We're very pleased to inaugurate the Life Outside the Box video blog series with a guy we’ve come to like very much, David Pescovitz. David is an editor of Boing Boing, one of the most popular blogs on the internet that bills itself “a directory of wonderful things.” The editors report on internet esoterica, anomalies, and curiosities across an insanely wide range of topics, from innovative technology and contemporary art to culture and weird science. The only filter is “interestingness.” And interestingness is exactly what David shared with Doug at one of his favorite off-line places, the Musee Mecanique on San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf, home of the legendary Laughing Sal. Have a look.

See where loved ones of many species are laid to rest in a national park, where kites fill the sky, where flies sometimes land on target and where a professional football team was born. For the full travelogue on San Francisco's 49 Mile Drive - Part 2, including useful links, related stories and interactive map, please visit WWW.OPENROAD.TV

This was ground-zero for the “Summer of Love”, a famous and historic San Francisco neighborhood where the sixties and many other decades can be found alive and well along city streets. For the full travelogue on San Francisco's Haight-Ashbury Summer of Love, including useful links, related stories and an interactive map, please visit WWW.OPENROAD.TV

See some of the most famous rocks in movie-making history. Thanks to hundreds of movies, television shows and commercials, you’ll probably recognize the Alabama Hills even if you’ve never been to California. For the full travelogue about Alabama Hills Movie History, including useful links, related stories and interactive map, please visit WWW.OPENROAD.TV

Home movies of James Dean wowing the crowd, tales of Russians landing and fictitious crimes are all part of the movie-making lore of Mendocino’s celebrated little village. For the full video travelogue, including useful links, related stories, and interactive map, please visit WWW.OPENROAD.TV

It may be the most famous prison in the world. See the starring roles Alcatraz has played in seventy years of movie-making, and find out what’s fact and what’s fantasy on the Rock. For the full travelogue on Alcatraz Movie History, including useful links and related video stories, please visit WWW.OPENROAD.TV

Imagine JFK choppering in for a visit, Queen Elizabeth snuggled in for the night and Judy Garland belting out songs and disturbing other paying guests. And don’t forget President Herbert Hoover sneaking in through the service entrance because he was inadequately attired. If nothing else, let the Ahwahnee tell you its stories and then go back to your more modest digs. A little brush with rustic glamour never hurts. For the full travelogue on Yosemite's Ahwahnee Hotel, including related videos, interactive map, and useful links, visit WWW.OPENROAD.TV

Here's a quick look at some of Yosemite's many attributes. It's a short introduction to one of America's most deservedly famous landmarks. For the full travelogue on the introduction to Yosemite National Park, including related videos, interactive map, and useful links, visit WWW.OPENROAD.TV

The water plunges from granite highlands in a freefall for thousands of feet to the Valley floor. Now we can feel its mist more easily than ever. Not long ago, the trail to the base of Yosemite Falls was inadequate. For people with physical challenges, the trail was a barrier. However, several years, many millions of dollars and a great deal of vision and hard work later, the trail has become an accessible gem worthy of the Falls. For the full travelogue on Yosemite Falls' Smart New Trail, including related videos, interactive map, and useful links, visit WWW.OPENROAD.TV

One of the most intriguing road trips in northern California starts, ends and never leaves the limited confines of San Francisco. It's known as the 49 Mile Scenic Drive and was created in the 1930s to entice tourists into the city. Although its trademark signs can be seen all along its route, few people I know have followed it from beginning to end. I hadn't either until just recently and it was an eye-opening reminder of just how diverse and beautiful San Francisco really is. For the full travelogue on San Francisco's 49 Mile Drive, including related videos, interactive map, and useful links, visit WWW.OPENROAD.TV