[June 2013]
When we walked back to the SUV, we noticed Connor had the seats laid flat as he stretched out taking a nap. I honestly forgot we left him in the parking lot during the duration of that visit. We adjusted the seats, he hopped back into the front, and we hit the road. Devon handed him some cool pocket snacks he smuggled out of the reception.
Around the time we crossed into Alabama, other drivers around us began waving us down. Damn, Alabama is weird. What could it be?
I rolled down my window and learned that apparently our '98 Ford Explorer with the fancy seat warmers was smoking. Devon drove another few feet forward to pull over into the shoulder, and the entire vehicle lost balance. Now, I don't know shit about cars, but I've played my fair share of GTA. I was not about to be found anywhere near a smoking vehicle. I was ready to tuck and roll the moment smoke was brought to my attention.
We were still in a hurry to get back to base. We really didn't have time to spare for such inconveniences, and we certainly didn't have the money to repair whatever was wrong with it. We were still about 4 hours away from home. Nobody would be willing to tow the vehicle that far for us without it costing an arm and leg. What the fuck do we do now?
Panic.
"No, we don't need to panic.", Devon calmly replied after I didn't realize I had said that part out loud.
"We have AAA. We'll call them and see what our options are first." he continued.
I got AAA on the phone. They said they would be able to tow our vehicle to the nearest mechanic, which happened to be Pep Boys. Pep Boys said it looked like a ball joint issue and they would not be able to have it repaired same day since they needed to order parts.
"Now we panic.", I said jokingly. "Yes, now we panic a little.", Devon replied.
We had been recklessly spending like drunken sailors, living paycheck to paycheck since Devon came back from deployment. We had enough money for gas and food to get us this far, but we couldn't afford to rent an unexpected hotel room for a night.
I called my mom and explained the situation. I continued mentioning the urgency of us getting home soon. It was Saturday evening, so we did have the time to stay in a hotel for one night, but we could not afford to financially. My mom managed to borrow money from Nana to lend to us so we could take a break for the night while the mechanics figured out the SUV situation.
Our motel room had two queen beds for the three of us. The place reeked of mildew and...what is that? Spoiled milk? It didn't matter. I guess I was just thankful to have a place to stay for the night.
Connor stepped outside to smoke a cigarette while Devon and I stayed inside mindlessly scrolling through TV channels. After about 15 minutes, Connor walked back into the room...with a cat in his arms. "Look at what I found out there. This little guy just wanted love and attention."
The cat shamelessly hopped up onto the bed like he owned this particular motel room. He took turns rubbing his face and body all over the three of us, enjoying the affection, and leaving behind little remnants of fur everywhere as he passed by. Then, he sprayed the motel TV stand.
"Nope, sorry, friendly stray kitty needs to go back outside." I said.
Now, we get to enjoy the lovely smell of ammonia for the night. I'm so fucking ready to go home.
We hung out in the room long enough to call Pep Boys for an update when they opened the following morning. Unfortunately, there was far more wrong with the vehicle than just the ball joints. It was looking like it would be at least another two days to fix the issue. We didn't have two days to wait. We had to get back to base. Today.
Out of desperation, Devon called a couple of his military friends to ask for help. We needed someone to give us a ride from Alabama back to Mississippi. Thank god Devon had some solid friends back then. One of the guys from his shop was willing to help out and get us back home in time.
We're still going to need to go back to fucking Alabama to pick up the vehicle when it's ready though. God, I'm sick and tired of being on the road.

Remarkably no local grocery store, chain or mom-and-pop, sells raw. Just the roasted salted kind. Are there any places near East LA / Whittier area?

This is the best tl;dr I could make, original reduced by 82%. (I'm a bot)

Djokovic's comments were in reference to rising tensions and violence in Kosovo following local elections in April.
Kosovo's majority ethnic Albanians declared independence in 2008, though Serbia still considers Kosovo to be an integral part of its territory.
In his post-match press conference with Serbian media, Djokovic revealed that "As a Serb, everything that's happening in Kosovo hurts me a lot."
The 22-time grand slam winner also added politically-charged statements such as "Kosovo is our hearthstone, our stronghold, our most important monasteries are there"-a reference to the numerous medieval Serb Orthodox Christian monasteries that are in Kosovo, as well as the 1389 battle where Ottoman Turks and Serbia armies clashed in a struggle for Kosovo.
"Novak Djokovic was already the author of similar actions in the past. Despite a general message against violence, the statement 'Kosovo is the heart of Serbia' and further statements after the match, made by such a public figure, on the occasion of a worldwide event like the French Open, directly result in raising the level of tension between the two states, Serbia and Kosovo,".
A Euro 2020 qualifying match between the Czech Republic, Czech fans waved Serbian flags during the Kosovo national anthem and later chanted "Kosovo is still Serbia." Several Kosovo fans were also assaulted near the supporters' hotel, leading to a handful of arrests.

Summary Source FAQ Feedback Top keywords: Kosovo^#1 Djokovic^#2 Serbia^#3 statement^#4 Ethnic^#5
Post found in /worldnews and /europe.
NOTICE: This thread is for discussing the submission topic. Please do not discuss the concept of the autotldr bot here.

For some quick context I’m on holiday.
Basically I was walking through a large crowd of people in a country where I can’t speak the language. There was a lot of noise and I don’t normally find crowds overwhelming but I wasn’t really sure where I was and I can’t understand everyone around me so I was feeling very overstimulated . I decided that I needed to stop and have a break before continuing on back to my hotel room where my family was waiting for me so I found a quiter place near the crowd to sit down and stim on my favourite stim toy for a bit to calm down.
It’s a 3D printer sensory wheel, kind of like a clicky mouse scroll wheel that can fit in my pocket.
Anyway I was stimming on my toy and some American (they might of been Canadian, I can’t really tell the accents apart) tourists were walking past when they noticed me. They started laughing and pointing at me and making mocking gestures of me using the toy. I didn’t have my earbuds or headphones with me so I couldn’t ignore them. Then one of them came up to me and asked me in a really demeaning way “have you lost your mummy”. At that point I wanted to cry so bad, I instantly ran away back to my hotel room where I am now.
Why do people have to be so mean? I don’t want to go out in public anymore in this country.

🌸 Delina 🌸 Unbearable. Killed my love for roses. Lasts forever on my clothes, unfortunately for me. I already made a post on here saying this smells like Rose Jam but I apologize to Lush, I actually like Rose Jam.
🌝 Meliora 🌝 Super sweet! Oddly tropical to me. I say oddly because it doesn’t actually have any tropical notes. I like it but it smells like you spent €20 on it. Which wouldn’t be a bad thing if this wasn’t €245.
💗 Oriana 💗 I think I would love this one if I could smell it. I’m just going by the notes listed for this because I can’t actually smell anything. I’ve sprayed this like 5 times and I still have no clue what this is like. I’ll try 10 next, I guess.
🍑 Cassili 🍑 The best by far! The opening is an older woman’s perfume but then it gets juvenile. Infantile even, it kind of smells like baby powder. Best of both worlds IMO but I am particularly into that creamy dry down. I might spend the money on a full-size bottle if I get a concussion in the near future 🤞
🕋 Athalia 🕋 My grandma grew up in some small village in Eastern Europe. When we’d go visit her sister’s farmer’s house, it smelled of horse manure, a fire going in the fireplace and old-school bar soap. I didn’t express that in an appealing way, but I do like that smell and this perfume. It’s rustic. It’s smoky, I get some oud but it isn’t listed anywhere so I’m being haunted by ghost notes again. That’s the dry down. The opening is more of a men’s oud, leather and smoke. TJ Maxx candle territory. But it passes fast.
🏺 Safanad 🏺 Opens as a lovely, but generic floral. Quickly turns into a syrupy sweet orange blossom. Almost smells like honey to me. Syrupy is the key word here. I might like it if it stayed there, but then it dries down powdery.
🏳️ Valaya 🏳️ Laundry. Perfume-y laundry. (For a photorealistic laundry, try Clean Fresh Laundry)
🐷 Delina La Rosée 🐷 It’s too early in my recovery from Delina for me to try this yet.
In conclusion! Strong shared DNA. All of these are sweet, perfume-y, feminine. Which makes me think their target audience isn’t someone who already owns 100+ perfumes (only god can judge me). PDM is probably aiming to offer a solid, crowd pleasing, sweet perfume for those who don’t already have one. They made Athalia if you want smoky sweet, Meliora for fruity sweet, Delina for rosy sweet, etc. Anyone that’s been collecting perfume for a while probably already has too many similar stuff to find anything of interest here.

Strava-https://www.strava.com/activities/9157136028
Race Information
Name: Buffalo Marathon
Date: 28 May 2023
Distance: 42.2 km
Location: Buffalo, NY
Time: 3:03.28
Goals
Goal Description Completed?
A Sub 3 No
B New PR Yes
Splits
5km-21:09 10km-41:56 15km-1:03:32 20km-1:24:23 25km-1:46:04 30km-2:07:43 35km-2:29:22 40km-2:52:16 Finish-3:03:28
Background
33 year old male and I started running last march/April. I trained for approximately 5 weeks, then ran the Mississauga half (1:42 finish time). I got my sights set on running a sub 3 marathon and that has been my goal ever since. I did Hal Higdon’s intermediate 2 plan, and ran a 3:19 with a large book at km 35 that forced me to walk for 19 minutes.
Training
My wife and I have an 18 month old and 4 week old at home (she was born one month prior to the race), so it’s been difficult to balance work/home life/training. I felt like it would be frustrating trying to follow a specific plan, so I made some guidelines and followed them for approximately 16 weeks. I did 2 different speed workouts per week, and 4 easy runs with one of those being a long run. I averaged ~60km per week and my highest week was 93km. There were a few good workouts that gave me a confidence boost. Most notably, a 30 km long run with the first 15km at marathon pace plus one min, and the second 15km at marathon pace. This took place 5 weeks out from the race. I also logged a new 5km PB of 18:31 during my highest mileage week.
Pre-race
In hindsight, it was not the best idea to have my wife and two kids come along for the weekend. Still loads of fun and I don’t regret it one bit, but not ideal for the race.
The night before the race we couldn’t walk into a restaurant without a reservation, so my night before meal was Mexican food (2 tacos and corn on the cob). Not nearly enough food and I was trying to keep my wife calm, who was worried about our 18 month old not eating. We were all in one hotel room, so I probably had a total of 6 hours sleep with 3 newborn baby wake-ups in between.
The morning of I had a large serving of fruit and granola, then took a gel before the race started.
Race
I was trying to run around 4:13 pace with a group of people I found at the starting line. I wanted to stay (slightly) ahead of the 3hr pacer the whole way.
First half of the race was great. Heart rate was where it should be, breathing was controlled, fuelling was good, and I felt strong. Once the sun came out, it was hot. I was chasing the shade for the second half.
I still felt quite strong up until the 35 km mark. My pace slowed a bit at this point, but I still felt like my goal was attainable.
At km 39, I ran out of gas. My legs were sore and I was having trouble keeping my eyes open. I could hear the pacer behind me, watched him pass me, and knew sub 3 was off the table. I just wanted to keep running and finish as strong as I could. My slowest km was 5:10 but I did not stop running.
I finished the race at 3:03 and it was really cool to see my wife, kids, and in laws cheering me on at the finish line.
Post-race & Reflections
I’m quite happy with how the race went. Even though I didn’t reach my goal, this was overall a better race than my previous marathon. I still feel very new to running and I know that it takes time to develop in the sport. Having said that, it’s pretty cool to have hit the qualifying time for Chicago. That will likely be my next American marathon, but I will likely do the Toronto marathon again in the fall. And once again try to go sub 3.

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My family of four stayed at the Conrad which is really close to Akumal for 6 days and then one night in Cancun before we left.
We rented a car from easyway which was no problem at all except I am still waiting to get the deposit back. I was really paranoid about being pulled over after reading some posts on here but we never had an issue. Renting a car was nice, but driving into Tulum was kind of a nightmare with the car. Parking was extremely hard to find and the cops at the beginning of town really made me nervous. The other drivers in Mexico are really aggressive so you have to pay close attention to avoid accidents.
The resort we stayed at was beautiful and the seaweed really wasn’t an issue until a storm came in on one of our last nights and then we could really see what everyone was talking about. There was tons of seaweed floating and the water looked brown instead of the pretty blue that we saw all the days before. We did have an issue at checkin where our room wasn’t ready at 6pm which was extremely frustrating considering we had been traveling since 3am that morning and we were wearing sweatpants and tennis shoes. We also brought a 12 pack of beer to the resort and the staff misplaced it. I had to ask about it and then they figured out where it was and brought it to our room. Our problems were resolved with a $100 credit to our bill. The restaurants and alcohol on our resort were extremely expensive. Luckily the 2 adults got free breakfast every day and we mostly went off the resort to stock up on booze and snacks and sometimes ate a late lunch in town.
We visited Akumal and I loved it much more than Tulum. It was much less stressful to park and we took the snorkel tour with the turtles and the beach was nice there.
We also went to casa tortugas cenotes which was a really great experience just make sure you bring a waterproof cellphone case and cash rather than card.
On our way back to Cancun we stopped at playa del Carmen which was really beautiful and had tons of shopping. Lots of people thought we were Canadian and we constantly trying to pull us into their shops placing necklaces on my daughters and pressuring us to buy shit we didn’t want. We ended up avoiding 5th avenue on the walk back to our car so we wouldn’t get hassled.
Cancun was actually really awesome because everything was so convenient. ATMs were easy to find and the hotel we stayed at was walking distance from all the cool stuff.
The cons:
Not following advice on how to convert money was super annoying. We found ourselves searching for a working atm multiple times and we were paranoid about using the random ones in Tulum. Our hotel had two machines but the pesos machine was out of order and the usd machine charged us nearly $30 to take out $200. I got ripped off $20 at a money exchange in playa del Carmen where the lady said I gave her $20 less than I did and then when I called her out she said “no ingles” I realized I shouldn’t have tried to convert as much money as I did and that would have helped in that scenario.
Also got ripped off at the gas station. I gave the guy a $20 and turned around and he had $1 in his hand instead. At the time I didn’t realize what had happened so I didn’t know until we got back to the hotel and I read the post on here and realized that’s a common scam.
In Cancun we were set on eating tacos and we found this little taco shop that we had to go get money out for. We came back and sat down and started to order and the lady told us all the prices on the menu were actually 20 pesos more than what was listed. It was a slap in the face but we paid it anyway.
And the last downside is that because we did eat off the resort a few times, my husband and I are suffering from diarrhea still.
Overall we had a great time but it does feel shitty being taken advantage of because I’m a white tourist. I want to support these Mexican vendors but found myself sticking to shops where prices are listed to avoid being haggled and ripped off. Oh an we never had any moment where we didn’t feel safe.

Foundations of Humanity 27 (New Horizons) - an NoP fanfic
​
Thank you u/SpacePaladin15 for establishing the Nature of Predators Universe, and for allowing Fanfics to flourish!Thank you again, u/Braquen, u/Acceptable_Egg5560, u/BiasMushroom721, and last but not least u/Liberty-Prime76 for proofreading! Also, thank you u/Frostborne for your blessing on my Gojid City name! This is my side of the Nature of a Giant crossover)!
Also Star Tours is a Disney copyright which I use in good faith and humor under fair use please don’t hurt me capitalist mouse daddy.
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Memory transcription subject: Valek, Venlil tourist
Date [standardized human time]: Sept 11th, 2136. Middle of 3rd Claw
I watched Maeve find an open station and investigate the helmet while I asked, “Do Humans have Visor arcades?”
“Oh, absolutely! There’s an entire League for VR!” Maeve awkwardly slipped into the seat and found the controls; after a moment the seat started to adjust itself to size, the sudden movement causing Maeve to jump.
Alvi spoke up beside me, “Maeve has a book that talks about it. It talked about headsets and digital worlds like what we have, over a hundred years ago!”
“A hundred years ago?” I couldn’t help but be skeptical. “Are you really saying that our tech is a hundred years behind yours with VR?”
“Eh, not exactly,” Maeve tilted her head as she thought, “with things like visors, there was an upper limit to how to design them. Most of the innovations were on how realistic the visors could make the media. We got video down pretty quickly, and surround-sound was pretty much figured out by then. We experimented with scent and that did not go well. Really most of the progress has been in processing, and you guys still have us beat on that!”
She picked up the viewing device. There were three kinds of stations with different sized helmets for each. The first she investigated were Dossur to Zurulian sized, but it only took a moment to find a Sivkit to Gojid size. “Looks like these could fit me. Can you two wait long enough to see if this works with humans?”
I flicked my ears in amusement and posed myself overdramatically. “I’m sure that I, your poor starving mate, can continue starving while you enjoy yourself.” I giggled while Alvi slapped me with her tail. “Go on, have fun! I’m also curious to see if the program would work with your eyes.”
With a look around to ensure no one was watching, Maeve switched her veil for the helmet, after only a few moments of effort. The collar thickness was adjustable to help the foam complete a clean seal against the jaw. I touched my pre-paid band to the tap pad, and the machine shifted colors to show it was occupied. The helmet was designed for snouted species, and so hung somewhat past Maeve’s chin, allowing us to see light reflected off her skin.
A screen beside her lit up with the mask, and we could see what she saw while she played. Alvi and I walked her through the tutorial and calibrator, and Maeve chose Jewels of the Federation at my suggestion; a simple walking simulator showcasing highlights of Federation homeworlds.
The simulator starts us in the same arcade, in the same booth! A well-groomed Venlil stands beside her and reminds Maeve of her private tour. Maeve ‘walks’ while still seated and lifts her virtual self from the digital booth, following the guide to a launch pad that didn’t previously exist. Alvi and I stopped in shock for a moment when a noticeably younger Captain Sovlin walked down the gangway of our destination shuttle; though judging by Maeve’s lack of reaction, she seemed not to recognize him; Alvi met my eye and pointedly flicked her ears. The simulated Gojid pilot wags their ears genially as they throw their arms wide in welcome.
“Good waking, citizen of the Federation! Star Tours has invited me to escort you on an introduction to the astounding marvels of our great peoples! Every species has made wondrous contributions to the enlightenment of the Federation, but the strayu is in the oven, so we’ll only get the time to visit your own Venlil Prime, The Cradle, and Nishtal today. Follow me and we can begin!”
Maeve followed Sovlin into the cockpit of the stylized shuttle and took the copilot seat; Maeve’s head was on a swivel and she took in everything around her. “Wow, this is so cool! Your whole helmet is a screen! Our VR is only in front of our eyes, tricking our brains into seeing three dimensionally.” Her voice echoed around the helmet, muffling her words before they could reach us..
The shuttle lifted gently and Maeve’s chair tilted back with it. Coming up, we could see that this arcade was in the Capitol, and they did a flying pass to show its glass spires and bustling spaceport. Sovlin spoke up beside Maeve, “The Venlil Homeworld is in a strategic position within the Federation, and you make your people proud by fulfilling your duty to the Herd; in spite of your weakness and timidity!!”
The shuttle started to pitch to the open center of the city, and a large park came into view. “But, as I-” Sovlin’s voice caught in his throat, before he cleared it and spoke with firm authority, “As we all know: Duty sometimes comes with Sacrifice. And we honor and remember that… sacrifice with the beautiful Cattle Memorial!”
The vines of Morning Light catch the sun, and I feel my ears fall as I remember my own family’s sacrifices. Alvi caught my distress, and curled her tail around me as the simulation continued, “Here we remember the lives lost from the ruthless barbarity of the Greys. We hope that this Shining Beacon may guide their bodies and souls back to the Herd.” The shuttle kept flying straight toward the ground, but the shuttle surroundings started to disappear as Sovlin and Maeve joined the mourners and wellwishers. The breeze played gently with unopened letters and fresh bouquets. Sovlin spoke softly, in respect for visitors, “It is open all claws, and many leave their remembrances. Make sure to show your support, next time you’re in the Capitol.”
After several moments of contemplative silence, the shuttle pulled up into the upper atmosphere, and Maeve’s seat began to shudder. I spoke up a little louder so she could hear me through the helmet, “Set your head back. The next part might make you a little queasy.”
Maeve did as bidden just before Sovlin hit the warp jump, and the screen was awash with a rainbow of colors streaking to the outer border.
We fall out of Warp just above The Cradle, its capital continent in view surrounded by great oceans, while other landmasses curve around the planet and out of sight. The camera quickly descends through the atmosphere and we pull into the great city of Vala’s Embrace, with its shining spires and sprawling seaports. We fly down through the airspace busy with cargo freighters and I see Maeve involuntary flinch after a close miss. “The Gojid are a proud and fierce people, but also industrious! Our Cradle and Colonies are a major food source for the rest of the Federation, in addition to the significant extractions performed by our colonies and outposts.”
The camera flies into the center of the city where stands a grand Cathedral to the Protector, Her robed form guiding believers to the grand entryway. “But my People are renowned for our stalwart loyalty to our faith and to the Federation. Our great houses of worship are monuments of our devotion to protecting the Herd from the Predator Menace!”
After a pass around the building highlighting its traditional stonework and heraldry, the camera joins the throng of worshippers, coming in low like a child beside their parent, and we see the full glory of The Church.
Our view pans up from the crowd to a ceiling decorated with murals of inlaid wood and metals. Vibrant colors, textures, and shining light tell the story of Vala driving out the Predators and forming the first Herd. Stained glass windows cover the congregation in pools of color almost as varied as the congregants themselves. A silver Gojid passes from behind us, towering tall with the kind eyes of one who knows their faith, and is safe in its love. They lay a paw on Maeve’s shoulder and guide her to a bench only a few rows from the front, with a seat on the aisle. The Priest stands before their podium and begins a sermon of service to the Herd, and one’s role within it.
The priest’s voice fades into the background as we fly backward out of an open window like a bird; words of Predators at our doorstep fading on the wind. We rise to re-exit the atmosphere, Maeve’s chair buzzing as the hyperdrive spins up.
