We are getting ready for this. Not looking forward to all the noise and two unhappy dogs as we don't have any where to take them. Insurance claim, thankfully.
Waiting for my roofer to start. They are behind because they were shut down for so long. A pile of money.
So I finished my kitchen project. New cabinets, countertop, backsplash, sink, Induction range, bottom level vinyl panel floors. First order end of January. Took way too long, the cabinet guy missed one cabinet, took over two months to get it, it was in the middle of the Covid mess. Still small corrections left, but it’s 99% done, so call it finished.
But that heavy traffic has to stop and wait for a traffic light. Wouldn’t a left turn arrow serve the same purpose and give a similar result? It seems to me that it isn’t an interchange at all, more like a signalized intersection.
It's timed to allow maximum number of cars to get through or get onto the highway without waiting while the advanced green is tying up straight thru traffic. It is ingenious....much better getting onto the highway directly than turning in front of waiting traffic.
So I finished my kitchen project. New cabinets, countertop, backsplash, sink, range, bottom level floors. First order end of January. Took way too long, the cabinet guy missed one cabinet, took over two months to get it, it was in the middle of the Covid mess. Still small corrections left, but it’s 99% done, so call it finished.
So I finished my kitchen project. New cabinets, countertop, backsplash, sink, Induction range, bottom level vinyl panel floors. First order end of January. Took way too long, the cabinet guy missed one cabinet, took over two months to get it, it was in the middle of the Covid mess. Still small corrections left, but it’s 99% done, so call it finished.
Before:
After:
Very nice! I’m hoping to have that done this fall, since our big trip got canceled and refunded. If we can ever have people in our house again.
nice looking job Dino. I watch too many HGTV rehab shows. Would love to do a full redo now (if not build from scratch) but not looking like I can get the wife to move soon. will revisit all at the end of 2021. If I get some traction with that, will give me an excuse to get a PU to replace the TLX! And of course, shortly after,, a toy to drive instead of the PU.
Speaking of traffic circles and FL, I remember this one in Hollywood - unfortunately, heavily regulated with lights, as Florida drivers would turn this into a demolition derby if given free rein (and I think it is still an unpopular feature):
I have driven through there many times. It's in the western part of Hollywood, FL, about 25 miles south of me.
My anti-social tendencies made that a temptation but the permit process was too tough, and besides, alligators don't do well in our climate. So I settled for half of a moat.
We are getting ready for this. Not looking forward to all the noise and two unhappy dogs as we don't have any where to take them. Insurance claim, thankfully.
What was the claim all about?
I don’t know if I could ever afford to reroof our house.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
So I finished my kitchen project. New cabinets, countertop, backsplash, sink, Induction range, bottom level vinyl panel floors. First order end of January. Took way too long, the cabinet guy missed one cabinet, took over two months to get it, it was in the middle of the Covid mess. Still small corrections left, but it’s 99% done, so call it finished.
What a difference! Like the sleek new look.....and I really like drop in stoves........why do they still put that panel on the back from the 50s?
Speaking of traffic circles and FL, I remember this one in Hollywood - unfortunately, heavily regulated with lights, as Florida drivers would turn this into a demolition derby if given free rein (and I think it is still an unpopular feature):
I have driven through there many times. It's in the western part of Hollywood, FL, about 25 miles south of me.
Then there is St Armand's Circle in Sarasota where you can stand and watch the Bentleys and exotic sports cars go by:
On a related note what do you guys think about divergent diamond interchanges?
Is that where the lanes crossing the freeway swap sides?
Yes it is, it's like we ceded the bridge to the UK.
It seems to work better... but, it's a lot like a roundabout. If you aren't a local, the first couple of times are intimidating. There are a few of these in the Fort Wayne area.
We have one of those DDI here in Denver. It makes total sense, once you understand why you switch to the other side of the road. but I suspect a majority of drivers would have their brain lock up.
I'm not so sure about that, we have one near me and now it seems to take longer to go through the interchange now than it did before.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
On a related note what do you guys think about divergent diamond interchanges?
Is that where the lanes crossing the freeway swap sides?
Yes it is, it's like we ceded the bridge to the UK.
It seems to work better... but, it's a lot like a roundabout. If you aren't a local, the first couple of times are intimidating. There are a few of these in the Fort Wayne area.
We have one of those DDI here in Denver. It makes total sense, once you understand why you switch to the other side of the road. but I suspect a majority of drivers would have their brain lock up.
I'm not so sure about that, we have one near me and now it seems to take longer to go through the interchange now than it did before.
