Surfing With Maeve

Maeve is our first grandchild. She just invested one of her first ten weeks with Lolly and Pops. She executed her first lake swim, her first hike in her dad's front pack to 9,300ft. which is the remnant of Mt. Tehama called Brokeoff, her visit visit to a U.S. National Park...Lasssen Volcanic. Her attitude is up and down, big wave, small wave...she lets you know when she's not happy, adjustments need to be made. Her mother and father are appropriately responsive...my diapers are full, my stomach is empty. Burping, farting and pooping, "I am taking care of business here and I need your attention here." Lolly and Pops are enjoying the wave action, not primary caregivers but, we get to hold her when her toes are hanging five.

Space Junk

Over two million pounds of manmade garbage is currently in orbit around planet Earth. Eventually and inevitably all of this debris will land on planet Earth. For the most part none of this junk is kept track of...cannot be kept track of...and every year we add thousands of additional large units to this spiraling train of waste. As if we didn't have enough to worry about when we are looking up, we are vulnerable during every moment of our short lives. As if Cancer, car mishaps, falling down stairs or being targeted by violence or negligence, is not enough to be concerned with, I find it amazing that we can survive the assaults dropping out of orbit each and every day. Every time I hear of devastating misfortune affecting my friends and neighbors here on planet Earth, I say, "Space Junk." We just couldn't see it coming.

Spontaneous Camping

For the last fifty years we have practiced adventuring with a general idea of where it is we want to explore however, the day by day details are often left to serendipity...letting the day unfold as it will in front of us. I have never been a fan of making reservations. If a park, restaurant or campground is that much in demand we are in the wrong region or traveling at the wrong time of year. We developed this approach early in our relationship through bicycle touring...long self-propelled expeditions through remote regions of North America, Europe and New Zealand. Decades later this approach has been much easier by using our camper vehicles. We are 'boondockers'...we find what we need by paying close attention to the terrain unfolding in front of us. Some call it 'creative homelessness'.

One More Wild Swim

How exceptional is this? How special? We can 'load-up' in our little Honda...with labrador, extra water, a couple of fig bars and swimsuit (just in case) and drive 10-12 miles up out of our basin and after a short hike find a crystal clear water swim. We can linger for a couple of hours and never see another human. We often access these gems by bicycle, but with dog in tow there are limitations. We charge our 'wild batteries' with these outings...have done so for the last fifty years. When you live in remote Northern California the options are numerous. You have to be willing to dedicate a couple of hours to 'charging time' and be willing to swat a few mosquitoes but there it is, availible to almost anyone with a need for 'wilderness therapy' and getting your mind right for re-entry into this capricious world.

No Base- jumping or Slack-lining In My Future.

I hereby resolve that I, a new grandpop, will not be sky-diving, base-jumping or slack-lining during my seventies or eighties. Nineties? Well, you never know... The grandchild will be a teenager and you know how persuasive teenagers can be. We launch out on two crank-propelled wheels into the wild and unpredictable world of village and country roads almost daily. We always wear our helmets and we most often ride as a team, looking out for each other's well-being..."Car Back!". I marvel at how well we all survive the pitfalls that are placed in front of us every day. Virus, plagues, out of control cell growths, distracted drivers and slippery stairs are thrown in our paths nearly every month of the year. How do we do it? Keep your head up and practice 'excellent attitude' but when your brain says "Don't Jump!" just smile and turn away.

First Grandpop Entry

May 24, 2026 our granddaughter, Maeve L. Elliot began her air-breathing adventure on planet Earth... Park City, Utah. We were hovering nearby (Fish Lake, Utah) anticipating this event. We first set eyes on her during her third day. What really stands out here is the outstanding parenting we witnessed. It's as if they have been training for this role for the last several years. Maeve will one day realize how fortunate she was to arrive in their capable hands.

