Heritage Tour

Absent

2012-01-05T16:59:00.000-08:00

I have missed the ability to add new posts to my blog over the past few weeks. Blogspot changed the format and did not make allowance for adding new posts. Repeated requests for help went unanswered. Luckily, I worked my way around the roadblock and, for now, am able to once again post to my blog.

Lucky you.

Now I just have to remember what it was that I wanted to post...

Haven't done enough hiking

2011-11-18T05:15:00.000-08:00

Haven't posted on my blog much either, or played much golf. Haven't played tennis in years.

Did finally go on a hike yesterday. I tagged along with Dave and Jim as the headed up Syphon Draw in the Superstition Mountains. This is the path most take to climb to the top of Flatiron. I won't be doing that. Gary (another park friend) made it to the top 25 times last season and had has topped out six times already this year! Of course he is part Canadian mountain goat.

Another tattoo

2011-08-24T18:30:00.000-07:00

I guess they are addictive, because as soon as this one was done, I was thinking about the next one.

Lady Luck because I have been so lucky in life. Even my marriage was good because together we raised such great kids. I was lucky to get the job at the shipyard - it allowed me to retire at 55. I have been lucky to make so many good friends. I have been lucky to be so healthy.
I was never lucky enough to get a hole-in-one though....

Bound for Arizona

2011-08-07T15:59:00.000-07:00

Leaving on Monday. I had a nice visit. Thanks to Thom and Ross for giving me shelter. Seven weeks of living out of suitcases will be enough.

Last leg home

2011-07-24T17:30:00.000-07:00

We made the final run home today, riding up 97 in to Washington and over Chinook Pass on 410. Three hundred and thirty-five miles. Our grand total was just over Three thousand miles in our nine days riding.

Rob on his Beemer.

Steve on his Road King.

Plans are underway for next years ride. A rerun or do over if you will - some of our favorite rides from the past five years - all east of the Cascades and out of the rain!! Beartooth Pass, Spiral Hiway, Hell's Canyon, Canadian Rockies, Road to the Sun.... so many good roads.
Thanks again to my travelling partners Steve and Rob. Good guys, good friends. Sorry Dave and Pat couldn't make the trip this year. We'll try to make it happen next year.

Two-lane blacktop

2011-07-23T19:02:00.000-07:00

Three hundred and seventy nine miles of mostly flat, straight, two-lane blacktop on Highways 395, 31 and 97 between Susanville, CA, and Madras, OR. Really a pleasant ride, just totally different from the last few days. Had a great dinner at Geno's. We'll be home tomorrow.

As usual, just click on the picture to see it full size.

24%

2011-07-22T19:44:00.000-07:00

The sign leading to Ebbett's Pass on Highway 4 out of Angels Camp reds:

It's a beautiful drive. Steve and I stopped at the aptly named Mosquito Lake to take pictures - but not for long.

From there it was on to South Lake Tahoe, then 395 to Susanville. Only 279 miles today.

Only 380 miles tomorrow as we hurry home. We'll spend tomorrow night in Madras, OR.

Off to Chico and Angels Camp

2011-07-21T18:23:00.000-07:00

Poor internet service in Chico prevented me from posting last night. The days and roads and curves all blur together. We average over 300 miles each day, with hundreds of curves.

The road to Chico took us past Mt. Shasta and through Mt. Lassen National Volcanic Park. Visit Lassen if you haven't - it's an amazing drive, beautiful scenery.

The ride from Chico to Angels Camp in Calaveras County, California (made famous by Mark Twain) was mostly along Highway 49, with a stop in the quaint little town of Nevada City for lunch at Lefty's Grill. Well worth a visit for the brisket sandwich with jalapeno and cilantro cole slaw. We all loved that meal. Here is the one picture I took today that impressed me.

It was Scott Day!!

2011-07-19T18:01:00.001-07:00

It was a Scott day. We rode in Scott Valley, along the Scott River, over Scott Pass, looked at Scott Mountain, saw Scott Lake and rode on Scott Road! 320 miles in beautiful sunshine. What a nice change from the last few days. Another night in Yreka tonight then off to Chico tomorrow.

The All Star ride to Northern California

2011-07-17T21:35:00.000-07:00

Since the three bikes that made the trip are red, white and blue, Steve chose the name.

Our first day was spent almost totally in the rain. Purdy to Redmond, OR, 380 miles. Sorry no pictures in the rain.

Today Rob led Steve and I over McKenzie Pass just west of Sisters, OR. We were lucky, the pass just opened yesterday. It's a beautiful ride that climaxes at the observatory in the lava field at 5,300 and some feet. Coming down the west side, the temperatures dropped with the elevation. It was a great road for a motorcycle ride.

We continued through Eugene to Reedsport - at times in a downpour. Rob enjoyed testing himself and his new tires on the wet pavement from Reedsport to Sutherlin. After a beautiful detour from I-5 on the Cow Creek Road between Riddle and Glendale, we continued on to Grants Pass for the night, which included snacks and drinks on the patio.

Tomorrow we will ride to Yreka, CA, via Eureka. 199 to 101, then 299 and 96 back to I-5. A 120 mile trip that will encompass about 350 miles.

Let go of the past

2011-07-13T07:28:00.000-07:00

Maybe, just maybe, I really have. I gave myself an $840 per year raise yesterday. I emptied the storage unit. Goodwill got five pick up loads of good usable stuff. The waste transfer station got 30 years of my life.
All of those pay stubs dating from 1976 to 2006 are history. All of those training certificates and awards, even those fancy plaques they gave me and were never hung on a wall. The divorce papers, too.
Thom kept all of my tools and garage stuff - that was another truck full of stuff. He had to reorganize his garage to make room for everything. He hasn't even opened the boxes yet. Each one will be a little treasure chest.
Four small boxes of pictures and memories will accompany me back to Arizona. I'll have my own jewels to examine.
The road trip to NorCal starts on Saturday. Rain and clouds are in the forecast for the Portland area. Good thing the rain gear got packed.

Temperatures are rising.

2011-06-20T07:28:00.000-07:00

Temperatures are rising here in Apache Junction. They should top out around 111 this week. The time for my escape has arrived. I'll be leaving the park next Monday. The plan is to spend 4 or 5 days on the road, drive along the Oregon coast, sleep in the back of the truck. If I learn that my body is too old for these sleeping arrangements, there are motels and I can shorten the trip.
I am looking forward to seeing my kids. They are grown up and have their own lives and don't need me like they did when they were younger, but they are stuck with me. Thom has graciously offered a room in his house for part of my stay. I will bunk with my brother Ross in Ballard for a couple weeks, too. Should be fun. Looking forward to seeing all of my friends and family that I can.
Another reason to head north is so I can head back south. The annual motorcycle ride at the end of July will cover northern California. It is disappointing that our little group of five is already down to three, but I am looking forward to the ride and the camaraderie. I didn't get to go to Canada last year with the group.

Tonto Natural Bridge State Park

2011-05-09T22:07:00.000-07:00

On last weekend's motorcycle ride, one stop along the way to Winslow, AZ, was Tonto Natural Bridge State Park.
Believed to be the largest natural travertine bridge in the world, it stands 183 feet high over a 400 foot long tunnel that is 150 feet at its widest point.
A prospector named David Gowan stumbled upon the site as he was chased by Apaches. He hid for two nights in a cave within the tunnel. He later claimed squatter's rights.

Copper Chopper

2011-05-09T10:23:00.000-07:00

As part of the centennial celebration, Paul Yaffee built this motorcycle which is being raffled off. Called the copper Chopper, it is fully plated in Arizona copper and includes several references to the state.
You can read more here: http://www.arizona100.org/events-projects/copper-chopper

Shed expansion project.

