Official Page
Johnny Kuczynski’s DartBook Page
Leave a comment, ask a question, or make a donation. Johnny, DATW, and the next generation will thank you.

Tons of halibut and salmon find their way to the homes of hundreds of happy seafood lovers.

Johnny Kuczynski--focussed and stepping to the oche, possibly in his second round match at the WSOD--has no idea about the people he's inspiring around the world

My "waterfront property" in Seward, with a whale watching boat heading out.

The Yukon Bar was an equally hot spot for locals and tourists alike--and I found another sisal board. These gentlemen are enjoying some serious Long Island Ice Teas after a long day of fishing.

It's always fun to find your name--this time, right by the backside of my campground along Seward's seafront.

A lone sailboat heads out into the perfect weather, floating the same water that formed deadly tsunamis in 1964.

The view from my tent was almost better than standing outside--plus, I can see a T16...

Cormorants, gulls and puffins prefer the rocks with a view, while Stellar sea lions lounge where they have easy access to the sea.

An inadvertent self portrait appears around Gavin, who was taking a turn as tour boat captain.

With all-you-can-eat salmon and steak in my belly, and who-knows-how-many beers, the view from the bridge was incredible.

On my second to last day, two new friends and I piled in the car to explore the Kenai Peninsula. We found our way to Hope, a rustic inlet town with unbelievable salmon runs. Combat fishing was in full effect as the sides of the creek were lined with fishermen just feet apart, each with dozens of salmon already.

The creek was so stuffed with spawning salmon, these could have been caught with bare hands.

A stroll around town lead around some nearby farms.

My friends posed for the proverbial tourist trap photo.

Dodging the crowds, a braver fisherman heads into the mucky delta of the the creek, where the salmon can choose different channels to run the gauntlet of rods and reels.

Cruise boats are common sites in Seward. I hope my next adventure to Alaska is on the next DartsAroundTheWorld darts-cruise. See the group in DartBook, if you're interested.

I spent an afternoon watching the sea lions in the harbor.

Then, I spent more time, watching an Amish family watch the sea lions.

I'm not sure if these sea lions are smarter than average, or just more lazy, but either way, the close up view of them ripping apart fish helps explain why we call them 'lions' in English, or 'wolves' in Spanish.

In 2006, I had only been on two cruises--one to Alaska in 1980, and one to the western Caribbean in 2000. Since then, it's become my favorite method of travel, as you'll see in many of my Thorn Reports.

Back in Seward, I discovered salmon spawning in the smallest of creeks.

My last full day in Alaska, I convinced two friends to have their first whitewater experience--on the Class V run of Six Mile Creek!

Three narrow canyons highlight the river, shrouded under fog and mist.

The first few class III and IV rapids went flawlessly...

On the second class V rapid, another boat got hung up on a rock. As the last boat through, we had little choice but to charge the line at full speed, and attempt to bump them free. Yours truly, in the white helmet, had the prime position. I hit that raft with all I had, they floated free and everyone cheered, especially our guide.

The third and final big rapid went as smoothly as the first.

The end of the run on Six Mile Creek--the last digital memory of my second trip to Alaska, and the beginning of my travel-darts blogging.

Alaska is amazing. If you’ve ever wanted to see another world, visit the landscapes of the 49th state. DartsAroundTheWorld has set it sights north for another darts cruise, where every port guarantees a dart bar, and so much more. And, you just might see a whale while you throw a ton-eighty. Wouldn’t it be great if you were aboard?

Over and double out.

In lieu of the brand new Cricket Champion Program, which shows the ADO looking to make an interesting change, many darters had shown their skepticism. That is, until we brought on the President of the ADO, Buddy Bartoletta. With just a few questions to the intent ADO President, we were able to put most concerns to rest. If you have any further questions regarding the new program, please contact us at host@dartsaroundtheworld.com. Later in the show we talked to buddy about the long-awaited World Cup in Ireland as well as the true status for darts in regards to the Olympics. We will make every attempt to have Buddy on the program to better explain what is happening with the American Darts Organization. As this new ubiquitous darting community inspires important change here in the United States, we hope to cover all that we can in hopes of keeping darts alive. If you are making efforts to change darts in America, we would like to hear about it. Join www.dartbook.tv and start your own blog. Give other dart players a reason to be inspired. Thank you all for your continued support. For all the players here in the United States, enjoy your Independence Day.  We will be back the following week with more Darts Around The World.  See you then!

Sea otter in Seward.

Sometimes, your stars align. And, sometimes you never knew they did. That’s why, until today, I never knew this story existed. I’m pretty sure where it began, but not sure when it ends, if ever. And, that’s why this darts-travel blogger is stepping into the proverbial time machine to tell it…

Alaska. With a motto like “North to the Future”, a nickname like “The Last Frontier”, and a flag flying Polaris and the Big Dipper, it already sounds like science fiction. And with its dramatic landscape and climate, it appears to be another world. “Alaska”, “youth darts”, and “the wrinkles of time” are the nexus of this “darticle”, this “pair-a-bull”. And Alaska’s flower, the “Forget-me-Not”, reminds me that this story was almost lost in my memories, somewhere between Oregon and Uruguay, having never been blogged. The threads that tie the time loops together are intricate, interwoven, and beautiful. And, I never knew. I never knew today was the day the stars of this story would align…

Unfortunately, it’s hard to tell a time travel story. I suppose the most logical place to start is with me…and my darts universe.

