Month: June 2026

Logan Shoals

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It’s been a bit since I last stopped here for a hike down the the lake. It was hot today and The Girl was hot and dusty after our Spooner Summit hike. I decided to take her to the lake to wash and cool off. It was good. Capture with Pixel 9a.

The last week or two has seen a lot of days that are hot for western Nevada in June. These days feel more like what we experience in August. Some might say this represents global warming, but I understand that this is weather, not climate. Anyway, it has been hot.

The Girl and I have taken our daily hikes to an elevation of about 7,300ft. It is generally much cooler there and the pines provide substantial shade. Depending on the time of day we get out there, I might zig-zag through the shade the tall trees provide and avoid the direct Sun in between. The light-colored DG reflects a lot of heat, so it is a kind of double-whammy when walking in the Sun.

One day after our hike, The Girl was pretty hot. (Well, she is always hot, but I mean over-heated.) I decided to take the truck down to Logan Shoals and hike down to the lake so she could cool off in Lake Tahoe. This avoided a lot of construction on US50 and gave me an opportunity to visit a favorite place in the area.

There were not too many people at the location, we parked readily and started the hike down to the lake. There are many trails bushwacked through brush, but they can be steep and a bit treacherous. We got down with no mishap and found place to work our way down to the lake.

Sera was a little tentative about the boulder scramble, but she got down to the water and had a nice drink. Then she laid down the rock she was standing on and got wet up to her midline. That cooled her substantially.

We worked our way back up the hill, which was a pretty good climb. I sent a text message to a colleague about possible lunch, but she was buried with deliverables. So The Girl and I drove home via Kingsbury Grade, which gave me some more practice with the truck and a cool ride home.

All in all, it was good outing and good day. Life is good.

4Runner Awning

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A few weeks ago I assembled another tarp-based awning for my 4Runner. The Kelty Wayfarer does not make the cut. The material is so light and thin that infrared radiation from the Sun passes through. Although it makes some shade, it does not block insolation heat.

My Toyota 4Runner has been my primary vehicle for more than ten years. I bought it when Wife was sick and we were making a daily trip to Truckee during the winter for her radiotherapy. She was struggling in and out of the sedan and there was enough snow that I wanted more capability.

When I started playing radio I found myself in a group of light adventurists who like to do field operations. So the 4Runner got a few upgrades so I can better negotiate trail driving and then started pulling a small camper.

I learned that I really like camping, and in particular, dry camping. There are so many places to go here in the west where camping is free and unencumbered by developed campgrounds. I also learned that I like state campgrounds, particularly when the sites are spread out.

In any event, for a couple of years, I used an emergency tarp (5×7) to make some shade. It was OD on one side and aluminized on the other. What made it effective as an emergency blanket (tarp), made it effective for desert shade.

Sadly, though, it was light duty and after several deployments it failed. Instead of pressing my second unit into service, I abandoned the approach. Most of the time, the 4Runner’s hatch provides enough shade if it is just me. However, if I have a guest, then it is cramped.

I tried a Kelty Wayfarer, which hangs off the back of a SUV. However, the material is light and thin. Although it provides shade, it does not block infrared from the Sun. Therefore, it is still hot under the canopy.

That lead me full circle. I bought a 6×8 reflective tarp (heavy) and a couple of telescoping poles. I have suction mounts for the rig. I am able to quickly deploy good shade/shelter from the 4Runner (and I think the pickup as well). I bought a second tarp to double up or to add a lean-to for additional shade/shelter on the sunward side.

This approach works. Shade is good, particularly in the summer desert Sun.

I am so grateful. Life is good.

Busy Again

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At elevation, the late spring Lupine is blooming. These are a favorite wildflower and remind me of the bluebonnets in Texas. Captured with X-Pro3, 2026-06-09 10:33:23, Fujinon XF 35mm f/1.4, 1/1000sec, f/4, ISO-400, light DxO editing.

I find myself in another busy period. Fortunately, a number of projects rolled off the active list. Some of them went inactive and others are complete or at least nearly so. A slow-paying client finally paid their bill so I had a large influx of income, which replenished my bank account.

It turned hot here in Carson City — too hot for June and more like late August. I have new window fans and they are much better than those that they replaced. They are quiet enough and keep my place mostly cool enough. The shade sails are up, which mitigates the direct Sun on my apartment and reduces the heat load some. The portable swamp cooler keeps the living room under 80F most afternoons and I can tolerate that.

