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| January - March 2010 |
The Kitchen Counter Archives
January 3, 2010
I own 14 remotes, and I don't know why. There is really no explanation for this,
as some of these are for electronics I don't own anymore. A couple of them
don't even work. In total, 34 batteries are required to power them all. Thus
becomes my 2010 New Year's resolution: reduce the remote control inventory.
as some of these are for electronics I don't own anymore. A couple of them
don't even work. In total, 34 batteries are required to power them all. Thus
becomes my 2010 New Year's resolution: reduce the remote control inventory.
January 27, 2010
This year I expanded my dirt biking experience to include snow riding. The
above items are part of what makes this possible (the other part involves
certain equipment for the motorcycle). Hands, feet and mouth/nose are the
toughest body parts to keep warm when temperatures drop below freezing and
I'm zipping along in 5th gear. The mask is thin enough to fit easily under my
helmet and has a sweet looking Darth Vader type breathing apparatus that's
supposed to warm the air as you breathe it in. The mask extends below the
neckline and is made mostly of fleece, which is the absolute warmest material I
know of.
The gloves have 150-gram Thinsulate insulation and are thin enough to allow
decent mobility. That's important when twisting the throttle and pulling on clutch
and brake levers. As an extra layer of insulation, I wear disposable latex gloves
under the regular gloves. This helps retain and warm any perspiration from my
fingers - sort of a wet suit for the hands.
The toe warmers are the best thing this side of electrically heated socks. They
are chemically activated and stick to my big toes, which are always the coldest
part of my feet. The heat output isn't crazy hot, but placed inside a confined
space, my toes stay warm. After a ride, I throw them in the trash.
With this equipment, I stay remarkably warm when I'm on the motorcycle in
20-degree weather. However, it does help that the dirt bike is a good workout in
the snow. I also have the advantage of riding straight out of my heated garage,
so I'm warm to start with. Winter riding has totally changed my outlook on
snow, to the extent that I'm actually disappointed when it melts. I sometimes
look at the weather forecast to see when the next snow is set to roll in. I wish
for frozen precipitation.
Unbelievable.
above items are part of what makes this possible (the other part involves
certain equipment for the motorcycle). Hands, feet and mouth/nose are the
toughest body parts to keep warm when temperatures drop below freezing and
I'm zipping along in 5th gear. The mask is thin enough to fit easily under my
helmet and has a sweet looking Darth Vader type breathing apparatus that's
supposed to warm the air as you breathe it in. The mask extends below the
neckline and is made mostly of fleece, which is the absolute warmest material I
know of.
The gloves have 150-gram Thinsulate insulation and are thin enough to allow
decent mobility. That's important when twisting the throttle and pulling on clutch
and brake levers. As an extra layer of insulation, I wear disposable latex gloves
under the regular gloves. This helps retain and warm any perspiration from my
fingers - sort of a wet suit for the hands.
The toe warmers are the best thing this side of electrically heated socks. They
are chemically activated and stick to my big toes, which are always the coldest
part of my feet. The heat output isn't crazy hot, but placed inside a confined
space, my toes stay warm. After a ride, I throw them in the trash.
With this equipment, I stay remarkably warm when I'm on the motorcycle in
20-degree weather. However, it does help that the dirt bike is a good workout in
the snow. I also have the advantage of riding straight out of my heated garage,
so I'm warm to start with. Winter riding has totally changed my outlook on
snow, to the extent that I'm actually disappointed when it melts. I sometimes
look at the weather forecast to see when the next snow is set to roll in. I wish
for frozen precipitation.
Unbelievable.
February 14, 2010
In April 2005, two momentous events occurred in my life: I moved to Chicago,
and I knocked myself out on the dirt bike. The latter event would have been
more significant if I hadn't already whacked my head as hard once before (see
Belleville, Illinois race report from 1999). The 2005 crash, however, was the kind
where you don't completely lose consciousness. Instead, you walk around like a
bumbling fool, then at some point later realize that you don't remember the
last month of your life. The black helmet (above) on the left was strapped to
my noggin that day.
All I'd intended was to warm up the oil in my KX250 by taking it for a spin
behind my dad's tool shed. When I approached a series of odd-shaped furrows
in the cornfield, two thoughts came to mind. This is where Dad must have demo'ed
that deep-ripping tillage implement last Fall. Three seconds later: Holy crap, this
ground is rough!
The next thing I knew, I was staring at my pickup truck parked next to the tool
shed and wondering how it got there from St. Louis (except I didn't live there
anymore). Over the next hour, the memories returned, all but the 10 or 15
minutes immediately following the crash. The middle helmet above showed up
on my doorstep a couple weeks later. Through 5 seasons and nearly 300 hours
of riding and racing, the Shoei VFX has protected my brain cage very well. It was
showing its age though, so a new helmet was ordered and received last week.