We warp into a field of defensive space stations, glittering proudly in the Nishtalian Sun. Below, we see a planet with a great many islands, webbed with weaving waterways and small seas. Maeve pressed herself further into the seat as we entered their thicker atmosphere, the seat vibrations causing the helmet to rattle against it.
“And here we have the vibrant marshes of Nishtal!” We broke through the clouds to see massive arbors climbing back into them. We approached the Nishtal Capital sprawled across dozens of kilometers of archipelago, held above the water by meta-material supports.
“Nishtal is well known for its punishing environments, which helped to mold the Krakotl into Pan-Galactic Heroes! From Captain Kalsim, to Merchant Captain Malins, to Chief Exterminator Estela. Each renowned for holding the line against the predator taint, through fire or rail! And this is where their mettle was tested!”
The shuttle flies around a flat paved area, surrounded by landing pads as warships lift and land. In the center was a platoon of Krakotl performing training exercises. The shuttle again falls away as we start walking behind a Commander, Sovlin walking beside him as he speaks over his shoulder, “The Krakotl have been an instrumental force in maintaining our peaceful way of life. If you think you have what it takes, be sure to register for the JEOTC so you can help make the galaxy a better place!”
Sovlin met the eye of the Krakotl commander beside him, “Thank you for your service, Sir.”
We split off from the commander, and our walking transitioned back to our shuttle before firing off back into the sky.Through the vibrating chair, Maeve stuttered out, “M-M-Man Y-You-u-u Guys-z-z-z’re R-R-Real-l-ly into this-s-s W-W-War, huh??”
Suddenly the chair threw Maeve forward, almost unseating her as she suddenly fell out of warp, “We have Grey contacts! Time to turn tail and get out of here! I’ll stay on the guns and when I say Go, you push that throttle as hard as you can! OK…!” A Metallic handle started to glow in front of her, and Maeve reached out with her controller to grab it. It took her a moment, but Sovlin never gave the signal… Until she grabbed on. “GO!” Maeve rocked her body forward and slammed the throttle to its limiter, the seat beneath her rumbling with renewed vigor.
After only a moment, a Kolshian Capital Ship dropped from subspace in front of us and fired a volley of Everything in the direction behind us. Our ship slowed and Sovlin cheered from the pilot’s chair, “HaHa! The Vanguard has arrived! Thank you for your help gentlemen!”
A portrait feed popped up on and above the control panel, showing General Kalsim’s distinct banding on his beak. “This is General Kalsim, Commander of the Federation Vessel Inatala’s Will. Star tours, have you suffered any damage?” The portrait squawked as the General’s feathers puffed with pride.
“Negative General, thank you for the save!”
“Understood, let’s get you home, Star Tours.”
“We would be very grateful, General! Protector guides you.”
The chair beneath Maeve vibrates and tilts back as the hyper-drive charges up again, the screen flashing to show the sprawling oceans of Aafa, glittering brilliantly in the shining sun, dotted by its giant floating cities and lush tropical islands. A flock of broad chirping seabirds adorned with vibrant colors gliding on the calm ocean breeze flanking the shuttle. The capital of Aafa grew on the viewscreen, the sprawling Governance Center of the Federation dominating the city, swooping lines and a singular towering dome marked the chambers of the Federation senate.
“Isn’t that a beautiful view? This is what we fight for, this is the Cradle of the Federation, the very heart of our enlightened civilization. This is what we protect.”
The camera pans low, the shuttle falling away, sweeping along the streets of the capital.
The dome grew ever larger in the background until the camera began to soar over busy diplomats entering the senate floor, the camera like a very lost Flowerbird. Chief Nikonus was delivering an impassioned speech to the gathered representatives, declaring the grand aims and lofty goals of the Federation to spread peace and safety to all Prey peoples. The camera panned around the room, showing representatives listening to the speech with focused ears and attentive eyes, pausing on the Venlil Representative, swaying their tail in pride and determination. As the camera finished its rotation it exited through the rooms wide glass panes, rising up and over the city as the shuttle reformed once again, breaching through the atmosphere and up into the stars.
Maeve’s seat rumbled as the hyperdrive spooled again, the screen clearing to show the Capital of Venlil Prime once more, soaring down to the arcade the adventure had started in. Captain Sovlin’s voice echoed from the speakers.
“Thank you for joining me today on Star Tours! Be sure to visit your nearest Federation recruitment center today and do your part!”
With fading fanfare, the seat returned to a neutral position and Maeve took off her helmet to meet our eyes. “That… was definitely a thing. It had a lot of… uh… ho boy.”
“Yeah, uh.” I shifted my weight awkwardly, “Watching that as an adult is… Stars, I remember wanting so badly to sign up. But my mom stopped me.”
“I’ll have to thank her when we get home.” Alvi sighed with exaggerated relief.
“You and me, both.” Maeve said through a relieved chuckle, “You guys want a turn? I’d like to do something more chill; cleanse the palate.”
Alvi and I politely declined, before I offered, “Actually I wanted to show you something. I don’t know how you guys have fun, but Shipper is really good.”
I guided Maeve to the catalog and pointed out the correct one. As the game started up and Maeve got the ship moving, she snorted and muttered to herself, “Of course you have Trucking Simulator In Space. Why am I even surprised.”
---
Maeve was making great progress, and had made two deliveries before the low fuel warning began trilling at her.
“Nah, see, you gotta watch your fuel too! The more you haul the more fuel you use, and you still gotta make it to your drop-off.”
“Wow, you guys do not mess around with these work simulators. We actually had a whole era of these a wh- Hey!”The screen locked up, telling us our 30 minutes were up.
“W-What does it say?”
“It says it's time to stop and get some food!”
“Ahh, man I was just getting the hang of it.”
“And I would like to get a hang of some Mel Root wedges. Come on!” Alvi chimed with a playful whine.Maeve rolled out of the station, and after a moment for her legs to remember what walking was, donned her veil and we continued to the food court. Pushing the doors open we saw a veritable swarm of Venlil of all ages, though many of the younger were already sitting while their parents fetched their meal. A child near the door caught sight of us and squeaked in surprise, alerting their parents to our presence.
Conversation died like a wave across the open expanse. Maeve stood stock still, and so did we, trying very very hard to avoid a panic and stampede.
I spoke in barely a whisper, “Maeve?”
She returned my quietness, “Yes, Valek?”
“I don’t want to do this to you, but I think it is best if we find a seat first… Then Alvi or I can get the food.” My tail began to sway in slow caution while my ears kept on a swivel.
“Yeah. Yeah, I think you’re right. Can you see any open tables?”Alvi flicked her tail at the balcony, “I see stairs there, and the balcony looks pretty clear.”
Maeve started to nod reflexively before catching herself, then back to keeping her head low and unfocused.
Alvi and I guided her gently around the outer perimeter of the court, slowly working our way to the stairwell while all eyes and ears were locked on us the whole journey. We stepped up the stairs and conversation slowly built up again, though not to the same exuberancy as before. We found our seat just outside the stairwell on the 2nd floor. We tried to avoid scaring what few families remained on the balcony, but despite our efforts, those few almost immediately grabbed their belongings and moved. It was almost comical how little they tried to hide it. Yet also surprising in that there hadn’t been any screams or stampeding. It left a strange feeling in the air. One that felt somehow both better and worse than if they had screamed.
This tension was not lost on Maeve, as she muttered to herself, “Plague bearer, or horrific monster. Decisions, decisions.”
I took her hand in my paw in a feeble attempt to offer what comfort I could. Alvi was the first to speak, “Well, Valek you got the Gravity room and Visor game, so I’ll handle food. Anything the two of you desperately want?”
