Builds Hercules- 65 HDT-45 LWB

[CaptClose]

Well... we came across this little Mormon settlement town by the name of Snowflake. It was pretty much everything you expected it to be, if by “snowflake” they meant white people. CD may have been the first brown person they’ve seen in that town in quite some time.

We figured that we should stop for fuel here, since we had a long stretch of desolate highway ahead of us. We filled up and then went inside for some provisions.

I asked the lady behind the counter what people do in this town for fun, and she quickly snapped back and said “nothing”. I laughed and quipped that I’d like to make her one of my sister wives, to which she replied that she’d want to be number one. I told her that she’s about three wives too late for that, but I’d be happy to mover her into the main house. She seemed agreeable. We made some small talk and then moved on.

 

[ceylonfj40nut]

We mosied on toward Hercules. The scenery got us introspective and retrospective. Conversation matched the twists and turns on the road ahead.

@CaptClose shared much on his speed dating on the Crow Indian reservation he lived next to in Montana. We discovered a new mud handle for @CaptClose that shall remain within the cruiser pickin circle of trust. The most interesting Jack Rabbit Alice. Time passed by fast.

I always thought Casey was born with a welder in his end. Turns out he did some training on all things mechanical. He even ventured out of Amarillo to Indianapolis. He chuckled fondly as he recollected his mandatory Workplace Anti- Harassment Training. We are all a little more aware now of what not to say. We will enact this after the trip though. He also reminisced about the fun times he had in his dad’s 55 he was brought home from the hospital. Drive in movie theaters, swamp cooler window AC units on the long summer road trips. I happen to have a picture on his trike with the family 55 in the background.

In a moment of trust and vulnerability, I shared my realization that a side benefit living in the high Sonoran desert is that all nooks and crannies where the sun don’t shine stays bone dry. You only need one pair of skibbies a year.

We got to Hercules at 2p.

 

[groundeater]

WoW ! What a gut busting article guys.

 

[ceylonfj40nut]

We enter @67azcruizr ranch with much anticipation and childish giddy. Not sure we took the right turn initially, but then we we see a silver HDJ81 and realized not. We got a glimpse of Hercules standing there revealing all it is with simplicity and integrity. I let the pics do the talking.

 

[dogfishlake]

Well... we came across this little Mormon settlement town by the name of Snowflake. It was pretty much everything you expected it to be, if by “snowflake” they meant white people. CD may have been the first brown person they’ve seen in that town in quite some time.

We figured that we should stop for fuel here, since we had a long stretch of desolate highway ahead of us. We filled up and then went inside for some provisions.

I asked the lady behind the counter what people do in this town for fun, and she quickly snapped back and said “nothing”. I laughed and quipped that I’d like to make her one of my sister wives, to which she replied that she’d want to be number one. I told her that she’s about three wives too late for that, but I’d be happy to mover her into the main house. She seemed agreeable. We made some small talk and then moved on.

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Brown?

I just figured CD spent most afternoons lifting weights in front of mirrors at the health club and laying on a tanning bed for hours.

Huh.

 

[dogfishlake]

Buuut seriously,

You got there! Whoo hoo!

 

[ceylonfj40nut]

We spent a good hour with Sean chatting about and crawling around it like flies on Javelina scat. My trusty wingmen jumped right into getting Hercules in on the trailer. Prior to cash changing hands. Sean remained calm.

 

[dogfishlake]

We spent a good hour with Sean chatting about and crawling around it like flies on Javelina scat. My trusty wingmen jumped right into getting Hercules in on the trailer. Prior to cash changing hands. Sean remained calm.

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Casey gets after things faster than anyone I have known. No chit chat til work is done.

 

[ceylonfj40nut]

We did the deed.

 

[dogfishlake]

Yeah, good luck on the mean face CD. You'll have a permagrin for months

 

[ceylonfj40nut]

As dusk dawned on us, we thought of camping at nearby Saguaro National Park. However, Old Man Shiny Object Syndrome got the better of us as we checked out Sean’s FJ25 build. We chatted some more and discovered how amateur we were. Another hour went by.

Sean the awesome guy he is offers up his guest house for us to sleep for the night. We felt right at home at the guest house because it was cutely decorated with OEM parts.

 

[ceylonfj40nut]

In true nurture of Cruiser Karma we took Sean out to dinner and some good brewskis. We talked about cruisers, parenting, cruisers, Arizona taxation, cruisers, the ugliness of inheritance wars, cruisers, Sean’s journey from Connecticut to Arizona, cruisers, importing grey titled cruisers, cruisers, and more cruisers. The roots of friends for life were planted.

 

[dogfishlake]

In true nurture of Cruiser Karma we took Sean out to dinner and some good brewskis. We talked about cruisers, parenting, cruisers, Arizona taxation, cruisers, the ugliness of inheritance wars, cruisers, Sean’s journey from Connecticut to Arizona, cruisers, importing grey titled cruisers, cruisers, and more cruisers. The roots of friends for life were planted.

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The "friends for life" part is the ultimate reward you end up with.

 

[groundeater]

Oh NO !! No bean and cheese burritos in that pile of grub is there ?

 

[ceylonfj40nut]

While @CaptClose took some much needed zzzzzs to seat his new rear main seal, @potatolauncher and I went out so secure the trailer. Sean brought us some coffee and zucchini/ blue berry bread. Sean and his family are the real deal. We said our momentary good byes and TEQ hugs and left the ranch.

@dogfishlake, Sean has two dogs like Buddy. Bonnie and Clyde. I had to get a pic for you man!!

 

[ceylonfj40nut]

Sean shared that he had a good Irish Catholic upbringing in Connecticut. Since moving to AZ, Church shall we say elusive. His frequent chats with mom were encouraging, but the chapel needle stayed on idle. Irony has it that Catholic Church came right to him, literally in his back yard. . Mom is having the last laugh.

Turns out too that Sean’s father in law happened to be the late Phil Chess, the record producer for the likes of Etta James Muddy Waters, BB king and company. Pic of Phil Chess. A larger than life character.

 

[ceylonfj40nut]

A right and a left + 2 miles and we are at Saguaro National Park. A bucket list item for us all. We dragged Hercules in with us.

Some facts we learned:
- weight per Ft of stem= 100lbs
-homesteads the white wing dove, the gilded flicker, Gila woodpecker, and raptors
- first flower does not bloom for 35 years
-first branch does not grow until 60+ years
-full height at about $150 years.

 

[ceylonfj40nut]

Some more

 

[ceylonfj40nut]

Brutus got another notch.

 

[middlecalf]

(Hijack - where is Sean’s @67azcruizr build thread on that fixed top 45 in one if your pics? I’m wondering what solution he has for the rear slider windows. Hijack over).

Good friends are a blessing.