A music gift from Five Year Mission & Geek Nation Tours

Everybody's partying this year, and now Five Year Mission band and Geek Nation Tours have teamed up to present their own gift to Trek fandom—a new song and video, "Take A Ride."

Take a Look! It's just a fun freebie to everybody—all about "taking a ride" through Star Trek to "STLV," the big annual Vegas "Khaaan" that expands to five August days this year in the crazy anniversary frenzy....and doing it via the tour stops of the expanded #LA2VEgas tour that I lead.

"We commissioned a song with Five Year Mission as a gift to the Star Trek community on this most important of years," says my bud Teras Cassidy, "head geek" at Geek Nation Tours. "It is especially dedicated to Star Trek fans making trips around the world to events celebrating the 50th anniversary."

So whether that's New York, England,  your local con down the road, or your own imagination via plasmascreen, podcast or any other portal — as always, it's all about the Trek travels of the imagination... and the friends.  Vegas #STLV is sold out and the tour is closing, so it's not so much about selling as celebrating. It's just a glorious fun road-trip song fest. That's the spirit!
 
I'm gonna cut FYM a hit-break and send you to their YouTube channel for the song—and give you a very non-spoilerific still above (and below). You can also download it easily at the GNT 50th anniversary Tour page: scroll down to July 29 and click "Take a Ride" to get the song.

...And both of them ready for sharing from either Facebook page, of course.

I expect to have a full orchestral and choir arrangement by the time we set sail in San Fran for the tour in July... if I don't take it with me everywhere I go this year already. Seems like just the thing for San Diego, Scarborough and CLEVELAND as well; OKC is soooo cool already, it can only help the gloss.

If you want on the Trek Tour bus '16, jump by Feb. 26!

RED ALERT: Friday, Feb. 26 is the deadline!

If you ever thought about jumping in on our special 50th anniversary edition of the #LA2Vegas Star Trek film site tour this summer, leading into the Vegas Khaan—and with the all-new San Francisco option—please reach out to "head geek" Teras Cassidy at @GeekNationTours by end of day Friday, Feb. 26.

One way I knew this Trek year was going to be "5-0 crazy" was how the tour this year has DOUBLED in size over any other. And we've barely done any regular promotion!

So, now... with STLV sold out, amazingly—there's not much point in keeping the Tour open. Of course, you can always come if you have your #STLV ticket safely in hand... or if you just want to come hang out around the con fringes at the Rio after your awesome trek across Hollywood and/or SF —but if so, you better sound off by the end-of-day tomorrow!

Check the details .... then fill out the website form or email Teras at headgeek@geeknationtours.com —just to get the conversation started ... because this boutique company that does dozens of other "geek" tours as well—sci-fi to gaming, military to historical—will give you personal service and tweak it for you, any partners or spouses, or special needs you might have.

No wonder we've got a group twice as big as ever before (24, at last count—10 seats open; we don't open a second bus). It's taken two cycles, through 2012 and 2014, but now the word seems to be out about LA2Vegas—and 5-0 fever has not hurt any. Those GNT Trek tour bowling shirts are known around the Khaaan now, and the Facebook page albums for both past tours has more memories you can check out.  This year, with the earlier start in San Fran for many, I'll be talking for 10 days before I ever GET to Vegas—so we'll see how that goes!

Of course, there's still room to jump in on the "Kirk Memorial" one-day tour out to the Valley of Fire canyon on Tuesday, the day before the expanded con opens on Wednesday this year. It's one way to smaller leap, a smaller tab, and get a taste of what the booming Trek touring experience has become.

CyPhaCon: Dr. Trek, EIS, STC, Green Girl and my buds!

WOW. Can't believe that CyPhaCon is here already! But yes indeed— I'll see all you Cajuns THIS weekend, again, with a "Dr. Trek" show and a lot of friends in the guest line-up.

Both of the Lake Charles cons have had me almost every year since 2010, and it's a great corner off the Gulf, kinda midway  between Houston and New Orleans along I-10.  Treklander bud Jeff "Shran/Brunt/Weyoun" Combs is just one of the guests to be at Lake Charles with me: Mon capitan Vic Mignogna and fellow McCoy denizen Chuck Huber, my Star Trek Continues consultees, are also in the lineup as STC and anime guests—and I am pledged to help show them the town (or at least the eateries)!

Here's my own schedule— and yes, I'll be talking about the exciting, non-profit Enterprise in Space as well as leading a Trekland forum/panel.  We're starting off bright and "early" both days at 10 a.m., so I want to see you there! Tabling too—with info on all this plus sneak-peeks the next #LA2Vegas Trek Tour for 2016 with ME and Geek Nation Tours.





