What a nice day to be alive walking in the sunshine.
It's good to think about how kindly fortune has treated those of us who have our health, family, freedom and faith.
__________________
If you like Joan Baez's music or are just curious about a major 1960's folksinger there's an hour long Joan Baez performance from 1965 on BBC. She's so young and so sincere. This particular song from the performance is called "There But For Fortune".
Monday, October 15, 2018
Sunday, October 14, 2018
No News is Good News
I've been taking a news break for the last week.
What a relief.
I highly recommend it.
__________________
I'm sort of a broken record I guess. I was writing about the idea of letting go of the news 15 years ago here. In some ways I wish I would of followed my own advice. I've jokingly told a few people that the last 3 years have been the perfect hell for me as I tried to learn and understand what was happening in our country. Somewhat foolishly I thought I could dip into the stream of information, find the explanation and then hop out without impacting my psyche.
I subscribed to the local paper, the Washington Post, the New York Times and the Guardian, read quite a few books, read lots of political websites, subscribed and read various magazines, listened to right and left wing talk radio and podcasts, watched Fox News, MSNBC, CSPAN and CNN. Some was very educational and I think I have a pretty good idea what happened and what continues to happen...but mostly I found myself depressed, angry and anxious.
I didn't have time to do that level of self-directed research while I was working. My interest was piqued when our current president announced his candidacy shortly after I retired. Trying to understand what happened to our country became a bit of an obsession and wasn't good for me physically or mentally.
Was it worth it? i think so. Being a citizen in a democratic republic requires a certain level of knowledge about current events, politics, law, business, economics, media, religion, philosophy and history. If you give up on being an informed citizen and take refuge in your tribe, hobby, or other diversions then we can't have a democracy. We end up with various forms of propaganda that; steer people into voting for candidates or parties that don't represent their interests, divide people to minimize their collective power or demoralize people to the point they opt out.
It's all fascinating and frustrating. I know I can reduce the frustration and anxiety by steering away from current events depicted in newspapers (radio/TV) and still learn from books, selected magazines and websites without going off the deep end.
I've been reading some books by the Norwegian author Karl Ove Knausgaard and he writes about reading the newspaper and feeling like he dumped a trashcan over his head...yeah something like that.
So I'm taking a break from the 24 hour news cycle.
Andrew Weill calls it a news fast.
What a relief.
I highly recommend it.
__________________
I'm sort of a broken record I guess. I was writing about the idea of letting go of the news 15 years ago here. In some ways I wish I would of followed my own advice. I've jokingly told a few people that the last 3 years have been the perfect hell for me as I tried to learn and understand what was happening in our country. Somewhat foolishly I thought I could dip into the stream of information, find the explanation and then hop out without impacting my psyche.
I subscribed to the local paper, the Washington Post, the New York Times and the Guardian, read quite a few books, read lots of political websites, subscribed and read various magazines, listened to right and left wing talk radio and podcasts, watched Fox News, MSNBC, CSPAN and CNN. Some was very educational and I think I have a pretty good idea what happened and what continues to happen...but mostly I found myself depressed, angry and anxious.
I didn't have time to do that level of self-directed research while I was working. My interest was piqued when our current president announced his candidacy shortly after I retired. Trying to understand what happened to our country became a bit of an obsession and wasn't good for me physically or mentally.
Was it worth it? i think so. Being a citizen in a democratic republic requires a certain level of knowledge about current events, politics, law, business, economics, media, religion, philosophy and history. If you give up on being an informed citizen and take refuge in your tribe, hobby, or other diversions then we can't have a democracy. We end up with various forms of propaganda that; steer people into voting for candidates or parties that don't represent their interests, divide people to minimize their collective power or demoralize people to the point they opt out.
It's all fascinating and frustrating. I know I can reduce the frustration and anxiety by steering away from current events depicted in newspapers (radio/TV) and still learn from books, selected magazines and websites without going off the deep end.
I've been reading some books by the Norwegian author Karl Ove Knausgaard and he writes about reading the newspaper and feeling like he dumped a trashcan over his head...yeah something like that.
So I'm taking a break from the 24 hour news cycle.
Andrew Weill calls it a news fast.
Friday, October 12, 2018
Desiderata (written by Max Ehrmann in 1926)
“Go
placidly amid the noise and haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.
As far as possible, without surrender, be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.
As far as possible, without surrender, be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others,
even
to the dull and ignorant; they too have their story.
Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexations to the spirit.
If you compare
yourself with others, you may become vain and bitter,
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.
Keep interested in your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs,
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals,
and everywhere life is full of heroism.
Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love;
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment
it is as perennial as the grass.
Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.
Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself.
You are a child of the universe no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.
Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be.
And whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace with your soul.
With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.
Thursday, October 11, 2018
Walking in This Moment
“The miracle is not to walk on water. The miracle is to walk on the
green earth in the present moment, to appreciate the peace and beauty
that are available now.”
Thich Nhat Hanh
(from his book How to Walk)
Wednesday, October 10, 2018
It's All Right Here
I’m unhappy –
the world is unhappy. No God, no love, no joy, no choice, no freedom.
No self.
I think therefore I
am. But thinking is hard, so being lazy, I decided to stop. I instead
let people tell me what to think, who to blame, who to hate, what to
fear and who and what to love.
I escape the hard
work of examining my life to consider what I have done right, what I
could do better, and to atone for wrongs I have done others and to my
self.
Rather than coming
to terms with the inevitable - sickness, old age and death; I chase
something, anything as long as it allows me to forget who and what I
am.
I have no desire to
spend time thinking and rethinking how to live a a good life. I gave
up my individuality to escape from the anxieties, uncertainties and
personal responsibilities of freedom. I take the path of least
resistance and allow propagandists, advertisers, televangelists,
self-help gurus and various snake oil salesman to sell me a life.
They whisper in my ear that life isn’t hard, all I really need is
this car, this soap, this political party, these clothes, that
house, these pharmaceuticals and my wildest dreams will come true.
Having jettisoned
religion I no longer have a ready source of stories about loving
one’s neighbor, helping those less fortunate, or the
interconnectedness of all things. I have no time or need to ponder
the mysteries of the universe, the world, and the people in it.
Instead I am left with the fake certitudes of ideologies I’ve
neither studied nor understand and am left with no rock to anchor to
in a harsh and ever coarsening world.
How do I avoid
squandering my incredible, wild and unique life?
There is no answer.
If someone tells you only he/she has the answer – run fast and far.
Life is a journey
not a destination. It is difficult and will take honesty and courage
to be truly alive. I have only the hard work of confronting my self,
my God(s), my shortcomings, my failures and asking for forgiveness
and strength to do better.
If I have the
courage to accept that life is hard, often sad and sometimes tragic -
I will have the emotional range to experience the joys of love,
compassion, and the wonder-filled appreciation that I am alive on
this earth. If you put in the work you’ll realize that this is it –
where you are now, these people, this room, this air, this earth –
right here right now – this is it.
Wednesday, October 04, 2017
Tuesday, March 25, 2014
Thursday, July 11, 2013
San Francisco 2013
I had a blast riding to San Francisco and back last week. California Highway 36 was everything I'd hoped for as far as being possibly the best motorcycle road in America. It's like riding a roller coaster.
It was a long day riding from Mt. Shasta, west on 36 and then south on highway 1 to Gualala. The distance wasn't that far but 140 miles of curvy, twisty, up and down road on 36 and then another 100 of similar road on 1 was an exercise in concentration and endurance for me.
I had a great time in San Francisco visiting Becca and Alex. It was really nice to see them and their new place in Outer Sunset. We cooked some good food at home and ate at Gracias Madre which has some tasty vegan food. I stopped at Judahlicious a couple of times for a snack while Alex and Becca were working. I enjoyed meeting the Comcast installer, getting the kids bikes ready, washing a window, getting some plants and putting together their new BBQ - and then eating some delicious food.
I left for home early Saturday morning so I could avoid the heat in the Central Valley. It had been over 100 degrees all week - 115 degrees one day in Redding. Saturday's high was predicted to be 100.
I was pretty much in the groove riding and got into Redding about 10 am. I figured I'd ride until I didn't feel like it anymore. I ended up making a 1 shot trip from San Francisco to Everett. I got home about 7:30 pm and felt pretty good. A Red Bull and Odwalla bar at each gas stop seemed to work well.
I didn't take many pictures but the ones I took are on San Francisco 2013 - a set on Flickr
This isn't my picture, it came from Adventure Riders, it's the sign on Highway 36 west of Red Bluff. The road is nice and flat here but that doesn't last very long. Lots of blind hairpins and roller coasters coming up. The road narrows down to a 1 1/2 lane road with no center line for several miles at one point, luckily there wasn't a lot of traffic on this Saturday. Near the end of the ride I entered a long stretch of old growth redwoods - beautiful!
It was a long day riding from Mt. Shasta, west on 36 and then south on highway 1 to Gualala. The distance wasn't that far but 140 miles of curvy, twisty, up and down road on 36 and then another 100 of similar road on 1 was an exercise in concentration and endurance for me.
I had a great time in San Francisco visiting Becca and Alex. It was really nice to see them and their new place in Outer Sunset. We cooked some good food at home and ate at Gracias Madre which has some tasty vegan food. I stopped at Judahlicious a couple of times for a snack while Alex and Becca were working. I enjoyed meeting the Comcast installer, getting the kids bikes ready, washing a window, getting some plants and putting together their new BBQ - and then eating some delicious food.
I left for home early Saturday morning so I could avoid the heat in the Central Valley. It had been over 100 degrees all week - 115 degrees one day in Redding. Saturday's high was predicted to be 100.
I was pretty much in the groove riding and got into Redding about 10 am. I figured I'd ride until I didn't feel like it anymore. I ended up making a 1 shot trip from San Francisco to Everett. I got home about 7:30 pm and felt pretty good. A Red Bull and Odwalla bar at each gas stop seemed to work well.
I didn't take many pictures but the ones I took are on San Francisco 2013 - a set on Flickr
This isn't my picture, it came from Adventure Riders, it's the sign on Highway 36 west of Red Bluff. The road is nice and flat here but that doesn't last very long. Lots of blind hairpins and roller coasters coming up. The road narrows down to a 1 1/2 lane road with no center line for several miles at one point, luckily there wasn't a lot of traffic on this Saturday. Near the end of the ride I entered a long stretch of old growth redwoods - beautiful!
Friday, June 28, 2013
Cali MC Trip 2013
View Cali MC Trip 2013 in a larger map
Everett, Tacoma, Finlandia Lodge Mt Shasta CA, Highway 36 to coast, Surf Motel Gualala CA, Sunset District San Francisco.
I'm looking forward to getting on the road and seeing Rachel and Kelly today, and Becca and Alex on Monday. I'm also excited to ride Highway 36 - Red Bluff to Eureka, California and then down Highway 1.
It's 1057 miles on Google Maps. My longest day will be Tacoma to Mt Shasta on Saturday which is 504 miles. Sunday Mt Shasta to Gualala (Wah - la - la) is 379 miles. Monday Gualala to San Francisco is nice leisurely 115 miles.
