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I purchased a 2006 Yamaha SX Mountain Viper, and it has been a great sled! I still have my 1999 Yamaha Mountain Max 700, which has now primarily been a backup sled. I purchased the Viper new, and before riding it, I started with the customizing. The first thing on my agenda was to get fresh paint, so I could decide on everything else I would want.
The color scheme I chose for this sled is black metallic with charcoal metallic flames. Then added some clear black to give the flames some dimension. The result… some seriously sick ghostly flames. Unless the sun is at the correct angle, you have no idea the flames are there.
View Photo Album: Winter 07-08
Plastics were easy to choose after finally deciding on paint. I thought yellow would be the best choice, so I ordered SLP Powder Pro skis, with yellow loops of course. After installing a yellow skid plate and seeing how this sled was turning out, I knew I chose the right combination.
To shave some weight, I ordered a Boss Seat, which anyone who orders one of these knows about wait time for completion of your special order, and all the options you have. I kept my seat quite simple. The seat has been great!
I ditched the stock handle bar and went with a Fly carbon fiber straight bar. To get my height back, an eight inch billet aluminum riser, and aiding in better handling, 45 degree billet aluminum hooks on the outside.
I have also installed billet aluminum wheels and next to be installed, lightweight trailing arms. I’ve had lots of compliments from people on the trails and I really enjoy listening to what people have to say, so please feel free to leave comments. Also if anyone is interested, one of these 2 sleds will be up for sale. I haven’t decided which sled yet.
I have just got done completing a new link list regarding real estate from my home county, Snohomish County. Since I am getting older it is important to me to start looking at real estate as a serious investment opportunity. But traveling so much makes it difficult to settle down and live in one place though my friend Toby Barnett has suggested that it would be a decent idea to buy a property for a rental. That way I can still build an investment while not having to feel like I need to be living there. It sounds like an excellent idea and will talk with dad about it this weekend while fishing in Alaska!
Has everyone checked out Autolog yet? As I said before it’s a great way for businesses in the auto industry to get their name out to the public otherwise out of reach. At the same time, you can also create a profile for yourself showing your vehicle, joining club, and meeting new people. I think it’s a brilliant idea, and others should get on board. I have my own profile. Yes, redwinegoesbig is autologged!
At the same time, there is twresourcegroup that has a blog talking about their goals and ideas they want to accomplish on autolog. Movie clips are included for you to see as well. Its worth your time to check it out. Don’t forget to leave a comment. I left one.
Now, remember me saying that I would pay for my actions the next day, I did indeed. Having to catch an early flight out of Moscow was not the best plan. In order to arrive back at work on time, I didn’t have any other alternatives.
Mav woke me up and I was very much, still intoxicated. Two weeks later, I would ask who it was who woke me up. HAHA. I thought it was the driver who woke me up. Trying to find where I was supposed to be for check in wasn’t that bad. It was standing in line waiting to check in that was very miserable. After about 45 minutes, I was checked in and walking to customs.
Once I was cleared of customs and in the international terminal, my first stop was the pub for an early adult beverage to aid my recovery. My hangover was intensifying with every passing minute, and I knew what I had to do. In thirty minutes time, I had nursed the first drink, and consumed a couple others. Feeling refreshed now, I boarded the plane for my departure from Moscow, and my journey back to work.
My friend Toby introduced me to a website where you can create a profile for your vehicle. This site offers you a place to keep your maintenance records as well as meeting people and joining groups. It’s a fun site to be on. I made a profile for my 2002 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. If you are looking for a better way to keep your maintenance records organized, or you just want to meet other people interested in the same vehicles as you, there is no better place. Check it out!
After Alex, Mav and I returned to their place from seeing the sites in Moscow, we sat down for some lunch. Mav brought out some beer he brought back with them from their trip to Thailand over Christmas. I knew I had better pace myself since I hadn’t drank any alcohol since my first arrival into Saudi Arabia. It didn’t work out as well as I’d hoped.
Mav and I traded pictures taken earlier in the day, and relaxed for a bit while their daughter took a nap. Since the food here isn’t the best, we decided on a restaurant for dinner. An American owned restaurant that Alex and Mav enjoy eating at. Arriving to the restaurant, I was already feeling the effects of the alcohol from the few beers I had at the house. The food was out of this world, and the waitress kept the beers flowing. The manager came over and talked with us for a while as well. I was very impressed with the restaurant and would recommend it to anyone visiting Moscow. Alex, I can’t remember the name of the restaurant, so please leave me a comment.
