The General Chat Thread (2016-2022)

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Bit of an annoying day today.

We'd planned to drive over to my folks' and my brother's places (they're near one another). The plan was to leave here about 10AM, get to my folks by 11:15AM or so, spend maybe 15 minutes there shouting at my parents across the yard, then do the same at my brother's. I gave him my cast iron dutch oven, so I needed to drop that off.

First of all, my mom asked that I swing by Kroger and grab something for her, no problem, I drive by three or four on the way over. Then I remembered that what she wanted wasn't available at all Krogers, and my local one happens to carry it, so I decided I'd pop into town around 7AM or so, grab that, then back to the house, breakfast, then on the road.

Wrong. Got called for work in the wee hours, that kept me occupied for a couple of hours, and by the time we were ready to go, it was 11:30AM. That already raised by hackles a bit.

The route to my folks is 75 minutes on a good day, but it's a hard 75 minutes, up and down hills and twists and turns, through small towns, all small state routes and backroads (think B roads and single-track roads for my UK/Euro friends). I hate that <bleeping> drive with a passion. You drive and drive and drive and feel like you're never going to arrive.

75 minutes on a good day, and today wasn't a good day. The first part is on the interstate for about 15 minutes, and as soon as I exited that onto the side roads, I got stuck behind a damn cement mixer truck that threw gravel and went 3/4ths of the way to my folks before I could find the first spot to pass him. I'll bet I didn't average 35mph the entire way. Up hills and he'd slow down to 10mph, then he'd have to lay on the brakes because of all the turns, and no where to pass for miles and miles, and on the rare occasion a spot would open...a line of oncoming traffic.

75 minutes...took me twice that. That made me pissy the rest of the day. :mad:

Later, left my brother's, and the whole reason MrsT came along was to go to Chick-fil-A (drive-through) for lunch. Saturday...Chick-fil-A, busy retail area...you couldn't get near the place. They had a two-lane drive-through going, cars were spilling out into the road, blocking regular traffic, and a traffic cop directing traffic in the Chick-fil-A parking lot. That's how busy it was.

That made her pissy for the rest of the day. :mad:

So we've been snippy with each other all day, and it's 5PM, and I'm ready to just go to bed.
 
On this day in 1920, the United States of America legally went dry in accordance with The Volstead Act.

55059


 
The route to my folks is 75 minutes on a good day, but it's a hard 75 minutes, up and down hills and twists and turns, through small towns, all small state routes and backroads (think B roads and single-track roads for my UK/Euro friends). I hate that <bleeping> drive with a passion. You drive and drive and drive and feel like you're never going to arrive.
As a driving enthusiast, I LOVE those kinds of roads. If I am faced with a choice between four hours on an Interstate highway, or five hours on a winding country road, I'll take the latter.

In Texas, it is customary for slower vehicles to move to the shoulder or somewhere to allow cars to pass.

You should have gotten the Abarth package on your 500. You could have zipped past the truck.

CD
 
Bit of an annoying day today.

We'd planned to drive over to my folks' and my brother's places (they're near one another). The plan was to leave here about 10AM, get to my folks by 11:15AM or so, spend maybe 15 minutes there shouting at my parents across the yard, then do the same at my brother's. I gave him my cast iron dutch oven, so I needed to drop that off.

First of all, my mom asked that I swing by Kroger and grab something for her, no problem, I drive by three or four on the way over. Then I remembered that what she wanted wasn't available at all Krogers, and my local one happens to carry it, so I decided I'd pop into town around 7AM or so, grab that, then back to the house, breakfast, then on the road.

Wrong. Got called for work in the wee hours, that kept me occupied for a couple of hours, and by the time we were ready to go, it was 11:30AM. That already raised by hackles a bit.

The route to my folks is 75 minutes on a good day, but it's a hard 75 minutes, up and down hills and twists and turns, through small towns, all small state routes and backroads (think B roads and single-track roads for my UK/Euro friends). I hate that <bleeping> drive with a passion. You drive and drive and drive and feel like you're never going to arrive.

75 minutes on a good day, and today wasn't a good day. The first part is on the interstate for about 15 minutes, and as soon as I exited that onto the side roads, I got stuck behind a damn cement mixer truck that threw gravel and went 3/4ths of the way to my folks before I could find the first spot to pass him. I'll bet I didn't average 35mph the entire way. Up hills and he'd slow down to 10mph, then he'd have to lay on the brakes because of all the turns, and no where to pass for miles and miles, and on the rare occasion a spot would open...a line of oncoming traffic.

