text:
Did you know?
The Mac Mac Falls are 65m in height.
The Mac Mac Falls belong to a cluster of lovely waterfalls in Mpumalanga's Sabie area, on the stunningly scenic Panorama Route. Its twin falls plunge dramatically 70km into the gorge below as rainbows dance over the white spray.
Although the Mac Mac Falls are named for the Scottish miners who sought their fortune by panning for gold in the here during the heady days of the 1870s gold rush, they themselves didn't come up with the name. Apparently President Thomas Burger was visiting the area in 1873 and was struck by how many of the miners' names began with 'Mac'. On the spot, he named the area Mac Mac – a name that has survived to this day. You'll find the name on many of the nearby tombstones.
The viewing platform at the Mac Mac falls is restricted by wire mesh, but you'll still get a great view – just make sure your camera lens points through one of the mesh holes. Swimming in the deep pool at the base of the tumbling water is not allowed, but there's a great spot for swimming and cooling off about 2km before you get to the falls. These are the Mac Mac Pools, where for a small fee you can also use the braai area and picnic site.
If you fancy a gentle walk, then amble along the 3km Secretary Bird Walking Trail at the pools which wanders through indigenous bush. You'll hear robins, thrushes, turacos, greenbuls, cuckoos in summer, and if you're lucky, you may well spot that curious looking Secretary bird which stamps snakes and small rodents to death before gobbling them down.
If you've time, visit the nearby spectacular Berlin and Lisbon falls, but only if you've a head for heights as these falls are not fenced.
Travel tips & Planning info
Who to contact
Sabie Tourism
Tel: +27 (0)13 764 2580
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
How to get here
The Mac Mac falls are 13km from the town of Sabie on the R532
Best time to visit
The falls are open for viewing throughout the year.
Tours to do
The Escarpment Route, a short day-trip from Sabie, includes Mac Mac Waterfalls on its itinerary.
What will it cost
Entrance to this waterfall is free, although entrance to the Mac Mac pools, 2km away, will set you back a nominal fee.
Length of stay
If you plan to swim or picnic at the Mac Mac pools, then prepare for a couple of hours.
Where to stay
Accommodation is in nearby Sabie and ranges from hotels and lodges, to guesthouses, B&Bs, self-catering, backpacking and budget. Book early as this is one of South Africa's prime tourist regions.
What's happening
There's a Mountain Bike Rally in May, the bi-annual Sabie Forest Fair in March/April and the Spring Flower Show in early September.


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Braun, Lucroy reflect on Classic experience
GLENDALE, Ariz. -- There's a dichotomy inherent in Team USA's experience in the World Baseball Classic that both Jonathan Lucroy and Ryan Braun pointed out as they returned to Brewers camp Sunday following elimination Friday from the second round of the tournament.
On one hand, there's a national pride and an unsurpassed atmosphere.
"It was unbelievable -- I've never felt any kind of energy like that ever," Lucroy said. "It was a great experience and a great time. The energy that the Dominican crowds, the Mexican crowds, the Puerto Rican crowds had -- the only thing that rivals that is the playoffs in 2011."
For Braun, there was no luster lost in his second Classic, and he echoed his teammate about the experience of playing for his country.
"It was amazing," Braun said. "Honestly, it was one of the best baseball experiences I've ever had. It's a lot of fun, it's really special. The atmosphere far surpassed any regular-season game I've ever played in. It was just as good as any playoff game, but completely different. The energy, the atmosphere -- a lot of that has to do with the Latin fans. The horns, the drums, the energy, the passion -- all game. It doesn't stop. For our [MLB] games, people get excited when something good or bad happens. But that atmosphere was nonstop."
Mixed in with the euphoria, however, was a profound sense of disappointment for Team USA's continued failure to reach the final and, for the second time in three Classics, missing playing a semifinal game.
"Everybody played their heart out and gave everything they had," Lucroy said. "There's always unfinished business there. Obviously we've gone three times without being in the final, so you want to go back."
Lucroy said he would definitely return if invited again, despite the challenge of finding a time that works for Major League players. Noting most of the other countries play baseball year round and treat the Classic like "their World Series," Team USA's players are focused on preparing for their season. They are not up to speed in early and mid-Spring Training; an extended break during the season would be too intrusive to the majority of Major Leaguers not participating; and playing at the end of an MLB season would be a hard sell for pitchers and other players coming off a 162-game season.
"Everybody's disappointed," Braun said. "It's impossible to be completely prepared, but at the same time, we all knew what we were getting into. By no means are those things a crutch or an excuse as to why we didn't play well, but it's also a fact. We're not where we would be a month or two from now. We lost to Mexico, the Dominican, and Puerto Rico, and all three of those teams were playing All-Star-caliber players on the other side. In short, one-game, playoff-type atmosphere, anything can happen and does happen."
Lucroy was back in the lineup for the Brewers on Sunday after limited game action serving as the backup catcher behind Joe Mauer for most of the tournament. Braun played six full games, however, and will not start for the Brewers before Tuesday or Wednesday.
Owen Perkins is a contributor to MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
A Note from the Editor:
Many a rider with 20+ years experience remembers with fondness the good old days of the 1970s and 1980s, when the ubiquitous UJM (universal Japanese motorcycle) was transforming the face of motorcycle touring. A burgeoning line of affordable and bullet-proof bikes enabled a generation of riders to pursue their dreams across Americas highways. Just ask Lynda, whose husband JimmieS picked up a Kawasaki Z 550 in 1980 when she and Jim were newlyweds. Jim would tell you that he knew Lynda was a keeper, regardless of the fact that Lynda was not much interested in riding pillion.
The Z 550 took Jim on two lengthy tours in the 1980s, multi-week rides over 7,500 miles. After the Z 500 retired, Jims upgrade to a Kawasaki 700 took him from California through the western national parks and up to Canada on his last grand tour. Fast forward 10 years to the new millennium, to 2004. With Lyndas guarded approval, Jim gets a new Goldwing after a two-year retirement from riding. Things havent been the same since. Gone are the days of the old UJMs and, along with them, Lyndas hesitation to ride along for the grand tour.
Join Jim and Lynda on their 2006 Odyssey, from west coast to east and back again, and see how this pair of old friends discovered a new love together. The sights cataloged and miles described will set you dreaming for your own Odessey. Jim and Lynda, congratulations on this most excellent adventure and the re-telling that takes us with you mile by mile, day by day, thrill by thrill.
[BREAK=California to Washington]
Ive always loved riding on two wheels and will frequently be found on a full weekend ride. My lovely wife Lynda, on the other hand, has always considered my riding to be a little misguided, a personal thing that Ive loved while she pursued her own interests. She wasn't very happy with me when I bought my Goldwing a little over 2 years ago. But she knew that riding was in my blood.
When I suggested that we take some time and go on a cross-country ride, the suggestion was met with something less than unbridled enthusiasm, but at least a willingness to consider it. I patiently explained that the only way to see this marvelous country is by motorcycle. Over the last couple of years she has warmed to the bike, but still considered it "my thing".
I believe this all changed in 2006 during the last week of June and the first three weeks of July. This period represents my fourth cross-country ride and Lynda's first. This 30 day odyssey had been in the planning stages off and on for the last two years. We had originally planned on making the trip in 2005, but time and other priorities made it impossible to do. This year we committed early on to taking the time off and managed to keep the calendar clear.
I spent a good part of the evenings in March, April, and May trying to get the most bang for the buck in routes and sights to see along the way. This being Lynda's first major road trip beyond the California border (we did ride to Horseshoe Bend, Idaho in October, 2005 for the annual Chiliburger run) I wanted to make sure that she saw enough of the country to understand why a rider will happily take 3, 4 or 5 days to run to a rally or will look for any excuse to "just go for a ride". The final plan wound up being a circumnavigation of the United States. The other concern was to keep the daily mileage as consistent as possible - no Iron Butt days -- and keep the interstate riding to a minimum, using the slab only to move quickly from point to point. The estimated mileage was something over 12,500 miles. We decided early on that we would break our rule of trying to minimize the interstate for our ride out of California and Oregon as we felt we could always take the back roads here whenever time permitted.
Lynda's co-workers, always interested in what we are up to, decided to track our progress, so I laid out our general route on a U.S. map for them.
As our departure date closed in we prepared as best we could. It took several tries to get everything needed into the saddle bags, trunk and the Packit Rack, but we finally got it all loaded up Friday evening!! We frequently heard the question: "How do you travel 30 days on the road with such limited space?" The truth is that even with the limited space we still over-packed a bit. The other truth is that we used good, high-quality, high-tech microfiber shirts and undergarments to wick away moisture and keep us cool, and to keep the need for layering to a minimum. As you will see as we proceed through our odyssey we wore the same clothes pretty much everyday. But we were able to wash our shirts and undergarments in the room at night and have them dry in the morning. And we did "real" laundry whenever the chance arose.
We were so excited we almost decided to leave that night.
But we actually wound up leaving early Saturday morning. Lyn's spray bottle became an important part of her daily preparations.
DAY 1 San Ramon, California to Eugene, Oregon
We didn't expect to make any stops on the inaugural riding day, or do any real sight seeing. The I-5 provided the typical direct (albeit hot) ride through northern California. The first stop of the day was in Dunnigan where we gassed up and had breakfast at our traditional stop when we ride through the area, Bill and Kathys. We continued north, stopping in Redding for gas and then the obligatory stop at the Mt. Shasta turnout to take advantage of its proffered photo-op.
Crossing the border officially put Lynda in the category of "I've never been here before". We stopped in Medford, Oregon to cool down some and gas up one more time. The temperatures were in the 90's all day. We arrived in Eugene at 4:30pm after 9-1/2 hours on the bike for our first many nights at Best Westerns. The heat was exhausting and Lynda fell asleep as soon as she lay down. She was a real trooper this first day as this was as long a day as she had ever ridden.
Total miles for the day were right at 550.
The days route
DAY 2 Eugene, Oregon to Kennewick, Washington
We were able to get up and get the bike repacked and on the road by 7:30am on Sunday. Today's plan was to swing by Lake Oswego and see my brother and a quilt shop for Lynda to spend some time in, and then ride down the spectacular Columbia River Gorge before finally leaving the interstate for some back-road riding. The weather was clear and sunny all day long, a little cooler than Saturday had been.
