On May 16, 11:20*am, John H. wrote:
On Fri, 16 May 2008 10:35:05 -0400, wrote:
On Fri, 16 May 2008 08:43:49 -0400, John H.
wrote:

On Thu, 15 May 2008 23:00:57 -0400, wrote:

On Tue, 13 May 2008 14:14:03 -0700 (PDT), sailmonstermomma
wrote:

I see lots of people on the docks of my marina getting ready to go
somewhere this time of year. *The last month I have noticed a lot of
blue tape coming off boats and MOB poles, radar reflectors, and jerry-
jug boards going back on. *So, where's everyone going?

It's not really a boat trip but we are going to "go up north and drive
slow" this June. (Florida joke)
Fly drive trip starting in Manchester NH and ending up in Buffalo via
the White Mountains and Canada. (and wherever else we decide to go in
2+ weeks)
In the past several years we have "done" the west in the same fashion
averaging over 2000 miles on the rentacar.
*** boat content***
In Alaska we went on a whale watching boat in Seward and took a water
taxi for a hiking trip in Kachemak. We rented a house boat for a few
days on the Arizona, New Mexico trip (Lake Powell) and we boated
around Coeur D'Alene for a day on the Idaho trip. We were supposed to
spend a day on Lake Sakakawea on the Dakota trip but we had weather
problems so we went to the State Fair in Minot. Time and weather
permitting we may check out one of the lakes up north.
I am guessing the cramped spaces in New England will limit the
mileage we drive somewhat. I doubt they have deserted highways with 75
mph speed limits that people generally ignore.

I spent a few months working on the Minuteman missile sites around Minot..
What a miserable place. There was a sign over the highway that read, "Why
not Minot?" I could think of lots of reasons. I'll bet the state fair was a
great one, just to make up for the area.

But, if one likes watching wheat grow, that's the place to do it!

We went on the tour at Ellsworth in Rapid City and got to see a silo.
Interesting stuff. They also had a sample of just about every plane I
made a Revell model of. Cool.
Minot might be a tough place to live in, particularly on the base but
it wasn't a bad visit. We got a good look at the wind turbines there.

I was there in the early 60's. T'weren't no wind turbines there. Only lots
of wind! I worked for the US Coast and Geodetic Survey then as a tower
builder. We'd build the damn things up to 116 feet high, and the wind would
make it a scary proposition.

These are the towers we built.

http://tinyurl.com/6ox4dp

Lots of fun!
--
John *H*- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

It's interesting to see a map of the United States not cut up into
states, but cut up from survey. In the east, it's not uniform shapes
or sizes, once you start going west, it changes to square blocks.

On Fri, 16 May 2008 12:06:12 -0700 (PDT), wrote:

On May 16, 11:20*am, John H. wrote:
On Fri, 16 May 2008 10:35:05 -0400, wrote:
On Fri, 16 May 2008 08:43:49 -0400, John H.
wrote:

On Thu, 15 May 2008 23:00:57 -0400, wrote:

On Tue, 13 May 2008 14:14:03 -0700 (PDT), sailmonstermomma
wrote:

I see lots of people on the docks of my marina getting ready to go
somewhere this time of year. *The last month I have noticed a lot of
blue tape coming off boats and MOB poles, radar reflectors, and jerry-
jug boards going back on. *So, where's everyone going?

It's not really a boat trip but we are going to "go up north and drive
slow" this June. (Florida joke)
Fly drive trip starting in Manchester NH and ending up in Buffalo via
the White Mountains and Canada. (and wherever else we decide to go in
2+ weeks)
In the past several years we have "done" the west in the same fashion
averaging over 2000 miles on the rentacar.
*** boat content***
In Alaska we went on a whale watching boat in Seward and took a water
taxi for a hiking trip in Kachemak. We rented a house boat for a few
days on the Arizona, New Mexico trip (Lake Powell) and we boated
around Coeur D'Alene for a day on the Idaho trip. We were supposed to
spend a day on Lake Sakakawea on the Dakota trip but we had weather
problems so we went to the State Fair in Minot. Time and weather
permitting we may check out one of the lakes up north.
I am guessing the cramped spaces in New England will limit the
mileage we drive somewhat. I doubt they have deserted highways with 75
mph speed limits that people generally ignore.