Now, at this point I am quite intoxicated. On our way home, we stopped at a kiosk that sold alcohol. These are located on almost every street. Its brilliant! HAHA. Our driver drove the Tahoe off the road and onto the sidewalk cutting off a few people arriving there as well thus ensuring we were served first. Making our selection from the variety of beers (Mav choosing since I had no knowledge of the beers there) we bought 6 more beers for the house. As soon as we finished our purchase, the kiosk closed and didn’t sell to the others waiting. Talk about perfect timing.
We sat back at the house enjoying our adult beverages and music, talking more about things we’re involved in at this point in our lives. It was great conversation. The time with my friends was great, I couldn’t have asked for a better day. The next day, I would pay for my actions.
The time I spent with Alexandra and Mav was perhaps the best part of my trip. It was so very nice to see my friends again. The first thing we did was sit down for coffee and breakfast, along with catching up. The pancakes were so fantastic! They asked my lots of questions about my time here in Saudi Arabia, and I also asked them many questions about their living in Moscow. During the conversation, we also put together a rough plan on what our agenda was for the day. Of course Red Square was on the list of places to see in Moscow.
Leaving their house, we drove through the city and as we were approaching Red Square, Mav pointed out the building that was once used by the KGB. This was a wake up call for me. As we turned a corner, St. Basil’s Cathedral stood in front of me glistening in the early afternoon sun. I was amazed how Red Square came out of nowhere. I couldn’t have asked for a better atmosphere for winter, the sun was out and snow was falling. We didn’t stick around too long. After walking around St. Basil’s Cathedral, we headed over to the mall and caught up with Alex in the mall.
View Photo Album: Moscow
Tea time in the mall capped off my visit to Red Square. It’s amazing that when you are in the company of your best friends, it doesn’t matter what you do, it’s being together that really matters. I didn’t do any shopping, Moscow is a very expensive city. Besides, I purchased everything I wanted in Volgograd and Volzhsky. After tea, we made the rest of our rounds at Red Square, and we walked into the Underground Mall on the other side of the Square. Both malls were outstanding.
Our next stop was on top of the hill by Moscow State University. The view was wonderful and it’s also the site of the Olympics ski jump. More pictures taken and there was vendors selling items here. Having looked at everything, I purchased a few t-shirts, and a present for my friend Toby. Can’t talk about this, it’s still a surprise for him. Sorry Toby, HAHA. You have to wait a while longer.
This concluded the sites trip for me. Only being there for one day, I wasn’t too worried about seeing everything. I am already planning another trip to Moscow to visit Alex and Mav again. With the sightseeing trip over, it was time for Mav to introduce me to the wonderful beers of Russia.
When the time came to leave Volgograd and Volzhsky, I wished I could stay longer. The time to return to work was approaching. Instead of thinking about returning to work, I concentrated on the time I would spend with Alexandra and Mav in Moscow. I always try to look at the bright side of things.
I planned my arrival time into Moscow for early morning so I could do as much as possible in the one day I would have there. I wish I would have planned more time in Moscow. Lesson learned.
My flight returning to Moscow was on Aeroflot Airlines on the same type of aircraft as I arrived on. After we took off, I felt the same flight characteristics as when I had arrived and realized the same pilot was flying for my return. This time, I would be prepared for the landing. A wise decision since he floated the landing at Sheremetyevo 1 just as he did before in Volgograd. The ride was as wild as the first time.
I stood around for about 30 minutes waiting for my baggage to arrive. Luckily my baggage was the first to arrive and I got out of dodge fast. I found the driver Alexandra and Mav sent me easily and within minutes we were on our way. The excitement and anticipation of seeing my friends again was overwhelming. Thoughts of American style pancakes Alexandra was preparing for my breakfast raced through my head. It had been years since I have seen my friends and I couldn’t wait to see them once again.
When we arrived to the apartment complex, I was shocked to see FSB agents (Russian Federation version of the KGB which stands for Federal Security Service, and I should add, have more power than the KGB did) in the parking lot. Audi A6’s, Mercedes, and BMW 7 series cars painted black with the single blue light mounted on the driver side of the roof. I wanted to take a picture but I was warned by my driver not to pursue or I would be in a world of trouble. I was easily persuaded.
