Where's Al?

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Just Old Al
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Where's Al?

Post by Just Old Al »

I live and breathe... :) I am presently up to my knackers in crazy, between work, major repairs on my 1964 Land-Rover (replacing the rear axle) and ditto on my camper - both of which are headed for Ontario, Canada in about 3 weeks. I am SO overdue for a holiday.

Al
"The Empire was founded on cups of tea, mate, and if you think I am going to war without one you are sadly mistaken."
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Dave
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Re: Where's Al?

Post by Dave »

Just Old Al wrote:I live and breathe... :) I am presently up to my knackers in crazy, between work, major repairs on my 1964 Land-Rover (replacing the rear axle) and ditto on my camper - both of which are headed for Ontario, Canada in about 3 weeks. I am SO overdue for a holiday.
Sounds good! Just don't go blowing up any illegal backwoods meth labs while you're there, OK? International tensions are already strained enough, what with the harsh words about lumber and cheese. No sense putting honest hard-working Canadian paramilitaries out of work by unauthorized freelancing ;)
Typeminer
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Re: Where's Al?

Post by Typeminer »

What fun! Makes me glad again that my dad has never bought a Land Rover, even after his trip to South Africa.

I told my niece, Do NOT tell your grandfather there's a reamed-out Willys jeep pickup at the garage on your corner. :mrgreen:
Saccharomyces cerevisiae is the linchpin of civilization.
Warrl
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Re: Where's Al?

Post by Warrl »

Glytch and Al are plotting something...

Edit: actually, not "something" - instead, "some things".
Last edited by Warrl on Wed May 24, 2017 2:39 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Dave
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Re: Where's Al?

Post by Dave »

There's noisy turmoil in Washington, messy breakups and recriminations among the Hollywood movie elite, flares of conflict in the Middle East, the price of gasoline is going up again, the TV show you most enjoyed was just cancelled, and Glytch and Al are plotting something.

Some things just never change. In a way it's comforting... we don't have to guess as to whether chaos is about to engulf us.

We know.

Just think, with pity, of the people who are going to take the brunt of their latest experiment. I'm sure that figuring out a way to pop popcorn "on the road" in the exhaust manifold of a 1964 Land Rover seemed like a good idea at the time, but that artificially-butter-flavored oil they're running through the injectors is going to make a terrible mess on the windshield of the cars following them down the road.
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Just Old Al
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Re: Where's Al?

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Typeminer wrote:What fun! Makes me glad again that my dad has never bought a Land Rover, even after his trip to South Africa.

I told my niece, Do NOT tell your grandfather there's a reamed-out Willys jeep pickup at the garage on your corner. :mrgreen:
Oh, dear... :)

This particular axle was functioning perfectly - however sometime during the truck's 50-odd year lifespan it had blown a differential...

Straight out through the rear of the casing.

Rather than replace the pan properly the multigenerational experiment in inbreeding who owned it at the time bent the hole back in and slathered weld on it.

It leaked...badly...and always had.

I finally sourced a new casing (new being a relative term), reconditioned a new set of running parts for it and that's what's going in. The old one will eventually be fixed and put in stock. Can't really complain at a 55-year service life... :)

Al
"The Empire was founded on cups of tea, mate, and if you think I am going to war without one you are sadly mistaken."
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Just Old Al
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Re: Where's Al?

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Dave wrote: Just think, with pity, of the people who are going to take the brunt of their latest experiment. I'm sure that figuring out a way to pop popcorn "on the road" in the exhaust manifold of a 1964 Land Rover seemed like a good idea at the time, but that artificially-butter-flavored oil they're running through the injectors is going to make a terrible mess on the windshield of the cars following them down the road.
Where in Hades have you been? That is SO last week.

BTW, that works just fine with the Diesel - the petrol engine tends to foul spark plugs if you introduce the oil via the intake manifold. The only problem with it is that the smell will drive you absolutely mad with hunger. Diesels running on recycled chip fat are the cause of more involuntary stops at roadside chip trucks...the smell is wonderful.
"The Empire was founded on cups of tea, mate, and if you think I am going to war without one you are sadly mistaken."
chicgeek
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Re: Where's Al?

Post by chicgeek »

Just Old Al wrote:
Dave wrote: Just think, with pity, of the people who are going to take the brunt of their latest experiment. I'm sure that figuring out a way to pop popcorn "on the road" in the exhaust manifold of a 1964 Land Rover seemed like a good idea at the time, but that artificially-butter-flavored oil they're running through the injectors is going to make a terrible mess on the windshield of the cars following them down the road.
Where in Hades have you been? That is SO last week.