2011-04-22T05:49:00.000-07:00

Believe it or not, there are rules in the park regarding the size of the sheds. 10' x 12' is allowed. Mine was 9' x 10' when I bought the place. It is part of the carport, using the carport awning for the roof. I decided to add the three feet toward the east edge of my lot. First I had the cement poured, then the awning extended. With that done, I was able (with the help of friends) to cut the east wall loose, move it, and build filler sections.
As my park model sits on a corner lot, part of the purpose of the shed expansion was to accommodate the Harley. Dave, Mark and I had already installed a roll up door on the north side of the shed. The siding removed for the door installation was saved for the expansion. I was given some other pieces of siding saved from another shed job to use on the other side.
The whole thing turned out pretty good. No - I won't work on your shed. One is enough.

Dirt bike fanatic

2011-04-15T10:25:00.000-07:00

In conjunction with attending my Mom's 90th birthday party, I delivered an old rusty piece o' crap CZ to Forrest. He and Kenny have gone overboard regarding their fascination with early 70s dirt bikes. I took a few pictures on my visit.

It's been a while.

2011-02-19T07:20:00.000-08:00

The new year has come and I have failed to update followers of events in my life. I'm retired - I don't have to. Besides, I spend more time on facebook now.

Some changes large enough to note have occurred and I thought I should at least mention them here. I no longer live in a motorhome. After the first year, I no longer used it the way I thought I would. I haven't traveled outside the corridor required to travel from Thorp to Apache Junction. The incident with the trailer scared me. The cost to repair the motorcycle and trailer, the time spent waiting for the Harley dealer in Durango to do something, took the fun out of it.

I enjoy life here in AJ. The people that call this home during the "season" have become good friends. The number of months I reside here has extended each year. I may even try to endure a summer here soon.

To that end, I purchased what is referred to as a "park model" - a small, one bedroom, single wide manufactured home that is anchored to the desert. They are limited to 400 square feet, so you can imagine how small it is, but it feels huge in comparison to the motorhome. I now have a full queen sized mattress and a recliner. Wow.

You can see that it has a carport and a shed. The shed affords the luxury of a washer and dryer, ending trips to the community laundromat. For now, the trailer sits in the carport and the bike stays locked up inside. A future expansion of the shed will include the installation of a garage door to allow storage of the Harley in the shed and let me park the truck under the shade of the awning. Speaking of trucks, the 98 Ranger was not an adequate tow vehicle for the trailer, so I found a 97 Chevy Silverado for that purpose. It was one of those finds that make me smile. It has been in the same family since new - father and daughter. Every piece of paper generated during maintenance on the truck was included in the purchase - even the original window stickers. It cost just over $24,000 when it was new. The canopy has never been off the truck. Like all cars that have never left Arizona, there is absolutely no rust.

I miss the spot I had in the park along the back fence. I don't get to watch the birds and bunnies, squirrels and coyotes anymore. There is more road noise here at the front of the park, but I think it will work out fine. Besides, my old neighbor Lois says I can buy her park model when she decides to stop coming down here for the season.

I guess I'll never change - I enjoy horse trading too much. I've never kept vehicles for very long, or lived in one place for more than seven years at a time.

Put up my lights

2010-12-16T17:28:00.000-08:00

Overnight ride to Lake Havasu City

2010-12-05T19:54:00.000-08:00

I joined a riding group here in the valley called the East Valley Road Rascals. The organizer, Sherry, does a fine job of picking out rides and events to attend. This time we left Saturday morning for Lake Havasu City to watch the Christmas boat parade. It's a big tailgate party along the shore near the London Bridge waiting for nightfall and the arrival of the boats. I'd like to say that I was able to get pictures of the boats, but I'd be lying. I found a setting on my camera for night landscape pictures, but alas, I'm no Cory Parris (nor do I have his camera).

One big bonus included in an overnight motorcycle ride is the opportunity to sleep in a big bed with a full size bathroom just across the room!

On Sunday we headed north to Route 66 and the town of Oatman so we could pet the wild (?) burros. From there we followed 66 to Kingman, had lunch at Mr. D's then headed home. 120 miles of mind numbing, butt numbing hiway 93 to Wickenburg.

Everybody made it home safe, with only a couple visits from law enforcement (not me).

Acres of chrome, paint and big engines.

2010-11-22T20:20:00.000-08:00

Kaiser Darrin roadster

Dave and I went to the final Goodguys event of the year and wandered through acres of hot rods, rat rods, trucks and sports cars. Dave took pictures of every Studebaker entered and searched in vain for trim pieces for his Starliner at the swap meet.

I think the Lincoln Zephyr flathead V-12 is a piece of art.

Lincoln Zephyr flathead V-12

Pretty Planes and Crusty Cars

2010-10-23T15:49:00.000-07:00

Larry, Dave and I rode to Casa Grande to attend the Copper State Fly In. Larry was in the Air Force a hundred years ago and thinks he still is, Dave really enjoyed his flight in the B-17 and likes old stuff and I enjoy their company. After the fly-in, we rode to a wrecking yard that had Studebaker parts that Dave thinks he needs. Then it was a quick ride to Tag's in Coolidge for lunch (on Larry!). A nice day.

Dave and Larry walking toward "Sentimental Journey".

Bi-plane row

Isn't this Sky King's old plane?

P-51 Mustang

See anything you need?

WalMart workers

2010-09-30T15:04:00.000-07:00

Seems the battery in my truck didn't hold up over the summer months. The truck started right up when I connected the battery, but over the course of the week, it died.
Since it was a WalMart battery, I returned it to them in case there was some warranty left. There was! They gave me $44.45 for it. While I was there, I decided to get the oil changed, too. Waiting for that to be completed, I browsed the auto parts area and picked up some wiper blades and an air filter. When the boys in the lube bay completed their job, the paperwork magically spit out of the printer under the sales counter. The work order did not include the battery. The guy behind the desk went out to the garage to get it straightened out. A new piece of paper came forth from the printer. The sales clerk rang everything up, I slid my ATM card through the card reader, he handed me my receipt and I drove home. Looking at the paperwork when I got back to the park...
They didn't charge me for the oil change!
I'm not going back - it would just confuse them further.
We've all seen the e-mails with pictures of the people of WalMart. Maybe they should include some of the people that work there, too.

Staying busy

2010-09-28T14:01:00.000-07:00

Sold my little 4 x 8 shed to Frank and Kristi, moved it to their site in the park. Got my trailer situated on my site with John's help. Got the motorhome parked and all of the services connected. Put all of the stuff that was in the small shed in the bigger shed that I bought from Dave and Paige. Got the broken windshield on the Ranger replaced. Have an appointment to get the rear tire on the Harley replaced tomorrow.
Still have a long list of things that need to be done. I was hoping that the temperature would drop 20 degrees or so before I started them. Need to wash the motorhome and put on the window shades. I have to organize the new shed, but am going to wire it first - after Larry gets here to help me.

I bet you thought that I just float in the pool all day. That reminds me.... This is me and Dave last year, but you get the general idea.

On my way to AJ

2010-09-18T17:23:00.000-07:00

I WILL UPDATE THIS POST DAILY.

Had Friday dinner with Ross and Patti Friday night, got in the motorhome and drove to Prosser, WA, for a nights stay at Wine Country RV Park. Full hook-ups, cable television, wifi, $29 - but pay showers?

Got up and hit the road at 8 headed east on 82, merged on to 84 in Oregon headed for Idaho. Pulled off in Wendell, ID, for Saturday night. Staying at Intermountain RV Camp. Water and 30 amp service in the pull thrus, no cable, but has wifi - $20. Still pay showers! Pretty setting. 413 miles. A shorter day tomorrow - I promise! Maybe just to Ely, NV.

US Route 93 out of Twin Falls, Idaho, is the pits. Rougher than a corn cob. As soon as you cross in to Nevada it smooths out - except for the areas under construction. To someone driving a car, this route in northern Nevada must be boring as hell, but in a motorhome with a crosswind, it's plenty exciting. I stopped in Wells to catch my breath and get gas. On my normal walk around I noticed that two of the tires on the trailer were wearing funny. As it happens, the Shell station was also a tire store. The owner said that the bias plies had separated. Buying new trailer tires was on my list of things to do, just not right now. Near as I could tell, these were still the original bias ply tires. The owner was sympathetic and said he had four good used Goodyear radial trailer tires. Now I have them.

