Sandpirates2

Lots of trips to the lake (Mead) this summer only 1.9 miles from the house, kind of hard not to. Plans for Marysvale, and Coral at least once this year. Poker Run in Barstow at the end of this month at Slash-X, Our big vacation will be in the South Pacific Micronesia, Diving in Palau on the shollow wrecks in September, looking forward getting out there again.

Auto Set-Up Sat Dish - 2 Flat Screens, 600 Watt Stereo System, Leaf Blower and GPS for the Quads and an Infrared Motion Perimeter Security System for the stuff outside....and to guard the BOOZ I need a fuel pump sock, but Blue Steel's already in trouble as it is.... :freakin_nuts:

Hey Cheese - Friend of ours has a 2006 DMAX, and was using Biodiesel 20 for 6 months, said that initially he replaced his fuel filters and even had a fuel injector that went bad because of it being plugged with junk. He's ran over 50K miles was getting 2-3 miles per gallon more, and didnt see any big difference in pulling power. About a month ago with 74K on the truck, the engine light came on, and he was in the middle of pulling a grade in Washington, when the engine just stopped 15 seconds after the light came on. He as an extended warranty for up to 100K, the dealership said that his injector controller seals were gone, 5 of his injectors were bad, and because he was using biodiesel 20% they killed his warranty on the spot. His bill was $3890, plus he lost the remainder of his engine warranty for the next 25K miles. He got a Lawyer, and Chevy won, due to him using the bio fuel. He thinks the issues on his truck are based on the cold weather he was in prior to the issue happening, and the dealership said that they were getting 2-3 trucks a month, with bio fuel issues due to seals, and clogged injectors. The service manager told him that its likely that his motor will have suffered internal damage although not seen yet also due to what he called cold internal temps in the cyl chambers, which also changes the high side of compression, but the computer does not know your using non-standard burn rates, which means that the timing is off and the computer constantly tries to account for it, but cant. If he had been using the biofuel 5% I guess it does not have the same impact is what he was told, the warranty may have covered his issues. Anyway, I just called him and he passed this on for me to show what the dealership gave him for info on the biofuel. http://www.biodiesel.org/pdf_files/B5_warr...ement_32206.pdf

:afro: Well it's Sat morning about 6:15am here in Osaka and were getting setup again to shoot today's semi-finals. Thought I'd include some pics. These guys weigh-in at around 325-375lbs and we've seen some of them who go at 425lbs plus. Big SOBs. We found out that they never wash that diaper called a mawashi (ma-wash-e) as they think is removes the wrestler's experience, so some of these guy stink big time. Its like watching bull elephants push eat other around. Theyve got these combat "slap-down" chicks fighting here too, I'll have to send some of those pics later, theyre bad-a$$es. Hope the clean-up is going good and hope to see everyone after next week. PS. Tell Dune-Monkie that she'd have to hide around here, they love monkeys especially for dinner !!! Grand Champ for Japan - Bad A$$ American - Dude Got His Butt Kicked Opening of Round 5

Thought I'd throw in my My younger brother works for Shell International Oil. He's been a Commerical Deep Certified Welder and Construction Diver for almost 18 years. He's worked around the world as that's where the work is at. Locally off-shore around the US the money is about $60-85K a year, but your only working 3-4 days a week. Out of the country, he makes $85-120K a year, but the living conditions and the work is hell from what he tells me. He's 38 and is considered an "Old Man" in the field as most of the divers are 24-35 and your body just gives up. He suffers from bone density issues now and joint problems from breathing all the tri-gas mixes for the extended periods. Yes the welding pays good bucks, but he says you really never get used to the feeling of being lit up as he calls it when the power comes up to weld.... He's getting out of the craft and going to back to school to finish up his masters program in finance and go back to work for Shell making $75-80K a year to start. It will take him about 18 months to finish his program fulltime. He says that after he's been there for 3-4 years his buddies in Shell who are in finance said he's be well into $95 plus. As for what your looking for all I can tell you is in my field, Tech's get all of the work that is long hours, being pushed by a bean counter looking for more ways to shorten your check and to make more $$ for the company. Like mentioned in previous notes, stay in school, get your Under Grad at a minimum, stay out of Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering or Drafting (I'm a Electronics Engineer)....my company (Disney) has tons of them and they dont pay beyond $45-80K for the top guys after 15-20 years in the business (India and China are pumping them out into the US economy by the thousands each year) There's an exception, but you have to have your PE certification to sign-off on drawings, those few guys make $65-90K, but thats it. The guys in big companies that make good money are either in Finance or Programming. Application programmers like SAP, or finance like applications out of school are making $75-85 to start, and go up to well into $150K a year, and work for 3-4 days a week and mostly at home, but thats when you've got some time behind you 5-10 years. Finance guys are the ones who are picked to run companies where the bonuses and stock options can be excellent. The field that Im in pays very well, but it's difficult to get into, and that's Production Communications Broadcasting and Networking Systems. Again, it calls for a Graduate Program and 3 or 4 additional certifications, plus time in the field to gain experience. But I hire people from grad school with no little more than intern programs for $65-75K to start, 2 weeks vacation1st year plus 11 holidays and 6 floaters, plus medical but they work a lot of hours when they first start. It's salary so working 60-75 hours a week is typical until you get time. My guys with 10-15 years who still work 50-60 hours a week make well into $120-160K, but they have a ton of background from the military or larger production broadcast companies with an engineering communications background and programming. I've got a job posted on this web site for a Citrix Systems Administrator which requires an Under-Grad program and 3-5 years experience starts at $80K. Citrix is not a difficult system to learn, but its just an example of somebody with low time and a program background. Good Luck on your search for a career.

