I'm hopeful you'll have fun with this... and enjoy sharing what you've learned with the other RV Boondocking folks that happen by.
There are a few more pages I want to add to these, and I'll update this list right here, on this page, (this blog category) to make an easy spot to find 'em...
How-some-ever... I'm gettin' cross eyed and finger weary about now... so I think I'll take Lily, climb in Big Red and go run some errands in town...
I need the time to untie some of the computerized knots that have got my head all tangled up! :-)
Check back off and on... to see if there are any NEW categories for which you might have a story to share.
Take Good Care Brian
January 3, 2009 07:24 - WOW!
You guys are awesome!
Only got those 'Reader Submitted' pages up yesterday afternoon and already three of you took a deep breath and dove in.
Many, Many Thanks!
On the SBI! system Forums, where folks talk about all their 'issues' with their websites... one of the big deals with this 'New' system is getting the first folks to put in their stories. Lots of 'em mention how it took 'em days... or even weeks to get their first contribution to the 'Reader Submitted' pages.
Seems folks are sort of shy to be the first to hang it out there.
But not the RV Boondockers that come here! Those pages weren't up 12 hours and you guys started fillin' 'em up... Awesome! I'm Looking forward to getting to read more about you guys now! :-) ... and having you folks teach me a bit more... leastways, if I can squeeze it in that cluttered up brain pan of mine. :-) ... if I could only erase some of the useless junk I've got stored in there!
Many Thanks!...
But now... I'm runnin' late... so I better get to it!
Take Good Care Brian
January 5, 2009 05:17 - Icy roads, Motorcycles, and Cowboys too Dumb to Come in Out of the Cold!
As often happens... I've been Bachin' it since Thursday... Heidi and Buck went off with some of her friends again for another agility trial... and with weather and such I ended up gettin' seperated from my V Star... I had to pick up the truck Thursday night where she'd parked it at her friends house... Leaving Slick in the garage.
Circumstances kept me away from it till last night... when I went to pick it up after I got off... and leave the truck for Heidi to come home...
It was a lil' cool riding home in the dark... my breath icing up the face mask of my helmet... but worth every chilly minute! :-) ...
Heck, the romance of it almost brought me to tears! :-) ... just read what inspiration rolls through my head at such emotional times;
Manly Men Ride V Stars!
I fired up that Yamaha The weather it was cool The thermometer claiming 10 degrees I swear, it made me drool!
I knew I'd ride alone this night For Harleys there were none Those manly bikes were safe at home Cold riding for them ain't fun!
Ol' Slick he shuddered twice And then he shook and spun But when I twisted throttle That V Star up and run!
We roared on down the highway Cold metal, gas and man! We split the wind that bike and I 'cause I'm a manly man!
That bike rolled hard through frozen night Rolled on past Wellington But let me tell the story right And clear the record some
About my V Star's chilly run Across the icy night Cold from which the Harleys run And Cowboys rise to fight!
He who claims that it weren't cold That feller ain't half right 'Cause I'm the one who split the wind And did it just for spite!
Jack Frost he tries to shut me down To take away my flight That S.O.B. he actually tries To make me park my bike!
No I cried with a fiery glee No parking bikes for me And zipping tight I climbed upon My V twin engined steed
We thundered down the frozen street I started humming songs Till one stood out Stood out alone and carried me along
Inside my helmet I sung a song One about a road A road that tested man and machine... Thunder was his engine And White Lightning was his load!
- B.K. Gore
Take Good Care Brian -a manly man! :-) hee hee hee hee hee ha ha haha ha haahahhahaha !
...and... just a mite off center!
January 6, 2009 07:56 - Runnin' Hard But I Think I May Be Losin' Ground!
I may have filled up my dance card a mite too much....
I've got several projects stacked up I want/need to do on the 5er... Maintenance on Big Red and Slick... a couple new pages planned to write on this site, a couple on the motorcycle touring site, work to do around this 'place' ( I got to keep it healthy so I can still sell it when the world heals a bit!) ... a major rebuild of another page on this site...
I still have to restore/re-enter all that work lost when the computer crashed a while back...
... and now... the beast has gone and picked me for Jury Duty!
Now THAT tells me for sure, those guys don't know what there about! Don't they know 'bout me? :-)
Soon as they find out I'll be judgin' Them and their 'behaviour', and their 'Law', right along with any possible defendant, I don't expect they'll keep me around long! :-)
I hear tell those fellers get their shorts in a tight knot the instant somebody mentions the words 'Jury Nullification'... Don't know first hand. Never been selected for Jury Duty before... Well, guess it'll be an interesting ride next month... after we get back from our Desert Run to Tucson...
One more thing that needs doin'! ... 'course... makin' that Desert Run comin' up is nuthin' but Shining Times and healing lotion for the usually bad case of hitch itch I've got this time of year.. scratch... scratch... scratch...
So enough wind here... there's plenty of it outside... I'll get on with tryin' to catch up.
Take Good Care Brian
January 8, 2009 05:53 - Got a Few Things Checked off the List
You know... The main problem with Hitch Itch... besides bein' an incurable affliction... (You can Treat it... but You can't cure it!) ... is that it seems to leave you feeling pretty mucky... even when you'd think otherwise, that you're makin' progress...
I got a major page rebuild done... caught up on emails... got a couple more pages written... some started... and spent some time over in the shop... and I'm still draggin' 'round like a three legged dog with his foot in a bucket...
With all my power tools gone the way of the 'yard sale'... a while ago... I got to do any cutting the old fashioned way... which is a whole lot easier when there are a whole lot fewer numbers on your calendar. :-)
But... There's a good thing too... You can't see it in the pic... but it was cold in that shop... Takes a few hours to get it warmed up if it's been sittin' cold for a while... So... crankin' your arm like a pump jack for a while to split out the new surface for my RV Desk has a tendency to warm a fella up...
... and with the old Desk Top removed...
I could set the new surface in place... but not lock it down... SOMEBODY... forgot to get some more pin nails for his lil' pin gun... when he got it 'back' from his son in law... so that'll have to wait till I haul some home from town today... If of course... I can remember to do that!
