The rv park is very nice. It's not very big, maybe 50-75 spaces or so. It is in the best location ever...a few hundred feet to the waters edge! Perfect! We had a great view from the RV. Our Rv is the second from the left in this picture.

We spent the long weekend taking walks on the beach and playing ball with our dog, Daisy. Believe me, she is never very far from her beloved tennis balls! Here's a shot of her coming to an abrupt stop while chasing the ball. She ate her share of sand!

Unlike most beaches we've been to, this one was extremely clean and vacant of the crowds you find elsewhere. I guess that's because it's on a Naval base and there are only a certain number of RV spaces. About the only thing I saw on the beach was pieces of drift wood that washed ashore. There is only about a 1/4 mile of beach or so....but it's enough.

We enjoyed the local wildlife.I've never been to a beach where the sea lions would swim so close to shore. These guys were less than a hundred feet from shore. If you look closely you can see their heads.We also saw a school of Dolphins swim by. But as luck would have it, I did't have my camera. There's also a lagoon across the street from the RV park where sea lions basked in the sun, lined up like huge sausages on a grill! No worries, mate. Here's another huge sausage basking in a recliner!

Daisy, our Jack Russell Terrorist, finally overcame her carsickness. For the most part, she slept in her little car-bed while driving.

We had a great time and hope to return. Chris works on the engines on the E2C Hawkeye 2000. He took us on a tour of his work station and showed us around...cool! He has two more years to do in the Navy then our access to the base will be over. Here's a folder of all the pictures; most of which are of our dog...how pathetic! And, even though my wife is dressed like an eskimo...the weather was pretty darn nice! Later! Back to main page

Earlier in the week we called the Ranger station to find out how popular camping was there. We wanted to make sure we could get in...there's no reservations. "No problem. We never fill up this time of year.", was the response. Since it was such a short distance from home, we decided to go over Saturday morning. But then I got to thinking about it at work on Friday. "Just to be sure we get a site; I better leave work at noon and head out.", I thought. I wanted to get there while it was still daylight. Good thing! By Saturday morning one would have been hard pressed to find a spot.

As we hoped, the Mojave Desert was nothing but blue skies and no wind.

Our friends from Lancaster came for a visit on Saturday and my mother, two brothers and a nephew came out Sunday. We spent time visiting and reminiscing about camping in the 60's. We used to have some great times dirt bike riding and exploring the desert.

I brought my radio controlled Monster Truck along so we took turns playing with it. There was a pretty good sized area there to run around.

As I said, the campground was pretty full. There were a few Boy Scout Troops there as well. We watched as they held their morning flag ceremony and afterwards, they hiked up some of the rocks.

This was the first time we took our new dog, Daisy, along. She's a Jack Russell Terrorist! We weren't sure how she would do. Would she stay near the campsite when unleashed? Would she bark and be a pest? We had our doubts. But to our delight, she was a delight! She did very well...on and off the leash. She minded very well and enjoyed chasing her ball and visiting with company. She didn't run off and have to be chased. That's what I really didn't want to happen. She proved to be a great RV dog. Now we have to work on being able to leave her in the RV for short periods while we go away. I'm sure there'll come a time when we'll want to go somewhere where we can't take her. We want to be able to leave her alone and not worry about her tearing up the 5th wheel. We'll probably crate train her for that.

If you ever get a chance to visit Red Rock Canyon, if only for a day, it's well worth it. There are some great looking rock formations there...quite unique and very colorfull. Click HERE to see some pictures. Until next time!

Anyway, we took the week of Christmas off and and traveled to Oregon and Washington to visit kids. Our first stop was Grants Pass, Oregon to visit my daughter and her family. I always enjoy GP, as the locals refer to it. Their downtown area still has that little-town feeling to it. We took an All-Terrain Tricycle to our grandson, Asa. He helped me assemble it and then we took him for his first ride. They live out of town in the woods so I'm sure the All-Terrain aspect of his tricycle will come in handy.

The weather in GP was typical for this time of year...overcast and drizzly. We had a nice visit with them then left for Washington on Monday morning, Dec. 22.

We started our 8 hour drive to Kennewick, Washington about 9 am. It's about 4 hours to Portland, Oregon and another 4 hours to Kennewick. Upon leaving Portland, we took I-84 East along the Columbia River. This route has become somewhat routine but still enjoyable. There is some great scenery along the Columbia. There's Dams, Locks and numerous waterfalls to be seen. The Multnomah Falls is always memorable.

We arrived in Kennewick without a hitch. The weather was similar to GP only colder. Southeastern Washington is high desert, very similar to where we used to live in Lancaster, California. They major difference is the lack of Joshua Trees in Washington. Besides that, they're quite similar.

Our son and his wife were waiting for escrow to close on their first house. They were just married in August and recently bought a new house too...pretty good!

We visited with them at their apartment and then they got the okay to move into their new place on Christmas Eve. So that's what we did...move them. It was not a big ordeal. Angee had much of their stuff packed and the rest was a snap. It took us about 4 hours to get them into their new place. It also helped that it was only a mile or two away. However, it didn't rain until we got ready to move each load. I swear, it wasn't raining while we packed the trailer. Then just as we'd get ready to drive to the new place, it would start in. Never fails. Good thing I has some plastic sheeting.

We got them pretty much settled in and enjoyed Christmas with them the following day. Bruiser, their new (8 weeks old) Chihuahua, seemed to enjoy the new digs too!

Friday morning we said our goodbyes then headed out and back-tracked to Grants Pass. We went home a little differently this time though. Instead of taking I-84, we stayed on the Washington-side of the Columbia River, which is Washington 14. It offered a different view of the river. There is a replica of England's Stone Henge built there that ovelooks the river. It was erected as a tribute to local soldiers killed in WWI. It's our nations first monument to honor the veterans of that war.

We arrived at my daughter's where she had a nice dinner waiting for us. We spent the night then left for home the following morning. We got on that all-too-familiar slab known as I-5, and beat it home with the rest of the holiday travelers.

Here's a link to all the pictures we took this trip. Happy New Year!

We left our home in Bakersfield, Ca. Saturday morning at 8 am on November 22 for Merced, Ca., a mere 3-4 hour drive. We lumbered along at a leisurely pace arriving about noon. We stayed with our friends, Bill and Claudia, until the following day. It was nice seeing them again and catching up with what's been happening with our two family's. We parked our rig in their huge driveway for the evening. They have plenty of room...with hook-ups! Thanks guys!

The next day, Sunday, we pulled out of Merced about noon. Destination: Sacramento. Another short drive...about 200 miles. We arrived in Sacramento about 4 pm and set up at the KOA. After setting up the rig, we called our friend ,Stephanie, and met her for dinner at Joe's Crab Shack in Old Town Sacramento. What a neat restaurant! With tons of stuff hanging from the ceiling and overlooking the Sacramento River, this place has a very festive atmosphere...not to mention the great food. We started off with some crab balls and a drink before having our main course of crab and shrimp. Mmmm good! It was nice visiting with Stephanie. Her husband, Mark, was away on business and couldn't be with us. We'll have to catch up with him later. It was great seeing you again, Steph!

After saying our good-byes to Stephanie, we went back to the good old KOA for a good nights rest. We awoke rather early Monday morning and got underway for Chico, Ca. where we had an 11am appointment at Transfer Flow Inc. to have an auxilliary fuel tank installed. I had been looking forward to having another fuel tank installed ever since we bought our 5th wheel. The time had come and I didn't want to be late! We arrived at Transfer Flow at about 10am...plenty of time to spare. We dropped the 5th wheel in a field next to their facility where we could relax while the truck was going through the approximately 4 hour fuel tank installation process. We checked in at their office where we were met with smiles and the offer of coffee and a nice reception area to watch video movies if desired...a very nice set-up. There was a nice placard at the reception window listing the names of the days appointments for installations. They went out of their way to make you feel a little bit special. It was a nice touch...very professional. After signing in, we went back to the RV. It was a beautiful morning so we set up our lawn chairs outdoors and enjoyed the sunshine. I'm not quite sure why, but my wife, Janice, kept a keen lookout for indians! We parked the 5th wheel next to another one that was owned by a couple from Washington who were having the same fuel tank installed in their 2004 Dodge as well. Transfer Flow is a very popular choice for auxillary fuel tanks.

Transfer Flow, Inc. is located next to a California Department of Forestry airport. From the looks of things, I'd have to guess that's where they convert old Navy aircraft into firefighting tankers. If not, the old planes make one hell of a bird house! Before we knew it our 70 gallon in-bed fuel tank installation was finished. It took less than the estimated four hours. The installation looks great...neat and clean. Transfer Flow filled both tanks and checked the system to make sure everything worked properly. Eightyeight (88) gallons and all systems, Go! Were talkin' a total of 104 gallons of fuel now. Oh boy! No more panicking for fuel after 300 miles. Now I don't have to panick until about 900 miles. Whooo Hooo! Let's roll!

After paying the bill we were ready to hitch-up and hit the road again. Since it was late afternoon and daylight was in short supply, we decided to head South for a little ways and spend the night at an RV park in Gridley, Ca. that we had passed on the way up. I remembered it was a nice, clean looking little RV park behind a hotel on SR 99. I think it was only about $18.00 for full hook-ups...such a deal and clean showers/restrooms. The following morning we continued South on SR 99 until we merged with SR 20 which took us East towards Grass Valley and eventually merged with SR 174. The drive through Grass Valley is slow but scenic...a nice change of pace. State Route 174 merges with I-80 where we decided to head East towards Reno, Nevada. At over 7,000 ft. elevation in the Sierra Nevada mountains near Truckee, Ca. on I-80, is where the Donner Party was lost in the winter of 1846, which began the great westward movement.

Our drive along I-80 had been kind of slow but very scenic. There was a little snow along side the road and mountain side from an ealier snow fall and the daytime temperatures were in the high 30's, low 40's. We decided to spend the night at Truckee. We found an RV park nestled among tall pines where the night time temperatures had been a chilling 20 degrees or so. I was glad I topped off the propane tanks while visiting our friends in Merced a few days earlier...we were going to need it. There was still snow on the ground here too. Granted it wasn't much snow. But it proved the daytime wasn't much warmer than evenings. Although our propane tanks were full, I was a little concerned about running out unexpectedly. Until this trip, we had used the furnace very little and I wasn't sure how much propane would be used on a very cold night. Would we use a half bottle during the night? If we used a whole bottle, would the empty bottle automatically switch over to the full bottle in the middle of the night like it's supposed to? These were some of my concerns being an inexperienced winter RVer. I was also concerned about freezing the water pipes. I decided to go to the RV park office and ask their advice. I was told it was a good idea to leave cabinet doors open where the sinks and plumbing is located. The heat would migrate to these locations and keep the pipes from freezing. I decided not to use the park water to keep from bursting the hose in the middle of the night. We had plenty of water in our holding tank. That evening I set the thermostat at 65 degrees and the furnace went on and off at about fifteen minute intervals. After watching some TV and catching up on the news, it was time to hit the hay and snuggle into a layer of blankets and comforter...very toasty!

We awoke the following morning and the first thing I did was to go outside and look for signs of frozen or broken holding tanks or drain piping which is located on the exterior of the rig. Everything looked okay. After breakfast we hitched-up the RV and left for Reno, Nevada. It was about 10 am. and 26 degrees. We thought if there was a show we wanted to see in Reno we would spend the night. If not, we would continue on to Virginia City, Nevada.

We didn't see anything that grabbed our eye in Reno, so we continued on to Virginia City. This was our first time visiting Virginia City so we planned on staying for a few hours a take in the sights. From Truckee to Reno is only about 40 miles. And to Virginia City is another short jaunt. However, Route 341 to Virginia City is very narrow and windy...and steep! I spent considerable time looking through my mirrors trying to keep the rig between the lines. So needless to say, it was slow going while using turnouts to let other vehicles pass. I spent most of my time in third gear while climbing the moutain and I used the Jake brake going down the steep grades...what a lifesaver...literally!

We arrived in Virginia City without mishap. It's a pretty neat western town. After all, isn't that the place where the boys from Bonanza used to go when they went to town? They have a boardwalk that runs almost the entire length of town where you can step into the famous Bucket of Blood Saloon. We took a trolley tour of town. The driver narrated the history of Virginia City which was very interesting. Unfortunately some of the attractions were closed for the winter. We'll have to go back in the Summer. It would be a nice break from the Bakersfield Summer inferno!

We spent most the afternoon in Virginia City and then headed out on Route 341 South eventually merging with I-50 West to 395 South. As night was rapidly approaching, I started to look for a place to spend the night. About 50 miles or so from Virginia City is Topaz Lake, Nevada. There didn't seem to be much else within sight so I pulled off at the Topaz Lake Lodge and Casino. The RV Park sat above the lake with a great view. We went to the Casino for dinner and played the slots for a while. How did we do? Well, I guess you could say the dinner actually cost twice as much as it should have! It was fun though. That's the cost of entertainment.

The following morning, Thanksgiving, we got up early and set our sights for Big Pine, Ca., where my wifes sister and her family lives. Before we got out of sight of Topaz Lake, Nevada, I pulled over a took a picture of the eerie looking lake. It looked as though the clouds were on the surface of the water. At least I think it was clouds. It didn't appear to be the water evaporating. Pretty neat.

As indicated by my overhead computer readout, the temperature dropped steadily from about 26 degrees as we continued South on 395. Like I said, I first noticed the readout at 26 degrees. It plummeted from there...25, 22, 18, 16...where would it stop? Somewhere near the Sonora Pass turnoff it bottomed out at 10 degrees! Brrrrrrrrrr! That's the coldest we had seen it.

