Spirit and Life

Be real with Jesus with our sins and struggles as well as our dreams and desires.

           https://youtu.be/YIfBUOIe-P0         

Boys are Back

Kurt and I had been planing our annual cabin trip for quite awhile. Thankfully the Lord kept winter around just long enough for us to get in some good riding.

Looking cool is the #1 rule.

Sure is nice having a camp cook around. 

Air time.

Some of the best snow we've had the chance to ride in. 

That'll shut you down.

So will running out of gas.

Thank you Lord.

I love it. Snowmobiling gets you into some backcountry that could never be experienced in the winter. This'll probably be the last ride of the year as spring is creeping up on us. But I'm thankful for the fun we've had. True recreation is just that, it re-creates us. Once revitalized in God's providential love, we are able to once again serve Him with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength. On to the next one!

Indignant

Compare and despair.

           https://youtu.be/ySW6z5MIFYM         

 

Compassion

The one and the many.

           https://youtu.be/mtuiO0eyZZk         

Listen to Him

Don't be discouraged. Listen to Him!

           https://youtu.be/Rdn4-CPW-x0         

Dave, Dad, and I

Dave mentioned to me last week that he'd like to go snowmobiling sometime. I said, done! So we borrowed Kevin Geis's sled, fueled up Whitehorese, jumped our ponies in the back of Paddy Wagon, and met Dad up at the cabin. 

We arrived just as the sun was setting.

By the time we got to the cabin it was dark.

But Dad had her all warmed up.

... with meat in the skillet. 

If nothing else it was worth the trip just to have Dad's Greasies. 

Bon appetit. 

After a good night's sleep and celebrating Mass, Dad was at it at again.

Had to keep it meatless this time.

Then we headed out for Battle Park. The safety shelter on the upper left of the map was our destination. We started out around Deer Haven. 

The true mark of a cowboy is not if he gets bucked off or not, it's whether he gets back on again. 

Dave handled the Ski-doo pretty well.

It was kind of whiteout conditions so the terrain was tough to judge. Hence me nose diving into this creek bank. 

Dave waded into the snowy waters as well. 

Arrived. 

On to the next one.

A fun time was had by all. Snowmobiling has to be the worst sport in the world. Nothing but work. But what else is there to do in the winter? I wouldn't have it any other way. The mountains call us, and we must go!

Our Father

Forgiveness is not an option.

           https://youtu.be/Btg-2flGxV4         

Don't Dialogue

 ... with the devil. 

           https://youtu.be/8heIDhGdAqU         

Grouser Time

During the dog days of winter a guy has to get creative on how to spend his time. The grouser bars on the tracks of our JD 450 have been worn down ever since we got the dozer. I've always wanted to extend them but couldn't imagine taking the time to do it. Well, with a late winter going on, now was the acceptable time. 

The dozer had enough traction when both tracks were engaged. But when you went to turn while pushing a load, you'd spin.

So I did the math and cut out 74 16”x1”x1/2" bars ahead of time. 

Then when I landed back home we went to work. I'd first tack weld the bars onto the old grouser. 

We used my old 250 mig welder for that. That way we could also fill in the gaps on the ends of the bars. 

Then laid a hot bead with two 5/32" 7018 rods. 

Using the old SA-200 for that. Probably would have been quicker using the mig for everything, but I just like the penetration of an arc welder for a job like this. 

Besides, good arc welds have more character. 

We did one track at a time, getting the track off the ground with down pressure from the blade and a 20k bottle jack in the back. Then we used a 36" pipe wrench to turn the track so we always had a nice flat surface to weld. 

All that rod put off some strong smoke. This nice little Miller filter fit under my helmet. Very thankful for that. 

Muy Bien. We welded both tracks and both sides of each bar. 74 bars at 16" long x2 = 197' of weld. My back is sore. 

No more spinning though. 

Another well job done. I really enjoyed this couple day venture. When its cold out there's no better place to be than the shop. Having good clean iron and a dialed in welder makes for fun welding. On to the next one... after I get some rest. 

The Mystery of Evil

The mystery of the Cross is that God can bring good out of evil. A great evil happened to me the other day in the Napa parking lot. I went in and bought two new cans of starting fluid. When I jumped in the truck one fell out of my pocked and broke the top off. I went back in the store, but the cashier showed me no sympathy. So I thought to myself, "What would Jesus do?" He'd shoot it!

I told Dad that I bet if you shot a full can of ether it would explode into a fire ball. He didn't think so. I said, "There's only one way to find out!"

Dad was right.

(Click the gear and jump up to 720)

We would never have known what would happen if you shot a full can of starting fluid if I hadn't slipped up and dropped a can that fateful afternoon in the Napa p-lot. God's mysterious ways. 2000 years later, our good God is still bringing good out of evil. 

 

Dying

The secret to living is dying.

           https://youtu.be/nMWOhGRr_AE         

Ash Wednesday

I may have never covered a bronc in rodeo, but I never missed a mark-out and I never turned-out. Turn-out is when you've signed up for a rodeo, but don't show. They run your horse through the chute, call your name, and pull the gate letting the horse circle the arena without you on it. If I'm scheduled for Mass, I'll be there, even in the middle of a snow-apocalypse. 

My bronc of choice: Whitehorse. 

The roads were open heading to Moorcroft at 6am, but barely. 

Catholics are diehards for Ash Wednesday Mass. Jerry had the lot and walks cleared and we had a good two dozen for Mass. 

On to Wright in the afternoon. Hwy 59 was closed earlier but they got it open just in time for us to roll down. 

Instead of warming up during the day, it just got colder. 

Blessed Sacrament was drifted in. 

But we dug her out with great grandpa's scoop shovel. 

The Catholic Cowboy spirit is alive and well. 

That smile made all my journeys worth while. 

I love fighting for Mass. Jesus asks us to love the Lord with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. There's no better way to show that than by making every effort possible to get to Mass. It's gonna be a good Lent. I can smell it.