The forecast for today is a high of near 100F. This is unusual for Carson, but not unheard of. I might decide to take the truck out for a long run late this afternoon. I need to drive it at highway speed for a half-hour to clear the exhaust filter. Yes, I now have a diesel-powered Ford F-250. I decided that I do not want to pull my camper with the 4Runner any more. I want to keep the 4Runner in excellent mechanical condition (as it is) for use as a daily driver and for day trips for radio (or other) play. The truck will be used for camping trips or travel.

I plan to take The Girl up to Spooner today for our walk. There are wildflowers blooming at 7,500ft. The image of the Lupine was made in the eastern Sierra while hiking The Girl. We both enjoyed that walk and it is always cooler up there.

The hike will be after my dentist appointment. It seems that I have a tooth problem that needs attention. I do not allow dental problems to continue. Chalk that up to experience.

Field Day comes the end of next week. I have a few more things to do to prepare, but am looking forward to a few days camping with friends. I am not all that focused on making a lot of contacts, but want to have some radio fun and take a few days away from the desk. Camping with friends is always a good thing.

Although I am busy, I take time to be grateful and to pray. Life is good.

Postscript: An entry about Ki came up on today’s on-this-day. She was recovering from removal of a number of skin lesions nine-years ago (2017). The cancer finally got her and I still hate that. She was a great dog who came into my life at a time I needed her the most. And two-years ago (2024), Sera posed for me atop a old deadfall while we were hiking up at Spooner. She is a great dog and we have a good time together. Both of these companions make (or made) my life better. Canine companions are a gift from God.

Yellow

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It is the time of year for flower images. Captured with X-Pro3, 2026-06-10 11:21:32, Fujinon 35mm f/1.4, 1/2000sec, f/4, ISO-400, in-camera Velvia simulation, SOOQ with slight crop.

It has been a minute since my last post. Between various tasks, there just was not enough energy left over to write anything. Good news — after months of not paying their bill, a client finally did and put a chunk of cash into my account. I was getting a little concerned that they might stiff us. But they paid. Good.

I am happy to have that one behind me. It is possible that it will reanimate later, but I hope not.

I am looking forward to Field Day this year. I plan to camp with friends at Desert Creek Dry Lake. I think that was our FD site three-years ago.

The truck will not be fully outfitted in time, but that is OK. I am slowly working out what I want to add to my truck and it will take a little time to acquire the equipment and get it installed. The bed liner will be sprayed in Monday. That will be the first step.

I spent a lot of time the last couple of weeks researching maintenance issues with the new truck. The primary item is that US diesel fuel is out of specification for the fuel pump used by Ford. Therefore, supplementation of the diesel fuel is required to ensure sufficient lubrication for the pump. Fortunately (for me), my sales agent at the Ford dealership pointed me in the additive direction.

The other issue that came up is the abandonment of a defined service interval in favor of a sensor and indicator. Vehicles have had service intervals for as long as I can remember. The standard service interval has also been always dependent on the service level of the vehicle in question. Those that see heavy service require a reduced service interval.

A YT content creator, The Motor Oil Geek, has several videos on oil change frequency and the impact on engine wear. He recommends, based on testing, an oil change early in the engine’s life (maybe 500-1,000 miles), then a second after several thousand more miles. These remove residual particles from the build and provide a refreshed filter as well. He also suggests that a regular-period service change also be followed instead of relying on the vehicle’s sensor/algorithm.

I am careful to follow Toyota’s service interval recommendation for my 4Runner. Although I did not use a break-in service for it, the oil was renewed every 10,000 miles. Other maintenance items (coolant, transmission fluid, transfer case, differentials) was also changed. The rig now has 235,000 miles on it and does not use oil or leak. This speak to the quality of Toyota manufacturing. It is a pity they do not offer a diesel pickup in the States.

The Ford pulls the little camper effortlessly. I will no longer be lugging up hills. Moreover, I will replace the little trailer with something just a bit larger this year or next. I want something capable of handling colder weather (the current unit does not) and that provides just a little bit more living space. On my month-long travels, the little camper is a bit cramped and I want more space for when I am working.

The adventure continues. I am liking my truck a lot. It is a lot more vehicle than the 4Runner and requires some adjustment in driving style. I am even more careful choosing a parking spot. I do not mind walking from the rig to the store or whatever.

For the moment, I intend to keep the 4Runner as a daily driver. It seems a bit wasteful to have two vehicles, though. So, we will see.

In any event, I am very grateful. Life is good.