THE COMPANY BBQ

How do you get an edible picture of a bus onto a cake?

Paul Revere Transportation, the company that has the transit contract with the National Park Service, gave its employees a BBQ yesterday. Even though I had to report for work around noon, Patty and I stopped by for an hour or so, and had an early lunch. Due to work schedules, many of my co-workers, were arriving at different times, but the burgers, brats, & ribs were always smokin on the grill.

This type of event in America is as common as baseball, and apple pie. It's a way for a company to say thanks to it's employees in a tangible way. What's better than providing free food? Well, maybe a big bonus on the paycheck would be better, but that's probably not going to happen. Speaking of paychecks, I was surprised to find that Paul Revere pays all of its employees for holidays, worked or not. My days off are Sunday & Monday, so I was off on Memorial Day and Independence Day, but still received a days pay. That kind of company benefit is pretty rare for seasonal employees, and I've still got one more holiday coming, before leaving the Grand Canyon
in early September.

As I've mentioned previously, this summer of work for both of us has been an overall positive, and unless something changes our mindset, we'll probably be returning next year. Could this experience turn into another Skagway, where we kept returning each summer for 4 years? It might, as long as we're not coming home each evening complaining about the job, or the public. At this stage of our lives, it's all about enjoying what we're doing, no matter if it's work or play. There's a lot of reasons that working 3 or 4 months here at the Grand Canyon makes a lot of sense to both of us, so we'll just have to see how this plays out during the next few years.

ANOTHER BIKE RIDE

Taken on the rim trail between Monument Creek, and Pima Point

On my last day off (Monday), I jumped on the bike, starting out on my 3rd bicycle trip toward Hermits Rest. I coasted the 2+ miles down to the Grand Canyon Village, toward the Red Route bus stop. Armed with Patty's recent gift from her employer, a really nice Camelback hydration backpack, and with my Ipod blasting classic rock into my ears, I was oblivious to the problems of the world.

At the beginning of the Red Route near the Bright Angel Trail head, I loaded the bike onto one of the shuttle buses, letting it do the work up the hill to Powell Point. From there, I took my time, and rode (mostly coasted) out to Hermits Rest. I made a point (no pun intended) to stop at all of the points and overlooks, for the purpose of not only taking in the magnificent scenery, but to be able to tell bus passengers exactly what they would be seeing at any of the bus stops.

The radio receiver antenna is for the purpose of tracking the local CA Condors

At Hopi Point, I talked to this gentleman who was part of the organization that keeps track of the California Condors living in the area. He informed me that 68 birds are living in the Northern Arizona, Southern Utah area, and that there were 3 nests in the South Rim area. Since it takes 7 years for a Condor to reach maturity, the project to increase their numbers in the wild is a very slow process. But, over the last couple of decades, the numbers have grown from just 22 birds in existence, to over 300 currently alive. Patty and I have seen several Condors flying, but without a good camera and telephoto lens, it's hard to capture an image.

I took these 2 photos near Powell Point, and they represent an era long since past. This fire watch tower, like many other fire lookouts around the U.S., were an important component for the early detection of forest fires. This particular tower is now used for the placement of various park service communications antenna.

Just below the tower, this old cabin was where the fire lookouts lived during their work duty time. This type of infrastructure has been replaced by high tech satellite imagery, but it's kind of cool that they have found another use for this old tower, and haven't torn it down.

When I arrived at Hermits Rest, I beelined it to the snack bar, and you can see my reward for all of that strenuous, physical activity. Hey, riding on buses up the hills on Hermits Road is tough work, and there has to be some sort of carrot at the end of the stick. Actually, Nancy and I rewarded ourselves in the same way last week, when we pretty much did the same bicycle trip.

23 more work days, but who's counting? We've both enjoyed this summer here at the Grand Canyon, but when you're used to the freedom of being retired, punching a time clock tends to get old, particularly when there are other things you want to be doing, or seeing. We're looking forward to returning to Lake Havasu, then heading north for the Golden Spike RV Rally in Carson City, NV. From there, who knows where the road will take us?

BRIGHT ANGEL LODGE

The Bright Angel Lodge was designed by Mary E.J. Colter, and constructed in the mid 1930's. It is a registered national historic landmark, and was built to handle the ever increasing numbers of tourists coming to the Grand Canyon.

The railroad was the primary transportation system to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, from its arrival in 1901, and for the next several decades. By the 1930's, roads and automobiles were starting to bring more and more people to this natural wonder of the world. The Fred Harvey Company, in partnership with the Santa Fe Railroad, built the Bright Angel Lodge to accommodate the larger numbers of people who needed a place to stay. The location of the lodge is in the same area as the original post office, and the Bucky O'Neill cabin (oldest structure still standing). Several cabins were built to supplement the rooms in the lodge.

Inside the lodge, is a history room, transportation & tour desk (mule & bus tours), gift shop, lounge, family style restaurant, and the Arizona Room steak house.

During the summer months, the back patio of the Bright Angel Lodge is one of the most popular gathering places for visitors, and guests. It's not only the view of the canyon, just to the right of the wall pictured above, but it's because the Ice Cream Parlor serves up all things associated with a classic soda fountain. When I was there a couple of days ago, the line to get ice cream was quite long. No, I did not get in the line!

I took this picture from the Hermits Road Trail View Overlook, which shows the Bright Angel Trail zig zagging down into the canyon. The Bright Angel Lodge is in the very upper left corner of the photo. Some of the Bright Angel Cabins are within just a few steps to the canyon rim, and the views are spectacular.

