Intech
Mr. Camping Meet
Hey, AJ is good for something. Carrie is definitely the better half! With her and the three girls you kind of understand AJ's femininity.
Coast to coast in 48 1/2 hours
- Thread starter garyahouse
- Start date
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bgross
Recusant Infidel
Considering the details in his great stories, for a guy who claims to suffer from CRS Gary either is pulling our collective leg - or making "stuff" up.
All the best to your Aunt, Gary. Tell her to hurry up - we want the next installment!
All the best to your Aunt, Gary. Tell her to hurry up - we want the next installment!
FJRScrewball
R.I.P. Our Motorcycling Friend
I've known Gary for a couple of years now. Trust me when I say He's not making any of this up.
Dave
bgross
Recusant Infidel
Chuck35
Well-known member
Best wishes for your Aunt, and thanks for the RR 
garyahouse
newbs need the forum
I drove about 170 miles today in the cage (Florida rainy season) to spend a few hours at the hospital with my Aunt Flo. She's been such an inspiration to this entire family, always trying to help everybody out. Got a chance to stand next to her bed, hold her hand and pray for her personally. One of the memories I won't soon forget. That prayer was answered as her surgery today to remove a tumor form her lung was a success and she's resting now. My thanks also to one fine surgeon. Glad I was able to be there... ah, the joy of being a teacher and getting the summers off.
--So back to my story: the following picture was taken just as I was leaving and saying goodbye; however, imagine if you will: I pull into the driveway of a strange house nearly 2000 miles from home to see this:
Another one of the joys I get to live with: I'm very forgetful. I forgot that AJ was a police officer. Found myself glad I was doing the speed limit down his road. Notice the officer's right hand perched just inches above that side arm he carries. Do you have any idea how fast he can draw that thing? Also notice: he's smiling at me. Ever seen an officer do that? There's something suspicious here. Look at all the stuff on that belt. Those aren't sequins boys. I'll bet one of those scary looking things is a can of some sort of crippling spray... drop a guy to his knees from 20 feet. And I'd guess there's a taser strapped on him as well. I'll bet he can draw two of them things at the same time, before I can even get my helmet off quick enough to say, "But officer, I didn't know..."
On the left of the picture, you'll notice two cute little pink bicycles: just a clue of who I was gonna get to meet once I got past the bouncer. All kidding aside, AJ handed me a bottle of ice cold water, which I downed in something like 1.08 seconds (OK, maybe it just SEEMED like it) and we went inside to meet the family. AJ has three beautiful girls who VERY OBVIOUSLY favor his lovely wife Carrie more than their dad. In short order, Carrie served up some wonderful Tacos and beans and I thought my mouth died and went to heaven after all those days woofin' schtuff at McD's. I got to meet his brother as well, and we gabbed and gabbed. A little while later, I was talking to little Sophia and she was telling me how she loved to read. Well, being a reading teacher, I just had to hear this. Some of my 8th grade kids cannot read at a third grade level. She's not even in kindergarten yet. I'm thinkin, this I gotta see. And sure enough:
She indeed could read this book, which by the way is at least a second grade level, if not higher. Here she's practicing reading it upside down, just for fun. You should have seen this. It was something I honestly will never forget. Guys, I'm telling you, you'll have to search long and hard to see this again, not one kid in 30 can do this at her age, I don't care how smart they are. This girl is so smart, I'd be willing to bet she could even give some of you fellers some reading lessons.
I could go on and on about what a wonderful time I had and what a wonderful family this is, but this is an FJR forum and perhaps I should move on. My thanks again to Carrie for warshin' up all my clothes and getting up at 4:00 a.m. to make sure I got up on time. (Guess AJ was REALLY ANXIOUS to get rid of me).
Seriously , AJ you are truly blessed. I mean that.
