1st Gen. Lunch Table - General Discussion

I think there is definitely some earth screaming happening right now. I suspect he had at least 48 hours of that to get out of his system.

 

Here are some pictures from the SoCal Shenanigans fun run/ camping trip this last weekend. This obstacle really helps show how much smaller the first gens are!

@eccracer104 took this amazing nighttime shot of the truck.

 

What does the 24 hour desert camping agenda look like? Are there hiking trails out there? Are you driving to the next camp most of the day?

 

It depends on the heat and wind. It's getting late in the season and it was about 90 degrees during the day. When we weren't all driving, we were stopped at a few different obstacles and everyone had a chance to complete them. Beer and social hour while we watched everyone test their rigs.

It was way too hot during the day to do any sort of hiking this weekend. When it's cooler, I'm a fan of hiking random washes and box canyons. I prefer hiking desert instead of mountains. Campfires in the morning and evening both are a must for me. I also like to rockhound.

When I am solo there's more driving to the next campsite and less stopping.

 

Man that type of terrain is so foreign to me. It looks like the moon and it is a little scary to me for some reason. What would that area get a year in rain, 1-2"?

 

Yeah, very little rain especially this year. Whenever it does rain though, all of those washes will start flowing and you do not want to be in them because there's a very good chance you'll die.

 

I wish I were closer to your terrain for MTB purposes. Instead, I’ve got the Chihuahuan Desert and it’s similar to the above pics. It gets maybe 12”-18” of rain a year and boy, you should be there the day they get it.

 

Knoxville recently became a mtn biking destination for people out of state. The city bought up a bunch of unused land near downtown and turned it into this. I rented a mtn bike in 2018 and went down this and nearly broke my collar bone. Good times. I'm not sure mtn biking is for me but I'd like to try it again.

 

How far you from Dallas? When I go to NWA I meet people from Dallas all the time. I know TX is big so you're probably a 3 days drive away still....

Will your wife ride with you? If you have plenty of good trails it's a really fun active hobby. It also gives you an excuse to travel to some cool outdoor spots. We skipped most travel the year we saved up for our bikes but we have zero regrets.

 

I iced it all last night. Slept with a brace and ice pack. Woke up this morning with it feeling like 99% back to normal so hopefully I just really aggravated it but I’m able to put pressure on it and twist a bit but I don’t fully trust it again yet

 

Anyone have the part number for the 4bolts that connect the lower ball joint to the control arm? My new oem lower ball joints didn’t come with them and I’ve already reused the old ones twice.

 

I think the lack of water is what scares me about it. I assume you don't just run across a stream every 500 yards out there. Is there any natural source of water out there? Pretty much anytime of the year except maybe a month or so stretch around July/August I can get all the water we need (including showers) from one big rain catchment off the house.

Do any of you desert dwellers keep water storage at home in case something crazy happens?

 

I can get to the metroplex in about 3 hours. Dallas proper is likely 4+ but like most respectable Texans, I try to avoid it.

My picture above is down in Big Bend which is between 5-6hrs.

I live in supposedly the largest city in Tx that isn’t on an interstate. 110k population with our own river, a stable economy and a lot of public land. Sounds good in theory but in reality I’m 3 hrs from Austin, 3 from San Antonio, 3 from DFW, 3 from Lubbock and 6 from E Paso.

 

All of that sounds perfect.
What am I missing that makes it "good in theory" and less so in reality?

 

It looks like you have a couple of options for water around you too. So does that mean you don't have to deal with the traffic and other problems that come from the big cities? It seems like a pretty cool town.

 

Ive got 4500 gallons in my well tank, and another 200 or so collected from the gutters. But people in our neighborhood have had their wells run dry over the last couple summers. I dont know how much water is in my pond, but i can water my new trees for more than a week before i have to move the pump to the bigger side.
And im within a 1/2 mile of the guadalupe.

 

What is a well tank? Does it have an input from a personal well?

 

The tank my well feeds before it goes to the house.
Certain houses in our neighborhood have extra large tanks to be used by the fire dept in an emergency. I happen to have one.

 

Is this where you get your water?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ogallala_Aquifer

 

When people do run out of water, i have a RO filter and 5 gallon ozarka jugs i lend out. But nobody wants to use the outdoor shower i built.

 

The cameras may have been a bit much for most people.

 

Seems like a small price to pay for a clean shower.

Also, if the showerer establishes strong eye contact before, and then maintains that eye contact throughout, washing their bits it's a total alpha move and makes the peeper the creep.
#takethepowerback

 

Lack of all diversity. You like Sonic, Chilis and fried chicken? Good because that’s all you’re gonna get. Being 1.5 hrs from an interstate really puts a damper on all commerce. Jobs that should pay 100k+ pay in the 60k range here. Spring and fall last about a week, Summers are long and often reach 110. We’re typically under drought conditions until we get our bi-annual severe weather. We lack any kind of topography and the old, untouchable oil and gas money owns any property that is worth looking at.

Essentially it’s “old Texas.” It’s like this dome where nothing new goes in or out.

On the flip side, the people are nice, I don’t deal with traffic and we get some pretty sick sunsets.

 

I hose off after mowing and whatnot, but the tankless water heater is kinda week. Prolly full of calcium.

 

Negative. She's more of a yoga and Peloton girl. That said, I'm sure I could make some friends that ride.

 

How old is your lawn mower? Mine is an ‘06 that ive been stealing parts from to keep dads old ‘08 running, but the deck cracked, so it got its parts back.

 

That first half sounds like living in central IN. No topography, week-long spring/fall, sub-standard pay for all positions because our standard of living is so low.
But we have tons of choices for food, and summers are generally low-mid 90s with humidity to match.
And we're constantly repairing the roads, but they never improve.
Land was very affordable until the last 24 months. Now, our property values are catching up to the rest of the country. *My place is ~3325sqft on .5acre. Well & septic, outside city limits, end of a private road with ~12 other homes on the block. We paid a hair under $220k 5 years ago. Our realtor met with us a few weeks ago and said we could sell it in the $300-325k range if we wanted to. The flipside of that coin is that unmaintained rat-holes stuck on a decent chunk of land (3-8acres) is $.5M right now and won't be worth that in 24 more months. So we sell for huge profit, but then buy something that depreciates 25% in 25 months and we're back to even...except we moved and no longer have all new appliances and mechanicals. If it weren't for the 911, I'd be ready to convert the Tundra to a camper/overlander, sell the house and live in the truck on a mountain somewhere. GTFO of society.

 

i picked my mountain on my ‘17 trip to yellowstone for the eclipse. This is in southern WY.




this is my backup, pretty sure its across the road from the wild bill s.p. reservoir.

 

Housing here is doing the same. We bought our first place in 2013, 2008 build, 1500sqft 3/2, attached garage, 1/8ac for 130k. Last week, the guy across the street from me sold for 225k two days after listing it.

A semi-modern 3/2 on a few acres is 350k+ and the land is basically worthless unless you like mesquite and want to raise goats. Plus they are selling faster then they can build them.

 

Im pretty sure i can sell my house to myself, then buy it back when prices settle down, and make bookoos. Havent worked out the details, but im working on it.

might have to sneak across the border and come back as an illegal.