Post Postum post

I heard on NPR today that Kraft has stopped making POSTUM. So this is a post Postum post...(sorry, I couldn't resist the alliteration) I knew this stuff as "mormon coffee" as we always had a jar around while I was growing up to serve instead of coffee when our momron friends and relatives came over. I noticed a jar of it out on the kitchen table the last time I was home, and I know there's still a jar of it up at the cabin. Of course I've had it. To me it tastes like liquid burnt plant, but I guess it has quite a following in Utah and other such parts. HERE is an article about it in the Deseret Morning News, a Utah based newspaper with an LDS persuasion.

It's windy and cold here today even though the sun is out for the moment. I can tell it is nasty in the mountains so I'll go skiing tomorrow. Today I wish I were up at the cabin, I'd sit down by the shore of the lake, watch the big waves roll in and enjoy a hot cup of Postum. And there's an opportunity here to make some bucks... Move to Utah and come out with a micro-postum-brew. Couldn't be that hard to knock it off... You heard it hear first.
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Have you ever just put corn on the cob right on the BBQ to cook with the husk on? When the husk burns, that's kind of how Postum tastes.

Megan Case

Monica has stopped blogging so I'm going to remove her blog from my side bar for now. If she comes back I'll put it right back up. I noticed tonight that Megan Case has added me to her sidebar. I thought that was pretty cool as we don't always see eye to eye on political issues. I read her blog all of the time. She's in Sweden right now but has been teaching in Russia.

When I think of Sweden, I think of champion ski racers Anja Paerson, Pernilla Wiberg the so called "Swede with Speed" and of course Ingemar Stenmark, one of the best alpine ski racers of all time. Now when I think of Sweden I also think of MEGAN CASE.

Tubular man

I bought some new tires for my bike thinking it would motivate me to get on it as soon as the weather allows. Gas prices and all, I want to start riding to work and loose some of my winter fat. Actually I have a couple of sets of wheels and now my bike will have the same tires on both sets of wheels. They are Michelin tires. I'm not really endorsing them, it's just that they are the narrowest clinchers you can get (20) and they have a low rolling resistance. I'm kind of a tubular guy but all of the new consumer stuff has clincher tires.

People think it's easier and less expensive to fix a flat with clinchers. Just replace the tube. I've heard it all. It might be less expensive but it's actually easier to change out a flat with tubulars on the road. Much easier. The ride just isn't the same with clinchers as it is with tubulars, and a point of fact, Lance Armstrong always rode on tubular tires on all of his Tours de France, and get this, he never had a flat from what I understand. I'm not saying that you can't get a flat on tubulars, I've had many. I still have one bike with tubulars on it. My vintage Gitane.

The walls are closing in

Sometimes in the winter it feels like the walls are closing in on me. That is my drafting table in the distance. My cube is through the door on the right.

Clinton Obama Ohio debate

I just got done watching the Clinton Obama debate in Ohio. It promised to be a good one and perhaps it was one of the best to date.

First off, I want to comment on the way they looked on camera. If you remember the Nixon Kennedy debate,.. well I'm sure you won't remember and neither do I, but it has been well documented that JFK looked much better on camera. He came in with a tan and looked young and hansom. I look through my camera a lot. I thought Obama looked much better on camera, and the camera angles worked in favor of Obama, even though I'm not sure he looks bad from any angle. Clinton looked good front on but not so much in profile, and the way the desk was positioned it did not favor her as she was often seen in profile. Also with regard to the way they looked, Obama had very very white teeth. He must be getting them bleached. Obama looked young and hansom. Clinton looked good from the front but not so good in profile. As far as how they looked on camera Clinton reminded me of Nixon and Obama reminded me of the young JFK. However, if we remember our history, Nixon came back from his defeat against JFK to become president later.

Aside from how they both looked, I thought that Obama was flawless. I don't think he screwed up at all. Clearly he he can handle the pressure. The questions from Russert were pretty difficult for both Clinton and Obama, and they both did well.

There was one moment with regard to foreign policy that I thought Clinton fell on her face. She was asked about Putin's successor, (Dmitry Medevev) And she couldn't pronounce his name. It was a Bush moment. Even I knew his name and can pronounce it. She mispronounced Medevev a couple of times and then said "whatever". My gosh! If I were Obama I would have corrected her and it would have been huge. Perhaps Obama didn't know either, but he missed a slam dunk, however I think Obama won the debate by not making any mistakes and showing that he could be very cool under pressure.

President's week

I was watching CSPAN today (at lunch) and noticed that congress just got back from taking the WEEK off for President's DAY.

They looked pretty rested. Many people don't even get the day off.

500th post

It wouldn't be right of me not to mention that Levi Leipheimer won the Tour of California since he's a fellow Montanan and and this being bicyclelog and all. It's just that I can't get too excited about cycling yet. Leiphpeimer joined the re-organized Astana team which is pretty much Postal. If you remember, Astana got thrown out of the Tour de France last year due to Vinokourov testing positive. It's the same team in name only but they aren't invited back to the Tour de France. Some are saying they should be able to ride in the tour as it isn't really the same team, and they have one of the best teams. We will see if the tour lets them back in but I kind of doubt it.

***
I forgot to mention that this was my 500th post. I've been trying to find some meaning in this. I don't think I've been learning anything. I still can't spell. I'd been waiting for this 500th post for several days, and then when it happend I forgot about it.

Perhaps my life is like that. I wait for some important event to happen and then miss it by not paying attention.

Idaho day

It was an Idaho day on the mountain Saturday :) but I went skiing anyway as I'm not getting many chances. I decided to stay home today as it looks to be even more of an Idaho day today! You can't see a thing when you ski. No horizon, no snow, nothing. It makes my head swim, and racing in conditions like this is somewhat surreal but the gates give you a reference point.

So I went and watched the racing and took a few photos. There was a hold on the course as one of the women from Big Mountain fell and had to be removed by the ski patrol.

This is one of the guys I ski with so I took a picture of his start and then took his warmups and pack down for him. (Now which gate are you supposed to go around?..)

The slalom is today and I'd been wanting to do that, but there are no training runs (which I would desperately need) and with the weather such as it is, I decided to stay home and clean out my cage.

Don't stop thinking about tomorrow

I came back and edited this post. It was way off of my point. I watched the democratic debate the other night. Clinton got in a great final word and would have taken the win in the debate if she hadn't kept going after Obama for plagiarism, an argument that nobody bought, and this lack of experience thing. It's been my experience that young people without much experience often do just fine on the job and bring in new and fresh ideas.

We are a fast food culture. We want something new all of the time. Get rid of the old one and get a new one every few years. It's true with music, It's true with cars, it's true with all things that we consume. The Clinton campaign is no different. You can turn an old shirt inside out to try and make it new, but it's still just an old shirt. The Clinton campaign is like a Fleetwood Mac reunion tour. Kind of cool but not what's happening now, and McCain,.. Well...

Tastes in the music have changed. Time stops for no woman. Yesterday's gone.

Artisan bread

I don't know what to think. Sometimes I wish I lived in France or Italy or even Seattle. The food choices here just suck so bad. To Safeway's credit they are making great bagels. For that I'm thankful. And for some reason people here are crazy about sourdough. I'm not so much. I don't mind it, but it's not the only bread I think we should value, and depsite the fact that Safeway sells a few choices of hummus, they only sell one kind of pita bread and it is way over priced and it sucks. I really need to teach myself how to make pita bread.

So I'm looking over the bread choices at Safeway and I decide to buy some ciabatta. I get it home and pull it out of the bag and it had "ARTISAN" written on it in flour. It should have said "CIABATTA" but either way it was tacky I thought. Perhaps it's intended to make the local stepford wives feel "artistic" in their domestic roles.

Idaho day

"It's a Utah day" she said as we rode the chairlift up the mountain this morning with not a cloud in the sky. "It's an Idaho day." I responded/ corrected. I could tell that we weren't going to get along. I'm thinking,.. you're in Idaho,..deal with it. The day after President's Day (do we really need a President's Day? We should think this one over, but I'm getting off point.) Nobody on the mountain, perfect weather, great snow, great view. not a cloud in the sky,.."Enjoy it while it lasts" she said,.. Well I'd heard just about enough by the time we got to the top!

Next ride up the chair,.. "It's a Colorado day." this other guy said,..

I've always maintained that people in Idaho have an identity problem.

People aren't monkeys

Ok, so as you might know, I've been taking pictures of power lines. I took this one on my way home from skiing today.

In the news from Idaho, governor Butch Otter has introduced legislation that would make dog fighting a felony. (but he also said in last years state of the state address he wants to allow the hunting of wolves, and wants to be one of the first to get a permit.) I realize that wolves aren't dogs...(and people aren't monkeys...)

Sun dog sky

There was an unusual sun dog sort of sky this morning as the sun came up. And HERE is a better picture of a sun dog that I took back when.

Happy Valentine's day

Stepford wife

Since I broke a CV joint on my little car on all of the rough snowpacked roads, I've been driving my big old Ford redneck truck to work until I can get my car repaired. (I can assure you there is no way for me to ride a bike to work right now.) Anyway since it is soon to be Valentine's Day I bought a card for my Mom and wanted to mail it so it would be there on the 14th.

So I pulled in to the post office parking lot with old yeller, exaust leak and all, and right behind me was one of the local stepford wives in a very clean new Range Rover. I got to the door of the post office before she did. So of course I swung around and held the door open for her. Something I always do for any woman.

She was a pretty and well groomed woman. But she must have seen the Ford. It was as if a homless person had held the door open for her. Thank you she said almost in disgust. I guess I shouldn't hold the door open for women anymore.

Well I'll remember this, and when her Range Rover gets stuck in the snow, she just might be off of my list of people to pull out of the ditch with my old yellow Ford.

Kiss my butt stepford wife.

I've figured it out

I think I've figured out why people don't stay at the same job their whole working life like they used to. They get sick of dealing with the same people day after day.

Not that I don't like the people I work with of course...

A house divided

I listened to McCain's comments after Romney withdrew from the presidential race. Pretty much in line with Bush. Especially with respect to the freedom being a god given right statement. I honestly don't understand why Rush Limbaugh has such a problem with McCain. Perhaps Limbaugh is out of touch. If Rush is "right" then why did Romney have to withdraw and why is McCain doing so well? And what about the religious right? Why is Huckabee doing so poorly? It looks to me like the republicans are completely divided. I wonder if Rush Limbaugh might be part of the problem?

Much of what Limbaugh says offends me but I think he's actually out of step with his own party now. Perhaps people are tired of hating eachother. I wonder if he ever thought about that? Was it Lincoln who once said that a house divided against itself cannot stand?

Like a rock

It's been a long day. Had to get up at 4:00 am to drive in the darkness and blowing snow for a couple of hours to a conference. We were kind of concerned about the road conditions and one of the two routes down there got closed due to drifting snow. So I went the other way. I drove down by myself as I had a dinner date. The conference part of it actually went pretty well even though I was having a hard time keeping my eyes open all day. Then I met a very nice woman for dinner which I have been looking forward to as she lives in pretty much the same place as the conference. Then I drove back home in wind snow and darkness for a couple of hours. Got home at 8:pm I'm going to sleep like a,..rock. I don't know why I said that...

Do rocks sleep? What do rocks do during the day? Did they sleep before when they were mud and hadn't yet become rocks?

It's been a long day. The next thing I know it will be morning and I'll be drinking the mud.

Donwood

California has Hollywood,.. India has Bollywood,.. North Idaho has DONWOOD!

Just think of the films I could produce in the studio behind this landmark sign!...

On assignment

Yesterday I sent myself out on photo assignment as usual, but first had a little meeting. Ok don,.. today go out and get photos of the following; dogs, trees, train tracks, and power lines. That was my focus (pardon the pun). I have the same meeting each morning. And I came back with a photo of my own tracks on my way to the train tracks. The snow was much deeper than it looks and I was only wearing sneakers. The thing I like about this place is that it is so peacefull and quiet until a train goes by and then it's really overwhelming.

