It has been a while since my last post. There just doesn't seem to be much going on, and I haven't really felt anything was blog worthy. Must be time to start Bloggers Anonymous.
"Hi, my name is Trobairitz, and it has been 21 days since my last blog post."
Having said that, it isn't like we've been bored. October has brought us beautiful weather compared to the soggy September we experienced. Low temperatures of 35-38˚F (2-3˚C). The afternoons are sunny when the fog burns off with temperatures around 68-70˚F (20-21˚C) and the leaves are finally changing. The Forest Pansy Tree is loaded with colorful hearts.
PINLOCKS
I haven't been out on the bike much but have been riding to coffee Saturday mornings. Cooler foggy mornings brought with them the need for a pinlock system for the visors, not just to ride to coffee, but Troubadour commutes 23 miles each way daily, and at 5 am it is quite cool, which ups the foggy visor factor.
Last week he came home from Premier Moto Gear in Albany with a pinlock face shield and fog insert for my helmet and one on order for his, which came in a day or two later. I used mine heading to coffee on Saturday and I can honestly say it is the only time my Shoei face shield has not fogged up on the way to coffee. I didn't even have to raise it at stop lights. So far I am impressed.
A PATIO COVER
With the abundance of dry October weather we decided we'd best put the roof on our patio/deck before the rains return. The deck material has really suffered out in the weather and it would be nice to sit outside when it is raining. It is something we have planned since we installed the deck about 4 years ago. We've always intended to put some type of pergola top on it and as such sunk posts in the ground and built the deck around them.
We headed to the home improvement store and loaded up 11 - 2"x6"x12' boards and 8 sheets of 26"x12' clear poly carbonate roofing material on the roof racks of the Subaru. Who needs a truck when you have a Forester. Unfortunately I did not get any pictures of it loaded down.
We started weekend before last and finished up on Friday. We dug an old indoor/outdoor carpet out of the rafters of the garage and voila. Covered outdoor seating for us and for kitty. The pictures didn't turn out great as it was midday and the sun was behind the house.
If it appears that the front of the cover is higher than by the house, you are correct. This allows for the rain to drain into the existing gutters of the house and doesn't detract from the view of the yard and tree farm behind us.
& A PUSSY CAT
Basil has been enjoying the sunshine. So much that it seems hard for him to get up from his nap when he is snuggled amid his favorite grass. He'll wake up, look at you, and go right back to napping.
MISC PICS
And while looking for the pictures of Basil I remembered a few pictures we took of a grove of changing maple trees and also a few Troubadour took of the valley on our way home from Salem.
The lighting wasn't right to take the tree pictures so I did a little changing of the settings on the camera and these were the result. They were taken on Buena Vista Road looking south just outside of Buena Vista.
Troubadour got some great shots of the valley looking west. These were taken at the corner of Independence Highway and Ryals Road.
Our dry sunny weather is supposed to last all week and into the weekend so we are thinking of taking off on the bikes. We'll see where we go when we get there.
- Au Revoir
" Life is a great big canvas, and you should throw all the paint on it you can." - Danny Kaye
.
I'm thinking how much wood I could store under that patio cover.. hummm. Basil looks like he life figured out with cat naps in the grass.
ReplyDeleteMy guess is you could store a lot of wood under the patio cover. It'd get wet when the storms blow the rain sideways though.
DeleteBasil is one spoiled kitteh. His grass is about 10 ft or so in front of the deck so he is close to the house when he is there.
Trobairitz:
ReplyDeleteI like the idea that you can sit on your deck in the rain, and also when it is sunny as now you will have shade. Plus a great place for visitors to set up a tent . . .
Everyday when they announce our weather forecasts, they always include Seattle and Portland. This morning they said Portland was going up to 22°c (72°F), and we are barely going to reach 10°C (50°F). We've been in dense fog for over a week with no end in sight. I'd imagine that Corvallis weather was equal or better than Portland so enjoy your weekend in the sun
I like your pinlock visor. I have to crack mine open one notch and breath sideways
bob
Riding the Wet Coast
We are looking forward to a dry deck this winter.
DeleteWe hit 72 this afternoon. I was surprised how warm it was. We are supposed to be in the low 70's until Friday. Our fog is gone about 10-11 every morning. My mom is in Coos Bay and she said the fog never lifted down there.
Your patio is beautiful, a very nice addition to your already beautiful garden. It must even be nice to sit under it and stay dry, when it's raining. Basil indeed seemed to have understood the meaning of life. One more reason to be reborn as a cat (as long as it is within the quality parameters that your home offers, that is). Go on, and ride out. Season is over soon. I have clocked in over 4,000km since July on the Vespa. Not bad, don't you think?
ReplyDeleteThank you Sonja. It will be nice to sit out there when it is warm, but raining and even on chilly days.
DeleteWow, you've clocked more miles since July than I have all year. Way to go.
I love Basil he looks oh so comfortable. I hope if I ever come back to this earth in another life it would be as a cat like Basil. You just want to reach over and scratch his belly. Lovely pics Trobairitz and the pergola looks awesome.
