Better things to do with my time...

I do think my body is just waking up to the fact that I am not riding my Trusty Triumph across America, and I feel just fine today. Both my credit card statements are here and I didn't do as badly on cost as I had feared, certainly could have saved a dollar or two more but not enough to worry over.

So I have unpacked the M1 Garand, and am off to the range for some quality time on target. This old man knows how to have a good time. Don't you know I wish I could be watching the Juniors, ROTC Rifle Teams and all the others at Camp Perry compete? It would be good just to go and listen to them and be in awe of their rifles and how well they handle them. Remembering some un-informed (clueless) commenter "the military got away from using slings" - probably never in the military, and certainly doesn't really know much about aimed fire. The folks at Camp Perry do, and will be using slings, shooting jackets and many strange items that the military (unless they are on the Marksmanship Teams) got away from. But then I don't know very much, I tried talking to my brother and his point of view isn't mine and doesn't change until he wants to, which is what Liberty is all about. Take care out there, and make every shot count.


LATER!

Welll, I put my M1 together on the range, shot five rounds to find my zero, moved my sights in correction based on inches, minutes and clicks - lovely military sights. Shot a clip to prove I was right on, I was using the 50 ft small bore rifle target at 25 yards, with no 22LR rule. Happy I posted another target on the 100 yard line, a 100 yard small bore rifle target - my rifle doesn't care. Clip one, four inside the ten, three on the nine and one flyer (I called it, just couldn't call it back) on the seven ring, sigh. Then I did the second clip and we won't talk about it since it wasn't up to the first clip, one miss, one six all others in the black but I need more practice. Next week I will go for 100 yards standing and 200 yards sitting, it will be good. One day I will get out to six hundred at that range, when they go for long distance. Only competing against myself, I am the only one impressed, when it is right it is so right.

Fellow shooter advised me not to take my M1 apart nor clean it while competing, and I explained the breakdown case and the motorcycle. He asked if Deals Gap was that good, and I got to wax eloquent. He said he might try it in his sports car, and I said that others were doing that when I rode it. Can always find someone to talk to in the library, church coffee and at the range - the television is never on nor there.

The New York Times finally notices something I do...

and gets it wrong, but they did notice. Did they do it because it gives substance to their fears of an armed independent American, one not ruled by laws no one reads nor comment from the experts in Main Stream Media (the NYT?).

My sister and Thirdpower sent me links to the article by the New York Times to be in print form on Sunday, Appleseed, A version of this article appeared in print on August 1, 2010, on page MM38 of the Sunday Magazine.

Look at the pictures, the video, and then remember that the writer has a reason for his word choice, the way he lays out his thoughts and reports and questions to lead you to his conclusions, mostly murky and fearful. I am going to be instructing at an Appleseed tomorrow, and my little profile blog blurb about me and rifle shooting in Junior High Rifle Club in the high school, and wanting to get those clubs back into the schools stands firm. I spent many years in the United States military, and never taught anyone to shoot as well as I do now, when you have artillery and bombs from above it wasn't thought necessary. But I already know that satisfaction of placing a shot on target, small little targets far away.

Then there is the History of 19 April, 1775 the day the Regulars came out and the people stood up, and marched to confront and confound them. The day that should be engraved on the hearts of Americans, President Clinton didn't even know nor care about the date - he thinks about cultural shifts of values in America - I know mine happened after I served my tour in Vietnam, when did his happen?

Well, I could pull apart his article for the manner of presentation. I did earn my Rifleman Patch in Monroe, WA at the range of Mr. Faire, it was a nice range and operation, you can see pictures of the strange future militia in the girl with the pink rifle. Just look at the Monroe, WA Appleseed links on the left. He no longer is with us, and the range is very closed. And I am certain that the Tea Party and Appleseed have no common ground except a dissatisfaction with the America of our nightmares. Having come back from seeing the real beauty of the Americans and our country - not filtered by media or so-called entertainment - I have no trouble teaching more people to shoot to 4 Minutes of Angle and telling the story of April 19, 1775 and small dairy towns in New England.

Remember, your life begins a new daily, Trust in God, love life and all those good folks around you and you will never have to read the New York Times for their opinion about it, you will know and be smiling.

I am on a homework assignment...

Tie up the tomatoes, finish tightening the fence, water the backyard. Okay, I am done, I got light headed too many times. Decided that it is just time to pack it away, my wife gets more done when I am. Bye.

Passing thoughts on Gun Control and its effects...

From thinking about the position of reasonable men and gun control points.

A lot of us aren't anti-gun, just feel that there is a practical limit on how powerful a weapon that a neighbor should be able to own. Should I be allowed to build a nuke of any kind in my basement without government interference? If not, then we agree there needs to be a limit. We probably won't agree on where it should be. I don't think civilians should have access to full automatic weapons.... I'm also not afraid of the government coming to take guns. (Or invade my house.)....
lifted from a family member's thoughts

Actually, there is no limit on your neighbor's weapons, or the ones in your home if the government isn't coming in to inspect and collect all those that are too big.

More governments have been overturned in the Twentieth Century by their own armed forces than populations, more elected or selected leaders have taken their nation and armed forces into unlawful and terrible times than have armed law abiding populations.

I would be more convinced of the tender thoughtfulness of nations that don't buy nukes, threaten their neighbors with nukes, nor seem to want to have the only nukes in town. Suitcase nukes are possible, but then suicide bombers don't need nukes to kill thousands do they? and not one person I know thinks building bombs for terrorizing the neighbors is a good thing - I am almost sure they are illegal, so why hasn't the government been able to stop their production?

But in the end - nothing the government does to prevent the spread of nukes has worked, will work and it doesn't promote peace - we have been at war too long since the last time we dropped nuclear weapons. Maybe not nuclear war but the list of dead in Southeast Asia since 1945 is nothing to ignore.

