Cat Casserole

You're Welcome

2009-11-11T10:11:00.000-08:00

Today is a special day. It is a day when we honor our veterans.

One veteran I would like to honor is me. Many of you may not know, but I served in "The Mother of All Battles"* - The Gulf War. Yes, while you were playing grab ass, or hoping Keystone Light went on sale again, I was out essentially preserving your right to continue on this earth.

My story was like many others, I was motivated by a sense of what I could do for my country, of how I could give back, and also I was literally majoring in beer drinking in college.

The answer came in the form of a Navy recruiter. After showing me posters of exotic ports, videos of activities in these exotic ports, and giving me a collection of various antibiotics for actual visits to the exotic ports, I signed up! (It actually never occurred to me HOW we actually got to those ports, or WHAT we did between ports. I sort of vaguely pictured a cruise ship, with lots of downtime between ports. Little did I know.)

After saying goodbye to friends and family, I shipped off to bootcamp. I will be detailing each phase of my Navy service in future posts, I want this to focus on just the general fact that I served, and you did not.

Or maybe you did, but not in a war. Or, maybe you did serve in a war, I don't know, the point is, I laid it on the line, and I came back. I got lots of letters when I was at sea, my "friends" laughingly telling me they were "drinking one for me" or letting me know my girlfriend was "like a rabbit that has been let out of a cage" the day our ship left.

I enjoyed these letters, and even though I was staring death down every day, never knowing if tomorrow morning would find me alive and breathing, or fish food at the bottom of the ocean, a tear forever frozen on the cavity that used to be my eye before a grouper ate it, it was good to know that their lives were progressing.

Sometimes my brother would write and say class was going well, and I would laugh and write back that that was great, and that things were going for well for me also, as I was able to eat that day.

Or my sister would write and say she "missed her big brother" and I would write back and ask if she would still think of me as her big brother when I came back, and all that was left of me fit in a shoebox, and it was literally just my foot and a shoe, in a shoebox. Would I still be her "big brother" then?

Mom told me later she cried when I wrote this, but I told Mom she'd probably cry more when they might have to notify my family the last thing they saw was my body explode - head flying off, a smile still on it, sailor hat still attached at a jaunty angle.

Somehow, though, I came back. I have moved on, but you never forget. So many memories, getting hit in the head with a box, watching a guy slide face first on non-skid, and leaving his face behind; the grimace on people's faces when they got Dear John letters, the snicker I made when I reminded them their name was not John, and if she couldn't remember their name, it probably wouldn't have worked out anyway.

Many people ask today, "What can we to honor your service?" and I tell them, we don't want much, just a tip of the hat, slight nod of the head, and just the realization that you owe us your very existence.

At least buy them lunch. (I like In and Out.)

*Saddam Hussein

A Spider Named Jeff

2009-09-30T18:45:00.000-07:00

Ok, after a hiatus, I am back. I seem to have developed a tiny following, and people have been asking where I have been. One person asked if I was in jail, another asked why I had a blog in the first place.

So, I have been extremely busy, hence the absence. I recently completed work on a site:

http://www.nationalhareandhound.com

This took all my time up, but was a huge score for me, and will be leading to a lot of work. I already have a site I am working on due to that site, and a few in the queue.

Now that things are a little less busy, I will work to post something here every week, even if it is just a thought, like this:

"I am not comfortable doing that, and I don't care if that's 'what men do.'"

So, the picture above is from Boston. We went to a game at Fenway Park. Now, when I say, "went to a game," I mean, we stayed for 1 inning, then left. I have a bladder the size of a walnut, and I dread constantly getting up to walk past people, and always asking, "What is the proper way to face? Ass in their face, or junk in their face?" I don't know, but I am sure there is some etiquette that says which side we face towards people as we slink by.

We just happened to be staying at a hotel across from Obama's, who was in town for Ted Kennedy's funeral. It was like Die Hard looking out the window. Moving trucks blocking the street, etc.

My sister also came out to visit. Seeing Abby was great, I think they had fun, though I totally share Conrad's disgust with the fact there is 1 (one, uno) freeway here, so getting around town involves a s-load of traffic lights and surface streets.

In other news, my brother is back from England. They came back a little early, so things are a little hectic with them, but they seem to be adjusting well.

I will post again soon, and have some new material. I am currently working on a pictorial that is entitled "Jim: A Peanut's Journey Through the Human Digestive Tract."

Later

Pictures

2009-07-15T12:19:00.001-07:00

This is how they roll, Nebraska style

2009-07-15T12:00:00.000-07:00

Actual, unretouched photo of the inside of a typical Nebraska work truck. Click to open.

America Undercover - Sexual Harassment in the Telecommuter's Workplace (Part 1 of a 26 Part Series)

2009-07-08T07:17:00.000-07:00

It occurred to me the other day, we often hear about sexual harassment in the workplace. But, what about when your workplace is your home? We never hear about the rampant sexual harassment that takes place in thousands of home offices every day.

Sadly, I know first hand, the reality of this problem.

For the victims, the stories are very similar. We may be on a call, we may be busy updating a spreadsheet, when inevitably, our spouse/partner/significant other calls, with a request that we "have the bed warmed up for a nooner," or "get the belt sander, the fireman's hat, and a drop cloth over your desk, I am 5 minutes from home."

(I still have nightmares over one particular phone call, in which I was told that my "employee review was ready, and it looks like someone was very, very bad.")

Inevitably, we are met with laughter and derision when we say, "I am right in the middle of a call," or "I really need to get this project done." Our protests are often answered with sarcastic sneers. As Andrea often says, "Yeah, well, this employee needs to get something done, and you have 10 minutes or you're fired."

Many people report that their spouses enjoy playing the gruff boss. Many a time, Andrea has told me, "The boss is coming home for lunch, and the boss is hungry." I don't even know what that means, yet before I know it, I find myself setting all instant messengers to "Be right back," turning on the out-of-office email, getting out an icepack and some Motrin, and beginning the long walk upstairs.

Most home office employees all point to the perception that no one seems to take their work all that seriously. Even though we have the same deadlines, workloads, and responsibilities, they are taken much more lightly, because we work in Hello Kitty pajamas, while sitting in a den with shag carpet, drinking Sanka.

Sadly, this problem remains swept under the rug. Yet, as more and more people shift to telecommuting, society will be faced to look at this long and hard.

(That's what she said.)

Class of 1989 Ainsworth, NE - Part 1 of 3

2009-07-02T17:46:00.000-07:00

Thursday afternoon to Friday afternoon

So, Andrea had her 20 year reunion this past weekend. All 60 people in her class were invited to attend. I think we had more people in our men's bathroom at any given time then she had in her graduating class, but, that's a small town for you.

Another way it's a small town for you is when they have a parade for the graduating class. Yet another way it's a small town, is when your entire graduating class is paraded throughout town on a flatbed trailer.

And yet another way it is a small town, is when Main Street is filled, with people, wanting to see flatbed trailers full of graduating classes.

(In all seriousness though, it is very cool to be able to see how these small towns are, and you get a real sense of the pride they have.)

So, we left out Thursday after work. The drive was uneventful, except for the part where I thought I might have to use the bathroom. Now, I should explain, I don't go to the bathroom in front of anyone, ever, if I can help it. As in, I will literally give Andrea some money and tell her to go to Starbuck's so I can have some privacy. And, even then, I will turn on the vacuum cleaner and every stereo we have, to ensure proper ambient noise reduction.

So, we stopped at Arby's and had dinner. Shortly after dinner, I got what I would call just a slight flutter in my stomach. Nothing serious, but it did portend bad things to come.

Sure enough, the flutter turns into a light rumble. Very light, but definitely there. At this point, I begin sweating, and realizing that this could go either way. So, I sort of casually lean over to Andrea, and say, "Hey, we might need some gas or a Sprite or something." To which Andrea looks at me, and says, "You have to go to the bathroom don't you. Well, there isn't a gas station for 40 miles."

Now, we are in the middle of farm fields. She sees the pained look on my face, and then says, "You can always just pull over and go." And, it is times like this, you realize how little people know of each other. I informed Andrea that if that were to happen, she would have to continue on without me, and that we could never see each other again. And I swear on a stack of KTM's, I would have walked off into the distance, never to be seen from again.

Luckily, the emergency passed (not literally) so we soldiered on, got a room, and ended up in Ainsworth around lunchtime Friday.

Friday afternoon was fairly uneventful. We met up with her friend Andy, and decorated the flatbed. (It was at this point I finally believed that they were going to be in a parade, on a flat bed trailer.)

So, after decorating, it was time to head to the local bar, The Longhorn, or "The Horn" as it's known there. This was the first of 2 nights of minimal sleep, and maximum drinking.

To be continued

Pictures:

Very artistic composition, taken outside The Longhorn. **First, I chose an ISO setting that allowed a very duotone feel. I then tried to jar the viewer with the raindrops on the lens, giving the portrait a sense of dissonance. I then soften the dissonance by underexposing, and thus softening the harsh contrasts and grayscale of the background. In the end, the viewer feels a sense of completeness.
(**Actually I just pushed the photo button on a Hannah Montana disposable camera we bought at the Dump 'N Flush)

Cameron and Susie. Susie squeezed Cameron so hard, you guessed it, he made a little mud.

I am not sure it is physically possible to look like more of a dork than I do in this picture.

Andrea taking charge and kicking ass, helping out on the float. Andrea's "Der Fuhrer" approach was not appreciated by everyone, but hey, she gets shit done.

The gang. Some great people I met. In particular, Johnny was a cool guy, from California, and was in on the dirtbike industry. What more could you ask for!

Thoughts after some scotchcy-scotch

2009-06-10T19:20:00.000-07:00

My brother had a friend, I think his name was John Welley, or something. Anyway, I remember this guy was absolutely hilarious. One of those guys that was way ahead of how funny he should have been at the time. Anyway, he did our morning announcements at school one time, and he reminded everyone, over the PA, to "masticate before swallowing."

He was banned from doing announcements after that. But I still remember that.

Pat also had another friend, Benji Boor, that wanted to beat me up, but that is another story.

We went camping, a couple weekends in a row. Pictures will be slow in coming, as I ran over the camera.**

Other than that, not much new. For the summer, we have some camping planned, trip to Cal to ride, trip to Boston, and a trip to England at the end of the year.

**While camping, we went fishing. Andrea had a few Coronas. I handed her the bag with the camera in it as we were leaving. She went to use the bathroom. Unbeknownst to me, she set the bag on the ground, under the front wheel of the truck. I thought, "Oh, I'll drive over and pick her up, like a gentleman." Pow. I ran over the camera.

Now some pictures:

Chalk Lake Campground - Colorado. Sweet.

James Stewart - Las Vegas Supercross

Margy-time, Las Vegas

Andrea trying some cucumbers to hide her black eyes. Andrea has black eyes, because, when I said "Turkey Pot Pie," she didn't say, "Swanson's or Oreida?"

I actually wrote that, not noticing the spelling error.

Jerusalem Cricket Part 2

2009-05-12T08:54:00.000-07:00

Ok, let me start off by saying that I just lost 10 of the remaining 12 years I have of my life.

I was going to wash my riding gear, and put my sweet new nose guard on my goggles. So, I casually go to reach in my helmet bag, and this friggin monster is sitting right at the opening. You have got to be f'in kidding me. I swear I pissed my pants.

This is not what you want to see when you are reaching in a bag (Click image for full effect)

I then proceeded to smack the side of the helmet bag, to try and tip it off the side. What happened? It disappeared. F ME. I then launched that helmet bag about 80 yards into the back lawn. No sign of the hell-monster.

I walk back to the table, snatch my gear bag and fling it into the yard. I catch a quick glimpse of it. It scuttles under a fold in the tablecloth. I can actually hear the goddamn thing scuttling; literally pistoning its crab legs on the table.

This is what I was dealing with. This is pants soiling material here, folks. For those who care, they are called 'sun-spiders.' I guess 'Stephenkingsian Lobster Spawn Hellraiser 3 Scuttle Monster' was taken.

So I grabbed a log. Not a branch, not a piece of wood, but a log, and beat the hell out of the fold it was in. For 2 solid minutes, I beat the hell out of the whole damn table. I then used a 20 foot pole and lifted the fold, and there the thing was - dead, though I still waited for its jellied remains to start moving. I grabbed 2 long sticks, and using them as salad tongs, lifted it the hell out of there.

I can finally start breathing again.

*As for Jerusalem Cricket Part 1, I was working in the garage one time, and while kneeling on the floor, changing a tire, I reached for a tire iron, when one of these came walking towards me:

Hi! Don't mind me. Just scuttling along here, walking in the area where the floor meets the wall, just scuttling along in that little groove, just minding my own business, feet clicking on the ground, body dragging, pincers opening and closing as I just amble along. Whoa, did you just have an accident?

I have never moved so fast in my life, I literally did a half-roll crab walk at light speed out of the garage. I then grabbed a propane torch, and lit this hell-spawn on fire. I honestly kept waiting for its flaming body to come flying towards me, emitting a high-pitch shriek as it flew through the air.

Most probably, I am smarter than you.

2009-05-12T07:57:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the paucity of updates. I have been in Cal, working, etc., so it has left me little time for nonsense like this blog. I recently turned 40. I think Hilary summed it up best when she said - "You are old."

To celebrate, Andrea took me to Vegas to see the final Supercross race. We had a great time. The weather was nice, and Andrea didn't look too fat in her bikini, so it was a fun trip.

Pat and Lari hooked up with some cool Nazi books, and a case of English beer, which is sweet, because I love to sip on English ale and read Nazi books.

I have been continuing my 'trailride the races' experiment, and that has not gone well. I jacked my back up at the last race, most likely from having the seat jackhammer me the last 20 miles. I have not been able to stand, or lay on my back since then. But, I have gotten a few good trailrides in, and am having fun doing that, so I think I will just spectate at the races from now on

The trailer is ready to go camping, so I am looking forward to that. Also I am looking forward to killing my dog. Wyatt is 10, and they only live to about 12 anyway, so I will be re-enacting Old Yeller, and shooting him, though it will be for no good reason. Ahhh, the look on his face will be priceless. That is, until I shoot it off.

That's all for now, I will post more regularly. Maybe.

This is amazing

2009-04-13T16:06:00.001-07:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lp0IWv8QZY

It shows how much we judge.

The Results Are In

2009-04-02T09:16:00.001-07:00

According to my poll, Hilary's cat Sushi has been selected to be thrown in a dumpster. Hilary called this morning, and said they have decided to boil her instead. I know a lot of you are thinking that is inhumane and torture, but Hilary said the only thing they don't eat are the bones, and even those are used as toothpicks and as bonsai-driftwood ornaments.

Also, you apparently are convinced I did light Pat's stupid little stove thing. Well guess what? I didn't light any of the gd pellets. Residual smoke smell alone would have stopped me from doing this. (I think, I didn't exactly plan out my capers.) The most likely suspect remains Jimmy Bullard. He always had a swarthy look about him.

London - It's Delicious!

2009-03-27T15:34:00.000-07:00

Ok, we took a trip to London, March 5 - 16, to see some of England and visit the bro. Let me clarify the priorities on this trip:

1. See London
2. See Bath
3. Contract Salmonella
4. Lose a limb to a slow burning fire
5. Visit my brother's family in Brixworth

But seriously, we had a great time. We spent 4 days in London, saw the usual sites, Parliament, Big Ben, Pubs, Trafalgar Square, Pubs, Piccadilly Circus, Covent Garden, and some Pubs. Pat and Lari came down to visit, and we had a good time. Went to Tower of London with them, and a couple other places.

We went to dinner, and I tried something new - Fisherman's Pie. Would I ever try it again - hell no. But I did eat the whole thing.

How to make Fisherman's Pie

3 fish heads, spines still attached
Gills
Sea broth
Gravy
Pie crust

Combine all ingredients into a pie crust, bake at 400 for 45 minutes, serve hot.

Parting couldn't come soon enough. Luckily, Andrea had developed shingles, so we were able to cut our time short, and carry on.

We then drove to Bath to see the ancient Roman baths. The driving wasn't too bad. Although, if you ask Andrea, she might see it differently. Several times I heard death moans in the passenger seat, and my favorite was her putting her legs on the dashboard, curling into the fetal position, and bracing for impact, all while I was waiting to make a right turn. Yes, that actually happened.

We had fun in Bath, and the surrounding areas. Lastly, we made it to Brixworth, and in all honesty, we had a really great time. Lots of laughs, and plenty of times Andrea could not believe what Pat and I will joke about - to anyone - listening or not. (My favorite, Andrea telling me she thought "Nazi jokes with their babysitter" were in poor taste. I told her I thought her assless leather spangle chaps were in poor taste, but that didn't seem to work.)

Then it was back home. To keep the tradition though, I have been drinking some good English Ales, and wearing my flat cap.

Vive la France!

These pictures are in no particular order.

I sort of muffed up the shoe deal. I brought one pair. They sucked. So I bought these above. Hours later, I had blood pouring from the back of my feet, so I bought another pair, they worked!

My nieces. They are very lucky they get to live there and experience all that. They seem to realize that. They don't seem to quite realize that I fought in the Gulf World War, to ensure that they could do things like live in another country, and breathe. Ingrates, like all of you. You're welcome Audrey and Zoe. Or should I say, Audrinka and Zolstoy?

This was a cool pub, our first of many.

Someone's first pint.

Last night in Brixworth, at the George.

We are still not convinced we aren't stepbrothers.

This was after seeing the musical Jersey Boys. We found a great Italian restaurant. This was the first time we heard the "Oh, you're American, we love America, your kickstands are big, etc." while we were in the UK. We were way past half in the bag in this picture. Andrea is leaning over to tell me that my kickstand is hanging out.

This was in front of some old church. I squeezed Andrea so hard, she made a little mud.

Lari and the Patster. If you get this look, you've done something wrong. Even if you don't know what it is, he does.

This was Tower of London. This was an awkward moment. Lari went to suggest a place to see, and Andrea is here telling Lari, "What part of 'I am reading this book' do you not understand??" Then she said, "Yeah, Lari, that would be a great place to see. IF I GAVE A SHIT!!! And get your kids away from me. Especially the two to my right."

Andrea right after her morning bowel movement. As she says, "3 pounds lighter, and 6 times smilier!"

Please note the stirrup laying on the ground. Please note it fell off of a soldier. Please note, he is probably still getting his ass chewed. I literally cringed as it happened.

Lastly, this was at the Seven Seas pub. This cat, named Thomas Paine, lives there. It was totally docile, till Andrea went to take his picture. Right now the cat is doing what we call "Going Sushi" on Andrea. (Going sushi is where one has a feral cat that could literally function as a house pet for the Exorcist girl, but, because it didn't claw gobbets of flesh out of your thigh as it walked by, it is "being nice" and "very friendly.")

It is impossible to not like this picture!

How to Crash

2009-03-26T18:35:00.000-07:00

In crashing a dirt bike, we often use terms like "over the bars," "flying w," "tankslapper," etc. My good buddy Jim has allowed me to use a recent picture of him doing what I believe is a perfectly executed "faceplant." I mean, he is literally checking for a root system in this picture.

Bangers and Mash - That's What She Said

2009-03-17T16:17:00.000-07:00

Well, we are back from London. I will update the blog with saucy stories, but for now, please check out the photo gallery we created. We had a genuinely good time, and it was great seeing my brother and family.

England Pictures

You might want to pause the slideshow and click through it, as it goes pretty fast, and I have captions for the pictures.

145

2009-02-28T07:28:00.000-08:00

So, I finally got my cholesterol checked. Now, considering I do not eat vegetables - at all - and have generally had a poor diet, I was a little nervous to say the least. I actually wondered if the blood would flow out, or ooze out like cold Dinty Moore stew gravy. But I figured at 39, it is finally time I got a peek under the hood.

Good News:
My overall cholesterol is 145. In fact, every number was in the "Optimal" range.

Bad News:
There is no bad news, I can continue to eat like a bear at a bottomless In and Out dumpster. In fact right, now I have a bowl of turkey fat and funyons warming up on the stove.

Glasses Update

2009-02-02T10:40:00.000-08:00

Well, it has been 2 weeks, and I will say that these glasses have made a difference. I am amazed at all the rich detail around me. So, this morning, I went for a drive, and decided to document the difference. You can see, they really bring out the clarity of your surroundings.

Without my glasses:

With glasses:

A Tale of Three Cats

2009-01-30T15:26:00.000-08:00

My sister has 3 cats, and over the years I feel I have gotten to know them. I am right now enjoying their company. By enjoying, I mean, contemplating various ways they might come out of a wood chipping machine. Feet first? Just some lips? Still whining? I don't know. If a cat always lands on its feet, and you run it through a chipper, will its paws come out first? Just 4 paws, flying out of the end of it.

Cat #1 - Sirius
We'll start with Sirius. He is a black cat, maybe 6 years old, and he has recently licked all the fur off of his crotch. I am not making this up. If you were to put him on his back and splay his legs, you would not see any fur. I just did this, and sure enough, with his legs fully splayed, not a lick of fur. Maybe he is just neat? Sirius is a fun loving cat. He likes to play with the other cats, chase cat toys, and as you walk by, reach out and claw you. He also torments Cat #2, the feral cat.

Cat #2 - Sushi
Sushi is feral. By feral, I do not mean, 'skittish around people,' or 'somewhat shy.' By feral, I mean that she would just as soon claw your face to ribbons and pee on the wounds as she would look at you. Of course, you will never know, as you do not look at Sushi. Doing so will result in great personal injury. I looked at Sushi once. I now have one real testicle, and a steely replacement. Sushi has another great quality. She can only eat her food in portions, otherwise she throws up. So, she is generally fed 13 portions of 3 kibbles each. And just to remind you of who is boss, she will sometimes stick her paw down her throat, and throw up anyway.

Cat #3 - Cayenne
Cayenne is the grand dame of the bunch. She marks her territory by barfing in various places. Her way of saying, "The corner of the laundry room, behind the dryer, next to the lint filter area, in this non-accessible cubbyhole is mine." She will actually projectile vomit into a crack in grout, just to mark areas behind walls and crawlspaces as "hers." Now, of all the cats, Cayenne has a peculiar habit, which will ultimately result in my lighting her on fire with a propane torch.

She drinks water all day. But she is not content to merely drink, she must scoot the bowl around the room. So for no reason, she will slide her water bowl across the fireplace tiles. This is fine, except or she does this all night. So at 3 in the morning, she will slide the bowl. The sound of the bowl sliding is mind-numbing.

Sound of bowl sliding

I have tried to counter this by throwing things like socks, balls of paper and battery acid at her, but it continues. It really is enough to drive you insane. Maybe before I leave, I can treat Conrad and Hilary to some authentic "Tacos de chat."

Point of Clarification

2009-01-27T18:09:00.001-08:00

Now, oftentimes my Mom will say that I am "picking" on Hilary or "being hard" on her. And Hilary will play innocent, and agree with Mom that she is the victim.

The running joke is that in fact Hilary instigates most of this, and in fact is worse than I am by a factor of 1000.

Consider last night's episode:

Conrad had food poisoning or something. Suffice to say, the train was running at all stations. Every tap was on. The exhaust system was on full bore. He was crapping and puking at the same time. At one point he puked into a plastic bag. Understandable, we have all been there.

Hilary then took the bag, and rubbed it on my leg and pillow. So, let's all remember that the next time we think I am "a little hard" on Hilary.

I of course, can also talk about the times Hilary has shown me a fully-loaded, Dinty-Moore special, 6 pound diaper as I sit on the phone during a teleconference.

Desert MC National Race Report

2009-01-27T08:48:00.001-08:00

Escorting the racer that crashed, hence the fact I am going 10 mph

Ok, so this year I am going to do the National Hare & Hound Series, but just ride for fun. I don't ride enough to race anymore, plus I did it for a long time, and still have my body parts, so I am all about just having fun.

The race weather was cold, about 45, with a breeze that later turned into a wind. A strong wind. Anyway, it had rained, and the ground was somewhat damp, so the dust was not as bad as it could have been. With my new outlook, I just kept relaxed, and lined up at the start. I actually let everyone go, then just picked a good pace and started to catch people.

My first bit of fun was about 5 miles out, when I picked up a nice chunk of cholla in my boot. The best part was, a choice needle was jammed into the top of my ankle, so everytime I bent my foot up, I drove it further in. I finally had to stop and pull it out. Luckily, they have barbs in them, so as it came out, it pulled chunks of my foot out with it.

The first loop was shaping up to be a drag race, so I just put it in 5th gear and motored on. About halfway through, I watched a guy wad it up in some rocks in a sandwash and stopped to help him. He had smashed his face pretty good, and said his chest hurt. He was pretty out of it, so I roosted him as I rode off, and told him it sucked to be him. No, I stayed with him. We sat for about 25 minutes (the amatuers were coming by this point) and then I rode with him to the next check, slowly. Got him taken care of, then took off.

Cool video of the race

The second loop was the polar opposite of the first. It got into the tight rocky trails right off the bat, and had maybe one 4 mile flat stretch. The loop was relentless - uphills, downhills, and more of each. The wind was crazy. They were saying it was gusting up to 60mph, and I know that one time I crested a ridge, the wind literally blew me back down the side of it. It was a real factor in the riding, as it was hard to stay on the trail with the wind. I had fun on the second loop, no real problems. Had a couple scary moments on the downhills. Because I was so far back, I was behind a lot of slow guys, and thus was doing a lot of stopping on the downhills. Well, a couple times I hit the brakes, and the back tire came about a foot off the ground. That got my attention.

Anyway, finished it, felt good and relaxed, and had a good time.

Unfortunately, a fellow racer died from injuries after the race. It is a hairy sport, and I am amazed sometimes I made it through literally unscathed. It feels good to do them relaxed now, and it is more fun in a way. (I do miss racing a little, but also happy to be able to just ride.)

Next race is Round #2 in Ridgecrest Feb 8th.

Son of a bit&%

2009-01-18T17:29:00.000-08:00

Well, as you can see, 2009 ushered in a big change. I finally had to break down and get some glasses.

39 years old, and I now need glasses. Oh well. I can see things now that I couldn't before, like cars on the road, little kids in crosswalks, stop signs, etc.

I have to give credit to Andrea for hooking me up with the stylish glasses. Of course, I asked her not to look at me, as I am going through a self-conscious phase with them, but she did a good job.

The funny thing is I have 20/30 vision, but I need these for driving at night as I have a stigmata, or astigmatism, or something like that.

On another note, I will update more often, I have been busy with work.

Unabomber

2008-12-24T06:53:00.000-08:00

Dad and Mom celebrated their birthdays with a trip to Hawaii. Dad apparently took the Unabomber.

Trip #500 - Trail of Tears

2008-12-11T10:09:00.000-08:00

Here are some pics from the Vegas - Death Valley - Reno - Colorado drive.

New York New York Hotel in Vegas, from the room

Rhyolite, NV. A ghost town, with some sculptures. Pretty weird. On a good note, I found Pat's mtn bike.

Andrea and a funny couch. Andrea had to go to the bathroom really bad, apparently.

Ghosts.

Thing.

Andrea.

Heading into beautiful Death Valley.

Tahoe, it was snowy and cold. We lost money at the casinos.

...

Whell, ok then. Tap tap.

Retrun to Colorado. We sat in this spot for 2.5 hours, as a semi had crashed.

Yep, vacations are the best!

This is the best.

Seal Sighting at Disneyland

2008-12-05T14:02:00.001-08:00

I almost forgot, we ran into Seal and Heidi Klum into Disneyland. We sat with them in the Enchanted Tiki Room.

The best exchange I heard was as we were walking out, I was right behind Seal:

Woman: "Has anyone told you you look like Seal?"
Seal: "All the time."
Woman: "(Pause) Are you Seal?"
Seal: "All the time."

Click images for full effect

Disneyland and The Beach

2008-11-18T09:15:00.000-08:00

Andrea and Olivia flew out to Cal, and we took a trip to Disneyland. For Olivia, it was her first time:

1. Going to Disneyland
2. Seeing the beach
3. Acting as designated driver while her mom and I got drunk.

She had a great time.

Olivia at the beach. This is right before she made a tinky.

Olivia is running because I told her a hungry shark was swimming fast towards her. I love joking with kids, they just get it.

We toured the USS Midway, a carrier in San Diego. I reminded Andrea and Olivia that I am a war veteran, and they can thank me for all the freedoms they have. I reminded them of this several times. They also had some WWII vets speaking. Whatever...

Day 1 at Disneyland

This is right after we explained the rules for the day, for the 5th time.

The log ride. Ok, so, couple funny things. Andrea bailed on riding it. She bailed along with a 6 year old girl who was scared. She really did. Olivia did great, she is right behind me. Now, having been on this multiple times, I knew they take a picture here, so I posed like this. Notice the iron grips and real terror though on the other passengers.

You really do get wet.

Classic.

Day 2 at Disneyland, Halloween Day

We're getting this framed

Olivia just before Mom smashed her glasses into her face

Olivia bought this. She then left it on a ride. Thank God it was recovered. Seriously, thank God. I am not kidding, really, thank Him. Now. It was recovered people.

A cool house in toontown

The focus here is not us.

End of Day 2. Someone looks tired.

Death Valley Days

2008-11-17T08:04:00.000-08:00

So, for fun, I took a trip to Barker Ranch, better known as the cabin where Charles Manson was found.

It is in the middle of nowhere, in the Panamint Mountains, within Death Valley National Park. It is about 20 miles down a dirt road, up a narrow canyon.

The canyon up to the cabin.

More of the canyon

In front of the cabin

The bathroom where he was found. He was actually hiding in a cabinet, which you can see the outline of. Someone took the cabinet.

A tarantula

Note my tailgate

The swimming pool

We are the In-ko-pah people

2008-10-29T17:12:00.000-07:00

Pat practicing an instrument. He was into the music thing. Never really did anything for him. I see Hilary is there laughing. Most likely I am out sweeping the pool. Most likely for the 3rd time that day.

Actually, this isn't a bad picture, I really dont' have anything to say, though, I notice his shoes are untied.

Pictures

2008-10-28T16:14:00.001-07:00

My brother was kind enough to post pictures of me in my childhood on his blog.

http://tepidbeer.blogspot.com

I got some of him, I will be posting them soon.

I like pizza

2008-10-28T10:32:00.000-07:00

I have been really busy with work, so no updates, but I will catch up next week with some exciting stuff:

Some of the stuff I'll be blogging about:

A boil I found and lanced
Jock itch
Andrea and Olivia's trip to Disneyland and the beach
Rashes
The 100s race
Chafing

Ladies love the Gern Blanston Blog!

There is something wrong with me

2008-10-20T11:19:00.000-07:00

I cannot even explain why I did this.

They grow up so fast

2008-10-07T08:08:00.000-07:00

Today's my sister's birthday. Thanks to Pops and a scanner, we have some pics to share.

Senior Prom. The theme was "Urban Hobo."

You could write a book on this picture. We've all seen that Dad face before.

Family time.

Apparently this "fling" with Conrad is serious.

Cream Can Party

2008-10-02T06:59:00.000-07:00

So, Andrea's friends Susie and Cameron got married a couple weeks ago. I was asked to play guitar at the wedding. I haven't actually touched the guitar in 6 months, but I obliged, serenading the crowd with acoustic renditions of some acoustic songs. Selections included "Panacea, " "Tears," and "Closer to the Heart" as well as 2 chords from "Crash" by Dave Matthews.

The highlight of the event for me was when, at the closing of the touching exchanging of vows, the minister then presented Susie and Cameron, and with a flourish, nodded and waved to me to begin playing.

Unfortunately, we didn't actually go over that part. I literally sat there staring, and to top it off, awkwardly slid my hand down, picking one of the strings, so you had this quiet moment, a flourish, a single string plucked, and nothing.

To save the day though, I began playing "Bacchus Plateau," to the relief of all in attendance.

So, we then traveled to the reception house, and enjoyed a great night. Couple observations:

I brought the trailer to stay the night. When someone tells you "There is plenty of room to park," that is a sure sign you need to check it out for yourself. Otherwise, you spend 20 minutes trying to wedge a trailer into a tiny slot. Just saying.
There apparently is a tradition called a cream can party. You add a bunch of what I would call compost into a milk can, hook it up via a hose to a propane tank, and then cook it. For hours. Now, the best part is, I am watching this in the driveway, and I have 50 people laughing at me because I have never heard of a "cream can party." I am watching people watch a milk can, filled with compost, hooked up to a propane tank, and they think I am out of it.
The majority of people in attendance were from the midwest, which I classify as the area between Colorado and New York. Specifically, there were a lot of people from North Dakota. Now, one thing I learned, the answer to most anything you say is one of two things: "Oh yeah?" or "Oh no?" For instance, "I have never seen a cream can party." "Oh no?" or "This Bud Light is delicious." "Oh yeah." or "I am going to chainsaw your face off, and sand down the remains to the bone." "Oh yeah?" Seriously. That is what they say.
Lastly, the next morning, I felt like I had been run over by a truck. I hand't drank that much, so I wasn't sure why, but then someone asked if I had tried "Wedding Whisky." Well, yes I had. They then showed me the bottle. It was an Everclear bottle, with a brown liquid. Apparently, they take Everclear and add carmelized sugar. This is called "Wedding Whisky." And that is the midwest.

Andrea and Olivia

The ladies looking lovely. This is actually right after the ceremony.

Uncle Duke. Yes. The highlight was a song he sang which I think was 27 minutes long.

I 100% guarantee I am talking about myself in this picture, and most likely about a) motorcycling or b) motorcycling

Uncle Duke and the Dukettes.

Notable things in the picture: My gut. And the fact that Andrea raided Mrs. Roeper's closet.

Wedding Whisky.

I think Andrea grabbed his butt or something right as this was snapped.

TV...Good...TV...Good. Good TV. TV. Good.

Andrea and Susie. This is right before Andrea threw up.

Saroo, Saraa, Things Come, and Things Go...

2008-09-21T18:34:00.000-07:00

Ok, sorry I haven't updated in a while. I have been really busy with work. Check out:

www.adriancollins.net

So, what has been happening.

Well, I am looking for a job, completely done with this one, so that is taking up most of my time as I work on my portfolio. I have 2 websites in the queue that I am working on.

Travel plans, I head to California for the 100s race, be out there for a few weeks. Andrea and Olivia will fly out for Halloween, and we are going to Disneyland and my sister's to visit her and Conrad's new daughter.

Then Andrea will fly out for Thanksgiving week, we are driving up to Reno to visit the folks, to Vegas, then back "home."

Just went to one of Andrea's friends weddings, I will post about that when I find the camera. I actually played guitar at it. The set list included, and I am dead serious, "Panacea," "No One at the Bridge," "Closer to the Heart, " and an original composition in which I took 2 chords from "Crash" and and played them over and over.

To clarify, I consider myself a drummer now, who was stuck playing guitar, and my interest in guitar has sunk to about 0%.

As for the drumming, I have been practicing diligently. I will post some audio, but my newest piece is "Good Times, Bad Times" complete with the constant 8th note foot pattern on the hi-hat, and the classic Bonham triplets. I will say I am becoming bored with playing along with crappy canned music, and would love to jam with a guitarist and bassist. I will also say I don't like most people I meet, so that probably cancels out a guitarist and bassist.

So, the latest pics. We went camping a couple weeks ago, to Horsetooth Resevoir, up by Fort Collins. I finally bought a book on camping in Colorado. We both hate RV parks, so I wanted to find where the good stuff was. The book is great, I highly recommend it, it's called "Cool Places to Camp in the 3 Months You Can Camp in Colorado."

(Seriously, I did buy a book, and it is great.)

Had a good time, though I am not happy with the fishing success. I have yet to catch a fish in Colorado at a non-stocked lake. So, either the fishing is bad, or I don't know how to fish. I am guessing the latter.

Here are some pics:

The set-up

Someone is lovin it!

The view

View #2

No explanation needed

Wyatt looks scared in this one, wonder why?

Oh, here is why. Note: Andrea did not want to take this, and said I was "mean to Wyatt." On another note, does anyone want a dog that loves to stay 3 feet, and I mean max 3 feet, from you? So, say you are hooking up a trailer, or trying to move in the trailer, or in the bathroom. He will literally entangle himself in you. I fell through the closet doors once falling over him.

Seriously, take him.

Desert Racing + Out of Shape = Not Fun

2008-08-18T14:20:00.000-07:00

So, just got back from "riding" the National Hare and Hound in Wendover, Nevada. Let me start by saying, riding 3 times in 6 months, on easy trail rides, is not the way to prep for a 133 mile National desert race.

First off, 133 miles is one of the longest H&H's ever. The average H&H is 70-80 miles, the first loop of this one was 93 miles.

Secondly, unlike BITD or Baja, your pace is far slower, and the terrain way more technical, as they do not have to factor trucks and buggies into the course planning.

Anyway, we got there Friday night, I set up camp. (I was hoping to bring my trailer, but $4 gas killed that idea.) Got up Saturday morning and signed up. The race didn't start till noon, so we had some time. The bike was all ready to go, so I basically just sat around. Unlike other rounds, you cannot pre-ride the start, you can only walk it. I didn't bother as I was just there to have fun.

Anyway, get lined up, banner drops, and I went for it. I have always been a good starter, so I actually was in the clear on the left side, but backed off as I had no idea what was up ahead. I then settled into the pack, and encountered some of the worst dust I had ever seen. I swear, at one point I passed someone at 3 mph, and I was going 3.1mph. It was that bad.

The first loop was one word - fast. Jeep trails, the good kind that are fast, and have embedded rocks, mixed in with silt beds, the longest sandwash I have ever ridden, and some trees.

I was beat by the end of Loop 1, so I took my time in the pits. My buddy Jim came in shortly behind me, so we went out together on the 2nd loop. Unfortunately, I hit the wall. I had to stop 3 times just to drink water and sit there. I was wrecked.

The 2nd loop would have been fun if you were in shape - it went into the trees, had some cool trails, a really long and steep downhill, with riders stopped at various points drinking water.

Luckily, a buddy in the club had broken down, so I stopped to help him. I got him fixed, and we decided to just cruise it in. The best part was the 8 mile long whooped out trail we had to do right near the finish. You had to stand up, and my legs were done at that point.

Anyway, made it, got my finisher pin, and realized one important thing - you cannot just "race for fun." You either have to commit to it and hit it hard, or go spectate.

On a bad note, Josh Morros went down big time. There was a high-speed 5th gear tapped out road, and it had a kink and then a dip in it. 2 guys went down here, one was a Utah local who broke his femur, the other was Josh, who was running 3rd. He is in bad shape. Still unconcious, multiple broken bones, and the prognosis is apparently not all that good.

Read about that here: http://www.cyclenews.com/ShowStory.asp?HeadlineID=12818

It's rough sport.

So, I was going to head back down to Cal, but I ended up heading back to Colorado, as I was only 12 hours drive from Colorado, and 2 days from San Diego at that point. I will be back out there in October for the 100s race, etc.

Visiting a Crazy Man

2008-07-30T07:03:00.000-07:00

We went to "Bishop's Castle" the other day. Bishop's Castle is an actual castle, being built by a crazy man. The person building it is sort of an anti-government, live and let live type.

For instance, in one of his rants, (he tends to stand and have loud conversations with anyone walking by) he used the term "sovereign." That right there is a red flag. He also has several signs around the grounds that point out we really don't need a license or registration to drive across the US, that we have the right to do anything we want, etc.

To that end, he has obatined exactly 0 permits for this building, and has no plans to do so.

In any case, it is an impressive site.

My favorite exchange with him:

Me: "Where do you get all the rocks for this?"
Bishop: "Public Lands. And they can kiss my ass if they don't like it. It's our land."
Me: "Ahhh." Thinking to self, 'Where is the exit.'

Here are some pics:

Bishop's Castle

The inside

You are like 40 feet up at this point

This is not posed

I went in the globe structure at the top left of this

This thing is like 100 feet up, and it wobbles as you stand in it.

Zero Permits

You could write a book based on this picture.

The rock is from public land

I picked a bad day to stop sniffing glue

2008-07-29T07:56:00.000-07:00

For your entertainment, please check out:

http://www.adriancollins.net/neb

Not much new here. Camping with the trailer, working from home, still practicing the drums, guts still churning, slowly but surely heading towards the black abyss that only solitary days spent pondering the emptiness and futility of life can bring.

Pretty standard stuff.

We are heading up to Estes Park for some RV fun. Then I head to California for a few weeks to do a couple races and get some riding in.

My brother got his $3700 mountain bike ripped off. He said something that really struck me - that it could have been worse, and he still has family.

I don't get him.

Pat - not on the pipe, probably thinking about "family."

My sister also had a baby. Abigail Laurel Chi. They are still awaiting DNA results, but we are pretty sure her husband is the father. He has volunteered to split the costs even if it isn't though.

Hilary and *Conrad's new daughter.

*Pending paternity test

I do have some sad news. Wyatt, the dog, unfortunately is scheduled to be shot. We have been having some dependency issues with him, and we considered several options: leaving him be, being nice to him, anti-depressants, etc., but in the end, shooting him just seemed to make sense. Our plan is to wing him once to distract him, then just blast away. We want him to go in dignity, and make it fun for everyone.

I am going to be shot to death.

Shitter's Full

2008-06-15T18:47:00.001-07:00

So, this weekend, we took the tenement on wheels to break it in. After we got done with that, we decided to go camping.

I wanted to test out everything, see if I could park it, hook everything up, etc.

It started off iffy. The battery was dead. Now luckily we were going to a place with full hookups, so we would have electricity, but still, this is not the way you want to start a trip.

Anwyay, we got everything loaded, and headed out. Upon arriving, I noticed a couple other things. The "RV Starter Kit" the dealer provided was complete garbage.

(Side Note: Much like car dealers try to get you to think you can afford 1200 a month in car payments, RV dealers like to convince you that your Smart Car can pull a 45 foot-long 5th wheel, no problem. Seriously, their whole schtick goes like this - "You're driving a Toyota Corolla. Now, does that have a ball-hitch? It does, oh, hell, you can pull this 53 foot Freightliner, no problem. Hook the chains up to your rear-door handles, and you are good to go." All they care is that you get off the lot with the rear of your car still attached.)

The sewer hose was about a foot long, so I had to buy one there (luckily they had one.)

Next, the fresh water hose didn't thread all the way on to the spigot, so I had to buy a new one, that actually did thread on.

Saturday, I then drove into town (it is nice being able to unhook and go places, like say, Napa Auto Parts) to get the battery tested - it was bad. Understandable, it was 2 weeks old. So I got a new one, and thus far it has worked.

Everything else worked - AC was cold, heater was hot, shower worked. We limited the bathroom use to #'s 1 and 3. (Pat, Hilary and I are well acquainted with #3.) I figure, if we don't need to annihilate the black water tank, no sense in doing so.

I also learned that the average age of a person in an RV park is 108. And, they drive these massive rigs. Honestly, the trailer looked like it could have fit in the sewer hose compartment of one of the big rigs.

Al in all, it worked fine. Might even end up keeping it.

Mountaindale RV Park approx 25 miles out from Colorado Springs

This band performed. It was a little weird.

They had an ice cream social.

That is just not necessary.

This might have been right before I started yelling at Wyatt.

Free to a good home.

The picnic table.

Andrea, and the neediest dog in the world.

Seriously, you can have Wyatt.

Home Improvements

2008-06-13T08:51:00.000-07:00

Second Home

2008-06-03T08:08:00.000-07:00

Here are some pics of my second home. Just brought it home yesterday.

So, if you didn't mean to _____ then what did you mean to do?

2008-05-08T08:34:00.000-07:00

Pat's last blog reminded me of a really funny story.

May 1st in Colorado

2008-05-01T08:43:00.001-07:00

Yeah, this is "Spring" in Colorado. No comment.

The Little Lights Aren't Blinking

2008-04-25T08:29:00.000-07:00

One of the greatest lines. Classic.

Not much new, heading to California soon for a housewarming, motorcross race, and some dirtcycle riding.

Hoping gas is at $4 by the time I leave.

Andrea got me a handheld GPS for my birthday. I also got a leather mug.

I'll be heading to Goodwill today.

California, Knows How to Party...

2008-04-24T08:42:00.000-07:00

Forgot to update, we took a quick last-minute trip to San Fran/Yosemite a few weeks ago. I had a free ticket, and United had a last-minute special, so we went to old Cali, or as Andrea refers to it, "Adrian's obsession."

Anyhoo, had a great time, weather was great. In Yosemite it was upper 60s and sunny, and in San Fran it was typical - sunny and cold wind.

The best part of the trip was this: Last day. We are heading to the airport, it is beautiful outside, no wind, probably 65, and it is opening day for the Giants. We see tons of people going to the ballpark. (Of course it is always hard to end a vacation.) We get to the airport, and hear this:

"There is a weather alert in Colorado Springs, snow and fog. If we cannot land in Colorado Springs, the alternate will be Grand Junction."

Now, on your best day, you do not want to hear that. I can't actually think of any case you would want to hear that. Andrea of course laughed, and looked nervously at me. I simply said that if we had to stay the night somewhere, it sure as hell was not going to be Grand Junction. In any case, we were able to fly into Colorado Springs. So it worked out.

I guess.

Yosemite Valley - it was hazy

Pensive

In front of Yosemite Valley.

A waterfall

You can raft down this river.

Some local plant life.

A cool road sign.

There was some snow. This was our attempt at seeing a giant sequoia. It failed.

Yosemite Valley

The famous Bush Man. He scared one couple so bad, the dude fell, and pulled his gal down on top of him. Good stuff.

Cool beer bottle pic.

This was right outside of a random restaurant we ate at in Chinatown. They were celebrating elections in Taiwan. (Obviously.)

This is in the heart of Chinatown. Looks like El Cajon Blvd to me, but then again.

Our hotel

We toured a WWII supply ship, and a WWII sub. Clearly not learning from my Captain Nemo experience, I went on this sub. I determined I would not be fit for sub duty. I wanted off that thing the second I entered its constricting, oxygen-lacking, walls-closing-in bowels.

Cow Pies and Knottsberry Farm

2008-04-03T16:52:00.000-07:00

Ok, so, I am sitting here, enjoying a Jack and Coke, and updating the blog. What's new?

1. I put a couple of YouTube videos up, me playing the drums. It is fun learning an instrument again, I only wish I could have started drums when I was a kid. (Actually I wanted to, but that's a different story.) Anyway, you check them out here.

2. The dental site is 99% done. I am awaiting final edits. Check it out here.

3. I had to go to Nebraska last weekend. I mean, got to go. What did I do? Walked around in a cow pasture. Drove a 4-wheeler, and redetermined that they are friggin' death traps. Shot a .22 rifle (basically a BB gun) at sticks in the water, and pretty much did a lot of my patented "Yeah" followed by a knowing nod routine. Sometimes it was "Oh yeah," other times a concerted "Mmm-hmmm" with a furrowing of the brows. Maybe even tucking a hand under the chin, and then looking off to the side, as if to appear as if I am really trying to 'process' the information coming in.

So, here are some pics:

Andrea's brother Cameron and Olivia on a tractor. This was not for show, he was literally going to plow a field.

So, this is field. They apparently ride around looking for cows being born. I rode around on the 4-wheeler for a little while, then went ahead and wrapped it up. This was what I call a Knottsberry Farm moment. When I was a kid, we went to Knottsbery Farm, and I didn't want to go on the roller coaster. Dad said to me, "Either you can try and ride the roller coaster, or you can sit in the car." By the time "car" came out, I was literally skipping to the car, dreaming of just laying in there, relaxing, and not dying on the coaster. Needless to say, I had to ride it, and I did survive, though I do remember tucking my head down as far as it would go, and the attendant telling me that he first had to bring the lap bar down, then I could go ahead and assume the crash position. Anyway, the point is, they said "Adrian, come watch a cow being born," and I remember thinking, should they say, "or you have to sit in the car," I wouldn't have even blinked an eye as I moseyed on over to the car. As it was, I took the 4-wheeler, and went up and down a 'hill' on the far side, out of range of cows, for a little while.

What's New

2008-03-18T09:02:00.000-07:00

Nothing, really. So, here are a couple updates.

Almost done with the dental site, waiting on pictures/content. Hopefully it will go live this week.
I am playing Half-Lfe 2 - Episode 2. It is ridiculously good.
Put another drum track up. Swingtown.
Forgot to mention, I achieved 100% completion on San Andreas. See below.

Le Basement

2008-03-08T08:25:00.001-08:00

Pictures of the new basement are here: Pictures of the new basement

I uploaded 2 more drum tracks, demonstrating the Purdie shuffle:

Home at Last
Home at Last drums only

Traps, The Drum Wonder

2008-03-07T16:11:00.000-08:00

So, an update on my progress on the drum kit:

The Good:

I am better at hand coordination. Working on the nuances of the drums
I can coordinate my feet well - I try to always keep the hi-hat foot tapping a steady beat while I am playing. It is harder initially, but I can use it to keep time*.
Getting more of a feel for the "groove" of a beat, which only means I can tell I am never in it.

The Bad:

*I cannot keep time, though I am getting better at not initially rushing
Struggling big time with quick right-foot technique. I can do doubles, and can play independently of my hands, but the 3-4 quick beats are impossible. I am currently working on "Night Flight" from Zeppelin, and it is a perfect example of his technique, with 1 kick, a pause, then 4 quick kicks in a row. I am really having a hard time with the quick stuff on the bass drum, but I am still plugging away on it.
On that note - John Bonham's right foot technique can be summed up in one word - stupidly ridiculous.

Catboxes and Heater Vents

2008-03-06T05:28:00.000-08:00

Went to Reno for some In and Out, and managed to get a visit in with Mom and Dad, and some snowmobiling.

Had a good visit. The snowmobiling was fun. Those things are a blast. And I only rolled it once. At least it is comfortable when you crash.

On another note, I have created a music site, where I will occasionally upload some drum stuff (and guitar once in a while).

http://www.adriancollins.net/drums

Here are some pics:

Soap Scum

2008-02-27T08:07:00.000-08:00

What's new here:

Basement has been approved, so it is done! I will post pictures later. It went smoothly.
Now, staining the concrete, that is another story. Let's just say that, using a cleaner that requires you "hose it down" to get rid of it, does not work in a basement, with drywall at the floor. Let's just say, I was not happy at 10:00 PM Friday night. 3 Mops, 2 buckets, and the wet-dry vac, and I still had water everywhere.
Still working on the Dental office web site. Just found out my site is gone today, they forgot to send me a renewal for hosting services. I have a backup. I think.
Going to Reno to go snowmobiling this weekend.
Still practicing drums. Learning that John Bonham could do more with his right foot than I can do with all 4 limbs.
Transmission on the truck still slips occasionally.
Andrea's parents came out for Olivia's birthday, I went to a basketball game with her Dad. Air Force versus Wyoming. Let's just say, it wasn't North Carolina versus Illinois.
Going to Reno to go snowmobiling this weekend.

You Pick Your Feet in Poughkeepise?

2008-02-13T17:43:00.000-08:00

Ok, what's been going on. Just got back from home, I mean, San Diego. Went to the San Diego Supercross. My observations:

It is no wonder desert racing is on life support. The fact that pro's haul their bike out in their own truck to a desert race, whereas, the pits at Supercross were unreal.
There were at least 5 booths, where the sole reason for their being was to get your picture taken with the Monster girl, the Progressive Insurance girls, the Rockstar Energy Drink girls, etc.
No doubt Reed is an awesome rider, but he was booed during the intros, and I think it is because of the general hatred of him, and the fact the whiny little bastard is going to get the *title this year.
What is wrong with Windham?

I have still been diligently practicing drums. I have realized a few things:

Rock drumming is as boring as it gets
Jazz drumming is ridiculously complex
My right foot technique needs a lot of work

I learned Fool in the Rain, so my next song is gong to be Swingtown. Then Lowdown.

Breaking News

2008-02-06T10:01:00.000-08:00

I am going out to count how many teeth are on my rear sprocket - I may buy a smaller one. That's all.

Desert Ride

2008-02-04T09:27:00.000-08:00

So, this past weekend, went for a ride in the So Cal desert. I am normally not a big fan of "desert riding," but I was finally talked into going.

Anyway, the ride was a blast, as it had rained the night before. So, Sunday morning, we left from my friend Jim's house in Ridgecrest, and by left, I mean, we literally started riding from his house.

From there we headed to Trona, via the Trona Pinnacles, where apparently they have filmed a ton of stuff, like Star Trek, Lost in Space, and Planet of the Apes. etc.

From there, we rode on to Trona. Trona, California. Whoo boy. Let's just say you do not want to break down there. We gassed up at the Chevron in "town." On a side note, I was a little worried about rolling up on a dirt bike, and gassing up, but as we pulled up, a group of quad riders were at a pump, busily smoking and laughing. and pumping gas, so I relaxed a bit.

From there, we rode some single track and Jeep Roads to the Panamint Mountains, which border Death Valley NP. We crossed the valley then rode up Goler Wash. This wash is a road that leads into Death Valley NP, but, more famously, leads to Charles Manson's cabin, where they hid out. You can't actually get all the way there on off-road bikes, the boundary for the NP is about a mile from the cabin, but you can see other cabins up there, and get a general sense of how creepy it is there. And, when I say this place is in the middle of nowhere, I mean, it is seriously remote.

From there, we turned around and headed back. Going back down was interesting, as the wind was so bad, it literally blew you off the trail. It was bad. Anyway, we were heading back, about 10 miles from home, when Jim's bike ran out of gas. This is after deciding we didn't need to stop in Trona for gas on the way back.

Jim rode home on my bike, got gas, came back, and we finally made it back.

It was a fun ride, in areas I had never been in.

Trona Pinnacles

Downtown Trona

View from Slate Mountains heading into the valley and Panamint Mountains

Goler Canyon, heading into the Panamints

Goler Wash (This is now graded. It was a rocky creek bed before this, and somehow Charles Manson drove a school bus up it)

Crash

2008-01-29T11:08:00.000-08:00

This was one of the guys that crashed. He was ok. The bike wasn't.

Dust Motes

2008-01-28T08:47:00.000-08:00

Ok, so, this past weekend went to Lucerne to spectate the First National of the year. I have to say, it wasn't as bad as I thought spectating. (It was bad, but not as bad). I raced for years, and you definitely get to a burn out point. The desert conditions however, did make me wish I had my bike out there. (See below)

Anyway, picked a spot on the bomb, and got to enjoy a completely dust free start. The bad thing about dust free though, is guys who normally are cautious in the dust, suddenly think they can uncork it and turn into Ty Davis.

To that end, I got to watch, directly in front of me, 2 spectacular crashes. Both guys were ok (broken wrist on one guy, the other guy completely ripped off his full-face part on his helmet, as in, completely ripped off.) Amazingly, they walked away, though the helmet guy's bike was destroyed. The spark arrestor/stinger was pointing straight up in the air, the rear fender was gone, the bars were destroyed, etc. All this in the first 2 miles.

So, David Pearson won, Destry was close behind in 2nd, with David Kamo finishing 3rd. To get an idea of how fast these National guys are, consider that 4th was Nick Burson, who just overalled the first race D-37 race of the year. By the time he came in, the top 3 had done interviews, assembled on a podium, got their pictures taken, and returned to their bikes, at which point 4th finally came in.

Amazing the level of speed the National guys have.

Ty got 5th overall on a 250 2-stroke, which was impressive. More impressive was my buddy who was 12th overall, 2nd 250 2-stroke, who said Ty passed him "like he was standing still." This from a guy who has lately overalled D-37 races. Again, those guys are a whole different level.

Drove back home through Big Bear. It never ceases to amaze me, how you can literally be in the middle of the desert here, and 45 minutes later, be in a pine-covered snow filled mountain area. Lots of different ecozones in a small area.

Working this week, going riding this weekend, working next, then doing the Red Mountain National.

Mucous

2008-01-24T06:25:00.000-08:00

Ok, so a couple serious updates. I have a malignant brain tumor. Just kidding. But, that would be serious.

Seriously though, Andrea is having her basement redone. My contribution was to get the permits, and - mission accomplished. So she is good to go legally now.

On another note, it is ridiculously cold, as in 4 degrees this morning.

I just got a gig to redo the website for Andrea's dentist office. This is good, as I am looking for a new job soon, and need a new site to update my portfolio, and dust off the rust on my web design skills.

I leave for California tomorrow afternoon. Do some riding, check out a Supercross, drop off a crib and stroller for Hilary, and wallow in a general malaise.

To keep everyone updated, this is what Andrea's basement looks like now, we'll post an "After" picture when it is done.

Moist Towelette

2008-01-22T08:49:00.001-08:00

Went to Estes Park a couple weeks ago, it was beautiful. This was the view from our hotel room:

We stayed in a 2 bedroom suite, cheap, as it is off-season. We also saw some elk, watched Wyatt smash his face into the ground, and had a nice dinner.

Day 7 Without Food or Water

2008-01-21T09:15:00.000-08:00

It's currently snowing outside.

Warm Milk

2008-01-20T11:09:00.001-08:00

Getting ready to watch the Chargers take on the Patriots, then watch Supercross. Got the chips and queso ready, and might have a beer.

A New Day, An Old Routine

2008-01-18T09:36:00.000-08:00

I am debating on using this as some type of head shot type photo. Thoughts?

Isn't this font fun!

Books currently reading - Star Wars Dark Force Rising, San Andreas for PC Game Guide
Food currently eating - Starbuck's Mocha, Almonds

Question: I was watching an Amercian Express commercial the other day, and it went something like this:

Amex Rep: "One of my favorite stories was a gentlemen on a date who went to pay for dinner, and his Visa card was overlimit, so he called us, and we got him approved and on his way."

So...let's review.

A) The guy has to sit there while a clerk, in front of his date, says, "Ummm, Sir, your card has been declined. It's probably our machine." And of course, he says, "Yeah, the strip might be worn out." Yes. Oftentimes when the strip is worn out, it generates an error of "Card Overlimit - Declined. Destroy Card. Detain User."

B) He then apparently calls up AMEX, and, due to clearly demonstrating responsible use of credit, is approved for a card with no limit.

The Journey Begins

2008-01-17T13:32:00.000-08:00

Well, here it is, you asked for it. A look into the rollercoaster journey that is my life. Hopefully, by sharing some of my incredible life, I will in some way enrich yours, if only just through knowing me.

What am I currently doing?
- Playing San Andreas
- Looking for a job
- Learning the drums