Mish Mash- Gary's 2005 Cross Country Bicycle Trip

Update -- 7/9/05 -- 3:00 PM -- Roadside Diversion: While leapfrogging Gary on Rte. 2 in Northern Wisconsin
I came upon some artful craftsmen at work. The Grizz Works in Maple, Wisconsin on Rte. 2 ten miles east of Rte. 53 is home to some craftful wood carvers utilizing chainsaws to sculpt their creations. I couldn't resist the urge to stop and take it all in and get some pictures as well. Here is some of their work:

                                                              The Grizz Works -- Maple, Wisconsin right on Route 2

These folks have quite a showplace and were hard at work at the time of my visit. The bear in the upper right picture stood eight or nine feet tall. In the bottom left picture the owner is at work with a chain saw and his apprentice on the right is charring a piece with a torch. Much of the dark coloring is accomplished by charring with a torch. Their website indicates they will accept requests for designing to a customer's wants. Their open walled work shop or pavillion was an interesting creation in its own right. Their website indicates they do not ship, but I am sure a Mailbox, Etc. or Kinko's Office/Employee could be bribed to pick it up -- box it up -- and getting a piece headed in your direction if it was a moderately sized piece.

Take a tour through their web site: Grizz Works

Some earlier pictures of Gary: (Just a couple of my favorites.)     Added -- 6/22/05

    Gary Jr

          Gary 13 or 14 years of age. Taken while fishing                  "Huckleberry Hancq" -- Gary at about 11 years of age
        on the Lower Kaubashine Lake at the                                     Taken while camping on the Illinois River at
         Buena Vista Resort in Hazelhurst, Wis. circa 1976          Starved Rock State Park -- Utica, IL circa 1973
         Computerized "Paint Technique" performed                                 The lad found the river and yes he was wet.
                                on the cropped snapshot.                                                              ( And he is still all wet at times.
                                                                                                                                        I'm his father, and I can say that.)
                                                                                                                              He is probably daydreaming about taking a
                                                                                                                                    Cross Country Bicycle Trip one day.

Sometimes I just feel like a little diversion is in order.

A little something I put together 20 years ago.

And along the same vein. More than you ever needed or maybe wanted to know about land measurement:
Links To Land Measure: www.ghostseekers.com/Conversions.htm
And: Land Measure Commonly Found in Legal Descriptions
Ever wonder how the plot of land on your house deed is determined and described? Inquire within: Plot Description

Gary just went over the 1000 mile mark (2 Miles from Elmore, Ohio at 3:10 PM on 6/17/05) since starting his trip so he has pedaled 8000 furlongs since starting out on 5/21/05.

IF
If cats instead of paws had hoofs,
And pigs instead of oinks said woofs.
If birds had trunks instead of wings,
And snakes had legs and other things.
If fish could talk,
And worms could walk.
If elephants had cabinets instead of trunks,
And camels slept on beds and bunks.
If Rover smoked a big cigar,
And Rusty drove the family car.
How could order come from chaos?
And how could I know who I was?
How the world would look anew,
And how could I tell you were You ?
To Grandson Jeffery Age 10
From Gramps - ‘95

If the point is sharp, and the arrow is swift,
it can pierce through the dust no matter how thick.
Bob Dylan