So how does that equate to wanting to make sure your neighbor doesn't have an automatic submachine gun? You won't know he has it until he uses it wrongly. If he has been paying his tax, he could have three or four - they aren't illegal, just need to have a Federal Tax paid. May be no new ones issued, but I know there are neighbors that own some.

The laws that work are the ones that punish the criminal for using a weapon in commission of a crime, those are the ones that make a criminal think before acting. If he fears enough to use a firearm in the commission of a crime no law on the books anywhere is going to stop his getting and using a weapon. You can't own firearms in Mexico I understand, but most homes have military rifles issued by the government in Switzerland. Which country has large armed gangs, massive drug problems and is a really poor place to raise a family? It is not what size or type of weapon your neighbor has, it is more important what kind of a kind neighbor he is... and our government can't guarantee that either.

They are looking for a Library Board member, me?

Pierce County is looking for Library Board Members, no pay, but applications in by the 25th of August. Yes, I will look into it, gives me some place to wear a tie.

I did exercise a little more, jog the same gently - but the breathing is coming back. I have finished my cleaning of the Trusty Triumph today, will take it for servicing tomorrow. I did add a couple of pounds of air pressure to the rear tire, I did clean and grease the chain.

Thirdpower of Days of our Trailers linked his Appleseed blog posts on the After Action Report on the Appleseed forum. Like to think I got him to do that, write the posts and take the pictures - but it is all on him, he even found a local Appleseed to go to. So how do I motivate all the other gun blogging types out there to attend, take pictures and write about it? I am not pushy enough, but will work on some ideas. We need more shooters, safe and sane ones, because outnumbering them as is agin' us, is the only way to make them feel lost and alone. Until they convert by coming to an Appleseed.

Now that is an idea, y'all could invite you local anti-gunner to an Appleseed, to see safe, sane shooting being enjoyed by all ages and genders... nah, you would have to provide ammo and rifle, sigh. How to convert the heathen, the unbelievers, the know-it-all but know-it-wrongly's?

Just coolin' out today...

I once gave lots of advice to my nephews and nieces, profound thoughts about my life experiences and the future. Thinking today, I realized all the best advice is in the Holy Bible, but one has to read and study it. That could take a whole lifetime. My personal advice wasn't wrong, but very general and certainly not exposing any living people to being held up as an example of good or bad. One can only prepare for the future one wants, or expects and then finds out that might not be the future one is living in, years later. Do the best you can for all the best of reasons, because you love.

That was my sermon for today, I am in rest mode, they are charging money to go to the park - and I wondered who decided that was a good idea, not me. I am finishing John Ringo's re-entry into my little world of space combat (Eye of the Storm), his super agent with strange sexual desires drove me away... which was a good place to be. Jazz on the stereo, and the televisiion hasn't been on all day.

Take it easy and see you in the morning...

Motorcycling is great, and I thought I should run every day while on my trip, and I didn't. I was correct, I should have jogged or walked daily, since the only motorcycling today is washing the bike I did do a few reps of exercises to see if the body remembered how (barely). Then after the morning coffee and gruel I put on shorts and sunscreen and a cap - the Hawaiian special and gently jogged down the road. I look like such an old man, started at nine, if I waited to long it would be too hot later, eighty plus is promised. The pack of grey hounds barked at me, but I was going too slow to be worth a chase. Felt good to be moving, and there wasn't a limp that I could detect, but I was breathing hard, really breathing hard -- is it a sign that one should never stop good habits. In forty-six minutes I was finished and walking the cool down. Still breathing deep, but I recovered quickly. Will keep working on it.

The Score and the Price, thoughts about this trip...

Last December the idea bubbled that I should see my mother, ride my motorcycle to do so, and attend a Known Distance Clinic in Ramseur, North Carolina. Since I was about to lose my job I would have the time. Such a simple idea.

So now I need to look at what happened and total the adventure.

I planned on being back by the 30th of July, leaving on the day after Father's Day.
I got back on 22 July, and departed on 21 June --- total of 34 days, one shy of five weeks, I thought six.

I thought I would do about six thousand miles at most, forgetting how many turns there were at Deals Gap (when I started I hadn't really planned on the Dragons Tail, but thought it could be cool). Starting mileage 17736.7 and ending yesterday 26837.9 total covered 9101.2 miles - it is time for a major service on the Trusty Triumph, a service half way would have been a better idea. Triumphs can hang.

Important stuff:
I did see my mother, several days in a row, enjoyed every minute of it.
I did visit my aunt Velva in Minnesota, from lunch to dinner, enjoyed her as always.
I did see my aunt Irene in Florida, liked giving her a hug as I departed.
I visited cousin Cliff and Linda in Illinois, cousin Daryl in Florida, and Cousin Merl and Marsha in Tennessee. Sorry about the missing ride, will unload the bike next time and wait at the end of the gravel drive. Did talk to cousin Ron in Hawai'i while visiting Daryl.
Visited and stayed with my sister Nanette in North Carolina, seeing John and Shane. Missed you Darinlee, sorry but only had so much time.
Visited and stayed with my niece Paula in Florida, seeing Dan and Joy (my sister) and loving the boys Perrin, Caleb and Garrett - such marvels - what will they become?
Visited and stayed with Noah, Jamie and two fine black cats in Colorado. Nice seeing Barbara and Gloria and dining with everyone Mexican there.

RWVA Stuff: as an instructor attended one day of the Spearfish, SD Appleseed, very neat and attended both days of the Saint Augustine, FL Appleseed and my first taste of Long Distance instruction. Attended as a student at the feet of masters the two day clinic at Ramseur, North Carolina for Known Distance, Long Distance and Actual Distance instruction and modifications to the POI. Thanks to Mrs. "Spanner" I got to shoot an M1 Garand on the range, out to five hundred yards, and that is something I will be adding to my things to do better and much more often. Great to meet "Bulkhead" and everyone at the range and the clinic. I got a special "Triumph Across America Tour" coffee cup there and a mission to get the bloggers to the Appleseeds to find out and report on the event and help swell the momentum.

