Want to get better? Do this ....

Over my 41+ years of teaching in San Jose, I have been asked many many times, "What can I do to get better?" Well, here is my simple answer. I call it my 

Daily Routine for Sustained Improvement

 

1 – Long Tone Routine

2 – Lip Slur Routine

3 – 3- (or 5-) note patterns

4 – Scales

      Major 3 octaves

      Minor (2 octaves)

            Relative

            Harmonic

            Melodic

5 – Legato study (i.e. Bordogni, Rochut, anything legato)

            Normal tuba register

            Octave lower

6 – Kopprasch 

7 – Tyrell

8 – Blazevich

9 – Music for auditions

            Solos

            Excerpts

Try it, IT WORKS!

Enjoy!

Train Blog, December 21, 2021

Aboard the California Zephyr, Train #6

As you all know, I LOVE train travel. If I hit the lotto, I am going to buy a personal train car and live on the train. Some people retire, and live aboard a cruise ship; not me. It’s on the train, Brother. In these new normal times, things aboard are bit different. Not only is everyone masked, but train service is different than it was. The whole crew seems to be on edge. There is no real feeling that they WANT you to have an enjoyable journey. I felt like I was putting the crew out get salad dressing, or my bed made up. They seemed to have trouble getting me a DIET Coke. Staying in the “H” room (look it up), I hit the attendant call button, and the guy NEVER showed up. Lunch is first come, first served. By the time I made my way to the dining car, there was 28 people ahead of me; I ate at 1:20. The next day, I showed up at the appointed hour (noon), and rudely was told to wait outside. When I sat in an empty bedroom waiting for the diner to open, the conductor chewed me out. Normally, for dinner, they come by your room to get your reservation; the person who did that never showed up. I had to ask my car attendant (Chris, I always get their name) to bring me my dinner. One of the things I love about train travel is meeting people over a leisurely dinner. I missed out on that.

The last trip I took (March 2021), all of the food, while tasty, was pre-packaged and microwaved. It was nice to see they had chefs on board and they are cooking meals fresh again. BACK on the menu is the perennial “crappy side salad.” Even though I have changed my eating regime, the portions are small; I’ll have to bring snacks next time. One odd thing: the menu had no prices on it. When I asked, I was told, “Only sleeping car passengers eat in the dining car.” I guess, since meals are included, no prices are needed. However, if you are in coach, your only meal choice is to get something (microwaved) from the café car. Imagine vending machine food, or food you can get in a gas station freezer; prepackaged chips, cookies, baked goods and the like. You get the idea.

Once more, I was glad I had my toolkit aboard. The door on my room was one of those heavy metal sliding things. When the train took a left hand turn, the door slid closed, and SLAMMED on the door jamb; right turn, it slammed open. Thank God for 3M duct tape. While I could not really get my room temperature right, I did NOT (for a change) have to duct tape over the air vents. In fact, at one point in time, I had to remove one of my shirts as it got too hot in my room.

They are really serious about the masking (thankfully), and get right on you if you are unmasked. Last night, a woman was PUT OFF THE TRAIN because she refused to wear a mask. Good for Amtrak!

While I really love train travel, this trip was not so good. Hopefully, the next one will be better.

A story to tell ...

 ... so, years ago (in a galaxy far, far .... nononono), as a student at Cal State Northridge, there came a time when I needed a bass trombone. Most guys were playing Conn 62Hs, or Holton 180s or Bach 50Bs. It was well know that Larry Minick was making GREAT trombones. He put the valves in line, hand hammered the bells and made incredible slides. So I went to his shop to ask (PLEAD) with him to make me a trombone. As he was the master, and extremely busy, he agreed to put me on his (THEE) list. Then came the news of the cost. Now bear in mind, this was the late 1970's and I was making 2 bucks ($2) an hour in the music store. The cost: $1,200 (plus $72 sales tax); do the math (1,272÷2). 612 hrs to pay for this horn. I was freelancing some at the time (35 buck church gigs) and more money than this came in, but it was GOING to be hard. So, I gave him a $500 down payment (after finagling a couple tuba sales). I figured I had time. I saved my money as I could and awaited the arrival of my custom built Minick version of the Conn 62H; gold brass bell, 2 valves in-line as was all the rage. Tuning in the bell. I wondered about that, but no one EVER questioned Larry's designs. Bach and Holton were making bass trombones with 10" bells at the time (maybe they still do?). He once made a 71H with a 12" bell (yes, TWELVE inches). Apparently, he cut the bell off a Conn french horn and crazy glued it (not really) onto a bass trombone. I walked into the shop and asked, "What the heck is that?" Simply, he said, "If bigger is better, mine's the best." I hear JJ Johnson ended up with that horn, but who knows? He once took a 72H and grafted a THIRD valve onto it, in line! It looked cool as hell, but weighed almost as much as my Mirafone 180-5U F tuba! Anyway, the day came and a phone call from Larry, "Clements? Horn's Done." CLICK. (Typical call from Larry). YIKES! I still owed him about $600 and I didn't have the scratch. Sheepishly, I went to his shop with about $37. I said, "Larry, this is all I got." If you need to sell the horn to someone else, go ahead, I understand. I'll get the next one." He said, "Take it and pay me when you can. And if you EVER tell anyone, I'll kick your ass, and take the horn back." I was shocked. I knew under that gruff exterior beat a heart of gold, but *I* never saw it. Here it was. I sent him $5, $17, whatever I had after paying my bills and ONE DAY, I paid it off. IN FULL. I jumped for joy when I got his invoice labelled "PAID IN FULL" in big red letters.

Jump ahead a few years. I was playing SJ Symphony and freelancing all over the bay area and doing some soloing with college bands.  I had a wonderful bright young student who was studying bass trombone with me. There came a time where HE needed an instrument. Remembering the kindness Minick showed me, I sold this trombone to the student for exactly what I paid for it $1,200. He went on to have a terrific career and is a well known personality in the Los Angeles Area. If he lets me, I'll tell his name later.

So, why am I telling you this now? I got asked to play "The Nutcracker" this week (12/9-12), bass trombone. I sold my Shires years ago and got a King Duo Gravis just in CASE I had to play bass bone somewhere. This is NOT a symphonic trombone. In my efforts to find an appropriate instrument, I called around. I got two instruments delivered today, one was a trial and was expected. I had NO idea what the second box could be. Upon opening the box, there was an OLD Conn trombone case. What do you supposed was in the case? Yep. The Minick. 

