Recorded in the beautiful home office of Chateau’ Relaxo, Florida
Some Fathers Day did-you-knows -
Germany - In Germany, Father’s Day takes place on Ascension Day, the 40th day of Easter. The day’s festivities often involve men dressing up in odd outfits and pulling wagons full of booze into the woods. Sounds like a hunting trip - camo, deer sleds, and booze.
Australia - Australians celebrate Father’s Day on the first Sunday in September with traditions like special meals, gifts, and cards. The holiday is believed to date to the 1930s.
Russia - In Russia, there’s Defender of the Fatherland Day, a military celebration on Feb. 23 to commemorate the creation of the Red Army during the Russian civil war. The celebration involves parades honoring the armed forces, and women pay tribute to the men in their lives ― including fathers ― with small gifts.
Mexico - Like the U.S., Mexico celebrates Father’s Day on the third Sunday in June. El Dia del Padre features a 21-kilometer race in Mexico City called the Carrera del Día del Padre and gift-giving and delicious meals.
Italy - Italians honor their fathers in conjunction with St. Joseph’s Day on March 19. This is true for celebrations in some other Catholic countries like Spain and Portugal. The holy day is associated with fathers because Mary’s husband, St. Joseph was a father figure to Jesus Christ.
So while not a totally American holiday Father’s Day is very similar across the planet.
To this day my dad is one of my best friends. While in the autumn, maybe winter, of his years I do more for him, just as he did for me when I was much younger.
He taught me to fish, bought me my first compound bow, and encouraged me to pursue the career path that I’m now on.
There have been multiple times in my life where I was convinced that he was out to kill or at least possibly injury me. Normally it involved a ladder. A very skinny tree and a birdfeeder. I say the word normally and this situation occurred multiple times in my life.
He taught me to play pool, appreciate 70’s music, and how to build a rabbit trap…. Which never caught a rabbit but instead an opossum.
Over the years I only recall him uttering a curse word once…. We had a cabin in the North Georgia mountains and he and my uncle were cutting down trees, and as one could expect when two amateurs get a hold of a chainsaw it’s only a matter of time before things go sideways….which it did.
During the final pass of the chainsaw, the bottom of the tree kicked out and began falling in the wrong direction…. Of course, it did. Both my uncle and dad came running out of the woods once my dad’s heart rate was back down to double digits I asked, “ Are you OK?”... his reply “The damn tree almost hit me”. That’s it damn. No F-bombs no S- ton of BS just damn, I only wish I had my stuff so well put together.
My favorite episodes are those that feature gear, travel, outdoor, kitchen, or home office, I have no preference, I enjoy well-made gear. Since Father’s Day is right around the corner there’s no better time than now to talk about gear. I said that last year, and I’m repeating it this year.
For a recap, my 2020 Father’s Day Gift Guide
Knife
So my first suggestion is a Swiss Army Pioneer.
At the time my EDC knife was the Spyderco Tenacious all black with a plain edge blade. This is a heavy knife coming in at 8 oz and when opened it’s over 7 ¾’ long.
For 2021 my EDC knife is a Benchmade Bugout - weighing in at only 1.8 ozs
In 2020 it was a multitool Gerber MP600.
Also a Seiko. I’m a fan of their SKX series. Entry-level is the SKX009 and it packs a punch for its $330.00 price tag.
Gifting a Rolex submariner or a Tudor Black Bay 58 will guarantee your spot at the top of the favorite spouse or child list. Be warned, the Tudor is right around $5000.00, the Rolex a bit more.
Fisher Space Pen Bullet Ballpoint Pen - Medium Point - Brass Body
A Field Notes notebook will give him pages and pages to write down all of his life lessons.
A MightyHank. These microfiber handkerchiefs come in a variety of colors and patterns and will separate Dad from all of the rival Dads.
Looftlighter Electric Firestarter
When it comes to grilling I’m a charcoal devote and a firestarter saves time and frustration.
Beer guy, build him a custom 6-pack.
Glencairn glasses, buy him more than one... they break.
For the kitchen, there were plenty of things
Kyocera ceramic knives.
A heat seal bag sealer is $12.00. Reseal that bag of pork rinds so it doesn’t go stale.
