Jim Got a Virus - but Rides in Sand

Well, it's been a somewhat annoying weekend. There's a new virus on the web called the XP 2010 virus. It's nasty. I'm not including a link to its description, because one of those sites might be viral. Anyway, it gets on your machine, parks a Windows security software shield in the desktop tray, and proceeds to cover your screen with pop-ups that say it's discovered trojans and spy ware and whatever on your machine. It also detects when the user starts Firefox, and diverts you to a fake AOL window using IE. It's maddening. We tried some removal tools on the web, but it was all for naught. We had to call the PC doctor, who came and took the infected machine away and removed the virus. It's $125 to get it cleaned. I can not tell you how much this infuriates me that people make a living by sending this stuff through the internet. There is nothing on this planet that someone will not take the time and effort to pervert and destroy for personal gain.

On a brighter note, here is Jim perfecting his riding in deep sand technique. Frank, a fellow rider we met this weekend gave us a tip. Enter the sand with some speed, all weight back on the seat to weight the back wheel, and arms locked to keep the front wheel from fishtailing. When you lose momentum, pedal gently so as not to wiggle the bike down into the sand. Jim is still on the bike - that's a win!

Interesting clouds. We had 3 really windy days. We're being affected by the storm that is making life difficult in the GPNW, although certainly not as much as for them.



Tomorrow we're going up to McDowell Mountain Park for 2 days. We're hoteling which is kind of a bummer. Towing the RV is not good until we get the new slide gasket which is not yet here. Ken did come by yesterday with the new HVAC control so that is good. It had died, and the air conditioning would not turn itself off. It's always something.

So here's wishing you and yours a happy Thanksgiving.