I wept.

Baseball Blog.

 Why I’m not watching Baseball Anymore.

I have been a lifelong baseball fan. My dad took me to my first MLB game at the Polo Grounds. The Mets played there and my favorite player, Joe Christopher, was patrolling center field. We sat RIGHT behind him. At one point in time, I yelled out (during the in between innings), “HEY JOE!” He turned and waved. I almost jumped out of my skin! 1962, and I remember it like it was yesterday. After that game, my dad took me to some games in the Bronx, and when Shea opened, we went to several games in Flushing. As wonderful as those times were, it was not like the time Joe Christopher waved to me.

Since that time, I have always loved baseball. I love everything about the game. I love the mano-a-mano, when a great pitcher faces a great hitter. Get ‘em on, get ‘em over, get ‘em in. “Hit it where they ain’t.” Rickey Henderson causing absolute chaos on the base paths. Reggie’s 3 home runs on three pitches. Kirk Gibson. The Ryan Express (and his 7 no hitters). Mark McGwire’s 70 HR season. I know it was steroid induced, but you can’t duplicate THAT kind of excitement in America’s Pastime.

So, why I have I turned my back on baseball? Let me count the ways:

1 – Rules Changes. 

It started with no 4 pitches for an intentional walk. If the defense wants to walk the batter, they simply wave him over to first. How many times, during an IBB did the pitcher throw the ball away, and the runner got to 2^nd? Or the pitch was too close, and the batter hit the ball anyway?

Mound visits. OK, I understand that many managers go to the mound too many times. There was already SOME kind of limit; 2 times, and you yank the pitcher. But it was all part of the strategy, PLUS it gave your reliever a few more pitcher to get ready. Now only THREE times for the entire game? Don’t tell me “pace of game.” You want to speed up the game? Cut the commercials.

Play review. This is a GREAT addition. Yes, it slows the game, but isn’t it all about getting the call right? BUT, how come only SOME plays can get reviewed? Either everything gets reviewed, or nothing gets reviewed.

Double headers. This fries my cookies. Double headers are now 7-inning affairs. What the hell? Are not these guys professional athletes? Aren’t they young and in tip top shape? Hell, I play a senior softball league (60+, some are 80!), we play 7 inning double headers 3-4 days a week. AND we stay for batting practice some days. And the worst:

In extra innings, the offense starts with a guy on 2^nd. What the hell is THAT? Is this a ‘pace of game’ thing, or what?

Coming – the pitch clock. What is this, basketball??

        Also coming - banning the shift? WTF? If the players shift on ya, hit (or bunt) it the other way. Aren't you a professional hitter? In my senior softball league, we have guys that hit the ball all over the field. For cryin' outloud.

2 – Three True Outcomes

There is no more action in baseball. These guys have forgotten how to play the game.  Over THIRTY FIVE PERCENT (35%) of the time, the result of an at bat is a home run, walk or a strikeout. Everybody swings for the fences, even the little guys who would get on base, and make something happen. The ball parks are smaller, and everybody wants to be Hank Aaron, making the big swing. HEY MLB, home runs are boring. No action, nothing happens. You see too much of a thing, and it gets mundane, like homeruns. ALL MLB fences should be 400’. A big-league slugger should be able to hit the ball 400’. If not, we see the game we all used to love. Walk, walk, strike out, strike out, home run, zzzzzzzzzz. I’m going home.

3 – Selfish Assholes.

Sadly, the ball players of today are not that concerned with winning. It is all about personal stats, so they can negotiate that big contract. No team loyalty. It’s all about who’s gonna pay me more. Lindor turned down an offer from the Mets for 10 years, THREE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-FIVE Million dollars. $325,000,000 ($32.5M per year) is not enough? For God’s sake, how much money do you need? Poor guy, he had to settle for $350M, for 10 years. Watch, he’ll get hurt and end up sitting on the bench for the second 5 years of his contract, mark my words. Which leads me to:

4 – Too Many Injuries

With all these experts and the HUGE investment in ball players, can’t MLB figure out how to train these guys, so they can stay on the field? Think about the players of yore, who went out there despite crippling injuries (JR Richard, Mantle, Koufax). I bet Pete Rose was out there with EVERYTHING hurting. These guys are such PUSSIES that they bench themselves for an upset stomach, or “shoulder tightness,” or a hangnail. These big boppers pump so much iron to build up strength (for the long ball, see above), that they are fragile and get hurt with an odd swing, or running to first. Stanton ($30M per year) only plays 4 days a week, only DHs, and is hitting under .200 (as of April 2021). This guy is as fragile as porcelain.

5 – Too much Advertising (see #3 above)

Now that MLB is paying these obscene salaries to fragile ballplayers, SOMEone has to pay for it. If you watch a game on TV, the outfield wall is PLASTERED with advertising. Behind home plate has computer generated ads, with the ball players masked over the green screened ads. You are BOMBARDED with advertising. While the next batter approaches the plate, the broadcast splits the screen, so an ad can get thrown up there before the pitch. Ads run constantly on the bottom of the screen. They talk about ‘pace of game.’ Want to speed up the game? Cut the between commercials BACK to 2 minutes; that’ll speed up the game. Also, this year (2021) all the uniforms have the Nike “swish” near the right shoulder. Every time the camera shows a guy, there is the Nike logo, I think “NIKE,” which is what they intended. And that leads me to:

6 – Actually ATTENDING the game …

… has gotten SO expensive, that it has to be put into the family budget, or one has to have a lot of disposable income or work for a company that has season tickets. In S.F., PARKING is $50! Forget about the $10 beers, $7 hotdogs and the cost of everything else AT the ballpark. I won’t get into ticket costs. After paying all this money, IF your favorite player is playing, there is a GREAT chance he will strike out a couple of times or be walked. I went to a Giants/Cardinal game in SF once. I went to StubHub and paid WAY too much for tickets in great seats to see Albert Pujols play; he wasn’t in the lineup. He PH in the 7^th inning, 3 pitches, K. Sit down, Albert. Yeah, we’re paying those bloated salaries, too.

7 – Absolutely MISERABLE Umping.