As we approach our 4th month here at the Grand Canyon, and as I read more books from the library, I'm fascinated by the historical development of not only the infrastructure, but the many personal stories about the early pioneers who came here over 100 years ago. I think President Teddy Roosevelt said it best when he proclaimed that "the Grand Canyon is the one sight that every American should see".

GRAND CANYON MULES

Mules have been transporting people into the depths of the Grand Canyon for over 100 years, and today, a mule ride down to the Phantom Ranch must be reserved a year in advance. There is a wait list for last minute cancellations, but if you're on that list, don't hold your breath.

The 7 hour ride down the Bright Angel Trail starts each day at 7am, and is one of the many adventures here at the Grand Canyon that Patty and I will not have the opportunity to experience, at least not this year. The main reason is that we have not made a reservation, and for me, I'm just a little over the 200 pound maximum weight limit allowed for riders. But, I'm pretty close, and if we return next summer, there will be plenty of time to make the reservation and lose those last few pounds. Hey, that just might be the motivation I need to get down to a weight that I haven't seen for many, many years!

This photo was taken inside the Bright Angel Lodge "History Room"

One of the remarkable things about riding the mules on the Bright Angel and the South Kaibab Trails for so many decades, is that the worst injury sustained by any rider, was a sprained ankle by a lady who was dismounting her mule. These sure footed animals have carried famous people like President Teddy Roosevelt (bet he didn't meet the 200 lb. limit), and countless other celebrities into the canyon, without ever losing their balance or slipping off the trail. When you look at the very steep Bright Angel Trail, with it's switchbacks on the canyon wall, you wonder how that impressive safety record has been possible, and continues to this day.

Yesterday, I rode my bicycle down into the village, and stopped at the Mule Barn, talking to one of the lady mule wranglers. My curiosity was more for our friend Nancy, who expressed an interest to Patty about possibly working here in the park next summer. The gal I talked to didn't have much information about possible employment, but did say that summer seasonal help is added almost every year. If you're serious Nancy, the process starts with an application with Xanterra.

Other than walking down to, or rafting the river, the only other way to get to the bottom of the Grand Canyon here at the South Rim, is to ride one of the world famous Grand Canyon Mules. When you ride all the way down to Phantom Ranch, an overnight stay is required, with the ride back to the top on the next day. The rate for 2 people, including the ride down & back, meals and accommodations at Phantom Ranch is $850. A little pricey, but certainly an adventure of a lifetime for most people. The mule ride, and a raft trip through the Grand Canyon, has become a blip on my bucket list radar screen.

THE TRAVELING BEAGLE

Sami's automatic pose when food or a treat is being offered

How many dogs can claim the distinction of leaving their mark (literally), in 49 of the 50 states? Our old girl (soon to be 14) Sami, has been around this great country of ours several times, and there's still new smells out there for her to discover. Even though she's slowed down considerably, and we see signs of her older age, our faithful Beagle still eagerly awaits for one of us to pick up the leash, and head for the door. We are starting to notice that her hearing is fading, but her sense of smell is as strong as ever. As I like to say, a Beagle is really just a nose, with four legs and a dog's body attached, and that nose rules most everything about Sami's behavior. When walking, if she gets a whiff of something in her nose, that begs for further exploration, the brakes are suddenly applied. In order to keep moving, one of two things must happen. Either, she gets enough of the curios odor, or the leash master must overcome the force of the four legged brake application.

As a puppy, she had to learn to live with a grumpy calico cat named Tera, who would not tolerate any of her attempts to be playful. Now, in her advanced years, she has learned to tolerate the antics of a young snowshoe cat named Gracie. Despite living her entire life in close quarters with a cat, she still thinks that cats, squirrels, and especially rabbits, were put on this earth for her to chase.

I probably feel like most pet owners, that their animals are part of the family, and are treated as such. No matter what species the pet is, a certain amount of commitment & sacrifice is required, and I'm often saddened by stories of abandoned, or mistreated animals. Our traveling Beagle is not one of those stories, and her presence in our life has brought much joy and happiness.

Can a Beagle really climb a tree?

RAINBOWS & LIGHTNING

These pictures are illustrative of a monsoon season weather pattern here at the Grand Canyon. We often get rain and sunshine at the same time, and that's a recipe for the creation of rainbows. I took these two pictures from Mohave Point day before yesterday, while driving a bus on the Hermits Road Red Route. It wasn't long after, when the lightning began to strike close by. When that happens, our first priority is to provide shelter, then move as many people as possible back to the village. The rain often comes in buckets, but it's the lightning that presents a real danger to the public who are out in the open.

Yesterday, I was driving a bus on the Village Blue route, when all of a sudden, several emergency vehicles passed me near the Bright Angel Lodge, and with lights flashing, and sirens blaring, they disappeared up the Hermits Road. At about this same time, there was a serious thunder and lightning show going on, and the Red Route buses were concentrating on getting people back to the village. It wasn't but a few minutes later, when one of the supervisors reported on the radio that several people had been struck by lightning near Mohave Point.

After hearing the radio report, I thought to myself, this is something that you read about, not something that happens in your backyard. When my shift was over, and I had parked the bus, I asked the supervisor for details of the incident. Sadly, she reported that a 65 year old man was fatally injured by the lightning strike, and 5 others in his group were taken by ambulance to the clinic. She did not know the condition of the 5 individuals, other than the injuries they sustained were not life threatening.

I'm sure we've all heard phrases like "the chances of that happening are less than being struck by lightning". Unfortunately, yesterday, one individuals odds were not very favorable, and the danger of being out in the open during a thunderstorm became very real for me.

SUMMER COUNTDOWN & A GIFT

We arrived here at the Grand Canyon on May the 16th, and our last day of work is scheduled to be September the 9th. Only about a month left before we hit the road, and briefly return to Lake Havasu City. As with any experience, there are moments when it seems like time has flown by, and then, there are those days when it seems like there's no end in sight.