The autumn of 2005 was when I discovered darts. By 2006, I was in league and loving it. One day, looking at the PortlandAreaDartsAssociation website, I realized that I could post on it. That’s how it began. There was no “Thorn”, no world travels, just an unknown but eager newbie named Adam Smith with some need to write about the love of darts. Very few saw the photos, and even fewer read it, but I didn’t care. I simply enjoyed it, and I was helping spread the game as best I could. I was equally enthusiastic in the bars, encouraging and teaching people to play…

Another sea otter having urchin lunch.

That’s how I met Gavin. He’s from Portland, but spent his summers working the tourist boats in Alaska. One day, over a game of darts, he said, “You know Adam, if you can come to Seward, I can take you whale watching for free.” He said it was an offer he made to many friends, but they never took the opportunity. I, on the other hand, wouldn’t miss my second chance to see Alaska.

My first visit was as a child on a cruise in 1981, snaking through the Inner Passage of Alaska’s panhandle to places like Ketchikan, Juneau, and Glacier Bay. A record heat wave went with us, sending temperatures into the upper 80′s. My memories include a breathtaking whitewater float under bald eagles spotting for bears, or the silent awe as giant blue blocks of ice calved off glaciers into the sea like slow motion explosions, or the whales, dolphins, endless green forests, and crisp stars. But, being before the dawn of digital, any pictures I have are tucked away in family albums somewhere. It was my first cruise, and my last for the next fifteen years.

On my second trip to Alaska, my meteorological luck, like my shadow, followed me again–my visit would be the sunniest week of Summer 2006 in Seward. And this time, I packed my first digital camera and my first set of darts.

My plan was simple: fly to Anchorage, get a lift from Gavin, and travel 125 miles down the Kenai Peninsula to Seward. Landing late at night, I only had one morning and midday to explore Anchorage on foot. I managed to find some dart bars, but my timing, and apparently my camera, was off. It was too early and too summery to find more than a bartender preparing to open, and ask a few questions. But, I did learn about Alaska’s prolific dart leagues, which, as you might guess, are at peak season during their long dark winters. I found something else that day too: my love of travel and darts combined.

So, this is where my story begins, years ago, when I couldn’t see that stars were aligning.  The forgotten memories have added new meaning, and the hidden connections keep unraveling. So, here are my photos in order, with  my reflections on “Alaska”, “youth darts”, and “the wrinkles of time”…

Early afternoon, Gavin arrived in a pickup, and whisked me southward to Seward. Like a welcome committee on cue, a moose appeared and trotted down the highway with us for a quarter mile...

We stopped at a viewpoint along the way, and Gavin and a gal pal posed for a 'Welcome to Alaska' photo.

We arrived in Seward and soon found ourselves in the Sea Breeze Inn, under two dartboards and a pair of frosty Alaskan microbrews.

It wasn't long before more of the whale-watcher crew returned from another day delighting the tourists, and joined the impromptu dart party.

Many good shots were taken that first night in Seward--on the oche and off.

With an iceless harbor, Seward is one of Alaska's oldest and most active ports--it's the lifeline for getting goods to the interior. Cruise boats are regular visitors throughout the summer, and fishing and outdoors enthusiasts are in heaven.

Seward is also known for the disastrous tsunami that ripped the shores in 1964. For that reason, campsites and RV parks line the waterfront property--and gave my tent an epic view that would make oceanologists and geologists jealous.

There's no place like, or as far away as, Nome, the final checkpoint of the modern Iditarod. But, the historic start of the Iditarod, Alaska's infamous dogsled endurance race, begins in Seward. By the way, it's also an anagram for "I Dartoid".

Peaceful esplanades hide the past. Imagine standing on this shore after the Great Alaskan Quake of 1964--at 9.2, it was the second largest earthquake ever recorded. Earth liquefaction and landslides triggered tsunamis that reached 100 feet, obliterating sitting-duck port towns.

Receding glaciers still cling to life in mountaintop cirques above trickling moraines. In 1964, the quakes and tsunamis combined forces with fire and Seward's petroleum and rail industry. The bay fumed and flamed, as wave after wave ripped burning oil and debris from the shore back into the sea, sloshing in toxicity for days.

I spent my first full day preparing camp, and scouting town. Seward is small and walkable. The 'touristy' part of town is sandwiched between the obligatory bars and grocery store. Seward also boasts a nice aquarium, and numerous hikes down forest paths to beautiful views. Tomorrow, I'd go whale watching...

...but tonight was the midsummer party for all the crews that drive the boats. I arrived early, with Gavin, to supervise preparations. Two pigs had already spent hours on the spit, and cold beers and sunshine were already hitting the spot.

Nothing like a palette filled fire pit doused in Alaska's best black gold.

The party arrived long before dark, and everyone reveled in having the best weather of the summer. Food, drinks, and youthful hijinks ensued.

You should have seen it when it was twelve palettes high.

Nothing like eating two pigs to the bone and roasting the skulls like cavemen.

Benny Benson, part Swede, Russian, and Aleut, born in 1913, was orphaned, and eventually moved to Seward. At age 13, he entered a flag design contest for the Alaska Territory, 30 years before statehood. His design beat 700 others--blue represents Alaska's sky and flower, the Northern Star and Ursa Major symbolize the future and strength.

Not missing out on Gavin's original invitation, I embarked on his boat like every other tourist, and got a day full of whale-watching and all you can eat steak and salmon buffet. Not to mention beers. We passed several sea otters and stellar sea lions as we motored out to Resurrection Bay. And, it wasn't long before the captain spotted a pod of orcas.

Perfectly positioned, a dozen healthy killer whales came right at us, and dove beneath our feet.

Mothers lead the young, and each orca told a story in its telltale fin.

After our fill of blue skies and blowholes, we zipped around the peninsula, up the inlet arms to the ancestors of the Ice Age. It's been fifteen years since I've seen them, and it's easy to see signs that they are wilting. Nonetheless, the allure of their sapphire blue glow is beyond description. It's a color everyone should see--the frozen neon electric hum of eons of time and energy.

The towering frigid fortress walls of a glacier make you feel meaningless, hardly worthy to witness it. And a much larger ice castle and ancient kingdom hides behind the small fragment we can see.

On our return trip, a rookery of sea lions yawned and barked and flapped at us and the birds.

A lone fluke of a whale appeared and disappeared for a long dive. I'm guessing it was a humpback, but I really don't recall, or care. Alaska is amazing.

After a long day riding the waves, with plenty of steak, salmon and beer, it was good to feel my sea legs on land as I slowly walked toward the dart bar for a few legs, before bed. And more tomorrow.

To be continued in part two: “The Lost Story Of Alaska: Double Out”

Over and double out.

Ladies and gentlemen, it is time for us to take a week off while we depart for our long-awaited dart cruise.  It seems like just yesterday that we started this show along with the planning of this trip.  In this episode, we give you a brief overview of what we will be trying to accomplish in regards to this show on our trip.  We will hopefully have live streaming, photos and video.  We also brought Thorn on from the Thorn Report to give some last minute cruise tips while we sail aboard the Norwegian Gem.  We also continued our recruiting efforts by telling you all about The Academy of Darts and Sciences group on Dartbook.  We hope to see all of you interested in being apart of a major dart production to join this group and tell us about your interests regarding technology.  Keep a look out for updates either on twitter @dartsinparadise or on Dartbook.  We will let you know once we decide to stream anything live so don’t miss out! Thank you all for your support and we will see you when we get back!

Mr. David Irete, our producer, finally was able to join us in studio so we took this opportunity to talk about how we can use technology to create a production out of darts in the United States. We talked about commentary, video feeds, camera locations used in the PDC, and the recruiting of people interested in becoming part of the staff. Each event takes a lot of people helping out and this is your chance to offer your support. If you are interested in getting involved in television and learning the ins and outs of broadcasting sports, this will be a great opportunity to get your feet wet. Please contact us at host@dartsaroundtheworld.com for more information on how to get involved. Pay attention listening to this weeks episode because David gives so much useful information that we can all learn from. His expertise will prove critical in our efforts and more importantly, we will have fun doing it! So either email us or leave a comment for this episode to let us know if you want to help. Thank you all for listening and we will be back next week!

For the first time on this show we devoted a whole show just to Youth Darts. We invited on 19 year old Matt Sagen to talk about his goals as a youth player in the United States. He picked up his first set of (soft tip) darts when he was six years old and his father was happy to teach him the game. He is currently living in Yakima, WA and his dream is to one day play for the PDC overseas and hopefully hear in the US. (knock on wood) Brian Jackson at www.mlddarts.com is currently raising money for Matt to travel and get some exposure as a youth player while hopefully jumpstarting the youth players in this country to follow his lead. We want to thank Matt for coming on the show and we look forward to one day introducing him as the world champion right here on Darts Around The World. If you would like to leave a message for Matt, please do so by commenting on this post. We all need to encourage him and this is the best way to do it. I hope everyone enjoyed this episode and we will be back next week with an all new episode. Until then, go out and play darts!

This story that Tsuyoshi and Miho share is quite extraordinary.  As the Tsunami hit Sendai, they were immediately separated from each other without hope of ever seeing each other again.  Each one with their own terrifying and miraculous experience, they were willing to join us on the show and tell us what happened first hand.  As you will find out, there were so many circumstances that had to be in their favor for them to survive this terrible incident.  After hearing this story, you will truly appreciate what they went through and how fast they were willing to talk about their experience.  Considering the events in Japan, it is now up to you to show your support and to help those affected.  Please go to dartbook.tv and click the donate button to give any amount to this cause.  All donations will be going to the dart players that were in Sendai that day.  Dart players helping dart players.  What an amazing community! Tweet

Links:

www.dartbook.tv

Links:

www.dartbook.tv

What an exciting show we had this wednesday evening.  First we brought on Kathy Maloney from Gulfport, Fl to talk about her reunion/charity tournament coming up in April where she hopes to bring back the players that toured the circuit with her in the 80s. Better yet, she is doing an auction where you can purchase a player to be your partner during the tournament. For instance, you could open up your wallet and place your bid for John Lowe. Thats right, the first person to throw a 9-darter on television.  The procedes will go to the “Friends of Strays” organization in hopes to support them in getting a new floor to house all the animals they provide for.  A really great cause and a really great event. Next, we welcomed Elizabeth Hickmott who is the “Fixtures Secretary” for the Bermuda Darts Association.  What an amazing conversation we had with her about her beloved island of Bermuda.  Not only did we get an overview of the dart scene there as well as places to visit, we will be given a grand welcoming as we arrive fresh off the boat for our Dart Cruise out of NYC.  If you were uncertain about going, you won’t be after listening to her enthusiasm about the event we will be having. A chance to mix in with the local culture and see the “real Bermuda.” So what are you waiting for? Tweet

