6,600 Feet Above Sea Level (and all is well)

Ho hum.  Another Sunday.  But it wasn't.  Ho hum, that is.  It was a Sunday though, and that's always a day for adventure during summer in the Black Hills.  This past one lived up to expectations.  Actually even exceeded them.  And it all started out with a simple breakfast with my lovely wife at a lovely little table in a perfectly lovely location.  The view was..well..lovely.

Our plan was to continue from here up to Roughlock Falls, then on to... "Hey look! A squirrel!"

Oh, sorry.  I'm easily distracted.  But there actually was  a squirrel in the tree above our table.  It was hilarious to watch him pick those fresh green pine cones from the branch and chew them up just like corn on the cob.  He would finish one, toss it down to the ground, then grab another and start gnawing away.  It really was very entertaining.
Anyway, what was I talking about? Oh, yeah, the plan.  We wanted to go up to the very summit of Cement Ridge where there is a fire lookout tower located.  My wife had never been up there, and it had been many years for me.  So many, in fact, that I didn't quite remember the way.   I took a wrong turn and finally realized something was amiss when we came to this spot ---

So I did what any guy would do after trying to figure it out on his own.  I got out the map.  And, yes, I had taken the wrong road.  So we back-tracked a few miles, found the right road and continued on toward our destination. 
There is always interesting and unusual scenery on any Black Hills backroad, and this one was no exception.  At one point we rounded a corner and gazed upon this landscape --- "Looks like Hobbit Land," my wife said out loud just as I was thinking the same thing.  The way the meadow of tall grass gave way to the clusters of small bush-like trees, then the Aspens, then the big Pines, offered an excellent illustration of the diversity of nature out here.  So much diversity in fact, that it actually did seem possible there could be a few Hobbits or Trolls in there somewhere. 

Then, right before the final turn-off where the climb to the summit of Cement Ridge began, we came across this old barn with a roof made up of tiller blades.  The word we agreed upon this time to describe the scene was "Vikingish."  That may not actually have been a real word. But it is now.

A few miles later we reached the lookout.  What a view!

To add some perspective - Harney Peak, the highest point in the Black Hills is just over 7,200 feet, and here we were over 6,600 feet.  It was spectacular.
After wandering around for a bit we headed back down and were treated to a rare sight of some wildlife that I have never seen before in this area.  Right there sitting atop a big rock on the side of the hill next to the road was a Woodchuck, Groundhog and Marmot.  I say "was" instead of "were" because those are all names for the same animal.  At first I thought it might have been Honey Badger, but then I remembered a Honey Badger don't care, and this animal looked like it did care.  (Sorry for the pop culture reference right there.  I hope at least a few readers got it. And for those that didn't get it -- check out You Tube sometime).

Pretty sure it's a Woodchuck. (You can click on the photo for a closer view).  I know they're around this area, but I had never seen one in the wild before.  So that was kind of cool.  And, speaking of cool, by now a heavy layer of clouds had moved in and it looked like a good thunderstorm was brewing.  Soon huge rain drops were splashing onto the windshield signaling that it was time for us to go.  I kept the window open as long as I could to savor that wonderful smell of a forest rainstorm.  There's nothing like it. It makes getting wet quite all right.

Class Act

Everyone says their class is the best.  But they're wrong.  Because after attending my high school class reunion recently I am thoroughly convinced there is one group of high school classmates that outshines them all - the Belle Fourche High School Class of 1973.  You would expect me to say that because I am a member of that class, but it's true.  Here is the evidence to back it up -

1. After 40 years we still had nearly 50 class members show up. That's a big number.
2. Some traveled a great distance.  Georgia, Arizona, Washington and California for example.
3. Everyone, and I mean everyone, seemed happy.  No complaints. No arguments. No discouraging words.
4. I didn't observe any of those little cliques pop up.  You know, where a few people get together in a group and remain aloof from the rest.  But then, I don't remember much of that back when we were in school either.
5. Everyone laughed at my jokes. Well, almost everyone.

I rest my case.  And, as a public service for those of you who weren't around in 1973, here's a short history lesson featuring photos and icons from that era to sort of put things in perspective.

We dressed like...

Neil Diamond



and Mary Tyler Moore



We drove cars like...

Hornets

and Gremlins





Yes.  There actually was a car called a Gremlin.  (Girl in jumpsuit was optional).

We listened to...

