Category: General (Page 34 of 60)

SMM = Special Mobile Machinery. That is how my chipper is now registered and plated.

It took most of a day, last Wednesday, that I took off as vacation. First I had to get a temporary permit so I could pull the chipper to a weigh station. No fun waiting at the DMV – only one office in all of Mesa County, population 146,723 – for over an hour until my number was called. $7.10 later I had my temp permit.

Since I was in Grand Junction, I stopped in at a Honda dealership to take a look at an Accord that Pam had seen on-line. (We are leaning toward replacing our Accord, with 411K miles on it, with a newer vehicle.) The Honda that Pam had seen – a 2008 model with under 100K on it – already had a pending offer so I looked at what else the dealership had on hand. There was a 2010 Accord on the lot but with more miles on it, about 138K. Asking price for either vehicle was just under $10K which is what we think it will take to get a decent daily driver. This was just a scouting trip to get info so I took the salesman’s card and moved along.

Next stop was grocery shopping. The grocery list was substantial and finding everything in a relatively unknown store took some time. Then it was off to home to unload the groceries, get lunch, put the temp tag on the chipper, hook up to the Ford F-150, and head back to Grand Junction to get the chipper weighed and complete the registration.

I needed a “weight slip” to complete the paperwork and, while in Grand Junction in the a.m., I had scouted the location of two certified scales located at truck stops. When I turned up at the weigh station, I was in for a bit of consternation; the scale would not register a vehicle as light as the chipper. The 2nd truck scale gave me the same news.

By this time I was getting frustrated and a call to the DMV did not help. They claimed either of those scales should be able to weigh the chipper, and if not, the recommendation was to “…get a Yellow Pages and start looking for a scale,” which was of no help to me. I was driving back through Grand Junction on the business loop when I spotted a scrap recycler off a side road. Figuring they had to weigh “stuff” I made my way over to them. Inside the office I was greeted by a middle-aged lady who said sure, they would weigh my chipper for me (after I explained I needed a “weight slip” to title the unit).

The lady showed me which scale to use and I drove the truck and chipper onto it. The scale was in three sections so the chipper could be isolated on one section and thus get an accurate weight. (Chipper weight = 1,700 pounds; the manual had it listed at 1,680 but for some reason the DMV would not accept the manual’s stated weight.)

The process took only a few minutes, and when I went back to the office the weight slip was ready to go  – made my day! – at no charge. My mood brightened considerably.

Soo it was back to the DMV, another hour+ wait, and finally my number was called. I turned in all the papers, forms, and temp permit, answered a few questions, then we had to go outside to do a VIN inspection on the chipper. The chipper had no VIN number, only a model number and serial number. The serial number became my VIN.

At long last, after a payment of $124.95, I was handed my license plate and registration. (The title will come in the mail in about a month.) I was one happy camper at that moment. Back into the truck and home. The first thing I did when I got there was put the SMM plate on the chipper. It had been a long day but I can now legally pull the chipper to and from The Lot, or to other small jobs if something comes up.

My SMM plate

In other news…

We are looking forward to seeing Pam’s brother Craig and wife Dianne when they are in Colorado over Memorial Day weekend. We plan to meet at The Lot and spend a few days in the area. Looking at the local forecast for The Lot the rest of April, temps are still dropping below freezing but not every night. Hopefully in a few weeks (early-May?) I will be able to tow The Box up to the lot and start getting set up for the season.

Otherwise our lives are into the fair weather routine; mowing and watering the lawn, more painting of the decks, auto maintenance. I did go on another ride with the Grand Junction ATV group yesterday, which is interesting as I get to meet more and more people. (The new ATV tires worked very well on this ride.)

One evening, while I was sitting in my new recliner, I noticed KitKat had taken up her usual spot on the back of the couch:

KitKat on the back of the couch

All the pets (inside and outside) made it through the winter OK and are appreciating the warming days and nights.

That’s it for now. Thanks for looking in!

Pam’s Two Cents Worth:

I know it’s Spring cause my bursitis is acting up again.  This year my left knee has taken the hit.  With meds and time the swelling will go down, but it’s really boring to wake up every day and have to take an inventory to see what is working – and what is not.