Links:

www.friendsofstrays.com
www.exploregulfport.com
www.islandstats.com

I had a friend in Uruguay named Martin. He was one of my conversational English students in a private institute when I was living in Montevideo. Well educated and in his early twenties, Martin was already nearly fluent, but wanted to hone his skills. I brought a dartboard to class–primarily, it was for my younger students, both as a motivational reward for finishing their work and as a method to master numbers in conversation. My first few sessions with Martin, alone in a small classroom, that board was hanging curiously on the wall. Of course, Martin asked me about it, and we soon found ourselves playing after finishing our language lessons. Eventually, the friendship blossomed outside of the classroom. We’d meet for a beer, both speaking the other’s native tongue, and got plenty of laughs over my broken Spanish or one of his unintentional English faux pas. But, my South American adventure eventually ended, and like many of my new friends, Martin would probably have soon faded into a good memory if it wasn’t for the modern wonders of the worldwide web.

Coincidentally, soon after I returned to the Untied States, Martin moved to Spain. We traded happy emails about each other and stayed in touch. After a year or so in Spain, Martin decided to return to Uruguay. And, for travel fans like me, this is where it gets really interesting.

Instead of flying twelve hours across the Atlantic, Martin decided to go the long way, from west to east, circling the globe. And, he decided to go by bicycle! A year ago February, he began pedaling across Europe and Asia, with little more than two wheels, a tent, a loosely planned path and his Uruguayan passport. In addition to all of the amazing countries lining the Mediterranean, that passport allowed him to safely enter countries in the Middle East, like Iran, that today’s average American could only dream about. This past winter, he became the first Uruguayan to bike across China, a trek that took four months. He’s currently winding through the jungles and beaches of Southeast Asia. Not only has he been blogging his adventure, but he is an amazing photographer as well. His photos alone are worth a look, rivaling National Geographic, giving a true picture of a real world that many of us never see. As he approaches the end of Asia, he and I are hoping that he can hop over to North America and complete his overland odyssey, through Central America to South America. If so, there’s no doubt that he will visit me in Portland for a special stop on his unfathomable world tour. And we shall see how the wonders of the world compare to darts, beers, and rafting in Oregon. Either way, there will be some serious conversational English with an old friend.

Anyway, a few months ago, about the time that he was forging sand storms in the desolate Gobi desert, my light bulb lit up, and I emailed him. I asked him, no, I told him, if he ever sees a dartboard, he’s on special assignment to take some pictures for me, the Thorn Report, and you.

A few weeks ago, he made his first find for us…

Hello Adam, how are you?? Well, i think you are OK in St. Thomas! Nice pic of the iguana by the way! We are in Laos already, heading into Thailand (but not the beaches) and Cambodia, to continue to Vietnam afterwards (me, as Andy is going to Malaysia). In the end, at Luang Prabang, a touristic center of Laos, we found not one but two dartboards. Unfortunately, I only was able to take a picture of one, given that the other one i saw was in a “local discotheque”, thus, I was not carrying my camera (my hands were too busy holding the beers), sorry! The pictures were taken in a very nice riverside bar called Utopia. When I went there to take the pictures, a butterfly was resting on the dartboard, and when I threw the dart, I was too afraid to hit it… jeje, … and I missed the dartboard. We played 15 to 20 with 2 Americans, …and I finished in the last place…..We also played “the first one to hit the bull’s eye twice wins”, with Andy, and after hitting the center first,… I lost. Sorry, I should stop calling myself “the student of Adam Thorn Smith…” jeje

All the best for you and keep the spirit up!!!

P.D. Don’t worry, I’ll keep my eyes peeled, wherever I see a dartboard, I’ll take a pic of it.

Martin’s exclusive Thorn Report photos are below, but the real eye candy is in his blog. Follow his journey at bossanovebikeride.com and leave an encouraging comment. Google will translate the page for you, but the pictures alone speak a million words. Lastly, besides the countless people Martin has met, from kind locals to curious tourists, he’s also teamed up with other cyclists along the way. Obviously, Andy, his British cycling buddy over the last few months, wasn’t worried about the butterfly. Andy’s blog, nepalorbust.info, offers another perspective you would enjoy. Plus, being from England, even if they part ways, he too may be willing to click an exotic Asian oche for us!

But for now, you can imagine my amigo, Martin, sitting in a dark internet bar in a third world country, uploading pics and updating his blog, and checking Darts Around The World just before he logs off. With any luck, this will be “Martin Around The World…Part 1″

Over and double out.

For those who are too excited, and have passed Internet 101, why wait? Go for it. Click on Dartbook, register, and get started!

For those with more self control or a case of technophobia, here’s an overview and simple tutorial…

Introducing DartBook…

First of all, the DATW crew has been testing the new DartBook for weeks, playing with all the bells and whistles, experimenting with various features, and providing some early content, both real and as samples. Overall, the layout is easy to navigate and the controls and directions are very self-explanatory. Anything you can’t learn through thoughtful observation, you can figure out through trial and error, or you can always ask in the chat or send us a message.

