Ode To The Little Brown Shack Out Back

Morning at the Long Drop

Years ago Kadizzle met a young guy from South Africa. He told the tale of camping with his family.  The young man explained how the servants dug a long drop and set up the tents. Kadizzle inquired what a long drop was.  You can guess. Here we call the long drop the Executive Suite. Our long drop is deluxe. It has flush toilets, a nice porcelain sink, and the best solar lightning. Once Kadizzle takes the little walk down to the long drop in the morning he can sit on the throne with the door open and look into the desert sunshine. The walk is a step from the Earth module into reality. At the long drop the Forestry Supply catalog is there for reading pleasure. Everything a man could ever want is listed.  The grand finally at headquarters is checking for dead mice. Three traps are set in the plumbing chase.  If a mouse is caught the poor soul's carcass is put out where maybe some bird will swoop down and take it to mouse heaven. The old outhouse life must have had some good to it. There is a song written by someone back home in West Virginia about the little shack out back. 

They passed an ordinance in the town they said we'd have to tear it down
That little old shack out back so dear to me
Though the health department said its day was over and dead
It will stand forever in my memory
Don't let them tear that little brown building down
Don't let them tear that precious building down
Don't let them tear that dear old building down
There's not another like it in the country or the town

It was not so long ago that I went tripping through the snow
Out to that house behind my old hound dog
Where I would sit me down to rest like a snowbird on his nest
And I'd read that Sears and Roebuck catalog
Oh I would hum a happy tune peeping through the quarter moon
As my daddy's kin had done so much before
It was in that quiet spot daily cares could be forgot
And it gave the same relief to rich and poor
Don't let them tear...

Now it was not a castle fair but I could dream of future there
Build my castle to the yellow jackets drone
I could orbit round the sun fight with General Washington
Or be a king upon a golden throne
It wasn't fancy built at all we had newspapers on the wall
It was air-conditioned in the wintertime
Oh it was just an humble hut but its door was never shut
And a man could get inside without a dime
Don't let them tear...

There is a lot of truth in that song. 

Murder Never Dies

 Kadizzle was hopping around on his laptop when he found a book he must have purchased some time ago. Murder Never Dies was the book. On the first page that happened to show was the name Bob Dorn. Kadizzle went to school with Bob Dorn.  He was a fat kid and had fat brother. Also Dorn had a wild sister named Lorretta who wore skin tight leather pants.  Bob Dorn lived near my Uncle and shot at my Uncles house on one occasion. This got me interested in the book which maybe Kadizzle had read before. The book was about a famous gangster in the home Town ow Wheeling, West Virginia, which was known as "little Chicago".  Kadizzle remembers going to school one day and Bob Dorn showed up with a sweatshirt on.  Bobby as he was called kept scratching and moving his hand all over the sweat shirt until a hamster crawled out the sleeve.  The hamster was living in his T shirt.  Kadizzle remembes hearing Dorn went to prison so Kadizzle wanted to see what role Dorn played in the book. Dorn's father no doubt was connected to the crime gangs in the area. Dorn's father ran a strange business out on the interstate that sold to tourist.  More than likely it was a front for something else.  As Kadizzle may have mentioned in the past he had a boyhood friend who's father ran the illegal gambling in town.  Kadizzle rode in a car with a major crime figure in the book. Paul Hankish picked up Kadizzle and his friend Ben on the Suspension Bridge and took us for a speedboat ride on the Ohio River.  A few weeks later Hankish had his legs blown off when he started his car.  

Anyway the book goes into how Bill Lias became one of the richest crime figures in the United States at the time. Lias based his criminal activities in Wheeling, Kadizzle's home town.  Hankish took over for Lias when Lias went to prison.  Reading about these people is fun, because it traces the history of crime in Wheeling.  It is obvious the respectable people were in on the game. Kadizzle has read all he can about Wheeling mafia activity since his friends father was tied into it. Kadizzle has always been curious about how the Dobkins got involved in organized crime. Most of the people who made illegal money converted the winnings into real estate.  The book is well written and has drawn Kadazzle in.  Maybe an update tomorrow. 

Attack of the Javelinas

Rumbling outside last night turned out to be what Winky said was about 15 Javelinas.  She chased them off.  Walking back from the executive suite Kadizzle realized it is going to be another perfect day. 

