Out and About – Week of July 24th

We are in the middle of the Michigan summer season. Mother nature has been pretty good to us when it comes to the weather. We’ve had warm temperatures, but not as severe as Arizona and other southwestern states, and we haven’t had much as far as flooding is concerned. Get ready for August, however, because I’m sure it’s going to heat up a bit.

From what we’ve seen, Michigan boaters are having a good year. If they have taken the time to properly care for their boats and trailers, the rest of the boating season should be just as much fun.

Here are some items to routinely check to keep your boat and trailer in good working order:

Tires – Check the air in your trailer tires. Check for signs of cracking and excessive tread wear. If you have a spare tire, check that also. If you use your trailer just every so often, keep the tire pressure at the right level.
Trailer bearings – Ensure that your wheel bearings are in good condition and have plenty of grease.
Batteries – Most folks take the batteries out of the boat and keep them on trickle-charge over the winter. If you haven’t charged your batteries all winter, you may need to charge them or replace them before your first trip. Don’t wait until you launch your boat to find out your battery is dead.
Gear lube – If you didn’t change your gear lube as part of your winterization process, you should probably change it now.
Engine oil – Check the fill level before heading out.

If you haven’t ventured north on US-131 out of Three Rivers in the last month or so, you’ll be interested in knowing there is extensive road work happening. If you have traveled US-131 lately, you’re aware of the fact that progress has been made. Here are just a few things to be worked on over the next two weeks:

Continuing topsoil in median ditch north of XY Avenue.
Storm sewer continuing in gapped intersections north of M-216.
Finish paving culvert patches.
Permanent signs in median.
Shoulder gravel in areas that have been leveled from Moorepark to north of Flowerfield.

There are plenty of false claims concerning our health. Here are just a few:

Avoid exercise if you’re unwell. Studies have found that mild to moderate exercise when you have an upper-respiratory infection may help you feel better faster. Lying in bed can weaken your muscles and predispose you to pneumonia.
Avoid dairy, if you have a cold. The idea that milk increases mucus is centuries old, but most research indicates that dairy products do not increase the production of phlegm.
The flu shot can give you the flu. This claim has upset doctors to no end. It has been proven that this is biologically impossible, because the vaccine is made from inactive pieces of the virus. Those who come down with the flu, may have been infected with a different type of respiratory infection.

See you Out and About!

Submitted by Norm Stutesman