Go to YouTube and do a search for MLB Worst Umpires. It boggles my mind how some of these guys are still working. If I made 1% of the mistakes these guy make, I’d NEVER get paid to play the tuba again. Look up CB Bucknor, or Angel Hernadez, or Joe West. Hernandez just sued MLB because he didn’t get offered to UMP in the post season. Case got thrown out of court. Hey Angel, YOU STINK! THAT’S why you didn’t get asked. Now these guys think they can act with impunity (like cops), and they are now INSTIGATING incidents, and they eject ballplayers for giving it back to them. In baseball, umpires should be invisible, NOT effecting the outcome of the game. And it's time for the robo-ump calling balls and strikes. MLB - just DO IT!

So, dear readers, this is why I won’t be watching baseball on TV, attending any games, purchasing MLB gear, or supporting MLB in any way or fashion. 

Do you want to watch the game the way it is supposed to be played? With 100% commitment, love & joy, with all-out effort, teamwork and excellence? Watch Women’s College Softball. That’s the way the game is SUPPOSED to be played.

As usual, your comments are welcome and encouraged.

Tony Clements Mouthpieces.

Friends,

I have gone back into production on my Tony Clements Mouthpieces, affectionately called "The Soup Can." The description of the various models follows:

I designed these mouthpieces because I wanted to try to get different results from the same mouthpiece. I made the four mouthpieces using BASICALLY the same rim on each; they are slightly curved and cushioned, similar to a Mirafone C4. Further, I made them all heavy walled, as I liked the feel of the extra metal on the mouthpiece, rather like the Monet, R&S Helleberg, Mike Finn and the Deck. If you go back and forth between these mouthpieces, your chops won’t feel the difference, but because of their different construction, different results will be afforded with little effort.

Left to right: Orchestra, Ensemble, Utility, Solo

 

ORCHESTRA (1.32”) – I made this deep mouthpiece to play large orchestra works (with 10-12 cellos and 8-9 basses) and situations where I wanted maximum fundamental and the broadest sound I could get. This model works well with the largest 6/4 tubas. I have had great success with this mouthpiece on the Yorkbrunner (and now the YamaYork), the Gronitz PCK & PCM, Eastman 6/4, MW 6450 Baer, the Wessex Prokofiev BBb, and the 164 Alexander. Several clients have purchased this mouthpiece for use with the Mirafone 191 and the 1291 with excellent results.

 

ENSEMBLE (1.32”) – This mouthpiece has the same ‘feel’ as the Orchestra model; the rim is identical. The cup is SLIGHTLY shallower and the throat is smaller. I use this mouthpiece on the MW Tuono, Hirsbrunner HB2, Alexander 163 and the Gronitz PCM, as well as Mirafone 186 & 188. This mouthpiece also works well on the YamaYork, when I need a bit more projection. I have used it on my Gronitz F’s (FZ-127 & PF-125) and the NP Meinl Weston, when I wanted my F tuba to sound like a CC. I use this mouthpiece in smaller orchestral settings (6-8 cellos & 4-5 basses) or where I want a slightly lighter sound, as in quintet. This is the best all around mouthpiece as it makes PLENTY of sound when needed; yet you can get real light and soft on it.

 

UTILITY (1.30”) – The rim on this mouthpiece is identical to the Orchestra and Ensemble, but it is just SLIGHTLY smaller. I intended this mouthpiece to be able to do everything; band, orchestra & chamber music. This mouthpiece is exceptional for sousaphone and BANDA MUSIC, where high volume and focus of sound is needed. I have had several students and clients purchase this mouthpiece for 4/4 German-Style rotary tubas, and I think it sounds great. Also, it is a wonderful bass (F/Eb) tuba mouthpiece.

 

SOLO – (1.30”) – I made this mouthpiece because of the demands of many solo works. This mouthpiece is nearly identical to the UTILITY, except that the throat is more open and the cup is slightly shallower. With the shallow cup, this mouthpiece has exceptional projection qualities. I’ve used this mouthpiece on the MW Norm Pearson F, Yamaha 641F, Alex 163 & Gronitz PCM CCs and the Gronitz FZ & Dehmal F’s. Works played on this mouthpiece are Bydlo, Gregson Concerto, Morning Song, Bach E-flat Sonata, and Fantastique. If you want to pop out a high B-flat, this mouthpiece will make it happen.

 

They are heavy silver plated. My mouthpieces are carried exclusively by Tim's Band Instruments, in Carmichael, California. Contact them for purchase: info@timsbis.com 

Thank you!

"Star Wars" Musings

Everybody has opinions about “Star Wars.” Here are MY thoughts:

I LOVE STAR WARS. Everything about it. ALL the movies, toys, Legos, fan events, EVERYTHING. Need a couple hours to kill? A New Hope is at hand, or Empire Strikes Back.

I went to OPENING NIGHT in 1977 with my dear friend, Vic Steelhammer. It was the summer and we were both working at Marriott’s Great America, an amusement park in Santa Clara, California, as musicians. We went to the Oakridge Theaters in a nearby mall. It was Vic & I, and about 30 other people. I remember walking out thinking, “What the heck was that?” It was just a swashbuckling, space movie; and WHO GETS THE GIRL? Little did I suspect what a society-changing event I had attended. I liked it but had many questions. Vic and I suspected it was left open for sequels (DUH!). But I WAS HOOKED! I never got into action figures (who knew what they would be worth now?), books, trading cards, toys or other merchandise. I could not WAIT for Episode 5 (or would they work BACKWARDS to Episode 3?). I stood in line for tickets and seats for EVERY film after that. Needless to say, I am a fan in every sense of the word. Having said THAT, I in no way, think the films are perfect, or in some cases better than average. So, here are my musings:

Episode IV – PERFECT, but who gets the girl? Carrie Fischer – WOW! Who is this Harrison Ford? And what the heck is a Wookie? Droids, space fights, discovering “The Force,” Death Star blowing up. YIKES, what a ride! Hated Obi-Wan dying, though. DARTH VADER! The BADDEST bad guy ever!

Episode V – How can you NOT like Lando? All this talk about Yoda, did ANYONE think that little green Muppet was the great Jedi Master? What a GREAT surprise! And all the space battles and VEHICLES!! When Luke first uses The Force to get his light saber out of the snow…

Episode VI – Luke a Jedi? LOVED Jabba! I was sorry the re-make of IV put him in; when I first saw Episode VI, I was COMPLETYELY surprised by his appearance. The rescue of Solo, “Someone who loves you!” Waaaaaaah, I was in tears! The pure evil of the Emperor and the salvation of Darth Vader! What GREAT writing.

