$600 To Boondock On BLM Land?

 

Summary:

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is proposing a large increase in fees for winter camping in Long-Term Visitor Areas (LTVAs) in Arizona. We have all the details. 

The BLM will host two virtual public information sessions about the proposals at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 10, and Wednesday, Sept. 25. The Yuma Field Office will hold a virtual public meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 11, from 5:00-7:00 p.m.; an in-person public meeting in Quartzsite on Wednesday, Oct. 9, from 1:00-3:00 p.m.; and two public information sessions on Nov. 6 at Imperial Dam LTVA and Nov. 20 in Quartzsite from 1:00-3:00 p.m. Public meetings are interactive where attendees are invited to ask questions and provide comments. Information sessions are presentations where attendees can learn about planned updates from BLM experts. 

Find the links for the virtual meetings here: https://www.blm.gov/announcement/blm-...

You can provide comment on this draft business plan by emailing BLM_AZ_YFOWEB@blm.gov with the subject line "LTVA Fee Proposal Comment" or by delivering/mailing comments to:

BLM Yuma Field Office

7341 E 30th St, Suite A

Yuma, AZ 85365

Hurricane Milton Cruise Itinerary Changes

Above, the storm approaching Nassau, Bahamas last month. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

When the cruise to the Bahamas was booked, I was a bit leery over going in early August as it was inside Caribbean hurricane season. I monitored the weather reports leading up to the cruise.

The only day of inclement weather during the cruise was when we were in Nassau. It was rainy there, with periods of hard rain, while we were on a bus tour. But we "weathered" it fine.

Now, Hurricane Milton is causing cruise lines to modify or cancel cruises.

Cruise Radio posted:

All eyes are on the Caribbean as Hurricane Milton continues to intensify. The storm is forecast to become a Category 3 or 4 hurricane with winds of 120 mph before making landfall on Wednesday on Florida’s Gulf Coast.

This week, voyages out of Miami, Port Everglades, Palm Beach, Port Canaveral, Jacksonville, Tampa Bay, New Orleans, Galveston, and Baltimore could be impacted. Florida ports are expected to close depending on Hurricane Milton’s track.

You can check the status of your cruise port here.

If your cruise is affected this week, your cruise line will contact you by email or text regarding any potential changes and cancellation policies.

Below are the updated changes from the following cruise lines. We’ll add itinerary revisions and possible cruise ship diversions as they become available from the operators.

If your cruise has changed, you can let us know here.

 To read more, go here.

Classic Rock Music Monday

The stuff that now passes as "music", particularly rock 'n roll, leaves me cold. So, to start off the week, here's a video of a classic rock artist.

To begin the week, we have Dick & Dee Dee performing a couple of their hits on American Bandstand from November 1964, "The Mountain's High" and "Thou Shalt Not Steal". 

What I remember most about Dick & Dee Dee was not so much themselves, but a friend of my Dad's, Don Brennan, doing a funny imitation of them one night while we were driving somewhere.

From Wikipedia:

Dick and Dee Dee (or Dick and Deedee) are an American singer-songwriter duo who reached popularity in the early to mid-1960s. The group was founded by California classmates Richard Gosting and Mary Sperling. They eventually changed their names to Dick St. John and Dee Dee Sperling (currently Dee Dee Phelps). They had their first hit in 1961 when "The Mountain's High" reached No. 2 on the Billboard 100. They toured with the Beach Boys and opened for the Rolling Stones during the Stones's 1964 tour of California. Regulars on the show Shindig!, the duo had multiple hit songs before St. John and Sperling disbanded in 1969. In the 1980s, St. John toured with his wife, Sandy. Dick St. John died on December 27, 2003, after a fall at his home. Dee Dee Phelps began performing with actor/singer Michael Dunn as Dick and Dee Dee in 2008, appearing in large doo wop and rock and roll shows throughout the United States.

Cruise Gratuity Charges

Above, the smoking area bar on the Norwegian Sky. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Whenever I ordered a drink from the bar while on Norwegian Cruise Line's Norwegian Sky recently, I wasn't charged for the drink per se, but I did get saddled with a service charge of $20. I kept my indulgence of adult beverages to one or two a day. Good thing I know how to "nurse" a drink and make it last longer.

