Summer 2014

This is our route map for this summer's travel, a counter-clockwise loop through 9 western states and BC Canada.

 The numbered 'stops' aren't all actual stops. The map was generated by Streets and Trips software, which has built-in route preferences. When my preferred route differs from the ST route, I have to override the software by inserting bogus stops on the preferred route. And, some of the non-bogus stops are just overnights in locations of no particular significance.

The software generates a list of turn-by-turn instructions for every trip segment and every stop. The list is sometimes helpful, like when driving side streets in a strange city, but is otherwise massive overkill on details.  For instance, a 20-mile stretch of curvy road with numerous crossroads may have a dozen needless instructions, noting every curve and every intersection.  We sometimes use GPS and our smartphones for navigation; smartphones are especially handy for finding and navigating to nearby grocery stores, gas stations, Red Box machines, etc.

The mapped route totals 4565 miles.  That number will be close to the actual towing miles but we'll log another 1500+ miles on the truck, sightseeing, visiting friends and running errands. 

PB at Mike's

On most Saturday mornings, October-April, we play Pickleball at our home.  There's usually about 6 players, all retired folks like myself, mostly snowbirds.  We only play doubles.  The players I invite are more advanced and competitive than average, so there's plenty of action and exercise.

  

Doug F serves up the ball to David.  Doug's wife, Gale, is his partner. 

Doug C is David's partner. 

 

 

Doug and David mirror each other, both going for a low one.

 

 

The net is new, a replacement for one I used for 35 years.

 

 

The disassembled net support fits into a 40" bag of heavy duty fabric.

The bag has a carry handle, weighs about 25 pounds when filled with the goodies.
 

Dragon Fruit

It first came to my attention when I saw it on a package of green tea packets.  The flavor of the tea was dragon fruit-peach.  Never heard of dragon fruit.  Never even met a dragon, let alone had a meaningful discussion with one about its culinary preferences.  However, since they eat fruit, they have to be either herbivores or omnivores. 

I'm thinking omnivores.  Don't they have a reputation for hauling young women (preferably princesses) off to their caves?  Your typical princess doesn't do household chores and has little entertainment value although the younger ones are most likely tender and tasty morsels.  Unless the handsome prince made a timely appearance the princess probably became dragon chow.  "Here's your dinner, Drago, a delicious young princess.  Would you like some dragon fruit with that?  Fresh ground pepper?"

Dragon Fruit

Thank you, Trish, for giving me a hand with this picture.

We were in Santa Fe when I discovered the existence of dragon fruit and I immediately started scouring grocery stores for them.  Trader Joes: no.  Whole Paycheck: no.  Safeway: no.  Yesterday, I finally scored, spied a few hanging out with the tomatoes at Smith's (Kroger chain) right here in LHC.  This one was grown in Vietnam; it's also grown in Central and South America, and Texas is getting into the act.  A form of cactus, it likes hot climates. 

Okay, got one, now what?  How do you tell when it's ready to eat and how do you eat it?  Checked online: it's ready when it has the squeeze resistance of a ripe avocado, at which time you cut it in half, scoop out the inside and have at it.  The flavor is said to be something between pear and kiwi, which we found to be accurate albeit more mildly flavored.  We liked it but aren't raving about it.

 

 

 

Looks like poppy seed salad dressing.

 

Had I checked the price I may not have bought it.  It cost $7.20 and weighed just over a pound.  The cost will decline as domestic production increases.  It's a 'wonder fruit', has lots of nutritional value, maybe more than even Wonder Bread (builds strong bodies 12 ways!).  Wonder Bread, my ass!  That stuff has the same nutritional value as Styrofoam - but less flavor.      

 

Bad Influence

It so happened that my personal Independence Day occurred on my 18th birthday, the day I left home, left the farm, left the cows and pigs and sheep and chickens and manure and hay bales, and trundled off to college.  The happiest day of my life!  I was ecstatic!  Free at last!  And, oh so ready to enjoy life for a change. 

Moorhead State was a liberal arts college.  As such, it had a foreign language requirement and I signed up for Spanish my freshman year.  The prof was a dapper, proper Latino gentleman - formal, straight laced and utterly humorless.  He was about 5' 6" and 125 pounds soaking wet.  His tolerance for high-spirited, fun loving students (like me) was nonexistent. 

Although I wasn't aware of it at the time, he was unimpressed by my lighthearted attitude, decided early on that I wasn't the scholarly, serious student he preferred in his classes.  Finally, 30 years later, I discovered just how unimpressed he was: my freshman dorm roommate said the prof called me a 'bad influence.'  I was incensed!  The nerve of the little prick!  He was entitled to his opinion of course, but trying to alienate my friends (he failed, by the way) was way out of line.  A few years later, another college friend told me the same thing.  For all I know, the little shit got it published on the front page of the New York Times!

The 'bad influence' thing didn't bother me for long, though.  In fact, I soon came to embrace it.  A few years ago, Trish gave me business cards for Bad Influence, Inc., with me as president.  Last Christmas, Trish gifted me with a custom license plate frame, the kind that let you choose your own message.  Several days back I finally chose the wording and ordered the frame.  Here it is.