Anyway, when I told AJ of my intent to ride across the desert to San Diego, and then to attempt my first (and last) 50cc Iron Butt ride accross the Cal., Ariz., and NM deserts, he asked what I was using for hydration. I was so proud to show him my cup holder. Now promise you won't laugh... I bought it at Babies-R-Us and it's a clamp on plastic thingie designed for a baby stroller. However, it does hang on to my rectangular handlebars pretty well. He explained that the Ariz. desert could turn a glass of ice water into a glass of warm water in 45 minutes, and that I better let him loan me his 100oz Camelback. My first thought, "Na, I'll be fine: I've made it this far..." But there was something about the look in his eyes (guess he knew that I was about to die out there), so I agreed, and I'm so glad I did !!! You'll notice that Camelback sitting on the ground next to my helmet in the first picture above.
It was with heavy heart that I said goodbye: great guy and a great family. But it was time to head west. The Grand Canyon was my next stop and it was time to move on.
Oh, one last thing. That morning, just before I left the house, he came home for a couple minutes in the cruiser, just after I woke up. You'll never guess what he had in his hand. I'm not lying here: can you spell, "d-o-n-u-t-s?" He had a dozen yummie donuts. Unfortunately, I'd just scarfed down about 15 bowls of cereal (or it tasted like it) and I only had room for one or two. I really wish I could have eaten them all, just to see the look on his face when I said, "Bad cop, NO DONUTS !!!"
AJ, you're the best.
Gary
darksider #44
--So back to my story: the following picture was taken just as I was leaving and saying goodbye; however, imagine if you will: I pull into the driveway of a strange house nearly 2000 miles from home to see this:
Another one of the joys I get to live with: I'm very forgetful. I forgot that AJ was a police officer. Found myself glad I was doing the speed limit down his road. Notice the officer's right hand perched just inches above that side arm he carries. Do you have any idea how fast he can draw that thing? Also notice: he's smiling at me. Ever seen an officer do that? There's something suspicious here. Look at all the stuff on that belt. Those aren't sequins boys. I'll bet one of those scary looking things is a can of some sort of crippling spray... drop a guy to his knees from 20 feet. And I'd guess there's a taser strapped on him as well. I'll bet he can draw two of them things at the same time, before I can even get my helmet off quick enough to say, "But officer, I didn't know..."
On the left of the picture, you'll notice two cute little pink bicycles: just a clue of who I was gonna get to meet once I got past the bouncer. All kidding aside, AJ handed me a bottle of ice cold water, which I downed in something like 1.08 seconds (OK, maybe it just SEEMED like it) and we went inside to meet the family. AJ has three beautiful girls who VERY OBVIOUSLY favor his lovely wife Carrie more than their dad. In short order, Carrie served up some wonderful Tacos and beans and I thought my mouth died and went to heaven after all those days woofin' schtuff at McD's. I got to meet his brother as well, and we gabbed and gabbed. A little while later, I was talking to little Sophia and she was telling me how she loved to read. Well, being a reading teacher, I just had to hear this. Some of my 8th grade kids cannot read at a third grade level. She's not even in kindergarten yet. I'm thinkin, this I gotta see. And sure enough:
She indeed could read this book, which by the way is at least a second grade level, if not higher. Here she's practicing reading it upside down, just for fun. You should have seen this. It was something I honestly will never forget. Guys, I'm telling you, you'll have to search long and hard to see this again, not one kid in 30 can do this at her age, I don't care how smart they are. This girl is so smart, I'd be willing to bet she could even give some of you fellers some reading lessons.
I could go on and on about what a wonderful time I had and what a wonderful family this is, but this is an FJR forum and perhaps I should move on. My thanks again to Carrie for warshin' up all my clothes and getting up at 4:00 a.m. to make sure I got up on time. (Guess AJ was REALLY ANXIOUS to get rid of me).
Seriously , AJ you are truly blessed. I mean that.
Anyway, when I told AJ of my intent to ride across the desert to San Diego, and then to attempt my first (and last) 50cc Iron Butt ride accross the Cal., Ariz., and NM deserts, he asked what I was using for hydration. I was so proud to show him my cup holder. Now promise you won't laugh... I bought it at Babies-R-Us and it's a clamp on plastic thingie designed for a baby stroller. However, it does hang on to my rectangular handlebars pretty well. He explained that the Ariz. desert could turn a glass of ice water into a glass of warm water in 45 minutes, and that I better let him loan me his 100oz Camelback. My first thought, "Na, I'll be fine: I've made it this far..." But there was something about the look in his eyes (guess he knew that I was about to die out there), so I agreed, and I'm so glad I did !!! You'll notice that Camelback sitting on the ground next to my helmet in the first picture above.
