Big Cliff

Please forgive an old man but what is GMO corn?

Some of the best walleye fishing I ever had on Quinte was in 4-6' waves. (Note, I didn't say the most comfortable fishing LOL)

There is always more than one side to any story and believe me I could tell you plenty from a mechanics side of the fence too. There is no excuse though for quoting someone to do a job and not advising them if there is a significant increase in what you quoted. How this guy handles it when you go to see him will speak volumes for the type of mechanic he is.

Ok I am a small engine mechanic and I am certified on Husqvarna so I have worked on plenty of them. Now to be honest with you I would have to know a whole lot more before I could tell you what is a fair price or not. What is the model and serial number Which belt did he have to change the auger belt or the drive belt Were there any other issues (broken shear pins worn bushings trouble shifting gears) I assume he included an oil change and checked the fuel system, greased the auger... As for the starter issue; It is unusual for a flywheel to go on any of them, (but without being there and seeing it myself .....) the symptom you described is usually associated with the starter. Typically a rebuilt starter is about $100.00 and can be changed out in about 1/2 an hour, a new starter about $200.00. Oh, and what is his posted hourly shop rate. At this point I would go to him with the $596.00 in hand, (if you don't pay he has the right to hold on to the snow blower) (after you get it back you could take him to small claims court and try to recover the difference) Get a detailed invoice from him showing what parts had to be replaced and any other work done. Tell him you are really disapointed that he didn't call you when he realized that he was going to be over his estimate by nearly $200.00 and ask him if he can do anything to make this right with you. (If he didn't include taxes in his estimates that could account for about $60.00 above what you were expecting to pay) Also ask him for the used/broken parts because a friend of yours is a licensed, certified Husqvarna mechanic and would like to have a look at them. Let me know how you make out.

Lew, you'd be amazed at how many plastic water bottles, pop cans and nutrition bar wrappers we find. Most of the garbage is within easy walking distance from an area where cars can park, it tapers off drastically the farther we get from civilized areas. A lot of these hikers are the ones that are apposed to ATVs sharing their walking trail but if it wasn't for the ATVs many of these trails wouldn't even exist anymore. I served on the Board of Directors for both KATV and Haliburton ATV associations. You would be amazed at how much money and time they contribute every year to the development of new trails and the maintance of existing ones.

Time to pony up? When we can ride the roads like sledders do then I'll be happy to "pony up". Right now I can't drive my ATV 10 yards down Snug Harbour Rd. without risking a ticket (and yes I have been stopped and issued a warning). As far as using the trails; you buy trail passes for your sled, well I buy trail passes for my ATV. I and many of my friends also contribute a lot of hours every year to cleaning garbage off the rail trails and sled trails, (1800 lbs on the last clean up) many of which we have only very limited access to and have to constantly fight to keep what limited access we do have. Many of us spend many hours every year doing trail improvements, building bridges, removing fallen trees...I have never once seen sledders out there picking garbage up and hauling it to the dump. Bernie, we have been fighting for 8 years now to try to get our municipality to allow ATVs on secondary roads in our area. They even hired consultants at one point (from Toronto) who just plain told me at one meeting "we don't care what you think or what you want, you'll get what we give you!". One of our councelors owns property where one of the rail trails passes through, he has managed to convince the city to ban the use of ATVs on that section of trail and in fact there are plans in the works to sell that section of the trail to the adjacient property owners. This will in effect make that area private property and block the only access to many miles of trails. This won't affect sledders because they can skirt the area using local roads. This new law won't have any effect on us here at all other than to cost us more money for something we can't use because this municipality has their head where the sun don't shine.

We have been fighting for years to get the City of Kawartha Mistakes to allow ATVs on some of our local roads where necessary to connect trail systems. They finally relented and did allow us to pass through Fenelon Falls connecting two sections of trails but to the best of my knowledge that is it so far. I don't see how this new law is going to help us much if it is dependent on the municipality passing a bylaw "allowing" us to ride on local roads. What this looks like to me is that now I am going to have to spend the money to get plates and renew my tags every year (I already have insurance) and I still won't be able to drive my ATV down the road in front of my house. I don't see a win in this for our area, just a lot more money going into the goverment sink hole.

