Builds My '78 FJ40 "44"

[Solace in Solitude]

Installed a snorkel today - all the info is HERE - still need to raise axles and cases vents

 

[Solace in Solitude]

Disclaimer: I must apologize for any 'circle framed' photos... that's me zooming in so much that the lens shroud shows up as a circle. I'm trying to break the habit, but I'm old...

Anyway, daBoise and I tried out 44 with her new snorkel... we forded this lake and she never missed a beat!!

The water wasn't very deep - This is the Delamar Dry Lake (known as 'Texas Lake' to pilots becasue it's shaped like Texas) - it was one of the emergency landing locations for the X15 project - we drove it NW to SE and clocked it at right at two miles long.

We attempted to visit Reed Springs, in the Mt Irish Wilderness, but learned from locals, in Ash Springs, that it was supposed to snow up there today. We drove until it got so steep, I needed to get into 4LO and that requires me lifting my sleep platform. Ordinarily I would have done it anyway, but it was very COLD up there and there was still snow from the last cold front

So, I executed a flawless 26-point turn on the steep, narrow road and tried to beat sunset to an area we had camped in before - with the wild horses, on the west side of the Delamar Mountains, at 6000'

 

[Solace in Solitude]

The sky was weird - after the sun set to the west ( ), the sky to the east was gorgeous, but unusual - I guess from the sun shining above the mountains and into the scattered clouds to the east - either that or the ghosts, from the old Delamar Ghost Town have their own Eastern Lights

This morning, while I was getting ready to leave, daBoise went nuts, barking and jumping, I had to yell at them and drag my 44 Mag out. Turned out to be a whole flock, covey, pride, pack of coyotes across the canyon, yelling at my boys. I got them into 44 and finished tidying things up and we left.

Being colorblind, I could never pick the coyotes out of the brush, but judging by their yipping, they are directly across the canyon, about 100 yards away. That's fine, as long as they stayed that far away, but I was surprised that they were yelling at two large dogs!

Am I the only one who can see the two aliens trying to 'blend' in this pic?

 

[JohnnyC]

Red sky at night a sailors delight ... Red sky in the morning sailor heed warning

Great pics

 

[Solace in Solitude]

Red sky at night a sailors delight ... Red sky in the morning sailor heed warning

Great pics

Yep! I learned that from an old Scotsman in NATO years ago - haven't heard it in a while!!

 

[78fj40mg]

Very nice Danny! I like it...a lot...the snorkel that is, and the pics are awesome too!

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

yes, you're the only one who sees aliens

 

[handcannon]

Danny, I like your sunset pics, especially the second as it has some real deep coloring with less than the lower third as darkened foreground. The dark corners of your "circle" pics are known as vignetting (vinyetting). It is usually a byproduct of a wide angle lens, but can be from, or made worse, by the addition of filters to the front of a lens. With film based photography (what I'm familiar with) it's not uncommon for vignetting to not be seen until after the film is processed, as the film usually captures a slightly larger image than is seen through the viewfinder. I am assuming that with digital pictures vignetting won't be seen until previewing on a larger screen such as on a computer.

Good thing that you put daboise into 44 when the coyotes came by. It's not uncommon for a single coyote to lure a dog away from safety by playing with it, then have the whole pack tear into the dog when it can't get back to safety in time.

Don

 

[DSB345]

I love the snorkel. Great pics!! I feel I'm right with you. Your descriptions are interesting. Makes me feel like I need to buy another while I build mine Just so I can get out there and explore. But that means Mine would never get done.

 

[Solace in Solitude]

Danny, I like your sunset pics, especially the second as it has some real deep coloring with less than the lower third as darkened foreground. The dark corners of your "circle" pics are known as vignetting (vinyetting). It is usually a byproduct of a wide angle lens, but can be from, or made worse, by the addition of filters to the front of a lens. With film based photography (what I'm familiar with) it's not uncommon for vignetting to not be seen until after the film is processed, as the film usually captures a slightly larger image than is seen through the viewfinder. I am assuming that with digital pictures vignetting won't be seen until previewing on a larger screen such as on a computer.

Good thing that you put daboise into 44 when the coyotes came by. It's not uncommon for a single coyote to lure a dog away from safety by playing with it, then have the whole pack tear into the dog when it can't get back to safety in time.

Don

Thanks Don - I think, in my case, it's the shroud or hood that came with the filters. I try to watch out for it, when I zoom out, but I guess I'm not consistent...

I grew up with coyotes (I wasn't raised by them, they lived next door ) and know they are cunning, but was surprised that they were trying to sucker two large dogs...

