… finally, the rain and heat took a hike. I hurried out of the house as soon as it was light outside.
But, I opened the door to a mottled-looking sky and immediately thought “not this again” as it sure looked like it would pour any minute. The song “Should I Stay or Should I Go?” rambled through my brain. It sure didn’t look too inviting with a sky that seemed to be a bit conflicted, as it was half gray and half blue.
I ventured out anyway, even foregoing the umbrella and putting my faith in the weatherman. The clouds were crisscrossing the sky as my feet followed that familiar trek to Council Point Park.
As I walked along, the odd-looking sun you see up top, made a valiant effort to peek through the clouds. I guess Ol’ Sol was absent today. On Wednesday, several school districts cancelled classes as it they had no A/C in the classrooms, so the kids were excused on the second full day of school. I wonder how they classify this “off day” from school? In Winter, you have a “snow day” or, if it is brutally cold with wind chills below zero, the schools also close. So would this be a “heat day”? A yellow school bus chugged by, its diesel smoke leaving soft gray puffs in the already dull-looking morning. It was carrying a load of kids whose faces were either sleepy or bored.
As I wended my way through the ‘hood, it dawned on me what else has been amiss on my daily jaunts. I’ve seen only a few chalk art drawings and that was months ago. The past few years, I was always capturing images of the whimsical artwork on sidewalks and driveways and featuring it in my blog posts. I suspect we’ve had rain so much, the kids decided not to waste their time doodling in pastel chalks or the newfangled spray chalk, to create a drawing that will be running down the sewer grate before anyone gets to admire it fully. Also, incredibly I only saw one of the decorated rocks this year at any of the parks I’ve frequented, so perhaps the painted rock craze is over.
It is a week today since I was at the Park and there was some road construction on the street I usually take, which forced me to zig-zag all over Pagel Avenue. I really don’t know why they ripped it up since it was under construction a good eighteen months over 2016 and into 2017. I’ll bet those folks are mad, as they finally got their landscaping looking good again, only to have it torn apart. I saw the street filling up from a small stream of water as a hose was draining from a homeowner’s backyard – someone decided no more pool time in 2018. A few birds fluttered around the hose as the water slowly trickled out. Just another sign that Fall is on the way … that draining hose, and the sadly mangled or deflated pool toys poking out of the garbage cans on garbage collection day.
Once I arrived at the Park, I hoped I did not have to re-introduce myself to Parker in case he forgot me, but no worries. You should believe that expression that “absence makes the heart go fonder” because just as I crossed River Drive and entered the parking lot, there was my little fella, racing toward me. Yes, I wanted to bend down and pat him on the head, like he was a faithful dog, but I resisted. I lavished peanuts on him, and, just like before, he is in “hunting and gathering mode” and decided to plan for the Winter ahead, so he grabbed two peanuts “to go” before I got to sweet talk him. I watched his paws flipping the dirt aside, busily digging a hole, but he didn’t return to me, nor his pile of peanuts, so I continued on my journey.
I walked the first loop, passing out peanuts on the left and the right-hand sides of the path, providing breakfast and who knows … maybe a mid-Winter snack as well. Then I headed to the second walking loop. I wanted to check out the snapping turtle’s nest to see if the babies had hatched. It was still intact though I noted a few fissures on the surface.
You’ll recall the huge snapping turtle dug a nest and laid her eggs back on June 13th. When I researched how long it would take for the eggs to hatch, I discovered those turtles will break out of their leathery shells and hit the ground running after 80-90 days. So you don’t have to pull out your calculator, those turtle babies should hatch between September 1st and 11th. I’m sure all this heat has baked them in their underground nest, so they had excellent conditions for the incubation period. I would love to walk by and see all those baby turtles scrambling across the pathway to the Creek, just about 20 feet away, but unfortunately it may happen overnight.
I was in the middle of the second loop, about to round the corner, when I saw a dark object in my peripheral vision – hmmm, a wild turkey perhaps? People have been spotting those gobblers and posting their pictures of them on the local Facebook crime site. Those turkeys may not be dangerous, but more of an oddity around here. Well, this brown object ran like greased lightning but this was no turkey, it was a woodchuck. Yes, they look nothing alike and yes, I have new glasses … go figure. But, I took off after it, traipsing across the grass, then belatedly hoping I’d kicked up no loose ticks or chiggers in my quest for a photo for today’s post. Fancy that – me a paparazzi on the tail of a woodchuck. But, this critter was not in a mood for posing, or any interaction, because, in the blink of an eye, he disappeared either into a burrow or the bushes. Maybe next time.
It’s already Friday and whenever we have a long weekend, it always takes me a day or two to re-adjust my mind to what day it really is. Well, Friday works for me, and the weather outlook for this weekend is just so-so. Saturday promises no rain, but no sun either, and we’ll have a rainy Sunday, with those raindrops lingering into Monday morning. Sigh.
Linda Schaub
WALKIN', WRITIN', WIT & WHIMSY 
Dear Miss “Cloud None”……………………………………………..I ‘m worried about those turtle eggs too…………………………that ground sure doesn’t look to good to produce anything……………………….something to “hope for”……………………………
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That dirt looked very hard and dry didn’t it Ann Marie? I was surprised since we have had all that rain, especially the cracked dirt. I went to Hines Park today, but stopped at Council Point Park before I went home – no sign of the turtles and the dirt is still in place. I hope I can see them and they don’t “escape” overnight.
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I love your diverse walks. I laughed so hard at the image of the woodchuck paparazzi image 😂. I love it.
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I’m glad I gave you a smile Zena – I was chasing after that roly-poly critter. He eludes me and dips down into his burrow – lost forever. I had a nice walk today. I went to a different park which closes down to traffic every Saturday. I was excited to see a couple of deer across the highway. Unfortunately, I was so intent on taking their picture a bicyclist passed right in front of the camera and didn’t notice until I got home. I could have left that picture out, but decided to include it since I called myself the woodchuck paparazzi yesterday. Sometimes it is good to poke fun at yourself!
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Seems to been beautiful weather you got.😊 Lovely pictures. Last weekend three new mallard chicks was hatched. They will have it very difficult to survive, they can’t fly until they are about 2 months old and they turn of the water in the pond in October… I hope I can catch them and theirs mom and drive them to tivolipark’s bird pond. Here is some picture of them I took last Sunday.
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They sure are cute! Three new chicks this late in the year? Wow! I’m glad you’ll be able to catch them and Mom and move them to safety. Here everyone was worried about the ducklings born on July 30th being fledged by the cold weather and the pond being turned off and now there are more chicks to worry about. Today our weather was cool and blustery, but it has been a hot and humid couple of weeks and rain almost every day … I am glad for the cooler weather even if it was very gray today, but at least there was no rain. Hopefully your weather is getting cooler and getting more rain before Fall settles in.
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Linda— I so enjoy the way you take in the beauty of life.
Parker is a gift, the critters are sweet, your gifts of peanuts is awesome, pretending to be the paparazzi was to fun, the turtles are fascinating and all the while you exercised your body!!!!
I’ve been so overtaken by my own life I forgot the joy received by sharing in others paths!!!! Thank You for sharing your walks. Your posts share a glimpse into the miraculous of life!!!
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I’m really glad you liked tagging along with me Jennifer. And today, I went to a different Park but felt a little allegiance to my squirrels, especially Parker, so I returned afterward to give them some peanuts. And, I wanted to check on the turtles as well. Today I saw a doe and her fawn – I was so happy, that is a first for me. After everything is settled down for you, next Spring, when the weather becomes nice and the Winter weather is over, I hope you will be able to treat yourself to the walking regimen you mentioned … take it slow and go a few more steps a day. I started out with one small City block. I need to get out and walk as there is too much sitting for my job, then leaving there and then catching up on e-mail and blogging … not good all the sitting, so walking is good for me exercise well. It is a win-win all around.
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I love your adventures. Can’t wait to see if we get a glimpse of the 🐢 turtles.
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Thanks Jennifer – I was down there this morning – no turtles yet. I hope to get a small post done tonight to say that. Fingers crossed they come out of the nest when I’m down there.
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Any 🐢 turtles 🐢 yet Linda??
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Nope, not a single turtle today Jennifer- the dirt is still covered over. I hope nothing is amiss.
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Me too!!!! When were you expecting them??
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I feel like an expectant mother. 🙂 They had a window to hatch from September 1st to the 11th. That would be the time frame of 80-90 days from when the eggs were laid. They do sometimes overwinter, but we have had a very hot Summer, so I can’t think that they are not incubated properly.
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Any 🐢 turtles 🐢 yet Linda?
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I discovered the “scoop” on the turtles just yesterday Jennifer – you have lots going on and may not catch up with this post for a while, so here it is … almost hot off the press! https://lindaschaubblog.net/2018/09/14/sleuthin-2/
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So many insightful turtle 🐢 tidbits from Jennifer. My favorite was to safely transfer the turtle out of danger in the direction he/she was traveling. I should have known that!!!
