Morning Cup Of Coffee And Weather

The magnolia has dropped its flowers, the lilacs are blooming, and I'm about to cut grass for the 3'rd time this season. Temperatures are a little inconsistent but moving in the right direction. The big race is coming up --- although I haven't really following the 500 for a decade, about the time WIBC fired 'the king' and Donald Davidson (the track historian), who has since retired.

On a tech note, I had a friend give me a name of a REALLY cool app I want to share with you. The Cornell Lab "Merlin". It's really amazing. The app will listen to birdcalls and identify the species. Just sitting in my campsite, it identified about a dozen different species based on the different trills, chirps, calls etc in just a few minutes.

Once it identifies the bird, it displays a photo and will highlight that bird as it sings. Upon completion of the recording you can listen to samples of the different sounds that specific species can make.

Surprisingly as I'm writing this, with an open window its reporting what it hears....the takeaway here is the microphone is REALLY good on iPhone.

It's one of the coolest apps I've seen in a long time. Right now, I'm listening to House Sparrow, Blue Jay, House Wren, and a northern cardinal. A brown-headed cowbird just said hello. I'm not a birdwatcher, but I can see how easily you could become one. A white-breasted nuthatch just joined the party.

y'all got to try this.




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What does it list for a Mocking Bird?

 

There's a smart person in the room - that's funny.

Thus sayeth the internet: "The Northern Mockingbird does have its own calls, including warbles, buzzes, chirps, and a distinctive “chewp” note .... These may be given alone or incorporated into its mimicked songs. Both males and females sing, but the male is a more active and persistent singer."​

 

I have this app too. Its amazing.

 

There's one bird I'm looking for; I don't think it's that common since I haven't heard it this year yet. But, the year is early. I can only recall ever hearing

The song is very strange --- it almost sounds like it is digital. Starting at a low scale, then making 5-10 'steps' up, with virtually no break between the tones. I had never heard this before --- but I know it was common at Chain o' Lakes and one of the parks in southern Indiana. Very strange sounding critter.

 

Thats it!

I havnt' heard one this year yet, but I really haven't gotten out much. Little tweaked, next weekend I'm supposed to go...but the weather looks horrible. With luck, by the end of the week it will change.....

 

Again, haven't heard the mthis year but we haven't gotten out as much as we usually do. But they seemed common in 2020/2021. I don't know where they are located, but ironically, where I remember hearing them. I need to learn how this works, but where we were hearing them .... isn't in this 'range' though it is within 25-30 miles of one of the 'dots'

Guess the birds haven't figured out how to read maps yet.


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Where are you going this weekend?

Looks like we'll be going to our "best campsite in the entire state" this weekend --- and you'll never pry this one from my cold dead hands....This site is ALWAYS booked 6 months in advance, even when the rest of he park is dead empty.

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. away from keyboard for 5 minutes
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....and just like that life happens. While writing this, 'something happened' and I need to cancel my site. I'll bet it is reserved in the next 5 minutes. Maybe next weekend. DRAT!

update: Yup...site is gone already. We made some one happy.

 

I hooked the teardrop up to the Transit for the first time today.

6183F610-6A58-408E-A0BD-375E09D92218 by Tour 931 posted May 7, 2023 at 5:35 PM

The maiden Transit/teardrop trip will be an overnight on Friday.

B37A7F87-D8A1-47FC-97B0-CED301F9B96D by Tour 931 posted May 7, 2023 at 5:35 PM

I’m not sure where I’ll be going.

1BD243A4-EFFB-4C8A-A6CB-7AFB984BCCCC by Tour 931 posted May 7, 2023 at 5:35 PM

The Transit is so much bigger than my Outback.

86E53C63-49ED-4D03-B09B-2484E572E952 by Tour 931 posted May 7, 2023 at 5:35 PM

 

Very interesting old/new juxtaposition. The transmit is so modern looking, the camper so retro --- I like it, they look good together!

Snow gone? Seems to me the last photo was still pretty wintery....

 

The last of the snow melted two days ago and it was in the 70’s yesterday. The Transit can tow 5k or 6k pounds depending on which rear ended it has so the teardrop which a neighbor keeps calling a teacup is nothing behind the van.

 

Maybe reminds him of the cute teacup dogs..

 

I hope I can get a garage built this summer for my motor home. If not I’ll sell it. Beside it is my van and CI. By comparison my Outback is on the right.

501ABA90-D995-4639-8A53-46DF63012037 by Tour 931 posted May 8, 2023 at 5:27 PM

 

What's the RV market doing right now? I haven't looked since I sold mine. That sad, yet happy day.

I can say, at least some time, I wish I still had it. I would have 'gotten out' a few more times this year than I have, though at $3.50 a gallon, maybe not. If I did, it would certainly not have been cross country, and taking it 30 miles was as much work as taking it 300. Maybe I would have just stayed home even then.

I'm embarrassed to say I've only had 1 trip so far. I'm WAY behind my usual, and even farther behind last years rate. This week we are scheduled to go visit a very sick friend. I was hoping he would be able to make one last trip with me before he is called to his eternal reward, but that isn't likely.


What trip? Looksl like I need to pick up my restored jeep. It should be ready next week. It would be ready, but it needs to go back to upholstery. Found a small cut in the seat cushion. Purely cosmetic, but with everything else being fixed --- it would look terrible. See the photo...

The restoration company likes to give in a few-day shakedown --- I'm planning on going out next Tuesday to pick it up.

I need to find a state park on the route back --- just a place for a quick nap in the back if there's room...I hear there is if you sleep diagonally in the back. I just need a cushion and a few hours. Basicallly from nightfall to sunrise. I do not drive well at night, nor would I want to miss the beauty of the mountains.



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Whats the usage case for using the transit to tow a teardrop? I'd convert the transit into a van life rig