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March 26, 2017

Day 1: DEN > CUN. And so it begins...Sunday March 26th

Sunday March 26th

On the flight to Cancun, there's a screaming infant on the plane. We're landing at Cancun, and this fetus is screaming its head off. You wouldn't think a child could make that much noise.

Finally, we land, and then we catch a shuttle to our rental car place, Carribbean Car Rental which is just a scam. There is no such thing as "Caribbean Car Rental" Just a racket. You go to American Car Rental, they put you on a shuttle, and then you go to the American Car Rental and, anything you had reserved from Carribbean Car Rental isn't there. Like, we had a reservation for a Jeep. But they don't have any Jeeps, or so they say. Our shuttle driver points out all of the Jeeps to us as we leave. What a fucking scam.

The shuttle driver drops us off at a cab driver. The cab driver agrees to take us to our hotel in Cancun. On the way, he needs to stop for gas. Jen and I run into the gas station, leaving all of our things in the cab. I take a photo of her and the taxi before we go into the store.

In the store, we start buying armloads of candy, always experimenting with new flavors.

Then, we get back in the van and when we get to the Aloft Cancun hotel, Jen realizes that she can't find the GoPro. It's lost. Not sure where it is. Now, she's upset. We get the taxi driver's phone number. He gets my phone number. And then we check into the hotel.

Shorly thereafter, he's on his way back to the hotel with a camera. We're hoping it's the GoPro. Sure enough. Dude returns to the hotel with the GoPro camera that she left in the shuttle van.

And, these are the people that Americans think you should fear. Half the world is afriad to come down here, and they're the nicest people in the world..

In the morning, we stay at the Aloft Cancun hotel. We are scheduled to check into the Ocean Dream hotel, but check in isn't until 3:00 p.m., and the flight lands at 5:00 a.m. So, my concern was that we'd be sort of stuck with no place to go from 5:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m., so I made a separate reservation for the same day (essentially) at Aloft Cancun Hotel.

This turned out to be a solid move.

We were both exhausted when we landed, and the Carribbean Rental Car agency is just an internet scam, really. So, we didn't have a car, and we wouldn't really have had a place to go without our reservation for the Aloft Cancun hotel.

On the plane flight down, my glasses somehow broke. And then, walking around cancun, my flipflops tore/failed. So, we bought some new flip flops for me. They get you on the exchange rate down here. Like, the exchange rate is 19 to 1, but they claim it's 15:1, 17:1, 17.5:1, etc.

So, we check in at Aloft Cancun hotel at 6:44 a.m. They let us into the hotel and we crash hard. We both get into bed and promptly fall asleep until noon. Now, they want us out of the hotel, and we're begging for more time. But finally, they tell us "look...you can leave your suitcases in the lobby, and we'll give you towels to go to the beach, but you've got to leave the room. It's 12:45 p.m. and checkout was at noon.

So, we go walk down to the beach on the Carribbean side of the island. Then, we go into the ocean for a swim. The water is the perfect temperature, and we splash about int he waves crashing on us. The water is an amazing aqua color. There are no jellyfish. No stingrays. Nothing like that. It's paradise.

And we swim in the ocean until about 3:00 p.m. Now, we can check in at our other hotel, the Ocean Dream. So, we return the towels, fetch our suitcases, at catch a taxi to the next hotel, the Ocean Dream.

Like, words can't describe now nice the Ocean Dream is. It's not a hotel really. It's condos. So, we have a condo, on the first floor, facing the ocean, overlooking the pool. It's insanely decadent. Not bad considering that I just rolled the dice and picked this place out of a hat. We're litterally poolside. We open our sliding glass doors, and we're at the pool. Amazing.

We swim for a long time in the surt. Then, we walk into town for dinner. We settle on Carlos and Charlies, a famous, insane tourist trap restaurant. It's really indescribable. They're going around, putting balloon animals on people's heads, playing loud music, dancing, blowing whistles, serving shots, and somehow, in the middle of all of this, they're also running a restaurant of sorts. They bring me a yard of mango margarita and Jen gets a tropical dream. Like, this place would be shot down in 2 minutes in the USA.

