Well, it looks like Hurricane Ike is going to come pay us a visit.
It has been 25 years since the eye of Hurricane Alicia passed over our house. Much has changed over the years, and much has remained the same. Kids are now grown and on their own.
It is 10:00 A.M. on Friday morning the 12th of September 2008 and the sun is shining, breezes almost non-existent and yet Surfside, about 50 miles due south is under water already. The current position of Ike is 261 miles SE of Houston.
At Freeport, which is right beside Surfside, a private weather station is located at Air Liquide (a large private corporation). They are currently showing only 11-24 mph winds with gusts to 25 mph in the past 20 minutes. No rainfall recorded as yet.
Galveston has 61% chance of hurricane force winds by this time tomorrow. Houston is about 50 miles inland from Galveston (which is actually a barrier island to Galveston Bay.
I will try to update this occasionally as we go through the next few days.
Time to make sure everything is secure so we can 'hunker down'.
Friday, September 12, 2008
Tuesday, May 06, 2008
Run For The Wall 2008
The time is here. Tomorrow is May 7th, 2008. We are packed and ready. Departure is tomorrow morning. I plan to be pulling out of my driveway around 7:00 a.m. on a 4 week adventure on my motorcycle.
For background on what I am doing see Run For The Wall
I am leaving with 'Santa' Chuck Boyd, 'Doc' Donnie Mixon headed for California. We have planned a 5 day trip out to the start of the 'Run' in the Los Angeles area.
Then on May 14th we head out across country to Washington, D.C.
Hopefully, I will be able to update this blog as I go along.
For background on what I am doing see Run For The Wall
I am leaving with 'Santa' Chuck Boyd, 'Doc' Donnie Mixon headed for California. We have planned a 5 day trip out to the start of the 'Run' in the Los Angeles area.
Then on May 14th we head out across country to Washington, D.C.
Hopefully, I will be able to update this blog as I go along.
.....and life goes on
Well, I just got back from burying my Mother. What a fantastic lady. One day short of her 88th birthday.
To see her obituary:
http://www.legacy.com/SantaCruzSentinel/DeathNotices.asp?Page=Lifestory&PersonId=108379554
The positive sides:
I was a great celebration of a wonderful woman, filled with many memories from so many who had been touched by her service to mankind.
It was a great time of reunion of family and friends. I saw friends and relatives I had not seen in 50 years. We only wished we could have had more time together.
Many pictures taken, many memories to build upon for the future.
To see her obituary:
http://www.legacy.com/SantaCruzSentinel/DeathNotices.asp?Page=Lifestory&PersonId=108379554
The positive sides:
I was a great celebration of a wonderful woman, filled with many memories from so many who had been touched by her service to mankind.
It was a great time of reunion of family and friends. I saw friends and relatives I had not seen in 50 years. We only wished we could have had more time together.
Many pictures taken, many memories to build upon for the future.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Upcoming activity
On May 7th, I plan on taking off on a four week journey to California, then across country to Washington, DC and then returning to Texas. This is all in conjunction with the 'Run For The Wall', from May 14th through the 25th. Click on this link to read their Mission Statement.
The culmination of this epic journey will be 'Rolling Thunder' which takes place over Memorial Day weekend.
Run For The Wall is dedicated to Prisoners of War and those Missing In Action (POW & MIA's).
Motorcyclist from all over the country gather to make this run each year to the Vietnam Wall in Washington, DC. This will be the twentieth year it has been run, and I am planning on making it this year.
My desire to ride it started when my friend, 'Santa' Chuck Boyd, told me about wanting to ride 'all the way' this year. It seems he rode about half of the Southern Route last year, joining the ride in Weatherford, TX and riding to D.C.
I mentioned it to my wife, who knows that Chuck and I have become friends through our love of riding our bikes. We have made many rides together and participate in Patriot Guard Riders also.
She gave a tentative go-ahead by saying, 'If Chuck is going and you want to, go ahead and start planning it'. I think she has had many second thoughts about making that statement.
Starting to plan is one thing, trying to get everything ready ahead of time is another.
Motorcycle tires are very different from car tires. They cost twice as much, get much lower mileage and basically have no guarantees. Car tires can have up to 70,000 mile warrantees. Most motorcycle rear tires rarely see over 12,000 miles, front tires rarely over 15,000. As a result if you do much riding you are buying new tires at least once a year. A typical front tire for my bike costs about $200. A rear tire gets close to $250, then you have to pay $30-$50 to have a shop mount each tire.
So, basically, before starting on a 6-7,000 mile trip you must have good tires, or pay list price at a dealer along the way which is usually noticably more. So many things to consider before a long trip.
The culmination of this epic journey will be 'Rolling Thunder' which takes place over Memorial Day weekend.
Run For The Wall is dedicated to Prisoners of War and those Missing In Action (POW & MIA's).
Motorcyclist from all over the country gather to make this run each year to the Vietnam Wall in Washington, DC. This will be the twentieth year it has been run, and I am planning on making it this year.
My desire to ride it started when my friend, 'Santa' Chuck Boyd, told me about wanting to ride 'all the way' this year. It seems he rode about half of the Southern Route last year, joining the ride in Weatherford, TX and riding to D.C.
I mentioned it to my wife, who knows that Chuck and I have become friends through our love of riding our bikes. We have made many rides together and participate in Patriot Guard Riders also.
She gave a tentative go-ahead by saying, 'If Chuck is going and you want to, go ahead and start planning it'. I think she has had many second thoughts about making that statement.
Starting to plan is one thing, trying to get everything ready ahead of time is another.
Motorcycle tires are very different from car tires. They cost twice as much, get much lower mileage and basically have no guarantees. Car tires can have up to 70,000 mile warrantees. Most motorcycle rear tires rarely see over 12,000 miles, front tires rarely over 15,000. As a result if you do much riding you are buying new tires at least once a year. A typical front tire for my bike costs about $200. A rear tire gets close to $250, then you have to pay $30-$50 to have a shop mount each tire.
So, basically, before starting on a 6-7,000 mile trip you must have good tires, or pay list price at a dealer along the way which is usually noticably more. So many things to consider before a long trip.
Tuesday, January 01, 2008
The Blessing of a nagging wife
Late in 2006 my dear wife finally convinced me to have a complete physical. I had not had one since retiring from the Navy in December 1989. What came out was that I had Prostate Cancer. Thanks to my wife, it was still in the early stages.
In early 2007 I started radiation treatments. Forty two visits to receive the treatments which I finished the end of May 2007. My 6 month check up showed my PSA test to be well back in the normal range.
For this I am grateful for God allowing me to continue serving him, and for all the many prayers that were sent up on my behalf. And, most especially grateful for that 'nagging' wife. She is not really a nag, but I am so grateful that she kept after me.
Early in 2007 I started getting real serious desires for a Honda Valkyrie. I looked and looked all over the country trying to find the right one. I even prayed about it that if it would be in God's will that it would all just fall together.
I found one in Northeast Texas I thought was perfect. Colors I wanted, the price was super and just as I was ready to jump on it, it disappeared.
I found another one, perfect color, all the extra goodies I would like and a very reasonable price, but it was located in Oregon. It came on and off the market and didn't sell and I was thinking that maybe that was the one I should jump on. But, my wife did not want me being gone for 5 days to fly out there and ride it home. It too finally was sold. Out of my life, forever.
Shortly after my radiation treatments ended I found one in Colorado Springs that looked like a good possibility. I asked my sister to go check it out as she lives in Colorado Springs. She informed me that she knew nothing about bikes, but that it was pretty. She answered several questions while we were on the phone and she was at the bike. Surprising thing was it was only about 2 miles from her home.
Long story short, I flew to C.S., bought it and rode it home. Will write again about my new ride and hopefully include a picture or two.
In early 2007 I started radiation treatments. Forty two visits to receive the treatments which I finished the end of May 2007. My 6 month check up showed my PSA test to be well back in the normal range.
For this I am grateful for God allowing me to continue serving him, and for all the many prayers that were sent up on my behalf. And, most especially grateful for that 'nagging' wife. She is not really a nag, but I am so grateful that she kept after me.
Early in 2007 I started getting real serious desires for a Honda Valkyrie. I looked and looked all over the country trying to find the right one. I even prayed about it that if it would be in God's will that it would all just fall together.
I found one in Northeast Texas I thought was perfect. Colors I wanted, the price was super and just as I was ready to jump on it, it disappeared.
I found another one, perfect color, all the extra goodies I would like and a very reasonable price, but it was located in Oregon. It came on and off the market and didn't sell and I was thinking that maybe that was the one I should jump on. But, my wife did not want me being gone for 5 days to fly out there and ride it home. It too finally was sold. Out of my life, forever.
Shortly after my radiation treatments ended I found one in Colorado Springs that looked like a good possibility. I asked my sister to go check it out as she lives in Colorado Springs. She informed me that she knew nothing about bikes, but that it was pretty. She answered several questions while we were on the phone and she was at the bike. Surprising thing was it was only about 2 miles from her home.
Long story short, I flew to C.S., bought it and rode it home. Will write again about my new ride and hopefully include a picture or two.
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