To Ride an Iron Horse - Jack of the Green's Blog

[blues2cruise]

Wow! When you got the birds, did you know they were a couple?

[JackoftheGreen]

Actually, these two birds we acquired in separate transactions. The female was one of three we bought from a local family, and the male we adopted a couple months later from a bird rescue center.

It's kinda a fun story actually, Nigel used to be a show bird and belonged to a guy that is a close friend of the lady that runs the bird rescue center. Seven years ago he had a night terror (birds are prone to violent nightmares, who knew?) and severely damaged his wing joints against the bars of his cage. The only option was to amputate his wings at the joint, and poor Nigel became a special-needs bird. He'd been at the rescue center the last seven years without anyone showing any interest in adopting him, and he had a reputation there as a cantankerous and abusive bird who wouldn't and couldn't be caged with any other birds. We adopted him and brought him home prepared to keep him segregated from our other 'tiels...

But he saw Stella and fell in love. LoL, he used to sit on his ladder in his cage staring across the four feet of floor at the other 'tiel cage and just serenade her, whistling so loud you thought the windows would shatter. So on a whim and under close supervision we started moving Stella into his cage for short periods of time to see what would happen. And the rest, as they say, is history.

I guess he just needed the right bird, huh?

[blues2cruise]

I love that story. I guess he was just a frustrated guy,

[JackoftheGreen]

We made reservations for our site at the KOA in Grand Junction, for our Colorado ride coming up in about a month. Quite excited for this one, down into a corner of Utah I've rarely been in.

We're also going to take a little detour and make the run around Arches National Park, a nice windy bit of two lane blacktop that chases the Colorado River through it's (breathtaking) canyon.

We'd originally planned to splurge a little bit and get a cabin at the KOA instead of a tent site, but alas, we didn't move fast enough and all the cabins are reserved. Not a big deal, the tent packs up real small. It's the bedrolls that take up the most stowage and we were going to need those either way.

Should be a great ride, I'll bring the GOPRO along and get as much video of the twisty bits as I can manage.

(6885)

[ddavitt]

That sounds like an amazing ride Jack !

Take pictures and share , wont you ?

[JackoftheGreen]

I appreciate your enthusiasm. (-: Unfortunately, we had to scrap this one. Some emergency dental work came along and soaked up the spare cash.

We'll get something else planned though, Colorado is definitely still on our list. Stay tuned.

[Hanson]

Jack,

I am sorry to hear that your trip to Colorado is postponed. I love going to Colorado and was looking forward to your posts.

Safe Travels,
Richard

[JackoftheGreen]

We moved into our new house today. (-:

Let me rephrase that...

WE MOVED INTO OUR NEW HOUSE TODAY

We closed on Thursday, and technically we started moving in that day because we've slept here every night since. (-: But today was official 'move in day' with the friends and the pizzas and the trailer and the sore feet and all the cuts and bruises and ibuprophen. Vitamin I as Blues calls it, and we agree.

Our bikes live in a GARAGE now!! They're parked in there right now, and it's freakin' awesome.

We'll post pictures as soon as we get the yard but back together. She's sat vacant since November, so the yard isn't in fantastic shape. Not ready for her close-up yet. (-:

[ddavitt]

That's a BIG congratulations to the BOTH of you !!

Summertime trips are nice on bikes , but you trumped it with this one .
Bikes have shelter , you have a comfortable place for maintenance and upkeep !

[Hanson]

Wow... congrats on your new house. I hope that you both get settled in and find domestic bliss in your new domicile.

Safe Travels,
Richard