Celebrity Collage by MyHeritage

MyHeritage: Celebrity Collage - Family history research - Roots

Eden's Slide Show

Georgia's Slide Show

Toy Trains

Years ago my sister, Heather bought some electric train stuff at a yard sale of a friend of hers. She gave some of it to me. This week for the first time in years I got it out and have been tinkering around getting it to go. I have it set up on a partial sheet of plywood. Jan says Georgia will love it. Georgia enjoyed the one we saw at the tree farm where I was Santa last Sunday. Seeing that one is what started me thinking of setting mine up for Christmas. Rebekah asked about having the train go around our Christmas tree, but I don't think I have enough track and don't have things running well enough to be sure the engine wouldn't stop on the backside of the tree. So far it has been fun. When I get things going well, I'll put up a picture.

Does anyone (Sara?)know anything about fractals. I watched Nova on channel 18 last night and lost a lot of sleep thinking about them. So much so that I emailed a math professor I know and asked questions and gave my thoughts. I hope that is the end of it and I get some sleep tonight.

I went for a bike ride today after work. Rebekah had to come pick me up at the Clovis Hospital. I had a flat tire, only made a little over nine miles, Fowler Ave. to Sheppard to Tollhouse Road to the Hospital.

I put my bicycle back together today and went out for a little ride to the hardware store. The bike seems fine. Maybe I don't need another after all. I hope to be on it regularly again.

Cycling

I signed up to follow a blog today. Pushing Pedals is a blog by a young man who is riding his bicycle across the country.
I also have become a craigslist junkie. I have been looking for a road bike for myself.

Biking

Yesterday I joined some friends from Eagles Harbor Community Church for a bike ride. We left about 8:00 AM and rode a little over 35 miles up around Avacado Lake. It was my longest ride. I rode a Specialized Allez that belongs to fellow rider Gary Gerrard. My old Raleigh Grand Prix has a broken spoke. Next time we will try to get some others from Mountain View Church to join us.

Camping and Surfing

It was a great week of camping and surfing. I never got to my feet on my board but caught quite a few waves on my knees or belly. When I got home I reviewed some of the surf lessons online and have a better understanding now. Catching a wave and being at its mercy is awesome. I never quite felt that before on a boogie board.

Biking

I rode my bike to Woodward Park this morning. It was a nice ride. The trails there have me interested. It looks like a ride from the park to Lost Lake would be great. I think I'll try it. I'd like to get familiar with the trails on that side of town. Next time I'll drive over and start from Woodward.

Today on the way back I had a flat tire. Jan picked me up at Shepherd and Willow. It was 16.4 miles to that point which would have put me over 20 if I had made it home. I've been looking to do 20 miles, maybe next time.

Old Truck

I spent most of the afternoon at Shawn's working on the old truck. I got the rear axles pulled and they came out just as I had had been told by some friends. Then Shawn and I got the left rear axle seal out which is why we pulled the axles in the first place.

I'm trying to decide on what to do about the master cylinder. I think I got it cleaned out enough to put in a rebuild kit and reuse. There are some options including going with a dual master cylinder so the front and rear brakes are on two different systems which is a safety thing newer vehicles use. I'm thinking that if I can I'll go with the original just cuz.

Here are some interesting links that have been helpful with old truck info.
1948-51 Chevy Truck Shop Manual
1937 - 1960 Chevy Specifications & Restoration Info
The Stovebolt Page -- For Old GM - GMC - Chevy Trucks!

Yesterday and today I took my board to some friend's to practice. Today I waxed the board. It makes a big difference. The wax helps the board be less slippery. I found a website with some instruction and tips for newbie surfers. I've been trying to pull myself up on the board and then paddle.

Week of Surprises

I thought I couldn't be more surprised than I was when I saw the girls carrying a surfboard down the hall on Father's Day. Well I was wrong. Tuesday I was shocked to find out that my friend Shawn Nuefeld had gone to my brother's house in Chowchilla and brought home our dad's '51 Chevy Pickup for me. I guess it happened a month or two ago. Since then Shawn, Doug (my brother), Jan, the girls and all else involved have kept it a secret until I would be up to the Nuefeld's and be surprised. Well it sure worked. While I was visiting Tuesday evening, Emma (Shawn's daughter) invited me to go to the garage to see her bicycle. She and Josh (Shawn's son) escorted me though the utility room and Josh stepped aside letting me open the door, and there it was an old blue chevy truck.

Shawn and others (Matt rebuilt the carborator.) have been working on it and now I get to join them. Shawn says soon we'll be driving over to Humphrey's Station for a milkshake.

Here is a picture.
Here is another.

Here is another Board Picture.

Father's Day

Rebekah baked me a boysenberry pie for Father's Day from berries from our own backyard. It was delicious.












After dinner everyone surprised me with a surf board for a Father's Day present. I am still in shock about it. I have been talking about taking surfing lessons since last summer. We will be camping at the coast outside Santa Cruz the week of July 6th. I hope I can catch at least one wave. I'd like to hook up with the surf camp Wil and I saw last summer. They spend most of the year in Chile as missionaries and I haven't seen their web page updated for this summer yet. Well, having my own board will let us try it out on our own. I found some web sites to help novices get started. Here's one that has teaching videos. How to Wax a Surf Board | ExpertVillage Videos

When I got to the bus stop there were two guys with bikes waiting. So since I knew there is only room for two bikes on each bus, I rode home, up Cedar and then Barstow.

I rode my bicycle to work this morning. 12.4 miles, just over an hour. It was good. I plan on catching the bus to CSUF and riding home from there. I'd like to see how the bike racks on the buses work. Everybody loves my One Less Car shirt.

$4.38/gal

Sara gave me my Father's Day present today because she won't be here Sunday. It is this cool shirt.