Biking in Tucson

 The Kadizzles are sitting in Tucson, AZ.  We are with a bunch of old friends from years of RV living.  Deb and Al bought a huge house next to the Catalina mountains.  Strangely they are not going to live in the house, but use it for a woodworking shop. They are going to keep living in their RV.  Kadizzle and Winky have been helping them build a fifteen thousand dollar steel fence around the home.  This morning we took a wonderful 13 mile bike ride through the desert.  Slowly many people we have met over the years are showing up and staying with us.  It is like a RV reunion.  We have been digging post holes for the new fence.  Al is a very good and artistic craftsman and the whole place will be transformed into a paradize.  Eventually he will have a miniature RV park behind their new home for all their friends.  It should be great we can invite people to Payson, Al and Deb will have accommodations in Tucson and life will be fun . 

Writhing in Pain

 Yesterday Kadizzle gave birth again.  People say men can experience the pain of giving birth by having a kidney stone.  By that measure Kadizzle has a big family.  Maybe five or six times Kadizzle has been cursed with an attack of a kidney stone.  Winky drove quickly to Globe with Kadizzle in great pain.  As luck would have it about half way there the pain subsided.  January 14 th is Winky's birthday.  There was a plan for a little pizza party.  Sadly the stone blew that plan apart.  At the emergency room the doctor suggested a cat scan.  The left kidney which has never caused much pain has multiple stones. They must be in a wall because they do not move or cause much pain. Now the right kidney is the one that acts like Trump.  It only has one stone, but it is an orany one.  It either moved to a new place or came out entirely, but anyway Kadizzle feels OK today.  Back in the old times kidney stones were called gleets.  Years ago Kadizzle passed a large gleet and could hear it hit in the toilet.  Curious he fished it out. One plan was to make a ring out of the gleet.  To educate himself Kadizzle looked at the gleet under a magnifier.  The gleet appeared to be a small diamond with razor blade edges all over.  It definitely looked like a mean little landmine.  For a grand finally Kadizzle crushed the gleet to see it turn into a sand like matter.  Hope you never get a gleet.  It feels like a knife being slowly pushed into you. 

The wild sailboat

 Sailing for Kadizzle has come full circle.  The Sovereign is gone and sorely missed that 34 foot boat was loyal and like a lost pet.  Now, Kadizzle has the Rusty 1.  The Rusty 1 is a little 14 ft daysailer.  The Rusty `1 has been a curse so far.  Towing it back from Cliff's it came off the trailer.  It had to be repaired. That is when Kadizzle met Rusty 1.  Rusty 1 was engaged to repair the boat.  Three months ago Rusty said he would have the boat fixed in two weeks.  Rusty is writing a manual on how to make excuses.  Yesterday Kadizzle went to pick up the little boat.  The boat does not like to be towed.  On the way home Kadizzle looked out the back window of the truck.  It seemed like the trailer was sitting low.  Sure enough the trailer came off the hitch and only the safety chains saved the day.  When Kadizzle first met Rusty 1 he explained his assistant was also named Rusty.  So Rusty said he is known as Rusty 1 and his helper is Rusty 2.  If you added them together you would not get Rusty 3.  If you are  lucky you get something less than one Rusty.  In honor of Rusty 1 the boat will take his name.  Originally Kadizzle agreed to pay Rusty 1 $450.  Magically that figure creeped up to $550.  Just in case Rusty every reads this there must be a disclaimer.  Rusty is a good guy with a good sense of humor.  Rusty could fit in any little town gas station or be dropped right into hillbilly heaven.  To hasten the job Kadizzle perpetually promised Rusty a case of beer.  The final payment included the beer. Sadly the dump truck load of beer cans in Rusty's yard is gone.  Someone came and recovered the aluminum, so Rusty must start again. 

Reeves Ranch Hike

The trail crew set off for a wonderful hike above Lake Apache.  Lake Apache is below Lake Roosevelt where we spend the winter. To get to the trailhead we had to drive the two Forest Service trucks up a narrow delicate road.  We reached a point where there was a lot of hesitation to go on.  The road was falling away and the narrow portion left was questionable.  Kadizzle got his truck across, but Ken left the other truck on the safe side.  The hikers went on foot for the last mile.  Kadizzle took the ebike on this hike and it was a wonderful bike trip. There were a few places the bike had to be pushed, but most of the trail was excellent.  On the trail high above the lake the scenery was amazing.  Kadizzle has been in some remote places and this one certainly was.  A few times Kadizzle has flown into Phoenix or Mesa over these mountains. The mountains are rugged and the vastness will surprize anyone. Each time we go into the wilderness we have a better appreciation for how huge it is.  Four miles was the distance in.  Cliff had his engine reved up and had to hike to the second pass.  The trail finally got to rocky and Kadizzle had to give up and return after four miles.  Riding an ebike means you have to watch the gas tank or more correctly the battery.  Kadizzle made the four miles with 61% left.  Seemed like it was time to go back.  Since most of the trip back was downhill Kadizzle made it to the trailhead and still had over 58%.

Now Kadizzle had to shuffle the trucks.  The first truck was about a mile down the road so Kadizzle took the bike down got the first truck, and then went back down to get the second truck farther down.  When the people on foot came back to the trailhead and found they did not have to walk an extra mile they were grateful.  We have a wonderful country and it is so important Trump does not sell it to the rich. 

Crumbling

 Crumbling, our country is crumbling.  Kadizzle is crumbling.  It seems evident the shock of the insurrection had no effect on the Hoopleheads.  KFYR radio yesterday was blasting absurd conspiracy theories.  Republicans still want to harvest the Hooplehead vote. If there is no accountability there is no law.  It appears Trump will walk away unharmed by his lies.  After Germany lost the war no one was going to fly a Nazi flag, but Kadizzle can drive down the road in Arizona and still see the sickening Trump paraphernalia. Fox News is still spinning lies.  What kind of shock does it take to awaken the Hoopleheads?  

Come Clean

Kadizzle and Winky now get their television via youtube. Yesterday we watched Meet the Press.  Pathetic is the word for Tuney, and Mulvany.  Both tried to say they had no clue Trump would get us to this point.  Republicans are back peddling and the simple minded will buy it.  Anyone with a functioning brain knew where this was going. Four years ago Kadizzle had a conversation with Republican neighbor Bob and said this will end in a train wreck. 

In North Dakota that sad worthless lickspittle Armstrong says we should not impleach.  Cramer and Hoeven are still setting up their weather stations to see which way the wind blows.  It will be an easy sell in North Dakota to smear over this insurrection. While the country is melting the Bismarck Tribune has not mentioned it on the front page.  Still stories about aunt Martha's quilts.  

Kadizzle asked to The Bismarck Tribune to ban together with all newspapers in North Dakota and demand the three stooges hold a press conference.  Make Cramer, Hoeven, and Armstrong answer some questions. 

Wandering to the executive suite

 On another clear crisp wonderful sunny morning Kadizzle wandered down to the executive suite for The National Association for the Advancement of Humanity. As he walked he thought of some old friends of many years ago. They abandoned Kadizzle as a friend because he refused to go along with the Republican agenda twenty years ago.  Kadizzle sent them an article written by Colin Powell. They said to Kadizzle " If you do not quit being so political, you will not have any friends".  Kadizzle replied " I can always get more friends, but I cannot get another soul".   Since that day we have had no relationship with our former friends. 

The mess we are in today did not just start with Trump.  This mess took off with Ronald Reagan.  Reagan promoted the idea that the poor were the enemy and giving the rich more money was the best solution. After Reagan the Republicans proceeded to use liars like Rush Limbaugh, they let Fox News become dominant.  Pretending like this is just a Trump problem is absurd.  