I expected this since I have been on cruises before and budgeted for it prior to departure. Years ago, a friend was unaware of the gratuity or service charges (thinking drinks were part of the package and therefore no charge) and ran up a tab of a few thousand dollars for his group. I think it was the first cruise he went on.

One can tell if they are going to be charged is when a barman or waiter/waitress asks for their stateroom key card. They will run it like a credit card.

Cruise Radio posted an article on whether or not gratuity (or service) charges are fair or unfair to passengers. 

They begin it with:

From self-checkout machines to drive-thrus, you’re expected to leave a tip everywhere now. But do you have to bring that tipping culture on your next cruise? Some say yes, and some say no.

Others argue you don’t have much choice regarding cruise ship tipping. 

Automatic Gratuity Charges: Yes or No?

Many cruise lines automatically add gratuities to your bill—whether it’s the standard daily amount per person, a spa treatment, or even just a soft drink from the bar. But is this a good move? Maybe.

To read more, go here. 

Oddball Arizona Attractions

Above, at Standin' On A Corner in Winslow. Photo by Russell Azbill.

RV travel can bring one to interesting and oddball attractions.

Nanci Dixon at RV Travel has posted some interesting ones that can be found in the state of Arizona. I've been to one she mentions, Standin' On A Corner in Winslow, Arizona.

She starts off with:

We arrived in Arizona too early this year. It is 101° out right now and climbing to 107° today, so I am inside with the A/C on. I am taking this inside time to check out some of the oddball roadside attractions in Arizona that I may want to visit during our stay. Here they are. You may want to visit them, too.

To read more, go here. 

Trump Back In Butler

Above, former President Donald Trump addresses the Butler, Pennsylvania rally.

As he promised, former President Donald Trump returned to Butler, Pennsylvania to hold a rally and to honor those who fell victim to a would-be assassin. The shooting on July 13 killed Corey Comperatore and wounded two others. A bullet grazed Trump's right ear.

Much of the rally honored Comperatore and the other victims. A moment of silence was led by Trump and then it was accompanied by a tenor singing "Ave Maria". 

Above, Sen. J D Vance addressing the Butler rally.

Before Trump arrived at the rally, other speakers took to the podium including vice president nominee Sen. J D Vance. Trump had Elon Musk speak to the rally.

Above, Elon Musk addressing the Butler rally.

I was in Rosemont, Illinois (outside of Chicago) attending G-FEST on July 13 when the assassination attempt took place and was able to catch the news coverage in my room at the Hyatt Regency O'Hare.

Hornady's LEVERevolution .30-30 Winchester Ammo

The other day while in Albuquerque, I picked up some ammunition for my Winchester 94 .30-30 rifle at Omni Arms.

The ammo is Hornady's LEVERevolution ammo with a pointed flex-tip. It is not the traditional flat-nosed .30-30 ammo normally used in lever-action rifles to prevent "chain-fire" accidents in the tubular magazine as the nose rests against the primer of the cartridge in front. 

The reason being (according to ChuckHawks.com):

The key to the LEVERevolution ammunition, two years in development, is a new Evolution spitzer (pointed) bullet with a red elastomer Flex Tip. This tip flattens enough to cushion the primer of the cartridge in front of it in the magazine during the acceleration of recoil, yet returns to its original shape instantly thereafter. The Flex Tip has been tested at temperatures from -40 to +130 degrees F, and also passed 15' drop tests in full magazine tubes and many rounds of proof loads. The Flex Tip eliminates the possibility of a magazine chain-fire, the bugaboo that has prevented the use of pointed bullets in rifles with tubular magazines.

 I decided to give a box of the LEVERevolution rounds a try.

Here's a comparison of the Hornady LEVERevolution .30-30 Winchester cartridge (left) and a flat-nosed Hornady .30-30 Winchester cartridge.

Fort Wingate Missile Launch Possible Today

Above, yours truly at the Six Mile Canyon gate.

There may be a missile launch from Fort Wingate today. As such, for public safety, some areas are under a temporary closure order. This includes Six Mile Canyon of the Cibola National Forest.