I made it a short day so I could watch the NASCAR race and the Seahawk game - besides I'm retired. I am spending Sunday afternoon and night at the Ely KOA. A little pricey at $39, but I'm worth it. Only 277 miles today. I was off the road by noon local time.

Up early again and no reason not to get moving, so I did. 454 miles to Blythe, CA, on the Colorado River. An elevation drop of about 4,000 feet. Only 185 miles to go tomorrow. As usual, driving thru Las Vegas is the pits, but it was better than last time. Route 93 between Needles and Vidal Junction has to be one of the worst 2 lane roads in the country. There were delays on 93 so I didn't cross Hoover Dam one last time. The bypass bridge is scheduled to open in October.

Here are my hot feet soaking in the cool Colorado River.

Arrived about noon. Moved a shed, got the truck running, opened up my awning for the first time since I left AJ in May. About 100 degrees. Floated in the pool a couple times. My ac is finally catching up and it's after 8! May ride up to Payson tomorrow.

Retirement of a friend

2010-09-06T18:59:00.000-07:00

Sunday, Thom and I met at the Bremerton ferry for a trip to Seattle/Ballard and a visit with my friend Ken (aka "my ex-wife's-twin-sister's-ex-husband" or Kenny-Pooh). Ken spent 30 years working for various government agencies that luckily all subscribed to the same retirement program. Those agencies included the University of Washington, the City of Seattle, City Light and Sound Transit. Since he didn't spend enough time at any one of them to warrant a retirement ceremony, he decided to hold his own and invite the people that mattered to him. I'm not sure why I was there.
Felipe (Let or Leto to his old friends) served as the master of ceremonies. He and Ken have been friends since high school. It seems that everywhere Let got a job, Ken followed. Let joined the Marines - so did Ken.
Congratulations Ken, retirement is great.

Hogs and Dogs @ Owen's HD in Yakima

2010-08-21T14:50:00.000-07:00

Two or three hundred bikes, mostly Harleys, made their way to Yakima and Owen's Harley Davidson for the Washington Harley Owners Group (HOG) Rally. Saw plates from British Columbia, Oregon and Idaho. Perfect weather (mid 70s), friendly people, music and food will draw a crowd.

I've always been a sucker for two tones.

This guy had the custom paint done in Los Angeles. He said he likes women.

The crowd ebbed and flowed as groups headed out for rides.

How I spent my weekend

2010-08-17T05:32:00.000-07:00

The hottest weekend of the year was spent helping Ross and Patti rebuild the fence that runs along the alley. Luckily it was in the shade, unfortunately so were the mosquitoes. Thirty years ago I was here to help put it up. We didn't just put up the new fence boards that you see in the pictures. Every board was removed, cleaned up and reattached. The main purpose was to remove the 3/4" gap that used to exist between the boards. This will prevent prying eyes from looking in and there have been things going on in the alley that they would rather not see.

Backyard work party

2010-07-25T17:25:00.000-07:00

All we had to do was call it a house warming party and we got some free labor today. My Mom, sister Pam, brother-in-law Duane, daughter Erica came to help. Thom's friends Jenny, Justin, Kelsy, Rex and Derrick put in some hard hours, too. Boone and Wendy showed up, too. It was so nice to see everyone.
We had too much food, just enough water, pop and beer - it is warm today.

I should have taken a 'before' picture - but here are some 'afters'. The grass and weeds were over our heads in some places.

Da boys depart

2010-07-23T16:41:00.000-07:00

Dave, Rob and Steve left today for Port Angeles, the beginning of the 2010 BC ride. Every year our little group goes on a ride around a designated area. We started in Washington, then Oregon, last year Idaho and western Montana, and this year British Columbia. Pat bowed out early citing his intention to spend his vacation money in Ireland with his daughter Erin, then I dropped out due to my prostate problems. It was sad to see them leave without me. To be fair, they offered to delay the ride a couple weeks, but there is no guarantee that I would be ready then either.

You can read Dave's full report on Weenerbago Tales in my blog list to the right.

Retaining wall and fountain

2010-07-21T14:10:00.000-07:00

When I got here you couldn't see all of the retaining wall and the fountain was a pile of rocks with some slimy water in the bottom of the pond. It isn't much, but it's all progress.

Stained deck

2010-07-19T15:14:00.000-07:00

Another neglected part of Thom's house - the deck. I don't think it's been stained since it was built.

Progress in Thom's yard.

2010-07-18T17:40:00.000-07:00

Thom bought a nice little house on the Key Peninsula near Gig Harbor. Over the years it has not had the tender loving care that it deserves, but Thom wants to make up for it. This past week has been spent pulling some weeds, cleaning/staining the deck, fixing the fountain/pond - but mainly addressing the curb appeal of the front yard so visitors will feel welcome.

In these photos, Thom is working to remove an Alder root, and enjoying the finished burm at the front of the yard next to the ditch. I threw in a before and after shot, too.
I'm able to help a couple hours each day and light a fire under his butt to focus on one small part of the yard and not get overwhelmed by the big picture. The lot is a half acre, with most of the back yard undeveloped. Lots of weeds and brush to worry about back there. We aren't going to get it all done in one summer visit.

A Safe Trip, I guess.

2010-07-13T07:44:00.000-07:00

Well, I made the trip from Thorp to Gig Harbor without incident - mostly. Boy, the wind was blowing. It felt like I was flying a brick. As I was heading on to I-90, I realized that I had left my wifi antenna sticking out the window. "No problem" I thought, I'll just pull it in when I get to the rest area. I wanted to dump my tanks anyway. The antenna broke loose about half a mile before the rest area. Oh, well.

I stopped in the rest area and hooked up my hose and pulled the valve open - the hose blew apart! I stepped in my own mess and closed the valve, got the water hose and cleaned it up. Threw the hose in the trash and got another (I was carrying three of them). As I twisted the second on to the connection, one of the hooks broke off. Another one in the trash. One last chance. I got the tanks dumped, but the last hose leaked a bit (from age I guess), so it went in the trash, too. I moved the motorhome forward a bit and washed every bit of evidence down the drain, washed my boots (glad I wasn't wearing sandals) and headed for Camping World in Tacoma to get a new hose - and my new mattress. Except for idiots that tried to merge in to the coach (do they really think that I am going to stop on the hiway to let them in?) and the fools that I see texting as they travel down the road (I refuse to call it driving), the rest of the trip was uneventful.

I pulled in to Thom's place, gave him a hug and got my home as level as I could. He proudly showed me the 30 amp connection that he'd had installed by his high school friend Kyle. Kyle works as an electrician in Ferndale. I don't know if he has completed his apprenticeship yet. I plugged in and we threw the breaker and it immediately tripped. Strange. We checked everything, then I finally checked the power at the outlet - 240 volts! For some reason he thought a 30 amp outlet needed 240 volts. I am lucky the motorhome isn't burnt to the ground. As it is, I had to replace my microwave and the controller for my electric blanket is trash. All of the other electrical safety devices did their job. I normally check the polarity and power output before I plug the coach in to service panels at RV parks, but I gave Kyle the benefit of the doubt (he is an electrician) and almost paid dearly for it. Lesson learned.

We headed for Home Depot and found a microwave, struggled putting my mattress together and had lunch at the Chinese Panda place. Later we spent a hour or so pulling weeds and trimming bushes. We barely made a dent. We need gloves, rakes, weedeaters, tractor and a truck. I'll go back to Home Depot while Thom's at work today and get a few things.

It's a little misty and gray, but I can see blue skies up through the trees.

"The pain boss, the pain"

2010-07-06T15:31:00.000-07:00

Okay, I have to ammend my last post. There is some pain - and it starts with P and ends with eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!
Sheesh.
I called to make sure this was normal. I was told that it is and that the pain can last up to six weeks following TURP. I may be dealing with something that is 30 times more common in women than men - Urinary Tract Infection or UTI. My urologist is thinking about prescribing something similar to AZO, but has not yet done so.
A lot of things went up my urethra, now it hurts when something comes down it.

