2017 – Page 35 – Vic Socotra

February 4, 2017 Vic Socotra

Life and Island Times: Down in Monterey

The next day and half were off days. Rex’s wife wanted to see him and visit Napa valley and Steve was rejoining the group. This revised their travel schedule. So after much wine and rest was had, “three days of understanding” were on tap down in Monterey. It was easy for Marlow and Steve to […]

February 4, 2017 Vic Socotra

Hugging A Tree

The bark is rough against my face My arms, too short, to wrap around The girth of the god of this forest place, Me, a few decades’-worth of meat And fat, the tree has seen hundreds Of seasons, through cold and heat, Twisted by winds, it has grown Into a giant, and I, embrace its […]

February 3, 2017 Vic Socotra

Way Down Yonder (In Vietnam)

(Boomer behind the bar at the Amen Corner. Photo Socotra). Willow was bustling, and it was with good reason. The last Friday night of the month was the fabulous Buffalo Night, in which Tracy O’Grady re-creates the most famous sandwich to ever come out of Buffalo, New York: the astonishing ‘Beef on Weck.’ BOW is […]

February 3, 2017 Vic Socotra

Life and Island Times: Hell’s Anvil

The Pacific coast’s volcanic mountains were this day’s west coast riding focus. The first eight miles along their southward US97 trek was a long winding four lane hill climb up from their Columbia River valley floor motel at Biggs Junction to the high plains of north-central Oregon’s wheat belt. Once on the plain they could […]

February 3, 2017 Vic Socotra

DMV Or Dentist’s Office

Staring at the coffee-table-book, Tired, wrinkled magazines, I sigh, and take another look, At the plastic clock on the wall, Of this waiting place, the Clock hardly moves at all… copyright J.P.N. | Poetry, Etc., From Kanagawa, South of Tokyo, Japan www.carllafong.blogspot.jp

February 2, 2017 Vic Socotra

Life and Island Times: West Coast

The coastline from corner #2 to southern California is a near continuous mountain ridge of cliffs and sandy and rocky beaches. In many areas the mountains and coastal sea cliffs are volcanic in origin. When the lava rose along the sea coasts, hot and boiling, great blow-holes formed, and hardened to make caves. These are […]

February 1, 2017 Vic Socotra

Arrias on Healing Health Care

The President is looking at unraveling the Affordable Care Act (the ACA, commonly referred to as Obamacare) and replacing it with something that is less expensive and at the same time giving citizens more options in their health care. Less expensive is key. Since the ACA was passed in 2011, health insurance costs have soared […]

February 1, 2017 Vic Socotra

A Matter of Trust

(Tinker Belle holds down the Willow bar). Willow was having one of those golden afternoons where the doors to the patio were propped open and the dust motes glowed in the rays of the lowering sun. Jasper was running around as always- I don’t know when he doesn’t work- and Tinker Belle was handling the […]

February 1, 2017 Vic Socotra

Life and Island Times: Kootenai & Corner #2

Over breakfast at Two Dog Flats Restaurant, Augustus reviewed for Rex and Marlow the next two days’ itinerary. It would be two easy segments of mostly straight roads through a park, nature preserves and then the Cascade Mountains and forests along Washington’s northern border with corner #2 being the final stop. Two Dog Flats was […]

February 1, 2017 Vic Socotra

Walk Like A Japanese

Purposeful Japanese people walking, Perfectionists in navy, black, and gray, Each carrying the weight of their Ancient tribe, in a Japanese way. Diligent Japanese people talking, In controlled and quiet tones, All crowded on verdant islands, Home to gods and ancestors’ bones. Quiet Japanese people stalking, In moments short and rare, Happiness, hidden somewhere deep […]

Year: 2017