Mr. and Mrs. Pants' New England Adventure Summer 2024

[Festus]

If it does it automatically on the Zumo XT, then I'd feel pretty silly about this.

Maybe the XT is different, but every Garmin I've ever seen, car and motorcycle is keeping routes in the background without you knowing it. That's what Basecamp will show. It's not like it's a "route" so to speak, it's locations and speeds every few seconds, which creates a route.

Plug your XT into a computer with Basecamp, if it's there, you'll be able to access it.

[Hppants]

I'm sorry, but you quite literally lost me at "Basecamp". I'm fairly sure Garmin invented BC as a joke. I gave up writing code when Windows 3 was released. I'm sure it does everything known to man regarding navigational software, but no thank you for Pants. I'd rather keep what little hair I have left.

None the less - I did remember to start a track on my last Bush Pig adventure, and i was able to upload it into My Route, which is a free app that is NOT written in Heiroglphics, and was able to find the name of the road where I had lunch. Interestingly, the name of the "road" I used to cut across the woods has no name, accordingly to Garmin. And it's not shown on the Google map. I know generally where it is, though.

[Hppants]

Auguest 25, 2024

Clear skies have given way to mostly cloudy, but it's warm (or warm enough) and so, today is paddle day.

We are going to try Lake Stinson today. it's about a 40 minute drive to the lake and already, I'm skeptical. Google maps takes me to some private driveway that CLEARLY is not where I can launch. I asked a local working on an old tractor if there was a public boat launch and he directed me accordingly. We find it soon enough and it is quite nice with a concrete ramp to back down and a zero entry pad to board the boats. After parking the truck, I spotted a lady who had been paddle boarding earlier. She looked like she knew what she was doing so I askd her if there was any public shoreline on this lake.

Nada.

Crap - same ole same ole. Beautiful public water. Can't get to any of it. Oh well - we are here, let's make the best of it.





This is the right sized body of water for us and the view all around us is very good.



I found an area of the shoreline that looked overgrown, so we paddled to it. The water got nice and shallow (less than 6"), so I just tied the boats to a overhanging branch, and we had our picnic in the water. I waded over both ways to make sure I wasn't bothering anyone - even though the water is technically public, I wouldn't do that to anyone. Apparently the owner of this lot was not home.



Tammy floated out a little to enjoy her lunch in solitude.



Nothing like a good peach on a summer day.



I waded along the shallows and found some freshwater clams.





After a while, we got back in the boats and paddled around.





Now mid afternoon and the powerboats are starting to come out. For the most part, they were staying on the other side of the lake, presumably the deeper end. They weren't bothering us, but the noise and commotion kind of killed our buzz. So we made our way back to the landing, and pulled out.

Noteworthy is that Tammy has developed this ingenious way to use a beach towel clipped to the door of my truck to provide a "semi-private" changing room. It's really quite impressive, but she made me swore not to post any pictures of that. Yes ma'am.

Back to the ABB about 4 pm to air fryer a few shrimp I had lying around.

We had a good time, but by now, it's becoming clear. We will stick to the smaller Ponds that do not allow powerboats. Plenty of those to try still yet.

Stay thirtsy, my friends....

[Festus]

I'm sorry, but you quite literally lost me at "Basecamp". I'm fairly sure Garmin invented BC as a joke. I gave up writing code when Windows 3 was released. I'm sure it does everything known to man regarding navigational software, but no thank you for Pants. I'd rather keep what little hair I have left.

None the less - I did remember to start a track on my last Bush Pig adventure, and i was able to upload it into My Route, which is a free app that is NOT written in Heiroglphics, and was able to find the name of the road where I had lunch. Interestingly, the name of the "road" I used to cut across the woods has no name, accordingly to Garmin. And it's not shown on the Google map. I know generally where it is, though.

Settle down, Pants, I didn't say "create a route in it". I'm literally talking about opening Basecamp, clicking on your device, and clicking on the history and it shows you where the device has been. No programming or advanced college classes needed. It's the only thing I use Basecamp for.

[gixxerjasen]

Plug your XT into a computer with Basecamp, if it's there, you'll be able to access it.

Yep, it's there, forgot about that part, still prefer to visually look at and record my tracks.

I'm sorry, but you quite literally lost me at "Basecamp". I'm fairly sure Garmin invented BC as a joke. I gave up writing code when Windows 3 was released. I'm sure it does everything known to man regarding navigational software, but no thank you for Pants. I'd rather keep what little hair I have left.

None the less - I did remember to start a track on my last Bush Pig adventure, and i was able to upload it into My Route, which is a free app that is NOT written in Heiroglphics, and was able to find the name of the road where I had lunch. Interestingly, the name of the "road" I used to cut across the woods has no name, accordingly to Garmin. And it's not shown on the Google map. I know generally where it is, though.

Settle down, Pants, I didn't say "create a route in it". I'm literally talking about opening Basecamp, clicking on your device, and clicking on the history and it shows you where the device has been. No programming or advanced college classes needed. It's the only thing I use Basecamp for.