We gave her our orders and she stepped down the stairs, leaving Maeve and I alone on the balcony.
I hoped to loosen the tangle of this horrid tension. “Sooo…. Biblical?”
As I had hoped, the sudden change snapped Maeve out of her stormcloud and laughter bubbled from her like the Sun! “UUh… That’s uh. Complicated. There’s a good thousand years of linguistic context that makes that word mean what it meant the way I used it. The Bible is a book of faith for a significant portion of people on earth. Not all, and not even a majority; hell, even that is fragmented because no one can agree on what it really means. This Bible teaches a great many things, some good some bad, but one of its teachings is how to… legitimize relationships. Get married, basically.”
Maeve leaned closer to me on the off chance the balcony was less empty than we believed, “And one of the more serious ways to officiate these pairings was with sex; or ‘mating’. As this faith quickly became one of the more influential faiths on our planet, most of humanity learned and still has complicated feelings about sex and intimacy. So, we talk around it. ‘Sleeping together’ ‘Do the nasty’ ‘The beast with two backs’ and more to the point: ‘To know someone biblically’.”
“So when you said…”“I was saying I had sex with one of you, yes.”
I focused my ears in feigned shock, while my tail swished with mischief, “I was that one, right?”
Maeve lightly shoved my shoulder while she straightened to her normal posture, but I stayed low. “Hey,” I whispered, nodding my head for Maeve to come closer, and she did so. I reached my paws up to her white veil, and brought it up and over her face, revealing her brightly blooming face which my lips eagerly met. Pulling away, I asked, “Perhaps once we get back to the hotel, we could… know each other biblically?”
She pulled my face back to hers, returning my affections with equal vigor, “Only if we can get Alvi out of the room. I want you all to myself.”
Alvi. Right. She’s… she’s here. Staying with us. And we would be… kicking her out. The one she admitted feeling for would be kicking her out to mate with someone else. But she understands! Right?
“Oh, looks like Alvi got us some food!”
My ears snapped behind me as Maeve looked over my shoulder.
---
Memory transcription subject: Alvi, Venlil tourist
Date [standardized human time]: Sept 11th, 2136. Middle of 3rd Claw
I stepped lightly up the stairs while balancing the trays within my arms. There were so many options! Cresting the top of the stairs, Valek stood to assist. While I covered the menu.“Ok we got all of our favorite fruit, I know how much you love starberries, Maeve.” Who smiled broadly under her now-open veil. “I was able to get us some Sunbreeze, but most of the food stands had long waits and I was hungry, so I just got a plate of fried veg and called it good. This one is the fried Deeproot, and powdered lakeseed dough balls, and some mel root wedges. The arcade’s mel root is a little heavy on the firefruit.”
“Thank you, Alvi!” Maeve picked up one of the larger wedges and broke it in half with me. We lifted our pieces in celebration and bit down at the same time. Immediately my mouth was alight with bright heat and my lips stung blissfully, but after only a moment the sweet and full flavor of the mel root complimented perfectly with the cleansing fire.
Maeve beside me scrunched her face and gasped, “Whoo!” She hooted, “That is spicy! Mm! That potato is really good though. What do you call this?”
I wagged my tail, happy to see that she appreciated the- wait. “Potato? That’s Mel Root. What’s a Potato?”
Maeve licked her fingers before taking another wedge, “It’s a root tuber; a staple food from earth. Mel root, or, well, cooked mel root, has a really similar consistency to potato! Makes sense since they’re both roots.” She took a bite of her wedge and immediately made that same face, “Ooo that was a mistake, I should have finished talking.” a few quick breaths through her mouth before she continued, “Your mel root is denser, closer to a carrot, but still really starchy. The fry really brings out a lot of sweetness; I’ll admit, it goes really well with the firefruit. Good choice Alvi!”
The praise set my tail to wagging as I bit into my food. So spicy! So good! I am so glad we came to this food court!
Speaking of, “I haven’t seen Tarlim or his human. I hope they haven’t changed their minds on meeting here.” I spoke through a masticated root.
“Wouldn’t blame them if they did,” Valek grumbled, tail curling between his legs, “I was just like everyone who’s been running from us…” He trailed off sinking into his chair.
“You could have handled it better, but so could he.” I sighed, remembering that chair. “From what I’ve heard of those places though, I can’t say I blame him.”
Maeve set down a piece of deeproot and looked at Valek. “What are those places? You guys got really scared when he said he got out of one.”
Valek was the first to speak, “They are places where we put people who are a danger to themselves or the Herd; people with Predator Disease.”
My fur flared at the mention of my almost-diagnosis. Maeve noticed and flattened the fur along my spine, “You’re not a predator Alvi. There is nothing wrong with you.”
She says while you continue stuffing your face like a hun--SHUT UP!! I AM NOT!! I AM LOVED!! I AM IN A HERD! THAT KNOWS AND STAYS! SHUT UP!
Maeve watched Valek while she continued to comfort me “And… how does one get predator disease?”
Valek continued his lesson, while I tried desperately to slow my spinning mind.
“Well… the federation tells us it can be spread by ‘predator taint’, or spending too much time around or with predators. I’m… I’m not sure I believe that. But we know it can be inherent. Sometimes symptoms begin as early as an infant. As well, it can appear randomly or be carried within family lines.”“And how does one get diagnosed?”
I thought about when my teacher first called the Exterminators. I remembered the Exterminators coming to my foster family. They talked them down, but it wasn’t long after that that they ‘couldn't take care of me’.
My voice left my mouth unbidden, “Well those born with it… they tend to get diagnosed early, but sometimes Predator Disease can come out later in life. If someone is reported for Predator Behavior, they have a chance to argue their case to the exterminator on duty. If the exterminator confirms the case, they are taken in to be diagnosed. And if it’s a yes, they are taken to a Correctional Facility to be taught how to be in a herd.”
Valek tapped his claws against the table as his tail shook with desperate hope. “See? There’s several checks on the way to a diagnosis. The system is designed to avoid false positives. If Tarlim was diagnosed, I am sure it was with good cause.”
Maeve shook her head, “I’m not so sure. By my count, there were only two people in that chain, three if you count the person reporting it, and at best only one of them was a medical professional, unless I’m misunderstanding the concept of exterminators. Setting that aside, I think I’m missing something. What is Predator Disease?”
“It’s when someone is a Predator in the body of a Prey. We can see them when they don’t work within a herd, or they don't understand our tail signals. These people are a danger to the herd, both passively and, if left unchecked, directly, so we try to teach them how to be Prey.” Valek looked desperately at Maeve after spouting the information, almost as if by rote. Like he was quoting an exterminator textbook.
“Wait, wait… so it’s a behavioral disease? They can’t grasp body language, or other people’s feelings?” Maeve was appearing more confused, more… afraid. Was predator disease so terrible among humans? Then why would she want me around?
Because she doesn’t know, stupid! But she's about to! They never stick around once they find out!
Valek was adamant. Maeve needed to know this, I know she did. “It’s not just that, they can’t even get themselves to be part of a herd! They always sit or move with nobody around them!” but once she did…
“Well then. What would that make me?”
My eyes froze in their sockets and my legs refused to flee.
The Night called us.
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Hello everyone! It's week two of Explore the Horizon. Last week I really enjoyed the Festival tasks, so let's hope this time around we get a bunch of good things once again. Sorry for the little delay in publishing this thread this week, hope you all are having a great week!  
A ??? is available for completing the Super7 this week.  

