eat, sleep, swim

In the span of a month I've gone from only swimming about one week a year to swimming several times a week. It's actually become something I look forward to. And I hardly ever look forward to an activity whose main focus is exercise.

I think my endurance is improving and my technique is getting better. I just need to figure out how to breathe, stop swallowing so much water, and stop spitting so much in the pool. And apparently it is not like the ocean and you are supposed to get out of the pool if you want to pee.

Yup I've learned a lot about swimming this month.

Recovering Car Addict

Like the blog title says, recovering car addict.
While I've liked cars forever, I've been crazy about them for the last 11 years. Absolutely Bonkers.

Well I'm trying to get a grip.

No more owning two cars, owning anything high powered and over the top.
From now on owning one fun to drive, good enough performance for the street, fun for the value, minimum headaches, minimum insurance, reasonably practical. And drive it till it rusts out from under me.

I still have a lot of fun wondering what I'll get next. Currently challenging myself with ideas under $10K. Yeah, it's fun, but better to deal with it when the time comes and be happy with and enjoy what I have now.

Scooter part due - Aprilia RS 50

Just when I thought my scooter obsession was dying due to the low top speed and spec of the Honda Ruckus without extensive modification, it was revived by this Italian machine - the Aprilia RS 50 Factory. It cost about $500 more (new) than the Ruckus but has front and rear disc brakes rather than drums, fuel injection, larger wheels, two up seating and probably better handling. It also has a digital gauge cluster and a security feature. It looks like less mods would be needed to keep up with traffic. Now without any data, I would guess the Ruckus is more simple, require less maintenance and perhaps be more reliable than the Aprilia. My guess is the Ruckus would survive an EMP blast. However I'm more concerned about surviving traffic at this point.

It would be an interesting experiment to see if I could do without my own car and use a scooter instead. Better mileage, no insurance or motorcycle license required for 50cc scooters, less maintenance costs.

Modification list: dealer reflashed ecu to derestrict top speed, variator modification for higher top speed, aftermarket exhaust for more power, maybe a luggage rack.

apriliausa.com

Oven Repair, continued.
Well I got the broiler element part in the mail today. Could be
packaged better - the element was a little bent. Cut power on
circuitbreakers, install 6 screws, power back on and voilà! Ready to
broil! Note the first time the element is used some residual oil from
manufacturing will probably smoke and burn off.

I would rate this job as easy, especially with instructions available
in home repair books or online. Again hardest part was figuring out
the replacement part number. Easiest way is look online starting with
the manufacturer website or help line.

Oven broke

As we prepared to broil our steaks last night, apparently the broiler element in our oven burst into flame. Now broiler no worky and steaks were pan fried (and still quite tasty!). Closer inspection of the element shows a small hole melted through the metal.

A perfect opportunity for me to see if I can fix it! or take it apart at least. side note: as I was taking my parents' rechargeable minivac apart to see if the batteries were replaceable, my mom noted how I always took apart my childhood toys but never put them back together. I said it's so much harder to put them back together! My motto is I'm never afraid to risk destroying something to attempt to fix it. Only about two childhood toys survive today. A Hotwheels car and a Winnie the Pooh minus an ear.

Back to the oven!
Usually I disassemble something with no idea what to do. This time I did some research in a Big Book of Home How To.
I first made sure it was really broken by trying the broiler again. Yup brokey.
Now, CUT THE POWER! I looked for the power cord but unfortunately looks like the oven is hardwired. So I quick trip to the circuit breakers, flip off one conveniently labeled stove and of course not taking anything for granted I turned on the oven to see if it was off. Yup, off.

Using my Craftsman socket set (gift from dad prob 20 year ago) I removed the bracket supporting the element. Then removed the two screws holding the element and carefully pulled it out. The book said to be careful that you don't pull the wires off the element so it doesn't accidentally fall back in the oven. I unbolted the wires from the element and removed the element from the oven.

Now to look for a replacement element! First went to Sears, then to Sears Service Center...Oops, no model number. GF wisely told me to find model number on stove. Model number doesn't match to anything online! A quick call to GE and they give me the repair part number. Then did a search online, a little price comparison and ta daaa! part ordered!

To be continued once I get the part...

Hell Bent for Leather

This is the last known photo of my homemade leather cover for my Levenger notebook with metal discs. I cut the leather to size and hand cut the little notches so it would fit in the discs. The leather was starting to attain scratches and a nice patina. While I am extremely modest, I could not resist admiring my handiwork.

This leather cover has been currently residing in the stomach of my dog for several days. She has a passion for leather like no other. A leather notebook, leather strap for a dustpan, a wallet I handsewed...all victims of this leather predator. I'm a little surprised my leather messenger bag still survives, but perhaps my dog is somewhat of a leather gourmet and the cheap Indian leather doesn't cut the mustard.

Actually, I last saw my leather cover last night. 2:00 am, my dog made some incredible hacking noises then, on the wood floor, sitting in a pool of leather stained stomach juices, a small wet lump of hide. I eagerly anticipate the return of the rest of my notebook cover. I think I can dry all the pieces out, sew it back together, and return it to its rightful place in front of my notebook.

I've got a new pair of shoes!
Actually I got new tires for my car but that's how it feels. Unless
you buy shoes and they turn out to be knockoffs...I am very sorry to
see my old Falken Azenis go. They were very grippy and were not even
worn down to the cord, my standard for tire replacement. However they
were too worn to pass my upcoming inspection. They also are really bad
in the rain.

After much perusal of my old magazines, kept expressly for that
purpose and some online shopping, I finally got some Falken (same
brand!) Ziex ZE512's in 196/60/14. About half the cost of the old ones.

Yahooooo! Or...Apple!! Can't wait to try them out (in an extremely
responsible fashion)! They should be way less grippy than the old ones
so I probably can make them squeal. But they should last a lot longer
than the old ones and most likely my car will be hitting close to 200k
miles by then.

Gee...I hope the car will actually last that long. Because I would
absolutely hate to go car shopping! ; ) Mazda2.

speedo

We've joined a gym to swim! While paying money to exercise indoors usually goes against my beliefs, having daily access to an indoor and outdoor (during summer) pool to exercise or play in is going to be great! I'll consider it outsourcing a pool...

While I've been swimming most of my life, doing it long distances specifically for physical fitness is completely new for me. I've discovered that I can't swim very far and my strokes are very inefficient and technically wrong. Well, it's all about practice I guess. I'm sure my endurance will grow and my strokes will get better. I have a great swim partner and coach! I also can't wait to swim longer distances in the ocean this summer.