WDYDT (What Did You Do Today)

[TexasRedNeck]

Beverly Hills seems to be ok. Two days here and then to Monterey.






Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[JR]

Monterey, just a couple hours from me! Going to the Aquarium?

Last time there we ate at Bubba Gumps and saw whales out there. Lots of Otters around.

[Flyin6]

Beverly Hills seems to be ok. Two days here and then to Monterey.






Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Charles...Beautiful family!
But
You think they would have cleaned the place up for ya...Leaving cigars and bourbon on the table! You just can't find good help anymore ;-)
Have fun/enjoy/be safe.

[stlaser]

Charles, enjoy your time together. Beautiful family you have.

[TexasRedNeck]

Thanks all.

So far I’ve learned there seems to be a lot of hypocrisy in LA

They allow tent cities along the sidewalks but red tagged and evicted all the tenants in a make shift RV park behind someone’s home.

And it’s certainly a have/have not town. But I guess that’s everywhere nowadays


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[stlaser]

Thanks all.

So far I’ve learned there seems to be a lot of hypocrisy in LA

They allow tent cities along the sidewalks but red tagged and evicted all the tenants in a make shift RV park behind someone’s home.

And it’s certainly a have/have not town. But I guess that’s everywhere nowadays


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I think it’s always been that way just getting more pronounced now. Deck is stacked against many now to the point I think it’s as tough as it’s been since wwii for young people trying to get started. I’m not saying if you work hard there isn’t opportunity.

[JR]

Working hard has always been the point.

Judges say you can't remove the homeless unless you can send them to a shelter. Good peoples hands are tied.

[Flyin6]

Working hard has always been the point.

Judges say you can't remove the homeless unless you can send them to a shelter. Good peoples hands are tied.

The undoing of American greatness and the binding up of free people.
People from that area have always puzzled me. I mean, they allowed it to get this way. I think of placing a frog in a pot of water, then turning up the heat, right up to where it kills the frog. The heat comes on slowly enough to be tolerable, then the animal gets used to that, then the heat increases and so forth until there is no more frog.
Seeing what I see in very liberal states, then juxtaposing that with what I see happening in Kentucky. The Floyd Brown riots reached down into Cincinnati. Then the rioters started to cross the Brent-spence bridge into Kentucky. There were dozens of KY police cars and thousands of armed Kentuckians waiting on our end. The riots never crossed the river. When the Antifa people were tearing down civil war monuments, several busloads of them arrived in a Kentucky park. They were met by an estimated 600-armed Kentuckians. Those idiots never really got off their buses, but turned and drove to another park. I think I heard there were nearly a thousand who surrounded those buses and dared them to harm one blade of grass at that park.
Check it out, it happened.
Once our governor tried for a gun control measure. Most of our sheriffs openly stated they would not enforce the law should it pass and for a week or more thousands of citizens patrolled the capital here lawfully bearing weapons.
No, I think people in these liberal areas have not demonstrated the courage to stand up to this communist/social machine. Not the government people, the problem lies with too few stiff spines in the populace.
And
I am sorry if I offended anyone, it is just my opinion, and although you may think it is not that simple...I would counter with, it is JUST that simple.

[rpar86]

Don, if you offended anyone with that statement, they don’t belong on this forum.

[Bob Smith]

Spot on

[TexasRedNeck]

And don’t bother apologizing for the truth

Drove 6 hours north from Beverly Hills to Monterey.  Beautiful drive up the 101.  CA traffic isnt bad, its just that CA drivers cant drive and the state doesn’t make it easy.  It would be 70, then 30, then 70 then 30.  I finally figured out as you go through a small town there is very little runway for the entrance ramp for people to get up to speed, pace traffic and merge, which causes a back up.

CA is a crazy state. Started out at 75 in Beverly Hills, went through several climates that ranged from 101 to 72 and back again several times as you get into the hills and coastline.

Monterey is nice,  61 currently and sitting on the patio to the room smoking a nice cigar.  Hope the smoke police don’t crash the front door.

The juxtaposition of the dry and lush areas is amazing. in the valleys, the agriculture is impressive and the soil is so rich looking.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[JR]

How long you there Charles?

[stlaser]

Spent the better part of a day filling logs that had checked and caulking various areas on the exterior of the cabin. Near and around the main beams etc. I’d recon I’ll need another day of this yet prior to it turning cold and bugs trying to find a warm spot which is the inside of our cabin. Love the cabin, but it’s maintenance heavy.

[Bob Smith]

Shawn, I think home maintenance takes lots of time regardless if it is a log cabin or not. Just get it done and be happy you are lucky enough to have it.

[TexasRedNeck]

How long you there Charles?

Checking out in the morning. Determined that Carmel is much more my speed along with Big Sur.