Don tracks

In some ways I'm no better than an animal. The only difference is that I'm aware of my tracks.

And that is really a stupid thought... But I'm aware that it's a stupid thought...

The dems debate

I watched Clinton and Obama debate last night again. I thought they were just a little too nice to eachother. I thought Clinton was smug. Perhaps it's because of all the so called super delegates she will most likely get as pointed out by Stephan Clark.
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She has 159 "super-delegates," dwarfing the number she's received in Iowa and New Hampshire so far, and more than 100 more than the next candidate, Barack Obama.

Get this, forty-percent of the delegates currently at stake for Democratic presidential contenders are "super-delegates." The voters don't vote for these 842 people; they're high-ranking Democratic Party members: governors, leaders of the Democratic National Committee, former Presidents, like Bill Clinton. And they all go to the National Convention, just the delegates the voters send, and pledge their vote to a candidate during the nominating stage.
***
But Obama did score some reality check points. Honestly, how could Clinton have possibly thought that Bush wouldn't invade Iraq when she voted to authorize him to? It just doesn't hold any water no matter how she twists it.

That was a knockout punch from Obama if you ask me, so I give the debate to Obama.

Some are saying it will come down to a Clinton Obama ticket VS McCain Huckabee. We will see. It would make sense as Bill doesn't think Obama is "ready" to be President, but I think the Clintons would like to have him as VP. I've been thinking that the other consolation prize Clinton might bestow on Obama if she becomes president is a potential spot on the Supreme Court.

Bread and butter

I don't think I need dishes anymore. I can just eat right out of the thing I cooked the food in. Well at least some of the time anyway. When I was helping my mom I couldn't believe how many dishes we used for the most basic meal. Each thing on the table had a dish to serve it out of and its own spoon. We always had a knife even if there was no use for it. And then we would wash the dishes that weren't used... I'ts crazy!

It's crazy... When my dad was alive he aways wanted bread and butter with every meal. Now my mom always askes me if I want bread. I'm like mom, we're having fish and rice. I guess old habits,..

I watched the state of the union address tonight. I have nothing to say about this except that I watched it. I had heard that it would be something about legacy. It left me flat, as did the democratic response. I have to wonder about Bush's presidential library though. He said he reads a lot of books each year. 500 books or something. Or was it 50?... I'd be thrilled if I read 5.

Train tracks and a power line

It's really snowing here right now. They said it would this afternoon and it is. I got up early this morning to go skiing. I waxed two pairs of skis last night so all I had to do was get up wolf down some breakfast and go. People were doing morning things. There was a guy in Carharts riding a four wheeler back to his trailerhouse from the gas station, his mullet haning down from the back of his visor cap. He must have gotten a paper or something he needed for breakfast. Down the road there was an old grey haired guy also wearing a visor cap getting out of his pickup to meet up with other old guys at a cafe for coffee or breakfast.

It was freezing rain on the mountain. I took a few recreational race runs. I crashed once but did it gracefully and did not get hurt. I had to keep scraping the ice off of my goggles to see. After a while I noticed that my jacket was turning white, and then my chest started to get cold. A layer of ice had formed on my ski jacket. It was really unusual. It wasn't wet, just cold.

I left early to avoid all of the snow and it was a good thing I left when I did as it really got bad out. On my way home I stopped and took some pictures with my new camera. The battery door on my little coolpix broke so I bought a new one, a Nikon P5100. It's pretty cool. I can set the shutter and the f-stop or both, or run the camera in fully auto mode. It also lets me choose the "film" /ISO speed. And it takes the flash from my big Nikon digital, but it's a little bitty camera. I find that I'll use a small camera more than a big one. Despite having two digital SLR cameras, I'd always want to use my little coolpix.

Anyway I've been taking photos of train tracks and power lines now for some reason, and I think that would make for a good country and western song;

Train tracks and a power line,
She just spent my last dime,..

GOP debate

Here's how I rank them on last night's debate in Florida.

1. Giuliani- bugs bunny
2. Huckabee- stuck by his guns
3. Romney- big love
4. Paul- off to see the wizard
5. McCain- a bridge to nowhere

Be true to your school

While I was in Montana last week I went to the bookstore at the University of Montana. I wanted a T shirt. I'm getting very low on T shirts. I just wanted a T shirt that said University of Montana on it or something. But all they had were ones that had great big graphics on them that said Griz and had big bear paws on them. Well I like watching football while I'm over there during football season but other than that I don't want to look like a football player myself, but I did find this cap.

There were lots of caps with different departments and sports on them but only two that said Artist on them. Either these caps are really popular because they fly off the shelf, or they are really unpopular and they just don't get many in. Either way, I went to the art school so I bought one of the two that they had. Those are the school colors BTW.

I'm watching the GOP debate tonight. I'll report my thoughts tomorrow as I know it's such a popular subject on my blog.

Democratic debate

I watched the last democratic debate. I watched it once and then watched the replay of it later that night.

Before that on Sunday while watching Meet The Press, I saw the video clip in which Obama reflected on Ronald Reagan's ability to draw democrats over to vote republican. Clearly Bill and Hillary Clinton mischaracterized his statements into support for Reagan's republican ideas. The Clintons have to know full well that this wasn't the case.

I had a real hard time with this. So here is how I would rank who won the debate. I'm not letting Edwards win by default.

1. Obama
2. Edwards

Bill Clinton DSQ
Hillary Clinton DSQ

I'm sending the Clintons to the penalty box to think things over.

Show me the door

I'm back home now. My mom just has to get used to eating solid food again gain some strength and with luck she will be back to normal. When this whole jounrey started in the fall, I said I'd "confront" it. I'm not sure I really confronted cancer on my blog. I think the only way you can really confront cancer is to get it for yourself.

I take with me impressions of the whole experience both in my mind and on the memory card of my camera. The photo above is of the corridor I walked down so many times. It connects the two different sections of the hospital and you have to use it to get from the parking lot to the hospital rooms. I saw lots of different people here. I took this photo the last time I walked down it. It's empty on the weekends and at night.

This is the little flat screen that has the conference room schedule graphic on it that you can see a detail of HERE or just scroll down to Jan 18th.

Some things never change

Yesterday morning I was outside shoveling snow off of the sidewalk. The local TV news reminded everyone that if you don't clear the snow by 9:30 am, the city can send someone out to do it and charge you for it. I'm not sure if they do that or not, but everyone seems to go out to shovel, and the neighbor guys usually shovel for my mom before I get to it. Anway, across the street and down the block a ways there were two kids, both boys and probably brothers. The little one was probably about 10. He had a winter coat on with a hood up. He was so bundled up that his arms kind of stuck out to the sides. It was his gesture of just standing there in his coat that caught my attention. While I was watching, the bigger kid who was probably about 12 took a handful of snow and was holding it as if to show the little kid something. Then the big kid just washed the little kid's face in the snow. The little kid didn't fight it. His arms never moved. When his face washing was over he just turned around and trotted back to the door of their house and went inside. His arms in the same position the whole time. Then the big kid stood there looking at the door like,.. will I get in trouble now?

I got a kick out of that. :)

Sick as a dog

Sorry that was the only thing I could think of to name this post. Mom is fine and was released from the hospital today. They left an IV thing in her arm and so I had to remove it when we got home. We called and they told us how to do it. It was no big deal really as I got the bleeding stopped. The care at the hospital was outstanding actually.

I got off of the elevator on the wrong floor once today and took this picture. No this isn't my mom.

Conference room schedule

There was a small flat computer screen up in one of the hospital corridors with this graphic on it. I had to get a snap as I love portraits and this is one of the most compelling images I've seen on this trip.

He is always testing us you know.

The bat cave

My mom had her second cancer operation today. This one was much easier on her and it puts her back to the way she was before the first operation. I'll spare you the details. Anway she seems fine now. Well,..she has to stay in the hospital for a few days but other than that I think she will be ok. I was thinking. There are only so many rooms in this hospital and I think we've been in quite a few of them now. It's like we own it now or something. I feel quite at home there.

Speaking of home. I'm blogging from the basement bedroom of the house I grew up in. It's really an old house. Built around 1900. Here is a photo of my workstation. I don't know why I find this interesting but I do. Don't you ever wonder where people blog from? I mean that exact space. Well right now this is it. It's a cool old desk actually. I wish I owned it. Who knows perahps some day I will. I used to sleep in this bedroom during the summer when it was hot out. There is a door with some steps that lead outside. I'd keep my bike in the next room and early in the morning I'd put my bike shorts on, grab my bike, go out that basement door and ride it all the way to Flathead Lake sometimes which is 100 miles to the north.

It was a strange transition to leave the basment like that, then leave the city streets and then be out on the open highway on my bike. Like leaving the bat cave or something. Then I'd hang out at the cabin and ride back a few days later. Life was good back then. Simple. The only thing I had to worry about was getting a flat or having a mechanical. I used to carry quarters in my socks and I knew where all of the pop machines were along the way.

I used to put Coke in my water bottles when I ran out of water. I had a water bottle on my handlebars over my front brake. I didn't notice that Coke had been splashing out onto the front brake. I had a rule back then about distance riding; never use the brakes if you don't really need to. I was going down this one steep section pretty fast about as fast as traffic so pulled out into the lane. I touched the brakes to control my speed and the front one stuck while braking. I wasn't ready for that and it threw me forward off of the saddle as my body was relaxed. I managed to ride the bike to a stop but it gave me a scare. I took the brake apart at a nearby stream and cleaned off the sticky Coke. After that I had another rule: never put Coke in the front bottle.

Looking back

Here is another photo of train tracks that I used to wander up and down as a kid. They used to take me out of town in my mind.

Dentist conspiracy

I've never liked clowns. I don't like pictures of clowns either. And now we find out that children DON'T LIKE CLOWNS

And I don't like having my blood pressure taken at the dentist either. Yesterday I was getting my teeth cleaned and my gal grabbed my wrist and put a blood pressure thing on it. I'm like, What!? Well I hate being at the dentist and I usually stress out at least some not to mention that they hang me upside-down when they clean my teeth. My pressure was 133 over 79, but I question the results.

So why are you taking my blood pressure? I asked. Well we figure people never go to the doctor... Hmm..I'm thinking there might be another reason. Some sort of doctor/ dentist conspiracy, no doubt resulting in higher insurance rates.

Democratic debate

I watched the democratic debate tonight. I was a little disappointed that a fight didn't break out. This time Clinton kept her cool. I think that worked in her favor. I'd like to see John McEnroe run for president. He'd get really upset and start throwing things around. He'd start in on the moderators.

So for once I can't really say who came out ontop. The media is saying Clinton but I'm not so sure. Russert caught her up in in a vote issue about bankruptcy. She voted for a bill that would punish people who had no option but to file for bankruptcy for medical reasons. (correct me if I'm wrong as I'm trying to remember a bunch of stuff without having written it all down) Clinton countered by saying that the bill didn't pass and she was glad it failed. (?)

Obama seemed to stumble around like usual verbalizing his positions. He was however consistent but you really had to listen. I don't know about the comment he made about loosing papers. I'm not sure that played well... "Now where did I put that paper that told us how to stop the nuclear retaliation?...and where did I put those keys?.. They must be around here somewhere,... Not those!.. those go to the caddy,.. The ones we are looking for have a yellow tri-chevron on them,.."

Edwards was on point.

So who won? I'd say that Edwards won the debate.

1. Edwards
2. Clinton
3. Obama

However, both Clinton and Edwards were farther left than Obama. On the issue of Gun control, I thought Obama was the most Moderate. He seemed to be the most moderate on all of the issues. That might work well in the end but won't help getting the democratic nomination.

When all is said and done

I'm sure I'm not the only one who doesn't like the saying "at the end of the day". It's getting pretty worn out. I always think that at the end of the day comes the night and then yet another day. Then what? They could say at the end of tomorrow, and cover two days that way. They might say at the end of the week instead or at the end of the month, or even at the end of the year, but it might be the last day of the week, month or year and the same as saying at the end of the day.

When all is said and done, I don't like it when people say "at the end of the day".

Motorized VS non-motorized backcountry

The debate about motorized vs non-motorized use of the National Forests heated up in western Montana recently as the Forest Service is holding meetings for people to present their viewpoints so they can update their travel management plan. The debate is largely about the use of ATVs and snowmobiles VS hiking biking and horseback riding. ATV sales have exploded in recent years changing the face of the backcountry in the northwest.

My view of the ATV situation is that it's getting out of control. If the situation in Montana is anything like it is with ATV use during hunting season in Eastern Washington then it is out of control and beyond the ability of the Forest Service to enforce the restrictions.

It was the ugliest meeting I've ever been to,” said Friends of the Bitterroot president Jim Miller. “It was very ugly and sad.”Miller said the crowd was heavily weighted in favor of pro-motorized recreation. People were “aggressive, belligerent and angry. ... The ‘f-word' was used more than once in comments.”“It was not a meeting that I would have liked to have my wife or kids at,” he said. At one point, as a woman spoke about wilderness, a man in the crowd allegedly said, “Put a bullet in her head.” His words were loud enough for a number of people to hear, including a Forest Service official.

(gosh I hope that wasn't one of my family who said that!..But attitudes like this don't surprise me. "put a bullet in her head." ? My gosh! I can't tell you how disappointed comments like this make me because I know people who would say such things. My dad would roll over in his grave if he heard this. How things have changed.)

The situation was intimidating for anyone who wanted to speak in favor of non-motorized recreation, Miller said.

Jim Hundley, of the Selway-Pintler Wilderness Backcountry Horsemen, called the meeting “basically a mob scene. It was very ugly and intimidating.”

Dan Thompson, of the Ravalli County Off-Road Users Association, agreed the meeting got out of hand.“We really regret the inappropriate behavior of a few people,” Thompson said. “Fortunately, they weren't members of our organization. ? Hopefully people will be better behaved and respectful in the future.”

I've heard the "behavior of a few people" argument used to explain why there are now ATV trails going everywhere in the woods despite restrictions. And they maintain these trails by hauling around a chain saw and cutting downed trees. It's clearly the behavior of quite a few people, not just a few people. It's also a management problem for the Forest Service and I think the meeting illustrates how far things have gotten out of control both in the meetings and in the backcountry.

***
I have to add that I do think many people are responsible with ATVs and I've looked at the issue from both sides as I've ridden them around myself and have a number of friends who own both ATVs and snowmobiles. Having said that, I think this meeting speaks volumes about the conflict. That's me on the left in the photo above. I really enjoyed the ATV ride my friend treated me to.

The entire article is HERE .

Repulbican debate coverage

I try not to get political on bicycle log, but I'm totally into watching these debates.

I think I've seen at least part of or all of the presidential debates, both republican and democrat. I try to rank who won each fairly despite my bias. (I'm supporting Obama) I've also tried to watch each candidate when they appear on Meet the Press or Face the Nation.

So here's how I would rank the republicans tonight on the Fox debate;

1. Paul
2. Huckabee
3. Giuliani
4. Romney
5. McCain
6. Thompson

And here's why;

Paul was recently on Meet The Press and both my mom and I (who is a republican) thought he didn't understand the issues and didn't really have what it took to be president. He didn't show well at all on MTP as Russert got the best of him. But tonight he was on point and defended himself and his positions well and made sense.

Huckabee also was on point and answered the religious right question about marriage very well I thought. I didn't think he screwed up at all. I didn't agree with the "gates of hell" if you mess with the states because I'm not sure that would be a good foreign policy but I thought it played well as far as a republican debate goes.
(I went to Hellgate Highschool in Missoula Montana. if we sent people who messed with the United States to Hellgate Highschool, then they might think twice before they screwed with us! :)

Giuliani also made strong and convincing arguments for why he should lead and it was the best showing I think he's had. I should probably put him into 2nd position, but Huckabee made a bigger impression.

Romney was on message and consistent but I thought he was somewhat defensive. The attack on Paul also put me off and I think took him off point and made him look shallow. Same with McCain.

I have the greatest respect for McCain, but he said things that I thought were stereotypical. The burka comment. Plus he took what I thought were cheap shots at Paul. I didn't understand his motivation for that, and I thought it took him off message and showed a chink in his personality armor. The burka comment dated him to his generation when it might have been ok to find fault in another culture's mores or rules if you will. It migh be ok if you are trying to win over a certian demographic. I thought the attack on Paul and the burka comment were big mistakes.

Thompson was more prepared than he has ever been, but I still didn't see any real motivation. People might have begged him to run but nobody is going to beg him to be president. I have no idea what his motivation is. The "virgin" comment was in poor taste I thought like the McCain burka comment. I think they both showed their age when they are willing to make statements like this.

So there it is. I thought Edwards won the last democratic debate and yet he finished last in the NH primary.

Jake

My friend's father Russ recently died. Before Russ died he asked my friend to look after his dog Jake. So now some mornings we have a mascot at work. You can tell Jake is still a little sad but I think he's slowly coming out of it.

Round two

I found out that next week my mom goes in for round two of her cancer treatment operations. My mom had colon cancer. I've been trying to think of a sensitive way to explain the second procedure. It's not because I'm not comfortable with the situation, it's just that in my family we just don't talk about some things, and you don't really want to know. Let me put it this way, when the procedure is done then mom will be back to normal. Let's hope anyway.

So I'll be going back to Montana next week for this. More hospital. More time off of work. Most likely an extended stay again. We will see.

Made in Montana

Ted aka mrmontana wants snow as he isn't getting enough in Oregon.

I remember I bought a bag of ice in Montana last summer for my cooler. The bag said Made in Montana. I thought, wow,.. The've figured out how to make ice in Montana. Now they don't have to buy ice from other states!

Now I'm thinking there might be a market for Montana snow in Oregon. :)

My car this morning.

It really is about the journey

I should be home petting Spunky my cat right now but my car konked out not quite half way home and before I got back into Idaho. There was a lot of slush on the road and I constantly had to clean my windshield as trucks passed me. The wipers started going slower and slower and I knew what whas going on. Finally I couldn't go any farther and the car quit as a drove off of the shoulder into pretty deep snow. It was kind of in the middle of no where. Thankfully I had a cell phone and called home. My mom called a tow truck and in about 20 min here it came from a small town. The guy was cool but woudln't take me anywhere except to his shop in that town. That actually worked out pretty well.

I knew the alternator was shot. Curt and I had just been talking about the same thing happening to him. I didn't want to stay in this little town even though they had a decent motel, and didn't really want them working on my car as it would have taken a day as they would have to get the part sent in, so I bought a battery from him, the only one that he had that fit my car. And drove it back to my mom's place about 80 miles or so on battery alone without using anything electrical in the car. I did have to use the wipers a couple of times again, but by this time the water on the road had started to freeze and there wasn't as much traffic going in that direction. I wasn't really sure if it would make it that far but it did. I couldn't go in the direction of my home in Washington as there were two mountain passes to go over, worse snow and slush conditions and it would have gotten dark on me. So after I put the new battery in, I pointed back into Montana where I'd spent the weekend with my mom.

I made it back into town and pulled into mom's garage. I had about 20 min before 5:00 pm on a Sunday and found an auto parts store just down the street that had my alternator. $275. I got to the auto parts store with about 5 minutes until they closed. I'll get $100 for the old one when I return it in the morning. So I removed the old one and installed the new one. Thankfully I had my sockets with me. It took me an hour and a half.

I'll make another attempt at getting home again tomorrow. I'm trying to see an up-side to all of this but I can't really find one other than I did get to have dinner again with my mom, and I guess I could be stuck in that little town for a day or two while those guys worked on my car. They weren't bad guys however. I found out that the owner knew my friend George. It's a small world,... planet Montana. You just have to drive a long way through snow wind and rain to get out of orbit.

It's about the journey

It seems like I've been doing a lot of driving in the snow lately. One time I was riding my bike along this highway in the summer and there was mint planted in the field on the left. Man it smelled good! No minty fresh smell on this day. Just fresh. I love winter.

A month ago my mom was in the intensive care unit after her cancer surgery. Now she's doing pretty well. There's still a ways to go another surgery. What a journey it has been.

About the clouds

As always, I took a lot of photos when I went skiing. I take a lot of photos no matter where I go. I thought this one was not so good but there was something about the clouds that I liked. They add a tension to the otherwise tranquil view.

New year

I went skiing for the first time this season today. I was going to say this year, but it's the last day of the year. Here is a photo I took as the sun goes down on 2007. Happy New Year. I'm glad to be getting beyond the last one.

Clean up your dog

Here is a sign at a school yard in Montana. I wonder if they hired an artist from the University to make this one?

A box of potato chips

I'm back home in Washington state now after spending four days looking after my mom in Montana who is recovering from her cancer surgery. It has been a difficult month for all. I've been away from home and work 17 days this month. Mom is doing well however and there is constant improvement. I've been cooking for her and there are many things she can't eat right now. So it was hard to prepare meals that would be good to eat. I ate the same food that she did. She couldn't have any greens but I did eat a few now and then. Today it was Christmas. I made a ham with red potatoes and boiled carrots. It was quite good if I do say so myself and she ate everything I gave her.

I went for a walks while she was resting. Used the walks to sort my thoughts out and get grounded. Yesterday I walked some of the routes I did when I was a kid.

While I was walking, snow flurries were blowing through. I walked down the train tracks to the ice rink. There used to be a local potato chip company that would put all of the reject potato chips out to be thrown away once each week. One of my friends, Russell, (who only had one leg) turned me on to this. We would go and stand there by these tracks and wait for a guy to come out and throw them away. We would wait for an hour or more. They were fine, just a little brown. We'd get a whole cardboard box of them each. It's that building on the left in this photo.

***

I've figured out how to trick my little Nikon cool pix into making the exposures I want. It's not an exact science however :)

Skating rink

Today I went for a walk in the neighborhood where I grew up as a kid. When you move away and then come back you see how some things change and some things stay the same. It seemed like winter lasted forever back when I was a kid. I remember it being dark and grey and my feet were always wet from walking in slush.

There was a skating rink down by the river next to a sawmill within walking distance from my house. Here is a photo I took of the rink today. Now it's a fishing pond and they don't allow skating. I think that's sad. It was too warm for skating today however. There was one kid down there throwing rocks out onto the ice. The sawmill used to be just beyond that hill which is actually a raised railroad track. Some kids would use the railroad to get to and from the rink from both sides of the river. We would play crack the whip and that sort of thing. The rink had a few lights on it and a warming hut with a wood stove inside. There used to be a different bridge going out to the island that was tall enough to skate under.

Sad sappy sucker

Last night I went to a Christmas party. I wasn't sure how that would turn out as it's one of those things where you might end up standing around with nobody to talk to, but I figured if nothing else I would come away with something to think about or even write about. My highschool art teacher was there, George Gogas (see below) and I was able to talk to him for a while unlike at his art show. We had a nice conversation. Some guys who I've cycled and skied with in the past were there also, so I talked to each of them for a while, and I did flirt with one woman who was actually repsonding. (I think) She was wearing a hot little black dress but it wasn't enough to keep her warm. She wanted to stand next to this heater vent that was causing her dress to fill with air. I told her that this was making me perspire. I got a nice smile out of that line, but sadly I couldn't stay, and I thought I'd better leave before I got myself in over my head. All in all it wasn't a bad party. I'm not really a party going person though.

Today I took Lizzie out for some last minute shopping. We ended up going to a music store and I bought her a CD and I bougth a CD for my trip home. I got Modest Mouse sad sappy sucker. So we'll see about that. I saw those guys on TV once. I can't remember what she picked out.