Also I so loved seeing all the fabulous photos of Parker!!! He is perfectly endearing. You could write a children book about Parker and his antics.
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I’m glad you saw the scoop on the turtles Jennifer and saw the “other Jennifer” was real helpful with all the turtle tidbits, so now I know going forward. I still think it would have been fun to see a row of those turtles coming out of the ground and heading toward the Creek!
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Me too!!!
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Those baby snapping turtles probably hatched early due to the warmer conditions earlier. When i lived in Michigan, on Long Lake, one time i saw baby snapping turtles emerging from their shells and running like mad for the lake; it was quite a sight to behold! 🙂
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I was just going by the dirt Tom. I memorized the spot where I watched her digging the hole and where it was covered up the next day. There are memorial trees, so the hole/nest was next to a tree with a memorial plaque with a last name of “Hamilton” … I looked again today. I walked in another Park, but came back afterward, hoping to see some action just as you describe. I think it would be quite a sight as well. I have read that if it not hot enough, they’ll overwinter in their nest … no chance that it was not hot enough this year! 🙂
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I think I have figured out the turtles status Tom … walking to the Park, it dawned on me that they might have used that hole I saw and “escaped” from the nest that way – I thought they might “break out” from the middle of the hole/nest … I’m going to research a little today and write a post later today.
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OMG I hope you get to see the turtles!
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Me too Diane – there were a lot of eggs.
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If you do please post pictures!
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I will Diane – hopefully I don’t miss them … either overnight or we’re having a rainy day tomorrow and Monday morning – sigh.
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If you got a good bike & bike rack,you could take your bike to the parks & cover far greater distances……& so see much more! Plus you’d be getting better cardio work out as well!
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That’s a good idea Wayne … I have an exercise bike in the basement which I use in the Winter, though I didn’t use it much last Winter as I shoveled snow almost every day once the snow started flying in early December. When I wasn’t shoveling snow, I tried to walk laps in the Park two blocks from here – walked in the snow, no pathway. I don’t have a bicycle now and had thought about getting one a few years back, then I started the walking regimen and put it into the back of my mind. My boss rides at Belle Isle (huge island near downtown Detroit) daily and he was doing the home/work/home commute, but got hit by someone who didn’t stop when coming out of the Chrysler Assembly Plant, so he quit doing the commute ride. He goes there most weekdays … he takes a few hours out of the day and drives over there and does laps around the island – 26 miles/day. We’ve been so busy this Summer that he didn’t get over there as much as in the past. There is a long-established bike shop here in the City. Got my exercise bike and my last bike there. I’d definitely consider that, maybe when I’m retired or when my boss closes up shop. I could get out more days than just on the weekend or evening – evening in Summer is so hot; that’s why I never walk in the evening. I’ve not been on a bike in years. I was hit by a car, just like my boss … but this was a woman coming out of a bar parking lot, and she said the sun was low on the horizon and didn’t see me. It was many years ago – she knocked me down and I got tangled in the bike, but I was not hurt except my thighs were bruised and a little road rash. The speed limit was 25 mph. Bike was not in good shape though and it happened around the corner from the police station, so I wheeled the bike over there and made a police report and had them drive me home. I got the bike fixed but was reluctant to ride it after that and sold it … police got the woman because I had memorized most of her license plate and could give a good description of her and knew the make and model of the car. We went to court because it was an injury accident and her bumper had some damage from the bike. She said she stopped and helped me and I said I was okay. This was not true, she sped out the parking lot and didn’t stop at a stop sign. She got a citation for a rolling stop and that was it and I had to sit in court most of the day waiting for the case to be called. I didn’t bring the case, the police did (hit and run) and I believe insurance covered the bike. I’d get on a bike again though – it’s been a while. A place like Hines Park on Saturdays would be great for riding … all smooth pavement and very scenic.
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Our climate is not bike friendly.I run into people visiting from Holland down at the market.Their country is very bike friendly! Each of them own two bikes.They use them the way we use cars.
I’ve had cars hit me as well but never a hit & run! Sorry to hear about your bad experience!
