Reel Happy

The bottom line is that a long day of shopping the big name box stores for a reel push mower didn't pay off. We returned home tired, dejected, and a little upset. Fortunately, there was a silver lining. The few mowers we did give the once-over gave us a better idea of what we were looking for, or to be more accurate, what we were NOT looking for. So, we left Big Box Store U.S.A. behind and took our business on-line.

One of the positive aspects of shopping on-line is that you have access to a large selection of products in order to compare. In our case, it would be like having a neighborhood lawn care store next door that sells nothing but reel mowers. You could select old reliable, or ergonomic and trendy. You could choose lightweight, or go gang-reel mad. The number of possibilities seems limitless and perhaps a little maddening if "ALL I WANT IS A MOWER!" We narrowed our selection by taking into account cutting width, handle style, weight, and cost. We also took into consideration where the mower was manufactured and the opinions of previous shoppers.

Three mowers stood tall.

The Pro-Mow Single Push Mower

Pro-Mow, an Indiana based company better known for its gang-reel mowers, offers a 20" 5 blade reel mower for $149.00. This was the most expensive mower we considered, and at 38 lbs., it was also the heaviest.

The Prison Reel Mower

The Prison Reel Mower is a 16" 5 blade mower that tips the scales at 32 lbs. This robust mower is hyped as a "tough piece of equipment designed to withstand heavy use," and as its name suggests, this model is commonly sold to prisons and correctional facilities. The solid construction aside, this mower should be considered merely to have the opportunity to "mow like a convict." The mower is billed at $119.00

The American Lawn Mower Company 16" Bent Reel Mower

Another Indiana manufactured mower, this beauty from the American Lawn Mower Company (ALM Co.) has 7 blades, a 16" mowing width, and is designed specifically to cut low growing, creeping grasses. It weighs 28 lbs. and was listed at $79.99 at Amazon.com at the time of purchase.

So, without surprise (because I just told you), the winner was...

We selected the ALM Co. mower because it best suit our needs, but it didn't hurt that it was also the least expensive.

The Pro-Mow was the largest, heaviest, and most expensive of the three mowers we narrowed it down to. The price was reasonable. However, for the minuscule size of our lawn, we didn't feel we required a 20" mower. Also, there was a foreseeable problem, based on some unfavorable reviews of the Scotts Classic, with the handle that both the Pro-Mow and Scotts share. Several reviewers called the handle of the Scotts Classic "flimsy" and prone to twisting as the nuts loosened. A few reviewers mentioned having to weld or reinforce the handle in order remedy the problem. The T-shaped handle available on the Prison and ALM Co. mowers is stiffer and less apt to twist and loosen over time.

I was intrigued by the Prison Mower. I liked the fact that it was a solid metal design with a history of taking abuse. It didn't hurt that I had a picture in my head of pushing my new Prison Mower across the lawn on a Saturday morning decked out in an orange jumpsuit, sucking down a Stroh's, with the initials D.O.C stamped on my back. It would have been good for a laugh and a story down the road. I didn't see any drawbacks with this mower. The only disadvantage it has is that it cost slightly more than the ALM Co. mower.

Weight didn't play much of a role in the decision. Though many reel mowers are hyped as being lightweight, at ~30 lbs., all three mowers were light enough for my wife to handle. In retrospect, after purchasing and using the ALM Co. mower, my one complaint is that the mower could use a couple extra pounds. The mower tends to skip through uneven sections of the lawn. A few more "lbs" would help the mower ride a little smoother through the the divots and ruts. This, of course, represents one of the drawbacks of shopping on-line - the inability to take a product out for a "test-drive".

We have now owned and used the the American Lawn Mower Company 16" Bent Reel Mower for two weeks. Gone is the wasted time spent winding up the old gasoline mower. Gone is the wasted fuel, the annoyance of listening to the whine of the engine, and returning to the house smelling like oil and exhaust. In trade, we cut the lawn a little more often than we used to and we get a little bit more of a workout pushing the mower up the hill, but we accepted this before we signed-on. Ya, we feel pretty good about our purchase. And I think our neighbors are happy that our front lawn isn't a weed choked jungle anymore. We're happy. They're happy. I guess you could say we've made everyone happy, reel happy.

A Reel Tragedy

Yesterday, the shit hit the fan... or the reel, as it is.

The weeds in the yard are getting a bit long, long enough that we could no longer ignore them. So the other day, I came to the conclusion (with a lot of persuasion from the wife) that after putting it off as long as I could that it was time to buy a mower. (Sighhhhh...)

Now, mowing our lawn isn't a big deal. We don't have a sizable yard to maintain. We (I) have enough free time to complete the task. And there are eco-conscious, low impact, old-school mowers available that will do a fine job. Up until now, the problem was just coming to accept that we needed to shell out a few bucks to buy a mower. Simple and I've come to terms. I'm there. Little did I know, however, that the decision to buy was the easy part.

Q: So, why a reel mower?

A: Reel push mowers are inexpensive, eco-conscious lawn tools to take care of moderately sized yards. It is a one time purchase that requires no fuel, emits no exhaust, and requires only occasional blade sharpening - just like any mower. It also makes a minimum amount of noise. One of my biggest complaints about living East of the Mississippi is that homeowners are obsessed with having green, over fertilized, well groomed lawns, and they feel compelled to wind up the engine at 7:30 a.m. every Saturday morning. Now I can think of a few things I would rather do early in the morning and mowing is about the last thing I want to do or hear.

Reel mowers used to be fairly common before low cost gasoline powered mowers became the standard lawn appliance in the 1960s. Americans have been becoming fatter and lazier ever since.

Q: Okay, so a reel mower makes sense for my needs (weeds). Where do I go to purchase one?

A: Good question, and... not around here.

I no longer live in a rural area. In fact, now I live in a suburb of the original metropolis (the day I came to terms with the fact that I was a suburbanite, I died a little). One would like to think that the fact he or she lives in a more densely populated area should make available more product options within a short distance at a lower cost to the consumer than in a rural area (you know, free-market ideology shit). This is one of the things people love about cities, correct? So the fact that I visited three large box stores - Lowe's, Home Depot, Sears - and waded through the mass of humanity that congregates at these suburban bastions of commerce only to discover that, in fact, they did not have a selection of reel mowers to peruse was, to say the least, disappointing. Oh, there were plenty of mowers available - big ones, small ones, riders, push mowers . But there were only three in three monstrous warehouses that did not require a gasoline engine and a pull string to start. Nope. I just wanted a simple, inexpensive 4-7 blade reel mower... and the box stores couldn't handle it.

Damn it!

I was ashamed. Time, fuel, and a little self-respect were lost in an attempt to find a mower that's been capable of doing the job since the 1830's. And the worst thing, in the back of my mind, I was expecting it. I hate suburbia.

The urban elk are frothing at the mouth after seeing this photo.

More to come...

Musings from the Front Porch

There is a chill in the morning air and the leaves of the maples are starting to turn. School has started and the fishing is starting to pick up. I didn't see it coming, but Fall is here.

It seems Obama underestimated the "Real Person" factor.
I was walking with my daughter down the sidewalk yesterday afternoon and overheard two women leaving their place of work. The first asked, "Did you watch Sarah Palin's speech last night." The second responded, "Yes, wasn't it great!" "Ya, she's awesome," replied the first lady, "She's such a real person."

I knew Obama wouldn't get the hard core Republican vote, the evangelical vote, the "Bubba" vote, the "Drill-Baby-Drill" vote, the vote of some Americans making over $250,000/year, but I didn't expect he'd lose the vote of real people. Oh,... now I'm worried.

America, listen up! We might be in trouble, because the last real guy that got into office, you know, the guy "you'd most like to have a beer with," got us into this mess. Let's pray that if McCain/Palin get elected that Johnny can hang in there for four years. Otherwise, we're all screwed!

(Jeez... what does it mean to be real anyway? I consider myself a real person, but I don't watch American Idle and I don't think books and condoms are dangerous.)

Driving America into a hole.
I count 12 vehicles in front of the house. Eight are full size SUVs or trucks. It's nice to see people trying to reduce our dependence on foreign oil... the other four people that is.

