Toshi's ride pics thread

[Toshi]

yo keith, i got myself some new planks: Rossignol 9X Oversize. 50% off + demo discount (as in they were demos, not that i demoed them), 174 in length.

[Barbaton]

bwhahaha

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20050407/od_nm/odd_manure_dc

[Toshi]

thad/keith/ari, order rm jerseys! http://www.ridemonkey.com/forums/showthread.php?t=114438&page=3&pp=20

need 4 more orders for it to work.

[Barbaton]

thad/keith/ari, order rm jerseys! http://www.ridemonkey.com/forums/showthread.php?t=114438&page=3&pp=20

need 4 more orders for it to work.

I was just putting on one of my others to check on sizes to do just that last night. I can't decide if I've outgrown small, though.

-T

[Toshi]

mmm heading up to baker now. 98" base, not bad.

[Toshi]

new pics today:

http://toshiclark.com/images/events%20and%20concerts/improv%20-%20april%209,%202005/Images/improv_0035.jpg as example, see http://tjclark.ath.cx/ for others (too lazy to link, must sleep NOW)

[Toshi]

how far is your commute? here's mine: http://maps.google.com/maps?q=3801+brooklyn+ave,seattle,+wa+to+1750+N.E.+ Pacific+Street,+seattle,+wa&t=k&hl=en

0.3 miles :thumb:

[chicodude]

This is your RIDE pics thread....Right?


I see very little riding going on..................

[Toshi]

heh. it has morphed over the years. first off, i graduated in 2003 and in the process lost my riding group for which this thread was started. second, i haven't been on the bike more than 3 times this winter (all about the skiing). maybe i could get a mod to change the title... :D

[Barbaton]

here's mine:

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=399+Broadway,Cambridge,+MA+02139+to+33+Oxfo rd+St,+Cambridge,+MA+02138&t=k&hl=en

[Barbaton]

for those of you interested in Engineering Ethics, here is an interesting case study (http://onlineethics.org/corp/CompositeBike.html)

and it's bike related. :)

[Toshi]

ugh, that link has too much text :D

check out this: http://www.ridemonkey.com/forums/showthread.php?t=115985

:dead:

[Toshi]

i picked up the second sportworks bob ratchet from rei today :thumb: . so now i'm all set to remove the ski mounts, get that bob ratchet up on the roof, and get my ride on. after my test on monday, of course...

[Toshi]

for those of you interested in Engineering Ethics, here is an interesting case study (http://onlineethics.org/corp/CompositeBike.html)

and it's bike related. :)
maybe cannondale (http://www.ridemonkey.com/forums/showthread.php?t=116096) should have read the above link last year :D

[Toshi]

http://www.4q.cc/vin/ . hit refresh :D

[Barbaton]

here's something for you to do (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7526212/) if this whole med school thing doesn't pan out...

[Toshi]

http://img149.echo.cx/img149/9696/7619134bikecornermed8sx.jpg

:D :oink:

[Toshi]

after shamefully striking out (and doubling) in our softball game two weeks ago i decided it would be a Good Thing to hit up the batting cages. so i did. i don't think i'll be doing that again any time soon: seattle traffic is hideous this time of the afternoon (4-6) and my wrist (left hand, remember i'm left handed) is killing me. what am i doing wrong? :think:

[WTGPhoben]

after shamefully striking out (and doubling) in our softball game two weeks ago i decided it would be a Good Thing to hit up the batting cages. so i did. i don't think i'll be doing that again any time soon: seattle traffic is hideous this time of the afternoon (4-6) and my wrist (left hand, remember i'm left handed) is killing me. what am i doing wrong? :think:

is this fast-pitch softball? If not, going to the batting cages are not going to help you (assuming it's a regular baseball batting cage). That nice level baseball swing does you no good for those big arcing meatballs. (I know from experience). Your wrist is probly just unhappy about the big bat you were using to take 100+ rips

[Toshi]

is this fast-pitch softball? If not, going to the batting cages are not going to help you (assuming it's a regular baseball batting cage). That nice level baseball swing does you no good for those big arcing meatballs. (I know from experience). Your wrist is probly just unhappy about the big bat you were using to take 100+ rips
the cages had a lovely slow pitch softball unit as well, which was inconsistent, just like real pitchers :oink:

[Barbaton]

You guys will appreciate this:

http://www.99-bottles-of-beer.net/

[Toshi]

that's embarrassing, thad. i'm not even going to forward that to my microsoft friends! haha

(i did forward this earlier today after my dad sent it to me: http://news.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=427952005 "texting makes you dumb" essentially)

[Toshi]

today's moment of zen:

http://toshiclark.com/images/daily/guitarists%20-%20april%2022,%202005/Images/IMG_0126.jpg (http://toshiclark.com/images/daily/guitarists%20-%20april%2022,%202005/)

[Toshi]

caption this pic? :D

http://toshiclark.com/images/events%20and%20concerts/courtney's%20-%20april%2023,%202005/Images/IMG_0169.jpg (http://toshiclark.com/images/events%20and%20concerts/courtney's%20-%20april%2023,%202005/)

[narlus]

"that little earring hurts more than you can know"

[Barbaton]

So Keith and I and Kathy and Emily went to see the Diane Arbus show (http://www.metmuseum.org/special/se_event.asp?OccurrenceId={E9C11548-26E7-431C-9F83-03E1EBC758CD}) at the Met in NYC this weekend. It was a very good show and included a lot of her personal notebooks, letters, and such.

I think we photogs were inspired (hence our lens discussion earlier), though Keith was stymied by the fact that every photo store in NY is apparently closed for Passover.

[Toshi]

i posted this in its own thread but it deserves to be preserved for posterity (or until i delete it off the server)

http://toshiclark.com/GT4.jpg

[ALEXIS_DH]

i posted this in its own thread but it deserves to be preserved for posterity (or until i delete it off the server)

http://toshiclark.com/GT4.jpg


Mitsubishi PAJERO???????

Further information on the Mitsubishi Pajero SUV:
For the curious, the Spanish word pajero means ‘wanker’, from paja meaning ‘wank’ (literally, ‘straw’), in the expression hacerse una paja, (literally ‘to do oneself a straw’). These slang expressions come from the fact that both a straw and the penis are similar in being pipe-like. It is the first meaning to come to mind to Spanish speakers in both Spain and the majority of Latin America.
....
The Mitsubishi Pajero was renamed Montero (‘hunter in the mountains’) in Spain and the Americas, and — strangely — Shogun (‘Japanese warlord’) in the UK; but people in other parts of the world, including Australia and continental Europe, drive about cars which proudly proclaim their driver to be a Pajero in lettering along the side.

http://chameleon-translations.com/Index-Companies-pajero.shtml

[Toshi]

heh. it's actually a pajero "rally raid" (think paris-dakar) prototype so slightly cooler than a garden variety montero.

[Toshi]

i completed GT4 100% btw. too lazy to take another ghetto screenshot. and soon i will begin bike riding again, and perhaps even taking photos of said riding, once my poor and tired body recuperates (nursing a left wrist at the moment after too much racket sports). :eek:

[WTGPhoben]

So Keith and I and Kathy and Emily went to see the Diane Arbus show (http://www.metmuseum.org/special/se_event.asp?OccurrenceId={E9C11548-26E7-431C-9F83-03E1EBC758CD}) at the Met in NYC this weekend. It was a very good show and included a lot of her personal notebooks, letters, and such.

I think we photogs were inspired (hence our lens discussion earlier), though Keith was stymied by the fact that every photo store in NY is apparently closed for Passover.

We were inspired, and thanks to Emily buying my 10D (and 24-85 lens), I am investing in the 20... My original intention was to buy the package deal with the 17-85 4-5.6 IS USM, which has lots of potential, but now I'm starting to worry that I'm gonna be upset at it being a half-stop or so slower than my old 24-85 3.5-4.5, esp since I like to use a polarizer a lot. since I can't afford (read: justify paying for) two lenses, I like the wide range of this lens (it can also focus down to about 1' which is nice). I think I want to ditch my 28 1.8 (anyone want it?), leaving me with the 50 1.4 and whatever I buy in the next week or so...

any suggestions?

[Toshi]

primes...

[Toshi]

http://www.ridemonkey.com/forums/showthread.php?goto=lastpost&t=117692

:think:

[Toshi]

not quite riding pics but running pics instead:

http://toshiclark.com/images/events%20and%20concerts/greg's%20gallop%20-%20may%207,%202005/Images/IMG_0246.jpg

http://toshiclark.com/images/events%20and%20concerts/greg's%20gallop%20-%20may%207,%202005/Images/IMG_0262.jpg

http://toshiclark.com/images/events%20and%20concerts/greg's%20gallop%20-%20may%207,%202005/Images/IMG_0263.jpg

gallery here (http://toshiclark.com/images/events%20and%20concerts/greg's%20gallop%20-%20may%207,%202005/)

[Toshi]

sportworks hooked me up:

http://www.ridemonkey.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1570597#post1570597

all ye who read this, go with sportworks products :thumb: . good design, good service, local to Washington.

[Toshi]

i just ordered the low top version of this:

http://www.pinkbike.com/modules/news/?op=articleview&id=2443

http://www.pinkbike.com/photo/359/pbpic359363.jpg

i rocked a set of 5-10s last season, albeit not the Impacts. they weren't that great since the sole had too much void space and wasn't the true sticky rubber as in the above shoes. everyone loves their Impacts (same as the Intense shoes from a few years back) so i have high hopes.

[Barbaton]

wonder what it would be like to ride your bike near the speed of light? (http://www.spacetimetravel.org/tuebingen/tue0.html)

[Toshi]

wonder what it would be like to ride your bike near the speed of light? (http://www.spacetimetravel.org/tuebingen/tue0.html)
ooh, fisheye through special relativity :drool:

i'm going to get some good saddle time in the next year btw: new apartment is a 20 minute spin each way from school, enough to make me ditch the flats for ye olde ghetto atacs. next i will mount up the seatpost rack if i can find the proper shims, bungee on a milk crate, and go totally hippy by carting groceries around on the bike. actually that already sounds like too much effort.

