This morning I just felt the need to get away from all the familiar roads and the traffic.  I hopped up on the slab and twisted the throttle with just enough discretion to avoid the CHP; and stayed just like that until I left Mojave.  About 25 miles north of Mojave, just past Jawbone Canyon and Dove Springs (I’ve spent many hours riding dirt bikes in this area) you will be in Red Rock Canyon State Park.  We’re often going so fast, or are so intent on getting to our destination, that the sites along the way are either completely missed or barely register as you pass by.  I was looking at the sandstone through this area and wondered when exactly these multicolored stripes were laid down.

90 miles farther down the road you’ll find the home of your Crystal Geyser Natural Alpine Spring Water – Olancha, CA.  This is also where you’ll find the turnoff to Hwy 190.  This is the road that takes you from the Owens Valley, over into the Panamint Valley, and down into Death Valley.  The road from the floor of the Panamint Valley up over the Panamint Range is one of the greatest roads around for wide and sweeping turns – on a motorcycle, this translates into, the faster the better.  Today however, it was so windy that high speeds were out of the question.  Still a fun road though – even at 65 mph.  If you’re interested, here is a link to a video I made when higher speeds were the order of the day.

Panamint Valley and Panamint Range behind

A road I’ve never taken is always more of a draw than familiar ones; so in Death Valley I headed toward Scotty’s Castle then took the road to Beatty, NV.  I was the only vehicle on this road for miles and miles.  And – due to all the clouds, it was not hot at all, in fact I actually stopped for my sweat shirt right after this picture was taken.

The clouds were welcome to keep the heat away but clouds bring rain and it was raining all around me today.  From Beatty to Las Vegas I could feel the cold air from the heavy rain falling on the mountains less than 5 miles to my left, lightening and everything!!  In order to avoid the rain I did a little rushing to beat a moving storm and waiting under a shelter for the rain to pass.  With the much appreciated assistance of my weather gal (Robin), the rain gear stayed in the saddlebag all day.

I didn’t think I had that far to go on this first day so I didn’t pack the bike the night before or anything else that would lead to a speedy early morning departure.  Since I didn’t leave the house until after 10:00, I should have taken a fairly direct route to Mesquite, NV.  I didn’t do that, and with a couple rain delays, it was after 8:00 when I finally pulled up in front of the Virgin River Hotel & Casino.  Quick bite to eat, shower and bed.

I got a little earlier start this morning than yesterday, but not much.  Luckily – i didn’t have far to go and  my late start didn’t have me rolling into town at bed time.  I left Mesquite following my GPS suggested route to Page, AZ.  After about 5 minutes on Interstate 15, I edited my preferences and told the GPS to avoid highways.  I was off the slab at the next exit, and this was what I was treated to.

This is actually the far northwestern point of Arizona but it’s a great example of why the back roads are the way to go.  The road was a little rougher than the freeway but those new shocks made it feel just like sitting in my LazyBoy recliner (well almost).  The road had the speed and just enough turns to make you pay close attention to what you were doing which is difficult when the scenery is so good.  Once in a while I just slow down and enjoy the landscape.  This is one of the reasons that southern Utah is one of my favorite places to ride a motorcycle.  I rounded a corner at the same time I crested a small hill and this was what I was smacked in the face with.  The first red rock I’ve seen on this trip was the aptly named Red Rock Mountain.A little farther down the road, back in Arizona this is kinda getting to be familiar landscape but I just had to take the picture anyway.  I parked the bike on the shoulder of the incoming traffic lane to get it.  I could have parked it in the middle of the oncoming lane for as many cars were on the road.This next shot made me realize that there are some things that I’m just not going to be able to capture an image of.  This is the site of an early (1865) settlement.  I don’t often pull over to read the roadside information signs but for some reason I saw the word settlement on the way by and thought – “Wow, how would you like to be able to wake up to this view every day.”  I went a couple miles past it and turned around to share it with you, but the picture (a panorama) just doesn’t do justice to setting.  While I was reading about the history of the site and taking the shots, I could hear the deep rumble of thunder from the storm – a reminder that staying dry means I need to keep moving.Looks like I’ll be able to stay dry today.  Only a few more miles to go and these clouds don’t look like they’re holding any rain to speak of.  This winding descent through the rocks is a short but very cool road both for the scenery and the riding.Tomorrow will be a stationary (kinda) day on Page doing a little bucket list photography.  Hopefully I’ll get some good shots to share.  Check back tomorrow……

Many years ago I heard about slot canyons and saw some pictures taken inside them.  I was interested and thought that it would be pretty cool to go to that place, wherever it is and spend some time shooting this unique phenomenon.  A few months ago, I was once again thumbing through some periodical and there it was again.  Pictures from Antelope Canyon right here in Page, Arizona.  I started to look into it and decided that if I could make it work – I’d stop by on my 2016 bike ride.
Page is located just below the Glen Canyon Dam and is the biggest town anywhere close to Lake Powell.  It is also very close to the north and south rims of the Grand Canyon.  I guess that’s why at this time of year a single, cheap-o room at the Motel 6 is $139.00 per night and after Memorial Day will go up to $200; and they are pretty much full every night and the cheapest deal in town!!  I asked the clerk when I checked in and she told me that they are the most expensive Motel 6 in the United States – no argument from me.  The room in Mesquite was $21 and worth every penny.  This Motel 6 is at the extreme opposite end of that scale.  Nevertheless, if you wanna play, you gotta pay.

My research said that the most popular slot canyon is upper Antelope Canyon.  However, it is very crowded and difficult to get good pictures due to all the people walking through your shots and/or kicking the legs of your tripod.  Lower Antelope Canyon is just about as good and much less crowded, so that was my destination.  I thoroughly enjoyed my tour of the canyon and my guide was very helpful.  However, the pictures didn’t turn out all that great.  Here are a couple – I’m still working on some others (all bracket exposures for you photography geeks) but I need my big computer to do all the heavy lifting.  So, for now this is as good as it gets.

It is really quite cool down there and I recommend the trip to anyone that is looking for something to do in Page.  Of course if you’re in Page and you’re not interested in the slot canyon stuff, Horseshoe Bend, or Lake Powell – you’re probably only interested in gettin’ the Hell Out of Page.  I was quite lucky with the weather; it was quite pleasant, and it could have been hotter than a stolen tamale.  If you want to know more about the slot canyons and how they were formed etc, I’ll be happy to share but this really isn’t the place for a geology lesson.

