Wilson Switch & New-to-me BJ60

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The “joys” of buying something old. It could be a house or a vehicle. There is the realization the previous owner made some changes “renos” that- Well, sure could be done differently. 

This 1985 Toyota BJ60 Landcruiser had a Wilson switch installed – sort of. They didn’t remove the Toyota installed Superglow system and added a few wires to resemble the Wilson Switch.  One of the wires was jammed under a fuse in the fuse box, and they used a on-off switch instead of a push-on (momentary) switch.  Did they swapout the 12v glowplugs from the Superglow system for the recommended 10.5v glowplugs for the Wilson Switch?

For those that don’t know what the Superglow system is, or what the Wilson Switch is – They are different ways of warming up glowplugs in a diesel engine. 

Opening up the dashboard,  steering column and drivers side kick plate to figure out what the previous owner had done, and install the Wilson Switch. 

 

Climate Trends

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The past couple of months I have been writing code in Google Earth Engine (GEE).  For those that don’t know what GEE is – in brief is a database of satellite imagery and a code window to create a run scripts. Data can be uploaded to the GEE platform, and exported (downloaded).  The database of satellite imagery includes recent (today) and historical data (as far back as 1972) depending to the type of satellite. Landsat data is continuous from 1972 – current, Sentinel 1 (2014- current), Sentinel-2 (2016-current), and other satellites have shorter time periods (2000-current). In essence, the availability of historical data provides a means to “move back” in time, where as the current and yet-to be collected data provides a means to move forward in time.

Air temperature Trend (2000-2020)

Air temperature Trend (2000-2020)

In this post I will demonstrate a couple of GEE Mapping Tools that I created in GEE to illustrate 20 year Trends (2000-2020) in Air Temperature, Snowfall/snow depth/density/temperature,  and Lake ice-temperatures across the NWT.

NWT Snowfall Trend (2000-2020)

Click on the links below to view the Mapping Tool

NWT Climate Trends Mapping Tool

NWT Snow Trends Mapping Tool

NWT Lake Trends Mapping Tool

 

Zion, Capitol Reef, Canyonlands and Arches National Park (Color)

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A typical photospread. No need to add much text, as there are are plenty of more wordy places to learn about Zion, Canyonlands and Arches National Park.  I didn’t even include a map (seems odd for a guy that makes maps for a living).

Cameras used; Leica M240 with Leica-R 19mm, and Fuji X-Ti with Fujinon 14mm

 

Zion National Park

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Capitol Reef National Park

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Canyonlands National Park

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Arches National Park

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1991 Toyota Landcruiser FJ80

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One of the youngest trucks in my fleet – Only 31 years old !.

It is a US truck, in miles – slightly confusing when the speed limits in Canada are in Km.  Compared to most trucks of its age (e.g. old battered Ford pickups), there is no rust and a few small dents and scratches.   It does have a crack in the windshield, though where I live that is considered normal.  The combination of extreme cold and gravel roads makes cracked windshields inevitable.

It has a ARB front bumper, Warn Zeon 12 winch, ARB airlocker on rear differential, 2.5″ Old Man Emu heavy lift, rocker guards and a 23Zero rooftop tent on a DIY roof rack with Smittybuilt + 8020 rails.

Needs minor things like a new windshield, mudflaps, and flares. Mechanically very solid.

Maintained properly for the past 4 years for sure, can’t speak past that as no records.

I count the emission delete as an upgrade lol.

 

For winter use, the is a liner for the 23Zero tent and a Propex2000 heater.

Really tempted to have a Campteq poptop tent installed for additional headroom. 

Got any questions or comments – Drop me a line.

 

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Zion, Canyonlands and Arches National Park (B&W)

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It has been ages since I’ve posted –

It has been ages since I’ve had a vacation and

It has been ages since I’ve actually used a camera.

January 2023.

Yes – I am one of those people that still use a real camera instead of taking pictures with a cell phone. This vacation I brought 3 cameras; GoPro, Fuji X-T1 and a Leica M240. Add chargers, extra lenses (14mm Fuji, 8mm Samyang, and 24mm Leica and 19mm Leica)…it all adds up to a ton of gear. Wait, Leica M240 and Leica 19mm ??. Leica M240 is a rangefinder camera and the 19mm Leica lens is for SLR-type cameras !. Who does that ?.  The Leica 19mm has a Leitax adapter (to Nikon – and compatible with my D700 and D850) and with a Nikon – Leica L/M adapter.  This was supposed to be the final voyage for that Leica lens. It was dropped years ago and bent. No broken glass. Sent to Leica for repair and re-built – sort of.  The ring with the serial number was lost when it was dropped, so Leica gave it a new serial number. A unicorn lens !.  Since then, fungus has developed in the lens showing up as lens flare on the top of photo. My work-around is to hold the camera upside down.  A bit weird – though works !.

 

Zion National Park

So, on this trip I had 3 cameras. Each night the task of copying the images to a computer and then to an external hard drive for backup. In contrast, my travelling partner had her photos on her phone. With WiFi at the hotel her images were backed up to Google. Her posts to social media were quick and easy. Ugh. For me, copying the photos to the computer took ages and them more time to back them up. I also shoot in RAW format and the images are at least 25Mb.  And – with the Leica, it is manual focus too….More delays during the hikes.

All that complaining aside, I really enjoy using the old Leica camera and lenses.  There is something very different with those lenses. My Nikon lenses are crystal clear and sharp, auto focus, and light weight (carbon fibre instead of brass). The Leicas, designed in the 1970’s are…Not. That said, the Leica lenses have a certain character, the pictures have a look that is quite distinctive than modern state of the art lenses, and I like the feel of using them.  Similarly to a woodworker using hand tools instead of power tools, or a gardener using a shovel instead of a power tiller.

All the photos are in Black & White. Why ?. Although the colours are spectacular, the tone and patterns in B&W are more obvious. And, B&W is more old school, back when everyone had manual focus lenses. ;>

Zion National Park

Virgin River, Zion National Park, Leica M240 + Leica -R 19mm

Canyonlands National Park

Canyonlands National Park. Leica M240 + Leica -R 19mm

Canyonlands National Park. Leica M240 + Leica -R 19mm

Canyonlands National Park. Leica M240 + Leica -R 19mm

Canyonlands National Park. Leica M240 + Leica -R 19mm

Canyonlands National Park. Leica M240 + Leica -R 19mm

Canyonlands National Park. Leica M240 + Leica -R 19mm

Canyonlands National Park. Leica M240 + Leica -R 19mm

 

Arches National Park

Petroglyphys. Arches National Park. Leica M240 + Leica -R 19mm

Arches National Park. Leica M240 + Leica -R 19mm

Arches National Park. Leica M240 + Leica -R 19mm

Arches National Park. Leica M240 + Leica -R 19mm

Arches National Park. Leica M240 + Leica -R 19mm

Arches National Park. Leica M240 + Leica -R 19mm

Arches National Park. Leica M240 + Leica -R 19mm

Arches National Park. Leica M240 + Leica -R 19mm

Arches National Park. Leica M240 + Leica -R 19mm

Arches National Park. Leica M240 + Leica -R 19mm

Arches National Park. Leica M240 + Leica -R 19mm

Delicate Arch. Arches National Park. Leica M240 + Leica -R 19mm

Delicate Arch. Arches Nati0nal Park. Leica M240 + Leica -R 19mm

Delicate Arch. Arches National Park. Leica M240 + Leica -R 19mm

Delicate Arch. Arches National Park. Leica M240 + Leica -R 19mm

Delicate Arch. Arches National Park. Leica M240 + Leica -R 19mm

Canoe Trip: Trough Lake Loop (June 24, 25 and 26)

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Trough Lake loop – sounds so much better than Goop Lake loop !.  I’d paddled a nearby river many, many times during the past 20 or so years, to the point that I was learn of going back to that area yet again. Oh – I was so pleasantly surprised how beautiful this route actually was – and why had I not been on it before.  Maybe, it was the name – Goop Lake loop that had deterred me. It sounds and looks much better called Trough Lake loop.

We left town on Friday June 24th. It is about an hour drive down the Ingraham Trail to Tibbet Lake where the loop starts. We went counter clockwise and camped a couple of km from the start. Next day, under clear sky and no wind, we had two short and then one long portage from the Ross River into Trough Lake through a 2014 forest fire.  No obvious route, just find your way over fallen trees and bare rock.  A quick lunch and swim at Trough Lake – then the weather changed.  It down poured for 90 minutes, and us still wet from swimming huddled into one tent.  After the rain ended, we decided to return back the same way as the wind was still quite strong and we would be in for a headwind paddle on a long lake.  Miraculous ? – as soon as we turned around and re-did the 1km portage though the burned area, the sun returned and the wind stopped. 

We took the northern route through Upper Thierry Lake and aptly named Goop Lake back to Tibbet Lake to the vehicles. All pictures taken with either a GoPro2 or Nikon D700.

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Canoe trip: Boundary Creek (June 4 & 5, 2022)

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A couple of pictures from a canoe down and up Boundary Creek June 4 and 5th, 2022.  Boundary Creek is approximately 30km west of Yellowknife and flows into Great Slave Lake. It river meanders, a couple of easy portages, and a couple of places it is easy to take the wrong turn.

All pictures with a GoPro2 or Fuji X-E1 (14mm lens).

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Flashback 16 Years – 1981 BJ60

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I admit

I am a Landcruiser Nerd.  I don’t tape on my glasses, or wear a shirt pocket pen holder…

But – I do live and dream about landcruisers, and have a few in my yard.  For the number of times that people have asked – “How many landcruisers do you have ?”, had they given me 1$ – I could have bought another one. !

Yes, I do have a few, and am still looking at landcruisers for sale.  One day a few weeks ago one caught my eye.  It is a 1984 BJ60 that had been converted to a pickup (Australian ‘Ute’). Although in much better condition that mine, it looked very similar.  Could the same person have done the conversion from SUV to pickup ?

I contacted the owner so determine if he had any information. Interesting enough, he had also been contacted a few months ago asking if he had seen a similar truck with a custom deck, a vehicle that he had modified 16 years previously.

Well, that truck is the one I have now !.  Strange coincidence !

16 Years ago (2006)

And Now (2021)

It hasn’t changed much. The paint is more dull, a bit more dirty, door corners are rusty. It even had the same roof rack (which I have since removed). 

During that time it was in Lytton BC and Salmo BC with two different owners.

Last Friday in April !

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Its a Friday !. 

The last Friday in April…

For those of us in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories (Canada) it is one of the last opportunities to enjoy winter activities. We have had winter since mid November, but most of that time is has been too friggin cold to actually enjoy being outside.  My cold weather cut off is -25C. Below that temperature, there is no glide on skis, and hands get too cold too easily.

Today, it is +1C. For most of the season, we don’t use the + or -, it is simply understood to be below zero.

The things I’d rather be doing !!

Kite skiing on Yellowknife Bay

Fat Biking on a northern runway. The ice is at least 4′ thick.