Monday, July 20, 2020

How Cool Is This

The morning of the 16th began with my bare feet slapping the floor just after 4am. Because my bladder told me so. Was out the door before 5am for a dawn patrol bike ride. I shot some photos from an irrigation canal that constituted pure magic with an amazingly glorious reflection. Sent This Video To Friends


At this point, made a vow to reply with personal messages to the friends that responded. I included replies with how they have influenced or attributed to in one way or another. This process invested ample time but I felt the time was well spent. Plus, I am proud to sat that I have never in my life replied with the letter K. My normal acknowledgment is 10-4 but an emoji face thing or the K.

What A Gift On The 16th of July 
My next move for the day was packing up my computer, drinking down a fruit filled smoothie, and riding to the station on my old Cannonade Red Racer. She is the true definition of an oldie but a goodie. I was fortunate enough to host The Jazzway Boulevard Show from 9am to noon. Listen ( https://www.radiofreeamerica.com/show/jazzway-blvd-kafm-community-radio  ) here for another week or so. Its Bitchin Jazz!! No Sleepy Elevator Tunes


That link starts off with the ending of a horrible song, The Entertainment Calendar comes up next, and then I began the show with a classic gem of Everybody Loves The Sunshine by Takuya Kuroda. Almost hip hop beats on the wide spectrum of Jazz. Almost anyway and the majority of callers were unsure about how their normally traditional weekly jazz show sounded. But they still chose to called me and share there trepidatious attitudes regarding my style. Their positive feedback was well received!! A number of usual suspects called as well and were "jazzed" about the upbeat diversity in audio wave forms. So That Is Way Cool


Basically, I wasn't going to allow C19 to ruin my day. I have unquestionably taken live music for granted over the years. I clearly see that now. I never imagined that I would NOT be surrounded by friends and family on this, the 16th of July. Sure miss the other 10,000 friends in attendance during any given Red Rocks Summer Tour.


So after my version/interpretation of a jazz radio show, packed the car, towards the continental divide I drove. And I Drove. Drove Some MORE. 3+ hours later, Leadville Colorado landed on my radar. A welcoming light rain was beginning to fall upon my face as I unloaded my belongings. I didn't mind as I just escaped 103F / 39.4C Valley Temps. Bring It Baby


The town of Leadville, perched at a secluded elevation of 10,100ft / 3,078m, accommodated me with a tiny house on wheels. If fact, they actually have a small community of tiny homes for rent. The particular tiny house of mine was named Destiny. Fitting??? These tiny homes are designed for energy-effecincies and are built on tandem axel trailers. Shower, commode, sink, oven, 4 top burner, full size refrain, coffee maker, toaster oven, lounge area, and a step ladder to the loft were just about all the amenities. Would love to design and build one some day as they have so much potential for using creative functional space in multiple ways. Not quite as cool as a treehouse but still.


Within about two minutes of feeling "moved in", Mother Nature opened up her beauty. Pouring rain accompanied pea-size hail stones, lightning bolts that actually danced a few seconds when connecting to Mother Earth, hammering thunder shook the little place, and the asphalt covered streets were consumed by nature once again. Rivers of water ran down the streets and the clean mountain smells were prevalent. Yes, the tiny house windows were open.


After a basic meal of steamed veggies, beans, rice, and a flour tortilla, I meandered along the quaint small town streets of the ever so charming town of Leadville. Dogs greeted me with a bark or two, wild flowers swaying in the after storm breeze, and an unforgettable sunset illuminated the vast evergreen hillsides with multitudes of vibrant color schemes. Completely Engrossing


Within no time at all, eyeballs rolled towards the back of my head for the evening. Here was my little bed on the loft and this was my view out one of the many loft windows. Stunning Really!! The highlights of waking up before Mr Sunrise is witnessing the clear night skies above. With the naked eyes, NAKED, five planets greeted me with early morning goodness. The ringed planet of Saturn floated just above the brightest of all Jupiter in the southwestern sky. The Red Planet Mars was visible along the horizon in the southeast sky. Venus truly blazed in the eastern sky and Mercury danced along with Mr Moon sky high. How Lucky Am I?? So lucky that Comet NEOWISE showered a trail like nobodies business. That Lucky


After vegan style pancakes ( my first go with spelt, almond milk, added chopped apples and whole organic blueberries ) my favorite all time disc golf course awaited my presence. Let me be clear here, I love everything about this course, improvements over the past few years were notable. I mean, Check Out This First Tee Pad!! Bafflingly Desirable


