Alter Obsessions

[Tom Kat]

I have a rod like that I use for crappie fishing. I have a love hate feeling for it, The problem is the bigger fish dont know they are supposed to leave it alone.

Thats a big strong looking fish for that...crappie rod!

[Tom Kat]

Rick, my good friend drove an LSD in the 80's. He told me a lot about the LOD, West Pac, etc...and of course, Subic Bay shore leave.

[skipper]

If the link works it will take you to a live performance we did last November at the 19th Hole Grill & Bar in Spring, Texas. My daughter took the video on her iPhone, so the quality isn't all that good. Enjoy!

https://youtu.be/JHAP1HyTmow

[Bill K]

Wish my hearing and the sound was at a level I could make out the vocal. But it was enjoyable regardless Skipper. Bet it was a rousing event there.

[skipper]

Crank it up Bill!

[skipper]

I would think this falls under the category of Alter Obsessions. My lifelong obsession with motorcycles. This is a Big Dog K9 I bought back in 2008. Wish I still had it.

Big Dog K9.jpg (202.41 KiB) Viewed 2066 times

[Bill K]

Very nice Rick. I also had a life long affair with motors. Started way back in the mid 40's with a cushman style scooter than moved into dirt/scramblers and road cruisers, even a few years on Harleys, Hondas and Kawasaki's on PD solos. Finally gave up on them, four years back ( 81 yrs old riding by myself and with the wife no being with me, due to Parkingson's) Turned what I had still around the old cabin to the youngest grandson. KZ 900 Kawasaki. Many good times and road trips all over the west and into Canada. Trail riding, hill climbing you name it. Were good years.

[skipper]

Very nice Rick.

RICK??? I'm skipper

Oh well, my memory is going, too.

[MTPaul]

I'll take some liberty with the Frank Sinatra song "Regrets" Obsessions, I've had a few...but then again, too few to mention... Yes, like many of you I too have had an obsession or two over the years from building fast cars in my younger days ('57 Chevy, '65 Sunbeam Tiger, '69 GTO) to now all aspects of fly-fishing for trout. Like many obsessions, they often start out innocent enough but over time they morph into something different.

Early on in my youth, catching trout was simply a process of gathering worms from the nearby manure pile (always a good source), placing them in a small can, grabbing my Shakespear spinning rod, several Eagle claw hooks and walking down to the small creek that flowed thru our property. As time went on, this process took on an entirely different meaning, although the end result was often the same...a trout on the other end of the line.

I now start with a blank graphite rod, decide on the color wraps I might want to use - often inlayed with fine gold colored wire, select the type and shape of the cork handle I want to make and turn it out on a lathe, select the type of rod guides to use and build the rod. Then gather the raw materials for the type flies I wish to tie. The "gathering" is often done in the fall during hunting season (deer and elk hair, and feathers from all manner of bird species). Then with rod and flies in tow, hiking into isolated mountain lakes and streams in pursuit of the ever-elusive trout. These are but a few symptoms of a serious fly-fishing addiction. Others include almost getting into a wreck by staring into a nearby lake or stream while driving down the road, knowing more about tying knots than tying The Knot and being in a "time warp" while fishing and your sense of time being a bit off. Guilty!

[MTPaul]

a few more pictures...

[Tom Kat]

Great pictures, including that motorcycle

[Bill K]

Very nice Rick.

RICK??? I'm skipper

Oh well, my memory is going, too.

I guess you called that one correct on me, Skipper. Old mind and old fingers mix up names often anymore.

[skipper]

No harm, No foul. All is good.

[jsh]

I still fish and hunt, not near as much as I used too.
I was a gear head from 16-30ish. I had a lot of cars and trucks. Wish I had my 67 ChevyII back along with my 67SS big block chevelle, one of the first 502 motors around here.
Firearms being pretty mechanical alway intrigued me and still do. Shot with a lot of guys only to find out we had a lot of mutual friends through racing.
I won’t call it a passion, but I acquired a lathe a few years back after procrastinating for a longggg time. Finally got a small mill a while back also. I am at the “know enough to be dangerous” stage.
The lathe has paid for itself in me making pieces and parts.
Lol, last project was making an expander mandrel for a 20 caliber project, used some drill rod. Long story short I made two 17’s and one 19 by the time got my “ carving” and polishing down pat and got a 20, lol.