tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4658784163725412182024-03-19T00:32:16.465-04:00Bucky's RideLearning to ride a sport motorcycle at middle age, then touring the local sights.Buckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05008065046166806739noreply@blogger.comBlogger303125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-465878416372541218.post-81529344420366567622023-07-04T10:42:00.001-04:002023-07-04T10:49:33.580-04:00July 4
<p> .</p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;"><b>Read through this very important posting. It will only take a few minutes. </b></span> </span></p><p> </p><p>Today is a great day in the history of the United States, but we may not thoroughly understand its meaning.<br />
<br />This article, from the <a href="https://www.heritage.org/" target="_blank">Heritage Foundation</a> blog, explains: <br />
<br />
</p><div id="BlogTitle" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>America, the Great Beacon of Liberty</b></span></div>
<div id="BlogDate" style="text-align: center;">
Posted By <u>Israel Ortega</u> On July 2, 2011</div>
<div id="BlogContent">
<br />
<blockquote style="color: blue;">
<i>The signing of the <a href="http://www.heritage.org/research/reports/2007/06/independence-forever-why-america-celebrates-the-fourth-of-july" target="_blank">Declaration of Independence</a>
was a glorious day for our country’s history. With a stroke of a pen,
our founders sealed an enduring document representing the triumph of
liberty over tyranny. And yet, centuries after this, one of the most
important events in our country’s history, it’s easy to gloss over the
Fourth of July as just another holiday.<br /><br />To appreciate why our
independence from the British crown is not only a cause worth
celebrating, but also defending, we must remember what our founding
fathers fought and died for.<br /><br />As the history books tell us, our
country’s struggle for independence was not easy. Besides being clearly
outnumbered and lacking an organized army, the world looked skeptically
at our cause. In a world where kingdoms and monarchies were the norm,
the idea that governments must derive their just powers from the consent
of the governed was indeed revolutionary. In short, the prevailing
wisdom was that mankind could not govern itself. <br /><br />And yet,
thousands upon thousands of American colonists joined the fight for
independence despite the seemingly insurmountable odds. What compelled
so many to fight, knowing that they could easily perish against the
greatest naval power of the day?<br /><br />Perhaps one of the most
revealing answers to this question was given by Captain Levi Preston, a
Revolutionary War veteran, decades after the fight for independence. In
historian Matthew Spalding’s book “Why We Still Hold These Truths,” we
learn that Captain Preston was not motivated to fight because of the
Stamp Act or after reading the writings of John Locke. Instead, Captain
Scott responded, “…What we meant in going for those redcoats was this:
we always had governed ourselves, and we always meant to. They didn’t
mean we should.”<br /><br />This pithy but powerful sentiment conveys man’s
strong, simple desire to live free — and helps explain why we have
always been skeptical of being told what to do.<br /><br />Of course,
summoning the will to fight is one thing, but agreeing to tough it out
when the surroundings are bleak is a distinctly different proposition.
And yet that’s precisely what every soldier in the revolutionary army
did as they faced the elements, lost limbs, shed blood and went for days
without food — all for the cause of independence and freedom. As Thomas
Paine so eloquently put it, “These are the times that try men’s souls.”<br /><br />And
in one of the most remarkable expressions of blind determination and
bravery, the man who would later become our first president would lead
an expedition on the choppy and icy waters of the Delaware River to
capture and kill nearly 1,000 Hessians in the Battle of Trenton.<br /><br />This
scene was far removed from the hot and humid Assembly Room in
Philadelphia where our Founding Father’s first gathered to sign the
Declaration of Independence on that fourth day of July, 1776. We
celebrate this day, and not other decisive days in our country’s fight
for independence — and yet they are no less significant.<br /><br />The
ideas embodied in the Declaration of Independence are worth celebrating
and defending, particularly today. All around us, we are witnessing an
insidious encroachment on our liberties by an ever-more intrusive and
far-reaching federal government that promises us the world.</i></blockquote>
<blockquote style="color: blue;">
<i>On this Fourth of July, let’s pause to reflect on our country’s
anniversary of independence, but also its struggle. And let us remember
that at that heart of what makes our country is exceptional is our
country’s founding, rooted in the triumph of liberty over tyranny.</i></blockquote>
</div>
<div id="BlogContent">
<br />
Israel Ortega is the Editor of <a href="http://www.libertad.org/" target="_blank">Heritage Libertad</a>, the Spanish language page of The <a href="http://www.heritage.org/" target="_blank">Heritage Foundation</a>.<br /></div>
<hr class="Divider" style="text-align: center;" /><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /><br />Here is the lesson for today: </b></span><br /></p><p>Our current political leaders have mostly forgotten how our country was formed and why it is the very best place to live for everyone who lives here. </p><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><p>Our country was founded on individual freedoms and the rule of law. </p><p>Sadly leftists have ruined everything that they have touched. <br /></p>Free speech<br />Right to bear arms<br />Schools<br />Universities<br />Sexuality<br />Marriage<br />Sports<br />Religion<br />Legal system<br />Immigration<br />Healthcare<br />Medicine politicized<br />Television, radio<br />Social media<br />Energy<br /> <p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: large;">Well, <a href="https://www.nationalreview.com/2018/04/left-ruins-everything-it-touches/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">read it here from someone who can state it far</a> better than I. </span></span><br /><br />Fight the leftists, or we will further lose our great freedoms. <br /></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p> </p><hr class="Divider" style="text-align: center;" />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Enjoy your holiday...<br />.</b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>...and your precious, but dwindling freedom. </b></div><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p><br /></p>Buckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05008065046166806739noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-465878416372541218.post-80364325325746060172022-09-18T20:28:00.001-04:002022-09-18T20:28:23.907-04:00I'm Still Around<br>
If you have been wondering where I went, I am still alive and kicking. I just have had so much going on that I have not had nearly enough time to ride. Retirement can be like that, I'm told. It almost seems that I am busier now than when I was still working, now some eight years ago.
<br><br>
Mostly, I have been riding on familiar roads to favorite places not too far from home.
<br><br>
The South Carolina Tag Games on the ADVRider forum are fairly frequent places where I participate. It is sometimes a challenge to find the tags either in the entire state of South Carolina or just in the upstate.
<br><br>
If you are in the area, join in the fun. Enter -- advrider sc tag o rama -- into your search engine and you should find both SC tag games.
<br><br>
I hope to see you on the road soon.
<br><br>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<p>.</p><p> <br /></p>
Buckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05008065046166806739noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-465878416372541218.post-44669918697998966682021-11-11T11:13:00.003-05:002021-11-11T11:16:20.909-05:00Thank a Veteran Today and Take Control of our Country Again<p><b>.</b></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Veterans Day</b></span><br />
<br />World War I – known at the time as “The Great War” - officially ended
when the Treaty of Versailles was signed on June 28, 1919, in the
Palace of Versailles outside the town of Versailles, France. However,
fighting had ceased seven months earlier when an armistice, or temporary
cessation of hostilities, between the Allied nations and Germany went
into effect on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh
month. For that reason, November 11, 1918, is generally regarded as the
end of the Great War. </p><p>In November 1919, President Wilson proclaimed November 11 as the first
commemoration of Armistice Day with the following words: "To us in
America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn
pride in the heroism of those who died in the country’s service and with
gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has
freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show
her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nations…"<br />
</p><p><br />Veterans Day continues to be observed on November 11. Every day, but especially on this day, we should be thankful to those who fought for our country. Today is a celebration to honor America's
veterans for their patriotism, love of country, and willingness to serve
and sacrifice for the common good.</p><p>Our culture has changed dramatically over the last 100 years, but especially so in the last year. Our federal, state, and local politicians and those who have net been elected to office, are ruining the country our military fought to establish and to perpetuate. This is shameful. </p><p>Our schools have not taught real history, and the Internet has become a cesspool of misinformation and removal of truth. </p><p>So, if you value what freedom we have left, thank a vet, then relentlessly write, phone, and email those in office to let them know that we are not going to stand for any more of this destruction. After that, vote for the most conservative people on the ballot to reverse this mess we are in. <br /></p><p>
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<br /><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">. </span>Buckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05008065046166806739noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-465878416372541218.post-121936477050334832021-07-04T17:36:00.005-04:002021-12-02T16:13:21.844-05:00Independence Day Lessons<p> .</p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;"><b>Read through this very important posting. It will only take a few minutes. </b></span> </span></p><p> </p><p>Today is a great day in the history of the United States, but we may not thoroughly understand its meaning.<br />
<br />This article, from the <a href="https://www.heritage.org/" target="_blank">Heritage Foundation</a> blog, explains: <br />
<br />
</p><div id="BlogTitle" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>America, the Great Beacon of Liberty</b></span></div>
<div id="BlogDate" style="text-align: center;">
Posted By <u>Israel Ortega</u> On July 2, 2011</div>
<div id="BlogContent">
<br />
<blockquote style="color: blue;">
<i>The signing of the <a href="http://www.heritage.org/research/reports/2007/06/independence-forever-why-america-celebrates-the-fourth-of-july" target="_blank">Declaration of Independence</a>
was a glorious day for our country’s history. With a stroke of a pen,
our founders sealed an enduring document representing the triumph of
liberty over tyranny. And yet, centuries after this, one of the most
important events in our country’s history, it’s easy to gloss over the
Fourth of July as just another holiday.<br /><br />To appreciate why our
independence from the British crown is not only a cause worth
celebrating, but also defending, we must remember what our founding
fathers fought and died for.<br /><br />As the history books tell us, our
country’s struggle for independence was not easy. Besides being clearly
outnumbered and lacking an organized army, the world looked skeptically
at our cause. In a world where kingdoms and monarchies were the norm,
the idea that governments must derive their just powers from the consent
of the governed was indeed revolutionary. In short, the prevailing
wisdom was that mankind could not govern itself. <br /><br />And yet,
thousands upon thousands of American colonists joined the fight for
independence despite the seemingly insurmountable odds. What compelled
so many to fight, knowing that they could easily perish against the
greatest naval power of the day?<br /><br />Perhaps one of the most
revealing answers to this question was given by Captain Levi Preston, a
Revolutionary War veteran, decades after the fight for independence. In
historian Matthew Spalding’s book “Why We Still Hold These Truths,” we
learn that Captain Preston was not motivated to fight because of the
Stamp Act or after reading the writings of John Locke. Instead, Captain
Scott responded, “…What we meant in going for those redcoats was this:
we always had governed ourselves, and we always meant to. They didn’t
mean we should.”<br /><br />This pithy but powerful sentiment conveys man’s
strong, simple desire to live free — and helps explain why we have
always been skeptical of being told what to do.<br /><br />Of course,
summoning the will to fight is one thing, but agreeing to tough it out
when the surroundings are bleak is a distinctly different proposition.
And yet that’s precisely what every soldier in the revolutionary army
did as they faced the elements, lost limbs, shed blood and went for days
without food — all for the cause of independence and freedom. As Thomas
Paine so eloquently put it, “These are the times that try men’s souls.”<br /><br />And
in one of the most remarkable expressions of blind determination and
bravery, the man who would later become our first president would lead
an expedition on the choppy and icy waters of the Delaware River to
capture and kill nearly 1,000 Hessians in the Battle of Trenton.<br /><br />This
scene was far removed from the hot and humid Assembly Room in
Philadelphia where our Founding Father’s first gathered to sign the
Declaration of Independence on that fourth day of July, 1776. We
celebrate this day, and not other decisive days in our country’s fight
for independence — and yet they are no less significant.<br /><br />The
ideas embodied in the Declaration of Independence are worth celebrating
and defending, particularly today. All around us, we are witnessing an
insidious encroachment on our liberties by an ever-more intrusive and
far-reaching federal government that promises us the world.</i></blockquote>
<blockquote style="color: blue;">
<i>On this Fourth of July, let’s pause to reflect on our country’s
anniversary of independence, but also its struggle. And let us remember
that at that heart of what makes our country is exceptional is our
country’s founding, rooted in the triumph of liberty over tyranny.</i></blockquote>
</div>
<div id="BlogContent">
<br />
Israel Ortega is the Editor of <a href="http://www.libertad.org/" target="_blank">Heritage Libertad</a>, the Spanish language page of The <a href="http://www.heritage.org/" target="_blank">Heritage Foundation</a>.<br /></div>
<hr class="Divider" style="text-align: center;" /><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /><br />Here is the lesson for today: </b></span><br /></p><p>Our current political leaders have mostly forgotten how our country was formed and why it is the very best place to live for everyone who lives here. </p><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><p>Our country was founded on individual freedoms and the rule of law. </p><p>Sadly leftists have ruined everything that they have touched. <br /></p>Free speech<br />Right to bear arms<br />Schools<br />Universities<br />Sexuality<br />Marriage<br />Sports<br />Religion<br />Legal system<br />Immigration<br />Healthcare<br />Medicine politicized<br />Television, radio<br />Social media<br />Energy<br /> <p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: large;">Well, <a href="https://www.nationalreview.com/2018/04/left-ruins-everything-it-touches/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">read it here from someone who can state it far</a> better than I. </span></span><br /><br />Fight the leftists, or we will further lose our great freedoms. <br /></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p> </p><hr class="Divider" style="text-align: center;" />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHQoE5x1IfSbVhNby2OrDXhnzSjYh-X6dsyu1GaQAb2qhjXC-ej2WSRqP6CKmG01mMzMJAeY67zF1eoRho6uejCs5UQZIvNgkAK6n-C_vhgykluI5FngKY8Ab1qKPYPFuprzM2e13-Kxkj/s1600-h/Waving_Flag_small.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340210391824393234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHQoE5x1IfSbVhNby2OrDXhnzSjYh-X6dsyu1GaQAb2qhjXC-ej2WSRqP6CKmG01mMzMJAeY67zF1eoRho6uejCs5UQZIvNgkAK6n-C_vhgykluI5FngKY8Ab1qKPYPFuprzM2e13-Kxkj/s1600/Waving_Flag_small.jpg" style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt;" /></a></div>
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<br />
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<br />
<br />
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<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Enjoy your holiday...<br />.</b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>...and your precious, but dwindling freedom. </b></div><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p><b><span style="font-size: large;">Further Reading: </span></b></p><a href="https://www.blogger.com/#">A History of Independence Day</a><br /><a href="https://www.blogger.com/#">Independence -- What Did It Mean to the Ones Who Founded Our Country?</a><br /><a href="https://www.blogger.com/#">Happy 4th of July!</a><br /><a href="https://www.blogger.com/#">Celebrate!</a><br /><a href="https://www.blogger.com/#">God Bless America</a><br /><h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></h3><h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name"><span style="font-weight: normal;"></span></h3><h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
</span></h3><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Buckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05008065046166806739noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-465878416372541218.post-43316817024020670172021-01-26T12:25:00.005-05:002021-01-26T12:33:57.975-05:00Back in the Saddle After a Too-Long Break<p> .</p><p>I went for a ride on my Ninja earlier this week. </p><p>I had not been out for more than five weeks. </p><p>What was I doing?, you might ask. </p><p>Well, there was Christmas, putting up and taking down decorations, and having family in. Also, having fun with the presents I gave and received (no <a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2010/12/early-christmas-morning-ride.html" target="_blank">coal in my stocking</a> this year). Then there was the cold and wet weather. That usually doesn't bother me, but I must be getting old or something, 'cause I felt more like staying in than bundling up for the cold. ...and I don't ride when it is wet, unless I am caught in it. I also went for several hikes, with friends and without, into the mountains and foothills of the Blue Ridge Escarpment not far north of where I live. Along this escarpment, the high Blue Ridge Mountains drop dramatically to the
piedmont (foot of the mountains) areas. In some places, the drop is more than 3,000 feet and is
quite a sight to see. The Escarpment is why there are so many twisty mountain roads near here. <br /></p><p>This past Monday, the weather was about 40 degrees in the morning, and the sky was almost devoid of clouds. So, I ventured forth. I dressed for the weather as I usually do. <a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2009/11/dressing-for-cold-weather-riding.html" target="_blank">I have this pretty much down pat</a> these days, so I wasn't cold, for the most part. </p><p>My bike fires right up after its hiatus, and it warms up and runs without flaw. I like that. It having covered almost 75,000 miles, it runs as it did when I bought it with a thousand miles on the clock. There have only been <a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2018/11/stator-battery-and-front-tire.html" target="_blank">a few mechanical issues</a>, all able to be wrenched on by me in my garage. Fortunately, I have been able to get home each time something went wring, though the fuel pump failing was a close one, requiring me to limp back to the paddock. <br /></p><p>Today, I go from home in Easley to nearby Pickens South Carolina via a neat little curvy passage called Rice Road. It parallels SC-8, but is much more fun. Then I go to the west end of town onto Shady Grove Road, and wind my way to SC-133. A buddy says there is a place to hike just south of SC-11, and across the road from Keowee-Toxaway State Park, so I mark the spot in my memory as I pass by for a future time out. </p><p></p><p>As I motor along, I find that I have lost a little of my skill in curves and in coordinating shifts. This comes back pretty quickly, though, and feel as confident as I did before the five-week pause in the action. I have read about and talked to some other riders who have the same problem of deteriorating skills after an <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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</xml><![endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">interruption</span> of a few weeks. Those who live where winter prevents riding must surely have the most trouble with this. Fortunately, the Upstate of South Carolina has a climate where it is possible to ride almost all winter long. I do note that the cold makes my clutch cable a little stiffer than usual, but nothing else seems much different from the way it is in warmer weather. </p><p>I turn left on <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Carolina_Highway_11" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">South Carolina Route 11</a>, which is the almost-straight road that makes it easy to go from east to west along here. I stop for a break in the picnic area at Keowee-Toxaway State Park. I forget to turn off my GoPro, so [almost] the whole thing is documented. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQUKrzf4ZkUQLdj18aPA7ZCr73IBZyP-6usaKCPt3nIuKgJEwSRVonLX6CkwOTSPvDc9ryUY4dGcDHc21akwu-01PISEGpIvgAUZGCNkAeBBB78quBQOvVRdL15hSAFyLrS1jw01JNMXPs/s1280/GP010345-007.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQUKrzf4ZkUQLdj18aPA7ZCr73IBZyP-6usaKCPt3nIuKgJEwSRVonLX6CkwOTSPvDc9ryUY4dGcDHc21akwu-01PISEGpIvgAUZGCNkAeBBB78quBQOvVRdL15hSAFyLrS1jw01JNMXPs/s320/GP010345-007.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p>Back out to SC-11. You have to pay attention to the speed limit on this road, because they patrol quite frequently, sometimes on motorcycles. I putter along toward the west to SC-130 and turn right. This road is mostly sweepers and is <a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2019/03/speaking-of-waterfalls-this-is-my.html" target="_blank">one of my favorites</a> -- not too challenging, but enough so that it is fun to ride. There is little traffic today. I climb a bit in elevation here, the temperature is slightly cooler, and I see that there is snow in the grass along the road in the shady places. It was a little below freezing over night, so there could be ice on the road, but I don't see any, though I am careful just in case. <br /></p><p>I cross into North Carolina and almost immediately turn into the Whitewater Falls parking lot. The falls is one of my favorite places to ride because of the nice curves, the generally good road surface, and the falls that is a nice place to look at he scenery (after a half-mile walk from the parking lot). The falls parking lot has another place to take a break, and they have very nice motorcycle rider hand warmers in their restrooms. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXPL5MDjOQ6Ash4wsrxyYzS-I2L3pEYZtKYeXi5ssOK8aMzYLNJVn5BRyqfv5kFkU3nt3Oa9RtuhokuntTfnOIwB9L23xOZHzJVdfXI_9N7raGV9rgTG0m8_vKSnwEt2XO9eLQkDM7RKtG/s640/P1090851.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXPL5MDjOQ6Ash4wsrxyYzS-I2L3pEYZtKYeXi5ssOK8aMzYLNJVn5BRyqfv5kFkU3nt3Oa9RtuhokuntTfnOIwB9L23xOZHzJVdfXI_9N7raGV9rgTG0m8_vKSnwEt2XO9eLQkDM7RKtG/s320/P1090851.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />There are at least three ways to use these hand warmers: On your gloved hands, on your ungloved hands, and blowing into your gloves before you put them back on. I use methods two and three. <br /><p></p><p>I can't resist taking a picture of my ride as I come out again. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSZpJEjILBqWSx1LAyoS1YMF2RHaaeWcgnMxDf2IYjQ5szUq2cxf9X2LS_sjafIMhJF0q56bzotdPNepG2Vv0MG-_XiTXA8B_e8R9habHyUvWKXGIpyLa6wsbFX0Ow0tdlqtXc0faMuSV8/s640/P1090845.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="541" data-original-width="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSZpJEjILBqWSx1LAyoS1YMF2RHaaeWcgnMxDf2IYjQ5szUq2cxf9X2LS_sjafIMhJF0q56bzotdPNepG2Vv0MG-_XiTXA8B_e8R9habHyUvWKXGIpyLa6wsbFX0Ow0tdlqtXc0faMuSV8/s320/P1090845.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEVeVi6-hjjMsVbq8KPClnuONSIbS7IYALIMqNVTcvQ_lG1gPwwieRbXQZj4S6HFkhpuPk9s0UVKmc8GDhgCacKMnQXkDCGQ4YHR8iWUhVVXqSc3j3RvPADPLmFTjKnOGJg5J15URMbDKg/s640/P1090846.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="253" data-original-width="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEVeVi6-hjjMsVbq8KPClnuONSIbS7IYALIMqNVTcvQ_lG1gPwwieRbXQZj4S6HFkhpuPk9s0UVKmc8GDhgCacKMnQXkDCGQ4YHR8iWUhVVXqSc3j3RvPADPLmFTjKnOGJg5J15URMbDKg/s320/P1090846.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />Note that I have installed my fleece-lined <a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2010/03/dressing-for-cold-weather-riding-take.html" target="_blank">Hippo Hands</a> for the winter, over my <a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2009/11/dressing-for-cold-weather-riding.html" target="_blank">heated grips</a> so my tender little hands don't get cold. The combination of these two make it comfortable to ride down to about freezing temperatures. <p></p><p>I start up and go just a short distance south and turn into the <a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2009/12/dual-sporting-again.html" target="_blank">Bad Creek Pumped Storage Facility</a> access road. Near the end, just before the gate that keeps you from continuing down to the powerhouse (don't be riding too fast -- the gate is around a blind curve), the overlook onto Lake Jocassee provides a nice place to view Lower Whitewater Falls and a good part of the lake </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfN9zhrv_Bot54C1EeW4fj82ecMCuRS9YXjv59_Yrg-i6Bz2ZP35v2OCXw0JmqZVbugcHmoiCiiEnSz__HQH9dEteh6FNw4QOfGOnr0tDEpJYHHuGXFz_Ace8DGifergPHx6DwzEHkt5Fe/s640/Copy+of+P1090852.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="442" data-original-width="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfN9zhrv_Bot54C1EeW4fj82ecMCuRS9YXjv59_Yrg-i6Bz2ZP35v2OCXw0JmqZVbugcHmoiCiiEnSz__HQH9dEteh6FNw4QOfGOnr0tDEpJYHHuGXFz_Ace8DGifergPHx6DwzEHkt5Fe/s320/Copy+of+P1090852.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p>I linger for a few minutes, take a few pictures, then go. I feel daring today, so I ride right off the curb from the sidewalk instead of going back to the ramp from the parking lot. <br /></p><p>Once I reach SC-130, I turn south again, then after a short distance, turn off to the right onto the Wigington Byway. This is a <a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2009/07/a-very-short-road-with-nice-surprise.html" target="_blank">short road with a nice surprise</a> -- a scenic overlook onto Lake Jocassee. <br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigisdk8y1v7GoFV2G6pNyq4PX58y1NW7Msyr7pva82M4qbRAwRHOm8m2kkAzwskk39acPDSDn2Mr3JRwoHaBDUEk2lvQU4hq8COPbWrWkyImCiIBgp-91VPhP5m6Dbvs9b3JnxDP8_V71T/s640/P1090857.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="427" data-original-width="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigisdk8y1v7GoFV2G6pNyq4PX58y1NW7Msyr7pva82M4qbRAwRHOm8m2kkAzwskk39acPDSDn2Mr3JRwoHaBDUEk2lvQU4hq8COPbWrWkyImCiIBgp-91VPhP5m6Dbvs9b3JnxDP8_V71T/s320/P1090857.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirDzMMCYRDNsqzohTSwSHcsRzLleLL7Jw4GkktMJ-Rf_CAt_MqSERhKrv_T3niZd4wnOowAxisRaiCSZsDlygctQgGY39Xn22VGrzRuXDy7Fp963m209VcZKFr0owIdhk7iGBHvNKeY0FC/s640/P1090858.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="226" data-original-width="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirDzMMCYRDNsqzohTSwSHcsRzLleLL7Jw4GkktMJ-Rf_CAt_MqSERhKrv_T3niZd4wnOowAxisRaiCSZsDlygctQgGY39Xn22VGrzRuXDy7Fp963m209VcZKFr0owIdhk7iGBHvNKeY0FC/s320/P1090858.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />After the requisite pictures of the bike and the view, I head back on the Byway to SC-130 again. I turn right and again enjoy going through the sweet sweepers, again without much traffic to interfere with my ride. <br /><p></p><p>I turn left on SC-11, and go all the way to US-178. I turn right and ride back to Pickens, then onto Rice Road again, and home. There is one other two-wheeled soul out today -- the only one I have seen. We pass one another on this stretch. He gives a hearty wave to me as we pass. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIOIsIqSqRlzEayt-38L302GzBn0YxLapuTsyfmXkJLRFyOxAd-o7kS-Ce6tRJmbxr1Y9rfVqg29eUo68jRnKW3daMF6__wPH-rWcfUaHR1VXDnknsZ31PpYj1qDDItMyShDR5uDdh0nFL/s856/GP020345-002.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="772" data-original-width="856" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIOIsIqSqRlzEayt-38L302GzBn0YxLapuTsyfmXkJLRFyOxAd-o7kS-Ce6tRJmbxr1Y9rfVqg29eUo68jRnKW3daMF6__wPH-rWcfUaHR1VXDnknsZ31PpYj1qDDItMyShDR5uDdh0nFL/s320/GP020345-002.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />I like that. I don't know him, and will likely never meet him, but I fancy the idea of being a part of a group who doesn't necessarily wait for perfect riding conditions to enjoy the roads. By the way, his bike looks strange to me in the photo. It almost looks like a naked sportbike with a chopper front fork arrangement. Maybe it is the distortion caused by the GoPro lens. ...or, maybe he is a motorcycle innovator! <br /><p></p><p>Before I get home, I take a few minutes to do some low speed turns in a cul-de-sac nearby, and some lane swerves on the road back home. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgICEZiYkN3pXx_9EEHefzrMbGzSnKlGG64shjp66NhKGq8134pVBFxeD58t_kp8lNX9a89DwjAykywhCbYUxkFl495QGGxzwTfO0CnK2SWbIxzmLsMcnFRtC_5W7-z2_tqegGfeb1D4Lmt/s1280/GP030345_low+speed+practice-002.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgICEZiYkN3pXx_9EEHefzrMbGzSnKlGG64shjp66NhKGq8134pVBFxeD58t_kp8lNX9a89DwjAykywhCbYUxkFl495QGGxzwTfO0CnK2SWbIxzmLsMcnFRtC_5W7-z2_tqegGfeb1D4Lmt/s320/GP030345_low+speed+practice-002.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPlpZpaQG87kS4wew1YEWrB-g7VSjOnjhe4ONbu1J7yRBFF5keqiaN-snKjKI91OQUaBCA9TOvr6ODjqmgsa06m098m9FYJJAkLz2_jIO75z-D_CjucFiKDG0WbnTaMDlJZ6Liz-uEoAPr/s1280/GP030345_low+speed+practice.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPlpZpaQG87kS4wew1YEWrB-g7VSjOnjhe4ONbu1J7yRBFF5keqiaN-snKjKI91OQUaBCA9TOvr6ODjqmgsa06m098m9FYJJAkLz2_jIO75z-D_CjucFiKDG0WbnTaMDlJZ6Liz-uEoAPr/s320/GP030345_low+speed+practice.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>I often do this to help keep my balance and maneuvering skills sharper. The slow speed turns also help with clutch feathering and rear brake control. <br /></p><p>I reach home, look at my trip odometer, and find that I have ridden 111 miles today, and it feels good to have been out after so long a break. </p><p></p><p>Here is a map of the ride from home to the furthest points of interest. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMM93oncTjO1SWtDC39vK_wwxc9YXVnRhZb_cobWRxLrMM7WPXp-q_9Vav7eSRgOWpYd8F2Jgem853tya9NpMADw1nD7Z54aKr8SuJQpRGijLL8IOHEmvWVBdkRDbRQucA_0Tx24NNlgZq/s1440/Easley+to+Wigington+Memorial+Highway%252C+State+Rd+.bmp.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="752" data-original-width="1440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMM93oncTjO1SWtDC39vK_wwxc9YXVnRhZb_cobWRxLrMM7WPXp-q_9Vav7eSRgOWpYd8F2Jgem853tya9NpMADw1nD7Z54aKr8SuJQpRGijLL8IOHEmvWVBdkRDbRQucA_0Tx24NNlgZq/s320/Easley+to+Wigington+Memorial+Highway%252C+State+Rd+.bmp.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Easley,+SC/Pickens,+South+Carolina+29671/Keowee+Toxaway+State+Park/35.0295022,-83.0163066/Visitor+Overlook/35.0009975,-83.0440084/@34.9490941,-82.8477995,12z/data=!4m28!4m27!1m5!1m1!1s0x8858480e78ae0dbb:0xe1d4aa7f5adf7eae!2m2!1d-82.6015206!2d34.829838!1m5!1m1!1s0x88584c8898d7db65:0x57d7db7edcc17051!2m2!1d-82.7073573!2d34.8834489!1m5!1m1!1s0x885855c30e00edaf:0x24be8d6f5fb9b25e!2m2!1d-82.886444!2d34.931888!1m0!1m5!1m1!1s0x8858fe0a4791371b:0x627990e99e63964c!2m2!1d-82.9912565!2d34.9947638!1m0!3e0" target="_blank">Click on this link</a> for the online map.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p>Mental note to Bucky: Don't wait so long to ride again. It has been too long. </p><p>. <br /></p><p>
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<p>.</p><p> <br /></p>Buckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05008065046166806739noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-465878416372541218.post-48012363783894106882020-12-12T17:00:00.001-05:002020-12-12T17:09:41.372-05:00You Should Have Had the Opportunity to Decide<p> .</p><p>Consider the following carefully:</p><p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZHa_sF6Qqx0AtwjewX4EKsrK2kx84vOnOm_tGHYi0iOBdBNnjUyvoVBThv0giAteal2UPAkrqmWml3BIP_UMpqq6uGRvdfK2ZrkXh2qUk9xXpDlbclQJVffIzCFOJmH3ClN2UKIUm9vq2/s2048/Pollitidcal+Future+2020+Election.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1482" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZHa_sF6Qqx0AtwjewX4EKsrK2kx84vOnOm_tGHYi0iOBdBNnjUyvoVBThv0giAteal2UPAkrqmWml3BIP_UMpqq6uGRvdfK2ZrkXh2qUk9xXpDlbclQJVffIzCFOJmH3ClN2UKIUm9vq2/w290-h400/Pollitidcal+Future+2020+Election.jpg" width="290" /></a><br /></p><p> Click <a href="https://imprimis.hillsdale.edu/facing-china-threat/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a> to find out more about the danger cited above. </p><p>Look also at the <a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2020/10/important-info.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">blog posting dated October 17, 2020</a>. </p><p>We are in grave danger. <br /></p><p>.<br /></p>Buckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05008065046166806739noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-465878416372541218.post-4403173250811782112020-10-17T18:36:00.003-04:002020-10-18T14:57:09.148-04:00Important Info<p> .</p><p> <span class="ya-q-full-text Wow-bw" id="yui_3_17_2_4_1558899337856_2014" itemprop="text">.</span><br />
<a href="http://www.fg-a.com/american-1.shtml" target="_blank"><img alt="Flags" border="0" height="40" src="http://content.screencast.com/users/fg-a/folders/american-flags/media/41b679d9-4c35-4259-80bf-b1d743252a36/usa_sm40fa.gif" width="54" /></a> <br />
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<span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><marquee>....Important reading coming up. Don’t go away without reading it....</marquee></b></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Click on the text boxes to enlarge. <br /></div><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;"></p><p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieNpEZHDmJYFbJ2tqYetJ5kq0xNe08Vnpgpza3rE1eUT1S_qAwGlznhTexGtofPdMOF_pQffVTcKNlTtaJxnNQ_0a4nVLI7p9E0Sws9f_Vc0v-ADhUHDcTECxSDdOInZsDtr0nTTHdb_Y3/s2048/CCI_000001.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1572" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieNpEZHDmJYFbJ2tqYetJ5kq0xNe08Vnpgpza3rE1eUT1S_qAwGlznhTexGtofPdMOF_pQffVTcKNlTtaJxnNQ_0a4nVLI7p9E0Sws9f_Vc0v-ADhUHDcTECxSDdOInZsDtr0nTTHdb_Y3/w353-h458/CCI_000001.jpg" width="353" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p> </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm0UaKJAsnVtny3iNrsPISlzjnpt58irnwEP6f4C1x5krOuZoIy4sZEgi5ZGO_b3STh_s1MGnko0_xc-aPx11M2u6VKMNmXzAdGPDl4oE09MSd9N_mmAxa2ISvusJI6GY7MplaIuKW-GcR/s2048/CCI_000002.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1572" height="465" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm0UaKJAsnVtny3iNrsPISlzjnpt58irnwEP6f4C1x5krOuZoIy4sZEgi5ZGO_b3STh_s1MGnko0_xc-aPx11M2u6VKMNmXzAdGPDl4oE09MSd9N_mmAxa2ISvusJI6GY7MplaIuKW-GcR/w357-h465/CCI_000002.jpg" width="357" /></a><br /> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p><br /></p><p></p><p><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b> </b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b> </b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b> </b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b> </b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b> </b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b> </b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b> </b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b> </b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b> </b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b> </b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JXbR3oADwaM" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><b>Link #1</b></a></p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bKhR9i5CGkA" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><b>Link #2</b>