Episode I – Jake Lloyd, REALLY? This kid was supposed to be the Chosen One. What terrible acting, no real screen presence and stiff, stilted acting. Not at ALL believable. There have been some GREAT child actors (think Billy Mumy and Ron Howard). Ya mean with all those stage door mothers, they couldn’t find a kid that sparkles on screen? REALLY? Oye. Don’t get me started about Jar-Jar Binks. I couldn’t believe this waste of screen time. My only thought was, like Yoda, maybe this guy is a Jedi Master. I could only hope. Darth Maul was bad ass, and I really hated seeing Qui-Gon dying, I like Liam Neeson.

Episode II – Like Jake Lloyd, Hayden Christiansen was JUST AWFUL. AND I couldn’t stand all of his whining and his complete inability to follow the directions of his mentor. Had I been Obi-Wan, I’da bounced Anakin; he was a loser. Really more trouble than he was worth. Let Mace Windu train him, the crybaby! How come NONE of the Jedi Masters could tell Emperor Palpatine was a Sith? And what would EVER possess Amidala to allow Jar-Jar to sub for her in the Senate? There was NO ONE more qualified than that dope? UnBELIEVable.

Episode III – I had high hopes for this, wishing against wish that Christiansen would be better. NOPE! More of the same whining and insubordination. I couldn’t understand why the Jedi Council didn’t just drop kick him out of the program.  Yeah, yeah, then we wouldn’t have a movie. But do SOMETHING that makes sense. And still, NO ONE senses Palpatine is a Sith. LOVED Amidala’s clothes, though. Great battles and what a wonderful turn of events when the clones turned on the Jedi. Who expected THAT? Great tie-in to Episode IV, with Leia going to Organa, and Luke going to Tatooine, under Obi-Wan’s watchful eye.

Episode VII – Loved Finn. BB-8 – another stupid droid. Cute but unnecessary to the plot. They couldn’t find another way to get the map to Leia? Sorry Daisy, completely unbelievable as a hero. With NO TRAINING WHATSOEVER, she can hold her own against Kylo Ren. A trained Jedi/Sith and a scavenger with NO TRAINING can keep him at bay? I am all for female heros, but they have to be believable; Rey was not. Could not STAND Kylo’s moronic emotional outbursts. It was GREAT seeing Chewy and Han back aboard the Millennium Falcon. LOVED Maz Kanata. STARKILLER BASE? If it is a whole planet, how do they AIM the thing? And after the resistance blew up TWO Death Stars, the First Order couldn’t figure out how to protect the StarKiller base? Ben Killing Han ….. Waaaaaaaaah. Crying again!

Episode VIII – Luke throwing the light saber over his shoulder – BRILLIANT! I really liked the way the First Order relentlessly pursued the resistance and drained their fuel reserves. I like Laura Dern. GREAT hero but would have liked to see her DO more. Leia flying through space – Aaaaaaaaahahahahahahahaha! I know watching Sci-Fi our belief in reality gets suspended, but I mean REALLY? Rose = loser. Question: does Rey & Finn get together, or does Finn go for Rose? More Poe insubordination. Why doesn’t Leia just shove him out an airlock? Or use The Force to keep him in line? (These aren’t the droids you are looking for).

Episode IX – Sorry, Daisy Ridley is just not believable in this role. There have been a NUMBER of wonderful women actors who would have been MUCH better in this role. Look at all the Marvel and DC heroines. For heaven’s sake, get one of THEM; Rebecca Romijn, for instance. Kylo Ren reaching through space to grab Rey’s beads – WTF?? And their fight through space? Didn’t Han say, “The force doesn’t work that way?” Han speaking with Ben? Han has a force ghost? Or was this just a Ben hallucination? OK. Palpatine’s resurrection: This completely NEGATES the whole Darth Vader salvation from ROTJ. Didn’t the Emperor get chucked into the abyss by Darth Vader? Where’s he been all these years? Dozens of Snoke Clones? WTF? Some of this stuff is just too out of canon for me. I really liked the movie, but come on? The kiss?? WHAT?!? I thought Rey & Finn were an item. Now I’m REALLY confused. Liked the ending, “Rey Skywalker.”

Other “Star Wars” Movies:

Rogue One – The BEST. What a cast. Great writing, great story. Incredible tie-in to “A NEW HOPE.” My second favorite (after A New Hope)

Solo – Tremendous back story fill in for Han’s story. How can you NOT like Woody Harrelson’s character? And his band of thieves? I was disappointed that Qi-ra double crosses Han. Donald Glover is a EXCEPTIONAL Lando. I really enjoyed how he cheats Han out of his winnings, then Han wins the Falcon from him. Good backstory on how Han and Chewie become friends.

So, there you go. Comments and corrections encouraged and welcomed below.

Thank you for reading my blog.

P.S. Oh, did I mention the ground-breaking music?

June Run, 2017

TRIP LOG

June 2017

Day 1, June 7.

I hit the road about 10:30 and decide to skip Hwy 17 and head down 101 to 126 over to Watsonville. There is a lot of traffic, and the ride is not enjoyable, but I know GREAT roads lie ahead. After hitting Carmel, I ride down the Carmel Valley Road. I have never been to Carmel Valley; it is a nice small town and I make this my first gas stop. It is here that I discover I did not set up the GoPro to shoot time lapse photos and ended up with 1 hour and 29 minutes of crappy freeway driving. I turn it off and figure I'll try again tomorrow.

Leaving Carmel Valley, I headed sound on the CVR and route myself through the hills on roads that I HAVE ridden before: Arroyo Seco, Elm, Jolon, Interlake, Naciemento Lake, Adelaide, Klau Mine Road, Chimney Rock (which I never saw) Road, onto Vinyard, Hwy 46 then Santa Rosa Creek Road. 17 miles of Santa Rosa Creek road is very similar to Tunitas Creek Road off Skyline up in my neck of the woods. This road is in very poor shape and is badly patched. In 3 places there are short sections of NO road, but gravel has been laid down. Many of these small roads are in need of repair. I have seen many signs that say, "Roadwork ahead." Which I have come to understand really means, "Some of the road is washed away and we put some cones down." Cambria is as beautiful as ever. I head down Hwy 1, rushing to meet Linda Price in Morro Bay. As I pull off in Morro Bay, there is a text from Linda, she is wetting her whistle in a nearby watering hole. I grab us a couple room at a nearby hostelry and meet here there. After some dinner, we head to our hotel. Only it wasn't our hotel. I thought I booked 2 rooms at the Motel 6. So here we are trying to make our keys work in the right rooms, wrong hotel. Of course I had already schlepped all my gear up the stairs. The hotel I DID book the rooms in was right next door, so I moved my trappings next door. Nice room, a bit chilly. Linda and I go over our route for the next day, and after a few laughs, bid each other good night. 

