Glenn Again Online

I meant to get a photo of a sign marking the site of the Trinity Atomic Bomb test. I missed it, so substituting this photo of the VLA (very large array) radio telescope. I might have missed the photo op, because I was busy thinking about Albert Einstein while I was riding across the West. As a result of Einstein's work, the military industrial complex thought to build weapons of mass destruction and a global positioning system GPS to aid in delivery of said weapons. Whether people know it or not, GPS works because someone understand relativity. Anyway, it should be troubling for one to think about the adversity war creates for civilization. To turn tumult toward tranquility, one has to focus on the positive aspects in Einstein's expansion of the understanding of physics. Although over-regulation and irrational fears slow development, clean safe nuclear power is possible and should become a major supplier to satisfy our growing need for electricity. It really is just sad that po...

US-380 somewhere in New Mexico. This road will get your left arm in shape from waving at the numerous motorcyclists that favor it. When one is riding a motorcycle out on the open road, nearly all motorcyclists wave to each other. I got to thinking, some ride Japanese, some ride American, some ride Bavarian, some ride Austrian, some ride British, some even ride motorcycles manufactured in India. Some are trikes, some are dual sports, some are choppers, some are land yachts. Passing each other on the road, nobody know what or if they follow politics. Nevertheless, they wave.  There are many tribes out on the road. I even waved to some that were cops on motorcycles, and they waved back. I saw a guy that seem stranded at the TX-70 exit off of I-40/Rt 66. I stopped to make sure he was okay. In Flagstaff, I got cold at sunset, so I stopped on the side of the road to put on an extra layer. While dawning my jacket and a set of glove liners, a guy stopped and asked if, I was okay. The World...

“- Young Ellie: Dad, do you think there's people on other planets? - Ted Arroway: I don't know, Sparks. But I guess I'd say if it is just us... seems like an awful waste of space.”    As usual I was running late. The VLA (very large array) radio telescope is about 50 miles west of Socorro, NM. In the movie "Contact" it was supposed to be part of SETI. It is not part of SETI; but if I wasn't late, I wanted to stop at the visitors center to ask if they made contact yet. Oh well, I got a pretty good image post sunset. When I'm in Arizona I usually take US 60 and AZ-260. It's a nice scenic route. Part of it was smokey today between Payson and Show Low. Fire somewhere south of the route. There was a lot more traffic today than I remember. Maybe it was travelers to home coming football games. I took an off-route excursion to Lakeside south of Show Low. There were a lot of people sitting in lawn chairs facing the road. I'm not sure why they weren't ch...

The road to and from Glennville is twisted. It's on CA-155 east from Delano. There's a Grapefruit orchard on the left.just before you cross CA-65. Then the real fun begins -- curves and 13% grades. Varmints (like squirrels but maybe prairie dogs)  wait at the edge of the road and run across just before you pass by them. It's like they are practicing to out run predators. A coyote gave me a nod when I passed by him. Perhaps he was letting me know that those varmints are what's for his dinner. I chose this road not because it was easy -- same as Kennedy chose to go to the Moon. On this trip I landed on Oregon. Metaphorically, there were boulders where I wanted to land, so I maneuvered my craft to a safe landing with only 3 seconds of fuel left. It was a giant leap for Glenn-kind. Other than that the trip was more like Apollo 8. I orbited Yosemite and Sequoia NF, but I didn't land. However, it proved I could get there. Next, from Ridgecrest  CA to Sedona AZ, the desert...

 I have been to Lake Tahoe several times now. This time I didn't really mean to. I just took the road that goes down the western side of the lake. It's sort of true, what they say about Tahoe, it has two seasons -- Winter and Road Construction. It is too crowded. Every time I go to Lake Tahoe, I assume it will be the last time I go to Lake Tahoe. Who knows, I could cross that path again. They changed the name of Squaw Valley to Palisades Tahoe. I'm sort of offended by that. As much as Sheldon Cooper, in the sitcom, dreams that the World is binary, the World is not binary. Some people think that using Native American language to name American places is cultural appropriation and that it is offense to Native Americans. I suppose for some people it is offensive, but I reckon there is a spectrum of emotions involved. On the other hand, doesn't the use of Native American language recognize that Native Americans were here first and pays respect to indigenous people. Removing ...

