Posted By RichC on May 12, 2016
Short on blog posting time after a bit of travel this past week, so just a spring weather photo while driving Ohio highways. Thankfully we have avoided most of the damaging storms hitting the midwest. Heavy rains, dark skies and a bit of lightening has been the norm … I really need to get the soggy backyard cut!
Posted By RichC on May 11, 2016
Posted By RichC on May 10, 2016
With the passage of another birthday came a bunch of appreciated well wishes from long time friends. While I was including a couple old photos with my comment back to a couple high school and college buddies, I realized how much we had changed.
I also spotted a few other photos of myself (with my immediate family) and the memories gave me that warm fuzzy feeling … even if the photos highlighted the “Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes.” Since they were handy on my iPad, it was relatively easy create the “photos to video” with the iMovie app … that was until I tried to include some David Bowie music (copyright I assume … but here’s the mp3) — just pretend the photos are displayed to Changes.
Thanks to all who sent me well wishes by email and Facebook; very appreciated.
Posted By RichC on May 9, 2016
It is hard to believe I found the vane parts after almost fabricating my own or contemplating ordering a new $160 (plus shipping, I think?) part for the Cape Horn self-steering gear. While going through my bins of spares and the chart table, the clean-up process had me pulling out an outdated chartbook when low and behold both the light wind and heavy wind vanes for the Cape Horn gear appeared sandwiched in them. I’ve been wanting to rig up the passagemaking gear to see how well it self-steers Encore (based on wind direction) but without all the components passed on rigging it. I’m still short a couple of adjustment lines, but “think” I should be able to test it out on the next sail.
The sun was out for a couple of days after some hard rain which really “uglied” the water, but with the blue sky and sun, Encore needed an updated photo. Unfortunately she needs a good cleaning and as always, some buffing, wax and brightwork.
Posted By RichC on May 7, 2016
During our last trip to down to our sailboat Encore, Brenda and I removed the final three tarnished boat lights that were in the galley and over the chart table. The previous lights that we already replace turned out looking good and working out after she gave them the faux verdigris look with paint (a crafty skill learned from my mom). The new look seemed like a great way to get more life out of the old fixtures even if I still need to find “acceptable” LED bulbs for a fair price.
Unfortunately, the missing lights left me in the dark this weekend and so I decided to rig up a spare 12 volt LED fixture. Hm, I think the quality of light is better than the old ones! Perhaps I should rethink putting the old ones back up?
Posted By RichC on May 6, 2016
The Kalalau Trail hike along the Na Pali Coast on the northern most Hawaiian island of Kauai is a hike to add to the bucket list. Having seen the beauty “mostly” from the air for the short couple of days we were there, I see this as a must return island. Just reading about the Five Best Hiking Trails in Kauai Hawaii makes me want to start planning a trip again. Just beautiful. (http://richc.us/hike-kauai)
Posted By RichC on May 5, 2016
A good friend of mine loaned me his copy of Thomas Jefferson and the Tripoli Pirates by Brian Kilmeade and Don Yaeger yesterday and as someone who enjoys learning about history, I can’t wait to read this book.
At a time when four Muslim nations routinely captured American merchant ships along the North African Barbary coast holding sailor as slaves and demanding ransom, this is a story building a U.S. Navy and sending Marines capable of blockaging Tripoli and launching the Barbary Wars of the early 1800s. According to the preface, Kilmeade and Yaeger focus on the Marines who inspired the hymn: “From the Halls of Montezuma to the Shores of Tripoli, we fight our country’s battle in the air, on land and sea.”
Can’t wait to get started!
Posted By RichC on May 3, 2016
Noticed a short video on TechInsider website demonstrated a few of the Apple design details that make an iPhone an iPhone. Some I knew and paid attention to, other I hardly noticed. Good stuff.
Posted By RichC on May 2, 2016
From the Christian perspective, I have mixed thoughts on using the "Think eternal" line for a 1963 classic Volkswagen Beetle cover on Hagerty Classic car magazine. It is of course a Peope’s Car with a l-o-n-g and beloved history by VW enthusiasts, but the word "eternal" when it comes to "earthly material things" can be a sensitive choice when it comes to evangelical Christians … although probably for only the thinnest skinned? Most who desire to spread the Gospel 
will probably use this as a discipleship opportunity … still a controversial choice for the Hagerty cover.
On the topic of "long lasting" (I’m not going to say "eternal") … after a full fluid and 4 different filter changes last week, turned the odometer 211,000 miles on my way to continue the clearing out of my mom and dad’s house in preparation to sell. I love this old 1982 Mercedes Benz 300D Turbodiesel as it chugs along year after year after calling it a birthday gift to me in 2013.
How many other cars built in the 1970s or early 1980s can still be "daily drivers?" Unlike most cars being built today, it was rare to see cars of that era going much over 200K … let alone not turn into a pile of rust!