262 road miles, 5 hours, 4 road minutes.

Day 2, June 8

I pack up and meet Linda down by our bikes. She and Colleen have bought a BEAUTIFUL Pearl White Can Am 3 wheeler. It suits Linda to a T. We have breakfast on the water and hit the road (Hwy 1 S) at 8:30. We cruise through SLO and get onto Hwy 101 S. Just above Santa Maria, we connect to Hwy 166. A ways down, we head south on CA 33. It looks like the next gas is in Ojai, 50 miles away, and my bike says Range: 60. GULP. Well, I hope we make it. Hwy 33 is in the middle of NOWHERE. A ways in, there is a bar/store/gas station. I pull off, NO GAS.  Sign says, "Next gas 40 miles." Harley says, "Range 50 miles." I slow the pace quite a it for the sake of fuel management. We get up to about 5,200 feet elevation and I decide to coast downhill. At this point the bike says range = 40 miles with gas 30 miles away. All of a sudden (after coasting for a bit) the bike says range = 50 miles, then 60, then finally 63. As we approach Ojai, I have plenty of fuel in the tank. As I fill up, I decide to use the old fashioned method of fuel calculation. How many miles/how much gas. I am getting 33+ mpg. 6 gallon tank, I should be good for 180 miles. I won't worry the next leg. We get onto 150 to 126 to 136 and head up the Linda's cabin. We stop for fuel (this leg, 35+ mpg) and supplies and head up. They have a beautiful place overlooking Lake Gregory. Linda is a wonderful host and there is a CHANCE Colleen will make it up. Linda has a well stocked room for adult beverages. I suppose consumption is next. 

337 road miles, 7 hours 40 minutes road time.

Day 3, June 9

I left PPYC at 9:00 after a wonderful cheese omelette created by my host, Linda Price. She led me to Hwy 18, which was going to be my point of departure from Crestline. If you haven't been on Hwy 18, WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU WAITING FOR? This road is awesome. It is also called the Rim of the World Highway. Believe me, it lives up to its name. It rises up to 7,300+ feet, and the views are spectacular. After passing small towns such as Rimcrest & Skyforest, what goes up, MUST come down, so as I descend I frequently put the bike in neutral and let 'er coast. At Big Bear, there is a lot of construction on Hwy 18. SOMEHOW I navigate all the detou rs and find myself heading UP Hwy 18, towards Hwy 247. After you come off the mountains, you are in the desert. 247 going up towards Barstow is in the middle of nowhere; flat, straight, hot. Wind blowing like crazy from the left (west), bike leaned over. At Barstow, I stop in a juice bar, where the young woman makes me a carb free, espresso smoothie. It was very refreshing, prepping me for that AWFUL I-15. I-15 SUCKS. Flat, desert, hot, miles and miles of solidified petroleum product. AND, there is awful traffic. 69 miles to my turn off. Freaking YUCK. At Baker, I get off fuel up and drink the water Linda gave me. What I didn't finish, I pour on my shirt. With all the coasting, this tank I get 40+ mpg. This gives me a theoretical 240 miles fuel range. Route 127 is 56 miles of hot (100º), rolling, desert riding. In 56 miles, I pass 21 cars. About 2 miles south of Shoshone, there is a TERRIBLE automobile accident. A car CREAMED into the side of a hill, and is demolished. Sheriffs, fire trucks, ambulances, road crews, it's a mess. Someone got hurt real bad. I roll into Shoshone and stop at the Shoshone Inn. The door is open, but no one was in. I helped myself to a cup of water (several actually) and a nice cool apple in the bowl on the counter. I walk around back where Rebecca is cleaning rooms. As I chat with Rebecca, the owner, Pam, drives up and I get a nice room in the back. It's early, but I'll get a good night's rest and go through Death Valley before it gets too hot.

212 road miles, 4 hours, 30 minutes road time.

Things I learned today:

•When riding in a cross wind, relax. Keep your arms loose, lean the bike INTO the direction of the wind and BREATHE. You will be fine.

•CONVERSELY, it is really eerie with the wind at your back and it is nearly SILENT as you roll down the road.

•Trucks coming the other way will really give you a blast. Put the bike in the center of the lane so when they blast you, you have room to get shoved by the wind to the right.

•I am not as smooth in the twisties as I used to be. I need to take a brush up riding class. I also don't know how far I can lean the bike over.

•The bike is still not packed right, it's too top heavy; I'll try something else tomorrow.

•If you want to do ANY motorcycle touring (pavement riding only) you HAVE to consider a Road Glide. This bike is PERFECT FOR THIS TRIP.

•MOST IMPORTANTLY - When you are riding in real heat (95-100º), leave your jacket on. With vents open and a wet t-shirt, your gear acts like an old swamp cooler, and you can easily ride in that kind of weather. Heading due east, with the wind coming out of the south, I actually felt COOL inside my jacket. PLEASE, do not be tempted to ride in your shirt only.

