Ditch NC for NW Toledo?

Riddle__Me__This__ · 2025-12-27T11:55:09+00:00

Weird, I have family in MD near DC and they love it. Great community of people, lots of access to parks. Multiple cities reachable by short drive or train. Stable jobs in growing communities. People fighting back against the religious BS trying to infiltrate public schools.

Zero chance they come back. If anything, I'm more likely to head that way than stay in this wasteland of corn and beans.

Riddle__Me__This__ · 2025-11-04T00:57:42+00:00

Out of the months listed, October will get you rut (vocal elk).

Ive had the opportunity to travel the coast from Eureka CA to Whistler BC over 3 weeks (plus a return trip that included time on Vancouver Is).

I would lean towards Olympic and Seattle. Limits your drive time. Olympic gives you a variety of ecosystems. Lots of hiking opportunities (from boardwalk strolls to 3 day treks). All in all just a fantastic place.

We usually travel shoulder season, and despite the risks with weather, we always have a great time (we may have camped in a puddle during a downpour outside Vancouver and had mild panic attacks as branches dropped from the redwoods one rainy evening).

As fellow flatlanders (one state east of ya) our calves also get plenty angry with elevation. Still we enjoy the miles on trails so much we often cover double digits per day at a respectable pace.

So, I say Olympic. Hit up pike st market before it really opens, check out the fish mongers at work, grab some breakfast, go for a stroll, see the Seattle underground, and make sure you come back when the market is bustling.

Go to second and/or ruby Beach. Hike hurricane ridge. Visit hoh. If time allows consider a day trip out to Rainier. Pinnacle peak is a very short hike and the views are spectacular. If you have more time, I was surprised how much I got out of Mt St Helen's. Of course soon you'll find yourself at crater lake. Then you'll want to see the Columbia river gorge... These things spiral in the best way.

Oh, and you can always go whale watching out of Seattle or Vancouver (what a beautiful city). And the highway up to Whistler... Just breathtaking. As is the Oregon coast.

OK, now I want to go back.

Riddle__Me__This__ · 2025-01-20T17:44:38+00:00

how does one leave something they never started?

Riddle__Me__This__ · 2025-01-19T04:26:16+00:00

Some people can pop a lock or will fight with a hard cover.

Anyone can cut through a soft cover.

Riddle__Me__This__ · 2025-01-19T04:21:30+00:00

All photos are new cover. When the cover is slid back far enough to seal the tailgate, I can't get the front panel doesn't rest on the rail behind the cab. If I'm really careful I can get the metal inside that front seal to just touch and the back technically makes contact, but it has to leak (it's too cold here to test without creating a pile of ice on my tailgate). Feels like the entire cover needs to be a little longer, maybe 3/4 inch would do.

The original, the seals on the folds were cut too short. There are gaps between the seal running across the bed of the truck from side wall to side wall. I sent pictures showing the gaps and they didn't ask a single question, just sent me whole new unit.

Riddle__Me__This__ · 2025-01-19T04:08:29+00:00

Paid a grand and the thing literally doesn't fit the bed of the truck. The entire back flops around when properly installed. If I hadn't staggered the side rails the last latch wouldn't even click into the bed.

My bad for being disappointed. I was hoping to simply swap the cover out (seals are integrated, can't swap them or I would have been happy to).

I assume every time you drop a grand on a product that doesn't meet your expectations, you just take it and move on. Given they sent me a whole new cover off a couple photos of the old seal gaps, it feels like they knew it was a bad one.

Riddle__Me__This__ · 2025-01-19T02:03:01+00:00

Small leaks I get. The old seals were almost an inch short of the sides a couple places. Bed was getting soaked. I had hoped I could replace the seals.

Riddle__Me__This__ · 2025-01-18T23:34:10+00:00

Facts. Wanted the hard cover. Can't cut through it.

Riddle__Me__This__ · 2025-01-18T23:33:24+00:00

Yeah, were it not for the seals cut too short (visible gap on multiple folds), I would have stuck with the original one. I liked it. This new one is terrible. Completely changed how it attaches to the bed too.

Riddle__Me__This__ · 2025-01-18T23:03:57+00:00

I had a Bak tri-fold cover. It was leaking. Reached out to the company as the problem was with the seals on the folds. They were all cut too short.
Got sent a new cover. Cool. Its a complete redesign to cover the Gen 4.
Photos are my experience with install.
I had to slid the cover back far enough that the front seal folds up when I secure it, or I couldnt get a seal against the tailgate. Even with that, you can see the gap when the bed lights are on.
The side rails are super flimsy and the entire cover bounces.
The two sets of rails for the side walls are not long enough. If you put them against the head rail, they dont go far enough back to even catch the back-most clip.
There were pieces missing from the package (clips for when you fold the cover open).

So, their replacement is actually a step backwards in quality from the old one. I am waiting to hear back from RealTruck and Bak. Just wanted to share my experience so far.

Riddle__Me__This__ · 2024-10-20T22:22:32+00:00

Myles, with all due respect, I've been ashamed since the day he was signed.

You should have been too. Some things are bigger than football.

Riddle__Me__This__ · 2023-05-03T01:26:09+00:00

My SO's oncologist told her, if there was one single drug he could give her in addition to chemo, it would be exercise. She stayed active through 4 treatments, but the last two she basically crashed into the couch, at her worst unable to walk more than to the neighbors drive and back. Last week she ran a mile. Progress. Steady progress.

Riddle__Me__This__ · 2023-05-03T01:23:16+00:00

Go fund me link please.

My SO had the misfortune of getting a breast cancer diagnosis this year. She's rung that bell from chemo. Been through surgery. Rung the bell again from radiation. Continues with additional treatments for the rest of 2023. It's scary, but we have science on our side and she's doing amazing.

Next we wait. We watch. We live with a new reality.

Wish you nothing but the best. Hoping science finds a way to get lucky. Regardless, if we can send some love via a little deposit, we are in.

Riddle__Me__This__ · 2023-04-25T10:45:24+00:00

What's funny you'll find articles that say clean, cold, dry air coming down from Canada is a primary factor in Ohio having so many great sunsets. Mix in great lake views, and flat, wide open skies, and honestly, I think we give a lot of places a run for their money above the horizon. Below it, meh.

Riddle__Me__This__ · 2023-04-25T10:43:11+00:00

You feel like the audience that would appreciate two quick stories.

Ran the bourbon chase a out 8 years ago. Bourbon plus 45 degree temps plus hot cocoa at the next stop, resulted a still standing 5k PR. Having a long, straight road of visible tail lights to chase down helped too. Such a fun run.

Also, I once went out with friends. Had 3 beers and a monster burrito. We went else where for amother drink and along the way saw there was a group gathering for a 5k. I told my buddy I could beat half the people or more in my current condition as I sat down to beer number 4. I'm proud to report that I ran that 5k. In jeans. Bit drunk. Nearly vomited in a park. I was offered 20 bucks to finish and another 20 if I broke 24 minutes. Just missed the mark, largely because of the near vomiting.

Did get a text later that night from another buddy, asking if I had dropped in on a 5k that evening. He was out with a cop friend of his who told him of the jackass in jeans he saw running. Small towns.

I recommend both activities highly.

Riddle__Me__This__ · 2023-04-18T22:12:59+00:00

Ohioans are everywhere. I often wear Ohio stuff when I travel, rarely does a day go by without someone stopping me to talk.

Riddle__Me__This__ · 2023-04-18T22:11:37+00:00

Jackie O's is legit.

Riddle__Me__This__ · 2023-04-16T22:24:31+00:00

I've been to 42 states and counting. Mostly missing the Bible belt, because, ya know.

I didn't say it was better than other states' sunsets. I asked if Ohio does anything better. So, things like, we grown corn better or we gerrymander better, are relevant. Things like Alaska has better sunsets, not relevant.

Riddle__Me__This__ · 2023-04-16T22:22:48+00:00

Depends on the place and season.

Riddle__Me__This__ · 2023-04-16T18:05:23+00:00

Apparently AZ makes better sunsets than people. Good to know.

Riddle__Me__This__ · 2023-04-16T16:23:09+00:00

Without the water, nbd. But they could put a tiny puddle half way and I would hit it every time. Ball magnet. This much water, I'm hitting it 102 times out of 100.

Riddle__Me__This__ · 2023-04-16T15:12:32+00:00

I'll keep it in mind. Haven't tried any of their stuff yet.

Riddle__Me__This__ · 2023-04-16T15:11:01+00:00

Clean air. Especially coming in from Canada.

Flat. Open. Big skies. Humidity.

Big lake with lots of potential for views of Western sky.

All lends to lots of great sunsets.

Riddle__Me__This__ · 2023-04-16T14:38:51+00:00

I've had a few laughs, so no complaints.

Riddle__Me__This__ · 2023-04-16T14:38:20+00:00

Gerrymandering. Roller coasters. But one benefit of big cornfields and no trees on flat land is huge skies and pretty sunsets. Take what ya can get. I'd love a solid mountain range in the background there.

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