I'm also pleased to screen my buddy George Pappy's award-winning Susan Oliver bio-doc The Green Girl bigscreen (2:45 pm Saturday, Rosa Hart Theatre) and will have some Green Girl T's and DVDs at the table.

Most of all, it's a chance to bring back my late-night crowdfunder "Dr. Trek Show" fun in support of The Con of Wrath documentary, which we are starting to wrap up after a 2011 start.

That will be right after Saturday night's Fan Party at the Marriott con HQ hotel. If you want to "sign in" and help give me a head count for "Dr. Trek", please be sure to "check in" and sound off at the  Facebook event page—thanks!

Maybe, just two hours from Houston, we'll even find still more Survivors the 1982 Ultimate Fantasy aka "Con of Wrath"!  I'm always on the lookout.

Oh—and if you're a visual person, here's my weekend:

And...we're off! The 2014 LA2Vegas Trek Tour has sailed

Yep, the Trek Tour 2014 is underway!

Social media will chart our progress, under #trektour and #LA2Vegas on Twitter, for one thing, but —in this crazy week twixt Comic-Con and Trek Vegas.... here's at least a look at our launch: the Saturday afternoon welcome dinner at Lucy's across from Paramount, where Gene and Co. would water (especially after Nickodell's closed and was swallowed up by the expanded front of the Paramount lot, circa 1993.)

A good group, don't you think? And we're even missing one late arrival. More Aussies and Brits than Americans... some Vegas vets, some newbies... and you can meet them all in just a few days at Vegas.

What a jam-packed weekend of good news in Trekland!

Well. THIS has been some weekend. Look what ALL just happened:

—"Fairest of Them All," the third episode of Star Trek Continues, just debuted online Sunday (and before a cast-fronted live con crowd in Sydney, Australia) to thunderous fan approval, from all I've read initially, as of tonight. I'm proud to not only remain in the think-tank for STC but to promote and cover its talented family and the "making of" each show as well. That includes both new and catch-up STC videos out now on "Trekland STV", and those still to come—you ain't seen nothing yet! Not to mention future episodes of STC itself.

So stay tuned and subscribe to Trekland as well as my YouTube Channel to know when they go up even ahead of their posting on the STC Facebook (and have you Liked there yet?)

—The second Kickstarter for the Hollywood Sci-Fi Museum, whose non-profit board I sit on that grew from the "Save the Bridge" New Starship project, raised over 50% of its goal just these last two weeks and finally BUSTED right through to success Sunday with 12 hours to go—and ended up with over $11,000 extra in the pot by the time its midnight deadline arrived. Yes, I was nervous a couple weeks ago, and even knew that a lapse here was not fatal—with so many industry and corporate donors and supporters lining up. 

But this was a solid sign of the basic support for such a new Hollywood tourist landmark and museum, much less its planned educational mission. This drive helps fund some of the major bridging pieces of the puzzle to make this thing really work—the budget is on the KS site. It was also a nice affirmation of the hours of professional yet volunteer planning that's going in, and faith that this is not a gaudy pipe dream. Don't forget our Facebook, too! And get the latest at Comic-Con San Diego too—the Bridge is back for free photo ops, of course, at Booth 3631!

—And THEN, on a bit less lofty but every bit as fun level, we were madly making fans aware that this was the last weekend to register for the 2014 edition of the "LA2Vegas" Trek Film Site Tour that I lead for Geek Nation Tours and Terrace Cassidy. Quick! Jump aboard now if you'd like! 

—Plus, I was honored to talk about De Kelley Saturday for the 15th anniversary of his passing June 11 in another new online media "thing," a recorded Google+ Hangout sponsored by In Memory and Honor of Deforest Kelley Facebook group. 

—And THEN…there's the other nonprofit I'm honored to sit on the board for, Enterprise in Space—and its amazing, public-oriented mission that we will SOON be telling the world about, even as there's details and deadlines to chase down now. IT just became "official" and is jumping into gear—much more later!

—Oh, and also... hope you all had a wonderful Father's Day—both those of the fatherly persuasion, and those who enjoy their love!

(Oh, yeah—and thanks for that whole "stand by me while the overblown misquoting monster made-up story" thing blew over. Whether on Facebook, Twitter or comment threads, the Trekland Army was awesome the way you all knocked down the bizarre report every time other unaware—or lazy—news websites picked up the story to run it, without editing it first.

Whew. I'll just pack for BayouCon, now…!