Day 4, June 10

I bid the Shoshone Inn a hearty farewell @7:30 and as I drive out, Rebecca is arriving at work. I bid her goodbye and head out. There is nothing open in Shoshone before 10 AM so eating will have to wait. There are two roads into Death Valley, 190 and the longer 127. I opt for the latter and plan on getting into Furnace Creek in the 9:00 hour. At 7:30 AM, it is 83º, and before long my thermo indicates 91º.  This road (127) dips down to a GPS indicated -256 ft below sea level. I pull up into Furnace Creek, fuel up and head into the village. EVERYTHING looks closed. I spot a young couple eating something and I ask if there is anything to eat there. The man is having no part of me, but the woman cheerfully approaches me and points me in the direction of the buffet (only choice). $12.12 for all you can eat. I opt for the 'lots of stuff' scramble, bacon, and sausage links. I make a big glass of ICE coffee and top the whole thing off with a bowl of watermelon and honeydew (the green one). I snag an apple and a banana for on the road. I hear from Jack, he's planning a 5 PM rendezvous in Lone Pine. I'll get there before noon so we plan a meet in Lee Vining (from where this is being written). In Lone Pine, I top off the tank, eat my banana and a slim jim and read the second missive from Jack (received 11:30), he's having speedo cable problems and has not left yet. Lone Pine was the site of the GREATEST of the American Chess Tournaments. From Wikipedia: Lone Pine International was a series of chess tournaments held annually in March or April from 1971 through 1981 in Lone Pine, California. Sponsored by Louis D. Statham (1907–1983), millionaire engineer and inventor of medical instruments, the tournaments were formally titled the Louis D. Statham Masters. The events were seven- to ten-round Swiss system tournaments, with entrance requirements that made them the strongest recurring Swiss tournaments in the U.S. in the 1980s. Jack & I confirm Lee Vining. 395 from Lone Pine to Lee Vining is a sweeping 4 laner in the old eastern highway model. With mountains on each side (lots of snow to the west) it is a way better North/South option than I-5 or 99. It gets pretty cold as I approach Lee Vining. Today, I went from -256 elevation to 8,063, and from 91º to 56º. I have a nice room at the Lake View Lodge. I get a text from Jack, he's stuck in traffic in Stockton. Maybe I'll see him tonight. Getting over the Sierras may be tricky tomorrow. 120 is closed; so is 108 and 4. I'll have to alter my trip plan and take 89 over the mountains. So much for bagging 3 passes this trip. Jack got here in the 6:00 hour. He checked into the hotel. We go across the street for a great bowl of chili and a few adult beverages. We bid goodnight and look forward to tomorrow's ride. We'll be able to go over 89/88, and plan on camping in the Jamestown area. We'll see what's there when we get there.

305 miles, 6 hours, 30 minutes road time.

Day 5, June 11

Jack and I got up early and hit the road (after a breakfast at the local diner) at 8:10. All of the passes are closed, save one 89/88. As hot as I was yesterday, that's how cold I got today. Knowing I was going to be cold, I donned my sweatshirt under my jacket and my gauntleted leather gloves. In a VERY short time, my gloves were not warm enough, so we stopped so I could put on my HEAVY Tourmaster® gloves. As we climbed up to about 8,300 feet, the temperature gauge hovered around 36º. Soon, it started snowing. SNOWING. Not 24 hours earlier, I was sunburning my nose in near 100º weather, now it's freaking SNOWING and 36º!! Oh, the joys of biking. Seriously, it was not really THAT bad. My sweatshirt and jacket kept me plenty warm, and my chaps (custom made at Just Leather in San Jose) and heavy firehouse pants (from Duluth Trading) kept me warm. The only thing really cold was my hands, which got quickly remedied by the heated handgrips aboard my Road Glide CVO. We talked about staying in Jamestown, but Jack wanted to meet up with a friend in Reno. We stopped for fuel in Jamestown, and grabbed some grub. Over lunch, we decided to ride to Auburn together (via one of my FAVORITE roads, CA-49). I would stop there, & he would continue along to Reno via I-80. I take a room in the Holiday Inn in Auburn. I call my friends, George & Mary Rose to see if they are available for dinner; I left a message. We meet. I'll decide after dinner what roads to ride tomorrow. A lot depends on the weather.

318 Miles, 9 road hours.

Day 6, June 12

It is cold in Auburn. I will have to bundle up for this leg. With the road closures, my schedule is a bit discombobulated. Today, I decide to ride out to Fort Bragg, via Hwy 20. I have never been on 20 beyond Marysville. From Auburn, I need to take I-80W to Hwy 65 to catch up with 20 in Marysville. Hwy 65 is a piece of crap. 2 lanes, under engineered, over trafficked. After Lincoln, it opens up so you can move along briskly. Marysville is a bit of a maze to navigate, but I get through it right away. RIGHT over the Feather River is Yuba City. One could say that Marysville & Yuba City are the Budapest of Yuba County. I take 20, and plan a stop in Clearlake. The town is 4 miles OFF the route I'm on via the Old Hwy 53 (that's what it's called). I drive around  looking for food (breakfast) and cannot find anything worth stopping for; Thai, Chinese, and some indeterminable cuisine simply labeled, "Food." I fuel up at a no named gas station and head back to CA 20. I should have STAYED on 20 because in several little towns (Clearlake City, Lucern, Nice), there are plenty of name brand gas stations and plenty of food. So if you are headed thisaway, bypass Clearlake, and stay on the east side of the lake, there's plenty there. I stay on 20 and hit 101 North towards Willits, just north of UKIAH, contemplating a stop to see my optometrist, who lives there. I'll stop in Willits for lunch. Apparently, they have completed a bypass of Willits; you have to take an EXIT (there are 2) to get into town. Like many small towns up & down California, these bypasses are DEVASTATING to the local economies. Willits is no exception; store closures up & down the main street (formerly 101 N). I stop at a local burger joint and get a bacon ortega burger (no bread) and sit with few other bikers that were stopped there. I get to 20 west towards Fort Bragg. 20, west of Willits, is an INCREDIBLE m/c road; great asphalt with wonderfully cambered curves. It is very similar to our Hwy 9 going down from Skyline, only THIS road is 32 miles long! I pull into Ft Bragg, planning to camp. Instead, I get this oceanside suite with a hot tub. I am going to need it as my left shoulder/neck area has been grousing. Maybe a massage as well. My trip plan has hit another snag. I'm meeting Dave on THURSDAY, not Wednesday as I originally planned. So tomorrow, I have to to ride SOMEwhere from Fort Bragg that is within a day's ride of Chico to meet up with Dave. Hmmmm, go North, or South....???

236 miles, 6 hours, 30 minutes road time.