Blogger stuff: Just as a "for grins", I thought I could find some of these bloggers I read daily or have heard about and read periodically - I didn't expect that I could but I kind of looked some of them up (some only exist in the blogsphere or my mind). I met so many great ones, spending time and enjoying them twice or more as much as my reading their thoughts and notes. Real wonderful people, having met their like at the Boomershoot Blog media event in 2009, why would I think it would be different in 2010?

Cool Motorcycling stuff: Two days around Yellowstone National Park on motorcycles with my brother and nephew - too beautiful and racy. Beartooth Ridge ride out, awesome for all the best reasons. Deals Gap, Tail of the Dragon - yes, 318 turns and twists in 11 miles, but the ride to and from is not to be missed either - that is great country for a meaningful Summer ride. Do pay attention. Oh, yeah, next time count the number of Rest Stop picnic tables and benches slept upon while recovering from the frantic Interstate pace - only in Utah were people traveling the speed limits, does that tell me something? I prefer the benches to the picnic tables - when sleeping on the picnic tables I often imagined what it was like to be the next offering to angry Aztec gods... sharp obsidian blades and dedicated priestly butchers.

Lost along the way: One pair of leather work gloves in Thorton, along with the Hawaiian sandals I never wore much, two bungi straps. The rightside cover with America on it (be cool if it was added to the Tree of Shame, but I probably lost it at a rest stop take off later). Interest in network news, political leaders from all parties, talking heads, and commercial enterprise opportunities on television ads. Hmm, didn't watch much television at all - even when trapped in a motel room (where I showered and went immediately to sleep). My innocence of the terrible danger of fire ants when sleeping on the ground in the hot South.

The biggest question I had to answer - almost universally by other bloggers and family members that read my Facebook or blog. What is Appleseed? Which immediately makes me think I don't write well, and starts my explanation of Fred, the 4 MOA and people and events of April 19, 1775. And I didn't mind it any time I was asked, but does tell me that out of 300 million Americans I have my work cut out for me.

Too early to decide all the stuff I gained from this experience - having met Noah and Jamie away from their wedding and one on one was great. But I will think about all that again, daily as I start to find myself. My wife changed the fixtures in the bathrooms, cleaned everything (yes, everything!), slept on the floor in the family room, with whistle and flash light and very lightly (I shouldn't leave her with her fears so long again, she was still watching television news and talking about the constant lawlessness in this part of the world). Rumor has it that we need each other, and don't do our best apart. Yep, very true. The only reason to speed across the United States was to get back to my normal best behavior... or a job (and that wasn't happening, yet).

Would I do it again, NOPE, impossible to repeat the best stuff and there was so much of it. Would I do it different - better planning, lighter load, and errant thoughts race by - and still in the end, from weather (bad in front of me or behind) to who do you see now (and so much not planned) worked out like I was being watched over and guided to the right spot at just the right time - totally out of my control but much appreciated.

It is on the list of things to do now I am home - Thank you all that made this a great adventure, who hosted me beyond possibility of repayment, who didn't cringe when I showed up on the doorstep, and all those who didn't try to wake me up and get me to move on out of the Rest stops. Really, the America I believe in was all there for my benefit and I am so grateful. Y'all take care out there - it is safer, I am temporarily off the road.

Happiness and I owe it all to gaggling women..

Ladies you are entirely under appreciated. Today I was worn out, too long on the road and eager for a hot shower and computer time alone... But seven or eight of you were swamping the one desk clerk, and I figured a convention was in town, so I wandered to find the men's room and return. When I came back with my hair slicked down, two bare chested and bare footed boys had joined the line waiting on the one clerk. A mention of seven cancellations made my mind up. I was back on the bike, knowing some motel down the road would have a space for one.

I was wrong, but the trip was great, Highway 12 over the Cascades, White Pass (Ski Resort) and the location I made my nightly call to my wife, at seven I was there, and with some serious but beautiful riding in an hour I was in Morton fueling up for the last part of the trip, fifty-seven miles to my home. Now the best ride for serious leaning riders in Western Washington awaited me, but then I have done it before a time or two - not totally new like Deals Gap had been. But I got to daydreaming on one turn and should be ashamed, I know better. I had to stop, and did, then start it up and get around that turn and back into the groove, paying attention to each as they came up, they are different. Still light when I cooly rode the Trusty Triumph up the street - it all looked better colored, sharper than what I had remembered. My yard is great, I haven't been missed.

Home, coffee smell, sound of laughter, and this is the best night of this month, and I have had some great ones, thank the Lord.

Missed my first buck last night...

Yeah, in Utah, about a future six pointed velveted antlered buck tried to cross the road but wasn't waiting on the light. And he spooked at my headlight and went back to the brush.

I have arrived in Oregon, but still on Mountain Time, I have to go up the road to get some more time for the journey - don't have any energy but I am closer all the time. Sprinklers in Idaho woke me from one of my more pleasant naps, suddenly at two in the morning, sigh. Lots of road construction to slow everyone down, but boy the roads they have finished are really nice.

Got to go, Oregon has a public station at the welcome center - and free coffee. I am really happy, I am close enough to home to not need a map. A nap yes, but not a map. Well, I do thank the fine folks of Oregon for the chance to notify my waiting public. Well, I can dream can't I?

Remember me... hold this place til I get back...

Amatuers

The score and the price

Summer Vacations should be

Finally got it right....

Okay, seemed like any other day, except the clouds got darker, the air smelled of rain, and it was getting cooler. So I stopped and put my rain suit on, figuring if it didn't rain it would still be warmer than I had been without the suit. This is the first time I was ready for riding in some real rain, and Kansas didn't disappoint. The Trusty Triumph didn't mind it at all, the bugs were washed completely off the windshield and we roared on through the rain. My good luck wasn't to be forever, but it had been long enough.

I am in Denver, departing for the Great Northwest tomorrow - I must be homesick or driven. The lightning is crackling above my head and some fool with a loud bass passes by in competition, not a chance.

