Was a great ride. We rode about 30 miles and I rode the last 5 miles with a flat left front tire due to hitting a stump and bending a rim.
Wet, muddy and the sun was shining!
Good to back out on the trails. This was my first trail ride since breaking my foot two years ago.

 

Amazing how good my foot/ankle feels locked into my Alpinestar riding boots.
Feels so good I wouldn't even think I ever shattered the heel, great support for it.

 

You may have to start wearing those boots to work Rod. Be kind of tough climbing ladders and such but may let that injury heal up quicker.

Sounds like the ride was a good time. Lot's of mud and sun, had to be fun for sure. Did that run flat session ruin the tire? You may have to put new ones all the way around so everything matches up nice.

Sunday over this way we had a quick East wind blizzard come in. Dumped a couple inches of snow with hard wind for about two hours then turned to rain. By afternoon it had all melted off. Really kind of strange. Temperature went from the low thirties into the teens then back up to around forty degrees over a six hour period.

Went for a short ride yesterday, ran over to one of the neighbors places to look at an old fanning mill they have. Think I'll bring it home and rebuild it just for the heck of it. It's an old seed treating mill but would work well for any fine cleaning of wheat and other grains. May set it up to fan wheat for making flour. Just something to take to fairs and such.

Round trip on the quad was only about 25 miles and all on county roads. We have the advantage of the local Deputies ignoring the quads as so many farmers and ranchers use them now for work. The Deputies still watch for pleasure riders but I've only heard of a limited number of tickets being handed out and those were blatant violations of people tearing up the ditches and such. Nearly all the working quads are UTES and look like they have been in the fields. Besides, I was towing a trailer with a bunch of fence building stuff on it. Too lazy to unhook it as I'll be using it again today. Same trailer I tow behind the pickup when I haul the garden tractors or quad around. Even have the brake lights hooked up when it's on the quad.

Wish the folks that wanted to buy the place had decided to go thru with the deal. They tried it for most of a year and discovered it was not what they really wanted. I suspect the work was too much for them. Kind of sad when people have a dream and it turns out to be so different than what they had built up in their minds. At least we parted friends and it really didn't cost either of us a great deal of money. Getting "back to a simpler life" is tough to do anymore. At least it is for anyone that wants the modern conveniences and only wanting to work 60 hours a week.

SWMBO has finally decided the kitchen counters are going to be p-lam rather than granite or pre-made tops. Guess I better find my little router and p-lam bits again. I was pushing for the granite as I like the looks of them and really didn't want to build any more tops but you know how much say we boys have in these matters. At least she doesn't want to change the cabinets this time. Sure doesn't seem like it's been 30 years since I built all that stuff. It's lasted well.

Nuff of this, I ramble again.

Good to hear from you Rod, I miss the folks from up that way. Keep in touch with Bear 45-70 on a regular basis and intend to visit him this spring.

Mike

 

Hello Rod and Ten! You guys seem to be the last of them on here. I lurk on here about every other day. Sure do miss all the post.

Rod your probably the one that can answer this....we are headed down to Florence in about a week in a half. Can you tell me where we can buy our Oregon tabs at? From what I understand (not sure if it's true) Washington tabs are good for Oregon but mine are expired. It would cost me more to get washington tabs than Oregon.

Things have been good at my house latly. I'm fighting a horrible cough and chest congestion but other than that, things are good. My work is trying to send me home, but I keep telling them no cuz I will be off for a whole week in April. Gotta save my vacation and sick time for then.

 

I still check in every morning.

 

Angie, you should be able to get Oregon tabs at the Sportsman in Florence.
It is the outdoor & Honda shop on the right hand side of highway 101 as you head south towards the bridge in Florence.
All you need is your quads vin#
Have fun down there, are you staying at Honeyman?

 

Mike, sounds like you're keeping busy.
I think granite would be better than laminate, it will sure hol up better.

 

Dazeys, have you been to Walker lately?

 

Rod,
Sure we have beeen there a few times and plan on going more this summer. My grandson is finaly big enough to handle the trails up there.
We are headed to Sandlake this weeekend.

 

The laminate counter tops that are currently in place, preformed from the extinct Ernest Hardware, have lasted for over 30 years and are being replaced because SWMBO wants new. Since I'm just shy of 70 now I'm not all that worried about having to do them again. Heck, I don't even buy green bananas anymore.

I like the look of the granite but then I'm not the one making the final decisions on this. I'm seriously thinking about granite or concrete for the loading bench in my new den. I've heard good and bad about using these hard surfaces on a reloading bench but most of the complaints are from people that have never tried it. P-Lam won't work because of possible static problems. I've used hard surface masonite in the past but end up changing the top every few years.

WQ it sounds like you are planning on getting wet and sandy for sure. SWMBO and I spent a week at a beach house we rented near Lincoln City in November. Nice time but the weather was kind of wet. Big surprise on the coast.

Hope you have a good time and keep the rubber side down. OK to catch some air but controlled landings are preferable.

Been putting out 8 and 10 foot railroad ties for fence corners and bucks the last few days. Ground is way to wet for pickups or tractors so I've been using the quad to drag them out a couple at a time. The things are heavy. Longest drag was about half a mile and needed six of them in that area. Amazing how much I use the quad around the place. Next comes the steel post and wire. I'm supply and logistics, others are hole diggers, post pounders and wire stretchers. Probably have to use the quads to roll the wire out if the wire trailer will stay on top of the mud. Otherwise it's going to get rolled out by two guys with a piece of pipe between them to hold the roll.

You guys take care.

Mike