tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45158686648011556532024-02-07T20:37:03.344-08:00Trippin' with Rick Clickrickclickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04772392142627673499noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4515868664801155653.post-21909297587506778232013-06-16T18:05:00.002-07:002013-06-16T18:05:53.780-07:00Starting at an Old BeginingSan Diego. One of my several homelands. My mom came here when I was three and we left when I was seven. Delightful years once I was six and roaming on my own with a bicycle and Balboa Park three blocks away. The canyons and park were my wild kingdoms to explore and conquer. The zoo and museums were my familiar neighborhood. On my return sixty years hence I find the museums to be the only remains. Bits of the Zoo survive, but not much more than some reptile cages and pitiful big cat enclosures.<br />
I near departure for a tour of the West. All winter I've been scooting around so Cal and AZ while I worked through some medical details at the VA and got the truck motor rebuilt in Tucson while I attended an ARAMCO Brat reunion there. Meanwhile in San Diego I was having the wr250r motorcycle prepped as an adventure tourer. All is ready and I just have to pack up and go.rickclickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04772392142627673499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4515868664801155653.post-71246503700183537022013-06-16T18:05:00.001-07:002013-06-16T18:05:27.543-07:00Gad, it's hard to blog from my phone. Facebook is so much easier...rickclickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04772392142627673499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4515868664801155653.post-84578690452473251732013-05-27T21:50:00.000-07:002013-05-27T21:50:31.054-07:00Still on the RoadI'm back and starting a new chapter in my travels. Since I last posted 3 years ago a lot of the same stuff has been happening. I'm not going to pick this up from where I left off but I will write some stories about what I've done during this time. 3 weeks ago I drove the pickup back to NM to drop off some stuff and sold my 91 LeBaron. I needed to get my motor rebuilt and some other deferred maintainance and upgrades done. I then rode my wr250r motorcycle back to San Diego to go to some VA spots. I left the bike there for some upgrades aka "farkles" while I flew back to Tucson to attend an ARAMCO Brat reunion at the Westin La Paloma resort. There were 750 of us there ready to party. What fun to see friends from jr high and meet Facebook friends for the first time. rickclickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04772392142627673499noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4515868664801155653.post-14766298905152451692010-12-02T18:44:00.000-08:002010-12-02T18:44:22.726-08:00Olympic Peninsula<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:ApplyBreakingRules/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:UseFELayout/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]><img src="http://img2.blogblog.com/img/video_object.png" style="background-color: #b2b2b2; " class="BLOGGER-object-element tr_noresize tr_placeholder" id="ieooui" data-original-id="ieooui" /> <style>
st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) }
</style> <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";}
</style> <![endif]--> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal">Aug 22 Sunday, Collins Campground near Seal Rock, WA</div><div class="MsoNormal">Danee is holding the next installment of “Dexter” for us to watch on my return when I pick up the replacement phone for the replacement phone from TMobile.<span> </span>I have a couple weeks to wait, so I might as well go around the Olympic Peninsula instead of roaming around Seattle and being under foot when Danee gets home from work.<span> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span> </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQqDkuxRsPOnWsUWBPB_reW1XIGey7SXpg_SRVAxIAkxSLDESFw1Jg_bqI3S1anJQlPxWxcfNqCeSjbRKeALvxg7a84xLDiymlC81Qta6Fp4BWRYTHES-6y2YfhFAD87qSQGTUJjC2eLg/s1600/IMG_8791-72dpi.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQqDkuxRsPOnWsUWBPB_reW1XIGey7SXpg_SRVAxIAkxSLDESFw1Jg_bqI3S1anJQlPxWxcfNqCeSjbRKeALvxg7a84xLDiymlC81Qta6Fp4BWRYTHES-6y2YfhFAD87qSQGTUJjC2eLg/s320/IMG_8791-72dpi.jpg" width="320" /></a><span> </span>I was on the road by noon to take the Fauntelroy ferry from South West Seattle to Southworth across the Puget Sound.<span> </span>$3.60 saved me riding about 70 miles through Olympia and 2 or 3 hours of urban traffic.<span> </span>It cost the same as riding and I got the minor thrill of being on a ship.<span> </span>Within an hour I was on US 101 and on curving roads with a grin on my face.<span> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFnPQT3snPUUoWZthq-eExASUl0hmU6tCCT5Bao3R87cDbGF_OJInoGaRZXbhFnRdb82hvTJ007Qw6O-smqNg5bNh9GT1DtcjguBezqCOE9xbc45SyAp4bUNAvBxxGq8S8EJPjkczV9lc/s1600/IMG_8796-72dpi.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFnPQT3snPUUoWZthq-eExASUl0hmU6tCCT5Bao3R87cDbGF_OJInoGaRZXbhFnRdb82hvTJ007Qw6O-smqNg5bNh9GT1DtcjguBezqCOE9xbc45SyAp4bUNAvBxxGq8S8EJPjkczV9lc/s320/IMG_8796-72dpi.jpg" width="213" /></a><span> </span>I went to the Brothers National Forest on the inland side of the peninsula and looked at some dispersed campsites along forest roads.<span> </span>I started to go up a steep side road, but stopped about 30 yards up, except I didn’t stop.<span> </span>With the front brake holding the wheel, the clutch in and the front tire sliding, I went down the hill backwards, dragging both feet.<span> </span>It sure felt like I was going to fall, but I finally came to a stop in a bush.<span> </span>Whew! <span> </span> </div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLqLdn5n85VXxhgO5kP3tpQswrtAXPfHELde5Ickvl_MpJd00LGpBPYXFrPN29QN4B3Cc_Ro8IMjg1i_EV1lg68-3qq95w65Dep9v3Ia7SZ4smbmNZkXB7V_R8uI1-P4RlKWOhcpBlQU8/s1600/IMG_8798-72dpi.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLqLdn5n85VXxhgO5kP3tpQswrtAXPfHELde5Ickvl_MpJd00LGpBPYXFrPN29QN4B3Cc_Ro8IMjg1i_EV1lg68-3qq95w65Dep9v3Ia7SZ4smbmNZkXB7V_R8uI1-P4RlKWOhcpBlQU8/s320/IMG_8798-72dpi.jpg" width="320" /></a>None of the camp spots suited me, so I chose the campground by the Duckabush River.<span> </span>The water sounds so nice, so here I am at #10.<span> </span>I can see the rapids while I lay in my tent.<span> </span> </div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDUoNQuH9xn99Mc-OBHlJs7YBul3TjiqszXAFhl3i4JGaG4eyw-vEAAPdrkKrOwUlbn0__otMWD1O_RFmCzfr0h4QLju2k5BaZfNnN0mHFV9QhcRdJJJiMSwMQ72jUK_SOqLf6r0pBRRE/s1600/IMG_8799-72dpi.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDUoNQuH9xn99Mc-OBHlJs7YBul3TjiqszXAFhl3i4JGaG4eyw-vEAAPdrkKrOwUlbn0__otMWD1O_RFmCzfr0h4QLju2k5BaZfNnN0mHFV9QhcRdJJJiMSwMQ72jUK_SOqLf6r0pBRRE/s320/IMG_8799-72dpi.jpg" width="320" /></a>I can also see big black slugs oozing along.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Aug 23 Monday, Dungeness Forks Campground near Sequim</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUUoM-jlaXwfFqy2e3h6Npod-Sx5nZBBgqQC6DzPh04TYIKVPfcKEHgKqtvNMNqXgmIyK240L0MwCCx_OAg4GezK9JmluBTXlDKe2K_8_bCRDPQJie-AnPdDX_sxHP-wDNrO2cDixDUwU/s1600/IMG_8801a-72dpi.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUUoM-jlaXwfFqy2e3h6Npod-Sx5nZBBgqQC6DzPh04TYIKVPfcKEHgKqtvNMNqXgmIyK240L0MwCCx_OAg4GezK9JmluBTXlDKe2K_8_bCRDPQJie-AnPdDX_sxHP-wDNrO2cDixDUwU/s320/IMG_8801a-72dpi.jpg" width="320" /></a> </div><div class="MsoNormal">Continuing north on 101, I kept stopping beside the road to eat wild blackberries, so juicy and delicious.<span> </span>I met Steve, who sells used fishing gear beside the road.<span> </span>He is a stutterer like me, but he struggles much more.<span> </span>We talked about stuttering and fishing for a long time and he set me up with some tackle.<span> </span>I can fish in national parks without a license and wanted to give it a try.<span> </span>Right next to him was a roadside used house wares dealer and I finally found my little frying pan.<span> </span>I had been to about 20 yard sales and 3 thrift stores with no luck.<span> </span>Now I need a lid…<span> </span>After groceries in Sequim, I headed off to camp.<span> </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIKOM8xU8Bf23zBaUt4bP8ujNn4LSiL0u7WNzRieBWKIqVB60NqllBgl07th0LvszTiJWMLjRLzBx7zyF8zW9yZhMvev_vlqXoFm7omR784JEhRTGM3XkYCFAexENEn_bLZc-7Aio8FsM/s1600/IMG_8806a-72dpi.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIKOM8xU8Bf23zBaUt4bP8ujNn4LSiL0u7WNzRieBWKIqVB60NqllBgl07th0LvszTiJWMLjRLzBx7zyF8zW9yZhMvev_vlqXoFm7omR784JEhRTGM3XkYCFAexENEn_bLZc-7Aio8FsM/s320/IMG_8806a-72dpi.jpg" width="320" /></a>I found several blah spots and liked the camp ground better.<span> </span>I had a spot on the Gray Wolf River and could hear it all night.<span> </span>My pan worked perfectly to cook a hunk of salmon I had bought at the store with no illusions of actually catching something.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Aug 24 Heart O’ the Hills Camp Ground near Port Angeles</div><div class="MsoNormal">Eggs cooked in my pan, a small delight.<span> </span>Hot coffee and then off to try fishing after dawn.<span> </span>No fish, nor did I hook myself nor did I fall in the river; a 2 out of 3 success in my mind.<span> </span>I wonder if my red coat or not so subtle fishing rod stick made a difference.<span> </span>I didn’t see any fish jumping or rippling the water.<span> </span>It was a simple pleasure to watch my spinner lure in the current.<span> </span>Time to move on, I thought. <span> </span>I get goal oriented about getting to the next camp ground, thinking that the last camp site will be taken and rush to get there.<span> </span> </div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcUEHQDIsFX4apP-NoohfUyanwBRxS-zhiCI-KoC1UMkd0_KxUirLo8Ka3f9thEN3mVS_c6sYWxSZZAwACuVtORHnWBTPZy1c1pSb3G7BTl5gq33rQILmxY2kNRyXw1wjpqNlSWoBU4ZQ/s1600/IMG_8807a-72dpi.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcUEHQDIsFX4apP-NoohfUyanwBRxS-zhiCI-KoC1UMkd0_KxUirLo8Ka3f9thEN3mVS_c6sYWxSZZAwACuVtORHnWBTPZy1c1pSb3G7BTl5gq33rQILmxY2kNRyXw1wjpqNlSWoBU4ZQ/s320/IMG_8807a-72dpi.jpg" width="320" /></a>Well, there were about a hundred open sites when I got to this, my first actual Olympic National Park visit.<span> </span>I settled on a view location with a jumble of fallen trees and the sound of a stream.<span> </span>Snug and peaceful.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Aug 25 Heart O’ the Hills, day 2 </div><div class="MsoNormal">I met Joe, a Thai bicyclist, and we chatted cycling and camping.<span> </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcumRpMP8v7efs1YVHGO9gYGeYRTNFnf4a4YXZvUReX5sUsZHSU5F12P13zzOtmDN-MImPF5rMpQCTyWK0JdJfSkbEWxsOsYSwq5JCjE5kLxjZccDygjJ067_05E2kfUHlYcpPz3wmn3M/s1600/IMG_8812a-72dpi.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcumRpMP8v7efs1YVHGO9gYGeYRTNFnf4a4YXZvUReX5sUsZHSU5F12P13zzOtmDN-MImPF5rMpQCTyWK0JdJfSkbEWxsOsYSwq5JCjE5kLxjZccDygjJ067_05E2kfUHlYcpPz3wmn3M/s320/IMG_8812a-72dpi.jpg" width="320" /></a>I rode off to Hurricane Ridge to join scores of other seekers of alpine serenity.<span> </span>Despite the crowds, I did enjoy seeing the saw tooth horizon of snow spotted peaks.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span> </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAvxDV4XOosSmicRmGFUg83zeXboNyfkxM2c3__pStia3jZlbGOnOi_aqbZnv01jf4t9FEhbQNSMmrH01cwLf3UVk1GrJLJZ_Q00VO2Cw7K_JA5TGbO3kXaAKED3GbQqLVV21MfQdqiWA/s1600/IMG_8824b-72dpi.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAvxDV4XOosSmicRmGFUg83zeXboNyfkxM2c3__pStia3jZlbGOnOi_aqbZnv01jf4t9FEhbQNSMmrH01cwLf3UVk1GrJLJZ_Q00VO2Cw7K_JA5TGbO3kXaAKED3GbQqLVV21MfQdqiWA/s320/IMG_8824b-72dpi.jpg" width="210" /></a><span> </span>This spot was worth waiting 20 minutes for a bike to come along. As I was returning down the hill, a doe and her 2 fawns were beside the road grazing on the plentiful grasses that grow there.<span> </span>They were not the least camera shy as each passing car stopped to capture the moment of wild encounter.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Aug 26 Forest Road 2819, mile 9</div><div class="MsoNormal">A shopper at the Port Angeles Safeway struck up a conversation with me.<span> </span>So many other motorcyclists are curious about the TW that I never lack for human contact.<span> </span>This guy suggested a sweet spot near a bridge by the road to Sol Duc Hot Springs Resort .<span> </span>He and his girlfriend had stayed there just this last weekend.<span> </span>Sure enough, it was a perfect place to camp, with huge trees to deflect the rain and near the Sol Duc River.<span> </span>Maybe it’s just me, but the sound of the rapids reminds me of rush hour traffic on the freeway, minus the trucks.<span> </span>Oh, so peaceful hearing all those other people going to work and to not be in with them.<span> </span>It’s sort of like hearing lawn mowers on the weekend and not having to do it myself because Pedro, who came earlier in the week is our mow, blow and go specialist.<span> </span>I’ve been reading John le Carre`s “Absolute Friends” and was at the most suspenseful point just before dusk when someone fired a shotgun from across the river.<span> </span>Such an emphatic punctuation made me jump and sent me right back to Viet Nam.<span> </span>I was unsettled for the next several hours until about 2 am when I slept.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Aug 27 Fri Hoh Camp Ground near Forks</div><div class="MsoNormal">For me, this is the single most sought camp ground of my trip so far.<span> </span>It is in the mossy rain forest along the Hoh River.<span> </span>On the way here I stopped at a state fish hatchery to see if I could beg a fish.<span> </span>The first thing before I could get off my bike, a guy came over to talk to me before he went to the hatchery pond to fish.<span> </span>Wouldn’t you know, he says that he likes catching fish more than eating them and would I like a big fillet of Coho salmon.<span> </span>Such luck!<span> </span>He had soaked it in brine and then flavored it with brown sugar, pepper and smoke concentrate to mask the flavor of fish, which he didn’t like.<span> </span>Some went into my shrimp chowder that night, saving having the rest for lunch and dinner tomorrow.<span> </span>I met two off duty park rangers, Ryan and Kiley, this evening as a result of seeing his KLR650.<span> </span>I let him ride my TW around the parking lot and he was struck by its light weight and great gas mileage.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Aug 28 Sat, day 2 at Hoh</div><div class="MsoNormal">I was up at 5am, did exercises in my sleeping bag to warm up and put on about every layer of clothes I had.<span> </span>As the dawn broke, I was sipping hot coffee and eating eggs in a pita.<span> </span>My aluminum stove cover/cooking pot smells of salmon even on the 3<sup>rd</sup> pot of boiling water.<span> </span>I love fish, but not like this.<span> </span>I believe in the separation of fish and coffee.<span> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhRoG3J1t86bYqhuoUyhMFE4OuDJtSRfuV77XfWlu0Y7taBqWhfJYfdjxdjWtxBiIT0ZSmkDbzp4iNEmC-laVeEGBVDIiQVKFGiK-EIJDrGXjBUQ_40iIXAHNWwQg7vlotnaLxS_ZIvls/s1600/IMG_8846-72dpi.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhRoG3J1t86bYqhuoUyhMFE4OuDJtSRfuV77XfWlu0Y7taBqWhfJYfdjxdjWtxBiIT0ZSmkDbzp4iNEmC-laVeEGBVDIiQVKFGiK-EIJDrGXjBUQ_40iIXAHNWwQg7vlotnaLxS_ZIvls/s320/IMG_8846-72dpi.jpg" width="320" /></a>A pack of coyotes serenaded their farewell for the night as the first light came over a hill and washed the river into brilliance.<span> </span>I’ve created an evaporative cooer for the fish by wrapping it in a wet towel and putting it in the shade.<span> </span>It should stay fresh until this afternoon.<span> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6jCJvKBm2HBB00vGHfSC2WRi8wwQVP9Dg8l9kJa3XqX8fVnkc84jJ0lVQlhYbp0uvx1LVmIxNWWQwY8g9WCrRMZgdNKOZFSq5gUoh7so7Bg34KiBlpo2A1Le8LIW4oWZfBEy_xxvs694/s1600/IMG_8861a-72dpi.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6jCJvKBm2HBB00vGHfSC2WRi8wwQVP9Dg8l9kJa3XqX8fVnkc84jJ0lVQlhYbp0uvx1LVmIxNWWQwY8g9WCrRMZgdNKOZFSq5gUoh7so7Bg34KiBlpo2A1Le8LIW4oWZfBEy_xxvs694/s320/IMG_8861a-72dpi.jpg" width="227" /></a><span> </span>I made a quick trip to Forks for more food, library and internet.<span> </span>Pity the library is on its summer hours and is closed weekends.<span> </span>Just inside the foyer was the object of my desire, paperbacks for a donation.<span> </span>Sigh.<span> </span>So near…<span> </span>Back in camp, the salmon was delish with a tomato, cucumber and onion salad with Italian dressing and the nectarines grown locally and sold at the combination grocery, clothing and hardware store, The Outfitter.<span> </span>They even had my favorite yogurt, The Greek Gods – Plain.<span> </span>With stevia to sweeten it, there’s none better.<span> </span>Sorry to go on so about food but my life has distilled down to eat, ride, sleep and then repeat.<span> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZI8B5OKNzkN33S_MgFu8q8keV-lDH-P4i1AB9-XzPgDHtwxSitUNGzQfrEiNBjiahdwyFHQHWD2ABCd6whbG59gUkMs7xgo8XB17cs90J_2tjfbVrJWr7AeIKX9sFJEZ983TnmK7xMeE/s1600/IMG_8838a-72dpi.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZI8B5OKNzkN33S_MgFu8q8keV-lDH-P4i1AB9-XzPgDHtwxSitUNGzQfrEiNBjiahdwyFHQHWD2ABCd6whbG59gUkMs7xgo8XB17cs90J_2tjfbVrJWr7AeIKX9sFJEZ983TnmK7xMeE/s320/IMG_8838a-72dpi.jpg" width="320" /></a><span> </span>As I sit at the table in my camp, I am savoring how the trees move in the breeze.<span> </span>Leaves rustling on the ground as they are blown by seem to say, “Come run with us as we skip and hop in the wind.”<span> </span>Feeling the sun warm one side of my face when the wind softens, I am content to sit at the table, watching ravens scout for left out food.<span> </span>“Caw, caw.<span> </span>Those careless campers from yesterday are gone,” as they fly from tree to tree seeking opportunity.<span> </span>None for them here and I am left to listen to the wind in the trees, the river flowing and my stillness within.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Aug 29 Sun Hoh Oxbow campground</div><div class="MsoNormal">The weather report predicted rain tonight, so I went looking for a free spot.<span> </span>I had heard that the primitive State campgrounds are free, so I rode around looking at them nearby and found it to be true.<span> </span>I rode through a camp on the Hoh River and 101 and was approached by Isaac and Kyler who are hitchhiking around the peninsula for adventure.<span> </span>They live near Shelton on the south end of the Olympic Peninsula.<span> </span>Since they are hitching, they are not using the whole space and offered to share since the campground is full.<span> </span>I dropped off what I had in my bags, went to Forks for more food, brought that back and went to my site in the National Park to break camp.<span> </span>When I got back, there was still no rain and I pitched my tent on a ledge overlooking the river.<span> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span> </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbBmstIDDOOHHzpiL6I3yXyfw2R0Oa_E0U5mKFUwo-SVow2j1vbBedSIUR6dWuSG4Zferw-Hhi8K3osWVKsoXUmfWolmuhWX5islQvhEmPlb4Isz0aNjaCWbawl8BwUWESMSUF4H5kqN4/s1600/IMG_8862a-72dpi.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbBmstIDDOOHHzpiL6I3yXyfw2R0Oa_E0U5mKFUwo-SVow2j1vbBedSIUR6dWuSG4Zferw-Hhi8K3osWVKsoXUmfWolmuhWX5islQvhEmPlb4Isz0aNjaCWbawl8BwUWESMSUF4H5kqN4/s320/IMG_8862a-72dpi.jpg" width="320" /></a> </div><div class="MsoNormal">Dinner was a big trout that I caught at the market and shared with Issac and Kyler.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Aug 30 Mon Ho Oxbow</div><div class="MsoNormal">Another trip to Forks to the library for internet and to get paperbacks.<span> </span>Steaks were 2 for 1 at the market and they still had great nectarines. I brought back 3 pounds of meat and we ate it all with BBQ sauce.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Aug 31 Tue<span> </span>Hoh</div><div class="MsoNormal">Rain half the night, all day and night.<span> </span>I fixed coffee and scrambled eggs for breakfast in only dry place, the foyer of the outhouse, cooking for Isaac and Kyler, then reading in my tent while they stomped around staying warm.<span> </span>Pitching their tent in a flat depression when it is going to rain pretty much guaranteed a close encounter of the wet kind. <span> </span>I went back in the late afternoon and fixed a stew for us and back to my tent to finish my book, “A Case of Need” by Michael Crichton. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Sep 1 Wed South Beach CG</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhetngRKOVXnhia2KkPw2VLDYopTflxPgFw_4bdfZKBSjlcEl47bI7b7rQhZ8c3rE5OoEtjgoNgQ4isjlRudWasCCXauaNW4FcuStb9jrKEn2EQuIGwoNH4VQ0gFWsgkpnVHbyOBgMsCz8/s1600/IMG_8863a-72dpi.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhetngRKOVXnhia2KkPw2VLDYopTflxPgFw_4bdfZKBSjlcEl47bI7b7rQhZ8c3rE5OoEtjgoNgQ4isjlRudWasCCXauaNW4FcuStb9jrKEn2EQuIGwoNH4VQ0gFWsgkpnVHbyOBgMsCz8/s320/IMG_8863a-72dpi.jpg" width="320" /></a> </div><div class="MsoNormal">The rain stopped and I went again to Forks for food, gas and internet.<span> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPFCbrAKBA4flb7pCeXtDw4GTUgcVCpA3AAOxsQPFOD4a4xX9VLU0sBH2zN-LOvC-UIstvXoisAcE03-DG8N8l9MoKwmVNWxS5OamOeFQJRTisYw9sqguewf8vFms4vflJE4KovjO_b4g/s1600/IMG_8864a-72dpi.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPFCbrAKBA4flb7pCeXtDw4GTUgcVCpA3AAOxsQPFOD4a4xX9VLU0sBH2zN-LOvC-UIstvXoisAcE03-DG8N8l9MoKwmVNWxS5OamOeFQJRTisYw9sqguewf8vFms4vflJE4KovjO_b4g/s320/IMG_8864a-72dpi.jpg" width="320" /></a><span> </span> </div><div class="MsoNormal">A couple hours later, I finally came to the Pacific.<span> </span>I’ve returned to Mother Ocean.<span> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDvxagK7xv4SIMX7FFmwKPVh0KHpgU9v6dhZqejR963BhRuzPmfQZH7tpwahAN4ebf53krzAf_o_UNSEwNIJrKL6VaiJIG8KwgWkS4L7Tj0lZabsaoXUtjlPSb62HNaoXS0tOdQWMVY80/s1600/IMG_8865a-72dpi.