Home generator

Every year I read of a section of the country that has lost power due to extreme weather.  In some instances the power loss goes on for weeks.  Our civilization is based on electricity and without it, we cannot function long as a modern society.

If you are so inclined, the time to procure an emergency generator is not after the power is knocked out and is not expected to be back on for days ( or weeks); the time to prepare is before you need power.

This is not intended to be a primer on home emergency generators; the subject is somewhat complex and the use of a generator requires grounding, positioning of the genset so that fumes from the engine do not enter your house, and determining how much power you need to run essentials.  Do your research on the internet from credible sources.

What I will caution is that if you buy a generator, be sure that it produces 'clean' power as opposed to 'dirty' power.  Clean power gensets cost more but will not damage electronic devices in the house, dirty power will damage anything with an electronic circuit board which is just about every appliance these days.

http://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/clean-electricity

I recently traded off my 20 year old 5,000 watt Generac dirty power generator for a North Star 4,500 watt clean power generator.   The Honda engine is quieter than the old Briggs and Stratton engine on the Generac, something my neighbors will like!   We have a circuit panel installed for the generator to plug into that runs many of the circuits in the house.  No need for extension cords snaking everywhere in the house, just be sure not to start the microwave, hairdryer, and electric iron at the same time!  4,500 watts will handle just about everything in the house that needs to be on to maintain comfort and health.

Land Rovers of the British Isles

While on our recent trip to the UK and Ireland I kept my eyes open for off road vehicles.  I only saw three Jeeps:  two Grand Cherokees and one SWB JK.  Land Rover Defenders as expected were in much greater supply.  I didn't always have my camera handy but here are some that I saw.

I noticed that soft tops were not in evidence - either the weather or the threat of break ins seemed to keep that configuration sidelined.  Almost all of the Defenders were in very nice shape. I only saw a couple that exuted 'character' from every battered body panel.

Here we go!

Outside of Windsor Castle

Edinburgh Scotland

Dublin Ireland

Dublin Ireland

The telephone repairman at Gurnsey Island

Buckingham Palace

Mojave Desert Trip - October 2015

Bundu Trek headed out to the Mojave in October for a one day quick tour of some mining sites.  We were accompanied by our close friend in his lifted JK Rubicon, thus we followed the cardinal rule of never, ever venturing off road in a single vehicle.  

Our friend had previously visited the mining sites that were our destinations for this trip so with a minimum of fuss we headed off road.

The weather was picture-perfect, sunny with only an occasional light breeze.  The temperature was in the low 80s and the bugs and flies were all on vacation somewhere other than where we were.  It was a great day to be in the desert!

The start of our trip, leaving from Garlock road.

Checking out the BLM notice board

Someone doesn't care for the BLM's policy of closing more and more of the desert to motorized access!

Our two vehicle group, ready for some sightseeing.

My co-driver and radio woman for the day

Now, this is taking things too far!  Speed limit signs on an off-road trail?

The BLM is busily dragging off the detritus of mining operations of the past.  Wonder how these cars got way back here?

Our lunch stop that turned into a couple hour gab fest.

Looking down on our lunch spot from the mine up on the hill above.

The mine itself: dark, low ceiling, and probably unstable.  Just what we were looking for!  You may ask, why the rifle?  There could be zombies in there !

A mining claim marker.  The paperwork in the can attached to post showed that it was filed in 2012.

A mysterious installation in the Mojave

We pulled over to let the traffic coming up the steep trail to pass on by

The semi-ghost town of Randsburg on the far side of the valley

President's Day trip to Joshua Tree NP part II

Day two at JTNP saw us driving in on another free day to do some more exploring.  The weather continued to be in the low 80s, sunny, and just all around wonderful.

The roads were either paved or well graded dirt but with a heavy layer of dust on them.  Our vehicles raised a heavy cloud of dust as we traveled.

This rock formation resembled a sleeping dinosaur for some in our group.

The Barker dam which actually had some water in it, even deep in our multi-year drought.

