Quoted from Darcy:Over compensating for something.
I wasn't going to say anything ... but I suspect you are into something ... 
rd
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Today we drove out to Padre Island for a look see. You drive over a series of bridges and causeways over to the island, which is surrounded by the Gulf of Mexico, a foreboding looking body of water.
We headed out to the National park, but there was only 1000s of acres of tussock covered sands, so not much to report from there ...
rd
Then we headed back to Houston.
On the way, we stopped at a little place called Refugio.
It was a very strange mix of once glorious mansions, falling down houses and boarded up shops. Really weird! I looked it up, the town dates back to the 1830s, and oil was discovered there in the 1920s which probably explains the mansions.
One of the mansions had circus trapeze in the front yard!
The most impressive one, the grey one, is 8000sqft and is for sale for $260,000.
m.trulia.com/property/1077027011-209-E-Purisima-St-Refugio-TX-78377
rd
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Check out the cool "food storage locker" store.
In the old days, before everyone had a refrigerator/freezer, you could rent space in stores like this for your food. Otherwise it'd be ruined overnight in humidity like they have down here.
Lafayette, LA
RD,
We had/ are having storms over here in Louisiana today. Curious if you all saw many birds (or dolphins) when out by SP Island?
Any pics of wildlife taken today?
The spring migration should be going on, and SE TX & SW LA are on some migration routes.
What was the weather like out there earlier today?
Quoted from oohlou:You have seen more of Texas in a few weeks than I have in 9 years of living here!
That's how we roll.
Quoted from Pinball-is-great:RD,
We had/ are having storms over here in Louisiana today. Curious if you all saw many birds (or dolphins) when out by SP Island?
Any pics of wildlife taken today?
The spring migration should be going on, and SE TX & SW LA are on some migration routes.
What was the weather like out there earlier today?
Honestly, can't say I noticed any birds out of the ordinary ...
I did see a few armadillos on the roadside though!
The weather down in Corpus was very overcast for the two days we were there. Muggy heat and windy.
Houston is dry and overcast. And dark now. 
rd
Glad you enjoyed our little town. Between the National Seashore, the theater pins and the statue of Selena you pretty much saw it all! Most of the pins in this town belong to private collectors. As for the Saltgrass Steak House, it just opened so I'll take your word that it was good. The Blue Angels were performing at our base this weekend. Shame you missed it if you're a fan of that kind of thing. Oh, and this is winter. The wind never stops blowing and this is about as cool as it gets!
Shawn
Quoted from Mk1Mod0:Most of the pins in this town belong to private collectors
Same as back home. There are a few pins out "in the wild" but 95% of them are in people's houses these days.
Quoted from Mk1Mod0:As for the Saltgrass Steak House
I've been to a few of them, and they've all been very good. Nice steaks, and a varied menu if you want something else. 10/10 in my experience.
The only issue was, every one I have been to has had a 40-60 minute wait for a table. The Corpus one was busy from midday to 11pm (we were staying next door and could see the people waiting)
rd
Regina, SK
Happy birthday Danni. Whenever someone goes to the washroom u should "accidentally" mention to your server it's their birthday! The look you get when the surprise song comes.. and hey!, free cake! Side bets on how many songs u get per trip!
Quoted from rotordave:Check out the cool "food storage locker" store.
In the old days, before everyone had a refrigerator/freezer, you could rent space in stores like this for your food. Otherwise it'd be ruined overnight in humidity like they have down here.
We actually still have these in my area. They aren't really called foot lockers here but just lockers. It's for the Amish community but the lockers have slowly disappeared over the last few years because of Amish getting battery powered freezers and fridges.
There's still an ice man in these parts delivering huge blocks of ice once a week during the summer.
Quoted from dmbjunky:If you ever want to visit an Amish community on a future trip let me know and I can show you around.
The Amish are cool. We went to Intercourse (!) in PA last trip.
Went to an Amish grocer and bought some hand made cheese and deli meats. Went for a cruise in one of their buggies.
Amish Winnn!!!
rd
Quoted from rotordave:Went to an Amish grocer and bought some hand made cheese and deli meats.
Pinball players gotta have their deli meats.
No Shasta in Amish country I assume. 
I spent 3 months working in central PA back in the mid 90's. Very nice over there along the West Branch of the Susquehanna River.
Quoted from rotordave:The Amish are cool. We went to Intercourse (!) in PA last trip.
Went to an Amish grocer and bought some hand made cheese and deli meats. Went for a cruise in one of their buggies.
Amish Winnn!!!
rd
what NO shoe fly pie?
Pukekohe
Are you upset because you're getting NIBs that you don't really like that cost upwards of $5000? Well do I have the deal for you, folks.
Don't like the new art packages coming from your favourite companies? Are you constantly riddled with disappointment from different aspects of your NIB cabinets and playfields? Well say no more, my friends. I have found the answer...
For a small $5, you can get your pin NIB, and do the art that *YOU* want to do!
