Re: Tom ;)

[tsm1@domain.elided (Tom Mandera)]

>>I didn't realize from your posts that you were just a kid, but 
>>being a kid is OK. 
>
>I've met Tom and I'd say that the word "kid" isn't quite appropriate... a
>young man yes... kid no.  I imagine that you'll come back with something
>along the lines of "When you're as old as I am, then anyone under 30's a
>kid."  But it's all relative I guess.  I mean this in the best spirit.

<grin> And you didn't even get to spend that much time with me, John! :-)
You should see me at work.. lookin' respectable in a tie n' everything.. (ugh)

I always claim my driver's license / birth certificate / youthful looks n'
charm belie my TRUE age.. ;-)

I make up for my lack of experience by keeping my eyes (ears?) open whenever
I see info from those who know better.. why should I make your mistakes
again? (In the best spirit!)

>To Tom: You and Julie planning on making it to the NW Binder Roundup next
>year?  How about Tulare in California in April?  I'm planning on going to
>both and hope to talk Rick Wild into doing so also.

I'd *LIKE* to say "Yes".. but...

Wedding is June 27th.. we're having something of a small Jamboree in
Boulder, MT (under 30min drive South of Helena on I-15) on June 14th-ish..
and I think (hope) I'll have my Scout done by then, and we'll have
everything planned out so we'll have that week(end?) free to play in the
hills.. then it's time to get hitched, followed by a ~week in Coeur D'
Alene, ID (Spokane) then back home.. and back to work.

Where that puts me $$$ and free-time wise in early August... *shrug*.  It
may just be a dry year for road-trips.. 

April will be too soon.. I doubt I'll have my laundry list of things done to
my '72 by then, and I don't see the '77 w/ 196 going on too many long
distance trips (particularly the closer I get to having my '72 set up to run
80mph @ 3000rpm.. vs. the 196 w/ 4.09 and 29" tires..)

If I do make it out, I fully intend to hook the '77 up to the '72 via a
tow-bar and tug it with me (hey, it can't HURT my gas mileage, right?) to
Seattle.. then Julie can play with it (it should become her winter rig
and/or play toy), or she can run off to the *gasp* mall with her friends..

I'd love to make it, but I don't see it happening this year.. besides, I'm
still catching flack for blowing 4 rolls of film at the Roundup, and only 3
rolls of film the rest of the time! (which would include my first trip out
the week before.. our 2-days vacation in CdA at the waterpark and the
amusement park in Silverwood, followed by my trek for Scout parts to Eugene,
OR and back.. and then the non-NWBinder time we spent on the way to Seattle,
at Seattle, and back)  whew.. that was a busy 2 weeks!

-Tom Mandera, Helena MT (just ordered a new alt. bracket from Coonrod's, and
some twin-stick shifters from Anything Scout.. I tear into the Dana 20 next
week for the twin-sticks)
http://www.tmcom.com/~tsm1/scout
'72 and '77 Scout IIs (His and Hers some day?)