  Over the years, I have taken a number of solo road trips. It probably seems like I want to do stuff alone. Like, I have said: Compromises are self inflicted when one travels alone. I do tend to just handle things the way I do it. I do enjoy a bit of solitude. The larger truth is I seek connection and symbiosis. I admit it actually feels good to accomplish a project in partnership as long as each partner is contributing to quality and not where one partner wins and the other loses. Sometimes what people, and especially I, do doesn't make a lot of sense, This journey made a lot more sense before I was on it. I don't know... I suppose I'm seeking a quality of life that doesn't exist when I find myself tethered to a metropolis that doesn't care about me.This trip isn't a mistake, but it is valuable learning experience. It brings to light that everyone struggles whether they know it or not. "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance" is a book about quali...

On September 15th 2023, I crossed the border of my 49th state. Oregon completes the lower 48 states portion of my life long itinerary for visiting all 50 states. Only Alaska remains. I'm pretty sure that visit will not be on a motorcycle. The globe looks small when it is reduced to a map, but compared to a speck on two wheels, the distance is adversarial. As a result of the intimacy between myself and Nature, an idea was born somewhere between the mountain ranges and the ancient ocean floor of the West. It entered my mind that it would be an interesting business to use a tour bus like rock stars to to travel between gigs like a rolling BnB. It could drag a trailer full of motorcycles and gear. The rolling BnB (RBnB), would carry its guests across vast distances to motorcycle excursion attractions. So, when the RBNB comes into the vicinity of a fun place to ride, the guests would take the motorcycles and the RBNB operator would meet them on the other end of the ride. This is the ide...

Trip A: 1525.1 miles  Wow, I rode 505.9 miles today. This is not the photo I wanted to post, but Utah/Nevada border is all I got.. I thought I took a scenic photo on I-70/US 50. I  would have went with this ramble: All day Rain and I flirted with each other. It would look like I was heading for a cell, but the road would turn and I would French kiss the edge of rain. I got to the state line and the only thing between me and Ely were 64 mountainous miles and dark cloud. I waited for it to blow over, and Mother Nature rewarded me with another French kiss. I got dark and I soldiered onward. About 8 miles out I got another kiss, but this time sloppy. I think Mother Nature was swinging for the fences like she wanted to put a ring on it. Then she came to her senses and stopped at 3rd base. All in all, today was a pretty good day. I stayed mostly dry. I guy at McDonald's in Moab was chatting with me about traffic in different parts of the county, and told me he stopped in the middle ...

Trip A: 1019.2 miles. Should be more. Above the clouds Rain can't get you But life depends on rain So we live below them Or nothing  I made my first "Zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance" fix this morning. A screw that holds the shield on my helmet backed out and flew. To fix the problem I used a 10mm bolt that was holding on my license plate. Then, I used one of the side reflectors to hold on the license plate. I was hoping to ride out of the rain today; but for some dumb reason, it keeps coming and I ride into it. Stopped early in Cortez, because I was done after an angry black cloud met me in Durango. The hot tub called a meeting. Attendance was mandatory. Finally, take note. Highway 160 west of Pagosa Springs to here was about like driving on a Dallas freeway -- not very fun. I think a lot of vagabond retirees are taking in the national parks around here, but the rain didn't phase them.

 They said on the Albuquerque news that the cold front is pushing in from the east. That's weird! It's not good when one is riding a motorcycle to the Northwest. I'm afraid tomorrow is going to be another miserable ride. I zipped in the water proof liner and planning a couple more layers. Notable today: The KLR is loosening up. It run 75 mph pretty comfortably. On the dry leg between Amarillo and Tucumcari, a truck with a trailer painted "Metallica World Tour" was headed east. In Tucumcari, the Bakery/Coffee shop owner where I stopped, move there from Oregon in 2020. Nice guy,I forgot the name of the shop, but should see about putting an ad on the blog. I was thinking I could ask for  a referral fee based on a mention by a customer that read the ad on my blog. Maybe something like a promo code. I don't too tired to think about it now. Anyway, the Sun popped out and the radar future cast looked favorable for the route to Taos. Nope! The cold front front from th...

I should have headed to Albuquerque. This was waiting for me on 104 between Tucumcari and Las Vegas, NM. I skirted the worst of it, but the outflow and drizzle was cold. I'm having a coffee. Then I will put on another layer before heading over the mountains. I wanted to get to Pagosa Springs, but don't think I'll get there today. Maybe Angel Fire or Taos. 

I made a video of the current situation, but can't post video. I made it to Pampa TX. The storms were brewing, so I rode like the wind to Pampa and got room. The satellite TV is out due to weather. Hope it clears out by morning. Just to make the adventure more adventurous, I stopped to help a guy riding an Enfield Royal motorcycle on Route 66 / I-40; even though, there was lightning in the distance. He needed an air pump. He had a flat and replaced the tube, but it wasn't taking air. I reckon he pinched the new tube. So, unsuccessful rescue. Triple A was supposed to be on the way. I told him he should call 911 if the storm caught up to him. He had rain gear but still vulnerable to a Texas Thunderstorm. I think I rode 400 miles or so today. I'm pretty tired, so all for now.

BBQ for supper in Altus. There's a mountain about 5 miles east. The photo is from CR 201 and US 62. The County road had most traffic in Oklahoma thus far. It also shows evidence of being a drag strip. For cars! I think there's going to be a change in plans. Wayne had an issue come up. He has to go out of town when I would be in the Portland area. So, I'll have to catch up with him another time. Perhaps, I'll cross the southern part or Oregon then down the Pacific coast. Got to get going to somewhere in the Texas panhandle. 

First 150 miles. Well 148.1 on Trip A. Gas in Waurika, OK $3.699. After the first 40 miles, l started to feel like I was getting out of the Metromess. I'm glad I'm not a feral piglet. I saw couple of pairs dead on FM 455. Near the Cooke County and Montague County line there is the tallest radio tower that I have ever seen. Blogging by phone so, onward. Some toothless guy at the Gas stop, thinks my ride will be uncomfortable. We'll see...

This entry is being created with the blogger app on my Android phone. I figure that I might want to do a quick and dirty post from time to time. Short time blogger; first time post from a phone. I never imagined I would write such a thing 40+ years ago. Anyway, because my fingers are too fat for typing on phones, I got a $169 Labor Day deal on an itty-bitty computer with a solid state storage device to haul on the motorcycle. It's has an 11.6" screen. Elaine said to give it a name, slap on a sticker, and you'll be set to go. My SOP, has a few more steps. I recently bought guitar and mandolin strings. I don't see why I won't like them, but if I don't the tink will have to sport the sticker ironically. First, I have to get it out of S mode. Edge is not going to be my default browser. Second, I have to see if WSL (windows subsystem for linux) is going to work on this squirt. Or if I'll load a lightweight Linux distro. I'm partial to open source...

Glenn, What are you doing? I often ask myself that question. The short answer is: I'm figuring it out as I go. Among other activities, I've been busy this summer helping my dad be 90 years old and helping a step-grandchild be 25 years old. The latter doesn't really want my help/opinions, but I figure it can't hurt to show him what life-skills look like. As a result of all of the busyness, I haven't spent much time on my business -- blogging that is. I'm starting out with little knowledge, but hoping to pick it up as I go. To unwind from the chaos of life, I'm going to wind my new Kawasaki KLR 650 Adventure with ABS up and down some twisty roads through the Inter-Mountain West to Oregon and back. Roughly speaking, from DFW, I'm going to search out back roads up to Southwest Colorado. From there, I'll point toward Salt Lake City, Boise, and on to Portland. I'm hoping to spend a day or two visiting my old friend from Lubbock. Oregon will be my 49th ...