Oh, daBoise got in 44 on their own Gunner stayed right by the truck and Chester, about 10 feet off the track. But, when I came into Chester's peripheral vision, he got brave or protective and started to charge. I yelled and he jumped in 44 behind Gunner. Chester is very protective, but this is the first time he has listened to me, so I think he really didn't want to charge them. When he's in 44 or my Tundra, he's like @Weber Sarge 's GSD - no one can get near them... but, he hasn't figured out how to roll the window down yet.. actually I only figured it out recently

Edit: PMd you Don

 

[Solace in Solitude]

I love the snorkel. Great pics!! I feel I'm right with you. Your descriptions are interesting. Makes me feel like I need to buy another while I build mine Just so I can get out there and explore. But that means Mine would never get done.

We had a great time!! But, i didn't sleep well, with a dog laying on top of each side of me... I have back and hip issues and couldn't move... they have never done this before. Normally, they lay on their bed, with their heads on my bed. Maybe, because it was so cold, they decided they needed to keep me warm. I kept getting cramps in my legs... we had done a lot of hill climbs, while hiking, and I could hardly move enough to deal with them. I finally made daBoise get up and get in their beds around 2am and woke at 4am with them on top of me again. I moved them back to their beds and covered them again and they stayed there this time. Maybe they went off duty at 4am...

Next time, my tent gets pitched and my bed goes on top my cot and they stay in their beds!

 

[Solace in Solitude]

Technically, I forgot to mention I had a nagging feeling that 44's clutch was slipping yesterday... Especially when I got back to the level roads of Middle Earth. 44 was generating RPMs, but the speed seemed slow to climb... It wasn't a big difference and, given all the noise of the road and the excellent audiobook in my headphones (David Balducci's "Memory Man"), I certainly couldn't hear a difference.

So, by the time I got home, I was exhausted and forgot all about it... That's why I keep my a 'string around my finger' in my iPhone reminders.

I saw the reminder this morning and slithered under 44 to find the slave return spring missing and the fork un-wiggleable... When they reinstalled the engine, they replaced the slave cylinder and I know the spring was there... But, it may not have been fully seated in the holes... I was quite pleased with the feel of the clutch and still am... But, I spoke to the mechanic and am going to run down there Monday morning and let the good old warranty apply.

 

[Bambi Girl]

Clay pans and Snorkel s
The rain is coming .
Snorkel driving is almost upon us.
Great photos.
The dogs and sleeping . My thoughts are the dogs are protecting you. Dogs know soooo much more than they let on.
When small dog was alive and I tried so hard to immigrate her from China to Australia I would often wonder did she bark in Chinese? Or is bark a universal language?
The poor little thing barking in Chinese dog language with no Aussie dogs able to understand.
Food for thought hay.
Sadly I will never know.
Cheers



...via IH8MUD app

 

[DSB345]

You got to work out the bugs though and it's also a good thing you made it home and can rest it off. Nothing like a good nights sleep.

Technically, I forgot to mention I had a nagging feeling that 44's clutch was slipping yesterday... Especially when I got back to the level roads of Middle Earth. 44 was generating RPMs, but the speed seemed slow to climb... It wasn't a big difference and, given all the noise of the road and the excellent audiobook in my headphones (David Balducci's "Memory Man"), I certainly couldn't hear a difference.

So, by the time I got home, I was exhausted and forgot all about it... That's why I keep my a 'string around my finger' in my iPhone reminders.

I saw the reminder this morning and slithered under 44 to find the slave return spring missing and the fork un-wiggleable... When they reinstalled the engine, they replaced the slave cylinder and I know the spring was there... But, it may not have been fully seated in the holes... I was quite pleased with the feel of the clutch and still am... But, I spoke to the mechanic and am going to run down there Monday morning and let the good old warranty apply.

 

[Solace in Solitude]

Clay pans and Snorkel s
The rain is coming .
Snorkel driving is almost upon us.
Great photos.
The dogs and sleeping . My thoughts are the dogs are protecting you. Dogs know soooo much more than they let on.
When small dog was alive and I tried so hard to immigrate her from China to Australia I would often wonder did she bark in Chinese? Or is bark a universal language?
The poor little thing barking in Chinese dog language with no Aussie dogs able to understand.
Food for thought hay.
Sadly I will never know.
Cheers



...via IH8MUD app

Hey Peter!

Your mind is either going ... Or, we are very much alike... We think way outside the box... So far that we delve into mysteries better left unsolved...

It's my firm belief that all dogs speak the same language, but being positive wouldn't serve any real purpose. The true language between dog and master is the wag of the tail, the twinkle of the eye, the licking by the tongue... At least those are my side of all conversations with daBoise...

It's like the old questions, "If a boomer chokes one in the bush, is it chunderous?"... and, "If a bloke is dressed up like a pox doctor's clerk, is he on his way to a corroboree?"... And, "If a drongo drinks with the flies, is he a pollie?", these are all questions better left unanswered!!

But, rest assured, Bambi understood everything YOU said!!

 

[Solace in Solitude]

You got to work out the bugs though and it's also a good thing you made it home and can rest it off. Nothing like a good nights sleep.

Oh yeah, my recliner was great for 10 hours last night!! I hope to return to a real bed next year

Edit: perhaps I should mount my recliner in place of 44's drivers' seat

 

[handcannon]

Oh yeah, my recliner was great for 10 hours last night!! I hope to return to a real bed next year

Edit: perhaps I should mount my recliner in place of 44's drivers' seat

Now that recliner idea sounds like a winner!

So I'm not the only one with leg cramp problems! I used to occasionally get very severe cramps on the inside of my thighs, often both legs at the same time. The inner thigh cramps would double me over. I knew I had to straighten up, but that hurt real bad also. Originally I chalked it up to the spinal injury/infection that I had dealt with a few years ago.

I heard about, and played around with, raw unfiltered apple cider vinegar. I found out that about a couple spoons full of the vinegar would alleviate the cramps real quick, but also found very quick not to take the vinegar straight unless I was ready to deal with a sore throat (that vinegar was EXTREMELY strong, and I like both sour and spicy things). Putting the vinegar into a large glass of water or juice really helped.

Then I found that taking 400 mg of magnesium oxide daily stopped the inner thigh cramps completely. Now I just have to find a way to stop the cramps in the arch of the foot that often wake me several times a night. I recently read about something else that may help with this problem. If it works I'll let you know. I grew up with a mother that was dead set against home remedies, and had that mind set also. But, that is changing as I find things that really do work.

Don

 

[Solace in Solitude]

Now that recliner idea sounds like a winner!

So I'm not the only one with leg cramp problems! I used to occasionally get very severe cramps on the inside of my thighs, often both legs at the same time. The inner thigh cramps would double me over. I knew I had to straighten up, but that hurt real bad also. Originally I chalked it up to the spinal injury/infection that I had dealt with a few years ago.

I heard about, and played around with, raw unfiltered apple cider vinegar. I found out that about a couple spoons full of the vinegar would alleviate the cramps real quick, but also found very quick not to take the vinegar straight unless I was ready to deal with a sore throat (that vinegar was EXTREMELY strong, and I like both sour and spicy things). Putting the vinegar into a large glass of water or juice really helped.

Then I found that taking 400 mg of magnesium oxide daily stopped the inner thigh cramps completely. Now I just have to find a way to stop the cramps in the arch of the foot that often wake me several times a night. I recently read about something else that may help with this problem. If it works I'll let you know. I grew up with a mother that was dead set against home remedies, and had that mind set also. But, that is changing as I find things that really do work.

Don

I've done the vinegar Don and the Magnesium as well...

In fact my sports med doctor (a DO and the doctor who finally alleviated my pain) says to 'add 100mg of magnesium daily, until you start getting diarrhea, then back off 100mg'. I said, "are you serious? That's the threshhold?". He said, "Dr Wiel says that's the best way to determine the need dosage".

I don't generally have a lot of cramps anymore... I take 400mg a day... I also quite drinking carbonated drinks... The carbonation depletes magnesium.

The cramps the other night were the result of strenuous hill climbs.

 

[handcannon]

I don't generally have a lot of cramps anymore... I take 400mg a day... I also quite drinking carbonated drinks... The carbonation depletes magnesium.

The cramps the other night were the result of strenuous hill climbs.

Good! You already know about vinegar and magnesium. With the results I had I like to spread the word.

I was unaware of what carbonation did to magnesium. I usually don't drink much in the way of carbonated drinks, but have recently. Our neighbors house burned about a month ago. They have horses and dogs, so we offered our travel trailer for them to stay in. We also have been fixing dinner for them most evenings also, initially to make sure they were getting at least one warm meal a day. They have been supplying carbonated drinks, and I have been drinking that more than usual. The cramps in the arch of my feet have been much worse the last few days, so I will now cut way back on carbonated drinks again to see if that helps me.

Don

 

[Solace in Solitude]

Good! You already know about vinegar and magnesium. With the results I had I like to spread the word.

I was unaware of what carbonation did to magnesium. I usually don't drink much in the way of carbonated drinks, but have recently. Our neighbors house burned about a month ago. They have horses and dogs, so we offered our travel trailer for them to stay in. We also have been fixing dinner for them most evenings also, initially to make sure they were getting at least one warm meal a day. They have been supplying carbonated drinks, and I have been drinking that more than usual. The cramps in the arch of my feet have been much worse the last few days, so I will now cut way back on carbonated drinks again to see if that helps me.

Don

Hope it helps Don!