I spent a few months working on the Minuteman missile sites around Minot.
What a miserable place. There was a sign over the highway that read, "Why
not Minot?" I could think of lots of reasons. I'll bet the state fair was a
great one, just to make up for the area.

But, if one likes watching wheat grow, that's the place to do it!

We went on the tour at Ellsworth in Rapid City and got to see a silo.
Interesting stuff. They also had a sample of just about every plane I
made a Revell model of. Cool.
Minot might be a tough place to live in, particularly on the base but
it wasn't a bad visit. We got a good look at the wind turbines there.

I was there in the early 60's. T'weren't no wind turbines there. Only lots
of wind! I worked for the US Coast and Geodetic Survey then as a tower
builder. We'd build the damn things up to 116 feet high, and the wind would
make it a scary proposition.

These are the towers we built.

http://tinyurl.com/6ox4dp

Lots of fun!
--
John *H*- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

It's interesting to see a map of the United States not cut up into
states, but cut up from survey. In the east, it's not uniform shapes
or sizes, once you start going west, it changes to square blocks.

Out there they didn't have a lot of trees to drive their buggies around. So
the roads stayed pretty straight.


--
John *H*

On May 17, 3:11*pm, wrote:
On Fri, 16 May 2008 12:06:12 -0700 (PDT), wrote:
It's interesting to see a map of the United States not cut up into
states, but cut up from survey. In the east, it's not uniform shapes
or sizes, once you start going west, it changes to square blocks.

A lot of that is simply the way the government "sectioned" the land
and sold it off. That is really apparent in the square flat states
where they have the sections all divided by dirt roads. The grain belt
states look like checkerboards form 30,000 feet, only punctuated by
the green circles you get from center point irrigation.

It has a lot to do with surveying techniques. In the east, which was
developed first, there are still surveys that read something like "200
feet east to the large maple tree......" etc. My uncle's farm's
original survey still mentioned a rock pile!

On Sun, 18 May 08, gfretwell wrote:
the northwest cornner of my property has been marked in 3
different places by 3 different surveyers over the years as my
neighbor's lot was sold or refinanced. Two were pretty close, one is
out about a foot.

The surveyors here usually respect each other's mistakes lol! If a
corner stob is off by a foot or so, they'll just flag it, use it, and
won't put down another stob. They may make a note on the plat though.
And most of our Sections aren't square. Nobody dares fix it though
because half the homes in the county would end up on somebody else's
property.

Rick

On May 18, 10:02*am, wrote:
On May 17, 3:11*pm, wrote:

On Fri, 16 May 2008 12:06:12 -0700 (PDT), wrote:
It's interesting to see a map of the United States not cut up into
states, but cut up from survey. In the east, it's not uniform shapes
or sizes, once you start going west, it changes to square blocks.

A lot of that is simply the way the government "sectioned" the land
and sold it off. That is really apparent in the square flat states
where they have the sections all divided by dirt roads. The grain belt
states look like checkerboards form 30,000 feet, only punctuated by
the green circles you get from center point irrigation.

It has a lot to do with surveying techniques. In the east, which was
developed first, there are still surveys that read something like "200
feet east to the large maple tree......" etc. My uncle's farm's
original survey still mentioned a rock pile!

Our house downstate has one line that is just measured from the
adjacent property line. We bought in 1990..

On May 13, 5:14*pm, sailmonstermomma wrote:
I see lots of people on the docks of my marina getting
ready to go somewhere this time of year. *The last month I have noticed a lot of blue tape coming off boats and
MOB poles, radar reflectors, and jerry-
jug boards going back on. *So, where's everyone going?

For our 5th wedding anniversary which coincides with 4th of July
weekend, my wife and I are taking a cruise on the waverunner from
Flanders Bay in Riverhead, through the Peconic Bay and over to Block
Island for a four-day stay. I have ridden there on the pwc many times
but only been at the two harbors to hang it for a couple hours before
riding back, never stayed over and got a chance to explore the whole
island, so we are looking forward to doing lots of hiking and
bicycling, maybe rent a couple mopeds and just check out the views and
beaches, maybe rent a kayak, and definitely do some snorkeling just
outside the old harbor jetty. The wife enjoys taking pics of
lighthouses from on the water onboard the waverunner so I'll be able
to ride her to see the two lighthouses on Block Island as well as
Montauk and maybe a side trip over to Judith Point. A pretty modest
vacation really, didn't think I'd be able to afford one at all this
summer but I'm using my "stimulus check" to fund it, sure I could
have used it to save or invest or pay down debts, but that would be
selfish, I'm much to concerned with the economy to do something like
that. Anyway can't wait!

richforman

On Mon, 19 May 2008 13:34:50 -0700 (PDT), wrote:

On May 13, 5:14*pm, sailmonstermomma wrote:
I see lots of people on the docks of my marina getting
ready to go somewhere this time of year. *The last month I have noticed a lot of blue tape coming off boats and
MOB poles, radar reflectors, and jerry-
jug boards going back on. *So, where's everyone going?

For our 5th wedding anniversary which coincides with 4th of July
weekend, my wife and I are taking a cruise on the waverunner from
Flanders Bay in Riverhead, through the Peconic Bay and over to Block
Island for a four-day stay. I have ridden there on the pwc many times
but only been at the two harbors to hang it for a couple hours before
riding back, never stayed over and got a chance to explore the whole
island, so we are looking forward to doing lots of hiking and
bicycling, maybe rent a couple mopeds and just check out the views and
beaches, maybe rent a kayak, and definitely do some snorkeling just
outside the old harbor jetty. The wife enjoys taking pics of
lighthouses from on the water onboard the waverunner so I'll be able
to ride her to see the two lighthouses on Block Island as well as
Montauk and maybe a side trip over to Judith Point. A pretty modest
vacation really, didn't think I'd be able to afford one at all this
summer but I'm using my "stimulus check" to fund it, sure I could
have used it to save or invest or pay down debts, but that would be
selfish, I'm much to concerned with the economy to do something like
that. Anyway can't wait!

richforman

Sounds super! Take pictures and show us.
--
John *H*

On Mon, 19 May 2008 13:34:50 -0700 (PDT), wrote:

For our 5th wedding anniversary which coincides with 4th of July
weekend, my wife and I are taking a cruise on the waverunner from
Flanders Bay in Riverhead, through the Peconic Bay and over to Block
Island for a four-day stay. I have ridden there on the pwc many times
but only been at the two harbors to hang it for a couple hours before
riding back, never stayed over and got a chance to explore the whole
island

We've been going to Block since the early 70s and its always been one
of our favorite cruising destinations. Where do you dock the PWC, and
where are you staying? I assume you carry a VHF radio and GPS?

On May 19, 11:18*pm, Wayne.B wrote:
On Mon, 19 May 2008 13:34:50 -0700 (PDT), wrote:
For our 5th wedding anniversary which coincides with 4th of July
weekend, my wife and I are taking a cruise on the waverunner from
Flanders Bay in Riverhead, through the Peconic Bay and over to Block
Island for a four-day stay. *I have ridden there on the pwc many times
but only been at the two harbors to hang it for a couple hours before
riding back, never stayed over and got a chance to explore the whole
island

We've been going to Block since the early 70s and its always been one
of our favorite cruising destinations. *Where do you dock the PWC, and
where are you staying? *I assume you carry a VHF radio and GPS?

Of course (gps is mounted on my handlebars), as well as all the other
safety equipment and precautions any other sensible boater would take.

For our little trip we are staying at Harborside Inn in the historic
district near Old Harbor. A dockmaster at Payne's in New Harbor told
me he would be able to find a spot to tie up the waverunner for those
three nights no problem. So I'm thinking on the day of arrival I will
head toward Old Harbor, beach the 'ski for a couple hours (anchored of
course) and check into our hotel and drop off our bags, hang out in
that area (beach, town) for most of the afternoon, then ride back
around to New Harbor to tie up and then we'll enjoy a nice walk back
to Old Harbor, I think it's only about a mile. Of course I'll call
the dock guy the day before and confirm with him that he'll still find
me a space on the docks.

Thanks for replying!

richforman