Every hole offers these commanding views and the fairways demand your full attention. I loaded up and uncorked my driver in order to par the 343ft / 104.5 meters on this particularly beautiful first hole. After the second hole drive, I quickly realized that my mid-range Shark would be the preferred disc to tee off with. The fairways are simply to narrow with pine trees for my wildly thrown drivers. Sure, I suck and I am cool with that. Fire Away


See what I mean?? That is the tee pad way back there for hole number 4. You are looking at the basket of hole 4 and clearly no room for error with your drives. The Mt Lincoln on the 5th hole sign, each hole is named after a 14'er, the red dot indicates the basket is unambiguously right there. Once again, the fairway is lined with trees and that basket for hole 5 is tucked nicely behind a grouping of trees. Accuracy is uncanny with unforeseeable hungry tree limbs chopping at those pesky flying disc.  First Bogie On The Round


These were pretty cool. Tree stumps for sitting were sprinkled in throughout the 18 hole course. I never actually sat down but found them intriguing. Shall I fabricate a few??? I would lacquer the tops for sure and I just might have a few adequate bottle caps for this project.


The above photo is the whole reason why I played this course today. I discovered solitude on the tee pad and was able to drive the length of the 8th hole. That red disc flew on my imaginary flight path and struck the base of that metal pole with such force that the sound echoed throughout the forestry landscape. My one and only birdie for the day. STOKED


And then there was this amazing tee pad and the second reason of why I played this round. I mean REALLY?!?!?! Postcard Perfect!! The basket is way down to the left there and was designed for a forehand hyzar drive player like myself. I retrieved my driver with no hesitation, full on grip and rip, just cleared that evergreen Alberta Pine to the right, my disc settled firm in the breeze, and faded perfectly to the left in front of the basket. My putt, not so hot. Another Par For The Course And Pun Intended


I two-putted a lot during the day but I really couldn't care less. This game was about simply being. Before each and every drive off the tee pad, I soaked up the views. With every approached shot, I appreciated the atmosphere. With every putt, I humbly tried again. Call Me Mr Mulligan


Then, there was this moment in time. The basket is dead center there with a Ponderosa Pine on the right and three more lined to my left. I launched my putter on a collision course with the tree to the right of the basket. My putter narrowly somehow avoided contact and slammed into the chains with velocity. As quickly as my birdie filled excitement boiled up, my putter fell to the ground, missing the basket. "Well Sh*T Fire" I muttered to myself. There is a very unique sound of a plastic disc making contact within the chains of a basket. There is also an onomatopoeia sound when your disc lands upon the dirt floor. Oh Well


Overall, the 18 hole round was satisfying in every way, shape, and form. My Shark driven drives were fairly well played, my first putts were atrocious, but my mulligan putts always found their mark. Beautifully defined cumulonimbus clouds built up with the summer time heat and produced afternoon rains once again. Excellent timing on my part and the ideal backdrop for enjoying a packed lunch. My poor mans trail mix was a nice tied-me-over move while playing but The Donger Needs Food!! That Is A 16 Candles Reference. Then, I roamed around Leadville before departing. No real hurry to drive back down to GJ where the baking desert oven awaits.


The town of Red Cliff here. The Boy Dog & I walked along that lower bridge many a times. My friend SA still lives there with JS. The Boy Dog & I would visit both in the Summer and Winter months. He loved winter romps and there are a number of outstanding hikes outside of Red Cliff. Its A Sight To See


So That's It Folks. Another Trip Around The Sun. The Anniversary Of Ones Arrival On This Planet Is Definitely Something To Celebrate No Matter What Else Is Going On.


One final note here and this is NOT a debbie downer for a number of reasons. Will share those reasons on air, will be hosting a Tribute Show for the late KAFM programmer Old Dog. Ron passed away almost two weeks after his beloved dog Sarah passed. They are happily joined together again and are no doubtingly spreading propaganda were ever they find fit. The show will be on Tuesday the 28th of July. Ol Dog on the Freeway was the name of the show and I genuinely hope to cover it with justice, integrity, and dignity. Listen HERE

Stay Strong & Think Of Others First,
Cheers

Wednesday, July 15, 2020

Radio Shows & Cycling


I am writing this post while listening to Best Remixes of 70's & 80's Popular Songs. My Mind Is Synthesized


CYCLING:

Damn it's hot out!! Multiple days over triple digits but the cooler mornings of 60F/15.5C makes for an ideal atmosphere. And those remarkably colorful sunrises!!! And That Comet NEOWISE Is Breath Taking!! Phuc Yes!! Here is a PHOTO taken from The National Monument in Grand Junction Colorado. Way Cool

