Re: Chairmen of the Politically Incorrect (continued)

Walt · Post by **Walt** » Tue May 19, 2026 5:15 pm

Very cool, OW! I also have a 3 screw SBH, a newer stainless SBH and a 4 5/8" blue SBH. The Remlin lever is the only long gun I have in .44 mag but I do have an old 4" m29-3. It's a beautiful gun but I don't shoot it often because it hurts to shoot, even with somewhat reduced loads. I've lost almost all the cushioning in my lower thumb joints. Too many heavy hitters over the years.

OldWin · Post by **OldWin** » Fri May 22, 2026 5:11 am

Well for feeling like garbage all week, I got a fair amount done. I got all that wood split. I played musical appliances again after my dryer fix didn't work out. Took a couple nice bike rides (of course). Changed the oil in the Jeep.
I was going to put a new faucet in the bathroom, but the new one was broken in the box. Glad I checked before tearing out the old one. I mowed my and my mother in law's lawns for the first time.
Not a ton, but my head is a mess. Even more than usual.

Walt · Post by **Walt** » Fri May 22, 2026 5:28 am

OW, I hope you feel better soon, You know the key to a fast recovery is more bike rides, fewer household chores.

OldWin · Post by **OldWin** » Fri May 22, 2026 7:36 am

I know! I keep telling my wife that, but she seems skeptical.

We had a pretty good frost this morning. It was beautiful yesterday too. It got to 60, but sure cooled off overnight.

Walt · Post by **Walt** » Sat May 23, 2026 4:25 am

Springtime in NM is normally windy but yesterday's high was 75° with no wind. I went for a little ride up to the Black Bird Saloon in Cerrillos NM. Built in 1882 along with most of the remaining original structures in this tiny mining village, the Black Bird offers pricey but outstanding food and a unique atmosphere.

gamekeeper · Post by **gamekeeper** » Sat May 23, 2026 5:29 am

48 to 66f here breezy and a little cloudy. Walt shouldn't you have tied your trusty steed to a hitching post?

My son saw a baby Squirrel the other day so maybe things will improve, meanwhile in Old Savage land...

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OldWin · Post by **OldWin** » Sat May 23, 2026 8:35 pm

That is awesome Walt! Id love to load up my bike and Jeep and head out there for a few months of riding. Good to see you running the old DRZ!

Well GK, if it was ever going to happen, it would be in California. I guess the squirrels now identify as coyotes.

gamekeeper · Post by **gamekeeper** » Sun May 24, 2026 6:19 am

Ha Coyote Squirrels

maybe OS has been giving them the leftovers from his BBQ....he does admit to feeding them

OldWin · Post by **OldWin** » Wed May 27, 2026 2:04 pm

Borrowed my buddies dump trailer to haul that wood to camp today. Man, what a workout. First I loaded all those huge butt ends, stubs, and forks. Some I couldn't even lift and had to cut them with the chainsaw. That trailer was pretty full and I'm glad the dump is only a mile up the road . I prayed the whole way the battery and hydraulics were good on the dump trailer. I surely didn't want to have to unload it too. It worked, thankfully.
Then I loaded it with the split firewood until it was as heavy as I dared having to haul all the way to camp. Then I had to get it in there and turned around. Luckily, the ground has mostly dried out and it didn't sink.
Went back home and loaded it again and made another trip. There is still most of another load. I will load it tonight and haul it early tomorrow morning.
Needless to say, this was all WAY too much for the Gladiator, so we drug the old Dodge out of the garage for this job.
Yesterday I ran around getting prices for Lumber for my shed at camp. That's the next job.

gamekeeper · Post by **gamekeeper** » Thu May 28, 2026 2:41 am

I see my son doing such work on the estate but the dump is a massive bonfire by the old derelict sawmill I go down there occasionally to shoot crows. Jay you mentioned the old Dodge I can't remember if you posted a picture but I love old trucks so would appreciate a photo as we don't see too many this side of the pond....

OldWin · Post by **OldWin** » Thu May 28, 2026 5:59 am

We have a long history with Dodge trucks. We always had Chevys, until they went to IFS back in 88. Then we went to Dodge, as they kept a solid axle front end.
The "Old Dodge" isn't super old, it's a 98. I found the truck in the spring of 99 with 3500 miles on it. I would have bought it, but was going through a divorce, so my dad bought it.
It's a 3/4 ton with a 360 V8 and an auto transmission. I love the Mopar 360, and had special ordered 2 separate half ton short box Dodges with this engine in 88 and 90.
Dodge had 2 versions of the 3/4 ton during this era. There was a standard and a super heavy duty. Dad's is one of the heavy versions. It has a Dana 70 rear end and a Dana 60 front. This is usually reserved for 1 tons. At stock height, with 32 inch tires, it's 20 inches to the bottom edge of the running boards. It will take a 34 inch tire with no lift, but wouldn't fit in my dad's garage, so we kept the 32s.
As of now, it still only has 77,000 miles and mostly just sits in the garage. It's in fantastic condition, and we will just keep it forever.
I didn't get any pics with the dump trailer, but here's a few of the "Jolly Green Giant" taken over the years.

gamekeeper · Post by **gamekeeper** » Thu May 28, 2026 9:02 am

Thanks Jay for the photos and info I really like American trucks even if they don't always fit on our narrow roads and parking slots

although Ford pickups are pretty common.

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Walt · Post by **Walt** » Fri May 29, 2026 4:17 pm

I hope you've pretty much recovered from feeling like hammered s**t from a few days ago. You did a ton of work that you probably wouldn't have accomplished even if you really pushed yourself when you were sick. Those springtime chores!
I like your old Dodge; no doubt they're real workhorses. I have a lot of respect for heavy duty trucks although I don't really have a need for anything that stout here.
I'm glad you're doing better. Thanks for the pictures.

OldWin · Post by **OldWin** » Fri May 29, 2026 4:36 pm

Thank you Walt. Haha I pretty much felt like garbage the whole time. Especially when I was splitting it. I was starting to feel better when I was hauling it, but I'm still not 100%. Ears are still plugged and I have an intermittent cough.
Dad, on the other hand, has pneumonia. He is still out and about, and rode with me to camp hauling the wood. He just didn't do any physical work. He has been working on our old 77 Mercury outboard in his garage.
The old Dodge suffered a mishap.....
The last trip up with the dump trailer loaded with wood went ok. However, when I backed the trailer down to dump the wood, the brake pedal went to the floor. Not good. I told dad there's nothing we can do but say prayer and run it home. I hauled that dump trailer all the way home with zero brakes. Thank goodness we live in the backwoods of Maine! Now I have another job. Blew a hard line on the drivers rear. I probably should have pinched it at camp before I left, but I like a challenge.

Walt · Post by **Walt** » Fri May 29, 2026 5:22 pm

Haha, I guess you do like a challenge! I assume you had enough brake fluid in the reservoir to have made it work if you had decided to pinch off the line.
When did the auto manufacturers introduce the brake systems that provided braking on the right front and left rear, for example, if a brake line failed? Do they still do that?
That loaded dump trailer is a big load.
I wish your old pop well....I hope he recovers quickly.

OldWin · Post by **OldWin** » Fri May 29, 2026 8:00 pm

Yeah, there was enough fluid left to make it work.
Haha I don't know Walt. I didn't even know that was a thing!

Haha yeah, it was some pretty serious weight when all loaded. I was quite surprised how much wood was there. I thought for sure i could do it in 2 loads. Sure glad I didn't have to haul it all with a pickup. That would have sucked.
Thank you Walt. I think he will be ok. He's pretty tough for almost 85.

jeepnik · Post by **jeepnik** » Fri May 29, 2026 8:37 pm

Tore a line on my Jeep once while off road. Yep, crimped it. but no fluid. Water works in a pinch, but you have a job making sure you get it all out later. Off road long enough and you break darned near everything. Most you can fix well enough to limp home. But some stuff, it's time to call a buddy for help.

OldWin · Post by **OldWin** » Fri May 29, 2026 8:50 pm

Haha that's for sure! Driving home on front wheel drive, or a sapling strapped over the tire on a broken C-clip axle. Ratchet strap motor mounts, and a dozen other hacks to get out of the woods.
That was called fun back in the day. I'm a lot more careful nowadays. Gotta make the old TJ Rubicon last the rest of my life.

Walt · Post by **Walt** » Sat May 30, 2026 6:27 am

I'm happy to see you on here, Jeepnik!

gamekeeper · Post by **gamekeeper** » Sat May 30, 2026 8:44 am

Walt wrote: ↑Sat May 30, 2026 6:27 am I'm happy to see you on here, Jeepnik!

Ditto to that...

Walt · Post by **Walt** » Sat May 30, 2026 12:21 pm

The places I most enjoy going to don't lend themselves well to off-roading with my primary transportation vehicle since the area is about 100 miles from home. If I were to tear something up, "limping home" that distance could be a real problem. My best plan is to do some gentle off-roading to reach the spot where I unload an ATV or bike and go from there. That way if something critical breaks I can still make it home even if I have to leave my secondary vehicle until I can come up with an extrication plan, Of course, best practice is to have a riding partner along although I sure like going alone.

That reminds me of a time when my son and I went on a snow ride with several other riders. We were both on 2 wheel drive Honda quads, a 250EX and a 300EX. We started off early on a cold morning in snow that was close to two feet deep in the mountains. The snow was firm and easy to navigate for the six or seven miles we rode over densely forested trails. Having a number of riders along, we frequently stopped to take pictures and visit, enjoying the beautiful day. About mid day we stopped and had lunch and that's when the trouble started. The temperature had risen and the snow turned to ice crystals like snow cone ice. The 4 wheel drive ATVs struggled and our little 2 wheel drives simply sank. It turned into an unforgetably bad day. The only way we could make any headway was to push beside our quads with the tires spinning. We pushed for miles. Finally two of the 4 wheel drives hooked together in tandem and towed one of our 2 wheel drives out the last several miles to the trucks, then came back for me. I still have my old '95 300EX and I love it but it's now only a fair weather quad.