Later, I am reported missing, by text, found by Jamie on her doorstep. Invited in and shown the home with the two giant black cats looking me over. One seems crazy and one seems meanly untouchable, but they are a pair and it is their home not mine. I found a voice mail from my brother with his cell phone number, I listen twice, memorize it and call him, he organizes a joint expedition to dine, I like Mexican and they do have a favorite place. The waiter keeps wanting to give me tequilla but I only want black coffee. No one in the country lives on it like we do in the Great Northwest (homesick blues). The food is fine, we discuss demolition derbies - Jamie's family is into them as a pit crew and drivers. I borrow Barbara's something that looks like a shrunken computer to call my wife for our nightly digital date - I was warned not to touch the screen with my ear since it would turn it off (my BIG ear?).

I have lost a couple of time zones on the zooming West, the faster I go the more disorientation - if you ever travel the speed of light, think of the light zones of time you will be wiping out - you won't know where you are, without your ipod. Thinking of speed, I haven't been slowed down by any law enforcement - been passed by quite a few. I haven't been checked by any TSA folks either, but although I am totally dangerous in my mind - I am one of the Good Guys (The Road). If you want to be the Belle or Beau of the Ball, you must walk or Walz, the only pace of civilized society. Now you can understand why most of us aren't either and we get so much of nowhere so fast.

Discussion ended with my breakfast plans, everyone works but my brother agreed to get up early, lead me to an Egg place and then out of town to EXPRESS way NW or some such. I did find Thorton, CO - I think I can make it home, honest. The GPS is in the Caravan waiting my return.

Running the Ride into the next day....

Left Indianapolis about six EDST and headed down I70, rode throught Illinois the same way, then Missouri and ended up in Kansas. I am on Central Time now, expect to get to Denver tomorrow and will look up some addresses when I wake from settling into a short Summer's snooze. I did put together a list of my desires last night as I rode, promptly forgetting it when resting on picnic benches and tables. Just down the road again... and again.. and again.

started on 21 June, today is 19 July that is 30 days on this trip
started with 17736.7 miles today it is 25055.5 miles --- that is 7318.8 miles and more to go...

Can't stop being Earl but today I will try to be better...

I make choices and ride to visit Indiana, to see someone that I couldn't on the ride East, he was out of town in Winston-Salem, NC (where I would be later). The choice opened up an opportunity to meet some blogworldfamous people - more of those folks one wished one knew better, okay, I can handle church in Indiana, didn't bring any Sunday go to Meeting, but my wife was happy I was going to stop long enough. But to be around famous folks, hmm. Too far away to sink into my computer cave, I will have to stand up, say hello, listen carefully to the name - try to keep from it immediately sinking into the errant thoughts trying to boil up, link it to something I have read, thought or the actually human body in front of me... didn't I love being a wall flower when I had social functions as a teen? yeah, but I am now older and know I won't be remembered tomorrow by too many.

Ah, well, the adventure is in how much better the world and its people are than the script writer in my mind has written. That guy doesn't get out enough.

Speaking of getting out enough, the Trusty Triumph gets loaded out after church, thunder storms are around waiting, and I dress to ride hard and fast west from Indianapolis, Colorado is the next stop for people to visit, say hello and maybe catch up on my blog reading - which is difficult on the highway at seventy or so. I do want to get home and see that woman I haven't been talking to enough, and I will have to keep the rubber side down and the mind engaged as I ride, safety counts, not all those highway traffic laws but the things I do to make sure I only downshift into a smooth stop, into neutral, one foot on the ground, put the kick stand down, take hands off the throttle and breath, open face shield and take helmet off. Stand up.

What actually happened:(this is my story and I'm adding to it.)

Cathy James made sure I had more than coffee for breakfast, she makes the best oatmeal walnut cookies. I helped (well, I was there) Frank W James harvest some sweet corn for the blog meet later. The raccoons had been there last night helping themselves so it must be good. Clean up and off to church. A very nice little church in the woods, non denominational, and very welcoming. I do wonder if I am often too much of a recluse to enjoy human company, but then when I am welcomed as well as I was there I have to rejoin the better part of the human race. They gave me a gift bag and added a pray for travel mercies for the rest of my journey on the Trusty Triumph. Communion and the singing of God Save America, which the rest of you are using 'Bless' America. Interesting change in viewpoint. I talked a bit with the pastor and another old motorcycler that has done some long distance runs.

Back to the farm to pick up vehicles and food for and afternoon get together with one of their closest neighbors, just down the road. Again, I was warmly welcomed, met two of the sons of the man, Frank calls his brother (having been friends, farmed together and raised children in partnership so successfully). I had sweet tea and listened and watched and enjoyed seeing more of that really good stuff our politicians don't trust, because they don't understand it? But we had to hit the road to Indianapolis for the blog meet (like one of those dreams come true, don't pinch me I might wake up). Frank led me on a merry race in the light rain that came out of no where, faster than the storm drains could carry it off.

As we approached Broad Ripple (the place really does exist - everything Tam had said about her neighborhood was right there - yuppie bicyclists and all) it seemed to me that people just tried to get enough rain in an area so I wouldn't feel homesick - but to me, this was not a Great Northwestern rain - just no weight and not hanging around for weeks of weary.

I parked, left my helmet in the no rain catching position on the fuel tank, and strolled over to the pub for pictures, and some coffee and watching the real bloggers gather - (I have found a comment from Ky Woman saying I should have stopped, but I had no idea that the name meant she lived somewhere on my travel route, I might have tried). I tried to hide in the corner and watch, but I was approached and welcomed by bloggers I have been reading for years and they are more of the ones I am counting on to fix the country. I couldn't meet everyone, and many had no idea who I was. Caleb was there, looking good and when at first we were trying to find out where the missing members were, he called several numbers - the missing ones were inside waiting on other missing members (those of us under the porch roof). He had copies of the current Concealed Carry magazine, and he signed his article and Tam signed hers and they passed them out. Movers and shakers, I didn't have good rainproof storage left so I passed, but will have to find and read those, if they wrote them they are the expert testimony to whatever the gun carrying public needs to consider. I am not going to name drop, the only reason I mentioned Caleb was because he is really active in promoting handguns and shooting, currently a television star of Top Shot (okay he ended up eliminated, but they never even asked me), and I had talked to him long ago on his blog radio show. There was one personality I didn't get to meet that I was sure I know personally, but don't -- Barkley wasn't there, but it was so much better than I could have written that script - my life usually is, I have been blessed. I helped pass out the sweet corn, and it all was picked up by the bloggers (I was the guy leaning on the side of the truck trying to be cool, helped?). Said good bye to all them, mounted the Trusty Triumph and toured Indianapolis until I ran into I70 going west. I was smiling the whole time.

What is it that you do?

I was found sleeping beside the Trusty Triumph this morning on a large rock by the truck parking lot at McDonalds, by Frank W. James, and he had breakfast and we talked and he showed me his West Farm, the East one and the lovely home he has with his wife. He carefully explained that he is a farmer - and it rings true, his passion for growing crops and taking care of his family all centers on that balance - he is a farmer. Now, I did walk around and find his personal range - right beside his home, with some interesting targets, and long range potentials (when the corn has been cut and harvested) out to six hundred meters. And he showed me some of his tools - from the various tractors, combine and other machines for a one man operation of the beans and the corn he does every year. Read his blog and listen, he has explained most of it before - he is a farmer.

I say read his blog, because he is a writer, too. Really, he gets paid for it, has written books, had the published and is writing more. One of his tools to help him farm is how he uses the writing to strengthen his yield, and the position of farmers that are working hard, to feed a world that no longer understands the process of getting food to the grocery store shelf.

Well, I was introduced to his favorite hog killer systems, awed by the low vision stuff, his tales of how he has used it, what works and what doesn't. This is a very interesting man, family, history and heritage - and more than nice enough that he and his wife, Cathy, have opened their home to me and their lives. There are real people out there writing their blogs, not everything on the internet is just an avatar imitation of reality. And as I have always held, there are many more really good people in the world than bad - so don't give up hope, we will find you - you are not alone.

Tree of Shame...

At Deals Gap is this tree with pieces of motorcycles that didn't make the run successfully, but I didn't understand why, the speed limit is 30 mph, and Americans would only exceed that by five mph, right? But I was too busy to do much except stay up and lean in and roll on, it was a great ride. I did get photographed by three different services, one woman I waved at, I hope she caught that, but I haven't got time to check yet. They weren't ready to view yesterday. Well, good night and say some prayers for better things in the world, whatever your concerns - unlike politicians God doesn't have to buy votes to get elected, so He does all that He needs for love. Take care out there.

When I get real tired call it wiped out...

I didn't write about the Tail of the Dragon! I rode it, I took pictures. And for all the talk about it while at Yellowstone Park, June 22-24, it was closed for clearing out a landslide or something. There was one of those electronic highway warning signs saying it was now open. So I looked at my Google map, found a local tourist information rest stop and picked up some cool maps and rode into the Appliachian mountains. Until I got to the Deals Gap Motorcycle Resort area, I thought I had already gotten on it. But no, it was still just ahead of me and then I crossed the stateline and it began. A real great place to learn to pay attention and wear ones love of leaning out... WOW! Even laying it down after I took off my leathers (of course) didn't make me want to stop, I was stopped when it lay over, gravel under the tires. Trusty Triumph and I are just fine, and I was sure I had written something up at McDonalds about it, but only find the Facebook stuff. So. just another marker on my trip, I have to look up Wolcott, Indiana, Denver Colorado and it would be cool to know where a truck driving farmer was on the Interstate while I cross the country - but it is time for coffee and definitely time for home, I have been asked to come to an Appleseed in Castle Rock,WA July 31- August 1, and rumor has it I can sleep better at home than on picnic benches at highway rest stops. Could be right.

I don't say good-bye well...

Partly in denial, like if I don't say good-bye I will see everyone again. A young lady chased after me to say good-bye and I did realize the sneaking off isn't any form of good form, and always bad manners. Doesn't change my attitude about saying good-bye. Okay, I am giving hugs and a warm good-bye to my aunts and mother - they deserve my best and I might not be back soon enough.

I have some great times with my niece's family - possibly because I remember playing with the neice when she was so young, between my adventures in foreign parts. The boys are loud, move fast and still willing to share, and being boys always testing the limits of their parents and other adults. I did play chess, I did play PayDay (never before), I was also a very good cabin builder with Lincoln logs (a couple pieces borrowed from Caleb) and I helped move them back into their storage box for evening clean up. I sat and watched the struggle over dinners, which were always wonderful food met by resistant to good stuff boys. I was always eating very well and had nothing to offer except that the food was great and plenty - especially with the boys not sharing - wait till they become teenage gobbling maniacs.

I got to watch Prince Caspian with them, a special treat, television isn't a daily staple - books are. I had the most fun with them reading books to them, including Garrett that is approaching two. The two older boys brought me Yertel the Turtle by Doctor Suess, and I read four more of his fine works - out loud and in cadence (he wasn't the first rapper was he?) and I had a great audience - absolutely still and engrossed. Too cool, should happen more in my life.

Still, when it came time to pack out this morning, I was encouraged to stay by Caleb, he wasn't done finding out what I was good for in his life. Nice, he will have to learn how to write and I will reply and tell him. I once wrote to his mother when she had time to ask.

Today's ride was unremarkable except someone tried to untie my stuff and I didn't catch the person nor the lose bungi cords - so my load shifted, fell off and I had to stop and repack, one boot has a hole in it, and the dirty clothes bag is frayed, although the clothes are just a little more dirty. I am in North Carolina, looking at going into the mountains for the 129 experience then on to Knoxville.

Rest day, no adventures today...

