For A Friend

I returned to Mexico 1/7/17. On the 4th received a call that Andres had collapsed in Puerto Vallarta. He is the one sitting and the photo is from this post. He never regained consciousness and passed away on the 18th.

Never would I have thought this guy would go out like this. Just figured he'd be around like forever. Many took a big hit losing him. It's a different place around this tiny burg but the shock is wearing off. We had a lot in common and this has me seriously looking at life and what's left of it a bit differently.

So this ones for you mi amigo! He would have liked this. Adios.

Surfing A Dinosaur

You just can't take California out of the boy.

You Never Know Who Might Show Up

Fast Mover

It was nice to see this and it did cover ground fairly quickly.

Hiking Above Nogalito

Glad to be able to do this. It is not easy, slippery and one can sweat plenty! But it has cooled down and the days have been very pleasant.

I can't capture what it's really like. It's different from canyon lands. What is here though is an anomaly at 18 sec. Very easy to watch more than once. This thing wiggles.

I think it is a rod although Wiki debunks such things.  

Colors And Stuff

If not you should know pictures of anything are taken around here at times. This guy was inside and a bit over a 1/2" long. This new camera does not do macro's near as good as the three Pentax camera's that came before it. Still worth clicking on to get a better look though.

And yes there is quite a diversity in plants and colors.

This fellow was no more than an 1.5" long. Do not have a clue what he was going to grow up to be. This could be it.

Took a cruise a bit north of Vallarta and then east into farm country and there was a lot going on. There is no lack of food around here that is for sure.

Behind these mountains not seen here are some massive scraggly fourteener's. Do not have a picture at all. Just looks interesting and here is maybe a few hundred feet above sea level.

The job to have around here may be a tractor operator.

Many inexpensive places to eat. None out in the country though like Costa Rica.

The place I live is almost dead center.

The mountains around Nogalito are pure jungle that's all there is too it. To get to the other side here would not be easy.

Brothers In The Jungle

Pancho and Andres. These two grew up in this environment. Their father owned much of the area above town where they farmed hiking much much farther than Andres and I do to get there several times a week. Can't begin to imagine the intensity of what that must have been like. This is tough terrain to raise crops and a few animals. These fellows are two tough hombres!

Click on the pictures to hugen up then agen.

That continues for Pancho who in this case harvested four pieces of bamboo that is transported like this back down to town. I did not attempt to take the fourth.

This is a wider part of the trail.

Quite a bit of bamboo and some can approach 5-6 inches in diameter.

Somebody from Vallarta picks it up and Pancho gets 1500 pesos or about $90. That can go a long way here.

Patricia And The Rest Of The Story

In one word nothing. This is all new to me but at times I do think I have a clue.

First this came so fast and many just heard of it Wed or after. For most there were few choices if any of getting away and the question then was where because of the ocean and the way it was tracking.

Simply the tension here Friday afternoon in Nogalito was easily felt and no macho shit here this guy was scared even with having probably the best casa in town for an event like this. There were others who felt the same.

In the afternoon it was sprinkling and raining lightly off and on. Walking around talking with others in other words taking up time till the first effects of the "biggest hurricane" arrived.

Had lunch and went up and got things food and other, secured it best I could and went back down to my friends and landlord's to wait as was not going to go through this thing alone.

Was watching the track very closely as the internets and electricity have remained on and here is my take -


Patricia was headed due north directly at Puerto Vallarta with the eye maybe 80 miles away approximately.

15 to 20 miles before making landfall just west of the 105th longitude the eye collapsed. It made land where the eye would have been 60 miles due south of here. We were within the perimeters of this thing and it drifted to the east. A little after 6 I came home.

The wind never blew nor was there intense rain. It rained most of the night but sleeping was good so don't know how much.

The storm weakening PLUS mountains were key without question. That's my story. I really don't know what this has done inland.

Walking around yesterday thought but only for a fleeting second of taking pictures for a before and after comparison. No way was the door going to opened into that realm. Maybe it's because of not doing so that made a difference as well. Just as plausible as other reasons that get thrown around to my way of thinking. In any case -

I am very happy. Not been out but sure many others are just as elated. I will be happy for a long period I think.

This whole coastal area north and south of Puerto Vallarta has been spared. Have not been out yet as the peaceful feeling this morning is wonderful. Cerveza will be had today and more than one.

Feel extremely fortunate and my hopes that others inland faired as well. It truly amazes me that this monster of a storm and so close that if you didn't know it was there you wouldn't have.

New Girl Coming To Town

Her name is Patricia and it's unknown whether she is going to be naughty or nice.

The sooner she takes a right turn is all good with me.

This was bothering no one in Vallarta this morning but one gringo I spoke with was pretty nervous.

A Post That Needs To Be Here Too

NOTE
Originally posted over at the other place 5/24/12. Some decent pictures along with a bit of info.

I've seen huge areas being mowed around houses but I do believe the largest are in west central Kansas and this isn't one of them. I'm sure it makes them happy.

Winter wheat was almost three foot high and on the way back further north in the state it was half turned  but not as lush.

There are many oil wells many being developed and old ones refurbished as well in Kansas. Not like in Utah but there is plenty going on. 

Remember about clicking on the picture to make them bigger.

No matter where I was grain storage was being expanded at all levels. Here it's a elevator in Warsaw, IL.

This is corporate facility for sure because even if a family owns it.

Not that long ago most of a the grain produced was hauled to the local elevator to be handled. Most operators have their own now.

This is the lock and dam on the Mississippi in Keokuk,Ia.

The river still floods and this is one way to avoid trouble. What places like this and many others are known for is being "fish camps" used extensively on weekends. Use your imagination.

 

The curiosity with Nauvoo is over. The meal had at the Nauvoo Hotel was one of the best I've had in years. I understand the new leader of the mormons does not have as much interest in this place like the guy before him so there's not as much money coming this way. For not being tourist season it seemed there were quite a few people around.

The ferry south of Warsaw still operates for transporting what ever fits. There are not that many places to cross this huge river.

In northern Iowa things have been big for some time but I think it's even bigger now. Like land prices of 10K an acre and one parcel of 77 acres sold for 12.9.

Something like 350K for the planter alone and you can get them twice as large. With GPS if you want and with the price of seed you can literally save thousands.

This drag strip still functions in Humboldt,IA. Went down this in like '71 or so and came home with a trophy.

The house in what was my cornfield when I was just a pup still stands. The grove is still there and plum trees still grow along side the railroad tracks.

The Grotto always gets a visit looking for new angles of the same things. The 100th anniversary is this year,

I've seen a number of places similar to this one. I guess recreating old gas stations is a new hobby. It must be expensive.

A state record musky at the fish hatchery at what is known as the "Iowa Great Lakes".

This area has been a vacation destination for many years and just a very cool place. There are lakes in Colorado but it's not the same. There is a museum and there were a lot things in there I remember from the kid days.

It was a lot of fun in here.

The "Queen" one of several over the years that gives rides that even locals continue to take. Notice the wind turbines on the horizon. They're all over the place as Iowa is second in the nation in wind power.

Guess the water gets pretty high at times.

I did catch a few and this was one of them. It was too big and was released. Got fed plenty of walleye and it was a huge treat and so good.

Was gone quite awhile and could of stayed much longer but it was just time it seemed to get back here so that's what happened. Blasted on back on Monday. Came in at 890. Drove 2600 with and average of 26.5mpg.

I had a blast it's just that simple!