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What's going on out at GrandPaul's Place

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Wow. What an ordeal!

You know we've been having some towing adventures lately too. The ol' Jeep is working great towing that 6x12 trailer loaded up with various stuff. We are storing all of our "ranch" stuff on the trailer in a storage lot in Liberty Hill so we stop by there and pick it up on the way to the ranch every time and then drop it back off.

@Windmill knows well how bad I am at backing a trailer, well at least that little 4x8 sucker that refuses to go where you want it. But amazingly I backed the bigger trailer perfectly right into the slip between to $100K boats with no drama and only had to correct about 4" to get it positioned perfectly. One day soonish I need to find an empty parking lot and go get some trailer-parking practice in.
 
mr72 said:
Wow. What an ordeal!

You know we've been having some towing adventures lately too. The ol' Jeep is working great towing that 6x12 trailer loaded up with various stuff. We are storing all of our "ranch" stuff on the trailer in a storage lot in Liberty Hill so we stop by there and pick it up on the way to the ranch every time and then drop it back off.

@Windmill knows well how bad I am at backing a trailer, well at least that little 4x8 sucker that refuses to go where you want it. But amazingly I backed the bigger trailer perfectly right into the slip between to $100K boats with no drama and only had to correct about 4" to get it positioned perfectly. One day soonish I need to find an empty parking lot and go get some trailer-parking practice in.
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I've been backing trailers for over 50 years, with 4 years of that backing up STEERABLE-LINK trailers in the Navy. If you can do those, you can do anything.

My problem at the ranch was my power pole and dip pole being EXACTLY IN THE WAY! There was no way to get the final alignment done from the north side of the posts.
 
grandpaul said:
I've been backing trailers for over 50 years, with 4 years of that backing up STEERABLE-LINK trailers in the Navy. If you can do those, you can do anything.

My problem at the ranch was my power pole and dip pole being EXACTLY IN THE WAY! There was no way to get the final alignment done from the north side of the posts.
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Oh I wasn't relating your trailer backing skills to mine. Mine are essentially nonexistent, but I was quite surprised to pull it off at least one time.
 
mr72 said:
Oh I wasn't relating your trailer backing skills to mine. Mine are essentially nonexistent, but I was quite surprised to pull it off at least one time.
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It'll take you no time at all, especially over a few months with different trailers. When you use the same TOW VEHICLE, you get used to it even quicker.
 
grandpaul said:
It'll take you no time at all, especially over a few months with different trailers. When you use the same TOW VEHICLE, you get used to it even quicker.
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I think the problem is I'm spooked because of trying to use my little trailer on uneven surfaces. The way it goes, if there's a rock behind one of the tires then the trailer turns in that direction no matter what. And every turn it takes is an extreme turn because of the small radius from the hitch to the axle. The 6x12 is a whole lot easier since it has 15" tires and weighs 3x as much so even empty it'll roll where you point it and it's way easier to get it pointed where you want it.

I am sure I'll get the hang of it eventually. Since I'm towing that trailer like 6x a week it should become second nature soon enough. But the Jeep kind of stinks as a tow vehicle. It's the one I have though.
 
mr72 said:
I think the problem is I'm spooked because of trying to use my little trailer on uneven surfaces. The way it goes, if there's a rock behind one of the tires then the trailer turns in that direction no matter what. And every turn it takes is an extreme turn because of the small radius from the hitch to the axle. The 6x12 is a whole lot easier since it has 15" tires and weighs 3x as much so even empty it'll roll where you point it and it's way easier to get it pointed where you want it.
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Any time you can have a "turn around loop" at each end of a road/trail, it sure makes things easier...
 
LaserDave said:
Wow, that sure made my day feel better!
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Your signature scrawl reminded me of another good line, from DeNiro & Grodin in "Midnight Run", where they're "checking for counterfeit $20s" with a bogus
"litmus configuration"
 
Finally got the belt routing sorted on the "new to me" Rhino FM72 mower, belt properly adjusted, all hardware snugged, and proper quick-pins in the 3-point connection. (It finally occurred to me that there were belt path "witness marks"). DRENCHED in sweat, managed 10 minutes of test mowing, seems ready for a full day's work once it starts cooling off a bit.

