Schmidtlapper? : 10 30 2022

      Something new for the 'Rundover' Store's collection of Harley-Davidson accessories, it' a HARLEY-DAVIDSON New Era 59/50 Embroidered Logo Fitted Hat. Only $45 on the H-D site, but make us an offer.  Operators are sitting by.  I'm guessing the Statewide Safety Systems hat won't have quite the same draw though.  The steel ruler in the center of all this is not a new find.  I saw it 6 or 8 weeks ago and set it on the median to hopefully pick up on the return leg of the run.  Missed it that day, and thought to come back in the car after the next two runs on that route, but it didn't happen.  Then we were gone for a couple of weeks, but on today's run it was still sitting in the median of the road patiently waiting for me.  So I decided to run the last few miles carrying the 3' metal ruler and hopefully not looking like I was leading the band with it.  Ok, I've found a zillion, or more accurately, half a zillion work gloves but who knows, maybe I would need to Maxi-Flex today and what if I couldn't put my hands on (or in) a pair of these babies??  What a travesty that would be,  Yikes!  

     27 pennies, 12 dimes, 3 nickels, and 2 quarters out there today so I did 'hit for the cycle' and in the dirt at curb-side, trying to blend in,  I saw a socket to go toward the 'extended cycle'.   I saw a lug-nut embedded in the road early on to complete 'the cycle' and was really hoping I wouldn't have to go back there and dig it out--you know, it's the principle of the thing, and then there's all those cars driving over it.  But there was one out in the middle of an intersection, just a shining in the sun waiting for me so yes, we 'hit for the extended cycle.'  There's been so many time I've missed getting all four coins on a run, I've wondered if that should also have a name, something like a 'Three Fingered Pete', 'Two Toe'd Schmidtlapper ', or a One Eyed Willie?  Nah, guess not.  But Schmidtlapper or not, thanks Creator of all things for all these little symbols of Your infinite abundance. 

Chance Made Us Colleagues : 10 29 2022

 

    Yup, bolt-zilla, I think I found it's brother in Marble Falls, or was it McGregor? It's already starting to blend together after a week back. Haven't run this route in 3 weeks but expected that stuff would have had time to accumulate.  And it did.  That's a very small 10mm wrench, good in close quarters I'm thinking.  I might have left that thick contractor trash bag in the street except I'm all out of them, so thank you! There was a small roll of electrical tape, which will stay in the car.  Somebody lost their medical insurance card but it has the doctor's address so it might get back home.  How'd it get in the road though?  There was a small medallion that was half buried in the mud along the curb with an interesting inscription, "Chance made us colleagues. But craziness made us friends." It was part of a charm maybe, or a bracelet?  'Da Googles' wasn't sure either but it's an interesting sentiment.  To the left of the charm is an RFID asset tracker, I think that's the first one I've run across.  And of course I 'hit for the cycle' again today, in fact twice.  The coins were a little rough after having been driven over like they were.  But I'm always thankful for all the little treasures, run over or not.  And a little amazed how it all continues to 'find' me.

NINJA-ICE! : 10 28 2022

 

     Monday's warm rain made it a fun run.  And today's rain definitely sucked.  It was cold, it was windy, and for once I didn't overdress and I should have.  I think 'Somebody' was making up for it by having all that fun stuff for me to find.  There was a Risk and  The Game Of Life out in the road on Rufe Snow with game cards and game money blowing everywhere.  I don't remember there being a 10 sided dice but I now have one.  That large Life game wheel was at the curb and very flat so it's doubtful that anyone will spin their way to Millionaire Acres with it ever again.  There was an EMR Elevator hat which I had never heard of.  Is it a club? Is the elevator where they meet?  Do they have a secret handshake?  Questions for the ages.  There was a, drum roll.............. black Ninja-Ice glove awaiting today!!  I found a Ninja-Flex back on 8/9/22 but this is an upgrade, it's lined to keep your hands warm on those cold covert missions.  I didn't see any ninjas in the rain today but it's just as well.  By the time you see them it's too late.  I found a clicker for a VW near a car wash which still works and has a spare key.  I suppose I could drive around pressing the alarm button and when I hear something I'll know where to return it to.  Or not. (really honey, I was just kidding.......and there's the internationally famous eye-roll, right on time-whuhuoy!)  I also found a ring which looks like it has a silver band and a very shiny diamond-ish look to it.  Not  sure how to find the owner on that one, I may have to consult my smarter (and cuter!) other half.  Next, I found a "I Love My Lab" car or fridge magnet for either a mad scientist or a dog lover.  With the bone shape I'm leaning toward dog lover.  And lastly, I 'hit for the cycle' once again and the last coin was the nickel found along the curb on Rufe Snow.  I have loads of found nickels from everywhere I've run but this is the first bent nickel I've seen.  I thought since they were thicker that wouldn't happen, but lo and behold!  Anyway, thank you Creator of all things that I didn't get washed away in all the rain and wind this morning.  Thank you for the days when it's not raining buckets and 50 degrees.  And thanks for all the little treasures.  Let's do this again tomorrow (sans the rain please!)

Found Is Found : 10 27 2022

 

     Today had started out following in yesterday's footsteps, I was finding change from start to finish.  Yesterday, where all the vehicles on the streets managed to hold on to their bolts, washers and NutsInTheRoad, today it's more business as usual.  Good news for all the repair shops out there.  I almost reached the train crossing in time to help again, I was about 30 sec off though and it crossed without me.  Poor little train, all by itself, with all those big scary cars at the crossing without me to keep them stopped and wave it through (see 10/26/22 & others)--Ha!  Ok then, the pencil I found passing a car wash.  Actually, it was there, I did the passing.  It wasn't very sharp at the time, I get that though, I'm the same way in the morning.  That small metal thing below and right of the pencil I recognized, it's a pin to pop the sim card out of a cell phone.  I guess if people lose cell phones, why not these too?  I 'hit for the cycle' again today (penny,nickel,dime,quarter) even if I had to fall back on an extra quarter I had found on the route and stashed a few days ago.  Hey---found is found.  More importantly,  thanks Creator of all for the sunny day, the wherewithal to go get at it, and all these little symbols of Your infinite abundance.  Yeayuh!

Awwww...... It's Just Money : 10 26 2022

 

     What, no pig-iron??  In fact, except for the 18" x 30" door mat in the road a block before I finished, all I saw was money.  Everybody together....awwwwww.  Ha! I was running early and it didn't start getting light until the last 10 min or so but I was well lit including a "headlight" for my ball cap.  So I could pretty much see the curb line and where I was running and that's all the 'stuff' that I saw, or rather that's all that found me.  I 'hit for the cycle' again and I'm mystified by how the change shows up, but it's no huge surprise.  Just another example of how amazingly blessed I am.  

     It was train day today.  I have to cross the RR tracks four times on this route and I met the train on three passes.  The 1st time, on Davis Blvd I got there just as the train was passing so really no chance to 'help it across.'  Passing that same spot on the way back the train stopped at the Smithfield station which gave me plenty of time.  Time to step into the road and stop the already stopped cars on both sides.  Then, to direct the train 'safely' through the intersection which it was going to do anyway.  And then send the cars back along Davis which they were also going to do anyway.  It was still really dark out so I couldn't see inside any of the vehicles to see if anybody got the humor, but I was wearing two flashing lights and a light on my hat so I'm pretty sure they saw me.  The last crossing was on Holiday Ln and wouldn't you know, just as I was approaching, the crossing arms start down.  This time it went the same way but I could see smiles and thumbs up from the people waiting.  We all have to wait there, why not have a little fun while we're at it?  And those smiles most certainly multiply.

Hey, Bungalo Bill : 10 25 2022

     Looks like Bungalo Bill dropped another 9mm cartridge in the road today.  It must be ammo week, I found a .243 Winchester shell in the street yesterday, go figure.  I enjoyed the rainy run yesterday, but it was nice to have dry streets, blue skies, and cool temps this morning.  I see a lot of gloves and the names can be a little crazy.  Not the Ninja-Flex ones mind you, but Gorilla Grip, Big Worm Fishing, and the Gripster make me wonder who's running the ship?  Another Maxi-Flex today to go with the one back on 8/3/22.  There was a nylon strap I found, I think it could be useful, but I'm not sure what it went to.  There was another lug-nut avec le lug, come on folks, tighten-ez-vous already.  I found a socket extension passing a gas station today and it's a good length. I have some longer and shorter than this one so it will fit right in.  There was a really small Allen wrench, it must have gotten away from the group and gotten lost.  The change today came slowly but surely this morning, a quarter, three dimes and five pennies.  No nickel, at least that I saw but I suppose that makes up for the seven I found in the rain yesterday.  Regardless, thank you Creator of all for all the little symbols of Your infinite abundance.  Over and out.

SOAKED IS SOAKED : 10 24 2022

   

   It was raining hard and had been for a while.  This was one of those run in the rain days where if I was thinking ahead and had taken a bar of soap with me I could have worked out and showered at the same time.  It was the kind of downpour that when I got sprayed by a pickum-up truck that's hugging the edge of the road, I couldn't get any wetter.  I mean, soaked is soaked.  And no complaints here, it really was fun splashing around out there.  And you get a little more of a workout because your clothes and especially your shoes weigh more because they're so wet.  Everybody seemed especially friendly today, they wave you past them at driveways, and I have to wonder if they're giving me a "well bless his heart."  This was a route I'd run before, both times it was because I had an early dentist appointment (shout out to Dr Wong) and I thought I'd wait and run afterward.  There were lots of little treasures awaiting today, little surprises from start to finish.   That little squeezy guy at the top left is a 4" Big Eye Squish Confetti Stress Relief Ball, just the thing for anyone that drives the Dallas North Tollway.   The Toyota emblem on the right is a Center Hub Cap from a 2016 Highlander---how does 'Da Googles' know all this??  Above that is an Omcan 8 oz red pebbled Tumbler, probably run you a buck apiece.  The radiator cap at bottom right is usable and can keep all those gas caps I've found company in the automotive tub in the 'Rundover' Store.  Lots of NutsInTheRoad, ten plus two lug-nuts, picked up by, yes, OneMoreNutInTheRoad.  Yeah, yeah.  Moving on, there was another CATV F-type terminator cap plus an RG6 coax cable connector, which might come in handy, someday assuming it doesn't get lost between then and now.  There was one quarter, three dimes, seven nickels, and twenty pennies out there in the rain today, so it really doesn't matter.  Rain or shine the shiny pennies will still find me.  Lastly, thank you Creator of  All Things for the wherewithal to go splash around in the streets, sidewalks, medians, and curb lines today. 

Well Hush My Mouth! : 10 23 2022

     Back to the house, first run and I'm picking up (pun intended) right where I left off.  I 'hit for the extended cycle' (penny,nickel,dime,quarter,socket,lug-nut), found a screwdriver attachment, microfiber towel, a couple of hats, and assorted pig-iron.  Go figure.  One of the beat up hats was of the $20 new and "I'll give you two bucks to take it" used variety.  Founder Hamilton Carhartt launched the brand back in 1889 so it appears he left a legacy.  Wonder who's running the store now?  The other hat was lost by Darryl Flood who offers relocation services.   You know, the pick you up and move your stuff kind, and to pretty much anywhere.  Good for you Darryl.  I would have expected to have seen that hat in the area south of Waco that we just returned from actually.  They're building new subdivisions everywhere, especially along Ron Reagan Frwy.   That round thing at the upper right I had no clue about but I picked it up because I was curious.  And once again 'Da Googles' comes through, it's a $40 steering wheel cap for a Minneapolis Moline or an Allis Chalmers tractor.  Well hush my mouth and call me Stinky!  I had no idea.  Well, that's a proud new addition to the line of fine farm equipment at The 'Rundover' Store.  Ha!

    The timing was perfect as I passed the RR crossing on Rufe Snow today.  I had just passed when the "ding ding ding.." started and the crossing arms start down.  Which gave me plenty of time to look and see where it was, and to step out in the road, stop the already stopped cars, and wave the oncoming train safely through the intersection which it was going to do anyway.  And everybody in the first 3 or 4 rows of cars that could see this silliness honked, or waved or gave me a thumbs up.  I love it when people 'get it.'  And I think with all the meanness we hear about, it's nice to have something lighthearted to counterbalance it.  Moving on, there was a plastic clip with a hook and it has an 11 on the other side so a size 11 'something' was hanging on it.  The first 3 or 4 things I picked up were beat up quarters in the road (and I couldn't buy a quarter yesterday), 4 in all today.  There was a beat up nickel and dime and 4 &1/2 pennies.  I guess you could leave the half penny as a tip someplace where the service was really bad.  Actually, no, no sense adding to the bad karma on that one.  We'll just say thank you Creator of All for part of a shiny penny and the symbol of your infinite abundance  And sense of humor.

BACK SAFE! : 10 22 2022

     Last run in Liberty Hill, and just as I'm never sure what I'll find on a run, I'm never sure sometimes what route I'll end up running and today was a bad day to get lost.  We had an 11am checkout time where we were staying and although I had plenty of time for a short run of 4-6 miles, 8-plus was definitely NOT the the plan on a travel day.  And to look out on the return part of the route and see totally new landscape around you was bad.  And worse, once I finally got to where there was some familiar landmarks, I realized I was WAY off course and had no option but to keep going.  And 2-3 miles of it was uphill on a road with a very uneven shoulder (where there was one).  Crapola!!!  I ended up doing a good 10K pace, especially on the uphill parts instead of a lookin-around-pace but again, that was not the plan.  Fortunately I hadn't picked up a lot of heavy 'pig-iron' to lug around, and the last half I was really selective on what I slowed to pick up,with just that trick-or-treat bag and a penny in the asphalt.  

     There were a lot of the usual suspects today and for some reason I kept finding nickels along the should of the road, five of them eventually.  I would have 'hit for the cycle' but for a missing quarter which I saw three times on yesterday's run.  Go figure.  Anyway, for 5 nickels, two dimes, and 3 pennies I say thank you Creator of all things for these little symbols of Your infinite abundance, also for helping me to get back in the nick of time and in one piece!  I found a Stripes card too and I had never seen one before, seems it's a re-loadable gift card for their convenience stores.  It says on the site that you load your cash on their card, and then you can use the card at their stores for gas & etc.  Unless it's a gift from someone else wouldn't it be easier to just spend the cash instead of loading the card and then spending it?  The site says "TREAT THE CARD AS CASH" (their emphasis) and they won't refund your money once your load the card.  That's a great racket if you're the card issuer.  There was a very useful combination Master Lock along the curbline, which was open so what's on it might be the right combination.  Otherwise there's 9,999 other combinations to check.  I found a Stainless Steel Quick-Link and although I use these with our car hitch, these are great to join sections of loose chain.  That Walmart Happy Halloweiner bag still had the $1.74 price tag on it.  Thankfully it was made in Vietnam instead of the expected China, Wally World seems to love China.  There ware a couple of keys which I won't keep (you're welcome honey!), one a house key and the smaller one could be a padlock or most anything I guess.  There was another Quality Inns room key card and since I see so many of these lying around I have to wonder now if they're just supposed to be thrown away instead of returned.  In that case, Zippy, you missed the trash can by a mile!  Again, for 5 nickels, two dimes and 3 pennies, and also for getting me back safely, thank you Creator of All Things!

PRESIDENTS : 10 21 2022

 

     Another 1st, for all you history buffs, we found a vintage 'Presidents of the USA Educational Placemat' with everyone thru Slick Willie Clinton.  I just checked with 'Da Googles' who found it on Ebay for a whole $5.   Wonder where's it been for the last 21 years?  (you'd best study this, there'll probably be a presidents question on the mid-term).  Next there was another Lotto scratch-off 2nd chance ticket which means we have another 5 entries in the hopper for a trip to the CMA awards. Some days it's lug-nut day, some days it's penny day, today it was washer day, and that's not even all of them. Just the 'pretty' ones.  Go figure. 

     There was another Super Secret 'Ninja Flex' Spy glove today, oddly enough a red one.  You'd think they'd have black gloves which I'm sure they do, this one must be a decoy, a red herring so to speak (pun very much intended).  I found another credit card today and for the 2nd time in a row when I tried to look that person up on Spokeo, there was no record of that name anywhere in Texas.  So either that's the incognito Ninja Flex glove person, or it's one of our out of town undocumented visitors that liked it here so much they decided to stay.  Ok, as long as they pull their own weight (and learn the language!).   There was another Apple USB charger cord today, and this will go in the 'Rundover' Store's electronics section as I'm not an Apple guy.  Or at least not since 2006-ish.

     There's other stuff in the picture that, like most days I don't mention, but I picked it up because I thought it was interesting.  It also give me choices on what to 'talk' about at least because I never know what I'm going to find out there.  After the pockets start to get full I'm usually a little more selective---ut-oh--- here it comes, the internationally famous eye-roll.  Seriously honey, there's stuff out there that I actually don't pick up!  Lastly, there pennies, nickels, and dimes today but I didn't see any quarters (or sockets either) so no 'hitting for the cycle'.  But I'm still grateful for all these little blessings.  And it's more fun to have to extricate a penny from the asphalt in the road anyway!

Running With Sharp Objects : 10 20 1022

    Another first!  Yes, that is Benjamin Franklin and he was face up on the shoulder of the road in Liberty Hill TX. I ran in much bigger Georgetown yesterday and expected I'd probably go back somewhere over there instead of smaller brother Liberty Hill.  Little did I know (see Karen Eiffel-'Stranger Than Fiction') that my 1st 100 dollar bill would be waiting along the road there.  And, lots of things had to be just right to have found it, I had to be on that stretch of road, the bill had to be where I could see it, I had to be looking that way, and hopefully it hadn't blown away before I got there.  I did find a prop $100 bill once and didn't look close at it to see it was fake until I got to the house.  Felt better that some delivery guy or etc didn't lose a real one.  About today's bill, there's no way to know where it came from and if you ask, who's not going to say, "sure, I lost that hundred".  Ok then, getting back to the normal stuff, there was a yellow ping pong ball that 'Da Googles' says is from a Prince Classic 4-Player Set.  Now ya know.  There was a little baby bungee cord, they're so cute at that age.  There were two wrenches today, a 1/2" and a combo 8mm -- 10mm, and I guess they and the punch to the left can join the 'Rundover' Store's tool section.  Everything for your puttering around the house needs.  There was a giant hook with a ring for a strap that I almost left there (it's OK honey, do the internationally famous eye-roll thing...) as it just had one little kink to straighten out.  That may explain why a lot of this stuff gets picked up, I like to fix things, it's the challenge I suppose.  I expect my honey would appreciate me being a little less challenged though. 

     The knife I found at an intersection about a mile from finishing up and I tried to get the blade to close, with no success.  So, (no pocket of course) I did my best to hold it in a hand keeping it out of sight.  There's just something off about waving back at someone who waved you thru a street crossing when you have a knife in your hand.  That small circuit board at the top isn't good for anything, I just grabbed it as a symbol of how there's electronics everywhere and that everything just gets smaller all the time.  There were coins throughout the route today, 3 quarters, 2 nickels, 3 dimes, and 15 pennies and the last few pennies I had to extract from the asphalt.  Fortunately I had just found this really BIG extraction tool to dig them out.  Ha!  So, I 'hit for the cycle' twice over today (penny,nickel,dime,quarter)-- woo and hoo!  At some point I'm going to have to think of a good use for all these little road treasures.  Maybe they'll go toward a new pair of running shoes, they only last 2 or 3 months until it's time for new ones.  Despite finding change every day, it's not any kind of money making activity when you consider the cost of running shoes, the wear and tear on me, and the cost of the daily nutrition stuff to allow me to get out and get at it.  The Access Fat Burning Powder, the branch chain amino acids, and Sustain Sports drink I use daily aren't hugely expensive but offset whatever I coinage I might find, even Benjamins included.  

SNUG YOUR LUG! : 10 19 2022

 

     New day, new town, new route, same result.   Tools, lug-nuts, coins, pig-iron, some things never change it seems.  Running around in Georgetown today, and right off the bat we have tools.  First there was a $25.00 pair of channel lock pliers in the dirt at an intersection.   I guess I have to ask, why call them channel lock?  Well, according to 'Da Googles' they were named after Chanellock, the American company that produced them. You probably don't have to remember that, I doubt if it's on the mid-term.  There was another Allen wrench today (thank you Allen) as well as another star-bit adapter for a drill, both I can find a use for.  Ok now, there were 5 more lug-nuts in the road on today's run and 3 still had the lug attached.  The lugs were loose and could be unscrewed which leads me to believe that somebody never tightened them down.  Whuhuoy!!  Three take-aways for today: put your credit cards back in your wallet when you're done stimulating the economy, don't put ANYTHING on the roof of the car, and for cryin-out-loud 'Snug Your Lug!'

     The hexagonal shaped metal thing below the lug-nuts has L.E. 10.9 stamped on it and I wanted to see what it was, but 'Da Googles' couldn't pin it down.  Oh well.  Next, that small purple ball above the Allen wrench, best guess, held a Pokemon 2021 Galarian Ponya Bandai action figure.  As my honey says, "whatever melts your butter."  Moving to the left there's two purple tire air valve stem caps and I guess if you're going to go purple you might as well go all the way.  The feather I had to pick up because my Honey likes them, and I just have to not mangle them before I get back.  Seven quarters, four dimes, nine pennies, and what I hoped was a nickel (to 'hit for the extended cycle') were scattered about.  Sadly the nickel was really a slug so no 'cycle', but still it makes me laugh to think of how all those little treasures happened to find me (again!).  Thank you Creator once more for a nice day, the wherewithal to go get at it, and for all these little symbols of Your infinite abundance.  Oh yeayuh!

Good-Bye 'Falls' : 10 18 2022

 

     20 more chances in the hopper for a CMT Awards Weekend Getaway!  Yahoo!  I run across a lot of Lotto scratch-offs but haven't seen any 2nd chance drawing tickets in quite a few months.  This is one case where I'm glad somebody blatantly pitched their trash out the window.   This is the last run in Marble Falls, we head for Liberty Hill this afternoon and 'The Falls' gave me a nice send off.  The usual smattering of pig-iron, a couple of Lug-nuts and a bunch of change.  I spotted one of the pennies stuck in the asphalt in a lane of traffic and extracted it with a nail I found yesterday.  I knew it would come in handy.  And once again I found, in a place I've run past several times before, something I needed to 'hit for the cycle' again.  I needed a dime today and shortly before I finished I found two.  A couple of small but appreciated treasures, thank- you Big Guy!!

You Just Know : 10 17 2022

     It's not unusual to see some kind of fruit or veggie along the curb and today I found the first baby carrot.  They're so cute at that age.  There was a drill key for a corded drill out there today and although I think I have one, I'm not sure where so I'll add this to the power tool cabinet.  It was all smaller stuff today, no 'bolt-zilla' or gigantic anything so kind of an easy carry day.  I do have a lot of micro-fiber towels by now but we've used a lot of them keeping the windshield clean on this trip so I picked this one up while passing a, what else, car-wash.  I found that dime that I was missing yesterday, and it was out there where I should have seen it and ran right past.  Go figure.  So, instead of 'hitting for the extended cycle' yesterday, I 'H-F-T-E-C' today if you count that sorta-kinda-might be on a small kind of wheel nut as a lug-nut (and yes, curiously, it was picked up OneMoreNutInTheRoad....who knew?)  I was having trouble finding a quarter today instead of those sometimes elusive nickels but found one in an unlikely spot, where I hadn't explored before along a street I'd missed, and then found two more along the curb for good measure.  It just goes to show, you never know where or when.  You just know.  

THANKS MOM! : 10 16 2022

     Second run in Marble Falls TX and even though I had run most of this route yesterday, there were still three quarters, 4 nickels and six pennies that found me.  Missed the dime to have 'hit for the extended cycle'  (penny,nickel,dime,quarter,socket,lug-nut) but I'm pretty sure it was there and I somehow missed it.  Wouldn't be the first time.  There were 3 more lug-nuts out there today, and all told, if lug-nuts were dollars, I'd be a hundred-aire several times over by now.   There was another credit card in the street today, a Visa Debit from Wells Fargo.  Although their people are very nice on the phone when you call, it's pretty much worthless trying to get any help from them reporting a lost card, they just suggest that I look up a Wells Fargo location and then drive all the way over there to give them their card back-- another reason I stay with my Credit Union.  There was a strap and hook at the upper left that I passed by yesterday which didn't 'make the pocket' then, but somehow seemed more interesting today and here it is.  There was a music CD, by a British group named Dirty Vegas, and after checking out a track (Days Go By) I think these guys might be kinda interesting.  We'll see.  The little pink ball in the middle of the CD, well, Pepto Bismal pink, how could I miss it?  There was a hotel room key card and I love the instructions on these, especially "ensure to close door behind you." I keep forgetting that one and someone ends up stealing all my bath towels.  Two more sockets were on the ground, the dark 11/32" one was a tough spot in the dirt, but I did a 180 and went back to look.  The other one was an 8mm, a change from the 10s and 13s I usually run across.  It was a nice morning to run, blue skies, cool breeze, and I even had an encouraging shout out from somebody who had a mic and speaker in their vehicle.  You don't see that very often.  I just got a flashback to some of my high school track meets where my mom would be in the bleachers yelling "run you turkey, run!"  Ha!  Thanks mom!
       