The newness of our jobs has worn off, and I think we're both ready to move back to our retirement mode. I short while ago, I was asked by the Transit manager if I would consider staying another 3 months, through November. My answer was diplomatic, as I explained that we had made plans for several activities during that time period, and that I was appreciative of the offer. Punching a time clock for more than 3 or 4 months, no matter how interesting the job might be, is not very appealing to me at this stage of my life. For the most part, we've both enjoyed our respective jobs, but for me, the countdown to September 9th is very much underway.

Living here at the south rim of the Grand Canyon for the summer, with the cooler temperatures, and incredible scenery, has been a positive experience on a par with our summers in Skagway, Alaska. For now at least, we're planning on returning next summer to work a 3 or 4 month stretch.

On a different note, Patty received an unexpected surprise the other day. One of the supervisors for Delaware North Corp. handed her a gift card for providing exceptional customer service, that was redeemable for a Camelback hydration backpack of her choice. This is what she selected and brought home. It retails in her store for $89, so the perk was much more than just a pat on the back. I think we both know who might get the most use out of it. Can anybody say dual sport motorcycle ride?

BEST FRIENDS

It was about 25 years ago, that we first met Nancy, when she started dating a friend of ours. Their relationship progressed, and we became good friends, even though we lived in Jamestown, CA, and Nancy lived in Merced, CA. We got to know Nancy much better during countless Harley rides, and many social events. Later, when about 20 of us were planning a Caribbean Cruise out of Miami, Nancy & Jim decided that their relationship had progressed to the point of marriage, and inquired about a possible ceremony on the cruise ship. I made the simple arrangements for a minister to meet us, and when we all boarded the cruise ship, we stood with our friends as they got married. The next week was a big party, as we cruised around the Caribbean.

During the next several years, we did a lot together, including a trip to the Sturgis, SD motorcycle rally in 1986. It was during that trip, Nancy and Patty were always looking in antique stores, and trying to figure out ways to get some of their discoveries back to CA on the motorcycle trailer. Needless to say, there wasn't any extra room for those large items, but they did manage to find several smaller things that found their way into the trunk of the Cadillac.

After I had retired from the CHP, and started working for Modesto Harley-Davidson, our lives began to drift apart. In the mid 90's, about the time we built & opened Jamestown Harley-Davidson, we got word that Nancy & Jim had split up. During the next 15 years, we only had occasional contact with Nancy, and Jim completely disappeared from our lives.

Last year, the electronic age played a role in the reunitement of Nancy and Patty. Even though I have a Facebook page, and am not at all an active participant, it became the catalyst for this lost friendship to be reconnected. When Patty started her trip to Greece last year, she and Nancy met for dinner in CA, and the lost years disappeared almost instantly. Nancy purchased a new 5th wheel RV, and joined us in early March, for the Gypsy Journal Rally in Yuma, AZ, and is wrapping up her 10 days with us here at the Grand Canyon.

Good friendships are often hard to find, and in watching these two together, it's not hard to see that they are indeed buddies, who share a lot of the same interests. They are already talking about a trip to Hawaii next year, and there are probably other adventures in their heads that I don't even know about. This morning, they're off to Cameron, in search of that perfect piece of illusive Navajo Jewelry, which is sitting somewhere with their name on it.

CHP MEMORIES

In early 1975, my transfer from Santa Cruz County to Los Banos in Merced County came through. I had worked approx. 2 years in the area where I grew up, but the high cost of housing was the main factor in a decision to transfer to the Central Valley of CA. Several months prior, we had purchased our first home in Los Banos, knowing that the transfer would be forthcoming.

It was in early December of 1975, that an evening phone call sent shock waves through the small town of Los Banos. When I answered the phone at home, one of the on duty supervisors said that Al Turner had been shot, and "we're searching for the suspects". All of the available off duty officers were being called in to help with the search. Naturally, it didn't take me long to get to the office, pair up with another officer, and drive to the area where the search was being conducted.

By then, Officer Turner, who I had gotten to know quite well during the previous months, was at the hospital with 3 gunshot wounds. We learned that he had pulled a vehicle over on I5, because of a defective headlight. When the driver got out of the car, he walked back towards Al with a 357 magnum handgun hidden in his hand, and without warning or provocation, he opened fire, hitting Al 3 times. Al was able to draw his weapon, fire all 6 shots from his 38 revolver, hitting the suspect 5 times. When we later listened to the radio tapes of Al calling for help, it was amazing how calm he sounded. When help arrived at the scene, and the shooter was disarmed, both were taken to the hospital in Los Banos, and then transferred to larger hospitals that were able to treat traumatic injuries. In the chaos of the shooting, Al thought that perhaps a passenger had escaped into the night, and that was why we were called in to assist in the search. It turned out that the shooter was alone, and that he had just recently stolen the car.

During the next 14 days, there was a constant vigil at the hospital in Fresno, where the medical staff attempted to save Al's life. The most serious gunshot wound was to the abdomen, and infection (peritonitis) set in almost immediately. There wasn't an hour during those 2 weeks that there wasn't several of his fellow officers at the hospital with Al's wife Judy, and his 2 young children. During that time period, my days off were spent in Fresno at the hospital. After a 2 week battle for his life, Al lost the fight, and he died at the age of 35 years.

