Barefoot Adventures
The Barefoot Canoe Expedition, Idaho to New Orleans 1984
Barefoot Goldwinging – Most All of North America, 1997-2002
Voyages of the Barefoot Windwalker Across the North Atlantic
The Barefoot Model T 
National Tour
Getting Out and Getting Under
In The Good Ol' US of A
Getting Out July – August 2007
July 1, 2007 --
I wore myself out today working on the T since about 6:00am, installing new rear brake shoes, axle seals, adjusting brakes. I made the axle seals from the felt of an old winter boot liner..I laid a weld bead on an area of the neutral cam that was worn and dressed it to shape. I crawled under at least 2 dozen times and my old body is getting SLOW and doesn't handle up and down very well. It is imperative tomorrow to replace the hand lever pawl and sector as it jumps out of neutral. That could be disastrous. I showered and I think I have all the grease and grime washed off, if not, all the grease and grime is washed in any case.
July 2, 2007 --
I went in to AAR in Spokane early, bought a new pawl, sector and hardware, went up to my brother's barn and installed the new pieces. It was an absolute bastard getting the old rivets out. Ordered a pair of 16" tire spoons from the web, in case I need to mount a tire on the road. While I was working in the barn an old friend, who shall remain nameless, made a sizeable donation to the tour, which insures a reserve for when trouble occurs. Much appreciated and a heartfelt Thanks, JR. I came back to the shop and installed a sediment bowl in the bottom of the tank. That is the last repair or add-on, except for side curtain fabrication.
July 3, 2007 --
I took the T to Spokane in the morning to deliver some money to one of my nephew's suppliers, enjoyable drive down the backroads. The handlever pawl is not reliably engaging the sector, I have to figure that one out. I got some tape type wheel weights and tried a static balance of the front wheels. I don't notice a perceptible change. Went to WalMart and bought two footlockers for stowing the computer and printer, tools, other necessities and clothes.
July 4, 2007 --
I didn't make it into the Cd'A 4th of July parade like I had planned, got to working on the T, managed to take two hours longer fixing what should have taken less than 10 minutes. Bought a tool box to consolidate all the tools in, that will fit inside the footlocker. The back of the hack looks neat now. Bought a bicycle speedometer to give me speed and distance. Bought a new pair of shoes, a nice pair of hard soled brogans, that aren't so "fat" on the T pedals. Had lunch and took it easy the rest of the day. Ordered a 6 volt 14" radiator fan from Mac's Radiator. Drove into Cd'A and to Rathdrum later, back by 8:30, ate and went to bed before the rockets took off about 9:30pm.
July 5, 2007 --
The handlever pawl was not engaging and holding neutral... a typical Model T problem and an easy fix...a nut had vibrated off and allowed the pawl to drop away from the sector. It is too hot out in the sun to work today, about 100. I tightened the reverse band a half turn, replaced the floor boards and the floor mat, and came in to make this entry to the web. Later went to NAPA and bought a push-pull heater switch for the radiator fan when it arrives. Coming back five of my old motorcycle friends from Casper, Wyoming hailed me down. We spent the rest of the day jacking our jaws about old times.
July 6, 2007 --
Today not much was accomplished except for wiring the speedometer... Too hot to do much else. Went into Cd'A after dark and cool down for hot apple pie ala mode at Shari's. Speedometer magnetic pickup is not positioned right, so it is not registering.
July 7-8, 2007 --
Poop off days, went to car show Saturday a few blocks away. Elizabeth was the oldest car there and the only "Real" T. Some beautiful cars there though, especially a fully restored 1930 Packard rumble seat coupe. Started transfering unneeded gear to my trailer at the ranch for storage during this coming year. I have a lot of computer archiving work to do also.
July 9, 2007 --
This morning I sent an email to the local newspapers. Maybe it will stir a little interest. Maybe even a solicitation to be a "Roving Reporter" to earn a few bucks as additional income. I went into Idaho Panhandle Nat'l Forest office in Cd'A and got a Senior Pass to the National Parks and campgrounds. From there, as I was in town, I followed up on the email to the Cd'A Press, met with Mike Satren, the Outdoor editor, and had a nice interview. He was quite interested. After returning to Post Falls I worked at getting the seat to fit properly. Adding the extra 2" of foam caused it to not slide back enough and it hangs too far forward.
