Big Fire Near Masonville, CO

 It was first reported at 1100 yesterday. It's currently about 1,000 Acres, and 0% contained. USDA Forest Service has taken over, and Larimer County Fire, and probably everybody they can round up, are actively fighting it. I've been hearing the water tankers going to/from Horsetooth Reservoir, which has been closed to boats for two days now, and listening to the radio traffic.

This is the smoke plume as seen on the NWS Radar.

And this is "Scooper 231"'s flight path.

And Scooper 231.

The State of Colorado also has their Pilatus PC-12 up to monitor/coordinate things.

 Nice airplane!

As of 2000 hrs, we have a Turbo Commander orbiting the area....

And "TKR10", which sounds a lot like Tanker10.

And the State of Colorado aircraft is flying an interesting flight path.

 

I have The Greatest Respect for our City, County, and Volunteer Fire Departments here.

 These Crews are out in rugged terrain at 7500', in 100*F heat, wearing a full load-out of gear, breathing smoke, and doing strenuous physical labor.

God Bless Them!

Looks Like Virtual Mirage Got Hit Again

 All I'm getting is a pretty much blank page with the name in the left corner. I never had the "redirect issue" when their router got hacked, but this time it looks like the (maybe?) got to the server.

I predict more Fun-and-Games as these "Interesting Times" continue to roll along.

Day 5 of the left eye cataract surgery is going well. I just about don't need to wear my glasses any longer, at least not for distances of 2" to about 20'. They still help a bit with driving, but the prescription is wrong for my new "IOL" (lens implant) which means waiting another several weeks for things to settle down so they can do an accurate eye exam. 

Still working on the Fisher stereo. Got all the light bulbs changed (finally!) and now I'm working on the bollixed up Main Tuning Capacitor and restringing the dial cord.

From The Supra Files..... 

I'd pulled the under hood insulation pad off several months ago with the intentions of cleaning it, and then recovering it. It was a miserable, disgusting mess on the underside of the hood, as the loosely woven soaked up all the oil vapors, and the fumes from the Olde Skool NON-sealed battery. I had to look for a decent picture of it for the "Before" shot, and then crop, resize, and pump up the detail. This is about the best I could come up with.

The black "scrim" covering was peeling off, and it was covered with soaked-in oil, and caked-on greasy mud.

After I pulled it off, I didn't touch the mess until the other day. I got really tired of looking at all the crud on the backside of the hood, so I cleaned it. This is after about ten hours of scrubbing with Simple Green, water with a squirt of dish washing soap, and then a water rinse and wipe down.

And it still needs some more cleaning, and I'll try to "color correct" the paint a bit. where it's still a little brownish. Some parts will need to be repainted, like the area of the frame that is hidden behind the two "pockets" on the leading edge. They're not down to metal, but the paint is eroded/degraded in the area, and it won't "buff right out".

Hope y'all have good week ahead, and you and your wingman have "No Incidents".

And remember......Never Give Up! Never Surrender!

 

 

Left Eye Surgery AAR

 Had the lens in my left eye replaced yesterday. All went well, but they didn't put me under as deep before, and the memory is much more vivid than when I had my right eye operated on. The discomfort level was significantly higher than before, so I received extra attention. Turns out there's an abrasion on my left cornea (like a scuffed knee), and every time I blinked, the eyelid rubbing against the abrasion irritated both of them, and it was getting to the Discomfort/Pain Threshold.

Solution? My Doctor installed a contact lens with zero correction to act as a shield. It also helps more of the medicated eye drops stay in place longer, and my eyelid now glides over the scuff with practically zero irritation.

Win-Win!

I also had my 30-day post-op exam for my right eye. All is well there, the cornea has resumed a nice, smooth surface, and I'm about 20/25 with no correction. I can easily go without my glasses for about half the time, but I'll still need some correction. Since I LIKE wearing glasses, this is another Win-Win for me. Mebbe I'll get me some 'o them ball-is-tik glasses I hear folks can get now.....

Light posting for a few days whilst I regain my depth perception, but yowzir....things sure are BRIGHT now!

Have a good weekend, keeps your sensors on alert status, and be cool. I know 'ya can!

Egad....'Tis a Trifle HOT This Week

 Or for what's remaining of the week. It was 97* today, and is expected to be 100+ through Sunday. The humidity is only 17%, so you step in the shade and it's bearable, but step into the Sun and YOUCH! It's flippin' HOT. It's nice to dry freshly painted parts in, but just running the parts outside to soak in the Sun makes me burst out in sweat.

SOoooooo...... Since it's a nice, balmy, year-round 73* in the basement, I'll be hanging out down there changing light bulbs and restringing the dial cord on the Fisher, and getting it ready to test.

And cleaning more Toyota parts as time, yard-work, SLW, and grand-kids allow.

Right eye is much better, and the left eye gets revamped next Wednesday. I'm pretty sure I'll still need some correction, but at least I can see and READ again.

Thank you, Lord...

Keep hydrated, use sunscreen and wear a big boonie hat!

Happy Independence Day

 

UP 4014 Big Boy Trip, and The Supra Files

 Sunday morning I hopped in my Little Red Truck, and headed up to Tie Siding, Wyoming to meet up with Well Seasoned Fool and watch Union Pacific 4014 cruise past. 

Not much in Tie Siding...

 

Bunch of interesting rocks on the other side of the tracks.

One of the things that always impress me is how quiet it is when just coasting along. We were standing there jabbering away, when all of a sudden, here she comes around the bend in the tracks.

Silently gliding along majestically.

And she's spotless....

And it felt really good to get out and about on a beautiful Sunday morning.

The right eye seems to be better in the morning than the afternoon. I'm still on the eye drops for another 3 weeks, so hopefully it improve to the point that it's the same 24/7.

Work proceeds on the Supra while my "High Resolution Eyes" get back to normal. I can do lots of mundane things, like clean parts and refurbish them. This stuff falls into that category nicely, so I started on the wiring harness. The plastic "Split Loom" tubing they use to protect the wire was crumbling like a 100 year old potato chip, so it was pretty easy to get off. The tape wrap under it was gooey from exposure to oil vapors under the hood, and high temperatures as it was positioned above the radiator, in the channel that runs across the front. It's now been unwrapped, untangled, and 'broken out' of the harness according to it's place and function.

This makes it much easier to clean the wires, add my new wires, rewrap them, and put new split-loom tubing back on.

This is one of the two harnesses I have to refurbish. I haven't even started on this one, which has all the sensor and fuel injector leads in it.

This is tons of hand labor, and a bit frustrating at times, but it's sure gonna look good when I'm finished.

Enjoy Hump Day.....It's all downhill from here!