It was with heavy heart that I said goodbye: great guy and a great family. But it was time to head west. The Grand Canyon was my next stop and it was time to move on.
Oh, one last thing. That morning, just before I left the house, he came home for a couple minutes in the cruiser, just after I woke up. You'll never guess what he had in his hand. I'm not lying here: can you spell, "d-o-n-u-t-s?" He had a dozen yummie donuts. Unfortunately, I'd just scarfed down about 15 bowls of cereal (or it tasted like it) and I only had room for one or two. I really wish I could have eaten them all, just to see the look on his face when I said, "Bad cop, NO DONUTS !!!"
AJ, you're the best.
Gary
darksider #44
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HotRodZilla
GOD BLESS AMERICA
Haha...I'm glad you enjoyed your stay. You forgot to tell them that the 10 year old reads at a 12th grade level, and not only can Sophia read upside down, she knows the alphabet forward AND backward. She taught it to the other two girls, so the 4, 5, and 10 year old sing the ZYXs like a party trick.
You also forgot to tell them that my wife threw your sad little convenience store cup, full of warm water, in the trash.
AND those weren't just any donuts. Those were Dunkin Donuts, provided by Jim, the coolest Dunkin guy on the planet.
I'm glad you voluntarily took the CamelBak...Cuz I wasn't gonna let you leave without it. Lol
Ok...Now I'm jonesing for the rest of it. I know it was a LONG day after you left our house.
You also forgot to tell them that my wife threw your sad little convenience store cup, full of warm water, in the trash.
AND those weren't just any donuts. Those were Dunkin Donuts, provided by Jim, the coolest Dunkin guy on the planet.
I'm glad you voluntarily took the CamelBak...Cuz I wasn't gonna let you leave without it. Lol
Ok...Now I'm jonesing for the rest of it. I know it was a LONG day after you left our house.
gixxerjasen
Well-known member
HRZ, before you loaned him the camelbak, did he already tell you about all the gear he'd lost along the way? Or did you just find that out in this thread?
Good stuff, keep it coming!
Good stuff, keep it coming!
Redfish Hunter
Gone Fishing
I am so enjoying this story.
I taught my son early on how to say the alphabet backwards. He'll need that one day because I just know there will come a time when a police officer is going to shine a flashlight in his face and say, "Okay, now. Say the Alphabet backwards..."
I taught my son early on how to say the alphabet backwards. He'll need that one day because I just know there will come a time when a police officer is going to shine a flashlight in his face and say, "Okay, now. Say the Alphabet backwards..."
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garyahouse
newbs need the forum
Many of the adventures thus far on this trip were things that took place on my way to the sights I've wanted to see for years. Years ago I visited some places out west, and I really wanted to revisit a few. Ever go somewhere when you were a kid, and couldn't quite remember because you were so young? Well there ya go. Having just ridden to the top of Pike's Peak and having seen that amazing windmill farm (which wasn't there back then), it was time to head for the Grand Canyon. I'd never actually been there. I always thought you could just drive by it and kind look over the edge on your way to points beyond. Not the case. I had to take a lengthy trip off the expressway to get there. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the scenery near the Grand Canyon was pretty amazing as well.
So I said goodbye to AJ's brother (I'm so brain dead I forgot his name--my bad)... who apologized for not being able to get his head off the pillow. Guess he was still in shock from having met me?? I wasn't 100 miles from Zilla's place and the sun was already getting warm on my back. Hmm. Guess I'll try this Camel-thingie. I fished the mouth piece out from under my arm pit and stuck it in my face. Let's see, just suck on it right? NOTTTT. Dumb thing didn't work. All that effort for what? For this? Maybe I should open it up and look in inside. Maybe AJ filled it with donuts instead of water. Maybe he glued it shut just to pay me back for the donut cracks I made back at the house. Let's see, where's the instructions? Then it struck me... this thing's called a BITE-valve. Try biting it??? Well, gooLLEEE as Gomer Pile used to say. It does work>>> From that point forward me and that Camel-jigger were best friends.
