Rooster, the thread is 9 months old because September is the 9th month of the year. We aren’t dead , yet.(http://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-cool.gif)
Wednesday, September 19, 2018 - Today, we head back east to the Finger Lakes Live Steamers, Fall Open House, this coming weekend. I fyou are in the area of Syracuse or Rochester, New York, come join us for the fun. We had come back to the Midwest to participate in the September Bluestone Southern OPs. It was suppose to be cooler, but the Summer weather held on with intense heat and sunshine. Hopefully, FLLS will have cooler temps, finally. Fall Open House at the Finger Lakes Live Steamers. 10 to 4 both Saturday and Sunday, come on out and enjoy the fun. If you need directions contact me.
The weather should be cooler up there since it’s cooled down considerably down here.
We stayed overnight just below Cleveland and it is considerably cooler this morning, 58 degrees. Highs around Finger Lakes seems to be low 70’s - high 60’s. It was in the 90’s all the way across Illinois, Indiana and Ohio, yesterday. l’ve had enough of the heat, this year. Actually planning to delay going south this Winter, just too much warmth. I’m sure Jan will change my mind, first sign of frost. Thank GOD for air conditioning. All is well.
Big Open House Weekend at the Finger Lakes Live Steamers, stop by if you are in the area. Be sure and say “Hey”. I’ll be the one in the lime green shirt. Wait a minute, all of the guys are in lime green shirts. Better ask where I’m working. (http://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-cool.gif)
What no knee pads ?(http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-frown.gif)
No beard or knee pads … where did Ric go … (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-surprised.gif)
Sean McGillicuddy said:
What no knee pads ?(http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-frown.gif)
No beard or knee pads … where did Ric go … (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-surprised.gif)
The beard is back, or at least it was when he was here… (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-cool.gif)
Rick need to head to Diamond Head in Jan and join us for some good finger burning time. Later RJD
R.J. DeBerg said:
Rick need to head to Diamond Head in Jan and join us for some good finger burning time. Later RJD
Hey RJ, Good Morning,
We did Diamond Head many, many years ago, as we explored New Orleans and a trip on the “City of New Orleans”. There are so many avenues of this hobby and you need to clone yourself to enjoy them all. January, is becoming the best time to be in Florida as the temps are cooler and more seasonal to our liking. Keep the rails shiny my friend.
The Finger Lakes Live Steamers Open House was well attended, as the weather was almost ideal in the upper New York Canal area. This ends our 2018 season at FLLS and we leave this morning for Murphysboro, Tennessee and the International Barrel Racing Competition. We have one our Son’s daughter’s competing in the 12-18 year old age group. Should be a great week, but little railroad involvement. 7.25 inch gauge equipment is put in storage or is being packed to haul south for maintenance. Fall is in full swing here and the heat of Summer has finally passed. We are very blessed to have such a chance to enjoy this great Country.
29 September, 2018 - a quick update from Murfreesboro, Tn. at the International Barrel Racing Association Finals. Its in its last day and has been quite a week. This is quite a place on the Central Tennessee University Campus. People from all over North America are here competing for the 2018 Championships. Our granddaughter, Payton, was competing on 2 horses. Her horse of the future, Logan’s Lucky Charm, did not want to run and they found he came up lame with a sore left leg. Duke, the other horse and the one now assigned to the younger granddaughter, Addy, was having his last run at 27 years old with Payton. He was number 5 in the “Top Dogs” in Illinois and that earned him, this place in competition. Coming out of the pen, him and rider Payton, cut it to close and her knee smacked the gate. They took off for the first barrel and was looking at a good run. Right after that Payton called it quits as they headed for the second barrel and an hour later, she was in the ER at the local hospital. Lots of riders there over the last week. Her trophy for a year’s work is a pair of crutches, some great memories and some wounds to nurse for both her and her future horse. Tough little gal, no pain meds and a grimace smile. She competed for a $10K prize and we are trying to console her that is is a big deal that she made it this far. There are a lot of barrel racers that haven’t made it this far.
They are all headed back to Southern Illinois, today. Jan and I are going to stick around for one more day and go enjoy the sites of Nashville, Tn. This has been an neat experience.
Ric Golding said:
They are all headed back to Southern Illinois, today. Jan and I are going to stick around for one more day and go enjoy the sites of Nashville, Tn. This has been an neat experience.
Enjoy your day in the barrel !
They use horses in barrel racing? 
A great disappointment for the granddaughters and family Ric. I am trying to visualize how the horses are part of it. However, anyone with a penchant for barres might like to be in the eastern part of my County around 5th. November (traditionally Bonfire Night here). The town of Ottery St. Mary, besides having a gigantic bonfire, also has an ancient tradition of people carrying flaming tar barrels around the town. Not for the faint hearted!
https://www.otterystmary.info/about/portfolio/project/tar-barrels/
Barrel Racing …Hmmm
I wonder if my horse and I could do that … nope … not going to try @ 60…
(http://www.largescalecentral.com/FileSharing/user_1209/Misc/Spirit%20-1%202015.jpg)
To bad …It is a great achievement to even get there…
Yes, barrel Racing is not for the faint of heart, however compared to carrying flaming barrels of tar, it sounds pretty light hearted. As Sean reiterated, it was a great achievement to just be there and I’m trying to convince all of that as they lick their wounds. The granddaughter starts basketball practice today, so the injuries are not that bad. Son is trying to figure out horse’s problem. All of this is resolvable and part of life.
We are home for awhile and prepping for things like the Bluestone Southern’s Fall Ops. The “Adventure” we call life continues.
Ric Golding said:
R.J. DeBerg said:
Rick need to head to Diamond Head in Jan and join us for some good finger burning time. Later RJD
Hey RJ, Good Morning,
We did Diamond Head many, many years ago, as we explored New Orleans and a trip on the “City of New Orleans”. There are so many avenues of this hobby and you need to clone yourself to enjoy them all. January, is becoming the best time to be in Florida as the temps are cooler and more seasonal to our liking. Keep the rails shiny my friend.
Well we hope to be in Fl for a week during Christmas and New years. My try a meet this time. Yep right after that I head to DH I really got into this LS thing. BTW you ever get up Kansas City way need to vist my brothers 7 1/2 gage RR. Making big progress. Later RJD
12 December, 2018 - Carlyle, Illinois. We are back home for the celebration of Christmas with the family. Big temperature difference from Carlyle, Illinois to Dundee, Florida. We “hot seated” home in the pickup truck yesterday. Plan to head back south during the first “weather window” on or after the 26th.
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Big news down at the Ridge Live Steamers (well at least big to me) is the acquisition of a structure for the storage of equipment and the creation of the
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“KV CITRUS TRANSFER AND FREIGHT HOUSE - connecting the Florida Citrus Groves with Southern Illinois and Points North” Look for the formal Press Release in 2019.
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Living the dream, one mile at a time.
Welcome home…(https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-wink.gif)
28 December, 2018 - We are back at the Ridge Live Steamers for hopefully our final drive of 2018. We did a “Marathon Session” of driving starting in Carlyle at 0236 CST and arrived at Ridge in Dundee, Florida at 2156 EST. We had a great Christmas at home with family, but great to be back in the south for the rest of the Winter.
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The traffic was so heavy on I-75 south of Atlanta, you would think nobody was left in the other States. I guees 2 days after Christmas is when everyone heads back home, down south or maybe a little New Year’s R and R.
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We’ll start a new thread for 2019. Thank you all for the kind wishes and reading my rants.
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HAPPY NEW YEAR to you and yours!.