cash

I promise, the ROYs were much happier at the lodge, and after 4 hours in the desert I was glad to be back there with the ROYs. After a nap and a cold drink, however, I was ready for another hike. This time, to a waterfall.

The hike started down some steep slickrock.

Some pools above the fall.

Cliff

Looks like a nice place to swim -- the water was too cold and we needed to get back for dinner. More to come...

We came across one of the biggest felled trees I can remember.

All the little pools are full, thanks to the extra rain this year. Lots of life in these pools. Some really crazy biology exists in these little pools. Stuff that literally drys up when the pools disappear and then rehydrate once the rain comes. My girl is better with the science, she knows all the names and what's going on.

More to come...

I should have snapped some photos of dinner, but I'm lousy at this. Needless to say, we had a goat cheese fondu, she had some fabulous enchiladas and I had some pasole. The wine and beer were good and desert was out of sight. The menu nicely incorporates a lot of Asian-cuisine philosophy on some traditional Americana/Southwestern dishes. I'm still craving the adobo creme on top of the enchiladas. But back to jeans.

The ROYs needed a rest, so they hung out at the lodge while we headed out into the wilderness.

This is a great time of the year to hit the desert. It's been a really wet year and everything is in bloom.

Big rocks.

A lot of volcanic glass and polished stones on the ground.

We hiked along the rim of a nice little creek. We ran into one of the biggest rattlesnakes I've seen during one stretch in the flood plain. For obvious reasons, I didn't snap a photo for you. Although the ROYs stayed at the lodge, the bandamna came in handy.

The drive winds through many small towns in various states of decay. Yes, I am wearing flip flops. I was in a hot car for 5 hours, the piggies needed a little air.

My favorite lady.

I've been married to my wife for 10 years, so last weekend we hit the open road for a second honeymoon of sorts.

The destination was Boulder, Utah. Boulder was the last region the US Postal service delivered via mule train. The mail started coming by truck in 1942, five years before electricity arrived. Geographically it is the second largest city in the state and home to only 180 people. The closest Interstate is 2.5 hours away. Residents like to boast that it is the most remote city in the lower 48.

There were two reasons we made the long trek: 1) Is this very nice restaurant owned by a friend. The restaurant uses mostly locally sourced, organic food.

2) The other reason, is to spend a little time in Grand Staircase-Escalante NM. This picture was taken from the regions second-busiest roadway, not a road or route, but a trail.

Golf can be fun in the correct context...

By which you mean, with alcohol.... by which you mean, a lot of things can be made more fun with alcohol. I prefer bourbon in a flask whilst I golf, or spend too much time with my extended family....

I may have a problem....

....but I won't let that get in the way of my drinking.

Do you guys thing the Veste Ouvrier when paired with the matching Pantaloons could make a sort of cool, yet casual suit? I need a suit for friends weddings but want something that I see as cool. But they are all really casual weddings, so I was thinking about MF or Engineered Garments. But I can't find a good pant to pair with the EG jackets.

Since it will be casual, I'd opt for the striped top and indigo bottom. The fabric is cotton, so a matchy-matchy might look sort of hacky. Plus, the stripes will look great in the summer. Also, indigo top and indigo bottom could quickly go from super hip to chain-gain chic.

No milspec A-2 would have handwarmers. Actually, no vintage milspec A-2 has handwarmers. Someone said that USAF has reissued A-2s with handwarmers, but it wasn't a reliable source, so don't quote me on that.

I've been told you should drink grapefruit juice when you have a craving. The idea is that the strong flavor will distract you senses. I, however, have never had a nicotine addiction -- so take it for what it's worth.

Kangol

Vintage

ROY x Cone

Blundstone 500

This photo is turning me off vintage sweatshirts. Tired of the too short, too boxy, bad posture steez.

Kangol

Vintage

ROY x Cone

Blundstone 500

Roy6, you are making good use of that timemachine.

I spent about 10 years, off and on, as a gravedigger. I still like strolling through cemeteries when I need a little time to think. A herd of mule deer winter inside the cemetery by my house. The young ones are ridiculously mangy by this point of the year. Also, the deer are hungry and as tired of winter as I am. This makes them very docile. One can get very close to them at this point. With the grass starting to grow, though, they'll be jumpy and flighty again soon.

Took the boy up a canyon to look for owls. Here he is walking around waiting for it to get dark. No birds spotted on this trip, unfortunately.

USN

Cotton duck anorak

Maglite

ROY x Cone

Boots

Pendelton

RxC

Hiking boots

Some more.

Party at the kid's preschool. Western themed with award for best costume. You might all want to worry, as I won the adult-male category.

The non-profit my wife works for was the recipient of an annual rave-like fundraiser party thrown by a local group of "burners."

In the spirit of full disclosure, the Leatherman is usually in my bag or jacket. That pen is usually reserved for more dressy occasions and, for whatever reason, I grabbed that instead of one of my more casual pens.

Male pattern baldness x 2

Pendelton

RxC

Hiking boots

What the ROYxCone have been up to the last two weeks.

Stopped to get some gas while visiting a printing facility in the 'burbs. A horse was lost and running through a grocery store parking lot.

Had some beers and watched a basketball game (turns out it was Jerry Sloan's last home win).

One of my all-time favorite cars. Original paint.

Went to my folks for dinner. My dad broke out some toys from his youth. He never set this up when were kids, but did it for the grandkids. The castle is all aluminum.

Hidden-fifth-pocket rivet fade.

Sorry Cash, it probably feels like we are all ganging up on you. A bunch of city slicking sissy la-las.

Don't feel that way at all. I think everyone agrees with what I posted. I see the police as an extension of a governments attempt to control the population. In terms of warrant-less search and seizure, a gerneral policy against it is in the populations best interest.

^Yes, but they have to trump up a charge (speeding and his eyes looked glassy like he'd been smoking pot or staring at a computer screen surfing for lite porn in supertrash, so I searched the car). But they can't "at random" go through your pockets.

They can also carry out random searches in public without notice.

Say what you will about guns and violence in the US of A, at least the cops can't on a whim pull you off the street and go through your pockets.

(Where I live it's legal for any non-felon over 18 to carry a firearm withing two steps of firing as long as it is in plain view. With a permit you can carry fully loaded -- concealed or open. Crazy, huh?)

However, what I didn't expect to see was such a large contigent of, not so much urban hipsters, but mainstream 'Style Forum' self professed denim aficionados. These are the kind of guys who, 6 years ago, would want nothing to do with anything vintage, and 6 years from now, will have moved onto something else.

Guys like this have some serious insecurities. It isn't a bad thing that you can actually find a lot of the things that were impossible to find 6 years ago -- that's thanks to the popularity. I want to see his post in 6 years when the Inspiration LA event is "lame" 'cuz hardly anyone showed up. It's a double-edged sword.

Also, the "mainstream" Style Forum denim aficionados (self-proclaimed or otherwise) is a pretty small niche. Not as small a niche as '30s lounge wear, still niche nonetheless.

(I think what he meant to say was that he didn't like seeing people that seemed socially well adjusted interested in "his" thing).