The friends we lost have apparently awakened.  They now realize their error.  Hopefully they realize the mess  they helped make and are now going to do good. 

National Headquarters new building starts.

 With faith in the future the Kadizzles committed to buying a new home in Payzon, AZ.  Yesterday we bought a lot.  If all goes well we will have a home with a view by September.  Housing prices are very high in Payson.  Payson has some elevation and is more livable than the lower elevations in Arizona.  The place will have a wonderful view of mountains all around.  Kadizzle was raised in the hills of West Virginia, and it is always nice to have a mountain nearby.  The flatness of the prairie wears one down.  Keep in mind Moses went up on the mountain to get the tables so Trump could break every rule.  Moses did not go out in a flat field.  

Since we are in the crumbling stage of life, the home will have wheelchair access, and all be on a single floor with no steps.  Seems a little strange to be building a home we may only be able to live in for a small portion of our life, but Winky like the mountain life in Arizona so here we go. 

Rampant Insanity

Someone grabbed the president slapped him around and told him here is a speech read it. Trump could not resist starting the speech with a lie. Trump said he immediately called the National Guard.  Then he went on to say more things he obviously did not believe. 

People's willingness to believe lies is incredible. It is fun to believe in Santa, it is comforting to believe in Jesus, but no one brings you presents down your chimney, and walking on water is not a technological possibility in the time of the Bible. 

For better or worse there is this think called reality, that is why there is whiskey, wine, and beer.  If you don't like reality have a drink, but don't just make up another reality and believe it.   That is what happens when you join the Republican Party. 

North Dakota Delegation

 

Cramer, Armstrong, and Hoeven paved the way for Trump. Add to that governor coward Doug Burgum.  North Dakota has become a shameful place run by oil companies and for the benifit of the rich.  KFYR radio and their little junior Trump, Scott Hennen broadcast lies as fast as they can tell them.  If you are a Republican and you are reading this call me. Kadizzle wants to tell you in person what he thinks of you. 

Don't associate with yourself

 Today in the mist of Trump insanity Kadizzle had a good conversation with Honest Omar.  In course of the conversation Kadizzle informed Omar that he was in a dangerous state of mind regarding the Republicans. Not only is Honest Omar the spiritual advisor to this blog, but he is also the provider of psychiatric advice.  Omar suggested Kadizzle not associate with himself.  This was an excellent suggestion. Kadizzle did want to associate with himself because himself planned to drink some wine. Omar approved. Himself is in a confused state of mind. Himself has been very tempted to call Republican friends and insist they repent. Kadizzle and Himself have been going around in circles. Not sure who is in control. Sometimes it is hard to sleep because Kadizzle and Himself argue. So tonight Kadizzle is going to give Himself a warning. 

Maybe the sun came up on a different planet

 Too good to be true if we get rid of McConnell.  Kadizzle called Republican headquarters in Bismarck to ask for their opinion on Trump's call to Georgia.  First the simple minded dolt that runs the place said he knew nothing about it.  Strangely got the same answer when Kadizzle called Cramer's office.  The guy in Bisma

rck said that if there was such a report it was fake news.  Kadizzle then told him of the tape.  Still did not happen in his cult world. Without finding out about the call at all the head of the Republican office in Bismarck shouted fake news.  Next he said he was a Christian. Kadizzle asked what kind of Christian supports Trump's adultery.  His immediate answer was " What about Clinton?"

Back here at the camp we have been watching a water bomber practicing right in front of us.  The plane drops down and scoops up water without even stopping.  

