Nomads2

It was so big it took me three shots to get all the showroom in.

I think this is the bike that Malcolm used for the beach riding scene from the movie.

I have no idea why they had this car at the shop, but Norm liked it and you know what that means. I believe the front of the car is the only door. Looking closely, the handle can be seen next to the head lamp on the left.

This Malcolm Smith Motorsports located about two miles from where we stayed. That is me in front of 80,000 square feet of two wheeled fun. Growing up I watched a movie called ‘On Any Sunday’ that featured Steve McQueen, Mert Lawill and a guy named Malcolm Smith who could do just about anything on a motorcycle. When my son got old enough he enjoyed the film also. I still don’t know how it happened, but Malcolm raced in some off road races that Paul and I rode in while racing enduros in the mid nineties.

Norm says, “I want this one!”

Deanna came forward the second night and rededicated her life to the Lord and just to make it all complete, she asked to be baptized. Jerome is asking her if Jesus Christ is her personal Savior.

Deanna said “Yes” and Jerome dunked her.

We were all so happy! The youth group behind the camera and Deanna had such a big smile all week.

Norm told me to take a picture of that tree. So I laid on the ground and could still not get it all in.

Norm and a really nice guy named Matt posing for a shot in between paint jobs.

Norm was the Queen of the clean paint brush and roller.

The kids got together and purchased flowers and mulch for the home owner. They asked Norm for advice on how to plant them.

The finished product! It really looks a lot better now compared to when we first saw it on Monday. Norm also mulched the potted plants which made them look better.

I got a parking ticket on campus. It says that I took up four parking spaces with my truck. I think that has to be a record or something that deserves an award.

Pulling out from Liberty, our view was the same everyday. We sat in the same seat and if a kid was sitting in it, Norm just told them if she didn’t sit up front. she would hurl! No problems after that.

From left to right some of our gang, Bailey, who is carny-like small complete with tiny hands and feet, but she can really run fast for someone so short. Hidden behind Bailey, I don’t know how that is possible, but you can hardly see Heather. Dressed in purple is Alexandria who is quiet and confident, planning her next stunt to pull on some unsuspecting person. Next is Stocker, our minor celebrity, winning the coveted ‘Mr. Zona‘ title. Lots of female fans requesting pictures. On the right is the man himself, our fearless leader, the best Youth pastor in Arizona, and the best redneck that Norm and I know, Jerome.

Deanna, Thomas and Josh are pulling off some sort of stunt. I’m not sure but I think Josh has some calf rope in his hand.

Our group is getting ready to do something, probably paint.

On the left is the Youth Pastor, Mike from Liberty and on the right is a news guy. We got coverage from print and TV.

I rode up front everyday, so I guess this is what it would have looked like if I had turned around.

Norm and I look like we could go another couple of hours, but we are beat!

These flower pictures are all from Liberty Church in Moreno Valley California. My Mom loves flowers.

Today is our daughter Julie’s birthday. Happy Birthday Honey, we love you and give thanks that you are our little girl.

This is Liberty Baptist Church located in Monroe (I think), about a thirty minute bus ride from the camp.

This is a very poor neighborhood, but the Church is like a beacon of bright light to the community. As crews fan out to work and help people, another group of teenagers help with Liberty’s vacation Bible school. Kids from all over Arizona have come to camp to work all week doing whatever is needed.

Here is Norm showing the kids how to spread plastic down to protect the decorative stones around the house.

This my team that I work with (Norm works on another crew, but at the same property). Going from right to left is Nicolle, our leader from day 1, she wants to rock climb and has no fear standing on the top of step ladders. Second from right is Sarah, she is one of the camp leaders and goes to college at CBU. Next to her is Bryce, he is from Lake Havasu and a first year camper. Kneeling is Chelsea our leader for today. She did a great job. Last is Carl, another camp counselor. A real nice guy and a hard worker.

This is actually not the official day count, but it is the one I like. Our guys enjoy the first meal, and the food is surprisingly good.

This is our Youth Pastor/Associate Pastor, Jerome. He is the one next to the rooster sauce.

Signs, signs, everywhere, there are signs. The boys put in more miles then the girls do. Not a complaint, just a fact.

We arrived safely to California Baptist University from our place in Congress. This feed unit is heavy and I do not usually tow trailers from the bumper, so it took some getting used to. As you can see from the picture, it is an aerodynamically challenged unit.

