Endless days and sleepless nights...

 

There's a whole bunch of songs that have been written and performed with that title or something similar - if you named anyone from Defender to Freddy Fender, give yourself 10 bonus points.  Didn't make a guess?  Give yourself 15 bonus points - everybody wins!

We had an issue with power yesterday afternoon: no matter where we plugged the coach, it blew a circuit in the house.  It was hotter than the Gate of Hell and we had the a/c running and the fridge on electric in the motorhome.  We switched the fridge to propane - it couldn't hold temperature because of the heat... and it quickly rose to over 100º inside the coach.

Firing up the generator, it can run everything, but it is too hot to keep the generator running for any length of time with no breeze going over it in this heat.  Checking the automatic transfer switch in the coach, it was doing its job.  I thought that the length of extension cords we were using was letting power drop off.  I got the 30 amp RV extension (that we haven't had to use in years) out... then, it started blowing the circuit immediately when plugging it in.  There were a couple of prongs on that extension cord that looked "suspect," so I ordered a new 30 amp RV extension cord from Amazon, with same day delivery.  In the meantime, it kept getting hotter in the coach.

No, this isn't the fun part of RVing that they show you in all the ads.  Combine the potential for problems with a house and a car, and the result is potential RV issues to deal with.

When the new extension cord arrived, I added it to "the chain" so we'd have 30 amp (10 gauge) cords all the way to the wall socket.  Yep, it blew again.  I took the old RV extension cord out of the run and put the heaviest household outdoor extension in there (we needed the length, about 70' from the motorhome to a wall socket in the garage).  The power stayed on.

By now, it was 8:00 pm... and still 106º.  And more stuff to load, since we lost a good portion of the day pissing around with the electrical system.  I went out every hour to check the coach and make sure the power was staying on.  Yep.  An RV air conditioner can generally manage to lower the temp inside by 20 to 25 degrees - that's just the way they are; combined with the fact that RVs aren't insulated like a house.  I got up at 2:30 am to check on it... the inside temp was down to 88º, the fridge was still struggling, running on propane.

This morning, the plan was: get the bikes loaded.  I was up at 6:30; went out to the coach (down to 83º, power still running), got Murphy fed, did the rest of my morning routine (pills, vitamins, check blood pressure, get myself a cup of hot cocoa, get Joan's coffee ready to be started), then went out to the cargo trailer to get the bikes loaded.

This is "all new," since we have a new bike (my Burgman) that means shuffling things around to see what fits best, where.  We generally put the biggest bike to the port side of the trailer (that's driver's side to you landlubbers), to make access in the side door a bit easier.  I tried both bikes there, before deciding that the Xmax is the better fit.

While I did those "test fits," Joan was outside in the courtyard, getting everything put away or covered.  When she came out, we got the bikes strapped down and other stuff loaded into the trailer.  The inside of the motorhome was now down to 82º.  I'm considering that a victory, and we switched the fridge back to automatic (between electricity and propane) to get it to cool down.  I was ready to close up the cargo trailer...

With that task done, we are back to loading more stuff into the motorhome... and waiting to see if the fridge cools down enough on electric to put foot in it.  I was concerned that, because of this heat, we'd have to put the coach in an RV park (and there aren't any reasonably close) to get enough power to keep the a/c going and the fridge... the household circuits in our garage are 15 amp, and that is just barely enough to power the a/c.

The issues are not the RV, but a combination of this heat (it got down to 92º for an overnight low) and the 15 amp circuits.  Joan said, "When we get back, I want to put a 30 amp RV power connection in the house..."  My solution was different: "Let's get out of here before the heat settles in next time."  If there is a next time.

The loading continues, amid doing things in the house for our absence.  Unlike in Texas, where we had the house closed up and "hurricane prepped," Steph and Dan will be keeping an eye on things for us with the house.

Speaking of hurricanes, Hurricane Beryl is heading for the Caribbean, predicted to make landfall in the Yucatan on July 5th.  Too far out to predict beyond that, but it is not unusual for hurricanes to cross the Yucatan and ramp back up in the Gulf of Mexico.  I know I've said I don't check tropical weather every morning, but this one is early in the season, is moving faster than typical, and has ramped up to 130 mph ahead of expectations (it went from tropical storm to a Cat 1 and is now a Cat3 in 24 hours).  It has all the signs of becoming a major hurricane.  Just a heads up.

Now, it's getting serious...

 

Up early and off to the storage place.  We got the coach ready to roll, hooked up the cargo trailer to it, and brought it home...

 First time the motorhome and the house have been together.

It is hot (duh).  With everything electrical in the motorhome turned off or unplugged, it still blew a breaker on the house side with the a/c running (and we really need the a/c running).  I got out the 30 amp RV extension cord to run most of the length to get to the house, and still needed another extension cord.  Yep, the circuit blew again.  Checking the electrical panel on the house, we have a 20 amp GFCI outlet in our garage, so we switched the cord to that.  So far, so good.

The high today is supposed to be 108º... on the "cool side" of South Mountain (112º in Phoenix).  It is tough trying to work outside to get things moved from the house to the coach.  It is already 99º at 9:00 am.

We are working our plan: I haul stuff from the house to the coach, Joan unpacks and puts stuff away.  It's a good system... this way, when I ask Joan, "Do you know where _______ is?" she can tell me.

In the meantime, Murphy looks quizzical as I come and go.  "Don't worry, buddy, you're coming with us," I reassure him... it may be that "coming with us" part that has him concerned.

This will be Murph's first shot at being a travel cat.  The boy is smart and adaptable, so I have high hopes for him.

Two hours later, the a/c is hanging in there and the loading continues; clothes and jackets are loaded.  It is hard to think about jackets when it is this hot.

During a break from carting stuff, I called the campground in NC to confirm our reservations and find out what their situation is with cable TV and wifi (basic cable, which is fine for us, and slow wifi) - I was told they get a good Verizon signal, so we should be fine with our own hotspots.  Looks like we will be living civilized while there.  :-)  The lady from the campground asked where we were coming from; when I told her Phoenix, she said, "Oh, goodness - we were there two weeks ago; it got to 118º so we took off as fast as we could for the mountains!"  Yeah, I get that.

Last Ride For A While...

 

One last ride up South Mountain this morning.  Another warm one today.  Tomorrow we'll bring the coach to the house to start the loading process and get the scoots strapped down in the cargo trailer.