Retirement House Hunt:  I’ve been scoping out several towns in Oregon that feature historic houses.  Brownsville and Scio offer some interesting options; they’re located in the center of the state along Oregon’s I-5 corridor.  Bigger cities close by the smaller towns would offer the medical and retail services we’ll need.  Other small communities like Mt. Angel and Amity are on the radar too, since we’ve been to both of them.  I recently located a hamlet off the coast (slightly inland from Florence) called Mapleton that intrigues.  A road trip to the Pacific Northwest is likely in order before “getting serious.”

This house in Brownsville recently sold for about $100K

Happy Trails.

This post looks to include a lot of maintenance items; some done last week and others done this weekend. I needed to take the snow blade off the John Deere lawn tractor and mount the mowing deck, change oil and filter on the Honda, mow the lawn, and work on other around-the-house chores. This is a typical “at home” weekend for us (before Sanderling season, that is).

Pam is baking a pie for our Easter dinner; she has the makings for a pumpkin pie. With my Type 2 diabetes we don’t have desserts as often as we used to and that is a missed pleasure. Pam bakes excellent pies.

Speaking of pleasures…we bought a new recliner for the living room. You might remember we had taken the old chair up to The Lot and used it there but brought it home for the winter. The old recliner will go back up to The Lot and be left there now that I have a replacement.

During the week I did replace our main entry screen door. The old door, original to the house, was beginning to sag as the hinges were getting worn. We picked up a new door at a lumber yard and proceeded to install it. That was interesting as I had never hung a screen door before and the instructions were not all that clear. None the less the door is now in place and working quite smoothly.

The door has a screen section, something Pam wanted, so we get a bit more air flow inside the house. The door looks good particularly after Pam painted the frame around it. This represents one more “update” project completed!

New screen door installed

This last week saw the ATV get a new set of tires. I had been running the original 2011 set until now and they were getting pretty worn. I found a full set on sale on Amazon for $245.00 including shipping. The tread pattern is based on a better-known brand (Maxxis) but this brand  (Sun F) was considerably less expensive. I had the tires mounted at Walmart who had the least expensive charge for this work, $32.98 for the set of 4.

Here is a photo of an old front tire (left) and a new tire. (Rear tires are the same except a bit wider.)

Left: Old tire. Right: New tire.

The rear tires were more worn than the front. I will be glad to have the extra traction when on a  trail or pulling the chipper or trailer around the lot.

Pam has been working in the flower beds, cleaning them out and getting them ready for the growing season.

Pam working in a flower bed

Of the two of us, Pam is more of a gardener than I am. She works with the flower beds and plantings; my roll is more helper than planner.

This time of year always includes a variety of projects I can work on. Keeps me busy and active, I guess. This afternoon will see me working a bit more on the back deck and, if time permits, getting a little more paint on the chipper.

Happy Easter to everyone!

That’s it for now. Thanks for looking in.

Pam’s Two Cents Worth:

The appraiser surveyed the property this past Wednesday, report due later in the month.  Refinance on hold until results are in.

The Honda, at 410,000 miles, needs $1,000 worth of tie rods etc.  This type of expenditure puts us at the point to consider replacement rather than repair. Fields wants to shoot for 450,000-500,000 on the odometer.  I’m not convinced this makes economic sense. Perhaps Felicity has the right of it – forget the expense of vehicle ownership and maintenance, and live near adequate public transportation.

Happy Trails.

Now that spring is mostly here (below freezing likely for tonight) we have started some home clean up chores (primary repainting our deck). We have an appraiser visiting on Wednesday morning as part of a refinancing scheme, so we want the place to look “spruced up.”  The forecast is 70s and 80s at the end of the week; I sure hope the freezing weather will be past us for good after tonight.

Deck painting: The main deck is 12′ by 16′ and has railings and a ramp that provides access from the driveway and garage. The deck is wood but the ramp is steel. It had been several years since I last painted the ramp and part of the deck; weather and use have taken their toll and it’s time to paint again.

I began by wire brushing and scraping the ramp to remove the loose paint. The ramp features a tread pattern so this job takes a while. After a wash with warm soapy water and letting the ramp dry off I began painting with an oil-based paint.

Oil- based paint sure takes longer to dry than latex paints. While the ramp was drying I used a ladder to get to and from the main deck and accessed the front door. When we let the dogs out we had to hand-carry them over the deck railing; Pam handed them to me from the house side and I stood on the lawn side to receive them and put them on the ground. (The dogs apparently thought this transfer was a novelty and didn’t object much.)

Pam worked on the deck sides and railings. Using a two-tone approach on the rails, the tops  were painted red and the boards painted grey. These boards also had to be scraped and wire-brushed to remove the flaking paint, so the precess was not very fast.

