Commuting - Roadside Treasure

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CrimsonEclipse
10-19-11, 11:15 PM
Wow, we revived a 10 year old thread
I'm up to $90.00 in cash from finds.... 2x$20's over the years and that nice $50 from the guy who was thrilled to get his cell phone back. Knives, tools, bullets, a cop's id and ticket book (no tickets), and a working 30Gig iPod (used it today) . Today I scored about 10lbs of grapes (I have a nice little spot that I seem to the be only one who knows about). This doesn't include the $7000.00 that I got after settling with the driver, and paying off my lawyer and medical bills from getting hit 4 years ago (and yes, the same grape vines were involved).
I see a dead squirrel every once in a while.
buzzman
10-20-11, 02:58 PM
The more memorable ones right now are:
-several wallets- all returned to their respective owners
- change especially on bus routes or streets with parking meters.
- tools adjustable wrenches, socket wrenches, pliers and hammers. BTW, does Craftsman still replace any of their old tools with new ones regardless of condition? We used to return them to Sears for new ones.
- a Leatherman in it's case.
- bike stuff: locks, bungees, blinkies, gloves.
- and probably my best find yet:
On a snowy winter night time ride home from work at about 1 am I saw a bike tossed in a huge pile of trash outside of an apartment building. My eye went right to it because I could tell it was a nice bike. I stop and pull it out and it's missing a seat and the tires are flat but otherwise it is a Specialized hybrid bike in mint condition. The tires didn't even have any wear on them. I stood there astounded. I looked for cracks in the frame, spun the wheels- perfect. I strap it (somehow) to my milk crate and ride home with it.
I dusted it off, pumped up the tires, took it for a spin- perfect- and gave it to my niece- she LOVES this bike. :D
NoTrail
10-21-11, 07:52 AM
... BTW, does Craftsman still replace any of their old tools with new ones regardless of condition? ...
Only if they are broken. But they are always really cool about it.
RB1-luvr
10-21-11, 08:22 AM
I've found so much over the years, I couldn't possibly remember it all, but a few things stand out: a Winchester locking knife, adjustable wrench, numerous combination wrenches and screw drivers, a Blackberry in an Otterbox, a flip phone (found the flip phone owner), and once I saw a high-end camera tripod down in a ditch but forgot to go back for it after my ride.
the other day I saw a Matchbox diecast toy but didn't pick it up.
oh ya, I found a wallet once too, and returned it to the local police station. they said they knew the person because he had been in to report it.
ItsJustMe
10-21-11, 01:09 PM
Only if they are broken. But they are always really cool about it.
It's easy to solve if they aren't already broken.
When I was a kid we had some sockets that were pretty worn, rounded, didn't grip well anymore. We took them in for replacement, the manager refused, saying they looked OK to him. We took them home and gave them a good whack with a 12 pound sledge, brought in the broken bits and said "how do they look now?" He replaced them.
ItsJustMe
10-21-11, 01:10 PM
Wow, we revived a 10 year old thread
It seems to be the season for that. I suspect someone has been browsing old threads and replying to them. It seems to happen in spurts.
I figure what the heck? It's not like pretty much every new thread here hasn't been covered before anyway, so what difference if the thread is 10 years old or 10 minutes old, both taking about the same thing?
nashcommguy
10-21-11, 02:40 PM
I believe there may have been a thread along these lines started by Cambronne, but I didn't see it. Anyway...
Yesterday on my ride in I found a nice pair of large size bent nose needle nose pliers. I was very excited because this is one of the few tools I did not already own!
Virtually all of my bungee cords are foundlings. Probably, 2 dozen various handtools over the years. Flat and phillips screwdrivers, pilers, vise-grips, etc. The best, though was a large Channellock side cutter. It's over 20 years old and cuts just as well today as it did on the day I found it. Found several pair of soft material gloves from 100% wool to poly blends. If I roll up on one by itself I look for the mate within 50-100 feet. Otherwise, I leave it.
Blues Frog
10-21-11, 03:06 PM
I found a live skunk with no white on his back but he seemed unwlling to go to work with me. There was a Michelin Flapjack robin the other day but he wasn't dry yet.(Not yet a sailbird) ... A good pair of girl's shades and moderate quality slip joint pliers. Grand daughter may enjoy the shades. A twenty dollar bill (US) in the back yard after commuting home from work. Does it count? Good luck twenty for me, bad luck for the original owner.
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