</a>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CCIdm3cM6zQ" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><b>Link #3</b></a> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://townhall.com/columnists/johnhawkins/2012/12/04/7-reasons-socialism-will-make-you-poorer-than-capitalism-n1358940" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><b>Link #4</b></a></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RqppRC37OgI" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><b>Link #5</b></a></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3dCg3MhQ7w" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><b>Link #6</b></a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChVtq7NCO1M" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><b>Link #7</b></a></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGXxPRayzJU" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><b>Link #8</b></a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2019/jun/23/packing-the-supreme-court-why-changing-the-rules-o/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><b>Link #9</b></a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XgsqLLYy3JA" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><b>Link #10</b></a> </p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yAAlFya89aw" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><b>Link #11</b></a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LquIQisaZFU" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><b>Link #12</b></a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>
<p class="MsoNormal">
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<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_nLPsFeSw4Y" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><b>Link #13</b></a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5nUO7EYnUk" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Link #14</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
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<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KeqBbO_jpXk" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><b>Link #15</b></a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
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<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://decisionmagazine.com/issue/october-2020/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><b>Link #16</b></a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
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<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CTD_kyZRvio" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><b>Link #17</b></a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4sD9Ms38ns" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><b>Link #18</b></a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/prageruniversity/videos" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><b>Link #19</b></a></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRM7zQk8xJg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><b>Link #20</b></a> </p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_H5NJZMDumY" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><b>Link #21</b></a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLPPoRuZjx4" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><b>Link #22</b></a></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.rushlimbaugh.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><b>Link #23</b></a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.radio.com/1063word/listen" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><b>Link #24</b></a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p>
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</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisfkSjAF3j-pXIfNCVpbUObdsQZH94spR7iELqmgnRPyazWSd6BZFF2Bq2mfN2U3AATgtUwliKm8whum8Wj5bNuPoPsqRPjZuwR8jdJcyt9_fCFzKa-Y9aA0wRd71LZNbUtg4c8S_OVo66/s2048/CCI_000005.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1572" height="446" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisfkSjAF3j-pXIfNCVpbUObdsQZH94spR7iELqmgnRPyazWSd6BZFF2Bq2mfN2U3AATgtUwliKm8whum8Wj5bNuPoPsqRPjZuwR8jdJcyt9_fCFzKa-Y9aA0wRd71LZNbUtg4c8S_OVo66/w343-h446/CCI_000005.jpg" width="343" /></a></div><p></p><p><br /></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhvleYOAXEMCZ1kAyIRUsu8ithMFackyPApnabOwSWgKccjFSrEWNDu4-PF8Pt8hnOjrdB1Ya0y2HZckZHaIwxcPVBaUcR3E2YYoBXpytRTtZ-LUj5BlQ1_JXc8lmUl-8uXuL2RI7CtjFf/s2048/CCI_000004.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1572" height="459" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhvleYOAXEMCZ1kAyIRUsu8ithMFackyPApnabOwSWgKccjFSrEWNDu4-PF8Pt8hnOjrdB1Ya0y2HZckZHaIwxcPVBaUcR3E2YYoBXpytRTtZ-LUj5BlQ1_JXc8lmUl-8uXuL2RI7CtjFf/w354-h459/CCI_000004.jpg" width="354" /></a></p>Buckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05008065046166806739noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-465878416372541218.post-61744780800304332732020-09-11T00:01:00.000-04:002020-09-11T00:01:01.063-04:00Never Foget What They Did To Us .<br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">Even with all the current unrest and disruption to our lives, the people who attacked us nineteen years ago still want to destroy us. They may even be behind some of the current troubles. Therefore, </span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>We must never forget what Islamist terrorists <br />did to us in 2001. </b></span></div>
<b></b>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9g-yTL_0Km86vZ26NUSpZYsNBOqzhJb6U7v-gzHujWakLkE-sWKA3pCknwECuC42r1ggFG3X8tOaV2yyrANKnjF5oRPIdxftEGnIt3X38ciTtul_ZN-eOyLZgEcxOy7IDu2viTD6NQNjs/s1600/September11.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9g-yTL_0Km86vZ26NUSpZYsNBOqzhJb6U7v-gzHujWakLkE-sWKA3pCknwECuC42r1ggFG3X8tOaV2yyrANKnjF5oRPIdxftEGnIt3X38ciTtul_ZN-eOyLZgEcxOy7IDu2viTD6NQNjs/s320/September11.jpg" /></a></b></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>If you have forgotten, or were too young to remember the devastation on our own soil of the 9/11 attacks, <a href="http://dailysignal.com/2015/09/11/we-remember-22-photos-of-september-11-and-the-days-after/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">look here for a short review</a>. The blood shed by over 3000 people is not visible in the photos. </b><b><br /></b>
<br />
<b><br />NOT ONE of the five masterminds of the 9/11 attack have been brought to justice! Their trial is set for 2021. </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>How is it possible that it could take 20 years to bring them to trial? </b><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>We must stand strong against
these terrorists and our sympathetic politicians forever and always,
lest the freedom of this greatest country on earth be lost forever. </b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>While we are at it, add to that the current rioters, looters, thugs, and fake news purveyors. They are just as much a threat to our freedoms as the terrorists of 2001. </b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
.</div>
Buckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05008065046166806739noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-465878416372541218.post-29673776137381366952020-06-20T16:48:00.002-04:002020-06-22T12:57:06.071-04:00Immediate Danger and Politicians Keeping Us "Safe".<br />
I went for a ride yesterday. I went up to Whitewater Falls, just into North Carolina -- about 45 miles from my home in Easley, SC. You take South Carolina <a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2009/02/my-first-trip-to-whitewater-falls.html" target="_blank">route 130</a> (that turns into North Carolina route 281), a fairly smooth road with many sweepers, to get there. It is one of my favorite roads and <a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2019/03/speaking-of-waterfalls-this-is-my.html" target="_blank">favorite sights to see</a> in the area. <br />
<br />
As I reach the entrance, there are cars parked everywhere along both sides of the road, even though there is no real place set up for such parking. People are walking and standing along the road for a considerable distance.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIxPUZMObKZNaYbrNgI2ic6W_ITI2RdJ37SaW20JyUNT8-11yc2WGB3CVWNXlM1ZmCa2uJFQVQ_jcrJuAZW59QYbGxN7aF6YPC4oCoolZer8CJRAXF2oBt9QVZlIqDA5SZKHIPcGjcIXPY/s1600/GOPR0278-006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIxPUZMObKZNaYbrNgI2ic6W_ITI2RdJ37SaW20JyUNT8-11yc2WGB3CVWNXlM1ZmCa2uJFQVQ_jcrJuAZW59QYbGxN7aF6YPC4oCoolZer8CJRAXF2oBt9QVZlIqDA5SZKHIPcGjcIXPY/s320/GOPR0278-006.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2bbZF4Hos2STVa7JIkf93nr8rrkfYGZAWOATaJo4JDI6ulliXT_llU_UMAnFgmGNmhx4gQTLrelZHiie_JTsi5QoMOjJe26BLtSEgJmYo4M5aZxd_K0RoNBhqqu56eYG_zuHryTdmOdF4/s1600/GOPR0278-008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2bbZF4Hos2STVa7JIkf93nr8rrkfYGZAWOATaJo4JDI6ulliXT_llU_UMAnFgmGNmhx4gQTLrelZHiie_JTsi5QoMOjJe26BLtSEgJmYo4M5aZxd_K0RoNBhqqu56eYG_zuHryTdmOdF4/s320/GOPR0278-008.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHVH79mFBuWoFt6oiZbpP7A1CPibztXjIBHyrKTlMImkg3M8CwEQdLAYXFX6sQOHTS7b3f6gw-4rLwi9fe_JfmQ5n-UxpSmF0TAPM4ZqEIDzw_vUWM9o4MOW0iBbKDryfGPOuA0PuHGG-1/s1600/GOPR0278-009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHVH79mFBuWoFt6oiZbpP7A1CPibztXjIBHyrKTlMImkg3M8CwEQdLAYXFX6sQOHTS7b3f6gw-4rLwi9fe_JfmQ5n-UxpSmF0TAPM4ZqEIDzw_vUWM9o4MOW0iBbKDryfGPOuA0PuHGG-1/s320/GOPR0278-009.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLi3JttjP0UA6hfQKrERwiY71EE_cCWvFBgxWrXVxau8IDX6E3IuU0ga4YOY-VnrQj89tXiEFnrdlD28OcWnEcITVsSlQ5ArktSx5-Aexn7c2jn5weQrQZOPKN30252GtM2Z-kOQ2dSURd/s1600/GOPR0278-010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLi3JttjP0UA6hfQKrERwiY71EE_cCWvFBgxWrXVxau8IDX6E3IuU0ga4YOY-VnrQj89tXiEFnrdlD28OcWnEcITVsSlQ5ArktSx5-Aexn7c2jn5weQrQZOPKN30252GtM2Z-kOQ2dSURd/s320/GOPR0278-010.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhZpjwqmgkG1-fRCoB14FjFuTq_ZmTM7GIQOzier__70ahz8kJVambNZrGhbIMDeh0AVRmBkYGZib3eNCw2ofA_0cYLKTqMmWFkqY85uZ-7WHR6I84huWOTlgJzzAhWk5kTYWlrOtdqDuH/s1600/GOPR0278-011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhZpjwqmgkG1-fRCoB14FjFuTq_ZmTM7GIQOzier__70ahz8kJVambNZrGhbIMDeh0AVRmBkYGZib3eNCw2ofA_0cYLKTqMmWFkqY85uZ-7WHR6I84huWOTlgJzzAhWk5kTYWlrOtdqDuH/s320/GOPR0278-011.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2t-xTH0a_OgdTufHMoOcYAtoKdxI6p3NOX2D5jffRxk69ZmZF4lLbQHypVpAs_eFq7loZbvN_ruCZWuIxmKw2gqKqmeu3Z3RhSjWH3wPDjM5U_JyAiQvImYPVrmAgLsoT213Y3AVceDXZ/s1600/GOPR0278-012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2t-xTH0a_OgdTufHMoOcYAtoKdxI6p3NOX2D5jffRxk69ZmZF4lLbQHypVpAs_eFq7loZbvN_ruCZWuIxmKw2gqKqmeu3Z3RhSjWH3wPDjM5U_JyAiQvImYPVrmAgLsoT213Y3AVceDXZ/s320/GOPR0278-012.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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They are in harm's way.<br />
<br />
Why? Simply because they came there to see what they own: Whitewater Falls is administered
by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Forest Service.<br />
<br />
Here is a look at what they own, taken on one of my previous visits. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirfq-hPzYqOHHkVm2lZzgmNjns06TutDjuiRXxF6DrONYVPoJZln2xxwRN_6DC52czgTLfTSB2Nt2wJNZUA-d8A7jYSa6nabxnZsYU4NbCT0JGbhYm4btP75s-dzN-gnt57xZqvPabvVln/s1600/P1080693.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirfq-hPzYqOHHkVm2lZzgmNjns06TutDjuiRXxF6DrONYVPoJZln2xxwRN_6DC52czgTLfTSB2Nt2wJNZUA-d8A7jYSa6nabxnZsYU4NbCT0JGbhYm4btP75s-dzN-gnt57xZqvPabvVln/s320/P1080693.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
But the gates are closed and locked. The usual volunteer who stays there in his camper and oversees the area is not there because the park is closed. <br />
<br />
<div class="xlate-google" itemprop="reviewBody">
Even though the park is administered under the Forest Service, they say that their "decisions [on closings] will align with local city, county and state actions to
provide for human health and safety (ie. quarantine, curfew, and other
social restrictions)." </div>
<div class="xlate-google" itemprop="reviewBody">
<br /></div>
So I suppose that North Carolina's Democrat governor <span class="js-about-item-abstr">Roy Cooper is responsible for the closing and endangering visitors who have to park and walk along the road. </span><br />
<br />
Again I ask, why? The reason given by <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JXbR3oADwaM" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">leftists</a> like Cooper is that they are protecting our health from a virus. Remember though, that this virus is not significantly different from past influenzas. Old people and those already sick with some other troubles should be very careful, but the rest of us should not be punished and treated like disease-carrying vermin, keeping us out of places like this one for no good reason. <br />
<br />
So Cooper is putting people in imminent and immediate danger along that road so they might not get a virus while they are in the wide open outdoors. Read that again, if you will. Does that make sense to anyone? <br />
<br />
Being in the <u>in</u>doors has now been determined to be more likely to spread the virus than being outdoors. So closing facilities like Whitewater Falls makes a lot of sense, doesn't it? NOT. <br />
<br />
Well, I note that there is a parking lot just a tenth of a mile south of the falls entrance. This lot is for hikers on the nearby Foothills Trail. That trail goes many places, but one of them is to Whitewater Falls right next door. <br />
<br />
See the immediate surroundings on this map:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFQfIkdm3yxIIWYloj0p285oitvoGJwTiW0gLCm2egIa0vHtaHisjWbfTcm_Upr-66bgIhwWnHSN_2Ob_LO-mrZIMpGtWLXO4zsc6UO2TUtXxBFdJO3_rxT3BGDdq3yc-gvGNTIswl5VlZ/s1600/Upper-Whitewater-Falls-Trail-Access-page-001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1088" data-original-width="675" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFQfIkdm3yxIIWYloj0p285oitvoGJwTiW0gLCm2egIa0vHtaHisjWbfTcm_Upr-66bgIhwWnHSN_2Ob_LO-mrZIMpGtWLXO4zsc6UO2TUtXxBFdJO3_rxT3BGDdq3yc-gvGNTIswl5VlZ/s640/Upper-Whitewater-Falls-Trail-Access-page-001.jpg" width="397" /></a></div>
So that parking lot would be a good place to park, right?<br />
<br />
Unfortunately, since the main Whitewater Falls parking lot has been closed, and the volunteer made to stay home, people parking in the gravel lot have experienced vandalism to their vehicles. Just two months ago, one visitor reported that they "had somebody come and knock my car window out while we were hiking.
There were probably 10 other cars parked there when we first arrived and
3 of them (including me) got their windows knocked out."<br />
<br />
So, if you can't park in the lot where there is a volunteer who can watch over it, you are subjected to vandals who break out your car windows. <br />
<br />
You can always park on the road, remember! Ah, yes, with cars whizzing by a few feet away from you. <br />
<br />
Note on the map above that the trail from the gravel parking lot has a spur that goes to
the restrooms at Whitewater Falls. Don't be expecting to use them,
though, because they have been locked for months now. You have to use
the great outdoors if you need to go!<br />
<br />
<br />
Think about how much this reaction to a virus is costing us in enjoyment, damage to vehicles, accidents, inconvenience, higher costs, and on and on? They say that suicides and depression are on the rise, and some of the 40+ million people who have lost their jobs will never recover economically. <br />
<br />
<br />
Well, back to the ride today. I manage to turn around near the entrance to the falls parking lot, but the view of oncoming traffic is poor. Another danger. <br />
<br />
I go about four tenths of a mile south on 130 and turn onto the <a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2009/12/dual-sporting-again.html" target="_blank">Bad Creek Pumped Storage Facility</a> road, and follow it to the overlook on Lake Jocassee. The view is always nice here, but there is a little rain so I don't tarry.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq6aS9_aa2XlYPHejXzZRcwfVM2L4B8DqZNFG5-_Fa90n8tVftJ6cRQx_mlmj3kaNfceo8JppOEm7XeuEGo-vaFyYqMKRpDkDEHh3jSXo5zmVyRzz8nDeGCRlLRDRFRZqd8DnT1vximTUZ/s1600/GOPR0276.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq6aS9_aa2XlYPHejXzZRcwfVM2L4B8DqZNFG5-_Fa90n8tVftJ6cRQx_mlmj3kaNfceo8JppOEm7XeuEGo-vaFyYqMKRpDkDEHh3jSXo5zmVyRzz8nDeGCRlLRDRFRZqd8DnT1vximTUZ/s320/GOPR0276.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Instead I go back to 130 and the <a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2009/07/a-very-short-road-with-nice-surprise.html" target="_blank">Wigington Scenic Byway</a> to the overlook onto Lake Jocassee. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIlugzdxH72VC8Ux_6KT51s_YDpSh7FkRP3Az69EJvvoN0lYa_rDK_B2mGAkFneb4vlrozJgNP2SLtMiEhUbMo-XHWSJ1487fnFLMrXQh4juOZBYhFivMhs-ArmY-cgixKzDsx4vc4JIlZ/s1600/P1090159.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIlugzdxH72VC8Ux_6KT51s_YDpSh7FkRP3Az69EJvvoN0lYa_rDK_B2mGAkFneb4vlrozJgNP2SLtMiEhUbMo-XHWSJ1487fnFLMrXQh4juOZBYhFivMhs-ArmY-cgixKzDsx4vc4JIlZ/s320/P1090159.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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A bit hazy today, unfortunately, but the rain has stopped.<br />
<br />
Then I turn back and follow SC-130 and SC-11, then US-178 back nearly to home. <br />
<br />
<br />
It was a nice day for riding. I hope they open the parks again soon.<br />
<br />
Email, call, or write Governor Cooper to urge him to do so:<br /><br />
<ul>
<li><b><a href="https://governor.nc.gov/contact/contact-governor-cooper" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">email</a> </b></li>
<li><b>919-814-2000</b></li>
<li><b>North Carolina Office of the Governor<br />
20301 Mail Service Center<br /> Raleigh, NC 27699-0301</b></li>
</ul>
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<br />Buckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05008065046166806739noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-465878416372541218.post-44848623692063845832020-05-18T11:47:00.000-04:002020-06-20T16:43:15.319-04:00Another Milestone -- 70,000 Miles.<br />
On May 8, 2020, 10 days ago, I reached a mileage milestone.<br />
<br />
I'll tell you all about how and where it happened, but first <a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2009/01/introductions.html" target="_blank">a little background</a> to the story. <br />
<br />
I started riding a motorcycle <a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2009/01/next-step-real-motorcycle.html" target="_blank">late in life</a> -- in my 5th decade. I had always wanted to ride, but never took the opportunity or had the life situation to do so. The spark that started me on the way was a course catalog from a local community college. <br />
<span id="goog_277099750"></span><span id="goog_277099751"></span><br />
You see, I received the catalog because my wife and I were taking a class in stained glass construction offered by the same school. We had a good time doing the glass, and we made several decorative items for around the house and for gifts. The catalog in question later arrived and I paged through it, finding the Motorcycle Safety Foundation Basic Class. <br />
<br />
That got the wheels turning in my head. <br />
<br />
I asked Jeff, a guy at work who used to ride, <a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2009/01/next-step-real-motorcycle.html" target="_blank">whether he thought I could learn to ride, and he gave me a thumbs up</a>. <br />
<br />
I started perusing the online selling sites for a bike, after researching what I thought I wanted. I did not want a Harley. Those are not my style. I could not afford some of the higher-priced brands like BMW. <br />
<br />
I settled on the Kawasaki Ninja 650R. It had good reviews, and was said to be acceptable, though not ideal, as a starter bike. I found a 2006 with fewer than 1000 miles on it, in silver on a red frame offered by a fellow not too far away, contacted the seller, and asked him to let me know if he had another buyer. <br />
<br />
Meanwhile, I had to <a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2009/01/next-step-real-motorcycle.html" target="_blank">take the motorcycle class</a> before buying a motorcycle. After all, what would have happened if had I bought the motorcycle first and been a total failure at riding? Fortunately, I did well on the written exam and good enough to pass the riding test. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAapcUxI03FY_MO9fI84BsHwFzuL4tVVOTTLVd-sFjxffqku4y2ioQNToQZNI6Jzxexg__X9kADF0jhAQUftZMU1CJQ782m9kBrd4VNm1qvUsAwAgPjIa7dSWwguOVm9BPY2tJYsVxT2R5/s1600/Rick_Motorcycle_Class_Beginner_767.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAapcUxI03FY_MO9fI84BsHwFzuL4tVVOTTLVd-sFjxffqku4y2ioQNToQZNI6Jzxexg__X9kADF0jhAQUftZMU1CJQ782m9kBrd4VNm1qvUsAwAgPjIa7dSWwguOVm9BPY2tJYsVxT2R5/s200/Rick_Motorcycle_Class_Beginner_767.JPG" width="150" /></a></div>
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<br />
I called the seller, enlisted the aid of a friend to test ride the bike, bought it, and another friend Aaron rode it home for me. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-iznwIidQgrQNy1fio9rVxjXbhZSNhuXeZhylCNNBP7O7-jMRolhV6ceZO1zqZ-qGmnuMFsrrYZwuj9tZrgZzQroJ_31Yq1DgNt3nqzLScOQ1j9m1AR-qvv51RAmgEqtqLt_hR0T78rqA/s1600/rode_it_home_1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1056" data-original-width="800" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-iznwIidQgrQNy1fio9rVxjXbhZSNhuXeZhylCNNBP7O7-jMRolhV6ceZO1zqZ-qGmnuMFsrrYZwuj9tZrgZzQroJ_31Yq1DgNt3nqzLScOQ1j9m1AR-qvv51RAmgEqtqLt_hR0T78rqA/s200/rode_it_home_1.JPG" width="151" /></a></div>
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Now, all I had to do was learn to ride it.<br />
<br />
<br />
That began a flurry of riding, mostly to work and back and longer jaunts on Saturdays, with an occasional much longer route thrown in.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijeQAB0gIcpEQVChzt_qIJPv6-aoRLY90zZKe3pfIM4gFUHsjzkbjEBecjH2sHbRBXDTGZBFknKyEaWZpqHS33DYnuwwUGYzKhnC1E__JxTIe2WvZYarPkHpxD8FpqbN8TuFMIi7pFLTzk/s1600/MVC-121S.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1036" data-original-width="1312" height="157" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijeQAB0gIcpEQVChzt_qIJPv6-aoRLY90zZKe3pfIM4gFUHsjzkbjEBecjH2sHbRBXDTGZBFknKyEaWZpqHS33DYnuwwUGYzKhnC1E__JxTIe2WvZYarPkHpxD8FpqbN8TuFMIi7pFLTzk/s200/MVC-121S.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
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I shortly began writing this blog, and, among many other posts, were several about previous milestones:<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2009/04/10000-miles-ridden.html" target="_blank">10,000</a> miles 4/8/2009 </li>
<li><a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2011/05/25000-miles-ridden-and-new-chain.html" target="_blank">25,000</a> miles 5/24/2011 </li>
<li><a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2013/12/40000-milestone.html" target="_blank">40,000</a> miles 2/3/2013 </li>
<li><a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2015/07/50000-miles.html" target="_blank">50,000</a> miles 7/13/2015 </li>
<li><a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2017/11/60000-miles-and-counting.html" target="_blank">60,000</a> miles 9/26/2017 </li>
</ul>
Between September of 2007 when I bought the bike and now, I have enjoyed riding on many roads and seeing many sights. Below, you will find links to stories about some of them, along with other postings on a variety of subjects. So, let's get started exploring. <br />
<br />
Now a little geography to get you oriented to the area I live in. I am in the Upstate of South Carolina -- the northwest part of the state. It is just a few miles to the Blue Ridge Escarpment.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuY8U1Dme6vmGlvHOXmg7NjcRm-3fFUq0JH6Bx64yJTk8UNSGUr6e-4dasHzxqEh1eeZD2ec4UzT3xTp_UIBLiSK7W8K5Q09dnKO790J_0hhbzs2CXSTprpbCKjksac7uYQ2l_26tVwPPd/s1600/Map-of-Southern-Blue-Ridge-Escarpment.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1237" data-original-width="1600" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuY8U1Dme6vmGlvHOXmg7NjcRm-3fFUq0JH6Bx64yJTk8UNSGUr6e-4dasHzxqEh1eeZD2ec4UzT3xTp_UIBLiSK7W8K5Q09dnKO790J_0hhbzs2CXSTprpbCKjksac7uYQ2l_26tVwPPd/s320/Map-of-Southern-Blue-Ridge-Escarpment.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Click the map to enlarge.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piedmont_%28United_States%29" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Piedmont</a>, or foot of the mountains, is flatter, but still has some rolling hills.<br />
<br />
I live in the Piedmont not far from Pickens, which is shown in the center of the lower half of the map above. <br />
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Roads nearby that lead into the escarpment include, from west to east, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Carolina_Highway_28" target="_blank">SC-28</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Carolina_Highway_107" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">SC-107</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Carolina_Highway_107" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">SC-130</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Route_178" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">US-178</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Route_276" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">US-276</a>, and <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/dir/35.0996509,-82.4481937/''/Saluda,+NC+28773/@35.1621487,-82.4791008,12z/data=!4m13!4m12!1m0!1m3!2m2!1d-82.4035335!2d35.1741328!1m5!1m1!1s0x8859dc801eb243e1:0x679380289f9ba8d1!2m2!1d-82.3492839!2d35.2362264!3e0" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">old US-25, and the Greenville Watershed Road to Saluda North Carolina</a>. There are many places to go using these roads to get there. <br />
<ul>
<li>Many of <a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2019/03/speaking-of-waterfalls-this-is-my.html" target="_blank">my trips have included Whitewater Falls</a>. The road to get there, SC-130, north of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Carolina_Highway_11" target="_blank">SC-11</a>,
known as the Cherokee Foothills Scenic Highway, is pleasantly smooth
and has lots of sweepers. The falls is a short hike from the parking
lot, and is well worth the visit. The falls is <a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2009/02/my-first-trip-to-whitewater-falls.html" target="_blank">one of the first landmarks</a> I visited after starting to ride. It is located just into North Carolina.<br /><div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaN7AwTNjioIaaMMPFs6QJ8EsRQzwtgeH28zTitwhonSp9SYFLDvC0ChLxeopgdnDSJd_rW-odKe4oCO6TU8PKQKUiNVCpXUUud-Kp1MWrLn8cwjH3KgnDyL80n6s20nI6RrIziPApjOaI/s1600/02022008__Whitewater_Falls__112_Miles_014.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1544" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaN7AwTNjioIaaMMPFs6QJ8EsRQzwtgeH28zTitwhonSp9SYFLDvC0ChLxeopgdnDSJd_rW-odKe4oCO6TU8PKQKUiNVCpXUUud-Kp1MWrLn8cwjH3KgnDyL80n6s20nI6RrIziPApjOaI/s200/02022008__Whitewater_Falls__112_Miles_014.JPG" width="192" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
By the way, Route 11 is a quick way to get from east to west at the foothills of the
mountains, but don't be tempted to speed -- they run radar frequently. </div>
</div>
</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2012/04/quick-trip-to-familiar-place.html" target="_blank">Table Rock State Park</a>
is just off SC-11. It has just a quick loop through the park, but you can get a good view of Table Rock, and there are several picnic areas and a ranger's office with a large
topographical map of the park. </li>
</ul>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV0WSli3qJd5FVN9apq0PXMiqjyxl86985qbUWbQWhw5Yw96CK58Padak9zxHbtIzGK-VUd2LqwbgnrsxZmWp7iUlXboXDqSfRlt1sXJsmxg87SG2OdMLigfpU-uxMjcj7aaqVYemPYbL1/s1600/P1040849.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV0WSli3qJd5FVN9apq0PXMiqjyxl86985qbUWbQWhw5Yw96CK58Padak9zxHbtIzGK-VUd2LqwbgnrsxZmWp7iUlXboXDqSfRlt1sXJsmxg87SG2OdMLigfpU-uxMjcj7aaqVYemPYbL1/s200/P1040849.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
<ul>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2009/03/caesars-head-bank-safe-on-move-and.html" target="_blank">Caesars Head State Park</a> is on US-276. It has a nice overlook from the top of the Blue Ridge Escarpment, and has a few trails. North Carolina is just north of the park. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm4oLhyphenhyphenM-fpCdH3y1E8yxaX6lNQKYfiwG3Cgfh-0UKGvZZUYVKmIIqd98pPqsGfzkqfrT2OTs8wslmwnd7Ap9wsf6aXCzy2m8bqCOLEIF7NISLA8kkIdYg8tvOEhMmHDT0f1Gk-wByaCfR/s1600/07052008_Caesars_Head_Overlook_looking_MVC-805S.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="660" data-original-width="722" height="182" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm4oLhyphenhyphenM-fpCdH3y1E8yxaX6lNQKYfiwG3Cgfh-0UKGvZZUYVKmIIqd98pPqsGfzkqfrT2OTs8wslmwnd7Ap9wsf6aXCzy2m8bqCOLEIF7NISLA8kkIdYg8tvOEhMmHDT0f1Gk-wByaCfR/s200/07052008_Caesars_Head_Overlook_looking_MVC-805S.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
</li>
<li><a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2009/12/poinsett-bridge-over-little-gap-creek.html" target="_blank">Poinsett Bridge</a>, the oldest bridge in South Carolina, and Boy Scout Camp Old Indian, are both not far off the route to Saluda North Carolina from otoursaswellld US-25. </li>
</ul>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkcBnM1fq9_CF9gZ6L1-k7JO3PwneUPNz9eikEqi5BgSFx24WarjDPqR-mnl8MR3zAUQzWK4zIk3hHSlUCXWbHE2qIPu7ZC1BgxFnd1UikLWFDhG_RP6QqytfWD9oJimUsO1xQiT_wTtaF/s1600/MVC-773S.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkcBnM1fq9_CF9gZ6L1-k7JO3PwneUPNz9eikEqi5BgSFx24WarjDPqR-mnl8MR3zAUQzWK4zIk3hHSlUCXWbHE2qIPu7ZC1BgxFnd1UikLWFDhG_RP6QqytfWD9oJimUsO1xQiT_wTtaF/s200/MVC-773S.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
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<ul>
<li>The <a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2010/05/very-twisty-road-and-downhill-technique.html" target="_blank">twistiest road I know of</a>, Green River Cove Road, is just north of Saluda North Carolina. </li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW4MxxbxMb0SgL3w9JHDPPIHvQULA7hG6-O4cSFvxJuQs6sgsd6M-HmVaEcZWOEmf4LC24Lb0jDQrM8nLYi_KWOp-oVTtic3VflcGtrUjgwXkd9b3tehVmX4P5lgCS7w2WcVsavXNsrSKg/s1600/Green+River+Cove+Road+map.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="796" data-original-width="1308" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW4MxxbxMb0SgL3w9JHDPPIHvQULA7hG6-O4cSFvxJuQs6sgsd6M-HmVaEcZWOEmf4LC24Lb0jDQrM8nLYi_KWOp-oVTtic3VflcGtrUjgwXkd9b3tehVmX4P5lgCS7w2WcVsavXNsrSKg/s320/Green+River+Cove+Road+map.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2013/02/cold-ride-to-cool-bridges.html" target="_blank">Campbell's Covered Bridge</a> (also <a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2009/06/covered-bridge-kudzu-and-lead-sleds-in.html" target="_blank">here</a>) is a pleasant place to see a very old bridge, and maybe have lunch. It is also a good place to see the remarkable effects of goats eliminating kudzu overgrowth. The area was covered in the fast-growing vine until a few years ago when they hired the goats.<br />
<ul>
</ul>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK6dmn8VZRqlC_EXqhgTsgAtdn02hasYqiOqi4h0rWz_X3TzwkbJiKMIDnQdV5hcjdtSKGqUqt4WIH8wmKDVqzwr66IdQU1uMcYuygmCSbZKDaxINNr-2TnepGx7GueE7hh8rx1d6jnFDw/s1600/MVC-175S.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1356" data-original-width="992" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK6dmn8VZRqlC_EXqhgTsgAtdn02hasYqiOqi4h0rWz_X3TzwkbJiKMIDnQdV5hcjdtSKGqUqt4WIH8wmKDVqzwr66IdQU1uMcYuygmCSbZKDaxINNr-2TnepGx7GueE7hh8rx1d6jnFDw/s200/MVC-175S.JPG" width="146" /></a></div>
<br />
<ul>
<li>There were some trips on gravel <a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2009/09/650r-dualsport-for-day.html" target="_blank">here</a> and <a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2009/12/dual-sporting-again.html" target="_blank">here</a> and a trip on <a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2017/03/gettin-dirty-on-winding-stairs.html" target="_blank">Winding Stairs</a> and to the <a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2010/12/georgia-high-point-but-not-highest.html" target="_blank">top of Curahee Mountain</a> Georgia. Some of these trips were a little hairy. </li>
<li><a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2019/04/first-glimpse-of-new-sassafras-mountain.html" target="_blank">Sassafras Mountain</a>, the highest point in South Carolina is easy to get to, the roads being paved almost all the way to the top. There was <a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2009/06/local-photographer-on-twisty-roads.html" target="_blank">a photographer</a> who snapped pictures of bikers at some S-curves on US-178 on the way north to Rocky Bottom where you turn to go to Sassafras Mountain. I posed for him a few years ago. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMiNuWRd1qgkUPREuMpl0ePyVAbvvD4uSw62cQLgKtX2XLWDtuNYKoCgLMYaHbFR8ntoaNDgFH1D99x19Q5mYrtnqx0bsuOURbxUgBKrC-JcGYb2JLS2SUt-dP55LYbwdkTG-ecXLuHcqK/s1600/20090613+-+135624a.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1071" data-original-width="1600" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMiNuWRd1qgkUPREuMpl0ePyVAbvvD4uSw62cQLgKtX2XLWDtuNYKoCgLMYaHbFR8ntoaNDgFH1D99x19Q5mYrtnqx0bsuOURbxUgBKrC-JcGYb2JLS2SUt-dP55LYbwdkTG-ecXLuHcqK/s200/20090613+-+135624a.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
</li>
<li>Another photographer, <a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2013/06/rally-to-ridgecrest-2013-day-1.html" target="_blank">Blind Kenny</a>, took photos on a twisty section of NC-80. I posed for him, too. </li>
</ul>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj946TIU-4WyIJrOI8q7dvcSc7Ss5PPUmpBatQyiabFzeZls8qkDltdA25UCnMlpnGDY92y7PbCPt6mRH1OjHGa3tpUtaUJGWa_evtT_HC2cL9575V5a_d0bASDclGrzkLv6I5Esb2IHUTk/s1600/306205.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="425" data-original-width="640" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj946TIU-4WyIJrOI8q7dvcSc7Ss5PPUmpBatQyiabFzeZls8qkDltdA25UCnMlpnGDY92y7PbCPt6mRH1OjHGa3tpUtaUJGWa_evtT_HC2cL9575V5a_d0bASDclGrzkLv6I5Esb2IHUTk/s200/306205.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<ul>
<li>The highest point in North Carolina is <a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2009/08/ride-to-mt-mitchell-highest-point-east.html" target="_blank">Mount Mitchell</a>. It is also easy to get very close to the top on paved roads just off the Blue Ridge Parkway. </li>
<li>I have viewed <a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2009/11/big-trains-and-little-ones-and-talk.html" target="_blank">model railroads</a> (also, <a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2014/03/big-boys-other-toys.html" target="_blank">here</a>) and <a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2014/03/big-boys-other-toys.html" target="_blank">radio-controlled model airplanes</a> in several places. I had an afternoon of enjoyment at the Hendersonville North Carolina airport watching <a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2010/07/hendersonville-fly-in.html" target="_blank">real airplanes</a> and talking to airplane people. </li>
</ul>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU437z8_rxdGfg7GwEiW4xsPUmV1EcmZysKCZy11QEVUAg9HuCQhYzDpCQNJSIr5OyNCf_DZJJ-OjlRhbGvMjzlP01yNdxYQ9gYYSlWCT7c9JoHKhffprcvzvxP027AJQHteFo4Ce2Ynqk/s1600/P1030042.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU437z8_rxdGfg7GwEiW4xsPUmV1EcmZysKCZy11QEVUAg9HuCQhYzDpCQNJSIr5OyNCf_DZJJ-OjlRhbGvMjzlP01yNdxYQ9gYYSlWCT7c9JoHKhffprcvzvxP027AJQHteFo4Ce2Ynqk/s200/P1030042.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />
<ul>
<li>I have visited railroad right of ways that are engineering marvels. The <a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2009/04/saluda-north-carolina-saluda-grade-and.html" target="_blank">Saluda Grade</a> is the steepest standard-gage railroad in the United States. It crests at Saluda North Carolina. <br />There is a 13-mile series of <a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2010/06/memorial-day-weekend-rally-part-ii-ride.html" target="_blank">loops near Old Fort</a> North Carolina that allows the railroad to gain elevation. There is also a geyser there among the loops! <br />The <a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2010/03/two-trips-to-toccoa.html" target="_blank">Wells Viaduct</a>, a tall and long bridge near Tocooa Georgia is a great place to watch trains. </li>
<li>Many of my trips have included the <a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2013/10/the-parkway-some-knobs-and-rocks-and.html" target="_blank">Blue Ridge Parkway</a>, the closest entrance being about 50 miles from home. That road is very beautiful and the riding is enjoyable. It is my <a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2014/09/still-best-road-i-know-of.html" target="_blank">favorite road</a> in the area. </li>
</ul>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGOrlwFi37M6moR6byi_e5fkAO5bsNKoeRkkwTzK-W-EfJex-hTvTrjM95TqKnAaSIQX7h5OSS3wepg464WmSxx3mGN_ZiCio0P3sc450uqyiuUuVOPrNn2cl52s1vSQnzYB9oU5KE8Aad/s1600/P1030544.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGOrlwFi37M6moR6byi_e5fkAO5bsNKoeRkkwTzK-W-EfJex-hTvTrjM95TqKnAaSIQX7h5OSS3wepg464WmSxx3mGN_ZiCio0P3sc450uqyiuUuVOPrNn2cl52s1vSQnzYB9oU5KE8Aad/s200/P1030544.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
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<br />
<ul>