I've been a Shoei guy from the beginning. The helmet on the right represents
at least the fifth of that brand that I've owned since I began serious dirt biking
in 1993. Call it habit or whatever you like, but I don't see this trend changing
anytime soon.
and I knocked myself out on the dirt bike. The latter event would have been
more significant if I hadn't already whacked my head as hard once before (see
Belleville, Illinois race report from 1999). The 2005 crash, however, was the kind
where you don't completely lose consciousness. Instead, you walk around like a
bumbling fool, then at some point later realize that you don't remember the
last month of your life. The black helmet (above) on the left was strapped to
my noggin that day.
All I'd intended was to warm up the oil in my KX250 by taking it for a spin
behind my dad's tool shed. When I approached a series of odd-shaped furrows
in the cornfield, two thoughts came to mind. This is where Dad must have demo'ed
that deep-ripping tillage implement last Fall. Three seconds later: Holy crap, this
ground is rough!
The next thing I knew, I was staring at my pickup truck parked next to the tool
shed and wondering how it got there from St. Louis (except I didn't live there
anymore). Over the next hour, the memories returned, all but the 10 or 15
minutes immediately following the crash. The middle helmet above showed up
on my doorstep a couple weeks later. Through 5 seasons and nearly 300 hours
of riding and racing, the Shoei VFX has protected my brain cage very well. It was
showing its age though, so a new helmet was ordered and received last week.
I've been a Shoei guy from the beginning. The helmet on the right represents
at least the fifth of that brand that I've owned since I began serious dirt biking
in 1993. Call it habit or whatever you like, but I don't see this trend changing
anytime soon.
February 16, 2010
According to the folks at Case Construction, there are approximately 435 ways
to injure yourself while driving one of these:
to injure yourself while driving one of these:
Based on my skid loader driving abilities thus far, I'd say they are correct, and
then some. But it sure is a lot of fun. Snow has met its match, finally.
then some. But it sure is a lot of fun. Snow has met its match, finally.
March 25, 2010
This piece of paper represents the extent to which our nation's government
wants its trillions of stimulus money to be spent. The Internal Revenue Service
refunded me more dollars than I asked for. This extra $207 was related to the
"Making Work Pay" tax credit, which I vaguely remember hearing about last
year. The nice folks at the IRS noticed that I didn't claim this stimulus-
inspired credit, so they did it for me. After all, we would not want the
government's free handouts left without homes. Good people, those IRS tax
return processors.
wants its trillions of stimulus money to be spent. The Internal Revenue Service
refunded me more dollars than I asked for. This extra $207 was related to the
"Making Work Pay" tax credit, which I vaguely remember hearing about last
year. The nice folks at the IRS noticed that I didn't claim this stimulus-
inspired credit, so they did it for me. After all, we would not want the
government's free handouts left without homes. Good people, those IRS tax
return processors.
March 28, 2010
In my house, interesting things like this show up all the time. Above, we have
a mostly clean carburetor block from a 1995 Suzuki RF900. To answer your
first question, no - I didn't buy a street bike. This is from a bank repo'd
motorcycle that I am attempting to return to running condition. Although the
bike came back cleaner than I expected, its former owner had left it in storage
for a few years and did not drain the gas tank. This caused two problems: 1)
the old gas gunked up the carb; and 2) the gas tank was full of this:
a mostly clean carburetor block from a 1995 Suzuki RF900. To answer your
first question, no - I didn't buy a street bike. This is from a bank repo'd
motorcycle that I am attempting to return to running condition. Although the
bike came back cleaner than I expected, its former owner had left it in storage
for a few years and did not drain the gas tank. This caused two problems: 1)
the old gas gunked up the carb; and 2) the gas tank was full of this:
The various filter screens in the fuel petcock and in the carbs themselves
kept most of the larger particles from entering the engine, but it was a real
challenge to figure out where all of the rust was deposited inside the carb.
Fortunately, many of the larger motorcycle dealers have online parts guides
for most motorcycles manufactured since the 1990s. The RF900 parts guide
helped greatly. And credit goes to Suzuki for using carbs that have fine metal
screens to sift out the crud.
The Suzuki runs well now - probably too well for my limited street riding skills.
kept most of the larger particles from entering the engine, but it was a real
challenge to figure out where all of the rust was deposited inside the carb.
Fortunately, many of the larger motorcycle dealers have online parts guides
for most motorcycles manufactured since the 1990s. The RF900 parts guide
helped greatly. And credit goes to Suzuki for using carbs that have fine metal
screens to sift out the crud.
The Suzuki runs well now - probably too well for my limited street riding skills.