Comprehensive pre-Germany post

So, I just got back from Deutschland, with plenty of pics to come. However, I first wanted to do a comprehensive post of what I'd been up to before then. So, here is the brief, Reader's Digest version (as my Russian teacher would say) of June and July, 2006. It includes my trip to Bethlehem, PA, a defacto minor league baseball tour, and my mid-western odessey.