One of the injustices of this shooting incident, was that despite being shot 5 times, the suspect survived, and is still serving a life term in prison, courtesy of the taxpayers. If there was any good to come out of this tragedy, it was the recognition that CHP Departmental issue 38 caliber ball ammunition just didn't have the necessary stopping, or killing power. It wasn't long after Al Turner's death, that 38 caliber hollow point ammunition became standard issue, and perhaps in future shootings, made a difference. Many of us who carried 357 magnums, that had the capability of shooting either 38 or 357 ammunition, began loading our service revolvers with 357 magnum, hollow point ammunition. Even though this was not authorized by the department, we figured it would be better to be alive, and face criticism, than to be dead.

It was in mid December of 1975 that I lost a friend. From that point forward, a routine traffic stop, particularly for a defective headlight, was never again routine.

BIKING & BUSING

We stopped for a quick picture of one of the Bull Elks

Today is my Monday, and Patty's Friday at work, so yesterday, on my second day off, Nancy and I rode the bikes out to Hermits Rest. Well, not exactly. We coasted the 2 miles or so, down to the Red Route in the village, then put the bikes on one of the buses. At the top of the hill, we unloaded at Mohave Point, and rode/coasted the 4 miles out to Hermits Rest. After an ice cream bar, I loaded the bikes back on a bus bike rack, and we bused back to Powell Point. From there, it's mostly downhill back to the village, so, after unloading the bikes again, we coasted another couple of miles back to where we started on the Red Route.

We finished the bike/bus ride by loading the bikes on one of the Blue Route Buses, and bused back up the hill to where we began in Trailer Village. This is a similar ride that I did last week, and by using the buses to take the bikes up the hills, the required pedal power is limited. It was an enjoyable ride, (except the one bus where the A/C wasn't working), with some incredible views of the canyon, and the river.

Nancy and I at Monument Creek Vista on the Hermits Rest Road

"The Battleship", a red rock formation, as viewed from Powell Point

Today, it's back to work, at least for a few more days. Still not sure what's going to happen if the dysfunctional bureaucrats can't come up with some sort of plan to keep the government running before the Aug 2nd deadline. Most everyone agrees, the National Parks will be one of the first things to shut down, so for now, it's a wait and see game. I wonder if the government will have any money left to pay unemployment, if we all get laid off. I doubt it!

V&T RALLY PLANNING DONE

The Carson City, NV Rally that I've been planning for our FMCA Golden Spike Chapter in September, is pretty much finished. The itinerary, and registration forms for the 3 rally days are about to be published in our chapter newsletter, and members will be able to sign up through the month of August.


When we leave the Grand Canyon in mid Sep, we'll have a few days at home in Lake Havasu City before we head north for the rally. We'll be meeting our friends, Bill & Dee Hall, who will also be arriving a few days ahead of the event, to give us a hand in getting everything ready.

The itinerary goes something like this..............

Sep 29 - Arrive at RV Park & evening social hour
Sep 30 - Ride on the Mills Park 24" gauge RR
- Lunch in Carson City
- Tour of NV State RR Museum
- Ride on 1926 Edwards Streetcar
- Dinner at Reds Old 395 Grill
Oct 1 - Ride Virginia & Truckee (V&T) RR steam train from Carson City to Virginia City
- Watch world famous OUTHOUSE RACES on Main Street
- BBQ lunch at the Red Dog Saloon
- Ride V&T steam train back to Carson City
- Hors de ouvers & wine at the depot
- Ride V&T steam train into the Carson River Canyon
- Dinner at Ole Ole Mexican Restaurant

Patty and I are looking forward to getting together with our fellow Golden Spikers, and I'm always up for riding a train that's pulled by a steam engine. As I mentioned in a previous blog post, over 20 years ago, I rode my dirt bike on this old RR grade before it was resurrected as the new Virginia & Truckee Railroad. When we were one of the first to ride on the new V&T last spring, it was an interesting adventure down memory lane, on new RR tracks that didn't exist when I made the trek on my motorcycle.

Now, if the joint agencies responsible for rebuilding the V&T this far, can work out the last details of land acquisition, and find the funding, perhaps the last few miles will eventually be built, all the way into downtown Carson City. In my opinion, it would be a shame not to completely rebuild this famous short line that is so close to the finish line.

DRIVING WITH IDIOTS

One of the big challenges facing all of the shuttle bus drivers here at the Grand Canyon National Park, is dealing with the public who are often lost, confused, or who just plain ignore the normal rules of the road. Getting around the park can be confusing, and it's understandable when a person gets lost, and perhaps makes a mistake. But, the blatant ignoring of signs, speeding, driving the wrong way, and countless other traffic violations,that would land you in court anywhere else, seems to be ignored by almost everyone, except those of us who see it everyday.

With my background in traffic law enforcement, it sometimes drives me to distraction. I have to keep telling myself, there's no red or blue lights on the front of my bus, and no, I can't write traffic citations any more.

The photos that I took yesterday are at the check in area, at the public RV park. This just happens to be a place where the buses have to make a U-Turn, in order to get into the bus stop. The no parking sign is supposed to keep that lane open, so that we can service the stop. Several times a day, we have to stop behind the miscreant, sign violator, and honk the horn until they decide to move. Sometimes it's quickly, and sometimes we are totally ignored.

I recognize that this particular sign isn't billboard size, but come on, when you park right next to it, how can anybody not see it? Maybe if our federal government wasn't so broke, they could install a flashing neon no parking sign like those on the strip in Vegas, and perhaps the RV drivers would pay more attention.

In the scheme of things, this parking violation is not a big deal, but more of any inconvenience to us bus drivers. Some of the other traffic issues we deal with on a daily basis, are often much more serious. I almost got hit yesterday by a rental motor home, that blew through a stop sign at about 30 mph! Where's my red light and ticket book? I wonder how a high speed pursuit would look on TV, with a transit bus chasing an RV?