As you can see above, the DartBook header menu is loaded with fun tabs–Home, My Profile, Members, Photos, Videos, Groups, Events, DartsInParadise, Chat, and maybe more! These allow easy navigation around the various pages and features, with a blue highlight indicating which tab you’re on. To the upper right, new members can Sign Up and customize their profile, picture and settings. You’ll notice now you have an Invite tab, a powerful tool for finding all your online dart friends! Once you’re comfy you’ll want to take a look around and try some of the features.

First, go Home. Along the margins you’ll find boxes that correspond to the tab menu items and summarize the most recent content. Each item can be explored and utilized much more than you might imagine. More on that later. But Home also has the three most important parts to your DartBook life: the Latest Activity updates, the Chat, and your My Profile dashboard. Center stage, the Latest Activity lists all the activity on DartBook, a chronological catalogue of everything you might have missed. Also , at the bottom right of your window is the Chat bar where live conversation constantly flows between the online members. To open it, just click the Chat bar. Lastly, in the upper right, you’ll find your name in a box–this is your My Profile dashboard which lets you quickly perform common functions without leaving Home.

Beyond Home, the various features are fairly straight forward. Invite allows you to search and share with friends via your email accounts or address books. Members lets you see, sort and seek out new friends within DartBook. Photos and Videos help you upload and display your favorite pictures and movies. Any member can create Groups or Events and attract attention to their cause. And, we might add a DartsInParadise tab soon–to make your darts and travel dreams come true! But, most members will likely spend time in My Profile and Chat.

My Profile is your personal version of the Home page. It’s where you can customize your information and avatar, adjust privacy and email alert settings, monitor and message your friends, check discussions and details in your groups and events, add apps and widgets to you page, comment and chat, sharing updates via twitter or facebook, or even contemplate and design your first blog post. Imagine it–you can create content and contribute to the dart world in your own unique way, with the potential for millions of followers. Plus, It’s so easy to combine all of these tools, anyone can become an influential voice for the sport of darts.

The new Chat feature will also be very popular. In case you don’t know, internet chats are stream-of-consciousness conversations in real-time, and offer a fabulous way to get instant answers or find those links to live-feeds fast. Unlike other forums, streams, and websites, DartBook’s Chat has much more to offer. First, it’s always on when you want it. Second, the pop-out feature lets you keep the conversation going while you do other things on the internet. Third, the private chat function keeps things just between you and your friends. And finally, Chat lets you hold multiple chats at once–simultaneous public and private conversation, all within the same simple box.

In short, DartBook will revolutionize the way we communicate about darts on Earth. With DartBook’s global mission of inclusivity and cooperation, everyone–from newbies to world champions, from blogs to forums to websites, from dart bars to dart companies, from local leagues to the Premiere League–everyone will be want to benefit from the networking powers of DartBook. There’s no reason that one site can’t be universally beneficial and bring attention to all those who love and promote the sport of  darts. At DATW, that’s our goal. Join DartBook, and with us, begin contributing to the future of darts today.

Over and double out.

Links:

www.pacificdarts.com
Queen Mary Classic IX Flyer

For starters, this would be the first time that my teammates and I at DartsAroundTheWorld would meet in person which was a thrill in and of itself. Together, the DATW crew continued to grow closer and build more momentum behind our efforts to spread the love of the darts, both nationally and internationally. With friends in high places–like Buddy Bartoletta, president of the ADO board, Rob Heckman, professional player and primo ambassador for Fit Flights and Cosmo Darts, and Brian Jackson, founder of the new Major League Darts tour and Fotoman9′s JustinTv Channel–we found ourselves in the center of the excitement. Not only did we produce a plethora of podcasts and promote our inaugural “Darts in Paradise” darts cruise, but we received great feedback from our growing body of followers. Lastly, it truly was a global affair, with players from as far as Japan, Brasil, and Scandinavia, as well as the wonderful Brits from Bullseye News.

Of course, as the humble darts/travel blogger, my role was a little less work. While hosts Evan and John and our producer, David Irete, diligently dealt with the audio and video aspects, our other host, David Hascup, was busy performing his role as ADO Communications Director. I, on the other hand, was able to mix and mingle more, floating around, taking pictures, and spreading the word about the endeavors of DartsAroundTheWorld. And, when the day’s darts were done, it was time to hit the infamous Las Vegas strip. Here’s my day by day account…

Thursday: Flying from Portland to Vegas, I arrived a day early with hopes of seeing some night life. My friend and top women’s pro, Brenda Roush, was free for dinner, so we splurged at the Paris, under the Eiffel Tower, across from the explosive Bellagio fountains, somewhere between the pyramids of Egypt, the pillars of Caesar’s Palace, and the skyline of New York. With the Cricket Nationals in the morning, and none of my DATW teammates in town yet, it was a no brainer to turn in reasonably early…

Friday: Upon entering the dart hall I was impressed. Circumluminators, mounted on sturdy yet simple oche stands, circled the outer wall. The new layout proved vastly better than the typical back-to-back aisle formation. Now, from anywhere in the hall, you could scan all the boards to locate your assignments or favorite players, while spectators could easily gather and gossip at centralized tables. I briefly met David Hascup and other busy ADO board members. Action started early, with Larry Butler and Marilyn Pop prevailing in the Cricket Nationals. Midafternoon, Evan and John arrived, hauling gear and preparing our broadcast table. Soon, Brian “Fotoman” Jackson landed and checked into the room we would share over the weekend. Later, I and 274 other people participated in the Blind Draw. My goal, to not lose two legs straight, was accomplished, avoiding knockout until round two against a pair that included a fabulous player from Norway. That night, a group of us took another shot at the cheap drinks, blinking lights, and wild people watching on the infamous boulevard…

