- Life In LA
As most of you know, Sandy's son, John Jr., is in the motion picture business in LA.
We had a chance to visit him over the last few days, and were able to see his new home for the first time. To say the least, we were overwhelmed. It's quite a place.
If interested, please click on the icon displayed.
Note: it may run slowly, so you may have to replay it to make it run more smoothly. Running it on "Low" resolution may also help.
Happy New Year to Everyone!!
Ted & Sandy
- Parachutists at Eloy, AZ (Take two)
Here's another take with those parachutists at Eloy last year.
The music is thanks to my sister, Deborah Romeyn.
Just click on the icon below, and make sure your speakers are on.
- 2011 Ride For Dad
The 2011 version of the Okanagan's Motorcycle Ride For Dad (one of thirty rides across Canada this year) was a great success. Over three hundred motorcycles joined our third ride here in Kelowna, and they travelled south to Osoyoos and Karemeos, where a lunch was served. Dozens of volunteers once again helped make this ride one of the best ever! We thank you all!
The music is thanks to Mary Chapin Carpenter and her "I Feel Lucky", and Rick McEwen's "I Can't Wait".
The best way to view these pictures is to click on Start Slideshow (in the upper right), then click on Full Screen, and make sure your speakers are on.
- Wilmington!!
Well, Li'l Guy now has her "wings" - she flew successfully to and from Raleigh, NC, while sitting comfortably under our seat!!
Here are some photos and videos of events during the trip.
Unlike other slideshows, simply double-click on a photo or a video to view. The videos show a "length" in the lower left hand corner of the frame.
I sure hope you enjoy!
Ted
- Skydiving!
Wow! Eloy, AZ, is the world largest centre for skydiving! People from the entire world congregate here to jump, jump, jump!
We've been out there on three different days, and here are a few photos and videos. For the latter, you need a pretty fast internet connection.
The music is thanks to Frank Sinatra and Liza Minnelli, and their "I've Got the World On A String".
Anyhow, I hope you enjoy.
The best way to view these pictures is to click on Start Slideshow, then click on Full Screen, and make sure your speakers are on.
Note: If the videos are pixelated (not clear due to a slow internet connection), stop slideshow and just click individually on a picture. The videos show the time in the lower left corner, and they will be clearer viewing them this way.
- We-Ko-Pa Again!
Another great day for a ride, and we headed for the We-Ko-Pa Golf Club again for an excellent lunch. And the weather really co-operated - HOT!
The music is thanks to Frankie Laine and his "Grenada" as well as "Jezebel".
The best way to view these pictures is to click on Start Slideshow, then click on Full Screen, and make sure your speakers are on.
- An Old Hawaiian Friend!
When I was eleven years old, I met a singer on the island of Kauai - Larry Rivera. I am happy to say that he is still a very dear friend today, and we have managed to stay in touch ever since that day in 1953.
Larry is known as "Mr. Kauai" on the island, and at the age of eighty now, he still can be heard in performances all around the island, as well as some here on the mainland. He's an institution in Hawaii.
Sandy and I have had the great pleasure of visiting with Larry numerous times in the islands, as well as seeing him a few times at one of his favourite destinations - Las Vegas. So this past weekend, we drove up to Vegas to see him again, as he was visiting for the Super Bowl weekend. For the record, this was the first time we had ever taken our pooch to a hotel, and it worked out perfectly.
I didn't get too many shots, but here are a few, and the music is done by Larry - his own "Waialeale", from his latest album "Kamalani". Thank you, my friend.
The best way to view these pictures is to click on Start Slideshow, then click on Full Screen, and make sure your speakers are on.
- Happy 82nd, Chuck!!
Last evening, we all got together to celebrate Chuck's 82nd birthday. You can always get a drink at Chuck's; in fact, he holds a meeting every Monday afternoon at 3:00 PM just so that we can get the week going (and our hearts).
The music is compliments of Frank Sinatra.
The best way to view these pictures is to click on Start Slideshow, then click on Full Screen, and make sure your speakers are on.
- Tortilla Flat 2010
Well, we headed up to Tortilla Flat for the first time this year, in order to partake of their famous (or infamous) chili there. It was HOT, HOT, HOT!!
We also noticed that the blacktop on the route was a little rougher than last year, so it made for an interesting ride.
However, the chili made it all worthwhile!! It felt as if we had a little "rocket fuel" on the way home!!
The music is thanks to Frankie Laine - "That Lucky Old Sun"
The best way to view these pictures is to click on Start Slideshow, then click on Full Screen, and make sure your speakers are on.
- We've lost another dear friend!
Richard (Dick) Fercho passed away suddenly this summer, and our whole park, Montesa, will really never be the same again. You see, Dick was the fellow you called when you needed help - a fan installed, a leaky faucet, a new water heater, whatever. Since moving into Montesa in 2001, he just became "the man to call". In addition, he babysat our homes all summer long, looking after well over a hundred homes on his route. He would go into the house once a week, flush toilets, check for problems, fill sink traps and run dishwashers. He was invaluable!
In addition, Dick was a good friend to so many. You could hear is hearty laughter all over the park, and he always stopped to chat. I can recall many a beer I had with him at the end of his day. We'd have a great conversation - he talked and I listened! There were just so many stories.......
Today, Dick's whole family had a celebration of Dick's life. They had been good enough to wait until all the residents from the far North were, for the most part, back in Montesa. There were lots of stories, many tears, and some great chuckles as people talked about Dick. Damn, we'll miss him.
The celebration also included a hike up Silly Mountain, as this was one place that Dick had always wanted to go, but he never had time to do this as he was always working. So dozens of our residents climbed the mountain, many equipped with a balloon with Dick's name on it. They were released at the summit. We all had a chance to say good-bye.
The best way to view these pictures is to click on Start Slideshow, then click on Full Screen, and make sure your speakers are on.
- Rob Moy Memorial Run
On Saturday, October 23, a poker run was held in memory of Rob Moy, a rider who died tragically in a motorcycle accident on his way to work. The ride was sponsored by the Scottsdale Healthcare Centre, and was in aid of the Gift of Life Lodging Program/Virginia G. Piper Cancer Centre.
A large number of riders attended in what turned out to be a superbly organized ride covering about 215 miles, complete with lunch and a wonderful wrap-up celebration at San Tan Flat.
There were hundreds of prizes, including a motorcycle, notebook computers, iPads, etc. No, I did not win a darn thing!
Great ride, and I can hardly wait for next year's edition.
The music is by Jim Stafford - "Freight Train" & "Guitar Boogie".
The best way to view these pictures is to click on Start Slideshow, then click on Full Screen, and make sure your speakers are on.
- The Aussies Are Coming!
Thanks to the Motorcycle Travel Network, we were hooked up , close to a year ago, with Blue and Heather from Australia. We arranged to have them visit us in West Kelowna for a couple of nights, and they arrived exactly on time at 5:00 PM on July 25th, a time and date that we had set that year ago! Amazing!
Blue, Heather, Vicki and Jillian were the most fabulous guests, and we thank them generously for letting us get to know them.
And, thanks to some wonderful help from Brian's Sandi, Marian, Ruth, Kent and my Sandy, and many others, we were able to have a bit of a party to make these folks from Australia feel even more welcome. Thank you, all, for helping us do this!
Enclosed are some photos (some even well out of focus which helps us older folks) of all the people who helped make this a fun occasion.
The music track is "Digital Vibrations" by Jamiroquai, from the album "Travelling Without Moving".
The best way to view these pictures is to click on Start Slideshow, then click on Full Screen, and make sure your speakers are on.
We hope you enjoy...........
- Back to Hamilton!
Well, we finally returned to Hamilton after a two-year absence!
First of all, we immediately drove to London to visit with some "trailer friends" from years ago. We especially wanted to see Bob, and, of course, we see the Martins and the Rollins's in Arizona every winter. We all had a great lunch at the Wayside Inn in Talbotville.
That night, we drove to Toronto (just so you don't think we were just sitting around), and visited with Richard, a fellow GoldWing rider friend of Ted's. We have been chatting on the internet for over two years, and this was the first time we had met in person (dinner at the Baton Rouge in Vaughan). Richard, it was an absolute pleasure to finally meet you!
We then had a quick chance to visit with Norma in Burlington.
And then, Skip and Kath', who did their usual superb job of hosting us at their home for a week, had a family get-together at their gorgeous home. We got to see Darcy, Jamie, Jack and Charlie, and "almost" Ben, along with Brian, Joanne and Elliot.