Last call: LA2Vegas Tour—and a NEW 1-day 'Kirk Trek'

It's been 20 years since Generations gave a whole new meaning to the phrase, "Captain, you have the bridge."

It seemed like a great anniversary reason to spur something we hadn't done in 2012 with our debut "LA2Vegas" Trek Film Site Tours with moi: make a stop at Nevada's breathtaking Valley of Fire State Park, site of "Veridian III" and J.T. Kirk's controversial death scene after he and Picard battled with that living Nexus magnet, Dr. Tolian Soran.

After Teras Cassidy of Geek Nation Tours and I decided to make our tour bi-annual—and still keep it a lead-in to the annual Vegas Khhaaan bash in August—we tweaked this year's itinerary to include this awesome new stop in the desert canyon, by popular request! 

And now, it's "all aboard" with a last call deadline of this Sunday, June 15—and you can still jump in with a deposit, for now.

We kept most else from what fans loved on the 2012 debut: the stops famous and not-so, with guests like Bobby "The Gorn" Clark on hand to talk about filming the iconic scenes at Vasquez Rocks from "Arena."  All stops are Trek-related, plus make pretty good snaps to impress even your mundane friends, too (Santa Monica Pier and Griffith Observatory, anyone?). And who can resist a stop inside the Q Continuum? Or Starfleet Academy in both its Prime (above) and SubPrime versions?

We've talked about the tour many times on podcasts near and far, my original post about it in 2012, and of course the tour description here. So I won't go on and on about it, if you promise you'll take a glance and just know that we've traded in the mountain leg to Lone Pine for the day out on "Veridian III"—which includes not just the film site (right) but a visit to the KIRK DEATH BRIDGE itself, which was donated by the film crew to the park after they wrapped! As well as a stop in the (air-conditioned) visitor center for the park's real-life petroglyphs, Native American spiritual vibes, and more natural history.

What's NEWS this year is the simple OMG thunderbolt we had this year: Offer the new Valley of Fire segment, a trip the day before the Vegas Convention opens, as a ONE-DAY TRIP for those coming into Vegas a day or two early, anyway. It's a smaller hit to the wallet, you get a taste of what the full tour of Trek in-your-face awesomeness is like—and you see some jaw-dropping scenery far from the Strip. His work schedule permitting, I'll be joined on host duties by our buddy and now FaceOff star Mike Westmore, who as makeup designer was among the small skeleton crew who shot the beautifully bleak scenes for Generations in the gorge 20 years ago.

PLUS: A big new wrinkle this year are all the sponsors we have on board with goodies for tour-takers: Robe Factory, Bye-Bye Robot,  Stronghold Games, con-producer Creation Entertainment themselves—and now Anovos costumes.

Again: Deadline for the main tour sign-up ends June 15 —and you only need a deposit to hold your seat for now. Plus, 5 of the 12 add-on day trips seats are already gone. So hey, read up, check the site and then give Teras an email so he can call you back and get personal on this. It's what his boutique GNT offers—amid gaming, convention, military, historical and other geek-out topic tours around the globe, all listed on his main site.

And may I say: you expect the awesome tour stops, Trek tie-ins, all kinds of Trek shooting data from me and our guests. What you don't expect is gaining all the new friends on the bus—many of whom are from other countries. Don't forget: they're all bound for the very same Vegas Khhaaan you are. (So look out: If you come alone, after this trek you're guaranteed to waltz in the front doors of the Rio a stranger no more.)

Aside from the Tour pages and my post, you Facebookers can also check out our fans' many photos from the debut 2012 tour over on the GNT Facebook photo gallery for "LA2Vegas."

See you on the bus!

2014 in Trekland: A bevy of crazy-busy new biz... and bub-bye Bones

You remember Janus, right?

No, not the mutual funds per se*, but the Roman god of time and passages, with dual "front and back" faces who could see into both the future and the past—and thusly the namesake of January, when we naturally catch our post-new-year selves doing the same thing: planning tomorrow, reflecting on yesterday. (I love it when I remember something like this from my fourth-grade language textbook.)

And looking ahead to the coming year I already know there's a boatload of things headed right at me—exciting things! I have three brand-new projects staring me in the face—two of them Trek, and the third a long-term date with a mic—but as usual I can't talk about them until they bloom or launch, hopefully by midyear. (Sorry, no links. Yet. And not a lot of fancy logos to break up this one: There's too many! I just want to get through all the words, okay?)

