Back from a week in Yellowstone. Lots of hiking, had snow first night we were there. Temps were in high 40’s - low 60’s all week during the day. Had to pull fresh water line every night due to freezing. Kept the tank heaters on at night. Other than one morning at 2am I woke to find furnace not light and had to switch tanks and reboot controller.

Saw just about every critter at least once on trails with the exception of cats, no cats. There were a couple close encounters with bears on one hike that I wasn’t as prepared as I should have been regrettably. Below is my take on that hike.

Short 2.3 mile loop trail along the north side of lake Yellowstone. We hiked this early last Weds morning between rain storms blowing thru with 20-30mph winds. It was about 600 yards down the trail that we encountered a french couple. They were the only ones on this trail that morning by the single vehicle in the parking lot. They told us they had not ran into any animals at all. The female did note it was really cold along the lake. After the fact I now believe they walked to the lake and back and did not actually hike the full loop. Go figure, I should have known the French would give up after a little wind and cold……

We then proceeded a couple hundred yards further to the lake shore. Beyond this the trail ran another 100 yards before it Y’d to start the loop. Shortly there after we had just crossed a deep channel or ravine that ran down to the lake.

It was then that we were growled at by a grizzly, I am certain. Unfortunately, due to the terrain we could not see it. Wife had music playing, I stopped to pee and was facing the north into heavy downfall. Wife was facing south behind me standing up on a log that was on the edge of a steep embankment about 40’ above the lake looking out upon it.

Over the wind and the music while mid stream it let out a considerable lengthy growl. I knew immediately it was a grizzly. I turned to wife after checking down the trail from where we had just come and asked her if she heard that. To which she replied yes. She stated she wasn’t sure what it was and thought maybe it was a wolf!?! I took a double take of her to see if that was an honest comment, it was! She then said let’s turn back and I told her we can’t as that is where the growl came from. This animal was down wind of us from where we had just walked, I personally didn’t think walking toward it was wise.

We quickly moved on down the trail. I did not answer her questions in order to keep her moving and not get her more nervous than she already was. At this point I was seriously regretting not strapping on the 10mm that was in the truck with hard cast bear loads, instead had just left on my g48 edc. The trail opened into a large clearing along the lake for a good half hour of the hike. We saw nothing until we had to head back into the Forrest towards the area we were growled at.

We didn’t get 60 yards into the thick Forrest and I saw a black bear run across maybe twenty yards in front of us. I knew it was a black bear but could not get a good enough view to know if it was a cub or an adult. That fact didn’t help my confidence. At this point the bear spray came out and I removed the safety tang. The trail narrowed and had us climbing over dead fall and scanning slowly as we worked our way thru this portion of the trail. It was frankly unnerving with a narrow trail and short sight visibility due to the dense forrest and deadfall’s lining either side of thd trail. The wife was yelling “hey bear” all along this portion of the hike making as much noise as possible. Kudos to her

Luckily we progressed all the way back to the truck without another incident with the exception of the bison that decided he likes Ford trucks blocking us from our vehicle, couldn’t blame him honestly…….

With all that stated, we were more prepared then 99% of the people we encountered on trails last week. I wasn’t as prepared as I should have been though that day. Moral of the story, don’t underestimate even the short easy hikes in bear country. This should have been the least difficult hike we took last week. In physical terms it was the easiest but also the most dangerous.


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Nice job 

The shedding of the blood of the Lamb paid for our sins. In turn it gave us all the gift of grace if we acknowledge Christ as Lord & Savior. That Grace is the only way any of us sinners will be with our Father for eternity.

Made it to Yellowstone for the week. Eating good, drinking good and lots of hiking will ensue



Supposedly, from a good source this is supposed to be better than Blanton’s


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Well it’s official, first shop in my life that going to have water and a bathroom. Moving on up…..


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Another use for JR’s favorite shop tool


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You move that around with a tractor? Looks great!

End of the day today, all beams are in the air and mostly secured and level…..

Big shout out to Logan (middle daughters bf who came up with her for the weekend)


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She’s happy, so all is good

You make me look like I'm sleeping. Wish I lived on site!

Agreed, 140+ days gone off site last year. It’s much easier when you live here. Although the wife is taking up valuable time now…..

Like I told ya yesterday. Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me.

The fact of the matter is there is only one who will save us now. We should repent and turn to Christ as a nation. We will not and therefore 
plenty of blood will be spilled. My 2 cents

Back on task, JR when you pouring crete?

Really nice chicken coop you have there

Thanks, wife unit is happy with it so all is well 

So not much progress on anything that interests me outside of normal work lately. However, I haven’t been slacking. I’ve been completing legit “honey” do’s along with cleaning up chicken doo.

So the wife’s bees and chicks have taken a priority as of late. I have a rubber maid water trough with 13 chicks in it residing in my machine shop and they’re dirty. So they needed their own space sooner than later. 

We purchased this bare coop a couple months ago. I had to finish framing it for the osb. Then get power to it, wire, insulate and sheet it. I started by using 1” foam board on the floor covered by treated plywood and then linoleum. Walls / ceiling received r13, then was topped with osb and outdoor receptacles. I ran power off an external gfi receptacle from the big shop.

We still need to build the run and finish wiring the auto dawn to dusk chicken door yet.

Honey bee’s are doing well and she already installed the next section above for them to start filling. We’ve had them around 11 days thus far. Fairly large learning curve those bees have been.


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So no building a home at the farm? What changed?

Personally I don’t care for them. One more thing to fail and these trucks already have enough added junk that will fail as it is. However, the truck came with them when I bought it. It was a couple hundred versus paying to have them taken off and completely uninstalled. So for now it was the least expensive route.

You’re moving the axle away from the frame in both instances. On a 4 link you normally buy adjustable lower control arms. Lengthening them will bring your caster back positive if the uppers do not change length.

On a radius arm setup you normally lower the rear mount down to bring caster back positive. There are also after market arm setups which have adjustment with the latter being the same idea as a 4 link.

Great update 

I was diagnosed after much agony in my early 30’s with gout. Unlike most it’s not in my big toe but was in my knees and elbows. The knees were the worst, crippling me for a week at a time. Thankfully preventative meds keep it at bay almost 100%, sucks getting older.

That gotta be the worst penetration that you can have to hold two parts together.
Looks like 15-20% at best.

Dang that’s poor.

It literally ripped the weld in half in one spot. I’m not sure how you do that?

I did the same thing to mine. Weld it back together and carry on...

With your torture testing background I can’t say I’m surprised…..

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NW MT

D $3.95
G $3.50

Both have been floating within 5 cents a gallon of those prices for a couple weeks

96”?!? Wow, you must have some really flat hay fields

I recall that round, when o bummer got elected you couldn’t find any of that ammo anywhere.

Ashley had a friend with a gun in that round back then and I recall him hitting me up. I’d say if you get one have the coin to buy several cases and stock up. I personally don’t need another round and I like the .22mag in the pmr-30 obviously not comparable ballistics but I have several rifles and pistols in 22wmr already and it’s a light fairly powerful round. That pistol has 30 rd mags too.

I’ve personally been stocking up on .410 as of late. When looking at my inventory I was light on small game shot. The wife and I are planning on grouse hunting this year to get us out of the cabin after the big game push is over.

My best guess is that limited slip is in fact a torsen helical cut gear locker. I’m sure Tate will chime in but if it is then it’s a beast…..