But... shortly I'll have a more solid top (doubled 3/4 inch ply) that I can pound on a mite better... which will allow me to get back to whittlin' on some leather a bit easier... That's a good thing.. now... all I got to do as soon as I lock down that top... is cut out the pieces to build the new 'leather tool chests' I'm going to set at each end of that new top...
... more arm crankin'... what the heck... it saves on gym memberships!
I know seein' my purty self slavin' away on my knees is sure to have cheered ya'll up... but here's a lot finer view of the world!... a recent sunrise, out in front of the Rockies... I'll leave you with it...
'Cause for me, it's Time to go make the donuts...
Take Good Care Brian
January 10, 2009 05:21 - I may have found a way to utilize my scattered mind...
... and no Mike... it don't involve a whisk broom and a dust pan!
I'm pursuin' one or two, at least small projects on, in, or around the Rig each week, to keep my head in the game... seems to be working... how ever... I may run out of wallet... before I run out of projects.
Started the day off yesterday gettin' Big Red some fresh oil... and then runnin' his wheels off chasin' errands... The most fun of which was shoppin'! :-)
Now don't get your shorts all knotted... it was for my motorcycle, sort of... and a bike is the ultimate RV Toad ya know! And, even a feller has to go buy 'stuff' once in a while! It don't make me a girly man!...I swear! I just wanted some gear that'll keep me a touch warmer... when it's colder...
It's the only way I can continue bein' the goofy geezer splittin' the wind on a motorcycle when sensible folks are pilin' on another blanket and turnin' up the furnace... even a rolling fly swatter gets a mite chilly at 50 mph when it's cold enough to turn the refrigerator off.
I've rode down to 10 degrees this winter... Hmmm... wonder if that scooter'll keep runnin' at 8? :-) I might never find out... that Yamaha won't even start when it's 10... unless it was parked in somebody's garage.
As it turns out... folks get really upset when they find their Camry parked out in the driveway and a strange motorcycle parked inside! :-)
I was talkin' to a couple snowmobilers down in town a few days ago... and they told me 'bout some bib coveralls, made for skiers and such, at a really sweet price... down at the 'Sports Authority' outfit...
So I rolled by there and sure enough... they had what was described for the steep price of $25... Dang... you can't hardly buy TP for that any more... don't know how they can keep the doors open for that... but, not my problem... I grabbed 'em and ran... before they could claim the ski bibs were priced wrong! :-)
For that I'll try the experiment... and see if they'll keep my apendages as warm as that new coat has been keepin' the boiler room.
Maybe if I get a good enough winter outfit assembled ... Murphy will arrange events so I'll find myself a bit south of here come winter... in the future... so I won't be able to use it... how's that for 'Mule Psychology'?
Just one more time I've found that the Back Packing / Hiking / Sporting Goods Stores seem to me to have lighter, more compact gear at what strikes me as a better price... than a lot of the motorcycle shops... and bein' built for the woods and high country, it's not exactly flimsy... so if you're lookin' for some riding gear... and want something a bit 'dual purpose' give REI, Sports Authority, Bass Pro, Cabellas or some of the others a look see... you might find a good deal for what you need! ... and keep some of that long green in your pocket... for more diesel.
The other 'best' errand was picking up the materials to start in Tuesday on shaping the Tool Chest boxes I've got sketched up to install on either end of the resurfaced RV desk top... They'll hold my leather tools and be real convenient... which is a requirement when a lazy fella is huntin' excuses to go ride his motorcycle, rather than gettin' his saddle warmin' butt to work
So... next week I'll get a bit more practice with that Japanese pull saw...
Ya know... I wish I could crank a saw with my left arm... I'm gonna end up lopsided... my right arm all buff and pumped up... The left one all withered and scrawny from only leanin' on it... That's the good thing 'bout power tools... They keep your carcass balanced! :-)
Hmmm... ya think if I just turned around it would change it to the other side? Like in a mirror?
Also got that busted shock detached... haven't got replacements found yet... another task for the first of the week.
... gettin' late... time to go put those new coveralls in the wind for a test...
January 11, 2009 05:43 - When Times get Tough... Another Cowboy Sermon...
Boyo boy... if you make the mistake of turning on that idiot box (for other than a John Wayne western!) you can get turned pretty dark can't you? seems like the whole tone of the world 'round us has gone to pot... makes it tough for a guy to keep on keepin' on... when ever'body around him is claimin' "The End is Coming!"...
Well... it sure is... and for me... it seems like it's been comin' closer every day since I was born... I figure... no matter how good it might be, I'm a lot closer to the 'end'... whenever that might be... than I was 30 years ago... and there ain't a gol durn thing I can do 'bout it... 'cept deal with it.
... but... how has that ever been different?
So, straight to the point of todays Cowboy Sermon...
Go Kick a Pig! ... or better yet, climb on your Yamaha and straighten out the twisties... these days that seems to work pretty well for me!!
Mark... over on the Artfuls blog was 'venting' 'bout a busted blackwater tank the other day... which gave me an opportunity to remind him... the way you guys generally remind me... 'bout how sweet we really have it... if we back off a bit and look... but then... he already knew that...
If something slides a burr under your saddle... you need to know something... it's unhealthy to keep it to yourself!
That's right!... If your blackwater tank breaks... Vent it!... or that stuff'll back up on you! :-)
If you bust your shin on the furniture... squall!... When your insurance agent won't return your phone call... kick a pig!
If the rain runs down past the neckhole of that fancy new rain gear... cuss it! Don't let that stuff back up or the pressure will build till you burst... and that can get down right nasty... it can even run out of control... or make you sick... so ... go Kick a pig!
... and then...
Cowboy Up!... pick up your possibles... and move on down the trail... Keepin' all those frustrations bottled up inside is bad for your liver... You need to 'vent' in some sort of proportion to your agitations... but vent you must.