Day 7, June 13

Today as the WORST! I leave Fort Bragg early, hoping to get to Hwy 96 by early afternoon. I'm meeting Dave in Chico on Thursday AM, so I have to get over thataway by evening. I have a classmate from Jr College in Eureka and we make a plan to meet for lunch. I head up Hwy 1, in cold weather and really enjoy the ride. Hit 101 @Leggett and the day is very promising. I stop for breakfast in Garberville and meet 2 bikers from Belgium. I get off in Redway and take the Shelter Cove Road down into Shelter Cove. The road is very twisty and good asphalt. I really like Shelter Cove. I park near the Lighthouse and walk around. The campground is for sale. 6 1/2 acres  right on the airstrip. Anyone want to go in? I head back UP Shelter Cove Road and take Ettersburg Road towards Honeydew. This ULTIMATELY becomes Hwy 211. THIS IS THE WORST ROAD ON THE PLANET. Rough road does not even BEGIN to describe the torture chamber of horrors. As great as this Road Glide is on the highway it is AWFUL on this road. My kingdom for a GS!!! For almost 2 hours I hit holes, bumps, wash outs, and at one point a part of the road dropped and I actually lofted the whole bike! I couldn't tell holes in the pavement, from shadows cast by the trees. I get 1/2 way to Ferndale, (I WAS planning on taking this all the way) when I was stopped by a road construction crew. (Did I mention the miles of ALL DIRT ROAD?). I talked to the guy and he told me the way to Ferndale on this road was, "pretty rough." He advised me to take the road out @Honeydew. Even taking this 'shortcut,' was the worst. I bottomed out countless times, and hit bumps (many) that turned the iPod off. I hope I didn't BREAK anything. The load shifted and now my stuff was shoving me off the bike. FINALLY, I get to 101 N, and in 32 SHORT miles I get to Liz' place. We have dinner and doing some laundry. I will sleep well tonight. So, I won't get to 96, I'll be staying in Eureka; it'll be a long day tomorrow. You can see my (lack of) progress:

192 road miles, 7 hours, 32 minutes road time.

Day 8, June 14

CURSES, foiled again!!! I leave Eureka at 9:35 AM heading north towards Highway 96. 101 to 299 to meet up with 96 at @Willow Creek. Not knowing about the fuel situation along 96, I top off the tank in Hoopa. 96 is a wonderful road; it runs along the Klamath River almost up into Oregon, before it drops back down into Yreka. There are sections labeled ‘rough road’ which, under normal circumstances would FEEL rough, but after yesterday, it is a piece of cake. There were several stops along the way for road repairs. There were places where the mountain had slid onto the roadway, and crews were clearing a path. I get into Yreka about 2:00 where I fuel man & machine. I head towards Lassen and for all the way along 5, Mt Shasta accompanies me on my left. What a beautiful mountain. As I turn east on 89, Shasta is still on my left. At this point, this road is called the “Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway.” I get all the way to Old Station to top off the tank before I head through Lassen. Here’s where I get foiled: As soon as I pull out of the gas station, I see THE SIGN: No travel through the park. Winter road closures. Curses, foiled again!!! I call Dave to tell him I’ll be there tomorrow and I turn around (you KNOW how I love to back track) and head to Burney to take a room in the “Charm Motel.” REALLY!!! Now, I have to figure out how to get to Chico, withOUT going through the park. Maybe we'll meet in Red Bluff, before we head over Hwy 36. I have several Gentleman Jacks at the bowling alley with the owner, SEVERAL!

360 road miles, 7 hours, 25 minutes road time.

Day 9, June 15

Welp, I’m BACK in Eureka. Here’s how it goes: I contact Dave about meeting up and we make a plan for me to come to his house. As it turns out, he is available earlier so we plan a 10:30 meet in Red Bluff. From there we will got over 36 back to 101. I leave Burney @8:30 and stop for breakfast @9:30 in Montgomery Creek. It’ll be an hour from there to Red Bluff. About 10 miles in, and we get stopped for road construction; I’m going to be late. After I break free from the pack, I am able to wick it up and make up for lost time. I get to the meeting point right on time. I gas up and wait for Dave. Some time later, he and his friends meet up with me and we hit the road. The other guys have sport bikes, so I offer to run sweep, figuring they will be much faster than me. Since I haven’t been riding so much (before the hip replacements), my technique is a bit off. I am not entering the curves at the right angle, causing me to EARLY apex, which is NOT very smooth. So that, my inexperience with this bike and my apprehension with the new hips and I am not as quick as I used to be. I’ll get help with this when I get home. But for now, I’ll ride leisurely and cautiously. About 40 miles into Hwy 36, one of the guys enters a corner too fast and blows the turn. He goes up the side into the grass and ALMOST gets back on the road, but at the last possible moment, his wheel hits a rut, and jerks to the left, dropping him. The lead 3 guys don’t see this, but riding sweep, it happens right in front of me. I stop and help the guy up. Luckily, this happened in the grass and the actual falling down was done in soft grass. The guy is ok and the only thing that happened to the bike was a broken right front winker. The other 3 guys circle back and in short order we are on our way. Highway 36 is a nice ride. MOST of it is nice roadway, sweeping and beautiful views. (Oh, yeah, it is 20 degrees cooler than what we left in Red Bluff). We stop a couple times for a short break and we ride into Eureka. The guys are staying at the Clarion (one of them has a connection for cheap rooms), and I find myself bunking on Liz’s couch for another night. I’ll meet the guys at the Clarion at 9:30 AM tomorrow. Dave and I will ride with them up to Coos Bay, OR, then come up with a ride plan. I tell Dave, “We better do some camping, I have been schlepping this camping gear over 2,300 miles!”

248 road miles, 10 road hours

Day 10, June 16

I meet the guys at the hotel about 9:30. After everybody gases up, we finally hit the road at 10:10. About 10 miles out, one of the young men has to stop and put on more clothes. He is riding an unfared sport bike and does not have adequate weather protection. Dave, who is riding in front of me, has a problem with his right saddle bag. We stopped to duct tape it up and get back on the road. We stopped in Brookings for lunch, in about another hour up the road we stop for fuel. Most of the guys have arranged an Airbnb just south of Coos Bay. Dave and I decide to camp at Bullard's beach. I have posted a photo of my tent already. Tomorrow Dave and I split off, and we have yet to decide where we're going. Heading back down the coast is an option perhaps to camp in Fort Bragg.

199.8 road miles, eight hours and 50 minutes Road time. 