BIT-ZILLA : 10 15 2022

 

     I'm running in Marble Falls for the next few days, and all the shiny pennies, lug-nuts and assorted pig iron must have gotten the memo because they were already here.  First, that's one ginormous masonry bit that I found on the curb line.  It's not something that will fit in my pocket or in the running belt so it got stashed in the grass to retrieve when I was done.   I keep finding oversized stuff in the road on this trip, there's been huge washers, there was Bolt-zilla on the 11th, and now, it's cousin Bit-zilla.  I can't wait for the Japanese sci-fi monster movie to come out: Bolt-zilla vs Bit-zilla, the fate of the Earth hangs in the balance!!  There were a couple more s-hooks today and I may keep the small one with penny "extraction tools" (small screwdriver and a sheet-rock nail) to get things like sockets out of the asphalt. 

     Four lug-nuts in the road today tells me they're not using a lug wrench to tighten those bolts here either.  Lots of washers out there and you'd think there would be a bolt for each of them somewhere.  There were a couple of very long skinny machine screws that kind of look familiar but I'm not placing them.  And, since 'Da Googles' was busy it's a mystery what they do.  I missed 'hitting for the cycle' today, once again it was that elusive nickel.  But, I'm always thankful for that first shiny penny, so the rest is just icing on the cake.  Lastly, thank you Creator of all things for the really nice morning, for the wherewithal to go out there and get at it, and for all the little symbols of Your infinite abundance.  Yeayuh (yes, all three syllables!)

GO BULLDOGS! : 10 14 2022

 

      Last day at Mother Neff State Park, ran in McGregor again, and I have to give a shout out to McGregor High School and the really cool mural on a building in town.  It had their football field, their band and students, a really big McGregor Bulldog mascot, a huge can of Bulldog food, and the listed ingredients were their opponents, and the dates and where they played them.  (see above)   I love it!!  Go Bulldogs!!  

     I ran most of the same route I ran on Tuesday in McGregor but since we were packing up to travel I cut it a little short.  I still found all kinds of interesting stuff in the street and surrounding areas, like a center cap for a tire on a Ford F250 pick'em up truck anywhere from 2005-2016.  I found that right off the bat and stashed it along a drainage ditch to pick up (pun intended) at the end of my run.  I found a change purse at another gas station air pump but fortunately there wasn't a credit card or anything important in it (unlike Wed's run).  At a car wash I passed I saw another microfiber towel and that will get added to the shop-towel group in the 'Rundover' Store.  There weren't any lug-nuts today but there was a very large, shiny, lug-nut cover.  There were a couple of pens out there, one from the Rocket Federal Credit Union, the other was from the Holland America Line.  Thank you both for the gift.  There was a little person sock, just one, so somebody has a bare foot.  There was a lot of change out there today and 4 of the pennies I had to dig out of the asphalt, I always love the challenge.  With 5 quarters, 3 nickels, a dime, and 12 pennies found today I definitely hit for the cycle (penny,nickel,dime,quarter).  There were a number of coins that I'm sure I already ran past at least once this week but didn't see until today including all the pennies stuck in the asphalt.  It's interesting how your view and what you see changes depending upon time of day, what the traffic's doing , and where you just happened to be looking.  Anyway, thank you Creator of all things for all these little symbols of Your infinite abundance. Yeayuh!!

So, No Pudding? : 10 13 2022

 

 

     A different route and city today, I thought I'd explore Moody TX which is kind of a hiccup on the map.  It was mostly residential with a number of businesses and it had once been a lot more active, but now has as many shuttered stores as not.  I parked next to the only gas station for miles and ran both the business and residential streets.  Although there were cars going by there just wasn't the wash of pig-iron I see elsewhere from cars slowly falling apart in the road.  I knew there'd have to be a shiny penny waiting for me somewhere and it eventually showed up, stuck in the asphalt in the middle of the road (the tar side is up in the picture).  I always love finding those, first as it's a challenge to get out, and 2nd as a thumb-your-nose kind of thing--other people might have seen it first but I was the one who knew what to do about it. There were a couple of other near misses, like the car wash token that looked like a quarter from a distance, and the plug from an electrical box that looked like a nickel.   But that really shiny penny was at a RR crossing right by the tracks, impossible to miss.  Maybe too insignificant for a lot of people to bend over to pick up, but me, I see it as one more symbol of the Creator of All Things' infinite abundance.  You have to appreciate the little stuff if you're going to really appreciate the big stuff too.  Rounding things out, there was a purple pencil I found in the road outside the Moody Elementary School, and a pick tool that I think is used with a snap ring like the one I found yesterday.  Running around the railroad crossings I found several cousins of "Bolt-zilla" that I wrote about yesterday.  I think it's safe to say that these giant bolts hold the RR ties down, although the one yesterday wasn't near any tracks. But I did leave the 3 or 4 that I saw today just where they were, that should be worth an extra cookie and pudding, right honey? (really babe, still I get the 'internationally famous' eye-roll?)

Over and Over and Over Again : 10 12 2022

      

     We're still at Mother Neff State Park, I  decided to run in McGregor again today and picked a different route from Tues.  Found another credit card inside a small wallet at the air pump of a gas station today.  I really expected I'd reach the owner, but finally gave up and called Bank of America and reported it.  The little Victoria's Secret wallet it was in goes for $12 used so I guess we have a new addition to the 'Rundover' Store's collection of 'fine' women's accessories. Operators are sitting by.   