Good scouting trip. Next trip will be fire for effect.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[JR]

Carmel and BS are nice. Is that where you were or Monterey? If Monterey I was going to drive down and have lunch!

We went to Scout camp in BS a few years back, just before the entire area was gutted by fire. Camp was lucky being in a canyon and they actually dropped a strike team it save the camp.

[TexasRedNeck]

Jr.  I was in BH and then Monterey at the Hyatt resort.  It’s been non stop.  Of course breakfast for the girls is usually around 11 lol.  Can’t get anyone on a schedule.  Then a very brief stop in Santa Clara for the girls to see Taylor Swift (shut up, Shawn) and then back to Houston.

Now the wife wants a house in Carmel…..highly unlikely


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[stlaser]

 

[Nate]

Jr.  I was in BH and then Monterey at the Hyatt resort.  It’s been non stop.  Of course breakfast for the girls is usually around 11 lol.  Can’t get anyone on a schedule.  Then a very brief stop in Santa Clara for the girls to see Taylor Swift (shut up, Shawn) and then back to Houston.

Now the wife wants a house in Carmel…..highly unlikely


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

How many bracelets did you get charles?

[Bigdave_185]

Jr.  I was in BH and then Monterey at the Hyatt resort.  It’s been non stop.  Of course breakfast for the girls is usually around 11 lol.  Can’t get anyone on a schedule.  Then a very brief stop in Santa Clara for the girls to see Taylor Swift (shut up, Shawn) and then back to Houston.

Now the wife wants a house in Carmel…..highly unlikely


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

How many bracelets did you get charles?

That’s funny chit right there ol boy!!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[TexasRedNeck]

Lol. I tried on a lot of bracelets at the Turkish import place. Nothing fit my big ole wrist. Lol. Iirc my wrist is like 8-1/2

Got a cute anklet with some hearts…just kidding.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[JR]

Dang Charles, bet you look sweet with an ankle braclet!

Santa Clara, just an hour away. However I want to be nowhere near that concert.

[Sammconn]

Yeah. No TS for me either. Lol.
Trying to picture an ankle bracelet…

Anyhoo, I’ve been off the grid a bit.
Well not actually but just chillin.

Took possession of the retirement place on Monday.
It’s nice. Too much line for me but I knew that going in.
Really needs nothing…which scares me.
6 already asking about an addition…hence scares me. Just under 1000 square feet so it is on the smaller side. Much like our cabin at home so it’s good, but we have power and raids to get here.


Not my stuff but that’s the view.
Not on water, about a one minute walk so not terrible.

[stlaser]

Shawn, I think home maintenance takes lots of time regardless if it is a log cabin or not. Just get it done and be happy you are lucky enough to have it.

Comment was directed more at Ken who was on fence about log or stick. There’s much more exterior friendly finishes is all I was getting at.

[TexasRedNeck]

Sam, thats a great looking place.  Less house and more shop is the retirement mantra…

JR.  We will definitely be back.  Wife made that point last night.  Guessing you are north of SF?  She also wants to see Muir Woods again.  It’s been since 2005 since we were there when we stayed in SF.  Staying in SF is never going to happen again.  I remember the Fairmont and shopping in the big mall there (now deserted) with her when she was pregnant with our youngest.  Shame that people let that happen to such a great state.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[JR]

Just east of SF, near Travis AFB. I don't even like driving though SF if I can avoid it. Lived in Sonoma for a few years back in the 80s.

Been to Muir, can't believe what they want to walk through a park we already paid for. The old military stuff north of SF is cool too.

[stlaser]

Nice digs Sam, our cabin is 1500 sq ft and I think the wife has finally agreed it’s enough. May do a three season / screened in porch addition sometime and just some updates to make it functional for us.

[TexasRedNeck]

Last day in CA.  6 am departure for an 8:30 flight back to the 103 degree hell of Texas.

Last meal did not suck.  Takeout from Flemmings in Santa Clara and a nice cigar outside at the rental




Really met some nice people on this trip.  CA is not a bad place, it would seem that it is just dominated by stereotypes and liberals concentrated in big cities.  Maybe there is hope yet to turn it red.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Bob Smith]

Glad you found some real folks on your trip. Don’t know about being a red state. I think you are dreaming on that point.

[JR]

Funny thing TRN. Soon as you get about 50 miles out of the urban areas its a whole nother state. To bad we didn't hook up though, but if the family had a good time.

[stlaser]

Glad you found some real folks on your trip. Don’t know about being a red state. I think you are dreaming on that point.

“tree of liberty” letter? Maybe that’s what he was referencing when we was talking going red?   

[Farmer Jon]

Had a busy week. Threw a low-ball bid on a piece of equipment 350 miles away. Got it. Unbelievable. I bid $20,000 less than the price of the one I found near us. Had the great idea of just pulling it home. 6 tires and 3 days later we made it. The trip cost $2,700. So even with the headaches still saved a ton of money.

Sent from my Pixel 5 using Tapatalk

[Atkinsmatt]

Had a couple day visit with Don and his wife, the co-adventurer, as they make their way around a circuit.

[JR]

So I learned last week my wife (??) and daughter are going to New York. They ask me for a ride to the airport. Ending up being SF vs Sac that is closer with no bridge tolls.

They had planned it for a couple weeks but neglected to tell me (WTH). She figured since I go to Raptor Ridge all the time it was OK (again WTH)??? I always tell her I'm going and make sure everyone is taken care. Boys are old enough really, but still its the right thing to do. Next trip I won't tell her. So I'm sorta free till Friday (P/U at 0200 at SF)

[stlaser]

Sorry JR, no good….

[JR]

Im kinda used to it now, lots of little thing like that.

Pulled the slide out from the DMax today. Was a chore SOMEONE added a bolt right in the middle of the frame we had to drill out the old floor to get at.

[JR]

Well, sold the El Camino tonight. Had been listed for a few weeks on FB with lots of accs and upgrades. Got a fair price for the car and parts, I still have a full 5.3 LS conversion now, might sell, might not?

[stlaser]

Technically yesterday, in the A M, I helped neighbor sheet w/ osb their new walk in chicken coop after he had wired & insulated it. Took about 3 hours of measuring and cutting.

Then in the afternoon I came home and started getting parts around to ship as I’m behind from a 5 day trip down south. So of course I went into hippy mode wearing sandals. I mean no welding just cleaning up and packing parts what could be the harm?

I’ll tell ya what, a devil of a wire wheel on the 4” grinder caught and I lost my one handed grip on said grinder. It was like a mouse in mommas kitchen minus the screaming. Anyhow, zero pics or video & you’re welcome for hopefully some light entertainment.  Meaning me…….

[EL TATE]

Technically yesterday, in the A M, I helped neighbor sheet w/ osb their new walk in chicken coop after he had wired & insulated it. Took about 3 hours of measuring and cutting.

Then in the afternoon I came home and started getting parts around to ship as I’m behind from a 5 day trip down south. So of course I went into hippy mode wearing sandals. I mean no welding just cleaning up and packing parts what could be the harm?

I’ll tell ya what, a devil of a wire wheel on the 4” grinder caught and I lost my one handed grip on said grinder. It was like a mouse in mommas kitchen minus the screaming. Anyhow, zero pics or video & you’re welcome for hopefully some light entertainment.  Meaning me…….

sounds like me fumbling a kitchen knife!

[JR]

We've all done it. Knives, tools and what ever. Such is life, life is good!

[Flyin6]

OK, back in the chock blocks.

We sent our youngest, Chris off to the Army where he begins his journey. He will be an 11B or basic rifleman, Infantry in about seven months.

I told Kat that I could not come home to an empty house, so pick a spot and we'd go there to reset. This makes us empty nesters. We married with kids already and have really never had a family-free dating life, so we have to figure out how to be a couple.

She picked Hilton Head Island, SC.

I stapled an off-road adventure onto that and added a trip to the Biltmore estate in Ashville to the front end.

So, we did the Biltmore estate cruise, all 8,000 acres of it. It's one of the largest "Castles" in the world and is truly remarkable. We drove down to Hilton Head for five more days where we cruised, beached, ate, walked, ate some more and even bought a 5-star 2-BR condo (Sort of) time share.

From there we drove over to spend the weekend without our very own Matt and Kathy Attkins in their new home. We have seen pics of it going together and I would say they do not do justice to the Southern charm, sophistication, and serenity of that place. They have goats, Chickens, horses, and a view festooned with Spanish moss. (I brought some home.

From there we drove to Pisgah national forest where we camped and hiked and drove about. We had a bear in our campsite twice, a friendly 2-year-old who dwarfs my biggest Bernese Mountain dog. We drove on the blue ridge parkway and did a nice (Difficult) hike on Mount Mitchell, the highest mountain in the US east of the Mississippi.

From there we drove over to Maggie Valley, NC where there is a good-sized population of Elk and bear and five good streams full of trout. I did not wet a line but did visit with Ed and Pam Frost, who I was in the Army with. Ed was an Apache pilot in the end in 2006 in Bagram, Afghanistan, but he flew his first mission in a Huey in Vietnam in 1970!!!!!!!! Yea, 36-year career and so many wars he probably forgot one or two. They are spending their golden years in a fifth wheel in beautiful places like Maggie.

I decided to do all this Comms out. I packed the computer the morning of 24 July and plugged it back in last night on the 3rd to see over a thousand emails.

[Bigdave_185]

I followed along as the boss lady posted on FB, the bear looked extra fun!

What did you folks do with the pups while you traveled? You have two correct?

Didn’t note what ya all did for foods while on the go in the jeep ish truck. 

[stlaser]

HHI, we love it there & typically rent in palmetto dunes or shelter cove condos. That was our annual vacation spot with kiddos growing up. On good years we made it there twice. Hope you were able to eat at Hudsons on the dock?

Hope the time share works out, there is / was at least one place that is a known on going scam down there. They take your money but you never can get a week or two or whatever you agree to a year. Yes, I was scammed on it years ago. Think we lost a couple k before I figured it out exactly. It’s a stain on an otherwise great state imo & unfortunate that the state ag doesn’t shut it down.

[Flyin6]

HHI, we love it there & typically rent in palmetto dunes or shelter cove condos. That was our annual vacation spot with kiddos growing up. On good years we made it there twice. Hope you were able to eat at Hudsons on the dock?

Hope the time share works out, there is / was at least one place that is a known on going scam down there. They take your money but you never can get a week or two or whatever you agree to a year. Yes, I was scammed on it years ago. Think we lost a couple k before I figured it out exactly. It’s a stain on an otherwise great state imo & unfortunate that the state ag doesn’t shut it down.

Wow!
So, the condo we own is brand new and is right next door to Hudson's, like 100 meters! Check out Blue Water condos, or Blue Water something by Spinnaker. We ate at the crazy crab, on a dinner cruise, at the boathouse, that famous pizza place there, and places like that. Missed Hudson's this time.
I did not find anything odd about this Spinnaker deal, although, who knows??? Although I actually own some of that resort, the wisdom is that it is not overbuilt and can't be. Therefore, the demand is high and my place will always rent. They really want you to give them your week and they give you two weeks anywhere else in the world. Considering taking a week right now in Maui and another maybe in Jackson Hole???
It is not the two weeks I get to use a 2BR condo anywhere that I wanted, but the add-on program that allows me to rent any one of tens of thousands of condos elsewhere. That is not free, but really cheap. $89 a night for a single, $139 a night for a 2br, and $189 a night for a three and that is Saturday to Saturday. That's $834 for a week in Jackson Hole. If I purchased that otherwise, I'd be looking at $4k-$5k...

[Flyin6]

I followed along as the boss lady posted on FB, the bear looked extra fun!

What did you folks do with the pups while you traveled? You have two correct?

Didn’t note what ya all did for foods while on the go in the jeep ish truck. 

Three bear encounters. They were very docile, and beautiful!
We had three pups. A daughter who lives nearby met with them 3X a day. Now the bad part. Trooper, who has graced these pages many a time did not get up when we pulled in. He was sick. I took him to the Vet yesterday and the news was bad. He was in kidney failure/shutdown. I had to put him down. THe loss is huge...
We drove into towns out of the forest to eat, then just ate light at camp. Crackers/ham/cheese is great! Pistachio nuts, jerky and a bag of chips here and there. We did not eat a lot on the trip actually. I think we both lost weight and frankly we needed to. We are becoming super health conscious as we age into our golden years. We are now eating much less and exercising nearly every day...

[stlaser]

Dinner cruise was always fun, too bad you missed Hudson’s & fresh catch of the week. There’s also a high end place at back of shelter cove we like to go in evenings at sunset. French bakery in shelter cove & restaurant north of shelter cove (French styled) is a favorite morning tradition for us. Hit me up next time you go and I’ll give you exact details. Be good

[Flyin6]

Dinner cruise was always fun, too bad you missed Hudson’s & fresh catch of the week. There’s also a high end place at back of shelter cove we like to go in evenings at sunset. French bakery in shelter cove & restaurant north of shelter cove (French styled) is a favorite morning tradition for us. Hit me up next time you go and I’ll give you exact details. Be good

Wilco!

[KensAuto]

Funny thing TRN. Soon as you get about 50 miles out of the urban areas its a whole nother state. To bad we didn't hook up though, but if the family had a good time.

I hope you meant the old version of hooking up, but who am I too judge.

Just posting this so you guys can give me crap. I slightly miss it

When I had the mini dozer shipped out they threw a "cheap" toothed skid steer bucket on the trailer, for my 50hp tractor. They're cheaper and I thought it would be fine, but turns out, they're heavier and too deep , causing too much leverage on the compact's hydraulics.
So, I cut out 7". Still heavy but got rid of the leverage/tilt problem.


Sent from my SM-S908U using Tapatalk

[JR]

Looks like a pretty good bucket there. Real cheapos just have the thin dimpled sides, that has a ware plate.

Your spending to much time "hooking" up with H, scary!

[stlaser]

Ken, once again you find out your equipment is too small…….