July 10, 2007 --
Went into Spokane early to get iimpressions made for a new set of choppers. Waited around town and with friends all day. Went to AAR and bought a head gasket, manifold gaskets and an ignition timer for spares just in case. New choppers were delivered, installed and fitted by 5:30. I drove back to Post Falls too late to take Mom to the Senior Dance. Went to sleep with teeth in to escape the uncomfortable newness as they settle in..
July 11, 2007 --
Mouth is a little tender this morning. I bought a new shaving kit, gathered new clothes and new shoes, and other necessities together, and got them stored in the footlockers in the back of the T. Heat became too oppressive, went up and layed in bed about 6pm to escape the heat. Will do any more work in the cool of the night.
July 12, 2007 --
Woke just after midnight. The night is cool. Tinkered with rearranging gear and computer work answering a few emails. Slept another couple of hours. After dawn relocated the pickup sensor for the bicycle speedometer to the rear radius rod and got it working. Loaded the computer, filled the radiator, added oil, then went to barn about 6:30, got camping gear loaded, and headed out for the Yaak River campout near Troy, Montana. Arrived at Yaak about 12noon, uneventful trip, T running good. Set up camp by 1pm and then went into town for lunch. Found that I am a week late for campout, had wrong dates sent me back in March. Located a meeting at 8 in Troy. Returned to camp about 10 and sacked out.
July 13, 2007 --
Woke at sunup, broke camp, decided to go to campout at Bumblebee on the north fork of the Coeur d'Alene River. Filled with gas at Troy, and went via Bull Lake road to Thompson Falls, then over Thompson Pass to C'da River. The T boiled three times on the grade in the heat of the day, but the road was next to the creek for ice cold water each time. The T definitely needs the electric fan installed. UPS will have delivered it by the time I get back to the shop. Stopped at Murray, Idaho, an old gold town, for a few minutes to get a can of pop, then went on down to the Cc'A river, turning up river for about 30 miles and 10 miles on dirt road before returning down river to Bumblebee campground. arriving about 2:30. I cooled it for a few minutes, then set camp and then went to Enaville for gas and a case of cold pop. Temperature is hovering over 100. We had an enjoyable evening after a breeze came up and the temperature dropped. The old man is worn out.
July 14, 2007 --
Woke at sunup, heated some water and took a sailor's bath, fresh clothes. waited until coffee was made, and then sat around jawing with folds until I went to town for breakfast. There were two long yearling moose calves playing in the river when I returned. From then until bed about 11 it was a "do nothing" day. The Potluck was great, everyone filled and food left over.
July 15, 2007 --
I broke camp early as I wanted to get most of my traveling done in the cool of the morning. A cow moose was in the river, and the camp dogs were all excited. She just ignored them. I traveled the old before the freeway back river road from Enaville to Rose Lake. About 10 miles past Rose Lake on the way to Harrison and Lake Coeur d'Alene, as I did not want to get on the freeway over 4th of July Pass, the rotor in the ignition timer broke. I spent an hour or so installing the spare that I had purchased just 5 days before. The long trip around the lake and all its bays was pleasant, although I developed an exhaust manifold leak pulling one of the longer grades, arriving in Coeur d'Alene at 2pm. Spent some time with friends, then went on to the shop in Post Falls. I unloaded all the gear as tomorrow I have to take the T to the upholstery shop to have side and back curtains made. All told, Elizabeth and I traveled about 500 miles over the weekend.
July 16, 2007 --
A scorcher today. Took the T to Dick's Upholstery in Hayden early to have Duane make and fit side curtains, then went into Antique Auto Ranch for more spare parts, 2 timer rotors, manifold gaskets and manifold rings. The rest of the day was spent with as little effort as possible.
July 17-20, 2007 --
Tinkered for the most part. Side curtains are finished and look fine. Installed new manifold gaskets and the 6 volt electric radiator fan. Stored some of my uneeded gear. All seems ready to go.
July 21-22, 2007 --
New manifold gaskets did not seat and blew out on one exhaust port. This calls for a radical re-design. Tony and I came up with a design for bronze manifold ring gaskets to permanently cure the leak problem, installed them the 22nd with great success. Located my Ruger 1022 to take with me, and took the 44 Marlin to Uncle Mike's for storage. Continued sorting and storing gear. Have put 20-50 miles on the T everyday this past week, shaking it out and finding new hings to do.
