Author: mikemjensen

Perfect-er

mikemjensen lake powell, Road Trip, Utah Leave a comment

Hey Kids,

Our last scheduled day at Lake Powell arrived and we spent the day kayaking and biking in this super beautiful day. The sun warmed the blue sky to a perfect temperature and kissed our skin red. If there are limits to the amount of perfect days in one’s life- we just used one.17796511_1412362068824577_7133037606732464184_n

Sitting on the back of the boat, eating sandwiches and enjoying the warmth, dangling out feet in the cool water, and watching the bass swim underneath and the ducks cruise by looking to see if we had any more bread offerings; we both bemoaned how sad it was that we would have to leave today.

And then one said to the other, “what do you have to be back for?”

And the other replied, “nothing specific.”

So the first one gave the look. And the second agreed.

A few phone messages later, both were set for another evening spent on our little floating happiness.

 

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Day Lake-ing

mikemjensen lake powell, roadtrip, Utah Leave a comment

NOTE- The WiFi wasn’t as good as I thought.

Hey Kids,

Amazingly enough there is Wi-Fi on the docks and here I am!

Rain accompanied us on our trip down to Lake Powell yesterday evening. Between traffic, a few potty breaks, and bad windshield wipers; we didn’t make it to our houseboat until just after midnight. But it was here and waiting for us to come aboard. We dumped all of our stuff inside and went straight to bed.

We slept in and woke to a cold 39° morning, plenty of dark clouds, and a breeze that could make one stay in bed even longer. Instead we explored the marina area and tried to get familiar with the layout of the facilities. Annette is a veteran of this place but I am not. We found all of the gift shops, the café, and the showers. Since the water services are not yet available on the boat, this last find was much celebrated.

We kayaked in the afternoon, once the sun decided to chase off the clouds. The air warmed into the 50’s but the sun had got its groove on and its rays felt hot on the skin when the two met. The new kayak proved to be as fast as I had feared. I lost the Mrs. several times as she sped off while I tended to a fishing line or lure. I’ll never be able to keep up with her now.

A flooded canyon just upstream from Bullfrog provided an incredible tour of narrowing cliff walls. My depth finder marked us at about 40 feet at the mouth. We followed it back until the elevation of the lake met the beginning of the sand. A few fish spotted us but never seemed to see my lure.

We watched the sunset during dinner at the Anasazi Café overlooking Bullfrog Bay. The water and surroundings adorned themselves in all the paints and colors of this desert oasis as we watched the sun melt into the red rock hills on the opposite side.

Back at the boat, I hope to make acquaintance with a number of the striped bass residents tonight. They’re why I came here. They’re why I wanted a houseboat here. Don’t act surprised, I never said that I was complicated.

Hopefully I’ll touch base again tomorrow.

 

Post 3-091

First Firsts

mikemjensen Fishing, lake powell, Road Trip, Vanity Tags: , , , , Leave a comment

Hey Kids,bliss

During the next two months a few “firsts” will be accomplished. Tonight will be the first of the firsts.

Last October, I spent a couple days on Lake Powell and it was love at first sight/boat/fish. If you’ve never seen Lake Powell, look it up.

Following our trip, it became my mission to return, and to make it so we would return more than once. We investigated and invested into a houseboat. This weekend will be our first overnight visit. Although we won’t be able to take the boat out of the slip, we will be hanging out for a couple of nights. We do have the task to commission a new kayak and I have a few new rod and reels to baptize.

I hope to have enough Wi-Fi from the docks to post new updates. If I disappear for a few days, which wouldn’t be a first, I’ll catch you up on our return.

Wish us sunny skies and calm waters.

 

Post 3-090

Right Tool, Right Now

mikemjensen Life's Truths, Motorcycles Tags: , , , , , Leave a comment

Hey Kids,

The right tool for the right job. It always makes a difference. What could be a miserable job, when tackled with the right tool is easy- maybe even enjoyable.

Today called for rain. Lots of it. The morning was a balmy 51°at daybreak but the weather report warned about being led astray. An evil cold front was to roll through about mid-day.

Believe it or not, it was true and right on the money. The clouds darkened and the moisture fell.

By quitting time, the rain really opened up. But my motorcycle and I weren’t scared.

In my saddle bags resided my rain gear. A few minutes of donning the newly acquired Frogg Toggs and the rain rolled off of me like the back of a duck. I also wore the full face helmet so I didn’t have to worry about the feeling of 1000 bees stinging my face (how rain feels with an exposed face in rain at any speed over 30). It was nice, cool, and refreshing, despite the looks of pity from the cagers.

I had the right gear for the road conditions today. *Pats himself on the back*

Although when I think of right tools for the job, I usually and immediately think of working on cars. Others may have different ideas but it’s what I did for so long with all the wrong tools. I learned. Here are a few examples I can testify make a difference.perfect_tool

A spark plug socket instead of a long socket. Or a short socket with an extender on it.

A harmonic balancer puller, or any puller for that matter, over a hammer and two screwdrivers.

A flare nut wrench over a standard combo wrench.

A pneumatic or electric lug wrench over a star wrench.

American made over China made; any tool.

A volt tester over moistened finger tips.

What’s something you know that makes a difference?