Forzathon Shop

The Forzathon Shop ends on Jun 8th, 2023 @ 14:29 (UTC).  

• 450FP Car: 1964 Aston Martin DB5
• 300FP Car: 2014 Ford #11 Rockstar F-150 Trophy Truck
• 75FP Clothing: Farid Rueda Lion Race Suit
• 75FP Car Horn: Referee Whistle
• Wheelspins: 60FP & 150FP  

Festival Playlist Rewards

• Autumn - 20/63 Points: Ford F-150 '86 (Exclusive Car)
• Autumn - 40/63 Points: 2022 Extreme E Odyssey 21 e-SUV (#44) (Hard to Find)
• Series - 80/252 Points: Wuling Sunshine (Hard To Find)
• Series - 160/252 Points: 2021 Audi RS 7 (Hard To Find)  

Hot Wheels Events - 7 Points

Exclusive to Hot Wheels Owners; the respective Academy Rank must be unlocked. Not Required for Season Rewards, Series Completion, or the Min, Meet Max Achievement.

• Danger Sign: "Canyon Fire" ?? 2 points
• Criteria: Anything Goes (S2-998)
• Reward: Super Wheelspin  
  
• Championship: "Super Loops" 5 points
  
• Criteria: Modern Supercars (S1-900)
  
• Reward: Clothing - Farid Rueda Bear Cap  
  

Rally Adventure Events - 7 Points

Exclusive to Rally Adventure Owners; required for you to be Horizon Badlands Champion. Not Required for Season Rewards, Series Completion, or the Min, Meet Max Achievement.

• Speed Zone: "Tierra Verdes" ?? 2 points
• Criteria: Anything Goes (S2-998)
• Reward: Super Wheelspin  
  
• Championship: "Time Warp" 5 points
  
• Criteria: Retro Saloons (B700)
  
• Reward: Emote - Macarena  
  

Forzathon Weekly Challenge - 5 Points

Earn 80FP for completing the weekly challenge, double if you own La Casa Solariega. Must be done in sequence to count.

• Own the drive the 2017 RAM 2500 Power Wagon.
• Win a Dirt Race in the 2017 RAM 2500 Power Wagon.
• Earn a Wrecking Ball skill with the 2017 RAM 2500 Power Wagon.
• Earn 3 Stars at Trailblazers in the 2017 RAM 2500 Power Wagon.  

Forzathon Daily Challenges - 1 Point Each, 7 Points Total

Each challenge is open for 7 Days from 2:30PM UTC* of the start day. Earn 10FP per Challenge, double if you own La Casa Solariega.

• Take a photo of your car at night
• Earn 3 stars from Danger Signs in any Offroad car
• Smash 12 Cactus
• Complete any Showcase event
• Earn an Ultimate Air skill in Dunas Blancas
• Find the flamingos near Cascadas de Agua Azul
• Complete any Custom Racing Cross Country event  

Seasonal Events - 30 Points Total

The reward listed for Seasonal Championship events requires you to place 1st against at or above the Highly Skilled Drivatar difficulty setting; the Trial requires Unbeatable difficulty and is accessible after entering the Hall of Fame.  

