Wow that is a beautiful shot! And yeah, nothing like gathering any livestock that is not agreeable

 

Glad to hear you escaped relatively unscathed Sous. Enjoy that Stihl! I love using my chainsaw!! LOL

 

Yep... there are going to be a lot of profiteers off these two storms, much moreso if there are more this year....

I can see it now...

- shortages on drywall & flooring & roofing
- potential shortages on windows and doors and insulation
- fly-by-nighters taking advantage of folks in terms of many facets of home repair work
- long waiting periods for insurance settlements
- higher profits for power equipment vendors (chain saws, other power tools, "hind-sight" generator purchases)
- an over abundance of bad (flooded) used cars in the market
- having PROOF that YOUR used car is NOT a flood victim should increase your vehicle's value
- huge increase in demand for used vehicles
- the list goes on and on with all the domino effects from these basic issues

 

I think you are right on with this stuff. I was in FL in 2004 for Francis and Jeane. It was amazing how the scam artists came out and what stuff cost. Some of those guys made huge money by getting a dump trailer and doing "debris cleanup".

 

Glad to hear all are alive and well through the storm so far but I figure that if anyone got hammered hard we wouldn't be hearing from them yet. I wonder how Jaime's doing down there in Tx, I think he went to Houston. It's starting to rain here now for the next two days, no wind left, just straight down rain.

Those pictures of Big Sky Country are beautiful, stone road, just open space and cows, I could handle some of that.

 

I was supposed to be in Tampa & Tallahassee this past week for work, but now I'm heading down on Monday. Flying into JAX, and driving around the state. It'll be interesting to say the least.

 

Thanks for this post! I'm maybe 30 miles SE from you, and it was beautiful here this morning. Looked outside and saw that I needed to put the top up on my car!

Yeah, those long scenic views out west are gorgeous! I have to work on convincing the wife that driving around the country during retirement is the way to go! She says the truck must become quieter! And she wants a new seat.. I got a decade or so to make it happen..

 

I solved that problem by having my wife follow me in our Subaru. We carry 2 way radios to stay in communication with each other. Also, having the second vehicle has worked out very well when something happened to the truck or we want to go places that it is just easier to get around in the Subaru (parking garages, busy streets, etc).

 

Tell her you need a new seat cover!

 

Not sure how your vacations go, but we've only been married for three years now, and I still like having her sit next to me.
Besides, how would she feed me cookies and drinks and such if she wasn't in the seat next to me?And I'd like to stay married, thank you very much!!

 

I hear ya, and that is how we did it for many, many years. Although, when we took a trip to Charleston and bent a rim on the truck, it sure was nice to have the Subaru. Then when we were out for 3 weeks camping and the steering box exploded as I parked the truck, it sure was nice to have the Subaru.

When we want to go sight seeing or into town, it is very easy to buzz around in the smaller vehicle. We coordinate stops and everything via the radio.

We have traveled the country several times in the same vehicle. In summer of 2015 we had the truck and a 30 ft pull behind RV and it was great to have her in the truck with me. Although, the value of a second vehicle during the "what now" moments outweighs the traveling quality time in our eyes.

We just start later, stop sooner and enjoy the breaks more when traveling is all.

After nearly 19 years of marriage, we are as close (if not closer) than the day we were married.

 

Hope you realize that I never meant to imply anything else, just in jest. I hope to be there as well!

My wife hates driving long distances, being a passenger is okay though. Have you considered getting a small scooter or such to toss in the bed? It would serve for the shorter trips away from campground.

 

Tom, not at all. It is not always easy, but the work is worth it in the end.

Yes, we have considered a smaller vehicle of sorts. Although, I went through a motorcycle phase for about 10 years and will probably never ride again. Just too many people not paying attention and don't care about who else is on the road in my opinion.

Also, we now have a 5th wheel trailer, so that pretty much rules out anything in the bed other than the coolers of beer and firewood.

When traveling, she has the dogs with her and then when we arrive at our destination the truck serves as a blocker and stays parked until the trailer is ready to move again. The Subaru becomes our taxi and has served us well.

This method may not and/or is not for everyone. It works well for us though, and I hope each of you find the best traveling method for you. The journey can be miserable or it can be part of the experience.

 

We rented a scooter for one day in Rome when we were there. I had a blast, even with her screaming in my ear. She'll likely shoot me before she let's me try that again...

 

Sous, this is how we travel as well, and with two kids, it makes the journey a pretty enjoyable one. We have a 2014 Kia Soul that serves well as the kid/dog hauler and grocery getter. We always use truck stops for fuel so we spend a little time together, stretch our legs, and enjoy the process. Getting in a hurry never did us well, so we just let it go. Hope you guys have a restful weekend. I know we are looking forward to it. Been a long week.

On a side note, what do you guys think of these if I can get them for $350?

https://rapidcity.craigslist.org/wto...294721657.html