Gambler 500

It ambled by, yellowish chalked paint, where there was paint, with a tarp over the back, held down by rope, and a somewhat nasty looking tire.  That's the best description I can give of this pickup.  I don't know if that poor rig could do 50, let alone highway speeds...  Then when it went by, I saw the logo on the back- Gambler 500.

Ah.

There have been a few of these folks coming through town.  I gather you need to find a cheap, but drive able vehicle, and have a GPS.  I am a bit vague on some of the details, but you go to set points, and then there is a set endpoint.  Then there is camping, booze, and general fun and deciding of which vehicle is the best.  As far as I can gather, that would be the one that is the most, um, able to remain in one piece, while being one wheel in the scrap yard, as far as I can tell...

But, even so, the folks I see always look like they are having a blast, (well, okay, the one guy changing the tire that had dissolved gone flat looked a little woe be gone), but generally, enthusiastic and seeking the next pub, or waypoint. 

And they clean up the areas they are in.  That, right there, makes me think it's a good group.  There are some other groups that are actually racing, but this group, not so much...

I am glad people can still have fun.  Hope that all the Gamblers get to where they want to go, and enjoy said trip...

M is for...

Mountain.

Husband and I love to wander around up in the hills near our home.  I try and remember to take a camera, because it can make for some nice shots.  It had been foggy all morning when we traveled up to the top of this hill, and then  the sun broke out to the view.  It just makes me appreciate the area I live in.

Have to say, mountains can be... spooky, at times, though.  Husband and I went to visit his Mom and Dad, who were in Missouri at the time.  We took the bus, and were headed over the Great Divide.  The bus driver had been very pointed about the schedule, bellowing that we needed to get going at each stop after what seemed a very scant time.

We started up, and soon hit the snow line.  And it was evening.  And snowing.

Hard.

I watched as traffic lessened, and it became slower as well.  Big rigs, a few cars, and a couple RV's travelling along the route with us.  We came to a slight bend in the road, and there, laying on its side, was a an RV.

The snow picked up, making it look like some sort of psychotic pillow fight outside.  And since we were sitting near the front, I could see the driver, gripping the steering wheel like he was going to tear it out of the dash.

Everyone was silent, which was only adding to the less than jovial atmosphere.

Long straight shot, and there were more vehicles on the side of the road, along with the red and blue flashing haze of police cars directing people around wrecks.

We finally arrived at the next bus station, and the driver stopped the bus, opened the doors, and piped up, "I am stopping here for 30 minutes, I don't CARE what the schedule says!"

3 cigarettes later, he finally came back to a shade that looked human, if a little on the green side.

(Actually, he wasn't the only one that I noticed that was calming themselves by smoking...  Being a non-smoker, I just found a vending machine, and managed a lukewarm brackishness that was passed off as tea.  At that point, I didn't care.)

We made it the rest of the way safely, but to this day, I am wondering how the pioneers did that trip.  We had a lot more horses...

*****

Well, I am going to be busy doing typing for a bit.  I will be giving a speech for a group on avoiding scams.  I had a speaker lined up, but she dropped out, so I, very begrudgingly, volunteered.  I have a pretty good handle on it, I think...  Except I have a great huge expanse of time, and I really feel that I don't even need more than half of it.  Can we say "padding", folks?  Yoiks!  Oh, well.  I don't feel like I have to curl up in the fetal position and sob yet, so I think I will do okay.

At least until I have to give the speech...

I also need to type up a bi-monthly newsletter that goes out to several groups in the county.  That is kind of fun, but I am also advertising... My speech next month.  Yay.

Then, I want to write up a short series of articles that I want to give to the Sheriff's Office.  I have considered doing this a couple times, but haven't sat to figure out what to write.  One of the other volunteers commented that it could be a good recruiting tool, and we need recruits at the moment.  

So, guess who will be writing tomorrow, when not doing the week's housework?