Marlys' multiple brushes with fame

We have been out on the road again, with the camper, for the last 10 days attending a wedding in Minnesota and the NASCAR Nationwide race at Road America in Wisconsin.

During the time between the events, we visited friends in Spooner where I learned a few things about antenna's that will be the subject of another post, stopped in at the Lienenkugels brewery and the birthplace of colby cheese (in Colby, WI), but not one Mills Fleet Farm or Menards of which we passed many.

The race was our first in the camper and we had made reservations for a "just off" track side spot with electricity.

The race at Road America also known as the "national park of speed" because of its setting in the rolling hills just west of Sheboygan and the very park like setting was one of the few road races (not on a oval) on the Nationwide schedule.

This being a road race meant that location for viewing the race was a critical and much re-thought decisions during the weekend. Also this course is over 4 miles long so there was allot of walking involved in going any place.

We got into the track at noon on Thursday thinking we would be there before the crowds showed, but over half of the spaces in our area were already occupied and the rest would be filled by evening.

We were located just south of the start-finish line and across the track from the pits and paddock all in all a good spot.

Parked next to us, were a couple of guys that had been part of the Northern Tool NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series marketing team, the year before when Erik Darnell had been the driver of that Roush Fenway team. In fact, Eric showed up late in the day on Friday and we had a chance to visit with him. Although he has no permanent drive this year he is still under contract to Roush and was here setting up Carl Edward's car, who was splitting duties between Road America and Sonoma, where the NASCAR Sprint series race was going on this same weekend. A few drivers were going to be jetting back and forth between the two races all weekend.

Also there were another couple of guys from Kohler (the plumbing manufacturer) there too and they provided me with a possible solution to the leaking toilet issue and water saving that many of you know has become a obsessive past time of mine. I believe there were part of the quality testing department, but I could be wrong. This conversation too will be the subject of a future post.

By the end of the day, I had decided to take Marlys out to dinner...so we were walking down to the nearest brat stand, when we ran into a line of people. A line for what we had no idea, but it was at the entrance to the tunnel going under the track to the paddock area.

Marlys, being Marlys, walked up and asked what was going on, to find out that people were waiting to be escorted to the pits to meet with drivers and get autograph's.

Since we had no other plans, other then a brat (which we had had many of over the last week, remember we were in Wisconsin), we decided to join the crowd and meet some drivers.

Having nothing to get signed, Marlys grabbed a paper towel at the brat stand, but the woman running the stand said she needed something better then that and tore a page out of a spiral binder for her.

Standing in line lasted only a few minutes and then across we went. Between the Chicago Police Detective behind us, and the guy from Alabama who kept trying to get in front of us, Marlys had a number of people to talk to. For those of you who don't know Marlys, she very social.

When we got to the pits, the one driver I wanted to get a sig from was Jucques Villeneuve, who was the 1997 World F1 Champion and has been attempting to break into NASCAR, since leaving F1, although there are rumors that he may be going back to F1.

Marlys got into line at his table. She didn't need to have a piece of paper, as Jucques had sponsor brochures to sign.

Marlys, of course told him exactly what she wanted written and Jucques appeared to be humored by the whole encounter.

He kinda looked like a grown up Harry Potter with his glasses.

He got a few more sigs then mosied back to the encampment, where we ran in to Dan Evans who is a singer doing a concert at that track, but gained fame on the show "Biggest Loser". His tour bus was a couple down from us and had his before and after picture on the side (along with a ad for his latest album). He has lost allot weight and was a real friendly guy to talk to.

We didn't make it to his concert as it was on the other side of the track and we were walked out.

The Magic Booth Arrives

Last summer Tom J. offered me a telephone booth that was taking up space in his barn. I jumped on it although I had no idea on how to get it from Minnesota to Colorado, and once here what I would do with it.

Over the winter the use became clear.

Also once the booth was here and after looking at the information posted inside I knew this booth was meant to be here.

The use was dictated by Marlys and her natural needs which sometime required the walk up the hill to the house to eliminate.

The booth will now become the barn restroom, not a bathroom as there will only be a cassette toilet inside...along with Tom's customized, special and very appropriate toilet paper dispenser and hand cleaner rack.

The booth even has an auto on fan, if I am allowed to use it.

I have to thank Bill K. for lugging it out here and putting it back together, but then he scored a Pepsi machine from Tom, which will be loaded with adult brewed beverages for use at there place in La Porte.

When the booth had been assembled it had strange instructions relating to visiting hours and parole day usage. Turns out the booth had originally been in the a South Dakota Prison, since that is the main industry here it only seems as if it were ordained that it would end up here.

First 14er of the Season

Yesterday we bagged the first 14er of the season...and we may have started the season a little early.


Bill, Herb and I headed out to hike up Mt. Elbert at 3am, getting on the trail at 5:20am. We started so early because even though the forecast was for severe clear weather you don't wan to be above treeline when a thunderstorm pops up. Luckily the weather forecast was spot on and we didn't even spot a cloud (other then east over the front range).


The other reason for the early start was the length of this hike which would be ~9 miles with an altitude gain of ~4700'. We figured a round trip time in the 6-7 hour range, but we were pretty much off on this estimate. For reference most of the 14er's hiked so far have had a trip time of about 4 hours and an altitude gain in the 2000' range...so this was going to be about double.


Did I mention the snow. We started to run in to it in the trees near tree line and it was a pain in the ass, obscuring the trail was the major problem. Once above tree line it blocked the route up causing detours.


Herb had to stop just above tree line having fallen victim to the dreaded cold pizza breakfast he ate on the way over. For those keeping score at home, it is now Papa Murphy's Rancher Pizza- 1, Herb - 0. He took a nap in the sun and waited for Bill and I to get to the top and back.


This turned into a climb that never seemed to end. We must of though we were with easy reach of the top three times, having been fooled by false summits all along the route.


Finally, 5 hours into the hike we made it.















That stick in the background is the highest point in Colorado at 14,438'.


Getting down is always the hard part for me and of course is not optional, like getting to the top. Here the snow was a real freeway in that we headed straight down the snow field from the summit to just above the tree line, sinking in the heels of our boots. Although every once in a while we did post hole a leg all the way in to groin level. Actually I was amazed we didn't blow out a ACL when this would happen.

One guy at the top didn't want to be bothered with walking down, so he brought his skis.


We met back up with Herb at the point where the trail went into the trees. Here again we were not sure where to go other then down hill. From the looks of the packed tracks through the snow it looked like once at this point it had been "every man for himself" by the folks who had come down previously. We traded off leads each time it seemed as if one of us had lost the scent of the trail and had us going off into uncharted territory.

After 8 hours we made it back to the truck.

We will probably wait until a little more snow has melted before going after the next 14er.