We kept at it and by 6:30 or so had most of the work done. Given our tired shoulders and arms, we called it a day. Some detail still needs to be done but the bulk of the work is complete. The ramp and deck look much nicer now after all our effort.

We know the before/after difference may not seem substantial and this is the type of maintenance that does not draw a lot of attention. It just makes us feel better that the place is neat and tidy. It’s more a matter of what you don’t see (flaking paint) than what you do see.

Pam’s two-color paint scheme

Ramp after paint job

We’re looking at replacing the deck planks with Trex-style material; this would cost around $1,000.00 but is needed as the existing wood planking is getting splintered and cracked. (Pam doesn’t want a vet bill for removing a large splinter from a dog’s foot at some point.) I’ve already replaced the wood in certain spots where it was getting pretty soft. We have tried to paint the deck but – due to the original stain used when the deck was new – a paint job does not stick for more than a season or two. Replacement is the best solution. It’s on the list, hopefully to be accomplished before Sanderling season starts.

Another project I plan to tackle is adding steps to the rear deck; the original steps were in bad condition and I had removed them a few years back. Municipal code requires that a house have at least two exits; adding the replacement steps will bring our second exit back into compliance.

Yard work: I mowed the entire lawn last week and found the hose and sprinklers. Our irrigation water has been turned on for the year and much of the lawn needed some extra water. Until recent rains came through it’s been pretty dry and the lawn responded well to getting some extra moisture.

High country prep: The RV needs to be opened up and we will begin to get it ready to take up to The Lot as soon as the weather cooperates. Only a few items to take care of this year; fill one of the propane tanks, check the awning mechanism, new light fixture for the dining area, general check of all systems, restocking with food, bedding, and clothing items and we should be good to go.

Chipper: I had called PowerTek with the serial number of the chipper to see if I could get a date of manufacture (which turned out to be September 26, 2002). I needed this information to fill out the request-for-title paperwork. (I hope to move forward with the title work this week.) I then did some more minor work on the chipper by removing the hydraulic motor and greasing the splines. This was recommended by the manufacturer; the guy at PowerTek suggested I grease the splines even though the procedure is not mentioned in the manual.

At work: My assistant, who had come from the Sheriff’s Office Patrol division, decided he wanted to return to Patrol after two weeks in IT, so I am again without a helper. This is kind of a PITA as I now have to reverse a lot of paperwork and reorder my work plans. Bummer.

That’s it for now. Thanks for looking in!

Pam’s Two Cents Worth:

In preparing a set of maps for my brother (so he could find the Sanderling lot for a Memorial Day visit), I realized yet-again the challenges of accessing that location. Three maps and some copy machine time later (maps for state/local/neighborhood), the route should be clear.

Send us some positive vibes for a successful appraisal.  We are trying to determine if our mortgage is still under water; this part of Colorado has not fully recovered from the great recession.

Happy Trails.

No one item dominated this last week so here are updates on a variety of topics including the chipper, an ATV ride, work, and around the house chores.

I’ve picked up a few more of the small bits and pieces needed (or wanted) to bring the chipper into full operating condition. I changed the hydraulic fluid filter, have oil and filter on hand to change engine oil, did some touch-up painting (more to do), and purchased a battery hold down kit that I hope to install later today.

Doing some further research into getting a title and plate, I found this unit will be titled as an SMM – Special Mobile Machinery. This applies to trailers that cannot be used for general-purpose hauling. (Think of large air compressors such as those used at construction sites.) This adds a new wrinkle: I now need to get a “certified weight slip” and fill out a form DR 2698. The nearest public certified scale is about 45 miles away. At some point in the near future I will have to take a couple of half-days off in order to get all the paperwork done. The paperwork will prove to be more frustrating and time consuming than getting the chipper to run!

Unnamed rock formation along an ATV trail

Yesterday I participated in another group ATV ride. The weather was not great, but the morning mist did create some interesting views of the canyons and rock formations through which we rode.

Group ride 4-1-17

We reached the Colorado River and the Dolores River which flows into the Colorado, near the Utah border. Most of the day was spent on roads passable by regular vehicles (when dry) but a couple of the cross-connect trails were a little more challenging. It was a good outing despite the cooler temperatures and mud (plenty of mud).