I put a RAM mount on the Xmax last night and wanted to try out one of the 360 cameras on that mount, while using the DJI Aciton 4 camera on my helmet...

Fun riding is done, now on to more packing for our trip.

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We are very close on our "piles" - there is a lot of stuff to go into the motorhome, but I think we're close.  Once we bring the coach to the house tomorrow, it is down to making repeated trips between the house and the motorhome.  Both are air conditioned, so it is the trek between the two that will try to melt you.  We have done some stuff outside today for the prep work at the house... it is blazingly hot.

I did spend an inordinate amount of time today looking for one of my camera mounts.  We were in the motorhome home last time I used it, but we had thoroughly emptied that before we put it in storage.  Interesting how one little thing can become suck a time suck.  There is a lot of camera gear going with us; one guitar; lots of clothing and personal items, toiletries, food, and a bunch of motorcycle (scooter) gear.  We don't travel light.  :-)

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Swimming Pool...

You put in a swimming pool?  Um, no, but thanks for asking.  Joan got a pool for Murphy.  Well, it has fish and stuff in it, so maybe it is more of a portable pond?

He wasn't too sure about it at first (above).  But, he couldn't resist the toys floating in it (below).

And he looks so darn cute when he carries his toys around...

I have no idea if the pool will be going with us... my security clearance does not cover this level of intel.  I forgot to mention all the cat stuff to be loaded into the motorhome when I was commenting about that earlier in this post.  We want the boy to feel "at home," but I'm guessing that will happen as long he has his Mom and Dad with him.  Wish us luck!

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A look at the sky just before darkness set in...

I didn't know if it was a storm coming over the mountain... doesn't seem to be... but it was kinda pretty.

Another trip to storage...

 

We were out early to get a few more things done with the motorhome and cargo trailer.  Joan checked and aired-up tires on the coach while I set-up the chocks for the bikes in the trailer.  I lubed all the moving parts on the trailer and put air in the rear airbags on the coach.  While I put distilled water in the batteries (we tried maintenance-free batteries and got 18 months out of them, so switched back to regular lead acid), Joan was getting things ready to roll inside.  Fridge is turned on, propane is on.  We are ready to bring it home on Saturday.

We dropped off a box of stuff at Goodwill on the way home.  The outside thermometer in the car was reading 101º at 9:00 am.  That's why we get out early.  Back home, Joan went through stuff in the garage for the coach.  I made a couple rubber "cushions" for the top case on Joan's bike... well, I didn't make them, I shaped some rubber plugs we bought with a Dremel.  Joan is not a fan of the top case on her bike, but the Xmax already has the rack, so it will be our "hauler" when we're out this summer.

Murphy has work to do, too: Joan put a couple different carriers in the living room, so he can decide which one will go with us...

Everybody has to do their part.  Murph has no idea what is coming - this will be his first trip in the motorhome.  The boy is a mover - he isn't going to have as much room to run in the motorhome as he has become accustomed to in the house.  OK, none of us will have as much room... there will be a period of adjustment.

A Vlog (MotoVlog) for the Blog...

 

Only 84º at 5:45 this morning.  Almost balmy by recent "record high low temps" standards.  My opportunities for a morning ride are getting short these days - most of our time is taken up with getting ready to head east to North Carolina in the motorhome, with the scoots in the cargo trailer.

 

Out on the Burgman this morning, and some video with a discussion of our getting ready to head out stuff, a new accessory for the scoot, but mostly just enjoying the ride...

 

A MotoVlog this morning, filling in for the writing I generally do here.  Uploaded in 1080p instead of 4k - on a smaller device, like an iPhone or an iPad, that resolution is perfectly adequate... I can't imagine anyone is watch this on a 65" TV.  ;-)  Plus, the process is much faster and it uses less storage space and bandwidth... I can upload it in a couple minutes, instead of the 15 to 20 minutes it would take in 4K with a video of this length.

Just the DJI camera and mic this morning, to keep things fast and easy.  I was able to get this video edited, trimmed, music added, and uploaded while prepping to make breakfast on the griddle (today will be the last day for that - we have an electric Blackstone griddle in the coach).  We are down to several "last time before we leave" things these days.  In fact, I may get one more ride in on one of the scoots.  Tomorrow we'll get out early and go to the motorhome for more stuff to do there and get the inside of the cargo trailer ready for the bikes.  That gives me Friday for a morning ride (maybe), because we plan to bring the coach and trailer to the house on Saturday morning, for load up on Saturday and Sunday.

More gathering happening the rest of the day.

Nice Haboobs...

 

If it has "boobs" in it, it must be something good, right?  Put a "ha" in the front of it, and it sound like even more fun.

It isn't.

Early evening yesterday, we got to see our first haboob.  It blew in from the east; the view looking west...

 I know - it looks pretty nice.  Looking to the east...

Brown.  We normally have a pretty view of South Mountain.  You can kinda see the closest foothill in the center right, but the mountain is obscured with blowing dirt.  The American flag just to the right of the pergola post is standing out and snapping.  It went from nearly calm to gusting above 45 mph - we could see the wall of blowing dirt coming at us.  Joan has nearly everything in our courtyard put away, but she did dash out there to put down the couple things that hadn't been secured.

The temperature was pushing 108º and it didn't drop as this moved through.  On the other side of it, it cooled off about 10º - not enough to make much difference.  I went outside at 9:00 pm to check the hottub: the water temperature was 105º!!  Yeah, too hot to use.

The blowing dirt had subsided, but the sky was threatening, with plenty of lightning...

 This morning, I was up early (around 5:00).  After I fed Murphy, I took him outside for a bit... emptied a couple of covers that were holding water; yes, there was some rain mixed in with the blowing dirt.  On the bright side: the blowing dirt had let up a bit by the time the rain started.  Lots of thunder and lightning.

Of course, the local weather weasels were talking about this like it was something significant; I guess some areas got up to 3" of rain - not where we are.

Murphy handled it all without much concern.

When Joan got up, she said, "I thought you'd be out for a ride."

"I didn't know that was an option - I thought we were going to the coach to finish the water stuff and get the propane filled?"

