Oops...kinda got sidetracked...
Funny how life can distract you from stuff...even and including threads one starts themselves!!
Since its been almost two months (

) since I last visited my own thread, let alone updated it...well, sorry all!
I have not been vacent from the site. Just allowed my brain to rattle around in different available spaces in my head lately. So allow me to return and try and get back on track.
So following what could easily be described as a fast paced, ying/yang leave in the states I find myself having to re-evaluate my previous "bigger than life (or at least life's wallet)" build ideas. Why...well leave is costly. And spending money for good or bad happens much faster than saving it up. Am I disgruntled or bothered...nah. I think most of the expences and purchases are either wise or could be considered pre-emptive for my future. Examples you say..? Ok,
Well, other than purchasing the Scrambler itself (duh) I found a couple other things that seemed well timed. The "8" now makes 4 (technically 5) jeeps in my herd. And it is also the only one of maybe two that run and drive. The others are various stages of projects. And like all projects there are piles, literally TONs of parts, pieces, tools, and all out stuff that is associated with them. The desire has often tempted me and lately the sheer wonder has dawned on me that I have nothing that woul or could act as a tow vehicle! Pulling an 18 foot dovetail trailer with a 6 cylinder powered, 272 geared, 33" tire shod full size jeep is just not...well, safe is my first thought. Efficent is likely second. It struggled even with an empty trailer..toss on a half built 67 Commando and a double coffin sized crate full of transmissions,axles, and lots of other parts and the FSJ is rapidly overwhelmed! So to alleviate that issue I bought a tow rig. Knowing I will soon be schlepping jeeps and stuff all over the country to consolodate it all into storage I felt this the best investment. Ever rented a U-haul for cross country? And an auto transport? Ever notice how most of these 27-28 foot trucks are GAS powered!?! Uh...nah, not the best solution. So the very first night I landed stateside I hopped on the ever addictive Craigslist in El Paso and wouldn't you know it...there was exactally what I was looking for! A '99 Dodge 2500 Cummins 4x4 5speed! Low miles, clean truck, and zero "Mods" so I knew nobody had been using it at the tractor pulls!?! So I called the guy, met him the folloing morning for a test drive and bought it a few hours before my flight to Atlant left! Bye-bye second hunk of change.
Flew into Atlanta to put all my real stuff there into storage. Tools, parts, a '91 YJ, and the little normal people house hold belongings I have. Kinda sad how little I own that is not related in some way, shape, or form to building stuff. Be it metal or wood, jeeps or houses...I'd say that better than 85% of my junk is not house related. Even my fridge is a little one like a college dorm type. And it lives in the garage too!!!

So I spent my first week sweating and slaving laboriously to pack, move, and store all this stuff. And believe me, after moving that much junk all by my self I was more than ready to relax. Thankfully...I had the second (or last, depending on ones viewpoint) week to do more enjoyable stuff...at more my own pace.
So I flew into Grand junction Colorado. Let me say WOW! To anyone that has never been to GJ (or COlorado even for that matter!) let me say...
Don't go!!!! Its a HORRIBLE, Disgusting place!!!!! YUCK!
sorry...didn't want to build it up too much and find out everbody has decided to move there before I can!!!
Seriously, GJ is just BreathTaking!!! And I was fortunate enough to get to meet my new jeep there! If there would have been a well equipped, scantilly clad, red head waiting there with a Guinness in hand I couldn't have been happier. Well, not too much happier...ahem.

I was picked up at the airport by a new, good friend from the Jeepster Commando board (and his wife) and they kindly escorted me on to my next little present to myself. A new (to me again) Plasma cutter!!! Again, the crack we call Craigslist had presented me with something I wanted for years yet never could afford. Well, being deployed has a couple bennefits like saving money. So I treated myself to this with the knowledge that it will be pressed into very good use in the not to distant future as well.
Rocky and wife then drove me to his farm where he had kindly stored my CJ for me. Meeting them was a real treat...seeing his farm was fantastic. Looking at some of his Commando creations was downright cool! And they so generouslyl allowed me to stay the night. Yea to great Jeep people, new toys, and happy adventures!
Early the next morning I affixed my new tag and hit the road...Yippie! New Jeep in western Colorado...nobody shooting at me or leaving little explosive presents on the side of the road...Life is good! I meandered my way east along the I-70 corridor past what is some of the most beautiful country I have ever seen! Coming from the dump of Iraq only hightened the impact and sheer awe! Just....WOW! I made a few stops here and there, mostly for coffee and to soak in the local views (some scenery not available in Iraq and some in sun dresses...ahem) and to just not feel rushed! Also made a few calls to friends and family as well as grabbing grub and gas. No, not one from the other...though....??Uh, nevermind.
All in all the drive seemed to pass pretty quickly. Before I knew it I arrived at my best friends house in Highlands ranch (just south of Denver). I got to meet his new family and we shared some chow and stories before bedtime. It was great to see him and his new wife nad kid are fantastic.
Early the next morning I got up and drove back up to Loveland to finish large purchase number three. I met a fellow via the old computer that was selling a couple of...don't laugh, Shipping containers! Yes...those big, obtrousive, steel cargo boxes one usually ignores that are literally strewn all over the world! Why? Well...storage of course! Having stuff in 3 different states (and soon two different countries!) makes one feel quite unsettled. SO... my brainstorm level epiffinay was why not buy a couple of these to hold all my worldly possesions while I am stationed in Germany the next everal years? I have a friend that I bought my Commando from that operates a multi-buisness property in Golden that happens to be partly related to storing RVs and the like. So for less (much less!) than I could ever hope to spend on a more traditional storage type facility I can store all my junk in one safe and dry spot! Good idea? I think so. And the big perk to me is that these same two containers (called ISBUs when no longer used for shipping) will eventually becom the basis of the house I willl build in Colorado some day.
Ok...whenever your done laughing at me try and Google Something like "shipping Container Homes" or a similar phrase. Look it up and then open your mind. You'll see, I'm not quite as nutso as it sounds. Need a little more proof? How about by the time I am done building this little (say 1920sq feet?) steel house I will have less than half the cost that building a traditional stick framed home would cost. And no mortgage!!! Read that again...NO Mortgage!
There will be large costs to deal with but I'm hoping to get that taken care of by the next deployment I will likely see. Stuff like the land itself (biggest cost of all) closely followed by sinking a well (gotta have water!) will take the biggest bite. But since I can swing a mean hammer I will be able to build as I go. Lucky for me I know someone (see above) with a plasma cutter to make cutting windows and doors much easier...heehee!
Sorry, a little off trail. Back to the wandering jeep story.