Even if it does take longer....and I don't think it does, there are probably fewer accidents as you enter the highway without crossing in front of oncoming cars. Gets high volume of cars onto the on ramp faster and smoother IMHO.
My anti-social tendencies made that a temptation but the permit process was too tough, and besides, alligators don't do well in our climate. So I settled for half of a moat.
My mother like to tell about how my grandfather, living in the far south side of Chicago in the 20's and 30's, had a pet alligator. He had a fenced in area in the backyard with a pond and everything. Every fall he would get it and take in into the basement and put it in a bathtub for the winter and every spring bring it back out. Once it got to big he gave it to a relative who had a farm in Indiana where the poor thing died within a year.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
Even if it does take longer....and I don't think it does, there are probably fewer accidents as you enter the highway without crossing in front of oncoming cars. Gets high volume of cars onto the on ramp faster and smoother IMHO.
I have to wonder how many, ahem, older drivers bear right after the crossover traffic lights and go the wrong way on what they believe to be the correct side of the road.
This design seems to be the brainchild of a traffic planner with a drug problem.
On a related note what do you guys think about divergent diamond interchanges?
Is that where the lanes crossing the freeway swap sides?
Yes it is, it's like we ceded the bridge to the UK.
It seems to work better... but, it's a lot like a roundabout. If you aren't a local, the first couple of times are intimidating. There are a few of these in the Fort Wayne area.
We have one of those DDI here in Denver. It makes total sense, once you understand why you switch to the other side of the road. but I suspect a majority of drivers would have their brain lock up.
I'm not so sure about that, we have one near me and now it seems to take longer to go through the interchange now than it did before.
Even if it does take longer....and I don't think it does, there are probably fewer accidents as you enter the highway without crossing in front of oncoming cars. Gets high volume of cars onto the on ramp faster and smoother IMHO.
Prior to it becoming a DDI I was able to pass through the interchange without stopping regularly, since it has been modified I cant even remembering not stopping there.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
The wall construction crew was here bright and early this morning. Man these guys are going to earn their money today and tomorrow. It is supposed to be two very warm days for these parts and some of the stones they need to jockey around are really large and heavy. It makes me feel achey just watching them.
Speaking of stone walls, I had a funny conversation with my cheapskate brother on the subject this week. He has lived in the same house since the late 1960s, having bought it just a couple of years after it was built, a typical 3-bed/1-bath bungalow/ranch style of the day. Aside from paint and floor coverings inside and various paint color changes outside it is largely original, so you can tell he is not much into hiring people to do renovations/upgrades. He is a great guy in many ways but he hates spending money despite being quite comfortable, trying to repair and re-repair things well beyond the point where most people would get something new.
The lot his house is on slopes down from left to right as you face it, with his driveway on the low side. He told me this week that he is finally getting that repaved. I don't know how old the pavement is but it has always had some dips and humps in it and the pavement had become quite deteriorated. This is costing him $5K which he believes is a relative bargain compared to what his neighbor recently spent. I suspect that fact is what motivated him to spend the money - he likes getting what he considers good deals on things. Hopefully the job will be OK, because he often gets burned buying the cheapest thing possible even if it is not suitable.
He has a walkway from his front door that makes a 90-degree left turn at the front steps and then travels down a slope towards the driveway. There are 3 or 4 steps down from the end of it to the driveway itself, as there is a near-vertical bank where the front lawn meets the driveway. I had forgotten that there used to be a low rock wall there when he bought the place. It disappeared long ago and ever since he has tried covering it with bark mulch every year, without much success because it is so steep. He seems to have abandoned that the last few years as the area is now overrun with wild strawberries. The last time I visited I noticed how shabby it all looked. The original concrete walkway across the lawn had been replaced by him with 24"x24" concrete pavers at some point, and the steps down to the driveway were uneven and treacherous-looking.
This week we were talking about my wall project and I suggested that he could have a small one built to deal with the drop down to his driveway, which would be a big upgrade to the outside appearance, even more so if he dealt with the awful steps as part of that. He pooh-poohed the idea instantly, reminding me that he used to have a rock wall there. I asked him what had happened to it. His answer was that he needed some stones to fill in an old ditch, so he demolished it in the late '70s for that purpose. I just shook my head. Some folks cannot be helped. Money is certainly not his problem these days, but spending any of it still is.
Speaking of traffic circles and FL, I remember this one in Hollywood - unfortunately, heavily regulated with lights, as Florida drivers would turn this into a demolition derby if given free rein (and I think it is still an unpopular feature):
I have driven through there many times. It's in the western part of Hollywood, FL, about 25 miles south of me.
