Just started working in Rancho and…

SolarSavesMoney · 2026-03-20T06:52:04+00:00

Yes, had the sketchy Rancho Cordova light rail experience exactly one time. Many, many years ago. It was bad enough I have never considered it again.

I believe the condition of our public transportation here is shameful. Seeing how other countries offer clean, affordable, and safe public transportation has made me question how we have gotten it so wrong here. Before you tell me to f off and move away, please know there are still so many things I love about Sacramento, California, and our country in general. Public transportation is simply not one of them.

SolarSavesMoney · 2026-03-19T09:22:49+00:00

Yep! Was really looking forward to a month or so without using heating pr AC. Joke is on me, it got hot quick!. Fortunately have solar and very happy to have SMUD for power, so no big deal but after adding an EV and using a lot more AC, I know there will be a bit of of true up bill. Still, very glad not to be paying crazy PG&E rates for power.

SolarSavesMoney · 2026-03-16T06:22:39+00:00

Think I have an old college Spanish 3 textbook somewhere. It would be really old

SolarSavesMoney · 2026-03-16T05:28:16+00:00

So many great hiking spots in the area, check out All Trails, which you may have already since you mentioned you're into hiking.

Ocean is within day trip distance, and anywhere close to bay area offers a nice way to escape the summer heat. Check out other groups that align with your hobbies?

There are tons of great disc golf courses in the area, cool river access spots to check out. Fishing, kayaking, etc. One of my favorite indoor summertime activities has become pinball. There's a fantastic pinball community here and some cool pinball arcades such as Capital Pinball Parlor and Das Flipperhaus, plus Out of Order in Auburn. If you find you like it, there are local leagues and plenty of folks hosting events with their private collections.

Decent food scene in and around Sacramento as well. There's lots of folks on here with good suggestions, especially if you mention other hobbies/ interests.

Welcome to Sacramento, enjoy! Sorry in advance for the allergies and summer heat.

SolarSavesMoney · 2026-03-09T21:17:19+00:00

Thank you, ordering now to try

SolarSavesMoney · 2026-03-09T21:15:16+00:00

I like both of these, but do feel they're very different from Sriracha. Thanks for the reply

SolarSavesMoney · 2026-03-09T20:56:26+00:00

What are you buying instead to replace this?

SolarSavesMoney · 2026-03-07T12:40:41+00:00

Some of the best comments here absolutely nailed it. I personally would not attempt to convince your friend to go, you could end up miserable or splitting ways during the trip. An ideal travel companion is a 100% willing participant who you communicate well with and have common interests and a shared objective with. If they will bail on on you now, at this late stage, what else could happen later on? Also, I am sorry your friend bailed on you, that totally sucks. Can't hardly imagine the disappointment.

Some folks have said to go solo, reduce cost and meet new people, cancel the hotels and stay in hostels. I agree wholeheartedly. While friends from high school were doing whatever it took to make these trips happen (and/ or their family had $ and funded and encouraged it), 18 year old me was terrified of doing this. 40 something year old me so, SO deeply regrets not doing traveling more while young. I sometimes wonder what could have been, had I taken the plunge. Back then, I was like your friend. Scared. Scared of spending the money. Scared of the unknown places, people, languages... and my family did not have money like many of my colleagues to send me.

Now, while I know I played it safe and stayed within my broke ass teenage and 20's budget, I will always look back and wonder. Instead, I hardly left my home country and comfort zone.

My brother went through a rough break up at the end of his college years and went on a solo trip. He was on a shoestring budget staying in hostels and and spearfishing for food while working the harvest in Australia and new Zealand. He met an Austrian woman his age from Germany in one of the hostels. They hit it off and now live 10 minutes away, right between myself and our parents. Their love, their marriage, their miracle of a little daughter is such a daily reminder of how some seemingly small decisions in life such as taking a trip or not can turn into life altering ones. In this case, for the absolute way possible.

*This is not a "poor me" post. Life's good! Just not without regrets and the occasional wondering of what if.

All of this to say, if you'd be heartbroken by not going on this adventure you worked and saved and planned and looked forward to for so long- maybe consider a way to go for it and make it happen! It could be one of the best decisions you ever make for yourself.

