A BIT OF A HIKE TO GET A FEW GODERICH TORNADO DAMAGE PHOTOS OF THE SIFTO SALT MINE COMPLEX

THE SIFTO SALT COMPLEX AT THE MOUTH OF THE MAITLAND RIVER EMPTYING INTO LAKE HURON
  
THAT LARGE LAKE FREIGHTER BESIDE THE SALT MINE COMPLEX APPEARS TO HAVE WEATHERED THE TORNADO OK….GRAIN ELEVATORS IN RIGHT PHOTO SUSTAINED SOME DAMAGE BUT LUCKILY THE RV/BOAT COMMUNITY ESCAPED UNSCATHED
Following Sunday's terrible weather in the area, Monday turned out to be perfectly gorgeous day with no humidity, big white puffy clouds, a cooling breeze and a warming sun.  Motor and I stayed in the living room with the Pheebs for the night and all was quiet.

JUST ONE OF THOSE PICTURE PERFECT BEAUTIFUL EARLY AUTUMN FEELING MORNINGS
More reports coming in this morning about the Goderich Tornado suggested it had moved inland for maybe 10 miles before dissipating.  One person has died and 30 some people have been injured.  Goderich was sealed off but I knew if I criss crossed some country roads east of town I might come across some Tornado damage in the countryside.  Threw the cameras in the Jeep and headed off in a north easterly direction.  Kelly had the day off so was able to stay home with Motor and the Pheebs.

First signs of damage I saw were bits of insulation alongside the road and right after that I could see where the Tornado had traveled across the landscape.  Broken trees beside the road and a large flattened area of cornfield.  Looking across the fields in the direction of Goderich I could see where the Tornado had cut a path as it headed East and North.  Broken trees were also visible along a bush line with bits of metal and wood debris scattered along a path across the fields. 

  
BOTTOM RIGHT PHOTO SHOWS WHERE THE TORNADO SNAPPED OFF TREES BACK ALONG THE BUSH LINE
The small hamlet of Ben Miller was not accessible and the highways leading in were blocked with barricades and a solitary police car and officer directing people around the long Ben Miller and Goderich detours.  I had an amusing and very brief encounter with a lady Police Officer at one of the checkpoints north of Goderich on highway 21.  I cracked off a couple shots of her talking to the car ahead of me on the highway.  As I took the second shot she was already walking towards me.  I set the camera on the seat as she walked up to my window, put her hand on my shoulder and said these words, "can I smash that camera now that you have taken a picture of me!!"  For a split second I thought trouble had just knocked on my door but she was laughing and quickly added, "just kidding, where are you headed?"  I assured her I was not trying to get into Goderich and she said, "good thing" as she directed me to turn left through the little community of  Saltford.

IT WAS THE LADY OFFICER IN THE GREEN VEST WHO JOKINGLY SUGGESTED SHE ‘SMASH’ MY CAMERA
 
BOTH OF THE ABOVE HIGHWAYS LEADING TO BEN MILLER WERE CLOSED
I knew there was a popular hiking trail near the Goderich Airport that led to the Goderich Harbour where I figured I might be able to get a few telephoto pics from the high level of a former railway bridge.  THE MAITLAND TRAIL follows an old railroad line leading to the Goderich Harbour.  What an absolutely beautiful morning this was for a scenic walk to the MENESETUNG BRIDGE and I couldn't help but think, this is something I should have been doing all summer.  Instead of sitting in my recliner with a computer on my lap every morning it would be far healthier for me to be out and about on a hiking trail somewhere getting some much needed exercise.  Took me about 20 minutes to reach the bridge.

LUCKILY THE TORNADO DIDN’T TAKE DOWN THESE TWO CHURCH SPIRES ON THE GODERICH SKYLINE

MY DESTINATION……THE MENESETUNG BRIDGE…TOWN OF GODERICH IS TO THE LEFT
 
MAITLAND TRAIL LEADING TO THE MENESETUNG BRIDGE…AN OLD RAIL BED
 
THIS BRIDGE WAS ONCE A RAILWAY TRESTLE…TOWN OF GODERICH STRAIGHT AHEAD IN THAT TREE LINE
From the Menesetung Bridge high over the Maitland River I was able to look west and see the large Sifto Salt complex at the mouth of the river on the shores of Lake Huron.  This is where the one fatality occurred Sunday but from my vantage point nearly three quarters of a mile away the complex looked intact.  Another fellow on the bridge said the damage was on the lake side of the plant and was visible from north of the complex along the lakeshore.  So, off I headed on a secondary trail through a dense hardwood forest making my way to the lake about 20 minutes later.  Skirted around a small inner harbour of small pleasure boats and made my way towards the Sifto Salt complex.  The damage was evident as a I photographed parts of the buildings where the winds had ripped off roof and wall panels.  I saw a tugboat and what appeared to be a barge.  The barge was at an odd angle and I wondered if it had been driven ashore by the Tornado.

 
THOSE WHITE MOUNDS ARE SALT FROM THE UNDERGROUND MINE BELOW
 
THE BARGE APPEARS TO BE GROUNDED, THE TUG APPEARS TO BE WEDGED AND WHATEVER BUILDING WAS IN THE BACKGROUND APPEARS TO HAVE COLLAPSED…..IT WAS SOMEWHERE HERE WHERE THE LONE FATALITY OCCURRED


Hearing the waves crashing ashore to my right I was once again reminded of what an absolutely beautiful morning it was and less than 24 hours before this whole area was in the darkened throes of a devastating Tornado.
 
With a brisk walk I was back to the Jeep in about half an hour.  I was just up the road from the historical Goderich Airport so swung around there taking some photos of airplanes.  I have always had a fascination with aircraft.  An hour later, after a long detour around the sealed off town of Goderich I was back home with 146 pictures in my cameras.  Last week I had mentioned about it being about time to dust of my Nikons and this morning the dust came off them alright:))

We loaded up little Miss Cone Head and headed for the Vets around 3.  They wanted to check out her incisions and stitches.  All was well and the Vet removed her little pink bandage socks.  She still has to wear the cone until the stitches come out on August 31rst but we have been taking the cone off and keeping a very close watch on her so she doesn't pull out her stitches.  No easy feat keeping a close eye on a constantly energized furry little whirlwind.  


THE LAST PARAGRAPH:  It was just sooooooo nice to be out doing something different this morning.  Briskly walking along in that early morning air on the Maitland trail north of Goderich just reminded me of the rut I have let myself slip into over the summer.  My morning routine has been to sit in my comfy recliner for hours on end reading blogs.  Some folks read morning newspapers and I read blogs or start writing my daily post.  Whatever it is I do from about 5 a.m. to 8 a.m. seems to be computer related, and I definitely feel I am well overdo for some kind of change.

GROANER’S CORNER:  It seems that Mary Poppins has moved to California. She has started a business telling people's fortunes. But, she doesn't read palms or tea leaves, she smells people's breath. That’s, right, the sign outside reads: Super California Mystic Expert Halitosis.
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Tourists see the world, travelers experience it.

Until one has loved an Animal, their soul remains un-awakened.

OUR BLOGGER WEBSITE http://thebayfieldbunch.com/
OUR PICASA PHOTO ALBUMS http://picasaweb.google.com/stargeezerguy

The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right now...AL.

WE WERE NARROWLY MISSED BY A TORNADO A FEW HOURS AGO BUT THE TOWN OF GODERICH 12 MILES NORTH OF US HAS BEEN DEVASTATED & DECLARED A STATE OF EMERGENCY!!!!

ALL OF TONIGHT’S PHOTOS WERE TAKEN LATE THIS AFTERNOON…AT THIS POINT I HAD NO IDEA WHAT HAD JUST HAPPENED IN GODERICH

Unbeknownst to us we were just missed by a devastating Tornado late this afternoon.  According to the 6 o'clock news tonight a Tornado hit the town of Goderich about 4 o'clock this afternoon.   Early reports are of massive damage and injuries.  Mayor of Goderich has declared the town a state of emergency.   Extensive damage is widespread.  All roads leading to Goderich are closed & the entire town is without power. That is all we know right now.  Goderich is 20 minutes & 12 miles north of us.  Also heard the Ben Miller Inn has been destroyed in Ben Miller east of Goderich.  You Tube videos & still photos are already on-line of the damage.  YOU TUBE GODERICH TORNADO DAMAGE -- NEWSPAPER REPORT -- STILL PHOTOS OF DOWNTOWN GODERICH -- YOU TUBE...MORE DAMAGE -- MORE PHOTOS OF DAMAGE.

Here at home in Bayfield I was aware of the sky getting very dark around 4 and noticed we had some heavy wind gusts.  The temperature dropped quickly but at no time did the thought of a Tornado enter my mind.  Little did I know what was going on just a dozen miles north of us.  Kelly was at work over at Deer Park Lodge & knew something was up when she saw ambulances, police cars & emergency vehicles heading by on the highway in the direction of Goderich. 

 

SEE THAT CRUSHED LITTLE BUILDING BOTTOM RIGHT….WELL, REMEMBER ME BLOGGING ABOUT THE BURGER BAR A WEEK OR TWO AGO WHERE I COULD GET BREAKFAST FOR UNDER $5 INCLUDING COFFEE….YEP, THAT WAS IT AND THE PHOTO AT RIGHT WAS TAKEN FROM INSIDE LAST WEEK WHILE I KEPT AN EYE ON PHEEBE IN THE JEEP THAT MORNING…THE SIDEWALK PLANTER IS VISIBLE IN BOTH PHOTOS

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Another good night with our little Miss Conehead Girl.  We both slept problem free side by each in our recliners again for the night.  Her one pink sock bandage did come off this morning but we were able to secure it in place with masking tape again.  Took her cone off a couple times today for awhile just to give her a welcome break.  Monday afternoon we return with 'Conehead The Barbarian' to the Vet clinic where they will change her leg bandages and check to see how her spaying incision is coming along.  Everything is looking good so far.

When I bought my Nikon D90 this past winter, it came enclosed with a few other options.  One of those options was a something called,  SHUTTERFLY .   It came with a free offer for us to choose 40 or so of our favourite digital photos with captions & have Shutterfly put them into a small hardcover photo album free of charge.  We did that & our album arrived a few days ago.  Very nice keepsake for us and I think it's the first time I have seen any of my photos in print for many years.

   

   

ELLIE GREAT joins us today as our latest Blog Follower.  Welcome aboard Ellie and hope you will find something of interest here from time to time.  I do try to mix things up from day to day:))

It has been nearly 4 years since I was able to figure out the Blogger format and wrote my first post.  I had been posting on Microsoft's 'My Space' before that and my posts there laid the groundwork for my days here at Blogger.  It was My Space that got me started when I began blogging there about our first trip in our truck and fifth wheel back in the winter of 06/07.

When I first moved to Blogger I started my posts with some stories and recollections I had written years earlier.  Those early posts really didn't have anything to do with RVing but it was the only material I had.  Needless to say, it was a very slow start for a very long time.  I didn't blog every day and only had a few articles maybe once a month.  I remember sending out emails to friends & family letting them know I had written something that obviously I had thought was interesting.  That is when I learned friends and family obviously didn't share my thoughts.  My 'comments' section and Sitemeter stats counter remained empty for the most part with a distant cousin writing one time saying, "here is your required comment" and that was all he wrote.  But, I didn't let myself get discouraged & kept plugging away.  Had I not enjoyed my revived my writing interests so much I'm sure I would have thrown in the towel back in those early days and moved on to something else.  Those early day feelings have always remained with me. 

I don't recall a network of blogs like there is today although they were probably there and I just wasn't in the loop.  Comments were few, if any, and far between.  I read lots of other blogs trying to get a handle on things.  I followed Tioga George for a short while in those days.  The numbers of readers showing any interest in my blog were anywhere from zero to zero for weeks at a time.  Not sure when it was that the Blog began to pick up a little attention but I think it was the winter of 07/08.  I blogged daily while on our trip that year but when we returned home for the summer in March of 08 I blogged very little and only put out about 50 posts in the next 7 months.  Noticed I had lost most of my readership over the summer months too and by the time we headed out again in 09 I was almost starting from scratch again with maybe 30 readers a day, if that.  Luckily, once on the road again some of the RV folks remembered the Bayfield Bunch and began mentioning us in their blogs.  I can't exactly remember who some of those old seasoned RV Bloggers were at that time but I think it was folks like LAURIE & ODEL along with DOUG & JOANN who gave us a big welcomed boost in their blogs. 


That winter trip of 07/08 in the Southwest saw me blogging every day again but upon returning home in the Spring I felt I didn't have anything interesting enough to write about so once again figured I would give it up for the Summer and only wrote 22 blogs for the month of April.  Surprisingly, I was right away encouraged by fellow RV'ers through comments and emails to keep the blog going.   So, with a bit of hesitation & surprise, my daily blogging routine basically began in earnest back in May of 2009.   With a handful of missed days here and there I have so far written 1,262 posts and I must honestly say it kind of gives me the Willys when I occasionally look back on some of the topics and things I have written about.  But, that's what blogging is all about and I'm glad somebody came up with the blogging concept years ago because it has made for a lot of pleasant blogging hours for many folks including myself. 