Off to the coach.  We pumped the bleachy water out of the fresh water tank, then took the coach to the dump station at the storage place and emptied the holding tanks.  Topped off the fresh water tank again, the drove about 5 miles to get propane.  Back to the storage place, ran that water out of the fresh tank, dumped holding tanks again, then put more fresh water on... that will take care of the sanitizing.

Last night's ugly weather must not have gotten to the storage place: the coach (that was freshly washed on Sunday) had some dust on it, but it wasn't water spotted.  We took some things that had been in cabinets and drawers home to go through.  We'll probably go back to the coach again in a couple days to start getting the cargo trailer into bike hauling mode.  Then, we'll bring the coach and cargo trailer home this weekend to get it loaded.

According to our HOA, we can park an RV out front for up to 72 hours.  My concern is the large construction trucks and trailers that are working on houses in our development... I've seen how they haul ass as they go by.  We'll be working on gathering stuff at the house before we bring the coach in - two days to get things loaded and stowed should be enough.

I am getting anxious.

The DJI Camera and Mic 2 on the Xmax...

 

Out this morning before 7:00.  It was 92º when I got up this morning, shortly after 6:00 am.  95º when I headed out on Joan's Xmax.  I wanted to test the DJI Osmo Action 4 camera and DJI Mic 2 on the Xmax; it has a lower windshield than either of my bikes, so I wanted to see how the auto gain on the Mic 2 would handle that situation.

I didn't take a 360 camera along today - Joan's bike doesn't have a camera mount up front; I ordered a mount when I got back this morning... I like to have the perspective of the 360 views.  That said, I am really enjoying the ease with the DJI Action 4 camera - and the combination of that camera with the DJI Mic 2.  The camera and mic connect automatically when they are both turned on; no fuss.  The microphone has an impressive auto gain control, which does a good job of keeping the audio from clipping while on a motorcycle. I expected some clipping with this set-up on Joan's bike, but I have to say (spoiler alert) that I am impressed with the audio.  And the 4k video from the camera.

Let's cut to the video...

 

I rambled on for 13 minutes or so, with no script.  Discussion of the Yamaha Xmax and the hot weather here in Phoenix.  Helmet visor up most of the time, visor down for a short bit to see if there is much difference in the audio.

The DJI Action 4 camera can shoot in 4k; that is nice resolution.  When uploading to YouTube, that platform compresses the videos.  I did another test, uploading the same clip again in 1080P to see if there is much difference... the 4k takes a lot longer to upload - a 5gb file vs 2gb on the lower resolution.  Result: not a lot of difference when I look at the 2 clips full screen on my MacBook Pro.  I'll probably be uploading in 1080p in the future.

Now that I am done messing with the video, the plan for the day is to start "piles" - piles to go into the motorhome.  Staging them in my music room.  The weather for the upcoming week is highs each day of 110º or more.  When we do bring the motorhome to the house to start the loading process, it will be easier in that heat if we have everything gathered.  That loading will probably happen this weekend, with a planned departure date of Monday... (+/-).  We'll make another trip to the storage place to dump the bleached water that is in the fresh water tank and the lines.  It's beginning to feel real.

Zydeco...

 

What a show!  The concert last night at MIM was Terrance Simien & the Zydeco Experience... this was not the typical MIM concert (if there is such a thing, since all the acts we've seen have been excellent) - this was loud, raucous, on-your-feet entertainment.  Simien is a showman and each musician in the band is a top-notch performer.

And they are tight - the band worked together like a well-oiled machine.  Never a lull, they rolled from one song right into another for the nearly 2 hour show.  In true Creole fashion, Simien threw beads to the crowd and had everyone on their feet...

... especially when Simieno and his horn section danced through the crowd (above).

This is the first MIM concert we've seen where the band ran their own sound (usually it is done by MIM personnel)... and it was loud.  First time we've left a MIM concert and my ears were slightly ringing.

They promote as "having done over 10,000 shows" and the tightness that comes with that is apparent.  Each musician was given multiple times to shine and the crowd was appreciative.  The bass player was other-worldly, playing all over the fretboard and coaxing an impressive array of sounds out of his bass...

The horn players, a trumpet and sax, punched hard and full.  The drummer was my favorite for the night, with the tightest snap I've heard from a drummer, and he made it look effortless.  The keyboard player has been with Simien for decades, and that shows, as a glance is all that is needed between them to keep the flow going...

The show ran the gamut of musical genres: zydeco, cajun, rock, soul, roots, gospel, but always true to Simien's southern Louisiana roots.

A fun evening!  (and, yes, Joan caught some beads, that she gave to Cindy)  Mark and I gave each other many "Did you see that?" looks, with the exceptional playing.

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Back to the grind...

After writing that post above, we shoved off, heading for the storage place where we keep the motorhome; today's tasks: get it washed and start the fresh water tank sanitizing.

The storage place has a nice wash bay, with a sewer dump...

It's covered, so until mid-afternoon, you don't have the sun beating down on you.  We didn't have to worry about that mid-afternoon stuff - we were there around 8:00 am.  While I worked on the outside of the coach, Joan scrubbed the old windshield cover (we use it just for storage), cleaned the windows, and shined up  chrome.  The coach is looking good.

Next was putting on some fresh water with bleach in it, to sanitize the fresh water tank and all the water lines.  We'll let that sit in there for a couple days.  Plus, we took the coach down the Interstate a ways to top off the fuel and shake up the bleach water in the tank.  Joan ran the bleach water through all the lines.  Next trip out, we'll dump the tank, fill it with fresh water with just a touch of bleach, and dump again.  One more fill with fresh water, and it will be good to go.

That's enough work for today - we got the bulk of it done before the temperature topped 100º and still climbing.

Getting Serious...

 

About packing for your summer outing?  No, but thanks for asking.  Before heading to bed last night, I had some morning plans in mind: get Murphy outside before it's too hot for his paws, get me a ride on one of the bikes (motorized) before it's too hot, start putting stuff away in my music room.

It was 92º when I got up this morning at 4:45.  "4:45?  Intentionally?" you ask.  No, I was done sleeping, and I don't like to just lay there.  I got Murph outside for a short time, fed him, fed and medicated the grandkitties, and did the rest of my morning routine.  I got out for a ride on the Burgman just after 6:30.

The air didn't look too bad when I was out this morning; it was ugly yesterday and last night.  I didn't soak in the hottub last night because of the blowing dirt in the air.  I couldn't get a photo of the full moon because of the overcast.  I tried again this morning for a shot of the full moon, but it was still too cloudy.  I could see a faint glow through the clouds, but nothing interesting for a photo.

