Another Successful Dayton "Mini Reunion"....2015

Back from Dayton, Wright-Patterson AFB, and the Air Force Museum.....as we held a Vietnam/Thailand reunion for the guys that served back during the war as Air Force Security Police.

Five of us got together back in February 2007 and since that cold, snowy day, every year since 2009, we have gathered, the past 5 or 6 of those at the Hope Hotel on WPAFB....with the highlight being a day on Saturday at the Air Force Museum....the gang, despite our advancing ages, continues to grow.

This year 50+ spent at least part of the reunion with us, and 38 Sky Cops, wives and guests were at the banquet on Saturday Night at the Hope.....

Photos-The Majority of the guys that attended the reunion, this was taken at our annual gathering point, the Defender Fortis Statue at the West Grounds of the Air Force Museum. 

Patricia and I, another Mike Helton Photo from Saturday Night at the Banquet....
and finally the surprise Sky Cop Bust they presented me
on Saturday for the years Bob Griffith and I have led the
Mini Reunion at the Hope Hotel on WPAFB.

back later>>>>

Baseball....60 Years in the Game!

Now that the excitement of the Moab Dual Sport Motorcycle Adventure is passing into a pleasant memory, reality of Spring back in West Central Ohio has returned....umpiring Spring Baseball in the Midwest is a challenge of it's own...Wind, Cold, Rain, Fans, Coaches, and Players, make this sport, my favorite by far, a challenge....a challenge I began 60 years ago playing "Wiffle Ball" around the pine trees of Alston's Cottages our first home in South Venice, Florida....since that time in 1955, almost without exception, I have been involved in the sport of Baseball or it's cousin Softball, both fast and slow pitch.

Baseball....60 years, in and around the game.....

Hard to believe that I have been around 66 years, let alone being 6 decades since I first picked up a bat and ball....I found the game, and my love of it back at those cottages....and remember watching the Yankees{my favorite team back then, always loved a winner} on the grainy pictures coming through on the small 14 inch or so black and white TV that sat on a stand in the small cottage living room...the first game I remember watching on the tube was the 1955 All~Star Game....Mickey Mantle was my childhood hero....how many kids today can pick out a player, who will spend his entire career playing for one team, earning a small salary{even though Mick was the highest paid player of the day, it is peanuts compared to the overpaid clowns who bat .240 and sit out half a season, or the pitchers who earn about a Million Bucks per win....}?  The game was different, the times were better, argue all you want, there is no comparison....for people like me, the fifties and early 60s, were superior by far.

After we moved to the Venice By~Way and then on to School Street in the Edgewood Section of Venice, I had began playing organized Baseball in the Venice Little League System....first with the Venice Elks, then with league expansion, I was placed on the Venice-Nokomis Bank team, where I was the starting catcher for two seasons....a average player at best for most of my early years, it did not stop or deter my love of the game....Baseball, followed by Fast Pitch{during my Air Force days, post Vietnam} and then Slow Pitch Softball took me into my 30s....in between I coached Little League in Celina, dallied with umpire work{didn't have the patience to put up with the BS from coaches and fans early on}....add radio play-by-play of Minor League Baseball in Wisconsin and then High School Baseball when I returned to Ohio, kept me in the game....the side benefit of working radio gave me a chance to get in free for the Reds Games in Cincinnati, and a chance to meet just about every super star in that Reds Organization....

Finally approaching 50, with youngest son Hal on the Celina Bulldog team, older son Sam, his high school days finished decided to head to Daytona Beach and attend the Harry Wendelstedt Umpire School, in hopes of becoming a MLB Umpire down the road....

When Sam finished up, he did not get a minor league offer, only 3 of the class of that year did...but by that team he was prepared to come back to Ohio and try his hand at High School Umpire work....before he returned he asked me if I would like to get back into umpire work....?

16 years later, the rest is history...Sam now works and umpires baseball and officiates football in Illinois, I continue to do 3 sports, baseball, football, and basketball, in Ohio.  I'm not sure how many more seasons I will work the three sports, but baseball will be the last one I give up....I would like to umpire until I hit 70...buy my health and God are in charge of that...I'm just along for the ride....which so far this season has me scheduled for 47 regular season games and at least 7 Post Season Tournament games on the docket so far.  After that the usual Summer Baseball will dome in June and July.

I've been blessed with the ability to do just about every level and the tournament assignments keep coming my way...avoiding major injury, I will continue to stick close to the game and hopefully be able to help out younger umpires that are coming up....our ranks are not expanding, some guys, despite the reasonable pay, especially for the time spent on the field, just don't want to put up with the hassle for coaches, players, and clueless fans...the guys in their 30s and 40s are busy with jobs and raising families, leaving the games to us "Old Farts" and younger, single guys...

So there you have it, as we reach about 1/3rd of the way through the High School season....it goes fast, but then, the past 60 years around the game has gone by in the blink of an eye.  Tonight I'm at Lima Central Catholic, tomorrow at Lincolnview High School....the weeks are full, and hopefully the rain outs will be few and far between, so far I've done 11 of 15 assignments, so despite the nasty wet weather, we are getting most of the contests completed.

back later>>>>>

Photos-top Working First Base at the Elida D4 District last Spring{2} Alston Cottages where I first picked up bat and ball, back in the Summer or fall of 1955..{3} Brother Mike Houseworth on the Varsity and me on the Venice Elks JV Team in 1957...{4} and working the plate during the Sectional Tournament at Lima Shawnee, 'discussing' a call with Hall of Fame Coach Mike "Spanky" Schumm back in 2012....and below...earlier this season at Van Wert....working another cool and rainy game:

Moab...looking back and photos...Epilog

With last weeks heavy rains and more to come this week, so the forecaster are saying, I still managed to get a game in Friday, and then a Triple Header{3 teams playing 2 games each} in yesterday...sweet weather, a good paycheck, but I am dragging ass...we had the grandsons for 36 hours, but Patricia was charged with watching them most of the time, as I was out umpiring....although I did get to spend some time with them as well.

With more rains on the way, I may or may not get some more days off from baseball, although with the downpours I still have worked 10 or 14 scheduled, with is about normal for spring baseball...

Moab....looking back, The Epilog...

Two weeks home now, we arrived back from our 10 days out, stay, and back from Moab, Utah, and our TW Riding Adventures...my ankle and right arm tendon are still somewhat sore, and that is after 3 weeks after the falls and injuries from that first Sunday in Moab, March 22nd...the old body still needs plenty of time to heal....lot's of time!

Reflections....

I cannot say I would change much about the week or the planning leading up to the Moab Trip....but there are some changes I would make:

The stay at the KOA was a good idea, rather than the North Camp...no way would I tent camp...even that is not going to happen in May in Michigan on our Mushrooms Hunting Safari....cold weather on the ground, is no longer on my "Fun List" of things to do....the cabin worked out perfect, as best it could.  4 of us snoring, farting, and sleeping in a small cabin wasn't first class, but looking back, the Camping Cabins at the KOA, as opposed to the tent or even the First Class Cabins, with showers and toilet facilities enclosed, was a better way to go....with the showers and toilets, a few hundred feet away, we could keep the cabins clear of the smells and heat of 4 people showering and using the facilities.....for a couple or two riders the fancy cabins would work, for four guys, these worked out best.

My three partners and I got along great and had no problems...sure me and Nick had our usual pissing matches and battles, but, after 50 years of knowing each other, we knew we would rub each other the wrong way on occasion, and would survive anyway.

Now the parts I would change....

I would have a better plan on riding trail....the first day, Sunday, was not fun....I hated the sand, and ended up falling twice, and came up with my two "major" injuries....not major in the reality of things, but still something I could have and should have avoided....

Day 2 and Day 3 were pretty well perfect....sure I almost bought the farm on two occasions....I still am not fond of "HEIGHTS", but glad I took those rides...and despite another fall....I have no regrets, especially from the Monday Ride, which was pretty much perfect in my opinion.