[WTGPhoben]

wonder what it would be like to ride your bike near the speed of light? (http://www.spacetimetravel.org/tuebingen/tue0.html)

cooool

[Toshi]

so i went on a ride today. and got totally lost. as in had to call my mom to ask her to look up the address of the house we ended up next to so that we could figure out which way to ride go get back to the highway, let alone the trail. net result: 3 miles of uphill on the shoulder of highway 18 (4 lane divided for the most part) with trucks and RVs buzzing by our heads. not cool. at least i got my climbing in...

:dead:

[WTGPhoben]

At long last I have finished the rewrite of my website (and rearchiving of all my photos). I finally added the subject search feature that I've been talking about forever (and that toshi's site implemented like a year ago). I also redid the gallery page so it's slicker and easier to use.

see it here:
phoben.com (http://www.phoben.com)

I also sold my 10D to my Emily (my gf, who is currently in Afghanistan. Long story...) and got a 20D.

the first two 20D galleries are:
Boston (http://www.phoben.com/photos/pgal/gallery.aspx?AlbumID=360&type=Date Folders&subs=False)
and
Emily and Myself (http://www.phoben.com/photos/pgal/gallery.aspx?AlbumID=361&type=Date Folders&subs=False)

and the best part... now I'll have time to ride. Speaking of which, I might be riding from boston to acadia Nat'l park (280 mi) in about 2 weeks.

[Toshi]

cool beans. i like that bridge, have taken several shots over the years of it myself :thumb: . how does one get to a listing of subjects, keith?

[WTGPhoben]

cool beans. i like that bridge, have taken several shots over the years of it myself :thumb: . how does one get to a listing of subjects, keith?

Threre are five major categories:

1. Date Folders: all the pics by date they were taken (this one is unfiltered so in the older galleries there's lots of crap)

Subject-like:

2. Compilations: basically general subjects, but only photos I think have 'some' value actually get displayed (filtered)
3. People: all the people pictured, organized by name. also filtered
4. Groups/organizations: self-explanatory. also filtered
5. Major events: again self-explanatory. NOT filtered.

to get ALL of a category, go to the search tool,, select the category in the dropdown box and choose a date range starting before august 2002 and ending after the current date and hit submit. Then all the 'subjects' will list themselves.

[Toshi]

to get ALL of a category, go to the search tool,, select the category in the dropdown box and choose a date range starting before august 2002 and ending after the current date and hit submit. Then all the 'subjects' will list themselves.
perhaps a shortcut to viewing all as per above for each category would be nice? hmm

[WTGPhoben]

perhaps a shortcut to viewing all as per above for each category would be nice? hmm

maaaaaybe. I could put an "all" checkbox to substitute for the date, but I figured with 364 galleries, no one would want them all on one page.

[WTGPhoben]

maaaaaybe. I could put an "all" checkbox to substitute for the date, but I figured with 364 galleries, no one would want them all on one page.

You got your wish as a result of the fact that I had to go back and fix certain elements of the page that were hopelessly broken in firefox. Now all is working and you have your date selecting bypass.

can i go ride now?

[Toshi]

You got your wish as a result of the fact that I had to go back and fix certain elements of the page that were hopelessly broken in firefox. Now all is working and you have your date selecting bypass.

can i go ride now?
i approve :thumb:

i like this pic (more than my wicked turnbars at rye haha)

http://www.phoben.ath.cx/photos/archive/2003/2003_06_25/fullSize/IMG_1036.jpg

[Toshi]

http://www.ridemonkey.com/forums/showthread.php?t=120433

[WTGPhoben]

Got 3/4 of a day of sun yesterday, but it was too wet to hit the trail so I went out and hammered on my road bike for an hour, then went to walden pond:

three walden pics (http://www.phoben.com/photos/pgal/gallery.aspx?AlbumID=365&type=Date%20Folders&subs=False)

today it's threatening thunderstorms... maybe someday it will be dry enough to get on a bike in the woods.

[Toshi]

i got into the woods today! rode the mtn bike leg of the ski to sea race (www.bellingham.com/skitosea). shaved about 20% off last year's guy's time i think, got a good sunburn while at it, too :thumb:

hmm. upon looking at the results make that 15% off last year's muddy time, and 5% off the non-muddy year time. the shocking thing is that the overall stage winner was 14 minutes faster than me. and my time was 42:15. :dead:

[Toshi]

whoa. the first guy in the video (from the site with all the cool messenger vids: http://www.digave.com/videos ) looks like a cross between thad and keith! :oink:

http://www.digave.com/videos/bio-web.mpg

[WTGPhoben]

whoa. the first guy in the video (from the site with all the cool messenger vids: http://www.digave.com/videos ) looks like a cross between thad and keith! :oink:

http://www.digave.com/videos/bio-web.mpg

and that second guy is tapped in the head.

[Toshi]

and that second guy is tapped in the head.
agreed. i guess he enjoys riding that couch bike around eh :think:

[stevew]

next i will mount up the seatpost rack if i can find the proper shims, bungee on a milk crate, and go totally hippy by carting groceries around on the bike. actually that already sounds like too much effort.

My brother in CO has one of these http://www.chromebags.com/kremlin.php and used it to go grocery shopping before he got a car.

Very roomy, but the milk crate option sounds cheaper.

[Toshi]

My brother in CO has one of these http://www.chromebags.com/kremlin.php and used it to go grocery shopping before he got a car.

Very roomy, but the milk crate option sounds cheaper.
thanks for the tip. i'm delaying going hippy until after finals so will have time to consider the various options :thumb:

[Toshi]

i realized something very cool this afternoon: my summer research doesn't have me starting as an indentured servant in lab until the 13th, so i have a solid 9 days (with only a few obligations in town) to go riding. whistler in midweek should be just the ticket. :thumb:

and it's happening: http://www.ridemonkey.com/forums/showthread.php?t=121027

[Barbaton]

agreed. i guess he enjoys riding that couch bike around eh :think:

Finally watched the vid. The dude is a nutcase as well as an ass. Recklessly driving his couch bike around in opposing lanes of traffic does nothing to fight the car culture compared to angering someone about bikes...

[Toshi]

http://toshiclark.com/images/events%20and%20concerts/celebrating%20the%20end%20of%20first%20year%20-%20june%203,%202005/Images/IMG_0398.jpg

[Toshi]

i hit up whistler today. didn't bring camera. 10 runs over 5.5 hours of actual riding time. :thumb: hit all the favorites: dirt merchant, A-line, clown shoes (but not the drop), crack addict, joyride, schleyer, whistler downhill, heart of darkness, angry pirate (awesome trail!), and possibly more that i forgot. for those counting, note that the named trails do not each constitute a run since many are only lower or upper segments. :D

the nutty thing is that i saw star wars again last night, and didn't get to sleep until 2. up at 4, on the road by 4:50, and back at 10... a full day indeed.

oh yeah: i managed to go over the bars twice in spectacular fashion, and stopped a sketchily quick descent down a slippery rock face through sudden contact between a tree and my shoulder. as a result i have a healthy looking bruise/abrasion on my left bicep. no major injuries, however.

[Toshi]

ARGH

http://www.ridemonkey.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1612735#post1612735

i hate pseudoscience, and the right wing seems to lap it up. :nuts:

[N8]

This reads like Toshi's Blog...

[Toshi]

This reads like Toshi's Blog...
yup, it gets my tangentially bike related thoughts. :D my real blog is elsewhere, gets even more random junk from my keyboard: http://www.xanga.com/toshiclark

[Toshi]

spotted on campus:

http://tjclark.ath.cx/images/daily/june%20phonepix%20catchup%20-%20june%209,%202005/Images/Picture_1_.jpg

amazing that it's still around, no?

[Barbaton]

in the geeks with extra time dept (http://www.computerhistory.org/exhibits/highlights/)

scroll down for musical goodness...

[Toshi]

in the geeks with extra time dept (http://www.computerhistory.org/exhibits/highlights/)

scroll down for musical goodness...
nice :thumb: . i wish my printer did that :(

[Toshi]

click on image for the gallery:

http://toshiclark.com/images/daily/urban%20macros%20-%20june%2011,%202005/Images/IMG_0420.jpg (http://toshiclark.com/images/daily/urban%20macros%20-%20june%2011,%202005/)

all shot around seattle this morning with a canon 20D, sigma 180 macro at f/32 on tripod, 420EX off camera via ST-E2.