Fort Wingate is roughly ten miles from Jamestown (as the crow flies).

According to the order posted by the Grant County Beat:

Albuquerque, NM, October 2, 2024 – A Temporary Area Closure Order (03-03-02-24-12) has been reissued within the Mt. Taylor Ranger District, Cibola National Forest, McKinley County, New Mexico. The previously announced launch dates of Sept 25 and 28 were postponed by White Sands Missile Range. A launch is tentatively rescheduled for Saturday, Oct 5 with a backup date of Sunday Oct 13 requiring an area closure order within the Mt Taylor Ranger District.

This Order shall be in effect from October 4, 2024, at 2:00 PM, through October 5, 2024, at 4 PM, and if necessary, October 12, 2024, at 2:00 PM, Through October 13, 2024 at 4 PM. unless rescinded.

The purpose of this Order is to protect public health and safety during the U.S. Army's planned missile launch, including pre-launch periods, near the Fort Wingate Army Depot.

The Described Area is within Township 14N., Range 16W., Sections 1-24 and 27-35; Township 13N., Range 16W., Sections 2-6; Township 14N., Range 16W., Sections 7, 8, and 18; specifically, all NFS lands within the boundary starting at the Forest Service gate on NFS Road 547 in Six Mile Canyon, then following NFS Road 547 in a southwesterly direction for 4.6 miles to the intersection of the section lines of Sections 23, 24, 25, and 26, then following south along the section line between Sections 25 and 26, until the southwest corner of Section 2, T13N., T16W., then following the section line west to the southwest corner of Section 6, T13N., R16W. (excluding private inholdings), then following the Cibola National Forest boundary north then east, back to the point of beginning, which is the Forest Service gate on NFS Road 547 in Six Mile Canyon, as depicted in Exhibit A Map of this Order. 

To read more, go here. 

Autumn: Used RVs Seeing Price Cuts

Above, Monument Valley KOA Journey. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

With RVs built during the pandemic (roughly 2020 to 2022) having a myriad of problems with shoddy workmanship, the used RV market for years prior to 2020 looks a lot more attractive.

Now that fall is here, the used RV market is seeing price cuts. This may be a good time to buy.

That is the topic of an article in today's Newsletter at RV Travel.

They begin it with:

With autumn making its presence known by colorful leaves and cooler night air, the used RV market is likewise cooling off. Wholesale auction houses are moving used rigs across the block and reporting fall RV price cuts. If you’re in the market for a used RV, it could bode well. And if you want a new RV? Read on, there’s something here about market reflection.

To read more, go here. 

Japan Travel: 15 Unwritten Rules

Above, a food court at the Tokyo Skytree. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Japan is one of the world's most favored places to travel, many people are traveling there for the first time.

As this is the case, they should be mindful of proper etiquette while in Japan. There are 15 unwritten rules that all visitors should be aware of.

Condé Nast Traveller has them listed.

They begin with:

In Japan, the concept of “hairyo” – a profound embodiment of thoughtfulness and consideration – serves as a foundation for public interaction, reflecting a culture deeply rooted in mutual respect. This principle encourages individuals to be aware of their surroundings and anticipate the needs and feelings of others in order to cultivate a harmonious environment. However, navigating the many unwritten rules and social cues can be challenging for foreign travellers. As our readers named Japan the best country in the world in this year's Readers' Choice Awards, resident foodie and travel connoisseur Tokyo Halfie offers a snapshot of essential guidelines for your visit to help you avoid any faux pas. 

 To read more, go here.

RV Winterizing Misconceptions

Above, although I store my RV in this RV garage, I still have to winterize. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Since I live near 7,000 feet in elevation and we do get freezing temperatures, I have to winterize my motorhome just before the onset of winter. 

There are some misconceptions and effective ways on winterizing RVs and Do It Yourself RV spells them out in a new article.

They begin with:

Winterizing your RV might seem straightforward, but there are some common traps that even seasoned RVers can fall into. Let’s cut through the myths and make sure your rig is ready for the cold without any nasty surprises. Whether you’re new to RVing or just looking to fine-tune your winter prep, here are the biggest misconceptions—and what really works to keep your RV safe and sound through winter.