Wednesday I got a chance to ride and talk with Mel, and did not mind heading back early....however, I should have went out on my own after that, instead of reverting back to my beer drinking ways a bit early....

Thursday, out on my own, was fine....however, instead of a 50 mile trek on roads I was familiar with, I should have headed to the Arches or some other place as well....and Friday, if I had to do it all again, I would have headed to places unexplored, and put another 100 miles or so on the TW, rather that sticking around camp and town....

But then, hindsight is always 20/20, and I have no complaints...the trip to Moab, even if I never make it back, was well worth the time and cash{which frankly was pretty cheap, all things considered}...

The 28 or so other folks that rode, were stand up people, and honestly I cannot think of one person I met, whom I would not ride or spend time with again, if that opportunity arises somewhere down the road....all in all on a scale of 1-10 this "Moab Adventure" rates at least an 8....

Photos Up TOP  Mel's Ride.....(1) on the Way to Moab...(2) Kasyn "Chilling Out" (3) Kam's Man Cave...4, 5, 6, 7, On the Way to the Island in the Sky...

Now for some more photos.....

back later>>>>>

Moab Part #7...Final Day Packing Up....Saturday, Heading out Early

More Rain already this morning....even though no cancellation for tonight up north at Ayersville{60 miles} yet, I am 99% sure that will come....the heavy persistent rain and storms will likely last through tonight, then we may get a weekend of sun, before the rains return for most of next week, so say the predictions.

Tomorrow Patricia will meet Hal and Lisa at Troy and pick up the Grandsons, while they attend a Autism Conference in Columbus, we will watch the boys and the dogs....along with Anissa home for the weekend, that will be a house full...but with a Triple Header scheduled for Saturday at Van Wert, the Wife may be the "watcher" of kids and dogs for most of the 48 hours....

Moab Part #7....final full day, packing up...

The KOA portion of the TW Moab Gang had big plans for Friday March 27th....but those went by the board as most of us slept till well after sunrise, thus leaving us with some running into Moab City for supplies, beers, and burgers for a final Friday Cookout....

Doc Mike{Twilight} left early as did the "other" Paul from Wyoming, and Plumbstraight, Mel had headed back to the Nevada side of the California border as well....thus by Noon, there were only the 5 of us....Arizona Paul{Zdiver}, and the crew from cabin 18, me, Kurt, Nick, and Weasel....and we ended up doing little riding, but the day wasn't a total loss...

A run to the Shell Station down the road for a bite of Breakfast, and a run into town for the brews, burgers, and supplies to go with same...the sunshine stayed around, and the temperature climbed to the 80 degree mark.  We had stories to tell, the week to recall, beers to drink, I fired up a cigar{only my second of the week, or was it 3rd?}...we packed up what we could, finally later in the afternoon we loaded up the TWs on the trailer...and Nick and I fired up the small grill on site, and loaded it with some high quality burgers from scratch.

Evening came, and we finished off most of the brews and last I remember Paul was seen with 2 16 oz 4% beers, one in each hand....sometime during the night, he was up and on the road....I managed to rise about 3, showered, and we finally got around to finishing the packing...loading up the back of the Toyota Truck....and after some hits and misses getting the rig past the water hook-up, we finally were on the road and heading out into the dark through town on Utah 191 going north until we tapped into I-70 where Weasel turned right towards Indiana and Ohio...

The week had flown by, and left me feeling pretty well....some missteps and things I would have liked to do, if I had to do it all over again, places left unseen, and a couple of spots that, if I had a "do-over" I would avoid...all in all, we didn't kill each other{Nick and I, knowing each other for 50 years, could have a couple of times, but that is they way things are when you have hang around together for so long}...the injuries to bodies and bikes was minimal, and the experience, if I never get back that way, was well worth the small dollar and time investment....

On the final Part, the Epilog Part #8, I will post my favorite photos from the week plus, and give my final thoughts of my favorite and not-so-favorite parts of the trip....that will probably come sometime later this weekend...Sunday perhaps!

back later>>>>

Photo-Top, one last afternoon photo looking from our cabin site towards the south and west rim...(2)The clean and shiny TW, took on some dirt, dings, and dust, in the 350 miles ridden the week at Moab..{3} Final Packing and Kurt and Weasel loading up the TWs..(4) Last Meal....Hamburgers and Beers....what more could a group of riders ask for....

and below...the Farewell Shot:  left to right...Zidiver Paul from Arizona, Kurt{Borneo} and his nephew "Weasel" from the Hooiser, and Buckeyes Nick and PRH....The "KOA Five"

Part #6....Solo Ride Moab

 ^^^^My View of "Pecker Pass" somewhere along the routes around Moab...the days and photos were all starting to blend together by Thrusday, when I took out for my Solo Ride...

 After spending the last week-plus of March in the dry and warm days, and dry and cool nights in the Moab area of Utah, the reality of Spring in Ohio, especially April, and the usually lousy weather, has come calling....and to say the least, it stinks.   April in Ohio is usually wet, sometimes, like this year, really, really, wet, sometimes{mostly} cold, and on occasion warm, but still usually windy and wet....with the first week in the books and the forecast for the rest of the month, and into May, this may be the year we get few baseball games in, and fewer crops in as the area farmer's would like....either way, it has not started out good at all.

Fog, followed by heavy thunderstorms, this morning....and more rain and heavy storms for tomorrow....hopefully a couple of dry and windy days to end the week...but after that,  rain will come calling again....and the foreseeable future looks bleak. 

No game tonight scheduled, not that it would matter....tomorrow far north, with Garry for a Green Meadows Conference Game, but that looks doubtful....Spencerville is scheduled for Friday, and a Triple Header at Van Wert is on the agenda for Saturday.....IF?

Thursday March 26th at Moab....Solo Ride...

The week was winding down, and I was determined to get some riding and photo taking it when I awoke on Thursday morning....Kurt had loaned his TW to Fred, Nick and Paul, didn't seem to interested in riding, and Weasel?  Well who knows what a 24 year old is thinking?

Fred and some of the "Larry's"{there were 3 of them} along with Doc Mike and others, were doing some long distance riding....through more challenging areas than I was ready to try....so I decided to  go it solo.....by the time I decided to head out, the rest of the KOA gang decided to do show shopping in Moab City.   I headed out, and decided I had not gotten the photos I wanted along Kane Creek Rim....so I decided to do the 50 miles or so that would take me on both roads on each side of the creek.....I ended up doing about 3 hours before ending in the early afternoon, and doing some "shopping" of my own.  T-shirts and a Moab Coffee Cup for Patricia and Anissa....couple for myself as well.

{Wednesday Night had seen the KOA crew back at the North Camp, where Mel fixed dinner once again....he was making Spaghetti with a large helping of hamburger to go with the sauce and grated cheese, Kurt and I did our small{very} part, bringing along several loaves of somewhat fresh local breads, which largely went untouched...because the crew was to busy finishing off the Spaghetti and Meat Sauce....

The drive back highlighted by Nick driving past the waiting carry out server at Wendy's was another highlight...can't really give the story justice, but suffice to say, it was one of the classic "memory moments" of the trip...short and simple, but it had us all in stitches.  The look on the Wendy Server Guy was priceless and Nick rolled by him, with Weasel's food bag in hand, was priceless}.

Thursday night back at the KOA, our gang along with new guy, Paul from Wyoming decided to hit the BBQ place a few hundred yards down the road and have one last "sit down" meal

together...the week was sadly winding down, and we had one full day of packing, along with a few beers and a cook out to go....some of the gang would be leaving on Friday, others had left Wednesday and Thursday....the week at Moab was flying by...