Retirement…Eight Months Later

Wandering the Southwest in our van 'Seymour' for at least four weeks..."Waiting for Baby Tour." We found quiet corners of Utah. We reconnected with friends in Santa Fe. We played with our old roommate in Western Colorado. All the while our focus is on Park City, Utah, where our grandbaby is about to pop. Western Colorado is winning our favorite playground award. Delores, Silverton and Ridgeway have been very entertaining so far. The baby isn't due for another week so we'll revisit Paonia, Grand Mesa, Colorado Natl. Monument and possibly Arches Natl. Park before we get closer to Park City and grandparenthood.

Spring In My Step

March 20, '26...Last dream of the morning in which an old friend exclaims, "Chuck, you are so lucky to still have spring in your step." Yes, I am so thankful to have good legs, good lungs and spring in my step. We walk the Labrador every morning, at least one mile and often three or four miles. We prefer off-pavement explorations. Nori, the dog, appreciates a cold plunge along the route...a creek, a river or a lake. She usually finds a perfect stick and carries it for most of the hike. We have learned the value of hiking poles on trails so, the three of us are similarly armed. Hiking is our favorite family activity, no matter the weather or terrain we can always find an invigorating route. So thankful to be living 'on the edge of civilization' here in Plumas County, California.

I Needed A Handle

Forty-five years ago I completed my Masters degree which focused on education/psychology and counseling...a Special Education M,A. I landed back on Earth by submitting to five years of factory/assembly line work at the newly birthed Sierra Nevada Brewing Company in Chico, California. We then moved up four thousand feet in elevation so that my wife could continue her career working for the Department of Agriculture in Chester, California. I functioned as a 'utility infielder' for Plumas County School District and in my spare time I built the 'cabin-in-the-woods' that we have lived in ever since. After thirteen years of blissful co-existance, my wife and I decided to take a chance on pregnancy. Our son was a "handful" and required an amazing amount of attention and loving care. We were up for the task. Four years into fatherhood I realized our son would be interacting with hundreds of judgemental little beings and their parents for the next dozen years. They would want to know...what do your parents do? His mother worked for the Forest Service but his Dad...part-time a little bit of everything. I needed a 'handle'. I expressed this to my longtime friend Judd Hanna and he bluntly said, "Chuckie, what would you rather be doing?"... I want to start a bicycle shop.

Retirement...Six Months Later

Many of my advisors, old codgers who wandered into Bodfish Bicycles and Quiet Mountain Sports during our last year of operation, warned, "Retirement, don't do it. It's really over-rated." Well, I did it and I find it quite pleasant. yes, the honey-do list is longer and there is less time to 'space-out' when you are supervised from home. I can now work on a backlog of tasks that have accumulated over the last thirty-one years. I bought a stack of trim boards from Home Depot so that I can finish trimming out the house that I started constructing thirty-five years ago. Painting projects seem possible now. Walking and bicycling destinations from a list that's been brewing in my personal 'GPS brain' are now beyond the fermination stage. We are out doing it. There were many hours of 'spinning my wheels' during the off-seasons at the bicycle store over these last thirty years. I really do feel more efficient now that I'm retired. More reading, more riding and more time with wife and dog.

Walking The Dog

We have a trail system behind our house in the 100 acre forest that remains. The rest of the conifers have incinerated...all the way from here up into the National Park, ten miles north. The Dixie Fire continued into Lassen Volcanic National Park and beyond but, from Juniper Lake to the Hat Creek Rim there remains a smmattering of green foliage...much less than before but just enough to remind us of the lush green that always protected our watershed. Our dog has never been welcome in Lassen Park but we do explore the adjacent Caribou Wilderness (dog friendly) on a regular basis. She has a way of remembering every trail we've ever hiked. I holler out, "Gauche and Droit" when we come to trail junctions and she looks back at me with disgust, "I know the way." She really does. Of course the dog walk is for peeing and pooing and sniffing but there is more going on than that. She knows it is good for her keepers too.

