Treacherous Cliffs in Ireland

"As I walked back to the car, I chatted with an Englishman, who confirmed that, indeed, sheep are dropping into the oceans around Ireland at a regular rate"

---Margeret Lynn McLean, noting the general lack of fences along cliff edges on Irish farms, "Insights on Ireland"

Cliffs of Moher in the West, one of the most beautiful places in Ireland. No fences and sheer drops into cold water.

Urban legend or truth?

Here is an urban legend that has been passed on to me ..."Two guys go to Australia. After drinking up a storm, they hopped into their rented car and were driving on deserted roads when they accidentally hit a large kangaroo. Getting out of the car, they realized that the kangaroo had died in the accident.

Being so drunk, though, they propped up the kangaroo, its lifeless head bouncing from one side to the other, dressed it in one of their jackets, and took pictures of themselves with their arms around it.

After a few minutes of picture taking, the guys were shocked when it seemed that the kangaroo came back to life. It turns out that the poor kangaroo wasn't dead, but it had been briefly knocked unconscious, and when it came back to consciousness started to box with the drunken guys. It actually broke one guy's jaw! It then hopped away into the distant landscape.

The men couldn't drive their rented car, as their keys, passport and wallet were in the jacket, which was still on the kangaroo, so they had to walk back to civilization. A little while later, a pack of kangaroos was seen in the distance, one of them wearing a jacket."

-- At any rate don’t be cruel and heartless to animals.

"Montana 500 Endurance Run"

An excerpt from the Official Montana 500 Website says, "The Montana 500 Endurance Run was officially started in 1961 to give Model T owners a chance to get together and share their interest in Model T's. This is a timed event, perhaps unique in the world, as Montana is one of the last places to allow timed events on their public roads.

The 500 takes place in spectacular country, perhaps the most scenic in the lower 48 states. Huge flat green meadows surrounded by forested mountains and snow packed peaks. Nowadays to simplify logistics, the 500 is held out of a hub city. The first and second days are 200-mile days and the third day is a 100-mile day. Pit stops are made each 50 miles or so to gas up, get coffee, or eat lunch. The cars are flagged out at one-minute intervals and are soon jockeying for position and drafting on each other. The cars are then flagged in at each pit stop and are timed out by order of arrival. On the second day, cars are timed out in the reverse order of the 1st day's finish. The slowest car leaves 1st and the fastest car leaves last. This gives a chance for a slower car to draft on a faster car. The third day the cars are timed out by their order of finish on the previous two days. Fastest cars are first and the slowest cars are last."

(Cattle crossings slow down the drivers- see photo.)

Some 15 million Model T's were sold in the United States from 1908 to 1927, according to literature from the national club, before Ford changed to the more "user friendly" Model A. Model T prices were as low as $260, and Henry Ford called it the perfect car for the common man. Well tuned Model Ts will travel in the range of 50 MPH.

For more info check out:
http://www.mtfca.com
http://www.antiqueautoranch.com/montana500

Sixth Street New Tradition Homes in Battle Ground, Washington. Less than an hour from Portland, Oregon.

The Pacific Northwest is experiencing a housing boom. Battle Ground, a small town just north of Columbia River, with a population of about 15,000 has tripled in size in the last 10 years. "New Tradition Homes" has recently started their second phase of building in southeast Battle Ground. Made to look like traditional Craftsman homes, these newly constructed homes are well priced. Low monthly dues for landscaping and general maintenance cost roughly $60 per month. There are several models to choose from including two-bedroom / two baths, three-bedroom / two and a half baths, and four-bedroom / two and a half bath homes.

Some of the benefits include:

TRUE ENERGY EFFICIENCY
Low E/Argon Gas Vinyl Windows - Heat stays in during winter, out in summer
HEALTHIER INDOOR AIR
4" High Efficiency Air Filter - Superior filtration of dust, pollen, and particulates
AIR TIGHT CONSTRUCTION
All Wall Penetrations Sealed to Energy Star® Standards - Less air leakage, and allows homeowner to control airflow
ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSIBILITY
Construction Lumber Waste is Recycled

Priced from the roughly $220,000 to $270,000 these houses are well worth the investment. Stores are being built in close proximity and a new library will be opening soon. If interested please call their field office --> New Tradition Homes at 360.666.0127.