Speaking of photos, I didn't take a camera along for the ride this morning.  I haven't ridden since Tuesday, and I just wanted to enjoy being out.  (changed oil on Wednesday, Dr appointment on Thursday, got tires on the cargo trailer on Friday - this is serious!) 

Back from my ride now, and I feel refreshed, in spite of the heat.  Only supposed to get to 104º for a high today.  Perspective.  I used to think that once it got over 100º, it was just plain hot.  I now understand that 104º is balmy hot... 108º is too hot to intentionally go out in it... 112º is approaching the Gates of Hell kinda hot... and over 115º is slap-you-upside-the-head kinda hot.  As in: dangerously hot.

Murphy doesn't understand the difference - he wants to go outside any ol' time.  Anything but early morning is too hot for his paws on the pavers and gravel.  Even last night after sunset was too hot.  When he can't be out, he likes to sit on his chair with a cooling pad on it, and look out...

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We picked up Steph and Dan from the airport this afternoon... they have been in Wisconsin visiting Dan's family.  Sounds like they had a good time there... but Steph really missed her fur babies.  She got a surprise when they got home: Joan got them a "robot" litter box from Vine - she OKed it with Dan before she ordered it and wanted it to be a surprise for Steph.  It was.  Steph was giddy about the automated crapper.

One more "date night" for Joan and me before we head out for the summer: we are meeting Mark and Cindy at MIM for an evening of Zydeco music (Terence Simien & the Zydeco Experience).  For those not familiar, Zydeco came from the southern Louisiana, Creole (those of African heritage in Louisianan French culture); typically featuring accordion and guitar.  There is some overlap in the music style with Cajun (displaced French Canadians who settled in Louisiana) style music.

We booked these tickets a couple months ago - looking forward to another evening of music.

Moon Me...

 

It's been a while.  Since I've gotten my Nikon DSLR out.  With all the action cam and 360 camera stuff I've written about in the past few months, the Nikon has been sitting in its case.  I've been meaning to get it out to get some photos of some of the scenery on South Mountain that the "little" cameras can't do justice to.

It was a hot day yesterday: 115º for a high.  Murphy couldn't have any outdoor time until after sunset, and while keeping an eye on him out in the yard, Joan said, "Oh, look at the moon coming up over the mountain..."

I went inside, got out the Nikon, and turned it on - the battery had one bar left... that's enough to get the shot...

 We are coming up on the Strawberry Full Moon, which will be tonight.  I'll leave the camera out and maybe get a shot of that.  Yes, I did charge the batteries.

More getting-ready-to-go stuff to get done today: first on the list - get the cargo trailer out of storage and to Discount Tire for a new set of tires.

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Out of the house just before 8:00, and off to the storage place.  We rotated the cargo trailer in the spot and hooked it to the Equinox; that car does a fine job pulling the cargo trailer - we picked this model because of the factory towing package, including a tow/haul switch on the gear-shifter.

We were early to Discount Tire; they got us checked in, but didn't get to us until just a few minutes before our scheduled appointment...

They had two guys on it, so the work went fast - less than 20 minutes later, we were on our way.  Back to the storage place and tucking the cargo trailer, with its pretty new Goodyear Endurance tires, into the space behind the coach...

Joan is putting the tire covers on in the above photo.  We did start the motorhome, again for the exercise.  Next planned trip here will probably be Sunday, when the coach will get washed and the fresh water tank sanitization started; maybe take it out and top off fuel and propane.

Another thing checked off the list.

While having brunch out (no, not really "brunch," but a meal between breakfast and lunch), I got a text from Steph - it was a photo of a container of Potato Ole's from Taco John's, with the note "Getting the good stuff."

 

I sent her back a photo from Waffle House, saying, "I laugh at your puny good stuff."  ;-)  She thinks I'm "spolt" (that's Texas-talk for spoiled)... I've had Waffle House more in the last 2 weeks than the previous 2 years.  Timing and placement.

Happy Summer Solstice Day...

 

If you're thinking of getting me something for this special occasion, I think I would look good in a 2024 Jaguar F-Type.  I was behind one at a stoplight yesterday.  That was real purdy.  Red would be my first choice.

Apparently, summer is here.  I can tell that because the predicted high for today is 114º.  This will be the longest day of the year, according to the weasels.  Checking into it, all days are the same length: 24 hours.  To be more accurate, this will be the day with the most daytime hours.  So, the sun can bake you to a crackly crunch here in the desert.  Hiking trails in all the local parks are closed.  No, I wasn't planning a hike, anyway.

I did my Feed Me Guy duties this morning, for Murph and Steph's brood.  With the outside temp at 78º first thing this morning, it was a good time to get Murphy some outdoor time.  It is going to be too hot later for his little paws, even after sunset; well, his paws are that little.

Murph was a bit concerned this morning...

 

"Where did all our stuff go?"

That stretch of gravel to the left in the above photo has been filled with lawn ornaments (gravel ornaments?), potted plants, and twinkling lights.  Looks pretty bare right now; Joan has been putting stuff away in preparation of heading out.  I already miss all the fun stuff out there, especially the lights as evening sets in.

No, I didn't get a ride in this morning.  I have an appointment with a new doctor.  I'm hoping this guy will have more of a pleasant bedside manner than the guy I had in Texas.  Joan urged me to go in there with a good attitude... "Moi?  I'm a ray of sunshine.  Just don't try to schedule me for a bunch of tests I don't need since I have good insurance."  We'll see how it goes.  This is supposed to be a "wellness visit" and some discussion.

In continuing Murphy content: Joan brought his catio inside last night.  Out in our yard, he hasn't used the catio much.  Inside, it is a whole new plaything.  And just now, with all that stuff inside it, he has chosen to sit on top of it...

He is a sweet boy... a bit weird at times, but sweet.

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Back from the doctor...

So, how did it go?  Thanks for asking... one of the best medical visits ever!  Of course, I am healthy going into it.  The front desk people are friendly and efficient.  For the first couple minutes, I was the only one in the waiting room and then one other guy came it.  They got me into an exam room ahead of schedule and the nurse started with me right away.  Lots of questions, blood pressure and blood oxygen checks, a memory test (yes, I passed): the nurse gave me 3 words to remember and repeat back to her - "captain, gardening, photograph"... no, I hadn't told her what I did for a living prior to that.

