Did I Forget to Mention

Rob and the Trooper
Originally uploaded by ChristopherSolis.

To those of you who inquired.. what 'second' run in with the law?

Sorry, this was our first. Rob just inside Texas and just outside of El Paso. I was sleeping when Rob started to pull over to the side of the freeway which of course just sent me for a loop.

I asked "why are you stopping? Is something wrong with the truck?"

"No, I'm being pulled over".

Oh. I guess when they say 80mph maximum, they mean it. Rob was testing 90. Although I thought 'anyone' going 90 should get a ticket, our friend Dan in San Francisco is all 'down with the man'.. and has sided with Rob on this one.

It was not how we hoped to spend our first $200 in Texas, but whateverr.

Another Brush With the Law - This One Good

Another Brush With the Law - This One Good
Originally uploaded by ChristopherSolis.

On the 4th Day of Austin, Our Adventure Brought To Us... la la.. isn't that how the song goes? This is a picture of a friendly Austin Police officer. This one we were happy to see. The wheel was knocking on Barnett which is a major street, like Watt Avenue in Sacramento.

When I came to a stop, the wheel fell off!! Uh oh. The officer was nice and diverted traffic for us, he also found the only lug nut (the locking one) that was holding the wheel on.

As of this writing the truck is at the Farr Stone (That's Firestone for you and I) finding out whether the wheel locked up or if someone tried to lift my wheel last night and got discouraged by the wheel lock, or heaven forbid - someone doesn't like California plates and was trying to send us a 'go home yankee' or would that be.. um go home California Yankee.. message.

So until we find out what the story is, we found a ride back to the Hotel Bailey's and we sit here in air conditioned relief waiting for the next chapter in our adventure.

I hope you're doing well! We consider ourselves very very grateful. This incident could have happened at highway speed, or even worse, at highway speed on the span between El Paso and San Antonio. If that had been the case, I wouldn't be sitting here updating my blog, I'd be spraying Polo cologne on myself to repel the coyotes to deter them from considering me food.

Take care and we'll check in soon!!

In the Beginning

At the Very Start
Originally uploaded by ChristopherSolis.

We were on the road. Sunscreen - check. Wallets - check. Checks - check.

We didn't know how much fun was in store, but we were sure it would be bearable. After hour 20 we weren't so sure. Now you I know I can get my roadtrip on. Daunting? Never. Scary? Mary please. But that was before we tried to fit two king-sized men into a mid-sized, standard cab, no-console, bench-seat, bouncy truck.

Oh my God. Can we book a stage coach next time? Can we? It would be far better than this. Riding a pogo stick would be less bouncy.

This, was Texas Torture. But, we made it. More to come.

The Welcome Mat

Welcome to Texas...
Originally uploaded by rrough1966.

Well we made it! We're here in Austin now and it is so pretty. It's overcast and hot and muggy. Although I'm sure there are those in Sacramento who are folding there arms with a HMPHH told you so!

Well. We never argued that it wasn't going to be muggy miserable. But it's still nice. We heard the cicadas tonight and everything is so green!

We had dinner with some nice folks this evening and tomorrow we'll start looking for a place. We're staying at the Hotel Bailey (our friend Wayne's) the most gracious place in all of Austin! For more pics, go to Rob's blog and flickr link.

As for now.. I'm happy to be here even if it wasn't without incident, since Rob got a ticket. Ouch.

Talk to you soon!

Karaoke Trio

At Miss Petal's Birthday party (A fun, fabulous affair) we had a great time. We even managed to coax Poodle into singing a song but not without a cost. We had to agree to all sing together. We belted out "I Love You Just the Way You Are" by Billy Joel. A perfect song since times like these together will be suspended here pretty soon once we move away. But for today - we're all together and having a great time. We also played poker after - but I should have stuck the microphone. Happy Birthday Miss Petals!

Oxidized Bad

Oxidized Bad
Originally uploaded by ChristopherSolis.

We're preparing for the move to Texas. I had to get new tires and once my truck was off the ground with the tires removed, even I had to admit. How ugly this thing is.

Oh sure. Just under the oxidized exterior lies some potential but right now? Mmph. Just ugliness. That's ok. From this view you can see the worst of it. The hood is seriously oxidized and the sides of the truck are poor too. The clearcoat is peeling so some spots are shiny, others are unbelievably dull.

Can't drive all that way without new tires and of course, looking at the rack of bling-shoes, i.e. RIMS - I thought hmm. What would it look like if we went from these fugly stock 14" Dakota 'sport' wheels to these glam-look-at-me-18"-chrome-beacons?