[Barbaton]

Which revenge of the sith Character Are You? (http://quizfarm.com/test.php?q_id=34136)

Apparently I'm yoda...

with anakin a close second. ;)

[Barbaton]

from a coworker:


This is a wonderful IM exchange. Quoted from

http://www.livejournal.com/users/laura47/436196.html

RaxVulpine: There you are!
RaxVulpine: Do you know what I jsut decided is wicked awesome?
Espaliered Tomatoes: 0*654123-.0
RaxVulpine: Incorrect!
Espaliered Tomatoes: 123121312123213213213
Espaliered Tomatoes: 56**654400.3-*94
Espaliered Tomatoes: ..........
RaxVulpine: I took a cold bath and just sat in cold water reading about
chess for an hour. It was awesome.
RaxVulpine: THere's so much for us to see thought, like our parents do
more drugs than we do.
Espaliered Tomatoes: 111111111
Espaliered Tomatoes: 222222
Espaliered Tomatoes: 3333333
Espaliered Tomatoes: 4444444
Espaliered Tomatoes: 5555555
RaxVulpine: AGH my typing is horrible today.
RaxVulpine: So is everything but your numpad broken or something?
Espaliered Tomatoes: 111111111111111111111111
RaxVulpine: Is that a yes?
Espaliered Tomatoes: 11111111111111111
Espaliered Tomatoes: yes
RaxVulpine: Oh, did you just copy and paste that?
RaxVulpine: But how would you type your password?
RaxVulpine: Why is your life like it is?
Espaliered Tomatoes: k=2
Espaliered Tomatoes: l 3
RaxVulpine: k is not on the numpad.
RaxVulpine: The furries apologized and let me on their mailing list.
Espaliered Tomatoes: u= 4
RaxVulpine: I am so older than 4.
RaxVulpine: Even emotionally!
Espaliered Tomatoes: help?
RaxVulpine: Help with what?
RaxVulpine: If you are in like serious trouble or some **** I can call
you, I have like 8 minutes left on my phone.
Espaliered Tomatoes: n
RaxVulpine: What do you need help with?
Espaliered Tomatoes: u= 4 l= 3 k=2
Espaliered Tomatoes: i= 5
RaxVulpine: Is this code for killing everyone?
Espaliered Tomatoes: o= 6
Espaliered Tomatoes: n
RaxVulpine: io**oiuu00.l ?
RaxVulpine: What the **** are you on?
Espaliered Tomatoes: mac
RaxVulpine: Is this a code at all?
Espaliered Tomatoes: n!!!!
RaxVulpine: Then I am beyong lost.
Espaliered Tomatoes: mac broken!!!
RaxVulpine: Huh?
Espaliered Tomatoes: help?
RaxVulpine: What is broken about the Mac?
RaxVulpine: You're getting strange responses to keypresses.
RaxVulpine: Wait is it a laptop?
Espaliered Tomatoes: u= 4 l= 3 k=2 o= 6
Espaliered Tomatoes: 111111
RaxVulpine: Your function key ios sstuck.]
RaxVulpine: Bottom left hand corner.
Espaliered Tomatoes: laptop
RaxVulpine: Your function key is stuck. See how the keys have little grey
numbers? If function is on then you will get those numbers on the
keyboard.
Espaliered Tomatoes: 1111
RaxVulpine: I can't physically come there and unstick the key for you.
RaxVulpine: Make sure num lock is off also.
RaxVulpine: Which is on F6 I think.
Espaliered Tomatoes: yes! thank god!
Espaliered Tomatoes: thank you so much!
Espaliered Tomatoes: that was such utter hell!
Espaliered Tomatoes: oh my god!
RaxVulpine: No problem
Espaliered Tomatoes: you took so long to understand!!
Espaliered Tomatoes: i thought youy woudl understand faster
RaxVulpine: I just expect you to be incomphrehensible online.

[Toshi]

ahha, that im thing was pretty lame :thumb:

General Grievous 69%
R2-D2 61%
Yoda 56%
Anakin Skywalker 53%

i also just bought a 3rd, used, bob ratchet rack mount. :thumb: and, as i already told thad, i bought a stepladder from home depot to carry around in the car and use to aid in lifting heavy bikes onto the roof of the pathfinder. it will be invaluable for the middle position...

[stevew]

i bought a stepladder from home depot to carry around in the car and use to aid in lifting heavy bikes onto the roof of the pathfinder. it will be invaluable for the middle position...

I wonder why a rack company has never made a ladder like this that attaches to the top for those people with SUV's? I think on this bus it attaches to the rain gutter or the roof rack itself.
http://www.hostdub.com/albums/blanginDE/149_4969.sized.jpg

That way you could climb up top and someone could hand a bike up to you if you were carrying more than two.

[Toshi]

I wonder why a rack company has never made a ladder like this that attaches to the top for those people with SUV's? I think on this bus it attaches to the rain gutter or the roof rack itself.
http://www.hostdub.com/albums/blanginDE/149_4969.sized.jpg

That way you could climb up top and someone could hand a bike up to you if you were carrying more than two.
that is an awesome idea and execution, but it might be difficult to make a universal one that wouldn't scratch up cars or put pressure on the body or windows where none should be applied.

for those curious why i've been posting relatively little to ridemonkey this week, i've started my summer research project. read about it here (http://www.xanga.com/item.aspx?user=toshiclark&tab=weblogs&uid=285019005), or see this cool screenshot and imagine all the details of how it is derived:

http://students.washington.edu/tjclark/heartviewer.PNG

(deliberately not inlined since it's 1280x1024)

[Toshi]

i just dropped off the canfield's wheelset to be rebuilt with sun MTX rims (labeled as 8 tracks :thumb: for extra sweetness -- they're the same thing, 8 track is the complete wheelset name), db spokes, brass nipples.

they should be done well before next weekend's whistler jaunt, which might be a two day affair this time. i am bringing some newbies up, so will have to keep them healthy one way or another... :dead:

[Toshi]

today i hiked halfway up mt. rainier with rabi lahiri and his girlfriend, whose name i think is spelled thais? googling for "thais microsoft" yielded much on people from thailand but not from brazil, from where she hails.

i would write a long tale as would befit a 6+ hour hike, but i'm too tired. 4:10 of climbing will do that to you. and more importantly, i'm too sunburnt. oh well, i'll live. i'll let the pictures (and their captions, see the bottom of each full size image page) speak as much as they can, and will answer questions if any are proferred:

mt. rainier, or more properly "hike to camp muir" ( http://toshiclark.com/images/events%20and%20concerts/mt.%20rainier%20-%20june%2019,%202005/).

a teaser image:

http://toshiclark.com/images/events%20and%20concerts/mt.%20rainier%20-%20june%2019,%202005/Images/rainier_0025.jpg

[Toshi]

this is a pretty sweet tandem: http://www.ridemonkey.com/forums/showthread.php?t=122624

[Toshi]

my car was broken into last night. and my C trumpet was stolen. :dead:

[Barbaton]

my car was broken into last night. and my C trumpet was stolen. :dead:

That sucks! Make sure you call the po-po. Insurance?

Here was my night (http://www.ridemonkey.com/forums/showthread.php?t=122853&goto=newpost)

[Toshi]

yeah, i got the police out there last night, had one friend waiting with me, another running around with the building security guard looking for cameras and looking in dumpsters. insurance should cover everything: the pain is that it's a monette. so custom, 9-12 month wait time...

[Toshi]

the horn was recovered at a pawn shop :thumb: . no word on condition etc.

[WTGPhoben]

In my impatience waiting for my new wheel parts to come in for the MTB, I COMPLETELY (not including oil seals) disassembled, cleaned and rebuilt my bomber. I forgot to take pics of it totally apart (as that was pretty impressive), but I'll share the two tidbits I learned:

1. Year old stale air is gross. Smells like something between farts and gasoline.

2. CHANGE YOUR OIL 2x/season. After a year of riding (granted, I rode a lot last year) the oil was barely distinguishable from driveway sealer (from all the aluminum residue).

I can't tell if the feel is better yet though. I don't have I back wheel so I can't put the bike on the ground.

Pics of the finished overhaul to come (when the parts do).

[Toshi]

1. Year old stale air is gross. Smells like something between farts and gasoline.
:oink:

i wonder how many dimensions would be required to represent taste in a coherent fashion. there are something like 10k different smells we can recognize but i'm sure many of them must be on axes of some sort... :think:

[Quadari]

On a completely different note, check this out:

stuffguppy.com (http://stuffguppy.com)

(Full disclosure, I helped make the site.)

[Toshi]

my ridemonkey jersey arrived a few days ago, and i finally opened it just now. it's nice :thumb:

did you end up ordering one, thad?

[Barbaton]

my ridemonkey jersey arrived a few days ago, and i finally opened it just now. it's nice :thumb:

did you end up ordering one, thad?

Yeah, we both did. BG has allegedly shipped it. Probably working its way through the University mail system :dead:

[WTGPhoben]

Before I go out and destroy my pretty new wheel, here's a pic:

http://www.phoben.com/photos/archive/2005/2005_06_27/fullSize/IMG_0337.jpg

Stats:
DT 240s Hub laced half-radial to Mavic x618 with DT Competetion (14/15) spokes and alloy nipples

new drivetrain parts too: here (http://www.phoben.com/photos/pgal/gallery.aspx?AlbumID=376&type=Date%20Folders&subs=False)

Preliminary hub assessment. I wouldn't recommend it for suspended bikes. It doesn't have a true thru-axle, requiring the QR to be cranked down pretty hard to keep the wheel from being a little wiggly.

[Barbaton]

And in other hub news...my lengthy free-hub / hub rebuild project finally finished on Mon, after much frustration, a set of bearings, and the wrong cone provided by Wheelworks. Tho, the guy who sold me the cone was still more helpful than the surly french man who said in is surly french way "well, eh, you mus 'ave done it whong."

Moral of the story: grease is your friend; bearings should be round. :)

[Toshi]

http://www.hennigar.ca/demoreel_high400x270.mov

[WTGPhoben]

http://www.hennigar.ca/demoreel_high400x270.mov

cool.

[Barbaton]

http://www.hennigar.ca/demoreel_high400x270.mov

link no work for me. :(

[Toshi]

seattle life:

http://toshiclark.com/images/events%20and%20concerts/seattle%20beerfest%20-%20july%202,%202005/Images/IMG_0641.jpg (http://toshiclark.com/images/events%20and%20concerts/seattle%20beerfest%20-%20july%202,%202005/)

[Toshi]

help me out with my sedan hunt:

http://tjclark.ath.cx:2500/nerdmedia/show/SedanHunt

[Toshi]

help me out with my sedan hunt:

http://tjclark.ath.cx:2500/nerdmedia/show/SedanHunt
keith, given that you went through this same decision process a year ago you must have some input :D

http://toshiclark.com/sedans.png

[Quadari]

So I've been driving a Mini Cooper (non-S) around a good amount this summer. It's quite a fun drive. Even the non-S has decent pickup, it handles really well and actually has a lot more room inside then it initially seems. Plus it gets lots of points for the "cool" factor.

