Running Bear's July 2026 Coffee Shop

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I found this photo of the Freedom 250 train..........

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On another topic.......

Victor Willis, frontman of Village People, dies age 74​

The co-writer of enduring hits such as YMCA and Macho Man, who struggled with drug use and legal issues for years, passed away after ‘short but aggressive illness’.

Have a great day....John
 


Glad that I was a trend setter for getting everyone's ears lowered.

Forum is still wonky. I'm on at 5:06 Eastern US time, and it's hit or miss if hitting the NEXT or FORUM/WHATS NEW buttons will actually work.

Currently 76, with a high of 94 today. I may go hit the grocery and hardware big box stores just to get walking in via the Air Conditioned stores.
 
Good Morning All. Clear and a cool 73° with an ever changing forecast, again. Now it's predicted to be upper 90's for a few days. Well, that's what it was earlier in the week before it got changed to mid-90's sometime Tuesday.

We have company again; daughter #2 and grandson brought Mollie the granddog up yesterday for another vacation. Here's her chance to chase rabbits and our one squirrel for a few days. And of course, leave a bunch of fur all over. She'll get the run of the house later this morning while we make the weekly grocery trek.
Fireworks haven't really been that heavy, yet. Bubba to the west and Jim to the north haven't really gotten into it yet. I have been hearing but not seeing some elsewhere, but it seems that folks are currently holding back. Or else our local supply got hijacked to Washington DC!

Just plodding along out in the train shed yesterday. While I mostly finished up the switching run that I started Tuesday (and ran a few other trains), I reset all of the structures and started checking out the vehicle inventory.
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The vehicles in these pictures are just stand-ins for now...too crude for this close-up viewing angle.
I also got the other "RR" grade crossing marking done on the far side of the track, but failed to take a progress picture.

Kevin - I get to see "flyovers" from a different perspective. Specifically the ones related to races at the Texas Motor Speedway. They do their approach staging over our house at an altitude of maybe 3000 ft. The Speedway is 35 miles directly south of me.
John -
westtexjohn said:
Victor Willis, frontman of Village People, dies age 74
Click to expand...
He would have been 75 the next day (July 1). Not exactly my type of music, but they were quite successful.

Everybody have a great Thursday. Hoping that this posts, as the last post was 3 hours ago!
 
79F this morning in S. NH, heading to 100F by 3PM. Already ran out and did the grocery shopping since the wife is in a walking boot for a swollen Achilles tendon again. She had a MRI on it yesterday, meeting with the doc on Tuesday. Between prep for the trip to the Rubicon Trail and work I haven't had any time in the workshop.

Had to replace the brakes on the front of the Jeep after the camping test a couple weeks ago. I'd had a shop replace the inner and outer axle seals on the front and when they reassembled the hubs and brakes the disk brake shields rotated from the proper position. This caused the pads to be against the outside of that shield. Wore right through the hardened steel of the rotors on the inside and cracked some of the pad material.

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Got the shop to reimburse me for the parts. Glad I caught this before heading west next month.
 


Good morning all!

Still hotter than the blazes again today. Currently its a sticky 83F and the high is going to reach 95F. Looks like the
"heat dome" as they are referring it as will start to ease Saturday. I did make it out to mow yesterday but I skipped
trimming. That will have to wait till next week.

Few things to do around the house this morning. I did not het a haircut yesterday like everyone else, I will
do that today since not much going on here.

Hope this posts. It took me many tries last night to post in the layout height thread. It would post but without the photo.
Very frustrating but I finally got it to go.

Have a safe day everyone!
 
Good morning from Pasadena. 61f degrees now 80 later this afternoon. At home in Verona, Wi the WeatherChannel app is showing 74 now 90 later with the heat index over 100.

Lots of trouble getting on the forum but patience is a virtue!

Visited yesterday the Huntington Library, Art and botanical Gardens. We are most interested in the Botanical Gardens and OMG what a spectacular display. We walked through a portion of the Art Gallery but it was relatively brief at almost an hour. My favorites are Roses and we have visited many across the country and we linger in them. It alone was worth the visit. It does seem as we are aging our capacity for hilly walking is getting tougher. Still Terry had over 17,000 steps and me just over 15,000 steps though we were together 98% of the time just on the Huntington grounds!!! Before we left we did become members as we now plan to keep returning and they gave us credit against the membership the ticket fees we paid yesterday. There is so much to see and it's so well done. The 2 major Art galleries alone will be well worth the yearly fees but it's massive! We are looking forward to it but next up will be the Japanese Gardens, maybe Saturday. We were worn out by time we got to the sign telling us the way to the Japanese Gardens but it was down hill to the valley floor then what looked like an equally high climb. Too much for yesterday. So much more we visited yesterday that I have not mentioned...

We did start the morning yesterday driving Route 66 the 21 miles from our hotel to the Santa Monica pier. It was interesting but at 10am was packed! We can say we have now traveled both the beginning and end of Route 66. I have traveled all of the Old Route possible in Illinois , Missouri, Kansas (all 13 miles there!) plus portions in Texas and now California. That's enough

Today is a day to sort of relax. I had 21000+ steps yesterday and Terry of 25000. We need it at 73 for me and 74 for her!

We will though visit the USC Asia Pacific Museum this afternoon after it opens between 11am and 4pm. It's 3/4 mile from my sister's condo so a nice walk over to it and back. Dinner tonight I am looking forward to enjoying. Called 45 Bistro it's where the niece had her wedding rehearsal dinner in 5/25. The reception food was oh so good. I made the reservations around Easter as it can be a tough place to get in.

