A trip up Grassy Mountain to see a Landmark in Shambles.

I have not been up to the Lookout on Grassy Mountain for some time, but it has always been one of my favorite places. So when the opportunity presented itself this past week, I jumped on it.

We took the backroad up, a road which to my knowledge I have never traveled. The road was very rocky and unforgiven. Honestly it was so ridiculous in places I craved something I rarely do, big tires and a lift kit. Nope I did not get those extra bad places as I was too busy trying to keep metal from scraping :P

We took our time, even getting out in places to walk the road, to see how much farther we had.
Mind you, the road was not horrible, but it was bad enough I was a bit worried about a bent Rocker Panel or drive line.
We climbed, crawled and spun as we churned up the hillside, occasionally getting a glimpse of the wonderful view into the Pintlers, something every person on earth should get a chance to see.

We careened on up the road, finally stopping to call a friend who is six cans short of a six pack and mountain bikes up this ridiculously high road. I needed to see how much farther I was, I suspected not far but I had broken one of my cardinal rules on Gas, always going into the woods on a full tank, yet here I was hovering at the quarter of a tank, which is what I used to get this far :O
He would confirm that we indeed were not far, so we went forward. We were at the last bad spot so the final rocks to crawl over were all that was left to a spectacular view.



The Mountain itself lives up to its name, windswept and grassy. It was logged Barren during the days of the Anaconda Smelter and now suffers from some ridiculously high wind as a result. Since this lookout like most others no longer needed in the US is uncared for, I was a bit surprised to see it partially collapsed. I remember standing inside whne I was younger, able to Imagine what the lookouts saw for months at a time on their station.
It was sad but it is what it is. Like so many of Americas land marks, it has feel by the way side while Government Agencies pick and choose what to care for. |
It is indeed sad, as I would have loved for my Children to have had the same experience I did, to stand inside this, and other magnificent lookout towers and look upon incredible 360 degree panoramic views.

In the end, the person with me got to see what I had been pining about, and while he had previously tried to talk about going up here, he admitted even what was left was pretty damned cool.

We would make it out and back to town to get gas in the event you are wondering. I was really not worried provided I made it back to the highway anyhow. I had ran out of gas in the same area a long, long time ago, and using the doors of the truck as a sail we had.... well that is another story.

Freedom, it is time to talk about what it means, especially in the American sense.

We hear it all the time, over and over again how we are the "Land of the Free" but very few stop and think what that actually means.

It does not mean you are free in the Anarchy sense, it means we are a nation of laws, both for prosecution as well as protection, the later is often forgotten.

Here are the three primary areas of the word freedom, at least in the American sense for the first two, the later for the world.

I guess I shall start out with the first aspect of American Freedom which comes to mind, Free from the Rule of the British.
The founding fathers had lots of Grievances which were listed within the Declaration of Independence, with our casting off the chains of British Rule, we became "Free" from their rule.

Next which comes to mind is Free from Religion. Religion was a big sticking point in our founding fathers who were primarily Agnostic in their views. They strongly disliked being told how to worship, if indeed at all. We also know that at the time of our Revolution the bulk of the people were Atheist. This is actually known from Church records themselves, where Churches kept track of those "Heathens" who needed to be converted.

Last is arguably the most important, a voice of the people in the name of Democracy. As I stated earlier, the Declaration of Independence laid forth grievances against the British rule, having a say in how your government functioned as well as how it treated the people was arguably the crutch of the entire argument against the red coats. This was accomplished by giving the people a chance to vote for Representatives which could of course represent the people of said area in a manner they felt befitting.

There are of course other areas to cover, however all those are listed within your Constitution, which you all should take seriously.
I often see posts about "Well that judge got this wrong, and hands up follow orders" Sorry ,those are not arguing for freedom, they are arguing against it.

Please, please take the time to look into your rights, read your history and most importantly think about those issues of the time, and how they can relate to today.