Then there is St Armand's Circle in Sarasota where you can stand and watch the Bentleys and exotic sports cars go by:
Wow...I ate at that Tango place 3 or so years ago. And, you’re right. Part of the entertainment is to watch all the exotics drive by.
My anti-social tendencies made that a temptation but the permit process was too tough, and besides, alligators don't do well in our climate. So I settled for half of a moat.
My mother like to tell about how my grandfather, living in the far south side of Chicago in the 20's and 30's, had a pet alligator. He had a fenced in area in the backyard with a pond and everything. Every fall he would get it and take in into the basement and put it in a bathtub for the winter and every spring bring it back out. Once it got to big he gave it to a relative who had a farm in Indiana where the poor thing died within a year.
That’s what happens when you don’t take baths in the fall and winter.
jmonroe
'15 Genesis Ultimate just like jmonroe's. '18 Legacy Limited with 3.6R (Mrs. j's)
Even if it does take longer....and I don't think it does, there are probably fewer accidents as you enter the highway without crossing in front of oncoming cars. Gets high volume of cars onto the on ramp faster and smoother IMHO.
I have to wonder how many, ahem, older drivers bear right after the crossover traffic lights and go the wrong way on what they believe to be the correct side of the road.
This design seems to be the brainchild of a traffic planner with a drug problem.
It sure is creative and seems crazy......you could miss your turn the first time and get confused, but, once you have done it, it really makes sense, and seems easier to turn right onto the ramp, rather than try and get through an advanced green.
On a related note what do you guys think about divergent diamond interchanges?
Is that where the lanes crossing the freeway swap sides?
Yes it is, it's like we ceded the bridge to the UK.
It seems to work better... but, it's a lot like a roundabout. If you aren't a local, the first couple of times are intimidating. There are a few of these in the Fort Wayne area.
We have one of those DDI here in Denver. It makes total sense, once you understand why you switch to the other side of the road. but I suspect a majority of drivers would have their brain lock up.
I'm not so sure about that, we have one near me and now it seems to take longer to go through the interchange now than it did before.
Even if it does take longer....and I don't think it does, there are probably fewer accidents as you enter the highway without crossing in front of oncoming cars. Gets high volume of cars onto the on ramp faster and smoother IMHO.
Prior to it becoming a DDI I was able to pass through the interchange without stopping regularly, since it has been modified I cant even remembering not stopping there.
That may be true if you are going straight through....which is usually the less used route. But if most cars are going from the city road and are turning onto a highway ramp it really is easier....you turn onto the ramp, without that annoying advanced green everyone tries to race through....and the pre-DDI way, one set of traffic has to wait each way while advanced green cars make their turn in front of them.
We are getting ready for this. Not looking forward to all the noise and two unhappy dogs as we don't have any where to take them. Insurance claim, thankfully.
What was the claim all about?
I don’t know if I could ever afford to reroof our house.
Combination hail and wind damage. I feel very fortunate as the roof is original to the house when we built it in 04. I am paying out of my pocket a modest difference to upgrade to architectural style shingles which will improve the appearance. I think we plan to sell in the next few years.
2021 VW Arteon SEL 4-motion, 2018 VW Passat SE w/tech, 2016 Audi Q5 Premium Plus w/tech
Let him know that he should spend it now, or his heirs will blow it all on jetskis and electronics Hearses don't have luggage racks.
My grandma is the original owner of a mid century ranch probably similar to that. It's on a slight hill, the large (for this area) ~1/4 acre lot has a rock feature too. The house itself has been maintained to a tee and much of it is like a time capsule, tons of original finishes, most fairly pristine. Several years ago she was lamenting the cost of a new kitchen, and I told her not to touch it - the time warp original kitchen might actually attract someone these days.
It sure is creative and seems crazy......you could miss your turn the first time and get confused, but, once you have done it, it really makes sense, and seems easier to turn right onto the ramp, rather than try and get through an advanced green.
nice looking car. If they want to make a deal I can't refuse next year, I suppose I could live with another barge!
interesting he mentions it being lighter. That would be a plus.
I really want to see the rumored compact car that is supposed to be in the pipeline. Probably lots of the same goodness, for less money and smaller footprint.
We are getting ready for this. Not looking forward to all the noise and two unhappy dogs as we don't have any where to take them. Insurance claim, thankfully.
What was the claim all about?
I don’t know if I could ever afford to reroof our house.
Combination hail and wind damage. I feel very fortunate as the roof is original to the house when we built it in 04. I am paying out of my pocket a modest difference to upgrade to architectural style shingles which will improve the appearance. I think we plan to sell in the next few years.