BTW, that works just fine with the Diesel - the petrol engine tends to foul spark plugs if you introduce the oil via the intake manifold. The only problem with it is that the smell will drive you absolutely mad with hunger. Diesels running on recycled chip fat are the cause of more involuntary stops at roadside chip trucks...the smell is wonderful.
I own a copy of the cookbook, Manifold Destiny. Never used it, but couldn't resist buying it. When a recipe's doneness is given in miles driven rather than time cooked... :D :D
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lake_wrangler
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Re: Where's Al?

Post by lake_wrangler »

So, how long a vacation are you going for? I'm going on vacation on July 15, and I was hoping to take you up on your offer of getting behind the wheel of your Land Rover, for a few minutes... Do you think you'll be back, by then? (By all means, I don't want you to shorten your vacation of my account, however...)

Then again, whereabouts are you going, in Ontario? Maybe we can meet somewhere?

The previous question is valid, regardless of meeting or not... I am curious about where you will vacation, what kind of attractions you are seeking, in Ontario...

Have fun on your trip! :)
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TazManiac
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Re: Where's Al?

Post by TazManiac »

(It's a closely held secret that Al is going on the definitive Poutine Crawl...)
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lake_wrangler
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Re: Where's Al?

Post by lake_wrangler »

If that was the case, the province of Québec would be his goal, not Ontario...
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Dave
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Re: Where's Al?

Post by Dave »

And also, it seems to me that poutine may fall into the Fettuccine Alfredo category... "heart attack on a plate" as they call it. Tasty, but maybe not the best thing to overindulge in, at least for those of us who said goodbye to 50 some time back.

Besides, a poutine crawl is rather tame... especially compared to good old-fashioned Pervish food (which you don't have to crawl, since it tends to crawl and/or leap at you if you don't keep the lid on the bowl and stab it quickly with your fork).
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TazManiac
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Re: Where's Al?

Post by TazManiac »

(well, it was the most Canadian thing I could come up with...)
Warrl
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Re: Where's Al?

Post by Warrl »

TazManiac wrote:(well, it was the most Canadian thing I could come up with...)
For some reason I'm thinking of how "dirty" a sentence I can come up with, using the terminology of a certain sport that in North America is stereotypically Canadian.

If you put the rock on the button often enough, your teammate may do some curling.
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jwhouk
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Re: Where's Al?

Post by jwhouk »

And your opponents will try to break into your house.
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Just Old Al
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Re: Where's Al?

Post by Just Old Al »

lake_wrangler wrote:So, how long a vacation are you going for? I'm going on vacation on July 15, and I was hoping to take you up on your offer of getting behind the wheel of your Land Rover, for a few minutes... Do you think you'll be back, by then? (By all means, I don't want you to shorten your vacation of my account, however...)

Then again, whereabouts are you going, in Ontario? Maybe we can meet somewhere?

The previous question is valid, regardless of meeting or not... I am curious about where you will vacation, what kind of attractions you are seeking, in Ontario...

Have fun on your trip! :)
\
Going to be back here by 5 July, so timing more-or-less works.

I'm going to for at least 5 days of that be at the Silver Lake PP off Route 7 - about an hour from Ottawa.

Most of what I plan on seeing there is the inside of my eyelids and long expanses of trail with nothing on them. I also plan on seeing the inside of my kayak for extended periods of time on the lake. I'll likely spend at least a day or two playing tourist in Ottawa as well - museums in the capitol are on the list.

By the way, poutine crawl? No.

HELLno.

Unequivocally no.

Chips should be eaten with malt vinegar and salt, and preferably a proper slab of haddock or codfish in beer batter. Nice try. :)

Alan
"The Empire was founded on cups of tea, mate, and if you think I am going to war without one you are sadly mistaken."
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Just Old Al
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Re: Where's Al?

Post by Just Old Al »

Dave wrote: Besides, a poutine crawl is rather tame... especially compared to good old-fashioned Pervish food (which you don't have to crawl, since it tends to crawl and/or leap at you if you don't keep the lid on the bowl and stab it quickly with your fork).
No, my wife isn't coming, and usually doesn't cook when she does. Why do you ask?

"There's nothing in the world worse than half-dead gagh."

