Sunday, July 31, 2005
Happy Day
This'll be another short one. I just want to post that today I proposed to Lisa and she accepted. We will probably be getting married next July.
Wednesday, July 27, 2005
Milestone
Today as I was going back to the office trailer after lunch my motorcycle turned 20,000 miles. Not bad for three years. I'm looking forward to the next 20,000.
Tuesday, July 26, 2005
Riding Impressions
I've been working at Dugway Proving Grounds in the middle of nowhere, Utah, for the last week. It's actually only about seventy miles from Salt Lake City but it feels like it's seven hundred. I'm staying in the town of Tooele. A clean little place set up like all little towns these days. The old main street lined with antique shops and thrift stores, which look a lot like the antique stores. You would think that would be depressing but to me it's hopeful. People are still trying to achieve their dreams. I'd like to think most make it even though I imagine it doesn't happen more often than it does.
At the north end of town is the prerequisite over developed part of town. You know, the one with a Walmart as the hub, with an Appleby's, Gamestop, TGI Friday's, and even a Pier One Imports growing out from it. It's as charmless as an industrial park, but functional. I'm not some old hippy railing against progress. We are constantly living in the middle of progress, and you can't stop it. I just wish progress looked a little different from town to town.
My ride from Tooele to Dugway is a great way to calm down before work and unwind after. There's a nine mile stretch over a pass that is twisty enough to be fun but not so bad as to wear me out. The only drawback is it's the only road into Dugway and all the employees (it's mostly civilians) are going to work at the same time as me. They all haul ass and are overly aggresive. They pass on the long strait-a-ways but I always catch them in the hills. I don't understand the hurry. We all get to the gate at the same time.
Sunday, July 24, 2005
Links To Explore
Here are some interesting things I've found in a fit of boredom.
Did you know Ohio wasn't officially a state until 1953. Check here for the admittedly limited details. This is a good site if you're feeling in a Billy Joel-"We Didn't Start The Fire"-we just over-reacted to it-kind of mood. I like to scroll down and see how many threats there have been to national security that didn't require the Patriot Act. A lot less than you'd think, surprisingly.
To go along with the above theme this one is a little chilling.
There is an interesting site dedicated to a British comic book published in the early seventies called Action. The back story is intriguing. Also check out the Dredger page and dig the groovy example strip. A lot of the story sounds like it could come from the U.S. today. Just insert video game where comic book goes. This is one of the better arguments for the intelligence of children I've seen. I've always believed that if you have parents that are even half way interested, children are smart enough to seperate fantasy from reality. Read here for a good argument.
The older I get the more conservative my views become but I will never believe it's the government's place to protect us from ourselves.
Did you know Ohio wasn't officially a state until 1953. Check here for the admittedly limited details. This is a good site if you're feeling in a Billy Joel-"We Didn't Start The Fire"-we just over-reacted to it-kind of mood. I like to scroll down and see how many threats there have been to national security that didn't require the Patriot Act. A lot less than you'd think, surprisingly.
To go along with the above theme this one is a little chilling.
There is an interesting site dedicated to a British comic book published in the early seventies called Action. The back story is intriguing. Also check out the Dredger page and dig the groovy example strip. A lot of the story sounds like it could come from the U.S. today. Just insert video game where comic book goes. This is one of the better arguments for the intelligence of children I've seen. I've always believed that if you have parents that are even half way interested, children are smart enough to seperate fantasy from reality. Read here for a good argument.
The older I get the more conservative my views become but I will never believe it's the government's place to protect us from ourselves.
Saturday, July 23, 2005
Day Two From The Road
Day Two: Winnemucca Nevada to Tooele Utah
Today wasn't nearly as tiring as day one although it was fraught with a few minor mishaps. Right off the bat, I left my cell phone in the Holiday Inn in Winnemucca. A good samaritan turned it in to the desk thankfully. I have not made the address book transistion since the old iBook went tango uniform. Some day I've really got to commit numbers to paper. The second and funnier of the two was as I was coming across I-80 from Wendover Nevada to Tooele it was a clear beautiful day. Then about thirty miles out a few clouds had developed. I had never been to Tooele (pronounced Too-el-AH) but by my reckoning it was raining in the right spot. About twenty miles out it began to down pour. I decided to forgo the rainsuit and just yoke up. About ten miles out it was over, you know how those afternoon showers out west are. By the time I got to the hotel I was pretty much dry again. I had come 738 miles in perfect weather and got rained on 20 miles from my destination.