The Doors

and Simon and Garfunkel

And I couldn't leave out this one...

"rub it in, rub it in"

We watched...

Sanford and Son

and Looney Tunes

There were also earth shoes, bell bottom pants and leisure suits.  Bicycles with banana seats, Hai Karate after shave and Twister.  And on a personal note - there was the cornflake bowl, creature features and a '63 Chevy.  Good times. Good times.

A friend and classmate perhaps said it best, "Everyone was so nice.  And kind.  And seemed genuinely interested in each other."  Truer words were never spoken.  So here's to us!  Now say it along with me We're the best as you can see! We're the class of 73!  We're the best as you can see! We're the class of 73!  Has a nice ring to it don't you think?

                                                                         -0-

 

"Dad! Look at that man in the back."

The flight was pretty smooth and on time, so things were looking good on our recent trip to Los Angeles to visit our son who recently moved there from Seattle.  The plane from Rapid City to Salt Lake City was nearly full and made up of seemingly uninteresting people.  You know, like us. However, during the connecting flight from Salt Lake City there was a movie star sitting in the row right in front of me. I could tell because her hair was perfect.  Okay, so I don't know that she really was a movie star, but if she wasn't she should have been.  This just added to the excitement about the trip which was increasing with each new Delta air mile I accumulated.  Soon we would be there.  The Left Coast. Tinseltown.  La-La Land.  The City of Angels.
After arriving our first stop was downtown to meet our son's co-workers and see what a view from the 51st floor looks like.  It looks like this ...

Not a view we are accustomed to, but pretty impressive just the same.  From there on to Bottega Louis where we gazed longingly into their amazing bakery display counter.

I was thinking "one of each," but I said "no thank you."  We already had our treat for the day. 

Now on to Hollywood, where we just missed a taping of the Jimmy Kimmel show by about an hour and a half. This car was parked outside of his studio. You would think he could afford something a little bigger.  But it probably gets pretty good gas mileage.

Predictably, there were a lot of TV and movie characters roaming around posing for tips.  All seemed to be getting a lot of attention.  Except for Wonder Woman.  She looked a little lonely. 

Spiderman was also there, and Batman.  The character getting the most attention, though, was Homer Simpson.  Sad day for super heroes.
The following day was Disneyland.  The happiest place in the world, where age truly doesn't matter.  Of course we had to ride one of our favorites -Splash Mountain.  Brian, who is kind of a joker anyway, decided to act like he was sleeping at the moment of the big drop when they take your picture.

After the ride the photos are all displayed on video screens in a lobby area where everyone can view them and decide whether or not to buy their picture.  In our "log" with us was a dad and his two daughters.  As we were looking at our picture up on the screen the oldest daughter said in an alarmed voice "Dad! Look at that man in the back."  She didn't know we were standing behind her, and was embarrassed when she realized Brian was right there.  Her dad reassured her everything was fine, "it's alright, honey, he was just really tired." 
Of all the ways to describe Disneyland, "Creepy" would not be one of them.  Even the Haunted House ride is more fun than creepy.  But there is this little place tucked away near the entrance that is not a typical Disney attraction.  You walk in from the clamor and clatter of a modern amusement park to a 1930s style bar that seemed to be right out of a movie.  The problem is that the movie is "The Shining."  Even the bartender looked like the ghost that Jack Nicholson had those weird conversations with in the movie.
"What will you be drinking, sir?"
"The hair of the dog that bit me, Lloyd."

To add to the effect I ordered a "Side Car," a drink popular back in that era.  Just the fact that it was even on the menu added to the overall atmosphere. Even the lighting in the place was a little spooky.

Other observations I made on this trip included the fact that there are many opportunities in California if you know where to look.  Including simply looking out of your car window.

Seems legit.

And where else would you find a combination cafe/art gallery/hair salon?  This place was next to our hotel.  It's called Nue.  Actually it was a pretty cool setting for morning coffee.

Another interesting place was just across the street.  Interesting only because it's true.  This has to be the miniest Mini Mart I've ever seen.

 



 Notice there's only one parking space, and that's for disabled customers.  I guess if you're not buying gas, you're not shopping here.