We spent a few minutes at Multnomah Falls along the Columbia River Gorge. The falls are the second highest year-round falls in the nation with a 620-foot drop. It's also one of Oregons most popular tourist stops.
We crossed over into Washington at the town of Hood River over the White Salmon Toll Bridge that crosses the Columbia River. The White Salmon Toll Bridge was our first steel-deck bridge. Lynda said she didn't feel a thing. For me, well, I'd prefer a little firmer footing for my front wheel . This bridge was built in 1924 and was raised and resurfaced when the river was dammed in the 1940's.
We picked up Oregon-14 and proceeded northeast with the beautiful Columbia river on our right. And rugged hills on our left.
There were lots of turnouts and scenic vistas.
As we were tooling along we saw a turnout that was crowded with cars and people sitting out on lawn chairs. We pulled in to see what was so exciting. This is what first greeted our eyes -- looked like a perfect motorcycle road to us.
Upon closer inspection we saw that the turns were padded with bales of straw. Looked like we had some kind of a race going on! Notice the very small racers in this next image.
We were a little stunned to learn that we had stumbled across the national downhill skateboard championships. We didn't know such a thing existed. Evidently Mercedes- Benz built and paved the road for its commercials, but is used for other private purposes also. The racers actually skated down hill at speeds reaching 50+ mph -- gutsy, crazy stuff if you ask me.
We continued on, riding through the warm weather of eastern Washington until we got to Kennewick, close to the border with Idaho. We spent our second night on the road catching up on emails, and doing some laundry.
The days route
[BREAK=Washington to Montana]
DAY 3 - Kennewick, Washington to Kalispell, Montana
Kennewick is the most populated of three towns located on the banks of the Columbia River, just south of the confluence of the Yakima and Walla Walla Rivers, so you can imagine the rather bewildering number of bridges and highways there. On Monday morning we had a little bit of trouble getting out of town because of a missed turn. The GPS was also convinced we were on the wrong road, so we got a late start. This was the day we were going to ride up US-12 through the Lolo Pass and into Kalispell, Montana. So we knew we were in for a long day and getting a late start was a little stressful. I told Lynda "Come on, honey -- it's an adventure!" I'm glad she remembered to bring a road atlas with her or we might have wound up in Canada!
We took a shortcut to pick up WA-124 and were very surprised to see vineyards and wineries along the way. I always thought Washington was way too wet to support a wine industry - but I guess the southeastern part is dry and warm enough.
We rode WA-124 for quite a while -- the Lewis and Clark trail named for our "First" American Explorers.
Over the next couple of days we couldn't believe how much territory these two intrepid explorers covered in their travels with Sacagawea, their Indian guide. We eventually hooked up with US-12 in Delany, Washington and rode along the beautiful Lochsa River through the Clearwater and Lolo National Forests.
Sometimes it's about the ride, sometimes the road, sometimes the destination. Today it was the road. The scenery along US-12 was really beautiful.
The Lochsa River is a very popular summer whitewater rafting destination, boasting some 63 rapids in a 57-mile stretch, more than half of which are class IV and V. We were lucky and caught this group just as they were heading off.
We picked up US-93 just outside of Missoula and rode hard up and around Flathead Lake to our third nights lodging in Kalispell, Montana. Flathead is an enormous lake (188 square miles) just south of Kalispell. This was one of the first of many vistas where we both said, "The camera just can't capture what the eye sees." It is the largest natural lake west of the Mississippi.
28 miles long and up to 15 miles across!
We arrived in Kalispell at 6:30pm, got checked into our motel and immediately gave into our hunger and chowed down on a couple of excellent steaks at the Bulldog Steakhouse. If youre ever in the area we heartily recommend it. Keep your eye out for some of their more exotic specials. After the very filling meal we went back to the room and crashed. Great day! The scenery is getting better and better as we head east. Tomorrow: Glacier National Park and the "Going to the Sun Road".
The days route
DAY 4 - Kalispell, Montana to Bozeman, Montana
When I woke up on the 27th of June, 2006 I knew two things. The first was that today's scenery would blow Lynda's socks off, and the second was that she would get a taste of just how big our country is and how big a state Montana is. We left Kalispell at 7:30am and headed on up US-93 to Glacier National Park where we were happily buying our National Parks Pass by 8:30am at the western entrance. The park did not disappoint. I don't think I've ever heard so many exclamations of "Awesome" - "Look over / up there" - and of course my favorite "Stop - I gotta take a picture of this".
President William Howard Taft signed the bill creating Glacier National Park on May 11, 1910. Major William Logan was the parks first superintendent and he supervised the construction of the Going to the Sun Road, which was funded in 1916. Construction began in 1920 and the road was completed 13 years later. Today there are over 700 miles of roads and trails within the parks boundaries.
Here's Lynda enjoying the view
While we Californians are so very lucky to have so many great scenic and riding roads (and, of course, our own crown jewel in Yosemite), I would have to say that Glacier National Park is absolutely another crown jewel in our National Park system. The camera just cannot capture what the eye sees.
The White Pine Boring Beetles were all over the ground at the Logan Pass Visitor Center -- ugly little critter!
There are 22 species of fish in the 250 lakes and streams that fall within the roughly 1 million acres of this National Park. This is bear territory, one of the 60 species of mammals and 200 species of birds.
We left the park at the eastern entrance and took US-89 on a high speed run down to US-287, connecting onto I-15 and finally riding into Bozeman, where we spent the night. The weather today was beautiful.
I'm going to close this page out and start another one to post up a couple of panoramic images of the park.
The days route
This first panoramic is Lake St. Mary, 11 miles long and just inside the western park border.
The approach to Logan Pass.
These next two, well, they used to be one. See if you can join them together to get the amazing 270 degree view we tried to capture!
[BREAK=Montana to Wyoming]
DAY 5 Bozeman, Montana to Jackson, Wyoming
Today the plan was to head south out of Bozeman to the north entrance of Yellowstone. This park is yet another crown jewel in our National Park System. What an amazing place. During our all-too-short a visit we saw lots of bison, a fair number of elk, a wolf, and all kinds of birds and waterfowl.
Our first stop was at the Roosevelt Arch.
Originally Posted by From the National Park Service:
While in the park we did the "We'll take your picture if you'll take ours" routine with some fellow travelers from Europe. Fun!
Our next stop was at the park headquarters in Mammoth Hot Springs. This is a very scenic place. Hot water, limestone, and algae combine to produce this:
As we continued along the Grand Loop Road we stopped at the same place Id been 12 years before, when a suicidal bird decided to fly through my bikes windshield. He didn't make it and my windshield suffered a major crack. I laugh at it now, but it wasn't funny then.
Next stop was in the Upper Geyser Basin where we took the requisite walk. I thought this next picture was interesting not so much for what you see, but for what you don't see. These plants are actually underwater! The water is so clear and shallow and the limestone is so white you can't see it. Pretty cool!
Yellowstone hosts over 2 million visitors a year and I'm pretty sure weve all left the park with at least one of these shots.
We'll leave Yellowstone this time with this final shot.
Aren't the Grand Tetons magnificent?
We left Yellowstone and headed south to Jackson, Wyoming. Oh, what a beautiful ride with the late afternoon sun on the Grand Tetons. What a spectacular country we live in!
The days route
DAY 6 - Jackson, Wyoming to Sheridan, Wyoming
Today was the day we wanted to make tracks eastward. And we did just that, through some of the best scenery that Wyoming has to offer. The pictures that my back seat photographer took represent her awe at the roads and scenery we went through. I lost count of how many times I heard the word "Fabulous!!" on this day of the trip.
We backtracked out of Jackson to pick up US-287 which took us up and over the 9,668-foot Togwotee Pass. That was really spectacular. Near the summit we saw a sign that notified us that we were in for a ride through 24 miles of road construction ahead. Oh boy, what a 24 miles that was.
I've yet to be in Wyoming and not encounter many miles of this kind of roadwork:
The guys riding the Harleys were up from Colorado on a 10-day ride, heading back home.
We continued on through the small town of Dubois before picking up US-20, which took us through the Wind River Canyon and on into Worland were we stopped for lunch. Lynda got "shutterbug fever" as we wound our way through this beauty.
Shoshoni, Wyoming is located near the center of the state, just east of the Wind River Indian Reservation. North of Shoshoni is Lake Boysen State Park, a fairly large lake with clean beaches, camping, boating, great walleye fishing and absolutely stunning scenery up through the Wind River Canyon. The canyon is surrounded by many enormous cliffs and rocks, with numerous roadside markers describing the geology. The view was heavenly driving up the Wind River Canyon, through mountain "tunnels", on the way to Hot Springs State Park in Thermopolis. Thermopolis is the home of the largest hot springs in the world, in beautiful, relaxing country where visitors can take it easy in the local museums or enjoy one of my favorite activities: whitewater sports. :-)
We made a planned stop in Greybull for a shopping excursion at the Bighorn Quilt Shop for Lynda. Her purchase was probably sufficient to pay their rent for a month or so. We then picked up US-14 in Greybull and headed over the Bighorn Mountains and the 9,066-foot Granite Pass. This again was a spectacular ride -- made all the more so be cause at the top the topography is like a mesa -- a long 15 - 20 miles of relatively straight meadow and forest before the highway takes you down into Sheridan. The highway is a big bike riders dream - huge sweepers, technical switchbacks and all on perfect pavement.
Like this:
And this:
Our plan was to ride into Casper and spend the night before continuing east and seeing Devils Tower and Mt. Rushmore. We decided to call it a day when we reached Sheridan, Wyoming and have some BBQ at Sheridan's own Buffalo Bill Cody's Bar and Restaurant. The story is that Buffalo Bill was instrumental in getting the Burlington and Missouri Railroad to expand its line into Sheridan by guaranteeing overnight accommodations for the passengers and train staff. He built the hotel and bar and succeeded in bringing the railroad into town. The other story is that the railroad built the hotel and Buffalo Bill just provided the furnishings -- either way, good stuff!
The days route
[BREAK=Wyoming to Iowa]
DAY 7 - Sheridan, Wyoming to Murdo, South Dakota
Today we continued our ride east, leaving Sheridan for a speedy ride down I-90 to Gillette where we had a big breakfast, then continued on I-90 to US-14 to see Devils Tower National Monument.
We parked the bike in the visitors center and chatted with another rider who was heading home to Washington. He had attended a big BMW rally in South Dakota and had some route recommendations to share with us.