THE LAST PARAGRAPH:  It’s a little unnerving to think what would have happened here this afternoon had the Goderich Tornado been just 12 miles south of where it was.  I certainly would not be sitting here in the quiet comfort of our lovely sunroom typing this tonight that’s for sure!!

GROANER'S CORNER:((  And, just in case you are having a slow day, here are a few Lexiphiles to confuse you even further.......... 

To write with a broken pencil is pointless.
When fish are in schools they sometimes take debate.
A thief who stole a calendar got twelve months.
When the smog lifts in Los Angeles , U.C.L.A.
The professor discovered that her theory of earthquakes was on shaky ground.
The batteries were given out free of charge.
A dentist and a manicurist married. They fought tooth and nail.
A will is a dead giveaway.
If you don't pay your exorcist you can get repossessed.
With her marriage, she got a new name and a dress.
Show me a piano falling down a mineshaft and I'll show you A-flat miner.
You are stuck with your debt if you can't budge it.
Local Area Network in Australia : The LAN down under.
A boiled egg is hard to beat.
When you've seen one shopping center you've seen a mall.
Police were called to a day care where a three-year-old was resisting a rest.
Did you hear about the fellow whose whole left side was cut off? He's all right now.
If you take a laptop computer for a run you could jog your memory.
A bicycle can't stand alone; it is two tired.
In a democracy it's your vote that counts; in feudalism, it's your Count that votes.
When a clock is hungry it goes back four seconds
The guy who fell onto an upholstery machine was fully recovered.
He had a photographic memory which was never developed.
Those who get too big for their britches will be exposed in the end.
When she saw her first strands of gray hair, she thought she'd dye.
Acupuncture: a jab well done.

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Tourists see the world, travelers experience it.

Until one has loved an Animal, their soul remains un-awakened.

OUR BLOGGER WEBSITE http://thebayfieldbunch.com/

OUR PICASA PHOTO ALBUMS http://picasaweb.google.com/stargeezerguy

The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right now...AL.

OUR LITTLE DOGGY IS BACK TO HER HAPPY SELF TODAY:))

A RATHER SUBDUED MORNING WALK COMPARED TO A COUPLE DAYS AGO
So nice to have our happy little doggy girl back this morning.  We had a better night than I anticipated.  Spent the whole night in my recliner with our little cone head sleeping in Kelly's chair beside me.  No signs of any pain or sickness and this morning she was dusting off all the furniture with her tail again.  Tummy incision looked good as did the bandages on her legs.  We started the anti-biotic pills and injected some medication into her left ear for the infection.  She had a huge appetite and navigated the back deck steps with no problem.  With the exception of crashing into most everything with that cumbersome cone on her head, Pheebe was back to her happy little self again.

  
WELCOMING KELLY HOME WITH A WAVE BEFORE THE PROCEDURE                          CONED!!
Saturdays are always busy days at Deer Park Lodge for Kelly.  Been a long time since I had myself any busy days so once again I was able to spend the entire day at home with the furry Kids and make sure the Pheebs didn't get herself into any trouble pulling the cone off and picking at her stitches and bandages.
 
NOTICE THE CONCERNED LITTLE MOTORMOUSE BEHIND KELLY  & A FEW WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT

I'm not one much for watching movies on TV what with all the commercial breaks and everything but I did come across a movie this afternoon that I did enjoy enough to sit and watch the whole thing.  Woody Allen's 'RADIO DAYS' not only had an an excellent sound track but the movies sets and designs from the late 30's to mid 40's brought back many warm memories of family life as I remembered it in the late 40's and very early 50's.  It was 'The Golden Age Of Radio' before television.  The story is told through the eyes of a small Jewish boy growing up in New York city.  I was a small boy growing up in the small village of Tavistock Ontario, but it was the same music on our radio, the same period of time in our neighbourhood and the same everyday life we all shared as a people.  Just a nice lite easy going movie with lots of pleasant old enjoyable memories.

RICK joins the Bayfield Bunch as our 321rst Blog Follower today.  Welcome aboard Rick.  Always lots of room for interested Blog Followers:))

It's been on my mind recently to mention the importance of clouds in photographs and when I clicked on JB'S POST Friday morning I was reminded of that.  Below is John’s photo of not only an interesting patterned hayfield but an interestingly patterned cloud cover as well.

Whether John knew it or not, he had three options with this photo.  Option 1:  Include more sky than foreground.  Option 2:  Include more foreground than sky.  In this case either option would have worked.  Fortunately he didn't choose option 3 which would have included equal parts of foreground and sky by putting his horizon line dead center.
 
