Back from a long trip...

Well my good friend Bryce and I went on a road trip to Phoenix to attend the Maricopa Live Steamers Spring Meet. There I picked up my latest acquisition, a beautiful 0-4-0T Porter Live Steam Locomotive. I purchased this engine from an estate sale for a very good price. It runs great and I will keep this one for awhile. The above photo shows Bryce and I on our way out of the yard headed for no-man's land where the agua is tainted and foam is the status quo. Thanks to Mojave Mike Massee for the photo.

Bryce has this awesome Prevost Bus conversion that is a dream to drive and relax in. So we took "Bertha" and towed "Max" the green S-10 behind so we would have transportation around town and something to haul the new locomotive back home in. Here I am driving the beast...



Another reason to take the trip to Phoenix is the world famous Organ Stop Pizza in Mesa. Home of the finest Wurlitzer Theater Pipe Organ with a sound like no other. Charley Balough is one of the best organists in this field of music. The organ just keeps getting bigger also. You can read about its history here.


Here is Lew Williams playing Chattanooga Choo-Choo


So Bryce and I got to Phoenix on Thursday and first thing we did was beat feet to hear the organ. We went again Friday, Saturday Night, and again on Sunday Night. Yeah I'm nuts, but being a musical person, I just can't seem to get enough of this instrument. Anyway the trip had to end and work called us both home. Due to a storm over the weekend we postponed leaving until early Monday morning. 14 hours later we were back!