Today was a day of adventure and realization, truly inspiring. Where do I start….
Let me start with the downside. The Missing Linc got “blocked up,” and it was very sluggish when I was trying to pick up my latest score.
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First, second and third trips…
As part of cleaning up the deferred maintenance, I’ve been looking for some of those stacking retaining blocks to help with some drainage in my yard. I don’t know if I ever mentioned it to you guys, but I love Craigslist/marketplace.
I found a bunch of the 18 x 8 x 12” commercial size stacking blocks FOR FREE close by if I just went and got them. Those big boys are 36 to a pallet, and a pallet is $933. I got about 75 of them. I also got about 20 of the 2 1/2 inch thick by 18 by whatever solid cap stones. I also got six or seven of the 18” x 8” x 9-1/2” solid stacking blocks. All of this stuff is concrete, not cinderblock. Also a half dozen of those concrete footers that you use for posts on a deck. Also some two by fours. Also, some rebar…. I think just the stone added up to about $2500 if I went out and bought it.
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I probably should’ve used the F250, but it has a cap, and they were close by, and I figured I could make a couple trips in the Missing Linc and get them all. Well, I made 3 trips, and I’ll have to make another trip tomorrow. But I realized I don’t have a good ole Ranger. I have a super Ranger! No, not a super Ranger, a super duper Ranger!
The face blocks are 80 pounds each. The cap blocks are about 60 pounds each. The 8 x 18 solids are about 120 pounds each. I loaded about 30 in the truck for each trip. I figure it was about 2400-2500 pounds per trip. I boogied down the road at a whopping 25 or 30 miles an hour in third gear max with all the code 3 lights flashing, but it didn’t miss a beat. I’m going to go to the upholstery store and get a big Superman cape made for the truck with “SDR w/HHP” where Superman’s S would be (super duper Ranger with house hauling package).
But the really amazing part? I loaded three loads with my 71 year-old broken and worn out pathetic body, block by block. Quick math tells me I loaded 7,500 pounds of block, and I unloaded 5000 pounds! I guess the old fart is a little superduper too!
For the first load, I pretty much picked them up and put them in the truck, and then unloaded them when I got home. The second trip took almost exactly twice as long, a lot more rest time, but I still got them in and out, block by block. The third trip was almost comical. I was so worn out, I could barely lift the blocks. I made a stair step out of three blocks, just below the tailgate. I rolled the blocks on the ground up to it, and then I rolled each block onto the first step and then on to the second step so then I could then flip them over into the bed. I had to stop and bend over and put my head between my legs to let my blood recover two or three times for each block. And none of them are unloaded yet from the third trip.
The real trick was the solid blocks, which were all on the last trip. That’s when I had the idea for the stairstep. At about 120 pounds each, I had to take a break in between each time I just flipped one over on the ground, and then when I flipped it on the first step and flipped it on the second, and then into the truck.
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The whole time, Lincoln was looking at me like “and why are we doing this?”
When it comes to the details on the truck, you guys know I like those little bitty things that nobody else would think of. So when I get the cape, I’m also going to get one my size, and I’m going to get one that’s Lincoln’s size. I will only wear them when we’re wearing T-shirts with a picture of the truck loaded up with the block.
Right now, I’m on beer therapy for my aches and pains, but a little bit also and celebration. And just think, now I have another big project hanging over my head.