I hope our Pastor sees this photo of Norm reading our Sunday school lesson to me as we await the arrival of our Youth gang and their fearless leaders. We travelled from Riverside to Huntington Beach Baptist Church where we spent the night and the next day, hit the beach for worship and fun. Our Youth Pastor, Jerome and Huntington Beach Youth Pastor, Josh deserve a big hug and thanks for making the beach party a success. All of which, due to circumstances beyond my control, I got exactly no photos.

Just like 1992, Norm is working in vacation Bible school for our church. Just like our church in Miami, when word got out that she could show the kids how to make tie-dyed t-shirts, it was a given that they would be included. I think she modified around twenty shirts in all for young and old. I played a minor role, carrying buckets, mixing, and squeezing shirts.

This is our tool trunk. We did our first job together, by ourselves. No master carpenter standing by to give us answers to any question we would have. Merle gave us our instructions, scrape and wash this roof. Then, when it was dry, we applied repair materials and thick white rubber like paint.

This is the structure. Earlier, Merle, Norm and I repaired some inside problems with the floor and wall.

Some of our great (hopefully) patch work. Merle is no longer authorized to climb a ladder, so we followed his orders as best as the two of us could.

Norm did most of the repairs and the painting. I took the role of climbing the ladder up and down, up and down, and up and down. I also carried the heavy white goop around and prayed that neither one of us would step over the side. We have a good feeling that we plugged all the leaks and extended the life of this residence. Most of all, it is great to do work for the Lord!

Last night Norm noticed that her cactus flowers were going to bloom and promptly ordered me to get up early, make coffee and when the coffee was ready to drink, I was instructed to wake her. At around seven Norm took these pictures and by nine the flowers were closed and gone. All total, there were 33 flowers that bloomed! The desert is an amazing place.

Norm filled that little trailer twice and a large dumpster many times over with construction debris. To the right are sheets of dry wall waiting for Norm and I to carry in.

We helped Merle install both the doors seen in this photo. I also got the first time opportunity to use a nail gun to install the trim!

We took this area and made it smaller. With Merle’s help we built a new wall, hung the dry wall and the new door.

We removed this door and one like it on the opposite side of the stage and closed them both in with dry wall that had to be curved. We had a lot of help everyday from fifteen to twenty guys that also loved the Lord.

We worked for four days here at the Golden gate seminary in Scottsdale Arizona doing a variety of tearing things apart and building new things. It is hard to see, but Norm is in the center of this shot strolling toward Merle to receive her orders for the day.

Here are just some of the demolishing work we helped with.

Merle is on the left and Dr. Dave is to the right discussing what we are going to do next.

It seemed everywhere you looked some sort of construction was going on.

This guy said goodbye to us on our way back to the car.

This is the peak from the back side.

Norm blazes a trail to the summit. Actually she is just following the marked route. Tread lightly.

Here we are at the top, basking in our success.

Norm says, “Crawl up there and let me take your picture.” So here I am.

All these little buds will become small white flowers soon.

Norm just asked me if I was sure there is no other way to the top?

We hiked Vulture Peak in June! I know most people are thinking “You two are insane!” But, we started at 0600 and finished at 1000. The weather was not bad at all. Most of the climb was in the shade so that was nice.

Boy am I late with these pictures. Norm saw at least twenty-five of these little guys yesterday. They are a little bigger now. The quail seem to be everywhere this year. Along with a bumper crop of bunnies.

This is Merle and me working on another project for someone in need. Merle is a master builder and craftsman that has built commercial structures and church’s all around Arizona and the southwest. Watching Merle cut boards, and operate all the equipment that is housed in his work trailer is just magic! Norm likes working with Merle, because unlike other guys she works with (me), Merle allows her to observe once and then expects her to perform the task. People ask me when I am with Merle if I am a ‘Handyman?’ My answer is always the same, “No, I just carry all the heavy things, do what Merle tells me to do, and remind him to eat a snack.”

Merle , Norm and I installed this new entry door complete with the window from the old door that Merle cut in.

Some people will go to any length to use the carpool lane!

I’m sure this is not related to this young woman’s upbringing.

He stood as others dream to stand; He spoke as others dared not even think;                                                                                                            From soul deep faith, he drew his courage, his granite spirit, his ironclad will.

