Longshot270's resurrection post

***Longshot270*** · #1 Wed, November 18th, 2020, 03:35 PM

Well, while we are all doing our reintroductions, I graduated with my BS (bachelor of science) in aquatic biology December 2012. Then worked as a Team Lead at Tractor supply for a bit, that was fun but $10/hr (negotiated rate, standard was $9) wasn't cutting it. So I thought about going back to grad school for an actual B.S. (bull shot) degree and to use it for networking, something I should have done in the first place. While talking with a professor about going back but firmly stating I wasn't going to be taking out any loans, he offered me a part time job for $12/hr removing invasive plants from the San Marcos river. That was an interesting job spending up to 6 hours per day on a scuba tank and did lots of good restoring sections of the river that had been clogged up with weeds like hydrilla. Got a job with Texas Commission on Environmental Quality as a public water system inspector and switched over to night school for a semester. Between the long drive of living in San Marcos, working in San Antonio (40 miles away), driving back to San Marcos then sitting in classrooms with pathetically ignorant "grad students", I called it quits. I'd already gotten a professional job and the additional degree wasn't going to move me forward. Back then, gas was $4/gallon and my fuel bill was insane so I traded the 2wd F150 for a jeep patriot and proceeded to have lots of fun in a light weight 4wd. It's a shame they didn't put a bigger engine/transmission in that little car. Did lots of surf fishing and just about burnt up the tranny pulling a fishing trailer with generator, gear, kayak rack, etc, back and forth from SM to beaches between corpus Christi and sargent. Traded it for a ram 1500 4x4, and it has been a really fun truck. More capable than the jeep, much faster than the Ford (4.6 vs 5.7). Moved to DFW in 2018, got married October 2019 and we've been enjoying our many camping trips with many more to come. We still have a Ford, Ford Escape, so I'm not completely away from Fords, but now I only modify engines I'm ok with blowing up. Like a motorized bicycle (RIP 2012), long tail engine on a Jon boat (RIP 2017), and craftsman GT5000 I'm converting into a cheap ATV.

***Longshot270*** · #2 Wed, November 18th, 2020, 03:39 PM

Here's two pics while a remember how this forum worked...

***Jackpine*** · #3 Wed, November 18th, 2020, 04:09 PM

Lookin good, Colby! Glad things are working out for you! Maybe we'll be able to get together sometime.

- Jack

***Longshot270*** · #4 Wed, November 18th, 2020, 04:19 PM

Yeah, I'm wanting to build a sleeper for our utility trailer so we can do longer road trips and not set up a tent each night. Once that's done, going back to the Appalachian and Rockies are on our list for longer road trips.

***Power Hungry*** · #5 Wed, November 18th, 2020, 05:45 PM

Man, it's really cool to see how things have progressed for you.

If you do happen to find your way over to the Appalachians, hit us up. We are certainly not above tossing a tent, some sleeping bags, and a couple hammocks into the truck or Jeep and spending a few days in the woods. Who knows? Might even try to scare up the ever elusive Bigfoot.

Glad to see that you seem to be doing well. Really missed all the conversations we used to have.

Oh, by the way... The links in your sig are not working. Most likely because the original attachments we not able to be recovered. One of the minor inconveniences we've come across.

Take care, sir!

On EDIT: I fixed the links in your signature.

***Longshot270*** · #6 Wed, November 18th, 2020, 08:23 PM

Will do! We almost swung by in March. We were in Atlanta for Amanda's grandmother's funeral and spent half a day wandering around until the ceremony. Had I known the map of Georgia was so much smaller than the map of Texas, the whole group would have come to look at the fire trucks and chat. Her grandfather is a retired computer engineer that worked on developing memory chips and her dad is a retired mechanic/volunteer fire chief.

***Power Hungry*** · #7 Thu, November 19th, 2020, 07:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Longshot270

Will do! We almost swung by in March. We were in Atlanta for Amanda's grandmother's funeral and spent half a day wandering around until the ceremony. Had I known the map of Georgia was so much smaller than the map of Texas, the whole group would have come to look at the fire trucks and chat. Her grandfather is a retired computer engineer that worked on developing memory chips and her dad is a retired mechanic/volunteer fire chief.

Dang... That would have been awesome!

Please come by an visit if you ever find yourself in the area again.