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Morning Cup Of Coffee And Weather

Tour 931 said:
Most of my stuff that I left had $ value like Craftsman tools made in the USA. They are now made in China. So the full polish combination wrench set that I paid $100 will now cost me $700 to replace. Snap-On is still made in the USA but it’s not cheap. Although I didn’t pay anywhere near it I left behind $40K of just tools. Another $40K of furniture and art.

The biggest thing that saved me was I sold my home for an incredible amount and only spent 18% of that money to buy a new home here in Wisconsin.

My new place might be small but it was remodeled a few years ago and everything works.

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347EEC87-D368-43CC-92EA-CBEB0D572A04

  • Media owner Tour 931
  • Date added
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Don't get me started on craftsman :( They used to be top notch, something arguably as good as snapon today. Snapon - way out of myleague. To be honest, I've been to more than 1 mechanics shop that were full of pittsburgh tools --- I think the logo is partly driven by bragging rights.

Have you looked at Tekton? I have been told that a good part of their product line is still USA made.

I had to make an emergency purchase at a Meijer, a regional chain based out of Grand Rapids. Famous for "Meijer Thifty Acres" or "Shifty Acres" as our family calls it. Anyway, they sold Tekton -- they were affordable and the tools I bought were actually not bad...frankly on parr or better than most of what is sold in the big-box shops today.
 
Summer is definitely here. The temperatures and humidity have gotten to the point where its miserable. Ironically even though the air is humid the soil is parched....boy, do we need some rain.

The nothern half of the state got a nice drenching this morning if the RADAR images are to be believed....

Reminds me of an old joke....what do you call a day with sunny skies, and comfortable temperatures after two days of rain? Monday.

We got out last weekend, but will be home for a while now. Sitting right at 50 days on the camper I just picked up in November --- while most have been for family emergency type travel, I'm feeling well justified in buying the best camper on the market today :)

Anyone here from Houston? A friend is being ordained and has invited me to the sacrament -- I know houston is hotter and probably more humid than where I am --- but, is there a good campground close to the city Some place with trees and shade to escape the "living on the sun" syndrome?
 
Warren Mary Ellen said:
Reward for camping in the hot Midwest for 3 weeks is cleaning up the camper & the tow vehicle in the even hotter & more humid South.
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I don't mind that so much. The only thing I dislike is packing up to leave for a new spot, or to go home from the last location. Although, this is highly dependant on the camp spot. Dappled shade or more is much better than full sun, especially if you wait until later in the day to do it.

Monday we started our pack-out at about 11am. While not the heat of the day, it was close --- and the sun was direct. Unpacking is at least in the shade of our tree or out of the garage where Serenity is stored.

Washing -- depends how I do it. 'coin operated' carwashes are preferred --- mostly because they are shaded and they have all the soaps and rinse agents readily available. If I do it at home, as long as the camper is out of the direct sun is nice becuase its an excuse to play with the hose :)

A pressure washer and buckets of suds is kind of a summer tradition I don't mind. I REALLY don't mind it since I have a DI water filter --- although it is expensive to keep the resin fresh, its nice not having any mineral spots...just lightly rinse off, and let it air dry.
 
Sweeney said:
I don't mind that so much. The only thing I dislike is packing up to leave for a new spot, or to go home from the last location. Although, this is highly dependant on the camp spot. Dappled shade or more is much better than full sun, especially if you wait until later in the day to do it.

Monday we started our pack-out at about 11am. While not the heat of the day, it was close --- and the sun was direct. Unpacking is at least in the shade of our tree or out of the garage where Serenity is stored.

Washing -- depends how I do it. 'coin operated' carwashes are preferred --- mostly because they are shaded and they have all the soaps and rinse agents readily available. If I do it at home, as long as the camper is out of the direct sun is nice becuase its an excuse to play with the hose :)

A pressure washer and buckets of suds is kind of a summer tradition I don't mind. I REALLY don't mind it since I have a DI water filter --- although it is expensive to keep the resin fresh, its nice not having any mineral spots...just lightly rinse off, and let it air dry.
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We washed it twice on the road at spray off car washes. There is a great one in Bellevue, IA and in Prairie de Chein, WI we used a truck one which worked good. A lot of sap dropped on us at Perrrot State Park and at in Iowa we had to come and go via a dusty gravel road at Bellevue. Here at the house, we keep Jeremiah under an aluminum carport so it is always in the shade. With 3 straigh weeks of camping we just had to do a little bite more heavy cleaning this time. Should've gotten outside sooner knowing it was going to get up to 98 here today. Washing it really doesn't take long. We haven't had much rain here and when we have a dry summer, it gets really hot. My grass did not have to mowed the whole time I was gone because of the dry weather.
 
Sweeney said:
Don't get me started on craftsman :( They used to be top notch, something arguably as good as snapon today. Snapon - way out of myleague. To be honest, I've been to more than 1 mechanics shop that were full of pittsburgh tools --- I think the logo is partly driven by bragging rights.

Have you looked at Tekton? I have been told that a good part of their product line is still USA made.

I had to make an emergency purchase at a Meijer, a regional chain based out of Grand Rapids. Famous for "Meijer Thifty Acres" or "Shifty Acres" as our family calls it. Anyway, they sold Tekton -- they were affordable and the tools I bought were actually not bad...frankly on parr or better than most of what is sold in the big-box shops today.
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Never heard of Teton. I’ll look into them. Thanks for the info.
 
Warren Mary Ellen said:
We washed it twice on the road at spray off car washes. There is a great one in Bellevue, IA and in Prairie de Chein, WI we used a truck one which worked good. A lot of sap dropped on us at Perrrot State Park and at in Iowa we had to come and go via a dusty gravel road at Bellevue. Here at the house, we keep Jeremiah under an aluminum carport so it is always in the shade. With 3 straigh weeks of camping we just had to do a little bite more heavy cleaning this time. Should've gotten outside sooner knowing it was going to get up to 98 here today. Washing it really doesn't take long. We haven't had much rain here and when we have a dry summer, it gets really hot. My grass did not have to mowed the whole time I was gone because of the dry weather.
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Those are getting hard to find! We have had 2 in our town just close in the last year as the large automated carwashes moved in. The closest coin-operated bay is now 40 minutes away, and it does not look like it has much life left in it. I used to use the one closer simply because they had a spot free rinse, and I'm too lazy to chamois the thing :)

I have to admit I find hand-washing Serenity to be a bit relaxing....
 
My brother (in Ireland), posted this photo to FB today (July 9). This is from the 1st cut of one of the fields he hays.

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I think that is a near universal...that green, sweet smell....Only smell I like better is the smell at a lake with 2 cycle oil :)

I have found 1 camp site where I can get that fix --- used to be called "pick a spot" or some sthing similar. Its right on a small lake where the no-wake zone is right by the campground. The sounds of boats idling through -- that gurgling sound -- just makes me happy....

Weird.
 
Sweeney said:
I think that is a near universal...that green, sweet smell....Only smell I like better is the smell at a lake with 2 cycle oil :)
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My all-time favorite (which you either grow up liking or have to acquire a liking) is the scent of a salt marsh. So many good memories growing up with the ocean. :)
 
dustinp said:
.......or like Robert Duvall liked to say :
or personally the smell of 100LL avgas mmmm.
LOL
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Oh definately!!! My flying has been MOSTLY in C172s -- the smell that comess of the heater is also rather unique...One sniff if that, and I'm at 4500AGL
 
Sweeney said:
Oh definately!!! My flying has been MOSTLY in C172s -- the smell that comess of the heater is also rather unique...One sniff if that, and I'm at 4500AGL
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If you are getting a smell off the heater, you've probably got an exhaust leak, since the heaters work on fresh air being blown through a heat muff around the exhaust pipes then into the cabin. Hope the plane had a CO monitor, or you could end up a lot higher than 4500 ft. (or lower as the case may be ;-) ).
 
dustinp said:
If you are getting a smell off the heater, you've probably got an exhaust leak, since the heaters work on fresh air being blown through a heat muff around the exhaust pipes then into the cabin. Hope the plane had a CO monitor, or you could end up a lot higher than 4500 ft. (or lower as the case may be ;-) ).
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No, its not exhaust leak --- every 172 I've flown (most of which were < 2 years old) have the same unique smell. Hot metal perhaps? A solvent used? I would expect it to burn off in the first 100 hours -- but I was closer to 800 and the plane still had the scent.

I'm not an A&P -- but I am a builder --- trust me --- exhaust leaks are first on my mind :)
 
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