Dad - Rides and Events: 2009

Pics are from top to bottom, click on a pic for a larger pic, text for a pic is under the pic.

I had to do this in two sections, my son Casey's pics are after mine, no way could I thread them together... so it will be a little disjointed having two sections, sorry!

My oldest boy graduated from Oregon State Police Academy first of August! It's been a long hard pull for him! God Bless Ya my boy! Hard worked for and well deserved!

Bit of story... Mike spent 3 years in the Army and doing reserve time and applied to Or for the job. He always wanted to get out of KalEfornYa and this was his opportunity!

It's interesting.. as he was out of state, they had to send an officer down to investigate ALL the counties to see if he had any background... took two years!

Well, after done, the investigator came by and asked the neighborhood folks what he was like, background check...

Of course, stellar was the response! He finally came to the house to talk to Mike and while he was there, I was coming in from a PGR ride, vest and all... he stood up and said "now there is a real biker"!!! I just shook my head.... nnnnoooooo...

Well it turns out that he had a Gold Wing and then bought a Harley and of course, he was a biker!!.... I knew right there, Mike had the job!! GBG

So mike moved up to Tillamook, Or where he would be stationed December 08 and it was traumatic! He had his truck loaded to where the springs were flat and pulling a toy hauler loaded down with a Jeep and much more.... With the Grace of God, he made it!

Well, he went into class beginning of 09 and graduated in Aug, and of course a trip was in order. Mike's daughter came down for a visit (gramaw flew up to Portland and brought her back) and we drove her back.. in a tiny little compartment.. more later...

When Mike moved, he took all he could.. but left some... Mom went up a bit later and we loaded the Rogue down so bad she could hardly see and didn't even have space for her luggage...

Well when we went up... we were loading the "truck" again! And off we go...

Some of Mike's old toys that he wanted for his kids...

Some of his old college books and of course the "truck" was packed!

I opened the tailgate and stuff fell out...

To the top! But we saved a little seat place for Samshel! She was crowded the entire way, but she's a trooper! Mom had to put her luggage under her legs... we were full!

Our first destination was Brookings as I wanted to get the most miles in KalEfornYa as I know how the roads are into Or. We had to have a kid stop and walk, and I can't resist taking pics of the coast....

Gorgeous!

Here's gramaw and Samshel walking on the beach, stretching legs and relaxing....

I didn't get any more on the way up.. driving... Here we are at Mike's place in Tillamook.

Casey, my youngest decide to come up as he and Mike are very close. He flew into Portland and took a bus over to Tillamook and Nisel, Mike's wife picked him up. We left on Thurs and arrived on Friday nite an Mike was still in the academy waiting for Saturday graduation.

So we make it to the graduation site and here are the graduates lined up in formation.

Nisel, Wyatt and gramaw being helped by an OSP Trooper. They are not police, they are Troopers!

Wyatt looking great and in good form!

The crowd in the auditorium... the screens you see were a continuously running slide show of the Troopers during training.

It's a formation thing! GBG I was trying to spot Mike, but the uniform threw me... they kinda all looked alike! GBG

There is Mom Donna and Mike and Casey. It was hard for me to recognize him in uniform! It just blew me away!

Mike's family, Samshel, Nisel, Mike and Wyatt.Sorry for he head turner... and more to come..

Family waiting patiently for the graduation to start.

.. so in preparation, after the meet and greet, all the Troopers left and formed up and marched in and looked grand!

They did a neat trick, went past up and came back by doing a reverse and threading their own lines and reforming and back up front.

Standing tall! The young lady with the flag was small, but I'd bet it would be a bad decision to try to take advantage of it!

Passing inspection and congratulations being given for a job well done.. I'm talking six months of intensive training!

They finally get to the stage and we have some speaches...

After the graduation Mike was allowed to take pics at the stage by the flag, here with Samshel.

Mike and family, all looking good and proud!

Mike and Nisel.

Mike and Casey after the graduation.

Of course mom and I had to get into it....

Mike is showing me where he got hit with a bean bag gun shot, IIRC.

Afterwards it was off to get some lunch and celebrate! Wyatt and Nisel.

Ok, by now you know 'um...

Wyatt at home finally and he's playing with dads truck, we call it Thumper! Love the sound, and have heard it come down the court for many years.. and really miss it now..

Wyatt and Casey by Mike's off road Jeep.

Well next day it was off to Tillamook's great attraction! The Tillamook Cheese Factory! And if you go there, this is a MUST DO!!! For the Ice Cream!!! And Fudge!!!

This lady had one of the 31 flavors platter! I asked her if she was going to eat it all!!! She said NO!!!! Our whole table will! Bet they didn't make it!

All their flavors...

IIRC, this was Rocky Road and butterscotch swirl... the scoops were large and it was CHEAP!!! You hafta try it if there!

Going around our "lunch" table.. it was all we could eat, of course we had to buy some fudge to take with us!

This is the ice cream drool counter!

Ok, they have cheese too!

Mike was showing us some homes he was thinking about, this is an odd tree, I think it was a Monkey Puzzle Tree! It is a puzzle how a monkey could climb it! GBG

Here is Samshel taking some swings, and by golly she really connected with some!

See him flinch! She pounded one!

...wiffel.....

Mike catching up on some yard work.

Casey, Samshel and I were playing frisbee.... That is Mike's toy hauler in front.

Mike got a trash burner. we threw a bunch of stuff in it and tried to light it.. smoked a lot and didn't want to burn... later we found out mom had pulled a bunch of green weeds and they were on the bottom! Fire won out!

It was close to Mikes 30th birthday so a celebration was in order.

Casey has of me taking this.... down a bit...

Mike gets to do the honors.

Wyatt getting his share too.

Here's proof we won!

Next day Mike took us to look at some of the places he was thinking about getting, he's a first time buyer and is trying to get a starter home.

It has blems...

Monday we head back home with Casey. He wanted to come home to visit a bit before back to Reno. I wanted to show them old town Florence on the way back.. funny how things turn out...

We were motoring down the road enjoying the ride down the coast and we saw this BIG sign, "Mo's The best Clam Chowder", and Casey said, "gee, I'd love some clam chowder".... mom was right behind.

So down the road we went looking for Mo's... it was exactly where I wanted to take them!!!!

This is one of the places Sherm took us folks during the FOOLs (Foggies Old Ore Loop) run in '07. Last time when we left, they all took off, and the last I saw of them was Happy Wanderer's tail light, I was slow to get my gear on and and of course had not a clue where I was. I asked a passerby where was 101.. if you can find that, you're GTG all up and down the Or coast! Found it and headed back to Coos Bay.

This is the ice cream place we hit in 07, I stayed away this time.

Heading back on the coast, Casey was shooting now.

------------------ Casey's pics of the trip --------------------------

.....did I say they all looked alike? Well, they filed out for their diploma and each stood by the flag for a photo op, mom, Casey and I kept asking.... is that Mike.... we all missed him as he stood there, sigh but when his name was mentioned, we both ran but I took the wrong route and Casey got a cell phone shot! Mike with diploma and the brass!