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Wow everyone, keep warm! I just read posts quoting 7F, 10F, 11F, and 12F degrees in various places. Very cold and widespread! A rainy soggy 39F going to 47F here in Formerly-Great California. Wife and I are going to walk the property today evaluating the merits of building a 2nd residence...

In Beautiful Northern Nevada, its a cloudy 31F, headed to 46F. Later, I will drive over Donner Summit to Formerly-Great California. A little snow, but driving should be OK. Last visit to CA, I spooked a cougar when I opened the front door.

27F going to 48F today here in Beautiful Northern Nevada. Ron- great squirrel pix, thanks! Trail camera caught this bear pix on a knoll above our house-- he's a pretty good sized one for here.

Good morning all. 42F at 5am, quite warm. Extremely powerful windstorm raged all night. Power out 8 hours now. We have a fireplace and a generator so we are fine. Will check on neighbors when it gets light. Ron- great bird pix, thanks!

At 3am in Beautiful Northern Nevada it is 36F, going to 46F today. Here is a pix of a recent visitor. I know its a female because she had two cubs with her. Each year in early winter the garbage cans get raided for a few weeks, then the bears disappear for the winter.

18F here in Beautiful Northern Nevada, going to 40F today. I successfully escaped from Formerly-Great CA yesterday and on returning found 6-8 inches of light powdery snow. Will be blowing a lot of it today as the propane truck is scheduled for a delivery. Good news in CA was that I do not have...

Thanks! Appreciate that. Always helpful to better disguise how little I know. :D

Like all newbies, I did everything wrong at first. Including letting the side "skins" from logs get into a huge unmanageable pile. Never do that again. I have a new idea but have not tried it yet. I put a sawbuck next to the mill. Skins from the log will go on it, an electric chain saw makes it...

I don't do that, as unknown bugs and problems can ride in with chips from another property. I only use chips from my own logs ...

Very interesting. I presume due to a different in climate. I want all the wood chips I can get ... especially to keep dust down in summer.

Buy the Woodland Mills chipper and run all the tailings from the mill through it. You'll have enough wood chips to coat large swathes of ground. Oops spending your money again .....

23F as of 3:45am. Forecast is a beautiful clear day here at our ranch in Formerly-Great CA. Discovered a new and large burrow very close to the house. Been seeing a male/female fox pair often, and I fear they might be setting up shop under my house. Need to go down and check that, but not...

FAA pilot exam asked: "GPS orbiting satellites provide navigation signals to your aircraft. How high is their orbit?" (Answer was something like 10,000 *miles* above Earth.) 42F here in the Formerly-Great-State of California. This old farmhouse is not insulated so inside temp was 1 degree...

Good morning all. 24F at 6am in Beautiful Northern Nevada. Currently a Winter Storm Warning in the Sierra Mountains. Due to schedule I must travel over Donner Summit today (elevation 7,227.) Try to avoid mountain+weather driving but need to get to CA today. Biggest risk is someone young and...

Thank you to all. 12F as of 4am Pacific. High yesterday was 32F. Hoping to try a new-to-us shotgun soon. Gave my wife a Ithaca 37 featherlight pump shotgun at Christmas. (20ga) It ejects shells down, not to the side. She is left handed and other side-eject guns whizzed shells in front of her...

Thank you for the thoughts. I will enjoy watching all the new dog pictures as they come. Here he is, more in his prime ...

I lost my beautiful best friend and loved family member a few days ago. A Golden Retriever at only 8 1/2 years old. I wasn't going to post here since my wife and I are still crushed by it. But you all have some great dog pictures here. So I thought I would share. This is one of my favorite...

Well you are an impressively friendly bunch in this thread. I made one post with temperature and weather, and found it attracted 10 likes!! :D We did get snow-- yay- first real snow of the year. So, behind schedule. 15F overnight, still only 22F at almost 9am. Colder than usual.

My wife devised a good trick for the prep. Contrary to the instructions, why of course. The instructions said to mix the nasty Fleet formula in a huge amount of water-- like 1 to 2 gallons. Then drink the entire contents of the putrid nasty water, with each sip nearly provoking a barf. No way...

Good plan! 27F here in beautiful Northern Nevada. First "real" storm of the season due in later today. Maybe a foot of snow over Donner Summit, then numerous more storms coming through next week. We need it here, been a bit of a dry winter so far.

Thank you for sharing that Eddie.

This is so sad. My aunt passed about 10 months ago. She was the shield for my uncle, fighting dementia, He is now alone and making changes to and generally wreaking havoc on a carefully constructed will and trust involving many properties and big $$$. Gentle effort to help him is roughly...

Or this:

I recently installed a DIY retaining wall. My GC1710 did some very difficult digging through very hard rocks, hardpan, and boulders. My soil is rocky, compacted, and sucks. In other times I had a professional excavator on the property for my driveway install and he commented about how hard the...

