Close call on the Apache Trail

This morning the trail crew needed an easy day so we set off to pick up garbage on the Apache Trail.  If you have been to Arizona you know the Apache Trail is where everyone in Phoenix takes their visitors to scare them and show them the splendor of AZ.  So down the trail we go. Kadizzle was driving and not paying close attention. Cliff said with emphasis " Stop a car went over back there".  When you go over on the Apache Trail you are usually dead.   Backing up there it was a care in the most precarious position down the side of a cliff.  Quickly we checked to see if anyone was hurt or inside.  The car was abandoned and locke.  How the person got out was a mystery. On the downhill side if you opened the door you would fall hundreds of feet.  All that kept the car on the edge of the cliff was a small tree.  Apparently the driver got out and someone drove for help with the driver.  Later we found this was the case.

So we spent the day picking up garbage that degenerates leave in the National Forest.  No doubt most degenerates are Trump voters.  They throw down their beer cans, cigarettes, and trash because this is their America. Of course we have to pick it up to make America Great again.  After a couple truckloads of garbage we were done for the day.  Part of our mission was picking up the televisions the degenerates shoot at.  Televisions are executed on a regular basis by the NRA loving degenerates.  If you live in Arizona and are a strong Republican that supports the NRA you must take your old TV out in the desert and shot it.  This will show you can defend yourself against programs you do not like.  NPR would be ideal to have on when you unload your glock on the TV.  Well we have to pick up the corpse of your old TV.  The brave gunmen are ready if a TV ever attacks them.

The itch starts

The end of the season is coming and soon it will be time to head back to the Dakota.  It is a transition we do every year.  Mrs. Kadizzle wants to stay here to the last moment.  Mr. Kadizzle thinks of all the stuff that needs to be done back at base to get the good ship ready to go in the water and so forth.  Had a great Jeep ride with John yesterday up the Two Bar Trail.  Moma Cheech is having a great time with Evie.  Now the professional worrier Mrs Kadizzle is going nuts because the water system may not be working for the Forest Service.  Mrs. Kadizzle always likes to panic way ahead of time. The picture above is from the hike up Sycamore Creek the other day.  Wonderful hike when the water is flowing.

The Adventure Club goes up the creek

Over the years the Kadizzles have made many friends as we travel the southwest.  Yesterday we got together with seven of our traveling friends and went up Sycamore Creek.  It was a great group adventure. Two four wheel drive trucks, and thankfully Cliff's jeep headed up the creek.  The road was terrible even by local standards. The trucks made it to the second creek crossing.  After assessing the crossing we made the right decision not to take the trucks.  Cliff blasted through with his jeep which he had stuck there in three or four feet of water a week earlier.   Cliff made it, but almost tipped over into the deep water.  Cliff's jeep will only seat two, so he had to have one in the passenger seat and two on the bumper as he ferried us up to the trail head.

Kadizzle did not think he would like the creek hike, but it turned out to be a very nice surprise.  The water falls were spectacular, and the hike along the creek was great.  The grade was nice and now our trail crew is thinking about going back and working on the trail.  The trail may be the ideal camp out project. Since there is water in the stream it will make it ideal.

Windy in the desert

All night the wind howled.  After a day of trail work some sleep was in order, but not always available.  Yesterday the crew worked up Cottonwood Canyon.  First we met two guys hiking the Arizona Trail . They told us to check them out on their blog The Dusty Camel.  Also they told us about a Japanese guy hiking behind them.  Soon as we drove the bulky Dodge up the terrible road we ran into the single Japanese man coming down the road.  He explained he spoke very poor English.  Kadizzle explained the shot cut to him that would take him more quickly to civilization.  It is great to see people using the trail we work so hard on.
We have some strong old geezers on our crew.  The two newest members Ken and Rita are both 69.  Kadizzle lags behind when Ken,Rita, Cliff, and Mrs. Kadizzle begin their blast off down the trail.  Kadizzle has been working on the tread of the trail removing boulders, stumbling rocks and fixing up the path.  The rest of the crew is doing brushing.  Not long into the day two horseback riders from the Two Bar ranch came up the trail looking for cattle.

Today is a day off and we may buzz into Globe and get some supplies.  The return of some good weather will be welcome.

Old Men

Three old guys, one already 70, and two pretty close blasted down the Salt River on the cycles and an ATV.  Some nice scenery resides along Lake Apache.   Chuck is new to these roads.  We decided to take a buzz up a side road and Chuck dug himself in deep with his cycle in the sand.  A minor problem, but a good lesson.

Today the plan is to do some more exploring. There are so many places to go and we always have the same problem.  If you come to this area, you have to plan to stay long enough to see everything.  This will be the problem with Stroupini. Like so many that have just retired Chuck cannot slow down and realize he has plenty of time.  People like the idea of schedules and commitments.  That is what you have to get over when you retire.

