June 2012


Got me in a ride this morning, tried to beat the heat, hard to do this time of the year.

I also got my garden watered plus watered down a couple of spots for the dogs, they like to play pig when the temps get up around 100.

I had something really neat happen last week, a couple of friends I met in a restaurant in Antigua, Guatemala called me from Laredo, TX.
I had given them my number just in case they had problems.
They had planned on renting a car in Laredo but couldn't so I told them to come to Linden, actually Texarkana where I would pick them up a the Bus station.

I picked up Jiri and Nicole, from the Czech Republic and Stuttgart, Germany, Wednesday night about 6pm.

On Thursday morning we went looking for cars to buy.
Finally found a 98 Buick LaSabre for 2800, they decided to buy it after I had taken it to my mechanic to check it out.
They arranged for funds and we headed home, then we remembered Insurance.

When I got home I called my insurance company, the lady said they had to have a US drivers liscense, I told her a lot of Europeans do this so there must be a way, no luck.
I callled another Insurance Co in Linden, in short order, Joyce Walden got Jiri and Nicole Insurance for 64 dollars for one month, unbelievable.

So Friday morning we get money, Western Union, get Insurnace and then go get Car, I can't believe all this has happened in such a short period.

We return home and Jiri and Nicole clean car, I recommend they not leave until Saturday so they can drive a bit before hitting the road to California.

So Jiri and Nicole take me to Jefferson for Mexican food and then we return to Linden and go to Blues Festival, the Bluebirds were rocking, had mrbill on his feet.
I can still dance to the Blues it's just that the after effects are more serious, sore back, sore neck, basically just sore all over, gotta slow up or dance more.

The last I heard from Jiri and Nicole they were at the Grand Canyon, always a favorite of the Europeans, their really enjoying driving across the US.

People always wonder why I like to travel, well this is one of the main reasons, meeting neat folks from around the world.
I don't think I've ever met anyone more likeable and decent than Jiri and Nicole, really great folks.
I've been invited to visit them in Europe, Czech Republic, Switzerland, and Stuttgart, Germany, already started doing my research, always wanted to see Prague (Praha).

Jiri and Nicole



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I had me a nice ride yesterday, some clouds, light breeze, humidity a bit high, but all in all a nice ride.

For the first time in 60 yrs of riding bicycles I got stopped by the local police for running a stop sign.
I guess it's a lot easier to screw with bike riders than bust crack houses, that all I'm going to say.
I didn't get a ticket, or there would have been a major "Diatribe" on our "Police State."

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George doesn't beat around the bush, short and sweet and to the point.



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I had to take a friend to the Dr's this morning so I was late riding, so shortened it up due to heat, darn, it's about 20deg warmer here than where I was in Guatemala.
I managed to get me in twenty miles yesterday, thought we were going to get some rain early but it stayed west.

Tomatoes and peppers are doing real well, everyone I see gets tomatoes.

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One of my favorite things on my trip to Guatemala was this


While in the village of Santiago, up near the main square and market I spotted this guy and wondered what his gig was.
As I watched a girl walks up to him and gives him one quetzal (14 cents) and he does his thing.

He takes the lid of the round pan, sits the pan on the porch of the birdhouse.
He opens the cage, the bird comes out and pecks at the paper in the pan, the man pulls out the paper that the bird pecked, hands it to the girl.
Bird back in cage, lid on pan, next, please.
And I was next, thats when I got this pic, wish I had of had a video of bird doing his thing.

I know that this guy has regular customers who really get into this, and that's good, for them, for him and for me.
I admire this guy for his gimmick, in third world countries they don't have all the plans for helping people, people have to do what they can to survive, we understand little of it.



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Got back from Guatemala on Saturday, about 9:30pm.
I had a great trip, everything went really smooth, weather was great and the people were great as always.
I will return.

I have got in a couple of bike rides since I've been back, I did miss my bike, the ones I saw for rent weren't much and there was the matter of hills and rough roads.

Check out my photos of Guatemala, Guatemala Photos



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From:TomNice Pics! You saw a lot of cool stuff. I liked the dog under the bench.

mrbill:
Thanks Tom
It was funny while we were in the village of San Marcos we decided to do a hike, as soon as we started the dog joined us, he made the whole hike and then when we returned to the village he went on his way, guess he just wanted to do a hike.