I did wash the Trusty Triumph, and it looks fine, shining in the Sun. I put my hand down to support my cleaning of the rear wheel, and it was put onto a fire ant nest, sigh. OUCH! and bitter biter thoughts. I washed and brushed off the little demons quickly. It did not make me happy. If one wanted to make a real monster film make them larger and meaner and everywhere the Sun shines.

I've had two naps today. I am sleepy because I am infected with the lazy grasshopper virus from the fire ants, or I am without stress and rest takes over. Outside the streets are molten, the white concrete driveway is cooler. I highlighted the route I have ridden so far, wrote an email to my next human contact after leaving here - I could pretend all others are just avatars on my journey. Well, I will have a couple of thousand miles to ride, I leave here on the 14th and I want to go home, only three scheduled stops, no more Appleseeds to visit or work that I know about, I do have to call Hawaii this evening.

There is pressure from the RWVA leadership to double and tripple our membership and the number of Appleseeds. Like building anything, the pressure from above takes the best stuff away from the experience. I like to instruct marksmanship, build new instructors, and tell the story of our Revolutionary Heritage. I don't have many years left, so I don't ask how many people have joined the RWVA or how many Appleseeds I have worked and how many Riflemen I have given a patch to... I am only working on the base - American Riflemen that know and appreciate their heritage. I expect that they will be the ones that will save the sinking American ship, it won't be the ones sitting in recliners soaking up Main Stream News, or the ones waiting for a Savior (that one has already happened) or a good and wise King. I think the leadership needs to work on more of all they hold dear, but don't tell me how you measure success. I measure it one shooter at a time, just like firing the shot, you can only affect the shot you are taking, not the potential ones on another target. Just the one you are taking.

Such fast moving adventures, or how to keep up...

I went shopping today, and that hasn't happened in a long while, but it needed to. I got some clothes to wear in polite society, not that polite, I haven't changed that much. I was off to visit my aunt Irene and Daryl my cousin, he had two other ladies there, and introduced one as one of my FarmVille neighbors, and she was - they aren't all just electronic reproductions. Had a great gab fest as my mother would say, the big thing was they wanted to hear about the Appleseed Program and what I was doing in it. So I tried to wax eloquent, or a reasonable facsimile.

It wasn't all about me, but I listened to their stories, too. My cousin Ron called from Hawaii, and it was put on speaker phone, but I couldn't convince his wife to put a motorcycle in his budget, we will all be in the Northwest by the start of August. I am dedicating tomorrow to learning more about the three boys in this family, I have been elsewhere so much that it is time for their supper and then they go off to bed, unfair to them. They do move too fast for me to catch all they are up to, but I try. I had two bowls of soup and several biscuits tonight, all my rain soaked and dirty laundry has been done, almost time to repack and prepare to hit the road, will clean up the Trusty Triumph tomorrow and depart on Wednesday for the trip to Dragon's Tail and Knoxville. My cousin and his wife won't be there until Friday.

Time to call my wife. Good Night!

You do know that Florida is the Sunshine State?

After coffee I rode the Trusty Triumph back up to the Ancient City Shooting Range, for the second day of the Appleseed. I was looking forward to the Known Distance shooting event in the afternoon. It sprinkled lightly upon me as I rode, but this wasn't really rain. All the instructors were early today.

The shooters came in and set up, a few that weren't around yesterday. Also a mother and her daughter were watching over the son on his second day of shooting. The girl didn't want to watch her brother and others shoot, but when offered a chance to shoot she jumped into the day whole heartedly. I did a lot more working the line today, helping instruct and offering my sage advice on the shooter's style and possible improvements. Our high scorer was 205 today. Several people came by to see what was happening and the Shoot Boss talked to them and told them about the program.

I had a very nice lunch and the afternoon cooled off with the promise or heavy hint of rain coming. We came close to six AQTs today when it became time to do the 100 yard sightings and shooting. We moved the canopies and equipment after casing the rifles, and moved back to establish a new firing line. We fired the first sighters, and went to look at the targets, came back to fire five more and the rain hit - a real pounding heavy rain, coming down hard and fast and soaking, not that light stuff. With the lightning rolling around overhead the best idea was to go gather in the clubhouse until it stopped. So we did, and that was where we did an After Action Report with the shooters. When the rain and lightning lightened up we went out to pack up and clean the shooting range.

I don't really have a load for Appleseeds, ItsanSKS has a real packing nightmare to get all his canopies and other equipment packed on his truck. As I was helping clean up, I was standing in the swamp the rain had made of the range, and found myself target of fire ants (why do they bite at the same time?). Between them and the mosquitoes of Florida's best days I had too many creepy stuff and timing was always real world benefit.

It is almost eleven here, 2300hours, maybe I should just go to bed - and finish this in the morning. I rode the road to Palm Coast and ran into that storm and was properly soaked my rain gear for motorcycling was in my luggage. A warm puppy (okay, an older than dirt) man needed to get a hot shower, dry clothes, hot food and coffee then I might be able to upload the pictures on the RWVA forum.

I went Appleseeding today, Florida style...

long day at the Ancient City Rifle Range of Saint Augustine, doing the instruction needed to get the twenty-one shooters and their rifles to the AQT and an attempt to qualify as Rifleman.

Sorry I need some sleep...

The three hours spent sleeping on the grass beside my motorcycle with the mosquitoes were not enough! I found out that the door was unlocked, the bed prepared and towels laid out - but at 2:05 AM I didn't want the dog to wake everyone. He sounded the alarm when I did show up. Breakfast was good and for those counting, I started with 17736.7 miles and the Trusty Triumph now has 22569.5 miles, having traveled over 5132.8 miles. And miles to go before I sleep... at home again. Do miss my wife, she wouldn't talk to me last night, not enough bars. Sigh.

Hot Georgia evening, stalking cats around...

Said my good-byes to my sister's family, stopped and visited my mother and had a good time watching the Price is Right with her. Hit the road, North Carolina done, South Carolina the same and now in Georgia. The route is fast sixty mph is meant to be seventy-five, seventy five converts to eighty - even cars bearing Christian fish symbols were passing me and I was going fairly fast (never confess to committing a crime in public).

I have interesting mail waiting for me as I ride, so things aren't the same as they were, so plans change I can be flexible. Going to have to be, it will work out better that way. Hope you all are having a good day, and thanking God for it, and if it wasn't a good day blame me and I will work on making my end of it better tomorrow, tonight I have just enough energy for a pray before sleep. Now I lay me down...

Dreams, always different dreams...

Good nights sleep in the hot Carolina evening, it did cool a bit. I have tons of dreams, those from the night I don't need to share. Those that are of the daydream daylight mention I will.

So I am off to Florida, neice and sister to visit, one Appleseed to attend, maybe a meal/visit with a cousin in St. Augustine. Pretty full plate and on the 12th back on the road to the north going for the Dragon's Tail, 318 turns in 11 miles. Then visit cousin in Knoxville, where his home isn't on map nor satellite yet. Then the dreaming comes in to play.

It seems I can make time going Northwest, Louisville, KY - where one of my old high school classmates works and lives (no, I really won't stop there - haven't been invited) but then I go more north and Indianapolis and a blog meet (I don't think there is one scheduled and again I wasn't invited) but with just a bit more fuel I could try to visit Frank James's farm before I hit I-70 and roar on towards Denver and my brother and nephew. Well, except for the last stop in Denver, it is all a passing thought, no concrete plans.

I do know that I am going to be moving fast, I want to go home, where my wife and my life is - the disorientation of being elsewhere is at first exciting, always very interesting and often amazing - but there isn't any rest in the familiar while on the road, one could become very tired of turmoil, they must pay NFO big bucks or he never got off the military deployment merry-go-round. I haven't moved in fifteen years - that could be called settled couldn't it?

Just look at that map... the country is BIG...

I visited my mother for three hours today, she was having a rough time with her room mate passing on. The second one since she moved in. She had also lost control of her pillow that she has had since a little girl, the staff had taken it for cleaning. Little things become large distractions, she told me a few stories about family I hadn't heard before. I did get her to write her weekly letter, but for reasons I don't understand it only got to the outbox and not into send, but she can't tell me what I don't understand about her computer set up - so I have passed the information on to my sister for her to cure on a Sunday visit. She did talk to my brother on Skype. Tomorrow is my last visit on my way out of town, until my wife and I return in a more civilized fashion than roaring down the road on a motorcycle.

I took another nap in front of the fan, with my map of the United States in front of me, thinking about the return trip, estimating route and time. Maybe I should do all my riding at night and find refrigerators to cool off in during the day? Maybe instead of windmills all over, we need roofs with solar panels above the Interstate highways to keep the asphalt and concrete cool... and provide power. In this house there isn't a television on cable (so I haven't seen a weather forcast), all the monitors are hooked to computers and game systems. My sister a Computer Science/Mathematics teacher starts her day with the cryptic puzzle in the newspaper, and works and games the remainder of the day away. Mysteries are one of her favorite types of books, when not working on her syllabus. Good homemade stew and vanilla ice cream tonight, with biscuits.

Back to studying the map, my nephew thanked me for showing his father where the filter was on the fan he uses in his television room, it does put out more cooling air now. I got all my laundry cleaned and added everything to the pile of stuff not continuing on the run with me. I have a proper small load, the carbon signature of a slug perhaps. UPS only charged me a dollar and thirty cents per pound (thirty pounds) for ground arrive when they want. I almost wonder if I can beat the box across the country, then look again at that map - the Great American desert awaits me... tomorrow's departure should get me and my mind back on the road.

Thoughts to keep me awake at night...

Just me and the cat, Luna, are up now. It is cool enough to sit and do some typing, now if the brain is engaged and running I might get something out, where is the coffee? In my Triumph Across America Cup.

So part of the discussion at Ramseur Range was about how to build the Appleseed program larger. Contact the world on the internet said one person, offer a blogger media event, kind of like a blog meet. Looking at all the work Mister Huff does for the 2nd Amendment, shooting and his annual Boomershoot. How well does that get to the world outside of the gun interested folks? In the end it isn't the the people that have and use firearms well that need contacted is it? Breda and Tam have been to a day of Appleseed, how do I get my own two friends to go?

The Appleseed Program of Ohio is on Facebook now, I met a young man and woman in New York, and their parents, they could all benefit from the two day Appleseed. But they are working hard daily and where do they fit that into their lives? Like physical exercise, shooting needs to be integrated into America's normal everyday pattern. I am looking for the day that the conversation around the water cooler is about the last shooting match and what is next on the firearms wish list.

The Main Stream Media will get invited, some have looked at Appleseed with the same understanding of the Tea Party movement - they really don't get it. I would wish that the blogging community would look at attending an Appleseed, writing about their experience and spreading the word. The Committees of Correspondence of 1774 have nothing on the internet users, faster than Paul Revere's horse, more powerful than the backrooms in Chicago's political machine. Well, maybe....

In the end even the internet world famous bloggers are not going to be enough, the regular folks will have to be the ones, inviting their neighbors to Appleseeds, talking across the fences and around the latte stand, texting their significants about going shooting this weekend.

From Quote of the Day, thanks to Joe Huff - this real world understanding in Jackson County, Wisconsin. Interesting, is anyone else reading the Constitution out there?

Must be getting close to time to turn around...

I visited my mother again today, two more scheduled times to go. Then I am heading to Florida. Looked up the Saint Augustine Appleseed this weekend and I looked up the home that Dan and Paula live in - amazing street views, address is wrong but still great effort Google. I find my brother-in-law takes pictures, my sister remembers street names and neither can guide me in land navigation. Still I found what I was looking for. I don't expect to spend much time in Florida. It has come to the point I am looking at what I am carrying, and thinking of sending what I really don't need back home in a package (or just dump it), but sending it home does mean it will be there when I get back, and that could be a good thing. One shouldn't get so attached to stuff. My mother was all excited about Uruguay's match today, but the Netherlands made one goal more (2-3).