We drove non-stop to Big Pine, Ca. going through familiar towns along the way. It's always nice to see Bridgeport and Lee Vining. It brings back memories of when we used to attend the now discontinued annual Bridgeport Bike Jamboree. I wish they would bring it back. That area has some of the nicest scenery California has to offer.

After about 4 hours of driving Thanksgiving morning, we arrived at my sister-in-laws place in Big Pine. We parked the RV in their driveway. My brother-in-law, Richard, even supplied cable TV. We had a very nice Thanksgiving and enjoyed visiting them as always. All good things must come to an end. It was time to go home.

We usually like to return home from vacation a day or two before returning back to work, so we left Big Pine on Friday at about 1 pm. It's about 4 hours or so to Bakersfield. That put us home shortly after dark but early enough to bail our dog out of the Vets. Unlike some of our previous RVing adventures, we didn't break anything! Oh, I never did stop for fuel since having the auxillary tank installed...600 miles ago!

Well, we're back to reality. We'll have to start thinking about next year's Thansgiving vacation...it'll be here before you know it! Here's a link to all the pictures.

Vintage Harleys retrieved from desert
scrap heap. Oconomowoc dealer plans
painstaking restoration.
Cass Kuzba of Wisconsin Harley-Davidson in Oconomowoc poses with one of the two 1955 Harley-Davidson motorcycles recovered from a scrap pile in the Middle East more than a decade ago. Kuzba plans to restore the two bikes, starting sometime within the next year.

OCONOMOWOC - A pair of 1955 Harley-Davidson motorcycles, found in a scrap pile in the Middle East at the end of the first Gulf War, are on their way to being restored at the hands of Cass Kuzba of Wisconsin Harley-Davidson.

The two 1955 FL pan heads, with serial numbers only three digits apart, were acquired by Kuzba from Jim Imman of California.

"For the short term, I plan to leave them on display," Kuzba said. "Within a year or so, we may do a full restoration."

Kuzba declined to say how much he paid for the motorcycles or how much the restoration would cost.

He said Harley-Davidson would often fill government or police department orders by building and sending out a bunch of motorcycles at a time, so it wouldn't be uncommon to have four, six or even 10 bikes with serial numbers in chronological order.

"And, in a place like Saudi Arabia, where only the government could afford the bikes, when they were done with them, they could just throw them out and buy new ones," Kuzba said. "They couldn't sell them to anyone, because no one else had the money to buy them."

Imman said a technical adviser and factory representative for an American military contractor found the bikes in 1991 somewhere in the Middle East where they had been dumped by a pay loader.

Although dirty, rusted and banged up from their years in the desert, the motorcycles are not modified from their original condition.

"Everything is as it was when it left the factory," Kuzba said. "When you look at them, they look all kind of beat up, but it's all sheet metal - and that can be fixed."

"The motor cases are in perfect condition, and the frames appear to be unbent," added Imman, who specializes in antique motorcycles. "To restorers and judges of antique motorcycles, these bikes serve as perfect examples to verify the factory-correct finishes of chrome, parkerization, cadmium plating or paint for a proper restoration."

Both motorcycles are equipped with sirens, even though they are basically civilian models.

"(The) 1955 pan heads featured an improved D-ring to help seal the rocker arm cover gaskets from oil leakage. These D-rings had six screws when the bikes were delivered, but because there was still some oil leakage from the rockerbox gaskets, the D-rings were drilled for 12 screws when the '55 models were serviced at the dealers," Imman said. "These bikes retain the six-screw D-ring configuration, as well as the very rare 1954-55 carburetor support that was usually replaced, too."

Kuzba said the restoration would include a full documentation of the motorcycles, complete with pictures and descriptions of every detail and where every little part belongs on the bike.

Coincidentally Kuzba made the deal to purchase the two motorcycles Aug. 30, when Harley-Davidson was celebrating its 100th anniversary.

The public is invited to stop in at Wisconsin Harley-Davidson, 1225 Robruck Drive, to view the motorcycles.

Our four kids. It's been 6 years since they were together.
Me and Holly Isn't she precious?
Holly and Grandma Even more precious!
Me and Amanda She lives in Oregon.
Amanda, me and Jennifer Jennifer (on the right) lives in Massachusetts.
The Groom! Losing his freedom!

David was our last and youngest to get married. Although he has been out of the house for 6 years and totally responsible for himself, his wedding seemed to finalize his departure from the nest.

Back to the wedding. The bride was stunning! Angee is a gorgeous young women who seems to match David perfectly. Angee's grandfather walked her down the aisle. Her father passed away when she was quite young and her grandparents are very much a part of her life. David has told us a great deal about them and we finally got to meet them at the rehersal dinner. They are very nice and hospitable people indeed!

The bride and groom were pleased that many relatives from out of state were able to attend. We appreciated it as well. Relatives came as far away as Alaska, Massachusettes, California, Oregon, New Mexico and Colorado.

It was nice to meet so many people whom David had talked about for the last few years. Angees has three sisters and a brother. Angee's sister, Stephanie, Maid of Honor, has a great tattoo covering most of one shoulder extending to her back...I can dig it! The Best Man, Sam, returned from Iraq where he was stationed with the Air Force, just in time for the wedding. If Sam was unable to attend, I would have substituted as Best Man. Consequently, I wore a tux also.

The reception was held at the home of Angee's mom, Connie, and her friend "Jug". Their place is very nice. The back yard is impeccable. The grounds, pool, etc...perfect! It was very nicely decorated and all seemed to enjoy theemselves. There was plenty of food and drink.

We had a great time. It was hectic but fun. This was the first time in 6 years we had all four of our kids in the same place at the same time. We all stayed at a KOA campgound just outside of Spokane. This worked out quite well as the kids had a place to play and rough-house as opposed to a hotel room. My daughter Jennifer and her son, Matthew, and daughter, Holly, from Massachusettes, stayed with us at the campground as well as my other daughter, Amanda, and her son, Asa.

Here's a few pictures.
Jennifer, Holly and Jan.
Amanda, Asa and Matthew.
Jennifer and Holly (9mos.)
Matthew and Asa.(both 3 yrs.old)
Here's some of Holly and Grandpa! She stole hearts everywhere we went!
Holly
Holly
Holly
Holly
Holly

Our trip was not without a few mishaps. I had a blowout on I-84 just east of The Dalles, Oregon. Now I've got 4 brand new 10 ply tire on the RV...should be good for a while!

We boarded the ship at about 8am and were treated to coffee, donuts, etc.. Our itinerary stated we were to get underway at 8:30. But as usual, there were a few stragglers. Instead of having them listed A.W.O.L. and thrown in the brig, the Captain stayed in port until all were aboard. You'd think the $100.00 ticket price would keep you prompt...if not early!

At approximately 9am the Lane Victory casted off it's last line and was underway for Catalina Island. This marked my first time at sea since my Navy days in 1972. I'll admit, in the back of my mind I was a tad bit concerned about getting seasick. Although I'd never experienced seasickness while in the Navy, I'd wondered if things had changed.

As we made our way through the channel headed for the breakwater, I kept a close eye on the smokestack. Being an ex-boilerman, it was only natural for me to watch and see how the fires were burning. Every now and then there'd be a puff of black smoke from the stack...not enough air. Or billowing clouds of white smoke...too much air. Of course, my wife had to endure my narrative!

It was a great day to be at sea. The breeze was gentle and the sea was calm...perfect. There was a slight overcast with the sun peeking through sporadically...just enough to let you know it was there but not enough to be a a scorcher.

As the 60 year old ship steamed on it's own power, I reflected on my days in the Navy and the ship's I served aboard. As I starred at the trail our screw (propeller) made in the ocean, I wondered how many times I'd done that before. How many miles had I sailed in 4 years? Thousands! How many hours had I spent in boiler rooms making steam for my ship's? Thousands. Ah yes, I was an old salt indeed.

There was a boiler room/engine room tour to begin at 10:30. We were taken in groups of eight and given a brief orientation of what to expect. I knew exactly what to expect. However, some were surprised to learn the temperature in the boiler room could be anywhere from 105-140 degrees, depending on the outside temperature. One woman remarked, "You mean there are people actually working down there?" Of course I couldn't resist the opportunity to let our group know that I used to work in boiler rooms aboard ship too, "I did it for 4 years!", I interrupted.

We headed down the ladders into the boiler room and it was indeed hot...about 105 according to their thermomter. One hundred five degrees may not seem all that hot to some. But it's a different heat. It's heat mixed with odors of fuel, odors of hot equipment, sounds of machinery working...the sounds and smells of being underway.

I talked to the fellow who was running the boilers. He was holding about 400 pounds of steam pressure as the ship lumbered along at about 12 knots. That's about the same speed my ship maintained coming from Japan to the United States. That's only about 15 mph or so.

I have to admit, I really didn't pay much attention to the tour guide when he was talking about how the ship made steam. I knew the drill and just wanted to walk around the boiler room and visit the crew...which I did. It was pretty neat being back in a real boiler room. Watching the steam reciprocating feed pump dutifully push water into the boiler against 400 pounds of steam brought back memories of when I used to stand watches while underway. Had it really been over 30 years ago?

At 12 noon sharp. And I mean sharp, chow was served on the main deck at four locations. It was a well organized endeavor meant to feed approximately 800 people in a relatively short period of time. Mission accomplished! They served salads, chicken, beef, lasagna and fruit. The also had plenty of soda and beer onboard. The latter not found on any vessel I ever served!

We were now within sight of Catalina Island. I suppose we were at least a 1/2 mile or better away from the Island at our closest point. The Lane Victory did not stop at Catalina. This was a full day at sea.

As we turned to head back towards San Pedro, the Captain made an announcement that enemy aircraft had been spotted. German aircraft were headed towards us and all hands should keep a sharp lookout! We were also informed that the Naval vessel, USS McClusky FFG 41, was off our starboard bow to offer protection if need be. The Lane Victory carries her own anti-aircraft guns and they were manned and ready! There they were! Five German aircraft! As they approached the Lane Victory, the gunnersmates opened up with eveything they had. Rapid successions of gunfire could be heard throughout the ship as the 40MM and 3".50 cal. guns hammered away at the enemy. The aerial attach lasted for about 30 minutes and ended with the Germans in full retreat!

They did an excellent job at simulating the attack. The vintage AT-6 trainers were the Condor Squadron from Van Nuys airport. They were painted like WWII German aircraft...swastikas and all! The pilots did a great job. They dove towards the ship only to veer off at the last second. They did a number fly-bys just barely above the waters surface. Standing on third deck put you at eye level with the planes. They simulated getting hit by the Lane Victory's guns by belching out clouds of smoke every now and then. It was a great show!

After the aerial attack, three vintage biplanes performed aerial acrobatics. That was quite a show too. Those guys really got close to the ship at very low speeds. You could see the pilots faces as they flew by.

There was also a memorial service to honor the more than 7,000 merchant seamen who lost their lives delivering materials to far away ports during WWII. There's a picture of the Sea Cadets tossing a wreath overboard in their memory.

All in all it was a great day at sea. We got back to San Pedro about 3 pm but it took the tugboats another hour or so to get the Lane Victory turned around and headed the right direction for the next cruise. The Lane Victory is a single screw ship with no modern technology such as bow thrusters to help her maneuver.

A word about pictures. I took them but unfortunately all the outdoor pictures are blurry. My digital camera only has a LCD viewfinder which is almost totally useless in the sunlight....you can't see the image you're trying to capture. It's a shame because all the aircraft were so close to the ship that there should have been some great shots. Click here to see them anyway.

I want to thank Laura, David and Janice for this great Father's day present.Thanks, guys!

By the way, I didn't get seasick!

We arrived at the Yosemite KOA at about 4:30 pm Thurday, July 3rd. Friday we decided to go to Yosemite and spend the day sightseeing. We drove up to Glacier Point and saw the magnificent granite formations of Half Dome and El Capitan, to name but a couple of the world famous formations. The waterfalls were just gorgeous and flowed at what appeared to be maximum flow. There was still a little snow at the upper elevations...about 11,000 feet or so.

Yosemites waterfalls are the beginning of the Merced River. There are several Falls throughout the park. Bridalveil and Yosemite Falls are two of the more recognizable names.

Saturday we just "vegged" and hung out at the campground and watched the NASCAR race. Oh yeah, we were really roughing-it! Let's see, we had the propane grill, color TV/VCR and DVD player. In one of the pictures you can see the TV on the picnic table while I cooked dinner. As a matter of fact, I cooked all the meals...outdoors. The wife didn't object!

Sunday we went back to the park and took a rafting trip down the Merced River. (Park entrance is $20.00 per vehicle and good for seven days.) It was a short 3 mile raft trip described as a "mild float". It was a nice leisurely float which gave tourists time to absorb the wonders and beauty of Yosemite. The water was absolutely clear. In a couple of the pictures you can see the fish!. We saw a deer grazing on foliage as we floated past. She was obviously used to tourists.

Like the old adage says, "All good things must come to an end". Ours came to an end Monday morning as we headed back home to Bakersfield. I did manage to do something that I didn't accomplish on past adventures...not break anything on the RV! YEAH!!! Click here for a folder full of pics.
(I usually take the wifes picture when she least expects it. You know; first thing in the morning type of deal. I could have deleted them but then you wouldn't know what a campwomen in-the-rough looked like. I know she'll appreciate it too!)

Oh! I almost forgot. There was an astronomers club up at Glacier Point for the weekend. They had a telescope set up so visitors could view the Sun. You could actually see the flames leaping from it's surface...awesome! (That's an understatement!)

They are excited to say the least. Congrats guys! Better hurry up and get her. The riding season in Anchorage is pretty short! Love, Dad

(click for larger image.)

The tour-pak was purple so a color change was necessary to match my 2003 Vivid Black Electraglide Standard. I was kicking around different ideas about painting it. I could have it professionally painted but that would probably be too expensive. Or I could paint it myself, it which case it would probably look like I painted it myself! I decide to go to our local HD dealer and see if they sold genuine HD paint in the spray can. Sure enough, they did. I didn't know it until I bought two cans, but HD uses lacquer. Which is a good thing because the application of the lacquer is not nearly as critical as enamel. What I mean is; it's easier for a do-it-yourselfer to spray than enamel. Laquer is sprayed on, sanded and rubbed out with rubbing compound. It dries fast allowing several coats to be applied in a short time.

To make a long story short...it turned out great. I was amazed at the mirror-like finish. As a matter of fact, it looks better than the factory paint...no orange peel. Take a look. (never mind that it's dirty from the daily commute!)

Anyway, our beloved beagle, Lucy, died in November and we found ourselves missing the company of a dog. We were ready for a pet with a little more spunk than our inaffectionate cat, Ethel! She's such an independent critter. Daisy seems to be very intelligent. I believe she'll be very easy to housebreak and train. Here's some pictures of her. Daisy

Give me a break! Iraq is about the same size of California. There's plenty of places to hide just about anything. Left wing wackos, hear this. IT'S GOING TO TAKE TIME!!!! Give Bush a break. He did what was right....you were wrong...get over it! And for all of you Anti-American jerks who don't support your troops or your country...GET THE HELL OUT! Go live in another country if you think this one is so bad. I don't hear of anyone busting their hump to get to Baghdad and take up residence. Just what I thought.

It sure is disheartening to hear people bad mouthing our president and his decision. Some of the anti-American statements uttered by those who use the media for their own personal agenda to gain exposure to help their flailing careers are really showing their true colors. Click here to read a message from Biker Buzz to those individuals.

It's obvious a war with Saddam is only hours away. I doesn't matter what your politcal views are or if you don't particularly agree with our Commander-in-Chief; you should still support our troops at home and abroad. I fear that the anti-war demonstrators don't see the whole picture. They think it's as simple issue...the U.S. wants to attack Iraq to get it's oil. Do they know about the torture chambers and rape-rooms Saddam has created and used? How about the chemical bombs he dropped on the Kurds? Do the Liberals in this country think madman Hussein is not planning to us weapons of mass destruction on his neighboring countries and possibly the U.S. if given a chance? Did they already forget about the World Trade Center?

What about the Dixie Chicks and their stupid comment one of them made about our president? Do they have the right to freedom of speech? Of course they do. But they do have to suffer the consequences of their comments and actions. I'll bet their PR person got on the phone and chewed them up one side and down the other after hearing that blonde bimbo, Natalie, utter that anti-American statement apologizing for our president being from Texas. Boy, it didn't take any time at all for the Ditzy Chicks (thanks Mike Savage!) to offer up an apology for their idiotic blabber. They probably could see dollar signs going out the window and figured they'd better slam it shut in a hurry. Dummies!

On to Hollyweird, California. What's with those jackass so-called movie stars who are protesting our presidents actions? Are they such ego maniacs that they'll stoop to incredible lows just to get their stupid faces on TV? Are they that addicted to publicity? Those applause junkies will say just about anything to get some air time. Won't they?. It seems Martin Sheen and his band of idiots have forgotten about 9/11 too. Does an airplane have to fly directly into their house before they think we should do something to rid the world of terrorists like Saddam? What jerks!

When someone stands on the street protesting against our country, our troops and our president; they are no less an enemy than those who harbor terrorists and those who fly planes into our landmarks. You are either for your country or against it. If you're against it...GET THE HELL OUT! Go live in Iraq or Afghanistan....see how you like it there...how many freedoms you'll enjoy there, right!

My last topic. The idiot American who committed suicide by sitting in front of a bulldozer as it was about to knock down a Palistinian house. What the hell was she thinking? Did she think she was in this great country of ours where she would be protected? Come on people. Get with it! Take responsibility for your actions. All she accomplished was to cause her family grief.
While I'm on the subject; Human Shields, Saddam thanks you for being his co-conspirators. Be my guest and try to catch that Patriot missle as it passes through you on it's way to one of Saddam's "palaces".

As we near war with Saddam, this American is behind our troops 100%. Right or wrong, I have to support our country, our president and our troops. I've been to other countries...I'll stay in this one, thank you. If asked, I'll fight for it. Until then...I'll support it.

Aside from rain on Friday and Saturday, we had a nice time. Attending a race is a whole different experience than watching it on tv. Being at the track really gives you a feeling for just how poplular NASCAR has become...there's a huge following! I saw campers from Michigan, Idaho and Oregon, just to name a few states.

The sound of the cars and the roar of the crowd is very different from listening to it on radio or tv. There's no comparison. Even on tv when Darrell Waltrip says, "Crank It Up!" or, "Boogity, Boogity!"., it's not as good as being there in person. However, if you really enjoy all the race commentary, facts and statistics, tv is the only way to go. The next best option is to have a tv on the roof of the motorhome and a headset connected to a scanner so you can see and hear all the action.

Of course, the pre-race fly-by's, performed by the USAF and the Navy Thunderbirds, are best experienced in person. They're awesome...fast. loud and incredibly agile.

Sunday gave us perfect weather for the race and it was the best weather of the weekend. We had a nice time the entire weekend just hanging out and visiting with our relatives. Thanks, Coni and Rich. That was a nice Christmas present! Click here to see some pics.

We met them at 8am and drove to San Pedro where the Star Princess was docked. They weren't able to board until 2 pm so we had some time to spend with them. We went to breakfast then to a nice park. About noontime we went back to the cruise ship and found out they were able to board early. Since they had been up since 7 pm the night before, they were anxious to get on board and get some rest before getting underway at 5pm. We said our goodbye's and headed to the parking lot.

As we walked towards the car I noticed a ship docked at the end of the parking lot. It was painted gray like a Naval vessel but this ex-sailor could tell it was not a Navy ship. We decided to check it out. The ship is a restored, fully functional WWII vintage Victory ship. I always thought Victory and Liberty ships had something to do with transporting troops during the war. Wrong. Victory and Liberty is the name of a particular class of merchant vesssels built during the war. The names Liberty and Victory are to merchant ships what Bel Air and Impala are to Chevrolet's....just model names.

This particular ship is the Lane Victory. It was $3.00 for the tour which included the Boiler/Engine Room. Being an old boilerman, that was the best part of the tour. The Lane Victory gets underway 6 times a year (under it's own power) and goes to Catalina Island. It's an all day cruise for $100.00 per person. That includes an all-you-can-eat buffet, beer and soda. Once out to sea, they have vintage aircraft perform a mock air attack on the ship and the ship defends itself by shooting back! That should be pretty neat. Plus, Chip, our tour guide, said they would allow visitors to be in the Boiler Room while underway...I can't wait!

Click here to check out the S.S. Lane Victory.

What's going to happen if we keep waiting for world approval to attack Sadam? I'll tell you what's going to happen; SH (SH=Sadam Hussein, the first two letters in shit!) will continue to pull the wool over the eyes of the free world by concealing all of his illegal weapons. He'll continue to develope weapons capable of reaching the US and our allies. When he gets them...he'll us them. I imagine he is peeing his pants with excitement to see all the anti-war demonstations taking place around the world. Does he think he has people believeing he means no harm to anyone? How can people be so blind? How can anyone let this manica bullshit them into thinking he's a peace-loving humanitarian? This is the same guy who theatens to kill those who voted(?) against him. This is the same insane dictator who threatens to kill the families of his scientist's if they talk UN weapons inspectors. He must be stopped!

For all of you who think Iraq's affairs are of no concern to the U.S.; think again. What would have happened if we didn't stop Hitler? What would have happened if we didn't drop the big one (actually two!) on Japan?

Why are France and Germany so against war with Iraq? It's because they have been selling weapons and chemical to Iraq for quite some time now. Perhaps France and Germany want to give SH a chance to hide or destroy anything that will implicate those two countries??

I wonder how many of today's give-peace-a-chance demonstators have been to other countries? How many have ventured out of the US (Mexico excluded) and visited other countries and seen with their own eyes some of the horrid living conditions of the commoners there...most of them existing under dictatorship? Yes, there are places on this earth where people still have dirt floors, no sewer systems or water systems...they have goats running through the house (if that's what you can call them.) and barely survive day-to-day. What about the leaders of those countries? Many of them are ruled under dictatorship. I'll bet those dictators live a cushy life. Like SH, they have their palaces. Think they would comprimise their living conditions?

There are many poor people right here in the U.S. but I'll bet our poorest are living a hell of a lot better lives than some of the middle-class in the oppressed nations of the world. It's easy to be peace loving and an anti-war activist if you've never been in the position to protect and be responsible for the rights and freedom of America or it's allies. Those are the same people who'll be the first ones to blame our government for not protecting them when something goes terribly wrong in this country...say, like another attack!

All I can say is, if we wait too much longer to oust SH, we'll be putting every US citizen, at home and abroad, in grave danger. How long can we let SH thumb his nose at the UN and the world? Hell, he's probably already had enough time to do most everything he's wanted to do since the end of the Gulf War. How many weapons has he developed and hid since then? Scary thought. Eleven years is a long time to get all your ducks in a row...

Speaking of Veterans Day. In my opinion, only military veterans should get the day off from work with pay...not everyone else.
Have a good rest of the week!

Calico is noted for it's silver mines which flourished during the late 1800's. In 1951 Mr. Knott (Knott's Berry Farm) restored the little town as a tourist attraction.

This weekend is, of course, a Halloweem theme at Calico Ghost Town. They converted the mine tour into a haunted mine tour. It was cute and scared the buh-jesus out of one little kid who went through the same time we did! We spent a couple hours at Calico then mounted our trusty steed's of iron bound for Buffalo Bill's Hotel and Casino in Statline.

I'm not much into gambling but I did manage to "contribute" about 30 bucks to the Black Jack table. I enjoyed watching game 6 of the World Series in the casino...it was definetly an Angels crowd.

All in all we had a good weekend and a nice ride through the Mojave Desert. Click here to check out the pics. Unfortunately the weather was overcast and most of the pictures turned out too dark. There's a pretty good one of Beetlejuice though!

Have a good week! Buzz

I say, profile the hell out of anyone who fit's the description. To hell with the cry-babies who cry predjudice everytime racial profiling occurs. What's wrong with it anyway? If a white man wearing a red hat is reported to have been seen at a location where a crime occurred; then every white man wearing a red hat, who can be located in the general vicinity of the crime scene, should be held for questioning. Isn't that logical? If you're innocent you have nothing to worry about. All profiling does is narrow down the suspects and hopefully help authorities to find the perpetrator.

World Series! Go Anaheim! I actually have no favorite team but I hope the Angels win. It would be nice for them to have a World Series Championship.

The weather is great here in Bakersfield, California! It's been in the 70's lately...perfect! I'm going on a group ride to Stateline, Nevada this weekend. We'll take in a tour of Calico Ghost Town...should be interesting. I'll take some pics and post them here on the site at a later date

I've recently decided to do a little freelance writing. I just completed a fictional short story (apporx. 5,000 words). It's about Red, a disabled (amputee) Vietnam veteran who survives each day by begging on freeway off-ramps. Red is consumed with self-pity and takes no responsibility for his lifestyle. One day while working the off-ramp, a stranger pulls up and gives him a bottle of pills and says, "Here ya go, buddy. This’ll help that leg of yours." Red struggles with the decision to take the pills but eventually succumbs to curiosity and self-pity. "What’s the worst they can do? Kill me?"

Anyway, If I put the whole story here on the site, I won't be able to get it published elsewhere. I don't know all the legalities but that seems to be the process. I'll probably spend the next few weeks polishing the final draft and try to sell it to some magazines. Most of them don't pay a great deal of money but that's not why I'm doing it to begin with...I just like to write and hope to get published someday! I have some great resources...we'll see! Thanks to all of you who have encouraged me to write. Have a great weekend! Buzz

"...and the sign said, "Long haired, freaky people; need not apply. So I tucked my hair up under my hat and I went in to ask him why." Remember that lyric from the 60's? I was given this picture recently. It was taken at my employers Christmas party in 1993 or 1994...Rock On, Garth!

Basically, the event consisted of a pictorial history of Harley-Davidson along with some antique bikes and motor clothes. There was also a Ford exhibit show casing the Harley-Davidson Ford pickup. The concessions sucked! A small bottle of water was $3.00...Coke, $4.00...$7.00 for a sandwich, etc.. The had a couple Margarita stands set up. $6.00 small...$10.00 large...large must have referred to the price because the glass was not all that large!

We did have a great ride there and back so the day was not a total loss! Better luck next time, Harley-Davidson!
Have a good week! Buzz

I couldn't imagine what the Warren Report and my ship had in common. Why did the search pick out that one page of that report? It's because LST 1157 was printed on that page somewhere. Strange, I thought! The page that I hit on was from the biography of Lee Harvey Oswald.
As I skimmed the page looking for that all-too-familiar hull number of my old ship, I would have never guessed that I had something in common with one of histories most infamous assassins...Lee Harvey Oswald! He and I served aboard the same ship! Albeit 11 years apart, we both served aboard the same ship. Imagine that! Lee Harvey Oswald on my ship! Of all the ships in the Navy, he pulled duty on the Terrell County. I think it's very strange I never heard about this while I was stationed on the Terrell County? I probably wouldn't have believed it at the time anyway. I would have just blown it off as a stupid rumor. Below is what I copied from the report...very strange!

...Five days after Oswald left the hospital, MACS-1 embarked aboard the Terrell County, LST 1157, for maneuvers in the Philippine Islands area. According to Powers' recollection, the squadron was expected to return to Atsugi after maneuvers were completed, but an international crisis developed; since another operation was scheduled for a few months later, the squadron debarked at Cubi Point (Subic Bay) in the Philippines and set up a temporary installation. While he was in the Philippines, Oswald passed a test of eligibility for the rank of corporal; in a semiannual evaluation, however, he was given his lowest ratings thus far: 4. 0 in conduct and 3. 9 in proficiency. The unit participated in exercises at Corregidor, from which it sailed for Atsugi on March 7, 1958, aboard the U. S. S. Wexford County, LST 1168. The Wexford County reached Atsugi 11 days later.

Weird, huh? Have a good rest of the week! Buzz

I bought a Harley-Davidson Badlander seat for a sportier look. It feels great and seems to lower the center of gravity. The bike feels more agile too. Here's a couple shots of the bike with the new seat. Pic #1 Pic #2.

The local weather forcast calls for a cooling trend this week...I sure hope so! Have a good one. Buzz

I contracted a head cold earlier in the week so I relly didn't feel much like riding but I did manage to put a 100 miles on my new ride Saturday morning. For new engine break-in, H.D., Inc. suggests staying under 2500 RPM and 55 MPH for the first 100 miles and below 65 MPH until the 500 mile mark has been reached. Now I have to work on riding the next 400 miles done so I can get the 500 miles service done.

I know I've said this before, and you probably won't believe me, but my 100th Anniversary Electra Glide Standard is a "keeper"! 100 years and still going strong...you go, H.D.!!!!!!!!!!!

The weather was a nice break from the California heat. It was in the 60's and rainy off and on for the most part. We did lots of sightseeing. We went to a place called Big Game Alaska. It's a game preserve for abandoned or sick wildlife. They have Deer, Reindeer, Bison, Musk Ox, Siberian Boar, Owl and Moose. Here's something we learned. Did you know Reindeer and Caribou and one in the same? I didn't. Reindeer are Caribou that are domesticated. Never knew that! We also went to a Reindeer Farm where you could get up-close and personal with them!
We took a tour boat on Portage Lake. Portage lake is about 100 years old which was made by a glacier. The lake is about 38 degrees and about 650 feet deep. I took several pictures of the glacier. If you look closely, you can see the ice breaking off and falling into the lake...pretty neat. There are a few shots of some waterfalls too. We also got to walk on Matanusku Glacier. In these pictures you can see the mixture of rock and ice. The ice has a neat blue color to it and some of the ice is almost black. There's a couple pictures where you can see the ice melting. Here's a few thing you can only see in Alaska!

We really had a nice time and will go back again!

Okay, a few posts ago I said I was going to retire from riding. Well, I don't think it's in me not to ride. I guess I've been doing it for so long that it's just part of my life. This says it all...

I sold my bike the same day we left for Alaska. And after seeing the 2003 100th Anniversary bikes I knew I had to have one. I decided on a Electraglide Standard. It's the base model of the three Electraglides and a good platform to start with and to personalize. My bike should be in within the next week or so...I'm looking forward to it!

We have company for a couple weeks. Our son, David, is on leave from the Air Force where he is stationed in Spokane, Washington. His 4 year enlistment was over in January this year but the events of Sept.11, 2001 changed all that. He still doesn't know when Uncle Sam will cut him loose.

That's the latest with me. Take care! Buzz

We have been on the lookout for a used pickup camper the last couple weeks and finally found one yesterday. After having no luck with the classifieds, I just decided to drive around to all the RV dealers in town and see if there were any campers available. I found that used campers are not very common at RV dealers. But we do have one RV dealer who boasts, "We'll take anything on trade-in!" As we neared his lot, my wife spotted an old Dolphin 8 footer tucked in behind some very expensive looking RV's.

I really hate to buy anything like that from a dealer. Compared to private parties, they generally try to sell for their stuff for way too much. But seeing how there are not many campers to be found in Bakersfield, I decided to give them a try. When we pulled into their lot, two salesmen eagerly greated us like hungry vultures attacking fresh road kill! Little did they know, there was no big bucks sale to made off the likes of us. They were pleasant and helpful, to a point. Actually, they didn't know the price of the aging camper. It was not on their inventory list.

As I entered the camper I saw a sign that read "Special $1295.00". The saleman remained outside. I knew he had not been inside or he would have known the "Special" price. The salesman really played into my hand though. He said he didn't think it was worth very much due to it's age...1975. So when I left they camper, I told him there was a sign inside saying it was going for $1295.00. I followed that up by telling him that it couldn't be right though, because as he said, it was pretty old and couldn't be worth very much. I was agreeing with him. He told me to make an offer. I offered $300.00 knowing he would call his boss and counter with at least $500.00. He did...we settled on $400.00!

I considered that one a victory! Although the camper is old, it's fully self-contained and just needs a good cleaning. For something that will be used only a few times per year, it suits our needs perfectly. I just couldn't see buying a new one the same size for approximately 6-10,000 bucks! Tomorrow the camper clean up begins. We have until Wednsday night to get it ready for our trip to visit the kids in Grants Pass, Oregon.
As Roy and Dale would say. "Happy Trails to You!" Buzz

After the Jelly Belly plant tour, we took off for Oregon. We had a good trip and arrived in Grants Pass at about 5:45 pm. After a nice dinner at a nearby restaurant, we headed for the campground. We set up our camper and the kids went back home for the evening. My son-in-law had to work on Friday so they came out to join us at the campground afterwards.

We stayed at Griffin Park Campground. It's a county maintained facility located on the Rogue River. The spaces are not too crowded and they're nicely layed out. Our space was as close to the Rogue River as you could get. My daughter did a good job getting our space reserved! There was plenty of grass and trees. The weather was perfect as far as I was concerned. Considering it was a 100 plus degrees at home on Wednesday, the 60ish degree Oregon weather was great!

The Rogue River is famous for it's fishing and boating recreation. They have jet boat tours that run up and down the river all day long. These boats are pretty good size. They hold about 50 people and have 3 engines. Griffin Park is the spot along the river where the boat pilots usually give the tourists a thrill by spinning the boats 360 degrees. It usually gets them wet. This was fun for us to watch too!

There's lots of wildlife in this region...and animals too! Seriously though, there's Deer, Black Bear, Eagles and Osprey to name but a few of the many species to be found in the Rogue River Region. In this next picture you can see an Osprey nest at the top of a dead tree. This nest was occupied at the time I took the picture and the mother had just returned after plucking a fish from the river. I wish I could have gotten that one on film! You can just barely see the top of her head as she sits in the nest. Check it out!

My grandson,Asa, who turned two years old that weekendend, spent most of his time throwing rocks in the river. He was quite determined to put all the rocks along the shore back into the river! He's quite strong for his age and heaved some pretty good sized rocks. Asa also enjoyed moving the firewood!

My daughter and her husband are building a house across the river from where we camped. It's located in the middle of the woods and just up from the boat ramp from where we were camped...a very nice relaxing setting. Their house sets back off the road quite a ways with a long driveway.It kind of reminds me of where I spent the first 10 years of my life in Michigan. Needless to say, they are very anxious to complete the house and get moved in. They'll probably be finished by August and we''ll go back up to check it out shortly thereafter.

