tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22364273967503781872024-03-13T13:56:13.009-07:00Life On A HarleyThoughts and musings as I ride my Ultra Classic and experience my life in a new way.boomer64http://www.blogger.com/profile/16785260797383154126noreply@blogger.comBlogger48125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2236427396750378187.post-40424981143185622362012-09-05T18:14:00.000-07:002012-09-05T18:15:50.088-07:00The Tides of September<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vBhqhtR4KUw/UEfvV00iXfI/AAAAAAAAAjs/kub6pfKpZFE/s1600/002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vBhqhtR4KUw/UEfvV00iXfI/AAAAAAAAAjs/kub6pfKpZFE/s200/002.JPG" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Great Grandma!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Wow. Has it ever been a scorcher of a summer. Lawns have gone almost totally unmowed for weeks now, and even the trees are turning brown. Riding the Harley has been a simple commute to work. I just don't enjoy riding in the extreme hot weather. If I wanted to be cooked, I'd turn into a Ball Park Frank and toss myself onto the first waiting BBQ grill. The electric bill is even screaming for mercy. Try as I might, its been one challenging summer, and lately I seem to be falling ever farther behind. My consulting work has all but dried up, and its becoming harder to manage those bills when everyone from Tom Dick to Harry wants a piece of you. Day work has been extremely challenging as staff retirements are adding to my own workload. Its just harder all around, and the hot weather is just the added irritant I don't need right now.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-35bAxtOdRBs/UEfvBx8gTEI/AAAAAAAAAjg/Ky9Z4JrdzrI/s1600/SHaven2012+021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-35bAxtOdRBs/UEfvBx8gTEI/AAAAAAAAAjg/Ky9Z4JrdzrI/s200/SHaven2012+021.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jesse and Dale</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At home things are in a constant state of flex. Our grandson Dale has been a challenge, learning his habits and adapting to his constant changes. He sure is a feisty lad, but at the same time I am reminded many times a day that I am NOT the easiest person in the world to get along with either. We all have our moments, apparently me more so than others. At the moment the little guy is teething, which is a very trying time for both baby and parents/caregivers. Having been through this process I can say that babies at this stage can become very fussy. His mother, however, is learning, and sometimes she falls and we'll lend that uplifting hand to pick her back up. Raising Dale will be a tough task, but so far Dale and Jesse are doing pretty darn good.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Lib29sRErp8/UEfyF_xzuEI/AAAAAAAAAkE/g0fjpF5IapU/s1600/SHaven2012+035.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Lib29sRErp8/UEfyF_xzuEI/AAAAAAAAAkE/g0fjpF5IapU/s200/SHaven2012+035.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cheyenne posing in South Haven</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cheyenne has started college. She is currently attending the community college here in town. She seems to be adapting rather well, but sometimes college can present a different set of challenges. She does face an uphill battle, and struggles some in some of her courses. Having been through all this in high school, we were fortunate enough to get her into a program that will provide learning assistance as she needs it. She does seem determined to follow through with this, and it will be interesting to see how she meets these challenges. She definitely prefers college, however, as she so directly put it. High school simply has too many rules!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LeT88oZ0izA/UEf3WX-0byI/AAAAAAAAAkY/c7rhjD40XBI/s1600/SHaven2012+033.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LeT88oZ0izA/UEf3WX-0byI/AAAAAAAAAkY/c7rhjD40XBI/s200/SHaven2012+033.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mary</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As for Mary and I, we are getting antsy feet. We've spent our lives raising two fine young daughters, and now we sense a freedom that we have never experienced before. This year September brings so many challenges that Mary and I are facing, but for the first time in our lives we are finally going to venture out and do a "little" travelling. Those who know me best know what a huge fan of the rock band Rush I am. It goes without saying that any band who continues to produce quality music for almost 40 years gets my undying respect. To that end, several concert trips are planned, including one to Winnipeg and Saskatoon on the Harley. I am meeting up with a friend for some riding time on the scoots. Mary and I are also going to a couple shows, including a trip to Toronto. We plan on meeting up with friends and just trying to enjoy the time away for once. We have been reaching out and making friends that we would not have otherwise found, and its refreshing to have those that we can relate with, of our age group. To say we are looking forward to this is quite the understatement!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GM8qeBoUS2U/UEfw4UGsR5I/AAAAAAAAAj0/IaCV8XEzWwU/s1600/pgr-eilers+044.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GM8qeBoUS2U/UEfw4UGsR5I/AAAAAAAAAj0/IaCV8XEzWwU/s200/pgr-eilers+044.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A recent PGR Ride honoring a<br />
Korean War MIA whose remains<br />
were recently identified</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Riding has been sparse. The hot weather has combined with my other duties to slow my riding time down a lot, but once every few weeks I manage to get in a hundred or so miles under my belt. We have been experimenting with riding two up with Mary on back, but we're still learning how to do that the best way. I did manage an oil change and some riding this past Labor Day weekend. Actually not much traffic out that day. Found a couple of promising routes I might take for later. The one thing I keep finding on my riding days are things I never usually see. The eagle soaring overhead, or the family of deer along the creek bed. A perchance meeting with a beaver or just seeing the trees and being outside. Being office bound a lot I don't always get to do these things, so every opportunity is a blessing. Sometimes in life too, we must find those little things that we feel blessed with. Find those things that make you happiest, and never let them go, because you only get once chance at this thing called life. I am learning to make the most of my time!!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JWeIBZJ5KU0/UEfxL5YFZxI/AAAAAAAAAj8/8-oZ27pJzdY/s1600/dca-sept5+003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JWeIBZJ5KU0/UEfxL5YFZxI/AAAAAAAAAj8/8-oZ27pJzdY/s400/dca-sept5+003.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Marilyn - she sure cleans up GOOD!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Peace & Love Everybody!</span><br />
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<br />boomer64http://www.blogger.com/profile/16785260797383154126noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2236427396750378187.post-25776564122137270772012-06-26T21:01:00.001-07:002012-06-26T21:01:35.979-07:00Its About THE RIDE!<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gjpQxvojNBE/T-qDYNf6P8I/AAAAAAAAAiU/SZ6fPWihSJs/s1600/dca-26june+002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gjpQxvojNBE/T-qDYNf6P8I/AAAAAAAAAiU/SZ6fPWihSJs/s200/dca-26june+002.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dale sportin' a new do!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Anyone who has ever ridden a motorcycle of ANY kind make model color manufacture knows what those words means. Its like understanding why pilots fly planes, or why race drivers race, only in this case, to me motorcycling isn't just some hobby you spend a few hours a week at. Its more than a religion, its more than a profession, or a career. There are those who say that riding is like going to church, only more important. I happen to think its deeper than that. Unfortunately, however, sometimes I forget that, and sometimes it takes a life changing event for me to realize how important that I spend each day riding my Harley and spend some time praying, which, as it happens, I do both at the same time. As for that life changing event, becoming a grandpa might just fit that bill. At my age I wasn't really mentally prepared to accept that role, but things change!!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jFzdSRlZ3tM/T-qD0Er9LgI/AAAAAAAAAik/h1ek_OuBkpo/s1600/2012FRock+005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jFzdSRlZ3tM/T-qD0Er9LgI/AAAAAAAAAik/h1ek_OuBkpo/s200/2012FRock+005.JPG" width="133" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Freedom Rock 2012</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A few weeks ago I took my yearly trek to Freedom Rock, located in western Iowa. And, as usual, the artist who paints that rock every year did another supremly awesome job on it this year. I needed the time away to digest the new role I had taken on. In life every day is a day of change, of new adventure, and mine is no different. Being a grandpa takes dedication, love, and patience. I needed to spend some time riding to come to terms with it all. The ride over was peaceable, quiet, perfect weather. Made my usual stop for a juice and a quick run to the restroom. Opting to take a more direct route over, I knew the route well, and knew what traffic would be like. On this day there were many visitors, unlike more previous visits. A Korean veteran, a former machinist mate on a destroyer, several Vietnam Era veterans, all coming to this place in remembrance of those who have made the "ultimate" sacrifice. Then there were those guys on their Harleys. Some beautifully customized, while others showing the look of a hard ridden machine. Each coming for their own reasons, and each saluting the Flag as it flew over our heads. Its a wonderful place for veterans to come and give thanks to the fallen, or just to remember the sacrifices each veteran has made in serice to our country. It may not seem like much, but to a veteran this place is revered.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-74zcNI8ewxI/T-qDldo6HwI/AAAAAAAAAic/QVueu40Axn4/s1600/2012FRock+014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-74zcNI8ewxI/T-qDldo6HwI/AAAAAAAAAic/QVueu40Axn4/s200/2012FRock+014.JPG" width="133" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This side pays respect to the </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sullivan Brothers, from</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Waterloo, Iowa</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The ride back was anything but boring. As with any trip on a motorcycle, you make decisions on what your route may be on the fly, and I soon found myself completely lost in the middle of Des Moines. No need to ask for directions, right? I quickly turned around after realizing that I was not in the most friendly of neighborhoods! To my displeasure, however, I would be forced to take the main highway around town, and ended up stopping for gas just east of Des Moines. I refueled, grabbed a quick cold drink, and headed back to home. I took a quick shortcut home, and although I was tired, I had an absolute blast. I had been to a place held in high honor had met many veterans, and had taken my own time to give thanks for those who have died in service to our country! </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FYROKAl56xY/T-qD9Vw1tbI/AAAAAAAAAiw/D6Nbi6HAfmk/s1600/pgr+011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FYROKAl56xY/T-qD9Vw1tbI/AAAAAAAAAiw/D6Nbi6HAfmk/s200/pgr+011.JPG" width="150" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Flag Line for Welcome</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Home</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Little over a week ago, I took another ride. I am a Patriot Guard member, and I believe strongly in the mission of the Patriot Guard. On this day we would be escorting a soldier returning home from Afghanistan to his home about 20 miles away. Again, I took stock in what I was about to take part in, made sure my machine was clean and ready, and left for the airport. As we met, I noticed some of the familiar faces in our bunch. Its always nice to have familar faces to ride with, because you can feel more comfortable riding with them. Newer folks take some time getting used to, and as we tend to ride in formation, my safety AND theirs is paramount. We did our preride briefing, and headed up to the terminal. As we lined up at the gate and presented the colors to this new hero, I realized many folks watching this event just didnt realize what all the excitement was about, and some simply do not care. What a shame that anyone who lives in the U.S. cannot pay simple respect to a returning soldier. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cd1pjhg1AiY/T-qEDbM_S-I/AAAAAAAAAi4/dadP15FxLik/s1600/pgr+043.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cd1pjhg1AiY/T-qEDbM_S-I/AAAAAAAAAi4/dadP15FxLik/s200/pgr+043.JPG" width="150" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cpl. Cole Passick</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">receiving a PGR flag</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our escort began in the heat of the day. Temperatures approaching 90 on a motorcycle makes it even hotter, but today I had hydrated enough this wouldnt be a problem. Most of the escort went safely excepting for a guy in a green Jeep Gran Cherokee who tried to slash his way with his car thru our escort processional, right at ME! Thankfully, I was among friends, who recognized what was happening and were able to give me the room I needed to avoid trouble. Later one friend remarked that I had done a masterful job of avoiding a collision, but in the end it was the teamwork of friends that paid off. The ride back home was uneventful, but as I shook this young Marine's hand, a Corporal Cole Passick, I gave thanks for HIS service, but realized he was younger than my oldest daughter Jesse, and yet served honorably in a place where being an American is a bad thing. My ride home was uneventful, but I reflected on the days events, and said my little prayer "Thank God I am alive" as I pulled into the garage.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For me, riding isnt just about one thing. Its about life - my life! The ride of life can be bumpy at times, even tragic. Or, it can be wonderful, peaceful, and filled with love. Each day I give thanks that I am alive, and that I am able to love others, to enjoy the fruits of my labors. Times around my house are tight right now, and some days are harder than others. We all have those struggles. Each day I ride my Harley "passionately", and each day I find more passion in my riding. Riding isnt just about a Harley - its about life. Whatever is your "ride" is, do it with passion, because life is all about the RIDE! </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rKvhnSFPwQI/T-qENOJfkjI/AAAAAAAAAjA/ndZlHIMqlfY/s1600/2012FRock+002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="425" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rKvhnSFPwQI/T-qENOJfkjI/AAAAAAAAAjA/ndZlHIMqlfY/s640/2012FRock+002.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My Uncle Ron and I - thanks for riding with me Uncle!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Peace & Love Everybody!</span>boomer64http://www.blogger.com/profile/16785260797383154126noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2236427396750378187.post-11172245028285992012-05-30T20:54:00.000-07:002012-05-30T20:54:00.020-07:00The Call of Reckoning<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QNcrcKcuTHs/T8bfNEcmC4I/AAAAAAAAAgE/EEXg73o78T4/s1600/_DSC3932.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="131" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QNcrcKcuTHs/T8bfNEcmC4I/AAAAAAAAAgE/EEXg73o78T4/s200/_DSC3932.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Time to Ride at the Brewhaha</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've tried several times to get something out for my friends and relatives living out there somewhere in internet land. Usually my posts are about once a month and really just serve as more of a "Whats Up" in my neck of the woods. Lately, however, its been like an insane asylum around here. I had hoped this would be a quieter year, given how the year started, but it would appear I never had positive control of my life or my direction. I honestly don't know who is conducting this railroad into the deep abyss, but whomever he is better get a road map and slow down. It could be way way worse, and truly it is the blessings that I count today and during this month of May. As I get older, however, I tend to find that sometimes all this excitement can be a bit much. Like things to keep on an even keel so my little brain can absorb and analyze it all. Unfortunately for some of us dinosaurs, that's a bit much to be asking.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-A4Y-Q_fzv3I/T8bipjG2NTI/AAAAAAAAAgs/e04Rn1kMh2o/s1600/_DSC3886.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="131" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-A4Y-Q_fzv3I/T8bipjG2NTI/AAAAAAAAAgs/e04Rn1kMh2o/s200/_DSC3886.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Honest Officer - I can explain everything!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Since my last report, its now almost summer. Spring has done about sprung its last surprise for the year on everyone. Flowers have long since bloomed and faded, and now we are pretty much left with the green of the trees. Pollen now fills the sir stifling the eyes and clogging the sinuses. Lawn mowing has begun, to which my disdain for that is only exceeded by my utter hatred of those damn political ads which are everywhere these days. As summer approaches so too, does my hope for exciting riding possibilities. Fortunately, this past winter was mild enough I never really parked the bike, although riding in winter time when there is supposed to be a foot of snow on the ground was, well, rather weird, but it also was such a great thrill to ride about 20 miles or so in 40 degree weather with people looking at me like I am some kind of fool. I guess if you ride a motorcycle in cold weather, maybe you ARE a fool, but only a fool knows his true paradise.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qdyXCD6bGHc/T8bfkWWdQLI/AAAAAAAAAgM/D-cITpc6cys/s1600/brwha2112+012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qdyXCD6bGHc/T8bfkWWdQLI/AAAAAAAAAgM/D-cITpc6cys/s200/brwha2112+012.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The April Brewhaha Crew-in May.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For the last two years I have been making some friends online, who, as it were, are fans of the band Rush. I cannot hide it, I have enjoyed this band since I was a junior in high school. In the interest of maybe just celebrating a bit of independence, and the music we all grew up on, some of us decided to have a sort of get together in central Wisconsin. The date set would be May 9th-May 13th, and we called the event the Brewhaha. Our objective was really do some seeing of the sights, do some motorcycle riding and have a big party at the end. To that end we had a glorious time. Enjoyed some sights, took in some wines, toured a bit, and just found some great friends who came to enjoy some great music great food and just have a great time. For Mary and I we don't do this that much, so this opportunity was readily taken. On our last night we celebrated with a huge feast of pork and beef brisket, with all the trimmings. The sharing of a glass, or several, of a great single malt scotch, or a glass of wine or two as we sat by a nice fire made things just about perfect. All in all we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and the company of friends!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ao_LiwRMHok/T8bfzZPKR8I/AAAAAAAAAgU/4EW0AXpX9aE/s1600/dca-13may+007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ao_LiwRMHok/T8bfzZPKR8I/AAAAAAAAAgU/4EW0AXpX9aE/s200/dca-13may+007.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dale Curtis Atwood - My Grandson!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On our last day in Wisconsin, as I was packing up the car to return home, I overheard Mary sounding a bit excited on her phone. As we were staying with friends, I wasn't exactly sure what this was about, so I went back in to a cup of coffee. As Mary came downstairs, she sounded very concerned about something, and then put her cell phone on the table. On speaker was our oldest daughter Jesse. Sounding rather upset Mary told her to tell me what she had been talking about. The conversation went something like this.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Lbgb3iJTdJk/T8bkcI5Im7I/AAAAAAAAAg0/URubTVrfyrg/s1600/dca-13may+021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Lbgb3iJTdJk/T8bkcI5Im7I/AAAAAAAAAg0/URubTVrfyrg/s200/dca-13may+021.JPG" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">PawPaw still gots it!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jesse: "Hi Dad I ave something to tell you."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Me: "Ok shoot!"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jesse: "Dad - I just gave birth to a baby boy!"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Me: Silence.....a pause.....and then "Gee dear I had no idea you were PREGNANT!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jesse: "Um yeah but I need to give up the baby I'm not ready"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Me: "Ok Jess before you make any decision let your mother and I get home so we can DISCUSS this as adults."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A gulp, two, checking my pulse. Yes I became a grandpa! The circumstances were not the best they could be, however, given my daughter and grandson are healthy, and our youngest daughter, who helped in the birthing process, scarred beyond words for LIFE, all things considered we are very lucky. The drive home was, well, I think Mary and I were both in shock. I think we needed the ride home to collect our thoughts, and find those precious right things to say. As I was on my Harley, it goes without saying the ride home was going to take a toll. All the adrenaline rush was making me sleepy, and on a motorcycle that's a bit dangerous. In the end, we did find the right words, the right support, and the courage to face this new life with open arms. </span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aBeo15SrAME/T8bnsPgA8uI/AAAAAAAAAhA/xYyz2HTLmI0/s1600/cheygrad+048.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aBeo15SrAME/T8bnsPgA8uI/AAAAAAAAAhA/xYyz2HTLmI0/s200/cheygrad+048.JPG" width="133" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dale Curtis Atwood born May 13th, 2012, weighing 6 pounds 4 ounces, at 18 inches in length. Today Dale weighs a bit over 8 pounds is almost 22 inches long, and is already moving around like a linebacker! When he was born, we had no bed, no bassinet, no car seat, no clothes, no bottles, nothing. As our prayers were answered, we discovered that in the same friendship we had sought to enjoy the previous week together, so did those very same people step up and send an incredible amount of donations in clothing gift cards even a brand new CRIB has showed up for baby Dale. All thanks to those friends who share a passion for life! To them I can only thank you on behalf of Dale and his mom Jesse. Without such donations we might still be scrambling.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jpk-U9dTB1k/T8bgFy9ZfiI/AAAAAAAAAgc/JtaPAq9X1Ps/s1600/cheygrad+109.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jpk-U9dTB1k/T8bgFy9ZfiI/AAAAAAAAAgc/JtaPAq9X1Ps/s200/cheygrad+109.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mom and Cheyenne Graduating!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And then there was this past weekend. Our youngest, Cheyenne, has finally become a high school graduate. Her much anticipated day of freedom arrived, and she is going to make the most of it. She received a 4 year math letter, and her GPA is hovering right at around 3.0, although the final number will not be known for a couple weeks yet. She is also in the Vital program which helps students with learning difficulties with college tuition. Her first year of tuition is paid, but the best part is she received a scholarship in the amount of $1000 for her first year. Dad be heap big proud of her!!! it was a struggle at times, but the best part was seeing her blossom and come out of her shell this last year or so. New challenges await as she will attend community college for a two year degree in Graphic Art Design. She will do well, as long as she stays focused and keeps her mind on her work. Kids sometimes get rather distracted!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Other such notable events. Mary it appears has almost fully recovered from total knee replacement in January. She is moving around much better than she had for a great many years. I hope to be enjoying some riding adventures this year. Nothing firmed up, but we will be attending Rush concerts in Chicago and Detroit in September, with Toronto an additional stop in October. I'd like to hope I can make one of those shows on the Harley, but that's a ways off yet. Cheyenne starts college in the fall which will bring a new challenge as well. Jesse is managing her new motherly duties fairly well, but as Dale gets older she will have to learn to adapt to his constant changes. Even though this has been a challenging year, its been one of change, and of reckoning.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Welcome to the World Dale!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Peace & Love Everybody!!</span>boomer64http://www.blogger.com/profile/16785260797383154126noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2236427396750378187.post-63881738065357740682012-03-12T20:53:00.003-07:002012-03-12T20:53:50.111-07:00Obituary of a Brother<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1120.photobucket.com/albums/l498/boomer1964/Christmas%20Eve%202011/XmasEve2011003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://i1120.photobucket.com/albums/l498/boomer1964/Christmas%20Eve%202011/XmasEve2011003.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Riding in winter time - What a TRIP!</td></tr>
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Well, its been a fairly long winter, and now spring is fast approaching. You couldn't tell me that, though. I never really "parked" the Harley for the winter. I've been in and out every couple weeks on it. Its been a couple months and life has been filled with challenges. OK - maybe that's a bad word. How about nightmares! Or stressed beyond a reasonable doubt! Riding set aside, its been a wacky time around the house. Spring is coming, however, and I am looking forward to warmer temps, clearer skies, and my first saddle soreness of the year. Spring always brings out the most positive thoughts in me. For whatever reason, its like a reawakening of my spirit, like the flowers that bloom in the garden. The senses, usually numb from the winter cold, suddenly burst into action, and the mind is bombarded by the sights, smells, touches, and sounds of spring. The aching doldrums of winter slowly subdue into a soon to be sea of green and dotting blooms. You can feel it in the air, and even the birds are beginning to sing a lovely spring song!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1120.photobucket.com/albums/l498/boomer1964/Rich/reunion1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://i1120.photobucket.com/albums/l498/boomer1964/Rich/reunion1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From LEFT: Rich, Tara, Don, Rhonda and I<br />
Family Reunion 1997</td></tr>