Now. Want one of those pitch and bat games but don't want to cough up those 1000s of $$$ you have saved in your bank account for one? Well, again my friend, I have the classic deal for you.
With a great theme and great artwork that no one could *possibly* scoff at, your $5 will give you a *WORLD* of happiness and joy!
Start your pinball collection today!
(Machines available from Five Below...)
Quoted from Danni_NZ:Are you upset because you're getting NIBs that you don't really like that cost upwards of $5000? Well do I have the deal for you, folks.
Don't like the new art packages coming from your favourite companies? Are you constantly riddled with disappointment from different aspects of your NIB cabinets and playfields? Well say no more, my friends. I have found the answer...For a small $5, you can get your pin NIB, and do the art that *YOU* want to do!
Now. Want one of those pitch and bat games but don't want to cough up those 1000s of $$$ you have saved in your bank account for one? Well, again my friend, I have the classic deal for you.With a great theme and great artwork that no one could *possibly* scoff at, your $5 will give you a *WORLD* of happiness and joy!
Start your pinball collection today!
(Machines available from Five Below...)
Five Below should sponsor you for PAPA
)Today we went to the NASA Space Centre in Houston.
Lots of things to see.
We missed the last tour to the Mission Control Room so a nice guy chucked us in his van and gave us a private tour.
Win!
rd
I literally cried (Yeah, that's right, I'm man enough to cop to this.) when I visited Houston and saw the Saturn V. I don't think I really ever understood the ridiculous scale of that thing prior to that. It's honestly overwhelming to see in person and up close, both as a NASA nerd growing up, and just as a human being watching the sad state of space exploration the last 10 years.
Quoted from Frax:I literally cried (Yeah, that's right, I'm man enough to cop to this.) when I visited Houston and saw the Saturn V. I don't think I really ever understood the ridiculous scale of that thing prior to that. It's honestly overwhelming to see in person and up close, both as a NASA nerd growing up, and just as a human being watching the sad state of space exploration the last 10 years.
It's pretty f**king large!
The amazing thing to me (and I guess anyone with a mechanical mind) is that those space missions were made with the equivalent technology of a Gottlieb EM pinball machine. Well, maybe a little more ... but not a lot more!
rd
Quoted from rotordave:Today we went to the NASA Space Centre in Houston.
If you're still in the area, I'd suggest a brief stop at the Kemah Boardwalk. The Boardwalk Bullet wooden coaster was a lot of fun when I rode it last month. (FWIW: I rode it at night and after a light rain and had some great rides on it.) If you fancy more Saltgrass, there's one at the Kemah Boardwalk (along with a bunch of other restaurants).
Quoted from CaptK:If you're still in the area, I'd suggest a brief stop at the Kemah Boardwalk. The Boardwalk Bullet wooden coaster was a lot of fun when I rode it last month. (FWIW: I rode it at night and after a light rain and had some great rides on it.) If you fancy more Saltgrass, there's one at the Kemah Boardwalk (along with a bunch of other restaurants).
» YouTube video
http://www.kemahboardwalk.com/
Never heard of it! Bummer, as we were a few miles from there today! Could have easily popped over there. 
Looks like a sweet wood coaster.
rd
Quoted from rotordave:Today we went to the NASA Space Center in Houston
If Blake or Bruce knew you were coming to NASA, they may have been able to take you a few places where most folks don't get see. I was fortunate enough to get a VIP style tour...
Quoted from SunKing:If Blake or Bruce knew you were coming to NASA, they may have been able to take you a few places where most folks don't get see. I was fortunate enough to get a VIP style tour...
I'm guessing that's what the Spooky guys did when they were there last week ...
rd
Quoted from SunKing:If Blake or Bruce knew you were coming to NASA, they may have been able to take you a few places where most folks don't get see. I was fortunate enough to get a VIP style tour...
My wife and I are headed to Houston this weekend for a wedding and were thinking of heading to NASA on Friday to take a tour. Any tips on touring NASA? I don't know who Bruce and Blake are but if they're available to show us around, that would be great
Dave
Quoted from egyptrus:My wife and I are headed to Houston this weekend for a wedding and were thinking of heading to NASA on Friday to take a tour. Any tips on touring NASA? I don't know who Bruce and Blake are but if they're available to show us around, that would be great
Dave
I can give you the run down on the normal tour. Entry with the headphone tour is $36 each. Without the headphones, $29 each.
We were there for 4 hours. A weekday would be better than the weekends, I dare say. You get to see pretty much the stuff that I put up pictures of, plus some more inside stuff like real moonrocks etc.
Some of the exhibits are mockups, and some are the real thing.
And there is a cool wooden coaster a few miles down the road, don't you know. 
