California Fires

As of late yesterday there were over 1000 fires in California, looking at a map show us to be right in the middle of a lot of them. It's very thick and smelly and hard to breathe, stay in the house don't go out side for anything especially walking the dogs. This morning things are a bit better, we can see across the lakes to the back side of property, if the wind starts to blow it could all be back in our faces. Send gas masks!

Can't Just Sit Around

Being the wondering souls that we are, an opportunity to check out some of the local attractions couldn't be ignored. On fathers day we took off on a short drive up into the Sierra foothills to visit some of the history in the gold country. Nevada City was our destination, you know walk around look at all the old 1850's architecture and rusty mining equipment. Thought it would be a quiet Sunday stroll, grab a little lunch, buy a couple of nicknack's stroll some more. But NO, we got there in the middle of the annual Father's Day Bicycle Race, all the streets were blocked off, could only cross at the proper places. The Bicycle Nazi's were very polite though.
The following weekend we took a spur of the moment trip to Jackson Ca, another 1850's mining community close to the area where gold was discovered to start the rush. Also home to the deepest hard rock gold mine in North America at a mere 5940 feet. But I digress, Jackson Rancheria Casino is also close by and they were conducting auditions for "Who Wants to be a Millionaire" and thinking the odds of hitting it big on TV was better than the casino. So I stood in line for a couple of hours and took the test, two actually, evidently one has to ace those puppy's to make the cut because I am not waiting anxiously for a phone call to get my ass to New York. None the less it was an interesting experience, much the same as standing in line at Boot Camp, hurry up and wait. I was going to post another pic of the smoke we have here, yes it's thick and hard to breath, but I can't get the blogger to cooperate, maybe next time

Pictures For You All

http://www.flickr.com/photos/19361752@N02/sets/72157605500290028

http://www.flickr.com/photos/19361752@N02/sets/72157605500290028/show slide show of above pictures

http://www.flickr.com/photos/19361752@N02/sets/72157605500562468 The Berglund Brothers

Way Too Soon

As I said at the funeral, to get up and give tribute to Rocky came way too soon. And as he would have it, it was a surprise. His showing up on our door step, Surprise!!! Who is this shaggy, lanky, scary looking guy wanting to crash at our house. As long as I had known Jody she had never mentioned the name Rocky, but I could tell by her warm greeting they were old friends. Surprise!!! We have had several people crash at our place over the years and I thought Rocky was another stay dog needing a nail to hang his hat for a while. Turns out it was for a little longer than a while. His talents and skills were untold and they came in handy when he converted our two car garage into an office, changed the counters in our kitchen so I could install a dishwasher and the list is so long I can't remember all the times he pulled my ass out of the fire. Rocky worked on my Sportster and was one of only a couple of people to ride it besides my self. I knew that Rocky would be a life long friend, but I never had any thought he would become my brother-in-law, now that was a surprise. Gale and Rocky rode the marriage roller coaster with the best, and I can only describe it as an E-ticket adventure at least from my point of view. Jody and I retold our Rocky stories on our trip home and we laughed and cried and still can't grasp the fact that he is gone, and as fate or luck or Rocky intervention would have it he pulled our ass out of the fire again, I won't say one last time because I know it won't be. Jody and I stopped at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon and as we were leaving the first view point I realized I had locked the keys in the truck(Oh Shit). Call Chevron Travel Club, locksmith, break a window all time consuming a expensive options, none very attractive. In my pocket was the Buck knife Rocky carried that Gale had given me and with a little luck I was able to pop the lock on the sliding glass window and get back on the road with only a little delay. So once again Rocky came to the rescue and saved the day. We miss you Bro and love you, and know you are riding the long and winding road with all the Free Food you will ever need.