While stopping for gas and a drink of water in Wendover, I was standing in the parking lot enjoying a banana and reflecting on all the odd balls at the pumps. The world seems to be getting more and more crowded with subset's of people. For some reason there is always a tall fat guy with curly red-blonde hair, with a goatee and the hotrod flame tattoo on his forearm. He'll be wearing a black silk bowling shirt and cut-off BDU shorts. I don't know how many times I've seen this guy across the country. Of course he belongs to the group with the flaming forearm tattoo also. Usually young men who haven't yet given up the Fred Durst look. Than there's the earth muffin flowerchild. She can be found in a Toyota pick-up usually with a dog and a Nalgeen bottle. She may be thin, aging but with an ethereal beauty and wearing flowing dresses or if younger, a little heavy and possibly lesbian. There is also the urban cowboy look. Cowboy hat, fancy, colorful shirt, boots and a walk like I get after six hours on the motorcycle. You have to give this look credit, it has endured. And then, at this gas station anyway, there was the Devil's Rejects. These guys that look like they belong in a dirty little western town. With a black leather vest over a torso stretched thin like jerky and snaggly white hair, you can't help but think this guy was dressing that way to shock. His buddy wasn't much better.
I don't know if I've explained this well. Maybe I've just never noticed before, I hate to sound like an old fogie. I just don't remember it being that easy to pigeon hole people by their appearance. You can't really do it anymore either. All types of people are adapting all kinds of looks these days. I even do it with my shaved head and goatee. Who am I trying to fool, I'm a sweetheart. You can't really judge a book by it's cover but these days it's getting easier to catagorize the covers.
Today wasn't nearly as tiring as day one although it was fraught with a few minor mishaps. Right off the bat, I left my cell phone in the Holiday Inn in Winnemucca. A good samaritan turned it in to the desk thankfully. I have not made the address book transistion since the old iBook went tango uniform. Some day I've really got to commit numbers to paper. The second and funnier of the two was as I was coming across I-80 from Wendover Nevada to Tooele it was a clear beautiful day. Then about thirty miles out a few clouds had developed. I had never been to Tooele (pronounced Too-el-AH) but by my reckoning it was raining in the right spot. About twenty miles out it began to down pour. I decided to forgo the rainsuit and just yoke up. About ten miles out it was over, you know how those afternoon showers out west are. By the time I got to the hotel I was pretty much dry again. I had come 738 miles in perfect weather and got rained on 20 miles from my destination.
While stopping for gas and a drink of water in Wendover, I was standing in the parking lot enjoying a banana and reflecting on all the odd balls at the pumps. The world seems to be getting more and more crowded with subset's of people. For some reason there is always a tall fat guy with curly red-blonde hair, with a goatee and the hotrod flame tattoo on his forearm. He'll be wearing a black silk bowling shirt and cut-off BDU shorts. I don't know how many times I've seen this guy across the country. Of course he belongs to the group with the flaming forearm tattoo also. Usually young men who haven't yet given up the Fred Durst look. Than there's the earth muffin flowerchild. She can be found in a Toyota pick-up usually with a dog and a Nalgeen bottle. She may be thin, aging but with an ethereal beauty and wearing flowing dresses or if younger, a little heavy and possibly lesbian. There is also the urban cowboy look. Cowboy hat, fancy, colorful shirt, boots and a walk like I get after six hours on the motorcycle. You have to give this look credit, it has endured. And then, at this gas station anyway, there was the Devil's Rejects. These guys that look like they belong in a dirty little western town. With a black leather vest over a torso stretched thin like jerky and snaggly white hair, you can't help but think this guy was dressing that way to shock. His buddy wasn't much better.
I don't know if I've explained this well. Maybe I've just never noticed before, I hate to sound like an old fogie. I just don't remember it being that easy to pigeon hole people by their appearance. You can't really do it anymore either. All types of people are adapting all kinds of looks these days. I even do it with my shaved head and goatee. Who am I trying to fool, I'm a sweetheart. You can't really judge a book by it's cover but these days it's getting easier to catagorize the covers.
Friday, July 22, 2005
Day One From The Road.
Day One: Patterson California to Winnemucca Nevada.
