DonTom

[DonTom]

It was a great ride up to Greenville. Much of the roads follow a creek, named Indian Creek, but this creek makes me wonder where they draw to line between a creek and a river. I would call this a river:

This "creek" follows the road to GV for many miles:

First thing I see getting into town is a new Dollar General Store:

But on the far end of town, not much progress:

See here for more photos I took of GreenVille.


-Don- Reno, NV

 

[ziplock]

I haven't been around for a bit. Just checking in with you. How ya doing?

We have been having chilly temps still, unlike last year. Heck.........we are still burning the wood stove today........... Maybe Saturday things will change.

Thinking about heading to the Outer Banks, don't know, can't make our minds up.

Might just leave the driveway and play the take one left and one right game. Or one right and one left game and keep on driving till we see something.

Waving at you.

 

[DonTom]

Weather here in Auburn has been perfect, and I have been doing a lot of motorcycle riding.

I went up to Clear Lake on a ride two days ago. I went with a guy (David) who lives in Stockton, CA, who refuses to have any ICE vehicles at his house. All EVs, including three electric motorcycles and two EV cars. One for his wife, who also only drives EV. So of course, I went on my Energica Experia, we met at a charge station in Yuba City.

We went to Clear Lake Oaks, a small town next to the lake, to visit a guy (Pete) who converts ICE vehicles to EVs. Especially smaller weird vehicles, like the 3-wheeler shown below.

My bike is the one in the middle, David's on the right side of mine, one of Pete's conversions on the left side.

A couple of more photos, David in the helmet, Pete in the weird EV thingy. Me not shown, except for my gloves .

Pete's cat wanted to get in this photo:

Free to use DC Fast Charger (paid for by the city there). I guess to help keep that area clean! Right next to the restaurant we ate at for lunch.

Was a great ~300-mile round trip electric motorcycle ride.


-Don- Auburn, CA

 

[ziplock]

I'm glad you are keeping busy and having FUN!

Thanks for the update.

 

[ziplock]

Hubby is having steakums today and I'm having spaghetti. smiling.

 

[ziplock]

MSN

Thought of you when I admired this.

In April, researchers with Project RattleCam commenced its "mega den" northern Colorado livestream for the second year, allowing anyone to watch the reptilian internet stars as they come out of winter hibernation. The California livestream, which debuted in 2021, is expected to resume sometime this summer.

 

[DonTom]

MSN

Thought of you when I admired this.

In April, researchers with Project RattleCam commenced its "mega den" northern Colorado livestream for the second year, allowing anyone to watch the reptilian internet stars as they come out of winter hibernation. The California livestream, which debuted in 2021, is expected to resume sometime this summer.

I see the den has a garter snake visitor at the beginning of your 2nd video. Rattlesnakes do not eat other snakes, and the garter snakes seem to know it. They have been known to use the same den as rattlesnakes for the winter.

It would be interesting if it were a kingsnake. Then the rattlesnake would freak out, perhaps even with a little one.

-Don- Reno, NV

 

[DonTom]

There is a serious error in the first video. Rattlesnakes do NOT lay eggs. They are born alive. No exceptions with any rattlesnake species (& there are many).

It varies greatly between snakes. King and gopher snakes lay eggs. Garter Snakes do not.

Lizards are even more mixed.

The Northern Alligator lizard does not lay eggs. But the Southern Alligator Lizard does.

Same with some horned lizards

-Don- Reno, NV

 

[old RV guy]

There is a serious error in the first video. Rattlesnakes do NOT lay eggs. They are born alive. No exceptions with any rattlesnake species (& there are many).

It varies greatly between snakes. King and gopher snakes lay eggs. Garter Snakes do not.

Lizards are even more mixed.

The Northern Alligator lizard does not lay eggs. But the Southern Alligator Lizard does.

Same with some horned lizards

-Don- Reno, NV

Thanks for clearing that up.

 

[DonTom]

Thanks for clearing that up.

Now you will be able to get some sleep tonight!

-Don- Reno, NV

 

[DonTom]

Yes, we used to gig for bullfrogs around here in ponds. I loved fried froglegs, but alas, that is a thing of the past here.

I just found what I thought was an interesting article about the Bullfrogs in Yosemite.

I am glad to see man (& women!) can start to fix some of the problems we caused.

" In total, Woodruff and her team collected and removed 16,384 bullfrogs, larvae and whole egg masses from Yosemite, the study states. Once removed, the frogs were "humanely euthanized," Woodruff said."

FWIW, I am all for getting rid of non-native species with any reasonable way they can come up with, and they need to do this in many places in the west, not just in Yosemite.

But you may keep all the bullfrogs you want there in the NE--where they belong!

One thing that has always surprises me about the bullfrog is that its range, for both native and non-native stops just above Lake Okeechobee in Florida. IOW, none at all known from the Everglades, which I would think would be a perfect environment for them. Perhaps the gators eat them up too fast? Perhaps too many water snakes eat up them up when they are still tadpoles?

Anyway, see here for the Bullfrogs in Yosemite.

"Native turtles return to Yosemite after removal of more than 16,000 invasive bullfrogs"

-Don- Reno, NV

 

[ziplock]

Follow up from the what do you want for supper thread about questions you get ask every dang day.

When I was little, I always thought Oregon would be a great place to go.

What is there to see besides crater lake? What is in eastern Oregon?

How about Wallowa- Whitman national forest?

Looks like it is about 10 hours from Auburn. Give or take.

Google maps shows some campgrounds in the area.

You have probably been there before.

The temps look great for hiking there, 70's

 

[DonTom]

What is in eastern Oregon?

It's all desert. I have been all over Oregon many times, mostly on a motorcycle, but also in both of my motorhomes.

All the trees are in western Oregon.

The state of WA has more scenic areas than OR, IMO.

-Don- Auburn, CA

 

[ziplock]

What state have you never been to?

Feel like digging for diamonds in Arkansas?

Have you walked around in Nebraska?

5 of Nebraska's Outdoor Wonderlands

1. Toadstool Geologic Park, Crawford This park is prime for hiking, yet it’s a terrain you’ve likely never encountered: Hikers describe it using words like “surreal” and “moonscape.” You’ll see what they’re ge [...]

visitnebraska.com

 

[DonTom]

What state have you never been to?

Feel like digging for diamonds in Arkansas?

Have you walked around in Nebraska?

5 of Nebraska's Outdoor Wonderlands

1. Toadstool Geologic Park, Crawford This park is prime for hiking, yet it’s a terrain you’ve likely never encountered: Hikers describe it using words like “surreal” and “moonscape.” You’ll see what they’re ge [...]

visitnebraska.com

In the west, I have been to all of them, except for AK (other than airport stops) in the east, there are many I have not been to, such as AR, KY, TN. Also, many in the NE such as ME, CT, DE, NH, VT.

Tom & I have been there in MD in year 2012. And we also have been in NE, but I do not now recall if we walked around there or not. I think we just drove through.

-Don- Auburn, CA