Had it been a clear blue sky I would have concentrated on the foreground by putting just a small blue swatch of skyline across the top.  Had there been big white puffy clouds in a deep blue sky I might have concentrated my center of attention on the sky putting a smaller swatch of hayfield foreground across the bottom.   Because John had both an interesting landscape and an interesting cloud cover he included both giving the landscape a slight preference.  Notice the great patterns in the clouds as well as the great patterns of hay rows in the foreground.  Also notice how a few well placed trees have broken up the horizon line.   

You will also notice in John's photo, there are no harsh contrasting shadows and that is because the light is slightly diffused by cloud cover giving his overall photo more of a pastel look than harsh extremes.  And, there is just enough soft shadowing in the hay rows not to give the photo a totally flat looking appearance.  You can make out reasonable detail all the way from the foreground to the horizon line.  Ya did good Pardner….. 

Many of the photos I take are done in the worst possible lighting conditions which is roughly between mid morning and mid afternoon so I always look for some kind of clouds to diffuse the harsh bright overhead Sun.  If I am faced with a big blue sky I generally eliminate two thirds of that big blue nothing right off the bat when composing a picture.  Often, I will crop out a lot of sky later when I get the photo into my Picasa Photo Editing program.  I see a lot of people’s good photos that could be made so much better if they would just take a minute to ‘re-photograph’ their shot using a photo editing program.

A reader asked awhile ago how many shots I take of a subject.  My answer to that is mainly just one but sometimes I might take 3 or 4.  It’s an old habit from my 35mm days when every shot was swallowed up by developing and printing costs.  Nowadays you can blast away at something with as many shots as you like because those cost factors are gone now.  If I was a paid professional I would approach photography differently than I do now and cover my bases with numerous shots of a subject using different angles, techniques, lenses, lighting, camera settings etc.  But, that’s not where I am at so if a photo opportunity presents itself along the way I shoot it once maybe twice and keep on moving.  I see no logical reason to take a couple dozen shots of something just to put a picture in my blog.  I do not possess that ‘perfection factor’ that is necessary to make it as a Pro.  Once again, all these opinions are mine alone and in no way suggest I know the first thing about what I am talking about:))

THE LAST PARAGRAPH:  We sometimes hear about people receiving and not being able to take criticism whether it be the creative kind or other.  Often as not we hear very little about the people and their motives for dishing out criticism.  There is criticism, if asked for and done in a mature sensitive way, can be a welcome help to anyone.  But, there is the other form of criticism which is intended to purposely hurt and demean someone.  I have always felt the more serious psychological problem lies with the giver of intended hurtful criticism rather than the feelings of the person receiving the malicious criticism.  And yes, I have been on both ends of these two types of criticism………………..

GROANERS CORNER:   A guy goes to a psychiatrist. "Doc, I keep having these alternating recurring dreams. First I'm a teepee; then I'm a wigwam; then I'm a teepee; then I'm a wigwam. It's driving me crazy. What's wrong with me?" The doctor replies: "It's very simple. You're two tents."
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Tourists see the world, travelers experience it.

Until one has loved an Animal, their soul remains un-awakened.

OUR BLOGGER WEBSITE  http://thebayfieldbunch.com/
OUR PICASA PHOTO ALBUMS http://picasaweb.google.com/stargeezerguy

The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right now...AL.

WE HAVE A PRETTY TIRED & SORE LITTLE GIRL AT HOME TONIGHT

OUR LITTLE SUPER PHEEBS ISN’T FEELING SO SWELL TONIGHT………………….

I had the most pleasant experience this morning of waking up to a little Pheebe face on my pillow right next to me.  She is so considerate not to disturb me while I'm sleeping but as soon as I wake up & talk to her I am immediately pinned to the bed & smothered in big slurpy doggy smooches.  With her wildly wagging tail it is all I can do to keep from being knocked right out of my own bed.  Pheeber Fever indeed:)) 

 

MORNING PLAYTIME BEFORE PHEEBE HEADS OFF TO SEE THE VET 

No breakfast for the Pheebs this morning because of her spaying procedure.  We loaded our happy little dog into the Jeep about about 8:15 & headed for the Vet's in Zurich, Ontario.  While Kelly signed some papers Pheebe checked out all the bags of dog food in the office & then it was time for her to be led into the operating room with the Vet.  Her wagging tail was all a blur as she disappeared around the corner & that was it.  Kelly & I headed home.