405 miles today and I feel everyone of them. The weather in California couldn't have been more perfect. It's been in the hundreds all week but when I left it was almost cool enough to need a jacket. I went up California 99 from Modesto to Sacramento, it's a neat expressway with red flower bushes in between the lanes. It was pleasant over Donner Pass and then started to warm up in Reno. For some reason the first two hundred miles were fairly easy. I stopped at Denny's in Reno for lunch. This entry is pretty boring but it's mostly for me as reference.
And as you can tell by this entry, the computer made it in one piece (so far).
405 miles today and I feel everyone of them. The weather in California couldn't have been more perfect. It's been in the hundreds all week but when I left it was almost cool enough to need a jacket. I went up California 99 from Modesto to Sacramento, it's a neat expressway with red flower bushes in between the lanes. It was pleasant over Donner Pass and then started to warm up in Reno. For some reason the first two hundred miles were fairly easy. I stopped at Denny's in Reno for lunch. This entry is pretty boring but it's mostly for me as reference.
And as you can tell by this entry, the computer made it in one piece (so far).
Thursday, July 21, 2005
Purgatory
I'm sitting in the hotel here in Patterson, waiting to leave tomorrow. Most of the packing is done. The only thing left is to figure out a load plan for my motorcycle. I've got about two motorcycles worth of stuff. I'll need a leather jacket for part of the trip. For most of it though I'll be riding through the Nevada desert. I'll have this big hot leather jacket I'll have to figure out what to do with. I'll have a back pack to carry the computer in, that has me nervous. I don't want to end up buying another computer. At what temperature does a hard drive melt? It's still under warranty though. It's these thoughts that keep me sitting around in a blue funk a day or so before I leave on a trip. I worry about things I may have forgotten about or things I should take care of before I leave but don't. I had my motorcycle stand propped up in the corner of the hotel room and almost forgot to ship it out. It's 3 feet tall for crying out loud. Now I'm worrying that the tires will wear out half way there. For a car it's not too big a deal but last year by the time I got to Jackson Wyoming from Denver Colorado the steel cords were showing. There was one motorcycle place in town, who lucky for me, had tires that fit.
Then there's the sadness of leaving an area you like for the unknown. Lisa and I were really looking forward to visiting San Francisco and Yosemite again. We are leaving "our" theater in Modesto behind. We've made some happy memories here in just a month's time. Chalk that up to having the right companion.
I'm also sitting here anticipating the ride. I've checked my route about four times on Mapquest. I literally read maps for entertainment. Something I must have picked up from Dad and only exacerbated by the motorcycle. I love riding around town but it's the all too infrequent long distance trips I really enjoy. I'm anticipating the lunch at some truck stop in the middle of nowhere (or more likely a Taco Bell in some dinky town). I love to collect miles on the odometer. I also thrill to the thought of the unknown. I haven't heard many good things about Dugway from the people that have been but my standards aren't necessarily lower, I'm just lower maintenance than most. I'm picturing a dirty old desert town like Rutger Hauer might hide out in. The only low point is Lisa might not be able to join me. If not I'll still see her every weekend.
So there you have it. I drift between anxiety and excitement. Fortunately I have a 12 pack of Budweiser that needs drinking this afternoon.
Then there's the sadness of leaving an area you like for the unknown. Lisa and I were really looking forward to visiting San Francisco and Yosemite again. We are leaving "our" theater in Modesto behind. We've made some happy memories here in just a month's time. Chalk that up to having the right companion.
I'm also sitting here anticipating the ride. I've checked my route about four times on Mapquest. I literally read maps for entertainment. Something I must have picked up from Dad and only exacerbated by the motorcycle. I love riding around town but it's the all too infrequent long distance trips I really enjoy. I'm anticipating the lunch at some truck stop in the middle of nowhere (or more likely a Taco Bell in some dinky town). I love to collect miles on the odometer. I also thrill to the thought of the unknown. I haven't heard many good things about Dugway from the people that have been but my standards aren't necessarily lower, I'm just lower maintenance than most. I'm picturing a dirty old desert town like Rutger Hauer might hide out in. The only low point is Lisa might not be able to join me. If not I'll still see her every weekend.
So there you have it. I drift between anxiety and excitement. Fortunately I have a 12 pack of Budweiser that needs drinking this afternoon.