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDvxagK7xv4SIMX7FFmwKPVh0KHpgU9v6dhZqejR963BhRuzPmfQZH7tpwahAN4ebf53krzAf_o_UNSEwNIJrKL6VaiJIG8KwgWkS4L7Tj0lZabsaoXUtjlPSb62HNaoXS0tOdQWMVY80/s320/IMG_8865a-72dpi.jpg" width="320" /></a>Several miles further and I was at the South Beach CG with a spot overlooking the shore.<span> </span>My neighbors had been camped there for 10 days on their honeymoon and looked settled in for the rest of the season.<span> </span>Driftwood sticks holding a tarp over their tent and an old van parked alongside looking like it had spent much time with the hood up, coaxing more miles from its engine.<span> </span>A Ron Paul sticker was squarely in the middle of the hood, declaring its identity to no longer be Ford or Chevy.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Sep 2 Thur South Beach</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSbC4fb-Nr-0JuvR0XAzZShGKyjN89hz5fg0JdFgpTcPeMlkxv_LfGvpWXaw7FNf21i7nuFHKIwuwFDzUV-35D99iXHAD9RihRhaEae23gi1AfslMzkgN7qjv0G-7yVmOvoSTWUj_H5WY/s1600/IMG_8886a-72dpi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSbC4fb-Nr-0JuvR0XAzZShGKyjN89hz5fg0JdFgpTcPeMlkxv_LfGvpWXaw7FNf21i7nuFHKIwuwFDzUV-35D99iXHAD9RihRhaEae23gi1AfslMzkgN7qjv0G-7yVmOvoSTWUj_H5WY/s320/IMG_8886a-72dpi.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDUoNQuH9xn99Mc-OBHlJs7YBul3TjiqszXAFhl3i4JGaG4eyw-vEAAPdrkKrOwUlbn0__otMWD1O_RFmCzfr0h4QLju2k5BaZfNnN0mHFV9QhcRdJJJiMSwMQ72jUK_SOqLf6r0pBRRE/s1600/IMG_8799-72dpi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPFCbrAKBA4flb7pCeXtDw4GTUgcVCpA3AAOxsQPFOD4a4xX9VLU0sBH2zN-LOvC-UIstvXoisAcE03-DG8N8l9MoKwmVNWxS5OamOeFQJRTisYw9sqguewf8vFms4vflJE4KovjO_b4g/s1600/IMG_8864a-72dpi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie8poguwPXG1JNZbo9h6AllsUgNKvQD2tC2VHTJ9tDWL8zM8tksfJSrNmkVsyzvM63GxaYan4JjQo2ZbsVI1H4LFpEXrydCXkuJ2mTB7OVCB5cYdBz2blqWYWvf4mmAzbjFysNMtiqf5I/s1600/IMG_8879a-72dpi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie8poguwPXG1JNZbo9h6AllsUgNKvQD2tC2VHTJ9tDWL8zM8tksfJSrNmkVsyzvM63GxaYan4JjQo2ZbsVI1H4LFpEXrydCXkuJ2mTB7OVCB5cYdBz2blqWYWvf4mmAzbjFysNMtiqf5I/s320/IMG_8879a-72dpi.jpg" width="212" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU0u_ljY0462mKZAsuvi7f7fpe7JS0erbjVo1WmHI3XwG4gvScbAmi796R-tHjmoiLhjjRdzIDqjz-VaQfKVZfFp_6S2PU3AiIcVjai08QnUAO4VVIoO_zY8JaPo-qOkUtUo9VPeoxQ-U/s1600/IMG_8882a-72dpi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU0u_ljY0462mKZAsuvi7f7fpe7JS0erbjVo1WmHI3XwG4gvScbAmi796R-tHjmoiLhjjRdzIDqjz-VaQfKVZfFp_6S2PU3AiIcVjai08QnUAO4VVIoO_zY8JaPo-qOkUtUo9VPeoxQ-U/s320/IMG_8882a-72dpi.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal">I remained another day, savoring the ceaseless muted roar of the surf.<span> </span>Rows of 4 to 8 waves continually breaking with an occasional whooshing slap of the length of a wave toppling at once reminded me of many languid days and camp nights along the Pacific coast.<span> </span>I feel at home here laying in my tent with my feet sticking out, brushing the smooth, dry autumn grass, warm in the sun. I fell easily into a nap, soothed by the ocean’s lullaby.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Sep 3 Seattle</div><div class="MsoNormal">Cold and foggy at the beach, time to move on and back to Seattle to pick up my 2<sup>nd</sup> replacement phone from T-Mobile.<span> </span>Back to four walls and TV at Danee’s.<span> </span>I’m so grateful to be able to come here.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Sep 6 Seattle</div><div class="MsoNormal">I’m planning to head southeast tomorrow to get away from the rain that is coming.<span> </span>Maybe my luck will hold and I’ll be able to ride between showers.<span> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span> </span><span> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span> </span><span> </span></div>rickclickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04772392142627673499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4515868664801155653.post-34761775582383116352010-10-28T11:05:00.000-07:002010-10-28T11:15:32.211-07:00While We Wait for Me to Catch Up...- Drizzly, misty Santa Cruz - Friday Oct 22<br />
I ground to a stop three times today. It was just starting to mist when I left my cousin's house near Hwy 92 and continued to the coast at Half Moon Bay. That's a beautiful ride and I would have enjoyed it if the road were dry. I fought condensation and rain on my visor to the coast and on south. Feeling freaked by the rain and hoping to outrun it southward, I passed the last gas stations before Hwy 1 and thought those stations would be challenging to get to across congested traffic and through U-turns in the rain. I thought that surely there will be gas right on 1 and I could glide in on my right side. Hmmm. No gas. But wait, there is a distance sign... Davenport just 38 miles. Sure, I can do that. The adage for TW owners of never passing a chance to refuel whispering in the back of my mind, I continued and there ahead was Davenport. Whew. Or so I thought. There was no gas and I had another 11 miles to Santa Cruz. My trip meter was at 110. opps. I turned around and rode past all 8 buildings and parked to start asking people for gas. After the highway prospects were eliminated, I started up the residential street. The first house had a guy and his wife near their pickup and after discussing the options (none) he offered to siphon gas from his truck. He cut off a length of his garden hose and worked it into his tank. I found some empty drink cups, wiped them out and had the precious liquid in hand. He, however had gotten a more gas in his mouth than he intended and some in his eye as well. I felt so bad for him, especially remembering the swigs of gas I had as a teen. He came back out of the house with his eye and around it red and swollen. Well, just a little puffy. He clearly had gotten the worst of the transaction. He wouldn't take money or an invitation to lunch, just glad to help someone in need. Just then his mom pulled up, saying that there had been a head on collision on the way to Santa Cruz and the road would not be open for a couple hours. I had lunch and rode down to see if I could get through. Of course not. The LEO at an intersection was directing traffic through a detour and it would be an extra ten miles. But there was a town with gas in the hills through which the detour went, but I had to make several turns to get there. Naturally, I could only remember the first turn and couldn't stop to write anything down in the rain. Soon lost, I pressed on until the bike died and coast to a stop in a driveway. No one home there and I went back down the road to an intersection with a bank of rural mail boxes. The 4th person I asked offered to go home and fetch back a can of gas. As I was pouring it into my tank I asked "May I empty it?" "Sure, please do." There was nearly a gallon and I was so grateful. He gave me directions to the closest gas station and I was on my way after profuse thanks and good wishes. This new road was narrow, twisty, and oh so wet. After several stretches of signed one lane pavement, I was beginning to wonder if I would need to repeat my begging further down the road when suddenly I was on Hwy 9 and in Ben Lomand, going into a gas station. Now this seemed survivable after I had wiped clear my glasses and visor. Back out into the misting rain, I was soon passing Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park campground. I debated; push on or camp in the rain. Onward I went into Santa Cruz to find creeping traffic on Hwy 1. For the better part of an hour I crept along, thinking it would break soon and I could stay with my plan to camp south of Monterey if only I could out run the rain. Actually, I wasn't thinking clearly at that point. Traffic stretched on ahead disappearing into the rain. I saw a motel from the highway and gave in, getting off at the next ramp and checking in. 66 bucks, but I'm warm and dry. I'll find the Youth Hostel here in town and wait out this rain through the weekend. Monday will be good to ride Big Sur, dry and less people. <br />
<br />
Saturday October 23rd Atascadero<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjou9L4FLNa0nEp1QPIjuQ5oeuGRixu-4ZDzSQYiy6H9QsMTmmt-BUu6JIoRYwYY4SY1hiJsSt40Q8zdU2d0r3R9trZxZ2dTfbHREFyLZjnbX99m6TB9OvrBTD2_GHl7njzLFjGfZmkEQ/s1600/IMG_9099.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjou9L4FLNa0nEp1QPIjuQ5oeuGRixu-4ZDzSQYiy6H9QsMTmmt-BUu6JIoRYwYY4SY1hiJsSt40Q8zdU2d0r3R9trZxZ2dTfbHREFyLZjnbX99m6TB9OvrBTD2_GHl7njzLFjGfZmkEQ/s320/IMG_9099.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>After watching the TV weather report and verifying it on line, I decided to take the forecasters at their word and believe rain would hit the coast at 2 pm. I figured I could make it from Santa Cruz to Atascadero by then and left following the Google map route I had transcribed to note paper that was placed under a clear plastic panel on top of my tank bag to refer to while I was at stop lights. A couple turns into it and I was off track, so I made my way back to Hwy 1 which was a freeway at that point. Vroom. On down the coast past Monterey I stopped at the Safeway as I have on every other trip I’ve made though here. I sort of had a sense of home there, wherever home might be. I’ve been up and down Big Sur by car and by thumb at least 10 times and this is the first by motorcycle. I can recommend it highly and would like to do it again. The road was dry except for a few places in the shade where I was extra careful and the way it is banked on some of the curves, I could come closer than ever to being horizontal as I caromed through. This motorcycle riding thing is fun.<br />
On this trip through Big Sur I went faster than any previous time. Landmarks where I had stayed and hiked before clicked by quickly and soon I was near sea lions basking on the beach. It was easy to tell where they were by sense of smell as I rode past them. I stopped to eat at San Simeon with a watchful eye on the clouds to the west; it was 1:30 and I was expecting the rain to be on time. In fact, it did not rain at all until the evening in A-Town. I’m glad I didn’t stay in the motel believing that it would rain all weekend.<br />
<br />
Thursday Oct 28<br />
I'm headed for Bakersfield today. Looking forward to seeing friends and family.rickclickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04772392142627673499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4515868664801155653.post-82942194617156804012010-08-22T09:34:00.000-07:002010-08-22T10:34:17.710-07:00
<br /><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CWINDOW%7E1%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="State"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="Street"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="address"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="City"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="PlaceType"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="PlaceName"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="place"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="time"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="country-region"></o:smarttagtype><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:applybreakingrules/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:usefelayout/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]><object classid="clsid:38481807-CA0E-42D2-BF39-B33AF135CC4D" id="ieooui"></object> <style> st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } </style> <![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:Wingdings; panose-1:5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0; mso-font-charset:2; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:0 268435456 0 0 -2147483648 0;} @font-face {font-family:SimSun; panose-1:2 1 6 0 3 1 1 1 1 1; mso-font-alt:宋体; mso-font-charset:134; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 135135232 16 0 262145 0;} @font-face {font-family:"\@SimSun"; panose-1:2 1 6 0 3 1 1 1 1 1; mso-font-charset:134; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 135135232 16 0 262145 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:SimSun;} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:.3in .9in 1.0in .9in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-gutter-margin:.2in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal"><st1:place><st1:placename></st1:placename></st1:place><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUoEvwZb06K-FvWLF4rY2-_UT13-Xp3zdOzNpgMvHa7BUJCAi2yEemA_bPKpEgcXYRVDdcgg8gso_F48_-SCn-fKhGL5UQxONErMVP0WooHEZfkBnPL2JRuOaWYtX-Pdn2B878I-dAnps/s1600/IMG_8702-72dpi.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUoEvwZb06K-FvWLF4rY2-_UT13-Xp3zdOzNpgMvHa7BUJCAi2yEemA_bPKpEgcXYRVDdcgg8gso_F48_-SCn-fKhGL5UQxONErMVP0WooHEZfkBnPL2JRuOaWYtX-Pdn2B878I-dAnps/s400/IMG_8702-72dpi.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508274008425947442" border="0" /></a>Sunday Aug 1, <st1:time minute="0" hour="18">6 pm</st1:time><span style=""> </span><st1:place><st1:placename>Dinosa</st1:placename></st1:place><st1:place><st1:placename>ur</st1:placename> <st1:placetype>National Monument</st1:placetype></st1:place></p> <p class="MsoNormal">FLASH! – Lightning lights up everything in the tent like I’m surrounded by paparazzi and less than a second later – KRAKA BOOM!<span style=""> </span>Thunder shakes me and I can feel the sound go through my body.<span style=""> </span>I’m camped on BLM land with the closest people 7 miles away.<span style=""> </span>Rain is pummeling the tent and I’m laying on my sleeping bag and pad.<span style=""> </span>If the tent takes a hit, maybe the aluminum poles will shunt it to the ground.<span style=""> </span>Just an hour before, I had decided to not ride 20 miles to Rangley for food – the overcast sky had turned darker and I could see the gray out of rain under clouds in several directions.<span style=""> </span>I raced back to my campsite up 5 miles of pavement and 2 miles of dirt road with the first drops hitting my face shield during the last ½ mile.<span style=""> </span>With the bike covered, rain fly tied to it and my gear thrown inside, I had made it just in time.<span style=""> </span>Celery, a handful of trail mix and a cup of yogurt would be dinner tonight.<span style=""> </span>Tomorrow I can get food in Vernal, UT on my way to Flaming Gorge.<span style=""> </span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3r0dX6lJ2My3-HYi2-P5kDgf6SWkkfuqyRh82IpLeX8mQaaWZx53hbPqXz2DADd2RHAu6JKVCR1VQUeYh1F0NKpZPr2AVdbEyyfwSIEa3p1LFpolasJlZmjYml7AyNj4tQMI2Veqk8xg/s1600/IMG_8703-72dpi.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3r0dX6lJ2My3-HYi2-P5kDgf6SWkkfuqyRh82IpLeX8mQaaWZx53hbPqXz2DADd2RHAu6JKVCR1VQUeYh1F0NKpZPr2AVdbEyyfwSIEa3p1LFpolasJlZmjYml7AyNj4tQMI2Veqk8xg/s400/IMG_8703-72dpi.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508274013450873186" border="0" /></a><span style=""> </span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgau9p2Av-88S0scZbvM00uA2rIN8Z0eVtD4FheUNabVzan3gJ5oAf7jamnz7_xELXmWPuhzWKvQOP5-Kv9akMqBva2cuQD9ankJR4GRHUA41LCjOsqjNwL7RdAlGiu1C9Y2XFmhbLpFhM/s1600/IMG_8701-72dpi.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgau9p2Av-88S0scZbvM00uA2rIN8Z0eVtD4FheUNabVzan3gJ5oAf7jamnz7_xELXmWPuhzWKvQOP5-Kv9akMqBva2cuQD9ankJR4GRHUA41LCjOsqjNwL7RdAlGiu1C9Y2XFmhbLpFhM/s400/IMG_8701-72dpi.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508274001411733074" border="0" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyWnhUqM5h0yGsJGdyeqRHL675EPcbc4R_0XBphfDq5Ed5DGb9gah_8AuvxBdwjwQpZWAmGaC4ScgYUm4Lc9_grhBS1EpgBnsiC8i4Hxn5Km0XtPb2kKG3UmQc1dIv53TbfwvoIuqk8EA/s1600/IMG_8723-72dpi.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyWnhUqM5h0yGsJGdyeqRHL675EPcbc4R_0XBphfDq5Ed5DGb9gah_8AuvxBdwjwQpZWAmGaC4ScgYUm4Lc9_grhBS1EpgBnsiC8i4Hxn5Km0XtPb2kKG3UmQc1dIv53TbfwvoIuqk8EA/s400/IMG_8723-72dpi.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508279670975079618" border="0" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal">
<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2YVwMmiIcpbNN5hjZDsmHUgq3eLmC4v9AcohE-joo-hHvM7Ab2HCTCwhSvZxIHuXA5BcR5PDxh7ohC26_XW6arvMfrzbEX6UIGoL_1p6k8RiOouJwn5yHqwN6xlv0kJm4FLF86xIdquA/s1600/IMG_8704-72dpi.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2YVwMmiIcpbNN5hjZDsmHUgq3eLmC4v9AcohE-joo-hHvM7Ab2HCTCwhSvZxIHuXA5BcR5PDxh7ohC26_XW6arvMfrzbEX6UIGoL_1p6k8RiOouJwn5yHqwN6xlv0kJm4FLF86xIdquA/s400/IMG_8704-72dpi.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508274017175958178" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTuP63iRPjZzisgTZJdk66XgHdr74si9hMOsal17fXXmsblK7ajkJ07Fj0b9KaUgOUv2dphdHC3eboAZi-bfB3UR7lYweWj5MLVfXzFKlbxnLcHBrkwgndfHX6w4s1_lMf-shVDFR2U80/s1600/IMG_8705-72dpi.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTuP63iRPjZzisgTZJdk66XgHdr74si9hMOsal17fXXmsblK7ajkJ07Fj0b9KaUgOUv2dphdHC3eboAZi-bfB3UR7lYweWj5MLVfXzFKlbxnLcHBrkwgndfHX6w4s1_lMf-shVDFR2U80/s400/IMG_8705-72dpi.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508274019274912690" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs1Vg20eu5keq-cK1JouflrUdNyD_r5-VP_5lN2nYergqVvOHTr82fejlnhyLkGZ-DMDxND9noHhTPdqJRkYsMfEFHNfsgICinTBHJyAQfiv5_NMuYVjeADcKlOdOsItphZuzxi1ezwbY/s1600/IMG_8706-72dpi.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs1Vg20eu5keq-cK1JouflrUdNyD_r5-VP_5lN2nYergqVvOHTr82fejlnhyLkGZ-DMDxND9noHhTPdqJRkYsMfEFHNfsgICinTBHJyAQfiv5_NMuYVjeADcKlOdOsItphZuzxi1ezwbY/s400/IMG_8706-72dpi.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508274410568014114" border="0" /></a>This has been a fun day of riding into the <st1:place><st1:placename>Yampa</st1:placename> <st1:placetype>Canyon</st1:placetype></st1:place> to <st1:place><st1:placename>Echo</st1:placename> <st1:placetype>Park</st1:placetype></st1:place> at the confluence of the <st1:place>Yampa</st1:place> and <st1:place><st1:placename>Green</st1:placename> <st1:placetype>Rivers</st1:placetype></st1:place> down a steep dirt road of 24 miles round trip.<span style=""> </span>Going down was less controlled feeling with the back tire sliding and most of my weight on the hand grips, but the return trip up was so easy that I was surprised to reach the top as quickly as I did.<span style=""> </span>This was much different than riding a bicycle; I could not have made the trip in only a couple hours.<span style=""> </span>It would have been a day from my present camp to the road head and down the dirt road to Echo Park, spend the night there and ride/walk back out.<span style=""> </span>Turning the throttle and going up a hill still seems delightfully magical.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="">
<br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipJK_P7sx9GmNccKd9bLTw2CxbpP3aZd_zY_6jQdgb2KYvnMSYOkyHBe4Dmh4FfsBmatIMAYYFFtAaDI7YNo97Fp9OSHBqTSNMz3lzEK8K90O9gY-rnSaJY-AIdGQWxSfM7-ScJUw8Bec/s1600/IMG_8722-72dpi.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipJK_P7sx9GmNccKd9bLTw2CxbpP3aZd_zY_6jQdgb2KYvnMSYOkyHBe4Dmh4FfsBmatIMAYYFFtAaDI7YNo97Fp9OSHBqTSNMz3lzEK8K90O9gY-rnSaJY-AIdGQWxSfM7-ScJUw8Bec/s400/IMG_8722-72dpi.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508279666633552242" border="0" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style=""> </span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBbqq0JNxWWGW8J8I6FCXP95gwfDOiiGh3eOvNx88Nwet4sU7flJrDjhco1sm4qFEtPcXFzRkoyzbxGBbMKsuETNTPvKWBR_1fs-_fIKrakzdOLsxcU1rVeCu2y_p4wnLrdB1cjQk-WkQ/s1600/IMG_8707-72dpi.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBbqq0JNxWWGW8J8I6FCXP95gwfDOiiGh3eOvNx88Nwet4sU7flJrDjhco1sm4qFEtPcXFzRkoyzbxGBbMKsuETNTPvKWBR_1fs-_fIKrakzdOLsxcU1rVeCu2y_p4wnLrdB1cjQk-WkQ/s400/IMG_8707-72dpi.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508274418829791266" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9xhUy-AQvCNdDBne5rP_jqwLLo9Z612ETpWkcEet3H0tpWrAAr0_XFnEPsROZFySpQdBtGQ2ItkQZr9LYDeUkQPodvg6h9iwWmauzRvNNtNinyrMSnN4RPRkRa5ADZ7TslZ1w4Wf6u7U/s1600/IMG_8708-72dpi.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9xhUy-AQvCNdDBne5rP_jqwLLo9Z612ETpWkcEet3H0tpWrAAr0_XFnEPsROZFySpQdBtGQ2ItkQZr9LYDeUkQPodvg6h9iwWmauzRvNNtNinyrMSnN4RPRkRa5ADZ7TslZ1w4Wf6u7U/s400/IMG_8708-72dpi.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508274422146738402" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMfdJwFMOK5m1x7osfb1RoyDyAWm6HWY66vv3mYDcUxzAjUlfKZrIA1dMw0r1PZc72lRqsk7nJlU7e-EMSb1Rv7Q7nKxFmpYkUjk1RlCsebDGTpH6BKS38QSqpnxfCjHNt9QAxaQkLkiE/s1600/IMG_8709-72dpi.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMfdJwFMOK5m1x7osfb1RoyDyAWm6HWY66vv3mYDcUxzAjUlfKZrIA1dMw0r1PZc72lRqsk7nJlU7e-EMSb1Rv7Q7nKxFmpYkUjk1RlCsebDGTpH6BKS38QSqpnxfCjHNt9QAxaQkLkiE/s400/IMG_8709-72dpi.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508274432082978210" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglDztg1fNT7Xc7cKaw6ziCkrfcy5WpXG5eOB74_zbCH4YkrmYdzpWKdp0IPqAv-sTXlpMXlfmtTVJBWCTmqhvZJyAXDEuIm5EyDymJ5bkyFd0TFGZo94AtN2_2rNrs68qZixs5ajOQWAo/s1600/IMG_8710-72dpi.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglDztg1fNT7Xc7cKaw6ziCkrfcy5WpXG5eOB74_zbCH4YkrmYdzpWKdp0IPqAv-sTXlpMXlfmtTVJBWCTmqhvZJyAXDEuIm5EyDymJ5bkyFd0TFGZo94AtN2_2rNrs68qZixs5ajOQWAo/s400/IMG_8710-72dpi.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508274437523956658" border="0" /></a>The road down the mesa and into the canyon went past the old Chew Ranch with several apricot trees still alive, but too late for the fruit.</p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgatnNSF0RVTVQVTwrrzUfeDZzcw9OFOYYNgVMMYm7O4a5drtlNp5XpiZHzqhndFtQofCjuVlwimOw16FKv53H-hA1fPTXxcAEjaZ_9J5TEtFd8PmYmdoovcZhbR6bOGT4d33d9_mP5dig/s1600/IMG_8712-72dpi.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgatnNSF0RVTVQVTwrrzUfeDZzcw9OFOYYNgVMMYm7O4a5drtlNp5XpiZHzqhndFtQofCjuVlwimOw16FKv53H-hA1fPTXxcAEjaZ_9J5TEtFd8PmYmdoovcZhbR6bOGT4d33d9_mP5dig/s400/IMG_8712-72dpi.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508276587719995826" border="0" /></a><p class="MsoNormal"><span style=""> </span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrcpf0OdSK-0Uvt-F_cDBOctvlcnF1ptfvCfxckaEVo-y8teHjnsKjuB5M6eLb8EtE-_JIWXAG-H-pd_Gw1olCngtNI8AvKZ0GhTsB8Q2iKMnKKdL4IDdA3PatmG2AZsLRRNklPj0CUdc/s1600/IMG_8711-72dpi.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrcpf0OdSK-0Uvt-F_cDBOctvlcnF1ptfvCfxckaEVo-y8teHjnsKjuB5M6eLb8EtE-_JIWXAG-H-pd_Gw1olCngtNI8AvKZ0GhTsB8Q2iKMnKKdL4IDdA3PatmG2AZsLRRNklPj0CUdc/s400/IMG_8711-72dpi.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508276584730979426" border="0" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal"> (click on this picture to see the petroglyphs)
