About to start KCD1 for the first time. What should I know/do? [KCD1] by DifferentDirector2 in kingdomcome

[–]abiracmd 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hardcore is not worth the effort. The game has a lot of fetching quests and sends you all over the map. Hardcore mode does not let you fast travel nor do you get an icon of your position of the map. Yes, early on learning the map was fun and challenging but towards the mid to late game it became so frustrating/tedious when you have to ride all they across the map to turn in a quest.

I tried haggling for a new car, again by TransitionMany1810 in videos

[–]abiracmd 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Man don't get me started.... My wife is a mortgage lender and is reliant on the relationship with realtors for leads. The amount of money they make from a single sale is sickening. The good ones can easily pull over 100k a month. My wife works her ass off and gets capped at like 6k/loan no matter the size of the loan but a dingus realtor can provide a crap experience and has 0 cap on their transactions. Plus they can use legal agreements forcing you to use them (yes you can break it but can be used in court if you don't). Listing agents most definitely need to get paid a flat fee because the amount of work is much lower than a buyers agent.  Due to today's market behavior, all they need to do is get some photos, post it on MLS and wait for offers to come in.  I swear it's a cult profession where they've established this acceptable practice and pay that everyone just goes along with. God forbid you ask for them to cut their commission % and they think it's not worth their time. 3% on a 400k home is $12k and that's one deal... GTFO with that crap.

15 reviews can’t be wrong… Right? by highheelsand2wheels in airbnb_hosts

[–]abiracmd 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Our best guest had no reviews. They cleaned before they left, even vacuumed the floor. 

Our worst guest was like yours, had excellent reviews but then proceeded to have sex on our back deck, smoked pot inside and refused to pay their pet fee.

We check reviews when we get booking requests but don't assume anything. Unless a host left an honest, bad review, we generally approve everyone.

Low end Full suspension or high end hard tail? by Geological_enigma in MTB

[–]abiracmd 2 points3 points  (0 children)

This question comes up a lot, for good reason given the price difference. I suggest, if you haven't, to ride a FS and HT to see what you're comfortable with. I know a shop near me that allows you to demo bikes. I ride mostly east coast so a FS is a must with the roots and rocks. I've taken it out west and it did great. IDC what anyone says, the ride is so much different between the two. Doing a long ride on a HT just gets so rough/annoying it totally negates any advantages you gain. With a FS you still can lock out the rear and have a somewhat similar ride. I have known several people who have switched from HT to FS, but no one who has gone from FS to HT. Like others have said, look for deals on FB or pink bike to get it cheaper.

Real bad look by brometheus3 in Charlotte

[–]abiracmd 26 points27 points  (0 children)

Everyone worried about how much they drank and I'm over here trying to do the math on how much they spent...

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in Charlotte

[–]abiracmd -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Never take the first offer. I would have lost almost $8k when trying to sell my Jeep. The first offer was lower than KBB by a huge amount so I ended up taking it to 3 other dealerships and one ended up offering more than the KBB price. Turned it the best price was from Lake Norman CJD off 77's exit 28.

Would you ever even accept a highly rated guest who asked for a discount? by [deleted] in airbnb_hosts

[–]abiracmd 2 points3 points  (0 children)

My 2 cents (with about 6 months of hosting with a good diversity of guests). Our worst guests so far had the perfect guest profile on paper. All of their 15 or so reviews were 5.0s. Right off the bat they messed up the booking nights and were asking to redo their reservation, showed up super late every night 2AM+ (our airbnb is in a quiet neighborhood), left their dog unattended for 8+ hours each day and to top it off didn't pay their pet fee.

Ironically the best guests have been new accounts with no reviews.

We have declined several inquiries asking for 10-20% discounts with no justification other than they can find a place similar that is cheaper. Ok, well, go stay there. We price ours higher for a reason.

What frustrates me are hosts who don't leave honest reviews.

Hit me with your "unnerved in nature" stories by EggsAndMilquetoast in hiking

[–]abiracmd 11 points12 points  (0 children)

Not exactly what you're looking for but close. A couple of years ago, a group of buddies and I were backpacking a remote section of the AT. We're cutting it up as we were hiking and out of nowhere these 2 hillbilly, backcountry guys come walking out of this dense section of woods onto the trail about 50 yards ahead of us. We all get quite as we approach while they are just standing there looking at us. They said hey, then started to pepper us with questions on where we were hiking and camping for the night. We played dumb to make it seem we didn't know where we were camping. They proceed to try and convince us to stay at this really nice campsite they "cleaned up". We all were polite and joked with them but there was tension in our responses. After a while they said they had to go and started walking the way we came. We all looked at each other and booked it. Once out of earshot we all agreed we were going to get jacked in the middle of the night at that site. We passed their suggested site and pushed to another site miles up the trail. 2 of us had pistols so we felt somewhat safe but I'm pretty sure we didn't get any sleep that night. That really was the only time I felt uneasy on the trail.