A thought went through Kadizzle's head as he passed his marvelous street light.  Kadizzle set up a solar powered light that comes on at dark and goes off at daylight.  The system harvest the sun power automatically. What does this mean? It means we waste an incredible amount of energy on lighting with traditional power plants.  The little Kadizzle system could probably run three days with no sun. 

Now for the next revelation.  Poverty is just something we chose to have.  There is no poverty, there are just people taking way more than their share.  There is plenty of everything, houses, cars, food, clothing, you name it.   Some people have no where to live because other people have used all the lumber and bricks to build more homes than they need. Some people take the  bus because someone else decided they needed six cars. We live in a world of illusion. Kadizzle is a Democratic socialist. What does that mean? It means we should vote on who gets to take what.  The current system of government that allows the 1% to buy the goverment is simply evil incarnate.  The big problem is people walking around in a daze.  The other day Kadizzle was talking with Bill.  Bill is intelligent, but, but, there is a problem. Kadizzle was discussing with Bill how things stay in orbit.  Bill did not understand the principle.  What is the problem? The problem is Bill never thought about what keeps the moon circling the Earth.  Well, so what? Well people need to ask basic questions about the world they live in.  One question might be asked about the amount of perfectly good food we threw out the other day while people elsewhere were starving.  One question no one ask is just how does the government work?  Who cares? That is the problem as long as you have a warm place to sit at the executive suite, and a decent pair of shoes, who cares where all that stuff goes? Put simply people are distracted. Sports is a major distraction.  People watching football have no clue the wealthy cheat all day long on their taxes. If the wealthy only paid what they owed, not talking about cheating the government would have an additional 1.9 trillion dollars.  Then of course there is the cheating, just add at least another trillion or two.  Ok, take those trillions and build some homes, schools, interstate, mass transit and people have jobs.  Now make those same tax cheats pay their share and another trillion pops out of nowhere, but who cares I am watching football and my team is winning. 

Landing on a different Planet

From the lap of luxury back to the Earth Module, our version of Nomad Land.  From the jungle to the desert.  From high density people to low density people.  From the flattest lowest land on Earth to the 7,000 ft mountains of Arizona.  The silence and isolation are golden. Kadizzle has never had a desire to live in or near a large population.  Often Kadizzle reflects on the fact he never had an office job. Sitting in one place for more than an hour or two drives one crazy. Looking back on life Kadizzle is forever grateful that he was always his own boss. Most of his life Kadizzle set his own schedule for what and where he would do what.  Today people glued to a computer all day seems like a kind of torture one would never want. So today it will be a nice ebike ride and perhaps a sail on the little Rusty 1.  Who knows.  A life of mystery rather than a scheduled regime. 

The times they are a changing

 Sitting here with my grandchildren screeching and having a good time. What a different world these kids live in.  Now we have three.  They have no clue what the old world was like. Growing up as one of nine there was not much spoiling or delicate care. In their short lives they have lived a life of luxury Kadizzle could not imagine as a child. Toys, and gifts fall from heaven in a constant rain. Sylvie has had more luxury vacations by the age of 11 than Kadizzle has had in his entire life. Every desire is catered to. If they do not become spoiled it will be amazing. The real world teaches those who do not know reality. Kadizzle has been trying to pound this into Sylvie's head. Your  mom and dad may treat you like the King of Siam, but the real world thinks you are just one more kid. At home you don't have to work or do what you are asked, but what a surprise life will be. There is a word called no.  It is a word not heard much to modern children, but they will learn. 

The Transition

 Noise from screaming youngsters will cease, the tropical climate will give way to the desert.  Paths through jungle like terrian will be replaced with cactus and prickly plants.  The swarm of city life will be replaced with the solitude of the mountains. The plane will take us from people infected with acute prosperity and Trump to people living on the edge with brains infested with Trump.  Days by the pool will be replaced with days by the lake in the little Rusty 1 sailboat.  Evening drinks with be with the seniors in the campground. Youth will all but disappear from the game.  Evie, Sylvie, and little Quinn will go about growing up while granny and gramps get back to the trail work. The clock will tick and life will go on.  

Colorful water

Sam had a great idea for the pool party last night.  Into the pool went various round globes lit from the inside. The color in the globes changed. The pool itself was equipped with underwater colored lights that would change. The net result was swimming in a pallet of color. 