My ATV after one muddy stretch

Turning to other topics:

I finally have a new assistant at work. His name is Jim, an internal hire with quite a bit of previous experience in the IT field. We began Jim’s training last Monday and he appears to be catching on quickly. After almost 6 months it will be good to have another IT person available to help support the four locations for which I am responsible.

Pam’s boss [the Assistant Registrar at the local community college] was scheduled to retire in May, but has agreed to stay on through June to help train her replacement. Hiring was comical – the Assistant Registrar had told management of her retirement plans over a year ago. A last-minute search did not turn up any qualified “outside” candidates so the job is going to an in-house candidate  (who initially had not wanted the job), almost a last minute substitution. I’m not sure I would have changed my retirement plans to accommodate management/HR. Pam will be supervised by someone younger than her daughter for the first time in her 47-year work career.

Around the house spring chores have begun. I will need to move the RV back into our yard from winter storage, take the snow blade off the John Deere tractor, and get the lawn mower blades sharpened. Our irrigation water will be turned on in two weeks and our cherry tree is beginning to blossom. Last week I spread Scotts Turf Builder on the lawn, mostly to help control dandelions. A few tulips have bloomed and trees are getting greener every day. However, the on-line forecast has below freezing temperatures for next Tuesday night so winter had not relinquished its hold completely — yet.

That’s it for now. Thanks for looking in!

Pam’s Two Cents Worth:

“Pam will be supervised by someone younger than her daughter for the first time in her 47-year work career.”  Need I say anything more about it being time to retire???

House hunting: I think there is a likelihood we may end up in Oregon or Washington for winters in retirement.  Housing prices are a bit more reasonable than Colorado, and we are familiar with the dreary and rainy winters, having lived in the Pacific Northwest in the 1980s (Toby was born during that time). I am still looking for a stream/river/lake on or near the property; we would consider fixer-uppers.  Apparently many of the fixer-upper properties are cash only sales (can’t pass the housing inspection, no doubt). Like this one:  36066 Tree Farm Road, Scio, OR.  No rush on securing an out-of-state property — we can save up our money for a cash sale.

Happy Trails.

[cincopa AYJAl4NPdXfY]
This last Saturday morning I cleaned and rebuilt the carburetor on the chipper. Using a new battery I had purchased, I crossed my fingers and turned the engine over. As you can see, the repair work was successful and the chipper came to life. Yes! (Video clip is 2:41, not long.)

The items I chipped were a few small branches that had fallen out of trees in the neighborhood during spring wind storms, plus the trunk of our past Christmas tree. I was very pleased that everything worked the way it should!

There are a couple more small items to take scare of — a battery hold-down kit and a hook for one of the safety chains need to be acquired — but for all practical purposes the chipper is ready to go to The Lot and begin helping with the clean-up. I don’t expect that to happen until May, depending on weather. Nights at The Lot are still consistently below freezing.

Colorado requires all trailers to have a license plate. It turns out Texas doesn’t have this requirement for trailers under 4,000 pounds, so I didn’t get a title or registration at purchase, just a Bill of Sale. To get a Colorado title and plate I’ll need to schedule a “certified VIN inspection” with the State Patrol, which includes more paperwork (and fees). Combining that with my Bill of Sale, I will need to go to the DMV and apply for a title, registration, and license plate. I will need to supply the DMV with the rig’s weight, a number I found in the service manual (1,680 pounds.) The weight will figure into the cost of getting the license plate as Colorado charges more as the trailer weight goes up. And, of course, to legally pull the chipper to the inspection place I will need to go to the DMV and get a 3-day temp permit. They don’t make the process easy…

Around the house, I am digging up dandelions and have mowed parts of the lawn. Our tulips are beginning to bloom and a recent small rain has helped “green up” grass and trees. Spring has arrived.

That’s it for now. Thanks for looking in!

Pam’s Two Cents Worth:

(The chipper sure is loud.)

Happy Trails.

Almost, that is. Some repairs are needed.

This post may not be of interest to most people, but I had been looking for a chipper for several months and I am going to outline how I came to get this particular rig.

An on-line auction was based out of Canyon, TX which is about 12 miles south of Amarillo, TX. I had seen this chipper in the auction catalog. On the day of the live auction I bid; my winning bid was $2,000.00 but with internet buyer’s fees and taxes the total came to $2,455.25, plus there would be the cost of getting the chipper home.

