Duane up in Crystal Lake…

I received a nice note from my good buddy Duane yesterday…

Joe:

When it gets hot at home like it did today, I like to take a drive up into the National Forest, where the air is even cleaner and hang out in the pine trees at 5200 feet,  at Crystal lake, where it was a cool 68 degrees.

Duane

We have been having some great weather out here, folks, approaching 90 degrees without a cloud in the sky.   Good times.

The Minben is making good progress and she has nearly completed her journey down the Yangtze River to Shanghai.  Here’s her position just a few minutes ago…

When she gets to Shanghai (a little town of about 20 million people), our containers will be transferred from the Minben to a much larger container ship.  The Minben is a river vessel; the larger cargo ship will carry our bikes across the Pacific.    The labor unrest on our side of the pond has not subsided, but I read in the papers this morning that Obama is weighing in on that situation now.   That’s good news, as it might move things along and by the time our bikes arrive hopefully it will be settled.  I’m a union member at Cal Poly, so I kind of understand what these guys want…but the dockworkers make a hell of a lot more money than a college professor does, and we do okay.   I just hope it gets settled quickly.   I don’t care much about which side wins (hopefully, both sides will); I just want to get my new motorcycle!

You might notice the town of Suzhou just south of the Minben’s current position.  I’ve been there when I last visited Shanghai.  Suzhou is about an hour and a half away by car, and it’s an interesting place.  It’s like Venice…everything moves by water, and canals dominate the city.   It’s a pretty cool place.   China has its own Venice…who knew?

Later, folks.   I’m headed out to see American Sniper with Susie in a bit.