 

MOTOR IS ALREADY MISSING HER NEWEST BEST PAL……………….

We had a few errands to run this morning so Kelly & I loaded up the Motormouse & Jeeped ourselves on up to Goderich.  A few items at the Canadian Tire Store, some groceries at the Supermarket & then it was off to downtown Goderich to pick up a couple more Dawgs.  Kelly had brought home a couple Dawgs Thursday & figured I should have my own Dawgs as well.  She didn't want me to get the wrong one’s so her sole purpose for coming along to Goderich was to make sure I didn't forget to pick up my Dawgs at the Shoe Barn.  Sooooo, now besides Pheebe, we have four more Dawgs in the house. 

           

THOSE ARE KELLY’S 2 DAWGS WITH THE BEIGE STRAPS & MINE ARE THE PLAIN ONES…NO MORE WET FEET FOR ME IN THE MORNING

Our final destination before leaving Goderich was Motor's favourite stop, McDonalds.  Kelly doesn't like the Drive-Thru so we parked the Jeep while she went in for the eats.  I broke from our traditional Burritos routine & shared a Sausage McMuffin with the Kid.  Kelly ate hers outside at a picnic table because she got Motor-mugged as soon as she got in the Jeep.  Did you know that no matter what size coffee you get at McDonald's it's all the same price.  I stuck with my small size but Kelly of course Kelly made sure she got her money’s worth & came out with a whole pale full for herself.  (which she later regretted)

         

We phoned the Vet at 1 to see how our little Pheebmonster was doing & they said everything had went well & we could pick her up around 3.  We had noticed Pheebe shaking her head this past week so we had suspected an ear infection & the Vet confirmed that.  We had also noticed Pheebs Dew claws on her back legs were very loose & the Vet agreed, so she also had those dew claws removed.  Add to all that a rabies shot & you know we picked up a very tired & groggy little girl.  We are so pleased since switching to the South Huron Veterinary Clinic a couple years ago.  Great staff & they go the extra mile to explain everything.  And, a big thanks to Pheebe’s previous owners Crystal & Mat for covering the cost of the Pheebster’s Spaying procedure…….. 

HERE SHE COMES UNDER HER OWN STEAM AT THE VET CLINIC THIS AFTERNOON

Pheebs was able to walk to the Jeep but I had to lift her in.  By the time we got her home she was totally beat & I had to carry her into the house.  She just laid on the floor & fell asleep.  She has a large plastic collar around her head & pink bandages on her legs.  Saturday morning we begin the anti-biotics for her ear infection plus some pain pills.  I think it is going to be a real challenge for us to keep that plastic collar on her but we can't risk the chance of her pulling out the stitches.  And, no walks other than leashed bathroom breaks in our back yard.  This is going to be like trying to contain an exploding stick of dynamite in a Kleenex!!  Monday afternoon she goes back to have the bandages on her legs changed.

 

LOADED UP & READY FOR HOME    

THE LAST PARAGRAPH:  So hard to stand helplessly by when we know our beloved pets are under so much stress.  As human beings we are able to communicate with each other explaining difficult situations & predicaments.  Pheebe has no idea why she has a big plastic cone on her head.  No idea why here hind legs are bandaged & has no understanding as to why she is feeling so yukky right now.  Even my best efforts cannot get that furry little tail to wag.  As she claws away at trying to remove that awful thing around her head it is all I can do not to jump up & help her get it off.  But, we are humans, and we understand these things..........well, don’t we??

THE LITTLE PHEEBER WAS TOO POOPED TO WALK WHEN WE GOT HOME SO DAD HAD TO CARRY HER IN….NOTICE HER CUTE PINK SOCKS. (BANDAGES) 

GROANER'S CORNER:((    A woman brought a very limp duck in to a veterinary surgeon. As she lay her pet on the table, the vet pulled out his stethoscope and listened to the bird's chest.
After a moment or two, the vet shook his head sadly and said, "I'm so sorry, your duck has passed away."
The distressed owner wailed, "Are you sure?"
"Yes, I am sure. The duck is dead," he replied.
"How can you be so sure," she protested. "I mean, you haven't done any testing on him or anything. He might just be in a coma or something."
The vet rolled his eyes, turned around and left the room, and returned a few moments later with a black Labrador retriever. As the duck's owner looked on in amazement, the dog stood on his hind legs, put his front paws on the examination table, and sniffed the duck from top to bottom. He then looked at the vet with sad eyes and shook his head.
The vet patted the dog and took it out, and returned a few moments later with a cat. The cat jumped up on the table and also sniffed delicately at the bird from head to foot. The cat sat back on it's haunches, shook its head, meowed softly, and strolled out of the room.
The vet looked at the woman and said, "I'm sorry, but as I said, this is most definitely, 100 percent certifiably, a dead duck." Then the vet turned to his computer terminal, hit a few keys and produced a bill, which he handed to the woman. The duck's owner, still in shock, took the bill.
"$150!", she cried, "$150 just to tell me my duck is dead!!"
The vet shrugged. "I'm sorry. If you'd taken my word for it, the bill would have been $20, but with the lab report and the cat scan, it's now $150.00."