 Gun control.  Republicans will let our children be shot to ribbons in order to maintain power.  Republicans know exactly how to get cheap Hooplehead votes. Passing out guns and ammunition is a sure vote getter. The simple minded love guns, noisy pickup trucks, and wearing their hats backwards.  Courting the ignorant vote has become the simplest way for Republicans to maintain power. Who cares if you have to invade the Capitol? Who cares if school children are shot? It all pays off with more tax breaks. 

The Ocean

The ocean has been a stranger to Kadizzle for a long time, but yesterday Kadizzle baked in the ocean and let the waves move his lard about. With the family we went to the beach. The water was warm and pleasant. According to Erin a six foot shark passed right behind me. How did that shark resist all the fat recently supplied with cake, steak, and the best seafood?

Here at the house Sylvie and Evie will play all day in the pool. From the desert to water everywhere.   

Brave men with guns

Old Kadizzle is 72.  In those 72 years Kadizzle has never needed a gun to protect himself from another human being, yet the gun nuts live in fear every day. Once upon a time Kadizzle asked the police chief in our little town how many times he had his gun drawn. The answer was twice in 25 years. Really what are the odds a gun will ever be needed?Scared little men feel safe with a gun. Winky and Kadizzle occasionally run into a gun nut while hiking.  We ask "What do you fear?" .  Mountain lions if a favorite answer. We have been hiking for over thirty years in the west and have only seen one or two.  They run from you. 

What if the government tries to take over our freedoms?  Look what happened with Trump. We almost lost our democracy, but our main weapon was a majority of intelligent people, not guns.  The gun nuts were the danger. The reality is the gun nuts themselves present the most danger from guns.  Now you fear being shot at the grocery store or school by gun nuts.  

Chaos

 Screeching Evie, and Sylvie running about. Now they are outside so the decibels have gone down. Kadizzle tried to clean his ear, and it backfired. Now deafness is a problem.  Might be a blessing. The high level of activity with three grandchildren running about is a different way to awaken. No stillness of the morning. Quinnie is an eating machine that matches grandpa for consumption.  He is a smiley guy, always happy.  The in laws have graciously allowed the clan to use their home in Florida for a get together. With a nice pool the home is ideal for keeping Sylvie, and Evie outside playing in the water. 

Old folks migrate to Florida or Arizona.  Florida is just too flat.  Arizona has such a variety of landscape.  Winky would go nuts in Florida with no mountains to conquer. Both states have a severe infestation of Republicans. However, there might be fewer guns in Florida.  

Awakening at 72

Awakening at 72 years old the crumbling goes on.  Kadizzle often feels like an old building out in field with a sagging roof.  Gravity has no mercy and works 24 hours a day. If only the government would turn the gravity down as you get older rather than up. The machinery strains, creeks, and squeaks. Monday morning has come and Evie is sitting like so many kids soaking up the rays of giant TV.  This TV must be five feet by four and a half feet. Cheech is playing with Quinnie, better known as curly boy. Sam and Winky are on kitchen duty, and of course Kadizzle is just a big lump in a chair.  Later today Sylvie, and Erin will arrive.  The entire tribe, except Fran will be enjoying the atmosphere Trump basks in.  That scoundrel is somewhere around here. Sadly covid has devastated Trump's compound.  

Life in Florida

The Kadizzles are in Florida living the life of ease with the grandchildren, and in laws.  Life in Florida is a vast difference from the Earth Module back in the desert. On the way we got to fly the 737 Max, which made the entire trip without a crash. From Houston to West Palm Beach we got a brand new smaller plane.  The airports seemed plenty busy. Mask enforcement was stick on the planes.  

Usually we spend the night before and early flight in a hotel in Phoenix. When we got to the Motel Six near the airport the place looked like a training ground for thieves and drug dealer.  Abandoning that reservation we could find no hotel that was not booked at any price.  Now we had to drive back to Ruth's who kindly put us up for the night in Gold Canyon. 

Tom and the kids.