The Alien force, applied with hate, could not break him, failed to bend him;
Though solitary imprisonment gave him no friends, he drew upon his inner self to create a force so strong
 that those who sought to destroy his will, met an army his to command.
 Phrases of his I shall not forget, spoken sincerely, filled with truth:
  All I wish is to return to family, home and those I love; For I am young and life is dear,
  but to bargain for this life of mine when the price you ask requires of me to verify a lie
 and sell my honor short, makes clear the choice between the two;
 a life with honor, a life without; With me, you see, life without is no life at all,
 so I will not comply with what you require and choose to suffer whatever may come.
 This is my answer at this time, this is my answer in times to come;
 I only pray that I shall not weaken, for I am right and with God’s help, I will have strength to
 resist whatever means you use while attempting to fulfill your evil scheme.
Thus his fate was surely sealed, for such a man, standing firm defeated them on their own ground and for him to live and tell of this thing that could not be. I saw him not the day he died, for, I imagine, as he lived alone; But in my mind there is no doubt, as he stood while he was alive, Duty bound, Honor bound, Unswerving in allegiance, so he stood the day he died….a Rock.

Lieutenant Colonel James N. Rowe

I am not sure that I am the best person to climb and cut trees with power equipment, but I went up anyway.

You can see the saw dangling from my belt in the lower right corner, as I try to figure out the best way up.

The tree was dead, but sturdy and I ‘chuncked’ (I think that is what John and Chris called it) it out a few feet at a time.

Here I am in action, my saw chewing through this portion of the tree. What you cannot tell from the photograph, or hear, is John yelling at my every move. As this was my first time in a tree, with a power saw, I did nothing that seemed right to John. I didn’t know that you could hold a chainsaw upside down? My feet were not right, I needed to lean back more, the blade was to close to my face ( I was glad to have that pointed out to me, though) and I had to stop and start the saw about fifty times. Start, cut, stop, shut off the saw, and look. In the end, after feeling that I never did anything correct, John told me I did a good job for my first time. John is a great guy!

We were back at the house of the “Hostess with the Mostess” Phyllis’s (on right, the only good looking one in our group) house cutting and whacking trees that her neighbors wanted removed or were a threat to thier property.

Warren, John and myself hook Chris up and make sure he won’t fall.

I am acting as the last line of defense for Chris as we haul him up the tree. I tried my best and Chris stayed in the tree.

Here Chris is up high and has prepared the way for me making sure that I don’t fall.

A war memorial in front of the courthouse.

All these shots were taken in the vicinity of Whiskey Row.

I know that you are thinking, “They only have ONE grandchild!” but Leo is devilish hard to keep track of. After numerous ideas and many hours of deliberation, this seemed like the ideal solution.

I love this shot and wish I had taken it. The other kids are easier to keep track of.

Leo breaks contact during one of his many training missions here in the desert.

A practice free climb on the newly remodeled windmill.

Leo enjoys a cool dip, hard to believe this is the desert.

I love a windmill! This one is on one of our favorite trails and the last time we saw it, it was in bad condition. Not any more.

After spending three and a half days sitting in his car seat, we thought he would be throwing rocks at it.

Leo enjoying the woods south of Flagstaff.

When we parked on our lot, these flowers greeted Norm.

We were blessed to have such a view from our parking spot.

Grammie and Leo make biscuits for Pappy to enjoy Sunday morning.

Leo checks out some Texas sized steers.

Our rest area in the middle of nowhere.

Leo played on this road for quite a while and no traffic came by.

The RV lifestyle can be exhausting.

Thanks to Leo’s Papa, he has a new set of wheels.

Someone once said, “Those who do not find time to exercise will have to find time for illness.” Before starting any exercise program, one should study the movements, so Leo put on Pappy’s reading glasses and boned up on KB moves.

The second thing one must do is get in the mood by dressing correctly. If you are not a buff dude like Leo here, at least you can look like one.

At last, it is time to hoist some iron. This is the basic outfit needed to complete a KB workout. No fancy athletic clothes, just a basic do-rag and since working out at home, undies will suffice.

I know I have talked about these before, but they are the best exercise equipment money can buy. From Russia with love, kettle bells will do it all, muscle, aerobic, core strength. Just make sure you get proper training or at least a video to follow. The movements can be hazardous to your health if not executed correctly. Check out the best place for anything and everything about KB’s at dragondoor.com, Comrades.

Our park lacks a play ground for kids. That did not bother Leo.

Leo is such a stickler for safety now that he has his own motorcycle, he insisted on using a helmet before playing on this metal box with the “CAUTION: HIGH VOLTAGE” warning sign.

Sometimes RV parks can be hazardous to little guys as Gammie removes a splinter from the picnic table.

Leo carefully examined the painful piece of wood.

The work never stops and Leo is eager to pitch in.

Finally, he finds time to work on his motorcycle. As a former owner of many two wheeled machines, I can tell you that motorized bikes take a lot of maintenance.

