Roach (1 Viewer)

[pappy]

I was in California this weekend and as usual stayed with my sister. Yesterday she was outside and called me to check out this giant cockroach. I walked out and she was standing about 10 feet away from the beast. I looked at it, walked up, stooped down ... and picked up the monster. I then turned around with the bug in my hand and started walking over to Jacque saying something like check out the jaws on this thing. She started to run into the house when she realized I was going to show her something, not chase her.

Well, it wasn't a roach, but only somebody somewhat biologically inclined would know that. It was a long-horn beetle that's pretty common in the southwest. The grub feeds on the roots of trees. Usually they squeak when you pick them up, but this one didn't.

 

[Ruadhrigh]

so you stopped working on your cruiser so you could play with bugs in Cali?

Come on Jon, I really had high hopes for you...

 

[pappy]

so you stopped working on your cruiser so you could play with bugs in Cali?

Come on Jon, I really had high hopes for you...

[sigh]

Here is the deal. I was asked a few months ago to lead to pre-conference tour for the American Public Gardens Assoc. which is having their annual conference in Pasadena. The tour was in the fricken' hot desert in the middle of June. Trust me, I questioned their sanity. I drove out on Friday. It was a 118* and the desert was having unseasonably high temperatures (heat wave). Saturday I did some scouting for the tour and it was 102* at 7:30am and 8% humid. It went to 116* that day. I thought for sure I was going to have casualties during the tour. Most of these folks were from New England and the Mid-West.

Sunday cooled off, thankfully. It was only 88* and 23% humid at 7:00am. During the first and second tours which ran from 9:00 - 2:00 we had a lot of drippy people. But, they were troupers. I expected some to stay on the bus. None did, in fact I had a hard time getting them back on the bus. Hottest temp seen that day was 106*, and it cooled off as I gained elevation in Joshua Tree National Park. By the time I hit Key's View at around 5000 ft it was only 88*. I didn't have any heat related problems, which was good.

When it was all over I was glad for one thing. My sister has a pool and at 10pm when I got home I took full advantage of it.

 

[evanz80]

That's one mean looking bug!

Was this trip a test of your Camry's cooling system, or maybe you "got" to fly this time? Sounds plenty warm out there. I think you're lucky you didn't have any heat stroke with your tourists.

 

[Ruadhrigh]

[pestering/off]

I remember we briefly talked about that trip. Sounds like you enjoyed yourself, any pics of random cruisers?

 

[pappy]

Was this trip a test of your Camry's cooling system, or maybe you "got" to fly this time? Sounds plenty warm out there. I think you're lucky you didn't have any heat stroke with your tourists.

Nope, didn't fly. The Camry was as great to me as always. I averaged 33mpg for the trip out and back. I did have one 38mpg tank which was the best I've ever gotten. And that was with the AC blowing ice cubes. I did charge up the AC system before I left and I'm glad I did. Ryan put in a new water pump and thermostat when he did the timing belt. Combined with the new radiator I put in last year the car never even tried to get warm.

[pestering/off]

I remember we briefly talked about that trip. Sounds like you enjoyed yourself, any pics of random cruisers?

Nope. I did see some 100-series in Palm Springs. Looks odd next to the BMWs and Cadillacs. I think I saw a few 80-series too. My 40 will clearly be out of place.