Wednesday, July 20, 2005
On The Road Again
Found out today I'm leaving Patterson California for Dugway Utah on Friday. As I type I should be packing. This should totatally throw my family off. My Mom and Dad never know where I am. It's not their fault though. The last job (in Alaska) ended just as abrubtly. The supervisor woke me up at 4:30 a.m. and we were on the road by 8:30. I love this stuff.
If You Really Loved Me You Would Foward This To Fifty Friends
I have several friends (several for me being about five) that I care for and a few people I'm indifferent to who flood my Yahoo email account. Sometimes the emails they send are pretty entertaining and sometimes they are mildly annoying. Not everyone does it. I also don't mind receiving one every once in awhile, but there were six of them from one guy on Monday morning all sent at about the same time. I wonder if he even read them himself or he just sits there like an old lady at the slot machines, hitting the forward button over, eyes glazed over, the light from the computer display shining off his face. Don't get me wrong. I really don't mind it. These are usually the people that are staying in touch for the most part. The mass forwarder from Monday never writes back when I send him a personal email, I think he's just a contact collector. That's okay too though, I guess it's nice to have an email in the inbox.
My favorites are the chain letters that end with a guilt trip, as in the title of this post. I never forward anything unless it's really amusing (to me, which is very subjective). So I should be one dead SOB. Did you realize your descendants could be cursed for all eternity if you don't forward the one about the farmer's daughter? I didn't. My current favorite is one about the Sheriff of Maricopa County. You might remember him. He's the guy that took t.v. out of the jail and created a tent jail to house the inmates. One of my favorite quotes is about the tent city.
"It feels like we are in a furnace," said James Zanzot, an inmate who has lived in the tents for 1 year. "It's inhumane."
"Joe Arpaio, the tough-guy sheriff who created the tent city and long ago started making his prisoners wear pink, and eat bologna sandwiches, is not one bit sympathetic He said Wednesday that he told all of the inmates: "It's 120 degrees in Iraq and our soldiers are living in tents too, and they have to wear full battle gear, but they didn't commit any crimes, so shut your damned mouths!"'
"Way to go, Sheriff! Maybe if all prisons were like this one there would be a lot less crime and/or repeat offenders. Criminals should be punished for their crimes - not live in luxury until it's time for their parole, only to go out and commit another crime so they can get back in to live on taxpayers money and enjoy things taxpayers can't afford to have for themselves."
While I'm not sympathetic in any way to criminals and very pro military, I've also seen Lock Up on MSNBC and I'm pretty sure anyone living in prison is not living in the lap of luxury no matter how much t.v. they have. It's funny given my conservative bent that my friends send me these crazy emails that even I have a hard time with. Still I love getting it. So if anyone has a crazy theory on center of the earth colonies (Bryce, I'm looking at you) forward them on. I promise to pass them on to fifty of my friends.
My favorites are the chain letters that end with a guilt trip, as in the title of this post. I never forward anything unless it's really amusing (to me, which is very subjective). So I should be one dead SOB. Did you realize your descendants could be cursed for all eternity if you don't forward the one about the farmer's daughter? I didn't. My current favorite is one about the Sheriff of Maricopa County. You might remember him. He's the guy that took t.v. out of the jail and created a tent jail to house the inmates. One of my favorite quotes is about the tent city.
"It feels like we are in a furnace," said James Zanzot, an inmate who has lived in the tents for 1 year. "It's inhumane."
"Joe Arpaio, the tough-guy sheriff who created the tent city and long ago started making his prisoners wear pink, and eat bologna sandwiches, is not one bit sympathetic He said Wednesday that he told all of the inmates: "It's 120 degrees in Iraq and our soldiers are living in tents too, and they have to wear full battle gear, but they didn't commit any crimes, so shut your damned mouths!"'
"Way to go, Sheriff! Maybe if all prisons were like this one there would be a lot less crime and/or repeat offenders. Criminals should be punished for their crimes - not live in luxury until it's time for their parole, only to go out and commit another crime so they can get back in to live on taxpayers money and enjoy things taxpayers can't afford to have for themselves."
While I'm not sympathetic in any way to criminals and very pro military, I've also seen Lock Up on MSNBC and I'm pretty sure anyone living in prison is not living in the lap of luxury no matter how much t.v. they have. It's funny given my conservative bent that my friends send me these crazy emails that even I have a hard time with. Still I love getting it. So if anyone has a crazy theory on center of the earth colonies (Bryce, I'm looking at you) forward them on. I promise to pass them on to fifty of my friends.