[Toshi]

So I've been driving a Mini Cooper (non-S) around a good amount this summer. It's quite a fun drive. Even the non-S has decent pickup, it handles really well and actually has a lot more room inside then it initially seems. Plus it gets lots of points for the "cool" factor.
agreed. and it has a cool factory roof rack setup even :D

http://outmotoring.com/cgi-bin/image/templates/MM_rackmd.jpg

(note updated spreadsheet-image above)

[ALEXIS_DH]

help me out with my sedan hunt:

http://tjclark.ath.cx:2500/nerdmedia/show/SedanHunt

hey, am gonna chip in some unrequested almost dogmatic opinion about cars that am somewhat familiar with....

right now, am also looking around for a sedan, with a similar criteria to yours.

tough am initially inclined to recommend the volvo 850, or the S70 (i love those boxy cars), which are basically what am looking for right now.

am looking for a volvo 850 T5 manual with less than 60k miles (i dont think there are manuals in the states, but even the t5 auto is a kick in the pants). the s70 gets a subtle re-style thats pretty neato. and the s80 is actually a pretty nice car, and the t6 (tough i've never driven/been in one) has to be even better,
volvos 850 thru s80 are good cars, but maybe not the ones with the most coolness points, and manuals i imagine would be hard to find in the US.

bmw series 3, am not a big fan of them.

the vw jetta 1.8t are pretty good too. they are called Bora around here, and they were also in my initial list of cars. those little engines can be chipped and take a lot of abuse.
hyundai sonata, are basically POS around here, and have no resale value. i dont how how better the new ones have gotten, but they are not "good dependable cars" in my book.

the subaru wrx, nice car, but i'd be a bit suspicious about.... most of those cars are usually owned by young fellas that have probably driven the crap out of them in the most likely case.
i've seem some wrx (the ones with the round headlights) vishnu-chipped. they are pretty fast. altough i'd never buy a modded/driven-the-crap-out-of car again.

[Toshi]

thanks for the suggestions, alexis :thumb: . i will definitely have to look into these 850s and such. i have a bit of a prejudice against 850s since my carpooler's father had an 850 GLT when i had a 300ZX n/a, and he talked a lot of smack :D

about wrxes and them being abused, good point. that's one reason (besides insurance and outright cost!) i'm not looking at STis or Evos but rather the comparatively plain jane wrx model. i'd also look for completely stock cars, stock wheels even.

[ALEXIS_DH]

thanks for the suggestions, alexis :thumb: . i will definitely have to look into these 850s and such. i have a bit of a prejudice against 850s since my carpooler's father had an 850 GLT when i had a 300ZX n/a, and he talked a lot of smack :D

about wrxes and them being abused, good point. that's one reason (besides insurance and outright cost!) i'm not looking at STis or Evos but rather the comparatively plain jane wrx model. i'd also look for completely stock cars, stock wheels even.

with 15k in the US, i'd say you can afford almost anything from the 850/S70 up to the S80 (which is a kick ass car)...

here in Lima, the base 850s runs from 8k, and the t5 (i havent seen one for sale yet) probably would fetch 12k IMO (they sold new for 70k new)..... in the US i'd say they go for as little as 40% less...

from all i've seen in these last days, i love the peugeot 406 pininfarina :drool: i've seen one for sale here, but i want a sedan too, so its out of the question...

[WTGPhoben]

the subaru wrx, nice car, but i'd be a bit suspicious about.... most of those cars are usually owned by young fellas that have probably driven the crap out of them in the most likely case.
i've seem some wrx (the ones with the round headlights) vishnu-chipped. they are pretty fast. altough i'd never buy a modded/driven-the-crap-out-of car again.

As far as rock-solidness/$$, the VW's are definitely top of the list. They feel like cars that cost $20,000 more, but with fewer frills (and not as much kick). They're definitely not the fastest cars on that list, but you'll have no problem if you get a 5spd. (or if you're looking for something sporty, find a jetta GLI with the 6spd). One thing to watch out for tho, is that the 02-(to 04 I think) passats had a couple of serious issues that you want to make sure didn't cause problems, they were:

1. solenoids on (i think it was the) fuel injectors were recalled (stupid bosch). I had one go on me, and I could see how it might screw up the car pretty bad if someone tried to drive around with a busted one. It's an easy (and free) fix tho, just make sure it's been done before you buy.

2. The cars have a permanent oil sludge issue that requires you use synthetic oil (I don't know why you wouldn't anyway), but I guess bad things happened to the cars if people were using regular oil for a while and didn't get the sludge problem fixed (cars without functional oil flow don't last long), so ideally, make sure the person who had the car before you was using synth.

The wrx is also a very solid car from the drivers seat (my friend drives one), but the doors and stuff feel a little tinny. It is also quite fast (even with the auto) and very snappy. Definitely a good coast road car. The only problem, as alexis mentions, is finding one that the previous owner didn't beat up, as the car begs to be driven hard.

IS300 is fun, but I think you'd get almost as much sport and much more utility out of the wrx for less $$.

Mazdas look like they'd be nice solid cars (the newest revision.... don't know what year that happened) but I haven't driven them so I can't say much.

I'm not a cooper fan, really, and I wouldn't give the rest of the list a second look.

[Toshi]

thanks for the comments. i'm going to have to add the 850, its successors, and the s40 (on the suggestion of a microsoftie with good taste - he drives a G35 sedan).

any thoughts on whether 3 series are worth it, keith?

the is300 was on that list because i really like the driving position - low honda-like cowl and a large windshield make for a very go kart type experience. it's a shame that the manual transmission wasn't in the 2001 models else it'd be a more realistic option.

[WTGPhoben]

thanks for the comments. i'm going to have to add the 850, its successors, and the s40 (on the suggestion of a microsoftie with good taste - he drives a G35 sedan).

any thoughts on whether 3 series are worth it, keith?

the is300 was on that list because i really like the driving position - low honda-like cowl and a large windshield make for a very go kart type experience. it's a shame that the manual transmission wasn't in the 2001 models else it'd be a more realistic option.

Agreed on the go-cart feel. The wrx has a little of that, but nothing like the IS (also beware of big rims on the IS. my coworker has 17s and has had all sorts of issues related to tires and rims getting destroyed, and lexus basically said "sorry chet, it's your problem". granted, we do live in boston)

My uncle drove a 3 and was unimpressed, I don't think you're gettting anything special in a beamer until you're either buying bigger (5 ser.), more expensive, or M (which I suppose fits into the more expensive category). I also don't like the annoying way you have to shift into R on those cars. My boss's wife's 5 also has this stupid thing that readjusts the sideview when you go into reverse, the idea being that it helps you see the curb, but you can't see $hit for anything else as a result.

I would also beware of newer (read: more complicated) volvos. My dad has a 2000 V70, and it's always having annoying issues (electrical, suspension, etc. etc). The interior is also a lot more plasticy and the feel a lot softer than the VW. Everyone I know who has 850s or earlier loves them (my uncle has a T5 R that's pretty sweet). I don't know anyone who has had a 40 series for long enough to know anything about how they hold up.

[Toshi]

ok, the s40 and the 850 have been evaluated, and they don't make the cut: 850 is plain too old (1997 was its swan song) and the s40 doesn't come in a stick shift version as far as i can tell. vws are losing mindshare as well: jetta for its small back seat (it's no mini but it's no people mover either) and because the vastly more attractive redesign is out :D, and the passat because of the problems you mentioned together with a middling consumer reports reliability and a general lack of excitement on my part.

once the pathfinder sale happens, which may well be an adventure in itself, my task will be to find a good condition wrx. given that i'm willing to look all over the country this shouldn't be an impossible task.

[Toshi]

ah, i'd forgotten about the thread that narlus started, even tho i posted in it several times :D

http://www.ridemonkey.com/forums/showthread.php?t=93610&page=2&pp=40&highlight=wrx

seems that he ended up with a honda civic. boring indeed heh

[Quadari]

So to change the subject back to biking, momentarily (*gasp*):

I had my first real crash on my roadbike yesterday. Fortunately I'm unharmed with the exception of scrapes on elbows, kneeds, and a nice cut on my thumb, which I think hit my front gears when I went over.

It happened right here: [Google Maps Link] (http://maps.google.com/maps?q=460+concord+ave,+belmont,+ma&spn=0.004644,0.007614&hl=en)

Basically Concord ave has a really fun hill right there that's decently steep and makes a nice S curve. I was coming down the hill, riding next to a line of cars that was moving about the same speed I was, and the black caddy in front of me suddenly put on his blinker and moved into the parking space in front of the police station. So I slammed on my brakes, but this of course just caused me to skid, and then just completely tumble over just before actually ramming into the car. Amazingly enough though, I and the bike were just fine.

In cool website related stuff, I don't know if you've seen this site or not:
Google maps pedometer (http://www.sueandpaul.com/gmapPedometer/)

It lets you use Google's Map API to draw your own routes on a Google map. It then calculates the mileage, etc. Very useful for mapping bike routes.

[Toshi]

ouch, sorry to hear about the fall, ari. good thing you didn't t-bone that caddy!

[Toshi]

http://images.unas.cz/65-10-1.jpg

[WTGPhoben]

http://images.unas.cz/65-10-1.jpg

we don't get a caption?

[Toshi]

such an image speaks for itself, no? :D from http://images.unas.cz/radio1.htm

[Toshi]

i found a way to fight the man in a small way, and get title reports for $7.99 for non-ebay motors vehicles

http://www.ridemonkey.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1651533#post1651533

[prophet6]

Toshi:

I'd augment your car list with some of the VW 1.8t powered cars, or if you're looking for a bit more space, a A4 1.8t... fun car to drive, all wheel drive, blah blah blah...


p6

[Toshi]

Toshi:

I'd augment your car list with some of the VW 1.8t powered cars, or if you're looking for a bit more space, a A4 1.8t... fun car to drive, all wheel drive, blah blah blah...

p6
please note that the jetta 1.8T was already on the list, as well as the passat on the text version. i'm leery of coilpack failures with the 1.8T, not to mention falling windows and general expensive german-car service. also they are ubiquitous here in seattle.

i'd rather buy a car with a poor interior but good mechanicals (wrx) than cough up for a name and nice interior (a4 quattro). besides the audis feel a bit dead in gran turismo 4... :D

[prophet6]

Be that as it may, I rather dislike the WRX.

Any engine that has been turbocharged without appropriate reinforcement of the block is hunk of crap, IMO.

I also find that the timing of boost in the WRX means that you have to either drive it very hard... or deal with a sluggish car. I've come to love low end torque more than high end horsepower for everyday driving.


p6

[Toshi]

i'd assume there'd be some reinforcement involved in dropping the normally-2.5 liter flat 4 down to 2.0 liters as in the wrx. and the torque peak is 217 ft.-lbs. at 4000 rpm. i could live with that, with a stick shift of course.

i agree that auto wrxs feel a little slow on their feet -- my parents and i test drove such a model on a lark a year or two ago.

[Toshi]

In cool website related stuff, I don't know if you've seen this site or not:
Google maps pedometer (http://www.sueandpaul.com/gmapPedometer/)

It lets you use Google's Map API to draw your own routes on a Google map. It then calculates the mileage, etc. Very useful for mapping bike routes.
good stuff: i'd bookmarked that page after seeing it on http://del.icio.us/popular a few days back but hadn't used it until just now:

http://students.washington.edu/tjclark/commute.jpg

my commute is almost exactly 4 miles long btw :) . which makes me feel less bad about doing it in 20-25 minutes door to door than if it were 3.

[Barbaton]

so toshi, I just sent you an IM with this text but you're away so i'll put it here too:

"so I just learned something that I did not
know. Apparently the Subaru sold the 2.5RS, the level just below the WRX to GM, who are selling it now as the Saab 9-2x. With the employee discount, you can get what is basically your subaru (- the supercharger) through Saab for about 16k..."

[Toshi]

and i just imed you back:

turbocharger, not super
and the 9-2X Aero is the turbo/wrx one
is going for 19-20k, too
but if i can pick up a used wrx for 12-13k it's a better deal

additional info:

https://www.gmfamilyfirst.com/pdf/Saab_Program_Pricing_2005.pdf

with sport and/or premium packages it's way out of my price range (+ tax etc.). thanks for the idea tho.

[zane]

Hey Toshi, it's cool to hear you're in the hunt for a new (faster) ride.

I've been doing research in subarus for a little while, and as stated before most WRX's have had the piss driven out of them. Especially if the driver is male and under 40 (75% of wrx owners....). I don't know how much work you feel like having done initially, but you could always find a nice, stock 2.5RS and slap a turbo on there. More HP than a wrx for the same amount of money..... and probably a better shape car to start with.

[Barbaton]

with the orgy of google mapping on RM the last couple days here's a fun things done with the Google Maps API blog. (http://googlemapsmania.blogspot.com/)

In case y'all haven't seen it...

[Toshi]

yo thad, please expand on how you were able to get thule rack components on ebay for cheap

also, readers of this thread in general: please comment on my proposed text for the ebay motors ad for the pathfinder:

http://toshiclark.com/pathfinder/ad_text.html

http://toshiclark.com/pathfinder/Images/IMG_0698.jpg

[WTGPhoben]

yo thad, please expand on how you were able to get thule rack components on ebay for cheap

also, readers of this thread in general: please comment on my proposed text for the ebay motors ad for the pathfinder:

http://toshiclark.com/pathfinder/ad_text.html



You could make the car a lot more appealing if you replaced the windshield. most insurances have 0 deductible for winshield replacement, and most auto glass places drive right to your car and replace it in an hour. (I've had it done twice). Cracked windshields are a big turn-off.

[Barbaton]

yo thad, please expand on how you were able to get thule rack components on ebay for cheap

I just made a list of the components I was going to need on the thule configurator site, then just watched ebay and checked them off as I was able to find them:

new 400XT feet (w/locks) ret. 130 ebay 89
slightly used bars ret. 52 ebay 30
used 245 fit kit ret. 50 ebay 20
new 477 short roof adapter ret. 105 ebay 30
new 724 4pr ski carrier ret. 110 ebay 45

I did have to buy one set of lock cylinders (6, I think), which is good actually because that way the keys that hold the rack crap to the car are different from those that hold my crap to the rack. The only thing I couldn't find on ebay was the 598 Criterium bicycle carrier. One ebay store sells it for 109, but after shipping it comes pretty close to the retail $125. I ended up buying that and the locks in Belmont with my 10% discount.

The best deals as you can see were for parts specific to the car, when people got a new car and didn't need the part anymore, like the short roof adapter. Oh, the locks that came with the feet would have cost me another $40, so that increased the dealness of that one...

[Toshi]

You could make the car a lot more appealing if you replaced the windshield. most insurances have 0 deductible for winshield replacement, and most auto glass places drive right to your car and replace it in an hour. (I've had it done twice). Cracked windshields are a big turn-off.
ah, only massachussetts has that communist $0 glass deductible rule. :D (which i wish washington had.) but you're right -- i'm going to get that fixed, as well as dissolving the yellow scrape on the mirror with some kind of cleaning solution.

[Toshi]

i also just bought a 3rd, used, bob ratchet rack mount. :thumb:
the above was on june 13, and it came less than a week later, yet it took until tonight for me to mount it up. it looks very nice now -- i actually busted out the measuring tape and centered the bars such that the two lateral bob ratchets fit outboard of the rack feet with about a cm to spare, and the middle mount is dead center.

the 3rd mount will come in handy this saturday, as i'm headed up to whistler with Phat_Boi, his cousin, and a non-biking classmate of mine. 3 bikes, 4 people, 450 miles of driving, should be fun :D

[Barbaton]

Toshi, I have found you your new car. (http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&category=15289&item=4561280339&sspagename=WDVW)

[Toshi]

Toshi, I have found you your new car. (http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&category=15289&item=4561280339&sspagename=WDVW)
ahha, awesome. it's sort of an unwitting homage to the chaparral 2j:

http://www.mulsannescorner.com/chaparral2j.html

http://www.mulsannescorner.com/Chaparral-PL1.jpg

http://www.mulsannescorner.com/Chaparral-GC2.jpg

http://www.mulsannescorner.com/Chaparral-PL3.jpg

[Toshi]

10 points to whoever can guess what this is, and no, "Figure 4" isn't a valid answer :D :

http://students.washington.edu/tjclark/Figure4websize.jpg

[WTGPhoben]

10 points to whoever can guess what this is, and no, "Figure 4" isn't a valid answer :D :

http://students.washington.edu/tjclark/Figure4websize.jpg

You gave this one away a couple weeks ago. It's a 3D rendering of a chamber of the heart (I'd guess ventricle. I don't remember which is right and left)

[Toshi]

ah, so you do remember. 10 points to you. green is LV. it's a different heart... all can be seen in draft 2 of my paper (see the Figures files):

http://students.washington.edu/tjclark/msrtpdraft.zip

here's a harder one, also from the figures:

http://students.washington.edu/tjclark/Figure2websize.jpg

when i was building up the canfield just now in preparation for whistler tomorrow (and all next weekend) i managed to put the michy 2.8 on the back and the maxxis 2.5 on the front. that would have been an interesting setup. (for the non-dh-literate, the michelin 2.8 is HUGE, nearly 3.0 size, while maxxis runs small, so the size difference is quite significant.)

[WTGPhoben]

ah, so you do remember. 10 points to you. green is LV. it's a different heart... all can be seen in draft 2 of my paper (see the Figures files):

http://students.washington.edu/tjclark/msrtpdraft.zip

here's a harder one, also from the figures:

http://students.washington.edu/tjclark/Figure2websize.jpg



This is a pretty uncreative guess, but I'm guessing that's the beginnings of an atrial map. Looks like there are two aperatures, and the shape is definitely not ventricular

[WTGPhoben]

New (official) fells MTB Loop time to beat: 43min. I really thought I could get under 40 pretty easily, but I did lift weights pretty hard this morning and have eaten basically nothing all day except for a bowl of cereal and a piece of chicken.

you taking pics in newburyport thad?

[Toshi]

This is a pretty uncreative guess, but I'm guessing that's the beginnings of an atrial map. Looks like there are two aperatures, and the shape is definitely not ventricular
ah, but it is a ventricle. just funny scaling/perspective. you are correct in that there are two apertures. but does the axis and the lines suggest anything? (hint: read www.xanga.com/toshiclark for the answer)

[Toshi]

New (official) fells MTB Loop time to beat: 43min. I really thought I could get under 40 pretty easily, but I did lift weights pretty hard this morning and have eaten basically nothing all day except for a bowl of cereal and a piece of chicken.
anorexia = not good. congrats on the new time. i don't think i could beat 1:15 myself :D

whistler was good today, btw. good riding, good company. i tweaked my right shoulder in a crash, however, and now the left hurts in sympathy. go figure.

[Toshi]

read, and be in awe:

http://www.ridemonkey.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1662220

the pic will make you double take.

[WTGPhoben]

anorexia = not good. congrats on the new time. i don't think i could beat 1:15 myself :D


except that 1:15 is the time for you bunnyhopping the loop.

Don't worry, thad had my back last night with a pile of chinese food. While we were eating I decided on an official goal time of 35min. (which is ~10mph average). Now I just have to go about getting faster.

[Toshi]

http://toshiclark.com/whistlerparkinglot.jpg

no riding pics, sorry. pic was by the non-riding 4th road tripper from saturday.

[Barbaton]

heh (http://www.kugelbahn.ch/sesam_e.htm) :D

[Barbaton]

except that 1:15 is the time for you bunnyhopping the loop.