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Yes, I re-installed the belt guards...
 
I keep busy.

With trucks, a car, boats, a BUNCH of motorcycles, mowers, a tractor, generator, trailers, ultralight airplane, 4-wheelers, bicycles, and such I figure I have near on ...


106356512525111451852919
tiresbatteriescarbscablesoil filtersqts. Oilair filtershoseschainsbelts

...to maintain.
 
Yesterday was a bit unusual - somebody in our HOA group trapped an armadillo that's been "aerating" their yard, so I told them I'd take it off their hands, along with as many more as anyone cares to trap in their yard, to release out at my ranch to eat as many ants as possible. So, I did that.

Then, I decided to have another go at repairing my King Kutter mower deck and I'll tell you, I like it much better than the Rhino.

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I guess I really ought to tear it apart, strip it, reinforce and dress my welds, paint the big parts, then re-assemble it with maybe a few now bolts and nuts here and there.

It's a right beastie!
 
I had a 6 ft. Jonny Dear finish mower. I liked it but my Brush Hog shredder would do most of what it does and more. A 5 foot would have worked be on my 28 hp Branson
So I put a for sale sign of like 800 dollars still hooked to my tractor. This guy from down the road was out looking at it. He said he would take it I said what hp tractor do you have. He said I don't have one that's why I'm buying yours. I had to tell him it was just the mower and my front loader 4wd tractor was not for sale. He drove off and I unhooked it from the tractor. Sold it to a friend that knew what a deal he was getting.
 
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I was given a decent set of outdoor furniture, so I figured I'd turn the covered hangar apron into a "best part of the day" shaded lounging area with the big Porta-Cool to move hot air as required on the worst days. It's even got one of those virtually useless propane "fire pits" (and a matching trash can)...

Not bad for FREE!

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Not at "my place", but at one of my FAVORITE places - COTA!

My family got me a "hot laps" package in a Corvette Z06 for Father's Day. Yesterday was the day. Too bad the goofballs in charge of the "video package" forgot to press "record", so I got SQUAT, apart from our own photos & a few videos only one of which shows me pulling out of the pit into pit lane. Anyway, it was a hoot, I topped 100 (easily), but so did the TEMPERATURE!

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Next time, I want to do the advanced package with a faster car and more than just 3 laps.
 
Man - I bet that was fun. I love the mid-engine Corvettes, and COTA is fun just to be at. Both together must have been a riot.
 
WAHOO! Great "make-up" package. The manger, Ben, had us meet the on-site facilitator, Nathan, who set me & my wyfe Sally up with a "Ride Along" in a Dodge Charger Hellcat for a 3-lap hoot. Sally had taken Dramamine a bit too early, so didn't appreciate the full effects of the ride, but she did keep her cool and her fluids.
Serious Gs in that car, the customer drivers aren't allowed to get to those extremes (close but not the same).

I was fully expecting to take my "make-up" drive in a Corvette, but when Nathan asked me "what car?", I said "I drove the 'Vette yesterday, but I'd rather drive a Ferrari". NO PROBLEM! I got a Silver 488 GTB, with the transmission set to "Auto" (dang), Anyway, it was WAY nicer all the way around, and I got a MUCH better instructor who let me push it MUCH farther than the guy with the 'Vette did. He also didn't sound "panicked" or stressed/stressful at all. I just touched 150 at the end of the long straight, which is faster than the 146 I did on my ZRX out in the hills, so, my fastest drive/ride (to-date).

The TWO days/drives, PLUS the 2-person ride-along, and the video, make it all worth the price tag of over $500 (I still don't know what the wyfe & kids actually paid, but it was a bit more than that).

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