Auction house in Canyon, TX

I drove to Canyon on Sunday and stayed overnight, planning to tow the chipper home on Monday. Monday morning I arrived at the auction site office, took care of the paperwork, then went to their lot to hook up to the chipper. That is when the difficulties began.

Hooked up to chipper. Note almost flat tire on chipper

One of the tires was flat and would not hold air after it was inflated. Luckily there was a tire store on the other side of the interstate from the auction house. I was able to – slowly – drive over to the shop and get a used tire mounted…another $33.00 and a delay in getting on the road home.

Getting tire replaced

The trip home was uneventful but long, 11 hours of driving. I arrived late Monday evening. (I had arranged to take Monday and Tuesday off as vacation days.)

Tuesday I began making repairs. First, the ball coupler, part of the hitch, had been incorrectly assembled – it was a replacement for the original – and this had made hook-up difficult. I was able to reassemble the coupler correctly. Then on to the next project – the trailer jack.

The handle had been bent making its operation very difficult. I was able to remove the handle and straighten it out with the help of my shop vise and a hammer. Jack mechanism was cleaned and lubricated and the jack now works very well.

Then on to the lights. I had used my magnetic light kit to provide tail, running, turn, and brake lights on the way home but I wanted the original lights to work as they were intended. Repairs were made to the wiring harness and now all the original lights work OK.

Having downloaded a service manual from PowerTek, the manufacturer of the chipper, I went though the maintenance check list and did a preliminary examination of all the working parts, including the chipper blades, or knives as they are known. All components look to be in good condition.

The chipper was missing a battery so I used jumper cables and the Ford F-150 truck to provide battery power. The chipper engine fired but would not keep running. I removed the carburetor top plate and quickly came to the conclusion a carb cleaning and rebuild would be needed. Parts are on order (two separate kits, one for the carb, one for the choke) and I hope to complete the rebuild next weekend. Combined total for the two parts kits came to about $85.00 with shipping.

So now I have my chipper…if I can rebuild the carb and get the engine running! I still need a battery but will hold off buying one until I have the engine repairs completed. I hope to report, in my next post, that the rig is ready to go to work.

The chipper, a Power Tek model 727, is still in production. A link to the Power Tek chipper page is here. The rig has the specifications I was looking for, and I really hope it proves to be of value when we again resume the clean up of The Lot later this spring.

Chipper at home. (Yes, it will get some paint.)

ATV News: Yesterday, Saturday, I went on my first ATV club ride of the year. Twenty-two machines met just west of De Beque and we put in an all-day, 69 mile ride. That doesn’t sound like a lot of miles but trust me, this is a long ATV trip! (Particularly riding in the dust thrown up by 22 ATVs.)  Small white flowers are in bloom and it won’t be long until full spring arrives on the high desert.

We visited two lookout points, one over the Colorado River and the other over a wide canyon. The trip gave me the opportunity to introduce myself to many more club members and see local country I hadn’t visited before. Below is a photo of me taken at one of the frequent rest stops. I am in the blaze yellow vest.

Jerry with ATV group on Saturday, March 18 riding in Wild Horse Mesa

Over the spring I hope to attend more of these group ATV rides. Most are held on weekends.  Over the summer I plan to be at The Lot which will limit the number of rides I will be able to attend  but until then I’ll make the rides I can.

Later today I get to tackle the job of replacing the hood over the stove. Oh Joy! Then off to do grocery shopping.

Last weekend we took the winter mulch off the 5 flower beds. Neighborhood apple trees are in bloom and our lilac bushes are sprouting green leaves. Spring is certainly on the horizon.

That’s it for now. Thanks for looking in!

Pam’s Two Cents Worth:

First the purchase, then the parts.  The regular “machine routine,” always expensive.

Happy Trails.

During these quiet days of transition between not-quite-winter and not-quite-spring, smaller elements make up the bulk of our daily activities. Here is a run-down on a few small happenings in our life this past week.

Work: I am still without an assistant. The one guy who made it past the in-person and group interview (oral boards) washed out in the background check. The search continues but I don’t have high hopes of finding a qualified candidate anytime soon.

House: The front door lockset decided to quit on us and would no longer keep the door closed. (The plunger that goes between the door and the door frame quit working.) This required a replacement lockset be installed, not a big deal at about $35.00 with extra keys, but we had to prop the door closed with a rock (wrapped in an old towel) for a day until I could buy and install a new lockset. Four keys are required; one for each of us, one as a hidden spare in case we lock ourselves out, and one for the neighbor who takes care of the dogs (lets them out for exercise) when we are both at work.

Pam has taken to buying a few fresh flowers and putting them in our main bathroom, which keeps them out of the way of the cats and dogs. The bouquet has a great aroma and reminds her that spring is just around the corner.

Bathroom bouquet

House Hunt: Not much new. We haven’t visited a property in several weeks and not much on the market is appealing. The search continues. FYI: The total fixer-upper Pam identified in Cascade (mentioned last post) has an offer on it, probably by some Colorado Springs “flipper” who can afford the renovation.  (Whew – dodged a bullet there. Pam had that look in her eye on the Cascade property.)

Recreation: I have been out with my ATV riding locally in Wild Horse Mesa. The roads have dried out quite a bit in recent weeks so are no longer just muddy trails.

ATV ride, Feb. 25 in Wild Horse Mesa

It’s good to be able to get outside for a few hours; weather for the next few days indicates below freezing at night but into the 40s and 50s during the day. Tulip leaves are popping up near our fence line and grass is beginning to green out so spring will be here shortly, I hope! We did have snow during the week, enough to justify getting out the John Deere lawn tractor and using the snow blade to clear the driveway and sidewalks; I expect more snow yet before spring truly arrives, not time to take off the snow blade just yet.

On a sad note, a co-worker who had the office across from me and with whom I had worked for the last 3+ years died suddenly Monday of a heart attack. He was 67 and his wife had just retired on February 9th. Ken was a good friend and I will miss him around the workplace. Reflecting on Ken’s passing has strengthened my resolve to retire and not work until I die. Not sure how that is going to be managed just yet!

Not all creatures are feeling any stress, though:

Bru relaxes (totally) on the couch

That’s it for now. Thanks for looking in!

Pam’s Five Cents Worth:

Must be getting closer to spring in this backwater – the whiff of fresh skunk is on the air of a morning. M-mm-mm.

Regarding retirement, I am pondering Plan B, since Plan A (Colorado retirement house) in now 1.5 years along and not going anywhere.  If you know me at all, you know I am all about Plan B (and C, D, E … if needed).

Plan B – If Fields and I use the [considerable] down payment we have saved and apply it toward a few things (like paying off the Sanderling property, refinancing the De Beque house, replacing the aging Honda), our monthly payments would be reduced to a point where I could probably semi-retire within a year.  Yes! Very attractive. But then we would be trapped into staying in the De Beque property into retirement.  No! Not attractive.

Plan C – We have discussed on-and-off the viability of finding a winter retirement spot in Oregon.  The winters are milder there, and I have a desire to be able to travel to the ocean occasionally.  Felicity has mentioned wanting to buy a tiny house in Oregon – but – is having difficulty finding a place to park it (near public transportation). This plan could possibly address both needs.  (Oregon, by the way, is pretty much the tiny house manufacturing center on the planet.)

Such is my dilemma.  Of the options presenting themselves, which way to go? Stay tuned.

Happy Trails.

It has been a quiet two weeks here in western Colorado so this is likely to be a short post!~

Temperatures, after quite a spell of being above average, have returned to seasonal normals. (Bummer.) It has been below freezing the last couple nights, a trend that will continue for the next week, and into the low 40 degree range for high temps, average for late February. A light snow had fallen over the last 48 hours but is already melted off, leaving roads and sidewalks clear. (Mr. Bibbs, the garage cat, had returned to the outdoors for a week but then thought better of it with the change in weather, and is once again indoors for a spell.)

We depend on our local TV stations for accurate weather forecasts. (Silly us.) Given the market, many of the weather reporters are young people who seem to have problems pronouncing common words. February becomes “Febawary” and temperatures become “tempachurs.”   Not to mention vehicle becomes “vee-hickle” and bicycle comes out as  “bi-cycle.” One expects more from professional communicators.

Both of us work in Glenwood Springs, and a couple of weeks ago the city opened a new walking/hiking trail loop, all paved. Since I like to get out and walk over my lunch break a new trail was appealing to me. The lower end of the trail crosses the Roaring Fork River. I stopped to snap this photo which features Mt. Sopris in the background:

Roaring Fork River with Mt. Sopris in the background. Taken in Glenwood Springs, CO.

The entire loop is quite long for a lunchtime walk but I have done an out-and-back a few times, weather permitting. It’s a healthy distance.

