Been Getting tons of work tone this morning thanks to Dark Matter 31, which is a twitch channel. Its perfect for me, but the DJs change pretty fast...

This post (Twitch Dark Matter 31 Channel - Now That's My Jam) was last edited 1 month, 1 week ago.

We had the family over for barbecuing on the Fourth of July and we watched some fireworks on tv. Them Buffy and I went to watch USA loose to Brazil in the World Cup last night. We watched stage 3 of the tour at our table too. It was a great weekend, only interrupted by yesterday (Monday) being a work day for me, boring post though. Haha.

The Family!

USA The Games and Buffy and Me

This post (Fourth Of July and World Cup football and the Tour de France) was last edited 1 month, 1 week ago.

"Stanford University researchers have some bad news for elder millennials—you’re about to get real old, real fast. At least on a molecular level. That’s because the researchers found that the aging process involves two significant bursts of rapid molecular changes, first at 44 and then again at 60."

Also: "The first wave of changes happens at around 44. All the molecules relating to cardiovascular health, lipid processing, and metabolizing alcohol and caffeine start to change, getting a whole lot worse at their jobs than they were before. When you hit 60, your molecules kind of just fall apart. Immune regulation, kidney function, skin and muscle elasticity, carbohydrate metabolism—everything starts to go."

In summary, live fucking large before age 44, then live larger from 44 to 59. This degradation is Non-gender specific, regardless of peri or full menopause. More neurodegenerative and cardiovascular diseases start showing up.

This post (Aging Ain’t that fun) was last edited 1 month, 1 week ago.

I thoroughly enjoyed myself tonight downtown for the First Friday drum circle. It was very warm, and at first there were only 3 or four people there. The soccer world cup was taking place, so at first glance, it seemed to impact the turnout. Anyways, a friend from another drum circle showed up too, and she smoked out with Dave early on. Well, I guess David didn't warn her that his pot is super high yield, so pretty soon she was having a super great time and was laughing so much, it was great to see. We had previously talked about going over Ikes for a sandwich, so she begged me to go with her so we strolled over laughing all the way there and back. I was a little jealous of her ability to let to. I drove so I didn't imbibe, and I'm glad I didn't anyways, 'cause I was there to drum and groove. I tried Dave's weed once, and one hit made me super high in the best way, but I was on my bike back then... Anyways, Ikes was great, and we got back the drum circle which was in full groove by then. I played my new djembe, and I felt the rhythm take control of the vibe for the next 2 hours. So much fun! The Jun-Jun players were on fire tonight, and really kept the beats flowing.

This post (I Just Have to Write Down How Much Fun I had Tonight) was last edited 1 month, 1 week ago.

Spent some time at the coffee shop setting up our Tour De France Fantasy league players with Buffy. Just have to log in, or create your account on

Official Letour Site

Stage Profiles

My league join info is here, if you happen to see this.
Join me in the league now no.98930 : 2026-Zonileague Password : GWKYW Haha, you're going to lose. By clicking on this link :
LeTour

More links for picking riders each day:
Another Fantasy league with insights
Reddit peleton link with Other peoples winning pics
One more - Cycling Weekly Says...

To Watch: UK: TNT Sports / HBO Max
US: Peacock ($10.99/mon) Free live streams:

• Australia: SBS Free
• Australia: SBS Live Stream
• France TV France
• RAI Italy
• RTBF Belgium
• RTVE Spain
• NOS Netherlands

Anywhere: Watch your local stream from anywhere with NordVPN

This post (LE TOUR is Starting Tomorrow!!!) was last edited 1 month, 1 week ago.

Even though its not super duper hot at home, I decided to drive up to the forest for a few days of remote work anyways. On the way up, I got a desert run in. It actually wasn't that hot and I had lots of water to keep cool with. I got a full of work in today and despite being high up on a mountain, my network never even dropped a ping. There were a couple of trucks that drove past during the day (likely forest service people manning the towers at the top of Diamond Point). Otherwise, its been super quiet. One other camper a 3/4 mile up the road.

I got a ride in late yesterday, but my tire went flat overnight, so I just did a 2 mile walk after work today. Okay, so this is the blandest post ever. Anyways, I got some pics of the full moon in last night, and below is a picture of my camera gear. I finally pulled the trigger and got some hard cases for the gear. A near-full moon is about to rise, so I'm going to stare off in to the distance for a bit to watch it rise.

This post (Typical Work Day) was last edited 1 month, 2 weeks ago.

The moon was just coming up over the ridge when I got to the edge of the mountain. I got a few shots in. So fun to take these photos.

This post (Full Moon - Got a couple of photos) was last edited 1 month, 2 weeks ago.

I need to get a few things for my trip up north tomorrow afternoon. Gonna head up and work there Monday afternoon and come back Sunday I mean Wednesday night. I need an easy up a 10 x 10 easy up from target probably for Ace. I’ll need some general groceries and probably pack a windbreaker or a late sweatshirt but I expected to be pretty warm up there mostly just have to throw my crap back in the van, fill out my pantry again with food and then be on my way.

*Edited: Okay, I forgot most of this shit! Nothing warm to wear, outdoor floor covering, etc. I did buy an easy up at big-5 in Payson, but I already fucked up two pillars 'cause of the wind. It came with a replacement parts list, so I'll be ordering two of those.

This post (2026-06-29 Payson wfh) was last edited 1 month, 2 weeks ago.

Got my Drum Circle in today, watched Rush play live on YouTube with their new Drummer.. I made it one hour into the video, and then decided I needed to get off my butt and go for a bike ride. I also got tea this morning, and Sadie stopped by to say hi. I keep thinking about how much I enjoyed my visit with Alton yesterday and his new guitar is so freaking cool. It was also great to see Stasi.

I’m trying to learn a few Jack White songs, starting with seven layer army or whatever. Good times, I gotta be prepped for my concert with Perry and Scott.

This post (Weakend Wrap) was last edited 1 month, 2 weeks ago.

I've been making more tunes lately, so I finally got enough mojo to think about posting my music again. I renewed my Distrikid account, and now I'll think a bit more about each song, and just make them more like 2 minute bass tunes for driving. Anyways. Should be good.

This post (Woot Woot - Ambientcurrents is back) was last edited 1 month, 2 weeks ago.

Rode my bike to the light rail and took the train to downtown. Took an hour and 10 minutes. All good, got to read the new times while on the train. Anyways, as per usual, still working on my dimensions and perspectives. One day I’ll map things out right.

This post (Figure Drawing at Dialog) was last edited 1 month, 2 weeks ago.

Got a late night mountainbiking session in with VER, Valley Epic Rides, then worked till 2 and got a cavity filled. Then worked for anouther couple of hours and hit the skatepark to work on some frontside 50-50s. Now we're at Phillies watching Mexico take on CZE Chechia in the first round of 64 for the World Cup. I also finished up my latest collage for my office, just have to send it to the printing company.

This post (Mountain Biking - Working - Skateboarding - Dentistering - FIFAing) was last edited 1 month, 3 weeks ago.

Now that gas prices have come down to 4$ per gallon, I feel more comfortable heading out more for local events. I did some Figure drawing out at the Phoenix Art Garage with the super nice and friendly gang out there. Here are some 1 minute, 2 minute, 5 minute and 20 minute poses...

This post (Figure Drawing at Phoenix Art Garage) was last edited 1 month, 3 weeks ago.

To Buy:

• Vine or willow charcoal
• General Mills Charcoal Stick (soft)
• Electric pencil sharpener
• Strathmore Sketch 18x24
• Paper Daler-Rowney Canford Paper in Gunmetal
• Fluffy brush
• Paper towels for softening
• Charcoal Pencils (hard/medium and White)
• Peel and Sketch Charcoal in Hard and Medium

1. Short fast straight lines to block in contour, then they start to look like curves
2. filling in the darkeer and the lighter areas (smoothing it out)
3. Use White charcoal to do more straight lines in the lighter area.
4. Build darker areas in to the shadows.

Cast Shaddows get to be sharper with a crisper edge At the end, put a tiny bit of white in to the shadows. Put some details on the spine....

This post (figure drawing tutorial that I'll follow for tonight) was last edited 1 month, 3 weeks ago.

I wanted to drive up north for a run, but drumcircle is at 10 now, so I don’t a chance to drive there, do a run, then chill out and read my book for a bit. So, I just ended up doing a run in the hood!

Here's me in actual tears at the end of 3.1. My time was so slow, it was hot, my hoodie was drenched and sweat and tears of frustration.

So, headed to my favorite coffee shop, Xtreme Bean to finish off my one minute little dittie that I absolutely love.

Drumcircle be like…

And finally, the moment I was waiting for…. Dinner with the kids and Kendal!

This post (Sunday should be great and they are) was last edited 1 month, 3 weeks ago.

Meningitis. Age 35. Over 50 movie and film credits. Did the voice for LILO in 2002. Damn. Daviegh Chase was her name.

Also, played guitar this morning. Scales and scales and scales, with a little Suicidal Tendencies "I want my mommy" intro for the fun of it.

I do want my mom though.

This post (The Ring girl passes) was last edited 1 month, 4 weeks ago.

I completely pulled everything out of the van yesterday after getting home from June Jam... Its pretty clean now, nothing banging around while I'm driving around. Also, I got some skateboarding in last night. Its crazy that even taking a week off shakes things up so much. First day with my new mixer was absolutely wonderful. The bass was so clear. I could really crank it up without any muddiness. Also, I gave Sadie some $$ to get her car payment made. She send me her expenses, and we'll go through that soon. Ken is coordinating pulling out the river rock from the three houses and riviera, and putting in decomposed granite. YAY!

Also, while at guitar center, and lets be honest, the reason I went there... was to slam some drums in the drum room. They had this beautiful silvery Gretsch drum setup, with double kick pedals. It was so fun. The hihats were so quite though, not sure why.

This post (Wednesday Wrapup) was last edited 1 month, 4 weeks ago.

Behringer Pro Mixer VMX1000USB Professional 7-Channel Rack-Mount DJ Mixer with USB/Audio Interface, black

versus.

Alesis 10 Channel - no subwoofer output

Versus.
Tascam 12

or... Zoom Livetrack L6 or Soundcraft

or this.
Zoom R20 Multi-Track Tabletop Recorder with Touchscreen, 16 Tracks, 6 XLR Inputs, 2 XLR/TRS Combo Inputs, Onboard Editing, Effects, Drum Loops, USB Audio Interface

Well, I actually got something different from the above. It doesn't have a dedicated sub out, but it has a dedicated bluetooth channel. Harbinger LX12. It sounds soo sooo much crisper than the old mixer Alton gave me. I think that old mixer was just worn out, and crackles were indiscriminate. But really, it didn't sound as clear as this new one. Dunno why. I love them both, and would prefer the rack mounted with sliders, but those are soo expensive.

This post (New Mixer Time) was last edited 1 month, 4 weeks ago.

I woke up to 51 degree weather at 6:30 this morning, way before my alarm was scheduled, lol. I only had a few things to throw in the van, like my ground cover, solar panels, beach umbrella stand, but everything was covered in wetness. My shoes were caked in mud too. It rained last night, which was great, but it shut down the festival for 2 hours, so during that time I packed up what I could that wouldn't matter if it got wet.

Anyways, woke up, brushed my teeth and took off. I meant to come back down via Payson but Apple Maps fucked that up, and it was 2 miles in to the wrong turn on a rough dirt road before I realized the mistake. Well, at least I got to finally drive through the town of, uh, whatevs, the place south of Flag that people have summer homes at. Nice town, I guess.

Anyways, 2.5 hours later, I washed my van and am going through all my audio and video recordings and pictures.

This post (June Jam last last day - everything is muddy) was last edited 2 months ago.

Woke up, made a spinach Egg Burrito, and iced my green tea. Its full sun, not a cloud in the sky. Took my battery a couple of hours to fully charge. 11:51 AM now, they're calling for rain, and the sky is suddenly filled with one massive grey cloud! I read my book, Angels of the Universe that Buffy got in Iceland (not done yet)... Last night was beautiful. Filled with colors and sounds, my neighbors were awesome when I finally got in at 2:00 AM this morning. I didn't go dance with them though, was just cold, tired, and ready to crash.
![Uploading IMG_6936.jpeg...]

This post (June Jam Day 4 (Last Full Day)) was last edited 1 month, 4 weeks ago.

So, heading in to today, this is day four of camping and day 3 of June Jam. I got in a 5K, shower, and breakfast before the skies opened with glorious amounts of rain! Sweet sweet rain.
Just as I was starting to make breakfast massive thunder word across the valley soon after a glaze of lightning just lightly lit up the clouds to the west of us. Another warning, clap of thunder hit right as I finished making breakfast, then as I was sitting down to eat the skies unleashed!

But before all that I did a 5K run for the Arizona sunrise series, and I took a shower and got a little bit cleaned up. Perfect timing. Then the rain came just as I finished making breakfast.

Saturday afternoon. Saw Peachy Keen, was almost as good as decadence, but no rain, I still danced and the crowd got pretty big for a 1:15 pm show. My neighbors have a full on dj setup with a massive deck and a dance floor. They have a cold plunge too, which I think is freaking cool.

Someone gave me the rest of their pizza, so yep, had mushroom and pepperoni pizza. They gave me a flower for my bucket hat too. :)

I got a nap in after Kr3ture, then checked out three more djs before calling it quits.

30,000 steps.

This post (June Jam Day Three - Saturday) was last edited 2 months ago.

Got up around 9:30 after staying out till 12:30 AM last night listening to the SKI camp bumpin their tunes. They played till 2, which was awesome as I could hear from my van.

Everything has layers of silt after just 24 hours. I mostly hang inside the van, as its so dusty. Its been awesome with the clouds though, and having internet really makes solo-going better.

Here was Thursday Night's lineup at Ski Club

Also, Tomorrow at 11 at SKI camp could be fun:

Also, at the Nook on Saturday:

Yoga Workshops:

Couple of more pics from Friday

This post (June Jam Friday) was last edited 2 months ago.

While waiting for the sets to start, I did some drawing.

This post (Some drawing) was last edited 2 months ago.

I’m up near Flagstaff working in the shade of the tall ponderosa. A light breeze is keeping things cool, but even without that it’s around 70°. Loving it. I’m up here a day early for JuneJam music festival, they have Thursday camping but it’s so peaceful in the pines, I may still do it if enough traffic comes through proving lots of people are doing it. So far, only 3 cars came through.

Okay, I made in to JuneJam, finished up my shift and now it’s the weekend. Gotta feed myself now, forgot what’s on the menu, lol.

This post (Up in the pines for work today) was last edited 2 months ago.

Clothes:

• Short Sleeve Buttondowns x2
• June Jam T-shirt
• Regular T-shirt
• Tank Top x2
• Shorts (Black)
• Pants (tan)
• Mercury Jersey
• Long Sleeve Tshirt
• Leather or denim vest

Necklaces:

• all of them

Warmth:

• Puffy Jacket
• Flannel
• Rain Jacket
• Duster

Hats:

• jerome Bucket
• festival bucket
• Costa Rica
• SLC Trucker Hat
• Iceland Skull Cap
• Fan

Yoga:

• Blue Bathing Suite with tank top
• yoga mat

Misc:

• Umbrella
• Camera
• Two Drums
• Easy up
• long strap to hold panels on roof
• shower curtains for side door rain

To Buy:

• Duster
• Fur Coat!

Day 1.

• Lunch: Veggie & Hummus Wrap: Spinach, cucumber, bell pepper, and shredded carrots wrapped in a large flour tortilla with garlic hummus.
• Dinner: Fajita Bowls: Chicken or black beans, sauteed onions, and peppers, topped with jarred salsa and avocado.Snack: Apple slices and almond butter.

Day 2.

• Breakfast: Breakfast Burritos: Scrambled eggs, pre-diced onions/peppers, and shredded cheddar cheese, rolled into tortillas.
• Lunch: Chicken Salad Pockets: Canned chunk chicken mixed with mayo and relish, served in pita pockets.
• Dinner: Pesto Pasta with Chicken Sausage: Boil rotini, stir in a jar of basil pesto, and add sliced pre-cooked chicken sausage (check labels for chicken/turkey only).
• Snack: Trail mix.

Day 3.

• Breakfast: Eggs and blackbeans (left over from yesterday's lunch, and potatoes.
• Lunch: Mediterranean Chickpea Salad: Canned chickpeas, diced tomatoes, cucumbers, and feta cheese tossed with olive oil and lemon juice (stores well in the cooler).
• Dinner: Potatoes & Chicken Breast: Wrap diced sweet potatoes, onions, and chicken in heavy-duty foil. Cook on your gas stove (or over coals) with a little butter and herbs.Snack: String cheese.

Day 4.

• Breakfast: Egg & Cheese Sandwich.
• Lunch: Tuna & Crackers: Individual tuna pouches paired with whole-grain crackers and a side of cherry tomatoes.
• Dinner: Black Bean & Corn Quesadillas: Tortillas filled with rinsed black beans, corn, and cheese, pan-fried in the skillet until crispy.Snack: Orange slices.

Day 5.

• Breakfast: Eggs and Muffins.
• Lunch: Creamy Tomato Soup: Heat a carton or can of tomato soup on the stove and enjoy with grilled cheese sandwiches.
• Snack: Remaining trail mix or fruit.

Produce

• potatoes (1-2)

Refrigerated & Cooler Items

• Hummus (1 small tub)
• Eggs (6 dozen)
• Shredded cheddar cheese (1 bag)
• Pre-cooked chicken sausage (1 pack - check labels for no pork)
• Chicken Breast (1 pack)
• Feta cheese (1 small tub)
• String cheese (1 pack)
• Butter (1 small stick)

To Buy.

• Potatoes
• Green Tea Bags (box)
• Bubbly Cans of Champaign
• English muffins (1 pack)
• Canned chickpeas (1 can)
• Blueberry Muffins
• Tomato soup (1 carton or can)
• Sadie salsa (1 small jar)
• Basil pesto (1 small jar)
• Trail mix (1 bag)
• Garlic Humas
• Feta Cheese
• Jar of Sun Dried Tomatoes for sandwiches

Pantry Staples (Check your kitchen first)

• Mayo & relish

This post (JuneJam26 Packing List) was last edited 2 months, 1 week ago.

Hung out on a service now meeteup to see what kind of apps can be built in service now. They demoed a time tracker app that was vibecoded and created toast popups. Pretty cool.

I'm calling this Work From Home, since I don't actually blog about work, but thought this looked pretty cool.

Mike.stockman@bizsolutions.tech meetup on SNOW https://www.linkedin.com/in/sai-venkatesh-sure-759659188/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/sai-venkatesh-sure-759659188/ www.linkedin.com/in/lenardt

This post (Service Now Meetup) was last edited 2 months, 1 week ago.

The weekend was pretty dope, even though my bestie wasn't here!

Outings: First Friday Drum Circle, Drove out for a run at my favorite trail, Lunch at my favorite Coffee Shop (Xtreme Bean), Sunday Morning Drums are Life Drum Circle, and Lunch at The Henry with some friends from Sunday's drum circle. That was a pretty wild luncheon! Everyone had such great stories, and hanging out with that gang was fun. I don't think The Henry was ready for a group like us though.