Tuesday, July 19, 2005
Mac Attack!
Sorry about the lame title.
I just got a new iBook. I'm pretty excited. I got it with a dvd burner, blue tooth and airport. The only one I need is the airport. Most hotels are going that way. Now I have to get a bluetooth capable phone, keyboard, mouse and every other gadget, and a HD video camera and...well maybe not right now. I'm loving OS X 10.4 Tiger. It's full of these colorful, shiny little distracting gadgets called widgets. Their sole purpose seemingly to draw attention to their prettiness, oh and they'll tell you the temperature, the time and the day of the week too. I'm a mid-level Mac geek. I used to know a lot more about the functions and features but that kind of ended with OS 7.something. After that I had a basic list of things I could have been doing on a much cheaper PC, but I love Macs. The Tiger is (like the prior OS 10 releases) elegant, non-obtrusive and pretty simple. I'm looking forward to taking some time and getting to know Tiger. I might even dust off Simcity.
In other news I've seen that congress has snuck in the Real ID Act in a appropriations bill for 80 billion dollars for Iraq. What this means to you is that law abiding citizens at the very least will be subjected to a whole slew of new bureaucratic red tape at the DMV. The states will once again bear the cost for a federally mandated program and the terrorists will continue ignoring the laws of civilized man. The plan will require you to provide a photo i.d. to get the national card. Where do you get one of those? I don't know about you but the only photo i.d. I've ever had was a driver's license. Can't that be forged? Am I over reacting? Maybe. Maybe I'm just worried for the coming generations of youth unable to buy their first beer with a fake i.d.
I just got a new iBook. I'm pretty excited. I got it with a dvd burner, blue tooth and airport. The only one I need is the airport. Most hotels are going that way. Now I have to get a bluetooth capable phone, keyboard, mouse and every other gadget, and a HD video camera and...well maybe not right now. I'm loving OS X 10.4 Tiger. It's full of these colorful, shiny little distracting gadgets called widgets. Their sole purpose seemingly to draw attention to their prettiness, oh and they'll tell you the temperature, the time and the day of the week too. I'm a mid-level Mac geek. I used to know a lot more about the functions and features but that kind of ended with OS 7.something. After that I had a basic list of things I could have been doing on a much cheaper PC, but I love Macs. The Tiger is (like the prior OS 10 releases) elegant, non-obtrusive and pretty simple. I'm looking forward to taking some time and getting to know Tiger. I might even dust off Simcity.
In other news I've seen that congress has snuck in the Real ID Act in a appropriations bill for 80 billion dollars for Iraq. What this means to you is that law abiding citizens at the very least will be subjected to a whole slew of new bureaucratic red tape at the DMV. The states will once again bear the cost for a federally mandated program and the terrorists will continue ignoring the laws of civilized man. The plan will require you to provide a photo i.d. to get the national card. Where do you get one of those? I don't know about you but the only photo i.d. I've ever had was a driver's license. Can't that be forged? Am I over reacting? Maybe. Maybe I'm just worried for the coming generations of youth unable to buy their first beer with a fake i.d.
Monday, July 18, 2005
Lighten Up
I was looking at the last few posts and I seem to be getting maudlin lately. I'll lighten up now. Let me start by picking on a guy who is probably an alright dude but I crack up at his expense every time. I'm talking of course about the Iron Man guy in the Gatorade commercial. It's the best bit of slapstick I've seen since Jack Tripper did a mid-air flip over the couch. It also seems to be pretty popular on the web. I'm sorry but I never want to hear a jock make fun of a Trekkie again. You guys are just as ate up as any nerd who ever donned a home made wookie suit (Stars Wars, I know).
Here's to you Chris Legh, thank you for reinforcing my belief that excercise is hazardous to your health. Now where's that taco salad?
Here's to you Chris Legh, thank you for reinforcing my belief that excercise is hazardous to your health. Now where's that taco salad?
Sunday, July 17, 2005
A Few Things To Know About Me
I like to use french fries as a delivery system for ketch-up. I'd drink it right out of the packet if that were socially acceptable.