The Canyon: What can I say? Wanna see some great pictures? Google "Grand Canyon." But standing there at the brink of that great precipice, all I could think about was the hand of the Creator who made it happen. How can any words I might choose: amazing, incredible, unfathomable, awe-inspiring.... How could any words describe this place? It was my first time, and may even be my last, but at least I went there and actually SAW it... more than I can say for many people I know. And that's exactly why I took this trip: to take care of some business in my life.
1. I just needed to get out and see some of this amazing place we for-grantedly (is that a word?) call America.
2. I needed to catch up with some old friends and was hoping to meet a few new ones from this forum.
3. I hoped to challenge myself in completing a 50cc... (coast to coast in 50 hrs. or less)
---and what better chance would I have than now? My health isn't going to ever be any better (unless the Lord chooses to heal me of my Leukemia), I'm not getting any younger, and I've got a wonderful machine willing to help me gitterdone. Ya know, some days I just walk out into the garage and stare at it. I'm so fortunate, with my crummy teacher's salary, to be able to own something like this. I don't have one of those amazing, high paying jobs like many of you fine fellers. I'm lucky to be able to own ANY motorcycle, let alone THIS one.
More later.
Gary
darksider #44
So I said goodbye to AJ's brother (I'm so brain dead I forgot his name--my bad)... who apologized for not being able to get his head off the pillow. Guess he was still in shock from having met me?? I wasn't 100 miles from Zilla's place and the sun was already getting warm on my back. Hmm. Guess I'll try this Camel-thingie. I fished the mouth piece out from under my arm pit and stuck it in my face. Let's see, just suck on it right? NOTTTT. Dumb thing didn't work. All that effort for what? For this? Maybe I should open it up and look in inside. Maybe AJ filled it with donuts instead of water. Maybe he glued it shut just to pay me back for the donut cracks I made back at the house. Let's see, where's the instructions? Then it struck me... this thing's called a BITE-valve. Try biting it??? Well, gooLLEEE as Gomer Pile used to say. It does work>>> From that point forward me and that Camel-jigger were best friends.
The Canyon: What can I say? Wanna see some great pictures? Google "Grand Canyon." But standing there at the brink of that great precipice, all I could think about was the hand of the Creator who made it happen. How can any words I might choose: amazing, incredible, unfathomable, awe-inspiring.... How could any words describe this place? It was my first time, and may even be my last, but at least I went there and actually SAW it... more than I can say for many people I know. And that's exactly why I took this trip: to take care of some business in my life.
1. I just needed to get out and see some of this amazing place we for-grantedly (is that a word?) call America.
2. I needed to catch up with some old friends and was hoping to meet a few new ones from this forum.
3. I hoped to challenge myself in completing a 50cc... (coast to coast in 50 hrs. or less)
---and what better chance would I have than now? My health isn't going to ever be any better (unless the Lord chooses to heal me of my Leukemia), I'm not getting any younger, and I've got a wonderful machine willing to help me gitterdone. Ya know, some days I just walk out into the garage and stare at it. I'm so fortunate, with my crummy teacher's salary, to be able to own something like this. I don't have one of those amazing, high paying jobs like many of you fine fellers. I'm lucky to be able to own ANY motorcycle, let alone THIS one.
More later.
Gary
darksider #44
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dcarver
Well-known member
Wow.. Now you've got me all teared up. I'd call you a nasty name but just can't bring myself to do so.
Redfish Hunter
Gone Fishing
OOOH! OOOH Let ME call him a nasty name! I don't mind a bit.
Gary, that is exactly the reason I worked so hard to get my Pop out to the Grand Canyon. I had made up my mind that he would see that canyon, then I faltered, got weak and tried to let "common sense" take over. I truly felt, and still feel that I was manipulated by forces bigger than me.
Watching Dad as he took in the vastness of the American West reminded me of something I read years ago. "Some men are frightened by the vastness of it, they can't handle the awful expanse of the West. Other men start to stand taller. They take big steps on the land." (My sincerest apologies to Louis L'amour)
I am proud to say that Pop took Big Steps. I knew he would. I am glad you did too.
dcarver
Well-known member
Attaboy RFH. You get it.
garyahouse
newbs need the forum
Leaving the canyon, I headed for the Petrified Forest. But I forget which I did first. Anyway, in a forgotten order, I visited the Petrified Forest... and bought a little bag of petrified wood to distribute to the gang for souvenirs... the meteor crater near Winslow Arizona, and the Grand Canyon. I was just reminded of the Eagles' song, "Take it Easy." They mentioned Winslow, Arizona in that song. It didn't seem to have anything to do with that crator, but I'm wondering what else there might be that was of any importance that would land it in a famous song??? Oh well. Once I visited those three places, it was time to head west to Las Vegas. It was a lengthy ride, and I didn't arrive 'til about 10:30 p.m. I remember thinking that I was looking forward to dusk as it was so miserably hot. However, even after sun down it seemed that the closer I got to Las Vegas, the hotter it continued to get, at least within an the first hour after sundown. I'm quite sure it was near 100 when I rolled into the city of lights. The biggest thrill of that place?
Seeing it from 10 miles away coming down into the valley. From that point on it was all downhill for me, literally. I travelled over to the "strip," saw the lights and the big casinos and the hundreds of young-uns walking the street headed to the next night-spot, and left. There's nothing in that town that holds any interest for me: I just wanted to see the lights. The only money I wasted there was at a little hole in the wall hotel on the outskirts of the city. As I was leaving, I stopped at the crummiest hotel room I've ever stayed at. So I had to take a couple pics: notice the lovely blanket covering the window and the amazing air conditioning system.
I was too tired to complain or continue on, so I waited for the tiny air conditioner to cool the 100+ degree room a little, took a quick shower, and crashed out. The smell of mold didn't help, but I finally dozed off. The next morning, I loaded up the bike, took some more pictures because nobody would ever believe this... and left town. Don't suppose I'll ever return to Las Vegas again. For me, that hotel was a moral picture of what that city was without it's lights.
I headed for Hoover Dam; which was one of the sites that I really came to see. i rode across the top. Here's what cha see: gobs of power lines and enough concrete to build a highway around the world.
Each one of the layers seen in this picture below were one "pour." Each pour was about 30-36 inches tall. Maybe that'll give you a perspective of how big this thing is.
It's like 500 feet straight down. The scope and grandeur of this thing is off the chart. I really enjoyed the tour I took of the power plant. The water pouring through those monstrous conduits pushed by hundreds of feet of standing water on the back side of this dam literally shakes the ground. I went way down an elevator, and inside the dam to check it all out. I could talk about it all day. What an experience. Though I wanted to stay and learn more about it, it was getting hotter by the moment outside and I was fearing the heat I'd have to endure as i headed for San Clemente today: to meet up with Brett (Bgross) from this forum. He graciously volunteered to put me up (or did he say, "put up with me?" for the night and help me out with my plans to start my 50cc that weekend. So I left and headed out toward the desert. As I drove, I think this is where I came across the solar generating plant. Off in the distance I could see what looked like a giant mirror in the desert. See how the ground appears to shine?
I turned off and headed down the access road to find a giant tower with the reflected sunlight of hundreds of mirrors focused on the top of it, sort of like a lighthouse in reverse. The guard wouldn't let me get any closer once I reached the gate. But that was quite the unexpected experience. Forgot the name of it, but he told me it was the biggest one of it's kind in America, if I recall. My memory's not the best. Each mirror was maybe 4x8 and controlled by a computer to focus the light from the sun on the top of that tower.
Just beyond the barbed wire, you can see one of them to the right above. What an amazing place. Gotta do some research on that one of these days. Onward I went, though the desert and getting hotter by the minute. At one point I stopped in a gas station to catch my breath (literally) and refill HotRodZilla's camel bak, and someone told me it was 111 degrees. It got even hotter after I left. Good grief. I felt like a baked potato.
More later.