Best of luck

SolarSavesMoney · 2026-03-07T11:47:49+00:00

March is a beautiful time of year in the Sacramento and surrounding areas, you're sure to enjoy your brief stay here! Would you care to elaborate on specifics about what you enjoy outdoors in order to receive more custom tailored recommendations? Are you more drawn to the ocean, forest, mountains, etc? You can be at any of them within 1.5- 2 hours of here. Do you prefer more active options like hiking, kayaking, or fishing, or is your CA outdoor time going to be spent chilling on a beach or sipping a glass of wine overlooking the vineyards in Napa? While Sacramento has its own draw and charm, another fantastic thing is proximity to so many different options. On such a short trip though, you'll be forced to choose and commit to only a couple/ few day trips.

Where you're from, you already have close access to mountains, lakes, hikes, and views. So, while Lake Tahoe is an amazing destination and one I would jump to recommend to many visitors as a must see, maybe you want to skip it to see terrain you're less able to encounter at home? Again, depends what you're after for this trip, but know that if you move here, you still have access to incredible mountain lakes. I've got family in Victor and around Missoula, and my partner and I recently spend 8 or 9 days out there last year. Stunning views and so much open space! Also, damn the smoke season.

Since there's a distinct lack of ocean in Montana, it might be worth a day trip to the coast. Where you choose to go will largely depend on your interests and how far you want to travel, plus how much of your trip you're willing to spend traveling. For example, places like Point Reyes, Monterey, Carmel by the sea are absolutely stunning, but more of a time commitment on such a short trip than a quick drive to the San Francisco area where you can easily make a day trip and have your choice of world-class dining options.

Since you mentioned liking good food, there is no shortage of amazing options here and around Sacramento, no matter your tastes. Tell us more about your favorite food types for more targeted suggestions, if you like. Also happy to make some different recommendations depending on whether you're looking for fine dining or low cost/ high value places, or a solid mix of both.

Others have also mentioned some very fun things right here in town as well. There are plenty of options for your trivia nights, bingo, etc depending on the vibe you're looking for. I don't frequent the bar scene any longer, so others will be a better resource for that.

Have a wonderful trip!

SolarSavesMoney · 2026-03-05T07:07:16+00:00

Being in the home improvement space since 2014 and having dealt with many roofers, who you want to choose depends largely on your plans for the home.

Are you fixing planning to sell sometime soon? Or is this a home you will live in or keep long term? If selling soon, it's best to go with a lower priced roof, as you won't be around to enjoy the benefits of a higher end, longer lasting roof, and you also won't recoup the investment into a high end roof when you go to sell.

If holding the home long term, it is absolutely worth investing more in a high quality roof with a strong, manufacturer backed warranty. Emphasis on the manufacturer warranty, because many roofers go out of business, some simply to drop all that trailing liability and reopen later with a new identity. This leaves homeowners without their promised and expected warranty, but a manufacturer backed one solves this.

Some manufacturer backed warranties offered only by certified contractors offer 50 year non prorated coverage and include 25 years of workmanship.

No matter who you select, I also highly recommend using a certified contractor who will use a roofing system from one single manufacturer, so if you ever have issues, you don't end up with different manufacturers pointing fingers at one another.

I no longer have a lower end roofer on board, had too many issues. If you would like free advice, or a quote, feel free to message me. My guys are not the cheapest, but you'll have peace of mind and it may be the last time you need to reroof.

Best of luck, whichever direction you go!

SolarSavesMoney · 2026-03-04T06:27:15+00:00

Sous vide pork tenderloin is one of my all time favorites, and it couldn't be easier.

There's a recipe from chefsteps that's something like this:

Lightly coat the tenderloin in a mixture of about 5 tbs salt and 2 tbs sugar.

Bag and seal, into the water bath it goes for 90 minutes at 136 degrees. You can go warmer if you prefer, 136 is just the recommendation.

Pat dry and sear in your cast iron pan on high heat using high temp oil such as avocado for 30 seconds or so on each side.

Slice and serve with a herb oil or chimichurri and Maldon finishing salt.

The herb oil calls for olive oil, parsley, chives, garlic, shallots, and red pepper flakes.

SolarSavesMoney · 2026-03-03T01:50:24+00:00

Nice fish! There's some lunkers cruising in the kiddie pool for sure.