We learned the Indian legend that the scarring of Devils Tower was caused by a bears claws trying to get to an Indian princess in hiding on the tower top. Never did figure out how this monolith magically appeared out in the middle of nowhere.
As we continued east on US-14 we had a moment of terror and excitement as a little fawn darted out almost right in front of us. Some really hard braking and heartfelt thanks for ABS saw both the fawn and us continuing on our way, none the worse for wear. Judging from the amount of road kill wed been seeing it wouldn't have surprised us if the fawn were an orphan.
We crossed the border into South Dakota, where the weather changed almost immediately and signs welcoming bikers to Sturgis abounded. We got into Rapid City just as the thunderstorm that had been building decided to dump. We waited it out in a gas station and then went ahead to Mt. Rushmore.
Boy, has Rushmore ever changed since I was last there. Concessions, covered parking, shopping -- are all new to me. 90 well-spent minutes later we were back on I-90 making tracks east again. The ride across South Dakota's Badlands was very very hot. By 5:00pm Lynda had just about melted and the town of Murdo was on the horizon (as well as a nice steak dinner and a clean air-conditioned Best Western).
There is a lot to see in the area. We missed Jewel Cave National Monument, Custer State Park, Badlands National Park etc. We decided that this is an area we need to come back to and spend some time exploring.
The days route
DAY 8 - Murdo, South Dakota to Belmond, Iowa
This was a travel day. We needed to get into Iowa where I still have some family. So it was a continuation of the ride across on I-90 into Minnesota and then a quick right turn onto US-169 into Iowa. We arrived in my home town around 4:00pm.
Wonder how this thing handles the twisties...
It was also a day that reminded me once again just how dangerous weather can be. The long and short of it is that we got caught unprepared in a severe thunderstorm on a country road, with gusting winds of 60 70mph, driving rain and hail, not to mention the thunder and lightning. I knew we were in a severe storm when I saw the "Storm Watchers" out looking for funnel clouds. We made it to the motel, finally, got dried off and went out for Mexican. The bike weathered the storm OK, but my camera got toasted.
The days route
DAY 9 Belmond, Iowa
With family and friends for the day. My home town's main street looks the same coming and going
Actually I'm kind of proud of this little town -- it was celebrating its 150th birthday.
The days route
[BREAK=Iowa to New York]
DAY 10 Belmond, Iowa to Galesburg, Illinois
If you haven't guessed it yet Lynda is a quilter, and there is a popular quilting show on public television called Fons and Porter that originates in Iowa. We had to visit the shop in Winterset before leaving Iowa. Well, come to find out Winterset was also the Birthplace of John "the Duke" Wayne and is in the middle of Madison County, so a covered bridge visit was also in order before we continued our eastward trek.
We enjoyed the ride through southeastern Iowa, the Amana Colonies, and through Amish Country. It was nice being off the interstate for a while.
By the time we got to the Mississippi River the weather was clouding up. We could see the storm brewing in Illinois.
It wound up being a brief thunderstorm that we just rode through. The night was spent in Galesburg, Illinois.
The days route
DAY 11 Galesburg, Illinois to Findlay, Ohio
The ride through Illinois, Indiana and part of Ohio was, for the most part, uneventful. We left Galesburg by 8:30am after a brief stop at Pulitzer Prize winner Carl Sandburg's birth place.
We rode all day, abandoning the interstate in Indiana and taking the back roads, US-24, US-30 and passing through Watseka Illinois, which has one of the best water towers we'd seen.
Some of Mark's (aka Helmetdance's) territory, Indiana:
We finally intersected with I-75 and got a room in Findlay, Ohio for the night. No real "sights" to see and just a few pictures to share for this travel day. Though we did get rained on again. It actually rained hard enough for me to stop because I couldn't see the road in front of me.
The days route
DAY 12 Findlay, Ohio to Niagara Falls, New York
We eagerly packed up the bike in the morning and headed east out of Findlay on I-75 through Bowling Green and Toledo, where we picked up I-90. We closely followed Lake Erie through Pennsylvania and on into New York. Our destination today was Niagara Falls. The skies were a bit gray and cloudy when we pulled into our Best Western but it held off raining until later in the evening.
We got the bike unpacked and headed out to see the world-famous Niagara Falls. I can tell you that their fame is well justified. Spectacular. Our time was limited in that we were only there for one night and there was enough to keep us busy for several days. Neither Lynda nor I had ever been there before so we both really enjoyed it. We didn't bring our passports with us so we decided it best not to cross over to the Canadian side.
The Niagara River is 35 miles long. It moves water from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario, dropping 384 feet over those 35 miles with more than half of the elevation change occurring over the falls. Some 750,000 gallons of water a second flow over the lip. A couple of interesting facts. There have been two times since the falls were "discovered" that the flow of water over the falls has been stopped -- once in 1948 when a huge ice jam upriver effectively dammed the river, and a second time the water was diverted to the Horseshoe Falls in 1969 to allow engineers a chance to assess the possibility of removing some of the boulders at the base of the falls, in an effort to improve the viewing experience.
Arriving in Niagara:
My bride of many years and me at the American Falls:
A couple more shots:
And my favorite of the day:
The days route
[BREAK=New York to Massachusetts]
DAY 13 - Niagara Falls, New York to Plattsburg, New York
New York is another very big state. We left and re-entered it three times on our excursion. Today we needed to ride through the Adirondack's and try to make it into Vermont for our ride through the New England states. We found upstate New York to be quite pretty, but a bit more boring than what we envisioned. My previous trips to the East Coast had always been south of where we were, so my experience wasn't much help during the route planning. I'm sure we missed a lot, but here is what we did find
A couple of shots as we rode through the Adirondack's:
Then we stopped for gas and noticed these -- looks like some kind of flying grasshopper?? OK, you New Yorkers, what are these things??
Our route today looked much like this!
We stopped in Plattsburg, New York for the night. Plattsburg is right on the border with Canada and New York and Vermont. Very cool place! We were only minutes from Lake Champlain. I thought it was very cool to have both flags flying next to each other.
The days route
DAY 14 - Plattsburg, New York to Andover, Massachusetts
I was really looking forward to our ride through New England. Even though we didn't make it into Maine this trip we were able to ride through and visit Vermont, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut, New Jersey, Delaware and Rhode Island.
However, before we made it out of New York we had our first real detour of the trip. Lynda's brother called us and said, "You're in upstate New York, right? Then you should look up our family's old homestead." So a quick Mapquest check led us 50 miles off route to this:
Yes, her maiden name was Thayer and, according to the genealogy we have so far, her great grandfather was indeed born and raised in Thayers Corners.
Getting to Thayers Corners first found us studying this school house, in excellent repair and quite old. We were very impressed with this imposing structure.
We got back on route and proceeded across the border into Vermont. We wound our way southward as US-2 took us down the center of Lake Champlain. This is really a pretty area, a place we'll come back to again.
We made a stop at a "real" sugar shack and bought some original, verifiable Vermont Maple Syrup, and a for-real Maple Syrup flavored ice cream cone.
Did I mention the roads in Vermont were really beautiful, too?
We did take more pictures of our southerly journey through the New England highways, but I think the ones above are the best. This is again one of those areas where we will definitely come back and spend some time.
We wound up in Andover, Massachusetts at a La Quinta Inn for the night. Darn nice place to stay when youre hot, tired and sweaty (even if its not a Best Western)!
Tomorrow we're headed into New Jersey to see our longtime friend's mother and sister in New Jersey.
The days route
[BREAK=Massachusetts to Virginia]
DAY 15 - Andover, Massachusetts to Ft. Washington, Pennsylvania
Because of the distance and time involved we elected to make use of the interstates today to get us out of Massachusetts. We rode I-495 to avoid Boston, then picked up I-90 and went south of Worchester to pick up I-84 which we used to get to the Connecticut border and US-6. We rode US-6 the rest of the way into New York where we crossed the George Washington Bridge to New Jersey for a delightful lunch with our friends. Then we picked up I-84 for the quick ride into Philadelphia where the best we could do is play "window tourists" since both the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall were closing their doors as we were arriving.
Today was Lynda's first experience with toll roads and turnpikes. She was un-impressed. She couldn't understand how or why we had to pay to use a road that the taxpayers have already paid to build and maintain. I explained the "pay as you go system. If you dont use the road then you don't have to pay, and the taxes at the gas pump are reduced. The New Jersey roads were far and away the worst roads of any that we rode on the entire trip so my explanation didnt go over very well and Lynda was quite happy to leave the toll roads behind us.
The downside of riding interstate roads all day was that our pictures are of US-6. Nicknamed "The Grand Army of the Republic Highway" it is a delightful ride. Early on (1937) it was a transcontinental Highway.
And here's a few pics of said highway.
Yikes which way do I go? Sure hope this GPS knows what it's doing.
The only shot we were able to get of the George Washington Bridge. Lynda was very nervous with all of the aggressive traffic.
The Philadelphia Skyline.
And "Tourist through the Window" for the Liberty Bell.
I know how to play tourist in front of Independence Hall.
We wound our way through a number of Philadelphia neighborhoods and eventually made it to Ft. Washington, Pennsylvania for the night. It was an exhausting day.
The days route
DAY 16 - Ft. Washington, Pennsylvania to Mechanicsville, Virginia
Today the plan was to once again play tourist, this time in Washington DC. I had spent some time there about 20 years ago, but this was Lynda's first trip to our nation's Capitol.
We left the hotel in Ft. Washington on an empty tank of gas and a malfunctioning GPS. The only gas station it could find was a little over 19 miles away, back in Philadelphia. We didn't follow its recommendation but instead asked a couple of locals and eventually found a full service station with all of .02 Gallons of gas left in the tank. The attendant was very helpful in getting us on a route into DC.
The ride into Washington was basically un-eventful -- if you don't count getting lost -- as in missing at least three turns, going through the Baltimore Harbor Tunnel, and missing the Beltway entrance. Oh well, the GPS finally started working about this time and I have to tell you all (for those of you that own a GPS, you'll know what this means) I got real tired of Henrietta saying "Off Route Recalculating". The routes, exits, roads, etc. have changed since the map set that I have for my GPS was produced, causing both it and us a great deal of frustration the last couple of days. But we did finally make it into the Capitol. It's still as beautiful as ever, and the new monuments (Vietnam, Korean, and WWII) all brought a very solid message home to those of us that either lived through the period or served during it. I spent the better part of an hour walking around with a huge lump in my throat. Very moving.