Then, we walk back and

Posted by Rob Kiser on March 26, 2017 at 6:49 AM : Comments (1) | Permalink

March 23, 2017

DEN - CUN


Cancun

Cancun Sun 3/26- Sun 4/2

Cheapoair Booking: 40284169

United DC55X5 Flight 1971
Depart DEN Sat 3/25/2017 11:59 PM arrive CUN Sun 3/26/2017 4:55 AM

Pick up luggage.
Go outside Terminal 3 to restaurant Margaritaville
Contact our representative he is wearing a red T-shirt.that says America Car Rental.
(They provide the service to Caribbean Rent A Car).
They will take me to the office. And I pick up the car.
I need Credit card..My ID. Drivers license.

Caribbean Rent A Car
01-800-212-0752

Reservation CUN-30191


Check in 3:00 p.m Sunday March 26th

Ocean Dream BPR
Boulevard Kukulcán km 9
Zona Hotelera
Cancun
77500
MX

Check in 3:00 p.m.
Hotels.com conf 136513249350

Check out Monday march 27th 12:00 noon

Monday - Drive to Chichen Itza. Spend the night there.
Hotels.com Confirmation number: 136514959118
Mayaland Hotel And Bungalows
Km 120 Ctra Merida, Zona Arqueologica, In the heart of Chichen Itza, Piste, YUC, 97751, Mexico, 866-209-9122
Check in 3:00 p.m. Monday March 27th
Check out 12:00 noon Tuesday March 28th

Drive to Tulum
Hotel Cabanas Los Lirios Tulum
Hotels.com Confirmation number: 136514711764
Check in Tuesday March 28th
Check out Sun Apr 2
Carretera Tulum Boca Paila S/n Km. 7.5
Zona Hotelera de Tulum
Tulum
77780
MX
+529988879602


Sun, Apr 02, 2017
United 1691

Depart CUN - 02:00 pm
Arrive DEN - 05:20 pm

Posted by Rob Kiser on March 23, 2017 at 8:16 AM : Comments (0) | Permalink

March 22, 2017

Lane-splitting at 110 mph on CA State Highway 60

There's a wildfire a mile from my house burning out of control and I'm heading for the airport. I'm westbound on CA State Highway 60 lanesplitting at 110 mph. I'm not sure what I'll do when I get there, but I need to get there before the fire does. That's for sure. I've got to save the cats. Grab the safe from the flames. We've got to get the guns. Anything of value, and then flee from the fire.

THat's the plan anyway. So, at lunch, I started getting messages about a wildfire near the house and I'm like....messaging people back and forth. Trying to get a handle on the fire. Which way is it going? Is it getting bigger or smaller? Is 285 open Northbound or Southbound?

Like...everyone is sort of trying to get their arms around the situation. What's going on here? How bad is it, really?

I can tell you this...it's close to my house than any other fire has ever been outside of campfires and bbq pits.

So, I'm freaking out. I book a ticket to Denver that departs Ontario at 4:15 pm and I leave the house in Riverside at 3:15 p.m.

Now, I'm folloiwng the GPS but it's going to be close. They should be boarding for my flight as soon as I get to the airport. (3:45 p.m.). So, I'm screaming down highway 60. Like, if there's a cop, then I'm going to jail. It's just that simple. And if people are changing lanes while I'm lane-splitting, then I'm going to die. That's just the way it is.

So I'm screaming down highway 60, but I should mention what I was doing right before I left...before I knew that there was a forest fire about to burn down my house.

So I'm screaming down highway 60 and now, on the way, I start planning where I'll park. I'll park in short term parking right across from the SouthWest terminal. I've seen other people do it. No more long term parking. Now, it's short term parking. And I'm going to be gone for 11 days. Sure, that won't look suspicious, right?

So, I park the KTM in short term parking and get off my bike and as I do, I get a text. Flight is delayed 30 minutes. So, I'll ahve time to get my preboard pass and I'll be first to board afterall. Things are looking up.

Posted by Rob Kiser on March 22, 2017 at 5:16 PM : Comments (0) | Permalink

Garmin Montana 600 & Garmin Map Updater on a MacBook Air

http://apple.stackexchange.com/questions/128127/where-are-my-all-installed-programs

All software in Mac OS X is installed in /Applications, which can be found in the Finder sidebar

Most Mac applications don't have to be installed, you just have to copy the applications in the Applications folder. Normally, all installed applications that are in the /Applications folder appear automatically in the Launchpad.

So, I'm not clear why, but my Garmin Express App didn't show up in my Launchpad.

But I do see it in /Applications.

Now, it says "Garmin express does not support this device. Please use Garmin Map Updater."

So, I click Download.

Then, I install it and then I have to install the Garmin Communicator Plugin.

You have Communicator Plugin.
Up to Date, Version 4.2.0.0

Devices Detected
Montana 600 (Unit ID 3882856730)

So, Garmin Express is not what I need. It does not support the Garmin Montana 600.

I did eventually launch the Garmin Map Updater. It looks like I can buy maps of Mexico for about $50 USD ($1,000 Mexican Pesos). But, I want to verify that I can store both countries in the Garmin Montana at the same time. I also want to copy my tracks off of the Garmin montana first.

1) Copy tracks off of Garmin Montana 600.
2) Install maps of Mexico.

OK. So, I think I've discovered before that the EasyGPS software that runs under windows (not Mac) copies the tracks off of the Garmin Montana. Hmmmm.

OK. So, it looks like Apple has some software called Basecamp that is compatible with the Garmin Montana 600.

But, having said that, I think I'm going to try to copy my tracks off using EasyGPS as I already have it installed on a windows machine.

OK. Hook up my Garmin Montana 600 to a laptop running EasyGPS.

Click on GPS - Receive from GPS - Then select Routes, Tracks, & Saved Tracks from Garmin Montana 600. Click OK.

It looks like my tracks go back to July 19, 2016.

So, in the end, I saved these off as s:\garmin\2017_California.gpx.

Now, to upload them onto a map.

Go to http://www.gpsvisualizer.com/

Select your .gpx file.

Click Map It.

So, here is a map of my trips from Los Angeles to SF (and back), and also my trip from Los Angeles to Bahia De Los Angeles and back. (It says it's available temporarily, anyway.)

Now, I'm deleting my tracks so I can start over in Mexico.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Deleting Tracks from the Garmin Montana 600.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Tap on Up arrow at bottom center of screen on Garmin Montana 600.
Tap on Track Manager.
Tap on Current Track.
Tap Clear Current Track.
> Do you really want to clear the track log and reset associated trip data?
Tap on Clear.

Tap on Archived Tracks.
Select the top track.
Tap on Delete.
Tap on Delete again.
Rinse. Repeat.

So, it looks like I've successfully erased all of my tracks from my GPS. Lord.

Now, I'd like to install the maps for Mexico on my Garmin Montana 600.

I very nearly had this working on the MacBook Air.
Let's switch back over there and see how that works.

I go to Finder - Favorites - Downloads, I do see GarminMapUpdater.dmg.
So, I click on that. Now, I see Garmin Map Update.
I double click that.
Garmin Map Update is an application downloaded from the internet (horrors). Are you sure you want to open it?

Click Open.

Checking for software updates for Garmin Map Update
Downloading software updates for Garmin Map Update
Welcome to Garmin Map Update. This application will guide you through the map installation process.
Plug in your Garmin GPS device and click on Continue.

Eventually, the shitty software recognizes my gps after I remove and reinstall the cable.

Select the Garmin GPS device you would like to update:
Montana 600 (Unit ID 3882856730).
Click on the only one listed, obviously.
Click Continue.
It's really slow, or buggy, or both. I do it a couple of times. Finally, I get
a license agreement. Check.
To improve future generations, I'll let the NSA stalk me...uncheck.
Continue.
Then, I accidentally clicked twice and it went haywire on me. Let's start over...

OK. Now...A new map update is available for purchase (surprise, surprise).
What would you like to do?
Visit garmin.com to view and purchase available maps.
Click Continue.
It launcches Safari and now at my.garmin.com. Montana 600. Purchasable updates.

FInally, I realize...I already have the maps for Mexico in the stupid thing. Lord God.

Now, I tell it to navigate to my hotel:


Cancun, Quintana Roo, Mexico
.





Posted by Rob Kiser on March 22, 2017 at 11:28 AM : Comments (0) | Permalink

March 20, 2017

Countdown to Spring Break 2017 - Tulum, Mexico

So, Jen and I are trying to get ready for a Spring Break trip to Tulum, Mexico. I'm making lists and mental notes on what we need to buy and what we need to do to be ready for our trip.

Right now, I'm working on copying all of the files off of my cameras onto my MacBook Air. Like, heaven forbid I go on Spring Break and not be able to take any photos, right?