Open till 9pm.
rd
Quoted from egyptrus:My wife and I are headed to Houston this weekend for a wedding and were thinking of heading to NASA on Friday to take a tour. Any tips on touring NASA? I don't know who Bruce and Blake are but if they're available to show us around, that would be great
Dave
If you play Ingress there's a bunch of portals there, and if you want to do the missions, some of the stuff is only accessible from the tram. 
At Houston airport now for the flight to Pittsburgh for PAPA. Maybe the last ever PAPA in the current building?
Returned the rental car to Advantage. As per usual with a Toyota, it was trouble free. The Camry fitted 4 adults + Danni (and luggage) for the week long drive up to Amarillo and OKC too, no problems.
Rental stats:
- $790 total, / 25 days = $31 USD per day (pretty reasonable for a new car)
- Total miles driven: 2759 (man they add up ..)
- average MPG: 31.1, very good as that's including lots of in town driving
- seeing lots of Texas - priceless.
rd
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Quoted from dmbjunky:What's the story there?
The Papa building is up for sale.
Quoted from LOTR_breath:The Papa building is up for sale.
And the press release says a deal might be inked next month.
rd
Quoted from WaddleJrJr:Buying it for when NZ doesn't have enough space left to hold your collection?
With the greatest of respects to Pittsburgh I could think of better places in the States to live.
rd
Quoted from rotordave:- seeing lots of Texas - priceless.
rd
Rusty's Tacos is upset that they didn't make the priceless list.
Have a safe trip and kick some ass at PAPA Danni_NZ
rotordave !
Marcus
Quoted from Xerico:Rusty's Tacos is upset that they didn't make the priceless list.
Have a safe trip and kick some ass at PAPA danni_nz rotordave !
Marcus
The Rusty Taco was all good!
rd
We are playing in a PAPA pre-Comp at the KickBack Cafe in Pittsburgh. 3 strike head to head.
Pretty cool place. They have about 20 pins here, all seem pretty good. BYOB if you want a beer.
Check out the flooring ... pretty cool ...
rd
My first two games were shitters.
Apologies to Hobbit owners .. but Hobbit makes WOZ look as good as Twilight Zone. Haha!!
Eric Wagonnsonner and I had an "epic" battle on Indiana Jones and I knocked him out.
Next game I had a pretty sweet first ball on POTC ... enough points to plunge all the other balls and still get the GC.
Thanks to GeneX for the photo!
rd
Quoted from rotordave:We are playing in a PAPA pre-Comp at the KickBack Cafe in Pittsburgh. 3 strike head to head.
Pretty cool place. They have about 20 pins here, all seem pretty good. BYOB if you want a beer.
Check out the flooring ... pretty cool ...
rd
Dig those pop bumper tables too!
Quoted from rotordave:With the greatest of respects to Pittsburgh I could think of better places in the States to live.
rd
As a Cincinnati BENGALS fan, I wholeheartedly agree!!!!!!! Minus the "respects" piece too!
Newcastle
Quoted from rotordave:Long term Pinsiders will remember the frequent toilet discussions we have had over the years. Mainly focusing on the bad design of USA porcelain ware and the propensity for it to get clogged up with clag!
The Drury hotel we are staying at in San Antonio has the first dual flush cistern I can recall seeing in the USA. Its an Aussie made Caroma brand. It also has a Caroma pan, with "rest of the world" clag removal technology! I had to laugh when I saw it has instructions on the top These toilets are mandatory in all new builds in Aus/NZ and have been for 10-15 years now.
The new Caroma dual flush cisterns are 2 litre flush for "#1s" and 4.5 litre (only 1.1 gallon) flush for "#2s" .. as opposed to new USA toilets which are 6 litres EVERY flush and old USA toilets which are up to 5-7 gallons of water per flush!!
Those new Caroma toilets are quoted as saving around 9000 gallons of water per toilet per annum on average usage. That's a lot of water dude!! That would end California's perennial drought problems, if you think about it ...
This interesting plumbing discussion bought to you by your friendly commercial property developer, Mr RD!
rd
Just read through the whole thread, impressed that there is a real toilet over there somewhere. I'm not a fan of the usual high tide design that the places I've stayed at always seem to have.
The A Bank at PAPA. Games this year are crazy tough. Most of the Sterns have lightning flippers added. Amazing what a difference they make to a game, you flip to save the ball which would be an easy save on a normal machine, and you miss the ball altogether.
The PAPA curse has struck again ... the minute I walked in the door my throat starts to hurt. Must be the change in temperatures, it is only 50 degrees here today, vs 80-90 in Texas. So I stopped playing for the day. Off to the pharmacy for some medicine.
Danni qualified top of the Juniors, they are having the playoffs now.
rd
Quoted from rotordave:We are playing in a PAPA pre-Comp at the KickBack Cafe in Pittsburgh. 3 strike head to head.
Pretty cool place. They have about 20 pins here, all seem pretty good. BYOB if you want a beer.
Check out the flooring ... pretty cool ...
rd
That Kickback Cafe looks awesome! (However, did I see some insert-wear on that floor!?!) 
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