<li>Destinations have also included three weekend retreats at the <a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2010/05/memorial-day-weekend-rally.html" target="_blank">Rally to Ridgecrest</a> in Black Mountain North Carolina. (See also the additional links at the bottom of that posting.) The rallies included worship, inspirational speakers, motorcycle classes, a patriotic trip to the nearby Black Mountain military cemetery, great food, and many rides in the mountains. </li>
<li>There were three trips to the <a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2010/10/wheels-through-time.html" target="_blank">Wheels Through Time</a> motorcycle museum in Maggie Valley North Carolina. <br /><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjtMy7Z-NC_qOyjHQpTW2jLNXtogTV5oaMnKMDRV937P11_eNtewGS4gTgtnEtJDizMBf7jD-jMLUDu_l2XKW9fGxrC_AVm4-tSOhMd7tCKNhahDra4UtEQf1eyzcFdBrJUzjzAuT4sa53/s1600/Traub2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="427" data-original-width="640" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjtMy7Z-NC_qOyjHQpTW2jLNXtogTV5oaMnKMDRV937P11_eNtewGS4gTgtnEtJDizMBf7jD-jMLUDu_l2XKW9fGxrC_AVm4-tSOhMd7tCKNhahDra4UtEQf1eyzcFdBrJUzjzAuT4sa53/s200/Traub2.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
</li>
</ul>
<br />
<ul>
<li>The <a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2009/06/visit-to-bmw-zentrum.html" target="_blank">BMW Zentrum</a>
shows off BMW motorcycles and automobiles through the years in a
building in front of their assembly plant in Greer South Carolina. </li>
</ul>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilrkgtBlGkrvBDdt9JJgtidY6ZljH1qtwta-tpMrCU5sUKfQGQO_hhKvw_U6EEjMxNcB7YU-hfkUDSk6mPFMFZgRJr8hBVKTjOwWVMIUxWjuE2K7n_H-AVcggZYiYlD6LHDZzL69l9fd_a/s1600/P1000634.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1311" data-original-width="1600" height="163" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilrkgtBlGkrvBDdt9JJgtidY6ZljH1qtwta-tpMrCU5sUKfQGQO_hhKvw_U6EEjMxNcB7YU-hfkUDSk6mPFMFZgRJr8hBVKTjOwWVMIUxWjuE2K7n_H-AVcggZYiYlD6LHDZzL69l9fd_a/s200/P1000634.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
<ul>
<li>There is a satellite tracking station that was once top secret. It is now called the <a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2009/04/more-about-pisgah-astonomical-research.html" target="_blank">Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute</a> (PARI). It is a very interesting place to visit to see the radio telescopes, and many exhibits. They offer tours as well. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjooMPuVzxu_xAh-YLUHkrZkahJvGsA4nP8yQOETox1bZJLIxTMqdWR82i4isMhnU19elhOC7RZ1CJEAUuBMqKPNRkt4XB43MjTIBIgI8O-_Htn30PgGDfvPRVQD3gbQHNmDBFX6uzXs1MZ/s1600/P1000586.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjooMPuVzxu_xAh-YLUHkrZkahJvGsA4nP8yQOETox1bZJLIxTMqdWR82i4isMhnU19elhOC7RZ1CJEAUuBMqKPNRkt4XB43MjTIBIgI8O-_Htn30PgGDfvPRVQD3gbQHNmDBFX6uzXs1MZ/s200/P1000586.JPG" width="150" /></a></div>
</li>
<li>I have viewed the huge Ten Commandments on a hillside at <a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2015/08/fields-of-wood.html" target="_blank">Fields of the Wood</a> near Murphy North Carolina. I think they are the largest anywhere. It happened on the day I rode the furthest in one day -- 302 miles -- and on that same day I rode into Tennessee just to say I had been there. Nearby is the <a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2015/09/road-of-never-ending-curves.html" target="_blank">Road of Never-Ending Curves</a>, a term coined by Stretch on one of the online forums. It is a fun road, but it was dampened a bit by rain on the day I went there. </li>
</ul>
<br />
There are also several compilations of odd sights I've seen. <a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2012/09/wandering.html" target="_blank">Here</a> and <a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2010/03/odd-sights-ive-seen.html" target="_blank">here</a> and <a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2009/04/rhonocerouses-lighthouses-etc.html" target="_blank">here</a> and <a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2009/04/unexpected-slot-cars-very-old-church.html" target="_blank">here</a>. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXOUzRAdRz6HvXYkcwfn3FOcaRx6Br_TqaYLN3JC4k6tqGYSeJaL6LYK9RCS4TMRaKBrlo5NgZ55q0m8sPvKrgjsvq1DD9l6797zgk_R9hBSVWfTLP5AaHwR7AH7wskCTzNNbqUq9r3Noi/s1600/P1040608.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="599" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXOUzRAdRz6HvXYkcwfn3FOcaRx6Br_TqaYLN3JC4k6tqGYSeJaL6LYK9RCS4TMRaKBrlo5NgZ55q0m8sPvKrgjsvq1DD9l6797zgk_R9hBSVWfTLP5AaHwR7AH7wskCTzNNbqUq9r3Noi/s200/P1040608.JPG" width="186" /></a></div>
<br />
There are postings on politics and patriotism, too. Click on one of these terms on the left side of the page, as they are pretty important topics these days. Our freedoms and privileges are being steadily taken away, and that someday may include our motorcycles. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiktxgdWlvW0Lii9tzyoxES1eoMe7GFDSbVvVkTIVH7s1mehorMJ20hMXu-djWSEnPZKJj8DRnZFKNucYaoIM64XWNOS9vWmk6GBCdOKEjv8Mf8GZu872u88OdFCYeamXHXzMkSbEcjvF65/s1600/waving+flag.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiktxgdWlvW0Lii9tzyoxES1eoMe7GFDSbVvVkTIVH7s1mehorMJ20hMXu-djWSEnPZKJj8DRnZFKNucYaoIM64XWNOS9vWmk6GBCdOKEjv8Mf8GZu872u88OdFCYeamXHXzMkSbEcjvF65/s200/waving+flag.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<br />
I have grabbed a few tags in the ADVRider <a href="https://advrider.com/f/threads/upstate-sc-tag-o-rama.580499/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Upstate SC Tag-O-Rama</a> and the <a href="https://advrider.com/f/threads/sc-tag-o-rama.426382/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">SC Tag-O-Rama</a>. If you don't know what a tag game is, the first posting of each link lists the rules. I have been able to see some unusual places by playing the tag games. <br />
<br />
<br />
Safety is important for me as it should be for every motorcycle rider.<br />
<ul>
<li>Every mile of those 70,000 has been in full motorcycle gear: leather jacket and pants -- both with armor, boots, gloves, full-face helmet, earplugs, and back protector. No matter what the temperature, I always dress like this. I have ridden in 25 degree weather, 100 degree weather, and everything in between. <br />You can learn how I dress for the ride, especially for cold weather, in postings <a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2009/11/dressing-for-cold-weather-riding.html" target="_blank">here</a> and <a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2010/03/dressing-for-cold-weather-riding-take.html" target="_blank">here</a> and <a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2011/12/dressing-for-cold-weather-riding-take.html" target="_blank">here</a>. These postings also detail the handlebar muffs, one brand of which is Hippo Hands, that I use in conjunction with heated grips for winter riding. </li>
<li>I also carry a <a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2013/08/not-whistling-dixie.html" target="_blank">whistle on a lanyard</a> around my neck in case I run off into the woods somewhere and can't crawl back out. </li>
<li>I installed a <a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2018/02/flashy-flashy-kerflooey-and-fixed.html" target="_blank">headlight modulator</a> that helps other drivers to see me. </li>
<li>Why it is important to carry <a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2014/08/identify-yourself.html" target="_blank">complete identification</a>, how to do it, and <a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2011/07/let-somebody-know-and-give-them-this.html" target="_blank">what the person back home MUST do</a> in case of trouble. <b><span style="color: red;"><i>The latter is extremely important</i>.</span></b> </li>
<li>I installed <a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2013/07/mirror-image.html" target="_blank">rear view mirror extenders</a> to help rearward vision that is often poor on a sport bike. They help a lot. </li>
</ul>
<br />
I have written a few technical articles as well:<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2015/04/mapping-your-route-better-alternative.html" target="_blank">Mapping routes on your GPS</a>. This is how <u>you</u> can select a route and enter it into your GPS instead of <u>it</u> telling you where it wants you to go. </li>
<li>How to <a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2015/04/garmin-765-loss-of-power-fix.html" target="_blank">fix the Garmin nüvi 765 power loss</a>. Don't junk it, fix it. Also applicable to other similar nüvi models. </li>
<li>How to use your Garmin GPS. <a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2011/02/direction-needed-now-found.html" target="_blank">Here</a> and <a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2011/07/direction-needed-now-found-ii.html" target="_blank">here</a> and <a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2011/08/direction-needed-now-found-iii.html" target="_blank">here</a> and <a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2011/04/gps-goodies.html" target="_blank">here</a>. <i>Lots</i> of good info. </li>
<li><a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2015/02/gopro.html" target="_blank">How to unbrick your GoPro HD Hero 2</a>. Mine was dead as a doornail, but now has been brought back to life. </li>
</ul>
<br />
There are some tips on riding technique that I have picked up:<br />
<ul>
<li>A <a href="http://Troxler's fading" target="_blank">vital lesson</a> is scanning the scene before you. Troxler's fading causes some <i>visual objects to disappear from plain sight!</i> That is very bad for a motorcyclist. You won't believe it until you see it in this posting. <span style="color: red;"><i><b>This is a must-read.</b></i></span> </li>
<li>Riding downhill in the twisties is difficult for most riders. <a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2010/05/very-twisty-road-and-downhill-technique.html" target="_blank">This posting</a> tells how to control downhill speed while maintaining best control. </li>
<li><a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2012/07/a-perfect-curve.html" target="_blank">How to take curves smoothly</a>. </li>
<li>You must <a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2010/03/look-where-you-want-to-go-works-for.html" target="_blank">look where you want to go</a>. <span style="color: red;"><b><i>This, too, is a vitally important thing to learn.</i></b></span> </li>
<li>Eyeglasses or contact lenses for riding. <a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2016/04/vision-eye-glasses-or-contact-lenses.html" target="_blank">Which is better?</a> </li>
<li><a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2010/06/do-you-talk-to-yourself.html" target="_blank">Talking to yourself</a> when you ride is a surprisingly good idea. </li>
<li><a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2010/05/slow-look-press-roll-or-ready-aim-fire.html" target="_blank">Slow Look Press Roll or Ready Aim Fire?</a> What do you think? </li>
<li><a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2010/05/pavement-surfaces-and-other-things-to.html" target="_blank">Pavement Surfaces and Other Things to Watch Out For. </a></li>
<li>I took a <a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2009/08/collision-avoidance-class.html" target="_blank">Collision Avoidance Class</a> that proved beneficial. </li>
</ul>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisZJJXGSrHfPbnaQkmlNQHlR2-aZyb0uAtyggD-aHZJRUzI0WF1Sn56nIZ2N4Y10W2ZSCdqjNkrcfQa0mLu46bkfXMRRIWvR_kKvJidv3_QqyceZqvrnZimRn355SBr0E77VABH54Q_hkl/s1600/image044.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1231" data-original-width="1600" height="153" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisZJJXGSrHfPbnaQkmlNQHlR2-aZyb0uAtyggD-aHZJRUzI0WF1Sn56nIZ2N4Y10W2ZSCdqjNkrcfQa0mLu46bkfXMRRIWvR_kKvJidv3_QqyceZqvrnZimRn355SBr0E77VABH54Q_hkl/s200/image044.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<br />
A couple of guest writers weighed in with their stories <a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2016/10/a-really-new-guy.html" target="_blank">here</a> and <a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2015/07/smooth.html" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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How to <a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2011/01/leather-cleaning-at-home.html" target="_blank">clean your leather gear</a> at home makes you look good and saves money. (Also, <a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2015/09/drying-out-your-leathers-after-rainy.html" target="_blank">here</a>)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI3zIKFOKx0PVA5z_JHpHArzx3eTvW5bSPXfxO2abMcilTvRRB8PekvTORdMZwerc15E-WGI9sihk66W-dl-ztQAMW-VTnKn4yml2JmBg0a8E7kewFT3UAIeo-vwgEY1fPB0exBgl5kztb/s1600/DSC05488a.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="687" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI3zIKFOKx0PVA5z_JHpHArzx3eTvW5bSPXfxO2abMcilTvRRB8PekvTORdMZwerc15E-WGI9sihk66W-dl-ztQAMW-VTnKn4yml2JmBg0a8E7kewFT3UAIeo-vwgEY1fPB0exBgl5kztb/s200/DSC05488a.JPG" width="85" /></a></div>
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There are a few heart-warming stories of human interest <a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2013/11/old-folks-pianos-and-bucky.html" target="_blank">here</a> and <a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2014/02/im-not-alone-after-all-veteran-rider.html" target="_blank">here</a> and <a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2009/11/big-trains-and-little-ones-and-talk.html" target="_blank">here</a> and <a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2009/09/visit-to-kids-home.html" target="_blank">here</a>. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRYZcpfNdqqFiVqLucLCjYZ9_AuQe4PQBVLmiqEXpXH4xnKTsvvCIGsqKPm3tPXtyd2xTmMC33Ju-RjPPoKmenSnZr5dswe4nWq1x1iozoiWoaILosprkrrNlSW1wADqdk3ep85JGDST15/s1600/P1070589.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRYZcpfNdqqFiVqLucLCjYZ9_AuQe4PQBVLmiqEXpXH4xnKTsvvCIGsqKPm3tPXtyd2xTmMC33Ju-RjPPoKmenSnZr5dswe4nWq1x1iozoiWoaILosprkrrNlSW1wADqdk3ep85JGDST15/s200/P1070589.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
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The troubles with my motorcycle have been few. Here are the major things, documented for the do-it-yourselfer. I replaced the <a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2018/12/water-pump-again.html" target="_blank">water pump</a> seals twice, replaced the <a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2015/04/pooped-pumpno-fuelin.html" target="_blank">fuel pump</a>, replaced the stator, replaced the battery twice, repaired the <a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2014/05/kickstand-fixedstand.html" target="_blank">loose kickstand</a>, and did the routine stuff like <a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2012/02/valve-clearance-adjustment-tips.html" target="_blank">valve clearance adjustments</a>, air filter cleaning, <a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2013/03/clean-as-whistle-inside-and-out.html" target="_blank">oil changes</a>, spark plug replacement, <a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2014/01/might-as-well.html" target="_blank">rear shock/spring</a> replacement, <a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2013/05/time-to-re-tire-and-take-brake.html" target="_blank">brake pad replacement</a>, <a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2014/02/chain-again.html" target="_blank">chain replacement</a> and alignment, <a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2013/09/sprockets-on-docket.html" target="_blank">sprocket replacement</a>, and so on. The fuel pump, stator, and water pump seals are common troubles with this bike. <br />
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Tires have been one of the larger expenses, even though I get many, many miles from them because I am so conservative a rider. I'm riding on my seventh front and my eighth rear tire. I have used Michelin Pilot Road tires since I replaced the original equipment Bridgestone Battlax BT-20s. <br />
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Through the magic of spreadsheets, I have kept track of a few
statistics. The bike has been out of the garage 834 times since I
bought it. The average length of each trip is 84 miles, which includes
many very short commutes to work and back. I have ridden an average of
5538 miles per year. <br />
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You can search for an item of interest on my blog by using one of the following methods:<br />
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<br />
Now, lets go back to my latest milestone, the 70,000 mile one. <br />
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The last time I had the bike out, I was still 59 miles shy of that goal, so I need to go and made up the shortfall. It is about 56 degrees and overcast, but it looks like a good enough day to take a ride. Before I start out, I noodle what direction to go. It seems fitting to use the first route that I ever rode with someone else, a fellow named Ryan. In March of 2008, I met him online, rode to his house near Cleveland South Carolina, and <a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2009/04/saluda-north-carolina-saluda-grade-and.html" target="_blank">he shepherded me to Saluda</a> North Carolina on old US-25 and the Saluda Road. These are the roads that pass through the Greenville Watershed. The city of Greenville and surrounding areas get a good part of their water from the lake created by the watershed.<br />
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In trying to find Ryan's house that first time, I took a wrong turn and happened to find the lighthouse on Tall Pines Lake described in <a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2009/04/rhonocerouses-lighthouses-etc.html" target="_blank">this posting</a>. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNxylypJz3adwpLw5HWgE4pmOBdVfXHxAzogGibosn6ggZeoIuNpmufu6G7uHmKYp3mDIA_5gd1g2beuCuHnYVZDHXNlOY7sBoCCTUVZusd0bHegrbv4hlA_15b3jnHapfA58YChS6EosP/s1600/P1010189.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNxylypJz3adwpLw5HWgE4pmOBdVfXHxAzogGibosn6ggZeoIuNpmufu6G7uHmKYp3mDIA_5gd1g2beuCuHnYVZDHXNlOY7sBoCCTUVZusd0bHegrbv4hlA_15b3jnHapfA58YChS6EosP/s200/P1010189.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
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Ryan and I had a soda at Ward's Grill inside Thompson's Store on the main street of Saluda, then headed back the way we came. He was very patient, and rode quite slowly so I, the novice rider, could keep up. <br />
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Here are a few pictures on the way into Saluda for the epic 70,000 milestone. This is the view of town from the road into Saluda. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioV93RpNHO5EMkU5dxWWDNiSCPSRrPG52LAmj9yrA2eihwlgHC2LV_j5cwa-V4OwMG6-pPKNdd57PpXcwT5fInzz9cixx_wb30_ivGQ9CbPhoyIXeCxY25OLOjRKuS85fnI4mSWuh2vnw5/s1600/GP020259.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioV93RpNHO5EMkU5dxWWDNiSCPSRrPG52LAmj9yrA2eihwlgHC2LV_j5cwa-V4OwMG6-pPKNdd57PpXcwT5fInzz9cixx_wb30_ivGQ9CbPhoyIXeCxY25OLOjRKuS85fnI4mSWuh2vnw5/s320/GP020259.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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The railroad tracks that you cross are no longer in service, since 2001, but they
are at the crest of the Saluda Grade, the steepest standard-gage
railroad in the United States. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfXzkW_4-Vm0fc2ViTwlEp186dGlOGYED2bZrTsXfchWzmjnOwIstFcxdcmR1AedaeRU47-YeIqYZ7mbl9dIAKsLBHiFFzESVr2Et-zab5HLEK_W75dEM4Ox3GVl5kMuT6_UI2kMVQXrp0/s1600/P1090058.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfXzkW_4-Vm0fc2ViTwlEp186dGlOGYED2bZrTsXfchWzmjnOwIstFcxdcmR1AedaeRU47-YeIqYZ7mbl9dIAKsLBHiFFzESVr2Et-zab5HLEK_W75dEM4Ox3GVl5kMuT6_UI2kMVQXrp0/s320/P1090058.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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The town is at a higher elevation of 2093 feet above sea level than the Piedmont, which is at 1053 feet where I live, so the temperatures are lower. There are summer homes and rooming houses here to take advantage of the cooler climate.<br />
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Today, I
ride around the town roads, and park when the odometer reads 70,640.
That is the mileage that indicates that I have ridden this bike 70,000
miles. (It had 640 miles on it when I bought it.) If you have been
following this blog for a while, you know that this is the only real
motorcycle I have owned, so the 70,000 mark is not only the mileage on
the bike, but my mileage on two wheels as well. <br />
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I
park in front of the Police Department/City Hall/Mayor's Office building
and snap a shot of my odometer and of Bucky in front of the building.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy1KWlpNwk_8FTdRCZK3Reu6RJskXSS2ce6Qf2WlsLSkfxcwkqjwnXltlUmc1gZfs4h_wlY9RQVpZlVld7kmd5hJl-dAyizVWPBwbdzl0w2wkQ4gbMHy74tWJ0D-3FBGHXFRORuujFS6sv/s1600/P1090043.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy1KWlpNwk_8FTdRCZK3Reu6RJskXSS2ce6Qf2WlsLSkfxcwkqjwnXltlUmc1gZfs4h_wlY9RQVpZlVld7kmd5hJl-dAyizVWPBwbdzl0w2wkQ4gbMHy74tWJ0D-3FBGHXFRORuujFS6sv/s320/P1090043.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinrRX9U83o7Y8-4Eul3vjLPB67LhuM2vLdCDdXaEVGLgNJCISCR_epYNJrwafRglXv_F-wzT5wqPTjCAFwcyemPcA7i_LsAqgTx9cvhpUJGqw7beMrraNeTl5Tn00zD53WvnO4rYfWYVbZ/s1600/P1090046.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="423" data-original-width="640" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinrRX9U83o7Y8-4Eul3vjLPB67LhuM2vLdCDdXaEVGLgNJCISCR_epYNJrwafRglXv_F-wzT5wqPTjCAFwcyemPcA7i_LsAqgTx9cvhpUJGqw7beMrraNeTl5Tn00zD53WvnO4rYfWYVbZ/s320/P1090046.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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I then walk along the main street of town, the one
that parallels the railroad tracks. There are a surprising number of
shops, and there are <a href="https://saluda.com/" target="_blank">other things to do around town</a> as well, though many businesses are still closed by the North Carolina governor's fiat. Some may never reopen due to the severe economic effects of his orders.<br />
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I spot a vintage Oldsmobile convertible that probably belongs to one of the local residents. <br />
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The town hall includes the mayor's office, and that space is used for the jail as needed.<br />
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Actually, the office/jail is really just a tiny closet with a plant growing in a pot. I'm not sure many people pick up on the joke of the lettering on the glass door. <br />
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Ward's Grill is still here in <a href="http://thompsons-store.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Thompson's Store</a>, the oldest grocery in North Carolina, They cut their own meat and have lots of other foods to pick from. They serve breakfast and lunch, and you can have a Coke here like Ryan and I did well over a decade(!) ago.<br />
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The <a href="https://www.facebook.com/M-A-Pace-General-Store-157767240958647/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">M. A. Pace General Merchandise store</a> is also still here. I met Mr. Robert Pace, the then proprietor, several years ago. When we would walk into his store after our ride into town, he would take note of our mode of dress and tell us that we "look like you just stepped off of a spaceship." The current proprietor is Leon Morton, who is a cousin of the late Mr. Pace, who died in October of 2010. He is no spring chicken, but he is a spry and talkative man. That's him hanging up a giant ice cream cone outside his store. He was teetering on a chair to reach the hook, so I helped him a bit.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9A1ACO7E_3lMjyVLag_1HmIBrt7EH17ptvEp7kmYoU9anNM0lVOqyFLe7l0CVyOdw29zXxSlusrK5d_zFP8SzwmDv2BA_yOAPccPo4EpnidgKbn15hJOIzlHyiQTKkKFQ3ScQmux50fYC/s1600/Copy+of+P1090073.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="969" data-original-width="796" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9A1ACO7E_3lMjyVLag_1HmIBrt7EH17ptvEp7kmYoU9anNM0lVOqyFLe7l0CVyOdw29zXxSlusrK5d_zFP8SzwmDv2BA_yOAPccPo4EpnidgKbn15hJOIzlHyiQTKkKFQ3ScQmux50fYC/s400/Copy+of+P1090073.JPG" width="327" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is an enlargement of one of the pictures on the wall in the <br />
photo above it. It is Mr. Robert Pace, the previous proprietor. <br />
The eyes of the picture supposedly follow you as you move. </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBdVAtmIsgvAQ-82ksE4wa7Wn60H33Binx9x0n4GZwGmWbKQZ1aIelHkx-TRLmpwj1NyI_J_aNNghTZ5nHig2vuQaLpux_GZoIUxq5fUz3kiFtypz70JXmBQHzCegH6U2l1zAxrOC1nqDA/s1600/P1090077.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBdVAtmIsgvAQ-82ksE4wa7Wn60H33Binx9x0n4GZwGmWbKQZ1aIelHkx-TRLmpwj1NyI_J_aNNghTZ5nHig2vuQaLpux_GZoIUxq5fUz3kiFtypz70JXmBQHzCegH6U2l1zAxrOC1nqDA/s320/P1090077.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mr. Morton.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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There are inviting displays of produce outside and within. They still sell all kinds of hardware, food, and ice cream, and the place is filled with antiques that are not for sale. The previous proprietors had a squirt gun to use on patrons who attempted to take something for which they did not pay. A wet head was their clue to make the situation right. That squirt gun is still behind the counter -- and loaded. <br />
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There are several other buildings on the main street of town. The depot was moved a few hundred yards from a place adjacent to the tracks. The depot is now a museum and gift shop.<br />
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Other buildings have retail space, and there are several other places to eat.<br />
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After I walk around the little town, I come across this pretty girl, waiting for me. <br />
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She has been faithful these many miles. I get on the bike and head back home the same way I came. <br />
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About 20 miles from home it starts sprinkling. The rain steadily increases until it is coming down pretty heavily. <br />
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But I didn't melt in the rain and got home safely. <br />
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I have set up my spreadsheet for the 80,000 milestone. We'll see if I get that far one day.<br />
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<br />Buckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05008065046166806739noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-465878416372541218.post-50645628736430077032020-04-18T22:00:00.000-04:002020-06-20T16:42:58.630-04:00A Pretty Day in the Mountains, but More Disappointment.<br />
Well, I went on another ride a couple of days ago. The weather was again beautiful, and I was looking forward to a few hours out in nature. <br />
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<a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2020/04/100-miles-and-some-disappointing.html" target="_blank">I didn't have as good a time as I would have liked a few days ago on a ride</a> due to bureaucrats deciding for us what we can and cannot do. I'd recovered a little from that and decided to make another go on the bike. <br />
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Today, I start out from home, and wander around a bit on the roads north of my house. It isn't far to the foothills of the Blue Ridge Escarpment, so I go that way, north from Pickens South Carolina. I meander in that direction, finally coming out at the junction of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Route_178" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">US-178</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Carolina_Highway_11" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">SC-11</a>. I head further north on US-178, hoping to have a look from the lofty 3,554-foot elevation of the highest point in South Carolina, Sassafras Mountain. Sassafras is a place I have often visited on the motorcycle. <br />
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US-178 from SC-11 to Rocky Bottom is in pretty good shape, and there are some nice <a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2009/06/local-photographer-on-twisty-roads.html" target="_blank">repeating s-curves near Rocky Bottom</a>. I enjoy taking the curves at a snappy pace for me. Many motorcyclists use this section of road heavily, especially on warm weekends. There is almost no traffic today because all of the schools and most businesses are closed. <br />
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Here is the general route from Pickens to the road leading to Sassafras Mountain:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy4M_qjCeAgtM93MzB_pN28FyGco0ukF6U_2ohUGOFf0-sG3x94xt1F4IIexCmJ2kvlT8pMDfISv80yqzJoURvoS0lvAzEwjWqfSMrRahH0VSWOTQspCqZqKavize9YXGvQ7wKKVRvcsdI/s1600/Bing+Maps+-+Directions%252C+trip+planning%252C+traffic+cameras+%2526+more+-+Mozilla+Firefox+4172020+60820+PM.bmp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="680" data-original-width="1021" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy4M_qjCeAgtM93MzB_pN28FyGco0ukF6U_2ohUGOFf0-sG3x94xt1F4IIexCmJ2kvlT8pMDfISv80yqzJoURvoS0lvAzEwjWqfSMrRahH0VSWOTQspCqZqKavize9YXGvQ7wKKVRvcsdI/s320/Bing+Maps+-+Directions%252C+trip+planning%252C+traffic+cameras+%2526+more+-+Mozilla+Firefox+4172020+60820+PM.bmp.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Just past the sign for the <a href="https://www.rockybottomofsc.com/index/index.php" target="_blank">Rocky Bottom Retreat and Conference Center of the Blind</a>, I turn right onto F. Van Clayton Highway, and see a new road sign.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj__etlaFzFELhGqK6avWllsUvElpow-4LwAFlJMmpXcWMjEhMOCMQOvYjnE6aVDnovoK6t3l9qKnKm0dJpm9nHTJzhVc3oZOTD5kyChs2yS50QPtKJstYiX22K34E4lEUb5NEFABiD7jp3/s1600/GP010244-road+closed+warning.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj__etlaFzFELhGqK6avWllsUvElpow-4LwAFlJMmpXcWMjEhMOCMQOvYjnE6aVDnovoK6t3l9qKnKm0dJpm9nHTJzhVc3oZOTD5kyChs2yS50QPtKJstYiX22K34E4lEUb5NEFABiD7jp3/s320/GP010244-road+closed+warning.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
I don't pay it much attention, and continue motoring toward my goal today. <br />
<br />
This road is also not too bad, a little narrower than US-178, and there is only one hairpin curve, surprisingly on the way to the top of the mountain. (There isn't a warning sign for that hairpin, so be on the lookout.) <br />
<br />
As I near the road to the top, just where Glady Fork Road turns off to the left, I see it: <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU3HaXmGrBMWxZLn8qn71HbmeGkk7GbsLo-tgyvZwmZoSfNzQFoXcPyD1y2dve8YOr6RA32pVthiVa6S9SFrgmNVSwiY1DOx8IftbNqoDaRzDT4nNHT8MeczIJjcgH1wtGf9A_F5YllhMM/s1600/GP010244-006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="584" data-original-width="619" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU3HaXmGrBMWxZLn8qn71HbmeGkk7GbsLo-tgyvZwmZoSfNzQFoXcPyD1y2dve8YOr6RA32pVthiVa6S9SFrgmNVSwiY1DOx8IftbNqoDaRzDT4nNHT8MeczIJjcgH1wtGf9A_F5YllhMM/s320/GP010244-006.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
A brand new, heavy-duty gate across the road, complete with stop signs and flashing solar-powered warning beacons. I have not given it a thought today that they would close a mountain. Now it dawns on me that the sign down near Rocky Bottom said the following: <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBJ2rtWmow_ZpfZFFPzxYM8cG8Bi3UzJHb2zcMzSbc6ZVytNehXXovpwYi9QxXuAHt10oz6ot3N8lii1kVxAStVAhEzXrSrvPykrd9gln3gAza6Xccg_Qnx1G5-56avFLKZ-Ny3k3Hp3Gu/s1600/GP010244-road+closed+warning+closeup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="260" data-original-width="488" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBJ2rtWmow_ZpfZFFPzxYM8cG8Bi3UzJHb2zcMzSbc6ZVytNehXXovpwYi9QxXuAHt10oz6ot3N8lii1kVxAStVAhEzXrSrvPykrd9gln3gAza6Xccg_Qnx1G5-56avFLKZ-Ny3k3Hp3Gu/s320/GP010244-road+closed+warning+closeup.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>GATE AHEAD</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>ROAD CLOSED</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>PAST </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>GLADY FORK RD</b></div>
<br />
I suppose that new and substantial gate was paid for by taxpayers -- TO KEEP OUT TAXPAYERS!!!<br />
<br />
I'm steamed, thinking about this stupidity, and the waste of my money to keep me out. <br />
<br />
I dismount, and take a closer look. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ3Hs-io_0udegbiqZBBrcjZnCIhllft6C8dFVFpBSCxlYwVm8Nx_GxsT6ocncoXJJ_QNUEuulV3O5CWYr0uv8RbwFaRndYupF3Uz3xsCRhu3LR-GNBluuJjFU_vDFhJdmakuJmfDQHzEo/s1600/P1090005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ3Hs-io_0udegbiqZBBrcjZnCIhllft6C8dFVFpBSCxlYwVm8Nx_GxsT6ocncoXJJ_QNUEuulV3O5CWYr0uv8RbwFaRndYupF3Uz3xsCRhu3LR-GNBluuJjFU_vDFhJdmakuJmfDQHzEo/s320/P1090005.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Even more closely:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ75o1WJdRuIOCdP6BIlS3lFNdyz1WAjZJercN8bJfAgFtD1KKGxiFS3GTBt_DwI038zrmugj8WCd50Ldk3eshpmPdZGvk3r7K4dF_LM0GCKkGJi-WcB0dEMVJAkabRNW73rWLPyDPXjEF/s1600/P1090005-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="819" data-original-width="1269" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ75o1WJdRuIOCdP6BIlS3lFNdyz1WAjZJercN8bJfAgFtD1KKGxiFS3GTBt_DwI038zrmugj8WCd50Ldk3eshpmPdZGvk3r7K4dF_LM0GCKkGJi-WcB0dEMVJAkabRNW73rWLPyDPXjEF/s320/P1090005-001.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Yep. Closed until further notice. That could be years, maybe forever. <br />
<br />
I'm not only steamed, I'm fried, now. I know, I know, they are just trying to keep us healthy. Sure. Keeping us out of the fresh mountain air will keep us healthy. I'll be healthier on this side of the gate than on the other. <br />
<br />
I also note that the new gate is in a fairly steep section of the road. Whoever designed the gate forgot about this slope so the bottom of the right stop sign drags on the pavement when they open the gate -- whenever that is. The pavement has bent the bottom of the sign away from the face of the gate. Clever. <br />
<br />
I look back toward my bike and spot something interesting. Do you see it in this photograph? <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMGy2pl7Tt8GOltpei9ZsEOr44PWPlXcyM4thfW8G5twuNEcFsylpo5IJ0i8JPq9kS0_8El-xyw2f9F3jXTIE4BppGiq3CdsvLOKXJaA7i1v99yQPef-mZIoDMdEr2T0vnTDvpPKvFue9A/s1600/GP010244-010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="590" data-original-width="1008" height="187" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMGy2pl7Tt8GOltpei9ZsEOr44PWPlXcyM4thfW8G5twuNEcFsylpo5IJ0i8JPq9kS0_8El-xyw2f9F3jXTIE4BppGiq3CdsvLOKXJaA7i1v99yQPef-mZIoDMdEr2T0vnTDvpPKvFue9A/s320/GP010244-010.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
That is Glady Fork Road going off to the right in the picture. Two of the three cars are parked on the wrong side of the road, probably indicating that they came here from the same way I did on F.Van Clayton Highway to the left in the picture. <br />
<br />
I have never seen anyone park there before. I don't believe there is anything else around here that would require parking in that location. <br />
<br />
You know what I'll bet? <br />
<br />
I think that these folks got to the same point as I have, and decided to see the top of the mountain anyway. ...from the <a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2019/04/first-glimpse-of-new-sassafras-mountain.html" target="_blank">nearly new overlook structure</a> there. Good for them. <br />
<br />
Here is a crowd on the observation platform September 2019. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3PvYPpKbylsx529CrXQkysDT0ZIhDN8jdRfmeV89QaJsGNhwJ-AH26FMWO5DnoWmkI389t0siyCVWiqGoK8DOQITfQDD4AltX20Uip7GBfF7IClOnipmUnjLV6FH0jlmNGtpqMzN2zxhG/s1600/20190726__Sassafras_Mountain__75_miles+C.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="512" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3PvYPpKbylsx529CrXQkysDT0ZIhDN8jdRfmeV89QaJsGNhwJ-AH26FMWO5DnoWmkI389t0siyCVWiqGoK8DOQITfQDD4AltX20Uip7GBfF7IClOnipmUnjLV6FH0jlmNGtpqMzN2zxhG/s320/20190726__Sassafras_Mountain__75_miles+C.JPG" width="256" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Here is a view from the top on the same day. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWDIyrUgEU09nhxBDv9A1zKm-morxaastH7kaHK6k0ImVsKwDYon5ARsX_KnmuqeIoSrQiW4-qPH4uQJKypk_t186jm_JQ09L2mOX20pCcy7wDmyv-BhFeCJtLkc-ZUH8H82TZb16Espf5/s1600/20190726__Sassafras_Mountain__75_miles1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="666" data-original-width="1600" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWDIyrUgEU09nhxBDv9A1zKm-morxaastH7kaHK6k0ImVsKwDYon5ARsX_KnmuqeIoSrQiW4-qPH4uQJKypk_t186jm_JQ09L2mOX20pCcy7wDmyv-BhFeCJtLkc-ZUH8H82TZb16Espf5/s320/20190726__Sassafras_Mountain__75_miles1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Well worth the time to see the view, I'd say. <br />
<br />
Don't tell anybody about the cars parking near the gate, 'cause then the authorities might come by here and ticket or tow the taxpayers (and visitors) who simply want to see what is theirs. <br />
<br />