What To Do With Winter Days

On those days when we are home and in the same room with a television, we have resolved to expose ourselves to a minimum of NEWS and instead occasional sporting events. We also love to watch movies and documentaries. Pedaling our bicycles on quiet roads and trails, baking sourdough bread and drying fruit (from the big valley below us) has risen to the top of our list of favorite activities. Oops, I almost forgot...huddling into our TheraSauna is a special way to start the day. Lisa is talking about giving the garden a rest this year and not commiting to a schedule of Yoga teaching. We are both hoping to accomplish more in the area of reading and writing in the coming year. Lisa has practiced much discipline with her writings these last couple of years and I have fit in quite a few read-books...forty this year, twenty-five last year. We haven't forgot the fact that we are living on a feverish planet and that we are surviving a rude and violent threat to humanitarian politics. we promote kindness and joy to nearly everyone we interact with. Maintaining the love in our hearts and keeping our daily 'sense of humor'are high on our list of resolutions for 2026!

New Year...New Sprouts

Good news first! We are going to become Grandparents, most likely in the month of May (maybe a Gemini baby). We have retired from the business that we owned and operated for 31 years...BBQMS is no longer. This is not our first retirement. Lisa retired from the USDA (Forest Service) in 2014 after thirty years of servitude...hard physical labor while looking out for the safety and well-being of visitors to the Lassen and Plumas National Forests. We also retired from our bicycle touring business, Outback With Bodfish in '95 after fifteen years of guiding bicycle-mounted folks onto the backroads and trails throughout remote areas of California. I like to say this new year begins an era of 'All Play and No Work'. We are free to wander and explore as a family of three.. our dog Nori always loves a good adventure. Needless to say, many of our future van (Seymour) trips will be along a wide corridor between Northern California and Park City, Utah.

Are We At A Breaking Point?

The year 2026 is only two weeks old and chaos has taken hold in Minnesota, Venezuela, Washington, D.C., Iran, Ukraine and Nigeria. Donald John Trump has contributed to the craziness on all fronts. I have always believed that his goal has been to create as much chaos as possible. Why else appoint the least qualified people in the country to every one his judicial, administrative and legislative positions. It's what Putin has always hoped for...proof that the American Way of Life is headed for collapse. Why is DJT so determined to please Putin? It has been speculated upon numerous times over the last ten years...the possibility that Putin has "The Goods" on Donald. He deeply admires V. Putin and so wants that kind of power. So, four years after Putin began his invasion of Ukraine, The Donald decides it's a good time to invade Iran. Using the same explaination he says that this operation will only last for a couple of weeks. We know that's bullshit, same as when Putin said, "This is a special operation, not a war." America keeps stirring and disturbing the Hornet's Nest of the Middle East. I have zero confidence in the peope in charge of these new military adventures and I once again fear the consequences to our collective mental well being...the solders, the voters and the young Americans who will struggle with our national identity for decades to come.

Journey to Michigan...Gather Home

West Yellowstone, Wyoming was where we found a strong cup of coffee after waking in the frozen van (17 degrees) next to Mesa Falls near the western edge of Yellowstone National Park. It was the first week of October and there was a line of motorcars four football fields long to enter the gates of the park. The overlooks and information pullouts were jammed with tourists throughout. We couldn't wait to arrive at the north exit near Gardiner, Montana. A few miles below Gardiner, we stopped at a rural road bridge across the Yellowstone River for a dog walk and swim. The privacy level was high, only one fly-fisher, so we stripped down and plunged in. The Yellowstone flows to the Missouri River in NW North Dakota so, we followed it's descent in Seymour for the next couple of days. We then followed the Missouri River through North Dakota to Sacakawea Park in Stanton, ND for another quiet night of camping in the van.

Reaquainting With Seven Sisters

As of October 2, 2025 our Escrow was finalized, the building formerly known as Bodfish Bicycles and Quiet Mountain Sports is now called Gather Home. Which is, ironically, exactly what we did. I grew up in Kalamazoo, Michigan and I have seven sisters (including inlaws) whom I seldom see. They all live in Michigan and we're hoping that they will all welcome a visit. We had our Transit van, named Seymour, loaded and ready for adventure. Our van camping expedition lasted for the entire month of October. Our first night was in Goose Lake State Park just over the state line in Northeastern California. Southern Oregon was quiet, desolate and beautiful as we drove Hwy 140 east to Jackpot, Nev. From there the hwy led North back into Oregon where we took a gravel road out across The Alvord Desert which led us toward Jordan Valley and the border of Idaho. A long day of driving, for sure. We headed into the hills east of Jordan Valley toward the mines of Silver City. Dust and dusk were conspiring to send me off on a double track lane for a place to "boondock". Incredibly, only a half mile up this seldom used path we came upon a flat overlook above the small town of Jordan Valley. Our second night out and luck was with us already.

Sitting In An Empty Shop

In a chair in the middle of our empty bicycle shop...after fifteen minutes of feeling my separation from my previous 31 years as bike shop owner, I realize...the most important thing is that I had the best customers in the world. People interested in outdoor quiet mountain sports. People devoted to exercise. People interested in sharing their stories about mingling with nature. People steeped in the positives of everyday adventures. People who wanted to help me get the word out...Life Is Good! What other business can attract these kind of people? We had our 'down and out' characters but we almost always made their day better...with free flat repair or rusty chain improvements. We were 'there' for people, we listened, we empathized and we offered help.

Retirement Five Years Late

I had thought about retiring at 70 years young in 2020. Retirement Vision 2020, I called it. In February, Covid lunged into our world. My sister was in the ICU being intubated, she couldn't breathe. In March and April people were hiding out, afraid to mingle. On June 3 our doctor called us into her office and informed us that Lisa had lung cancer, stage two. My world turned upside down. Meeting customers at the bicycle shop was dangerous but the functioning shop was my anchor. We battled with Covid and Cancer and Fire and Smoke and my own Cancer surgery for the next three years. We were given health "all clears" in 2024. Retirement at 75 is looking promising.

A Good Run

Thirty-two years ago we decided to plan our new bicycle store...Bodfish Bicycles and Quiet Mountain Sports. We had been operating as Outback With Bodfish for ten years before that..."The graduate school of bicycle touring". We had also put a lot of effort and research into publishing our own bicycle guidebooks...Butte Country Bicycle Journeys, Cycling The California Outback, Cycling In The Shadow Of Shasta and California Dream Cycling. I loved hand printing the narrative and drawing maps...very low-tech but satisfying on so many levels. Chester needed a family bike store. We were right across the street from a bookstore and a coffee house and a Saloon...Old Town Chester, an entertaining section of downtown Chester, California. Well, we had a good run! The bookstore, the coffee house and the saloon have been empty for more than a half-dozen years now. The bicycle store has plugged along without them. Not easy, the changes have come on at lightning speed. The new Asian tariffs of '18 ran prices higher, the Covid pandemic scared shoppers and dampened the enthusiasm for gathering at the coffee house, Internet shopping boomed and Amazon was the easiest place to buy books. The 960,000 acre Dixie Fire blew through Plumas County in 2021 radically changing outdoor recreation opportunities. Adventurous cyclists from the more populated areas of California chose to explore elsewhere. Still, the bike shop plugged on...profit was not our main motivation...we were a service oriented business. We wanted to keep everybody rolling on two wheels. Now, age has caught up with us and we are thinking that with the time we have left we would like to play more and worry less. The whirlwind of economic uncertainty continues to play havoc with our 'peace of mind'. so, it's time to fold up the tent and bid everyone 'Namaste'.

Bar Mentality

When I was a youngster my mother and her new man (unofficial step-father) loved to "Go on a drive", the five of us kids (from a variety of pairings ) thought this would include a swim and some frolicking in a park or along a lakeshore...we were excited. Invariably a stop for a drink, a country bar, would come into play. I, being the oldest, was assigned the task of 'keeping the peace" in a hot station wagon amongst the five of us. Kids were never allowed in these drinking establishments. It was never easy and it often left us thinking that we didn't like each other's company. One drink led to two drinks and often three while our guardians got involved in conversations that helped them lose track of time. When they returned to the big old station wagon, never less than an hour, we were feeling beastly and somewhat cheated out of a pleasant family afternoon. The parents were often a little toasted and arguing about some stupid conversation that took place in the saloon. It seems that everyone in the joint was complaining about, well everything...from fishing regulations to road construction to union dues. Drinking and smoking and conversing never made things better.