• Horizon Arcade: Any Event 3 Points
• Criteria: Complete any Horizon Arcade event  
  
• The Trial: "Ooh... Barranca" 10 Points
  
• Criteria: Retro Rally (C600)
  
• Reward: 2016 Bentley Bentayga  
  
• Event Lab: "By Land, Air and Sea..." 3 Points
  
• Criteria: Offroad Capable (A800)
  
• Reward: 1970 Ford GT70  
  
• Danger Sign: "Salto de Río" ? 2 Points
  
• Criteria: Anything Goes (S2-998)
  
• Reward: Super Wheelspin  
  
• Speed Trap: "Dustbowl" ? 2 Points
  
• Criteria: Anything Goes (S2-998)
  
• Reward: Super Wheelspin  
  
• Championship: "Rally Good Time" 5 Points
  
• Criteria: Rally Monsters (A800)
  
• Reward: 2017 Maserati Levante S  
  
• Championship: "Ready for Liftoff" 5 Points
  
• Criteria: Unlimited Offroad (A800)
  
• Reward: 1973 Ford Escort RS1600  
  

Challenges - 8 Points Total

• Treasure Hunt "Finders Keepers" 3 Points
• Criteria: Check out this week's Pathfinder challenges in Evolving World Accolades page. If you can uncover all 3 trails then the treasure will be yours!
• Reward: 250,000 credits  
  
• Photo Challenge #BigHorn 2 Points
  
• Criteria: Take a wildlife photograph near the camera equipment to the North of Mulegé
  
• Reward: Forza Link - "I'm the goat!"  
  
• The Eliminator: Battle Royale 2 Points
  
• Criteria: Finish 30th or better
  
• Reward: 2011 BMW X5 M  
  
• Collectibles: "Flamingo Falls" 3 Points
  
• Criteria: Smash 10 Flamingo cut-outs found near the Cascadas de Aqua Azul
  
• Reward: Clothing - Farid Rueda Lion Face Mask  
  

Monthly Events - 2 Points per Season (8 Points per Series)

• Monthly EV Ek' Balam Cross Country Circuit 1 points per Season
• Criteria: Post a clean lap to complete  
  
• Forza EV Cupra Tavascan Concept 1 points per Season
  
• Criteria: Post a clean lap to complete  
  

Explore The Horizon With Enhanced Photo Mode And Pathfinder Challenges  
FH5 Release Notes: May 23rd, 2023  

"3 for me d, how many for you?"- Madhu asked Sandy
"2" she replied
"5 for me" -Tharini replied
"We really need to focus on studies, at least during the first periodicals I passed in all subjects, I focuses too much on the club and I've failed in 3 subs. I need to write optional tests to boost internal now, I am lagging in assignments, record works , GOD I have so much to do"-Madhu was so worried about her studies , though she was not that much into studies she always wanted to maintain the average atleast'
"At least you focused on the club and failed, we didn't even do anything but we failed too "- Sandy shrugged
"Okay d pathukalam, we will write optional tests, assignment ku 5 marks la? and than if we take a seminar we will get 5 marks I guess? pathukalam we will be okay"
"107, Jilllu call for you"- Sathya was shouting from the landline table
"Hello"
"Hey didn't know your name is Jillu, suits you"- she can hear him giggle on the other side
"Sathya always calls me that, so what's up?"
"You have to say, you haven't said anything after that day? you went home without even saying bye and did you give any thought about it?"
Yeah she had given a lot of thought about it especially during the weekend , she was home being pampered by everyone, attending family gatherings , shopping around and visiting temples. she was so happy in home and she hugged and teared when appa and amma dropped her back in college, she was waving till the car left the entrance, she cant risk to lose all this love and support and pampering she receives now.
"Actually I need to focus a lot on studies now Selva , I am so behind, I've failed in three subjects, I have assignments to complete. seminars to prepare for, records to be submitted. I cant focus on anything else right now!"
"Hey here you go, like you always do, go and hide behind something, family, studies , this and that,tell me a solid reason why you cant love me and if it is reasonable I will leave. I am in love with you since day one and guess what I didn't fail in any subjects"
"I don't have to justify anything Selva. please lets have this conversation some other day, I have to go"
"Why do you do this? If you are not interested why did you give signals like you are into it? Like with all those glances and smiles? why? I need an answer "
"Sorry, I wont do that anymore. My mistake"
"Come on Madhu! please stop acting so cold. I am not asking you to stop ,but I need more, I need to know that you will be here for me"
"I will be there always as a friend"
"Shut up!! don't fucking friendzone me, you are actually destroying the purity of friendship, I don't think what I think about you with my friends, cut that shit "
"Selva , you are being harsh and rude, I am hanging up"
"Yeah go ahead , I am a fool , un pinadi suthunenla, I deserve this"
He hung up
She put a pin to that conversation for now , she grabbed her writing pad and continued writing her assignments .
"Hey we will go to mess? "- Indhu was ready
"Yeah let me change my dress"
All the 8 girls left to have dinner, they always sit together and chit chat and gossip about everything. Its hard to get eight people that think alike and act alike.
'"Hey did you hear, mech and civil have this huge clash going on"- Sathya is the pro gossiper of the gang
"Why?"
"That's a long story d, goes 2 years back"
"It all started with civil seniors ragging a mech junior, and of course mech seniors confronted civil apram, civil seniors booed mech's RC car race event and all mech seniors went to a civil akka, you know Keerthi akka right ? our senior?? "
"yeah " they all nodded
"She has a boyfriend , same civil different section. All mech seniors went to that akka and proposed one by one , like all of them , to stir up things "
"what?, that so cheap. what did she have anything to do with this stupid fight, men and their super inflated ego!! they should learn from us, how to be happy and peaceful"
"yeah, now our seniors are furious right? so they retaliated in the play ground, departments started to take sides and now looks like mech, eie, cs and it are on one side all the others are on the other side"
"And there are lot of tensions going on here and there, did you notice staffs standing in the hall way to keep an eye"
"Didn't notice in our block"- Gowri
Sathya paused for a second and continued,
"Mech seniors destroyed all the first year tennis court and gym, I saw few mech seniors in front of the disciplinary committee room d"
"Madhu, Selva was one of them"
Madhu stopped eating, after all she took a wise decision
"Our seniors asked us not to go near mech block or anything, They might boo us or tell something to provoke nu" - mess was way less crowded by now, the clock showed 8.20PM
"Hey hurry up d, time to go , study hour"
They all hurried up to their rooms .
To be continued...