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You cannot have good, however, without the bad. To this end I am forced to deal with the death of my youngest brother, Rich. Through some research, and a bit of tenacity, Mary uncovered a death notice for him dated September 2010. With some luck, and a rather understanding funeral home, we confirmed that Rich did pass away September 6th, 2010, in a hotel in Abilene, Texas at age 40. The cause of death was attributed to massive alcoholic intake which led his heart to simply stop. What really happened that night we may never know, however, I find myself in a bit of an emotional dilemma. For many years I often wondered where my siblings were, given we were separated from each other while I was 7 years old. Having been reunited with them in 1997, we never really kept in close contact with Rich. To that end, I never "knew" him as a brother or family member. The other side of it is he was my brother, and his story has never really been told. I feel an emotional attachment to him, but part of my dilemma is I never really knew Rich the way I know a good friend. Perhaps in the weeks and months ahead I may be able to make some sense of his life and his death. RIP Rich.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mary Thanksgiving</td></tr>
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It has been a rather lengthy period of time since my last post. Christmas to be exact. Mary has been thru her knee surgery. Total knee replacement can be daunting for anyone. Its been about 7 weeks since surgery, and progress has been rather slow at times. So far the knee is performing well, but healing is slow. Her knee continues to hold some swelling, and it still requires physical therapy a few times a week, however, Mary is moving around relatively pain free, and although still needs a cane or crutch to keep her balance, looks to be another successful knee patient. There is still much to be done, however, between her back improving and the knee replacement, she feels better, a bit stronger, and seems....taller? After living for years in pain, finally getting a doctor to LISTEN has been a bit of a relief. While she won't be doing any downhill slalom skiing, she is up and about. Always a good thing.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cheyenne</td></tr>
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The kids are well. Jesse has moved on from Wal Mart, and is trying to pursue other opportunities, or "challenges" as I call them. Cheyenne is ALMOST finished with high school. To say she is looking forward to it probably is a bit of an understatement. She has done well, tries hard, but I think her biggest relief will be in May. We did learn last week, however, that her first year of tuition at the community college is now covered by a scholarship program aimed at helping to develop skills in children who are "challenged" in school. Her second year should have at least 40% tuition covered. So all we need are books. The program that offers these scholarships only take up to 3 students every year, so this is a very special achievement for her and for us as parents! Her major will be graphic design, something she has been looking into for a couple years now. The biggest thing is to maintain her focus, something that her father wasn't very good at!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1120.photobucket.com/albums/l498/boomer1964/Freedom%20Rock%202011/FRock023.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://i1120.photobucket.com/albums/l498/boomer1964/Freedom%20Rock%202011/FRock023.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Freedom Rock</td></tr>
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Took some time this past weekend to make my annual pilgrimage to a little place in western Iowa called Freedom Rock. Its a rather large rock situated on Highway 25, about 1 mile south of Interstate 80. Every year during Memorial Weekend the artist covers the rock in a freshly designed mural, giving honor to the nations veterans who have served our country. I had not been to the Rock for the 2011 design, as I was decidedly out of state when I normally do that. As I recall, I was at Mount Rushmore! This year, I believe, the artist has outdone himself. The pictures should speak to that. From the main image on the front of the rock, to paying honor to 9-11, Sgt Salvatore Gunta, who won the Congressional Medal of Honor for his heroic actions in Afghanistan, to a memorial of the Seal Team members who were tragically killed when their helicopter was shot down. Even the mural depicting a Vietnam soldier whose ashes are mixed in to the paint was breathtaking. The ride to was fairly windy, causing my return trip to be a bit delayed, but the weather was picture perfect, nice and clear. I made it home just as the last ray of sunlight left the sky. Thank goodness - I am Alive!<br />
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There will be other trips on my Harley this year. My hope is to travel around Lake Michigan, maybe stop and see family and friends, perhaps a 4 day trip to Rapid City and the Badlands. Thankfully there are plenty of destinations! I had hoped to attend the annual "Run For The Wall" that is followed by The Rolling Thunder Motorcycle Rally in Washington, DC this year, however, that goal will have to wait another year. It is my hope that I attend that event, which starts in California and goes for about 10 days. It is the pinnacle of riding to cross the United States on a bike, but to end up in Washington DC on Memorial Day to see the festivities is something I have been dreaming of for several years now. To pay honor to our veterans means everything to me, although there are some who might suggest otherwise. I am reminded of our Honor Flights every year, and how a simple "Thank You" goes so very far with these men and women. What more deserving honor than to line up and let our politicians know our veterans DESERVE to be honored, to be respected, to receive the gifts this country has to offer. Unfortunately this year - Cheyenne is graduating from school, but next year, I hope its in the works!<br />
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Until next time everyone........Eyns Vey Drey ....DUPAH!!!<br />
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Peace & Love Everybody!<br />
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<br />boomer64http://www.blogger.com/profile/16785260797383154126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2236427396750378187.post-34928984664101532812011-12-25T20:24:00.000-08:002011-12-25T20:24:02.146-08:00Some Gifts Can't Be Wrapped<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1120.photobucket.com/albums/l498/boomer1964/XMas%202011/XMas2011034.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://i1120.photobucket.com/albums/l498/boomer1964/XMas%202011/XMas2011034.jpg" width="133" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mary and Figaro</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Well, its Christmas Day. Late evening has fallen and temperatures are still fairly warm for this time of year. Believe it or not, I'm actually thankful today is over. Too much tension, stress, and add in a hint of dogged tiredness. Its been a dreadfully long month, maybe too long. Haven't slept well lately, and work is picking up. Ordinarily that's a good thing, but lately its becoming harder to put in those 60 hour weeks. Some days I can go at it fine, with all the enthusiasm that is needed, but there are days when I wonder if its worth all the headaches, the stress, the sacrifices my family and I make. Does the net benefit outweigh the cost? It certainly used to. In those days maybe 15 years ago, I was grasping for any way to get that invaluable experience, to show those people that I COULD do that job, that I did understand the basic engineering and surveying principles. That I WAS willing to make those sacrifices, to go that extra mile. Now I am beginning to question those values, maybe for family reasons, maybe for personal reasons, maybe I need more time away from work, but, then I wake up, snap out of my numbing fog, and rise to my knees to take on more challenges.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1120.photobucket.com/albums/l498/boomer1964/XMas%202011/XMas2011011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://i1120.photobucket.com/albums/l498/boomer1964/XMas%202011/XMas2011011.jpg" width="133" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cheyenne smiling deviously!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It was relatively quiet today. Mary and I woke up a little late. With all the sleep problems I have had, and her pain level from her knee rising, we slept a little more than late, but after all, it was Christmas day. Presents were opened, slowly and methodically. Coffee almost poured into our minds, easing our sleepy minds from the dream world. I gave my usual "what does Christmas REALLY mean" speech a few days ago, so there was no need to relive that lecture. We relaxed for a bit, and then I realized two things. It was after 1 PM by then, and the temperatures outside were well into the 40 plus range. Plenty warm for.....A ride on my Harley, right? A quick shower, some clean clothes, and after prodding Jesse to grab a few pics of me in my full Harley garb, I was off to spend some much needed time riding and reflecting. This month has been fairly warm enough that I can escape for an hour or so on my bike. 2 weeks ago, it was 50 degrees, and I decided to spend 5 hours out on the bike. That day I was again treated to an up close and personal experience with a bald eagle. That little guy was close enough to actually look into my eyes. How cool is that!?</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1120.photobucket.com/albums/l498/boomer1964/XMas%202011/XMas2011042.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://i1120.photobucket.com/albums/l498/boomer1964/XMas%202011/XMas2011042.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My first Christmas Day Ride!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Riding is a deeply personal and almost religious experience for me. I've said it many times, that once I get on the scoot, I can release all those stresses, the worries, and the only thing that's left is me. I can become one with the machine, allow the machine to push all those worldly aches and pains off of me so that I can focus totally on controlling the machine. This day would be no different, with the exception being that this was Christmas Day. Pretty cool! I took a few minutes to visit a new friend before I made my way southward. Riding can also be a great time to pray, to meditate, as it was today. Praying for Mary, whose knee surgery should relieve the incredulous pain she is suffering through. A friend whose health problems have been a source for concern and worry. Prostate trouble can be devastating to a lot of folks, so I hope that his treatments will cure his ailment. Another friend who is suffering through some personal issues. We have leaned on each other a lot this year, and I pray constantly that those problems can somehow find a solution. Time will tell, but just having such a friend has been a true blessing that cannot be put into words. I feel truly blessed to have friends, family, health, gainful employment, and the ability to be up and about. As I rode today, my problems seemed to dissolve into the cool winter air, and although my legs and body ached a bit from the colder riding, I felt revitalized and refocused, and somehow a bit more relaxed as well,as if my problems had taken a back seat to being at home as a father and husband again.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1120.photobucket.com/albums/l498/boomer1964/XMas%202011/XMas2011012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://i1120.photobucket.com/albums/l498/boomer1964/XMas%202011/XMas2011012.jpg" width="133" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jesse pleased about </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">something?</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">By the time I had gotten back home, Mary's dinner preparations were almost complete. A simple smoked ham, with scalloped potatoes and green bean casserole. A hearty meal to be sure, after cold weather riding. We gave thanks for our meal, and a simple meal became a blessing as we realized what has been a long and rather difficult year had become a day of thanks and relief. We counted our blessings and maybe realized we have a lot more to be thankful for than a lot of people in this small world. We had received many physical gifts this year, but the ones that counted were those you just can't put a price tag on or wrap up. Mary is slowly regaining some strength, and her back is now pain free. I have had the ability to spend time actually RIDING my Harley, and not just staring at it in my garage, and just being able to get on a motorcycle is a blessing. I have more friends this year than most people have gained in a life time. We have a sense of family, purpose, life, and love in my house, which we have struggled with from time to time. Indeed - the best presents do not need wrapping, do not need ribbon, or a box. The best presents are those we have within ourselves that we bless our family and friends with. The best presents are those you cannot hold, or touch, but you feel them. The love of your family, the sense of pride at a job well done, sharing some time with a friend or a loved one, even just some encouragement to those that may be struggling with their own problems or shortfalls.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1120.photobucket.com/albums/l498/boomer1964/XMas%202011/Xmas2k11-2003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://i1120.photobucket.com/albums/l498/boomer1964/XMas%202011/Xmas2k11-2003.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A new friend and fellow Rush fan</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Noreen. </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As for what's next, I cannot say. Mary has been scheduled for total knee replacement January 25th. I can only hope and pray this will move her closer to good health. We have some time off planned. A trip tor two on my bike is planned. Some vacation time in Michigan perhaps. Who knows, a friend could come calling, or even meet up somewhere. We have lots of hopes. Work to be done around the house is always a challenge. New kitchen cabinets, new shower in the bathroom, challenges that await are always just around the corner, you only need to look. Not sure how those things will happen, but they give us goals to search out, reach for, and hope for. This has been a year of struggle, of difficulty, and maybe of searching for those things that seem to be just beyond our reach. For all the toiling and the worry, however, we came to the realization that we do feel blessed this year, to hold those blessings close, and to try to be just a little more upbeat when the going DOES get tough. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Figaro guarding the</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">living room</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We hope everyone had a wonderful and Merry Christmas!</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Peace and Love Everybody! Lets RIDE!</span></td></tr>
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<br />boomer64http://www.blogger.com/profile/16785260797383154126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2236427396750378187.post-24597335832737699702011-11-27T13:08:00.001-08:002011-11-27T17:11:21.857-08:00A Penny for My Thoughts<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZOG8npq8DWI/TtLZ5R0o-vI/AAAAAAAAAeg/R4xRfc2-lT0/s1600/tgvng2011+007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZOG8npq8DWI/TtLZ5R0o-vI/AAAAAAAAAeg/R4xRfc2-lT0/s200/tgvng2011+007.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Molly looking for love or a </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We have returned! Thanksgiving is OVER! I am stuffed with food, wine, good times, good memories, the occasional cross-eyed look or the "yes dear" at dad. I am almost positive he has thoughts that his eldest son is a few more degrees off plumb this year. The constant ma-n-pa verbal jabs at each other, which makes me often wonder how poor Molly, their dog, manages to stay cool, calm, and collected under fire. The insistence of a few family that my Harley would look MUCH better rolling down some Michigan country road. Well, the views are probably a bit better anyways. We have much to be thankful for this year, much to celebrate. Unfortunately, we were missing one, but all in all we had a good time, good food, and a little prodding never hurt! Even if dad's bald spot is getting bigger amidst all that grey hair - we still love him.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZHZ2jSEkH9I/TtLakDWFgrI/AAAAAAAAAew/t-pUCtLO6l4/s1600/tgvng2011+260.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZHZ2jSEkH9I/TtLakDWFgrI/AAAAAAAAAew/t-pUCtLO6l4/s200/tgvng2011+260.JPG" width="200" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mary and I. </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our November started a bit earlier with Mary's successful surgical implant of a neurostimulator device designed to curb pain impulses from her lower back to the brain. The surgery went very well, and the stimulator is doing its job. Her pain has been reduced to a fraction of what it was, but she will still be on some pain controlling meds for a bit longer. Surgery is always hard to recover from, but this has been probably harder than we anticipated. Next up for her is knee replacement on her left knee. We also celebrated a birthday, as our oldest daughter Jess celebrated 24 years. We decided to take her out for dinner that night, and I discovered why I do not drink much. She ordered a rose margarita which was deliriously sour and sweet at the same time. Made my face nearly implode! Cheyenne our youngest is working on scholarship opportunities for college. She is working well, and I believe she will be very driven, although she does have the occasional slip. We all have them, but I do believe I had way more than my fair share. Just ask my my parents!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JHWP_-tM9Dw/TtLa8xAfsII/AAAAAAAAAfA/6vRXbF7BKCc/s1600/tgvng2011+239.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JHWP_-tM9Dw/TtLa8xAfsII/AAAAAAAAAfA/6vRXbF7BKCc/s200/tgvng2011+239.JPG" width="200" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tara, left, and Rhonda, right. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The "rough draft" in the middle.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our trip over went well, although I was a bit disappointed that I couldn't take my Harley over the river and thru the woods this time around. We awoke to rain from Des Moines to Detroit, and knowing I really didn't have the proper gear to make such a trip, and that riding thru Chicago would be more dangerous in the driving rain, I decided against taking the bike. I spent the day before Thanksgiving helping dad, and relaxing. I have worked almost 7 days a week non stop for so long, any break is welcome, but being at my parents house, you just never know what will happen. I took particular note of a picture in dad's office of him and his brothers and sisters. Its been a long time since I have seen them, and most have changed so much I hardly recognized many of them. Perhaps next year I can visit them and the rest of my family more often!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-umX_Vckrkqs/TtLav72CVeI/AAAAAAAAAe4/7_bwD9Cu3Tw/s1600/tgvng2011+216.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-umX_Vckrkqs/TtLav72CVeI/AAAAAAAAAe4/7_bwD9Cu3Tw/s200/tgvng2011+216.JPG" width="133" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tara</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thanksgiving Day is always a bustle of activity. A morning breakfast turned out very welcome and delish. Something simple but enough to to satisfy. Home made jams always hit a high note, and mom's fridge was not devoid of such delicacies. Then there is the table. You know the one. Its only needed during a high feast such as this, but its always in the basement or garage disassembled. Still need a union break for set up! Then there is the 30 minute regale of which way the table should sit, why it needs pushed away, or forward, or how much the table cloth covers it. Then family begins to arrive, and its obvious you haven't seen some in awhile. I still maintain that I am just a "rough draft" so to speak, and my sisters are the ones who got the looks and the brains. And then there is the pies. Pies. Pies are God's way of showing just how much he loves you. Yea, even something we all do for those we love. This day was certainly no different, although I am quite sure my younger sister is still wondering exactly where we did get the main course. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-H7hHjMYAE9Q/TtLaVXU2ulI/AAAAAAAAAeo/NKR0EowmeSw/s1600/tgvng2011+228.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-H7hHjMYAE9Q/TtLaVXU2ulI/AAAAAAAAAeo/NKR0EowmeSw/s200/tgvng2011+228.JPG" width="133" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mom and Pop</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Still in love after ??</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One of our most recent traditions is the placing of a penny at each plate, and each making some small statement of what we are thankful for during the past year. There are variations to this custom, but its origin appears to be traced to an English custom of Oblations, or an offering, dating back before the year 1212 where a pence, or penny is offered at a burial, for marriage, for "churching" a woman, thence two pence at Easter, threepence at Christmas, and two other feasts from parishioners to the parish priest as a way of offering thanks to the Church for some service or feast prepared by the Church. Our adaptation takes a unique twist in that the penny is picked up thanks given, and each penny added to the collection. However it may be, each of us gave thanks in our own way, and then began the feasting. And feast we did. And laugh, sometimes cry, and even hold each other. It felt good to sit down and feel loved and welcomed to the table, to dine, and to share in the love represented by our presence there. After dinner we slowly made our way to the back porch, some for picture taking, some for AIR, and some just for the conversation and the view. As each made their way to their car and home, I felt a thankful twinge as I realized for those that were there, I was also reminded of those not at their tables or their families, of those who stand watch, and secure those freedoms we hold so precious. There's also family who could not be there. My grandfathers, grandmothers, aunts and uncles, some who have passed on from this world, others who celebrate in their own way. I give thanks for each of them, for the lessons they have given me in my life and for their love that I feel from them every day.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4J6IltegjZc/TtLb9lkskII/AAAAAAAAAfo/tLkFh71tL4c/s1600/tgvng2011+034.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4J6IltegjZc/TtLb9lkskII/AAAAAAAAAfo/tLkFh71tL4c/s200/tgvng2011+034.JPG" width="200" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mom and Aunt Barb</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Curious color!!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-H4IMFoQLwPI/TtLbOitaNEI/AAAAAAAAAfI/6s4Ljb9SHVg/s1600/tgvng2011+150.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-H4IMFoQLwPI/TtLbOitaNEI/AAAAAAAAAfI/6s4Ljb9SHVg/s200/tgvng2011+150.JPG" width="133" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Uncle Ron</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In deep thought</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The next day we left for home. Our bellies still a bit full, our minds tired, but perhaps more mindful of those that had shared their love and fortunes. We always stop at the South Bend Chocolatier Shop in South Haven for those special mochas that keep me stoked and caffeine medicated for our trip home. Chicago was fairly devoid of traffic, although one knucklehead in a blue Corvette was in a big hurry to get around traffic. Those 'Vette people - always hogging the road! The rest of the trip fairly uneventful, I pulled into the driveway, unloaded the truck, and geared up for a quick ride on the bike for a couple of errands. Unfortunately, my errand running became a bit of a nightmare as I tore a hole in the back seat of the Harley , a lace cleat ripping open a dime sized hole in the upholstered back pad. Then finding my new cell phone had none of my contacts in it, which assuredly drove my eyes to cross. Ahh then there was the trip to the grocery store, and by that time, my urge to use the bathroom was becoming more urgent, only to find the darn restroom closed! After I arrived at home, settled in with a movie on the bed, only to drift in and out of sleep as my body slowed from the pace of the day. Eventually I succumbed to my need for sleep, drifting off to my thoughts of the week and memories made. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Yk0gcfm6SbA/TtLbhf0TjoI/AAAAAAAAAfQ/XLWgz3LzJJQ/s1600/tgvng2011+123.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Yk0gcfm6SbA/TtLbhf0TjoI/AAAAAAAAAfQ/XLWgz3LzJJQ/s200/tgvng2011+123.JPG" width="200" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Aunt Ty and Cheyenne</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was reminded recently of a unique custom by the Sioux Indian tribe, that says there is no word in their language for "Good-Bye". As in their beliefs, it is said that such a word would break the circle of love and happiness, and therefore no word was ever developed. Rather than good-bye, perhaps a simple "Look after yourself", or perhaps "See you again" might work. For whatever reason, and in the spirit of the season upon us, I simply ask each of you to take care of yourselves, your family, and Peace be with you all!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Peace & Love!</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Steve striking a pose!</span></td></tr>
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<a href="http://s1120.photobucket.com/albums/l498/boomer1964/Thanksgiving%202011/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thanksgiving Pictures</span></a>boomer64http://www.blogger.com/profile/16785260797383154126noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2236427396750378187.post-24483216704304148542011-11-12T11:26:00.001-08:002011-11-12T13:02:32.102-08:00Memories of Edinburgh<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kp3lOP55DDo/Tr7XvwiThhI/AAAAAAAAAdg/f-iV_AVj41Y/s1600/Cedar+Rapids-20111031-00301.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kp3lOP55DDo/Tr7XvwiThhI/AAAAAAAAAdg/f-iV_AVj41Y/s200/Cedar+Rapids-20111031-00301.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My ghoulish ride on Halloween</td></tr>
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Its November 12th - the day after Veterans Day. Quiet fills my house as Mary is off to a funeral for a friend. The girls are doing, well, whatever it is girls do at 17 and 24. Having the day off yesterday was a welcome respite from the dregs of the office. Lately my motivation is, well, on other things. Call it bad attitude, lack of drive, maybe just dog assed tired. Between hospitals, daughters, the occasional tooth ache, work stress, and all the other nightmarish ghouls that invade my dreams, lately I just haven't been myself. We all go through times like this. Don't tell me we don't. Even the most savvy of personalities has a down week or two, but eventually things turn up, and you pull out of the doldrums. Maybe its the season, too, as colder weather is coming, and what a cranky S.O.B. I can be when I am not on the Harley motorbike! Whatever it is, its nothing I can just take some happy pill for, and its sure nothing that a little wind in my hair won't cure, but those days are coming to a grinding halt. Whatever it is, I just wish it would take a flying leap out of my life and hit the road.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mary as we left Mercy Hospital<br />
after her back surgery</td></tr>
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Mary's surgery has done well. Doctors implanted the nerve stimulator in her back last week, and it has done wonders for her pain. Her back is more stiff from the surgery itself, but the central portion of the pain she had is almost gone, masked by a small device that is not much bigger than a flash drive. She is still recovering, but has been able to get out of the house on her own a couple times for short trips. It will take some time for her incisions to fully heal, but it sure is great to see her able to move around better and be in a little better frame of mind. Next up will be the total knee replacement of her left knee. That will most likely take place after the holidays. Doctors expect her recovery from back surgery to take about 8 weeks, which puts knee replacement right around Christmas, so we'll wait on that till after the holidays to give her more time to recover fully. In the mean time, we're all just thankful to see her moving around a bit better!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yL9xAU-Kp3g/Tr7cHV4DDWI/AAAAAAAAAeA/3LMefLjowmc/s1600/malsonado.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yL9xAU-Kp3g/Tr7cHV4DDWI/AAAAAAAAAeA/3LMefLjowmc/s200/malsonado.bmp" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From Left: Jim Franklin, Walter Illes,<br />
and John Maldonado of the QM<br />
Division aboard the USS Sam Rayburn</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Veterans Day is a day we all give thanks to the veterans of our nations military, and even the local law enforcement and firefighters are to be thanked for their service as well. Since Mary was feeling a bit better I decided to take her to a local eatery that offered free lunch to any veteran who walked in. As you can imagine, it was a little crowded. I was struck by two things, however, that seemed to stick with me. The first was a class of elementary students who offered a little handwritten card to each vet as he walked in. The second, more importantly, was that most of the people in this place were not my age, but mostly Vietnam vets. You can tell a lot of them any more, the long hair, the handlebar mustaches, the look in their eyes when handed a Thank You card. I make no boasts about my naval "career" as it were. I served in peacetime. I served when the USSR was our enemy. I never saw what most could construe as real combat, although the things I did do are still highly classified to this day. After all, it was submarine duty. Nobody is supposed to know. No one died on my watch. No one was blown to pieces by a mortar round, and no one was executed. I never saw a soldier lose an arm, a leg, or have the back of his head taken off by a grenade. Those who have deserve my gratitude, my respect, and should always be held in high esteem by our fellow countrymen. It shames me to no end, however, when people in my community still flip their noses at veterans such as these men. If you see a veteran, ANY veteran, just say "Thank you!". Thank you for your service, thank you for your devotion to country, thank you for your dedication, and thank you for my freedoms. Many of these men were never thanked. Many never were even greeted warmly when they came home. Some were protested, belittled, embarrassed, humiliated for doing their jobs. The next time you see a veteran, just say "Thank You" and it will make a huge difference in their lives.<br />
<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rImh2EgapG8/Tr7cIt3CwxI/AAAAAAAAAeI/mD67skphH7c/s1600/atwood-635g1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="134" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rImh2EgapG8/Tr7cIt3CwxI/AAAAAAAAAeI/mD67skphH7c/s200/atwood-635g1.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From Right: LCDR Wayne Gambin,<br />
Chief Dave Harper, and me in the <br />
foreground on the USS Sam Rayburn</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The holidays are fast approaching. The pagan winter festivals, as some refer to them, are always painful at times. The traffic, the hoarding masses, the endless lines, the constant chiming of cash registers, all the noise noise noise! I, for one, have chosen to hide in my house and not come out until January 10th! Yes I know - I sound like an old Scrooge, but I give my thanks to my friends and family each day. I also give thanks for the doctors who are working to give Mary a new lease on life. The New Year will bring hope and promise, but to be sure, its to those I love most that have brought some measure of understanding. It has been a difficult year in my house, but thank you to each of my friends and family for sticking with me and having some understanding! Patience is being rewarded, although at this point I am not sure if its patience or just dogged determination but we have high hopes for the coming year. I want to wish each of you a great Thanksgiving Holiday! Make sure you give thanks to each other, and let us all pray for peace and prosperity!<br />
<br />
Peace & Love!<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pfjPKfWr8r8/Tr7ZY6TgTLI/AAAAAAAAAd4/7uixrkej8F8/s1600/016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pfjPKfWr8r8/Tr7ZY6TgTLI/AAAAAAAAAd4/7uixrkej8F8/s400/016.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A nice little fire to warm the coggles and toes!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-89Rpf9GxoVE/Tr7epPT_TfI/AAAAAAAAAeQ/2rAQMygV_FA/s1600/edinburghcastle-1920.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="250" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-89Rpf9GxoVE/Tr7epPT_TfI/AAAAAAAAAeQ/2rAQMygV_FA/s400/edinburghcastle-1920.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Edinburgh Castle</td></tr>
</tbody></table>boomer64http://www.blogger.com/profile/16785260797383154126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2236427396750378187.post-29811666666455194182011-10-11T16:59:00.000-07:002011-10-11T17:04:39.095-07:00741 Steps<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: yellow;">I turn my back to the wind <br />
To catch my breath, <br />
Before I start off again. <br />
Driven on without a moment to spend <br />
To pass an evening with a drink and a friend<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></b><br />
<span style="color: yellow;">
</span><br />
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<span style="color: yellow;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 5;"> <a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_507393530"> <span style="color: #9fc5e8;"> </span></a></span></span></i></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 8pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #9fc5e8;"><a href="http://www.neilpeart.net/bng/index.html#">(Neil Peart – “Time Stand Still”)</a></span></span></i></div>
<span style="color: yellow;">
</span><br />
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<span style="color: yellow;">
</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1120.photobucket.com/albums/l498/boomer1964/SiouxFalls%20BnG/BlckHlls2k11003-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://i1120.photobucket.com/albums/l498/boomer1964/SiouxFalls%20BnG/BlckHlls2k11003-4.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Preparing for Departure</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #f6b26b;">It isn’t very often Mary or I go out for an evening, let
alone a day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sometimes we get so
consumed by life’s everyday challenges we forget to take pause, to stop and
share in the love we have for each other.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Life has been passing us by a lot lately, with Mary’s health having
issues, I working two jobs, trying to maintain some semblance of sanity in an
otherwise insane world. So it was with the first weekend of October.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had been so busy and so stressed with life
that we had become oblivious to our need to get out, to enjoy each other.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fortunately, a friend stepped in and provided
us with a weekend escape, a chance to enjoy the company of friends, to share a
fine meal, to “pass the evening with a drink and a friend” as it were.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: yellow;">
</span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1120.photobucket.com/albums/l498/boomer1964/SiouxFalls%20BnG/003-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://i1120.photobucket.com/albums/l498/boomer1964/SiouxFalls%20BnG/003-4.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mary at the USS South Dakota</span><br />
<span style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Memorial</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #f6b26b;">That first weekend of October we met up with some friends
in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This trip
would give us a chance to get away, and it would provide a springboard for
which I could realize my dream of riding through the Black Hills of South
Dakota on my Harley.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No rallies, just me
on my bike.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We anxiously hit the road,
and made the trip to Sioux Falls, stopping only for gas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As tired as we were that first night, we<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>savored every moment together, relaxed by a
fire, struck up conversation with others who passed by.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our friends having not yet arrived, we took
some time that Saturday to enjoy a quiet breakfast and find a few sights to
take in, but soon we returned to our hotel, and waited for our friends to
arrive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The first couple arrived by
midafternoon, and the other friends would arrive soon after.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We lost ourselves in conversation, hugs, the
sharing of gifts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Although tired, our
friends were ready for the evening.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #f6b26b;">
</span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1120.photobucket.com/albums/l498/boomer1964/SiouxFalls%20BnG/083-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://i1120.photobucket.com/albums/l498/boomer1964/SiouxFalls%20BnG/083-1.jpg" width="133" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mary with Exeter,</span><br />
<span style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Travelling Bear</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: yellow;"><span style="color: #f6b26b;">We took a limousine to a Brazilian restaurant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was a festive place, loading up on South
American style cuisine, and loading your plate with meats and veggies at every
turn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The manager was even taken by our
playful spirit, going so far as to serve us himself, bringing a delightful
drink for each of us to share in the evening. Toasting the evening made us all
realize how fortunate we were to share in the evening.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We returned to our hotel full, but anxious to
continue our evening by the fire pit Mary and I had enjoyed the previous
evening.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As we sat at the fire, a young
girl and her parents were making smores, and shared some with each of us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We talked for hours not even caring about the
time, but eventually the evening ended, and as we hugged we gave thanks to each
other for a spectacular night.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1120.photobucket.com/albums/l498/boomer1964/SiouxFalls%20BnG/063-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://i1120.photobucket.com/albums/l498/boomer1964/SiouxFalls%20BnG/063-1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">From left: Barry, Cassie, Michelle, me, and Janna</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="color: yellow;">
</span><br />
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<br /></div>
<span style="color: yellow;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: yellow;">“You live more in five minutes on a bike like this going flat
out than some people live in a lifetime.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></b></div>
<span style="color: yellow;">
</span><br />
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<span style="color: yellow;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></i></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 4;"> <a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_507393535"> <span style="color: #9fc5e8;"> </span></a></span></span></i></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 8pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #9fc5e8;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burt_Munro">(Burt Munro – “The World’s Fastest Indian”)</a></span></span></i></div>
<span style="color: yellow;">
</span><br />
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<br /></div>
<span style="color: #f6b26b;">
</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1120.photobucket.com/albums/l498/boomer1964/Black%20Hills%20Ride%202011/BlckHlls2k11022.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://i1120.photobucket.com/albums/l498/boomer1964/Black%20Hills%20Ride%202011/BlckHlls2k11022.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My brand new 2011 Ultra Classic</span><br />
<span style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">ElectraGlide Harley Davidson</span><br />
<span style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">aka Marilyn, posing in Spearfish Canyon</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #f6b26b;">For many years I had wanted my own Harley
motorcycle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I remember as a teenager
asking my mom and dad to buy one, and the reaction I got from the mere thought
of me on a bike.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I remember our neighbor
had a motorcycle when I was 9, and I never stopped asking him for a ride.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I set out that Sunday after warmly
embracing my wife, setting off on a four day journey through the Black Hills, I
remembered the long road I had taken to make this trip a reality.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Guiding my bike onto the freeway I could feel
myself shaking, almost shedding a tear for the realization of a dream.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My trip would take me to Rapid City, staying
with a friend’s son who was stationed at Ellsworth Air Force Base.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then four rides from Rapid City – Devils
Tower, Wyoming, Mount Rushmore and Crazy Horse Memorial, and Spearfish Canyon
all in the Black Hills, and finally The Badlands National Park. My schedule was
tight, but I had planned this trip to maximize my riding and my stops.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The hardest part would be crossing the 400
miles of prairie between Sioux Falls and Rapid City.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I arrived in Rapid City, I sensed my trip
with a deeper appreciation that my goal was coming true.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #f6b26b;">
</span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1120.photobucket.com/albums/l498/boomer1964/Black%20Hills%20Ride%202011/030-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://i1120.photobucket.com/albums/l498/boomer1964/Black%20Hills%20Ride%202011/030-1.jpg" width="133" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Me at Devils Tower</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #f6b26b;">I headed out Monday with my first goal of
Devils Tower.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>An enormous natural statue
of rock, this monument has been the stuff of legends.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I recognized it as a symbol of what my ride
would become.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was clear and sunny,
and I was ready more than I could have every hoped.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I stopped briefly in Sturgis, South Dakota,
which has become a mecca for just about anyone with a motorcycle these
days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Noting the endless stream of bars,
eateries, and tourist traps, I quickly marked this destination off the
list.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The rally that is held every year
here brings hundreds of thousands of bikers from around the globe, but today, I
was the only bike in town really.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After
I “toured” that tiny town, I continued west to Sundance, Wyoming, and then
pulling northward to Devils Tower.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
views of the tower were impeccably breathtaking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At first it hung low, but as I rode closer,
the horizon became filled with its beauty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I entered the park at the base of the tower, and rode to the visitor’s
station, where I picked up my very first passport stamp, a small but precious
prize serving as a reminder of my trip.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I spent two hours taking in the view, getting those much needed
pictures, and speaking with other visitors who were there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I noted that as I arrived, I was trembling
with excitement, a sure sign that this trip would be well worth the wait.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Soon, though, I was forced to pack my camera
up, and head back to Rapid City.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
barely remember my ride back, as my memories swelled from my visit, but I also
knew the nest day would be even better.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<br /></div>
<span style="color: #f6b26b;">
</span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1120.photobucket.com/albums/l498/boomer1964/Black%20Hills%20Ride%202011/015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://i1120.photobucket.com/albums/l498/boomer1964/Black%20Hills%20Ride%202011/015.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mount Rushmore</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #f6b26b;">My next day had two stops planned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The first would be Mount Rushmore, a
remarkable statue carved into the stone mountain face of four presidents.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was an obvious choice for anyone
visiting the Black Hills.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My trip would
only take about 40 minutes, but on this day I would stay in the park for four
hours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Again, as I retrieved my cameras,
my hands were shaking again from the sheer excitement and thrill that my third
goal had been met, and I had arrived safely.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>After retrieving my second passport stamp from the Park Office, I walked
into the viewing area, where I got a clear and unobstructed view of the
statue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a week day so the park
was not full, but this day was a clear warm day, and the view was perfect.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I absorbed every detail, relished every
picture, even spoke with those mingling in the amphitheater.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As it turned out, an older retired couple
with their friends from, of all places, Dubuque, Iowa were there as well, and
we spoke for several minutes about the trip, the park, and the experiences of
getting there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I almost wanted to stay
longer, but quickly realized that I had one more stop planned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Walking back to my bike, I looked out beyond
the parking lot, and the view was so clear you could actually see The
Badlands.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After packing up, I made my
way out, made one more stop for pictures, and rode on to my next visit.</span></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1120.photobucket.com/albums/l498/boomer1964/Black%20Hills%20Ride%202011/BlckHlls2k11032-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://i1120.photobucket.com/albums/l498/boomer1964/Black%20Hills%20Ride%202011/BlckHlls2k11032-1.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Crazy Horse Memorial</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><span style="color: #f6b26b; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">About 14 miles southwest of Mount Rushmore is a new memorial being carved in another mountain called Crazy Horse Memorial. This is the realization of a dream of Chief Standing Bear, a Lakota Sioux chief who presented the idea to a Polish descended American named </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korczak_Zi%C3%B3%C5%82kowski"><span style="color: #f6b26b; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Korczak Ziółkowski</span></a><span style="color: #f6b26b; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">. At first the idea seemed implausible, but eventually, Ziółkowski began work on the project in 1948. Working alone, he gathered the tools and the supplies he would need to start. An old air compressor, a generator, jack hammers, dynamite, all paid for with his own money. His effort started by building a ladder of 741 steps, and each day he would start with climbing those steps, going down to restart the compressor, then back up, sometimes 9 or 10 times a day. Ziółkowski passed away in 1982, but work on the statue continues today, The memorial, however, is not a national park. It receives no government assistance, no monies, or grants from any government agency. Instead the work is all privately funded, and continues today in the hopes that the dream of Chief Standing Bull thru the efforts of the entire Ziółkowski family will be realized. While I didn’t stay as long, I was deeply moved by the effort of that one man in Korczak Ziółkowski, and what the early days of his work were like climbing each of those 741 steps every day. As I packed and rode off, my only thought was what this world would be like if more of us could make that kind of effort.</span></div>
<span style="color: #f6b26b;">
</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1120.photobucket.com/albums/l498/boomer1964/Black%20Hills%20Ride%202011/BlckHlls2k11036.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://i1120.photobucket.com/albums/l498/boomer1964/Black%20Hills%20Ride%202011/BlckHlls2k11036.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Spearfish Canyon Scenic View</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #f6b26b;">My last day in the Black Hills was on a ride
through Spearfish Canyon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is a
scenic ride through some of the beauty that lays in the Black Hills.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was in no particular hurry this day, and
made many stops and spent a lot of time just taking it all in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I could almost feel a supernatural presence
guiding me through each curve, and could almost hear native chanting in the
cliffs above.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I felt as if I was being
watched by the masses of native Americans who hold this place in such high
regard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a truly surreal
experience, and after I stopped at the south end of the canyon, I struck up a
conversation with other Harley riders who said the same thing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is a spirit about that place, and I
could feel that spirit around every turn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>One rider suggested another route for the path leading to Rapid
City.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nemo Road takes you into the
eastern side of the Black Hills, and many of the valleys are used today for
cattle grazing and horses.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This road
would test my skills as a motorcyclist, so I took it slow at first, then
gaining confidence in my skills and the machine I pushed a bit harder, taking
curve after curve a little better and more skillfully.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I coasted down the last stretch into Rapid
City, I was covered with sweat, but smiled as I realized that my goal had come
true.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1120.photobucket.com/albums/l498/boomer1964/Black%20Hills%20Ride%202011/008-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://i1120.photobucket.com/albums/l498/boomer1964/Black%20Hills%20Ride%202011/008-1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Devils Tower Landscape</span></td></tr>
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</span><br />
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<span style="color: yellow;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: yellow;">One-Zero Zero One-Zero Zero-One <br />
S.O.S <br />
One-Zero Zero One-Zero Zero-One<br />
In distress </span>
<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
</span></i></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 8pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div>
<span style="color: yellow;">
</span><br />
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 8pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #a2c4c9;"><a href="http://www.neilpeart.net/bng/index.html#"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Neil Peart – “The Body Electric”)<o:p></o:p></a></span></span></i></div>
<span style="color: yellow;">
</span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1120.photobucket.com/albums/l498/boomer1964/Black%20Hills%20Ride%202011/010-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://i1120.photobucket.com/albums/l498/boomer1964/Black%20Hills%20Ride%202011/010-1.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Marilyn at Devils Tower</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #f6b26b;">As with all things, I realized my trip was
almost at an end.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because the weather
had been so good, I didn’t look at the forecast much until after I returned
from Spearfish Canyon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rain, wind, and
severe storms were forecast for western South Dakota.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That forced me to make two decisions. One I
would be forced to skip my ride through the Badlands.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was an important goal in my trip, but I
also realized that being caught in a thunderstorm in that area could be
dangerous.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is simply nowhere for a
motorcycle to hide in that kind of weather in that area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My second decision was to try to make it back
to Cedar Rapids in one day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That meant
riding 700 miles alone across three states.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Ordinarily that would not be a problem, but on the day I left Rapid
City, that would become impossible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
was not even 50 miles east of Rapid City and began running into heavy winds blowing
