Opening Weekend at Joshua Tree

The past weekend was a kick back affair at Joshua Tree. The Summer was kind to the track and John Griffin's attention to things over the summer kept the opening weekend light on tasks at hand. After getting John checked out on the Edwards Freight Motor earlier in the year and getting the box and "Bass Pro Shops" fishing seat off of the deck to make the thing functional as a work vehicle and able to move a bucket or two of dirt around the place, he took care of 99% of the roadbed maintenance necessary to get this place rolling. The only major, and I'll say major as we did a lot of little things all weekend, was get the wye switch back up to operational status. It was a family weekend for the most part. Allan and Lynn Ratliff with the GE and the ever present string of Westside Flats. Greg and Becky, and her sister Colette. Matt Z made it up from the Baja region to spend the weekend but not all the pieces to make his PE run made the trip. I got to try out the new equipment and this weekend I will find out if the improvements made will help the newest engine in the fleet tackle the grades. One interesting outcome of the desert summer was the demise of a few trailer tires from the sunshine and temperatures. The 'new' Airstream suffered two blowouts while sitting still from the effects of Sol on the not so new tires. At least one doesn't need to pull over on a busy highway to change them. Bruce's rolling abode has one splitting apart as well, but you can still see the air in it. The weather was most pleasant and enjoyable during the greater part of the weekend. After putting it all away Sunday afternoon the breeze picked up and it was okay during the cooking hour, but after bedtime the leaf blower went to work and cleaned up the place. Weather at home the past two weeks has been on and off, overcast one day and Santa Ana's the next, the annual last gasp of Autumn while Winter starts to kick. Bill Shepherd is back in town for a while and has probably got a project or three well underway by the time we get to see them. Anyway, I hope to have a great weekend for the Rudy Run, see you there.