RR content - It's a box of chocolates

Called for the unit train at 1115. I never know what that's going to be. I'll have to let you know. I like a midday call. It means I'll sleep at night. Slept at night last night and will again tonight. I could get well for a bit.

SPOT LOCATOR LINK

RR content - We been getting killed

I have been waiting for it to even out. It... is the luck that has eluded us lately. We died on the ML and 2 trips in a row. The ML (or LM) is our local traffic train that we all dodge like it's the queen of spades. RR lineup are so bad that I've always joked that the best way to dodge it is to get the crew office or lineup to say we stand for the ML. We seldom catch the train we stand for. They had us picking up 135 empty coke cars at Livingston. So stupid I asked the dispatcher twice if it that was really what they wanted us to do. Finally, I called the trainmaster. He agreed with me to pickup 41 merchandise cars and 40 empties. Still a stupid number of total cars at 165 but... we died and another crew finished the work. Turn14 has been run around 9 times in the last 3 round trips. My luck has gotta change.

RR content - In the past

Notice the time of this post. As I have mentioned here before, there is a tendency to bitch at the RR. And here and other blogs I have noticed.

BUT... wasted a day yesterday. Layed around napping now and then know I was on the lineup to go to work at 2300 hrs. Awake now and then until called for the "V" train for 6am. Daylight trip on the stack train. Great call. Piss poor lineup... no one to tell so there it is. It's often said we get paid for our inconvenience... this is one of those times.

Watch SPOT

RR content - See SPOT run

I have had a request to carry the SPOT locator while on the train. It doesn't work well in the Locomotive and inside my grip as well but it sends my location now and again.

HERE IS THE LINK

NatSTOC

this is a placemarker for my motorcycle trip report a work in progress

Trip Stats
1009 miles
50.1 mpg

Day 1 - Billings, Greybull, Burgess Jct, Spearfish, SD

Day 2 - Spearfish Canyon north to south, Lead, Deadwood, Lunch at the Ruby in Keystone, Iron Mountain Road, Needles Hwy, Custer State Park, Spearfish Canyon south to north.

Day 3 - Spearfish Canyon again, Breakfast at Cheyenne Crossing, then home in 4 1/2 hours via 212 through the constuction zone at Lame Deer

Trip pics are here

turn down the volume for video 1, the river is too loud. The video is here

and

a Dinkie video 2 is here

Heat Wave

It's been very cool in Montana but the heat wave in the east reminded me how things have changed. I seldom, anymore, get a locomotive that is not air conditioned. Still, I love running with the windows open on a summer night. Earplugs in, Headset on. Whistle ya, know!

Called for an actual mixed freight train as of this post

Whaaa?

What does the staff at the Chinese place in Helena eat?

Obamacare?

One of my medications went up $30 a month. The drug company taking advantage while they can before Obamacare kicks in? It's a med that has been around for 30 years... no reason for it to go up in price. It's gouging plain and simple. $574 / mo


The researchers agree that modafinil improves some aspects of working memory,

July 4th - new camera

Bought Maggie a new Camera.... Of course I intend to borrow it for motorcycle trips

RR content - Da "Q" train

I was gonna mow the lawn but the RR called and wants me to run the Q train. It remains to be seen if it is Boeings only like last week. 2 in 3 weeks time after not catching one in about 6 years.

ST content - CoSTOC - Dirt... arrggg

This was the final push home. Through Yellowstone and over Beartooth Pass... 3 miles of dirt on the pass but WY has repaved most of the poor pavement on their side.

Also, retag the Montana Tag using the Muffler men as Tag and ALT

How about a classic picture of the Tetons? Not bad from a Phone.

PICS

Route

Summary
Overall
Time: 11:38:02
Distance: 505.30 mi
Elevation Gain: 23,590 ft

Timing
Time: 11:38:02
Moving Time: 09:54:14
Elapsed Time: 11:38:02
Avg Speed: 43.4 mph
Avg Moving Speed: 51.0 mph
Max Speed: 104.2 mph

Elevation
Elevation Gain: 23,590 ft
Elevation Loss: 26,422 ft
Min Elevation: 3,120 ft
Max Elevation: 10,812 ft
Heart Rate
Avg HR: 82 bpm
Max HR: 120 bpm

ST content - CoSTOC - Tag failure 11:11:11

This was the best day of riding the entire trip. Greta Garmin tells me I was on the bike for 11:11:11

I was attempting to replace the CO tag in a remote location to tease Baker Boy. He fooled me, posted a new tag making this one invalid. On top of that he retrieved this tag anyway. Beat me twice. Brilliant.