from south to north across the highway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some
winds gusting as high as 50 mph in places.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This wasn’t in the Rapid City forecast, but later checking saw that it
was in the forecast for points east of there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In my haste to get home ahead of the thunderstorms I failed to check the
forecast where I was riding through, and was now caught on my bike in the
middle of a windstorm that covered almost the entire area lying west of the
Mississippi River. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1120.photobucket.com/albums/l498/boomer1964/Black%20Hills%20Ride%202011/BlckHlls2k11020-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://i1120.photobucket.com/albums/l498/boomer1964/Black%20Hills%20Ride%202011/BlckHlls2k11020-1.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Marilyn and I at </span><br />
<span style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Profile Viewpoint, </span><br />
<span style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mt Rushmore</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #f6b26b;">Riding in high wind can be a dangerous
proposition.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had just traded in my
Heritage Softail for a much newer, and bigger, Ultra Classic Electraglide.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In high wind, the bike became a sail.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It took almost all my strength to keep the
bike upright and straight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In some
places I literally locked my right arm out straight against the right side
handlebar grip while holding the left grip in place and steering on the left
side.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The wind was blowing the bike all
over the road, and semi traffic made things even worse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My body was literally being pummeled by the
wind as if Rocky Balboa and Muhammed Ali were punching my body almost
mercilessly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My helmet kept rocking back
and forth from the gusts, and at times it sounded like Neil Peart himself was
using the top of my helmet for a drum set. I could go 140 miles on a tank, low
mileage for my bike, but I found I needed the rest every two hours to keep up. I
took some comfort in crossing the Missouri River, but by the time I reached
Jackson, Minnesota, I had ridden thru rain, wind, dust storm, tumbleweed
clouds, and flying cornstalks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was
exhausted, I knew it, and I still had a bit over 200 miles to go.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fortunately, a little wisdom, and coaxing on
my cell call to home made me realize the old adage “discretion is the better
part of valor”, and rather than continue riding towards home, I found a Super 8
hotel close by, got a room, and collapsed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I nearly skipped dinner, but also knew I needed to recharge a bit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A walleye dinner at the local diner, followed
by a nice hot shower helped.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knew,
though, the next day would be the same.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #f6b26b;">
</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1120.photobucket.com/albums/l498/boomer1964/Black%20Hills%20Ride%202011/004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://i1120.photobucket.com/albums/l498/boomer1964/Black%20Hills%20Ride%202011/004.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sunrise at Jackson, Minnesota</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #f6b26b;">The next morning I set out towards home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had a decent breakfast of a bowl of cereal,
a banana, and some orange juice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pulling
the bike upright, I noted the sky was filled with a beautiful sunrise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The wind, however, had only subsided a
little, and I was back to wrestling with wind and machine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The trip home seemed like days, but in
reality only took a bit over four hours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>A quick stop for gas and a Gatorade in Mason City helped to recharge my
energy, although a rather arrogant woman in a brand new Cadillac SUV reminded
me that some people have no grasp of what they do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Apparently she wanted my Harley out of her
way, parking a scant six inches from my front tire in the line at the pump, and
then gunning her engine and honking her horn until I got out of her way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I guess some folks are just born that
way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pulling back onto the highway, I
was thankful I didn’t confront her, but a little upset she almost hit the bike.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #f6b26b;">
</span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1120.photobucket.com/albums/l498/boomer1964/Black%20Hills%20Ride%202011/005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://i1120.photobucket.com/albums/l498/boomer1964/Black%20Hills%20Ride%202011/005.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Coming up to Mt Rushmore</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #f6b26b;">Finally about noon time I made it to my exit
for home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was worn out and dog
tired.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had accomplished so much on my
trip, but the ride home took most of the fun out of it all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I pulled into the driveway at home, Mary
and I met with a warm hug.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It had been a
long trip, but also the realization that I had accomplished a goal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t even unpack the bike, rather leaving
it in the garage packed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is a
thankfulness you feel after a long ride, and I remember telling my wife “Thank
goodness I am alive”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The winds I had
ridden through were dangerous.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I could
have been hurt, but I also knew that I had just proved to myself I could adapt
and overcome those obstacles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had
realized that no matter what challenges lie ahead, it’s how we meet those
challenges that means the most.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s the
journey, not the destination.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There will
be more trips, more goals, more riding, indeed more tales on the trails.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am lucky have such a family who understands
those desires to travel, but even more important to support and help me achieve
those goals. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: yellow;">
</span><br />
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<span class="body1"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: yellow;">We are at our very best, and we are
happiest, when we are fully engaged in work we enjoy on the journey toward the
goal we've established for ourselves. It gives meaning to our time off and
comfort to our sleep. It makes everything else in life so wonderful, so
worthwhile.</span></span></i></b></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: yellow;"> <br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: yellow;">
</span><br />
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<span style="color: yellow;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 3;"> <span style="color: #9fc5e8;"> </span></span></span></span><span style="color: #9fc5e8;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 8pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://earlnightingale.com/">(Earl Nightingale)</a></span></i></span></div>
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<a href="http://i1120.photobucket.com/albums/l498/boomer1964/Black%20Hills%20Ride%202011/027.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://i1120.photobucket.com/albums/l498/boomer1964/Black%20Hills%20Ride%202011/027.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://s1120.photobucket.com/albums/l498/boomer1964/SiouxFalls%20BnG/?albumview=slideshow">Sioux Falls Dinner Photos</a></span></div>
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<span style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://s1120.photobucket.com/albums/l498/boomer1964/Black%20Hills%20Ride%202011/?albumview=slideshow">Black Hills Vacation Photos</a></span></div>
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<span style="color: #f6b26b; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Peace & Love Everybody!</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
boomer64http://www.blogger.com/profile/16785260797383154126noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2236427396750378187.post-6608642334972865912011-09-10T15:33:00.000-07:002011-09-10T15:33:22.198-07:00What "9-11" Means to Me<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.september11news.com/YahooTopPicsEmail2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://www.september11news.com/YahooTopPicsEmail2.jpg" width="356" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">United Flight 11 September 11, 2001</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Photo from </span><a href="http://www.september11news.com/"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">www.september11news.com</span></a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O4Mdvfq7swo/TmvWwWPPa9I/AAAAAAAAAdE/pHLSawn-eWU/s1600/press12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O4Mdvfq7swo/TmvWwWPPa9I/AAAAAAAAAdE/pHLSawn-eWU/s200/press12.jpg" width="133" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Escorting the body of </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">PO1 Tumilson home</span>.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The other day I was talking to someone I know well. I don't wish to really embarrass this person, but they made a comment to me that just floored me. Our conversation was on my efforts to support the mission of the Patriot Guard Riders. Eventually we discussed the upcoming 9-11 Remembrance ceremonies scheduled, and he remarked that he was "..quite tired of all that fuss over a couple of buildings". I felt like someone had just punched my gut. I walked away from him, and we haven't discussed much since. I simply could not believe how utterly arrogant his comment was. It flew in the face of all those people who died not only in the Twin Towers, but those aircraft, and even the over 6000 military lives lost pursuing justice since that day. To that end, instead of focusing on me, my life, my family, my Harley (more on that later!), and my sometimes rather nonsensical gibberish on life here in Iowa, I decided I would write about what 9-11 means to me.</span><br />
<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-s08smY4hD2g/TmvVn9oDruI/AAAAAAAAAc8/xEthZY-gUvE/s1600/tumilaug2011+011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-s08smY4hD2g/TmvVn9oDruI/AAAAAAAAAc8/xEthZY-gUvE/s200/tumilaug2011+011.JPG" width="150" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Funeral for PO1 Tumilson</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That day plays in my mind like a movie. I had just gotten my job with the D.O.T. not maybe 8 months earlier. I had started my day like any other, brought my cup of coffee - only one - in to work along with some project files for my consulting work. There wasn't anyone in my particular office area, although I could hear some mumbling out in the hallway about a plane. At the time I had thought a Cessna aircraft had gotten lost in the fog and clipped the towers. At about 7:42 AM, I remember because I looked at the clock on my computer, Mary called to tell me a larger commercial airliner had hit the Twin Towers. The thoughts in my head were all over the place. Maybe the pilot had a heart attack, perhaps the plane had suffered a mechanical malfunction. Mary told me she loved me, but I could tell she was a bit upset, so as I hung up, I tried to look up something on the CNN website. It was not responding. Lets try ABC, NBC, CBS. All were so overloaded they were simply unable to load anything. Finally a coworker came in and told me a plane had hit the Towers. As we walked to the break room, where other coworkers were watching on our tv, I just was not mentally prepared for what I would see in the next hour.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OsHTXmFZIn0/TmvVx5eJuaI/AAAAAAAAAdA/cRBzmLsHN7E/s1600/tumilaug2011+015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OsHTXmFZIn0/TmvVx5eJuaI/AAAAAAAAAdA/cRBzmLsHN7E/s200/tumilaug2011+015.JPG" width="200" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Flag line for PO1 Tumilson</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To say I was shocked might be understating the obvious. The weather was clear over New York. Clearer than usual I thought. Then the images started coming in of the tower, and the impact scene on the Tower. I had taken some time while I served in the navy to visit New York a number of times. I never got tired of that city. I have been to the Towers, the Empire State Building, Macys, you name it. One particular time I had gotten a little lost in Manhattan, and two police officers guided me back to Penn Station, where I eventually found my way back to Queens where I was staying with friends. As I watched those scenes coming in, I recalled my old friends, and hoped that none of THEM were in those towers. We continued to watch replays over and over of that first tower, until suddenly Katie Couric ( we all know her!) suddenly said "Oh My God - there is another plane!" and not two seconds later the second impact on the second tower exploded in a ball of flame, and for what seemed like hours no one on tv, in the break room, not even on the street, could so much as utter anything at all.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.september11news.com/AAPentagonFiretrucksWPost.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="128" src="http://www.september11news.com/AAPentagonFiretrucksWPost.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Pentagon Sept. 11. Photo by</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><a href="http://www.september11news.com/"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">www.september11news.com</span></a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The next hours included watching the towers fall, the reports of the attack on the Pentagon, and the demise of Flight 93. I remember thinking about the many thousands of people who worked in those towers. I remember the sickening images of people plunging to their death from the top of the towers. I remember it like it was yesterday. That night too, I was almost sickened by the images and videos that continued to play on the tv, all over the news, even between friends. That evening I was asked by my business associate to measure pavement quantities in a newer subdivision we had been working on. I remember making those measurements at dusk, and looking up to see nothing but empty sky. Not one aircraft was flying that night. I remember taking pavement measurements in the view of the headlights of my truck, and just in disbelief than any human being would be capable of such utter atrociousness as to drive a plane purposely into a building. ANY building. I am not normally a vengeful man. I may have problems with my temper on occasion, but that day for the first time I wanted to take the life of another person. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the days, weeks, months, and years since, our country has brought those responsible to justice. The price for that has been not only the 2973 lives lost that day, but the over 6000 military lives lost since. To me, however, the toll that not only our country but our allies have paid has been most steep. It is not only to them I speak but the families of each one who has given the sacrifice of their life in the defense of every liberty we as common American citizens partake of each day. It is the Canadian people, the British, even the Australians who have stood with us, and defended our freedoms and theirs. It is to each of them I say "Thank You" for your service to your country and mine, for defending freedom, and for standing in harm's way on your watch as in the same manner that members of my family and I stood our watches. It is those reasons that I give thanks every day, and in the hope that we never face the threat of terror or oppression again.</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.rememberthefallen.com/media/gallery/53_t_w700_h500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://www.rememberthefallen.com/media/gallery/53_t_w700_h500.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Peace and Love everybody!</span><br />
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boomer64http://www.blogger.com/profile/16785260797383154126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2236427396750378187.post-30428879358977034672011-08-14T18:43:00.000-07:002011-08-14T18:43:58.834-07:00Jokes and Spokes<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; height: 162px; width: 211px;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NOdgi-JR3Yo/Tkh1tm_ylgI/AAAAAAAAAb8/8pm2joRhkxM/s1600/IMG-20110803-00027.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NOdgi-JR3Yo/Tkh1tm_ylgI/AAAAAAAAAb8/8pm2joRhkxM/s200/IMG-20110803-00027.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Cheyenne on her 17th Birthday with Jesse</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thank goodness - at least in my neck of the woods, that heat is gone. Replaced by sunny, but kinder and gentler temps. At 85 degrees, I begin to melt, but at 95 degrees, brain cells are frying, blood pressure is boiling, and its just no fun. In fact, in my house - it is the most JOYOUS time of year. School! Cheyenne - the youngest - will be a senior, and she just turned 17 August 3rd. So hard to believe my baby is in her last year of high school. Seems like just yesterday she was pooping all over my brand new tennis shoes as I tried, unsuccessfully, to change her diapers. My parents celebrated 44 years of "wedded bliss"? Ok - we'll call it marital togetherness. Never really understood the word bliss when it involves marriage. And finally - football! My favorite time of year!</span><br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-X5cWUAIz9HI/Tkh1ir-HMTI/AAAAAAAAAb4/EAwO8kErLz0/s1600/IMG-20110718-00016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-X5cWUAIz9HI/Tkh1ir-HMTI/AAAAAAAAAb4/EAwO8kErLz0/s200/IMG-20110718-00016.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Clowning around in the Emergency</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Room after I got a little hot last </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">month</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now - I know some of you are looking at the title of this segment, probably thinking "Here he goes - flyiin' off his rocker again!", but sometimes circumstances being what they are, you have to find humor in your life when things aren't going so well. This month, for whatever reason, it has been a couple weeks filled with challenges. It isn't anything we cannot overcome, mind you, but at some point the challenges get to be a bit of a strain. My business associate says when life gets you down, find something to laugh about. This month, with all the challenges we have had, it seems like all you CAN do is laugh, because if you start thinking about it all, well, break out the hankies. Challenges tend to be a way to make life interesting. If we didn't have a challenge tossed at us from time to time what would life be? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-y_sSmwybqb8/Tkh1VoJydeI/AAAAAAAAAbw/Nau4NYdbikg/s1600/Cedar+Rapids-20110812-00036.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-y_sSmwybqb8/Tkh1VoJydeI/AAAAAAAAAbw/Nau4NYdbikg/s200/Cedar+Rapids-20110812-00036.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Mowing the yard at my office. Hey - at</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">least it gets me OUT for a few hours</span>.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'll start with jokes. Last week we received a certified letter from the most ghoulish of places - the Internal Revenue Service! Very interesting letter. Made up some claim that a credit we claimed back in 2008 would not be granted. It involved the purchase of our home, and the First Time Homebuyer Tax Credit. After rifling through all of the needed forms, documents, letters, bank statements, Letters to Santa, that missing IOU for a bottle of scotch, I found the document, proving my taxes were filed correctly. Today, however, we got a second letter, to the tune of over $9,000. Cue the clowns! So we called those "wonderful" folks at the IRS. Stayed on hold over 40 minutes waiting to speak with someone. Finally our patience paid off. We verified some personal info, explained our issue, and was put on hold. After what seemed like an eternity, the rep came back on and told us to disregard the letters due to an IRS "glitch"?! We would be receiving a letter shortly that would absolve us of any wrongdoing. Now - here is the FUNNY part. All the while we were on hold, their on air background music was playing, of all things, "The Nutcracker Suite". Whoever picks their music selections needs a good swift kick in the heehaws!</span><br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eGTaZWd8w6o/Tkh1ZytPq9I/AAAAAAAAAb0/BhqFMDtBelo/s1600/IMG-20110806-00030.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eGTaZWd8w6o/Tkh1ZytPq9I/AAAAAAAAAb0/BhqFMDtBelo/s200/IMG-20110806-00030.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">A 2012 Road King, in Big Blue Pearl, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">during a recent test ride. Love the color</span>.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Spokes! Melissa, my beloved Harley, is not doing well. The tapping noise from the engine has returned. It isn't a catastrophic thing yet, after all, she starts she runs, but at some point I will have to come to a decision. Complete engine overhauls are spendy. Trading in for a newer bike may be my only option in part because it would probably be quite a bit less expensive than a new or remanufactured engine. The advantages of a new bike are pretty obvious, but couple those with a 2 year warranty, and all that nickel and dimeing pretty much goes away along with the headaches and the cramping and the nausea. The 2012 models just came out, too, and all the new Harleys with saddlebags are coming with the 103 cubic inch engine - something that I would love to have under me. Not only are these loaded with pulling power, but they are including a new internal oil cooler, which can save a lot of wear and tear on that engine as well. I have spied a couple of the new models out, and the new color schemes and the larger engine are attractive. I had hoped to wait at least another year, but I also have plans to tour around South Dakota (not during Bike Week - are you nuts!), would like to take a trip to the Mackinac Bridge, perhaps even a trip to Colorado and Utah! Places like the Grand Canyon, The Arches National Park, even Yellowstone are all on the bucket list.</span><br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MZRhqwwl0ig/Tkh1INPLBGI/AAAAAAAAAbs/5xppWbxj9PA/s1600/196345_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MZRhqwwl0ig/Tkh1INPLBGI/AAAAAAAAAbs/5xppWbxj9PA/s200/196345_640.jpg" width="159" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">PO1 Jon Tumilson from</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Rockford, Iowa</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I want to mention in parting our recent loss of 30 Navy Seal team members in Afghanistan. I cannot recall such a loss of life that would ripple throughout the military community. The effects are felt everywhere, even the National Guardsmen mention it will be tough to replace such uniquely skilled men. One such sailor is Petty Officer First Class Jon Tumilson, from a little town called Rockford, Iowa. Funerals for these men will begin this week, and I would hope that we all can reflect upon the freedoms that are defended by men such as these. As a former sailor myself, it is especially hard to accept that men such as these were lost in such great numbers, literally defenseless against a single rocket attack. I mourn their passing, and I will look to attend Petty Officer Tumilson's funeral this week.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Peace and Love Everybody!</span><br />
boomer64http://www.blogger.com/profile/16785260797383154126noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2236427396750378187.post-91063633275061990812011-07-30T11:10:00.000-07:002011-07-30T11:10:17.675-07:00My Ranting TemperThis will be short, brief - to the point. I was watching TV last night with Mary. Normally - we watch racing. Its our thing....grown men driving in circles with nothing better to do than try to sell me battery operated underwear and butt cream for babies. Its just amazing what someone will put on the side of a race car and the depths to which those guys will sell themselves for nothing other than to ride around in circles. What does that say about people who watch them!!! What can I say - I am easily amused by the travelling carnival show called NASCAR..<br />
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Somehow, I managed to catch some news about this debt debate in Washington, and nothing is making me more stressed than those blundering idiots giving my money to the Polish government to study cow flatulence. Or writing an open check to the Pentagon to build the next new superweapon. And guess who gets to pay for it? Why - you and I. OF COURSE, right? Well, after watching an hour of CNN and seeing them march senators and representatives in front of their cameras, pointing fingers and blame at everyone BUT themselves, I finally decided to spend my own 30 seconds in front of a camera. This is my version of "I have had ENOUGH of this"! Just click on the link, and it should take you to a youtube video I recently posted about how I feel about this whole debt ceiling and crisis and politicians and.....well, just watch. <br />
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6mMoi4K02w">The Ranting</a><br />