Day 11, June 17

Dave and I get up leisurely; I did not sleep well. The raccoons made ALL SORTS of noises during the night and honestly, it spooked me a bit. I make coffee, and stoke the fire. In the middle of coffee, Dave gets a call from his pals (who had Airbnb’d). They are ready to hit the road, and we were no where NEAR being ready. Striking camp took a while and somehow I end up with more stuff than I landed with the night before. We eat at the “Train Cafe” and are on the road by 10. We head east on 42S, which becomes 42 into Roseburg. This is a nice road, twisty, good graded pavement. At Roseburg, we get onto that awful I-5 heading for Grant’s Pass. At Grant’s Pass, we get onto 199, and the temp starts to rise. We stop at a little store (the Wonder General Store) and it is hot. From there west we are in the heat. My riding is smoother today. I feel like I am entering the corners at the right angle and I find myself smoothly late apexing. By the time we hit Crescent City, the temp drops into a more comfortable range. Our plan is to camp somewhere along the coast. We stop at a few campgrounds and everything is full. Last night, Dave suggested we make a reservation and I tell him, “We’ll find something.” Dopey me! Running VERY low on fuel (I had less than a gallon left), we stop in Trinidad to fuel up. We ride back up to Patrick’s Point to try to get a spot (it’s cold and very windy now), They were full. We ride along a VERY bumpy, torn up frontage road to try to find a spot at one of the many private campgrounds/RV parks along that road. NADA! I’m tired now. So I decide we’ll just get a room off Guintoli Lane in Arcata. Everything’s full (WTF?), but we end up with a suite in the Day’s Inn. Dinner at the Ka-bob Palace.  When we get back to the room, Dave discovers that an old neighbor from Chico is staying at the same hotel. He goes to find him and by the time he gets back, I’m fast asleep. We’ll split up tomorrow and I’ll head home. I am really enjoying this time so I have yet to decide if I get home tonight, to take ONE MORE DAY. Tomorrow is Father’s Day, I’ll be thinking about my dad.

328 road miles, 7 road hours.

Day 12, June 18 - HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!
SAFE @HOME! Dave and I get up early and help ourselves to the continental breakfast offered at the Day's Inn. For me, this means the hard boiled eggs. We get back to our room to pack up. Dave gets done faster than I do, so we bid farewell and in minutes, Dave is out of sight. It was great reconnecting with my old HS bandmate. I get loaded up and hit the road; it is cold in Arcata. Heading down 101, I am reminded how much I love the North Coast. Coming here since I first started coaching at the Brass Workshop (http://www2.humboldt.edu/brass/) since 1982, and continuing until this day as it's director. I always look forward to my annual trek to Arcata. I am able to open 'er up and in no time I am cruising 80+ mph. Highway 101 is nice up here. I decide to take the Avenue of the Giants. I have never really ridden its length, so I figure today might be the day to do that. This is a great ride; no traffic, cool temp. Before long, I am given an option of go left, or go right; I pick the wrong one, left. before long I find myself on Dyerville Loop Road. And in no time is is Rte 211 ALL OVER AGAIN!!! Bumpy, torn up, one spot washed out. This CAN'T be happening! My Garmin keeps telling me, "Make a U-turn, Make a U-turn." After about 30 minutes, I finally turn around on a narrow stretch of washed out road. Miraculously, I do NOT drop the bike (I wouldn't be found for WEEKS out there). I find my erroneous left turn and continue on. At my earliest opportunity, I bail on The Avenue, and get back onto 101. My first gas stop is Garberville. I am ALWAYS stopping in Garberville! It's getting warm now. Heading down 101, there are a few times the road reduces to one lane, and we wait to be waved through. At Leggett, I opt for Hwy 1S. This in one great road. AND the temp had dropped in the mid 60's range. I figure I'll find a place to camp for the night. I stop in Fort Bragg and the spa just to see IF they have my hairbrush (that I left a week ago) and they do. I ride again and I stop at a small stand and buy some apricots and cherries. I chat with the girl selling the fruit and discover she works at a dairy in Modesto. We chat about Modesto awhile, and I hit the road. I stop at Stewart's Point. A fellow rider told me traffic on 1 South will be bad later. How bad can it be? Well, AWFUL! It takes me almost an hour for to go from Jenner to Bodega Bay (19 miles!). The traffic is STOPPED, and I think I am going to burn up my clutch. Waze suggests a by pass and before I know it, ANOTHER Route 211!!! 6 miles later, SOME of the traffic is bypassed and I am off and running. Soon there is a turn off heading into Petaluma. Nice, fast, straight road. I pull into Petaluma and the temp is 92º and rising. Heading south on 101 and my thermo indicated 101º OYE! I get as far as San Rafael and I HAVE to stop. I am committed to making it home tonight (It's under 100 miles at this point), but I am dying of the heat. I can tell when I am not right as I get a tired feeling in my eyes. I stop at McDonald's. I go into the men's room and pee (good sign). My eyes are all red and my shirt is drenched with sweat. I soak my shirt in cold water and put it on. I go to the guy at the counter and get a cup and drink a liter of water at least. I sit in the a/c and in minutes the 'tired' feeling is gone out of my eyes and I can feel my core temp dropping. I climb aboard again and back onto 101S. As I approach SF, the temp is dropping and the traffic is thickening. By the time Robin Williams Tunnel is in view, the traffic is stopped. At this point the lanes are small and I cannot share lanes but have to sit in it. The bridge is magnificent, What a view! When I get onto the bridge, the temp has dropped to 62º and the wind is blowing something fierce from my right (west). The traffic is stop and go and it takes me over an hour to traverse the bridge, and get through the Sunset district. As I pass SF State, the traffic opens up and soon we are going supra legal speeds. By the time I get to the 208/380 split, the temp as gone up to 79º and it is rising. 280 here is beautiful and I am always thankful that I live so close to such a beautiful road. My original trip plan included a ride along Skyline (35) and down Hwy 9 into Saratoga. I option that route and head straight towards Campbell. By the time we hit farm Hill Road, the temp indicated is 93º. The Road Glide (who has since been named 'Cleo') seems to know the way home. As I near my Camden exit, it is closed. There is a brush fire on the side of the road there. I exit Hamilton Ave, wend through the Pruneyard and go down Union. Cleo turns onto Cambrian Drive and right up to the driveway. With the new phone, I cannot open my garage door so I dismount and go around back to see my 3 doggies romping in the pool. The A/C feel great in the house. It has been a wonderful trip. I saw some beautiful things, missed out on others due to road closures (89 through Lassen Park, Hwys 4 and 120) and for some oddball reason, ended up riding through Eureka THREE TIMES!

386 road miles, 10 1/2 hours road time.

Totals: 3,484 road miles, 87.4 road hours.