And finally, many of Sandy's friends from her former work got together for lunch at a Chinese buffet. Marnie, Gerard, Gail and Jean all made it very special.
Thank you, all, for making our trip just great!
The music is the "Bandits Suite" with Christopher Young. It's from the MGM picture, "Bandits".
The best way to view these pictures is to click on Start Slideshow, then
click on Full Screen, and make sure your speakers are on.
Ted & Sandy
- Happy 90th!
Last Sunday, a group of good friends and relatives joined Yvonne and Herbert to celebrate Herbert's 90th birthday. A wonderful luncheon was served at the Intercontinental Hotel in Toronto, and we were all treated to a very special afternoon.
Many spoke some very fine words about our Herbert, and I can admit that there were some tears in the eyes of quite a few.
The music is Hagood Hardy's "Chasing A Dream".
The best way to view these pictures is to click on Start Slideshow, then
click on Full Screen, and make sure your speakers are on.
Again, Happy Birthday, Herbert!
- 2010 Ride For Dad
On June 13, the Ride For Dad campaign, in support of prostate cancer research, held its second annual event in the Okanagan. A record number of motorcycles turned out to take part in the ride which started at Prospera Place in Kelowna, went south through Westbank, Penticton and Osoyoos, and then headed north again through Rock Creek and Beaverdell, finally finishing back in Kelowna at Banner Recreation. Wow!
Enclosed are some shots from various points in the ride.
The music is thanks to Van Morrison and his "Queen of the Slipstream".
The best way to view these pictures is to click on Start Slideshow, then click on Full Screen, and make sure your speakers are on.
- Wilmington!
On May 20, 2010, we headed South to Wilmington, NC, to visit Sandy's granddaughter, Lexie. It was a thrill to see her again, now at the age of a little over two.
Becky and Chris took very good care of us, and we can hardly wait until we can head down there again
The music is thanks to Van Morrison and his "Domino".
The best way to view these pictures is to click on Start Slideshow, then click on Full Screen, and make sure your speakers are on.
- Lunch in Penticton
A gorgeous day, and time for some GoldWing friends to head South to Penticton for lunch!
Larry, Moe & Marian, Brian & Sandi, Les, and Ted & Sandy partook of Mexican food at the Vallarta Grill - just excellent.
Lots of laughs, and a good time was had by all.
Next Sunday, anyone?
The music is "Moon Dance", by Andreas Vollenweider.
The best way to view these pictures is to click on Start Slideshow, then click on Full Screen, and make sure your speakers are on.
- We've Lost a Dear Friend
Last October, a dear friend of ours passed away at the too young age of 61.
From a selfish point of view, I have missed this man terribly, as we used to ride motorcycles together in Arizona every winter. And we had great lunches together where we could connect.
Tonight, his wife, BJ, hosted an evening where we could all gather together to talk about Tom. These are photos from that evening.
Tom, I expect you were here with us!
The music track is Van Morrison's "Did Ye Get Healed?".
The best way to view these pictures is to click on Start Slideshow, then click on Full Screen, and make sure your speakers are on.
- A Great Party!
A whole lot of nice people got together for an enjoyable evening on Saturday. Lots to drink, huge amounts of food, a beautiful home, and a good time had by all.
The music track is Van Morrison's "Allow Me".
The best way to view these pictures is to click on Start Slideshow, then click on Full Screen, and make sure your speakers are on.
- Organ Stop
A whole lot of GoldWingers from Kelowna joined for dinner at the Organ Stop Pizza Restaurant in Mesa. We all decided that Arizona was a better place to be in the winter!!
The best way to view these pictures is to click on Start Slideshow, then click on Full Screen, and make sure your speakers are on.
- Parking Lot Pics!
Went on a ride north of here today, and had lunch at the We-Ko-Pa Golf Course. Great fun!
One of our group, Enid, suggested that I have taken a lot of "parking lot pictures" on these rides, so I dedicate this little show to Enid!!
We also got to meet some new riders (even newer than me!), Doug and Janet. In fact, this was Janet's first ever ride!! Wow! She did just fine!!
The best way to view these pictures is to click on Start Slideshow, then click on Full Screen, and make sure your speakers are on.
