LabFiles at LightningRod Labs

Ever since High School I have known that shiny red convertibles attract pretty Girls. Many things have changed in the 50 years that have passed since those carefree days. As the picture shows that belief still holds much truth. True they would rather drive than ride but than I always did and they don’t need Grandpa along any more than I did back then.
Seeing the excitement in their eyes and the smile on their faces as I hand them the keys is a pleasure thats every bit as good as what I felt back in 1959.

Spring has been slow to come but I keep busy as you can see in the Photo. I put together the computer sitting on the card table out of old parts. It has an 800 MHz processor so it is fairly usable. A 19 inch monitor I saved from the scrap-man makes it a fun Machine. I loaded Ubuntu on it and a full suite of software including lots of kid games. With the GIMP software you can do magic with digital pictures. Open Office makes working with all word documents and spreadsheets easy.
I have no use for it, so will sell sell it or give it to someone who doesn’t have a computer. Better than landfilling parts—-and I learn a few things along the way. It was also a lot more fun than cleaning the junk out of my shop.

I haven’t added anything to the page for a long time. The reason is shown below. The wife is shown with her Sister Doreen and Brother-in-law Sam. You have to say they are great people when they can put up with me for several days in a row.

We had a great time, you can see the weather when we left Minnesota. As a friend says even the ducks know enough to go south in the winter.

The best laid plans of Mice and men often go astray

They said this can’t happen but it did. I’m glad I didn’t leave it on the front seat of my truck.

Our new refrigerator has had problems with shelves sagging under normal usage. After looking things over it became obvious that the design had been cheapened. The thin hollow plastic support was just not enough and I feared for the glass shelf. searching my salvage pile, I found a piece of extruded Aluminium from a old storm window that was the right size

With a little sawing and filing we soon had a good fit. The brace metal fits under the plastic and is not visible with out laying on the floor and looking up.

I think the plastic support was originally intended to have a metal brace inside, much like I fabricated.

Undoubtedly a MBA had the final decision and they rarely do anything right.

Last summer someone was telling how they drove up from Phoenix in two days. I asked them why, the reply was their was nothing worth seeing in between. This bothered me, as I have always enjoyed the back roads and side streets of America. Recently My bride and I drove out to Pagosa Springs over Wolf Creek Pass. ( No! I wasn’t driving a 47 Peterbuilt with a load of Road Island Reds.) We took the back roads, stopping often, and taking pictures. It was anything but dull. We visited a High School buddy of mine, (Willmar class of 1959) Sid did the right thing, became an engineer at Intel, now has a beautiful summer home in the mountains in addition to a home in Phoenix. We had a great time and I hope I didn’t drive them too crazy.

At one of the first of the many Garage sales a lady was selling her brother-in-laws CD of his original songs about Nebraska for $1.00 each. It wasn’t near as good as her home made brownies for the same price, but then you don’t win every time and the trunk was full when I arrived back home I enjoyed the Ford show room in Nebraska with a model train display and I looked at many nice old cars along the way. I saw a lot of project cars and more potential ones and visited with many old car lovers. Their was the old style gas station the owner refused to destroy even tho he could no longer sell gas. The owner wasn’t around, but I was told he works on his collector cars here and often has one parked in the driveway. They say he likes to visit with people that stop in so if you ever close to Norton Kansas check it out. I’ve included a few photos I took along the way.

Last week My bride and I joined with seven other couples from the car club and motored to Duluth, MN. We traveled most of the way with the top down. It was a most enjoyable trip, and I enjoyed the attention the four red convertibles attracted.

It had been Years since I had spent any time in Duluth, and of course the city has changed. The area by the Lift Bridge is very cosmopolitan, factories and warehouses are now replaced by upscale tourist things.

We toured the Condon estate and Mansion home of one of the great Robber Barrons, the stable was finer than many homes.

Driving around with the top down is such a different feeling. One feels free with the wind in your hair and the sky above.

It was a relaxed trip, we all enjoyed stopping at Garage sales, Flea Markets, and anywhere the urge took us.

Here is a link to a fun group, check it out. Its a diverse bunch with a range of interest from Model T’s to new Corvettes. we just all like cars. Better yet join us at a breakfast, you don’t need to be driving a collector or show car (although we always appreciate those). Come and meet the guys and enjoy the cars. You may even run into a old friend.

Rod

http://www.willmarcarclub.com/

Click here to get a look at Rod’s new car.

No word on whether he’s planning to retrofit it with cold fusion or not.