60+ year old thread.

60s and low 70s are my favorite. Really, every tme of the year is beautiful in its ow right. And, even when it's cold, as you rise in altitude you catch the warming of the sun. I've been in the basket at -14 ad was comfortable with my winter jacket on.

 

Years ago when I was learning how to fly my instructor and I went out to practice departure stalls on a day where it was something like -15°F; while the engine of the 1967 Cessna 172H (the final year of the O-300 Continental) was being preheated, I did the density altitude calculation for our flight, going from memory here, the density altitude was more than -4,000'. Yeah, that old Cessna practically lunged off the runway at about 30 mph, which of course made the time and distance between brake release and being airborne surprisingly short, however, inducing a departure stall over a reservoir at about 2,500' msl (still effectively more than 1,500' below MSL) was quite the challenge; at one point we were slogging along under 30 mph indicated, but looking at the hills surrounding the reservoir told a very different story, we were headed into a stiff wind and were effectively going backwards. My instructor said he'd never been in a plane flying in reverse.

 

Good Morning Porch Pals & Gal! Well, the fireplace guys didn't make it until 3, so I never got around to my putz. So, today will be putz and pool. Fireplace looks real nice though, and now it's all level and flush. Think I'll get a little splitter this fall to make feeding it easier!

Triple digits Tom? That's all we got. Austin (closest official spot) hit 50 100* days yesterday. We're at like 20 odd days in a row at the moment. July will go down as hottest ever. Like this June, and this May, and this April, and last December. ATX has SIX reported wildfires INSIDE the metro yesterday. Getting a little ridiculous.

 

Most all of those windmill fires are caused by lubrication failure. Those of us used to vehicle transmissions are accustomed to engine speed being reduced to gain torque - these monsters work backwards to that. Main shaft speed is what we see outside on the prop - the trans is jacking that up to turn the generator. If there is any hiccup in the lube system the gearbox temp goes critical in seconds.......

 

You would think there would be a disconnect or feather system to prevent that.

 

There actually is a safety on it that is supposed to kill the prop pitch and shut her down for low lube or pressure, high temp and probably other tattletails. This burn down is a multiple failure I'm sure.

 

Started early this morning and took my time to do the map light install. Finished up an hour ago after sweating buckets but I’m happy with the results.

 

At least the damn thing won’t be killing birds for awhile.

 

LOL... that's like worrying about sport fishermen in a conversation about dying oceans.

 

Wasn’t implying they have a devastating effect on bird populations just saying they kill thousands a year. However as the numbers increase then we may see a significant affect on bird populations. I have seen first hand the remains of bird carcasses around and under those things. I am glad however that pos won’t be killing birds for awhile .

 

Talking about birds reminded of what a dumb shit I was in my youth. Yeh my mind works strangely. Anyway I’ll share. When I was 18 to 20+ years old I use to go duck hunting around the shores of San Francisco Bay, Honker bay and San Pablo bay. The weather would be cold, damp and often foggy. It was cold salt water with wind, waves, tides and currents. We didn’t have a retriever dog back then so dumb ass me would retrieve them. I was an athlete and in shape then but obviously my IQ had not yet developed and was on the low side. We tried to shoot ducks close into shore. When we dropped a duck I would strip, dive in the bay and swim out and get the duck and swim back often against current, wind and wave. I remember the water was bone chilling cold and sometimes it was a struggle to make it back to shore. I’d swim back to shore, dry off, get dressed and wait for more ducks to fly by. Fortunately not many ducks flew by our position and we weren’t the greatest shots. I only did that on 2 hunts. My IQ suddenly increased a couple points. That’s just one example of many many of my misspent youth. I truly wonder how I survived to my current old age.

 

For me it was driving... Stupid, stupid stuff that should have gotten me killed and by some miracle never got anyone else hurt. I should have gone to Hollywood to train as a stunt driver.

 

Oh yes I too had many close calls driving. You and I could have been a stunt driving team.

 

Good morning fellow Porchatonians!!!

 

Have you ever seen a video of one of those things gone wild and self destruct? Terrifying!

 

Mowing yesterday, mower wheel dropped suddenly into a foot-deep hole, evidently excavated by small ground wasps. When I finished mowing, I dumped a scoop shovel of dirt into it, and proceeded to water it in. They didn't like it. The hole comes back in the same spot every year. I think I'll lay a water hose next to it, fill it up from the house 30' away, for a few days, until they vacate. IDK, any ideas?

 

Distilled vinegar or blue dawn soap or both. They hate it.

 

Thanks Ivan! I have both.

It worked, but there were a couple stragglers left buzzing around the area. I gave it another shot, then after lunch, I closed access to the nest, filling the hole with quick set concrete (it's what I had), topsoil, and a piece of sod to bring it out level. Can't even tell it, and no more mower wheel hole. But even days later, I'll see a couple wasps milling around. I'll dose the area with wasp killer when I mow, until I don't see any more.

 

M80?????

 

Morning 60+
It rained last night