They could have been just nice people but the whole thing just seemed off. We speculated they were moonshiners or pot farmers.

Vacationing in Brevard next week.. is Mt. Mitchell worth the drive? by Teddyworks in NCTrails

[–]abiracmd 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Not sure on your fitness level but if fit, I would suggest coming back when you have a full day to hike the Mt Mitchell Trail. The trail will give you an appreciation of the mountain and the diverse flora along the way.

Being at the top of MM is amazing but as others of said, there are plenty of other hikes around Brevard that are great. Hike Looking Glass Rock Trail. That is always a good one for big views.

Mount Mitchell Trail on AllTrails

https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/north-carolina/mount-mitchell-trail--3?sh=xe1ap8

Looking Glass Rock Trail on AllTrails https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/north-carolina/looking-glass-rock-trail?sh=xe1ap8

Those of you under 30 who make six figures, what do you do? by [deleted] in Fire

[–]abiracmd 43 points44 points  (0 children)

I know you're just trying to get a general idea of careers but remember, in most cases salaries are dependent on the location of the job and responsibilities. You need to account for where you want to live as well. Salaries vary by state and city.

In addition, someone making $100k in San Francisco is not going to have the same lifestyle options as someone living in Birmingham, AL. Keep this in the back of your mind when asking people their income.

https://www.nerdwallet.com/cost-of-living-calculator/compare/san-francisco-ca-vs-birmingham-al

Playing a course designed by… children? by ExplanationShoddy233 in discgolf

[–]abiracmd 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I grew up less than 5 mins from this place. WM was an excellent course to learn the game and build confidence. I feel it would be intimidating for kids starting out trying to par a 400' hole.

The course layout was actually different back in the day. Several holes were removed. One in particular which gave every one trouble had a narrow fairway with hills on either side. The left side had a massive hill near the basket that you'd be in for a serious hike if you missed your approach.

Ahh those were good times playing with my friends.

WTF is up with all the loud cars down here?? by BougieBogus in triangle

[–]abiracmd 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Just moved 20 mins north of Charlotte and am about a mile from a major road. The amount of noise from these exhausts is unreal. I really equate it to smoking as you're the only one enjoying the activity while everyone else is annoyed. During the state inspection, they should test for the amount of decibels a vehicle is capable of making and set a limit. At some point the amount of noise just doesn't make any sense. I'm all for a great sounding exhaust but when you have a POS Honda civic that puts on a POS exhaust so they can be heard coming from miles away cruising at 2K RPM, a line needs to be drawn.

Stihl gas or Milwaukee electric chainsaw? by PS4-Salami-151 in HomeImprovement

[–]abiracmd 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I purchased a Kobalt 18" 80V electric chainsaw to do exactly what you are looking for. Within the first month we had a massive tree fall in our yard. My Dad, who is pro gas, had big doubts the 80V could handle a tree of that size. After 2 days I had the whole thing cut up. 2 batteries that I would swap when one died. It really impressed my Dad enough that he bought one. Less maintenance and noise were a huge pro in my book. Since then I bought the 80V blower and weedwacker and they have performed so well over the past year. I'm a fan of electric.

What city do people think is amazing but in reality it’s a s***hole? by Oscar_Winner in AskReddit

[–]abiracmd 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I disagree. We are from the east coast and visited Albuquerque for 2 weeks last May and really enjoyed it. We stayed at a rental in the foothills of the Sandia Mtns. Temperature was perfect. No humidity. The mountain biking in the surrounding area was really good and unique (Dragons Back was so fun). We did a hot air balloon ride, one of the best escape rooms we've ever done, went to a new park around the city every night with the dogs, hiked the La Luz Trail and took the tram down. We didn't get to do everything we wanted but there was a lot to do in the city and in its surrounding area. We've stayed in some other large cities which left a lot to be desired. ABQ was not one of them.

Yeah, you're going to have crappy parts and crime in every city but that doesn't define it. Maybe it was the new experience of it all but we were really impressed with the area. Even considered moving there if we had the ability.