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Peace & Love Everybody!boomer64http://www.blogger.com/profile/16785260797383154126noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2236427396750378187.post-68734623873739546692011-07-21T19:56:00.000-07:002011-07-22T05:50:17.793-07:00Hot Turkey Comin' Thru!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9CvdcI-RuRE/Tijh3kOfCvI/AAAAAAAAAa0/ams5pRad4cE/s1600/m0711Pasker_Terry_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="400px" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9CvdcI-RuRE/Tijh3kOfCvI/AAAAAAAAAa0/ams5pRad4cE/s400/m0711Pasker_Terry_.jpg" width="322px" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">SFC Terryl Pasker</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you haven't melted under your house yet from all this heat, I am guessing you live in a freezer or Antarctica. Its the summer time heat I hate the most and man is it ever in full force in my neck of the woods. Even looking at my Harley is making my face cook and my legs fry. And as if it wasn't bad enough, I just got my electric bill, and I must say that AC feels nice until you get the bill. Add to that the 15% rate hike and all the fees, and you have the makings of a revolt. Its only money, right? I mean, really - how many folks think like that? Well, I know one, and his humor isn't making me laugh right now. I know - stop your whining guy - its making me sweat. I guess I can't do much else about it, so I'll just have to live with it and be thankful for the house and the AC I have.</span><br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZSGIUsRRN2I/Tijet2SJwrI/AAAAAAAAAao/ORxlH_jJ_2k/s1600/PGRJuly2011+022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="149px" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZSGIUsRRN2I/Tijet2SJwrI/AAAAAAAAAao/ORxlH_jJ_2k/s200/PGRJuly2011+022.JPG" width="200px" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Welcome Home!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Riding has been awfully hot lately. I commute to and from work, and then work most of the weekend so I don't have as much time riding, but I did one Welcome Home for a National Guard unit, and rode in escort for a military funeral this month. Lots of soldiers coming home from Afghanistan this month. Lots of families reunited which is always great to see. The unit I escorted home was deployed over a year, and they looked good, albeit a bit tired. As the troop of Patriot Guard Riders walked in, we were greeted with a very warm standing ovation. Believe it or not I feel a bit embarrassed by all that attention. The troops deserve more attention than I do, but it goes with the territory. I remember when I served - we never got the welcome the guys now get. In their defense they earned every second of it.</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-g-DiWDB_3J0/TijenV6TCFI/AAAAAAAAAaY/qof6lxfnEsk/s1600/PGRJuly2011+017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="298px" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-g-DiWDB_3J0/TijenV6TCFI/AAAAAAAAAaY/qof6lxfnEsk/s400/PGRJuly2011+017.JPG" width="400px" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Arrival at Welcome Home - The press trucks!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dk7So5FYZwg/TijelWqzbrI/AAAAAAAAAaU/0xIOR1BPFd4/s1600/PGRJuly2011+014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="298px" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dk7So5FYZwg/TijelWqzbrI/AAAAAAAAAaU/0xIOR1BPFd4/s400/PGRJuly2011+014.JPG" width="400px" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A view from the windshield just for escort departure</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-twbLilTzsPo/TijesVO6tPI/AAAAAAAAAak/tts5DcponqM/s1600/PGRJuly2011+021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="149px" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-twbLilTzsPo/TijesVO6tPI/AAAAAAAAAak/tts5DcponqM/s200/PGRJuly2011+021.JPG" width="200px" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Lined up to escort SFC Pasker</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">With the good, also must come the bad. SFC Terryl Pasker was killed by an Afghan security guard while serving in Afghanistan. For reasons not yet known the guard opened fire on two of our soldiers, killing SFC Pasker before being fatally shot by the second man in the same vehicle with SFC Pasker. I decided to ride in escort of the remains and do funeral escort knowing the conditions would be quite hot. The body was returned on July 15th, and about 30 bikes showed up to support the escort. The ride itself was quite uneventful, and even noticed full semis pulling over to salute the fallen soldier, and a couple times actually blocking traffic for us while we escorted by. While we did witness a number of folks showing their respect, there is always one or two idiots who just insist on being jerks, but with police escorting the motorcade, I noted one unlucky imbecile who was pulled over for failure to yield to a patrol officer. Other than that we arrived in good order, rendered honors to the family and returned to our normal duties.</span><br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-enEGMg2Od2Y/Tijejr8SD3I/AAAAAAAAAaQ/olYKA_znWXg/s1600/PGRJuly2011+011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="149px" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-enEGMg2Od2Y/Tijejr8SD3I/AAAAAAAAAaQ/olYKA_znWXg/s200/PGRJuly2011+011.JPG" width="200px" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pre Ride Briefing and prayer</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The funeral escort took place July 18th, and with all the excessive heat warnings out, I took extra steps to make sure I was fully hydrated, even skipping my usual one cup of coffee to avoid the caffeine. I took one quart of ice water with as a precaution, and headed out. After a mix up in meeting places, I finally found the group, including a beautifully prepared Freightliner semi that paid honor to the fallen heroes we escort. What a beautiful truck! We lined up and headed for the church, and got in our usual flag line, and that when the heat started taking a bit of a toll. I drank my ice water, and three additional bottles of water. I felt OK but it was becoming obvious the heat was going to be bad. I took on some peanut butter crackers just to keep some calories in my stomach, but we waited a long long time for the services to conclude. After one more bottle of water, we waited another 30 minutes before we started to head out to the cemetery. At about the halfway point I realized I wasn't feeling right, but continued assuming we would have a chance for more water. By the time we lined up and waited for everyone to arrive, it was 97 degrees, and I knew something was wrong, and as the service started, I looked at one of the fellow riders and asked for help. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-42KM8fUtMcA/Tijegc_w5jI/AAAAAAAAAaI/SnJGRBJSHNQ/s1600/PGRJuly2011+006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="298px" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-42KM8fUtMcA/Tijegc_w5jI/AAAAAAAAAaI/SnJGRBJSHNQ/s400/PGRJuly2011+006.JPG" width="400px" /></span></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6pKLZyHf1Qs/Tijeh52iKhI/AAAAAAAAAaM/vskKRLK668E/s1600/PGRJuly2011+007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="298px" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6pKLZyHf1Qs/Tijeh52iKhI/AAAAAAAAAaM/vskKRLK668E/s400/PGRJuly2011+007.JPG" width="400px" /></span></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3LtgJkWFoBI/TijeqmR4wiI/AAAAAAAAAag/4AWbtBZmBps/s1600/PGRJuly2011+020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="149px" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3LtgJkWFoBI/TijeqmR4wiI/AAAAAAAAAag/4AWbtBZmBps/s200/PGRJuly2011+020.JPG" width="200px" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Standing Flag Line - HOT!!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table> <div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am doing better, well, the heart rate calmed down anyways. The next day I decided as a safety measure to take a day off and try to let my body recover a bit. In looking back, several things contributed to this. One was the mistake of wearing a leather vest - a black leather vest, with a black tshirt, and not leaving the vest off during the flag line. The other was the excessive time it took to get the funeral motorcade moving and the lengthy amount of time it took for everyone to gather, in effect prolonging the time we were standing in the heat. The last was my caloric intake for the day was minimal. My mistake was assuming we would be done by lunch time. I had only one slice of peanut butter toast and some crackers. My body was eating up more than I was taking in. After conferring with the doctor, I was released to go home, but my days of doing that kind of thing are pretty much over. The worry now is now that this has happened once, it can happen more frequently and could be damaging to my heart if allowed to go unchecked. I am also told that I need to cut down on my stress level some. This means no more jumping up and down screaming like a maniac when Michigan or Oregon loses a football game. That means no more getting wound up about a car race. That means that as much as my coworkers tick me off I must refrain from my usual "teddy bear" demeanor. No more road rage, and no more arguments with Mary. Well, lets not get carried away!</span></div> <div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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<tr><td style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uXY3vopH5jk/TijevoyErHI/AAAAAAAAAas/w4ROHWiZgfY/s1600/PGRJuly2011+022a.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="149px" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uXY3vopH5jk/TijevoyErHI/AAAAAAAAAas/w4ROHWiZgfY/s200/PGRJuly2011+022a.JPG" width="200px" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Truck leading the funeral motorcade</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As for Mary - her pain has returned. AGAIN! Now the neurosurgeon wants to implant a nerve stimulator. Not really sure what that will do, but results seem to be good with it. The schedule is still iffy, but it looks like another three weeks off for recovery assuming all goes well. The last surgery she needed more time to recover, so we will see how that goes. She has been at work for about 3 weeks now, and she has been doing better, but the pain just keeps coming back. As it turns out, her condition is degenerative, and genetic. Her father had a similar condition, and suffered terribly from the constant back pain. In those days they did not have the extensive treatments that are available today. The surgery in January did relieve the pain in two areas, but this is a new area, and the condition will continue to work its was thru the back. The kids are taking it well. Jesse is working at Wal Mart while she contemplates her next "career" move. She realizes school is important, but getting back is another matter. Cheyenne - well, she has this disease - senioritis! She will be 17 in a few weeks, and she is already looking into graphic design. I have watched her on the computer, and she does have an eye for it. How we'll get the tuition, well, that's another story.</span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xtSw2IJ3AUM/TijepLXsoYI/AAAAAAAAAac/egBPJmPmck4/s1600/PGRJuly2011+018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="149px" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xtSw2IJ3AUM/TijepLXsoYI/AAAAAAAAAac/egBPJmPmck4/s200/PGRJuly2011+018.JPG" width="200px" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Arrival at Funeral Services</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0rQdagoqqgY/Tijh_ZqZzVI/AAAAAAAAAa4/R6pNleIrMp4/s1600/pasker1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was going to chat a few words about those yaywhos in Washington, but I think we're all hot enough under the collar about THAT!</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YfayaDAivpo/TijlKnLY0qI/AAAAAAAAAbE/fqrU7uM5hJk/s1600/xmas2010+006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="266px" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YfayaDAivpo/TijlKnLY0qI/AAAAAAAAAbE/fqrU7uM5hJk/s400/xmas2010+006.JPG" width="400px" /></span></a></div></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ahhhh Old Man Winter!!!</span></td></tr>
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Peace & Love Everybody!</span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>boomer64http://www.blogger.com/profile/16785260797383154126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2236427396750378187.post-89568086390345805752011-07-04T10:27:00.000-07:002011-07-04T10:27:31.531-07:00Freedom Rings!<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yoi-yEYjSAY/ThHudyf_g9I/AAAAAAAAAZA/3NKbCy5IDzY/s1600/IMG_0749.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yoi-yEYjSAY/ThHudyf_g9I/AAAAAAAAAZA/3NKbCy5IDzY/s200/IMG_0749.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My stop on the Minnesota State Line</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">July 4th - the day we all as Americans celebrate our "independence", and a day we reflect on the freedoms we all enjoy. Its amazing what you think about on the Harley - riding through the county roads, drifting around corners effortlessly, gazing over the landscape as you crest a hilly knoll. Taking in the scenes, the aromas of summertime plumage. Today is July 4th, and as usual, I took in a rather lengthy 450 miles on Melissa yesterday thinking about life, liberty, my own personal pursuit of happiness gone awry. Spending some time NOT at my desk, but rather just getting away for a day to pause and take stock in the things I enjoy most - my wife, my daughters, family, friends. This year has been a very testing and trying time for Mary Lou and I, but not without its rewards. Even as I write, Mary is preparing to finally, we hope, return to work. Our test has come full circle, we hope, but the time to celebrate is today - when we all must remember to thank those who have given us the freedoms we enjoy. Who have sacrificed of themselves in some way to serve our country. The next time you see a soldier, a sailor, an airman - thank THEM for their service, to our nation. You'll be glad you did.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ykZcMVV-EwM/ThHuYcqg9rI/AAAAAAAAAY8/Vqpiqv3y47o/s1600/IMG_0743.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ykZcMVV-EwM/ThHuYcqg9rI/AAAAAAAAAY8/Vqpiqv3y47o/s200/IMG_0743.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Found this sign in a little river resort</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">stop. Almost think this belongs</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">somewhere in Washington DC.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My riding has been, well, not riding. Lately work has so overtaken my life that I am feeling a bit overwhelmed. I get up, go to work, come home, work some more, and collapse at 11:30 PM, only to rise at 5:30 AM the next morning and start all over. That's not a life. I finally decided to give myself a long weekend this July 4th and took a day to do nothing but ride. Anywhere really, but this trip I went to Minnesota. The route was not really meticulously planned, but I knew the area I wanted to ride - along the Mississippi River. Some of the views this fall will be even better, but the route is very curvy and challenging, something I needed to take my mind off work. Riding a bigger bike can be challenging anyway, but this route would help me understand weaknesses I have in my riding skills, so that I can work on those. Fortunately, the only weakness I found was turning around from a wrong turn, but the riding was excellent. Lots of viewing, some rocky cliffs overlooking the route, hilly peaks and curving cliffs made for an exciting way to spend an afternoon. Finally after about four hours I ended up feeling a bit hungry and found a place to eat and call home. Unfortunately I cut my trip short after finding out that I might run into rain on my way home if I had gone a different route, but instead I altered my planned route home and took the OTHER scenic route home - along the east side of the Mississippi. Again - the views of the Mississippi River Valley are impressive, and even seeing the barge traffic was neat. Still have to work on my navigation skills, though, as I took a couple more wrong turns, and was forced to turn back. Note - if anyone is wondering, a great Christmas gift for me would be a navigation unit for my bike!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iPuOYExEKZY/ThHwlxl9UgI/AAAAAAAAAZI/VpfR9na2euw/s1600/IMG_0751.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iPuOYExEKZY/ThHwlxl9UgI/AAAAAAAAAZI/VpfR9na2euw/s200/IMG_0751.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The GPS monument set by the </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">County. The number will help</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">to locate the correct notes.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I did stop once to locate one site that has a personal interest to me, and the work I do as a land surveyor. In September 2010, the local newspaper did an article about a survey of the original Iowa-Minnesota border in 1852. The starting spot for that survey was a 12 inch x 12 inch oak post and was the starting point that crews used to begin the survey of the state boundary line. Since that time, the original post has long since rotted away and was lost for a lengthy time, but last July, a crew of ten students led by one of the senior surveyors in the state restored the monument with a new one, which is located in a park just north of the town of New Albin, Iowa - a town that sits just south of the Iowa Minnesota border. I didn't locate the post, but did locate a GPS survey marker in that same park area. I will most likely return, after contacting that surveyor in hope that I can navigate to the post and write a short story about my findings.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YrTea5KzTfI/ThH2vb5G8wI/AAAAAAAAAZg/EDhC38BPKoU/s1600/IMG_0756.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YrTea5KzTfI/ThH2vb5G8wI/AAAAAAAAAZg/EDhC38BPKoU/s200/IMG_0756.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the many rocky bluffs foound<br />
along the Mississippi River - this one<br />
in Winona, Minnesota.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Stay safe everyone - and Happy Fourth of July!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Peace and Love!</span><br />
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<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QAMgaKzxNgA/ThHyg6HHNEI/AAAAAAAAAZU/uhr9BDFvHYc/s1600/IMG_0050.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QAMgaKzxNgA/ThHyg6HHNEI/AAAAAAAAAZU/uhr9BDFvHYc/s400/IMG_0050.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OIWSChhGcOA/ThHz2AVKneI/AAAAAAAAAZc/JO6ew5d3LCI/s1600/IMG_0109.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OIWSChhGcOA/ThHz2AVKneI/AAAAAAAAAZc/JO6ew5d3LCI/s400/IMG_0109.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>boomer64http://www.blogger.com/profile/16785260797383154126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2236427396750378187.post-25540236877282583432011-06-06T19:29:00.000-07:002011-06-06T19:29:34.865-07:00Some Like It Hot<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HjeZ9u_kk38/Te1_6fpdmHI/AAAAAAAAAYE/VtVud0wtvVE/s1600/IMG-20110425-00137.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HjeZ9u_kk38/Te1_6fpdmHI/AAAAAAAAAYE/VtVud0wtvVE/s200/IMG-20110425-00137.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I still</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> can't figure out if it's spring</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">or winter yet!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Is anyone melting yet? I mean really. This goofy weather is just getting weirder by the minute. We go from highs in the 40's to highs of 90-ish in about 3 weeks. My poor bike doesn't know whether to wrap up in a blankie or stretch out on a bath towel naked! And to make matters worse, allergy season has hit me like a ton of bricks. Every time I mount up to ride I start sneezing and hacking up fur balls like the cats in our house. Its hard enough to ride on Ol' Melissa but compound the problem with allergies and that's a recipe for ugly happening on the road. I guess on the positive side of things my arthritic knee isn't quite as painful, especially given I am trying to get into a more active regimen. I guess the best thing is we have not had the tornadoes that some states have had this year, and hopefully won't see any time soon. All my prayers are with those folks in Joplin and Tuscaloosa.</span><br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0BeeX1GQujI/Te2MSDn3muI/AAAAAAAAAYg/2sBpONg4yKw/s1600/IMG-20110514-00143.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0BeeX1GQujI/Te2MSDn3muI/AAAAAAAAAYg/2sBpONg4yKw/s320/IMG-20110514-00143.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Saw this gorgeous 2011 CVO Electraglide a </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">couple weeks ago</span>.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Riding has been ok, but a few weeks ago I was walking back out to my bike from making a deposit at the bank, and took one look at my rear tire and my jaw about crumbled. It was bald. Not down to cords, but there was no tread left on it. It was almost totally smooth like a racing tire, and if I were to ever get caught in the rain - that would be bad. When I checked my rear tire mileage it said only 5480 miles. That's not much, but remembering last summer, I got talked into putting a set of Screamin' Eagle tires on, which are a performance tire - not a touring tire. Nothing scares me like the thought of blowing a tire doing 75 mph down the interstate. After consulting a couple folks, I ended up going to J&P Cycles just up the road about 30 miles and getting a whole new set of tires - Metzelers to be exact. After some nifty finagling, I got the tires mounted balanced everything for a bit under $500. Had I purchased those tires from the dealers, well, that would have been really spendy. Morale of the story - inspect your bike as often as possible and look for those things even just going to the grocery store.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mary seems to be doing a little better these days. She was given another epidural in her back, only this one went into the spinal area from the side, and she seems to not have nearly as much pain but there is some weakness. Our neurosurgeon will confer with her tomorrow on her progress and then some decisions will need to be made. It is likely she will need these shots for the rest of her life, but as long as the frequency stays down she can live with one every now and then. The concern is how long this epidural will last, and it is likely if it does not last as long she will need additional surgery. Employment is also a factor, as things are happening at her office, and we all know how that goes when you are away for too long. Between the medications she has and the shots she keeps getting, its been a rough patch, but things look like they might be improving for now.</span><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-27YidGQ6swE/Te2DG0DHxLI/AAAAAAAAAYU/Iyrx1n2UkhI/s1600/Cedar+Rapids-20110604-00147.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-27YidGQ6swE/Te2DG0DHxLI/AAAAAAAAAYU/Iyrx1n2UkhI/s320/Cedar+Rapids-20110604-00147.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mounting up to escort a soldier</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">coming home from Afghanistan</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Took some time Saturday night to do a Welcome Home/Escort event for a soldier returning home from Afghanistan. Earlier in the day another soldier was laid to rest after an IED took his life. With Mary being a little shaky I decided to attend the Welcome Home since the funeral run would take me about 110 miles to Ottumwa - Radar's home! The Welcome Home would be right here in Cedar Rapids, so I went. About 40 bikes or more showed up just to escort this young man home. As he shook my hand after deplaning I was struck at how utterly young he was. He hugged practically anyone and everyone in the terminal, but then came the escort ride to his hometown of Van Horne - about 30 miles west of here. To put it mildly - this was going to be a nerve wracked 30 miles at best. Note to those cagers - if you see a mass line of motorcycles with lights blinking and turning - don't pull in the middle of their formation. That happened twice, the second time right in front of me as the road narrowed from four lanes to two. Another note - bikers don't stop for law enforcement. Deputy sheriff came at us with lights and sirens a blazing, and we didn't even try to break formation. Sorry Roscoe - soldiers coming home are more important this night!</span><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wgasFk14Lr4/Te2AMdLfNgI/AAAAAAAAAYM/IaYY0c7OxO0/s1600/Union-20110604-00157.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wgasFk14Lr4/Te2AMdLfNgI/AAAAAAAAAYM/IaYY0c7OxO0/s200/Union-20110604-00157.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bikes pulled into Van Horne</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Its at this time I make a confession. Most folks who know me well, know there are just certain rules about riding any motorcycle I will not break. I always wear jeans, boots, helmet. I NEVER drink any alcohol while on the bike or when I know I will be on it. EVER! I always try to use the mantra "If I ever get into a problem where my safety is compromised it must never be my fault" and all those rules have served me well. But this night I broke a rule of wearing a jacket. In fact I broke that rule three times last week. In my defense it was over 90 degrees, and even looking at that leather jacket made me hot. You wont ever see me in shorts and Birkenstocks on the bike - like one of my fellow riders did. I wont ever ride without a helmet. I tried that once or twice and just didn't care for it. Something my uncle told me "if you do something fun - do it safely!". I always try to be as safe as I possibly can on the bike. It is something I promised myself so long ago. Helmet glasses leathers or at least a jacket and boots. This night I wore a long sleeve denim shirt with my leather vest, the shirt something that would never have held up if I had laid the bike down. So now I am looking into a vented jacket that would offer a bit more cooling while on those warmer rides. Its probably not the best idea to wear a denim shirt on the way to work, but at highway speeds, that's not all that smart.</span><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nFbBQYdnSfE/Te1_tcZ2ZUI/AAAAAAAAAYA/zWFj6Dmxovk/s1600/Cedar+Rapids-20110604-00150.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nFbBQYdnSfE/Te1_tcZ2ZUI/AAAAAAAAAYA/zWFj6Dmxovk/s320/Cedar+Rapids-20110604-00150.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The sun setting as we prepare to ride</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It was nice for a change to get out on the highway and twist that throttle some. Between Mary's health and me working too darn much, its been quite hectic. I had hoped to make a run for South Dakota BEFORE the August insanity of Bike Week there. I have never seen Mount Rushmore, Devils Tower, or the Badlands. Its a trip I dreamt about in the navy. Being out at sea does a number on your imagination, and I always had hoped I could visit Rushmore just once to see that place, and the Badlands to feel the spirits moving me. Not sure I can make the trip this year what with gas prices, Mary's reduced income, and the housing industry just not doing well. But - at least for one night I got to enjoy a short ride, and maybe get a little air under my wings.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">I couldn't end this without making a note of June 13th - a day which will live in...wedded bliss! Mary and I will celebrate 26 years of marriage next week. I suppose a lot of folks MIGHT ask what took us so long. Some others might be a bit in wonderment as to how Mary could have POSSIBLY put up with my temper and wake up to my mug every morning. Have pity on her! Whatever your view is - we celebrate this year I think being more IN love with each other than anything else. To me - Mary is the love of my life. I hate the term "soul mate" perhaps because it sounds a bit corny, maybe a little too high schoolish. We have stood the test, and made it through. I always have been adamant about making sure that three things come before anything else in my life - God, my wife, and my kids. We have been steadfastly dedicated to each other and to our family. Haven't always made the best decisions, but always made sure each other came first. Sometimes that has been a source of ridicule and admonishment, but ask me if I care. When you take an oath, whether it be to our country or to each other it should be for life. Period.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">I love you sweetheart! </span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9jU1XUsTgpc/Te2LTKuENXI/AAAAAAAAAYY/z63be_NTv5Y/s1600/alanmarywedding.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="316" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9jU1XUsTgpc/Te2LTKuENXI/AAAAAAAAAYY/z63be_NTv5Y/s400/alanmarywedding.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our "wedding" day - I had been in my navy uniform all day and didn't</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">want to </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">see it again and didn't have a real suit.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-J0_ZBBeuf0Y/Te2LV5KybfI/AAAAAAAAAYc/WLdoDF72ETw/s1600/alanmary2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="315" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-J0_ZBBeuf0Y/Te2LV5KybfI/AAAAAAAAAYc/WLdoDF72ETw/s400/alanmary2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mary and I sharing a quiet moment at her mothers house.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Peace & Love Everybody!!</span>boomer64http://www.blogger.com/profile/16785260797383154126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2236427396750378187.post-18963004768706647202011-05-15T17:23:00.000-07:002011-05-15T17:23:30.660-07:00The Price of Motion<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7rpkn48YpF8/TdBsKmcsaGI/AAAAAAAAAW8/3wDzca49U-I/s1600/snowday.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" j8="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7rpkn48YpF8/TdBsKmcsaGI/AAAAAAAAAW8/3wDzca49U-I/s200/snowday.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">April 16th - a snow storm to start<br />
our Saturday morning.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Its supposed to be spring around these here parts, but you could have fooled me! I was out on the bike two weeks ago and temps were trying to dip below freezing for the 6th straight day. Legs get just a mite COLD when it does that. Its supposed to be spring - the morel mushroom season - - wasn't! Spring temps were so cold that forecasters are predicting no mushrooms. DRATS! I love those little things too. Another sign - dandelions are coming out in droves! My yard is currently covered, and I have yet to mow for the first time this year. I keep hoping another chilling frost will kill the grass, and even my neighbors are beginning to wonder if I am even alive. Sorry - I hate mowing. Maybe its that I had to mow growing up, or maybe its my knees. I don't know perhaps I am just being obstinate? Yes folks its spring, and suddenly my hunny-do list is growing faster than I can keep up. </span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WxUXsZR1STc/TdBsO4p88LI/AAAAAAAAAXA/Ce7XWPWLU2c/s1600/whiterose1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="200" j8="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WxUXsZR1STc/TdBsO4p88LI/AAAAAAAAAXA/Ce7XWPWLU2c/s200/whiterose1.JPG" width="133" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A rose to commemorate</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a wedding</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Riding has been hit and miss. My trip to Chicago on the bike was great, but other riding activities are being suppressed a bit. Lots of reasons why, but the hard part is I can't ride as much right now, and boy does it EVER pain me to say that. I did take some time to test ride a 2011 HD Street Glide, and wow what a machine! It has the larger 103 cubic inch engine, and when you hit the throttle you know you are going somewhere. It had been my hope to move up to a bigger bike. The advantages are fairly plain. My larger size, a bit more reliability, and a new bike comes with a warranty. The last couple of weeks I am beginning to hear a slight lifter noise from Melissa. To me that's a sure sign of trouble, but both mechanics I have spoken to tell me its nothing. Usually when you hear a metallic tapping in an engine, well, maybe its time to take it in to see what that issue might be. Unfortunately as circumstances are, with Mary missing so much work, my down payment has been used up on medical bills. So for now, I will have to stay with my Heritage Softail. </span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9QpdyslEBbI/TdBtzWgQQWI/AAAAAAAAAXI/PG8j7V1jQSw/s1600/IMG-20110413-00131.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="150" j8="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9QpdyslEBbI/TdBtzWgQQWI/AAAAAAAAAXI/PG8j7V1jQSw/s200/IMG-20110413-00131.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Melissa resting after a long trip.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thats going to be a challenge, though. Anybody priced a road trip to - say a local gas station? And they call a second mortgage insanity! I have watched the price of petrol climb faster than a Navy F-18. And when will the lunacy stop? I watched a part of a congressional hearing about that very issue, and those CEO's keep playing dumb while raking in record profits. Someone tell me again why? I have hear one theory is speculators are driving up the price, while others blame the oil companies, and still others blame OPEC. I blame all of us. We all need gas, but why speculators are even in the equation is bizarre, and those pesky CEO's are just too darn greedy to really care, which leaves us OPEC, who claims to not know a darn thing about oil prices. Then there are folks like us dumb Americans whose thirst for gasoline is rivalled only by their thirst for beer. And - the price of gas is sure to drive up consumer costs, pushing down spending, and further causing global economic peril. Stop me when you need a couple aspirin because this whole affair is making my head hurt.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DwksE0xETaI/TdBsH6tQ3aI/AAAAAAAAAW4/mNs1eEUy8Uw/s1600/ml-wedding1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="200" j8="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DwksE0xETaI/TdBsH6tQ3aI/AAAAAAAAAW4/mNs1eEUy8Uw/s200/ml-wedding1.JPG" width="129" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mary - coming up on</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">26 years of putting up</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">with my mug!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As for our home front Mary is not doing well. Her back, inexplicably, has suffered some sort of setback. She was back at work for two weeks, when she started having that same pain. XRays, CT scans, and MRI's were all ordered. The neurosurgeon believes one of the braces has slipped just enough to cause pressure on one of the nerves again. She was doing so well, too, but now we may be facing a second surgery. For now she will take the next three months off, recuperate, and see how her back continues to heal (or not!) and if she continues her current pain level, the doctor may have to operate again to reposition the braces. Hopefully this is a minor setback, but I am not quite as "hopeful" as others might be. Every time I "hope" for anything, I get sorely disappointed. Its a real problem for her too, because she can't be as "active" as he would like, and at a time when we would like to think about doing a little travelling from time to time that's maybe not so good. I even suggested she try some acupuncture, but she offered a solution that's probably not physically possible!</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And speaking of moving forward - we went to a wedding yesterday. Mike and Jessica finally got hitched. Mike is a young man I have watched grow up since he was a fourth grader being a real pain in the asterisk to our daughter Jesse (no not the same as the bride!) and has been a great help to Mary and I, been a super friend to Jesse, and just about the most positive person around. He has been a blessing to everyone he meets, and I will hope and pray that he and Jessica have a wondrous and prosperous life together! They are a great couple, and I am hopeful they can be a great influence in our community. Congratulations Mike & Jessica!</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Perhaps I should have taken up golf! </span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Peace & Love!</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oryAMjPfcFw/TdBsFJz2OHI/AAAAAAAAAW0/vWgJaJ8QB4Y/s1600/MKimmWed+152.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="640" j8="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oryAMjPfcFw/TdBsFJz2OHI/AAAAAAAAAW0/vWgJaJ8QB4Y/s640/MKimmWed+152.JPG" width="426" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Have a Happy Life!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>boomer64http://www.blogger.com/profile/16785260797383154126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2236427396750378187.post-4514121582776496662011-05-02T19:27:00.000-07:002011-05-02T19:27:02.409-07:00Where Eagles Dared To Fly<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oWG2lzu1mss/Tb9hxapOW7I/AAAAAAAAAWg/OMIevsQ1_98/s1600/001us_navy_seals_insignia111-vi.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="166" j8="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oWG2lzu1mss/Tb9hxapOW7I/AAAAAAAAAWg/OMIevsQ1_98/s200/001us_navy_seals_insignia111-vi.png" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Isn't that the truth!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ahhhhh by now we have all, or at least I HOPE we all, have heard the news of the death of Osama Bin Laden. We heard the news last night when my cell phone lit up with an email alert about it last night about 10 PM. I think I stopped breathing for a few seconds and then sucked in about 8 gulps of air. I even had to pinch myself a few times before turning the news on tv to find out my cell phone was NOT lying to me, indeed, it had told the truth. I sat in bed almost stunned - maybe even a bit numb from it all. A man our country has sought for so very long had finally been brought to justice by, of all things, a Navy SEAL team. After serving four years in the navy myself, I can honestly say I was just a wee bit proud of that team and the navy. </span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_QFGMwf1c_A/Tb9iCgi3pNI/AAAAAAAAAWk/dhKIWDANOgc/s1600/32231_1390971388716_1665062944_903258_7158120_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" j8="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_QFGMwf1c_A/Tb9iCgi3pNI/AAAAAAAAAWk/dhKIWDANOgc/s200/32231_1390971388716_1665062944_903258_7158120_n.jpg" width="127" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Patriot Guard Escort<br />
Pvt. Davis Funeral May 2010</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I thought about these events today. I think I feel just as stunned as we all did on 9/11, but let me take this a step further. So far our country alone has sacrificed almost 6000 men and women, and suffered almost 45,000 wounded casualties in the nearly ten years since 9/11. While those numbers are nowhere near the casualty rate of wars like Vietnam, the fact remains that we have paid a high cost for the life of just a select few who chose to rule as dictators in lands we simply have no real understanding of. As I watched the events unfold last night I recalled the numbers of people killed at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, Flight 93 in Pennsylvania - alas even the number of those killed in Spain and London exacted a heavy toll, and yet thru all of this I felt a sort of disbelief that after the enormous loss of life literally exacted by this one man, he had finally been found - and served justice at the hands of OUR military.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div> <br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2ANkA_QntpM/Tb9i-0fA2cI/AAAAAAAAAWo/ALYrQ_LlQtA/s1600/5688983%252B-%252BLAS%252B-%252BCAPT_%252BWISNIEWSKI%252BBODY%252BARRIVAL%252B-%252B07_21_2010%252B-%252B13_43_06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="130" j8="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2ANkA_QntpM/Tb9i-0fA2cI/AAAAAAAAAWo/ALYrQ_LlQtA/s200/5688983%252B-%252BLAS%252B-%252BCAPT_%252BWISNIEWSKI%252BBODY%252BARRIVAL%252B-%252B07_21_2010%252B-%252B13_43_06.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The body of Capt. Wiznieski arrives<br />
home after he was killed in a helicopter<br />
July 2010</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have watched and supported our military since I left the service in 1986. I have watched young men and women come home, literally some right out of high school, killed in action or wounded in battle. Babies really. Young men who couldn't possibly fathom the sacrifice they would pay with their lives in the service of our country. The 19 year old Marine killed by an IED, or the 30 year old helicopter pilot whose helicopter was shot down trying to rescue a pinned down unit, or even the 22 year old who was killed while on a rescue mission to save a stranded pilot. The latest is a 32 year old Army specialist who was serving in Afghanistan, who leaves behind a wife and a daughter. When you stop and think about it, the cost of hunting this one man, the human cost this one man inflicted on our country alone has been staggering, however, this man had to be hunted down to stop the senseless bloodshed he has caused our country for over 20 years.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BFpcVa8-GGY/Tb9jR7hPx7I/AAAAAAAAAWs/BIIdUuQFUO8/s1600/5688979%252B-%252BLAS%252B-%252BCAPT_%252BWISNIEWSKI%252BBODY%252BARRIVAL%252B-%252B07_21_2010%252B-%252B13_43_05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="166" j8="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BFpcVa8-GGY/Tb9jR7hPx7I/AAAAAAAAAWs/BIIdUuQFUO8/s320/5688979%252B-%252BLAS%252B-%252BCAPT_%252BWISNIEWSKI%252BBODY%252BARRIVAL%252B-%252B07_21_2010%252B-%252B13_43_05.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The body of Capt Wiznieski is escorted by members of the<br />
Patriot Guard, and to far right members of a B-17 Flying<br />
Fortress flying memorial - men who asked just to stand the<br />
flag line to honor a fallen hero.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I never liked celebrating a death - any death. Life is too precious to be discarded like yesterdays newspaper. While I am not opposed to capital punishment (as in the case of Jeffrey Dahmer) the scenes that played out last night reminded me that our children have suffered, have watched friends go to war, have lived with the words "terror" and "Jihad" in a time when they should have been more concerned about the prom, or college, or just living their lives "in the timeless pursuit of happiness". They should have been allowed to find the happiness that I enjoyed even as I left military service to start a life as a husband and father. While I watched those kids come out into the streets, I realized that maybe we should give thanks to all those military men and women who serve this country to defend us all against all enemies both foreign and domestic. To those "kids" who have grown into adulthood and have put their lives on the line so that we all may be free of terror. And to their families who have suffered and toiled in the hopes that their loved one would return home safe.</span> </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">God Bless our military!</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DXDVSebOD78/Tb9mh7o7v1I/AAAAAAAAAWw/EljVCCgCkPw/s1600/FreedomRock+027a.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" j8="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DXDVSebOD78/Tb9mh7o7v1I/AAAAAAAAAWw/EljVCCgCkPw/s640/FreedomRock+027a.JPG" width="426" /></a></div>boomer64http://www.blogger.com/profile/16785260797383154126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2236427396750378187.post-91589001069630602002011-04-18T19:21:00.000-07:002011-04-18T19:21:45.993-07:00Boomer and Barry’s BIG Adventure!<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PybLIXUYi2U/Tazqs_WeYJI/AAAAAAAAAV8/JhT63rP-LEE/s1600/rush2011+002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="148" r6="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PybLIXUYi2U/Tazqs_WeYJI/AAAAAAAAAV8/JhT63rP-LEE/s200/rush2011+002.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tuesday Morning Departure</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Or – When to Flush your Cell Phone into the SEWER! It has been a little long since I poisted. Took some time to go see my fav rock band. AGAIN! Second time in about 9 months. Met up with another couple, and after all was said and done, all we could do is laugh! When life drops lemons in your lap – make some lemonade. That’s exactly what we did, but the route we took to get to that ambrosia was a sightseeing tour of Chicago I hope to never make again ever. It’s not that I don’t like Chicago – I love Chicago, as long as I do not need to be near those expressways!</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="350" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=4228+Longmeadow+Dr,+Aurora,+IL+60504&daddr=IL-59+to:E+Ogden+Ave+to:Naperville+Rd+to:I-88+E+to:I-294+N+to:I-94+E+to:W+Irving+Park+Rd+to:41.95361,-87.73543+to:W+Byron+St+to:N+Rockwell+St+to:N+Maplewood+Ave+to:N+California+Ave+to:Exit+51D+to:W+Madison+St&hl=en&geocode=FY4LfQIdewO--inNc1S11fkOiDHzl0iZR3d-kw%3BFTGxfQIdJhe--g%3BFYyZfQIdUAK_-g%3BFQ7ifQIdDWa_-g%3BFQONfgIdmyDC-g%3BFX5fgAIdeyvD-g%3BFdo5gAId5jbF-g%3BFWspgAIdIkrF-g%3BFUopgAIdekPF-imDhQ33tM0PiDG_4atENc2uNw%3BFfwhgAIdtkPF-g%3BFfYxgAIdKujF-g%3BFSorgAId-OzF-g%3BFUTVfwIdQNfF-g%3BFeQQfwId6p7G-g%3BFRAPfwId5DLG-g&mra=mi&mrsp=14&sz=15&via=8&sll=41.879818,-87.668238&sspn=0.02176,0.038238&ie=UTF8&ll=41.873651,-87.923584&spn=0.357902,0.583649&z=10&output=embed" width="425"></iframe><br />
<small><a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=embed&saddr=4228+Longmeadow+Dr,+Aurora,+IL+60504&daddr=IL-59+to:E+Ogden+Ave+to:Naperville+Rd+to:I-88+E+to:I-294+N+to:I-94+E+to:W+Irving+Park+Rd+to:41.95361,-87.73543+to:W+Byron+St+to:N+Rockwell+St+to:N+Maplewood+Ave+to:N+California+Ave+to:Exit+51D+to:W+Madison+St&hl=en&geocode=FY4LfQIdewO--inNc1S11fkOiDHzl0iZR3d-kw%3BFTGxfQIdJhe--g%3BFYyZfQIdUAK_-g%3BFQ7ifQIdDWa_-g%3BFQONfgIdmyDC-g%3BFX5fgAIdeyvD-g%3BFdo5gAId5jbF-g%3BFWspgAIdIkrF-g%3BFUopgAIdekPF-imDhQ33tM0PiDG_4atENc2uNw%3BFfwhgAIdtkPF-g%3BFfYxgAIdKujF-g%3BFSorgAId-OzF-g%3BFUTVfwIdQNfF-g%3BFeQQfwId6p7G-g%3BFRAPfwId5DLG-g&mra=mi&mrsp=14&sz=15&via=8&sll=41.879818,-87.668238&sspn=0.02176,0.038238&ie=UTF8&ll=41.873651,-87.923584&spn=0.357902,0.583649&z=10" style="color: blue; text-align: left;">View Larger Map</a></small></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ktuguV_hrZw/TazrQ_RYklI/AAAAAAAAAWU/4ELZMSk_aG4/s1600/BellaMar2011+005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" r6="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ktuguV_hrZw/TazrQ_RYklI/AAAAAAAAAWU/4ELZMSk_aG4/s200/BellaMar2011+005.JPG" width="133" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bella - our new addition</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">to the family</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our little tour began innocently enough Tuesday morning. I had to take our new puppy Bella to the vet for her second deworming treatment. As I was handling those things with the receptionist – Bella decided to drop right on my work boots and leave her “opinion” on the matter. Nothing like a good pile of crap on your shoes to start the day. Got back home, dressed in the full leathers – better rawhide than my hide on the bike, right Aunt T?! Mary wasn’t feeling the best, so I hugged her gently, we embraced for a moment, and then I was off. After all – she had purchased this as a Christmas present, and although I felt a little guilty leaving her dealing with some pain issues, I also knew if she had wanted she could have asked me to stay and I would have gladly done that. But – onward I went.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-13_cdWKAPXA/Tazq8lJt2WI/AAAAAAAAAWE/qHww3QrB7DY/s1600/helmet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="149" r6="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-13_cdWKAPXA/Tazq8lJt2WI/AAAAAAAAAWE/qHww3QrB7DY/s200/helmet.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Me and those pesky TOLLS!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am often struck by what I see while I am riding. Little details that I might ordinarily miss in my truck stick out. For instance I was just a few miles from home, heading east on Highway 30, and saw what I thought was a tree stump instead turned out to be a rather large beaver sticking his head up checking out the traffic. Or the poor baby skunk which met his demise trying to cross the highway and not making it (whew that was ripe!). Sometimes it’s the eagles or hawks surfing the sky overhead, perhaps a wild turkey wandering into an empty cornfield looking for a meal. The misguided Mercedes with Miss “AllAboutMe” primping her eyelashes while yakking on the cell phone all over the road. Gassed up in Morrison, Illinois and headed towards I-88 and onward to my destination. The rest of my trip to Chicago remained fairly uneventful, although paying tolls on a motorcycle can be – a challenge?</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ovoptcyQJ1Q/Tazq6rvvmzI/AAAAAAAAAWA/5vfyCW0lkI4/s1600/hotel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="149" r6="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ovoptcyQJ1Q/Tazq6rvvmzI/AAAAAAAAAWA/5vfyCW0lkI4/s200/hotel.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At the hotel safe</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table> <div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I pulled in to the hotel (Flag A), and gave thanks I had arrived safely, sent a text to my new “friends” and checked in. Unloaded the bike, covered it up, and was greeted by Barry, and then Cass (sorry dear – didn’t know that was YOU on that elevator!). Wonderful folks – smiling all the time, very positive – hey this will be a great show and a great time I thought. After taking some time to change into my concert ”uniform” we climbed into their car and were off. The time was 3:22 PM. We stopped for a moment at a gas station (Flag B) for some water, and as we pulled out, we heard a sound which we knew was trouble. A loud “clunk” from the engine area of the car, and suddenly we realized something had broken and the car was not going anywhere. Barry started making calls, and within about 40 minutes T & A Towing (interesting name!) shows up to cart the ill car away, and then our rental arrived. Whew – we were going to make it. After some nifty wrangling, we were back on the road. The time was 4:17 PM.</span></div><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pPsItesLFmE/TazrAgyd4KI/AAAAAAAAAWI/X6YRJhOY84g/s1600/searstwr.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" r6="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pPsItesLFmE/TazrAgyd4KI/AAAAAAAAAWI/X6YRJhOY84g/s320/searstwr.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Chicago Skyline. Beautiful sight if you aren't lost!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now – Chicago is a most difficult town to navigate in, but the route to the United Center was pretty much a straight shot, as long as you aren’t a bit distracted by the conversation. And in Chicago one missed turn can result in hours of redirection, as in this case. For whatever reason we took a wrong turn, which began our troubles. Soon I was seeing large commercial airliners landing, and knowing that Midway Airport was on the SOUTH side of Chicago, that could only mean we were approaching the O’Hare Airport Complex. Oops! After some redirection, we managed to find our way over to the Kennedy Expressway – at rush hour. With the highway full of cars I realized a GPS check of where we were might help us get to our destination faster. It’s at this time where I say – if you ever feel the urge to utilize GPS Navigation on any cell phone device at all – don’t. It took over 30 minutes to get to our turn, and by the time we got to where the GPS said to go – it was nearly 6 PM (Flag K) and we were nowhere NEAR the United Center. At this point – we were all beginning to wonder if we would even find our hotel again, but Barry remained cool under fire, fired up his own nav system, and eventually we found the Kennedy again, and by about 7:00 – 30 minutes before the show – we landed at the United Center – a bit tired and hungry but ready for the show (Flag N).</span><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9s6VM1jqWx8/TazrEezUH_I/AAAAAAAAAWM/oXF7ltxyxMQ/s1600/rush2011+395.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" r6="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9s6VM1jqWx8/TazrEezUH_I/AAAAAAAAAWM/oXF7ltxyxMQ/s320/rush2011+395.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sticks from heaven!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table> <div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The show itself was spectacular as usual. As if there were any doubt. I mean – after this many years the boys pretty much have a proven track record. Little things like the guy directly behind me bumping into me about every other bar, and then the “I’m sorry!”, or the young lass who started taking her top off to “Limelight” (security made her put her clothes on again!), and then a wafting odor of rotten socks permeated my nose. Anybody who has been to any rock show knows that smell. There was the guy who has a denim vest on that had about 40,000 different band pins and patches on it. During the intermission I spoke with some of the folks around me. The father who brought his teenaged sons, the four friends who drove from St Louis to see the show. The couple next to me who had been married for four years who seemed a bit shocked at my nearly 26 years of wedded “bliss”. The great thing about this concert – everyone was respectful of one another.</span></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Pp1A6O1H780/TazrGxFHjSI/AAAAAAAAAWQ/_4lUicHkWmY/s1600/rush2011+446.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="238" r6="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Pp1A6O1H780/TazrGxFHjSI/AAAAAAAAAWQ/_4lUicHkWmY/s320/rush2011+446.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"La Villa Strangiato" </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The song that KILLED music careers</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span> <div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After the show, I located Barry and Cass, and as we made our way back to the hotel – hunger was taking over rapidly. It was almost midnight when we returned, and after some pizza Barry offered a toast to “absent friends”. I never make any bones that one of my favorites songs is “Time Stand Still”…”to pass an evening with a drink and a friend” and that’s exactly what we did. Of course, by then we were about to all collapse, and after returning to my room, I gave thanks for two great friends a great time and some great laughs. The next morning we had a simple breakfast together, and chatted for several moments in the parking lot. It is said you can always tell a man’s heart by the firmness of his handshake. A firm handshake is a mark of a true friend, but a limp shake is the mark of a lukewarm dishrag. Barry had taken care of both Cass and I, and held my hand firm as we said our good byes.</span></div> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="149" r6="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kBuA-xsAKWE/Tazu0M3USnI/AAAAAAAAAWc/CYzUz4eaoFk/s200/pit+stop.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="200" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Melissa taking a break from me!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table> <div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kBuA-xsAKWE/Tazu0M3USnI/AAAAAAAAAWc/CYzUz4eaoFk/s1600/pit+stop.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The trip home was relatively uneventful. The woman who nearly ran my Harley over – I could have put my foot on her bumper. That’s close! The tolls were again a bit frustrating. Not paying them, but rather having to remove gloves control the bike, find the cash and HOPE I get the correct change back. A quick stop for gas and a sandwich was all I needed on the way. The bike was performing wonderfully, the roar filling my ears with that beautiful “Harley” music. When I pulled in to the garage – a bit stiff from the previous evening, a little saddle sore, I remembered a prayer from another biker who had remarked “When I leave the garage I say Thank Goodness I am alive, and when I return I say Thank Goodness I am alive”. I spent a few moments thinking about that prayer, walked into the kitchen and kissed my wife – and the first thing I said to her was ”Thank goodness I am alive”. </span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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<tr><td style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fDK89VfX33A/TazraZYJZPI/AAAAAAAAAWY/gfM4UNDswo8/s1600/rush2011+131.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="149" r6="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fDK89VfX33A/TazraZYJZPI/AAAAAAAAAWY/gfM4UNDswo8/s200/rush2011+131.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">RUSH - what a great concert</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div></td></tr>