Saturday: With our press booth between Cosmo, L-Style, BEN, and a cocktail bar by the sign-ups table, we were uniquely positioned to catch people’s curiosity, while we simultaneously watched the events of the day. We not only introduced people to our site, podcasts, dartbook, and darts cruise, but we also helped promote the new Major League Darts tour. Despite a flight delay, our producer, David Irete, arrived that afternoon, bringing together the entire DATW team for the first time! By evening, all of the technology was in place to record a collection of unique podcasts on Sunday. And, of course, there was another night on the town…

Sunday: The last day of the tournament was a busy one for DATW, producing five mini-podcasts, which I assume you’ve already enjoyed! When all was said and done, the 2011 33rd Fleetwood Memorial Las Vegas Open was another success, with hundred of weary players still giggling or grumbling about their achievements that weekend…

My Highlights: There were so many. First, getting to spend time with my friend Brenda, who once again came up just short in the Cricket Nationals. Her parents were there, as they often are, and they were as much fun to be with as her. Second, meeting other new people and seeing old friends: the DATW team; folks from other forums and blogs like Barjo, Shannonmiles, SleepyKramer, Fotoman, and Robot, to name a few; the other pros, like Heckman, Mawson, White, Bromberg, Young, Fatum, Davis, Butler, Brown, Burnett, Widmayer, both Johnny K’s, and on and on–some of us had a particularly fun time pounding pints and talking travel at Ellis Island; other players and personalities like Gloria, Joe, Sam, and Vegar, and the ADO volunteers. Finally, congratulations to Larry Butler for winning the majority of events, and for being a class act to give Tom Sawyer a chance at a $10,000 prize for an 8-dart cricket leg.

To all the folks I met yet failed to mention, it was truly a pleasure, and I hope to hear from you soon, if not by email, then next year.

Oh, and by the way, I never had a chance to scope out local dart bars in Las Vegas. And, my opinion of Vegas in general hasn’t changed, but if I’m going to go again, it’s going to be for the 34th Las Vegas Open.

Over and double out.

I’ll let Bob introduce himself…

I have been playing since I got out of the Army in 1994. I met my wife Kristine at my home bar at the time (Jax Lounge) in Ronkonkoma, NY. We dated for four years; got married in 2000. Since that time I have had a few periods where I stopped playing for a little while. I have two daughters that I guess I can attribute to my darting career also. I have been playing in tournaments since the beginning. At first, it was just the local pub tournament on Saturday nights, and then I started doing

well enough there that I would try the bigger tournaments locally. At that point, I started playing darts out of the Viking pub in Islip NY, for Mrs. Laurette Meddis. I guess the highlight of my darting “career” would be the fact that I played in the US Open at Mohegan Sun in 2007 where I played against a man named Gregg Tong and won 3-1; I then lost in the second round to Ray Carver. That was pretty cool though because I look at it like, “How often can you go to a baseball game and meet Babe Ruth?” I got to meet the best player ever and he was down to earth and took pics with everyone. I also got pics with the rest of the top shots that were there.

As far as the DATW guys go, Evan and the boys got themselves something special going here, and now that David Irete is on board with them, they can only go up from here. The fact that they have Robert Heckman promoting on the site, and your blog makes it more than just a travel thing, it makes it a site that is very on point with the lifestyle and tournament info. I love the informalness of the guys along with the good natured banter that keeps it fresh. I included a bunch of pics of me from the US Open and a couple of the Good Guys (Darin and Johnny, they have both been incredible to my kids everytime they see them and it is good to see) plus a couple pics of stuff in my neighborhood.

Thanks,
Bobby Polaski

As you can tell in the pictures below, Bob is one cool customer. I swear, it looks like Phil, Raymond, Roland, Ray, and John are more excited to take a picture with Bob than he is! All that calm collectedness probably indicates he throws a mean dart as well! Thanks again Bob!

Over and double out.

Some of us headed for the fort, passing plaques and cannons from battles long ago. Others walked the streets and plazas, watching the pelicans skim across the harbor while skiddish stray cats fleeced tourists for food. I stumbled across the pub I found the year before, the Douglas Bar, a perfect place for darts that still only has billiards. But the beers are cold. But if you visit, there is a place called the 101 Bar, in Isla Verde between the beach and airport, that has two nice sisal boards…

After a relaxing day, we were back aboard the boat. It was an overcast departure, which added to the ominous appearance of the fort. From then on, it was two days at sea, until our return to Florida.

As I said, this adventure already felt complete–waves and waterfalls, hurricanes and rainbows, snorkeling and steel tipping. The final forty eight hours was nothing but fun: getting to know new friends even better, eating and entertaining together, soaking in the sun, cooling in the pools, or sliding shuffleboard pucks. There were more onboard dart competitions–by now the Princess people would bring dozens of hats, bags and bottles of champagne, knowing that I would give away the prizes to the growing number of players. (Often, I’d sneak into Snookers alone, trying to hit that ton-eighty-at-sea, but I never did. Although, I did get the bartenders to throw a few when the hotel manager wasn’t looking. Actually, the hotel manager, being Dutch, was a pretty good shot himself.) There were more comedy and music shows, movies and sports on the jumbotron, more activities than I can recall, and of course, each night ended in the disco, where we drank and danced, not wanting the good times to end. But eventually, they did.