Now... if you put some thought into it... you can even make 'venting' entertaining... and then ever'body benefits. :-)
Did you see the interview Patrick Swayzee did the other night? Now, there, is a classy guy... and somebody, considerin' his situation, that has got to be dealin' with considerable 'frustrations'. His answer to a question really hit the mark...
When asked if he was going to go chasin' all sorts of alternative treatments to fight his ailment; "Nah!... I'm NOT going to chase life! People spend so much time and effort trying to stay alive... They Never Live!"... There it is in a nutshell... ( I don't have the quote exact... but it's close)
He's fighting his fight... and doing what he has to, as best he can... but... in the end... he's going to Live His Life.
The point is... do what has to be done... take out the 'trash'... and then... get to LIVING!
I had a talk with a preacher a lot of years ago... seems that my 'stuffing it' would cause an 'occasional'... unexpected detonation... when the 'pressure' built up a mite higher than the tolerances between my ears could deal with any more... he suggested an action which worked like a champ... though I must admit... it had the neighbors locking their doors and peekin' through the blinds!
He said; "Take a big cardboard box out in the yard when you get to feeling all twisted up... take a deep breath... and then... stomp it... rip it... bite it... curse it... shred it... kick it... and jump up and down on it.... see if that don't help!"
... so I did... and boy, Standing there, limp from raging... wheezing and trying to catch my breath from all the excitement, I thought; "There, all vented now... and I do feel better!"
... 'till I noticed the bug eyed, slack jawed stares I was gettin' from ever'body up and down the road... Took me some little while to convince those fellers with the white coats, that showed up a bit later, that that durn box had really assaulted me... and it was only self defense! Guess I should have pursued my 'treatment'... a mite more privately...
So ... you might want to engage in such doin's inside a high fenced yard... or maybe in the garage, with the door closed and the stereo turned up to drown out the bellerin! :-)
It wasn't till a few years passed by... that I discovered takin' a splitting maul out to the wood pile has the same medicinal affect... just imagine that ever'thing that's put that big Ol' uncomfortable knot in your shorts... is sitting right there in that chunk of wood... and when you're thoroughly 'vented' you've also got plenty of split firewood ready to carry you through the next couple of days.
... 'stead of a yard full of shredded cardboard to clean up! :-)... and staring neighbors to endure...
So... On to LIVNG!
I tested those fancy and CHEAP Ski bib/coveralls yesterday... was something like 20 degrees... BINGO! They worked like a champ... so, if you need to stay on your motorcycle, through the cold season... and need to stretch the budget at the same time... go look for 'em at somewhere like Sports Authority... twenty five bucks and they keep me a lot warmer than the 'Key' coveralls at three times the price... Sweet! ... and they're tailored nicer... so I can show off my Masculine, Geezer, 'Easy Rider', Physique better Too! :-)
... Barry just recently added his RV Pantry Modification to the custom RV page... pretty classy work... he's bumped my pantry remodel down to the minor leagues for sure!... Your RV Destinations Your Custom RV Reader's RVing Tips
Take Good Care Brian
January 12, 2009 05:14 - Tips to Aid in Stretching Your RVing Dollars the Cowboy Way.
As I've been conjuring fresh ideas the past few months... Tryin' to cipher a way around 'Real Estate' mountain... The big obstacle that's been blocking our trail... I got to thinkin' that... maybe... we might could get the job done, if we could work out some frugal new ways to stretch our dollars...
Here's a few of the money stretching tips I've managed to come up with...
The first thing I did was wrap our truck and fifth wheel tires with duct tape, when the cords started showin'... to stretch the mileage we get out of each expensive tire. That 'Gorilla Brand' tape seems to hold on the best... and provide the best mileage per foot... but most any will do... If rubber starts showin' again... just wrap on another roll!
I found out you can use the staplers down at the city library for free if you ask nice... so I spent one afternoon down there, pinchin' my torn jeans back together. You have to be careful when you wash 'em though... If you use excessive fabric softner, the staples can soften too much and a few seams may fail... so... use sparingly!
Rather than burnin' gasoline running the generator to boil up morning coffee, or use up more precious propane using a percolator on the stove... I duct taped a hook to the outside wall of the trailer, just above the exhaust of the furnace... just hang your old fashioned, speckled enamel, coffee pot from the hook with an old, wire, coat hanger, hangin' down in front of the exhaust. Wait a half an hour and wa la... the sweet purfume of luke warm, Cowboy Coffee... enjoy!
Don't throw away those old panty hose just 'cause they've got run's in 'em... stuff the legs with your dirty laundry... whites in the left leg... colors in the right. Pour some liquid laundry soap on top and then tie the waist shut with a length of stout cord. Toss the loaded panty hose in the creek behind your camp when you go to bed and tie the cord off to a tree on the bank.
The detergent gets pushed down through the laundry by the current and long about midnight it's passed on through and rinsing begins! By sunrise you've got sparkling fresh laundry. Hang it to dry on your camp chairs while you take a morning hike!
Here's some dollar stretching, meal making, ideas from that Legendary Cowboy, Baxter Black!...
Yes Sir! ... at the rate these ideas, and others, are stretching our dinero... we'll be on the road, house sold or not... long before I turn 90!
This is B.K. Gore To keep your cowboy healthy... Let Him Buck... once in a while!
January 14, 2009 12:00 - RV Desk and Shocking results!
Got the RV Desk 'upgrade' install completed yesterday... now all I've got to do is put on the varnish...
It's a lot more solid than it was... As a desk alone it was fine... but, bangin' on it, tooling leather... there was a bit of bounce that I didn't like. It used to be a scant 3/4"... now, with doubled, laminated ply, it's an inch and a half thick... and NO bounce...
I also, finally, put on the front trim... so it even looks better...
Here's the old, 'NEW' desk...
and now... the 'NEW'... 'NEW'... RV Desk... after removing the old one and putting in the beefed up top... for tooling leather...
You should be able to see the increased thickness... though I don't think the face trim shows up very clearly... trust me... it's an improvement! :-)
The only other thing I've been tryin' to do is get that busted shock replaced... seems it's an 'odd' duck... I've got the parts house haulin' a pair in... supposed to be here this afternoon... with any luck at all, it'll be the right size...