<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">On past Pool Creek petroglyphs pecked into the cliff face and finally to the campground and white water craft take out point at <st1:place><st1:placename>Echo</st1:placename> <st1:placetype>Park</st1:placetype></st1:place> where<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjASfzP7PRF0DDlAPlOn8TkoKCVJhXWRocJ_18IHrSJJEJSSdEL_8_Jy7EwMkrcSb6jXK_r2WCIeWxzOIGYMV94A1izlTx3wyQru_VvCla2LgFTTdMhwYoQwszTmN_uIVWINqTZ1J5W6gw/s1600/IMG_8715-72dpi.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjASfzP7PRF0DDlAPlOn8TkoKCVJhXWRocJ_18IHrSJJEJSSdEL_8_Jy7EwMkrcSb6jXK_r2WCIeWxzOIGYMV94A1izlTx3wyQru_VvCla2LgFTTdMhwYoQwszTmN_uIVWINqTZ1J5W6gw/s400/IMG_8715-72dpi.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508276601943994754" border="0" /></a> the monolith Steamboat Rock stands 800 feet high.</p><p class="MsoNormal">
<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">
<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYAjPQB-mcayL2CXJjrMJx6LndCMxb66Q81XnH6JWrMM8-Vgm_h3dql65QAGKBCqobUm4tJW3q15eoPAv7ezw_uuvkMcYXGVMRRcO31M0M7MjPMc1B3RNydTe-382oRpPCs81-6lFrXuU/s1600/IMG_8721-72dpi.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYAjPQB-mcayL2CXJjrMJx6LndCMxb66Q81XnH6JWrMM8-Vgm_h3dql65QAGKBCqobUm4tJW3q15eoPAv7ezw_uuvkMcYXGVMRRcO31M0M7MjPMc1B3RNydTe-382oRpPCs81-6lFrXuU/s400/IMG_8721-72dpi.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508279663448310962" border="0" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal">
<br /></p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7orQLIyfOyXiriMcbB_k6U0ikE4D0xyPHFFZ9UTHr89E67Epdi95FaRnuLxIzuGBviLHr2yPD5cLaYFa81PZKJ5Nlt-oEr9KueaJM0C4IVr5_OThBYwsEqVG_GKUMICu7PcQ5hSV03uU/s1600/IMG_8720-72dpi.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7orQLIyfOyXiriMcbB_k6U0ikE4D0xyPHFFZ9UTHr89E67Epdi95FaRnuLxIzuGBviLHr2yPD5cLaYFa81PZKJ5Nlt-oEr9KueaJM0C4IVr5_OThBYwsEqVG_GKUMICu7PcQ5hSV03uU/s400/IMG_8720-72dpi.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508279653500606242" border="0" /></a><p class="MsoNormal">
<br /></p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH3OzIwEJu6Sunwl9J0kjtc61l5RSa-F3Y6nEW1z9ZqwZNl1nGz46olh3JhjhpwnQqPDBQ5-O0r__LGERJoYGuA1U31jtNSPxWJo9X0Zd-2HCQM_9UYyyWIxrW6FPzzV3C4kVXv2laSks/s1600/IMG_8718-72dpi.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH3OzIwEJu6Sunwl9J0kjtc61l5RSa-F3Y6nEW1z9ZqwZNl1nGz46olh3JhjhpwnQqPDBQ5-O0r__LGERJoYGuA1U31jtNSPxWJo9X0Zd-2HCQM_9UYyyWIxrW6FPzzV3C4kVXv2laSks/s400/IMG_8718-72dpi.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508279648133305410" border="0" /></a><p class="MsoNormal"><span style=""> </span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhduN0-8sUqHA95nAUGsHiohYH5A1gLa89hzhnZQpHPEruAG-C9hlSE0b3N3MZOmzKdkmyQm3iBWf2J943_iQ-cMjVRb26KNmPh-How_VFgnxvuQ56kkYmBJzv216TvozBvmCBagjtMYx8/s1600/IMG_8716-72dpi.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhduN0-8sUqHA95nAUGsHiohYH5A1gLa89hzhnZQpHPEruAG-C9hlSE0b3N3MZOmzKdkmyQm3iBWf2J943_iQ-cMjVRb26KNmPh-How_VFgnxvuQ56kkYmBJzv216TvozBvmCBagjtMYx8/s400/IMG_8716-72dpi.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508276611968080114" border="0" /></a><span style=""> </span>Returning, I stopped at <st1:place><st1:placename>Whispering</st1:placename> <st1:placetype>Cave</st1:placetype></st1:place> where a cool breeze washes down through cracks in the wall.<span style=""> </span>Thirty miles later I was in the town of <st1:city><st1:place>Dinosaur</st1:place></st1:city> deciding what I should do for dinner.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">… Going back to the last 3 weeks, I was at Robin’s much longer than I had anticipated.<span style=""> </span>I was only going to stop and say hello, but it turned out there was a project for me to do there.<span style=""> </span>Her father, who was a famous wildlife painter, had left several thousand prints of his work as her inheritance and I volunteered to photograph them for her so she could sell them on line.<span style=""> </span>I set her up with an eBay seller’s account, PayPal and posted them on Flicker as well.<span style=""> </span>We had to go to </p> <p class="MsoNormal">Montrose every other day and fiddle with it on the library computer, but finally we finished about July 25<sup>th</sup> and I was ready to go.<span style=""> </span>But, a friend of hers, Andras had arrived about a week or two before and he wanted some similar help.<span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span>So, on the 26<sup>th</sup> I was off on my journey again, taking a scenic route to <st1:city><st1:place>Grand Junction</st1:place></st1:city> and camping in the forest on the way.<span style=""> </span>Food, bike parts and a visit to AAA for maps and then on to Dinosaur where I’ve been riding around and getting back in travel mode after a month break.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Monday Aug 2 Dinosaur to <st1:place><st1:placename>Ashley</st1:placename> <st1:placename>Natl</st1:placename> <st1:placetype>Forest</st1:placetype></st1:place> </p> <p class="MsoNormal">Waking up with the scent of wet sage, I packed feeling hungry.<span style=""> </span>I was eager to get to Dinosaur and buy anything they had to eat.<span style=""> </span>I had to rest between stages of packing like Survivorman conserving his energy to keep from boinking.<span style=""> </span>This was a laundry day in Vernal, meaning that I was wearing just a tee shirt, swim trunks and moccasins during the process.<span style=""> </span>I could charge my phone while I waited.<span style=""> </span>After a quick stop at the Forest Service office to get a suggestion for a camp spot and I tore off to get to a cooler altitude.<span style=""> </span>Too soon, as it turned out.<span style=""> </span>I was just in time to get wet the last 2 miles before my camp site.<span style=""> </span>I guess I should have taken the time to look at the museum in Vernal – lots of dinosaurs.<span style=""> </span>Just as I got the tent up, the rain stopped.<span style=""> </span>I was in a beautiful spot, though.<span style=""> </span>Aspens, fur trees and flowers everywhere.<span style=""> </span>Sorry, little lupine.<span style=""> </span>I had to put my tent somewhere and you got squashed.<span style=""> </span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzbCz5TDRwQO7IJ2a0hsX6IqLbbqVjCGxpOWVGM1qD30lO54nXTHpvVS78AQYKVqvXo-33AoZXYocO2EyvUZc_Y7vLMvpigzvLFG1NHsJ6Ddx-JXomCe1R-geuRfO2-qFANIUnboDSxug/s1600/IMG_8726-72dpi.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzbCz5TDRwQO7IJ2a0hsX6IqLbbqVjCGxpOWVGM1qD30lO54nXTHpvVS78AQYKVqvXo-33AoZXYocO2EyvUZc_Y7vLMvpigzvLFG1NHsJ6Ddx-JXomCe1R-geuRfO2-qFANIUnboDSxug/s400/IMG_8726-72dpi.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508282763489711266" border="0" /></a><span style=""> </span>Pollination should be no problem for the rest of the flowers, there were plenty of flies.<span style=""> </span>None made it into the tent, but I could watch them from inside where they were trapped between the mesh top of the tent and the rain fly.<span style=""> </span>I’m easily entertained.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Tue Aug 3 <st1:place><st1:placename>Cache</st1:placename> <st1:placename>Natl</st1:placename> <st1:placetype>Forest</st1:placetype></st1:place></p> <p class="MsoNormal">The tent fly was wet inside and out this morning but I couldn’t wait for it to dry.<span style=""> </span>I need to ride about 220 miles to get to the next forest.<span style=""> </span>I stopped at a scenic turnout and almost dumped the bike turning through some gravel on the road.<span style=""> </span>Both feet were out like training wheels and if the bike had been heavier, I might not have been able to stay up.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy94WAVeYJl8lkW4GI_EDxrYFEn6rpfAEUvsYzTs9QGW9wZ7bP_65sunVWU61BbQfPmwVIt2PCLfy-l4XsegvQGDC9ZRnTca4OPT3JfufGov1V4X8ca_db72Luxqv_iQys_0c7kI2CETI/s1600/IMG_8727-72dpi.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy94WAVeYJl8lkW4GI_EDxrYFEn6rpfAEUvsYzTs9QGW9wZ7bP_65sunVWU61BbQfPmwVIt2PCLfy-l4XsegvQGDC9ZRnTca4OPT3JfufGov1V4X8ca_db72Luxqv_iQys_0c7kI2CETI/s400/IMG_8727-72dpi.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508282768365891986" border="0" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style=""> </span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8x_Z9JENq0Y-q9RPr0cNee5Mrj5tdOz26wBe_j5zNom3k6I7pTMPewIbznNt9ZwcLjp9eMD1fYiaIoTm148lxszK3Yukm10_fa7xAxItmvuCGINHmyew9oC6aaTip-b8tbSAlbNZsMEk/s1600/IMG_8725-72dpi.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8x_Z9JENq0Y-q9RPr0cNee5Mrj5tdOz26wBe_j5zNom3k6I7pTMPewIbznNt9ZwcLjp9eMD1fYiaIoTm148lxszK3Yukm10_fa7xAxItmvuCGINHmyew9oC6aaTip-b8tbSAlbNZsMEk/s400/IMG_8725-72dpi.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508282755662896338" border="0" /></a><span style=""> </span>I was at a pretty view of Flaming Gorge.<span style=""> </span>Later I stopped at <st1:place><st1:placename>Fossil</st1:placename> <st1:placename>Butte</st1:placename> <st1:placename>Natl</st1:placename> <st1:placetype>Monument</st1:placetype></st1:place> and admired their display of fossilized sea creatures and plants.<span style=""> </span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Elk8jUqOC6z_-Oiiz52q5yVwJPNL1vUa9mOqRJZN7JU87OJW-9vys6b3hInMqYbhCVWUUvsPAl67NknDRNPAzKkpJ7uShaKKjZVLjW3tHOUCBHF06sg6kwACkBOOE0D1GRXFgy2hFUo/s1600/IMG_8728-72dpi.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Elk8jUqOC6z_-Oiiz52q5yVwJPNL1vUa9mOqRJZN7JU87OJW-9vys6b3hInMqYbhCVWUUvsPAl67NknDRNPAzKkpJ7uShaKKjZVLjW3tHOUCBHF06sg6kwACkBOOE0D1GRXFgy2hFUo/s400/IMG_8728-72dpi.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508282773242992258" border="0" /></a><span style=""> </span><st1:place><st1:placename>Bear</st1:placename> <st1:placetype>Lake</st1:placetype></st1:place> was a treat with its turquoise water, then up into the forest and down a dirt road to find a good spot.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Wed Aug <st1:street><st1:address>4 Jackson WY</st1:address></st1:street></p> <p class="MsoNormal">I saw my first moose cow and calf in a field as I left <st1:place><st1:city>Montpelier</st1:city>, <st1:state>ID.</st1:state></st1:place><span style=""> </span>Big.<span style=""> </span>I collected my replacement Therma-rest sleeping pad from the post office in <st1:city><st1:place>Jackson</st1:place></st1:city>, asked directions to dispersed camping at the FS office and made it to a gas station to wait out a rain shower.<span style=""> </span>I met another biker staying dry there who was on his way to a motorcycle rally in Sturgis.<span style=""> </span>So, that’s why there are so many Harleys on the road.<span style=""> </span>He went across the street to inquire about a motel room and offered to split it with me.<span style=""> </span>He would pay $100 and I would pay $50.<span style=""> </span>Sorry, that’s out of my budget of $20 per day and I already had directions to free forest camping with a view of the Tetons.<span style=""> </span>Showers provided by the sky.<span style=""> </span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiekJnCfel_RwHOXt0S-rIhdJOApr1ju2UTIG8jt8DqCP5K0zF3X11tHkKb0OdAi0pZAuh4XIhyphenhyphenGYPHvz9Ky6b_XUHo7_aWRvJ1KfTCcCtcdv2L8IvUIK4NU0u7GGprMk7-8LOmrNg-Yw8/s1600/IMG_8729-72dpi.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiekJnCfel_RwHOXt0S-rIhdJOApr1ju2UTIG8jt8DqCP5K0zF3X11tHkKb0OdAi0pZAuh4XIhyphenhyphenGYPHvz9Ky6b_XUHo7_aWRvJ1KfTCcCtcdv2L8IvUIK4NU0u7GGprMk7-8LOmrNg-Yw8/s400/IMG_8729-72dpi.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508282779299926258" border="0" /></a>10 miles of dirt road and I was on the slope across from Teton with the National Elk Refuge below.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQVQ0rwMBr_IloASiop-Lz_UFtdXe3KZGju-M4eHkQiuWfkTih6l6slmqWdEKBwzUfIpYpVsCXSWYRHyBwCjkDiDHzpKZDftnlA_4SIjxBuJR7tMkRwBMK3a6oEHNYKTMiyDyYXCW2ao0/s1600/IMG_8731-72dpi.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQVQ0rwMBr_IloASiop-Lz_UFtdXe3KZGju-M4eHkQiuWfkTih6l6slmqWdEKBwzUfIpYpVsCXSWYRHyBwCjkDiDHzpKZDftnlA_4SIjxBuJR7tMkRwBMK3a6oEHNYKTMiyDyYXCW2ao0/s400/IMG_8731-72dpi.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508284451652181746" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4RocZb0GmU0lEDK2ofNP9-MQG18WCGbsoZ09lVQtqD8bOeAE0BoAFoDVJbA-FBIWgvjjXSNRzwk3lol5TzNNLic2ZgSmFoNP_AIzifFCggi6hrxkh06yy4Lc331D9Yg0D_i0EjyD17nA/s1600/IMG_8733-72dpi.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4RocZb0GmU0lEDK2ofNP9-MQG18WCGbsoZ09lVQtqD8bOeAE0BoAFoDVJbA-FBIWgvjjXSNRzwk3lol5TzNNLic2ZgSmFoNP_AIzifFCggi6hrxkh06yy4Lc331D9Yg0D_i0EjyD17nA/s400/IMG_8733-72dpi.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508284458904166466" border="0" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguih6rUu-MC2wQjSiYOb8-CVO5ZuCcyPD-lKPjvPyTqRKspAOtvZ-9LeDESdu7rroRu02Hop3c7wpH-GIVpZb_xDm_uC2_tT-INNLrX8ILxCmbJV47PknE-jx-7MvH2Ky6SRfM2Z_gQjE/s1600/IMG_8734-72dpi.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguih6rUu-MC2wQjSiYOb8-CVO5ZuCcyPD-lKPjvPyTqRKspAOtvZ-9LeDESdu7rroRu02Hop3c7wpH-GIVpZb_xDm_uC2_tT-INNLrX8ILxCmbJV47PknE-jx-7MvH2Ky6SRfM2Z_gQjE/s400/IMG_8734-72dpi.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508284462068893282" border="0" /></a></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Aug 5 & 6 Thur Sheffield camp ground.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">I stopped at the <st1:city><st1:place>Jackson</st1:place></st1:city> library on the way out of town to see where to camp using the FS info and Google maps.<span style=""> </span><st1:place>Sheffield</st1:place> was just a mile or two from <st1:place>Yellowstone</st1:place>; perfect for a dash through the park and time to get to a <st1:place><st1:placename>Natl</st1:placename> <st1:placetype>Forest</st1:placetype></st1:place> on the other side.<span style=""> </span>This was grizzly territory and the other 4 sites had bear boxes, but none on mine.<span style=""> </span>Dusty, across from me shared his bear box and I stayed an extra day for personal grooming.<span style=""> </span>Shared a campfire with Valerie from <st1:place><st1:city>Lexington</st1:city>, <st1:state>KY.</st1:state></st1:place></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdg0O5LmoTNZBDelgqAMAczRuLaffhafoYffnsbiwGyaYJPP0CVaFdEJh_SlkLxlsEaKkIyeaA94JbmuUUZYYcuU0QNbArpcaBnIvRFfpCAadqW42EcUbotWd8Z9tOvIO_raR1mgpgExI/s1600/IMG_8738-72dpi.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdg0O5LmoTNZBDelgqAMAczRuLaffhafoYffnsbiwGyaYJPP0CVaFdEJh_SlkLxlsEaKkIyeaA94JbmuUUZYYcuU0QNbArpcaBnIvRFfpCAadqW42EcUbotWd8Z9tOvIO_raR1mgpgExI/s400/IMG_8738-72dpi.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508284467040880418" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDdxep_Jl6NpzXNbNcJqxFvViZP5dlUAf0A5PVOHT6h7elY-IZr7O3LVhP5iI0xSkecBohhgRdu1K0idt3YmLhyphenhyphencRidqJ7UYUz5RXugNlaPXlJqRLsiDBs8l-7Et7uca_0Hv37fvdZ1vE/s1600/IMG_8739-72dpi.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDdxep_Jl6NpzXNbNcJqxFvViZP5dlUAf0A5PVOHT6h7elY-IZr7O3LVhP5iI0xSkecBohhgRdu1K0idt3YmLhyphenhyphencRidqJ7UYUz5RXugNlaPXlJqRLsiDBs8l-7Et7uca_0Hv37fvdZ1vE/s400/IMG_8739-72dpi.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508284470310118338" border="0" /></a></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Aug 7 <st1:place><st1:placename>Sat</st1:placename> <st1:placename>Quake</st1:placename> <st1:placetype>Lake</st1:placetype> <st1:placename>CG</st1:placename></st1:place></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Yellowstone Urban Wilderness was predictably crowded on my way through, with the camp grounds full and lines going into parking lots to see the geysers.<span style=""> </span>The cheapest food to be seen at <st1:place><st1:placename>Old Faithful</st1:placename> <st1:placetype>Village</st1:placetype></st1:place> was a prepackaged burrito for $2.<span style=""> </span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpb1VqRFTg193Z4mOVnl6DTjVe73nufbabdWqhhBOOC5-rYyVW6v-CN65M901IY7GUKKQhXaqS_2AHGwPipZdmH-_5UuFK2rRtvDZWQV-xdmob3F1dE2iJrm6gQi4j55kmWtyXRCf00ro/s1600/IMG_8741-72dpi.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpb1VqRFTg193Z4mOVnl6DTjVe73nufbabdWqhhBOOC5-rYyVW6v-CN65M901IY7GUKKQhXaqS_2AHGwPipZdmH-_5UuFK2rRtvDZWQV-xdmob3F1dE2iJrm6gQi4j55kmWtyXRCf00ro/s400/IMG_8741-72dpi.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508285697729430530" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1lEJ6RhhzL2p3gOAGUvm81kePKvC4SDA-2e5MOR07CQiWrBeDPWE66wKChNZWWitK-jov2FR1hJPP4tluPj0pm7IkOKbZishYQcSYGXp2P-4B3MzDwg4RRzwK81uVSMeeGmz4Pg3noBA/s1600/IMG_8743-72dpi.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1lEJ6RhhzL2p3gOAGUvm81kePKvC4SDA-2e5MOR07CQiWrBeDPWE66wKChNZWWitK-jov2FR1hJPP4tluPj0pm7IkOKbZishYQcSYGXp2P-4B3MzDwg4RRzwK81uVSMeeGmz4Pg3noBA/s400/IMG_8743-72dpi.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508285702442868402" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinUrrWPw0nGv3LlT3qnuxLLVG6fJcQooMJ_WaOM-UTQdO7pj0DWJRKTSXXWxzSsbJSXu5w0c5XNspd9EaE2b84T00irlqdO7GiDZ179e7YYA3qvwOoODjIEaGV0LiyyJuSAhubfa4-3f8/s1600/IMG_8745-72dpi.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinUrrWPw0nGv3LlT3qnuxLLVG6fJcQooMJ_WaOM-UTQdO7pj0DWJRKTSXXWxzSsbJSXu5w0c5XNspd9EaE2b84T00irlqdO7GiDZ179e7YYA3qvwOoODjIEaGV0LiyyJuSAhubfa4-3f8/s400/IMG_8745-72dpi.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508285710432895794" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUB5V2uVmkMIGVt59boNjsEZWK5x3Ojts4L8EPl8Dw5E-ngcySrCjTBeVY_Qi4e-s2RluXudO0nqatgcwSMD6NhJYPF3xW0UDY1xs9wcZEXpvwhgmDJEMHYAgc3Ejn_-Uw0Tw8EFrbooY/s1600/IMG_8747-72dpi.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUB5V2uVmkMIGVt59boNjsEZWK5x3Ojts4L8EPl8Dw5E-ngcySrCjTBeVY_Qi4e-s2RluXudO0nqatgcwSMD6NhJYPF3xW0UDY1xs9wcZEXpvwhgmDJEMHYAgc3Ejn_-Uw0Tw8EFrbooY/s400/IMG_8747-72dpi.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508285713381515394" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPiakg-wbt6tBVxYcctwTpRuwaGfe8BuKFP07hQIes423hhB1ZV2VEFvUI3IMMUe7Olv3_6w9LCvJZZjuLyI3wxl0vmh-dKsXSrwRSJ5Vlpg_lMzlWs3pg9XLZUmsYjOFVkQJZAbxlHMU/s1600/IMG_8750-72dpi.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPiakg-wbt6tBVxYcctwTpRuwaGfe8BuKFP07hQIes423hhB1ZV2VEFvUI3IMMUe7Olv3_6w9LCvJZZjuLyI3wxl0vmh-dKsXSrwRSJ5Vlpg_lMzlWs3pg9XLZUmsYjOFVkQJZAbxlHMU/s400/IMG_8750-72dpi.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508285719524405810" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRfsNLml2TkjiR8At49ti_I_9jkHZUYqFHO8cJz2RHQuq33oPnxOsBZ8B-tVwZa0pcAFh1Tnp4PpnOpGTGtEXs5eknL8xauojpCyzDQ1G6YX6oIPj7rXN27-L-BWo2A2pWmQ_N1SZuVwE/s1600/IMG_8751-72dpi.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRfsNLml2TkjiR8At49ti_I_9jkHZUYqFHO8cJz2RHQuq33oPnxOsBZ8B-tVwZa0pcAFh1Tnp4PpnOpGTGtEXs5eknL8xauojpCyzDQ1G6YX6oIPj7rXN27-L-BWo2A2pWmQ_N1SZuVwE/s400/IMG_8751-72dpi.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508286756474093538" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4kTjdgHFYLrpEPkpZMALHZOla37UnDyeXW9g_OOqraWVCfPqVUctWhndb81gSggh_KcTgZPRSmbIaPOJi4Lhb_jrz29lEipqT_6dgxrXnK8oYHU1Qjn0oDlPZqRdz3clIsLYJYj1jypY/s1600/IMG_8753-72dpi.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4kTjdgHFYLrpEPkpZMALHZOla37UnDyeXW9g_OOqraWVCfPqVUctWhndb81gSggh_KcTgZPRSmbIaPOJi4Lhb_jrz29lEipqT_6dgxrXnK8oYHU1Qjn0oDlPZqRdz3clIsLYJYj1jypY/s400/IMG_8753-72dpi.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508286764400707778" border="0" /></a>I rode a side trip through <st1:place><st1:placename>Fire</st1:placename> <st1:placename>Hole</st1:placename> <st1:placetype>Canyon</st1:placetype></st1:place>, recoiling at the crowds and on to <st1:place>West Yellowstone</st1:place> for groceries.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhowXoXjeXK9pIxyRyNF0EEZ8G04-zMXCN7S-mWOmu5wS53ehF21_M6ZAZfYyYQqhUBcT2AaLs7LgIpXCWnSjuZeFD1MPaatDsQHFboZQnf7Zm88jAqHlIH2JyNUXcq5Kt3hKWYGZ4xsXQ/s1600/IMG_8755-72dpi.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhowXoXjeXK9pIxyRyNF0EEZ8G04-zMXCN7S-mWOmu5wS53ehF21_M6ZAZfYyYQqhUBcT2AaLs7LgIpXCWnSjuZeFD1MPaatDsQHFboZQnf7Zm88jAqHlIH2JyNUXcq5Kt3hKWYGZ4xsXQ/s400/IMG_8755-72dpi.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508286798304180226" border="0" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal">
