Media Laser Island Voyages Back In The Day

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Okay, I'm done for the day, got another 25'-30' of skirting work done, moving along at my own pace... lower back started to get a bit stiff with all the stoop labor, particularly getting those 'bottom rails' level & tacked into the ground, so I called it a day. No point in rushing the job when I have nothing but time, and I should be finished soon anyway... another day or two and I can put this task behind me. Dunno why it's so hard to get motivated for this work, it's not really difficult, but as long as I keep chipping away at the stone, so to speak, I'll git 'er done. :confused:

I just want the skirting to be nice & neat, the way it should be in any home I own. All I'm doing is leveling the ground where the skirting is MIA, setting the 'bottom rails' with long nails designed to go into the ground, lining up the panels and tacking those in place, then tacking on the upper trim strip before filling the gap below with white marble chips. When I say "tacking" I mean drilling holes and using self-tapping screws, that way everything is buttoned up tight. The marble chips help hold the panels in place in each bottom rail, and they look nice too. :)

Funny thing, I randomly chose those white marble chips to fill the gaps between slabs & skirting, but an old school local told me one day (while we were partying on the view deck) that marble chips are a good choice here in southeastern Arizona. Turns out the lime in the marble acts as a deterrent to certain bugs or critters, a natural way of keeping those bugs or critters out from under your home. So I don't even waste the dust in the marble chip bags, everything gets distributed in the gap, LOL. I figure, why NOT use it, I paid for it, and y'all know I'm a cheap b@stard, AYE? :D

Anyway, I already grabbed a second shower, now it's BEER-THIRTY & relaxation time, LOL. Tomorrow's another day, and I'll get as much of the skirting done as possible before it gets too warm. I'm actually under the full-length metal awning now as far as the skirting work goes, and the breeze helps as it blows though the carport, but this is Arizona and ya gotta know when to knock off voluntary home rehab work like this---no point in pushing yourself when time is really not a factor, and I reckon I have till the end of the month before I hear anything about my HazMat endorsement, PFFFFFT. :mad:

I'm trying to put the endorsement BACK onto my CDL-A so I can haul chemicals to the nearby mines, working out of a local trucking yard minutes from my home. That outfit already knows I have heaps of prior experience hauling HazMat, but it's one of those things, courtesy of the so-called 'Patriot Act' (which had nothing to do with actual patriots, except to rob them of constitutional rights). Now ya need a 'fingerprint clearance card' to put the endorsement on your license, so even though I already HAD the endorsement in Kalifornia for 10 or 15 years, I have to jump through the idiotic gubmint hoops... sound familiar? :eek:

Meh, I have enough money set aside to last for months, and my home is well-stocked in every possible way... property taxes are already paid, utility bills are being paid out of my initial deposits made roughly one year ago, life is good here in sunny & scenic southeastern Arizona. I also had an ADOT interview 2 or 3 weeks ago, but I have higher hopes for the local trucking gig, it would actually be BETTER than the ADOT job, go figure. Higher pay, and cruising in Max Cool A/C & 'air-ride' comfort while running these scenic highways & byways of southeastern Arizona & southwestern New Mexico. ;)

Alright, I suppose that's enough rambling for now by this old school lifelong small craft sailor... 'bout time to grab another cold beer outta the fridge, LOL. Later, I sit on deck under the metal awning on the east side of my home and enjoy my view of the Dragoons & the Stronghold. Got plenty of leftover BBQ in the fridge, but it'll keep... I might cook this big ol' tray of ready-made chicken enchiladas, LOL, for some reason I'm in the mood for those, and I have extra guacamole, sour cream & cilantro salsa, not to mention heaps of cold beer. :rolleyes:

HERE'S A PIC OF THE SKIRTING WORK, TAKEN BEFORE I BUTTONED UP THE TRIM STRIP WITH MORE SELF-TAPPERS... NOTHING FANCY, JUST WANT MY HOME TO BE NEAT, YA KNOW? GOT SOME KITTEH PICS TOO: CRACKHEAD THROWIN' A HEADLOCK ON TIGER, AND TIGER HAVIN' A CONVO WITH A NEIGHBOR CAT WHO COMES HERE FOR THE CATNIP, LOL... CHEERS!!! :cool:

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Haha, they're union workers so they want prevailing wage... ain't gonna happen, since y'all know I'm a cheap b@stard, LOL. :rolleyes:
 
Well, that was a short work day... had a call from a friend and talked for an hour, then went out and did a little work, more of an assessment of what needs to be done this coming week. Temp climbed pretty fast, springtime gnats started to 'bug' me (pun intended), so I decided to come in, get cleaned up, and make a big ol' icy & frothy blender full o' rum drinks, LOL. Damned if they aren't DEE-LICIOUS, AYE? :D

I used Bacardi Superior Rum, a little Lefty O'Doul's Margarita Mix, some berry smoothie, two bananas, fresh-squeezed lime juice & half a tray of ice, maybe 3/4 of a tray... hit the switch on the blender and let 'er rip, LOL. I originally intended to use some white tequila (tequila blanco) in the recipe, but there's still a long afternoon ahead, no need to get hammered in such warm weather. I did kick on my A/C units briefly to bring the temp down inside my home... :mad:

Unlike my home in Show Low at higher elevation in the White Mountains, where I had dual-pane windows throughout the structure, here I only have single-pane windows. However, I've learned to "work" them in the same way, opening them in the morning to fill my home with cool fresh air, closing them as the temp begins to rise... this seals in the cool air and makes life more comfortable. An occasional blast of A/C from three units will keep my home cool... :confused:

Not a bad program, and you simply reverse the process in winter, working the windows to get fresh air as needed, and closing them to retain heat as ya fire up your central heater (or wood-burning stove, I had both in Show Low). Once you're adept at working the windows, you save heller money on your utility bills (or on firewood, LOL). I don't have a wood stove here, just the gas furnace, but I'm gonna build a fire ring in my yard for next winter, as I like a good campfire. :)

Well, here's a pic of my current refreshment, this icy rum drink is mighty tasty, LOL... manana, I may take a break from the home rehab and drive up to Mt. Graham, a "sky island" in the Pinaleno Range [PEE-nah-LAYN-yo] which rises above 10,700' in elevation. Some web sources say 10,719', others say 10,724', but who cares? It's close enough for me either way, and I'm thinking about visiting some small mountain lakes and maybe taking a hike through some woods... :rolleyes:

There's an observatory up there too, usually open to the public on certain days (and nights) of the year, but probably closed now due to the idiotic viral scare campaign. In fact, I should look up the number for rangers in that district and call 'em to ask about access to other areas in the range, just in case the whole place is shut down... can't see that happening in Arizona, but it won't hurt to call, and it might save me a considerable drive, even if it IS rather scenic, LOL. :cool:

HERE WE GO WITH THE RUM DRINK, IT'S ABOUT TIME TO REFILL MY GLASS, LOL... A GOOD SAILOR CAN DRINK RUM ANYWHERE, EVEN IN THE HIGH DESERT, DON'TCHA KNOW? CHEERS!!! ;)

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Holy Cow!!! When I went to refill my glass with more of this goldurned dee-licious rum drink, I noticed that one small cactus plant was going off with flowers... after a long pull on my drink [through a straw, ya get a better buzz that way, LOL], I grabbed my cheesy Canon cam and went out to snap some photos for alla youse nautical hee-roes, AYE??? :cool:

Noticed some more flowering plants nearby, and one shot led to another... now we have a short floral tour of my yard, don't mind the dead wood and whatnot, that will all eventually get burned in my fire ring, LOL. Not a top priority now that nights are fairly warm (in the 50s), but the wood ain't going anywhere either, not until I collect it. Anyway, the flowers are going off, more will arrive later as various plants start showing their colors... :)

What does all of this have to do with SAILING, you ask? Well, in the first place, these shots were taken by a DIEHARD LASER MAN with decades of bad@$$ nautical experience, particularly off Baja... but another part of me says, "Why can't some sailmaker or sail loft incorporate graphics like these directly into sail panels?" You know, the same way ya see primo graphics on vehicles and whatnot? Have a sail with nothing but bursts of color, courtesy of Mother Nature... :rolleyes:

Meh, maybe somebody has already done it, but with today's improved technology I reckon someone could do a better job, and perhaps make a little money while doing it. I mean, wouldn't that be COOL to sail a Laser or 'Fish with BRIGHT COLORFUL GRAPHICS on the sail(s), the colors taken straight from Mother Nature??? Don't like flowers? How about a big ol' 2-ton Great White??? Jaws open and teeth ready to rip apart the beholder, LOL... :eek:

The possibilities are endless, and with the right sail material and color application (or incorporation), I'm thinking one could still have a sail (or sails) which lasted quite awhile. And what about personalized sails? For instance, what if I wanted to transfer a kick@$$ climbing photo onto my sail? Or a photo of a relative or beloved pet, for that matter? Isn't it possible in this day & age, or has nobody even THOUGHT of doing it? :(

Let's set aside this whole idiotic viral scare campaign for a moment, and dwell upon the possibilities... how about a sail with some primo galaxy shot, or an even closer planetary shot? How about a volcano on the sail, erupting with lava & pyroclasts? How about a huge peeling wave with a surfer deep in the barrel? I can't believe that the technology doesn't exist to make this happen, in a way which would NOT seriously shorten the life of the sail itself... :confused:

MEH, JUST A FEW RAMBLING OBSERVATIONS BY THIS DIEHARD OLD SCHOOL LASER MAN... ALSO A MINIFISH FAN. ONE FINE DAY, WE SHALL SEE SUCH GRAPHICS ON SAILS, "CLASS LEGAL" BE DAMNED, LOL. :mad:

Here's the floral tour of my property, hope youse knucklehaids enjoy it, LOL... either way, this rum drink is STILL mighty TASTY, AYE??? CHEERS!!! ;)

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Penultimate shot shows Crackhead baking in the sun... in the final pic, I threw some ice into the outside water dish, that'll keep the knucklehaid cool, LOL. :D
 
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Pulled a fast recon of Mt. Graham and the Pinaleno Range today, and it was definitely worth my time. Thing is, there's really only one road in to the lake, and it's a winding road too with heaps of hairpin curves (no signage, no barriers & fearful drops, LOL). It'd be great on a cycle, make it a dual sport bike because the pavement ends and ya still have 12 miles to the lake, or some such distance. At first, the dirt road is graded and fairly smooth, then the REAL dirt road begins and the surface gets a bit rougher, with rocks & ruts to dodge. Factor in weekend visitors and that road gets a bit dangerous... next time I go, it'll be during the week, and in the off-season, LOL. Still, it was a very enjoyable recon, with several creeks and a waterfall on the way, all up at elevation where the temps were deliciously cool. :D

I even took note of temperature changes during my trip, not something I usually bother doing, but I'm interested in the range of temperature to be found on these 'sky islands'---WTF, we don't have many REAL islands in the high desert, so I'm drawn to these sky islands, and the views are MAGNIFICENT!!! My Canon cam won't do 'em justice, but the 100-mile views are insane, the mountains dropping steeply below to the scorching desert... well, maybe not scorching yet, but in the mid-90s, LOL. As many of you already know, the daily range of temperature can be quite dramatic in the desert, often varying by 50 degrees or more in ONE location, but today I jotted down some facts & figures while cruising up into the Pinalenos, and I was rather surprised to learn how quickly & dramatically the temp can change as one travels through various microclimatic zones. :rolleyes:

For instance, I reached the turnoff point from US191 to AZ366 at 1100 hours: the elevation there at Swift Trail Junction is 3232', and the ambient temp thermometer in 'The Mighty Camry' read 87 degrees. By 1215, I was up above 9000' and the Camry thermometer read 65 degrees!!! A 22-degree drop in little over an hour!!! SKY ISLAND, BROTHER!!! And boy, can you really feel the difference... I cut my A/C early on and rolled down the windows so I could smell the aromatic pine resin as I climbed higher & higher. Now, I only stayed a little while at the lake, because I didn't want to get caught up in 'rush hour' on that skinny dirt road on the way home, LOL. But when I reached the last 9000' elevation marker at 1315 hours on the return trip, the Camry thermometer read 68 degrees... by 1430, I was southbound on US191 and the temp read 97 degrees!!! :eek:

Think about that for a moment: in 3-1/2 hours, I traveled through an impressive range of temperature in various microclimatic zones in the Pinalenos, 22 degrees on the way up and 32 on the way down, if you factor in that slight rise due to normal daily range of temperature atop & below the sky island. In the past, I've noted daily ranges of temperature at one location in the desert spanning 50 degrees or more between night and day, but here we're talking about a significant change in a few short hours! And the mileage wasn't that great either, it's just the winding road that adds distance, as the crow flies it wouldn't be so far... but that crow would probably have a heart attack on the steep ascent, LOL. Anyway, it was a cool recon, I originally intended to have my lunch by the lake, but when I saw all those vehicles parked around the shore, and only one way back out, I knew I had better save the picnic for later... another day, perhaps when the campgrounds reopen, that would make a difference in traffic. ;)

HERE ARE SOME PICS OF MY RECON... HARD TO BELIEVE ALL THIS LIES ABOVE THE SCORCHING HIGH DESERT, BUT IT DOES!!! :confused:

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Almost forgot to mention that there was SNOW at higher elevations... I could've gotten out and made a SNOWMAN, no lie, while the desert below warmed to the mid-or-upper-90s!!! Think about THAT for a moment, LOL... damn, I LOVE living in Arizona!!! Hey, any nautical hero who dragged a Laser or 'Fish up to Riggs Lake would be 'Master & Commander' of the Pinaleno Range, only a few kayaks and a canoe to blow outta the water, BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! Let's see, according to my odometer, I drove approximately 225 miles today, at least 70 miles going up and down AZ366 and the dirt road leading to the lake when 366 pavement ends. Meh, worth every penny in fuel burned, just for the scented pines alone... and the fact that I COULD'VE made a SNOWMAN, LOL. :cool:

P.S. In that one vertical photo, you'll see a primo little waterfall with a fair amount of water splashing down among the boulders... that spot was wonderfully cool with the spray from the falls, there were other folks there so ya might see one or two in the pic, I was still en route to the lake so I didn't wanna wait forever for them to get outta the frame, LOL. Nice little spot though, and there were other creeks and falls in the range too... but I was on a mission to recon the lake, aye? Good day overall, though I must say my Dragoons are far less crowded... less water in the Dragoons, but it's still there, ya just have to know where to find it. I reckon the Pinalenos will be great for camping in the future, when I don't have to drive so far each day. ;)
 
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Whew... that's enough skirting work for one day, but I got that stretch done which passes under (or behind) my carport doorstep, so I'm happy, LOL. Royal PITA, this skirting work, but I'm gradually knocking it out, AYE? Dunno why I have such a dislike for this work, it's NOT really that hard and I couldn't care less about spiders or scorpions hiding nearby, I just have a difficult time getting MOTIVATED for such work. I'm not LAZY either, far from it, but something about this skirting work just turns me off, ya know? The latest Penthouse Pet could be lying there naked (amid the spiders & scorpions, LOL, and maybe a hidden rattler or two), BEGGING me to do this bull$h!t, with a hint of promise in her eyes & body lingo, and I'd have to say: "SORRY, DARLIN', I HAVE COLD BEERS TO DRINK!!!" :rolleyes:

Anyway, I have about 20' of skirting left to do, but this is the tricky section where I need to install access ports or hatches so I can deal with any plumbing problems which might arise... also to rod out the sewer line where it dives underground and root problems develop. Meh, I'll get it all sorted out, I've been studying the sections where I need access, and it shouldn't be too hard to slap together some framed wire mesh panels so I can not only see & hear what's going on underneath my home, but I can also quickly remove those framed mesh panels to get busy on plumbing problems. It ain't rocket science, I'll git 'er done so everything is rigged the way it SHOULD be rigged, and to heck with calling a plumber, PFFFFFFT... round here, I'M THE PLUMBER, and I'll do a far better job than any of these sorry-@$$ wannabe douchebags who are totally unreliable, wholly incompetent, and overcharge to boot, LOL. :confused:

Honestly, that's one more reason why I LOVE living in Arizona, especially out in the boondocks... it teaches one to be more self-sufficient, and to hell with paying some unqualified douchebag to fix ANYTHING, particularly when they know LESS than YOU, YEAH??? In this modern era, we have HEAPS of video tutorials on the web to help those who are clueless, although I must add that some tutorial videos are BETTER than others, LOL. But the bottom line here on my property is THIS: I don't pay ANYBODY to do something I can do myself, especially when I can do a better job than the methed-up fooliot POSING as a friggin' REPAIRMAN or HANDYMAN, 10-4? Got a few of those here in the San Pedro Valley, that's just the way it is, best to knock out any work yourself so you don't get caught up in their BULL$H!T, LOL. Meh, self-sufficiency is a GOOD THING... ;)

ALRIGHT, I'M READY FOR ANOTHER COLD BEER, NOW THAT I'VE CLEANED UP FOR THE DAY... MADE A GOOD DENT IN THE SKIRTING WORK, SO P!$$ ON IT, IT'LL BE DONE SOON ENOUGH. CAN'T WAIT FOR THE HAPPY DAY, LOL... CHEERS!!! :cool:
 
Damn, another day done, made another big dent in the skirting work, now I'm full o' BBQ and headin' toward the ol' rack, LOL... snapped a few sunset pics while closing up shop, here they are:

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Man, am I ever full... gotta get horizontal, pronto, tomorrow's another day. Hasta luego, nautical heroes!!! :rolleyes:
 
Aah, another glorious day in scenic southeastern Arizona... supposed to be cooler today as well, a nice break after that mini heat wave we had this week. Got all my windows open right now, as it's wonderfully cool this morning... noticed these flowers starting to bloom in the yard, perhaps a bit early due to the week of warm weather. Dunno what these are called, but they look pretty cool, almost complicated... like an ex-girlfriend I once knew, LOL. ;)

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Gotta run to the Depot today and pick up a few more bags of white marble chips, plus the wood I'm gonna use to frame up the access panels to the crawlspace under my home. Water first before I get cleaned up and go, my yard took a hit from those unseasonably warm temps (which were a full month early). Doesn't really matter, my "lawn" consists of wildflowers & trimmed weeds anyway... :rolleyes:

I only have about 6' of skirting work to finish, but I'll probably save that for tomorrow, and just take a scenic drive down to the Depot in Sierra Vista today... maybe come back through Tombstone and see how that burg is doing. I heard on the radio that Tombstone doesn't have a single case of the virus... residents must have blasted the pesky political pathogen with six-shooters, LOL. :eek:

Somehow that line reminds me of a story I once read about an elderly redneck gal who attempted to "treat" the corns on her feet with a 12-gauge shotgun... no lie, she was drunk at the time (of course), and she laid the shotgun alongside her foot in an effort to blast the corns off, 10-4? Didn't quite pan out the way she expected, and she had to visit a hospital or clinic to have a few pellets removed... poor ol' gal, LOL. :confused:

I reckon it takes an Infantry soldier to perform surgery with a 12-gauge shotgun, or any other firearm... gotta mind the choke when using the shotgun, LOL. Hey, since we're on this medical topic, I once knew an old soul surfer who had some pre-cancer spots on his face: with the help of a friend, this guy froze the spots and carved 'em out with a sharp knife. Used that nitrogen spray or whatever it is the pros use... saved money too, no doctor's bill, LOL. :cool:

Well, that's enough reminiscing for one morning, time to get out there and water while it's still wonderfully cool outside... I sure like mornings here, all the birds are hitting the feeders and singing their songs, it's a good time of day in the high desert. I keep my birdbath full too, I even empty the basin and refill it every time I water the yard, since I already have the hose handy. Blast all the windblown debris out of it too, I want the birds to have nice clean water, LOL. :)

ALRIGHT, YOUSE NAUTICAL HEROES... ENJOY YER DAY, I KNOW I'M GONNA ENJOY MINE!!! [SHOPPING DAY, NO ACTUAL SKIRTING WORK]. :D

P.S. Woke at zero-dark-thirty this morning and had a big ol' snack, reckon I did enough work yesterday to merit the extra consumption, LOL. Don't feel any heavier either, I must have earned that extra plate... slept great too, nice solid sleep, very refreshing, I'm ready to tackle the world today, don'tcha know? Well, maybe a trip to the Depot in Sierra Vista via the scenic route... that'll be enough before I crack an ice-cold beer, AYE? This viral vacay is rough, lemme tell ya... ;)

CHEERS!!! :rolleyes:
 
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Well, that weather forecast on the radio was inaccurate, the break never materialized... it was hot yesterday, and it's slated to be hot all weekend, with temps in the upper 90s. These temps are unseasonably warm, about a month early, I reckon, but no worries, I'll get through 'em... ran around yesterday getting the things I need to finish the skirting project, but I don't feel like dealing with it today, so to heck with it, I'm gonna chill indoors with the cats, LOL. I made good progress this past week, so I'm not worried about it, and we might catch a break in the weather yet... sometime next week if we're lucky. :confused:

Otherwise, I'm in a holding pattern... mailed off my request for a copy of my birth certificate yesterday, I need that to jump through the gubmint hoops as I try to put the HazMat endorsement BACK onto my license, which in turn might lead to a good gig hauling chemicals from the nearby nitrogen plant to mines in SE Arizona and SW New Mexico. Easy work, not much traffic in this area, A/C in the truck, and heller high desert scenery... we'll see what happens. Being alone in the truck is always a plus, I suppose that's what drew me to trucking so long ago, LOL. ;)

I had my interview with ADOT awhile ago, but they told me it'd be a long, drawn-out process. I also applied with the County for a job as 'Equipment Operator'---since applicants who already have a Class A license receive hiring preference. Meh, we'll see how it all unfolds, at least I have enough money to tide me over for awhile, and I'm free & clear so that helps, BIG-TIME. My utility bills are still being paid out of my refunded deposits too, a big help in saving money when I need it, LOL. I figure something will come through soon, job-wise, as there's less competition out here in the boondocks... nothing like the city. :eek:

Boy, in these warm temps it's hard to believe that I could've made a SNOWMAN last weekend on Mt. Graham. I wonder how much longer that snow will last above 9000' elevation? This warm weather has to be melting it off... until next winter arrives. I wouldn't mind making a snowman today, but I'm not in the mood to drive anywhere, I put some miles on the odometer yesterday while picking up the materials I need to finish the skirting work. At least THAT is getting done, never have a better opportunity to do it, I suppose... no excuse as I hunker down and ride out this ridiculous gubmint flu, LOL. :mad:

Well, guess I'll go see how the kittehs are doing, I know Tiger & Crackhead are in my room... that little Phoenix cat disappears all day every day, I don't know WHERE she goes but she usually doesn't show until late afternoon. She must be tougher than she looks, to withstand the heat outdoors when the other cats come back in to chill. Tougher than a dollar steak, that little Phoenix cat, LOL. Meh, as long as she shows back up every afternoon, she'll be alright, the coyote danger doesn't usually ramp up till well after dark... pushing midnight, when human activity dies down. :rolleyes:

Oh, yeah, yesterday marked a year to the day since my cat Sage disappeared... poor ol' Sage, he was the best cat I ever had, and I reckon I'll never know what happened to him. I did find a cat skeleton on my property six months after he went MIA, but it didn't look large enough to be his... he probably got picked off by varmints, but he might also have been bitten by a rattler or something, and crawled off somewhere to die. Poor ol' Sage, he was a good cat... had him for about 15 years, but he was closer to 20 years old. Oh, well, at least he had a good life with me while it lasted... R.I.P., Mr. Sagers, I miss ya, bud!!! :(

ALRIGHT, THINK I'LL CRACK A COLD ONE... SUN'S OVER THE YARDARM, LOL. GONNA BE A NICE EASY AFTERNOON... :cool:
 
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Haha, Phoenix is shy and difficult to catch, while Tiger & Crackhead will scratch the heck out of anyone who tries to BBQ 'em, LOL. Especially Crackhead, he'll pull some Richard Pryor number and torch the dumb@$$ who tries to grill him, 10-4? :confused:

I just had a killer green salad before macking dinner, but I'm gonna wait awhile before I mack hard... made some impromptu burrito action out of that leftover BBQ material, but I don't wanna eat too soon or I'll be headin' toward the ol' rack, ya know? :rolleyes:

Heard the funniest mispronunciation on the podunk radio station while eating my salad... y'all have heard the name Malachi, right? Well, this redneck fooliot pronounced it Muh-LOTCH-ee, no lie, BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! Damn, I LOVE livin' in Redneck Land, no shortage of entertainment!!! ;)

Ya know, when I get back to work, I think I'm gonna buy one of those landsailers... or make one, there's a big ol' dry lake on the other side of the Dragoons where a hand could FLY aboard a landsailer, and I mean FLY in some of this heller breeze. :eek:

Reminds me of my youth: four of us doing double-nickel in a maxed-out old VW Bug, tearing across Cuddeback Dry Lake in the Mojave Desert while drinking beer, and some BAD BOY landsailer friggin' PASSED us doing about 60, maybe 65 m.p.h., LOL... :D

Awesome sight, this 2-man land yacht with a fairly tall rig reaching past us... both aboard were wearing helmets and what looked like flight suits, maybe they were pilots out of Edwards AFB. I'll never forget that moment, even if the old VW Bug we were in never had a chance, LOL... :(

Totally stock beater had a transmission held together with coat hanger wire, no lie... I saw it after I called my friend on his claim, BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! Boy, I miss those good ol' days, they were something else. Lot of good times in those days, no doubt about it... :cool:
 
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Heard on the podunk radio station that the entire Southwest is experiencing a heat wave... Death Valley reportedly reached 128 degrees yesterday, dunno how accurate this station is with temps. Even though 128 degrees is well short of the record (134), it's still pretty darned hot, LOL. :rolleyes:

I remember seeing 117 degrees on the tall thermometer by the Pilot Truck Stop in Quartzsite many years ago, but it didn't feel that bad because it was nice and dry... humidity makes a huge difference once ya get into triple digits. :confused:

Nice quiet Sunday morning here, I'm doing my laundry so the dryer isn't running later when it's warm outside and I have the A/C units cranked. Ya learn these things after living in the high desert for awhile... how to save on utility bills. ;)

Gonna go water before it gets too hot... that's another way to save, only watering in the morning or evening. I like keeping the plants alive until monsoon season hits in July, especially the flowering plants, they add nice touches of color to the yard. :cool:

YOU HANDS IN THE SOUTHWEST, TRY TO STAY COOL... GONNA BE WARM AGAIN TODAY. CHEERS!!! :D
 
Well, I decided to check the accuracy of that radio report and it was WAY OFF... according to one weather site, there was a recent temp reading of 108 in Death Valley during the past week, so I guess the announcer got it wrong (again, LOL). Meh, this is why I call it a podunk radio station, the dyslexic DJs can't even get their facts straight. However, some temps across the Southwest HAVE broken records for late April & early May... but by the end of this coming week it should be considerably cooler again, with temps in the 80s, which will feel like a refrigerator after this mini heat wave, LOL. :cool:
 
Some of that high desert color I mentioned earlier:

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And then we have Crackhead doing his usual morning routine, tangling with a carpet runner I bought to protect the underlying carpet behind the dining room chairs... I noticed the carpet wearing a bit where I push my usual chair back, so I bought one runner for that side and another for the opposite side, by the sliding glass door (another spot wearing a bit). Well, for some reason Tiger & Crackhead both love scratching the heck out of these runners, which is fine by me, the runners were only $20 each and they can always be replaced. Sometimes the goofy cats get all wrapped up in the runners like little kitteh enchiladas, LOL. Here, we have Crackhead attacking one runner, he really gets into it too... but no worries, even with daily attacks by both cats, I reckon the runners will last one or two years. :rolleyes:

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CRAZY CRACKHEAD!!! MEH, I STILL LOVE THE BLASTED LITTLE VARMINT... TIGER & PHOENIX TOO, THEY KEEP ME ENTERTAINED, LOL. :cool:
 
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Well, after seeing those Kettenburg videos, I was inspired to check the videos of Los Coronados, and it seems a few were posted since I last looked, LOL. As usual, those sprayin' about the islands often had no clue, especially where distances are concerned, LOL. Meh, at least the videos show my beloved islands, even if these video stooges don't get facts straight... so here we go with a few short videos of Los Coronados, AYE??? Every island you see, I've explored that motherf#%er better than ANY Mexican or American fooliot shown in the videos... oh, yeah, when ya see the barrack building on Isla Sur (or South Island, largest in the group), know that modern 'improvements' have been made. When I visited and spent the night in that barrack building, the 'window' was wide open, cement with NO GLASS or acrylic of any sort, LOL. Refer to my stories on the first page of this thread for particulars... otherwise, despite the misinformation presented in parts of these videos, enjoy the scenery, YEAH??? :rolleyes:




That last video has some especially moronic content, but whaddya expect from those aboard a rental boat? Pffffffft, I only include it because y'all can see the islands on approach. Just imagine being aboard my beloved Laser #2069 as ya draw near, knowing that you'd soon be landing under dicey conditions and spending the night at the summit while surrounded by wildlife, LOL. Again, refer to my stories on the first page of this thread, especially 'ISLA NORTE'---spent the best solo night of my life atop that island, and I wouldn't trade the memory for a million dollars. Well, if things get REALLY BAD in this Brave New Third Socialist World, I MIGHT trade the best memory of my life for a million bucks, but I doubt it... I'd sooner go postal on some trash who need it, LOL. There are some life experiences which are TRULY PRICELESS, and that night I spent atop Isla Norte was one of 'em, no way I ever cheapen that memory by selling it for a few lousy dollars... that ain't likely to happen. Meh, enjoy the videos all the same, even if the stooges don't get their facts straight, AYE??? ;)

TIME TO GET CLEANED UP, I'VE BEEN DOING LAUNDRY & F#%ING OFF ALL DAY WHILE DRINKING BEER, LOL... CHEERS!!! :cool:
 
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Wait, I found a Mexican video as well, might as well toss that in so y'all can see additional views of the islands, LOL. :rolleyes:


Alright, NOW I'm done, enjoy the Tijuanero video, LOL... ;)
 
BTW, that Mexican video had more mistakes in it than the rest of 'em... not that I give a damn anymore, LOL. Bottom line is that ya couldn't make such voyages nowadays, not without fearing for your life and boat title, AYE??? And for you who don't have a clue, when ya see a Mexican gunboat headin' yer way with a goddam .50-caliber machine gun on the bow, ya MIGHT wanna take notice. Viva la Armada de Mexico, LOL!!! :confused:

On this Memorial Day Weekend, I plan to do some serious grilling, and I already bought everything I need to make all that happen, but I discovered a tasty hot sauce which I'll be using on the grill this holiday weekend. EL YUCATECO hot sauce, "Salsa Picante de Chile Habanero"---as the 4-oz. bottle label claims, "You Get More Habanero!!!" $h!t is damned good, I think I'll mix it with some regular BBQ sauce this weekend, 10-4? :rolleyes:

The company makes several varieties of this hot sauce, red & green chile sauces with different degrees of pepper heat... stuff hasn't let me down yet, I like the whole line of their products. Available in stores here in the boondocks, and perhaps elsewhere... not too expensive, just PLENTY GOLDURNED HOT from those freakin' Habaneros. Not TOO HOT, just PLENTY HOT, which is how I like my spicy food, no worthless friggin' ObamaCare required, LOL. ;)