To read more, go here. 

Magnets Now Unreliable To ID Counterfeit Coins!

Above, fake Morgan dollar and American Eagle coins. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Two years ago, two friends and I were scammed with counterfeit coins from ads placed on Facebook.

We were able to find out that they were fakes by using the magnet test. Each coin was attracted to the magnets we used. We were able to get our money (or credit card charges) reversed.

Well, that method is no longer reliable.

According to the Anti-Counterfeiting Educational Foundation:

If you’re using a magnet and/or an acid test to identify counterfeit U.S. silver coins, your “technology” is unreliable.

In other words, the counterfeiters are way ahead of you!

There was a time when a small magnet that you could hold in your hand was all you needed. That’s because most of the core metals used make to make counterfeits earlier were “ferromagnetic” – meaning they would be attracted to a magnet. Such metals include iron, steel, nickel or manganese. Even with a thin silver plating covering the outside, the core metal’s properties were strong enough to attract the magnet.

Today’s generation of counterfeits contain metals in the core that are not attracted to a magnet such as lead, titanium, copper, or brass. The outside of the coin is thinly plated with silver to deceive you into believing the coin is real and made of 90 percent or .999 fine silver. Counterfeiters of gold coins prefer to use tungsten for the core because its weight is close to gold. Whereas, most fake silver coins ACEF has cut for testing purposes have centers of lead or copper or layers of both.

Acid has always been the least desired way of testing silver and gold coins. That’s because if you’re wrong and the coin is genuine, you are apt to destroy the coin’s surface and render it undesirable – especially in the collector market. 

We now only buy coins through reputable dealers.

To read more and find out what method is still reliable, go here. 

Silver Spot Price Over $32/toz

I just checked the current silver spot price over at COMEX and it is still doing quite well, thank you.

Silver is over $32/toz.

 

These Are 8 Cruise Ships to Avoid

Above, Norwegian Cruise Line made it into one the best category. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

If one is planning to take a cruise to somewhere, it may do well to check out a posting by MSN.com on which cruise ships to avoid.

Along with the above, they also show which cruise ships that are best. Fortunately, in this category, the two cruise lines I most recently cruised with, Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line made it. 

They begin with:

Before you book your next vacation and think of making it on a cruise ship, read this. Taking the wrong cruise can leave you miserable, because after all, once you're on that ship, there's no way out. A-Z Animals looked at rankings of cruise lines from the consumer reviews website. The site ranked the worst and the best cruises based on guest reviews. Passengers rated categories such as the cabin, food and drink, itinerary, entertainment, and facilities. The results considered the reviews to calculate cruises with the worst scores.

Click through the gallery above to see which eight cruises were ranked the absolute worst by passengers. Then read on to find out which cruises were ranked as some of the best to take. 

To see the gallery, go here. 

10 Tourist “Attractions” That Are Not Worth Your Time

Above, Four Corners Monument is number 9 on the list. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

There are some tourist attractions worth your time and then there's other tourist attractions that one should not even bother with.

That is the topic of a post by TravelPirates.

They have a list of ten tourist attractions that are not worth your time.

One of them (number 9) on the list I recently visited. I agree with their assessment. It is the Four Corners Monument where four states (Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah) meet. I've been there before (back in the 1980s), so I was curious about how it changed over the years. It costs $8.00 per person for admission.

They begin their post with:

The dream vacation is coming: you pack your bags and are ready to set off on a journey to see the incredible sites everyone is talking about for yourself. But wait! Before you dive into the thicket of great attractions, let's take a closer look at them... Are they really worth it?

To see the full list, go here. 

Eat At Luigi's

Clint Eastwood/Dirty Harry fans should know that line from 1976's The Enforcer, the third Dirty Harry movie.

That line, "Eat at Luigi's!" was said during the post-mortem examination of a guard killed by the radical villains. I have a framed lobby card of that scene with an autographed Reagan-Bush election day ticket by Eastwood from 1980. 

Here it is:

Well, as things happen, we went to dinner at Sadie's Mexican food in Albuquerque last evening. After we were done eating going back to the car, I spotted Luigi's across the street. With the line in mind, I had Larry Lucier take a photo of the restaurant with my phone as I was driving. 

Here's the photo:

Omni Arms In Albuquerque

Yesterday was spent in Albuquerque to drop off Larry Lucier's bus to the shop to have the wheelchair lift system fixed and to take his brother Greg to the doctor's office to have his foot checked.

While waiting for Greg to be done, Larry and I went to check out a gun store that we haven't been to (or heard of) before. It was Omni Arms on Central Ave. (a part of Route 66 in the day).

It was a nice store with plenty of firearms, new and used, and ammunition.

I bought some .357 Magnum and .30-30 Winchester ammo. Their prices were a little high, but they had what I had been looking for and they were cheaper than mail ordering (counting the cost of shipping).

Here's the store' s business card:

Norwegian Cruise Lines Introducing "More At Sea" Pricing

Above, my cruise with NCL didn't break the bank with the bar tab.

When Mitch Geriminsky and I took the cruise to the Bahamas in August, we went there with Norwegian Cruise Lines's (NCL) Norwegian Sky.

For the most part, I had no issues with the bar charges. But, I was aware prior to boarding how that worked and kept my bar tab to a minimum. The only thing I had to pay extra was the $25 charge for the two lobster tails dinner. I thought that was reasonable. Besides, I made $60 in the ship's casino.

With their "Free At Sea" package, I was limited to 75 minutes of free WiFi. That was eaten up pretty quickly. Luckily, I put my phone on Airplane Mode when I wasn't using it and that helped prevent additional costs (like $5.99/minute).

According to Travel Weekly, NCL is changing their Free At Sea pricing:

Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) is doing away with its Free at Sea and Free at Sea Plus pricing and replacing them with More at Sea, an inclusive package offering more premium-brand alcohols, more specialty dining meals and more minutes to use the ship's WiFi. 

The More at Sea package will be available on cruises beginning Jan. 1.

NCL describes More at Sea as more than a new product but a new brand positioning that commits to providing greater variety and elevated offerings. 

"There's more to be had, more value, more options for you as a guest to enjoy your cruise," said David Herrera, president of NCL.

To read more, go here. 

Last Night's VP Debate

It was a more civil debate last night. Still, Sen. J D Vance mopped the floor with Gov. Tim Walz and, for a moment, the moderators.

Here's Sean Hannity's take on the debate, which coincides with mine:

The country really got to meet JD Vance last night pic.twitter.com/ofwpxWY9G6

— Sean Hannity 🇺🇸 (@seanhannity) October 2, 2024

Winchester Model 12 Pump Shotgun Review

Above, the Winchester Model 12 shotgun after I first brought it home. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The only gun I bought this year was the Winchester Model 12 shotgun. It was manufactured in 1919, but age hasn't caused any problems with shooting it (since I had Loeffler's Guns Etc. in Grants, New Mexico coached me on its workings). I had to buy it in April as New Mexico started imposing a 5-day waiting period in May.

I shot it last month and it worked great. It hit what I was aiming at (an old political yard sign). Not bad for a shotgun over 100 years old.

Before buying it, I was on the lookout for a shotgun best suited for trap shooting. I bought a Remington Model 870 Express last year, but that wasn't suited for trap shooting. I couldn't hit the broadside of a barn when we went trap shooting in Lake Havasu, Arizona. I did much better with a borrowed shotgun during a previous trap shoot. Still, I like the Remington for regular target plinking.

Guns.com (where I bought the Winchester Model 12) posted a review of the Model 12 and it begins with:

The Model 12 is a pump-action 12-gauge shotgun that is iconic in that it has the classic features that make a pump gun so appealing. It may not be the first, but it certainly trained generations how to shoot airborne game among many other things. The Model 12 was also used by the U.S. military, with roots going back to before World War I.

My father grew up shooting an old Model 12, and he was barely a teenager when it was given to him by my grandfather. He used it for hunting pheasants and ducks in the marshy wetlands beyond grandpa’s pasture. As a child, I remember seeing dad tinker with it amongst his other guns.