OldWin · Post by **OldWin** » Sat May 30, 2026 12:43 pm

Quite a trip Walt!
I've had both an 87 250X and a 96 300EX. I used them as trail rigs in the summer when it dried up. I have done that spring snow riding many times, and know exactly what you are talking about. Every spring we would choose a day and take our annual "push your luck ride". We'd go miles into the backcountry from our old camp on 4x4 4 wheelers on the frozen snow. Sometimes we'd stop and you hear water rushing and realize it was hollow under you with several feet of a drop and a torrent of water running. Sometimes there'd be a hole at a thin spot. Luckily, none of us ever dropped through. We'd still be there, or our bones would be. No cell phones, In Reach, or anything.
I've also done it with Jeeps but it's too high risk and you lack the "feel" to know when you've chose a bad line. These days, I wheel with more caution, but still really enjoy it. A lot if guys in my old club have "trailer queens" now, but that seems like cheating to me.

jeepnik · Post by **jeepnik** » Sat May 30, 2026 9:39 pm

Walt, limping home doesn't always mean all the way home. Sometimes it means getting somewhere to get the parts to fix it or (Heaven forbid) to a shop that can fix it. But at least to the trail head. If you do need a tow, it's a lot cheaper from a trail head than out on the trail.

What amazes me most these days is the number of off roaders who neither carry tools and spares or have the knowledge and skill to use them. Most seem to have soft hands that are more adept at punching keys on a keyboard that turning a wrench. And if they did get a boo boo wrenching, they'd need a life flight to get them to the nearest ER for a butterfly.

OldWin · Post by **OldWin** » Sun May 31, 2026 9:32 am

Once you know a vehicle, it's much easier to know what to carry. Both for parts, spares, fluids, and most importantly, tools. It helps if everything can be put in a single box or container to be put in the Jeep when you head out. On top of the items that never leave the vehicle. I usually have a baseline that is always there. Then a bag of additional recovery items on top of the usual items. A tool bag with all my essential trail fix tools, then fluids and spares. I have it pared down pretty good, and don't need a ton. Ive driven TJs for decades now, and know what they need. My driving style is pretty conservative and I go easy on the skinny pedal. It's usually the same people who have a lot of breakage, and I rarely wheel with those guys if I can help it.

Walt · Post by **Walt** » Mon Jun 01, 2026 10:15 am

Jeepnik, if you're familiar with this part of the country you'll know how sparsely populated it is and what kind of distances are travelled. NM is the fifth largest state in the nation; the Albuquerque metro area represents almost half of the state's total population. That hundred miles or so that I drive to my favorite spots has no repair facilities or parts stores past about 15 miles from town so taking basic necessities along is mandatory. That ability to get completely away from people without having to drive very far is the reason I left southern California. Although my favorite ATV and bike spots are a hundred miles away I can escape people by going less than 10 miles from home. I love it.

Walt · Post by **Walt** » Mon Jun 01, 2026 10:44 am

Jay, once when I was riding my BMW through the Jemez Mountains one summer morning about 15 years ago, I was coming down a hill in alternating shadows and bright sunlight and I hit a baseball-sized rock that had rolled down from the hillside next to the road. Because of the alternating brilliant light (at 8800' elevation) and dark I just didn't see it until it was too late. My tubeless rim was bulged outward and lost air immediately. I was in an area of no cell phone service and no cars came by. I decided that my only option was to ride it to a little convenience store about 8 miles away that sold snacks and fishing supplies. They had a phone. That was a tough 8 miles. The tire sidewalls are very stiff and the bike would ride first on one sidewall and then the other, making my course very unpredictable. I drove at less than 15mph and was all over the edge of the road. Several times I almost went into the ditch. I finally got to the convenience store but didn't know quite what to do. I asked the counterman for a suggestion and he told me there was a couple with a tow truck that lived 20 miles up the road. Their business card was stapled to the wall by the door and I called them. I explained the situation and asked them to bring along a big hammer and an air compressor. They showed up half an hour later and we got to work on the wheel, still mounted on the bike. The guy hammered away on the bulge, not making much progress until I backed up the other side of the wheel with a 2x4 and a large rock. He had a can of WD-40 and periodically put air in the tire before spraying it to see if it was still leaking. After a while it appeared that the tire was holding air. The tow truck driver admonished me to stop at every place that had air to make sure the tire wasn't leaking down. I doubled the bill they gave me and went on my way. The tire held all the way home. There's a place in the Denver area called Woody's Wheel World that did a truly masterful job straightening the wheel and the damaged area isn't visible at all even with careful inspection.
I got lucky all the way around.

OldWin · Post by **OldWin** » Mon Jun 01, 2026 11:29 am

Wow! You lucked out buddy! Front flats are no fun to ride on. Especially with a heavy bike.
I'm astonished! I got that brake line off the old Dodge with snapping either end off. Now it's just getting the new one bent up and put on.