Virginia, Minnesota

[redneckdan]

Anyone here live near Virginia? I am looking at a possible job in town there. Just trying to get a feel for things there.

[Dark Helmet]

Several members here in the state of Va. I'm just just across the border in northeast NC. Whereabouts are you thinking of moving/working?

[starmac]

I took it that he was talking the town of virginia, in minnesota.

[pmer]

Good luck on your decision to move :smile:

Virginia is about 4 hours north of me so maybe I can give ya general info...Minnesota? I'm doing my taxes and I gotta send a bigger check this year than last year. And there seems to be fees for everything too. It can be several hundered dollars to get tabs for a new car. Lead wheel weights can still be had at independent tire shops.

They recently passed legislation letting local counties and towns play a little more with property taxe rates so property taxes can change more easily know. The state has held chunks of payments to school systems because of the economic down turn and schools are always proposing levies. There has been some news of more state $ going out.

Duluth to the south is a Democrat strong hold but we did vote a Republican to the Fed house in the last election - upseting a very long standing Democrat house seat. I'm at the southern end of that district.

[kbstenberg]

Your thinking of moving to a rural area. You will have to downsize most of your spending. Even if you get a "good" job you will be probably be making under 11$ an hr. I am working at one of the bigger employers in my area ( Park Rapids) and thats all I'm making. Most employers are small enough that they don't have health insurance for there employees.
Don't get me wrong I wouldn't move unless I had to. There just isn't much for jobs.

[selmerfan]

Well, if you love to hunt and fish, you'll be in business. Lots of forest area, definitely considered "up north", even by Minnesota standards. I'm a long ways SW of there, about 40 miles from the South Dakota border. Totally different world of prairie here. I'll be up there with my confirmation class at Camp House Bible Camp in mid-June, it's a bit east of Virginia.

[L Ross]

There is an nice bunch of shooters that have a range just outside (north) of Virgina off of Hwy 53. A very firearm friendly area. They shoot everything from black powder cartridge rifle, to high power, to cowboy action. They even have special events like VJ Day shoot where all the participants shoot vintage military rifles.

Duke

[redneckdan]

Hey all. I did get the job. Will be starting at one of the local taconite concentrators/pelletizers in June.

The gong show known as 'moving' has already begun.:veryconfu

[MT Gianni]

Congratulations on getting the Job Dan.

[redneckdan]

Thanks. Gonna be fun to actually use that engineering degree for something besides ski patrolling. :smile:

[kbstenberg]

Hey Dan If you need a hand with anything give me a holler. The only thing I won't do is tell you where my lead sources are.
Kevin

[ktw]

I had a college friend (MTU) who got a job out of school (blasting engineer) in Virgina, Minnesota. I stopped in and visited him for a week on one of my cross country trips some 25 years ago. He gave me a comprehensive tour of the pit and the processing facilities. The main forms of recreation in town appeared to be tossing darts down at the local tavern and collecting beer cans. He later moved on to a different job in a limestone quarry in the Northern Lower.

I spent 3 summers in the late 90's just northwest of there, up in Koochiching County. Plenty of remote country. Lots of good fishing and back country canoeing. I don't think the hunting stacked up to what we have here in the UP.

I like Duluth. Kind of like Marquette, but more so.

-ktw

[docone31]

Lutefisk is good!

[Bert2368]

Lutefisk is good!

Hey, be nice to the new kid.

http://www.davethefox.com/words/0112lutefisk.htm

There was a country store down the way from us near Stoughton, WI. For some reason, the dried lye treated cod they sold was known by all the old Norwegian farmers to be the tastiest lutefisk in Dane county. There was usually hundreds and hundreds of pounds of it stacked like cord wood in a decrepit, doorless old corn crib out back of the store, they sold so much it wouldn't fit indoors.

Finally, we figured out why theirs tasted better than the lutefisk from the other stores...
The neighborhood dogs were all peeing on it out in the crib.

[Superfly]

Dan Looks like you can start living large HUH.

remember you are still South from where I live in Mn. So wen you want real hunting and fishin come north just stop when you see the moose knuckles on a horse.

[redneckdan]

dunno about livin' large, got student loans to pay back and gotta find/buy a house.

This moving thing sucks...life went from kinda calm to bat **** insane pretty much over night.

:groner:

[nelsonted1]

Dan doesn't know it yet- he has FREE! iron slingshot pellets! OORAH! We used make a point of walking the tracks when visiting an uncle. I think we may still have some pick-ups.

Let us know how it's going

[redneckdan]

Getting the truck packed for a run to Virginia in the morning, had a fun afternoon projected of rewiring the tail lights..unplanned of course.

Hope to figure out temporary housing then go house hunting while we are over there. Have a pre-employment physical and wizz quiz next wednesday. Then it is another mad dash back to Houghton for a 2nd load of stuff. Might even have time to relax a bit in that week and a half...maybe....

[Three-Fifty-Seven]

bites!

[crabo]

Hey, be nice to the new kid.

http://www.davethefox.com/words/0112lutefisk.htm


Finally, we figured out why theirs tasted better than the lutefisk from the other stores...
The neighborhood dogs were all peeing on it out in the crib.

Had to be an improvement.

[Superfly]

u sick of the bugs yet ????

[facetious]

I grew up north of Wayzata . Came out to Colorado in1979. Had a friend come out for a visit. One night I couldn't find him. He was out in the back yard siting , nothing on but his shorts . Said he had never done that be for with out being eaten alive by the bugs.:

[41 mag fan]

Is that taconite plant hiring? Underground coal miner with heavy equipment experience here. Am thinking its time for a job and state change.
In laws all live in MN, except my mother and father in law winter in FL now. Wife would love to move back up, and I sure wouldn't miss IN.
I've been trying for yrs to move up there, but back then we had kids in school.

[redneckdan]

Check here https://www.minnesotaworks.net/ A lot of the iron range operations post there. I will keep an ear out though.


Spent the night at McCarthy Beach. Jen and I both had heat sickness. Went from 50s to almost 90s during the day. Bugs weren't too bad actually, didn't even put bug spray on. Storm line that went through missed us. Spent the morning rehydrating and watching loons play on the lake...kinda reminded me of Wack-A-Mole...but with no effort required....

Supose to go down in the 30s tonight so we are going to hotel it. Probably camp again tomorrow night.


You guys will love this. I have 2 boxes of 38 special and no gun....a box of flies and no rod or reel.....so much for trip planning...

[waynem34]

My truck will not run without at least one pistol,rifle,and fishing pole.I would go home and get it if was away from home without it.Anyway aleast your having fun.Have a good one.

[nelsonted1]

Camping.

In Minnesota..

Every year people disappear up there, especially summer campers. Watch for skid marks going through abandoned campsites, all the goods sitting around but no people. The people didn't leave, they were carried off. The tell tale skid marks are from the toe marks left by the people too heavy for the mosquitoes to lift.

[nelsonted1]

Also, it wouldn't hurt to bring ear plugs for sleeping. When the bigger, four engine jobs bank through the campsite the back blast can set your ears aringing for days. Just feel lucky those loud ones didn't pull up and toss you around for awhile.

[41 mag fan]

Always tell when it was time to call it and head back in from the lake up there. you could hear a buzzing coming out of the woods.....sounded like attack planes.
Head back in around 9:30ish, by midnight the mosquitos were gone, and you'd see people heading back out in boats, ready to do some trolling for walleyes.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

OOOOOH, It's not that bad ;)

Just eat planty of Garlic and Vitamin B12 and they'll leave you alone, but so will the ladies :(
Jon

[nelsonted1]

The invention of the long handled well pump happened in the 1700s in Northern MN. A bunch of Voyeurs or whatever the French fur guys were called were drunk one night sitting in the smoke from a campfire. They were sober enough not to leave the smoke. The leader of the group was passed out on the upwind side of the fire where the mosquitoes do their business. They were watching a mosquito attached to the guys jugular and realized what the extra leg mosquitoes carry around is for. As the mosquito was drawing blood that spare leg was slowly moving up and down. A light bulb lit in one of their heads- if a mosquito can pump blood running a leg up and down why couldn't water be pumped just scaled up some? That was how the long-handled pump was invented.