I haven't even scratched the surface of things we saw and places we went.  There was the world's largest record store.  The vintage clothing / costume store.  A lot of beautiful people, and some not so much. Tom Bergin's Tavern, the oldest Irish pub in Los Angeles. And, of course, the beach.  We don't get much beach time around here so even a short visit was wonderful. 
I can understand why so many songs have been written about California...California Nights, Warm California Sun, California Dreaming, and of course California Girls.  There was also the traffic, smog, and too many people.  But those things don't change the fact that I want to go back.  There's so much still to see and do.  I bought a map to the movie stars homes but didn't have time to use it.  If anybody plans a trip soon you can sure borrow it.  Maybe knock on a couple doors and see who answers.  Back in my radio days we called Desi Arnaz (Lucy's husband) and he actually answered the phone! So, you never know.

 

         -0-

 

 



                                                                              



 



Full Moon Fever

No, not the Tom Petty album (although that is an excellent record), this Full Moon Fever is what strikes me during that one particular day every month when the moon is at it's biggest and brightest.  So it was with much anticipation that I set out this past weekend with my wife and two of our closest friends for a moon walk to view the May "flower" moon.  This time I thought Roughlock Falls would be a good place for our lunar trek.  The drive south through Spearfish Canyon at sundown was a great way to start it off.  Around those first few corners where the landscape changes so dramatically, past Bridal Veil Falls, into the cornflake bowl, by Eleventh Hour Gulch and onto the narrow road up to the parking area.  That drive is pretty awesome during the day, but there's something about the Canyon at night that makes the trip somehow just a little bit better.
Of course I brought a camera along, but no flash and no tripod.  I was hoping to get some shots with a natural twilight edge to them, and was pleased with the results.

The blue tint was just what I was hoping for.  Enough to show it was night time, but not too much so as to obscure the details. 
The air was cool and slightly damp as we made our way down the trail to the the area below the falls.  About halfway to the bottom we stepped into a pocket of warm air and caught the scent of smoke, as if from a campfire.  The smoke smell could have possibly been coming from the campground a couple of miles away, but that still didn't explain the presence of warmth in just that exact spot on the trail.  Strange, but also pleasant and perhaps even comforting somehow.
It was a perfect evening so far, although something was missing. The moon! Where was it?  The time was well past dark-thirty but it had not yet risen over the canyon walls.  We realized that we were so deep in the canyon it could be hours before the moon was high enough in the sky to be viewed from our position.  So a decision was made that if the moon wasn't going to come to us - we would go to the moon.  And that's what we did.  The closer we got to town the more sure we were that our goal was right around the next bend in the road.  Never did see it though, until the lights of town were also in full view.  A few more miles, to the west this time, put us on an unlit country road where we found a place to pull over and get out of the car to take in the spectacular sight.  It was so big and bright! An optical illusion just above the horizon.  And speaking of an optical illusion, isn't it strange that science has never completely solved the mystery of exactly why the moon appears to be so gigantic when it first rises in the evening?  Most scientists agree that the reason the moon looks bigger at certain times is because our minds fool us into thinking it's bigger, even though logic tells us it's not.  I came up with this mathematical equation that might help explain it:

If it's still not clear there is a very interesting article on this phenomenon at How Stuff Works.  There's even a cool interactive exercise that may just slightly blow your mind.  Here's the link if you want to check it out:
http://www.howstuffworks.com/question491.htm
One thing science does agree on and we all know to be a fact is that werewolves come out on a full moon.  We didn't see any.  But that doesn't mean they're not out there.  I think I heard one once.  A long time ago.  But not around here, so not to worry.   And if the thought of meeting up with one is all that's stopping you from going out for a moon walk on some night in the future, you'll be missing out on a groovy experience and fun time with friends or even all by yourself.  So here's a tip - if you're approached by a werewolf start yelling loudly or have some bells with you to scare it off.  Wait.  That's for bears.  I'll have to get back to you on the werewolf thing.

                -0-

Memphis Bob Saves The Day

It's been a terrible Spring.  April was the worst.  I seriously believe there may have been only three or four days the entire month without the sky being covered completely by clouds.  It snowed.  A lot.  There were just three days when the temperature broke out of the 40s, and many days it dropped into the teens.  Not to mention taxes, bad drivers, plus the fact that the sun is a dying star and will someday become a red giant that will engulf Earth, in which case the planet will be destroyed.
Okay, so maybe that's taking it a little too far. But the point I'm trying to illustrate is that the weather was starting to get to me, and others around me.  Depression was setting in.  We needed some spring weather!  And now that we've had a little tiny taste of it things are starting to look up. But I was still not feeling it. Until yesterday.
I decided to do some people watching, which is a favorite past time of mine, and one that is more suited to this time of year when more people are out and about.  My first encounter was with a street performer sitting on the corner playing some cool tunes on one of his several harmonicas.  He goes by the name of Memphis Bob.  And, man, he was rockin' out the blues!

He changed my attitude in a hurry.  I even felt a little ashamed.  I mean, here is a one-armed musician playing harmonica on a street corner for tips...and I'm complaining about the weather.  Kind of puts it in perspective doesn't it?  But you could tell he enjoyed every minute of it. And so did I.  Especially when he would stand up and belt out a song that would make even Stevie Ray proud.  Good for Memphis Bob.  And good for me for taking a little time to stop and listen.  And learn.

I hung out for a while in the general area. Long enough to see the happy faces of a graduating class from the local beauty college in their red caps and gowns mingling with family and friends.  I also observed moms with children laughing and playing in the square. Business people enjoying a Nathan's hot dog from the cart on the street.  A young couple, one of them with jet black hair and the other blonde with pink and blue streaks, holding hands and smiling while walking in Art Alley.  People on bicycles. Others on skateboards.  All in all a very lively and diverse group.  My mood was much improved.  And was to improve even more after my next stop.

 

 

I've always wanted to go to the Blue Moon Market but it's only open Friday and Saturdays, and I'm almost always working those days.  So this was a real treat.  I had my eye on a birdhouse but ended up with a vintage Kodak camera box.  It's perfect to store my classic DuaFlex camera along with the huge metal flash attachment and bulbs. Score! 

Oh, earlier in the day I also bought a mountain bike.  A bright shiny green one. With disc brakes!  So, it was another pretty good day.  I have a lot of good days.  Many more than the other kind. And I am thankful for that. 

 

                                                                                 -0-

Snow Day

It brings joy to every kid under 10 years old, and to some a lot older. Like me for example. It's a Snow Day!  We don't often get them here in April.  But this week my day off coincided with about 20 inches of heavy, wet snow.  Normally on my day off I'm out chasing windmills or working on my latest project or scheme.  But this day, being a snow day, I decided to indulge myself by doing whatever I felt like doing.  Even if that turned out to be nothing at all.  Which it didn't.  It turned out to be an assortment of diverse and multifarious activities.  A scene from a Calvin and Hobbes cartoon came to mind early on.





 





Unfortunately, there was no Hobbes to my Calvin, so it was clear there would be no 'Attack of the Deranged Mutant Killer Monster Snow Goons' adventure on this day. That was probably a good thing, and okay with me. I could find other things to do.
The first order of business was to clear some snow.  So I fired up 8 horsepower of pure snow blowing power.  With that beast I figured I'd have my driveway and sidewalk cleared in no time.  Two hours later I stumbled into my garage and turned it off.  The thing is, I was done with my house in about twenty minutes, but I couldn't stop.  I had only powered up this monster machine one other time the entire winter and I was on a roll. I did my neighbor's sidewalk, and my other neighbor's sidewalk.  Then went across the street and did three other neighbor's sidewalks and two driveways.  I was throwing snow around like a deranged snow goon!  A lot of work, but it felt good to be able to help out a little bit.  With my hours and being gone a lot I don't get a chance to contribute around the neighborhood as much as I would like.  So I was glad to do it.  I have good neighbors.
It was time to warm up, dry off and check my email.   After logging on I noticed a story on the Yahoo home page rating frozen pizzas.  Of course I clicked on it.  Right up near the top was Tombstone Pepperoni.  I used to love Tombstone pizzas!  Back in the day there was nothing better after a long shift at the plant than stopping by the Longhorn Bar and having Kermit toss a Tombstone in that old tarnished pizza toaster, then washing it down with a cold Buckhorn beer or PBR.  Wonderfully delicious. 
Th email could wait.  I put my coat back on, got in the car and drove straight to the grocery store where I picked up...that's right...a frozen Tombstone Pepperoni pizza.  Came back home, pre-heated the oven to 400 degrees, then placed it directly on the center oven rack and set the timer for 18 to 20 minutes as the instructions clearly stated.  In this case I set it to 18 because every minute counts when you're waiting for a Tombstone.  Then I went downstairs and found the movie Beach Party on Hulu, starring Annette Funicello and Frankie Avalon.  Pizza and a movie.  Now this is living! Except I forgot about the pizza and didn't hear the timer go off because I had turned up the TV sound in order to fully appreciate the groovy sounds of Dick Dale and the Del Tones.  Even though I didn't hear the timer go off, the smell of pizza burning alerted me to the fact that it was done.  Well done.  But I was able to salvage a couple of pieces and it was still great.  The only thing missing was the PBR.  And Kermit.
Finished the movie (Deadhead and Eric von Zipper were at their best in this one) and decided to move on to a project I have been wanting to do.  I have an interest in alternative photography processes, and one thing I've been wanting to try is to print photographs on aluminum foil.  I don't know why.  It's just something I've been thinking about.  I had already purchased the solution to apply to the foil so it would retain the ink from the printer and now had some time to try it out.  It took some time to prepare the foil and get it wrapped around some paper sheets so it would feed through the printer.  I applied the solution and set the pages out to dry.  The next day they were ready and here is one result....