Now, that doesn't even count maintaining the Trekland Trunk after a fast start—I could use an assistant just for that—much less growing this blog and videos with some big overdue plans, and most of all getting our "Con of Wrath" documentary back on the front burner. It  took a back seat when 2013 turned crazy-busy—the long-planned home and office move, coupled with the unexpected joys of writing "Stellar Cartography" and stepping into the McCoy smock for Star Trek Continues.

I'm also proud of serving on boards for new exciting non-profit missions—and for one, I urge you to check out science-based Enterprise in Space project.

Toss in the LA2Vegas Trek film site tour for Geek Nation Tours, some big con trips including Germany's FedCon, another Trekland: On Speaker archival theme CD to come, and my column for Titan Trek mag....and again, it's an overloaded blue-plate special of a year.

But while my three new prospects are exciting, they are half or wholly all on me—meaning a ton of blood, toil, tears and sweat ahead in solo development work, otherwise known as "git'erdone." I'm excited for the challenge, and can't wait to talk about them when ready.

But thanks to Janus, I can learn from a 2013 look-back—and I can also learn from a fourth-grade textbook in another subject. Because, simply, the math "don't add up" when you tally up all this time and energy required—even more than it didn't add up in 2013. Many of my Vegas friends know the big cons were just a blur to me last year, and you readers know the blog has certainly taken a hit here at year's end as the Trunk got established. Well, there'll be even more like that unless we make a few adjustments and shifting of commitments—making way for some bold business ideas that have been long overdue around here... and, in fandom's case, an exciting addition or two to the Trekscape.

So, in the big mix of things, that's why for starters I have agreed to step back from playing Bones in STC as of now, and let that be the first relief valve. Just as it's no surprise that the opportunity was a dream come true for this McCoy/De Kelley fan, so too is the truth that the "gym time" I wanted to put in for the role took a big squeeze, in a production that had such a high bar to begin with. McCoy deserves better, the company deserves better, and *I* deserve better for work like that—but time is the fire in which we, uh, can't clone ourselves.

At the same time, STC has asked me to stay in the family as a creative consultant producer—and be involved in stories, Trek-vibe consulting, and a return to camera at some point when it can be done right (and when the big Tellar Prime script finally comes calling!) And nothing can take away the thrills of the great cast and crew, a jaw-droppingly beautiful Sickbay set on my very first day, and playing the good Doctor in these two episodes—one of which you still have to wait to see until Feb. 8-9!

And nothing can top the memory of our incredible Phoenix world premiere reaction—or that of the honest reviews across the spectrum, and much love shown to me from all the STC fans as I stretched muscles that hadn't been hit in a long time. A lot of work, a lot of love, a lot of good people: I support all the fans films, but Continues is a special group, and its product and my relationships there just got started.

I may make more shifts on my palette like this, as everything new before me is not only a creative challenge but a final product I can't wait to unveil in the case of the Trek plans—solo or not. You Con of Wrath supporters and donors have been patient as well, and I promise some new updates too—and there may even be an all-new newsflash on that score, as well.

Finally, an apology—for there was a time when anyone in creative development kept all their cards close to the vest... no jinxes! Knock on wood! But the revolution in 24/7 social media and crowdfunding has changed all that... leaving folks like me to be coy when I try to explain what the heck is going on right now over coming months. So my regrets, then, if this has sounded more like a fizzbin lesson than a log entry.

Meantime, among the fun Trek stories like this one and that famous backlog of vidchats I haven't really shared since April, I'll use Trekland The Blog keep you posted about my own headlines here first, as well via my newsletter—while also telling tales to those podcast hosts who keep having me on, for some reason. Fans keep asking me about doing my own podcast, but.... really? WHEN? Didn't we just have this discussion?

Stay tuned! It's going to be an incredible 2014... and I'm glad you are aboard.


________________
*OR the primary star to Horta home on its planet VI.
YES, me of all people—I get it.

Last call: No deposit, but LA2Vegas Trek film site tour for 2013 closes THIS Friday, May 31

Yes, last call!

Our "LA2Vegas" Trek film site tour from Geek Nation Tours is back for its second year, running Aug. 3-11—before and then through  Creation's Vegas Khhaaann! Trek convention and carrying some tweaks for 2013 .... but hurry!

We've talked about it on many, many podcasts since we first announced it, but allow me to say how proud I am that Teras Cassidy came to me in 2011 to develop this tour together with him and lead it for everyone headed to Vegas. (In fact, if you don't want to attend the core con, you could still go with us Trek-touring, hover on the outskirts of the Rio events, and just enjoy Sin City that weekend!)