If the mosquito wasn't big enough to see operate with a naked, blurry eye like they have in MN we'd still be slurping out of mud puddles.

TED

[redneckdan]

Hey all yall. We're still kickin here in da 'sota. Planning on camping near Mountain Iron tonight. Still haven't found a house/apartment yet...

[Superfly]

u in a camper or tent ??? buddy has a cheap camper for sale if you need one

[redneckdan]

In a tent right now. May be interested in the camper. I'll have to catch you in chat one of these nights.

[redneckdan]

Back in da Keweenaw. Waiting for the official word from the company about the health screening/drug test results and then it is back to Minnesota.

[kbstenberg]

Dan my offer to stay here overnight or help in getting settled is still open.
I will even let you use the lower level of my 2 story outhouse.

[redneckdan]

Gettin ready to head back to the iron range. Got the kitchen trailer loaded up, going to finish up patching the wall tent tonight. Plan to leave michigan on monday morning. Work called and pushed the start date back. Guess they are scrambling to find me some office space and some other HR related stuff.

[nelsonted1]

Gettin ready to head back to the iron range. Got the kitchen trailer loaded up, going to finish up patching the wall tent tonight. Plan to leave michigan on monday morning. Work called and pushed the start date back. Guess they are scrambling to find me some office space and some other HR related stuff.

If they get desperate they could rent a disability-compatible portable restroom and put you in there. They're big enough for a desk and a laptop. You may need to stretch an awning over the top-they get hot even in MN. Also, make sure they understand it is a temporary situation! They get very, very cold in winter.

TED

Also, make sure it is staked down. Even the monster broke-dick units can be rolled!

[randyrat]

Lutefisk is good!

With salt and pepper!

[gofastman]

With salt and pepper!


and if it eaten with a 1:1 ratio of melted butter!

[nelsonted1]

Lutefisk: Fish pudding

[redneckdan]

I got a call from the mine on friday. Medical tests and stuff came back all okay. No hearing loss and 20/10 vision. So I guess all that heavy equipment work and welding hasn't hurt me too bad. Officially starting work next monday.

Planning to leave here tomorrow morning. Ol' toyota 22R is gonna get a heck of a work out heading up outta Duluth. I'll posted up some pictures later of the load.


-Dan

[1911sw45]

Be safe and have a good trip Dan.

Adam

[redneckdan]

Made it safely to the iron range. It was 1st and 2nd gear up the hills in Duluth but we made it.

Got camp mostly set up. Nice little municiple camp ground in Gilbert on Lake-Ore-Be-Gone. Suposively the lake has some monster cat fish in it. Anyone know much about catfishin'? Kinda new to me. Only got a medium weight spinning rod, the heavy level wind stuff got left in michigan.

I'll post pics sometime in the future, forgot the SD card reader for the camera...and most of the food stuffs we were going to bring over....and some motorcycle tools....at least I got the peestols and fishin rod this time.....[smilie=1:

[oneokie]

Anyone know much about catfishin'? Kinda new to me. smilie=1:

Chicken livers for bait. Stinkier the better.

[Rick Hodges]

And so Michigan looses another educated conservative hardworking young couple to another state. Best of luck to you Dan, remember to register to vote. Michigan's loss, Minnesota's gain.

[waksupi]

Chicken livers for bait. Stinkier the better.


Grand dad's secret weapon, was chicken intestines, and pig nuts. Both were put in a can on top of the hog shed, and let to age. The intestines had a fine line of rot, as they would get so they wouldn't stay on the hook. The pig nuts stayed on much better. He caught lots of catfish. He and his old pickup smelled like hell though.
For commercial bait, there used to be one called Charlie's Catfish Bait. No idea if it is still available.

