I ain't dead........ yet  

Not sure if anybody remembers me, as I stayed way in the background, never wanting to rock anybody's boat, just my quite nature

I see some of the same names are still here, that is a good sign and I hope everyone is well.

I sold my bike when I retired because momma said I had to.
I woulda put on my big boy britches and said no way dear, you get rid of your weenie dogs first.......

However I had already used up all my chits by the trouble I had already caused that dear woman, so..... it went to a new kid, his first bike.

All was not lost however, we purchased a travel trailer and pull that baby from March to October at least one week each month, that has been lots of fun.

If you recall I live on an island in the Pacific Northwest, but we are thinking about moving somewhere else that gets more sunshine, as these old bones take forever to warm up nowadays.

So anyway....... just thought I'd drop by, say hi, and see who still keeps their rubber hitting the pavement  

You got it right Dave......

And I remember one day riding home from work, pulling out into traffic, and all of a sudden, NO POWER, even though my motor was revving.....

That was a sick feeling, oncoming traffic and dead in the water, and YOU sent me a extra belt you had.

It was crazy riding in the snow, at night, pitch dark here on the island and the snowflakes looked like stars passing by as I rocketed through them in my headlights.

I never did crash either, but if I had it would be a great explanation to use when people ask me, "What in the h e l l is wrong with you?"  

Hi Lancer......

Good to hear from you too!

Yes, still on Whidbey Island however that seems to be changing soon.
The ferry system is becoming unreliable and a real PITA to go see doctors, and such.

I am very thankful for years we did live here after moving away from Southern California, as I had lots of growing still to do even after 5 decades of school  

The gray sky and low ceiling begins to suck any vitamin D you might still have out of your body as you age.

We are looking for a whole new adventure, moving entirely across the country and exploring places we have never been, with South Carolina looking to be our first choice to land.

We are flying out in June to scout, landing in Charleston and working our way across the state and then flying home from Nashville.
If we find it to our liking then the house goes on the market the very next day after we return.  

Yes, it gets hot there, but we will just hook up our trailer and head north, exploring new places if it gets too much.

We will miss the island, the crab and salmon......

Time flies so quickly, you gotta speed up slowing down so you can enjoy every moment before its gone.....  

Good to hear from you, hope all is good with you.

Old & Slow.....

I remember you too......  

I am so glad I stopped in, this rattling my brain back to days past sure is bringing a smile to my face!

Yes, I do miss my bike, especially on those warm summer days when we get 16 hours of discernible daylight and I took off my BIG windshield screen and put the flyscreen on, the wind was so nice it swiped the snot right off my face  

Yes, you must stay engaged, mentally and physically or you soon waste away, so gradually it can catch you before you know it.

I did still work some at teaching the plumbing trade to apprentices, and we travel a lot, and still fish, crab, etc, but weather is impacting that opportunity more and more so we figure its time to move on.

Keep those wheels going round, that is the best medicine against aging in a rocker  

Be well amigo!

I only posted the good stuff Dave hoping to make Serowbot jealous  

Dave, I know adjustments will be needed no matter where we end up, that is just a fact of life.

I recall when we first moved here from Southern California, both my wife and me natives, having been born in San Diego in the early 50's, when it was still pretty rural compared to what it became, crowded, competitive and expensive.

This place reminded us of those earlier days, except lots more greenery, laid back and you could live off the land  

Meeting new folks was great, but I recall many said it was getting too crowded and the gray weather just too much for them.
I couldn't figure out what they meant?

It is a known fact that suicides rise in these gray months, when days and days past with no sun and a constant drizzle that would be a stretch to call rain..... moss grows on everything that isn't covered by blackberries  :'(

There are very well off folks that live here, I won't drop names  

But they clear out and only live here in summer, and that crowd is growing each year and has forced the housing to become too expensive for those folks who work in the jobs that are necessary to sustain a town, etc. I am too old to keep trying to stay up with the Jones's  

BTW, our kids in So. Cal are wanting to move out of state too, as our grand kids are now in public schools (well actually not anymore, they are home schooled now due to what the schools are mandated to teach) so they will move as well, and we have all agreed to look in this area after considering Florida, which is just too scary with hurricanes  

My son in law already has a move memo in to relocate, and his parents will move too.
So, there are a lot of moving parts to this next episode in my (our) lives.

Dave I do appreciate you sharing with me, I can use all the information and help people are willing to extend me  

Goodness Lancer...... who you running from?  

I kinda look at it like this, they have more than one flavor at that ice cream shop, and why not try other flavors instead of just sticking to the same one?

When we moved from SoCal, and wife and I were both native born, we knew not a single person on Whidbey Island, no jobs, no house, just what we fitted into our truck and cargo trailer.

We left every known thing behind and struck out for that which was unknown.
About Oregon we looked at each others and reality sorta hit, that this wasn't just another camping trip, vacation, and we had no home to return back to  
It lasted for a moment or so, and with hope and determination we kept going forward.

I have head some famous people when asked what they regretted most about their lives in the past, they replied in not taking those chances and staying put in their comfort zone.

What we realized when we left all behind for a new adventure truly was
/is priceless, you just can't put a value on it.
The people we came to meet, the new places, etc, gave us something that we would not have realized if we hadn't taken a chance.

We love where we live, we love the people, we are extremely thankful and grateful for having had a chance to live here, but.....

I think Denise and I would have been amongst those who sold their belongings loaded a wagon and headed west, back a few years ago.....

I like the rushing water of a cool stream as it tumbles down the mountainside, as opposed to a calm pond, as calm water stagnates first.

Oh well buddy....gotta get off this puter, I gots lots of chores to do to get this play ready to sell....be well amigo!