New Grill... mount

We went to the local building supply the other day and saw a tailgating grill as above. The only thing I didn't like was the price, $300!

I immediately went to conniving mode and started running the idea through my mind. I took advantage of the first opportunity to visit a local muffler shop (run by friends) and get a little pipe work done.

We, the entire family, are beach engineers. We carry a load of things with us to make the ocean side more comfortable, tents, large coolers, grills and enough food for a small army. All this takes space and it's nice to have it outside and easily available rather than in the bed of a truck or back of a jeep. The answer to the problem is a cargo carrier, that can be used for other things as well. Like fishing, for example. The thing about fishing is the rod, long spindly thing that is easily broken and terribly awkward. The solution is a rod rack or rod holders.

My cargo carrier has long been modified to carry fishing rods.

Now, it has additional duties. I took a little trip down to the pipe bender boys and in short order had a tube bent to a right angle with a piece of tubing welded to the long side perpendicular to the tube. A short piece from the scrap bin that would insert into the welded tube would be the base for the grill. A short drive to Harbor Freight for two PTO pins and a trip to a fab shop for a 1/8 inch steel plate was all I needed to finish the job.

I slid the tube over the top of an existing rod holder and drilled a hole for a pin to hold it in a storage position, rotate it and drill it for a cooking position. Weld the plate to the mounting tube and repeat. Place the grill, one that I already had on the plate and drill the feet to bolt it down, and you have this.

It has had a field test that worked out well, and is about to get another. Cost, a little over $36.

Does it look as cool as the other? Only if you look into your wallet first, then it looks better.

The next question is.... what next?

A long walk on a beautiful day

I enjoy walking, it's a good thing too, as the love of my life loves to walk.

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The 27th and 29th were two of the prettiest days I have seen in a long while. Particularly in the winter, almost 70 F by lunch, cloudless skies and light winds. The first day we were in shorts and walked bare foot on the beach, for six miles. I got a blister on my big toe.

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The second day we drove down the beach to the edge of a State Natural Area (didn't know there was such a thing), and walked down the beach from there. There were no vehicles and almost no people. We saw a total of six or so in five hours.

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Some where about two hours into the stroll, I took leave of my senses and thought it would be cool to walk to the next village for coffee.

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The round trip was thirteen miles, give or take.

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Thank God most of the sand was hard, slogging that far in soft sand would be a real nightmare.

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The first picture above is the Outer Banks pretty much as Stead Bonnet must have seen it a few hundred years ago.

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If you look closely Ft. Caswell and Old Baldy can be seen, as well as the mouth of the Cape Fear River. Those places were vacant in Bonnets time. Just to the right of this picture is Southport and Bonnets Creek, where the pirate hid his vessel, until his capture and hanging in Charleston.

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The second picture captures your humble scribe in winter plumage, standing on a dune, under the bluest sky I have seen in ages, with the wind at my back. Shortly after this was taken it warmed to the point that the jacket had to come off.

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I wish I could grow hair on my head like I can on my face, I'd look like wolf man. I already have the hair on my ears.

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To my left as you view the picture is Bonnets Creek.

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The third picture is a view of one of the few pristine beaches left, about five miles of strand with nothing on it except tracks.

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One of the things we do used to be called "beach combing". In our case, the search is for "sea glass", broken bottles that have washed in like sea shells, smoothed and frosted. We use them to fill the bottom of clear bowls for decoration.

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There is no point to our excursions, we just go and walk or wander for miles, soaking up the sun getting wind blown and hot or cold as the season dictates.

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The Ft. Fisher Hermit lived near here in a WWII bunker. He was there for twenty or so years, alone except for his dogs, until he was murdered for something he didn't have.

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I think I know why he stayed.

We're baaaack......

As requested here are pictures.

The vacation criteria was ..blue water, white sand, palm trees and cheap rum. We got all that and more.

I don't know how cheap the rum was, because the venue was all inclusive. One price for lodging, food, transfers, drinks and tours. The mini bar was replenished daily with drinks and beer. the restaurants were top notch and the service was all with a smile.

The five days and four nights thing, turned into three days and four nights. Thanks to two travel days. We got a half day at the pool the day we checked in.

Our second day we toured Chizen Itza, Just... WOW!

The third day was grey and cloudy for the morning, thanks to Ike.

The fourth day was sunny and breezy and we spent the majority of the day at the pool. I was under a palm tree and the Love of My Life was toasting in the edge of the pool.

Lots of cold beer and lots of good food, and nothing to do but lay in the shade.

I could probably stand a couple of weeks more there.

Some things stand out. The mosquitoes were big enough to molest buzzards. That's understandable, as the place is built in a mangrove swamp.

We had dinner in a beach side restaurant with open walls and no AC the first night, when we noticed the table closer to the outside had two couples seated and move to another table in short order. We were sitting close to a spice that was burned to keep the mosquito's away, and they were not in the draft that carried the smoke.

Poor babies!

I had bought insect repellent shortly before, for the next day on the tour and had it in my pocket. The second couple, apparently newly wed, were moved to a table just out of my sight behind me. The young lady, a tall thin, blond continued to swat and twist. TLOML was facing her and got the full show. TLOML was feeling pretty sorry for the girl and I was about to offer the bug spray, when TLOML said "OMG! cooter shot", I spit wine across the table and tried not to choke. TLOML looked at me and said "I swear she had her foot behind her head!"

Sorry I missed that.

The distraught young man was being berated by his new spouse and and was slowly sinking into his chair. You could tell he had "locked brain syndrome" and wasn't going to come up with any answers. I was a heart beat away from sticking my nose in when she asked a waiter if they had insect repellent. When the waiter turned away to go and ask, I put my can of bug spray in his hands. He offered it to the girl, who was massively relieved. The first couple who had been swarmed, also asked if they could use some. I asked them to go outside and spray, to avoid the flame from the little candles on the table turning the whole cloud into a fire ball.

I made four friends on the spot.

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Several things made a lasting impression, like the young ladies who came to the resort and could only afford half their bathing suits, and the half they wore was too small. I felt soooo sorry for them.

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In the resort every thing was beautiful, outside was grinding poverty. I know poor, and these people couldn't work their way up to mearly poor in a life time.

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The skill of the local drivers was on display a little too much. A short van ride resulted in a least six near crashes, not bumps, crashes.

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All things considered it was one of our better trips, I would go back tomorrow, and stay longer.

Don't go in the water.....

.....unless you're a surfer. Then you won't go anyway, too trashy and no good breaks. About eight feet, and this is nine hours before peak winds.

Rip currents are very bad about now, but some parents were letting their kids play on the edge of the drop off at low tide.

That would be where the currents are strongest.

Just trying for a little pay back on the insurance costs, I guess.

After all, it's useless if you don't file a claim

Pretty stupid if you do.

The Bride!

I am absolutely and insufferably proud of this picture. If there is a more beautiful girl around, I deny it, my eyes couldn't stand it!

Heard at the beach yesterday....

"Man, I got so much sand in my suit, I'm afraid that when I stand up a sand castle is 'gonna fall out of my butt."

Now that's bad!