My weight was only one pound different from our scale at home (that's a first).  Instead of an exam table, you are seated in an exam chair (which is actually comfortable).  She logged all my "maintenance meds" and asked questions.  Then the doctor came in.  He, too, was friendly and efficient.  He checked my heart and lungs, asked more questions.  I told him of my concerns about my previous doctor in Texas who just seemed hell-bent on running unnecessary tests.  He said, "This is about how you want things to go.  Some patients want me to tell them what to do, I prefer a discussion.  It's your body and health - you can say no at any time.  Feel free to question me about anything we discuss.  I'll make recommendations, you and I will discuss it, and we'll do what you want."  And that's the way it played out.

They took blood, urine, and scheduled me for a telephone call to discuss the results.  I didn't feel rushed and there was no "sitting around, waiting for someone to come into the exam room."  I got the prescriptions the way I requested, and it was all smooth and easy.  Yep, a real good experience.

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Brutal...

The air quality is crap: our view of the mountains is diffused with a brown haze.  Alas, we had to make a trip out: first to Ace Hardware to look for some rubber spacers to fit on the top case rack on Joan's bike; I am thinking we will need her bike as our "grocery hauler" and it is already set up for a top case.  Ace didn't have exactly what we were looking for, but something close enough after some Dremel modification.

Then, on to Fry's to leave off a prescription and pick up a few groceries.  Oh, and did I mention: it is 111º at 1:30?  With a hot breeze.  Add to that the crappy air quality (smoke, blowing dirt?), and it is seriously unpleasant to be out in that.  We got what we needed and got ourselves home.  112º.  Yeah, brutal.

If someone says, "It's a dry heat," I'm gonna smack 'em upside the head.

Feed Me Guy...

 

That's what I was for many years with Smoke the cat.  Joan was Momma, I was the Feed Me Guy.  While Steph and Dan are on vacation, visiting Dan's family in Wisconsin.  Joan and I are taking care of their 3 kitties.  So, I'm feeding 4 cats daily for now, plus giving 2 of their cats medication.  They are sweet cats...

 That's Tasha (the Queen) on the left, Tango (the orange boy) in the back, and Alfie (with his back to the camera).  These 3 eat twice a day.  Murphy gets 4 smaller meals daily.  Joan, Murphy, and I spent some time at Steph and Dan's home last night, so the kitties could get some human interaction.

This morning, I fed Murphy and took him outside for a while.  Then, over to Steph and Dan's to start the feeding and medicine process with their 3.

One of the advantages of our "compound" (with our adjoining residences) is that we can help out each other and share the joint responsibilities.  Steph and Dan have been dependent on a cat sitter who would come to their house to feed and spend time with their kitties twice a day when the kids need to be away; that person does not travel to Lavene.  For us, leaving our house in Texas for our get-ways meant a closing down procedure for the house, and being dependent on security cameras to keep an eye on things.  While we have all the security cameras and such here in Arizona, we can keep an eye on each other's place as necessary.

I'm pretty sure Steph lobbied for this living situation so we could see more of each other... not so they'd have a built-in free cat sitter.  ;-)

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And now time to get on with my day: today is oil change day for the bikes.  I may "pre-skin" my knuckles before I get started just to get that over with.

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I was done with the bikes by noon.  Well, the two scoots went uneventful.  Joan did help me pour used oil into containers to take for recycle, in between getting things in the yard put away (and there is a LOT of stuff out there).  We're not leaving for 10 days or so, but Joan likes to get things done in advance.

I mentioned the scoots being uneventful.  Not so with the CTX.  It took an exhausting amount of tugging and grunting to get the oil drain plug loosened.  In fact, I broke one socket in the process.  Then, the even worse task: getting the oil filter off; it is tucked up under a lower fairing.  Joan ordered me a set of oil filter wrenches (2) in anticipation of this.  Neither of them would bust the filter loose.  Joan took a try at it - same non-results.  In the process, it beat the heck out of the filter, so I can't just "change it next time."  We decided to let the dealer deal with it (see what I did there?) when we get back.  We put the CTX into the Tuff Shed, so there is extra room in the garage.

I mentioned to Joan that "if I had a motorcycle lift" I'd be able to get a better angle on that filter.  A short discussion about "space" (and not the kind from Star Trek's final frontier) ended that thought. 

Later this afternoon (after I cool down and clean up), I'll get the used oil to O'Reilly's.  We keep chipping away at projects.

Ohhh... that's early.

 

You got up even earlier than usual to get out for a ride?  Seriously - you think that's all I do?

Steph and Dan are off to Wisconsin to visit with Dan's family.  I took them to the airport this morning... departure time from the house: 5:20 am.  It's not like I had to get up early - I was awake much of the night, checking the time.  Yes, I will need a nap this afternoon.  This is the first I've had to set the alarm on my phone in a very long time... I was concerned it wouldn't go off, or I might sleep through it.  No worries - I was awake.

I got them to the airport on schedule.  First time I've had to drive into Sky Harbor Airport here in Phoenix... you get to the airport, then there is a lot further to go to get to Terminal 4.  I stopped at the curb, gave 'em both a hug, and they wheeled their carry-ons away.  The last thing Steph said to me was: "It can be kinda confusing to get out of the airport and heading the right direction.

I am apparently not as feeble minded as they think, as I was heading the right direction (well, directions) to get me back home; in a half hour.  I sent Steph a text: "Still circling the airport!!  Just kidding, I’m home - have an uneventful flight.  Love you!  They will let us know when they are down.

In the meantime, they have entrusted us with the care, feeding, and medicating of their 3 kitties.  "We got this," I told Steph, "It will be party time every meal: candy and ice cream for my grandkitties!"

I was home and wide awake at 6:30... Joan was up and out trimming the plants in the front yard.  She turned down my offer to help, so I did what you'd expect: out for a ride!  As usual on weekdays, not a lot of traffic on the twisty roads; plenty of bicyclists, 2 cars and a pickup, and one other motorcycle.  The motorcycle was a sport bike, and that rider blew by me like I was parked.  The cars and pickup were there to celebrate "Drive Over the Center Line Day."  I don't know if that is a state or national holiday.  What are the odds: 3 vehicles and each of them was driving over the center line?

I stopped to gas up on the way home - it's a new record!  91.6 miles per gallon!  Pretty cheap entertainment.  Speaking of the scoots: we ordered oil and filters for each of the bikes so I can get them done before we head out.  Most of it showed up this morning.  Lots of other stuff on the to-do list.

I told Joan to save the box the stuff came in - I'll lay it flat under the bikes to catch and drips.  That is, assuming I can get the box back from Murphy...

 "I love my new box - it's all I ever wanted!"  That will change as it gets closer to lunch time.

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We got some of our to-do list checked off: I delivered my previous medical records to my new doctor, so they'd have them for my upcoming appointment.  Then west to the motorhome, where we looked it all over (looks to be in good shape), started up the engine, ran the generator, then plugged it in to top off the batteries.  We took the tire info off the cargo trailer and went to Discount Tire to get an appointment to have new tires put on (Friday).  The tires that are on it don't have a lot of wear, but they are over 4 years old, so we want to start with new tires for this upcoming trip.

Lunch out, then off to Wally World for a short shopping expedition; stopped at a Walmart not too far from where we store the motorhome; haven't been in that one in a long time, and it seems they have cleaned it up nicely.  Then home for a short bit of relaxing before taking on the cat feeding and medicating for Steph and Dan's trio; back home to get Murphy taken care of.  I did send a couple photos to Steph so she wouldn't worry that her cats weren't getting the attention they are used to.

One last test I wanted to do with the DJI Mic 2: try it with the HoverAir X1 drone, to use the mic through the app.  The app eliminates the sound of the drone (and most other extraneous sounds), so just your voice comes through.  In the past, I have used it with just the phone, and it works well.  I tried it with a couple different inexpensive wireless mics and the delay between the sound and the video was hard to watch.  I was hoping it would be better with the more expensive DJI Mic 2.

As it worked out, it is almost as good as directly through the phone - certainly better than the cheap wireless mics.  It would be usable.  One issue: it was 102º out (cool by recent standards) and the HoverAir did not like like that heat... it would stop recording video and fly back to my hand.  At first, I didn't realize it was the heat - I had put my phone with the mic receiver connect to it about 10 feet away, to make sure it wasn't the phone picking up the sound.  Before flying today, the HoverAir wanted me to upload new firmware, a regular thing as the company continues to add features to the drone.  So, I was out in the heat doing the update.  I thought it may be a problem with the new firmware when it cut each flight short, until I went back to the phone and tried to fly it manually: nope, there was a notice on the phone telling me the HoverAir was overheating.  So, enough testing to know it is working and that the DJI mic works reasonably well with it.

So, no motorcycle or scooter video today, but this kinda doesn't count as a substitute.  In this 19 second clip you can see how the video stops before I am done.  I'll try again sometime, when it isn't so hot and not stand in the direct sunlight.  ;-)

More where that came from...

 

Up and out reasonably early again today, I wanted to try the DJI Action 4 camera and Mic 2 on the CTX.  Well, any reason for a ride.  ;-)

It was warming up fast (82º by 7:00 am), but still a delightful ride.  Here's a photo...

 And, assuming the audio is OK (the CTX is louder than the Burgman 200), there will be a video forthcoming... with the consideration of discussion the Dual Clutch Transmission a bit.  But, mostly just out for the ride.

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I didn't make this video 4k (resolution) - that takes time and memory storage, so it may look a bit less quality from the last video with the Burgman 200... but mostly, I wanted to test the audio with the DJI Mic 2 and get in a ride before Mother Nature cranked up the heat.

Let's go to the video...

Happy Father's Day!

 

My favorite title: Dad.  We had a nice day.  Joan made breakfast and reminded me that the new DJI camera and mic system was my Father's Day gift... and birthday, Arbor Day, 4th of July, Labor Day, and probably other occasion for the foreseeable future.  Hey, I picked it out, so it is "just right."  ;-)

We had lupper (that's between lunch and supper) at Steph and Dan's place, where Dan and I made the burgers and dogs... and Murphy got to come along to play with Tango on Tango's turf.  There were cards and an appropriate amount of adoring after lupper (yes, there was a card from Murphy, including his traced-around paw print - I would have liked to have seen that in the making).  And when Joan, Murphy, and I came home, I got in a short nap... being adored can wear a guy out.  Kidding; I adore being adored, because I am pretty adorable.

I did thank Steph for being such a great kid - mostly likely due to her having such a good Dad.

Happy Fathers Day to all the Dads out there.

First Test...

 

As usual, I got out early this morning on the scoot.  Not usual: I was geared up with equipment for shooting video.  Of course, I wanted to try out the new DJI Osmo Action 4 camera, and edit it with some footage from the Insta360 X4, and connect the DJI Mic 2 (inside my helmet) via bluetooth to the Action 4 camera (on a chin mount on the helmet).  If you're keeping track, the Insta360 X4 is best mounted somewhere on the bike.

My plan for all this: make some videos where I am talking while I am riding, without having to do a voice-over after the fact (while editing the videos).  The reality: it's a lot going on.

Usually when I'm shooting video while riding, I have just one camera and control it using my phone as a remote control.  I can see the top of the Action 4 on my helmet, so it is easy to press the shutter release button... but, I can't see the rear screen, so I don't know if the camera is framing what I want, or if the camera is even on (I have the cameras set to turn off if not used for a selected amount of time).

The DJI mic and camera connected up with no problem.  Well, no problem until I messed with getting geared up (talking to Steph and Dan who were out in their garage when I rolled the bike out)... and that was just enough delay to turn off the camera... so the mic didn't know what to do... and when I turned the camera back on, it didn't automatically connect up with the mic... so, I had to re-pair them.  It all took some extra time.

I didn't turn on the X4 360 camera until I was already riding up the mountain.  And then waited to see how it would all work out.  I don't usually turn on the 360 camera and let it run - it eats up about a gigabyte per minute, which takes time to edit and download.  I did the same with the Action 4, and figured I'd sync them up, somewhat, when I got home and started editing.

The results: The Action 4 camera does a great job with "single view" video; that's why it works best as a helmet mount.  The DJI Mic 2 worked perfectly syncing with the camera as I started and stopped recording.  I assumed the mic gain would be a matter of trial and error (usually mostly error) to find the best setting for it... as it turned out, with speeds up to 45 mph, it did a fine job of adjusting the gain on its own.  Using other external mics in the past was frustrating... this just worked.