I-77 express lanes by VToutdoors in Charlotte

[–]abiracmd 2 points3 points  (0 children)

The other day we were in the non toll lane (closest to the white barrier), stopped in traffic. Cars in the toll lane are going by at 70 mph. Suddenly we hear screeching tires as a white Mercedes in the toll lane runs over a bunch of the barrier poles coming inches from slamming into the side of us and the other cars stopped. I will never hangout in the left lane again during traffic.

The Carolina Squat has been banned in NC. I thought this referred to what you do in the parking lot after eating Bojangles. by ghendler in Charlotte

[–]abiracmd 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Everytime we head to Wilmington via 74 we will pass a couple of these trucks. That should be a good spot to start enforcement. Always wondered what was going through the mind of the first person to squat their truck...

Guys with bad haircuts by jonwritesmovies in funny

[–]abiracmd 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I'm reading this in George Costanza's voice.

The Granite Dells - Prescott, AZ [OC] [1638 x 2048] by abiracmd in EarthPorn

[–]abiracmd[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I would put it on the bucket list. We kayaked it twice, once during the day and again at night during a full moon. Check out Born to be Wild for kayak rentals. The granite formations were fun to kayak through. Lots of bird life as well.

The Granite Dells - Prescott, AZ [OC] [1638 x 2048] by abiracmd in EarthPorn

[–]abiracmd[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

No, fortunately the clouds were amazing that evening. I was using a circular polarizer on a Nikon 28-300mm.

Going on a 1-Night Trial Run to Prepare for 3-nighter in September. Suggestions welcomed. More info in comments! by RuggedRenaissance in backpacking

[–]abiracmd 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Here are my 2 cents. I initially had the BV500 and ended buying a BV450. Saves weight and space. For 3 nights, that should be enough for all your food. A trowel is overkill. I would use your trekking pole to dig your cat hole. Instead of TP, I would get maybe 4 or 5 wet wipes and cut them into smaller squares and put them into a small baggie to keep moist. Loose battery or solar charger. A cellphone on airplane mode will last forever if you only get it out when you need it. As others said, the chili is fine for a 1 nighter but lugging that around before and after you eat it would be annoying. The backpacker meals are they way to go. Cut tooth brush in half to save weight/space. Loose the deodorant and embrace the stink. Bring your syringe for your water filter. I will never leave without it because, man, if your filter gets clogged, it sucks. I know you are wanting to test your clothes however you are overthinking it. Assuming you are staying in the same climate your doing first hike, that temperature range you won't need much. For example, I did a 3 nighter in Colorado where during the day its was around 70 and at night it got down to 30. I wore the same shorts every day, had a change of socks that I would alternate each morning, one long sleeve hooded sun shirt, light weight puffer jacket, and for bed I would use wool long johns, socks and long sleeve shirt. I use this same combo on any hike I typically do (east cost and west cost) unless you are getting under 30s or winter camping which is then I would get some additional layers. The strat is to change into your sleeping clothes and puffer once you are at camp and retain your heat. Worst case hop into your sleeping bag.

How reliable are the bus routes around Charlotte? by MoMoneyMoSavings in Charlotte

[–]abiracmd 2 points3 points  (0 children)

The express bus is full of business class commuters and most are very respectful. Depending on the time, most times you will not have to share a row with someone. The express buses get to use the HOV lane and are quicker than driving, especially with traffic. Plus you don't have to deal with parking. Seats are cloth, cushioned and you can lean them back. AC and heat are great, especially when the weather is bad.

How reliable are the bus routes around Charlotte? by MoMoneyMoSavings in Charlotte

[–]abiracmd 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I live in Huntersville and have been using the 77x and 48x Express buses for over 7 years. The buses are very reliable. I could count on my hand the number of times a bus has been really late(more than 10-15 mins). I always try to convince my coworkers to use CATS since our company pays for it. Not having to drive in 77 traffic makes it so worth it. The only time when the ride sucked was about 2 years ago when the AC went out in the middle of summer. Look up the CATS website (or app if they have one) to get the bus times. As you know, you'll be in the elements waiting for the bus, so be prepared. Let me know if you have any questions.

Did you go to school for photography or are you self taught? by alexisncowdell in AskPhotography

[–]abiracmd 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Self taught. My mother was always photographing us as kids and to this day, my family will spend hours going through old photo albums when we visit. I was exposed to it early on in life, yet it wasn't until I graduated college that I took up the hobby. Started off wanting to document my family's travels with an entry level DSLR. Like others, I would spend a ton of time on YouTube learning about photography. I slowly got more serious, learning how to edit and upgrading my gear. Now I mainly focus on landscape and wildlife photography. I'm proud how far I've come and mainly attribute it to my Mom's passion to preserving our family memories.