You can get aboard now for no deposit, but the registration ends THIS Friday, May 31. Click on the email at GNT's site, but as always you'll soon be talking to Teras directly for a personal chat as to what exactly you need for your trip—and it doesn't have to be cookie-cutter off the basic template, either more OR less.

Geek Nation Tours, home of many "geek" niche excursions, is travel agent Teras's own boutique company, and the personal care shows:

Have your airfare already set for a Las Vegas arrival? No problem. Already have your hotel at con host Rio, or elsewhere? Never fear—Teras will adjust your plan. As our tourists learned last year, getting to the idea late with plans in place is no reason to not come along now!

Sorry if the used-car salesman is coming out here, but I really do enjoy this—and everyone on the shakedown cruise last year was happy to say so at Vegas 2012 and the Facebook site.

A chunk of the tour is the same as we mapped out in that debut —with photos here on Facebook as well from a lot of our "tourists."

But check out these tweaks for H2V 2013:

First, we've got some great promotional sponsors this year with discounts and goodies—Creation Entertainment, Robe Factory, Bye Bye Robot and Stronghold Games.

Then, we've moved the Saturday welcome dinner to Cirroc "Jake Sisko" Lofton's own hands-on restaurant—and he has a lot more than Cajun on the menu!

Plus, our  all-new final stop pre-con is none other than the site of Captain Kirk's death in Generations: Nevada's incredible Valley of Fire State Park—and with none other guest host than Trek makeup guru Michael Westmore, one of the few eye witnesses from the shoot's  final days. And Bobby "The Gorn" Clark will be back to tour us around iconic Vasquez Rocks himself and recreate vividly for you exactly how "Arena" was made. Larry, meanwhile, will point out the Vasquez angles from TOS's "Friday Child,"  TNG's "Who Watchers the Watchers" and JJ's Star Trek '09, among others shot there. As always, bring your uniforms and props for the "Oh yeah!" photo opps at every stop—or we may have some to loan

Whatever your favorite series or cast, we'll hit one or more of their iconic off-the-lot filming locations—and all of them double as famous or beautiful L.A. postcard-perfect vacation spots to show off even to your non-fan friends. Which you means you see a LOT of "SoCal" as well as the Federation!

Just remember: what even your own personal tour can't bring you, apart from my expertise and that of our guests, is the chance to do it with fellow Trekfans—much less those from around the world, from Asia to Europe and then some, reflecting Teras's clientele and the adventursome souls who have already, and plan to now, join us. That means, in turn, that no one on the tour enters Vegas Khaann a stranger.

Give the page a look, email Teras and get in for a call—but whatever you do, hurry!  You have three days to at least claim a seat and pay later.

I hope you can make it!

Trekland on pods: Doomsday, McCoy, and the Tour

Whoa—now it's the last TWO months that have been a blur...

But one thing that's easy to do no matter how intense the "day job" gets is a friendly little blog interview when Trek is the subject... and Trekland, too.

Shame on me, for I've been remiss in sharing when some of the best Trek and sci-fi podcasts have been good to have me on ... at times with Teras Cassidy of Geek Nation Tours and our second annual Hollywood2Vegas Trek film site tour just before the Creation Vegas con. It's been a flurry.

In all of these we talk about not just the new Trek Tour for 2013, but also what's going on in Trek at large—according to what the hosts bounce off us—and I even wax poetic about esotrekica (yes, that is now a word). Because we turned over another generation in fandom the past couple years, in case you didn't know. In fact, you may have been part of the turnover (okay, I'll stop talking about you, now).

Of course, if you're already a fan or subscriber of these fine pods, you know this already—and if you're not much of a podcast downloader yet, here's your entree. They make a great way to spend a jog or a long commute or an interminable airflight. The hot air in mine alone is enough to start a balloon ride with.

Trekland got even more global than the Internet when UK-based Colin HIggins at Trek News & VIews over trek.fm had me on just today in Ep. 66 to talk about my fave "The Doomsday Machine" with Lou Costanza of The Lou Trek Show, plus explain how I came to be wearing McCoy garb in Georgia last month, and saying things like "Well, it's damn peculiar, Jim." And other Trekland stuff.

Then, Teras joined me to be grilled by Terilynn and "@Gettysburg7" NIck re: a lot of Trekness on their G&T Show for my beardless McCoy experience, the JJ "defection" to Star Wars (whoooo cares?) ... plus the Tour—and even a shoutout to 1701 Pennsylvania Ave on YouTube (you're welcome, Pony and Ralph!) ... Steve & Co. had us on as well for a new Tour Tart entry on the tasty menu at Sci-Fi DIner, Ep. 162B ... and Tom Cruz and Risa of STOked Radio over trekradio.net went way beyond the realm of Star Trek Online gaming for a trifecta of guests on Ep. 27 (the 41:30 mark; or download only here) where we went on about forgotten true fans, the upside of having no Trek TV (blossoming fandom), the future of the "next" Trek TV show, the fun of playing McCoy and of course the Tour—along with Teras, AND Mr. Enterprise-D Non-Profit Restoration & Museum himself, Huston Huddleston, and his project.