<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-_hsfzZOFhSBIhCKjFhiRzSciUycDCq4HlrTrLKtgk_kVA9YdaebpJgwR5vAUpntxtdlC2Xf9GNL7cIl7Kd7dmOAhV-UNA8wJEwYhyzPPQKrG3-EeMGTxFZfdxryT4jJMW6Qsaz_6sYE/s1600/IMG_8754-72dpi.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-_hsfzZOFhSBIhCKjFhiRzSciUycDCq4HlrTrLKtgk_kVA9YdaebpJgwR5vAUpntxtdlC2Xf9GNL7cIl7Kd7dmOAhV-UNA8wJEwYhyzPPQKrG3-EeMGTxFZfdxryT4jJMW6Qsaz_6sYE/s400/IMG_8754-72dpi.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508286798771222658" border="0" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style=""> </span>There was an Old Time Photo studio there and I chatted with Holly as I waited for the storm I could see to the north to blow by.<span style=""> </span>She recommended a for-pay CG that I went for.<span style=""> </span>It was the first time I used my mosquito headgear as I sat at a picnic table eating an apple.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Aug 8 <st1:place><st1:placename>Sun</st1:placename> <st1:placename>Beaverhead</st1:placename> <st1:placename>Natl</st1:placename> <st1:placetype>Forest</st1:placetype></st1:place></p> <p class="MsoNormal">I nearly ran out of gas before <st1:place><st1:city>Ennis</st1:city>, <st1:state>MT.</st1:state></st1:place><span style=""> </span>I had neglected to refuel in <st1:place>West Yellowstone</st1:place> and stopped at an invasive weed control station to bum gas from some guys with ATVs on a trailer. <span style=""> </span>I stopped in <st1:place>Virginia City</st1:place> to see Holly’s husband, Grant.<span style=""> </span>He runs their other Old Time Photo studio there.<span style=""> </span>Business was going strong and he barely had time to talk. I didn’t want to wait 2 hours for him to take lunch and ended up waiting 1 ½ hours in Dillon until a storm passed.<span style=""> </span>I had to ride all over town to find the road out that I wanted, 387.<span style=""> </span>Pizza and beer in Wisdom and a referral to this campsite past Big Hole Battleground.<span style=""> </span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCHaxkR0qf8aborgrn0kayNFUlziR5Amdto8XQWOsK8RQ-GvfVZjZp-TV1JTKXXJ26S4EDahKBDlM7bseiri9nN0BNThyFjo4yg2j7d-9toR2PZXEA7yst5PfPB6NniT-UIaZtvT26eLM/s1600/IMG_8756-72dpi.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCHaxkR0qf8aborgrn0kayNFUlziR5Amdto8XQWOsK8RQ-GvfVZjZp-TV1JTKXXJ26S4EDahKBDlM7bseiri9nN0BNThyFjo4yg2j7d-9toR2PZXEA7yst5PfPB6NniT-UIaZtvT26eLM/s400/IMG_8756-72dpi.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508286803906744290" border="0" /></a><span style=""> </span>I missed the rain that fell here this afternoon and got a good site where I am 10 feet from a babbling brook.<span style=""> </span>$3.50</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Aug 9 <st1:place><st1:placename>Chief</st1:placename> <st1:placename>Joseph</st1:placename> <st1:placename>Pass</st1:placename></st1:place> to Harper’s Lake State Camp Ground</p> <p class="MsoNormal">147 miles today, with rain off and on up US93 to <st1:city><st1:place>Missoula</st1:place></st1:city> where I stopped at REI to buy a new down sleeping bag and a raincoat.<span style=""> </span>$274 (ouch) and on to camp at a <st1:state><st1:place>Montana</st1:place></st1:state> state fishing spot and campground.<span style=""> </span>$12<span style=""> </span>Pretty expensive day<span style=""> </span>I got $10 for my old bag and camp backrest at Play It Again, Sam.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNho-kToC8pjW1mQ5VehOf9nLKYDkCRoKGvZTMTFanI5a0Cg8rHNWFGc2dHb0xoOPcDBn8tY7h9qQZzorhZZCyzn4nAFhbQu5nt-SH9uD8TB3fKrAEDE8_3_ouHqYaOyy0YqMOuLIZtnU/s1600/IMG_8762-72dpi.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNho-kToC8pjW1mQ5VehOf9nLKYDkCRoKGvZTMTFanI5a0Cg8rHNWFGc2dHb0xoOPcDBn8tY7h9qQZzorhZZCyzn4nAFhbQu5nt-SH9uD8TB3fKrAEDE8_3_ouHqYaOyy0YqMOuLIZtnU/s400/IMG_8762-72dpi.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508287884077192354" border="0" /></a></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Aug 10 Tue West Shore State Park CG</p> <p class="MsoNormal">I had a great ride up <st1:place><st1:placename>Swan</st1:placename> <st1:placetype>Valley</st1:placetype></st1:place> on State 83 – a little tail wind sweeping curves and gentle hills past lakes and woods.<span style=""> </span>I stopped in <st1:place>Lakeside</st1:place> to buy binoculars <span style=""> </span>from Dan Baldwin for $10.<span style=""> </span>He is one of only two people in the <st1:country-region><st1:place>USA</st1:place></st1:country-region> who does authorized repair and restoration of binoculars. We met in Twin Bridges as I was eating lunch at a streamside park.<span style=""> </span>A room in his house is dedicated to his repair business and he happily works when he wants.<span style=""> </span>During our conversation I started to think about going back to work as a dental technician.<span style=""> </span>I had passed a denture lab in <st1:place>Lakeside</st1:place> and was thinking and imagining working at that now that my knees are shot.<span style=""> </span>I went on to the campground and worked on the computer, listening to music while talking to friends on the phone and typing blog.<span style=""> </span>Camp was $15, an all time high.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Aug 11 Lost Johnnie Point CG USFS<span style=""> </span>$13 for 2 nights.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">I stopped by the Post Office in <st1:place>Lakeside</st1:place> to check general delivery for my replacement phone from T-Mobile, then more cherries from Cherry Haus, yum.<span style=""> </span>Leaving to go to Glacier, I rode past the denture lab and after a couple miles I turned back to see if they needed help.<span style=""> </span>When I left the lab biz 20 years ago I thought it might be something I returned to when I got old and feeble.<span style=""> </span>Well, I guess I’m there, kinda.<span style=""> </span>My knees won’t let me do massage any longer and photography seems to be too hard on the knees as well.<span style=""> </span>So, they didn’t need help at the denture lab, but it got me thinking about pursuing a lab job when I get to the West Coast.<span style=""> </span>There must be a lab between <st1:city><st1:place>Seattle</st1:place></st1:city> and <st1:city><st1:place>San Diego</st1:place></st1:city> that would work out.<span style=""> </span>I can rent a room while I work.<span style=""> </span>I find I’m spending more money on this trip than I had planned and a layover for the winter while I make money would work fine.<span style=""> </span>“Motorcycle Tramp/Itinerant Dental Technician”<span style=""> </span>My lifestyle evolves.<span style=""> </span>I went on to the Hungry Horse ranger station and got directions to this great CG.<span style=""> </span>It’s densely wooded and each site is isolated.<span style=""> </span>No worries about bears, they are busy gorging on huckleberries.<span style=""> </span>Dinner was fresh fish from the supermarket cooked in aluminum foil that the ranger gave me.<span style=""> </span>We were talking and found we are in the brotherhood of ex-military.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Aug 12 Thur<span style=""> </span>Lost <st1:place><st1:placename>Johnnie</st1:placename> <st1:placename>Point</st1:placename></st1:place></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Rode Hwy 2 to East Glacier – another beautiful day.<span style=""> </span>I was going to take the circle route and go through Glacier on the way back, but it was too cold, windy and wet, so I came back the same way and still caught a little rain.<span style=""> </span>Back to the supermarket in <st1:place><st1:placename>Columbia</st1:placename> <st1:placetype>Falls</st1:placetype></st1:place> where I bought the usual fried ½ chicken and a couple pounds of cherries.<span style=""> </span>This is cherry country and they are great; my favorite food.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5psFz4IJuBXmFUxSEtMQX5KfUkw0rW3flN8rVhOi08l1B9LSc_iCcXdovtaayE2OHr_mFqtzfd8OCnOwft7lEPyY1f1ye-fvnwOgNDV7W5cG6TkUU1dz50_FAzwk24VAhJ6homCTQ8LY/s1600/IMG_8769-72dpi.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5psFz4IJuBXmFUxSEtMQX5KfUkw0rW3flN8rVhOi08l1B9LSc_iCcXdovtaayE2OHr_mFqtzfd8OCnOwft7lEPyY1f1ye-fvnwOgNDV7W5cG6TkUU1dz50_FAzwk24VAhJ6homCTQ8LY/s400/IMG_8769-72dpi.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508287887504830018" border="0" /></a></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Aug 13 <st1:place><st1:city>Fri<span style=""> </span>Trout Creek</st1:city>, <st1:state>MT</st1:state></st1:place></p> <p class="MsoNormal">I stopped at Cherry Haus for the 3<sup>rd</sup> time.<span style=""> </span>The first 2 were for 2 lb of cherries each time.<span style=""> </span>Well, these were about the best cherries this side of <st1:place><st1:city>Hood Valley</st1:city>, <st1:state>OR</st1:state></st1:place> and I bought 10 lb for $10 and ate them all today with no ill effects.<span style=""> </span>The <st1:place>PO</st1:place> in <st1:place>Lakeside</st1:place> had my gen <st1:state><st1:place>del</st1:place></st1:state> package with my <span style=""> </span>UPS drop.<span style=""> </span>They wanted the phone returned within 7 days of signing for it or I pay for a new phone.<span style=""> </span>With the 5 days from Caballo to <st1:place>Lakeside</st1:place>, I could make it in time.<span style=""> </span>I stopped at <st1:place><st1:placename>Trout</st1:placename> <st1:placetype>Lake</st1:placetype></st1:place> for the huckleberry festival and a burger, then on to a forest road to find an unused side road with a campsite.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Aug 14 Sat<span style=""> </span>Tiger, WA </p> <p class="MsoNormal">Stopped in Sandpoint for library computer access, shopped for a frying pan in the thrift stores, but could only find a pie pan.<span style=""> </span>It works with my pliers for a handle.<span style=""> </span>I got a 7” kitchen knife and sharpened it on a rock after dinner.<span style=""> </span>I stopped at Walmart for a spatula, ground beef, tortillas, taco sauce and eggs.<span style=""> </span>I’ve used my backpacking stove only once on this trip and I thought I’d start.<span style=""> </span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgShacJiUQFrww5lpsZPH0f6cpSHUS9xkK6KKQbvP4lwCO0CWAiY-u6ieqW2-HwF31vux0XzcKR0C-v81OABcFIEPi1SVLE9UW3Tw16VXeOBAi_plBkWBOfNvSR1hI1Uer6VN7b-eoKm6Q/s1600/IMG_8771-72dpi.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgShacJiUQFrww5lpsZPH0f6cpSHUS9xkK6KKQbvP4lwCO0CWAiY-u6ieqW2-HwF31vux0XzcKR0C-v81OABcFIEPi1SVLE9UW3Tw16VXeOBAi_plBkWBOfNvSR1hI1Uer6VN7b-eoKm6Q/s400/IMG_8771-72dpi.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508287894779393714" border="0" /></a>I found a good spot by a FS tree nursery and dump for chipped wood and branches.<span style=""> </span>It smells like a cedar closet and there are few bugs.<span style=""> </span>Dinner was quick to cook and I could hear bulls bellowing several hundred yards away.<span style=""> </span>A deer walked past my site and stopped to look.<span style=""> </span>I stayed still and she was there for about 30 seconds.<span style=""> </span>Deer hooves make a distinctive clop.<span style=""> </span>Eventually that night the cedar closet smell became a little much.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Aug 15 Sun Lake Wenatche 280 miles</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Happy Birthday!<span style=""> </span>I’m 65; feels like 64.<span style=""> </span>I was going to stop sooner, but it was too hot and I had plenty of daylight left.<span style=""> </span>Saw some deer by the road both alive and dead.<span style=""> </span>One of them was a freshly killed fawn.<span style=""> </span><span style="font-family:Wingdings;"><span style="">L</span></span><span style=""> </span>I treated myself to dinner out: jambalaya and Hostess cupcakes.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Aug 16 - 20<span style=""> </span><st1:city><st1:place>Seattle</st1:place></st1:city></p> <p class="MsoNormal">I’m staying with a fellow ARAMCO Brat, Danni for about a week.<span style=""> </span>I slept in a bed the first time in about 2 months.<span style=""> </span>It’s great to get laundry done and caught up on sleep and post my blog.<span style=""> </span>We went to the Seattle Aquarium and then had to have fish and chips.<span style=""> </span>My replacement phone doesn’t work right either, so after 2 hours with T-Mobile, they decided to send a new one.</p> rickclickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04772392142627673499noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4515868664801155653.post-4317875456987078512010-07-13T16:14:00.000-07:002010-07-13T16:45:07.090-07:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz28NQdzI6haNppP4aqxaHufc7KPXd1QE1KhgOPQfoyAk4LMITrsQAkReBCU2elfwVp_ZnnT_txsUu22c32LsLMkrKkNIef2VjDcuw8uls-_5nDH9p9dK0aUeB13kWZB7PgEsu76M1Dr4/s1600/IMG_8370-72dpi.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz28NQdzI6haNppP4aqxaHufc7KPXd1QE1KhgOPQfoyAk4LMITrsQAkReBCU2elfwVp_ZnnT_txsUu22c32LsLMkrKkNIef2VjDcuw8uls-_5nDH9p9dK0aUeB13kWZB7PgEsu76M1Dr4/s400/IMG_8370-72dpi.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493534326313624978" border="0" /></a><br />(By the way, you can click on any image to see it bigger)<br />June 17, 2010 Thursday – Caballo to Datyl, NM<br /> I left Sue's with just the motorcycle after much winnowing through all the stuff I brought with me on my trip to California with the truck and motorcycle. I wear a full face helmet, leather jacket with padded elbows, shoulders and back, thick padded riding pans, boots and gloves. The saying goes, “Dress for the crash, not the ride.” I feel safer with all that on, but I’m still aware that I am going 60 mph on an asphalt belt sander. My mantra as I travel along is, “Tuck and roll.” I guess it is ingrained in my mind. A couple of weeks ago I inadvertently pushed the bike forward and off the kickstand as I was parking and getting off. Before I could stop it, the bike tipped over toward me and I pushed away, going into a crumple, over onto my back and completed the roll coming up on my feet. I had all my gear on and the maneuver was as comfortable as rolling over in bed. There were only some little scratches on the plastic parts of the bike.<br /> My new phone plan with T-Mobile started last week and my new phone arrived 2 days ago. The T-Mobile Tap is seriously complex. I have a data plan so I can browse on line, do email, post to FaceBook and generally amuse myself learning how to use all the features.<br /> Wow! I’m really on this trip. I started out last January to take the truck and motorcycle, but with just the motorcycle I can actually afford to travel everywhere forever. I rode about 160 miles today for 8 dollars. In the truck that would have been at least $40. Food may be a bit more since I will eat out a little more and can’t carry bigger lots of grocery food. Today’s burger, fries and coke was an indulgence for $9.75. So, here I am at the Datyl Well Campground for $2.50 a night. My tent is set up, ready for the night by 4 pm. My knee and butt had reached their limit with 7 hours on El Burrito. I was getting squirmy that last half hour before reaching the campground. It is amazingly satisfying and comfortable to be here. My REI Hoodoo 3 tent was so easy to set up. It’s great to have a modern tent that clips to the poles instead of the poles slipping through sleeves. As soon as I’m inside with all my bags I can get out of my protective gear and into my swim trunks. With all the mesh for the breeze to flow through and a 360 degree view, I can enjoy the buzzing of flies, the wind making its distinctive sound through the fragrant pines as I hear a distant gust coming to me. Laying on my Thermarest pad and squishy synthetic sleeping bag I can flick off ants that explore the outside of the tent. I want for nothing here in my cocoon… perhaps a nap. I smile and close my eyes as the pen slips from my hand.<br /><br />June 18 Friday Datyl Well Campground<br /> This is so restful here that I’m staying until Sunday. I keep hearing from people that the wind is fierce in the high desert all the way through Wyoming. I’m about 2 weeks late starting this trip to go through the four corners area and up through Moab. It will be too hot, so I will route through the Rockies instead. My knee, back and head have been miserable since yesterday and so I took a Valium and naproxen this afternoon. Finally some relief! I was able to get a pop in my low back that has eluded me for weeks. Ahh. I’m having second thoughts about the TW. It is slow, small and vibrates a lot. I knew that already, but it seems so much of the experience that it’s hard to enjoy riding. Plus, I am not a dirt rider after all. It looks good when other people do it, but I’m tremendously challenged by anything but pavement. I should be able to get my $3K for my bike whenever I get back to Truth or Consequences and find something more suited for highway riding. 750 cc + seems to be what everyone recommends. Perhaps a Gold Wing is in my future. I’ll continue this trip though and if I’m not broke in to the lifestyle, I’ll change something.<br /><br />June 19 Saturday Datyl Well<br /> I awoke with worse back pain after a cold night. My mummy bag is just a little small. Hmmm, it fit fine 35 years ago. I took another dose of Valium and naproxen. The one I took last night still had a half life going and when I added to it this morning, I went right back to sleep. Later, I stumbled out, walked around a little and back to lay down until 3 in the afternoon. The weeding I did earlier this week with a pick is still working out of my back. Hopefully all this rest will help. I imagine the 6 hours riding on Thursday made it worse. I’m thinking of returning to Caballo tomorrow or Monday to get some things and leave others. Later… not much on the list I can’t get on the road and I can mail stuff back. Feeling better today, no pain. I think I’ll stay another day and rest my back more. I’ve hardly gotten out of the tent for 2 days now, just laying down relaxing and stretching. This is the first time in 10 years I’ve rested like this.<br /><br />June 20 Datyl Well Sunday<br />Still laid out with my back. If I wanted to get off to a slow start, this is it. Back on Valium and naproxen, it helps a little. I’ve been sleeping most of the day. I walked around camp for a while. I’m really groggy from the Valium, but moving around felt better. I’m sitting up in my camp chair. It works even without the sleeping pad inserted. What a relief to not have to hold myself up. I think it is a keeper. Now I just need a TV and remote. 4 pm new neighbors arrived this afternoon. They have a generator they started right away. Even my thick silicone ear plugs don’t shut out the sound. I may be leaving early tomorrow, say around 6 am. I’ll need to run my motorcycle for about an hour before leaving to charge up my phone. I hope they don’t plan on sleeping in. They ran their generator from 4 till 9.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-Vxz5H935lf-9s7LIMvq3Hw6Bn_26Av2lvVkWWjISrcrIVfSUCaJKJSfHu1Hiv2g8k-GWFMS5ECLHpxN-dYENipHVbtUHxhv7gWuJgG1ZpcPWZimnp-uVtsWAw6hV48WEw6NDu0cVpdw/s1600/IMG_8371-72dpi.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-Vxz5H935lf-9s7LIMvq3Hw6Bn_26Av2lvVkWWjISrcrIVfSUCaJKJSfHu1Hiv2g8k-GWFMS5ECLHpxN-dYENipHVbtUHxhv7gWuJgG1ZpcPWZimnp-uVtsWAw6hV48WEw6NDu0cVpdw/s400/IMG_8371-72dpi.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493534333830003090" border="0" /></a><br />June 21 Datyl to Lobo Canyon Forest Service Camp near Grants, NM<br /> I just couldn’t rouse myself at 5:15. Revenge is hard to do when I’m still in the sack asleep. I shut off the alarm and went back to sleep until 7 when the generator started again. Grrr… With perfect Zen peace I started packing. My back felt so much better. All packed up and ready to roll, but where are my glasses? Oh yes, they are still in the convenient pocket in the corner of the tent. Never mind, I can see well enough during the day without them and I left anyway, cutting off the guy with the generator as he was pulling out. At least that felt good. On, westward on Hwy 60 through pine forests of Cibolla NF and I had not gone but a couple miles when a pair of elk does walked across the road 100 yards ahead. My, they are big. I was too early to eat at Pie Town – I’ll catch it another time. Yes, there was a gas station in Quemoda. Whew. I won’t have to skimp and maybe beg for gas before Grants. My tank is only 1.8 gallons. I whizzed past Mal Pais NM with all its lava flow and a huge cliff that rose up right beside the road. After being in open land it felt a little surreal to be riding next to it. I stopped for groceries in Grants and parked next to a fireworks stand so they could watch my stuff while I shopped. I was going to buy the least amount of firecrackers I could to scare away bears if needed. The nice lady gave me 2 strings of Red Devils. Hope I don’t need them. I’m in a remote campground 12 miles from Grants tonight. A couple of guys cruised through in a low rider and I got a little concerned. I was headed back to town to return later and set up at sunset, but I saw the ranger truck on the way out. He was ticketing the guys for day use without paying. It turned out that the local LEOs patrol the area and I would be safe.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYUkF5wTQdFEVf7XzlQSQ1kDMMNvBXGbqEtm7T-taEt48mnPlMFIkZDi7Xo4KoSoxVNhYj_-YslgdXHUh3ZdOxEwVjV_E2FGqYUrMNE78kD66yDOIdBRq1BpoGTwZ02dNwOZGZHruK_f4/s1600/IMG_8372-72dpi.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYUkF5wTQdFEVf7XzlQSQ1kDMMNvBXGbqEtm7T-taEt48mnPlMFIkZDi7Xo4KoSoxVNhYj_-YslgdXHUh3ZdOxEwVjV_E2FGqYUrMNE78kD66yDOIdBRq1BpoGTwZ02dNwOZGZHruK_f4/s400/IMG_8372-72dpi.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493534339629150066" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6RESLc5pemgj840_hddUnjpwd97DbT_CFF4Ev4WU8nYy3NhqevazQZDr04r9sSD-hw-_Rsn_n0S5zLbZrZQTMhIi6KX_ykTu5Er6akkDzUxQS_GdcvzOrFkvIkYLiH_UVyVnUxjJyY5U/s1600/IMG_8374-72dpi.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6RESLc5pemgj840_hddUnjpwd97DbT_CFF4Ev4WU8nYy3NhqevazQZDr04r9sSD-hw-_Rsn_n0S5zLbZrZQTMhIi6KX_ykTu5Er6akkDzUxQS_GdcvzOrFkvIkYLiH_UVyVnUxjJyY5U/s400/IMG_8374-72dpi.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493534350000604146" border="0" /></a><br />June 22 Grants to Farmington, nm<br /> A long hot dry ride and no camping in or near Farmington. I had to stay at a motel @ $40 for the night – 2 days budget, but the shower was great. TV and a bed, wow! A run to Walmart for food and an AC/DC converter so I could charge my computer with the 12V car charger using 110 current. Turned out it didn’t work with the computer charger after all – bummer. I’ll have Sue send me the AC charger I left back there.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ7oNw3Ugyy3YvAOPsHBX0pqUywcmkfLWQEW4DrOgJbirpq2PgH_SLccwSZYRZKUVXvuk4ermAIBnbGMuua6WH0xKRtxm0BjSQBdSROhgN9lxjpDejKlsMk9KeHufqDWp7RdZNT0kR80A/s1600/IMG_8377-72dpi.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ7oNw3Ugyy3YvAOPsHBX0pqUywcmkfLWQEW4DrOgJbirpq2PgH_SLccwSZYRZKUVXvuk4ermAIBnbGMuua6WH0xKRtxm0BjSQBdSROhgN9lxjpDejKlsMk9KeHufqDWp7RdZNT0kR80A/s400/IMG_8377-72dpi.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493534351619959650" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxw38xucsAFjv9Q6koDUaRPrCcpVvDG2R_0lv7SuljzkwOe6mR_SIcl_JdDREk-FxWglagJqZzZL4vcKA_E4ayVu9z3pGGFE5xQOmTaRlo8RNfocJEkCqiAHpk0bgsA6JTBx7WauoJZos/s1600/IMG_8378-72dpi.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxw38xucsAFjv9Q6koDUaRPrCcpVvDG2R_0lv7SuljzkwOe6mR_SIcl_JdDREk-FxWglagJqZzZL4vcKA_E4ayVu9z3pGGFE5xQOmTaRlo8RNfocJEkCqiAHpk0bgsA6JTBx7WauoJZos/s400/IMG_8378-72dpi.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493534837084415954" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKC-U-qOUoGI7bAWmN8mP7qVk2XNl7-rbQhlpWgI0fR46jEFxHU7ruICmGxB83iifkN5ETRcOuKI3LZ9j1JwnyDEy2HHuZNvQyQpYM5M6PhRDuY4FWFQoZTI3LWqttnMZ5yX08Y2deF08/s1600/IMG_8379-72dpi.