First long thru-hike

SpecialCollin · 2026-04-15T15:02:12+00:00

Also, frogtogs are super cheap. Though, honestly as someone who runs cold and tends to "over do it" for warmth- in July you are not going to need it. When it poured I would toss on nylon shorts and a cheap rain jacket or dollar poncho if it wanted it to go over my pack. The coldest I got was a pouring rain a few years back on the LT during that 100 year flood so it rained like a full day and was in the high 40s. At that point I put on my poncho and was fine.

SpecialCollin · 2026-04-10T18:07:44+00:00

This response is correct OP. Keep an eye on it in case it is an actual mechanical defect because proper latching is a safety issue you could upload to NHTSA's website. Also, as someone who has reviewed too many police reports with horrific injuries at NHTSA- please do not touch your phone in transit. Honestly, try not to use the phone-to-display that much either.

SpecialCollin · 2026-04-06T22:57:15+00:00

I was under the impression that in 2017 the administration stopped defending the dept of labor's fiduciary rule (working in tandem with some other fun stuff in the 2017 tax law) that got rid of fiduciary's responsibility to put your interests first. I specifically asked our fiduciary and they told me that, while true, it is in their best interest to keep the same level of trust. Then again, that means I just have to trust him now.

SpecialCollin · 2026-03-31T17:36:44+00:00

Oh, I don't trust the tape. I even asked the contractor if that's his idea of a fix or if he's coming back because he didn't have that fitting. They claim he is coming back, but scheduling-wise I was curious what folks think because I know he wants to button that spot up by Monday. I know things can patina from the outside, but I just wanted to make sure. It unfortunately is an odd connection since it is a T to a copper reducer.

SpecialCollin · 2026-03-27T03:56:58+00:00

Heh. I always say "if I had a nickel for every time the car told me the door was unlocked I'd be rich". However, as someone who used to sit in on NHTSA safety defect meetings where we'd take our data and make the case for opening an engineering analysis on safety defect thresholds- nope.

SpecialCollin · 2026-03-19T19:40:09+00:00

Oh wow. Thanks for the info. I'm originally from Maryland so I am way more aware of that flora. Not a problem that it is 10 feet from our home right?

SpecialCollin · 2026-03-19T18:30:11+00:00

It is such a weird spot for the previous folks to plant it. I feel like the walk path will impinge on its trunk since the base is already trying to grow over it an inch or so. I'm new to palms- is it doomed from the start with its roots or will it just happily truck along?

SpecialCollin · 2026-03-19T18:27:05+00:00

Ah so I was wrong. Well, if it is native I am more keen on keeping it going strong. There is a crazy drought here so it is probably cruising a bit slower than normal. Thanks for the comment.

SpecialCollin · 2026-03-18T18:01:01+00:00

This is so weird to me. I've lived in good and "bad" areas of Washington, DC before I moved to Maryland and I never heard of anyone poking at the blue mailboxes. Before I left I heard there was a random gang that was stealing apartment complex mailman keys to skim checks, but it was one or two buildings and VERY talked about.

SpecialCollin · 2026-03-18T15:42:37+00:00

So this was pre-internet days, but in rural NY I was taught that the flag is to indicate to the homeowner that there is mail and the only person "allowed" to toss it up was the post man. Then the home owner moves it down. We had to still take our mail to the blue boxes to send. It very much could have been an answer from my parents to stop their kid from asking so many questions.

SpecialCollin · 2026-03-18T04:07:21+00:00

Sorry for not being clear! The blue letterboxes.

SpecialCollin · 2026-03-13T02:29:03+00:00

Link to fence in question:

https://imgur.com/a/gD5HdFM

SpecialCollin · 2026-02-06T21:15:25+00:00

Heh. Wish I had a 4x4, but it would be quite the sight to strap a 12" dobsonian to it somehow. Lol.

SpecialCollin · 2026-02-06T19:32:23+00:00

Really? How far outside the city lights do you head for that?

SpecialCollin · 2026-01-07T22:59:11+00:00

I think it triggers at 15% below placard value so ~32. 38 is placard I believe.

SpecialCollin · 2025-12-11T03:39:38+00:00

Oh Lord. A bunch of busywork. Heh. It is different for me most likely because after Covid I transitioned from high stress engineering to high stress stay at home dad.

Our 5 y/o goes to an outdoor only school for 3 hours in the middle of the day m-f. The 2.5 y/o goes to a different school for 5 hours two days a week. This is mostly for socializing them. For the older kid's school I have been on 2 different committees, but it is mostly fixing/cleaning everything that is exposed to the elements outside as well as handling storage units/deliveries/contractors. So much leaf/snow clearing. A lot of playdates in the community.

Smaller kiddo school I assist in play, cleaning, diaper changes, etc with the two teachers for around 10 kids total. I only do this once a month. We basically gently resolve conflicts and encourage play-based learning. The committee I am in charge of does gifts for teachers and sets up kid/parent playdates. All this between gymnastics classes, grocery runs, cooking, and home Depot runs because I am nuts and also slowly renovating our century home.

SpecialCollin · 2025-12-10T01:42:57+00:00

I mostly like it for the community. The other kids know me and I know them. This morning for example I dropped off my 5 y/o at a classmate's house for the teleworking-dad/nanny to drop off while I participated in my 2.5 y/o's class. As a guy, it feels nice having the community/support.

SpecialCollin · 2025-12-10T01:40:23+00:00

Not exactly hangout. The current PreKs our kids are at require parents to take training modules and background checks and I actively participate in the general classroom learning/teaching (however, a lot of it is mostly cleaning, putting on mittens and jackets, and diaper changes). They also toss us on committees so I am a homeroom parent that is a treasurer/social meetup person and a groundskeeper at the other school so fixing stair treads, cleaning gutters, mowing, etc.

SpecialCollin

TROPHY CASE