A year to remember
This was quite a year. A winter with all the snow we could handle and a summer where I could count the number of HOT days on one hand. There was plenty of water in the river in August (a pleasant change) and little smoke in the air. Fall is getting off to a nice start too. Is it too much to ask for more of the same?

Speed Kill!

USA Today -- Drive 55 Campaign Gaining Speed

Now that gas is about $4.00 per gallon, we're all going retro. Cars are getting smaller and we're driving less. The 70s are back, man! Could the 55 mph speed limit come back too? Doubtful. Expensive gasoline may keep our cars in park more often, but you can't tell Americans how to drive. At least that's the feeling I get from reading the comments following this article. 55 mph makes sense, though, and you can't argue with good common sense. By driving automobiles closer to their optimal fuel efficiency, usually between 55-60 mph, we save gasoline. But one of our rights as Americans is to be as wasteful as we want. Its in the Bill of Rights, right?!

Relate site: http://www.drive55.org/

Revisiting "Common Sense..." (2 of 5)

Public Transportation

This is not an option for my family.

Public transportation is a tough sell in a rural area. The valley has the Bitterroot Bus that covers the Hamilton/Corvallis/Granstsdale area, but my pie in the sky idea is a light rail running from the valley to Missoula. It would be nice to be able to leave the family car at home, jump on a train, and ride it up Reserve St., across Broadway, circle through downtown Missoula., and back down the Bitterroot. A train would take some commuter traffic off Highway 93 during the week and provide an easy way to travel to Missoula for the occasional shopping trip on the weekend. But it takes money, a steady ridership, and it would have to be less expensive and/or more convenient than driving. I understand that the Bitterroot doesn’t have a centralized enough population to make it easily feasible, but the track is already there and there is only one way in and out of the valley heading North. But… I won’t hold my breath.

Carpooling

The incentive to carpool is simple. Fewer drivers and more passengers equals fewer fill-ups and more money in the bank. We carpool often during the summer on weekend trips to softball tournaments. I remember in the past I’d ask the fellas, “Who wants to carpool?” I’d often receive a less than enthusiastic mumbled response that was meant to imply that most would rather drive themselves. Now, I don’t even have to suggest it. Everyone is trying to figure out how to fit the maximum number of guys into as few automobiles as possible. It’s funny how pricey gasoline changes attitudes.

Walking and Biking

My daughter and I put a few miles on our shoes in the course of a week. We hit the bank, the library, the book store, the church, and take multiple trips to the grocery store, all under the power of our own legs. Again, where we live makes it convenient, but there are enough incentives to walking that we’d do it regardless. The biggest advantage being after a morning of running errands the little one is ready for her daily nap which leaves time for Dad to catch up on the news, sports, bills, laundry, dishes, writing, reading,… everything a little girl won’t let Dad do when she’s awake.

If we need to travel a little farther, faster, my wife and I bike. She rides her bike to work five days a week and I ride to the park in the evenings to catch a softball game. I have extra motivation to bike, also. I loathe getting into a broiling car on a hot summer day. It brings back too many bad memories of sitting in traffic on a sweltering day in a certain midwestern city's sprawl trying to get home from work.

Walking, biking, and carpooling keeps our fuel bill small. We fill up the car about once a month. Not bad! And by not driving, we're being rewarded twice. The wife, ‘lil Grettlebug, and I get daily exercise and it costs us and the environment nada, zero, zilch, nothing!

Next time…
Make Your Home Energy Sufficient, Green Your Dream Home

Revisiting "Common Sense..." (1 of 5)

It has been interesting to watch America's changing on-road energy habits over the past year. Since the price of gasoline has eclipsed $4 a gallon, people are driving less (down 2.4% from 2007) and downsizing their rides, SUVs and large trucks are sitting idle on showroom floors, and America's auto industry is on the ropes for not anticipating changing consumer habits (for the second time). While I do fear the impact high gas prices and a depressed economy could have on my family and America’s future, I smile and welcome the changes because the nation is moving in the right direction. It’s just sad that it takes something that appeals to our most primitive motivator (money) to change our ways and not the noble, progressive idea of a greener and less oil dependent America. Oh, well…

Ever since posting the series "Common Sense Things We Can Do to Decrease America's Reliance on Oil (and Save a Few Bucks)", I have wanted to follow up and share some of what my family does to conserve energy and cash. I mean, it’s a little self-righteous and hypocritical for me to post what others can do without participating. Also, Wrong Dog has motivated me to add some personal examples since he began an online diary detailing his family’s attempt to cut its carbon footprint in half. I commend Shane, but I confess that I cringe at quantifying my energy savings as he does. Call me lazy. So, I’ll post examples of how my family is saving money and conserving energy minus the numbers and you’ll just have to take my word for it.

Think Gas Sipper

At the time my wife and I purchased our first automobile together, hybrids and flex-fuel vehicles were not as readily available, not to mention a little outside our budget constraints. Plus, gasoline was less than half what it is now, so there was little economic incentive for us to consider more expensive alternative energy vehicles. That doesn’t mean we weren’t thinking about fuel efficiency, however. We traded in two 10+ year old cars and purchased one new vehicle that we trusted could drive us cross country and get us safely to our new home without breaking the bank.

Now, our family has increased by one, but there is still no need to upgrade in size. Our small sedan fits our small family perfectly and gets us safely from point-A to point-B at 30+ mpg on highway, and 27 mpg overall. Our fuel economy is nothing to brag about, but in Montana it seems any vehicle that gets over 15 mpg is the exception.

Drive Smarter

We are not as extreme as hyper-milers, but my wife and I practice common sense, fuel-efficient driving habits like not over accelerating between stop signs and keeping braking to a minimum. We also consolidate trips. If we forget an item on the list, it will just have to be purchased another day. An interesting note: despite the fact we do not live in a busy town, subconsciously I tend to group my stops so that I minimize the number of left turns, or turns where you have to cross traffic. I admit though, that it is more likely a result of my impatience than a fuel saving technique, but whatever works!

One of the smartest (driving) decisions my wife and I have made is not purchasing a second vehicle. That decision has saved us $30,000+ over 5 years if you factor in the initial cost of a new vehicle, maintenance, insurance, and fuel. That makes the ol’ bank account happy! Where we live plays a large role in making it convenient. We live in town, close to work. There are times when we are headed in two different directions, but with the help of scheduling and friends, we always manage to make it work. And a little inconvenience is a fair trade in order to save money, live a little greener, and cut America’s addiction to oil at the same time. It gives you a warm fuzzy feeling all over.

Next time...
Public Transportation, Carpooling, Walking and Biking

Common Sense Things We Can Do To Decrease America’s Reliance On Oil (and Save a Few Bucks) (Part 1 of 10)

As we have all witnessed over the past few years, it isn’t until the cost of gasoline starts taking food out of our children’s mouths that Americans start thinking about changing their attitude towards energy consumption. Bigger homes, bigger cars, bigger lifestyles and higher energy prices have put the squeeze on all of us. Politicians have offered a solution. We’ve heard the cries for a 3 month holiday on the federal gas tax. What a joke! Merely, pandering for votes! Come on, we’re smarter than that! A gas tax holiday may help Americans in the short term, but it is not a solution to America’s problem. Our problem is that America is addicted to oil and a good percentage of that oil comes from foreign sources; sources that can charge whatever they want because we will pay. For once I agree with President Bush’s assessment that there is no quick fix to our energy problems. We are far from helpless, though. The solution is two part. Part one: the federal government must invest in domestic renewable sources of energy, like water, wind, solar, and bio-fuel and pass fuel efficiency laws. Part two: Americans need to become more energy conscious because there is a lot each and every one of us can do to reduce our energy needs. Working hand in hand, there is no reason America should not be able to meet its own energy demands while at the same time becoming greener and keeping more money where it belongs, in our back pocket.

Starting Monday and over the following nine days I will offer common sense solutions in daily installments to the West Fork Blues outlining ways Americans can incorporate good energy habits into their lives. You will find that some suggestions are expensive or ask for drastic changes to your lifestyle, but most are things that every American can easily incorporate into their daily routine and cost nothing more than a little convenience. Let’s all try and do our part to make America more energy independent. Think of it as your patriotic duty.