Which is all pretty cool considering I haven't even told YOU gentle readers about my Kingsland, GA experience as Bones... much less the Secret Project that's kept me from posting and vidchatting more with you here at TREKLAND... including today's Oscar guest post at startrek.com.

And more podcasts coming up quick ...

Star Trek Google Doodle reshines light on Bobby, too

Google's Star Trek day has been such a splash for the franchise, this year's "off-year" 46th anniversary celebration—and good will for Star Trek in general, with lots of great mainstream media coverage on the Google Doodle design team choices. And a huge spike at startrek.com.

It's even given me the chance to tell folks that Chekov is not in the animation because he's in Hollywood getting ready to get his Walk of Fame Star! 

But Bobby "The Gorn" Clark's wife Judy just reminded me that's it cool in another way—the local media is all over the fact that, of all Trekdom to throw at Google-Kirk and his hapless landing party for today's episode, it's obviously Vasquez Rocks Planet and the Google-Pez Dispenser Gorn that Google chose! (Though that wind sounds pretty Guardian of Forever Planet to me.)

Here's Bobby (at right, sans scales) choreographing the original "Arena" shoot from 1966 for our gang last month on the Hollywood2Vegas Film Sites Tour for Geek Nation Tours before Vegas Khaaan...









Oh—and if you have no idea why I'm talking about any of this—go to google.com. NOW.

The Vegas Vamp: Where to Find Me—and a SURPRISE

It's the busiest year ever for me AND for everyone else setting foot in Creation's annual Vegas Trekapalooza event.

I'm debuting a NEW SURPRISE product to be announced on Thursday ... for one thing... all part of my promotion and fundraising for THE CON OF WRATH, among the usual fun stuff. So please be on the lookout for that.

(And please note: Anything I host or co-sponsor in the EVENING hours is for those of you who are sold out of, or do not wish to partake of, the scheduled convention events and parties. Please support Creation all you can in this once-a year blowout like no other.)

I'll be rolling into town about 6 p.m. Wednesday after five days with the Holywood2vegas Trek Film Tour with Teras and Geek Nation Tours (check out the booth and future plans, shared with TrekRadio) but I barely have time to grab my room key becasue it all starts Wednesday night:

And note this does not include table time—check my table, and at Geek Nation Tours, for posted hours there—because I did a lousy job of seeing fans and pros alike last year!

WEDNESDAY
—9 p.m.: The "Second Annual Party Like A Spock Star" Game and Trivia Night," co-sponsored with DVD Geeks and Trek News.Net. at Masquerade Bar in the Rio's casino nightlife area. No cost! Just come have a blast!  (At left: Here we are last year!)


THURSDAY

—5:30 p.m.: The Fifth Annual Rapid-Fire Trivia Prize Challenge —And once again with prizes thanks to CBS Consumer Products (at right). Get in line, take a Q, win a prize or lose and get back in line—it's that simple. Secondary Theatre

—"Evening" : I'll be hanging out with fans and the DJ folks in the TrekRadio party at Irish Pub (formerly McFadden's) in the casino area ... and who knows what all that will be, but I've been told I'll be "handing out prizes." So it sounds like a blast!

FRIDAY:

—2:15 p.m.: "Star Trek: Today and Tomorrow," my forum to engage YOU and your fellow fans on the status of Star Trek--how it got here and where it might be headed, with business, cultural and even ego-political angles you might not have considered. Secondary Theatre  (At left: In Dallas/Plano, 2010)

—9-11 p.m., in MY SUITE! (Room to be announced)  My latest Meetup/Fundraiser for THE CON OF WRATH: Vegas Edition! Yes, we do what we've been doing all year on the con trail: offering fans a chance to chip in to save some Trek history and expose an amazing human-nature tale all in one with our documentary. Have you read about this?: For a $20 (or more) chip in, you get not only the screen credit and thank-yous later, but a chance at trivia/prizes, rar trek videos and sneak-peek raw footage from the doc...and the chance to ask me tell tales I'd never do on stage in public! After doing this on the run, and even attacking massive Comic-Con San Diego (left), I want to see what our Trek Tweeps can do at VegasTrek.  (And ... whether we need to do a second party on Saturday night?)