Further on the ancient warrior's axle, it's back in and running beautifully. A new track rod was also installed, and considering a new audio system just because the one in it doesn;t do USB and is pushing 20 years old. Yeeeeah....it's a bit tired.

Alan
"The Empire was founded on cups of tea, mate, and if you think I am going to war without one you are sadly mistaken."
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Just Old Al
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Re: Where's Al?

Post by Just Old Al »

chicgeek wrote: I own a copy of the cookbook, Manifold Destiny. Never used it, but couldn't resist buying it. When a recipe's doneness is given in miles driven rather than time cooked... :D :D
I've done it. The LR engine isn't particularly well-suited for cooking - old-school V8s with the long exhaust runs are better.

I once entirely on a whim built and installed a teamaker under the bonnet of my old 109. The heating element was a coil wrapped around the intake and insulated with high-temp ceramic batting, leading to a catch pot with a spigot. You filled the catch pot, drove, and as you did the water circulated through the tube and heated (thermosyphon principle). Some time later you could pull off, clean the oil off the spigot (important) and have a cuppa at the side of the road. Ah...bliss.
"The Empire was founded on cups of tea, mate, and if you think I am going to war without one you are sadly mistaken."
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lake_wrangler
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Re: Where's Al?

Post by lake_wrangler »

Just Old Al wrote:Going to be back here by 5 July, so timing more-or-less works.
Nice. Though I really don't want to impose, and hope I didn't come off as presumptuous.
Just Old Al wrote:I'm going to for at least 5 days of that be at the Silver Lake PP off Route 7 - about an hour from Ottawa.
Looking at the map, it seems to be closer to Kingston than Ottawa, actually... But I guess if you're coming in from the East/South-East, it's probably easier to take the highway to Ottawa, and Rte 7 from there.
Just Old Al wrote:Most of what I plan on seeing there is the inside of my eyelids and long expanses of trail with nothing on them. I also plan on seeing the inside of my kayak for extended periods of time on the lake. I'll likely spend at least a day or two playing tourist in Ottawa as well - museums in the capitol are on the list.
Silver Lake Provincial Park website wrote:Boating
At 9 km long, Silver Lake is large enough to accommodate all types of boats: motorboats, sailboats, paddle boats, canoes and kayaks. A boat ramp is located next to the large beach. Canoe rentals are available at the park.

Canoeing
Silver Lake is a picturesque lake for paddling, providing explorers with the opportunity to enjoy the surroundings. Canoe rentals are available at the park.
I just hope that the motorized boating enthusiasts do not ruin it for the slower-paced paddle users. I envy you. Sounds like a nice, relaxing time in store for you.
Just Old Al wrote:By the way, poutine crawl? No.

HELLno.

Unequivocally no.

Chips should be eaten with malt vinegar and salt, and preferably a proper slab of haddock or codfish in beer batter. Nice try. :)

Alan
*Works hard at dissociating himself from his "national" meal*

Well... Nobody's perfect, I guess...
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Just Old Al
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Re: Where's Al?

Post by Just Old Al »

lake_wrangler wrote:
Just Old Al wrote:I'm going to for at least 5 days of that be at the Silver Lake PP off Route 7 - about an hour from Ottawa.
Looking at the map, it seems to be closer to Kingston than Ottawa, actually... But I guess if you're coming in from the East/South-East, it's probably easier to take the highway to Ottawa, and Rte 7 from there.
Actually, I usually end up coing into Canada on I-81 from New York State, then picking up the 401 and running that down to Kingston, as you say. Straight shot there on local roads (Hwy. 38) up to 7 in Sharbot Lake and then East to Silver Lake from there. When you're traveling with antique hardware speed is not an essential, and the run up the local roads is much nicer than barrelling down 7 and getting into Ottawa's traffic.

Admittedly I'm not a fan of the 401, but it's not a bad drive if you stay to the reight and avoid the mad Quebecois. :)

Well... Nobody's perfect, I guess...
With my colesterol levels I shouldn't be eating any of them...so you have to pick your battles. Trust me, I am not in any way above a proper poutine.

I remember being in Quebec playing tourist and just being too damn tired to go find something decent to eat - and stopping at "Poule Frites A La Kentucky" for a quick to-go box. Disappointingly it was no more palatable than at home...one can hope. :)

One thing on the purchase list is a case of Tim Hortons' coffee - I can;t get it here anymore as the nearest outlet to me closed up.
"The Empire was founded on cups of tea, mate, and if you think I am going to war without one you are sadly mistaken."
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