Congratulations! Send us some working pix when you can.

Come to Nevada and in 8 weeks after death you can end up in a garden pot. "Assembly Bill 289 legalizes so-called 'human composting,' the process of organically disposing of human remains to be converted into soil. Nevada became the seventh state to legalize the practice, according to...

OK, understood. My misunderstanding.

From the article: "Throwing away your kitchen food scraps in the trash can could be breaking a California law" "It's not about punishment or penalizing anybody," "I'm not out there with my ticket book checking everybody's trash can," Total Baloney I have a regular outside can, and a...

Run the numbers side-by-side over 3, 4, 5 years and see how they differ. I believe if you order Starlink today, in a short time you will be back here singing: "Happy Days Are Here Again!" :D

I had HughesNet for years. Only option for me other than nothing. It was a slow and difficult experience, as many here will attest to. But it was better than nothing at all, as I did have email access and could do a little web surfing. I found myself numerous times trying to repoint their dish...

I'm not opposed to physical care at all. The Medicare Wellness Exam also include a mental health and cognitive evaluation. You get certain words spoken to you, then other distracting events take place. Later you need to recall those words. If you don't, bad news. The doctor tells you to draw a...

My family does not agree or consent to do the annual "Medicare Wellness Exam." It is helpful for a baseline to measure against later, no doubt. But our objection is intrusive government spying possibly leading to all sorts of things ... suspension of driving license, taking guns out of a house...

California just enacted (Jan 1 2024) new relaxations on building Accessible Dwelling Units (ADU) on your property. ADU's were allowed before, but requirements are now more relaxed.0 I am researching it now, but appears that if you stay at 800sq ft or less, the local County cannot say NO or...

I have a family member who went through very difficult abdominal surgery in her late 80's. She recovered, and on her 93rd birthday went for a 17 mile bike ride. About age 90 her teeth were getting more crooked. She asked her dentist about getting braces to straighten them, and he said: "Why...

I have streamed TV via Starlink for about a year. Only starting about a month ago has it started dropping out. Only here and there, but it does. What is odd is I usually check other devices, or my router, when it stops streaming. A few times it was a total outage, but most of the time my other...

I just acquired an excellent condition Fill Rite 100 gal tank with 12VDC pump, hose, and meter. For the unbelievable price of $200 if you can believe that. I'm trying to figure out how to move it around and see the hooks on top like your tank has. I don't usually have forks on the front -- have...

I own a Massey 1710 subcompact and Massey 1758 cab tractor. Both have been excellent machines, work hard and are reliable. I do agree a soft cab seems like a lesser solution if you are involved in freezing weather and blowing snow. Not really the climate I spend a lot of time in.

I like innovative approaches such as this!

I have two. Work them all the time. Very satisfied.

I wrote before this particular vendor offers some odd things. Whatever these are, they are not connected to my search history. lol

There is a lot of commentary here focused on "practical" applications or choices about a sawmill. Of course. But my greatest satisfaction with owning a sawmill is not really connected to the realm of "practical." It is instead the satisfaction of harvesting trees that would otherwise be wasted...

I was feeling good until I read this. Dang, I need some sawmill Viagra! :D

You have a lot of excellent patience!

Legitimate feedback, of course. One positive aspect I forgot to add is the financial end. Around here, a used sawmill hardly ever goes up for sale. Ones that do are snapped up quickly and sold for a premium. So if you purchase one and decide it's not for you ... the financial pain is likely to...

One time a caller to the Kim Komando radio show complained about suggestive pop up ads on his computer featuring Asian women wearing lingerie. She artfully danced around trying to gently tell him that the images served up were tied to his browser history of things he had searched for in the...

Temu has some very odd things. Who would wear shoes like these?

I use a PC and tablet. This PC happens to be newly unboxed to replace an older system. I installed irfanview for graphics but nothing else. No suggestive ads, here, none, wink wink.

Saw this ad just now ... did she step on a spider? :D

I believe you will enjoy having a sawmill and get great value from it. Close to 10 years ago I had 20-30 "blowdown" trees after a large wet sloppy windy snowstorm. It took a lot of tractor work to process all those and roll them down ravines where they would rot and go to waste. I really...

Not sure if this has been mentioned. I saw Starlink for sale by Costco-- $2,499.

Popeye can hand crank some amazing loads! I'm wondering how the CAT got on there without deforming the cheesy loading ramps. And something with the coupler doesn't look right-- oh wait, maybe he needed to add a hitch extender!! :LOL:

Big Tex says their PI model has Max Payload of 5,020 lbs. So, hope he has half tank of fuel or less to compensate! https://www.bigtextrailerworld.com/inventory/big-tex-70pi-x-83-x-16-tandem-axle-pipe-top-utility-trailer-12/

He is a for-profit contractor with a responsibility to correct the private property he damaged. At least that how I hope things still work! :LOL:

What is the temperamant of the customer, and what sort of relationship do you have with them to possibly work out an economic result?

The asphalt must be heated to apply it, so why would heat damage it during an attempted repair?

Shortly after finishing my brand new asphalt driveway, a different contractor began working on my entry gates. His older, leaky truck was parked on the lower driveway-- staining the brand new asphalt in many areas. He hired someone to come out with a weed torch to work it. It's not perfect, but...

It was something like if a regular tractor and a Ventrac each weighed the same, the price of the Ventrac would be double. That's about what it was compared to my Massey 1710 although I did buy it several years before the ventrac. The ventrac is expensive-- but does unique functions others do...

I mow about 15-20 acres every summer. I previously used an 8ft rotary cutter behind my tractor mowing at 3mph. Now I am using a Ventrac 4500Y with tough cut mowing at 5mph. Overall, although the cut width is less with the Ventrac, I know I am at least as fast to finishing the job with the...

It is a 60x60 metal building, 4:12 roof pitch with about 3 ft overhang at the eaves, 6" insulation on interior walls and ceiling, and heated .... sort of. It is not heated to comfort standards but has a Reznor 250k btu propane heater that prevents the interior from going below the mid-30's to...

I will look to see if that is possible. But if ice is breaking free and sliding down, it seems it would still catch the gutter?

Here is a picture of the gutter, damage, and profile of the metal roof. The eave extends about 3 feet past the metal building, and I believe this is a contributing factor. So right now I am leaning toward heat tape along the top of the roof above the eave, and inside the gutter as well.

I do like this Raychem product as it increases output/heat as the temperature continues to drop further ..... https://www.nvent.com/en-us/raychem/solutions/residential/applications/roof-gutter-de-icing

My building is properly engineered for snow load for the area. And after LAST year, I know I am safe. We have an unbelievable winter that will likely never recur in my lifetime. 😀

It extends about 3 feet past the exterior wall, 4 in 12 pitch. The building sales person talked me into that configuration to make it more fit in with a "high end residential rural area" and I agree. I regret that decision to this day, for this issue and more.

One of my neighbors in an obstructed environment was having difficulty with wifi calling and Starlink. It would drop out, then come back in about 5 seconds. He always warned callers not to hang up, just wait. Then he upgraded from SL RV system to SL residential. He said those problems...

I have three Starlink systems. Had them for coming up on a couple of years now. There are occasional quirks here and there, but never a problems. Based on my experience many of my rural neighbors bought SL. Installed it in some horribly obstructed locations and it still worked. Yes I use my for...

Fair enough, but that's also what the gutters do. Except when they get torn apart by ice and snow, which I am trying to prevent. 😀

That's call pipe bursting. An aircraft grade cable and very powerful winch pulls a ram through the old pipe, breaking it out as the new pipe is pulled in. I had it done on a prior residence to break out the old and failing sewer line and install a new one. It avoids having to dig up the...

Q- how do you know it is leaking? Pressure loss? Dowsing for it is an option which may or may not work. If you have access to either end of the pipe, or could gain access, you could map out the entire route with an underground locator device. I believe you can rent those. Some models have a...

I have not followed or read the decision, but I heard that the NAR was accused of price fixing RE commissions and lost the case. Not so much on the percentage, but more so that the buyer winds up paying the Seller's cost/payment to the Seller's broker. So now the RE agents (and also new buyers)...

I clicked the back button. Next time I will click more info and see what it says.

My typical firewood is some oak, some madrone. I have had the same experience. Rarely shovel ash even after many fires using madrone. Not so with oak ...

I will get a photo posted when I return. I do have some spare material where I am now, so I can photo that tomorrow. I know it is not a standing seam roof. Already regret that I did not purchase that option.

I replaced an aging PC yesterday with a new one. Since then I periodically get a notice when browsing TBN that the site is unsafe and I should not proceed. It's not happening with any other sites.

I know of a business that has booby trapped cash dispensing machines using non-lethal pepper spray bombs. If you use the appropriate keys to open the machines, all is well. If you crowbar it open .... boom-- you are suddenly in a room filled with pepper spray.

I don't have any doors, etc. that I am concerned with regarding a "snow dump" along that part of the building, which is south facing. The north face side has no gutters at all; therefore, no problems. However, the south side of the building is concreted-- so I need gutters to prevent spalling of...

Especially in CA, it's a minefield. As I recall, to prohibit trespass a property needs to have signage a prescribed distance covering the entire property. A LEO in CA does have the power to order a person not to trespass on a specific piece of private property, which is valid for 30 days. It...

Thanks. Any recommendation on how far apart to install them? I looked at these but there are no instructions ... https://www.homedepot.com/p/Hunter-Green-Commercial-Bulk-Pack-Snow-Guards-Perfect-Seal-Gaskets-and-Screw-50-Quantity-APMINI-HG-50/317984285

Thanks, I am looking at those. It looks like in the picture you wind them around on the top edge of the roof in addition to being inside the gutter?

As Eagle said, pay attention to the type of title you will receive if they total it and you buy it back and fix it. Years ago, I acquired an exotic sports car at an unbelievable price. It had been officially totaled then repaired back to brand new condition, at least visually. I had the dealer...

I have a metal building with deep gutters-- I think they are 8" deep. They span 60 feet of building with a downspout on each side. Last winter, ice tore the gutters up so badly they need removal and complete replacement. I am replacing them now. Also, I have a downspout on a corner of my...

My 2011 GMC Silverado DuraMax has given me excellent service. But the bulb replacement is terrible. To change a headlamp or front turn signal bulb, it's a recommended 2-hour job including removal of body panels including the front grill. A dealers dream for $$. I searched Youtube on how to do...

This article about diesel/electric locomotives is quite interesting ... https://science.howstuffworks.com/transport/engines-equipment/diesel-locomotive.htm

I have a 4x8 very light duty trailer (with wood sides) I use to collect downed branches, debris, etc. I pull it using a Polaris RZR. The hitch ball is mismatched and too small for the trailer coupler. But I know that, am careful with it, and never had a problem. One day my wife was helping me...

That looks very flexible but does not appear perforated. Yes I am thinking of scaling back to 3" as my wall is only 100' long and while I expect run off, hopefully nothing that would exceed 3". I am going to run a solid 4" pipe from the lowest point of the wall, perpendicular, under the wall...

Q- is there any way to bend the rigid white perforated 4" drain pipe? Maybe heat it up a little? I know there is corrugated black perforated drain pipe that is flexible. But I have heard it is subject to collapse and the corrugations cause sediment retention and buildup.

The level of excitement diminished after it blew up and the screen went blank. :LOL:

Interesting to hear drones used for insurance surveys. All of mine so far have been in person. I recently added driveway gates to my residence. That led to cancellation of my policy at next renewal, and grew to include homeowners, multiple rentals, umbrella, and more. Ultimately I chose to...

I will do that when I get home. I do have the trailer unloaded now. btw, I have a Big Tex equipment trailer (same mfgr) and often face identical issues. Seems I am going to need coupler maintenance or replacement.

This says 7,000 gross weight and 5,200 payload.

I have a quality barn that is hamstrung by low end doors. I fight with them all the time and it sucks. If I did it again I would figure out which door I would use the most-- and buy the best most high quality unit I could find. Good luck.

Years ago, I had just freshly greased a hitch ball that was still in the receiver hitch on the back of this same truck. Then my friends wife walked past it, wearing white pants, and getting a little too close. She wasn't a happy camper. btw this trailer has a placard saying 5,000 payload only...

Thank you for the replies. It is a light duty dump trailer. 5x10 with 5,000# payload capacity. Tongue weight? I don't know but the dump function could not raise the load until I raked some material out and I also charged the battery. I will get some pictures of the coupler. I have used WD40...

I have constant problems with my hitch ball / coupler connections. No matter how I seem to manipulate the coupler latch device, the coupler does NOT want to come free of the ball as I jack the trailer up to disconnect. This is an ongoing problem and it nearly caused a disaster. I brought a...

It is such a difficult time. You took great care of your dog and got to spend some quality time before it got to this. It is always terrible and difficult to have to make such a decision.

They are manufactured stones designed to stack atop one another. One version has an added lip in the back, and as you add each course the wall moves slowly back toward the dirt or hill behind it. My version has no lip and they stack vertically. There are two pins near the center of each stone...

Regarding backfill, a couple of questions. - My first course is below grade. What material should I use to fill after this first (below grade) course is added? Only for this first course, I have to add material both behind and in front of the blocks. What material do I use? Choices: - Gravel...

Thanks. Is there a recommendation on a type of fabric that is less prone to clogging?

Good idea thanks. When I installed my rear driveway I used 10" ductile iron to move irrigation ditch water under that driveway. I chose that as I could only embed 6 inches and I drive my motorhome across it (50,000 lbs). The 20' piece of pipe was $900 (then) but I think it was well worth it.

Dry rocky crappy Northern Nevada including some clay and freeze / thaw cycles. I phoned my excavation contractor this morning. He suggested SDR 35 (green) pipe from the back side of the wall, under the wall, then out to daylight. He said staying under the wall is less risky as if there becomes...

I'm building a retaining wall using stacking stones (not the kind with a lip in back.) It's kind of a lazy quarter-circle shape, slowly descending, about 100 ft long, with a gentle slope behind it. I have excavated a trench about 2 ft wide and roughly a foot deep-- for 6" of compacted type 2...

Such a sad time but I understand. And if there is good news it is that you have had time with him that has been so valuable. I don't wish to raise any false hopes, as the most important thing is confidence in your vet. But our dog also has an auto-immune problem and he has gone through a *lot*...

This is a very good solution. Bypass the cigarette lighter plug, use the onboard battery of the ATV. Plus the power pole connector "pigtail" you bring off the ATV battery can be used for other things. I do this to power a tank/sprayer when driving the ATV around spraying weeds. You can also get...

We have plenty of residential heaters around here that use home heating oil / diesel fuel. If it visually appears good that is probably a good destination plus saves me disposal. I'm not going to run any amount of it through any engines. Not worth the risk. Thanks for all of the input!

Makes sense, thanks! Since the fuel in question powers a very expensive engine, I'm going to pump it all out and examine it. If it seems OK, I will probably find another use for it instead of disposing it. Except I don't have any diesel engine I would be comfortable damaging, of course. Q- if...

Makes a lot of sense. Except 75 gals of diesel is a lot more than $300 here. :D Separately, I just acquired a 100 gal storage tank and fill-rite pump and meter. Now I need to figure out how to store fuel and cycle it often enough that it doesn't go bad.

I have about 75 gals of 4 year old diesel fuel and am wondering what I should do with it. The fuel has been sitting in the fuel tank of a diesel pusher motorhome fuel tank. The fuel tank is 150 gals, or about 1/2 full. The motorhome has been always stored inside an insulated metal building...

I see no reporting at all on the West Coast.

I left CA about 10 years ago for reasons you described. Moved just across the border, so I still enjoy the CA marvelous backcountry, but I don't fund the nonsense decisions with my tax dollars. It's so corrupt, it's hard to describe. As part of "feel good" politics, some time ago CA implemented...

Here's how crazy it is. Stores hire uniformed security guards. Then instruct the guards not to intervene even if blatant shoplifting happens. They don't want to be on the wrong end of a news story or lawsuit so they just let it happen. So why do they spend the money to pay the guard?

I lived in California for many decades. Spent countless days in the forested back country of Northern California. Only went to San Francisco twice. The forested back country is as beautiful and plentiful as ever. It's the big cities (and some of the small ones) that have been ruined by poor...

It's not at all applicable to the electric fires you mentioned, but I am a big fan of the Amerex 2.5 gallon water fire extinguishers around rural property. I always carry them on outdoor equipment during fire season, and often use them to spray the perimeter of burn piles as I am burning to...

It's not just small businesses. Just in the last few days it has been announced by 3 companies that well over 1,000 pharmacies will be permanently closing soon. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12561125/cvs-pharmacy-shutting-stores-2024.html

I applaud supporting a local dealer this way. Unfortunately, most of the time it works the opposite. I watched a highly successful, long term camera store grapple with the rise of internet shoppers. Everyone continued coming to their store for advice plus the ability to pick up and handle...

After putting in a rear driveway I had to re-route our irrigation ditch water. This required a new concrete water distribution box with slide gates and a concrete channel/approach. Called every contractor in town and I couldn't find ANYONE to do concrete work. Finally a concrete delivery...

Terrible news.

I was dressed in forestry helmet and chain saw chaps bucking firewood. Stopped for a break and removed my helmet. Snapped a small branch/twig over my knee to throw on the firewood pile, and a piece broke out and flew into my eye. Within a few minutes I was completely blind in that one eye. I...

I remembered this thread-- as something relevant has occurred. A neighbor seeks to move out of state. Sell personal residence, sell business real estate property, and buy new out of state personal residence. As of now here is where these transactions stand: - the out of state home acquisition...

Same thing with new motorcycle riders. I used to teach motorcycle safety. Riders would arrive just before our 8am class. Sometimes they had to wait in the center lane until oncoming traffic cleared. When I could I would watch their arrivals. More than once I saw new riders slow down in the...

Before tax. Isn't that the 102% tax bracket? :ROFLMAO::LOL:

Just think of their success rate had they gone into the field of auto wrecking and vehicle dismantlers ...

Got to my CA property last night. So I ran a SL speedtest here.. First test since global outage. About 5am it was 12mbps. ???? Just now it was 160mbps, about 90 minutes later. Makes no sense. Now I wonder which neighbor was downloading p-o-r-n at 5am. :LOL:

Guess I am hoping for more occasional global outages! My speed in Northern NV has consistently exceeded 150mbps since the outage. About 4x typical speed. 250mbps right now.

When mine came back online it was unusually fast. 160mbps VS typical 35. Its still quite fast today.

Same experience here. At 3:30am this morning I would expect low system loading, yet my speed was 12mbps. 13 hours later, about 4:30pm, its 43mbps. Each of those is about a million times faster than my former HughesNet. :)

I don't think so. Years ago, I flew a single engine plane from California to Anchorage, Fairbanks, and eventually the Arctic Circle. I've heard 98% of the State is still as wild now as it was back then. Ditto on visiting Denali park. Although you can no longer drive in, which actually is good...

One of my SL locations is quite rural and I visit infrequently. So I have IP cameras and a Synology NAS running surveillance station to keep an eye on things remotely. I wanted to use the SL router at that location. Except the Synology NAS wants each camera at a fixed IP. It became a confusing...

Everyone has an opinion. Mine is there is a lot of factually incorrect, naive, bad advice in this thread. This is a topic where I have a substantial amount of expertise and decades of experience. In other threads I would respond on the points. But in this one I believe it is a total waste of...

I am surprised at the comment and the number of "likes." Having been a licensed RE broker, in multiple states, for a very long time I have a difficult time understanding any of this. I guess the average public sees a quick sale on a property and deduces its peaches and cream and easy money in...

Many people were extremely helpful to your inquiry. I learned some new and valuable things as well. Glad your trip was a success!

Taking it one notch further, you were born helpless and totally dependent on others for survival-- so what has changed? :LOL:

Couple of thoughts if you do come back, or consider relocating .... At Donner Summit, there is a memorial to ... drum roll ... the Donner Party! It's worth stopping to see. If you could rent a cabin at Donner Lake for a few days that would be tremendous to see. Of course the town of Truckee is...

I'd like to learn more about the tree shortage. That is a new perspective for me. For decades I have read stories that the lumber industry was destroyed by the efforts to protect the spotted owl. But I wasn't there. Here is an example: "The fight was over protecting the owl’s habitat. After...

Spent a great deal of time in the CA backcountry. Almost never see trash or litter. Had a once in a lifetime experience at Alpine Lake. Was on the wooden dock, just before dusk, fishing with a friend. An osprey hit the water and caught a trout in its talons. A nearby bald eagle came to protect...

ATV use is very common. Many developed roads and trails are open to ATV's. The Marines you saw were at "MWTC". That is their Mountain Warfare Training Center. It was a beehive of activity during the war in Afghanistan, since it offered a training platform similar to the mountainous terrain there.

That road goes to Highland Lakes. The road sort-of follows along the Mokelumne river which is something between a creek and a river depending on elevation and time of the year. Highland lakes is a pair of lakes, sort of in a bowl with mountains on most sides. Developed sites for camping exist...

I know that exact curve. Very steep terrain and no guard rails. I love driving Ebbetts Pass. I'm glad you did it multiple times. I drove a 34 ft diesel motorhome over the pass one time. Was quite an experience. Especially when I met up with an opposite direction 1 ton dually truck pulling a 35...

That is a pair of lakes called Mosquito Lakes. Actually I think they are more pond size than a lake, but that is the name. I have fished and caught trout there. The cabin is an old forest service property that is now on a private 99-year lease. There are a number of such cabins all around...

Glad you found Calaveras County, Calaveras Big Trees, and Ebbetts Pass. I've owned a mountain cabin in the area for decades and it is wonderful country. And of all my many travels, Ebbetts Pass offers almost unrivaled scenery. Glad you are enjoying your trip!

Our neighbor in Northern CA was away for a significant time with medical issues. They had bear intrusions into their home and it was substantially wrecked.

Update: The infamous "Hank the Tank" bear has been captured and will be relocated ... https://mynews4.com/news/local/notorious-hank-the-tank-the-bear-behind-more-than-20-tahoe-break-ins-captured-by-wildlife-officials#

I have installed SL in two forested locations that looked flat impossible for signal. One of them ultra flat impossible with heavy forest and only a tiny slice of sky view. But SL worked in each location! I finally found a location last week where SL was not usable. It would go Online for a few...

Spent the last week in Yosemite. Been awhile since I have been there. Awesome. Spectacular. One of a kind!

He has a judgment problem. He will have much to answer for if the wounded angry bear grabs a child in the community. After it has absorbed the purposeful non-lethal shot delivered by a complete idiot. For his "convenience" to not deal with a carcass, he causes enormous animal suffering plus...

Thanks. Did you fabricate that or was it a sawmill factory option?

SR, can you elaborate on the setup with your crank winch and how you use it? I'm using my Frostbite grapple to turn really big logs but doing that is getting old ...

Westfield Mall in San Fran just pulled the plug. 1.2 million sq ft of retail space plus another 300,000 sq feet of office space. A very prominent location. Westfield decided to stop making its loan payments and default-- even though that means losing their entire investment. It was no longer...

Wow this report says 30 hotels might shut down in SF. Huge game changer if that happens. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12174875/San-Franciscos-hotel-exodus-just-beginning-30-face-massive-loan-payment-dates.html

Looks like one of the most prominent hotel chains in the USA has now pulled the plug .... shutting down two major hotels. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/park-hotels-leaving-san-francisco-clouded-recovery/

I had a similar experience with Deere and also Kubota. I was a cash buyer who got alarmed that if I couldn't get the time of day when I wanted to hand them money, what kind of service would I get after the deal was done? I wound up buying other brands for mower and tractor(s). From dealers who...

Drove south on Hwy 395 yesterday from Reno to Bishop, CA. All mountain passes over the sierras west to east are still closed. (Monitor, Tioga, etc.) Noticed one of them advises 26% uphill grade. I believe Ebbetts pass (4) is 24% grade. I took this pix out my windshield not far north of Mammoth...

That is a very good idea!

Used my grapple to move a pile and twisted heap of old metal-- parts of a frame, an axle, and assorted hardware from an antique wagon. Picked up the metal pile with the grapple. After lifting, a few metal strips were dangling (too) close to the ground. I was worried one of those strips might...

You will be in the vicinity of the year-over-year #1 most requested campground listed on Reserve America-- New Brighton Beach. You can also drive in for day use. It's a pretty awesome bluff top view, and a spectacular beach. http://www.californiasbestcamping.com/monterey/new_brighton.html btw...

Crime is only one issue. The last time I stayed in San Fran I didn't get any sleep. It's a 24-hour city populated full of weirdos, druggies, and street people. Those types thrive at night and it is loud. Even inside our hotel, a nice one, the howling from the street people was so loud that my...

Good suggestions. I got caught up in the recent Asus router whirlpool of problems recently, and a few things have been odd ever since. Nothing definitive I can pin down, just a few oddities here and there. The SL speed "healed itself." (I hate it when that happens!!) Although later in the day...

Thanks. Mine is up to 18MBPS now. Not blazing speed, but a lot better than 2!

Anyone else experiencing slow speeds? At 6am I was 2.2MB download, now "up" to 4.4MB at 7am. Quite unusual.

Another common misunderstanding is regarding "all the money the agent makes." That usually pops up when an expensive home is listed then quickly sold. The agent bags a large commission for seemingly little work. Based on that one transaction, it looks almost like the agent won a lottery. But...

I am a licensed real estate broker in multiple states. This is always a very helpful forum, but I admit I cringe at some of the comments made here. Real estate is a highly complex industry, much more so than most people believe. A good agent with strong background and experience is quite...

My scissor lift is very sensitive to any slope. Also, if the deck is raised at all some bars extend downward for added stability. I would check to see if you have any such bars contacting the ground (along the sides of the scissor lift.) I used it all the time with no problems. Then started...

If he is going through Nevada, don't forget to mention Virginia City. Somewhat of a tourist trap, but also a hidden treasure. Lots of history there. A little known fact is that when the Virginia City silver mines were running, they were burning 100 cords of wood per day to run the smelters. 100...

😃

Might be July before tioga pass opens ... https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/gonna-while-see-crews-wall-163227579.html

I purchased a Frostbite grapple about 6 months ago. I have used it extensively for this cleanup. It is so efficient to drag/pull an entire tree to the burn pile, then buck it and burn it there. Regarding the burn quantity, last year was a drought. So burning days were restricted, and some piles...

Rough winter in CA. This morning was the 11th morning I spent burning, about 55-60 large piles so far. Probably more than half done at this point, but that is only to address immediate need stuff. Lots of downed trees that will become lumber. But who knows when there is time to do that...

I drive it frequently. It is one of my favorite drives. Hwy 95 is good condition smooth pavement almost the entire way. Light traffic and typical speed is 75-80. Beautiful mountain range views all around. I fuel in Tonopah, an approximate half way point. Lots of small towns on the trip.

Infinitely better than a unidirectional service. :D

Found this pic at the beginning of the trip over Ebbetts Pass in CA.

It doesn't involve a trailer, but it's not everyday you see a vehicle crash into the 2nd story of a house .... https://mynews4.com/news/local/gallery/one-person-rescued-after-car-crashed-into-placer-county-home-safety?photo=1

I am wondering about the same question. But slightly different. I have a 2011 GMC quad cab duramax. About 230k miles. Originally I figured, as it got older, I would greatly reduce my usage by driving something else and only using the truck when I tow. Except I tow all the time. My truck is my...

I owned a 2-seat Mercedes 380SL sports car. At 66,000 miles it threw the timing chain. Ruined the engine. No recommendation in the owner's manual about it. Dealer quoted $7,500. I researched and found the "450" engine used to have a double row timing chain but they changed to single row to save...

It's a Newmar Baystar. Ford 7.3 "Godzilla" engine, I think 430hp. I'm a little more concerned about braking than pulling hills. I have 6,000 - 8,000 mountain passes in every direction I go, sometimes 3 of those or more. Last year I came through Monitor Pass, towing the Jeep Wranger but with no...

The Fit has an interesting advantage with the "magic seats." You can apparently fold ALL seats down including the front seats. That would allow transporting large items like a dog pen, etc.

I'm moving down from a monster diesel pusher motor home to a shorter, less powerful gas unit. I towed my Jeep wrangler behind it once but found I would like something lighter to tow. The wrangler is 3,500lb +/-. A chevrolet Spark is about 2,200 lbs and manual shift models can be flat towed...

Here is a picture I took this morning. I'm on the east side of the Sierra Nevada range, facing west. In Owens Valley, near Bishop, CA. For perspective, Owens Valley is high desert at elevation around 4,000'. Yosemite is on the back side of the Sierra Nevada range that is pictured, somewhat to...

