Monday, November 9, 2020

23 October 2020 -- Taking the daytime off

So have a partial DR test tonight, originally scheduled for 9p-5a though that has become a moving target in the last couple days. Plan was to take the morning off, and sleep say 3pm-8pm.

Summer Lane...hey, I've never seen this road before!



Comes out on Horse Hill. Missing the picture of the end of Horse Hill which clearly got blocked by boulders years ago. Looks like it would have had a bridge, and connected to Fitts Road back before the boy scout camp was created.


Did some more beer can polo along Boston Hollow.



Nice photos, damned if I know where I took them :D. North Road perhaps?







24 October 2020 -- Well that isn't good...

Day after being up to midnight or so with the partial DR test at work.

Was too lazy to even put on jeans. Sweatpants are starting to get way to comfortable as everyday wear.

Had to pickup some parts a Dubay's for the tractor...they will leave them on the covered ramp so you don't have to go inside...sweatpants win!


Town Line Road (?) off Armitage in Ashford.





Been wanting to check this out off South Street for a while...







The photo came out really bad, but the only one I have. Finally came across a snowmobile bridge.






Oh...huh...that's weird...hit the pavement and realized I never shifted out of four wheel drive. Reach for the transfer case lever, no resistance on it. Well shit. I probably could figure this out, but I really don't feel like fucking with it today. Hello, AAA?



07 November 2020 -- Such a sad sight

Naming note: I'm an idiot and named November files as "202009xx" instead of "202011xx".
It is 75 degrees on the 7th of November O_O ... went out late in the afternoon with Eric (it was completely dark by the time we got out).

Came across FJ Cruiser towing out a TJ they found disabled on the trail...such a sad sight :/. Followed them to make sure they got out OK. Oddly, we got much of the way to being out (though going what I'd think would be the tougher route)...and then I guess the TJ made contact with friends who were coming out and said he was all set the towing. :shrug:

TJ had a fuel issue, and without the engine running not great brakes so they were letting it roll down hills so it wouldn't hit the FJ then towing it up them.




08 November 2020 -- Stafford and vicinity

Naming note: I'm an idiot and named November files as "202009xx" instead of "202011xx".


Had to work 8p-9p on Saturday, 4:30a-9:30a (and woke up at 3a and kept myself from falling deep asleep again)...then took off in the Jeep.


Cool house in Ashford.


Cedar Swamp, Crooked S Road, Stafford...what the heck?!


What the heck is that structure complete with a dairy-barn style roof vent in the middle of a marsh? This is probably Connecticut Water land, though the Stafford GIS system is odd that some parcels come up "no data."


Well, had I made it past the bridge last Saturday this is the gate on the other end of that road :D


Off Fenton Road, Stafford which I'm pretty certain I never went down before.








Monday, October 12, 2020

Snatch Blocks

Took me a while to find a snatch block that:

a) American/Canadian/Australian/Western European made;
b) Reasonably priced.

http://www.masterpull.com/snatch-blocks/


Yep, has a great feel. Not greasable, but it's not like I'll be using this on a regular basis. Being bearing, it has less rolling resistance than the "rings" due.

The snatch block has a 15,000# Working Load Limit (2:1 30,000# breaking) with a 3/4" Van Beest (Dutch made) shackle rated at 4.75 metric tons (10,450# WLL; 6:1 for a breaking strength of 62,700#).

This combination was $105 for the snatch block, $16 for the shackle. (I bought a couple extra shackles to hit the free shipping total).


Compare that to a Warn Epic snatch block rated at 12,000# and Epic shackle which is currently running about $145 combined on Amazon made of the Chinesium you might trust just because Warn was willing to put their name on it...

(And it's not that China can't produce really high quality stuff, they can and do -- it's just the marketing position is usually Western companies wanting to maximize profits buying from Chinese trying to maximize profits, and dealing with a den full of Ferengis. Then add in the Amazon distribution system that easily allows counterfeit goods so you may not be getting an actual Warn snatch but a counterfeit...nope. Items that would show signs of failure early and easily like tree savers and tow straps? Much less of a concern for me for either China or Amazon. Metal that needs proper casting and finishing? No chance.)

Does it have all the features I'd like...having the Country of Origin and WLL limit stamped instead of being a label (though the label feels very high quality) would be my preference, and that's about my only criticism. However I also plan to store it within a Crown Royal bag within my gear bag so that should help protect the snatch block. The shackles will go in their own bags as well (to help reduce metal-on-metal banging).

Tuesday, October 6, 2020

Am I the only one disturbed...

Or OCD triggered or something...

To see this up on a bench without first steam cleaning / pressure washing / something all that crud off :eek: