Arizona has some interesting history...

This was actually a jail carved out of rock!

Driving through Morenci the other day, this caught my eye.  Just imagine what life was like back in the 1800's. 

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On a desert highway...

The idea of posting attractions along a highway is a time honored tradition.  Burma Shave, Wall Drug... classic examples in the US.  Well today I drove a very boring stretch of AZ I-10 and just had to check this out!

I actually drove this highway last night and noticed the many bill boards for the "THING!"

What the heck... I figure you only go around once.  I had to know - What is the THING?

It costs a dollar to walk through a door and go see.  You get to follow "Big Foot" tracks painted on the walkway that takes you through several buildings with warnings about the occasional snake or local animal that "could  be" in any of the buildings.

Along the way anticipation builds as you pass by various displays of "Things."

Long story short... This is the THING.  It is pretty weird.  Looks like a doll-mummy.  Curiosity satisfied I turned back onto I-10 headed for Tucson

Until next time...

Someplace in the desert...

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Pascha Blessings

Just a quick post tonight to share with all my wishes and hopes for peace this Easter / Pascha. 

Christ is Risen!

Indeed He has Risen!

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Michigan Technological University Design Expo - 2017

Wow - another year has gone by.  Once again I was a judge of senior projects and enterprise project presentations at MTU.  This is always a wonderful experience for me.  I taught there for nine years and always bump into old friends.  The students continue to do awesome things and this exposition showcases the talent by way of exhibiting their capstone projects or enterprise work for the year.  Some of the interesting work that struck me as really innovative were the planetary drive on the SAE Baja design and the carbon fiber suspension parts that keep working their way into designs.  The students dram up the concept, analyze the design, build it and then compete.

The Memorial Union Building Ballroom is chock full of displays and bright young people anxious to tell you about their work!

For me, seeing what these great students accomplish is a reminder of much fun teaching was.  So much is acquired in those four years!

A couple of roadside oddities on this trip... this is the first time  I think I've ever seen some sort of hair on a giant fiberglass character. 

The composition of this display is particularly odd - I thought anyhow...

I wanted to close with a Hazel Update... she was pointing at a fly on our lawn... Maybe next time. 

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Studebaker Update!

Warm weather has returned, thanks mainly to tilting of the planet, I'm not banking on CO2 to help much!  With the warm weather comes an M-Series Update!  Today I removed the front clip and started to work on a cradle for the engine and transmission.  That's the next big step this year. 

My goal is to have the engine and transmission rebuilt this summer, sheet metal next year...

These old M-Series trucks were built between 1941 and 1948 - my truck is the 1 1/2 ton M-16 so it came with the "bigger" Commander 226 CI engine.  I think it developed 94 peak HP and 84 or 85 "Sale-able" HP.  You can get that kind of power out of a KTM or Ducati without much trouble these days.  I thnk it's a really cool old truck and I like the mustache look of the grill...

NLO and JRO  you don't know what absolute fun you're missing! 

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