Flying Down the Road

Posted on September 2, 2010 by Dave In Tucson
Plane on a trailer

Not exactly flying down the road

I was driving home on Tuesday from Irvine.  You see some interesting things along the way and I usually have my camera out and sitting on the seat beside me.  And the law of Murphy sometimes kicks in even when driving home.

It had been a rather uneventful trip (which is a good thing) from Irvine to the Golden Acorn where the big wind turbines line the crest.

Not long after the decent begins at a rather steep rate.  Trucks are limited to 35 mph.  The rest of us 55.  The road twists and turns and the ears pop.  On one of those turns I came upon this pickup truck hauling a old plane fuselage and wings.  No way I could get a picture.  It was two hands on the wheel.

I stopped for lunch in El Centro (near where the kamikaze butterflies attached), not long after and once again on the road I passed the pickup again.  How did I know it was the same pickup?  This time I got a couple quick snaps but nothing I could see very well from the Berry.

All in all I passed this same pickup 4 times on the way back to Tucson.  I think he was managing about 60 mph most of the time.

Not exactly flying down the road, but it made the trip a little interesting.

The only thing that topped it was the other guy in the pickup driving down the wrong side of  I-8, but that wasn’t exactly “interesting”, scary is a better word.

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Arizona Door Muffs

Posted on September 1, 2010 by Dave In Tucson

Oh yeah, the Tired Guy is back in the Arizona Desert.  The trip back was interesting.  Just outside Gila Bend, AZ I looked up ahead and saw a pickup truck coming down the other lane at 75 mph.  I know because everyone drives the speed limit +.  He didn’t seem to realize he was on an inter-state highway going the wrong way.

The cars behind me were flashing their headlights at the guy, some were in the passing lane headed for a head-on collision with the hapless driver.  About 5 miles further up I saw a sign for road construction and “Don’t follow trucks”  I’m guessing he got off work and instead of crossing the median and heading west he took the first left which put him on I-8 E going West.  I hope he made it.

Arizona Door Muffs

Arizona Door Muffs

Support the HOT Arizona Lotter, Open this Door, Buy a Ticket

But I digress. (Yes, I know I do that a lot, that’s what tired guys do).  The trip down the coast was great, windows open, and the sea air blowing my hair in every direction.  (That is all of my hair not just a single strand of hair)  I’m growing it longer.  I feel like Benjamin Button,  I had short hair in the 60′s and the barber always bet me it was because my folks made me get it cut short.  Nope, I liked it short.  Now it is the longest it has ever been on my head.  Darn, I’m digressing again.

Okay, the temp got very warm as I came down out of the mountains and crossed southern California.  But it was cool enough to keep the windows down till I got pretty close to the Arizona border.  Then it was close the windows and crank up the AC.

At Mile mark 30 I stopped for gas and then it was confirmed beyond any doubt I was back in Arizona.  There on the West facing set of doors were the “Door Muffs”  In such great need in Arizona that the Arizona Lottery advertises on them.

The metal door handles get so hot you can’t use your bare hand to open the door without getting a pretty good burn.  (Bad for tourism, unless you provide the padded muffs).  I grabbed the soft padded handle in the 100 + degree heat and knew I was back in the desert.

Just so you know I’m not making any of this up; I stopped and took this picture.  The people watching me shoot this with “Berry”  that’s my personal assistant Berry, he’s a curve 8330.  thought I must be a tourist.  Here they are as common as cactus and jackalopes.

“Nope, not a tourist, a writer and blogger”

“Oh, gads, a blogger, we have those in Arizona now?”

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Irvine CA Glimpse

Posted on August 29, 2010 by Dave In Tucson

I call it a glimpse because Irvine is the hub of my California wheel.  It is where I venture out from to go other places and shot the things that catch my eye.

The Blimp Hangers aren’t in Irvine but the are visible from there.  There was a Foodie Fair yesterday at the Honda Center, but the lines were so long we walked across the street for lunch where we could sit down and enjoy our fish and chips without having to wait in a line 45 minutes long to get a sample that you paid for after paying $13.50 to get in the gate and $15 to park.  I hope it all goes to a good charity. Everything else in the slide show is around Irvine and the Campus.  I’ll add a few more images to the show as they are taken over the next couple of days.

Then it is back to the desert.

