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Marbee40

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About Marbee40

  • Birthday 12/07/1941

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    http://www.birfield.com/~morgan/images/misc/jims_baja_pics/
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  • Location
    San Diego
  • Interests
    Going fast on a slow bike!
  1. Marbee40

    Visiting in August

    All, I'll be flying JetBlue from Alaska to Long Beach on August 5th. I'll be coming down to San Diego to visit friends/family and heading over to Tempe/Phoenix to get my daughter back into ASU around the 11th. I'll be leaving Long Beach back to Alaska on or about August 15th. I'm looking for an old beater loaner bike to get from around Long Beach or San Diego out to Tempe and then back to Long Beach or San Diego. If I don't find something, I will rent a car (GAG). Ideas? Any CHEAP rentals out there? I'd rather ride than drive. I will provide/pay for maintenance, to include fluids/tires if needed. I'd like to stay a few days in San Diego to visit old buddies and do a ride or two. My daughter doesn't fly down from Alaska until the 11th, so I have some time to play. I'm open to suggestions. Thanks, Jim in AK
  2. Marbee40

    Marbee40 Update

    Thanks Carguy! I'll be out of here around the 7th of Dec (Pearl Harbor Day!). Keep in touch. Marbee
  3. Marbee40

    Marbee40 Update

    SDAR, Hope these aren't killing bandwidth. If so, let me know. One of our instructors rides a little Yammy XT225 to work every day. I'm scheming on how to swipe it for the w/e and go buzz the local trails. BTW, I miss riding SOOOOO bad it hurts. Only 9 weeks to go! My 650 is calling my name....."Riiiiiiide me!". Someone PLEASE send me a video! Marbee Outrun, Outspell, Outswim! Yes, these last two weeks were a doozy! The first week of September was spent at the firing range, learning how to get my flashy new Glock out of the holster without dropping it or loosing any toes in the process. Then came the dreaded Defensive Tactics. Each day started with the normal morning PT (running, swimming, death-aerobics, etc). Then a quick shower, breakfast and off to the mat-room for pounding the snot out of each other and learning new ways to politely ask someone to join you in the patrol car. Loads of new bruises and skill by Wednesday. On Thursday morning, 1/2 the class donned boxing gloves, whilst the other 1/2 donned padded head gear. Hmmmm....me thinks this doesn't bode well for us with the headgear. Eight hours later, my right thumb is in traction, but I'm still alive. Friday comes around: The previous 4 days of abuse all lead up to a final scenario with the instructor's wearing fully padded fighting suits. Not a good way to start the weekend. As mentioned in previous updates, before you can attempt a scenerio, the staff likes it when you are completely and utterly out of breath and energy. In turn, each of us was "cycled" for almost an HOUR before going upstairs to the scenario room. A staff-member is standing outside the door to brief you. He says "You've already been to Walt's apartment once this evening and explained that if he didn't turn the music down, you'd be back to arrest him. Go in and arrest him". Great....I hope Walt is 9 years old. I bang on the door and yell "State Troopers!" Walt yells back "C'Mon in, Trooper!". Sigh...."Walt, come outside so we can talk!" "Screw you, copper, come in!" So much for my initial plan. In I go. Walt is the biggest, ugliest guest-instructor they could find from Sitka PD. Plus, he's wearing all the padding and look's like some freak out of a Japanese super-hero comic book. I use my highly honed Verbal Judo to attempt to talk him into the cuff's. (You know how this goes, so I won't bore you with the vulgar script.) Walt and I end up scuffling on the floor for what seems like an hour, but, in reality, last's about a minute. I finally get the cuff's on and the evaluator yell's "RED". He says "Stand up, close your eyes and wait". ARE YOU CRAZY? "CLOSE YOUR EYES or fail part II". WHAT? Part TWO? I take two deep breaths on squeeze em shut: PART TWO: I'm in a room full of badguys and the lights just went out. Talk about Spidey-Senses going bonkers! Someone grabs me from behind and tries to yank my gun. He gets an elbow in the padded chops for his trouble. Two minutes later, I'm 110% out of breath, my guy is in cuff's and the evaluator says I did fine. If I hadn't been so beat, I'd have kicked him in the Wedding Tackle for good measure. For those of you who have ever wrestled with someone for more than 30 seconds, you'll know exactly how beat up I was. One of the evaluators is to be my future boss back in Wasilla/Palmer. When it's his turn to give comments, he smiles and says "I guess you can come to Palmer now.". I think that was a compliment??? I survived another day at the hands of the padded evil-doers, but seriously have LONG thoughts about the mistakes I made and how terrifying it can be to have someone get a hand on your gun. NOT a mistake I wanna repeat on the street where no one calls TIME OUT. (Hint: If you ever tap a cops' gun, expect a full and complete ass-whooping before he says "Oh, hey John, I didn't realize it was you!") Saturday was written testing in the AM and then off to Cold Water Survival again. This time not in a warm pool. Lovely Alaska salt water at the end of the Trooper pier. I actually LOVE chilly water, and the immersion suits keep ya purty near toasty. After we stripped out of those, on went the old school life vests (like Grandpa had on the boat in Idaho) and back into the drink. Ohhhhh, a little chillier without the immersion suit! After the initial shock and breathing returned, we swam around, hooted and hollered a bit. Good fun....then I remembered that Orca's swim around here somewhere. Time to get out. Thank the good Lord they gave us today (Sunday) off. Got the boots polished, uniforms ironed, and essentially squared myself away. Even caught up on a few emails. Life is good in Sitka. Hope all of you are doing well. Keep those post cards rolling in!
  4. Marbee40