According to Bing, examples of ‘new-year’s resolutions’ are: drink less coffee, create a bathroom cleaning schedule or attend a professional conference event. I resolved to do none of those things. Instead, I promised to save a life. And so, inspired by a documentary on transplant waitlists, I called the best transplant hospital in Canada and told them I had a liver to share.
After many rounds of testing, meetings with surgeons, psychologists, social workers and nurses, my liver has been approved for transplantation and matched with a child—a child who’ll be operated on in the room next to me but I’ll never get to meet. I don’t know their age, gender or even their medical condition. All I know is that they need a new liver to live; so June 11, I’ll fly to all the way across Canada to give them one.
The 8 hour surgery is scheduled for June 15, 2023. I’ll be kept on an intensive monitoring unit until at least June 20, after which I’ll stay in a hotel near the hospital for another week (just in case) before flying home. Post-op recovery time is typically 8-12 weeks.
It won't be easy. I know it's going to hurt but the pain will be a small price to pay for giving a child a second chance at life.
For those interested I've setup a small Gofundme campaign to cover some of the expenses the living organ donor program doesn't.
High fives to all! M

We will be flying out of Munich late at night and would like to do some sightseeing during the day. So were looking for a hotel for one night close to the centre, so really maximize the day. Any recommendations?

It's gameday! There's watch parties going down across the globe, so share any you know of here and I'll link them in the thread.
Denver

• DNVR Bar
• McGregor Square
• The 715 Club
• Matchbox
• Odell's Five Points Brewhouse
  
• List of bars with specials
  

Boulder

• Dark Horse

Portland

• Broadway Grill & Brewery

NYC

• Mustang Harry's

Chicago

• Wicker Park - Fat Pour user won't be there for game 1

San Francisco

• Golden Gate Tape Room

Boston

• Looking for a watch party

Pittsburgh

• Looking for a watch party

Utah

• The Alley Sports Pub & Grill - Moab

South Carolina

• Looking for a watch party

Florida

• Tampa - looking for a watch party

Serbia

• Sombor
• Looking for a watch party

Canada

• Kitchener - Bobby O'Brien's

Hi there. I'm unsure how the Holiday Inn Redwood City(Central) location. I'm somewhat interested to travel out to Bay Area for the Billy Strings N1n2 shows in early Oct he is having in Stanford Univ Frost amp. I've been trying to find a hotel around the South Bay area that is close to Stanford and mid way between SFO or SJC airport. I'm trying to find a hotel that is not super expensive but not super cheap. Like at least a 2.5 or 3 star hotel that has A/C and free breakfast(or near local diners/restaurants that have good food that isn't expensive)

As the title states I plan to go see Dead & Co at Hollywood Casino on June 7th. I'm scanning the map of hotels in the area and I see there are plenty of hotels at reasonable rates in St. Charles by I-70/Missouri River and some off I-270 near Maryland Heights. I had a few questions regarding the area:
​
1) Are these hotels close enough for me to get to Hollywood Casino with a reasonable Uber cost?
2) Does Hollywood Casino have a lot of parking for bigger shows? Is it a massive headache trying to leave a show?
3) I can look at a map, but not really have a grasp for how bad the commute is if I were to go to downtown St. Louis. If I had a hotel in this area would I be able to St. Louis easy/hit the tourist spots?
4) I might spend the Thursday poking around St. Louis. If you had a morning/afternoon to explore what would you recommend to a tourist from MN?

I've been on some (8-10) organized tours in Europe with Edelweiss. Mostly Alps (because even though I've seen them, there's always a new person in the group who hasn't) but also Pyrenees and SW Spain.
My buddy's wife had a business trip in Barcelona. I've been there and loved it so took him up on his suggestion to go to Barcelona for a few days and then a few more a little NE, near Girona. We did day trips out of both places.
All the bike rental places seem to be in the city. I got mine from Hertz and could not be happier with the service or the bike (Multistrada V4s). Barcelona is a really fun city but it's a PITA to get in and out of for those day rides. Once you do, though, the fun roads are pretty close.
Anyone going near the Costa Brava with a motorcycle should not miss the coastal road between Tossa de Mar and St Feliu de Guixois. The curves are great, the road's in great shape, and it's mostly cut into a mountain on one side with the sea on the other. The biggest risk is not being able to look away from the view :)
Starting from a hotel outside the city (as mentioned, we were near Girona, about 1.5 hr from Barcelona but I expect anywhere in that area of Catalan would be similar) there isn't the city traffic to fight to get in or out, and there are lots of choices for curvy routes. One day we started going NE to the mountainy peninsula that includes Cadaques. Great views, great roads. We continued along the coast as far as Banyuls-sur-Mer and then took a really cool, narrow road through mountains and vineyards to head back inland:
https://www.google.com/maps/@42.496327,3.0771496,3a,75y,17.6h,88.23t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sb-MTHHQI8JCWLJoNwVf6lQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!5m1!1e4?entry=ttu
Our route back to the hotel was a little to the west and not as mountainous or curvy but still a good ride.
Getting back to Barcelona to return the bikes and head home I used a route from Kurviger that was great.
https://www.google.com/maps/d1/viewer?ll=41.68843538291421%2C2.401040321954877&z=11&mid=16pe7stJtzQBBfKdACOTXu4uTroWk9pk
A great day of riding. Lots of curves, changes in elevation, little roads, one three-mile bit where calling it "paved" might be a stretch.
One revelation: Being based in eastern US, I always hear about the Tail of the Dragon, and sure, I've ridden it a few times. But I always think two things in response - first, that yeah, ToD is great but Alps! Stelvio! , and also that, more locally, there are longer, less-congested stretches that are so much more enjoyable. Cherohala Skyway, for example. And dozens of roads between ToD and Georgia, most pretty well documented.
But back to the Alps. I love 'em, and yes, there are many more mountains there than in NE Spain. The Alps are higher and the passes are much more dramatic. So much so that if you travel in May or October, they may be closed. And in those summer months, many of them will be clogged up with tour buses.
In the few days of riding in NE Spain and SW France, we got stuck behind maybe eight cars (that we ended up passing). That can be an hour in the Alps in June. That's what I mean - they can get like ToD or Skyline Drive: too popular.
I will always be on board to tag along with a friend who hasn't ridden in the Alps. And the people, food, etc. - all great. But when it's just me, or with others who have already experienced the Alps, I'm going to be more open to looking a little to the west (like this time) or maybe a little farther west (around Santander) or SW (btw Malaga and Seville). Or East - I hear Croatia/Bosnia/Montenegro is great riding too. I know I'm leaving a bunch out. That's the point - there's an almost endless supply of great roads and a lack of traffic/congestion can mean a lot.
This ended up sorta rambling. Any corrections or additions or suggestions (or questions!) are welcome.

I was offered a stay at a hotel 45 minutes away.