As old Kadizzle coasted downhill towards the Earth module, there was Tom, an old man in shorts and muscle shirt.  It appeared he was trying to push a bright red soccer ball into the sky. Kadizzle stopped to find out what Tom was up to.  Tom explained he was stretching and staying in shape. Tom appeared old, he was dam near 8o, yet he looked fit and very muscular.  In no time we were deep into conversation. Tom lost his teeth for lack of care, but his father died from smoking. On his deathbed Tom's father told him to quit smoking and get in shape. Tom took those words to heart. So here is Tom doing his daily routine. 

Then Tom began to tell Kadizzle about the three kids he was raising.  One of his children became addicted to drugs and the father abandoned the kids as well as the mother went to jail.  The state asked Tom if he would take the kids in.  Of course he would Tom told the state.  So here was Tom with limited means 80 years old raising a family.  We spoke for awhile, and it was really uplifting to meet this old guy with such a good attitude.  80 years old and taking all this on.  Tom had a good reason to stay in shape.  The whole thing makes you think about people doing good, and people not doing much good. 

Off we go

Florida is the destination. The goal is to see the little people. Hop on the plane, put on the mask.  Kadizzle has been advocating loading planes from the rear.  It makes so much sense.  Now airlines are going to do it because of the virus. Instead of clogging the isles it will be done sensibly. 

Ken and Rita are going back home, their season of volunteering is over.  The campground is full.  The virus has driven people to the wilderness, may be a good thing. Sad the place is so underfunded. 

Winky is buzzing around more than usual since we must prepare for our trip.  Today her name is Active Warrior. She is barking out orders quicker than Kadizzle can fulfill her wishes.  

Kadizzle is proud of the new solar light system he installed on Broadway.  Broadway leads to the executive suite.  Now the computerized system turns on solar powered lights for night trips to the dropdown. With rattlers waking from their winter rest one cannot be too careful. Kadizzle repurposed a light controller form another part of the campground. The controller is hooked to the solar panel. If figures out by itself when the sun goes down and comes up and turns on the lights accordingly.  If this type of system were adopted by others the power savings would be substantial. Harvesting sunshine is fun. 

Hikers down from the Mountain

Kadizzle had the opportunity to be near the area where he hikers come down from the Arizona trail to resupply yesterday.  About six hikers were having lunch and resupplying.  Two days ago Kadizzle met two other hikers.  You have to give these people credit, it is a very strenous hike.  The trail goes from the Mexican border to Utah.  It is about an 800 mile hike. These mountains are rugged, often lack water, and it takes a tough person to make the trek.  A mom and her teenage daughter were making the trip and about three single guys, plus one couple. A good way to spend the pandemic.  The snow up in the mountains drove a lot of the hikers down for a respite. 

There is so much that could be done with the money flooding the country from the Capitol.  Why not start the CCC program all over. That program paid young people during the depression to do public works.  Wow, if young people could help us with so many projects on the trails, and the campgrounds, we could make America Great again. 

Shoot money out of the cannon

Opening the mailbox Kadizzle found the FFR newspaper from Honest Omar. Honest Omar is the Pope of the atheist. Freedom From Religion is the official name of the paper.  What caught Kadizzle's eye was the article about crooked preachers, soaking up stimulus money.  One of the crooks immediately bought a jet.  You tax money when to one church that paid out billions for pedophile priest. Why are non believers forced to give tax dollars to crooked preachers who pay no taxes on the money they steal?

So much of the money sent out went to the wrong people.  Kadizzle, check his bank account today and found $2,800.  Truthfully it should have gone to someone much more in need.  

This brings up the subject, what is money?  Money is just a made up concept.  Where is the government getting all this money? It is simply ink.  In the old day they were called promissory notes.  I will right you a note and when you give me the note back I promise to pay you so much gold, wheat, or whatever.  No, longer.  Who knows what the current promise is.  It seems to be " I promise not to tax the rich".  In the old days when the government spent money it had some plan to get money.  No longer is this plan in effect.  Uncle Same just prints the money and gives it to crooks.  