Gary
darksider #44
Seeing it from 10 miles away coming down into the valley. From that point on it was all downhill for me, literally. I travelled over to the "strip," saw the lights and the big casinos and the hundreds of young-uns walking the street headed to the next night-spot, and left. There's nothing in that town that holds any interest for me: I just wanted to see the lights. The only money I wasted there was at a little hole in the wall hotel on the outskirts of the city. As I was leaving, I stopped at the crummiest hotel room I've ever stayed at. So I had to take a couple pics: notice the lovely blanket covering the window and the amazing air conditioning system.
I was too tired to complain or continue on, so I waited for the tiny air conditioner to cool the 100+ degree room a little, took a quick shower, and crashed out. The smell of mold didn't help, but I finally dozed off. The next morning, I loaded up the bike, took some more pictures because nobody would ever believe this... and left town. Don't suppose I'll ever return to Las Vegas again. For me, that hotel was a moral picture of what that city was without it's lights.
I headed for Hoover Dam; which was one of the sites that I really came to see. i rode across the top. Here's what cha see: gobs of power lines and enough concrete to build a highway around the world.
Each one of the layers seen in this picture below were one "pour." Each pour was about 30-36 inches tall. Maybe that'll give you a perspective of how big this thing is.
It's like 500 feet straight down. The scope and grandeur of this thing is off the chart. I really enjoyed the tour I took of the power plant. The water pouring through those monstrous conduits pushed by hundreds of feet of standing water on the back side of this dam literally shakes the ground. I went way down an elevator, and inside the dam to check it all out. I could talk about it all day. What an experience. Though I wanted to stay and learn more about it, it was getting hotter by the moment outside and I was fearing the heat I'd have to endure as i headed for San Clemente today: to meet up with Brett (Bgross) from this forum. He graciously volunteered to put me up (or did he say, "put up with me?" for the night and help me out with my plans to start my 50cc that weekend. So I left and headed out toward the desert. As I drove, I think this is where I came across the solar generating plant. Off in the distance I could see what looked like a giant mirror in the desert. See how the ground appears to shine?
I turned off and headed down the access road to find a giant tower with the reflected sunlight of hundreds of mirrors focused on the top of it, sort of like a lighthouse in reverse. The guard wouldn't let me get any closer once I reached the gate. But that was quite the unexpected experience. Forgot the name of it, but he told me it was the biggest one of it's kind in America, if I recall. My memory's not the best. Each mirror was maybe 4x8 and controlled by a computer to focus the light from the sun on the top of that tower.
Just beyond the barbed wire, you can see one of them to the right above. What an amazing place. Gotta do some research on that one of these days. Onward I went, though the desert and getting hotter by the minute. At one point I stopped in a gas station to catch my breath (literally) and refill HotRodZilla's camel bak, and someone told me it was 111 degrees. It got even hotter after I left. Good grief. I felt like a baked potato.
More later.
Gary
darksider #44
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gixxerjasen
Well-known member
You got hit with some formatting marks in there. Might want to go back and clean up your quotes.
garyahouse
newbs need the forum
Thanks Jason: done.
Burnspot
Who Me?
What an amazing motel!
Keep it coming!
Keep it coming!
gixxerjasen
Well-known member
No problem. At least you know someone's reading it, right?
Actually, from time to time I select RR's to send to my dad. He doesn't ride but likes the idea of the RR and enjoys reading some of them. I plan on sending him this one because he'll sympathize with your plights and probably bust a gut like I have. Like I said, haven't done this trip but there's a lot of similarities to some trips I've taken.
BikerGeek99
Yeah, it's a concrete corn cob. So?
Nice ride report, Gary! I'm enoying it!
But I'd forgotten that AJ had reproduced.
That's enough to keep me awake at night, but it's good to hear they take after their mother.
I didn't know they made police uniforms size "Extra-husky: midget."
But I'd forgotten that AJ had reproduced.
That's enough to keep me awake at night, but it's good to hear they take after their mother.
I'll be damned.
I didn't know they made police uniforms size "Extra-husky: midget."
Redfish Hunter
Gone Fishing
Well, if you need confirmation that someone is reading this RR, you can add me. It does my ego some good to know that somebody besides me is that accident prone.