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EMAIL THE BAYFIELD BUNCH:))
stargeezerguy@gmail.com

OUR

PHOTO ALBUMS http://picasaweb.google.com/stargeezerguy/

The

only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right
now...... AL.

IF YOUR DECIDING ON BUYING AN RV….BEWARE OF THE ‘WOW’ FACTOR

Humidity levels were back this morning & that made for a 'buggy' morning walk with mosquitoes & biting flies.  The mugginess kept me inside for most of the day with the exception of loading up the guys about 1 & making a run to our local Subway.  Can you imagine trying to share a 'Cold Cut Combo' with 2 wild & crazy furry animal guys in the small confines of a tiny Jeep Wrangler.  No, I can't imagine that either, but that is what we do.

Deciding on an RV that suits a person's needs & desires is no small decision & is one that should be thought out very carefully.  Some folks are able to get it right the first time & then there are people like us who have to bang their heads half a dozen times before arriving at a right decision.  It took us 2 Class C's, a Travel Trailer, a 5th Wheel Trailer & 2 pick-up trucks before getting it right & ending up with a Motor Home.  But, "getting it right" is a very individual thing & every couple has different needs & circumstances.   But, there is one thing that I think is very common for everyone.  It's called the "WOW" factor.  The very first time I ever set foot in an RV I was immediately "WOWED" by the interior with all it's neat little trims & finishes.  Nice wood finished cabinets flanked by a perfectly color coordinated interior with curtains, valances, sofas & chairs all matching to perfection.  And how about all those big gold trimmed mirrors.  Big televisions & Swanky-do entertainment centers.  ‘Wow’, talk about Razzle-Dazzle!!

 

OUR VERY OWN CAMPSITE RIGHT AT THE OLD WEENIE ROAST RANCH 

Same thing used to happen to me years ago when it came to cars & that's why I ended up having over 40 of them through the years.  Every time I would see something different, I wanted it.  Didn't matter if it was 15 years old, rust in the fenders, torn seats, bad tires, whatever......it might have had a neat-o racing stripe on it or something & that ‘WOWED’ me.  I was never too darn smart when it came to buying cars & I sure ended up with a bunch of clunkers.  But ‘WOW’, did I ever like them at the time.

 

OUR 24’ PROWLER TRAVEL TRAILER

Same thing years later when it came to buying RV's.  Didn't look around, didn't compare prices, didn't take time to think about it, didn't use any common sense at all.  Saw a homemade conversion van onetime in a small town near us, liked the hand crafted cupboards inside & without so much as a test drive....bought it.  Bad move, the radiator rotted out about month later & that was just the start of mechanical problems with that thing!! 

Our first Class C was about 17 years old when we brought it home but there was just something about that well worn & tired little 17' Class C Dodge Centurion that ‘WOWED’ me off my feet again.  Bad move, it was just toooooo tired!!  Our next RV was a Prowler Travel Trailer which we saw parked at the end of a farmers lane one morning while out for a drive.  As we drove by we both went ‘WOW’ nice looking trailer.  Several days later we returned & bought it.  This was my first experience with towing anything larger than a utility trailer.  The 24 foot Prowler was a nice unit & clean as a whip.  But we only used it maybe a dozen times in the next couple years for week-end camping trips with the exception of a one week trip to the Muskoka Lakes region of Ontario.  The Prowler purchase turned out to be a bad move because we just hadn't taken the time to think about work schedules & travel plans.  But, we had taken enough time to be bowled over by the ‘WOW’ factor!! 

OUR FIRST CLASS C  ---  A 1979 17.5’ DODGE CENTURION --- THE ORIGINAL BAYFIELD BUNCH WITH MAX, KELLY & AL

Our next 'WOW' came in the form of another small Class C.  Saw it up in Goderich one day, took if for a drive and 'WOW' did it ever drive nice.  Did we take the time to look at other units at that time....no, of course not.  We were too 'WOWED' because we thought it drove nice & looked cozy inside.  Bought it a few days later & headed for Texas about a month after that.  We were only about half way there when we knew we had made another.....bad move!!  Too small & it had mechanical issues.