     What you see here today and every day is representative of what's out there everywhere I go.  Yesterday it was McGregor, before that Robinson, before that North Richland Hills, before that Keller, before that Ft Worth, and on and on and on. I can expect there'll be pennies, tools, lug-nuts, sockets, credit cards, phones, and lots and lots of bolts and assorted pig-iron that's fallen off somebody's vehicle,  hence the title, "OneMoreNutInTheRoad."  Since we'll be traveling it will be interesting to see if there's any patterns to what I find in one town compared to another.  I'll let you know.  Anyway, it seems the pig-iron in McGregor is definitely larger than most places, as you can see by the ginormous NutinTheRoad at the upper right and Bolt-zilla yesterday.  There were 3 more lug-nuts today so it appears people out here don't snug them down any better than anywhere else I've run.  I see snap rings out there but haven't thought to include them so here's the first one.  To the right of that is again something different, I think it's some kind of schmancy hitch clip.  There was another engine coolant cap in the road so I'm guessing somebody's going to be needing to add coolant/antifreeze sometime soon.  The heart shaped glass jar was at the curb-line and had that little bear and the lip balm inside it.  I think it's some kind of artsy favor bottle, and 'Da Googles' thought so too.  

     There was the usual smattering of change out there and there were two pennies and a nickel stuck in the asphalt.  Which was nice, I love a little challenge and prying them out of the road, when the traffic cleared, was that.  I did 'hit for the cycle' today (penny,nickel,dime,quarter) but I almost didn't see the quarter on the ground as I passed a gas station.  I had stopped a sec to say howdy to the UPS guy gassing up that big ol brown 'oven on wheels' he drives and I had started back out when it occurred to me that in a small town like this he might recognize the name on the credit card I found (to help return it).  So I doubled back and asked the question and spotted the quarter that I'm sure I had probably already stepped on. So, it does pay to try to do a good deed, in this case a whole 25 cents!  In addition there were 3 dimes, two nickels, and six pennies which isn't going to buy much, but it's the idea of all these little treasures out there finding me. Over and over and over again.  So thank you Creator of all things for all these little symbols of Your infinite abundance.  Over and over and over again. 

BOLT-ZILLA!. : 10 11 2022

 

     Seems it was pig-iron on steroids day today judging from the collection of metal cast-offs.  The washer at the bottom right was about the biggest one I've found on my runs and I was wondering what could have possibly lost something that size.   Then I came across Boltzilla and I really wondered what big ol beast was losing parts.  Even the NutsInTheRoad and the lug-nuts were large.  Must be something in the water.  On the other end of the scale there were two socket pieces, one a 1/4 to 3/8" adapter and the other looks to be around 3/8"-ish.  It was stuck in the asphalt and I haven't scraped away the tar yet to see.  There was a to-go pack of Clorox disinfecting wipes along the curb-line which will get pitched after the picture is taken. You kill germs but at a price with those, I use Sol-u-Guard which is botanical and does a better job. I wash out the sports drink bottles I use every day with it even. You have to ask yourself, how many unnecessary chemicals do I need to expose myself to every day?  I'm sure there are plenty of other threats out there (like lysol) to worry about, no sense adding to the list. 

     I find a lot of gloves while running, not always in pairs and not the sturdy leather ones I saw today.  The switch blade knife at the lower left was open sitting out on the median and it was very sharp. Fortunately it retracted as carrying share knives in my running shorts pockets isn't very high up on my list.   I wasn't sure how may coins there'd be (beyond the shiny penny I always expect) but 3 dimes and 14 pennies showed up today.  These small blessings never cease to amaze me. But lastly thank you Creator of all things for the wherewithal to get out there again today, and for all the silly stuff that seems to find me!

The Minnie Moustercard. : 10 10 2022

      The Minnie Mousetercard, don't leave Disneyland without it. And here I thought I had seen it all. Truly you just never know what you're going to find on these runs. Next to our Mousetercard I found a Republic Gun Club beer can koozie.  Beer and guns, that's surely a match made in heaven.  Above that there's a WHAM squishy ball. Kinda says it all, don't it?  

     At the top we have Nutzilla! Not sure what that fell off of but it has to be ginormous!  There were some of the usual suspects today, like a 13mm socket and another iPhone USB charger cord.  There was another Dumbo feather (nope, no flying today either) and a little kid shoe. I've seen how little guys can kick off the shoes or socks in a heartbeat so I'm guessing this little dude kicked one off in the car with a window down.  Let's hope at least.  There's another 'flying wedge' of coins today and I really expected to find that nickel to 'hit for the cycle'. No complaints, I was happy just for that first shiny penny. And of course, thank you Creator of all things for all these little symbols of Your infinite abundance.  Yeayuh!

ROAD TRIP : 10 09 2022

      This is the first run on the road trip south stopping in Robinson TX just outside Waco.  And it makes me laugh at how no matter where we go, stuff just seems to follow me.  I'm finding the same pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters, tools, gift cards' and lug-nuts galore for starters.   I think being open to the possibility of 'finding' stuff is key to making it happen.  OK then, regarding the 'Rundover' Store and it's fine line of quality produce, I've found any number of grape tomatoes, lemons, apples, and on and on, and today it was a cutie orange.  I actually didn't pick up on the carved pumpkin-like face until I had finished my run, but that's kind of a fun idea for Halloween.  There was no shortage of 'pig-iron' out there today, washer, machine screws, and NutsInTheRoad (picked up by, yeah, yeah for the zillionith time, OneMoreN.......) and I guess the vehicles here are falling apart the same way the ones in DFW are.  Five lug-nuts seems like a lot today and two I'm thinking are from the same vehicle.  Folks here are just as good (bad actually) with a lug wrench as anyplace else it seems.  There was an LED flashlight, another USB cord, and a 3/8" open end wrench, all which might be useful.  There was a hose end for an air compressor, and a Wally World gift card, neither is a new find though.  There was a socket enbedded in the asphalt at an intersection that was a challange.  I had already dug two pennies out of the road earlier in the run when this guy showed up.  I keep a nail and a small screwdriver with me in case I see a coin stuck in the road but the socket was more than half buried.  I was able to use them to dig a small hole out at one end and use the S-hook I found today to pry it out.  Ha!  It keeps things interesting.  There was another pen out there today to go with the other 200 I've come across.  I found what I expect is part of a flash drive, and although the case is gone, I thought I'd try it in something just for the heck of it.  I was needing a quarter to 'hit for the extended cycle' (penny,nickel,dime, quarter,socket,lug-nut) and it wasn't until the last 200 yards that I found it, right out in the streeet, along the curb, just waiting for me.  There was a whole $1.09 to be found today which won't get you a gallon of gas even.  But, what's it worth to be able to go run every day and find interesting stuff?  Surely that's priceless. So one again, thank you Creator of all things for all these little symbols of Your infinite abundance.  Yeahyuh!