A VISIT FROM NANCY

Our friend Nancy Kissack arrived here at the Grand Canyon yesterday morning, and she and Patty spent the day checking out some of the sights. Her blog, Kissack Adventures is listed on this blog as one that we read. The pictures are from Patty's camera, and the format is different, thus the smaller versions. Not sure how to fix that.

We have been expecting Nancy's arrival, and when she moves her 5th wheel trailer from the RV park in Tusayan, to the RV park here in the village, she'll be close to where we are. Her reservation is for a week or so, and even though we're both working, we'll still have some time to visit and do stuff while she's here. She cut short her stay in Laughlin due to the heat (114 degrees), and drove here via Route 66 between Kingman and Seligman. That's the longest remaining stretch of the old "Mother Road", and I've traveled it many times, mostly on the Harley. Once she started gaining altitude, the temperatures began cooling off, and now that she's here at the South Rim where the average elevation is around 7,000 feet, daytime temps are now in the 80's, and it cools off to the high 50's, low 60's at night.

One of the big questions on the horizon for us, is what happens if our government doesn't reach some sort of agreement on the debt ceiling by August 2nd? The rumors are running wild here at the park, but it's probably safe to say that the National Parks will be one of the first things to shut down if our leaders in Washington D.C. can't compromise about the debt and deficit. Not going to get into the debate, but in a week or so, it's entirely possible that Patty and I may be forced back into retirement a little bit prematurely.

A BIKE RIDE TO HERMITS REST

When we started the summer here at the Grand Canyon, my plan was to occasionally ride the bicycle to work. Well, that has happened exactly zero times. It's not so much the distance (only 2+ miles), or the exercise involved. It's more the fact that 4 of my 5 work days end in darkness. Without a full moon, or an adequate light, it's really dark here at night, and pedaling where I can't see, hasn't been the most appealing thing to do. So "the plan" hasn't been executed as I thought it might.

So, day before yesterday, I decided to dust the cobwebs off the bike, and head down the hill towards the Hermits Rest Road. From where we are parked, it's a little under 2 miles to the village, and down hill almost all of the way. At the beginning of Hermits Rest Road, I loaded the bike on one of our shuttle buses, and unloaded it about 3 miles from the end of the road. My ride on the paved rim trail, next to the edge of the canyon, was as you might expect - spectacular! I get paid to look at this marvelous canyon, 2-3 days a week, and believe me, the scenery only gets better with time.

Looking down on the Granite Rapids from the rim trail

By the time I got out to Hermits Rest, one of our typical afternoon thunderstorms had moved in, and so I loaded the bike back on one of the buses. I had planned on riding the bike back, at least part of the way, but that didn't happen due to the rain. I think on a future day off, I'll try this again, perhaps on a better weather day.

This is the huge fireplace inside the Hermits Rest building

PLANNING A RALLY

Not too long after we leave the Grand Canyon in mid September, we'll be heading north to Carson City, NV. for a mini RV rally that we've been planning for the Family Motor Coach Ass'n (FMCA) Golden Spike Chapter, of which, we are members.

Since joining this group over a year ago, we have attended two rally's, one on the Mount Hood Railroad in Oregon, and one at the Nevada State Railroad Museum in Boulder City, NV. As you might expect, with membership in any organization, friendships are quickly established, many that last a lifetime. This group gets together 2-4 times a year, usually at a tourist railroad somewhere in the western states. The rally's are planned by members, and I kind of volunteered to put something together in Carson City, after the newly rebuilt Virginia & Truckee (V&T) Railroad started operating in late 2009.

On our way to the Pacific Northwest in the spring of last year, we had the chance to ride on the new V&T, and I thought at the time, this would be a great venue for a Golden Spike Rally. I wrote a blog post on May 31st, 2010 about the new V&T.

Most of the planning for the Sept 29, 30, Oct 1st Carson City Rally is done. I just need to finalize a couple of last issues, then send the itinerary & registration pages to our newsletter editor, Barbara Westerfield. She will then publish it in the about to be released Golden Spike Chapter Newsletter, and our members will be able to sign up. So now, it's back to the phone.

LAST CHANCE RANCH

How often have we heard the phrase "Last Chance"? Highway billboard signs often advertise last chance for gas, or for other things, like last chance for food. Obviously, these words catch my attention, and so when the Lake Havasu Newspaper ran an article a few weeks ago about the Last Chance Ranch, I couldn't help but read it with interest.

I'm not ashamed to admit that Patty and I are animal lovers. If our lifestyle was different, and we didn't travel a lot, there's no doubt in my mind that we would live somewhere on acreage, where we could keep, and care for lots of animals. But we don't, so our animal world consists of Sami, our 13 1/2 year old Beagle Dog, and Gracie, our 3 year old Snowshoe Cat.

After reading about this 54 year old women who has dedicated her life to animals that have nowhere else to go, it didn't take me but an instant to make a tax exempt donation to her cause.
In my opinion, there is no higher purpose in life, than to dedicate yourself to the support of an unfortunate fellow human being, or to the support of animals who would otherwise, probably be dead.

We have been supporters of Keepers of the Wild, a wild animal sanctuary near Kingman for many years, and have even talked about volunteering some of our time. The distance from Lake Havasu has always kept us from making that commitment.

The chance to help this lady and her noble cause, was one of those feel good moments for me. I would encourage anyone reading this to click on her website, and if helping unfortunate animals is on your list of things to do today, make a donation.

THE TRAIN DEPOT

A lot of visitors to Grand Canyon National Park are surprised when they see a railroad train depot in the historic Grand Canyon Village, and even more surprised when they see a real live train parked in front of the depot. When you drive into the park from Williams, you get a few glimpses of track just outside of town, but if your drive brings you through Flagstaff, or in from the east, there's no indication of a railroad until you arrive in the park.