With all the options... they had a heck of a time finding one that would fit... I never knew how many choices there are in shock sizes.. there must be a couple hundred variations... Geez... you'd think a dozen or so would cover it... guess not.
I felt the need to replace both of 'em on that axle, even though the other side is fine... It didn't seem reasonable to have a variation in shocks there... I didn't like the idea of the Eagle wobblin' around at 60 mph 'cause the shocks are damping at different rates... that can get a mite too western... even for a thrill seeker like me! :-)
I'm headin' over to the shop now... to see if that heater has it warmed up sufficient for me to start cuttin' parts for my new tools chests... if not... I guess I'll just come back here and try to make some more progress on a writin' project or two.
Either Take Good Care or Let 'er Buck!... the Choice is Yours! Brian
January 16, 2009 07:38 - Sawdust... Mechanicin'... and ... shhhh... you got to keep readin' to find out!
I've got a small pile of sawdust in the shop... and one arm that's pumped up like the Hulk! The long cuts are made, and all the pieces for carcase's of the two chests are cut out... all I've got left to cut are all the bits for the 8 drawers... and that's on the schedule for today...
... so this pile of pieces should get quite a bit larger... 3/8 of an inch at a time...
A few folks have asked me about the 'Japanese' saw I'm usin'... I've got two of the little things... Pull Saws most call 'em... The bigger one is made by Vaughn and the little one is built by Marples... Where most, regular hand saws cut when you push 'em, these cut on the pull stroke. It allows better control...
You can't see it real well in the pic... but the Big one has two blades, one on each side... coarser on one side for ripping... and finer on the other for cross cutting...
... and also... pullin' 'em allows for a much finer blade... and more precise cuts... that's assumin' you can 'color' inside the lines of course.
I've come to really like 'em... and the way they FORCE me to slow down... and enjoy the ride...
They (them Japanese fellers) invented the things... for doin' the post and beam joinery they're famous for... I don't know a saw that can cut more precise. Since they're small, light and handy... they make great lil' tools combined with a chisel of two, for doin' lil' 'camp' projects... Wouldn't it be great if ever'body whittled a stool or two in their boondock camps... while they're stayin' there... and then left 'em for the next guy to enjoy?
Another task on the board for today is to swap out the shocks on the back axle of the Eagle... NAPA got a pair in for me day 'fore yesterday, that I believe will fit... Supposed to be pretty nice on the Colorado Plains today... so they should be bolted in place by the end of day...
Oh yeah... did a major remodel on the 'General Store' and the 'Bookstore' yesterday... pounded my lil' fingers to the bone... so ... if you're contemplatin' pickin' up anything RV Related... either Books or hardware... that you might could get from an Amazon store... I'd be much obliged if you'd take a look in one of my lil' stores first... every lil' bit helps keep this site online! and if you point your friends and family to my lil' stores for their online shoppin'... I'm just as greatful for that too!
... And then... the BIG news... The kids sent the boss woman flowers the other day... and then had supper with us the other night... all to tell us that they don't know if it's a colt or a filly... but our daughter is gonna have a little 'un come the first week of September...
I just KNEW I needed to get a couple years of Yondering in... a couple years ago!... Sheesh... Real Estate troubles ain't nuthin'... I'll NEVER get herself out of town now... Not with Grandkids runnin' 'round! :-) ... Boo Hoo... sniff sniff
I just may have to accept the weight of the things that keep pilin' up that say... "Full-time just might not be in the hand you drew sparky... You best look at holdin your swings to a month or so! ... and then come circlin' back this way for while!"
Between real estate, my always returning itch to tinker in a shop, in between the itches to hit the road... and the dent the 'economy' has put in our finances... yadda yadda yadda... a fella has to start listening... sometime... to who ever it is that keeps whoppin' me on the head with that board!
Oh well... it ain't that awful is it... The house ain't fallin' down... the shop is the best I've ever had to tinker in... in spite of the 'dents', our finances are keepin' me warm, dry, and fed... and with a fine Yamaha Motorcycle to wander the mountains on, Life is Good! ...
... the only thing I can say is... She BETTER make DARN GOOD AND SURE... that she produces a Colt!... Ol' Grandad needs a boy to teach how to aggravate his Momma! ... and terrorize the populace on a V Twin!
Those saws are waitin' on me... so I better git!
Remember...
Keep Your Mouth Closed when ridin' a motorcycle in swamp country Brian
January 18, 2009 06:51 - Have you ever?
Got yourself halfway through a project... and realized you were doin' it wrong?... again!... I'm right there with my new tool chests... It struck me as I was whittling on things that I needed to place them in a different spot... which requires a little 'adjustment' of piece sizes... and then as I was working out that... "change order"... I think I saw an even better location... so... that lil' project is waiting on a bald headed ol' schizo to make up his mind! :-)
... and calculate the adjustments... but I've run out of calculator space... so... anybody got a few toes they're not usin' for a bit?
Seems pretty par for the course on this deal... I've gone through a few evolutions figuring out how to put my leather tools into the 5er... each one has had it's good parts... but none of 'em has had me sayin' ... bingo! That's it... Yet!
How-some-ever... in spite of the 'waste pile' accumulating over in the shop from all the aborted prototypes... I'm feelin' like I'm gettin' closer... I can smell that sucker hidin' in the bushes... just haven't managed to drop my rope on him yet. :-) ... but I'm close enough now... I can hear the thing breathin'... It's just a matter of layin' up quiet... and waitin' on it to make a move and then... GOTCHA! and I'll be hailed as pure, cowboy genius...
... and then he awoke from his drunken sleep... :-)
... The shocks didn't get put on either... they'll have to wait till Tuesday... I thought I'd pulled enough tools off the truck to get 'em installed.... WRONG! ... I lacked about a 1/2 inch of space to slide 'em in place... DOH! ... and the jack I needed to lift the rig... and stretch that 'space' was... you guessed it... on Big Red... 25 miles away...