 

Post 3-089

Color My World

mikemjensen Useless Observations Tags: , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Hey Kids,crayola

On the day that featured top stories like NASA released pictures from Jupiter, the UK began its official exit from the European Union, Jeff Bezos became the second richest human, Congress sold out another level of ISP privacy, and CNN fact checks a joke told by the White House Press secretary; it was also announced that Crayola is changing one of the colors of its classic 24 color crayon pack. 

But what color?!

 

Post 3-088

Curves Ahead

mikemjensen Life's Truths, Motorcycles, Vanity Leave a comment

Hey Kids,

The back and forth of the weather continues its tennis match. Yesterday it was full rain gear in pounding rain drops, bordering on snowflakes. Today it was sunny, warming into the lower 50’s. A cold breeze blew from the north but if shielded from it, one could feel the seasonal strengthening of the sun’s rays.IMG_20170328_220507

The bike can tell the difference too. The motor pulls stronger, and revs wind up faster, and the exhaust growls a little deeper. I can lean a little steeper into the turns, twist the throttle a little harder on the take-offs, and relax a little deeper into the seat. I can imagine cruising the mountain roads already.

But that will have to wait. There’s still 10’ of snow on those mountains. And this good weather will turn into pouring rain again by Thursday.

Spring is definitely the season of give and take. It’s a time to remember the past trials and to consider the promise of the future. By mid-summer, I’ll have forgotten about the cold rides, the slick road paint, and the freezing rain. Every day will be easy riding and warm sunshine.

It’s not just the weather outside that’s changing. I feel a spring of my own. I’ve traveled some dark, cold roads and now I go back and forth. Some days I feel I’m on top of the world, and then there’s others where I feel I’m in the depths of despair. If you ask me, however, the days are trending warmer.

 

Post 3-087

On One Hand or Another

mikemjensen Football, Sports, Useless Observations Tags: , , , Leave a comment

Hey Kids,

The news came out today that my football team, the Oakland Raiders, have received permission to move from the home cradle of Oakland, California to Las Vegas, Nevada. I have mixed feelings.

One one hand, Oakland is the Raiders and the Raiders are from Oakland. It just fits.

On the other hand, I moved. It’s not like I live in Oakland, attend Oakland games, or even contribute to Oakland economics. They have moved before too. I stayed a fan through it all.

On one hand, it’s a crappy thing to do to a loyal fan base.raiders

On the other hand, it’s Raider Nation. Not every team can claim such status. We’re not contained to a local area.

On one hand, the name “Oakland Raiders” has a ring to it. Maybe the Oakland Raiders of Las Vegas?

On the other hand, so does just plain “The Raiders.”

On one hand, it won’t make any difference to the players and coaches and play of the game. The actually team will still have to win games and the “where” you play has nothing to do with that.

On the other hand, it also doesn’t matter to me either. I still have to get up each morning and go to work. And even if they should win it all again one year, I will still need to go to work the next morning.

So whatever. Oakland, I feel for you; I feel betrayed as well. But Las Vegas is actually closer and easier to get to for me and with any luck, I might actually be able to go to a game one day.

Or not.

 

Post 3-086

Write Now, Fish Later

mikemjensen Fishing, goals, Life's Truths, Writing Tags: , , , , Leave a comment

Hey Kids,

Today would’ve been a lovely day to go fishing. It rained all day yesterday and this morning we woke to blue skies and sunshine. Of course if I had been going fishing, I would’ve been gone long before the sunshine ever showed up.

I had thought seriously about breaking out the kayak. This past week I had received some new lures in the mail and I’ve been hankering to give them a spin. I watched the YouTube videos on their use, the strategy, and the secret methods. Yes the sunny Sunday was to be my fishing extravaganza.

But there’s this thing about working.whining

I know the day job is Monday through Friday. So the weekends are for fun, right? Except when you have decided to write yourself out of the miserable existence that is working for other people.

So I passed on the angling and took to the writing. Good progress was made and the sun streaked across the sky and back into the western horizon. Day over.

Work is the name of the game. Without it nothing happens; with it, anything can.

There’ll be other days to fish. With any luck, they’ll be during the week between Mondays and Fridays.

 

Post 3-085

Shifting to Tomorrow

mikemjensen cars, Useless Observations Tags: , Leave a comment

Hey Kids,

I’ve always loved cars.

My opinion has always been that the best cars were made in the decade of the 60’s, just like me. Big cars, big motors and lots of roar, it’s hard to pick out a bad 60’s car; Corvairs excepted.169_main_l

Although slower and robbed of power by the smog controls and 55 MPH speed limit, the Camaros and Trans Ams of the 70’s slid their way in my childhood and will always remain a heart favorite.

The 80’s brought back fuel injection and the 90’s introduced aerodynamics. And since the 2000’s, the cars have been getting more powerful each year, even to the point to rival the best the 60’s had to offer. And with stability in the corners, AC, and good estimated EPA gas mileage as well.

Hands down, the golden years and all around cars of cars were in the 60’s. Period. Technology aside, they had the power and styling that the car companies of today are still trying to recreate. Those cars were that good.

Now the talk is about electric and self-driving cars. Electric cars will erase all speed records of a fossil burner and self-driving cars will erase the need for a driver.

Being a fan of the loudest, fuel wasting-est, bulkiest cars available, it would be reasonable to assume that I am not at all OK with self-driving cars. That assumption would be wrong. I am in love with the idea. I will give up styling, power, exhaust noise and maybe even power windows if I can set the destination and sleep the rest of the way.

Get off at 5, set the heading and wake up at the beach the next morning? Yes. Sign me up.

 

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