When the rails reached the south rim in 1901, a smaller depot served the public, about 1/2 mile west of where the current depot is located. As I posted yesterday, in 1905, the El Tovar Hotel was completed by the Santa Fe Railroad, but the train was stopping 1/2 mile away, and passengers were much closer to the lodging competitors. In 1909-10, the current depot was constructed, and the tracks were extended to within just a few feet of their Hotel, the El Tovar.

This made it much easier for passengers to utilize the lodging that was owned by the railroad.
As you might expect, there was a lot of grumbling by the competitors when the train started unloading passengers 1/2 mile away from their facilities.

When completed, the building was one of only a few log structures in the United States serving as a train depot, and today, it is the only remaining log depot building. In 1987, it was declared a National Historic Landmark, and is one of the first buildings seen by today's railway passengers. It's purpose today is more company oriented, as the need for a depot isn't what it used to be.
The South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park has several historic buildings like the Train Depot, and the El Tovar Hotel. Most of these buildings were constructed after the railroad arrived, and with the proper maintenance, and some renovation, they exist today as they did 100 years ago.

THE EL TOVAR HOTEL

The front entrance to the El Tovar Hotel

Many of our National Parks have the iconic lodge/hotel, most of which were built during an era when railroad travel was the primary transportation method. Yosemite has the Awhanee, Glacier has several built by the Great Northern Railroad, and Yellowstone has several lodge/hotels built around the turn of the last century.

When the Santa Fe Railroad completed it's branch line to the Grand Canyon in September of 1901, tourism went from a few hundred per year by way of stagecoach, to several thousand per year, arriving on the railroad. Suddenly, there was a tremendous need for hotel rooms, to accommodate the influx of tourists. In 1905, the Santa Fe completed the El Tovar Hotel, and it became one of the many Harvey Houses, run by the Fred Harvey Company. In fact, it is one of only a few of the original Harvey Houses still in operation.

The location of the El Tovar is within just a few feet of the canyon edge, so the views from most of the rooms are truly spectacular. As you might expect, the room rates are also quite spectacular! When the railroad arrived at the canyon, there were a few small hotels, some with cabins, but there were not nearly enough accommodations for the increased number of tourists. When the El Tovar was completed, just up the hill and a short walk from the train depot, the occupancy was 100% from day one.

Today, reservations typically need to be made well in advance, and the very upscale dining room offers great food at what you might expect, great prices! Having never set foot inside this beautifully restored and maintained building, I dropped by yesterday for a look see. When I told the restaurant hostess that I was one of the shuttle bus drivers, and was often asked questions about the El Tovar, she gave me a quick tour of the restaurant. At least now, I have a little more information, that will make it easier to answer some of the many questions.

The back porch of the El Tovar Hotel, facing the Grand Canyon

When the train arrives at the canyon at about 11:45am each day, many of the passengers are transported up to the El Tovar, where they stay for one or more days. Their departure back to Williams is on the railroad, much like the early tourists of over 100 years ago. When the railroad started bringing folks to the south rim, the cost of a round trip train ticket was $3.50. The cost of a room at the El Tovar was only a little bit more than that, depending on what type of room you reserved. Today, the standard room rate is around $200, and goes up from there.

There is no doubt, this is one of the jewels in the National Park system, and is representative of an era that has long since passed. The Santa Fe Railroad was responsible for the building of the El Tovar Hotel, and many other structures here at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. Even though the railroad is now owned by Xanterra, it's neat to see that tourists are still coming to the Grand Canyon on the railroad, and staying at the magnificent El Tovar Hotel.

10 YEARS AGO

In reading one of my favorite blogs this morning, Nick Russell, Gypsy Journal Publisher, talks about he and Terry's decision to give up the workaholic lifestyle, and become full time RV'ers. While reading, I was thinking that it has been a little over 10 years since we walked away from co-ownership of our Harley-Davidson Motorcycle Dealership in CA.

It was in late 1995, a few years after retiring from the C.H.P., that we finished construction of our commercial building in Jamestown, CA., and officially opened the doors of Jamestown Harley Davidson for business. For the next 6+ years, it was a magical ride, during some of the best economic times in recent memory. Patty was still working in the hospital emergency room, and during her days off, and on many nights she worked at the store. When she retired from her R.N. position at the hospital in 2000, most of her waking hours were then spent keeping up with the clothing, jewelry, and collectible lines at the business. From the day we opened, my work week was anywhere from 60-70 hours, continuing to the time we retired. We were both committed 110% to the success of the business and to the employee's. We were married not only to each other, but to a business that we thoroughly enjoyed. To say that we were workaholics would be an understatement!

In late 2000, we made the decision to close this chapter, and pursue our dream of travel in our motor home, and to move all of our worldly possessions to Lake Havasu City, AZ. I remember our financial planner wondering if we were doing the right thing, and expressing his doubts during a few of our meetings. His school of thought was that while we were in a position to keep filling the retirement bucket, why would we want to stop doing so. My mindset at the time was that we had filled the bucket a bunch, and how full did it need to be. I was comfortable with our financial future, and when we publicly announced that we were leaving, the reaction from our friends and customers were much the same. How could we walk away from such a fun business, where we were making a ton of money, and even consider the possibility of retirement? My answer was actually quite simple, and often repeated. "Life is not a dress rehearsal, and nobody can predict the future". While we were both in good health, and had financial security, it was time to live some of our dreams. It wasn't but a few days after we turned over the keys to the business, that we were on the road to Alaska. That summer of 2001 in Alaska was truly magical, in the sense that we were fulfilling one of our dreams, and truly free to wander where ever the road led us.