The real secret to this system is no one pays attention.  Yesterday Kadizzle picked up two hitch hikers that came down from the Arizona trail.  The first guy Kadizzle drove back up to a higher elevation to save him some hiking.  The second guy was sort of giving up because of the weather. Kadizzle asked hiker number 2 if he was a Republican.  Lucky for him he answered correctly.  Then he ask why Kadizzle asked.  Kadizzle explained he would be thrown out of the truck if he was a Republican.  Next, Kadizzle brought up his jihad on social security and asked the young guy if he knew about the cap on social security.  To Kadizzle's surprise he said yes. This was a rare young person that actually knew how social security is rigged for the rich. From Kadizzle's personal survey for over five years most people have no clue that if you earn over $138,000 you no longer pay social security.  This is just once example of the ignorance of the populace. The wealthy have rigged the system so they and the crooked preachers can prosper.  Religion is a key to manipulating voters. Trump knew the evangelicals could be easily fooled.  Back to the FFR.  A young person wrote a nice essay in the paper about how religion is used to fool the vulnerable into making poor choices during elections. Some people are born ignorant and it seems to be genetic, but most people have a choice about being uniformed.  You can chose to watch and believe Fox or you can read something real.

Rain and information fall on the Earth Module

Rain has fallen all night.  The desert changes dramatically with rain.  Watching the streams flow and waterfalls run is a pleasure.  Winky and the Trail Crew are debating if they should work today.  Hans and Ruth decided to move farther south to be warmer.  

Kadizzle awakes each morning and gets up to date. Getting up to date involves checking the Fargo Forum, The Bismarck Tribune, The New York Times, a little social media, and CNN.  The two North Dakota newspapers are pretty worthless, but the letters to the editor do show some insight into the mindset of the Trump cultist, and the normal people. Some of the right wing letters and the letters from fundamentalist are so full of conspiracy theories, and lies it is hard to believe.  On the other hand there are some good people that fire on the right wingers with reality.  Of course Kadizzle is biased, but such is life.  The Fargo Forum has a nice assortment of right and left.  The Bismarck Tribune is just too tame.  The Bismarck Tribune seems to be afraid of it's own shadow.  Newspapers fear losing readers and advertisers so too often they don't want to offend anyone.  Sucking in everyone is a necessity for a paper to survive so they do put the nut case letters in to appeal to the Trump crowd.  Gaging how deep the insanity is plays a crucial role in figuring out reality.  Each person creates their own reality.  

Go out, don't go out

Yesterday was not a perfect day for sailing.  For some strange reason the lake looked fairly doable, while the wind on land seemed strong. Add to that the temperature was a little on the cool side.  Kadizzle thought maybe yes, maybe no.  Finally he hooked up the Rusty 1 and drove down to the boat ramp.  When he got there he changed his mind and did not feel like overturning.  On the way back he saw Cliff out bucking the wind.  Kadizzle went to the other boat ramp and Cliff invited him out on his boat.  The wind seemed to settle and was just right.  Kadizzle told Cliff to take him to shore and Kadizzle launched the Rusty 1.  What a launch, it blew the Rusty one into the bushes, but the little motor saved the day.  Now, Kadizzle and Cliff were each on their own little ship putzing about.  Of course the wind came up and the Rusty 1 became a wild horse.  Kadizzle just wanted to get back to shore right side up.  The jib came loose and was of no use, but Kadizzle managed some beautiful boat handling and sailed up to the dock. A small boat and a big wind are two things Kadizzle has not done for many years.  It is a different ball game that does not tolerate mistakes well. 

Rattlesnake Season

A morning ritual is the walk to the executive suite. Now that the weather has warmed up we have to be on alert for our old friends the rattlesnakes.  They are like Republicans, you just can't trust them, and you don't know when they might cause a problem. Cliff and Winky have had close encounters, Kadizzle has not.  When you get to the throne, you don't just fling open the door and go sit on the thunder seat, no you peak in first to see if a rattlesnake went in to get warm or catch a mouse.  At night is when the snakes like to hunt.  Sort of like Republicans doing voter suppression, the snakes are sneaky.  If the temperature drops the snakes may try to warm up on the asphalt or the concrete.  Always check and know where you may step at night. Kadizzle has upped the game by putting more solar lights on the walkway.  In reality Kadizzle has seen as many rattlers in North Dakota as he has in Arizona.  Usually the Kadizzles leave AZ when the snake come out, but this year with no home in ND we may be dancing with the snakes.  The recent fires must have wiped out a lot of snakes, as well as many other animals.  The fires also drove many animals down near the lake. 

