Let's visit on the Porch II (Billings, Bozeman: aluminum, pieces, operation)

[MaBonnema]

Well, 6 more days b4 we fly the coop. Ya'll pray that our old clunker makes it. Everything is packed except a few changes of clothes and our meds. Thursday night we will clean everything (just light sweeping and vacuuming) and put the last few bits in the car. Pulling outta here around 10 AM Friday Morning Aug 2nd.
If ya'll dont hear from me for a while dont worry. I dont know when I'll have internet access. I'll try to check in via my facebook page if we stop and there is WiFi... so ya'll be sure to check my page on facebook.
A neighbor gave me a CB radio but I cant get it to work. Radio is probably blown... but thats ok. it was the thought that counted.
We'll leave Lobby, go thru kalispell, down thru Polson, to Missoula, Butte, Bozeman, Billings.
Probably spend the night in Billings so my mom can see her 90 yr old uncle for the last time. And her cousin has promised to take us to Outback Steak house so I can get a Blooming Onion...
Gawd, I looove those things.. havent had one in 10 yrs)
Anyway... thats part of the route.
Then we are going thru Wyoming, to Colorado, then shoot over to Kansas and then down thru Oklahoma to Dallas Tx so I can see my Grandbaby. Then from there to Phenix City Alabama to see family and then on up to Chickamauga Georgia. 2,996 miles plus some misc miles.

So... ya'll wish us luck.
Hope everyone has a great week.

[ElkHunter]

I run a lot between Sheridan Wyoming and Dallas Tx. Probably 15 trips. There is a lot shorter, more direct, and more scenic route, with no mountains, and no hundreds of miles of wheat fields.

From Sheridan, drop South on I-25 through Denver to Pueblo Co. Turn left and head for Lamar. At Lamar, turn right on 287. The other end of 287 is Ft Worth Texas. Just 20 miles from Dallas. More scenic, more trees, hence cooler. Once you hit Texas, it's all divided 4 lane highway and beautiful rolling hills.

Which ever way you go, good luck. It's a heck of a trip, no matter what the route. When I run between Dallas and Sheridan, I would stop in Lamar for the night. It's a long 2 days, but only 2.

[MaBonnema]

Thanks EH . Mom wanted to stay on interstate.. but like I tried to tell her.. there are gas stations on them itty bitty roads too. Besides.. your route shaves almost 200 miles off of the way mom wanted to go.
Got me a CB radio and antenna. .... the antenna was for a side mirror mount for a truck.. but I got it sitting on the back door frame.. LOL..
CB radio was blown (gonna give that one back) but another neighbor had another one, plus he hooked it up ( i know how but hey.. why not let someone else sweat), added a cigarette adapter plug, and threw in an external speaker..
in return we are giving him our old AC
Yes, we know he got the better end of the deal but the guy is super nice, young, hard working, poor as a church mouse and has NO A/C... and he lives in a trailer...
he really could use it.

I had to temporarily restrict my facebook page access due to someone being an Ahole... so I will try to post updates here when I can.
Thanks again EH.. I will try to post on the day we leave.
See ya'll
xoxoxo

[bongo]

Safe travels, Ma. What an adventuresome trip!

[jasper12]

We have no AC, no one ''needs'' AC in Montana... But it sure is nice.

[ElkHunter]

I have some time on my hands, finally.

Right now I have onions, jalapena's, sautee'n in butter. I have blended bacon to it is really fine pieces. I'm cutting up 6 avacado's to mush up. Then, put it all in one bowl and set it in the fridge to chill for a bit. Break out the corn chips. Then it's munchy time.

I've got good and bad news. A friend bought a chipper and parked it out here, "just for a couple days". That was 2 years ago. Well, yesterday it was stolen. That was the good news. The bad news is I got caught.

I snuck it over to his equipment yard and while traveling over there, somebody shot pictures of me and sent them to him. Damnit man.

[ElkHunter]

Hauling sand in a big dump truck. CDL required if over 26,000 lbs. First load out of the quarry, they knew I was making several trips so they just weighed me and waved me on. I didn't have any paperwork, afterall, it's a privately owned dump truck and I'm only going about 6 miles.

I go in for the first load and the Department of Agriculture is weight testing the scale, so I don't weigh empty, I'll get that slip on another trip. I load, weigh and as I get on the asphalt and whoop whoop and there's red and blue in the mirror. Crap. I showed him my drivers license, registration, proof of insurance. He says, "Who are you hauling this for?" I said, "Me." He says, "Do you know how much you have on here?" Legally, I'm supposed to know and have the weight slip, but I don't and I tell him so. He says, "You are well over 26,000, turn it around, we're going to put it on the scale." Crap.

I pull on to the scale thinking I'm going to get out, I'm going to get Timber out, I'm even taking my coke with me trying to get it as light as I could. Nope, he hollers, "Just stay in there." They weigh me. He comes out of the shack and says, "Crap", gets in his car and drives off. I went inside and asked what I weighed. There set's the scale slip. 25,980 lbs. Whoot whoot!

I wanted to make as few trips as possible, so I had told the loader operator, "Fill it up, pack it down, fill it up again." Now I know what it will hold in sand. Course, I'm thinking if I'd had an extra egg for breakfast, I wouldn't be so happy.

[Reziac]

Originally Posted by ElkHunter

He comes out of the shack and says, "Crap", gets in his car and drives off. I went inside and asked what I weighed. There set's the scale slip. 25,980 lbs.

[MTSilvertip]

Originally Posted by ElkHunter

Hauling sand in a big dump truck. CDL required if over 26,000 lbs. First load out of the quarry, they knew I was making several trips so they just weighed me and waved me on. I didn't have any paperwork, afterall, it's a privately owned dump truck and I'm only going about 6 miles.

I go in for the first load and the Department of Agriculture is weight testing the scale, so I don't weigh empty, I'll get that slip on another trip. I load, weigh and as I get on the asphalt and whoop whoop and there's red and blue in the mirror. Crap. I showed him my drivers license, registration, proof of insurance. He says, "Who are you hauling this for?" I said, "Me." He says, "Do you know how much you have on here?" Legally, I'm supposed to know and have the weight slip, but I don't and I tell him so. He says, "You are well over 26,000, turn it around, we're going to put it on the scale." Crap.

I pull on to the scale thinking I'm going to get out, I'm going to get Timber out, I'm even taking my coke with me trying to get it as light as I could. Nope, he hollers, "Just stay in there." They weigh me. He comes out of the shack and says, "Crap", gets in his car and drives off. I went inside and asked what I weighed. There set's the scale slip. 25,980 lbs. Whoot whoot!

I wanted to make as few trips as possible, so I had told the loader operator, "Fill it up, pack it down, fill it up again." Now I know what it will hold in sand. Course, I'm thinking if I'd had an extra egg for breakfast, I wouldn't be so happy.

LOL!!! Everybody makes mistakes, some are funnier than others...

I have a 1966 International Scout I drive, and it is a target for every cop on the road as they think it will be an easy kill for no insurance and no seat belts.

I was pulled over by a new MHP trooper near Manhattan a while back, and after I give him my insurance info he says, "I notice you aren't wearing your seat belt".

So I had to inform him that the vehicle had not been made with seat belts as they were not installed in that model until 1970 as a lap belt, and not required by law until 1973, so the vehicle was grandfathered. I don't have to have a seatbelt in a vintage vehicle.

He looked at the title, said, "oh yeah, it is a '66", gave me back my information, and left

I noted as I drove through the area that there was a wolf pack operation going on, MHP, Sheriff Deputies, near the town exits there were city cops, don't know if they were looking for someone specific or just the usual wolf pack move assets into an area and put the fear of John Law into the population for a while.

Either way, if you aren't in the wrong, it sure seems to throw them off balance

[Reziac]

I figure those "wolf pack" operations indicate that we have too many cops with not enough to do (and too many laws that we can unwittingly break). Crime is about 1/3rd what it used to be, so why do we need more enforcement?

As someone elsewhere pointed out, if cops are doing roadblocks, they're unable to be working elsewhere. If I were a perp, I'd be happy to see roadblocks with the whole department turned out for 'em, cuz it'd tell me the rest of the town was free for the taking!