We will always be grateful to our partners, Art & Linda Mitchell, for providing us with the opportunity to create and manage a business that was not only fun, but something that became a cornerstone of our financial future. We are so glad to see that the business, despite tough economic times, has continued to succeed, under the management of Art & Linda's daughter Karen, and their son-in-law Allen.

10 years ago our RV adventures began, and the road has taken us to some amazing places. Two summers ago, our 12,000 mile journey around the U.S. and Canada was a highlight of our RV travel. The combination of working and traveling has been a good balance for us. Knowing that we don't have to work, makes the choice for a seasonal job, so much easier. Living and working here at the Grand Canyon this summer has been a fun experience, something that has been on our radar screen for several years. The last 10 years have flown by, and when asked if I would change anything, the answer would be "nothing".

CHP MEMORIES

It wasn't too long after transferring from the L.A. area to Santa Cruz, that I settled an old score from my high school days. Returning to work in Santa Cruz County, brought me back to the area where I grew up, and went through school.

Even though I only worked out of the Santa Cruz Office for approx. 2 years, it provided me an opportunity to reacquaint myself with many old friends who I hadn't seen in several years. Some of those re-introductions were by choice, and some were not.

There was one day that I was working the swing shift in the south county, around my old hometown of Watsonville, when I ran across someone who caused a lot of problems during my early high school years. This guy (I'll call him Jack) was 2 years ahead of me, so during my first year at Watsonville High, he was a junior. For lack of a better description, lets just say he was the classic bully, who liked to pick on the younger kids. I wasn't so much the brunt of his attention, but several of my friends were, and in those days, you didn't run to the adults every time something happened. One of my friends decided that enough was enough, and in the school parking lot, he took a stand against Jack, and unfortunately, took a pretty good beating. This sort of thing was fairly common, and because Jack was a pretty big kid, he not only had the reputation of being a bully, but he had the physical skills to back up his bravado. When he graduated, many of us, and I suspect the school administration as well, was very glad to see him move on down the road.

I remember the day that I unexpectedly ran across Jack while working in the Watsonville area. I was following a car on Beach Rd. when suddenly, a large brown paper bag was thrown out the passenger window onto the side of the roadway. Littering isn't exactly the crime of the century, but here it happened right in front of me. The driver and this passenger either didn't see me, or they were about the stupidest folks in the entire world. I decided that I was going to make this litterbug go back and pick it up, or he/she was getting a citation.

When I pulled the car over, and walked up to the passenger side of the car, guess who was staring back at me as I explained why they got the red light. You guessed it - Jack the high school bully. In true form, he denied throwing anything out, and started his threatening tactics that I remembered from years ago. The moment I recognized Jack, there wasn't any question that he was getting a ticket. The idea of asking his driver to take him back to pick up the bag was not even a consideration. As I wrote out the ticket, Jack continued his verbal assault, but as in the past, he wasn't in the drivers seat, I was. When he refused to sign the ticket, I silently said to myself "thank you god", and explained to Jack, that I had no choice but to handcuff him and take him to jail. I guess those words caused a sudden change of behavior, because he did sign the ticket, denying me the best opportunity for revenge. As he drove away, I thought to myself, there is justice in this world, and sometimes paybacks come in the oddest of ways.

Normally, I wouldn't have gone back for the litter, but in this case I did. Something in the back of my mind told me that this might not yet be over. I collected the bag, and it's contents, thinking that Jack might want to dispute this ticket in court. Sure enough, about a month later, I got a subpoena with Jacks name on it. When the court date came, I presented the facts to the judge, and to Jack's dismay, presented the actual evidence of littering. When Jack testified, he denied any wrongdoing, and told the judge it was his word against mine. It only took the judge about 2 seconds to find Jack guilty of littering. About 2 months after the satisfaction of giving Jack some of his own medicine, the court delivered a second dose, and my revenge was even sweeter.

SUNSET AT HERMITS REST

These are not the first sunset pictures that I've posted from the Grand Canyon, but they are the first taken from Hermits Rest. We are entering the Arizona Monsoon Season, and the last few days have been typical for this time of year. Clouds roll in, usually in the afternoon, and with the overcast skies, there usually is some rain, with possible thunder and lightning.

Yesterday, we had all of the above. In fact, the lightning strikes were so close to the Hermits Road, the supervisor shut down the Red Route. Instead of taking people from the village out to Hermits Rest, we concentrated on getting people off the South Rim, and back to shelter in the village. From about 6pm, for the next hour and a half, the 8 red route buses, including myself, moved hundreds of people away from the potentially hazardous weather.

After the mass movement of people was finished, I was asked to drive out to the end of the road, and standby at Hermits Rest until after sunset. I shot these pictures just after the thunderstorms had moved past, but were still partially over the canyon. I tried several times to get a shot of some lightning, but it just wasn't to be. With the clouds filling part of the canyon as the sun was setting, it was a much different scene than the normal evening sunset.

After the first wave of thunderstorms moved from south to north, we noticed smoke from a fire on the north rim. My guess is it was caused by the lightning, but that was not confirmed. The good news with this coming wet season is that in one respect, the fire danger diminishes considerably. Conversely, there is usually lightning with the rain, and that causes a few fires.

The other good news, is that this weather keeps the temperatures at a very comfortable level. We're now in the 80's, with more humidity, but it's a whole lot better than the 115 degree temps back in Lake Havasu City.

BASHAS PART II

After hammering the Sedona Bashas Supermarket yesterday, I received a phone call from Randy, the store's beverage manager. When I was at the store last Sunday, I think it's safe to say that I was a bit angry, when I found out my special order of Sharps was not there as promised. My anger was directed at the customer service manager, even though he had nothing to do with the issue.