Same place I got my pole and strobe for the 5th. The strobe can be seen a long ways away. It was cheaper through these guys than the Quartzsite RV show this year too. Got it online, shipped to my house in 3 days.

I'm with dinicolady, Bryce and Zion are well worth the time and effort to go see. We had my wife parents MH and if you tow a second, it was not bad, but there were alot of places where the MH could not get in or go through without permits and calling ahead as some of the roads are built for VW bugs it seems. Lots of tight turns. But the lower campgrounds were excellent, but again it depends on the size of the 5er....most of the NPS camps max out at 24-26ft. But the local private or County Parks near by allow the bigger rigs. So we found several camps unhooked and took the car up and around - great place for PICs.

I'm not really that nice, Pete and his posey just scare the crap out of me...so I have to behave. Kelly it would be great to hook-up with you guys as well. This site has some great peeps. Sorry about not making it last night at PT's. Had to work late waiting for ESPN to clear up some technical issues in the field. Last minute Bret Farve Interviews.... But we'll make the next one for sure.

Hey when you guys come out to BC to ride in my backyard give me a shout - If nothing else I could watch you guys "CRASH" and take PIC's too.... ............

Words of Wisdom and Fighting Evil Indasand and I sacrifice for this site daily...

Dan - it's the dad thing, I did the same thing, got'm on the bike, held it and ran with them and then before you let go you give that last shove which you think helps........ then they crash and then wife comes after you. Yep, better to sit back drink a beer and the little peepers take off on their own and go by with that look on the face, ha ha I did it myself. Yeah I remember when....

Hey they wont help - I already had them on the back, but your right maybe on the front too....that's not funny I needed a band-aid and a bottle of rum just to forget about the pain.... maybe String could give me some lessons

Nope, I'd have to older and really ugly - that would scare away fish

Well that settles it - wife's not reading this thread - I'd be back in chains within the week - damn you guys are rough

Hey Cheese - The question is when are you taken the "trainers" off of your bike.....

Damn and here I was looking all over the place for a Wounded Dolphin - Great a bunch of drunks mak'n up $hit that can't be found - had me going. Speaking of which - TP's? Is it on the list of places to visit this Thursday by chance....since were on the subject. Maybe I could buy you guys a Tequilla Crasher?

Just what this site needs - a "Grandpa Moderator" Bring it on.....

Pete for the love of "Sand" close this up......pls

Yep I agree - makes me ill just to think about it - OOPS it's 5:30 "Beer Time" - Man another hard day at the office.

Sand Saw, I understand now. I was not sure where you were going with the CCW. If you read back on the posts here, I think your point has been taken, but I think you'll see that when we all get out in the sand, that no matter the experience or type of bike, we all like to claim our fame, make fun of each other and especially pick on those of us who own "Farm Gear" like me.... I think with all of the crazy stuff were all seeing of late with people addressing issues based on vengance or harsh replies it gets tired. In general people are just looking for a place to hang out chat with friends and have some fun, with no contention and I'm sure that's what the original post was about looking for new peeps to ride with. I'd like to ride with you guys, but I dont think there's enough Tequilla to make me keep up. Email / Posts are famous for being read out of context, the baseline for what most of us are saying is that Braggin is part of this sport, we all know it but at times it turns itself into what appears to be brash lines of non required junk that we all left in high school. So your postings may have come across in that manner, even though you may not have intended it to be and I'm sure that what you read in return may have looked rowdy back, but I can tell you that if your ever in the dunes and your stuck, hurt or overwise in need, this group would likely be the first to help without being asked and that's the honest truth. Thirty years ago, when Honda Elsinore 250s were the hottest bike around, (broke 6 ribs, chest plate and a leg on that damn thing) and before quads or jet skis were even an idea, some of us were ripping up Saddleback in Orange County, and desert riding in Kelso, and most of the areas today that are off-limits and we thought our skills, bikes and rails (dune buggies back then) would never be beat, but you younger guys (people ie for the ladies) have taken the sport well beyond anything we could have imagined, but in exchange, we've also taken long term vision onboard which you guys dont know yet, but will. We now understand pain that does not go away as we bounce across the handle bars. But we still like to brag, even today the idea of backing down is no different, but we are selective. One more thing about the "older" crowd here is what we call intolerance of noise and at times noise is defined by many things including reading posts that feel like its asking to be challenged with no provication. Take if from an old guy.....we all know that you guys are fast, damn fast but we still own a lot of good times and the occiasional run for the money even today. Take Care.

Hey Ken - Yeah my wife likes Peanut Butter on a tortilla with Hot Sauce, go figure.....for 33 years she been taunting my with that combo....still can't stomach it either...

Sand Saw - I'm lost here.....What does having a CCW and "backing down from a challenge" in the sand have in comparison? Just asking

:poke: Do I hear "5"

I think that's called a "Whoop Azz Cheese Fondoo"

Vic, he was in his Bakersfield Ghetto 3 piece :chev_bowtie: