Day 24 (Kayaking in Santa Cruz)

Today Jeanie and I did some kayaking in the santa cruz harbor (then very BRIEFLY out into the bay - too choppy so we made a B line right back in!)... It was fun though.... Little sad.... beyond meeting them for lunch on tues my time with the Howards is winding down....


:(


BUT that means:

- i start RIDING AGAIN
and (most importantly)
- i'm getting closer to getting home (i do misss my PEEPS!)


-----------------

- misc pics of us in the harbor
- doggie looking for a fish (i guess!)
- jeanie making EYES at a boat that she and terry would like to get!
- jeanie SAD that the day is over (she'd stay out there all day, i'm sure!)

Day 23 (A walk through some Redwoods)

Today Jeanie (my cuz) and I took a walk though a local state park (Henry Cowell). There were some nice redwoods and we had the chance to spy a little deer (he was not concerned with us at all!)...

After the walk we went over to a BBQ at Jeanie and Terry's friends (Paul and Lanora?)

------------ pics

- various pics of me (or jeanie) near redwoods
- the interior (looking up) inside one redwood that was used as a "hotel"!

Day 22 (What have i been doing in CA?)

WARNING, this post is NOT moto related!

ok... as some of you know, i have been conducting some research with people at the USGS (Menlo Park, CA) as part of my sabbat. This work involves (among other things), smushing up snails and isolating various internal bits (cells, protiens, etc... etc...). We basically make a MILK SHAKE out of the snails and then process the snail-smoothie! Here's a few pics of the lab and the process...



--------------
- Dan Cain (my PIF; partner in fractionation!)
- lab work space
- centrifuge (closed)
- close up of cent. tubes
- samples in small vials
- another pic of lab
- the fish tank that holds the snails
- the flow chart for the lab prep
- more vials (some on ice, some just waiting for the next step)
- another shot of cent. (with lid off)
- cent. with lid closed
(i prop opened and closed this instrument ~100 times or more over the past few weeks!)
-----------------

Days 21b (some house keeping - more San Fran Pics)

A couple weeks back when i went for a ride to San Fran, a buddy rider (Ed) was taking pictures as well.... he recently sent them to me...

------------
- misc me and bike
- Ed (behind the red bike)
- Kevin (thumbs up!)

Day 21a (We're really accelerating now!!)

Was heading back to San Jose (from Palo Alto) via rt 280 today and came upon the Stanford Linear Aceelerator (that runs under the road).... had to take a pic... i guess they study atoms, etc.... with this thing, but i'm not really sure!

Day 20 (An oil change)

I've been removing some "text" from the original posts (that occured back in the spring) as the content is either family or work related... In this post, i simply retain that fact that i did an oil change!

i know, not very exciting, but it is moto related!

Anyway, i also decided to change the oil on the bike today (i've already put ~2k miles on the bike and will put ~1.7 k on the way back to NM; figured i'd change in now, at the brown's in CA, rather then trying to do it some where in UT!)...

----------------------- pics
- Just changing the oil...

Day 17-19.5 (The Halfway mark!)

well, I have been away from my wonderful family for ~19.5 days now (in total, it will be ~39 days). Eventhough i have been busy, living out of a suitcase and being away from Jen, Erin and William is starting to take its toll (on me and everyone else - i suspect)...

It is particularly difficult when "tough times" hit and i'm not around to lend a hand (or there to help shoulder some of the load) or simply give a hug to whom ever might need one for whatever reason...

Here's the hug you sooo much need....

I love and miss you all....

- Dad

Day 16 (Red Woods)

(sorry a day late - was too tied last eve to post)...


Ok, so on Sat i took a ride to Big Basin State Park (lots of redwoods!). The ride through the park was great! But the road was very narrow and the ON COMING traffic was treating the entire road as their own... let's just say a few "cagers" (people in cars) got some nasty looks (and hand motions!) from me!!!


When i got back from that, Jeanie and Terry had a couple of their boys over (Matt and Brendon, and Bredon's GF, Sammie) for a BBQ. Dinner was great and teh company was fantastic!


:)


but man, oh man... did it get chilly!!!! So Terry sparked up the deck fireplace!


ok, now for the pics

---------------------------
- Big Basin sign
- a BIG ole cross section of a tree
- OLD!!! dates back to ~500 AD!!!
- pic of hollowed out Redwood (the pole is ~3ft tall); note the green road sign to the bottom left
- redwood and windsheild
- bike below tree
- view while riding through park
------------

Day 15a (I saw GOD today!; and my new best friend)

I had a busy day, will post more pics tomorrow, however.... i would not be able to sleep if i did NOT post this pic....

this was taken on Mt. Hermon road heading to Ben Lomond (from rt 17 out of San. Jose). The fog was running in (just ~7:15 or so) and the sun was setting beyond the mt. i HAD to stop! i had to take a few pics!

-----------------------

Ok, some other business... let me introduce you to my new best friend "Linus" (the Brown's kitten). He's ever present around me when i'm at their house (even to the point of hopping up on my bed in the middle of the night!)

i am a "dog" person (never liked cats), but this little guy is starting to change that!

dee.... i have a NEW "punch line" for that dog/cat joke!

<

Day 14b (logging some miles! 21120 to be exact!)

Today was a good lab day, Dan (my fractionation buddy at USGS!) and I made some real progress! On the way it i happened upon a "noteworthy" odometer reading, so i just HAD to pull over...

-------------
- the Toxic Avenger reachers 21120 on his odometer! (just had to snap a pic!)

Days 11-14a (not much going on; funny Youtube video - funny, but only if you are 18 years or older!)

Over the past few days i'v just been going into the lab, working, coming home, etc... not much else really....

However, i did get this funny video that is worth showing!

Kevin Howard (Terry's bro) is working with AMES research center trying to make a system to "distill" urine so that astronuts have clear water in space... yes, sounds Yucky, but... it could be "do-able"...

anyway, he sent me the below link.... seems as though they are making progress...

WARNING... if you are under 18 years of age (ERIN!!!) you are NOT allowed to access this link...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-4BFfdGufo

:)

Day 10 (Hanging with the Howards)

Today was a slow and easy day... hung out with Jeanie, Terry and their boys (Ray, Brenden?, Matt) as well as Terry's bro Kevin.... had a great brunch (for Ray's 25th B-day) and then just got organized to head to San Jose (where i'll be staying with Cindy Brown and her family)....

Kevin invited me (well, after i kind'a invited myself) to head to the movies with him (to see the star trek movie - was pretty darn good!).... we headed up rt 9 again (what a SWEET road!)....

tomorrow the FUN stops (well, at least it changes focus).... i'll be heading to USGS to start the work that was (is) the REAL focus of coming to CA....

for this point forward (for at least a couple weeks), neat pics might be far and few between as my days will be filled with smushing up snails and other sorts of lab work....

missing you all....

- bill

Day 9b (vids); Golden Gate Bridge

(those are lady bugs flying by!)

Day 9a (Gold Gate Bridge, etc...)

Got to take a GREAT ride today (with Kevin, Terry's bro, Terry is my cuz Jeanie's husband). Ed, Kevin's friend joined us. We first made our way up to a BMW car show, then off to the Golden Gate bridge and Marin Headlands, then hit rt 35 (skyline?) and end up at Alice's Resturant (the local "place to go" if you ride a motorcycle, apparently)..... had a good burger for late lunch/dinner... weather was great, but was really hot and SUNNY!!! got a little sun burned on my neck (guess you can now call me a "red neck")...

ok, now for the pics...


----------------
- BMW car show
- wallie (i guess) in front of GGB
- me and bike in front of GGB (yes, that is a smile, wow... how did that ever happen?!) - Kevin and Ed (great guys!)
- our bikes near an old army fort
- our bikes and the GGB
- kevin (and ed behind)
- crossing the GGB (do not worry, traffic was moving slowly and "in order")
- erin, those little white specs (above the lawn chairs) are lady bugs! hundreds!
- alice's resturant
- bike in redwoods (i think)

------------ pics