Bull Riding A Most Dangerous Sport

Above, a bull rider at the Gallup Inter-Tribal Indian Ceremonial Rodeo three weeks ago. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Three weeks ago, I attended the Gallup Inter-Tribal Indian Ceremonial Rodeo. While walking to the arena, I saw parked a medical vehicle that was as big as a semi truck's trailer. There's a good reason why it was there.

A while ago, I was reading about Professional Bull Riders (PBR) leaving Las Vegas, Nevada next year for Fort Worth, Texas.

I did some Googling for more information and found that a young bull rider was killed in Fresno, California today when a bull stomped on his chest at a PBR event.

According to Yahoo Entertainment:

The life of professional bull rider Amadeu Campos Silva has tragically been cut short.

Andrew Giangola, a spokesperson for Professional Bull Riders (PBR), confirmed the sad news of the 22-year-old's passing in a statement to E! News.

"On Sunday, bull rider Amadeu Campos Silva was involved in a bull riding accident at the Velocity Tour event in Fresno, Calif. He was transported to Community Regional Medical Center in Fresno, where he passed away Sunday afternoon."

"After losing his balance on the bull, Classic Man," Giangola explained of his death, "Amadeu's spur got caught in the flank rope. He was caught under the bull, who stepped on his chest, and subsequently passed due to injuries suffered in this freak accident."

Looking further, I found that according to bull riding statistics:

At least 21 professional bull riders have died since 1989, with true numbers likely far higher as amateur bull riders are not included in these statistics.

While other sports are taking steps for the safety of athletes, bull riding is one sport that stands out as one of the most dangerous.

According to Gen Medium:

Football dominates the discussion of the dangers of sports, but every sport is working to become safer. Baseball players have started wearing a plastic glove to protect their hands when they slide into the base. This season, the NHL began stricter enforcement of the slashing penalty to prevent hand injuries; the league also cycles hundreds of thousands of dollars gathered from suspension penalties each year into an emergency fund for players.

But amid this concerted national rush to protect athletes, one sport stands out: bull riding. A bull rider is 10 times more likely to be seriously injured than a football player. One reason is obvious: 2,000-pound bulls have zero interest in injury prevention. Being stepped on by a bull can kill a man, and has. Getting hit with a bull’s horn can fracture 33 facial bones, as it did with a rider named Chase Outlaw this past July. And the bulls are only getting stronger.

Over the past 22 years, the PBR has introduced protective vests and now requires helmets for riders born after 1994. But even those mild safety requirements do not extend to riders outside of PBR arenas, and bull riders are suffering the consequences, with hundreds of accidents recorded just this year alone. There is no comprehensive data on riders injured, and many riders do not even receive treatment for their injuries.

Bull riding is one of the fastest-growing sports in United States — this season alone, more than 19 million people have watched the PBR on CBS — and when you watch it on TV or in the arena, it’s clear that no one wants the sport to be any safer. The danger, the potential for the bull to win in the most grotesque way possible, is part of the appeal. Still, even bull riding is beginning to take part in the national campaign to make every sport safer. It’s unclear, though, how safe it can ever really be.

As I mentioned, three weeks ago, I attended the Gallup Inter-Tribal Indian Ceremonial Rodeo. Part of the rodeo was the bull riding competition. It was exciting to watch, but it is definitely a dangerous sport. In a split second, triumph can (and sometimes does) turn to tragedy.

Dangerous as it is, bull riding is very popular here in New Mexico. The Wild Thing bull riding event that is held annually in Gallup, New Mexico was sold out this year.

RV Life: 10 Best U.S. Military Campgrounds and RV Parks

Above, The Beast at Desert Eagle RV Park in Nellis Air Force Base. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Three years ago, following the procedure to install two stents in one of my coronary arteries in Twin Falls, Idaho, Mitch Geriminsky and I stayed one night at the Desert Eagle RV Park in Nellis Air Force Base outside of Las Vegas while en route to Lake Havasu, Arizona. It is a very nice RV park.

It was a nice RV park and is one of many RV parks and campgrounds open to active and retired servicemen and women. Mitch is a retired Air Force serviceman, so that's how we were able to stay there.

RV Life has posted a list of the 10 best military campgrounds and RV Parks and Desert Eagle is one of them (number 7 on the list).

They begin with:

One of the perks of being active duty or retired military (and in some cases, a current or former Department of Defense employee) is getting to stay at US military campgrounds and RV parks.

There are dozens of such parks across the country; I have showcased ten of the most highly-rated parks below. A quick search of Campground Reviews will help you find the perfect location for you. To make the search even easier, you can filter the results to show just the military-only options. 

To read more, go here. 

USA Today: Why Fall Is The Best Time To Go Camping

Above, camping at the Fort Massac campground near Metropolis, Illinois. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The summer will be over in a month, but that doesn't mean that camping season is over. On the contrary, autumn is the best time to pitch a tent or head out in an RV. Fall camping is one of my favorite pastimes. 

At least, that's what a new article from USA Today says.

Here's a snippet:

If you hate heat and mosquitos, had a hard time reserving a campsite, or couldn't quite find the time to get away this summer, don't worry. The optimal time to go camping is actually after Labor Day. 

From Maine to Minnesota, South Dakota to Arizona and beyond, the weeks following Labor Day (the unofficial end of summer) are a delightful time to pitch a tent or park your RV. Summer’s searing temperatures are cooling. Humidity is drying. Mosquitos, black flies and other buzzing and biting critters become less of a torment.

To read more, go here. 

Government Proves It Cannot Be Trusted With Gun Owner Data

Throughout history, tyrannical governments have used gun confiscation to maintain power.

The latest is the Taliban going door-to-door in Afghanistan confiscating guns of Afghans.

The U.S. government has proven to be not trustedworthy when it comes to the safekeeping of gun owner data. 

From the NRA-ILA:

The federal government has rarely made a habit of covering itself in glory, but in recent weeks it seems determined to engender mistrust among the American public. In only the last month, three fresh examples of the federal government’s inability to secure sensitive data have come to light. These examples of official incompetence have once again made clear that the federal government cannot be trusted with gun owner data.

Federal bureaucrats and gun control advocates have made clear that they want the government to maintain more information on firearms and firearm owners. ATF routinely whines about how the out-of-business dealer records (4473s) housed at the National Tracing Center have not been converted into a digitized searchable format. ATF director nominee and paid gun control lobbyist David Chipman has called for the federal registration of tens of millions of commonly-owned semi-automatic firearms.

Gun rights advocates understand that collection of gun and gun owner data facilitates firearm confiscation. In addition to several notable instances in foreign countries, registration records were used to confiscate firearms in New York City in 1991 and 2013. Prominent U.S. politicians such as President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) have all called for gun confiscation. National Council to Control Handguns (now Brady) Chairman Nelson “Pete” Shields acknowledged registration as a prerequisite to handgun confiscation.

However, the ever-present threat of confiscation is not the only compelling argument against the government collecting data on guns and gun owners. The federal government’s impotence in safeguarding data is a constant threat to gun owner privacy.

 To read more, go here.

Abandoned Service Dogs In Afghanistan

This is totally appalling!

Actor James Woods on Twitter:

Bull-Ridin' Movies

A few months ago, I ordered My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys (1991) starring Scott Glenn, Kate Capshaw, Ben Johnson, Gary Busey and Tess Harper.

From Wikipedia:

Scott Glenn is H.D., a champion bull rider whose career is ruined after being gored by a bull. He returns to his hometown of Guthrie, Oklahoma to discover things have drastically changed — the family farm has been abandoned, his old girlfriend Jolie (Kate Capshaw) is a now a widowed mother, and his sister Cheryl (Tess Harper) has put his father (Ben Johnson) in a nursing home. H.D. rescues his father from the home and returns him to the ranch. But when H.D. leaves the farm to visit Jolie, his father seeks out Cheryl. Cheryl retaliates by threatening to return her father to the nursing home and sell the ranch. At this point, H.D. takes notice of a rodeo which would give him $100,000 if he can ride four bulls for a total of 32 seconds.

My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys is an entertaining rodeo movie with one of the more interesting actors of our generation, Scott Glenn (it is hard to believe he's now 82). Kate Capshaw was good in this movie (not irritating as she was in the second Indiana Jones movie) and the great Ben Johnson. Gary Busey was good in this as well (I met him 11 years ago and saw him regularly when I worked in Zuma Beach). Clarence Williams III also was in this and he looked the same to me as he did in Mod Squad of the late 1960s. I didn't think much of his acting in that. It seemed that every other sentence he uttered in that show was, "I can dig it" and that's it. Here, he played a lively cop friend of Scott Glenn.

I'd give this movie a A-.

It was dedicated to the memory of bull-riding champion Lane Frost, who was killed two years prior in a freakish accident following a 85-score ride. Lane was to do some stand-in stunt work for this movie, but his death prevented that.

More on Lane Frost.

Yesterday, my order of 8 Seconds (1994) arrived in the mail. It is a biopic of the life and career of Lane Frost.

It stars Luke Perry as Frost, Cynthia Geary as Kellie Kyle Frost, Stephen Baldwin as Tuff Hedeman and Carrie Snodgress as Elsie Frost. It also includes an early appearance of actress Renée Zellweger as Buckle Bunny.

From Wikipedia:

8 Seconds is a 1994 American contemporary Western biographical drama film directed by John G. Avildsen. Its title refers to the length of time a bull rider is required to stay on for a ride to be scored. It stars Luke Perry as American rodeo legend Lane Frost and focuses on his life and career as a bull riding champion. It also features Stephen Baldwin as Tuff Hedeman, and Red Mitchell as Cody Lambert.

The film was completed and premiered shortly after what would have been Frost's 30th birthday, in late 1993.

On Frost's death, Wikipedia posted:

On July 30, 1989, at the Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo in Cheyenne, Wyoming, after completing a successful 85-point ride on a Brahma bull named Takin' Care of Business, Frost dismounted and landed in the dirt. The bull turned and hit him in the back with his horn (although he was not gored), breaking several of his ribs. He initially rose to his feet, waving at Tuff Hedeman for help. As he took a couple of steps, he fell to the ground, causing his heart and lungs to be punctured by the broken ribs. He was rushed to Memorial Hospital where he was pronounced dead. He was 25 years old. No autopsy was performed. He posthumously finished third in the event.

Seeing bull-riding in New Mexico got me curious about this dangerous sport and prompted me to get these movies. I vaguely remember the death of Lane Frost in 1989. There are videos on YouTube that captured Frost's death.

Oddly, the critics didn't much like 8 Seconds (garnering a 31% score in Rotten Tomatoes), but audiences loved it (garnering a 94% score).

I give it an A-.

Both movies are worth viewing.

Biden Has Blood On His Hands

 

Tips For Staying Cool In A Small Camper

Above, desert camping in Kingman, Arizona. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

If one is traveling in an area that is hot in the summer, staying cool is paramount to staying comfortable.

Do It Yourself RV has a new article with 18 tips for staying cool in a small camper. Most likely, they are talking about trailers, truck campers and small motorhomes under 25 feet in length. My motorhome is 23 feet long. The tips can also apply to larger RVs.

They begin with:

Keeping cool in a small camper can be a challenge during hot summer days, but with planning and a few modifications and accessories, it can be done.

“Whenever you travel, you need a game plan to keep your RV cool during your trip. With the right mixture of positioning, planning and a few other tips, you’ll be able to stay comfortable for your entire vacation.” Blog the folks at Quality RV Resorts

To read the full article, go here. 

DIY RV Carport

Above, the GOCO Beast Barn under construction. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Three years ago, I bought a home on two acres in New Mexico and after a few months, I had an RV garage (called the GOCO Beast Barn) built for my motorhome. I had plenty of land for it and it cost $6,000. A little over a year later, I added a 30 amp electrical outlet to it. I deemed it a necessary expense as I am at 7,000 feet elevation and I wanted my RV protected from the elements (heat, cold, snow, wind, etc.).

Above, the finished GOCO Beast Barn. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Not everyone can afford a full RV garage and settle instead for a carport. It is basically the same thing as what I have except it doesn't have side walls. One of my friends in New Mexico has a carport for his fifth wheel trailer.

Do It Yourself RV has an article on how to build your own RV carport.

They begin with:

As much as we would all love to use our RVs all of the time, the reality is most RVs spend as much and often more time stored than they do being used.

Paying for RV storage can be a big expense, especially if you have the option of covered storage.

RVs are often too large for garages and building a complete building for storage would be expensive and beyond the skill set for most RVers. 

What is a carport?

Unlike a garage, a carport is generally a roof supported by posts with open sides. Oftentimes, they are built onto the side of an existing structure such as a house, garage, or barn. This gives you one closed-in wall and a roof for protection from the elements.

Carports can be constructed from a variety of materials. Commonly used materials are wooden or metal posts and support beams with metal, wood, or UV-resistant fabrics used for the roof.

To read the full article, go here. 

Keeping Visitors and Wildlife Safe At National Parks

Above, a mother bear and cub at Yellowstone National Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

When visiting a national park, there are rules to follow to ensure that the visit is a safe one.

Upon entering a park after paying the park entrance fee (or showing your Senior Pass), you are handed a brochure and other literature. It is a good idea to read through them.

There are reasons why people should maintain their distance between themselves and all wildlife. It is for your safety and theirs.

KSL NewsRadio has posted an article on keeping visitors and wildlife safe.

They begin it with:

ZIONS NATIONAL PARK, Utah —  When it comes to visiting a National Park, most visitors have an interest in seeing wildlife.

And when that moment arrives, the rush of adrenaline can often get the best of some people. When visitors of a National Park do come across wildlife, it is important to keep a safe distance from them. Even innocent looking critters like squirrels need to be given their space.

To read more, go here. 

Forbes "Ultimate Guide To COVID-19"

Above, yours truly at the Albuquerque Sunport. Photo by Mitch Geriminsky.

The world we live in today is very confusing. Some states are requiring masks, others aren't. In some, vaccinated people don't have to wear them, while in some others they do. Some have restrictive mandates in place, others don't. 

Sometimes, one feels like Richard Dreyfuss in Close Encounters of the Third Kind when he exclaims in frustration, "This is nuts!"

To help in navigating through the muck, Forbes posted the "Ultimate Guide To COVID-19 Restrictions: Masks, Testing, Vaccine Mandates And More". Since their posting is dated August 28, I am assuming that it is up-to-date.

They begin it with:

Gone are the days of planning a carefree getaway on the fly. Nearly two years into the pandemic, it’s now painfully clear that we’re going to be dealing with Covid-related travel restrictions for months and years to come. So it’s essential to do some basic pre-trip homework to assess not only the risk of traveling but what, if any, protocols are in place—not just in a specific destination but along the entire journey.

At the same time, a pattern is emerging, where travel is easier and less restrictive for those who are fully vaccinated. In some major American cities, for instance, vaccine mandates are already in place for indoor dining, sports venues and entertainment arenas. And in many countries around the world, a person’s vaccination status determines whether the welcome mat is rolled out.

So, if those who are reading this are in need of some guidance, go here.

T + L: Masks Will Be Required on Planes, Trains, and in Airports Until at Least January 2022

Above, a flight to Salt Lake City last year. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Well, isn't this just ducky?!

The TSA is requiring masks on planes, airports, buses and other means of public transportation until at least January 2022.

According to Travel + Leisure:

The Transportation Security Administration on Wednesday extended a federal transportation mask mandate until January 2022 as the highly contagious delta variant continues to spread throughout the United States.

The mandate has been extended until at least January 18, the TSA shared with Travel + Leisure. The mandate, first reported by Reuters, requires face masks be worn on all public transportation like on planes, in airports, on trains, and on buses.

The mask mandate was first implemented in January before being extended through Sept. 13.

"The purpose of TSA's mask directive is to minimize the spread of COVID-19 on public transportation," an agency spokeswoman told T+L.

Enforcement has largely fallen on flight attendants who have reported an alarming increase in unruly passengers this year. Sara Nelson, the president of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, said the extension of the mask mandate would "help tremendously to keep passengers and aviation workers safe."

Small wonder people are becoming "unruly" aboard flights. Who the hell wants to wear a mask for hours on end?  And, airlines are packing people into their planes like sardines again.

No wonder the RV industry is seeing a boom in sales and rentals. It is having a hard time just keeping up with demand.

To read more, go here. 

5 Days Exploring Tohoku With The JR East Pass

Above, a boat tour of Matsushima Bay's islets. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

One of the best things about being a foreign visitor to Japan are the JR Rail Passes, which allows for unlimited travel during a certain amount time (for example: 5 days).

Unfortunately, travel to Japan is verboten at present due to the pandemic. Eventually, things will open up again (when, is anyone's guess). But, since we all have plenty of time to plan ahead, this is something to take into consideration.

GaijinPot has posted an article on the JR East Pass. I used it back in 2006 to travel from Tokyo to the Tohoku region to visit Sendai and Matsushima. It came in handy and I saved some money using it.

They begin their article with:

The JR East Pass for the Tohoku region provides anyone holding a non-Japanese passport, including residents of Japan, five days of unlimited travel from Tokyo around the zone of the pass for just ¥20,000.

The pass provides huge savings to non-Japanese travelers, making it easier to explore this fascinating region of Japan when travel reopens. Earlier we gave you an itinerary to explore Akita, Aomori and Iwate, the three northern prefectures of Tohoku. Now, we’ve got a great itinerary introducing Tohoku’s three southern prefectures of Fukushima, Miyagi and Yamagata.

This is a chance to explore a bit of history and culture as well as plenty of lakes, mountains and ocean scenery. So daydream now and see it for yourself later.

To read more, go here. 

Cruise Lines Require Vaccinations, Tests Amid Virus Surge

Above, passengers shopping aboard a cruise ship to Key West and Havana. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Cruise ships are essentially "floating petri dishes" anyway, but the stubborn coronavirus and its variants have made matters worse for travelers.

Since the delta variant reared its ugly head, cruise lines have to modify their requirements on vaccinations and take other protective measures.

According to an article in Japan Today:

Miami - Joel Steckler was eager for his first cruise in more than a year and a half, and he chose the ship that just two months ago became the first to accept passengers again after a long pandemic shutdown.

Steckler was fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and that was enough to resume cruising, under initial guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Now, the 63-year-old from Long Island, New York, is going to postpone the trip he had planned for Saturday amid new, tighter guidelines prompted by the delta-variant-fueled surge in cases and breakthrough infections.

“You just have to make a personal decision,” said Steckler, who takes medication that suppresses his immune system and changed his plans after consulting his doctor. “You don’t want to be in a position where you are sick on a cruise and you have to fly home or somehow get home.”

Cruise lines have detected infections among vaccinated crew members and passengers, including in an elderly traveler who recently died. Last Friday, the CDC began advising travelers who are at a higher risk for severe COVID-19 illness to avoid cruises. It is also recommending that passengers show both a recent negative COVID test and proof they've been immunized.

To read more, go here. 

A Drive In Six Mile Canyon

Above, the Jeep today at the windmill and tanks. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Today has been such a nice day that I decided to take a little jaunt into Six Mile Canyon of the Cibola National Forest. Until the afternoon, it has been nice and sunny outside. Storm clouds are coming into the area as I am writing this.

The canyon was probably the greenest I've ever seen it. All of the recent rains did wonders.

I saw one camper and one off-road vehicle while I was in the canyon.

Some photos:

Above, the cattle water tanks at the windmill were both full of water. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, looking east on Six Mile Canyon Road. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, on Six Mile Canyon Road. Photo byArmand Vaquer.

Above, Six Mile Canyon. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

True Grit Café Celebrates 25 Years Tomorrow

Above, the True Grit Cafe in Ridgway, Colorado. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

One of the highlights of the Colorado trip last September was visiting the town of Ridgway, where much of True Grit (1969), starring John Wayne, Kim Darby, Glen Campbell and Robert Duvall was filmed. Ridgway is only about nine miles north of Ouray, Colorado. The drive there was easy and scenic, well worth it!

While in Ridgway, we stopped in at the True Grit Café for some lunch. Mitch Geriminsky and I both had bowls of chili, which were quite good.

The True Grit Café is now celebrating its 25th anniversary. And, as the above image shows, they are putting on a celebration tomorrow.

Above, Mitch Geriminsky and yours truly at the True Grit Cafe last September.

Congratulations are in order and here's to another 25 years!

For more information on the True Grit Café, go here.

Monsoon Thunderstorms This Coming Week

Above, the repaired and resurfaced Barking Spider Road. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The monsoon season generally lasts in the Four Corners region from June through September.

While the big storms earlier in the season (which washed away some of Barking Spider Road) are over, we're still getting some occasional thunderstorm activity. We had some small thunderstorms come through the past two days (one hit last night).

Next week looks to have more thunderstorm activity with greater chances than last week, with average chances ranging from 20% to 50%.

According to the National Weather Service, this is the forecast for this coming week for my neck of the woods:

Today

A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 3pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 84. South wind 5 to 15 mph becoming north in the afternoon.

Tonight

Partly cloudy, with a low around 55. North wind 5 to 10 mph becoming light and variable after midnight.

Sunday

A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after noon. Mostly sunny, with a high near 84. Calm wind becoming northeast around 5 mph in the afternoon.

Sunday Night

A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before midnight. Partly cloudy, with a low around 56. South wind 5 to 10 mph.

Monday

A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after noon. Sunny, with a high near 85. South wind 5 to 10 mph becoming northwest in the afternoon.

Monday Night

Partly cloudy, with a low around 56.

Tuesday

A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 85.

Tuesday Night

A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 57.

Wednesday

A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 78.

Wednesday Night

Showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 57. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

Thursday

A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 77.

Thursday Night

A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 55.

Friday

A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 77.

 

RVTravel: Phantom Reservations and Extended Booking Windows

Above, Gallo Campground at Chaco Culture National Historical Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

If one is having a hard time reserving a campsite this summer, one of the culprits is the practice, by some, of making "Phantom Reservations" in which they make reservations at different campgrounds at the same time but use only one without canceling the others.

RVTravel sees a possible additional culprit: extending booking windows.

They begin their article with:

Two weeks ago, we looked at a phenomenon called “phantom” reservations. It’s the practice by some unethical campers of making multiple reservations for the same dates at multiple campgrounds. These campers select one reservation at the last minute, and let the rest go unused. (If you missed that story, here’s the link.)

Judging from the comments on that article, unused campsites are something a lot of campers are encountering this summer.

Let’s look at another possible – and less scurrilous – reason for phantom reservations … the extension of campground reservation booking windows.

Many campground owners, faced with unprecedented demand for campsites, have taken to extending their reservation booking windows to 12 months out and beyond. Extending booking windows was the way many owners dealt with the sudden influx of new guests last summer as campers hunted for ways to get outside after pandemic lockdowns.

 

To read the full article, go here. 

 

A Visit With The Girls Next Door

Above, the "Girls Next Door". Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Before the resurfacing work started on Barking Spider Road, I went next door to give "the girls next door" some carrots.

Above, one of the girls was rolling around in the dirt. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

One of the horses was rolling around on the ground while I was there. On occasion, she rolls under the fencing and gets out of the pen.  

Above, Barking Spider Acre from the horse pen. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It was a nice morning. The little thunderstorm we had last night cleaned the air of the pollen than we've been having.

Resurfaced Barking Spider Road

Above, Barking Spider Road after completion. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

This morning, I had Barking Spider Road (that leads to the GOCO Beast Barn) resurfaced to fix the rainstorm damage during this monsoon season.

Above, resurfacing getting started. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Previously, it was just gravel, but we resurfaced it with asphalt milling. It should seal better and resist rains during normal years. The rains we had this season were of the kind that hits every 5 to 10 years.

Above, resurfacing almost done. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

My gravel guy was able to get a good deal on the asphalt milling from the contractor who is working on the Interstate 40 project in our area. They are set to wrap up work next month.  

National Per-mile Motor Vehicle User Fee Snuck Into Infrastructure Bill

The socialist Democrats and a few RINO Republicans in congress are trying to pass a so-called infrastructure bill, purportedly to rebuild aging bridges, roads and other dilapidated structures in the country.

What they aren't telling us is that they are sneaking in a national motor vehicle mileage "user fee" on passenger cars, light trucks, and medium- and heavy-duty trucks on a "trial basis". When it comes to government, there's no such thing as "trial basis"). As Ronald Reagan once said, "The closest thing to eternal life is a government bureau."

Here's some snippets from an article posted by the Western Journal:

The cost of living is on the rise, calls for yet another wave of pandemic restrictions have begun and now, buried deep in the so-called bipartisan infrastructure bill, the left has laid out yet another idea to bring Americans to their knees.

Make no mistake: The suffering is intentional, goal-oriented and not bound to stop anytime soon.

Still, one proposal in the 2,702 page infrastructure bill seems especially cruel — cruel enough to make it too expensive for many Americans to even drive a car.

Nick Short of the Claremont Institute highlighted an item on Pages 508-519 of the bill that would introduce a national per-mile motor vehicle user fee on a trial basis.

“Buried on page 508 of the 2,702 page infrastructure bill is a pilot program for a national motor vehicle per-mile user fee (MBUF) which is basically a long-term plan to make it too expensive to drive a car,” Short said Tuesday on Twitter.

The left can chalk up this test run of what eventually might turn into a full-blown measure to make owning a vehicle next-to-impossible as an effort to be “environmentally conscious,” but is it instead another way to cripple our existing ways of life?

To read the full article, go here.

Top Things To Do In Arizona

Above, a hillside is loaded with saguaro cacti between Payson and Phoenix. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

As the summer vacation season is winding down, there are still things to see and do in the state of Arizona while the days are gradually getting cooler as autumn approaches. 

Lonely Planet has a list of 13 top things to do in Arizona which are worthy of consideration.

They begin with:

Arizona has its icons of the American west, but the Grand Canyon State has more layers than you might at first expect, like a trio of distinctive wine-producing regions and the first international dark sky community, where Pluto was discovered. And where else can you ski that’s just an hour away from stands of saguaro cactuses?

In Arizona, you’ll find everything from hidden hot springs and prehistoric cave dwellings to Frank Lloyd Wright’s organic architecture. Read on to discover some of the 13 best things to do in Arizona.

To see what they are, go here. 

Birthday Girl: Sierra Turns 6

According to the papers supplied by the animal shelter where I adopted my cat Sierra, she was born on August 27, 2015.

That means she turns six years old today.

She'll be getting extra treats today.

Biden Admin Gave Taliban List Of ‘American Citizens, Green Card Holders And Afghan Allies’

If the following is true, this is definitely grounds for impeachment of His Fraudulency Joe Biden and calls for the firing of all those involved. It is akin to providing the Nazis with the names and addresses of very Jew in Europe.

From the Daily Wire:

The Biden administration reportedly gave the Taliban a list of the names of United States citizens, green card holders, and other Afghan allies that needed to be allowed into the airport so they could be evacuated — a decision that sparked widespread outrage from officials and critics.

“The move, detailed to POLITICO by three U.S. and congressional officials, was designed to expedite the evacuation of tens of thousands of people from Afghanistan as chaos erupted in Afghanistan’s capital city last week after the Taliban seized control of the country,” Politico reported. “But the decision to provide specific names to the Taliban, which has a history of brutally murdering Afghans who collaborated with the U.S. and other coalition forces during the conflict, has angered lawmakers and military officials.”

A Pentagon official told Politico that the Biden administration effectively “put all those Afghans on a kill list.”

“It’s just appalling and shocking and makes you feel unclean,” the official added.

Online, journalists, critics, and politicians expressed fury over the decision.

If this is true, how can anybody be so stupid?

To read more, go here. 

James Woods: "Enough Is Enough"

Posted this evening by actor James Woods:

 

#JoeBidenMustResign

#JoesGottaGo

5 Tips For Your RV Trip

Above, The Beast at Gallo Campground of Chaco Culture National Historical Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The "go-to" website to make reservations for campsites at campgrounds under the wing of the National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management and other government parks is RECREATION.gov. I last used it for my recent stay at Chaco Canyon in New Mexico.

They have posted five useful tips for your next RV trip.

They begin with:

Do you love exploring with all the comforts of home while being able to manage travel with flexibility and convenience? Then now's the perfect time for an RV trip with Recreation.gov!

Whether you own a rig or rent one, we've pulled together a few of our favorite tips to help you plan a trip. Planning travel in advance, making reservations, and being prepared with proper safety and health gear for your upcoming trips is more important than ever. So, take a look at our tips and reserve one of thousands of RV campsites with Recreation.gov!

Know before you go by checking the status of the location you plan to visit for conditions that may impact your visit like fire restrictions, smoke from wildfires or weather.

To see that the five tips are, go here. 

Where Is Joe?

The news coming from this morning's suicide bombing attacks at the airport at Kabul gets grimmer and grimmer.

I just saw this on Twitter:

Michael Del Moro

@MikeDelMoro

·

4m

AP: Two US officials say 11 Marines and a Navy medic were killed in the Afghanistan attacks

But where is His Fraudulency Joe Biden?

Last week, Biden said:

Well, we're waiting!