View from the Barker dam

See that white smudge way off on the horizon?  Snow on a mountain peak!

Some petroglyphs in the Barker dam area.  The petroglyphs were 'touched up' by a film crew doing a nature movie to make them stand out for the camera.  

"Enhanced" markings compared to the untouched versions

Several abandoned mining shafts are found in this area.  A trail led down into the draw where they are located but time didn't allow us to explore.  Perhaps another time.

The remains of a building from the mining era.

Bundu Trek's co-owner contemplates what may lie ahead!

The clear desert air distorts the size of things.

That is a big rock!  It reminded us of either a Sand Crawler from Star Wars or a WW2 landing craft.

Now the trip is getting interesting!

The dreaded 'Teddy Bear' cactus.  Don't go near these!

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

A tale of two rifles

Many off roaders are also firearms users and owners.  I find that off roaders understand the utility of a firearm and appreciate the mechanical ingenuity and craftsmanship that goes into the design and fabrication of a fine firearm.

With that in mind may I present two firearms, linked by a common purpose, one initially thought to be a failure that went on to a new purpose 40 years after ceasing production; the other such a success that is once known as "the free world's right arm" but now exists only in the hands of minor military powers and game wardens.

The U.S. Army sought a replacement for the WW2 era M1 rifles in use in the '50s.  After a long and protracted series of prototypes and evolutionary dead-ends, two choices for the new Army rifle remained:  the T44, a distant cousin to the M1 rifle and the FAL, a Belgian designed rifle tested as the T48.

Money was on the T48 as the next rifle for the U.S. military.  500 were built by the U.S. gun manufacturer, Harrington and Richardson, and issued to soldiers at Ft. Benning Ga and Ft. Richardson Ak for extensive testing along with the T44.  Much to the surprise of many, the T44 was competitive and in the end it was selected as the M14.

The M14's production life was short, the rifle was controversial in service, and production was abruptly ended in 1964 in favor of the M16.   The M14 was gradually withdrawn from front line service and by the time I entered the Army in 1977, it existed only in the hands of the Navy and specialists in the other services.  Many were cut up and melted down under the direction of the Clinton administration, many more given to allies such as Israel, Ethiopia, and the Baltic republics. Law enforcement agencies were permitted to requisition M14s for official use also.  So many M14s were destroyed or given away that by 2000 less than 50,000 out of 1.5 million produced still remained in government hands.

The FAL was used by many military forces around the world and was seen in use in conflicts from Southern Africa to the Falkland Islands.  It is reliable and reasonably accurate but heavy and out of step with modern mechanized forces and for urban warfare.  Its use by first and second world military formations has just about ended.  Most have been scrapped, some re purposed in Africa as game warden arms in the fight against poachers.

I am fortunate to own examples of both models of the rifles.

The civilian version of the M14 - semi automatic only. Usually known as the M1A to signify its civilian use.   Popular with hunters, target shooters, and collectors.

The civilian version of the FAL - semi automatic only. This one is designated at the DSA-58.    Somewhat less accurate than the civilian M14 (M1A) version but still popular with civilian users.

The M14 however turned out to be the rifle that would not die.  Combat in Iraq and Afghanistan revealed that the standard M4 carbine used by the Army and even the M16A4 used by the Marines lacked the range and lethality needed for the long distance shooting encountered in those theaters.  Combat riflery in Afghanistan resembled the long distance shooting seen during the Boer war over 100 years ago:  ranges in excess of 600 yards and opponents shooting from far ridge lines and mountain tops.  Something was need quickly to counter these threats.

Remember those 50,000 or so M14s languishing in storage?  They were quickly pulled out, cleaned up and issued to our fighting forces in Iraq and Afghanistan where in the hands of individual designated marksmen, provided the much needed long distance accurate shooting capability that our forces initially lacked.

The rifle that won the competition but was declared a failure rose again from the dead like Lazarus to save our Soldiers and Marines 40 years after being production ended.

The M14 has even found its way into the hands of locals in east Africa.  Not bad for a rifle that was last made over 40 years ago!