December 26, 2008

Christmas at the Skinner Compound


It is a great feeling to know you can make friends, and that they actually think enough of you to invite you over for Christmas dinner. I was honored that Frank and Lynn invited me to share both their dinner and their time with me. They are good folk - and quite fun to hang with, too.

I got to refresh my memory on computer support and help Frank get Lynn’s new mini laptop working with the wireless router. He finally found the perfect toy for her apparently! Of course I now know all their secret passwords and will be draining their bank accounts soon, but that is what good friends are for. And of course we ate - turkey(Lynn’s first), mashed taters, yams, stuffin’, black olives, cranberry whatch-a-macallit, etc. The old bird was cooked to perfection, not dry at all.



Later, we had to go out and visit the ponies in the garage. Frank has practically finished his latest S2 and it is a beaut. We fired it up and also warmed up the XB. Here are a couple of pics of the S2:





December 21, 2008

Solstice

Solstice...'O Glorious Solstice!

Today is the shortest day of the year, with the least sunlight of the year. It also marks the beginning of winter. So why be excited? Because the days only get longer for the next six months so each day is just a little brighter, filled with just a little more joy.

Let Mr. Wikipedia explain it: link

For my location the following:
        Sunday  
21 December 2008 Mountain Standard Time

SUN
Begin civil twilight 6:45 a.m.
Sunrise 7:15 a.m.
Sun transit 11:59 a.m.
Sunset 4:44 p.m.
End civil twilight 5:14 p.m.

MOON
Moonset 12:17 p.m. on preceding day
Moonrise 1:59 a.m.
Moon transit 7:25 a.m.
Moonset 12:43 p.m.
Moonrise 3:01 a.m. on following day


I shall light a candle after the sun sets and keep it burning all through the night. A touch of spruce oil vapor will fill the air. There is much to let go of and much to welcome in the coming year.

December 12, 2008

In Memory of Bettie Page


Did you know Bettie Page was from Nashville, Tennessee? I didn't, but she sure seemed familiar to me. I wonder how many girls I've met who are related to her? Hmmm, in a practical way most girls today have a lot of Bettie in them. She gave form, literally, to the feminine culture of the American girl we know and love today, for better or worse.

I got to hand it to this gal, even if some of you may find it offensive. Really, her recorded material here seems very tame. Kudo's to the person who compiled this video footage with this song, too. Remember, don't look if you may be squeemish.

Naughty Bettie

December 8, 2008

Return, return

I just got back from a six day visit in Knoxville, TN where my parents and some siblings live. This was the first trip back there from my new home in Colorado. Of course I enjoyed the time I had with my parents and additional family members, but it was also a bit gloomy there, thanks mostly to the weather. I took my camera but did not take any pictures because I felt so little inspiration to do so. I suppose the most exciting part of the trip was my dinner invitation from an old friend from high school. Kim Trail-Hughes invited me over to meet her hubby Bob and to also visit with her sister Karen who was a few years younger than us. It was great to hang out with them in their kitchen and talk about other friends, old times, new times, and in between times. Bob cooks a mean steak and chicken so I hope I behaved well enough to get invited back!

As far as my feelings about the trip I can only say I feel a bit mixed and sad. I'm not sure why, but I am glad to be back in my Colorado home. For now I will chalk it up to the stereotypical dreary weather of East Tennessee in the winter.

November 18, 2008

Hog Back Heaven

Last week I had a warm window of opportunity to get out and hike up to the hogback adjacent to the “Ecology Park” here in Canon City. The wind was blowing pretty strong, especially at the top of the hogback, which made it quite cold compared to the parking area where I started from, but it was worth it. First, a little history about the hogback and my interest in it.

There are rare places on land where one gets to see the physical evidence of colossal collisions of time and space. Here in Canon City we sit on the edge of an ancient sea dating back some 65 million years ago(MYA). But older still are the mountains that cradle us. Along the northern, and especially western edge of town a prominent hill circles around us and marks the dividing line between sea and mountains, and between the Precambrian and Cenozoic eras. The difference is about a half a billion years, if you can really imagine a time such as that. Even though the sea dried up many millions of years ago, its beginning and end were only a yesterday compared to the distant past when the rocks that make up the mountains were formed. The hill that surrounds the city here is known as the “Hogback” and is made up of rocks of the Dakota Sandstone formation. Skyline Drive, along the cities western edge, traces along this hogback. The portion that I climbed lies just to the south of Skyline Drive across Highway 50 and the Arkansas River.

Older still, by about 500 MYA, are the granite, and metamorphic rocks that surround the Royal Gorge. The Arkansas River cut down to and exposed the precambrian granites, mostly of the Pikes Peak granitic pluton, but just above them are the metamorphic and sedimentary rocks of the Ordovician Period. Laced throughout these rock layers are magmatic intrusions and pegmatites. Many different kinds of crystals can be found in these pegmatites and the interfaces between them and the surrounding rocks. The granites at the bottom are actually older still at about 1,700 MYA and are considered to be remnants of the ancestral Rockies. Because of the heat and pressure presented by the uplifting of these older rocks next to the more recent sea rock(the Dakota Sandstones of the Hogback) many minerals and crystals can be found in this area. For me, the most curious deposits are the gemstones and our friend Uranium!


I climbed up the “top” and geologically newest side of the Hogback to look across Grape Creek over the mountains that surround the Royal Gorge. the first half consists of mostly loose gravel and debris that slid down and accumulated along the bottom. A farmer over a century ago created a little road that climbed along the lower half of the hogback. I followed this as far as I could and then headed straight up the solid rock face on this eastern side. Some of the pictures I took show the ripples of an ancient beach frozen in rock and time. Once I reached the ridge line near a little notch I could look over to see the much older mountain side. From this notch I could look down on the western edge of the hogback and see the remains of an old mine, the creek, and further still the pink granite at the base of the mountains. I was at this point sitting on the edge of time and space quite literally.

View more pictures of my hike here.

November 14, 2008

The Royal Gorge Railroad

Railroads! That is a favorite topic of little boys, like Hayden, all over the world. What excitement! Just in my back yard I walked out to find the "Royal Gorge Railroad" busy connecting passenger cars for a trip through the deep canyon just east of town. This is a famous railroad built back in the days of cowboys and Indians. The railroad follows the Arkansas River west to the great Continental Divide. When it was first being built two different railroad companies fought for the right to put their line through first. This was known as the great railroad war. The Royal Gorge is a very steep and deep canyon that the train must pass through as it leaves the town of Canon City, Colorado. The river through here is a torrent of white water and is very dangerous. When the railroad was first built it carried stone, coal, timber, gold, and silver. Today it just carries passengers who want to tour this beautiful route through the mountains.


There are dinner cars that serve big fancy meals to the tourists. There is an observation deck car that has no roof! People like to come out on this car to look up at the steep canyon walls. The train is pulled by a big orange colored diesel engine today. Wow, what fun. I want to ride on this train some day.

Visit my Picasa album on the Royal Gorge Railroad.

November 5, 2008

A Good Day, a Great Day, and Just Another Day

A good day, a great day, and just another day. Yes, the election of Barack Obama was historical in more than the sense of any presidents election being historical. It is a great day in the history of our nation, the United States of America, because we could elect, in the same old mundane fashion as always, a man who has an African-American ancestry and looks...well..black! His skin color and ancestry were not news, even if his prospective policies were big news and highly debated. I didn't vote for him, but I am glad that we were able to hold an election and he could and did win because enough Americans decided his racial background didn't matter. I think had he not won we could still honestly declare the same, though I'm sure many would doubt it.

It is a good day for me, and probably most Americans, not for the outcome of the election, nor what waxes and wanes in Washington and other cities of great influence. It is a good day because we awoke to another day of basic freedom and peace, shelter, clothing, and food, and many other perks of life that prior generations of Americans didn't have. Sadly, there are many fellow human beings in other parts of the world who are not having such a great day because they don't enjoy the relative wealth of freedoms and material blessings we do. Whether my man or you man gets elected pales in comparison to the reality of what we each have. Yes, there are grave concerns about the economy and the security of our nation. Yes, many of us disagree on how to fix those basic concerns.

Today, despite the fears and expectations felt only 24 hours ago, is just another day for all of us. For most of us we awoke with a mix of good and bad perceptions about the world we live in. We each have personal problems that affect us and those closest to us. We each also have a considerable amount of joy in our lives, even when we may momentarily lose sight of it. What didn't happen today were the worst expectations for a complete collapse of a society we call home. Nor has the sky parted to reveal a gleaming utopia of all that was hoped for, in fact it is raining where I live today! The extremes that drove so many of us with passion for our candidate of choice will now meet reality for the first time and we will all have to adjust to that reality. Can we begin to realize that the other will not ruin our beloved country with great and swift destruction? Can we at least acknowledge that seemingly realized "change and transformation" may not look that different today or tomorrow? And can we then not be disappointed but be willing to reconsider where the other may have been right all along?

Both candidates have asked us to come together as Americans and be willing to compromise and build bridges towards one another, can we? Contempt prior to investigation will always rule out that possibility, especially if we refuse to even consider the good we can accomplish with what we have now. If you didn't vote for President Elect Obama, please give him a chance and be willing to consider where he is doing good for the country. And if you did vote for him, be critical and slow to defend him where he may be moving too fast or simply in the wrong direction, he is capable of being wrong. As he represents us to the world at large we must support him, save the most grievous case of treason, lest he be doomed to fail before he begins. In this last point I would add that we have suffered from too little support for most of the past presidencies since the sixties. If you want change then do your part, it requires swallowing ones pride first. Say "no" to those who are quick to condemn and find grievous fault with a new president and his administration from the start. Both political parties have engaged in witch hunts that impeded the sitting presidents from doing the best they could to represent our country to the world, and most of us let ourselves be caught up in the sophomoric nonsense only to see the powers that be as all good or all bad. Reality is never that easy. We all have to give up something to get rid of that paralyzing cynicism and make real change for America.

November 3, 2008

Blogging blahs

Well, what to blog about, that is a question. Sorry for no new, exciting posts about my grand adventures. I guess it goes with the late Fall blahs, and the fact that I'm now on hold while applying for truck driving jobs. So there are no special plans at the moment. Here in the southern part of Colorado we still haven't had much snow. I'm looking forward to snow even though it means bitter cold, too. I still need to hike more, and at higher elevation to get acclimated for snow boarding this winter. The next big event will be my return to Tennessee the first week of December, only a month away! I will be in Knoxville for a week.

Feel free to comment here on any suggestions for blog posts you may want me to write.

October 26, 2008

I'm a truck driver!

I passed my CDL test. Yeeeeeee Haaawwwwww.

Now this week I'll start applying to some trucking companies for a job. I look forward to making money again. I may get hired for OTR(Over the Road) which may take me anywhere within the lower 48 states, including Tennessee. Or I may be hired for local or in-state runs. I also may get hired to haul explosives, wouldn't that be cool?

Last Thursday my instructor had me drive up in the mountains for some road experience with steep grades and tight turns. We traveled all the way up to Estes Park. Remember the movie "The Shining"? The hotel featured in the movie is located in Estes Park. Oddly enough, there is a grocery store located about 150 yards in front of the hotel. I always thought the hotel was in the middle of nowhere. On the way down we encountered a pair of deer who didn't get that a truck was coming and that they needed to move out of the road. Two blasts on the air horn and they got they message! You should have seen them run.

October 12, 2008

Breaker 19 Good Buddy

UPDATED!

It looks we got us a convoy! No, just remembering that song from my distant past as I prepare to go off to Truck School! Yee-haw. Seriously, I'm going to pay someone to train me in the art of operating a tractor trailer rig and help me get my CDL Class A license so that I can maybe get a job driving a big truck for a while. Yeah, yeah, you didn't see it coming, I know. We can talk about is some time if you like.
AND TODAY: I actually practiced connecting and disconnecting this very pair of tractor and trailer. The second half of today that is all we did: back off the king pin, release glad hands, release fifth wheel closing pin, pull up about 18 inches slowly, if all goes well continue moving forward away from the trailer. Sort of the same for connecting, just in opposite order. Ad-nauseum, but that is what it takes to get the hang of the order of events and the feel of all the moving parts. Simple steps, but forgetting just one could have devastating consequences so we have to get it right.

UPDATE: Halfway through the training and I have passed all the written tests required by the DMV. I will also have endorsements for Hazmat, Tankers, and Doubles/Triples. That means I can carry a truck load of high explosives legally, how cool is that?

October 10, 2008

My Humble Home


Ok, some of you heard that I rented my first "little" place here in Colorado. It is little. But I like it that way. Very affordable, simple, and easy to take care of. Here are some pictures to provide a little taste of what it is like:

October 5, 2008

Hello from the West


I'm writing you from my hotel room in Las Vegas, Nevada. Here is a quick update of the past weeks events:

Tuesday September 30th:
Left at 5:00 AM from Canon City to meet up with Dan and Julie Aguilar near Frisco Colorado, and then on to Vegas via I-70 through Utah. I've never been on this stretch of interstate or in this part of Colorado and enjoyed the trip immensely. The fall colors were beautiful, especially the aspens that could be seen encroaching towards the rocky peaks all around. After stopping in both Rifle and Grand Junction Colorado we continue on into Utah. I was not prepared for how uninhabited this area of the country is, nor how desolate. I loved it! Late in the day, though, trouble struck for Dan and Julie in the form of a flat front tire on the older RV they were driving. Thanks to a good insurance plan emergency help came and fixed the problem and we were on the road to the lay over in Richfield Utah.

Wednesday October 1st:
I spent the night on a spare bunk with Dan, Julie, and her son Skye. Little did any of us know that would be the last night that RV would host any of us. We left with no hint of further trouble that morning after Dan bought two new tires for the front of the RV. However, later that afternoon as we were descending towards Arizona the inside tire on the rear blew out violently and ripped a gas fill hose, propane tube, and many electrical cables in to bits. We were near Cedar City Utah and were able to get help there to continue our journey, but the RV would have to be left behind. In order to tow the trailer that contained their motorcycles a local rental car company just happened to have a full size SUV that just happened to have a receiver hitch which would permit them to tow their trailer. We got back on the road and I followed closely behind them all the way into Vegas where we spent the next two nights with Skye's former boss and good friend Jarrod. It was a most gracious act on Jarrod's part, and his wife Tiffany's, to host us on short notice. They were a Godsend.

Thursday October 2nd: We got up early and were at the track to register and clear our bikes in tech inspection. Next, we got down to the business of prepping for track day. Myself and Skye were in the novice group and began our first session very slowly following the instructor. By the end of the third of six sessions we were riding in front of the instructors and pushing our bikes as fast as we felt comfortable. After lunch we were allowed to pass on the outside of a rider on the straights only. I began accelerating hard into the front and back straights and once had to use the runoff area because I was too late in braking to make the hard right turn. We were all practicing the jockey style riding position allowing us to literally hang off the side of our bikes in a hard fast turn as real racers do. All of us scrubbed in our tires good and had little or no "chicken stripes" left. By the end of the day we were all exhausted and hungry.

Friday October 3rd:
Up early again to find a group of guys in downtown Vegas without a map. It was easy enough to find and the four of us set out on an epic journey to the wonders of Zion National Park. Ok, not that much drama, but when you cover 470 miles in 8 hours just to gander at the view you have to look really quick - you do the math. That one day spent what little energy I had left for anything and I ended getting a hotel room near the track just to recuperate. I highly recommend the Nellis Best Western Motel if you want a great hotel room for a decent price in Vegas. Because it is out so far from downtown it may not be very convenient for that, but if you are doing things near the race track and Air Force base it is super, duper convenient. I shall return.

Saturday October 4th: Ugh. I can't get up. My muscles, especially in my thighs were extremely sore and weak. I was sleep deprived for too long and needed the whole day to sleep and recuperate. I did, except for watching the Alabama football game while laying in bed. Go Bama! Later that night I caught up with tour buddies for dinner at the Golden Nugget Buffet. Al of American Sport Bikes picked up the tab for all of us for his "customer appreciation day". If you have a Buell, Ducati, or similar brand of sport bike see him online for great parts and service. Driving home from that I experienced what it is like to be in a sand storm for the first time: 40 mph gusts driving walls of sand that obscure your vision and taste gritty. People were actually walking around in it like they just forgot their umbrella!

Sunday October 5th:
After a leisurely paced morning I got ready to leave Vegas to head back to Colorado. The plan was to drive to Bryce Canyon and meet up with some fellow Buellers who were going to camp there. Well, without much more direction than that I did see their bikes there but didn't actually find them and since it was dark and I needed a place to stay I set about doing that...no easy task. The main lodge there wanted $145 for their cheapest room! All the other sleazy, cheezy motels in the area wanted at least $85! I payed $11 at a private campground to park the truck and sleep in it. It was freezing that night and all I really wanted to do was leave that tourist hell.

Monday October 6th: With my hands still numb from the cold night I tried once again to find those fellow Buellers and hopefully ride around the park with them. But forces conspired against me and I decided it was best to get out of town. I set out to drive to the Indian country of northern Arizona and hopefully see Monument Valley. The drive was slow at times but the country side was absolutely beautiful. This was the land of the fabled "Ponderosa Ranch", if I'm not mistaken. About a third of the way along the trees disappear and the desert and wild rock formations come into view. Glenn Canyon Dam is on this route and I stopped there for lunch and to take some pictures, what a cool place. No time to spare and I arrive in the Monument Valley area and once again the tourist trap catches me and leaves me with a bitter taste. I start driving out to where the actual monument area is and all you can see are tourist, especially European ones, stopping to take pictures every where like it was the zoo. All the ticky, tacky tourist development near the entrance spoils the whole affair and, though it was much cheaper than the Federal parks, there was entrance fee just to get to the visitors center! No thanks. I left but stopped further down the road to get some pictures from outside the monument area looking in. I called my father to tell him what I had found since he was interested. He certainly could hear the cynical tone of my voice before the reception grew too weak and we were disconnected. But not more than a few minutes later and this ancient Indian land offers the most wonderful reprieve: a simple sign and a gravel road leading off to the most gorgeous and unspoiled area I've seen in a long while. I had the park to myself as the sun had long ago set and the last of the day light fizzled out. No fee to camp. I could hear a lonely cricket from 3 miles away. The stars were in full glory and I reclined on a big boulder to stare at them for over an hour. Not one person drove by or could be detected anywhere around for miles all night! Heaven. At sunrise I got up and began taking pictures like crazy, some of them I believe did turn out real well, look for them in an upcoming photo album.

Tuesday October 7th: I need to get back home to Canon City, Colorado. With no time to really stop and take pictures along the way I settle in to absorb the views while driving. I'm not sure exactly how far the trip turned out to be but I'm sure it was over 400 miles. But the scenery was beautiful and slowly evolved from the desert monuments into the alpine peaks of Colorado. By supper time I was home.

September 29, 2008

Off to Vegas Baby!

I'm leaving early this morning(September 30th) to travel to Las Vegas, Nevada. I am carrying my newest motorcycle with me and will meet up with some fellow travelers in an RV towing several motorcycles. Our shared destination is Las Vegas International Speedway for Inside Pass Track Day. We will be learning how to ride on the race track at somewhat less than race speeds. I'm excited to say the least. More later.

September 22, 2008

Pictures, Pictures, Pictures

LOOK TO THE RIGHT. See the little slideshow? I am updating my Picasa Web Albums and will use the feature on the right to let you preview an album. Periodically I will change the album being shown. If you want to see an album no longer showing just visit my Picasa page using the link below the slideshow. I welcome comments on any photos, constructive criticism on how to get a better shot, and allow downloads for free.

Oh, and here is a shot of the Chaho Gang.

September 21, 2008

Quick Note

Just a quick note to update the blog here: Sabine and her sister Dagmar are in town for their vacation and we plan to have dinner again tonight. Dagmar was tired from jet-lag last night having arrived from Switzerland via New York City just yesterday. Frank and Lynn are riding out to meet me today for a ride. Hopefully I'll have more time for Sabine and Dagmar later in the week.

Oh, a big happy 40th birthday goes out to Heather Walden! I hope you had a big and fun surprise last night.

September 15, 2008

I'm What?

(September 13, 2008) Today I turned 44. But it was all good. I had a wonderful day because it was a wonderful day. Clear blue skies, family, friends, and good health. I awoke to a dog jumping onto the bed with a balloon attached to her collar! My sister set that up. My sister also got me up to go hiking over in the Prospect Heights area along Grape Creek. Her friend Chris joined us and added some knowledge of the rocks and plants to help us better appreciate the ground we trod. Chris has a dog, too, who came along and kept us safe.

After hiking we visited a local car show and fund raiser for Hospice of Canon City. J.D. and his father both entered their cars and J.D. even won an award. Just the night before we had dinner and dessert with his family. Having grown up in a big family my sister and I really appreciated being a part of this one for the evening. For lunch today we went over to "The Owl" on Main Street and ordered several burgers and fries.


Later in the evening my sister and I built a small fire on the patio and enjoyed the cooler evening air and some smores. It turns out that the first smore I made would be my birthday cake with a candle in it. I did make a wish that I hope comes true, but I can't tell you what it is.

The next day I was visited by some old friends from Nashville. I took them up to a picnic area that overlooks the Royal Gorge and bridge. I hope that was an entertaining choice for them. We did get to see the aerial acrobatics of the local helicopter pilot who knows no fear. I was very glad that they were willing to come down and see the small community I decided to call home.

September 12, 2008

The Yellow Time Machine


Here I am standing next to my new "death machine". Right now it is not running for some strange reason. But it ran very well the day this picture was taken. Because of the amount of newly available horsepower this bike has brought into my life I plan to attend a track day in Las Vegas in a few weeks. I want learn how to handle this bike with better skill than I currently have. The reason for calling it a time machine is because it has the capacity to make people in your mirror disappear!

On the day this picture was taken I went for a ride through the heart of Colorado with some fellow riders. Up on the high plains area known as South Park(yes, that South Park) I felt almost high, like John Denver sang about. One must remember to keep their hands on the handlebars and not reach up in the air to soar with the eagles! The downside to riding the motorcycle through this landscape is that I don't want to stop and take pictures of it. I may have to go back one day with a donkey or mule so I can slow down and take time to set up some good shots. I shall return.

September 5, 2008

Last blast for the Blast?


Last weekend I had a full day of riding on my Buell Blast on a beautiful Colorado day. I joined up early with my friends Frank and Lynn and rode along with them for about 100 miles of their trip to Ignacio. Despite nearly running out of gas on the last 15 miles with them I couldn't simply return back home so I headed north to Buena Vista, refueled, and headed up to Cottonwood Pass. Boy, the Blast isn't meant for altitudes above 10,000 feet! It became extremely anemic and I found myself downshifting into first and second gear to make it up the last mile to 12,000 feet. Oh well, it has good brakes and handles like a dream going downhill. This may be the last big trip for the Blast under my care. I bought a 2003 XB9s today and it is a hot rod. More about that bike later, but for now I think this is a fitting picture to remember my Blast by.

August 28, 2008

Taos Buell Rally 2008


Ok, so I'm a little late with my report from the motorcycle rally this past weekend in Taos, New Mexico. I literally had a blast: my Buell "Blast" motorcycle, and the fun I had riding it. My sister traveled late Friday night with me in my pickup with the Blast in the back. Since we got a late start nightfall came and obscured most of the scenery, but the next day I got to see quite a bit of the last 50 miles. I met for the first time the people I would be riding with at 0900 Saturday morning in front of the Sagebrush Inn where most of us stayed. Speaking of, the Sagebrush is a really cool old hotel built by local indian women in the early part of the twentieth century. Each room is very unique and built in the pueblo style. I highly recommend it for your lodging needs while in Taos.

Back to the riding. We left from the hotel that morning heading north to Questa where we would begin climbing into the mountains. The route is known as the Enchanted Loop and encompassed many different types of mountain and valley landscapes. The weather was perfect, too. I soon learned how underpowered my motorcycle is compared to the larger Buell bikes everyone else was on. Keeping up with everyone going up hill was difficult and I had to continuously shift down and up again. On long straight stretches I had to also lower my profile to reduce aero-drag. Going downhill I had to avoid breaking to conserve my momentum as much as possible. I quickly learned how to ride very fast through moutain curves and the experience was a lot like riding a roller coaster. I wore a grin from ear to ear all day long!

After a stop for lunch most of us continued on to Santa Fe to visit the local Harley/Buell dealer. While there a storm began to brew between Santa Fe and Taos. We had to decide a route that would take us around the storm if possible so we went back what is know as the "High Road" to Taos. The scenery along this road is beautiful, especially with the views to the west of the black and menacing storm that flashed streaks of lightning. We did encounter a small amount of rain for a few minutes but escaped the deluge that flooded out parts of the Santa Fe area where we had just left from. By the time we got back to the hotel it was 6:00 PM and I was exhausted. We all gathered later that evening for dinner at Doc Martin's, another old hotel in Taos.

We left Taos the next day and traveled back roads back home. Our first leg of the trip took us west across the Taos valley and the little ditch formed by the upper Rio Grande river(see picture). US Highway 285 heads north from here and takes one into Colorado and beyond. We stopped for dinner just across the border in Antonito, Colorado. Later, we passed through Monte Vista where Schall Chemical and Schall Iron Works can be found. As we continued north we were treated to spectacular views of the San Luis Valley and watched as storms brewed on both sides. The cross winds were gusting up to 40 mile per hour and made driving a little tricky. It wasn't long before we crossed Poncha Pass and entered into Salida where highway 50 intersects highway 285. From that point we were home in about an hour.

The people that I met and rode with were very nice and considerate - patient even - considering my lack of experience and underpowered motorcycle. I suppose most people would think of leather clad biker beasts when they imagine who attends a motorcycle rally, except for the Honda Goldwing crowd. Not so with the folks I rode with. Here is a link to some pictures that one of them took: New Mexico Storm Front

August 15, 2008

August 13, 2008

Motorcycle Maintenance

One of the joys of owning a motorcycle is maintaining it. Really. They are much simpler machines than most cars and mine in particular makes use of some good old fashioned American engineering. I needed to change the air filter and spark plug on my 2006 Buell Blast so with the service manual on screen, parts and tools in hand, I set about it. Now one tool I didn't have prior to this was a torque wrench. Because of the aluminum heads on my bike it was strongly recommended to use such a wrench to prevent over tightening. So I got one.



The most unusual aspect of changing the spark plug was the need to move the gas tank to gain the best access. Overall that task was easy and I found a way to not have to drain the tank first. With the tank out of the way the top of the cylinder head is exposed for visual inspection. I did notice the PCV valve fit very loosely within the grommet. Apparently this is a minor issue and well known to other Buellers. I removed the spark plug and took pictures so that I could show others who can tell how well, or not so well, the engine is burning its fuel. I replaced the old plug with a brand new iridium plug.

I replaced the air filter with a K & N brand washable type. Installing it is very simple. Hopefully my engine will breathe a little easier as the old filter seemed pretty dirty. Atmospheric conditions here in Colorado mean filters can get clogged fast so having one that can be cleaned easily will save the money of buying multiple paper filters. Besides, I also got some K & N decals which prove just how cool I am, you know.

August 11, 2008

Grape Creek



Yesterday we took a short hike up the Tunnel Drive trail along the Arkansas River. By the time we reached the end we could see the rain heading down the river gorge towards and knew we couldn't stay long. But, thanks to another person pointing it out to us we did get to see the rare Big Horn Sheep. A group of about four were scaling the cliffs on the other side of the river from us. Needless to say, we got wet walking back.

After that we drove up Temple Canyon Road to Grape Creek. What a spectacular place! The mix between alpine and desert landscapes plays out in harmony along this creek and the land surrounding it. Fragrant sage and pinon pine fill the air as you walk along the creek. The hard, pink granite gets polished by the constant flow of water and keeps this creek from wandering to far off course. Apparently this creek is a favorite for trout fishing.

August 2, 2008

Nice day for a pickup truck ride


Tiffany, my sister, and her dog Sweetie wanted to go for a ride up Shelf Road today. There is a reason why they call it Shelf Road. I got gobs of pictures and a few short video segments, much more than I should post here. For a taste check these out:

Of course it should be obvious who that is in this first photo. Sweetie is really old for a dog but she still gets excited about being outside and she was very happy as you can see. The temperature was nearly 100 degrees so her tongue never rolled back into her mouth most of the day.

Experimental Mishap


There are big adventures and small ones, the other day I had a bit of the latter. It wasn't an intentional experiment but I decided to think of it that way as the consequences were small and I learned a lot. Once again I was very lucky.

So what happened? While riding my motorcycle through Big Horn Sheep Canyon on Highway 50 the rear tire went flat. I was about twenty miles west of Canon City and knew I needed to push on until I reached the small town of Cotopaxi. I had my cell phone with me but I soon found out how useless it was in this remote geographic area. All the more reason why it was a good decision to ride on to the small town before pulling over. Thankfully the tire did not blow out, but slowly lost air pressure so that I noticed it and was able to slow down and ride to Cotopoxi before it became completely useless.

I reached the small general store right before they closed at 6PM and asked if they sold fix-a-flat, and they did so I attempted to restore air pressure to the tire. Almost immediately the hole in the tire became obvious as the foamy contents I had pumped into the tire came shooting right out. Time to call my sister for a ride! Oops, no signal on my cell phone. Maybe if I walk around? Nope. Maybe if I climb up the side of the mountain? Nope. Fortunately, the store owner was still around working in the back and I was able to ask them to use their phone.

The next morning I had to drive back to Cotopaxi in my pickup truck to get the motorcycle. What lessons could I learn from this? First, I should have left my sister a note of where I was going and what time I should be back. She knew I was out riding but not where. Had she known she would have come looking for me and found me. The other lesson is that I need to carry tubeless tire repair kit. I have ordered one along with the new tire. The kit fits in a pocket and uses CO2 cartridges to provide air pressure after plugging any holes a tire may have. Simple and self contained.

July 31, 2008

First Post

Ok folks, you asked for it and now I'm giving it. I'll use this blog to update you, my friends and family, on my adventures and discoveries here in Colorado. I quickly thought of this title to bring to mind the tumble weed, the West, and the restless spirit of seeking and finding. Remember the old song? I hope to soon be able to add pictures along with my posts, as soon as I get the transfer cable back. Mean while, be sure and look at my existing pictures on my Picassa collection. Most of these pictures are in high resolution and may take a long time to view and download if you don't have a high speed internet connection.