- Back to AZ!
Well, we headed for Arizona early this year! And we made it down in record time - only three nights!
I tried to take photos at every stop, but managed to miss Las Vegas, where we spent one night! Ah, well, you know what Vegas look like anyway!
It's great to be back, even though we were greeted by 93 F weather.
The best way to view these pictures is to click on Start Slideshow, then click on Full Screen, and make sure your speakers are on.
- Kelowna Toy Ride
We had yet another Toy Ride in the Kelowna area, an event held to collect hundreds of toys for local children.
468 motorcycles were registered! Now that is one LARGE group, which wound its way through various Kelowna streets, up to Winfield, and back down through Kelowna again. Thanks to some superb "out-riding", there were no holdups, and no incidents.
Santa has a lot more to distribute this Christmas!
The best way to view these pictures is to click on Start Slideshow, then click on Full Screen, and make sure your speakers are on.
- Really Old Bones!
After three years of "talking about" going to Drumheller, Alberta, to see the dinosaur stuff, we finally did it! Leaving last Sunday, we travelled to Golden, BC, where we stayed in an awful RV Park! - but, there were some gorgeous bighorn sheep there, and they came right up to our Pleasure-Way van! Exciting, and just a little scary!
From there, we made our way to Drumheller, and spent three nights at the Dinosaur RV Park - not bad, and well located for all the attractions in the area.
We visited the Tyrrell Museum, which provided us with a spectacular demonstration of how the dinosaurs lived, and what they looked like. Amazing!
And then we visited the HooDoos - odd mushroom-shaped formations that have developed over tens of thousands of years. I guess we could say "we did the HooDoos"!
We were glad to get home, though, as the little RV is not the best place to spend time in screaming heat!
The best way to view these pictures is to click on Start Slideshow, then click on Full Screen, and make sure your speakers are on.
- Vancouver Encore
We decided to repeat Ted's earlier ride this summer to Vancouver, but this time Sandy went along to see how she would do on a longer ride. She did fantastically!
Like last time, we stayed the first night at the Ramada Inn in Surrey - even the same room, as it was convenient for parking the bike just outside.
The next morning, we rode over to the Tsawwassen Ferry terminal, and we were the very first vehicle to board! They really do treat motorcyclists like royalty!!
Arriving at Swartz Bay on Vancouver Island, we rode to my cousin's home in Victoria, and spent a great day with both her and her husband, John. Joan even twisted my arm to do the barbequing! Thanks to you both for yet another wonderful visit.
Wednesday morning, we rode from Victoria up to Departure Bay at Nanaimo, and boarded yet another ferry to return to Horseshoe Bay in West Vancouver. The timing was perfect! We paid our fare, and then rode up the special lane for motorcycles and just kept on going right onto the ferry without even having to stop! Wonderful service!
That evening, we stayed with another cousin, Judy, and her husband, John, in West Vancouver. Many thanks again for a great visit!
By the way, all of the foregoing was accomplished in record temperatures for Vancouver and area! Vancouver broke a 49-year-old record!! Damn, it was hot!!
And the best news - Sandy says she'll do it again!!
The best way to view these pictures is to click on Start Slideshow, then click on Full Screen, and make sure your speakers are on.
- Revelstoke Revelry!
On the weekend of July 18, the GoldWing club in Kelowna went on an overnight ride to Revelstoke. Six bikes rode up through Vernon, and then to Lumby, Fauquier, Nakusp, and finally to Revelstoke. We rode on two ferries to boot!
The ride was prefaced by the usual Saturday morning breakfast. But this one was special - it was Larry's (our leader) 65th Birthday! Happy Birthday, Larry!
Only three bikes stayed overnight - Denny and Willa, Ted, and Keith, while Vic, Russ and Michael and Carla returned home Saturday night.
Of course, we kind of got messed up with the news that there were major fires in Kelowna Saturday night, so Ted and Keith made tracks for home early Sunday!
The music track is Yanni's "Santorini".
The best way to view these pictures is to click on Start Slideshow, then click on Full Screen, and make sure your speakers are on.
- Westside Road
Sandy's sister, Judy, came to visit, this time to West Kelowna. Of course, that meant I had to scoot her up the Westside Road, one of Canada's best motorcycle rides! But she's a game lady, and took a pile of photos..............
