POSTING GLITCH
November 30, 2012
Yesterday, when I wanted to post pictures from Portland, the post managers changed the way pictures load. They never tell you about changes. They just arbitrarily let you figure it out for yourself. Jim admitted having difficulty as well. He figured it out and helped me out. The new process created an extra step to load pictures, and your pictures no longer load in sequence, they always move to the top position. Rather than improving the process they made it more difficult. We figure these guys want to impress the boss, or need to validate their presence as an employee so they suggest “improvements”. Hah! It would improve things if they’d get input from users first.
I have a hoard of bridge pictures. One of my brothers worked retrofitting and building new bridges for many years. He decided to move about the country and take pictures of bridges because many of them are replaced as roads expand and population increases. Now, wherever I go, I take pictures of bridges. This one brings you into Portland from the Southeast if I remember correctly.
And this picture tells a story. Makes you wonder if the quest was successful.
Pioneer Square in Portland is loaded with water fountains, water animal sculptures and fun. If you visit, don’t miss Pioneer Square.
It is raining outside. Supposedly we will get flood stage rains of 12 inches. Time to get out the rowboat or I’ll be stranded. My car is in the Toyota Dealership 60 miles away getting a new battery pack. Supposed to be windy, too. Time to make flight arrangements back to the Motor Home.
WAITING FOR A TOW
November 29, 2012
I’m driving for the second time since my surgery and decided to have lunch with a friend 9 miles away in Angels Camp. The Prius battery pack, way over warranty, protested by not shifting gears when I went up a steep hill. Stuck! I waited in a rain drenched spot on the side of the road for one hour. Luckily I had a magazine to read. When the tow truck appeared, they didn’t have the proper equipment to tow a Prius. I had to abandon my vehicle and return home. The tow company has it in their yard and will deliver it this morning to Modesto Toyota. I guess it wasn’t a wasted day. I played with pictures all afternoon. I was able to load one picture only this morning because the post editor has changed something fundamental about uploading pictures. And, nothing else will load. I guess it is like waiting for the tow. It will eventually get fixed.
Anyway, this is a clever sculpture as part of a building in downtown Portland, OR.
BICYCLING AMERICA
October 20, 2011
I have friends who walked across the United States at 61 and 63. They came up against the brick-bats of a world made for cars 28 years ago. Their journey revealed the total disregard for humans over the automobile. It was evidenced in driveways, street crossings, short cuts, freeway overpasses without pedestrian or bike lanes, attempting to cross bridges with signs that warned NO PEDESTRIANS ON BRIDGE. Especially dangerous were freeways, four or five lane highways with no place for a walker or bicycle to cross without walking miles out of their way, and often no meridian center to stand on to make the second half of a crossing. The highway engineers were basically saying, you cannot cross this river or this highway, or this freeway if you are on foot. And, now, they wall freeways in with huge costly edifices to protect residents from noise.
This week I learned about the guy who got a $42 fine after killing a bicycler. Then another about a driver (who refused toxicology and breathalyzer tests) who plowed into five bicyclers. Five! Outrageous. The number of bicycle deaths is unacceptable. I got a message from Pot Calling the Kettle Black from Delaware who has a blog about bicycling in his state. It seems to me its time to go National with this problem. There must be a bike organization in every state. In any case, check out his blog at:
http://www.bikede.org/2011/10/19/pot-calling-the-kettle-black/#comment-1397
And BikePortland.org as well. If you are unfamiliar, as I was with the bicycling community, you will learn a lot. My whole perception of bicyclers has been quickened by this accident and has changed me forever. It shouldn’t take an accident. Previously, I thought of bicyclers as hobbyists, racers, trekkers, exercisers, but not as pursuing an alternative method of everyday transportation and long distance vacation travel, even though my youngest daughter is a bicycle commuter. It could be your son, daughter, parent or grand child who meets an offending vehicle on a bike. PLEASE DRIVE SAFELY AND MAKE IT A POINT TO SEE BICYCLES AND PEDESTRIANS.
As I said once before, the words are inadequate.
Maybe we should tax vehicles by the mile and more people would stay off the road or use alternative methods of travel for short distances, and promote public transportation.
Geez! All I do is rant anymore. Must be time for me to get back on the road.
Famous Roadside Sign In Chehalis, Washington
September 24, 2011
Since the early 1960′s there has been a very interesting Uncle Sam billboard sign alongside of Interstate Highway 5 in Chehalis, Washington. We are currently camped at a Thousand Trails RV Resort just a few miles away…so we decided to visit this famous roadside attraction. Chehalis sits about half-way between liberal-Democratic Portland, Oregon and Seattle, Washington and is heavy-duty conservative Republican country. You can click upon the images to make them larger…
Southbound view of sign…
Northbound view of sign…
The following two links will give you a lot of interesting background in formation about this sign…
http://www.roadsideamerica.com/tip/6002
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D05E1D9133EF93BA15752C1A9629C8B63
Another joy of the full-time RVing lifestyle is seeing the many unusual roadside attractions.
All original material Copyright – Jim Jaillet 2011
For more information about my three books, click this link:
http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/panamaorbust
2gadabout
ramblinmanjimj
