What are you doing today? Thread

[ATC King]

'King' you seem to always be positive and friendly, which is cool and nice to run across..

Thank you. I'm a lifelong work in progress.

I just began riding bicycles again last year after a 25 year break and really enjoy it! I'm unable to ride anything with handlebars and a motor 'equilibrium injury and torn diaphragm muscle', but no woes.

Great that you're getting back on one. As far as injury or health issues, I used to ride with a gentleman who was in his 70's. He had recumbent trikes and put thousands of miles on them. One he started out with was a Catrike then bought an ICE trike for the full suspension. Either of those are very expensive though, much more than a similarly equipped bicycle, but they are less taxing on the body while still being very capable of munching up miles. I rode some with another guy who's brother had equilibrium issues and he had a type of electric assist trike which was more of a HPV (Human Powered Vehicle). One place I used to live and ride, I'd often see a man with one leg riding a bicycle. Another place I lived, there was a guy missing an arm and he rode a recumbent trike. I was finally able to talk to him one day, just to hear some of his story. There's lots of inspiring people out there who make it a point to stay active. Some have issues that can be seen and others don't, but they're still enjoying life.

[ATC King]

I saw him do stuff with a 200cc three wheeler I never thought was possible, also.

That's from years or learning to work with what the good lord gave me...

Thanks.

[ATC King]

I got a bicycle ride in before the weather got nasty. Just one dog gave chase, but it stopped after I spoke strongly too it. One of those silent ones that I didn't hear until it was close. I also stopped by my buddy's place to pet the dogs while he was at work. They don't get much attention and just about knock me over when I get inside the fence. They really aren't his and just got relocated there, so I stop by and give them some attention.

Check out these beast machines I seen. I know some of you will recognize them.

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[ATC King]

I am looking online at cars today for my mom and found one that I think she's going to really like!
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The car is right, but the price isn't. That would be a safe car to drive because everyone else would keep away from it. I wouldn't be worried about it in a Walmart parking lot either. There probably wouldn't be anyone parked next to it when done shopping.

I've lived in places where I really wanted a street legal demolition derby style car. No way I would have driven anything nice in those places. Alas, most of the affordable 70's-80's land yachts are all but gone. Nothing is more of a danger to a lifted 4x4 street truck than a Delta 88 with pipe bumpers and a full roll cage.

[ATC King]

Had to take it easy on the elderly purchased one's because of the carbon buildup from never seeing over 55 mph and sometimes they'd blow up if ran too hard right away.

If you've never seen it, some of those early carbed catalytic converter cars that got babied by slow drivers would actually blow a cloud of brown smoke out when ing on the throttle. I can tolerate some oil smoke and gas fumes, but that brown stuff really stunk.

The early pellet style catalytic converters would shoot the pellets out the exhaust when they started to fail. Someone near the tailpipe when the engine was revved could feel them hitting their legs and it would sting a little if they were in shorts (the pellets were hot too).

Those early emission days were hell on cars. I don't miss any of that factory junk from the 70's. I've ed shut enough air injection lines because they were seized in the exhaust manifolds. Ironically, some people are using the A.I.R. pumps as forced induction on small engines...and It Works!

[ATC King]

What am I doing today?

I replaced one of the motion security lights with a LED unit.

I've tried LED flood bulbs in some of the traditional motion security lights and it's hit or miss if they function properly. Sometimes the LED bulbs will always have a low glow even when off and other times they stay on indefinitely after triggered. The traditional units tend to have a 5-10 year lifespan regardless as something in the sensor or timer fails, especially when the units are completely out in the open with no weather protection. Even being under a roof eave seems to increase their longevity. I think the bright sunlight and heat kills them and not the humidity or rain.

[El Camexican]

What am I doing today?

I replaced one of the motion security lights with a LED unit.

I've tried LED flood bulbs in some of the traditional motion security lights and it's hit or miss if they function properly. Sometimes the LED bulbs will always have a low glow even when off and other times they stay on indefinitely after triggered. The traditional units tend to have a 5-10 year lifespan regardless as something in the sensor or timer fails, especially when the units are completely out in the open with no weather protection. Even being under a roof eave seems to increase their longevity. I think the bright sunlight and heat kills them and not the humidity or rain.

The led lights in our restroom glow all night, not sure why. My sensors don’t seem to play well with the sun. After just a few years the plastic goes yellow, dries up, then cracks and eventually falls apart. They probably make goods one that I can’t afford.

[ATC King]

If you're using anything other than manual switches in the bathroom, that may be causing the glowing. The standard illuminated switches (when off) and motion detectors can still be passing low current when off and the LED bulbs will glow. I've ran into that before.

There may be some modern versions of those types of switches that are LED compatible and totally shut off current when off.

I hear you on the outdoor sensor covers that yellow and fall apart. I've used several types of motion security lights with various function features, but they all seem to be of similar quality. There may be some exceptionally cheap ones out there that age very poorly, but most of them are of about the same quality. They also seem to have a similar price ceiling.

What I really like about the modern LED products is they're always changing, which means there's discounts/clearances every year on the previous models. The traditional units seldom changed and weren't often discounted. It wouldn't be surprising if the manufacturers are losing more money on continuous R&D compared to the older units that changed very little over the years. Possibly their loss and the customers gain, or at least the customers who are satisfied with not having the latest and greatest when it first hits the shelves.

The unit I just installed was about 60% off the original price and it's really nice. It even has selectable color temp and a link feature to wirelessly trigger other lights when any of them detect motion. In general, the LED panel lights have a much better dispersion than the standard flood bulbs which tend to create a pattern with hot spots. I understand the whole thing is pretty much disposable when it fails, but so were the traditional models with the exception of the bulbs. I do cannibalize parts when possible. If the LED panels are still functional, all I have to do is use a proper power supply to repurpose them for something else, like a work light.

[ATC King]

I've been working on some OE Honda fenders. Ones that are too beat to make look good but will take paint just fine. Maybe I'll paint some orange, put KTM stickers on the tank and start some rumors that KTM built trikes in the 80's. If anyone notices Honda on the engine, I'll tell them the original (rare) KTM engine blew up and the Honda engine was just what I had to put in it.

I found this little guy in a ditch today.
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I zip tied it to a highway sign. If anyone here sees it, post the picture and I'll give you a digital cookie.

Yes, I carry zip ties on bicycle rides. So far, I've used them more than the pistol.


I put the E-100 on blocks today so I can get at the bottom easier. I pulled the wheels off to remove the tires, which wouldn't hold air at all. Two of the wheels are different and I'm just going to have to replace them all so they'll match.

Those two wheels are missing something important for tubeless radial tires, although that's what they had on them. Does anyone see what's missing? Yes, the centers are riveted in, they're that old.
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[ATC King]

Drinking some Twisted Tea and getting mentally ready for a funeral.

Funerals are very depressing, not because someone died, but because people who you haven't seen in years show up to them when they didn't bother to show when the person was alive.

It was my friend's mother and we went on a motorcycle ride today after he took care of things at the funeral home.

Edit: Ugh. I think I'll go on a mountain bike ride today.

I also repaired my friend's water line yesterday as a little bit of a good surprise for him as he was out of town. The line between the well and house had sprung a leak. Luckily it wasn't too big of a job and a little digging with a shovel found it. It was his other house that he's been cleaning up to rent and being strapped for time, he just hadn't gotten to it yet.

[knappyfeet]

Drinking some Twisted Tea and getting mentally ready for a funeral.

Funerals are very depressing, not because someone died, but because people who you haven't seen in years show up to them when they didn't bother to show when the person was alive.

Last year was the first time we went to a funeral that was more festive and stuff. Hopefully this will become a trend.

The viewing was private... Just immediate immediate family... Then the burial at the cemetery and the celebration of life at the hall. It was a festive occasion... with a mariachi band and music and dancing and people enjoying time together. Sure it was still somber but it was a festive event....much more of a party feel. This is exactly what he would want and I'm glad they did it.

[ATC King]

Last year was the first time we went to a funeral that was more festive and stuff. Hopefully this will become a trend.

The viewing was private... Just immediate immediate family... Then the burial at the cemetery and the celebration of life at the hall. It was a festive occasion... with a mariachi band and music and dancing and people enjoying time together. Sure it was still somber but it was a festive event....much more of a party feel. This is exactly what he would want and I'm glad they did it.

Ain't it backwards? People celebrate a wedding and mourn at a funeral.

Jokes aside, dying is something that everyone will go through. It's the one thing that everyone who lives through birth has in common.

The least I can work towards if providing a bar at my funeral and recording a dorky video before I pass that'll at least get some laughs before the tears. I think most of my family will be dead before I pass though, so only the handful of close friends I have will truly appreciate the humor. I believe most of the tears at funerals are those of personal regret. My close friends won't have those, they'll be tears from the memories that flood in.

I don't do social media, I do personal interaction. My friends aren't clicks, they're people.

[ATC King]

I got a mountain bike ride in today at Bringle Lake. There was some evidence of wildlife on the trail.

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The weather and trail conditions were great and the place was packed. Cycling of any type still isn't huge in Texarkana and I only seen hikers, not a single other bike on the trails.

[ATC King]

Is that a painted up gourd hanging there?

Something like that

It's for holding those life supporting, fleshy gourds.


Our weather is nice right now but it won't be long before it's swamp crotch weather. In the thick of summer I try to get any cycling done before noon, especially mountain biking. Besides all the snakes and blood sucking bugs, it's almost too humid to breathe during a windless day in Arkansas forests.

I like a good workout, but at some point, the heat and humidity make the joy soggy. I tried to avoiding most of it last summer by hiding out in North Dakota, but it was still hot there too, just devoid of the oppressive humidity. The smell of burning coal seams was new to me. Wyoming? If things work out this summer I'll see if that's a good hiding spot.

[El Camexican]

Built a two sided rabbit cage this morning. Holes are too large for baby bunnies, need to deal with that.



Why do I need rabbits you may be wondering? Mostly because I’m an idiot.

Bought a couple hoping to use them to train my new dogs how to play nice with other critters. Instead it seems I’ve awakened their inner wolves. The rabbits are probably praying that my welds hold.