It's 8am here and breakfast will be across the street at a coffee shop bakery called Oh la La and the niece raved about it during dinner last night. Told her we have eaten there and it's ordinary + but we do revisit each visit. Told her not every eatery in Pasadena or San Marino where she lives is world class and she seemed offended. My filter is becoming much thinner as I age. If I don't like it I'll let you know and why

Enjoy your day
TomO
 
Last edited:
TLOC said:
Good morning from Pasadena. 61f degrees now 80 later this afternoon. At home in Verona, Wi the WeatherChannel app is showing 74 now 90 later with the heat index over 100.

Lots of trouble getting on the forum but patience is a virtue!

We are most interested in the Botanical Gardens and OMG what a spectacular display. We walked through a portion of the Art Gallery but it was relatively brief at almost an hour. My favorites are Roses and we have visited many across the country and we linger in them. It alone was worth the visit. It does seem as we are aging our capacity for hilly walking is getting tougher. Still Terry had over 17,000 steps and me just over 15,000 steps though we were together 98% of the time just on the Huntington grounds!!! Before we left we did become members as we now plan to keep returning and they gave us credit against the membership the ticket fees we paid yesterday. There is so much to see and it's so well done. The 2 major Art galleries alone will be well worth the yearly fees but it's massive! We are looking forward to it but next up will be the Japanese Gardens, maybe Saturday. We were worn out by time we got to the sign telling us the way to the Japanese Gardens but it was down hill to the valley floor then what looked like an equally high climb. Too much for yesterday. So much more we visited yesterday that I have not mentioned...
Click to expand...
Huntington Gardens is excellent. Wife and I had a membership there and went about 6 times a year just to see real trees and not palms.

My favorite spot was over in the Chinese Gardens (with the tea room). There are benches and lots of places to sit and just watch the water and the ducks.

Enjoy the trip.

Screenshot 2026-07-02 at 12.22.36 PM.png
 
TLOC said:
Good morning from Pasadena. 61f degrees now 80 later this afternoon. At home in Verona, Wi the WeatherChannel app is showing 74 now 90 later with the heat index over 100.

Lots of trouble getting on the forum but patience is a virtue!

We are most interested in the Botanical Gardens and OMG what a spectacular display. We walked through a portion of the Art Gallery but it was relatively brief at almost an hour. My favorites are Roses and we have visited many across the country and we linger in them. It alone was worth the visit. It does seem as we are aging our capacity for hilly walking is getting tougher. Still Terry had over 17,000 steps and me just over 15,000 steps though we were together 98% of the time just on the Huntington grounds!!! Before we left we did become members as we now plan to keep returning and they gave us credit against the membership the ticket fees we paid yesterday. There is so much to see and it's so well done. The 2 major Art galleries alone will be well worth the yearly fees but it's massive! We are looking forward to it but next up will be the Japanese Gardens, maybe Saturday. We were worn out by time we got to the sign telling us the way to the Japanese Gardens but it was down hill to the valley floor then what looked like an equally high climb. Too much for yesterday. So much more we visited yesterday that I have not mentioned...



It's 8am here and breakfast will be across the street at a coffee shop bakery called Oh la La and the niece raved about it during dinner last night. Told her we have eaten there and it's ordinary + but we do revisit each visit. Told her not every eatery in Pasadena or San Marino where she lives is world class and she seemed offended. My filter is becoming much thinner as I age. If I don't like it I'll let you know and why

Enjoy your day
TomO
Click to expand...
8 or 9 years ago my mom was presented the top award, the "Silver Spade", from the Portland Rose Society. She had a little over 100 in her yard and competed in the "cottage garden" category. The judges come and inspect and check everything. I remember her removing every deformed or off color leaf. She's down to about 80 now that she tends. We have about 30 at our house.

Your filter is getting thinner. You're just not an artist, so you don't paint pretty pictures anymore.;)
 


troyphoto said:
Huntington Gardens is excellent. Wife and I had a membership there and went about 6 times a year just to see real trees and not palms.

My favorite spot was over in the Chinese Gardens (with the tea room). There are benches and lots of places to sit and just watch the water and the ducks.

Enjoy the trip.

View attachment 269019
Click to expand...
troyphoto said:
PS: Do the Getty Museums if you get a chance. We went several times and still didn't get in all of the various collections there.
Click to expand...
Marlin39 said:
8 or 9 years ago my mom was presented the top award, the "Silver Spade", from the Portland Rose Society. She had a little over 100 in her yard and competed in the "cottage garden" category. The judges come and inspect and check everything. I remember her removing every deformed or off color leaf. She's down to about 80 now that she tends. We have about 30 at our house.

Your filter is getting thinner. You're just not an artist, so you don't paint pretty pictures anymore.;)
Click to expand...
Thanks guys. I love roses but not the work it takes to grow and protect them in Wisconsin. We had roses up north and nothing but a deer resistant fence sometimes protected them. So after a few years because fencing in front yard areas was ugly I gave up. Terry is not as enthralled with roses as I am. This definitely is one of the best rose displays I have seen.

The Getty Museum is not on the schedule this week but we will get there within the next 2 or 3 trips here. It’s only 20 miles but it always seems to be 2 hours plus to drive. I do not like the LA freeway system!

My filter is getting honed to a fine sharp edge. I abhor incompetence or snobbery and have started calling it out. I find many of the California based artists especially in the entertainment business to qualify #1 in both categories. My niece is both and was insufferable at times in New York City but here even more so

Tom
 
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