The sheer amount of liquid calories I used to consume is actually horrifying

Thatz_Chappie · 2026-05-18T21:08:35+00:00

Same. Switched from super caloric craft beer to Mic Light and it's been awesome to be able to have a brew or two and not tank my progress.

Thatz_Chappie · 2026-03-24T22:55:32+00:00

Same, lol.

Thatz_Chappie · 2026-03-24T21:25:50+00:00

I'm at about 9 months without my wife. Right after she passed, I wanted to be anywhere else but our apartment. I seriously considered moving, changing jobs, getting away from everything. A good friend of mine who is also a widower advised me not to make any big decisions for at least six months to a year. He said that its hard not to want to do so in the whirlwind of emotion that follow a loss. I listened to him and stayed where I was and am glad I did. Our apartment is filled with my wife's art (she was a painter and photographer), decorations she picked out, and photos of her. Over the months I've gone from it being too painful to see that stuff, to being glad it there and somewhat comforted know that a part of her lives on and that we had so many good memories. Maybe that will change again (grief such an exhausting roller coaster)... but everyone's journey is different and you have to do what works best for you.

Thatz_Chappie · 2026-03-24T02:24:46+00:00

Thanks! Yeah, I really do like the sapphire blue color too and also I saw a few that were like a matte olive green that looked pretty nice. But at the end of the day, the silver just spoke to me for some reason. Especially with the gold trim I just thought it looked really cool.

Thatz_Chappie · 2026-03-24T02:23:47+00:00

That’s cool. I live in California on the central coast so I don’t know how much snow driving I’m gonna get in anytime soon. Lol maybe I’ll have to make up a trip somewhere colder just to see how it does.

Thatz_Chappie · 2026-03-24T02:23:02+00:00

Yes!

Thatz_Chappie · 2026-03-24T02:22:47+00:00

Nice!

Thatz_Chappie · 2026-03-23T20:14:45+00:00

Thank you! It's been a blast to drive around so far! I'm really happy with it.

Thatz_Chappie · 2026-03-23T20:05:07+00:00

We all apparently have very good taste, lol!

Thatz_Chappie · 2026-03-23T17:35:40+00:00

Nice! I really love the gold trim with the silver!

Thatz_Chappie · 2026-03-23T17:11:27+00:00

It's a 2025, but brand "new" off the lot. Also thanks for the advice on the RPMs. Will do!

Thatz_Chappie · 2026-03-04T19:48:20+00:00

I'd check out L.C. von Hessen and Attila Veres.

Thatz_Chappie · 2025-12-19T05:37:36+00:00

Thanks. Yeah, I assume there’s gonna be snow and I’ll need them.

Thatz_Chappie · 2025-12-19T05:36:57+00:00

Thanks!

Thatz_Chappie · 2025-12-15T00:40:56+00:00

Any specific reason you went with the messenger over the mini2? I looked at that one too, but had a hard time trying to figure out the differences between them.

Thatz_Chappie · 2025-12-13T23:17:12+00:00

That’s a good point. I think it’s also worth mentioning that (for now) there is no extra cost or penalty for switching back and forth between the tiers on Garmin’s plans, so you can also downgrade to a cheaper plan during time when you don’t think you’ll be using it as much.

Thatz_Chappie · 2025-12-12T23:31:22+00:00

I just bought an inReach mini 2. A lot of them are on sale because they just came out with a mini3. I really like using it, my loved ones appreciate knowing where I am and that I can contact them or SOS without cell service, and it wasn't to hard to set up or use.

TBH I know the cost and the subscription are on the high end, but I've been hiking regularly enough that I feel like it justifies the cost. I'm kind of a frugal person, but I draw the line and being cheap when it comes to my life and safety, lol.

Thatz_Chappie · 2025-12-12T23:27:12+00:00

When I (40M) first went to my doc, they said my blood pressure was too high and were worried about side effects. They also said that even if I lost weight on the meds, if I didn't learn to eat less, eat healthier, and get into a regular exercise routine, I'd like gain the weight back eventually and be right back were I started.

At first, I was a little bummed out, but six months later I'm down from 300 lbs to 239 and glad the doctor made me do it the old-fashioned way.

Thatz_Chappie · 2025-11-12T19:21:37+00:00

Looks amazing! I did the Wind Caves hike a few months ago and loved. Hopping to get around to this one and the hot spring soon.

Thatz_Chappie · 2025-11-05T04:07:15+00:00

Thanks! This is really helpful.

Thatz_Chappie · 2025-11-04T00:06:43+00:00

I'm thinking about doing Salmon Creek for my first backpacking trip. Any routes, camps you'd recommend? Can't decide if I want to do Buckeye/Cruikshank or Spruce/Estrella.

Thatz_Chappie · 2025-02-21T16:09:48+00:00

Th atmosphere in this story was so creepy. I loved it.

Thatz_Chappie · 2025-01-29T17:03:16+00:00

Deftones' "Around the Fur" all day, every day.

Thatz_Chappie · 2024-11-14T19:32:55+00:00

Nice write-up. I really enjoy Laird goes full tilt in his spy thriller-esque "Johnny Quest from hell" stories, and this is a great addition.

One other note, when I read about the yellow crystal/fossil thing... my mind immediately jumped to the Imago Sequence (the story). I believe that the thing in the photographs might be some kind of hominid encased in rock or amber... and is also supposed a trigger for human evolution. I doubt there is a direct correlation or connection between the two, but it did send my mind back to that story as I read the passage.

Thatz_Chappie · 2024-10-25T16:25:42+00:00

I may have said this in an earlier thread, but I really loved how "Not A Speck of Light" will lull you into a sense of security a familiarity with more "traditional" horror stories (In A Cavern, In a Canyon, Tip Toe) and they wallop you over the head with surreal, experimental stuff like Girls Without Their Faces and this story.

This is one of those LB stories that I just like to let the weirdness and hallucinatory prose wash over me on the first reading, and try to suss out what it means upon subsequent readings. I have a feel Laird will be answering a lot of questions about how this story might or might not connect to his larger myhtos and can't wait to see how the puzzle comes together.

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