The end is always bittersweet, but as is my custom, I was among the last to leave. I spent most of the morning sipping my coffee in the the main lobby, watching the line of more obedient passengers disembark the ship. I couldn’t count how many new friends I bid adieu, but each one, upon requesting my email, got the same answer: “Search for Darts Around The World and click the contacts!”

They would smile. And, with a tug on their luggage, they would wave goodbye.

The moments are gone, but the memories are not. And, if you’re interest in travel is equal to your love of darts, I’d like to invite you to watch the short films I made of all my best videos and photos…

Although this Caribbean adventure was over, the worldwide connections I made continue–all because of darts and travel.

Over and double out.

I have to be honest. I don’t like all the consumption and superficiality. I don’t like the materialism and elitism. I don’t need to see a fake Paris or Venice or Egypt. I don’t need to see magicians and tigers do tricks, or old crooners and strip teasers pretend to smile at me. I don’t like all the blinking lights and noises, the surreal distractions, all designed to take my money and make me think I enjoyed it. Not to mention,  I always seem to lose when I gamble. So, there’s really only one reason for me to go.

Darts.

The 2011 Las Vegas Open is the biggest tournament in North America. The best players in the western hemisphere will be there. And this year, I have the opportunity to not only witness the action, but to spread the sport with my mates at DATW. I also look forward to supporting all my friends and favorite players in the competition.  So, not only will I be prowling the tournament floor looking for photos and stories to follow, but I’ll scout around for local dart bars. But I’ll also go hit the town, trip down the strip, sink a coin or two in a one-armed bandit, and see if Sin City can rewrite my preconceived notions.

If I have to go to Vegas, I might as well experience all those things I don’t like.

And you are welcome to join me. Just remember, what happens in Vegas, with Thorn anyway, won’t stay in Vegas.

Over and double out.

By the time the sticky sandy seven of us were packed in the minivan, it was four o’clock. As our driver spun around to take us back to the boat, I double-checked with the others that passengers were expected to be aboard by half past five. That would give me about an hour to squeeze in a visit to Sib’s, which hid two miles from town in the hills. With fingers crossed I borrowed the driver’s cell phone. I placed a call and spoke to Sib’s manager, who, remembering my efforts to visit the year before, immediately invited me over. By the time we reached the port and dropped off my friends, I had convinced our driver to take me the distance to the dart bar. He wasn’t a dart player, but I knew that once I had him there, he would learn–plus I promised him a beer and whiskey for the favor.

Traffic was heavy in the island rush hour, with locals and tourists clogging the one lane roads. When we finally reached Sib’s it was nearing five o’clock. I rushed in, introduced myself to the manager and starting talking and clicking like crazy, as the bartender poured the beer and whiskey. By now, the driver was definitely a bit curious about all my excitement. Finding the dart area, I feathered my flights together, and handed the darts and drinks to the driver to let him try. Despite having the wrong foot forward and throwing baseball style, his first shot was a bullseye! He was hooked. And, within moments, thanks to the manager, two of the best players on the island appeared, just to get a few moments with one very rushed darts-travel blogger. Obviously, they were as excited to meet me as I was to be there. While one of them threw with the driver, I interrogated the other, speaking as fast as possible about the dart scene on St. Thomas. But again, time was short, and I wouldn’t even have time for one leg with my new brethren. Fortunately, one of the players offered to personally zip me back to port in the nick of time. As I thanked everyone and left Sib’s, I looked back once more to see my driver, who had never played before, happily throwing with the best player on the island. I smiled, knowing I had just spread the game of darts a little further.

The ride back to the Grand Princess was a blur. Dropping me off with seconds to spare, we traded emails and I was off and running, literally. The docks were empty, and people lined the ship decks awaiting departure. They were also waiting to see who the last passenger was; the ship had been making final boarding announcements for fifteen minutes.

As I ran down the dock, the crowds on deck began cheering and waving. Filled with my own thrill, I let out my own joy scream, like a fan at a football game, increasing the applause from above. After some annoyed looks from the security crew at the gangplank, I got a wry smile from the x-ray machine man as I barely made it back on the ship with a “bing” that never sounded better.

That night was another cocktail fueled fiesta, from dinner to disco. Around two in the morning, watching the others do shots and dance, I leaned back against the glass of a window, two hundred feet over the ship’s wake, thinking about how lucky I had been so far: darts in Miami, darts on a boat, darts in Barbados, and darts in St. Thomas, on top of all the other unforgettable people and places I now had the pleasure to know. Who cares if we won’t make it to the Dominican Republic or Grand Turk? This adventure was already so satisfying, it was hard to organize all the happy thoughts in my head.

Tomorrow, we’d arrive in Puerto Rico, and since I knew there is little more to do there than wander the old city to the famous fort, as I did the year before, I decided I might just mellow out by sleeping in a bit, and slowing down my frantic pace at our last port, San Juan.

HAPPY NEW YEAR! WE ARE BACK ALIVE AND WELL!! Thats right. Even after

Links:

Major League Darts

So, instead of trying to repeat history, I wanted to see more. After a gorgeous sunrise arrival, we disembarked and drove across the island for Long Bay, passing rusting sugarcane refineries and new Cricket stadiums, for another marvelous day of snorkeling. On the way, we stopped to get drinks. The ceremony for Barbados’ recently deceased prime minister was playing on a small television in the store. As I stood there, holding my bag of ice, I watched silently for a moment with the clerks and other patrons. I realized how respected this man was, even beyond his own island. I also recognized the broader cultural connection between many of the Caribbean islands.

