Charles W. Moore

Summer Cruise 2011

We started on our summer cruise late this year due to all kinds of commitments and the weather.  All that notwithstanding, we had a late launch this year and I needed a new rode for the intended cruising ground.  Our route this year was foreshortened due to expeced weather that actually materialized:  Saugatuck – Muskegon Lake (A) – Pentwater (A) – Manistee (S) – Frankfort (S) – Pentwater (A) – Saugatuck.  Of course the A means anchored and the S means slip.  We had approximately 50 hours on the engine Hobbs meter for total time of motoring this trip.  Just for the record the Hobbs Meter reads 1139.7 as of  9/13/11.  I will copy the trip log here from time to time until it is complete.  I will also add anecdotes as appropriate so check back for trip details.

Summer is here

The month of July has to go down as one of the hottest months on record – if not the record – as we have been in the 90’s most of the days here in PL. We had two days that it reached above 100°F: That has not happened for a long time. Now August starts with high temperatures in the 90’s. Wow!

With all the high temperatures came a two week dry spell and a big thunderstorm that produced very high microburst winds that knocked the top out of one of our biggest Oak trees in the back yard. I’ll have to get the chainsaw running but I think I will wait until the cooler days of this fall to cut it up – too many mosquitoes and Deer Flies down there right now. Yep, I am wimping out on this deal.

Speaking of the chainsaw, it is a very old one from the 70’s that has seen a lot of wood cut. The chain is still sharp and it cuts pretty straight that way. I suppose some day I will have to get a new one but I will miss old yellow when that happens. I am not sure I can even get parts but a quick internet search says there are still parts out there for a price.

I ay a little thanks for WordPress Draft function. It just saved my bacon when I accidentally closed this session. When I reopened it here was the complete thread. Yea….. Well, it is time to make coffee and get moving. Moore later.

Texas

My son Marc was here for the past three days visiting us from Texas trying to get cool and a little water.  Well, what he got was the warmest weather in years if not decades.  It was never below the mid-90’s the whole time here at the house.  This weather is wupposed to continue for the next week too.  They left today to do some more family visiting and we were sad to see them go.  They are a good family group.

While they were here the grandson’s and I went kayaking but mostly stayed in front of the airconditioner that could not keep up with the heat.  We all had our smartphones to play with.  Yesterday late we went to Delt Church Park in Lagrange County to play disc golf.  It was hot and a frustrating course – too hot for me so I went back to the car after the 5th hole.  It was an interesting park and was full of Amish having a gathering. I posted some pictures of facebook.

Heat Wave 2011

This whole week is forecast to be in low to mid 90’s actual temperature with heat indices in the mid to upper 90’s. My son from Texas is bringing it all with him on his way up to visit families. The lake water temperatures should be in my range in a couple of days so I may go swimming this year. Just checked gauge temperature and it is 90°F.

Monkey Fist

Tying the Monkey Fist has been on my list of things to do for sometime.  A couple of nights ago while sleepless with a pinched nerve and the associated phantom pains in by buttox and leg, I managed to tie the knot with amazing clarity and deftness.  The loose knot is reasonably easy to make but the tightening of the knot is the tricky part.  SAM does a better job of it.  I made one this morning and posted to facebook and I will add it here in a couple of minutes.

A morning well spent

Balloons Aloft

Angola Airport (KANQ) is host to Balloons Aloft event again this year.  We worked this morning for several hours setting up crowd control with the other volunteers.  Friday is the first day of the event and highlights the balloon light display.  This is pretty cool  and the balloons fire their flames and this lights up the individual balloon plus the immediate area: it is awesome.

Night Light & Rain

I woke up early this morning designing the nightlight circuit and mentally compiling the tools list and parts.  I was up by 0700 and checked email.  Over breakfast of Shredded Wheat, I finalized the sequence of events for the nightlight modification and by 0900 I was at it. I was pretty much finished by 1100.  Here is what I did to install the mechanical timer into the night light circuit:

• Remove the existing receptacle/switch and box.
• Install new box and switch/receptacle wired so when switch is off power is cut to light and receptacle.
• Install Menard’s mechanical timer after the switch so switch OFF removes all power down stream.
• Set time on/off for 2100/0500.  The photocell does not work well under the tree canopy.
• Check out operation.

I then spent the rest of the day running around trying to find a cover plate which I finally found at Trustworthy Hardware in Angola. Now at this time I just checked and the light came on at 2100 hrs.  Yes, another perfect project delivered.

Father’s Day – 19 June

Today is Father’s Day so congratulations to all you fathers.  I left the boat to come back to Indiana to be with family and immediate family.  We had a great time this afternoon doing some old fashion talking around the table at my sister’s house.  We thank Jess for coming home to be with us today and to be part of our lives.

I was chastised earlier in the week for not writing in this and our sailing blog.  I guess I was spending too much time with the AHS 60’s reunion website.  It is not a lot of time, but sufficient to make a dent in my other blog’s content.  I will try to do better.

Our boat’s dingy outboard motor is in the repair shop because of an unknown start – die – start and run for a while – die problem.  Hopefully it will not be an expensive repair.  It has not been into the shop for 6 years so perhaps it is due anyway.  I do not like the thought of being a couple of miles away from the boat at anchor and trying to get back by using oars that are bent and barely functional.  Add a contrary wind into the mix and there is potential for nastyness.

We went to church this morning and had a great time and some good laughs as the pastor presented his Father’s Day service.  We liked the Iron Man demonstration.  The winner got a $20 Walmart certificate.

New bicycle on order

With the blessings of SAM, I ordered a Huffy bicycle from Walmart tonight and it should be delivered to the marina next week.  I call it my fathers day present.  It is the 26″ classic style with only one speed.  A 24″ unit would have been OK too.

I saw a bicycle of the same type that had a motor mounted on it.  It reminded me of the Whizzer that I had as a young kid.  Perhaps I will mount a motor on it for tooling around the marina and town.  I wonder if I need to have a license plate in Michigan?  I guess I’ll have to look up the rules.

I am at the boat now and SAM is at home for a few days to take care of a sister that just got out of the hospital and is recovering.  It is cool tonight but the mosquitoes were out if force so I put the screens on the hatchway to keep them out.  It is working so far.  Fingers crossed.

Music – so good!

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bipZdu3GSrE&feature=player_embedded