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKC-U-qOUoGI7bAWmN8mP7qVk2XNl7-rbQhlpWgI0fR46jEFxHU7ruICmGxB83iifkN5ETRcOuKI3LZ9j1JwnyDEy2HHuZNvQyQpYM5M6PhRDuY4FWFQoZTI3LWqttnMZ5yX08Y2deF08/s400/IMG_8379-72dpi.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493534841712677746" border="0" /></a><br />June 23 Wednesday Farmington to near Mancos, CO<br /> Nice ride through the rest of dry New Mexico and then into Colorado. Better roads and green farms. I stumbled onto a good NF campground, but expensive at $7.50 a day. All the Colorado NF campgrounds are operated by a concessioner and the prices are jacked up. The camp host is a Viet Nam vet and we swapped stories about dealing with the VA. He has gotten representation from a VA claims specialist lawyer, Berry Law Firm in Omaha and is optimistic about getting his disability after struggling with the VA for the last 15 years. I rode into Mancos for food, so my entertainment tonight will be cooking cube steak and corn on a fire.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj23h8-PJ83KwCDJdttAbBlj-xcoUkmZ4fSrPLWCktI5FXkmJfcnzVjsvJAnvFHs_bspAsYsVfhV6THGZCBEVFKEjiEHqgJgXYULEJGiHDnrXib_NcJKXJyPUIeGi53xh1Kt84IS77r-fk/s1600/IMG_8380-72dpi.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj23h8-PJ83KwCDJdttAbBlj-xcoUkmZ4fSrPLWCktI5FXkmJfcnzVjsvJAnvFHs_bspAsYsVfhV6THGZCBEVFKEjiEHqgJgXYULEJGiHDnrXib_NcJKXJyPUIeGi53xh1Kt84IS77r-fk/s400/IMG_8380-72dpi.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493534852414121474" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiypds5MzighrpUUFHoxmbTr6PcM8BtVIgWUSB4bv_5cmAMhATsLgjx7vgKjGRjXI1eEkHc5VhyBvjneOvqFd2bHOVxVmIkiHqrjQTyuFTKMq-42F_3HQRU54D9HyXTOQG_ddUf6XyhmX4/s1600/IMG_8383-72dpi.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiypds5MzighrpUUFHoxmbTr6PcM8BtVIgWUSB4bv_5cmAMhATsLgjx7vgKjGRjXI1eEkHc5VhyBvjneOvqFd2bHOVxVmIkiHqrjQTyuFTKMq-42F_3HQRU54D9HyXTOQG_ddUf6XyhmX4/s400/IMG_8383-72dpi.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493534857743961922" border="0" /></a><br />June 24 Thursday Rico, CO<br /> This is one of those perfect days. In Dolores I used the library computer and got caught up on email. One of the messages was from an ARAMCO Brat in Denver who invited me to go dirt bike riding if I am nearby. I have an old friend from a commune in Santa Monica that lives in Boulder I’d like to see, so I’ll likely get over that way. I found a great camp spot up a forest road. It’s where the stream crosses under the road and there is a flat area 50’x 30’ and a tent site bench area just up hill from that. I looks like hunters on horses have built this up as a staging area to go further up into the woods. There are shell casings and old dry horse poop in the big flat area. There is a good size rock fire ring and logs to sit on. I hung my food in a lodge pole pine and doused myself with deet. The skeeters didn’t like it at all. Not a bite. I’m cozy here in my tent hearing the stream and birds.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIWvzABhXCFuas95D9-zfWql3UYJoXOvsThJHbchXwrCgFk0hZxjxmJqgW3c0OGSq-gA1WPcBUHf0GMD2zQmwj9ZT9PX2APj02lhqHf_QPCSA9Lb2C2bbcdSIwJpatJ0LR9xfL_Tcz9U0/s1600/IMG_8388-72dpi.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIWvzABhXCFuas95D9-zfWql3UYJoXOvsThJHbchXwrCgFk0hZxjxmJqgW3c0OGSq-gA1WPcBUHf0GMD2zQmwj9ZT9PX2APj02lhqHf_QPCSA9Lb2C2bbcdSIwJpatJ0LR9xfL_Tcz9U0/s400/IMG_8388-72dpi.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493534861577799554" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHxhUHT6TdJvGjhjz5okqjup3QVH2pzjXzKy5_ZhuxIH430dK74KB6rjFV6evizII8WteBNM9nwa8qLqWkaMLOKmsiVKOBLpRBDn8Kad5Bq6JGHnUXf3wSq2VBYfQDjOTa-kCnzwkp2Bk/s1600/IMG_8389-72dpi.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 373px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHxhUHT6TdJvGjhjz5okqjup3QVH2pzjXzKy5_ZhuxIH430dK74KB6rjFV6evizII8WteBNM9nwa8qLqWkaMLOKmsiVKOBLpRBDn8Kad5Bq6JGHnUXf3wSq2VBYfQDjOTa-kCnzwkp2Bk/s400/IMG_8389-72dpi.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493535251308675186" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ2F0H3AJZyO42cduRX10KvGxiw6HAcV0JaV6EOPC3v8lamtsOGp7pwixvZ5Dka-621EhVWjhBEBImDnOg38DtSdRl6oWlBaWI4f3hWueYNr4C9ySxInnoVNWkS9dw2dfI0BxwFJZZCAU/s1600/IMG_8390-72dpi.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 269px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ2F0H3AJZyO42cduRX10KvGxiw6HAcV0JaV6EOPC3v8lamtsOGp7pwixvZ5Dka-621EhVWjhBEBImDnOg38DtSdRl6oWlBaWI4f3hWueYNr4C9ySxInnoVNWkS9dw2dfI0BxwFJZZCAU/s400/IMG_8390-72dpi.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493535256732012530" border="0" /></a><br />June 25 Fri<br /> I rode over Lizard Head Pass through what must be the best scenery in all of Colorado. I went into Telluride and it exceeded my expectations of becoming crowded and gentrified. A body could hardly ride down the street without stopping for someone wandering across the road. I even had to pay for parking to go into the library. I called Robyn and arranged to meet up in the city park in Ridgway. I followed her home – a log cabin on 40 acres of pinion pines on a mesa. She has 2 horses, 2 dogs and a cat. She has to truck in water and has solar power. She has been living here for 27 years. Her living room floor was perfectly comfortable for the night.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrojI1AFY8XzzpVMNDlrG0_GXwAoEeqNfPKY_2ehWtAReLkWF_xyegFIUQyEXjtsTKIoscpibzfmxx5EQViPzwbkbilKF2es34ywqHlMClBsIqjYL0LQ9I24rcCgZ_UfEu7N52NFMXOGM/s1600/IMG_8395-72dpi.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 179px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrojI1AFY8XzzpVMNDlrG0_GXwAoEeqNfPKY_2ehWtAReLkWF_xyegFIUQyEXjtsTKIoscpibzfmxx5EQViPzwbkbilKF2es34ywqHlMClBsIqjYL0LQ9I24rcCgZ_UfEu7N52NFMXOGM/s400/IMG_8395-72dpi.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493535262197649842" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-Fj9Iv_nETrUESbg2o0afZh402qbN8fWY8mxdAodu65VfDXAQ2EwrlkAttex-c_Fex0PEDQehWgHi-GKB1b8VfyJ42YIxk3TVE-LQvnSOECoRXzvvgFHPdgdcyFQsWjWAgL9xKe3jkdI/s1600/IMG_8398-72dpi.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-Fj9Iv_nETrUESbg2o0afZh402qbN8fWY8mxdAodu65VfDXAQ2EwrlkAttex-c_Fex0PEDQehWgHi-GKB1b8VfyJ42YIxk3TVE-LQvnSOECoRXzvvgFHPdgdcyFQsWjWAgL9xKe3jkdI/s400/IMG_8398-72dpi.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493535268031234882" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4PZmCQbOufvpEcPjQFLE7ERUgiyA0SwkZ_2XoR4T7YIE0JrFznWqinKtU6TJmtwcSBX4VFIgkv6Br6JpMnih6Yv1-SpFeVNFHVyLsGNIIiBkFAseNOyUiLrCjBsgjfWBa__ZrT0xAtJo/s1600/IMG_8399-72dpi.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4PZmCQbOufvpEcPjQFLE7ERUgiyA0SwkZ_2XoR4T7YIE0JrFznWqinKtU6TJmtwcSBX4VFIgkv6Br6JpMnih6Yv1-SpFeVNFHVyLsGNIIiBkFAseNOyUiLrCjBsgjfWBa__ZrT0xAtJo/s400/IMG_8399-72dpi.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493535274887269954" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2wGeOssbC4b0N4ywp8fp77lzRLsjX-ohIFrXzAKfcjcvsvTDjGprDMqEKcX_oXWIjx0eNNwHdXGUJzX61KuVs5dNLZ_pd1obs7XJSUvtBannMAlEEo-gqJxjDxX7KmJ6oFzvlpwd4azM/s1600/IMG_8400-72dpi.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 343px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2wGeOssbC4b0N4ywp8fp77lzRLsjX-ohIFrXzAKfcjcvsvTDjGprDMqEKcX_oXWIjx0eNNwHdXGUJzX61KuVs5dNLZ_pd1obs7XJSUvtBannMAlEEo-gqJxjDxX7KmJ6oFzvlpwd4azM/s400/IMG_8400-72dpi.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493535629930381490" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjv3j6q2Q_uwWWfu5uw442f-zDXaMPZdrsrtqykpYeioe-wpuMh3drXqzNHE2sVI-BY04jgTMVyqhb2PbNi1RMCPbbmGQzXfpLabkuTkfh7cqs0ltb9NfJiCNrfh-sawlF1d86CcEEjw8/s1600/IMG_8402-72dpi.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjv3j6q2Q_uwWWfu5uw442f-zDXaMPZdrsrtqykpYeioe-wpuMh3drXqzNHE2sVI-BY04jgTMVyqhb2PbNi1RMCPbbmGQzXfpLabkuTkfh7cqs0ltb9NfJiCNrfh-sawlF1d86CcEEjw8/s400/IMG_8402-72dpi.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493535634924920946" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh71GjXr2PRXQWNbeQwkFWRqcrb3paW2aR9veYHo5nsygyUnbuUJ3I4q4AsNT2wrCBRI4gSpoIyfgqpgjTdrBOiVApKgRvOoLiBOfbOCuFPNxggvTDzk9yJSMpYnF-gYwFAWToRpzlrzGM/s1600/IMG_8405-72dpi.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 328px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh71GjXr2PRXQWNbeQwkFWRqcrb3paW2aR9veYHo5nsygyUnbuUJ3I4q4AsNT2wrCBRI4gSpoIyfgqpgjTdrBOiVApKgRvOoLiBOfbOCuFPNxggvTDzk9yJSMpYnF-gYwFAWToRpzlrzGM/s400/IMG_8405-72dpi.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493535636800371538" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_48ydMKZ5ef-B1wtFDwYYzswxqMAZBSPdiHwNvaPgF-53ShXeNbHdRCmQrBa9YrE6SgpsnSR9mVTjX01FupwAlC8_OZ7llBWMdMjs-smv6zQLWbK-CbkSxIsy_WvNw6nCZ78Ks9dnZuE/s1600/IMG_8407-72dpi.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_48ydMKZ5ef-B1wtFDwYYzswxqMAZBSPdiHwNvaPgF-53ShXeNbHdRCmQrBa9YrE6SgpsnSR9mVTjX01FupwAlC8_OZ7llBWMdMjs-smv6zQLWbK-CbkSxIsy_WvNw6nCZ78Ks9dnZuE/s400/IMG_8407-72dpi.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493535646820179346" border="0" /></a><br />June 26 Sat<br /> What a beautiful location this is with a meadow behind the cabin and ringed with mountain peaks above the trees. Robyn and her friend Sue ride their horses most weekends when Sue is off work as a nurse practitioner. I was going to get to ride Robyn’s gelding Cassidy. Wow, the only other horse I’ve been on was a pony when I was 7. We were going up the slope of Mt. Sneffels which we could see from Robyn’s back deck. I was both excited and apprehensive. This was not just a simple walk on a road. I was finding out about horse management. Robyn’s two horses, Cassidy and Red Cloud were bonded and never alone, so we had to trailer both of them to Sue’s and leave Red Cloud in a pen next to her other horses or he would freak out. Herd animals, you know. We loaded up two of Sue’s horses and took off for a 10 mile drive up a dirt forest road to the trail head. Sue graciously rode in the back seat of Robyn’s pickup with Robyn’s dogs, Gomez and Indy. We parked and tacked the horses, taking longer than I would imagine, similar to getting ready for an outing with triplets. Finally adjusted, strapped and buckled with a beer under everyone’s belts, we were off up the road to the trail. The usual afternoon clouds acme and went with a few sprinkles, but we had rain gear in our saddlebags. I was trailing behind a bit and touched Cassidy’s ribs lightly with my heels and he immediately accelerated into a trot, jostling my feet out of the stirrups. I clutched him with my knees, held tightly to the horn and applied the hand brake er.. reins along with the voice command we all learned from Western movies, “Whoa!” It worked! Sue and Robyn readjusted the height of my stirrups and we were off up the single track trail, climbing quickly as we ducked and wove around branches and trees. Gomez had been following too closely behind the horse Robyn was on and got kicked in the hip. She was concerned for him and we decided to turn back. I wasn’t disappointed, feeling that this could become a more technical ride than I could handle. Rain and hail started just then with thunderous lightning near by. We waited it out under a tree and broke out raincoats and another beer. Just the mile or two was enough of a first ride for me and I was a little shaky after I dismounted back at the trailer. I stayed behind with the dogs while Robyn and Sue went on to continue their ride. Back at the ranch for dinner and to sleep, having had a good day.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkgb7jPrqbwynhciqbyg0iWB1o0oTdZCL7JWsaw1PFkw-vvIot5VHrnpzHjD7i3yPmyOuIoj8EvAZuGkv-BfWGGAdOqJtnuZWz7VJDQneuRKwH1XE-VaMzF31GKJt75msAeDFtxqjmsoM/s1600/IMG_8417-72dpi.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 306px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkgb7jPrqbwynhciqbyg0iWB1o0oTdZCL7JWsaw1PFkw-vvIot5VHrnpzHjD7i3yPmyOuIoj8EvAZuGkv-BfWGGAdOqJtnuZWz7VJDQneuRKwH1XE-VaMzF31GKJt75msAeDFtxqjmsoM/s400/IMG_8417-72dpi.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493535648934533106" border="0" /></a><br />June 27 Sunday<br /> Robyn is picking up another horse today, a mare that is basically an indoor horse that has been mostly used in an arena. Work need to be done n the fences and gate which I did while she went to trailer the horse back. All worked out well and the new mare had a big pasture to herself while the 2 geldings were in an adjacent enclosure. The were constantly interested in each other and seemed to get along well. Elk steak tonight, lean and tasty.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvXXEWeSPtK13gX6B1JK8b4zAf8wATLgysx3vWz5esv01b7i5NGr3jAgOkhXT-MhPRRaOSv_5PY1Sna_tQJxFnDC-GqPjRg62HrPBEBiBaKiJxA8IDblFrKgD-oQuIoygyxRBZF0jl10o/s1600/IMG_8418-72dpi.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvXXEWeSPtK13gX6B1JK8b4zAf8wATLgysx3vWz5esv01b7i5NGr3jAgOkhXT-MhPRRaOSv_5PY1Sna_tQJxFnDC-GqPjRg62HrPBEBiBaKiJxA8IDblFrKgD-oQuIoygyxRBZF0jl10o/s400/IMG_8418-72dpi.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493535964793024754" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvXXEWeSPtK13gX6B1JK8b4zAf8wATLgysx3vWz5esv01b7i5NGr3jAgOkhXT-MhPRRaOSv_5PY1Sna_tQJxFnDC-GqPjRg62HrPBEBiBaKiJxA8IDblFrKgD-oQuIoygyxRBZF0jl10o/s1600/IMG_8418-72dpi.jpg"><br /></a><br />June 28 Mon<br /> A day of errands in Montrose. Pizza, banking, Ute Indian Museum and groceries. I didn’t get to see more of the museum than the lobby, but Robyn got to talk to the director about her plan to hold event on her property such as sweat lodges and vision quests. She was encouraged and I was invited to be a photography vendor at their pow-wow in September. I’m not sure where I’ll be then, but it would be fun to do portraits of Indians in their regalia.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMI1Qge-VSgGE3GsKaWrb7qk-iXeTaInwutPSXVpAqeP_34KLmFR0CrzxKNFPi71MiVj5cyEHkUR9KSn7UVIvC-yQQKMsYKMKq4ZHvemXI8hfqJr_yguilU5Gpz86rhFLjwxyRThrQi8A/s1600/IMG_8419-72dpi.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMI1Qge-VSgGE3GsKaWrb7qk-iXeTaInwutPSXVpAqeP_34KLmFR0CrzxKNFPi71MiVj5cyEHkUR9KSn7UVIvC-yQQKMsYKMKq4ZHvemXI8hfqJr_yguilU5Gpz86rhFLjwxyRThrQi8A/s400/IMG_8419-72dpi.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493535970034981506" border="0" /></a><br />June 29 Tue<br /> I helped Robyn with some cabinets she brought back from her origin, Kansas. Her dad was a noted wildlife artist and his legacy to his children, Toni and Robyn was a huge collection of valuable art and prints. She has an outbuilding to house her share and begin selling it on line.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjehpUHYz1pA8NkPsL27raJBM_nCOhxJP-ov7AOtNKG_LlIRPY0S4wNlHZpYF0W6upN3_O8EfhyrRLGfDtNV9AtpR21Du-il0Fx-MlZg9oTpkCNgvEbKqXCpFn_8iZQOJ6fnVp9m4BQDxs/s1600/IMG_8473-72dpi.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjehpUHYz1pA8NkPsL27raJBM_nCOhxJP-ov7AOtNKG_LlIRPY0S4wNlHZpYF0W6upN3_O8EfhyrRLGfDtNV9AtpR21Du-il0Fx-MlZg9oTpkCNgvEbKqXCpFn_8iZQOJ6fnVp9m4BQDxs/s400/IMG_8473-72dpi.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493536669035964642" border="0" /></a><br />June 30 Wed<br /> Another errand day, towing a water tank to Colona several times to fill the cistern and horse troughs. 25 cents for 300 gallons.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-8K7_qRP2D7iqf7rQxvelYR9JaQPNdVYINtLUWQGD45oh0f_zNGkhgrHs85X62c-FrH_zrxOPxkD3ZbyDiFi9VaeR591bLaWy8vm3cVNAFOWOdBNE3isE_QYFfuDjJ4T4ttTLgbuKeAo/s1600/IMG_8422-72dpi.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 228px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-8K7_qRP2D7iqf7rQxvelYR9JaQPNdVYINtLUWQGD45oh0f_zNGkhgrHs85X62c-FrH_zrxOPxkD3ZbyDiFi9VaeR591bLaWy8vm3cVNAFOWOdBNE3isE_QYFfuDjJ4T4ttTLgbuKeAo/s400/IMG_8422-72dpi.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493535978816318498" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZehJubbdRoFTRoz5-q1qqxV3pZY7ehdeJ7pKj4NsTGXxTPWqkeqbTX4SLUFIjNfO-IoUqLxJ5-aCH336ssqLMec2wo9wgLc9cg61Ym1gO_7qR7n99NKVBx9sj_plIAaPaoIUQ_cYNiZs/s1600/IMG_8423-72dpi.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 245px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZehJubbdRoFTRoz5-q1qqxV3pZY7ehdeJ7pKj4NsTGXxTPWqkeqbTX4SLUFIjNfO-IoUqLxJ5-aCH336ssqLMec2wo9wgLc9cg61Ym1gO_7qR7n99NKVBx9sj_plIAaPaoIUQ_cYNiZs/s400/IMG_8423-72dpi.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493535980794711186" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGd1QPkVwMZ_6zI366oGXCmRfV6020Dmd5a3is8XiNptlYSyw8hzkfYtEcayu8tSM9vseruMLU1cFHnGDjN2FNjDR8GnV0_4ZNkqdTKS2VJuCk4zQ7-YVBA9oNJWCqj5nfAWbGWPTKM0M/s1600/IMG_8424-72dpi.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 220px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGd1QPkVwMZ_6zI366oGXCmRfV6020Dmd5a3is8XiNptlYSyw8hzkfYtEcayu8tSM9vseruMLU1cFHnGDjN2FNjDR8GnV0_4ZNkqdTKS2VJuCk4zQ7-YVBA9oNJWCqj5nfAWbGWPTKM0M/s400/IMG_8424-72dpi.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493535990705290210" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkgcLP354dpUktCkUEew9i7c4W_SHQihpo1AqMksZWxhm4rSQZH-g1Z7_NLkaS0CwK4JFLLbA3oGzvcKTrle9DBl-5MWxM-Wd0tqfkRpSoEr08PD9KfezQ6JiIYTOyax-k6FP5Sp1LxN4/s1600/IMG_8425-72dpi.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 140px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkgcLP354dpUktCkUEew9i7c4W_SHQihpo1AqMksZWxhm4rSQZH-g1Z7_NLkaS0CwK4JFLLbA3oGzvcKTrle9DBl-5MWxM-Wd0tqfkRpSoEr08PD9KfezQ6JiIYTOyax-k6FP5Sp1LxN4/s400/IMG_8425-72dpi.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493536306272169250" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUPA0MOjpoIVB9wssSgCPeEVcIcdc5F_jDym4EHHd4NPPiVt1yMTLxaanVs61dYKDaeNUswVpxpN3yNJ5jdwkBRxPfg3ISY5H7bkskQBQBBAfaK8dD3NxV1x2x61N1i9VjI9GCiXir9D4/s1600/IMG_8426-72dpi.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 218px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUPA0MOjpoIVB9wssSgCPeEVcIcdc5F_jDym4EHHd4NPPiVt1yMTLxaanVs61dYKDaeNUswVpxpN3yNJ5jdwkBRxPfg3ISY5H7bkskQBQBBAfaK8dD3NxV1x2x61N1i9VjI9GCiXir9D4/s400/IMG_8426-72dpi.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493536310142589410" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB6SoOaH79krKWmOnZ-wYIGrrdfhrqa3zfxiOVJ-uM6FwVom8Gz4NaqaRVY7sHBXH4_4SzI502cej8RERTo3vKZnnlpB_K9x0eafBPiiINKp4kpoKZs3Dpps5w8ulvvKD67IyfaA8pXzE/s1600/IMG_8427-72dpi.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 256px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB6SoOaH79krKWmOnZ-wYIGrrdfhrqa3zfxiOVJ-uM6FwVom8Gz4NaqaRVY7sHBXH4_4SzI502cej8RERTo3vKZnnlpB_K9x0eafBPiiINKp4kpoKZs3Dpps5w8ulvvKD67IyfaA8pXzE/s400/IMG_8427-72dpi.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493536328642793522" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3qe_PBeSNx6ZYLULhyJ-rfRepHEulhpHh-cSBynkRO0Pd48gMAV0EWoFL7C1Q2O62HAdsiKzOFZ6WU80OPIFOMACNJIJpj_7AHVIEBzJiAUrRJG9rWqpIodZc_yiVN1oCraAnyveOF6o/s1600/IMG_8428-72dpi.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 238px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3qe_PBeSNx6ZYLULhyJ-rfRepHEulhpHh-cSBynkRO0Pd48gMAV0EWoFL7C1Q2O62HAdsiKzOFZ6WU80OPIFOMACNJIJpj_7AHVIEBzJiAUrRJG9rWqpIodZc_yiVN1oCraAnyveOF6o/s400/IMG_8428-72dpi.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493536337341424050" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4RfGeqiFr2Aum87hER-ieh-DrzeKfnYwoeFwimT7pmpvCYfgRAXDZaGG3-_7cZ27zaRwoyKKenK7FCD0GGitAwQpV83evoy68tGufTU6pXZvqYl7hVTzk92VZ-kk9b5OVD4OQUh3hXyc/s1600/IMG_8429-72dpi.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 162px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4RfGeqiFr2Aum87hER-ieh-DrzeKfnYwoeFwimT7pmpvCYfgRAXDZaGG3-_7cZ27zaRwoyKKenK7FCD0GGitAwQpV83evoy68tGufTU6pXZvqYl7hVTzk92VZ-kk9b5OVD4OQUh3hXyc/s400/IMG_8429-72dpi.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493536341580635202" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEbar4NIzjI6B_E-pvb15xwtuxN6kNQnlyEg43nUyDHFbvS_w40o1SHGq8S9jMeFJYmivOvHDihnQK8X73bNbaTpO4nKADJrq2MP9DQLAI5F8gIiJD7OOzLrKqsD8RKvu_FtbO7ALIRDc/s1600/IMG_8431-72dpi.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 162px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEbar4NIzjI6B_E-pvb15xwtuxN6kNQnlyEg43nUyDHFbvS_w40o1SHGq8S9jMeFJYmivOvHDihnQK8X73bNbaTpO4nKADJrq2MP9DQLAI5F8gIiJD7OOzLrKqsD8RKvu_FtbO7ALIRDc/s400/IMG_8431-72dpi.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493536643794496178" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwZjc73RopLl8tK5t_V4Y71LmLov4MJb97H9rqImFvUb2zdaEctBC3JyprddZaRUVWk-tdlPm0A-K4FeIDpo9Sf7TSuhCK1fITx-n3q1e9rJCywmSvnEXZS7H3MT8gwF2LqFLLc7ohSfc/s1600/IMG_8432-72dpi.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 249px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwZjc73RopLl8tK5t_V4Y71LmLov4MJb97H9rqImFvUb2zdaEctBC3JyprddZaRUVWk-tdlPm0A-K4FeIDpo9Sf7TSuhCK1fITx-n3q1e9rJCywmSvnEXZS7H3MT8gwF2LqFLLc7ohSfc/s400/IMG_8432-72dpi.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493536647748246066" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSzcXzIRN_kTDK2wJrqGcnNRRrIY6lsdCpWbruMj_keyIXU4aKTFEIdHgPbTKadUsXYXeAq4FxMFnqJfHUQaR8gtFuQqo6HMOhKNnNfYf9Zhh1vX1rUd1mymQZQNodhJue0q1mXezexeA/s1600/IMG_8434-72dpi.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 355px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSzcXzIRN_kTDK2wJrqGcnNRRrIY6lsdCpWbruMj_keyIXU4aKTFEIdHgPbTKadUsXYXeAq4FxMFnqJfHUQaR8gtFuQqo6HMOhKNnNfYf9Zhh1vX1rUd1mymQZQNodhJue0q1mXezexeA/s400/IMG_8434-72dpi.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493536649886488978" border="0" /></a><br />July 3 Sat<br /> Robin has decided the horses are getting along so well in the same pasture that she could lead the mare around the meadow with the geldings following. Not so easy; it turns out that the were competing for her and this was an opportunity to work things out, horse style. Kicking, charging each other and running wild. So, Robyn haltered Cassidy instead and lead him around. Not good. Red Cloud and the mare took off and were soon out of sight. Eventually they returned and calmed down. Back to the fenced pasture for them.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgglThlQqd5hZVOnftWp_1ECHNwzkyTA4cL2N18PkR9RJimRM-SIvvhyHM8ryP8qClZELcdOGUZKA3DLQXsMWIEDSgnpotM1U8GInVlholyyjXHG7Xuk-5dVCNwD0VavjtOdgstc8Mu23Q/s1600/IMG_8443-72dpi.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgglThlQqd5hZVOnftWp_1ECHNwzkyTA4cL2N18PkR9RJimRM-SIvvhyHM8ryP8qClZELcdOGUZKA3DLQXsMWIEDSgnpotM1U8GInVlholyyjXHG7Xuk-5dVCNwD0VavjtOdgstc8Mu23Q/s400/IMG_8443-72dpi.