I shot some this morning flying over Mt Evans, Breckenridge, and Copper Mountain.

Now, I'm thinking I have to get these photos off of my cameras onto my MacBook Air, then off of the MacBook Air onto the external 1 TB Seagate drive.

So, I copied all of my photos off of my Canon EOS 50D. Now, format the memory card.

Now copying the photos off of my other Canon EOS 50D. Now formatting the other memory card....


Posted by Rob Kiser on March 20, 2017 at 9:38 PM : Comments (0) | Permalink

March 16, 2017

Alzheimer's Trial

https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01409915?term=alzheimers&recr=Open&rank=8

Study of the Safety & Efficacy of Leukine® in the Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease
This study is currently recruiting participants. (see Contacts and Locations)
Verified January 2017 by University of Colorado, Denver
Sponsor:
University of Colorado, Denver
Collaborator:
The Dana Foundation
Information provided by (Responsible Party):
University of Colorado, Denver
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
NCT01409915
First received: August 2, 2011
Last updated: January 24, 2017
Last verified: January 2017
History of Changes
Full Text View Tabular ViewNo Study Results PostedDisclaimerHow to Read a Study Record
Purpose
A medicine that is FDA-approved for bone marrow stimulation (called Leukine) will be tested for its ability to be tolerated by Alzheimer's disease patients and potentially to improve their memory.

Condition Intervention Phase
Alzheimer's Disease
Drug: Sagramostim
Drug: Saline -- placebo comparator
Phase 2

Study Type: Interventional
Study Design: Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Participant, Care Provider, Investigator
Primary Purpose: Treatment
Official Title: Pilot Phase 2 Trial of the Safety & Efficacy of Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor (Leukine®) in the Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease

Resource links provided by NLM:

Genetics Home Reference related topics: Alzheimer disease
MedlinePlus related topics: Alzheimer's Disease
Drug Information available for: Sargramostim
Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center resources: Familial Alzheimer Disease
U.S. FDA Resources

Further study details as provided by University of Colorado, Denver:

Primary Outcome Measures:
Ability of Alzheimer's Disease subjects to tolerate Leukine treatment will be assessed [ Time Frame: Up to 5 months ]
Various tests of well being and toxicity will be monitored for 3 months after treatment


Secondary Outcome Measures:
Ability of Leukine treatment to improve cognition of Alzheimer's Disease subjects [ Time Frame: Up to 5 months ]
Neuropsychological measures will be assessed at various intervals up to 3 months following treatment (or placebo)


Estimated Enrollment: 40
Study Start Date: March 2011
Estimated Study Completion Date: December 2017
Estimated Primary Completion Date: November 2017 (Final data collection date for primary outcome measure)
Arms Assigned Interventions
Experimental: Sagramostim (Leukine)
5 subjects 250 mcg /m2/day Leukine subcutaneously for 5 days/week for three weeks. Data and Safety Monitoring Board will then review data and recommend whether to continue at the same current recommended dose for additional subjects or to reduce the dose by half if excessive leukocytosis occurs
Drug: Sagramostim
5 subjects 250 mcg /m2/day Leukine subcutaneously for 5 days/week for three weeks. Data and Safety Monitoring Board will then review data and recommend whether to continue at the same current recommended dose for additional subjects or to reduce the dose by half if excessive leukocytosis occurs
Other Names:
Leukine
Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor
Placebo Comparator: Control Group
Saline -- placebo comparator. Given as a subcutaneous injection.
Drug: Saline -- placebo comparator
subcutaneous injection
Other Name: Sterile solution of sodium chloride in water

Detailed Description:
Preliminary preclinical results demonstrated that GM-CSF (Granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor, e.g. Leukine®/Sargramostim) rapidly reduced cerebral amyloid deposition and completely reversed memory deficits in transgenic mouse models of Alzheimer's Disease (AD). To assess the efficacy of GM-CSF in humans, the investigators performed a retrospective analysis of a cognition study of human patients undergoing hematopoietic cell transplantation for cancer and who garner cognitive impairments from the chemotherapy or irradiation. In the patients that received a colony-stimulating factor (CSF) to stimulate the bone marrow and recover immune system function, the investigators found that those who received GM-CSF (Leukine®/Sargramostim) plus G-CSF (Filigrastim) significantly improved in cognitive function as compared to those who received G-CSF alone. These findings combined with over two decades of accrued safety data using recombinant human GM-CSF, Leukine®/Sargramostim, in elderly leukopenic patients, suggested that Leukine® should be tested as a treatment to reverse cerebral amyloid pathology and cognitive impairment in AD.
Eligibility

