We have analyzed the annual mean hourly data for the solar wind speed (V), the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) intensity (B), and the neutron monitor (NM) rates for 1964--1998, covering three sunspot number (SSN) cycles (20, 21, 22). The analysis brings out some of the steady state characteristics of the long-term changes in the observed galactic cosmic ray (GCR) modulation and the 'mini' cycle. We find that BV time series reproduces the observed variations of a variety of phenomena, including the 11-yr and the 27-day GCR modulations. We reaffirm that convective removal of GCR by the solar wind accounts for a major part of the observed modulations in the inner heliosphere.