The Long Bay beach we picked was perfect, a feast of white sand and blue water under green palms. I was so content with our shady hangout, my new friends, and a dozen frosty brews, I never ventured down the beach to search for darts. It didn’t even cross my mind. But, again, I did find a favorite picture: me and a local woman whose smile is simply amazing.

Meeting the minivan mid afternoon for our return trip, we stopped at Devil’s Bridge, an interesting natural arch on the edge of the Atlantic. We found a few of Antigua’s wild donkeys, whose ass-ancestors labored in the plantations decades and centuries ago. Upon return to the ship, the captain had another dubious announcement: “Hurricane Tomas has moved over Haiti, and we are forced to adjust our itinerary. Our scheduled ports at the Dominican Republic and Grand Turk have been canceled, and instead, after our visit to St. Thomas, we will add San Juan, Puerto Rico, before returning to Fort Lauderdale.”

Despite the disappointment, and knowing that Puerto Rico’s old city port offered more history than nature, my friends and I determined to make the most of our next stop in St. Thomas, our last best chance for some epic snorkeling. We signed up for a catamaran tour, and early the next morning, we were whisking across the bay, blasting classic rock, dangling our legs between the pontoons, heading for Buck Island, a wildlife refuge with a bay filled with sea turtles and ship wrecks. After a long dive, I hung out with the skipper and had a half dozen cups of rum-infused juice, before we returned to the port. We broke for lunch, then regrouped to find another driver and a dreamy afternoon on the far side of St. Thomas. Fortunately, the captain extended our stay by two hours.

From last year’s visit, I knew there were dartboards at a great pub in the port, Paradise Gate. But this time, my goal was Sib’s Mountain Bar and Grill, probably the island’s best dart bar. I’d have to find a way to squeeze in a quick stop at Sib’s, somewhere between Sapphire Beach and our six o’clock departure time.

As we drove across the island, winding over the green hills, I was scheming about how I’d pull it off.

Over and double out.

Links:

Kevin’s Blog and Gift Reviews
Rags’ Website

Links:

American Darts Organization
Queen Mary Classic IX Flyer
Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship

Again that evening, the balmy breezy weather was misleadingly melancholy. A rosy half moon winked between clouds above the invisible night horizon. We strode the decks, dined on lobster, and danced the night away. At some point, the irony sunk in, and I quipped with my new friends, “How funny would it be if Hurricane Tomas did tons of damage and became one of the worst in history, and we could all say what a great vacation it was?” The whole idea of it—chasing a hurricane through paradise in luxury with darts—made me giddy with excitement. I slipped down to Snookers to shoot a few more ton-eighty-at-sea attempts.

Soon, reality returned. I held my throw as the captain made his next ominous announcement: “Good evening passengers. Hurricane Tomas has now passed over St. Vincent, which has sustained some damage. Early reports estimate over three hundred homes and buildings have been destroyed, and sadly, six people have indeed died. Others are injured or still missing. As for us, we will still make port in the morning as scheduled, although debris and closures may require some shore excursions or plans to be adjusted as needed.”

Instantly, my selfish mindset changed. How could I bathe in emerald waterfalls or snorkel coral reefs or visit movie-sets or look for dart bars while people suffer, with their ripped off roofs and fallen walls? I decided then and there what I would do tomorrow. I, and anyone I could convince, would find the first port driver who would take us to a home that had been hit. I would rather remove the cinderblocks, corrugated tin, branches and debris littering someone’s life. Apparently, I wasn’t the only passenger looking beyond themselves and this rare opportunity to truly be human. Many offered assistance, and along with Princess Cruises, a sizable donation of food and dollars would be delivered. But that night, I slept on the thought of being someone’s helpful stranger.

A new day brought new news, good news. The Vincentians were faring better than expected. Primary emergencies had been dealt with, and local restoration efforts were handling the superficial damage. Life, and the ever vital tourism industry, could continue. There was damage, including closed roads and broken pipes, buildings collapsed and crops destroyed, but today fortunately, we were more valuable as visitors than volunteer.

After a breakfast buffet and “bing”, we were off with a driver, out of the bustle of Kingstown, on a winding coastal drive, passing signs of Tomas, and stopping at shanty store for drinks and ice. First, we made way for Wallilabou Anchorage to dance on the docks where Disney and Johnny Depp discovered swashbuckling gold. Nearby, we took a quick dip in a small picturesque waterfall. By afternoon we were at the Botanical Garden, where an original breadfruit brought by Captain Bligh towers over the orchids. The closest thing to darts I found was a boy carrying a long thick piece of bamboo down the road; the driver giggled with his own childhood memories, explaining that the boy is making a ‘cannon’ to shoot at his friends house, a popular pasttime for kids in the local neighborhoods.

Back on the boat, something else special was happening. After enjoying another rainbow ribboned departure from St. Vincent, it was dinnertime. By chance, three of my new friends were celebrating birthdays: eighteen, fifty-two, and ninety-two! We had the finest steak and champagne the Grand Princess could offer. And, for all the obvious reasons, today was a great day.

Hopefully, my luck would continue in Antigua and St. Thomas.

Over and double out.