Entertain Stroupini

Later today Stroupini will show up from the Crazy Club.  The mission will be to host Stroupini.  One major problem the weather is going south.  Perhaps we can tour around in the truck. We could buzz up to four peaks, up into the Sierra Anka mountains, or if the rain is not actually falling we can do a level motorcycle buzz on the back jeep roads.

Housing Chuck will be a problem.  The Earth Module is really only suitable for sleeping two, but we can make the table into a bed for Stroupini.  Snoring is the devil.  Supposedly Chuck snores so Cliff wants no part of a snoring dog.  Kadizzles plan is to do a test snore on Chuck.  If Chuck sleeps in the Earth Module and snoring is not an issue, then maybe he can move in with Cliff.  If nothing else works Stroupini and sleep in his tent.  He does not seem to mind.

Finally they go the gate fixed to our gated community.  Now we have the status of pushing buttons to get in here.  The degenerates will have to work harder to rob us.

Cliff was a camp host so he knows everyone and their grandmother.  Yesterday we rode around with his Jeep and put the cackle on all his old buddies.  Cissie went on a hike up Barnhart Trail with Donna, so Kadizzle had a nice lazy day yesterday. Today Mrs. Kadizzle went to town with Cliff so more free time. Life is good a little sunshine would not hurt.

Little Men

Kadizzle has been obsessed with the fact that we now have an obviously insane man as president.  Trump lies, and lies, and lies.  The big irritation is the spineless Republicans who act like it is not happening.  Not a one of the spineless globs of jello will demand accountability.  So in about an hour Kadizzle will call the North Dakota offices of his representatives in Washington and ask why they ignore the continual lying inf the crazy man.  Yesterday the most amazing thing happened.  A Fox News commentator went nuts and spoke the truth.  This is absolutely amazing when Fox News attacks the lying president.

Stroupini Arrives

Chuck in his old pickup truck made it to our encampment yesterday from North Dakota.  Quickly we unloaded his cycle, and after Kadizzle retrieved the trail crew from up on the mountain Chuck and Kadizzle set out to test Stroupini's cycle skills.  We went up and down Mill's ridge with no problems and then tried the harder road over the mountain.  A little hesitant Stoupini made the first part OK.  Now it was time to see how he could handle the mean stuff.  Kadizzle figured he could try about 100 yards of the hard stuff.  Chuck immediately had a minor crash and it was evident we were not going over the mountain.  So now we know what roads we can go on.  Stoupini will return on Saturday and the fun will continue.

Today is a day off and the sun will be out and glorious. The rattlesnakes have made some appearances. Kenny picked up a dead one and saved the rattles.  So here we sit the lake is coming up and so is the sun.

Evie joins the Crew

The old Grandma is out on the trail with Cliff, Ken, and Rita.  Kadizzle and the crew tried to put up a sign, but the battery for the drill was dead, so Kadizzle hauled the crew up to Cottonwood Trail to hike back down. Kadizzle will pick them up around noon.  Stoupin should show up here any moment with his cycle in the back of his truck.  We will unload his Yamaha, and he will come back Saturday to begin some adventures. Stroupini will really love this area for hiking and riding.  

So up above is my new little buddy.  Cheech is so excited to have the little crum grinder. Grandpa cannot wait until she is old enough to play with Grandpa.  Two year olds are a bundle of fun. As a Granpa you have all the fun and no work.  Sam is getting the dad routine down.  Seeing little Evie looking around with those wonderful eyes is a buzz for Gramps.  Megan will have so much joy being a mom. 

Back in the Saddle

Yesterday we buzzed up past Peter Bigfoots and worked on the Revis Trail.  We have two new crew members Rita and Ken.  They are hard working and have spent many years doing trail work in Glacier Park.  Only Mrs. Kadizzle is younger than Kadizzle on the crew.  The older guys out work and out hike old Kadizzle.  Carrying Little Joey up and down the mountain is a job.  So it looks like we might go back up there an try to finish that trail today.  Too much soreness and Kadizzle is not looking forward to it.

Yesterday Darch rolled in. Darch is 72 and nuts about mountain biking. Darch and his friend intend to bike down the Arizona trail from Mills ridge.  This will be an amazing feat if he pulls it off.  That trail is mostly downhill, but steep and rocky.  The report at the end of the day will be interesting.

Darch and his gang are all Canadian. Canadians are amazed at the Trump insanity in this country.  So back to the morning update.

City Danger

Across the street is the little burrito place.  Forty steps to a fat boy burrito, or a few other Mexican treats.  Out the door, turn right 172 steps and you are at the self serve ice cream joint.  Pull the lever, have  them weigh it and gain weight.  Up the street turn left walk a block, excellent nice new eating place.  Go farther huge beer selection. Almost forgot, taco place has Mexican Coke in glass bottles.  Every direction mini bakeries, and little shops with goodies.  This is all about the danger of a fat man in a big city.