I finished watching Fallout Season 2 Saturday morning at 12:30 AM. I abruptly woke up for good on 3:30 AM Saturday morning. That sucked, but I got a 5K run in along with some work around the house. Crashed at 8:30 PM and slept till 9:00 Am Sunday morning.

Fixed: Underground Sprinkler Line, toilet, and pool filter top thingy (well taking it to the shop).

This post (The Weekend Wrap) was last edited 2 months, 1 week ago.

• 2tall, Hip Hop
• AEMDI, ,Friday 3:PM, Oasis
• Aeoha Ritual Theature,,Saturday, 8:30 PM - 9:00 PM, The Oasis
• arboreal,, Saturday: 3:00 AM - 6:00 AM, The Stoop
• Alix Rico,,Sunday 2:45 AM - 4:30 AM, The SToop
• alice.km,Electronic House
• Apparition, Metal, Cavernous Death Metal, Saturday 2:00 AM - 3:00 AM, The SToop
• Allie Radd
• CHARBELL, Electronic Dance
• Cable Management
• Charbel
• Casti,Hip Hop Hip-Hop/Rap,Saturday 8:30 PM - 9:45 PM, The SToop
• Cloud Management
• Coati
• Cory OZ, Fri 4:00 PM
• Chef Boyarbeatz, Electronic Drum & Bass, Saturday 12:30 AM - 2:00 AM, The Stoop
• Duffrey,Electronic, Downtempo,Saturday 10:30 Pm - 11:30 PM, The Oasis
• Dela Moon,Electronic Drum & Bass, Friday, 11:15 PM - 12:30 AM, The Stoop
• Des Yeux
• Deux
• Desert Dwellers, Electronic Downtempo, Saturday 9:00 PM - 10:30 PM, The Oasis
• Dsert Decibels Sunset Takeover,, Friday 5:45 PM to 10:00 PM, The Stoop
• --Coati
• --Soaplab
• --Steve Bonez
• -- Soundslurp (soundscrybe x twyatt earp)
• Detox Unit, Electronic Drum & Bass,Saturday 11:45 PM - 1:20 AM, The Oasis
• Desert Hearts, Alternative, Friday 9:00 PM to 3:00 AM, Oasis
• Emdi, Electronic
• Emmett L. White,Dubstep,Saturday 4:00 Pm - 5 PM, , The Oasis
• Frank Terry, Friday 6:00 PM, The Oasis
• Govinda, Electronic Downtempo
• JIMII.,,Sunday 12:45 AM - 1:45 AM, The SToop
• Jeremy Sarcoz,, Friday 3:45 PM - 5:45 PM, The Stoop
• Johnny Swoope,,Saturday 3:00 Pm - 4:00 Pm,The Oasis
• Kalt,, Friday, 12PM - 1:15PM, The Stoop
• kLL sMTH, Electronic Downtempo,Sunday 2:14 AM - 3:30 AM, The Oasis
• KR3TURE, Electronic Downtempo,Saturday, 7:15-8:30 PM, The Oasis
• Kaleodic
• Kate Riles,, Saturday 3:45 PM - 4:45 PM, The Stoop
• Lance Fairchild,,Saturday 2:30 PM - 3:45 PM, The Stoop
• Liquid Giraffe
• LaDell Ransom
• livvie,, Saturday: 3:00 AM - 6:00 AM, The Stoop
• Life on Planets, Electronic Dance Friday 6:00 PM, Oasis
• Mystic State, Electronic Drum & Bass,Friday 10:00 PM - 11:15 PM, The Stoop
• MĀ, R&B Soul
• Mother Tierra,,Saturday 4:45 PM - 6:00 Pm, The SToop
• Mark Woodyard, Country
• Nikita Rising,,Saturday 6:00 PM - 7:15 PM, The SToop
• Nala, Electronic House,Saturday 11:15 PM 12:45 Am, The SToop
• NGHTFVR
• Overcast, Metal Drum And Bass
• Overcasti
• Peachy Keen,techno ,Saturday, 1:15 PM - 2:30 PM, The SToop
• Planck, Hip Hop Hip-Hop/Rap
• Peter Black, Rock,Sunday 1:45 AM - 2:45 AM, The SToop
• Peter Blick
• Quick K,,Friday 2:30 PM - 3:45 PM, The Stoop
• Quentin Hiatus
• Rolling Home
• Roll Me Home
• Steve Bone
• Subroot
• Shelby Athouguia
• Sortof Vague
• SoundScript
• Shock Collar Open Decks,,Saturday 1:30 PM to 3:00 PM, The Oasis
• Shelajit
• Siren Gliss
• soap.
• Soundslurp
• Sava, Folk & Traditional Medieval, Saturday: 3:00 AM - 6:00 AM, The Stoop
• Seer
• Sarkis Mikael
• SZN In The Sun,,Saturday 6:00 Pm to 7:15 PM, The Oasis
• Sean Watson, Alternative
• Siren, Metal Heavy Metal
• Soaplab
• Soundscrybe,,Saturday 7:15PM - 8:30 PM, The SToop
• Skysia, Electronic Downtempo,Sunday 3:30 AM - 5:00 AM, The Oasis
• The Motet, R&B, Funk
• The Sponges, Electronic Trap/Future Bass,Saturday 9:45 PM - 11:15 PM, The SToop
• Tierra
• Thomas B
• The Bush League
• Tara Brooks, Electronic Deep House, 3:00 AM - 4:30 AM - OASIS
• Treavor Moontribe, Electronic Downtempo,4:30 Am - 6:00 AM, The SToop
• Us, Rock, Alternative Rock,Saturday 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM, The Oasis
• Unexpected Pedestrian
• Wyatt Earp
• Whys
• Walters The Don, Electronic, Friday 1:15 Pm - 2:30 Pm, The Stoop
• Yoko, Electronic Trap/Future

This post (June Jam 2026 Lineup 83 Artists) was last edited 1 month, 4 weeks ago.

From the June Jam 2024 Video, here are the Co Founders who either own or run the Jume Jam at Playa Ponderosa: Christian Cortes, Jerry Rider, Sean Estlins, Rich Pellino, and Stephen Orr. It started in 2018 on April 1st, called Juniper Jam.

All the Artists - Artist list Friday:

Saturday:

Saturday Cabaret:

Sunday:

Individual Day Time Slots Friday:

Saturday:

Sunday:

Weirdness Schedule:

Apres Ski Club: Link to their fun stuff

Lift ticket????

Comedy: We’ve got two great shows for you next weekend with headliners @eeericschwartz (appearances on Netflix, Showtime, Hulu, The Tonight Show, and Helluva Boss on Prime Video) on Saturday and @theanwarnewton (finally returning to June Jam!) on Sunday.

This post (June Jam Prep and Info) was last edited 2 months, 1 week ago.

I attended first Friday, and it was epic! I brought my new big Drum, which I love so much. It’s got a deep rich base sound, and I can still hit the mids with some sweeping slaps and finger rolls that sound so clear. I sat in on the Junes for a quick second before things got started, but then the rest of the night was just pure drumming magic. The crowd was really big, especially given that they don’t close the streets anymore. Also, it was over 100° the whole time.

This post (First Friday Drum Circle) was last edited 1 month, 1 week ago.

After around 2000 attempts, I pulled a very ugly frontside 50-50 to tail and dropped back in. After pulling the trick, I realized I was the only one at the park, there was no one to celebrate my accomplishment with me. It was very hot, the middle of the day, with the sun shining brightly all around. And there I stood, alone at the edge of the bowl smiling broadly. I packed up my gear to go back to work but what I really wanted was to call Mike. I wanted to scream out with joy and hear Mike’s laughter and his appreciation that I learned a new trick that I’ve been working on for so long. Mike would not have laughed though. He would not have even answered the phone. He has been dead for over a decade. Fuck Mike! I needed someone to validate me! I needed someone to say "Cool!" I actually did feel that primordial "need" for some acknowledgement. This was weird, as I normally don't feel like I need to be heard, but I worked on this for soooo soooo long, I just wanted a nod from another like-minded soul. So after a few minutes of full blown tears of joy and yearning for my youth, I got my shit together and texted Gavin. Gavin immediately replied back to congratulate me and sent me some vid of him doing a sick ass styled out rock and roll. It was a tumultuous afternoon of me earning a badge, remembering the dead, and reviving the relationships with the living. Gavin really came through, and he'll probably never understand how much joy he gave me by acknowledging that my efforts paid off.

This Valley Epic Rides group I've been riding with for the past year has been so great. We've done camping trips, parking lot pot-lucks and had a lot of laughs. Last night was a brutal 7ish mile ripper going to the Oasis and back. It was 100+ degrees, and not even one of the 10 riders in last night's group complained. It was a battle to keep up, and at times I wanted to bail, but I stayed strong, got a second wind after a few miles, and persevered. A good time was had by all.

Last day of May. Now that I've said that, its been 5 years since my head injury. Helmet for life! Anyways, having breakfast at sbux with Buffy and Lynn, and heading off to Drum Circle. Learning all about Lynn's amazing friend. Lynn just got back from Aspen visiting her friend, and tomorrow Lynn is heading back to Cascais in Portugal. I'm heading to drum circle, then gonna get some yard work done.

Monday was a holiday, so Tuesday started out with tea, then I gathered my mobile office gear and heading up for a two day camping trip to enjoy the final dying legs of spring. Summer hasn't fully hit, so I thought why not. The trip ended early, as some issue came up with mobile devices that I manage, so I need to get home to release a few of them. So, Wednesday-Friday were a blur, but I did get a dishwasher installed in the rental. Also, woke up early today to run the second Sunrise Series race, which started at 6:30 AM. Now I'm chilling with Buffy at Sips in Scottsdale, getting ready to plan for the next few days.

I recorded the audio from a DJ set from EDC for Alice In Wonderland so I could listen to it during my run. It definitely helped me run faster than I otherwise would have.

Here’s me and the gang after the run.

I also went Skateboarding at the Gilbert Skate Park. I did 40 rollins on a medium sized rollin location. I also popped some frontside ollies too.

Later, Buffy and I watched the OKC and Spurs game at Helluva. That's the first time I've ever watched a whole game at a bar. Three beers too.

For today's dishwasher replacement To bring: Towels, More Towels, Small cup for bailing, Broom and dustpan

To Buy at Lowes Small Bucket Torx Screw Set

For the install: Find and turn off Dishwasher Circuit Breaker Drain dishwasher unscrew bottom to reveal parts Unscrew powerbox and undo wires Pull disposal line Turn off Water to Dishwasher Unscrew from under counter Pull out Remove Water input from under dishwasher unfish wires finish pulling dishwasher out clean bring in new dishwasher on its back to screw in power to screw in water Install and set height screw in to counter turn on water Turn on circuits

My car has to be less than 19 Feet! WhooP whoop, it is 18'32 Inches. So my car is my home a way from home, its a medium roof, ford transit, the shortest one I could find! Nice. Its got everything I need, I'll do a walkthrough at some point.

Last time I went to june jam, the total car/trailer had to be < 27 feet, but now any car pulling a trailer has to pay the RV fair... So lame. Its $90 versus $300, so actually the rv fair is pretty decent too though.

Ya, that's right. I'm funking old. My sister texted me, so that was nice. One of my closest family members growing up, since my eldest two siblings were 4 and 6 years older than me, I spent the most cognitive time with my next oldest sister. Anyways, due to weird family circumstances, she's removed herself from the family, so I haven't heard from her for ~2 years.

Anyways, my wife's bestie, who I used to race mountain bikes with, is in town, so we have been having soooo much fun. She is an absolute riot to hang with, and is smart, and outspoken, so its a joy to get to spend time with her.

My birthday has been amazing. Buffy literally put this little party together and did so much work getting everything ready. Groceries, cake, homemade icecream... All my kids came over, and it was just pure joy to hang with everyone for the entire afternoon.

And, I did a bunch of yardwork throughout the week to get the yard ready, so it looked okay... Good enough.

Don’t forget a got some drumcircle in.

Got a couple of days in at Sycamore Creek. Nothing like camping up there. 10 degrees cooler, desert camping, cardinal birds.... Also, no one was there, so it was awesome. A few hikers showed up the first fill afternoon I was there, which was weird. There was no more water in the creek. Just a few months ago, the creek was still like a river. Anyways, I like it there cause I can be my authentic self, and get a bunch of work done. I tend to get a lot of steps in while there too, so that's always a bonus.

#travel #camping #vanlife

This article! Wow, I wish I had read this article 30 years ago…

https://121clicks.com/inspirations/cinematic-street-photos-drama-and-mystery/?utm_source=flipboard&utm_content=topic/photography

What locations are best for cinematic street photography?

Busy urban streets, metro stations, cafés, bars, rainy alleys, bus stops, and neon-lit roads are perfect locations. Places with dramatic light, reflections, textures, and movement naturally help create cinematic atmosphere and visual storytelling.

What camera settings work best for cinematic street photos?

Many photographers use wide apertures for shallow depth of field, higher ISO in low light, and slower shutter speeds for motion blur. Settings depend on the scene, but balancing highlights and shadows is key for cinematic storytelling.

How do photographers create cinematic lighting in street photography?

Photographers use natural light, neon signs, shadows, reflections, and golden-hour sunlight to create cinematic effects. Shooting during rainy nights or low-light conditions also helps add mood, contrast, and emotional depth to urban street scenes.

Textures in the streets, cracked walls, wet roads, old cafés, metro stations, and reflections on glass give cinematic images depth and realism. A strong mood makes viewers feel they’re watching a scene from a film rather than simply looking at a photograph.

Shoot after rain for reflective cinematic streets. Use warm and cool color contrast creatively. Highlight urban textures like walls and pavements. Keep editing moody and emotionally consistent. Look for atmospheric weather like fog or smoke.

Shoot during golden hour or rainy evenings for moody tones. Use shadows to hide details and create mystery. Look for neon lights, reflections, and glowing signs. Expose for highlights to create cinematic contrast. Position subjects inside dramatic beams of light.

Date four! I was dragged out for a 2 mile run to enjoy the snowy vistas and brisk 33 degree air. Then found out our flight was delayed, so we’re kicking it around town. We went to Eve‘s bakery for croissants we had Starbucks of course, went to the woodbine food hall for a delicious chicken sandwich and a Kiitos (Finnish) beer, then we went to the city library to check out a local artist and her colored pencil artwork. The library itself would’ve been a great trip too and now we’re back at Kiitos for a Mexican lager.

Fear Factory, where dreams are made of

Flying out of SLC almost never fails deliver a breathtaking photo op

The weather took a turn, but we persevered until we didn’t. It started out cold, and got colder. And Windier. We hung as long as we could. The band Flipturn was so good, fast loud and had an incredibly dynamic drummer. They were awesome. It sounds nothing like their Apple Music songs though. We left before it ended, it was raining pretty good, but mostly just cold. And windy. We still saw all of these bands though. Three day festivals are pretty rough to get through, and we almost made it!

Mustard Service, Hannah Cohen, Glom, tops, melodies echo chamber, granddaddy, freak slug, and flip turn.

Got up, ran 5K in downtown for the AZ sunrise series, got a huge burro and rode over to Kilby court for the Kilby Block Party. Today’s weather was cloudy with a small amount of sun late in the day.

The music and skateboard contest. The bowlriders were so fast and ripped so hard. We got to see so many great artists too.

Jill Whit, the Kilans, feeble little horse, automatic, Briston Maroney, last dinner party, xx

Just got in the Lyft and heading to the airport. Buffy and I are nervous for the flight and traveling, we got vip for the festival and fast pass for tsa, so just hoping things go smoothly. Just gonna read my book.

16 hours later…. Omg Modest Mouse was amazing and Snail Mail was so authentic. It was the right thing to have Turnstyle be the headliner. Absolutely rocking! Even the vip section had a mosh pit. I didn’t do it though, people were just kicking and punching, like it was some black flag show from the ‘80’s.

Nobody was practicing at the skateboard park, contest is tomorrow though.

Turnstyle

Got a nice bike ride home after.

Some of the kick ass bands we saw. It was sunny and bright and the evening was absolutely perfect.

Hotline TNT, Dry cleaning, Rit Momney, Snail Mail, Beach Bunny, Japanese Breakfast, Patie Gonia, Modest Mouse, Turnstile

To my son.

Happy Birthday! At this time 25 years ago, I had just landed in Detroit, for a weeklong work training that I was doing for a client. Mom called me to say you were going to be born so I told work about it, they were so happy for me. I jumped on the next flight home just in time to head down with mom to the hospital so we could be there when you were born. Mom was in the delivery room with you, while I hung out with other haggard looking dads in the maternity ward. It was one of three greatest days of my life to first meet you on your birthday!

Here's my review of the Painted Rock Outpost campsite. I also got three or four walks in, a mountain bike ride, and an early morning run. I loved the campsite, and the clothing optional part was a big bonus too...

I absolutely loved my stay at this campsite. If you’re looking for a place that feels untouched, peaceful, and deeply connected to the land, this spot delivers in every way. The pristine views of the Painted Desert alone are worth the trip—every sunset felt like a private show as the sun’s rays bounced off the distant cliffs, intensifying the desert’s vivid colors. So in addition to the review of the campsite on hicamp, I did get a run, three walks, and a mountain bike ride in on all this 60 acre isolated campsite just off the Navajo reservation. The weather was amazing and the site was clothing optional which was a big plus for me.

What truly sets this place apart is the privacy. There’s no traffic noise, no crowds, no interruptions—just quiet. The kind of quiet you don’t realize you’ve been missing until you’re wrapped in it. Nights were still and peaceful, with crystal‑clear stars scattered across the sky.

Nature trails are carved into the hilly red‑rock terrain, and exploring them quickly became my favorite part of the stay. I could pick any direction and start walking, and the paths would naturally lead me into a new small adventure—winding through high‑desert scrub and along wind‑carved cliffs rising on both sides of the small arroyo that cuts through the property. These cliffs, shaped over millennia, form sweeping overhangs and curves that look almost deliberate. The place feels ancient, sacred, and completely unforgettable.

If you’re seeking a campsite that offers solitude, beauty, and the freedom to wander through landscapes shaped by time itself, this place is a rare find.

Just looking at my onenote...
4/25 (last weekend) I did some Sedona camping with my new mountainbiking friends, Jeremy, Other Steve, James (Skatebaorder too), Other Jeremy, Tyler from Vegas, and a few others. We rode a bunch on Saturday (Arie and all around the traisl there), then Sunday too (Skywalker, Old Post, Ridge shuttle). It was close to our campsite, Nolan, so not a lot of traffic.

4/30 Camping along the drive up to Flag, and ultimately Painted desert tomorrow. Camped, worked at Sycamore, then worked at sbux Payson for a couple of hours Friday afternoon.

That store is dirty, trash was overflowing, one bathroom was open, trash/floors/sink was gross, while 10 people were standing around behind the counter doing nothing. I then drove up Lake Mary rode, which is a beautiful and scenic drive with a small amount of traffic, and the views were just wonderful. It was first Friday in Flag, and I got to drive through downtown, which as so busy and fun looking, but I had to get to the trailhead for my camping spot.