[MT Gianni]

Two grasshoppers on a circle hook. Use a pole or set line. The more tobacco juice they have going the better.

[Superfly]

dan the camper is pretty damn nice and the price is i belive 5k and is a 24 footer i think

Located up here in the Northland camper is ready to go.

Jaime

[redneckdan]

Not sure the camper would work out. Don't have a tow rig.


And so Michigan looses another educated conservative hardworking young couple to another state. Best of luck to you Dan, remember to register to vote. Michigan's loss, Minnesota's gain.

Yup, Jen and I really liked the UP but there just isn't any work. We tried to make it happen and it just didn't go. I will be absentee balleting this election, probably won't change residence until the new year. We'll give it one last try but overcoming the detroit welfare voters is tough.


Grand dad's secret weapon, was chicken intestines, and pig nuts. Both were put in a can on top of the hog shed, and let to age. The intestines had a fine line of rot, as they would get so they wouldn't stay on the hook. The pig nuts stayed on much better. He caught lots of catfish. He and his old pickup smelled like hell though.


Jen would kill me.


Two grasshoppers on a circle hook. Use a pole or set line. The more tobacco juice they have going the better.

Hmm, might have to give it a try. There is a catalpa tree on our camp site and the sucker is loaded with caterpillar type things. They look similar but not quite the same as the southern catalpa worms pictures I found on line. Saw a couple other trees on the shores of the ore pit and notice rather large bass hanging out under neath the trees.

It is kind of funny watching the bird hunt the catapillars. They will land on a branch and bouce it a couple times. Then fly underneath to check for danglers. If there are no danglers they will go through the branch, turning leaf by leaf with one foot and pick the catapillars off that way.

[waksupi]

Dan, check residency requirements for hunting and fishing licenses. It may pay to change your residency now. In Montana you have to be here six months to get resident tags.

[Superfly]

dan i may be able to help with transport of the camper or chad may even help with delivering to

[redneckdan]

Dan, check residency requirements for hunting and fishing licenses. It may pay to change your residency now. In Montana you have to be here six months to get resident tags.

Ya, little late to get residency in time for hunting season. Not sure I will have much time for hunting anyway this season. I'm pretty low on the totem pole as far as time off for hunting. Probably going to be me and the office gals running the plant in november.

The rock bass went nuts over the catapillars last night, i should have brought a fly rod. Big bass didn't care for them. Put on a gold casting spoon and managed to tie into a large-ish northern pike. Pike manged to twist off while I was trying to figure out how the heck to get 20' down to the water off the pit rim. Not sure if snatch hooks like ocean pier fisherman use are legal here or not. I will have to do some research on walleye fishing in ore pits. I'm used to fishing on flats with a sharp drop off, here it is pretty much just a drop off.

[redneckdan]

Just wanted to let ya all know Jen and I are still doing okay. The wall tent is working great, had a few good rain storms go through with high winds and had no problems. I'm glad we went with the 24" rebar stakes instead of the barn spikes the tent manufacturer provides. My cast boolit access is limited, probably won't be around here much this summer.

-Dan

[Superfly]

you want to get together one weekend and have a BBQ Shoot weekend.

I am not far from you

I got the BEEF LOL

[pmer]

And there's the deer flies, they bite too.

For cats on the river, I used to bring night crawlers to catch red horse suckers and then use them for cut bait.

[redneckdan]

Hey all,

Just wanted to let everyone know Jen and I made it through the flooding okay. Stayed fairly dry at the camp. Definitely glad I went with 12oz Sunforger when I had the tent built! Got 5-6" in the last 24 hours locally here. :shock: Not much road damage. The pit roads are a mess. Local highways are all okay.

I hear Duluth is a disaster, they got 8" down there. A polar bear and a seal escaped from the Duluth Zoo, lots of other critters drowned. Sink holes and floating cars all over the place.

The rail lines are washed out all over the place. Todays tac train is delayed 24-48 hours, we're stackin pellets any where there is room.

-Dan

[olaf455]

A coworker of mine renamed duluth new orleans of the north after he drove through there this morning.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I717 using Tapatalk 2

[redneckdan]

Yup, been gettin storms pretty regularly this summer. Last one that went through sunday had tornados, hail and straight line winds in excess of 70 mph. Tent stayed up through it all. Stand by for photobucket dump.

[redneckdan]

New York Strip on the grill and Pasta Salad for dinner.

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b77/redneckdan/DSC00316.jpg


http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b77/redneckdan/DSC00320.jpg


Our current arch enemy. Note the semi-effective use of cover to deflect thrown mine rocks.

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b77/redneckdan/DSC00332.jpg

Closer....

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b77/redneckdan/DSC00336.jpg


Closer yet... Not sure what kind of squirrel it is. Shaped kind of like a prarie dog/gray squirrel cross. It will run right into the tent and try to get the bread cupboard open...

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b77/redneckdan/DSC00339.jpg

Camp ground rules prohibit deployment of 250grs of Keith's finest.

[oneokie]

Where are the conibears? Or is trapping prohibited?

[Blacksmith]

If he is that bold a simple box trap will work then put him on the next tac train south.

[redneckdan]

Jen and I are buying a small hunting camp with a 900 sq ft cabin and +6 acres. Place has a healthy population of deer and black bear, with +1000 acres of state land behind it. Also has a shootin shack, 8 deer stands, and a 400yd range.

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b77/redneckdan/New%20House/DSC00349.jpg

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b77/redneckdan/New%20House/DSC00350.jpg

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b77/redneckdan/New%20House/DSC00353.jpg



I think we will name it Cast Boolits Guest Haus

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b77/redneckdan/New%20House/DSC00359.jpg

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b77/redneckdan/New%20House/DSC00360.jpg

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b77/redneckdan/New%20House/DSC00361.jpg

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b77/redneckdan/New%20House/DSC00364.jpg

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b77/redneckdan/New%20House/DSC00366.jpg

[waksupi]

Nice set up!

[trooperdan]

Damn! I'm envious!
Way to go Dan!

[500Smith]

First 21 years of my life in soda, the last 31 in Texas. When I’m at the range in January in jeans and a T-shirt I’ll think about ya.

[1911sw45]

Nice place Dan.

Adam

[kbstenberg]

Dan what else could a guy want besides a luvin wife. Whens our BBQ?
Kevin

[redneckdan]

I'm thinking middle to late september. August is pretty well shot already. Will be on the road most of the month.

[MT Gianni]

Score, Nice looking place, Dan.

[redneckdan]

Made it back to Virginia. The Uhaul is unloaded. Suppose to close on the house this week. I brought 500# of lead and all the moulds...forgot the lead pot......[smilie=b:

[redneckdan]

August has been a crazy month.

Built some shelves for my reloading / work area. I'm not much of a carpenter, but I'm learning.

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b77/redneckdan/New%20House/DSC00432.jpg

Tried doing dados on my little table saw.

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b77/redneckdan/New%20House/DSC00435.jpg

It didn't go very well so I went and got one of these.

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b77/redneckdan/New%20House/DSC00436.jpg

Got the outer frame glued and pinned, starting to install the divider slats.

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b77/redneckdan/New%20House/DSC00439.jpg

Driving a slat into place.

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b77/redneckdan/New%20House/DSC00440.jpg

Got most of the slats in.

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b77/redneckdan/New%20House/DSC00445.jpg

Got it installed up on the bench.

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b77/redneckdan/New%20House/DSC00449.jpg

[redneckdan]

The neighbor dropped this off, kind of a long term-tempory loan. He doesn't hardly use it.

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b77/redneckdan/New%20House/DSC00451.jpg

I am working on a forend for a 10" contender barrel. Got the two pieces of the blank cut and ready to laminate.

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b77/redneckdan/New%20House/DSC00454.jpg

There is no such thing as over kill.

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b77/redneckdan/New%20House/DSC00456.jpg

Trimming up a piece of plywood for Jen's shelves.

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b77/redneckdan/New%20House/DSC00463.jpg