Down on the Brazos via Pecos

My daughter announced!! Dad I'm leaving home (That would mean Tucson) and i know you got nothing to do?????  I'm moving to Texas to join my kids down by the Brazos. So it was load it up and move it out, herding a reluctant min-van along two of the most boring highways in the west. I-10 to the I-20 Junction and up I-20 to Weatherford. With small breaks in El Paso (Rubys BBQ)

 

    Not the best BBQ  but good variety and it's a good place to gas up and take a break. Best before 11am and after 2pm. If you hit it at lunch time like i did expect to be there awhile. I didn't mind, i needed a break and the parade of local female Gluteus maximus made up for the lost time on the road.






Then on to I-20 and the goal of Pacos for the night in a bad hotel room. Caution do not stay in the hotel right off the freeway, it was like trying to sleep in the medium of the freeway. Complete with bad sounds and a soup kitchen breakfast. But stay in town and go see the Museum if your into them, this is one of the better small town ones.  And well worth the $4.00.





  
Then off to Weatherford and the Brazos and the  Horseshoe Bend Trail home on stilts.                                                                                                  










And a back yard down to the river and a place to throw in a line for some decent catfish.

Now it was time to do the tourist thing, The Granbury Theater, the biggest rocking chair in Texas, some Studebaker sighting,  and any other thing that catches the eye such as the dinosaur farm.

                                                    

The lone Studebaker found on trip

 Granbury 1939 built and restored theater

Buzzards at the pond   

Making the pet rock set up and beg at the Land of the Dinosaurs in Glen Rose, Texas



Now it's time to head west and a side adventure to Sierra Blanca. But that's another story.

Taxi Ride or money pit

Having sold all my trucks and truck parts and vowing to only have one old Studebaker. I purchased a 1931 Studebaker Model 54 4 door sedan. Which turns out to be a short run model and harder to get parts for than my onglogian space ships drive framest. As i slowly buy parts for it and decide stock or rat, i am now working on my latest purchase. Lola the 1927 Commander 4dr Taxi.

     Lola runs and drives but needs a new hairdo as there is a tear inn the top and the wood has turned to dandruff underneath. In other words shes having a typical female malady. A headache.


You can see Lola after various demands and polite encouragements from my son taking her first ride in years. By following the link below or going to youtube and entering 1927 Studebaker

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fcPzWn3A0zE

After much contemplation and one hundred perusals of my wallet. And having the skill to make toothpicks out of any wood project. I took the intelligent choice and opted to replace the wood myself and leaving the re-upholstery to others (maybe). So after peeling off the top canvas and removing the read liner as various bug carcass's and wood chips/powder drifted down. Lola now looks like this on top.

 

      Hopefully as i measure remove and draw out and make cheap wood patterns all will be well. At least good enough so that the volunteer cabinet maker can make it all good again.

Seems that new table saw my son gave me just doesn't cut things straight. Neither does the miter saw, no matter how many time i tried. And now the board is not only crooked! But after three tries it's to short.
I have some tooth picks available if any one needs some.

Smitty the Bum days

It all had to end sooner or later, you can only irritate so many people for so long and then your done. So at the end of June it was See ya Guam  time and with a final luncheon with the DZ Geek hoomies, it was Sayonara time to way too many Guammie friends.

And time to go to California and drive the mother road RT#1 and catch up with Family one more time.
Long flight and a long shuttle ride to Ventura and walla it's California beach dreaming. First stop, morning coffe while watching daybreak surfers at Ventura pier. It's 68 degrees outside and i'm near frozen.

Then it's off too the Mission for a Monk suit and then lunch at Pismo Beach

After a plate of Ceviche and fish tacos (real ones not fish sticks in a wrap) and a local brewed adult beverage, it was off too the hearst castle castle tour with M and the tourist. Where i learned not to ask the tour guide about anything un-nice about Randolph. Especially about the infamous boat trip. www.hearstcastle.org/  check it out if your in the area.

Tour group

M and her do not take my picture look :)

It's time to go see the seals and and then head up the mountain to Big Sur and on too Monteray a drive best made just before sunset if your going up. If your coming down then you want to be on the lower end and sitting at one of the cliff overlooks.

After a night in Sand City it was off to Santa Cruz with a stop along the way to see the Sea Lions sun bathing on thier private beach. Then a few days of slepping around a including a visit to the lighthouse and it was time to move on and take that drive back to Tucson. Best thing about it all, i have vowed to not shave, get a haircut, wear long pants, wear a shirt with a collar or shoes for one month. Life is good when your just a Gypsy bumming around.

Dam does that shirt make me look fat. See ya on the next road i may still be a chunky monkey but i will still be having fun.