That's OK... wouldn't do to make too much progress on a To Do list... a fella might start expecting smooth sailing and really set himself up for difficulties.
Measure twice... Cut once... unless you're me... then... measure again... cut again... don't like it... start over... measure, cut, cut measure... Arrrrgh! ... have a BBQ with the scrap wood... suffer an epiphany... take some aspirin ... sketch... measure... measure again... Cut...
... carefully assemble...
HA HA! Shinin' Times! I Finally got 'er done...
OK... but it is a nice dream...
Take Good Care Brian
January 20, 2009 07:23 - The Pursuit of Art... for RVers... or Anybody Else for that Matter.
I can think of no finer use for the Spirit of a man or woman of any sort.. and no better avocation for a Full-Time RVer... than to commit that Spirit to pursuing Art...
A bloggin' RVer has set my brain to smokin'... he banged hard on one of my many 'Hot Buttons'. Which isn't hard to do... since if you drew a picture of me... showin' my 'Hot Buttons'... I'd look like a porcupine!
Mark, one of the resident Gypsy Artists over on Artful RV Adventures was discussin' the trail he's followed to become an Artist... though he claims to not be one Yet
Yet?... one look at his photography... or paintings... has me looking at work I do... tryin' to find a way to jack it up to his level... and feelin' nigh on to impotent... sniff sniff...
... anyhoo... it got me to thinkin' on it... and I remembered a conversation I had with a fella, on roughly the same subject a few years back...
The fella commented that he'd like to be able to carve leather like I did... and I told him it wasn't that tough, and that I had a long way to go to get to what I considered the Master level... He replied I must be nuts... He could never do what I was doin'.
I couldn't help but tell him... "Yup. You're right. You never can."
The look on his face was like I'd slapped him... 'course, that was my intention. Sometimes, you've got to get a mules attention, 'fore you can teach him anything... and people are all too dang often... more stubborn than a mule.
I know... I get confronted with the most stubborn mule I know, every morning when I wake up...
No... not her! :-) ... it's the fella I have to look at in the mirror ever' mornin'!
Looky here... You're out full-timin'... or maybe dreamin' of it... just like me... or maybe some other enterprise you'd like to tackle... and you don't.
Why?... Same reason that fella likely won't ever carve leather... like a modestly capable, broken down, puss gut, of a bald headed cowboy can.
How about 'cause the first dang words out of your mouth... or chasin' around in your head are; "I can't."
Well guess what. If you start off the effort with that nonsense... and you believe your own gas... You don't ever even try... 'cause why bother... you already know you'll fail!
... and that is the point... If you don't try... you dang sure CAN'T. If you don't push the failures aside... learn from what didn't work... and keep on building your abilities... you Won't.
Talk to the best of Artists... in any field... look at their early work... and you find out quick... Their Natural Talent ... Took a whole lot of effort and sweat, to find and uncover!
I have yet to meet or talk to any Artist worth a rusty nut... that didn't have to WORK to achieve their Natural Talent.... and work hard.
It's my belief we're all like a bunch of unused tools, when we start out... There we are, just sitting on a shelf. If we just keep on settin' there... you're right... we can't build a gol' darn thing...
How-some-ever... if that 'tool' gets picked up... and that saw gets put to the board... it cuts wood... and the more wood you cut... experience makes you better at doin' it... pretty simple... All those 'unused tools' are sitting there with much the same, built-in abilities... but if you don't plug 'em in... and pull the trigger... Nothin' happens.
Trouble with our 'society' is that it conditions folks to think they need a freakin' specialist for ever' dang thing that gets done out there... OK, Heart surgery, maybe...but, for just about any other dang thing that needs doin' in the living of your life... I say, as Baxter Black is known to comment; Bull Feces!
Uhhhh.... have you ever gone 'round a construction site... and had a conversation with a few of those... 'specialists' ... poundin' nails to build the place?
Let's just say there's quite a number of 'em who aren't in the runnin' for the sharpest knife in the drawer!
If there's something in you... that you want to let out... something you want to express... painting, sewing, mechanicing, gardening, carving, writing, building, teaching... whatever it is... What ever your Art of Choice is... just start doing it.
You're settin' there in camp. You've got the time... or you're settin' there at 'home'... waiting for your efforts to bear fruit and you can make your 'escape'.... Whatever you're doin', there's no better time than right now...
Watch others who 'Do it' better'n you. Read whatever you can find... study whatever pieces of "IT" you can find... stretch your brain figurin' out how they did "IT"... You'll get to where you can look at a thing... and see all the pieces and parts of how it was created...
... and you'll start... way down inside... to learn the truth!
Early on the mechanics of it will come fast... but you'll likely feel like you're missing some lil' 'spark'... and you're dissatisfied. Now comes, in my opinion... the toughest part...
'Cause when it's all said and done... I don't think you can teach art... You can teach the mechanics of it... but I submit, not the Art.
I don't think good 'Art' is about skill... skill is simple mechanics... and I can teach a monkey that... ART... in my maybe not so humble opinion, Good Art, is less about artistic skill... and far more about Courage.
Huh? How does putting paint on a canvas take guts? Or words on a page? How's that got anything to do with Courage?
Well... It doesn't... OK I know, make up my mind right?
OK, Here's my mind... the Courage only comes in when you pick up a piece of your Art... the expression of your Heart and Soul... and hang it out there for ever'body to see...
You stand there choking in fear... 'cause that's YOU on that canvas... or in that carving... That's the most intimate part of your soul in those words. If they laugh at it... If they ridicule it... My God... They just roped your butt, drug you off your horse... and stomped on your Heart!
That my friends is the toughest part of pursuing art... and when you've exercised the effort and guts to keep on pushing past the failures... the most rewarding.
Producing Good Art... is having the Courage to put the Passion of Your Soul into something... and then presenting it to the world. When you hear the words; "I love it!" or when you witness something you've created... string a tear down someones cheek as they view it... why... It's about the deepest thing you're ever going to know... It's right up there with seeing your daughter born... It is Sweet!