Reflection In Time
Despite whining about rising temperatures, I was pounded with rain for about 12 minutes. A perfect Western Slope Monsoonal Flow developed over me on Sunday. The cooler temp was refreshing and quite rewarding. I camped out under a tree, Breaking The Golden Rule, during the heaviest of it. Within 15 minutes, Mother Nature moved on and my path was bone dry. I Rode On

Umphrey's McGee Soundtrack For My Ride Tuesday 
Even with the soul crushing headwinds, powered my way through a deck of cards. That's 52 Miles In The Books

WORKING:

Funny how life works. Two curiously informed neighbors reached out about the appearance and handy work dividends from my yard work duties/efforts. I always want to respond with," See What Wasting Precious Water Can Do?" But I never so. I just smile and stay humble. But really, why the Phuc in 2020 are we still growing grass above 2,000ft?? Anyway, this "pride" has offered three more seasonal jobs. Not my first choice for employment but cash is cash.

The Latest Acrylic Offering 
So I now mow and water two homes next to the housing gig I am currently attending to. The one yard is a communal yard so that makes sense and is fairly simple. Straight forward yards are much quicker in the long run. Elegance Of Simplicity


RADIO SHOWS:

Here is the link ( https://www.radiofreeamerica.com/show/global-groove-1-kafm-community-radio ) for streaming my Global Groove show from Sunday July 12Th. The beginning is the pervious hour kids program, then a spooky history lesson regarding Elvis, and then I start off the show with a Dub Reggae Track. A silky 3 hours of Groove over Global for a Sunday morning program. The interactions with callers and texting friends was beyond satisfying. Damn Good People In The World

My New Office Down There
Then, during that groovy show, a fellow programer made a cameo and asked if I would cover his Jazzway Boulevard Show Thursday the 16th at 9am. Hell No!! But I said yes because of their circumstance. So here is the LINK to the KAFM live Stream. Promise, It Wont Be A Standard Jazz Show. Far From It

The Boy Dog Relaxing - RIP Shadow Boy
Last But Not Least, Thank You All For Watching My River Float Video. Here Is My Latest Episode, Thanx In Advance For Watching



GOALS:

  1. Writing Daily Intentions
  2. Ride For The Sake Of Riding
  3. Work With Integrity 
  4. Speak With Presence 
  5. Dance Like Nobodies Watching
  6. Hydrate 
  7. Except With Compassion
  8. Respond With Empathy 
  9. Stay Humble
  10. Witness Mr Sun Touch The Water 



Cheers

Wednesday, July 8, 2020

Tough Age Bracket

Super bummed when I read the news regarding legendary Charlie Daniels passing away at 83. Its brutal knowing these names, faces, and association of life's time lines from where and when. All kinds of old engrams resurfaced upon this passing. RIP Charlie and Long Live The Devil Went Down To Georgia.

Sure Do Miss Live Shows 
On the other end of the spectrum of life, my Grand Niece hit the 2 year old mark and what a hoot she is. Her one favorite gift was a simple head/ hair band thing with sparkly antenna tassels of Red, Blue, And Silver. She couldn't give a Rats A$$ about any other gift. Everything else was white noise to her until her dad rolls out a brand new light purplish dark darkish pink BICYCLE. She made the OOOOOOOOO sound with her rounded lips, discarded that hand dress to the ground, and boogied her way over to her new bike. You know, the way two year olds waddle around. Cute Stuff

My Acrylic Painting - Jo Jo's Birthday Gift 

CYCLING:

Old Mr Thermostat Knob has turned up here in the high desert of Western Colorado. Rough but manageable. I was riding back from the grocery store and a massive trash truck passed by me. So glad I am not the guy hanging off the back in this heat and THAT Unforgiving Smell. You're fully aware of the trash truck smell. Its such a distinct smell. Like fresh rain on asphalt, you know it before you see it.

Sunset While On The Bike Near Fruita Colorado 
Solid week of riding so far in July. Couple of rides out to Loma, a cruise through the farmlands of East Palisade, and one ride north of the airport. Recorded 11 hours of saddle time, 111 miles of riding, and 4 PR's in the first 6 days. No ride on the 7th of July.