Don't worry, thad had my back last night with a pile of chinese food. While we were eating I decided on an official goal time of 35min. (which is ~10mph average). Now I just have to go about getting faster.

so today i hit it in 55 mins, which is still about where I was at the end of last season. 1st half in 20 and the second half in 35. Them big hills still get me after the heat gets into me. First half was supa quick cuz i caught a group of mud-hunnies for a while (Keith knows the thad peer pressure factor). They were slow though so I ended up passing them. Maybe I'll have more endurance after my 600mile excursion next week. :dead:

[Toshi]

Them big hills still get me after the heat gets into me.
big hills? in the fells? :confused: :D

[Barbaton]

big hills? in the fells? :confused: :D

well, relative to the little hills. keith knows of which I speak. and anyway, we don't exactly see you climbing up Whistler now, do we. :eviltongu

[Toshi]

ya, but i do climb on xc rides out here. :D

[narlus]

west vs east...west wins this battle every time.

[WTGPhoben]

ya, but i do climb on xc rides out here. :D

I bet you spend more time on the toilet than you spend on your XC bike. :blah:

[Toshi]

that's probably true, but i think that's more a function of your loose colon than anything... :oink:

oh, editing it are we :D hehe

[WTGPhoben]

oh, editing it are we :D hehe

yes, but I was too slow. Fortunately, you know how that feels :D

[Toshi]

yes, but I was too slow. Fortunately, you know how that feels :D
:D only going up...

[zane]

Toshi- have you found a car yet?

[Toshi]

Toshi- have you found a car yet?
haven't been looking -- i'm selling the pathfinder first.

[zane]

Ok, I still think my 2.5 RS idea would work pretty well for you.

I'm looking at a 91 Passat right now, it's a possibility...

http://images.autotrader.com/images/2005/7/15/184/822/1613936569.184822183.IM1.MAIN.565x421_A.562x421.jp g

[Barbaton]

so today i hit it in 55 mins, which is still about where I was at the end of last season. 1st half in 20 and the second half in 35. Them big hills still get me after the heat gets into me. First half was supa quick cuz i caught a group of mud-hunnies for a while (Keith knows the thad peer pressure factor). They were slow though so I ended up passing them. Maybe I'll have more endurance after my 600mile excursion next week. :dead:

oh, I forgot to mention that when I came out, there was a dude by his truck looking over his bike. I asked if he was ok, and he said he'd "lost" his rear derailleur on the ride. Apparently he had to rig it as a SS to get out...

how do you lose a derailleur? 2nd time in 2 rides we've come across someone with a major problem with a Rocky Mountain (also broken frame last week; in the words of keith over his shoulder as he rode on after asking if things were ok "you need that."

[Toshi]

Ok, I still think my 2.5 RS idea would work pretty well for you.

I'm looking at a 91 Passat right now, it's a possibility...

http://images.autotrader.com/images/2005/7/15/184/822/1613936569.184822183.IM1.MAIN.565x421_A.562x421.jp g
if i get a WRX with low miles i'd get the remainder of the 5/50k powertrain warranty. that's worth a lot of money and piece of mind compared to some home (or tuner) brewed turbo kit on a 2.5 RS. plus i plan to leave it stock since WRXs drive well enough as they are by all accounts.

that car looks pretty nice. nice wheels at least. you should have resisted the urge to buy that new wheelset and the 66 fork, then you could have gotten something cooler :nuts: hehe

[Toshi]

i gave a written statement this morning about the stolen-trumpet saga to the seattle police. this was necessary because the guy was arrested yesterday and confessed to breaking into my pathfinder and stealing my trumpet and stereo. "the guy": 33 year old heroin addict, 6 felony convictions including trafficking of stolen property, breaking and entering, and malicious mischief, and 18 misdemeanors/gross misdemeanors. he's going to get 30 months in jail for stealing my stuff.

[Barbaton]

i gave a written statement this morning about the stolen-trumpet saga to the seattle police. this was necessary because the guy was arrested yesterday and confessed to breaking into my pathfinder and stealing my trumpet and stereo. "the guy": 33 year old heroin addict, 6 felony convictions including trafficking of stolen property, breaking and entering, and malicious mischief, and 18 misdemeanors/gross misdemeanors. he's going to get 30 months in jail for stealing my stuff.

wow. maybe WA needs a 3-strikes law...

[Toshi]

so i'm back from whistler. sleep beckons. will have lifestyle (but not riding) pics from the condo soon, and helmet cam footage later. i stacked hard, at speed, while wearing the camera but amazingly bounced up with only a few scratches to show for it.

[narlus]

I think some of the bustedspoke guys were out there as well. did you see them?

[Toshi]

I think some of the bustedspoke guys were out there as well. did you see them?
can't say that i did. i did meet toughguymcgee aka mike randomly while lounging around the base, and each time i come back nsmb kids say that they spotted me...

somehow in that crash i managed to bruise my forehead. good job moto helmet and dainese :thumb: -- i would be in a world of hurt otherwise (instead of just mildly sore and scratched up). for those who don't read other threads, the crash was on the last table before the rock garden on a-line. i just overcooked it, nosed down, and somehow decided in the air to jump over the bars and tuck and roll. the bike ended up about 15-20 feet down the transition, and i ended up about 40 after tumbling end over end in proper judo fashion.

[WTGPhoben]

can't say that i did. i did meet toughguymcgee aka mike randomly while lounging around the base, and each time i come back nsmb kids say that they spotted me...

somehow in that crash i managed to bruise my forehead. good job moto helmet and dainese :thumb: -- i would be in a world of hurt otherwise (instead of just mildly sore and scratched up). for those who don't read other threads, the crash was on the last table before the rock garden on a-line. i just overcooked it, nosed down, and somehow decided in the air to jump over the bars and tuck and roll. the bike ended up about 15-20 feet down the transition, and i ended up about 40 after tumbling end over end in proper judo fashion.

You're hyping this crash pretty aggressively. I'm fiending for the helmetcam vid.

[Toshi]

the helmet cam vid is disappointing given all my lead up :D since the picture cut out as soon as i hit the ground.

[Toshi]

whistler pics are now up: http://tinyurl.com/dm48j

Chuckwagon from the boards here, my canfield and his vp-free on the rack in the background:

http://toshiclark.com/images/trips/whistler%20lifestyle%20-%20july%202005/Images/IMG_0768.jpg

[Toshi]

http://www.fiberdimensions.com/wagner/bubba@425.jpg

isn't that fabulous?

[Toshi]

a pic of me riding :eek: . note tan line.

http://image63.webshots.com/63/5/85/32/406558532MSgbqo_ph.jpg

(click link then hit reload)

also, check out the comment: http://www.ridemonkey.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1678102#post1678102 . it's too bad keirse doesn't read this anymore :D

finally, the pathfinder is now on the ebay motors auction block:

1996 Pathfinder for sale - $4500 (http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=4565382088)

http://toshiclark.com/pathfinder/Images/IMG_0700.jpg

[Quadari]

Ok...who's going to be the first to own a caddy bike?

http://money.cnn.com/2005/07/26/Autos/cadillac_bikes/

[narlus]

how many car-branded bikes are there? i recall:

mercedes
porsche
BMW
jeep

any others?

[Quadari]

how many car-branded bikes are there? i recall:

mercedes
porsche
BMW
jeep

any others?


Isn't there some sort of VW/Trek thing going on?

[Toshi]

ah, you're right, there was a MkIII "Jetta Trek" edition car, with a ghetto roof rack on a ghetto-er jetta, with a still-more-ghetto Trek hoopty thrown in.

http://www.wreckcarsonline.com/photos/1298_d.jpg

[Toshi]

finally, the pathfinder is now on the ebay motors auction block:

1996 Pathfinder for sale - $4500 (http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=4565382088)

it sold yesterday btw. :) going to exchange keys, title, and bill of sale for cash this afternoon, as the buyer is semi-local (across the state; i'm meeting him 1/4 of the way over).

[motomike]

how many car-branded bikes are there? i recall:

mercedes
porsche
BMW
jeep

any others?

DUH! HONDA! :)

[Toshi]

DUH! HONDA! :)
honda seems like a special case, since they make mx bikes and don't engage in badge engineering... hmm.

[prophet6]

hummer now is in the bike game.

it's a rebadged montague.

ugh.


p6

[Barbaton]

how many car-branded bikes are there? i recall:

mercedes
porsche
BMW
jeep

any others?

ferrari. rebranded colnago, i believe. saw one in NY recently with LX components...

[Westy]

honda seems like a special case, since they make mx bikes and don't engage in badge engineering... hmm.

http://www.earthspirits.net/Merchant2/graphics/00000002/mtb_hr260fs.jpg

[Toshi]

http://www.earthspirits.net/Merchant2/graphics/00000002/mtb_hr260fs.jpg
ah, i should have remembered that... :dead: my faith in honda is such that i would require further proof that that bike is not just some cruel dept store owner's prank

[zane]

Toshi- How's the car hunt coming along? I'm really happy with my VW....

I didn't want to post this in the lounge because I'd probably get overwhelmed with responses, but.......

I have unlimited carfax checks for a couple more weeks, and I already bought a car. SO, instead of letting it go to waste I've decided to share the wealth. If PM me a VIN and an email address I'll do my best to email you a background check. It might take a couple days, but it should be fine unless I get a million requests. Also, if you're feeling generous you can give me something in exchange for my services.

-Zane

[Barbaton]

So RAGBRAI was cool. Pics to come. Here is some info, though.

All told I rode about 560 miles in 6 days, including consecutive voluntary 100+ mile days on Tuesday and Wednesday...

