https://3speak.tv/watch?v=splatts/ogqfwigizc
It had been a long time since Mama Splatts and I went on a good hike at Harris Park. Its about 1/2-40 minute drive from here into Oregon. A handful of years ago the North Fork of the Walla Walla River flooded. I knew it screwed up the hiking trail but no idea how bad. Well let’s just say the road to drive in washed out about 1/2 mile to where you park and the restrooms are. In order to get to the trail we hade so walk on a narrow edge of jagged rocks right next to a raging section of the river. No wonder there was nobody around. LOL

Of course we could leave Tony and Elmer behind. These two little fellas always love a good adventure hike.

Not sure exactly how long this trail is but we did about a 5 mile round trip. In the past we have done much longer but with lack of people the trail is getting a little over grown and we started seeing bear turds. The constant human traffic on the trail kept the bears and cougars away. We decided it was a long enough hike and headed back. Plus I wasn’t in the mood to fight no cougars. I’m packing the 45 next time 😉

Hope you enjoy the views from the North Fork Walla Walla River Uploaded using 3Speak Mobile App

https://3speak.tv/watch?v=splatts/spjyjhrfjw
Took my son to the All Wheels Weekend Car show in Dayton, Washington. You can’t go there without checking out the lawn mower drag races!! I was laughing the whole time! These lawn mowers haul ass!!

They said the record was 70mph in 100 feet. That is quick!!

A husband and wife were racing each other. Before each time they raced, they blew each other a kiss. How cool!!

Hope you all enjoy a little redneck fun!! Uploaded using 3Speak Mobile App

https://3speak.tv/watch?v=splatts/xetyxdulhk
Yo Hivers!! Sorry to leave you all hanging with Project Subi… Good news is the project is complete and the car is running like a champ. My Son loves it and is already having some teenage fun with it.

I’m considering doing another Subaru engine swap in the future. I see a lot of them with blown up engines for real cheap. Instead I picked up another car from my brother. A 2006 Mazda 3 with a 40k mile engine for $500. My silly brother had the engine put in then he never drove it. I put some tires, shocks, brake pads and brake rotors on it and it’s been running like a champ. Then she started acting up a bit. I’m beginning to wonder if this was a good idea. I’m pretty sure they are simple fixes so I’m keeping my fingers crossed.

Just a little update since I have been gone a while. Stay Blessed Hivers!! Uploaded using 3Speak Mobile App

https://3speak.tv/watch?v=splatts/iiaocqqprm
Welcome back to Project Subi!! A Father & Son engine swap project on a 2006 Subaru Outback.

I tore one engine apart and my son tore the other apart. Parts from the old engine need to go on the new and there is a lot of cleanup. I found out one thing… my Son and I are really good at making a mess.

We really wanted to know what happened to the old engine. It was knocking really back and would barely stay running. Welp… after pulling the heads off we found the issue. Chunks missing from the top of the 2 pistons on one side of the engine. CRAZY!! I wonder what caused that??

The new engine is getting a little overhaul before we put it in the car. Headgaskets are the main thing on these Subarus. I went with the Six Star head gaskets because I heard they are the best ones. Timing belt and pulleys, waterpump, spark plugs & wires, valve cover gaskets and intake and exhaust gaskets are getting done too.

With a new clutch and flywheel, this 60k mile engine should last my Son a long time.

Stay tuned to project Subi when we attempt to put all the pieces back together and get this engine in the car. Fingers crossed… that it starts up and runs. :wink:wink

music from Apple iMovie

https://3speak.tv/watch?v=splatts/oejoltsgpg
splatts - image_picker_3B032B2A-25B4-401A-AD4A-AE164EAE9BF6-3375-00000322AB02CADCtrim.A43808A7-CD1E-4379-BF18-F7A58C563689.MOV

https://3speak.tv/watch?v=splatts/oycphxvjrv
Project Subi is starting to get serious

It must have been a rough ride across the US for this newer 60k mile engine. A couple broken sensors, plugs, but a broken valve cover and camshaft cap plate left me without a smile on my face.

The newer engine is going to get a good once over. The new clutch came in along with head gaskets, head bolts, waterpump, and timing kit. The rest of the parts should be in early next week.

Stay tuned to Project Subi as we make an absolute mess tearing these engines apart.

music from Apple iMovie

https://3speak.tv/watch?v=splatts/hoqzuoohcw
A few days ago we had some wire break and hit the ground in 2 separate places. After getting the wire pulled back up and reconnected we noticed a few insulators had been tracking. This means that the insulators were failing and the electricity was starting to burn the wood pole.

So while I was replacing the insulators my coworker decided to get a little workout in. Plus keep warm. That breeze coming off the Columbia River was a bit nippy!!

https://3speak.tv/watch?v=splatts/hcxlmmmawd
While transporting a spray rig to another field, a hydraulic hose burst causing the long spray arm to fall down. The farmer found out the hard way when the spray arm smashed into a power pole tearing it down and cause some serious damage to the spray rig. This also caused a power outage that effected over a dozen people.

After clearing the destroyed pole out of the way, we dug a new hole with the Line Truck. Then I hopped into the bucket to hold the conductors out of the way to make setting the new pole a routine task.

While up in the air I can’t help but have a look around… Harvested wheat fields as far as the eye can see.

music from iMovie free to use

https://3speak.tv/watch?v=splatts/qfbdxtcubd
About a year ago this long 3,200 foot stretch of underground had a bad spot in it. Fast forward to a couple weeks ago an I show up and 2 of rhe 3 fuses are blown. Welp, time to isolate the transformers and test the cable using a 1 amp fuse.

As you can see I’m using an extendable hotstick to do this from the ground. Some of these explosions can get pretty violent. I’ve heard of the fuse holder exploding and a chunk of fiberglass got stuck in a guys hand…. Not Fun!!

That first fuse blew so I know it’s got a bad spot in it. And wouldn’t you know it… the other one blew too. Looks like we have a fun evening ahead of us locating a bad spot and repairing it.

https://3speak.tv/watch?v=splatts/pxvkonmbyz
Looking to the west, it was a wall of black clouds headed my direction. I got a call of a pole on fire and I was headed directly into the storm. “Well, this should be fun…” Slowing down on the highway to 50mph with the windshield wipers full speed and I still could hardly see due to the amount of rain falling. Lightning flashes in every direction. “Gee, this keeps getting better!”

The only direction I got regarding the burning pole was that it was north of the highway off of Woodward Canyon Rd… That section of powerline wonders through the hills a long ways!! Couldn’t they be a little more specific?!?

No reports of anyone being out of power, just flickering and blinking lights due to the lightning. Hopefully this so called pole fire was put out with the massive amount of rain that poured down.

Then I found it!! As I came around a sweeping turn there was debris spread across the road. Shards of the power pole 5,6,7 feet long laying across the road. So much for a pole fire!! This frikken pole exploded!! It took a quarter of the pole off all the way to the ground and split the top in half!! WOW!! There were pieces of the pole over 100 feet away. they weren’t small pieces either. They were about 3-4 feet long. CRAZY!!

The next pole down the line had a wooden brace that was blown apart pretty good. Nothing to get too excited about. But the second pole down had the top blown out too!! Down in a hole off the road about 300 feet. This pole will be fun to change out, down a steep hill and the ground is super soft and muddy.

During this storm we actually didn’t do to bad. Just lost a couple poles in the area. Further north a crew was running a line out and found 4 insulators that had been blown apart, 4 spans of wire broke and fell on the ground, and 3 cut-outs (porcelain fuse holders) that were also blown apart. Considering the amount of lightning we had… I expected things to be a lot worse.