I pride myself on how slow I can go on my motorcycle without putting my feet down. I show off at traffic lights all the time.
I think "Russell Simmons presents Def Poetry Jam" on HBO is full of a bunch of goofy, pretentious "artistes". Get over yourselves.
I like dogs and children more than I let on.
The best burrito I ever had came from an old gas station turned deli, Las Palmas Market in Crows Landing. Best tacos too.
A Day In The Life
I've worked for an environmental remediation company Shaw E&I for the past eight years now and as my family and friends are well aware I am on the road about 300 days of the year. I enjoy it and sometimes am surprised when people ask how I do it. If I stop to think about it, it is a little crazy I guess. On my brother and sister-in-law's wedding program they listed where everyone in the party lived, I was labeled aimless drifter. Sometimes I wonder what might have been if I hadn't joined the Air Force and stayed in Zanesville at the plant. I imagine I would have been happier or sadder or whatever. I really believe what ifs don't amount to a hill of beans, actually a hill of beans is probably worth more in a hard cash kind of way. I regret not being around my family more but somehow we are so close that even though I see them only a few times a year it's not like any time has passed. Dad has a few more wrinkles but he's still working in the garage just like my childhood memories recall. There have been deaths in the family, I still miss my grandmother every day and regret the circumstances around Uncle Eddie's death. My Aunt Peg went out braver than I know I will. Still for the regrets my job causes, the benefits more than even things out on the Karma scales. Number one of course is that my job is directly responsible for my finding Lisa. My boss, Tim bugged the both of us to go out until we just gave up and did it. Surrendering never worked out so well. Than of course there is the travel. I recently had to update my resume and it required me to list all of the projects I've been on since I've been with Shaw. Right. Let's just say I covered most of the big ones. I actually flew from Ohio to Crows Landing in California once for a half a day's work. I remember doing it but don't ask me what day, month or even what year it was. I'm in Crows Landing again and aside from the heat and distance from anything interesting it's great.The picture is an aerial photo taken in 1998. The history of the place is pretty interesting too. It's a good example of the benefits of the job if you're into that type of thing, the history that is. I was on Wake Island for over a year but that's another post...
Saturday, July 16, 2005
A Moment Of Irrational Fear
Lisa and I went to New York City in June. It was her first time there and my first time to go to the top of the Empire State Building. I don't have a fear of heights normally, if I stop to think about where I am though I sometimes get a little panic sweat going. The top of the building was fun but a few times the images of 9/11 would flash through my mind. We took the fire escape down three levels to avoid the line for the elevator and that's when it really struck me. For some reason I was thinking of the people running down the fire escapes in the World Trade Towers and the firemen running up. There's a marine who blogs to Flikr from Iraq. I check his site often but was unable to since May. There were a lot of new photos after the battle of Ubaydi. They were pictures of his fallen comrades. Several family members post comments as a means of communication. Needless to say there were a lot of heartbreaking and beautiful posts from family members and fellow Marines. The word hero gets thrown around for everything these days and I'm not going to use it now but if you look at the pictures of these guys clowning around and posing with children you have to admire their bravery and humility in the face of the situation they've found themselves in.
Patterson, California
So I'm living at a Best Western Inn (and Resort, don't ask me what that's about) in Patterson California. We have been here since about the 6th of June. It's in a valley, which I think is the San Joquin valley though some people told me it wasn't. There are row upon row of apricot trees, feed corn, and other produce I'm unfamiliar with everywhere. There is also a lot of heat. Damn near Phoenix heat. It was 107 yesterday. Riding the bike is like putting a heat gun to your head. Lisa is lucky to be in Colorado right now, although I'm missing her a lot.
My usual routine (and our's when she's here) is to go to Modesto, about twenty miles up the road. We go on every Friday to a movie at the Brenden Theaters and sometimes get a hod dog from a place around the corner that serves veggie dogs for Lisa. Yesterday I saw The Wedding Crashers and haven't laughed so hard since "Something About Mary".
The drive to Modesto goes through the farmland so you get all sorts of unsavory smells. There is a stock yard at the intersections of Crow's Landing Road and Highway 99 however, that rapes the olafactory glands. This is in a part of town with several businesses too. It's not like it's in the middle of no where.
The area is an mixed blessing for motorcycle riding. Right across I-5 is one of the most enjoyable, twistiest roads I've ever rode (CA 130). Everywhere else are these straight for miles feild access roads. It takes what seems forever to get anywhere and unfortunately the only non-interstate way to the bay area is 130 which cuts twenty miles off the trip but adds an hour. Still it is fun.
My usual routine (and our's when she's here) is to go to Modesto, about twenty miles up the road. We go on every Friday to a movie at the Brenden Theaters and sometimes get a hod dog from a place around the corner that serves veggie dogs for Lisa. Yesterday I saw The Wedding Crashers and haven't laughed so hard since "Something About Mary".
The drive to Modesto goes through the farmland so you get all sorts of unsavory smells. There is a stock yard at the intersections of Crow's Landing Road and Highway 99 however, that rapes the olafactory glands. This is in a part of town with several businesses too. It's not like it's in the middle of no where.
The area is an mixed blessing for motorcycle riding. Right across I-5 is one of the most enjoyable, twistiest roads I've ever rode (CA 130). Everywhere else are these straight for miles feild access roads. It takes what seems forever to get anywhere and unfortunately the only non-interstate way to the bay area is 130 which cuts twenty miles off the trip but adds an hour. Still it is fun.
Friday, July 15, 2005
Why Life Has Been So Good To Me
This is just one of the reasons of course, friends, family and Guiness being a few of the others.
Thursday, July 14, 2005
A Long Trip
Well Lisa and I left Alaska around the 24th of May. We had a great trip through Canada, it was a lot of fun, unfortunately the Alcan (Alaska-Canadian) Highway was a little harder on my computer than I was expecting. The laptop died, so now here I am almost two months past with a new iBook. I've got a lot of catching up.
The trip through Canada was a blast, and it was made even better by the fact that Lisa and I shared the experience. It was our first real road trip together (not counting a few trips from Colorado to Ohio) and it was someplace neither one of us had been. Anyone who knows me knows how rare an event that is for me.
Canada is a friendly country. I couldn't stop for gas or food without getting into a conversation. Anyone who knows me knows that this is also a rare event. For some reason I found this refreshing, I'm usually a little uncomfortable making small talk with people. I may be blowing this out of proportion but the Canadians I talked to had a genuine warmth and openness I don't see very often here in the U.S. The country itself was pretty and clean. They still have the thing where you can turn in your bottles and get change back. I remember doing that as a kid but it seems like no one here will give you the deposit, think of it more as a tax. We stopped at more than a few gas stations where the attendant fished our bottles out of the garbage, it must be a large refund.
Canada reminded my a great deal of traveling through the U.S. via the old state route system. There weren't any interstates to speak of just a lot of two and sometimes four lane roads that went right through the little plains towns. The population was sparse so traffic was hardly ever aggravating. It was what I imagine it must have been like driving across route 40 or 66 back in the fifties. Or driving today with my Dad anywhere.
One final observation - tater tots are called potato fritters and huevos rancheros have a crispy flat bread tortilla (at least in the restaurant where we ate). This caused me no end of mental anguish.
The trip through Canada was a blast, and it was made even better by the fact that Lisa and I shared the experience. It was our first real road trip together (not counting a few trips from Colorado to Ohio) and it was someplace neither one of us had been. Anyone who knows me knows how rare an event that is for me.
Canada is a friendly country. I couldn't stop for gas or food without getting into a conversation. Anyone who knows me knows that this is also a rare event. For some reason I found this refreshing, I'm usually a little uncomfortable making small talk with people. I may be blowing this out of proportion but the Canadians I talked to had a genuine warmth and openness I don't see very often here in the U.S. The country itself was pretty and clean. They still have the thing where you can turn in your bottles and get change back. I remember doing that as a kid but it seems like no one here will give you the deposit, think of it more as a tax. We stopped at more than a few gas stations where the attendant fished our bottles out of the garbage, it must be a large refund.
Canada reminded my a great deal of traveling through the U.S. via the old state route system. There weren't any interstates to speak of just a lot of two and sometimes four lane roads that went right through the little plains towns. The population was sparse so traffic was hardly ever aggravating. It was what I imagine it must have been like driving across route 40 or 66 back in the fifties. Or driving today with my Dad anywhere.
One final observation - tater tots are called potato fritters and huevos rancheros have a crispy flat bread tortilla (at least in the restaurant where we ate). This caused me no end of mental anguish.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)