Bladeless vegetable chopper, less than $30.00. I use mine several times each week. Much safer than one of those mandolin slicers.
If he’s into hot sauces, you can find a variety pack and a, make your own kit.
An instant-read meat thermometer is useful in the kitchen or out on the grill. No more meat surgery as Dad slices your steak trying to distinguish between medium and medium-rare.
A set of lighted battery-operated salt and pepper mills. Yes, lighted, and it makes a world of difference.
If he’s a handy Dad here are a few things he might not have.
Bondic Liquid Plastic Welding Kit – Better than superglue and Dad won’t stick his fingers together
Magnetic Wristband – When working on projects there’s nothing worse than misplacing nuts and bolts.
Since last Father’s Day more than likely Dad’s spent a whole bunch of time at home than in previous years
If you’re handy you can always DIY dad a gift -
For less than $100.00 you can build Dad a firepit -
A bag, or two of sand
A bag or two of pea gravel - now you have a level base
15 - 20 pieces of landscape block
A tube of construction adhesive
If you want to go the extra mile you can buy a fire ring to cover the top layer of blocks
Is he a chef or foodie? A nice pot filled with a variety of herbs.
Beer guy? Some scrap wood, a rustic bottle opener, and a rare earth magnet and you’ll have a beer opener fit for the best garage on the street.
Give dad the gift of time. Offer to clean out the garage, trim the bushes or wash his sled. More than likely dad will join to help… and you will create some memories…. And that’s what it’s about.
In the past, I’ve talked about my home office, which has become known as simply “My Office” after the past year.
This 200 square foot area is mine, I’m not only in charge of cleaning it but also decorating it. If your dad has an office here’s a handful of ideas that just might plus up his space. Feel free to substitute“Man Cave” for the term “My Office”.
Books, few things are more impressive than a nice coffee table book, whether you actually read them or not. As Walter Mosley, once said, “A man's bookcase will tell you everything you'll ever need to know about him,"
100 Hikes of a Lifetime: The World's Ultimate Scenic Trails - Hands down Nat Geo is the king of photography, and this book covers the planet's best experiences for hikers and sightseers.
If dad is a fan of the James Bond franchise consider Bond Cars, The Definitive History. 336 pages of exclusive and priceless assets such as the original call sheets, technical drawings storyboards, and previously unpublished photography. This book puts you behind the wheel of every car driven by 007.
A Man & His Watch: Iconic Watches and Stories from the Men Who Wore Them. I have this book and it sits proudly on my Texas carved side table. Paul Newman, Franklin Roosevelt JFK, and Andy Warhol are just a few of the stories and their watches covered in this book.
Homecamp: Stories and Inspiration for the Modern Adventurer. I came across this book in the Smoky Mountain National Park a few months ago and it is amazing, as it helps you to get lost in the beauty and wonder that nature has to offer.
Even if dad already has a coffee table book, he can have multiples as they can be easily switched out.
Since we’re furnishing Dad’s area, what else could he really use?
A pen/pencil holder… What are we in Middle School? Every Dad needs something to hold his pens, pencils, rulers, and letter opener in. Visit Etsy and you will find something better than the Rubbermaid black plastic square container. I have several unique pencil holders that get swapped out regularly, most of these came from our antique store trips.
How about a nice leather tray? I’m a creature of habit, and in episode 140 I discussed some of my routines, and one thing that I consistently do is empty my pockets into a leather tray on the credenza behind my desk. Key, wallet, knife… whatever is in my pocket goes into that tray… In turn, most of the things I need to start my day are in that tray.
Is he lucky enough to have a bar in his office? If so here’s a list
Nice glasses, nothing better You can have them engraved with his initials, find them with a map of his hometown or hockey arenas, there’s an endless supply.
Bar tools, no one wants to mix drinks with a dinner spoon.
If he’s into mixed drinks there’s an endless supply of high-quality mixers…. Not the stuff sold at the grocery store.
How about a nice bar mat? No more sticky countertops
Make some clear ice, Here’s the recipe - LINK
Even if he doesn’t have an office bar you can still help dad to take it up a notch.