Anyways, I made a new friend, Brian and his wife Krystal (gotta make friends if you don't drink alone). They live in Flagstaff and had great stories and I enjoyed hanging with them for an hour or so. I met a family from Fort Huachuca. They're off not to watch their son race. Now it’s time for a nap! Tomorrow, gonna skate, then head up to camp at the painted desert for two nights.

Before I delete all the screenshots I took, here are some hi-lites of things I cared enough about to screenshot them:

morethanjustparks.substack.com: Starve the land agencies Break agencies ability to function point to dysfunction and say look its failing Reorganize to server your own instance Give the land to oil and developers So... tell your local psychotruck owner gun nut friend their forest is about to get privatized.

r/TFE psychologicalone752 Biden: Highest G7 Growth of all recovering nations Job Growth records 16.6 mill Unemployment: Lowest in 50 years Manufacturing Jobs 800K due to new industrial policies Stock Market: 45K

I think this is from Fuck Trump on Mastodon Media: gone: PBS defunded, Colbert, MSM Decline, NPR defunded, CNN reformed: disney ends dei, free speech on xitter, cbs $15 mil settlement, abc $15 settlement, 60 minutes won't air episode on ice

Claude: shortcut automation on iphone, set automation for message containing 'Claude', ask for input, then when you text yourself with Claude, it'll reply with info -- Didn't work for me

Oscar Ballots: No filled out though, so still don't remember who won what.

Dyson: Handheld cooling fan: HushJet

Who knew that Tempe Rolling Hills hosted a golf tournament! A Par 3 Tourney with golfers from all over the country, Florida with their actual Gater mascot, we talked with folks from Vegas playing in the tournament! AND, AND, freaking massive stage with an amazing soundsystem of deep bass featuring Phantogram, and a couple of DJs too. We strode around and watched some golfing, had some awesome Asian teriyaki noodles, and enjoyed Phantogram standing 20 people back from the stage. I had so much fun!

I headed over and picked up some super light charcoal for the figure drawing session. I enjoyed working with the new medium, and used it along with my regular charcoal and charcoal pencil. Oh, and an eraser.

Okay, what a day: tea at Xtreme while I made a beat on #flstudio, the drumcircle at encanto, then yucca to see my friend Cameron play congos with a blues band, and I got to sit in with him on the drumset. Then later, I went with my bro to watch a local brass ensemble play some wicked movie theme songs from like Raider, and Starwars. Ended up the day making dinner with Buffy and watching some Netflix.

Camped out for several days up north. Got some great runs in, and lots of walks. Very emotionally fulfilling to naturally just be able to enjoy nature, and work out in the northern deserts.

I made myself breakfast three times, made lunches and mostly mac and cheese and turkey burgers for dinner. I had several pitches of iced green tea through the week. My fridge got unplugged for several hours, and I lost a bunch of ice, but still had enough to get me through.

Okay, I’ve been wondering why I couldn’t find any quality backpacks lately. One company now owns them all!

Worse on purpose

I’ve been thinking about getting my Oakley backpack fixed, and now I’m wondering if it has a warranty‽

Drove, camped, dnf'd, came home.

Started off the week at Encanto Park for some drumming, then took off to camp at McDowell Mountain park to get some training rides in. It began raining Tuesday night, so naturally, I did a run in the rain on Wednesday morning on the Escondido trail. It was glorious. Just me and the birds out there, under a darkly clouded early morning with rain drizzling down all around. Upon coming home after a few days of camping, I hit the Tempe skatepark under yet another stunning Arizona Sunset. Yesterday, I worked all day from the trailhead at Beverly Canyon, unfortunately, I only got out for one run. Finally, took the ebike and my djembe to downtown Phoenix for some excellent jammin! There was so many people downtown, getting out of there on my bike was crazy. There was a DBacks game, the Women's Final four, and several little stages set up everywhere, like in front of the Herberger, and at the Library. It was mayhem, and getting out of there on my dutch cruiser with wide saddle bags and a large djembe strapped to the rack was not as easy as it sounds with traffic snarls and people all over the sidewalks.

2 minute, then 5 minute, then 10, then 20! My brain started checking out after an hour and a half, but our model had some amazing poses, and I got to disappear into nothingness for a while.

Should we build one airplane, or educate 11,300 students for five years.

Budget Local City Highschool for 6 massive schools with 11k students

Husk of a 500 million dollar airplane

We dropped by the Tempe No Kings march with flags in hand. It was quite the impressive crowd. No Kings

#nokings, #politics

Up next, learning Lord’s Favorite Daughter song.

[Intro] Ah

[Verse 1] I was a singer
You were my fan
When no one gave a damn
It was you in the dark
Scared of your anger
In love with your whim
Some notes I don't hit
But I don't give up

[Pre-Chorus]
Now every day, the plane takes off
And every night, the room fills up with
People who are convinced I'm not
Just some kid fakin' it for your love

[Chorus]
'Cause I'm an actress, all of the medals I won for ya
Breaking my back just to be your favourite daughter
Everywhere I run, I'm always runnin' to ya
Breaking my back just hoping you'll say I'm a star

[Verse 2]
You had a brother, I look like him
You told us as kids
"He diеd of a broken heart"
And for evеry door you open
There's a room I can't go in
I break in, I still can't find you
[Pre-Chorus]
Now that every day, the plane takes off
And every night the room fills up
I tell myself that soon we'll talk
Then I sing every word just to ya

[Chorus]
'Cause I'm an actress, all of the medals I won for ya
Panic attack just to be your favourite daughter
Everywhere I run, I'm always runnin' to ya
Breaking my back to carry the weight of your heart

[Bridge]
But I keep dancing till I get sick
Why'd you have to dream so big?
Why did no one listen when you hit the notes from your heart?

[Breakdown]
Ah-ah, ah-ah, ah-ah, ah-ah, ah

[Chorus]
I'm a good actress, look at the medals I won for ya
So you could imagine being a favourite daughter
Everywhere I run, I'm always runnin' to ya
Breaking my back just to be as brave as my mother

Okay, this week was full of amazing challenges. First thing Sunday morning, I broke my rear derailleur while riding down from top of Javalina over to National. I somehow smacked the derailleur, bending it and knocking the cable off. So, on Tuesday, I fucked up the shifter by taking it apart wrong and all the springs fell out. I spent hours trying to put it back together to no avail. Anyway, the bike shop now has my bike to fix my dumb. Also, work was pretty fun, learned a couple of dev tweaks, and relearned 80 things like always. I wrote a fun song and recorded some guitar for it. I'm currently at brickroad sipping some tea and about to, uh, work on a song or whatever. I just wanted to write a note to myself that I'm still alive (and you need to do more yardwork!)

Also, last night Buffy and I celebrated her 8 year anniversary of her double mastectomy. Not much to celebrate, but we exchanged a few stories and just spend some time chilling and watching some tv.

I found a new place where they have live models! Everyone there was so nice. Three hours is well beyond my limits of concentration but I had a great time and got to doodle.

I got a ride in with Jeremy and Ben this morning. Weekly Sunday Sends bike ride that Jeremy set up. Twas a little warm, but I had a great time. My rear derailleur cable frayed up and blew off, but we got it working again. I scored some garlic croissants and a pastry and am chilling at sbux writing a tune.

#mountainbiking #croissant #flstudio

Last night was a whopper, got tickets to Lauren Spencer Smith. The VanBuren was packed, and it was all women, so many beautiful people (except for me). My wife fit right in with the demographic: Young, sexy, singing outloud! The music was awesome and we had a blast! #vanburen #laruenspencersmith #livemusic #fun #blog

Started out at Xtreme Bean for work, then heading out to work trailside at Hawes. After work, I got in little sister to bit sister for some jumps. Its a Monday - working from wherever! Lucky me!

This post (Its a Monday - Work From Home But at the Trail) was last edited 2 months, 1 week ago.

First, some dinner and ice cream!

#iceland #travel #blog

View from the bay at our hotel. The snow last night was so beautiful, and the locals loved it. Chunks of rock on the beach, snowing heavily with a strong wind from all directions.

Black Beach Of Djúpalónssandur

Seal Spot Location: Ytri-Tunga Snæfellsbær, Iceland

Iconic Black Church Scheduled: Feb 27, 2026 at 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM, GMT Location: Buðir Church Búðir, 356 Snæfellsbær, Iceland

West Coast Village Scheduled: Feb 27, 2026 at 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM, GMT Location: Arnarstapi Snæfellsbær, Iceland

Lóndrangar Cliffs Scheduled: Feb 27, 2026 at 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM, GMT Location: Lóndrangar Snæfellsjökull National Park, 356 Snæfellsbær, Iceland

Just fucking unreal. Every time we come around a bend,, there’s another magnificent piece of nature. Absolutely stunning landscape.

Agenda for today: driving up to the West of Iceland. Very hard to complain about the drive!
An hour and a half of this! Yes please Omg… All this while jamming out to a local techno electronic dj: DJ Margeir on SoundCloud

Hot springs 4 liters per minute.

Horse Farm

Reykholt Viking Village Location: Reykholt Iceland

Hraunfossar and Barnafoss Waterfalls Hálsasveitarvegur, 320 Reykholt, Iceland Lunch Waterfalls! So many, so many colors too

Lava Cave Exploration Location: Víðgelmir Víðgelmisvegur, 311 Borgarnes, Iceland

#travel #iceland

Continuing the amazing tour of Iceland…

Geothermal Park and Bakery Scheduled: Feb 25, 2026 at 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM, GMT Location: Eilifur Geyser Woot woot! The geyser went off while we were there

Kerid Volcanic crater Scheduled: Feb 25, 2026 at 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM, GMT Location: Kerið Fimmvörðuháls Trail, 861 Hvolsvöllur, Iceland

We stopped to feed the Icelandic horses…

Gullfoss Waterfall Scheduled: Feb 25, 2026 at 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM, GMT Location: Gullfoss Selfoss, Iceland

Haukadalur Geothermal Area Scheduled: Feb 25, 2026 at 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM, GMT Location: Haukadalur Selfoss, Iceland Okay, there were many cool areas of activity and the one big geyser, next biggest to old faithful, went off twice. It went around 50 feet up, so cool.

Tingvellir National Parl Scheduled: Feb 25, 2026 at 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM, GMT Location: Thingvellir National Park Sandhólastígur, 806 Selfoss, Iceland

Hvammsvik Scheduled: Feb 25, 2026 at 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM, GMT Location: Hvammsvik Nature Spa ( Hvammur, 276 Mosfellsbær, Iceland Just wow. There was almost no one there, snowing sideways and several steaming hot pools and sauna. We did a cold plunge in the Atlantic freakin’ ocean, well Buffy went all the way under. Omg. Heaven. Natural steam bath over the Atlantic Ocean while it’s snowing

Woke up bright and early, had breakfast the headed out in the pouring 4 degree weather. I’ve never been so excited for so much physical suffering. Walking on a glacier with crampons is so cool. It was incredible looking down below my feet in to clear blue ice with 1000s of years of debris trapped inside.

Blue Ice Cave exploration 781 Höfn í Hornafirði, Iceland

Diamond Beach Scheduled: Feb 24, 2026 at 11:15 AM to 11:45 AM, GMT Location: Diamond Beach 781 Höfn í Hornafirði, Iceland

Jokulsarlon Glacier lagoon Scheduled: Feb 24, 2026 at 11:45 AM to 12:15 PM, GMT Location: Jökulsárlón Iceberg Lagoon Suðurlandsvegur, 781 Höfn í Hornafirði, Iceland

Dinner. Hveragerdi town at the geothermicly brewed brewery and Pizza shop. maps

Got to hang out in the desert for a couple of days. I especially enjoy this area because it is so easy to get to, and yet feels like its one thousand miles away. I appreciate that I can just drop off of a work call and go for a long walk or run before the next call or deliverable is due. Running can be done in the buff which brings its own kind of freedom. The creek is actually still flowing, so stream crossings are quite fun. It did get pretty warm the second day, but I had plenty of shade. I also like that I can jam tunes from my boom box as loud as I want, since there's no one around. Well, a bunch of cowboys came to heard up some cattle on the second day, so you could hear them helping about from time to time. The whole experience was wonderful, with cool nights dipping in to the 50s, warm breezy days, solid internet connectivity for work, beautiful desert sunsets and the freedom to get thousands of steps in at any time.

Buffy said there was a tiny chance of an aurora, so we walked down to the shore and she got this picture.

Jfc, this is so cool.

Next up, two waterfalls… and a black sand beach, but all the sand got carried away in recent Atlantic storms.

The crashing waves and the unending white foam of the untamed sea reminding me how magnificent Mother Nature can be.
Heading now to an iconic lava field that is like no place else in the solar system.

Snow covered, moss, moss covered rock

More Moss and lichen

Beautiful Buffy Baffy standing at a snow covered lava field

Some glaciers along the way

Ended today’s tour at the smyrlabjorg where we got to talk to some of our fellow tourees. Very interesting. Got a quick after dinner walk in too. strava link

My bff ended up going the extra mile and bought a new controller with a remote and totally set up my lamp so it now does all kinds of cool colors and blinks, and fades! I’m so happy. A while back he gave up on it because its old controller had no markings and he couldn’t determine voltages and such. But he really came through and just replaced it and the wires too.

Previous Post

#blog #lamp

Lucas, Buffy and I hung out last night and watched ice skating, was great to catch up. We also made fish tacos together and talked about traveling and reminisces on

Today, it was back to my usual Tuesday stuff! Unicycling and drumming! I got to sit in the Junejunes, towards the end. People seemed to really dig my beats. It felt good. I donated 20 to the group and they have the Athletes Go With the Flow program for unhoused adolescent athletic women.

I added a few rides from my sporttracks.mobi over to strava so I could make this cool map using statshunter.com plugged in to my strava. Pretty nerdy, but here's a look at where I've been. Note that my garmin did NOT Work in Russia.

#travel #exercise #strava #statshunter #cycling #running

I started out the week hosting the birthday dinner for my Daughter on her 23rd birthday. We had a great time and lots of laughs over at the Cheesecake Factory! I very clearly remember Buffy's dad taking his daughters and their significant others out to dinner multiple times. Bob was a true champion of helping me figure out what matters in life, and family and family time is one of those things to promote and cherish.

Our Family

Later in the week, I hit up a Tuesday drum circle after working out of my van at Piestaway/North Mountain. I then ventured out to the desert for some remote work and camping. It was fantastic weather, and I got a miles of running in as well as some relaxing. I enjoyed hanging with Buffy Thursday night, then headed out to First Friday for more drumming. I completed my latest song, continuing the theme of Skateboarding before the rain starts.

Here are some pics for a retrospective of the last few days!

So much warmth and friendliness in the downtown scene. The group drummed and drummed, and the rhythms were bumpin! So much laughter and smiles, I am lucky to be part of that energy

Me enjoying some amazing Pad Tai before things get started

The drum circle with people dancing and having fun

Just making reference to that February cartoon where the bid keeps trying to spell February. I went up to North Mountain for some mountain bike riding before drumcircle. We celebrated my Daughter’s 23rd birthday on Sunday too. #boring well not the birthday dinner, that was awesome.

Okay, this is a great Harmor Bass video for FL studio flstudio Harmor Bass tutorial This guy knows how to bass.

“On 1 February 1960, Joseph McNeil, Jibreel Khazan, David Richmond and Franklin McCainand began their protest, and refused to leave Woolworth's when directed to by management.”

I’m so proud of these four men, please read the article below. Here is another excerpt.

“McCain later told Christopher Wilson, a journalist with Smithsonian magazine: ‘Almost instantaneously, after sitting down on a simple, dumb stool, I felt so relieved. I felt so clean, and I felt as though I had gained a little bit of my manhood by that simple act’.”

Please read the story here…

https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/10962/greensboro-civil-rights-sit-ins

Fuck off #canon. No, not gonna give you access to me and my location. Go fuck yourself. I deleted the app. Why do they need my location. People need to start understanding how privacy works and stop using shitty company apps. Now I gotta find a USB-A cable, lol #fuckcannoncameraconnect #blog #fuckcanon

I did a little of everything this week except for riding, I did a lot of that. I went camping out at horseshoe Lake for the last few days. It was so incredibly beautiful, cloudless skies, no wind, icy nights and warm days. I camped in a wonderful little spot right at the Verde river below the Mesquite Campground, so it was free, whereas it would have been $16 per day at Mesquite. #vanlife #remoteWork #mountainbiking #running #disbursedcamping I got some remote work done by day and bike rides 1 2 and runs after and before work. They were releasing water from the overflow outlets so I rode up to check it out. Watching incredible amount of water crash into the rocky canyon was extraordinary. Audibly speaking, the volume was at crushing levels accross the entire spectrum, with heart rattling lows, and deafening highs. Completely spectacular and amazing. It was a full volume affair. I could actually hear that thunderous pounding from my campsite a mile away. There's a path to walk right underneath overvlow, complete madness.

My campsite was sheltered from the road, so very private, no sounds except the river and some magnificent baby cardinals fluttering about.

Doing a Fake Backside Air (I cannot land those, lol) A not great picture of drum circle. It was cold and not as big as usual My office view "Is this a goddam" (*Beavis and Butthead, 1999) Nighttime Waterfall, I had so much fun taking nighttime photos here The Actual lake. Its huge

The book was pretty crazy. I read about it on #Mastodon and just had to buy it. This is the first book I actually purchased and read in the last 10 years. Thoroughly enjoyed it. #reading

I got out here an hour and a half early to get settled and do a warm up ride. The usual campers are spread about. It is so incredibly nice out, 55 degrees, lots of sun. I watched the marathon women start and I go in 50 minutes. Time to get ready.

I'm sitting once again at one of my favorite 3rd spaces. I need to stay out of the news, been dreaming about fucking with ice agent cars, and bombs dropping from the sky. How are people not revolting already on this shitshow of a country.

Anyways, my cool led floor lamp was so broken, that even my main guy and bff in this world, the star fixer of complex multi-million dollar corporate tech world machines, and favorite person, could not fix my cool-cheap-amazon lamp. I try not to dwell on it, but it truly is luck of the draw with what we spend on. There's no way to research the internal circuitry of lamps or modern electronics. You just buy and pray. I guess, most times, it does work out. Its just notable when it doesn't.
Lamp disassembled

Anyways, I got some mountain biking in, but I didn't camp this week as I wanted to as I had some time sensitive work that involved massive downloads, and my satellite really isn't meant for that kind of work.

#baddreams #mountainbiking, #blog

Last night we watched a Netflix movie which was a joyful 90 minute thriller called Stone Cold Fox with Keefer Southerland who plays a corrupt sheriff in a small town. The protagomist was a young girl who runs away from home and lives with a drug dealers out in the sticks. A breezy watch.

Buffy‘s car died, but the battery was under warranty so I jumped it and we got that taken care of. I was out on a mountain Unicycling adventure when she texted me that it wouldn’t start, so I didn’t get to session some of the downhill that I wanted to, but I still had a blast.

I spent a couple of days working trailside this week, at least for the afternoon. Once was a dreamy draw, and then yesterday at south.