Y'ALL BE GOOD AND ENJOY YOUR HOLIDAY WEEKEND... I KNOW I WILL, ESPECIALLY AFTER SERVING IN THE USA INF, AYE??? CHEERS!!! :cool:
 
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I know it's gonna be a good day when... I walk into my kitchen at dawn, turn on the small transistor radio I keep in the corner under the windows, and hear Tom T. Hall's classic tune in its entirety, right off the bat. :rolleyes:

What a great song, I never grow tired of it... even if this is the PC version of the video, LOL. :cool:

 
"It's the end of the world as we know it..." :confused:

Meh, not the end just yet, call it 'The Decline of Western Civilization!' ;)

Been roflmao at some of the hilarious Rants & Raves on C/L, particularly from Minneapolis... :rolleyes:

First the 'viral pandemic', now the globalist-sponsored riots, and we still have a LONNNNG way to go until Election Day... :eek:

But I PROMISED not to bring up politics, so I'll just say that it's gonna be a LONNNNG YEAR, and there are ADVANTAGES to living in the boondocks, LOL. :)

Well, I'm back to my cold beer and entertainment, at least I have a good book set aside for later... another Western, of course. I like the old Westerns, they keep me engaged, and there's an additional benefit: in the stories, looters & rioters generally get SHOT, LOL. :mad:

That ridiculous circus going on in Minneapolis would never happen here in rural Arizona, too many well-armed citizens who wouldn't stand for such bull$h!t... even Grandma would whip out her .44 Magnum and take potshots at the welfare leeches and imported Antifa thugs, BWAHAHAHAHA!!! :D

Clint Eastwood had NOTHIN' on these Arizona Grandmas, lemme tell ya... he was an absolute piker compared to these AZ Grandmas, LOL. CHEERS!!! :cool:
 
Making it easy to check that lettering I mentioned this morning... first post in this thread, click the link, go to the second page of the linked thread and there she is, "VOODOO CHILD" in all her unfinished glory. :cool:
 
Ya know, I was just reflecting upon this website and all the cool people here, hailing from different walks of life but brought together by a common bond---the love of small craft sailing---and I simply want to thank y'all for the pleasure of your company, AYE? :cool:

Lord knows I've been banned from a hundred websites in my time, generally for speaking my mind in my usual brutally-frank style, but I've come to appreciate the core group of sailors and repairmen (and women) here at this particular site, so I reckon some thanks are in order... :rolleyes:

I've only been here since... what... 2017? First as 'Ghost Rider' (Johnny Cash version), then as 'Coastal Redneck' when my laptop went kaput and I bought another, now I'm 'Cactus Cowboy' which should keep all newcomers guessing, LOL. :confused:

But I want y'all to know that I appreciate your comments & interaction, as one old hand to others who have also racked up nautical experience... and you youngsters with your enthusiasm, well, keep up the good work, and enjoy the freedom that sailing offers in this crazy modern world. ;)

Moi, I'm an old rogue dinosaur, surviving member of a hard-partying generation, and one of the reasons I was drawn to sailing was the absolute freedom one can find out there on the water... less badges too, which was important prior to weed legalization, LOL. :D

Anyway, I have a combat mission this afternoon: this morning, as I hauled a ladder out of my shed, I saw what looked like the biggest Black Widow spider I've ever seen in my life, thing was the size of an early-model Ford LTD (Load of Tin from Detroit). :eek:

When I tried to kill it with an ax, it dropped the June Bug it was chawin' on and scampered away along its funky web like it was dodging bullets, disappearing into a dark lower corner of the shed... I don't want that thing lurking and breeding on my property, so I've resolved to terminate the spider with extreme prejudice. :mad:

Gotta tell y'all, this is a dicey mission, and if ya don't hear from me again, well, the spider got the upper hand (or all eight of them). I'm gonna don BDUs & combat boots to tackle this thing, go in with a flamethrower, loaded 12-gauge (00 buck), and .44 Magnum pistol... wish me luck!!! :(

JUST WORKING UP MY DUTCH COURAGE BEFORE I TACKLE THIS MONSTER... THAT 'BIG-@$$ SPIDER' FLICK HAD NOTHIN' ON THIS NASTY-LOOKIN' MOTHERF#%ER, LEMME TELL YA, AND IT MOVES LIKE BEN JOHNSON ON STEROIDS!!! :eek:

P.S. Good thing I have a 'beneficiary deed' filed with the county, that way if I don't survive, at least my niece & nephew will inherit without any problems... better leave a warning note on the dining room table, just in case, LOL. ;)
 
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Well, the ugly firefight lasted 14 hours, and my shed now looks like Minneapolis, but the goddam spider is toast... as an added bonus, some Antifa cockroaches also got whacked, LOL. Had to resort to chemical warfare in the 11th hour, as the flame unit was running low, while the shotgun shells and .44 rounds had no effect on the spider... though they worked great on the cockroaches. ;)

You should know that there's ALWAYS beer in my fridge... I'm an ex-Infantry bachelor living with three cats, so beer is 'essential' in this household. Guess my niece & nephew will hafta wait awhile before they get the property. For those of you who don't know, a 'beneficiary deed' is an excellent way to protect your kin from probate court and other time-and-money-consuming fiascos... :confused:

Twice already, I've filed beneficiary deeds in Arizona, once for my home in Show Low and once here in Benson. I flipped my home in Show Low, but this deed is still valid, just another way to keep the greedy courts and shyster lawyers at bay, 10-4? And each beneficiary deed was under $20, a bargain considering how much trouble my out-of-state relatives can avoid once I cross the divide... :rolleyes:

GOTTA TAKE STEPS TO PROTECT YOURSELF & YOUR FAMILY IN THIS BRAVE NEW THIRD WORLD RUN BY GREEDY BANKSTERS... :eek:

Meh, at least I own this property free & clear, which is ALWAYS a plus... paid cash for it, same way I paid cash for my home in Show Low. I don't like banksters, mortgages, 'legal' loan sharks, etc., better to live within your means and keep the roof over your head. Although I recently borrowed a few hundred bucks from brothers of mine, I'm still basically debt-free, and the cost of living is pretty low here in the wilds of Arizona. :D

BTW, seeing that ugly spider reminded me of WHY I USED 27 TUBES OF CAULKING when I rehabbed this home... 27 TUBES!!! I did it to keep the Bark Scorpions out of my home, sealing up every crack in every room & closet... a young Bark Scorpion can slip through a crack the thickness of a credit card, but the caulking also serves to keep other critters & varmints at bay, AYE??? :mad:

These critters & varmints in Arizona are TOUGH too, they make inner city hood rats look like the lightweights that they are, LOL. You can BLAST the hood rats, no problem, but blasting these AZ high desert critters & varmints is a different story, the bullets & buckshot are likely to ricochet right off 'em and take out innocent bystanders. The flora ain't much different from the fauna: every plant out there will scratch, gore or gouge ya to death, no lie. Meh, I'm back to my cold beer, CHEERS!!! :cool:

Edit: Had to dredge up an old DK video, the soundtrack to the spider's demise in its final hours, LOL.

 
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Well, I've been enjoying a nice quiet weekend... I really like this neighborhood, it's so peaceful, and it helps to live on a dead-end street that runs uphill, no traffic here except for those who live on this part of the hill. The individual home terraces offer more privacy too... funny how I never considered these factors when I bought the place, but I've REALLY come to appreciate 'em, believe me. I think back to living on the crowded coast and sometimes I wonder how I even put up with it for so long, LOL. :eek:

I'll eventually ease back out there to San Diego on sailing vacations, especially if I score this gubmint job with all the benefits, but I reckon I could NEVER live in a big city again... not after enjoying the country life in these small Arizona towns. First in Show Low, which was surrounded by wilderness paradise in the White Mountains, then here in Benson, which has heaps of open wilderness areas around it, including multiple mountain ranges nearby with all kinds of recreational opportunities. Minutes away too, which is nice, no driving through city traffic for two hours to reach the wilderness... :rolleyes:

When I lived in Show Low, I was in a small subdivision on the NW side of town, in the tall pines and loving life... the trailhead which led out to Rim Road 300 was less than a mile from my home, and I would take my dirt bikes out there and have a blast, tearing along the Mogollon Rim with primo scenery at every turn. All kinds of wildlife too, I recall one ride when a huge elk cow leapt out of the forest into the dirt road ahead of me, had to back off the throttle because I didn't wanna tangle with the elk, LOL. The score would've been: Elk-1, Dirt Biker-0, LOL. :confused:

Big critters, those elk, but not dangerous unless you collide with 'em... we have elk in these mountains here too, but not as many as in the White Mountains, I reckon. They were THICK up there, I tell ya, and deer were plentiful too, I'd see herds of them (a dozen or more) roaming through the forest as I tore past on my dirt bike a short distance away. Awesome riding venue, the Mogollon Rim, with the hundred-mile views and the primo wildlife... I had a lot of fun up there during the two years I spent in Show Low, the Western town named on the turn of a card in a poker game. :)

When I get back to work and repay the few lousy hundred bucks I borrowed from brothers, I'm gonna pick up a used dual sport bike so I can explore some of these ranges which surround the San Pedro Valley. All of these mountain ranges have dirt fire roads and trails open to the public, so it's legal to cruise up there and check out the wilderness, ya know? I bought some good maps at a Ranger Station awhile ago, and those maps show the dirt roads... I've already spoken to other riders who have pulled loop explorations through and around these ranges, a great way to spend the day if ya bring food & beverages. :cool:

A friend of mine outta Dago called me today and we spent an hour or more on the phone, a mutual acquaintance just sold his CA home and he's looking to buy property in Arizona. Honestly, if I had more money, I'd be snapping up properties in the better Arizona locations, places like this where values will only rise over time. No city ghetto action, just fixers at elevation in the country... that's the key to comfortable living in Arizona, living at elevation. My home in Show Low was up around 6350', while my home here in Benson lies at 3624' elevation, still high enough to escape much of the heat & humidity. :D

Anyway, I'm just giving y'all some insight on life in the wilds of Arizona... I think some folks picture the state as flat desert land, but this southeastern corner has mountain ranges that rise over 10,000' in elevation. "Sky islands" with lower temperatures, different ecology, the whole nine yards... even nearby Tombstone is over 4000' in elevation, high desert with mountains not too far away that rise high into the sky. Hell, Miller Peak by Sierra Vista is somewhere around 9500' in elevation, I don't recall the exact figure, but it ain't exactly SMALL, LOL. ;)

OKAY, TIME FOR THIS KID TO GRAB ANOTHER COLD BEER, THAT LAST ONE WENT DOWN PRETTY SMOOTHLY, LOL... CHEERS!!! :rolleyes:
 
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