Bee GeePS Stayin' Alive

We've been fighting this Garmin GPS unit for the last two days and somehow we're stayin' alive in the game.  We hit the wall way too often and enjoy failure frequently.  So, when we enjoy success, we replay the BeeGee's 1977 disco hit "Stayin' Alive."  You could call it our reward for enjoying a teeny bit of success in this arcane GPS game.  If we can't get the GPS unit's data to translate to both GIS shape files and Google Earth KML files, we're we ain't alive in this game no mo.  It's game over.

We had a pretty good bit of success this morning, finally figuring out how to translate a Garmin GDB file into a series of KML waypoints.  You can see our success above.  We walked those waypoints Thursday evening just before campfire time and we've been struggling to get them pinned on a map ever since.  We finally got 'er dun this morning.  Whew, staying alive's been a struggle in this GPS game!  Hopefully, we will meet with The Max Factor later today over at Dead Horse Ranch State Park.  Max is the acknowledged Master of staying alive in the GPS Game.  Hopefully, he will sprinkle holy water on my efforts and give me the much-coveted, "Yer good to go" two thumbs up signal that we're cleared for take off on this Verde River Guide project.  Our other excursion today will be to Dex & Jodi's Place to snag a canoe, paddles, PFD's and so forth.  We'll probably pick up a waterproof box and digital tape recorder, too.  The snowpack is coming off real early and that "dry and warm" mantra now looks like the real deal.  We better get out on the river ASAP before it goes back to a rock-studded trickle again soon.

The NRCD Wine Tour was great.  I only attended the morning session and lunch.  We went to Page Springs Cellars and the Javalina Leap  wineries.  The people who talked to us were very knowledgeable and really knew their stuff.  The NRCD Board members performed admirably.  The three NRCS Staff in attendance were fully involved and made meaningful contributions.  There were ten of us total.  We took ba-zillions of photos and will post up some soon.  Lunch was at Cornville's Grasshopper Grill.  I was underwhelmed by the place but the visit was worthwhile because I found an unlicensed electrician's name on the bulletin board out front.  He actually came over to Straw Central later yesterday and will theoretically be here at 10 am to add some more circuits out in the well house.  It's something we've been wanting to do for more than a year.

After departing from the Wine Tourists, we ran a slew of errands over in Cottonwood.  We found a real nice 9-iron for Susun for a dollar; picked up some Zuki parts and supplies, shopped at Food City and then zipped overta Hayfield Draw.  We returned Myron's radiator and paid for two pieces of specialty welding at Harold's Place nearby.  Myron sure is a nice guy.  He offered to link our Zuki blog to his popular website.  I don't know if the Zuki blog is ready for prime time yet, so we'll see.

Upon our return home, we made an agreement with the electrician and then messed with the Zuki until campfire time.  'Twas a warm and windless evening.  Gary came over and we enjoyed a fine fire.

Susun & Crew spent about an hour and a half at Heather's Place yesterday.  The Grandson's were a bit too intimidated by horses to want to sit on one but Nancy got some high class quality time on one of Heather's horses.

Well, that's all for now.  Cheers, jp