Josh Groban and Company

I was given a really pleasant surprise this month when my daughter called and asked what I was doing during the evening. She had obtained some free tickets to see Josh Groban in Milwaukee. I was very excited about this since Judy and I had tried to get tickets in the past and found them sold out. I quickly accepted and I was off to see Josh Groban with Judy and Katie, my daughter.

We got there early with plans to have some dinner at a favorite restaurant, however the Bradley Center is too far from out spot. So, we tried to get in close to the Groban site but found that everything was booked up except for a small tavern serving sandwiches. The place looked clean and comfortable so we dove in and ordered a burger each.

We got to the concert with time to spare finding our seats in the "nose bleed" section, but in a good position to see all the action. Josh Groban was everything I expected and more. He captivated the audience with his magical voice and emotional music! It appeared that everyone was pleased about the concert. His back up is wonderful and talented. There are some great surprises during the show including an outstanding violinist named Lucia Micarelli. She was absolutely outstanding! I was so impressed with the way she moved every muscle in her body to play her violin. I do not think I have ever seen anyone play an instrument with more emotion and connectedness then Lucia Micarelli. Most impressive to me was her playing of the music Led Zeppelin's Kashmir. It was so exciting to watch her play this piece that I looked it up on youtube! You can watch it here. Just cut and paste the below link to your browser.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=qHsxmjpkeFI

There are lots of other pieces on youtube for you to enjoy. It will be worth your time.

I know, I started talking about Josh Groban and sidetracked into Lucia Micarelli! Well, that is what impressed me most that night. So, there you have it!

In conclusion, if you have a chance to see a Josh Groban concert, jump at it. It will be well worth your time!



Lucia Micarelli

Experimental Aircraft Association-Oshkosh, WI

(Click of the slide show to see larger photos)

I only found enough time to spend two days at the EAA conference this year, but they were two great days. If you have never been there, you are missing a great event. This conference is for both pilots and those who do not fly but have an interest in aviation.

Events and things to do are, well, endless! There is no other word for it. There are programs for kids, adults and pilots. Pilots can attend seminars and receive credit for their work. The programs presented are awesome and interesting even if you are not a pilot.

EAA also presents the opportunity to meet other pilots and talk to "super pilots" who make a living flying upside down and doing things that appear crazy to the non-flying public. You can also take classes in building airplanes and talk to people who have built their own.

There is a huge campground surrounding the airshow. Thousands of people camp on the grounds and spend the entire week at EAA. I am fortunate to have a friend who spends the week at the camp ground and also keeps a liberal supply of "refreshments" to be enjoyed by the string of guest who stop by during the week. He keeps the refreshments in a full sized casket which he turned into a cooler. This makes for interesting conversation. At one point while I was at his camp site we were visited by a couple of guys who had built a motorized couch. So, suddenly there is a full sized living room couch with two guys sitting comfortably on it rolling past the camp site. Yes, pilots can be inventive. Or, perhaps they just have too much time on their hands!

The EAA grounds is a feast for anyone who loves to look at airplanes or watch them fly. There is airplanes that are brand new, or those that are from as far back as World War 2. There is almost every configuration of airplane you can imagine. You can get a close up look and sometimes talk to the pilots. You will be surprised at how anxious they are to tell you all about their airplane.

The one thing I always find inadequate at EAA is the food. It seems that every vendor on the grounds has the same mushy burger for greatly over inflated price. I would think that the visitors would be better served by allowing local service organizations to put up a booth and sell something that tastes close to food. But, bearing that in mind I save a lot of money by packing a lunch in my bag to avoid the tasteless food offered on the grounds.

The air show itself is non-stop all day and full of wonderful information and sights. The prepared air show generally runs from about 3:00 in the afternoon until 6:00 in the evening. The show is packed with excitement and action from beginning to end! You can find a comfortable seat along the flight line under a wing for the shade if you are early, or you can just stand where the sights are the best if you get there late. Either way, your senses will be filled with information through the entire program. The sky will be full of activity, the ground will shake and you will find yourself with your hands over your ears to block out the noise of screaming airplane engines and a smile the length of your arm on your face.

If you plan of traveling to EAA, be sure to think of room and board well in advance. Hotels within a hundred miles and further will be booked. There is a housing authority that you can use to find housing in local residences.

You will find EAA to worthwhile adventure!

Lifest!

(To see larger photos click on the slide show. You will be taken to a new page)

This year I was honored with the opportunity to help out on the photo team at Lifest. Lifest is a huge Christian music festival in Oshkosh, WI. Last year because of scheduling I was only able to attend one day. It was a thrill to be present for four of five days.

If you enjoy Christian music, Lifest is the place to be. There are thousands of people who come to watch the big named Christian artists. There is no drinking on the grounds, but plenty of food, games and fun. I never walked across the "downtown" area without seeing crowds of people lined up for food. I was happy planning on making it a health food week until I stumbled upon a booth put up by "Cinders" of Appleton. They make the best steak sandwiches available and I quickly found that what they were serving at the festival was every bit as good as the restaurant!

There were also many games for kids to get involved in. There was a special "kids place" where the imagination was allowed to wander. There was basketball and other games for teens and adults as well.

Worship services are available on Sunday. There is a large worship service at the main stage, or small services several places thoughout the grounds. This year there was a Catholic Mass held in one of the buildings. Prayer tents and dedication room are avaiable at all times.

Lifest was an amazing time and I recommend it for anyone who enjoys music! See you next summer!

Elroy Sparta Bike Trail

Judy and I put the Goldwing aside and headed out to the Elroy Sparta Bike Trail. We picked a perfect day with great sun but not too humid. Our choice was to stop at Kendal and pick up a driver who then dropped us at Sparta. He then takes our car back to Kendal and we can just bike straight there without going two directions. That leaves us about 30 miles of bike trail to cover. My memory of course failed me and we actually took the route where you are going up a 3% grade most of the way. The best way to ride is from Kendal to Sparta. Oh well, hopefully I will remember next time.

If you have not done the Elroy Sparta Trail, I suggest you try it. It is really a breathtaking ride with a very well kept trail and lots of things to see along the way. There are three old rail road tunnels on the route which it is prudent to walk your bike through. Below is a picture of Judy and I just be fore going through "The long creepy tunnel"!

One of the highlights for us is to stop in Wilton and have lunch at "Gina's Pies are square. It is an awesome restaurant with lots of good food choices, and of course some killer pies which are really square. Here is a picture of the restaurant. Note the painting of the woman on the wall. That is Gina. Shortly after taking this picture the place was filled with bikers anxious for lunch. If you do the trail, I recommend that you take the time to stop at Gina's place.

On the trail we met a couple from Arkansas. I do not know if they were lost or just on a ride! ;-) Anyway, we engaged them to take our picture and we took theirs in turn. So, here it is for the world to see.


The whole trip including stops took us about 5 hours. It can be done quicker, but then what would the fun be? Just for your information, there is a really good bike store at the trail head in Sparta in case you have problems. You will find lots of equipment and nice people too. You will find that it is a great way to spend the day. Enjoy!

House Boat Vacation

Another chapter in my life! Something new indeed. I have been taking about renting a house boat and playing on the river for years, and finally Judy and I did just that. We had driven to Fremont and checked out the "Party Doll Marina" to see what it was like and found the prices to be fair all things considered. So, we took off on a three day trip up the Wolf River. We chose to rent a "six sleeper" pictured to the left. It is really a nicely kept well maintained boat with plenty of room inside and full kitchen facilities. We even had a microwave oven! If you choose the 10 sleeper you also get a TV and central air conditioning. Judy and I felt that we could only sleep in so many beds over the course of 2.5 days, so the six was plenty for us.

The owner of the marina took me out in the boat and gave me some lessons in operating it. The boat operation is pretty simple if you just keep in mind that it is not a speed boat and it turns from the rear. So, it takes a little planning, but is is very easy to steer and all of the equipment on the boat worked. I was a little concerned about sleeping on a boat, but actaully I found it pretty southing and very quiet.

Our first day we went up river, picked up bait and stopped at a little place called the "Gala Resort" for lunch. Their place is worth the stop. Very enjoyable and good food too. The wonderful thing about the river is that you can pull off into a series of lakes all along the river and fish or just take a swim. Our first stop was on Partridge Lake. We tried our hand at fishing but had no luck. I found that fishing on the boat was pretty much fun as you can just head to the back of the boat and wash you hand in the sink! That took getting used to! If the fishing gets boring, just pull up and chair at the kitchen table for some coffee.
There is plenty of room on a front deck and a rear deck on the boat. Both decks come with seating and the front deck also has a patio table with chairs. There is also a gas grill on the front of the boat for cooking your meals.