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I could get into just using a bike for getting everywhere. Except for the jaunts to the parks I’ve been taking, I really would not need a car. My car turned 9 years old yesterday and it has 5,338 miles on it. Most years I’ve walked more miles than I’ve driven, but the mechanic said I needed to drive it more or it would have electrical problems down the line, so I’ve taken it out more and gone to more parks that are more than just within walking distance. Now the grocery store where I shop delivers to your front door. The death toll for bicyclists and pedestrians in Michigan is very high, especially for those that commute to work in the early a.m. or at night. At least one or more either serious accidents/deaths a week. Going around the neighborhoods on a bike is not good here – people don’t pay attention. Now that school is back in session, I really have to pay attention in the neighborhoods going to the Park – people are in a hurry to get their kids to school, then get themselves to work, etc. And they are fooling around on the phone … I see them texting and driving while I am walking or driving and it worries me quite honestly. Sorry to hear you’ve been hit – hope you didn’t sustain any injuries or alot of bike damage. When my boss got hit, he was laying spread-eagle on the pavement on busy Jeffer son Avenue at rush hour in the a.m.and an attorney friend of his was driving downtown and saw him and recognized him as Robb had been making the commute daily … he put his bike in the back of his SUV and took Robb to the hospital. He was a little dazed and had some road rash and that arm wound got infected and I don’t recall if the person who hit him stopped or not – it was shift change and always a lot of traffic. I was glad I got this lady’s info … it was a long time ago – July 4, 1976, the day of the big Bicentennial celebration here in the U.S. I was still working at the diner while going to school and our diner catered all the prisoner meals and the police were routinely in there to pick them up or for donuts/coffee. So, they came in to tell me as soon as they nabbed her. They pressed to take it to court, since she lied about stopping. There was an eyewitness sitting on a porch across from the bar – that person witnessed the accident and walked into the house. I told the police, but that witness said they didn’t see anything. Quite frankly, I would be reluctant to get involved as well. I will ride again – I was reluctant to ride a bike outside then, but I’ll ride again … however, I have nowhere to put a bike, that is the biggest issue. Now that my car is plugged in 24/7/365 to the trickle charger, it leaves me zero space to put the bike in the garage due to the cord/electrical outlet- small garage, and the car takes up most of the space, lawn equipment and storage cabinets take up the rest. I’d have to keep it in the cellarway all Summer.
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It’s too dangerous to ride to the parks Linda.Just keep it on the back of the car & drive to the park.Riding around the Parks will be worth it!
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I agree with you Wayne – people are distracted these days and you’d have to worry about someone not paying attention. I think this bike store would probably recommend a bike as well as the best bike rack for the car as well. Do you have lights on your bike for nighttime? The reason I ask is that many of the bicyclists I saw on Saturday had these flashing lights on their bike – I don’t know if they were digital lights, but I’ve seen little kids with these “chaser lights” on their shoes. Same concept it seems. A few not only had the light bars on their bike, but on the back of their helmet as well. Maybe they are sensor lights because it was quite dark and gloomy on Saturday and the lights just turned on when it was dark. I was taking pictures and the flash kept coming on and it came on so much that the camera was in slow motion for a while – I think that is what happened when the bicyclist got into my deer picture. The flash was delayed and didn’t fire after I pushed the shutter button. That has happened before when it was dark. There must have been 100 cyclists there on Saturday.
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I have lights on the back & front.I wear a helmut & also have a mirror. Oh,…..a horn as well. You could get one of those folding bikes & keep it in the trunk. A guy friend has one of those & seems to get around just fine with it!
Your shooting on “A” if the flash is popping up.If you learned how to shoot on “M” it wouldn’t do that.
Bump the ISO up,lower your shutter speed & open your lens F-stop during low light conditions.
You can shoot in low light conditions but the noise will increase.It’s always a trade off in photography.
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Good that you have the lights as you get home after sunset and it’s pitch dark out. It sounds like you are proactive for safety and then you got hit twice! I never thought of a folding bike – that might work better and just keep it in the trunk and bring it inside when it gets cold. It is not a flat surface to bring the bike inside the house from outside — I would have to take it up two steps to get it off the landing – (my landing is 2 feet X 3 feet and when I come inside from shoveling snow and standing there taking off my boots and I bring the shovel in with me and have it on a boot tray while I stand there like a flamingo taking off my boots – there is no room to turn around … heavy coat on and one wrong move, and down the cellar steps you go.) I think that was my main reason why I changed my mind on getting a bike before. And more so now – the plug for the trickle charger is on the driver’s side – I have to either unplug it or crawl under the extension cord if I just go in to run the car in the garage … no space at all. When my car battery died, the guy arrived with the portable battery charger and they have to send someone who is very slight to be able to get to the front of the car all the way to the back in the garage – no room on either side. I put storage cabinets and storage shelves along the sides of the garage.