</tbody></table> <div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Unfortunately Mary is having some issues again. The nerves are coming alive, and with that some of the pain has returned. Pain treatments will help, but we take each day at a time. Some days are good, while others a challenge. Think they call that life! Cheyenne is doing ok in school, but she is getting that dreaded "senior-itis". You know the kind. Right at the end of their junior year - they know those seniors are gone in a month and they are large and in charge. Jesse has finally found work at Wal Mart. Next step not sure yet, but to coin a phrase - the curse WORKS dad. You know the curse - "I hope when you grow up you have kids that act exactly the same way you do". That curse. Not sure how I got the curse, but I am pretty sure there is NO known cure.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'll be travelling to a little town called Waverly this weekend. Another National Guard soldier lost his life in Afghanistan, and I am riding escort duty for the body of the soldier as part of the Patriot Guard mission. For now - I'll just say Happy Birthday to "me pappy"!</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Peace & Love!</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ndwsVrNhM7A/TazqODpA7FI/AAAAAAAAAV4/gkMGji7iYn8/s1600/tgiving2010+021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" r6="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ndwsVrNhM7A/TazqODpA7FI/AAAAAAAAAV4/gkMGji7iYn8/s400/tgiving2010+021.JPG" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me Pappy - you're only as young as you feel pop!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>boomer64http://www.blogger.com/profile/16785260797383154126noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2236427396750378187.post-91253737092867189972011-03-03T18:25:00.000-08:002011-03-03T18:25:53.810-08:00A Wild & Crazy Guy!<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-rMhFvRzgDW8/TXBMjjes7TI/AAAAAAAAAU8/AvI6DRbSTHI/s1600/steve_martin_250.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" l6="true" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-rMhFvRzgDW8/TXBMjjes7TI/AAAAAAAAAU8/AvI6DRbSTHI/s200/steve_martin_250.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Steve Martin - The ORIGINAL<br />
Wild and Crazy Guy</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">First off - before we go any further. Anybody who has my birthday on their calendars as March 3rd - blow it out your ear! I just checked my birth certificate, and it clearly states I was born March 4th. I was there, although I do not recall much about the date, other than maybe I was crying some, and pooping my drawers, and wanting to be fed. I am sure if you ask Mary - she will be most astute in letting folks know the crazy coot hadn't changed. Yeah whatever. I am not the only stubborn ol' cuss in the family. Its just that Friday is my birthday - so grant me a small measure of whine and grouch.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-TqEFLOCkE1k/TXBMsiafABI/AAAAAAAAAVA/BBIq_C4J8tI/s1600/IMG-20110303-00085.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" l6="true" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-TqEFLOCkE1k/TXBMsiafABI/AAAAAAAAAVA/BBIq_C4J8tI/s200/IMG-20110303-00085.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My new "throne"</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Now - don't say that my wife Mary doesnt have a sense of humor. After all....she married me. We have been mulling a few options about some of the things we need to work on in the house. Actually the list is so long I don't even bother looking any more, but little reminders like the vanity and sink in the bathroom, the carpet in the kitchen, and a singing toilet are all signs that the hunny do list needs addressing. As we discussed these things the other night, our toilet started singing to us upon flush. Again. It was then my wife had an epiphany - why not get the ol' geezer a new toilet. For his birthday. After all...he is the king of his castle why not a new throne right? Now - to me a present is something you go get, gift wrap and present ready to use. Oh no - not the toilet. I had to go buy the blessed stool myself with MY money, and then had to install the durn thing. Well, after a little prodding ands cajoling off I went, purchased a nice tall toilet, got it home, installed it, and then the water line was about 4 inches too short, which gave the guy at Menards a chuckle. Got the new water line on, and violay! No more singing toilet. No ribbon, no wrapping paper. Not even a cake or a cookie! Maybe I will spoil myself just a tad and have a small dram of that 15 year old scotch in my office. Don't drink it much, but it sure is smooth!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-8e_8b47ywVY/TXBM2X-oP1I/AAAAAAAAAVI/PlR80n8t7GU/s1600/IMG-20110201-00025.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" l6="true" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-8e_8b47ywVY/TXBM2X-oP1I/AAAAAAAAAVI/PlR80n8t7GU/s200/IMG-20110201-00025.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wanting to RIDE!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The good thing about tomorrow is its the signal that spring, and RIDING season, are upon us. THANK GOD! I never thought this winter would end. The cover is off the bike for a few minor repairs. I sent the seat in to be reworked and repadded. It should be back here next week. I have a couple things to check, and then grab a full inspection by the mechanic, just to make sure I am not missing anything. Those inspections may seem a bit spendy, but a little money and effort now can literally save your life. A couple weeks ago it got up to almost 70 degrees - mighty tempting to go for a ride, but with all the sand and grit and water around, I chose to stay in. Still have a couple other items to get. A new brake pedal pad would finish off the accents. I did install a new luggage rack on the back, and all I need is a little nicer weather. I am taking a couple days next month to attend a concert in Chicago. Might be a nice time to take the bike over to the hotel and then meet up with some friends.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">To all y'all well wishers. Thank you for remembering! Now.....what was I doing?</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Peace and Love!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-TO0nGHt5E2Q/TXBMwjdnsdI/AAAAAAAAAVE/4nwl0OSZizk/s1600/Cedar+Rapids-20110201-00020.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" l6="true" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-TO0nGHt5E2Q/TXBMwjdnsdI/AAAAAAAAAVE/4nwl0OSZizk/s400/Cedar+Rapids-20110201-00020.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Birthdays!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div>boomer64http://www.blogger.com/profile/16785260797383154126noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2236427396750378187.post-53100176293827332011-02-13T17:32:00.000-08:002011-02-13T17:32:22.532-08:00A Soul With No Substance <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.nebraskahistory.org/exhibits/saving_memories/photos_gehrke.htm" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-47CjaxdqhC4/TViDhvTJYdI/AAAAAAAAAUg/zd6UUiTjP1Y/s320/64MEGehrke.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Edward and Margaret Gehrke in the Rocky Mountain<br />
National Park</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><em><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">En route the Zephyr. Here I am this mid-July afternoon going home, and glad to be going home. </span></em></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><em><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"></span></em></div><br />
<em><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"></span></em><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><em><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Surely I care little about home. I never have. Back to Nebraska to the hateful heat of summer to work day after day, to monotony, most would say, but glad. This long, silver train makes swift passage. It is streaking across the flat Colorado country as I sit here, alone. </span></em></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
<em><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"></span></em></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><em><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Why should I be so near to tears? The whole trip to Colorado like a dream now. The whole thing drops from my shoulders now like a jeweled coat, and I lay it aside, feeling I've never worn it at all. </span></em></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
<em><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"></span></em></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><em><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Margaret Gehrke</span></em></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Lately thats how we have been feeling. Not for snow, or winter cold, but just to feel a mountain air, or suck in a salty taste of an ocean breeze. Maybe spend a day hiking thru Yosimite, or perhaps take in Yellowstone. Unfortunately we do not have any of those things here. The frozen fields that surround our home only serve to further our desire to be amongst the scenic areas of the West. </span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">I believe that Margaret Gehrke has captured our feelings about parks and mountains well. She kept journals of her travels west, and they represent a true love affair with the Western United States, with our National Parks, that both her and her husband Edward shared in their many years of marriage. She kept her scrapbook well maintained, and today it is part of the Nebraska Historical Society's many archives and records. Her observations are very unique and surprisingly accurate. These scrapbooks date from the early 1920's until about 1953. </span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">As Mary heals, we are discovering how much we miss the West.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-G9cqU3ey-UE/TViEUbs2t9I/AAAAAAAAAUk/AyuUWi2OLxI/s1600/superbowl2011boomer1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="266" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-G9cqU3ey-UE/TViEUbs2t9I/AAAAAAAAAUk/AyuUWi2OLxI/s400/superbowl2011boomer1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Pre SuperBowl Attire</td></tr>
</tbody></table>boomer64http://www.blogger.com/profile/16785260797383154126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2236427396750378187.post-3808932185689733342011-01-27T18:45:00.000-08:002011-01-27T18:56:55.687-08:00A Dash of Insanity <br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8AJDpm3iXkk/TUIoTx4Me3I/AAAAAAAAAT8/jKQR3a3-YsY/s1600/mary-nwyrseve2010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" s5="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8AJDpm3iXkk/TUIoTx4Me3I/AAAAAAAAAT8/jKQR3a3-YsY/s200/mary-nwyrseve2010.jpg" width="151" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mary on New Years Eve just <br />
prior to surgery.</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Wow. Its been a bit since I last posted. Things have been, as the title suggests, a bit insane around here. Not that we don't all have occasional moments of driving ourselves to the brink of madness every now and then, but this is too different from those times. This is a 5 alarm, which way is up, pass the scotch and the valium, brass tacks nut farm around here. While it isn't hitting full panic mode yet, the last few weeks have been awful. I knew when I signed up for marriage and children there would be times of trial and frustration, but this isn't in the Dad's Handbook for The Middle Aged Lunatic.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">This started January 12th. Mary had a surgery performed on her lower back to relieve the pressure on the disks in her lumbar section of her spine. The procedure seems sound enough, and after querying about this procedure, decided this could really benefit Mary's back pain. The surgery went well, although some slight complications with the location of the vertebrae, the disks, and scar tissue which had formed around some of the disk areas. After surgery we met her in her "penthouse" suite at Mercy Hospital, and left her in good hands. I must say the staff was very helpful, and the doctor explained everything in details we both understood well. The next day I could tell the initial shock to her back was obvious. She could barely move, and although she had managed to walk a couple times, felt pretty sore. The next two days were very much the same, walk, go to the bathroom, lay down, sleep an hour, get up, repeat. The object was to get her moving so that the stiffness would work out and the back could adjust to the clamps now supporting her spine. At the end of her stay at the hospital, Mary was moving around fairly well, although she needed a lot of help with about every aspect of her life.</div> <br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_8AJDpm3iXkk/TUIsd3fGDGI/AAAAAAAAAUE/B8enfR0rJ9A/s1600/boomer-clnup2010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" s5="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_8AJDpm3iXkk/TUIsd3fGDGI/AAAAAAAAAUE/B8enfR0rJ9A/s200/boomer-clnup2010.jpg" width="165" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">How to "properly" supervise<br />
yard work at the office.</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">And that is where the insanity started. As it turned out, I grossly underestimated the amount of help Mary needed, the work load I was carrying, the ability of our daughters to assist, the requirements for Marys care, and my ability remain calm and steady under fire. PFFFFT! The first week home, I think Mary and I got 12 hours sleep in 6 days. My consulting work had taken on new work I had not counted on. The day job was really taking a toll, especially when I had several disagreements with staff over project loads, survey operations, and hiring a new staff surveyor. And to boot, the cats crapped under my desk! The surgery was a success, but Mary needed constant supervision, as she was still quite unsteady just walking to the bathroom. And speaking of bathroom, the potty runs every 90 minutes in the middle of the night were totally unexpected. Even bathing had to be supervised, not to mention keeping Marys lower extremities clean from her bathroom visits. Finally realizing how exhausted Mary and I were, I took last Friday off to get some rest from it all. As a fellow surveyor told me last week, this is the truest test of a relationship.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_8AJDpm3iXkk/TUIqDdwnyDI/AAAAAAAAAUA/Lqt46iudUas/s1600/santahelper.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" s5="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_8AJDpm3iXkk/TUIqDdwnyDI/AAAAAAAAAUA/Lqt46iudUas/s320/santahelper.jpg" width="196" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is not exactly my idea of<br />
"volunteering".</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">We visited the doctor tonight, where he examined the incision, answered all of our questions, shared some funny stories about getting lost in Queens (don't ask!) and addressed Mary's prescription needs. Monday night one of the staples started showing some signs of drainage. The clamps are holding well, but a byproduct of that is the pressure being taken off the nerves is allowing those compressed nerves to wake up ans swell a bit. The drainage is fine, fairly normal, no signs of any infection, but to be safe he prescribed an antibiotic. Her physical progress is better than expected, as she only needs one crutch to walk around with. The right leg is still fairly weak, however, with time the strength in that leg is expected to return. She still needs some assistance with bathing, but as her progress increases we gain more confidence. The pain in her lower back for the most part, is gone. While not completely eradicated, her ability to move around, to be mobile, and to enjoy life, increases every day. We are now planning a trip to another NASCAR race, as yet to be determined. We are also looking into a couple overnight trips, just little mom and dad getaways that we discovered last year really helped us feel better about us, each other, and our marriage.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">There is still much to be done. The staples holding the incision together have remained for now due to the unexpected drainage. The walker, well, Mary offered to do something with it that I think is physically impossible. In fact - I think if anyone gets near her with a walker, they might be wearing it permanently. For me, just seeing her live relatively pain free after years of back pain has been a true blessing. While it was frustrating at the time, the care and love she needed was more than worth the sleepless nights, the fatigued days, the fret and the worry. We just want to enjoy each other in these later years of life. Maybe be a bit more active, and a little more patient. Mary has been a bit humbled by the need for all the care she needed, but she also realized to get better she would have to put her fears aside and let those things happen. Her goal is to be more mobile and play a bit more active role in the day to day life in our home. Even though it was a bit insane at times, the sacrifice was small but well worth it. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Daytona is only three weeks away, and RIDING season shouldn't be too far off after that....THANK GOODNESS!! I miss my Melissa.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.harley-davidson.com/en_US/Motorcycles/road-king-classic.html" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" s5="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8AJDpm3iXkk/TUIwLat2H8I/AAAAAAAAAUM/ilmNc8Krcko/s400/pg_toflhrc_dom_bs_en_US_w1280a.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The 2011 Road King Classic with the 103 cubic inch engine.</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Peace and Love Everybody!</div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">A footnote: For all you BEARS fans out there...DAD! My sincerest apologies. Maybe next year, eh?? </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8AJDpm3iXkk/TUInkpk4PpI/AAAAAAAAAT4/wjqNqGxS1Rs/s1600/sanddllar+006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" s5="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8AJDpm3iXkk/TUInkpk4PpI/AAAAAAAAAT4/wjqNqGxS1Rs/s640/sanddllar+006.JPG" width="425" /></a></div>boomer64http://www.blogger.com/profile/16785260797383154126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2236427396750378187.post-2493332875275030622011-01-02T13:23:00.000-08:002011-01-02T13:26:58.466-08:00A New Year for The Same Old<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_8AJDpm3iXkk/TSDqUgYkkUI/AAAAAAAAATg/UwHx6tFjtIU/s1600/Xmas2010a+030.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" n4="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_8AJDpm3iXkk/TSDqUgYkkUI/AAAAAAAAATg/UwHx6tFjtIU/s200/Xmas2010a+030.JPG" width="133" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A few original ornaments<br />
from our first year</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Its been awhile since my last installment of things Harley and such. Holidays are supposedly a pretty busy time, and this year was another shining example of our hectic schedules. I just wish for once that folks would sit down and read the Good Book and realize Christmas ain't about who you can run over at the mall. Its not about expanding your credit card debt our your waistline. Its just amazing that the time of year when we all should be at our best, we fail miserably. Not just as a country, or a people, but as a species in general. Sometimes I wonder if the gene pool needs a bit of cleaning out, because there is more inexcusable behavior our there than I care for. Thankfully, the holidays are behind us, and maybe we can all return to our regularly scheduled insanity.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8AJDpm3iXkk/TSDrCujyJvI/AAAAAAAAATs/qL_bABbARoc/s1600/xmas2010+089.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" n4="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8AJDpm3iXkk/TSDrCujyJvI/AAAAAAAAATs/qL_bABbARoc/s200/xmas2010+089.JPG" width="133" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After a big snowstorm two <br />
days before Christmas</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">This year has been hard. Jesse decided to go to Arizona before Christmas. Not that I can blame her. The weather in Iowa can be downright bitter in wintertime. Cold weather snow, and ice are all products of living in Iowa, and it can really wear on you. Unfortunately planning was not good and she realized quite rapidly sometimes that living with Mom and Dad isn't that bad compared to being in a strange city with no room, no food, and no shower. As my mother reminds me all the time - its a "learning experience" and this is one of those times she will count her blessings a bit differently next time. The "real world" can be foreboding unless you have a real plan in place, as in this case. Thankfully, Uncle wasn't too far off, and was able to lend a hand and give her a place to stay for a week or so. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8AJDpm3iXkk/TSDrGhniZbI/AAAAAAAAATw/5ebEkG4Got8/s1600/atwood-hsc8.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" n4="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8AJDpm3iXkk/TSDrGhniZbI/AAAAAAAAATw/5ebEkG4Got8/s200/atwood-hsc8.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Melissa in September</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Melissa has been put to sleep for the winter. Oil changed, polished a bit, battery tender at the ready. I took one last ride after returning from Michigan, but that was so cold, I think I am still trying to warm up. Planning new rides for 2011 is already taking shape some. A trip or two to Michigan, perhaps a trip to Kansas, and Sturgis may be in the offiing. Whether these come to fruition is another story, but at least for now I can plan and dream. Sturgis is supposedly a rite of passage for any "true" biker, although whether I am one of those is a bit doubtful. My goal would be Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse Monument, and Devils Tower - not sleeping amongst 700,000 biker maniacs. Thats just not my speed. I love to ride, see the scenery, be out amongst the mountains, but in all that something draws me to Sturgis. Another biker goal is to ride to the Mackinac Bridge. Its well within reach, but logistically will be a bit more difficult. Lots of goals and planning to do - and its the first week of January!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div> <br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8AJDpm3iXkk/TSDqkMprjqI/AAAAAAAAATk/WWNoZS3fV4E/s1600/Xmas2010a+060.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; height: 143px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 144px;"><img border="0" height="200" n4="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8AJDpm3iXkk/TSDqkMprjqI/AAAAAAAAATk/WWNoZS3fV4E/s200/Xmas2010a+060.JPG" width="132" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our Christmas Tree All lit<br />
Ready for Santa!</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">My wife Mary will undergo a small procedure on her back of a different nature on January 12th. A new procedure known as ILIF may be able to alleviate the pain she is experiencing in her lumbar area. Scans show at least two disks may need this procedure. Its pretty simple actually. A metal brace is put in between the two vertabrae, and a fragment of bone is put in creating a fuse. The brace will help the spinal column to lift off the disk area, lessening the pressure on the nerves and reducing the pain. Its quite new and has shown some good results in other patients. If this can work, it may help her to become more mobile and allowing her to be more active. Back pain is never fun, but the last few years its gotten progressively worse. In the last four years she has needed epidural treatments and medication to control the pain, but those procedures are failing to control the pain. The last resort is a full fusion of the back, and that is a long and drawn out surgery. Recovery times extending into the 6 and 8 months, whereas this ILIF procedure should see a full recovery in the matter of a few weeks. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">For all of you - Have a safe and prosperous New Year!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Peace and Love!</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8AJDpm3iXkk/TSDrH_rU1mI/AAAAAAAAAT0/oQndWSdZT5M/s1600/family2010+045.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="307" n4="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8AJDpm3iXkk/TSDrH_rU1mI/AAAAAAAAAT0/oQndWSdZT5M/s400/family2010+045.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Family Christmas 2010</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>boomer64http://www.blogger.com/profile/16785260797383154126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2236427396750378187.post-83091196725785811092010-11-30T19:23:00.000-08:002010-11-30T19:23:10.972-08:00Giving Thanks!<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8AJDpm3iXkk/TPW5x7U53EI/AAAAAAAAASY/1KMFUmnTgG8/s1600/tgiving2010+012a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" ox="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8AJDpm3iXkk/TPW5x7U53EI/AAAAAAAAASY/1KMFUmnTgG8/s200/tgiving2010+012a.jpg" width="132" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">South Haven Lighthouse</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">taken November 26</div></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Thanksgiving has passed, and I have returned to my blogging duties. Needed some time to collect my thoughts and maybe think about those things I am thankful for. We seem to be getting into a bit of a family tradition at Castel de Atwood at the Glen Allegan. Almost sounds like a scotch, but truthfully its always neat to see the family, but sometimes it would be great to meet up more than once. Unfortunately my schedule gets so jammed, but as I was reminded....its really no excuse. I am terrible at breaking away and spending time with those I SHOULD be spending time with. Its that work thing where I am compelled to work hard and make something of myself. Like the heading of my blog, I am trying to point my life in a new and positive direction. I just have to quit saying and start doing!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8AJDpm3iXkk/TPW6ULLI3cI/AAAAAAAAASc/EB8LgF3v8do/s1600/tgiving2010+029.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" ox="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8AJDpm3iXkk/TPW6ULLI3cI/AAAAAAAAASc/EB8LgF3v8do/s200/tgiving2010+029.JPG" width="133" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mary Lou -<br />
