Fucking Difficult....

All I can really say is that things lately have been really tough. For everybody. I keep hearing something about the alignment of the celestial but what really matters is the things happening down here on earth. I dont know if Ive ever seen this much crop failure, financial failure, mechanical failure, marriage failure, job failure, health failure, and political failure all in the same place and time. Sometimes I dont know if I can deal with it. Then I receive messages from my mom in India, touring the poverty and mud and filth, and meeting some of the happiest people and kids, sitting amongst the chickens and the fragrance of bog, doing it in stride. Now Im starting to feel a little weak of character.

As Im writing this long overdue update and cruising though the images Ive taken  I start to notice all the cool shit from this summer, so much the opposite of now, kind of forgotten which is quite shameful of me. Allow me to give a brief not so brief recollection of the recent past.

Work this summer was pretty f'n hilarious. I think all Garrett and I did was laugh. Trust me in say that work was not affected in any sort of negative way. The box above was something i saw in the break room getting coffee. I internally died of laughter, bc honestly, if anyone saw me I might be checked into a hospital. Speaking of coffee, that room really got the best of me this year.  Ive never given so much random shit to random people then got my turn to fill the cup and the coffee was gone. So I make some, come back to pour some into my cup, and its gone again. wtf? This happened a lot. I think I might drink too much coffee, well thats what Carol says....

ok, now this day was quite amazing. Im cruising the lakeside mapping water features and meeting some really awesome poeple cooking some really great smelling food all on foot. I find myself on this trail coming back from the lake and see somehting moving. I stop. I cant figure it out. It starts to look like a stuffed animal is crawling accross the top of the fence. Its still moving. Ive heard of the reanimation shit in movies and now Im just speachless, but like most things on earth theres a resonable answer. Through furthur examination I find this animated stuffed bear is currently being stolen by a squirrel, which when it sees me seems quite embarressed and runs away. I laughed all day.

Last year an much of this year was spent mapping the sewer system. Water, sewer and storm water systems are completely different and take some time to figure out, especially when all the manholes are mislabeled. Garrett took the family to SC and came back with pictured of water meters. Neurotic? Sure. I took pictures of manholes in Iowa. Nuff said.

Most of the midsummer was completely overblown with amazing colors from the wildflowers. Usually right where some asshat is gonna build a giant multi million dollar home that will be occupied for 2 weeks a year. I dont understand why that upsets me, I mean, I live in a resort town....

Then while digging for hydrant valves I came accross this semi earthen home. So awesome. I guess the oldtimer that built it says he only goes through a single cord of wood or less each winter.  I was walking up the window to check it out and you can barely see in the pic that theres a ziplock bag full of water and pennies tacked above the front door....wtf is that? I reckon its a tradition thats too old for interwebs....

Then theres this awesome piece of shit. Transit bus turned camper turned abandoned. The destination name "McJunkin". This reminds me of all the abandoned homes in town. I think I should just go move into one. Although the one with the dead guy story is impressively putting-off.

Of the much better local finds is this Willys Military truck converted to forest wood hauler. Nice.

 On the topic of wandering in the woods.... As springtime rolled around I kept seeing more and more wildlife poking about. One day it was stepping on a snake. I almost pooped my pants. This day it was being monitired by a parent fox as the little ones rolled around on each other outside their stumpy den. Couple weeks later I was taking a long boundary shot and out of nowhere something was approaching me really fast out of my periphery. I turn and see this fox hauling balls directly for me. I mustve looked like a giant source of food bc he veer his course til screamed like a little girl and jumped in the air. Then he did about 12 circles around me running. Then he ran away and layed down. I dont know?

Just remember that with all this personal wealth and land acquisition comes boundaries and signs. god-forbid anyone wander on your useless unused vacant barren overpriced land....

 

 The year was full of random adventures, like this one, where Garrett is excited about his new knitted thong purchase on amazon as a bug gets me in the eye....

 

The local crew stouting some browns.... with the new to me 15' Sotar Cat. Luckily this was quite the year for rafting. Jenny and I were able to start the year with an excellent Grand Canyon expedtion with team NM. Shortly after that we ran the Middle Fork of the Salmon for the first time mixed with a pile of local runs on the Cabarton and the town stretch of the Salmon. Then layered on a beautiful  4th run on the Main Salmon with team MT. Then had to cancel the Gates of Lodore  trip due to unexpected circumstances as you'll see below....

This is what it looks like when I randomly show up at friends house is search of beverage. I have interesting friends to say the least.On that note: Joe and I just successfully built our first wood fired cattle trough hot tub!

My first pickle disaster. Looked so good but then I over fermented them. The book I was consulting said its near impossible to successfully ferment on the first try. Tasty and too squishy. And not so tasty I guess....

Steve opened up a new restaurant, with something like 53 taps of the most expensive beer and worst waitresses I have ever seen. Beer was good but I need to get another job if wanna go back. Not quite what I was used to after the amazing affordability and friendliness of Paradise.... Im sure itll smooth out though! This is a remarkable "most taps in Idaho" and yes, the selection is awesome, just not enough time....

Then theres my new friend here who feeds me beverages then complains that I fucked up his motorcycle engine rebuild. Infact most of the time we consulted to be productive the day usually ended up in bbq and empty cans and looking for tools that we need and cant get at 11 pm. Im ok with this....

A common sight for some. This is something you have to just take as it comes for owning a 1 ton with 300k miles. It can tow anything with decent to good fuel mileage assuming its still rolling. Since I start acquiring these kind of trucks Ive gone through 3 fifth gears, lots of sidewall rips, and mechanical advances. This here depicts the solution to the transmission stuck in gear and the shifter not. For the second time. Honestly, for both the transmission shop and myself, weve never seen a transmission with this many miles still working. Although when they opened it up it was total trash and metalic vomit.... so they rebuilt it with all new bits, and the result is SMOOVE....

Luckily my optional transport is also still barely functioning, with new indescribable noises and really bright dont steal me fenders. Who would steal such an ugly bike?

And as much as I despise catholic school this caught my eye in wisconsin. Seriously gonna have to think out how to play this one right....


Im sure there may be more updates as I sit here drinking a cool beverage in the warm Nebraska humidity admiring all the dead corn....