Ate approx. 7 pork chops/loin sandwiches, 4 ribeye sandwiches, 2 breakfast burritos, 7 kolaches, 15 ears of sweet corn, many slices of pie, and other assorted goodies. Not sure yet if I gained or lost weight (usually folks gain weight).


as covered by the Des Moines Register, who organizes the event, including info about the fatality (tree fell on a guy in a tent during the 80mph winds of the thunderstorm Sun night; much fun until we got evac'd by the police in the middle of the night), the fiery school-bus accident, and the plane crash:

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?Category=NEWS&theme=RAGBRAI_XXXIII&template=theme


and some interesting statistics:

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/artikkel?NoCache=1&Dato=99999999&Kategori=LIFE04&Lopenr=50706012&Ref=AR


oh, and I made the paper one day. :)

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/gallery?Site=D2&Date=20050722&Category=LIFE04&ArtNo=722001&Ref=PH&Params=Itemnr=11

[Toshi]

awesome, thad. you, uh, look more asian with that facial hair... :D

and thanks for the offer, zane. i bought a 10 pack myself but will start bugging you once i run out :thumb:

another pic of me on that stepup at whistler, less blurry, too: http://community.webshots.com/photo/407886846/407964429AEKeyM#

[Toshi]

trunkmonkey!

http://www.trunkmonkey.com/

[Barbaton]

evidently Maserati's getting into the act too.

more here (http://www.maserati-alfieri.co.uk/alfieri06n.htm)

http://www.maserati-alfieri.co.uk/enthusiastc/bike-05.jpg

http://www.maserati-alfieri.co.uk/enthusiastc/bike-06.jpg
http://www.maserati-alfieri.co.uk/enthusiastc/bike-03.jpg

[Toshi]

egad, that first one is horrible :dead:

[Westy]

ah, i should have remembered that... :dead: my faith in honda is such that i would require further proof that that bike is not just some cruel dept store owner's prank

I have seen several of those being hauled along on the back of cars.

[Toshi]

what do y'all think of this?

http://toshiclark.com/wrx/

http://toshiclark.com/wrx/Images/1343245.jpg

http://toshiclark.com/wrx/Images/7654674567.jpg

one of the contenders... i personally like the headlights, and black on black :drool:

[Barbaton]

what do y'all think of this?

one of the contenders... i personally like the headlights, and black on black :drool:

not a huge fan of the black on black tuner look, personally.

cops'll think you're running drugs. :)

[Toshi]

not a huge fan of the black on black tuner look, personally.

cops'll think you're running drugs. :)
come on now, don't be an old man :oink: haha

[Barbaton]

seriously, where I'm from, owning a car like that would not be worth the hassle. we gots profiling there, yo. things are probably different in seattle

[Acadian]

what do y'all think of this?

one of the contenders... i personally like the headlights, and black on black :drool:

Morette headlights...NICE!!!

Leather interior!!! wow...I like the stealth look too. What are the complete spec?

[Toshi]

Morette headlights...NICE!!!

Leather interior!!! wow...I like the stealth look too. What are the complete spec?
we're hammering out what he'd keep and what he'd include for any given price. the stereo spec sounds decent enough: kenwood flip out head unit, infinity components up front, eclipse amp for speakers, jl audio sub/sub amp.

[WTGPhoben]

seriously, where I'm from, owning a car like that would not be worth the hassle. we gots profiling there, yo. things are probably different in seattle

I find it rather funny that EVERYONE (including myself ) who has seen this car
has immediately noted thee fact that it's a cop magnet. Maybe that's a good reason to get something a little less "gangsta"

[ALEXIS_DH]

we're hammering out what he'd keep and what he'd include for any given price. the stereo spec sounds decent enough: kenwood flip out head unit, infinity components up front, eclipse amp for speakers, jl audio sub/sub amp.


nice car....

nice "i´ll get a stock car, a car even with stock wheels" :nuts:

but seriously, you can get that car for 15k???????????????????

[WTGPhoben]

Some of you have already seen some of these, but for the rest of you:

pics. (http://www.phoben.com/photos/pgal/gallery.aspx?AlbumID=391&type=Places&subs=False)

http://www.phoben.com/photos/archive/2005/2005_07_23/fullSize/IMG_0636.jpg

[Toshi]

nice car....

nice "i´ll get a stock car, a car even with stock wheels" :nuts:

but seriously, you can get that car for 15k???????????????????
no. but i allotted some money for stereo + alarm, and since this car is already equipped. we'll see how this pans out. i REALLY like how this black one looks. :thumb:

[zane]

I'm diggin the car, the black on black is something you don't see very often on subarus. Since there's no badging (and I don't see an intercooler), is it a 2.5 RS? Or a wrx (I can't remember if you can see the downpipe or not...)? What's the owner like? How many miles? Mods?

[Toshi]

WRXs come from the factory with the intercooler under the hood scoop. it's a WRX, 2003, 18k miles... mods are visible. ok, to expand: no real power mods (intake i think), but appearance + stereo. that's fine with me. the owner seems cool. he's selling it to buy an auto or SMG E46 M3 since he tends to drive his auto SUV instead of the stick WRX in LA traffic... <--- acronym mania eh

[WTGPhoben]

he tends to drive his auto SUV instead of the stick WRX in LA traffic...

glad to know those SUVs are being put to good use even in LA

[endoing]

what do y'all think of this?

http://toshiclark.com/wrx/

http://toshiclark.com/wrx/Images/1343245.jpg

http://toshiclark.com/wrx/Images/7654674567.jpg

one of the contenders... i personally like the headlights, and black on black :drool:

Looks alot like my car. I don't really dig Morettes though. If you do pick it up grab some Euro STI lights and sell the Morettes. I am not sure if I am feeling the black stock wheels. Now if you had some black STI BBS wheels with the Gold Brembros...PIMP!! I personally like Bronze on black though. Get the Suby! I really enjoy mine!

[Toshi]

ok, what does the peanut gallery think of this?

http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=803307

http://home.comcast.net/%7EIMPREZvWRX/FrontLip2.jpg

more miles than i was hoping for at 67k, but i just talked to the guy and his reason for selling is legit (he still owes money on it and just got married in june, thinking of kids :dead: ), the title is clean, and i could walk away with it for $13k (minus all stereo components and the passport 8500, which i don't need).

12.6 <--> cool, but indicates it _has_ been driven hard, but that price is right and i like the look. real cf hoods positively own up on the ghetto black painted ones i see around here ahha

[Mike B.]

ok, what does the peanut gallery think of this?

more miles than i was hoping for at 67k, but i just talked to the guy and his reason for selling is legit (he still owes money on it and just got married in june, thinking of kids :dead: ), the title is clean, and i could walk away with it for $13k (minus all stereo components and the passport 8500, which i don't need).

12.6 <--> cool, but indicates it _has_ been driven hard, but that price is right and i like the look. real cf hoods positively own up on the ghetto black painted ones i see around here ahha

Nothing against the Suby but you couldn't pay me to put that car in my garage. High(er) miles and Jersey plates would normally be enough to scare me off but add in the mods that have been done and I would guess that it has been pounded through some NJ traffic. Just my take.

[Toshi]

you're right, but i still like that car... :) we'll see how i feel about it next week.

[ALEXIS_DH]

ok, what does the peanut gallery think of this?

http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=803307

http://home.comcast.net/%7EIMPREZvWRX/FrontLip2.jpg

more miles than i was hoping for at 67k, but i just talked to the guy and his reason for selling is legit (he still owes money on it and just got married in june, thinking of kids :dead: ), the title is clean, and i could walk away with it for $13k (minus all stereo components and the passport 8500, which i don't need).

12.6 <--> cool, but indicates it _has_ been driven hard, but that price is right and i like the look. real cf hoods positively own up on the ghetto black painted ones i see around here ahha


beaten car alert!!!

that car has probably seen some aggressive right foot..

but one thing i always wondered is... what is worse... an enthusiast that drives a car hard, but has meticulous maintenance and care on it...
or an old lady oblivious to car maintenance :think:

the 1st car is waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay nicer. and 40k miles is a lot of difference, but then again, how much are they asking for the 1st one?????

the difference between the maintenance cost between the next 60k miles of the 1st VS the next 60k miles of the 2nd could actually be high enough to even out the final ownership prices....

[Toshi]

the price difference is 4k (plus 9.1% tax on that same 4k, $364), plus the seller on the first (black, tint, morettes, etc.) is slow on the email draw and generally too cool for school -- that guy hasn't sent me the VIN yet and i asked 2 days ago. this nj guy is all over it, quick email response.

the title checks out on this one, and it's been in berlin, nj for its whole life for better or worse haha. funny how everyone hates nj: my mother's first reaction was "new jersey?! sure it's not stolen?"

:oink:

[ALEXIS_DH]

the price difference is 4k (plus 9.1% tax on that same 4k, $364), plus the seller on the first (black, tint, morettes, etc.) is slow on the email draw and generally too cool for school -- that guy hasn't sent me the VIN yet and i asked 2 days ago. this nj guy is all over it, quick email response.

the title checks out on this one, and it's been in berlin, nj for its whole life for better or worse haha. funny how everyone hates nj: my mother's first reaction was "new jersey?! sure it's not stolen?"

:oink:

hmmm...
lets see, from the top of my head...

the 2st car.
between 70k to 130k miles it will probably need a new turbo. (specially if it has been overboosted, which probably was). that´d at least 1500 bucks.
you might need an overhaul in the engine around that time too. i doubt that car will have good compression after 100k miles. even if its only a rings and belt change that´d be expensive.

1st car.
from 20k to 80k. up to 80k miles, if properly driven and not abused, it will not need a new turbo.
up to 80k miles, probably no need for rings nor anything that requires popping out the head.

better yet, get the maintenance schedule, or the owners manual and calculate the cost of the scheduled repairs for the 2 cars...
i bet the difference will be close to 4k......

[ALEXIS_DH]

toshi, i just checked the nasoic web page..

that car has run a mid 12 sec 1/4 mile... :eek: has a bigger turbo, big ass injectors AND THAT NITRO BOTTLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

that car will need serious work done soon.... if it has not been rebuilt in the last 10k miles..

[WTGPhoben]

beaten car alert!!!


Agreed. anyone who puts nitrous in their ride is not worried about longevity. I'd be worried.

[Toshi]

uh, yeah, that's what i was referring to with "12.6 <--> cool, but indicates it _has_ been driven hard"

i'm going to see tomorrow whether i can get it inspected by the local subaru dealership (instead of a local mechanic who is probably his buddy)...

[narlus]

toshi, keep the nitro bottle and you can be like Mad Max.

sweet!

