A new way to see the world on a BMW

Well, finally I started to read the book "The Investment Biker" Around the world with Jim Rogers.
I don't really know why I took so long to read it but once I started I was hooked. Here is a man who made a fortune on Wall Street, retired from there taught and still teaches economics at Columbia University, giving it all up for 22 months and spends it as an "Eco" as in economic traveler, going around the world with his fiance on BMW motorcycles.
Since he did this in the early 1990s things have changed of course but his description of financial opportunities along with the travel log shows a world few of us will ever experience. From the safety of the US to the dangers of the Sahara the jungles of central Africa the immense landmass of Russia and China to emerging countries of South and central America.
One thing is found throughout the book....."the less Government interferes with the economy, the more successful the countries become."
Sadly though he points to our country as one that is going more and more toward Statism and regulations. The fact that any country that loses its freedoms and its dedication to free trade is doomed to become a third world country.
His description of the countries and the people is marvelous and the closing paragraph of the book really hits home:
" If there is one thing I have learned in going around the world, it's that societies become rich,swagger around for a few years, decades or centuries and then their hour is done. The other thing I have learned is that when all the wealth is gone, life goes on.
More important,I've also learned that if you've got a dream, you have to try it, you must get it out of your system. You'll never get another chance.
If you want to change your life,do it!"

This is one professor that I would have loved to be my instructor as he practiced what he teaches!

Thanks Philip for letting me have this book!

2009 in Review

I realize that it is the middle of January 2010 as I am writing this but nevertheless the past year was truly memorable for Opa and Oma Mueller!
First off we were able to welcome our latest Grandchild Rachel. Eric and Melissa now have 2 little Hawaiian princesses. One sweeter and prettier than the other! What a joy to have been with them and spoil them.

Then of course there was our Tucson grandson ( The Great Maxini, emphasis on great!)
All year long he amused us entertained us and amazed us! He is growing so fast and is a real little boy now, no longer a baby!

Marisa and Guy took a huge step toward a family as they announced that they have started adoption proceedings! As Philip said some little girl somewhere just won the parents lottery!
We hope and pray that the process will be speedy and without problems.

Then there were the travels to Arizona Hawaii, twice to Alaska! One solo ride by Old dad and one wonderful cruise with my Bea!

Add to that marvelous hikes beautiful dives, great hikes bless it with GOOD HEALTH AND LOTS OF LOVE and you can see:

Opa Mike and Oma Bea had a great 2009 and are looking forward to the upcoming year again full of promise!

Oma Bea's Birthday 2009

Well another special occasion of the Season:

OMA'S BIRTHDAY

We celebrated in Style at an new Italian Ristorante called Amici's. Gathering there around 6 we stayed and celebrated until almost 9PM when all of us left filled with great food and yes quite a bit of very good Italian wine.
Max behaved as usual and was the hit of the place when his heartfelt laughter proved to be the cause of much laughing to the table next to us. Of course he got to ride the elephant around the restaurant and was just an all around good boy.
Oma had a wonderful time with all of us and we celebrated to our hearts content!
Note too that Oma has a new toy! Her very own computer to stay in touch electronically with all of us!

Happy Birthday my BEA!

In Edward Abbey's Footsteps & Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving Morning and Philip and I are off on an new adventure. This time we are heading south to a place 15 miles East of Nogales called Atascosa Lookout.
This hike has special meaning to us as we both read the writings of one of the most controversial yet entertaining writers of the Southwest Edward Abbey. He spent a summer as a fire lookout in a cabin on top of the Lookout mountain not Atascosa peak which is actually NE of the lookout.
We got there on a gravel road and had a beautiful hike to the top where aforementioned lookout cabin is located.
The view as advertised in some hike descriptions is phenomenal. South deep into Sonora , to the west Baboquivari rears its stony head, north you see the Catalinas and Rincons and to the east the Santa Rita and Huachuca mountains.
Outstanding and the cabin is still in tact and open. I have slept in worst places on quite a few hikes!

We had a light lunch and set off back to the car an Tucson where we went to feast at Marisa and Guy's house and enjoyed the blessings of family with a wonderful Thanksgiving meal.
I am truly thankful to have a loving healthy family to celebrate life with and it is my wish and prayer that all of us feel as blessed as I do, not just during these special holidays but all the days of our lives.
Thank you all and Thanks be to God!

Rachel Lokelani Mueller and Family

Well we did it again. Grandparents for the third time. We feel blessed with the arrival of Rachel Lokelani (Rosalie in Hawaiian) born to Eric and Melissa at Queens Hospital on October 16,2009.
Rachel is a beautiful healthy baby and a a true Mueller! She gained 2 pounds in 15 days and now weighs over 9 lbs! Wow!
Of course Oma and Opa had to visit Oahu ( I know it's tough, but someone had to do it) to celebrate this momentous occasion.
Our stay included lots of baby time, lots of "Swimming" "Elephant (Opa) rides" dinners in and dinners out and a few beers and Mai Tais along the way.
Oh I almost forgot Eric and Opa did mange to get some diving in as well and one of them was a drift dive along the Porthole Wall near Hawaii Kai!
The Hawaiians are busy and their construction project while not done yet is making progress.
The new garage, carport, lanai addition will be really nice along with having the whole house painted in the process.
Another Highlight was our Family lunch at the Royal where our friend Dottie waited on us for the 15th time!
Of course Mom and I had to climb Diamond head which was fun as always!
Little Megan is a good big sister and very loving indeed. We all had a great time trick or treating with her as a Hoola girl and Rachel as a Bumble Bee! ( One wonders who thought of that outfit?)
We are now back in DP and fell blessed to have some more wonderful memories of our ever growing family.

Havasu Falls Supai Hike and bike

Well as Mitch our hike leader says he loves to hike with us even though we are a little crazy. Could it be that Philip and I add to the 5 day adventure by riding our trusty bikes, or that we rarely shy away from challenges even though the elder Mueller is in his mid sixties. Well enough of that let's talk about Havasu Falls region of the Grand Canyon area.
What can you say about a hike that begins at 5600 ft on a cliff in a windstorm of up to 70MPH and ends down around 2400 ft surrounded by rushing aquamarine waterfalls ranging in height from 50 to over 200 ft. with colorful names like 50Ft, Havasu, Mooney and Beaver Fall.
Camping out, dining at the reservation Cafe on treats like Indian Tacos and Fry bread seeing wild Bighorn Sheep and swimming in the pools around the falls.
All of us took many pictures but I do not think that you can do justice to the grandeur of the surroundings.
The ride up there and back was great and an adventure of its own, but the hikes were the main event.
We averaged over ten miles a day with packs ranging up to 60 pounds that was quite an achievement but well worth it at the end.
And so it goes:
Approaching the end of the trail I was greeted by a Supai Indian:
"you've done good, Grey Hair!" so now you know my Indian Name.

The Great Alaska Cruise

Well folks we've done it. Mike and Bea went off to sea..... to see exactly what?
Southeastern Alaska of course a place you can only visit by boat, cruising or on the Alaska Ferry system.
Our choice was the MS Amsterdam a beautiful ship by any standard with all the comforts of a 5 star hotel and the food ranging from scrumptious buffets to fine dining and best of all room service at no extra charge. This we made use of every morning of the cruise by having our breakfast in our room looking out over the ocean or the beautiful coast line gliding by. The cabin was right aft of the Navigation bridge and thus I got to rate the nav crew's performance. ( only kidding of course) It is amazing how these experts handled the 61,000 tons ship in some very tight quarters.
Enough of the ship though, let's talk a bit about the landscape and the tours we did,boat rides to canneries and a salmon hatchery a float plane flight of the Taku Glacier and 5 of its counterparts and the highlight of the trip Glacier Bay.Hubbard and Turner Glaciers are actually advancing and threating to close the channel to Yakutat. What that will mean is that the river will reverse course after filling up a lake and run south into a different bay. So what you say, well the salmon from the Yakutat river will no longer be able to find their way to their spawining grounds and unless the local hatcheries introduce samon to the newly formed lake and river, this species will die out. We cruised to within 1000 ft of the Ice walls and heard the thunder of the calfing process and did actually see some huge chunks of ice break off into the water.
If you melted the ice and drank the water you would be drinking 5000 year old water because that is how long it takes for the ice to reach the sea. Seeing all this beauty makes you humble and you really want to make sure we keep nature so generations after us can enjoy it as well.
The towns along our route were small and fun to walk. It was interesting to note that jewelry is a bigger item than salmon for the local merchants. The stores there are the same ones you might find in the Carribean and that's where they ship their inventory after Sept 30, when the last cruise ship departs for longer days and warmer climates.
Highlights in Juneau were the tram to MT Roberts the governors mansion. Sitka boasted St Michaels Russian Orthodox church and too many shops which mom like and made me a bit grumpy (imagine that)
Ketchikan is a fun town to walk and shop but we only had a few hours there though we did visit Creek Road built on stilts and saw the salmon run up the river.
Last not least Victoria BC. we were late getting in due to rough seas but did get to enjoy HIGH TEA at the Empress Hotel and a stroll through this quite European town.
Alas it is over now and though mom did not gain weight I am now paying for the sins of eating a bit much.
All in all a great and relaxing trip, one we really enjoyed and would recommend to all of you.