Baja Alert

I'm a little slow in getting this set up, but my stepbrother recently had a Baja adventure. Look at the links to the right and you'll have access to his photos and stories. Check it out. What else do you have to do? You're wasting time here aren't you? Well, I don't have anything to say right now. Take off.

A Trip on a Boat

My mother and her husband own a trawler. A trawler is like an RV on the water. Slow, comfortable, with miniature everything, and a full bar. Maggie and I travelled to Pleasant Harbor (Seattle area except on the Olympic Peninsula side), where there is a marina that houses their boat. The name of the boat "Heart's Desire".

We took the boat out for what was supposed to be a one night, two day adventure. Sound like the beginning to Gilligan's Island? Read on.

Heart's Desire

Mom and Wolfman wasted no time showing how tough boating was. Here they are showing us how to operate the deck chairs and drink, without spilling on one's self, when in the fully reclined position. It's good to learn from experts.

Some friends on another boat at the marina followed us on the trip. They have a small animal named Sassy. (Some objects in pictures appear larger than they are).

Before we even left the harbor (we stayed the first night on the boat in the marina), we had casualties. Maggie took a nasty spill on some flat asphalt (tricky that) and smashed her elbow up pretty good.

Underway! Maggie and Mom talk shop at the stern of the vessel as our powerful wake trails behind them.

We arrived at our overnight destination, a marina near Port Townsend, with a pretty good wind blowing. Mom and I wrestle with the dock lines to keep the boat from drifting into any other boats. It was close,... we missed the "parked" boat next to us by inches. I learned that even if a knot isn't pretty the first time you tie it, you shouldn't try to retie it until the boat is securely docked.

We walked into Port Townsend after we had secured the boat. From a spot downtown, we noticed commotion down in the water just off shore. This sailboat had drug its anchor and been pushed by the wind until it was hitting bottom near the beach. This member of a vessel assist team is showing us the wrong way to board a troubled boat. He hung here for a minute or so until he could be rescued.

Here is the rescuer being rescued. (They pulled the boat away from the beach about 30 minutes later)

Port Townsend showcases some pretty old buildings. It is a cute little place.

This reminds me of Forrest Gump.

You can tell that we were having a good time. We couldn't hide our smiles.

Mom has some saying about "it takes a village to dock a boat", or something like that. Every time a new boat pulls in, everybody with a free hand goes over to catch docking lines and hand out free advice about speed, wind, angles, etc.

Maggie enjoyed preparing meals for everybody.

The source of my weirdness.

Baby seagulls were spotted on this rooftop where their parents had mad a nest. Maggie wanted to take them home, of course.

This cannon doesn't stand a chance against Maggie's sonic death scream.

Maggie made me do it.

I found some otters playing underneath the docks in the marina.

Wolfman usually perches on his driving bench. As we relaxed and "partied" this particular night, the weather turned foul. It was so nasty, that we decided it wasn't quite safe enough to try and go home the next morning as planned. Thus, we stayed and extra day and night. It turned out to be no problem, and made quite the story.

Another Maggie pick.

Class of 1997, Myrtle Point High School Reunion

10 years can go by quickle when you aren't thinking about it. My 10 year high school reunion seemed to come out of nowhere.

Our class president did a fine job of contacting all the members of our class, arranging a fantastic meeting place, and bringing us all together. I'm sure for many of us it will be last time we see each other.

Most of the pictures show the class members and their families and friends milling around. Captions aren't really needed, so they are few and far between.

I also thought about naming all the members as we seem them in the photos, but that is a lot of work, and will only mean something to those in the photos, in which case naming is not needed. If you want to know who somebody is, you'll have to ask me.

Some classmates needed a break during the long afternoon of merriment and conversation.

This was not a member of the class of 1997.

The crowd started to thin out later in the afternoon. This photo shows most of the stragglers.

Yes, that is whiskey.

It just so happened that the Coos County Fair was in town during the reunion. After we wrapped up the outdoor potluck, we took a quick walk through the fair and passed this old bus-stop bench at the high school.

As frequently happens when 20-year-olds are involved, our adventures led us here.

The remainder of the evening was spent with drink in hand and stories of glory days.

I don't know who this man was, but I thought this photo was great.

Our numbers slowly dwindled. Here are some the male classmates posing for a photo before they retired for the night.

Maggie and I walked home with a couple friends. This man decided to "show us what he was working with". Hmm,... seems like I saw that shirt in some other photos,......

Bachelor Party, 2007

Bachelor Party. I haven't blogged about this annual event before. This was due to:

1. No good pictures, or lack of them.
2. The stories were too crude for me to relate.

In truth, the only difference this year is that I have good pictures. The stories might still be crude, so be warned.

For those of you who don't know what Bachelor Party is:

Kramer had a real, standard, run of the mill bachelor party before he got married. He had so much fun, that he decided to re-enact the party every year. The group (termed LOIG: League of Inebriated Gentlemen) participates in some competitions throughout a normal day. Points are accrued. Names are drawn out of hat in the evening. Those with the most points have their name in the hat more than others. First name pulled becomes the "honorary bachelor". The group must buy him drinks all night long, and people we meet are told that he is an actual bachelor. This usually leads to interesting propositions and a good laugh had by all.

The details aren't that important to you, the average blog reader. I realize this. If you liken this whole ordeal to a standard night out with the boys, you are 99% there. Let's focus on the pictures and short stories.

D-med wears protective eye wear during our dodgeball event. Do you think he looks cool?

How about with his hat turned backwards? Yep, that's the ticket.

Pearly sports some sweat soaking attire to keep his eyes clear and his hands dry. He is a fierce dodgeball competitor, and some would even venture to say a good father.

Here's some action! Just look at these athletes push it to the limit!If the Outsiders had engaged in a dodgeball fight at the climax of the story instead a fistfight, it may have looked something like this.

Stadtman is about to give his last lap time at the Malibu Raceway a big thumbs down.

Pearly has the humorous fashion sense of a 15 year old boy.

It appears Kramer has accidentally sat on the stick shift.

Some sweaty LOIG members are seen here playing video games and/or grab ass. No official points were awarded to any of these members for any of these actions.

The photographer appears to be attempting art here.

Which sticks out further, my nose or my Adam's apple? Send me your vote.

Golfing at the par-3 course at Edgefield was the last event of the day. Here is my team posing for a picture.

I thought the boys did a good job posing like aristocrats.

Most people avoid driving balls from the greens.

Oh my! These inflatable wonders sparked quite a controversy when we accidentally dropped them out of our third story hotel room.

That is whiskey. This poor LOIG member overestimated his ability to process large quantities of this drink.
Here is our whiskey-chugging LOIG member about an hour later. We've all know how this story ends,....

The waitress (back left, barely visible in photo) was very helpful when it came to choosing which credit card to pay with. After a few drinks, it's nice to have somebody make decisions for you, especially when it concerns money.

The morning after the party, on the ride home, I give my physically abusive friend D-med an affectionate smile. He is mean, but my love for him clearly can't be hidden.

There it is folks. Of course some pictures were not shown here for legal reasons, but you get the general idea. Maybe some of your male blog readers want to join us next year?