We got some good rain last night, but today may be sunny enough to launch the Rusty 1.  It has been a little cold and you can see the snow up on the mountains.  A dump in the lake may be unpleasant.  Stuck in the Earth module Winky and Kadizzle watched some America's Cup racing.  The current boats they are racing are insane.  Now the boat will go up to sixty miles per hour.  Kadizzle is an old sailor and cannot figure out how these boats are going downwind.  The complexity of sailing these boats is much more difficult than flying a plane.  Since the boats rise out of the water that is one major problem.  Once out of the water the boat is held up by a hydrofoil on the rudder, and one on the side of the boat.  So the boat is sailing on a tripod, a rudder, a sail, and a foil in the middle of the boat.  The boat actually has two foils in the middle of the boat, one port, and one starboard.  Rather than try to explain all this it would be easier if you are interested to go on youtube and watch the racing.  Perhaps Kadizzle will put a video on here.  Think about it, the boat Columbus came over here on might do five miles an hour.  Now these sailboats are going sixty.  The referees follow the boats with fast small inflatable boats.  They can hardly keep up.  If one of these boats is steered incorrectly it could nose into the water at fifty or sixty.  Imagine what will happen to the crew.  They do not wear seat belts.  It appeared the Italian crew was wearing a small scuba tank in case they got trapped underwater.  The sport has changed completely.  Last winter Kadizzle was in New Zealand and it is fun to see the races right where Kadizzle was in Auckland.  The money spent on these boats is insane.  It must be thirty or forty million dollars to build and race one.  All of this while people are homeless. Well the rich do need to be entertained. 

Education Just Confusers People

A favorite quote was from my old Republican neighbor up the street "Education Just confuses People".  Simple minded people like simple minded explanations.  Complex thoughts don't sit well with the Trump cult.  Most problems can be simply solved with a gun.  If you don't understand it, shoot it. 

Found the video below last night.  It was fun to see the video.  It was just a week or two ago that plane was constantly flying over and beside us for training on the lake.  Seeing what they were doing from a different perspective was entertaining. 

The Hoopleheads are still out there.  Trump is gone, and they are looking for leadership.  Someone will exploit them.  Trump showed the way.  Ted Cruz is a likely new preacher to the deplorables. Cruz has the lying down, and his father was a crooked preacher so he has the background. 

Got some rain last night, and the day looks gloomy.  Winky wants to clean and wash.  Snow landed on the mountains. 

How Aerial Firefighter Pilots Are Trained | What It Takes (Fire training on our lake this winter )

Gun Insanity

First a disclaimer.  Kadizzle and Winky hunt pheasants, and have shot guns.  We do not own a handgun.  Yesterday the trail crew went up to the Four Peaks to put up a Wilderness sign.  The sign is wooden, hand made, and expensive.  To think a gun nut might decide to shoot a hole through the sign is very disturbing.  After we installed the sign the sign the crew took a tire ride and went down the backside of the mountain. It is an amazing wilderness.  On the way the damage by gun nuts could be seen.  Gun nuts shoot up expensive signs to the point they cannot be read.  One favorite tactic of the gun culture is to drag propane tanks, and televisions out into the forest and murder them.  Of course they just leave the trash there. 

Kadizzle wrote to three newspapers with this proposal, a 10% tax be put on guns and ammunition to pay for the damage and cleanup.  We tax the drunks, the cigarette smokers, and why not the gun nuts?

Two old Men

Two old men buzzing about in tiny boats. Hans 80 years old and the ex captain of a 50 ft boat in the Caribbean.  Old Kadizzle whose last boat was 34 ft. Hans with a single sail on a boat a little bigger than a slice of bread. Kadizzle on the 14ft Rusty 1.  Two old men having a good time trying to stay upright.  It is an entirely different game. One mistake and you are upside down.  It seemed the wind was getting stronger so in a stroke of wisdom we went back to land. 

A little cool today

One of the great pleasures of the RV lifestyle are the friends we meet.  Yesterday Hans, Ruth, Marty and his wife Annette stopped by for the afternoon meeting.  Swapping stories and adventures is the routine.  An amazing aspect of these get together s are the places we have all been at one time or another.  Marty and Annette had done turtle research at the Dry Tortugas.  It seems travelers have a lot in common.  Most are good liberals, many are sailors, and all have the need to explore.  Traveling opens up the mind. 

