Good morning!!!!

[toppop52]

Drew, a very common problem on vehicles that sit a lot in humid areas is surface rust on the rotors, if you start off and lightly apply the brakes at low speeds, it will clean it off with no issues, but if you go up to speed, the rust causes drag on the pads/rotors and generates a lot of heat in a hurry. It's a real problem here at car lots where cars may remain undriven for a month or more.

Hot and humid for the next three days, mid 90's. It's September, not July!

I don't have a whole house generator, but am seriously considering one, I have enough generator wattage to power the whole house, but not as simple and fool proof. I'll probably end up with propane, I like diesel, but we don't need them often enough to justify the cost and problems with fuel storage. We've been in this house almost 5 years and haven't been without power more than a few hours.

 

[sodamo]

David, I know you're missing tractors, so I found a place where you can see some while you wait for your cruise... Germany Has Best Farm Machinery Museum In The World The Deutsches Landwirtschaftsmuseum in Germany is the best farm machinery museum in the world, and it recently opened a new Harvesting Hall. The museum is located on the grounds of the University of Hohenheim near Stuttgart. It's worth the trip to Germany just to see the museum's comprehensive collection. The energetic curator, Dr. Klaus Herrmann, organizes an annual field day every fall. The Hohenheimer Feldtag is held over a weekend around the second week of September each year. The event lets visitors see a wide range of working equipment, both vintage and modern. That ranges from two men actually pulling a plow to oxen plow teams to steam traction to modern diesel tractors at work. The museum has the world's oldest surviving planting machine, made by a local manufacturer in 1823. It's constructed of wood, and it still works. The collection of models in the main machinery hall is stunning for its sheer range and number of models. The world's oldest surviving internal combustion tractor is there. That's the Mechwart, built in Hungary in 1896. An original Lanz tractor is there, along with several in the Bulldog series and many original German tractors as well as others from all around the world. For more information contact the Deutsches Landwirtschaftsmuseum, Universitat Hohenheim, Garbenstrasse 9 and 9A, 70593 Stuttgart, Germany. Their office phone is 0711 459 2979.

Sounds like a great place to visit, and only 230 miles from the boat problem is, if I went there I'd also want to visit the Mercedes Benz museum.
In 1966/67 I was stationed at Nelligan Barracks Germany before going to Vietnam, considerably closer.

 

[farmer2009]

73 this morning and headed to 92 today. Currently 80.

Yesterday's hay bailing went better. Different farm, fewer weeds, better grass. Then Dad called about 8:30pm last night to say baler tractor was making a knocking noise in the front of the motor, and he needed lights. So I get there to find not a thrown rod or dropped valve but a broken fan shroud. Remedied that with a cordless sawzall. Dew was falling by this time so we quit for the night. But did get back in time to talk to the farmer that rents the neighbors place. He had just finished shelling the corn, 175 bu/acre average. Said been doing 215 in the bottoms, but this was hill ground. And will be planting wheat for this winter. Which is always good to hear. Most of the silt in my pond is the topsoil to that farm. Winter wheat really cuts into that sediment.

Back to the hay field to hopefully finish what's cut. Then move equipment back home.

 

[rswyan]

83.5F and partly sunny/cloudy @ 11:30 ... high today of 86F with a heavy thunderstorm. I'll bet we beat the predicted high.

We have a pool of very hot air sitting on top of us right now. Last night when I knocked off up in the shop around 23:30, it was around 76F and very humid.

Supposed to cool down into the mid-70's by Sunday. Can't happen too soon for me.

 

[RoyJackson]

For those of you that have stationary backup generators, how did you decide on Kohler vs. Generac, and did any of you consider any of the offerings from Cumins or Caterpillar?

If the Cummins and Cat gennys are diesel...well, diesel generators are about 1.5 to 2 times the price of a propane or LNG generator (for the same kilo wattage output)

 

[RedNeckGeek]

Good Morning! 81F @ 9:30AM. Abundant sunshine. High 92F. Winds light and variable.

Thanks for the info, Roy. If for no other reason than convenience, I'd prefer a propane generator. Even though the truck and tractor both burn Diesel, I don't have a storage tank and really don't want one. I already have a propane tank that doesn't get much use beyond keeping the water heater hot, and plumbing a line to an outside generator wouldn't take much effort at all. And if going that way saves money, who's gonna complain about that?

