World's fastest Craig's List sale?

So I posted my old Sears gas lawn mower for sale on Craig's list this afternoon (see Crunchy Granola post earlier for the reason why) and about 5 minutes from the ad going live my phone rang with a local guy ready to buy it, cash in hand!  Wowza!  45 minutes later there he was and off went the lawn mower.   Sure, I only got $40 for it but it was almost 20 years old and the grass clipping bag needed to be replaced so I was happy to see it go.

 

Is the Grouch going crunchy granola green?

While we were in Big Bear a couple weeks ago we stopped at the grocery store to load up on snacks.  Instead of buying my usual potato chips I reached for a box of Kashi 'original 7 grain sea salt pita crisps'.   They are good and less grease and stuff for this old body so I guess no more potato chips for me (although I have been eating mostly Lays baked chips these days and even more so the Special K rice chips which aren't too bad).

Today when I was cutting the grass with my old Sears gas lawn mower, the clippings bag ripped even more and started spewing cut grass into my face.  So when I was done I went to the local Orchard Supply which is going out of business and bought the last Craftsman battery powered lawn mower they had in stock.  Yikes!  I may have to give up my membership to the reactionary club if this keeps up!  Fortunately I still have my giant 4 door Jeep Wrangler Rubicon Unlimited to show that I haven't gone completely to the dark side.

Big Bear 2013 part 7

Our first hike of the visit and shorter than the Butler peak hike is the Pine Knot trail.  The whole dog gang went with us but because of the popularity of the trail and the number of users the dogs had to be on leashes.  We encountered other hikers, a couple of mountain bikers and some horses and riders were somewhere ahead of us but we never caught up to them.

Off we go!  (pictures courtesy of Bundu Trek Ltd)

It was warm and very dry in Big Bear when we were there.  The shade along the way was welcome!

This area which is close to the city of Big Bear Lake didn't burn in the recent forest fire and is nicely covered with trees

Along the trail

How does something like this happen?  The odds of this rock ending up on top of the other rock are so small but here they are!

A nice hiker stopped and took our picture.  Young daugther says I look grumpy but since I'm a grouch it is my normal appearance

The determined hikers!

Snack time at the group camping area along the trail

Our cabin is down there somewhere

the Butler peak fire watch station is that tiny bump on the peak.  We headed over there a day later

This was our turn around point, we headed back down another way and looped back to the starting point, otherwise the trail is straight up and back with no loop and the Missus does not like to cover the same ground twice!

A nice trail, not too steep but with a definite climb in altitude.  Bring lots of water during the summer because you will use it all and wish you had more.

Big Bear 2013 part 6

One of the days at Big Bear was set aside for off-roading with some friends but unfortunately they had to cancel due to work commitments so I was left with no one to go with.  The Missus noticed my down-turned lip and poutey face and said that she would ride with me.  Yay!  Except that she said that we were limited to roads that 6 Nuns in a minivan would feel comfortable driving on.  Boo!   Well anyway it was nice having some companionship for driving on the dusty forest service roads.  A lot of the area we drove through suffered the same fire damage that burned the area around Butler peak.

Some of the trees showed fire damage but are still alive

A view of the road on the other side of the valley that we would soon be driving on

Dusty, bumpy, but fun!

The Missus is telling me to stop taking her picture

Snack time!

The Missus retaliates by taking my picture!

Big Bear 2013 part 5

The Saturday that we were at Big Bear lake a humongous car show was held.  Vehicles were everywhere and they started to arrive Thursday afternoon.  By Saturday morning the cars were positioned all around the village and traffic was crawling.  Fortunately we were staying close enough to the village that it was easy to walk over to see the show.

I enjoy odd ball cars so that is pretty much what I took pictures of.  All of the cars were fabulous!

Looking up the main drag in the village shopping area

I had a Duster like this, same year, but mine was brown and rusty and had a slant six engine and was falling apart around me.  But I do have good memories of it.  I bet this car was never where road salt was used.

For my brother who likes old Corvettes a lot

A classy lady and a cool VW pickup/van

This car actually ran!  I saw it being driven around town

My friend Greg had a Jeep wagon just like this one, except his was green and rusty and not in as good shape but otherwise it was exactly like this one!

I loved mini Coopers ever since I saw the original "The Italian Job" with Michael Caine and his mini Cooper gang

A supercharged Studebaker?  Who knew!

Whatever it is I hope it made it back home again

Love the Corvair, the drive in food tray and the classy lady

But the Pee-Chee covers are the best part!

My Dad had a Nash when I was very young.  I asked him once how long we were going to keep it and he told me until the wheels fell off.  I was afraid that the wheels were going to pop off as we drove along!

Another nice display

About 3 p.m. the cars all drove out of the village and around the lake

Big Bear 2013 part 4

When we are at Big Bear lake we like to do the 9.6 mile round trip hike up to Butler Peak and the fire watch building perched on the rocky peak.  The area burned several years ago so the road is closed for vehicles but you can walk up to the peak.  The first year we visited BBL we tried walking to it but took the wrong road and never found it. I later rode my bike up to the look out. We successfully hiked up a couple years ago, and now once again we did it.  It seems to be getting a bit harder on the body now for some reason!  The Missus, Young Daughter; Kerby, Pie, Dottie and Fancy the dogs all made the hike.  

Here we go!

(pictures courtesy of Bundu Trek Ltd.)

Our starting altitude at the trailhead about 6,900 ft.

The dogs were enthusiastic even though it was awfully dry but not too hot (yet).

The ladies took pictures of anything and everything

They even took a picture of me!

Going up!

Break time

Still going up

The area is coming back after the fire of 2010

Up and up!

Our first sight of the destination

Still in sight

The lovely Missus

Getting closer

There it is again!

Within shouting distance!

It is a great view from up there

Made it!  Time for lunch

Young Daughter is happy now that she's had lunch

So is the Missus

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Fortunate that the fire look out didn't burn along with the trees that were at its base

About 8,200 ft or about 1,300 ft climb.  Now to go back down!