Please read about this Superman.

I found this insightful:"the origins of the Jerk vs. Nice Guy battle"

"Gentlemen, if any of these signs are all too familiar, then head for the hills and leave home without her."

I just came back from Bob n' Cindy's house. They are looking forward to a trip to Antigua in November. They'll be getting away from the Wendies. Bob showed me his rifles. Go guns. Can't bring them on the plane. After Kathy's wedding we'll be getting on the plane for our return trip back to Seattle. I need a place to live and a new livelyhood. Go me.

Tracy, Joe and I went to Maine yesterday to see the Kennebunkport and Kittery areas . Here are a few pictures of the rocks and our dining and harbor views.

The bridge in Montague is essentially finished. I'm told that what is needed is only the final coat of roadway. You can see the workers clearing the road for the pavers.

Here is a picture of Ling and Ty's food dish. They need to have pictures of family members in their dish. Oh yeah, they are siamese cats; very talkative and happy here at home.

I got here in time to get to the wedding, thanks to Raymond and Theresa for the drive from the airport and Abby and Collin for the drive to New Hampshire. I rented a car from Mork and I'll be driving to Gardner to meet Tracy and Joe for a ride up to Maine. Ayuh.

The bridge isn't finished; I haven't seen a worker there since I arrived. I'll have some pics of the "progress" soon enough. I'm sure there are more things to say which I cannot remember. Gotta sleep. G'night.

Last year today I was with Mom at the nursing home where she was recuperating from her broken shoulder. Jennifer was on her way to the Bradley Airport so she and the baby could get home to Jacksonville. They ended up taking a train days later. I'm flying on Friday night. I haven't been in the air since before the eleventh. Gotta see little Mikey get married. you all have a good day.

Molly Ivins sees lots of loopholes still unplugged.

Kate Riley thinks about the Kennewick Man.

I have already called home and e-mailed family and friends on the fate of Tara. Unbeknownst to us she had a severe case of diabetes. This explains the weight-loss and later shakiness. She developed pancreatitis which destroyed her ability to digest food. I had to make the only humane decision to have her put to sleep. No pain there.

I was talking with Scott today and I told him that I would take a picture of the first Starbucks. It is on Pike Street at Pike Street Market. I also bought a bobble toy for my hostess/patron here in Issaquah.

Powell was jeered at the World Summit on Sustainable Development. Boo hoo.

Tracy, the dog and I went to La Conner yesterday to do some sightseeing and to get away for the day. We even managed to look at a studio apartment at Bridal Trails near Belleview. We didn't care for much of that possibility. I'm still looking.... On our way back we meant to go to Whidbey Island and then take the ferry back, but instead we found ourselves on Camano Island, so we went to the state park there. The dog got to cool off in the water. Tracy took this nice picture looking northeast toward the mainland.

As I write this as the dog is at the vet's. The veterinarian is checking her blood for anything which can tell him why she has lost so much weight and what is the relative condition of her organs. She has weak valves in her heart and this makes her lethargic. Anybody out there in contact with the elderly will recognize this as chronic heart failure. She may see a cardiologist.

I was reading the Seattle Times today and I would like to throw out this article to you all who see this area as a dismal rain-soaked sunless mess. I may change my tune at sometime in the winter but I have to admit that I too have had enough of the sun and heat. It is relative because I spent eight years in West Palm Beach, Florida.

Remember the park where I bring the dog for her walks and wades? Here is a great article about the model airplane area there in Marymoor.

Tracy and I also went, a few days ago, to a Mariners game and here are some of the pics: cameraman, dancing groundsmen, Ichiro!, some friendly knuckleheads behind us and the national anthem. Tracy likes the scoreboard. The Mariners lost 4 to 2 to Kansas City.

Of the murders in certain towns in Colombia, [o]ne of the few who takes the carnage in stride is funeral director Maria Cruz.

"Business is great, thank God," she told a reporter without a hint of irony, sitting amid empty coffins trimmed with purple velvet. "Sometimes there are bodies everywhere."

Ted freakin' Nugent visits Seattle. Read what happened. "SEATTLE, THE NORTHWEST, LIMP-WRISTED (BLEEPS)!!! CAN'T STAND MY (BLEEPING) EXISTENCE, CAN'T EVEN GET MY SONG TITLES RIGHT, PUT QUOTES AROUND MY WORDS THAT NEVER CAME OUT MY MOUTH, LEFTIST MINDLESS... !!! ".

The Washington Post reports, "Using slogans and chants from South Africa's liberation movement against the white minority's apartheid government, the demonstrators said that the conference, known as the Earth Summit, was a farce, focusing more on the corporate agenda of rich nations than on the development needs of poorer nations."
...and a funny for the earth subject.

David Broder writes, "So much has been written about this becoming 'a nation of stockholders' that the Dow Jones average has turned into the most popular index of Americans' well-being. It is important, but, as this study reminds us, jobs and wages and income are a lot more vital to most people than the state of their stock portfolios."

Go to Joe's steelhead fishing club website. These fish are big.

Here are some ideas for yoga on the road.

David Horsey of the Seattle Post Intelligencer shares his thoughts on the Sturgis motorcycle rally.

...and speaking of yoga, Tracy brought me to a different stayle of yoga than I had been accustomed to. It is called Bikram Yoga. And if you thought that yoga such as Kripalu was hard .... The room is heated to over 100 steamy degrees and we are led through a regimen of yoga moves that truly taxes our stamina and willpower. Water replenishes our system after we have withstood the purifying aspect of this practice. And afterward I felt good but like I had really done a workout.

On a lighter note, look at the size of this zuchinni I picked from the garden yesterday.

Well I've made my decision and I'm not going home for Mike and Wendy's wedding in September. Sorry. I need to concentrate on the Northwest I think. I took a ride out to Fall City to take pictures of the Fall City Firearms and Rose shop for Bob. Guns make him all warm and fuzzy inside. Go guns.

This Canadian is pissed.

Scott wanted to see what the water area of Tara's park looks like. She enjoys the water.

I went into Seattle looking for Pioneer Square the other day. Here is the fixed and renovated Pergola smashed by a truck driver months ago.

More pictures for Mark:
Here is Tara wading out of the water after lying down and walking around. It has been hot out here lately.

On the Let It Happen on Purpose Theory :"Whether they had specific knowledge beforehand, or merely decided to let some attack happen somewhere, the final results were the same. The Taliban were routed and replaced by an interim government headed by a man named Harmid Karzai. Karzai was recently elected President of Afghanistan in his own right, legitimizing the Afghanistan government. Soon after this, Karzai announced the impending construction of a pipeline that would exploit Turkmenistan's natural gas reserves He named Unocal as the lead company for the project. Before becoming President, Karzai was an advisor to Unocal.

"For LIHOP Theorists, the evidence is clear. The Bush administration got the pipeline it wanted. Along the way, they used the horrors of 9/11 to place themselves above reproach. In the patriotic fervor that resulted from the attacks, both the press and the Democratic opposition were bracketed by the administration-espoused idea that any questions or criticism were tantamount to treason."

Here are some more pictures of Rainier which might give you an idea of its size. I took this one from the town of Enumclaw. Here is a switchback parking lot, and here is the mountain with some trees and a beautiful sky.

I rode over 230 miles on the bike today. Here is a pasted picture of Mt. Rainier and the surrounding skyline.

Not the best quality picture, but here is a sunset among the development tonight.

My (I'm not sure about the dog) excitement now includes bringing the dog to the Marymoore dog park. She found a friend to play with today (I was surprised) and she actually got into the water to cool off. There is an espresso vendor there on the weekends in a converted delivery van. I'm spending my retirement money on her for her grooming and food. She had steelhead (sea)trout last night that Joe helped catch. We went walking around in downtown Issaquah today with no solid leads for an apartment. Tara was balking at walking any further. If Tara could have, she would have spoken like Dad. I didn't have to drag her after she figured out we were walking back.

I have found a public access show here in King County, Washington which defies explanation. Behold the jerkbeast.

No I don't have a job and I'm still sleeping in the garage. The only people who don't seem bothered by this are Joe, Tracy and myself. Joe and I looked at an unlikely garage apartment today. Unlikely because I'll be unlikely to take it. Very nice neighborhood though. The house actually has grounds, and a neighborhood association. Grrrrrrrr.

I took Bucky to a dog park within Marymoor Park two days ago and today. She got to walk around without a leash and she actually wasn't nasty to the other dogs. Here is Bucky and her charges. Also at Marymoor is a public garden. Here is Tracy and her rooster friend.

On an aside, I am told that people drive from afar to go to this donut shop. I, of all people, was asked directions to it today.

Tracy has a lead on an aprtment for me. I am told that it is in the quieter side of Covington-Kent.

I took a late evening ride out to Snoqualmie Falls and took in some scenery. I pasted together some pictures of the falls and one of the sunset.

The dog and I took a ride out through Tacoma etc.. out to Bainbridge Island to find Pete. We surprised his wife at home and surprised Pete at work. He thought that he had himself hidden far away from Chestnut Hill. I was able to take in some scenery on the way back from the ferry. I didn't have time to drive back around because Joe and I were to go to a Mariners game against the Indians. When we got there they were losing. They then rallied back to beat the Indians 10 to 6. What a great game! There is a Krispy Kreme donut shop at the bottom of the hill. It afforded a very good end to an evening.
Here are some nice pictures of the stadium and some action on the field.

As those canadians gave me and my motorcycle a hard time in Hypoluxo, this summerhill luxury living community does not like my trailer. I keep the bike in the garage with me. oh well.

I brought the bike out of it's trailer yesterday and sped toward Redmond and Seattle. I like the cooler weather up here. Tracy is back in Whately for Kathy's shower. I'll take the bike out again and this time go out toward Carnation and Big Bend I think it is. Nope, North Bend. Joe and Tracy think I'll be better off up in the woods away from the press of cars and people here. I don't know whether I'll be able to find work as easily. I found where Pete, a friend from highschool is. I had to go to mapquest to find his street on Bainbridge Island. It is a two and a half hour drive without the ferry. Y'all have a great day.

ghost?
antigravity?
thunderbirds?

I called Abby from downtown Issaquah today with my new number, and I told her that I'd take a picture of the sprawled dog. Here it is. I now have a nationwide number and I'll be sending it out today.

If y'all come out here to visit, these two sights might be a must on your travel plans: Olympic Park and great view from Hurricane Ridge.

Here are some more bucky pictures. We went to a campground on the Olympic Peninsula for the weekend. There we hiked a little of Hurricane Ridge and Joe caught a steelhead trout in the morning. I took Tara for a long walk this morning. When I get a chance I'll let her have a lot of rest.

I have arrived. Here is more mileage:

529 miles from Billings to Missoula because I took a few hours through or near Yellowstone.
463 miles from Missoula to Issaquah. It didn't take nearly as long as I was told, so I continued on instead of staying in Spokane for the night.

I posted some more pictures. We went to the Columbia River gorge. I think that Bucky, the intrepid canine, enjoyed this stop. The previous day we (I, I don't think that the dog was paying attention although sometimes she would get up to look out the window) saw some beautiful scenery in Yellowstone. I could see Mt Rainier but the pictures I took don't do it justice. Here is the Olympic range from a distance and the inevitable rain once we enter the mountain pass. Pretty cool all the way around. Today Joe and I will drive to the Olympic peninsula for some camping with Tracy and a friend. Bucky knows the camping routine. Here are a few more pictures from Yellowstone.

Here is our mileage for the last few days:

July 22, 466 miles to Belvidere KOA in Midland, South Dakota
23, 256 miles to Spearfish KOA in Spearfish, South Dakota
24, 356 miles to Billings KOA in Billings, Montana (first KOA)

Today, the 25th, I would like to see some of Yellowstone. It would be great to be able to use the bike. I'd need someone to sit the dog. She gets yappy when I leave her in the car to see or buy something. When the engine is off so is the air conditioning. I think she has resigned herself to a nomadic life. Tara the traveler.

Here is roadside Montana shot out the car window, and here is the Yellowstone River as it passes the Billings KOA.

Bucky and I didn't get far yesterday. We went through the Badlands of South Dakota, then went to look at petrified wood and then took a trip to see Mount Rushmore. It was steep going to get there. I90 has been rolling hills(usually overpasses) and the car doesn't mind them. I had one trailer wheel looked at yesterday because it was spraying grease. The generous folks at Haggar's Tru Value and Haggar's Texaco Lube found that the wheel was fine. It was packed with too much grease and a little bit loose. They tightened it up for nothing. 12150 Siouxland Rd, Blackhawk, SD 57718. They are located just west of Sturgis.

We ended up in Billings, Montana for the night. I don't have my mileage with me but we did pretty well. Go to the picture links and browse through them all. I'll add more later.

Hi all. We are in Stewartville, Minnesota. Here is Tara taking her walk. Two cans of food a day so the trip hasn't hurt her appetite, if you were wondering. The rain drove us inside yesterday. I haven't seen internet access at campsites yet.

Here is the mileage:
day one 448 miles. We camped at Lake Erie State Park in New York.
day two 456 miles. We camped at Sand Creek Campground in Chesterton, Indiana.
day three 402 miles. Bucky is laying down on the floor of the AmericInn in Stewartville, Minnesota.

Now we are off to South Dakota.

This is the third night. We are in Minnesota. Bucky is, was lying down. she's tired. In the last picture of this series you can see the storm that sent me to this motel in/near Rochester, Minnesota. It was earlier in the day when the thermometer read 100 degrees. I wonder whether the car thermo works right. In the storm I was glad to see it read 70. The car is working well and the trailer is great. Go to the first picture and click for the next so that you will eventually see the farm. ok?

Tomorrow is really the day. I guess that it is today now that it is Friday. 12:17AM All of the stuff is secured and the bike won't move. Ratchet straps are the way to go. The rain should stop by morning and that will leave the first day of the trip to be nice and cool. I hope that the northern plains will be cooler by the time Bucky and I make our way through there. To all of you who have contributed in any way to my stay here in mattampash country from the bottom of my heart I thank you. I have enjoyed my time here and you to-boot.

Blog to Cope With Alzheimer's Fog

Stop the presses. I'm not ready yet. The trailer isn't packed so I'll leave Thursday morning. Yeah, yeah I know, "big surprise". I was able to see Dan and family but not Dave or Adam. From what I hear, Dave has his cast off and is quite pleased.

One more day in the valley. I still have to clean and pack the trailer and run some errands. My leave day is Wednesday now. You'd think that one of the things I'd have would be maps. Gotta go shopping. Later..

We dispersed the contents of the estate and now it is time to get out of Dodge. Bucky and I are going to New Hampshire tomorrow to pick up a camping stove and a sleeping mat. I don't think that I want the tippy kayak though. I'm almost out.

I pulled a screw from one of the car's tires today. It looks like the ones Jonathan and I were using to affix a shelf system in the trailer. I'm going to the tire place today to get two new tires put on the car. Everyone feels better that I'll have new tires for the trip yet it will come out of my pocket. I'm glad I can help. I think that Bucky can stay here with Abby. As I write this Abby is cleaning the drawer runners in the kitcken, and since her computer isn't up and running she can't read that I'm writing about her. Later...

I'm on the Cape now. I'll get back to Montague today, pick up Bucky from Judy's, go to Ames for some more containers and then go home to really pack. I'll see y'all soon.

I am writing from New Gloucester, Maine. I rode yesterday from Newport, Vermont. After Ron and I go to the Y this morning, I'll ride to Dodie's house in Mashpee. Y'all gotta see the Northwest Kingdom and Lake Champlain. The Kingdom reminded me of the Amish country of Pennsylvania, except for the dearth of buggies. The air is dryer now so today should be a bit more pleasant than yesterdays heat. These Mainers aren't used to it.
Oh yeah, I went to the resort yesterday and it is as rustic and beautiful as ever. A blight is hitting the spruces so there were fewer trees on the point. It all brought back some memories.