So much strength and courage! And I complain if my back hurts, I might need to re-think some things.

Simple but often over looked. I remember trying to start my sled one time, I had taken my helmet off and set it down (on the kill switch). I cranked and cranked and was ready to start taking things apart (with a hammer) picked up my helmet to walk back into the house and realized that the kill switch was right under the helmet. Started first pull after that. Don't feel bad, anyone that claims it never happened to them is probably not being too honest!

Got the two flat tires fixed today, started the "clean up" on it, boy it purrs like a kitten! Going to make some changes to the drive train, looking to get it up to about 40mph. Looking at trying to add a turbo to it, might be a little too much for the rest of the power train but we'll see. I'm thinking I might be able to modify some ATV rims and tires and if I can extend the frame a bit I could put tracks on it. Just think of what the cops would have to say about a lawn tractor with tracks doing 40 mph across the lake and lets see where they try to enforce the helmet law on a lawn tractor. I can see it now; " but Your Honor I was just driving my lawn tractor down the lake and this nice police (person) stopped me and gave me a ticket because I wasn't wearing a helmet"? "Isn't that harassment Your Honor?"

Paul, anytime you want to come this way my friend our door is always open!!!!! As for Simon, it's a love/hate relationship; I love it when he comes for a visit, I hate it when he has to leave! (oh wait, I hate it when he out fishes me, I hate it when he out cooks me, I hate it when his hair always looks so good..... Just kidding, a good family and special friends!

To heck with that, if it lasts more than 4 hours the last person I am going to see is a Dr.!!!!! (well unless she is cute!!!) I'm heading down town and shouting at the top of my lungs "and this is why I'm known as BIG CLIFF"

Brings back so many wonderful memories of when I was a kid (probably when that operation was still in production). We use to go and spend our free time getting the pails of sap and carrying them over to the sleigh to dump in the tank. Hauling wood for thr fire and there was as much maple sap and suryp as we wanted to eat. (Can you say Suger high LOL) At the end of the day the farmer would always make sure we had a good lunch; pork and beans or stew and home made bread as a reward for our days work. I don't think any of us ever expected to get money for doing it, it was just a fun way to spend the day! Thanks for posting the pictures and bringing back the memories!

Pikeslayer and his beautiful bride came for a visit on Saturday, it was really nice to be able to spend the weekend catching up and hanging out. We have been friends for way too few years now and just don't get together nearly as often as we should. Just by chance I happened to have a nice prime rib in the freezer for just such an occasion. The prime rib turned out perfectly but I just made my first ever "Yorkshire muffins" (yes that is what they turned out like LOL muffins. Now, Yorkshire pudding is one thing that I have struggled with for years, under cooked, over cooked, didn't rise, didn't fall, man I have had them all! But never before have they turned out like muffins (hey, can I call this a PB?) I have no idea why, I had three recipies all from different people that all called for exactly the same ingredients (although none of them said have a shot or two of brandy prior to making) but it was a cool damp day and my Dr. said a shot of brandy in the evening would help me sleep. (He never did say a how big a "shot was" and he never did tell me that two or three wouldn't help me sleep, it would PUT me to sleep Simon and I got to spend some time in the "Man Cave" (Shop) and even managed to get an old Craftsman lawn tractor up and running like new (I have to be honest with you, I wasn't sure we could ever get it to run) but this thing purrs better than most, I'm amazed! One man's junk is anothers man's gold. Simon my friend, as promissed I didn't say a word about your Snow Mower or Lawn Blower but I'd do that for you anytime (and have a feeling I probably will) A friend to all (except those that don't like me). Big Cliff Read more: http://fishingtalescanada.proboards.com/thread/1436/great-visit-old-friend-weekend#ixzz2jhudW5tD

Bull poop!

Ground Blinds from now on.

No, and good luck finding the parts for it. I have a lot of guys that bring me generators that are "made in China" that they picked up "really cheap". and getting parts for them is almost impossible.