To edit, I just pulled in footage from each camera that was shot at about the same time; one clip over the top of the other in the editing, then just cutting away the 360 video as desired.  And letting the audio from the Mic 2 handle the audio for both.  I'm still working on it, deciding how much to edit out and what kind of other audio (as in music) I want.  This will be a departure from the way I have been doing videos, but it should be easy once I have a work-flow, definitely faster than shooting a bunch of 360 video clips.

The advantage: the audio should always be synced to the video.  The best part of shooting 360 video is being able to change the point of view... but (for me) the best part of the ride is with the camera facing forward.  I envision that I will be adding 360 views for some interest.  The key is going to be in keeping what I shoot relatively short... and that's not always easy for me.

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The edited video...

Unlike most of my recent videos, this one is a longer narrated video.  Consider this a "Seinfeld" type video: not really about anything - just having a conversation while out riding.  The main intent is to try out the DJI camera and mic - yes, I am very pleased with the quality of the video and the audio from the mic.  Blending in some video from the Insta360 X4; you can tell which is which by the watermark on the lower right from the X4 clips.  Insta is sneaky: I turned off that watermark on the camera and my phone, which is how I capture the video.  Then, I work it up on my iPad... who knew there was a watermark switch built into the iPad app, as well?  That shouldn't show up on any future videos.

Let the adoring begin...

 

It is the Friday before Father's Day... or, as I like to call it: Father's Day eve eve.

Joan has been asking me what I want for this momentous occasion.  Truth be told, I am happy I was involved in the initial making of... well, you know.  I told her I'd think about it.  She said that the Arizona Humane Society had some fun new t-shirts and suggested we stop there on our way home from lunch yesterday (it is, literally, right on the way).  The one style shirt I liked (the others were kinda girly-looking), they didn't have in my size.  I was perfectly OK with that.

Last night, the discussion came up again, and I told her that I was interested in some other camera gear to use on the bike.  That discussion morphed into "What would you really like?" and I showed her some options.  I was considering this gear, but thought I'd buy it at some point.  She asked, "How would this be different from what you have right now?"  I explained.

She said, "Well, if you would consider this a Father's Day and your birthday gift, let's go for it."  I get some new gear and she gets out of having to shop for something (she always does a great job with surprising me) - win/win.

She ordered it last night; it arrived this morning.  I really do like Amazon!

Stephanie and I had a Dad/Daughter day: she took me out for breakfast at my favorite: Waffle House.  Then, went to Shooter's World and spent some time at their indoor range...

It has been years since she and I did this.  Even with that time off, Steph is still a good shot.  I had her do most of the shooting (good practice for her); I was impressed with her aim and gun handling.  This is a new Shooter's World in Goodyear - nice place.  Bonus: Fridays are Ladies' Day, so there was no charge for her on the range.

We ran a few other errands, and made a stop at Bass Pro Shop - nothing either of us couldn't live without, but it was nice to have that time with her, one-on-one.

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We had a nice supper out with Steph and Dan, at their favorite "celebration dining place," The Stockyards.  The occasion: a celebration of Dan's promotion at their school district.  As you'd expect, the Stockyards specializes in steaks - Steph, Dan, and I had prime rib, Joan went for salmon with scallops.  It was a nice meal in a pleasant environment.  About a half hour from home (Steph says, "Everyplace you want to go is a half hour from here."  Good conversation.  Being "next door neighbors" with the kids means we can do this regularly.

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I did have time after supper out to set up the new camera and mic system.  Initial testing is promising, but it was take a set-up on one of the bikes to know how it will all work out.  The DJI gear looks well-made, with a smart layout on each component.

Go, Johnny, Go, Go...

 

If you said, "Johnny B. Goode, by Chuck Berry, 1958," you get 12 bonus points.  If you said, "Hmmm... there are 3 'Go's' in there - is that a subliminal message?", you get an additional 20 bonus points.

Insta360, the company that makes the cameras I use most often for motorcycle/scooter videos, has been teasing the release of a new camera today.  They unveiled it this morning: the Go 3S.  It isn't really an all-new model, but a significant upgrade of their Go 3 camera...

 The Go 3S looks pretty much the same, except the lens on the little detachable camera is a bit bigger; it has 4k resolution, up from 2.7k.  Insta is pretty good with making what people ask for.  When the Go 3 came out last summer, a lot of people commented that "I'll wait until they offer 4k"... ask, and you shall receive.

No, I won't be upgrading.  Although, you can buy just the small camera with the new model and use it with your current "pod."

I'm considering some additional camera gear, but not this new Go 3S.  The DJI stuff is looking pretty interesting.

Monsoon Season...

 

Yes, it's a thing.  We've heard Steph complain about "monsoon season" in years past: "Hot, humid, rainy, and a 90% chance of swamp ass."

A monsoon is a wind and rain event.  The local news and weather is full of "How to prepare for Monsoon Season" PSAs.  Unlike hurricane season in the Gulf Coastal areas, which runs from June 1st to November 30th, Monsoon Season here in the desert is June 15th through September 30th.  The National Weather Service (federal weasels) is predicting a 60% chance that it will be hotter than normal and a 40% chance that it will be drier than normal.  In other words: flip a coin, we don't know, either.

There was a piece on this morning's local news telling about the 50 huge pumps that are located along freeways in the Phoenix area to pump water out of low-lying areas to prevent flooding on the roads.  Joan and I have discussed this: there are places along the Hwy 51 and 60 freeways that look like giant concrete canals, just waiting to be filled with water; big walls on either side guaranteed to hold it in.

In Texas, we put away anything that could get caught in the wind and would become a "missile or cannonball."  Similar advice here, with talk on those news/weather reports about "patio umbrellas (with weighted bases) becoming airborn."  We took hurricane preparedness serious - I don't see the same concerns here.  Steph told us that their previous house would shake in the high winds and some people in that neighborhood lost shingles.  Nothing to be trifled with, but not the same massive intensity as a hurricane bearing down on you.

I have to say that I don't miss the concerns about hurricanes, where part of my morning routine during the season was to check weather development in the Atlantic, even when we were far away from Texas.  The weasels would predict higher or lower chances than "normal" of how many hurricanes there might be and what number of those would become "intense" (Category 3 or higher).  My take on it: the weasels would predict and Mother Nature would laugh... and any storm with a name got my attention.