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493536660548137586" border="0" /></a><br />July 4 Sun<br /> Kick back day, Robyn went to Telluride to ride in the parade.<br /><br />July 5 Mon<br /> Mexican food in Montrose and 2 trips to Colona for more water.<br /> <br />July 6 Robin’s<br /> I replaced the 2 bolts that hold the exhaust pipe to the engine. I had been wondering why I was hearing clattering noise.<br />Today was another water fetching day and I made fish tacos for our dinner.<br />San Diego-style Fish Taco Sauce<br /> 1/2 Cup reduced fat sour cream (I bet Greek yogurt would be delicious as a substitute if you’re not a fan of sour cream)<br /> 1/2 Cup reduced fat mayonnaise (you can use full fat, but, the spices are so delicious, you won’t miss that particular flavor contribution)<br /> 1 lime, cut in half<br /> 1/2 Teaspoon cumin<br /> 1/2 Teaspoon ground coriander<br /> 1/2 Teaspoon dried dill weed<br /> 1/2 Teaspoon oregano<br /> 1/4 Teaspoon ground chipotle chili powder<br /> 1/2 Teaspoon capers, minced<br /> 1 hot pepper of your choice, seeded and minced<br /> 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped<br />In a small bowl, whisk the sour cream and mayonnaise until well blended.<br />Squeeze the juice from one lime half into the mixture, then whisk thoroughly. You’ll want the consistency of a pourable, creamy salad dressing. If still too thick, add more lime juice from the other half. If too runny, add sour cream.<br />Add all the spices, whisking to mix thoroughly. Add the capers, minced pepper and cilantro, and whisk thoroughly.<br />Cover the bowl with wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour — the longer the better.<br />Serve chilled. Spoon over tacos, or add into taco salads or rice bowls.<br /><br />Beer battered fish<br /><br />• Olive oil<br />• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, divided<br />• 2/3 cup beer<br />• 1 egg, lightly beaten<br />• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder<br />• 4 tilapia or flounder fillets, about 5 ounces each<br />• Salt<br />• Freshly ground black pepper<br /><br />Heat enough olive oil, to shallow fry the fish, in a large skillet over medium-high heat<br />In a shallow dish, whisk together 1/2 cup of the flour, beer, egg, and baking powder. Place remaining 1/4 cup flour in a separate shallow dish.<br />Season both sides of fish fillets with salt and black pepper. Dredge fish in flour, turn to coat both sides and then shake off excess flour. Dunk fish in beer mixture and turn to coat both sides.<br />Add fish to hot oil and cook 2 to 3 minutes per side, until cooked through and opaque. Remove fish from oil. Place on a paper towel lined plate.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO4kj8-5m743mu0PvdEwMTnbKcIgGTtuXf5ltEiLZLlc5nez3Pc_jK6DlJM1lIN_hQcBH6UoUUBuG34aMN1maSWMA9D69uRW00_llZefx2YUj4j3tyu7i2w0-y6Sm1Q8JAipdWprEzycU/s1600/IMG_8477-72dpi.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 333px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO4kj8-5m743mu0PvdEwMTnbKcIgGTtuXf5ltEiLZLlc5nez3Pc_jK6DlJM1lIN_hQcBH6UoUUBuG34aMN1maSWMA9D69uRW00_llZefx2YUj4j3tyu7i2w0-y6Sm1Q8JAipdWprEzycU/s400/IMG_8477-72dpi.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493536750628819394" border="0" /></a><br /><br />July 7 Wed Robin’s<br />I slept last night in Robin’s tipi and decided that I would sleep in one whenever I have the chance. I built a fire in the middle and stayed warm most of the night.<br /><br />July 9 Fri <br /> We went to Montrose to use the camera room of a photographer Robyn knows. I shot some of her collection of her dad’s prints so she can put them up on eBay and be a seller.<br /><br />July 10 Sat<br /> All day doing post production PhotoShop on the pictures from yesterday.rickclickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04772392142627673499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4515868664801155653.post-61260131213879789702010-06-13T10:57:00.000-07:002010-06-13T11:58:39.577-07:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTM8nJEpypnpQjVH3jzeWZNUBD1QdRX-vSxcBixBtAciufc05__jzRMaF1mkEWMqQsS9JFwgeJMYVej2v3N0SlUQWJRBlNralfwpb53o8SBXlKdhRN4e_feujoQ9S909vJKK_lHa-nX3E/s1600/Forks+Campground+Gila+River.jpg">
<br /></a>
<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvnsF5v-hW6FOjBolvzyurtW5mhfJq7uMkZQlG72ciAfxJ_9bLN2ZqUhyphenhyphenFbBhftXcGq6vKy5034lqQkM9O9utl3bdDuLmqzpFzRmblsqfnl3RSTLrfFEkdbu4an4iIbWOlvmPRxKfEX3A/s1600/Down+wind+-+ugh.jpg">
<br /></a>
<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdj-MbubMnB_v65_5QgjQmMzXEzQa_eMYIQLhhCUJhY6TXRsPxcVulIJo2ZsTS3xTV8xAhHY-SEwY5LALjmZfd_WXFd6oqLhGjlf8EI4X5Ts9bWYQF5zzcQGP2AM0L8VldrHcipFWTTZc/s1600/good+scoop+of+poop.JPG">
<br /></a>
<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_Y6tzLgF9ttPOcBNk6YoKWh10WpXLvHcfsgqdsCq32iTKu19e1LzFMmY4VUGRM3J4epIpCTc6n2dWMRyueQyGSxBXAm3lt2UU81FYSB5NMa06GJSBgQnDjJseMyrQSMAy2iXsrOEPqUM/s1600/Don't+you+hate+it+when+everyone+else+comes+to+the+party+with+the+same+earrings+as+you.jpg">
<br /></a>
<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPgjPrMa3rmxqIzA3rwP-PRvIaK0rB0cv5rUiVK73JOqTSmjbExHD67Sjmig8rCZnzao6v74m9Z0XFFO7y_DGSuC_7wFkU6ZOhN2VBhu8DCfgPSuUBfOXx8W1uJCXG9L86q6V9nEmGUuk/s1600/Dragoon,+AZ+-+Butterfield+Stage+Stop.jpg">
<br /></a>
<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6XuqzTdtsEUQyLfSg5vnZG8PC-GejQEZ-54P3Jj-ePu5aHd7dGE9vyQ97s_wEi4h-KdqL2sPq80X1VwMt_kfMUjhYIHLWkieoxApb5ycpceSvBSTlf2vdCkpm0SLGa9iSuBzo3IEKeHg/s1600/Dragoon+Rest+Stop+-+I-10.jpg">
<br /></a>
<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjGaUbSqLvUz1Nb1gxJvwxHg_utrrVlBv7_yUfd0R4qv_dQ6r7Q2dd7i7L8cbS0B0wQZ1ymUwLdgZkQvdcwf5N1RctTqFcbEqS14uLwn0Y2hjZu98PXbVa9rK_ZkRElkpNrRNG1-RQsf4/s1600/a+good+haul+at+the+gun+show.jpg">
<br /></a>
<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB9-kcG4IpqWq6CuTNy0NDlB_D2v0YAFiy6CDnasH93UwnVJMeKoE3Nq7KGiHzkRurgnoPNzNFoG8qLVuR1zO05vunrDBsfMv1pBdbPggQPlqZXnhgBExp3JahYrT8Y_L299BbTRTZZdo/s1600/Driving+to+the+Tucson+Gun+Show.jpg">
<br /></a>
<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW6u-1-EeCPn1QWkCHYksDMflmGt3EIxOSNP0zgrQ04AAflP6uVQJ9xtVk3J9H2kXtgqZFI_SZKJAkA7uUV7ZxvtR7WNeHsdBsE4cTMkbW00zw4xW81lfApZnexh4bwlD_Bjc7OgAM5k8/s1600/Goodbye+California,+hello+Arizona+I-8.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW6u-1-EeCPn1QWkCHYksDMflmGt3EIxOSNP0zgrQ04AAflP6uVQJ9xtVk3J9H2kXtgqZFI_SZKJAkA7uUV7ZxvtR7WNeHsdBsE4cTMkbW00zw4xW81lfApZnexh4bwlD_Bjc7OgAM5k8/s400/Goodbye+California,+hello+Arizona+I-8.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482324446727323490" border="0" /></a>
<br /><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CWINDOW%7E1%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="City"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="PlaceType"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="PlaceName"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="State"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="country-region"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="place"></o:smarttagtype><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:applybreakingrules/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:usefelayout/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]><object classid="clsid:38481807-CA0E-42D2-BF39-B33AF135CC4D" id="ieooui"></object> <style> st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } </style> <![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:SimSun; panose-1:2 1 6 0 3 1 1 1 1 1; mso-font-alt:宋体; mso-font-charset:134; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 135135232 16 0 262145 0;} @font-face {font-family:"\@SimSun"; panose-1:2 1 6 0 3 1 1 1 1 1; mso-font-charset:134; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 135135232 16 0 262145 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:SimSun;} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:116.65pt 1.0in 99.35pt 1.0in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-gutter-margin:.2in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><span style="font-size:16pt;">Back on Track <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Well, here I go again.<span style=""> </span>Not that I stopped going during this time; I’ve been busy with things I didn’t plan for when I left <st1:state><st1:place>California</st1:place></st1:state> at the end of February. <span style=""> </span>I drove back to Kay’s house and stayed over the weekend to get to see some of <st1:city><st1:place>Tucson</st1:place></st1:city>.<span style=""> </span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB9-kcG4IpqWq6CuTNy0NDlB_D2v0YAFiy6CDnasH93UwnVJMeKoE3Nq7KGiHzkRurgnoPNzNFoG8qLVuR1zO05vunrDBsfMv1pBdbPggQPlqZXnhgBExp3JahYrT8Y_L299BbTRTZZdo/s1600/Driving+to+the+Tucson+Gun+Show.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB9-kcG4IpqWq6CuTNy0NDlB_D2v0YAFiy6CDnasH93UwnVJMeKoE3Nq7KGiHzkRurgnoPNzNFoG8qLVuR1zO05vunrDBsfMv1pBdbPggQPlqZXnhgBExp3JahYrT8Y_L299BbTRTZZdo/s400/Driving+to+the+Tucson+Gun+Show.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482324453691779170" border="0" /></a>We went to a gun show with a friend of her’s who is a quadriplegic from a swimming accident.<span style=""> </span>He’s the poster child for not just lying down and staying drunk and sorry for himself.<span style=""> </span>Instead, he went back to college and became a vocational rehab counselor for disabled people. <span style=""> </span>We went to the gun show together in his special van.<span style=""> </span>He likes to target practice and managed to rig up some way to shoot guns recreationally.<span style=""> </span>This was my first gun show and I expected to see more camo than tie-dye.<span style=""> </span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjGaUbSqLvUz1Nb1gxJvwxHg_utrrVlBv7_yUfd0R4qv_dQ6r7Q2dd7i7L8cbS0B0wQZ1ymUwLdgZkQvdcwf5N1RctTqFcbEqS14uLwn0Y2hjZu98PXbVa9rK_ZkRElkpNrRNG1-RQsf4/s1600/a+good+haul+at+the+gun+show.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjGaUbSqLvUz1Nb1gxJvwxHg_utrrVlBv7_yUfd0R4qv_dQ6r7Q2dd7i7L8cbS0B0wQZ1ymUwLdgZkQvdcwf5N1RctTqFcbEqS14uLwn0Y2hjZu98PXbVa9rK_ZkRElkpNrRNG1-RQsf4/s400/a+good+haul+at+the+gun+show.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482324458214921634" border="0" /></a><span style=""> </span>There seemed to be a lot of frightened white guys who couldn’t get enough fire power to ever feel safe.<span style=""> </span><st1:state><st1:place>Arizona</st1:place></st1:state> is an open carry state like <st1:state><st1:place>New Mexico</st1:place></st1:state>, so I had seen plenty of side arms on hips here, but hardly anyone there could have gone through airport security. <span style=""> </span>Some were clearly over the top and appeared ready to be dropped behind enemy lines and kill their way back home.<span style=""> </span>I checked my usual smartass attitude at the door.<span style=""> </span>These guys looked serious.<span style=""> </span>I couldn’t buy a gun myself since I was out of state and would have to wait for a week.<span style=""> </span>Oh darn.<span style=""> </span>Maybe when I get back to <st1:state><st1:place>New Mexico</st1:place></st1:state> I’ll get four or five.<span style=""> </span>I can just show my driver’s license and walk out with as many as I want.<span style=""> </span>I’m thinking a fifteen round 12 gauge shotgun would look good slung over my back.<span style=""> </span>He he… <span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style=""> </span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPgjPrMa3rmxqIzA3rwP-PRvIaK0rB0cv5rUiVK73JOqTSmjbExHD67Sjmig8rCZnzao6v74m9Z0XFFO7y_DGSuC_7wFkU6ZOhN2VBhu8DCfgPSuUBfOXx8W1uJCXG9L86q6V9nEmGUuk/s1600/Dragoon,+AZ+-+Butterfield+Stage+Stop.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPgjPrMa3rmxqIzA3rwP-PRvIaK0rB0cv5rUiVK73JOqTSmjbExHD67Sjmig8rCZnzao6v74m9Z0XFFO7y_DGSuC_7wFkU6ZOhN2VBhu8DCfgPSuUBfOXx8W1uJCXG9L86q6V9nEmGUuk/s400/Dragoon,+AZ+-+Butterfield+Stage+Stop.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482324467214163362" border="0" /></a>On to TorC with a stop to look over Dragoon near the AZ/NM border.<span style=""> </span>Not much to it since the Butterfield stage coach came through about a hundred years ago.<span style=""> </span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6XuqzTdtsEUQyLfSg5vnZG8PC-GejQEZ-54P3Jj-ePu5aHd7dGE9vyQ97s_wEi4h-KdqL2sPq80X1VwMt_kfMUjhYIHLWkieoxApb5ycpceSvBSTlf2vdCkpm0SLGa9iSuBzo3IEKeHg/s1600/Dragoon+Rest+Stop+-+I-10.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6XuqzTdtsEUQyLfSg5vnZG8PC-GejQEZ-54P3Jj-ePu5aHd7dGE9vyQ97s_wEi4h-KdqL2sPq80X1VwMt_kfMUjhYIHLWkieoxApb5ycpceSvBSTlf2vdCkpm0SLGa9iSuBzo3IEKeHg/s400/Dragoon+Rest+Stop+-+I-10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482324463074436946" border="0" /></a><span style=""> </span>The rock formations look cool, though and in my typical fashion, I didn’t stay overnight and ride the motorcycle around.<span style=""> </span>I was still in the same pace as when I was working and running around with a busy schedule.<span style=""> </span>I hope I can slow down enough to sniff the rocks.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style=""> </span>Last January I bought a motorcycle in <st1:state><st1:place>Arkansas</st1:place></st1:state> from a guy on the TW200 forum, but had not really counted that into my route for Le Grande Trip up the coast and back down through the <st1:place>Rockies</st1:place>.<span style=""> </span>So here I am in Truth or Consequences about to start again.<span style=""> </span>When I came back here at the beginning of April, the New Mexico Professional Photographers convention was about to start, so I arranged with a couchsurfer in <st1:city><st1:place>Albuquerque</st1:place></st1:city> to stay there and attend it. <span style=""> </span>I had fun connecting with photographers I had not met.<span style=""> </span>They are all so nice, but that goes with the professional persona.<span style=""> </span>A convention of car repossessers might not have been the same; different people skills I suppose.<span style=""> </span>The event was at the Route 66 Hotel and Casino.<span style=""> </span>Although the lure of easy winnings never did get to me, I had some change in my pocket which I threw away in the parking lot. <span style=""> </span>I got more pleasure doing that than losing it in a slot and imagining someone thinking they had some lucky quarters that day.<span style=""> </span>I just don’t gamble; I’m such a poor loser that it’s no fun.<span style=""> </span>The couchsurfer I stayed with in <st1:city><st1:place>Albuquerque</st1:place></st1:city> is a retired Army General and his wife.<span style=""> </span>Yes, I was surprised that such a person would be hosting like that, but they turned out to be avid about it and have hosted hundreds of travelers.<span style=""> </span>He suggested that I contact the New Mexico Veterans Service rep in <st1:city><st1:place>Las Cruces</st1:place></st1:city> to see if I could get some benefits from the VA.<span style=""> </span>I was thinking Disability compensation for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and went through the process which entailed getting a diagnosis from a counselor at the <st1:place><st1:placename>Vets</st1:placename> <st1:placetype>Center</st1:placetype></st1:place>.<span style=""> </span>As it turned out, I didn’t have enough of a case for that, in fact, no case at all.<span style=""> </span>Everything I experienced in <st1:country-region><st1:place>Viet Nam</st1:place></st1:country-region> was merely stress and not trauma.<span style=""> </span>Besides, with the Army having no record of anything that happened other than that I repaired radios, as far as the VA is concerned that’s all there was to it.<span style=""> </span>I felt so much better knowing at last that my military experience was merely Fun, Travel and Adventure.<span style=""> </span>It did turn out, however, that I qualify for some VA Pension money to supplement my Social Security and that was welcome news.<span style=""> </span>Paperwork is done and I’ll wait and see.<span style=""> </span>Every bit helps.<span style=""> </span>I can also get treatment for depression at the Vets Centers wherever I go, so I’ll start with that in a couple weeks.<span style=""> </span>(turns out I didn’t)<span style=""> </span>I’ve been taking meds for that for years and never had much talk therapy.<span style=""> </span>Sure, I know one should be self-validating and go forth with assurance.<span style=""> </span>Even though that looks good on paper it just could be helpful to talk things over with a skilled counselor.<span style=""> </span>So, back to the motorcycle in <st1:state><st1:place>Arkansas</st1:place></st1:state>…<span style=""> </span>I’ll be selling the TW200 I already have to pay for the one from AR and I should be only around $500 short on the deal, but the new one (2003) will have all the modifications I wanted to make on the old one (2007).<span style=""> </span>Win, win.<span style=""> </span>I was intending to take the train to <st1:city><st1:place>Little Rock</st1:place></st1:city> to pick up the bike and ride it back to <st1:state><st1:place>New Mexico</st1:place></st1:state>, but I decided to drive the pickup there and haul it back.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTM8nJEpypnpQjVH3jzeWZNUBD1QdRX-vSxcBixBtAciufc05__jzRMaF1mkEWMqQsS9JFwgeJMYVej2v3N0SlUQWJRBlNralfwpb53o8SBXlKdhRN4e_feujoQ9S909vJKK_lHa-nX3E/s1600/Forks+Campground+Gila+River.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTM8nJEpypnpQjVH3jzeWZNUBD1QdRX-vSxcBixBtAciufc05__jzRMaF1mkEWMqQsS9JFwgeJMYVej2v3N0SlUQWJRBlNralfwpb53o8SBXlKdhRN4e_feujoQ9S909vJKK_lHa-nX3E/s400/Forks+Campground+Gila+River.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482331230125948946" border="0" /></a><span style=""> </span>I have it now and went on my first trip with it from Caballo, NM to Gila Cliff Dwelling National Monument for an 80 mile ride through twisty mountain roads, camped overnight next to the Gila River in a Forest Service campground and came back the following day.<span style=""> </span>What fun!<span style=""> </span>I can imagine traveling like that for, hmm… weeks, or months.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=""> </span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_Y6tzLgF9ttPOcBNk6YoKWh10WpXLvHcfsgqdsCq32iTKu19e1LzFMmY4VUGRM3J4epIpCTc6n2dWMRyueQyGSxBXAm3lt2UU81FYSB5NMa06GJSBgQnDjJseMyrQSMAy2iXsrOEPqUM/s1600/Don't+you+hate+it+when+everyone+else+comes+to+the+party+with+the+same+earrings+as+you.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_Y6tzLgF9ttPOcBNk6YoKWh10WpXLvHcfsgqdsCq32iTKu19e1LzFMmY4VUGRM3J4epIpCTc6n2dWMRyueQyGSxBXAm3lt2UU81FYSB5NMa06GJSBgQnDjJseMyrQSMAy2iXsrOEPqUM/s400/Don't+you+hate+it+when+everyone+else+comes+to+the+party+with+the+same+earrings+as+you.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482331207322750562" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdj-MbubMnB_v65_5QgjQmMzXEzQa_eMYIQLhhCUJhY6TXRsPxcVulIJo2ZsTS3xTV8xAhHY-SEwY5LALjmZfd_WXFd6oqLhGjlf8EI4X5Ts9bWYQF5zzcQGP2AM0L8VldrHcipFWTTZc/s1600/good+scoop+of+poop.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdj-MbubMnB_v65_5QgjQmMzXEzQa_eMYIQLhhCUJhY6TXRsPxcVulIJo2ZsTS3xTV8xAhHY-SEwY5LALjmZfd_WXFd6oqLhGjlf8EI4X5Ts9bWYQF5zzcQGP2AM0L8VldrHcipFWTTZc/s400/good+scoop+of+poop.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482331209777314754" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvnsF5v-hW6FOjBolvzyurtW5mhfJq7uMkZQlG72ciAfxJ_9bLN2ZqUhyphenhyphenFbBhftXcGq6vKy5034lqQkM9O9utl3bdDuLmqzpFzRmblsqfnl3RSTLrfFEkdbu4an4iIbWOlvmPRxKfEX3A/s1600/Down+wind+-+ugh.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvnsF5v-hW6FOjBolvzyurtW5mhfJq7uMkZQlG72ciAfxJ_9bLN2ZqUhyphenhyphenFbBhftXcGq6vKy5034lqQkM9O9utl3bdDuLmqzpFzRmblsqfnl3RSTLrfFEkdbu4an4iIbWOlvmPRxKfEX3A/s400/Down+wind+-+ugh.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482331219647135042" border="0" /></a>Back at my cousin’s in time to go the local dairy for a trailer load of manure.<span style=""> </span>Always a festive event, just the first part of the process of spreading it in the garden, wrestling with the rototiller, laying drip lines and planting.<span style=""> </span>I like being able to help her with the heavy lifting like that.<span style=""> </span>Weeds are a constant battle here and I do what I can, but she still has to hire guys to muscle them out.<span style=""> </span>An acre is just too much.<span style=""> </span>My most hated weeds are the goat heads… grrr.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=""> </span>Last week my acupuncturist, Marie, suggested I visit her uncle who is a Navajo medicine man for a Cedar Ceremony in his home on the Reservation near <st1:city><st1:place>Gallup</st1:place></st1:city>.<span style=""> </span>This is one of the practices of the Native American Church and wow, is it potent.<span style=""> </span>You just have to try it.<span style=""> </span>I was able to shed emotional crap I’ve been carrying around since birth and lots after that, too.<span style=""> </span>I stayed and participated in a Vision Quest ceremony for four men.<span style=""> </span>I was allowed to be in the sweat lodge, sharing prayers and then was the Fire Tender for the next four days.<span style=""> </span>Not too much can be said about all this since that can interfere with the process.<span style=""> </span>Sorry, you’ll have to do it yourself.<span style=""> </span>I was able to hang out with these great people during this time and we got to know each other; camping out, talking and just relaxing.<span style=""> </span>Not depressed now, just happy. <span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=""> </span>I drove back to Caballo to finish preparations at my cousin’s for my trip on the motorcycle.<span style=""> </span>The plan is to ride to <st1:place><st1:placename>Glacier</st1:placename> <st1:placetype>National Park</st1:placetype></st1:place> in <st1:state><st1:place>Montana</st1:place></st1:state>, camping and seeing parklands along the way.<span style=""> </span>I have until fall to do the trip and figure out where else to go.