Just a reminder to all my deer hunting buddies. This is what a white tail looks like! No need to thank me, just doing a public service.

isn't it wonderful to see our grandkids doing the things we love to do. Kind of helps make you relive the memories! Nice post Beans!

The annual CPH, Bigugly & Big Cliff perch fishing trip that is. We had planned it for a couple of weeks ago but the weatherman didn't see it happening and since they were calling for thunderstorms and high winds our Capt. , Bruce and I decided that we would try for another day. Well yesterday was that day and inspite of the forecast showers we decided it was a go. We did our usual meeting up and having breakfast with all the warm welcomes that come when old friends get to meet up after an absense. Caught up on each others lives, enjoyed a wonderful breakfast and headed off to our favority perch hole. It didn't take long before the first fish was in the boat and it wasn't long after that that the jokes and teasing started (boy those two youngsters can be mean to an old man LOL). The catching was steady, mostly in the 9-11" range with a few dinks and Steve even managed to pull off a double header ON A SINGLE HOOK believe it or not. As most fishermen do after a while we decided to go try a different spot even though we were still catching fish where we were; you know "the grass is always greener" thing. So away we went (not like it was far, perhaps a 3 minute boat ride at putt putt speed). The new spot however wasn't producing at all, in 20 or so minutes of fishing I think we might have had two little bites. I started to fidget, at which point Steve compaired me to his grandson and patience level and just as I was about to put my rod down and start making paper dolls or something Steve decided we'd go try somewhere else. (And Steve, that comment about "second childhoods" was a little crule, I haven't finished my first one yet!) The second "new spot" wasn't much better than the first "new spot" but we were only there for a few minutes and had to make way for a large cruser trying to navigate his way through a chanel. I noticed a bunch of minnows breaking the surface back near where we had started. And we decided that we should probably go back in there and try it again. It didn't take long and we were back into fairly steady catching again and while the average fish was probably 9-10" we did manage to land some real beauties, a couple I think were pushing the 13-14" mark (and some dinks). Finally late in the afternoon the rain started and we all agreed that it was time to call it a day. I have no idea how many fish we caught as most were released on the spot. I brought home 10 nice clean looking fish and I am only guessing but I think that Steve and Bruce had about the same. I really want to thank Steve for keeping this tradition going, I look forward to it every year. Bruce thank you again for the jars of goddies and for that fantastic selection of fishing tackle, so very generous of you as always. Most of all I want to thank both of you for another wonderful day on the water with two very special friends.

Give me one of those puppies, I'll make the thing FIRE!

Oh I am so sorry to hear of your loss. I truly can't understand what you might be going through right now, a parent is never supposed to have to say good bye to one of their children. All I can say is that I pray that you will have the strength to deal with all of this and that my heart and prayers are with you and your family!

Oh I wish they would open it for cisco! We were perch fishing on Simco two years ago and a school of cisco moved in. We ended up having to move because you couldn't get your bait to bottom without another cisco hitting it. Fun to catch, I'd love to try smoking some so open up the season.

Had a financial advisor once, a friend of my wifes who knew everything about investing. Cost us a lot of money then I decided to cut my losses and do it myself. Here is what I learned in a nutshell: Realestate can be a good investment if you are smart, waterfront produces the best overall returns. Precious metals are usually secure but you have to be careful, silver for example hasn't gone up nearly as fast as gold. Divirsify your portfolio, the overall average won't be as high as you might have made but your investment will be far more secure. High return usually = high risk and all too often big losses, if you have inside knowledge you can do well otherwise you will probably loose. Compounding a low rate of return can yield huge returns over time and are usually a safe investment ie. term deposits. Apart from that if a financial advisor was any good, they wouldn't have to ask you to invest, they would already be rich! Oh, and by the way; His initial $500,000.00 investment is now worth about $350,000.00 after 10 years. My investment (after I cut my losses) is now worth about 4 times what it was when I started. Do it yourself, read, learn, and avoid anything that promisses huge returnes!

The blood gushing out of his head looked pretty real to me. Saw the red on his shirt (before) but wondered if it was just red paint or something. Who would go to that much trouble to fake a video like that and not bother to wear a clean shirt?