In recovery

2010-06-29T07:30:00.000-07:00

There will still be too much information for some in this post.
Here I sit in my box on wheels, waiting for something to happen. I feel great. The procedure seems to have gone well. I feel like I should just go back to my life before the incident. I have no scar, no stitches, no bandage, no aches or pains. I feel good.
I was cautioned not to strain. Don't lift anything heavier than a half gallon of milk. Use a stool softener. Do nothing.
They were right. The day after I got out of the hospital I went grocery shopping and filled a prescription for antibiotics. Later that day there was blood in my urine.
Saturday Thom and I drove the motorhome to town to dump the waste tanks. In the afternoon there was blood in my urine.
My urologist said that there would be blood in my urine for a while. Still it is disturbing when it happens.
I sit here reading anything in the motorhome, watching dvds, playing computer games, keeping up with all of my facebook friends. Good friends call to check on me, Steve and Michelle stopped to visit on their way home from Republic. I intend to sit here for a couple weeks and do nothing.
It's harder than I imagined. I thought I was doing nothing all this time since my retirement. Now I know what doing nothing means. I feel bad that I'm not out helping Ross and Patti more. They have taken such good care of me, I'll repay them in time.
I feel fine.

Well, it's not prostate cancer

2010-06-21T18:08:00.000-07:00

The following may contain TOO MUCH INFORMATION (TMI) for some.

A couple weeks ago I suffered through a night of not being able to urinate. I could have sworn someone hit me across the back with a 4 x 4 and then kicked me in the groin. I called for an ambulance ride to the hospital. I thought that perhaps I was passing a kidney stone.

At the emergency room they determined that I did not have any stones, but that my bladder was full and my urethra was blocked. A catheter was inserted and I felt instant relief. I was referred to a urologist and sent home in a taxi with catheter in place.

The urologist visit included a ultrasound of my prostate, a scope was run up my urethra to look at my bladder and twelve biopsies were taken of my prostate. I left the clinic sans catheter and was very happy of that fact.

That is until about 3 the next morning when I went through the same symptoms. This time I drove myself to the hospital, walked straight in to the emergency room and told them what I needed. Sweet relief.

Today I returned to the urology clinic in Yakima. I was greeted with the good news that I do not have prostate cancer. I hugged the doctor. Then I was told that I needed Trans Urethral Resection of the Prostate or TURP. That or learn to love my catheter. It just so happens that the doctor had a cancellation this Wednesday, so that's what I'm doing.

I'll be in surgery at about 11:30 on Wednesday morning. The procedure takes about an hour. I will be spending two nights and will check out Friday sans catheter. There are some possible risks (not as major as prostate removal) and we discussed other options, but this appears to be the best one. I have done a lot of reading on the subject over the last couple weeks.

Trip to town

2010-06-05T14:53:00.000-07:00

Went to town to get a haircut, stumbled upon a small car show. It was being held in support of a local hospice. It was only two blocks long, but at the mid point it crossed with the local farmer's market. Made for an interesting mix.

This one is for Dave.

The hunt was on

2010-05-29T14:21:00.000-07:00

Ross and I went in search of the elusive Morel mushroom this morning. We worked our way up a gravel road to Ross' favorite hunting area at about 3,400 feet. Ross was barely out of the truck and he spotted one. We split up to search on our own and it wasn't long before I found a half dozen of the delicacies. We spent about three hours finding a couple pounds of mushrooms.

The mountain is out

2010-05-25T11:41:00.000-07:00

Barely. Look just to the left of the Weenerbago - see it? It blends with the clouds. I'm in Thorp, safely anchored at Ross and Patti's place. Will go see Mom tomorrow, hope to see the kids over the weekend.

Return to the Evergreen State

2010-05-24T15:40:00.000-07:00

Uneventful drive from Mountain Home, ID, to Prosser, WA. One stop at a rest area in Oregon for a sandwich. Saw the last of the snow alongside the road going over the Blue Mountains. One little sprinkle - just enough to make spots on the windshield.

Now sitting in the Wine Country RV Park in Prosser, WA, letting the television go through the auto tune and winding down.

Paige, Dave and I will go out for dinner tonight. It's nice to have a travelling companion along the road. Neither of us had any major problems on this trip (woo hoo), but there is a sense of security when you know you've got friends nearby.

On to Mountain Home, Idaho

2010-05-24T05:55:00.000-07:00

A smooth 380 miles or so from Ely, NV, to Mountain Home, ID. Straight, flat, smooth roads. No big climbs or descents - just what a motorhome owner/driver wants. Not much of a road for a motorcycle rider, but perfect for me yesterday.

It is still chilly, but not as cold as Ely. The days are growing longer. It was light out until almost 10 last night. It's usually dark by 8 in Arizona - they don't participate in daylight savings. Maybe that's why I wake up so early every morning.

Climate change

2010-05-22T14:39:00.000-07:00

The Channel 3 weather girl predicted 100 degrees in Phoenix Friday. I hear it topped out at 102. That was easy to believe since it was already 80 degrees at 8 o'clock in the morning. The temperature in Boulder City, NV, where I spent Friday night was in the 90s. I ran the air conditioning from the time I got the power hooked up until it was time for bed.

It was still pleasant this morning as I prepared to leave. I did put on short sleeve shirt instead of a tank top along with shoes and socks. As the elevation increased some 4,000 feet, the temperatures dropped. I turned on the heat as I drove.

Now, sitting my motorhome at the KOA in Ely, NV, I have added a sweatshirt to my ensemble and the heater is ready to run. There is snow in the hills surrounding me.

Baby got new shoes

2010-05-13T12:52:00.000-07:00

In preparation for the upcoming trip to Washington, the motorhome went first to a local Ford dealer in response to a recall concerning the cruise control system (something about it could catch on fire) then visited a local tire dealer for six new Goodyears. I've been told that no matter how good the tires look or how few miles are on them, they should be replaced every 5 years or so. The tires that I had been driving on were the originals - from 1998.
So, while my wallet is a little lighter, my mind is at ease.
I plan to leave Apache Junction on the 21st and arrive in Thorp on the 25th. My route home will take me to Las Vegas, then turn north along the eastern border of Nevada to Twin Falls, Idaho, then angle northwest through Pendleton, OR, and on to Ross and Patti's homestead.

Blooming saguaro

2010-05-06T07:54:00.000-07:00

or as Dixie says, "They got their bonnets on".

Update on Mom

2010-04-28T14:02:00.000-07:00

My sister Mary sent these pictures taken April 23, along with a note stating that Mom was able to tie her shoes and sign her name - hooray!!

AND she's going home today! 4/30/10

Me and a few (thousand) of my friends

2010-04-17T18:12:00.000-07:00

I wasn't going to do it. Was going to avoid the crowd of Arizona Bike Week and CycleFest. I woke up this morning, had my coffee and finished my puzzles. Looked at the clock and it was only 7:30. I knew that Chester's HD was having a breakfast and bike ride to support the Special Olympics. Breakfast sounded good - and a chance to look at a bunch of bikes. So I saddled up and rode to Mesa. To park in the lot, I had to join the crowd. Once I was ensconced in the crowd, it just made sense to go along for the ride. It was an escorted ride, so every intersection was held open for us. Bikes started rolling out at 10, I didn't leave the lot until after 11. Miles and miles of motorcycles. Dave rode in Rolling Thunder in D.C. with 400,000 bikes. I can't imagine that crowd - this one was too large for me.

...and on to Tombstone

2010-03-30T21:54:00.001-07:00

After spending a night in the Copper Queen hotel in Bisbee, AZ - we continued on to Tombstone. It is the tourist town that I expected to see. They didn't get any of my money. The power was out all over town. Didn't explore Boothill, didn't see the shootout at the OK Corral, didn't get my picture taken dressed in cowboy garb - didn't do much in Tombstone.