Everyone on the trail crew is now over 70.  Winky is the youngest at 71.  The five us us hustled up the mountain to scope out an old trail that has been abandoned. The top of the trail near the pass was treacherous and Rita made it with her broken are in a cast.  We had a lot of elevation gain in a short time.  The cats claw weeds were terrible and tore Kadizzle's pants to shreds.  Didn't do the skin a lot of good either.  When we made it up to the pass we did some scouting.  Kadizzle observed something strange way down in the valley.  On a knoll with not road or path leading to it appeared to be something like a silver colored metal.  It looked like someone had dropped a large cube of silver from a plane and parts of it had shattered off and were scattered about.  It was a long way off and Kadizzle was not going to hike any farther.  Someday will have to see what it is. 

If we get rid of Mitch today we will have to celebrate.  Hope will return, but if you were here you would be amazed at the number of Trump flags still flying. 

A New Level of Insanity.

 A second post for today, but it is necessary because Kadizzle awakened to a world that does not seem real. If you did not listen to the mafia boss pressuring the secretary of state in Georgia, you should. Trump is unquestionably mentally ill. Are we really living in a world where Trump is president? The cult has reached a new peak. Trump is encouraging right wing groups to show up in Washington.  Trump knows violence is likely. If you are a Republican reading this may god have mercy upon you.  Omar I am speaking about the god of probability.  I think that may be the one running the universe by throwing dice and randomly causing outcomes. As Kadizzle rights this Public Radio is playing Trump's recording. Trump tells the secretary of state " There is nothing wrong with recalculating. " or there is nothing wrong with cheating if you do it for Trump.  How, how could any human with an ounce of morality support the Republicans? If you are a Republican and you support Trump call me and explain how your mind works?

Living under a Rock

 The wheels on the truck spun over the sand as we headed toward the vast wilderness.  After we dismounted at the end of the road we headed up the sandy stream bed to find an Indian site.  Fighting the cats claw we finally got to the extremely large rocks.  As we got close Kadizzle found the first pot shard, and there under the rock were a lot of large pot shards.  Six hundred years ago natives were camping or living under this rock.  Most unusual were the markings on the ceiling. In this part of the world you do not find many pictographs.  However, this find had a good deal of them.  There were faded hand prints, the traditional spiraling circle and some that appeared to be distorted human figures.  Finding an Indian site you will never be the first one.  It is not impossible, but would be extremely rare. People have combed every inch of the planet.  At this site the pot shards were gathered together on top of a rock. That means others had been there before.  Once in awhile a person does come across a single pot or two that have been hidden somewhere.  It would be exciting.  Any decent person finding such a thing would leave it alone and report the finding to the proper people.  Hunting pot shards is a hobby Kadizzle enjoys.  One thing he has found is that shards are like gold they move downhill. If you find a small rivulet with a pot shard more than likely you can follow it uphill to an Indian ruin.  Well the sun is blasting over the campsite and the day will begin. 

Not Boring

 Almost every day we have happy hour.  The trail crew sits in the sun and has a beer, a glass of wine, or maybe a non alcoholic beer.  Sometimes Bill happens by and joins the gang. Bill is a classic. One great thing about our lifestyle are the people we meet.  The people who move about are interesting. They are not stuck in the mud knitters. Bill has done so many different things and is like so many around here, they do not hesitate to take off in a different direction.  Bill does not strike one as a cook, but somehow it came up in the conversation.  Kadizzle asked Bill how he became a cook.  Bill explained his sister ran a hotel and the cook quit.  Bill instantly became a cook for his sister.  Bill, like so many interesting people, has a long list of the different things he has done.  A lot of these people are divorced.  You can see why they just cannot settle down.  That also means we have met a lot of ex drinkers.  Bill lived in a tent for five years, was a machinist, did scuba diving, and of course wandered all over the country doing what ever happened to interest him.  Life is too short to spend all your time in one occupation or sitting in the same chair.  For some reason this makes me think of Darch.  Darch packed up sixty pounds of stuff and asked us to drive him out to the Ma Da Hey trail with his bike.  He biked 125 miles in some rugged country in the badlands by himself in three days.  Darch is 75.  There is an old lady in her 80 that we rafted with years ago. She is still taking raft trips down the colorado.  She raises money for the Sierra Club.  We asked Bill about Jim and his family. Jim volunteered here and had planned to go live on the beach in Mexico this year, but the virus ruined that plan. Jim and his wife homesteaded in a wonderful spot in British Columbia. 

Another Exploration

 Today Winky wants to go up Campaign Creek and look for some good Indian sites. Matt was up there rock climbing and found some neat stuff. Today we will drive in as far as we can and proceed. The best sites in modern times are the ones hard to get to.  This one fits that description.  With Ken and Rita we will hike up a sandy creek.  Ken like to read about local history and told the story yesterday about a massacre of Yavapai Indians in a place called skeleton cave.  Apparently the calvary chased the Yavapai up into an area where they hid in a cave. The Indian scout with the calvary knew where they were and at night the calvary surrounded the Indians.  When thy Yavapai refused to surrender the soldiers killed them all, men, women, children.  They left their bodies there and thus the name skeleton cave.  In the thirties local Indians went to the cave and retrieved the bones to properly bury the remains. 

Story About the Coal Fire

 Listen to the video below titled Coal Fire.  It is a beautiful song, and pay attention to the words.  A thousand years ago when Kadizzle first started his career in coal mine safety he drove through the town this song may have been written about in southern West Virginia.  The memory comes back so clear.  As Kadizzle drove into this small mining town he saw smoke coming up our of the cracks in the street. Smoke came up out of people yards. The whole town seemed like hell and the burning coal under the town made it smell like sulfur.  It was one of the strangest places Kadizzle has ever seen humans were willing to live.  The coal mine fires this song speaks of occurred in Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.  How this coal could burn and where it got the oxygen was mysterious.  Kadizzle remembers a famous incident of a coal fire that was in Pennsylvania. They tried every thing they could think of, but it just kept burning.  Hard to imagine living where every block had it's own little smoke plume coming from the ground day and night.  Few can imagine the destruction coal mining has wrought on the southern Appalachian mountains.  Worst of all are the people destroyed by the greed of the coal barons.  Nothing has changed.  Today we have Republicans happy to burn the Earth down to make a dollar. 

Coal Fire

Exploration

 Winky gets some strange notions, but one is we have to explore every inch of this five million acres where we spend the winter.  Today she wants to go up what she thinks is a canyon.  Tonto Creek obviously comes through a narrow passage before it enters Lake Roosevelt. The whole idea seems a little simple minded to Kadizzle, but it is like an itch that has to be scratched.  It may be a short lived adventure.  Another assault we have been working on is a trip to Nonsuch Rocks. Kadizzle did make it up there about a year ago, but there is more to see.  The problem is just getting close to the starting point.  You need a jeep, motorcycle or something that can take on bad roads.  Up by Peter Bigfoots there are also areas that need explored.  Matt went up there rock climbing and found some neat Indian stuff.  Matt said he found some petroglyphs which are very rare around here.  The mountainous desert if full of surprises, also full of thorns. 

Everyday becomes more depressing with the revelation of how many stupid people there are.  Trump lifted the rock and now seeing what is under it is frightening. 

 

Again

 Kadizzle has obsessions, and addictions like every other person on the planet.  One obsession is fighting the Republicans and everything they stand for.  So every chance Kadizzle gets to hammer one of the rodents he does.  Awakening today Kadizzle saw a familiar phenomenon.  A right winger accused Kadizzle of being unhappy.  This is something hard to understand.  For some reason people on the right think that if you criticise Trump, or any of his gang you are unhappy.  Most of the people on the right call criticism hate.  Often a right winger will say " Why are you so hateful?".   Imagine that you got in an argument with someone over the addition problem  2+2.  You argued the outcome was four.  They claimed it was five and asked you " Why are you so hateful?".   How do you answer someone like that?  Trump tries to destroy the country and rob the working class blind.  If you object, you are hateful.