I am on automatic and just took the compact digital on Saturday. It was so dark and it looked like rain and I didn’t want to be two or three miles from the car and the sky opened up. Multiple flashes while taking the deer pics and then it is going in slo mo.
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It’s a short ride from the boat shed to my apartment.From one end of 1 st. to the other is basically a three minute ride. I really don’t like travelling at night anymore to be honest.Here in Tofino the most interesting place to be is out at Chestermans beach.The most visited beach in Tofino. I always like to stay right to sunset.If the sunset has afterglow,I can stay there longer.
There is a path for bikes in Tofino.MUP, Multiple Use Path) Its paved & very nice to ride on.Its not very long.From town to the end of the trail might be a 20 minute ride.This trail has zero lights along it.So on the way back your in complete darkness.Your eyes adjust to the darkness …..as they should.Than,what comes around the corner but a big old fat a car with its headlights on! ( they usually use their high beams & they are always those really bright lights)!
To avoid being blinded I have to look down to avoid the lights from blinding me! So technically I’m not looking forward anymore.Which means I’m riding blindly.A very dangerous situation! All along the MUP are peoples driveways.Cars are backing out all the time.It’s just a accident waiting to happen.
I’ve heard several stories of people riding at night & of course without any lights! They met another rider doing the same thing coming the other way………& of course crashed! Several broken arms later everything is still the same.
So I do not like to ride at night but when I do I use a very powerful headlamp! I’m sure I must turn the tables on those drivers & blind them!
Theres also a very good chance I will come across another cyclist riding the other way without lights.Thank God I have that headlamp! It’s the brightest on the market.You can warm your hands with it on a cold day.
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You are smart to use that bright headlamp Wayne and luckily you don’t have to go far from the boat shed to your apartment. Plus you’ve got the horn to toot to tell people you are there. I figured because it is a small town there would be bike traffic in Summer for the tourists who want to explore and maybe they have bikes to rent in town. I don’t know why they would not illuminate the MUP better – yes, they’ll wait til there is an accident first. So it it is not just the weather that makes the bike riding not a good choice. The people backing out of driveways is annoying to me too. And now, with the remote car starters, it is a pain as you can’t tell if someone has started the car and warming it up/cooling it down from inside or are inside the car ready to back up There are some cars with tinted windows and you can’t see anything, so I cross to the other side of the street. I’d prefer to not have to go through the neighborhoods to get to Council Point Park, but it’s not an option. The Summer is better as people are not racing out the door with the kids to get them to school and themselves to work.
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they are not going to light the MUP because it would cost too much! Tofino has 1800 people living here.So our tax base is relatively small. Only things of priority are considered.
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They know they’ll have the tourists with or without the lights because they have the natural beauty to offer instead. They are smart and keep the taxes so low that way.
Our City was in receivership for about four years and that was when our crime got so bad. They cut our first responders by only hiring part-timers so they did not have to pay benefits and then as first responders retired, they did not hire new ones to replace them. They got rid of the dog pound and we had no animal control officer – that was not good because people got pit bulls because the crime got bad and then they would climb up the fence and escape the yards and/or get loose. They had to get animal control folks from neighboring cities to round them up. It is better now – we’ve been without an emergency manager about three years now and have a full contingent of first responders again … but the crime lingers on.
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that sounds very alarming! I face bears by myself in remote areas but I would never do what your doing.Very dangerous! Humans are the greatest predator known! Try to avoid running into them.
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This is why I won’t go out at night, or early in the morning. I thought long and hard about going down to the Detroit River to get my own sunrise shot for Marge’s one-year death anniversary tribute post, then thought better of it and used another one she sent me. I was not going to out in the dark. I follow the local crime reports … there is a Facebook crime site for our city and others in the “Downriver” area (all the nearby cities). Today I saw a post that a teenager’s guy’s SUV got stolen and he was held up at gunpoint in a park about one mile from here – this in broad daylight. This is the post that accompanied the picture of his vehicle:
My 16 year old grandson was car jacked at Gregory park today. 2 guys put him in a choke hold and proceeded to rob him of his wallet, his phone and his car . He has a silver 2005 Jeep Liberty….if anyone see this car please call police….this is the most recent photo of his Jeep ….waiting to hear what his license plate number is.
