Photos from Asia part 1 - California

In which Old Dad R. Kelley takes Jaden and his crew to Malaysia, Thailand and Japan.

We drove to LA in the vintage '97 Prius handed down from Bill and Karen to me and then to Jaden. Still going strong! Well, still going anyway, there was some fender rub due to an incident near New Orleans on a previous road trip. Old Champagne made it there and back, I feel like everyone concerned has gotten their money's worth out of that car.

 The crew at our first stop, Sequential Biofuel gas station south of Eugene. I love this place, the sandwiches are excellent and if you need footbag or disc golf suplies they have you covered, so Oregon.

We made it as far as Los Banos the first night and stayed at this lovely hotel.

Much of California from I-5 looked like this. Also many giant almond and olive orchards wholly dependent on water from far away.
Oh, hey Central California, thanks for all the cheap food in the past and good luck in the wars to come.

The Getty Museum was amazing.

The art was great but the landscaping was the highlight for me, fully worth a visit even if you don't go inside.

We took a drive through LA to this hipster taqueria. Some delicious flavors but I just couldn't make it through the green olive and goat or whatever that was. The blood orange margarita was excellent.

One last Mexican meal at LAX

Update!

The coffee shack in Rickreall built a pizza oven. 6/10 pizza but that instantly puts them at #1 in the Rickreall restaurant rankings.

 Jefe's 50th was a fun time.

 Tough to get people motivated for events these days but there was some spirited whiffle ball action.

I'm trying a rotating paddock thing with the chickens, planting things they like (and things they won't eat but I like) and moving fences every few weeks.

Should have named him Dusty. I guess he'll be muddy if it ever rains again.

The 4th annual 1899 Expedition

Being a photographic record of the transport of 10 cases of premium pinot noir from a hilltop vineyard near Dallas to a warehouse in Milwaukee by mule drawn stagecoach, canoe and bicycle.

The stagecoach had four mules to start but one came up lame on Hoffman Road and had to be extracted. We were an hour behind schedule casting off but it worked out fine.

Howie attempts to open a $65 bottle with the old "put it in a shoe and bang it on a bridge support" method. It didn't work but we found a corkscrew eventually.

This random kayak lady on the beach turned out to be pretty cool. A professor and member of a few wine clubs, she was happy to join our circle passing around a bottle of 1899 at lunch.

The Willamette Queen

Leaving Champoeg

#riverpeople

 Classic Litke.

Triple jump at Little Rock Island, always my favorite part of the trip. Thanks, Nature Conservancy!

Leaving Little Rock, such a beautiful passage between the islands and a great feeling knowing we're almost there.

This was a steep hill. In past years we've employed Magpie Messenger for the portage but this year we did it in house, with three trailers and bikes. We had a support car (thanks Bethany!) and traded off on the bikes.

Update!

 Sparkles and the new succulent beds.

 Sunset through the agave.

 Villa Rat, Michoacan style.

The Kid got married! It was a lovely wedding, one of the best I've attended, good job guys!

I will be attending this event.

Wishbones. I worked for T. Danger for a few days and stayed at his and Claire's new apartment. Pretty nice! White carpets, I felt like I was there at the birth of the Congress House, heady stuff.

If you only have room for eight cassettes in your kitchen this is not a bad lineup.

This picture got no love on r/bikeporn but it's foxy to me. 

#rarepuppers

Scenes from a Bachelor Party pt. 2

Photos by Cory the Kid

Mace on the Ditchstyle start ramp. The jumps were in rough shape but Dabby did a great job making them semi-rideable in time for the party.

I think this may have been the largest, hottest fire I've been wholly responsible for.

Smellen showed up on day two and was a delight, as always.

Scenes from a Kid's bachelor party.

I will admit I was a little nervous when Dabby lit this one up but it worked out fine.

 On top of what's left of the lightening oak. The rest has been cut into barrel staves and slabs for tables and headboards. Hit me up if you need that special piece of wood!

Group shot, photo by Mace. So great that so many old friends came out, it was wonderful to see Sharky, Tad, Jefe et al.

 Mace, ever photogenic.

Oh yeah, I got a dog.

Chunder Down Under part 8