Whatever the mechanical skill you've developed... If you learn to let your emotion flow out into your "It"... and can screw up your Courage to display it for the world to see... Then you've managed to locate that "Lil' Spark" you were missing... and it's gonna shine through and light up your "IT".
... and Like Mark... you'll have become... as far as I'm concerned... an ARTIST.
... and like the line in the movie...You'll be well along; "the path of a true Human Being."
Take Care... Have Courage... and pursue your art. Brian
January 21, 2009 08:54 - It's Hard to Pursue Art...
... when every month or two you have to spend hours... fixing what Microsoft IE has screwed up! ARRRRRGGGHHHH!
MS is at it... again... and several pages are all jacked up... I fix 'em... MS breaks 'em... it's kind of like a treasure hunt... If you enjoyed that sort of thing...
I really can't figure out why folks insist on using second rate junk like IE... when it's so easy, and FREE... to use an EXCELLANT browser like FIREFOX!
If you're weary of all the errors, glitches, open doors for malware and all the other 'issues' you get from using IE... just travel over to FIREFOX and get the cure... FOR FREE!... It's easy... just click on that lil' link a couple lines above... you can find out all about it... and download there... and deal with a bunch of 'internet surfing issues' in one FREE download...
It would sure save me a lot of work :-) ...
But, for the time being... I'm off to repair the 'IE issues' that I've found in my latest circle through the site.
In between my shock mounting, desk top varnishing, floor painting, winter tree watering, insurance dickering... and all the other chores stacked up for a lazy fella to get done this week...
Take Good Care Brian
January 22, 2009 07:19 - Found a long lost goof...
First off, the Goof.
For those who have done, or are about to do the task of Flipping your RV Axles... I discovered a part of it that bears close inspection. It's the shock absorbers... assuming your rig uses 'em.
It's been a few years and many thousands of miles since we did our RV Axle Flipping, all hauled without incident... but it bears watching just the same...
When they did the deed, I was told they had to 'tinker' with the shock mounts, and to tell the truth, I didn't give it much thought... But yesterday I finally got to replacing that busted shock and its mate on the other end of the axle.
'Twas durin' that job that I made my discovery... They only 'tinkered' with the lower mount... and very little 'tinkering' at that... the shock compression travel was significantly reduced to fit into the 'new' mount position. If you just give the things a cursory look... and don't really LOOK at it... you miss it... but when you're installin' 'em it kinda whops you on the head.
In this case... the shock was busted simply 'cause the retaining nut came off, the shock came loose and the shaft got bent as a result (Hmmm... maybe if I'd made a few closer inspections along the way... I'd have spotted that nut working loose... Bad, Bad, Geezer!)
but... when you're doin' an axle flip... I'd recommend making sure that the shock mounts are reworked if necessary to maintain full travel... on mine it would amount to cutting off the mounting pad on the bottom of the upper mount... and relocating it to the top of the upper mount... not a real big deal... but repacing maybe 2 1/2 " or so of shock travel...
I'm likely not going to do anything now... 'cause I desire to do a complete axle replacement... and some frame mods... so I can Haul a bigger motorcycle! ... I'm just not gettin' in enough difficulties for a trouble maker of my caliber! :-) ... and the new axles I want to use are torsions... without shocks....
On other fronts... the RV desk upgrade is now complete with three coats of varnish applied, the already stated shock replacement is done, the insurance is dickered... the trees are watered, the shop floor ain't painted 'cause I can't get the adhesive up yet from the old tile... and I'm dancin' around the nasty job I'm sure that'll be...
Oh yeah... and I found the screw ups on those 'MS busted pages'... so OK... it wasn't MS... again... but how come FIREFOX can deal with my shortcomings so smoothly... and MS takes a header every time? ... I'm stickin' with FIREFOX, if only 'cause it can so skillfully hide my disabilities as a computer geezer!
When I step outside, the Summer Weather around here the past three days is giving me an awful bad case of spring fever... compounded by Hitch Itch... good thing we pull out for a 14 day +- roll on Monday the 2nd of Feb.
Shhhhh.... don't tell the weather man... we need to sneak outa here!
Got plenty done... no shortage of stuff to do... so I'll get to it...
January 23, 2009 08:29 - A Day of Reflection... EEEEEiiiiiiiiiiiiiii !!
AHHHHH!!!! EEEEEiiiiiiiikes!
Oh... heh heh heh... Whew!... Thought I saw the grim reaper... it was only my reflection...
Need to be careful with that 'reflection' stuff ... and... Maybe I should rethink that Video section I've been cogitatin' about startin'? :-)
Anyhoo... Measurin' all sorts of inputs, sensor readings and a saddle bag full of different things... I'm lookin' at 'things' for us takin' another year to sort themselves through... ('course... to put that into context... I ain't never got nothin' 'sorted through... in 56 summers!)
We're remodeling our 'finances' to fit into the world as it is... not how we started planning it to be 2 1/2 years ago... When you follow a trail that peters out... and you don' t feel like goin' bush whackin'... you've got no options, other than to turn about, backtrack to where the trail forked, back a ways... and try the other fork.
My current thinking... that's what all that smoke is about... is that with a little clipping here, and a little inflating there... and just a mite of spit and polish... we can shape things up to get out doin' a lot more yondering... in wide circles... coming back here in between... so the Boss Lady can make sure she interferes with the Kid... and her Kid... like any good Grandma should!
To get that done... we need to rework things that we did a good while back... when we thought we were headin' for the 'Leaving'.
...And that's kind of a melancholy thing ain't it? You plan out a Dream... and then events around you... that you've got not one twitch of control over, knock the slats out of your barrel... so you have to re-plan and head out again...
But then, once you get over the Boo Hoo... Poor Poor Me part... You can get your eyes fixed on the new 'Brass Ring'... and maybe that's what it's all about... Like others have said... too many times for my fingers and toes to count... It's not about gettin' there... It's about the trip...
Breaking our 'Full-Timing' up into Wide Circles... Actually has a pretty fine shine of its own... when it comes to Dreams...