<span style=""> </span>I may change plans a dozen times along the way; I never know what will be happening next.<span style=""> </span>I’ve stopped trying to predict anything. <span style=""> </span>Here’s the link for my journey on Google Maps:</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:10pt;" >http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=caballo,+nm&daddr=El+Malpais+National+Monument,+Grants,+New+Mexico+87020,+United+States,+87020+(El+Malpais+National+Monument)+to:1808+Road+7950,+Nageezi,+NM+87037+(Chaco+Culture+National+Historic)+to:Monument+Valley+State+Park,+Mexican+Hat,+UT+to:Canyonlands+National+Park,+Moab,+Utah+84532+(Canyonlands+Ranger+Station)+to:Arches+National+Park,+Moab,+Utah+84532,+United+States,+84532+(Arches+National+Park)+to:Colorado+National+Monument,+Grand+Junction,+CO+to:Dinosaur,+Dinosaur+National+Monument,+CO+to:Grand+Teton+National+Park+to:Yellowstone+National+Park,+Wyoming+82190,+United+States,+82190+(Yellowstone+National+Park)+to:Glacier+National+Park,+Polebridge,+Montana+59928,+United+States,+59936+(Glacier+National+Park)&geocode=FQsr9wEd5Zya-SnhtExRVnLfhjFVs2dTWMka9g%3BFSa_FAIdxWSQ-SFUgSlp8cQVQA%3BFdfCJwId1E-U-SEINvOoJEdNjA%3BFe15NQIdaNFu-SEk_Rh4Gw-fAA%3BFXdnRgIdg2J1-SF8Gi71wdBrcw%3BFbnlTgIdwLR3-SH4rLo2SJCG6Q%3BFfnwUwId41uF-SmFDlFvwANHhzEN3A4GAq-v5g%3BFRNmZwIdtROI-SlVNyCPwftEhzG-cHyVLcGkkw%3BFTDhnQId7Lpn-SFllmKtaoonmw%3BFZ7bqAIdHQ5q-SFvGhyoAVyCAA%3BFXLX5QIdRqc2-SE-ELsbS6_Icw&hl=en&mra=ls&dirflg=d&sll=37.701207,-108.237305&sspn=7.976178,14.128418&ie=UTF8&ll=34.514478,-108.300476&spn=0.519385,0.883026&t=h&z=10<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:10pt;" ><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:10pt;" >If the route shows me taking any interstates, go to “show options” and click “avoid highways”<span style=""> </span>Give me a holler if you think of anything interesting along the way or if we might meet up somewhere. </span><span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></p> rickclickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04772392142627673499noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4515868664801155653.post-57688601425686023082010-03-17T15:14:00.001-07:002010-03-17T15:49:28.097-07:00going back to Truth or Consequences?Clark dry lake in Anza Borrego. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3heVASIlvdUSsIMseyPkxishdroK0eUd5J0zhKTpGWRnSZ3wXtfkCxbv1ClqSwWsyztEzianPdbl43NBOTuXBjlpI5bmHG-xtMOQHCpbK3B_pJ2MBY3kEhnL-yCZs3orjOedh5rn2iiI/s1600-h/P3110017.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5449733751173300962" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3heVASIlvdUSsIMseyPkxishdroK0eUd5J0zhKTpGWRnSZ3wXtfkCxbv1ClqSwWsyztEzianPdbl43NBOTuXBjlpI5bmHG-xtMOQHCpbK3B_pJ2MBY3kEhnL-yCZs3orjOedh5rn2iiI/s400/P3110017.JPG" border="0" /></a> <div>In a week, I'll mosey back toward Truth of Consequences just for a few weeks to go to a medical appt mid April in Albuquerque and then to Arkansas to pick up another TW200 I bought to replace the one I have. Nothing wrong with mine, but the new one has all the modifications I want for traveling. I'll have proper racks and bags, upgraded everything. I'll be able to go fast enough to keep up with traffic and not worry about my stuff falling off. I've been here in Salton Sea for about a month and feel it's time to get out and see more. </div><br /><div> </div><div> </div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGBjfFdVQqURvVmNjphIW4-_GBoCcuPv8yRejvou0YtolABQsvsSDWkKhO0V7cXLH7kwygJ60XO65j5Iq1XhNZoPv-7KYlzr0J6HjqIQMDuB_-s4uqHs3sz8PMbFBaBrRwVwmybHVi79c/s1600-h/P3050005.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5449733738957273634" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGBjfFdVQqURvVmNjphIW4-_GBoCcuPv8yRejvou0YtolABQsvsSDWkKhO0V7cXLH7kwygJ60XO65j5Iq1XhNZoPv-7KYlzr0J6HjqIQMDuB_-s4uqHs3sz8PMbFBaBrRwVwmybHVi79c/s400/P3050005.JPG" border="0" /></a> I've packed the TW for bare bones camping. That means no internet connection and not much else either. I hope to do most of my traveling like this and back to the truck to resupply. I have a week's stuff with me and I'll see how that goes. I'll be in the Borrego Badlands and roam around as my whims take me. There won't be much to camping, only a tent, pad and sleeping bag. My time will be spent riding around. I feel like this is the trip I really came to be on and it's now starting. I'm not one to piss and moan about my physical issues, suffice it to say that I finally feel ready to take this on.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVf-xeuNU9T116I59QMYiUbmgJUCMEQNLTCCsSB9GLWUg4HawxtMD6lRQPOYorNz6HQ-wIAoZm0V5ykfvBcYXQps_9WlOHiXL-PA4IGeWCb02Ka79CP5n0UDk1yYWLAiLjH1t2_Y0RjqQ/s1600-h/P3050004.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5449733730625202658" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVf-xeuNU9T116I59QMYiUbmgJUCMEQNLTCCsSB9GLWUg4HawxtMD6lRQPOYorNz6HQ-wIAoZm0V5ykfvBcYXQps_9WlOHiXL-PA4IGeWCb02Ka79CP5n0UDk1yYWLAiLjH1t2_Y0RjqQ/s400/P3050004.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /></div></div>rickclickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04772392142627673499noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4515868664801155653.post-2705701307402536232010-03-03T13:24:00.000-08:002010-03-03T14:49:57.010-08:00San Diego and back to SaltonRode the TW from Salton to Lakeside to be a tourist for a few days in San Diego with Kellie. That's her on the left and her friend D who's family has guest passes to all things museum. We got an assortment and headed to the harbor to see the Midway aircraft carrier.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf7v5GLVtPsAVJsgy6Oob37z4vYr-7MI-wnA3UBBj4tifkW3MiqL5TwPNcu__iLvkcrIiBqoiKLmGE2Q4pYXxyqBLIqZF6CAzApAZtY17rj3YHeP2bm3qUQ3GJc1reGpkf2GHeGE5Z8d0/s1600-h/P2260007Kellie_Robin72.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444528821350857266" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 251px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf7v5GLVtPsAVJsgy6Oob37z4vYr-7MI-wnA3UBBj4tifkW3MiqL5TwPNcu__iLvkcrIiBqoiKLmGE2Q4pYXxyqBLIqZF6CAzApAZtY17rj3YHeP2bm3qUQ3GJc1reGpkf2GHeGE5Z8d0/s400/P2260007Kellie_Robin72.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg1xMWdbZ3hXeuCSqtd-nfph9v_iZJdTbijXLow2baJG_f7xrY5JvL8WquI2jGbvvwW6DN0asLsfXMNdIWImk0mo0u48_XNtbzhqRmbzNp-uardSejtzqBzPpLHBdkWlvCEbScgqDBij8/s1600-h/P2260008Robin_glass72.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444528829644317074" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 362px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg1xMWdbZ3hXeuCSqtd-nfph9v_iZJdTbijXLow2baJG_f7xrY5JvL8WquI2jGbvvwW6DN0asLsfXMNdIWImk0mo0u48_XNtbzhqRmbzNp-uardSejtzqBzPpLHBdkWlvCEbScgqDBij8/s400/P2260008Robin_glass72.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><br /><div><div><br /><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><br /><div>D's whole family is artistic and their house is loaded with interesting stuff like this stained glass.<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvHSKFQdOGdKjHi9xkKjYL8ibZhjst4b648ia37gVE7tIbzJ5m_TwD0oy5-9JsTG4Yx4WEJbbsWHcicaaNNTonnoPg-BxyCFIo6SGDGjb4dCWlHOdkawz4_UOxX_88-Vz1OthXQbLAo20/s1600-h/P2270021welcome_aboard72.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444528838250111634" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvHSKFQdOGdKjHi9xkKjYL8ibZhjst4b648ia37gVE7tIbzJ5m_TwD0oy5-9JsTG4Yx4WEJbbsWHcicaaNNTonnoPg-BxyCFIo6SGDGjb4dCWlHOdkawz4_UOxX_88-Vz1OthXQbLAo20/s400/P2270021welcome_aboard72.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div><div>Welcomed aboard<br /><br /><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><br /></div><div><br /></div><div></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkO2LFkS43w50SQYwD7dTqz28GbVUTQd8Cxy4KKY3ptx5Qiy8CiHWbJA7CCOw6asGzsVoj_KuHKe9pkBzx67ohkdB3OYDUQSWPQPFFYqYcxBthUuSK5GQ9XkD2Dq9w9-hDhk5HVelPgbE/s1600-h/P2270030Corsair72.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444528840458173906" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkO2LFkS43w50SQYwD7dTqz28GbVUTQd8Cxy4KKY3ptx5Qiy8CiHWbJA7CCOw6asGzsVoj_KuHKe9pkBzx67ohkdB3OYDUQSWPQPFFYqYcxBthUuSK5GQ9XkD2Dq9w9-hDhk5HVelPgbE/s400/P2270030Corsair72.jpg" border="0" /></a> Corsair<br /><br /><br /></div><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHIe68LYKr1Tw_qWVi84YNGBqyGOxXKGAqfMjxZuq6E-NxUgxEQyKiXplDBtuDCfVWtr7zE6p61Xu2hFB1KHGkA2jv_tyiGWFoQ5wFK0CRlm3dE9o1L4Dc5nZx_8HSWGHp6ciWSxtakZA/s1600-h/P2270040deck72.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444528852974900354" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHIe68LYKr1Tw_qWVi84YNGBqyGOxXKGAqfMjxZuq6E-NxUgxEQyKiXplDBtuDCfVWtr7zE6p61Xu2hFB1KHGkA2jv_tyiGWFoQ5wFK0CRlm3dE9o1L4Dc5nZx_8HSWGHp6ciWSxtakZA/s400/P2270040deck72.jpg" border="0" /></a></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9tm1AnPXGyYSRp48vBgHXeEBEwBeW_oKeRiQVFwWI-zqi69idC5h5Q2bTMyP0hkrlhKgwcMXNQo8WE2Rm_0SYqYQ46UsSvfS-Whb7WybRAEyK_qJRtDvP8ucqVk3OX7j1bLSmg5qU1lg/s1600-h/P2270057_A-6_Intruder72.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444533259019504802" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9tm1AnPXGyYSRp48vBgHXeEBEwBeW_oKeRiQVFwWI-zqi69idC5h5Q2bTMyP0hkrlhKgwcMXNQo8WE2Rm_0SYqYQ46UsSvfS-Whb7WybRAEyK_qJRtDvP8ucqVk3OX7j1bLSmg5qU1lg/s400/P2270057_A-6_Intruder72.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieN2Y0pHboQWwS7-zQdRxe9Er0QaAvrjOsGzBjH9PRXMsmBtYnhKEChSsIfCNo6l38TXhJ_w_6Zo-nEQfYkE3auwhQ4QRPHE89oX2tqrONTrZdCgbT96UPs9-8dAOGrHGr6IemihKpvj4/s1600-h/P2270052_A-7_Corsair_II72.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444533246600316130" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 267px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieN2Y0pHboQWwS7-zQdRxe9Er0QaAvrjOsGzBjH9PRXMsmBtYnhKEChSsIfCNo6l38TXhJ_w_6Zo-nEQfYkE3auwhQ4QRPHE89oX2tqrONTrZdCgbT96UPs9-8dAOGrHGr6IemihKpvj4/s400/P2270052_A-7_Corsair_II72.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div><div></div><div></div><div>On over to the Prado in Balboa Park. I feel so at home here; we lived nearby when I was in grammar school and the park was my playground.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuH3a_lgUuzcMZNZ3RMsgPPnE1a1Lnc2O9AJXMPAvMMuw-KP7QHlI0hCVFHF1jw9whL2X8nkDClxBR5GUzow9oeUd3G5-X07YSg6ENeRD4QGDrhyltiKJrr7N7Qysj_E2_UlSH9nE6YfU/s1600-h/P2270079_Arts_Museum_72.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444535283965815266" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 303px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuH3a_lgUuzcMZNZ3RMsgPPnE1a1Lnc2O9AJXMPAvMMuw-KP7QHlI0hCVFHF1jw9whL2X8nkDClxBR5GUzow9oeUd3G5-X07YSg6ENeRD4QGDrhyltiKJrr7N7Qysj_E2_UlSH9nE6YfU/s400/P2270079_Arts_Museum_72.jpg" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT7bRd22UQpPGd4l8SU7AoDqoq6k4m4nfasWPzPOCL_cpIFgzFdPhHqOkjKdduKKAQCNWnqpaW0PKxaUhcLhDKU6ehc-hqN6UpchnoaYb3d4IB5YTgR9BdYHYISdX0M3WAx3GzIZUeQz4/s1600-h/P2270089_Arbiritum_thru_colonade_72.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444536296191444866" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 484px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 388px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT7bRd22UQpPGd4l8SU7AoDqoq6k4m4nfasWPzPOCL_cpIFgzFdPhHqOkjKdduKKAQCNWnqpaW0PKxaUhcLhDKU6ehc-hqN6UpchnoaYb3d4IB5YTgR9BdYHYISdX0M3WAx3GzIZUeQz4/s400/P2270089_Arbiritum_thru_colonade_72.jpg" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk5IQkgk1s2v0BDwEc_qV20zHDgjeYVyy_GlDqI9LqoWnqiESJfrA_Z08V_2Vv8s1yqdNxMIlIHr5gHVDtSkzw6DTY7f2ZMFALnPzOHsxUX-Nuh-4m8670WFpmOTaVoxSoOjA0hJBTZG0/s1600-h/P2270083_Art_Museum_72.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444535289753925186" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 286px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk5IQkgk1s2v0BDwEc_qV20zHDgjeYVyy_GlDqI9LqoWnqiESJfrA_Z08V_2Vv8s1yqdNxMIlIHr5gHVDtSkzw6DTY7f2ZMFALnPzOHsxUX-Nuh-4m8670WFpmOTaVoxSoOjA0hJBTZG0/s400/P2270083_Art_Museum_72.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfmtwWt5EK57Qi4CZBm8tSu_OkZwBpF83ZWGMOLpymHwPJdNeHVqvshWSHl4bXz2Myb-5uKlV7qMOVD5nZxwbcjfv8Y95NTJvGImCx5LDd0nNywouVkxz3N6qq8hD-QCCpM_OPycT4plg/s1600-h/P2270093_Koi_72.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444536308257048418" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfmtwWt5EK57Qi4CZBm8tSu_OkZwBpF83ZWGMOLpymHwPJdNeHVqvshWSHl4bXz2Myb-5uKlV7qMOVD5nZxwbcjfv8Y95NTJvGImCx5LDd0nNywouVkxz3N6qq8hD-QCCpM_OPycT4plg/s400/P2270093_Koi_72.jpg" border="0" /></a></div><div></div></div><div></div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG63IkTo1Er7pA40EZZccH7GURj1ZazlPNy55MQLD_Ut1RkEOD9aGhTADCdqKb6WhFD5JClGt1GPMn9003Attsx2kUbz7JrcI71lOJkxJcSmagRIt90VpzJNAOpNryIQYmYWIN89OGHFw/s1600-h/P2270091_Arboritum_at_closing_4pm_72.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444536306823132722" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG63IkTo1Er7pA40EZZccH7GURj1ZazlPNy55MQLD_Ut1RkEOD9aGhTADCdqKb6WhFD5JClGt1GPMn9003Attsx2kUbz7JrcI71lOJkxJcSmagRIt90VpzJNAOpNryIQYmYWIN89OGHFw/s400/P2270091_Arboritum_at_closing_4pm_72.jpg" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHgV9OfcQR9vm38qoJaurTPkkVpn4Yu-gOVMrBhFB6Dc9bB9JMYCRhsBIsN2WrOxpK67N2XgDvLeSnNz_rpk-qjYrSP9-tFLs6m5qznPKAsFHyQ0-KBnWvp5RY5uGb_tbAQnpYQyVE3II/s1600-h/P2270085_Dragon_72.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444535295111851954" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHgV9OfcQR9vm38qoJaurTPkkVpn4Yu-gOVMrBhFB6Dc9bB9JMYCRhsBIsN2WrOxpK67N2XgDvLeSnNz_rpk-qjYrSP9-tFLs6m5qznPKAsFHyQ0-KBnWvp5RY5uGb_tbAQnpYQyVE3II/s400/P2270085_Dragon_72.jpg" border="0" /></a><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444540410941130706" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 122px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYbBg7ttvSJDlsshP-c35B6Dc5m84Uc7OVzEzOQ_RX6yGkBzeCvFgUwjyAyGMespsjWstPltxlrq06ImYDW1Bk9k8eCU-YJgg4xl8bqv8pLTWztm1aKWT_vVSWpzatG521oa0PLoI5jSc/s400/P2280099_Salton_basin_72.jpg" border="0" /></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div>and back to Salton on Sunday. Great fun on curvy roads.</div><div>*************************************************************************************<br /><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">HANGING AROUND SALTON CITY</span></strong><br /><br />The powerline road was easy to follow, but I started getting thirsty<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFCM-u6tsS3pA-ZwjFSaI2VxdXkGpOJbBMpNxL9YRcMYiDJy3LMULy-TDCyF6QU9a2dqjQKoT5ntnctFD0eTEi3-m7EnfxyrzBbvv9dgjNhkkxmz6xjyi3gj8wVStQxa7ME1-kOoeX8KE/s1600-h/P2240002Powerline_Road72.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444523504113134242" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFCM-u6tsS3pA-ZwjFSaI2VxdXkGpOJbBMpNxL9YRcMYiDJy3LMULy-TDCyF6QU9a2dqjQKoT5ntnctFD0eTEi3-m7EnfxyrzBbvv9dgjNhkkxmz6xjyi3gj8wVStQxa7ME1-kOoeX8KE/s400/P2240002Powerline_Road72.jpg" border="0" /></a>.<br /><br /><br /></div><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> </div><div>Back at the center of town (an intersection) the Alamo Resturant had the solution.<br /><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-OwHf7hMORCwmKantcKu8s77tDGkXWmSFCd946x6lWQnjHTVw6Jz7KV5zb8svddSOFWbFCdsmXM21o3WsIfgsE3zSdYbh1Rv3jRVlXyci-MqiZpzjomj5D8Iezhjly5aa84VneApnhq0/s1600-h/P2180005TwoTacos72.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444522827711716642" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 267px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-OwHf7hMORCwmKantcKu8s77tDGkXWmSFCd946x6lWQnjHTVw6Jz7KV5zb8svddSOFWbFCdsmXM21o3WsIfgsE3zSdYbh1Rv3jRVlXyci-MqiZpzjomj5D8Iezhjly5aa84VneApnhq0/s400/P2180005TwoTacos72.jpg" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgOLqz4ltJ_acdQo-NrBpYoua3KtL4akgi3fz2KzsnRZpZ944GF75iUQ6qV0COepTRUEWaGIyg_jlKLws9_ROn5ZMxLLo-uCF_hySwoE5betRVTsYA480McoS4VLqkdBRl79c9F8OuTxQ/s1600-h/P2240001SaltonLibraryPD72.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444522854125824274" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgOLqz4ltJ_acdQo-NrBpYoua3KtL4akgi3fz2KzsnRZpZ944GF75iUQ6qV0COepTRUEWaGIyg_jlKLws9_ROn5ZMxLLo-uCF_hySwoE5betRVTsYA480McoS4VLqkdBRl79c9F8OuTxQ/s400/P2240001SaltonLibraryPD72.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br />The rest of the town civic area. This is only half of the municipal building and one of the rooms is the library open twice a week. This is where I've been blogging.</div><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> </div><div>The marina never did sell out after the big fish die off. Someone must still be watching for the fish to come back.</div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHzNKaj_Zapo0b4Z6BvzAjZtPEqIa2Lp-jagTJ_26PJBRMobbISJ_t9Tc0-WBZ6XjjxNWOICVrKaUksmiKegux0muKK1vBWSRsQEbZXboQL8-Nk5DJaRLKLezvGBHguBjj28rGD4Nu_lU/s1600-h/P2250005SaltonDeckView72.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444523514725519138" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHzNKaj_Zapo0b4Z6BvzAjZtPEqIa2Lp-jagTJ_26PJBRMobbISJ_t9Tc0-WBZ6XjjxNWOICVrKaUksmiKegux0muKK1vBWSRsQEbZXboQL8-Nk5DJaRLKLezvGBHguBjj28rGD4Nu_lU/s400/P2250005SaltonDeckView72.jpg" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnpKwYch1RzeX1lkMOHghjXyFGagirnJ_JmL34IPHTsy_TbZF8xq34jfnRU1zvuxAPHQ5ZADBkqF5nK6E87WJe2a7Abv4b8bx03vnyuy3aD1bYpkTfGTXQJeecioPLMuJOAZnyp9L43Xw/s1600-h/P2200019SaltonFish72.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444522847911280930" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnpKwYch1RzeX1lkMOHghjXyFGagirnJ_JmL34IPHTsy_TbZF8xq34jfnRU1zvuxAPHQ5ZADBkqF5nK6E87WJe2a7Abv4b8bx03vnyuy3aD1bYpkTfGTXQJeecioPLMuJOAZnyp9L43Xw/s400/P2200019SaltonFish72.jpg" border="0" /></a> The beaches are made up of bones and shells.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibuYc8DpeCmFnLFkh-tDwAjIlDSBm_P_VoQJY9Q3BdHZbnI3nxxC_j1bb0kLQYYJvO3nBWqCMULNZx3YbNZ73tNSI4k2P78daFiXWF0JwCNeTqiTBEBzxrCgDnS39iZM3gccZ7OWEs4ww/s1600-h/P2200015Salton72.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444522841929095186" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibuYc8DpeCmFnLFkh-tDwAjIlDSBm_P_VoQJY9Q3BdHZbnI3nxxC_j1bb0kLQYYJvO3nBWqCMULNZx3YbNZ73tNSI4k2P78daFiXWF0JwCNeTqiTBEBzxrCgDnS39iZM3gccZ7OWEs4ww/s400/P2200015Salton72.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />No sand, just bones.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3kjBypur9XJags4kDxjolJRvHg8vnh0vJSIq0MO79V1LJGyJ5uL0Mm8WsESy8slX2eusWT-VCtZiTsMGybvHbHYgG94P3FmYJV1aEaSR4jvhW7Vb8Y_Wqk5QON7277u09cXz_XxyyBPM/s1600-h/P2200008ThereseSuzanneSalton72.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444522834450393234" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 267px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3kjBypur9XJags4kDxjolJRvHg8vnh0vJSIq0MO79V1LJGyJ5uL0Mm8WsESy8slX2eusWT-VCtZiTsMGybvHbHYgG94P3FmYJV1aEaSR4jvhW7Vb8Y_Wqk5QON7277u09cXz_XxyyBPM/s400/P2200008ThereseSuzanneSalton72.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br />Abandoned RV park with Therese and Suzanne. We rode there on quads.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><div> </div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>rickclickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04772392142627673499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4515868664801155653.post-67835553581023433342010-02-22T10:52:00.000-08:002010-02-22T11:18:08.498-08:00Didn't Figure out how to edit previous post and add pixBacking up in time here. Couldn't do all this seamlessly from the beginning.<br /><br /><div><div><div><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjO1H-glUcPv094xTENdMF6z8dVNEMPF6xaeQTLVtDkcxL-41sHWCxc8_vYmx4XvuhkUesHdAIfGYWmizcCVTfIuU5K3YDXxChZeEPuqlnOUfHDv0lmp4lj_H5CGvfsXWx-Bm4vhICd1U/s1600-h/P130003772.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441143969688498290" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjO1H-glUcPv094xTENdMF6z8dVNEMPF6xaeQTLVtDkcxL-41sHWCxc8_vYmx4XvuhkUesHdAIfGYWmizcCVTfIuU5K3YDXxChZeEPuqlnOUfHDv0lmp4lj_H5CGvfsXWx-Bm4vhICd1U/s400/P130003772.jpg" border="0" /></a> So here's the pictures from the group ride in Tucson<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9x9IEfQmpS299i4oG-_sfvVFo99NsqAap_4HMJfmLgOmRnWL1bbMDDJbqEj10K8QVWd3juplQtK9TgDSI_bOmpRgT9ywy9PmZBhsJMZk3XL4zqa6N7lKlHzt1M7vsOyC9ELMyUDOf5-o/s1600-h/P130003672.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441143964618154498" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9x9IEfQmpS299i4oG-_sfvVFo99NsqAap_4HMJfmLgOmRnWL1bbMDDJbqEj10K8QVWd3juplQtK9TgDSI_bOmpRgT9ywy9PmZBhsJMZk3XL4zqa6N7lKlHzt1M7vsOyC9ELMyUDOf5-o/s400/P130003672.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr05cKVEcSVGHWNQxj51QBT_AwgK7NRzgF0zQg9qfqnGnUc0jMlDC2O7WdltE28Mls5Ug1eZ2KRpIqIaBZsBOIUiHCRAOYgjNfLQN0Hu0Lj2MUBsVuEMZ_7fUaMhyHWqno_zVRRfSnc0g/s1600-h/P130003172.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441143957412924530" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr05cKVEcSVGHWNQxj51QBT_AwgK7NRzgF0zQg9qfqnGnUc0jMlDC2O7WdltE28Mls5Ug1eZ2KRpIqIaBZsBOIUiHCRAOYgjNfLQN0Hu0Lj2MUBsVuEMZ_7fUaMhyHWqno_zVRRfSnc0g/s400/P130003172.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-87tK6n_ZuTyJaUfZKl3atTPIkvjTQ9Y8B420ob6om2V-EEQwO2Oyfo4RB1juu8Rb1GNblS-eTsej8gAKD-vM0wUJKkox1SkyHtau1Pw3sFt0MJKsZ6FNDk-NR194Ma9SE7fSuWy7XlQ/s1600-h/IMG_7914a72.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441143949444317362" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 267px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-87tK6n_ZuTyJaUfZKl3atTPIkvjTQ9Y8B420ob6om2V-EEQwO2Oyfo4RB1juu8Rb1GNblS-eTsej8gAKD-vM0wUJKkox1SkyHtau1Pw3sFt0MJKsZ6FNDk-NR194Ma9SE7fSuWy7XlQ/s400/IMG_7914a72.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Kay's cat who name I forgot. Sorry cat.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwQ0tXb_G6MfzVgvM5hBkti_5zhVU4xhwlo5F_kv923khl1AaOJfTmwB-i3fpP1AxK2Zn_f8A8u9aWm98-MUMW5YGEWx3JR2CdwR9Q8dvHmcpo6_ZQseWuob4SufrfD2hBw95mC5iQyrk/s1600-h/IMG_7907a72.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441143934070793458" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwQ0tXb_G6MfzVgvM5hBkti_5zhVU4xhwlo5F_kv923khl1AaOJfTmwB-i3fpP1AxK2Zn_f8A8u9aWm98-MUMW5YGEWx3JR2CdwR9Q8dvHmcpo6_ZQseWuob4SufrfD2hBw95mC5iQyrk/s400/IMG_7907a72.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div><div></div><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div><div></div><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div><div>Kay's friend Samuel, no doubt he is thinking about geocaching.