If dad envisions his outdoor kitchen as something along the line of Guy Fieri’s Ranch Kitchen here are a few additions.
Charcoal baskets for direct or indirect heat
BBQThermometer A simple $10.00 add-on to his grill.
Since we’re talking about temperature get him a remote wireless digital meat thermometer. The only way to grill is by temperature, not time. One of these allows dad to enjoy a beer while he’s grilling. No more opening the grill and letting all the heat escape.
Grilling planks - cedar of salt
For DIY
Mix up a nice collection of dry rubs - brown sugar, garlic oregano, mustard… we do it all the time, the issue is that no batch ever tastes like the last one.
Build a wood-fired pizza oven - the project is a bit of an undertaking, but it can be done.
For the better part of the last year we’ve all been indoors, hell we completely skipped the summer of 2020. Dad’s wardrobe just might need a boost.
Start with some new t-shirts, and this can go two ways. I am the king of graphic T’s, but none of them are emblazoned with stupid graphics…. Such as
Dadalorian
The Grillfather…. to wear while grilling out
You Can't Scare Me I Have Two Daughters
World's Best Farter, I Mean Father
If you go with a graphic T find something unique, and not stupid.
The other T-shirt option is something along the lines of True Classic brand. Shirts like this cost more than the Hanes 4 shirts for $20.00 but they’ll have a contemporary/athletic cut, softer fabric, and better stitching.
How about some new shorts? Cargo or drawstring nylon shorts are great for working in the yard but they’re not appropriate for an afternoon at the lake or casino. Check out brands like Lands End, Mack Weldon, or Untuckit.
For long pants check out Columbia’s Silver Ridge line dressy and much cooler than jeans and much more casual than his business casual slacks. Perfect for a day hike or an afternoon visit to the local brewery.
What about the dad that travels? What does he need, this is titled Travel Stories after all.
Here’s the skinny: the travel gear world took the last 12 months off. All travel gear development, all that engineering, all that talent was poured into online interactions, Zoom, and Teams plugins, webcams, microphones, and green screens.
Not much of this cross overs to business travel. Last year I spent too much money on a webcam, the reason…. With a stand-up desk and dual monitors, my laptop's integrated webcam was focused squarely on my 56-year-old stomach. Now when I travel the webcam stays attached to my monitor and I use my laptop's webcam as I did in 2019. Since I record on the road I will pack the microphone, but this past year I really haven’t added much to my travel arsenal.
Possibly dads new to travel or a seasoned road warrior but you can always consider a refresh of his -
USB Power Bank
Charging cables - an extra set of phone, watch, tablet and laptop.
Noise-canceling headphones - The standard is Bose or Sony, entry-level is right around $300. That being said I bought the CEO a pair of sub - $100 Tao-Tronics 3 years ago and they’re not that bad,
Does his TSA precheck need to be renewed? Venmo him the money
Packing cubes, if he doesn’t have them then this is the perfect gift.
4-Port USB Wall Charger. I bought this by accident thinking it was a USB power bank. This allows dad to charge 4 devices at the same time and about 30% faster.
As important as it is to get the right gift, it’s equally important to not get the wrong gift.
Things to stay away from.
Beer koozies, especially the $25.00 Yeti one.
Whiskey stones should be avoided at all costs
Flavored Vodka, especially marshmallow flavored and flavored whiskey. 50/50 on a make your own gin kit
BBQ apron. It sounds cool, it’s not. It’ll end up in the back of the closet or garage or wherever you store forgotten BBQ aprons.
Any gift with the word “Travel” in its name - Travel Wallet, Travel Pillow, Travel Scale…. you get the idea
And of course, White New Balance sneakers even if it is part of the official dad uniform
As I closed with last year…..Take it from a Dad, I’d much rather have a well-thought-out meaningful trinket that sits on my desk than a $200.00 Amazon card bought the day before. Except for a Rolex submariner it doesn’t have to be well thought out or meaningful if you want to get me one.
If you want detailed show notes, links and pictures head over to PodPage
As I always say, travel safe, stay safe, and thanks for listening.
Leave a message onAnchor, or shoot me an email atTravelFrick@gmail.com.
The 2021 Father's Day Gift Guide - Travel Stories, Episode 142