I put out two songs on SoundCloud under my ambient currents name. The songs were trapped though so I’m conflicted about doing that. I may just put them back under my MTBk name. It was super fun making those couple songs and I got a few more. I wanna put up there. I’m trying to keep them to around one and a half to two minutes.

Egads, what a boring post.

So, rode my e-bike to downtown to join a datascientist meetup, but I got to the 9th floor to the Neudesic building, and .... no meeting. It went online. I thought I saw some notice about it on my phone earlier, but wth... So, I went out to the 9th floor patio, and omg, got some great views of downtown Tempe in.

Here's a couple of views of Downtown

So, anyways, I got make a new friend with CW, and we went and had a drink while I checked in at work (on data sciency things, ironically). So, missed the meeting, but made a friend.

On the ride home, I rode past the electricity factory... Weirdly active since it was still like 70 degrees out. Electricity Factory

I zipped over to Alton‘s for lunch, which of course was Pete’s fish and chips with the 10 piece shrimp, so good. Alton‘s little kitty cat passed away, so that was sad, and after lunch we were kicking in the living room and his other cat, Miss Kitty came around looking for Cookie. So sad. Of course I gave Alton some stuff to work on, and he gave me some cleaning solution for my mixer so that it wouldn’t crackle so much… and he bought me lunch! BFF! Now I owe lunch and gotta get him his can of solvent back!

Cookie, what a great little kitty

My cherished lamp, I love that lamp but even the master engineer can’t save it from its self destructive tendencies

So much fun in that 3 mile ride.

#muni #mountainunicycling

I got this text. Which sounds like insurance fraud

Nahria Desha…, complete your tasks before your 10:15 AM MST appointment on 1/14 with GEORGE S ABDELMESSIE at Premier Foot & Ankle: https://ahmsg.us/45FIN6A Reply STOP to opt out.

That doc works here in the Tucson. Office. I tried to call but it’s a busy number which is fuckin odd for a business.

https://www.premiersurgeons.com/our-staff

Okay, so that office called me saying I missed my appointment. I told the it was fraud and it took a while to explain what was happening to the person that called.

Weirdly, there’s another account in Oreileys with my Phone number too. What is happening‽

I got up extra early, cause I can’t sleep much these days. Read the news, which is always a bummer. Got the laundry going and did a self inventory and realized I’m feeling pretty good.

The soft inventory is something I’ve been doing since community college where our teacher, Mr. Smith, who we referred to as the plate master, would tell us how to do a daily physical inventory and then note how we’re feeling with our appetites. Appetite include mental appetite, emotional appetite, and sexual appetite, and keeping all of those balanced. he would use the round paper plates to balance those appetites into three separate areas to depict how they should be balanced, or at least how they can be balanced. Mine are never balanced.

I Headed to one of our favorite coffee places to get some green tea, Sadie and Lucas met us there. I’m learning lyrics for two new songs and I headed over to my Drum circle at Encanto Park.
Incredible drum circle.

I then did a mountain bike ride over at Phoenix Mountain preserve. Me looking off to the distance, wondering why I’m here, lol

There was a car on fire over on the freeway. It was quite windy so there was a risk of the mountain catching fire. Liar Liar Car on Fire!

I headed home and now I’m just gonna chill out.

[Verse 1]
Running from yourself now
Can't hear what you're told
Never let your guard down
Anywhere you go

[Pre-Chorus]
In the right place
At the right time
And still, you sink into the floor

[Chorus]
It's never enough
Never enough
Never enough
Love
Never enough
Never enough
It's never enough
Love

[Verse 2]
Running from yourself now
Can't hear what you're told
Never let your guard down
Anywhere you go

[Pre-Chorus]
In the right placе
At the right time
And still, you sink into the floor

[Chorus]
It's nеver enough
Never enough
Never enough
Love
Never enough
Never enough
It's never enough
Love

[Guitar Solo]

[Chorus]
It's never enough
Never enough
Never enough
Love
Never enough
Never enough
It's never enough
Love

Got in a mountain bike race and now chilling watching American rules football. The race was fun, laughing on the downhills and crying on the climbs.

Enjoying a brew and green licorice too. Go #bears.

I wrote a long rap song cause I wanted to write something that was Tape-B style or Wethan style which is Trap/Bass music on top of rapping. So, I had AI write me a song, which was fucking great, but it seemed empty knowing that generations of other writes wrote that song for me. Anyways, it turns out AI lyrics cannot be commercialized, so I can't make millions from that song (shocking!). Anyways, so I found that Brian Eno, REM, Beattles used Oblique Strategies for song writing, which is basically cues for what to write about. I can also just pick a new story or a book, and make shit up. Anyways, here's a great list of Oblique Strategies I found in my first search, so thanks Mattrickard!!

Mattrickard's site with examples

Once I learned it was going to rain, I headed straight out to the desert to experience the cold, the wet, the rain!

The rain has come at last, falling down in soft rainflakes…. lol.

Here’s my view for the day! Kept me super focused!

For my 2026 self challenge to learn song lyrics, here's week two challenge: If Karma Doesn't Get You (I Will) by Karen Spencer Smith
Small Town boy with the big time ego
(Ooh)
Acts so tough and you don't think we know Stole my heart just to leave me bleeding
(Ooh)
Now the hole in my chest gives me one good reason (Ooh)
'Cause here comes the end
Pretending like you've never sinned
You'll be wishing that you made amends
But my only friend is revenge

If karma don't get you then I will
Finally gonna show you how I feel
Ruin your, ruin your life
Like you did, like you did mine
Gonna make everyone hate you
Mama said ya nothing but bad news
And Mama don't, mama don't lie
So I'm out to kill

If karma doesn't get ya, don't get ya, baby I will
You think you're the man and you say you got money (Ooh)
You're making me laugh but your jokes ain't funny (ooh)
When I tell the world 'bout the games you were playing (Ooh)
You'll be down on your knees, boy, you better start playing (Ooh)
'Cause here comes the end
Pretending like you've never sinned
You'll be wishing that we made amends
But my only friend is revenge, oh

If karma don't get you then I will
Finally gonna show you how I feel
Ruin your, ruin your life
Like you did, like you did mine
Gonna make everyone hat you
Mama said ya nothin but bad news
And Mama don't, Mama don't lie
So I'm out to kill

If Karma Doesn't Get You, baby, I will (Ooh)
There won't be (Ooh)
No mercy (Ooh) There won't be (Ooh)
There won't be
There won't be
No mercy
No mercy
There won't be
There won't be
No mercy
If Karma Doesn't Get You, baby, I will

Finally gonna show you how I feel
Ruin your, ruin your life
Like you did, like you did mine
Gonna make everyone hat you
Mama said ya nothing but bad news
And Mama don't, Mama don't lie
So I'm out to kill
If karma doesn't get ya, don't get ya, baby I will

Written by: Jack LaFrantz, Lauren Spencer Smith, Nick Ruth, Phil Pellested

A ride in the park. So many people but it was so nice out.

Have not been paying attention as they tore down the old Children’s Hospital. Rubble from where the children’s hospital was.

I believe this is where they are going to put some high density apartments, which will be awesome for downtown and the city. This housing is much needed and will be a walkable distance from Downtown.

Here’s the final leg of my Papago loop.
Me at a spot overlooking the Saturday picnickers enjoying the beautiful weather.

Strava:

Link to my Strava playback

OMG, I hope you enjoy this six minute video I made to celebrate the closing of 2025 and the start of 2026. Video Features TapeB, Mike Pozner, Griz, Peachy Keen, Wax Motif and more... What a fun night.

If you get that stupid authentication message, just go straight to the Youtube Link here: Direct Link to Video

Here's a photo of Peachy Keen playing at the outside stage. So amazing to dance in the rain.

Briston Maroney - Freakin' out on the interstate lyrics

Freakin' out on the interstate
Rolling down the windows, baby, I can't hear a thing you say
I'm walking back to my favorite place
And I can feel them staring at me
Baby, do you think I'm doing something wrong?

Chorus
And you got a lot on your mind
And your heart, it looks just like mine
There's no use in wasting your time, anymore
I'm sorry I haven't been myself
And something's got me down
What it is, I cannot tell
I won't be satisfied with anything I've earned
Fear is just a part of love
And one thing I found
Is love is what you deserve

Driving home and call my father on the telephone
I hope you know I missed you, man
Let's put it all behind us if we can
Never feeling like I'm all the way home (all the way home)
Stones inside my raincoat pocket, I gotta keep
Oh, won't you hold them for me?

I scored my pre-paid shirt, which was size medium, but was actually like a XXL on me! People were so friendly in all the lines and at the shows. My Earplugs really really made the whole thing possible, so kudos to me. Heck ya, those things are so amazing. After two days and 12 hours of Shows on the rail, my ears ring the same amount as they always did.

It was pouring rain after Griz, I hit the toilets and headed straight over to the outdoor stage to dance in the rain. Holy Fucking Moly that was fun!

More to come! Here's a list of all the DJs I saw. Griz was Amazing, and in fact, it everyone was so good. I'll detail it out later. The sound at the Conservatory was the best IMHO. Super strong bass, with crystal clear highs and subtle mids. Perfect for my ears.

Here's me over at the Playhouse, dancing in the rain with 10 of my best friends!

So um, here's all the artists I saw across both days...

Day One, Tuesday Night 12/30/2025

The Conservatory

• 6 p.m., Gio Lucca
• 7 p.m., Brunello b2b Kinahau

Grand Palace

• 8:10 p.m., Adventure Club
• 9:15 p.m., Sammy Virji

Royal Ballroom

• 10 p.m., Whethan
• 11:05 p.m., Hamdi

Grand Palace

• 10:35 p.m., Sara Landry
• 12:10 a.m., Knock2 (Definitely One of my Favorites)

Playhouse

• Midnight, D.U.T.C.H.I. (On the Way out - so fun)

Day Two Wednesday Night 12/31/2025

Grand Palace

• 6 p.m., Carrie Keller
• 6:50 p.m., Pedroz
• 7:55 p.m., Kaskade (straight up Techno)
• 9:15 p.m., Mike Posner (Wow, singing and guitar playing)
• 10:20 p.m., Tape B (that BASSSSSS SS SSSS SSS S S S S)
• 11:40 p.m., Griz (NYE countdown set - sax, trumpet trubone, and two backup singers. Total package of a show - I would have paid just to see that for two hours)

Playhouse

• 1 a.m., Peachy Keen (This was like pink kittens on stage having fun and pumping out some punchy rips while we danced in the rain. I finally had room to dance, so that's what I did)

The Conservatory

• 1 a.m., Wax Motif (after dark set) - (Insert dancing motif here! wow, I don't know why I got so dancy all the sudden, probably the 6 plus hours of being glued to the rail for all the other bands).

Day 2

Grand Palace

• 6 p.m., Carrie Keller
• 6:50 p.m., Pedroz
• 7:55 p.m., Kaskade
• 9:15 p.m., Mike Posner
• 10:20 p.m., Tape B
• 11:40 p.m., Griz (NYE countdown set)
• 12:45 a.m., Fisher
• 2 a.m., Subtronics

Royal Ballroom

• 6 p.m., Deathbeat
• 6:30 p.m., Phrva
• 7:35 p.m., Level Up
• 8:40 p.m., Voyd
• 10 p.m., SG Lewis
• 11:20 p.m., Green Velvet (NYE countdown set)
• 12:40 a.m., Chase & Status
• 1:45 a.m., Odd Mob

The Conservatory

• 6 p.m., Michael Hooker
• 7 p.m., Ky William
• 9 p.m., Prunk
• 11 p.m., Wakyin (NYE countdown set)
• 1 a.m., Wax Motif (after dark set)

Playhouse

• 6 p.m., Russian House Mafia
• 7 p.m., Edenna
• 8 p.m., Jonis
• 9 p.m., STVRXD
• 10 p.m., Hotsauce
• 11 p.m., Aftershock Takeover
• 1 a.m., Peachy Keen
• 2 a.m., Axon

The Bazaar

• 6 p.m., Izzy Neutron
• 7:30 p.m., Cece
• 9 p.m., Valerie Stoss
• 10:30 p.m., Avitas
• 12:15 a.m., Tommy Toole
• 1:30 a.m., Just Manning

Day 1 Head to The Conservatory for Gio @ 6PM and Brunella 7PM. Then head to Grand Palace for Sammy Virji 9:15. Then check out the smaller venues for the rest of the time.

Grand Palace

• 6 p.m., Dmtri
• 7:05 p.m., Darren Styles
• 8:10 p.m., Adventure Club
• 9:15 p.m., Sammy Virji
• 10:35 p.m., Sara Landry
• 12:10 a.m., Knock2
• 1:45 a.m., Zedd

Royal Ballroom

• 6 p.m., Stevie Nova
• 7:05 p.m., Hayden James
• 8:25 p.m., Meduza
• 10 p.m., Whethan
• 11:05 p.m., Hamdi
• 12:25 a.m., Max Styler
• 2 a.m., Kai Wachi and Sullivan King

The Conservatory

• 6 p.m., Gio Lucca
• 7 p.m., Brunello b2b Kinahau
• 9 p.m., Omri.
• 11 p.m., Riordan
• 1 a.m., Ben Sterling

Playhouse

• 6 p.m., Radwulf
• 7 p.m., St. Clr
• 8 p.m., Ava Jane
• 9 p.m., Jmau5
• 10 p.m., Southpaw
• 11 p.m., Not Yurs
• Midnight, D.U.T.C.H.I.
• 1 a.m., Medicine Mike
• 2 a.m., Afterparty

The Bazaar

• 6 p.m., Silent Jay
• 7:30 p.m., Landell Ransom
• 9 p.m., Avery Dahl
• 10:30 p.m., Saleh
• Midnight, Eve Lauren
• 1:30 a.m., Pontiac House Project

Got a solid ~2 mile run in yesterday, and read my book by the creek for an hour. It was cool out with strong looking clouds filling up the sky. The sun peaked through every few minutes keeping my nice and warm.

Here's the creek, some cattle, and bike on the super steep climb up out of the little valley.

Last night, Buffy and I watched Sinners about cousins that move back to Mississippi, but the vampires come in an cause some trouble... Fun and scary!

Sadie and I did a drawing session at a coffee shop PIP Coffee and Clay. So fun.

Yes, Just family. I begged Buffy to host Xmas, and she reluctantly agreed and we all ended up having the most wonderful time. Omg! Previously, I helped Sadie install her new car stereo, then BAM! 17 people in our house ready to have fun!

We are truly blessed to have such a great family, some of whose drive for hours to get here. Zane was a rock star with the Turkey and helped Buffy with all kinds of prep work for the party. Very very helpful. Lucas was playing with B and his phone splashed in to the pool to get it, but it still isn’t working right. Sadie was a party supercharger and really knows how to keep the party going with antics, stories and friendliness.

So fun. Also…

To buy: carrots bunch celery bag bag broccoli and caulifour Oregon Stems (plastic container thing)

Legit Sounding Turkey Gas Grill - Youtube

• 1 Tbsp of salt for 6 pounds (so 3 Tbsp)
• 1 Tbsp of pepper for 6 pounds (so 3 Tbsp)
• MAYBE a tiny bit of baking powder changes the alkalinity of the skin, so makes it crisp up better.

per the internet: ...the dry brine you apply will actually help the turkey skin retain moisture longer as it smokes. The baking powder also helps trigger browning reactions faster, giving the skin a jumpstart on browning. Finally, a quick rub with oil before applying the spice mixture will help slow down the escape of moisture from the skin.

On and under the skin - let it sit in the fridge for 4 hours or overnight (put it in some kind closed container like a pot or pan lined with alumninum or in an unscented bag...

Next day (or four hours later) do the buttering thing... 1 stick butter 1 Tbsp Garlic Powerder 1 Tsp Sage 1 Tsp Rosemary 1 Tsp Thyme

Roasting pan with a layer of carrots, celery and cauliflour in the bottom Two Way thermomete

Keep grill at 350 F. Goal: Get temp probe in turkey breast to 160 f Put turkey in grill:

Hour One: Cook for one hour uncovered: Then check for water in the pan and cover main part of bird with aluminum, verify water content in pan

Hour Two: check for the bird temp of 133 which should be at the two hour mark, verify water in pan

Hour Three: check for 150 degrees and then check for over-browning to add/remove aluminium, verify water in pan

Monitor Temp till it gets to 160, then can brown it for a few more minutes if necessary

Status Update Turkey was a hit, took 3.5 hours to cook with the last hour at a lower heat, since the time got pushed to later. All was good though, delicious, crisp and juicy

This post (Shit - here we go - cooking Turkey on girl) was last edited 7 months, 3 weeks ago.

Here's the chicken shit CBS 60 minutes episode that was summarily cancelled by the trump admin. Meanwhile, they had recruitment commercials for ICE during the rest of the 60 minutes episode.

CECOT is the El Salvador prison designed to hold 40K prisoners. The US paid 4.5 Million to El Salvador so they could send immigrants there to be tortured.

BANNED VIDEO on Internet Archive

Biden's administration reported that the prison violates basic UN Standards due to torture and life threatening conditions. trump admires the prison and the way that it operates. trump seemed to gleefully send migrants there. Prove me wrong. Show me the evidence that he was sad to send 250 immigrants off to be tortured. Half migrants sent there had no criminal history. ICE's own records show that only 3% of the men sent there did have a criminal offense, but we don't know what it is. It could be just the fact of being an immigrant. 3%. So 97% came here to work, and were summarily deported to hell.

Using Extreme temperatures and always on lighting is a also a violation of UN standards, and prisoners were punished by getting sent to the "island" which is a small room with other prisoners with no light. There beatings every 30 minutes while guards banged on the doors at other times. Staff punched, grabbed testicles and pulled penises in addition to slamming heads in to walls and forcing uncomfortable positions for 24 hours straight.

After four months, the 252 men were released from the El Salvador prison for a Venezuelan exchange for 10 us prisoners.

I just got home from helping my son move out. It was not a planned event, but rent was past due, by a lot. School was missed. Expensive school that cost him a lot. Yet he still didn't finish. Just two months shy of finishing... I don't know how to feel about it, other than to be there for him through all this. I hope he knows I'll always answer his texts and calls. I hope to see him at the Skate parks, and I hope his path soon recovers from whatever is happening in his life that has lead the current situation. #family #frustration #parenting

Slightly rough sleep due to coldnesss (mid 40s). Got up, packed up and headed towards town to get a run in, some tea, hit the skatepark and the bike flow park which is supposed to be near by.

Also:

And driving home, back to where I belong!

Visual accident 1249

A pose from satisfaction6671

I got a few runs and rides in over the last couple of days. I finished my book last night: All Fours by Miranda July. Was chaos, fun and probably meant for people with uteruses. The rest of my time was spent hyper focused on work stuff, which for normal people would mean they’re slightly paying attention. MS stuff just sometimes doesn’t work most of the time.

Here are a few hdr pics.

And then…

Here are some 5 minute poses I drew last night.

#figuredrawing #drawing #traditionalart #charcoal

Got in a great ride with Jeremy and the epic rides group.

