A Herd Of Yaks - Another Gem - Manitou Springs

 

Song: Hot Fun In The Summertime

Group:  Sly and the Family Stone

I had this mad craving when I woke up this morning...

I just had to have some good Mexican food.

I am trying different restaurants in my area.

I have already found my NY Style Pizza place...

now I am searching for my other favorite food places.

Today...

I embarked on a quest in search of the best Mexican food...

especially tacos.

I was driving along the highway on my way to the nearest big town...

and just beyond to the next...

Manitou Springs 

(just this side of Colorado Springs).

I was part way to Woodland Park when I spotted...

what I was almost certain to be...

a Yak.

I couldn't believe it...

so I turned around and backtracked some and then turned around again to 

go back to the Yak I thought I had seen.

I pulled off the highway and saw a whole herd of Yaks.

I just had to capture this moment.

Yaks...

it makes sense to have imported them...

as they are high altitude...

cold weather animals...

indigenous to the high altitude areas of the Himalayas around Nepal and Tibet...

the Hunza Valley of upper Pakistan...

and other near areas.

They are also what had sustained the Mongols on the cold steppes 

of Mongolia.

And so...

they are a perfect match to the high altitude mountain areas of Colorado.

I had actually researched them for a novel I was planning to write...

and here they were...

right in my backyard...

so to speak.

I drove through Woodland Park and down the highway for just a bit more.

My destination...

Manitou Springs.

It is this beautiful community of niche shops and a festive atmosphere.

The temperature when I left home around noon was 38 Degrees F (3.3 C)...

but at Manitou Springs...

being over 3,200 ft. (about 1 kilometer) lower than my elevation...

it was in the low to mid 50 degrees F (About 12 C).

I drove with all my windows open...

as the song on this article played.

It felt like summer here...

and I played this song over and over...

there and back...

singing the whole way  :)

(Hot Fun In The Summertime)

What an absolutely gorgeous day.

I parked at an inexpensive lot and walked through the downtown area.

It had the ambiance...

the mixture of a festive and fun atmosphere...

along with a bunch of niche shops which reminded me 

of a combination of San Francisco's Fisherman's Wharf...

and Santa Cruz' Boardwalk and Pier.

These were two of my favorite places in California...

especially as a young boy...

and later...

as a young man.

There were side alleys filled with more shops and cafes.

There were various street performers plying their trade.

The line up the mountain is the famous Manitou Incline...

an over 2,700 step hike up a mountain.

These are two more restaurants I will be trying in the future.

I arrived at the Mexican restaurant I wanted to try.

I tried a tostada...

Torta...

taco...

and I got a burrito to go...

for Bandi.

She loves Burritos...

as do I...

but I already knew it was good...

as the other food was so good.

After eating...

I ambled back down the street...

taking my time as I looked at the sights.

People everywhere were smiling...

and in a good mood.

That is what I love about this whole area of Colorado.

People all seem to be in a good mood everywhere I go.

I still think it has to do with the altitude and natural beauty all around.

The crisp arid air just makes one feel so good all the time.

I have always loved street performers.

I just love their free spirits.

I love street cafes.

This sign says it all.

I love Manitou Springs...

and I have found another gem of a place where I can go at will...

as it is so near my home.

As I played this song...

I changed the lyrics to...

Hot Fun In The Wintertime...

and if people could have heard me singing it...

I think they would have gotten it.

What a free spirited day it was.

I think everyone there felt the same way.

As I drove through Woodland Park towards home...

I saw the major trauma and treatment hospital that I will be using if needed...

as it is part of my health care plan.

The relatively close proximity to this hospital was the main reason I had picked

my particular area.

I could have all the benefits of the serene mountain area in which I live...

and still be close enough to a major hospital...

and to many hidden gems to visit and to fully enjoy.

The crisp mountain air in which I live just makes every day...

a great joy to be alive.

I am home again.

I fed Bandi...

took her out to use the bathroom...

and now...

it is me time once again.

I think I will get some ice water to drink...

recline in my recliner...and read...

maybe even take a short nap in my recliner...

and later on...

I may grow some sprouts...

or make a batch of yogurt...

whatever takes hold of me in the moment.

In the house of Toller...

only Toller Time exists...

and this is what makes life...

so good.

Today's Project - Bring The Beast To Life (TORO 828)

Song:  Bring Me To Life

Group:  Evanescence

I had awakened this morning with two missions in mind...

pick up my mail from my box near the community center...

and from the post office in the nearby small town just 4 miles from my box...

and to ready my Toro 828 snow blower.