When I worked in downtown Detroit, in the Winter I left in the dark, came home from work in the dark. I took the bus. The bus stop was about 2 blocks from my house. I did not carry pepper spray or a whistle then – if I had to work and be out in the dark I would carry pepper spray and a whistle at all times like I do when I walk. I don’t like reading stuff like this.
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I’m sorry that you must suffer under these conditions Linda! Thats a very unhealthy environment to live in.
Thats why I don’t live in cities anymore! I don’t even like visiting them. I ask friends to pick this or that up.Just got some back board for my prints tonight from a friend.His girlfriend picked it up in Victoria.
If I was you I’d sell ASAP after retiring & get the hell out of there & move to some quiet place where you can enjoy the rest of your life!
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Me too Wayne and my mom told me years ago things were going to get worse and suggested moving and I said “it is like that in all cities and we are not unique” – I may be eating my words after all. I agree with you and interestingly, I was just reading a post from a fellow blogger who lives in Dryden, Michigan. It is a very rural area and she and her husband just moved there and set up a business where they sell repurposed wood items. They have some Musovy ducks and they had a pet turkey. Her post … one line and I thought to myself … you move to a place away from the worries of living with crime in the city, only to lose your pet to wildlife. This turkey was a pet … attacked by a coyote. Her post:
Gladys, the Bronze Turkey of Functional Rustic and my closest friend, was killed by a coyote this weekend. I am devastated.
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If you have something like a close friend in a Turkey,you had better make dam sure that where you keep it nothing can get at it. A enclosure that is predator proof! It can be done but costs money & time. Motion sensors alerting you right away on your phone for instance.Closed circuit video surveillance in both daylight & infra-red capabilities.
It can be done but most won’t do it due to cost/time/effort.
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I’m thinking a sturdy, high enclosure would have been the easiest way to go, especially out in the sticks. Picture of the turkey and Sarah and she posted the picture last week and I remarked how close it was to her and she said “yes, Gladys’ beak was quite close to my eye” https://functionalrustic.wordpress.com/2018/09/10/devastated/
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left my condolences.I’m not familiar with what happened but I do know a solid enclosure would go a long way in preventing something like this from repeat!
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That was nice of you. Clearly she was upset and thought a lot of Gladys, just like a pet. I agree with you Wayne – I didn’t ask and she may say at some point, but I imagine it might have been a bad scene to come upon. Sorry for anyone who has to see an animal they love meet its fate. I wonder where she kept it – was it roaming around? We suddenly have wild turkeys around our city and even though Council Point Park is in the middle of our city, we are not a rural town. But there have been sightings here, as well as coyotes … and then the Coopers Hawks in the neighborhoods, all which I’ve seen on the Facebook crime site – all kinds of predators lurking around. Sometimes I think I should stop reading the crime reports, but I like to be in the know.
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is it legal to carry a taser like the cops? It sends a dart to the victim instead of the hand held touch skin kind.
I do know they now make them for bears.It fires a penetrating dart at high speed with one hell of a kick!
http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=wildlifenews.view_article&articles_id=450
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That was interesting Wayne.. I can’t buy/carry a taser because you have to have a concealed weapons permit to do so. But I just Googled to see if a permanent resident alien can get a concealed weapons permit and you can. That surprised me. I would have thought only citizens could carry. I have pepper spray and pepper gel but our state just upped the amount of pepper that is in the pepper spray/gel canisters to a higher level concentration earlier this year – I checked the expiration date on mine – good for another year. I bought spray, then I read in the Facebook crime sight that gel was better as it won’t go all over the place (including in the eyes of the person spraying the pepper spray) so I got some of the gel.
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If you ever use that pepper spray,remember two things,shake vigorously & take note of the wind.If your down wind,spray & get the hell out of there.
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You are right because then you couldn’t see anything, nor breathe either once it permeates the air. You should see the list of precautions that came with it. I got mine from an Harry’s Army Surplus Store – they specialize in survival gear and personal defense.
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whats the percent of capsaicin?
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Hi Wayne – I looked when I went out this morning. I knew I had the Sabre brand of pepper spray and the gel (which is featured in this video below). It was the only brand sold at Harry’s Army Surplus store. Both mine are 10% capsaicin and now it is legal to carry 18% capsaicin pepper spray or gel. I should have stopped in at Harry’s last weekend because it is in the neighborhood of where I went to Hine’s Park. The self-defense instructor in the video is 100% correct about carrying it and have it in your hand pointed and ready to aim. I test mine periodically to ensure it is not clogged, shooting it toward my feet, just a small spray on a clear day. He is also correct about having it in the holster. The spray is on a lanyard on my neck. You just turn the nozzle – it is handy. The holster is on my fanny pack. You have to open the holster, take it out and then twist the nozzle … he is right. If I had to go out in the dark, I surely would have it in my hand and ready to go. Maybe I should start doing that as well until I get to the Park as it is wide open there. And, I think I’ll order the stronger one if it is available at Harry’s. The law just went into effect in April this year. http://www.abc12.com/content/news/Pepper-spray-potency-increasing-in-Michigan-478798293.html
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I can’t believe how powerful your spray is! Mine is only 0.857 %!