The Model 12 uses traditional wooden furniture, with an easily identifying ribbed front grip. A shallow rib runs the length of the barrel, with a targeting bead on the muzzle end. The barrel itself is 30 inches long and has a 3-inch magnum chamber. It features a familiar safety at the front of the trigger guard and an action release just behind it. The tubular magazine holds six 2.75-inch shot shells, and it is clamped to the barrel at the front of the tube.

I looked up the serial number and, if the internet is to be believed, this gun was manufactured in 1917, making it 105 years old.

To read more, go here. 

Democrats Seek To Abolish The First Amendment

The Democrats and their media and social media toadies (think Mark Zuckerberg) have been hell-bent on censoring or "fact-checking" viewpoints contrary to theirs.

They are not even trying to hide it.

They are determined to undermine or, perhaps, destroy the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.  

The Washington Examiner has posted an article on how the radical Left is seeking to abolish the First Amendment.

It begins with:

When a political movement’s only guiding principle is an insatiable lust for power, the free exchange of ideas becomes public enemy No. 1. It should come as no surprise that the party that booed God at its national convention and has largely replaced faith with the perverse worship of the state feels that the ends always justify the means.

From author Fran Lebowitz suggesting that President Joe Biden should dissolve the Supreme Court to regime journalists openly calling for the destruction of the U.S. Constitution, Democrats have become increasingly comfortable with publicly displaying their radicalism. In their minds, the enemy is not poverty, inflation, or threats by foreign enemies but freedom itself. As the Left attempts to remake America into a totalitarian, multicultural nightmare, the first two amendments to the Constitution are the only bulwarks standing in its way.

Democrats have been thoroughly defeated on the Second Amendment front. A majority of people can now legally defend their families without a permission slip from the state, and the tens of millions of AR-15, AR-10, and AK-47-style rifles in civilian hands all but guarantee that the gun confiscation plans of authoritarian Democrats are doomed to fail. 

For a variety of reasons, the First Amendment is more difficult to defend. The public has grown accustomed to censorship by the state. Democrats successfully used a coordinated, unconstitutional censorship campaign to win the 2020 presidential election, and they view the continued perversion of the First Amendment, or its outright elimination, as the path forward toward achieving their communistic goals. 

It is imperative that the voters must vote out of office as many radical Democrats as they can and defeat Kamala Harris this November.

To read more, go here. 

2024 JWCF Ridgway Photos

Above, the first aid station area before set-up. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The John Wayne Cancer Foundation's Ridgway, Colorado Grit Series marathons for this year are now history.

The official website has posted photos of the run along in several categories. The categories are: Highlights, Start-Finish Area, On Course - Start & Final Stretch and Miscellaneous.

I volunteered again this year and worked the first aid station at the True Grit Ross Family ranch movie location. We had around 200 runners participate.

To see the photos, go here. 

VP Debate Tonight

Well, we have some entertainment viewing tonight on CBS.

The vice presidential debate between Sen. J D Vance and Gov. Tom Walz will be on this evening at 9:00 PM Eastern Time (7:00 PM Mountain Time).

Grab some popcorn and enjoy the show!

Dollar In ¥144 Range

Now that we're in a new month and the fall season should entice more Americans to visit Japan thanks to cooler weather, it is time to take a peek at how the U.S. dollar is faring against the Japanese yen.

According to the Mainichi Shimbun:

The U.S. dollar rose to lower 144 yen range in Tokyo on buying after Federal Reserve chief Jerome Powell said the U.S. central bank is not in a rush to cut interest rates, fueling expectations that the U.S. and Japanese rate differential would remain wide, dealers said.

At 5 p.m., the dollar fetched 144.16-19 yen compared with 143.57-67 yen in New York and 142.37-39 yen in Tokyo at 5 p.m. Monday.

To read more, go here. 

Summer 2024 Travel

Above, at Billy the Kid's grave in Fort Sumner in June.

Now that summer 2024 is over and done with, I can now look forward to the next few weeks of autumn and then winter. We tend to get early snows in autumn.

At least I made some good travel use out of the summer months.

In June, I headed to Fort Sumner to see the Billy the Kid Museum and gravesite. This was a camping trip in the motorhome. It was educational as well as fun.