By the way, I am also getting a little fidgety, because I need to find a place to relieve myself. Old men need that a lot, it seems. Thinking about the nearly new restroom at the top of the mountain makes this even worse. Torturing, I'd say. <br />
<br />
I nevertheless, mount my steed and head back the way I came. <br />
<br />
When I get to Pickens, I look for a good place; one where I don't have to take off my helmet or worry about the bike while I am using the facilities in some store. ...and come to think of it, there aren't many stores open anyway. <br />
<br />
I think of just the place. There is a city park with a playground, a trail, and a restroom just off US-178. I go that way and find this: <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuZbpuB0rGGEEPb-VhM1bzw8zcUEwVtKJ_yE_6sIe03xdYIUWPGBgD7MMXLPaI-k1hbJRHje8DKrzJFgLXzqEi2cFpQVochd7T4Jf4n7qrsmMTMdIGoq0ntPpO4NC9x5gcA_XOfMpckPQ4/s1600/GP010245-001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="446" data-original-width="849" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuZbpuB0rGGEEPb-VhM1bzw8zcUEwVtKJ_yE_6sIe03xdYIUWPGBgD7MMXLPaI-k1hbJRHje8DKrzJFgLXzqEi2cFpQVochd7T4Jf4n7qrsmMTMdIGoq0ntPpO4NC9x5gcA_XOfMpckPQ4/s320/GP010245-001.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Closed. I go on a little further to the Pickens Recreation Center, which is a gymnasium with ball fields and a very <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ckxbgxFi2mA" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">nice BMX track</a> behind it. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfad1lch85mPcXZC1qF123j7M_ECICXX8ACeOOei_4BN4mrUUjh5qLsE1rCivBukVtbQN1XEa231tLUbZyTECChyphenhyphen0zYL6X6vylRA3C3przZ9JMUdbq5krqG0JmyrFMqLMQwV0n5Q-ES7rm/s1600/GP010245-003.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="546" data-original-width="833" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfad1lch85mPcXZC1qF123j7M_ECICXX8ACeOOei_4BN4mrUUjh5qLsE1rCivBukVtbQN1XEa231tLUbZyTECChyphenhyphen0zYL6X6vylRA3C3przZ9JMUdbq5krqG0JmyrFMqLMQwV0n5Q-ES7rm/s320/GP010245-003.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Closed too, though there is a small group of employees gathered on a picnic bench outside in the rear of the building. They look to be much closer than the regulation six feet apart. Naughty, naughty! </div>
<br />
Now what will I do? I am getting desperate. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I wander around the city streets and spot this: </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjULQBLcXsj1LuRxRX8dBC_CEj3Wx1k8F26Pm00r8sFxnWUv0M9TLmM3RkK-514Fnor9zHS_lrLHZyICGTQwvUnmrmehIsVW0hoN6z02t6kdjkMAsiaUFWTSbeLbvKmRqPhWqHEM9WLC94v/s1600/GP020245.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="401" data-original-width="531" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjULQBLcXsj1LuRxRX8dBC_CEj3Wx1k8F26Pm00r8sFxnWUv0M9TLmM3RkK-514Fnor9zHS_lrLHZyICGTQwvUnmrmehIsVW0hoN6z02t6kdjkMAsiaUFWTSbeLbvKmRqPhWqHEM9WLC94v/s320/GP020245.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
See that house on the right? It is being refurbished. <br />
<br />
Know what the workers need? They need a place to go potty! ...and they have just such a place. <br />
<br />
And I need one. Now. <br />
<br />
I quickly turn around, and park on the opposite side of the street from my immediate goal. There, a guy is cutting his lawn on a tractor. I have my helmet on, and my earplugs in. I want to tell him why I am going to park on his sidewalk, but the noise of his tractor prevents him from hearing my muffled voice from within my helmet, even when I get closer to him. [Not <i>too</i> close, mind you.] <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ4rl0SgxE4xmw7qsGwwckGY4uNRSuGXtZDuDvVks8K6KwyHt-dXIf70TW_8wFoeoXJBwUd-_pi9fJwmlcuLq8FJnmV8mKNol3UZp3hJ46EHxmraPMb4a2hsLCfX2voCN6gqEYDc_VZyEX/s1600/GP020245-003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ4rl0SgxE4xmw7qsGwwckGY4uNRSuGXtZDuDvVks8K6KwyHt-dXIf70TW_8wFoeoXJBwUd-_pi9fJwmlcuLq8FJnmV8mKNol3UZp3hJ46EHxmraPMb4a2hsLCfX2voCN6gqEYDc_VZyEX/s320/GP020245-003.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
I suppose he might be a little wary of me, too. I can't imagine why. I'm sure motorcyclists in leathers stop here frequently. <br />
<br />
Finally, I devise a solution. I give the universal sign of needing to go -- pointing at the nether regions -- then at the potty across the street. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY4VF2uygepFJpiHo_h6wTgwuyG9FDvNQt1tWjagKJspxy4IceK4rsCNgo3wR9PuZ1jVTod4X97kJfZzefhVoreUOU_zV9AmHBLiwXpqDeEvNVyhPcjHB6pnUKPXEFYOmUm_GjwkcfnNb9/s1600/GP020245-005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY4VF2uygepFJpiHo_h6wTgwuyG9FDvNQt1tWjagKJspxy4IceK4rsCNgo3wR9PuZ1jVTod4X97kJfZzefhVoreUOU_zV9AmHBLiwXpqDeEvNVyhPcjHB6pnUKPXEFYOmUm_GjwkcfnNb9/s320/GP020245-005.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The shadow of my arm pointing at my immediate goal. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
He gets the message, acknowledges that he understands, and I sprint across the street. <br />
<br />
Whew. <br />
<br />
I then mount up and head for home, tooting my horn in thanks to the man on the tractor. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I really did have a nice ride today, but trying to find a suitable place when nature calls has, again, not been easy. ...and I really want to get our freedoms back, so I can go where I wish, see what is mine to see, shop where I want, and not feel as though I might be breaking rules all the time. </div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I hope this nonsense ends soon, so we can again live in freedom. Write to your governor to tell him that. </div>
.<br />
<br />
<br />
.<br />
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<img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfxOohnFJn7xThWj_QgK8ql7wo6okfleQytObV1XaD3REKNZ1xyTw7vzJeKf3zsLsP8V_i61URc4dHXsLQqNlKa6KnFkawjUKmQg3S8wak-dMwzDsOHJCIG7Xlcn97o9RAJ4KupIuXf4vk/s1600/Older-Home-Newer_Search-Keyword.jpg" width="400" /></div>
</div>
<br />Buckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05008065046166806739noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-465878416372541218.post-40780274253295547342020-04-12T23:04:00.000-04:002020-06-20T16:42:44.082-04:00100 miles and Some Disappointing Stupidity.<br />
I went out on a ride of a little over 100 miles the other day, in the beautiful foothills of the Blue Ridge Escarpment near my home. It was a wonderful day to be out: just the right temperature and with only a few clouds in the sky.<br />
<br />
I motor north to Pickens South Carolina and follow US-178 from there to SC-11, the <span class="js-about-item-abstr"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Carolina_Highway_11" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Cherokee Foothills Scenic Highway</a>. I am enjoying the ride, but need to stop for a necessary break. I decide that <a href="https://southcarolinaparks.com/keowee-toxaway" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Keowee-Toxiway State Park</a> picnic grounds would be a good choice. </span><br />
<span class="js-about-item-abstr"><br /></span>
<span class="js-about-item-abstr">This is usually a quiet place to stop, but not today. It is dead, because it is closed. If I go in there, I might become infected, I guess. </span><br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisPtuWqrFAxxW6hwk6VF_PPOr8muGtQZkf8EaFB2QXGvk_EFBBfr4Bd5iEK9kUAbmezgseK06MLTNAnF5PDwgazJDCXRuqqEaYLl_JABSADa9NQ3Oq0ckjtT7knwUSyO7dNDnCL9hXAJ3H/s1600/GP020239-001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisPtuWqrFAxxW6hwk6VF_PPOr8muGtQZkf8EaFB2QXGvk_EFBBfr4Bd5iEK9kUAbmezgseK06MLTNAnF5PDwgazJDCXRuqqEaYLl_JABSADa9NQ3Oq0ckjtT7knwUSyO7dNDnCL9hXAJ3H/s320/GP020239-001.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="js-about-item-abstr"><span class="js-about-item-abstr">With what? Something they are now saying is no worse than the common cold! </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQqFqHtXmlAoxj51Nzoxr4BHNWBA8aQcmwVO897rvZLjc91wn7l7CIhs7OWhLQ2aOWc7h5upPPcmnaubitEwIXKqwUn8xttaLbop_GtbAMnwmQBCo54txk6nIkCKhH7FmSgWMjqZ6-hOdo/s1600/P1080953.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQqFqHtXmlAoxj51Nzoxr4BHNWBA8aQcmwVO897rvZLjc91wn7l7CIhs7OWhLQ2aOWc7h5upPPcmnaubitEwIXKqwUn8xttaLbop_GtbAMnwmQBCo54txk6nIkCKhH7FmSgWMjqZ6-hOdo/s320/P1080953.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Stupidity. I think about hopping the gate and seeing whether I came down with anything. <br />
<span class="js-about-item-abstr"><span class="js-about-item-abstr"></span></span><br />
<span class="js-about-item-abstr"><span class="js-about-item-abstr"><br /></span></span>(No, <span class="js-about-item-abstr">I don't hop the gate.) </span><br />
<br />
<span class="js-about-item-abstr">Oh well, Ill go on further and find another place. I hope I can wait a little longer. </span><br />
<span class="js-about-item-abstr"><br /></span>
<span class="js-about-item-abstr">I continue on SC-11 to the <a href="https://www.tdarschool.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Tamassee DAR School</a>. It is housed on a beautiful 110-acre campus with housing and other facilities for children without parents at home. This facility has been open for around 100 years, serving children who have no other place to live. They have a faith-centered program, including </span>an <span class="js-about-item-abstr">early childhood learning center, an after
school program, tutors, help for troubled kids, and they instill good citizenship and values. In other words they have been building solid citizens from the children they serve. This is one of <a href="https://www.dar.org/national-society/education/dar-schools" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">several DAR schools</a> in the country. </span><br />
<span class="js-about-item-abstr"><br /></span>
<span class="js-about-item-abstr">I noticed </span><span class="js-about-item-abstr"><span class="js-about-item-abstr">on their website</span>, after I returned from my ride, that they are having to terminate many of their services because of a South Carolina </span><span class="js-about-item-abstr"><span class="js-about-item-abstr">lawsuit </span>and new federal guidelines that require kids without parents at home to be placed in individual foster homes instead of group homes such as the DAR School that have been successful, reliable, and loving places where they can grow up in a stable environment -- and have done so for a hundred years. </span><br />
<br />
<span class="js-about-item-abstr">The lawsuit cites the fact that there are <i>too few</i> foster homes available in South Carolina, so, in response, they are making it impossible for the DAR School to continue to provide <i>the very thing that is in short supply</i>! </span><br />
<br />
<span class="js-about-item-abstr">Now these kids will be in <i>fewer</i> and <i>less stable</i> foster homes. This is stupidity with real consequences for these kids. Government is damaging their futures. </span><br />
<br />
<span class="js-about-item-abstr">The nearby thrift shop run by the DAR School as also closed for the same reason Keowee-Toxiway Park is closed. </span><br />
<br />
<span class="js-about-item-abstr">So government has pinched off even more of the funding they so desperately need. </span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span class="js-about-item-abstr">I am not enjoying the ride nearly as much at this point. Nevertheless, I stop at one of the picturesque places on the DAR campus, to view the Flat Shoals River from the bridge over it. </span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3QJBnw-bAS7upXFvU-07m0MVobm2-MhHU64w_9Snhuc9HT1IbHJag7WjgovpCI2TMI2nc2UEL45ceq_AUhpTc3S9jRhC4s_atRZTrX1j3i2mEVTs-6tMvuf7vMzXopKevZsdg4tvOxH6G/s1600/GP020239-004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3QJBnw-bAS7upXFvU-07m0MVobm2-MhHU64w_9Snhuc9HT1IbHJag7WjgovpCI2TMI2nc2UEL45ceq_AUhpTc3S9jRhC4s_atRZTrX1j3i2mEVTs-6tMvuf7vMzXopKevZsdg4tvOxH6G/s320/GP020239-004.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I make my way to the river bridge for some pictures.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="js-about-item-abstr"></span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipbiPAFflY2wVZwHTIbHeLLkaKp3Yt7r9LlGoiXvkjiPGYopFrek5LaoP1x8pVfLaKvZoiv1y_AI5rYGmIrFUrdTNQHC2sv6c_W8F6qOWE5cUMMiNp9z0u0OXKJwnbJqFaho4I09uR2iiV/s1600/P1080958.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipbiPAFflY2wVZwHTIbHeLLkaKp3Yt7r9LlGoiXvkjiPGYopFrek5LaoP1x8pVfLaKvZoiv1y_AI5rYGmIrFUrdTNQHC2sv6c_W8F6qOWE5cUMMiNp9z0u0OXKJwnbJqFaho4I09uR2iiV/s320/P1080958.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9bZJRDbpVKvD0ZsnRxDomrxtjp1JQclhrR_HAim7Rmk_EwH4KwNmkqCnOL31oF2Pa8F_FYn0mC8GTifurjd3d045igLgLUnZaiW9cG_WAL41X4nXYv63Tpj_PnI5alGrkNgKNQaCRgTRu/s1600/P1080957.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9bZJRDbpVKvD0ZsnRxDomrxtjp1JQclhrR_HAim7Rmk_EwH4KwNmkqCnOL31oF2Pa8F_FYn0mC8GTifurjd3d045igLgLUnZaiW9cG_WAL41X4nXYv63Tpj_PnI5alGrkNgKNQaCRgTRu/s320/P1080957.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinnSEqmQGIgpZE0vCy5ssBBBZoGTHrjG_98uW0pnQHYqcn-YwhKOvjrgwK-sbJChma3Rc65C7BvPulVZ7qrLonKVflZmpCnNGkhaWrm_QsRKfS4ms_NlzJETUigN_eQ-P0gnHR-wkuh2kW/s1600/P1080959.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinnSEqmQGIgpZE0vCy5ssBBBZoGTHrjG_98uW0pnQHYqcn-YwhKOvjrgwK-sbJChma3Rc65C7BvPulVZ7qrLonKVflZmpCnNGkhaWrm_QsRKfS4ms_NlzJETUigN_eQ-P0gnHR-wkuh2kW/s320/P1080959.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view from the other side. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="js-about-item-abstr">Well, that is certainly a nice view of the river here. I feel a little less tense, frustrated, and angry, having looked it over. </span><br />
<span class="js-about-item-abstr"><br /></span>
<span class="js-about-item-abstr">Here are some pictures taken in November of 2009 of the buildings and sculpture on the campus. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBETSAvHZ0JsuCeyPwvetLto1YmDnYrwYcmZzOeEXMUQVDFGqorwhM9iFwIvb3d9sNXH2e7vFzl9V7zxYNTodoszLolzildR81P1jXwuj5ydAzKeC9NRa5B3gLcpX8GuBoqnK94510XW94/s1600/P1020596.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="297" data-original-width="640" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBETSAvHZ0JsuCeyPwvetLto1YmDnYrwYcmZzOeEXMUQVDFGqorwhM9iFwIvb3d9sNXH2e7vFzl9V7zxYNTodoszLolzildR81P1jXwuj5ydAzKeC9NRa5B3gLcpX8GuBoqnK94510XW94/s320/P1020596.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHpxLme6eZVE3HaRbrVfPnRy3I1_0XNXziVlKXWSNPWUlSfVs8NWiI6_LgZVYbigU2oy27mfahCNi5kDDpk0RiFp3E5TiFI6iY-pBJZabgdQ9kQY_jlCODQDO7arMcDdVyN2A8uIKYwmcq/s1600/P1020599.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="375" data-original-width="640" height="187" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHpxLme6eZVE3HaRbrVfPnRy3I1_0XNXziVlKXWSNPWUlSfVs8NWiI6_LgZVYbigU2oy27mfahCNi5kDDpk0RiFp3E5TiFI6iY-pBJZabgdQ9kQY_jlCODQDO7arMcDdVyN2A8uIKYwmcq/s320/P1020599.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5vmj1ErrmoXyIvF_iuObtmRj-UwKch7NLCAwxJ9m3PhKcTQDANo20wOnDEWk8EdhP5KBOltu7mewZGnHqNi-oizqA6mW7kFbB3N4JwsP07MtX4IoZ4PJXwYRIcKpjo_bLnnBPHOLpziKh/s1600/P1020602.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5vmj1ErrmoXyIvF_iuObtmRj-UwKch7NLCAwxJ9m3PhKcTQDANo20wOnDEWk8EdhP5KBOltu7mewZGnHqNi-oizqA6mW7kFbB3N4JwsP07MtX4IoZ4PJXwYRIcKpjo_bLnnBPHOLpziKh/s320/P1020602.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqc7hoTnvdNTv7EkSr14bIOljPu_CVxUbncesbhour2-WYEgXZ1TIx7gN2hkuiqb98PW5gCcszR690Kgal_tew-tlA2UWEGo1HyG4DVDaSyOP5Lk7LVVGUSxfirX7AmTFJuTF-9lg5W7Yt/s1600/P1020604.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="406" data-original-width="640" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqc7hoTnvdNTv7EkSr14bIOljPu_CVxUbncesbhour2-WYEgXZ1TIx7gN2hkuiqb98PW5gCcszR690Kgal_tew-tlA2UWEGo1HyG4DVDaSyOP5Lk7LVVGUSxfirX7AmTFJuTF-9lg5W7Yt/s320/P1020604.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span class="js-about-item-abstr"><br /></span>
<span class="js-about-item-abstr">A nice place for kids, certainly. </span><br />
<br />
<span class="js-about-item-abstr"><br /></span>
<span class="js-about-item-abstr">...but I still need to make a stop someplace. </span><br />
<span class="js-about-item-abstr"><br /></span>
<span class="js-about-item-abstr">There are several man-made lakes in the Upstate of South Carolina, with almost unlimited opportunities to enjoy the water from the shore, from a boat, or even as a SCUBA diver. </span><br />
<span class="js-about-item-abstr"><br /></span>
<span class="js-about-item-abstr">There are two nearby places to launch boats </span><span class="js-about-item-abstr"><span class="js-about-item-abstr">onto Lake Keowee </span>(and that have rest rooms): </span><span class="js-about-item-abstr"><span class="js-about-item-abstr">Fall<u>s</u> Creek Access Area, on <a href="https://duckduckgo.com/?q=162+Fall+Creek+Church+Road%2C+Salem%2C+SC+29676&atb=v178-4&ia=maps&iaxm=maps&strict_bbox=0&bbox=34.908780160232496%2C-82.93168702673395%2C34.894701618644845%2C-82.90937104773005" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Landing Road</a> near 162 Fall Creek Church Road, Salem, SC 29676, and </span>Fall Creek Access Area, directly to the east from <a href="http://595 Shallowford Road (State Rd S-37-44), Salem, SC 29676" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">595 Shallowford Road (State Rd S-37-44), </a></span><span class="js-about-item-abstr"><a href="http://595 Shallowford Road (State Rd S-37-44), Salem, SC 29676" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Salem, SC</a> 29676. </span><br />
<span class="js-about-item-abstr"><br /></span>
<span class="js-about-item-abstr">I decide to go to the first one. As I near the turnoff, I spot the signs. </span><br />
<span class="js-about-item-abstr"></span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX2fcXPSRmZPeLJdUkKjek5poNWlyTtJuC0566bZzgHW9C64OiT_Z0-gKt3MAZQWffB40m0OZUzdfRYT6MfF12TefmjCiP0aFLBgflg4_Nh9HkMp_OU-zl2-bLSwUekuTXw_nQKjXtf38c/s1600/P1080961.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="612" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX2fcXPSRmZPeLJdUkKjek5poNWlyTtJuC0566bZzgHW9C64OiT_Z0-gKt3MAZQWffB40m0OZUzdfRYT6MfF12TefmjCiP0aFLBgflg4_Nh9HkMp_OU-zl2-bLSwUekuTXw_nQKjXtf38c/s320/P1080961.JPG" width="306" /></a></div>
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<span class="js-about-item-abstr"></span>
<span class="js-about-item-abstr">Ahh. Relief, soon. </span><br />
<br />
<span class="js-about-item-abstr">But wait. What are those red tinged signs? They look familiar, for some reason. </span><br />
<span class="js-about-item-abstr"></span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEHmhNmCbmVe8i4K0apo-iloG7hT28zsI2dyJSmgNTFoAKD9QhtawC9jBW5wMm8o-iUrXKxoig73pp5Z6k8soH7goR2Myi1eMe7UpSudIzpaXfEgptbdl8l-XWxWJFbHBGUsZl8MhId48O/s1600/P1080962.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="566" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEHmhNmCbmVe8i4K0apo-iloG7hT28zsI2dyJSmgNTFoAKD9QhtawC9jBW5wMm8o-iUrXKxoig73pp5Z6k8soH7goR2Myi1eMe7UpSudIzpaXfEgptbdl8l-XWxWJFbHBGUsZl8MhId48O/s320/P1080962.JPG" width="283" /></a></div>
<span class="js-about-item-abstr"><br /></span>
<span class="js-about-item-abstr">...and what is that block of concrete there for? </span><br />
<span class="js-about-item-abstr"></span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy0uG58KgYUtNL89jIQKuC2gGSUB_QNc39mT4Aqt2JyYJKy-65tX44mfHTdYQj1xnMHi4dfdcavuaBe0Q4Hooklt1KzXsJyh99JZ8qWg_OZd-c3f9THKq2Mx0Mm8NluFbAPnSFU6GBxR1N/s1600/P1080963.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="579" data-original-width="640" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy0uG58KgYUtNL89jIQKuC2gGSUB_QNc39mT4Aqt2JyYJKy-65tX44mfHTdYQj1xnMHi4dfdcavuaBe0Q4Hooklt1KzXsJyh99JZ8qWg_OZd-c3f9THKq2Mx0Mm8NluFbAPnSFU6GBxR1N/s320/P1080963.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span class="js-about-item-abstr"><br /></span>
<span class="js-about-item-abstr">...and this sign in the road. </span><br />
<span class="js-about-item-abstr"></span>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfZmciKLiwwHMPdYzQEaa4BLilcqT9eqGspNE0Wj-MCUmxJQsOdI22QoJ7TU3GhMcIGvzAxWXl-55qTemMQUMG_jFkeaAI8qbWwwGMpazrYEyEbyipj3TmaaYWvyvPPs9u9jS9OVSyaoNN/s1600/P1080964.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfZmciKLiwwHMPdYzQEaa4BLilcqT9eqGspNE0Wj-MCUmxJQsOdI22QoJ7TU3GhMcIGvzAxWXl-55qTemMQUMG_jFkeaAI8qbWwwGMpazrYEyEbyipj3TmaaYWvyvPPs9u9jS9OVSyaoNN/s320/P1080964.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span class="js-about-item-abstr"><br /></span>
<span class="js-about-item-abstr"><span class="js-about-item-abstr">...and more blocks of concrete. </span></span><br />
<span class="js-about-item-abstr"><span class="js-about-item-abstr"></span></span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg__Wps8N9NDSIubrWPVojWdfinDxLf_fKIB-5JuWqaZ3hDEUvF-fADoq9JX2y8KrTPfnNC2GlBvsXO3Eh7bEz-88kxFHgTjQ86TJz-U-rMKPvrSD8cd3_-HuPSi0giiQw5aIVRlNKlTdoQ/s1600/P1080970.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg__Wps8N9NDSIubrWPVojWdfinDxLf_fKIB-5JuWqaZ3hDEUvF-fADoq9JX2y8KrTPfnNC2GlBvsXO3Eh7bEz-88kxFHgTjQ86TJz-U-rMKPvrSD8cd3_-HuPSi0giiQw5aIVRlNKlTdoQ/s320/P1080970.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Oh, no. Now what'll I do?<br />
<br />
I stop for a few seconds, then dismount, walk through an opening at the end of the giant concrete blocks, and find the nearest natural restroom.<br />
<br />
Relief, at last.<br />
<br />
I get out my lunch and a bottle of water and eat in peace, there where no one was likely to come. As I walk about, I take a better look at the red-edged signs.<br />
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Temporarily closed, eh?<br />
<br />
This closure surely doesn't look temporary to me, what with the concrete blocks and the ROAD CLOSED sign embedded in the pavement. I had gone into the forbidden zone, risking life and limb, apparently.<br />
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When I am sated, I pack up my tank bag, and go a mile or so to the other boat launch, the one to the east on Shallowford Road. I fully expect that I will find the same thing.<br />
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To my surprise, I find this:<br />
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An empty parking lot. There is one pickup truck with an empty boat trailer and a single car.<br />
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The ramp is open with no warning signs in sight.<br />
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<br />
This must be a (the?) safe place in the park system. I feel as though I can breathe freely here. If someone had come along, I might even have risked getting less than 6 feet from him.<br />
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What freedom! Right here in South Carolina -- at a park no less.<br />
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I spend a few more minutes savoring the view, the clean air, the beautiful sky, then start my motor and meander my way back home. <br />
<br />
<br />
I really did enjoy my time out, but the unreasonable restrictions are disappointing, unnecessary, and stupid. <br />
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We have lost many of our freedoms in the just the last four or five weeks. Our economic system has suffered a devastating blow because of mandatory closures. The news people mostly support our downfall.<br />
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<br />
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The leftists have succeeded in causing us deep distress that we may never recover from. <br />
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...all in the name of protecting us from what amounts to the common cold. <br />
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Maybe the next thing they'll take away is our scooters -- since they have no practical or necessary benefit in the eyes of the leftist bureaucrats. <br />
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<br />Buckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05008065046166806739noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-465878416372541218.post-58246844825085242522020-02-08T16:47:00.000-05:002020-02-08T17:23:51.321-05:00A Glimpse of Fall on a Winter Day.<br />
The weather in South Carolina has been mild for the most part this winter. Riding a motorcycle here is quite the treat, since you can ride almost all year long. The roads are not in great condition, thanks to our politicians' graft and corruption, but the climate is just about ideal.<br />
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The scenery is nice too. We live in the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piedmont_(United_States)" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Piedmont</a> -- which means the foot of the mountain; the Blue Ridge Escarpment -- so there are some nice hills and twisty roads winding through them.<br />
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In the fall, I took a short ride up to <a href="https://www.hdcarolina.com/episode/whitewater-falls" target="_blank">Whitewater Falls</a> in the Jocassee Gorge area, just into North Carolina on SC-130. It is one of <a href="https://buckysride.blogspot.com/2019/03/speaking-of-waterfalls-this-is-my.html" target="_blank">my favorite destinations</a>, as you can tell if you have followed this blog for any time at all. The roads are good, the curves are somewhat challenging, and the falls are picturesque.<br />
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The pictures along the road show the fall colors well. Those colors were to be gone just a few days afterward, and they will not return again for several months.<br />
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Here are some highlights.<br />
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This fellow coming the other way reached our so far that I almost could have touched him if I had been a little further to the left in my lane. <br />
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He seemed particularly enthusiastic about his ride that day. It was an ideal time to be out on two wheels. <br />
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Since that ride of just over a hundred miles back in early November, those leaves have fallen, but the temperatures have been very warm on many days -- sometimes into the mid 60s! I have ridden quite a bit since then. <br />
<br />
Unfortunately, there has been a great deal of rain in January and early February, and now the temperatures have taken a dramatic turn downward. <br />
<br />
Take a look at today. <br />
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<br />
<br />
We don't often get snow, but it is now 32 degrees and the low is to be about 28 tonight. <br />
<br />
No riding for a few days, I'm afraid. <br />
<br />
.<br />
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<br />Buckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05008065046166806739noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-465878416372541218.post-88734454591439306282019-07-20T00:01:00.000-04:002019-07-23T19:12:21.287-04:00Moon Landing and Motorcycling.<br />
On July 20, 1969, that is 50 years ago today, a United States Apollo spacecraft landed in the Sea of Tranquility on the moon's surface. Six hours later, for the first time in human history, two human beings, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, stood on the surface of another heavenly body besides earth. <br />
<br />
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<br />
I saw it live on TV. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. <br />
<br />
A lot changed at that moment. Man was seemingly capable of doing anything he put is mind to. Technology made space travel possible, and the offshoots of that effort have benefited all of mankind. <br />
<br />
Consider that the first moon landing occurred a mere 12 years after the Soviets launched the first artificial orbiting satellite, Sputnik. That is an amazingly short period of time for so complex a project. <br />
<br />
<br />
So, what did we gain from the Apollo moon program besides some 850 pounds of rock and soil? <br />
<br />
<br />
There is a dizzying array of products that use technologies or materials
originally developed for the space program. We'll make a list later on. <br />
<br />
What we learned about the moon -- and the Earth and solar system -- is still being sifted
through so it can be understood.<br />
<br />
One of the profoundly significant tangible objects we got from
the moon landing and the Apollo program may well have been those photos
that show what the Earth looks like from the lunar surface. <br />
<br />
According to Andrew Chaikin, author of several
space and science books, including 'A Man on the Moon,' the basis for
the HBO miniseries "From the Earth to the Moon," and 'Voices From the Moon,' quoted in Las Vegas <i>Review-Journal</i>, "There
was an incredible leap in awareness that we got from looking homeward
from all that distance and seeing the Earth as a precious and tiny
oasis of life in the vastness of space." <br />
<br />
"That is a
very profound shift in perspective that Apollo gave us.... Earth
is a world to be cherished and protected." <br />
<br />
Bishop Dan Edwards of
the Episcopal Diocese of Nevada, also quoted in the Las Vegas <i>Review-Journal</i>, agrees, likening those Apollo-era
photos to "a God’s-eye view of the Earth and humanity. And from that
perspective, we were able to see that we really are all one planet and
one intricately connected ecosystem."<br />
<br />
Wow! The earth is a special place among the heavenly bodies. It is the only place where man can live because of a delicate balance of the earth's atmosphere, light, temperature, plant and animal life. ...and of course, it is just that -- a place created in the right way by God for mankind to live here. <br />
<br />
Back to the Apollo space program. Here is a list of spinoffs from Apollo, taken, in part, from The UK <i>Telegraph</i>:<br />
<ul>
<li>CAT scanner: this cancer-detecting technology was first used to find imperfections in spaceship components. </li>
<li>Computer microchip: modern microchips descend from integrated circuits used in the Apollo Guidance Computer. (Most modern motorcycles have electronic engine controls containing integrated circuits.) </li>
<li>Cordless tools: power drills and vacuum cleaners use technology designed to drill for moon samples. (All the better to work on those motorcycles of ours without being tethered to an electrical outlet.) </li>
<li>Ear thermometer: a camera-like lens that detects infrared energy we
feel as heat was originally used to monitor the birth of stars. </li>
<li>Photography: multispectral terrain photography that uses combinations of different
types of light, such as infrared and ultraviolet, reveal things not
seen when using only visible light, like diseased trees or crops. </li>
<li>Freeze-dried food: this reduces food weight and increases shelf life without sacrificing nutritional value. <br /> Insulation: home insulation uses reflective material that protects spacecraft from radiation. </li>
<li>
Invisible braces: teeth-straightening is less embarrassing thanks to
transparent ceramic brace brackets made from spacecraft materials. </li>
<li> Joystick: this computer gaming device was first used on the Apollo Lunar Rover. </li>
<li>
Memory foam: created for aircraft seats to soften landing, this
foam, which returns to its original shape, is found in mattresses and
shock absorbing helmets. (Ah, another motorcycle benefit!) </li>
<li> Satellite television: technology used
to fix errors in spacecraft signals helps reduce scrambled pictures and
sound in satellite television signals. </li>
<li> Scratch resistant lenses: astronaut helmet visor coating makes our spectacles ten times more scratch resistant. (Another spinoff.) </li>
<li> Shoe insoles: athletic shoe companies adapted space boot designs to lessen impact by adding spring and ventilation. </li>
<li> Smoke detector: NASA invented the first adjustable smoke detector with sensitivity levels to prevent false alarms. </li>
<li>
Swimsuit: NASA used the same principles that reduce drag in space
to help create the world’s fastest swimsuit for Speedo, rejected by some
professionals for giving an unfair advantage. </li>
<li> Water filter: domestic versions borrow a technique NASA pioneered to kill bacteria in water taken into space. </li>
<li>Fire fighting: fire-resistant materials used in firefighting. </li>
<li>Global positioning devices. (Still another indispensable spinoff we use on our bikes.) </li>
<li>Electrical, hydraulic, and other systems: high-reliability for space applications. </li>
<li>Materials: developed for severe space applications. </li>
</ul>
Here is one benefit I'll bet most of us don't realize: <br />
<ul>
<li>Geo-Political: The United States had beaten the Soviets to the moon. The Soviet government had an aggressive space program, but the superiority of the United States' program resulted in a call for democratization of the USSR, specifically citing the American moon landing as evidence of the superiority of our representative democracy. (We are more free than any place in the world -- free to ride those bikes of ours anywhere we choose.) <br /> </li>
</ul>
Think of that! Landing on the moon affected the world's thinking about the best type of government. Our form of government, where the <i>people</i>, not a small group of dictatorial leaders run the country, is superior to any other. <br />
<br />
The Apollo program affected us in another way:<br />
<ul>
<li>There was a whole generation of
kids who began to think about careers in science and engineering. (Maybe even
in motorcycle engineering.) </li>
</ul>
Thousands of industries and hundreds of thousands of technically-oriented people have benefited from this spinoff of the space program.<br />
<br />
So if I look at the list above, which most certainly is not exhaustive, I see the foam for helmets and shoes, GPS systems, computer microchips, cordless tools for working on our bikes, and the effect on the number of young people going into engineering to develop even more sophisticated and useful products. <br />
<br />
Our freedom, however, is perhaps the most significant of any. <br />
<br />
<b>So, look up before you go out riding next time, and think of all the benefits the space program has generated for us. </b><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW6RjEyJkX5sJyfCrFfBBt1gFzONYBYBccYBPXnqwXzy-xRLZgoMDjRa9mchtsSv3mu6m5RHYVPnJl1ATX0PLIagtAEnLlFgwbygiz2fRBNkajpvS0j2aEZtkM3l5iGh61aOhPKwjoLEl0/s1600/Apollo+11+crew+--+Neil+Armstrong%252C+Michael+Collins%252C+and+Buzz+Aldrin..jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="954" data-original-width="1200" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW6RjEyJkX5sJyfCrFfBBt1gFzONYBYBccYBPXnqwXzy-xRLZgoMDjRa9mchtsSv3mu6m5RHYVPnJl1ATX0PLIagtAEnLlFgwbygiz2fRBNkajpvS0j2aEZtkM3l5iGh61aOhPKwjoLEl0/s320/Apollo+11+crew+--+Neil+Armstrong%252C+Michael+Collins%252C+and+Buzz+Aldrin..jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Apollo 11 crew -- Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins, and Buzz Aldrin</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>References:</b></span><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.reviewjournal.com/life/moon-landing-taught-us-much-about-science-and-ourselves/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Moon landing taught us much about science — and ourselves</a>. Las Vegas <i>Review-Journal</i>, July 5, 2009. </li>
<li><a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/science/space/5893387/Apollo-11-moon-landing-top-15-Nasa-inventions.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Apollo-11-Moon Landing Top 15 NASA Inventions</a>. The [UK] Telegraph, July 22, 2009</li>
<li><a href="https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/news/series/moon/first_lunar_program.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Our First Lunar Program: What did we get from Apollo?</a> Goddard SpaceFlight Center, 10/17/2007</li>
</ul>
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.Buckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05008065046166806739noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-465878416372541218.post-4953985656065529882019-05-27T00:01:00.000-04:002019-05-27T00:01:06.861-04:00Memorial Day Rememberance<span class="ya-q-full-text Wow-bw" id="yui_3_17_2_4_1558899337856_2014" itemprop="text">.</span><br />
<a href="http://www.fg-a.com/american-1.shtml" target="_blank"><img alt="Flags" border="0" height="40" src="http://content.screencast.com/users/fg-a/folders/american-flags/media/41b679d9-4c35-4259-80bf-b1d743252a36/usa_sm40fa.gif" width="54" /></a> <br />
<br />
<span class="ya-q-full-text Wow-bw" id="yui_3_17_2_4_1558899337856_2014" itemprop="text">Your grandma might have called it <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decoration_Day" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Decoration Day</a>. It was called Decoration Day because, in the immediate aftermath of the American Civil War, it was a day when the graves of soldiers were
decorated in remembrance of their ultimate sacrifice while serving their
country.<br />
<br />
We call it <a href="https://www.military.com/memorial-day" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Memorial Day</a>
now. That name was first used in 1882, but it did not become common
until after World War II, and was not declared to be the official name
of the day by Federal law until 1967. <br /><br />(Memorial Day is not to be confused with <a href="https://www.military.com/veterans-day/history-of-veterans-day.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Veterans Day</a>, also known as <a href="https://military.wikia.org/wiki/Armistice_Day" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Armistice Day</a>.
Memorial Day is a day of remembering the men and women who died while
serving, while Veterans Day celebrates the service of all military
personnel not currently serving. </span><span class="ya-q-full-text Wow-bw" id="yui_3_17_2_4_1558899337856_2014" itemprop="text"><span class="ya-q-full-text Wow-bw" id="yui_3_17_2_4_1558899337856_2014" itemprop="text"><a href="https://www.military.com/military-appreciation-month/history-of-armed-forces-day.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Armed Forces Day</a> is a holiday to honor servicemen who are presently in the military.</span>) <br />
<br />
We are not so thankful for their sacrifices these days, I think, but we certainly ought to
be. Our very freedom in these United States was won by -- and is
defended daily by -- the blood of our servicemen and women. <br />
<br />
In fact, our young people used to aspire to serve our country, like in this cartoon from around the year 1900. <br />
<br />
</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsm1n54Ct6VrW5w6ImNKDN-WNwE06yFSn2szgWs16RUrgNSefukAkQeO3hg3iyjyUnChUcsd2YTc9DY586sYDjnsGEkJeNWEhY4J5kRl_zhAnXjgbnEknIRerObRdxVaEHOitTe0fWNpcN/s1600/564px-DecorationDayMcCutcheon.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsm1n54Ct6VrW5w6ImNKDN-WNwE06yFSn2szgWs16RUrgNSefukAkQeO3hg3iyjyUnChUcsd2YTc9DY586sYDjnsGEkJeNWEhY4J5kRl_zhAnXjgbnEknIRerObRdxVaEHOitTe0fWNpcN/s1600/564px-DecorationDayMcCutcheon.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> "On Decoration Day" Political cartoon. <br />
Caption: "<b>You bet I'm
goin' to be a soldier, too, like my Uncle David, when I grow up.</b>"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
I wonder how many young people now even know they <i>can</i> serve. <br />
<br />
Why not take a little ride today and decorate the grave of some soldier, known to you or not? <br /><br />
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<img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz64cTi3sVWeme9geQqigu3yRMK6eOPMVCEI6Y8ZFmPHk6vNRd3crLj1ZAyPinK4W4QhZXapQId_Bncy97n5rbBQm79LdEo-ZQGBY-tXCaAh5xK2LPdTz0v69TLH8odFy_H3P3lk1qFCQp/s1600/P1000900_smaller.jpg" width="312" /></div>
<span class="ya-q-full-text Wow-bw" id="yui_3_17_2_4_1558899337856_2014" itemprop="text">. </span><br />
.Buckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05008065046166806739noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-465878416372541218.post-67421583319155512492019-04-03T21:30:00.000-04:002019-04-04T11:15:44.835-04:00First Glimpse of New Sassafras Mountain Observation Platform -- and a Bit of a Harangue.<br />
If you have been following this blog for a while, you probably have seen that I have been to Sassafras Mountain -- the highest point in South Carolina -- quite often. That is because it is not far from home -- about 28 miles, and because it has a few challenging curves in the roads leading to the top. Interestingly, most of those curves are down on US-178 between Pickens and Rocky Bottom, <i>not</i> near the summit of the mountain. Once you get to Rocky Bottom, turn right onto F. vanClayton Road, just past the entrance to the <a href="https://www.rockybottomofsc.com/index/index.php" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Rocky Bottom Retreat and Conference Center of The Blind</a>. Watch for one unmarked left hand hairpin on F. vanClayton. <br />
<br />
Here is the route from Easley, where I live, to the summit of Sassafras Mountain:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlxfsEbdJ4HlH3n2dA1IHm4XD4BHmJFbgabmfczAltY6MiMzmXHQI3rd057SIx5jmiBAdj7gh5-u9gat4DA94eC9gcGdUwU7PeeQLO2VnCA2XhW1OeGH0hbDIA015J5tTjfGoQwYxTbq5N/s1600/Map+-+Easley+to+Sassafras+Mountain.bmp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="636" data-original-width="876" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlxfsEbdJ4HlH3n2dA1IHm4XD4BHmJFbgabmfczAltY6MiMzmXHQI3rd057SIx5jmiBAdj7gh5-u9gat4DA94eC9gcGdUwU7PeeQLO2VnCA2XhW1OeGH0hbDIA015J5tTjfGoQwYxTbq5N/s320/Map+-+Easley+to+Sassafras+Mountain.bmp.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Click <a href="https://www.bing.com/maps?osid=8e8607e0-d476-4e94-94b6-3d5ec84ea782&cp=34.974168~-82.707831&lvl=11&v=2&sV=2&form=S00027" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a> for interactive map.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
It is a nice place to ride to and a nice place to see the world from, being the highest point around. <br />
<br />
I have kept up to date on the features of the mountain top over my ten or so years of riding. At first, there was nothing at the top but a gravel parking lot. There was <a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2009/06/local-photographer-on-twisty-roads.html" target="_blank">no place to see into the distance</a> whatsoever. I'll admit, that was a bit disappointing. The road was potholed and rough, too. There weren't many people who visited there as a result. <br />
<br />
A <a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2010/11/finally-view-from-top-of-south-carolina.html" target="_blank">rustic platform was built and some trees cleared</a> about eight years ago to give a nice view to the south and southeast. Mountains and lakes were made nicely visible, and the platform was sturdy and unobtrusive, made, in part, of forest materials. That view from the platform made the trip to the top well worthwhile. In fact, the place was ideal: remote feeling yet nearby, and quite beautiful. The <a href="https://palmettoconservation.org/palmetto-trail/map/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Palmetto Trail</a> passes over the summit of the mountain on its way to the seashore, so you can walk a little ways -- or much further -- if you are so inclined. <br />
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<span style="color: red;"><b>Beginning of Harangue</b></span><br />
<br />
Then Clemson University graduate students in architecture and landscape architecture apparently decided that they should design and build a new platform, so they demolished the nice rustic one, and <a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2013/04/harrangue-skinny-on-sassafras.html" target="_blank">built a monstrosity out of mild steel and wood</a>, poorly supported and rickety. The steel parts are a mass of rust and have become bent by people standing on them. The students did not properly take into account the abuse from people and weather that public structures receive. I would certainly not want my life to be dependent on a structure they designed. After I wrote to them about the poor structural integrity, they reinforced it with some steel cables, but the cables are installed improperly and did not correct the wobble problem. Dan Harding, Clemson associate professor of architecture, spent our tax dollars for this thing and says that the platform "employ[s] best practices associated with sustainable
construction and resource management." From the looks of it now, it may be a pile of rusted wreckage soon.<br />
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Here is a picture of the end of the platform with the beautiful view beyond. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX5feGvnukXqQ40Cd6FK4aOPAAwWFZHE4LMCg8aPwGV3Rs-N9jJKS82PoXoP3OIGj1wlv0nDnpmhUux7KimdVJ0VUx9MlbORUC-uS26NWJ5ujuruMwHoUynKcsARfjYdeJWc86qRkL2rIi/s1600/P1070506.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX5feGvnukXqQ40Cd6FK4aOPAAwWFZHE4LMCg8aPwGV3Rs-N9jJKS82PoXoP3OIGj1wlv0nDnpmhUux7KimdVJ0VUx9MlbORUC-uS26NWJ5ujuruMwHoUynKcsARfjYdeJWc86qRkL2rIi/s320/P1070506.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Fortunately, a bit later, the top of the mountain was <a href="https://buckysride.blogspot.com/2014/08/sassafras-mountain-gets-haircut.html" target="_blank">cleared of scrubby trees</a> so the visitor to the top has a 360 degree view from there. <br />
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They also repaved the road to the top so it is nice and smooth. That should have been where they stopped. <br />
<br />
Nevertheless, the "improvers" soldiered onward and decided to erect an observation platform at the top and some pit toilets at the parking area. The contractor, Lazer Construction of Anderson, started in November of 2017 and isn't finished with the $1.1 million project yet. It was supposed to be finished by May 2018, so it is coming up on a year late -- and a year without having full enjoyment of this special place. <br />
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So efficient. <br />
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<span style="color: red;"><b>End of Harangue (mostly)</b></span><br />
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Here is a photograph of the structure during construction.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidEOt-_aey2nm1GgPKO8wAB6onVFf198QnEP-pxOSq3epU3J4dqDjsT9_VgZTGlSBgNWH5jy1ju4HxcfrylceU29pyaKVtIRBbclfNbR9RF_AdTeWZNBHNSpd-g32KBWlWqKC8wrZ0qC4Z/s1600/Sassafras_Platform_under_contrruction.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="562" data-original-width="1000" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidEOt-_aey2nm1GgPKO8wAB6onVFf198QnEP-pxOSq3epU3J4dqDjsT9_VgZTGlSBgNWH5jy1ju4HxcfrylceU29pyaKVtIRBbclfNbR9RF_AdTeWZNBHNSpd-g32KBWlWqKC8wrZ0qC4Z/s320/Sassafras_Platform_under_contrruction.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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There was a superintendent stationed at the construction site, so you could get fined by the Game Warden if you ventured up there. (I didn't chance it. That is someone else's pic above.) <br />
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Here are some other pictures of the ramp leading to the new platform:<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtR8dtLoGf-Ci1tlRbq5ZoGo2KvIVrK-I3DnDdeyUcaP0l_ywPx27hwsEfRCwkZ6pQ3bPmSz-4VbKgVKLIGGebr7h8ZpNKy2hGUicX9ua_yxN3qfHjzLsKh6kj4PvloTv9HOMGq2efJaEt/s1600/P1070514.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtR8dtLoGf-Ci1tlRbq5ZoGo2KvIVrK-I3DnDdeyUcaP0l_ywPx27hwsEfRCwkZ6pQ3bPmSz-4VbKgVKLIGGebr7h8ZpNKy2hGUicX9ua_yxN3qfHjzLsKh6kj4PvloTv9HOMGq2efJaEt/s320/P1070514.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The original gravel parking lot is to the left.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAq-Ym3zp7SpTfJsqG7oBPRLvBY5gXbqTpwfOcF5VvpaBNnRBZi3pkR9HbtdDYxGbrvkadn6xHEgXE9kGmidEUaIIVg3tPatC0Al_-CQDuAaj1E8jzX_VcMDlWPHslqZ2E6NwoZkCYoYg-/s1600/P1070509.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAq-Ym3zp7SpTfJsqG7oBPRLvBY5gXbqTpwfOcF5VvpaBNnRBZi3pkR9HbtdDYxGbrvkadn6xHEgXE9kGmidEUaIIVg3tPatC0Al_-CQDuAaj1E8jzX_VcMDlWPHslqZ2E6NwoZkCYoYg-/s320/P1070509.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7xN8dSMrt-N4l8QFACQSjcGSuvklZHQXKo5R-_Z56O6bz5V-1-ydR2NTrrorWnVyFChaqbfu61mHMpMPPlBpdlV4ib-oBC9vmVFVCPfbIPi4KbyZJY9L1GWn_GagqIe00O0QavVQq9zuk/s1600/P1070508.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7xN8dSMrt-N4l8QFACQSjcGSuvklZHQXKo5R-_Z56O6bz5V-1-ydR2NTrrorWnVyFChaqbfu61mHMpMPPlBpdlV4ib-oBC9vmVFVCPfbIPi4KbyZJY9L1GWn_GagqIe00O0QavVQq9zuk/s320/P1070508.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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The gate at the bottom was open and no one seemed to mind, so I rode up about half way to the platform from the gravel lot. There is a nice concrete ramp and neatly-graded gravel elsewhere. It looks as though the view will be nice from the top. <br />
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There is a new gravel trail from the parking lot to the top as well. It is a way to get there on foot without using the concrete ramp and without bushwhacking through the woods.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIZ3RIn903xqtHufT5OdArvsNRcg19gs3QQObA3V8fRp-gBKQgNqoj9RmYpdmuyUn4FuS6TFcelQhyphenhyphenPwPuR_ncTGrArvsSRHmUC6AvWQiOJIxp4EfyUXIfainUAwML5G3xX5vK80XZpp5_/s1600/P1070515.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIZ3RIn903xqtHufT5OdArvsNRcg19gs3QQObA3V8fRp-gBKQgNqoj9RmYpdmuyUn4FuS6TFcelQhyphenhyphenPwPuR_ncTGrArvsSRHmUC6AvWQiOJIxp4EfyUXIfainUAwML5G3xX5vK80XZpp5_/s320/P1070515.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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They put in a large new directional sign, too, down in the gravel lot. The old one was a target for guys with shotguns and for large trucks turning.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo3dm16xu_QMwPofZ2HZIlzN_oQ33FYy3463XHZEyIer1-fwJTzdRU9lp3tWlQ6ygdbcjvouiPEXJGn3TMg0yWx-DTRD557v27fM58sqfFPNgG2XoMh-9qOdD6PWHK_KGJJFdzm48pgtav/s1600/GOPR0117-008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="546" data-original-width="728" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo3dm16xu_QMwPofZ2HZIlzN_oQ33FYy3463XHZEyIer1-fwJTzdRU9lp3tWlQ6ygdbcjvouiPEXJGn3TMg0yWx-DTRD557v27fM58sqfFPNgG2XoMh-9qOdD6PWHK_KGJJFdzm48pgtav/s320/GOPR0117-008.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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The sign directs hikers to Table Rock State Park, Caesars Head State Park (more about that in a minute), and Chimney Top Gap. I see they put a big rock between the sign and the road now to help protect it from errant vehicles. <br />
<br />
I wonder if they are going to do anything to prevent vandalism and
traffic tie ups now that they are taking away our quiet place of respite
and replacing it with more of a tourist attraction. Vandals may find this dark place to be ideal for their graffiti, and for using alcohol and drugs. Some will use it as a place for their assignations, I suppose. <br />
<br />
...and the improvers won't be satisfied, even when the present construction is complete. Phase two of the Sassafras project, which will require additional
funding, is scheduled to include a picnic area, accessory trails,
informational kiosks,
and improvements to the old parking lot.<br />
<br />
Well, I think I'll just have to enjoy it until they further "improve" it. Then, we'll see. <br />
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Anyway, I went back down the mountain to Glady Fork Road and turned right. This road meanders to the north, in places along a river. If you keep your eyes peeled there are some small waterfalls along the right side of the road. There are no guardrails and the road surface is quite rough, but the ride is good enough to recommend. At the end of Glady Fork, I turn sharply right onto East Fork Road.<br />
<br />
After a few miles, don't miss the <a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2010/08/bears.html" target="_blank">interesting vehicles and animals</a> poised in a yard on the left side of the road. And Big Hill looms ahead and requires you to negotiate a couple of tight curves as you go up. Fun, and usually free of loose gravel. Watch for drivers coming down the hill on the wrong side, however.<br />
<br />
I follow east Fork to Greenville Highway, US-276, and turn right. There are some rather straight sections through here and a few nice sweepers. <a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2015/03/first-spring-ride-to-blue-ridge-parkway.html" target="_blank">Dupont Forest</a> (watch for the sign) is to the left as is <a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2009/09/650r-dualsport-for-day.html" target="_blank">Green River Road</a>, a partly gravel route I have taken before.<br />
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Near the summit, lies <a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2009/03/caesars-head-bank-safe-on-move-and.html" target="_blank">Caesars Head State Park</a>. I pull in for a little rest and a quick look over the Blue Ridge Escarpment -- a drop of about 1000 feet here.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi02kflBRMV-PtMb0hfuR8JJRGTLkcDRfE6r1jRpYZZqHS2kcqU2QHEVKzqpbeUJsz7ZcEv8_rcc8rWv5HU8uaiguOs6mwpm9LqwB73EXQqaGDZ0TXZOny3-_62hJA8OjerX_qvGTtCGjmp/s1600/P1070517.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi02kflBRMV-PtMb0hfuR8JJRGTLkcDRfE6r1jRpYZZqHS2kcqU2QHEVKzqpbeUJsz7ZcEv8_rcc8rWv5HU8uaiguOs6mwpm9LqwB73EXQqaGDZ0TXZOny3-_62hJA8OjerX_qvGTtCGjmp/s320/P1070517.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Once I have seen it all (!?), I continue to the south, down quite a few tight turns, until I get to SC-11. From there it is a quick ride home over gently curving roads. <br />
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Here is a map of the entire ride today, only about 75 miles: <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0rj7DQ2rbV0hrUhzarkFMt8jugwE5ERW3LG_9_zs6AnqnBvOtee_wWi_kNf2UTIgG6UTb0mZft7Bp-1cCa_d5Ws7ovkz5aAnEa94II2UYQBn7jzWuBNT3HA1Q1x2cuHlo2EZopZ4YdO2X/s1600/Map+--+Easley+to+Sassafras+Mountain+to+Caesars+Head+and+home.bmp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="643" data-original-width="781" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0rj7DQ2rbV0hrUhzarkFMt8jugwE5ERW3LG_9_zs6AnqnBvOtee_wWi_kNf2UTIgG6UTb0mZft7Bp-1cCa_d5Ws7ovkz5aAnEa94II2UYQBn7jzWuBNT3HA1Q1x2cuHlo2EZopZ4YdO2X/s320/Map+--+Easley+to+Sassafras+Mountain+to+Caesars+Head+and+home.bmp.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Click <a href="https://www.bing.com/maps?osid=1f51a4f2-f106-42f0-9c61-8fb84d6531a9&cp=35.028696~-82.718955&lvl=11&v=2&sV=2&form=S00027" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a> for an interactive map.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Well, to recap today, I learned about the new Sassafras construction, and got to see the world from two high places.<br />
<br />
Despite my harangue about the work on Sassafras, it was a good day to be out.<br />
.<br />
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<img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfxOohnFJn7xThWj_QgK8ql7wo6okfleQytObV1XaD3REKNZ1xyTw7vzJeKf3zsLsP8V_i61URc4dHXsLQqNlKa6KnFkawjUKmQg3S8wak-dMwzDsOHJCIG7Xlcn97o9RAJ4KupIuXf4vk/s1600/Older-Home-Newer_Search-Keyword.jpg" width="400" /></div>
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.Buckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05008065046166806739noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-465878416372541218.post-71884547668777118162019-03-10T21:17:00.001-04:002019-04-04T11:27:04.918-04:00Speaking of Waterfalls, This is My Favorite (+ Links to Others).<br />
<a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2019/02/rain-rain-go-away.html" target="_blank">In the previous post</a>, I spoke of the fact that the recent frequent rains here in the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upstate_South_Carolina" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Upstate of South Carolina</a> had made the many waterfalls very full.<br />
<br />
One of those I cited was Twin Falls, also known as Eastatoe Falls. It is easy to get to and is quite pretty. If you have it in you, you can also <a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2017/03/the-other-side-of-eastatoe-falls.html" target="_blank">hike to the top of the falls</a> for a look see from there, though there were lots of fallen trees the last time I tried to get there a couple of months ago.<br />
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Since I had a bright, clear day earlier this week, and the temperature was to max out at a balmy 50ºF, I took advantage of it to ride to one of my favorite places. A little chilly, but I layered up and set out. <br />
<br />
Why is it a favorite? Here's why:<br />
<ul>
<li>First off, it is a place with very nice scenery. There are two tall waterfalls, large lakes, and generally things that are pleasant to look at. </li>
<li>Second, it is reached from home by two of three roads that are full of <a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2011/12/sweepers-galore.html" target="_blank">sweepers</a>. For me, the sweepers are enough of a challenge that they are exciting, but, in reality, they are actually rather mild for the aggressive rider. I have been passed by other bikers like I'm standing still on this road on occasion. The speed limit, however, is 45 mph. </li>
<li>Third, it is relatively close to home -- a little over 40 miles. A quick trip gets me there. </li>
</ul>
Where is this paradise, you ask?<br />
<br />
It is none other than Whitewater Falls. The falls is actually two falls, each visible from slightly different places. Upper Whitewater Falls in just into North Carolina, and Lower Whitewater Falls is just south of that in South Carolina. <br />
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Here is the map to the falls from the town of Easley.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhryxh1b8fyYVM55sJekIyaDZuzy4BIMH9gUeWYUZpPD2FKBER78_V6XBqN0Dah_e2M-HFrD0Uh-VN4qDiNUKxcq2YE7N_L9KTRqRvI6fMqdN2MC6OOt0H3ILlFe5ndbU6eZv3cImvZDHpr/s1600/Easley+to+Whitewater+Falls+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="784" data-original-width="1364" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhryxh1b8fyYVM55sJekIyaDZuzy4BIMH9gUeWYUZpPD2FKBER78_V6XBqN0Dah_e2M-HFrD0Uh-VN4qDiNUKxcq2YE7N_L9KTRqRvI6fMqdN2MC6OOt0H3ILlFe5ndbU6eZv3cImvZDHpr/s400/Easley+to+Whitewater+Falls+1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The route is as <a href="https://www.bing.com/maps?osid=5a8c4f59-cab2-4441-b8b9-9fe9f7852012&cp=34.942446%7E-82.90078&lvl=11&v=2&sV=2&form=S00027" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">on this interactive map</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
One of the better parts is US-178 between Pickens and SC-11. That road extends from the lower right corner of the map and leads toward the northwest. It has plenty of sweepers, is usually clean, and mostly not much traffic. If you are a twistie junkie, then US-178 <i>north</i> of SC-11 is just the ticket. It has many twists and turns on its way to Rosman North Carolina, then continues to the Blue Ridge Parkway and beyond on NC-215, if you like. I am not going north of SC-11 today though. <br />
It is such a beautiful day, that I am enjoying the scenery and the road greatly. I have sealed up any drafts around my neck with a balaclava and a neck warmer over that, so I am cozy and warm. Too soon, I get to SC-11, and make the left turn there. This is an almost straight section of road, where it is easy to exceed the 55 mph speed limit. You do that at your peril, however, because the speed limit is enforced quite frequently by LEOs in cars and on bikes. Along the way, you pass <a href="https://southcarolinaparks.com/keowee-toxaway" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Keowee-Toxaway State Park</a> where you can take a break, and <a href="http://www.visitpickenscounty.com/vendor/88/long-shoals-wayside-park/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Long Shoals Wayside Park </a>is a little park that is a good place to stretch your legs. <br />
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I turn right onto SC-130 and go about ten miles to the Whitewater Falls parking lot entrance, just beyond the North Carolina state line. The curves are just right on 130, and I amble along enjoying every one. The sky is beautiful -- partly cloudy, today.<br />
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About half the length of the road has recently been repaved, so it is nice and smooth.<br />
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I motor into the Whitewater Falls parking area, and shut down. A man walking by asks how to get to the falls from here. I explain that it is just a 1/2 mile walk up a paved path to an observation area, then, optionally, 154 steps down to a lower viewing platform if he had any energy left. Just as I was turning back to my bike to secure my helmet to it, another family stopped in their car and asked where the falls was. I told them the story as well. It turns out that the mother of the family is originally from Pickens (a town I go through to get here) and was showing her family of five the falls she remembers from her youth. <br />
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I secure my bike, set the alarm, and head off for the falls.<br />
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I can hear the roar of the falls well before I reach the overlook. I am distracted from the path by this little dribble of a falls that is usually not present, but with the heavy rains is running freely.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjihXZv42UvEkpbw5R2ZjtcWd1j-IlprEDDzc-fR5oldsfZETEGGpAl4FS9q4VO8tdbkaMy8GFQ43ZiEQd4kPQdnYcwLcPHKM2KydQ5DCKxwB4N1eiGINGqSCPQoypwQQcVJaG_ACKo8SAi/s1600/P1070464.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjihXZv42UvEkpbw5R2ZjtcWd1j-IlprEDDzc-fR5oldsfZETEGGpAl4FS9q4VO8tdbkaMy8GFQ43ZiEQd4kPQdnYcwLcPHKM2KydQ5DCKxwB4N1eiGINGqSCPQoypwQQcVJaG_ACKo8SAi/s320/P1070464.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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I spend a minute or two enjoying this little one before I move along to the big one.<br />
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Here is what the falls usually look like, this photo was taken in July of 2008: <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKJVmHa7ySxxsPhZNPpgeA6L9X9e07QvQOLonGe6jPm6V-uT8W6zIM01UGYGrZFia-vi3mSbvTsL4K7urNNZp23FaS8bQAUoD9wMsjbxdeA3LnIq5hxH6lfGQ5BHnseiyy6Wr9yvvYvGdc/s1600/MVC-829S.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1356" data-original-width="992" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKJVmHa7ySxxsPhZNPpgeA6L9X9e07QvQOLonGe6jPm6V-uT8W6zIM01UGYGrZFia-vi3mSbvTsL4K7urNNZp23FaS8bQAUoD9wMsjbxdeA3LnIq5hxH6lfGQ5BHnseiyy6Wr9yvvYvGdc/s320/MVC-829S.JPG" width="234" /></a></div>
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When I get to the viewing area, I am not disappointed.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid2PvEm4jb7DQ3gdI8TdcB_Ywnk6d3Ry5igMsIGsadMNSZ_hKXKQPyObNsTWjlm-kv9tgbE5Rqf_TekRmW3vz9-5rhYnkSrgPMazNNKi0cq4siQga3GWwMNYWYOqIEmFJOG8DgoJe9-6ns/s1600/P1070466.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="353" data-original-width="640" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid2PvEm4jb7DQ3gdI8TdcB_Ywnk6d3Ry5igMsIGsadMNSZ_hKXKQPyObNsTWjlm-kv9tgbE5Rqf_TekRmW3vz9-5rhYnkSrgPMazNNKi0cq4siQga3GWwMNYWYOqIEmFJOG8DgoJe9-6ns/s320/P1070466.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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The falls is as full as I have ever seen it. The width is about four or six times usual.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4iVSEoVRJEXk_R5oQR92R2QjkiKBWBJOW17Cj8lVWqWY0-YDmBymxkSGKOF8LES9g9-9AdCc4kdCnaYWEX_ZCR492_YfhTvqXjY-FqQNUtKBNjWi-4CSVXa81IT8drRT9IZhov_WPikzl/s1600/P1070470.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4iVSEoVRJEXk_R5oQR92R2QjkiKBWBJOW17Cj8lVWqWY0-YDmBymxkSGKOF8LES9g9-9AdCc4kdCnaYWEX_ZCR492_YfhTvqXjY-FqQNUtKBNjWi-4CSVXa81IT8drRT9IZhov_WPikzl/s400/P1070470.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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I stand and gaze. What a piece of God's creation this is. He has created this beauty for us to enjoy. And enjoy it I am, on this beautiful day. <a href="https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5384622.pdf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Here</a> is a brochure for the upper falls. <br />
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Listen for yourself: <br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="190" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/lhw7SeQi5bM?rel=0" width="336"></iframe> </div>
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Remember that this waterfall is about 400 feet high, so you can imagine how far away it is from the viewing platform. In fact, I can't even get its full height into my picture. <br />
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I don't take the stairway to the lower viewing platform today, but I have nevertheless seen the best of the falls.<br />
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On my way back down the path, a take a picture of Lake Jocassee in the distance. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQw9T6ramgSqnqn-Ppwi7C3ayUSLp6sEvahI04HYfzLViXo8wlcHyi1H_30xlUZS-SabvFzTpnXvggooZxoIV8nxNpR2WoWhhhqSEEwVKMeniF2T2uUn6gvvsnJMDWAiExliKrcccwUHmd/s1600/P1070480.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQw9T6ramgSqnqn-Ppwi7C3ayUSLp6sEvahI04HYfzLViXo8wlcHyi1H_30xlUZS-SabvFzTpnXvggooZxoIV8nxNpR2WoWhhhqSEEwVKMeniF2T2uUn6gvvsnJMDWAiExliKrcccwUHmd/s320/P1070480.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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There is an <a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2011/12/sweepers-galore.html" target="_blank">overlook on the Wigington Byway</a> just off SC-130 a little south of here that shows off this lake and the others south of it very nicely.<br />
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I put on my gear and head back out to the main road. Just a short distance to the south, I turn left into the Bad Creek access road. This leads to the Bad Creek Pumped Storage facility and to a housing development beyond it. It also leads to a nice overlook for a view of Lower Whitewater Falls and Lake Jocassee. The entrance to the road has a small Duke Power building and a high chain link fence, but you are allowed to enter.<br /><br />
The route from Whitewater Falls to the overlook on Lake Jocassee is as shown below.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMq4wsMfj803vbX6y1MXKUDG_hh0ipyBg5g6zxhuiWbqab868868QVOzA7p7GdoLSpOHWZS46VeVAJjp1gBkR5xv9dbfYw2dtYjK0TOJ19ZVtVwjUQB-R5rBeMzQP9C0lu8hqm0uKBvUw9/s1600/Whitewater+Falls+to+Bad+Creek+Overlook.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="742" data-original-width="1349" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMq4wsMfj803vbX6y1MXKUDG_hh0ipyBg5g6zxhuiWbqab868868QVOzA7p7GdoLSpOHWZS46VeVAJjp1gBkR5xv9dbfYw2dtYjK0TOJ19ZVtVwjUQB-R5rBeMzQP9C0lu8hqm0uKBvUw9/s400/Whitewater+Falls+to+Bad+Creek+Overlook.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The route is <a href="https://www.bing.com/maps?osid=7d0417d8-8e9f-4b3b-b0a1-4b6ff2eef63e&cp=35.015474%7E-83.021304&lvl=14&v=2&sV=2&form=S00027" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">on this interactive map</a>.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The Duke Power road is covered in tar snakes that are slippery when wet or very hot. After a couple of miles of winding 'round the countryside, I turn slightly left into the overlook parking area. <u>Don't</u> go blasting past that overlook, as there is a gate that is just around the curve to the left. <br />
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Here is a panorama of pictures from the overlook (almost all with my glove part way over the lens):<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGHvJcXeo9zD9hmkWFPqxMvy7oDwawmi1dSZOpy-2ctL3U0s_1JZjqHp1WJ8TkWXcOQp9yi8JXVyjJWGPoxQBkS8zu_0ZXa1ffvvZ2AN9B7CmMledfU99c0tAQy6YDMQnXtRHbDr245JUK/s1600/G0010077.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGHvJcXeo9zD9hmkWFPqxMvy7oDwawmi1dSZOpy-2ctL3U0s_1JZjqHp1WJ8TkWXcOQp9yi8JXVyjJWGPoxQBkS8zu_0ZXa1ffvvZ2AN9B7CmMledfU99c0tAQy6YDMQnXtRHbDr245JUK/s320/G0010077.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGo4pZaK4tyY9rSwdAJAyj_O4ZJB_kc-q0ozYfokGeYNHHVjV-Eusp_2sW1bOesbaaMjx47RZjEFGrmB5iYB2ESWyIBPdobDgIUtq_stnz-lMS8TY62bqpPBxFPbNnYe2IhhdHS0VlSyMC/s1600/G0010084.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGo4pZaK4tyY9rSwdAJAyj_O4ZJB_kc-q0ozYfokGeYNHHVjV-Eusp_2sW1bOesbaaMjx47RZjEFGrmB5iYB2ESWyIBPdobDgIUtq_stnz-lMS8TY62bqpPBxFPbNnYe2IhhdHS0VlSyMC/s320/G0010084.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS9saS9w2kRbE1V_zhpmI-w2_Jliuk7vnnGS4TLjeEO048ZAaYgBo4NELZJwgkyZJTvTJZ60bvJ7m_8H33WwWckSUJb9JAAe20Af8Zo-eTj7L6Z_BXuPQEvnPvKw20NUQXkZr4QaOK7g5R/s1600/G0010087.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS9saS9w2kRbE1V_zhpmI-w2_Jliuk7vnnGS4TLjeEO048ZAaYgBo4NELZJwgkyZJTvTJZ60bvJ7m_8H33WwWckSUJb9JAAe20Af8Zo-eTj7L6Z_BXuPQEvnPvKw20NUQXkZr4QaOK7g5R/s320/G0010087.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvlF8wfwrPZaue8ZtsAuOFiDR0oEhi4DLAe8_BOy5yvje0Ad2GLrznuC7CiHs0VX7soPC1jkWb7IMb0Eoaa-6zuhiaiM5Ci6x0VebRUYcWVtqrJBvW-QoQUNb5OFhmqVWNJL042lVC1pee/s1600/G0010089.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvlF8wfwrPZaue8ZtsAuOFiDR0oEhi4DLAe8_BOy5yvje0Ad2GLrznuC7CiHs0VX7soPC1jkWb7IMb0Eoaa-6zuhiaiM5Ci6x0VebRUYcWVtqrJBvW-QoQUNb5OFhmqVWNJL042lVC1pee/s320/G0010089.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZZVUFyB8DYYLmO2YXIXRxaF5D4Zef6Bj2xmYAUtcJ-3c9wvmZfr-dgzYdgEc2EBm-qSujIgrGRAlQPF9xVYww-lQWZPe7UqAH-VeLTZn4s_T4kMKoWXn5jwxcWhKwNUF9Ta6XU2neP-SZ/s1600/G0010094.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZZVUFyB8DYYLmO2YXIXRxaF5D4Zef6Bj2xmYAUtcJ-3c9wvmZfr-dgzYdgEc2EBm-qSujIgrGRAlQPF9xVYww-lQWZPe7UqAH-VeLTZn4s_T4kMKoWXn5jwxcWhKwNUF9Ta6XU2neP-SZ/s320/G0010094.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8-HEOnMQoLz71JRZ8gyraMqFQTfQLI4RDlnvfwUXH0ZhIMFeZvb3nvuWQF4UberCVLpvQNxLpyueJR3L5r3cK5Hzqcq0V9dIKC5dESR4OYqbPfjpJyIuKKK78ly7CfLgVHW-w0nuk3CRv/s1600/G0010099.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8-HEOnMQoLz71JRZ8gyraMqFQTfQLI4RDlnvfwUXH0ZhIMFeZvb3nvuWQF4UberCVLpvQNxLpyueJR3L5r3cK5Hzqcq0V9dIKC5dESR4OYqbPfjpJyIuKKK78ly7CfLgVHW-w0nuk3CRv/s320/G0010099.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_KPfRWWlHyYKVnCRHc1xoc8FJlEDhMwl5_IK7M0Pg3s2xai9MHyEpI7xdnp9MoYnTNp-Vk3aFo9LdztQ9oKEcaIpwe5Of9cV_QcAOilcsbMH7EKChPDwz5aIC8rj2lraCe0kohy2me4tB/s1600/P1070488.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_KPfRWWlHyYKVnCRHc1xoc8FJlEDhMwl5_IK7M0Pg3s2xai9MHyEpI7xdnp9MoYnTNp-Vk3aFo9LdztQ9oKEcaIpwe5Of9cV_QcAOilcsbMH7EKChPDwz5aIC8rj2lraCe0kohy2me4tB/s320/P1070488.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh457OLxgWU-CMpLfUDsAKLelgiJzz3HnzFgF25VCrA2WFHhSHdxYdNaRCKD6PGYseOS9fsbBgJ6n2jvT5VQxc7GRhV9KlzCYpxlfjBz4nhZrak1tCV-S_B5YKXzmw5z70WcPKZFj9c60N5/s1600/G0010104.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh457OLxgWU-CMpLfUDsAKLelgiJzz3HnzFgF25VCrA2WFHhSHdxYdNaRCKD6PGYseOS9fsbBgJ6n2jvT5VQxc7GRhV9KlzCYpxlfjBz4nhZrak1tCV-S_B5YKXzmw5z70WcPKZFj9c60N5/s320/G0010104.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What's that off to the right?</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4xaEPSjfoMpLuo-_JrNM8D8-SLuVjnKTyofsUDGk7wJ_SY1EPW5Hky6IgUBFSx8Ge-cu51v48MYVY9SIC3TtinN6RiUNWl3gk9gWwUypCr8vfAe1G5s8rAumvBxRtEe_xXb6MQrhnOGlL/s1600/G0010106.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4xaEPSjfoMpLuo-_JrNM8D8-SLuVjnKTyofsUDGk7wJ_SY1EPW5Hky6IgUBFSx8Ge-cu51v48MYVY9SIC3TtinN6RiUNWl3gk9gWwUypCr8vfAe1G5s8rAumvBxRtEe_xXb6MQrhnOGlL/s320/G0010106.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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That first panorama picture above shows <a href="http://www.ncwaterfalls.com/lower_whitewater_sc1.htm" target="_blank">Lower Whitewater Falls</a> in the center distance. The best view is from a boat, but if you go back up the Duke Power road and turn to the right on one opf the roads, that takes you
to the <a href="https://www.sctrails.net/trails/trail/lower-whitewater-falls" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">trailhead for Lower Whitewater Falls</a>. It is a nice walk of two miles through the woods. There is wreckage of a light plane that crashed in 1972 visible when the leaves are off the trees to the left of the falls.<br />
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This is a closer up view of the lower falls.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2TaNHJ2IBVVRWj3yZiMf7OHD2aLdL_EsZM61CRchNfBThJC6LVMXefgmAgGodYLMJTvTrXiXnyIxFFBkW-C8Wqmmc8Its-n5WvtBFKknso2gyJpnnxYXp2XMjZqy5VpfFGM7LUatrLWhd/s1600/P1070483.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2TaNHJ2IBVVRWj3yZiMf7OHD2aLdL_EsZM61CRchNfBThJC6LVMXefgmAgGodYLMJTvTrXiXnyIxFFBkW-C8Wqmmc8Its-n5WvtBFKknso2gyJpnnxYXp2XMjZqy5VpfFGM7LUatrLWhd/s320/P1070483.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<br />
This is a view of part of the lower falls from the lake:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS4Wv20jbmDRJIeo2Xd7KUId7zXOc5DIkS2un-MbnZYAUdBCrOeZw0D1nMUlsvexJfVek1-W0iT8QlONaZKlgookMzobm1uerKIy-Xltw5g7NMwjIfEbkuS9sG2kKLLXFrUQHgIrdbknus/s1600/Lower+Whitewater+Falls+dsc_0495.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="680" data-original-width="452" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS4Wv20jbmDRJIeo2Xd7KUId7zXOc5DIkS2un-MbnZYAUdBCrOeZw0D1nMUlsvexJfVek1-W0iT8QlONaZKlgookMzobm1uerKIy-Xltw5g7NMwjIfEbkuS9sG2kKLLXFrUQHgIrdbknus/s320/Lower+Whitewater+Falls+dsc_0495.gif" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From: The <a href="https://oconeescwaterfalls.com/lower-whitewater-falls/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Waterfalls of Oconee County, South Carolina</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Oh, I forgot, here is better picture of my glove than the pictures above:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNst9MlZcxqIudvR9WijLAlU0XKlkCUn5Y4PGwr9zMHsd85BPAy1skqYqta4ejGuvHuWijEqFY1j_8x8RNIDzH6rwpqcfYZmibF_OKwtip80gFcgpdv5ADOJUuFCNrxLY7Y_9AzpY15Qr5/s1600/G0020109.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNst9MlZcxqIudvR9WijLAlU0XKlkCUn5Y4PGwr9zMHsd85BPAy1skqYqta4ejGuvHuWijEqFY1j_8x8RNIDzH6rwpqcfYZmibF_OKwtip80gFcgpdv5ADOJUuFCNrxLY7Y_9AzpY15Qr5/s320/G0020109.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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(I am sure you couldn't have gone on without seeing that.) <br />
<br />
As I prepare to leave the parking area, I check my GoPro to be sure it is working properly. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDwg-pwinnwhp7Vwiq31Vy5QA-darGuf-j0t-wvnYBlEgaroTT6ryUA7ZvxkPHspX8DIcVX6JMEC8-V7I1nIjQm-8c0TqbhnCPaOMbtda5L6PAeNF_-kS0raBOP0_Kz0g5AQ2MhMYVkPyN/s1600/GOPR0076.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDwg-pwinnwhp7Vwiq31Vy5QA-darGuf-j0t-wvnYBlEgaroTT6ryUA7ZvxkPHspX8DIcVX6JMEC8-V7I1nIjQm-8c0TqbhnCPaOMbtda5L6PAeNF_-kS0raBOP0_Kz0g5AQ2MhMYVkPyN/s320/GOPR0076.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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It is, as evidenced by it taking my picture as I tinkered with it. And do you see my pretty <a href="https://msf-usa.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">MSF</a> safety vest? I wear it more lately because of fickle, inattentive drivers. <br />
<br />
So how many times have I gone to Whitewater Fall either as a destination or as a stop on a longer ride? I figure about 76 times out of 788 trips I have made since I bought the bike. That's about 10%. Me thinks I like to go there! <br />
<br />
Here are some of the other blog postings for rides that include Whitewater Falls:<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2009/12/dual-sporting-again.html" target="_blank">Dual Sporting Again</a> </li>
<li><a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2011/12/sweepers-galore.html" target="_blank">Sweepers Galore</a> </li>
<li><a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2012/06/same-route-different-scenery.html" target="_blank">Same Route, Different Scenery</a> </li>
<li><a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2013/10/the-parkway-some-knobs-and-rocks-and.html" target="_blank">The Parkway, Some Knobs and Rocks, and a New Twisty Road</a> </li>
<li><a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2014/01/oh-no-snow.html" target="_blank">Oh No, Snow!</a> </li>
<li><a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2014/07/new-guys.html" target="_blank">New Guys</a> </li>
<li><a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2018/04/lake-country-route.html" target="_blank">Lake Country Route</a> </li>
</ul>
Here is a posting with a list of waterfalls that are easy to get to from your bike parking place, so you don't have to walk far in those boots that <u>aren't</u> made for walkin'. <br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2014/03/walkin-to-waterfalls.html" target="_blank">Walkin' to Waterfalls</a> </li>
</ul>
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<br />
I hope to see you on the road, maybe even at Whitewater Falls! <br />
.<br />
.<br />
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.Buckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05008065046166806739noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-465878416372541218.post-91540749861586974762019-02-28T19:09:00.002-05:002019-02-28T19:09:55.442-05:00Rain, Rain Go Away.<br />
Well, it seems like it has been raining for a month or so. <br />
<br />
I feel like this:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYgfkbS6kljlO2-c7CfYXabbDjyb1Isp-30b_Tir4gyb24DLctnk7duZAFcEjkD8NU27aNrvCgK2vzgcaATvuIcBV_6iLQmpWPPGr2tVXUx7lgJzITHbvDaz-mU08tS2Cj0AGjYvBMyp1m/s1600/monsoon2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="529" data-original-width="800" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYgfkbS6kljlO2-c7CfYXabbDjyb1Isp-30b_Tir4gyb24DLctnk7duZAFcEjkD8NU27aNrvCgK2vzgcaATvuIcBV_6iLQmpWPPGr2tVXUx7lgJzITHbvDaz-mU08tS2Cj0AGjYvBMyp1m/s320/monsoon2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://christinaberryinindia.blogspot.com/2011/06/life-is-goodeven-in-rain.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Monsoon season in India</a>.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Lets look at the weather record here in South Carolina:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik8Upw_-6ilWNiwoTgWiWD59bAdC_lCaLBFkfB820D2ql8BKfG7NBP4vE8-HSpebfkIWwI2UMgGcCN9etBwvZ96u4npH7gm0eYFB6Sd2xEGfFXICYQY2QRFOrO-7jxdr5sMdJWjQAS3nV7/s1600/Weather+Underground+History%252C+February+2019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="904" data-original-width="905" height="398" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik8Upw_-6ilWNiwoTgWiWD59bAdC_lCaLBFkfB820D2ql8BKfG7NBP4vE8-HSpebfkIWwI2UMgGcCN9etBwvZ96u4npH7gm0eYFB6Sd2xEGfFXICYQY2QRFOrO-7jxdr5sMdJWjQAS3nV7/s400/Weather+Underground+History%252C+February+2019.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Sixteen of February's 28 days had rain, and one day had snow (!). So that was 61% of the days that were not good riding days. <br />
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Couple that with a cold I got from somewhere that made me feel rotten for three weeks overlapping the beginning of the month, and that makes it seem like forever. <br />
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I'm having withdrawal symptoms!<br />
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In all fairness, I did get out for short rides on the 2nd, 5th, and 26th. I don't ride on Sundays due to church activities, but they were pretty wet too. <br />
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There is also lots of mud washed onto the back roads, so you have to be careful even when it is not raining. <br />
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The waterfalls nearby are full from the rain. That is a plus. Look here:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8BwU2PzS7XltDa_39_Bn_M9HiLeU6J0L8JVanoHoWEPNrBbs6GrPQbcqRE4838LTBGQLvUPeO02ifOMb78eBJVONvAT2fvVh6WzT3ZaMZHF6ZbSj9ZDq6rTRF6PejlFRdhZcj8c4AJ94T/s1600/P1070403.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8BwU2PzS7XltDa_39_Bn_M9HiLeU6J0L8JVanoHoWEPNrBbs6GrPQbcqRE4838LTBGQLvUPeO02ifOMb78eBJVONvAT2fvVh6WzT3ZaMZHF6ZbSj9ZDq6rTRF6PejlFRdhZcj8c4AJ94T/s320/P1070403.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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That is <a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2010/02/eastatoe-falls-oconee-station-world-of.html" target="_blank">Twin Falls, also known as Eastatoe Falls</a>. They are not far from home. <br />
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<br />
Outside of trying to get out and ride, I took the opportunity to install a new headlight bulb. The low beam had burned out. That took all of 15 minutes. Exciting! <br />
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Well, maybe it will dry off soon. We'll be complaining about the heat and humidity shortly, I suppose. <br />
.<br />
.<br />
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.Buckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05008065046166806739noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-465878416372541218.post-70705629867215665692019-01-18T16:43:00.000-05:002019-01-18T16:43:03.500-05:00Pretty, Even in Winter.<br />
Here is South Carolina, you can ride almost all year long. The temperature and rain/snowfall are generally compatible with riding on most winter days.<br />
<br />
We have had a lot of rain this year, but it seems to have tapered off, so I went out for a ride this week. <br />
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Recall that I live near the Blue Ridge Escarpment, so there are many roads that climb into the mountains to the north. I didn't go into the mountains on this ride though. I only went a hundred miles or so on some of our flatter back roads, but I noticed that the sky and scenery were quite pretty. <br />
<br />
The temperature was in the low forties so I bundled up and was glad to have the heated grips and <a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2018/12/water-pump-again.html" target="_blank">handlebar muffs</a> already installed. Those, along with <a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2009/11/dressing-for-cold-weather-riding.html" target="_blank">good insulation</a> elsewhere, allowed me to brave the cold and gusty wind.<br />
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Here are a few snapshots of the scenery today.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijlcuippepidgS9HVCLg2fOIXP-iH-_DLUks1xrTxdPcPgWB2pnGxQSqEEyj46D1KT8YQN-ocw2Nwmjwfy_4I0JCvfhG2JbGJd3l78HGS-ooEYQBIJh-QeIkJKDhKesAeaoQOQPvTwWYWA/s1600/GOPR0056-002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="840" data-original-width="1005" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijlcuippepidgS9HVCLg2fOIXP-iH-_DLUks1xrTxdPcPgWB2pnGxQSqEEyj46D1KT8YQN-ocw2Nwmjwfy_4I0JCvfhG2JbGJd3l78HGS-ooEYQBIJh-QeIkJKDhKesAeaoQOQPvTwWYWA/s320/GOPR0056-002.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7i5eVCh7M5h_BJif9SR-Fhm5iZ8FPNlYcOpAoJIgqCEDqf7774gF5YBAUjRKh8DAkEwoJ682-tZRXoSjA0H1iC1tcLaeSl0hIIA6hP2MOfuGJGpYxz2iwj9tjfDwDiRY1EaH1HOjm4W8O/s1600/GOPR0056-003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7i5eVCh7M5h_BJif9SR-Fhm5iZ8FPNlYcOpAoJIgqCEDqf7774gF5YBAUjRKh8DAkEwoJ682-tZRXoSjA0H1iC1tcLaeSl0hIIA6hP2MOfuGJGpYxz2iwj9tjfDwDiRY1EaH1HOjm4W8O/s320/GOPR0056-003.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjunkdD0RqrBxUWgFY2GpaYMxcJzu12FhZnn3FeS7H5t3kwORPu_QkbUaPaIJ_5gkR18Mpuf12Zswsaq9lbEUcsvdIzIjJOEgMaIQ4ps5Nh2Td79S6PLSl9iRG445S4GFnkwHnAf0PQieZ0/s1600/GOPR0058.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="615" data-original-width="985" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjunkdD0RqrBxUWgFY2GpaYMxcJzu12FhZnn3FeS7H5t3kwORPu_QkbUaPaIJ_5gkR18Mpuf12Zswsaq9lbEUcsvdIzIjJOEgMaIQ4ps5Nh2Td79S6PLSl9iRG445S4GFnkwHnAf0PQieZ0/s320/GOPR0058.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A little overcast yonder, but no rain is forecast.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgos6kIgz4EbJf5yCOfDs0amIsA5thklC8ml3YgUJkZ1F9Ho2H8s0duRbL89TMrmz1e4vpUUKvOh5D0aX8XWbA4CbyWpqrfhMa7GrDmUrD6_akDE4MNenXB7lc9wkHnpXAhmskoTu1Cfdcp/s1600/GP010056-001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgos6kIgz4EbJf5yCOfDs0amIsA5thklC8ml3YgUJkZ1F9Ho2H8s0duRbL89TMrmz1e4vpUUKvOh5D0aX8XWbA4CbyWpqrfhMa7GrDmUrD6_akDE4MNenXB7lc9wkHnpXAhmskoTu1Cfdcp/s320/GP010056-001.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxaZyHlY2mjjsAhUhxXETa4waR1jFV710imDlBYnbTYrumsDZIPl0urGmQVcMznkrh4lPjSbakZdto5snBpFJm4kb_ZPuIhVdwTC62zHHljba8rxcNYLvvg7mB7OxmSf8GBpTPcdXyfX6_/s1600/GP010056.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxaZyHlY2mjjsAhUhxXETa4waR1jFV710imDlBYnbTYrumsDZIPl0urGmQVcMznkrh4lPjSbakZdto5snBpFJm4kb_ZPuIhVdwTC62zHHljba8rxcNYLvvg7mB7OxmSf8GBpTPcdXyfX6_/s320/GP010056.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsbAjl1AjEYvPvrKQq-fYBRfFvbwXWlZ7_LqbzYQq9TBI_TM-csLVKcgxgd4AznQAB7OUaFRk58qjnE-OFP58juhYdVC-rCY5vDOnoqrrzC8guSvrJXjkYNh5C2h5FC4xWGSC2ICQ_SHyn/s1600/GP020056.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="943" data-original-width="845" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsbAjl1AjEYvPvrKQq-fYBRfFvbwXWlZ7_LqbzYQq9TBI_TM-csLVKcgxgd4AznQAB7OUaFRk58qjnE-OFP58juhYdVC-rCY5vDOnoqrrzC8guSvrJXjkYNh5C2h5FC4xWGSC2ICQ_SHyn/s320/GP020056.jpg" width="286" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVc2aLVfCdKgsbjCwKRx6aaMt9cWdMCO_-8Fh_wFAq1qR1njI_sj3NwazU9yM75STeGFaLE8Vvc8ZsDYmTBxxPSdBxKiTfbhjzstbAqQHBUHxP1P8Ab9uZi4a3TvXOtzVXxEQIIjOpU2UU/s1600/GP030056-003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="671" data-original-width="1039" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVc2aLVfCdKgsbjCwKRx6aaMt9cWdMCO_-8Fh_wFAq1qR1njI_sj3NwazU9yM75STeGFaLE8Vvc8ZsDYmTBxxPSdBxKiTfbhjzstbAqQHBUHxP1P8Ab9uZi4a3TvXOtzVXxEQIIjOpU2UU/s320/GP030056-003.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I forgot to turn off the GoPro at a bathroom break -- <a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2018/04/lake-country-route.html" target="_blank">again</a>.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I didn't see any other bikers, but it was a great day to be out.<br />
<br />
Hope to see you on the road this winter.<br />
.<br />
.<br />
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.Buckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05008065046166806739noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-465878416372541218.post-40733769501234962362018-12-24T21:00:00.000-05:002018-12-24T21:00:00.393-05:00Christmas Reason<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>.</b><br />
<b>It is that time of year when
we think of cool weather, gift giving, family time, and a few days off
from the workaday world. For those of us who live in warmer climates,
it could be that we can sneak out for a few miles on the roads or in the
woods on our scooters. <br /><br />All good, these things. <br /><br />There
is one more thing about this season, though that is paramount. The
reason for our celebrating in the first place. It is the birth of Jesus
Christ around 2000 years ago. Christ is God's son and his teachings
are fundamental to our lives now, and into eternity. <br /><br />It is at this special time of year, that we would do well to
hear the Christmas story once again. </b><br />
<b>The prophet Isaiah wrote about the coming of Jesus to earth
about seven hundred years beforehand: </b></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: blue;"><br />For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given: and
The Government shall be upon His Shoulder: and His Name shall be called
Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty GOD, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of
Peace. <br />Of the increase of His Government and peace there shall be no end,
upon the Throne of David, and upon His Kingdom, to order it, and to establish
it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of
the LORD of Hosts will perform this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
</blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>A physician named Luke wrote of the birth about thirty years after Jesus'
death:</b></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: blue;"><br />And
it came to pass in those days, that there went out a
decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. (And
this
taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) And all went
to
be taxed, every one into his own city. And Joseph also went up from
Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of
David,
which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of
David:) To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with Child.
And so
it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she
should
be delivered.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: blue;">And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him
in swaddling clothes, and laid Him in a manger; because there was no room for
them in the inn.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqT7aYHEnC-_0izl8gXNLEhygEJU86YdK6reE5Tbyc693ForTDLgju62Ri2atDYHdCQUISzXFHgNL5msOrVD1ua5j6QGhCTVRFHYgd363FhWVOQcZCy6rxgQII4VTzDAzh1z7e8aibgODr/s1600/twinkling_star.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="204" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqT7aYHEnC-_0izl8gXNLEhygEJU86YdK6reE5Tbyc693ForTDLgju62Ri2atDYHdCQUISzXFHgNL5msOrVD1ua5j6QGhCTVRFHYgd363FhWVOQcZCy6rxgQII4VTzDAzh1z7e8aibgODr/s320/twinkling_star.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: blue;">And
there were in the same country shepherds abiding in
the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel
of
the LORD came upon them, and the glory of the LORD shone round about
them: and
they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for,
behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all
people.
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is
Christ the LORD. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the
Babe
wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was
with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and
saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will
toward men. And
it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into Heaven, the
shepherds
said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this
thing
which is come to pass, which the LORD hath made known unto us. And they
came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a
manger.
And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was
told them concerning this Child. And all they that heard it wondered at
those things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all
these things, and pondered them in her heart. And the shepherds
returned,
glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and
seen, as
it was told unto them. And when eight days were accomplished for the
circumcising of the Child, His Name was called JESUS, which was so named
of the
angel before He was conceived in the womb.</span></div>
</blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Around
thirty-three years after Jesus' birth, he was killed by crucifixion,
laid in a borrowed tomb for three days, then arose from death. He was
seen by multitudes here on earth after that. </b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>If you don't know Jesus Christ as your living savior, then
find a church that preaches from the Bible, and where they believe that it is
the inerrant word recorded by writers inspired by God.</b></div>
<b>
</b><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>They can explain the wonder of the
birth of Jesus Christ and
what it means to you and me. All you have to do to go to heaven after
you die is to believe what happened to Him, and to ask Jesus to be your
savior. </b><br />
...</div>
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<tr align="center"><td><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="382" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtY7G90LXQgfoebKyZL7D6hQLUUPYNIdxNI1LEOnBNYMrglPVSZG2TEveaVdZpqwgMy_nJATtvjIaFYZ2IHyOh3nKDpHra5g_pLEfB07G0GwyKBquttz-kzZNFbhtyZBt9SUx798BNeFO1/s800/prayer-foundry_091125.jpg" width="466" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</td></tr>
<tr align="left"><td style="font-family: "arial",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Merry Christmas to all, and happy riding in the new year. </b></span></td><td style="font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><b>. </b>.<br />
.</td><td style="font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br />
.<br />
.</td></tr>
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Buckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05008065046166806739noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-465878416372541218.post-6062750615495605522018-12-09T16:54:00.001-05:002018-12-09T16:54:28.898-05:00Water Pump -- Again!.<br />
Well, I got done with the <a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2018/11/stator-battery-and-front-tire.html" target="_blank">stator installation, the battery replacement, and the front tire install</a>. I went for a ride long enough to prove out the stator/battery work and to scuff in the front tire -- a couple of hundred miles or so.<br />
<br />
I felt very good about the repairs, and parked the bike in the garage for the night.<br />
<br />
Next morning, I found this:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8wHEwv6U_7wQRBNsDl7MrSncNJX2nwbDRgt2O6vQkUxO7Swr6ZPQETQKQzBHqQ1Pj77w1WorqST4J0q52S-Ma1vFVLUPa5pnGm6rXskBFUktcXXBNLrehAGMinH8qDOFF3RDfqK6IXU50/s1600/P1070019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="542" data-original-width="640" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8wHEwv6U_7wQRBNsDl7MrSncNJX2nwbDRgt2O6vQkUxO7Swr6ZPQETQKQzBHqQ1Pj77w1WorqST4J0q52S-Ma1vFVLUPa5pnGm6rXskBFUktcXXBNLrehAGMinH8qDOFF3RDfqK6IXU50/s320/P1070019.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
I pointed menacingly to the oil spot on the floor as if scolding a pet that had messed on the floor.<br />
<br />
Surely <b><i>my</i></b> [pet] motorcycle would not have done such a thing in my otherwise spotless garage. <br />
<br />
I peeked at the engine through the openings in the cowling and found the front of the engine and the inside of the cowlings defiled by an oily, dirty mess spread over a considerable area.<br />
<br />
"What have I done wrong with the stator installation?" I asked myself. It turned out that I didn't do anything wrong over there. The stator cover is a considerable distance from the oil I was looking at here. The wind pressure during my 200-mile ride would have caused the left side of the engine, and well behind this, to be oily.<br />
<br />
Well, if not that, what? <br />
<br />
I removed the bottom fairings, and wiped down the engine so I could see where the oil was coming from. I ran the motor until hot, and I couldn't see anything. (Naturally, it never acts up when you need it to.)<br />
<br />
I looked at the oil filter, since I'd just installed it, but didn't see anything leaking there either. <br />
<br />
Finally, I saw some oil coming out of the water pump weep hole. Just a little, mind you, but oil nonetheless. <br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdN7YoFMLEWrt6wm9oufhsAdeAWzYwre3vmzjvH0sGf-ji1n_Cmb2gGOZTkK1Yvfi8Vm6cGgp0Tb7ojt1ZrT_o6aCRl-ltJMrJy_Q1tE_HPa25CIBsdD6SKl2FhgWEchaedtSifNW_SM35/s1600/P1070020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdN7YoFMLEWrt6wm9oufhsAdeAWzYwre3vmzjvH0sGf-ji1n_Cmb2gGOZTkK1Yvfi8Vm6cGgp0Tb7ojt1ZrT_o6aCRl-ltJMrJy_Q1tE_HPa25CIBsdD6SKl2FhgWEchaedtSifNW_SM35/s320/P1070020.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The general neighborhood of the leak.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFvnfjvdvDqMIAetiucQ8TOn1eGBe_1fexUkckUZ9mS2PcwIShBRrJDNKXLZMDzYekDBu7W9RbhqgMFZhyiNqhR-W2OSee5XpK8I_S_0Uh3xbydHVOOqcUsgyBycQsuVqcy1zTINXzHmK2/s1600/P1070022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFvnfjvdvDqMIAetiucQ8TOn1eGBe_1fexUkckUZ9mS2PcwIShBRrJDNKXLZMDzYekDBu7W9RbhqgMFZhyiNqhR-W2OSee5XpK8I_S_0Uh3xbydHVOOqcUsgyBycQsuVqcy1zTINXzHmK2/s320/P1070022.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Closer up view of the vent with the oil wiped away.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The water pump oil seal was apparently leaking. On this machine, there is a shaft driven by the innards of the engine, that extends out through an oil seal, then a coolant seal to drive the coolant pump impeller. Between the two seals is a weep hole to the outside. <br />
<br />
That weep hole, by the way, can show both oil and coolant leakage. The
oil side of the water pump drive has an elastomeric shaft seal and the coolant side has a ceramic face
seal. If either of them leak, the leakage comes out of the weep hole.
This design also prevents coolant and oil from mixing should there be a leak
between them. <br />
<br />
I had had this trouble before, at 41,000 miles. Back then it was coolant, so I replaced the coolant seal, buttoned it up again, and it was fine for a short time. Then the oil seal began to leak and I had to do the repair all over again. <br />
<br />
Now, at 66,000, it has begun leaking oil again, so this time I will replace all the seals at the same time, so I don't have to repeat the task. . <br />
<br />
I got on the Internet and began looking for the best deal on parts. I ended up at <a href="https://ronayersmotorcycles.com/" target="_blank">Ron Ayers Motorsports</a>.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnOcgBGx3IdeBwGHNVPnZ9wOTrStTqaMKODji61MXyUF1Nx0fp_4dK7p-mVDlx6y5LCsqWhxTdA1Nj2K4Wt5dIKrEDudXBqp6iyLfqYudc6fDcl-0Bqz-35RAB54dRbTsXkJo3RZCjUo39/s1600/Ron+Ayers+Stocking+Stuffer+greeting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="442" data-original-width="1363" height="103" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnOcgBGx3IdeBwGHNVPnZ9wOTrStTqaMKODji61MXyUF1Nx0fp_4dK7p-mVDlx6y5LCsqWhxTdA1Nj2K4Wt5dIKrEDudXBqp6iyLfqYudc6fDcl-0Bqz-35RAB54dRbTsXkJo3RZCjUo39/s320/Ron+Ayers+Stocking+Stuffer+greeting.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My needs were a bit more pedestrian than stocking stuffers.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I bought the following for my 2006 Ninja 650R:<br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;">49063-1055 ceramic face seal $11.65</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;">59256-0007 water pump impeller (in case the old plastic one was stuck and I broke it getting it apart) $20.92</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;">92049-1259 oil seal $4.27</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;">92055-0082 case O-ring $1.74</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;">92055-0083 pump housing seal $4.32</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;">92055-1155 pump cover seal $7.38</span></li>
</ul>
The total was $61.68 including a whopping $11.40 shipping charge. <br />
<br />
I punched the order button, and the parts were in my hands two days later. I began the repair.<br />
<br />
I removed the right Inner Cowling for access to the coolant expansion reservoir and radiator cap. I drained the coolant and removed the five screws holding the pump cover (be careful not to lose the two dowels in the cover). Then I took the impeller screw out (Put the bike in gear and hold the rear brake to be sure you can apply sufficient torque to the screw.) and the impeller came off the shaft easily. So, I didn't need to buy that expensive new impeller, it turned out. Next, I pulled the housing (one more dowel there). The housing is a very thin aluminum die casting, so be careful not to bend it when removing and handling it.<br />
<br />
This is what's left after all that is removed. <br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0WVyMfxQPz73-qXGVudPaaoZPJxX6FBtvnprpRfmujr-C_nPsVypfBVZbeCL-e4TDg_PoSbJreDhXd1DCWXHii-IUeDNYJ4EMPlB6e8Ev7bgUwkTl0R9zd6voyCmm4dDgWwqqcZJat56W/s1600/P1070209.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0WVyMfxQPz73-qXGVudPaaoZPJxX6FBtvnprpRfmujr-C_nPsVypfBVZbeCL-e4TDg_PoSbJreDhXd1DCWXHii-IUeDNYJ4EMPlB6e8Ev7bgUwkTl0R9zd6voyCmm4dDgWwqqcZJat56W/s320/P1070209.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
I checked the pump drive shaft for radial clearance that might have caused the seal to fail, but could not detect any. <br />
<br />
I cleaned everything with a rag, then with brake cleaner -- outside to avoid the fumes.<br />
<br />
The oil seal can be easily removed from the housing by prying it out with a screw driver.<br />
<br />
The cup side of the ceramic face seal for coolant is a different matter. It is pressed into the housing and there is a sealant on the outside of the seal cup that not only prevents leakage there, but tends to lock the cup in tightly. I set up a makeshift press using two sockets and my bench vice.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDN97W_-su-hXC5MN1UL2sxBNsgML2Gk4OY8yrqcAUXVbw80Yo9eRq_nEcTrfuZ8mB0I3mm7BHpY8RmRLFmAAnw3qZ7hzVhHrro-kFLBdZx27nmiRRfSLyrW7FDdrO2QMCLtK4CZ8kRyY2/s1600/P1070211.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDN97W_-su-hXC5MN1UL2sxBNsgML2Gk4OY8yrqcAUXVbw80Yo9eRq_nEcTrfuZ8mB0I3mm7BHpY8RmRLFmAAnw3qZ7hzVhHrro-kFLBdZx27nmiRRfSLyrW7FDdrO2QMCLtK4CZ8kRyY2/s320/P1070211.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
The socket on the left side is bearing on the housing. The inside diameter of that socket is just slightly larger than the outside diameter of the seal cup flange. Make sure it is properly centered on the seal before applying force with the vice. <br />
<br />
The outside diameter of the socket on the right is just slightly smaller than the inside diameter of the housing bore that holds the seal cup.<br />
<br />
Check all of your metric and English sockets to find the best fits. If you bend the housing, you will have to replace it to the tune of about $35. <br />
<br />
<br />
The coolant seal cup came loose with only moderate force. I further cleaned the housing with brake cleaner.<br />
<br />
I pressed the coolant seal cup flange into the housing using a flat piece of hardwood and a socket on the opposite side to support the housing.<br />
<br />
the oil seal is similarly pressed into place with a piece of hardwood. Its face is to be flush with the highest part of the housing on that side. It is not to be even with the four recesses. <br />
<br />
The mating half of the coolant seal is contained in the back of the impeller. It is easily removed with a screw driver. I opened the envelope containing the new impeller and was surprised to find that it is a nicely-machined aluminum die casting. The original was plastic. That is why I was afraid of damaging it during removal. <br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieCk4WIbmlNGgUOKx_cwQFQUVd_Rg9M22Tv0IQ8GmmpPWDHfV1kuvgUMIkoyHNbNBegYKSdlZb5vP2rPvB2w9xzudSkdnlTvnStqcMaG2nUXtw9AtUkvNT4Fi6tTNdTt3ey32wPmAhWpI1/s1600/P1070212.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieCk4WIbmlNGgUOKx_cwQFQUVd_Rg9M22Tv0IQ8GmmpPWDHfV1kuvgUMIkoyHNbNBegYKSdlZb5vP2rPvB2w9xzudSkdnlTvnStqcMaG2nUXtw9AtUkvNT4Fi6tTNdTt3ey32wPmAhWpI1/s320/P1070212.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
I went ahead and installed the new one. I'll keep the old one as a spare (though I don't expect to wear out or break the new impeller). The coolant seal is an easy finger press fit into the back of the impeller.<br />
<br />
I carefully applied a bit of grease to the various O-ring seals and to the oil seal lip. The grease lubricates the seal, but it serves to prevent the O-rings from falling out of position when reassembling the pump. <b><i>Do not</i></b> apply grease to the coolant seal faces. <br />
<br />
Clean both faces of the coolant seal with a high flash point solvent. I used a little brake cleaner on a clean rag. I carefully wiped both faces, then applied a drop of coolant to both faces to provide the initial lubrication. <br />
<br />
I threaded the oil seal in the pump housing onto the shaft, and pushed the housing against the mating face on the engine. The one dowel aligns this. The impeller slips onto the shaft, and the screw securing it is tightened to 87 in-lb. Again put the bike in gear and hold the rear brake to be sure you can apply sufficient torque to the screw.<br />
<br />
The cover went on next (with the two dowels) and the screws were tightened in a star pattern to 87 in-lb.<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxCqU2SLZM51t69j9QuRJuPHcQVZMGyzHINEobwK93_VkBfwT9dRnguZYo2zCuIm4BLX6jO6DjtwpAG3CGbwjuWQTHmFBIPQugY8TxLgzKSyaOwGYwp70VZu-vgn_x7FgNzL6RGmZ3WP34/s1600/P1070214.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxCqU2SLZM51t69j9QuRJuPHcQVZMGyzHINEobwK93_VkBfwT9dRnguZYo2zCuIm4BLX6jO6DjtwpAG3CGbwjuWQTHmFBIPQugY8TxLgzKSyaOwGYwp70VZu-vgn_x7FgNzL6RGmZ3WP34/s320/P1070214.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
I reconnected the coolant hose, filled it up with coolant and ran the engine, topped off the radiator when partially warmed up, installed the radiator pressure cap, filled the overflow reservoir to the F mark (with the bike standing upright), and continued running the engine until the cooling fan came on. Once cool, I rechecked the coolant level in the overflow and set it between the F and L marks with the bike upright. I reinstalled the cowlings so everything looks nice again. For the time being, I left off the Inner Cowling so I could top off the coolant expansion tank if necessary. <br />
<br />
I was ready for a test ride.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
But....<br />
<br />
It turned cold, and I didn't have time to go out for a couple of weeks.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Then this:<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWvxwPYal9B0XURMAxiaIrKaXIQ-mUPkvsS0_3A_pNO3t8gK8Bp_MvteavBuG1-bFaZFFlO50pXAudxKTE6PypCDEqhgls45QOQ9oiGmCLwFOrC1JW0_gmnzlmtwBIxBAav3F-Vq5Bep3M/s1600/P1070224.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWvxwPYal9B0XURMAxiaIrKaXIQ-mUPkvsS0_3A_pNO3t8gK8Bp_MvteavBuG1-bFaZFFlO50pXAudxKTE6PypCDEqhgls45QOQ9oiGmCLwFOrC1JW0_gmnzlmtwBIxBAav3F-Vq5Bep3M/s320/P1070224.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Phooie!<br />
<br />
So I decided to use the time to put on <a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2011/12/dressing-for-cold-weather-riding-take.html" target="_blank">my hand muffs</a> for the winter riding season. They really help keep the hands warm in concert with the heated grips.<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEVOQulwqX20R9HujGE33w_lwPJMrxqZB4Geb3idKb1o4GdJ0MMkoguKWilq9_M4szvmQwlx0PVuIO6TU8JcYVGxo_PlmqPrJVY29vGqTmMSJpuWp-kHcPIE-my9O0TeI0K5C_I26lKGtx/s1600/P1070229.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="538" data-original-width="640" height="269" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEVOQulwqX20R9HujGE33w_lwPJMrxqZB4Geb3idKb1o4GdJ0MMkoguKWilq9_M4szvmQwlx0PVuIO6TU8JcYVGxo_PlmqPrJVY29vGqTmMSJpuWp-kHcPIE-my9O0TeI0K5C_I26lKGtx/s320/P1070229.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
This winter I selected the Ducks Unlimited pair instead of the Hippo Hands brand. They look better on this type of bike, though they don't protect as well as the larger Hippo Hands. <br />
<br />
When the snow goes away, I'll go out and test the water pump -- and enjoy warm hands!<br />
<br />
Maybe I'll see you out there.<br />
.<br />
.<br />
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.Buckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05008065046166806739noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-465878416372541218.post-83524918905271615012018-11-18T19:00:00.001-05:002018-11-20T21:26:01.741-05:00Stator, Battery, and Front Tire.<br />
Well, it happened. The stator in the alternator failed, as they tend to do in Ninja 650Rs. Mine got me almost to 66,000 miles, so I am pretty happy. It also didn't just let me down in the middle of nowhere, fortunately.<br />
<br />
The stator is wired in a three phase pattern, and one of the phases was not producing an output voltage. <br />
<br />
I think the failure is right where the burned place is in the photograph below. <br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjvxTNV7n9P9jt6SrVPHR0thMts9HX6Lck6ZePN4o4HfvADqupMX43aZQ5tisCjCGzQ8ouIIfNn9Vk78JCBBbHCUPaseIdDsUDwQJyjMAT9fAz6qc9nOjmRp3_PBHQ49_gg7HnugbD_bEC/s1600/P1060851.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjvxTNV7n9P9jt6SrVPHR0thMts9HX6Lck6ZePN4o4HfvADqupMX43aZQ5tisCjCGzQ8ouIIfNn9Vk78JCBBbHCUPaseIdDsUDwQJyjMAT9fAz6qc9nOjmRp3_PBHQ49_gg7HnugbD_bEC/s320/P1060851.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
That failure made the stator produce less power to recharge the battery and run lights, ignition, fuel injection, and accessories. I noticed that occasionally the horn was not very loud and the trip odometers and clock would sometimes reset to zero when starting the engine. I tested the stator according to the Kawasaki manual and found the problem.<br />
<br />
The stator OEM part number is <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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</xml><![endif]--><i><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">grimcycles</span></i> on ebay, and it got here in about a week. It looks good and fit fine. More importantly, it now produces the full power that it should. That cost me $<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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</xml><![endif]--><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">144.95</span> for the part, shipped. My labor, as usual, is free.<br />
<br />
I changed the oil and filter as long as I was in there. You lose most of the oil when opening the stator cover if you do it with the side stand instead of a rear stand. If you use the latter, you only lose about a quart. It needed changing anyway, so that was fine. I use Mobil 1 and a Kawasaki-brand filter. <br />
<br />
The procedure to change the stator is well documented <a href="http://www.riderforums.com/ninja-650r-maintenance/83817-how-stator-swap.html#post940979">here</a>. I reused the stator cover gasket. It is not metal, but it is sufficiently sturdy if you are careful handling it. Use silicone sealant only around the wire passthrough, not on the entire gasket. <br />
<br />
<br />
I buttoned up the engine, filled it will oil, started it up and found that the charging voltage at 4000 RPM was correct at 14.6 volts.<br />
<br />
<br />
I went for a ride, and the symptoms of the weak horn and disappearing odometer reading <i>persisted</i>!<br />
<br />
Now what?<br />
<br />
Well, I tested the battery after it had been on trickle charge overnight and found its voltage to be lower than it should be.<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs4eAzVF21Rjth46sPIEEJS4yV3bEu0DCYgh4kbS6LXLfEoGH_oFjQ4NDtlB8FF-4-U1aAoyr-BIy33Iu6gcwfJhlUzlJ3I72aTTmiRzUuNw2ItTyqfZKmUXPUopG9tgvpIYM33pssVwla/s1600/P1060857.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="547" data-original-width="640" height="273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs4eAzVF21Rjth46sPIEEJS4yV3bEu0DCYgh4kbS6LXLfEoGH_oFjQ4NDtlB8FF-4-U1aAoyr-BIy33Iu6gcwfJhlUzlJ3I72aTTmiRzUuNw2ItTyqfZKmUXPUopG9tgvpIYM33pssVwla/s320/P1060857.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
That is an indication of a bad battery. I last replaced the battery in late 2012, almost 30,000 miles ago. That time, I replaced it with the same as OEM, a Yuasa YTX12-BS. I did the same this time, and found it only a few dollars higher than six years ago at $59.88, shipped from Amazon seller <i>Avid Cycles</i>. It got here in a few days, I filled it, charged it, and everything works fine now.<br />
<br />
<br />
Oh, wait a minute. What about the tire I mentioned? Well my front tire was about worn out so I sent away to Sportbike Track Gear for a fresh Michelin Pilot Road 4. They had the lowest price of $146, shipped when I used an $8 rebate from previous purchases there. I took it to the local Foothills Powersports dealer to be mounted and balanced for $37. The worn out tire had 10,500 miles on it and the resulting cost per mile was $0.018 over its life. Even at as long a life as I get because I ride sedately, tires are a significant expense of owning a motorcycle. <br />
<br />
<br />
So I have two good tires, and an electrical system that works properly now. The whole escapade cost about $390. This motorcycling isn't cheap!<br />
<br />
<br />
I might say, though, that this bike has been very reliable over its life. I never abuse it, so that probably contributes to its longevity.<br />
<br />
The other major issues -- besides routine service -- have been the <a href="https://buckysride.blogspot.com/2015/04/pooped-pumpno-fuelin.html">fuel pump failure</a>, the <a href="https://buckysride.blogspot.com/2014/05/kickstand-fixedstand.html">loose kickstand</a>, and the water pump seal failure at 41,000 miles. I have done all of the maintenance and repair myself, so the costs were much lower than if I had to take it into a mechanic each time. <br />
<br />
Not too bad for an elderly ride like mine.<br />
<br />
Hope to see you on the road!<br />
.<br />
.<br />
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.Buckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05008065046166806739noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-465878416372541218.post-83017356986883625812018-11-11T17:09:00.001-05:002018-11-11T17:21:58.728-05:00Veterans Day -- A Salute to Those Who Fought for Our Freedom<b>.</b><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Veterans Day</b> </span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">(from the <a href="http://www1.va.gov/opa/vetsday/vetdayhistory.asp">U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs</a>)</span><br />
<br />
World War I – known at the time as “The Great War” - officially ended
when the Treaty of Versailles was signed on June 28, 1919, in the
Palace of Versailles outside the town of Versailles, France. However,
fighting ceased seven months earlier when an armistice, or temporary
cessation of hostilities, between the Allied nations and Germany went
into effect on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh
month. For that reason, November 11, 1918, is generally regarded as the
end of “the war to end all wars.”<br />
<br />
In November 1919, President Wilson proclaimed November 11 as the first
commemoration of Armistice Day with the following words: "To us in
America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn
pride in the heroism of those who died in the country’s service and with
gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has
freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show
her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nations…"<br />
<br />
The original concept for the celebration was for a day observed with
parades and public meetings and a brief suspension of business beginning
at 11:00 a.m.<br />
<br />
The United States Congress officially recognized the end of World War I
when it passed a concurrent resolution on June 4, 1926, with these
words:<br />
<blockquote>
<b><i>Whereas</i></b> the 11th of November 1918, marked the
cessation of the most destructive, sanguinary, and far reaching war in
human annals and the resumption by the people of the United States of
peaceful relations with other nations, which we hope may never again be
severed, and<br />
<br />
<b><i>Whereas</i></b> it is fitting that the recurring anniversary of
this date should be commemorated with thanksgiving and prayer and
exercises designed to perpetuate peace through good will and mutual
understanding between nations; and<br />
<br />
<b><i>Whereas</i></b> the legislatures of twenty-seven of our States
have already declared November 11 to be a legal holiday: Therefore be
it Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring),
that the President of the United States is requested to issue a
proclamation calling upon the officials to display the flag of the
United States on all Government buildings on November 11 and inviting
the people of the United States to observe the day in schools and
churches, or other suitable places, with appropriate ceremonies of
friendly relations with all other peoples.</blockquote>
An Act (52 Stat.
351; 5 U. S. Code, Sec. 87a) approved May 13, 1938, made the 11th of
November in each year a legal holiday—a day to be dedicated to the
cause of world peace and to be thereafter celebrated and known as
"Armistice Day." Armistice Day was primarily a day set aside to honor
veterans of World War I, but in 1954, after World War II had required
the greatest mobilization of soldiers, sailors, Marines and airmen in
the Nation’s history; after American forces had fought aggression in
Korea, the 83rd Congress, at the urging of the veterans service
organizations, amended the Act of 1938 by striking out the word
"Armistice" and inserting in its place the word "Veterans." With the
approval of this legislation (Public Law 380) on June 1, 1954, November
11th became a day to honor American veterans of all wars.<br />
<br />
Later that same year, on October 8th, President Dwight D. Eisenhower issued the <a href="http://www1.va.gov/opa/vetsday/docs/proclamation_1954.pdf">first "Veterans Day Proclamation"</a>
which stated: "In order to insure proper and widespread observance of
this anniversary, all veterans, all veterans' organizations, and the
entire citizenry will wish to join hands in the common purpose. Toward
this end, I am designating the Administrator of Veterans' Affairs as
Chairman of a Veterans Day National Committee, which shall include such
other persons as the Chairman may select, and which will coordinate at
the national level necessary planning for the observance. I am also
requesting the heads of all departments and agencies of the Executive
branch of the Government to assist the National Committee in every way
possible."<br />
<br />
On that same day, President Eisenhower sent <a href="http://www1.va.gov/opa/vetsday/docs/eisenhower_letter.pdf">a letter to the Honorable Harvey V. Higley, Administrator of Veterans' Affairs (VA)</a>, designating him as Chairman of the Veterans Day National Committee.<br />
In 1958, the White House advised VA's General Counsel that the 1954
designation of the VA Administrator as Chairman of the Veterans Day
National Committee applied to all subsequent VA Administrators. Since
March 1989 when VA was elevated to a cabinet level department, the
Secretary of Veterans Affairs has served as the committee's chairman.<br />
<br />
The Uniform Holiday Bill (Public Law 90-363 (82 Stat. 250)) was signed
on June 28, 1968, and was intended to ensure three-day weekends for
Federal employees by celebrating four national holidays on Mondays:
Washington's Birthday, Memorial Day, Veterans Day, and Columbus Day. It
was thought that these extended weekends would encourage travel,
recreational and cultural activities and stimulate greater industrial
and commercial production. Many states did not agree with this decision
and continued to celebrate the holidays on their original dates.<br />
<br />
The first Veterans Day under the new law was observed with much
confusion on October 25, 1971. It was quite apparent that the
commemoration of this day was a matter of historic and patriotic
significance to a great number of our citizens, and so on September
20th, 1975, President Gerald R. Ford signed Public Law 94-97 (89 Stat.
479), which returned the annual observance of Veterans Day to its
original date of November 11, beginning in 1978. This action supported
the desires of the overwhelming majority of state legislatures, all
major veterans service organizations and the American people.<br />
<br />
Veterans Day continues to be observed on November 11, regardless of
what day of the week on which it falls. The restoration of the
observance of Veterans Day to November 11 not only preserves the
historical significance of the date, but helps focus attention on the
important purpose of Veterans Day: A celebration to honor America's
veterans for their patriotism, love of country, and willingness to serve
and sacrifice for the common good.<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx_mzzMOLxBtJckykVFbv-KKN4jIugkVmlNJlO5Hjkmejio5e0N19g2Bcuac0uTLaBUE1h_RzaQG0rSZmrCCB8-n1WZoC8wGO17mzbCzwZeV18GOo6LWzDQPCAPkt6VM5y7YVKv-y8Mq83/s1600/Flag_with_Statue_of_Liberty.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx_mzzMOLxBtJckykVFbv-KKN4jIugkVmlNJlO5Hjkmejio5e0N19g2Bcuac0uTLaBUE1h_RzaQG0rSZmrCCB8-n1WZoC8wGO17mzbCzwZeV18GOo6LWzDQPCAPkt6VM5y7YVKv-y8Mq83/s320/Flag_with_Statue_of_Liberty.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">If you see a veteran, take a minute to thank him for his service, and for his helping preserve our freedom. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">. </span>Buckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05008065046166806739noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-465878416372541218.post-18084137679221880592018-10-27T18:41:00.000-04:002018-10-27T18:47:13.893-04:00What is at Risk November 6th?.<br />
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<br />
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Election day is coming upon us rapidly, and this election is
very important to our future -- yours and mine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If the Democrats take over the House or Senate, then
everything Mr. Trump has accomplished in two years will be lost.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you would like to see a list of those
accomplishments, then look <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=465878416372541218#editor/target=post;postID=4619681175357014495;onPublishedMenu=allposts;onClosedMenu=allposts;postNum=1;src=postname">here</a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And remember, Mr. Trump campaigned on many issues.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At that time, it was just talk. <br /><br />
<b>Now, two years later, we can see that he has achieved many of those
promises.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
So what do we as citizens stand to
lose?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b>Here is the short list:</b></div>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"><b>Lowest
unemployment in years</b>, and in some cases, in history.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The tax cuts, new incentives to
business, and the reduction in regulations would be wiped out along with
those jobs that have been created. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Democrats have vowed that they will reverse all this to take
money out of <i>your</i> pocket.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
<a href="https://www.detroitnews.com/story/opinion/2018/10/16/opinion-whats-risk-if-democrats-win-majority/1649848002/">Read this</a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></li>
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<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"><b>Our
sovereignty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In plain language,
illegal immigrants are set to invade us, and more are on the way.</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These are able-bodied young men with
almost no women and few children.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>These are not refugees, nor are they seeking asylum.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If we let them in, they will become a
surge of Democrat voters who will never again vote in a Republican to any
office.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They will take our jobs,
use our health care system without paying, bring in disease, increase gang
activity, and allow terrorists free entry to destroy us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
If you think this is not true, then why is the latest wave of illegals
waving the flags of the countries they claim they want to leave?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><a href="https://www.heritage.org/immigration/commentary/qa-migrant-caravan-and-the-us-immigration-system">See this story</a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>
</li>
</ul>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpl_oPIlVeqxwFYbJbibYHikjPobxrAEeMjj0FIvFqYWWxPVqgU-7pB0McWGwITO-AnUgTNV4_jWmkDgUINTK6wlDtM4p8fQrot5QeE0vDRPEuhsWBKYW6hMiBrJ_xDFubweFAK-UuZaYj/s1600/APP-102218-Invasion-America-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="640" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpl_oPIlVeqxwFYbJbibYHikjPobxrAEeMjj0FIvFqYWWxPVqgU-7pB0McWGwITO-AnUgTNV4_jWmkDgUINTK6wlDtM4p8fQrot5QeE0vDRPEuhsWBKYW6hMiBrJ_xDFubweFAK-UuZaYj/s320/APP-102218-Invasion-America-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b>Other risks of electing Democrats:</b></div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "symbol";">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span>Your <b>right to bear arms</b> would be threatened,
preventing law-abiding citizens from defending themselves, their families, and
their property.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "symbol";">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span><b>Health care would be even less affordable</b> than
Obamacare is now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>…and watch out for
what Democrats are calling “Medicare for All.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It is a way to provide health care for more people, but made possible by
taking away health care benefits from the rest of us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKet2f_qc0g92DCg2ofJ_yDxlzpFxsogY5oEiRkZ6QLfA3pRMj81KpucT0FMxFtYQ_AmP0DbHqIgetJQHxnW_VKkUnvTsfEaD_N0f2FCN-OB1ZbIoKyc6kaH34_dvYusV3xXrcwNnN0G9l/s1600/US_Border__Free_Stuff_Ahead.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="563" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKet2f_qc0g92DCg2ofJ_yDxlzpFxsogY5oEiRkZ6QLfA3pRMj81KpucT0FMxFtYQ_AmP0DbHqIgetJQHxnW_VKkUnvTsfEaD_N0f2FCN-OB1ZbIoKyc6kaH34_dvYusV3xXrcwNnN0G9l/s320/US_Border__Free_Stuff_Ahead.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "symbol";">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span><b>Democrats not only would destroy a good man and his
family, but our entire nation to gain power for themselves.</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The recent Supreme Court hearings are an
example of the power the Democrats so desperately don’t want to lose.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They would destroy a good man at any cost
and destroy our nation to regain power for themselves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>These things affect everybody, including ordinary blokes
like you and me.</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our standard of
living would fall, and more of us would be stuck without jobs or in
lower-paying jobs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Many more would have
to go back on welfare, supported by those who are still working.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrbUQpOmFN6em1FsISw1ptdMJTDd_43PFOmJgGWGA7yJC7p7tIUWPU6MwRDY7Iqvdno5-23O5eLVWRxhT5bpvbw8ZtyTFX1lpc_xtNSEZe2VarM-STwZbf6Y37FtC6U7JXNocGOiK-ZU2L/s1600/Empty_Pockets_2152189-ms.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="304" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrbUQpOmFN6em1FsISw1ptdMJTDd_43PFOmJgGWGA7yJC7p7tIUWPU6MwRDY7Iqvdno5-23O5eLVWRxhT5bpvbw8ZtyTFX1lpc_xtNSEZe2VarM-STwZbf6Y37FtC6U7JXNocGOiK-ZU2L/s320/Empty_Pockets_2152189-ms.jpg" width="243" /></a></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<b>Don’t let that happen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Vote Republican on election day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
.</div>
Buckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05008065046166806739noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-465878416372541218.post-46196811753570144952018-10-14T17:57:00.000-04:002018-10-14T18:54:58.392-04:00What We Must Do on November 6, 2018<br />
.<br />
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I’ll bet you are enjoying greater prosperity in the last two
years or so than before that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Maybe you have even scraped up enough funds for some bling on the bike,
or maybe even a new bike.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Almost everybody is doing better because of lower taxes,
fewer backbreaking regulations on industry, more jobs, opening up lower cost
energy resources, putting the United States interest first in the world, and
many more.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In short we have more independence now than two years
ago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That is a very good thing for everyone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Also -- and this is important -- if you value the foundation upon
which our country was established, you must vote the right way in
November.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you are unsure what that
foundation consists of, and why that is important, then read about it <a href="http://buckysride.blogspot.com/2017/07/independence-what-did-it-mean-to-ones.html">here</a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
<br />
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">This next election is where many House of Representatives
and Senate seats are up for grabs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When
you read through the listing of accomplishments of our president Mr. Trump
below, you will see how this has affected almost everyone positively in this
great country of ours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">Imagine what could have been accomplished if more Republicans
would have supported him, if fewer Democrats were in office, and if only half
of the media instead of 90+% were against him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></div>
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>YOU can help make that happen by voting Republican, not
Democrat, on Tuesday the 6th of November.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBlQmn5KoZNAjUhkF2nGC6L6U1f6xuyzwWV3pT-G7HBfVpONxb0VzDs7MD5Fafi7Z1mVbmHjgv4CbxS6dF5vdCq1ZoCBe5YSv_nqZdwV4rFaYYsE6LwBSMki8bHyO-Nhy3wBWG-R7zLLn3/s1600/TEMP+new_blog_pics+TEMP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBlQmn5KoZNAjUhkF2nGC6L6U1f6xuyzwWV3pT-G7HBfVpONxb0VzDs7MD5Fafi7Z1mVbmHjgv4CbxS6dF5vdCq1ZoCBe5YSv_nqZdwV4rFaYYsE6LwBSMki8bHyO-Nhy3wBWG-R7zLLn3/s320/TEMP+new_blog_pics+TEMP.jpg" width="256" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>^</b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: small;">Democrats<br />NO</span></b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<a href="https://rightwingtribune.com/2018/10/12/289-accomplishments/"><br />Here is the list</a> of Mr. Trump’s achievements, taken from the
<i>Right Wing Tribune</i>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If the list seems
too long to digest, just skip down to a topic or two of interest shown in
<b><i>italics</i></b>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span>
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span>
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<h1 align="center" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-size: 24.0pt;">Trump Achievements: <br />289
Accomplishments in Just 20 Months.<br />
Relentless Promise Keeping</span></h1>
<h1 align="center" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 24.0pt;"> </span></h1>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">By <a href="https://thefederalistpapers.org/author/admin">Steve
Straub</a> at <a href="https://thefederalistpapers.org/us/trump-achievements-289-accomplishments-just-20-months" target="_blank">The Federalist Papers</a></span></b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
The White House has just <a href="https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/washington-secrets/trumps-list-289-accomplishments-in-just-20-months-relentless-promise-keeping" target="_blank">released</a> a list of Trump’s accomplishments over the
past two years, and it’s MASSIVE:</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><i>Economic Growth</i></b></div>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l6 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;">4.2
percent growth in the second quarter of 2018.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l6 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;">For
the first time in more than a decade, growth is projected to exceed 3
percent over the calendar year.</li>
</ul>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><i>Jobs</i></b></div>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l15 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in;">4
million new jobs have been created since the election, and more than 3.5
million since Trump took office.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l15 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in;">More
Americans are employed now than ever before in our history.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l15 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in;">Jobless
claims are at the lowest level in nearly five decades.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l15 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in;">The
economy has achieved the longest positive job-growth streak on record.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l15 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in;">Job
openings are at an all-time high and outnumber job seekers for the first
time on record.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l15 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in;">Unemployment
claims at 50 are at a year low</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l15 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in;">African-American,
Hispanic, and Asian-American unemployment rates have all recently reached
record lows. <br />
–African-American unemployment hit a record low of 5.9 percent in May
2018.<br />
–Hispanic unemployment is at 4.5 percent.<br />
–Asian-American unemployment is at record low of 2 percent.</li>
</ul>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l2 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list .5in;">Women’s
unemployment was recently at lowest rate in nearly 65 years.<br />
–Female unemployment dropped to 3.6 percent in May 2018, the lowest since
October 1953.</li>
</ul>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l32 level1 lfo4; tab-stops: list .5in;">Youth
unemployment recently reached its lowest level in more than 50 years.<br />
–July 2018’s youth unemployment rate of 9.2 percent was the lowest since
July 1966.</li>
</ul>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l37 level1 lfo5; tab-stops: list .5in;">Veterans’
unemployment recently hit its lowest level in nearly two decades.<br />
–July 2018’s veterans’ unemployment rate of 3.0 percent matched the lowest
rate since May 2001.</li>
</ul>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l41 level1 lfo6; tab-stops: list .5in;">The unemployment
rate for Americans without a high school diploma recently reached a record
low.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l41 level1 lfo6; tab-stops: list .5in;">The rate
for disabled Americans recently hit a record low.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l41 level1 lfo6; tab-stops: list .5in;">Blue-collar
jobs recently grew at the fastest rate in more than three decades.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l41 level1 lfo6; tab-stops: list .5in;">A poll
found that 85 percent of blue-collar workers believe their lives are
headed “in the right direction.”<br />
–68 percent reported receiving a pay increase in the past year.</li>
</ul>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l9 level1 lfo7; tab-stops: list .5in;">Last
year, job satisfaction among American workers hit its highest level since
2005.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l9 level1 lfo7; tab-stops: list .5in;">Nearly
two-thirds of Americans rate now as a good time to find a quality job.<br />
–Optimism about the availability of good jobs has grown by 25 percent.</li>
</ul>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l13 level1 lfo8; tab-stops: list .5in;">More than 400,000 manufacturing jobs have been added since the election.<br />
–Manufacturing employment is growing at its fastest pace in more than two
decades.</li>
</ul>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l17 level1 lfo9; tab-stops: list .5in;">There are 100,000
new jobs supporting the production and transport of oil and natural
gas.</li>
</ul>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><i>American Income</i></b></div>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l26 level1 lfo10; tab-stops: list .5in;">Median
household income rose to $61,372 in 2017, a post-recession high.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l26 level1 lfo10; tab-stops: list .5in;">Wages
were up in August by their fastest rate since June 2009.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l26 level1 lfo10; tab-stops: list .5in;">Paychecks
rose by 3.3 percent between 2016 and 2017, the most in a decade.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l26 level1 lfo10; tab-stops: list .5in;">The Council
of Economic Advisers found that real wage compensation has grown by 1.4
percent over the past year.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l26 level1 lfo10; tab-stops: list .5in;">Some
3.9 million Americans have been able to get off food stamps since the election.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l26 level1 lfo10; tab-stops: list .5in;">The median
income for Hispanic-Americans rose by 3.7 percent and surpassed $50,000
for the first time ever in history.<br />
–Home ownership among Hispanics is at the highest rate in nearly a decade.</li>
</ul>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l7 level1 lfo11; tab-stops: list .5in;">Poverty
rates for African-Americans and Hispanic-Americans have reached their
lowest levels ever recorded.</li>
</ul>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><i>American Optimism</i></b></div>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l46 level1 lfo12; tab-stops: list .5in;">Small
business optimism has hit historic highs.<br />
–NFIB’s small business optimism index broke a 35 year-old record in
August. <br />
–SurveyMonkey/CNBC’s small business confidence survey for Q3 of 2018
matched its all-time high.</li>
</ul>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l21 level1 lfo13; tab-stops: list .5in;">Manufacturers
are more confident than ever.<br />
–95 percent of U.S. manufacturers are optimistic about the future, the
highest ever.</li>
</ul>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo14; tab-stops: list .5in;">Consumer
confidence is at an 18-year high.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo14; tab-stops: list .5in;">Only 12
percent of Americans rate the economy as the most significant problem
facing our country, the lowest level on record.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo14; tab-stops: list .5in;">Confidence
in the economy is near a two-decade high, with 51 percent rating the
economy as good or excellent.</li>
</ul>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><i>American Business</i></b></div>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l16 level1 lfo15; tab-stops: list .5in;">Investment
is flooding back into the United States due to the tax cuts.<br />
–Over $450 billion dollars has already poured back into the U.S.,
including more than $300 billion in the first quarter of 2018.</li>
</ul>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l19 level1 lfo16; tab-stops: list .5in;">Retail
sales have surged. Commerce Department figures from August show that
retail sales increased 0.5 percent in July 2018, an increase of 6.4
percent from July 2017.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l19 level1 lfo16; tab-stops: list .5in;">ISM’s
index of manufacturing scored its highest reading in 14 years.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l19 level1 lfo16; tab-stops: list .5in;">Worker
productivity is the highest it has been in more than three years.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l19 level1 lfo16; tab-stops: list .5in;">Steel
and aluminum producers are re-opening.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l19 level1 lfo16; tab-stops: list .5in;">The Dow
Jones Industrial Average, S&P 500, and NASDAQ have all notched record
highs.<br />
–The Dow hit record highs 70 times in 2017 alone, the most ever recorded in
one year.</li>
</ul>
<b><i>Deregulation</i></b><br />
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<br />
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l18 level1 lfo17; tab-stops: list .5in;">There has been massive deregulation proceeding at a rapid pace, completing 22 deregulatory actions
to every one regulatory action during Mr. Trump's first year in office.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l18 level1 lfo17; tab-stops: list .5in;">Mr. Trump signed
legislation to roll back costly and harmful provisions of Dodd-Frank,
providing relief to credit unions, and community and regional banks.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l18 level1 lfo17; tab-stops: list .5in;">Federal
agencies achieved more than $8 billion in lifetime net regulatory cost
savings.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l18 level1 lfo17; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">Obama’s burdensome Waters of the U.S. rule has been r</span>olled
back.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l18 level1 lfo17; tab-stops: list .5in;">Mr. Trump used
the Congressional Review Act to repeal regulations more times than in
history.</li>
</ul>
<b><i>Tax Cuts</i></b></div>
</span></div>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l28 level1 lfo18; tab-stops: list .5in;">The biggest
tax cuts and reforms in American history occurred by Mr. Trump's signing the Tax Cuts and Jobs
act into law.<br />
–It provided more than $5.5 trillion in gross tax cuts, nearly 60 percent of
which will go to families. <br />–
It increased the exemption for the death tax to help save Family Farms and
Small Businesses.<br />
–It nearly doubled the standard deduction for individuals and families.<br />
–It enabled the vast majority of American families to be able to file their
taxes on a single page by claiming the standard deduction.<br />
–It doubled the child tax credit to help lessen the financial burden of
raising a family.<br />
–It lowered America’s corporate tax rate from the highest in the developed
world to allow American businesses to compete and win.<br />
–Small businesses can now deduct 20 percent of their business income.<br />
–It cut dozens of special interest tax breaks and closed loopholes for the
wealthy.</li>
</ul>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l38 level1 lfo19; tab-stops: list .5in;">9 in
10 American workers are expected see an increase in their paychecks thanks
to the tax cuts, according to the Treasury Department.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l38 level1 lfo19; tab-stops: list .5in;">More
than 6 million American workers have received wage increases, bonuses,
and increased benefits thanks to tax cuts.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l38 level1 lfo19; tab-stops: list .5in;">Over
100 utility companies have lowered electric, gas, or water rates thanks to
the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l38 level1 lfo19; tab-stops: list .5in;">Ernst
and Young found 89 percent of companies planned to increase worker
compensation thanks to the Trump tax cuts.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l38 level1 lfo19; tab-stops: list .5in;">Opportunity zones were established
to spur investment in left behind communities.</li>
</ul>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><i>Worker Development</i></b></div>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l24 level1 lfo20; tab-stops: list .5in;">Mr. Trump established
a National Council for the American Worker to develop a national strategy
for training and retraining America’s workers for high-demand industries.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l24 level1 lfo20; tab-stops: list .5in;">Employers
have signed Trump’s “Pledge to America’s Workers,” committing to train or
retrain more than 4.2 million workers and students.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l24 level1 lfo20; tab-stops: list .5in;">Mr. Trump signed
the first Perkins CTE reauthorization since 2006, authorizing more than $1
billion for states each year to fund vocational and career education
programs.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l24 level1 lfo20; tab-stops: list .5in;">Executive
order was written expanding apprenticeship opportunities for students and workers.</li>
</ul>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><i>Domestic Infrastructure</i></b></div>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l45 level1 lfo21; tab-stops: list .5in;">Mr. Trump's proposed
infrastructure plan would utilize $200 billion in Federal funds to spur at
least $1.5 trillion in infrastructure investment across the country.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l45 level1 lfo21; tab-stops: list .5in;">Mr. Trump wrote and executive
order expediting environmental reviews and approvals for high priority
infrastructure projects.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l45 level1 lfo21; tab-stops: list .5in;">Federal
agencies have signed the One Federal Decision Memorandum of Understanding
(MOU) streamlining the federal permitting process for infrastructure
projects.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l45 level1 lfo21; tab-stops: list .5in;">Mr. Trump established the rural
prosperity task force and signed an executive order to help expand
broadband access in rural areas.</li>
</ul>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><i>Health Care</i></b></div>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l20 level1 lfo22; tab-stops: list .5in;">Mr. Trump signed
an executive order to help minimize the financial burden felt by American
households, and he signed legislation to improve the National Suicide Hotline.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l20 level1 lfo22; tab-stops: list .5in;">he signed
the most comprehensive childhood cancer legislation ever into law, which
will advance childhood cancer research and improve treatments.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l20 level1 lfo22; tab-stops: list .5in;">He signed
Right-to-Try legislation, expanding health care options for terminally ill
patients.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l20 level1 lfo22; tab-stops: list .5in;">He enacted
changes to the Medicare 340B program, saving seniors an estimated $320
million on drugs in 2018 alone.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l20 level1 lfo22; tab-stops: list .5in;">The FDA
set a new record for generic drug approvals in 2017, saving consumers
nearly $9 billion.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l20 level1 lfo22; tab-stops: list .5in;">He released
a blueprint to drive down drug prices for American patients, leading
multiple major drug companies to announce they will freeze or reverse
price increases.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l20 level1 lfo22; tab-stops: list .5in;">He expanded
short-term, limited-duration health plans.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l20 level1 lfo22; tab-stops: list .5in;">He let
more employers form Association Health Plans, enabling more small
businesses to join together and affordably provide health insurance to
their employees.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l20 level1 lfo22; tab-stops: list .5in;">He cut
Obamacare’s burdensome individual mandate penalty.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l20 level1 lfo22; tab-stops: list .5in;">He signed
legislation repealing Obamacare’s Independent Payment Advisory Board, also
known as the “death panels.”</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l20 level1 lfo22; tab-stops: list .5in;">The USDA
invested more than $1 billion in rural health care in 2017, improving
access to health care for 2.5 million people in rural communities across
41 states</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l20 level1 lfo22; tab-stops: list .5in;">He proposed
Title X rule to help ensure taxpayers do not fund the abortion industry in
violation of the law.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l20 level1 lfo22; tab-stops: list .5in;">He reinstated
and expanded the Mexico City Policy to keep foreign aid from supporting
the global abortion industry.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l20 level1 lfo22; tab-stops: list .5in;">HHS
formed a new division protecting the rights of conscience and
religious freedom.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l20 level1 lfo22; tab-stops: list .5in;">He overturned
the Obama administration’s midnight regulation prohibiting states from
defunding certain abortion facilities.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l20 level1 lfo22; tab-stops: list .5in;">He signed
an executive order to help ensure that religious organizations are not forced
to choose between violating their religious beliefs by complying with
Obamacare’s contraceptive mandate or shutting their doors.</li>
</ul>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><i>Combating Opioids</i></b></div>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l12 level1 lfo23; tab-stops: list .5in;">Mr. Trump chaired
a meeting of the 73rd General Session of the United Nations discussing the
worldwide drug problem with international leaders.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l12 level1 lfo23; tab-stops: list .5in;">He established an initiative
to Stop Opioid Abuse and Reduce Drug Supply and Demand, introducing new
measures to keep dangerous drugs out of our communities.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l12 level1 lfo23; tab-stops: list .5in;">He approved $6
billion in new funding to fight the opioid epidemic.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l12 level1 lfo23; tab-stops: list .5in;">The DEA
conducted a surge in April 2018 that arrested 28 medical professions and
revoked 147 registrations for prescribing too many opioids.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l12 level1 lfo23; tab-stops: list .5in;">He brought
the “Prescribed to Death” memorial to President’s Park near the White
House, helping raise awareness about the human toll of the opioid crisis.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l12 level1 lfo23; tab-stops: list .5in;">He helped
reduce high-dose opioid prescriptions by 16 percent in 2017.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l12 level1 lfo23; tab-stops: list .5in;">The held the Opioid
Summit on the administration-wide efforts to combat the opioid crisis.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l12 level1 lfo23; tab-stops: list .5in;">He launched
a national public awareness campaign about the dangers of opioid
addiction.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l12 level1 lfo23; tab-stops: list .5in;">He created
a Commission on Combating Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis which
recommended a number of pathways to tackle the opioid crisis.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l12 level1 lfo23; tab-stops: list .5in;">He led
two National Prescription Drug Take Back Days in 2017 and 2018, collecting
a record number of expired and unneeded prescription drugs each time.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l12 level1 lfo23; tab-stops: list .5in;">He approved $485
million of targeted grants in FY 2017 to help areas hit hardest by the opioid
crisis.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l12 level1 lfo23; tab-stops: list .5in;">He signed
INTERDICT Act, strengthening efforts to detect and intercept synthetic
opioids before they reach our communities.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l12 level1 lfo23; tab-stops: list .5in;">The DOJ
secured its first-ever indictments against Chinese fentanyl manufacturers.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l12 level1 lfo23; tab-stops: list .5in;">The Joint
Criminal Opioid Darknet Enforcement (J-CODE) team, aimed at disrupting
online illicit opioid sales was established.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l12 level1 lfo23; tab-stops: list .5in;">He declared
the opioid crisis a Nationwide Public Health Emergency in October 2017.</li>
</ul>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><i>Law and order</i></b></div>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l48 level1 lfo24; tab-stops: list .5in;">More
U.S. Circuit Court judges were confirmed in the first year in office than ever before.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l48 level1 lfo24; tab-stops: list .5in;">He confirmed
more than two dozen U. S. Circuit Court judges.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l48 level1 lfo24; tab-stops: list .5in;">He followed
through on the promise to nominate judges to the Supreme Court who will
adhere to the Constitution.<br />
–He nominated and confirmed Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh to the
Supreme Court.</li>
</ul>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l40 level1 lfo25; tab-stops: list .5in;">He signed
an executive order directing the Attorney General to develop a strategy to
more effectively prosecute people who commit crimes against law
enforcement officers.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l40 level1 lfo25; tab-stops: list .5in;">He launched
an evaluation of grant programs to make sure they prioritize the
protection and safety of law enforcement officers.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l40 level1 lfo25; tab-stops: list .5in;">He established
a task force to reduce crime and restore public safety in communities
across America. </li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l40 level1 lfo25; tab-stops: list .5in;">He signed an executive order to focus more federal resources on
dismantling transnational criminal organizations such as drug cartels.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l40 level1 lfo25; tab-stops: list .5in;">He signed
an executive order to focus more federal resources on dismantling
transnational criminal organizations such as drug cartels.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l40 level1 lfo25; tab-stops: list .5in;">Violent
crime decreased in 2017 according to FBI statistics.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l40 level1 lfo25; tab-stops: list .5in;">There were $137
million in grants through the COPS Hiring Program to preserve jobs,
increase community policing capacities, and support crime prevention
efforts.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l40 level1 lfo25; tab-stops: list .5in;">He enhanced
and updated the Project Safe Neighborhoods to help reduce violent crime.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l40 level1 lfo25; tab-stops: list .5in;">He signed
legislation making it easier to target websites that enable sex
trafficking, and strengthened penalties for people who promote or
facilitate prostitution.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l40 level1 lfo25; tab-stops: list .5in;">Created
an interagency task force working around the clock to prosecute
traffickers, protect victims, and prevent human trafficking.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l40 level1 lfo25; tab-stops: list .5in;">He conducted
Operation Cross Country XI to combat human trafficking, rescuing 84
children, and arresting 120 human traffickers.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l40 level1 lfo25; tab-stops: list .5in;">He encouraged
federal prosecutors to use the death penalty when possible in the fight
against the trafficking of deadly drugs.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l40 level1 lfo25; tab-stops: list .5in;">He approved a new
rule effectively banning bump stock sales in the United States.</li>
</ul>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><i>Border Security and
Immigration</i></b></div>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l10 level1 lfo26; tab-stops: list .5in;">Mr. Trump secured
$1.6 billion for border wall construction in the March 2018 omnibus bill.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l10 level1 lfo26; tab-stops: list .5in;">Construction
of a 14-mile section of border wall began near San Diego.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l10 level1 lfo26; tab-stops: list .5in;">He worked
to protect American communities from the threat posed by the vile MS-13
gang.<br />
–ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations division arrested 796 MS-13
members and associates in FY 2017, an 83 percent increase from the prior
year. <br />
–The Justice Department worked with partners in Central America to secure criminal
charges against more than 4,000 MS-13 members.<br />
–Border Patrol agents arrested 228 illegal aliens affiliated with MS-13 in
FY 2017.</li>
</ul>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l35 level1 lfo27; tab-stops: list .5in;">Mr. Trump is fighting
to stop the scourge of illegal drugs at our border.<br />
–ICE HSI seized more than 980,000 pounds of narcotics in FY 2017,
including 2,370 pounds of fentanyl and 6,967 pounds of heroin. <br />
–ICE HSI dedicated nearly 630,000 investigative hours towards halting the
illegal import of fentanyl.<br />
–ICE HSI made 11,691 narcotics-related arrests in FY 2017.<br />
–Stop Opioid Abuse and Reduce Drug Supply and Demand introduced new
measures to keep dangerous drugs out the United States.<br />
–Signed the INTERDICT Act into law, enhancing efforts to detect and
intercept synthetic opioids.<br />
–DOJ secured its first-ever indictments against Chinese fentanyl
manufacturers.<br />
–DOJ launched their Joint Criminal Opioid Darknet Enforcement (J-CODE)
team, aimed at disrupting online illicit opioid sales.</li>
</ul>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l39 level1 lfo28; tab-stops: list .5in;">He released
an immigration framework that includes the resources required to secure
our borders and close legal loopholes, and he repeatedly called on Congress
to fix our broken immigration laws.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l39 level1 lfo28; tab-stops: list .5in;">He authorized
the deployment of the National Guard to help secure the border.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l39 level1 lfo28; tab-stops: list .5in;">He enhanced
vetting of individuals entering the U.S. from countries that don’t meet
security standards, helping to ensure individuals who pose a threat to our
country are identified before they enter.<br />
–These procedures were upheld in a June 2018 Supreme Court hearing.</li>
</ul>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l33 level1 lfo29; tab-stops: list .5in;">ICE
removed over 226,000 illegal aliens from the United States in 2017.<br />
–ICE rescued or identified over 500 human trafficking victims and over 900
child exploitation victims in 2017 alone.</li>
</ul>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l11 level1 lfo30; tab-stops: list .5in;">In
2017, ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) arrested more than
127,000 aliens with criminal convictions or charges, responsible for:<br />
–Over 76,000 with dangerous drug offenses. <br />
–More than 48,000 with assault offenses.<br />
–More than 11,000 with weapons offenses.<br />
–More than 5,000 with sexual assault offenses.<br />
–More than 2,000 with kidnapping offenses.<br />
–Over 1,800 with homicide offenses.</li>
</ul>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l29 level1 lfo31; tab-stops: list .5in;">Mr. Trump created
the Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement (VOICE) Office in order to
support the victims and families affected by illegal alien crime.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l29 level1 lfo31; tab-stops: list .5in;">He more
than doubled the number of counties participating in the 287(g) program,
which allows jails to detain criminal aliens until they are transferred to
ICE custody.</li>
</ul>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><i>TRADE</i></b></div>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l3 level1 lfo32; tab-stops: list .5in;">Mr. Trump is negotiating
and renegotiating better trade deals, achieving free, fair, and reciprocal
trade for the United States.<br />–He agreed to work with the European Union toward zero tariffs, zero
non-tariff barriers, and zero subsides. <br />
–He devised a deal with the European Union to increase U.S. energy exports to Europe.<br />
–He litigated multiple WTO disputes targeting unfair trade practices and
upholding our right to enact fair trade laws.<br />
–He finalized a revised trade agreement with South Korea, which includes
provisions to increase American automobile exports.<br />
–He negotiated an historic U.S.-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement to replace
NAFTA.<br />
–He obtained agreement to begin trade negotiations for a U.S.-Japan trade agreement.<br />–He secured $250 billion in new trade and investment deals in China and $12
billion in Vietnam.<br />
–He established a Trade and Investment Working Group with the United Kingdom,
laying the groundwork for post-Brexit trade.</li>
</ul>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo33; tab-stops: list .5in;">He enacted
steel and aluminum tariffs to protect our vital steel and aluminum
producers and strengthen our national security.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo33; tab-stops: list .5in;">He conducted
82 anti-dumping and countervailing duty investigations in 2017 alone.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo33; tab-stops: list .5in;">He is confronting
China’s unfair trade practices after years of Washington looking the other
way.<br />
–He established a 25 percent tariff on $50 billion of goods imported from China and later
imposed an additional 10% tariff on $200 billion of Chinese goods. <br />
–He conducted an investigation into Chinese forced technology transfers,
unfair licensing practices, and intellectual property theft.<br />
–He imposed safeguards of tariffs to protect domestic washing machines and solar
product manufacturers hurt by China’s trade policies.</li>
</ul>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l14 level1 lfo34; tab-stops: list .5in;">He withdrew
from the job-killing Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l14 level1 lfo34; tab-stops: list .5in;">He secured
access to new markets for America’s farmers.<br />
–He made a recent deal with Mexico included new improvements enabling food and
agriculture to trade more fairly. <br />
–He made a recent agreement with the E.U. to reduce barriers and increase trade of
American soybeans to Europe.<br />
–He won a WTO dispute regarding Indonesia’s unfair restriction of U.S. agricultural
exports.<br />
–He defended American Tuna fisherman and packagers before the WTO<br />
–He opened up Argentina to American pork experts for the first time in a
quarter-century<br />
–American beef exports have returned to China for the first time in more
than a decade.</li>
</ul>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l27 level1 lfo35; tab-stops: list .5in;">He OK’d
up to $12 billion in aid for farmers affected by unfair trade retaliation.</li>
</ul>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><i>Energy</i></b></div>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l30 level1 lfo36; tab-stops: list .5in;">Mr. Trump wrote a Presidential
Memorandum to clear roadblocks to construction of the Keystone XL
Pipeline.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l30 level1 lfo36; tab-stops: list .5in;">He wrote a Presidential
Memorandum declaring that the Dakota Access Pipeline serves the national
interest and initiating the process to complete construction.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l30 level1 lfo36; tab-stops: list .5in;">He opened
up the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge to energy exploration.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l30 level1 lfo36; tab-stops: list .5in;">Coal
exports are up over 60 percent in 2017.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l30 level1 lfo36; tab-stops: list .5in;">He rolled
back the “stream protection rule” to prevent it from harming America’s coal
industry.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l30 level1 lfo36; tab-stops: list .5in;">He cancelled
Obama’s anti-coal Clean Power Plan and proposed the Affordable Clean
Energy Rule as a replacement.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l30 level1 lfo36; tab-stops: list .5in;">He withdrew
from the job-killing Paris climate agreement, which would have cost the
U.S. nearly $3 trillion and led to 6.5 million fewer industrial sector
jobs by 2040.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l30 level1 lfo36; tab-stops: list .5in;">U.S.
oil production has achieved its highest level in American history</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l30 level1 lfo36; tab-stops: list .5in;">The United
States is now the largest crude oil producer in the world.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l30 level1 lfo36; tab-stops: list .5in;">The U.S.
has become a net natural gas exporter for the first time in six decades.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l30 level1 lfo36; tab-stops: list .5in;">He initiated action
to expedite the identification and extraction of critical minerals that
are vital to the nation’s security and economic prosperity.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l30 level1 lfo36; tab-stops: list .5in;">He took
action to reform National Ambient Air Quality Standards, benefiting
American manufacturers.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l30 level1 lfo36; tab-stops: list .5in;">He rescinded
Obama’s hydraulic fracturing rule, which was expected to cost the industry
$32 million per year.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l30 level1 lfo36; tab-stops: list .5in;">He proposed
an expansion of offshore drilling as part of an all-of-the above energy
strategy.<br />
–He held a lease sale for offshore oil and gas leases in the Gulf of Mexico
in August 2018.</li>
</ul>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l42 level1 lfo37; tab-stops: list .5in;">He got
the EU to increase its imports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the United
States.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l42 level1 lfo37; tab-stops: list .5in;">He issued
permits for the New Burgos Pipeline that will cross the U.S.-Mexico
border.</li>
</ul>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><i>Foreign Policy</i></b></div>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l8 level1 lfo38; tab-stops: list .5in;">Mr. Trump moved
the U.S. Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l8 level1 lfo38; tab-stops: list .5in;">He withdrew
from the Iran deal and immediately began the process of re-imposing sanctions
that had been lifted or waived.<br />
–The Treasury has issued sanctions targeting Iranian activities and entities,
including the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force. <br />
–Since enacting sanctions, Iran’s crude exports have fallen off, the value
of Iran’s currency has plummeted, and international companies have pulled
out of the country.<br />
–All nuclear-related sanctions will be back in full force by early
November 2018.</li>
</ul>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l44 level1 lfo39; tab-stops: list .5in;">Mr. Trump held a historic
summit with North Korean President Kim Jong-Un, bringing beginnings of
peace and denuclearization to the Korean Peninsula.<br />
–The two leaders have exchanged letters and high-level officials from both
sides have met resulting in tremendous progress. <br />
–North Korea has halted nuclear and missile tests.<br />
–Mr. Trump negotiated the return of the remains of missing-in-action soldiers from
the Korean War.</li>
</ul>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l34 level1 lfo40; tab-stops: list .5in;">He imposed
strong sanctions on Venezuelan dictator Nicholas Maduro and his inner
circle.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l34 level1 lfo40; tab-stops: list .5in;">He wrote an executive
order preventing those in the U.S. from carrying out certain transactions
with the Venezuelan regime, including prohibiting the purchase of the
regime’s debt.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l34 level1 lfo40; tab-stops: list .5in;">He responded
to the use of chemical weapons by the Syrian regime.<br />
–He rolled out sanctions targeting individuals and entities tied to Syria’s
chemical weapons program. <br />–He directed strikes in April 2017 against a Syrian airfield used in a
chemical weapons attack on innocent civilians.<br />
–He joined allies in launching airstrikes in April 2018 against targets
associated with Syria’s chemical weapons use.</li>
</ul>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l31 level1 lfo41; tab-stops: list .5in;">He established a new
Cuba policy that enhanced compliance with U.S. law and held the Cuban
regime accountable for political oppression and human rights abuses.<br />
–The Departments of Treasury and State are working to channel economic activity away from the
Cuban regime, particularly the military.</li>
</ul>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l22 level1 lfo42; tab-stops: list .5in;">Mr. Trump changed
the rules of engagement, empowering commanders to take the fight to ISIS.<br />
–ISIS has lost virtually all of its territory, more than half of which has
been lost under Trump. <br />
–ISIS’ self-proclaimed capital city, Raqqah, was liberated in October
2017.<br />
–All Iraqi territory had been liberated from ISIS.</li>
</ul>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l4 level1 lfo43; tab-stops: list .5in;">More
than a dozen American hostages have been freed from captivity all of the
world.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l4 level1 lfo43; tab-stops: list .5in;">Mr. Trump took action
to combat Russia’s malign activities, including their efforts to undermine
the sanctity of United States elections.<br />
–He expelled dozens of Russian intelligence officers from the United States
and ordered the closure of the Russian consulate in Seattle, WA. <br />
–He banned the use of Kaspersky Labs software on government computers, due to
the company’s ties to Russian intelligence.<br />
–He imposed sanctions against five Russian entities and three individuals for
enabling Russia’s military and intelligence units to increase Russia’s
offensive cyber capabilities.<br />
–He imposed sanctions against seven Russian oligarchs, and 12 companies they own or
control, who profit from Russia’s destabilizing activities.<br />
–He sanctioned 100 targets in response to Russia’s occupation of Crimea and
aggression in Eastern Ukraine.<br />
–He enhanced support for Ukraine’s Armed Forces to help Ukraine better defend
itself.</li>
</ul>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l25 level1 lfo44; tab-stops: list .5in;">He helped
win the U.S. bid for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l25 level1 lfo44; tab-stops: list .5in;">He helped
win the U.S.-Mexico-Canada’s united bid for 2026 World Cup.</li>
</ul>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><i>Defense</i></b></div>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l49 level1 lfo45; tab-stops: list .5in;">Mr. Trump wrote an executive
order keeping the detention facilities at U.S. Naval Station Guantanamo
Bay open.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l49 level1 lfo45; tab-stops: list .5in;">he approved $700
billion in military funding for FY 2018 and $716 billion for FY 2019.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l49 level1 lfo45; tab-stops: list .5in;">He authorized the largest
military pay raise in nearly a decade.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l49 level1 lfo45; tab-stops: list .5in;">He ordered
a Nuclear Posture Review to ensure America’s nuclear forces are up to date
and serve as a credible deterrent.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l49 level1 lfo45; tab-stops: list .5in;">He released
America’s first fully articulated cyber strategy in 15 years.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l49 level1 lfo45; tab-stops: list .5in;">He authorized a new
strategy on national biodefense, which better prepares the nation to
defend against biological threats.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l49 level1 lfo45; tab-stops: list .5in;">The Administration
has announced that it will use whatever means necessary to protect
American citizens and servicemen from unjust prosecution by the
International Criminal Court.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l49 level1 lfo45; tab-stops: list .5in;">He released
an America First National Security Strategy.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l49 level1 lfo45; tab-stops: list .5in;">He put
in motion the launch of a Space Force as a new branch of the military and
relaunched the National Space Council.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l49 level1 lfo45; tab-stops: list .5in;">He encouraged
North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) allies to increase defense
spending to their agreed-upon levels.<br />
–In 2017 alone, there was an increase of more than 4.8 percent in defense
spending amongst NATO allies. <br />
–Every member state has increased defense spending.<br />
–Eight NATO allies will reach the 2 percent benchmark by the end of 2018
and 15 allies are on trade to do so by 2024.<br />
–NATO allies spent over $42 billion dollars more on defense since 2016.</li>
</ul>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l47 level1 lfo46; tab-stops: list .5in;">He wrote an executive
order to help military spouses find employment as their families deploy
domestically and abroad.</li>
</ul>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><i>Veterans affairs</i></b></div>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l5 level1 lfo47; tab-stops: list .5in;">Mr. Trump signed
the VA Accountability Act and expanded VA telehealth services,
walk-in-clinics, and same-day urgent primary and mental health care.<br />
–He delivered more appeals decisions – 81,000 – to veterans in a single year
than ever before.</li>
</ul>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l36 level1 lfo48; tab-stops: list .5in;">He strengthened
protections for individuals who come forward and identify programs
occurring within the VA.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l36 level1 lfo48; tab-stops: list .5in;">He signed
legislation that provided $86.5 billion in funding for the Department of
Veterans Affairs (VA), the largest dollar amount in history for the VA.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l36 level1 lfo48; tab-stops: list .5in;">he enacted the VA
MISSION Act, enacting sweeping reform to the VA system that:<br />
–Consolidated and strengthened VA community care programs. <br />
–Added funding for the Veterans Choice program.<br />
–Expanded eligibility for the Family Caregivers Program.<br />
–Gave veterans more access to walk-in care.<br />
–Strengthened the VA’s ability to recruit and retain quality healthcare
professionals.<br />
–Enabled the VA to modernize its assets and infrastructure.</li>
</ul>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l43 level1 lfo49; tab-stops: list .5in;">Mr. Trump signed
the VA Choice and Quality Employment Act in 2017, which authorized $2.1
billion in addition funds for the Veterans Choice Program.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l43 level1 lfo49; tab-stops: list .5in;">He worked
to shift veterans’ electronic medical records to the same system used by
the Department of Defense, a decades old priority.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l43 level1 lfo49; tab-stops: list .5in;">He issued
an executive order requiring the Secretaries of Defense, Homeland
Security, and Veterans Affairs to submit a joint plan to provide veterans
access to access to mental health treatment as they transition to civilian
life.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l43 level1 lfo49; tab-stops: list .5in;">He increased
transparency and accountability at the VA by launching an online “Access
and Quality Tool,” providing veterans with access to wait time and quality
of care data.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l43 level1 lfo49; tab-stops: list .5in;">He signed
legislation to modernize the claims and appeal process at the VA.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l43 level1 lfo49; tab-stops: list .5in;">He signed the Harry
W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act, providing enhanced
educational benefits to veterans, service members, and their family
members.<br />
–He lifted a 15-year limit on veterans’ access to their educational benefits.</li>
</ul>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l23 level1 lfo50; tab-stops: list .5in;">He created
a White House VA Hotline to help veterans and principally staffed it with
veterans and direct family members of veterans.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l23 level1 lfo50; tab-stops: list .5in;">VA
employees are being held accountable for poor performance, with more than
4,000 VA employees removed, demoted, and suspended so far.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l23 level1 lfo50; tab-stops: list .5in;">He signed
the Veterans Treatment Court Improvement Act, increasing the number of VA
employees that can assist justice-involved veterans.</li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<b>So, if you want theses successes to continue and expand, get out there and vote for the Republicans, then write everyone you voted for and tell them that you want them to support Mr. Trump and his policies and you want more of the things described above -- <span style="font-size: large;">much more! </span></b><br />
.<br />
.Buckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05008065046166806739noreply@blogger.com0