Hi kids. Been busy at the homestead lately. All my stuff is in the trailer and my car. That part of the house is mostly painted and mostly cleaned. I don't know for sure whether I'll be able to do the trip I had wanted to do to the north country before I leave. The family will be here next weekend to peruse the stuff and to see the almost new baby Olivia. Crunch time for me. As y'all probably know I'm not the best at getting going and it shows in my present preparedness in leaving. Oh well. I have more pictures too for the family site. I'm typing this from the house on the hill now and later I'll uplload the pics from my own computer. I hope that y'all had a great fourth. Bye.

Breaking news on the CEO's.

Since it is such a beautiful Saturday I think I will take the canoe out onto the Connecticut. I now have a trailer. Here and here are two more pictures. We still have to get the rest of Mom and Dad's stuff out of the house. I'll finish taking and editing the pictures of the contents, so if you are family, and you are reading this now, you'll get some pictures in the mail soon. (I hope). Abby and Collin will be moving their stuff in the 5th and 6th. Maybe then I can take my final trip because I'll be without my regular bed. Decisions, decisions. Have a nice weekend. Who wants some more stuff?

Sr. Bush's "vision thing" and W's The Reality Thing.

Spidergoat?

Some time management

I wonder whether my link feedback is still working?

The phone is fixed. Thanks to the Verizon repairman-of-little-words. It is nice to be able to use the phone again and check my e-mail from my place. I'm planning one last trip before I leave. Uncle Ed doesn't think that I'll go. Some folks didn't think I'd leave UMass or the hotel either. Oh well, bye bye. I'll take a three day or four day bike trip through Northern Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine and then down to the Cape before I go home to pack. I'm really leaving Ed.

My phone is still out. The car's AC will be looked at again on Wednesday. Tomorrow a hitch will be put on the car and then I'll go down the road to pick up the very expensive trailer. I went for the covered aluminum variety.

A way to look at the world.

Richard Cohen says of Ashcroft: "In his tenacity, his conviction that he is in sole possession of the truth and his compulsive need to hog the spotlight, he reminds me of J. Edgar himself.

"Clean Air Act rule changes proposed by the Bush administration Thursday would gut efforts to clean up pollution from power plants and other industries while rewarding some of the president's largest campaign contributors, angry environmentalists and health advocates charged. ...Eric Schaeffer, the former EPA enforcement chief who resigned on Feb. 28 to protest the Clear Skies Initiative, said he was told Thursday that clients of a friend who works in an energy law firm were 'dancing in the street' over the Thursday's announcement."

Jim Hoagland compares Bush to LBJ in this article.

And Ellen Goodman finds "an anxious respite in a season of war".

So, should I go to Ellington, Connecticut to Limberger Trailers, get a trailer there or get a v-nosed Renegade in Belchertown, Massachusetts? I'm going back to Orchard Hill Farm Equipment & Tractor Sales tomorrow to see that 5+ by 9. Decisions, decisions.

Adam and I rode to Lake George for the Americade bike rally. I still haven't found a trailer for my move yet. The light ones are very expensive. U Haul might be an option. I'm still not sure. The whole thing is driving me crazy.

This sounds fascinating.

He said what?

Molly Ivins says, "To fail to take action in the face of a recognized threat is not only incredibly stupid, but also legally actionable. Misfeasance, malfeasance and nonfeasance can all be alleged, reckless, irresponsible conduct, failure of duty ... a litany of charges."

Michael Moore's book has been on the bestseller list for weeks and have you heard about it?

Here, again, are some "Right Wing Myths Exposed"

This is an interesting website. You'll have to see for yourself.

I don't usually agree with this guy, but Steve Chapman has some very relevant and timely views on the dearth of information for the public.

The dog wanted to go for a walk today so I made her go into town. John wants me to take pictures of old, small New England houses. Mom and Dad, and the first five children used to live here on Main Street until they bought the homestead in skunk hollow. We went to see Dave today and I took some pictures of him with his new paint ball gun and with his cast. He found out today or yesterday that he'll have to be in the cast for a few more weeks because his bones aren't healing well enough. Write to Dave.

Collin and I rode up Mt. Graylock yesterday. Here is the view from the top looking west southwest. And here is another view of our dead-end.

I enjoyed this article this morning about the effect that Mitzi, the author's Mazda, has on his 'car talk'.

Susan Reimer, of the Baltomore Sun, comments on the state of our "one-big-happy-political-family thing in this recent article.

I was arrested here onceOh for the good old days.

"Unless we change our ways ...... the world faces a future where things look pretty darn good."

Here are two pictures of the cement pouring on the bridge.

Have you heard of lowercase sounds?

So, is it an eye for an eye or a "war on terrorism"? And who is going to let you decide, if anyone?

The metal detector is back together again. I think that the prior owners of this property just buried their discarded stuff.

Ya ever wonder what they are working on?

Collin and I rode our bikes through the rain for a little while today. I called Ed from Mt. Sugarloaf, as I always do. "Can you hear me now?". They all seem to be clipping right along. The view from up there was nice but hazy. Here is a better view of Sunderland. Here is the river and some scenery. It fits that there is garden at the house again. I've been given a watering task.

I rode to Bennington today. 133 miles. What a nice bike.

Leonard Pitts votes for giving them a break on this one.

The Red Sox are doing well again. "The Red Sox are Charlie Brown, eying the football that Lucy has so invitingly set on the ground. The Red Sox are Wile E. Coyote with a foolproof plan. The Red Sox are the Los Angeles police and prosecutors trying to bring O.J. to justice."

I just bought a digital camera and I've figured out how to use the software provided to make panoramic pictures. Here is a picture of the new bridge being constructed.
... and here is a picture of the pasture.

"Aided by the Internet and personal-computer software, online communities with their own publishing tools and networks are redefining news in the 21st Century."

Jonathan Chait gives a his viewpoint to the Israeli-Palestinian mess.

Of missed signals and a hidden hero.

It is snowing in May. What a mess.

I took the dog for a long walk today so we went to see Dave. He gets his cast off Thursday, I think, and gets it replaced with an air/nylon/"so I can stand up in the shower" cast put on. Tara makes herself at home anywhere.

I haven't compiled my trip stuff yet. Here is a Blue Ridge Parkway link and here is one from the National Park Service.

You know, this never occurred to me.

Thomas Friedman of The New York Times says that, "At its best, the Internet can educate more people faster than any media tool we've ever had. At its worst, it can make people dumber faster than any media tool we've ever had. ".

Adam Curry has something to say about the media and the Big Lie. "The four hours you as an average citizen spend in front of the television is what keeps the general popualtion shackled to the teat of the beast. You are not relaxing when you watch, you are being fed."

Hi all. I'm back in Massachusetts again. I'll add the specifics later, like mileage and links. I rode for a long time/distance today. I started at the base of the Shenandoah National Forest, went through Amish country and then went up the NY thruway and the Taconic Parkway to Rte 32 to 20 to I90 to I91 to home. The alst day of these trips are always a pisser. Wind gusts were knocking me all over the road. Scary. If any of you have a chance, you have to ride the Blue Ridge Parkway and the Skyline Drive fron North Carolina through Virginia.

We are all up getting ready to leave. Judy and Ernie's trip will take a few hours and mine will take days. I'm going to go to Kennedy Space Center today. Happy trails.

Judy, Ernie, Scott, Chrissie and I went to Sunfest today. We then had lunch at The Cheesecake Factory in City Place. Everyone was pleased with their meal and we beat the crowd that came later. Here is their own site.

Judy and Ernie arrived tonight and we all met Chrissie's parents for dinner at Waterways Cafe off PGA. The weather was very pleasant, as was the food. It is very easy to be comfortable when the weather that is left is in the 50's and wet. Here is the weather up there.

Yesterday I failed to mention that I finally found Rosalind, Dave and Dawn nestled next to Belvedere Road in West Palm Beach. Dawn said that she didn't recognize me at first. I'm not sure how to take that. Have I gained that much weight or have I aged that much? (or both) John and I went shopping for some office stuff this afternoon after breakfast at The French Connection in Juno Beach. Look for JLF Construction sometime in the future. (the L is for Lancaster) Now that John is forming his own company he needs a real office chair from which to rule his domain.

I got some more sun today. This time it was on purpose. I didn't want to go home with a farmer's tan. (motorcycle tan) I hope that y'all are well up there. The weather here is getting too warm, and I hope that the weather up there is good to me on my return.