Triple Brie, Non-Enriched Flower, Baking Soda, And No Yeast Loaf 
Tough to say what the next few days will hold as Mother Nature is forecasted to throw out 103F /39.44C by this Sunday. And No Monsoonal Flow In Sight????? Bummer. Check out the photo below. This little bird manifested itself while I was watering at one of the house sitting gigs. So Cool


MORE YARDWORK:

I am now an unofficial part time lawn care worker bee. Again, reinventing myself sucks but its what ya do. Been hustling side work since March and I now have 7 lawns to take care of. The pay isn't the greatest but its income. SH*T Pays The Bills! Do I wanna be a Full Time Lawn Service Technician??? Hell No!! In this high desert heat?!?!?! But its simple work and I don't mind for now. A majority of tasks at hand include minor irrigation repairs, dialing in systems, and walking behind a mower. Oh Baby


RADIO SHOW:

Still house sitting these days. Just so happens that the one neighbor is a KAFM programmer. They lead off with the usual bashing on KAFM and on and on. Same ol' same ol'. The broken record continues. Then, "How about covering my show??" SO I am actually hosting a radio show and pretty damn fired up about it. I'm covering the Global Groove on Sunday July 12th 2020. HERE is the link for a live stream beginning at 9am MST. Phuc Yes


PLEASE WATCH:

And last but not least, here is my 4 min short film. This features my solo float trip down The Mighty Colorado River. Basically, I parked truck #1 at the Blue Heron boat ramp > rode the bike to The Dude's house > drove truck #2 with boat to the bicycle bridge put in > floating on down the river towards the Blue Heron where truck #1 awaits > drove back to The Dude's place > rode my bike back to the put in to grab truck #2 > then drove to The Dude's place again. All in All, 13+ miles of physical activities in 2 hours. Did not record drive milage but the whole adventure took me 3 and half hours to complete. Righteous Adventure

The Straight Red Lines Are From Powering Down The Garmin For Driving   



Thanx For Watching,
Cheers

Thursday, July 2, 2020

June Numbers & Photos


Just like for all of you, June shelled of a full spectrum of emotions. Some of those days were way A$$ Cool and very heart felt. Other Days, Not So Much


Remember the deck project? My buddy hosted an evening for dinner, hanging out, sharing stories, and a reassuring thank you for all the hard work. This place is gorgeous with all the healthy succulent plants and the sunset helped the ambiance.


JUNE NUMBERS:

Bike - 664.1 Miles / 1,069km
Hike - 24 Miles / 38.6km
Kayak - 14 River Miles / 22.5km
Hours - 51
PR's - 12
6th Month Cycling Distance - 1982.8 Miles / 2,190km


Something to look forward to during this marvelous month of July, The Buck Moon on the 4th. July's full moon, known as the Buck Moon, will rise on Saturday evening and end with a partial lunar eclipse. The Buck moon, named after the new antlers seen on young male deer at this time of year, reaching peak illumination at 10:45pm MST. The eclipse will begin at 9:07 mt time and will be at maximum shadow around 10:30pm. The next full moon, known as the Sturgeon Moon, is expected to take place on August 3rd 2020.

The Dude Sending Videos From Our Secluded Beach Front Location 

THE RIVER:

The Might Colorado River peaked on the 9th of June and has dropped dramatically ever since. The Dude and I were taking advantage of the floating opportunities as frequently as possible early June. Yes, very safe about it and the "town run" is way simple and relaxing. Our style of boats allow us the freedom to duck out and paddle back up distributary channels.


Those moments of stillness allows beavers to casually swim along the bank while we observe from afar. The beautiful white bellies of Osprey Hawks have made a come back and Bald Eagles still rule the water ways. With the pervious years rain totals reaching record numbers, rodents have thrived throughout the underbrush. Make for damn good hunting and eating. Damn good biological community interacting with their physical environment really. Lush And Healthy


Speaking of tall grasses, I was stoked to find this skin on the Southside of my place. My neighbor from around 2002 - 2004 cut down all the trees in his backyard, with the birdhouse still attached, flooded the area with Round Up, moved out of the hood within two years. Such A Dickhead!! So to find this fresh shed turned me on. Bring on the toads, bunnies, and happy serenading songbirds.

91F and 4% Humidity - Can You Say Hydrate Baby
Near the ending of June, my miles were adding up daily, got caught up in one good down pour. I saw the Cumulus building over the Colorado National Monument and gave the effort to out run it. But No. Actually, the rain was a nice change of pace. All of my rides during June were entertaining for sure. Nothing like just riding to ride. The evening rides were a real treat because of the warmer temps. In fact, I enjoy riding at night. There are little pockets of fluctuating air temperatures that bring interesting awareness to ones surroundings. The other night, 20's of June, the river smelled so fishy and ocean like. Without the salty air of obviously.


So as pissy as I was at times, having my feelings hurt, enjoying the sun on my face, it all dawned on me during one of my solitude hikes, society has good and bad and young and old. That's It

Cheers