Pick The Title

It's up to you to pick the title of this week's entry, either:

Euro-Trash? Them's My Peeps!
                       or
I've Got A Feeling We're Not In Rockingham Anymore.......................

There is so much to cover, last weekend the FO and I went fishing. We were unsuccessful with the big fish but I love this shot of a home-made downrigger on blue water

 Nice picture of CooKeeAnna, but again, who took it?

FO caught the prettiest flounder I've ever seen slung over the rail, right at 5 pounds and mighty tasty Saturday night. We found a few greys Sunday to complete the weekend, but alas and alack no kings. 

5:20 AM flight is now a 5:30 AM flight, left Monday morning for planning meetings at HQ in Texas, good week. Took one of my associates to DFW Thursday evening and then headed to Austin to see really fancy some cars run. Saw this and got discouraged...................

 No, this old girl didn't run, she wanted to but she's a little too old to get out there. She's a beauty

Oh my goodness I love Texas, too bad I was driving a sensibly priced econo-box rental I can barely make it to the edge......................

So I finally made it to Austin and to the track in time for the first practice session. This is one beautiful track, tune in Sunday afternoon for the show

This is the first turn after an uphill front straight, I was surprised to see nearly all of the drivers smoke at least one of their tires going in, sorry the shot isn't good enough to show their marks. During the warmer afternoon session I didn't see any do it, and their times were about 4 seconds slower. Amazing how technical this sport has become. Although Head Asshole Ecclestone continues to toy with the formula (the last race is double points, I'll let you know next year whether or not I like this idea that I came up with......) in Formula One the engines sound completely different. But still the Ferrari engines sound like an explosion during their micro-second gear changes, some things never change. 

Everything is bigger in Texas, and more expensive, but still FUNKALICIOUS

 And one good shot of Lewis, a nice young man I hope will win.

After walking around the track during P-1 I finally found my seat, directly across from Victory Circle. There is plenty of video coverage so I guess this would be a decent place to watch the race and what happens afterwards. Again I recommend it to you, if you have the means............ 

If your last name ends in Y you are salivating right now. It's after 10 on Friday night and I haven't had supper, so I'm going like Pavlov's dog. I don't know why this is here, just thought I'd throw it in as I wait for my meal. 

And so this is my report for this week. My plan was to get back to DFW late Friday night and catch an airport hotel, get up at 3:00 AM for my 5:??AM flight..........then decided it would be late when I got to the airport, what the heck, I'll dump the POS rental, check my bag, clear security, have dinner then read and nap until 5.......................it all went according to plan until I got to the counter. And by the way, more than one person told me I wasn't 25 anymore, US Airways is closed after 8:00 PM or so because they have no more flights. I talked with TSA and there were no other solutions, and no where to eat outside the secure area, so what should I do? Seriously, don't you know where I am right now? Double Jeopardy question, 10 seconds

And in closing, yes I bought a hat at the race track, my hair is indeed thinning and this was planned protection (insert birds and bees music). So I ask you good weekly readers, what driver did I honor with my purchase? The winning entry gets a hat.

You have 30 seconds and remember your answer must be in the form of a question, and yes Anonymous, I welcome your question/answer also

I've got some (in my opinion) good videos I might try to post from COTA

Next week, familiar surroundings in northern VA/MD
And RIP Skip Waters, I was really sorry to hear of your passing, you brought it home really well. 

And only by a few minutes this was still a Friday post, OCD rules!

How About A Quickie?

Good week on the road, even got to see Jackson and fire up a 1956 Jaguar XK 140 at a friend's house Tuesday night. I don't think my SCCA license is renewable so it's not going to be my ride.

Found this in the files,again, the best dog ever.

 I haven't been able to sleep since I saw this. Why? Why? Why? One brick short of a load?

I was online with an old racing buddy Thursday night and found this. It's from the 1979 Old Dominion 500 in Martinsville. I was taking pictures for the NCMS, Darrell Waltrip blew his engine and came into the pits and exchanged his engine in 11 minutes. It was the fastest engine change during a NASCAR race, and may have been the last one as NASCAR stopped the practice shortly after. I was in the pits, Darrell never got out of the car. I handed him some tools to disassemble the gear shifter and then got the heck out of the way. See if you can find Waldo (in this case Waldo would be me). Buddy Baker won the race under the red flag, sitting on the track with a flat front tire. It was his day. Find me yet?

We heard an amazing speaker last night, http://bush.tamu.edu/faculty/jolson/ . Hire him if you want to hear some great stories about espionage, real-life not James Bond, although you may confuse fiction from fact if you listen carefully, and I'll bet you will.

Off to the factory next week for planning meetings, and then a little side trip to Austin Friday, I heard they're trying to have a little car race there next weekend. http://circuitoftheamericas.com/

Look for me, I'll be wearing a cap. 

Fishing tomorrow, we're going for the bigguns..............

K Passer?

And with that I'll stop.
Oh no they didn't!
(actual billboard in Pennsylvania)

And you think I tell boring stories, notice how it is getting dark at night lately?

Which is harder to believe:
a) Matthew McConaughey (sp?) drives a Lincoln?
b) They paid one of the coolest actors in HollyLand to make an ad for an old woman's car?
c) John Lennon is alive, living in Scranton PA and working at a McDonald's?