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Starbucks in Irvine CA

Posted on August 28, 2010 by Dave In Tucson

Starbucks UC Irvine

Come On In, Stay Awhile

Starbucks now has free WIFI. Good marketing move on their part. But that’s not all that has changed. Along with the free WIFI has been an open invitation to come on in and stay awhile longer.

Come on In and Stay Awhile

Here is what I mean about this being smart marketing.  I’ve been to the Starbucks at California and Campus on multiple occasions over the past 18 months.  When I walked in yesterday morning there was a marked changed to the layout of the store.

Not only were there little cards on the tables announcing FREE WIFI; there was more to the invitation.  There were electrical outlets everywhere, lots of table and counter space for laptops and netbooks.  The whole atmosphere was an invitation to sit down, hop on-line and stay awhile.  Oh, and buy coffee and something tasty to go with it while you’re at it.

That big table and all the counters were added since I was here last time.  Starbucks opened up it’s WIFI, but it didn’t stop there, it opened up an invitation to make this a regular part of your day.  It’s an invitation I wish the Starbucks around Tucson would offer as well.

P.S.  I took this shot with my berry while looking like I was checking email.

Yes, I’m sipping my Venti Pikes Place while I write this.

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Excuse Me was there someone wearing that coat ?

Posted on August 27, 2010 by Dave In Tucson
Car with jacket hanging out of the door

Should I tell him ?

I was leaving the pier and shooting the architecture when I noticed this guy parked in a no parking zone obviously waiting impatiently for who ever ran in saying “I’ll be just a sec”.

And you know what caught my eye in the viewfinder?  Yeah, that yellow jacket kind of clinging on to the side of his car.  He didn’t seem to concerned; He did seem to be in a hurry, but this is California EVERYONE IS IN A HURRY, till they get to the beach.

I snapped a couple more images wondering if I would see who he was waiting for coming out of the building.  I waited a minute but no one showed up and he was getting even more impatient.  I suppose he was expecting a cop to come by any moment and issue a ticket.
Should I cross the street and tell him about the jacket?

“Excuse me, you have something hanging from your car?”

“Excuse me, was someone wearing that jacket?”

“Excuse me, does that jacket belong to the person you are waiting for?”

Nah, this is California, they probably do this kind of thing all the time.

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Tired Guy Takes a Break From the Heat

Posted on August 26, 2010 by Dave In Tucson

My theme song yesterday was “On the Road Again”

I was up at 3 am to take Mrs. Tired Guy, the better half, the little woman (she’s too busy to read this one : )  to the airport.  She is still coping with “Empty Nesting” after a year.  This time last year she was in Minneapolis helping her future brain surgeon or Nobel winner (she hasn’t decided her major yet) move in to become a Golden Gopher.

Yesterday it was time to escape the heat and head to Minnesota to she her “Baby” and spend time at the State Fair, Tubing on the Apple River and I’m sure watching Pride and Prejudice with the dreamy “Mr. Darcy” for the 1000th time (think I’m kidding . . .)

This was was going to leave the Tired Guy home with the two cats.  Mo man (also known as Oliver or “Cowboy”, because he looks like a Gateway computer box) and “Evil Incarnate” herself; don’t even ask.

Approaching Day 60 of Days over 100 this  year and knowing I’d been trying since February for a trip to Irvine, CA to see Suzi, the one I call “Doc” as in Doctor not as in one of the seven dwarfs.

Pack the Car and Fly, Drive

Like I said, 3 am, up and showered.  Off to the Tucson Airport for the flight to Minneapolis and the Driver having delivered “The Package” hopped on I-10 to I-8 to I-15 to St Route 52 (for 2 miles) to I-805 to I-5 and off at San Clemente and over to the Pier and the Fish and Chips shack.  (6 hours earlier)

I’m just about Marana when I get a message saying she is boarding and will let me know when her plane arrives in Denver.  I was just past Gila Bend when the “I’ve Landed in Denver” came in.  She had a lay over in Denver of about an hour giving me a little catchup time.  I was almost to Yuma when the “I’m boarding” came through.

More miles down the road and I was in California where the the wind turbines crest the hill and the Golden Nugget casino offers a smoky rest stop when the “I’m in Minneapolis”.