Btw,If your ever sprayed wash your face with milk. Preferably creme at 18% MF.The more MF the better!
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That’s good to know re: the milk on the face and high milkfat – I didn’t know that and it comes with a ton of warnings on the packaging and inside. I wear glasses, so my eyes would be protected somewhat. It would be smart to have some cream in your fridge all the time. Does Canada have a restriction on how strong of pepper spray you can buy there then? What a difference! And here I am wanting to trade in my 10% for stronger.
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yes,there are laws that it cannot be any stronger than that.That way it cannot be used on people for crimes…..but it already has been.It doesn’t have to be strong to disable a person!
If your sprayed you won’t be able to get to your house for that milk.But if a home invasion happens & they use spray you’ll be all set!
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I think people will get ahold of that spray whether it is legal or not. Now that I think of it the packaging or maybe the ad says it does not sell to all states and someone recently boarded a plane and had pepper spray and you’re not supposed to take it on an airplane due to pressurized cabins, etc. and they had the nozzle pointing outward, spray came out accidentally and everyone had to exit the plane.
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how that person got aboard carrying a can is just wrong! Being in a confined area like that where you cannot escape is very dangerous! It being pressurized would have no affect upon a can but when you have a stupid person with anything that could be dangerous…..thats a BIG problem!
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I agree – and where was the TSA checking? Though my spray is a plastic canisters, the gel metal so it would likely show up.
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Well, I gave you a bum steer Wayne. I am not impressed with my new eyeglasses or maybe the label was worn off – I just checked on Harry’s to see if they had the 18% pepper spray that we are now allowed to use here in Michigan, and I see their spray and gel are only 2 %. So I went back to my fanny pack, pulled out each of them and yes they are only 2%. What a disappointment. I understood Sabre was the strongest, but like the video said, you can buy something in the grocery store and it has little in it. This is the gel, the spray I can understood not seeing well, because it hangs on a lanyard with my Storm whistle and the lettering was more faint. I’m going to look into this later and see if I can come up with a better idea. Hornet spray also is a good idea … it is not too portable though.
https://www.harrysarmysurplus.net/11015-sabre-pepper-gel-spray-with-holster.html
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the best thing would be for you not to live in such a dangerous place in the first place.
A friend down in the States has stuff that is for Grizzly’s at 3.75%
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I am going to look into it more tonight when I have more time. I thought I had something more worthwhile and maybe there is a list of reputable places to buy it. I am thinking a sporting goods site might be the way to go. I am glad you asked me because I really thought Harry’s would be the place to go – survival gear, etc.
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your spray is fine,even if you could get it at 50% it won’t make any difference.If you sprayed the person with a fire extinguisher that would work.Bigger is not always better.Thats not the problem,the problem is that you have to use it in the first place.
Get a German Shepard.
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Yup, and if you are in a situation that you need the pepper spray, I think you’d panic, maybe even drop the *&^% canister because you’d be all shook up. The dog is a better idea … it’d go for the juggler vein.
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when I go back in the bush I travel with an attack bear! Nothing bothers me now! I can loan him out to you If you want.
He’s house trained,low maintenance & is also a good warming blanket.Just tell people he’s a rare CDN bush dog.
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I like that idea – maybe I have to borrow him from you occasionally, but wait … does he have a passport?
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he never uses a passport,he just walks through & everyone parts!
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Better than a NEXUS border pass!
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I’m going to look further later but this site gives a lit of the top pepper sprays and Sabre is in here, though none of the 10% to 18% – I am going to look into that more than any of these … I’ll just keep what I have for now until I find something stronger:
https://www.asecurelife.com/best-pepper-sprays/
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Have a good rest of your evening Wayne …
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& you as well Linda.