The music track is again done by my sister, Deborah. If interested, you can visit Deb's web-site at: http://deborahromeyn.com Thanks, Deb'!
The best way to view these pictures is to click on Start Slideshow, then click on Full Screen, and make sure your speakers are on.
- "Ride For Dad"
On June 7, 2009, another Ride For Dad poker run was held in Kelowna. Despite rain, hail and cold temperatures, over 200 riders took part and raised over $18,000 for prostate cancer research. Well done!
I do not have photos from every stop, but have used some I have taken along with photos submitted by M & M Performance. Many thanks.
The music track is "Where's the Walrus" from "The Alan Parsons Project".
The best way to view these pictures is to click on Start Slideshow, then click on Full Screen, and make sure your speakers are on.
- Vancouver Ride
I finally managed to take a longer ride on the bike, a solo hop over to Vancouver and then to Victoria on Vancouver Island, thanks to a ride on the Tsawwassen ferry. In Victoria, I stayed overnight with my cousin and her husband, and then rode to the Departure Bay ferry terminal to return to Horseshoe Bay on the mainland. There, I stayed with friends, and returned to West Kelowna the next day. The trip was about 1,000 kilometres.
A fabulous ride! - can't wait to do another!
The best way to view these pictures is to click on Start Slideshow, then click on Full Screen, and make sure your speakers are on.
- "Ride For Dad"
Two local businesses got together to sponsor a "Ride for Dad" event, a poker run in support of prostate cancer. A great group - a great ride!
The best way to view these pictures is to click on Start Slideshow, then click on Full Screen, and make sure your speakers are on.
- John & Brittney
John and Brittney visited from LA. They brought their bike with them, and that, of course, meant ride, ride, ride! We went past Sagauaro Lake, and up to We-Ko-Pa golf course for lunch, and then back down and over to Tortilla Flat! Wow! Twisties after lunch - not wise!
The best way to view these pictures is to click on Start Slideshow, then click on Full Screen, and make sure your speakers are on.
- Salt River Canyon
We had eleven bikes today for a run up to Salt River Canyon, and we picked up a twelfth along the way!
Gorgeous day - 190-miles of riding!
I'm pleased to use some special music on this slideshow. My sister, Deborah, composes, sings and records. She's also a high school teacher and has a massage therapy practice. She's busy!
If interested, you can visit her web-site at: http://deborahromeyn.com
The best way to view these pictures is to click on Start Slideshow, then click on Full Screen, and make sure your speakers are on.
- The "Luau"
A motorcycle ride with an Hawaiian flavour, thanks to some good friends!
In fact, we visited an "Open House" for a new Sun City development. Hey, we're not proud - it was a free lunch!!
The best way to view these pictures is to click on Start Slideshow, then click on Full Screen, and make sure your speakers are on.
- Ride to Saguaro
A great ride to Lake Saguaro with five bikes! Great company!
The best way to view these pictures is to click on Start Slideshow, then click on Full Screen, and make sure your speakers are on.
- Sunset-Moonrise!
Once a month, we have the coincidence of having a sunset and moonrise almost simultaneously. It`s gorgeous!!
The best way to view these pictures is to click on Start Slideshow, then click on Full Screen, and make sure your speakers are on.
- The Pooches
Sandy and I have been blessed with the nicest pooches. Mayday and Li'l Guy keep us busy, and even though we lost Rerun a few years ago, he's still very much in our hearts. And thanks go to Judy (Sandy's sister) for most of the shots!
The best way to view these pictures is to click on Start Slideshow, then click on Full Screen, and make sure your speakers are on.
- Judy's Rides
Sandy's sister, Judy, joined us in Gold Canyon for ten days. On two of those days, we RODE, first to Globe, and then to Saguaro Lake. Our good friend, Tom, took Sandy on his BMW, and Judy took her chances with me! And she took pictures......................
The best way to view these pictures is to click on Start Slideshow, then click on Full Screen, and make sure your speakers are on.
- Motorcycling in AZ
We've had a great winter of riding in Arizona! While our Kelowna location offers superb riding as well, what we experience down here is really special! In fact, it's fantastic!!
The best way to view these pictures is to click on Start Slideshow, then click on Full Screen, and make sure your speakers are on.