I have been watching weather reports.

On the national scale...

there is supposed to be a large cold front which is expected to bring more

snow storms.

On the local scale...

we still are supposed to have several more days of sunny weather...

but up here in the mountains...

the weather can change very quickly.

It was time to awaken the beast...

the Toro 828.

The Toro came in a crate...

and as such...

it was configured for shipping.

Pieces were folded and secured.

I had to take off many bolts just to get the pieces configured correctly for use.

The control panel and handles had been folded underneath...

and the various connectors and control bars had to be emplaced

and secured.

The snow chute had been bolted 90 degrees from its operating position.

I had to unbolt it and place it upright.

I had started a bit late...

but the sun still lit up the garage enough.

I also knew it wouldn't take that long...

as I had all the tools I needed.

Besides having one of the largest engines and feeder hoods...

it was this one handed...

 on the fly directional chute angle changer stick and ball that really sold me...

as well as the differential steering assist.

Also...

probably the most important selling point...

it has a disengagement clutch if a solid immovable object is hit by the blades.

This prevents engine or drivetrain damage.

The blades will stop rotating until you clear the object...

and then you may continue.

Almost all of the other brands use sheer pins on the blade hub...

which must be replaced before the snowblower will operate again.

This is insane.

Large chunks of ice could render the other brands inoperable until

the sheer pins are replaced and reinstalled.

I was in a race with the sun...

but I not only knew I would win...

 I also knew my garage lights would be enough should I not  :)

I unbolted and rotated the chute 90 degrees and placed it on top of the ejector port...

and re-bolted it into position.

I had to bolt in the various mechanical control linkages.

The last control linkage was for the directional chute stick and ball.

As you can see...

the linkage is still unconnected...

as the stick is to the left...

but the chute points to the right.

After connecting the linkage...

wherever you point the stick...

the chute will follow...

horizontally or vertically.

This Toro will blow snow 40 feet in the direction desired.

I will be able to blow the snow completely free of the driveway 

and into the forest.

I can throw the snow high...

...or low...

left or right...

and anywhere in between...

on the fly...

and with one hand.

It also has six forward and two reverse gears.

Again...

it is self propelled.

I would have had a hell of a time otherwise as it weighs almost 400 pounds...

and my driveway is inclined up to the road.

I put in 5w-30w oil...

although it already came with oil installed...

I just topped it off to the upper portion of the fill line.

I also had already added fuel stabilizers (good for 2 years) to the gas in the can.

The beast is ready for battle...

bring on the blizzards!

And...

there we go...

the sun had just set.

There is nothing left to do now...

so...

let it snow...let it snow...let it snow.  :)

I just reached the top of the loft steps...

ready to write up this article.

I have been researching various deck and garage coverings.

I will be ordering them once winter ends.

The are rubber on the bottom...

and outdoor carpeted on top.

They will protect the wood of the decks

from the sun and rain (snow as well)...

as well as keeping the garage cleaner.

Right now...

as the snow melts on the upper decks...

the water drips to the lower decks...

and then freezes in the night.

I've almost slipped several times in the night as I was taking Bandi out.

Right now the stain used on the wood is a very good one...

but with the rubber mat protectors...

they will last decades longer without the need to re-stain most of it.

I will have to wait for summer...

as I want the wood to fully dry out so as to not trap moisture in the wood.

In the meantime...

I will be ordering window cleaning equipment.

I will put Rain X on all of the windows to keep them clean for long periods...

besides putting it on my car windows.

I already bought Rain X windshield wiper fluid.

I also already have a 26 foot ladder which may be configured into a 13 self standing ladder

so I may change the chandelier lights...

and later...

the smoke detector batteries.

I have other projects in the works...

such as selectively cutting down certain trees...

waterproofing the outside wood...

such as the fence...

and I will fill in the outside cracks on the wood of the house...

and then apply waterproofing.

I will be filling any inside wood cracks as well.

But...

as I have already said...

I work on Toller Time.

One small project...

or portion of a project at a time.

If I tire...

I will take a nap.

If I feel like sitting in my recliner and listening to music while I read...

I will do that.

If I feel like just driving out to a new location with Bandi...

or trying a new restaurant...

I will do that.

And in between...

I will either work on my next cover song...

or my next novel.

Life is good...

while operating on Toller Time   :)