  We interrupt our regularly schedule travel updates from the road to post this picture of my incredible grandson, Edison (my Pal). With a little prompting from his Mom/my daughter, Jessie (my Gal Pal) he called me to say "Happy Father's Day" and it melted my heart. (You Grandparents all know what I'm talking about.) And as much as I love traveling, I am sure looking forward to seeing his little face when I complete Route 1 - the interior States - by Aug 1, 2016 and do a brief stopover in AZ. GrandPALes
Cover Contents Books Home Hire Stories  We were driving down a dirt mountain road in Carbondale, CO when I spied this guy grazing a little. I got out and gingerly stepped closer to him hoping we might get him in the background. But as you can see by this sequence, he wasn't too shy - or aggressive - to nuzzle right up to me for some luv. Need-Les to say, when I told my friend Danny Shuford that I wanted a photo of a jackass, I'm sure he thought he got a two-for-one in this shot. :-)
Feeling a little ReDonkeyULes in Carbondale, Colorado. Cover Contents Books Home Hire Stories   A special thanks to the 1968-69 RHS Grads who came out to the Mitten Pub in Wyandotte, MI to toast the life of Butch Cox. From l to r front row are: Nora Johnson, Jenny Brown, Patti Eshenroder, Katey Reedy (Butch's daughter who is the co-owner of the Mitten Pub), Nisia Gabrys, Donna Toth, Steve Toth, Les Maness. From l to r back row: Pat Fogarty Chuck Herndon, Dave Highfield, Rich Sikes, Gerry Finnigan, Lew Ferrell and Dave Grupczynski. And right behind is a great Memory Box dedicated to Butch's life and career.
Update 2017: Thanks to many of these folks and others who came out again this year to toast Butch's life. Cover Contents Books Home Hire Stories  Having completed Route 1 (the interior US states), I spent a week relaxing with my Little Pal (Grandson Edison), Gal Pal (Daughter Jessie) and Tall Pal (Son in Law Brett) in Cave Creek, AZ. After basking in some family luv, I began Route 2 - (around the entire perimeter of the US) earlier this week. My first stop was in LA to see this up-standing-citizen, Liliana Lossif. She and I worked together nearly 30 years ago at the 24 Hour fitness club in Downey, CA and just recently reconnected via Facebook for the first time in that many years. She took me on a walking tour of some incredible local places and out to breakfast at the Original Pancake House. And she and the delightful Beatriz Díez were kind enough to host me for my brief, but...wait for it...out-stand-ing visit.
Cover Contents Books Home Hire Stories  My second stop on the drive up the West Coast was in Moorpark, CA with Kimber, Alexander, Avery and Evan Sax. I met the entire family for the first time when they came out to visit me at my former home in Scottsdale, AZ. We had so much fun and bonded so well then that we pretty much adopted each other. We packed in so much on this visit, I can't remember it all, but here are some of the highlights. We did dinner at Lucky Fools Pub, a driving tour of downtown LA, beverages at Paradise Cove, a hike up to the reported Jim Morrison Cave, decadent donuts at California Donuts, a folk-like service on the beach, and then back to the house for dinner and a movie. Need-Les to say, it was a blast spending time with this incredible family.
Cover Contents Books Home Hire Stories  I have never been to San Luis Obispo, CA before, so when Sarah and Jake Simon invited me to come visit and shoot some photos, well...wait for it...I leapt at the chance. You see I've known Sarah since she was a little girl, and while her Mom, Patti Bonnay had kept me up on Sarah's life a bit, I had yet to meet her husband Jake. So imagine my surprise to find that not only were they both AMAZING adults living in the coolest little town, they are both SUPER fit! (Wait until you see the photo album here.) Till then, check out the incredible air this yoga instructor got on the beach. Makes you want to...jump...for joy now, don't it?
Cover Contents Books Home Hire Stories  It is hard for both of us to believe, but Dixie Jones and I met nearly 40 years ago when we worked together at George Brown's Racquetball in Visalia, CA and at the KBOS/KGEN radio stations in Tulare, CA. And if memory serves me, we even "acted" in a TV commercial together. Okay, so all we did was sit in a jacuzzi, but I'm still putting it on my resume. We both realize we are blessed because we have one of those friendships where we are both able to immediately pick up where we left off - regardless of how long the span in between visits. Dixie is an amazing tour guide for her wonderful city and took me to the Oxbow Public Market and Southside Cafe. So many thanks to my dear friend for her incredible hospitality. Oh, and one more thing for all my peeps back in AZ during the summer, I actually had to wear a jacket that morning because it was so cool. Craaaazy, huh? :-)
Cover Contents Books Home Hire Stories  As I made my trip up the West Coast, I stopped to see my Godson, Quinton Larson just outside of San Francisco. Since I didn't get a photo of him and his wonderful girlfriend Megan Houston, I have no choice but to post this photo of Quin and my daughter, Jessie when they were about three years old. I think that's only fair, don't you? :-) At any rate, my thanks goes out to both Quin and Megan for hosting me and showing me such a great time.
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