On the “Big Boy Toy” scene, I continue my search for a brush chipper. I bid on a unit last Friday (on-line auction) but stopped at $2,500.00. The unit sold at $2,750.00 but the sale also included a 17% “buyer’s premium” and the chipper was located in California. The extra fees and cost of getting the unit home would have gone well above my budget; the search continues. (See my web page “Chipper Wanted” for more details.)

Wood season is near!

That’s it for now. Thanks for looking in!

Pam’s Two Cents Worth:

Shout out to our beloved Hank on his birthday.  The world is a better place because you’re in it, our friend.

Here’s a house that’s captured my imagination — how about this for a money pit/fixer upper:  4590 Hagerman Avenue, Cascade, CO. Houses in this little hamlet were primarily built in the 1920-1940 time period as vacation homes (for folks in Colorado Springs who wanted a close-by mountain experience). Now, a completely restored house in Cascade would probably sell in the half million dollar range (and up). Hagerman Avenue is most likely a candidate for a flipper to renovate and sell. Still, an interesting project.

See-eester, the farm house in Cedaredge already has an offer on it.  We never drove up there to view it. I just couldn’t get excited about that house.

Generally, 2017 so far has been stressful for us, mostly due to job vacancy issues at both our workplaces.  (And of course, the evening news delivers alarming activities on the federal level.)  We’re looking forward to “Sanderling season” this year. Wood and slash removal accomplished during these last four years finally makes it easier to get around The Lot; the dog pen in place helps too.  We look forward to potentially seeing Craig and Dianne in the high country around Memorial Day.  And of course, house hunting in the Woodland Park-to-Fairplay corridor is on the agenda this year.

Happy Trails.

Biggest news (besides politics) is the weather; we are now experiencing a spell of above normal high and low temperatures.

Normal high is around 43 degrees but last night our overnight LOW was 47. It is cloudy and raining now, but temperatures for the upcoming week are forecast to be 10 – 15 degrees warmer than usual for early February. The high desert has set a couple of new record highs for the date; some parts of the state are recording highs into the upper 80 degree range. Here in western Colorado temperatures climbed into the low 60s, nearly 20 degrees above average. Wow – I may ride my motorcycle to work next week.

Jerry and his Kawasaki motorcycle

The snow at our elevation is gone and even the long-persisting ice on the north side of the house is fading fast. We have switched back to light jackets in the morning and I recently washed the cars while wearing a short-sleeve shirt.

I don’t believe winter is over but the respite is welcome, both from a reduction in heating costs and just the ability to get out without having to bundle up so much. The dogs spend a bit more time outdoors and the outdoor cats enjoy the warmer air;  both venture out more often and for longer periods of time. The break seems to be doing all of us some good.

Other news…
Brother-in-law Craig and his wife Dianne bought a Minni-Winnie camper; sounds like they plan to do some traveling now that both are retired and the house is completed. Good times ahead! Here is a photo of the rig that Craig put on his FaceBook account:

Craig and Dianne’s new camper

There is nothing new in the house hunt; Pam continues to look at on-line listings but not much has come up that sounds interesting. She did see one listing that advised prospective buyers there was currently a medical marijuana grow in the house and to be aware of that when scheduling a visit! That’s new.

I’m losing an ongoing battle with the shower faucet. Over the years I have replaced the seals a couple of times (including again this morning) but the repairs never last long and the dripping begins again. I’ve come to the conclusion the faucet needs to be replaced, a job I am not eager to take on given the cramped quarters and the plastic plumbing lines used in the construction of this place. I have a bad feeling about this…

Update on looking for a new “minion” at work: I have interviewed a total of five people for my IT Assistant position. Next Tuesday an oral board interview is convened to determine if one of three finalists could be hired. I’ve not participated in the oral board process for quite some time; should be interesting to see how the candidates respond.

That’s it for now. Thanks for looking in!

Pam’s Two Cents Worth:

Last night, on our ride to the after-hours clinic to get me some meds for a recurring medical issue, I started thinking about distances to clinic/hospital facilities from retirement house locations I monitor. Just a gentle reminder we need to be fairly close to “medical” as we age. Our current trip to medical facilities is 30 minutes. We should probably stay within that range (or less).

Happy Trails.

WANTED:

I’ve been looking for a brush chipper to help with the lot clean-up. I would like to ask for your help in locating a suitable unit. Here is what I am looking for:

Chipper with a 6″ (six inch) capacity. Models are available with either gas engines (most common) or diesel engines which I would prefer. Some come with ball-style hitches, some with pintle hitches. I would prefer a ball hitch but would buy the pintle hitch adapter if necessary. Some common brands and models are:

Vermeer 620 or 625

ProMark 310

Mid-South 612

Bandit 65 series, including AW and XP

Altec Wisper Chipper

And there are other less-known brands out there. Here is a photo of a typical unit; this one is a Bandit 65 AW with a ball hitch:

Bandit 65 AW 6″ capacity chipper

I try to monitor auction and surplus sites but have been out-bid on the rigs I’ve seen. (Budget is around $2,500.00.) So…if any of you see a listing in your local paper, Craig’s List, or just happen to come across one (referred by friend or neighbor) please let me know. I would certainly appreciate it!

With no outings for several weeks, I decided to take a road trip yesterday (Saturday). I wanted to go to The Lot and check on the shed and snow levels plus look at a home (a foreclosure) Pam had seen listed on-line. (Pam stayed home with the animals, plus accomplished the grocery shopping.)

The four-hour trip did not begin well; snow was in the air and the chain law (chains or all-wheel drive required) was in effect over Vail Pass. The west side of the pass was not bad; the east side had more falling snow.

East side of Vail Pass on 2-4-17

I really didn’t know what weather to expect once I arrived in the South Park area, but the weather cleared up and the afternoon turned out well. More on that below.

The lot itself was in typical shape for this time of year. Snow had melted off the south-facing side of Birdhouse Ridge and I was able to walk up to the shed without difficulty, other than the effort of walking in heavy clothes at an elevation of 9,500 feet! There appeared to be about a foot of snow in the non-sunny areas, and deer trails wandered through the property.

The Lot on 2-4-2017

There wasn’t much time to spend here as I had made arrangements with a realtor to view a couple of For Sale properties. The main interest was the foreclosed home on 35 acres. On-line photos showed a large house in need of some repair but priced where we might consider it. As we have seen in the past, however, an on-site visit will turn up issues not addressed in the listing.

Such was the case with the home at 188 Boyero Lane. The house has an attractive living room that features a stacked-stone fireplace, vaulted ceiling, and mountain views:

Boyero Lane living room

However, I found in general the place had been poorly maintained and extensive repairs were needed. Most windows needed replacement, the solar electric system was  missing pieces (no commercial electric at this location) and the kitchen would have been a total gut job. Priced near the top of our price range at $269K, it would take another $75K to repair and upgrade the place; this definitely puts Boyero Lane out of consideration for us.

Here is a picture of the Boyero Lane kitchen:

Boyero kitchen

The list of needed repairs would be too long to include here, but one other factor was at play: the driveway. More of a track, here is a shot of the inadequate driveway as it takes off from Boyero Road. I am inside the realtor’s 4-wheel drive truck:

Driveway up to Boyero home

All in all this was a disappointing visit; the place just needs too much work for us to even consider making an offer. We are all for finding a bargain, but this wasn’t it.

The realtor did show me two more homes in the same general area. They were our style but each had quite a few steps to negotiate. Both had garage / basement levels but with [sometimes steep] stairs to access the upper-level living areas. Once in the main living areas, the homes were light and bright, such as this living room and kitchen in a house on Oxbow Lane:

Oxbow Lane living room

Oxbow Lane kitchen

If the homes had been ranch style, without the flights of steps from the lower to the upper levels, they would be contenders. As it is, these houses show well but aren’t really what we’re looking for. The search continues.

I was also going to try to get inside the Silverheels house; we walked around the five acres last fall. (Silverheels is the Fairplay property that borders a lake.) The drive had not been plowed and the realtor and I didn’t feel like challenging the elements to get to the house  — even with his 4-wheel drive. One would think, if a property is for sale over the winter, the Seller might consider keeping access open for showings. But apparently not. If the property is still on the market later this spring we may take another try at scheduling a visit.

Silverheels driveway entrance

It was a full day, with visits to a total of 4 properties plus The Lot. I arrived home about 13 hours after I’d left. I did enjoy getting out and about and it’s always a pleasure to be on The Lot at Sanderling.

Today will be quieter; washing the car and watching the Super Bowl game later this afternoon are pretty much my agenda.

That’s it for now. Thanks for looking in!

Pam’s Two Cents Worth:

As it turned out, I’m kinda glad I didn’t load up the dogs and accompany Fields on this particular day into the high country.

Happy Trails.