Joey has this huge fear/grudge/hate for BaseCamp, but I'm sitting here messing with MyRoute, I'm thinking that if he figured out how to use the app and connect it to Garmin, then he's technically savvy enough because that whole process is way harder than BaseCamp.

[Festus]

Last post and I'm out, don't want to get his thread derailed further into the weeds, but my only comment was directed at trying to locate a place you had been but didn't "track". In that regard, Basecamp might be able to help. Outside of that, I have no comment, I don't create or plan routes to upload to my GPS at all.

[blind squirrel]

Tammy floated out a little to enjoy her lunch in solitude.

Getting on her nerves, eh?

[N4HHE]

Settle down, Pants, I didn't say "create a route in it". I'm literally talking about opening Basecamp, clicking on your device, and clicking on the history and it shows you where the device has been. No programming or advanced college classes needed. It's the only thing I use Basecamp for.

Basecamp is a pretty nasty piece of software. The management of data, can't think of the term for the user interface, attempts to abstract things to the point one has to work to un-abstract sometimes.

I can't get waypoint icons to stick. Reconnect the GPS and all that are on the GPS get wiped back to the default on the computer.

Supposedly Garmin has been working on a replacement for Basecamp the past 5-10 years. Took forever for Basecamp to come out replacing something that was very hard coded to Windows.

[fontanaman]

Gee Pants sorry my comment caused a

[Hppants]

I'm sorry, but you quite literally lost me at "Basecamp". I'm fairly sure Garmin invented BC as a joke. I gave up writing code when Windows 3 was released. I'm sure it does everything known to man regarding navigational software, but no thank you for Pants. I'd rather keep what little hair I have left.

None the less - I did remember to start a track on my last Bush Pig adventure, and i was able to upload it into My Route, which is a free app that is NOT written in Heiroglphics, and was able to find the name of the road where I had lunch. Interestingly, the name of the "road" I used to cut across the woods has no name, accordingly to Garmin. And it's not shown on the Google map. I know generally where it is, though.

Settle down, Pants, I didn't say "create a route in it". I'm literally talking about opening Basecamp, clicking on your device, and clicking on the history and it shows you where the device has been. No programming or advanced college classes needed. It's the only thing I use Basecamp for.

Last post and I'm out, don't want to get his thread derailed further into the weeds, but my only comment was directed at trying to locate a place you had been but didn't "track". In that regard, Basecamp might be able to help. Outside of that, I have no comment, I don't create or plan routes to upload to my GPS at all.

Thread derailment is a really GOOD part of this forum. Doesn't bother me at all.

I get it, Steve re: Basecamp. I'm normally not so inflexible regarding anything. But with BC, I made my bones and peace with it quite some time ago. I can't - I really can't. It's that bad. And it is the reason I left Garmin over a decade ago for Tom Tom and just recently returned ('cause with the XT, you don't have to use BC).

[blind squirrel]

Thread derailment is a really GOOD part of this forum. Doesn't bother me at all.

So, how about them Red Sox!

[Hppants]

August 27, 2024

The rain moved through last night. Sunshine and warm today. Tammy has a 25-ish item list that she made on the 2nd or 3rd day we got here of all the things she wants to do before we leave. It is my pleasure to assist her in achieving that goal. I checked the list and came up with a plan.

An hour later, we arrive in Canterbury, NH to visit the Shaker Village.



Other than the iconic wooden "pegs" that are associated with Shakers, I knew nothing about them. This community in New Hampshire settled in 1792, and was among the six villages established nationwide. It lasted exactly 200 years (the last shaker here died in 1992), and did it with all members taking a vow of celibacy. At one point, this community grew to 6000 members, all by "adopting" people of various ages.



There are still about 15 buildings on the site, and most of them are original, restored and maintained beautifully for 2 centuries



Our tour guide was fantastic, sharing her knowledge about the lifestyle of the people that lived here.



These people were skilled craftsman. Their fine workmanship is evident throughout the village.





I'm particularly impressed with the way they built things with purpose and efficiency. As only one example, this is a clothes drying rack, one of many within a very small space. Steam was run through pipes in the floor to provide heat and start the de-wrinkling in the process. Totally ingenious.



The other thing that impressed me was how they embraced technology, something (I feel) is generally counterintuitive among religious sects.

The shakers were the first to use electricity in New Hampshire.



In all of the "industry buildings" (painted brown), the use of motors with leather belts was everywhere. Dangerous, but effective.





Tammy's enjoying this a lot. Like me, she loves history, and this 150 year old Sugar Maple has been through a LOT of history.



I'm sitting in the "boys section" in the meeting room, as we shakers (for the tour) must abide by strict seperation of genders. I got my eye on that gal in the striped shirt!



Clearly function over form, but it's archetectural simplicity is marvelous, none the less.









