three hundred fifty

MY FIRST CAR 

1963  CORVAIR MONZA

Mine didn't look like this one, this one has been nicely restored. The asking price sixty years later is 30 times what I paid for mine. Mine was used with 60,000 hard miles which was a lot in those days. It had a little rust, several putty filled dents and a half hearted coat of gray and rust brown primer paint.

I fell in love with it because it was rear engine, had a four speed floor shift manual transmission and four tires that held air. I can't remember which used car lot I bought it from but I think I paid $400 cash, my cash. 

In 1965 Ralph Nadar came out with is book "Unsafe at any speed" targeting the Chevy Corvair. Screw Ralph Nader!

In 1967 I was 16. I had a driver's license, a job bagging groceries and enough money to pay cash. My parents weren't thrilled but what could they say? I had to work Saturday, the day they delivered it with the temporary cardboard license plate. This was the longest work day of my life.

I got home and saw it in the driveway. I washed it inside and out, started it, checked the oil, looked through the manual and almost slept in it. No I didn't drive it because I had no idea how to drive a stick.

Sunday morning my best friend Rolf came over so we both sat in the car dreaming. Finally my dad came out to teach me how to drive stick. He leaned in the window, pointed at the clutch peddle, the numbers on the shifter knob and said push the clutch in to change gears. He said be careful then walked back into the house.

I guess I was expecting more. I looked at Rolf, started the engine, put it in gear, let out the clutch, stalled it, restarted the engine then hopped and jerked out of the driveway. Lucky for everyone the morning traffic is almost nonexistent on Sunday mornings in Ohio. I ground gears, stalled, screeched tires but finally I figured it out. I finally tasted the freedom of having my very own car.

The first couple weeks I was struggling to perfect my shifting but soon I got cocky. I finally over revved the engine and the fan belt popped off. The engine was air cooled so the cooling fan stopped. I was far away from home with no tools.

The engine was so hot I had to wait a half hour before I could touch anything. Finally I stretched the belt back over the fan fully and drove slowly back home.

From that point on I was aware if I over revved the engine the belt would come off. I carried tools, gloves. a new belt and belt dressing but this was always a problem.

My first winter of driving was a real learning experience. I had no collisions but I did spin it dozens of times. 

These were rear engine so the trunk was in the front. We went to the drive in, drag strip, the lake and any place that charged admission. I was the driver so Rolf was in the trunk. One time we actually got two guys in there.

This was my world, we smoked cigarettes, went on adventures, drove like a dare devil. I cheated death every night after work. My foot would shake on the peddles as adrenaline pumped through my body. I was young indestructible, irresponsible and foolish enough to take on every dare. 

My skills grew through trial and error and eventually mastered the full abilities of this car, I wanted something faster and better handling. My friends had muscle cars and were dying one by one. For one brief moment I realized my need for speed was going to kill me. 

I had been in a dozen wrecks as a passenger with my friends, most were minor collisions but three were pretty severe. I escaped with bumps and bruises and fled the scene of all three. This was to hide whatever was illegal to have in a car. We were always willing to help the police cut down on paper work.

The cars were all totaled and the cause of all three was defying the rules of physics. Driving too fast and missing a curve and hitting something. One was a telephone poll and the other was a house. The worse one was a roll over into a plowed field. Ironically no one was wearing seat belts.

My Corvair finally gave out after a down hill run where I hit 110 mph. I had three passengers and the highway was straight and steep, I could let it all hang out. This car was not designed for these speeds. The front end floated, the fan belt popped off and the engine sounded different after that. I has squeezed the life out of this old car, I knew something catastrophic was about to happen to the engine. I only drove it to work until I bought something more reliable.

1969 TRIUMPH SPITFIRE MARK 3

Looking back this was my first exposure to new car smell. This without a doubt was the coolest car I ever owned. If I had the money I would enjoy having one again.

Again I made a $500 down payment and borrowed $1500, my first car loan. I was a senior in high school. I worked full time as an apprentice meat cutter and had side jobs in the summer, so I made double and triple payments to pay it off quickly. I was responsible with my money but a complete idiot behind the wheel.

I eventually rolled it and actually got road scratches on the steering wheel. Another time I spun it into a high cement curb trashing two wire wheels and some major suspension damage. I road raced a few muscle cars. I got blown away on the straight aways but had the advantage on the tight country curves. 

Somehow I survived my first sports car. It took my next car to slow me down. I almost died like most of my friends. I am 71, much older then I ever imagined I would be. I survived for some reason I just hope I haven't wasted my life.

three hundred forty nine

THE MATRIX

There is plenty of talk about the Matrix today. The movie is a cult classic and now part of our pop culture, I refer to it often myself. The idea of living in a digital reality is becoming more then a possibility but in some circles a certainty. References to uploading our digital selves into a computer to become immortal has popped up in movies and television programing for many years. 