Once we started fishing on the river our luck changed and we were pulling in all kinds of catfish and bass. The fish were pretty cooperative and we usually found some action where ever we were fishing.
Just cruising slowly up the river was fun in itself. There is so much to see it is amazing. There is wildlife you just do not see every day including Pelicans. I did not know there are pelicans in Wisconsin, but there are. Much of our time was spent just chugging up the river enjoying the views. Driving the boat is not labor intensive, so it is pretty relaxing to just cruise and look around. Judy found her spot on the front deck with her coffee and newspaper.

We only had one rain storm while we were out on the river. We had pulled onto Partridge Lake to have supper when we got hit. It was a pretty heavy rain but we were dry and comfortable in the boat. We managed to cook some pork chops and have nice dinner while the rain beat down outside the boat.

The houseboat trip was a wonderful experience and I recommend it to anyone who wants to do something new. The sunsets are also awesome! Here is a sample

At any rate, if you have ever thought about renting a houseboat, do not wait. Do it. You will love it!


Enjoy!

Jeremiah State Patrol Graduation

On Thursday and Friday, June 14th and 15th we were honored with the privilege to attend the activities of the WI State Patrol Graduation. Jeremiah graduated with 39 other troopers who were assigned around the state in positions of Troopers or Inspectors.

The night stated off with a banquet at which Jeremiah was presented an award for being number one in the class. He was presented with the Superintendent’s Award. At the banquet I was honored to meet some of his class mates and their families. I was impressed with the quality of the young men and women who were in the graduating class. Each one looks as committed and dedicated to the State Patrol mission as well as law enforcement in general. I was equally impressed with the professionalism of the leadership who appeared at the banquet. I could not help but be a bit jealous at the new adventures and challenges that Jeremiah will face in his new career. He has some awesome job opportunities and a line up of professionals to work with. With that and a committed, supportive family, what more could he ask for!

On Friday we attended the actual graduation ceremony at the State Capitol in Madison. I watched chocking back some emotions as the class marched in to take their seat calling out cadence they had created. The entire group of people stood by eyes bugging out and jaws hanging loose at the professional appearance of their sons and daughters who put on a very impressive performance.

I buzzed around the room taking as many pictures as I could to memorialize the moment. I do not really think any number of pictures or video could ever replace the honor of being present and seeing the graduation in person.

The special Speaker was Chief Justice Shirley S. Abrahamson. Laughter exploded throughout the crowd as the Chief Justice attempted to get the Troopers to face her so she could swear them in. She commented "Please face me" to which the Troopers ignored and continued to hold their attention status staring straight ahead. With some help from Major Price, the Chief Justice finally barked out the command "face right" at which time the Troopers faced her to be sworn in.

After the ceremony I stood back and watched as Jeremiah's Mother pinned his badge on his shirt for the first time. He also gave his sister Katie and his girlfriend Heather the opportunity to pin the badge on as well.

The entire event left lumps in the throats of many of the family members and a memory that will never fade.

What you will see in the graduation pictures is the faces of happy Troopers and families as the kudos and awards are handed out. What you will not see is just what it took for these 40 people to get where they are at just this moment. You will not see the sweat and tears and the hours of study and the sacrifice and preparation. You will not see the frustration as they faced challenges that they have never before experienced in their lives. You will only get a glimpse of the amount of work that was done to have the privilege to "screw on" the trooper's hat and pin on the badge. These forty people put fear behind them and accepted the challenge of a lifetime. Now, they have finished and their success is melded into their character. We will all benefit by the existence of people of this great character.

"... the big courageous acts of life are those one never hears of and only suspects from having been through like experience. It takes real courage to do battle in the unspectacular task. We always listen for the applause of our co-workers. He is courageous who plods on, unlettered and unknown.... In the last analysis it is this courage, developing between man and his limitations, that brings success." Alice Foote MacDougall

To see more pictures of the graduation, follow the below link.

http://picasaweb.google.com/twinscher/JeremiahSStatePoliceGraduation?authkey=8czeQRTjrfU

Jeremiah's Graduation Pictures