Sunrise Aint So Early These Days

We know when the sun is rising by the event we're working. Really! In January, we can't start the off road races in Laughlin until after 7am, because it's too dark. In September, we can't start the races in Primm Nevada until 6:15am. In October we don't start the jet ski races until 7am. Can't race in dark water without headlights.

But it doesn't matter when the sun is rising, I still adore it.

Kind of a Big Deal....

The World Jet Ski Finals have been held in Lake Havasu for many many years now, and I can remember the days of Jeff "Jammer" Jacobs doing his thing out on the water in front of the Nautical Inn WAAAAAY back in the day. I mean, back when it was acceptable to wear day-glo colored shorts and bathing suits....

My boss at DSM Events (that's Desert Steel Motorsports Events...) has had the contract for the World Finals for 15 years now, and he's had a lot of experience in providing infrastructure for this particular venue. He normally gives me some part time job at the World Finals, but this year he put me in charge of port-a-potties. Okay, I was in charge of more than that, but port-a-potties were part of the package.

DSM Events handles the vendors, the grandstands, the telephone lines, the DSL hook-up, the security staff, the food for the ancillary staff, the patrol boats, and the 82 separate media representatives from around the globe. The Polish Yachting magazine staff was there. It was definitely a big deal.
Once the racing began, we found ouselves hosting over 600 racers from 44 countries all over the world. We were busy. It's nothing new.

The DSL connection allowed for the video of the race to be live-streaming over the internet, and on Saturday alone we had over 10,000 unique computers logged on to watch the competition.

Part of the racing show is a free-style event, where jet skiers get out on the water and do tricks just like the BMX guys and motocross guys. It was the only part of the 7 day event that I was able to enjoy---and it was only because I was giving some BLM representatives a tour of our facilities!!!

So here are my photos ( Okay, SOME of my photos ) of the 2010 IJSBA Jet Ski World Finals....

We began setting up on the beach at the beginning of October, starting with an empty beach with nothing but sand and wind. The grandstands take about 2 days to construct--thankfully there's a crew of guys from Phoenix to do that...

Once the crowds start coming in, those granstands come in REAL handy!!

Nipton, California

Each year I briefly visit a town called Nipton. Briefly can mean anything from 30 seconds to 3 minutes. I have never found a reason to stay much longer. It is located in the mountains outside of Las Vegas and it is a railroad crossing, basically. The drive from Havasu to Vegas is around two hours, and if you're like me you typically want the road less traveled. Well that would be Nipton Road.

It is beautiful because of the Yucca trees. There are millions of them, all along both sides of the road.

Once you get through the mountains, you begin a quick descent and the landscape changes into barren desert. Just when you think it couldn't get emptier, you run into the town of Nipton.
It has a few old buildings, a general store that's never open when I drive through, and some railroad tracks. Shay and I stopped one morning as we headed home from an off road race in Nevada and took this photo there:

And we took this one just down the road, to show how empty and desolate the highway is....

Someday I'll figure out what kind of people live in Nipton. I suppose the type of people who do not enjoy neighbors.

The McClymonts

Last night we hurried thru dinner because there were free concerts down at the Windsor State Park. At 7pm, Steve's brother's band Mojo played. Then at 8pm, the McClymonts took the stage. They're an Australian act with three sisters who can be compared to the Dixie Chicks ( but better, I think ).

They were backed up on the stage with band members they just began playing with this month since getting to the U.S.--and they really only identified them as some guys from Nashville. But after we asked around we learned that one of the musicians was Jason Aldean who has a Billboard hit at number 23 with a song titled, "My Kind of Party," and then there was Luke Bryan who's got a song titled, "Someone Else Calling You Baby," which is number 28.

Good Morning, Sunshine

It was 77 degrees, slightly breezy, and the sun was bouncing off the little clouds. Nice morning!

The Sheriff and I

Mohave County Sheriff Tom Sheahan is one of my buddies, but you'll have to pardon me if I promote Pima County Sheriff Paul Babeu for a little bit. ( oops, Pinal County--someone wrote and corrected me)
Pinal County is in Southern Arizona--thus putting it near the Mexican border. Paul has been on national news quite regularly, asking for support from the Federal government with the illegal alien and drug smuggling problem down there.
Of course the Federal government doesn't seem to be listening to him.

Last week I drove three hours to get to the opening celebration for the 2011 Dodie Londen group. This is the educational series that I graduated from back in May.

Well, Sheriff Babeu was there as well! And he seemed to recognize me from Facebook. Either that, or he very easily read my huge SHAWNA THORNTON name tag.



I don't think I had a point to this blog posting, other than to brag that I got a photo with the Sheriff. Hmmm....

Ooooh, Rebar.

As a candidate, you budget EVERYTHING. The $15 you have to pay to attend a lunch meeting. The bazillion bucks you spend on newspaper ads. The cost of printing. Websites. Postage. It goes on and on. But you budget. You fundraise when you foresee a cost.

But nobody can determine what the cost of rebar will be. Why would a candidate need rebar?

To pound into the rock-hard ground and use for sign posts. For these:



I got such a great deal on signs, I couldn't wait to put them up. But then I took stock of the rebar I had on hand and realized I needed about 50 more pieces of it. I could've bought 20' sticks and then cut them myself--but that's a miserable and smelly job. I HATE the smell of cutting metal. Ick.
Buying rebar cut specifically for what I needed cost me extra. So when I expected to pay $20 for rebar I was WAAAY wrong. It was more like, $100. Ouch.

But don't worry. Once that rebar is installed in the ground around town I'll be out scouting to make sure no one had bent mine or messed with it. Nobody touches my rebar!!