Quote from: Solar on September 18, 2022, 07:11:07 AMWell, well, well... Nature put a damper on the mosquito fire.      
Damn near put it out, but there will be weeks of mop up to follow because of stumps, the roots continue to burn underground, connecting to other roots and running.

Seen it on every fire, 300' away, a fire starts. But the upside is, the fire is pretty much out.

Glad to hear it for you Solar!  Keep a weather eye on it however.  As you say, there is still likely fire underground.

Speaking of which, Many years ago a fire started in a coal mine in the middle of Pennsylvania. They never got it put out.  To this day it is still burning underground.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laurel_Run_mine_fire#:~:text=The%20Laurel%20Run%20mine%20fire%20is%20an%20underground,from%201915%20to%201957%20and%20recommenced%20in%201966.

Quote from: Snuffy on September 18, 2022, 08:12:54 AMGlad to hear it for you Solar!  Keep a weather eye on it however.  As you say, there is still likely fire underground.

Speaking of which, Many years ago a fire started in a coal mine in the middle of Pennsylvania. They never got it put out.  To this day it is still burning underground.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laurel_Run_mine_fire#:~:text=The%20Laurel%20Run%20mine%20fire%20is%20an%20underground,from%201915%20to%201957%20and%20recommenced%20in%201966.

Yep, Russia has a Ng fire that's been burning for decades as well, that shit is amazing!
The upside to roots burning, is they eventually run out of fuel, unlike coal, which can run for miles.

The downside to roots burning out, is they leave the thin crust above. Looks normal till you ride a horse on it, or just go walking and bust a leg in it.
I was mopping up a fire above this one, went out the next day to drown the roots with a tanker truck, drug the hose out about 100'. Never even saw it, a burned out stump, stepped in the middle of it, hot coals wrapped my leg, and of  course, my fire proof pants slid right up my leg to my nuts.

Luckily my partner was thinking quick and pulled me up, because seconds longer would have cooked my leg.
Oh, and I won't be venturing to the burn, because that will be some very unstable ground, even roads collapse, so nowhere is safe.

Hey, that's a fascinating story, though Wiki didn't say, how much fuel is left in the coal mine?

Great, glad the fire is out, now on to the important stuff. lol  How do like the backhoe? Are you using it as much as you thought you would? What are you doing with it that you did not think you would? I know you have not had it long, but is the forseeable maintenance what you would expect? (actually I would expect Case to be mainly oil changes) Would you buy it again? Can it do light bulldozer work?

Quote from: Possum on September 18, 2022, 08:31:34 AMGreat, glad the fire is out, now on to the important stuff. lol  How do like the backhoe?

Love it! It's literally like new, no wear whatsoever.

QuoteAre you using it as much as you thought you would? What are you doing with it that you did not think you would?

Exactly what I planned on using it for, and it does everything I ask of it and more.
Just finished rebuilding the neighbors road after 20 years of neglect, from 3' trenches off the crown, to cutting new drainages, but that was mostly my Massey's job, since it has a hydraulic tilt top box scrapper.

I was able to clear out all the limbs as well as push over trees that had grown out in the road over the years.
She now has a 1000' by 50' landing strip of a road, crowned nicely and ready for a nasty winter.

QuoteI know you have not had it long, but is the forseeable maintenance what you would expect?

It had just been fully serviced when I had it delivered, so I have probably 3 years before the next, aside from regular lubes, but a full service is fourteen hundred bucks, because it's cheaper to have them come out than me pay to take it in.

Quote(actually I would expect Case to be mainly oil changes) Would you buy it again?

Absolutely! The only thing that takes getting used to, is the top heaviness due to the hoe, where it pretty much prefers level ground. If I were at an angle and got a blow out on the rear, this thing would tip in a second.

It's also ass end heavy, so steep hills must be backed up or it'll stand on end. All the land here is mountain side, with the exception of roads, and even they're steep as Hell.
It's also a bouncy ride due to its length, and pretty much balloon tires in the rear, so when the front hit s ditch, the front comes up, then the rear hits and like the ripples on a pond, it reverberates for a few revolutions.
But with the air ride seat, it's not that bad unless it's a big bounce, then I bounce 3' up and down and bottoming out.

