What are you doing today? Thread

[ATC King]

Now that the worst of the cold weather has passed I've been getting some cycling in. It's been a while so I'm not doing much beyond 10-15 mile rides. Mainly, my bum is taking some time acclimating.

I think I'm going to buy some Schwalbe Marathons. I've been getting flats on every ride and I'm using a puncture resistant tire, but they're budget priced and have some miles/age on them. Maybe they're just worn out too much to help but what I'm picking up is tire wire and I'm not sure even the Martahons will stop all of that. All those people driving with bald tires, shedding wire up and down the highway, nice job.

I can't even see it in the tire, I have to run my fingers over it from the inside to find. Fun, fun, fun. Luckily, the cheap multi-tool I carry has pliers with really square and even tips that can grab on to the nearly invisible stub, otherwise I'd need to carry tweezers.

It's been a while since I've messed with the Marathon tires. What I remember is they can be difficult to mount, but that be some other brand I'm thinking about, possibly the Specialized Armadillo, or the Continental Gators. The budget tires I'm using now are easy going on and off the rim.

[knappyfeet]

Now that the worst of the cold weather has passed I've been getting some cycling in.

Good to hear.

Took a 400+ mile ride to Yuma, Martinez Lake, etc,...one big boomerang ride from San Diego. It was almost 90° when we left Martinez lake...wasn't use to that. Right there on the I-8 before Gordens Well the Boarder Patrol setup a check point going east....I've never seen that before. I guess they are serious.

We went up Laguna Dam road to see this bridge my son told me about. I know it is a peace and good luck symbol from Buddhism & such but obviously, now it is a symbol of the devil and horror, so I call it the Nazi bridge. It was built in 1905 and the symbols were placed there for good luck for abundant water....cool story. It was just me and my wife and the dirt road was harder packed and easier to navigate riding 2 up, than the soft disaster we road in 29 Palms one time.

[ATC King]

I didn't even notice the symbols, just the cracks.

My hope was it was intended to be a pedestrian bridge, because if it was ever open to regular vehicle traffic, with weight limit signs or not, some goober would most certainly try to take something like a loaded dump truck over it. I'm not bridge engineer, but it doesn't look like it could handle that kind of weight.

Maybe it was just symbolic and never meant to carry traffic. I just went over a bridge built in the 30's last week, and it looks in far better condition.

[ATC King]

I was going to make a loop today but the river was far too high to cross on my bike.

[Pinkfincroaker]

Wonder why nobodies here anymore ?

[knappyfeet]

We are all on tiktok watching all the Bettys eating pizzas and walking & sitting in bikinis.

Shorts rule the world now........no one has the time for 4 minute videos.

Barns...... I need a KZ police steed....rpeters said. I want to be Ponch!

[Pinkfincroaker]

Thank god .......i thought maybe it twas my broccoli farts lets go lets go lets go .....go where ? ....not gonna lie ....i`m a liar .....but i`m not gonna lie ......what ?

[coolpool]

Thought we would capitalize on the warmer weather and took the Tri-X-Side and an ATV across Cold Lake on a ~16 mile round trip run. With 1-2" of slush and wet snow in places I was still easily able to maintain ~30mph on the old beast.....ran like a champ after 4+ years of sitting waiting to be fixed.

[knappyfeet]

Thought we would capitalize on the warmer weather and took the Tri-X-Side and an ATV across Cold Lake on a ~16 mile round trip run. With 1-2" of slush and wet snow in places I was still easily able to maintain ~30mph on the old beast.....ran like a champ after 4+ years of sitting waiting to be fixed.

Awsome....love that Tri-X-Side

[ATC King]

Changed the lube in my 200ES axle yesterday. Didn't remember how long it's been and it was starting to get noisy, but I just figured it was on it's way out because I've done nothing but change the lube since I've had it, and it wasn't exactly a cared for trike when I got it. Fresh lube quietened it right up and the old stuff didn't look bad but I guess it had been in there a while. Tech 2000 synthetic 75W-90, or, Super Tech for those who don't get the pre '00 reference. T2K sounds cooler.

We have a tiller that's never run completely right, from new. I finally got tired of that nonsense and decided to fiddle with the jet, hogged it out way too much the first go, soldered it back and the second attempt was successful. It's a 50 state Briggs, and those things never had much of a chance when tuned to meet California emission standards.

Yard work has been hampered by blood suckers. This rain, warmth, and humidity has the mosquitoes out thick. Can't even take a break outside because it's just a swatfest. Thought I was going to breathe some in. I've got a head net, but I'll just slack on yard work instead.

I did have a zero turn given to me and I'm sorting it out to use as a spare. It's not taking a lot of moola, but it is labor. I think it has a few more seasons left in it, so I'm putting in the effort, with minimal parts needed. I had to redo a lot of the wiring and pretty much go through the whole thing as far as maintenance and light repair. Probably would've cost $800 or more for a shop to get it running again. I'm hoping some fresh oil will quieten the hydros. They work fine, smooth, no jerking, and positive action, so I don't feel like changing the oil will be a waste of money. They're just getting T2K 20W-50 anyway. No high dollar hydro oil for these. I may even splurge for the synthetic Walmart fluid.

[ATC King]

While installing a dash camera, I needed some mini fuse taps but only had the full size ones on hand, so I made a couple.



