Unimpressive...

Last weekend we went to the Portland auto show. As an overall statement all I can say is that I wasn't overly impressed. Maybe it's a part of being in Portland, not a major stop on the car show circuit. And the Portland show is put on by the Portland area new car dealers, not the car companies themselves. This might be a limiting factor.

The show is held at the Portland Convention Center. It's a big space but seemed very empty. The space between vehicles was gapping at times. And the variety of vehicles was diminished. In fact, BMW, Land Rover, Mercedes and Nissan, Mitsubishi, Suzuki did not even come to the show.

Above is the new Ford Fiesta, the Kia Forte Koupe and the Mini Cooper S. From my previous posts you may remember I've been pondering the Mini, the VW Golf and the Subaru Impreza. The Fiesta shows some promise. And damn!, Kia packs a lot into the Forte and for only around $20k.

One of the more interesting experiences at the show didn't have anything to do with cars. The Dyson Airblade hand dryer in the restroom was pretty impressive.

The old style air dryer takes what seems forever to do it's job. The Airblade actually only took, maybe, 10 seconds at most! And your hands are dry!

Winter fixit...

This year the Suzuki went to CycleTune for its winter pick me up. The ride is approaching 20,000 on the odometer. That also means nearly 10,000 miles on the treads I purchased when I first acquired blue back in 2006. By most accounts 10k on motorcycle tires is damn good. Although I probably could have gotten through the coming season, it would have been a bit sketchy on the tail end.

I also noticed some wear on the sprockets. On the SVRider.com forum there seemed to be a consensus that the 20k mark was a good time to start looking at replacing them. So that went on the list as well.

On top of those particulars, a good annual safety check and regular maintenance activities.

Above and below are the old Metzler Roadtec Z6 (right two photos) and the new Dunlop RoadSmart dual compound treads. For those not in the know, dual compound tires have a harder rubber composite in the center of the tread face and a softer compound on the shoulders. This allows the center to wear longer, but still give significant grip while cornering. It's a way to get longer mileage and still provide a respectable level of performance.


The final major pieces in this go 'round are new sprockets and chain. The rear Vortex sprocket has two more teeth than the stock one. On my initial rides after the work this change has been the most noticeable.

Much like moving into a lower gear on a bicycle. The engine spins a little bit faster to get up to speed. This really means that engine revs up into its "power band" more quickly, so the bike pulls stronger at a wee-bit lower speeds. It's actually a very common modification. It may just take me a little bit to get used to.

Right now all I'm really doing is riding my short little commute (usually in the rain). I don't have the distance to get up to speed. Also having new tires, one must be initially cautious, especially on the wet surfaces. So just out of the garage it's easy going.

Next up are some frame sliders and a replacement air filter. Some suggested upcoming things including a radiator guard, maybe a new "jet kit", eventually new muffler maybe. Right now I have a belly pan coming in. When I get that in, and temporarily mounted, you'll get to vote on some mock-ups to help determine what color it should be painted.

Get the funk out...

Most people will probably tell you that I haven't been in a "happy place" much since October. By far the most significant influence on my moods has been Lance's illness, care and the subsequent decision to put him to rest.

Another major factor has been a general dissatisfaction with my work environment and the load. The daily tasks have just become unenjoyable. The job to keep about 100 people and their computers running just wears down my mental energy. And of course that drain, just sucks it from other parts of life. In spite of the all the work I put in, it just doesn't stop. I'm coming to the conclusion that the Windows operating system doesn't help the situation. But also the whole consumer technology industry is fundamentally flawed. Especially, regarding its marketing messages.

Contrary to popular consumer belief, technology will not solve your problems. It will not make up for your short comings in logic, deduction, insight, and skill. Technology certainly can enhance your abilities....if you are willing to learn how to use it and apply it to your particular task. But don't expect it to do it without some effort on your part. There is a reason that "RTFM" is in the techies' lexicon. If you are not willing to learn or give me the opportunity to teach you the basics, please ditch the expectation that whatever gadget or technology process you are trying to take advantage of will work for you.

I fear I may have boxed myself in regarding my career. Between being in the same company for way too long and being a total generalist techie, not specialized in any particular discipline; I'll probably have to put in some very significant work towards getting beyond my current funk and move onto making things better this year.

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2009 / 2010

Be well.

From Bandit in PDX

Whoooooooshhhhh......

That's was the sound of the musical genius genome passing me by to land on another family member. If you enjoy music from unusual sources, you should investigate. If you're in the San Francisco area you may want to attend a performance. (click on photo)

Also see:

Music from the Ice
MySpace (excerpts available)