ReplyDeleteBasil certainly knows how to relax. He is currently in his bed on the patio step behind the chair in the picture. You know, the bed with the heating pad in it. Yep, he is spoiled. I love to rub his belly but he only lets you when he is sleeping.
DeleteThis is the first I've heard of pinlocks. I am intrigued and will be looking into this some more!
ReplyDeleteYour patio looks awesome! And wow, great photos!
So far so good with the pinlock. We have a lot of riding friends who recommended them. Brad's been using for a few days commuting at 5 am and it is working for him.
DeleteHe used Nik Wax Visor Proof on the outside of the visor to help with the mist from the fog. Polar Bear suggests good old fashioned Pledge spray too to help the mist roll off the outside.
Very nice photos! I especially like the zoomed in one above the panorama. And nice job on the patio, all you need now is a rainy day to try it out. Is there a chance of that ever happening in OR?
ReplyDeleteI've been very happy with the Pinlock visor. If you do have the visor cracked open at stops, the inner plastic will cool off rapidly so there still is some chance of it fogging up. I generally leave it closed to avoid that.
It was wonderful to see you again during my short visit. Thank you for making the time.
Brad had been wanting to get a pic of that old barn for quite a while. With the sun setting as it was he wasn't able to get much detail but the fields sure are nice and green. And yes, the rains will be back before we know it and we'll all be complaining about it again.
DeleteThanks again for taking time out of your visiting to come to coffee and take us for lunch. Sorry I wasn't ready for coffee when you stopped by the office yesterday morning. I almost sent you a text about 2:30 and asked if you were still around downtown. You know anytime you are in town to stop on by.
Excellent photos of the phone pole!
ReplyDeleteWhat's the scoop on the maples? They are lined up like a tree plantation.
I liked that one too. Brad has a good eye when photographing.
DeleteThe maples are a fairly large grove all lined up in rows at a bend in the road. Surrounded by bare fields. I have no idea why they are there, but every year I want to stop and take pics as they are changing colors. They look kind of eerie when they are all bare after the leaves fall off.
Seeing how comfy Basil looks and those beautiful, full leaves makes me want to curl up in them.....my imagination is making them that big. Great job on the covered patio! We have an overhang along the entire length of our garage with a porch swing there. Sitting outside, under cover with a cup of something warm is almost as good as it gets at home......you'll enjoy it!
ReplyDeleteWould that we could curl up in the leaves. That would be a huge beautiful tree. Alas the leaves range in size from the palm of your hand to your whole hand, but they are all heart shaped.
DeleteI remember you telling us you were sitting outside enjoying your coffee. Maybe that helped prompt us to get our patio cover complete. We are looking forward to cool morning with a cup of hot joe.
I'd love to sit with you and Brad for a spell on that patio. Looking good.
ReplyDeleteI love my dual-lens shield and breath guard! It's great not to fog up, isn't it!
And, you know, I'm a sucker for pictures of Basil. So much fur!
You're on Keith, now you just have to figure out how to get here for that chat session.
DeleteYes, it was really great not to fog up the face shield on the way to coffee. Will be nice on the longer rides too.
Basil is super furry. I have a decorative pillow my Grandma gave me years ago that says "the outfit is not complete without the cat hair." That is the way it is with our house. I'll try and get more pics for you if he cooperates.
I had to look pinlock visors up cause i didn't know hat they were.
ReplyDeleteIt looks like a pretty good product, if we did more winter mountain rides I'd probably get one.
Your weather is so mild Steve you probably don't need the pinlock. If you had a lot of cool morning rides or winters like we have in the northern hemisphere, you might need one.
DeleteI think we are all a little jealous of your weather - except when you have the torrential rains.
Sign me up for Blogger's Anonymous, too. Love the new porch! Those Basil pics made me smile. And I love that awesome tree. Those landscape images are beautiful, too.
ReplyDeleteIt's hard to get the blog monkey off your back. :-)
DeleteBasil knows how to relax. He plays occasionally but stops if he notices you watching. He is 8.5 years old now.
You take magnificent photos Brandy!
ReplyDeleteWe have clear polycarbonate panels on our deck too and they're really good. The only problem we've found is that the rubber seals under the roofing nails only last 3 or 4 years with the amount of ultra violet light in NZ!
BTW, I've used pinlocks for about 5 years and wouldn't be without them. Got clear ones on all my Shoei visors (all 6 of them!!!) and they stay on all year round - really do the biz!
Thanks Geoff. Good to know about those rubber washers around the screws. Something we hadn't thought about. Would really be a bugger if we had to replace them in 5 years.
DeleteBrandy, I aspire to relax like Basil. Right now I am more like the Road Runner than squire Basil. Sigh...
ReplyDeleteBasil has mastered the cat nap. Sadly I've never been able to nap. You do seem to be perpetually busy - keeps you young.
DeleteLove the Maples and the turning leafs. Wish there were more trees turning leafs here in evergreen California land. Patio looks good also. Enjoy! :)
ReplyDeleteThank you sir. Most of the leaves turning here are from trees people have planted in their yards and street trees. The wilds and forests seem to be evergreen for the most part.
Delete