The fuse locations I used on this vehicle didn't have the options, so I cut one leg off of the fuse, just to get the power without making that system live. It probably doesn't matter either way but I figured why have live wires that don't go to anything. The heat shrink was for strain relief and I should have pinched the ends together for a a tighter fit and cleaner look, but it'll serve it's purpose.

There was a nice flat spot for the module and I used Velcro, name brand, to affix it to that spot. BTW, the factory uses Velcro to hold that cover panel on. I was pretty darn happy when I found this fuse location, because I thought I was going to have to route the wiring further back and under more of the interior trim, which is way more labor.

[knappyfeet]

Nice.

I've been thinking about one for sometime. So many drive like crapola...I need all the evidence I could get in the event of an accident.

[ATC King]

This one went into my mom's car, a bit late though.

Her other car was totaled about six months ago, she didn't feel like the other driver was telling the truth but didn't have proof, and that's what it took to finally convince her it was time for a camera. Never mind I've been suggesting it for years, like I do with other family.

The prices for good cameras just kept dropping for years, or, another way to look at it was the prices stayed about the same but the camera quality and features kept improving. The VIOFO cameras have proven to be high quality, reliable, and affordable. I've bought a couple other brands in about the same price range, but none of them were as good.

A few hundred bucks spent on dash cameras can save thousands the first time they're needed. Just a front camera can be less than $150, and some front/rear combinations may be <$200, but I like separate front and rear cameras, for redundancy. Adding a side camera is a great idea too, and a little lower quality is acceptable there if wanting to save some cash.

These are the VIOFO A119, which have a motion/parking lot function, so they'll record in live or time-lapse mode, or if detecting motion. They also have a G-sensor and will lock the video during an impact, so it can't be recorded over. To use the parking function, they need installed the module that'll cut power to the battery below a set voltage, to prevent depleting it so much the vehicle won't start, if the car is left sitting for a few days with the camera left on. It automatically detects on and acc power, so there's normally no need to manually power the camera on or off for everyday driving.

I use them with the GPS module, which records location and speed. No wifi or BT on these, and I like that, lower power consumption, lower cost, and more secure. I don't need or want any more radio emissions inside the vehicle either.

These do have the optional polarized lens filter, and I use those too. They do seem to improve the video clarity.

I do turn on the audio recording, because even if the camera doesn't capture something, the microphone may.

I think this last A119 kit was $120 + tax. That's the camera, GPS module, power module, and lens filter. VIOFO may be phasing out the A119, but I'm not sure, other than whatever replaces it will likely have wifi and/or BT, which I don't want.

[ATC King]

Got a bike ride in. It was a nice overcast day, enjoyable to ride since the sun wasn't shooting lasers.




It's that time of the year where getting bike rides in will be more difficult, because of the heat and sun. The Arkansas Graveler ride is coming up in June. That's a several day ride, though the Ouchitas this year. Last year was the Ozarks. I don't understand why they schedule it in June, except the director of the event is a former racer. The heat is miserable for most people and camping five nights in a tent, in June, in Arkansas, isn't what I'd call relaxing. I've cycled all over the US and at all times of the year, June in Arkansas isn't something I'd plan as a tourism event. It's not a race, and it won't be racers filling up the spots at $1,000 each.

There is a one day ride in Mena, this October, the Wheel A' Mena. 30,50, and 70 mile options, $70. The 70 and 50 mile routes go into Oklahoma. It's a very hilly route and will be tough, but the Talimena Scenic Drive is a large part of the route and events like this are the safest times to ride that road, because of the heightened awareness of cyclists on the road. There's options for places to stay, but the lodge at Queen Wilhelmina State Park is pretty nice and it's a relaxing place, away from any towns. There are always quite a few motorcycles riding through on nice days though, and many of the loud kind.

Organized rides are nice, because of the support, like rest stations and a sag wagon. It's a safer environment too, because many locals will be aware of the event and there's usually additional signs placed, to let drivers know to look out for cyclists. Mena already draws some cyclists and the longest mountain bike trail in the state has a trailhead near Mena, the Ouachita National Recreation Trail, an International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA) Epic rated trail.

[ATC King]

I got this free mower and spent a lot of time breaking it down for very past due maintenance. I can really use it, appreciate the gift, and am trying to nurse it along as long as I can, so no maintenance is being overlooked.

The hydrostats on this are kind of throwaway. There are no filters and no drain plugs, meaning they were intended to be run until failure, without any maintenance. I hemhawed around about how to service them in the mower but finally realized it was quicker to remove them for service. I did end up making a big mess, because while they were draining I left to do other things. The only way to fully drain these is to tip them upside down.

I was going to use a synthetic 20W-50 oil, but it turns out that weight is pretty uncommon anymore for the average vehicle. I could have bought some synthetic motorcycle oil, even the Walmart brand, which is what I run in my motorcycles, but all I could find is the conventional Walmart 20W-50 in a large container. I'm doing what I can to extend the life of the mower, but it was already severely neglected and I had no idea if it was going to work properly. I have since mowed with it and know it's in good enough condition that it should last at least another season or two, so I'm willing to spend more on it now.




Edit: The main reason for all the work on a neglected, free mower is because we have a detached property and it's a bit of a hassle to load a mower onto a trailer every time I go there. I hope to leave this one there and it'll make life a bit easier. No way I'd leave a nice mower at that property, because we have enough to mow at home that requires a good mower.