Point I'm makin' here is... is my way of sayin'; If at first you don't succeed... Try riding on a different bus!
... And... did you notice the 'NEW' page? for tellin' us about Your RV Recreational Activities? ... and don't forget the other places to tell us YOUR story... throw another log on the fire... and tell us your story!... We've got the time... and want to hear it! Just look for the 'YOUR' pages over on the NAV Bar... OK?
Unlike Baxter... Who's 'Out There' ... I'm right here... ... just wish I knew where that is... Brian
January 24, 2009 05:04 - Artful Mark keeps stirrin' the pot...
... and he's stirred mine again... second time this week!
It wasn't him... But... I think somebody's been blowin' smoke my way...
They've always told to me that if you get lucky enough to find the enterprise that becomes your 'work' rather than your 'job'... (what Mark was talkin' about) you automatically quit watchin' the clock... Instead of starin' at it, hopin' it'll speed up and get the 'job' over with.
The way the story goes... You're supposed to enjoy doin' the 'work' so much... You jump out of bed of a morning, to get to your 'Work', 'cause you can't wait for the alarm to ring... and you quit carin' 'bout the dang timepiece hangin' up there on the wall.
So... I must be doin' it wrong... 'cause here I am... on the shady side of the mountain... and I've surely, finally, found the 'work' that I find a pure pleasure to be doin'... That 'Work' bein' writin' here... and in other places. The fact that folks actually seem to be entertained, and enjoy readin' my yarns is a joy I cannot describe... It's right up there with my Ol' standard of bein' horseback in far country...
Knowin'... or leastways, thinkin', that I'm doin' folks some good in the process, is double sugared frosting on a German Choclate cake!
But... I must be doin' it wrong... Leastways according to how it's been described to me...
'Cause I'm still doin' the same dang thing... Watchin' that Ol' Westclox gizmo hangin' on the wall!... Only this time... I'm praying for it to SLOW DOWN!
Dang China built piece of junk! Take a fiver! Quit yer racin' so fast! ... I need more time in a day. :-)
Funny how I started off thinkin' I was just workin' on the writing as a possible way to contribute to, and support our RVing... and now RVing seems to be swapping places with the writing...
The Yondering is still a consuming hunger... nothing has changed there... but... the writing seems to have come out of nowhere and taken over and is fillin' up a void... A hole that I don't know that I knew was ever even there.
... hmmm... I wonder if that's where that whistlin' sound was comin' from on windy days?
So... whadaya think... If I take the batteries out of that dang blasted contraption... will it stretch an hour, so I can squeeze more 'work' out of a day? :-)
Thinkin' of settin' in one of those Mountain Boondock camps of ours, spinnin' another story, gets me to snifflin' an' leakin' so bad, thinkin' about it, and how lucky I am... I have to cover my laptop with saran wrap... I'm fearful all the drippin' will short out this treasured writin' machine! :-)
It's come late... or maybe... just in time!
Keep lookin'... You'll find your work too... Sometimes those bumps in the road turn out to be the bricks that you'll use to build your 'Real' life.
"The cause of most wretchedness is not so much a lack of money as lack of imagination." - Thoreau
January 26, 2009 05:24 - Another lovely day in the Wintry Wilds of Western Waste lands!
Was 7 degrees on the way into town yesterday... back to 8 when we got home... and 6 or so right now... according to the nearest weather station... It's a bit cool....
... With snow to round it off... maybe 6 inches if I'm generous in my estimation... with more on the way... I'm not missin' feedin' cows this morning!
Needless to say, Slick is shiverin' in his spot under the Eagles nose... I expect he wouldn't start... even if I was to try... Which at one digit, even I have no interest in that.
They say, When an RVer looks outside to check the weather... If he sees snow... he's doin' it wrong... so, I must be WAY wrong! :-) ... That's ok... I'll take my refresher course NEXT WEEK... Monday evening to be exact...
I must want to leave pretty bad, I've been halucinatin'... I've been tellin' ever'body that'll listen we're pullin' out Monday Morn.
Only problem with that is the Boss Lady sayin'; "Huh?... I thought you worked Monday?"
It's kind of embarassin' to have to ask the kid you're workin' for..."When am I leavin' again?" :-)
We'll pull out Monday late afternoon... or early evening... and drive till I get dangerous :-) This is a part of the run that don't particularly shine for me... we've run that chunk of road so many times I think I could put the truck in the ruts, lay down on the seat and have it honk when we get there...
It's kind of like watchin' an old movie you've seen a hundred times... you know how you mouth the words... just before the actor says 'em? I 'Think' each part of the road... just before we get there... :-)
No real options... This being our annual 'business trip' for Heidi's Bead Store... we (spelled S-H-E) pile up a pretty good part of a years inventory at the Gem and Mineral show in Tucson...
... but... any time out of the cage, is time the Eagle can stretch its wings... so no complaints...
Then at the tail end her an' Buck compete in a Dog Agility Trial for a couple days...'fore we have to pull out and head back into the jaws of the frozen North... I think this'll be the Third year for them at that trial...
... and now they've added a 'quick stop' at another trial in Las Cruces along the way 'home'...
... or at least where Big Red and the Eagle get parked when we're not really 'Home' ( spelled O-N T-H-E R-O-A-D)
As always... we stay in a ... campground of some variety while in town for the shows... and then dry camp at the trial, and along the road...
If it's a good thing, that you wish lasted longer, keep it... so I'll take it...
This morning though, I have to leave this, my 'Work' ( the one you wish lasted longer)... and go in to that other thing called a 'job' (where you keep a close eye on that clock on the wall)... so I better get to it...
If you haven't looked in there... check out what John did on the 'Your RV Recreation Activities' page... That fella must be a 'quick study' sort of guy...
January 27, 2009 07:37 - More Proof that Cowboys were the First to Live Green...
... and that following the Cowboy Way is the quickest trail, to achieving the greatest efficiency, in conserving our precious resources.