Did find a great road out of Tombstone towards Nogales and a nice Mexican restaurant (Mercedes) in Patagonia. Dave had planned on eating lunch at the Velvet Elvis Pizza shop there, but it was closed on Tuesday (?).

The day ended with a mind and butt numbing 75 mile ride on flat straight roads from Tucson to Apache Junction, but that is a small price to pay for a very enjoyable road trip with a couple good friends.

I'm sure Dave will post a map and more pictures on the weenerbagotales blog.

Bisbee and the Copper Queen

2010-03-30T17:13:00.000-07:00

I know that I have mentioned before that two authors and one artist are mostly responsible for my desire to visit the southwest.

Tony Hillerman got me to the Four Corners area - although I have not explored it thoroughly enough.

Georgia O'Keefe's visions of the landscape were an inspiration.

J. A. Jance took me to Bisbee.

Her J. P. Beaumont series set in Seattle got me hooked on her murder mysteries, but it was her Joanna Brady series set in Bisbee and Cochise County that really peaked my interest. Again there is a lot left to explore, but Bisbee is a neat town. Supposedly it has the best year 'round climate in the U.S. and there is a great RV park in town .....

The view from my third floor balcony room at the Copper Queen and a couple shots of the town built in a canyon.

Demise of a dinette

2010-03-20T15:53:00.000-07:00

The making of a new desk.

Tiring of using the passenger seat area of my motor home as my home office, I ripped out my useless dinette and built a new desk unit.

A couple base units from a custom kitchen "Going out of business" sale, a piece of counter top from IKEA and a new peel and stick floor - voila!

When I removed the forward facing bench seat, I found the large opening left under the refrigerator - and a huge mouse nest. It had not been occupied for some time.

First Annual Goodguys Spring Nationals

2010-03-13T05:46:00.000-08:00

The weather has taken a turn for the better. Dave, Jerry, John and I rode the bikes to Westworld in Scottsdale to attend the first annual Goodguys Spring Nationals hot rod show (http://www.ggspringnats.com/).

Thinking of Mom

2010-02-22T06:26:00.000-08:00

Mom took a tumble and did some serious damage to her shoulder. Surgery (possible replacement) is scheduled for Tuesday.

Update 1: Partial shoulder replacement surgery was successful. After some trouble with excessive narcotics, she is now in the transitional care unit for physical therapy.

Update 2: Mom will be leaving transitional care in a week, headed home. Family, friends and a visiting caregiver will continue her care and rehabilitation there.

Update 3: Mom is home and able to dress herself. She is still in considerable pain, but it is abating.

First ink

2010-02-20T15:15:00.000-08:00

Stylized family crest. Only a couple hours old.

Dutchman's Trail

2010-02-18T14:12:00.000-08:00

click on image to enlarge

Went on a short hike this morning - just over 6 miles - on Dutchman's Trail. Just about everything associated with the Superstition Mountains has some connection to the urban legend regarding The Lost Dutchman's Mine.

It's western days in the park tonight. Pot luck dinner and country music. I'll wear my boots and make an appearance. Hopefully I'll be out of the club house before the music starts.

2010 B.C.

2010-02-14T12:15:00.000-08:00

2010 B.C. planning report - Our group ride for this year will be through British Columbia. Steve is planning the route, Rob is looking for accommodations, Dave will be looking for points of interest after the route is finalized, I got the ride tee shirts and Pat has not been heard from since we left him in Idaho last year.

Yes that is Raquel from 'One Million Years B.C.', referred to as "fuzzy britches" in 'Shawshank Redemption'.

Hike to Second Water

2010-02-04T12:45:00.000-08:00

click on image to enlarge

No, I don't know the origin of the name. I guess I could find out, but ...

I hike once or twice a week now. The Monday hikes are around three miles and the Thursday hikes closer to six miles. Today's hike was just under six miles over rolling terrain. The trail head is near Lost Dutchman State Park. Our turn around point was at the reservoir. A man made pond that held water for a failed farm. That someone tried to farm this country is one thing, but the farm was way back in the hills - not too far from Canyon Lake.

Visitor from the west valley

2010-01-28T05:10:00.000-08:00

My friend and former co-worker, Dean, came for a visit yesterday. Our lives have been intertwined for a long time. I first got to know Dean's brother, Dale, while working in the Pipefitter Shop at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard (and playing softball) in about 1976. Then while working on one of the ships, I bumped in to Dean and mistook him for Dale. They are definitely brothers. Along with their facial resemblance, they are both big boys.
Later Dean moved in to his Grandmother's old house just up the street from Donna and I on Vandalia Ave in Bremerton. Erica was just a squirt and she enjoyed the big teddy bear (although she doesn't remember him now).
Dean was on the other end of the rope when two canvas bags full of tools fell three decks and hit me on the head. He was down the ladder as fast as the tools to find out if I survived. I was worried about picking up the tools and catching the bus for home.
Later, he thought of me when the folks in Code 260 were looking for a journeyman mechanic to apply for the journeyman-to-technician program. That was the start of my career in the Engineering Department at PSNS. It got me off of the ships, away from all of the asbestos and lead and cadmium and all of the other hazardous crap that shipyard workers are exposed to on a daily basis. It got me out of the weather, it got me a bigger pay check, it got me a better retirement stipend.
Later, Dean tried to give me good advice when Donna and I split up. Initially, I just didn't believe that we wouldn't get back together, then I didn't believe that not filing for divorce immediately would make much difference. Six years later I learned just how wise Dean was on this subject.
Dean was a grunt in Vietnam. For a long time he wouldn't talk about it. He has two Purple Hearts. He has reconnected with most of his old Army unit and found out how to get all of the help that he has coming to him and is helping another friend do the same.
Life in Arizona is good for Dean (so is his wife Sue). He is happy.
Thanks for being my friend Dean-o.

Lost Mine hike

2010-01-07T15:59:00.000-08:00

Six mile hike (3 miles out, 3 miles back) on the Lost Mine trail out of Gold Canyon.

Nice ride to Tortila Flat for lunch

2010-01-06T14:11:00.000-08:00

Scarred saguaro

2010-01-04T10:43:00.000-08:00

click on images to enlarge

1/3/10

2010-01-03T17:08:00.000-08:00

Small traditions

2010-01-01T14:36:00.000-08:00

Everyone has them I suppose.

Big John rides every New Year's Day - so today we rode to Gila Bend, five of us, John, Jerry, Jim, Brak and I. Lunch at the Space Age restaurant or whatever it's called. Lots of bikes in the parking lot. Must be a popular tradition. John was disappointed that they weren't offering a black eyed pea and cornbread meal. Another midwest tradition I guess.

As for my my little tradition, I jumped in the pool at midnite. It doesn't qualify as a polar bear dip since the pool is 81 degrees, but it meets the criteria of washing away the troubles of last year, leaving a clean slate for the new year.

Best wishes to all for the coming year and decade.

Thom got the keys to his house.

2009-12-30T11:46:00.000-08:00

He found this cartoon that expresses his thoughts about someone letting him buy a house.
http://www.xkcd.com/616/

Bah. Humbug.

2009-12-21T06:27:00.000-08:00

My fingers have been silent because I decided to NOT post on my blog my true feelings about the Christmas season. It is, for many reasons, my least favorite time of the year.

Staying busy

2009-11-29T10:51:00.000-08:00

Some habits are hard to break.

No matter that my intention as a full time RVer was to divest myself of home improvement projects, I continue to feather my nest.

First it was deciding to stay in one place for the winter. It IS a nice place to spend the winter. Then the decision to return to the same place this winter. There are a lot of nice folks here and it IS a nice place to spend the winter.

Then I bought a shed. It's a small shed. A place to store the seldom ridden bicycle and spare hoses. The little refrigerator was just sitting in the storage unit in Ellensburg doing nothing anyway so why not put it in the shed? Putting the insulation in the shed was logical.