Talk to @stickguy, that’s just about the time he’d like to move south.
jmonroe
'15 Genesis Ultimate just like jmonroe's. '18 Legacy Limited with 3.6R (Mrs. j's)
good video. Nice to see Acura getting back up off the mat. really turning over the product line. The new MDX due out shortly will be a big plus. That pretty much does just leave the ILX replacement, which the Acura guy really did confirm. If it is the spiritual successor to the Integra, but not too hard core (say, comparable in size and concept to a VW GLI?), that definitely would attract my interest.
Comments
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
2017 Cadillac ATS Performance Premium 3.6
2025 Forester Limited, 2024 Subaru Legacy Sport
Got the Cub Cadet today. I messed with it a little. It didn't arrive until late in the day. I'll put it thru it's paces tomorrow.
It's really yellow.
2025 Forester Limited, 2024 Subaru Legacy Sport
jmonroe
'18 Legacy Limited with 3.6R (Mrs. j's)
Before:
After:
2018 430i Gran Coupe
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
2025 Forester Limited, 2024 Subaru Legacy Sport
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
'24 Chevy Blazer EV 2LT
Another color that screams "fountain of youth."
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
2021 Genesis G90
2017 Cadillac ATS Performance Premium 3.6
I don’t know if I could ever afford to reroof our house.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
2023 Mercedes EQE 350 4Matic / 2022 Ram 1500 Bighorn, Built to Serve
2025 Forester Limited, 2024 Subaru Legacy Sport
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
This design seems to be the brainchild of a traffic planner with a drug problem.
2017 Cadillac ATS Performance Premium 3.6
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
2017 Cadillac ATS Performance Premium 3.6
The lot his house is on slopes down from left to right as you face it, with his driveway on the low side. He told me this week that he is finally getting that repaved. I don't know how old the pavement is but it has always had some dips and humps in it and the pavement had become quite deteriorated. This is costing him $5K which he believes is a relative bargain compared to what his neighbor recently spent. I suspect that fact is what motivated him to spend the money - he likes getting what he considers good deals on things. Hopefully the job will be OK, because he often gets burned buying the cheapest thing possible even if it is not suitable.
He has a walkway from his front door that makes a 90-degree left turn at the front steps and then travels down a slope towards the driveway. There are 3 or 4 steps down from the end of it to the driveway itself, as there is a near-vertical bank where the front lawn meets the driveway. I had forgotten that there used to be a low rock wall there when he bought the place. It disappeared long ago and ever since he has tried covering it with bark mulch every year, without much success because it is so steep. He seems to have abandoned that the last few years as the area is now overrun with wild strawberries. The last time I visited I noticed how shabby it all looked. The original concrete walkway across the lawn had been replaced by him with 24"x24" concrete pavers at some point, and the steps down to the driveway were uneven and treacherous-looking.
This week we were talking about my wall project and I suggested that he could have a small one built to deal with the drop down to his driveway, which would be a big upgrade to the outside appearance, even more so if he dealt with the awful steps as part of that. He pooh-poohed the idea instantly, reminding me that he used to have a rock wall there. I asked him what had happened to it. His answer was that he needed some stones to fill in an old ditch, so he demolished it in the late '70s for that purpose. I just shook my head. Some folks cannot be helped. Money is certainly not his problem these days, but spending any of it still is.
2017 Cadillac ATS Performance Premium 3.6
jmonroe
'18 Legacy Limited with 3.6R (Mrs. j's)
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
https://thekoreancarblog.com/2020/06/18/kia-motors-america-quietly-launched-stinger-gt-indigo-edition/
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
2021 VW Arteon SEL 4-motion, 2018 VW Passat SE w/tech, 2016 Audi Q5 Premium Plus w/tech
jmonroe
'18 Legacy Limited with 3.6R (Mrs. j's)
My grandma is the original owner of a mid century ranch probably similar to that. It's on a slight hill, the large (for this area) ~1/4 acre lot has a rock feature too. The house itself has been maintained to a tee and much of it is like a time capsule, tons of original finishes, most fairly pristine. Several years ago she was lamenting the cost of a new kitchen, and I told her not to touch it - the time warp original kitchen might actually attract someone these days.
2017 Cadillac ATS Performance Premium 3.6
interesting he mentions it being lighter. That would be a plus.
I really want to see the rumored compact car that is supposed to be in the pipeline. Probably lots of the same goodness, for less money and smaller footprint.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
jmonroe
'18 Legacy Limited with 3.6R (Mrs. j's)
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
jmonroe
'18 Legacy Limited with 3.6R (Mrs. j's)