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https://www.cyclingweekly.com/group-tests/best-folding-bikes-2-324714
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Thank you for sending me this Wayne – I just looked through it now, but will study it more later … I am sorry I missed this in my SPAM filter. I usually look in the morning for SPAM and I didn’t this morning before I left as I wanted to leave earlier. 99% of the time it is only ads for sports teams apparel. Looking at the size of these bikes I could certainly put this in my trunk. My mom, in later years, had a difficult time walking great distances, so if we went to a mall or somewhere outside, we used a wheelchair. We bought a very lightweight one and it folded up and just fit into my trunk (of the Regal – we never used it in this car) … it was 25 pounds so easy to move around.
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go to a store & ask to ride a few.They can move really well! If you get one make sure to get a good mirror! People always forget to do that.A mirror is very important! Of course a helmut & lights is also important.
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I looked at the link you sent a little more last night – I like the way they just fold up – and very portable, you don’t have to get the bike rack and can take them anywhere. And their weight makes them easy to lift out of the trunk. My trunk is higher on this car than the Regal … the Regal I was able to put my mom’s portable wheelchair in and still put emergency blankets, gear, etc. back there – we left it in the trunk from May through October … if we took it out on a clear Winter day, I carried it out of the basement – a little awkward going up the stairs, but it worked. I am going to inquire at Al Petri … they have been in Lincoln for years, and are a family business. They have another newer and bigger store in another Downriver city, but the original store is close to where I live. I think I said I got my exercise bike there and my last bike I had, the one that was damaged in the accident. We have some fog this morning here – I am hoping it dissipates sooner rather than later … getting the weather to line up perfectly every day is a chore! We are having fog every day for the next five days, but no rain.
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we have fog as well!
https://www.longbeachlodgeresort.com/#webcam
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Now it has dissipated and there too as of 1:00 p.m. I see people in coats and long-sleeved shirts. It was chilly here this morning but going to get hot again and 80s and humid by the weekend. They said fog every morning through the weekend.
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our August is nic named Fogust.
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Good thing you like to shoot the sunsets and not the sunrises. We have this all week because of high pressure and good conditions … we cannot have it all … sunny, clear and dry without something interfering. It was not bad, we have had fog so bad you can’t see across the street, then I stay put.
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yes,If the fog sits down theres not much to take shots of.I have taken shots on foggy days but you really have to have great subject matter to get away with it! Our fog doesn’t sit down till late anyways.
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Better be something big to notice in the fog, like a whale or maybe sea lions?
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& close!
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That’ for sure, otherwise it is a “mist opportunity”!
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just saw on the news that the waves under Florence have been measured at 25 meters! That has to be from crest to trough.To convert multiplying by 3 gives a rough answer.So that means around 75 feet! 82 to be more precise.
People are going to die,the question is how many?
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Yes, they said water could go way over two-story houses, so no houses are without worries in this hurricane. My friend lives in Richmond, Virginia and has been through a few hurricanes, and she and her husband just finished tarping over their chimney as that is what they do in Charleston, South Carolina where she grew up and near the water. Everyone plugs up the chimney to keep the water from going down and getting into the house. Just amazing thinking about it. They are not boarding windows – I asked why and she said the winds had subsided somewhat (still 125 mph though) and North Carolina would take the brunt of the storm, not Virginia. The news said many in North Carolina are refusing to leave and I think tomorrow morning is the last safe day to get away safely and after that you are to consider you are on your own as to rescue efforts.
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houses are going to be demolished & the bodies will be washed away with their houses they were protecting.
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Yes, you are right about that Wayne – it is like the forest fires when people believe it cannot happen to them. I can see if people are elderly and lived there their entire lives – perhaps they just decide to perish together, but most people have families they can stay with until they rebuild their houses/lives. There are shelters in North Carolina where people can go who have no family, they are inland so they are safe from the ravages of the hurricane. The Governor of North Carolina mentioned it today because he stressed North Carolina will likely be slammed the worst by Florence.
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Tehe- I hope you get a glance of the turkey next time! Loved following along your adventure. Hope you had a beautiful weekend, Linda!
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Thanks Mackenzie – first half was okay – second half it rained in the afternoon and through Monday and I had planned to go on a lighthouse tour so will defer that to next year. Getting all the weather days nice for a few days is quite difficult but I won’t complain about our fog we have this morning when I look at the havoc that Florence will wreak in upcoming days. Take care and I hope school is going well for you … glad you can come up for air once in a while. 🙂
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I know 😦 So scary with Florence. UGH!
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I keep monitoring as I have several friends in North Caroline and Virginia – so scary.
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oh no 😦 Prayers their way!!
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I hope they all fared better than they thought they would!
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