Today Winky and the crew are going back up in the Serra Ancha mountains.  Kadizzle is worn out from the last hike, and may do a little sailing today. 

Re-purposing things can save a lot of money.  The Forest Service wants to put up new big sign boards at the trail heads.  This could be expensive.  Kadizzle suggested the signs be constructed from the little Ramadas they are tearing down.  This would save thousands of dollars.  Will have to see what happens, but Kadizzle's guess is they will buy new and spend a lot of money. 

Yesterday Kadizzle had Marty try out the ebike.  Like so many he loved it.  Kadizzle predicts ebikes will be everywhere as more people try them.  Hans, and Ruth have ebikes and love them.  For older people the ebike is a good way to keep active.  You meet more people walking, biking and hiking.  

Now just a side note.  As volunteers we are allowed to have guest stay in our campground free.  A couple of friends have visited us this year. If you are reading this you are invited to visit.  We can hook you up to electricity, and provide you with water.  Your sewage will have to be self contained, but we do have a bathroom with flush toilets and a sink provided by the Forest Service.  It is for our use only and it serves us well, but we can let friends use the facilities.  We are located on Lake Roosevelt in Arizona.  The outdoor life here has everything. 

Taking on the Cult

An email came to Kadizzle from a Trump cult member. It had the usual right wing nonsense.  Kadizzle has been going back and forth a little with this cultist. Today Kadizzle wrote Mr. Trump cult a long email explaining the mind of a cult member and a Republican.  Honest Omar if you are reading this you would no the man, his initials Are D.V.   D.V.  is the classic Trump cult member.  I got mine, the hell with you.  You were just too lazy to be rich.  This reminds Kadizzle of the UPS driver in Bismarck who married a rich woman. The driver took on the mannerisms and attitudes of the rich. No doubt he became a Republican. It is always " Pull yourself up by your bootstraps".  However, a lot of people don't even have boots. Republicans love to blame the poor for everything.  The bottom 20% of our population only recieves 2% of the GDP.  If you think of the poor like a car they would get 100 miles per gallon.  On the other hand the rich are gas guzzlers.  The rich soak up way more than their share of everything.  So when gas is in short supply who do the rich blame, of course the poor.  Logic goes out the window once you accept the ideas of the Republican Party.  Logic, science, and good old reality are not going to get in the way of a good Trump cult member.  Anyway Kadizzle gave it a try.  Lets see what happens. 

Afternoon prayer meeting.

 Marty was riding by on his bike when he asked us for some trail information. In no time he was sitting with us having a cackle session.  Not too long afterwards Reta and Ken showed up along with Bill, then Hans sat down. So the session was on with laughter, lying, story telling, and some beer drinking.  That is life in the desert.  So many people with so many life experiences.  Outdoor people always compare hikes and adventures.  Hans it turns out was down at Patagonia state park and turned his little sailboat over. So now we have two old experienced sailors turning over boats.  The weather has been warming up and it is about time for our friends the rattlers to come out.  Soon they will be warming themselves at night and one must be careful not to step on them.  Kadizzle filled the coolers with ice today.  The Forest Service has a big ice machine and we usually get about fifty pounds at a time to keep the beverages cold.  Kadizzle and Hans may sail tomorrow if the wind is not too strong.  At 72, and 79 on a small boat we may never return. 

Marty lives in Payson and he gave Winky and Kadizzle the lowdown on the Trump gang there.  The Trump strain runs strong here and they have not yet developed a vaccine. The variants are numerous.  You have the paranoid bunch, the Q Anon goofs, and of course the good Christians who hate everyone. 

Sailing the Rusty 1

Winky set sail with Kadizzle on the Rusty 1.  There is no sailing crew like Winky and Kadizzle.  Hope Winky does not read this.  Kadizzle could take anyone with any mental condition and successfully sail with them, but not Winky.  The trick is pretty simple, just do what Kadizzle says.  Stroupini, Kadizzle, and the owner of the old boat we used to own the Xanadu were racing the boat. The mainsail blew to shreds.  Stroupini and the boat owner thought the game was over and we were out of the race.  In a very strong wind Kadizzle told the other two crew members if they would just follow his instructions we could replace the mainsail with a spare that happened to be onboard.  Under very difficult circumstances they did as asked. The extra mainsail was hoisted and we managed to take second place. 

