What I did today -instead- of Rocketry.

[Senior Space Cadet]

I got a new bike, last week. I have two road bikes in rideable shape, a hybrid, and, at least, three MTBs. I haven't ridden any of my road bikes for a few years. I decided I wanted a flat bar road bike. My first choice wasn't available till next spring, so I got this one:
https://www.canyon.com/en-us/hybrid...rt-8.0/1960.html?dwvar_1960_pv_rahmenfarbe=BKA little unusual. Belt drive, 11 speed internal gearing, 35mm tires.
I took it on it's first serious ride this morning. Went pretty well. Had to stop and raise the saddle a quarter inch. Yes, I can tell. I think my first choice would have been better, but this bike is pretty nice. I think I'll still get the other bike next spring.

 

[OverTheTop]

Gathered data for my income tax return submission. Yay [sarcasm]

 

[JamesS]

Cleared and organized 2-car garage to allow it to actually fit 2 cars.

 

[boatgeek]

Went out camping and hiking among the giant trees of the temperate rain forest. The back of our campsite had a spruce tree 4' diameter, 150' tall and maybe 100-200 years old. The trees below are all 8' or more diameter and maybe 250-300 feet tall. It's a bit hard to tell when you're at the base of the trunk!

A Douglas fir. It was definitely alive when Columbus sailed, and possibly when Genghis Khan was riding.


Sitka Spruce are the rock stars of the rain forest--they live fast and die young. This one is a real newbie, probably only 400 years old or so.


Our rain forest trees get their start on nurse logs. An old tree falls and new trees grow up on the rotting trunk or stump.


Here's a closer view of a 6' diameter log that the trail cut through. You can see lots of seedlings over the top of the log.


This is the Hoh River. You can see where the river has dug out around the fallen tree during high water. Since those rocks are up to a foot across, the water was going pretty fast. All that debris is where stuff floating downstream was forced into the root ball with extreme prejudice.


Finally, the Pacific Coast. In 20 years of visiting, I think I've seen weather this clear 2 or 3 times. It's a rare treat.

 

[jqavins]

Some of those will go into the set of photos my phone cycles through for home screen wallpaper.

 

[ToneDeafJunior]

Have had to put the rockets on the back burner for a bit working on Christmas presents so I don't have to rush.

 

[jqavins]

View attachment 429910

Birdhouse of God?

 

[dhbarr]

Read through various wood preservation white papers to add data to my spreadsheet regarding clorothalonil and disodium octoborate. Man it turns out applicators are all over the place on their mixes!

 

[Hobie1dog]

Yesterday took my 8wt Thomas & Thomas fly rod outfit to my regular doctor/good friend and gave it to him so it wouldn't sit in the closet for another 8 years.

 

[jsdemar]

The buck stops here... a few feet from my patio door. Three mule deer were eating mesquite seed pods that fell off my tree.




No, he's not eating the barrel cactus!

 

[Hobie1dog]

went to the cigar lounge, as they have it down to only 8 chairs, still filled up fast for a Sunday.

 

[XrayLizard]

Made the best cheesecake I've ever made. No cracks, creamy, neither over- nor under-baked. Cherry topping.

Awesome, any secrets to this success ?

BTW many years ago I worked part time at WNBS radio station there in your town.

 

[prfesser]

Awesome, any secrets to this success ?

BTW many years ago I worked part time at WNBS radio station there in your town.

Recipe is in the TRF Cookbook thread. IMHO the main "secrets" are: all ingredients at room temperature; mix as little as possible, just enough to make the batter uniform; and bake in a water bath.

Best -- Terry

 

[XrayLizard]

Recipe is in the TRF Cookbook thread. IMHO the main "secrets" are: all ingredients at room temperature; mix as little as possible, just enough to make the batter uniform; and bake in a water bath.

Best -- Terry

Very good thanks

 

[Cape Byron]

After 45 years of wearing glasses I finally got multifocal lenses. Why did I wait so long?

 

[o1d_dude]

After 45 years of wearing glasses I finally got multifocal lenses. Why did I wait so long?

I’m in the same boat of needing multifocals.

Thinking about getting the ones with readers up on top for shooting sports.

 

[OverTheTop]

Spent $850 getting a cat repaired at the vet. He was being chased by another can and cut himself severely on a sharp piece of Colorbond steel fence . He is spending the day at the vets and getting some stitches.

 

[Cape Byron]

I’m in the same boat of needing multifocals.

Thinking about getting the ones with readers up on top for shooting sports.

I'd say go for it. Mine took a few hours to get used to (they said a week). Driving is fine, but I'm staying away from heavy /sharp / killer machinery today until I'm 100% sure of them.

 

[Cape Byron]

Spent $850 getting a cat repaired at the vet. <snip>

Colorbond can be dangerous. I have a friend who lost two fingers when the wind caught a piece he was carrying (no gloves=no brains).

 

[prfesser]

I’m in the same boat of needing multifocals.

Thinking about getting the ones with readers up on top for shooting sports.

https://www.zennioptical.com/Two pairs of no-line "continuous" bifocals (I guess they're multifocals) with antireflection coating, spring-loaded metal temples, four pairs of polarizing clip-ons, $160.

My daughter just came from the ophthalmologist, and the cheapest FRAMES (no lenses, no nothing) there were $180...

Best -- Terry

 

[kuririn]

https://www.zennioptical.com/Two pairs of no-line "continuous" bifocals (I guess they're multifocals) with antireflection coating, spring-loaded metal temples, four pairs of polarizing clip-ons, $160.

My daughter just came from the ophthalmologist, and the cheapest FRAMES (no lenses, no nothing) there were $180...

Best -- Terry

I purchased a pair of progressive (multi-focal) lenses and frame from Zenni a few months ago.
Was hesitant at first because I was concerned about fit issues. But they have very good how to guides on the website on how to measure distances and take measurements. Bottom line is I am very happy with what I received. Close and distant vision is very good now. Tried bi-focals for a couple of years cuz my insurance covers the cost (but not progressives). Didn't like 'em, so this time I went back to the progressives.
Also my first time using half frames. Had to wait 3 weeks or so for the lenses to be made and the order to be shipped to me but it was worth the wait. Just had to do some minor fit adjustments upon receipt but the website walks you through it. Ordered progressives with photo chromic (auto darkening) lenses. So the frame, lenses, case, Blu light laser (to demo the Blu-block lens feature) and polarized clip ons all for around $190 IIRC. Easily less than half the price from the optical boutiques, Walmart and Costco.
Their corporate HQ is in Novato, California but their manufacturing plant is in Danyang, China.
Hey Estes kits are made in Guangdong and we don't hesitate to buy those right?
I can only speak for myself but my experience with them has been very good.

 

[jqavins]

I tried progressives and didn't like them. Everyone from the optometrist to two opticians to other customers told me I'd love them unless I was one of the rare people who can never adjust. Of course I had to be the exception. I adjusted well enough and could functuon, but didn't like the distortion, especially when moving my head around or tilting it. It was especially annoying for fine work like, oh, I don't know, building rockets.

They were recommended after I didn't like trifocals because there isn't enough space in the middle or close regions.

My solution now, which works very well for me, is to have two pair of high line bifocals. One is for far and middle distance, and is for most activities and most of the time. The other is middle and close, and is good for things like working at a computer, with the monitor in the middle distance and the keyboard close.

If I fealt like springing for a third pair it would be single vision close, for reading, building, and the like.

 

[neil_w]

Took me a while but I got used to my progressives and now wouldn't be without them, despite their issues.

Best eyeglass-related decision I ever made, though, was to get another pair of glasses with occupational lenses. The upper portion of the lens is adjusted for about a 30" focal distance, which is for staring at a computer. Bottom is reading distance. I wear these all day while working, and they made a *huge* quality-of-life improvement for me.

My vision is not awful, so even with the occupational lenses I can see distance well enough so that I don't need to take them off every time I walk away from the desk. I can even drive with them if necessary.

 

[NateB]

It is a little late in the season, but my Bhut Jolokia is finally growing fruit. I have never tried to grow any chilies from seed and it took a lot longer for germination and growing than I thought. People do have good luck keeping them indoors during the winter, so I will try to keep the plant alive for next season too. If I have harvestable peppers, I plan on smoking them dry and making powder to season other dishes.

 

[prfesser]

Went to Pain Management for an epidural. Hoping it will reduce or eliminate pain in the left leg and will allow me to sit and walk normally.

 

[Hobie1dog]

I got the wife to install speaker cones under 5 speakers in the stereo room. I finally hung up the autographed picture of Al
Hirt I've had for 20+ years in the same mailing envelope i got it in.

 

[Cape Byron]

Read this, being a Chaparral and slot car fan...

https://slotblog.net/topic/17027-restoration-of-cox-chaparral/

 

[RocketTree]

Drank coffee.

(and recalculated rocket sim's for next launch day)

 

[jqavins]

Doesn't that second one belong in the "Rocketwise" thread? for that matter, doesn't the first one?

 

[Hobie1dog]

spent 20 hrs in bed today.