4.5mm--Go Figure : 10 08 2022

           Another credit card today, it's the 1st one from The Austin Bank I've found. I called them when I got back to the house and I actually got someone in the USA to talk to.  She was very nice and said she would cancel the card and contact Lewis the card holder (yes, you Lewis who needs to be a litttle more careful with your credit cards!)  We are going to be traveling for the next few weeks so this is the last familiar route for a while.  There weren't a lot of surprises in the road today, it just goes to show, you never know.  But there were a couple of sockets, one a familiiar 10mm, the smaller one was 4.5mm, which just seems odd to me.  When did we start going to in-between sizes?  Was I just napping when that memo came out? Moving on, I started to entertain thoughts about 'hitting for the cycle' after the quarter finally showed up, but no nickel, or at least none I could see today.  But no matter, thank you Creator of all things for these symbols of your infinite abundnce. 

Mum's The Word! : 10 07 2022

 

     Another gift card today, and it was actually near a Shell station. I haven't thought about buying a gas card in a long time, but with gas prices up and down at some investor's whim, it might be a nice gift to give.  The Pokémon card I pretty much had to take.  I thought the character on it said 'CutiePie' (instead of Cutiefly) and I figured it would make my honey laugh. Of the three lug-nuts today two still had the lug loosely screwed on so you know they weren't snugged down.  I expect someday there'll be a tire along the curb too.  There was a really really small Sonic BOGO card, 'buy a cheeseburger, get one free' but the expiration was the end of 2018.  Note to whomever, if you're going to clean out your wallet, there's better places than the parking lot at Sonic to dispose of it. (and no, not the parking lot at Mickey D's either).  The six little green things on the right side are seeds/blooms for one my honey's favorite Texas plants, Red Yucca.  I'm going to see if I get these little guys to grow and surprise her.  Unless she happens to read today's blog and then there goes the surprise.  OK everybody-----mum's the word!  As difficult as it's been to find change over the last week or so, somebody must have been paying attention when I mentioned that it was OK with me to open the car window along Rufe Snow (or Keller Pkwy, or Golden Triangle, or Davis, etc.) and let loose with your change.  Three quarters, two nickels, five dimes, and nineteen pennies today--woo and hoo!  I was within a socket of 'hitting for the extended cycle' today, gotta love it!  Lastly, thank you Creator of all things for all these little symbols of Your infinite abundance.  Yeayuh!!

Pain-A-Trate's Better : 10 06 2022

 

          I've had runs where you're stiff and/or sore when you get finished, but this is the first time I found something to deal with it along the way.  It's a spray can of Aspercream and it claims to numb pain away which is kind of a cool idea, you run, and spray, and run, and spray.... I would have considered that but the stuff I use, Pain-a-trate, is absolutely the best cream there is for pain relief.  There was another credit card in the road today and Miss Tracy S, a word to the wise, there's ZERO rewards for losing your card.  Moving on.  There was another USB cord and I still have lots of devices that use the end on this one.  There were two screwdriver adapter drill bits to add to the collection.  I guess, like the sockets, I'll need to start making sets of these guys.  There was a hose clamp and also a hitch pin, neither one a surprise.  This isn't a route where, in the past at least, there's been change everywhere you turned, but I do believe that that shiny penny's going to find me.  And low and behold, two on them did, along with their shiny 10 cent cousin.  As always, thank you Creator of all things for these little symbols of Your infinite abundance.  Yeayuh! 

What's Up With Half-A-Set? : 10 05 2022

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       Another day, another dollar.....well, it was actually only 54 1/2 cents.  And a couple of the road pennies were bent in half and one run over enough only half was left.  Typical.  Thank you Creator though, for all these little symbols of your infinite abundance.  There was another Dumbo feather this morning and no, there wasn't any flying, I must not have been holding it right.  There was only part of an Allen wrench set, what's up with that?  I'm supposed look through the other 200 of these I've found to fill in the missing ones myself?  Somebody needs to take this half-a-set back and don't be losing it in the street again until you've got a full set.  Just sayin!  I've seen a lot of rolls of tape in the road and today, in addition to the clear tape and box tape, there was also electrical tape out there but it was too small a fish to keep.  There was a vintage Stanley C-clamp today and fortunately it was at the very end of the run so I didn't have to wear out a pocket carrying it for long.  

     There was more live ammo in the street, this one's for a 9mm Luger.  For some reason now I'm going to have the Beatles "Bungalo Bill" in my head for the rest of the day. Sheesh!  (for those of you that know the song-ha!)  I grabbed that micro fiber towel because it was a bright neon green, or maybe that's why I saw it at all.  There were a lot of NutsInTheRoad today as you can see in the picture.  And yes, picked up by, yeah we know, OneMoreNutInTheRoad.  OK then, lastly we have an addition to the 'Rundover' Store's fine line of quality women's apparel.  We have this lovely Black Fuzzy Winter Bowler Hat that was about to go down a storm drain.  Probably looking to escape to somewhere cold.  $34 on Etsy.  Go figure!

Good Luck Jeremiah : 10 04 2022

 

     I got a late start today, but things worked out the way they were supposed to.  More on that.  There were a number of useful tools today, a 7mm socket, a star-point driver for a 1/4" socket, and a 1/4" socket extender.  There was also a Dewalt phillips-head drill bit, and a pretty stout pair of scissors out there too.  I've found any number of pairs of scissors and they can be a challenge bouncing around in a pocket for an hour.  Sometimes I'll pick up something because I'm curious, and that triangular shaped thing to the left of the phillips-head bit was one such item.  It says AM on the front and electronic alarm on the back and 'Da Googles' tells me it's some kind of security alarm they put on merchandise.  Sad that it adds to the cost we all pay because somebody with only one active brain cell can't keep their hands in their pockets.  They probably never heard of Karma either.  OK, moving on.  There was a champagne cork in the street, another first.  I'm guessing that someone who was cruising around in a limo with a window open, decided to celebrate, opened the bottle, it flew off, bounced around inside, and flew out the window.  They were lucky it didn't fly in somebody else's window, hit them in the head and cause a 5 car pile-up.  But I'm guessing that would be a worst case scenario.  Next, although I found a cell phone screen protector today, there was no cell phone anywhere near so it appears someone 'dodged a bullet.'

