Upper Peninsula Michigan and Auction Win Outcomes

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I was up in Wisconsin and the UP (upper peninsula) in Michigan. It was a lot of driving after launching/landing in Appleton WI. I got an item off the bucket list by driving across the "Mighty Mac". Altough it was built in the late '50s. It is still the longest suspension span in the Northern hemisphere. It is a crazy long bridge with a crazy long suspension span. It was good to see the bridge in context of the seemingly endless forests of Northern Wisconsin and Michigan. The culture in the two haves of Michigan are noticibly different as you might expect. Great time meeting with folks both in WI and MI. The tractor I won in auction, seems to have paid off. This time I beat the odds. It was a really good deal. I have the "no-key, non-running, may have hydraulic problems, unknown hours" -auction win, running well with minimal cost and time. I have some more tweaks, maintenance and minor fixes but the major risks are gone.
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Cool Creatures the Tsunami washed up!!

The above link is definately worth checking out. It is in Russian but the pics are worthwhile. We live on a bizzare world.

I went to the hamfest in Marathon this morning. I picked up a few connectors, some 100Mbps NICs for a buck a piece and a few other morsels of electronics.

I am receiving quotes for my new truck. The prices are coming in where I expected (a lot lower that most would think they would). I will sell my current truck in the summer. I will make a decision on a truck and a dump trailer soon.

I have been asked to speak to of a bunch of gun instructors tommorow about presentation skills. That should be fun. They are having the seminar at the Gander Mountain store so I will pick up a few lures when I am down there. Maybe some game loads too... I know, I need a clay pidgeon launcher. I will look for one of them as well.

This past week I was riding around with electric fork lift service techs in the Albany area. It was worthwhile. At first, I had to figure out what was bothering me, but I figured it out. I had to look at my role knowing what they do for a living. Having worked in the field and as a mechanic myself, I feel terrible that I cannot do a better job for these guys because of political impedance. The techs are alone. They need information so they can get out of the cold freezer where they are having a problem with the product. Or as I like to joke, so they can rub the metal flakes out of their eyes with their cold, bloody, greasy hands (really happens often). The overall resultant effect was a reaffirmation of the purpose of what I do for a living. I like helping the techs out. When you are in the field you are surrounded by reality. Things are obvious. Working in corporate, reality is scarce even in a high performance environment.

I am working on radios, computers, and some other stuff this weekend.

The air outside is cold, the snow is attached to the branches of the trees and the sun has brilliantly illuminated the still life. It is winter. It is very pretty.

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