I also went over to Horseshoe Bend – the other photography place near Page.  They say it’s the most photographed place on the Colorado River.  When I heard that I thought – Oh Yea, what about the Grand Canyon.  Anyway, it’s cool and once again my photo isn’t exactly the best in the world but I was happy with how it turned out.  It’s a multi shot bracketed HDR shot for you photo folks.  I might tone it down a bit but I like the looks of this one and it’s pretty close to what it actually looked like that evening.

Okay, that’s about it from here for today.  I’ve been doing a lot of walking and carrying camera equipment around all day – gonna sleep good tonight.

The forecast for today was wind, and lots of it.  I had hoped to be out in front of it by leaving so early but the wind was blowing pretty good even before the sun was up, and it was windy all day  – gusts to 50 mph was the forecast; I’m not going to argue.

A lot of the land in this part of Arizona is reservation land – part of what is, without a doubt, the biggest screw job this country has ever done to ANY race of people, don’t get me started but if you want to read a good book, try – Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee.  Anyway – this particular area is Navajo Indian country and one of the things you see every once in a while are these little road-side trading posts.  These days though, they aren’t trading for beads, they want cold hard green backs (a little early in the morning for these guys – too much fire water maybe??).  Okay, okay – I apologize….

The early bird gets – the best camp site.  Camping at the Desert View Campground in Grand Canyon National Park is first come first served and there are 49 sites.  It used to be tent only but now they do take RV’s shorter than 30ft.  The best time to be there is mid morning so you can pick a site that is being vacated and stake your claim to that one.  From Page that campground is only 100 miles away so I figured my 6:00 AM departure should be good enough, and it was.  I was at the campground by 8:15 and the site I wanted was vacant.  The tent was up and I was off on my exploration of the canyon and in search of breakfast (brunch by now) by 9:30.

One of the reasons I picked Desert View Campground was because this particular place is one of the best places to photograph sunrises and sunsets over the Grand Canyon.  I figured as long as I have the whole photo bag with me, I might as well try to get some good pictures.  I hiked down to the point and it does look like an ideal place to photograph the canyon – very hazy though with all this wind. 

My stomach is gnawin’ on my backbone though and although I don’t give it much of a chance, I decided to check out the “trading post” here at the viewing area.  Brunch this morning – the Navajo Taco.  Indian fry bread, ground beef, beans, onions, cheese, lettuce, salsa, and guacamole (no guak please).  My belly full, I rode around the canyon for a while.

I had just pulled into the visitors center when this guy pulls in behind me.  Oh, he’s got a dog with him, cute.  I’ve seen guys that take their dog on the bike with them so although rare, it’s not unique.  What, he has THREE dogs – Okay, that’s unique; the Rebel Dawg Adventure Team.  I went for a walk around the center while he was walking his dogs (they are all shit-zoos (please forgive my phonetical spelling) and we ended up back at the bikes around the same time.  I talked to him for 5 or 10 minutes and we swapped web site information.  They’re on their way up the west coast – follow him via that link above.

Back at the camp to start setting up for my sunset over the canyon shot.  I’m not too optimistic though, because along with the haze now there’s a decent amount of cloud cover.  None the less, I gather my gear and head over.  It’s about 90 minutes till sunset but I want to get a good spot and my dogs can use a rest.  Hiking around in cowboy boots all day is something I never even thought about when I was 30 – twenty-five plus years later, those boots ain’t made for walkin’.  I got my place and met and spoke with several people while I was there.  Alas – the socialization was the best part.  This was the best I could come up with for a sunset over the canyon on this particular evening.

It’s still very windy and starting to get rather cold.  I’m going to hunt my hole and see about gettin’ some much needed shut eye.

Last night after I got back from my sunset photo attempt I met an interesting guy.  Mike is from Michigan and rides a Gold Wing and pulls a little tent trailer.  I say little tent trailer because the tent trailer I pull is almost twice as big.  Anyway, Mike left Michigan and has been living out of that tent trailer, and the occasional motel room – depending on the weather, since April, 2015.  We swapped stories around the campfire for over an hour and just barely scratched the surface; I hope our paths cross again.

I told you that the wind was blowing right.  Well – last night the inside of my tent felt like those guys tents you’ve seen in the climbing Mt. Everest documentaries – just not quite that cold.  That’s an exaggeration of course but it was windy and cold.  I wouldn’t call it a good night’s sleep but I did sleep, which is good.  I was up at 6:00 and the wind had settled down sometime in the night to just a strong breeze.  On my way back from the bathroom I was happy to see that my new friend Mike had his campfire going and I joined him for a few minutes getting warmed up.  Mike wanted me to join him for a little ride around today but I told him that I was heading for Kingman; we talked a little longer then it was time for me to get packed up and head out.

I was on the road by shortly after 8:00 and the wind that was forecast for two days began it’s second day onslaught.  It was still fairly clear though so I stopped at one of the roadside overlooks and got this shot.  I’ve been to the Grand Canyon several times and I don’t remember ever being able to get this close to the edge from the parking lot.  The front wheel is literally less than 6 feet from the edge!!
I was about half way out of the park when I saw some movement off to my left.  Sure enough it was an elk having some breakfast.  I whipped the bike around and started looking for a place along the side of the road to park it.  I was off the road in the soft stuff but I wanted to see how close I could get to this elk.  I think he saw me but I was upwind so he couldn’t smell me, and I got fairly close before he decided he’d had enough.  Probably had nothing to do with my stealthy stalking skills though, these animals have been exposed to humans since birth.
This is Route 66 country and many of the businesses that are still open have some kind of eye catching display or sign to get your attention and hopefully make you stop and part with some of your hard earned cash.  I needed fuel anyway and these hot rods outside the gas station worked to get my business.  I actually thought they were having some kind of car show, but on closer inspection – they have been parked here for a few days at least.  There were a few more cars but these were the two best looking ones.  The red one has big slicks and a wheelie bar – wonder if it ever saw a drag strip…..
Seems like every time I go on a ride I take one of these pictures, but it’s usually somewhere in Texas, not Arizona.  Well – I’ve got something to tell Texas – I paid my wind dues in Arizona this year!!  Interstate 40 from Williams to Seligman is only 43 miles, but that 43 miles is now in my top 10 most challenging motorcycle experiences.  The speed limit is 75 mph and even the big trucks are going at least that fast.  Mixing it up with all those folks while fighting a crosswind of 35 to 40 mph with gusts to 50 takes the fun right out of it.  The wind didn’t quit at Seligman but the traffic did – Whew!!  I always use LOTS of sun screen but by the time I rolled into Kingman, my face was aching, burned from the wind.  Not very many miles today but I was very glad to be off the bike.

They Call the Wind Maria is a song from Paint Your Wagon and although I can’t remember the lyrics, I do know the tune and on days like this it plays over and over in my head.

After enjoying brunch with my little brother and sister-in-law it was time to start heading down to Phoenix to see my parents. There was some wind but it wasn’t bad and the relatively short ride was warm, and uneventful, both of which I appreciated.  I saw this guy near the side of the road on my way to brunch, he didn’t seem too worried but when I reved up the bike he disappeared pretty quick.  It was kinda funny – I was actually looking for the roadrunner that I imagined he must be trying to figure out how to catch….

It’s the time of year when the saguaro cactus are starting to bloom. I wonder what those flowers smell like??  I was going to try to stop on my way somewhere and get a picture when I remembered that my parents have a saguaro in their front yard, & lucky for me, it was in bloom as well.  The bloom on the saguaro cactus is the state flower of Arizona.  Couple other facts about the saguaro: their roots are only 4 to 6 inches below the ground but extend out as far as the cactus is tall.  There is one “tap root” that goes straight down from the cactus but only two or three feet.  The ribs of dead saguaros are just like wood and have many uses here where the trees are scarce.

I will be spending a couple days with my folks here in Phoenix before getting back on the road.  The good news for you is that since I’m a couple days behind on getting these ride updates done, you won’t notice too much of a gap in updates, maybe a day.  So, until I get back on the road, take care & check back in another day or two for the next update.

Never been to the Organ Pipe National Monument and wanted to see what it’s all about.  The road there was actually very interesting in places.  Most roads through the desert are straight and flat – this road had several areas that were fun to ride – this is one of those.

The desert is really pretty cool if you can get past the heat.  It was a good day for riding; a little warm just standing around but perfect when you’re on the bike.  My friend the wind was back but I’m getting used to it I guess.  Another view from the side of the road.

There are a couple towns along this road, and one of them is Why.  I don’t think it’s an actual town or city – I really think it’s just a few houses that belong to the employees of the large Border Patrol Station located there.  Then I found out that Why has a sister city located an equal distance south of the border called Por qué.  Guess that’s Why.

You’ve all seen roadside memorials here and there.  Someone dies in a car crash and next thing you know there’s a cross and some flowers and a candle or two.  Well – down in this area, they take their roadside memorials to a whole new level.  One of them that I didn’t get a picture of was made of brick and was at least as big as a good sized built in BBQ. These things are all over the place – I must have seen 40 of them between Why & Tucson.

After passing Why, it’s a short run to Organ Pipe National Monument.  At 517 square miles, I would have thought this would be a national park not a “monument”.  Monuments are statues & stuff right?  So, I asked the ranger at the visitors center.  National parks are established by an act of Congress, national monuments can be created from any land owned or controlled by the federal government by proclamation of the President of the United States.  Organ Pipe National Monument was created in 1937 by FDR.  It protects the largest naturally occurring population of organ pipe cactus found in the United States. Common in Mexico, the northern range of the organ pipe cactus is limited by freezing temperatures.  If you’re in the area, it’s certainly worth checking out – Not in the summer!!

There was lots of border patrol activity in this area.  I don’t know how porous the border is down here but it certainly looks like they are making an effort.  I even met Pat Chavez’s younger brother at one of the two check points I had to go through on my way to Tucson.

This is Picacho Peak.  It’s a familiar landmark to anyone that has driven Interstate 10 between Phoenix and Tucson.  The unique shape of the 1,500-foot peak has been used as a landmark by travelers for centuries.  It’s not a volcanic cone, but whats left of a partially eroded volcanic flow.  On April 15, 1862 the westernmost battle of the Civil War was fought here. There is a reenactment held here every year.

Okay, In for the night at the Economy Inn in Tucson.  Not the best accommodations in town but it’s clean, the bed is comfy cozy, and the shower flows hot and strong. Oh yea,  even more important than all that – they have the absolute BEST motorcycle parking.

I have vague memories of going to the Arizona Sonoran Desert Museum when I was a child; pretty sure we were on a field trip from my grade school.  I don’t remember much but thought I’d go back and check it out. On my ride to the museum I noticed the Kitt Peak Observatory in the distance, and I had a vague memory of another grade school field trip visit.  But we won’t be going up there this time around.

The desert museum is basically a sidewalk through the desert with plant labels and some exhibits along the way.  The sidewalk is very useful since you don’t have to do too much navigating around the cactus, but you still need to be paying attention or you’ll get stuck!  This is a Gila Monster – they are only out of their burrows from May to June.I have no idea how many humming birds are in the enclosed humming bird habitat, but it’s a bunch!  They are everywhere and although none of them landed on me, they definitely weren’t afraid.  I didn’t get a good picture but I highly recommend the enclosed humming bird habitat, wherever you might find one.

This is a Harris’s Hawk.  It is notable for its behavior of hunting cooperatively in packs.  When prey is seen the birds will dive bomb one at a time until they catch it.  The prey will be left for the dominant female to feed on first.  The museum has a free flight experience when the weather is cooler and I was told that it’s not unusual for the birds to see something on the desert floor and start hunting!!  How cool would that be.  But, the groceries are better at the museum so they always come back – so far anyway…..From the museum, I headed for the Saguaro National Park where not surprisingly you will see an abundance of saguaro cactus. I was on the lookout for nests up in the cactus.  I’ve seen birds inside the cactus before but never a nest inside the arms.  The Harris’s Hawk nests in the saguaro sometimes so I was hoping to show you one – nope.  My photo doesn’t come close to capturing just how many saguaros there are, but saguaro cactus are prolific in this part of the state.
On my way south I was treated to several fly overs by some of the A-10 Thunderbolt‘s stationed at Davis-Monthon Air Force Base. When I hear the roar of fighter jets, I always think (sometimes out loud) – That’s the sound of freedom; and our freedom is something we all need to think about this Memorial Day weekend.   Then I happened to see this F-4 Phantom flown by the Thunderbirds outside the American Legion in Corona, AZ. I think the F-4 with this particular paint scheme is is one of the best looking airplanes in the world, so I just had to share it with you.  OOH – RAH  That’s for you JB.Tombstone has always impressed me as an historic place but not really worth making a destination out of.  Well – this time, it’s kinda on my way so we’ll see.  I guess if you’re wrapped up in the history of Tombstone it would be more interesting but most everything is new in the town – not even preserved or reconstructed.  Boot Hill isn’t new but there are far more people buried there than I thought.From Tombstone, I was off to Bisbee, home of the Copper Queen and Lavender Pit Mines. I’ve been to the open pit mine before and my father used to work on the two way radios in their mining equipment. It closed in 1978 but over 600,000 tons of copper came out of this mine!!  One of the other things they found in the mine was turquoise – Bisbee Turquoise is among the finest turquoise in the world.  I’m sure that taking turquoise was strictly forbidden, but my dad says that a few of the miners used to take it out in their lunch boxes and speculated that they must have rooms full of the stuff at home.  It’s difficult to get perspective in this shot but those buildings you see at the top left side of the photo are two and three stories tall.I’m close to my hometown on these roads and although I’m not going through, want to wave to Willcox on my way by.  I really enjoy the riding in this area, fresh air, friendly people, and roads with enough character to keep your attention – wonderful…..Okay – a little long winded for such a short day but this post might have to last you a couple days.  I plan to be camping in the Guadalupe Mountains east of El Paso, TX and from what I’ve seen, it’s a remote campground.  Enjoy your Memorial Day weekend.

The Guadalupe Mountains are a park and the whole thing is closed due to fire.  I’ve always got a plan B but you hate to have to put that into effect when you think you’re done for the day.  Oh well, it was going to be a cold night up there in the mountains, now I’m in the climate controlled comfort of the Motel 6 in Carlsbad, NM. I’m here with about 50 members of the Bandidos MC. They are an outlaw club but I’m sure it’ll be one of those, “Don’t start no trouble, won’t be no trouble” things.  Hopefully there won’t be an all night party, one of them is next door.

Okay, that was the end of the day, let’s get back to the beginning.  Douglas is right on the Mexican border, and in order to go east and stay in the United States, you have to go north first. That ride put the Chiricahua (chair-a-COW-a) Mountains off to my left. I told you that I lived in this area as a child and many stories were told about the Chiricahua Apache Indians and their last free chief, Cochise.  This was one BAD Indian and he fought for his land and people against the Army for 10 years and was never defeated in battle. He died of natural causes on Apache land in the Chiricahua Mountains in 1874 and was secretly buried at a place called Cochise Stronghold, an impenetrable hideout he often used. Nobody has ever found his burial site even though Cochise Stronghold is now a popular destination for locals to picnic, & hike. Good memories…

This is Yucca Cactus and mesquite bush territory.  There are almost no thorny cactus anywhere around here.  I have no idea what changes in the climate cause that, but it’s way better for walking around hunting dove and quail as I did in my youth.  California’s Joshua Tree is next of kin to the yucca cactus.  This is a yucca with a couple mesquite bushes and the Chiricahua Mountains in the background.

I only went as far north as I had to before I turned right and followed the southern most route across New Mexico into Texas at El Paso.  That is one desolate stretch of road; at one point I saw a couple people walking.  They appeared to be husband and wife walking across the USA or something. I think if there had been any shade anywhere close I would have stopped to get their story – no shade, no story.  This road was rough, but about 25 miles of it was brutal, it was like asphalt whoops, no wonder I didn’t see any other motorcycles.  I kept thinking it would end soon and was wondering why my new shocks seemed to have failed all together.  I actually stood up on my floorboards; which is no easy task.  If it hadn’t changed I would have been looking for another route.  For those of you not familiar with whoop-de-doo’s watch this video.

The Continental Divide is the point where all the water finds the ocean to the east or the west.  The water behind me goes east to either the Gulf of Mexico or the Atlantic, and on the other side it flows into the Pacific Ocean or the Sea of Cortez.  There are other lesser Continental Divides but this is the Great Divide and runs from the tip of Alaska, all the way to Nicaragua; I guess that’s where the continent of South America starts & they have their own divide.  Anyway – this is the southernmost divide road sign in the United States.

Being so close to the border, there is quite a bit of Border Patrol activity. One of the things you’ll see are these tire drags (most of them not this elaborate).  Border Patrol drag them on the ground next to the barbed wire fences along the road, then come back later and count the foot prints as a way to tell where and how many people are crossing over.

I’ve been to El Paso a few times and I’m always surprised at how close they are to Mexico.  You could stand on Interstate 10 at one place and easily hit a pitching wedge over the river into Mexico.  And the freeway is elevated there so it looks even closer than that. Speaking of I-10, getting through El Paso has been a traffic nightmare every single time I’ve been there.  Today I tried to stay off the freeway but you can’t get there from here due to all the construction; so after 15 minutes of dead ends I gave up and got on the freeway.  These genius’ have Interstate 10 necked down to two lanes for several miles.  UGH – I could not wait to get out of the city!!

I made it out without getting a ticket (lane splitting is only legal in California) and the rest of the day was enjoyable. I tell you what, you know you’re in Texas when – the speed limit on a two lane road is 75mph – the sign as you leave town says Next Services 129 miles – and, people start saying, “I tell you what”………..

Both my bike and I survived the Bandidos MC here at the hotel without a scratch. They were actually pretty quiet after about 11:00 and I got a fairly good nights sleep. About 6:30 they started straggling out so there was no sleeping at that point – but hey, I’ve got a loud bike too and sometimes I leave at first light – so I cast no stones.

Today was reserved for spelunking. I guess that’s probably a bit of a stretch, but I was exploring a cave for the first time. Carlsbad Caverns is a gigantic place.  I’ve been to Colossal Cave near Tucson but compared to Carlsbad Caverns, Colossal Cave is a spit in the ocean. Recently they discovered yet another very large “room” in the cavern and one ranger speculated that they could be discovering new passages and rooms here for 100 years. It probably won’t be more than another 20 years before you can take a virtual tour of the cave and you’ll be able to see everything I saw today in the comfort of your recliner.

There are a couple options when you get to the cave; walk in & out, elevator in & out, or one of each; I walked in and elevated out. Only way I’d walk out of there is if the elevator broke. 750+ feet of vertical over 1.25 miles of switchbacks. It’s kinda cool down there so that’s a plus, but the humidity is 90% – big minus. If you elevator it up and down – you aren’t going to miss anything you would have seen on the walk – except for the experience. Down isn’t too bad but it is wet and slippery and you could be bucket over tea kettle faster than Rosie O’Donnell can make a bon-bon disappear.  Besides, you’ll be walking around plenty after you get off the elevator.

This is the entrance to the cave, the white stones in the background are the start of the switchbacks. I saw people starting to walk up and they were maybe 10% of the way and really huffing and puffing. They said the elevator line was 2 hours long. Whatever – I’m staying to see the bats come out so I’m in no hurry. Only way some of those people would even think they should try walking out is if they took the elevator down, and therefore had no idea what they were getting themselves into.  Here are a couple of the better pictures.

Okay – time for some gee whiz information.  How do you remember which is a stalagmite and which is a stalactite. Stalactites cling tight to the ceiling, and stalagmites might reach the ceiling.  Now you’ll never forget – for all the good it’ll do ya….

I thought I might take a ranger guided tour but I was told that they were all sold out a long time ago. I did see a ranger guided tour though, going the opposite direction as I was walking around down inside the cave. They were following close, single file behind this guy with a smokey bear hat and I actually laughed out loud. I almost started – “You had a good home but you left – You’re Right, Your mother was there but you left – You’re Right.” My little brother would have actually done it – I was laughing too hard just thinking about it.

It was very interesting and beautiful down there but I have to agree with a girl that I heard say, “I think I’m getting bored with this environment.” At the end of the day it’s all the same color down there and everything is either a stalagmite or a stalactite. If they had more stalagmites that looked like this – they might have kept people’s attention a little better.

Bat Flight Program – In spring/summer months every evening, around sunset, several hundred thousand Brazilian free-tailed bats exit the cave to hunt their dinner; It is quite a spectacle – from what I hear. Tonight it happened so late that it was hard to see the bats. A few came out while there was some light so we knew they were coming but nothing like what you’ll see in this video.  Oh well – can’t win ’em all.

The caverns are about 15 miles south of town.  On the way back to the hotel, I watched as lightening danced inside and illuminated a large thunder cloud only 10 or so miles to the east. It served as a reminder of what my next few days will be like as I head into thunderstorm and tornado country. It might be fun to watch me try to stay dry as I pick my way across the country.   In the meantime – Dust off your American flag and fly it proudly.

“It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God that such men lived.”  George S. Patton

I appreciate that the United States of America is the greatest place to live in the entire world. And making that happen has been, and will likely remain an expensive endeavor. To all of my friends and family that have served, or are serving their country – Thank You.

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This is how my day started at 6:30 in the morning.  Sure glad I went and got some trash bags to cover my seat; water wicks down from the stitching into the foam and it takes a couple days for the seat to dry out.  So, you ride around with a wet butt, and the results of having a wet butt all day are the same regardless of your age – ‘nuff said.

Luckily for me, this place is used to getting a little water – they got A LOT of water day before yesterday – 20 miles south of here this is what it looked like.

Things drain purddy good though, so I gave it until about 10:30 before I got on the bike. While I was waiting around I met some very interesting people.  Amy & Donna are from Toronto and Niagara Falls respectively and did three 500 mile days in a row to get here.  They stayed yesterday for a ride around and are leaving this morning for Yosemite.  Even though they were two hours late getting started because of the storm, they were pretty sure they could get 750 miles in before calling it a day. Ride safe girls – respect!

I also met Ralph and Doug – they are from Oklahoma City and they too are serious riders.  They have been all around the country and we swapped stories for about 30 minutes while they were loading their bikes.  I got a really good lead on a place in Colorado to check out and you can be sure – that’s gonna happen – thanks guys, & safe travels.

The stark difference between the landscape of Texas’ Hill Country and the rest of the state make Hill Country a popular destination for motorcycle riders. Being able to ride around Southern California I have to admit that I’m a bit jaded when it comes to “great” places to throw a two wheeler around; these flatlanders think two turns within a half mile constitute a five star rating.  But, I was trying to keep an open mind as I pulled out of Kerville.

I was a little worried when I saw these in the road. This is crack sealer and when it gets warm it’s gooey. Not sticky because it dries on top but underneath that layer it’s pretty flexible in the heat. So, if you’re carrying any kind of speed into a turn and you happen to get one (or more) of these under your tires, things get kinda wiggley – THAT’s not a good day. But the tar snakes went away almost completely after 30 miles and the rest of the day the roads were almost new. I’ve said it before, but in general, the roads in Texas are the best maintained roads in the country.

As soon as I got away from the stoplights of town the road started to get fun, and as soon as the tar snakes disappeared, it was an absolute blast.  With all the stuff that makes the bike top heavy back in the motel room, tossing the bike through the turns seemed almost effortless. And while this wasn’t what it looked like around every turn, every once in a while it was quite scenic.

The route I took is actually one of the top 10 or so rides in the United States – it’s called the Twisted Sisters.  Three different ranch roads that connect here in Hill Country.  It’s on my top 10 list for SURE.  With all the turns and altitude change and good road signs for corner speeds, riding aggressively is exhilarating and while you’re catching your breath, the road is still pleasant to ride. There are dips steep enough that you can feel the shocks almost bottoming out at the bottom and when you hit the top, you think – “you know, if I were only going 5 or 10 mph faster, I would have been airborne.”  And on the faster stretches the speed limit is 75, and it’s not a straight road. Sometimes you have to slow down for the turns.

What’s GREAT out here though is that they actually bank the turns.  I’m sure that it’s for drainage but it makes it seem like you’re at a NASCAR track. They do try to make you think a little about what you’re doing though.  The numbers from this sign, combined with the other sign I saw make the total 21 riders killed in 7 years.  It’s a fun activity but it is dangerous. I only saw one crotch rocket going at what I would consider suicide speed around a corner, mostly just old guys like me occasionally twisting the throttle a little to get a shot of adrenaline.

The unspoken warning when you go over a cattle guard is that this could be an open range. If you don’t pick up on that – this is a much less subtle reminder.  This momma’s calf was on the other side of the road and I stopped to make sure she wasn’t interested in going over there to protect it. She stood calmly for her photo session and as I slowly made my way past, she turned in my direction but didn’t charge or anything.  If there are cattle guards – you really need to have your guard up.  Motorcycle + Cow = Nothing Good.

I turned around to take this picture. I tend to like clever puns & this qualified.  You might have to click no the picture to enlarge it but this guy put all his old stuff out by the road and the sign for the Double Creek Ranch says “Rust in Peace.”

All three of the “sisters” roads 335, 336, & 337 were virtually empty. I would expect that every gear head with a stick shift would be out here – but this is truck country and a sports car is something rarely seen.  I highly recommend the Three Sisters ride and would like to thank the ladies from Canada that I spoke with this morning for the suggestion.

The ‘g’ is silent, so you pronounce it like Nacõ-doches. The last sylable is pronounced like the doches in super-cala-fragilastic-X-P-ala-doches.  Most people round here say Naca-doches though.  Nacogdoches is described as the oldest city in Texas because it is built on or near the site of Nevantin, the primary village of the Nacogdoche tribe of Caddo Indian some 10,000 years ago. In 1716 Spain established a mission here, and after the French and Indian War (1760’s) the town of Nacogdoches was established.

Let’s get back to the beginning of the day though.  Three years ago when I was in the area I made sure that I had my “ten to get in” and was looking for that “shack outside LaGrange” from the ZZ Top song (they got a lot of nice girls….)    This time I decided to stop by a town with at least as much musical notoriety and that would be Luckenbach, TX. This place was put on the map by Waylon Jennings back in April 1977 with the first release of his album Ol’ Waylon. 

I wanted to see what it was all about so I looked for Luckenbach on a map and it almost doesn’t exist!! The town was established back in the 1840’s by a group of mostly German immigrants and named after it’s first postmaster.  It was mostly a trading post that never broke the treaty with the Comanche Indians they traded with.  But thains weren’t goin’ too good in Luckenbach and by the 1960’s it was a virtual ghost town. An ad in a local newspaper read, “for sale, Luckenbach, TX population 3.  Hondo Crouch bought the town and turned it into a place where he and his friends could hang out and play and enjoy music.  After Jerry Jeff Walker recorded an album in the dance hall in 1973 Luckenbach became a more popular venue.  They still advertise live music there every night.My visit to Luckenbach was short as there is very little to see but I nevertheless enjoyed talking with the clerk in the 150+ year old General Store.  She has been there for 12 years and is part of the nightly music performances.  I grabbed a little memento and was back on the road less than 10 minutes after pulling up.

My major goal today was to pick a good line and get as far east as possible without getting REALLY wet.  The forecast for the area is rain followed by more rain, which is something southeast Texas has seen way too much of.  Since I try to travel on county roads vs. highways or interstates, they are much more subject to flooding. So, I’d like to get out of the major rain threat ASAP.  I made it through the whole day without getting wet with the exception of a 15 minute downpour just north of Austin.

East Texas is where the environment starts to get green. The desert landscape is behind me now, but gone too is the almost guaranteed dry weather that goes with it.  From what the forecast said on the news tonight, tomorrow will likely be a rain suit day.  As Ella Fitzgerald said back in 1944 Into Each Life Some Rain Must Fall…..

When I got up this morning I looked outside and it hadn’t rained last night; thirty minutes later, it was raining. I turned on the news and what it looks like today is pop-up showers between here and Jackson, Mississippi with worse weather to follow moving up from the Gulf of Mexico. I finished packing the bike and it was time to decide about the rain gear, I hate putting that stuff on & it looks more clear to the northeast so I figure I’ll start without it.I know my general direction is northeast so I’m just picking a road that looks like it goes northeast or north or east and where the sky is brightest, and it’s working out pretty well. This trying to stay dry thing is a game for me on these rides. It’s like a maze that I need to find my way through or something and my reward for success is that I don’t have to wear the rain gear.  Maybe that’s why I don’t like putting it on – it means that I’m admitting defeat. On the way back you can’t out run it because it’s coming at you. So, you just pick a weak spot in the line, put your head down, and go for it – kinda like Red Rover.

When you cross the border from Texas into Louisiana you can “feel” it.  First, it’s time to put that helmet back on, second the roads are WAY worse, and third – it’s just different. I did have to laugh very shortly after I got across the border.  Last night I stayed in Nacogdoches, Texas; well, I guess those Indians were over here too but I can’t help you with the pronunciation this time. I wonder how the Indians spelled it – Ha ha…..I already mentioned the condition of the roads.  Along with that, goes the speed limit.  All the way across the state of Louisiana the speed limit was 55 mph – UGH. What in Texas was a fun, exciting and sometimes challenging ride at 75 mph, in Louisiana turns into a boring and dull clop along at 55 mph. I think they just never changed the signs from back in 1974 – when 55 was the national speed limit, remember that?? Forgive me for doing the math for you but a 300 mile ride at 75 takes 4 hours; at 55 it takes an hour and forty five minutes longer. SO – I don’t go 55 mph, I ride between 63 and 68 mph. That adds to the fun, but now the challenge is to not get a ticket, which is a different kind of excitement I guess.  But the state of Louisiana has turned me into a criminal. Take a look at this road – Fifty Five miles per hour….. Really!!  I thought I was going to get some “professional help” (law enforcement) with my speed when I noticed a highway patrol car in the median – the cruise control was set at 69. His brake lights came on, then the lights on top, and I started looking for a place to pull over.  Guess he got someone going the other way because I never saw him again.  I dropped down to 63 for the rest of my Louisiana experience.

I missed my old bike a lot today. That bike was the best I’ve ever had when it comes to dusting off some dick head. Twist the throttle and two seconds later – adios. This bike will do it but it just takes a little longer and that doesn’t quite put the exclamation point on it that I’d like to.  It’s a bold period – but I like the exclamation point.  Enjoy it Lester…

Mississippi is still a helmet law state but the speed limit kicked up to 65 – Great!  Come to find out, speed limits in Mississippi must just be a suggestion, because at 73 mph people were flying by me like I was stopped!!  It started on the bridge over the Mississippi River, I thought there must be a high speed chase or something – 50 mph speed limit over the bridge and this guy was going at least 80. Imagine how the Mississippi residents must feel when they have to go into Louisiana.One thing that both states have in common is pulpwood trucks, but they say pup-wud. They haul cut down trees but you can’t call them logging trucks because the trees are too small to be called logs. The trucks do however shed bark, mud, rocks, etc. It’s time to be alert whenever you are near one of these trucks. I was passing one and a piece of bark came off like the driver had been waiting for just the right time to release it; missed me but barely. The trees are ground up into pulp and used to make paper and other stuff.

I started looking for a place to stay 45 miles south of Jacksonville because I didn’t like the way the sky looked to the north and I didn’t want to have to lose the game at the end.  That didn’t work out but I didn’t lose the game either.  It was close though, this is what it looked like when I pulled up to check in and 10 minutes later, it was raining.  That rain followed me all the way here – but I won….. this time.

What a glorious day for a bike ride. No rain to outrun, not too cold, not too hot, didn’t have to start early or ride all day – just perfect.  A relaxing ride through the countryside of middle Mississippi and next thing you know, you’re in Alabama.  There isn’t a whole lot to see along the road and it’s pretty much back country but the road and the ride are their own reward and I thoroughly enjoyed the adventure today.Yesterday I told you about the pulpwood trucks, and some of their hazards.  Today I was behind a flatbed truck stacked with chickens.  I would rather eat a tub of catfish bait than follow a chicken truck.  I have no idea how much they pay those drivers but they don’t have enough money to pay me to do it.  I think it said Sanderson Farms on the door of the truck but truthfully, I was going by so fast I could be wrong on that one.  Regardless where they come from or are going to, you won’t see me behind a chicken truck for very long.

Being off the slab means that you’re going through many small towns which kinda gives you the flavor of the area, especially when you’re stopping at local gas stations.  It is very interesting to see the change as you travel across the country.  Being on a motorcycle with a California license plate draws lots of attention and I’ve had some very amusing conversations along the way.  Sometimes down here in the south, it’s actually difficult to understand some of the people – they speak southern and they do it fast.  But we eventually get it figured out, usually they are slowing down for me, and the encounters are a good source of entertainment for me while I finish my bottle of water or whatever before I get back on the road.

My main reason for being in Millbrook is that my niece Brandy and her husband Jayson live here.  They are Master Sergeants in the Air Force and work with computer data and program design. Both smart as a whip and doing a great job for the Air Force & their country.  They came to the hotel and took me out to dinner at the local catfish restaurant and I am STUFFED.  I was just about full when my dinner came because the hush puppies, colesaw, and smoked white beans they brought out for appetizers were so good.  We stayed long after the food was gone, enjoying the company and the conversation.  As always, great to see you both.

What a great way to start the morning, Brandy & Jayson took me out to breakfast.  Brandy was telling me about this special sausage they make here in Alabama and that I just had to try it.  I guess Louisiana has there Andouille Sausage and Alabama has their Conecuh (conek-UH) Sausage`.  We went to a deli that serves breakfast and I got the Conecuh Scramble.  Brandy was right, that sausage was really good, and so was everything else on the plate.  This is what I call a gettin’ you down the road breakfast – and it did that for sure.

One last hug from my niece and I was in departure mode.  It takes a little while to load the bike especially if the hotel doesn’t have one of those luggage carts you can use.  Four or five trips back and forth and it’s time to get rolling.  Last night I was telling my wife that I was looking for a good route down to Milton, Florida. I have several sources but was still looking when she suggested I take Hwy 41.  I took her suggestion and I’m happy that I did.  It’s an easy ride but not a straight up ride, plenty of curves and altitude changes with very little actual challenge.  It’s been a while since you got a video so here’s about a mile of Hwy 41 – bonus points if you know what the song is…

The couple I’m going to visit in Milton is the same couple that are partners in our boat up in Canada. Ned told me that if I came by he would take me fishing in the Gulf of Mexico for Red Snapper. Seems I lucked out and my visit will be during the NINE DAY fishing season for these fish – and – if the fish & game thinks too many are being caught, they can shorten the season to SIX days.  Are you kidding me!! Six day fishing season – I’ve never heard-a such-a thing.  I guess they are really good eating and some of them get pretty big.  This is Ned with a 20 pounder from just a couple days ago.

I have another buddy in Milton – a guy that I was in the Air Force with a hundred years ago.  I used to fish with this guy back then and while he was stationed up in Alaska, he told me to come up and he’d take me salmon fishing.  Ned said, “Sure – bring him.”  I stopped by and we visited for a couple hours.  Unfortunately he won’t be joining Ned & I for the great Snapper Slaughter tomorrow, but it’s always good to see old friends.  And yes, that’s really me in the picture.

I’ll be staying here in Milton for a couple days so be patient and I’ll have another post for you soon.  Hey, while you’re waiting, see what you can do to send some good weather to this part of the country.

On my first night in Milton I was welcomed by a pretty violent thunderstorm.  At 1:30 in the morning the lightening was so close that the thunder was actually shaking the house.  Ned said that they got over 2 inches of rain that night.  As it turns out, this was just mother nature clearing her throat, the real storm was yet to come – more on that later.  We got up that morning ready for the Red Snapper Slaughter but the conditions were iffy at best.  We decided that we weren’t going to give up that easy and went out to see the conditions first hand.  Our “look around the corner” should have been enough of a deterrent, but we were determined and decided to venture out and see what the ride was really like.  The distance from the corner to the fishing hole is 15 miles – after three miles of getting beat up pretty bad, we agreed that discretion was indeed the better part of valor, and headed for home.  It was a good thing too, as conditions only got worse that day.  This is Ned searching for some bait to net, we never did find exactly what we were looking for but he threw the net out a few times just for practice…

The next morning we were toying with the idea of going out, but conditions were far from ideal so we opted for a visit to the National Naval Aviation Museum at Pensacola NAS.  Ned made blueberry & banana oatmeal pancakes that were so good that they don’t even need syrup – Yum, and we were off to the museum.  Just a couple days ago one of the Blue Angles crashed and died.  That hits close to home here, because Pensacola NAS is the home of the Blue Angles.  There was a makeshift memorial at the entry gate to the base, flowers piled high, a cross or two, and at least 50 American flags, it was really nice.  This community has a big connection with the Blue Angles.The first things to fly out of the Pensacola NAS were these flying boats.

Who doesn’t like a radial engine?  They are the coolest looking and the best sounding engines I’ve ever heard.  This one on the F4B/ P-12 really caught my eye.

Of course they have one of these F-4U Corsair aircraft.  In my opinion the most bad ass airplane of that era.  It had a 2,000 horse power 18 cylinder Pratt & Whitney Double Wasp radial engine – the most powerful engine available at the time.  If you were an enemy pilot you didn’t want to see one of these bad boys in your rear view mirror!!I also really like the looks of this T-6 Texan.  My father was lucky enough to get a half hour ride in one – he talks about it to this day.  Who wouldn’t – – –

Lastly, they have a few aircraft and engines here that have been cut away so you can see the works beneath.  Interesting to see all the wires in the wings and fuselage some used for tension and stability, others used to control the wing surfaces for flight.

I’ve just shared a few of my favorite aircraft with you but they have LOTS of airplanes here.  They also have several large and extremely detailed models of air craft carriers.  The space program is represented as well.  I had no idea how small the command modules (the thing that fell back to earth with the astronauts inside) were back when they first got started.  People must have been smaller back then.  Ha haWell worth the trip and next time I’m in the Pensacola area, I’ll be back.  Especially since it’s free; they would like a donation but it’s not required.  I figured we donated enough with the money we spent inside.  We went to see a Blue Angles movie filmed in I-MaX – not free but very cool.  We also had a good and very reasonably priced lunch and a couple beers in the Cubi Bar Cafe.

For nearly 40 years, the NAS Cubi Point Officers’ Club, in the Republic of the Phillippines, was a marvelous mix of American efficiency and Filipino hospitality. The club was especially famous for its Plaque Bar, where transiting squadrons retired old plaques and commissioned new ones to commemorate each WestPac tour. The tradition of placing plaques in the O’ Club bar was started during the Vietnam Conflict and endured until the closing of the base in 1992.

When the original officers’ club was closed in 1992, the thousands of plaques that adorned the walls of the club as tokens of thanks were packed up and sent to the Museum to be placed as they were when the Cubi Club was closed.  But it’s not just the plaques, they have the bar, bar stools, and tables and chairs from the original Cubi Club.

Much watching of the weather was done starting when we got back home from the museum.  A tropical storm was brewing and it was looking like it was going to be worst on the day I planned to ride to Sarasota, and that’s exactly what happened.  Those of you that really know me wouldn’t be too surprised that I was still planning on making the trip and just getting wet.  THAT would have been a huge mistake.  After I decided to stay another day and watched as the storm crossed the state – I was very glad that this was one of the few times I heed the good advise I often get.

What a difference a day makes!!  Today was a great day to ride, but with 500+ miles to go I was up on the slab for most of it.  The state of Florida gets an A+ for the condition of it’s Interstate 10 and 75.  These drivers though – – I don’t know how fast you have to be going to get a ticket but the speed limit is 70 mph and the car in the median is obviously law enforcement and the folks going 85 mph aren’t even slowing down.  I need my Camaro back!!  I ran into a brief downpour about 70 miles north of Sarasota and was pretty wet from it, but by the time I got there I was mostly dry.  I got the bike in the garage two minutes before it started raining.  So, I still haven’t put the rain gear on – knock on wood….

Lastly, I would like to thank my friends Ned and Joan for welcoming me into their home and taking such good care of me, and maybe even saving my life.  THANK YOU!!

Yesterday we went to a Tiki Bar in the downtown Sarasota area.  The bar tender looked a little like Ron Bly and had some of the same mannerisms and a very similar way of talking, they could be twin brothers.  And remember Tropical Storm Colin, with the 50 mph winds – two days ago?  Well, the guy who owns this boat is going to remember it for a long time……

Today was a short day so I did something I almost never do – – I slept in.  I didn’t get up until almost 8:00; which was just in time for breakfast.  My buddy Phil made scrambled eggs and biscuits & gravy.  It was wonderful and I was plenty full when it was time to get back on the road.  I knew that there was almost no way to get across the state or Florida in this area without getting rained on, so I had everything packed for the wet weather.  But hey – I’ve been pretty good at dodging the rain showers so far, maybe I’ll be able to pick my way across the state and stay as dry as possible.  I’m not putting on my rain suit though for lots of reasons.  The cost of hubris is often very high, and today was wrath of the rain god day.  Here is the view leaving Sarasota – Behind & Ahead.

I was trying to ride toward lighter sky since I’ve been so successful with that tactic in the past, but there was no running from this thing.  I have never ridden is such strong rain and if I’m ever faced with it again, I will not ride in it, like Green Eggs & Ham.  I’ll be happy to share the details with you sometime but for now, I’ll just tell you that by the time I got to West Palm Beach, I was literally as wet as I would have been if I had fallen into a swimming pool.  Today, I lost.  What was really nice though is that my bike ran just fine even though it was raining HARD and the wind was blowing hard from the right as well.

Early in the ride, I was in a small area where it wasn’t raining anymore and got this shot of the bike with a live oak tree complete with all the Spanish Moss hanging from it.  Something you see fairly often here in the south.  Spanish Moss is similar to an air plant in that it absorbs it’s nutrients and water from the air, not the earth.

Before I go I would like to thank Phil and Shelly for their hospitality and being such good friends.  You may very well be hearing about Phil again, he is going to Detroit to buy a BMW GS 1200 and ride it back to Florida.  We may very well meet somewhere between here and there.  Ride safe my friend, I’ll be looking for you somewhere in Georgia maybe – get a good rain suit….. Ha ha

After I dried out from that last leg of the trip I enjoyed three days of golf with a guy that I’ve known and played golf with for 30 years.  He and his wife put me up in their beachfront condo on Singer Island.  I am truly blessed to have such great friends.Waking up to a sunrise like this is a great reason to get up early in the morning.  Time with Scott means we’re probably going to be playing golf.  I was his guest for three days at Ibis Country Club and thoroughly enjoyed it.  I don’t know how many rounds of golf we’ve played together but it’s a bunch.  Scott’s always been a little better golfer, but he gave me an appropriate number of strokes and at the end of three days, he grudgingly parted with one dollar; he’ll definitely be adjusting how many strokes I get next time we tee it up!  This gator was big enough and close enough that while we were hitting our tee shots, one of us watched the gator to make sure he stayed put.After taking Theresa out for her birthday breakfast it was time for me to get on the road. It’s kinda slow going up A1A in Florida (sister road to the Pacific Coast Highway) but it’s a much better experience.  The easy curves and smooth roads between the towns make you forget the short amount of time spent trying to catch the next green light.One of the things I would have liked to do on the way to St. Augustine was go visit the Navy Seal Museum.  When I got there, I found out that they are closed on Mondays.  However, there was a grounds keeper (former Navy Seal) that, after verifying I was a Vet, allowed me to go inside the gates and take a few pictures while he ran some trash to the dumpster.  It’s hot here in Florida this time of year.  It’s a little easier to deal with when you’re moving though.  What’s really welcome is some cloud cover because it’s much better in the shade.  But it doesn’t rain when the sky is clear so clouds can be dangerous as well.  Luckily I only experienced a couple of showers today – which actually felt good.

By the way, it’s Flag Day