Lynda was quite surprised at the size of the city and the scope of the Mall. With three hours of walking, we were both very leg-sore and weary by the time we made it back to the bike and headed out of town toward Richmond, Virginia for an overnight stop. We were looking forward to a short ride into Virginia Beach the next day and to spending some time with our longtime friend Linda K. before continuing on south through the Smokey Mountains, Blue Ridge Parkway, and onward to Florida before turning right and heading back home.
A few touristy pics of the Washington Mall.
Crossing the Potomac:
From the Washington Monument, looking toward the Lincoln Memorial and the reflecting pool. The WWII memorial is in the front. The Korean War memorial is on the left and the Viet Nam Memorial is to the right of Lincoln.
This is a requisite picture for everyone that visits Washington:
As is this one. Lincoln's right foot is HUGE!
Viet Nam Memorial
Another Viet Nam Memorial
We said our goodbyes to Washington and headed southwest toward Richmond. What should have been a short, high-speed 90 mile ride down I-95 wound up taking us over three hours because of two separate traffic accidents. So much for being able to make up time.
The days route
DAY 17 - Mechanicsville, Virginia to Virginia Beach, Virginia
We spent the night in Mechanicsville, near Richmond, and then proceeded on to Virginia Beach (with a rather major detour to "Colonial Williamsburg") to see our friend Linda K. and her daughter Lindsey. We left Mechanicsville and headed southeast on I-64. About 45 miles into the ride we saw the highway sign saying "Colonial Williamsburg - 4 miles". Well, we had both seen television shows about Williamsburg, so we decided to make a stop there. We really didn't know what to expect and were very surprised to see the huge volume of cars parked in the visitor center parking lot. Once we got into the center we learned that Williamsburg was the gateway to some amazing American history. We only had an hour to stroll around the historic, restored colonial village, and we tried to make the best of it, but there is just too much to see. It's definitely on our "must do" list the next time we make it back into this neck of the woods.
Here are a couple of photos from Williamsburg.
Yes, you can rent them and ride around town.
A very active tourist stop. We almost had to commit a crime to get this picture.
We continued on down I-64 and soon found ourselves traveling under the Chesapeake Bay via the Chesapeake Bay Tunnel. What a trip that was! We followed some excellent instructions and were soon enjoying the company of Linda and Lindsey. Linda was very kind and helpful in getting our laundry done (much needed and OH SO appreciated), letting us wash the bike, and showing us around town. We spent the evening at the beach -- really a beautiful place, and a real tourist destination. They are trying to keep the beach a "family friendly" place, so you will chuckle at the "no swearing" sign.
The sign:
The days route
DAY 18 - Virginia Beach, Virginia to Roanoke, Virginia
We were able to get ourselves packed up and headed out of town by 10:00am. The goal today was to get to Roanoke, Virginia via the Blue Ridge Parkway, riding through the Smoky Mountains. All I can say is WOW -- this is one of God's little corners in the world. Really beautiful. The road is perfectly kept, the sights are postcard perfect at every viewpoint and, in truth, they can only be appreciated via a personal visit. We only rode the Blue Ridge Parkway about 50 miles, but planned to spend most of the following day on it heading south to visit our youngest son and his family. So far its been a most excellent adventure.
The days route
DAY 19 - Roanoke, Virginia to Newport, Tennessee
As I mentioned before, sometimes it's about the destination, sometimes it's about the route, and sometimes it's about the ride. But rarely is it about all three. Unless youre talking about the Blue Ridge Parkway. One guy we talked to said "I've got 300 miles of some of the best motorcycling roads in the country, what's not to be happy about?" I couldn't agree more. I wasn't riding one of California's techno-twisties with my big touring bike, nor was I speeding down the superslab trying to get from point A to point B. The Blue Ridge Parkway is a destination unto itself and a joy to ride on a touring bike -- or any bike for that matter!
Some of the road we saw:
And a view of the Blue Ridge:
Not a California twisty, but we did do quite a bit of up and downs as we rode from "Gap" to "Gap".
My navigator, photographer, route critic, and much better half thought I needed to be in this shot for some reason.
We stopped at Mabry's Mill, which is still a functional original mill dating from the early 1900's. We were completely impressed with the inventiveness of Ed Mabry and his use of the water wheel that powered the sawmill, jigsaw, and gristmill.
The Mill.
As we were walking up to it, the mill the wheel suddenly started spinning very fast. They were giving a demonstration of the lathe inside.
A shot of the "sawmill".
All of the tools and mill were controlled by a series of belts and pulleys that were moved around to the various tools. They could gear up or down -- quite a transmission!
After our walk around the mill, we continued to Blowing Rock, which took us off the parkway to get gas, and then onto I-40 into Asheville, North Carolina. After 10 hours of riding, we arrived in Newport, Tennessee (which is close to Knoxville). The last hour of riding was spent in bumper-to-bumper traffic as there was a dead deer accident followed by a flatbed 18-wheeler that lost his lumber load. What a (stinky) mess, but we got an opportunity to talk to a trucker next to us on the CB for quite some time.
The days route
Here's a couple of Panoramas from the Blue Ridge Parkway.
Taken early in the morning, the haze is almost purple it's so dark
Sunlight brings the vibrant greens to life.
[BREAK=Tennessee to Texas]
DAY 20 - Newport, Tennessee to Perry, Georgia
Time to make tracks. Our 30 day odyssey was 2/3's over and we were still on the east coast with family to see in Florida and friends to see in Texas and still having to make it back west with enough time to visit the Grand Canyon, etc. So today we took a tour through the Smoky Mountain National Park
Nope, we didn't make as many miles as I would have liked, but we couldn't pass up the opportunity to take this final pass through some pretty country before descending into the flatlands in Georgia and Florida.
We drove through Gatlinburg, Tennessee on US-321. It's a huge tourist trap, but really a very nice town. We then picked up US-441 and were soon at the Great Smoky Mountain National Park entrance.
The highway was well-maintained and full of great sweepers like this one.
A couple of scenery shots we took while riding through the park.
This shot was taken from the overlook at the Tennessee/North Carolina Border. You can see the highway down below. The park is really a beauty and well worth a visit.
Lynda had her first encounter with Boiled Peanuts. (unimpressed) And demonstrated her knowledge of kudzu.
As we entered Georgia we both wondered where all the peach orchards were, and then I remembered that they kind of surround the Atlanta area, and we weren't anywhere close. We spent the night in Perry, Georgia. The weather was definitely heating back up. With temps in the 90's and very high humidity it felt like we were traveling in over 100 degrees. I knew this was going to be something we were going to have to get used to as the entire trip back west would be through the southern U.S.
The days route
DAY 21- Perry, Georgia to Leesburg, Florida
We left Perry for our ride to Leesburg, Florida with the bike not feeling quite right. At slow speed the front end wobbled badly, and we felt / heard a kind of thumping. The sound and the wobble all but went away as we got up to speed. I thought I had either thrown a wheel weight or the back tire was worn unevenly and was causing the issue. By the time we got to Leesburg I knew the bike needed to be looked at so we headed directly to the Honda dealer in town who was able to take us immediately. The mechanic put the bike on the rack and checked the rear tire out.
What he saw was scared us both. There was about an 8 gash in the tire where the tread was delaminating from the carcass.
We needed a new tire for sure. We were very very lucky that the quality of the Bridgestone was as good as it was. We speculate that we either ran over something or bruised and started a tear (believe me when I say we had some bad roads in New Jersey) with some of the potholes wed hit. Thankfully they had a new tire in stock, mounted it, and we were off an hour later. Excellent service at Champion Honda in Leesburg, Florida.
We had a couple of hours to kill before our son picked us up for dinner so we nosed around town and found Lynda another quilt shop.
DAY 22 - Leesburg, Florida
Spent the whole day with the kids in Epcot Center. It was good to get off the bike for a day and take a break. Lynda's first excursion into Tourist Land revealed that Mickey Mouse is everywhere, and can be marketed anywhere:
DAY 23 - Leesburg, Florida to Mobile, Alabama
After saying goodbye to family in Florida we made good on the sentiment from a couple of days prior. We made tracks! We hopped on I-75 north and rode it till we could pick up I-10 and head west. Once on I-10 we made good time out of Florida and into Alabama. We once again were delayed by two severe traffic accidents, both caused by thunder storms. We were caught in the downpour, so we pulled off the freeway and took cover in a Waffle House for an hour waiting for the rain to stop. Then we continued onward to Mobile, Alabama for the night. We gained back an hour with the time change, which recovered the hour lost waiting for the storm to stop.
By the time we stopped in Mobile the weather had turned really sour. Several lightening storms and microwave popcorn kept us entertained in our motel room for a bit. Then I was busy trying to change out a low beam headlight when Lynda snapped this shot. I gave up on the headlight and instead went back to the room for a beer and more of the lightshow.
The days route
DAY 24 - Mobile, Alabama to Houston, Texas
Before we left the Deep South I really wanted to have a good sit down Cajun meal. We lucked out and happened upon this little place where we enjoyed a great lunch.
We rode through Baton Rouge and found most of the highway was elevated.
We weren't able to really enjoy much of the "Bayou" country, but we did capture this brief glimpse of what its like.
Next time we are in the Deep South we will spend more time along the Gulf Coast, this is the only shot we got of the Gulf of Mexico.
By the end of Day 24 we had crossed into Texas and were ensconced in our 20th Best Western of this trip!
The days route
[BREAK=Texas to Colorado]
DAY 25 Houston, Texas to Austin, Texas
Wow, the final week of our odyssey! It was hard to believe that wed gone so far and seen so much (and missed too much!). We were both in sensory overload and looking forward to visiting friends in Austin, Texas.
We left Houston about 7:15am and made it into Austin around noon. The ride was smooth, with the exception of the heat and the Texas State Police man, they were everywhere! By the time we got into Austin we were ready for an air conditioned room, which we found at can you guess the name of our hotel??
We were actually quite early to visit our working friends so we spent a little bit of time checking out the city. I was able to find Lynda another quilt shop so she was happy.
We both went crazy trying to navigate the highways down there. Imagine a nice 4-lane interstate, with 2 additional lanes in each direction that aren't part of the interstate, but handle part of the traffic, and have no cross streets, and are numbered like they were the interstate. Very confusing. Friends told us that the reason was because of the booming growth down there. They can't build freeways fast enough.