It just made sense to have a small vehicle to use when I had errands to run or get groceries and it came in real handy when I had to move the 148 cement patio blocks that I am using to build my patio out back...

Happy Thanksgiving

2009-11-26T09:51:00.000-08:00

To my kids,
This isn't how it was supposed to be.
love ya,
Dad

Thom's house is a very, very, very fine house.

2009-11-22T14:28:00.000-08:00

My son, Thom, has been looking at houses for a while. He was too slow in making an offer on some, was told an offer just 10% below the asking price was offensive and found one that was just right for now.

9620 134th St Ct NW, Gig Harbor, WA

Well maintained 1 level home on .42 acre lot. Huge fenced backyard, 336 sq ft garage, vinyl windows, good roof, entertainment deck, mature landscaping. This affordable home is just a few minutes from Hiway 16. Three bedroom, big living room and kitchen/dining room, just painted inside, brand new carpet.

Goodguys South West National Hot Rod Show

2009-11-20T16:01:00.000-08:00

Five of us from the park (John, Jerry, Larry, Dave and I) rode our bikes to West World in Scottsdale to look at all of the shiny cars at the Goodguys South West National Hot Rod Show. Dave and I went last year. You may remember that I posted some pictures. It really does get overwhelming. So much chrome and so many nice paint jobs. We usually search out the odd and unusual vehicles for special attention. Jerry spent most of his time looking at the junk in the swap meet. He wants a copper Arizona license plate for his collection. John looked at just about every car that had a "For Sale" sign in the window.

Visitor from the frozen (well almost) north

2009-11-07T11:57:00.000-08:00

Ken (also known as my ex-wife's-twin sister's-ex-husband or Kenny-poo) took a sad journey to Arizona on the occasion of the death of his Mother. My condolences friend.

He took the time to come to Apache Junction to visit and spend the night. I took him to Waldo's for a rib dinner and to Tortilla Flat for breakfast. I think he enjoyed both.

Short visits by friends and family are always appreciated.

A great day for a ride.

2009-11-05T17:18:00.000-08:00

It was a great day for a ride. Six of us left the park at 9 this morning for ride east through the Salt River Canyon to Show Low on Highway 60. The ride through the canyon has numerous switchbacks as the road descends to the bottom of the canyon and climbs back up the other side.

After lunch in Show Low, we turned west towards Payson. The highway cuts through a beautiful pine forest.

South from Payson through the Tonto National Forest to Apache Junction. About 320 miles.

We got back to the park in time for cocktails and a neighborhood weenie roast.

Trailer Tramp Art

2009-10-31T08:20:00.000-07:00

Before John and Jane arrived and before they moved in to their new space at the park, we inspected the shed that they purchased and found four satellite dishes inside. Little imps that we are (I am?), we placed the gray dishes around their palm tree as a "Welcome Home" greeting.

John and Jane are good sports and accepted the greeting in the way it was extended.

Then they decided to take it a little farther and create Halloween decorations from the dishes. Of course now they will have to continue the tradition and decorate the dishes for other holidays.

New Apache Junction wheels

2009-10-20T18:04:00.000-07:00

Sometimes it is nice to have something more than a motorcycle. Dave and Paige tell me that I can borrow their Jeep, and others have offered the use of their vehicles, but after having the use of Ross and Patti's truck in the summer, I knew I wanted something down here in Arizona, too.

Here is my 1998 Ford Ranger. Bare bones - four cylinder, five speed and air conditioning. It's in pretty nice shape and I didn't spend very much money.

Mud Dobbers Ball

2009-10-20T09:09:00.000-07:00

Living in a motor home means putting up with some smells. It's a small house sitting directly above the septic tank that gets heated by the noon-day sun.

I have meant to do something about improving the ventilation of the tank for some time. I bought a fancy whirlygig vent head in May for that purpose.

I finally got up on the roof to do something about it this morning. The picture shows the mud wasp nest that almost entirely closed the vent.

C.B. - I'm sorry I didn't have this fixed before your visit in Durango.

New shades!

2009-10-16T10:05:00.000-07:00

I suffered through the heat of May in my motorhome and decided that when I returned to Apache Junction I was going to invest in shades for the outside of all of my windows. They not only cool the coach, they provide some privacy when the curtains are open so I can watch the world go by.

I also got a different seat on the bike with a better passenger seat so I can take some of the ladies in the park for a ride in comfort. While I was working on replacing the seat, I switched over to my "good neighbor" mufflers. The bike just doesn't sound the same. I might as well be riding a BMW.

Weather is great, wish you were here.

2009-10-12T09:28:00.000-07:00

The weather has been perfect. I arrived just after the 100 degree heat ended. The temps have stayed in the mid to high 80s with a slight breeze. Perfect. The long range forecast calls for sub 100 temps the rest of the year. It may be in the 90s this weekend. I spoke too soon - 100 degrees on Friday and Saturday.
I have ordered screens for the outside of all of the windows on the coach. Others in the park have them, they offer some privacy with the curtains open and help keep the inside cool. They should be installed on Thursday. I washed the windows this morning in preparation for the installation.
I rode down Hiway 79 to Catalina for breakfast yesterday, then rode to Winkleman on 77, 177 to Superior (with a stop at Dairy Queen), then 60 back home.
Other park residents are trickling in. It's nice to see everyone again.

Almost home, Arizona

2009-10-04T13:52:00.000-07:00

As close as I've got to a home I guess. I'm here. Plugged in and anchored down. Only 97 today.

The zip code at the park changed to 85119.

Las Vegas sucks

2009-10-03T16:55:00.000-07:00

..or at least driving through Las Vegas sucks. After my 505 mile drive from hell yesterday, I hoped for better today. The first half of the drive, through Utah to St. George, was beautiful. Then came the windy, white knuckle, mind numbing drive to North Las Vegas.
I've been to Las Vegas three times. The same construction project continues. The exit to 95 south off of 15 should be illegal.
The good news is that I am in Lake Havasu. Dave told me I should see it. When I told him where I was, he said I was on the wrong side of the lake. You just can't please some people.
Tomorrow should be a fairly easy drive of 270 miles or so to Apache Junction. I am back in shorts and sandals - as it should be.

Filmore West

2009-10-02T18:07:00.000-07:00

After 150 miles of the worst, most boring road imaginable south of Boise, I passed the next 150 miles driving through construction from Ogden to Salt Lake City.

I don't enjoy driving the rv as much as I used to prior to the "incident" in May. With every little bump my balls and my heart meet deep in the pit of my stomach. I stop often to check on the bike - no problems so far. I am glad I put nylock nuts on the fasteners. Everything else has been shaken loose.

I am spending the night in Filmore, Utah. Farther than I had planned to drive. I missed an exit in the construction zone, so missed the park I had planned to grace with my presence.

Dinner and a couple beers and I'm out.

Thorp to Caldwell

2009-10-01T15:45:00.000-07:00

Easy 375 miles to Caldwell, ID. Found a nice RV park - Country Corners Campground and RV Park. Free wifi, good tv reception, all pull throughs, good power and water and a Good Sam park. Only $23.
Decided to leave this morning because there was no wind this morning and my furnace ran all night last night. Will have to disconnect the water hose tonight before bed, they had frost here last night.

My brother is a rolling stone...

2009-09-25T17:28:00.000-07:00

Ross got sent to Nanana, Alaska to oversee the restoration of the local police station. He called Patti to say he had arrived safely and that it is snowing.

I'm going to Everett on Sunday to have lunch with the kids and my Mom.

Happy birthday Thom!! (10/29)

What's going on?