July 23, 2007 --
Went to Cd'A this am to get a "Durable Power of Attorney" to give Mike the authority to do what needs to be done to exercise the conditions of my "Last Will and Testament" in case anything should happen to this ol' Fart during the journey. The will text file is on this computer in Barefootsworld docs folder and on the web in the same location. I made arrangements with Tim and Jo for a food donation of 3 year old venison from the bottom of the freezer to take to the Powwow at Inchelium. Continued cleaning up the wreckage of my present, cleaning out the desk, trashing paper, etc. and eliminating the un-needed.
July 24, 2007 --
Went into Spokane to the T Club workshop and had the magneto repolarized. It had become weak. Got back to Post Falls about 10:30pm. Leave out tomorrow!!!
July 25, 2007 --
I said my goodbyes to all here, stopped by Tim and Jo's to get meat for powwow, and was on the road to Inchelium about 10am. I will be there until Aug 1, before heading out to the North Cascades NP and down the coast. I traveled through Spokane to the Nine Mile Falls road to the Spokane Reservation, through Welpinit to Hunter and the Columbia River Road to the Gifford ferry and to the Powwow encampment, arriving 2:30pm. I had to stop and tighten the lug nuts on the left rear wheel about a half mile before I got to the ferry. The day's run was pleasant, seeing some wild life, and not too hot. I averaged about 25 mpg and 35 mph. After getting the meat in the freezer and setting up camp the afternoon and evening was spent meeting with old friends from past powwows and encampments.
July 26-30, 2007 --
The usual powwow activities, for me mostly laying around talking with friends and taking it very easy. I washed and polished the T twice to get the dust off. I gave a few folks rides. Dale bought me a tank of gas and ice cream for taking he and his daughter Lindsay for a ride about 10 miles to Twin Lakes. John Haynes, a 95 year old "youngster" drove his 27 T Roadster down to the encampment several times. He is a delightful old gent, still active in a local reservation "Old Time Music" band, playing the "Gut Bucket," a washtub, stick and string instrument that produces a good sounding bass percussion sound. We sat each night for a couple hours swapping stories of our growing up and the things we had done through the years. I left encampment about 8am the 30th, across the reservation to Nespelem and Omak and on to the North Cascades National Park, making camp at Diablo Dam about 4pm. I set up a simple camp, and spent the evening talking with Mike and Sandra from Minneapolis across the way. Mike has a 1913 T Touring that has never been in the rain, garaged it's entire life. He is the 2nd owner, buying it about 1972. He was most interested in getting it overhauled so I steered him to Tom at Antique Auto Ranch.
July 31, 2007 --
I left Diablo early, about 6am, and ran down gorge and out into the sun of the open country along the Skagit River and into Anacortes. After meeting with friends until afternoon I ran the length of Whidbey Island to Oak Harbor, meeting with more friends until way late over hot apple pie ala mode, camping at the Oak Harbor city park. I just threw out the tarp and pad on the gras, laid the sleeping bag on top and crawled in. About 2am the sprinkler system came on. In a split second I was awake and dragging the sleeping gear out of reach of the sprinklers onto the gravel. After being disgusted with myself for not thinking about the sprinklers beforehand, I crawled back into the slightly damp bag and went back to sleep.
August 1, 2007 --
Waking shortly before daybreak about 5:45, I piled the gear back on the T and went to the Burger King close by for a cup of coffee, $.27. A group of men were there for their morning get-together and I joined in. One of them went to leave to go set his crab pots, and his truck starter fried, toast. I lent him tools to remove it, NAPA was just across the street and open by 7:00, and had one. Another 10 minutes and he was on his way. From there I made it down to Coupville and the Port Townsend ferry. A fellow aboard gave a Celtic Harp concert for the 30 minute crossing. I spent the remainder of the day being lost on Bainbridge Island having to backtrack several times before I found my way to Tacoma and the Alacoma club in Lakewood about 4pm. I met with a man from Rathdrum, Kevin Schrader, who used to run with my g'nephew Justin and Brad Bourba. I stayed the night with him.
August 2, 2007 --
Kevin and I went to Denny's for breakfast, then to Ft Lewis to see if I could get a pass to traverse the post from the Dupont entrance to the east entrance near Enumclaw and the Rainier Nat'l Park. They will issue it tomorrow morning. The rest of the day was spent loading Barefoot's World files on his computer, washing and drying clothes, lubeing and working on the T, rearranging and reloading gear. An easy quiet day.
August 3, 2007 --
We got everything loaded, Kevin headed for Rathdrum and his National Guard duties, and me headed for Rainier Park. I went to the visitor center at Fort Lewis and got a day pass to cross the post rather than getting on the f reewaay to Enumclaw and 410 into the park. The day was uneventful, driving up 410 to Chinook Pass. Hwy 123 was closed so I could not complete the loop through the park. Not having enough fuel to go east to Naches I turned back, camping on an old logging trail into the woods.
August 4, 2007 --
Nice morning, a little chill at 4000 ft elevation, part cloudy. I made fire, coffee and broke camp about 8am. I made it to the bottom and gas at Buckley with about a half gallon to spare. This is being written in Nisqually, where I found a coffee shop that had an open WiFi net connection. I proceeded from there to Hwy 101 and up to Port Angeles, arriving before dusk. Out the other side of town after eating at Taco Bell I set a cold camp behind a burnt out delapidated old motel.
August 5, 2007 --
Up at dawn, back a couple of miles to Port Angeles and coffee and warm for an hour then on to Forks where I stopped at the drag race for an hour, meeting with Hal and wife Aileen, then on to the Hoh Valley Rain Forest campground. Beautiful day, set up the tent, gathered squaw wood and had a nice fire and dinner of taco salad with the folks in the adjacent campsite.
August 6, 2007 --
Spent the day sitting in the sun, reading, hiking around a little, enjoying the sun and river flowing by. I expected rainy weather but it is gorgeous. Gathered more wood from empty sites. Did maintenance on Liz. Rear tires near bare so rotated tires and checked alignment. Quiet night as most campsites around me were empty.
August 7, 2007 --
Broke camp at 9am, paid $12 camp fee for the two nights, and rolled back down to 101. Just before I got to Hoquiam two T's on trailers rolled by me and stopped ahead, flagging me down. They were returning from touring Alaska, ferrying to Skagway, then touring up to Anchorage and Fairbanks, doing about 2000 miles of Alaskan roads. They are from the SoCal T club and La Mirada. I started checking for new tires at tire stores, no luck, making it on down to Aberdeen where I had Les Schwab mount the new spares on the rear, keeping one of the bare tires as a spare. I still need two new tires for the front. Crossed into Astoria, where I met with friends until after dark. As it had started to drizzle, I snapped in and buttoned up the side curtains. I took 101 out of town, and in the middle of the bridge to Warrentown the lights blew a fuse in the rain. I was able to get to a Walgren's parking lot, where I sacked out sitting in the cab of the T, squeezed in and cramped up.
August 8, 2007 --
Woke early in the mist and drizzle, my 74th birthday, found a coffee shop and waited for the sun until about 8am, then proceeded down 101 enjoying the vistas of beautiful Oregon mountains and beaches. I made a long day into the Methow valley, finally camping in the top of a cemetery off the road a couple of hundred yards. Folks there rather quiet, but I don't plan on taking up permanent residence any time soon.
August 9, 2007 --
It was a little foggy when I woke, made coffee, broke camp, and made it down the steep 20% grade in Ruckstel low and full brakes. Stopped at the local coffee shop a half mile down the road and enjoyed the local company until the sun warmed the day. Rolled on down the coast to Coos Bay and inland across to Roseburg, where I met with friends and stayed with them a the Oxford House. Nice bunch of men, Rick and Merle especially. Had them all sign my book.
August 10, 2007 --
Rick fixed a great breakfast, eggs, bacon and great fried spuds. I updated this log while he was cooking, and posted an update on the web on an open local WiFi net before I left town. I then proceeded out of town on Hwy 138 toward Crater Lake. The drive up the Umpqua was spectacular, a beautful steelhead spawning river. Arriving at Crater Lake I made the loop around the crater, and as the tourists had it jammed up, headed out to Grants Pass on the Rogue River road through cathedral like timber country. I met with friends until way late in Grants, then headed south on 199 for about 10 miles before making camp off the highway a few hundred yards.
August 11, 2007 --
I slept very well, breaking camp at sun up, driving on to Selma and a wonderful family run Country Folks Restaurant for a cuppa and a light breakfast at 7am. If you are passing through, be sure to stop for a great meal. The owner Stan called the local paper and I waited for about 3 hours for the stringer to arrive. After the interview and photos, I left out for O'Brien and the Original Redwoods wagon road built between the 1870s and 1887 between Crescent City abd Grants Pass. I continued south until just before dusk, making camp along the road inland towards Redding on the way to Lassen Park.
August 12, 2007 --
Made Redding, meeting with friends there, and camping out on BLM land south and west of town. After making camp and sacking out, two fellows in a pickup pulled into the area and woke me. They were there to view the meteor showers that night. I talked with them an hour, seeing some real blazers, the sacked out again after they left.
August 13, 2007 --
I met with my friends again before leaving Redding, traveling up to and over Lassen Park. I parked at the summit and a scad of tourists took photos. While there I let a fellow photograph his two beautiful daughters sitting in the T. His wife was still holding my map book and my BigBook with all the signatures of people I have met along the way asI drove off, I immediately turned around and was back in 5 minutes, but they had driven off. I chased back down the mountain to the north gate, but they hadn't left it there. They have my email and web URL so hopefully they will send it to me. I can't remember all the names so am not able to make note of the folks. I went on down off the mountain on a real killer winding road to the south gate and on into Quincy, making contact with Sara V.P, met with other friends before making camp on a side road back north of town after dark. There a family from Israel, here on a month tour, Leo and Sharon shared their meal with me, and was very much appreciated.
August 14, 2007 --
Waking at 7am with a stiff neck, I broke camp and returned to Quincy, meeting with Sara at her office for a few minutes and again about 2. She and Grant are going to Frisco tomorrow so we wont be able to spend more time together. I camped about 6:30 about 15 miles before Truckee in a no fee campground. Met some great folks there. Set up a full camp to stay an extra day and do maintenance on the pan to stop the oil leaks.
August 15, 2007 --
Unloaded the T after sunup, then noticed the left rear tire flat. Damn. Tried to dismount tire, but don't have enough strength. Mounted the spare, after using next door camper's cigarette lighter socket to power my 12v compressor. Reloaded and rolled out to Truckee, where Bob Stone of Stone Tire and his man Jose did a yeoman service repairing the pinched tube and remounting the tire. Rolled on from there Lake Tahoe around the west side and down 88 over Kit Carson pass, magnificent vistas, and down 49 to a few miles before Jamestown and made camp at about 7000 feet meeting Mac McCoy, camp host, who let me in free.
August 16 2007 --
Broke camp in a cold morning after saying goodbye to Mac McCoy about 8am. Met Charlene Castro, at a stop at the top of a grade back before Yosemite, who knows Earl and Gaynor McKee, my cousins in Three Rivers. Her father plays in the High Sierra Jazz Band with Earl. They played at her wedding years ago. Did the loop at Yosemite and out the other side traveling south on 41 to Fresno, not even slowing down except to buy another case of oil for Liz, taking CA 180 east to Kings Canyon and Sequoia Parks. Took the hood off to help cooling coming up out of the valley, helped a lot, but still needed to stop twice to refill and cool the engine.
August 17, 2007 --
Toured Grants Tree and down to Hume Lake and Kings Canyon, and returned to Princess Campground for water and a campsite. Spit bathed and fresh clothes, I was a tad funkie. Had a nice talk with the camp host and with Joe and Marjorie camped next to me. . Made a simple camp and meal and sacked out about 8:30.
August 18, 2007 --
Woke at daybreak, loaded up and out of camp by 7am taking advantage of the cool morning to pull the grades without boiling. Had road to myself until Stony Creek Resort in Sequoia where they had WiFi net to get on the web.. I checked email and saved some pictures of the T folks have sent me. Mike at AAR sent email, they can ship new tires. Ordered 2 to be sent to Orange-Olive Friendship Club. I rolled out of the parks to Three Rivers., near wearing myself out down the extremely winding mountain road. They are repairing about a 3 mile stretch of it, one lane traffic and long delays. Motorcycles going through were slower than the T, treacherous mud, sand and gravel. Near out of gas, filled at first station in Three Rivers, and was told how to find my cousins Earl and Gaynor McKee. Earl was home and made me welcome. His ranch hand Stumpy and I went and looked at a sick horse in the paddocks. Has a belly ache. Earl had to leave for a grand-daughter's bride's shower in Visalia, where Gaynor is helping them do the "women thing." Earl left about 3:45 and I took a much needed shower and shave, and washed dirty clothes. Earl and Gaynor will be back late. I went back into town and had a chicken salad dinner at Serrano's Mexican restaurant while my clothes dried. Betsy and Ron came and talked for a bit and admired the T. Betsy is compiling and researching Aunt Norma's memoirs. I gave her my web page URLs. I got my back relaxed and some shuteye on the couch until Gaynor and Earl returned, after which we talked for an hour, before sacking out about midnight. My body almost didn't know what to do with a bed.
August 19, 2007 --
Woke about 7am, all quiet here. My body is off to a slow start this morning, even after a couple of cups of coffee. Went out and walked around in the morning sun, moving a little easier. Earl and I rode around the property, checking stock. Horse is OK. Earl was born in the house in 1931. We then took the T into town for a joy ride. Norma and I took it up into the cemetary and back, then rode in her car up to her grandparent's old Lovering place that grandfather Bronco established at the turn of the 19th century on the south fork of the Kaweah River where she grew up. We had dinner at the Gateway Restaurant above town at the bottom of Sequoia, each a half rack of pork ribs and fixings. They are real proud of their food...3 meals...$115..damn!!!
August 20, 2007 --
Had breakfast, and started a little slow. Stumpy came by to say goodbye, and I pulled out about 8:30 down hill to Visalia and Hanford. Made Hanford, where Mom was born 94 years ago. Tried to make contact with Chief, but got no answer. Decided to move on after an hour and a half. Had another flat at the intersection of 33 and 46, mounted spare and continued to Maricopa. Cooling off with a Mountain Dew, I chatted with a Susan Polin, who gave me a book called Fossilized Customs to take along. A fellow there told me how to get a back road to Frazier Park up Klipstein Canyon and Serra Norte roads. At the top of Klipstein adding water and cooling the T after a long grade, Kris Staidle stopped and offered help, none needed. But.... ten or so miles later on the Serra Norte road, he returned with his wife Lana to see how I was making it. I followed them back to their house and stayed the night with them. He does forest service contracting near Quincy and knows the people in the Natl FS office there including Sara VP. He runs a heavy construction company, High Country Engineering out of Pine Valley.
August 21, 2007 --
Woke at daybreak, and spent the morning and part of the early afternoon debugging Kris' computer, found a virus. Adjusted the transmission bands in the T. The trip down out of Sequoia had worn the bands some on the long down grades and tight switchbacks. Rolled out to Frazier Park about 2pm, down the long grades and up, arriving about 3pm. Located Greg K. and he made contact with Sam Johnson of Complete Automotive to repair the flat tire. Sam and Bill spent an hour and the first tube installed leaked so I went around to the other side of the block to a cycle shop and bought a 3.00 x 23 motorcycle tube and we were successful using that. Bill had noticed the right rear wheel wobbling. The spokes were loose, so Sam and I demounted the wheel and tightened them. At 6pm we all went to a potluck meeting a few blocks away, great BBQ'd hamburgers and great people. Followed Greg home and sacked out about 9:30. If you ever need automotive help on the Grapevine-Tejon Pass see Sam.
August 22, 2007 --
Woke at 6, had coffee and Greg and I went to a morning group. I rolled out of Frazier about 8:30 onto I-5 South and down the mountain to CA 126 to Santa Paula. I visited the Oil Museum once again, meeting the folks there and Jeanne Orcutt, the curator. She and I are undoubtably related a few generations back, at the beginnings of Hardison and Stewart Oil Co. and of Union Oil. From there I visited with Bob and Ruth McCarty in Somis for an hour. Bob was my boss at Raytheon Oxnard back in the early 60's. On to Thousand Oaks and to my son and daughter-in-law's home. I enjoyed their company and watching my grand-daughters play until dark. They were a bit shy, not knowing what to make of this crusty old man and his strange old vehicle. I slept in Brett and Christine's motorhome.
August 23, 2007 --
Woke at 6 as usual, sat and meditated for an hour until the family woke at 7, had coffee, then took the grand-daughters Hayley and Hannah to "camp", a hiking-doing summer program, in the T. Returned and had toast and jam with Christine. Brett bicycled to work, returning about 1pm. I then said my goodbyes and rolled out toward Orange via 23 into Moorpark, 118 to the valley and the 210 and 57. I had another flat about Arcadia, mounted the spare again and rolled on in stop and go traffic, arriving in Orange at the club in time for the Thursday meeting. A number of old friends were there.The 2 new tires from AAR and Tom and Mike had arrived. I went outside from the meeting, and the T had another flat, from a sheet rock screw in the right rear. That was as far as it was going until morning, so I just flopped my bed roll out alongside the car and sacked out.
August 24, 2007 --
Busy day, a friend providing transportation to get 3 new tubes and 2 new liners from Lucas Tire in Long Beach. A motorcycle wheel and tire shop, Wheel Works in Garden Grove mounting the new tires and tubes, putting the T on all new footing. I returned to the club, and was put up for the night aking with Mark by Brian in an empty house he iw renovating.
August 25, 2007 --
Made contact with Susan and her husband Bryan and had breakfast with them in Santa Ana. They are doing well. Left them about 11:30 and rolled back to the club. Said goodbye there about 1:30 and rolled out 91 in stop and go trafict to Highland and Tinka and Sam's, arriving about 5pm. Hot and tired. SoCal traffic is a pure son-of-a-bitch and I was pooped. We had dinner about 8. I was in bed by 9.
August 26, 2007 --
Woke early, body complaining. I sat around waiting for the Advil to take hold and the back pain to subside. It didn't, got worse, aches and pains caved me in all day. Must have a virus flu of some sort. I laid in the recliner all day, unable to do much of anything except complain. Bed early.
August 27, 2007 --
Woke at 6, feeling better, I may live after all. After breakfast, I started work on the T, tightening all the pan bolts and all others I could lay a wrench on. Drained the oil and refilled, greased the chassis, filled the rear end. Oogahh horn bracket fractured and broke loose so it is removed. Will try to get it welded locally. Ready to roll out anytime, just need to re-arrange and reload gear. I have been unable to get on the web to check email or to upload the log. Finances are stretched to the limit as a result of getting new rubber on the ground. I may have to sit out the rest of the pay period next week until the middle of September.
August 28, 2007 --
Another lay day, taking advantage of Tinka and Sam's hospitality. Went with Sam around Highland searching for a sprinkler valve. Checked out a few "hot spot" WiFi locations, all membership type, nothing free to the public. Talked with Imbris, my server in Coeur d'Alene, about conserving domain space and dollars there, good possibility there of $25-$50 savings. A few donations would help too. Gave the oogah horn bracket to Ed, Sam's next door neighbor to braze back together, maybe it will get done today.
August 29, 2007 --
Woke with a stiff neck, worked it out by the time Sam and I went to breakfast at Denny's. It is going to be a scorcher today, 105 hot. I lazed through the day getting clothes and gear re-packed and loaded. I hope to get back on the road and out of the heat of the lowland and up to altitude and cooler tomorrow. While writing this update, I found some of Mom's notes that Tinka has that Mom wrote as a diary of happenings with me at about ages 1 to 2.... I have no doubt I was much loved and cared for...
August 30, 2007 --
Extreme heat today, 110+, laying low. No point in moving out, maybe tomorrow early. We went to Fox Coffee and donut in Redlands and finally got up on the web to upload. Will leave Highland for Kingman AZ tomorrow.
August 31, 2007 --
Left out in the cool of the morning, Sam leading me through the back roads to Yucaipa and Calimesa and I-10. Rolling east on I-10 was no problem, traffic fairly light all the way to the 33 turnoff to Joshua Tree and 29 Palms. It was beginning to warm up bu the time I got to 29 Palms and the run across the dry lakes to Amboy. Made a water stop there, 112 in the shade. On into Needles with the temperature climbing to 120. I took the back road south to I-40 on the Arizona side. I headed east on 40 until my hands started cramping fighting the crosswinds, about 15 miles into Arizona. I found a side road, a shade spot of a cliff and a Palo Verde tree with mulga grass making a nice camp spot, out of the wind. Dry lightning to the south east made a display all night long, with no rain. Wind died about 9pm. A family of dove hunters stopped and we had a long talk, and some ice cold water which was more than welcome. I finally sacked out about 10pm and slept well.
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Barefoot's World
On the Web April 2007 in the Spirit of Adventure
Three mighty important things, Pardn'r, LOVE And PEACE and ADVENTURE in LIFE