Been in Las Vegas this past week. Using SL RV. When it works, it is great. But there are many lags or short duration dropouts. Not just mine but others nearby as well. Seems if you use it constantly, it is better. But go fix a sandwich and return, and you have to wait 30-60 seconds before...

Here is information on the night hikes and moonbows. Some people are hesitant to hike at night due to bear activity. But during the busy summer it is not an issue, can sometimes even be a little crowded at night. https://yosemitehotels.com/news/what-to-do-in-yosemite-at-night/

It is little known but might be yet another jewel for your trip. Along the route I mentioned earlier (Hwy 4 over Ebbetts Pass) there is a State Park called Calaveras Big Trees. It includes giant sequoias (redwoods.) There is a 2.5 mile hike route and a 5 mile hike route. I have done both of...

I would suggest allocating a day in Sacramento. There is an excellent rail museum and it is worth visiting. It is located in "Old Sacramento" with cobblestone streets and lots of shops. Worth adding into the trip. Your family will love it. https://www.californiarailroad.museum/ I once stayed...

Could you cover the antenna and see what a ping returns?

My SL antenna is temporarily sitting in a pasture awaiting a new mount. It's surrounded by at least a foot of snow and all still working well. Surprising since it did fall behind on snow melt before. btw, just checked ping times to 100.64.0.1. Two computers, side by side, an older Win 7 machine...

lol :LOL:

Agreed. I formerly had HughesNet in CA and ATT DSL in NV. SL is far better than either of them. I posted a while back about a 2nd router failure with SL. But it wasn't a router failure. What I believed was a router problem turned out to be a problem with the 150' cable. Oddly, it had been...

I posted a while ago about one neighbor who is in a very bad position for SL. Just a small hole in the forest. I loaned him my SL to try, it worked ..... not perfect ... but acceptably well. He has been on SL now for about 6 months and likes it. I took SL to another neighbor with a ridiculously...

I still don't know for sure what happened. Although it is intuitive that you think you should be controlling the SL system you are locally connected to, that doesn't necesarily happen. After thinking about it, I *think* the SL app determines which login you are currently using, then searches...

I was standing by my RV while in Oregon, using my SL RV unit. Packing up getting ready to go. I was connected from my phone to the SL RV wifi signal. I gave the command to stow the dish. But it didn't stow it. Unknown to me at the time, it instead stowed the dish at my home location 600 miles...

I had to change the RV router to use bypass mode. No changes other than that. The SL router, 3rd party router, and NAS are on battery backup and conditioned power. I found reports where the seating on the connector at the antenna has worked its way to be a little loose over time. I was able...

I have what seems to be another SL router failure. My SL router (CA property) stopped working. All network system components were plugged in and powered up, but internet connectivity stopped. I verified the light on the bottom of the SL router was lit. Cycled power on the SL router, and...

How about an XUV835? Starting at "only" $39,449 .... but that includes the "Pro" brush guard ....

The neighbor has moved his encroaching items back onto his property. After reviewing the "wildlife friendly" pdf referred to earlier, I decided to install a wildlife friendly fence. A smooth wire top and bottom, with a two barbed wires in between. In this area of my property there has been a...

Interesting. It did start snowing even though temps were above freezing. Something like 37F.

Just fyi about 2 inches of overnight snow disabled my Starlink recently. Not sure why-- I verified my app is set to "auto" regarding snow melt. Brushed the snow off the antenna easily. Nothing was stuck or adhering. It came back online quickly.

Typical lowest outside temp is in the mid to high 20s. So a little above freezing in outbuildings.

Just ran into another one. Under a portable HEPA filter sitting on piece of lumber. It didn't move so I just put things back the way they were. I'm leaving them alone .... I read if it warms up a little they will become active again and either leave, or change position.

Saw a bat today. It was in my barn attic below several layers of wood lattice. I discovered it when I moved the wood. It moved only slightly. At first I thought it was a small tarantula. Once I figured out it was a bat I replaced a piece of lattice over it and left. I did not touch it. I was...

I appreciate all the responses and am considering what type of fencing to use. Need to decide very soon. Electric is impractical. It's probably 2,000 ft from my closest available electric plus the electric would have to cross a creek. The .pdf file from Colorado is very informative!

Very good suggestion. I have some old power poles laying around and they will be put into service!!!!

A new neighbor is encroaching across the property line. I need to get his encroaching items back onto his own property and then fence it to make the property line very visible and stop further encroachment. Oddly, this property line is well marked and flagged. Just a disrespectful neighbor.

I need to add fencing near a neighbor who is doing things to make me want that. It's about 1,000 feet of fencing total. For strength, I'm considering wood posts at end points, and also periodically along the run. The rest will be metal T-posts. 4' high. My wife is concerned about wildlife and...