Expert Advice

Vacationer-In-Chief

Congressional Malfeasance

Congress (controlled by Democrats) just released a 4,155-page, $1.7 trillion spending package that has to be passed by midnight this Friday in order to prevent a partial government shutdown going into the Christmas holiday. Of course, no one in Congress is going to read the complete bill before the deadline, so they will vote on a bill without really knowing what's in it. I believe politicians do this on purpose so they can include as many pork barrel, special interest projects as possible. One of the problems with this process is the amount of government waste it generates. For an example, here is a recent article from the New York Post listing some of the most outrageous expenditures.

If you would like to see a much more comprehensive list of government waste, I would recommend Senator Rand Paul’s 2021 Waste Report where he highlights a whopping $52,598,515,585 of waste, including a study of pigeons gambling on slot machines, giving kids junk food, and telling citizens of Vietnam not to burn their trash. No matter how much money has already been wasted, politicians keep demanding even more.

Gold Canyon Dentistry

I recently had a dental bridge done by Gold Canyon Dentistry. I chose them for their "state of the art" equipment...

Click on image to enlarge

In all seriousness, Dr. Pamela McMahon did an outstanding job. It was much easier and less painful than I had feared and in as much as they make the crowns there in the office, I was able to have everything done in about 4 hours.

Getting Older

Climate Hypocrisy

I just watched an informative Tucker Carlson video detailing how politicians and the elites introduce tons of CO2 emissions into the atmosphere by flying in private jets while claiming climate change is an existential threat to human civilization and the environment. John Kerry, Biden's Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, is one of the worst offenders. His family’s private jet has spewed more than 300 metric tons of carbon dioxide since he assumed the post. It's difficult for me to take anyone seriously when they do just the opposite of what they tell us to do.

The other problem is how one-sided the main stream media reports climate change. Here in southern Arizona we have had one of the coldest Novembers on record and December is shaping up to be even worse. This summer when we had some above average temperatures, the media told us that it was due to global warming. However, now that the country is experiencing some of the coldest weather in recent memory, all you hear is crickets. It's getting harder and harder to know who or what to believe anymore.

Political Hiring

Here's what happens when you hire people for government positions based on their political identity and not on their ability to do the job...

This is Sam Brinton, a non-binary drag queen, who serves as Biden's Deputy Assistant Secretary for Spent Fuel and Waste Disposition. He has been charged with stealing luggage at two different airports.

Update (12/13/2022):  The Department of Energy has fired Sam Brinton. In as much as you are more likely to be struck by lightning than fired from a government job, there must have been a lot of pressure to get rid of this guy.

Full Moon

We have had a beautiful full moon over the park the last two nights. Although my photos of the moon almost never capture the full experience, I liked this one enough to post it on the blog...

Click on image to enlarge

RV Seat

For you long distance RV drivers who do not like to stop...

Wanna Go Jeepin'

Happy Thanksgiving

My friend, Josie, send me this card for Thanksgiving...

Hope this Thanksgiving is even better than expected

EcoFlow DELTA 2 Portable Power Station

Summer here in southern Arizona is our "monsoon season" when high winds and lightning often knockout power to the park. Normally, it is out for only a couple of hours, but during that time you cannot watch tv, use the computer or even run a fan.

I had been thinking of buying a portable power station when Amazon had a sale on the EcoFlow Delta 2 that included two free 100 watt solar panels. I chose the DELTA 2 because it charges quickly and uses iron phosphate batteries that last much longer than lithium batteries. With a capacity of 1kWh, I will have enough energy to power most essentials for hours.

Purchase on Amazon

Another reason for the purchase is the possibility of me doing some overlanding with the Jeep. This way I can run 110 volt appliances as well as charge USB devices out in the middle of nowhere. Never know when you might want a cappuccino and the nearest Starbucks is a 100 miles away. This is my idea of "roughing it". 😎

ProClip Dashboard Phone Mount

I have been wanting a dashboard phone mount for my Jeep but did not want a suction cup nor have to permanently modify the vehicle. The ProClip mount was just what I was looking for as it simply clips into place using the gap above my radio and the edge of the Jeep tray. It holds my phone securely and swivels to either portrait or landscape mode.

Pardon the dust - I had just finished an off-road ride

Charouleau Gap

Clay, Cory, Al and I explored the Charouleau Gap northeast of Tucson. It was one of the roughest trails I have driven in a long time. I felt like a rag doll being tossed around the cab. There were also quite a few challenging obstacles along the way...

