Seen at the NBA Playoffs at the Rose Garden, April 21, 2011.

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My first-ever NBA play off game, in person! I turned up, all excited and not knowing what to expect, certainly not someone in a rabbit suit wearing a Martel Webster jersey and being photographed by other fans. Fun!



The first syncopated drum group I ever heard, back in my old Southeast Portland neighborhood in the summer of 2006 when they were in a parade. When I walked up and heard them, I got so excited! I love their sound! Google and find videos of them on YouTube--The Last Regiment of Syncopated Drummers. They are superb! I am somewhat disappointed in the perspective of my photos of them outside the Rose Garden Arena--what the name of the building used to be where the Portland Trail Blazers play their home games. I should have joined those people seen in the shade on the right edge of the photo; I'll bet they got some great photos along the drum line.



Once inside, I found the balcony that used to overlook the arena campus. I heard the LRSD, looked over, and took a few photos. I took this at 6:01 p.m.; the game probably started a little after 7:30 p.m.



A closer shot of the LRSD in action. I like this photo!



Blurry, but still fun and representative of the enthusiasm of Blazers' fans! I cannot remember if I discovered why they were looking towards where I was sitting, but the game wouldn't begin for almost on hour and a half, so they had plenty of time to look around, watching people just like I was doing. The lady on the right is pointing out something which she evidently finds delightful and wants to be sure those two with her get to see it, too. I wonder what I missed by not looking that direction? The next photo in line gives no clue.



Each fan got one of these special noisemakers as we entered the arena. Talk about fun to shake and make a loud drumming noise!



Closer look at this fun little item which I still have!



Before games and at the end of half time, this inflated, remotely controlled Ford flies around the arena, intermittently dropping coupons for random items, DVDS, caps, I cannot remember whatall because I don't pay attention. Where I sit the Ford doesn't fly, in my opinion because it wouldn't take long for some exuberant fan to fall from the 300 level while attempting to catch a small piece of paper falling this way, falling that way, enticing folks to act foolishly with no regard for their safety. I'm thankful that I don't sit where this happens, though the next season when I had my first season ticket seat on the front row of that 300 level, a man on the row behind me foolishly thought that a T-shirt shot from the basketball court from a giant slingshot operated by three members of the Portland Trail Blazer Stunt Team would be within his reach. The guy landed on my left shoulder and that side of my head. I looked at him sideways and said, "Get off me." He did.



Chiropractor fodder, some of these folks bending their heads back as they watch the inflated Ford fly. Notice the noisemakers? A couple of people appear to be shaking them for all they're worth already, and tip-off is still about an hour away!



Part of the magic witnessed when the home team introductions took place at the Rose Garden Arena. Go, Blazers!



Blazers win! Blazers win! That's what game announcer Mark Mason said after the Blazers defeated the Dallas Mavericks 97-92. We won the next home game on April 23, 84-82, but lost the series after Dallas won the next two games in Dallas.

Since I'm having surgery on April 24, I doubt I'll get to attend any of the Trail Blazers' first-round playoff games this season. If we make it out of the first round, I may get to go. The Blazers must play astronomically better than they did in Memphis on Sunday night for that to happen.

Cars in the Park, Ford Muscle Cars, July 2, 2011

1967 Ford Mustang Fastback. It is candy apple red--I asked the owner. There's a sign in the grill that says 427 Stroker.


He told me that when the sun hits it just right, it sort of glows. I think it looks pretty good here in the shade.


A couple of hours later, more sunshine, and it does seem to glow.


1969 Ford Mustang


The same 1969 Ford Mustang, different perspective.


Now for something out of the ordinary, at least to me.


Here's the recreated 1964 Thunderbolt, about which the Wikipedia says that a stock one (with the 427 cu. in. engine) could run a quarter mile at a drag strip in 11.76 seconds (122.7 mph).


The 427 Thunderbolt engine came with special exhausts which were not street legal, technically, so that the car made too much noise for the street, had massive traction bars, asymmetrical rear springs, and a trunk-mounted 95-pound bus battery that added traction. The car had Plexiglass windows to save weight and its base price was $3,780. Only 111 of the lightweight car that utilized a Ford Fairlane body were built.






It sort of looks like a family car from the back, doesn't it?


1967 Ford Shelby GT500, listed in the Wikipedia article as a pony car muscle model. The facts on this particular car--color, dark moss green; engine 428 cu. in. Police Interceptor; 355 hp with dual Holly 4 barrel; C-6 Tranny with 3.25:1 no slip diff.; power steering; power disc brakes; roll bar; shoulder harnesses; deluxe Shelby wheels; manufactured by Shelby American, Inc. on Feb. 22, 1967, # 0561 of 2,050 GT 500's produced.




Wonder if the owners are Oregon Duck fans?


1964 Ford AC Cobra--I couldn't find this particular car in the Wikipedia article, but I imagine anyone would think the word Cobra denotes muscle when it comes to cars.








1970 Ford Mustang Mach 1, listed in the article as a pony car muscle model.

Cars in the Park, Chevrolet Muscle Cars, July 2, 2011

Be sure to check out a pretty good compendium about the term muscle car and muscle cars themselves at Wikipedia. Now for the photos of these vehicles whose owners consider them their muscle cars! These are D50 photos.


1962 Chevrolet Corvette, not listed as a muscle car in the article, but who cares? It is gorgeous. For me this paint job has the most beautiful flames I have yet seen.












1960 Chevrolet Corvette








1972 Chevrolet Monte Carlo


1969 Chevrolet Camaro-Yenko.


All about Yenko at Wikipedia.


1971 Chevrolet Chevelle Convertible. The placard on the dash said, "Car was in storage for 20 years. Purchased in 1971 for daughter graduating from school." Great gift!


The same 1971 Chevrolet Chevelle Convertible--it's an SS which, according to the Wikipedia muscle car article's facts, is an actual muscle car in general, with this particular year showing up on one list as a mid-size muscle model.


1970 Chevrolet El Camino Super Sport, a muscle truck, according to the Wikipedia article. I saw this same vehicle at Cruisin’ Sherwood. Scroll through the other yellow vehicles to find those photos of this gorgeous muscle truck! Since I had just put that post on the blog the day before this car show, I took out my iPhone and showed it to the owner who got a kick out of seeing the photos I had taken in Sherwood. If I remember right, he had the only El Camino at Cars in the Park. (I know, you're thinking, well, Lynette, look at your photos; I didn't take a photo of every single vehicle there, only the ones that hollered, "Lynette!")


See the muscle truck again.


1964 Chevrolet Malibu SS


Close-up of the dash and front seat of the 1964 Chevrolet Malibu SS


1969 Chevrolet Camaro--see the SS on the rear of the car. In the Wikipedia article the Camaro is listed as a pony car. Here's a definition of a pony car, n affordable, compact, highly styled car with a sporty or performance-oriented image.


One logo on the 1969 Camaro.


Another logo on the car--the dots are the reflection of the pavement.




No paper in the window, so no facts to share about this Nova. In the Wikipedia article, it says that the 1968-1969 Chevy II Nova SS396 is a muscle car, in fact Car and Driver listed it as one of the 10 best muscle cars in it's January 1990 issue. Does anyone know which year fits this car? I found an advertisement for a 1963 which is certainly what this one resembles.


1967 Chevrolet Corvette Roadster




1967 Chevrolet Camaro


The interior and the dash.


The 1967 Chevy Camaro.


1968 Chevrolet Chevelle--I saw Malibu on it.


The interior and the dash.