The Thai food went though Kadizzle like molten lave and three pounds were lost, but surely it is back by now.  Fresh bagels for breakfast, and it will be good pizza tonight.  Will the plane be able to lift Kadizzle off the ground and make Pennsylvania lighter, and Arizona heavier on Sunday?

Binging on TV

This has been the winter when the Kadizzles have been addicted to TV movies.  The series " The Americans", has consumed countless hours of our evening times.  In the Earth Module we watch it on CDs from Netflix.  At Megan's we can watch it on the streaming services.  The series is captivating.  The story is about two Russians that are slipped into the U.S. as spies. They play the role of a married couple and have children.  In the day time they run a travel agency.  At night they murder, spy, and do as the U.S.S. R demands.  Their children don't know they are spies, until the teenage daughter figures it out.  Now they may make her a spy.

At times we end up watching four or five episodes.  The series is set in the seventies and eighties.  Also we have partaken in "The Young Pope" another bizarre story on how the Catholic Church operates.

Snow is falling and CNN is blaring.  Trump has already told his daily lie.  Yesterday we did a brief tour of Philadelphia.  The household is revolving around the new grandchild.  Megan is so full of joy as a new mom.  Grandpa knew Megan would love the role of Mom.

Fighting to restore democracy

With my eagle named Trump vulture the Kadizzles walked about Philadelphia the birthplace of democracy.  A once proud nation is now ruled by a ego maniac, and we do what we can to fight the fight with words and deeds.  Trump Vulture is being trained to swoop down on orange wigs and reveal the brainless hole beneath.

Kadizzle Mansion.

This is an early photo of the mansion on Howard Hill where Kadizzle lived briefly in an apartment in his twenties.  The place has a very interesting history. The original owner had 5 million dollars back in the thirties. Imagine in today's dollars what that would be.

The picture above is the carriage house where the horses lived.  You can see the carriage house in the background in the picture above.

Make America Great

Walking the streets of Philadelphia it seems like making America great again is going to be a big job.  Sidewalks are a shambles. Trash is everywhere, and just about everyone has a weed hanging out their mouth. The dirt and disorganization seem like a virus.  The mass transit is outdated, and the buildings can hardly stand up straight.

What happens when you shovel all the money to a few and leave everyone else behind? Well the old "drain the swamp" Trumpster is going to fix all that.  He has one brilliant idea every day.  Yesterday he tweeted that any poll that disagrees with him is false news.  Wow, once more.  If only Kadizzle could have come home and told his parents the poor grades on his report card were false news.  Teachers are the enemy spreading false news.

Today old Kadizzle may go visit the battleship New Jersey.  Once Trump starts his war on terror it will surely be put back in service.

I wouuld rather be in Philadelphia

W.C. Fields was always a role model for Kadizzle.  "I lost the cork to my lunch" was one of his famous remarks. On his grave stone are the words " I would rather be in Philadelphia.  Well, that is where Kadizzle woke up.  Driving to Cheech's home seemed like an endless run through an America that is badly in need of some clean up and repair.  The East coast seems to be one industrialized mess from one end to the other. To make America great Donald Trump is going to need a big broom. The tranquil west looks pretty good after seeing so many people living in run down boxes here.

So now we have seen the new little Evie.  What an undertaking raising a child. It seems so long to get them to each more cumbersome and expensive stage, but what would we do without them?

Grandpa and Grandma will be servants in the house for a week or two.

Among the priviledged

Here the Kadizzles sit in the United Airlines lounge for people who cannot stand to be around the regular riffraff of the airport.  All the little goodies one can eat, TV watching, and that special feeling you get when you piss money away.  If all goes well we will be in the presence of Evie by days end.

The shock of cold reality hit when we stepped off the plane from Phoenix.  Lately we have been using Uber and the service is better than a cab.  The guy who picked us up last night from dinner said we were the second customers he has every had. The regular taxi guy who took us to the airport says Uber is illegal in Phoenix.  It sure would not be hard to catch them. You could just call and have them come to the police station.  Something is amiss in the kingdom.

Life is more fun now that the Trump circus is in full bloom. Lord Cheeto is doing his best to ruin the country as fast as he can, but after a week of destruction he needed a vacation.

Off To Philadelphia

Let the journey begin. The Kadizzles will start the process to meet the latest Kadizzlite. Cheech and her newborn are on the other side of the country.  From the peaceful tranquil mountains of Arizona we will first go through the insane urban sprawl of Phoenix.  The land were old people go to stay warm.  The land were people live in walled compounds for the elderly, concentration camps with shuffle boards and swimming pools. They concentrate on getting old. 

First to Denver, and then on to Philadelphia.  Never been there.  Kadizzle may take some fiberglass equipment to fix the crack in the liberty bell.