New direction

[philb Junkie19]

I've enjoyed the information, support, characters and down to earth humor here over the last 10 years. I sold our 19 to a friend and a junk rig enthusiast. My time and resources are going in a direction other than sailing. But first I want to share some information that I recently learned and you may not have realized and also to give some serious advice. Popeye the Sailorman was based on a real person. That's right. The rescuer of Olive Oyl and scourge of Bluto was based on Frank (Rocky) Fiegel a retired merchant marine seaman and scrapper who later worked in a tavern in Chester, Illinois as a bouncer. Apparently he most often smoked a pipe, talked out of the side of his mouth, had a damaged eye and told lots of sea stories. As a kid Popeye was favorite of mine especially since my dad was a sailor on the carrier Franklin in the pacific and was an occasional scrapper who stood up to a Bluto or two (as an aside, a friend's slightly twisted humor and my dad's refusal to back down in a bar indirectly and later lead to his survival when his ship was nearly destroyed.) My parting advice is you don't have to give up Pabst or other grog but 'eat your spinach'. For some explanation to any of the younger set who may have missed it he sang:
I'm strong to the finich
Cause I eats me spinach
I'm Popeye the Sailor Man

[5monkeys]

Phil,
    I'm sorry to see you go, but understand that seasons change. Hopefully you'll still drop in from time to time and share some of your vast wisdom.  I know I'm thankful to have met you some 3 years ago, and think of you every time we sail as it's your old rig that makes it all possible.

Fair Winds,

[crazycarl]

Good luck with your new endeavors Phil.

I was in Chester, IL while their Popeye festival was in progress.  I was told they grow spinach there too.

[slode]

Fair winds Phil.  I was too young to see the original, but re-runs of Popeye were always watched with excitement and enthusiasm as a Kid.  Wish it was still on a regular broadcast.   When the spinach salmonella outbreak hit, I think it was 2007, I went as Popeye for Halloween.  I'm quite a skinny guy, so it was clear I was sick and had lost some muscle.  I told everyone I had diarrhea every time I had to hit the can, and drank beer from a spinach can all night.  Had it been PBR I may have ended up with it anyway...  It was quite the hit.