November 17, 2002 Near Bangor ME I am visiting with my old high school friend Dick Perkins. Dick is a real dairy farmer, milking close to 160 Holsteins twice a day. This place is quite the operation. It's a 24 hour a day business that requires constant care of his employees, the cows. If you like "manly toys", Dick has them all. Tractors, loaders, dump trucks, assorted farm equipment and an excellent set of tools to keep them all running. As my contribution to the farm I spent a day power washing manure spreaders so they could be put away for the winter. A far cry from power talking a bank customer into depositing his funds with the bank. When I left Dick's to go to New Hamphire I came down with a stomach virus. I ended up in a hospital in Plymouth , New Hampshire where they had to pump me with 2 litres of saline solution to bring my fluid level back to normal and now, mercifully, I am back to normal. I'll now be heading west into New York state, then south to the Blue Ridge Parkway. Have a nice day all.