We have VR and amazing animation, deep fakes are almost impossible to detect, the Meta-verse simulates a digital world and AI is everywhere. I talked with customer support and for a few minutes thought I was actually talking with a real person. To someone who spent most of my life in a world of home phones, radio, paper maps, magnetic tape voice recording and video and broadcast analog television everything is amazing.

The next leap in technology maybe some sort of digital world but with smart phones, high speed internet and social media many have already crossed over. The technology will continue to get better and better to make things seem like reality but I believe the Matrix will always be flawed and a choice.

The movie portrays the difficulty of escaping the matrix. An army of digital G-men tracking down suspected rebels pop in and out of the matrix to capture the red pilled rebels. 

The idea that an entire civilization used as batteries to power the matrix is far fetched, but living in a programed reality is not. Not the complete programing of a physical reality but what we fear, lust for, hate, love and understand can be. 

A percentage have already surrendered to this so called matrix. They rely on government for their food, housing, health and safety. They are entertained by blinking and flashing games, live on delusions of fame and fortune and spend their lives following pop stars. 

They put their trust in the selected few that are smart, wise and always looking after their best interests. These leaders are happy to supply just enough crumbs to keep them quiet and docile. 

Some think being consumed by the matrix is inevitable or has already happened and they act like all is lost. I admit things are bad but the will to be free is in our blood. 

The rebels had the drive to endure the hardship of reality, I can't claim that is in my nature. As a recovering alcoholic the draw to live in an altered reality captured me for years. Once I tasted the serenity of reality I found the richness of life so I will never turn back.

The draw of escape is strong, the master plan is to make life so hopeless that checking out sounds comforting. Drug abuse, alcohol, sex, sports, gambling, suicide and escape entertainment are on the rise. 

Bread and Circuses

 Public trials and punishment of nonconformist, sound familiar?

This is not new, the masses have been controlled this way way before the internet. I believe the same percentage of people will fall prey to this trap and the same percentage will resist. Like it says in Ecclesiastes "There is nothing new under the sun".

Like the writer says the conclusion of the matter is "Fear God and keep his commandments". This struggle has gone on from the beginning so all is not lost. 

Living in reality is not easy, but today the so called puppet masters are becoming victims of their own devices. If you are awake the fight is on don't lose heart these are mere mortals.

Interesting video about the movie....LINK

three hundred forty eight

 1960 AMERICAN DECADENCE 

Chevrolet Impalla 

In my opinion this is the perfect American car. Yes the steering was vague, the suspension was floaty, the tires were unpredictable, power steering was experimental and the drum brakes worked really well once. Real steel, real chrome, big engine and a focus on style. They were not practical but that was not the point, these were land space ships.

Studebaker Hawk

The Studebaker company was based in South Bend. The designers seemed to have a lot of freedom to create futuristic designs. I think they were the most creative of all American car manufacturers. They went bankrupt and were purchased by Packard. Sadly this ended their over the top designs.

Lincoln Continental MarkV

The electric rear window was awesome but in the rain the mist from the road would wash in if someone opened a front window. A friend had one of these as a party car, it ended up in the Columbiana county fair demolition derby. Lincoln had several unique ideas.

Chrysler Imperial

Chrysler Imperials competed in the decadent market with this land cruiser. 

1960 Ford Thunderbird

Ford had a slightly smaller idea but only slightly. The T-Bird went though many changes over the years but they were always on the cutting edge of style.

1960 Pontiac Bonneville

My best friend's father had a red one, I went on a few double dates with him. I was glad he was driving.

1957 Dodge Coronet

1967 Plymouth Belvedere 

They were known for push button transmissions, power steering and power brakes but not in a good way. I learned to drive in our family car a 1957 Dodge Coronet and a 1967 Plymouth Belvedere in drivers ed. When my parents or the drivers ed teacher weren't paring attention I learned they both did really great gravel donuts, by accident.

There was one car that still captures a crowd at a car show the most decadent piece of Americana the 1959 Cadillac.

1959 Cadillac Coupe deVille

This car causes a stir wherever it goes. Even the most environmental nut will take a second look. This point in American history is often mocked by German touring car owners. They are not practical, environmentally friendly or fuel efficient but damn they are nothing but cool.

I'm a car guy and I like black cars if you haven't noticed. I love drooling over these expensive toys when ever I see one but owning one is way out of my range. 

Don't get me wrong Europe has produced some amazing cars.

Jaguar XKE V12

Citroen DS 19

Both of these are ahead of their time technology particularly the Citroen. They went a much different direction when it comes to styling but they just lack that cheesy over the top American obnoxious flamboyant quality. 