Ages Eligible for Study: 55 Years to 85 Years (Adult, Senior)
Sexes Eligible for Study: All
Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:

age 55 to 85 years;
should have a mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's Disease diagnosis (Mini-Mental State Examination 10-26 inclusive);
if on anti-dementia treatment should be on stable treatment for at least 2 months (i.e. cholinesterase inhibitor and/or Memantine or Axona);
stable on all other medications for at least 30 days prior to screen;
should be fluent in English;
should be physically able to participate by medical history, clinical exam and tests;
should have a study partner to accompany them to scheduled visits.
Exclusion Criteria:

clinically relevant arrhythmias;
a resting pulse less than 50;
active cancer other than non-melanoma skin cancers;
use of another investigatory drug within 2 months of screening;
significant stroke or head trauma by history or MRI;
contraindication for having a MRI;
diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-IV criteria for a current major psychiatric disorder;
sensitivity to yeast or yeast products;
impaired kidney function as measured by a Glomerular Filtration Rate less than 60 milliliters/min;
preexisting fluid retention, pulmonary infiltrates, or congestive heart failure;
history of moderate-to-severe lung disease;
history of moderate-to-severe liver disease;
pregnant women, or any women who feel they are likely to become pregnant during the study;
prisoners.
Contacts and Locations
Choosing to participate in a study is an important personal decision. Talk with your doctor and family members or friends about deciding to join a study. To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the Contacts provided below. For general information, see Learn About Clinical Studies.

Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01409915

Contacts
Contact: Joseph Daniels, MPH 303-724-2997 Joseph.Daniels@ucdenver.edu
Contact: Helen Gray, MBA 303-724-8965 Helen.Gray@ucdenver.edu

Locations
United States, Colorado
University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus Recruiting
Aurora, Colorado, United States, 80045
Contact: Joseph S Daniels, MPH, ACSM 303-724-2997 joseph.daniels@ucdenver.edu
Principal Investigator: Huntington Potter, PhD
Sub-Investigator: Jonathan Woodcock, MD
Sponsors and Collaborators
University of Colorado, Denver
The Dana Foundation
Investigators
Principal Investigator: Huntington Potter, PhD University of Colorado, Denver
More Information

Responsible Party: University of Colorado, Denver
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01409915 History of Changes
Other Study ID Numbers: 12-1273
Study First Received: August 2, 2011
Last Updated: January 24, 2017

Keywords provided by University of Colorado, Denver:
Alzheimer's disease
neuropsychological assessment
Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor
Leukine

Additional relevant MeSH terms:
Alzheimer Disease
Dementia
Brain Diseases
Central Nervous System Diseases
Nervous System Diseases
Tauopathies
Neurodegenerative Diseases
Neurocognitive Disorders
Mental Disorders

ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on March 16, 2017

Posted by Rob Kiser on March 16, 2017 at 9:53 PM : Comments (0) | Permalink

March 12, 2017

Cancun Sun 3/26- Sun 4/2

Cheapoair Booking: 40284169

United DC55X5 Flight 1971
Depart DEN Sat 3/25/2017 11:59 PM arrive CUN Sun 3/26/2017 4:55 AM

Caribbean Rent A Car
01-800-212-0752

Reservation CUN-30191


Check in 3:00 p.m Sunday March 26th

Ocean Dream BPR
Boulevard Kukulcán km 9
Zona Hotelera
Cancun
77500
MX

Check in 3:00 p.m.
Hotels.com conf 136513249350

Check out Monday march 27th 12:00 noon

Monday - Drive to Chichen Itza. Spend the night there.
Hotels.com Confirmation number: 136514959118
Mayaland Hotel And Bungalows
Km 120 Ctra Merida, Zona Arqueologica, In the heart of Chichen Itza, Piste, YUC, 97751, Mexico, 866-209-9122
Check in 3:00 p.m. Monday March 27th
Check out 12:00 noon Tuesday March 28th

Drive to Tulum
Hotel Cabanas Los Lirios Tulum
Hotels.com Confirmation number: 136514711764
Check in Tuesday March 28th
Check out Sun Apr 2
Carretera Tulum Boca Paila S/n Km. 7.5
Zona Hotelera de Tulum
Tulum
77780
MX
+529988879602


Sun, Apr 02, 2017
United 1691

Depart CUN - 02:00 pm
Arrive DEN - 05:20 pm

Posted by Rob Kiser on March 12, 2017 at 12:49 PM : Comments (0) | Permalink

March 9, 2017

A Week Without Cookies

On Tuesday, my boss pulls me asside and says I have to take over Nassir's CEMLI's. This is a shock to me. Like, they're basically doubling my workload. So, for good or for ill, I'm basically indespinsible now.