If there's one thing that I've learned over the years, it's that there is always two sides to any story. According to Randy, when the local distributor was in the store (a week ago today), it was his day off. So, he left a large note for the distributor representative regarding my special order. Evidently, that's where the ball got dropped, and as a result, when I arrived in Sedona, my special order was conspicuously absent.

The only problem with the blame game story is that at some point, most likely last Wednesday when the order was supposed to show up at the store, Randy knew that the distributor had screwed up, and the Sharps wouldn't be waiting for me when I drove down from the Grand Canyon. Patty suggested that I call the store before leaving, and my gut instinct said the same thing. So, I share a bunch of the blame myself, for not taking the time to look up the number and make the phone call. I told Randy that a phone call from him would have eliminated the problem. Randy apologized, and said that there was a store in Ash Fork that carried Sharps, and that it would be a shorter drive for me in the future.

I thanked him for the phone call, and in retrospect, it wasn't a completely wasted trip, as I was able to retrieve half of the Sharps that I originally ordered. The drive from Flagstaff to Sedona through Oak Creek Canyon is about as scenic as it gets, so again, it wasn't a totally wasted day.
The end result is that after a few days of cooling off, and a phone call from Randy, Bashas has creeped back up the ladder a notch, in respect to my customer loyalty.

BASHING BASHA'S

First, let me start out with a positive, and say Happy Birthday America! There is no other country in the world with the varied opportunities that this great land provides. I'm sure we all take things for granted, but we should be thankful that we live in a country where anything is possible, and with hard work and dedication, anyone can achieve their American Dream.

Now, here comes the negative. Yesterday morning, I drove 2 1/2 hours down to Sedona, to pick up the Sharps non-alcoholic beer that I had ordered a week ago. In my June 28 post, I mentioned that I ordered the Sharps from Basha's Supermarket, and that they routinely carried it as a normal stock item. When I spoke on the telephone with Randy, the beverage manager, I told him that I was driving down from the Grand Canyon, that the distributor in Flagstaff did not carry Sharps any longer, and that it was getting harder and harder to find. I ordered eight 12 packs, ($99.92 retail) and gave Randy my name and phone number. He assured me that it would be there waiting when I came down on one of my days off, either yesterday or today.

Before leaving, I did entertain the thought of looking up the Sedona Basha's telephone number, and calling to verify that the special order was there. Then I thought, they carry the item anyway, and besides, being Sunday on the 4th of July weekend, Randy probably wouldn't be there. So, off I went to pick up my Sharps, thinking in the back of my mind that this might turn out to be a Murphy's Law event.

By now, you don't need to be a psychic to figure out where this is headed. When I arrived in Sedona a little after 10am, I asked the Basha's customer service manager (whose name I did not get), to check on my special order. After looking in the cooler and backroom twice, he said that he could not find it. After that statement, the steam was probably visible, as it was starting to exit both of my ears. Knowing that it probably would be a waste of time, I suggested that Randy be given a phone call for a possible explanation. After calling Randy's number, the manager came back and said that he had left him a voice mail.

Swell! No Sharps, no explanation, and a wasted 5 hours of driving. At that point, I'm sure the steam was noticeably visible as I told this manager in no uncertain terms, exactly how I felt. I told him I knew it wasn't his fault, but he was the only person that I could direct my anger towards, and it might be a good thing that this was Randy's day off. I said that either Randy completely dropped the ball and didn't order the Sharps, or that he had a problem with the order, and failed to call me. In either case, the outcome was unacceptable. The last thing I told this guy was that perhaps if I wrote a letter to Bashas Corporate, maybe Randy would have more incentive next time, to follow through with his promise, and place customer service as a little higher priority.

As it turned out, I didn't leave empty handed because there was a total of four 12 packs of Sharps in the cooler that I snatched up. To his credit, the customer service manager approached the checker, and told him to give me a 10% discount.

With lots of choices regarding the purchase of almost anything in this country, these kinds of negative events tend to stand out. With the grocery business being a highly competitive environment, a simple drop of the ball like this can have a snowball effect. It's kind of like going to your favorite restaurant, and the one time your meal is bad, that's the experience that sticks in you mind.

The Bashas in Lake Havasu is arguably the nicest grocery store in town, and has been my supplier of Sharps for several years. When we get home for the winter, I have a feeling that I will probably explore another option.

SAFETY

Yesterday was a long day! A mandatory safety meeting for all drivers was the first order of business at 8am. By the time that was over at a little past 11am, it was time to go to work. When I got off work at 9pm, it didn't take long for me to fall asleep, and as a result, no blog post yesterday. Besides, there wasn't a whole lot to write about.

When you run a public transportation company, or work for the same, the highest priority should be safety. Paul Revere Transportation places the appropriate emphasis on safety, and yesterday's meeting was a good example. The more I work for this company, the more impressed I am with their entire operation. The rules are strict, but the results are predictable.

The National Park Service must be impressed also, as they have awarded Paul Revere their 3rd 5 year contract. I've been driving one of the shuttle buses for a little over a month now, and despite the challenges of dealing with the public, (in vehicles, & in person), it's been a mostly positive experience.

As Patty and I have become accustomed to our daily routines, there isn't a whole lot of excitement, or new adventures to comment about on a daily basis. Even though I have tried to keep this online journal up to date with posts each day, it's getting a little harder to find interesting things to write about. The last thing I want to do, is blather about nothing. So, I've decided to go back to the routine that I loosely follow when we are at home in Lake Havasu. When there's something to write about, I will. When not, I won't. What that means is instead of daily posts, it will most likely be a few times a week. We'll see how it goes..........