In the end it comes down to the Golden Rule, "Do unto Others as you would have Done unto You" Being free from false judgment goes a long, long ways to prosperity.

A Call for Socialized Medicine

In order to have a strong society one fundamental right needs to be addressed, and that is our health.
When a society is healthy it is able to pursue other goals, Science flourishes, commerce is strong, and the over all happiness and well being the norm.
I have made it clear that I am not a fan of Obamacare at all.
However the indication that thousands of people on a single day try to sign up for health insurance aught to tell everyone in government that people are tired of being treated like ass in this country.
Our Medical system is broke, broke to a point that I do not know if it can be repaired.
Corruption is rampant, greed the norm, and apathy common.
Yet the ACA does not address this, nor does anyone with the law seem intent on taking this on.
People in America are held hostage by our Medical system and indecision from our politicians.
We deserve to be treated like human beings, Nobody should go bankrupt because an insurance policy found an exemption. Nobody should be forced into bankruptcy because a medical community is charging bloated rates.
Its time for this country to look around and see what other western countries are doing right. Its time to make the absolute best medical system in the world, and to make ours the envy, not the joke which it currently is.
Many cry socialism when reading this, and they would be correct, I indeed am advocating it in this regard.
There are aspects of socialism which are good, we enjoy common roads, water ways and other things which make our life better, so why not, I ask you, why not where it matters he most?

Elitism, it does not need to exist.

I have always known it exists, but I tried to push it aside.
My first trip to the Philippines was arguably my first to true income disparity/class warfare where you simply could not hide it.
Mind you As I stated I know it exists but never to this extreme. So in 2007 I would find myself tossed right into the mix of elitism at its greatest, and I had no Idea it was coming.

I had been encouraged by my GF at the time to visit the Philippines version of SeaWorld, a little place called "Ocean Adventure Park" in Subic Bay. Going to the park was not something high on my list of things to do as I generally dislike being surrounded by people, hard to avoid in the Philippines to be honest.
So there I am, buying tickets and my GF gives me the big eyes and the "It is my dream to swim with Dolphins" statement. Now it was expensive, some 85 dollars per person to do this, and I am a frugal traveler so I tried my stance against, and of course lost as usually happens in the battle of men vs women. With a Grimace I coughed up the extra dough and into the park we went.

Mind you this ended up being an Amazing adventure, not only were there Dolphins involved, but False Killer Whales as well. I was thinking this would be a bit more fun as Dolphins in my mind are merely Pirate food :O, but whales are cool!

While we were getting ready there were two other White guys and their families. Of course it made sense only other whites would be able to do this as most Filipinos earn around a dollar to seven dollars a day, depending on if they live in the city or in the country.
They relaxed me a bit by telling me "We do this all the time, it is very fun for everyone" so that helped.
While we readied, we talked about our lives a bit. I mentioned I was self employed and had Heavy Equipment so was instantly one of the boys.
We laughed, had a grand time and off we went.
The adventure was amazing, We would get to hold onto the Whales fin as they swam us to a dock as well as do tricks with us, absolutely incredible.
We laughed, chatted it up and headed to the Photo Shack to get some CD pictures of our encounter.
Standing in the shack they started to make comments about the locals working there "Can you believe they cater to us for a dollar a day?"
"I know, pathetic isnt it?"
I am starting to boil, I am not one to put anyone down for working, especially those living in abject poverty who have to work for a mere pennies just to find a mea to survive upon.

So I say "Whats wrong with them working? They have little choice after all"

One of them says "Well it is just pathetic to have to do this kind of work"

Ohh I am getting miffed "Now hold on here" I say trying to be calm "I grew up on a small ranch and my first job can arguably be said was logging" I took a deep breath "I have washed dishes, toilets and anything else to make ends meet"

Surprised I am then asked how I got my business.

"Well" I replied slowly "I built it up with lots of long hours and hard work"

They looked perplexed "But how did you pay everything off?" They asked.

"Dedication and devotion, I focused on not giving away my money so it would give me an easier life"

That was it, end of the conversation, they refused to look at me again. I made sure to tip well and to as always, thank each and every worker there who had been part of a wonderful experience, which undoubtedly infuriated them even more.
Nothing new with me, I always, ALWAYS try to thank those who work the hardest, if I see you cleaning public Urinals I will thank you and truly mean it. You are making life liveable for the rest of us.

You see this is the problem, they born into wealth assumed all others who had to work for it are vile wretched beings. Not true, like anyone else they are still human beings, susceptible to a death just as everyone else. We do not get to choose the lives we are given, so why not take the time to treat each and every person like the Human being they are?
Maybe, just Maybe if we started treating each person like a living breathing creature who just wants to Fish Fuck and Eat like everyone else, we would be far, far better off with less conflict and hardships all the way around.

Just Maybe.

Robbed while traveling overseas, what to do?

For a reference for beginners or even seasoned travelers, please see here

http://thoughtsoftheages.blogspot.com/2015/07/so-you-want-to-travel-abroad-how-to-get.html

One of the biggest fears while traveling abroad is the inevitable robbery.
Unfortunately movies and the news have people panicked over this event. While quit serious the odds of it being very nasty are slim, so here are some tips on how to handle such a situation.

Carry your money in various locations, all your money in one spot is asking for trouble. If you are traveling overland try to keep your important goods hidden, with your photos being uploaded to a cloud as often as possible.
I lost a camera to a pick pocket in Tabacco Philippines. Looking back it was quit blatant at their theft, at the time I could not figure out why someone would be bumping into me, common distraction. Nevertheless I lost my camera and pictures I of course can never replace. My camera was kept over my neck and shoulder in the supposed safe spot, so keep that in mind while traveling.

I like having two cameras, one cheaper one to point and shoot while a better one saved for special photos. The advantage of todays world is even a cheap digital camera or even your phone will get you a wonderful picture.

Getting a camera stolen sucks, but I just remind myself that 30 years ago a 36 exposure roll of film would be dragged out for days, if not months :P

Remember in the event you lose your money it is not the end of the world, you can still wire yourself money. I had to do this before, while embarrassing it worked very well.

Never flash anything and OD NOT wear expensive or any jewelry if possible. In the event you are robbed anything they see will be taken, and not in a nice way either.

Cooperate, do not try to be a hero, NOTHING you own, be it your camera, money, bike or car is worth your life.

Developing countries require a special kind of attention, do your homework before you leave. If a local tells you not to go someplace, listen and do not.
They want you to be safe, safe travelers mean more people coming to visit.

Odds are in any of these places you will make it home with a story, if you are dead then authorities have cause to look for the murderer, and one thing a thief does not want is the attention of the law, regardless of how corrupt they indeed may be.
IF you look for trouble in a developing nation and think you are going to go all Jason Statham on some bandits, you are sadly mistaken.
Being on the receiving end of a firearm is not a fine point in life, nor do you forget the taste of a blade. That krav maga class you took suddenly seems worthless, your arms feel like they have weights tied to them and you realize doing it wrong is indeed the end.

Keep your travel plans and especially times and dates quiet except to those who need to know. As mentioned bad guys visit travel forums as well. Not all the friendly people you meet and ask directions will keep it quiet. People in desperate situations are forced to do desperate things. While this is rare, this is why you need to be cautious. With that said I have had friendly locals guide me more than once, keep your wits about you.

Only fight if there is absolutely no other option and then do so as if it is to your last breath, as likely it will be at that point. That point would likely be in the event of a kidnapping or some other dire situation you probably will not ever face.

Even in the event you think it is a kidnapping, make sure you know what is up. I was taken into a caged Van again in the Philippines and it turned out these was a friendly local and a Bodyguard (literally) making sure we got to a safe spot. How did I end up there? Well with desperate starving people pulling at you in all directions you tend to go with the most friendly people. Once inside the van I realized it was a cage. I tried ot make myself valuable to be kept alive, fortunately that was not needed.
It is also common especially in latin america to take you and force you to use your cards at an ATM.

The Marines are not coming for you, just remember that.

Lets say they do, lets pretend you are someone important or with the right connections, most hostages are killed during a rescue attempt :(

Try not to go out at night.

Here is an example how quickly things can go wrong

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/centralamericaandthecaribbean/guatemala/10780031/British-woman-and-boyfriend-capture-gunpoint-robbery-on-camera.html

Good job to those in the video, they made it home. Objects, money even your bike can be replaced.



Travel safe, be smart and you get to grow old and tell some kick ass stories.

Why you need to try everything you can, at least once

Growing up I was always one of those kids who had to do just about everything, and I did. My first memories are on the back of a horse, since we grew up on a small Ranch, this only made sense. With encouraging parents I went about doing just about everything I wanted. They bought me art supplies and I did lots and lots of drawing, which went from stick men to later drawing for a friend who wrote a comic.
I would take Piano lessons, play in recitals, go on to join Orchestra, played the Violin until Junior High when a Bass Player was needed and I would take that up as well.
I would go fishing, shooting, hunting and lots of bicycling. I got a Mini Bike early on which helped with my Motorcycle passion later on in life.
The Parents loved to travel so many of my early memories are traveling around in our old Delta 88 or Camping, lots and lots of Camping. I wrestled, took Gymnastics and built a car for racing, lots of swimming and snorkling.

When I was 18 I would sit down and figure out just how long it would take me to try new things, and I determined that if I won the lottery then and lived to be 84 I could not do it all.

I would continue trying new things, immersing myself into Martial arts where I did a bit of Kickboxing. That passion taking me to Europe where I would take a couple fights then spend the rest of my time traveling around on trains seeing all that I could see.

Id come home, get into Paintball, competed in that, took motorcycle track days and tried some medieval warfare for awhile. I got quads and played with those for a bit then A few years later I decided I wanted to learn to fly, I took a helicopter lesson followed up with fixed wing lessons. I would stop a few hours before I got my license not to do a lack of passion, but do to the only instructor close by being a total jerk. Later life just got in the way, I will hopefully finish it and I do not care how old I am when I do.

The swimming and snorkling would lead me to have the opportunity to Swim with Whale Sharks and free dive sunken ships in SE Asia.

Now I am sitting around having traveled a small chunk of the world with way too many hobbies than I can afford wondering why people do not try more things.

I work with a man who has a very good retirement income but insists on working as "I can only fish so much"

It seems this is a common thing I hear, "If I retire what would I do?"

I think it comes down to far to much focus on work and not enough living.

Plain and simple folks, you need to try things, and I mean lots of things, see what works and keep doing it. When you get bored try something new. Your only on this planet for a short time so may as well give it all a go. The alternative is sitting on the couch wondering what everything else is like. If you do not try things as you are living your life, by the time you finally do retire, you will not have that urge to attempt anything new.

Not me, I already tried lots and plan to try a lot more. Right now I got a drone and been tinkering with that, if I can get the move I want I plan to do some Drone Racing which I figure will be a good hobby to share with my kids, same as Cycling which is a huge part of my life right now. Since I have Mountain biked with a guy in his late 60s, I see no reason why I cannot keep doing that as well.


Go live and have no regrets.


Update, Since this piece the man I referred to about working for a second Retirement has since died, ten months before his final retirement at 64.
Dave had talked about taking a trip I always wanted to do, motorcycling to South America.
That never came to pass, however, he did die doing a job he absolutely loved, that is something.

 

The recent open carry laws are going to make things worse, not better, and a cry for Concealed Carry.

I have been trying to figure out how to word this one for a couple of weeks now, which is unusual for me as it usually only takes me about ten minutes to complete a Blog, but here goes.

