In spite of flight cancellations due to snow JB's family made it to California on December 30th.  Tisha's family had driven through rain to get to Southern California and we all got together in Pomona at the Sheraton Hotel for enchiladas, thanks Shelley, and presents.

The first couple of pictures are a house in Ranch Cucamonga that belongs to a Gold Star Family.  They decorated it as a tribute to their son.  The rest are of our family.

Our plans for breakfast at Cable Airport didn't work out as the cafe was closed on New Years Morning so we adjourned to Carrows in Upland.  Then we had to say goodbye to Tisha and her family as they started the long trip home.  We made plans for dinner at Vinces in Upland but alas they were closed too.  We ended up at the Spaghetti Factory for dinner.  At least we didn't go hungry, we are resourceful.

Our last day was spent at the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach where the kids got to play with the fish.  Then it was time to say goodbye as JBs family will leave early in the morning for the flight back to Boston.

Christmas 2010

Nearly 100 motorcycles gathered at the Arcata Veterans Hall for their Veterans Day Run.  Once again the "Texas Truck" took up the "sweeper" position.  We rode through Arcata, Samoa, and Eureka to Sunset Memorial Park for a ceremony that included a rifle salute and Taps.  The ceremony was followed by lunch at the Eureka Veterans Hall.

Veterans Day Run

Following are pictures taken by Stew Hunter of the Veterans Day ceremony at Alta Loma High School.

2010-11-07

Blue Lake School traveled to Field Brook for a spirited game of Basket Ball.  Julia did her part but alas the team came up a little short.

Julia B-Ball

After breakfast at the Grange we headed for the local pumpkin patch for The Medieval Festival. 

2010 Pumpkin Patch

Scout Wesley Frietas and Troop 129 of the Boy Scouts of America conducted a Flag Retirement Ceremony at Riggs Johnston Scout Camp near Eureka.  I took four flags which were showing their age to be "Retired" with dignity.  I handed them to Wesley and told of their use on Run For The Wall.  Wesley handed them to some of the scouts and said, "treat these very carefully".  Completion of this project along with his 21 badges will qualify him as an Eagle Scout.  He plans on joining the Air Force and I'm sure he will be an asset to them.  Only the US Military and the Boy Scouts are permitted to direct these ceremonies.

Flag Retirement

The city of Fortuna had a 9-11 memorial and parade.  The "Texas Truck" was washed and participated in the parade with my new lights flashing.

9-11 Memorial

The crew of the USS Pueblo, AGER-2, met in Eureka for their annual reunion.  My brother, Bob, went to High School with one of the crew, Earl Pharis.  I met with the crew at the host hotel and spent a few minuets with them.

USS Pueblo

Julia and Elisabeth arrive home after spending some time with their dads in Michigan and Portland.  The next day was the "monthly" Bar-B-Q and birthday celebration.  Good food, good friends.

kids home

Bill Ayers came to a book store in Arcata for a signing.  Bill was a founder of the Weather Underground in the 1960's.  This group is known for setting bombs as a war protest.  The group threatened to stop air travel when I was an Air Traffic Controller in Palmdale, CA.  I was one of the people selected to stand guard at the Air Traffic Facility until the Air Force Police arrived to take over that job.  We had armed guards in the facility for several weeks.

The Tea Party showed up to protest his visit.

Bill Ayers

I made a scout trip to the Ventura Pier from Oxnard yesterday.  I was trying to remember how to get around in this area, it has been 45 years since I spent any time here.  It has changed just a little!

This morning the alarm went off at 3:00 AM as I was committed to joining a group that was putting up flags along the promenade.  This group had put up flags before and had most of them stolen or burnt so we will take them down at sunset.  About 30 people showed up and we set up 78 flags as our part of the 4th of July.  They looked real good.

Ventura

About a dozen of our wounded soldiers came to California for a little R & R.  I trailered a bike to the event near Graumans Chinese Theater in Hollywood.  About 40 bikes showed up to escort the warriors on a ride along Pacific Coast Hiway and into Topanga Canyon for lunch.  It was my privilege to provide a ride to 4 soldiers to the lunch and four from the lunch back to their hotel.  The warriors were also invited to the Playboy Mansion later in the evening (I wasn't invited!).  One of the bunnies did show up and did her best to raise moral.

Wounded Warriors 2010

Thanks to Sue, I had two tickets to the Commissioning of the USS Dewey, DDG 105 at the Seal Beach Navy Station.   This Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer became the newest warship in the US Navy.  You may notice that the US Flag is not flown in the early pictures.  As part of this ceremony grants the right to fly the flag of the United States.  The dignitaries on hand included Admiral M G Mullen, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs and many others.  As the ceremony progressed command of the ship was given to Commander Buller who "Set the First Watch" as the ship was given a 21 gun salute from a cannon on the dock.  The crew, who had been standing on the dock then ran aboard to "Man the Rail" as the US Flag was raised and the ship "Came Alive".  A puff of smoke came from the stack as the gun mount and radar antennas came to life, moving around the horizon.  The pennant of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs was raised to show that he was aboard.

USS Dewey