QuoteCan it do light bulldozer work?

Actually pretty impressive, because I have the 4 in 1 bucket, I can open it to a flat blade for pushing and cutting, and yeah, it's really effective.
Of course it's nowhere near dozer weight, it does a real good job at half the tonnage of my D-7 Cat.

The backhoe took some getting used to. I learned on the old stick controls, this one has joystick control, no foot peddles.
I practiced a couple of hours out of sight so I didn't look the fool hitting shit. 

But I still mix them up on occasion, but the hoe is very forgiving, and even has sensors built in, that allows you a steady flat dig without going too deep. You pick the depth and it holds that depth as you draw the bucket in.

Just went and checked my work after the rain, it held beautifully because I back drug my work up the mountain with the loader blade to compress the earth.

I also sold my boat yesterday, so now I suddenly have a huge opening to park this beast.

Started my own channel with a short clip of me moving a rock that rolled down the mountain after the snow storm.
I'll have a lot more in the future. As simple and innocuous as these types of videos are, they're addictive.
I know, sounds weird, but I've seen hours of guys clearing roads, digging culverts, even wrecking on occasion.
I pray that's not me, but I live in some serious rugged country with cliffs and skinny trails I plan on opening up. 

https://rumble.com/embed/v1isrod/?pub=17yzhh

       

That's one nice looking rig. 

Quote from: Possum on September 25, 2022, 05:56:36 AMThat's one nice looking rig. 

Thanx. It's even nicer inside with the air on and fresh filtered air coming in. I may not be able to see out the glass, but at least I'm not breathing all that dust.

I can't believe between two strangers, they've taken away 30 trees already.
One has become a great friend since he's been coming, he's old like me with his own set of health issues.

We had a couple of bear siting's earlier today.

https://rumble.com/embed/v1j1jbz/?pub=14ql2a

https://rumble.com/embed/v1j1ksh/?pub=14ql2a

Is the dog freaking on his food bowl?

Quote from: Rick on September 26, 2022, 07:29:35 PMIs the dog freaking on his food bowl?

I think they've gotten used to it.

Quote from: Solar on September 26, 2022, 08:52:50 PMI think they've gotten used to it.

My bull is over 2000 lbs, and that bear looks bigger.   

Quote from: Possum on September 27, 2022, 11:54:28 AMMy bull is over 2000 lbs, and that bear looks bigger.   

   
I know what you mean, I wish I had a truck scale out there for them to step on.

Quote from: Possum on September 27, 2022, 11:54:28 AMMy bull is over 2000 lbs, and that bear looks bigger.   

I would contend tho that a bull is made of much more muscle, which weighs more. While the bear, while strong, has a higher percentage of body fat, which weight less than muscle. So maybe it still does technically weigh less, not sure.

Quote from: T Hunt on September 28, 2022, 11:19:34 AMI would contend tho that a bull is made of much more muscle, which weighs more. While the bear, while strong, has a higher percentage of body fat, which weight less than muscle. So maybe it still does technically weigh less, not sure.

True...

The most these bears can weigh is upwards of 600 plus lbs depending on season and stored fat.
I think the Polar bear is only 1000 lbs and much of that is retained in fat.

During spring the brown bear has burned almost all of its body fat, in summer the bear starts storing for winter, and by fall they have an inordinate amount of added weight, as well as muscle mass to pack it around.
Cycles every year.

That little bear video in the middle of the same day is already in trouble, it hasn't any stored energy/fat due to escaping the fires.
Though he's a yearling, he probably won't make it through the coming winter unless man intervenes.

This is my conundrum. Man caused this problem, so I think it is our place to supplement their food, or we've literally killed them ourselves.
In the past I never even left a crumb on the ground, but with the damage Nucellini is inflicting upon the environment, I had to throw out all my old ideas of non intervention.