Ross and Alice

Laughing gas,, now that's a good take.

What"s your take on using NOz in all vehicle applications?:

TV's are so cheap we just buy new ones. The RV has Wall Mart specials: a 20" and 15 " flat screen. I think the 20" was $74 The 15" maybe a bone or two. Not really worth fixing them, unless its like a bulb for a projection,, or on some Panasonic projections you can replace the screen too. The work out they get on the entrance rd to Dumont usually is what takes them out. No sweat, a drive into Pahrump Wall Mart, and when the winds shut down duning, all is better.

Cingular is fine, and it works at the top of the big dunes, and at the Salt Creek Rest rooms. Nextell is worthless beyond Baker.

Thanks for the tip,, I'll look into that,,

It had Cigarrette written on the side. Stinking camera, so slow I wasnt able to get any more pix. We we're doing 60 at one time, and it idel'd by at a leisurely 100. If I had the cash,,,,,

Late Sept thru mid October the Pacific Coast is swarming with Dolphins. Channel Islands is an easy place to spot them, and a run to Catalina is a sure bet you'll see plenty of them too. 3 to 8 mph when ya spot them and they'll usually run with you. We saw hundreds of them this weekend, the wife and kids got a real kick outta if when they cruise along side the boat., but: Everytime the wife snapped the camera, the Dolphins had just ducked under the water. Alice's Olympus has a 5 second delay, and we just couldn't time it. You can vagely make them out under the water right center of pic. I think using a film type camera is the trick, then copy the pix to disc. We spent the weekend boating off Channel Islands. Excellent weather. We launched at The CI Harbor ramp on Victoria. Nice, easy,,, peacefull, no sweat launching. Easy parking and retrieval. Plenty of $5 parking. We have closed system cooling on our engines, so salt flowing through the engines veins is no issue. The Mandlay Beach resort (no affilation with the 'Vegas Mandlay Bay) is just minutes away from the launch ramp, and it's nice, not too pricy. Nice staying there for a fun, easy weekend. The crotch strap on kids vests is essential, especially if you're towing them on a tube & they fall off and go skimming across the water at 30 MPH, You'll wish you did. If they give you the: " I don't want a baby vest", then that's a good time to exert your authority of who's raising who. We love riding the swells in to shore. We get the boat pointed toward the beach, and as big rollers come in we kick it in the a$$ & catch a ride on the face of one. Our supercharged engines lite up the HP, no lag or spool-up time, just a hot load of quick power gets us 0 to 60 instantly = a blast riding the waves in, then a quick 90 degree turn before it breaks,, surf the swell, another 90 deg turn, get the boat airborn jumping over the swell and back out to sea. A roller on approach, we surf them into shore. RD's adversion to sharks I can understand. On this location about 15 years ago, some friends and other boaters and I came upon a Kayackers body that had been attacked by a shark. A big Cigarette boat passed us outside the Harbor entrance. Next run will be a family cross channel run to Catalina. My wife Alice is the sweetest, kindest person you will ever meet. She never tow'd before she met me, yet alone back the trailer and launch/retrieve the boat, and she's real good at it now. Just drop her off on the beach, and in minutes she's backing down the ramp:

For a family with young kids, the Little Dunes is really nice. We love camping there. Maynard, our 6 year old on his Z50,, likes the big dunes. DAMFINO why, but the Little Dunes is way cool.

I'm not a Ford or GM hater but: Ford is in far worse shape then GM. GM has some nice stuff coming outta the pipeline: 8 liter Big Blox diesel w/450 hp and 900 lbs torque, rumored to be in '09 trucks.. The Toyota built/owned/designed Borg Warner HD Auto trannys are brutal. Jeep used them on a limited availability towing package test run and they were awesum. They'll be hitting the American shore soon in the 3/4 and 1 tons Tundras. The Ford dealers were whores with the T Bird, holding out for $15K over sticker on an already high priced car and that shut the whole program down. People bought BMW's instead. This is the stuff that kills companies. Have you priced the Shelby Mustang? $25K over sticker. And Ford crys low sales?? GM, though they have pension problems, about 4 plus years ago started the Phoenix Pension Recovery Program and they're not is as bad a shape as the news media makes them out to be. Ford is. The new GM trux finally have nice fit and finish to their interiors. Finally. Styling,, well that's a matter of opinion. The Aztex and the Avalanche have to be held partially to blame for GM's low sales woes. Scarry looking high priced mistakes. Cost the company wheelbarrows of cash to develop. Where the hell is Ford with innovation? They were one of the very first companies to build engines, and they don't even offer their own diesel. They've givin up,, using others off the shelf stuff, and brother did that backfire with the powerstroke. Japan is about to kick their a$$ once again. Not like Ford & GM hasn't been through it before, or didn't see it coming. Hate to see it, but they have to merge or do something drastic to stay afloat.

We're north of LA, and the box it just barely fits in may be too big for me to haul to the dunes. Takes up half the pick up bed, so someone would have to pick it up. It's a really cool unit. Takes your GPS position, then trax the satalite, any sat ya pre-program with one touch of the button. Usually about 2 minutes.

It opens tomorrow. Hope it's better than #1. We'll be hitting the first show.

Good story!!

Not a whole lot different this year with da toys. The Kawa 90 came out last week. My guess it'll be the same as the Polaris 90. Full size adult controls. Still waiting for the Zuki 90 to make it's debut. Supposed to have smaller (Y6) controls). We're moving Maynard up as soon as we feel he's big enough. Polaris Ranger,, couldn't figure out what's new for them. Fuel Injection was the big deal last year. Rhino has more comfortable seats IMHO. The Rhino still has no factory back seat,, but I would wager something will break any moment with it, including an improved engine. Was hopeing for FI YFZ 450. Noticed Kawazaki no longer sells the 400. They have a cool little 50 and the 90 like I mentioned. Kawai prices are significantly lower that the rest. Everything green sticker. Nothing from Honda we could see. Still haven't seen one of the ATK Quads in the showroom or on the dunes,, the former Cannondale quad they took over production on. Overall, prices on everything are much much lower than last year. A lot lower. Anything I missed,, any other takes?:

I have the Winegard dish that is auto tracking with all the hardware and soft ware if ya want it. I just installed the enclosed dome kind dbble drop, the one it replaces is the traditional automatic open kind that I'm giving away. Free. Ya only need your direct or dish box, and install it to 12 volt. It finds your gps position,, then raises and trax the satelite and there you have it,, then it'll stow when ya hit the stow button. I know their's people that like this kinda stuff, don't mind that it isn't state of the art,, and if ya want it it's yours free. I live in Simi Valley,, so ya gotta pick it up and install it yourself. I know nothing about installing it,, just that it gave us 4 years of dependable service.

Kids are deciding Glamis or Dumont,,,

Let's do it, I'll volunteer to run a check point with Maynard.

Can you beat one with your YFZ 450 up Comp?

Most those menu items have been around since day one, their first location. Amazing that it's just now getting plublicity. I remember a 4x4 burger in 1967. Land Cruisers were the BFD off road vehicle then.

Anyone else going Oct 6, 7 8 9th??

Or: Those who say money can't buy happiness, never had either one. ------------------------------------- I love owning cool stuff, I hate the buying process. When I was 9 and took my first mini bike ride, I was hooked on motorized fun.

What needed on the new one to get max performance outta the engine? Nice ride, I'd love to get one too.

Of all the cool toys we have ,, and of all the cool things we do,, it's getting behind the wheel of the golfcart, a cold brew,, and a 5 mile drive spotting wildlife,, chatting with cool friends in the fight with us. Yea,, gotta wrench and keep the family toys runnin',,, but when I have a moment to myself,, its a quiet drive in the golfcart,,,

All iPods with us. Apple is da future. CD'z are obsolete

Interesting responses. Thanks for all your takes. I put a deposit on a Zuki 450 for the wife, and she changed her mind & said she'd rather me wait until something comes on the market I want, and she'll take my YFZ 450. The Zuki has the lower, wider feel, and she liked that,, but would rather eventually have my YFZ. Seems Chix love the new Raptor, wife has long legs I'd like her to check it out too. We had the second year Raptor but it was too tipsy, and we got leg cramps from the rider position.

Jus' Sittin' on the driveway watching the kids ride their bikes,