This type of cooperation does not happen when Winky and Kadizzle sail. Yesterday the wind was light, thank ya Jeesus.  After an uneventful sail we decided to return to the dock.  Since we were out a ways the motor was engaged.  The motor had recently been entirely submerged and may have had a little water in the system.  The motor conked out.  The Rusty 1 is a very delicate boat and easy to overturn as readers may know.  Winky was very nervous about sailing this delicate craft, but we did have to get back to the dock.  To make the dock a tack of the boat was needed.  The wind was picking up.  The good Captain Kadizzle gave the command to reset the Jib.  The Captain would have done just as well telling a Cat to fetch the newspaper.  Winky said no way would she set the sail. To maneuver the boat Kadizzle needed the headsail.  Ultimately this led to Winky pulling the sail down while Kadizzle was trying to pull it up.  Kadizzle prevailed the sail was set and the boat was sailed right up to the dock.  Kadizzle often imagines flying a plane with Winky.  Kadizzle would say put the wheels down, Winky would shout no, you will get them all dirty. 

A Day off

Friday is a day off for the trail crew.  What should we do? Winky will decide.  Yesterday Roberto and Kadizzle secured the bridge so it cannot float away again.  It was absolutely amazing that the North Dakota legislature threw out a Trump rat.  Perhaps there is hope.  Looks like a great day weather wise.  The foundation for our new home in Payson is taking shape.  May go up there for a peak today.  Since the whole trail crew has been vaccinated we are letting up a little on the mask.  

Back to the bridge.  To secure the bridge we had to drive devices called "duck bills" into the bottom of the canal.  Roberto said we needed to drive the duck bills into the ground with a jack hammer.  This meant Roberto and Kadizzle had to lug an electric jack hammer and a generator about two hundred yards down some steep steps and on down the trail to the bridge.  Driving the duck bill in meant using a steel rod about six feet long.  This task was insane.  That meant we had to also have a step ladder to stand on top of with the jack hammer.  What a recipe for disaster.  Fortunately the brain kicked in and we found a better way to do it. 

This winter we have been doing a lot of bird feeding. It seems to be costing as much to feed the birds as it does to feed us.  We have three suet feeds. The birds take about two days to go through a suet cake.  Then there are the humming birds.  They drink sugar water at an amazing pace.  The Jila Woodpeckers get in on the action to help deplete the supply.  In the process of filling the feeders Winky spilled sugar water all over my bike. 

Since it is Friday we may get to order out. Perhaps ribs, maybe a good burger, or even pizza.  

Move the Bridge Day

 Had a great hike in the Sierra Ancha Mountains yesterday.  Today the crew will assemble and try to move the bridge that floated away.  It will be an engineering feat.  Kadizzle has a plan.  One end of the bride will be supported by a large set of wheels on a device used to move welding tanks.  The other end the bridge will be fitted with wheels from a dumpster.  If all goes well the bridge will be tugged along with a hand winch back to it's home.  Surely there will be a lot of discussion, and people saying " That will not work".  In the end failure is not an option.  Five old people have moved some big trees off the trail, so we should be able to do this. 

Up in the Mountains

Today the crew will drive many miles into the Sierra Ancha Mountains.  The hike will be in an entirely different biosphere.  High in the mountains we may see elk.  The last trip indicated a lot of bear were in the area.  Kadizzle is going along to see a wonderful spring camping area the crew reported. 

Move the bridge

 Roberto showed up yesterday and asked if the trail crew would move a little bridge that washed away.  When the lake came up the canal filled with water.  The foot bridge spanned the canal.  The bridge floated about sixty feet from the path it was used on.  Moving the bridge will mean it has to be pushed, pulled, or hauled about sixty feet. It will be a mini engineering feet.  Kadizzle may go to the work center today to see what we can use to move the bridge. 

Bill said no more sailing for him after the Rusty 1 turned turtle.  However, Matt say he would love to learn to sail.  Matt is like a giant version of Bill with a little meat on the bones.  With Kadizzle and Matt in the w boat it may be a lot more delicate.  The weather needs to warm up a bit so we can get on the lake.  

In the background public radio is playing.  The subject is voter suppression.  Amazing how blatant the Republicans are about their racist ways.