75 minutes...took me twice that. That made me pissy the rest of the day. :mad:

Later, left my brother's, and the whole reason MrsT came along was to go to Chick-fil-A (drive-through) for lunch. Saturday...Chick-fil-A, busy retail area...you couldn't get near the place. They had a two-lane drive-through going, cars were spilling out into the road, blocking regular traffic, and a traffic cop directing traffic in the Chick-fil-A parking lot. That's how busy it was.

That made her pissy for the rest of the day. :mad:

So we've been snippy with each other all day, and it's 5PM, and I'm ready to just go to bed.

:hug:
 
As a driving enthusiast, I LOVE those kinds of roads.
My main issue with that particular drive is that for very long stretches of it, there's no way to pass, and it also happens to be an extremely busy stretch of rural highway that gets absolutely overrun with semis, cement trucks, combines, and any other oversized, slow-moving piece of machinery you can think of.

I've ridden or driven that road my entire life, and I know where the backups are, and every time, I gird myself for it, but I keep one little glimmer of hope alive that today...today will be the day I get through the turns, up and over the hills, and down to the flats where it opens up unmolested by some road-blocking behemoth, but it has yet to happen. Something always pees all over that dream. Every last time.
In Texas, it is customary for slower vehicles to move to the shoulder or somewhere to allow cars to pass.
Ah, yes...the Texas Courtesy Pass, always very much appreciated, though I did know one out-of-stater who complained about it: "If I wanted to pass you, I'D PASS YOU MYSELF!!!" :laugh:

You should have gotten the Abarth package on your 500. You could have zipped past the truck.
When I bought mine, no Abarth here yet, but I wouldn't have bought one if it were. Definitely not my style. I'm a regular ol' driver. I don't go fast, I don't go slow (except on the interstate), I just go at a middlin' speed. I don't care for Jack-rabbit starts or zipping around things. I just want to get from here to there in a nice, calm, easygoing manner.
 
On car woes, I had to clean out another rat's nest from my engine compartment today. It was another big one, and was a lot harder to reach than the first one about a week, maybe ten days ago. I got some pretty nice cuts on my right hand and forearm. I have traps set up all over the garage, but up until now, haven't picked the right spots. I set another one today that I have hopes for. I just can't let Psycho-Poodle get in the garage, as this new one is out in the open.

CD
 
On this day in 1920, the United States of America legally went dry in accordance with The Volstead Act.


I had a couple of uncles (grandfather's brothers) who made a lot of money during prohibition. They had a brewery and imported whiskey from Canada. Drinking alcohol was also prohibited in Canada, but making it for "export" was not.

CD
 
As a driving enthusiast, I LOVE those kinds of roads. If I am faced with a choice between four hours on an Interstate highway, or five hours on a winding country road, I'll take the latter.

In Texas, it is customary for slower vehicles to move to the shoulder or somewhere to allow cars to pass.

You should have gotten the Abarth package on your 500. You could have zipped past the truck.

CD
One of these?
55069
 
Bit of an annoying day today.

We'd planned to drive over to my folks' and my brother's places (they're near one another). The plan was to leave here about 10AM, get to my folks by 11:15AM or so, spend maybe 15 minutes there shouting at my parents across the yard, then do the same at my brother's. I gave him my cast iron dutch oven, so I needed to drop that off.

First of all, my mom asked that I swing by Kroger and grab something for her, no problem, I drive by three or four on the way over. Then I remembered that what she wanted wasn't available at all Krogers, and my local one happens to carry it, so I decided I'd pop into town around 7AM or so, grab that, then back to the house, breakfast, then on the road.

Wrong. Got called for work in the wee hours, that kept me occupied for a couple of hours, and by the time we were ready to go, it was 11:30AM. That already raised by hackles a bit.

The route to my folks is 75 minutes on a good day, but it's a hard 75 minutes, up and down hills and twists and turns, through small towns, all small state routes and backroads (think B roads and single-track roads for my UK/Euro friends). I hate that <bleeping> drive with a passion. You drive and drive and drive and feel like you're never going to arrive.

75 minutes on a good day, and today wasn't a good day. The first part is on the interstate for about 15 minutes, and as soon as I exited that onto the side roads, I got stuck behind a damn cement mixer truck that threw gravel and went 3/4ths of the way to my folks before I could find the first spot to pass him. I'll bet I didn't average 35mph the entire way. Up hills and he'd slow down to 10mph, then he'd have to lay on the brakes because of all the turns, and no where to pass for miles and miles, and on the rare occasion a spot would open...a line of oncoming traffic.

75 minutes...took me twice that. That made me pissy the rest of the day. :mad:

Later, left my brother's, and the whole reason MrsT came along was to go to Chick-fil-A (drive-through) for lunch. Saturday...Chick-fil-A, busy retail area...you couldn't get near the place. They had a two-lane drive-through going, cars were spilling out into the road, blocking regular traffic, and a traffic cop directing traffic in the Chick-fil-A parking lot. That's how busy it was.

That made her pissy for the rest of the day. :mad:

So we've been snippy with each other all day, and it's 5PM, and I'm ready to just go to bed.

I love driving, it wasn't uncommon for me to get a phone call at 7pm at night from a customer that had a gold plant down with a worn out bearing. Me, phone my supplier then meet him in town, pick up bearing. Drive 3 hrs and drop off, turn around and drive home again. It wasn't uncommon to do that three times a week. I clocked up 80k of kms plus a year. I love driving.

Russ
 
On car woes, I had to clean out another rat's nest from my engine compartment today. It was another big one, and was a lot harder to reach than the first one about a week, maybe ten days ago. I got some pretty nice cuts on my right hand and forearm. I have traps set up all over the garage, but up until now, haven't picked the right spots. I set another one today that I have hopes for. I just can't let Psycho-Poodle get in the garage, as this new one is out in the open.

CD

Car woes, wife's car had alternator replaces prior to Xmas. Hasn't idled since, just and only just idled. I went on ford au falcon Facebook site and asked why, within hours someone posted how to reset. Finally got round to it on Sunday.
Disconnect positive power cable for 1 hr.
Reconnect
Start in and put in drive with aircon on for 2 mins.
Turn aircon off and leave it in drive 2 mins.
Put into neutral and aircon on 2 mins.
Aircon off and leave in neutral 2 mins
Then take for a 5 min drive at various speeds.

Yay, back to Normal.
Dam putas!!

Russ
 
I love driving, it wasn't uncommon for me to get a phone call at 7pm at night from a customer that had a gold plant down with a worn out bearing. Me, phone my supplier then meet him in town, pick up bearing. Drive 3 hrs and drop off, turn around and drive home again. It wasn't uncommon to do that three times a week. I clocked up 80k of kms plus a year. I love driving.

Russ
I'm the exact opposite. I hate driving mainly because other people are horrible drivers. My dad, now a retired Chicago police officer, taught me to drive when I was 12 years old. I was the best female driver in the police academy. I had a good driver insurance discount when I had a vehicle.

Prior to being a mom, I worked as a district manager for a company and had to travel throughout the Midwest. I hated every second of those drives. It was easier for me to just fly somewhere (pre 9/11) and get a shuttle to my hotel. It didn't help that I was mugged twice while on the road. I also narrowly escaped some you-know-whats on a highway in Kansas that were trying to run me off the road. They were ticked off I was able to out-drive them. Let's not even talk about living in a small-ish town now. I don't know why people lose their minds in inclement weather. We live where it rains and snows and freezes over. They've had enough years of practice! Drive right!!! LOL

The only thing I miss about not having a vehicle is being able to see my children (although that's just the excuse the ex uses. I only saw them 3x/year even before my car fire since he took them from me. Other than that, no thanks!

Anytime you want to come to Chicago to drive me around, please do. I'll pay you. I'm not rich but it would be worth every dollar! ;-)
 
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Bit of an annoying day today.

We'd planned to drive over to my folks' and my brother's places (they're near one another). The plan was to leave here about 10AM, get to my folks by 11:15AM or so, spend maybe 15 minutes there shouting at my parents across the yard, then do the same at my brother's. I gave him my cast iron dutch oven, so I needed to drop that off.

First of all, my mom asked that I swing by Kroger and grab something for her, no problem,

That made her pissy for the rest of the day. :mad:

So we've been snippy with each other all day, and it's 5PM, and I'm ready to just go to bed.
You have a Kroger in your area and they are running Impossible plant based "ground meat" at a few dollars off. Perhaps now's a good time to try it. Soooo much better than Beyond.
 
For the record, I don't mind driving. I just loathe the drive between my house and my parents' because I always get stuck behind a line of those trucks.

There's another, longer way to go, but there's one railroad crossing that carries trains that load up at the steel mill a few miles down the track. If you catch that crossing at the wrong time, you'll be stuck for a couple of hours, as each coal car slowly creeps forward to get filled.
 
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