What are you up to today??

[Interceptor398]

Been pretty quiet on the sled sites I visit.  It is summer so that fits, but I have been very busy!  Between work and cutting enough wood for the winter and the garden there has been very little time to play with sled stuff.  Been too hot to cut wood but I think that is changing as I type this.  I run old McCulloch chainsaws  for the most part, I do have a few other saws but mostly old and yellow.  The price these old saw are selling for makes me wonder if I should turn them into shelf queens???  Anyone else out there heat with wood??

[Boomologist]

Heat my shop with wood. For years I couldn't get the temp in there to raise more that about 10 degrees even after the stove was producing good heat. Then I realized I had a huge heat sink in there. A large, wide 22 foot aluminum boat that weighs over a ton. Took it out and now shop is comfortable.
I can't cut wood anymore but still enjoy working on smaller projects. Having knee replacement, spine surgery and dealing with cancer this fall. Hope I can get back to doing something with sleds. My son is showing an interest in them and says he wants to restore a 550. Hope so. Would really like to pass on this addictive hobby.

[Interceptor398]

Sounds like a bumpy road with some hope.  I wonder how many more years I will be able to do the firewood pile, it's kind of like a second job.  That second job was starting to make me grumpy until I had to buy some firewood last winter.  Oh my, that was not fun so now I am trying to approach it as not a race but just time in the woods and some exercise to boot.  I don't miss many meals so the exercise is a good thing.  Where I cut most of my wood we have a bald eagle nest that in the spring I need to keep an eye on.  After 7 years now they seem to not care too much that I am there if I give them my "it's just me whistle".  There are also some cows that always need to come see what I am cutting that might be tasty. I have named them all, but that should be for another time.

[mswyka]

Growing up on the farm, it is not uncommon for me to fabricate a little and tell people that i was 18 before i knew my name wasn't "Get Wood" or "Get Hay" or something similar the referred to my frequent chores.  So when my wife and I built our first house I conveniently cut the fireplace and wood stove off of the plans.  Although I will admit that there are few feelings in this world better than backing up to a warm wood stove after spending a day in the cold.

This year I have been doing quite a bit of flying.  I started last fall with some helicopter lessons, but this year I got my FAA UAS certificate and have, as often as I can, been flying the company drones taking photos and video of our project sites.  And occasionally photographing the corn out back of the house.   I am looking forward to shooting the sleds this winter with the drone.

[Interceptor398]

We made the choice to burn wood about 7 years ago when were were charged nearly $4.00 a gallon for LP.  So far the highest I have been off the ground has been in a look out tower.  I have a friend ( Homer ) who flies an ultra light and sometimes flies over.  That I find interesting.

 

[Boomologist]

I did a lot of flying in the service. Much was riding along as a look out but there were times I was at the controls. Best time of my life. Fixed wing is great for take-off and cruising but on approach for landing the runway looks like a postage stamp in size and you must set down and stop by the other end. Always worked out.
Never got civilian license so Have resorted to flying drone. Not the same as being up there but still rewarding.

[Interceptor398]

Went to 2 birthdays Saturday.  One was a 90 year old and the other 86.  I hope I am doing as well as them if I get that old!.

[Interceptor398]

Spending as much time as I can working on my wood pile.  Had a large oak that busted about 10 feet up and the trunk was still attached.  I have been giving my 64 IH 1600 Loadstar all wheel drive enough TLC to leave the yard and pull the trunk off the stump.  Got it hooked up and put the old truck in low range and just kind of drove away with it.  I got this truck a couple years ago to pull my bulldozer but still need a trailer to do that.  Still a few things to do but almost ready to put insurance on it and head out.

[mswyka]

While I cannot claim that the season is officially underway, this weekend we had a good hard frost and also took the 90 Jag AFS and the 78 Intruder up to the Camp in the mountains.  On the return trip we brought back the 80 Everest 500 for some serious engine work.

[Interceptor398]

I started collecting my Interceptor suspension parts for the repairs to 398.  All of last weekend was spent fixing and painting my in laws garage. They are in their upper 80's and that kind of thing is hard for them.  Sunday I took care of the widow maker that went down in a storm a couple years ago.  It was part of the big tree behind me. Too wet to bur this year but still good to have it laying on the ground cut up.

[mswyka]

Spending as much time as I can working on my wood pile.  Had a large oak that busted about 10 feet up and the trunk was still attached.  I have been giving my 64 IH 1600 Loadstar all wheel drive enough TLC to leave the yard and pull the trunk off the stump.  Got it hooked up and put the old truck in low range and just kind of drove away with it.  I got this truck a couple years ago to pull my bulldozer but still need a trailer to do that.  Still a few things to do but almost ready to put insurance on it and head out.

Looks like an impressive truck.

[sprocket]

So we went to Brainerd swapmeet & grass drags last Saturday Small turn out on the race track but got to see a Kawasaki Invader kick butt on the others in a mod class, that sled was pretty to see. We walked around for a couple hours looking around for parts but didn’t see anything for Kawasaki or much of OMC parts. Then we went to the museum where my electric snowmobile is at along with my grandfathers stuff is at had a great time with the owner a young age of 87 we had a great time he showed us a lot of things with buildings that they brought there along with all the memorabilia it was so cool to see he invited us in for snacks & a root beer & talked more the girlfriend asked him where is a good place to eat in these parts he told us about a mile east of here called the Green Lantern so we set our goodbyes and ventured off to the Green lantern that was one of the finest bar/restaurants that we’ve been too. If any of you guys get a chance in the near future you should check out Paul Bunyan land and this old farm it will take you down memory lane if you like history

[Interceptor398]

I spent opening weekend of the Wi deer season opener with my bother. We did get a couple deer but on Tuesday he calls and said he had Covid. My positive test came back Saturday and the wife will get tested soon. Covid so far has not stopped me but is has really slowed me down. I went out to the woods Thursday to bring the wood splitter home. I did a bit of hunting before I left for home and jump a couple bedded does and they were just a bit faster than I was this time, must be Covid??

[mswyka]

I spent opening weekend of the Wi deer season opener with my bother. We did get a couple deer but on Tuesday he calls and said he had Covid. My positive test came back Saturday and the wife will get tested soon. Covid so far has not stopped me but is has really slowed me down. I went out to the woods Thursday to bring the wood splitter home. I did a bit of hunting before I left for home and jump a couple bedded does and they were just a bit faster than I was this time, must be Covid??

Be careful and get better.

[Interceptor398]

Thanks!!  This has been interesting to say the least.  After I get the call from the bro I find out his wife went to visit their son while we we were out in the woods chassin critters.  His son has now had it.  Wendy was really glad to see I made it home OK so now she has it and I took her to the clinic today for her test.  Her driving would not have been a good idea so I drove her in. So far nothing life threatening here but it has not been fun.  I am done with quarantine Friday, but I can go back out to the woods and see if those does are on high alert still.  Maybe get some firewood at the same time.