Upon deciding on a total knee replacement, the amount of details to prepare for it astounded me: exercises, medications, getting a driver for two 45 mile trips to the Kaiser hospital in Riverside and other appointments and activities—no driving while taking oxycodone. And the horror stories arrived—incredible, unimaginable pain for months.
So I began strategizing, and got it organized. Even the rehab equipment. I planned the yard work that needed to be done before the surgery, including mowing our lawn the day before they chiseled my knee out. Then spring arrived, and I soon realized…
Read MoreExotics Racing started with some classroom tips on driving our beasts, including that another car would be on the course with us and we could pass or be passed, cornering, paddle shifting, and how a trained instructor would sit side by side telling me what to do…or not do. All was new, and I checked out the competition, who would be fastest? All were younger, by far. This would be my first ride in a true supercar, on a 1.8-mile track with 8 turns. I had dreamed of driving a Lambo for decades, but felt quite intimidated. Certainly didn’t want to embarrass myself.
They told us…
Read MoreTastes can vary between long term friends. In our Gray Hogs group, Mick and I kept eagle eyes out for Dairy Queens to enjoy Blizzards. But whenever Jerry spotted a Long John Silvers, that would be our lunch or dinner spot. He loves their fish, and even asks for the deep-fried crumbs.That’s why Jerry’s hopes got so high on our 2022 East Coast ride. Not many…
Read MoreBack in 2022, Jerry and I audaciously attempted an 8,500 mile East Coast ride, to finish all 48 states on a bike for him, and my last 3 for 50. It fell apart in Connecticut, but we decided to try again in May 2023. That blew up on the first day, but Jerry suggested day rides from his place in Oregon, which included a longer multi-day trip: backroads to Estacada and catch 224 that paralleled the Clackamas River, then take 46 to Detroit, then we’d figure it out…
Read MoreOver the last five years or so, Brad proved himself as “the Wizard of Waze” on our Gray Hogs trips—he’d enter our ultimate destination, calculate in any traffic issues, add in some stops along the way, and we’d blissfully follow his lead, never worrying nor looking at our maps, just riding. We got spoiled, until…
Read MoreNear the end of my frosh year in college, I wrecked my dad’s car. A cherry 1963 Ford Galaxie 500 XL, with a 352 cubic inch, high compression V8. A friend had just been married, and we all decided to follow the new couple to their honeymoon location. The others, especially in my car, wanted us to be right behind, so I peeled out of the church’s parking lot, and even edged out a friend’s Corvette. But that 500 was a heavy beast, and when
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