 

Tomorrow....The Final Day at Moab 2015>>>>>back later

Moab Part #5...Mel's Diner and Mel's Ride

Slid in another game last night, meaning I have got 6 of 8 in so far....despite the weather.  Things don't look good for the rest of April however, calling for rain of some sort for 20 or so of the final 23 days of the month...a hit in the paychecks looms, but I learned long ago, never to count my games before they begin....tonight here is Celina, and even with the artificial infield, I have doubts if this one is gonna happen.

Part # 5 , Mel....

Our oldest rider at Moab was Mel, a 70 something veteran rider from San Luis Obispo, California....Mel, his two TWs and RV were parked out in the North Camp, some 20 miles, more or less, from our KOA sort on the south side of Moab...Mel was limited to  riding due to an old right arm and hand injury, but he did ride a bit, and was instrumental in keeping the north side crew fed, and we south siders joined him on a couple of occasions as well.....Mel knows how to toss out a feast....

After our ride to and up the Kane Creek Rim on Tuesday, our plans included some old fashion grade A steaks cooked on the outside grill, along with fixins' at Mel's RV site ....the meat was as good as it gets, a few beers to wash it down, along with salad and sides, made this the best food of the trip, and that is to say nothing bad about the few meals we had at the KOA and downtown Moab....those were excellent as well, but Mel's steaks and spaghetti, a couple of nights later, were special.

After a few hours breaking bread with the north side group, we headed back to the KOA....it had been decided that Wednesday would be "Mel's Ride"....as Mel himself said his riding would be limited, but he would lead the way....another trip up Kane Creek Road and Rim were in order....I decided I would ride as far as Mel, and head back to Moab...Nick, it seems, was in no hurry to climb the steep cliffs and agreed to head back with Mel and me.

We, a dozen and more of us, decided to meet at the Moab McDonald's at 10:30 in the morning, and head to the rim from there...

Taking the paved road along the creek side the way Fred, Kurt, and I, had done the day before, we  proceeded into the slicken dirt roads, across a couple of small water crossings, and finally stopping for a group photo before the rest of the gang headed up the trail from the day before with my close calls and "Betty Boop's" demise...Mel, Nick, and I, would head back to the McDonald's for a long talk about riding, families, and life, as the rest headed into the cliffs, dirt, and rocks, where they would ride for several more hours...after our chat with Mel and a cup of coffee, Nick and I headed to one of the local watering holes for a couple of craft brews and a bite to eat.

Eddie's was a place we frequented while at Moab:

http://www.eddiemcstiffs.com/

While the riding was short for me that Wednesday, the beers and the weather remained pretty well perfect....another day in the 70s and plenty of sun, with no rain, just like the rest of the 8 days .... outstanding!

Frankly I'm not sure what I did the rest of the day Wednesday....but mostly back at the KOA Cabin and I enjoyed the sunshine and a few beers, this I know for sure.

Tomorrow....Part #6  Solo Ride

Photos-Top Mel with suspenders, overseeing the campfire, and checking out Fred's Nuts Award while the steaks were cooking on the grill...(2) The Required Group Photos arriving at the stopping off point for Mel's Ride....Mel, Nick, and me, would head back the rest would get some serious riding in....(3) BSing around the North Camp Fire, as Mel fixed the meal...(4) Looking over Mississippi Dan's{or is it Louzeeanna Dan} large gas tanked TW....and at the McDonald's in Moab(5)....Kurt checking out Fred's Kamikaze Head Gear....

Moab Day #4 on a ride, a fall, close calls, and Betty Boop Goes Down part #4

I hope all had a great Easter Weekend...I enjoyed it with most of the family, including the Grandsons, Kasyn and Kamdyn....we will get to watch them this coming weekend as mom and dad attend a convention in Columbus. 

Also I got a double header in on Saturday at Paulding, with more rain beginning later today and lasting through the week, the games may be few and far between for the next week to 10 days....speaking of Baseball, the Big Red Machine, the Cincinnati Reds begin the regular season today with the traditional opening day at Great American Park.   Go Reds!