We had a good time learning. I drove a few miles into the town and we got sandwiches at the Country Store for lunch. On the way back, I stopped at this Covered Bridge to poke around.



In Laconia, we stopped at the old mill, hoping to take a tour, but they closed at 1 pm. Who closes at 1 pm on a Tuesday? Oh well, we will try another time.



One last stop in Plymouth before we go home. Purple Cow for Pants - Raspberry Blackberry with white and dark chocoloate chunks - damm fine if I don't say...



Made it back to the ABB with plenty of time to hit the gym before dinner. So that checks off 3 list items:

- visit the Shaker Village
- visit a museum
- see 5 covered bridges (today's installment makes 4 out of 5 for Tammy)

Another adventure awaits for tomorrow!

Stay thirsty, my friends....

[gixxerjasen]

Clearly function over form, but it's archetectural simplicity is marvelous, none the less.

For your sake, I hope she never finds out you wrote this about her.

[Hppants]

Hey!! My photo captions PRECEDE the photo.

Tammy reads this thread with me - she likes it.

[Hppants]

And now for a programming note:

This thread is not intended to be a "Pants Brag Session", and I hope ya'll don't read it that way. A lot of my family are not computer savy, and sending them here to see the story of our trip is very easy for them. They don't have to open an account, remember password, etc. As an example, my parents and my aunts/uncle like reading the forum format.

For my FB friends, I know that you see most of these pictures twice. I just throw them up there wtih a sentence about where we went. On this thread, I take an opportunity to share a thought or two, offer a little of "the rest of the story", etc.

To be clear, I've heard/read no complaints, but it has occurred to me that perhaps this might be misinterrpreted, and thus the clarification. Satistfaction guaranteed or your money back - no questions asked.

Now back to our regularly scheduled programming...

[bungie4]

Wrt: leather drive belts

In a previous incarnation of me I was a cabinet maker. One of the shops i worked in contained a gigantic planer that had a capacity of about 30" width. It was driven by an equally gigantic single phase motor along with 6" leather drive belt with no guard.

I made a point to never stand in line with that belt. Flipping the switch on that big single phase would cause a 2 square mile electrical brownout.

[Hppants]

August 28, 2024

The couple that owns our ABB in Waterville Valley also owns another in Freeport, ME. As part of our 3-month rental, they sent us a couple of date ranges from which we were invited to choose 3 nights to stay in Freeport for, well.... free. What a nice unexpected gesture. Weeks ago, we chose now to go, and so .... off we go!

One of our neighbors in Waterville Valley suggested that we try the Old Orchard Beach. Checking the map, it wasn't much of a detour, so I drove there first. This is an old fashioned tourist beach town that looks like it hasn't changed much in 50 years.



There a pier with what Tammy and I call "Tricky Track" shops and restaurants.



The beach was very crowded, so we ate some lunch, walked the pier, and decided this was not really our cup of tea. I checked the map and found a State park about 20 minutes in the direction we were going.

Scarborough Beach State Park is definitely more to our liking.



We've been to the Atlantic seashore before in a few places (Outer Banks, Charleston, Ocean City, Massachusetts, etc), but this area is different.



There are small rocks on the beach, the sand is coarse, and the water is clear.



We set up our chairs and Tammy sat down to close her eyes while I walked the shore to see what I could find. The locals call these "Surfer's Clams". No one could tell me why they are named that, but everyone said they do NOT eat these. They do get quite large.



I found some mollusc shells and I believe this is an oyster shell.



The water was too cold for me to swim, but walking in it was very relaxing.



After walking a mile of so one way, I turned around and when I got back, I discovered that Tammy was having some fun of her own!



We walked together a bit the other way down the beach.





There was plenty of room to wander there. It's a nice place - highly reccomend.

After a couple hours of beach fun, we got in the truck and drove 40 minutes to Freeport. We found out that our ABB there is an "over the garage apartment" for their primary residence. It's very nice and their property resides at the end of a dirt road just outside of town.

Oh yeah - this will do quite well, thank you.



We cleaned up and went to town for dinner - good salads and pizza.



The weather here is gorgeous. It's gonna be a nice few days for a "vacation away from the vacation".

Stay thirsty, my friends....

[gixxerjasen]

You send people that you actually like to THIS forum, with the riffraff on here? Brave man.

[fontanaman]

You send people that you actually like to THIS forum, with the riffraff on here? Brave man.

+1. Not only is he sending people here likes but he is sending his beloved family here. On that note he is serving as an excellent example of what NOT to do.

After all how many of us want our families to know the inmates we hangout with on the forum!!!!

And Joey this is great thread, it is inspirational.

[Festus]

And now for a programming note:

This thread is not intended to be a "Pants Brag Session", and I hope ya'll don't read it that way.

I can't speak for everyone here, but I seriously doubt anyone reads your vacation report that way. It's a vacation, it's supposed to be filled with adventures, a complete lack of stress, lots of relaxation, ice cream, cold beer, good food, and good times! Looks like you are crushing it to me!