I'm Terminal, So I'd Like To Give You All My Best Wishes.

[mysfit]

On 3/13/2025 at 2:41 PM, Nevada Convert said:

Guys, I'm sooo tired and worn out and in insane, insane constant pain. It's been a great run. I love you all. I really do. 

Love you too Mike. You've been such a trooper fighting this. I'm sorry you're going through this and I love how gracious you are sharing so much with us. Very special.

[mysfit]

This group I like, Elbow, from Manchester

Lately when I hear this song I think of you. This was during COVID, the group would once a week put out a video of a song since they couldn't tour. 

 

 

[Nevada Convert]

My favorite skiing pic. Going off the top of Mammoth Mountain on the Cornice on the 4th of July....I want to say 2004. My friend had one of those crappy disposable cameras, but still I like if a lot. Lyme Disease gave me some years of not having to deal with it too much which was a blessing. I was using my 207cm long K2 Extreme Ski's. Pretty stiff....made to go fast like I liked them. 

[CPslograd]

On 3/13/2025 at 7:06 PM, Nevada Convert said:

My favorite skiing pic. Going off the top of Mammoth Mountain on the Cornice on the 4th of July....I want to say 2004. My friend had one of those crappy disposable cameras, but still I like if a lot. Lyme Disease gave me some years of not having to deal with it too much which was a blessing. I was using my 207cm long K2 Extreme Ski's. Pretty stiff....made to go fast like I liked it. 

That's a badass picture

[Nevada Convert]

I found my crazy go-cart pic that the cops used to chase me out in the desert with on dirt bike trails. I'm also about to paint my Chevy Luv pu metallic dark brown. I put a newer 1979 pick up bed on the back. Anyways, here's another funny story regarding my go-cart per an old social media post I made. For the record, my go-cart was clock as high as 38 mph on a flat paved road. 

Per the original post in the Guestbook: OK, this one is for Greg Peake. Greg, remember the go-cart incident?!! I know you probably still have nightmares about it. For those not familiar with what happened, we were riding it in the parking lot of the church behind Rick Bird's house. Greg got on and the throttle cable got stuck with the carb wide open, and he couldn't slow it down even with the brakes. He was heading straight towards the glass front doors of the church going about 25 mph or so and turned just in time to avoid them, but hit a solid brick wall instead!! LOL. Oh man, he was OK though but not the go-cart. We were laughing so hard even though my cart frame was history.

Oh, in the backgorund is my old Chevy Luv P/U before I painted it brown.

 

 

[Nevada Convert]

Remember Steve Yeager the catcher for the Dodgers on those World Series teams? The LA Dodgers came to Ridgecrest and played our Burroughs High School coaches around 1980 for charity. That was cool. Legendary catcher. Here's a pic I took of him during the game. My dads secretary was Johnny Bench's cousin (all-star legendary catcher for the Red's), and I always hoped to meet him because I was a huge Red's fan. Didn't work out. 

 

Me out front of our house with a girl, Carol, that stopped by to see me in 7th grade. My sister surprised me with the pic. 

[SleepingGiantFan]

On 3/13/2025 at 9:10 PM, CPslograd said:

That's a badass picture

Took more guts than I would have had, that's for sure. Same for the determination he's shown fighting through his illness.

God bless, Mike.

[Nevada Convert]

On 3/14/2025 at 10:51 AM, SleepingGiantFan said:

Took more guts than I would have had, that's for sure. Same for the determination he's shown fighting through his illness.

God bless, Mike.

Thanks, I've been doing my best.....not always great, but doing my best. My family is really concerned about my situation with me slipping into a coma. It doesn't look like it with the way I've been posting, but trust me. My legs aren't even working all the time now and the neurological symptoms keep getting worse in addition to the unspeakable pain.

The thought of having to check out is by far my greatest fear of mine. I shouldn't even be talking about this, but I've already shared so much with you about my life. Both of my pastors say that it's not a sin...the situation I'm forced into. But I love life too much. It's mind bogglingly hard for me to consider doing it. It's so scary and tough.... the pain you go through doing it, or a solid chance you will. I don't know how people do it. However, I will be forced to be a man and overcome my fear. I totally apologize for the dark topic, but it's a real one that sooooo many people that are dying are forced to deal with. Hardly any states give people medical help that they need to do this.

On a positive note, finding and posting old pictures keeps me going until I actually can't do it. Most of the time I can't.... but at times I can muscle through the pain and find the energy. I love you guys, for the 700th time. But it's important that I keep saying it, the truth. 

[Nevada Convert]

On the actual runway that the Top Gun Maverick Mach 10 plane took off in in the movie, JFK landed in 1963 for a base tour in China Lake/Ridgecrest. This was just a few months before he was assassinated in Dallas, sadly. There's actually a movie about his visit. My dad got to see him super quick. He was working on the wild weasel Shrike AGM-45 missile that was to be used in Vietnam fighting the NVA SAM sites trying to shoot down the John McCain type of pilots. The model in the pics is the missile my dad was working on as a young engineer. 

The house that I grew up in from 1975 onward was just off the base, and was only a mile from this exact location (south, to the left). So it's a very personal thing. The Indian Well Valley there has about 40,000 people now. There was just nothing out there in 1963 as you can see.  

 

 

LHL-085716.jpg.crdownload

[Nevada Convert]

Halloween 1984, San Diego. That's me dressed up as President Ronald Reagan to the left. I was a Reagan fan, no doubt. Was about 30' away from him on stage in Mission Valley in San Diego the day before the 1984 election where he won 49 of 50 states, and nearly won them all. Today, that would be completely impossible with cable news and the way everyone is so polarized to one side or the other. 

[Sactowndog]

On 3/14/2025 at 12:24 AM, Nevada Convert said:

Remember Steve Yeager the catcher for the Dodgers on those World Series teams? The LA Dodgers came to Ridgecrest and played our Burroughs High School coaches around 1980 for charity. That was cool. Legendary catcher. Here's a pic I took of him during the game. My dads secretary was Johnny Bench's cousin (all-star legendary catcher for the Red's), and I always hoped to meet him because I was a huge Red's fan. Didn't work out. 

 

Me out front of our house with a girl that stopped by to see me in 7th grade. My sister surprised me with the pic. 

God the 70’s.  One look at that hair.  We all looked like shit.   

[Nevada Convert]

Carol really got hot once she hit HS and college... this is another pic of me and her grown up. I wasn't that interested in her in Jr High, but we went out in college some. She's a sweetheart of a person and we're still friends. Love you, Carol. 

[Nevada Convert]

Me wrestling a dude from Palmdale HS at Burroughs, Ridgecrest. We were in the Golden League with the Lancaster area big schools, and well as Santa Clarita next the Magic Mountain. .... tough league. Antelope Valley, Quartz Hill, Hart, Saugus and Canyon high schools were tough. Sometimes nationally ranked in FB. I was getting worked at the moment (I'm on the bottom), but I'm pretty sure I beat this dude because I don't remember ever losing to him. He was pretty good and I was fortunate to pull them out. This was my soph year, I believe. 

My best match was a 16 team tourney at Placentia HS, and it was my first varsity appearance. I was ranked 16 and I had to wrestle a #1 ranked Indian Arizona State Campion from KOFA AZ. Dude made the olympic team eventually. I lost, but just by a point at the last seconds of the match. It was really close, and I was thankful just to not get pinned in the first 15 seconds. But I gave it my all and used my head, and had a great coach that served 3 tours in Vietnam and wasn't but 4 years that separated the two. He worked us out every day like we were in marine boot camp. The ceiling used to drip with humid sweat during practice because he'd turn the heater up all the way while we wore lots of plastics and sweats. You couldn't do what he did to us in modern times because he was so tough. But we won all the time because we were in such good shape and knew our wrestling moves. 

[Supersix]

I loved wrestling; it was my favorite sport, even more than football. Have you ever had the opportunity to compete against Clovis High School, known for its wrestling prowess, in a tournament? The Clovis Unified School District has won 20 state titles.

[Nevada Convert]

On 3/16/2025 at 7:36 AM, Supersix said:

I loved wrestling; it was my favorite sport, even more than football. Have you ever had the opportunity to compete against Clovis High School, known for its wrestling prowess, in a tournament? The Clovis Unified School District has won 20 state titles.

Yes, we did tourney's with Bakersfield area schools, and some Fresno, and they were always very tough. You're 100% correct.... Clovis was damn good. 

[Supersix]

The Clovis Unified School District’s wrestling program is widely regarded as one of the top high school wrestling programs in the United States, and there’s plenty of evidence to support the claim that it could be considered the best. Located in Clovis, California, the district includes powerhouse schools like Buchanan, Clovis High, and Clovis East, which have consistently dominated at the state level and earned national recognition.

Take Buchanan High, for example. Its boys’ team won the 2025 CIF State Wrestling Championship with an impressive 247.5 points, outpacing strong competitors like Poway and Gilroy. Meanwhile, Clovis East’s girls’ team also claimed the state title in 2025 with just three wrestlers, scoring 84.5 points to edge out Northview and Buchanan. This kind of depth and success across multiple schools in one district is rare. Clovis High itself has a storied history, with a record-setting five consecutive state titles from 2011 to 2015 and a legacy of producing champs like Justin Mejia, a four-time state winner who went 168-1 in his high school career.

Nationally, Clovis Unified schools frequently rank in the top tier. Buchanan and Clovis High have both been listed among the top 20 programs in the country in various years, and their wrestlers often hold top-10 state rankings—26 of them did in 2023 alone during “The Big One,” their epic annual showdown. The district’s reputation extends beyond California, too. Coaches and athletes from as far as Oklahoma have recognized Clovis wrestling’s prestige, a testament to its national footprint.

What sets Clovis Unified apart isn’t just the hardware—though with over 20 state titles combined, that’s substantial. It’s the culture: intense work ethic, innovative training, and community support. Look at Clovis High’s pre-match entrance—dimmed lights, a cougar’s mouth tunnel, and a sledgehammer-wielding leader—it’s a spectacle that rivals college programs and intimidates opponents. Then there’s Red Wave Wrestling, a Clovis-based club that took a national title in 2020, showing the district’s talent pipeline doesn’t stop at high school.

Could another program claim the top spot? Sure—schools like Blair Academy in New Jersey or Wyoming Seminary in Pennsylvania have their own dynasties and national accolades. But Clovis Unified’s consistent excellence across multiple schools, its dominance in California (arguably the toughest wrestling state), and its ability to produce both individual stars and team titles make a compelling case. It’s not just a program; it’s a wrestling ecosystem. Whether it’s *the* best might depend on the metric—wins, depth, or influence—but it’s undoubtedly in the conversation.

[Nevada Convert]

Here's the bigger pic of me and my friend Ronnie to the left at 7th grade Jr High at James Monroe. This was 1977-78. 

[Nevada Convert]

On 3/16/2025 at 4:34 PM, Supersix said:

The Clovis Unified School District’s wrestling program is widely regarded as one of the top high school wrestling programs in the United States, and there’s plenty of evidence to support the claim that it could be considered the best. Located in Clovis, California, the district includes powerhouse schools like Buchanan, Clovis High, and Clovis East, which have consistently dominated at the state level and earned national recognition.

Take Buchanan High, for example. Its boys’ team won the 2025 CIF State Wrestling Championship with an impressive 247.5 points, outpacing strong competitors like Poway and Gilroy. Meanwhile, Clovis East’s girls’ team also claimed the state title in 2025 with just three wrestlers, scoring 84.5 points to edge out Northview and Buchanan. This kind of depth and success across multiple schools in one district is rare. Clovis High itself has a storied history, with a record-setting five consecutive state titles from 2011 to 2015 and a legacy of producing champs like Justin Mejia, a four-time state winner who went 168-1 in his high school career.

Nationally, Clovis Unified schools frequently rank in the top tier. Buchanan and Clovis High have both been listed among the top 20 programs in the country in various years, and their wrestlers often hold top-10 state rankings—26 of them did in 2023 alone during “The Big One,” their epic annual showdown. The district’s reputation extends beyond California, too. Coaches and athletes from as far as Oklahoma have recognized Clovis wrestling’s prestige, a testament to its national footprint.

What sets Clovis Unified apart isn’t just the hardware—though with over 20 state titles combined, that’s substantial. It’s the culture: intense work ethic, innovative training, and community support. Look at Clovis High’s pre-match entrance—dimmed lights, a cougar’s mouth tunnel, and a sledgehammer-wielding leader—it’s a spectacle that rivals college programs and intimidates opponents. Then there’s Red Wave Wrestling, a Clovis-based club that took a national title in 2020, showing the district’s talent pipeline doesn’t stop at high school.

Could another program claim the top spot? Sure—schools like Blair Academy in New Jersey or Wyoming Seminary in Pennsylvania have their own dynasties and national accolades. But Clovis Unified’s consistent excellence across multiple schools, its dominance in California (arguably the toughest wrestling state), and its ability to produce both individual stars and team titles make a compelling case. It’s not just a program; it’s a wrestling ecosystem. Whether it’s *the* best might depend on the metric—wins, depth, or influence—but it’s undoubtedly in the conversation.

Wow, I was in HS during the early 80's and had no idea how great they eventually got. Clovis was damn good from what I remember, but now? That's insanely crazy good. 

[Nevada Convert]

I still have you in my prayers big time, mug!!! I've let my family and some friends also know to pray for you. 

Everything is going to be OK, Frank.....I'll keep it private. 

Love you, brother. 

[Supersix]

On 3/16/2025 at 7:50 PM, Nevada Convert said:

Wow, I was in HS during the early 80's and had no idea how great they eventually got. Clovis was damn good from what I remember, but now? That's insanely crazy good. 

I graduated in 1983 from Clovis High. Clovis West won state titles in 1983, 1984, and 1989. Clovis High didn't win any titles in the 1980s, but we did win more than any other school in CUSD.

1974, 1975, 1976, 1990, 1991, 1992, 2003, 2008, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015.