Oregon and Washington BS thread

Time for the RTT, looks like I'm picking up a Mt Bachelor here in a couple days... I'm way excited!

 

woot!getnthenshasta

 

why the #shasta? Youre the third person to tell me this?

This motherfucker shat a log on my hood

 

I'd get the Shasta if I were you, you'll want the hangover part for when its raining/snowing, helps a lot. Thats my reason at least.

 

When I bought during the GB the pricing wasn't much different and it makes a big difference when your anywhere that may get wet.

 

my only issue is that the tent is only going to be 5' 3" off the ground when I set up. Which will make the annex lower than my head. So I wasn't really planning on using the annex. Also I was worried that taking it down will just throw junk into the storage. How do you store the annex? I'm trying to find pics but limited.

 

The annex packs up pretty nice and tight, doesn't take up much room at all. I haven't used my annex yet but the hangover part is really nice for when its raining/snowing. Getting in your tent and having that part covering you if you take a jacket or something off and not continue to get wet is worth it. You don't have to have the annex up each time you use it, look at my sig pic

 

Who made the bars?

 

relentless, i have a set myself.

 

was watching district 9 yesterday......damn those hilux are sexy..I want one.

 

Ugh, what a trip. I'm on the tail end of a total badenture for some business training in Toronto, and I can't wait to be back.



I started off by getting through security with 1 minute to spare before they started announcing last call.
Once I landed in Canada, AT&T greeted me with a text about how anything I do is now international and I should consider a bank loan if I want to contact anyone. At this point didn't realize that incoming calls were free, so I'm freaking out while my phone is blowing up from texts and MMS messages. I quickly killed everything except google voice texts over wifi.
This also kills my GPS, since phone maps can't do turn by turn without cell. I have my Garmin, but no power cord. No prob, I will buy one from the nearest Best Buy once I get the rental car.
Here's where things get fun: At this point, I discover my company laptop, the thing that is mandatory for my training, the training that I spent a week convincing my boss was important... that laptop is still at TSA in Seattle. I forgot to put it back in my bag. I'm not sure why I didn't stop and research how to get in contact with someone, but at this point I'm totally burnt out between dealing with my phone, thinking about what to do about the class, getting the car, the hotel, no GPS, and getting fed (I haven't eaten in 5 hours).
I get the car, and out of desperation, have them throw on their GPS (which feels like it came from the 80s). I get to the hotel, which was an adventure since the GPS wanted me to turn into a sinkhole (no, not kidding) and had to re-route for a few kilometers.
I spent the next hour or so trying to contact work and figuring out how to contact SeaTac. Can't contact SeaTac, they are closed. Their online form doesn't like my tablet, either. I try contacting work, and after a few attempts I can get through and get them to start the ball rolling.
At this point I can finally go out and eat lunch... about 5pm PST, 8 EST.
If you haven't been there, Mississuaga is a wasteland. Cracked, broken streets, a high temp of 25, and strip mall style buildings that show high signs of abandonment. Subway closes at 5PM, along with most other businesses, so the whole place is a ghost town. I finally find a Domino's inside a mall that has 5 asian restaurants and about 3 DVD/flea-market style electronics heaped inside.
Next day, I go to the class and there's no spare laptops, so I have to try programming on my Nexus 7 tablet by remoting in to a computer. I'm using the on-screen keyboard, which makes it more fun.
As the class is going, I have to duck out a few times to answer emails from SeaTac and my work. SeaTac keeps wanting to call me to talk about the email they just sent, but I don't have signal in the building. I'm not playing phone tag with international calls, so we jumble through it, but they can't tell me if they have my laptop until about 5PM EST anyway when they get their stuff inventoried.
After the class I get word they found it, and after me trying to create a zip file on my phone with pictures of my flight ticket and passport that I can email them, they have sufficient proof to send it to me. However, they will be closed by the time my return flight lands, so they have to hand it over to UPS. OK, no problem, my company has an account. Sir, you have to call them with the reference number to arrange delivery. OK, I guess I have to do an international call now, which took me sometime because I couldn't figure out how to dial a plus symbol (the zero didn't want to take as a plus, so I had to copy and paste a plus symbol into my dialer).
"OK sir, this is UPS, please note there will be a $70 handling fee and a $25 packing fee. Can we discuss shipping rates now?"
What? what about my company account?
"We can't use company accounts here"
So I wasted an international call on that, because I can't get that shipping done without department approval. I send the info on to my IT guy and have him run with it. Shipping approved, laptop will show up at work on Thursday... so virtually no work I can do on Wednesday.
I set off for another food adventure, and forgot that I hadn't told the bank that I'm abroad, so all I have is my AMEX working. This limits me to McDonald's and Quizno's, both of which are open until 9PM thankfully (it is 8:40 at this time).
Today's been the first smooth day I've had, as if Canada knows it can get rid of me. The class mustered a spare PC, I was able to buy a bluetooth keyboard as a backup interface for my nexus, and I left with PLENTY of time for my flight (which still doesn't board for 30 minutes).
When I get home, I'm wondering how my phone bill is going to be, and if my boss has replaced my laptop with one that says CASIO, moved me to the back corner of the warehouse, and replaced my pay stub with a red stapler.

 

Have your company pay for your phone bill.

 

Yeah but my fault so I don't know if it is covered. Ive never lost anything like this before.
Just got announcement that the plane is delayed, too

 

Mike,
I can totally relate!
I can only think that is must be some sort of alien vortex above Chicago.

Long story short:
flight delays getting into O'Hare from San Diego.
multiple gate changes at O'Hare had me running like a hamster in a wheel.
1AM flight to Toronto and I was the very last person on the puddle jumper because I was an UA FF and had to show my FF card.
3AM arrival at Toronto and luggage lost.
Presentation at 8AM.
No toothbrush, razor, etc
Luggage showed up the next day.
During training, the customer wanted to write every single word I spoke instead of using and reading the training manual.
Little did I realize that the V.A.R. was watching me and every move or statement I made and was documenting everything against me.

Got back to work in Irvine, CEO called me into office for my story of events. Told him it was a disaster from the start... lasted about three weeks after that - kind of a blessing to be let go from there.

 

On the way back home from my last trip, I left my company laptop, Nexus 7 and passport in the back seat of my rental car during a layover. Rental agency was absolutely no help. Corporate security put pressure on them somehow and it was magically found a couple of weeks later (after going back to work with my tail between my legs).

This sounded like a crap ass trip, Mike. I feel your pain.

BTW - did you ever manage to sell those doors?

 

You want to know the real problem, though? No syrup. Hotel didn't even a waffle maker.


I turned the doors into pop cans and got about $10

 

LOL. I've still got that first gen fender I accidentally got in my backyard. I think I keep it around just to remind me of the only time I did a decent paint job.

 

How is everyone? I'm what you would call a noob here. Im in Eastern Oregon, anyone want to hang out have fun with are trucks/work on them?

 

Where are you at and what does your truck look like?

 

What the Userman said.

My wife and I will be out in the Burns area on Sunday... spending a week chasing birds, and hopefully making a good start on finding a new home out there.

I'm so ready to be done with the coast. Bleh!
Give me some dry heat and no freaking mold!