My mother seems to have made albums of each of her children's pictures - seems one of me may be stored in this house. I will send it home if it does. I am not the same person - every cell has been replaced, the code continues to replicate but with tatters and breaks, my thoughts certainly aren't the same, they have been shaded with filters, textured with emotional scars and always I am grateful I have been so loved so long, I hardly deserve it but sure do love it. Lonely is awful.

Summer daze, nice to unwind...

North Carolina is warm and comforting, the road doesn't call to me. I am uncoiling from the frenzy of conquering miles, one could say I am resting and recovering. But the ride will continue, I have plans to visit an Appleseed in Saint Augustine, Florida as I visit family in the area. Then Tennessee and off to the WEST! Yippee!

But today was sleep as late as I could, wake really in slow motion, one gear engaged at a time in my head. The sounds of nature abound here, birds and bugs, birds and bugs - since I remember what birds eat I know why they are singing. Lots of various calls, none of which I would recognize but I do know a lady that would. The morning cool quiet doesn't promise to stay beyond the Sun's imposing. Lucky this house is cooled by large shade trees and gentle breezes, I have been where it would have been baked away. I had a modified gruel for breakfast, coffee and then on the computer to see what the internet had done in my absence. It had roared on, ignoring my lack of contribution to the clutter on the electronic highway.

My kind sister drove me to visit my mother, on an easy path, thinking I will remember it tomorrow. The visit was very good, I will go every day until it is time to move on. I lunched and napped and checked the fast moving internet again - I am so far behind. Pizza for dinner tonight, the heat outside stops all my movement, the house is cool enough to enjoy. Maybe a movie tomorrow, must check the recommended motorcycle rides, I have dirty clothes to think about washing.

How far is it? All the way!

Odometer reading is 22254 miles at my sister's home. I am getting tired and so old. Started this adventure at 17736.7 miles, right? So that is about 4517.3 - still Florida and then back, it is getting hot, ride hard, ride faster...

Earl slept here... new sign for Ramseur Range...

Okay, woke early and edited my POI to include the Known Distance shooting and instruction. Then went to breakfast at Hardees in Ramseur, bought some apples on the way back to the range. We started working on the instruction, then the North Carolina Shoot Bosses showed up for a Gun Show, walk through of many rifles we may not have met on the range yet, nice rifles, old bolts - one Israeli 98, in very good condition, so pretty. Then we started working on the new Shoot Boss In Training, program so all the shoot bosses are doing the same things. A very nice break for lunch, and the brownies were just perfect. The training and comments continued on, until five, then everyone broke for shooting a known distance AQT, and I was offered an M1 and ammunition again, but I was thinking about how lost I had been the last time in Winston-Salem, so I said good-bye and rode off. Seems they all knew me - the guy from Washington on his motorcycle.

Fred asked where I had slept last night, and when I told him in one of the new sheds on the shelf, he said it would have to have an engraved plate saying that Earl slept here. But that isn't really necessary, what I need is hot water cleaned up and to sleep after the fireworks, in just a little bit. Happy Fourth of July! American Independence Day!

Did some needed work on RWVA and Appleseed...

Learned about Known Distance and how we can add it to the already full plate of rifle marksmanship. Then came my fun part, using a borrowed M1 and ammunition I was able to fire forty-two rounds on targets, 200, 300, 800 yards away, will have to do much more of that, I could hit the ten rings, but never as many times as I was aiming to do so. Back to basics, and without the real changes in distance one may never need to change one's sight settings. So it is worth practicing and shooting more around.

Camping up at the range tonight, going to Winston-Salem tomorrow evening - I did get immediately recognized, the only motorcyclist from Washington here for the clinic and shoot. Very nice people in RWVA, and we worked on trying to get more positive exposure for people like my family that don't shoot firearms, and also for those that do but are too busy to join and find their almost forgotten Heritage - the American Rifleman, didn't someone say all the British Empires wars were won on the cricket fields of Eton?

Until they met people in the colonies that were too busy to play cricket, but understanding the need for a free people that could defend themselves. Keep that thought, this is the Fourth of July weekend, and it wasn't all those golf courses that abound that keep this land free, a concerned, awake and watchful armed citizens. Honor them this 4th, they did it all for you, pick up your rifle and bring up your skills. See y'all on the range - not the golf driving range, the RIFLE range.

Just checking in...

I made it through Pennsylvania, Maryland (so quickly), West Virginia, and Virginia. I have tightened my belt to the last hole, gave my last two dollars to a waitress at breakfast. I have about an hour and a half to Ramseur, if I don't get lost - seems to happen to me often in North Carolina. A comment about cleaning stuff off my face shield and helmet made someone think I had spilled the Trusty Triumph, but no, I was just talking about the bugs that would have been part of my skin if I didn't wear one. You know there are a lot of people on the Interstate, and hardly anyone on the US Highways with side road access - all the same speeds. Well, have a good night and wonderful weekend.

A chance to sleep, soon, never soon enough...

It has been a great hard fast ride from Huntley, Il, through Indiana, Ohio, and NW PA through New York to Pennsylvania above Scranton and full of good stuff, weather and people and since I just fell asleep and out of bed onto the floor - silly old guy stuff - I will give you the welcoming signs used catch my attention to the road we would climb up to the dairy. There we were warmly welcomed, I got a cup of coffee and introductions and the talking never stopped, like we were going to catch up. So I will give you the side of the story I read tonight as I stopped riding for the rest up. And a great picture of me on a motorcycle, not as wonderful as the Amish boy, but then I don't have enough pictures of me on my motorcycles. It was a great visit and New York (not the city, folks) has some wonders that match those tales from Cooper, and others like Drums Along the Mohawk, this is a great place to visit, off the Freeway, which is mainly tolled.