Much steeper than it looks

Needless to say that by the time I got home, my old body felt like it had been beaten with a stick. Strictly for medicinal purposes, I had two shots of pain reliever (a/k/a American Honey Bourbon) along with a couple of ibuprofen. It was a struggle getting from the La-Z-Boy to the bedroom where I fell into a deep sleep... or simply passed out.

Dash Cam Power

I have wanted the capability of transferring my Garmin dash cam between my Jeep and Lexus but did not want the hassle of running and concealing a long power cord to the cigarette lighter socket (which the Lexus does not have). The solution to my problem is the Dongar Technologies Dash Cam Power Adapter ($29.99) which connects to your vehicle's auto-dimming rearview mirror for power to your USB  device...

Both the cable and camera are hidden behind the mirror so I have an unobstructed view

The adapter is an easy plug-and-play installation with no permanent modification to your vehicle. I highly recommend viewing this installation video so you will know what to expect beforehand. You will want to take your time as the workspace is tight and there are some plastic tabs that will break if you are not careful.

Politically Incorrect Humor

Trail Trash

In Arizona there is public land held in trust by the state and like dispersed camping on BLM land, you are allowed to camp free for up to 14 days. Unfortunately, there are individuals who not only abuse the priviledge but leave mountains of trash behind after they leave...

This is one of the major reasons that the government closes trails to the public
(photo taken northwest of the RV park on state trust land)

Happy Halloween

Only In California

DEFCON 3

I just learned that our country has been at DEFCON 3 since June of this year. DEFCON is a U.S. military term that stands for Defense Readiness Condition. This is part of a system that indicates the level of threat the U.S. faces, or may face, from other countries and the readiness of a potential military response to such threat. DEFCON 5 is the lowest state of readiness indicating minimal threat, whereas DEFCON 1 indicates maximum threat and readiness.

DEFCON 3 indicates that select forces are ready to deploy where needed in 15 minutes. This level means that there is an increase in the readiness of U.S. forces above what would be considered normal. Such response readiness would most likely apply to relevant and necessary security forces as opposed to the military as a whole. I am surprised at how little coverage this has gotten from the media.

Lottery Winner

Ultimate RV

I think I have found the perfect motorhome for you "high rollers" out there...

Wonder how many gallons per mile this thing gets

Desert Ride

Jerry, Cindy, Maynard, Diane, Ralph, Lyn and I rode the RZRs out into the desert east of the park where we explored old mines...

Observed the local wildlife...

And rehydrated at the Tiki Bar in Queen Valley...

It sure beats playing shuffle board in Florida!

Warranty Has Expired

Babylon Bee - Fake News You Can Trust

The Babylon Bee is one of the best satirical websites on the Internet. After watching their "Californians Adjust To New Life In Texas" video, I found another one regarding the raid of the MyPillow Guy that I liked...

I think what makes their videos so enjoyable is their ability to take things that we see on a daily basis and then use satire to point out how ridiculous and ofttimes hypocritical they are.

Sneaky Cactus

This cactus thought it could tiptoe by my place without me noticing...

Californians Adjust To New Life In Texas

Tube of Terror

While looking at videos of professional eaters, I came across the Tube of Terror Challenge where you are required to eat a tube of peanuts with a Scoville rating of 13,000,000 within ten minutes and then endure a five minute afterburn. Checkout these videos of individuals who undertook the challenge.

Purchase on Amazon

Professional Eaters

While surfing the web, I discovered a number of videos featuring "professional eaters", some of which are simply amazing given the amount of food they able to consume in one sitting. Who would have thought you could make a very good living by eating large quantities of food. Here are two channels that hopefully you will find entertaining...

• BeardMeatsFood
• KatinaEatsKilos

It appears the huge football type of eaters have been replaced by smaller, leaner individuals. I believe the thinking is their stomachs are not restricted by layers of fat and have more room to expand.

Burning Man

Burning Man is back after having been cancelled the last two years due to the pandemic. If you would like to see what is going on there this year, checkout the live webcast at http://burningman.org/live-webcast.

Having followed the event on the Internet in past years, I am always amazed at the imagination and creativity of some very talented people. If I were a lot younger, I think I would enjoy the experience. However at my age, I do not think I would like the dust, the heat and the crowds.

Back Home

I cut my Utah trip short and have returned home early. The recent rain and flooding has made a lot of the trails I wanted to run either impassible or so rough as to loosen the fillings in your teeth. I will miss the spectacular scenery...

Goblin Valley

Keith and Jayne had never been to Goblin Valley State Park, so we drove down and had a picnic lunch overlooking the "goblins". Having taken a number of photos in past visits, I did not take any in the park this trip, but did take one on the way back that I liked...

Click on photos to enlarge

While stopping for gas in Green River, we met this couple that were towing a unique vehicle to Burning Man in the Black Rock Desert of northwest Nevada...

That Ford van allows them to drive around Burning Man loading/unloading passengers as they go. It has propane burners that can set the tin roof on fire which should be pretty impressive at night.

Off-road Rescue

Yesterday on our way to Fossil Point, we came across a young couple whose van was stuck out in the middle of nowhere. Even with both our Jeeps piggy-tailed together, we could not budge the van, so we took them back to town where they got a tow truck to come out. That did not work as the tow truck got stuck. Fortunately, the tow driver was able to get his brother to bring a farm tractor out and they finally got everyone out safely around 4:00 p.m. I got a nice thank you text from the couple saying they were okay and spending the night bookdocking in the San Rafael Swell.

Moab 100-Year Flood

For three weeks I monitored the weather in the Green River and Moab area looking for a good time to visit. I finally saw a forecast for sunny skies with a slight chance of rain this week. Well, the weather forecasters here must work for the Biden administration as Moab just had a 100-year flood with several feet of water running down main street. Checkout this video at https://youtu.be/qPh0TizDHJA. Clearly, this will impact our off-road exploring in the area but I am not sure to what extent. Will be extra careful and when in doubt, back out!

Update (8/25/2022): Here is a much better video of the Moab flooding - https://youtu.be/DTZEEi5Pz5E

Coal Canyon Part Deux

Keith and Jayne from the Arizonian have joined me in Green River, Utah to explore the San Rafael Swell. Today, we did Coal Canyon just east of town. I ran this trail back in 2020 and thought it would be an easy half-day ride after yesterday's long drive to get here. However, recent rains and flooding have created washouts that now require a 4 wheel drive vehicle with high clearance. Even that was not enough as near the end of the trail there was an impassible section that required us to turn around and drive back the way we came which made for a much longer trip than I had planned.

Lakeside Property

A strong thunderstorm ripped through the park yesterday afternoon, knocking out power for about an hour. The good news is there was no damage to my park model and I now have lakeside property...

Click on photo to enlarge

Postal Truck In Cemetery

It looks like they have begun delivering ballots...

Animal Cruelty

Toad Armageddon

My air conditioner creates a small pool of water as it removes humidity from the air. In as much as water is a scarce commodity here in the desert, I thought this would be a good place to setup my trail cam. When I checked the footage this morning, I was surprised and somewhat shocked at what I saw...

Here's an informative article on how desert toads are able to live in such a dry and hot environment.

Arizona Sunset

Arizona has some of the most beautiful sunsets in the country. Here's what I was able to capture yesterday evening from my front porch...

Great way to end the day

Salesman of the Year

Gavin Newsom, Governor of California, has been named "Salesman of the Year" by U-Haul...

Toad Invasion

The recent rains have brought out the toads in large numbers. I don't mind the toads as they eat insects, it's what they leave behind on the carport that's the problem.

PS - checkout this monster..

Click on image to enlarge

America's Most Wanted 4x4

For you "High Rollers" out there who want to upgrade your Jeep's powertrain or simply want to buy a new, high-end Jeep, visit America's Most Wanted 4x4.

Costs more than my Jeep

Costs more than my house

Guess I am going to have to buy more lottery tickets!

Late Bloomers

Just when I think all the cacti including the iconic saguaro have blossomed, I discover these late bloomers on my walk this morning...

I find it ironic that such ugly plants can produce such beautiful, almost iridescent blossoms.

Scorpion

When I opened my front door this morning, this was waiting for me on the top step of the stairs...

Where To Grow Old

According to the most recent data available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the average life expectancy in the U.S. is 78.6 years (76.1 years for men and 81.1 years for women). However, in New Jersey the voter rolls have 2,400 registrants 105 years old or older. You may want to move there to extend your life expectancy!