Tonight I went for a late night walk. There was a skiff of snow on the ground and a cold wind blowing out of the canyon as I walked across the bridges over the river. Someone had recently been beaten up on one of the bridges here so I decided to take my maglite with me. I figured I'd just konk them on the head, but nobody was really out except for a few cyclists. This is the only place I know of where you would see so many people getting around on bikes in the winter. I'll try and get some photos.

The gift of carbon

Have you ever been at Christmas morning and eveyone is opening gifts and there's some old lady that wants you to be careful and collects and folds up all of the used wrapping paper? You just want to tear into that package and get at the George Foreman grill!

Well I've become that old lady. Tonight I wrapped up two presents with used wrapping paper from last year, and I didn't do a very good job either. I didn't use my hunting knife like I did last year to cut the paper, but at least I didn't use butcher paper. Like I said last year, that gave new meaning to cut and wrap... No this year I used second hand wrapping paper. I used used. And I give myself two carbon credits for that. :)

This year, give the gift of carbon. Scarf up on the used wrapping paper as people open their gifts!

My lights

I thought I'd show you my Christmas lights since I haven't been out taking photos of my neighbors lights. I put up one string of white lights over my fire place. I think it looks cool but you really can't tell by this photo. I also started my new pellet stove insert tonight for the first time. It works great. It was really cold in here before I started it and now it's quite warm. I bought this thing when it was 90 degrees out this summer so I got it for half price. I had one that konked out but this one is much more advanced. Still you have to adjust the air flow just like the old one. It gives you the warmth and feeling of a fire without all of the mess, it doesn't cost much to use it, and it burns very clean so I can use it when there are regular burning bans.

Not the subscriber

It's strange. I was kind of in a news vacuum every morning while I was in Montana. They are in Mountain time and I'm in Pacific time. You'd think that that one hour wouldn't make any difference but it does. By the time I got up any news that might have been on TV was over. Public radio over there is different too and that is a reliable source for national and local news for me here every morning, but over there I couldn't hook up with it. While I was in Montana it was like there was no news in the morning.

The paper wasn't any better. The Missoulian was like this little leaflet. I remember one day when I saw it I thought, Is this the paper? They make up for it on Sunday however and give you way more paper than you ever want to look at. I think it would be better if they gave you equal amounts of paper each day and not all of it on Sunday, but then I'm not the one who decides. I'm not the decider, and I'm not the subscriber. My mom is the subscriber. Each day I took her paper to her while she was in hospital. I found out that my mom doesn't really care about the national news in the paper. She glances at the regional news, but what she really takes the paper for is one puzzle. (?)

I hate puzzles. I don't mind problem solving, but don't want to do it without a good reason. I got most of my news on line while I was in Montana.

Over and over

I should be taking photos of Christmas lights and I will I promise. Just not tonight. I've never been too much in the Christmas spirit on any given year. If I were in politics, perhaps I'd introduce legislation to celebrate Christmas every four years like the Olympics or something. That would probably suck for our economy however. Gone are the days when we made things for our friends and family. (with some exceptions I know) But if we were all making things for eachother then I doubt the malls would be so crowded. If people started to make gifts for eachother, my 401k would probably tank.

One thing I always do on Christmas eve is watch the pope on TV. I'm not Catholic, so why do I do this? Well for one reason I really liked JP. He really did remind me of my dad. Benedict reminds me more of my grandmother. She was German too. While I was going to the hospital every day there was a quote in the elevator from Benedict. I can't remeber what it said despite reading it over and over.

Another thing I did over and over was drive into this underground parking lot at the hospital. Mom was released from the hospital BTW. Now she has people coming to stay with her while she fully recovers. I'll be staying with her this weekend and through Christmas. She will need another operation in a few weeks but it won't be so bad. So I'll be going back down into this parking lot in the near future again.

When it snows

I just love it when it snows. When it snows you can ski, and when you can ski you are free. This morning I went to a nordic ski track in Idaho to ski cross country through the woods for a while. There wasn't much snow but I did get to skate a little. I had the whole place to myself. Had to take off my skis a couple of times to get over thin areas, but it was really nice out. Here is a picture I took today.

Inside out

I had to return home and leave my mom to be looked after by other family members and the hospital staff for now. It was hard to leave and I wish I was back there right now. They were going to release my mom from the hospital today but then she got sick so they kept her in. I took this photo while waiting for the elevator to take me down to the underground parking lot and my car. The window shows both inside the hospital and my direction home outside. I feel like I've been turned inside out. I'm sure my mom does too.

Wood stove therapy

It's nice to have an old friend who can lift your spirits when things aren't going your way. Last night I hung out with my friend Curt in his garage out in the countryside in Montana. I can't tell you how nice it was to sit next to his wood stove and talk things over. It was good therapy for me, and I really needed it. Outside of his garage it was snowy and cold. I could smell the forest with every breath I took. Inside the country music and the steel guitar smoothed things out in my mind.

Curt has been writing about Grizzly bear encounters. He had an encounter with one while going back to pack out an elk he had shot a few years ago. I've also had encounters with bears. They haunt me and infiltrate my dreams. SEEING BEARS

I hope you don't mind me posting your picture Curt. Thank you for bringing me back down to earth. It's a very nice place there next to your wood stove.

New cube

This is what my new cube looks like while I try and work from here. I removed the color from it as I feel like I'm in a different time and place. When I go outside everything is black white and grey with all of the snow and clouds.

This workstation is not very ergo. It forces me to sit up straight. I can hear my mom saying this to me in the back of my head, as I work at the same table I used to eat at as a kid.

In hospital

Sorry my blog has not been so active lately. I'm in the waiting room of the hospital floor as I write this. The nurse is doing something with my mom and so I left the room. She's improving but was sick this morning. Still having a few issues. But I see a positive trend overall.

It's been tough being in a different routine. I only wish I had brought my cat Spunky with me. I didn't realize how long I'd be here. I'll try and post a photo later today. There's a great view from this floor.

***

This picture doesn't do the view justice as it was only one direction. (it made the most interesting photo composition) This is the view from the waiting room. My mom's window is not quite half the way down the row of windows you see outside of the building.

Got nuts?

I'm always looking for a good bumper sticker or window decal. If you are not from snow country, then this means this guy goes up in the woods hunting or something in crazy places when there is snow. And if you've ever been in western Montana there are lots and lots of crazy places to take a truck.

George Gogas

While I've been here, I was invited to go to an art show featuring my highschool art teacher George Gogas. I've considered him my most important teacher. He taught me how to work in pastel and to do portraits. It's something that isn't always taught now as not that many people really know how to do it. George is a master at it. So I've found it a great value in my life. His regular work is somewhat abstract however. The two paintings behind him have a western theme as you can see Charles Russell (famous Montana artist) in the one on the right and a cowboy in the one on the left if you look close, but most of the others are "just paint on a canvas" as he would say. It was nice to hear him speak about art again. That's George with the necktie.

Mom did better today BTW, but is still not ready to be released.

Good and bad

Today hasn't been a good day for mom. She's been sick to her stomach. They think it's the meds but nobody really knows. All of her signs are ok but she isn't eating well so they might put her back on an IV to keep her fed. They gave her something to make her sleepy and also take care of the upset stomach. So I came home and took a nap and I'm going back down in a little while.

Go to the hospital, come back. Go there come back. That's what I do these days. They keep changing ways to get around in the hospital by closing areas. There are two buildings hooked together. So I always have to find different routes. That makes it a little more interesting than they would be otherwise.

This place leaves a lot of impressions on me. I wouldn't mind living here actually. There's a sense of comunity here. The houses are close together. Lots of cool old turn of the century houses like this one I'm in. I just looked out the window and some people with a Toyota hybrid were taking some touring skis out of the back and had a Christmas tree tied to the roof. Bicycles everywhere. Every shape and kind. The downtown area is full of activity. Last night I went to an art show. I'll talk about that next.

***

It's late and I'm at the hospital. It's been a not so good day. I wish there were something I could do but there really isn't except sit here and help mom if she gets up and walks to the bathroom. Now she has to drag an IV stand with her. I guess I'll stay until midnight or so and go home. Perhaps she can sleep through the night. The hospital has a complimentary wireless but it's hard for me to work without a desk. Still having the internet is a bonus. So I stay up late and then first thing in the morning the phone at home starts to ring.

The good news

The good news is that my mom's cancer was stage 1 so it won't require chemo. That's a pretty big deal for us. So there is light at the end of the tunnel.

Here is a photo I took today in Idaho today on my way back to Montana. December cyber tree.

Do they fall apart?

My mom is doing very well considering. This has been a very difficult week both for her and for me. They moved her out of ICU yesterday and into a regular room. I came home today to get my paycheck, touch bases at work for a half a day and I'll return tomorrow.

I think this situation has lowered my defenses. Now I'm not strong enough to do battle at work the way I need/ needed to. I was so impressed by how the ICU nurse dealt with the most difficult of situations, and I thought I could emulate her composure. A few phone calls at work later, and I'm not so sure that this kind of understanding works in my world. But I want it. I want to be like that.

I have to wonder. How in the world do these nurses and doctors not let these life and death situations not get to them? I wonder if the calm place they reflect is merely a facade. Do they fall apart after they get off of work?

Beginning, middle

I think I understand why old people talk about their operations now. They really do leave an impression on you. This whole thing has left many impressions on me and it wasn't even my operation. It isn't even over yet.

I have to say that all of the people who have worked on my mom that I've met have been really nice. It's like they never have a bad day. If they have a bad day they don't show it. I'm afraid I could improve in that department. Something I can take away from this to work on. The day shift MICU nurse we have had has been so very nice and caring. Give it up for Sarah. I probably won't see her much now as they will probably move my mom to a different room tomorrow. So I thanked her at the end of her shift today. This is going to cost a pile of money but what Sarah has done was priceless alone. The've all been great.

What else... What other impression,..

It's like everything has a beginning, a middle and an end. (something I always think about) Like a song. Like a book or a movie. Like a trip or journey. Like a day, a week, a month, or even a life.

We got up really early and went down to the hospital to get checked in. Almost like taking someone to the airport and then waiting with them for their flight to depart. Other people arive, some have people sending them off and others are alone. But everyone waits. Then the ones going on the journey go through a door and you stay behind. I admired my mom's courage for going through that door the way she did. I had to wonder if she really knew what she was getting into.

That was the beginning. Pre-op was like an airplane hanger, with flights departing now and then. Recovery and MICU moved us into the middle. MICU stands for medical intensive care unit. I think. I took picture this while I was waiting for them to bring my mom out of recovery and into this MICU room. I had no idea what to expect. Now I know. It has a very nice view of the mountains BTW. The chairs look nice but aren't that great for sitting in any length of time.

The phone call

It has been a long day. My mom had her cancer surgery today. She did well and is in an ICU now for two days. The photo is of the phone on the wall of the waiting room. When they are done that phone rings and they tell you how it went. It didn't ring for hours. When it did I got up and answered it. It was for me. Then when I found out about my mom it rang again. I answered again as nobody else did. Then I called out to that person. I became the phone answering guy. Then our doctor came and we had a talk in person.

Carwash Christmas

I promised I'd show you some Christmas lights in my neighborhood. I love to drive around and look at the lights, but I suck at putting them up. When I was a kid we had one string of big blue lights that went down our porch railing. You could see our tree inside. Then one year someone came along and took all of our bulbs. :( The dirty skunk! We never had lights again after that.

Now I only put up one string of lights and I put it over my fireplace mantle they are all white. I think it looks cool.

Anway there are people good at putting up lights and people not so good, and it isn't always about how many lights they use. Of course the critic in me always comes out, and as I drive around looking, I get judgemental.

I'm going to show examples of both good and bad displays, but remember, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. So I'll start with this one,.. the local car wash. Notice the string of lights on the top of the roof... Very nice,... The green thing in the middle says "happy hollidays". I really like this display for some reason. (the white spots are snowflakes caught by my flash) Kind of adds to the festive mood of the picture, don't you think?

Dashing through the snow,
to the carwash we will go,...
oh how fun it is to show
a spraying place tonight,..

What would you say,.. Good or bad display?