What's the Weather like where YOU are today?

Yamaha FJR Motorcycle Forum

Help Support Yamaha FJR Motorcycle Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Damn, did this thread die, or what? It was hard to find!

So revival!!!!

I was not directly involved in any hurricanes this year (so far,) at least not in any hurricane-force winds. Sally dumped a bit of rain on us here in Panama City, while slowly making its way through Pensacola and tearing **** up over there. We had 15 inches of rain during the 15th and 16th, Wednesday and Thursday. I woke up Wednesday morning to this view of the Virginia Avenue in Lynn haven, behind my office.
50361309266_963e8d52a3_b.jpg


I'm still living in a camping trailer behind the office, not back in my house yet from Michael (although repairs have started, finally!!!!) Anyway, we've seen this amount of water a couple of times this year, so no panic, yet.

OK, starting to panic a few hours later. This is the guy across the street desperately trying to get stuff off the floor of his garage. By the time it was done, he had about a foot of water in his house!
50361474072_5d5afe11dd_b.jpg


About 6PM the 15th. There's now more water here than we got in Hurricane Michael, and that was a direct hit! Sally was moving only 2 or 3 miles per hour, though, so the rain that usually gets spread over a hundred-mile path gets dumped all on the area under the nearly-stationary storm, and while we had no wind to speak of, gusts in the high 20s, we were in the outer rain bands.
50361308531_2d93d7dc80_b.jpg


There's always some ***** thinks they can make it...
50361308311_22752744a1_b.jpg


It was already too late to get my cars out when I got up that day, but again, wasn't panicking. Suddenly I find myself having to move them to the high point of the parking lot, as my normal parking spots were getting wet!
50360610963_f5d5408b3d_b.jpg


Home sweet home, which I now have to wade to...
50361307946_8b2f6dd582_b.jpg


Morning of the 16th, it's that close to getting into the office.
50360610378_ab7346053a_b.jpg


My vehicles are in the water, but not in the water... Definitely have some panic setting in now, though!
50361473257_759f7cecf2_b.jpg


And... the office starts flooding. We ended up about an inch deep before it stopped rising.
50361307426_f2ac60d7e6_b.jpg


Absolutely panicked about the cars. Saw the Mercedes brake lights on, which was the first time it occurred to me to disconnect the batteries in the cars! Still rainng, too, as you can see...
50360609643_032d1fd779_b.jpg


Oh, look, another *****!!! (That car actually became my water-level reference during the day, as I watch it rise up to the grill, and then as it started to recede, I saw the chrome trim under the grill re-appear!)
50361306976_86c599c345_b.jpg


Right about the high mark. Didn't get to the doors of the Merc, but absolutely did on the Miata.
50361472227_e32f62b79e_b.jpg


Actual driftwood!!!
50361472137_af2824e71c_b.jpg


Inside the Miata after the water receded:
50360609103_703900574a_b.jpg


After the water got low enough I didn't have to wade to the cars (and after a HARD day in the office moving stuff off the floor before it got wet!) I hooked up the batteries and tried the cars. The Miata fired right up, and started pumping water out of the tailpipe. I left it running for a half hour or so to clear the exhaust, and used it to jump the Mercedes, whose battery was weak from the brake lights by the time I'd disconnected it.

Mercedes cranks but doesn't fire. LOTS of stuff doesn't work! Brake lights are still stuck on. Doors unlock and lock from the remote, but the trunk doesn't release from the key or the inside switch. Steering column doesn't drop to position when the key is inserted like it's supposed to. And of course, there's that no-start thing... Comparing the cars, there seems to be a message here about simple electrics versus computerized everything. Also, while cranking the Mercedes, the release valves on the hydraulic struts at the front apparently opened, and without the engine running, there's no pressure to keep the suspension up. Front is low-riding!
50361471697_8e80346bf6_b.jpg


Disconnected the battery, hooked a charger to it, and closed the car up, leaving the hood open to hopefully dry something out.

FJR, by the way, is perfectly fine!

 
Today's project was drying out the Miata. Shop-vacced the standing water, then removed the seats and center console, then the carpet. The "correct" way to remove the carpet is to remove the dash, as the carpet is one piece across the transmission tunnel. F that! The Foosh way is the cut the carpet right above where it disappears into the console. Those cuts look raggedy and nasty, but will not be visible when it goes back in.
50361306051_50f93d7df8_b.jpg


More water to remove!!
50361471572_71fe756a94_b.jpg


I took the carpet to a self-serve car wash to use the power spray on it in rinse mode. Before view of the driver's side of the carpet:
50361471327_b86df534a4_b.jpg


and after spraying it, getting it home and shop-vaccing again:
50361471197_d7b6de269b_b.jpg


I've got the seats, center console, and rubber floor mats back in the car so I can drive it. I expect a bit more road noise... The carpet is sitting in the office where they pulled the carpet out yesterday and put dryers all over the building. Hey, they're there... why not use them?
50361469827_0a740850de_b.jpg


The Mercedes is no change from yesterday, brake lights on, cranks without firing, bla bla bla. I reckon I may have to sell it to Progressive... I love the car, even though it had issues when I bought it, some body damage and stuff, but it's awesomely comfortable, and seriously almost as quick as the bike! 493 HP of 5.5-liter supercharged madness! Except that right now it's 0 HP.