All in all, we had a great time visiting the kids and spending some time with our grandson. We just wish we could see them more often...all of them!
Have a good rest of the week! Buzz

Time for bed. Have a good weekend! Buzz

We have certainly started our fire season. There are several fires burning right now in California. There's a big one going on in Yosemite. Today a firefighting airplane caught fire and crashed. There was live coverage on the news. The plane somehow caught fire and both wings tore off just before it crashed killing 3 crew members. Pretty sad to see it live on TV.

My nephew, Jeff Coffman, is a firefighter with the BLM. He is currently on duty...we hope he will be safe. Considering the risk, BLM firefighters don't really get paid all that well. There are so many jobs that are misaligned with their salary. Some people get paid extremely well for what little they do and others, like BLM firefighters, don't get paid enough for the risks they take. Go figure.

Have a good rest of the week! Buzz

I've made a major decision recently. For the past several months I've been thinking about giving up riding. There are many factors contributing to my change of heart. Mostly, just the passing of time has influenced me more than anything. I've been riding for a long time and feel fortunate to have done so. I also feel very fortunate to not have had any major accidents. I guess I've become more aware of the average lifespan. That being said, I'm sure there's more time behind me than ahead of me. It's just fact...that's all. I don't think I'm being an alarmist. I'm just facing the facts. Nothing more.

Riding is great! It really is. Unfortunately most motorcycle vs. car accidents result in the car winning. It's not enough to be a good rider. It's not enough to ride as careful as possible. It's not enough to ride sober. It's not enough to obey all the traffic laws. As careful as a motorcyclist can be, it's just not enough. Just yesterday, a fellow I recently met, was killed when a car pulled out in front of him. It happens all too frequently. I've never believed in the old adage, when it's your time, it's your time. I believe we all make choices which can lengthen or shorten our time here on Earth. This is just another one of those choices. I'm not saying I'll never ride again either. I'm just saying at this point in time, I feel it's the right thing for me to do. It's strictly a personal choice. I believe in each to his own. You'll never hear me bad-mouth someone for riding. I fully support all who chose to do so and hope they have many miles of two wheeled bliss!

My next adventure is to buy a new truck capable of towing a fifth wheel trailer. (No! I'm not selling the bike because I want a new truck.) I call it an adventure because, well, it's just plain exciting and fun. I have a great time researching all the different vehicles on the Internet. (My dad would have loved Hemmings.com!) I love to go to the auto mall or car lot and look at the trucks. I like looking under the hood and going for test drives. For me, it's like being on a crusade... I'm bound and determined to find just the right truck for my purpose. Of course, the right truck is basically just a matter of personal preference.

I'm interested in a diesel engine truck. I want a diesel for several reasons.
1. They have a much longer life span than a gas engine.
2. They generally have more torque at lower RPM's.
3. A diesel gets better mileage.
Plus, they sound cool and are very obnoxious. Especially when you fire it up at 5 am to leave the campgroud! And besides, I've never owned one.

Dodge vs. Chevy vs. Ford

Chevy: I drove a Chevy 2500HD Duramax with the Allison 1000 automatic transmission. WOW! What a powerhouse. Great acceleration. The Duramax is way quieter that the Dodge or Ford (Like I care!) and in my opinion, accelerates must quicker. The Allison tranny shifts quick and positive. Plus it has a tow/haul mode that reprograms the shift points while both accelerating and braking. The Allison helps to slow you down while towing on downgrades.

Ford: Test drove a F-250 Super Duty today. The Powersroke diesel is indeed...Power-Full! The Powerstroke engine is larger than Dodge and Chevy both. I'd say the Ford is louder than the Chevy with top honors for loudness going to Dodge! Here's where it gets close. The Ford is faster than the Dodge and maybe just a hair slower than the Chevy Duramax.

I tried to be fair in my critique of the Big 3. The trucks I looked at were the base model of each manufacturer. It's hard to believe, but the cheap base models are right at $30,000! The diesel engines add about $4500.00 to $4800.00 to the bottom line on each. And the Allison automatic adds another $2300.00 to GM's window sticker...OUCH!
The Ford base model is the cheapest looking of the interiors but tends to feel the roomiest. GM trucks have the nicest interiors but feel a bit cramped. Dodge is probably the best bang for the buck My local Ford and GM dealers won't come of the sticker price because of the strong demand for diesel engine pickups. The Dodge dealer will sell me anything for $300.00 over their invoice amount.

It's a shame to spend $30,000 and only get a base model pickup! No power anything. No cruise, no carpet, no electric door locks and Armstrong windows! All three base models come with air conditioning.

If anyone out there owns a diesel pickup, I'd value your opinion. Especially if you use it to tow an RV of some sort. Just click HERE and tell me about your diesel truck. I want to hear about the good, bad and ugly experiences you've had with your rig! Thanks! Happy motoring! Buzz

I don't look forward to this week in Bakersfield. It's supposed to get up to 106 degrees by Wednesday, UGH!! My wife and I were just talking about where to move when we retire. I'd like to go anywhere other than here. In all likelyhood, we'll end up near one of the kids. Sorry, Laura. Alaska is out...too extreme! Jenny, same for Massachusettes...too much Winter for much too long. Mandy, looks like southern Oregon may be a winner! Who knows where David will end up?

Grants Pass, Oregon is a pretty neat little town. They get some heat in the Summer, but not for extended periods. And their winters are pretty mild. Check out the 6/11/02 post on this page. There's some pictures of the Rogue River, etc.. We'll see what happens in about 9 years and 6 months. A lot can happen between now and then.
Stay cool! Buzz

If you follow NASCAR, you know that Kevin Harvick won today's race at Chicagoland Raceway. Kevin is a hometown favorite from Bakersfield. Tony Stewart, my wife's cousin, showed a respectable third. All in all, a good race.

Yes, the heat is on! But according to the 5 day forecast it's supposed to cool of a bit towards the middle of the week. It could be worst I guess. I'd rather suffer through the heat instead of the floods like Texas had last week. It's almost impossible to fathom houses being ripped from their foundations and floated away!

We are planning a trip to Alaska to see one of the kids. They average about 40 degrees cooler than us. Now that's something to look forward to! Of course, my wife will dang near freeze to death. She's cold indoors at 80 degrees with a ceiling fan on though! I wonder when those hot flashes are supposed to kick in? With my luck, it'll happen in the dead of winter!

A buddy of mine ran across a good deal this week. He found a Remington 870 Super Magnum 12 ga.shotgun for $150.00. It had been fired only one time! He already had one so he called to tell me about it and I ended up buying it. Do I need it? NO! Will I hunt with it? PROBABLY NOT! But it's hard to pass up a good deal! I know my dad would agree!
I'll post some pictures from Alaska in the near future. Have a good week! Buzz

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