 

FORD CLASS C GULF STREAM 

A couple years after that we were in a financial position to finally get something bigger & better so we hastily bought a truck & fifth wheel from some folks we knew.  We had been going back & forth, back & forth, between buying a Motor Home or 5th wheel & finally talked ourselves into the 5'ver.  Both truck & trailer were in excellent condition & had a very large 'WOW' factor to both of them.  However, after a few short weekend jaunts we felt maybe the truck wasn't going to be able to handle the large mountains of the Southwest so we traded that Chevy Silverado 1500 in for a heavier 2004 GMC 2500 truck & headed off for New Mexico, Arizona & California.  That second truck had all the bells & whistles you could imagine so you can certainly understand the high 'WOW' factor on that one.   The truck & trailer worked well to-gether for the most part but somewhere in our journey that winter we realized we had made......another bad move!!  It just wasn't the right set up for 2 people with 3 dogs.  The truck was way too fancy for me & I couldn't figure out half the computer stuff anyway.  Plus, the Rockwood trailer was a lightweight so didn't have the insulation factor to keep us warm on cold desert nights either.

   

CHEVY SILVERADO 1500                                       GMC SIERRA LAREDO 2500

It only took us about a month after we arrived home that year to trade the truck & 5th wheel in on what we have now which is a gas powered 33’ Damon Motor Home.  And did the Motorhome have a 'WOW' factor to it as well......you betcha it did but this time it turned out to finally be a good move:)) That was in the Spring of 2007 & we've been to the American Southwest 4 times with it now & no complaints.  

OUR PRESENT RIG ON DARBY WELLS ROAD NEAR AJO ARIZONA    2007

When all is said & done, choosing the right type of RV comes down to an individuals preferences, needs, likes & dislikes.  There are so many factors & variables & that is why there are so many different types of RV's out there.  For us, it just boiled down to what we were personally comfortable with in the end.  Took us awhile to get there, cost us some money we needn’t have spent,  but in the end we did get to where we had originally set out for. 

 

NEAR JOPLIN MISSOURI   2004                                     LAKE TEXOMA IN OKLAHOMA   

For anyone out there in the throes of an RV purchase I suggest you check out 5 of Laurie & Odel's posts starting with,  ‘Buying An RV’ ---  WHAT WE HAVE LEARNED --- SIZE MATTERS ---THE OPTIONS --- MOTOR HOME OR FIFTH WHEEL --- GVWR & IT'S COUSINS.  You will notice how they mixed a lot of good judgment, common sense, & practical thinking into their ‘WOW’ factor & got things right, first time out.

Friday morning bright & early our little Pheebe heads for the Vet to be spayed.  Of course we are feeling very guilty for having to put her through this but we know that it is necessary.  Vet says we can pick her up in the late afternoon so Kelly, myself & the little Motor will be anxiously looking forward to getting her home again.  You should see the Motor & Pheebe playing toys together…..what a hoot.

COTTONWOOD CAMPGROUND IN BIG BEND NATIONAL PARK JUST A FEW DAYS AFTER CHRISTMAS 2004

THE LAST PARAGRAPH:  It is a thin line one walks when talking about or comparing various modes of RV travel in the RV world.  Whether it be a Travel Trailer, Class C, Truck Camper, 5th Wheel, Class B, Tent Trailer or Motor Home, when all is said & done it simply boils down to one simple thing.  There is no right or wrong.  Whatever mode of travel suits an individuals or couple's needs is going to be the right choice for them in the end. 

WEEK-END CAMPING SOMEWHERE IN OUR VERY EARLY RV DAYS

GROANER'S CORNER:  You might be a Farmer if......

-Your dog rides in the truck more than your wife.

-You've never thrown away a 5 gallon bucket. 

-You have used a chainsaw to remodel your house.

-You have used baling wire to attach a license plate.

-You've been stopped by the deputy sheriff for a cluttered dashboard.

-You have used a tractor with a loader as scaffolding for painting or roof repairs.

-You've used the same knife to make bull calves into steers and peel apples.

-You know cow pies aren't made of beef.

-You can eat an ear of sweet corn with no teeth or utensils in under 20 seconds.

-When you were little, you "beat-up" another kid on the school bus arguing over the color of tractors.

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The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right
now...... AL.