Predicted high of 109 degrees in Red Bluff on Sunday - firecracker hot. I'll be hydrating a lot going through the Central Valley and looking forward to gaining some elevation and getting to the coast.
Friday, May 31, 2013
Denver
Spending the week in Denver. Nice to see the sun and lots of fun things to do here.
I'm posting my pictures to this Flickr set.
I've really enjoyed having access to the Denver BCcyles. You can buy a 7 day pass for twenty dollars and get unlimited use of bicycles parked at special computerized racks around the city. I haven't had to use motorized transportation all week.
RTD bus line AF takes you to and from downtown and the airport for 11 dollars. Make sure you have the exact change before you get on the bus.
I went to a Reggae concert at the Bluebird Theater last night. The Long Mile, Expanders and The Green played. It was a thumpin good time.
I checked out the Denver Art Museum. There's are textile exhibits currently, plus a lot of cool Western art. You could easily spend a full day or more there. The architecture of the buildings is impressive.
I went to an exhibit of Michelangelo's art at the Denver Pavillions on the 16th Pedestrian Street Mall. The tour guide was excellent.
I went to a Rockies/Dodgers game tonight at Coors Field. It was a nice evening and that's a nice ballpark. There were a whole bunch of peewee/little league players there to walk the outfield before the game. It was 5-2 Dodgers when I left but I see the Rockies tied it up in the 9th to make it an extra inning game.
I have had some pretty good vegen food here at the Watercourse, City O' City, and the Pho-natic. There's also a few Noodles and Company fast food restaurants around the city where you can get vegen noodles.
The Warwick Hotel where I'm staying is conveniently located 2 blocks from the state capitol. It's also the only hotel in Denver with a rooftop pool - which I've been enjoying. Nothing like the sun in the mile high city after coming from the land of clouds and drizzle :-).
I visited the State Capitol early one morning and basically it was me and a few state employees. The legislature isn't in session so things are pretty quiet. It's an interesting building to poke around in.
I've been to Denver before but never had a chance to stay in the city for any length of time. It was worth the trip. It's a good city to walk/bike around in and the weather has been great - sunny and 70's. Round trip airfare on Frontier from Seattle to Denver is currently about $218. I picked this trip by looking at a map of the U.S. and finding places where it was expected to be sunny and warm...turned out very nice.
I'm posting my pictures to this Flickr set.
I've really enjoyed having access to the Denver BCcyles. You can buy a 7 day pass for twenty dollars and get unlimited use of bicycles parked at special computerized racks around the city. I haven't had to use motorized transportation all week.
RTD bus line AF takes you to and from downtown and the airport for 11 dollars. Make sure you have the exact change before you get on the bus.
I went to a Reggae concert at the Bluebird Theater last night. The Long Mile, Expanders and The Green played. It was a thumpin good time.
I checked out the Denver Art Museum. There's are textile exhibits currently, plus a lot of cool Western art. You could easily spend a full day or more there. The architecture of the buildings is impressive.
I went to an exhibit of Michelangelo's art at the Denver Pavillions on the 16th Pedestrian Street Mall. The tour guide was excellent.
I went to a Rockies/Dodgers game tonight at Coors Field. It was a nice evening and that's a nice ballpark. There were a whole bunch of peewee/little league players there to walk the outfield before the game. It was 5-2 Dodgers when I left but I see the Rockies tied it up in the 9th to make it an extra inning game.
I have had some pretty good vegen food here at the Watercourse, City O' City, and the Pho-natic. There's also a few Noodles and Company fast food restaurants around the city where you can get vegen noodles.
The Warwick Hotel where I'm staying is conveniently located 2 blocks from the state capitol. It's also the only hotel in Denver with a rooftop pool - which I've been enjoying. Nothing like the sun in the mile high city after coming from the land of clouds and drizzle :-).
I visited the State Capitol early one morning and basically it was me and a few state employees. The legislature isn't in session so things are pretty quiet. It's an interesting building to poke around in.
I've been to Denver before but never had a chance to stay in the city for any length of time. It was worth the trip. It's a good city to walk/bike around in and the weather has been great - sunny and 70's. Round trip airfare on Frontier from Seattle to Denver is currently about $218. I picked this trip by looking at a map of the U.S. and finding places where it was expected to be sunny and warm...turned out very nice.
Thursday, May 30, 2013
Sunday, December 23, 2012
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
2012 - What a Great Summer!
This was one of the most memorable summers ever for me.
It included two big events with Kelly and Rachel getting married in June and Alex and Becca getting married in August. Both weddings were in beautiful locations, very well planned with lots of family and friends celebrating and having a really good time.
Another life changing event happened in September as Alex and Becca moved to San Franscisco to take new jobs. They've found a good location to live and we'll be visiting often.
I had other fun times either solo or with family this summer.
In April I rode to the Vintage Motorcycle Show in Tsawwassen, BC Canada. There were some beautiful classic bikes, some cool daily riders and one Unique Motorcycle Rig ridden by an seasoned motorcyclist.
We celebrated Cinco De Mayo in Poulsbo, WA. by taking a cruise out on the Sound on a Duffy electric boat. That was fun! It was a good deal too since I used a half-off coupon from Groupon. I put some photos from B's camera at Poulsbo May 2012 - a set on Flickr.
June brought Rachel and Kelly's wedding at Chico Hot Springs in Pray Montana. Good times, and such a great location. We have lots of special memories staying at Chico but this will be the best of them. It was a blast to drive out there and stay at Russ and Judy's nice house in Missoula.
In July we got together at Kelly and Rachel's house in Tacoma for the July 4th celebration. Fun times with sparklers, dogs and good food - plus a really cool air show.
August brought Alex and Becca's wedding at Alderbrook Resort in Union, Washington. A perfect venue for a wedding and the weather couldn't have been any better. So many good memories.
Both Rachel and Becca planned their weddings so well and there were so many people helping that things were just perfect. Beautiful brides and handsome grooms. Little things like the gift bags were so cool - with local and homemade items, special chocolate, jerky, smoked salmon...personalized Jones Soda.
September was the month of the big move for Alex and Becca. They had nice bon voyage parties at Rachel and Kelly's and then later at Jason and Kay's house. Very busy time for them - wrap up jobs, trip to Florida for honeymoon, pack, move, find housing...start new job, find new job. Yikes! Things are calming down now that Alex has started his new job and they have a place to live and Becca is exploring multiple job possibilities.
I rode up to Anacortes for the Oyster Run last Sunday. It's fun to see all the motorcycles and people. I parked down by the Anchor Tavern and walked into the busy part of town. Didn't have any real problem with traffic at all. I think it's because I showed up about 11 am and left about 2 or 3 pm...or I was just lucky.
I didn't take any major motorcycle trips this summer - just the trip up to BC and a day trip around the Highway 2 to Highway 20 loop to Eastern Washington and back. I do ride a motorcycle most every day so I'm not missing out on the wind in my face.
We went to a couple of Mariner's games this summer. We had lots of beautiful flowers in the yard, planters, hanging baskets and our flower boxes thanks to B. I started some tomatoes from seed that are ripening now. We had an unusual number of days without rain and with sun so that helped.
This was one great summer.
It included two big events with Kelly and Rachel getting married in June and Alex and Becca getting married in August. Both weddings were in beautiful locations, very well planned with lots of family and friends celebrating and having a really good time.
Another life changing event happened in September as Alex and Becca moved to San Franscisco to take new jobs. They've found a good location to live and we'll be visiting often.
I had other fun times either solo or with family this summer.
In April I rode to the Vintage Motorcycle Show in Tsawwassen, BC Canada. There were some beautiful classic bikes, some cool daily riders and one Unique Motorcycle Rig ridden by an seasoned motorcyclist.
We celebrated Cinco De Mayo in Poulsbo, WA. by taking a cruise out on the Sound on a Duffy electric boat. That was fun! It was a good deal too since I used a half-off coupon from Groupon. I put some photos from B's camera at Poulsbo May 2012 - a set on Flickr.
June brought Rachel and Kelly's wedding at Chico Hot Springs in Pray Montana. Good times, and such a great location. We have lots of special memories staying at Chico but this will be the best of them. It was a blast to drive out there and stay at Russ and Judy's nice house in Missoula.
In July we got together at Kelly and Rachel's house in Tacoma for the July 4th celebration. Fun times with sparklers, dogs and good food - plus a really cool air show.
August brought Alex and Becca's wedding at Alderbrook Resort in Union, Washington. A perfect venue for a wedding and the weather couldn't have been any better. So many good memories.
Both Rachel and Becca planned their weddings so well and there were so many people helping that things were just perfect. Beautiful brides and handsome grooms. Little things like the gift bags were so cool - with local and homemade items, special chocolate, jerky, smoked salmon...personalized Jones Soda.
September was the month of the big move for Alex and Becca. They had nice bon voyage parties at Rachel and Kelly's and then later at Jason and Kay's house. Very busy time for them - wrap up jobs, trip to Florida for honeymoon, pack, move, find housing...start new job, find new job. Yikes! Things are calming down now that Alex has started his new job and they have a place to live and Becca is exploring multiple job possibilities.
I rode up to Anacortes for the Oyster Run last Sunday. It's fun to see all the motorcycles and people. I parked down by the Anchor Tavern and walked into the busy part of town. Didn't have any real problem with traffic at all. I think it's because I showed up about 11 am and left about 2 or 3 pm...or I was just lucky.
I didn't take any major motorcycle trips this summer - just the trip up to BC and a day trip around the Highway 2 to Highway 20 loop to Eastern Washington and back. I do ride a motorcycle most every day so I'm not missing out on the wind in my face.
We went to a couple of Mariner's games this summer. We had lots of beautiful flowers in the yard, planters, hanging baskets and our flower boxes thanks to B. I started some tomatoes from seed that are ripening now. We had an unusual number of days without rain and with sun so that helped.
This was one great summer.
Sunday, September 23, 2012
Oyster Run 2012
It was kind of cool to see this girl on a bicycle among all the motorcycles. Someone said she's from France - maybe heading to the ferry? I bet she was pretty surprised to see how busy Anacortes was today, probably ten thousand motorcyclists out on the streets.
I put the photographs I took at the Oyster Run today on Oyster Run 2012 - a set on Flickr
I put the photographs I took at the Oyster Run today on Oyster Run 2012 - a set on Flickr
Linux Mint and a New Laptop
I installed Linux Mint on my laptop yesterday.
I've tried a variety of Linux distributions over the last 5 years and found Ubuntu worked the best for me. That is until recent releases of Ubuntu began using the Unity user interface.
As often happens with software development, things continue to change - into either something better or something different. Unity was different for me.
I liked using Cairo-Dock but it was becoming to labor intensive to get it to work the way I wanted with Unity. A simple explanation of Unity vs. Cairo-Dock is that Unity features a big honkin task bar/dock on the left side of your screen and Cairo-Dock has a nice sleek task bar/dock on the bottom of your screen.