In realizing the Soviets couldn’t be defeated in a single campaign, Hitler made plans for 1942. The offensives that Hitler planned for the summer of 1942 would have been devastating to the Allies if he succeeded. Hitler had two objectives in the east and one objective in the south. General Halder would push east to capture the rich oil fields in the Caucasus as well as food and industry around Stalingrad. Field Marshal Rommel would continue east defeating the British Desert Army, sweeping northeast capturing the Middle East and join the German armies in Russia. From this point, Germany would attack Moscow with forces from the east and west.
Hitler not understanding the full concept of global warfare made vital mistakes during the summer of 1942, one of which was to dangerously expose the northern flank of the Sixth Army for 350 miles along the upper Don in Russia. Another vital mistake was the continuing delay in capturing the island of Malta in the Mediterranean. By neither neutralizing nor capturing the island, Field Marshal Rommel could not be adequately supplied to continue the conquest. The third, but not last mistake was when Hitler ordered Army Group A to capture the oil fields in the Caucasus simultaneously with the campaign of Stalingrad. These three mistakes Hitler made started the cascading effect which allowed the turn of the world war, from the American landings in Western Africa behind Rommel, the resistance and victory in Stalingrad by the glorious Soviet Red Army, the British Desert Army pushing Rommel back, along with Nazi Intelligence misguiding Hitler, gravely underestimating Stalin’s reserves. I personally believe that many people in the world today look too directly at one incidence claiming it was the turn of the war without realizing everything together, is what actually turned to tables against Hitler.
On November 8th 1942, the Soviet Red Army began an offensive which broke through the Third Army and the Forth Panzer Division to the northeast and south of Stalingrad. Four days later, continuing to push west from the north and south, the Soviet Red Army joined together forty miles west of Stalingrad on the Don bend. With the Sixth Army now surrounded and without a supply line, it was only a matter of time for the Soviet Red Army to recapture the city. Hitler yelling “I won’t leave the Volga!” denying the Sixth Army to retreat, sealed their fate as the Soviet Red Army began to retake the city in the concentrated street fighting.
The Russians gave more than one ultimatum to General Paulus and the Sixth Army, the first ultimatum on January 8th 1943 read:
The situation of your troops is desperate. They are suffering from hunger, sickness and cold. The cruel Russian winter has scarcely yet begun. Hard frosts, cold winds and blizzards still lie ahead. Your soldiers are unprovided with winter clothing and are living in appalling sanitary conditions. Your situation is hopeless, and any further resistance is senseless.
In view of this and in order to avoid unnecessary bloodshed, we propose that you accept the following terms of surrender….
The terms which were enclosed were honorable terms, normal food rations, adequate clothing, medical treatment to anyone wounded, sick, or frostbitten. Personal belongings, badges of rank, and decorations, would be retained by prisoners. Hitler refused the Sixth Army to surrender. Hitler ordered, to the last man and the last bullet.
On January 30th a squad of Russians led by a junior officer entered the command center and demanded the surrender of the German Commander in Chief. General Paulus accepted. Now, only one last pocket was left for the Soviet Red Army to mop up and on February 2nd, surrendered as well. Later in the day, a German reconnaissance aircraft flew over Stalingrad and reported no sign of any fighting in Stalingrad. The Battle of Stalingrad was over.
The Battle of Stalingrad, along with the British and American forces in the deserts of Africa marked the turning point of World War II. Because of his mistakes, Hitler would never again hold the upper hand, and with this came the inevitable fall of the Third Reich.
My visit to the Underground Museum in Volgograd (Stalingrad) where General Paulus surrendered to the Soviet Red Army was surreal. Located under the department store, which has long since been rebuilt, the Underground Museum captures the peril that General Paulus was in, as well as displaying many German relics located in the basement. Displays showing the infamous MG-42 as well as other German weapons of the time can be seen there. Pictures, medical supplies, and other German military property are preserved. Cameras were not allowed, but I did sneak a few pictures. As you walk into the exhibit, you feel as if you are demanding the surrender of General Paulus.
View Photo Album: Underground Meseum
I can’t begin to explain my feelings as I stood at the same location that General Paulus once stood, where the Soviet Red Army defeated the Nazis in Stalingrad, showing the world that Hitler and his Nazi Regime could be stopped. Knowing that I was at one of the locations in history where the turn of World War II began, thus ensuring the people of the free world a promising future, its overwhelming. The underground Museum is a bit difficult to find. It’s located next to Fallen Fighters Memorial. Once you enter the department store, follow the footsteps on the floor, which lead to the Underground Museum.
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SLEDDERS GO BIGGER 