A lot of RV parks have swimming pools, not this one. As our grandson played in the large mud puddles behind our fifth wheel, Sam, one of the parks owners, informed us that he would have to charge extra for Leo to play in the parks wading pools. Just kidding, Sam is really a nice guy.

We were driving west on highway 166, passing through Niotaze Kansas when Norm said she needed to stop. Pulling into what looked to be an open parking area we parked in front of this business. It was a good thing we had our own potty.

I guess this speaks for it’s self

This is a photo of new and improved electrics.

Our brand new bedroom air conditioner. We tried it out last night and it worked great.

In the Chanute city park, the second AC unit shines in the sunlight.

The 50 amp cord is like wrestling a boa constrictor. Well worth the physical effort. The best thing is that the air conditioner, the electric hot water heater and Norm’s hair dryer can all be on at the same time, and boy, does she smile about that!

This was our spot for all three nights we spent in Chanute. Our trailer took two days of work to complete our upgrades and one repair item. We found this site by default, just about the only one left, it turned out to be almost level, so we kept coming back to it even when most everyone else left.

The Chanute public library. We spent a lot of time here. I was glad that they had wi-fi.

The wind made it seem like we were still in Oklahoma. It did not stop blowing!

A downtown Sears store. A mower and a roto-tiller were chained just outside the door.

Before leaving the Oasis campground we had to take a few shots of this classic fifth wheel. I have no idea what model or year, but it looked old.

Norm especially liked the innovative window work. I would have used duct tape.

I am resting up and taking a big breath (a couple of them) from our visit of Arkansas City Kansas. We had been using the GPS for navigation and really had no way of knowing that one of my worse fears about travelling in an RV was about to come into view. After going straight, instead of turning left, I could see it coming into view and instinctively let off the throttle and began to slow. A railroad overpass, just the top part of it. We are travelling east on a residential street, and I can begin to see the height limit sign. Does that say fifteen feet six inch’s or twelve feet, six inch’s? Yikes! It reads 12′ 6″ as I come to a stop. My wife, my partner, my navigator, the one person that I expect to have my six and keep me out of trouble, looks up from filing her nails, and says, “What’s wrong?” What’s wrong I want to scream, ” I have to back up and turn around in this neighborhood! That’s what is wrong! Why were you not watching for this?” But I said, in a meek and embarrassed voice “We’re too tall.” We took quick action, seeing that with a short swing maneuver, which we had recently learned, from The Long Long Honeymoon blog, we backed into an old service station garage and high tailed back to the main road. We made the whole procedure look easy, I made it in one shot with Norm’s direction using two-way radios for communication. After a 25 minute tour of the city, we finally made it to the road we wanted to be on by passing over the railroad tracks. This trip has been one new adventure every time we move!

“What?”

A Passport America park, the Oasis RV park was a very nice park. The type that Norm and I like to stay in. No frills, quiet and just what we look for when we park for the day.

They had this unusual swing, a two seater. We have never come across one that was built this way.

There is nothing like watching the sun set from your very own living room while travelling.

Leo with his most favorite gift. A carrot bat and ball. All any three year old would need or want.

Leo’s favorite boy cousins. From left, Brent, Ryan and Zach. All really great guys. Zach calls Leo, “Bueller.”

An Oklahoma sunset as seen from our living room in the Council Road RV park.

“Oh me! We just finished Easter morning service and it was so emotional. About 30 people came and we had an amazing service. People from different religions were worshipping the risen Lord. We sang a couple of songs; I read from the book of Mark, and Wanda Mitchell from Chicago sang special music. Donna Holt then gave her testimony. Dr. Mitchell wanted to share what happened in the emergency room next—a car wreck involving six people, most seriously, came in late the night before. One was a little three-year-old baby. The baby was non-responsive and they were losing him. Working on the little boy for about 1 1/2 hours, they knew they couldn’t do any more. Dr Mitchell led the ER nurses in a prayer for the baby; twice they prayed for God to save this little child. Finally the baby started crying, then moving, and may recover completely. There were very few dry eyes in that open field in Haiti when the doctor finished. We then sang “Just As I Am,” had prayer, and dismissed. Neither a loud generator nearby nor planes landing could stop us from worshipping our risen Savior.”
Photo : Eddie Tucker carries the large cross he built for the Easter Sunrise Service at the University of Miami Hospital (UMH) located at the Port-au-Prince airport.

Leo likes the guy “Guy” from the food channel.

This is how you order. Drinks are given first, than you stand and move to a seat when directed, as they become availible.

