24/7 Chat About Anything

[SLB_SA]

Oh, I heard North Idaho had snow a few days ago also. I feel for you... I'm hoping for no more snow this year but I've seen snow here as late as April 28, in past years. I'm at the top of California about 20 miles from Oregon.

Humboldt and Del Norte counties are beautiful and where I grew up. Have you visited the small "towns" in the area like Gasquet, Carlotta, Ferndale, Loleta, Smith River, the towns along the Avenue of the Giants, Somoa, Blue Lake, Trinidad, etc. plus Brookings and Gold Beach?  I spent a couple summers in Gasquet, frequently went rafting at Willow Creek, took bike trips from Eureka to Benbow in the summer, camped all over northern California and coastal Oregon, etc.  Camping near Tillamook is nice (depending on the weather).

 

[bullfrog]

It is difficult to change when you don't really want to and are forced. The majority of my family home is under water and the rest is a Corp of Engineer's campground named after a family member sort of, Zilda Powers became Zilpo. Sad but true! I ended up workamping on our old homestead as our last job before we left years ago. Ended up working out well for us as we have explored places, seen things and made friends we never would have. Hope you are able to embrace your journey and enjoy the future! Best Wishes, you are not by yourself in this one!

 

[Gypsy108]

As usual...spent most of the day looking at vans & RV’s.... I joined a gym again.....so frustrating to always be wondering how you will survive if you leave a relationship...section 8 apartments have long waiting lists.... it’s too weird to go a roommate route... I don’t have enough income to qualify for an apartment... I dread like hell to have to live out of my car...I just go around in circles with this....at least I have a roof over my head now and all the comforts of home...I’m living in luxury.... but I can’t see the sky, or smell the forest or sea..... 

Now my plan is to get into better shape so I can be strong.... cause I’m so weak now...
I could could barely walk for 5 minutes on the treadmill today....

 

[Random Painted Highway]

"I could could barely walk for 5 minutes on the treadmill today" ...but you DID!  Keep going!

 

[travelaround]

Five minutes is a good start if you're just starting out on a treadmill. When I was in Idaho I used to go to a gym there and use the treadmill, but I think my normal was only 20 or 30 minutes, and that wasn't the first day. It got to be a frequent habit after a while. Now I just go to the park for a walk. Once around the park, not fast or any attempt at a huge distance... my knees are going bad ever since I was staying in Yreka after the fire last year. It is osteoarthritis. A doctor put shots in my knees right before I moved back to the forest.

Today I did laundry and transplanted three rose bushes that were dug out by the excavator yesterday before they got started on totally obliterating the area where the roses had been struggling to emerge. After transplanting them, my energy failed - maybe because of exercise in the sunshine? I came home and took a nap.

Here's the after picture of the yard.

 

[crofter]

Boy TA, your experience with this fire is certainly a cautionary tale for those who live in the woods. Fire is one element you only want a little of.

 All the years I lived in the woods, the big fires stayed away. And here this one rampaged right through your town. I am still awestruck by it.

The lot looks nice, ready for the next step. Are you going to hydroseed your lot or just let it come in natural?
-crofter

 

[maki2]

Nice view of the hillsides near you. So good to see the wreckage gone out of the picture. Your heart must have soared a little higher with that burden lifted.

 

[maki2]

I took down my Clam today. Overall, I thought it did a pretty good job withstanding winds it was not designed to withstand. But I'm gonna spend some time this summer on repairing and reinforcing all attachment points, and devising a better guy line system, a couple of the guy lines it came with tore completely through. I think I'm going to both glue and stitch my reinforcement patches.

I emailed the company asking if they would sell me fabric off-cuts for reinforcement patches and adding gear pockets and they don't do that. they did tell me that the fabric is coated 200-denier nylon. Seattle Fabrics sells something that looks very similar. they're not open for walk-in customers, but I have a fantasy that they might be willing to come out to my car and take a look.

Bring the Clam with you when you come over to Doug and Paulettes when they move over by JiminDenver. I have the right fabric you need for the mending as well as the tent mending adhesive plus the needle and thread too. Fabric is not a perfect color match but it is close enough. You can work on reinforcing it now so you can use it for your next campsite. I will be working on mine so no inconvenience to me as I will have the supplies already out.

I have been to Seattle Fabrics many times, they were a short drive from where I spent the last decade. A lot of my build fabric and some of the insulation materials were purchased from them. I miss them like crazy. Quartzsite is a barren desert when it comes to sewing and canvas work supplies. Of course the same thing is true for lumber supplies.

 

[travelaround]

Are you going to hydroseed your lot or just let it come in natural?

I'm undecided on what to do next. Really, just waiting for the toxicity report from soil samples. I heard one of my neighbors has a mobile home on order already - and said something about using the property as collateral. That's not what I want to do. I want no payments. Whatever little house I put on there, it has to be paid for in full. No loans to repay. No mortgages. I've been in debt before and don't want to ever do that to myself again.

 

[maki2]

Might think about a lawn of clover for a couple of years. No mowing needed and it will put nitrogen into the soil. You do want something growing ASAP so the noxious weeds don't take it over. Thistles and such are hell if they get a chance to establish on bare ground. The local farmers co-op or feed and seed stores can advise you and they sell the seed in quantity at lower cost than big box stores.

 

[travelaround]

Alright then - I'll go visit my favorite nursery in Yreka to ask for advice on this. The man who owns it is a genius when it comes to anything about plants. He should know what would grow well out here in the forest.

 

[maki2]

Be careful today out there on the internet. April 1st is National Fake The News Day and get applauded for the effort.

By the way, today is my birthday...

 

[Gypsy108]

By the way, today is my birthday...

:heart: Happy Birthday Maki2 
I hope something magical and awesome awaits you today !

 

[B and C]

Giving us April fools day and then saying it is your birthday in the same post is so "you ain't right" material.

If it is indeed your birthday, HAPPY Birthday!

 

[desert_sailing]

Yo.... Brian

How did that Rhinolining go?

Did you post some pics..?.. can you?

I had thought about the bed liner route before but got slapped at more often than not.

What do you think about it.. can you give a rough price?... Did YOU do much prep or was that the included?

 

[highdesertranger]

Happy Birthday Maki. Highdesertranger

 

[B and C]

Yo.... Brian

How did that Rhinolining go?

What do you think about it.. can you give a rough price?... Did YOU do much prep or was that the included?

It went OK other than the original painter quitting over the job.  It was too much work for him (LOL)  My son says auto painters are primo donnas.  They were able to get another guy in there to finish the job.  It took 3 weeks instead of the one to one and a half originally talked about.

The surface is a lot like 80 grit sandpaper even with two coats of automotive paint over it.  I shouldn't have any trouble with desert pinstriping now though and it doesn't look derelict anymore.  I should be able to touch up any rough areas that may come along with a rattle can.  I did not do any prep work other than remove my solar panels.

Cost = OUCH!  $5,500 + change but not bad considering how big the van is.


In the shop getting sanded


I am really missing the two tone paint.  Looks like a white whale now.  Not gonna change its' name though.

 

[Gypsy108]

:heart: Looks beautiful !

 

[desert_sailing]

A white beast... Looks great!
I will have no choice but to also do a paint job very very soon before any real damage happens.

@ 5000+ i probably will have to do most of it myself..lol... If not all of and with ratttle cans. I was thinking of doing a macco job... I think I saw for 2kish.?

Thanks for letting us know how it went. Nice looking home ya got there.

 

[B and C]

The bad news is they told me I probably added 250 pounds in weight from the rhino liner.

I would think a smaller vehicle with a standard paint job would be a lot less than what I paid.