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There are a lot of factors here, but the most exciting part for me is that I got a community comms network up. The BEARS (Bitterroot Emergency Amateur Radio Services) is a small local working group of mostly radio guys. Technologically I hang on by my fingernails in this company, but am an organizer, a real one. So I run the monthly meetings without title… this is a rather organic group. I am a good cat herder. I like driving the bus from the middle row. I have worked with the radio geeks on my white-board at meetings in order to determine best ways to provide EMCOM when the phones and Internet fail us. We were betting everything on VHF […]
During the formative years of my driving career the guys piloting the cars with flashing lights on top were called “Peace Officers”. You could have rational conversations with them. I, in fact, had a large number of those conversations, resulting in very little paperwork. I got out of my car carrying registration and DRAWING my license out of my hip pocket to met them between our cars to calmly, politely discuss “why they pulled me over”. Their line of work did not seem to attract or tolerate fearful people hiding behind badges, guns and mobs of similar dangerous people. That is not to say all cops are dangerous, but calling themselves “Law Enforcement” is a really bad start when […]
sailing the San Francisco Bay on my Nacra 5.8 catamaran Claire Wolf called me a Renaissance Man. I had to look it up, but found she is correct. I have yet to meet anyone who dabbles with as much as I do. Writer, reader, publisher, webmaster Activist, organizer, politician, Libertarian Philosopher, economist, sociologist, psychologist Mid-level rifleman, handgunner, careful ammo reloader Husband, Dad, grandpa, son, friend, neighbor, stalwart teammate 1%-er high-performance-driver from 2 to 18 wheels, street and track Organic gardener, small-farmer, teacher, chicken-rancher, landscaper Amateur radio teacher, proponent, planner, organizer, provider, student Nutritionist, herbalist, naturalpath, organic shopper, ingredient reader Trombone and upright bass musician, band manager, teacher, student Woodworker, metalworker, mechanic, fabricator, inventor, handyman, fixer Prepper, self-defense advocate, militia proponent […]
The 12th annual Darby Dog Derby sled dog and skijour races at Lost Trail and Chief Joseph Pass ski areas is now history. You can go see the official race results at the BITTERROOT MUSHERS website. My part in these events is to arrange and manage communications across the course over the weekend. This was my fifth year in that role. We learn from our mistakes and failures each year and improve the next. Along with getting better and better at comms comes being more appreciated every year. We received this nice letter of gratitude from the mushers for our help this year (jpg to the right; pdf here: 2019 Bitterroot Mushers thank you letter) call sign JOE This […]
Sled dog racing is on the agenda this weekend at the Lost Trail Pass cross-country ski area at the Montana/Idaho border right off Highway 93. The Bitterroot Mushers are running their 12th annual sled dog races with the first skijor race starting 9:00 Saturday morning and wrapping up with the 4-dog teams finishing around 3:00. Sunday will be a repeat of that schedule with the addition of the Awards Ceremony after racing is complete. This all takes place adjacent to Montana mile marker ZERO. It is as close to you as whatever your nearest Highway 93 mile marker indicates. That is to say, in my neighborhood sled dog racing has practically come to you so you don’t have to go […]
How many examples have you heard or read about where people slid off the road in the winter and had so survive (or not) days before being rescued? … or walking out to rescue? How many of these tales before you actually prepare to land on the side of “survived” rather than “perished”? I finally had enough. Today I began reviewing what I had set up and was using, or not using. Completely inadequate was the early conclusion. I had lots of pieces kinda-sorta geared up, but I wasn’t even using the bits I had. My get home bag was always home, even when I was not. My winter slide-off, survive a below freezing winter night bag also stayed home […]
I have never watch my tomato or pepper plants with such interest. My window-sill garden is growing well… much to my amusement. With this macro-watching perspective we can observe the flowers I pollinate with a paintbrush as they grow into pepper and tomato shapes. Next year I will start a month or two earlier. I am ready for those fresh fruits NOW.
The failure to achieve our desired weight/fitness goals can be debilitating. I have known some who simply gave up. Mobility, vigor, physical competence were all beyond their reach … ever. They just gave up. Well few of you have as far to go as Kasey King. Look at your situation and imagine that you started losing weight at 700 pounds and are already half-way to healthy. Or give up and head towards matching him. I turned a corner when faced with switching my entire wardrobe to XL. NO! Where does that stop? I revolted prior to becoming revolting… dropped from 220 to 180. Still 10 or more over ideal, but close enough to remain active at my advanced age. I […]
Okay, January 4th is not quite spring, but my first flower from my windowsill pepper and tomato garden has opened up.
~~~ Only dead fish go with the flow ~~~ Of course one is no less controlled who always swims upstream. Being fully liberated, thinking for ones self is being independent of the stream, above and beyond it altogether. That is more work. It not only requires more thinking, it moves you away from the crowd. You are an outsider, an independent actor, a free thinker … with much greater exposure to outside threats. Most humans do not want that for themselves. The few who do are the innovators. They are as important to a healthy society as any member in it and crucial to the long-term survival of their community. They are the ones who explore the fringes and enable […]
It is January first in Montana (yeah, kind-of everywhere today 😉 ) with temperatures ranging from the morning low of -1 to a high of 20 degrees Fahrenheit. When I raised the thermal drapes this morning there was ice six inches up the south windows. The one tomato plant and one of my sweet bell peppers on my studio bench are starting to bud into flowers! I think I planted the seeds in pots on the October full moon; the 24th. I definitely planted lettuce, spinach, basil and oregano in the greenhouse on that day, but can find no mention in my notes of pepper planting anywhere. I think I remember doing them then. The greenhouse lettuce and spinach […]
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