Vacation is sadly over, and we have arrived at our first Renaissance Faire of the season, in Gold Canyon, AZ. We are in our camp spot and all hooked up...and its going to be a Jack In The Box taco night!
Let the new chapter begin! LOTS of work to do before opening day...which is the weekend after next.
Kev
Glad to see you made it successfully. Tell us what it feels like to have warm weather and blue skies. Hope you have great sales season at the Faire.
Thanks Dan! Clear skies and while cold at night, it is already around 50 degrees with no humidity. Gotta love Arizona in the winter!
Kev
I will gladly trade you some of my two feet of humidity! Supposed to be warm enough to start melting during the day but low teens at night which means ice which stays longer than snow. Well, as I said in closing on your vacation thread, hopefully you have a drier and more profitable year this year and I hope to be able to meet you once you hit the East coast.
Rick
Oh wow, Jack-In-The-Box tacos. Man that has been like forever! I can even remember what they taste like.
Yeah, they are delicious, but full of mystery meat.. W%
Dump a bunch of there taco sauce on them....yum
Yeah just wait 15 minutes........
Thanks Rick! Looking forward to meeting you as well. And the tacos were delicious!
Today is going to be a whole lot of setup. Workshop and fencing in the porch for the pups. Which will take most of the day, if not into tomorrow.
But first...coffee!!!
Kev
It took all day, about 250.00, and over 250 zip ties...but our porch is now enclosed by a 6 foot tall 10x20 chainlink fence with a gate. Happy pups!!!
Yesterday I set up the workshop carport and set up the workshop and ordered materials for catapult production.
And tomorrow we set up our Underhill Pavilion sales tent and get it all prettified...and the next day, we go right into full production for opening weekend, which is the weekend after next.
Busy busy!!!
Kev
The booth tent is completely set up, as are the tables. We are ready to open except for building more stock...which starts tomorrow!
Kev
Movin' right along, the vacation must have been quite rejuvenating. :D
Workshop is fully wired in, and all materials inventoried...and all materials bought today. Hobby Lobby, Lowes, and Home Depot. Tomorrow, the catapult production begins in full swing!
Kev
HUGE wind and rain storm in Arizona last night. Winds were up to 70 mph, and the rain came down in buckets! We made it through the storm just fine, as did our workshop carport and our Underhill Pavilion that we use for sales. A lot of other folks weren't nearly as lucky with their tents. It was a wild ride! The only bad thing that happened was that our satellite TV went out half way through The Avengers:Age of Ultron, just when the movie was getting really good...lol!
Kev
Long long day in the workshop again...and huge piles of saw dust were made...lol!
Kev
And more piles of sawdust were created today, while Patti finished building over 80 mousetrap catapults. First day with my 2 new workshop employees, boyfriend and girlfriend, and I am quite happy with their performance. A LOT got done today, and they picked it up quickly. Good kids!
Kev
We finished up the whole run around 5pm this evening, having filled up the rather large stain rack three whole times. We are FULLY stocked, and ready for opening day tomorrow morning! Massive piles of sawdust were created this week.
(https://scontent-dfw1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xfp1/v/t1.0-9/12631445_1234161676612084_8089374298563291056_n.jpg?oh=12bc22e5436f2a344cb7edadfa012f8f&oe=572FF809)
I'll have to get up early though. I have to bring the plethora of marshmallows to the booth, as well as the catapults that are now on the stain rack, and set up the tables for opening day. Then I have to groom the beard and shave the dome and shower...and find our costumes and whatnot.
Perfect weather for this opening weekend in Arizona!!! We are pretty excited, and ready to go!
Kev
Shave the dome? All the pics I have seen of you you had longish hair. I can't picture a shaved head fitting in with the Renaissance theme.
LOL Rick! I've been shaving my dome clean for about a year now. I was getting too thin on top and decided shaving it was a better alternative than looking like Gallager, or doing the Trump comb-over...lol!
Opening day at the Arizona Renaissance Festival was a lot of fun, although it was the slowest opening day we've ever had at this show. Good times were had by all though!
Kev
Overall, this was the slowest and least profitable opening weekend we've ever had at the Arizona Renfaire, even though the weather was perfect. Ah well. It gets a lot better from here, and we still had a lot of fun!
Kev
Not much to report, other than that its been unusually warm here in Arizona for this early in the season. Mid 80s, and is supposed to stay that way for at least a week. I have my workers doing prep work in the shop on small parts, since we don't have to assemble anything this week...although I'll probably knock out a ballista or two tomorrow.
Kev
Doooon't complain!! We're looking at the coldest temps of the winter up here. Trade ya!
I do read these,.... and with MUCH interest too!
And while my garage/workshop is limited to one bunk "in the basement",... projects are rather limited (next one, will be assembling a custom electric beach bike, in a couple weeks).
But on occasion, the galley table becomes a hobby/craft center!!!! And thought this may be of interest, as I jus completed my latest table-top model last week,.... ready to lay siege to any "Lego Castles" in range!!! Superballs can be devastating!!!
Nice little floating arm trebuchet there, amigo! I've been thinking of scaling down my larger ones to a small and more affordable size for my collectors.
Three day weekend coming right up! Although President's Day is typically a VERY slow day.
Kev
Designed it on Sketchup first, a mini-punkin' chunker! Jus right for those candy-corn punkin's ya see during Halloween, and threw away at Christmas.
I was actually thinkin' of scalin' this one up later this summer, for outdoor use when I return to MI. Somethin' that'll handle snowballs, water balloons, tomatoes and apples,... grandkids and I gotta stay outa trouble someway!
Built a two-seat stockade as a fund raiser a few years back. Seat a select celebrity, and lock their ankles in the blocks so they don't move much,... 3 shaving-cream Pies for $5!!! Good clean summer-time fun!!! ok,... so sometimes a jello-pie got sneaked in!
The three day weekend was great overall...which is a comfort, since opening weekend was so bad. Onward we go!
Kev
Not much to report, other than building a lot of catapults and getting ready for this coming weekend, 2 student days next week, and then the following weekend. Way warmer than usual for this time of year in Arizona. Its been consistently in the 80s and sunny pretty much every day since the show started.
Kev
Glad to hear everything is on an even keel (that's Navy talk). Sometimes the same old, same old is better than the times when things are in an uproar.
We survived student days...yay! Well behaved kids this time, and good times were had by all. And we managed to fill the stain rack with catapults for tomorrow, and obtained all necessary marshmallows.
Kev
It was a very busy week catching up after student days, and it will be a busy day today. Many catapults were made. Hopefully it will be a nice and busy weekend!
Kev
So, how did the weekend go? Still having good weather? You haven't mentioned the pets in awhile. How are they doing?
Dan
Perfect weather this weekend, and we did quite well. It was the coolest weather so far, which was nice, although odd...lol! And the fur babies are doing great! They keep me in shape with their long walks...we can't let them run off leash here, what with the choilla cacti and possibility of rattle snakes.
Kev
Last weekend coming right up at the Arizona Renaissance Festival! Then we are off to see the Grand Canyon finally...and then we'll be meandering out to Fayetteville, Arkansas for a one weekend Faire in the middle of April...and then back 80 miles to the Oklahoma Renfaire for the month of May.
But today, finally, we are going shooting! After I get my workers set up with what needs to be done in the workshop today of course.
Kev
Last weekend at the Arizona Renaissance Faire, coming right up! On Monday through Thursday we'll be packing down everything and getting the RV and truck ready to travel, and then Patti is going to follow me up out of the valley in the K5 Blazer all the way to the Grand Canyon! We are finally going to go see it! Then we'll hook the truck to the RV and take I-40 all the way to our next show, a little one weekend deal in Fayetteville, AR, which is in the middle of April. But that one is only 80 miles away from our show in Oklahoma, which is 5 weekends in May. After that, its off to Ohio for a new event at the Ohio Renaissance Faire grounds, which is a highland festival...and then up to northern Ohio for the Great Lakes faire. Busy busy!
Kev
If I can get away, I'm going to come visit at Fayetteville. It is a 4 hour drive but I had a lot of fun at Muskogee a couple of years ago. Fayetteville is a little closer, but not by much.
Dan
Yay! Hope to see you there, or in Muskogee!
Kev
Your going to love the Grand Canyon......Jealous. Don't let the Japanese/Chinese tourists push you off the cliff with there cameras....seriously.
The workshop is all packed down and stowed in a friend's booth, the Underhill pavilion that we use for sales is all packed down and stowed in the K5 Blazer, and everything is all cleaned up at both sites. Gotta love my workers this year! They had it all done, with my help, in less than 6 hours. SWEET! Not a heck of a lot to do, so we will easily get out of here by Friday and on the road to the Grand Canyon!
Kev
Everything is done and we are ready to roll early tomorrow morning! I still haven't fixed the windshield wipers, but coated them with Rain-X today just in case. They work intermittently for a short time, so hopefully we won't have to use them on this trip. I'm guessing its a wiring issue, or the relay is bad...or maybe even the motor is going bad. I'll figure it out.
Tomorrow morning, after I hook up the truck, we'll be taking I-17 to Flagstaff, and then on to the Grand Canyon! I was going to have Patti follow me in the Blazer, but its 200 miles...and the weather is supposed to be nice and cool again, in the low 70s. I'll just tow the truck. I always get nervous coming out of the valley, but we should be fine.
After seeing the Grand Canyon, we'll be driving on I-40 East to Fayetteville, Arkansas, and then back 80 miles to Muskogee, OK for the month of May. Lets hope we don't get rained out every weekend like we did last year!
Kev
Patti was exhausted, so we delayed leaving for a day...so after my morning coffee, we are off! Grand Canyon here we come! Finally!!!
Kev
Remember Kevin, pics or it dint happen. Safe travels.
The Grand Canyon was amazing, and we are already over the Continental Divide in Milan, NM. Tomorrow we are going to explore the ice caves and lava tube caves...and maybe even get right up to the Bandera Volcano! I'll start a new thread about our spring vacation and post some pics when I get a more reliable internet connection.
Kev
Via con Dios amigo.
Looks like we are going to hit a little light rain today on the way to Amarillo, TX, from where we are in Edgewood, NM. And the windshield wipers are still out of commission. Ah well...I hope that Rain-X I coated the windshield with when we left Arizona does its job!
Kev
Kevin, My wiper blades are very tight against the windshield (Odd for these from what I understand) and if the windshield is the slightest bit dry the motor will overheat and stop working. The wiper motors have a built in breaker so that if they overload they shut down till the breaker cools off. Make sure all of your pivot points are lubricated and if they are then the motor is probably giving up the ghost. The motors are available, I have a place bookmarked for them, don't have a clue where. :-[ :-[ :-[ I will look for you.
Found it!
I know the link is for the arm but the motors are in there also.
http://store.amequipment.com/windshield-wiper-arms-pantograph-arm-for-tapered-knurl-c-3_41.html (http://store.amequipment.com/windshield-wiper-arms-pantograph-arm-for-tapered-knurl-c-3_41.html)
Thanks Rick! I bookmarked if for future reference! We made it as far as a rest stop a little past Groom, TX (where the giant cross is), on I-40, where we are staying the night. Less than 200 miles to Oklahoma City. We're trying to milk out the trip, since we can't arrive at the Arkanasas event until the 15th, but we are making good time. The Rain-X worked great!
Kev
If you have some time to kill after you get to Fayetteville, spend a day and drive up to Bentonville (Home of Walmart) and visit the Crystal Bridges Art Museum. It is free and well worth the visit. You could, also, visit the very first Walmart on the square of Bentonville. It is interesting, too, and, also free.
The little fair in Fayetteville was fun and went off without a hitch...and the weather ended up being perfect. It stormed something fierce last night though, and is still raining today. After coffee, we'll be driving the last 89 miles to Muskogee and pulling into a campground for 5 days...the faire camping opens next Saturday. When we get there, I'll create 2 new threads, Spring Vacation 2016, and Oklahoma 2016.
Kev
See you in Oklahoma, drive safe.
We lived in Fayetteville for about 6 - 7 years late 80's to early 90's. Beautiful area out there in the foothills of the Ozarks. Only place we like better is where we are now - far eastern Kentucky where the scenery is about the same without the turmoil from the U of A (Go Hogs)and Wallyworld headquarters.
Let me know when you plan on coming up, Rick! I think this Faire gives us free passes to hand out! I'll let you know for sure, but at the very least I can get you discounted passes.
Fayetteville is pretty! We took Hwy 62 from there to Muskogee...lots of twists and turns up and down mountains, but nothing compared to out west...it was a beautiful drive.
We are now safe and sound in an RV park for 5 days until the Faire campground opens on Saturday.
Kev
:D :D :D When I said that I meant on here. :D :D I will plan on seeing you in person once you hit the East coast.
It was April 18 that you last posted on here. Let's hear how the Renne Faire is doing. Did you get any of that bad weather?
Today should be the last day of the Muskogee Renne Faire. So, Kevin, where are you off to, next? It's been a month and a half since we last heard from you. How are things going?
I guess Kevin has abandoned us for good this time. He should be on his way to the Great Lakes Medieval Faire if he is following his previous routes.
I hope not, I wanted to meet up with him once he hit the east coast. I hope something has not gone bad health wise for one of them.
He busy, he is campaigning for Trump. :angel: W%
LOL!!! Sorry guys. I haven't been going to any forums lately. I've been rather involved in this year's political cycle.
That said, everything is fine! We had great weather in Muskogee this year, thank goodness! The RV is running great, and today I'll be finishing the great packdown and stowing the workshop. The goal is to be completely packed up and on the road by this evening.
Our next stop is a one weekend Celtic Fest in Waynesville, OH, which is the weekend after next. And then we head north to the Great Lakes Medieval Faire, and then back down to Waynesville, OH for the Ohio Renaissance Festival...and then down to Huntersville, NC to finish out our season in the fall.
Kev
Didn't you used to do something in the northeast?