Making the perfect ride for my Brittany...

[Elric]

Well, now that there's no choice, I notched out a 2'x3' 5/4 glued edge board from Menards to make a new perch for my girl. The regular cab Silverado has those blasted 60/40 seats with the rigid seat belt fasteners jutting out. Dog can't lay down like on the old bench seats, these seats are the ones with the side "wings" for lumbar support. So, propped up the front edge with an old milk crate and a length of wood, stuffed some old wool blanket under the rear of the board, then folded two old wool blankets and put 'em on top. Other than the lack of power windows so she can stick her nose out [it's a work truck], it's quite workable. Last time I took her out, she had to sit upright the whole 30 minutes. The return was just as long, so that wasn't good.

Just whacked off some old 11 1/2 inch wide board into two 5 5/8 wide by 60 inch long pieces [goes from side to side], did the same for two 33 inch long by 5 5/8 inch [front and back pieces fit between wheel wells]. Going to make a "box" that fits over the rear wheel wells [think of tic tac toe] so I can keep my sand pigs over the rear axle. Ever brake hard and have the frozen sand pigs slide forward? Or the sand pigs are up against the tail gate, where they are past the rear axle, so it's like a pendulum?

 

[Tomme boy]

Me and my lab had a very unpleasant talk the last time we went duck hunting. It was about 14 years ago when I still hunted. It was a cold miserable day with mild winds but freezing ice on and off all day long. We were both tired, and freezing. When we got back to the boat ramp we had a little disagreement. He under no circumstances wanted to ride in the back of the truck home. It had a topper and a old wool blanket that he claimed a few years before that. At first he just looked at me and sat down when I told him to get in the back. I raised my voice again and told him to get in. I then hear a small growl.

Now I am holding up the boat ramp for two other guys right now. They are standing there waiting for me to get the dog in the truck so they can pull their boats out. They are watching this whole thing. I raise my voice again and point my finger at him and tell him to get in the TRUCK!!! He had none of it. He started to growl and show his teeth at me. I now have a pissed off smelling like the swamp dog and a couple of guys laughing at me. I just wanted to go home. So I opened the front door to the truck and he jumps right in and into the back seat.

I walk over to get my boat and the two guys said they thought he was going to bite me! I told them he learned this for my better half and we all laughed!

The things we do for our dogs!

 

[blackthorn]

When I was 17, we had a 1949 Chev pick-up. In winter, Dad put two big boxes of sand in the truck bed for weight/traction. Now, at that age I liked to drive fast (still do) and I could not figure out how Dad knew when I drove over the 40 MPH he insisted on. We lived 4 miles off pavement on a good gravel road. One morning after I got home late from a night out, I was looking out my bedroom window and saw Dad go to the back of the truck and pull the sand boxes back against the tail gate. Suddenly a light came on! Checking later I found that the boxes would work forward if I drove over 40 on the gravel road. After that all I did was stop close to home and reposition those tattletale boxes.

 

[popper]

My dog rides in HER lap when in the car. No place else works.

 

[Elric]

Went to Menards, picked up four joist hangers, then to Ace Hardware for 1/4-20 hex head bolts, split washers, flat washers, and wingnuts. Cleared off the Sieg X3 and drilled the nail holes in the hangers out to 1/4 [or just drilled new holes]. Charging the old B&D 18v cordless drill. Friday, I hope to assemble the wood, use some pipe clamps to hold it in shape, clamp on the joist hangers using Pony clamps, then drill the holes for the 1/4-20 bolts.

Vacuumed up the chips n spirals, cleaned out the T slots, then oiled the ball fittings. Both the ones still spring loaded and those with the ball missing... Good Red Chinese craftsmanship. Want to get this frame installed in the Silverado so my sand pigs stay above the rear axle.

 

[Glaciers]

Nice Elric got to have the pup along. Won't go anywhere without Biscuit. She a little skittish once the vehicle starts moving goes and lays down on the floor behind the seat. Come to a stop of more then just a sign or street light and she's up on the seat. Never had a dog do that, but she won't be left at home if given a choice.

 

[Elric]

When she was younger, it was back and front and back and front... Then she managed to lay down, but she would get up at stops, turns, or driving slow. Now she's figured out that the pad is pretty good, and gets up less. Then again, she's 11. But she still loves to run, and run, and run, and... didya know she loves to run?

 

[Elric]

Well, scratch one Possum... fell into a creek and Belle got to do two of her favorite things, jump in the water AND grab something. She barks tree.

Finished the sandpig cradle this evening. Used vice-grips and a Crescent wrench to snug the bolts down, and the split washers are FLAT. Bit of a head-scratcher, didn't have enough long pipe clamps [just one...]. Finally set the boards on the floor, marked the perpendicular lines for the cross-pieces so I could get right angles, and drilled away.

It actually can stand upright by itself, pretty square. Sordid ugly, but hey, it went together. Highest level of precision here, I used a 4oz brass hammer to start a few bolts. We are talking of Japanese woodworking skill levels....

Saturday should be nice and warm, a good day to pick up the sand pigs that are laying on the ground.

Earlier today, I was whanging away with my e-tool in a DNR parking lot, trying to clear a 2x3 foot space by my truck door so I don't slip and fall getting in or out. Unfortunately, the snow was packed down, then eventually froze solid to the gravel... Looking forward to a good 300 pounds of sand above my rear axle, maybe a few hundred more....

 

[Elric]

Well, obeyed the orders from the White and Orange being, went out to run my dog, walk my shotgun, and get back. Parked nose down in the lot [lot slopes down towards the north]. Mostly weak ice with a few very scattered gravel patches. Took my time walking over to the trail. No possum or racoon. Nothing.

Got back, swung north and entered the parking area right by my truck's nose. Easier to walk on questionable ground where you can have one hand on the truck. Got her loaded up, I fed her, and [with trepidation] dropped it into reverse. The Silverado started to back up just with idle, made my day.

Good having 350 pounds right over the rear axle. This does not mean that I lust for black ice and drifting like on those Russian accident videos... Another plus, I can actually see more over my tailgate. There is room for one more sand pig, and the space between the wheelwells will be solid sand pigs. About 420 pounds of traction action...

 

[Elric]

Another trip to the Bottoms, ran my girl, got back [didn't fall down], called it a day. Fed her and motored north. Barely 300m, and there were two vehicles parked on the road, waiting for a DNR stocking truck to drop the pheasants.

Now, I'm a Woodcock man, grew up chasing them. Flight comes in [or not, like this year], everybody is pretty much in the same boat. What was hopping today might be empty tomorrow. BUT I've been told that folks follow the stock trucks. Worse, the DNR publishes the stock schedule. Why? Dunno, must be the magic shrooms in the brownies up in Madison...

Spoke to a guy before I walked in, he said this year he moved 60 birds and got 19. I've moved MAYBE six and got back... [Moved ten Woodcock, got two].

It seems like someone that is still working is getting the short end of the stick, while the retrobates can laze about and raid the cookie jar, Joe Six-Pack has to wait for the weekend.