Here is a shot of some of the Austin Skyline. Anyone know what the name of this building is??
On our way into Austin we ran through this little town, where the water tower wins second place for "Best water tower in the U.S." I was born a Smith, and had no idea I had a town named after me. Just might have to retire here.
I've not said much about the flora we've seen along the way, but boy Lynda captured this one and I was wowed. What's it called??
By now it wasn't easy for Lynda to give up her pillion position, but she did allow DJ a short ride down to check on her daughter's boarded horse.
Lots of fun in Austin in spite of the intense heat all day long. But seeing longtime friends even for a brief visit made it all worth while.
The days route
DAY 26 Austin, Texas to Amarillo, Texas
Only five more days to go before we get to sleep in our own bed again! Today was another "make tracks" day. We left town with the Austin commute traffic -- don't ask me how, I thought we would be in the reverse commute. But we were out of town and heading north toward Oklahoma without breaking a sweat.
This day would be the hottest day by far that we'd had on the bike. We had to stop every 100 miles, down a 24 oz. water, and soak our shirts and jackets in water before proceeding. The jackets would be dry in about 40 minutes, but it was a cool and comfortable 40 minutes!
After four days on the interstate highways I couldn't do it anymore so I jumped at the chance to ride US-281 for a while. It got us into Oklahoma, where we had to negotiate about 30 miles of road crews laying down a fresh chip coat. For those that don't know, a chip coat is a layer of tar over the existing roadbed with a THICK layer of gravel on top of that. We motorists are expected to "work the gravel into the roadbed". The bike behaved well, although we were following a 18 wheeler, so we had to stay well back and really pay attention.
The temperature peaked at 106 degrees.
Is this Texas or Oklahoma ? (Iowa - Nebraska - Kansas)???
Ahhhh FINALLY the distant promise of something other than these never ending hot flatlands.
This is literally the highest point we saw all day. I knew in the next day wed be in New Mexico and Colorado and that wed be getting some really great shots.
We stopped for the night in Amarillo, a ride of some 571 miles from Austin. We were both exhausted. A very hot and long day.
The days route
DAY 27 Amarillo, Texas to Durango, Colorado
Challenge 4 days to see the Million Dollar Highway, the Grand Canyon, Mono Lake, and Ebbitts Pass. In Amarillo at the moment, we still had a lot of country to see.
Our goal was to get from Amarillo through New Mexico and into Durango, Colorado. Another 500+ mile day.
We spent a couple of hours in the morning running down I-40 from Amarillo into Albuquerque then picked up US-550 to take us out of New Mexico and into Colorado.
It was nice seeing something other than the endless plains and fields we had been traveling through. The roads were still pretty straight and flat but the scenery sure improved.
We no sooner crossed the border into New Mexico before we started seeing views like this.
This red rock mesa caught our eye.
Finally, some mountains!!
The scenery may have changed for the better, but the roads were staying pretty much the same.
A couple more shots.
Looks like a mini Devils Tower.
Distant Colorado Rockies.
Our first view of Durango.
Tomorrows promise! Red Mountain and the Red Mountain Pass.
The days route
[BREAK=Colorado to Arizona]
DAY 28 - Durango, Colorado to Flagstaff, Arizona
The plan for the day was to head from Durango, through Riverton, Telluride, and then head south into Arizona to spend the night in Flagstaff. Beautiful day in the mountains. I told Lynda that we were going to play in the mountains today, and that's just what we did. US-550 from Durango into Montrose is called "The Million Dollar Highway" -- an excerpt from this web site explains how the road got its name:
There are a variety of explanations regarding the source of the name for the "Million Dollar Highway." One version claims it is based on the value of the ore-bearing fill that was used to construct the road, and another says it refers to the high cost of building a road over Red Mountain Pass (11,008 feet) and the Uncompahgre Gorge. One thing no one will dispute is the million dollar views around every turn. This marvel of engineering, designed by Russian immigrant Otto Mears, slices through rugged mountains as it follows old stagecoach routes and former pack trails. A journey that took weeks in pre-car days is now less than a two-hour journey if the road is dry and the driver is able to resist stopping to enjoy the awesome views.
This was only my second time riding over this highway, and I was as wowed this time as I was the first. I am so jealous of the folks that have this road in their backyard. Weve gone overboard on today's report, mostly because we want every reader to make plans to do this ride. There is just too much scenery to capture -- once again, the eye sees it and the camera can only attempt to capture it.
It is also here that Lynda for the first time said, "Slow down, I need to take a shot of this road!"
Like I say, sometimes its the road, sometimes it's the destination, sometimes it's the ride -- all three magically came together on the Million Dollar Highway.
Wed spent the night in Purgatory, a resort about half way between Durango and Silverton, Colorado.
When we checked in we were offered a Queen that sleeps 2, or a Mini that sleeps 4". We chose the Mini. Great view from the window. Fun spot to spend either a summer or a winter night.
The early morning road held a lot of promise for some really great mountain riding.
This doesn't hold a candle to what is in the offing a little later on.
We are racing toward that mountain.
Yup -- that's the road down there. Beautiful. The air, the scenery, the most comfortable scoot in the world -- can't be beat!
Every curve of the road offers ever more beautiful vistas.
Our first view of Silverton. This is without a doubt one of the most picturesque little towns I've ever been through.
Leaving Silverton we headed north toward the Red Mountain Pass.
Spectacular road.
We made it to the top of the Red Mountain Pass -- 11,018 feet above sea level.
I don't care who you are -- this is a Twisty!
A close-up of Red Mountain.
A couple of road pics.
No guardrail and, yes, the drop-off is deadly.
Our first view of Ouray, Colorado, a perfect town nestled at the base of the Rockies.
We did finally have to leave the beauty of this area and head back south again into Arizona. These Hodo's remind us that tomorrow we'll be visiting the Grand Canyon.
We arrived in Flagstaff at 5:30pm and got our Best Western room. Hot, tired and sweaty again, but really thrilled to be where we were after seeing today's sights.
Looking forward to seeing the Grand Canyon and riding on to Ely, Nevada for the final run home.
The days route
A page break here for a panorama of the Million Dollar Highway, at the top of Red Mountain Pass. Beautiful!
[BREAK=Arizona to Nevada]
DAY 29 Flagstaff, Arizona to Ely, Nevada
We left Flagstaff and headed up US-180 to the Grand Canyon. The geography in the "High Plains Desert" just amazes me. The topography of riding along at 5 to 6 thousand feet in elevation mile after mile and suddenly arriving at a huge gash in the earth never fails to impress.
We knew ahead of time that we were in for a long day's ride, so I had hoped that we would be able to make the Grand Canyon a "drive by" visit. That, alas, wasn't to be. It was just too beautiful. We spent a couple of hours at Mather Point before I was able to drag Lynda back on the bike for our ride around to the North Rim.
Our route continued north on US-89 to ALT-89, past the North Rim and into Utah and on to Cedar City via US-14. The route out of Cedar City was the two-lane high-speed UT-56, trough some of the most desolate and barren territory we had been in. We stopped in the little mining town of Newcastle for gas and a break before continuing the last 150 miles into Ely, Nevada.
UT-56 is an interesting road in that it runs pretty much straight as an arrow for mile after mile until you get to some low foothills where the road takes a few twisties and then drops down into a valley. It did that no less than 3 times between Cedar City and the Nevada state line. We eventually settled onto US-50 and arrived in Ely at 6:30pm. Much to our horror the accommodations in this small Nevada town were totally booked. The town was hosting a rodeo. Checking at six motels, all we heard was "Sorry, we're booked the closest room is 1-1/2 hours away. We were pretty depressed. I checked at the Motel 6 and was told that a cancellation had just come in. Lucked out. So, the lesson here is when traveling in remote areas, particularly over the weekends, it always pays to check room availability before showing up.
How do we describe our first impression? When we parked the bike and walked toward the canyon nothing could have prepared us for the view Mother Nature had prepared for us.
Now this wasn't a feature the last time I was there, but it sure provided a bit of entertainment while we were there. If you can make out the shiny bits those are coins. I have to wonder two things -- who reaps the benefit of this generosity, and who on earth (how even) do "they" go out and collect it?
Awe inspiring #1
Awe inspiring #2
Awe inspiring #3
Can't get much ore picture perfect than this.
Heading toward the North Rim - Lynda became completely enamored of the beautiful red rocks.
Believe it or not this was our actual view of the Colorado River as we crossed over it. The picture doesn't show it, but we did see it -- far below.
Beautiful ride.
US-14 in Utah -- heading toward Cedar City.
We actually lost time taking this route as there was some kind of ATV rally up there and a lot of cars and pickups winding slowly down the road -- but the scenery sure was pretty.
The days route
A couple more panorama shots.
This first one is at Mather Point:
This one was taken by Desert View.
[BREAK=Nevada to California]
DAY 30 Ely, Nevada to San Ramon, California
After the scare of having no room the previous night we were really glad to be on the final leg of our journey knowing that tonight we would be able to sleep in our own bed. That thought alone was motivation enough to cover the 580 miles home in one rather long day.
While a lot of folks consider US-50 to be the loneliest road in the country I would have to say that there are more than just a few out there that would give it a run for its money. US-6 is one of them. UT-56 is another. The days plan was to ride US-6 into Benton, California then to take one of my favorite roads -- CA-120 -- across to US-395, then ride up to US-89 and CA-4 over Ebbetts Pass to Stockton and a final stretch of freeway home. It's a route many of us have used any number of times and it never fails to leave me feeling very satisfied at the end of the day that I've had a great ride.
The weather was really great riding across the desert in the early morning. By the time we got to Benton the sun was well up and the day was turning quite nice. When we arrived in Lee Vining for lunch at the deli and paid the criminal price for gas, the day was promising to be a warm one. The run up to US-89 took a little longer than I remembered and by the time we started climbing we were ready for some elevation coolness. The great riding temps continued on up over Ebbetts Pass. The downside to our plan was that the traffic was awful with very rude drivers that wouldn't use the turnouts. Very very slow drivers, a torture that lasted all the way to Angels Camp. By the time we turned back onto CA-4 heading into Stockton the temperature was 106 degrees. When we reached Tracy the temperature was 115. It was a baking 115 to 116 the whole way home. We pulled into the driveway at 4:30pm, completing our most amazing trip.
Here are a few familiar pictures of our final day on the road. We left Ely, Nv. at 7:30am because we wanted to miss as much of the desert heat as we could. This is US-6 heading west, arrow-straight for mile after mile. The clouds on the horizon did build to a thunderstorm, but by the time we got there it had moved south of us.
When we made the turn off of US-6 north onto CA-120 in Benton,Ca. the road began to climb.
On this ascent we saw donkeys for the first time along side the road. That was quite a surprise.
I love this section of CA-120 for two reasons: the "Whoop-De-Doo" factor of riding the miles of dips, like being on a roller coaster, and the great Sierra Nevada views.
Here is our requisite picture of Mono Lake, a place I never tire of visiting or recommending to my riding friends.
And here are a couple of the grade over CA-4. The traffic on CA-4 was really heavy and slow. I've not seen it that heavy in the times I've been over it before, which took us by surprise.
And the final one - everyone that's been this way has at least one and most of us take at least one every time we go past.
Lynda kept the statistics for the trip, and offers these:
- 12,060 miles traveled.
- Consumed 316.2 gallons of gas - (about 38 MPG), not bad for a 2-up fully loaded touring bike.
- Checked into and out of 26 hotel rooms.
- Saw 6 National Parks (Glacier, Yellowstone, Grand Tetons, Niagara Falls, Smoky Mtns., and Grand Canyon).
- Saw several National Monuments (Mt. Rushmore, Devils Tower, Liberty Bell, And DC's monuments).
- Colonial Williamsburg
- Saw the country Lewis and Clark explored, and Buffalo Bill Cody's home.
- Epcot Center
- Visited family and friends
- Visited 4 quilt shops
- And, drank countless bottles of water
We've had lots of questions since getting back, the one we've gotten the most of is addressed to Lynda: "Would you do it again?"
Her response: "In a heartbeat!"
Now that's a motorcycle momma.
Jim and Lynda - Signing out
Author's Postscript:
This is my version of our 30 day odyssey. Lynda tells her story via our web site (www.jimnlyn.com) in a string of emails she sent to family and friends while we were on the road. We are in the process of uploading 1024 x 786 high resoultion pictures to our gallery should you want to take a look at some of the 3,000 pictures we took.


text:
Chapman Honored by FWAA
Chapman Honored by FWAA
Nov. 6, 2012
MANHATTAN, Kan. – Kansas State senior Allen Chapman picked up his third honor following the Oklahoma State game as he was named the Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week, the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) announced Tuesday.
With the honor by the FWAA, Chapman has been added to the watch list for the 2012 Bronko Nagurski Trophy, extending K-State's school record of awards candidates to 18. Earlier in the week, Chapman was named the Walter Camp National Defensive Player of the Week and the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week.
In the Wildcats' 44-30 victory over the 24th-ranked Cowboys, Chapman pulled in three interceptions, batted away two other passes and tallied five tackles. His three interceptions were tied for the most in a single game in Big 12 history, while they were tied for the second most in school history and were the most by a Wildcat since 1995.
His first pick went 29 yards for a touchdown in the second quarter, while he had one later in the quarter that halted an OSU drive in K-State territory. His final interception of the evening came in the end zone late in the fourth quarter with Kansas State holding on to its 14-point lead.
Kansas State, ranked second in the current BCS standings, travels to Fort Worth, Texas, to face TCU on Saturday at Amon G. Carter Stadium. The game kicks off at 6 p.m., and will be shown to a national audience on FOX.


text:
Researching and Managing Investments
- All About Indices
No doubt you've seen headlines reporting that a particular index is up or down. But do you know how an index works, and why understanding the nuts and bolts of a specific index can make a difference to your portfolio?
- Crisis Investing: Keeping Your Head
When a crisis creates uncertainty, markets often become volatile, especially when the scope of the disaster isn't clear. A crisis is like Janus, the Roman god with faces that looked forward and back. For some investors, it may represent a threat; for others, it may spell opportunity. Not every crisis requires a reaction; sticking to a long-term plan is still the best strategy for most people.
- Investing on Your Own
The first step to investing, especially investing on your own, is to make sure you have a financial plan. How much are you going to invest? For how long? What are your financial goals? Do you understand your tolerance for risk? All investments carry some risk.
- Keeping Market Volatility in Perspective
When markets are volatile, sticking to a long-term investing strategy can be a challenge. Though past performance is no guarantee of future results, it might help you keep the ups and downs in perspective to see how recent market action compares to previous market cycles.
- Plan Now for a Year-End Investment Review
- Research Public Companies
- Working with Brokers and Investment Advisers


text: Modern dynamic composition, full of energy, powerful and excellent for commercials, documentaries, business presentations or exiting new product launches. Simple piano theme with supporting drum beat and synthesizer overlay. The package contains two versions: The remix version, length 1 minute 31 seconds and the original version, length 1 minute 12 seconds.


text:
Fox Baselessly Suggests Obama May Be Attempting To Disenfranchise Military Voters
Research ››› ››› KEVIN ZIEBER
Fox News alleged that the Obama administration may be behind a decrease in absentee ballots requests among service members, and raised questions as to whether the White House was "trying to disenfranchise the military." In fact, the Military Voter Protection Project, Fox's source for this information, has stated that the decline was not precipitated by partisan politics.
Fox: Is The Administration "Trying To Disenfranchise The Military?"
Fox's Steve Doocy: "Some Are Saying, Well, Are They Trying To Disenfranchise The Military? We Don't Know." On Fox & Friends, co-host Steve Doocy asked if the administration was trying to "disenfranchise the military":
STEVE DOOCY (co-host): The MOVE Act of 2009 was supposed to help the people in the military be able to request these kind of things, but apparently, you know, it's just not working out for them. And some are saying, well, are they trying to disenfranchise the military? We don't know. [Fox News, Fox & Friends, 10/1/12]
Fox Caption: "Is Politics At Play With Troop Turnout?" During a discussion of military voting on Fox & Friends, on-screen text stated "Disenfranchised Voters: Is Politics At Play With Troop Turnout?"
[Fox News, Fox & Friends, 10/1/12]
Other Right-Wing Media Outlets Also Highlighted Report On Decrease In Military Absentee Ballot Requests. The Drudge Report and Fox Nation both linked to a Military Voter Protection Project blog post reporting that there had been a decrease in absentee ballot requests by military voters in Virginia. [The Drudge Report, 10/1/12, Fox Nation, 10/1/12]
Military Voter Protection Project Executive Director: "I Simply Don't See Any Politics At Play"
Military Voter Protection Project Executive Director Eric Eversole: "I Simply Don't See Any Politics At Play" In Voter Assistance Programs. Military Voter Protection Project Executive Director Eric Eversole told the Marine Corps. Times in September that voter assistance for military voters is a longstanding problem that long predates the Obama administration:
[T]here is little reason to believe the Pentagon's reported problems with voter assistance reflect partisan maneuvering, said Eric Eversole, executive director of the Military Voter Protection Project.
"The military voting issue has existed long before the current administration. I simply don't see any politics at play," Eversole said. [Marine Corps. Times, 9/5/12]
Defense Dep't Inspector General: Congress Didn't Provide Funding To Fully Implement Military Voting Law
Congress Passed The MOVE Act To Assist Military Voting. In 2009, Congress passed the 2009 Military and Overseas Voter Empowerment (MOVE) Act. Among the provisions of the MOVE Act was a requirement that the Pentagon maintain a voting assistance office at every military installation. [Title 10, U.S. Code Section 1566a, accessed 10/1/12]
Department Of Defense IG: Congress Did Not Properly Fund The MOVE Act. A report from the Department of Defense's Inspector General stated that Congress did not provide funding for the voting offices required by the MOVE Act:
Voting Assistance Offices -- One of the most significant provisions of the MOVE Act is a requirement for the Military Services to establish an installation voting assistance office (IVAO) on every installation under their control (except for installations in a warzone). To assess effectiveness of DoD efforts to establish IVAOs, we attempted to contact 100 percent of the installations identified by the FVAP [Federal Voting Assistance Program] website. Results were clear. Our attempts to contact IVAOs failed about 50 percent of the time.
We concluded the Services had not established all the IVAOs as intended by the MOVE Act because, among other issues, the funding was not available. Officials pointed out the law did not authorize DoD additional funding for this initiative and estimated IVAO costs could exceed $15-20 million per year. [Inspector General, Department of Defense, 8/31/12]
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TraditionalistLanguage brain teasers are those that involve the English language. You need to think about and manipulate words and letters.
What is unusual about the word "traditionalist"?
AnswerIt is the longest word that both begins and ends with the letter "t."
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Karen Poirrier, of Lutcher, says she's been retired for a year, and husband Buddy has been retired for two years:
"When asked how I enjoy retirement, I respond that to me retirement is an opportunity to 'own time.'
"I spend some of my time doing hospital ministry, volunteering at the St. Vincent de Paul Store, singing in our church choir and, of course, sending emails to you."
But, she says, Buddy has a rather different outlook:
"When I asked Buddy what he planned to do today, he responded, 'Nothing.'
"I said, 'You said the same thing yesterday.'
"To which he exclaimed, 'But I didn't finish!' "
Nothing wasted
Yvonne F. Galster, of Zachary, says a billboard promoting recycling reminded her of her childhood on a farm during the Great Depression, "when recycling was a way of life."
She recalls flour-sack dresses and underwear, and grocery bags, bread wrappers and newspapers converted into school lunch bags:
"Some students carried tin syrup cans as lunch boxes.
"We picked blackberries for cobblers, jelly and juice.
"Empty egg shells were set in the oven to lightly toast. Chickens and birds enjoyed the shells.
"Even ashes were recycled, when soap was made from ashes, water and grease or lard."
She says they even recycled their Sears and Roebuck catalogs (don't ask …).
The kindly grocer
Mickey Pearson recalls the bubble gum shortage during World War II:
"Growing up in the small town of Berwick, there were family-owned grocery stores on nearly every block.
"Walking to grade school past Sidney Bella's store, I would stop each morning to spend my nickel allowance.
"On rare occasions when Sidney had bubble gum, he would allow me to buy one piece, then tell me how lucky I was as I had just gotten the last piece.
"I think I was an adult when it finally dawned on me that Sidney said that to every child so there would be bubble gum for all the other children."