For lunch on Wednesday, we have a team lunch and we all go out to lunch because Nassir is leaving us. I mean, no one says that, but that's what it is, really.

We have lunch at this Thai place I've never been to, and I know what to order now. I order the Yellow Curry with Beef. Not spicy. At all. And this is what Nassir brought me to, somehow. Somehow, when I walk into a Thai restaurant, out of everything on the menu, I know what I like best, because I've had everything. And I miss that I think. I don't miss Carl's Junior. I dont' miss that at all. I don't miss eating alone, scarfing my meals like a wild raccoon.

Somehow, he slips off and pays for everyone's meal...there's probably 10 of us. And he just slips off and pays for everyone surreptitiously.

And this is where we are.

After work, I ride my bike up to Jackrabbit trail, looking for the place where the guy jumped his dirt bike across all 4 lanes of Highway 60. I find it Right where I expected. He ramped from North to South, just east of the summit. Halfway between the summit and Jackrabbit Trail.

Now, they've completely blocked off access to his ramp. They went in with front-end loaders and blocked it off with dirt and trees and ditches. It's completely unpassable now.

After taking a few snapshots and a brief video, I head into Riverside. A bunch of us contractors are going out for dinner and salsa dancing after work. There's a Lambo out front and we all have dinner at this fancy restaurant called Mario's.

Afterwards, no Salsa Dancing because we were running late. So, they all go bar hopping but I head towards my place in Riverside.

I'm completely out of gas and the low fuel light is on and I've already gone 20 miles so I'm very close to running out of fuel. I don't have my plasitc jerry can of gas. It melted last summer on the ride up to SF.

Suddenly, I realize that I don't have my camera. Turn around and head back to Mario's. I get there, and check my phone. John has texted me that I left my camera in the restaurant and he has it.

Now, I'm heading back home very low on fuel and man I hope I don't run out of gas. Like, how do I get myself in these situations? They should get someone smarter out here on this project.

Thursday

This is my first time back in Riverside in a month, and it's really strange. Like, I really didn't think that we'd be able to come back in here. Every time we return, they've shifted us down another row of cubes. Pushing us ever closer to obsolesence. Like, they clearly don't have space for us. They've made that imminently clear. Intuitively obvious to the casual observer.

Nassir leaves, and we say goodbye. John and I go to lunch.

Then this afternoon,suddenly, it dawns on me....we didn't get any cookies yesterday. Where in the hell are the cookie girls? Apparently, they're both in Oakland this week. Son of a bitch.

Posted by Rob Kiser on March 9, 2017 at 4:37 PM : Comments (0) | Permalink

March 6, 2017

Return to Riverside

In the morning, I wake up and start getting ready for my trip. Trying to go through my things and make sure I have everything I need for Riverside. Like, I don't have my riding gear or my helmet. No motorcycle keys. No GPS. I'm just sort of assuming that I left all of that gear at my place in Riverside. Or at Chapparal Motorsports in San Bernardino.

Like, it's impossible to remember everything. There are just too many things to remember. Passport. Wallet. $2,000 in cash. Check. Keys for my place in Riverside. Check. Laptop. Cameras. Chargers. Cables. All good.

Now, as I'm driving down North Turkey Creek, I think...what about my badge to get into the office at Riverside. Now, I pull over and look in my wallet to make sure it's there. It is.

Outside, it's sunny and warm. Days are getting longer. It's almost sunrise as I drive out of the neighborhood. Beautiful red horizon sun painting clouds at dawn as I drive down 285 canyon to Morrison. By the time I get to Golden, it's white out. Winds blowing. Snow/rain/sleet falling. Zero visibility. You can't even see the Taj Majal.

Now, following Waze, driving east on I-76 to 270 to I-70. Now, driving directly into the sun. Completely blinded. Snowing. Raining. Sleeting. Zero visibility. I don't know how I get into these situations. I really don't.

Canopy Parking. Shuttle to airport. Clear security. Get out to the gate. Gate 40. I'm really really good now at making sure that I go to the right gate. I double check the city I'm flying to, the date, the flight number. I match all of these things up at Terminal C. I make sure my boarding pass has the right date, flight, and city. Now, I go to the gate C40.

I need a preboard pass for the flight to Ontario. I've checked several times to make sure that this is where I'm going today. She hands me a preboard pass. Shortly, we board the flight and I take seat 2F. This time, I want to sit on the north side of the plane as we fly west so I'll have a good view of the Grand Canyon, and possibly see part of Area 51/Groom Lake.

I can't sleep, and before long, we're flying over the Nevada desert and I get some decent photos of the Grand Canyon, but can't really see far enough North to see anything resembling Groom Lake or Area 51.

Now, we land and I summon a car on Lyft. This is where it gets tricky. I want to pick up my motorcycle, but I don't have my gear. I'm assuming it's at my place in Riverside.

"I want you to take me to Denair Court, Riverside, CA," I explain to the driver. "Once we get there, I'll go inside and see if my motorcycle gear is there. If it is, then you can take me to San Bernardino, if not, you can just take me into work in Riverside."

So we get to my place, I go in. In my bedroom, I find helmet, gloves, boots, riding pants, and riding jacket. Score!

I call and make sure my bike is ready to be picked up. Now, he's taking me to Chapparal Motorsports in San Bernardino, CA. They charge me about $430 to replace the master cyclinder. The car ride cost me about $50. But now, I've got the bike, and all of my gear, except for now, I realize that I don't have the GPS. Not clear where that is.

"Hey....there he is," Al laughs. "When he write a check, the bank bounces." He laughs.

Some guy is complaining..."How can I calibrate my speedometer. My motorcycle says I'm going 85 mph and people are passing me," he whines.

"I would get run over going 85 on Highway 60. I've been passed going 113.

So, hop on the bike, and ride it into work.

Now, I haven't ridden the bike in a long time. At least a month. And it feels good. God I love riding this beast. Roll into work at about noon, and, honestly, I can hardly even remember where I sit. They keep moving us and scooting us down, so that they're squeezing us out of the building. I find my desk, and look through the drawers.

Not much, my old headphones, my laptop they assigned me that I've never even used.

I sign into the system, and of course, it's time to go to lunch. So, we all leave work and go to lunch.

We go that that Thai place on Allesandro that Nassir likes. I'm afraid he's leaving us, so maybe this is his last week, I think, and that sucks. I'll miss him.

After lunch, we go back to work and, by 2:30, I feel like I could die. Like I've been run over by a train. But I keep working. Trying to get some test cases executed on my CEMLI. I-160. So, I'm running some test cases, trying to get it to work.

My boss comes up and I'm always sure he's going to fire me, but I explain to him, "I'm testing this I-160 CEMLI. I'll have it done today..." I offer.

"Can you take over that CEMLI?" He wants to know.

"Yeah. For sure. No problem," I reply.

Like, I'm always sure he's going to fire me, but somehow, I just keep getting more work.

I look through all of my drawers at work, but I don't see my GPS. Not sure where it is.

Finally, at about 7:00 p.m., they decide that we should go to UCR and play bad minton. Now, I've never played that game without a beer one hand, but to these people, it's a real sport. So, they all have shorts and t-shirts and tennis shoes. I just have my work clothes, but I go there, park illegally, and pay the $5.00 admission fee.

Now, they're teaching me how to server, who to serve to, etc. I lost every game, but it was fun and we played doubles and it was good exercise, if nothing else.

Then, after Badminton, dinner at some Indian place on University.

The clock on the motorcycle is wrong, and has been wrong since I came out here last July.

I'm driing home at night in the dark and a Porsche 911 comes up and he wants to race and I'm like...are you joking with me right now? So, I'm lane-splitting at 120 mph and pretty soon, I've lost the idiot in the Porsche and now I roll up to my place in Riverside.

Inside, I find my iphone charger cables and my GPS. Woohoo!

Posted by Rob Kiser on March 6, 2017 at 11:44 PM : Comments (0) | Permalink