This is funny, it's a good start but watch the white car on the left side at 0:57, clever! GoPro cameras are amazing, even if one did cause Schumacher's skiing accident. 

I activated my Sirius again this week and I heard this yesterday afternoon on Tom Petty's weekly radio show. Talking about a cool dude, wonder if he's going to start advertising for an insurance company? Bet your toes start tapping any minute now, BTW, this is 48 years ago if you're keeping score at home. 

Speaking of selling, who needs a fan? I've got a special on 30 inch pedestal fans, just call...........

Last Week: Udder Nunsense

This week asks a question......................

.......................OK, that is a stretch but who cares? This is for my entertainment, if you're looking for grandchildren pictures you might try Facebook. And then you'll also find out what that girl who didn't act like she knew you in high school had for dinner last night.

(Clue: try it with a southern drawwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwl)

I went to Niagara Falls this week, it's been well documented how much I like that place. My faded memory includes the recollection that about the time we were there a family went over the falls. Last week's picture was dated July 1960 and that is indeed when there was an accident and that a young boy went over wearing a life jacket and made it. Want to read a great story?

                       http://www.infoniagara.com/history/rogerwoodward_miracle.aspx

Lots of courage to go around in that story. 

Did someone say I'd like to see something even neater than that?

                                      

Did someone say keep on rocking? No? No one...................................

Sex and Violence

Come on, you have to think these things through, here's another

.......................and they're off.................see if you can get that one.

Busy week in the office and then on Sunday I'm off to one of my favorite places in the world. It was the first big trip I remember as a child:

Hmmmmmmmmmmmm, another picture with a goofy hat, long sleeves and shorts, I think I'm starting to see a pattern here. I've shown this before, sue me I like this picture. I remember looking at these pictures from more that a few years ago and in each one an adult is holding on to Dave and me, I guess they were worried that we might jump in? These were the same parents who taught us to swim by throwing us out of the boat, or at least they told us they were teaching us to swim, maybe not? 

Sometimes I Just Don't Get It, Do You?

From watching the news this morning, some lady was quite upset that there is too much of this on television and in the movies. Sometimes I don't hear very well

Good week in Texas and yes we did have some fun. The Texas hospitality is legendary.

My first bike, Santa brought it to me, Daddy taught me to ride it in the schoolyard by hanging on to the seat and running beside me. That is a pleasant thought isn't it? Daddy running along side of me; anyway I had to stand on the back step to throw my leg over it. I see the shed and the oil tank in the background, their back stoop became a family room much later. 

Now for the story, the bike was red, but an older member of the family, let's call him "Rave" convinced me it was his old bike by chipping enough paint off it to show me it had been blue, and indeed his bike before Santa made it at the North Pole and brought it to me at Christmas. Cynicism started early. Still, TAR has always wondered about my eclectic sense of clothing style, and in this picture you see a flap hat, a nice fashion-plate jacket (probably Dave's at some point also) and best of all.....shorts. Yes a warm coat, geek hat with flaps, and shorts. Go figure, many of you are probably thinking that another piece of the puzzle just came together. 

Cooper's Cub Scout gutter boat, very nice work and his printing is awesome 

I think this made the blog before, can't remember. Good picture of Vann Neal making stew. I just ate breakfast and now I'm salivating like Pavlov's dog

FYI, this is never a view you want to see. My ring finger went from "looks like a hangnail" to (insert lots of cursing here) THIS HURTS! Of course I was out of town in Texas so I used an Urgent Care facility for the first time. I was treated very nicely, a good experience all things considered; at least I feel that way now............check back later when I get the bill. 

Get the first joke? In town all week, leaving Saturday for HVI in Canada. 

Combat Warriors

We were fortunate last week to be able to take some wounded Combat Warriors out for a little fishing trip. This is Carl and his son Robert. He is my hero, and I promised myself that I will quit grunting when I get up or down, or find myself up against a rusty and stubborn nut and bolt. 

Carl navigated and drove the boat while the captain, uhhhhhh, checked the water depth.

Our crew for the day. Many thanks to the FO on the bow for providing good eats for the day, and constantly preventing Robert from jumping in the water. Nice picture of CooKeeAnna, I'm wondering who walked out on the water and photographed us?

I hinted last week that we might be adding to the Riley armada. We did indeed, like her? I used to sell steam humidifiers at Skuttle so a transition from hummer to boat seems pretty natural, yes? We saw this boat in action a few weeks ago, she really is steam operated; but not unlike Paris Hilton she is pretty but I don't think I'd want to be on her. 

No, we didn't add a steamship to the fleet, but we did add a little Whaler, been wanting one for about 40-45 years. So little that she fit into the car garage. By the way, see those letters against the wall? Long story, different post. She should be a nice toy for everyone. I described her this week as my new diving board; and her name shall be................

..........................determined this week. It's down to CappyShack or Fishstick 2. Please vote below,  and do so quickly please. We might try to christen her Sunday afternoon. 

Jackson is now officially a Fergusonite and likes it. We miss him.

5:20 AM wheels up Monday heading for Texas, 9:40 PM Friday return, going to be a long week, but I'll bet we have a little fun in there somewhere. 

Vote early, vote now, and vote often.