"last of the V8 interceptors"

[Toshi]

toshi, keep the nitro bottle and you can be like Mad Max.
:cool:

nitrous in and of itself isn't a bad thing -- it's detonation due to running lean that would cause the damage. and since he upgraded the injectors it seems like he's done his due diligence. an inspection will tell all.

[WTGPhoben]

:cool:

nitrous in and of itself isn't a bad thing -- it's detonation due to running lean that would cause the damage. and since he upgraded the injectors it seems like he's done his due diligence. an inspection will tell all.

It is in the sense that you're putting forcing the cylinders to do a lot more work and handle much greater forces than they were designed for. You can't say the doesn't significantly decrease engine life, especially wrt compression over the course of 67k.

[Toshi]

It is in the sense that you're putting forcing the cylinders to do a lot more work and handle much greater forces than they were designed for. You can't say the doesn't significantly decrease engine life, especially wrt compression over the course of 67k.
... which is why i'm going to have a local suby dealer inspect it, if we can schedule a suitable time. :cool: i will make sure they do a compression / leak down test.

[zane]

nitrous in and of itself isn't a bad thing -- it's detonation due to running lean that would cause the damage. and since he upgraded the injectors it seems like he's done his due diligence. an inspection will tell all.

Umm, that's not a NOS bottle. If you look at the intercooler you'll see a sprayer bar, he's running a CO2 sprayer setup, not nitrous. With a bigger turbo, upgraded fuel system and the motor work he's done it'll run 12's without squirting no problem.

All his motor details are here: http://home.comcast.net/%7EIMPREZvWRX2/

As for my opinion, Toshi, if you want a really fast car for that price then that car's a good choice. Granted, it'll be a LOT more work than the first car, the maintenence will be double and it has more possibilities of existing problems. But it looks like the builder is pretty subee-competent and everything was done right, so i'd trust the car... and those 2.2's will hold up to a lot.

You'll definitley want to make sure he didn't drive it during the winter due to road salt..... not to mention the fact you'll have to drive it back from jersey.

[zane]

... which is why i'm going to have a local suby dealer inspect it, if we can schedule a suitable time. :cool: i will make sure they do a compression / leak down test.
Definitely a good idea, are you planning on flying out there?

[Toshi]

ah, that N-tercooler thing can run either CO2 or N20. good call. WRX engine is a 2.0, not 2.2 ;) , and i'm negotiating with him on when to get the car inspected at a subie dealer ~20 mi away from him -- he'd drive it there, they'd fax me the report, he'd drive it home.

flying out and driving back in a "long weekend" +/- a few days would be the endgame (and my PI at lab here is cool with that), ONLY if the car checks out with flying colors in the inspection, or if he fixes any issues presented there.

[zane]

I thought wrx's had a 2.2 ..... I guess I was confused. CO2 sprayers are nice, they make the intercooler nice and cold but they don't have any negative effects and are easy to remove if you don't like it. If the car passes inspection I'd go for it.

You realize you can only run good, premium gas in that car, right?

[ALEXIS_DH]

even if the car has good readings on the test, that doesnt say anything about for how long it stay that way. for 2 cars with good readings... one like that, and a stock one with low miles... i´d bet the stock one will see many more miles before needing serious work done.

modified cars usually snap, rather than show signs of progressive wear. are pistons, rings, rods, pins upgraded??

[Toshi]

yeah, WRX = 2.0, STi = 2.5, RS/TS = 2.5 normally aspirated...

[zane]

yeah, WRX = 2.0, STi = 2.5, RS/TS = 2.5 normally aspirated...
Which model was a TS?

EDIT: And by the way, I don't see any NOS lines under the hood- I doubt he's ever ran nitrous through that motor with the mods he's done. He seems like he has more money than that.

You usually see nitrous on ghetto hondas whose owners watched the fast and the furious WAYYY too much, but don't have the money to build their motors the right way. NOT on a car whose owner has dumped around 4k into the motor alone....

[Toshi]

TS is the base model? the same kind that stoney98 has -- see "my subie got raped" thread. non-turbo, 165? hp i think, still awd like the rest of the lineup.

looks like wednesday will be inspection day. :thumb:

[Toshi]

6 mo insurance rate range, 2002 WRX:

$643 (safeco) - $1826 (AIG)

AIG == :nuts:

[Toshi]

this is a good sign:

http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?p=8842910#post8842910

You must be the guy who lives behind my parents' house. Howdy neighbor! My fiance always teases my cuz I drive like her grandma. "You might as well give this to me and get yourself a Civic if you're not gonna race anyone!" Ouch.

[Toshi]

i rollerbladed to lab today. 4 miles. was quite frightening actually, what with uneven pavement in places, a wooden-slat bridge, and a hill at the end :dead: . (actually the hill was quite easy and i ended up passing a biker! go me). i most definitely am going to take the bus home, however...

[zane]

I didn't know anyone still rollerbladed....

[zane]

If you get the car, are you going to drive back by yourself? If you need company I might be available....

[Toshi]

If you get the car, are you going to drive back by yourself? If you need company I might be available....
hmmm, cool, i will consider this :thumb:

[Toshi]

NJ WRX checked out. in particular: "Other than modified parts on engine motor appears to be sound. Compression test + cylinder leakage is[sic] good"

:D :dancing:

[Barbaton]

NJ WRX checked out. in particular: "Other than modified parts on engine motor appears to be sound. Compression test + cylinder leakage is[sic] good"

:D :dancing:

so what is unsound about the modified parts on engine?

[Toshi]

so what is unsound about the modified parts on engine?
i don't think that was the implication. the mechanic just wanted to make sure that i was aware that there were <gasp> non standard parts...

i now have a plane ticket booked from seattle to philly, will be arriving on saturday morning, august 20th. i'm hoping to swing up north to visit y'all. thad, do you have a couch that i could crash on? :D

then off to the east. possible places to visit between new england and seattle:

banff
glacier natl park (been there but many years ago)
bay area (lots of friends in area)
oregon (visit parents)
??? <-- your suggestion here. remember that i hit up most of the natl parks save for yellowstone, grand teton, yosemite two summers ago.

[Toshi]

If you get the car, are you going to drive back by yourself? If you need company I might be available....
ok, so now i'm making a call for co-drivers:

- you have to pay for your plane ticket to wherever we meet up on east coast (or midwest at some waypoint between NJ and seattle). sorry, can't afford to pick up others' tickets! one way tix are $160-250 to the east coast generally, check www.expedia.com. update: my parents will graciously pay the ticket of a co-driver. step on up people!
- you don't have to pay for any gas :)
- you must be able to drive a stick shift smoothly, have a valid license, etc.
- you must be free from august 19th through 30th or so :think: , or at least a substantial portion of that time. joining me in the midwest, for example, would be fine

in return you get to come on what may turn out to be a quite cool road trip, and get to drive. a lot. haha :D . sound appealing to anyone?

[Toshi]

video of the day, watch it until the end! (the rider crashes due to what looks like complete lack of bike control, but doesn't appear to be hurt. his bike probably was a write off, tho.)

http://capotv.com/clips/10_motorrad_unfall_full.wmv

:dead: / :think:

[zane]

ok, so now i'm making a call for co-drivers:
- you must be free from august 19th through 30th or so :think:


I really want to go, but that's a little longer than I can get off from work. I was looking forward to cruising back in the wrx.....

All I can say is bring a good radar detector and/or jammer, and make sure you have a decent stereo (are you getting the stereo that's in the car? If not you should bring or buy one, it'd be well worth it).

[Toshi]

how long can you get off work, zane?

i'm actually buying the car with no stereo gear whatsoever. hmm, boom box on passenger seat maybe? haha. the V1 is sitting in a box ready to go tho :thumb: (in box since i had to replace it as the old one was stolen when my trumpet was stolen :mad: )

[Toshi]

co-driver casting call info updated above... summary: tagging along for the last few days would be ok, and you don't have to buy your plane ticket after all. anyone around seattle interested? i'll spam this to pac nw, too for good measure.

[Quadari]

Check out Specialized's new concept bikes, set to be released in 2006:

http://www.mountainbiketales.com/Verdra3.htm

A preview:
http://www.mountainbiketales.com/images/Venom2.jpg

[Toshi]

that's great how the design school student who made those mockups didn't account for different leg lengths at all :D

[Toshi]

read the text and see the figure of my paper as i submitted it here:

http://students.washington.edu/tjclark/JASE_mockup.pdf

i didn't include the tables or appendices since they are much too numerous and i didn't want to struggle with importing them into Pages.app for what is ultimately just me chest-beating. i really like Pages' templates tho... :)

[Toshi]

for sale:

3 sportworks bob ratchets. read more including my somewhat complex pricing structure :D here:

http://www.ridemonkey.com/forums/showthread.php?t=127939

i've decided that i want to go the hitch rack route again as to avoid possibility of denting or otherwise damaging or scuffing the roof of the wrx, and (sportworks t2 + hitch - projected proceeds from sale of bob ratchets) ~= (new yakima towers + crossbars + fairing). i could stick with thule for a little less, but the wrx's subtly curved roofline along with the square bar design of thule would mean that the towers would be very close together -- indeed thule recommends the short roof adapter, i believe.

[Barbaton]

i could stick with thule for a little less, but the wrx's subtly curved roofline along with the square bar design of thule would mean that the towers would be very close together -- indeed thule recommends the short roof adapter, i believe.

I use thule bars with the short roof adapter on a 2dr cavalier. Much curvier roof than your wrx. It works because you can adjust the cant of the thule feet. not much, but it was enough for me. In other words, you could get the roof rack to work if you didn't have the paint concern. The anchor towers are fairly close together (both in the same window), but the load bars aren't because the rear bar is back on the roof with it's own feet that just pad down to the roof (thanks to the short roof adapter).

[Toshi]

we used to use the short roof adapter on a 2 dr civic hatchback we had. it worked, but is ugly. :D ehhe

i figure that if it's the same overall cost (after selling off the bob ratchets and