Above, Jessica Tseang and I at G-FEST in July near Chicago.

In July, I headed to the Chicago area (by plane) for G-FEST, the annual Godzilla/kaiju convention by Daikaiju Enterprises. It was enjoyable and I got to see some friends for the first time since 2019.

In August, the cruise to the Bahamas was made with Norwegian Cruise Lines. I went with a friend I've known since junior high. We made several stops including Freeport, Nassau and Great Stirrup Cay. We jet skied at Great Stirrup Cay. I even managed to win $60 in roulette in the cruise ship's casino.  

Above, Mitch Geriminsky and I in Nassau, Bahamas in August.

A camping trip to Ridgway, Colorado for the John Wayne Cancer Foundation Grit Series marathons and Monument Valley, Utah closed out the summer. The Autumn Equinox arrived during the trip. I did some horseback riding in Monument Valley. That was the first horseback ride I took since 1974. That was fun. 

Above, horseback riding in Monument Valley in September.

Autumn travel, so far, will be for a clampout in Arizona with the Lost Dutchman Chapter of E Clampus Vitus. Beyond that, I have no plans for autumn travel. But one never knows what may come up on the spur-of-the-moment.

National Review: Kamala Harris Is An Enemy of the 2nd Amendment

The funny thing about old videos, they seem to pop up at the most inopportune times.

Kamala Harris's record of being anti-Second Amendment is at odds with her campaign statements since her debate with former President Donald Trump. She's trying to lie her way out of her anti-gun record. But those old videos keep popping up.

But she's not fooling anybody. In a nutshell, she cannot be trusted.

She has caught the attention of the National Review. They describe her as an enemy of the Second Amendment in a new article.

It begins with:

They say that once is an accident, twice is a coincidence, and three times is a pattern. If so, Kamala Harris’s three attempts to impose draconian gun-control measures on the citizenry of these United States ought to terrify the voting public. Thrice now, Harris has made plays against the Second Amendment that have no parallel in this country’s history. Were she to be elected, the chances of a fourth would be unacceptably high.

On the stump, Harris likes to scoff that she has no interest in “taking away your guns.” But this belated assurance is belied by every piece of evidence in her record.

To read the full article, go here. 

Classic Rock Music Monday

The stuff that now passes as "music", particularly rock 'n roll, leaves me cold. So, to start off the week, here's a video of a classic rock artist.

To start off the week, we have French folk group Lilly Wood & The Prick with their hit, "Prayer In C". The song originally surfaced in their 2010 album, Invincible Friends. After German DJ and record producer Robin Schulz remixed the song, the remixed song was re-released in June 2014. I heard it mainly at KROQ-FM in Los Angeles that year. It reached no. 23 on U.S. charts.

From Wikipedia:

Lilly Wood and the Prick (also known simply as Lilly Wood and LILLYWOOD) is a French folk pop duo composed of Nili Hadida and Benjamin Cotto. Nili was born in Israel. They are best known for their single "Prayer in C”, which gained popularity after being remixed by German DJ Robin Schulz.

The duo was formed in 2006 when they met in a Parisian café and decided to collaborate on writing songs together.

Below, here are two videos of "Prayer In C". First, is the Robin Schulz remix and, second, a live version from 2015 in Arras, France. 

60th Anniversary of Japan's Bullet Train

Above, the first Shinkansen train I rode in 2001. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Introduced just a few days before the 1964 Tokyo Olympic games, Japan's Shinkansen (bullet train) was introduced into service with the Tokaido Line between Tokyo and Osaka.

This year marks 60 years since that event and bullet trains serve passengers with more lines around the country. The country will celebrate this milestone this coming Tuesday.

Above, a Shinkansen's car interior. Photo by Armand Vaquer. 

I have been on several bullet trains over the years including the aforementioned Tokaido Line and routes to Sendai, Fukuoka and Sendai. The ride is so smooth that its speed is not noticeable until the train passes one going the opposite direction and the air cushion between them hits.

Above, a Shinkansen arrives at Atami Station in 2015. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

.Here's a video from British Pathé:

 

Here's a video from the Film Archive of Japan: