How to Choose a New Tow Vehicle

Ford F-250 Super Duty, ,
Ford F-250 XL 4X4 is under consideration

We’re thinking about getting a new tow vehicle. There are so many choices and options!!

First is what brand? My last four tow vehicles (1998 Ford Ranger, 2000 Ford Explorer, 2003 Ford Expedition, 2012 Ford Expedition) have obviously all been Ford vehicles. Over the years I have owned many brands of vehicles, so I’m necessarily not a “Ford” guy. I’m a “best value” type of person. But these last four have been incredibly reliable with almost no repairs at all. So, I’ll stick with Ford. But where does one start in the elimination and shopping process. In this post I’ll walk through all the considerations I have explored.

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Home Power Tools

House Remodel, , , ,

Every homeowner, and really just about everyone, should have a few power tools. Tools are required to build and repair things, and knowing how to do use them can save huge amounts of money. Heck even a backpacker or camper/RV owner can benefit from owning and using power tools. Perhaps the backpacker needs to build storage for equipment. If you have a camper/RV, a few tools will enable you to make some practical modifications to your rig. In this post I will cover some of the basic power tools that are most useful.

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Senior Moments – Declining Eyesight (or how I returned my vision to normal)

Backpacking Gear, Senior Moments, , ,

A question that gets asked often in backpacking circles is, “How do I deal with my glasses/contacts on backpacking trips?” It’s a great question, especially for those who are new to backpacking or those who just got their first pair of glasses or contact lenses. 

The bad news is there isn’t a good answer. This is one of those things you just have to figure out for yourself. 

In this post, I’ll share my personal experiences. Probably best if you don’t expect an “ah ha” moment. On the other hand, I might share something you haven’t thought about or tried. For those who don’t need vision correction, you might want to read this anyway because the odds are you will need vision correction in the future.

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The Daylight Savings Time Conundrum

What's Up With That?

What’s Up With That?

A few days ago I had to drive to the hardware store. On the way, my phone rang. When I am driving I ignore the phone. IF the call is important, I can deal with it later. If it isn’t important, then I didn’t waste my time.

I went into the store, pick up the item I needed, and then walked around looking at a couple of things which might work for my next project. When I got back to my car, seeing my phone laying on the console, I remembered someone had called. Looking at the “Recents” list, I noticed the time on my phone was exactly one hour ahead of the car’s clock. Aha, we must have recently sprung forward; that is, we must have switched to Daylight Savings Time. What a pain… as I racked my brain trying to figure out how to change the vehicle’s clock. Ah, hell, just leave it. I don’t need to know what time it is anyway; a benefit of being retired.

It then occurred to me that almost everyone I know prefers to stay on Daylight Savings Time all year, and I bet most people in the US concur. So why don’t we?

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