SATURDAY:
—9:40 a.m.  (gulp): Panelist on Jordan Hoffman's "Best TOS Episode" debate panel for startrek.com, Secondary Theatre.  Well, THIS should be fun: "Friday's Child," anyone?

—Oh come on, you know I'll be doing more. I gotta see the costume record attempt, for one thing...


SUNDAY:
—I'll be recovering, but look for my posted hours at my TREKLAND table and the Geek Nation Tour/TrekRadio booth, where we'll have fresh pics from our adventures along our just-completed Trek, even as the group stays together for night events and dinners during the con.

There you go. If I survive the Tour, I'll be in great shape for this and probably a lot more...!

And mark my words: the formerly forgotten "secondary stage" is EXPLODING with panelists, historians, academics, scientists, and oh yes LICENSEES to talk about their Trek products. If last year was the "Comiconification" of Vegas in a costumes/cosplay sense .. then it's happening this year again but in regards to companies and presentations.

More about that later, but for now I just want to scope you out on Trekland Central for Vegas...

Whoa.

On the pods: Time runing out for Hollywood to Vegas Trek tour signup

If details about the "Hollywood to Vegas" Trek film site tour I'm hosting for Geek Nation Tours in August is old news to you, well here's a FLASH:

This is the final month to book, and/or place your deposit.

That was the topic—and a little update on The Con of Wrath documentary... and oh yeah, some wacky trivia—as tour operator Teras Cassidy and I were hosted by host Rodger Noriega on his live NDB Media Internet radio show this week—and the pods is up now! Get it here... and give a listen to Blog Talk Radio Channel 3's other fine shows.

Don't scream: I'm in the new VIDEO podcast, Trekspeak

Darren Molloney hosts "Trekspeak" globally from Ireland.

Well, this is new.

In a year of firsts, there's a great video podcast—yes, video— that just had me on to guest. Since starting up just last February, Trekspeak takes on all manner of Trek guests, many of them game and fan-film related so far ... and you SEE THEM in the podcast, or their video work at least.
And yet it's not that simple; this is not just a split-screen Skypefest. Host Darren Molloney out of Limerick, Ireland, runs the show with a couple of monitors and a suitably cool background in his virtual set. I mean, look at that! 


And sure, he asks about my current stuff like the Hollywood-Vegas Trek Sites Tour with Geek Nation Tours, to The Con of Wrath of course ... but also the state of the Trek world and all kinds of old stuff too. Now, I say that—I think he also needles some private stuff out of me as well, and Trek context I'd almost forgotten ... the kind of thing that seems old and moldy to me, but newer fans seems to enjoy.  And I'm such a sucker...


Anyway, conversing and being interviewed by anyone with an accent—nay, dialect even—is always cool. Makes you feel more cultured and elevated, if you are just another dumb American.  Darren of Limerick does a great job—so dial this one up and take a listen ... or a peek at a new experiment ... on iTunes as well as www.trekspeak.comhttp://www.youtube.com/trekspeak (the Trekspeak YouTube channel).

Little Rascals and Trek? Well, it IS us—and Subspace Comms

I have been slow to share!

Our good friends Charity and Chris—now they of the Bye Bye Robot licensed fine art Star Trek  prints—just had me on with Teras of GeekNationTours to talk up our Hollywood2Vegas Trek film site tour in August at Subspace Communique .. and as usual, our convo wandered all over Trekland.... in a good way.

But Spanky McFarland?

Yep, and much more... take a listen/download here. It's been up a couple days.

Chris did his usual interview-driving best, and the topics came thick and fast. I even found out Teras really WASN'T a poser!  I hope you take a listen to our Austin friends, and check out their many other great sessions with Trekland notables of all stripes at their site archive.

More pods, new pods!: We're on Trek Mate & Priority One

Just so you know: With only 35 seats max, we want to let fans around the world know about the Hollywood-to-Vegas Trek Sites Tour coming up in August as soon as possible ....


Thus, the reason for covering the pod world so that no matter who your fave downloads are, we'll hopefully turn up at one of them: either me alone, or my "boss" Teras from Geek Nation Tours—or, heavens, both of us.


Of course, if you just can't wait to hear what hilarity tumbles out of my mouth next, this is also a good prod just to go listen outside the box as well: sampling some new podcasts is a great way to try out hosts or shows you might not already know. Everybody is trying to find their own niche on the pod spectrum, and power to 'em.