It's difficult to experience the full effect in this tiny picture, but in person it actually looks kind of cool.  I'll be trying some other scenes and maybe a portrait this weekend. 
Maybe this isn't your thing.  But the important point is that it's fun to experiment.  You don't even need a home chemistry set to do it.  Just explore what interests you.  Find your bliss, as Joseph Campbell said.  And don't wait for a snow day.  There might not be many left before spring comes roaring back.  But that will bring it's own opportunities.   Come to think of it...why can't every day be a snow day?  Not the entire day, of course, but what if all us found just a little piece of every day to do something just for ourselves? Wouldn't that be something?  Even if it's as simple as planning or thinking.  Sometimes those are just as good as doing.

                                                                             -0-

On The Boulevard - Some Observations

I like traveling to a big city.  It presents an opportunity for interactions and observations outside my normal experience,  and sometimes outside of my comfort zone.  And, as a dedicated and enthusiastic observer of the human condition, a recent trip to Las Vegas presented a good opportunity for people watching.  Here are a few observations, suggestions, and universal truths gathered from 5 days in a city that never sleeps. Wait. That's New York.  But as far as I can tell there's not a lot of sleeping going on in Vegas either.

1. Regardless of what someone may have seen in a magazine or on Miami Heat 25 years ago, the sweater tied around the neck is not a good look in Vegas.  Especially on the Strip in Vegas. 

2. I wanted to stop you but decided it was none of my business if you choose to give your credit card number to some guy on the street carrying a clipboard and wearing a crooked name tag that looked like it was printed at Office Depot earlier that same day.  Oh, and good luck with that Grand Canyon adventure you just signed up for.  I'm sure Big Mike's Helicopter Tours is legit. 

3. Young women and "woo" girls on their way to the clubs never wear jackets or sweaters.  No matter that it might be 40 degrees and windy, there's just no way they're going to cover that dress. Even though that dress does very little to cover them. 
A side note to this one -There are elevators next to each escalator.  So, ladies, if you're wearing a dress that contains approximately the same amount of material as an eye patch, use the elevator.  I would like to think you would prefer the term "desert moon" to be about the one in the sky.

4. Talk to strangers.  You will meet some very interesting people.  But don't talk to strangers who approach you on the street or near a kiosk in the lobby of a casino, especially if they ask for money or want to know how long you are going to be in town.

5. When eating in a restaraunt that has a chef rather than a cook, order dessert after your meal.  Trust me.  Order dessert.

6. If you buy a bottle of "watta for a dolla" don't drink it if you go to twist the cap off and it's already loose.

7. Don't give money to anyone asking for a handout if they are smoking a cigarette, talking on a cell phone, wearing a new A & F hoody and Nike sneakers. There are some people who could use and would appreciate a little help, but not these clowns.

8. Those people who dress up like TV characters or super heroes for photos must do okay because they're out there every day.  Except for Sponge Bob. There one day. Gone the next.  I think Homer Simpson took his place.  Not sure he was doing any better.

9. We used to see Elvis all over up and down the Strip.  Not this time.  Might have seen him once this trip, but I can't even be sure of that.  Apparently Elvis has left the building.

And finally - The architecture is amazing. Stop and look.  Closely and carefully. And in ways or places you wouldn't normally notice.  There's beauty and symmetry everywhere, including your own town.  You just have to look with the right kind of eyes.

-0-