2009-09-19T19:01:00.000-07:00

My almost wife (Paige) is upset with me in that I have not been posting on my blog regularly. I always thought "no news is good news" but I guess that doesn't apply to blogging.
One reason I've not been blogging is that I never remember to either take or use my camera when I am out doing whatever it is that I am doing. We all know that a picture is worth a thousand words.
Luckily for all concerned (you and me), I don't have a thousand words in my head.
Last weekend was spent in the Marysville area. I planned on visiting my Mom and my sister and attending my 40th high school reunion. The possibility of staying at the Tulalip Casino hotel was put asunder by the $240 per night room rate. I did visit with Mom and attended the reunion picnic, but was unable to visit with Tom and Mary. There was a mix up (on my part) regarding which day Mary would be returning from San Diego. Oh well, I'll see them in Arizona in the spring.
The reunion was the first I have attended since graduation. It was well organized and it was a lovely day on the lake. A few people were recognizable and a pleasure to see again. I rode by our old house and the location of the old high school, then left. I didn't forget anything for which I need to return.
I returned to a sorrowful house. Patti and Ross' 13 year old cat Reynolds passed away. They are both pretty upset. Reynolds was a feral cat that Ross rescued. He followed Patti around like a little shadow. He ran and hid from just about everyone else. I tricked him in to thinking I was Ross a couple times and got to pet him a little. It was a game I'll miss playing with him.
This weekend has been spent riding. One hundred- sixty miles on Friday on back roads in and around Yakima, many of which ended in gravel and necessitated U-turns.
Today's ride was to Wenatchee sticking mostly to well known highways. The run on I-90 to Ellensburg from George was in to a steady head wind of about 25 miles per hour. It was a tiring ride.
One of the purposes for both rides was to visit the local Harley Davidson shops. I look forward to returning to the Phoenix area and visiting large, fully stocked Harley shops again. I'm sure the limited riding season plays a part in the economics of operating a shop, but Sound Harley Davidson in Smokey Point seems to be able to make a go of it as a pure Harley shop. The people at Owens HD in Yakima are friendly and helpful, but their resources are limited. I was not impressed with the operation of Legends HD in Wenatchee and the prices on the displayed bikes seemed very high.
Okay Paige, that's what I've been doing.
Now I can get back to using my computer for it's real purpose - looking for a love life and parts for my Harley.

Visitor

2009-09-09T21:12:00.000-07:00

This guy was on my kitchen counter tonight.

A little Northern Exposure

2009-09-02T16:47:00.000-07:00

Took a lazy ride along the Yakima River through Cle Elum to Roslyn for lunch.

Some of you may remember a television show called "Northern Exposure" about a New York doctor working off his school loan in the small Alaskan town of Cicely.

Well, as far as I know, Cicely, Alaska is imaginary. The show used Roslyn for the outdoor shots and had a set in Bellevue or someplace for interior shots.

Attempts were made years ago to visit Roslyn during shootings, but without success. The "hot set" signs are no longer needed.

The large painted advertisement for the Roslyn Cafe was modified to "Roslyn's Cafe" for the show, but has been returned to it's original glory.

I got to town just after 2. That's important because that's when "Village Pizza" opens. She makes her own crust dough and sauces. Yummy.

Check out weenerbagotails to see Dave's new gas tank. Forrest painted it and Doug finished the design in gold leaf (the same guys that painted my bags). It's a replica of a tank design used on a 1933 Harley that Dave saw in the museum in Milwaukee.

Got my stripes

2009-08-27T10:23:00.000-07:00

I don't know if I earned them, but I got them. Forrest did a great job on the repair and laying the pearl on the bags and fender, Doug followed thru with my Maltese Cross design on the bag lids and the stripes on the fender. Beautiful.

Mike and Vicky had Dave, Paige and I over for dinner last week. Great steaks Mike!

Dave and I rode to Port Orchard for coffee this morning. We met Mike and Chuck at Tully's. Nice to talk about everything except work with these guys. Everyone feels better after they retire. Chuck just got back from umpiring Little League regionals in California and Mike is heading down to the family ranch in California tomorrow to do some shooting.

I'll be packing up and moving back to Thorp tomorrow. I'll make one return trip to this side of the mountains to attend my 40th high school reunion on the 12th of September. Don't know why I'm going for sure, I have not attended any earlier reunions.

moved

2009-08-18T08:33:00.000-07:00

I've moved to Bremerton. Forrest is my host. He will also be repairing the rear fender on the bike. I purchased a new "Tail Bagger" kit from CycleVisions and my new hard saddlebags actually hang straight on the bike. I hope to get some pinstriping done, too.
Accommodations here are good - I have water, sewer and 30 amp electricity. Three things I didn't have at Ross and Patti's. HOWEVER - I don't have cable tv or internet access. Two things I did have at Ross and Patti's.
The weather is supposed to be acceptable on the wet side of the state for the next week or two. That will be just right. I'll head back to Thorp for most of September, then be on my way to Apache Junction.
I thought time would slow down when I retired, but the summer has flown by.

My adopted home in Thorp

2009-08-02T18:55:00.000-07:00

A few pictures of my summer home in Thorp. Ross and Patti are gracious hosts. I am lucky to have the opportunity to share their "park".

Three thousand miles of thoughts

2009-07-31T15:51:00.000-07:00

Storms of Dillon
Rolling along the Beaverhead
Long straight ride to Dillon
Black storm cloud ahead
Lightning to the left
Lightning to the right
Forty-one leads us on

Wisdom and Bliss
Miles and miles to find them
We gained Wisdom in Montana,
Discovered Bliss in Idaho
It's easier on two wheels

Passed Over
Logan
Marais
Lolo
Lost Trail
Colter
Beartooth
Targhee
Raynolds

Middle of nowhere

2009-07-30T12:44:00.001-07:00

Going to the Sun Road - Glacier National Park

2009-07-30T12:37:00.001-07:00

Pictures

2009-07-30T12:29:00.000-07:00

Dave has the maps and general description of the day to day rides. You can find that information at weenerbagotails.blogspot.com or by clicking on "Dave and Paige's blog" at the bottom right of my home page.

I'll just throw some pictures at you.

What I learned in 3,682 miles

2009-07-30T12:15:00.000-07:00

I learned I have some gr8 friends. I hope they didn't tire of me, I didn't get tired of being around them.

Pat and I learned to buy new tires before a 3,000 mile ride, rather than planning to buy tires after the ride.

I learned again that I am not as good of a motorcycle rider as I think I used to be.

I learned again how lucky I am to be in the position to be able to take a two week ride with my friends and not have to go back to work.

I learned that not everyone appreciates a Corbin seat. Steve rode about 40 miles on mine and called it a wooden bench. As for me, I made the full ride sans monkey butt - and that's a good thing.

I learned that it is always good to be home - even if that home is on wheels.

Bison, elk and bear - oh my.

2009-07-24T15:46:00.000-07:00

Our ride today from Bozeman to Cody took us through Yellowstone, entering at the north entrance near Gardiner and exiting at the northeast entrance, ending at bottom of Beartooth Pass in Red Lodge.
What a ride.
Again, Dave will post pics I'm sure. He is still smiling. Steve, Rob and Pat enjoyed it so much they rode it twice.
We saw elk at the north entrance, a bear somewhere along the road and a bison walked down the road toward me just before we left the park.

Visit weenerbagotales for pics

2009-07-22T13:26:00.000-07:00

I did not bring my computer, so cannot upload pics to my blog, so am waiting until I return to Thorp to do so.
Dave, however, did bring his computer and has uploaded images to it.

Visit weenerbago tales today - you'll be glad you did! Look for "Dave and Paige's blog" in the lower right corner of this page.

Secured - I hope

2009-07-15T09:20:00.000-07:00

In an effort to not repeat the past, I have reconfigured the tie down system for the bike inside the trailer. I found a way to attach to the frame at the rear of the bike and not interfere with the saddlebags (when I get them).

Now I'm off to the local waste water treatment plant to dump my tanks. Oh joy!