</div><div><br /><br /><br /><br /></div><div></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Pn5r-Yn-RXRD2kNnucMV-mMM5ozB9Ey6je6WcpJMl7BB0J5jL7hyphenhyphenhNS2PbvVC6rLC3KATN_F5wrxbb4rtOw_XZ0HZ_HWdBYyDLT0i3y4GHMeJ_D7aPqWRz4GhbK4XCLteOnD0NY0oIc/s1600-h/P202000172.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441145220668837874" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Pn5r-Yn-RXRD2kNnucMV-mMM5ozB9Ey6je6WcpJMl7BB0J5jL7hyphenhyphenhNS2PbvVC6rLC3KATN_F5wrxbb4rtOw_XZ0HZ_HWdBYyDLT0i3y4GHMeJ_D7aPqWRz4GhbK4XCLteOnD0NY0oIc/s400/P202000172.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Lunch in San Diego with Diana Ryerholm and Mike Simms for my first schwarma. My full approval.<br /><br /><br /><br /></div><div></div><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div><div></div><div><br /><br /><br /> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLsz5_FKjf92ClosHtbBj4kfIwEyJ9C0GJNsLKHbzlRe93PU2I8RGRR3xT7wzVa6MOkaQKToSDbODYTIlxhFUoyA4S6BJkdRckLkl3pYLdb9WBMVDwkNlM2ujLk9Zn2e4cnbi6aK2Nyw4/s1600-h/P206000272.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441145221671910162" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLsz5_FKjf92ClosHtbBj4kfIwEyJ9C0GJNsLKHbzlRe93PU2I8RGRR3xT7wzVa6MOkaQKToSDbODYTIlxhFUoyA4S6BJkdRckLkl3pYLdb9WBMVDwkNlM2ujLk9Zn2e4cnbi6aK2Nyw4/s400/P206000272.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The view from San Clemente while I camped out at Cindy and Bill's house.</div><div></div><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div><div></div><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div><div></div><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div><div></div><div><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOFoT5FH5rfkTE4oTQCGo5pnnGFZmT9Ha66d__LphO3HBfHqPnSAtOYwJjVHNaSme_If8HT-EbhEFuN_CQXsvpHKo0TMbGiT7bvKdHMgohKseDsz6PCjHLx-FSy1qhybykuBBGWfFFBk0/s1600-h/P208000472.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441145229719516258" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOFoT5FH5rfkTE4oTQCGo5pnnGFZmT9Ha66d__LphO3HBfHqPnSAtOYwJjVHNaSme_If8HT-EbhEFuN_CQXsvpHKo0TMbGiT7bvKdHMgohKseDsz6PCjHLx-FSy1qhybykuBBGWfFFBk0/s400/P208000472.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /></div><div></div><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div><div></div><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div><div>Kellie learning to start and stop. Enough excitement at 2 miles and hour.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg83BUbplNmtOCHvzsecaSm2o8-FYqyMUkSQgEBRlzRhUlyTU2JAcw3qsWoECC8weOg_qlxKNa6UcxfbP6wEhQuot4IOBS8vXhdzFM2jrvuUX5P9b8OKDCqHVokAo1Pa7iMlm6CkAnS_VU/s1600-h/P209001672.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441145240442897074" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg83BUbplNmtOCHvzsecaSm2o8-FYqyMUkSQgEBRlzRhUlyTU2JAcw3qsWoECC8weOg_qlxKNa6UcxfbP6wEhQuot4IOBS8vXhdzFM2jrvuUX5P9b8OKDCqHVokAo1Pa7iMlm6CkAnS_VU/s400/P209001672.jpg" border="0" /></a></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><br /><p> </p><p>Rudy, the tireless Jack Russell. Magnus is considering making an exercise wheel for him.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKvszY2N_gjaDvTNfY1mU-bXjwZZOdtbTPCS38kuKgBihlNj6MjdLSyh2hSbEVs_s4s_eAcp6_GF9JJ_wVq0RCs-mFUooaauIwxyPFyOoUxp7QAthyWHK8xwGAv6niaSAawwBsbVWEWqg/s1600-h/P209002472.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441145250951565250" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKvszY2N_gjaDvTNfY1mU-bXjwZZOdtbTPCS38kuKgBihlNj6MjdLSyh2hSbEVs_s4s_eAcp6_GF9JJ_wVq0RCs-mFUooaauIwxyPFyOoUxp7QAthyWHK8xwGAv6niaSAawwBsbVWEWqg/s400/P209002472.jpg" border="0" /></a></p><p> </p><p>Magnus calculating Rudy's possible electrical output on an exercise wheel.</p>rickclickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04772392142627673499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4515868664801155653.post-90729316425128973092010-02-22T10:27:00.000-08:002010-02-22T10:50:01.116-08:00Weeks Offline!!! Eek!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMMKzeUtrskvC0a9ORXFZjfihj5p-jtML7jjU6lZn66WIFLvpzJkNfkxbhfCS095hm0GA-VawB0CAsYDXB6KpC9WogegsXyqowfhwUwew9x3PjgkoiOJj7uHeR6610nCsHVp0mZGcdBYQ/s1600-h/P210000572.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441140017937853826" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMMKzeUtrskvC0a9ORXFZjfihj5p-jtML7jjU6lZn66WIFLvpzJkNfkxbhfCS095hm0GA-VawB0CAsYDXB6KpC9WogegsXyqowfhwUwew9x3PjgkoiOJj7uHeR6610nCsHVp0mZGcdBYQ/s400/P210000572.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div>20100212 fri<br />Dry out, clean out and repack at Salton City. Nice to have a place to myself and get caught up on travel chores. Everything out of the truck and spread out to dry. I didn't think to take a picture of it. Hmm... some photographer. This weekend Rick and Therese will be here with a houseful of family and I'll camp out at Ocotillo Wells State Vehicular Recreation Area which is only a mile away. I'll have a chance to ride T-Dub on more dirt roads than I could do in a week.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghJysCA5ScbgYC5I7JE0-zt4e70Nvn4IAM3uguWa6fZOT4xGBx0xTh8H69yO36ljmnMfb9tiFigEKkoCz75B4k2ufP-uWyDH9JeEJtApw55oV2UiPs8GpgxwXL0PwPux64u1UitiIx6hE/s1600-h/P210001872.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441140026042984626" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghJysCA5ScbgYC5I7JE0-zt4e70Nvn4IAM3uguWa6fZOT4xGBx0xTh8H69yO36ljmnMfb9tiFigEKkoCz75B4k2ufP-uWyDH9JeEJtApw55oV2UiPs8GpgxwXL0PwPux64u1UitiIx6hE/s400/P210001872.jpg" border="0" /></a>Pulled up to Holly Road at sunset<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwsP5ko-DTSsVKR3br_re-PBgZ_gFN2WxjflI4UW7YP5Agsrw8bomsxz-De7IKE5Qg5OpYvZ6TFLC1vdcwmaw8ge3_bXhY00oTTW6tXw06-kDRP-RhQClaV6Cb0p4-TbjL7lf747YmOfU/s1600-h/IMG_8060a72.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441138460493308882" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 267px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwsP5ko-DTSsVKR3br_re-PBgZ_gFN2WxjflI4UW7YP5Agsrw8bomsxz-De7IKE5Qg5OpYvZ6TFLC1vdcwmaw8ge3_bXhY00oTTW6tXw06-kDRP-RhQClaV6Cb0p4-TbjL7lf747YmOfU/s400/IMG_8060a72.jpg" border="0" /></a> and found a good flat spot near the restroom. Everyone’s kids had to get out and ride even at night. They all have headlights and whips with lights to see them coming from a wash or behind a hill. Plenty of noise and enthusiasm; earplugs required.<br /><br />20100213 sat<br />First day at Ocotillo Wells SVRA and every rider seems to need to make a loop around this area as the start of their ride. Biked in to Salton City for hamburger and tortillas to make burritos. Having this truck and using it like this gives me a sense of connection to my parents, Al and Mary. It’s the only thing I have to remember them. I have all the mechanical stuff fixed on it, but I’ll leave it to look to way it does, all rusty and faded. On the dashboard I have a picture of my mom when she was 18 and adventurous, I like having her along with me. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLIBvgf-JJvVZdDx1CAqbHURdSoC-EXBuf0bONPY93jpqGpc9qXWiskODLcFO9Ao_F2Vc3gORTxSKAkEn3dnmB98j5ZG_esa_v5oPZSG6NpGLG-h8pbCzw2eZ7aAjv5YIxH7Z4RjKs8FY/s1600-h/P213001172.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441140052358290514" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLIBvgf-JJvVZdDx1CAqbHURdSoC-EXBuf0bONPY93jpqGpc9qXWiskODLcFO9Ao_F2Vc3gORTxSKAkEn3dnmB98j5ZG_esa_v5oPZSG6NpGLG-h8pbCzw2eZ7aAjv5YIxH7Z4RjKs8FY/s400/P213001172.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaH8QAz-wTb3bC9aXFdoXbWKHlHIG1PpR_A15bg5P7PbeJlL55XY0o_ggj1Y4qnaCL9mumhKFkbO38aGtFoXksHFbGjJykA4pyJSSO1eUDA7akZ_qsbhGzhCbWjI6_Ded-X6enRP9feug/s1600-h/P213000472.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441140039199984802" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaH8QAz-wTb3bC9aXFdoXbWKHlHIG1PpR_A15bg5P7PbeJlL55XY0o_ggj1Y4qnaCL9mumhKFkbO38aGtFoXksHFbGjJykA4pyJSSO1eUDA7akZ_qsbhGzhCbWjI6_Ded-X6enRP9feug/s400/P213000472.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />20100214 sun<br />Comfortable now, sleeping on my massage table, just two nights to break me in. I keep doing my physical therapy for my knees and back. Wriggling and crawling around in the back of the truck must be of some use, too. Stopped by at Rick and Therese’s, met Kevin who works with Rick and got him to buy the house here. Kevin has bought two houses for less than $50K and loves the area. He had a laundry list of places to go see and do here. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIQJ3_CWyGsyyodxz5TIZLhk_o3BAsb4N1DbWt6zW35zijaeTOHPGzDkiX6o8HIM9MWS8IKjpeAbISoih68O-uzH6FwSBiKoJAHOiyldbXhd95gpjjyni0teH8LoZu5JLkTqJ0zCaMLrc/s1600-h/IMG_8065a72.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441138461120521138" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 267px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIQJ3_CWyGsyyodxz5TIZLhk_o3BAsb4N1DbWt6zW35zijaeTOHPGzDkiX6o8HIM9MWS8IKjpeAbISoih68O-uzH6FwSBiKoJAHOiyldbXhd95gpjjyni0teH8LoZu5JLkTqJ0zCaMLrc/s400/IMG_8065a72.jpg" border="0" /></a>I took the T-dub on Hwy 86 up to 65 mph for about five seconds and the wind buffeting me felt much different than at 55. I had two cameras with me, but I did not stop to take pictures of the dirt roads or where I ate. Surely I’ll slow down enough to do so eventually. I’m still in hurry mode. Much calmer in camp today; the frenzy has passed.<br /><br />20100215 mon Presidents’ Day<br />Just sitting at the picnic table when a departing visitor offered me his 4 six gallon water jugs before he threw them away – perfect! I can toss my one gallon containers. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOIncBxgN40hTYzydjpQcyPxo_2pQ7gfZi18d8i784OcrhBgwyqMC__7nQK2LtBYXSKtKk8UNIjay7exX6QFti8bKRZlwPQ0B3PoO7_606i-j-FxXXt9aDxKxjIUlQppfNHoUGVsrBrdY/s1600-h/P215002772.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441140255063358498" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOIncBxgN40hTYzydjpQcyPxo_2pQ7gfZi18d8i784OcrhBgwyqMC__7nQK2LtBYXSKtKk8UNIjay7exX6QFti8bKRZlwPQ0B3PoO7_606i-j-FxXXt9aDxKxjIUlQppfNHoUGVsrBrdY/s400/P215002772.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Back to Rick and Therese’s to enjoy the family busyness as the left to go back home. It is so heartwarming to see this loving and well adjusted family working together. Also, I was in time for a late breakfast with their daughter Jamie and her friend, Mike. I saw everyone off and had the house to myself for the rest of the week. Even though there are beds available here, I am more comfortable sleeping in the truck now.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyC_Xy1_E9fuk2GRI7GSQVxEeDlZMEkpWZ1WqhubqJQTdkXVYlzYZkY3hy2-FJ-hKEniywqn7H1E8Rkh3Fst-ms_ToMp2I4nVXhP4opPF4dPM5mWp9nw09igCnrzSdL3Tuk-QkUBEGkKg/s1600-h/P213001872.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441140061725815826" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyC_Xy1_E9fuk2GRI7GSQVxEeDlZMEkpWZ1WqhubqJQTdkXVYlzYZkY3hy2-FJ-hKEniywqn7H1E8Rkh3Fst-ms_ToMp2I4nVXhP4opPF4dPM5mWp9nw09igCnrzSdL3Tuk-QkUBEGkKg/s400/P213001872.jpg" border="0" /></a></div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div>20100216 tue<br />Not much to do but relax and hang out. Satellite tv and reading to pass the days. Since I left my notebook with my PT workout in Tucson, I’ve recreated it here. I don't know if this is too much information, scroll as needed.<br /><br />Seated ankle bends – elbows on knee – toes up<br />Toe scrunches – passive and active<br />Knees up – cross resisting<br />Toe risers<br />Squats<br />TFL stretch<br />Wider squats<br />Pushup over chair back<br />Left lunges – heels down<br />Twisting pushback against wall<br />Right lunges – heels down<br />Chairback Cobra<br />Squats left foot out<br />Left triangle<br />Squats right foot out<br />Right triangle<br />Prone – grasp ankles<br />Forearm knee plank<br />Alternating legs up<br />Seated twists<br />Supine hip risers – back arches<br />Knees to chest – assisted and resisted<br />Standing – bent over – hands clasped behind back and arch<br />Balance on one leg – bent at hip – leg and arms out<br /><br />20100218 thur<br />Awoke thinking of making big family portraits on this trip and of bring my box of family photos with me when I return from NM. The first family that comes to mind is Stan and Ruby’s in San Bernardino. It’s huge.<br /><br />2010-02-19 fri<br />Cleaned up and move my stuff back into the truck in anticipation of Rick and Therese’s return. Not sure where I’ll spend the weekend.<br /></div><div>2010-02 mon</div><div>Another fun weekend with Rick, Therese, Joe her brother and his wife, Suzzane. Riding the quads and my Tdub to the Sea and root around in the mud and debris. </div><div> </div><div>I've added some pictures to my previous post...</div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>rickclickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04772392142627673499noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4515868664801155653.post-45769359697366374802010-02-10T10:33:00.000-08:002010-02-10T10:56:18.258-08:00A Week in So Cal and Headed for Salton SeaSunday, January 31st was significant for me as it is the first ride I'll go on with people I've met on the TW 200 Forum. I was going to visit with Tom from the forum while I was in Tucson, but our schedules didn't mesh and he suggested I contact Brian who was leading a ride for Melissa who is a noobie. This was perfect for me since I'm still challenged to keep the bike up. Several forum<br />posts and emails later, I'm set to meet up on the road to Ajo and park/unload our vehicles near their friend's house to start the ride. The drive on the dirt road was a good trial of my rack with the motorcycle with plenty of bouncing and twisting. I now feel comfortable with the setup and don't worry about it just falling off on the highway. Unloading was easy, a little warmup of the bikes and off we six went on a fun moderate ride for 17 miles round trip. Rocky road, sandy washes, and a tricky steep solid rock climb after which four of us turned around and went back to the starting point. Riding in the deep soft sand was a little unstable, as random steering seemed<br />to take over. Speed up, sit further back and let the front tire surf. Hmm... looks good on paper. Two of the guys continued on through on the road, one of them had a gps that showed the dirt roads and wanted to follow that back to Tucson. The gps is so useful, he had the maps from Garmin and could download tracks from other people. The gps would create a track of wherever he went and with taps on the screen he could plot way points along the route he was taking. Every turn and dip can be seen ahead; it must take all the fun and excitement out of getting lost. Back at the truck, loading the bike would have been easier if I had thought it through a bit more and not end up playing Twister. I learning. We had a relaxing beer and snack with Brian's friends where we parked and I went back to Kay's feeling like I didn't need a bicycle to get exercise; riding the motorcycle on dirt was enough.<br /><br />Monday, Feb. 1 Drove from Tucson to Lakeside, CA near San Diego. Drive, drive, desert, Border Patrol checkpoints, into Greater San Diego and wander around Lakeside finding where Kellie lives. Her friend Magnus had the same problem with his truck as I do with intermittent<br />vibration from the back and has a mechanic who will fix it. Cool, I'll be returning for that.<br /><br />Tuesday, Feb. 2 Stayed with Cindy and Casey in San Clemente for six days, loafing and getting to catch up with some friends. <br /><br />Wednesday, Feb. 3 The BBQ Special at Fisherman's Wharf on the San Clemente pier is the best value in town with my friend Dave. The view is pretty good, too, if you block out Dave.<br /><br />Thurs. Feb. 4 Rain, Fri. Rain, Sat. Rain<br /><br />Sun Feb Blue skies, puffy clouds I can wipe down my bike and put a cover on it. <br /><br />Monday Feb 8 Drove back to Lakeside, truck with mechanic, it's ok, really, just watch it. lube and oil.<br /><br />Tues Feb 9 hangin' with Kellie. Finally got good orange chicken<br /><br />Wed Feb 10 leave for Therese's vacation home in Salton City to ride around in the Ocotillo Wells rec area.<br /><br />pictures are not loading today, I'll try later...rickclickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04772392142627673499noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4515868664801155653.post-50577942498729986262010-01-30T16:24:00.000-08:002010-01-30T16:32:46.662-08:00Tucson at Outback<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuwSn80Gc3HpITnp0IvdOjAUZBZTxre8V1ILRfnjWM5umVBNPAR3Q88II41ePV4W5sOOvdpQPLGki-wW4Ob9gKnrDg_bg8orm-SKQY5Ywbs78980nqgQgWZIY9iKu38IYS7VJnjKq3r3k/s1600-h/P1290022c72.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuwSn80Gc3HpITnp0IvdOjAUZBZTxre8V1ILRfnjWM5umVBNPAR3Q88II41ePV4W5sOOvdpQPLGki-wW4Ob9gKnrDg_bg8orm-SKQY5Ywbs78980nqgQgWZIY9iKu38IYS7VJnjKq3r3k/s400/P1290022c72.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5432694068453236210" border="0" /></a><br />My host Kay and some friends went to Outback. Fun to be in a city restaurant after to offerings in Truth or Consequences. The food served in TorC usually fell into the consequences category.<br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir_8oDMm83na9lRzvL7OKtDIpuwV03ke7cfhFgAgt2ZarVHSCH73whyphenhyphen_5RXJh97fw1bfelnPj4VOMLelm-58BVteEomwo0qyuIu4W5GYOhRQVpUV6o-8Mvu80-V3Tb9kfP37HgFT22eRg/s1600-h/P1300024c72.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir_8oDMm83na9lRzvL7OKtDIpuwV03ke7cfhFgAgt2ZarVHSCH73whyphenhyphen_5RXJh97fw1bfelnPj4VOMLelm-58BVteEomwo0qyuIu4W5GYOhRQVpUV6o-8Mvu80-V3Tb9kfP37HgFT22eRg/s400/P1300024c72.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5432695079557875666" border="0" /></a><br />Today I meet up with three Aramco Brats, Erica, Colette and Marty. We lived in Saudi Arabia with our families as our dads worked for the company. After 4 hours of lively conversation we still had not caught up with all that had happened since then.rickclickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04772392142627673499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4515868664801155653.post-8157250618401085432010-01-30T16:07:00.000-08:002010-01-30T16:23:40.840-08:00Tucson for the Weekend<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM3yC8BZbQ21TUE97qwGzfc1XgEauuQkPiIkK0qoGP8IN3hiYNRh9xSUEob2Wf6Xpdbbq4CB3iWFuaijOq4E44NVCO3C0KoUTex-52a0FnvUfW36dp1J-ucCCmuLqJn94T9bxgKGfgZac/s1600-h/P1280010c72.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM3yC8BZbQ21TUE97qwGzfc1XgEauuQkPiIkK0qoGP8IN3hiYNRh9xSUEob2Wf6Xpdbbq4CB3iWFuaijOq4E44NVCO3C0KoUTex-52a0FnvUfW36dp1J-ucCCmuLqJn94T9bxgKGfgZac/s400/P1280010c72.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5432689568272529618" border="0" /></a>Just moment before leaving and feeling assured that indeed, the truck would roll. I had so much packed into the back and even the passenger seat to still drop off into storage, that I was having doubts that it would budge. Whew, off I went, filled the tires and was glad to see the bulging was pressure, not load. Hours later as highway hypnosis set in, stopping to nap in the back was so pleasant. Stopping at the Dragoon rest area, I could tell TW (my motorcycle) was eager to race up the hill. I resisted.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxg422W_nBYkiFq7ahO4LAMOu3rpCI7F8GSr2gvf7CIu__dstE212R07jFJka3TnZ3DfadRvKnGO373653hWFmFd-97RvL02tPwxZtbp4zGPP8zfh6XynEtDzoemlaQDJWBBq4vdz6uUs/s1600-h/P1290016c72.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxg422W_nBYkiFq7ahO4LAMOu3rpCI7F8GSr2gvf7CIu__dstE212R07jFJka3TnZ3DfadRvKnGO373653hWFmFd-97RvL02tPwxZtbp4zGPP8zfh6XynEtDzoemlaQDJWBBq4vdz6uUs/s400/P1290016c72.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5432691873973944450" border="0" /></a><br />Light was fading and I didn't want to drive through Tucson at night. Did anyway.rickclickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04772392142627673499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4515868664801155653.post-20402413360769147902010-01-27T14:13:00.000-08:002010-01-27T14:17:11.179-08:00The Day Before DepartureAlready time to go, packing the truck like a puzzle. Thursday night in Tucson, Monday in San Diego and Tuesday in Costa Mesa. Seems surreal to be going back on the road. Once I roll a few miles and nothing falls off I should be back in the groove.rickclickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04772392142627673499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4515868664801155653.post-27639319689072308862010-01-21T14:30:00.000-08:002010-01-21T14:45:27.796-08:00Dreaming the Dream - Soon to Go<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1uMaNrk3MyocFQLLA6hfrDj9fBVXAWdLmNdkwvGC0zoMgNi7OOe7ltbOTAERSsAlUgHvARkzAklk9dviEz1TuODwGDryYX0NLclP1Mk3XgDSVQTCQkIvVTnvch2ruoOb2nL5pMikhKXY/s1600-h/IMG_7871-72-1000.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1uMaNrk3MyocFQLLA6hfrDj9fBVXAWdLmNdkwvGC0zoMgNi7OOe7ltbOTAERSsAlUgHvARkzAklk9dviEz1TuODwGDryYX0NLclP1Mk3XgDSVQTCQkIvVTnvch2ruoOb2nL5pMikhKXY/s400/IMG_7871-72-1000.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5429325666974853826" border="0" /></a><br />One week now until I start my long dreamed of trip through the Western States. I have my pickup with a camper shell for a base camp, massage table to sleep on, photo gear to catch landscapes when the light is just right, bicycle to keep me in shape and best of all, a TW200 dual purpose motorcycle with which to roam around and see everything. I'll start from Truth or Consequences, NM, go to California, up the coast, over to the Rockies and back down to New Mexico by fall. You can see from the picture, I've been sitting around eating for the last 8 months and back up to my fightin' weight (if I were a Sumo wrestler). My bikes will be my fitness trainers as I pound dirt roads. My hitch mounted rack for the TW was delivered today and I'll get that assembled first thing. Gotta go twist some nuts.rickclickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04772392142627673499noreply@blogger.com3