Gas was 30 cents a gallon and the traffic in rural Ohio was light. There was nothing like a Sunday drive through the country side with mom and dad in the front seat and big brother me and our dog in the back seat. We had an entire playroom to wrestle and play the "he touched me first" game. There were no headrests to block my dad's right arm back hand slap but we could duck and dodge because there were no seatbelts to hold us in place. 

We drove by the lake to say hello to grandpa on the way to get a Dairy Queen ice cream or 15 cent McDonald's hamburger. I know we were foolish not to strap our kids down but it was a different time. I remember hanging my head out of the window feeling the wind rattle my cheeks so when I see a dog doing this today at least I know why.

I notice many Americans are ashamed and many Europeans are smug but I am unapologetically proud of every pound of chrome. There will never be another car celebration like the 1960's.  

three hundred forty seven

 

I keep up with the news but I refuse to be controlled by it. By design the so called news wants to control our emotions. Every story is shaped to stir our fears, undermine trust and divide us. Every story is shaped to sway opinion, indoctrinate and demonize long standing values. Up is now down, black is now white and right is now wrong. Racism has been revived, hatred and bigotry have been redefined and mob rule is controlling our speech.

For decades I heard demands from these same people for peace and love, harmony and justice and freedom to do what they want. Today these same people support wars, injustice and oppose freedom. I heard about the sacred right of the first amendment, the honor of civil disobedience and the absolute privacy of the bedroom. Time has passed and ironically their values have changed. The abuse of power, propaganda and bullying have now been twisted into virtues. 

Unfortunately a combination of isolation and propaganda has taken a toll. The whole world has gone mad according to the media, anyone who opposes the current opinion is slandered. The average citizen has been labeled a victim or oppressor, intelligence is determined by geography and the proper opinion is ever evolving. Words are conveniently redefined, history is rewritten and everything is impending environmental doom. 

This all sounds hopeless but remember a big mouth with a bull horn may not represent the majority of opinion. Yes the press, movies, made for TV programing and social media have a giant megaphone but a silent majority is still there but open censorship, criminalizing opinion and assigning racial motives does have a chilling effect. In spite of this I'm convinced the average citizen operates on an old fashioned sense of right and wrong.

I believe poking the bear is a bad plan. Lie to us, call us names, try to silence us but don't screw with our kids and the safety of our families. I believe they have already gone too far, the bear is waking up and is really pissed off.

I have not been on the road lately to take the pulse of our nation. On my bike trips I talked with them, ate with them and camped in their yards. I saw the people who simply want to live their lives, build something and raise their children to be good people and citizens. I imagine not much has changed.

All is not lost the pendulum will swing. Most of what is happening makes no sense because it opposes natural law. Our founding documents take into account natural law because it is ingrained in every human. 

The changes they are attempting to make are built on sand and have no foundation. You don't have to be old like me to understand natural law, we all have a basic common sense understanding. They have attempted to hijack phrases like common sense, fundamental freedoms and fundamental fairness. 

They say these things but their actions just don't match what they say. You can spin a convincing tale, use the forces of pier pressure and attempt to silence common sense but natural law doesn't come to us through the media. 

People are not stupid they can be miss lead but eventually when things get really ridiculous the lights come on. In the mean time, stay informed but do not wallow in it. We need to be clear headed and healthy. Don't buy into the name calling, worry about being popular or lose hope and check out. Live your life and enjoy your life.

three hundred forty six

 

BEND OREGON WINTER

Bend Oregon

3560 feet above sea level

Sunrise 7:20

Sunset 4:29

Annual averages for Bend, the mountains get much more snow.

Rain fall 11 inches

Snow fall 43 inches

High temperature average 60F

Low temperature average 30F

Average annual sunny days 158

Bend is located in the center of Oregon. If you drive south you drive through amazing pine forests. This is where Crater lake is located.

If you drive east, you drive through high desert and rolling hills mostly out of cell phone range. There are only a few small towns for fuel and food between Bend and Ontario on the Idaho border.

Drive north the landscape changes from Juniper tree high desert, amazing canyon landscapes and winding forest mountain roads.

Driving east you drive over a snow covered mountain pass then into a lush forest ending at a rocky ocean coast line.

I enjoy the seasonal changes but winter is way too long. It has been cold and overcast for weeks now. The streets are clear but riding my scooter is still uncomfortably cold. If I do go out it gets dark way too soon plus the temperatures drop below freezing so there may be ice.

Don't get me wrong I love this amazing state but a few more warm months and an extra hour of daylight wouldn't hurt. 

Spring will be here soon, flowers, trees and grass will grow. The days will be longer and the sun will warm my bones.