 
I think it's time to switch to long pants. It's 23 degrees here in central Or. I wish could get some of that gulf coast rain up here cause our reservoirs are empty.

 
Typical Feb here (coldest of the months usually). This year so far it's freezing or below at night and then between 40-75 in the day.

Here’s a crappy cell phone video of the beast in action:

https://youtu.be/v8FvxzrnAbM

SB60 - 5 foot wide means 2 to 3 passes and it’s done, and none of the bank buildup problem you have with a snow plow.  As you can see, everything goes pretty far into the woods.
Video Not Available. :(

Based on Wfooshee's photos, I'll try to remember to watch closely about used cars from Fla. that might have hidden water damage.

 
Sorry, I deleted that video.  That was a year ago.  Now I have my own Kubota with a front mount 54” blower.  Just came in from clearing a standing foot of snow, still coming down.  Really like having the tractor

 
Sorry, I deleted that video.  That was a year ago.  Now I have my own Kubota with a front mount 54” blower.  Just came in from clearing a standing foot of snow, still coming down.  Really like having the tractor
The front mounted blower is the slick way to go. Mine is a 6 footer on the back and I have a system with mirrors so I don't have to turn my head.

 
The front mounted blower is the slick way to go. Mine is a 6 footer on the back and I have a system with mirrors so I don't have to turn my head.
Yes, I’ve run my son’s rear 3PH blower before.  We both have the B2601 model tractor, which are compact tractors, so the seat won’t turn at all, makes it tough on the old neck.  
 

Their latest front mount blowers use what Kubota calls its “K connect” system.  The K connect subframe with the lift hydraulics mounts to the underside of the tractor with pins front and back and a mid to front PTO shaft, then you just hook and lift the blower with two hooks and drop two spring loaded pins in the bottom to lock it and throw a lever to engage with the PTO.  It is very slick.  Mine has hydraulic chute rotation and electric chute deflector.
 

They also have a 6’ plow blade with hydraulic angling that will hook up to the K connect subframe quick the same way (no PTO engagement obviously).  It’s pretty pricey but would be only a couple of minutes to switch from blower to plow or back.  For now I keep a 6’ grader blade on the rear hitch.

 
I would have a front mount but my first tractor didn't have a mid PTO and a front mount for the new tractor is well over the budget. I use a walk behind for the driveway around the house and the big one for going to the barn and doing the road to the house. My wife used to do the walk behind but she can't remember how it works. Dementia sucks!!!!

 
Not snowing, but we are in a week long cold blast with overnight temps from -20F to -26F forecasted, Highs "might" get to zero at the out of town place near Motley.

 
It’s cold. Like ******* cold. Single digits in Missouri are kind of rare. Temperatures with “highs” in the lower teens just suck.

     We had a bit of snow (like 1”) but high wind here have made the lower temperatures just nasty. 😳

 
Left the crappy weather at home and sitting in Palm Desert for a couple of weeks. Last week it was in the low 80's and this week low to mid 70's. Got a couple of nice rides in, one up the Palm to Pines then over to Banning via Idlewild. Idlewild had lots of snow so had to watch for gravel but it was a great day. I wish I could talk the wife into leaving mid October and fly home for Christmas to see the Kids and Grandkids then head south again. Maybe I could leave her home and go riding every day!

 
Still cold.🥶 It’s 0 right now, expected high today of 5.  More snow coming this morning and going all day. Accumulations up to 8” possible. Lake almost completely frozen. And it’s very windy, so wind chill is just brutal. 
B336-A88-D-F1-A1-479-A-A2-EC-B6513-A004-D9-C.jpg


 
Of all the weird things, we are going to be on the warm side of this system. Our forecase was calling of 9-12 inches of snow and on top of our existing accumulation, I decided to take action.  I bought a 24" Toro 2-stage snowblower from a friend in Ohio, and after a nice visit yesterday brought it back to Pittsburgh.  As I was driving, the forecast changed.  We only had about an inch of snow this morning, then the sun came out. Now the 9-12" snow has become rain.

I figure the entire country is going to be in a polar vortex, and my snowblower lets me grow bananas.

 
55F nd partly cloudy here in San Ramon. Finally getting the winter rain we badly need!! Expecting sunny skies and mid 60's Wednesday so I will ride out to Roseville Yamaha to have the front brake switch and gas vapor canister replaced.  :bike:

 
Top