Over the past few years there has been a huge push for open carry in public. With that push has came something which I never thought I would see, people walking around with not only a pistol strapped to their hip, but a semi automatic rifle in a single point sling hanging in front of them.
To make matters worse, these people are walking around with their hands griping the weapon with their finger lay alongside the trigger guard.

The aspect of this which is the most troubling is anyone actually thinking they are in such danger they need to walk around as if every single person is a potential enemy invader is indicative of someone with a very low IQ, which makes it even scarier.
These are people with some very dangerous fantasies, people who have fell for some repugnant fear mongering which has elevated a level of hatred in this country I have not seen in my lifetime.

As these people walk around "Exercising their" second Amendment rights, they make a hard job for police nearly impossible. Imagine being on a patrol with all the mass shootings going on and seeing some yayhoo walking down the road with an AR 15 strapped to him, what is he supposed to think?
First of all it is out of the ordinary, something they are trained to look for, second it presents someone who is most defiantly a possible threat.
Whether that person is or not at that time the police need to find out. Now you have a situation where a possible unknown shooter is being investigated, and the police rightfully so are a bit on edge. The vast, vast majority of the time the Police will find out said person is only "Exercising his constitutional right" and indeed not an immediate threat, nor likely one in the future. However that time with that stop has taken the officer away from his task of locating the bad guy, which after last nights killing of five officers in Dallas, makes his task all the harder.
Now that officer cannot simply look for someone with a firearm, now he/she has to look for anyone wanting to live out some bazaar fantasy, unreal.

Right now you may be cheering, or pissed, and I seriously hope both groups are reading this post right now, so with that I will delve into the Second Amendment real quick to clarify something important overlooked by both sides.

The Second Amendment reads "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms shall not be infringed"

Both sides take this post literally, with the left placing the right in the hands of only the State, and the Right placing that statement in the hands of civilians. The Truth as always lays a bit in the middle with both somewhat correct.
First off it is nonsense to think that the Amendment was written to protect the governments right to have arms, do you really think that needs to be written in? Second it is nonsense to think that it refers to every Tom, Dick and Harry allowing them to carry a firearm, it does not.
Key words which need to be focused on are "Well Regulated Militia" This infers in every historical context that a trained GROUP of people shall hvae access to weapons for the purpose of defense. It states clearly that Militia should be REGULATED. SO that does not mean your right is to own any damned thing you want and to act in any manner you deem ok. SO lets continue with the trained and regulated aspect of this.
What in that statement do you think applies to Joe Cowboy who thinks walking down the road with an AR 15 at low ready is part of this statement?
It says regulated and trained. Thus far there are zero requirements in that regard for anyone purchasing a firearm, so I sure as hell do not want Joe Cowboy who saw a movie and passes the few legal requirements to own a firearm walking around the streets acting out his fantasy.

What I do want are actual trained people acting in a responsible manner which is where the CCW comes in.

When a policeman stops someone who has a CCW (Conceal Carry Weapon) several things happen, first off an announcement is made as the officer approaches the car. The Driver is to state he has a CCW and is armed, the officer now knows you are armed, but more importantly you took a higher step then most people. You have at the very least (Something I will cover in another blog) taken a safety course and more extensive back ground checks. He knows at that point that likely, you are not a threat. For this aspect alone it is a major win for both sides. I noticed being treated far differently from police after I gained my CCW in a very positive manner.

Having a CCW also keeps the firearm out of view and does not require the Police to stop you walking down the damned road wondering if you are a lunatic or not. It also keeps said people in public from panicking, which right now they should indeed be a bit on edge with anyone walking around openly armed. Ask yourself if you are a supporter of Armed Open Carry, how are other people supposed to know your intention? Are they magically supposed to read your mind?

In the end CCW only makes sense, it allows some basic training to be implemented, it takes away some burden from rightfully on edge police and quiets a panicked public.

Support it, and push for higher standards, all people should be allowed to carry, once they show they can do so in a safe and responsible manner to protect not only themselves, but everyone.