Like most things in Linux this is all highly customizable. Here's a YouTube video of Cairo Dock on Ubuntu.
I've tried a variety of Linux distributions over the last 5 years and found Ubuntu worked the best for me. That is until recent releases of Ubuntu began using the Unity user interface.
As often happens with software development, things continue to change - into either something better or something different. Unity was different for me.
I liked using Cairo-Dock but it was becoming to labor intensive to get it to work the way I wanted with Unity. A simple explanation of Unity vs. Cairo-Dock is that Unity features a big honkin task bar/dock on the left side of your screen and Cairo-Dock has a nice sleek task bar/dock on the bottom of your screen.
Like most things in Linux this is all highly customizable. Here's a YouTube video of Cairo Dock on Ubuntu.
________________________________
I think the bottom line is Ubuntu is great, Windows is great, Apple is great, and I wanted something different so I'm using Mint.
Talking about the best - operating system/software/laptop/computer/motorcycle oil/coffee/phone is like discussing the Worlds Best Cup of Coffee. Lots of other things fall into that highly subjective "whatever you like is best" realm...but I digress. I like Mint fine so far. It's nice and clean, and not totally unlike an older version of Windows in some ways.
Here's screenshot of my desktop -
Here's screenshot of my desktop -
So anyhoooo....
Mint was easy to install. I didn't have a DVD or DVD burner so I loaded the ISO file on a memory stick and booted from that. Like many Linux distributions, Mint is a "live distribution". This means that you can use it before actually installing it on your computer. After you've driven it around the block a few times you can install it or just reboot you computer from the hard drive and use your other favorite OS.
It took less than 30 minutes to download and have Mint up and running on my computer...so very simple and fast.
Mint was easy to install. I didn't have a DVD or DVD burner so I loaded the ISO file on a memory stick and booted from that. Like many Linux distributions, Mint is a "live distribution". This means that you can use it before actually installing it on your computer. After you've driven it around the block a few times you can install it or just reboot you computer from the hard drive and use your other favorite OS.
It took less than 30 minutes to download and have Mint up and running on my computer...so very simple and fast.
__________________________________________
My Dell Inspiron E1405 laptop is getting a little tattered around the edges. It's 6.5 years old so that's pretty ancient I guess. It still works fine for me - I upgraded the RAM at one point and installed a faster 500 gig HD after that. The case has a small crack in it and one of the USB ports is broken; the latest problem is a Toy Fox Terrier jumped on my lap and laptop and broke off my 7 key. It's not fixable. It's still functional but I think it's time for a new laptop. This Dell Inspiron with a 14 inch screen weighs in at 5 lbs. It's not built to withstand much abuse. It's good enough for a laptop you leave at home or carry carefully to wherever you are going.
My old Fujitsu Lifebook laptop was built like a rock but was relatively expensive. My work laptop. a Dell Latitude E4200 is also rock solid. I throw it in the saddle bag of a motorcycle most days of the week and it's never complained. It has a SSD HD so that may help some. It has a 12 inch screen and weighs less than 3 pounds so it's a good portable laptop.
I think a laptop with a screen size between 12 and 14 inches works for portability and readability. 12 being a little on the small side and 14 being a little on the big side. The 15 inch screen laptops are too big in my opinion to be carried with you. I ordered a 15 inch Fujitsu once and returned it after I realized how big those things are. The 15.6 inch screens must be cheap though since it seems like the good deals tend to be that size.
I think a laptop with a screen size between 12 and 14 inches works for portability and readability. 12 being a little on the small side and 14 being a little on the big side. The 15 inch screen laptops are too big in my opinion to be carried with you. I ordered a 15 inch Fujitsu once and returned it after I realized how big those things are. The 15.6 inch screens must be cheap though since it seems like the good deals tend to be that size.
I ordered a Sony VAIO S 13.3″ laptop. The one I got is a pretty basic model - but it has a couple of things I want; not too big and not too ugly.
I upgraded to 8 Gigs of RAM and the 500 Gig HD. I've wanted to try Sony laptops for awhile and was considering either the Vaio 13.3 laptop or a Mac.
Since it's a custom build, my new silver Vaio (Vio) won't be here until October. I'm looking forward to trying it. I have my memory stick with Mint all ready so I can set it up to boot into Windows or Mint. I'm going to try using Windows as my main OS for awhile and see how that experience goes since I haven't used Windows on a home PC for quite awhile.
I gave up on Windows for home use about 6 plus years ago when I was trying to reload Windows on a laptop. I had multiple Windows installation CD's around the house, none of which had the right code for my laptop. I'd bought all the software for 3 different Dell laptops we used at home/school, and it really bugged me that I couldn't re-install it on my laptop because of the security. The other problem - if I recall correctly was that Dell didn't include the complete Windows OS on a CD or DVD with some laptops. Sort of a problem if you want to install a new HD or need to re-install Windows for whatever reason.
With Linux you can download a distribution like Mint in 15 minutes using a torrent and install it in another 15 minutes - no problem with codes since it's free. I'm not sure how that business model works but if you've never tried a Linux distribution I'd recommend it if you have a bit of tech savvy and curiousity about what's available.
I guess that's enough geek talk for now. I think I'll meander up to the OYSTER RUN '12 and look at all the motorcycles that will be in the streets of Anacortes today.
I guess that's enough geek talk for now. I think I'll meander up to the OYSTER RUN '12 and look at all the motorcycles that will be in the streets of Anacortes today.
Saturday, June 23, 2012
Finding Oregon on Vimeo
Two cool videos.
Finding Oregon on Vimeo:
Finding Portland on Vimeo:
Finding Oregon on Vimeo:
Finding Portland on Vimeo:
The creators of these videos estimate it took about about 4 hours of work for each finished 1 second of the Finding Portland time-lapse video - 51 days of shooting and almost 309,000 individual hots.
___________________________
I really like riding my motorcycle in Oregon, driving there, taking the train or awhile back riding my bicycle to Portland for the STP (which is going on today and tomorrow). I'm throwing in a photo I took of Crater Lake so there's something for the thumbnail view on the front page of this blog.
Sunday, June 03, 2012
Buffy The Bear
These pictures are from a trip to Montana in the early 90's. We were staying at Chico Hot Springs and the girls were playing Marco Polo in the pool with some other little girls. Their uncle Ben Mikaelsen, who was an author, owned a bear - named Buffy. He invited us to visit his house on Bozeman Pass to see his bear. He signed a couple of his books for the girls - "Rescue Josh McGuire" and "Sparrow Hawk Red".
That's Betsy kissing the bear while Becca and one of the nieces watch.
Wednesday, May 02, 2012
KZ1000P Valve Adjustment
I finished the valve adjustment on my 2000 P-19 KZ1000P motorcycle last weekend.
This engine has shim over bucket valve arrangement (as opposed to shim under bucket, hydraulic valve lifters, screw type adjusters). There are two camshafts and 8 valves (2 per cylinder).
The valves are held closed by springs. As the camshafts rotate, their lobes press on the shim/bucket which opens the valves to allow the air/fuel mixture to enter on the intake stroke and exhaust to leave on the exhaust stroke.
When the camshaft lobe is pointing away from the shim/bucket the springs hold the valve closed during the compression and ignition stroke. Clearance between the camshaft and shim should be .05 to .15 mm when the lobe is pointing away from the shim/bucket.
As the valve wears into the seat the clearance between the camshaft and the valve stem decreases. With zero clearance the valves will not close all the way during the compression and ignition stroke. This will cause poor performance, loss of compression, decreased fuel economy and eventually burn the valve and or valve seat.
This engine uses a 29 mm diameter shims. Shims are available in thickness from 2.00 mm to 3.20 mm in .05 mm increments.
To do the valve shim adjustment you need a valve cover gasket 11061-1121, pulsing coil cover gasket 11060-1072, cam end plugs 92066-1552, a set of metric feeler gauges, inch/pound torque wrench, caliper accurate to about .01 mm, shop manual or Clymers manual, shim removal tool, magnetic pickup tool, small screwdriver or metal pick and some shims.
Remove the gas tank, fairing, coils, spark plugs, valve cover. Check the cam shaft mounting bolts are torqued correctly.
Measure the clearance between each shim and camshaft.
If the clearance is not .05 to 15 mm, remove the shim using the instructions for the Motion Pro valve shim tool and note the thickness. This is where you may need the caliper since the shims may not have the thickness marked on them.
Determining the new shim thickness is pretty simple. Assume there is no clearance (for example) and the existing shim is 2.50 mm. To get to the .15 mm clearance you need a shim that's .15 mm thinner - so you need a 2.35 mm shim.
You can probably swap some shims around so you won't have to buy all new shims.
Most of the valves on this bike were .04 mm or less. The thinnest feeler gage is .04 mm, which is really thin so you have to do some rounding. Assume the clearance is somewhere between .01 and .03, if you get a shim that's .1 mm thinner you're good because your clearance will between .11 to .13 mm. Once you figure out what shims you need, order them from Z1 Enterprises or your favorite source (Z1 has good prices).
Here's a picture of the Motion Pro valve shim removal tool.
With the cam lobe point away from the shim you use the little bent-screwdriver looking thing to push the bucket down on the spring, then insert that other piece on the edge of the bucket to hold it down. Pull out the bent-screwdriver and the shim is free. Rotate the bucket so the groove is visible before depressing it so you can get a small screwdriver/pick under the shim to break it free from the oil suction holding it in place. Once the shim is free use the magnetic pickup tool to fish it out. It takes a fair amount of force to push the bent-screwdriver thing in-between the cam and the shim. If a shim seems stuck make sure the tool isn't on top of it and use a steady force to break the oil suction holding it in place - it can take awhile for that to happen. Just be patient and don't try to force anything.
This was an interesting maintenance task and fairly involved. I ended up cutting a gasket for the pulsing cover using some Felpro gasket material from Autozone. It was a pretty simple gasket - I wouldn't try doing that on anything with too complex of a shape or too many holes...unless I was totally stuck.
All in all pretty enjoyable and educational.
This engine has shim over bucket valve arrangement (as opposed to shim under bucket, hydraulic valve lifters, screw type adjusters). There are two camshafts and 8 valves (2 per cylinder).
The valves are held closed by springs. As the camshafts rotate, their lobes press on the shim/bucket which opens the valves to allow the air/fuel mixture to enter on the intake stroke and exhaust to leave on the exhaust stroke.
When the camshaft lobe is pointing away from the shim/bucket the springs hold the valve closed during the compression and ignition stroke. Clearance between the camshaft and shim should be .05 to .15 mm when the lobe is pointing away from the shim/bucket.
As the valve wears into the seat the clearance between the camshaft and the valve stem decreases. With zero clearance the valves will not close all the way during the compression and ignition stroke. This will cause poor performance, loss of compression, decreased fuel economy and eventually burn the valve and or valve seat.
This engine uses a 29 mm diameter shims. Shims are available in thickness from 2.00 mm to 3.20 mm in .05 mm increments.
To do the valve shim adjustment you need a valve cover gasket 11061-1121, pulsing coil cover gasket 11060-1072, cam end plugs 92066-1552, a set of metric feeler gauges, inch/pound torque wrench, caliper accurate to about .01 mm, shop manual or Clymers manual, shim removal tool, magnetic pickup tool, small screwdriver or metal pick and some shims.
Remove the gas tank, fairing, coils, spark plugs, valve cover. Check the cam shaft mounting bolts are torqued correctly.
Measure the clearance between each shim and camshaft.
If the clearance is not .05 to 15 mm, remove the shim using the instructions for the Motion Pro valve shim tool and note the thickness. This is where you may need the caliper since the shims may not have the thickness marked on them.
Determining the new shim thickness is pretty simple. Assume there is no clearance (for example) and the existing shim is 2.50 mm. To get to the .15 mm clearance you need a shim that's .15 mm thinner - so you need a 2.35 mm shim.
You can probably swap some shims around so you won't have to buy all new shims.
Most of the valves on this bike were .04 mm or less. The thinnest feeler gage is .04 mm, which is really thin so you have to do some rounding. Assume the clearance is somewhere between .01 and .03, if you get a shim that's .1 mm thinner you're good because your clearance will between .11 to .13 mm. Once you figure out what shims you need, order them from Z1 Enterprises or your favorite source (Z1 has good prices).
Here's a picture of the Motion Pro valve shim removal tool.
With the cam lobe point away from the shim you use the little bent-screwdriver looking thing to push the bucket down on the spring, then insert that other piece on the edge of the bucket to hold it down. Pull out the bent-screwdriver and the shim is free. Rotate the bucket so the groove is visible before depressing it so you can get a small screwdriver/pick under the shim to break it free from the oil suction holding it in place. Once the shim is free use the magnetic pickup tool to fish it out. It takes a fair amount of force to push the bent-screwdriver thing in-between the cam and the shim. If a shim seems stuck make sure the tool isn't on top of it and use a steady force to break the oil suction holding it in place - it can take awhile for that to happen. Just be patient and don't try to force anything.
This was an interesting maintenance task and fairly involved. I ended up cutting a gasket for the pulsing cover using some Felpro gasket material from Autozone. It was a pretty simple gasket - I wouldn't try doing that on anything with too complex of a shape or too many holes...unless I was totally stuck.
All in all pretty enjoyable and educational.
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Sold My Project Lawnmower
I was driving home from the hardware store a couple of weekends ago and saw a lawnmower with a "Free" sign on it in a yard. The mower looked like heck, but it had oil in it and compression so I loaded it in my pickup. It was a fun project to clean it up, paint it and get it running. I learned about Briggs and Stratton Pulsa Prime carburetors. This YouTube video from Mower Medic 1 shows what the carburetor looks like and how to take it apart and fix it. This PDF file is helpful too.
I used Dawn dishwashing soap and then Pinesol to clean out the carb, and the gas tank. Dawn and hot water to clean the foam air cleaner. I blew air on them out of a shop vac and let them sit in the sun to dry. I used a little screwdriver, some W/D 40 and then carb cleaner to clean out the metal fuel reservoir on the top of the gas tank because it had some hard to get to dirt/varnish that was stuck on pretty good. I used a fine piece of wire and then blew through them to make sure the jet and fuel pickup tube were clean. I took the carb off a couple of times and fiddled with it before it ran right.
I disassembled various pieces of the mower so I could wire brush the rust and flaking paint off and get it ready to paint. I let the wheels soak for awhile in hot water and Tide before using a scrub brush to get the gunk off of them. It took me awhile but it was a nice day and I wasn't in any big hurry anyway.
I posted this Craigslist ad on Friday night -
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bolens Lawn Mower 22 in 4 1/2 hp - $40 (North Everett)
Date: 2012-04-13, 7:17PM PDT
Reply to: your anonymous craigslist address will appear here
I've done the following to get this mower running and ready to go cut some grass -
Cleaned air filter, carburetor, gas tank, and spark plug.
Sharpened and balanced blade.
Changed oil.
Removed rust, gunk and flaking paint and applied a couple of fresh coats of Rustoleum paint.
I got this mower for free because it wasn't running and looked pretty rough. It looks pretty good now and runs fine. I think I have about 8 hours into it so I was thinking 5 dollars an hour for my time would be reasonable.
Cleaned air filter, carburetor, gas tank, and spark plug.
Sharpened and balanced blade.
Changed oil.
Removed rust, gunk and flaking paint and applied a couple of fresh coats of Rustoleum paint.
I got this mower for free because it wasn't running and looked pretty rough. It looks pretty good now and runs fine. I think I have about 8 hours into it so I was thinking 5 dollars an hour for my time would be reasonable.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Got my first call in about 1/2 hour from someone who was apparently in a bar or some place with lots of background noise. She was talking to her hub/significant other and apparently some other people on a speaker phone while talking to me. The conversation went something like this -
"Hi This is Jack."
"Hey I'm calling about the lawnmower (sound of yelling, music?, loud thumps, breaking glass in background)"
"Oh good."
"Would you be willing to take less than 40 for it?"
"I don't think so the ad has only been up 1/2 an hour and you're the first person who's called."
"My husband likes to drive we'll come up from Olympia (about 90 miles away) tonight."
"That's a pretty long drive."
"You sure you won't take less than 40?"
"I'm sure."
"I'll talk to my husband."
5 minutes later...
"Hi This is Jack."
"My husband likes to drive."
"That's good."
"Yelling in background could only make out some of the words - if you don't mow that lawn tomorrow it's not going to get mowed...where is your house?"
"I live in North Everett near Providence Hospital."
"Is Everett North of Marysville?"
"No but it's about 90 miles from Olympia so with traffic it's going to take you a couple of hours to get here. It's about 8 pm now. How about if you come on Saturday?"
"My husband works on Saturday."
"Okay..."
"We're going to stop at Nordstrom and someplace (unintelligible) on the way to Everett - is that okay?"
"No that's not okay - thanks anyway though." Thinking to myself - It's Friday night I'm not going to hang around (stay awake) waiting for you to finish shopping at Nordies and then haggle over a 40 dollar lawnmower.
5 minutes later...
"Hi this is Jack."
"I saw your ad for the mower. Do you still have it?"
"Yes"
"I live in Seattle and would like to buy it."
"Great."
"My name is ___ and I can come Saturday."
"Sounds good - my address is _____ ."
"Okay what's a good time - early morning, mid morning, afternoon?"
"How about 9 am?"
"That works for me - do you want me to call before I come?"
"No." (Thinking - you sound sane and there isn't a lot of yelling in the background)
Guy showed up right at 9 am, started up the mower, he gave me two twenties and I helped him load it into his truck. Done deal.
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Pressure Washer Repair
I have a 2300 psi Craftsman pressure washer powered by a 6 hp Briggs and Stratton vertical crankshaft engine that has worked great for about 10 years. A couple of weeks ago it started to lose pressure while using it so I took the bottom of the pump off and inspected it, cleaned the water screens and changed the pump oil. I didn't totally disassemble the pump - those things have a lot of springs, o'rings, guides and washers inside of them so I did the simple stuff first. If you are going to disassemble the pump you should remove it from the frame and have it on a work bench or else you'll have a lot of little pieces to search for.
To make a long story short the pump disintegrated and then seized up.
The part that failed is called the wobble plate. Here's an animation of a wobble plate pump. The rotating disk is also called a swashplate. It converts the rotation of the engine into a reciprocating force to drive the pump pistons. This video shows how a wobble plate (swashplate) is made -
I looked at parts to repair the pump and they were pretty expensive. The wobble plate and needle bearings had come apart and pieces were in the pump oil...so I wasn't totally sure how long it would last even if I did replace the plate.
I ordered this replacement pump from Amazon -
Briggs and Stratton 207365GS Pump Kit for Pressure Washers
One tip would have made taking off the old pump a lot easier - you may need a bearing/gear puller. Autozone will let you borrow one if you leave a deposit which is refunded when you bring it back.
The new pump slides on the crankshaft once you get it lined up just right. There's a woodruff key in a keyway on the crankshaft that has to line up with the keyway on the pump. The pump is mounted to the pressure washer frame with 3 bolts.
The time consuming part for me was figuring out how the old pump housing was mounted to the engine. I removed the 3 bolts but it wouldn't budge. I disassembled as much of the pump as possible to try and see how it was attached and finally figured out it was a typical keyway shaft affair. After 10 years or so the crankshaft and pump were pretty well mated together due to corrosion. I tried PB Blaster penetrating oil but I didn't want to hammer on it and damage the engine bearings. Using the bearing/gear puller it took about 5 minutes.
That new pump cost me less than 1/2 the price of a new pressure washer so I'm pretty happy. It has more pressure than the old one ever did.
A few tips for keeping a pressure washer operating - don't let them run without water ever (the pump gets hot fast without water), if you aren't spraying turn it off - they have an unloader valve that should open when it reaches a certain temperature and allow water to flow out of the pump but it's still getting hot and that valve may not work, and use a hose that doesn't leak and has adequate water supply - if you let the pump cavitate (suck air) it will beat itself apart.
To make a long story short the pump disintegrated and then seized up.
The part that failed is called the wobble plate. Here's an animation of a wobble plate pump. The rotating disk is also called a swashplate. It converts the rotation of the engine into a reciprocating force to drive the pump pistons. This video shows how a wobble plate (swashplate) is made -
I looked at parts to repair the pump and they were pretty expensive. The wobble plate and needle bearings had come apart and pieces were in the pump oil...so I wasn't totally sure how long it would last even if I did replace the plate.
I ordered this replacement pump from Amazon -
Briggs and Stratton 207365GS Pump Kit for Pressure Washers
One tip would have made taking off the old pump a lot easier - you may need a bearing/gear puller. Autozone will let you borrow one if you leave a deposit which is refunded when you bring it back.
The new pump slides on the crankshaft once you get it lined up just right. There's a woodruff key in a keyway on the crankshaft that has to line up with the keyway on the pump. The pump is mounted to the pressure washer frame with 3 bolts.
The time consuming part for me was figuring out how the old pump housing was mounted to the engine. I removed the 3 bolts but it wouldn't budge. I disassembled as much of the pump as possible to try and see how it was attached and finally figured out it was a typical keyway shaft affair. After 10 years or so the crankshaft and pump were pretty well mated together due to corrosion. I tried PB Blaster penetrating oil but I didn't want to hammer on it and damage the engine bearings. Using the bearing/gear puller it took about 5 minutes.
That new pump cost me less than 1/2 the price of a new pressure washer so I'm pretty happy. It has more pressure than the old one ever did.
A few tips for keeping a pressure washer operating - don't let them run without water ever (the pump gets hot fast without water), if you aren't spraying turn it off - they have an unloader valve that should open when it reaches a certain temperature and allow water to flow out of the pump but it's still getting hot and that valve may not work, and use a hose that doesn't leak and has adequate water supply - if you let the pump cavitate (suck air) it will beat itself apart.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)