l told my pap and mam I was going to be a mountain man; acted like they was gut-shot. Make your life go here. Here's where the peoples is. Mother Gue, I says, the Rocky Mountains is the marrow of the world, and by God, I was right. - Del Gue
I have found a ton of stuff over the years. Latest was a claw hammer just a few days ago. I have a craftsman 3/8 inch ratchet and a snapon 3/8 inch ratchet that I still use found on the same stretch of road (I-40) near Texarkana, Arkansas. I have given away more tools that most people have, that I found on the side of the road. I surveyed for the Arkansas Highway Department for 37 years and did a lot of walking down the side of the roads, from big to small. Tarp straps by the thousands. Both rubber and nylon with the winches. I had friends in the trucking industry that got those. I picked up so much stuff that the co-workers got to calling me Sanford and Son. Had a meeting one time and they told us we had to turn that stuff in, so I told them that I would just leave it laying there and they could hire people to pick it up. Of course I had enough years to retire at the time. miles
Used to carry a coal shovel and 10 gallon steel trash can (WITH a lid)... scooped up roadkill and hung it over a fish pond in chicken wire... flies laid larvae, larvae became maggots, maggots fell into the fish pond... fish were fat.
Not anymore.
Now I just look for used furniture after a heavy rain.
If you are not actively engaging EVERY enemy you encounter... you are allowing another to fight for you... and that is cowardice... plain and simple.
grandfather used to work for the county road department - mostly mowing. He had all kinds of stories of finding stuff.
moonshine stashes, tools, a stack of playboy magazines, lots of stuff that just fell out of trucks like chainsaws , tanks, compressors....
he told me he came up on a crate of Belgium Browning shotguns wrapped up still in cosmoline or whatever they shipped them in.
He made it a point to not touch anything he knew was likely illegal or stolen.Said he left it where he found it. That must have been hard, he loved Brownings.
After watching No Country for Old Men, I understand why he never picked up any of it.
a few weeks ago I was driving down I-75 and saw a Husqvarna push mower in the median. I might have stopped had I saw it in time to slow down and get over. I suspect it fell off a landscapers rig. Motor might have been salvageable.
My BIL had a table saw he was particularly proud of and left it with my dad while my sis and him moved into their new house. He asked my dad to bring it over one day so dad and I throw it in the back of the truck. Dad wasn't much for slowing down on windy roads, takes a turn and that table saw flips out of the back of the truck and rolls down a steep kudzu covered hill. He gets out , looks down at that mangled saw at the bottom of this hill, looks at me and says "I ain't getting that". We get in the truck and never mention it again.
Last edited by KFWA; 11/15/21.
have you paid your dues, can you moan the blues, can you bend them guitar strings
Moving a tractor on my implement trailer the other day from the north farm to the south down I 44 just on the south side of Lawton saw what looked like a piece of flat stock on the side of the road. Turned the rig around and picked up over $1500 worth of 3/16"x6"x20' cold roll steel strewn down both sides of an overpass.
Been at my brother's ranch out of town, and went to go home, and saw a Starbucks, whipped in to get a cup of coffee for the road. Cold, wet and drizzling...
Walking inside, I found a folded $100 bill in the parking lot.
Told the cute girl working inside I'd found it, and if anyone came in reporting losing it, to call me, and I'd return it. Gave her my card with my phone number on it. She got my large coffee, and said no charge.
Double win!
Nobody called. Kept that $100 bill for a few years in my wallet, but I guess it got mixed up with others. May still have it... dunno.
Saw a bale of cotton on the side of the road one time, in a curve down toward Pine Bluff, Ar. I was in a truck with a camper shell, so let it stay for somebody else. miles
Back In the late 80’s my dad found a Buck 110 opened on the road during deer season. The tip had been chipped off. He gave the knife to me. I reformed the blade and sharpened it. I had no sheath so never really used it. Several years ago I made a sheath after starting to play with leather.
About 2 years ago I was in a home working with a patient. The son was into knives and axes. Because of a felony he could no longer possess firearms. He asked if I’d like to buy a Rockchucker that he’d bought in the 70’s. Then he brought up the idea of trading. I happened to remember the 110 that I didn’t use. I mentioned that and he said “deal”. While not a direct find the find led to a pretty good outcome
Other than that miscellaneous bits of tools is about all that I’ve found. I do keep an eye out for good stuff.
I found 9 $100.00 bills and a single folded up nicely in the parking area after a little league game years ago… called the coach to let him know…. About an hour later I got a call from my son’s wrestling coach who told me the exact $$ amount he dropped at the game…. He was glad it was me that found it.
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