Folks are always writin' to me... askin' how can they do better when they're boondocking... I have to say... just take the lessons of the range ridin' cowboys... do your RV Boondocking the traditional Cowboy Way!
~ Conservation the Cowboy Way ~
Once you've pardoned all those trees and cleaned your index finger Employing Sheryl's paper...
or maybe Baxters Montana Sheep It's time to turn our watering eyes To another pressing need
Return your jeans above your hips and with a Cowboy's swagger Walk back to camp... thinking only of the water!
You'll never save the mighty oak without the rivers flow TP ain't the only thing, we've got to save you know!
So today when brushing teeth just catch the upper ones Then brush those in your lower jaw, the third day past tomorrow!
Allow the musty residue of countless dusty hours To build up deep upon your hide an extra week or two It makes it easier to get beneath... and knock off with a chisel!
Don't flush that john with every use That lacks consideration We cowboys found a better way to boost our conservation
To tally gallons fewer We clean our supper dishes first Before we flush it over yonder!
Don't condemn your precious clothes To torture by machine Your clothing's not the only thing routinely needing cleaning
So don your rank and soiled duds when embarking on a shower Maximize efficient use and save the rivers power Don't shower by your selfish self with callous disregard
Conserve the world we live upon With virtue be empowered Invite your aging mother! to your conservation shower
Cowboys see the desperate need and rise above the clamor They take the reins and lead the way By God there's nothing Grander!
Though you'll find My Greenie Friend Upwind, the air is often better!
January 28, 2009 08:24 - Running 'round like one of them headless chickens...
Looking forward to a few weeks warmin' our tires on the road... and scrambling my few 'days off' this week to be ready to pull out early Monday evening... Heading south...
... I've piled some 're-structuring' of our wordly situation on top of that ... just to keep things interesting...
Since we've pretty much decided to accept reality and 'wait out' the floundering economy for a bit rather than take TOO big a hit trying to sell out... we're in the middle of a shell game of re-financing to strengthen our day to day life, reduce a few stresses... and open up some more time to make, hopefully, quite a few more, extended trips... while we wait out the tough times...
If you can't go one way... there's always another open road... ya just got to find the bugger!
And of course... I chose... two weeks before we leave for a few weeks... to start that lil' circus! ... and then just to sweeten the game... State Farm... what a useless outfit... chose to split with us... as a result of Heidi's lil' automotive altercation early last summer... so we've been scrambling to move all those policies...
... That's the sweet part of that deal though... they dropped our auto policy... (apparently you're only allowed to buy insurance from State Farm... not actually USE it) and, apparently, they thought we'd let 'em keep the House and the Business policies... They were kind of 'put out' when we canceled those on 'em!
They claimed; "You don't have to do that... there's no problem with those!"... HUH? ... Payback can sting! :-) ... If you're disloyal to me, a long time PAYING customer... I go lookin' for someone a mite more honorable... It's a pretty simple bit of customer service, business philosophy that lot's of outfits seem to have great difficulty understanding...
I love it when I can sting 'em back...(kind of a mean streak in me maybe?) " You cancelled us... now We're cancelling you! You might want to use a calculator a bit more the next time you're thinking of dumping on a long time customer!... who hasn't filed a claim in years!"
anyhoo... Things are starting to settle down... get caught up, and get prepared for at least 14 days of singin' tires!
Looks like the weather... after nigh on to 7 below the last couple of nights... is going to warm up enough today to allow a cold blooded fella to do some final preps on the rig... put the filled propane bottles back in, ready the hot water heater for filling, check tires, load some misc. hardware that got unloaded for I don't remember why... yadda yadda yadda...
Then 'bout the only thing we'll have left to do is throw in clothes and groceries... fire up Big Red, Hitch up the Eagle and point it all south!
I'm off to a late start on 'chore day'... so I better get to it...
Take Good Care Brian
January 30, 2009 08:41 - There's a Thing Called 'Optical Polution' That's Out of Control in the Land!
In keeping with the recent posts that hopefully are helping get folks thinkin' 'bout savin' the planet... This post is written to deal with an ever increasing problem... due in large part to Aging America.
There's some realities we've got to embrace folks!
One of the most delicate problems my lil' friends... is the problem of the visual deterioration of the mobile populace, of Road Loving America.
We can't all be the 'Wide at the shoulder, an' Narrow at the Hip' genuine, American, Western Heroes... riding off into the sunset...
Fact is... There's an un-nerving passle of us... maybe even me... That... Just don't look good Naked any more! :-)
So... What's the moral of the story?
Well... There's a few lessons to learn here...
Guys... If your knees are the biggest part of your legs... and they're whiter than those sheets on the TV Commercials? Give 'em a break at the pot luck in the club house tonight... LONG PANTS are the words you want to be thinkin' of!
Gals... If the first part that hits, when you walk into a wall... is in the vicinity of your belt... Those 'midrif' tops aren't meant for ya'll! ... and guys... if this describes you... ummmm... washin' the rig shirtless... is not havin' proper consideration for your neighbors!
Now I ain't meanin' to be hurtful or alarmin'... or lackin' in consideration for the aging or the generously built folks... Heck I've got my own 'qualities' that I've had to learn to deal with... I mean... the Police have asked that a restriction be put on my drivers license!... They insist I wear a hat!
Yup!... They claim that me runnin' round with a naked head is a danger to traffic on the Highway... seems the glare comin' off my brain pan has been blinding other drivers on sunny days... and when illuminated by headlights at night.
Heck I'm even gettin' sued by a pedestrian... he's callin' it negligent exposure!... The bugger claims he walked into a light pole an' broke his nose when I drove by and he got blinded by the reflection!
So... give 'em a break... and cover up what just don't look good naked any more!
Shirted, Capped and ground draggin' jeans This is B.K. Gore From Right Here!
P.S. I was told by Reader Phillip... that google has posted some rather 'questionable' ads in my footer the other day... They didin't show when I looked at things... and I can only block 'em when I can see 'em and get the URL... so if you see something like that... either ignore it or send me the URL ... and I'll see what I can do 'bout it... just know... I didn't pick 'em!