Me with Jeremy, Fels and AJ.

https://strava.app.link/Rrb2R7Tc6Yb

Strava really knows how to pump me up: Athlete Intelligence showing solid intensity management on a longer ride. This was a solid effort that really stood out from your typical rides. You tackled over 1,000 feet of elevation—way more than your usual 297 feet average—and spent 84 minutes moving, which is your longest ride in two weeks. Your heart rate stayed mostly in the endurance zone, but you pushed into tempo and threshold work for about 23% of the ride, which is reflected in that relative effort score of 52. That's higher than what you normally see, showing you brought real intensity to this one. Speed-wise you held steady at 7 mph, matching your month average but feeling faster given the terrain. This ride shows you're capable of tackling bigger climbs and longer efforts when you dial it in. Got it

We went out to dinner and a play tonight after picking up and delivering a new washing machine to our kids’ house. The dinner was at Glenrossa, at Rolling Hills and the play was Raijovic at Tempe Arts center. Both were outstanding. I really felt bad for James who was so innocent at the beginning of the play, and later reunited with his sister.

Hanging out for tea with Buffy. Watching WSL big waves in Portugal and texting Lynn who was there

Dinner and Sunset

The set for the Play

Got some camping and work done out in the desert. It was a little chilly at night, but once the sun came up, and I got a run in, the rest of the day was so sunny and warm. The ever-presence of the nearby saguaro, ocotillo and sage kept me company.

Working in the van until things warmed up a bit... Here, the solar is doing its thing.

Whilst camping earlier this week, it got a bit too cold at night, so I chilled in the van and did some figure drawing from the reddit drawmensft site. I tried to post them there, but my own site got shut down due to no moderation in the last year or so... oops.

I got a couple of days of remote work in this week. It is amazing how productive I can be whilst working out in nature. It is just so freeing, the sounds of birds, wind, and even cattle mooing off in the distance at dusk. Brisk cold mornings, with the rising sun bringing a new day and a new chapter.

Me working in my mobile office

I took my chair down to the creek to read my book at lunch

I tried to figure out how to work next to the creek for the afternoon, but the logistics of moving the satalite dish, the power bank, laptop and chairs were a bit too much. Maybe if I had stayed. But as much as I loved it there, my book reminded me that as much as I enjoy the solitude, I also love hanging out with my wife and chilling. So far, its been the best of both worlds for the last few weeks.

Also got in a run to stay in shape

Went to Punk Rock Christmas one day festival to see The Vandals, Face to Face, MxPX and Eurothane. Kirk and I had a great time.

MXPX, Face To Face, The Vandals, Authority Zero, Voodoo Glow Skulls, Slick Shoes, Urethane, Jen Pop, Winterhaven.

https://youtu.be/I5X-K9Nc4EA

This post (Punk Rock Christmas at Wild Horse) was last edited 7 months, 2 weeks ago.

We watched the movie Jay Kelly (George Clooney/Adam Sandler/Laura Dern). Jay Kelly is a movie star who's re-thinking his life choices and his relationships with his two daughters, he somehow manages to not fully kill his relationship with his manager (Adam Sandler). My takaway is that life choices have consequences, and Jay was a narcissistic selfish asshole, and his manager was an idiot for expecting water from a rock.

I decided to go to an EVsec meetup last night at a local brewery. It was a great event, and met lots of people with interesting stories, from crypto management, to talking about session/application layer security down to the bytes and bits. SHA was brought up many times.

#SHA256 #Security #Infrastructure #informationtechnology

The Big Lesson for Blue Teams

Defenders must no longer rely on signature-based detections alone. The battle now hinges on telemetry correlation, anomaly analysis, and understanding normal system behavior across time—not just responding to known patterns.

Prediction

Windows-native offensive tooling will expand farther as attackers automate LOLbin abuse with AI-powered scripting assistants. EDR vendors will rush to build deeper behavioral baselines, but red teams will refine invisible chains that mimic legitimate admin workflows more convincingly than ever. The next major leap will be autonomous in-memory tooling capable of self-mutating during execution.

Worked from South mountain park this afternoon, then went on a ride up javelina. Got back to the van and am thinking about hitting the skatepark next. #vanlife #cycling

This post (Working and Riding) was last edited 8 months, 1 week ago.

Did a quick overnight camp out for some remote work and camping. Tested out the heater, which worked great. Got a run in as it was very isolated and it really isn’t the camping time of year. The creek was running so I got some cool pics of water, which itself was refreshing on the long hike up the trail.

It got down to 39 overnight, but the heater running on low kept an even 70 degrees inside. At 8 am, it seemed to just magically warm up. The sun charged up both my batteries within a few hours and they stayed full even with the fridge and work gear going full tilt.

The reason I called it quits after one day, is that as soon as the sun dipped behind the mountains, there was an immediate chill in the air that I wasn’t mentally prepared for. I put a layer of clothes on but it was no match for the brisk dry chill of a winter night in the desert.

A nearly full moon kept me company all night.

I got an evening hike in after the sun went down

The next morning, I ran nearly 2 miles just before Sun up. No camera on that run. It was chilly but the running and skullcap kept me warm.

Here’s a small beach I found with enough room to sit on a towel and read my book for a few minutes before heading back to camp.

This post (Monday Tuesday Camping) was last edited 8 months ago.

Yard work, tea, calendaring out my week While enjoying the company of Buffy, then off for a mountain bike ride, nap, then off to see a few bands with Perry and Mark at Yucca. It was a good day!

Strava ride: 13ish miles:

https://strava.app.link/vtLQkjXDHYb

This post (Saturday Wrapup) was last edited 8 months, 1 week ago.

Awoke with a start in the middle of the night.

Time to dart for the room with bright lights.

Sitting should be pleasant but the smells not quite right.

Deep in my heart, temporary pain and blight

This post (Micro Norovirus At 3:00 am) was last edited 8 months, 1 week ago.

So... everything I read on reddit says don't engage with trump fanatics. We can forgive them for their naivety for voting that way in 2016, but voting for a felony convicted sex offender a second time just means they're in favor of violence, family separation, and keeping women and minorities poor. So enjoy the food and leave. Engaging is counter-productive. That is a year-round activity if you really care.

Just got back from a little three day camping and working remote trip over to Mcdowell Mountain park. They accidentally gave away my camp site the first night, so they let me camp in the rv area, so this was the trip where I found out that have electricity at a campground is that same as living at home. No need to mess with solar panels, battery charge levels, etc. Thankfully, I went to the normal spot for the next two days and got to be self sustaining by messing with my panels and batteries. Anyways, I got some awesome bike rides in since they have such great trails there. I also did a nice night hike. The awkwardness of camping and working at the campsite, is that everyone else are just there doing fun shit and are either old retired fogeys, or burning vacation time and hanging with their friends and family. So... when people walk by, I just turn and wave, 'cause i'm probably on a work call with my headset, or just focusing on some random policy writing... I just love working with a view though. Having those weird districations like views and having people around keeps my adhd mind focused somehow.

Oh yeah, I hit the skatepark on the way in, so it was the trifecta of workouts and fun (If only I didn't have to work).

I left early on the third day to go check out Sycamore Creek and possibly camp there, but it was getting dark (and cold) by the time I got there. However, the creek was full on flowing, so I got to enjoy that.

This post (Was a Campy Week) was last edited 8 months, 3 weeks ago.

It was supposed to rain this afternoon, so I thought I'd get off my butt and go for a ride, no rain, but great trails out on the West Side of South Mountain. I rode up Bursa the wrong way (oh, I hear thunder), which was mostly hike-a-bike steep... Got a manual in though. Some woman agreed to video me while we talked about great scifi books and writers. Trippy.

More pics

Strava ride https://strava.app.link/NO6TOGrTvYb

Here's a more full sized video

This post (Longish Mountain Bike Ride) was last edited 8 months, 3 weeks ago.

Last week though... Basketball game, concerts, chilling with my best friend, and making new friends.

#vanlife, #music, #guitar, #blog

Here’s are some encouraging findings from an article I read about travel and brain growth, even in old age: The human brain rewires itself every time you navigate unfamiliar places, no matter your age

Scientists have discovered that navigating unfamiliar environments triggers measurable physical changes in your hippocampus, the brain region responsible for spatial memory and learning.

When you navigate somewhere new, these neurons don’t just fire differently.

They multiply, form new connections, and strengthen existing pathways.

Your brain is not a fixed entity that inevitably declines.

It’s a dynamic organ that responds to how you use it.

Every time you navigate somewhere unfamiliar, you’re voting for a brain that stays plastic, adaptable, and structurally sound.

sources pubmed

another techfixated

This post (Another reason to travel - brain growth) was last edited 2 months, 1 week ago.

Here's my latest list of To Do for the last several days plus today and tomorrow:

To buy: Stuff to replace toilet flange on cement floor - tapkit bolts, grout, spacer, wax ring, toilet bolts, etc.
Toilet Flange Repair Weed Killer

Piece of plywood. 4 feet by 20 inches.

27 inch by 20 inches.

4 feet by 20 inches.

I did a mountain bike last night with the group from Epic rides night ride series at South Mountain. Was super fun, slightly slower pace so I was able to keep up, lol. I still got a great workout. Unfortunately, I forgot to turn my light on after one of our breaks, and I crashed into the Mountain side bending my finger backwards, but it’s fine! lol. Just sore and swollen today.

https://www.strava.com/activities/16441946218 9.24 mi, 1:05:59, 718 ft elevation, 59 relative Effort

#mountainbiking #cycling #exercise

This post (Nightride Series at south last night) was last edited 9 months ago.

Lucias. Live in a very small and packed venue. Very intimate. We met some super nice people and the show was incredibly real and emotive.

#livemusic #music #show #club #datenight

I got out for a ride at South Mountain, since my work has me bogged down trying to solve a performance issue, and I can’t really travel while testing this stuff. I built out more window covers for the van, so a couple more then I can build the bed frame, which should be fun. Anyways, I got a cool pic of some runners….

Went to my first First Friday drum circle last night. It was loud and fun. The rhythm was always great, and two of the junjun guys were so good, and really got the beats started, with escalating tempos that really brought in the crowds for dancing. So many people jumped in and grabbed drums and bells, it was all such a great vibe. So many dancers! Highly recommended

Here, it looks like a drum line, but that's just how big the circle was.

#drumming, #blog, #music, #drumcircle, #firstFriday This post (First Friday Drum Circle - So Much Fun) was last edited 1 month, 1 week ago.

That new pastry looks so unhealthy!

Ummm… I’ll soon know how bad it is.

A dashcam showed up at our door and my wife said "install this!, but not like you installed the one in your van, lol."

Okay, so here's a video I'll follow, its not this exact car, but same manufacturer...

Install Video

#dashcam #todo

This post (Next Project - Install Dashcam) was last edited 9 months, 1 week ago.

So D Cheney's life is finally is over. Tell me which of these thing you liked him the most for:

1. Strongest advocates for the 2003 invasion of Iraq,
2. Openly defended the use of waterboarding and other harsh interrogation methods
3. Pushed to dramatically increase presidential authority, especially in matters of war and national security.
4. Ran Halliburton which received billions in government contracts, leading to accusations of war profiteering and conflicts of interest
5. Known for his extreme secrecy

Ha ha you, can't... this is a one way blog. Suck it!

She's not in a better place, earth is a better place. I'm just plain mad. What is so special about life that people have to leave it to make it sacred. I didn't spend much time with her, but my friend did, and his wife, and their kids, and all the other loved ones who cherished her. I'm frustrated that they don't have her any more, and that I don't get to hear any more stories about her and how great she is. It just makes me miss her so much. She was and forever will be a Tempe original.

Also, for some unknown reason, I'm exceptionally excited to meet Daphne, my friend's new dog! Daphne is probably also in mourning, but I know she's going to love living with my friend almost as much as she loved living with her original human mom, who was one of the Tempe Greatest of All Time.

This post (When loved ones' loved ones pass) was last edited 9 months, 1 week ago.

Spent the morning dropping two Olive Trees and transporting all the branches to the alley. My bro was a superstar w the chainsaws.

Before Pic

Later, I diagnosed my daughter’s car: needs a new crankshaft pulley harmonic balancer.

https://youtu.be/gHsXLTcsPcA?si=Jj6Bp_Vo6T_lsFNf

#cars #yardwork #chainsaws #maintenance

Scenic Overview

Wildlife #snake

Mobile Studio

#cycling, #music, #musicproduction, #flstudio,

I worked out a way to get a few lines from my blog using powershell. Yes, geeky, but cool. AND, #Bearblog gives me a way to display code. This service keeps getting better and better. #powershell #rss #bearblog #development

<#
The powershell script will export my blog writtings, but not download the pictures
So cool to be able to do this.  
Sorry to geek out like this....
#>

#https://in-the-moment.bearblog.dev/feed/


 $feedUrl = "https://in-the-moment.bearblog.dev/feed/?type=rss"
 #$rss.rss.content -expandproperty
 $rss = Invoke-WebRequest -Uri $feedUrl -UseBasicParsing
$entries = $rss.rss.channel.item
 foreach ($item in $entries) {write-host "$($item.title), $($item.pubDate),$($item.category),$($item.link),$($item.description)"}


#now putting this in to a table 
$entriitem = @()
foreach ($item in $entries)
{
    $entriitem += [PSCustomObject]@{
        Title = $item.title
        CreatedDate = $item.pubDate
        Tags = $item.category
        Description = $item.description
    }
}
$entriitem | format-list

Okay, whenever you’re ready…

Alternator on 2001 Honda accord.

14 mm, on bottom with long socket to get it off

https://youtu.be/9aqFPzEVXvM?si=R-GbbRooVhra1SPD

I got a run in at South Mountain. My legs hurt and were a little shaky as it’s been a minute. I was wearing my Portugal Nazare hat. Here’s a picture of me wearing my Portugal hat

Oh how I miss Portugal! #blog #running

The dealership that I bought my car from put way too much money in my bank account. I made a joke to the bank manager about a bank error in my favor. The bank manager gave me an empty stare. It was awkward. #Banking #Monopoly #Joke #unFunnyJoke

I made it through my first day at work yesterday, the jet leg wasn’t too bad. I woke up at 3:30 and then went to bed at 8:20 PM. I made it through though.

I also made a to do list when I woke up at 3:30 yesterday morning and I actually got quite a bit of that done. I checked in with Gus and Alton got some of the pool work done and I even learned something at work, just kidding.

How are the biggest thing I gotta work out. I used dumbbells and my legs are so sore today. Got a surge of testosterone though.

Also, I hit the Halloween drum circle in PV tonight. I skated for an hour beforehand at the PV skatepark.

So fun. Large turnout and lots of people in full costume. It was great. They had a potluck and someone brought Donuts too! So fun.

I got to park on the boxvan section too

#drumcircle #vanlife #skateboarding #blog

This post (Tuesday Wonders and Troubles) was last edited 1 month, 1 week ago.

To do: Rental, ikea, shoes, skate, iPod touch, chlorine.

find or buy the little small branch hand, trimmer, and work on the olive trees at the rental.

Measure the inside of the black tool chest for what size bins will fit in there for the pantry food stuffs maybe stackable or side-by-side

Measure the width of that same tool chest, so I can cut a small board as a divider between where the sleeping bags and pillows go versus the pantry

IKEA: with measuring tape look for the small side-by-side bins and small silverware drawer, small and medium knife with sheets and metal plates and plastic glasses , and cutting board

Get chlorine for pool

Return shoes, exchange for those black ones

Drop off iPod touch at the store on Warner and McClintock for battery replacement

*Edit, got most of these done. Still working on a jet lag haze of purple

This post (Sunday to do list) was last edited 9 months, 2 weeks ago.

Anyways, blog is back up! I had tea with Buffy and Sadie made a surprise visit. She tracks Buffy’s location on the weekends, lol. I learned some new HTML tricks for my blog and later I worked with Zane on chopping down some of the tornado damage from the Tempe Microburst two weeks ago. I also picked up some plexiglass to fix a window that was broken during the storm.

Zane Getting Some work done while I look on

This post (Blog is back up) was last edited 9 months, 3 weeks ago.

My Strava Flyover

Must be logged in though - that's lame

Here we go again... Worked fine last night, but now it gets error that it is unsecure, so browswers won't connect. Here' are the Porkbun Certificate DNS settings: 03/01/2025 5:55 AM These are the settings that are set for porkbun Certificate DNS:

10/25/2025 5:56 AM The above settings no longer work, wtf.

In Edge: This site does not have a certificate.ERR_CONNECTION_REFUSED Type,Host,Answer,TTL,Piority ALIAS,in-the-moment.info,domain-proxy.bearblog.dev,3600 CNAME,*.in-the-moment.info,domain-proxy.bearblog.dev,3600 CNAME,www.in-the-moment.info,domain-proxy.bearblog.dev,3600

10/25/2025 Okay, these settings work (as of 10/25/2025)

Type,Host,Answer,TTL,Piority A,in-the-moment.info,159.223.204.176,3600 CNAME,*.in-the-moment.info,domain-proxy.bearblog.dev,3600 CNAME,www,.in-the-moment.info,domain-proxy.bearblog.dev,3600

These are the beardev.blog custom domain settings Subdomain: .bearblog.dev Language: EN

This post (Fuck, my blog is down via in-the-moment. This is stupid) was last edited 9 months, 3 weeks ago.

Our trip to Portugal so great that the disappearance of this travel day is absolutely worth it. 100%.

We volunteered to get bumped and got a very good payout and got to leave the same day also. No downside just get home two hours later and a lot of flight money richer.

The first leg of our flight is over, leaving Chicago now for Phoenix. Peace Out!

Food and such

We finally landed in Phoenix (Sore Butts, no sleep)

This post (Travel Day… so worth it) was last edited 9 months, 3 weeks ago.

Not what this blog is about but so interesting. Can store payload in image exif ascii data: Malicious software, scripts, and exploits are known to perform web requests to download second stage payload. With Exif Smuggling, the need for downloading or embedding second stage payloads can be eliminated entirely.

https://malwaretech.com/2025/10/exif-smuggling.html?a=1

This post (Work Stuff, but so cool: exif smuggling) was last edited 8 months, 3 weeks ago.

We toured the convent today. It has a long history of worship, pride and isolation. There were many beautiful paths and landmark buildings with which the friars lived and thrived.

The Main Living Quarters

A Giant Tree in a Courtyard

Random Steps to more buildings

Passageway outside the friar lodging.

Me Lynn and Buffy

The Toilets

Took a day trip out to see the castle of the Morres from 1100’s, and boy was that fantastic. Sun, clouds, mist, rain…

Then headed to the beach for croissants and beer! More pics to come soon #portugal #castle #travel #mist #beach

This is actually a tomb for both Christian and Muslims.

This is looking up the hill at the rest of the fort

Buffy and Lynn

My with the Wind going crazy

Later, we went to Hopsin Brewery for Chips, Grilled Peppers (yum), some steakdogs, and brews.

Got some Gelato and Croissants!

Finally: THE BEACH. Maçãs beach (Masas) to be precise. Finally, we had a rainy/foggy/zippy ride home in Lynn's fun car. Foggy Drive

Later that night, people not named Steve had so much fun making fun of my blogging notes: La la la la la la la la la.....

