BSP Maine winter trip II

“Did you hear about the chairlift at Big Squaw? Seems one chair slid backwards into another chair, hit it and fell off, dropping 15 feet. 4 people in the hospitle, 3 released already, one serious. Lift is closed until it is repaired. This was yesterday.”

“Hmm, I thought "squaw" really meant something else, which is why it fell out of vogue.

Perhaps "Large Native American Vagina Mountain" would be closer to correct?”

“lol, Matt is gonna ban me now.”

“well hiking to the "moose's bosom" isn't quite the same as hiking to the "squaw's bosom"

squaw does not mean native american woman, but something else. In the law it's considered comparable to the "n" word.”

“monkeyboy, I didn't hear that. Can you imagine being on either of those chairs as it was happening?”

“ooohhhh... I was not aware that squaw equated to the "n" word legally. I have only heard that it is a slur by some, a term of reverence to Native Americans, generally reserved for respected elder women.

I hear so many words are offensive; redskin, indian, blacks.... I just give up sometimes. When I lived in DC, 4 years until age 12, the "n" word was forcibly and rightfully removed from vocabulary. Then negro was self righteously removed, ie: Don't call me negro, you honky, call me colored. Then as I was moving out of there, it was: don't call me colored you honky bast***, call me black.

Basically, there is plenty of discrimination, both ways at that. And any chance anyone could lash out at some one, while it was politically correct to do so, they would.

You know, I'll refer to anyone, in any manner they want me to. Please just leave the attitude out of it. I am refered to as "white" but I am really not "white". I am Bob, please refer to me as Bob.

http://forums.alpinezone.com/viewtopic.php?t=1313

Check out the above link for some info on the Big Squaw chairlift.”

“there is a lift at Keystone in Colorado called Teller lift 10-15 years ago the cable snapped on it sending the chairs sliding backwards down the mtn. It is still called killer lift.”

“That's a wicked looking sled, skiracer! Very funny about the pipe bender, hee hee.”

“I was not aware that the legislature place the "s" word one separating word away from the "n" word. Obviously, they take it quite seriously.....
I doubt I'll be so glib in my use of the "S" word. Oh don't worry, I'll still poke fun at stuff. After living in DC for four years, and being a victim, I think I will poke fun at some things.




Did I proclaim myself a victim????”

“Skiracer, that sled looks suspiciously like my own copyrighted designs. You have forwarded the proper royalties to my address, yes????

Actually, that does look a very lot like ours. And Pennsy's and everyone else's. One thing you may want to consider. The belt attachment was our second design adjustment. (We took ours out for a full load trial run at the local State park 3 times before we got it to our satisfaction). The second design was maybe plenty good enough, but I noticed from the two hours of trials, the next morning, I had some hip pointers, from where the traces banged around, not being securely attached. I was using leather carpenter belts, and rubber crutch tips on the traces. I think that is the point at which I bought the padded belts and bolted the traces directly to the belt using elevator bolts.

Did I need to bolt them directly to the belt, or was the padded belt enough? I don't really know.... But I know that I really like that the traces were bolted directly to the belt. I think I accomplished 2 improvements at once there.

Elevator bolts are a lot like carriage bolts, with the short square shaft under the head, except that where a carriage bolt has a rounded head, and elevator bolt is a flat head. It's like they ground a carriage bolt head flat, not like a bolt head that projects out a bit.

Anyways, I know that when it was all said and done, We were really please with the direct connection to us, and the elimination of any slack in the traces.”

“monkeyboy,-

I'll have to take it out for a long test run...and soon. It seemed comfortable on my little 1/2 mile run through heavy woods. People will see me on the cross country trails here lugging around a 50# bag of sunflowers and a big rock or two and wonder what the heck I'm doing. Always good to keep 'em guessing.”

“It would be quite a sight to see you lugging the sack and rocks. How about a picture???

I was thinking that would be a great way to drag some kids, or in my case, grandkids, around the woods. I used to tie a rope around my waist and to a toboggan and drag my kids over hill and dale. Used to have to go real fast downhill to keep from getting run over. The kids needed plenty of blanket, as they were there for the ride, not the workout. And they kept saying "Faster Daddy, faster!!!"”

“I see in the dictionary squaw is native american woman, but the Maine tribes said it meant something derogatory.
I agree with the sentiment your expressing monkeyboy, hard to know who you're gonna offend with the simplest of words.
I'm pleased to see a Lewiston sports team calling themselves the "Maineiacs" course I'm sure there's a group out there somewhere that will object to that eventually...

Nice sled ski! Plenty of room for my stuff on that sled as well! =D
Home Depot is such a fun place. Usually I like the store, but I had my cellar door replaced and bought the stuff from HD and what a fiasco. I'm glad you got your two cents outta them and mine as well!

wow, I hadn't heard about the chair lift!”

“Sure, twigeater. We can put all our gear on it. You get the front and I'll get the rope in back to keep it from runnin' you over on the downhills. ;-)”

“you mean I sit in the front?? ;)

nice avatar MB&SB!”

“That avatar (I'm assuming was form Alpinezone.com) was a picture my cousin's daughter took of us. We were skiing down the Zugspitze in Garmisch Germany and I stopped everyone and said to Ashley, Here take our picture. That is the Alpspitze in the background. She took 3 shots with various zooms and that one was a keeper!

If you ever need a picture, ask for Ashley.”

“BSP just called, we have five for the Trout Brook bunkhouse Thursday night.
wahoo!”

“Great! Now, let's see what they can do about keeping snow on the trails. I really, really want to use the gear sled I built.”

“Chimney Pond got 3-5" recently.

When I call Matagamon cabins I'll ask about the snow.”

“Matagamon says the snow is "still good"”

“Wooo Hoo I better build my sled this week.
I found a capenters tool belt that i am going to use. It is not the leather kind that i saw in some of the pictures. It is more like a backpack hip belt but with attachments that can go on it. I am going to the Depot tommorrow to look around.
About the traces. I was going to use PVC like I have seen several sled use, but then I started noticing that all of yours have metal. Is metal that much better?

I want it to be removable so I can load the sled into my vehicle easier and also for sledding.

I'll probable spend a couple hours at the Depot poking around. Looking at different options.”

“I like the metal traces better, cause the pvc is too flimsy. I wonder if it would've broken last year when I took a flip. Metal traces keep my sled right behind me. (hot water heater drain pipes, $5 each found near the hot water heaters at HD - per gearho Pennsy) I think I used a hose coupler to hook them together, which works well because each side moves independent of the other. The traces fold over so I can put the sled in the car, but I also want to adjust mine so I can take the traces off for sledding. I think I need to get non-strectch rope as well.
I use a backpacking hip belt and love it.”

“PS - I have friends who use a simple rope to haul and a knotted drag rope to stop it from running over them downhills. They've done it that way the last three years.”

“I looked at using schedule 40 PVC, but thought it would be too flimsy. Several people I asked at HD didn't know anything about water heater drain pipes. They pointed me to some very heavy metal pipes which would have been way too heavy. Next time I head to HD, I'm going to look for the hot water heaters and look around. The electrical conduit connectors look like they might fail if given the right circumstances. I'll be carrying a couple of extras, just in case.”

“I was looking at doors, and a salesguy asked if he could help me. I said I need a hollow core door, X" by X". He found one, got it down for me, groaned "my back, my back" as he was putting it on the cart thingy. I said, "there's no hole for the door knob" He said, "you have to make it yourself" I said "what?! can you do that here?" he said "I don't work in this dept" I was puzzled but went on my way to get a doorknob and some molding.

I picked two pieces of molding for $3.97 each and a cheapo doorknob. Took all my stuff to the register which was a chore, since the cart seemed to be working against me no matter which way I went.

I said to the cashier guy "do you sell doors with doorknob holes?"
He said, "I'm just a cashier, but I can check" "yes we have doors with holes in them - how much was your door?" "twenny something bucks" says I, "oh, well the ones with holes are $167, thats the difference."
I crack up laughing and say, "a HOLE costs $140!! well I think I'll go check it out." So off I go with my cart thingy still fighting against me, back to the doors. Where I find just exactly what I want, hole and all, for $40.

So I head back to the register with my cart. The cashier rings me in. The moulding is $6.31 each. I say no, no, no...
she tells me I'm all rung in and now I have to go to the Service Desk, but I don't budge. She gets someone to come over, we discuss it, they call someone. They announce "Nope! you bought such and such a thing, not the other thing - $6.31 is the price!" I'm thinking I should just pay, but no, I know what I saw and what I picked up and I'm right.

So I get out of line again, this time I announce that I'm leaving that damn cart thingy there and I head back to the molding aisle.

I see a salesguy nearby, and what? No price under the molding I bought! hmmmmm...
I watch as he crumbles something up and throws it down. I pick it up and voila! it's the price that says $3.97. NOW I head to the SD and ask for the manager....
....who tells me the kid was just doing as he was told and I would be paying the $3.97 price. I paid for my stuff and left, shaking my head...

when my brother-in-law came over later to put the door in we had a good laugh over it...”

“ha! that was a long story wasn't it!

o(=D”

“LOL they thought they were going to take advantage of the poor little confused grandma.








Please don't hit me.”

“Usually I like Home Depot, and don't bother to ask for help (cause they're just clerks after all) but I cracked up over the hole in the door thing!”

“Watergate at Home Depot? Good god man, nobody is safe!

Hey skiracer, you won't get kicked out of your home community for dragging that sled and the seeds, will you? :-)”

“twiggy takes on Home Depot! lol

How does dragging a knotted rope work to stop a sled?”

“I just might get a stern letter of warning....although they let parents drag their rugrats on sleds over the cross-country trails. There's probably something about a sled that doesn't "mesh" with nature. It's orange after all.

..and here I am trying to get elected as the Water Commissioner on the 20th.”

“Stovie, throw a rope (even one that isn't knotted) under a sled and see how far you get.

On one trip a rope accidentally slipped under my sled and I didn't know it. I was swearing at the stupid thing, cussing my friends out cause I was sure they put rocks in the sled. Finally gave up and decided to switch from skis to snowshoes, and in the process noticed the rope underneath. It was much easier after that, and I kept my skis on.
(only to wipe out further down the road, but that's another story)
o(=D”

“(only to wipe out further down the road, but that's another story)

I love hearing the "another stories." They're the best. ;o)”

“Thanks twiggy. I have never been on a snow sled in my life. We just don't have them down here.

Now I have taken a board and rode it down a pine straw covered hillside. Speed, baby!!!”

“Stovie - no kiddin', never been on a sled in your life! =O
Now I'm really sad you're missing this trip. :(

Artex - when my son was little I used to embarass him with my mouthing off. Now that he's an adult, he appreciates it.

Pennsy - you've heard the story before, ye of swiss cheese memory!
:P”

“I imagine when you wipe out riding a board down a straw covered hill, it hurts more than if it was on snow!”

“I imagine when you wipe out riding a board down a straw covered hill, it hurts more than if it was on snow!"
twigeater
03:35:49 PM

Naw, I was young and flexable. Had to be sure and miss the pine TREES that put the straw down though. A board didn't steer well at all. ;-)”

“oooooohhhh, I wasn't gonna embarrass myself by asking what "pine straw" is...
(thanks for the hint SS)
LOL!

But I will embarrass myself by telling that I went to get gas tonight and couldn't figure out how to get the cap off! so I had to go to a pump it for ya place and tell the guy all about it...newfangled cars!”

“How long you had your new buggy??? And you are just getting thru the first tank of gas????”

“Heck twig, I couldn't FIND the gas cap compartment on a rental car once. ;-)”

“My work van is in the garage undergoing extensive surgery. Somehow, it doesn't like running out of oil. The mechanic asked me when was the last time I checked it. We started with the company around the same time so I asked him how long he knew me?" He replied "25 years." I said, well there ya go.

Dang, I always thought checking the oil was his job. Woops.”

“LOL, no monkeyboy, but I generally go to J&S - same price as self serve and they pump it for ya.

PS - I'm working on an e-mail for you guys about the trip and meeting at South Branch. Should get it out tomorrow.

I'm thinking maybe gearho Pennsy will bring his 5 mile radios and we'll leave one for you in the parking lot somewhere.

Oh yeah, and I tried that rowing machine tonight - I was sweating in 10 minutes!”

“LOL @ Pennsy!”

“The sad thing is that it's true.

Sure I can bring the radios. Remind though, okee?
and no swiss cheese memory comments!”

“woop, wrong tag.
I just crossed myself off. Does that mean I'm banned from the trip?”

“J&S oil, I helped build the car wash and oil change station.

How do you guys do the strike through and bold printing and italics?????”

“They have too much tme on there hands”

“which one monkeyboy?”

“LMAO @ Pennsy!”