Thus, today you can give a listen (or download) to the very latest this past weekend from Wayne and Marc at UK-based Trek Mate again—after my rookie visit earlier this year, they wanted me back for the Tour, with Teras  ... and we still managed to squeeze in some geekery, as well as more details on the Hollywood Trek. And with breaking news, too! 


I also enjoyed my maiden voyage with Elijah and James, the Priority One podguys at Quantum Cafe, and once again we had a rollickin' time... it's up just today.  Yes, I did let them squeeze a couple of old stories out of me, too;  I mean, they're chestnuts to me, but for anybody new to this game I suppose that, yes, they might be fresh peanuts!  Either way, the guys were great to have us on and were very kind—and cool to run the Hollywood Trek Tour link on all their pages. (And even let me plug for fan-donor donations to THE CON OF WRATH once again!)


(You know, if just a thousand fans gave $20 each ... that would be a lot of donor screen credits.)

A TOUR of the real Trekland? Guess who's leading it?

So, this guy walks up to me at the Vegas Khaaaan last year ...

And stunzap! —next thing I know I've been tractor-beamed into leading a tour for fans taking in 4 1/2 days worth of Star Trek film sites, around L.A. and en route to Vegas so as to end up—and extend through—the annual Creation Vegas blowout next August.

Well, actually, he didn't really have to stun me. Or even twist my arm—as if I had to tell you that.

You can read all about the facts of the "Exploring Trek Sites: Hollywood to Vegas With Larry Nemecek" here, but I want to talk about the feelings this all conjures up. Like how I'm flattered  to have Teras Kassidy approach me to partner with him on this Trek sites tour ... and how I'm confident to do so, knowing that his Geek Nation Tours has been doing theme tours for various flavors of "geeks" around the U.S. and Europe since 2009. And how I'm thrilled that this has been a great add to his travel agency of 13 years—so I know I've hitched my good name to one that's equally dependable.

I'm also excited to think of Trek site touring in terms of a group dynamic, and a big crowd. But not too big: one example being Teras' quality control, insisting on a one-bus limit so there's no "second class" tour-fans on the "second" bus getting just the faceless audio off a wireless mic pickup from Bus 1, or an exhausted host (ahem) hopping back and forth between stops. I've hit the Trekland sites over the years with friends and visiting "scholars," of course—I'm lookin' at you, Jorg!—but never considered how to maneuver a busload of Trekkies into these sites. And in a schedule that makes sense for fans who are also human beings needing food, shelter and plumbing.

I'm also curious to see what climes and time zones' natives decide to beam in and make up that busload, which will spend a couple days in greater L.A. and then actually hit the road for some rarer sites before we pull into Vegas just in time for the Creation clambake.  Seriously, Teras' agency reaches from Oz to Japan to the Americas and then cross the pond to the U.K. and Germany... so I hope we have quite the World Wide Warpcore of fans in the mix for this thing. They ALL can speak English, you know.

Most of all, I'm delighted to do double-duty once again: researching Trek's filming location for all series and movies. My archive of call sheets and memos, and those hundreds of interviews back to 1992, are the best source—but this has been a great poke in the butt to finish doing the legwork.

Of course, we can't go everywhere. Some are not open to groups, and we've only got 4 1/2 days! And—do you go to the obvious sites anyone can get to, like a Paramount studio tour or Vasquez Rocks? Do you play the numbers and favor Original Series or TNG or movies, or include a broad swath of the series? I've tried to factor in all series and their movies—including JJ Trek—and we have the known as well the obscure. For one thing, fans on their own won't get to go to those places with a great tour guide, and for another—well, again, I think a boatload of Trekkies from around the world will be just an awesome experience you can;t easily replicate. Of course, there are planned outs where you can take off on your own if you need your own space, so to speak.

I've already lined up one special: none other than Bobby Clark the Gorn will meet us at Vasquez Rocks—you can see him at the big cons,incuding Vegas, but how many get to hear him talk about that inhabiting that Gorn suit right on the iconic site where he so famously fought James T.? We may add a few more surprises in, too; we already have some "fudge factor" sites bneyond what you will read about, just in case we get a chance at, or have to adjust, to a Plan B due to factors beyond our control.

Seriously, folks, I just can't get across how excited I am to be a part of this. And Teras has all kinds of options for accomodating your not-so-fannish travelmate or spouse... or if you already have your Rio or other Vegas hotel reserved ... or in matching you up to a "double opccupancy" partner.  I know it has a pricetag, but if there's any way you can beam in and join us this Aug.  4-13 in Los Angeles ... and wind up in Vegas to survive the Khaaann—well, be there or be dunsel!