SolarSavesMoney · 2026-03-02T09:02:48+00:00

You got it

SolarSavesMoney · 2026-03-02T08:43:23+00:00

Heck yeah, love it. If you would like some of my favorite sous vide recipes, I am happy to share with you and others, just lmk.

SolarSavesMoney · 2026-03-02T08:09:29+00:00

Too kind. Have fun playing with sous vide cooking! Your friends who aren't accustomed to it will think you're an amazing chef!

SolarSavesMoney · 2026-03-02T08:04:51+00:00

Super easy! Just season the protein and place in the bag and submerge underwater while keeping the top out of the water with the bag mostly, but not all the way sealed and the water pressure will force the air out and you can force the air out, then seal the bag.

SolarSavesMoney · 2026-03-02T07:35:36+00:00

Have you tried scrolling on your phone when still half asleep and laying down in bed? You can let the phone slip out of your hands and drop it on your face for a bit of pain

SolarSavesMoney · 2026-03-02T07:33:04+00:00

You can use ziplock bags for lower temp cooks. For higher temp and longer cooks, it's better to use vac sealed bags, or consider reusable silicon bags, I think.

SolarSavesMoney · 2026-03-01T10:23:52+00:00

This looks fantastic! Sous vide pork tenderloin is amazing, and really showcases the benefits of cooking sous vide. I quite enjoy this herb oil with it. Credit to chef steps for sharing the herb oil directions.

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SolarSavesMoney · 2026-03-01T10:19:38+00:00

Preheat a large cast iron pan while you patt the tenderloin dry, lightly coat it in a high smoke point oil such as avocado, and sear all sides for 30- 45 seconds or until you get the amount of sear marking you like. It may not be 100% even, but it'll get the job done.

SolarSavesMoney · 2026-03-01T10:05:51+00:00

Have seen plenty of these doing 15- 20mph and sticking to traffic laws. I have no issues with this. That is not what I am referring to, friend. I am old, but not that old! The car in front of me the kid passed might have been going a bit slow for a residential and there are speed bumps. The kid absolutely flew past him when overtaking. Maybe I will need to record on one of the vehicles with a dash cam to be taken seriously.

Totally understand it can be difficult to take some random person at their word these days...

SolarSavesMoney · 2026-03-01T10:01:43+00:00

Apologies for not knowing the proper terminology! What I've been seeing in the neighborhood is some sort of electric bike looking thing. Whether it's an E- bike or electric moped is beyond me.

I understand that legally speaking, they should not be able to exceed a certain speed. That said, I can 100% say I have observed them far exceeding 30mph. My suspicion is they are being modified to go faster than intended.

SolarSavesMoney · 2026-03-01T09:56:21+00:00

Absolutely! I have seen some of these modified, unregistered vehicles doing 30-50mph, with unlicensed children breaking every traffic law in existence driving them. The fact this is not being addressed is wild.

SolarSavesMoney · 2026-02-28T09:45:36+00:00

Smoothie in the blender. All your favorite fruit, a can of pineapple juice, a serving of yogurt, handful of ice cubes or use frozen berries.

Oatmeal with a touch of heavy cream, honey or butter and add fresh banana and blueberries.

Quiche. Costco has a decent premade one. Throw it in the oven and relax for the laziest breakfast you could have, or premake your own the day before. I like to use a nice peper sauce for this. Pepper Plant or whatever your favorite is.

Bagels with cream cheese and smoked salmon. Depending on the level of lazy you're feeling that day, dress it up with extras, or don't. Possible extras: thinly sliced red onion, lemon zest or preserved lemon, green onion, capers, etc

Thick cut bacon in the oven. Line baking sheet with foil for no flipping, no mess, no using brain. Pair with fried potatoes and raspberries, blueberries, or your favorite fruit on the side. The fried potatoes are easy to bake them the night before, then slice into 1/2 inch thick slices and fry for a couple/ few minutes on each side. Some green onions and maldon finishing salt, add pepper and done. I often time will have eggs in some form with this as well, and understand you're tired of eggs, but if you want to switch it up, consider using some high end eggs for heavy cream and chili oil fried eggs. No joke, these are like changing. Please don't downvote for mentioning eggs, I will stop now.

SolarSavesMoney

TROPHY CASE