This post (Portugal - Morres Castle and Maçãs beach (Masas)) was last edited 9 months, 3 weeks ago.

Did a tuk tuk tour or graffiti art in Lisbon.

And…

This post (Tuesday in Lisbon - a Poseidon Adventure) was last edited 9 months, 3 weeks ago.

We hiked up to Peninha sanctuary (1600’s) to the remnants of an old church. Buffy’s twisted ankle wasn’t going to slow her down. Next, we visited Cabo da Roca, the western most land in Europe. So very cool. #portugal #hiking

Visited Nazaré and stopped at Big Wave Food for some fries! And had a Sagres brew too https://untp.beer/Qna7P

View from the Fort at Nazare

Me Looking down at the big Waves

Looking out across the Beach. Waves are crashing just along the shoreline

Beer: Sagres and fries

Visited the church, Buffy's fingers got burned when she lit a candlcle for her dad and sister.

Later that night, Lynn fixed an amazing dinner Periperi chicken, with beans and rice and we had some local wines, listened to music and relaxed.

This post (Portugal - Sunday Nazare) was last edited 9 months, 3 weeks ago.

We went to downtown Cascais to watch the triathalon and do some shopping, got an awesome photo of a huge wave where we surfed yesterday. That will go on our travel wall. Also today our luncheon was canceled due to traffic for the triathlon, so we had to go to Plan B, which was to go to this really cute surfing village that had two skateboard shops within a half mile of each other and a big park with a deep bowl. I rented a board And took some runs while Buffy and Lynn had food up on the patio upstairs and we had some beers there also. It was freaking awesome.

Skatepark and beer!

Kicking around in the big bowl.

The waves looked so good

Closing out the day with a beautiful sunset...

Oh wait, we then walked to the beach and all the way back to the Albatros, it was misty and rainy and low tide, so we got many pictures in and enjoyed the beach features along the way. It was incredibly cool.

This post (Portugal - day, uh Saturday) was last edited 9 months, 3 weeks ago.

Got up early, and chilled for a bit, made breakfast, then we fastened down our surfboards and headed over to the beach for some mellow wave action, because that's all I can handle. Lynn gave me some good tips, and I got up a couple of times. I got to use some of my new Portuguese to ask the surfshop girl where the bathrooms are: Onde fica a casa de bahnho. She literally rolled here eyes and said: next door and pointed. Well mission accomplished.

Next up we went to Boca De Inferno to check out the awesome portal where the ocean unleashes its fury through a hole in the rugged wall of solid rock. The waves slam in through the opening and crash against a back wall and froth around.

Boca do Inferno

Our Ride with the Surfboards

Me on the beach

Beautiful Sunset from Lynn's patio.

Got a great shot of fireworks from the triathalon party going on downtown where Buffy is staying.

This post (Lisbon Thursday - Surf and Boco De Inferno) was last edited 9 months, 4 weeks ago.

Today was a funfilled affair, starting with a zippy drive through Cascais Portugal ending up at a delicious lunch place (Bar Do Guincho) with a view overlooking a scenic and iconic surf spot. I enjoyed my first shrimp burger and sweetpotato fries and a cold brew. We watched 3 and 4 foot waves begin to turn in to 5 and 6 foot waves, and dozens of surfers lined up to take their crack at the fast moving breakers, which often broke left and right so two surfers could hit them.

Me enjoying the view down to the surf

Visited a World Heritage Site by UNESCO within the "Cultural Landscape of Sintra": Quinta de Regularei. It’s a palace and a chapel and an amazing park. The well is incredible, and the circular staircase here is a wonderful piece of architecture.

Looking Up

Looking Down

Chapel was amazing.

Chilling in Lisbon. Just woke up and had breakfast with a view of the harbor. Spent last night catching up with our friend who is graciously hosting us for the day (and me for the rest of the week). We spent last night laughing and sharing stories till way too late, and way to much wine. This morning brought sunshine, beautiful temperatures and a stunning view of the bay. Buffy is a little sleepy, but I slept great and am ready to go. We're doing a tour this afternoon. Can't wait to see the town.

View of the pool and ocean from our deck

Views of the harbor from our deck

#travel #vacation #decompressing

This post (Lisbon Morning) was last edited 8 months, 3 weeks ago.

...got on plane... 18 hours later... sore bottom... ...uber... ...traffic... ...WINE!

A special thanks to the flight crews and airline executives who made this travel thing so easy!

Tried an English beer. 5stars!

This post (Travel Day (it just disappeared)) was last edited 2 months, 1 week ago.

So a massive microburst hit Tempe, trees down, block fences blown over, windows shattered and cars crushed. I even heard a roof was lifted off of a house and set down on another. Flying debris blew out one of our windows. Crazy. #tornado #tempe

Massive Tree Falls on Cars

A window smashed by debris

Some graphical layouts for my graphical brain

Skateboarding

Buffy’s Itinerary

This post (Upcoming Portugal Skate and Surf Trip --- Mapping things out) was last edited 10 months ago.

Please Rest. You deserve it. Since our dinner two years ago I thought about you a lot. Wishing a peaceful rest. You and your family played a vital role helping our family stay sane. #fuckparkinsons #rip

A rare link to instagram for Jesse. Such a wonderful person. rare insta link

I have a shortcut on my phone that starts my 2025 playlist. This #lsdream song is the first song. Each time I listen it’s starts this song, I love the gentle rising energy and flow so much!

Lsdream and Liquidstranger Take a Trip by Lsdream and Liquid Stranger

This post (My Walkup Song for The Year) was last edited 2 months, 1 week ago.

The last few days, I've woken up to the beautiful sounds of the breeze blowing through the tall ponderosa, and the sun just starting to peak over some distant unnamed ridge. Thursday (Travel Day), Friday (Workday) and Yesterday was a full day of racing. It was a full day of race prep, racing and post race festivities. I woke up and headed to the venue for a breakfast sandwich and watch the 50 milers start, then I raced for 4.5 hours (don't ask), then I chowed down some leftovers and had a couple of brews while mingling with the crowd. I finally headed back to camp, and spent some time talking to other campers. I was in bed by 8, and I am quite sore today. I'm mostly packed up, just wanted to get this post up while things are still fresh in my memory.

The race was long, rugged and very very very windy. Most of the downhill sections presented a very strong headwind, so with the exception of the super steep stuff, there was no coasting!!

My Strava Link

My Strava, shows that my ride was always second best

The Venue

I caught the picture as the moon was rising over the forest. A car came by on the remote fireroad and its headlights illuminated the background. Almost a Full Moon

Breakfast This morning

#vanlife, #remoteWork, #travel, #cycling, #racing, #Arizona

This post (Trip Report: Tour of the White Mountains 2024) was last edited 2 months, 1 week ago.

Headed up to Northeastern Arizona for a bike race on Saturday. Gonna work from up here tomorrow, not feeling 100% though, so may sleep in. I got a decent dispersed spot #vanlife but I’ll try to find a better one in the morning.

*edited: I ended up feeling okay and finished my shift.

This post (Travel Day!) was last edited 9 months, 3 weeks ago.

I spent the day packing up the my gear, and figuring out how best to pack things in my van. I had everything totally wired with the Trailer (those overhead cabinets I built were the best). I spent like 1.5 hours scrubbing out one of the nasty smelling truckboxes that came with my van. I scraped out all the crap astroturf, lining all six surfaces. I even poured paint thinner on the inside walls in an effort to dissolve the glue that held the stinky turf in place. Now the box doesn't smell like hell, but it does smell a bit of paintthinner even though I hosed it out. Anyways, I was able to pack most of the travel gear and get everything neatly tucked away in the various truck boxes. I just have to throw my bike, batteries and blankets in, and I'll be ready to roll up north for my ride on Saturday.

Oh, anyways, the reason I couldn't leave today: we're working on some device drivers and management software at work, and we couldn't nail down the process, so we have to continue tomorrow. That specific process uses way too much data for my satellite to handle, so I'll have to do it at home... Hope we get it working tomorrow, otherwise, I might need a mental health day on Friday!

I was a little spent after my ride, so I chilled in the parking lot, just me, my bike and my van. #vanlife, #cycling

stravahole

Chilling after the ride

This post (Chilling After My Bike Ride) was last edited 9 months, 3 weeks ago.

I met Buffy and Becky at the arena to watch the Phoenix Mercury win their semifinal best of five matchup. They are going to the finals! We’re hoping Devin Booker was taking notes as he sat courtside watching a team that knows how to win, win. #wnba

Game Time for Phoenix Mercury

This post (Phoenix Mercury win semis) was last edited 2 months, 1 week ago.

Got me a new van today. I decided to trade in the Jeep, they gave me 6K for it, which is close to blue book but, I honestly don’t know if I could’ve got that much selling it. I went with the Ford E150 van that has windows and just some weird like storage stuff inside that I’ll end up selling. It’s gonna throw a bed in there and take my bike around and ride!

The Van

By By Jeep!

This post (New Car (to me) Day) was last edited 8 months, 1 week ago.

I had to count backwards to get motivated. Haven't ridden in a week... I've done some runs though... I'm kind of, sort of hopeful that my elbow hurts too much to ride too hard. That would be the easy way out of doing the 35 mile race this weekend. I hope it doesn't hurt though. Damn I'm lame.

Post Ride Update: elbow did great until a jump at the end. So… no jumping.

This post (Going For A Ride - Testing Out My Elbow) was last edited 2 months, 1 week ago.

Just some photos of some desert camping and remote work. Quite satisfying and my work productivity soars on these camping adventures. Dunno why though... Something something... Creativity with all the brain activity in the 'ole noggin keeping things moving... Anyways, my dinner didn't quite look like the picture, but the weather was incredibly volatile and amazing.

Dinner tasted good at least

Here are some super cool clouds, and a pictue of my office

Some striking clouds afternoon hear and high humidity did not make for a fast run

It began raining late at night, with brilliant and intense lightening and very audible thunder striking just up the hill. It was unnerving and exhilarating all at the same time.

After a full day of raining, broken clouds, more raining and pounding thunder, my goal of experiencing the storm was attained. It appeared the storm was only going to increase in seriousness so it was time to clear out.

A nearby creek began flooding, so it was time to leave, ASAP. I drove through that no problem though, the jeep is made of 100% giant chunks of steel, so no washing that thing away.

original post by Cait On Mastodon

Cait writes this about Autism: When RFK Jr. "investigates" autism, be aware that he is deliberately and knowingly engaging in eugenics.

He's literally looking for ways to eliminate people like me from the human race.

I'm autistic.

So when you ask "what causes you?", you're positioning me as something that needs to be investigated. Something that needs to be "cured", which is to say, eliminated. Because I think in a different pattern than some folk do.

When someone says, "X causes autism, so avoid X", they're saying, "or your kid might have (gasp) autism too!"

This is eugenics. It's Nazi stuff. Not an exaggeration. A "science" under the Nazis.

We are not broken. We do not need fixing. We just think differently. But we have always been around. That dude that wrote an eleven-volume handwritten guide to every herb in one county in England, or wherever it was? Telling me he wasn't one of my people? GTF.

We are and always have been productive and innovative members of society. If anything, we should be seen as an advantage to the species: diversity of thought is better thought. Not ours or yours better - but ours and yours are.

We aren't a threat, we're not (for the most part) needing round-the-clock specialist care - but be human, will you? If someone needs that, maybe give it to them? Because they're people.

This post (Cait wrote this about autism) was last edited 2 months, 1 week ago.

Did a long walk for bagels and tea, headed back to the cottage to change just in time to get out of the rain. Bagels from 101 Bagels were awesome, and the tea fresh brewed at Pier View Coffee Co was great. I just love that place as it has nice outdoor seating and its so so casual.

Sitting on the patio watching the rain

Bands: Hello Sister and Pearl Hello Sisters- they’re actually sisters

Pearl

Next up, dinner at Finney’s!

Roma Mexican Lager Roma De La Playa

Finally, heading back, stopped by Plain White Tees to catch Delilah Plain White tees

This post (Silent Sunday in Oceanside) was last edited 10 months, 3 weeks ago.

The title of today’s chapter is Beachside Supergirl day two. Saw incredible music some amazing surfing fun scene with tons and tons of people. The DJ competition was awesome. The volleyball was amazing and the girls flag football was OMG so fun to watch. The zoning girls ramp was super busy with skaters.

Surfer Girls, and Article Sound System were awesome!

Tonight’s beer brought to you by Artifacr. beer 1 Artificial by Artifac

beer 2 Treevana by virgeoun.

Roadtrip Blog We’re slogging through the desert to get to Ocean Side, San Diego. Listening to Mel Robbin’s podcast. She told me to program my brain. I have to program my brian and direct my mind. It puts your brain in a positive light. After counting backwards from 5, lol

1. Today is going to be a great day.
2. Something cool is going to happen to me today (creates anticipation).
3. No Matter What Happens Today, I Can Handle It.
4. An Exciting New Chapter In My Life Is Starting Today.
5. I Need To Give Myself More Credit For How Hard I’m Trying.
6. I’m Allowed To Be A Work In Progress.
7. If I Keep Showing Up, Life Will Reward Me.
8. I Have An Important Contribution To Make To The World.

This post (San Diego Road Trip - listening to Mel Robbin’s 8 things) was last edited 2 months, 1 week ago.

The Phoenix Mercury are playing well against the New York Liberty. My player Saballi is working hard to ensure a 20 point victory in the #wnba playoffs.

Just a little jam called Clearing the Docket

Youtube Link

This post (New Song on my New (to me) Guitar) was last edited 1 month, 4 weeks ago.

The jeep is not starting properly, when turning the key all the way, chunking/clicking sound comes from under the console, then if I pull the key, or leave it in just holding it all the way, it will eventually start.
I've checked batter connections (1), and reset the starter relay (5). Its still doing it but less so, so defs just an electrical issue.
Here's a picture of the jeep on a recent trip - confidence is pretty low that it'll start on the next trip.

1. Battery and Connections: -- all good
2. Starter: starter or a power issue to the starter. Try tapping the starter while attempting to crank the engine.
3. Ignition Switch and Actuator: Check the ignition switch actuator pin for breakage and replace if necessary.
4. Clutch Safety Switch: Bypass the clutch safety switch to rule it out. If bypassing works, replace the switch.
5. Starter Relay: Check the starter relay in the PCM. Swap it with another relay to test.

This post (Jeep Ignition Fix - Checlist) was last edited 9 months, 3 weeks ago.

Yay, I rewired my subs in my Jeep so they won’t constantly drain my battery if I forget to turn them off. Fortunately, that only happened one time over the last two years, but it still cost me a bunch of money to replace the battery. Secondly, I saw that my old band was rehearsing tonight. I miss drumming with the band, and tinnitus fucking sucks.

I got a ride in tonight too strava

*edited: fixed tag to remove mountainbiking. This post (Yay, Fixed my speakers!) was last edited 9 months, 3 weeks ago.

I got a long training ride in, and also got a two mile run in. The weather was glorious but the intensity of the sun quickly put a halt to any enjoyment of the temps finally going below the century mark. A fire shredded this cactus and ocotillo

More after effects of fire from last year

Most areas for my ride went through normal desert scenes with massive saguaro, creosote and ocotillo lining the trail. But there was a couple miles through this burnt out area. That area struggles to recover outside of a few tiny flowing bushes that have sprouted in a very small number of places amongst the husks of burn fauna.

This post (Long Training Ride) was last edited 8 months ago.

Finished unpacking, morning nap, got tea, chilled out, got bike ride in, showered, ebiked to watch the ASU game, ASU not doing well, but they are “doing it for the plot!”

beer
beer
ride

This post (Saturday Night) was last edited 11 months ago.

So I went camping over the past few days, and after a long day of remote work, went for a long walk, then had a super light dinner, and was chilling in my lounger watching the night clouds drift by an almost, but not quite, full moon. I noticed a plan was flying high above, and it seemed to be inside the clouds, which seemed cool, but then within a few minutes, I looked up again, and I realized the plane single handedly tore that beautiful cloud to shreds. It was quite incredible to see.

This plane dropped in to the cloud and tore them in half

Beautiful Sonora Desert under the desert moon

During the day, the amazing puffy white clouds blew buy, and provided much relief from the bright sun. The weather was nice, but still a little on the warm side, which ended up zapping my energy, so I didn't get the long evening bike ride I was planning on. My little Camper and Office

Magnificent Saguaros in front of majestic clouds

Me in front of some shot up and tagged artifact of a wetter time

Also, got a run in, 'er walk anyways.

This post (A plane knifed through the sky - literally) was last edited 8 months ago.

It was looking pretty stormy, but I took a chance and headed up to north Phoenix. I hit the Skatepark for a few minutes then got some drumming in with my new Djembe friends.

Skateboarding

A shot of the drum circle. It ended up much bigger than that soon after this pictures was taken

This post (Tuesday Night Drum Circle!) was last edited 1 month, 1 week ago.

Heading to Portugal in a few weeks this video makes me feel so centered, I can’t wait to visit this beautiful place called Nazarene.

Nazarene Portugal

This post (I’ve watched these waves a few times now - so powerful in so many ways) was last edited 2 months, 1 week ago.

We had a wonderful time yesterday, bought a loaf of fresh sourdough bread at the farmer's market and carried it around with us to all the local wineries. The Wine here is pretty gosh darn good, there were a few we didn't like, but still pretty good. Dinner last night at Milics was amazing, we had the Salmon and Chicken plates, and they comped us a desert to celebrate our anniversary.

It’s the rodeo here, so we're surrounded by cowboys, always dressed to the finest button down and wranglers to go with them boots.

Sadly, leaving the casita was rough. It was the furthest away, and we were right up against the grape vines at the winery.

This post (Having to leave this beautiful place of Sonoita) was last edited 2 months, 1 week ago.

Happy anniversary to my beautiful wife. 28 years! Now back to the wine tasting. #deepsky winery #Sonoita #Elgin #Arizona

Lunch: Pizza and Wine at Dos Cabeza's: At Dos Cabezas, I had three wines from Cimarron Vineyard: 2022 Red, 2020 El Norte and 2020 Quintosol. I also had a Pronghorn Vineyard 2018 El Campo, but that is very nearly the last of breed. Extreme weather has cut short wine production after 2019, so I will prize the taste and memory of the El Campo forever.
Sad to See El Campo go away. Can of bubbly for next week

We also stopped by Hops and Vine for a Wine and Icecream Pairing, then hit up Rune for some more.

There were some absolutely amazing cloud structures in and around Sonoita, and thunder and rain storms loomed over the mountains in the western skies.

Later we went to the Copper Brothel Brewery for some delicious grub and a few beer tasters.

High-Protein Blueberry Donut Holes. Here's how to make them: ½ cup cottage cheese. 1/2 cup blueberries. Mix with ½ cup almond flour or protein powder, and ¼ cup syrup to form a dough. Divide into 6 pieces. Roll into balls—roll well so they hold together! **You need these dry! Strain the cheese. Dry the blueberries if frozen. Or add more flour. They can't be overy wet. Air fry at 360°F for 8 minutes. Dust with powdered sugar and devour. Crispy on the outside Soft and gooey inside Packed with flavor, not guilt

This beer has a zest that I can’t quite explain. It is quite thirst quenching though, and I would buy this by the 6-pack and take it to the game if I could.

untapd

A better question is, why now? Or why not hire more staff to monitor the sub $800 purchases if you’re worried about drugs coming through. Terrif = keeping the working poor on their knees, blowjob ready.

This post (What is a Tarrif in simple terms) was last edited 2 months, 1 week ago.

Chicago police officer arrested and car impounded dead for chirping tires. This is embarrassing and messed up:

Without his badge and uniform, Jalen Woods discovered he was just another suspicious Black man in the eyes of police who last year pulled him over in Arizona for chirping his tires and took him to jail.

Now the Chicago police officer is suing the Tempe Police Department for violating his First, Fourth, and 14th Amendment rights, as well as false arrest, malicious prosecution, gross negligence, defamation, and racial discrimination.

“Mr. Woods’ civil rights were violated when Tempe Police unlawfully pulled him over and searched his vehicle without any probable cause,” Benjamin Taylor, one of the Arizona attorneys representing Woods, told Atlanta Black Star.

Picked up my bike from the shop and tried to go for a ride. That storm was coming so I got to the trailhead asap to see if I could get a few miles in. Uh, no, fuckin dust and dirt at 50 miles an hour, then some amazing sideways rain blowing me right off the trail. This storm was b i g

It got very dark, very fast

I only rode a bit up the trail, it was crazy, and so wet. Rain, then lightening, then loud thunder. Time to end the ride, but it was fun while lasted.

This post (Stormy Ride on a bike in the dusk and rain) was last edited 9 months, 3 weeks ago.

Yummy goodness by Phx Beer Company

Beer - Electric Palms on untapd

This post (Checked in my Electric Palms - 5 stars) was last edited 11 months, 3 weeks ago.

I'm heading over to Encanto park for my weekly drumcircle with Drums Are Life by Folade. Its gonna be a scorcher, but we'll have shade under the trees and some nice breezes from time to time.

This post (Up Next: Drum Circle) was last edited 1 month, 1 week ago.

I wanted to get a 20 mile ride in, but I also wanted to get tea with my beautiful wife this morning. Unfortunately, that meant I didn’t get to start my ride until lunchtime, where it was already 105. I got a little dehydrated at the end. The sweat dripping it on my eyes tasted so so salty not a good thing. I made it home safely, and let’s just say I won’t be doing that again anytime soon.

Okay we watched this movie called Eanie Meanie with Samara Weaving. What a show. Thoroughly entertaining. Marshon Lynch was great, and the movie kept me guessing at what shitshow was going to happen next. link

I was thinking about fancying up my blog, this blog by Silvia has some great ideas for the CSS, and how to set up the pages to take advantage of the css and it looks freaking awesome. Unfortunately, I just don't think I have the time and patience. I just want my blog to be fast light, and clean. I do love the look and feel of Silvia's blog, so maybe I'll check back from time to time for some cool ideas on how to do that.

This post (Tampering with my bearblog look and feel - no) was last edited 2 months, 1 week ago.

Lucky for us, silencers and short barrelled rifles will be much cheaper soon! YAY The bill eliminates the tax on gun silencers and certain types of rifles and shotguns, weakening the National Firearms Act that was

Megabill = No-empathy: As a self reminder of our present political "leaders" the big bill took away food assistance from 5 million of the neediest Americans and kicking at least 17 million people off of their health insurance. Go go GOP. link make_discoverable: false

Well, card was used for a zero dollar balance (boo), which my bank detected (yay). This all seems like a bad dream hence the Freudion slip. So lame, now I have to go get a new card since that was permanently banned based on the fraud. Now I can go get a new card. I have errands to run anyways, so all good.

This post (Card Freud was detected, lol) was last edited 2 months, 1 week ago.

I spent a couple of days up north, unfortunately, my time was cut short due to a second Forrest fire breaking out last night after a late night lightening storm briefly swept across the horizon. Overall, the weather was nice, but got a little warm by mid day only to cool off in the afternoon breeze.

The already burning Billy Fire

Sunset of fire over my campsite

A tanker heading for more water to help with the new fire

Heading home with the Angstrom Studio in tow.

I got a few walks in, and some training rides as well. I got some work done, and I got to work on my manuals, but that’s for a different post.

Went out with friends for dinner and jazz at The Duce. Arrogant Butcher was amaze, drinks were swell and the rooftop bar is awesome. There’s a storm blowing south of the city which really cooled things off.

The four of us The Band The rooftop patio

This post (Night out in Downtown for dinner and Jazz) was last edited 2 months, 1 week ago.

Mahmoud v. Taylor Is the beginning of the end of public education.

Religious fundamentalists who aren’t wealthy enough to send their kids to religious schools/home school can now shape the content of their local public school.

This is no longer true: Public education is a public benefit, and the government cannot “condition” its “availability” on parents’ willingness to accept a burden on their religious exercise.”

Also this is now too much for some people to handle: “Exposure to ideas with which one disagrees is not coercion; it is the foundation of a pluralistic society and core to the mission of our public schools.”

we’ll see untold amounts of quiet censorship on the part of schools and educators related to the materials available and used in libraries and curriculum–this is a case about religious liberty and public education.

The 6-3 ruling will certainly be used by book banners “concerned parents” to begin opting-out of anything they wish to in public school curriculum under the guise of religious freedom.

This post (Mahmoud v. Taylor - the beginning of the end) was last edited 2 months, 1 week ago.

I found this great article that I think will be helpful for my kids, especially my daughter in helping with their aging cat.

Try to only use after hours clinics for the following things, and call ahead to confirm they’re open.
Difficulty breathing
Seizures or collapse
Continuous vomiting or diarrhoea
Bleeding that won’t stop
Inability to walk or stand
Swollen abdomen
Ingestion of known toxins (chocolate, xylitol, medications, etc.)
Unresponsive or unconscious behaviour

Also, start a pet emergency fund or be prepared to use a loan shop for a quick cash loan.

This was the article I saw.

what to do in a pet emergency

This post (What to do in a pet emergency) was last edited 2 months, 1 week ago.

I've got a yearly checkup for set for this morning. There's been a recent public awareness campaign around bladder cancer and screening. Deion Sanders literally did beat bladder cancer in the most unfortunate of ways. Please pay attention when you pee, if it hurts, see a doctor. I did and it saved my life. BCAN is the 4th most common cause of Cancer, but has a high survival rate if taken seriously. Wish me luck for today!

Heads up! Got the all clear. Don't have to go back for another year. Just in time for my copay/deductibles to reset!

This post (Going in for a cancer checkup today - wish me luck!) was last edited 2 months, 1 week ago.

Today, I took a day off from skateboarding, its so addictive though. Will get back out there after a day of rest from skating and riding

Went out to the skatepark at dawn. Surprisingly, there were a few others out at sunrise, had a great time, still working on a few tricks like backside nosegrab, tail slides, Ollie’s and front side 50/50s.
HDR clouds behind my deck

Worked all day, but snuck a bike ride in at lunch, then hit the road at sunset for a 12 mile ride on my mountain bike. Rode the new freeway overpass, and snapped this picture. Freeway overpass at the Broadway Curve

I spent the week hanging out with my enemy, covid. The most serious of fuck buddies. It'll fuck you over if you don't stay on top of the vaccines. This time, it was four days of headaches, fever, chills, and fog. I'm back now, thanks to science, advil and my beautify Buffy helping me out. It's been about a year since my last booster and flu, obviously, that is too long to wait.

Yesterday, I walked a 5K to finish out the Arizona Sunrise Series of races (didn't go to the venue, just did it in the neighborhood).

Today, I got back on the bike, I have less than a month to train for my 35 mile race coming up in September. My ride was a solid hour(ish), just trying to spend time in the saddle. Got in a few climbs but mostly, just flat gentle pedaling. I needed some inspiration, so I got a shot of the spare tire that I'll spend the next 12 months working on

I swung by the old Childrens Hospital, it may be undergoing renovations, but said renovations appear to be fully stalled out. I'm hopeful that these poor dead trees will be put out of their misery soon, and they'll be replaced with some beautiful and tasteful desert landscaping.
Dead Mulberry

Finally, after the ride, I grabbed a quick breakfast at my most convenient 3rd spaces. Its an affordable, cold safe-haven for thirsty desert dwellers with a half bucket of time to kill. Starbux 3rd Space - for hanging out and cooling off

I then headed downtown to Encanto to engage with my fellow djembeists.
The Drum Circle was heated, both in tempo and temperature. It was very meditative, transformative and emotionally rewarding to let myself get in to the hypnotic rhythms and occasional chants with my fellow hand drummers: https://www.drumsarelife.com/
Quick Clip of Youtube video

*edited: fixed tags This post (Finally getting back out there after Covid) was last edited 2 months, 1 week ago.

How can I file a claim for my share of the AT&T data breach settlement?

On Aug. 4, the Kroll Settlement Administration announced that affected AT&T customers can now file claims against the proposed $177 million settlement. Claims can be filed online at telecomdatasettlement.com.

After clicking on Submit Claim on the settlement website, you'll be asked for a Class Member ID. That number should be in the email or mailed notice you received about the settlement. You'll also be asked to provide an email address, your AT&T account number or your full name.

If you don't want to file the claim online, you can download and print the PDF forms for either the first data breach announced on March 30, 2024, the second breach announced on July 12, 2024, or the overlap form if you were part of both breaches. Printed and signed forms should be mailed to: AT&T Data Incident Settlement c/o Kroll Settlement Administration LLC, P.O. Box 5324 New York, NY 10150-5324.

Settlement claims need to be filed by Nov. 18, 2025,

How To Season A Cast-Iron Skillet To season a cast iron skillet, first clean it thoroughly and ensure it's completely dry. Then, apply a thin, even layer of oil to the entire skillet, including the bottom and handle, and wipe away any excess oil with a clean paper towel. Place the skillet upside down in a preheated oven at 300-450°F (150-230°C) for an hour or longer, allowing excess oil to drip off. Repeat this process several times for a well-seasoned pan.

Oh, and by the way, I’ve been sick all week and so today I tested myself. Sure enough, COVID positive.

https://theneweves.bandcamp.com/album/the-new-eve-is-rising

@westsideblogger@vivaldi.net thank you, this helped me get through the night! There’s nothing like Solid folk punk to burn some energy

This post (Nothing like a little folk punk to get me through the night) was last edited 11 months, 3 weeks ago.

In preparation for remote kvm, will need this article on port forwarding

Cox Port Forwarding

Here are my takeaways for when or if I retire:

Continue with academics - can always take a class
Stay in shape - walk, ride, whatever
Stay in touch with friends
Stay in touch with family
Volunteer \

That’s it.

this article

This post (From an article about aging) was last edited 2 months, 1 week ago.

Stayed home from work today, febrile, etc... Just chilling, watching #got which is pretty boring overall.

I found this link for a Remote Desktop. Its an amazon link but can be found elsewhere
KVM

I’m going to investigate one of these. Just need hi res and lol latency. Plus always on, can’t solely rely on other methods. I’m thinking ahead about my next trip, something like this would be reassuring to have.

KVM gl-inet

This box news story about coke branded protein milk absolutely disgusts me, and breaks my 59 year streak on farming nietivity. I’m going back to vegan sources of protein (can’t kick a Lima bean in the head and force it to stay pregnant its entire life while ripping away its babies the second they’re born). I’m gonna leave out all the bad parts of the story, but

Paywalled article. vox article on dairy farm horrors

Excerpt: Along the way, Fairlife removed humane care claims from its bottles, and earlier this year, it took down a lengthy yet vague web page about its animal welfare commitments. Of course, no one at the top of these companies actively wants animals to be abused, but the continued investigations reflect a structural reality of animal agriculture: Mass producing cheap animal products is all but impossible to do humanely. Dozens of investigations into the US meat, milk, and egg industries have revealed that the constantly growing demand for cheap animal products — combined with virtually zero legal protections for farmed animals and captured regulatory agencies — means that efficiency and profit are almost always prioritized over animal welfare.

This post (OMG VOX sheds light on dairy farm horror) was last edited 2 months, 1 week ago.

So here we go.
I'm really starting to dig this bearblog. So lightweight. I seriously just wish that kb article was easier to find. I spent so much time fucking around guessing at the logic.

I am ready to commit though. I am very satisfied with this and the potential for how this will fit in to my flow is so much better now that I understand it a little better. I'm looking forward to getting going on this.

here's a link to nothing hahaha

This post (Anatomy of a blog for me) was last edited 2 months, 1 week ago.

Running

I got an early morning run out in the desert. Did a full 5k - 2x out and back. There actually was one other camper, but he ducked inside his camper each time I ran by. I don't blame him, I've gotten quite big, so trying to work that.

Five Mile Bike ride

Road the new path all the way south to the end, which is somewhere in Circle G. It was pretty close to 5 miles, so had to run down the canal a bit to get the last .3 on. Felt good to finally be back on the bike.

Grandma had sprinkler issues

What a shit show her sprinkler are. Dig dig dig, zane came by and dug some more. So much pvc, all stacked vertically, so little space toooo.

Whilst hanging on the beach, the incredibly amazing situation of a surfer riding by on her horse after finishing her surfing session. I was so stunned it took me a minute to realize I could snap a quick photo to share out.

This post (Costa Rica - Horseback and Surfing - just wow) was last edited 11 months ago.

Hanging out at SBUX waiting to meet a friend...

And this came by…. Oh, I’ll describe it: brilliant red subwoofer enclosure with massive 10 inch coned speakers with giant voice coil dome covering nearly half of each black polypropylene speaker. In front of the fire red enclosure lays two massive amplifiers with glass covers exposing the larger than life integrated circuits and power modules that would bring the system to life if provided enough power.

FYI, my friend was trying to find pictures of Michael, but she had misplaced them, so I ended up heading home after checking out a few cars at the car show.

I’m a dipshit when it comes to setting up an and c names for dns. I gave up in feb, but really want a way to post thoughts and pics. Support for bearblog was not helpful, but maybe I’ll try again. It takes 2 hours each time I try though. That is a big roadblock to making this work.

Update - neverfucking mind.

I think. Stay tuned. Shit. Never mind. Still SSL error. I just realized that it'll never work without the paid version.

Update 2 - even paid version fails

So frustrating. I want to use this site, and even without the domain name, it rocks, but man, this should work...

Update 3 - kinda working after going pro

I could add the domain in again, then I set my domain dns up like this: Okay, after going pro, I was able to add my domain again to bearblog, then set these up: This actually gets me halfway there. It’s a shaw1 cert, so firefox will let me continue, but its not fully secure. Fuckin-a

I’m not getting any problems any more

The devices I’ve used go right in with no complaints. I’m calling it good! Yayayay

I'm actually on the Beach in Guanacosta Costa Rica

That last lightning strike was pretty close. But three seconds the thunder was magnanimous, echoing across Pacific Ocean. My view of the beach is unencumbered from this Costa Rica town in Guanacaste.

Update (later from my computer)

It is so amazing, Buffy is inside at her conference texting about what they're hearing, but I'm right out here in the middle of it. Absolutely beautiful dark clouds drifting right to left out across the ocean.

Later, I ended up walking a half mile away, and had a half mile section of beach ALL TO MYSELF. It was insane, and beautiful, and scary.

We had a reprieve from the heat courtesy of a hurricane coming up from the Gulf of Mexico. There's nothing like camping in the rain, so I took the liberty of heading north for a few days. The temps were a bit cooler, but the humidity ended up being too high, so I left after a couple of days. Not before enjoying some incredibly powerful rain, thunder and lightening.

Catching up on some reading after a full day of work

The Angstrom Studio surrounded by storm

Wetness, oh beautiful wetness

This post (Some Remote Work from a Wet Desert) was last edited 9 months, 3 weeks ago.

Did I mention we went to Coachella in April. OMG, it was so fantastic. Plus, we went the second weekend, so we got wind, not heat! Yay. The wind was strong though, but our campsite survived. We drank boxed wine, and dined on so many amazing foods. The music was incredible, and with so many stages, there was music we could both appreciate and engage with. All in all, I'd go back for sure, and I'd camp. We got an extra day, and didn't have to worry about ubers etc.

Coachella Pictures

Another weekend, another race. Prescott this time. Camping location = lame, camping fun = great.

The race venue is a parking lot within the city limits. So plenty of traffic and people.

The next day, I found a spot up the mountain by a mine near lynx lake. Still a lot of people around, but it emptied out after another day. I wish I would have stayed longer.

*edited: fixed tags

This post (Camping in Prescott for the MBAA Race) was last edited 9 months, 3 weeks ago.

So.... my passions run deep. I happen to love drawing, and I feel like drawing the human form is a calling for me. And also, the sloppiness and reality of being human can be captured in many ways. Don't scroll down if you are easily shocked, but if its me, checking in to view my work, proceed..

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Traveled to Lake Havasu for an MBAA Mountain bike race. I went out a few days early, and set up my angstrom studio on "the steps" south of town. With my jeep and rugged trailer, I was able to get to the top to have a wonderful view of lake Havasu. That race was very popular as it had a multiplier of 1.5 on the points series. I dropped out of the top 10 as so many riders were there. Nevertheless, this is where I met some new friends who I traveled with and connected through the rest of race series all over Arizona.

Wintertime camping in the southwest can be so spectacular. Here is my camp set up in Bulldog canyon. Its a hilly semi remote section normally used for daytime fourwheeling, but 3 day passes can be purchased for camping as well.

This is a rugged trail, so it took Four-Low in my jeep to get up to this spot. A few side-by-sides came by during the day, but there is some surprisingly good mountain biking there. This spot is not super safe though as it so close to town, so "general protection" is always taken.

Buffy and I road our bikes to Shalimar to watch my old band, Blue Door, then we rode over to Pier 54 for a drink with some other friends before heading home.

Strava Link

JRA. I had a fun ride out at Hawes. Got some riding in. so nice out there. https://strava.app.link/tswvkWXPcRb.

[Open in new tab](tab: https://strava.app.link/tswvkWXPcRb)

*Edited: fixed title and tags. This post (Mountain Bike Ride at Hawes in Mesa) was last edited 9 months, 3 weeks ago.

It tried a few things. Honestly, will probably just set something up on pighub for blogging.

Suffering through a failed dns learning experience. I’ll get it soon though. I hope. I'm gonna hit the trails for a training ride soon.

Hey there, world!

The White Tanks race was awesome. Great weather, fun course, far enough out of the city that it feels remote. I didn't camp with the main campers for this race as I went out a few days early to work and pre-ride (and relax). I could have moved my campsite over on Friday at lunch, but instead I stayed where I was. Because of that, I was a bit isolated from rest of the group. In one specific way, that's exactly what I was hoping for. I suspected some friend that I made during last years race would be there (and they were). The group was super nice and inviting, however, they were very political and outspoken, and I just didn't want to deal with that. When I met them (2024), we still had some semblance of a democracy left, but this year, 2025, I realized I had no room in my life for people who think billionaires need tax cuts, and that schools should be defended, and us woke Americans should be ashamed of ourself and STFU. Uggg. Anyways, I regained my composure after that race, and camped with the main campers for every other race. I met, and raced against, some amazing, brilliant, thoughtful and empathetic folks along the way. Stories were shared, parts were borrowed, and friends were made.

Here's me getting ready to start the race.

Here's a snapshot of my campsite.

This post (MBAA Race - White Tanks) was last edited 2 months, 1 week ago.

I headed up to the cabin for a few days to work remote and do some more prep-work for the eventual sale of the cabin...

This race was so cold, I didn't bother camping. Cold, windy, rainy and cold. People did camp, just not me. At least I got out there. It was cold, high 30s low 40s. The race itself was great though, I think I even got some points due to the low turnout. I ended up losing all my points gains over the next few races, but those points helped a lot!!

Me at the start with long sleeve jersey and a heavier long sleeve jersey over that.

Strava

Nude Male - various poses

I camped out out Mcdowell Mountain Regional Park for a few days before the race, then I drove from the campsite over to the actual race. Was great camping and working remote out there. I met Alpha Male camper dude with the huge camper truck. He was very nice, and super cut too. He does road riding, no mountain, so he went off and did his cycling all day while I worked.

It got brutally cold that weekend, so I used my diesel heater at night.

Per this guid and thanks to yordi, I can view my posts by month. Very cool
Great Blog

Just paste this in to the footer in the settings section.

I haven't learned how to type html so ...

Type "Less than" and then the rest here: script src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/gh/froodooo/bear-plugins@0.0.44/bear/blog-posts.js">

This is my second to last trip to the cabin. I had some additional cleanup to do while it went up for sale. My parents, my brother and I built these houses from the ground up. Water, electric, roof (in freezing ice-rain). My sister put the flooring in. My parents loved this place, I worked here a lot during covid, but my jeep could no longer be trusted to get me there and back, so it had to go.

Here are a few pics of this magnificent place on almost 20 acres of land:

I worked for a few days from the Cactus Forest Campground near Marana. It was so peaceful, there is a gunrange near by, so that sucked. Otherwise, I got a cool and rare winter microburst that hit the area, and met a couple of other campers, but my spot was very isolated. So nice. The mountainbiking there was okay, it went around this little mountain, the trail was just a road, but it had some nice hills and such.

Notes from an Open Democracy article on 11/09/24. As the world absorbs the shockwave of Donald Trump’s win in the US presidential election, the playbook for his second term, designed by a handful of right-wing extremistslink, is already underway in Argentina. Project 2025 is set out in a nearly 900-page ‘Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise’, produced by the Heritage Foundation, a rightwing US think tank, as a ready reckoner for the incoming Trump administration. It details authoritarian tactics that exist in various parts of the world, from attacking public education to dismantling policies to tackle climate change to restricting the rights of women, LGBTIQ+ people, migrants, workers and Black people. But if there is one country already trying some of Project 2025’s most extreme policies to weaken the state and render the enjoyment of rights obsolete, it is Argentina. “If you have any doubts about how Project 2025 would be implemented, you have to look at what has happened in the last year in Argentina”, human rights lawyer Paula Ávila-Guillén reports. She is the executive director of the Women's Equality Center (WEC) which works on communication strategies on reproductive health and justice in Latin America. A 30% cut in state spending and an eleven percentage point increase in poverty in less than a year don’t go unnoticed – even if you don't live there. Nor do the struggles that family and friends go through in a society already used to economic crashes. There is so much more. But it’s fucking exhausting and people don’t seem to give 2 shits about how much they’re losing so long as they are winning at crushing anyone else’s sense of self worth link

This post (Don’t cry for me Argentina) was last edited 11 months, 3 weeks ago.

I traveled to Boston for work for a Nexthink Conference. It was truly a great conference. Buffy went with, we took the red-eye, and our hotel actually checked us in at 7:30 in the morning so we could sleep for a bit.

We did museums, the freedom trail, rode bikes to get bagels in 30 degree weather. It was so much fun. What a great city

Flagstaff EDM Bass Festival... Clozee, Daily Break, Zingara, so much more...

There was a massive hail storm at around 2:00 AM, which put a real damper on all the partying going on after the show on the first night.

The show itself was incredible.

Zane let me use his tent, which was sooo nice.

Flew to Denver, then drove to Dillon to stay in an Air B N B with Erin and ACE (of course). We walked all around the little town, and ultimately went to see Teddy Swims! What a great show.

My wonderful daughter graduated from beauty school and now she’s off to conquer the world as the most amazing colorist ever born!

This post (My Daughter Graduates!) was last edited 11 months, 3 weeks ago.

Took Sadie Down to Tucson so she could take her boards for her beauty certification. Was a great one day trip, the freeway was closed going down, but we made good time going the back way.

Here's a quick charcoal sketch from a pose on drawmensfw

I attended the June Jam music festival near Flagstaff at the Playa Ponderosa grounds. There war art, art cars, and four stages. I camped out with 1000's of others to enjoy the scene. It rained several times throughout the festival, often at night too. Watching all the laserbeams and lights cutting through the misty rain was truly a memorable experience that I will take with me forever.

Also, having the music literally going all night until sun-up was something special. They had a sunrise solstice meeting out in a meadow too, and served breakfast to anyone still dancing at 6:00 am. I was up 'cause I left to go for a bike race in Flag, then returned afterwards. Soo much fun.

This work is from a post on drawmensfw. There are some really good poses over there for figure drawing and life art. This is a charcoal sketch on dot matrix printer paper which works really well for charcoal.

Here is a charcoal figure drawing of a male model kicking.

A charcoal drawing, nude female from drawmensfw on reddit.

A figure drawing with Charcoal and dot matrix printer paper.

Charcoal sketch of nude female on a ladder from drawmensfw

Charcoal sketch of a male nude from drawmensfw

A figure that I drew from drawmensfw.

All it takes is equal parts of white vinegar and dish soap. To make it, you need: • 1 cup vinegar • 1 cup Dawn blue dish soap or other liquid dishwashing soap

1. Heat the vinegar in the microwave in a microwave-safe container until it's very hot. (The dishwashing soap will dissolve easier when the vinegar is hot.)
2. Carefully remove from the microwave and pour the hot vinegar into an empty spray bottle.
3. Pour dish soap into the spray bottle and swirl the mixture.Once the ingredients have combined, label the spray bottle so you know what's inside it.

This post (How To Make Shower Cleaner Spray) was last edited 8 months, 3 weeks ago.

Here's a chill vibin' song called take my hand.
Souncloud Link to Take My Hand

My band had an awesome show at Shalimar. This is a great place to fine tune our show for the bigger venues to come. Everyone was on it during the gig, especially the rhythm guitarist who shredded up his solos. Bass and Lead Guitars were stamping out some fun melodies, and the Harp play was rolling. Joe was killing at as the band leader. Such great showmanship.

Getting Things set up for the Gig

Practice Room at Seafood Studios

Camping and bike race out in the West West Valley. Fun race, and the remote work was nice. Not too cold. I drove out at lunch time, but it took forfuckinever to get there. Stopped at sbux in the wet valley to get some work in, and picked up a bbq sandy for my dinner at the campsite.

I stopped by my friend's house and he was sitting there jamming on his acoustic while his amazing dog, Lady was chilling next to him. I recorded his playing and added some beats, was fun to work on. Enjoy
Soundcloud link to Lady

I somehow convinced Kirk to go see the Subhumans at what used to be called the Mason Jar in Phoenix. The show was incredible. We had some great Thai food beforehand. The first band was just awesome and flat out the way punk should be. The second act was screamo, so we ignored them, but the Subhumans were superb, musical, aggressive, and thoroughly enjoyable. The singer was massively sweating as it was 150 degrees in there. The put out a 150% effort too. Played all my favorites. Kirk enjoyed the show too.

Subhumans were flat out rockin!

This post (Got to See the Subhumans over at the Mason Jar) was last edited 10 months, 4 weeks ago.

Driving up the Crown King. I stopped by to say hello to my dad at the National Memorial Cemetery. I also had some time, so I took over to Horsethief Basin. I got this beautiful shot of the spiky sun coming through the grasses.

Robert A Patterson at National Memorial

The Spiky Sun at Horsethief Lake

This post (Road Trip up to Crownking) was last edited 10 months, 4 weeks ago.

I dare you to try to not smile after seeing the absolute loves of my life having a quick laughter episode. We have to enjoy those moments, and when I'm sad, I can look at this picture and feel 1000% better instantly.

Sadie, Zane and Lucas are enjoying a reprieve of the normal doldrums of family life. Sadie is in the foreground, head tilted back exuding an episode of fullblown laughter, while Zane sits in the background, smiling broadly at Lucas, who sits with a knowing smile.

Here's proof that I went to Disney World. I went there with Lucas for his Worlds Cheer competition. That was an amazing time for both of his. His team did fantastic, and I got to hang out with the other families and drink.

Flowers at Epcot: This picture depicts a very large bright yellow sunflower in the foreground. A bed of red fuchsia carnations lay just below the sunflower. A lake is directly behind the flower beds, and the large geodesic globe of the epcot center looms in the horizon.

This post (Proof that I was at Disney World - Never going back to Florida) was last edited 10 months, 4 weeks ago.

This was one of the best attended Arizona Unicycle Weekends! So much fun. Def's gonna take my wide angle lens these again.

Me doing a drop just above the Waterfall

Here's the whole motley group

I took my camera with me for a couple of days and got some Wide Angle shots...

On this beautiful fall morning, we went over to the melrose district to do yoga in the park. It was incredibly nice out, and everyone was very friendly and inviting.

Here I am with my wife looking on

This post (Speaking of Yoga in the Park) was last edited 10 months, 4 weeks ago.

My mom wanted to go to the beach, so she took us to San Diego for one fuckin epic trip. She hosted us at The Hammels above the Surf shop right next to the Coaster at Mission Beach. This place had an amazing fully furnished deck to which one could stretch out and watch the never-ending flow of people below strutting up and down the boardwalk all day and night. Coincidentally, some friends were there at the same time as us, many of them in fact. Alton set up an amazing beach fire for all of us to enjoy. It was the purest of zonie bashes that I've ever attended. All of our friends and their kids came by that night, and it was superb. As the evening progressed, more and more shenanigans were committed by all, and no-one got arrested!

My Mom and Me

Beach Bonfire with Friends - so fun

Me Surfing (that's as good as it got)

Here are a few more the the OG: Ann. Buffy doing some yoga, etc. What an amazing trip:

Also later, Alton and I apparently went up on the roof of Hamels (after hanging out with Stasi, or during, etc)

Buffy is a champ at finding cool places to to yoga, rivers, lakes, airports, deserts, mountains, beaches... and now local breweries. This was the first local brewery where we did yoga, but this was the disco yoga night!

This post (Brewery Yoga at BottleShop) was last edited 9 months, 3 weeks ago.

Here's a pic from my bike commute to downtown. Many times, I'd take the express bus, then ride home. That way, I would have to spend 30 minutes cooling off in the server room when I got to work.

Waiting at the Express Bus Stop

Riding Home

On another commute a few days later - after a wet monsoon storm

Del Mar Tournament Info Adrenaline America’s Finest Rivalry 14555 El Camino Real Del Mar, CA 92014

The Del Mar fair is in town to allow extra time. There are 8 teams in Zanes devision, Boys Recruiters will be there...

AirBnb: xxx-xxx-ssss Frederick This beautiful house was fucking gross inside: 3555 Mercer Ct, San Diego, CA 92122, USA
OMFG. The owner lived there, but thankfully wasn't there. There was crap everywhere. The fridge was absolutely full and barely closed. Another family showed up while we were there, they just up and left, it was so gross. It was Zane, Lucas, his friend and me. During the first day of the tournament, Lucas, his friend and I went to the del mar beach at like 24th street. There is literally nothing left of that beach. It was houses, 20 fee of beach, then the ocean. So different from the 80's. Anyways, the tourney was fun, Zane did great, and we headed home. Quite the trip though, I don't really use Air-b-n any more because of that. We don't talk much about that trip...

The Beach
Zane taking evasive action, those other kids were assholes

Dirt-biking retrospective: Here's a few pics from my dirk-bike ride in the upper Sonoran desert. I rode this little Baja 125 around the desert near some mines. The moto was pretty under-powered, and I barely made it up one of the super steep roads back there. I should have taken my other 125, but the suspension on that one sucks so bad (I eventually got ride of all the dirt-bikes as we grew away from the sport).

Random Huge Water Tank

Dirtbike and a pond from the local watering hole

Dirtbike with a doubletrack road in the background

Later - got back to the cabin to make some beats on my makeshift music studio

This post (Motocross in the high desert) was last edited 9 months, 1 week ago.

John Presley Williams was a local guitarist, singer songwriter, and he let me set up for one of Randy's band Friday night shows. It was great. It snowed and snowed and snowed, but it was toasty warm inside. I set up my kit, and those guys jammed for several hours and I got inebriated on cheap beer. Zane was with me and he played pool and chilled. He even got up and jammed with the band. He's great at a lot of things, and drumming is one of them! Ultimately, I wasn't invited back as their old drummer came back in to town, but I was pretty bad back then, so it makes sense. I'm not any better now either.

My Kit on the stage at the saloon

Its starting to snow harder

Joe Hites playing bass and jamming out. Randy the singer was killing it too.

The family took this trip to Crown King, Zane and I slept on the deck one nite, and we rode our motos around all over. So much fun, so dusty and I had so much fun spending time with my family.

We had a big party for my 50th birthday. It was great having all my family over. I tried to get pictures with everyone, here are just a few that turned out. I think everyone had a great time, and I hope you were there. It went late in to the night, with tunes pumping and kids running around everywhere. One of the greatest times of my life, surviving cancer, having so many family and friends, and I had just formed a band with my friends, Gus, Nate and Alton. Soo many good memories!

I made sure anyone one who wanted to graffiti up our art board.

2016-04-29 Rocky Point Tri Weekend Los Palomas: A few pics from the Rocky Point triathalon this weekend!! We traveled down with the Rabusays and a few others. We got to see some live music over at Banditos. The tri itself was super windy and the swim bueys kept blowing on shore. We had a great time. We took the bikes and gear in our little 4x6 box trailer, and got stopped going in to Mexico... They didn't really understand why we were bringing our bikes there, lol.

I had a quick trip to Salt Lake city for work, and snapped this photo of the temple, and the mountains in the background. A big snowstorm had just hit. It was a fucking amazing view.

Beautiful picture of the Mormun temple.

Zane got an RC truck for his birthday, so of course we spent the afternoon trying to destroy it!

I'm going to split this out as I start migrating my blog over to bearblog. I'll create separate posts with a few pics from each day. #Russia was a fucking trip, especially 'cause you can't go there any more unless you live there. Damn, these few posts are gonna bring back some great memories from traveling with my mom: #travel, #family

ITINERARY I VOUCHER ID# 126399 LOCAL CONTACT: MARLIS TRAVEL, MOSCOW 43-A KRONSHTADTSKY BLVD, 12~499 MOSCOW, RUSSIA TEL: (7-495) 456-66-06 FAX: (7-495) 453-43-68 CELL FOR EMERGENCY ONLY: (7-903) 968-0617

CONF. BY: MARIA KOLESNIKOVA MARLIS TRAVEL, ST. PETERSBURG LENI GOLIKOVA STR, BLD 47-3, STE 100 ST. PETERSBURG, RUSSIA 198255 TEL: (7-812) 492-9360 CELL FOR EMERGENCY ONLY: (7-911) 092-8282 CONTACT PERSON: DARIA MAKEEVA

1.-July 22 St Petersburg Arrive in St. Petersburg (LH 3216 AT 12:40PM). Meet your private driver at the waiting area after getting your suitcases and clearing customs. Transfer to the Dostoevsky Hotel where you will have a superior twin room. Remainder of the day is at leisure.

July 23 St Petersburg 9AM- 12PM. Panoramic city tour by private car and guide features a drive past Nevsky Prospect; the monument to Peter the Great; St. Isaac's Cathedral; Peter & Paul Fortress; and the Winter Palace, which houses the Hermitage Museum. St. Peit2ysbürg at Da-wn

July 24 St Petersburg 10AM-1PM. Privately guided visit to the magnificent State Hermitage Museum in the lavishly decorated winter Palace. One of the largest art museums in the world, the museum boasts masterpieces by Leonardo Da Vinci, Raphael, Rembrandt, Monet, Picasso and Matisse. As the collection is housed in the palace, you wil have the opportunity to explore the rooms where Russian royalty lived. The remainder of the day is at leisure.

July 25 St Petersburg 9am-2pm. Five-hour tour by private car and guide to Peterhof - the former summer residence of Peter the Great; it is called a true "Versailles" by the sea because of its palaces and numerous beautiful fountains and statues. Founded in the very beginning of the 18th century by emperor Peter the Great, not far from his new modern capital St. Petersburg, Peterhof was intended to become the most splendid offcial royal summer residence. Its wonderful parks, 176 fountains of various forms and styles and four cascades, majestic palaces, numerous gilded statues of ancient gods and heroes, remarkable collections of sculpture, paintings and works of the minor art make Peterhof a veritable gem of Art. Remainder of the day at leisure.

July 26 En Route Transfer by private car with driver to the train station for train to Helsinki (TRAIN # 35 4:30PM-9:58PM). First class train tickets booked by Isram's local offce Marlis Travel will be provided locally

Me catching air at the turn, and Lucas was old enough to do the kids race, so he rocked it! He's a great cyclist. I hope he sticks with it.

This picture is just to awesome not to post. Here, Sadie, Lucas and Zane enjoy a nice lunch in Sadies room at the Juniper house.

published_date: 2022-12-30 08:30F:\MyData\Pictures\2007\c Flagstaff Race

We spend a few days at the cabin during spring break. We all had such a blast, and the weather was perfect.

I did my first 24 hour race in the Tucson. Tinker Juarez was there and did 24 1 hour laps, where as I did like 4 laps as part of a duo with Lynn. My lap times were incredibly slow too, those 7 bitches and sassy hill were brutal at 4:00 am. It was so windy, Lynn's pee bucket spilt and her hole tent was fubared after that. It was a fun and grueling time. The best part was all the training rides for the months leading up to the race. I've since done mulitple solo 24 hour races and a few dawn to dusks too. Soo much fun.

In the last pic, note the camping hammocks, these were cool. Also note the Trek Y bike single speed bike. That was fun to tool around on. I had my old 4x6 trailer too, which was super handy. It was so cold and windy that whole weekend. Did I mention it was windy. And Cold.

Took a birthday trip to Flag. Camped at Locket Meadows and rode up the back of Mt Elden for 7 miles. That was a long ride!! But then I went to the top and had some epic downhilling. This was my Iron Hourse bike that I raced in the 24hour In The Old Pueblo. I also did some other 12 and 24 hour races. It was only 35 pounds, lol

Took the family up to the Cabin, and got to experience an epic snowstorm. Wow. So much fun, sledding, running barefoot on the deck, snowball fights, and 90 degrees inside. Sadie, Zane, Lucas, Buffy and I had a blast.