Tuesday, March 24th at Moab, 3 on a Ride!

On our 3th full day at the KOA Moab we awoke unsure how we would pair out or who would even ride....Weasel and Brian, the youngest riders, both had bike issues from the day before, and would be working on those....Paul would rest his back from the Sunday Fall, and Nick had decided to take the day off as well....the boys from New York would ride elsewhere, minus Brian, so that left veteran riders, Fred and Kurt, to drag me along the Kane Creek Canyon Road....which would start paved out of Moab City, and run along the creek up into the Canyonlands, where a couple of small streams, a slick rock road, and stone,  gravel, and sand would await...I would go farther than I planned, had one call too close for comfort, and one TW lay down which would leave me a wheel base short of disaster....

As Fred reached the first overlook{excuse me while I forget the name} I figured "OK, this is good enough for me, the next portion looks like something I promised myself to avoid"...that being a thin trail along side the edge...some sections as narrow as 6 or few feet wide, and with vehicles coming the other way....even less than that.....

However, I didn't have time to think about it, as Fred and his TW "Betty Boop" were gone, and without thinking, I followed...Kurt followed me, until we can upon a young driver in a full sized pick up with haul trailer hitched to the truck....I stopped, the truck stopped, leaving us about a foot to 18 inches between the edge of eternity on the right and the truck and trailer on our left....Kurt led the way, just edging by, I hesitated and said to myself "Screw it" and told the truck driver...."Don't Move"...and I slid by on the right, trying not to think about what was on my right....

{later in the day, after returning to the KOA, I thought to myself...IF I had to do that again, I would not likely have made the pass by the truck....but what was done was done}...

Kurt let me pass, while Fred and Betty rode up ahead....after a few miles of rocks, small ledges, gravel, and some sand, I saw Fred ahead ride over some slick rock, as I look ahead, my Michelin front  tire caught in some reddish dirt/sand...the 2014 hit some slick rock and slid into some more Red "Sand"....I was left with two choices....ride the TW down over an 8 foot fall into some rocks below....which was going to hurt both me and the TW...or lay it down, quick thinking on my part, and I pushed the bike down...sliding into the sand, the TW's rear wheel was hanging over the edge, my knee hit hard on the bike, but safe both me and the 2014 were.

Kurt came up behind, stopped his ride, and did the majority of work, pulling the TW off the edge, while I limped around and proclaimed to myself in silence, just how damn lucky I was to still be basically uninjured.

Shortly after my fall, I heard the ping of a Motorcycle, and see Fred and his Betty come back from where they disappeared .... looking for me and Kurt.

I heard a "ping" that sounded like a engine low on oil or about to blow.....making a long story short...Betty was in trouble, a broken bolt a loss of engine oil, and we knew we had reached our highest point, elevation wise, for today....

Lucky for Fred and Betty, a family riding a couple of Quads, had extra oil as Kurt hailed them down....and after a quick repair by Fred and Kurt{clueless as I am} and oil fill Up...Fred decided to "limp" back to camp....funny part was, his "limp" still made it back to Moab and the KOA, well ahead of Kurt and I, and we stopped for a couple of beers in town.  However Betty was finished for Moab, and Fred would spend the next few days getting to ride other people's TWs.....he still got around more than most of us.

The trip back, now knowing the route, was much more smooth for me...and I actually got to enjoy the ride, although no more photos were taken....Close Calls or Not....I put this day as favorite day #2 on my list of 7 days of rides...

Later than evening we would head back to the North Camp for Mel's Cooking...some of the finest Steaks over an open flame you would find....that story and Wednesday's Ride coming up:

{Next up: Mel's Diner and Riding the Kane Creek Road again, this time it was Mel's Ride}

back later>>>>>

Photos-Overlook about half way up Kane  Creek Rim Road, Me stopped in front of some Big Rock, heading up the Rim Road....Betty Injured and Me Down Spot...and Fred, smiles and all, works to repair Betty Boop....but eventually to no avail, at least for this trip.