Do I feel less concern about Monsoon Season vs Hurricane Season?  I do; maybe I shouldn't.  This will be our first Monsoon Season in Arizona and I doubt that Jim Cantore will start talking about a monsoon storm 5 days out.  I don't see "Monsoon Evacuation Lanes" on the freeways (yes, that is a thing in Gulf Coastal areas).  We no longer have a house that is on the high point of 7 feet elevation on an island.  We aren't paying ever-rising hurricane insurance premiums,  Our house in Texas survived a direct hit in 2008 from Hurricane Dolly.  It was only a Category 2... well, predicted to be a Cat 1, but then ramped up as it made landfall, then sat over the top of our part of the coast for 22 hours as a Cat 2.  We had minor damage to our house, mostly cosmetic.  But the amount of damage in the area was massive, and the economic impact to the local economies was harsh.  The weather weasels were there for the start of it, standing in the most open areas with their windbreaker jackets flapping in the breeze, then reporting from the middle of the street where they could find the deepest street flooding.  And then, in 24 hours, they were gone... no reporting on the massive clean-up and repairs that are left behind.

I hope Monsoon Season is not like that.  I can change my underwear twice a day, as necessary.  I understand humid.  But I have never seen a haboob (giant dust storm) in person.  Yet.

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Situational Awareness...

I have had two classes recently where situational awareness is stressed: the Concealed Carry Permit class (you want to be aware of what is going on around you, especially in a parking lot situation or while in a public place), and in the Can Am Ryker class, where a lot of basic motorcycle handling revolves around knowing what the traffic around you is doing.  I have been practicing both of those situations for a long time.

This afternoon, Joan suggested we go to Five Guys for lunch.  I don't see any scenario where I would turn that down.  When we got out of the car, I make it a point to look around before we step away from the car.  Inside Five Guys, I take a second to scan through the seating area.  No issues.  Lunch was tasty, and from there we went to the Walmart Neighborhood Store that is nearby.  Again, as is my routine, I looked around before we parked and after getting out of the car.  We went inside.

Joan focuses on what she needs to get and determines the most efficient way to move through the store.  I look around as I push the shopping cart behind her.  This is what we do, and why I will ask if she wants me to "ride shotgun" for any trip to the store.  We got everything on her list and went to the self-check area.  While she scans our purchases and puts them into bags, I look around.  Again, this is how we operate.  She finishes the scanning and leaves it up to me to get out my credit card and pay.  As she puts bags in the cart, I scan the area between us and the door.  No, I am not paranoid - I am being situationally aware.

On the way to the car, I ask her, "Did you see the kid that walked through the check out area; who looked like Lurch from the Addams Family?"

"What?"

"The kid - an employee.  He looked like Lurch from the Addams Family."

"No, I didn't see that."

"He was wearing a green tu-tu... a 6 foot 2 guy... wearing a green tulle tu-tu... you didn't see that?"

"No, I didn't see that."

One of us is an efficient shopper, the other is situationally aware.

;-)

It's Still Rock 'n Roll To Me...

 

If you said, "Billy Joel, from the album Glass Houses, 1980," you get 15 bonus points.

I got together with "the guys" today, to make some music; 6 of us there.  Only Tom was missing, but he has been back in Iowa for a couple months.  This will be the last of the 6 of us getting together for a while... probably September.  Seems that we all have summer travel plans, and not all at the same time, making for a lot of over-lap for getting us all together.

It was a good day.  Well, one omission on my part: I brought drums, a stand for them, and a drummer's throne... but, forgot to grab drumsticks.  Duh!  Mark had some brushes we use on a cajon, so we made it work as best we could.  Ron played drums most of the day; I took a turn on them for a couple songs.  We worked up a couple new (to the group) songs and refined other songs we've been playing.  For the 6 of us, we had permutations of 5 guitars, a bass, a mandolin, and drums (an electronic set and a cajon); 4 vocalists.

I really enjoy getting together with these guys - no doubt we'll all work on music individually during the summer months.

X-tra Fun...

 

Out on Joan's Xmax this morning.  I was up and out early (rolling around 6:30), after getting Murphy fed and some outdoor time for him.  The temperature was in the upper 70s - a delight!

I clipped the Insta360 Go 3 on my helmet, got some stills and video...

 

It was delightfully quiet up on the mountain; a few bicyclists, a couple of hikers, no cars in front of me the whole time, and 3 other motorcycles.  Oh, and in that photo directly above, one rabbit who ran across the road in front of me (yes, he made it unscathed).  The ride was a delight.  I do enjoy Joan's Xmax.

Coming home, I stopped for gas.  I think I put all the miles on this tank; it took 2.3 gallons and got 98 mpg - that is some economical entertainment.

A good start to the day.

We have an appointment to check out another doctor's office later this morning - looking to find the best fit for us.  I am told that Joan will take me out for lunch after.  I'm thinking Chinese buffet.

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Got around to working up the video from this morning's ride...

Date Night...

 

Yep, another MIM concert, last night.  This was was "Songwriters of the Southwest," which featured 3 different trios.  It was a nice evening of interesting music.

First up was Ponderosa Grove...

 A powerful female vocalist, flanked by two guitarist who also sang great harmony parts.  This was my favorite act of the night.  Joan thought the singer sounded like Carly Simon; she was the main songwriter, with the guy on the right also doing a lead vocal on one of his original songs.

Next up was Nolan McKelvey trio...

 His songs all had a local feature.  His vocals reminded me of Gary LeVox from Rascal Flatts, a high tenor.  He was flanked by a violinist and bass player, both excellent players.

The main feature of the evening was the Brian Chartrand Trio...

Chartrand seemed very familiar when he came out - he was the lead singer in Live From Laurel Canyon that we saw a while back.  He is the most locally known in the Phoenix music scene; backed up with a pianist and drummer, both excellent musicians.  Joan thought he had a sound similar to James Taylor... can't go wrong with that.

It was clear that each group had their fans in the audience.  We had good seats in the 3rd row, but there isn't a bad seat in that outstanding MIM concert theater.  Nice to see Mark and Cindy; we'll repeat that again on Tuesday with group music for me, while Joan and Cindy work on something crafty.