Politeness counts
Margo Mathews says, "My friend Kathryn is known to get involved in situations and to give religious medals to strangers.
"So it was no surprise to my husband and myself when we were dining in her restaurant and were approached by 'Mr. Forgetful' asking for money for Pop-A-Lock that she felt the need to talk with him.
"Thanks to your previous columns we were aware of the scam.
"After their discussion we asked her what she said to him and she replied, 'I told him if he was going to do that he might as well be polite about it!'
"We had a good laugh at her attempt to convert the con man and teach him some manners.
"It was too bad she didn't have any medals on her!"
Special delivery
Richard Sherlock Jr. says our seminar on milk delivery brings back memories of the home his parents built in 1962 on College Drive near Jefferson Highway:
"The kitchen included a milk chute between a cabinet and the outside wall near the driveway.
"The builder thought it was a crazy idea, but my parents insisted.
"The chute had an exterior steel door with a latch for security.
"Kleinpeter's Dairy delivered milk, eggs, etc., right into an inside kitchen cabinet — especially nice in the winter months.
"It was the talk of the neighborhood then."
Worthy causes
On Valentine's Day Thursday, Town Square on North Boulevard is the scene of a dance party from noon to 1 p.m. and again from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., supporting the "One Billion Rising" movement to end violence against women and girls.
The party is presented by One Billion Rising-Baton Rouge in partnership with STAR (Sexual Trauma and Response Center), Downtown Development District and The Red Shoes. Call (225) 338-1170 or email email@example.com.
Special People Dept.
- Tom and Alyce Adams celebrate 65 years of marriage Wednesday.
- Sadie and Lionel Templet celebrate 64 years of marriage Wednesday.
That empty feeling
This story from Algie Petrere shows how words can have more than one meaning:
"Trying to do her share to help the environment, my friend set up a trash basket at her church and posted above it this suggestion: 'Empty water bottles here.'
"She should have been a little more specific, because when she went to check it later, she didn't find any bottles in it.
"But it WAS full of water."
Shirley Fleniken came across this tale:
Joe was proud of his family of six children. He frequently referred to his wife as "Mother of Six," much to her annoyance.
Finally, she cured him of his habit.
At the end of a big party, Joe called out loud enough for everyone to hear, "Ready to go, Mother of Six?"
"Any time you are," she replied, "Father of Four."
Write Smiley at email@example.com. He can also be reached by fax at (225) 388-0351 or mail at P.O. Box 588, Baton Rouge, LA 70821.


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Synonym Safari 3Language brain teasers are those that involve the English language. You need to think about and manipulate words and letters.
Replace each word or words in parentheses with a one-word synonym to decipher a common phrase.
1. (Diversity) is the (zest) of (existence).
2. (Training) (creates) (excellence).
3. (Adoration) is (sightless).
Answer1. Variety is the spice of life.
2. Practice makes perfect.
3. Love is blind.
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Buried: A Goth Girl Mystery by Linda Joy Singleton
Thorn does not even try to fit in at her new school. Although she likes being different with her Goth look, she does not like her psychic abilities that set her apart from other teenagers. When Thorn touches an item, she gets visions that help her find things including the bones of a dead baby. Thorn cannot rest until she solves the mystery. Matters get more complicated when she encounters the Grin Reaper, a boy who hides behind a mask to exact revenge.
Thorn was an interesting character as she begins to accept her abilities. The supporting characters were well-written especially the Grin Reaper. The mystery was not as complex as I usually like, but the overall story was enjoyable.
- nb


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SAINT LEO, Fla. – Five different Lions put the ball between the posts as the Saint Leo University women's soccer team handed Webber International University a 5-1 loss on Sunday afternoon at University Field. Saint Leo picks up their fourth consecutive win to advance to 4-0 on the season, while the Lady Warriors drop to a mark of 2-3.
A balanced attack and multifaceted defensive unit helped the Green and Gold to victory as the Lions posted a total of 14 points on the afternoon with five goals and four assists. Cassie Barbaresi and Aija Bent-Trinder posted three-point performances with a goal and assist apiece, while Dari Alcantara, Line Pederson, and Pia Soesemann notched one goal each. Francesca Williams rounded out the scoring on the afternoon with an assist from long range to help the Lions stay undefeated on the season.
Webber International played a steady game, but the Lady Warriors were only able to get 13 shots and four shots on frame on the board. Their lone goal came unassisted in the 67th minute from Amanda Solis.
Laura Carstens and Kelcee Mai split time between the posts for Saint Leo, with Carstens setting aside two shots and Mai earning one save while allowing a goal. The opposition placed Jessica Morejon and Ashley Naughton in front of the net. Morejon posted six saves and yielded five goals, while Naughton picked up two saves of her own.
Saint Leo put the first goal on the scoreboard just one minute and fifty seconds into the first period. Barbaresi ripped a corner kick over the hands of Morejon to put the ball in the far side, giving the Lions an early lead.
Soesemann grabbed the game-winner in the 37th minute thanks to an assist from Jamie Smith. Smith's ball deflected quickly off of the Lady Warriors keeper, setting up Soesemann with a perfect sliding shot into the middle of the goal.
The Lions held a 2-0 advantage at the break, and entered into the second stanza with plenty of gusto as they posted another three goals to close out the afternoon.
Saint Leo led the shot count 27-13, and had more corner kick opportunities 7-6. Webber posted eight saves to the Lions' three, and committed 12 fouls compared to the Green and Gold who only caused six.
The Saint Leo University women's soccer team returns to action on Thursday, September 15, when they hose Robert Morris. Kickoff against the Eagles is set for 7:00 p.m. at University Field. For the latest news, updates, and information on the women's soccer team, visit the SaintLeoLions.com.


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THE man leading the independent review into the closure of the region's child heart surgery unit says he is now "in listening mode" and wants to hear from parents and clinicians.
Lord Ribeiro, chairman of the Independent Reconfiguration Panel, has started a full review into whether transferring child heart surgery services from Leeds to Newcastle would lead to difficulties accessing vital treatment for children in our region.
Lord Ribeiro said: "The IRP is in listening mode. We are here to listen – we are not here to pontificate. At the end of the day, it's about the welfare of the children.
"We are here to listen to the views that will be given by a spectrum of people from clinicians to parents."
The review is talking place following the controversial decision by the NHS's Safe and Sustainable review panel, to move the surgery service. Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt gave the go-ahead for the investigation into the process following a recommendation from the IRP.
Over the coming weeks, Health and Overview Scrutiny Committees and MPs in England and Wales will be invited to share their views with the IRP. The panel will be in Leeds today, but said it will return to the region in January to collect more views from anyone who was unable to give them this time.
Anyone wishing to contact the IRP can do so by email at email@example.com or by phoning 020 7389 8046.
Meanwhile Save Our Surgery, the campaigning company set up to protect the Leeds paediatric cardiac unit, has issued an appeal for funds to support its legal case against the planned closure.
Sharon Cheng of SOS, said: "The SOS campaign is about putting the needs of ill children and their families at the forefront of NHS decisions rather than bureaucracy or vested interest. Taking the legal route to achieve this has always been our least preferred course of action because of the associated costs to both sides.
"However, with all other options exhausted, and the Department of Health asking that we continue our legal action, it's now critical that we continue to raise the funds required to complete the proceedings."
The SOS legal case against the Joint Committee of Primary Care Trusts, initiated in October, is challenging the legality of the NHS officials' decision to close the Leeds unit.
Anyone wishing to donate should visit saveoursurgery.net or send donations to Save Our Surgery, Room 001, Ground floor, Old Nurses Home, LGI, Leeds, LS1 3EX.


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You may also like these photo galleries
The A380 superjumbo turns five, but it hasn't all been clear skies for the world's largest passenger aircraft, writes Craig Platt.
It is five years today since the world's largest airliner, the Airbus A380, took off on its first commercial flight, bound for Sydney from Singapore.
Thirteen years in the making, the A380, dubbed the "superjumbo" after it outsized the previous biggest bird in the sky, the Boeing 747 jumbo jet, was and remains a marvel of engineering.
Seventy-two metres long, with a wingspan of just under 80 metres and a weighing (unladen) 361 tonnes, it's seems to defy logic that something so big could fly at all.
But fly it does, and has been doing so on a regular basis since Singapore Airlines became the first carrier to take delivery of the aircraft back in 2007.
The sheer size of the A380 has allowed airlines to do things with the interiors that would have been impossible previously. Singapore Airlines set the precedent by creating private "suites" in its first class cabin – enclosed spaces that were virtually private cabins in themselves. The suites allow couples to convert their seats into a double bed. Emirates, too, broke new ground with its A380 by becoming the first airline to install showers on board (in first class only, of course).
Singapore Airlines may have been first but the superjumbo now also flies with Qantas, Emirates, Thai Airways, Malaysia Airlines, Lufthansa, Air France, Korean Air and China Southern. There are now 84 superjumbos flying around the world. Emirates has the largest fleet at 25 and remains the biggest customer for the plane, with a total order of 90.
Currently the total number of seats on board vary by airline from Korean Air's 407 to Air France's 538. It's estimated that the superjumbo could carry as many as 840 passengers in an all-economy fitout – something Reunion-based carrier Air Austral has expressed an interest in doing.
Despite its size and four massive engines, passengers have praised how quiet the A380 is. For some, it's too quiet – early in its operation some Emirates pilots complained that the lack of "white noise" they were normally used to was preventing them from getting sleep during long-haul rest periods.
But it hasn't all been clear skies for the superjumbo since that first flight. A series of high-profile incidents have occurred, the most notable being the engine explosion on board Qantas flight QF32 on its way from Singapore to Sydney. The incident, traced to a faulty oil pipe, damaged the plane severely, forcing Qantas to take it out of service for 18 months and spend $139 million on repairs. It also saw Qantas ground its entire fleet of superjumbos for more than three weeks while it checked all the Trent 900 Rolls-Royce engines for similar flaws.
More recently, Airbus has been working to repair small cracks in the wings of its giant planes, though authorities have given the aircraft the OK to continue flying.
Despite these issues, the A380 remains a popular choice for airlines, with a total 257 orders. This is well ahead of its major rival, Boeing's new 747-8 jumbo jet, which has received only 41 orders so far.
For Airbus, the next step is to become even bigger. The European company has signalled that the next version of the A380, the 900, will be a stretched version of the superjumbo capable of carrying up to 1000 passengers.


