If you're going to achieve anything in a race of any kind you have to be prepared to dabble in the boundary of disaster. Sure, we all like our comforts while on the road: clean hotel rooms, comfortable beds, nice restaurants, on-time travel schedule, etc... but sometimes it's exhilarating to get out of our comfort zone and experience something out on the edge. Because on the edge you'll see all kinds of things you won't see in the center.

I'm in Charlotte and Cabarrus County, NC  and their motors are revved up because this is "where racing lives". Underneath the modern and elegant southern city is a subculture of auto racing fans, which are the most devoted and passionate sports followers in the United States. After a Friday evening sampling trendy neighborhood restaurants and singing karaoke rap songs in basement BYOB bars, we made our way to the Charlotte Motor Speedway for a day of NASCAR racing and all that goes with it.

An air-conditioned suite is light years away from the outside world in the stands. Think Chicken Kiev Buffet vs. Dog & Beer. My "need for speed" is low, I don't really understand the racing strategy, and I'm clueless about driver identity. But I was captivated by the spirit of race, the generosity of our hosts and the dedication of the most loyal fans in sports. My ears were ringing, my adrenaline was rushing and I'll admit... the first time a group of cars flew by me at 200 miles an hour, my inner-child was scared to my core for about 10 seconds. I probably would have called my mom... but there's no way she could have heard me over the engines.

Ted's Top 5 Things He Learned About Travel On This Trip:

1. The City of Charlotte is the home of the newly opened Nascar Hall Of Fame. It was like a Cathedral of racing in there with reverent fans praising their driving gods.

2. BYOB (bring your own beer) apparently is a loose term. Our bartender happened to have 4 cases of beer "someone left" that he would gladly give away for a tip.

3. "Where Racing Lives" is more than a slogan. 80% of the drivers and their teams live in the Charlotte area and the speedway has over 200 events a year.

4. If you don't close your mouth and your ears when you're 10 feet away from an oncoming race car you'll get a mouthful of rubber and an eyeful of track dust. (click here for video)

5. A racing car travels 200 feet per second. Pit stops last 12 seconds. If the driver-side-left-wheel-lug-nut-guy messes up for 2 seconds changing a tire he costs the driver 400 feet.

Well... North Carolina is usually known for beaches, mountains and basketball, but keep your eye open for Charlotte. It's the hub of US Air with tons of non-stops from all over the world so it's easy to get to. Being both polished and rough you can have an under control encounter or a high-speed adventure, it just depends on how hard you press down on the accelerator.

Trip Quote:

"Hey... isn't the world supposed to end today at 6:00 pm?"- NASCAR fan in elevator

"I think so... yeah"- Me

"Well they'd better start this dad-gum race then... I'd didn't drive here from Virginia to see the track explode." NASCAR fan in elevator

Additional photos from this journey can be found by clicking here FlickrTravelWithTed.com

Is "California Dreaming" over? Have the State's economic woes changed the fantasy of what it's like to visit, live or experience California's West Coast?... That'd be a "NO". If anything, the dream has become grittier and more real to residents and travelers panning for their life goals in the Golden State.

I'm on calls in San Francisco, Santa Barbara and Los Angeles. Though they have similar coastal locations, each destination's offerings and character are truly unique. Future trips and blogs for each are forthcoming... I know, the things I have to do sometimes.

There's a perception that people who live in California are all dreamers trying to "find themselves", but I disagree. The locals I encountered believe a sense of self is not something one finds, it's something one creates. California, the most diverse State in the US provides everyone the opportunity to design and construct their own adventure. Following only local advice I gained a better appreciation of the real California and why its lifestyle is the envy of the rest of America.

San Francisco- In Chinatown I had incredible dim sum with duck, rabbit, or quail... or something I don't ever want to know. Couldn't tell you the restaurant name either. Green awning, white floor, smells like Chinese food... you can't miss it.

Santa Barbara- Rooftop cocktails at the Canary Hotel with the MMG and Santa Barbara CVB team I got a bird's eye view of the American Riveria. Casual elegance in pristine beach setting.

Los Angeles- Front row, bean-bag seat for a fire wielding, pole dancing, acrobatic cabaret show in old airport hanger. And that's just what I can put in this blog!

A traveler sees what he sees but a tourist sees only what he's come to see. So be a traveler in California, its vast diversity will have you seeing more than you'll remember and its people will have you remembering more than you've seen.

Ted's Top 5 Things He Learned About Travel on This Trip:

1. California's economy is the 8th largest in the world and makes up 13% of the US GNP.  4 of the top 10 largest cities in the US are in CA.

2. The Golden Gate bridge is so long, once it's finished being painted, the crew has to start all over again. "How was your day honey?" "Fine, painted my favorite pole orange again."

3. Skateboarding and surfing are part of the culture of Santa Barbara and there is no age limit or social barriers among participants.

4. See a show in LA, but get out of Hollywood. There are tons of great cultural experiences every night of the week so open up your mind and let the City of Angels float it away for an evening.

5. If you're in LA and your local actor buddy introduces you to a group of people as "Ted, he played Alan on General Hospital for two seasons before writing for HBO" just go with it because they'll never know.

Well.. I sometimes used to think people ran away to California to escape heartache or find a lifestyle more like their own, but in reality, the California coast is a world created by romantics who wanted a place to build their dreams... and there are no architectural rules for castles in the sand.

Trip Quote:

"Holy crap! Sully, did you see her climb down from the ceiling and put out that fire like that???"- Dan

"Yes."- Me

"Are you going to write about this freaky LA cabaret show in your blog?"- Dan

"No."- Me

Additional Photos from this journey can be found by clicking here FlickrTravelWithTed