my wife of 25 years</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">During our few days visit, I gave some thought to some of the things I am thankful for this year. I mean, one penny just won't cut it! I do have a lot to be thankful for. Health. For both my wife and I. Even my folks looked very well. Life. That I able able to live my life in a country that values life. Employment. Thats a biggie around these parts lately. Love. That there are people that love me for who I am (even though I sometimes may not show it back as often). Blessing. That I have a warm comfortable home, dependable transportation, yes even my Harley is a blessing, food on the table, clean clothes, and the tools I need to live my life. Family. That they support the direction my life is heading, and being secure enough in the knowledge that they are there for me when I need them as much as I am there for them should they need me. Safety. That we have men and women serving both home and abroad, keeping us all safe from all enemies, both foreign and domestic, and that they have written that check payable to the United States, at a cost of their life. While I am not maybe the wealthiest person in terms of monetary or physical possessions, the gifts I have inside me as well as those around me are what make me rich!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_8AJDpm3iXkk/TPW6dPZfZuI/AAAAAAAAASg/ND2AtQY2GqU/s1600/tgiving2010+040.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" ox="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_8AJDpm3iXkk/TPW6dPZfZuI/AAAAAAAAASg/ND2AtQY2GqU/s200/tgiving2010+040.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jesse and Cheyenne<br />
Our two daughters</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I took some time before I left for one last ride on Melissa. Went up to J&P Cycles to get a full face helmet. At the time I had this crazy thought of riding Melissa over to Thanksgiving, but those temps just got colder than expected. I did learn I can ride in sub 30 degree temps, but I need some better gloves. My gloves, even with the fleece lining, are terrible! I need some heated gloves or at least some heated grips. That would make a huge difference, but those are both rather spendy items. The ride up was colder than coming back. On the way home, I stopped at a christian bookstore and picked up a little birthday gift for Jesse, our daughter. Nothing like waltzing thru a christian bookstore in full Harley leathers, eh? Had one gentleman ask me if I was lost, another asked me if I had enough sense to find my way to a warmer climate. As I left I could almost sense my Guardian Angels laughing hysterically.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8AJDpm3iXkk/TPW7jMmkL9I/AAAAAAAAAS4/9CJ1HPP6xmU/s1600/tgiving2010+022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" ox="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8AJDpm3iXkk/TPW7jMmkL9I/AAAAAAAAAS4/9CJ1HPP6xmU/s200/tgiving2010+022.JPG" width="133" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Funny-those don't LOOK like<br />
Notre Dame colors!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Soon I will be preparing Melissa for her yearly hibernation. I make no qualms about how much I HATE not riding. Like the saying goes, "If I have to explain it, you wouldn't understand". There is oil to be changed, filters to change, and time to get the service manual out and figure out how to do simple things like changing fork oil, or brake pads. A new seat will be needed for next season. Also a luggage rack so that an extra helmet can be strapped on, or perhaps a simple pack of clothes. Also need to make a few needed repairs. An electrical problem, as well as a faulty gas gauge. I am still planning a trip to Wyoming, but I may put that to the side a year if things work out a certain way. Perhaps a second bike might just make its way into the garage. If nothing else, a trip just to The Badlands would be just as fun. Stay tuned, you never know whats next!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_8AJDpm3iXkk/TPW6tCONR3I/AAAAAAAAASk/ttA6iPulH68/s1600/tgiving2010+025.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" ox="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_8AJDpm3iXkk/TPW6tCONR3I/AAAAAAAAASk/ttA6iPulH68/s320/tgiving2010+025.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sister Tara and Glenn</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8AJDpm3iXkk/TPW6z39xbxI/AAAAAAAAASo/bWQAsP-EmI0/s1600/tgiving2010+026.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" ox="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8AJDpm3iXkk/TPW6z39xbxI/AAAAAAAAASo/bWQAsP-EmI0/s320/tgiving2010+026.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kamilla the exchange student<br />
from Norway. </td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8AJDpm3iXkk/TPW7ELguddI/AAAAAAAAASs/ACj4rrByWOo/s1600/tgiving2010+018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" ox="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8AJDpm3iXkk/TPW7ELguddI/AAAAAAAAASs/ACj4rrByWOo/s320/tgiving2010+018.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My cousin Deb and wife Mary Lou</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8AJDpm3iXkk/TPW7XXr0O5I/AAAAAAAAASw/wRUwqNu2zco/s1600/tgiving2010+077.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" ox="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8AJDpm3iXkk/TPW7XXr0O5I/AAAAAAAAASw/wRUwqNu2zco/s320/tgiving2010+077.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sister Rhonda</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8AJDpm3iXkk/TPW7e_fXVBI/AAAAAAAAAS0/BV0k81Br-oI/s1600/tgiving2010+076a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" ox="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8AJDpm3iXkk/TPW7e_fXVBI/AAAAAAAAAS0/BV0k81Br-oI/s320/tgiving2010+076a.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rhonda's husband Steve<br />
A "unique" perspective on him!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8AJDpm3iXkk/TPW7r8_B6AI/AAAAAAAAAS8/sT55Mc4Dkeg/s1600/tgiving2010+116.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" ox="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8AJDpm3iXkk/TPW7r8_B6AI/AAAAAAAAAS8/sT55Mc4Dkeg/s320/tgiving2010+116.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aunt Barb. Maybe I should put the<br />
camera...down?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>In the meantime, find something to be thankful for. Christmas and Hanukkah are here!!<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Peace and Love!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8AJDpm3iXkk/TPW-INyehuI/AAAAAAAAATA/a6AQmMnsFHo/s1600/boomers+005a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" ox="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8AJDpm3iXkk/TPW-INyehuI/AAAAAAAAATA/a6AQmMnsFHo/s400/boomers+005a.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me at my drafting desk.</td></tr>
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</div>boomer64http://www.blogger.com/profile/16785260797383154126noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2236427396750378187.post-15937666019365902742010-11-11T20:02:00.000-08:002010-11-11T20:02:54.958-08:00An Affair of the Heart<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8AJDpm3iXkk/TNy5pGUiG9I/AAAAAAAAASI/thHUYSXucmE/s1600/fallpics102.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" px="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8AJDpm3iXkk/TNy5pGUiG9I/AAAAAAAAASI/thHUYSXucmE/s320/fallpics102.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The flags flying through the<br />
\fall colors at my office.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's Veterans Day today. When we all give thanks to those who have served our country's military services in one form or another. When we should all take pause for just a moment, turn to a veteran near you, and just say "Thanks for your service!". Oh if it were all THAT simple. I served in the navy at a time when nuclear weapons protesters were shouting obscenities at me on occasion, maybe pointing out my family lineage in ways I never knew, or just making a scene just to make a scene. I never wanted to serve for attention, but that kind of attention I could just as soon do without. I really don't talk too much about my service, because all I really did was stand my watch - nothing more, but today I got several "Thank You's" and I really feel a little embarrassed by it all. There are PLENTY of men and women who HAVE served who are much more deserving of a Thank You than I am or ever will be. If I had actually been shot at or commanded men in battle that might be one thing, but babysitting a bunch of nuclear weapons on a ballistic missile submarine isn't exactly the cornerstone of an exciting military career! My brother, however, is much more deserving of a Thank You, so from me to you bro - Thank You for your service!</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8AJDpm3iXkk/TNy5thlPjbI/AAAAAAAAASM/RqCyfjNUXJ0/s1600/ml1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" px="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8AJDpm3iXkk/TNy5thlPjbI/AAAAAAAAASM/RqCyfjNUXJ0/s320/ml1.jpg" width="252" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My wife Mary<br />
Deep in thought about how to keep me in line!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Its been a rather stressful few weeks. I am the only man left standing in my department at work, and trying to do the work for the entire department is proving to be a bit of a strain. Mary and I both have been fighting off the flu bug. To top it off, Mary, my wife, went into a cardiac care facility for a heart catheterization the other day. And this was not something that we were exactly expecting. In fact, she was almost rushed into the care unit because her symptoms were almost indicating she was close to a heart attack. GULP! Try as I might to keep cool, that sort of test is not exactly what I would call normal. ANYTHING that involves the heart is always a bit tricky - I don't care what doctor says what. Prayers were said, calls made, and in we went. We spent pretty much most of the day in the cardiac unit. Doctors even told us if they found blockages what to expect. Stents might be used, or even bypass surgery was a possible option. In the end, all the thoughts and prayers from everyone won out, and as it turns out, there were no blockages of any kind. Not even a burp. To say THAT coming just before the holiday season - what a wonderful blessing to receive knowing at least your loving spouse who has been your lover for over 25 years has a clean set of pipes. COOL.</span></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8AJDpm3iXkk/TNy57UBLlaI/AAAAAAAAASQ/KvZhVTwAMXE/s1600/Valentines+Day+024.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" px="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8AJDpm3iXkk/TNy57UBLlaI/AAAAAAAAASQ/KvZhVTwAMXE/s320/Valentines+Day+024.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mary and I earlier this year</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thanksgiving is fast approaching. My riding time is now almost at a standstill. I did take some time today to go to the airport as part of a Welcome Home for a Marine returning from his tour in Afghanistan, but apparently this Marine missed his connecting flight home, so the airline put him on stand-by. Tell me - what stupid airline puts a returning war hero on stand by?? Here is a Marine who hasn't been home in several months, and when he gets to the states....to HOME, they put him on stand-by. I have my own opinions about such people, but repeating those feelings might get a little rough...stupid third rate jerks! On the bright side, I put in some riding time last weekend. Just took off, got lost, roamed around aimlessly through the countryside. Not a care in the world. That's the way to ride! Some of my best praying times come like that. Lately I have been trying to come up with a plan for a motorcycle trip to Wyoming next summer. Actually, I have been plotting this trip for many years, but just didn't have the motorcycle yet. I have the route planned, sort of, but its time to start figuring out some of the logistics, getting some much needed replacement parts on the bike, losing a few more pounds, finding some bike bags, stuff like that. I am sure it will happen at some point, its just a matter of putting it all together.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Life has a funny way of tossing you rotten eggs. Its how you deal with the crap that helps build the character of a person. I suppose I could have run off and gotten all mentally irregular over Marys health issue that came up, but it never would have solved anything. I could easily start beating down brick walls over my frustrations at work. Maybe even put in for a rubber room reservation over some of the obstacles thrown in our path this whole year. Anymore, it doesn't hardly faze me I guess. Not sure if its some sort of "maturity" thing, or that I just don't care to get that excited about it. Its been nearly two years ago I jumped on the wagon as it were. For the most part I have been doing ok, not having hardly a wee dram of Guinness to quench my thirst, but the last month or so I have had a night or two of indulgence. A glass of 15 year old scotch can be a wonderful thing, in moderation. I found that I didn't need those Friday nights like I thought I did, but after awhile, I still had an occasional craving, so I caved. A friend told me that just going as long as I did without a drop had a positive effect on me. There have been many challenges this year, a lot of forks in the road, and sometimes a little cow pie in my eye from time to time. In my mind - just wash the crap off, and get ready for the next manure truck!!!</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Peace and Love Everybody - Its time for the holidays!!!</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.harley-davidson.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" px="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8AJDpm3iXkk/TNy6NVl_gZI/AAAAAAAAASU/zeafKQ4GLaQ/s400/pg_toflhtk_dom_bs_en_US_w1280.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">MY ultimate dream bike- The Harley Davidson<br />
Elctra-Glide Ultra Limited. </td></tr>
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</div>boomer64http://www.blogger.com/profile/16785260797383154126noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2236427396750378187.post-18692614376463703582010-10-18T18:46:00.000-07:002010-10-18T18:46:00.974-07:00Scuttle Buttin Blues<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8AJDpm3iXkk/TLz2G0HjPcI/AAAAAAAAARw/426k60esPgQ/s1600/FreedomRock+010a.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" ex="true" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8AJDpm3iXkk/TLz2G0HjPcI/AAAAAAAAARw/426k60esPgQ/s320/FreedomRock+010a.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Standing next to Freedom Rock</div>October 17th, 2010</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Often times we all get the blues. Sometimes its the stirring of an old memory, a song perhaps, the smell of a familiar food. Our senses strain to absorb all those tangible and even intangible processes. Fall colors stir my senses, help me feel alive, happy, free. Even the smell of burning leaves or the "spice" of the outdoors wafting across the wooded landscapes penetrating my nostrils with an invigorating aroma gives me some sense of gratitude and adventure. I am alive, riding my Harley with almost sensory abandon, scouring the countryside for those scenic travels awash in fall slendor on an almost daily pursuit now. Colors are presently near peak in Iowa, but the telling of the tale says soon it will be time to park for another season. My soul is starting to feel the blues of the season as it succumbs to the snowy trails of winter. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8AJDpm3iXkk/TLz2NyJ-T5I/AAAAAAAAAR0/FfxOa0k_U-Y/s1600/FreedomRock+027a.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" ex="true" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8AJDpm3iXkk/TLz2NyJ-T5I/AAAAAAAAAR0/FfxOa0k_U-Y/s320/FreedomRock+027a.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The inscription on top is a prayer recited<br />
from Eleanor Roosevelt.</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Last year I rode over to the Freedom Rock, and this year I decided to make a return trip. Freedom Rock is just that. A rock! There is located west of Des Moines a rather large rock that a local artisan paints in a veterans motif, paying tribute to all veterans for their service and sacrifice. I try to visit it every year as the mural is changed during the Memorial Day weekend every year, so it is a neat little trip to make on the Harley just to see how the mural changes. The artist also has used the ashes from fallen Vietnam veterans in the paint as an additional honor to those fallen. To date the remains of 16 veterans resides in the paint on that rock.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">My return trip this year was held up for a few days by a flu bug which kept me home trying to recover. It's a nasty bug, but October 17th I felt well enough to suit up and mount up for a days ride there and back. Probably not the best decision to ride since I still felt a bit weak from the bug I have been fending off, but I also knew the weather was spot on perfect, and I needed some wind in my hair. The trip really is not all that scenic in itself, although there were spots of colored foilage dotting my route. Stopping briefly just west of Ames for gas, I noted other groups of Harleys heading out as well, so I knew I probably would not be alone. The trip there is a bit over 180 miles one way, and a perfect day for getting outside and enjoying the sunshine.</div> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8AJDpm3iXkk/TLz2Rmh2zLI/AAAAAAAAAR4/DUgzPP1nVk0/s1600/FreedomRock+013a.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" ex="true" height="211" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8AJDpm3iXkk/TLz2Rmh2zLI/AAAAAAAAAR4/DUgzPP1nVk0/s320/FreedomRock+013a.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The east side of Freedom Rock 2010. The image of <br />
the helicopter contains the remains of 16 veterans.</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">As I pulled up, I noticed several cars parked in the rock area and even a few Harleys as well. Looked like I wasn't the only one with the same bright idea. The rock was beautifully colored, including a prayer recited from Eleanor Roosevelt that is just about the best way to describe how I feel about veterans. As the "crowd" mingled, one couple and I struck up a conversation about the rock, and as it turns out, the gentleman I was speaking with was an old World War II veteran of the navy. We hit it off, talking about our naval experiences and sharing our thoughts on the rock and of being a veteran. I hope that I see this man again, as he was a delightful reminder of his service to our country! He plans to attend the Honor Flight to Washington DC next April in Cedar Rapids, so I hope to see him there. He served on LSM 275, a landing ship platform designed to land supplies and equipment onto beachheads. Coincidentally they have posted a web site, so anyone who has a chance go to <a href="http://www.lsm275.com/index.html">lsm275.com </a>for a look see. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_8AJDpm3iXkk/TLz313WtT1I/AAAAAAAAASE/2cTJ83q_9eI/s1600/FreedomRock+014a.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" ex="true" height="212" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_8AJDpm3iXkk/TLz313WtT1I/AAAAAAAAASE/2cTJ83q_9eI/s320/FreedomRock+014a.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is a testament to the recent<br />
National Guard deployments from<br />
Iowa this past summer.</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">After spending about an hour at the rock, talking with various visitors and just enjoying the beautiful day, I decided it was time to start heading back. The ride back would take almost 3 hours, and I would be getting back home after sunset. One of the most dangerous times on any motorcycle is at night. The visibility of a motorcycles is reduced, the profile is not recognizable, and the deer love to roam the roads at night. Its bad enough to hit a deer in a car, but on a motorcycle the chances of surviving an impact with a large animal such as a deer are pretty low. Riding in town at night can be ok in well lit areas, but in the rural areas it is a dangerous trip even for the best motorcyclists. While I have ridden at night in the outlying areas, I simply prefer to not push my luck any. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">As I pulled into the driveway, I made my prayers known. On every trip on my Harley, before I leave the garage I always thank God I am alive, and so it goes when I get home. Riding any motorcycle is inherently dangerous, and I take my riding very seriously. I dont like taking chances on the bike, and I always consider not only my safety but the safety of those around me. To that end, as I pulled into the garage, I thanked God I was alive, and thanks Him for my trip. That I live in a country where I am free to ride as I like, where I like, and do what I choose to do. I am most thankful that I have the support of my family as well, for they relish in my riding as much as I enjoy riding.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Hi Mom - Get Healed Up. Peace and Love everybody!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8AJDpm3iXkk/TLz2XyymGKI/AAAAAAAAASA/l7h1p33av2o/s1600/FreedomRock+023a.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ex="true" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8AJDpm3iXkk/TLz2XyymGKI/AAAAAAAAASA/l7h1p33av2o/s640/FreedomRock+023a.JPG" width="426" /></a></div>boomer64http://www.blogger.com/profile/16785260797383154126noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2236427396750378187.post-17886101275317158102010-10-11T19:35:00.000-07:002010-10-11T19:35:44.148-07:00The Color of TimeI get all sorts of giddy inside when the colors start coming out. I just cannot get enough of the reds yellows even some purples here and there. So just for giggles, here are a few pics from my Friday bike ride to the Mississippi Palisades State Park north of Savanna, Illinois. This is a wonderful park with a number of scenic viewpoints along the Mississippi River where you can see for miles. It is also a very popular route for us motorcyclists to see the fall colors, so I took this trip on Friday so as to avoid the traffic which seems to really clog up the place on weekends.<br />
<br />
There will be more to follow. After all - ITS FALL!!! Oh thats right, did I mention that the Quack Attack is back??? Woo Hoo!!!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8AJDpm3iXkk/TLPDryM96lI/AAAAAAAAAQ4/4_tnkGOfXWY/s1600/alan-savana2010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" ex="true" height="266" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8AJDpm3iXkk/TLPDryM96lI/AAAAAAAAAQ4/4_tnkGOfXWY/s400/alan-savana2010.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">See what riding a Harley does to me? Puts a big ol' SMILE on my face!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_8AJDpm3iXkk/TLPD0_KluuI/AAAAAAAAAQ8/3UiR3RnOGTg/s1600/SavannaOct2010+056.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" ex="true" height="266" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_8AJDpm3iXkk/TLPD0_KluuI/AAAAAAAAAQ8/3UiR3RnOGTg/s400/SavannaOct2010+056.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is from a viewpoint looking north. What an incredible view!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8AJDpm3iXkk/TLPECfGzjlI/AAAAAAAAARA/M8ZVYXQKAhE/s1600/SavannaOct2010+059.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" ex="true" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8AJDpm3iXkk/TLPECfGzjlI/AAAAAAAAARA/M8ZVYXQKAhE/s400/SavannaOct2010+059.JPG" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The train moving north from Savanna, Illinois along the river.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8AJDpm3iXkk/TLPEP1idPSI/AAAAAAAAARE/Q5WcaWwREMA/s1600/SavannaOct2010+061.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" ex="true" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8AJDpm3iXkk/TLPEP1idPSI/AAAAAAAAARE/Q5WcaWwREMA/s400/SavannaOct2010+061.JPG" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Planes Trains Automobiles and Color!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8AJDpm3iXkk/TLPEccd_MrI/AAAAAAAAARI/wjT3y-bVBWo/s1600/SavannaOct2010+075.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" ex="true" height="266" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8AJDpm3iXkk/TLPEccd_MrI/AAAAAAAAARI/wjT3y-bVBWo/s400/SavannaOct2010+075.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Leaving the park ran into more color.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8AJDpm3iXkk/TLPEqZK8j8I/AAAAAAAAARM/Vn9PLjq3rEA/s1600/SavannaOct2010+006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" ex="true" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8AJDpm3iXkk/TLPEqZK8j8I/AAAAAAAAARM/Vn9PLjq3rEA/s400/SavannaOct2010+006.JPG" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is from my office at the Department of Transportation today.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8AJDpm3iXkk/TLPE5s6FBWI/AAAAAAAAARQ/fK1q7vI7U48/s1600/SavannaOct2010+008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" ex="true" height="266" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8AJDpm3iXkk/TLPE5s6FBWI/AAAAAAAAARQ/fK1q7vI7U48/s400/SavannaOct2010+008.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This tree is almost in full bloom at my office.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8AJDpm3iXkk/TLPFI5Uad2I/AAAAAAAAARU/vXTbs8Q1-0A/s1600/SavannaOct2010+010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" ex="true" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8AJDpm3iXkk/TLPFI5Uad2I/AAAAAAAAARU/vXTbs8Q1-0A/s400/SavannaOct2010+010.JPG" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Same tree, just a different angle.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8AJDpm3iXkk/TLPFY-2kneI/AAAAAAAAARY/mOYQK7ifYXk/s1600/SavannaOct2010+012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" ex="true" height="266" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8AJDpm3iXkk/TLPFY-2kneI/AAAAAAAAARY/mOYQK7ifYXk/s400/SavannaOct2010+012.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ok - I couldn't get enough of this tree. Its really colorfull from inside the office too.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_8AJDpm3iXkk/TLPFi9ikNUI/AAAAAAAAARc/FHkBrFdPPNo/s1600/SavannaOct2010+031.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" ex="true" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_8AJDpm3iXkk/TLPFi9ikNUI/AAAAAAAAARc/FHkBrFdPPNo/s400/SavannaOct2010+031.JPG" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is looking at the Flag thru the fall colors in the front of the office.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8AJDpm3iXkk/TLPFu8olT0I/AAAAAAAAARg/mvzV9f6mRzI/s1600/SavannaOct2010+038.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" ex="true" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8AJDpm3iXkk/TLPFu8olT0I/AAAAAAAAARg/mvzV9f6mRzI/s400/SavannaOct2010+038.JPG" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is a tree just west of my office.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8AJDpm3iXkk/TLPI2UFaBvI/AAAAAAAAARk/7Ze8j5dYYbo/s1600/SavannaOct2010+078.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" ex="true" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8AJDpm3iXkk/TLPI2UFaBvI/AAAAAAAAARk/7Ze8j5dYYbo/s400/SavannaOct2010+078.JPG" width="352" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Melissa during my ride along the Mississippi River</td></tr>
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Peace and Love everybody - Enjoy!boomer64http://www.blogger.com/profile/16785260797383154126noreply@blogger.com0