     Somebody lost a house key today, I see lots of those but don't always pick them up.  Today's had a key-ring I could use, hence it made the picture.  There was a lot of change scattered about today but there was a lot at the intersection of Rufe Snow and 820.  I had stopped to wait for the traffic to clear and I start to see all this shiny stuff a couple of lanes over. There were lots of pennies, nickels, and dimes and it took three or four times out to get the better part of it.  And that was where I met Jeremiah.  I was waiting to finally cross east and he was waiting for the south traffic to clear so we had a chance to talk for a sec (which turned out to be closer to 15 minutes). He was concerned that I had lost something in the road as he had seen me as he approached, out there picking up something in the road.   Seems Jeremiah is at present traveling all over the metroplex on a borrowed bicycle, he's recovering from a broken ankle and internal injuries from an accident, and is now homeless because the complex he was custodian at and lived in was sold and the new owners conveniently forgot about him and threw him out.  He's working on improving his circumstances- he's licensed to work on HVAC- but I was impressed by his attitude and mindset.  He's had some tough breaks but is still thankful for another day alive on God's green earth.  I let him know that among the collection of stuff I've found while out running, is a bicycle that only needs new tires and inner tubes (which I have already purchased).  If it hadn't been for all that loose change in the street I would have already crossed and we would never have met.  And I'm sure we were supposed to.  So, let me say first, thank you Creator of all things for letting me 'hit for the cycle' today.  And most importantly, thank you for allowing me to help somebody out by putting some of this stuff I find in the road to a better use.

Work On That, OK? : 10 02 2022

 .     Kind of 'slim pickins' for a Sunday run, but there was very crisp fall morning air today so that's a shiny penny right off the bat.   Yesterday it was a Hilton room key-card, today it was their cousin at Comfort Inns.  Again, after they deactivate these, I guess it's just free advertising.  There was a smattering of change out there today and oddly I was missing the nickel again today to 'hit for the cycle'.  I always find all 4 coins on the long Sunday runs and although I found more coins today than on Saturday, there again was no nickel, and 2 cents less.  So let's fix that.  Next time you drive on Keller Pkwy in the Rufe Snow area, you need to roll down the car window and chuck some change out the window.  Including at least one nickel.  Paper $$ is ok too but I guess you'd need to maybe tape a quarter to it to weigh it down a little so it won't blow away.  Work on that, OK?

     I've found lots of gas caps, but this is the first Deisel fuel cap, equal time I guess. There was another drill bit today and it was in the same place I've found a bunch of its bigger brothers.  I'm sure it will be a happy reunion.  There was another drill attachment, this one was another Star-point, and I think I'm starting to see more of those.  I replaced a wooden fence recently and all of the screws used were star point, and I think it's harder to goober up one of those than the Phillips head ones.  Sorry Phil.  I ran across the same 3' metal ruler in the median of the road and I've done so for a month now.  It's 2 or 3 miles out on the route and I just didn't want to be carrying it around for another 90 minutes.  Yeah, I know, Wah!  I guess I either need to remember go back there in the car at the end of next Sunday's run, or shadup about it.  Roger that.  

Thanks Dr Dyer! : 10 01 2022

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     Three lug-nuts and two S-hooks, I guess that's a full house. This was a little different route for a Saturday, same start and stop but 4 of the 6 miles were different places to look.  Keeps things interesting.  There's quite often a credit card or gift card and this one was a Wally World Gift card, and above that is another hotel room key-card.  I always thought you returned them when you left but I guess it's no big deal as they change the code for the room and the card's advertising. Ok.  Moving on, there was another charger base, 5V 2A which is good for most phones and rechargeable electronics.  I found an open-end wrench at an intersection, this time it was a 1/4" & 5/16" combo. Useful.  Thanks to  Frost for something else to write with but I need to find something to do with all these pens.  Maybe I could start leaving the Frost pens at Chase, the Walgreens pens at CVS, the Staples pens at Office Depot, you get the idea. 

     There was the usual collection of washers, bolts and NutsInTheRoad (picked up by our favorite nut in the road).  There were a lots of pennies out there as well as shiny dimes and a quarter, but the nickel I needed to 'hit for the cycle' must have been somewhere where I zigged when I should have zagged.  No matter, thank you Creator of all things for all these little symbols of Your infinite abundance.  And thank you Dr Wayne Dyer for making that point years ago.  

Grip-O-Rama : 09 30 2022

 

   I've wondered who is it that picks the names for these work gloves.  A Gripster Glove does sound like you might actually get some work done.  Although, Grip-O-Matic, Grip-O-Rama, Grip-O-Reeny, Grip-Ah-Roosky, and my personal favorite, the Gripinator, to me sound like better choices.  Just sayin.  Moving on, there was a Fuelman commercial gas card in the road in front of a QuikTrip gas station.  I looked them up and they can offer gas at 10-20 cents cheaper than retail.   Whoever lost it is safe, the expiration date on it just happens to be today.  Next, in the upper right there's a pair of Ray-Ban RB4171F sunglasses that 'Da Googles' says goes for $155.  Wow, and that's not even for the prescription ones.   And here mine cost $15 at CVS, another go-figure moment.  

     There was an L shaped T60 star driver, this one's probably the big brother in a set that goes for $14 online.  Keeping the star driver company is, according to 'Da Googles', a Total Gym Hitch Pin for a Wing Bar on a model 3000. It goes for 9.97 pounds so I'm guessing that's some gym equipment for our neighbors 'across the pond.'  How'd it get so far from home?

     Lots of bolts, washers, and NutsInTheRoad, (yes, picked up by.....) and a shiny lug-nut. It was a laugh at first picking these up as there're all over the place but so many? I'm starting to see a correlation now between nails in the road and lug-nuts. You run over a nail, get a flat, change the tire, sorta kinda get the lug-nuts back on but get tired and don't snug the last few, and bing! I find them.  Or you're in a big hurry and don't snug any of them, then I find 4 or 5 of them at a wwalk. Sheesh!  Lastly there's the typical change un the road.  Thought I'd be 'hitting for the cycle' (penny nickel,dime quarter) but somehow missed another nickel. Regardless, thank you Creator of all things fir these little symbols of Your infinite abundance. Yeayuh!!