Wood eye?

The Incredulity Tour Tour brought me face to face (or in these cases, ass to wood) with many an odd sight. Fresh from my InKY reading at the Rudyard Kipling, we were spirited away by Dottcomments on a whirlwind tour of downtown Louisville, Kentucky.

Among the many interesting local landmarks is the gigantic Louisville slugger. The exact height and weight of this bat escape me, but suffice it to say it dwarfs anything even remotely close to its majestic mass - including my own colossal ego. It is situated adjacent to the Louisville Slugger museum, manufacturing facility and gift shop.

Personalized baseball bats are a specialty, only problem is the turnaround time. I would have liked to have my name embossed on a hefty hunk of wood while I waited, and in retrospect I could have used the protection afforded by one while passing through the more redneck sections of West Virginia on the return trip.

On the second leg of The Incredulity Tour Tour, I found myself deep in the heart of the Muir Woods, renowned for its redwood trees. For some reason I was expecting the petrified forest, but alas, no. These were regular trees, though no less awe-inspiring in their beauty.

The journey through this park was early on in my trip to the Bay Area, and did not disappoint in terms of exposing me to all manner of West Coast personality type (the aging hippie, the tree hugger, etc.). Also present was a grand collection of tourists who in turn had their pictures snapped near the bisected tree stump display, which shows how large one of these specimens grew and how long it existed.

But, of course, the best part of any such visit is the opportunity for jackassery. So, when I saw this wooden bear I simply had to hop on! Striking this pose - while several small tykes patiently waited their turn - a nearby parent snorted: "Yeah, they'll believe that picture!"

I didn't bother to tell him that the point was incredulity.

(Photos by MsAPhillips)