30 Meet Joe

Trivia for post 29,  Buddy Holly died on Feb 3rd in a plane crash.  Waylon Jennings gave up his seat to The Big Bopper because he had the flu. Richie Valens won his seat on a coin toss and one musician decided not to spend the $36.00 to board the plane.  Decisions and choices?  Hmmmm.  How do you think Tommy Allsup was feeling as he watched the plane leave without him after losing the coin toss?  Be careful what you wish for.  Silver linings?  I found this story on Tommy, if you want a good read on music history, Click Here  
I think you will enjoy it.

January 9th

Pretty typical of the scenery in this part of  Texas

     Our destination was the hill country of Texas and tonight Fredricksburg.  From Lago Vista we traveled on FM 1431 ( in Texas FM stands for farm to market.)  across the Marble falls dam and the 281 to Johnson City to visit Lyndon Johnson's boyhood home and ranch.  It was interesting to try and see what shaped his presidency.  An airstrip was improved on his ranch to accommodate the Presidents plane.  He was the first President to create a functioning White House away from Washington.  It became known as the Texas White house.   They say he accomplished more than most presidents during his term of office. He had a habit of conducting business at all hours of the night and had phone's and TV's installed in his  bedroom.  ( Lady bird soon had her own sleeping area built adjoining his for privacy. ( just thinking, maybe I will have to get my own wing on this camper if I keep typing on this blog at all hours of the night and morning. )  He had found out from childhood that information is the key and from his father relaying news of the day from their radio to their neighbors that the one with the information has the power.  He made it a habit to listen to all three of the major networks at one time to keep informed.   He seemed to fight for poor and racial equality, the latter you wouldn't have thought would have made him very popular in his home state.  With Vietnam in my history it is hard to like him. ( Then again I'm skeptical of most politicians.)   Of course if you look at the picture I'm holding you might be sympathetic of his childhood.  ( It is not a skull, it is a lady looking in a mirror.) His mother had it displayed over their fireplace to stimulate conversation with guests and to teach the value of not judging by first impressions and things are not always what they seem.   If you want to see a better picture email me or click "Here" 
  The artist was only 18 years old at the time of the drawing.  While your checking out the his drawing read his story.  Very interesting. 
     Here is something you may have experienced.   I have found many entities and websites do not reply when you use their contact area.  In trying to research this and find a suitable picture of the drawing I was rewarded by a quick response to an email request.  Thanks you are doing a great job and like the unknown soldier, you are known but to God. 
    Sorry, back to Johnson.  The question in my mind was how did he achieve the financial wealth to get where he was, one of the guides response was. "He married it."   And for Ruthie, Claudia Alta Taylor was born in a mansion and at age five one of the maids said she was as cute as a Lady bird.  There you go.    ( I wish I had received a cute nickname from our maids or servants.) 
     Tonight was to be another motorcycle club stay.  We may have been a little nervous when the voice mail had said they would return our call when they got out of prison?  Just teasing  Diane and Larry are involved in prison ministry's.  After we found their home in Fredricksburg we went down town for a bite to eat.  After a interesting  visit with our hosts we retired for the evening.  The next morning we had a wonderful healthy  breakfast, Diane had the table stocked with a variety of  fresh fruit.  After searching the ground and garage for Ruthie's earring we were on our way.  ( Sue emailed that they had found it on their garage floor in Lago Vista. )
 Jan 10th

     We had been warned by one of our customers that if we didn't look him up when we traveled to Fredricksburg he was going to travel the four hours from his home in Manson Iowa to ours and chew us out good.  Well we didn't want to risk that.  Picture of Wally, Joe and myself, Wally's the one without the Navy cap.     The previous year Joe had contacted us, he had been riding a reverse trike ( two wheels up front.) and would rather be riding his BMW and wondered if we could trike it?  We could, we did, and met an interesting person.     He has owned over thirty motorcycles in his life, been the mayor of his town and I'm sure if you visit with him many other things.

     Couldn't help showing off the trike we built for him.  We weren't able to take a picture of it today as he hadn't taken it out of the trailer yet.  I think he said he and his buddies don't ride  unless it is 40 degrees by ten AM.  May be wrong on the numbers.  We rode with one group that won't ride unless the temperature is their age or warmer.  I decided to share some of the conversation we had with Joe by making it clear this is Joe talking.  " My friend Marv came down to visit me here at the park in Fredricksburg.  He stopped by the park office and asked if Joe ****** was parked here.  They said he is!  Thanks Marv said, I'm his parole officer and I need to check on his where abouts."   With friends like that who needs enemys.  And to get back at Marv who rides a Harley, here are two short ones from Joe.  " My friend Marv bought a Harley and then couldn't ride it becasue his family had him committed."  and " Harley has come out with a new drive train on their motorcycles.  It's magnetic and picks up the parts that fall off as you ride."
Remember, save your hate mail, that was Joe talking.  You got to love him.
Later Joe!