I knew I wouldn’t win this race. But it was fun to get within 46 miles of San Diego by the time the jet made it to Minneapolis. (back to the pier at San Clemente)

In an hour I was on the Pier in San Clemente.  The wind was high and the surf pounding.  I walked to the end of the Pier and ordered my fish and chips.  What a wonderful feeling, I was cold (almost cold) Like a wilted plant getting a refreshing drink and feeling empowered to go on.  I finished lunch and walked back to the beach.  Took my sandals off let me feet feel the cold sand and the ocean water.

I shot a few more photos, (My camera had been in withdrawal as well in the heat of summer.   The D300 and I were in heaven.  The guy with his coat dragging on the street hanging out the back door was a favorite.  The sun, waves, beach and smell of the ocean were a balm to this tired guy’s heart.

It was an hour up the coastal highway through towns with Beach in their names.  First came Dana Point where the Pilgrim is harbored.  Laguna Beach, Newport Beach and a few more sunny beaches and Irvine to the right.  Once I got unloaded we headed to Huntington Beach where Avila’s El Ranchito has the best Fajita plate I’ve ever eaten.

The rest of this week will be Tucson Tired (Not so tired in Irvine CA).  The grass here is green and the HOA doesn’t care, I’m lovin it.

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Herbicide by Poisoning

Posted on August 23, 2010 by Dave In Tucson

I don't think that's water he is spraying

A Weed by definition is “Anything the HOA Says is a weed”.

It might also be “Anything that is green”.  Here in Tucson Green is a color you paint onto objects, otherwise you KILL IT.

Oh, you think that’s an over exaggeration?  Well, of course it is.

It has been 4 days since I introduced the “weeds” to Round-up”  Brown is becoming the predominate color scheme.

Ahhhhh He Got Me!

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Call My Cell – Lose My Vote

Posted on August 21, 2010 by Dave In Tucson

Years ago I put my cell phone number on the do no call list. I don’t want calls. I have my phone for my convenience. Advertisers, Sales people and Politicians don’t pay my cell bill. I don’t want their calls, no matter what the pitch. This morning I got this voice message on my phone. I never answer my phone unless I know who it is, maybe I’ll answer if I know.

I’ve never received a call from a politician on my cell till this morning. I just got this call.

Kelly For Congress

I have this hard and fast rule. CALL MY CELL – LOOSE MY VOTE It is a hard and fast rule. Even if you are my candidate of choice, I will not vote for you if you call my cell. PERIOD.

Join the 21st Century

What should these robo call politicians do?  Join the 21st century.  Get on Twitter, Facebook, Foursquare, Yelp and have your own website/blog.  Write posts daily and put your robo call messages on your site.  Then we get to chose to listen to your “Podcast”.  We choose.  And you don’t loose a vote over a stupid robo call.

Mr. Kelly has all these in place, so what old timer decided to pull this ancient tactic out of the hat?  Does Mr. Kelly have too many votes already?  Does he need to shed a few voters by annoying them making it a closer race?

Here’s a hint  “FIRE the bonehead that suggested you use ROBO CALLS”

You want my vote today, don’t use 1970 tactics to annoy the hell out of your potential voters.

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A Teensy Bit Late

Posted on August 20, 2010 by Dave In Tucson

I found out Teensy is about 40 minutes, I thought a teensy was shorter, but . . .

UPDATE! more info.  if a teensy has a weensy with it, that cuts the length of the teensy in half.  I DID NOT KNOW THAT!

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Life’s Challenges and Personal Goals

Posted on August 17, 2010 by Dave In Tucson

My First President

Hole-In-One

Hole-In-One

Dwight D Eisenhower is the first president I remember.  I also know the D stands for David (go figure)  he was first elected in 1953.  I don’t recall much of him as president, I know he liked to play golf;  lived for a hole in one.  He said golf was the best way he knew to ruin a good walk. (At least that’s how I remember it)

Hows that for a guy that helped lead the free world in World War II to victory and then became President of the United States, but his goal in life was a hole in one.

I liked the simpler way of looking at things back then.  Greatness thrust upon a person who accepts the challenge but lives for personal goals and fulfillment which challenge and effect him and him alone.

I never wanted to be president.  I never wanted to be a policeman, fireman doctor (although I played one :) ) or lawyer.  I was a cowboy at age 5, 6, and 7 (that was enough).

Maybe it was the innocence of youth and the lack of understanding how the world works, but it seems to me now we are lacking greatly in those personal values and goals.  It would be nice to see more goals that challenges our inner being rather than ones based on ego gratification.

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