Spud Run '09

2009-07-14T09:48:00.000-07:00

Dave and I will depart from Thorp on Sunday the 19th and head for Couer d'Alene, ID.
On Monday all five of us (in usual riding order: Steve, Rob, Pat, me and Dave) will make the 321 mile ride to Kalispell, MT via Hiways 2, 508, 37 and back on to 2 in to town..
Our Tuesday ride will again cover 321 miles running from Kalispell to Missoula. The first half of the ride will be a loop in to Glacier National Park and "Going to the Sun Road" over Logan Pass. The second half of the ride will take us along the west side of Flathead Lake on Hiway 93 to Missoula.
Wednesday will be Missoula to Missoula. That's not a typo. The day's ride will be over Lolo Pass - twice on Hiway 12. An easy day of 224 miles or so.
Thursday is Missoula to Bozeman - 274 miles on Hiways 200, 279, 12, 89 and 86 through the Helena National Forest.
Bozeman to Cody, WY on Friday, dipping in to Yellowstone National Park just enough to ride over Beartooth Pass on Hiway 212 to Red Lodge, MT and in to Cody on Hiway 72. A ride of 260 miles according to Steve's calculations.
Saturday's ride from Cody to Dillon, MT through Yellowstone National Park , a 289 mile day on Hiways 20, 87 and 287.
Day 7 runs us from Dillon to Ketchum, ID. Following a short run north on I-15, we'll turn west on 43, then south on 93 and 75 through the Sawtooth National Recreation Area. A long day of 340 miles.
From Ketchum to Boise via Twin Falls completing the run south on 75/93, west on 30, then 78 in to the Boise area through the Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area. 295 miles.
We'll head out of Boise on our 262 mile ride to Riggins on Hiway 21 going through Boise National Forest as far as Lowman, then turning west to catch 55and 95 north through Nez Pierce National Forest.
Our last day as a group is a 269 mile ride from Riggins returning to Couer d'Alene on 95 with a side trip to the Spiral Highway in Lewiston.
Here's hoping for fair weather and smooth roads.

Trailer progress

2009-07-12T16:23:00.000-07:00

Ross and I have been busy straightening the ribs and bolting down the E-trac. The 1/8" mahogany sheathing will arrive Monday night or Tuesday morning and I'll be ready for it.

We also bolted in a small cabinet that he had been saving for a special purpose and a spare air compressor that he had sitting around. Lucky me!

Meeting of the minds

2009-07-11T17:00:00.000-07:00

The boys rode over the hill today and I fed them lunch. It wasn't quite the crab stuffed mushrooms, artichoke dip, salad with some special dressing, steak, corn on the cob and dessert that Steve wanted, but they seemed satisfied with chips and Rob - er, I mean dip for an appetizer, ice cold Sam Adams Summer Ale and Negro Modelo, medium rare steak, and corn on the cob. Not too bad.

We talked about our upcoming ride - The Spud Run - that begins on the 19th and covers some 2,700 miles through Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming and maybe a bit of Oregon. If there is a high mountain pass or canyon road along the route that Steve planned, we'll be on it. Highlights of the trip include the Going to the Sun Road, Beartooth Pass, Lolo Pass and the Spiral Highway.

Rob made reservations at convenient Best Westerns along the way - three kings and two queens. Dave and I are retired, on a fixed income, we share a room.

Pictured, left to right: Steve, Pat, Rob and Dave.

Latest progress

2009-07-09T11:00:00.000-07:00

Here are photos of the bike - almost done and trailer - just getting started. Forrest is making good progress on painting the saddlebags and I am waiting on a few parts (like locks for the saddlebags) from Owens Cycles, but it is on the road again. I've missed riding.

The new white two-by running down the middle of the trailer will help support the weight of the rear of the bike. The piece of 3/4" plywood that used to cover that portion of the floor got busted up pretty bad. I think I can straighten the two damaged steel ribs in the sides of the trailer and the sheet metal will get patched. I also bought a floor anchor system (the stuff on the right in the trailer) to help ensure that this doesn't happen again.

I am enjoying my stay in Thorp. My brother has a few projects planned for me to work on in my spare time.

Dave, Pat, Rob, and Steve are riding over to visit on Saturday. I'll throw some steaks on the barby and beer in the ice chest. We'll talk about our upcoming ride around Idaho - the Spud Run.

The floor is bolted down and the first coat of paint is on.

Second coat of paint is applied.

E-track is in place, chock is repaired and remounted, pushing on the bent ribs.

Don't go there

2009-07-05T10:17:00.000-07:00

When a person or couple become full-timers (living full time in your RV), it is almost inevitable that some stuff will get put in to storage.
It is also inevitable that visits will be made to the storage unit.
Don't do it.
I walked through my past for a few minutes this morning. I was sure that there was stuff that I just had to have with me in my motorhome. There were a few things - silverware (now that I have drawers in my kitchen), my battery powered skill saw, some wood hangers and my back scratcher.
There were lots of things that I would love to have around me - my leather couch, big flat screen tv, my bed, tools, art, clothes that I used to wear.
I left the storage unit a little depressed. I wish my kids would use this stuff. Erica's little apartment is already overflowing and Thom is searching for a place of his own. There is still hope that he will take most of it.
A lot more stuff will be going to the Goodwill store before I leave for Arizona.

Some help for my friends that have not yet retired

2009-07-03T20:14:00.000-07:00

Where to Live After Retirement:

You can live in Phoenix , Arizona where.....
1. You are willing to park 3 blocks away because you found shade.
2. You've experienced condensation on your butt from the hot water in the toilet bowl.
3. You can drive for 4 hours in one direction and never leave town.
4. You have over 100 recipes for Mexican food.
5. You know that "dry heat" is comparable to what hits you in the face when you open your oven door.
6.. The 4 seasons are: tolerable, hot, really hot, and ARE YOU KIDDING ME??!!

You can Live in California where...
1. You make over $250,000 and you still can't afford to buy a house.
2. The fastest part of your commute is going down your driveway.
3. You know how to eat an artichoke.
4. You drive your rented Mercedes to your neighborhood block party.
5. When someone asks you how far something is, you tell them how long it will take to get there rather than how many miles away it is.
6. The 4 seasons are: Fire, Flood, Mud, and Drought.

You can Live in New York City where...
1. You say "the city" and expect everyone to know you mean Manhattan ..
2. You can get into a four-hour argument about how to get from Columbus Circle to Battery Park, but can't find Wisconsin on a map.
3. You think Central Park is "nature."
4. You believe that being able to swear at people in their own language makes you multi-lingual..
5. You've worn out a car horn... that is, if you even have a car.
6. You think eye contact is an act of aggression.

You can Live in Maine where...
1. You only have four spices: salt, pepper, ketchup , and Tabasco ..
2. Halloween costumes fit over parkas.
3. You have more than one recipe for moose.
4. Sexy lingerie is anything flannel with less than eight buttons.
5. The four seasons are: winter, still winter, almost winter, and construction.

You can Live in the Deep South where...
1. You can rent a movie and buy bait in the same store.
2. "Y'all" is singular and "all y'all" is plural.
3. "He needed killin'" is a valid defense.
4. Everyone has 2 first names: Billy Bob, Jimmy Bob, Mary Sue, Betty Jean, Mary Beth, etc.
5. Everything is either "in yonder," "over yonder" or "out yonder." It's important to know the difference, too.

You can live in Colorado where...
1. You carry your $3,000 mountain bike atop your $500 car.
2. You tell your husband to pick up Granola on his way home and so he stops at the day care center.
3. A pass does not involve a football or dating.
4. The top of your head is bald, but you still have a pony tail.

You can live in the Midwest where...
1. You've never met any celebrities, but the mayor knows your name.
2. Your idea of a traffic jam is ten cars waiting to pass a tractor.
3. You have had to switch from "heat" to "A/C" on the same day.
4. You end sentences with a preposition: "Where's my coat at?"
5. When asked how your trip was to any exotic place, you say, "It was different!"

AND You can live in Florida where..
1. You eat dinner at 3:15 in the afternoon.
2. All purchases include a coupon of some kind -- even houses and cars.
3. Everyone can recommend an excellent dermatologist.
4. Road construction never ends anywhere in the state.
5. Cars in front of you often appear to be driven by headless people.

Work in progress

2009-07-02T12:56:00.000-07:00

New handlebars and gripsWorking on the lightbar.