    Marbee40 Update

    SDAR, Just another update that I send out every couple of weeks from the Trooper Academy. Family and Friends, Just a quick hello on a quite (finally) Sunday evening. The last two weeks were BUTT KICKERS. Last Saturday we got to enjoy a nice "TASER" to the back. I'd show ya the video but you'd likely call my Congressman to complain about abuse. Okay, some of you might call to say "Thanks". It is a PAINFUL experience that last's all of 5 seconds but a lifetime of memories. It was worse watching OTHERS go thru it. Last week my squad spent every day at the shooting range. QUICK DRAW McGRAW here! This ain't no Navy static qual course, folks. Speed shooting, from the holster, from already in your hands, long range, short range, etc. Nice combat shooting that left EVERYONE feeling confident and SAFE with the weapon. I qualified 210 out of 240 possible, so evidently I hit what I was aiming at...most of the time. I sincerely hope I never have to use those skills, but when I do, I'm coming home at the end of my shift. Yesterday (Sat) was Cold Water Survival training. Getting in and out of thick rubber suits, into and out of a little orange raft, etc. Good fun at the toasty warm pool. In a few weeks we get to do it again....in the ocean. If you don't get your suit on in less that 1 minute, they push you overboard to see if the nice Alaskan water hurries your pace a bit. Today was Emergency Vehicle Operators Course (EVOC). Drive a Crown Vic thru the cones at a brisk pace. A few of my fellow recruits sat in the back when I drove, with my Instructor in the front seat. On the first pass he said "Keep it at a steady 15-20mph". I liesurely strolled thru the cones. Next pass 20-25mph. Again, no sweat. Then he says "Streicher, I KNOW you can drive this car, GET ON IT!". Hmmm, okay.... I hammered it up to speed before the first cone, didn't bother to look at the speedo, and gave them poor gov't tires a work out. My buddies in the back seat were yelling "YEAAAAAAH" and the instructor says "You passed, good job.". The guys said my speed at the first cone was 35mph. I can't wait till next Sunday. I love my job. Next week is Defensive Tactics. We get to toss each other around the mat room for 4 days. Gotta watch my neck, but should be fine. Rolling along smartly! Sitka is BEAUTIFUL! Pine tree's and mountains everywhere. Loads of history. The locals are real nice. Not a bad place, but miss Lisa and the kids. 11 more weeks. Keep those cards and letters coming!
  5. Marbee40

    Update from Marbee40!

    Gang, Howdy! Thanks for the kind words! Before I ran off to the Academy, I had 2-3 months of BLISSFUL riding. Is it the same as dez riding? No, but different and challenging just the same. I've ridden to a glacier and up serious mountains. I can ride to the store on dirt or around town on trails, hitting asphalt only crossing driveways, etc. DREAMLAND, brothers! I can carry my .357 in a holster over my chest protector or sling my flashy new 45-70 over my back! LIFE IS GOOD! If ANY of you ever decide to come up, please send Gunner Chief a PM for my email as I don't get to check this too often. I'll graduate from the State Trooper Academy on Dec 7th and hopefully be back in Palmer/Wasilla for my first tour of duty. Wasilla sits in the BEAUTIFUL Matanuska-Susitna River Valley. We have MILES AND MILES of trails and open river bed to ride! You can rent bikes in Anchorage for a reasonable price, ride with me, or even take the Haul Road north to the Slope. Best of health and many thanks to all of you! My fondest memories riding in SoCal were from SDAR and my trips to Baja! PS: Chief Gunner, THANKS very much for the kind thoughts and updating everyone! Keep in touch! Marbee
  6. Marbee40

    Another crash compliation

    #1: This is the first motorsports video where the crappy music was actually APPROPRIATE. Turn it UP and pretend the horrendous screaming is coming from the helmet of the bum that just wiped out! #2: If the Bobcat crash doesn't make you pee your pants and cringe in pain, you are MUCH tougher than me. #3: THIS video illustrates why my Honda is NEVER more than three feet off the ground. The good lord didn't provide me with wings upon birth and I would definitely be on part II of this video if I tried ANY of that! #4: The term "Nucking F**Z!" comes to mind (sorry Randy!) #5: Gummer Chief: Thanks for the NIGHTMARES right before beddy bye time! OUUUUUUCH! Jim
  7. I'll be bringing the D606 I just pulled off my XR. I believe (w/o looking) that it's a 100/100/18 or something close. It's about 65%. I'm riding with Gummer Chief. I just looked at his "what I'm bringing" list and realized that I might be riding on the damn roof rack with my tire in my lap! See ya'll in a few hours! Jim
  8. One of my LASTING memories of this fine state, dual-sporting, and YOU clowns will be that AWESOME picture of your pig swinging merrilly from that helo! That's what legends are made of. What I would REALLY like to do is make a FULL SIZE flippin poster of that very shot and hang it in my new garage in AK so folks can say "WHAT IN THE .....???" Thanks for the memories! Sorry for off-topic. Jim
  9. Marbee40

    Buying a GPS, any opinions out there?

    Hey Bum, I have the RAM mount that works both in my truck and on the bike. (One "ball" in each, just move the GPS.) Jim
  10. Marbee40

    Not so loved in AK?

    http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread....d=1#post4070451 Looks like using ol' KTMrad was a "bad" idea. KTMrad: Thanks for the tip, seriously! Jim
  11. Marbee40

    at last a detailed GPS Worldmap & it's not from Garmin!

    Well dadgummit, where the HECK was this when I needed it??? Baja, Kuwait, Iceland, Alaska? SHEESH! Now I'll have to buy it before I go on my trip North. I'll keep ya posted. Jim
  12. Brother Barb-Wire (Aka: BBDUB) , As mentioned over the phone, I'm 100% free next week (a few days worth) and you just need to say WHEN! If you want "bike" mileage, I can bring my SixFiveOh, but would rather be "safe", as previously discussed. Have GPS and Laptop, will travel! Jim
  13. Marbee40

    Basic Rider course, Dirtbike School

    Ditto what he said! Jim MSFRC#117339 L8tr
  14. As some of you may know, my time here is growing shorter by the minute! I now depart on the 1st of March for Alaska (insert orchestra movie music here). I've always wanted to see that LONG railroad trestle that everyone talks about. Big wooden thing that is out of commission, somewhere over just above S2 in the mountains? If anyone know's where it is and if it's ride-able, I'd be interested in going along. Just a one-day thing. I can't go next weekend as I'm heading up to Chino for the w/e. Lemme know! Jim
  15. Marbee40

    OHV areas UT, ID, MT?

    O' Knowledgable Ones, As most of you know, I'll soon be departing the land of the Riding Sun for the greener pastures (tundra?) of the Last Frontier. My departure date is March 1st (just around the corner). My old mentor and good buddy Jack Conrad is flying down from AK to make the trip with me. He's a bit "older" in body only. His mind says "HAUL A**!" but his body doesn't always agree. We are taking I-15 up thru MT into Canada, and then over to the ALCAN highway into AK. I've been on the ALCAN twice before, and I'm very familiar with it. I-15, on the other hand, is a bit of a mystery. I've got a GMC 3/4t p/u and a 33' toy-hauler. I've got the two d/s bikes and two atv's that we're hauling up. My GOAL is to do between 300-500 miles a day. We have TEN days to make the entire trip. EASY! So, with that being said, I'll get to my point: 1. We'd prefer to dry-camp near the I-15 corridor all the way up. (My trailer is self-sufficient) The VIEW outside the trailer is important! 2. I'd like to stop near 3 or 4 OHV area's along the route. 3. We'd like to spend about 4 hours riding at each OHV area. Nothing hard-core, just dual-sport/nice views. I've already spotted two places I'd like to stop at along the route. One is Dumont Dunes outside of Baker, Ca. The other is Little Sahara Recreation Area (BLM) north of Cedar City, Utah. If ANY of you have any advice for GOOD places to camp/ride that might fit the bill, I would REALLY appreciate it! THANKS! Jim
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