I'm encouraged by the visits made yesterday by Calfire and California State Parks personnel in regard to the work needed to repair the new fire lines. I felt like they listened to my concerns while helping me understand the limits of what they can do. In a very real sense I'm grateful for the work that was done, especially to the west and south where the property line to the park is so close I was not really meeting the 100' defensible space guidelines. Now it's easily double that, but at the cost of open soil and large banks of mixed tree/brush/dirt that I just can't tackle without a large cash outlay. Since it lies on state property, I probably can't do anything on my own and it's good to hear that the parks people recognize it can't stay the way it is.

Other than that, yesterday was quiet with no further fire activity on this end, and almost no radio traffic as of last night. So this morning I'll start unloading the truck and putting things back to what passes as normal around here. The water softener people were due out yesterday for another repair attempt, but were turned away by the sheriff's deputies because of the evacuation. That lifted at 6:30 last night, so he's coming this afternoon.

Thanks for all your concerns and support during all this. It's comforting to know my TBN buddies have my back!

It's been a heck of a week, and I can't wait for Friday this time around!

 

[RedNeckGeek]

Just to give a better feel for the firefighting effort, here is some additional info on the fire here, now called the Saddle Fire:

Acres Burned - Containment: 850 acres - 50% contained
Structures Threatened: 100
Structures Destroyed: 3
Cause: Under Investigation
Cooperating Agencies: BCSO, CHP, State Parks, Cal Trans, NVADG, Butte County Public Works, Town of Paradise Public Works, Paradise P.D. Butte EMS, Butte County Search & Rescue. USFS, BLM, CCC
Total Fire Personnel: 1427
Total Fire Engines: 30
Total Fire Crews: 18
Total Helicopters: 5
Total Dozers: 7
Total Water Tenders: 12

That's a heck of a lot of people, and I wish I could thank each and every one of them personally!

 

[daugen]

Well Lenny I didn't have anyone to keep me home and I bought a used Massey today too!
Little newer...out the door for 11.9k including full service. I think a fair price for a tractor bought through a dealer that cost
the original buyer about 19k new. Other than a little rust on the hitch balls, there is zero rust anywhere. A garage queen...

Went to the local MF dealer about 45 minutes away to get a set of filters, they had everything in stock and the outer air filter comparable to my Kubota
was twenty bucks less each. All good, I bought two...they are actually more expensive online. Old Massey dealer, doesn't look like it will last much longer, not much equipment out front, and you can't sell from an empty shelf. The parts guy had been there 42 years and was just wonderful. No one else in there from the time I went in until the time I left. Luckily the other "local" MF dealer is about an hour away in the other direction, where this tractor originally came from.
I'm finally back to two tractors, sure missed my little IH 245 I gave to my Quaker Meeting before I moved down here. And now with increasing physical limitations, I have wished I had paid the freight company to make another trip. We ran out of room on my move and I reluctantly left it behind. Well, now I got something newer and bigger but otherwise identical. Simple. Easy to understand. My favorite feature so far are the remote zerk grease lines going to the front axle center bearing. How cool to be able to grease easily from the side without bending over or crawling under.
Dealer is changing oil and replacing all filters. Primary and secondary Bosch fuel filters. They will deliver end of next week and bring my old Cub Cadet with it. And then take back my Kubota for a full service, it's been two years. I think I bent something in the FEL since it's not coming down quite level. Bucket slopes to the right a little bit and it really needs to be level. Wonder what I torqued around...

Lastly went to big AgriSupply in Greenville, and picked up a trailer mover for the three point hitch; exact same one at TSC was forty dollars more. I wish they price matched; much prefer the local TSC.

David, make sure you sample enough of the wines. Besides, they drive the boat...

 

[txdon]

RNG, that is a lot of fire personnel - 1427. Is there any breakdown of volunteer and paid? I see the cause is still under investigation, but have you heard of any speculations? Is your weather holding or are there changes coming that might cause concern?

 

[RedNeckGeek]

RNG, that is a lot of fire personnel - 1427. Is there any breakdown of volunteer and paid? I see the cause is still under investigation, but have you heard of any speculations? Is your weather holding or are there changes coming that might cause concern?

There were five spot fires strung along the road at the top of the south canyon wall, so most people I talked to think it was a dragging safety chain or some other automotive source. I gave brief consideration to my insane ex wife, but I don't think even her heart could be that cold.

The weather is actually improving, with a cooling trend lasting into next week with decreasing winds. There's still a steady stream of helicopters ferrying water to various hot spots, but there's been no spread in the last 36 hours and it looks like it'll be all clean up from here on.

Huge relief all the way around!