Highlight of the day was for me the ride up Flaming Gorge in the evening. Last time I rode here was north to south and too late. This time the light was perfect except I could not take pictures into the sun and the canyon was to the west. Nothing can beat the human eye.

Quit early in Rock Springs, WY... I'll make it home tomorrow and maybe ride through the park and over the Beartooth for the first time this year.

ROUTE

PICS - Remember these are from my Palm as the Nikon quit after a bath in Blackhawk

ROUTE

Summary
Overall
Time: 11:11:11
Distance: 454.96 mi

Timing
Time: 11:11:11
Moving Time: 08:11:39
Elapsed Time: 11:24:23
Avg Speed: 40.7 mph
Avg Moving Speed: 55.5 mph
Max Speed: 102.3 mph

Elevation
Elevation Gain: 26,013 ft
Elevation Loss: 24,627 ft
Min Elevation: 4,597 ft
Max Elevation: 10,006 ft
Heart Rate
Avg HR: 87 bpm
Max HR: 109 bpm

ST content - CoSTOC 1 - Lightning at 10,925ft

I did a solo ride today. Rode up Big Thompson Canyon, and over to Glen Haven to get the CO "tag" and then took my shortcut bypassing Estes Park. I rode down to Mount Evans but it was raining and there was lightning popping all around, I really wanted to see the 13,000+ altitude and get out of the heat.

The rain cooled me down after I went the alt route over Squaw pass and diverted over to Blackhawk - Central City... My trusty Nikon camera got wet and quit. I'm hoping it will dry out. I'm famous for my on the fly shots from the motorcycle. I had a great lunch with a couple and there was a live band. [insert video here later] The owner of the place was an old friend from Evergreen.

I had my closest call today. And by a Boulder CO sheriff for Pete's sake. He pulled out in front of me so close I had to get on the brakes... I was running under the speed limit. I could tell he was daring me to go around him but maturity took over. Yeah, I fight ti but sometimes... Anyway, I turned right at the next opportunity, did my "walk around" and continued on a bit later.

A very enjoyable evening at the campground after my brother joined us a the CoSTOC banquet. Prime Rim for me and Salmon for him. Jim's sailplane stories were better than my motorcycle stories so I enjoyed seeing hem very much.

ROUTE

SMUGMUG PICS

Summary
Overall
Time: 10:02:20
Distance: 251.45 mi
Elevation Gain: 24,515 ft

Timing
Time: 10:02:20
Moving Time: 06:02:37
Elapsed Time: 10:02:24
Avg Speed: 25.0 mph
Avg Moving Speed: 41.6 mph
Max Speed: 83.8 mph

Elevation
Elevation Gain: 24,515 ft
Elevation Loss: 24,549 ft
Min Elevation: 5,010 ft
Max Elevation: 10,975 ft

Heart Rate
Avg HR: 90 bpm
Max HR: 132 bpm

ST content - CoSTOC Day 3 - Hot Ride

After the respit from the heat (I got a motel in Wheatland)

Blew on to Loveland via the Superslab... something I rarley do except where there isn't much to look at. And there isn't south of Wheatland.

Arriving in Lovland there was no one at the campground or the hotel yet. I rode up to Estes Park and over to my brothers in Boulder via 7. The disorganisers touted the beautiful vistas and the twisty roads. They didn't say anything about the heat and the traffic. I began to look for a palce to camp in a higher elevation than down in Loveland but didn't really come up with anything. This is a hard place to find a stealth camping spot.

I'm glad I settled for the Riverview in Loveland. But only because I had a great time with Lost Brit, Mile High and Smash from STOwners

I took one picture all day... not much to see, and the heat, I didn't want to stop!

picture just the one

route

Summary
Overall
Time: 07:29:25
Distance: 253.22 mi
Elevation Gain: 13,460 ft

Time: 07:29:25
Moving Time: 04:53:15
Elapsed Time: 08:08:51
Avg Speed: 33.8 mph
Avg Moving Speed: 51.8 mph
Max Speed: 97.1 mph

Elevation
Elevation Gain: 13,460 ft
Elevation Loss: 13,063 ft
Min Elevation: 4,721 ft
Max Elevation: 7,924 ft

Heart Rate
Avg HR: 85 bpm
Max HR: 109 bpm