Paul and I eventually get to the bar and watch the burgers being grilled. They start out the size of softballs!

Leo gives his Gammie some loving.

Yes, we ate the whole burger, but not the fries. They were really good though.

The place is very small and only open from seven in the morning till two in the afternoon.

Norm and I had smiles for every bite we took.

It is as small as it looks from the outside. When we left the line was out the door.

A friend of ours wanted to know what was the good reason we had for driving or leaving warm Arizona for what has to be one of the worst areas for weather in the U.S. Oklahoma. Here he is, the best reason!!!

Grandson! If you are a grandparent, then you know why we had to brave Oklahoma weather for this little guy. Do you know why they are called grandchildren? Because they are really grand. We think grandchildren are more wonderful than children, but don’t tell the children. In fact, if we had known just how great they were, we would have had our grandchildren first! Leo loves chicken.

If you have ever seen the movie, ‘Food Inc’, you know what this is. If you have not, this is a feed lot. Someone gave them a fancy sounding name, but I can’t remember what it is. This a good sized one, but I have seen bigger, in Colorado and Nebraska. For the reader, fortunately, you cannot smell it, which depending on which way the wind is blowing, is brutal. The only time they smell worse than normal is when it is raining. That smell is hard to describe.

This is the ‘Cadillac Ranch’ just off Route 66. We always say we are going to stop and this as close as we get to stopping. Some people we talk to are disappointed after walking all the way out there. I’m not sure what they expected. I think it is junkyard art, but I am no art critic.

This is the world’s largest cross. It should be, it is in Texas.

After going five miles in two hours, getting stuck on a half of a degree hill (that is being generous in the angle) and being towed by a vintage 1980 Ford pickup truck, I arrived in this Smiths Foods parking lot where I spent the night shivering in a sleeping bag. I was never so glad to be parked. I promptly reported to the night manager, that I was spending the next eight hours parked in his lot. I soon had lots of company parked all over. Both the night and day manager were very kind and now Smiths is my favorite food store on the move. The real upside was that they had a Starbucks coffee shop inside!

What you cannot tell from the photo is about four inches of sloppy wet slush everywhere. When you are towing your only home, I cannot tell you how stressful it was. Every time I applied the brakes I expected the trailer to come up beside me. Not owning a snow or ice scraper, I used a piece of PVC pipe to remove most of the snow. Twenty four hours later I will be using my Flying J frequent fueler card to scrape ice from the truck.

I just stood there wondering, how I could be here.

Sunrise on my second day. Leaving New Mexico and about to enter west Texas. If you look real close you can see the solid ice that covered the entire truck. I think I found the best use for any credit card.

Sometimes, it is good to take a moment and reflect where one has been.

This is eastern Arizona or western New Mexico, this is also the end of good weather for me.

No one that is towing their home and all their possessions should keep going into this! If Norm would have been with me. I would have been sitting in our house in front of the heater.

For sure, it snows in many parts of Arizona.

Very pretty day, outside it was 37 degrees.

All of the photos in this blog were taken in and around the Flagstaff area.

All these cars were passing me, I was busy taking photos.

The pride and joy of the chainsaw crew.

It is a lot of stuff, but we use all of it at one time or another.

Here are some new shelves that Ernie made and I helped install.

They tell me this oven weighs 700 pounds. Wow! No wonder those trailers are so heavy to pull.

Here are three good reasons to join the Arizona Southern Baptist Disaster relief team!

At the very top, and hard to see is Daniel, a journeyman tree guy that works with John. In the middle is our fearless leader, Chris. Bottom left is a great young guy named Seth.

Here I am, just hanging out. Chris is giving me expert instructions. Climbing trees is almost as much fun as climbing rocks. Almost.

I went on to climb just a few feet from the top. The large branch that curves to the left above my head is where I finally wound up standing on. Very exciting!

We place gear and size up the job of trimming these three sick pine trees.

Everyone helps out carrying things. Lots and lots of equipment is involved.

The area has to be cleaned and tarps are put down to protect our climbing ropes.

This is John giving instructions on what the duties of a”ballast guy” are. John has forgotten more about tress and how to cut, trim, prune and climb than I will ever know.

Norm worked and worked trying to remove the head of this poor cow. No way was this going to happen without the use of my very nice and nearly new SOG multi-tool.

She sawed and sawed and managed to get cow ‘stuff’ in all parts of my nearly new multi-tool. As I write this, it is resting in bowl full of vinegar.

You would have thought she found a gold nugget!

We stopped at my Mom’s to show off Norm’s new trophy. For some reason the smell did not get any better.