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Torchlight 2 • Page 2
Torchlight 2 price is "as viable and as profitable" as selling a $60 box
Torchlight 2 will run you $19.99 when it releases this week, and Runic CEO Max Schaefer said just because the it's not retailing for $60 doesn't mean the firm won't make a profit.
Torchlight 2 launch trailer released
Torchlight 2 has a launch trailer, which should get you rather excited for the game's release on September 20. Watch below.
Torchlight 2 release date confirmed, playable at PAX
Torchlight 2 has been given an official release date, courtesy of Runic Games, along with some other snippets.
Runic still shooting for a summer release of Torchlight II
Despite Torchlight II being delayed in order to "extensively balance" the game, Runic president Travis Baldree has told Joystiq the firm is still shooting for a summer release. "The end of summer is September 25th or something like that," said Baldree. "We're still trying to get it done for summer. It's a big game and […]
Torchlight II delayed for extensive balancing
Writing on the Runic Games forum, founder Travis Baldree offers an explanation of why Torchlight II – once expected well before Diablo III – is taking forever and a week to actually surface. It's a detailed breakdown which essentially boils down to "it's hard work to balance the acts of a dungeon crawler". Well, we […]
Torchlight II $20 on Steam, includes original
Although we still don't have a firm release date, you can pre-purchase Torchlight II on Steam right now. The $20 price tag includes a giftable copy of the original, which is still well worth playing, as well as a key to access the Neverwinter closed beta scheduled for later this yet. The dungeon crawling sequel […]
Runic releases opening cinematic for Torchlight II
The opening cinematic for Torchlight II has been released, It's posted below. Still no date. But at least this is something to tide you over.
Runic reveals the final pet for Torchlight II - the "fearsome" Papillon
Runic has released a video for the final pet reveal in Torchlight II. Below the break, come face-to-face with "the fearsome" Papillon, which is a digital recreation the studio's office mascot, Falcor the dog. Still no release date, but that's one really, cute dog.
Torchlight II pets given spotlight video, developer post
Runic has released a video showing some of the pets available in Torchlight II. Some will look familiar to you, others are new. There's even a blog post on the official site, which details each critter and provides a look at it's furriness – unless of course it has feathers or scales. Looks awesome. Now […]
Torchlight II delayed, 2012 release looks likely
Torchlight 2 has been officially delayed, according to a post from Runic Games president Travis Baldree on the game's official website.
Torchlight 2 out this winter unless "someone on the team dies," jokes Runic
The Torchlight 2 FAQ at over at RunicGamesFansite.com has been updated with a bit of news regarding the game's release. According to Runic, the RPG will see a release sometime during November or December of this year, unless "someone on the team dies." Awesome. Upon release, the game will run you $20, and players will […]
Torchlight 2 priced, final class announced
Runic Games has officially priced Torchlight 2 at $20, and has revealed the final class in the game as the Embermage. Previously announced classes were the Berserker, Engineer, and Outlander. Runic CEO Max Schaefer has said the price will allow everyone to "comfortably afford," to play the game "via a LAN, or play single player […]
No immediate plans for XBLA release of Torchlight 2
Despite the success of the original game on the console network, Runic has revealed technical limitations will keep Torchlight 2 off Xbox Live Arcade for now.
Page 2


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Monday, February 4, 2013
Irish Heritage Genealogy Workshop - March 7, 2013
Saturday, March 23, 2013
9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
McLean County Museum of History
200 North Main Street
Bloomington, IL 61701
Join the Museum, the Irish Heritage Society, and the McLean County Genealogical Society for a day discovering your Irish roots! Sessions will explore Irish Genealogy resources, McLean County genealogy, and local history resources. Tips and hints on beginning Irish research will also be offered. Session details are noted on the back of this form. Registration begins January 14, 2013. Click here to register (opens in PDF).
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Has anyone seen the two people in this article? 12 burglaries on 30th Avenue in the last month does not leave me feeling secure.
The police identified two suspects, Eldin Ahmetovic and Yulia Bushuyeva, who are accused of taking jewelry, electronics, money and collectibles.
If you have any tips, anonymously contact CrimeStoppers.
Views: 1989
Just found out the same day we posted this, Ahmetovic turned himself in and led police to Bushuyeva. Way to get the word out, Astoria!
never seen them . I would suggest staking out barber and beauty salons though, they both have fantastic hair. I would also advise securing your Pantene and Prell.
Even though I've been the victim of both police brutality and thug violence in the last year (thanks to 114's fecklessness), every cloud has a silver lining: maybe this will help thin the herd of yuppie scum that's been moving to Astoria in droves.
Great ... I'll be sure to attend the 114's community meeting at the end of Jan at Riccardi's in the Ditmars section of Astoria.
Chris, good idea. I walk past Vallone's office every day en route to work, just may stop by on my day off next week and complain in person. And the more I think about it, I am very sure that the woman was part of my Methhead duo.
Well, the next step beside complaining about 114th Precinct inaction is to get to their community meetings and start communicating to
1) Mayor Bloomberg and 2) Gov Cuomo
Let them both know the preicinct needs either to be manned by more people and NOT a dumping ground for ineffectual officers OR seriously investigated for complacency.
Maybe they should ask Dino.
I am 99.99% that the lady dirtbag was once part of another couple of methheads who kept smoking in my vestibule (the neck tat rings all kinds of bells). They always left empty vials and dead lighters around. They ran away if anyone opened the door. One night I heard them over the door intercom and called the cops, thinking that this time they would get hauled away. The 114 took over an hour to show up (and yes, they were still there), and when the cops showed, all they did was ask them if they lived at my building (duuuuuuuuuuh) and didn't even frisk/ask for ID even though I and my LL had repeatedly made complaints. These two were holding and they could have been busted but I guess someone's donut meter was low and they didn't have the time for the paperwork that an arrest would generate. Thanks for not doing your job, 114! You could have nailed Lady Dirtbag for holding 2 years ago but you didn't and now at least 12 houses have been robbed. Nice going.
Thanks Kate, I fixed the link.
WOW! I commented the other day on overhearing two women speak of their adjoining homes being targeted but not entered. Glad we have a pictures of the suspects.


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- Dramatic recoil reduction
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These pads have a unique rounded edge design, a "leather-look" face with black base and a skeletonized internal bottom core design. For information on Pachmayr recoil pad installation please see the link below.
Choosing the right recoil pad can prove quite difficult considering there are a number of choices when it comes to style, size color and texture. The Application Chart and Selection Guide links below will help you decide which recoil pad is right for you and your specific application.
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Extra Large
Length: 5.75"
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HOUSTON - A driver faces multiple charges after, police said, he led officers on a brief chase through southeast Houston.
Around 10 p.m. Friday, a driver in a blue Chevy Impala ran into the side of a brown car at Almeda Genoa and Highway 288. The driver of the brown car called police.
When Houston police arrived, the driver of the Chevy Impala took off south on the Buffalo Speedway, officials said. During the chase, police said the driver went through several yards, but he didn't hit anything. Officers chased the driver to the corner of Jewel Meadow Drive and Twisted Brook Drive, where he finally stopped and was arrested.
Police said the driver faces driving while intoxicated, hit-and-run, and felony evading charges.
His name has not been released.
Copyright 2013 by Click2Houston.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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About this font family
The Fuel Script typefaces turn the modern update of a techno sans towards that of baseline automotive script lettering with retro stylings while retaining the same soft rounded corners and decorative inktraps. Stylistic Alternates included within all styles are alternates for the capital B, E, G, and R characters, as well as all of their accented siblings.
The Fuel Complete package bundles all of the dynamic styles of the Fuel, Fuel Extended, Fuel Uni, Fuel Uni Extended, and Fuel Script typefaces into one powerhouse of a collection.
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www CAW
Quote:blakedownquinhello Hartley Quin , we were in the south stand and it definitely missed .
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MARGATE, Fla. - An Amber Alert has been issued for a 12-year-old girl from south Florida that is believed to have been abducted.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement issued the alert Sunday morning for Megan Williams of Margate. A spokeswoman says Williams may have been abducted and is believed to be with an unknown male in a silver Chevrolet Malibu. Williams was last seen wearing a black hooded sweat shirt and jean pants.
Earlier in north Florida, a missing child alert was issued for 13-year-old Madelyn Marie Norris of Greenville in Madison County, which is about 40 miles east of Tallahassee. FDLE has since cancelled the alert and says Norris was found safe
Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


text:
Fatima asks UnWikiAnswers
From Uncyclopedia, the content-free encyclopedia
Ask UnWikiAnswers
Fatima: Dear UnWikiAnswers, I was searching for a clue to my identity when I came across your free service. Can you help me? I'm dying to know what I am.
UnWikiAnswers: Sure, we can help you. But first tell us a little about yourself.
Fatima: Well, I'm a Muslim, but not by birth. My father was a Hindu, yet when he was faced with a life and death choice he became a Muslim. I simply marvel at the mercy of almighty Allah - He saved my father from a great misfortune!
UnWikiAnswers: Hmm?! Go on.
Fatima: You see, I am both a staunch Sunni and Shi'ite. And as such I'm ready and willing to die for Allah. And help the Prophet rid this holy land of infidels who steal our oil for mere money. I detest them to the core of my virginity. Yes! I am a woman. And still a virgin. That's because if I die as a virgin, while blasting infidels to the infernal regions, then I'll be blessed to go to Jannah where I can be blissfully situated as the sex slave of a disembodied terrorist.
UnWikiAnswers: What do you do for a living?
Fatima: I'm doing nothing for a living. I don't care to live when my true love awaits me in heaven. I'm saving my virginity for him. What I really care about is dying, because then I can join my beloved. So I plan to explode myself amongst a group of young infidel soldiers. And blast them all to perdition. Then I can join my lover in paradise.
UnWikiAnswers: Jeez! How the heck will you do that?
Fatima: You see, I am trained as a bomber. My handlers showed me how to wear the vest, and detonate the explosive. It will be a glorious bang, and immediately as the smoke clears I shall meet my love. Then together with 71 other virgins we will engage in eternal orgy. Ahh! It makes my nipples hard just to think of it.
UnWikiAnswers: What was your original question?
Fatima: I'm trying to understand my position in life. I need to know, what am I?
UnWikiAnswers: Click on the "ANSWER" link below.
You are a ANSWER