Answer: A little like an ugly stepsister wearing cinderella's slipper, but here's the start of potential becoming reality. We'll see.

Ford Pays New CEO 39.1M in Four Months

Oh uh uh. Ford Motor Company is in the worst downward spiral in the companies history and managed to negotate a salary fit for a king. They're still continuing to lose money and still authorized a bonus for the new CEO Alan Mulally. This would be absurd, if it wasn't so SAD.

The Bottom line is just this. Bring us fuel efficient cars. Bring us exciting cars to drive that are dependable AND green. Bring us mini class cars. Bring us some of the better products you're producing in Europe, rather than what you're currently making here. Redesign the Focus - it's old. Don't think that renaming the 500 "Taurus" is going to save the company. Don't put all your eggs in the Mustang basket. The sporty coupe demographic is fickle and will always want the 'next newist thing'. The Mustang, for this group, is already aging. Stop smacking retro grills on Lincolns and expect us to ooo and ah. Build a powerful, technologically innovative, competitive Lincoln sedan. With suicide doors. And a four-door convertible. Nobody is doing it. And nobody has done it as well as you once did. So reassert yourself.

Bring over the Mondeo and turn Mercury into your euro-taste division. Sort of the vision you originally had for Merkur which may have been ahead of it's time, or just a dumb idea for its day. But Saturn is having a reneissance bringing us opels - why can't you bring a german-tuned car, intact over the pond for us to drive? You should have kept Aston Martin and lost Jaguar. That being said, and being too late - don't put a dime more into that company. Tell them it's sink-or-swim. And, mean it.

Redesign the F-150. You went from jellybean to brick. How bout something in between? Where are the hybrids? You were once a great industrial giant and still a large company. How bout funnel some of that CEO bonus into putting a damn hybrid on the road? (I mean a prius competitor, not an Escape). Toyota is going to release it's THIRD generation passenger-car hybrid, before you've even released your FIRST.

There's no more excuses. There's no more time to waste. Either get off your ass and run an autocompany right, or be relegated to the biggest industrial failure in American history. We may just rename the whole company from Ford to Edsel and be done with it.

Modesto; Two Months in a Row

We had an awesome time again on our monthy roadtrip meeting! We started as usual at the roadhouse and then the crew caravaned to Modesto. We were running SO LATE. We were all a little freaked out that we wouldn't make it in time. And then... my gas light came on. OOps. I thoughttt we had enough to get there.

We coasted into the Tully Road meeting on fumes.. but we made it! Thanks to our wonderful hosts as we had a great time. Especially after at Bakers Square as seen here with Patty Cake and Rita Lynn..

Everyone had the best time and we sure hope the next time you join us. We're headed to San Jose on the 1st of February. It'll be a blast!

Your Time Has Come and Gone

Dude. Okay. I realize that's a poor salutation for someone who's 90 years old. Let's restart.

Geezer. Your time has come and gone. After hearing your broadcast on Monday, Martin Luther King Day - I'm convinced. You no longer have any business being on the airwaves of America.

And, I'm being kind. Please. Rather than allowing my commentary to descend into things like name calling, rather than calling you things like "racist", let's just say it would be best if you walked away from the mic and faded into the sunset.

I want to believe that your intention wasn't one of hate. But, it's hard. Your tirade and comparisons of the people of the south, versus the north was just plain wrong. Additionally, as someone who was in Louisiana immediately following the Katrina and Rita disasters, there's no comparison of a blizzard in Denver to what I witnessed in New Orleans.

To even suggest that they are similar events is shameful. Shameful. Also, after some investigation and finding your broadcast was lifted verbatim from another event, I wonder if you did a poor job of attributing it to the actual author, or if it was a feeble attempt at radio-plagerism.

Dear Paul, please. Save us the misery of grieving as we would a dog we were forced to have put-down. Merely tip your hat to your co-workers, say farewell to the airwaves and bid adieu. I'd rather remember you that way, than to know the rest of the story.

For Sale - The Sequel

Now I'm selling the other car. But whoa. I've had this one for five years though, so it's kind of like been a friend.

I know it's stupid to become attached in inanimate things, but I go everywhere in this car.

We've done so many roadtrips, and the odometer shows it. But, all good things must come to an end, so now I must move on.. sniffle.

I hope this reading finds you well.. and that you're up to something fun! It's still winter here, although - after just returning from Detroit - I remember how how fabulous our winters can be!

Drop me a line to say hello - especially if I haven't heard from you in a while.