Technomadic Tourist

Boycotting Christmas Eve

2011-12-24T22:46:00.000-08:00

Christmas Eve and I have a long history together. It appears that karma, Christmas Eve, and I have a long standing debt to be paid. I was married once before, with an anniversary on....wait for it, Christmas Eve. I had a rather eventful Christmas Eve two years ago that I don't care to ever repeat. So with that bit of history, I am now boycotting Christmas Eve.

On this Christmas Eve, I was driving west along I-40 through Amarillo, TX trying to make good time and get back to Sacramento, CA on Christmas Day or perhaps the day after. After refueling at a local Love's gas station, I checked the tire pressure on the boat trailer, checked the fluids, and all looked good. 3/4 of a mile down the road.....disaster!

At 55mph, the left wheel on the boat trailer came completely off. The lug bolts were sheered (see photo on right).

I called my father and reported the bad news. I then texted, called, and emailed the owner of the boat with photos to show him what had occurred and to find out how he wished to proceed. After a little research and some help by the local state troopers, I was able to determine that towing of the trailer would be possible but quite expensive.

About an hour later, my dad was able to find a 24 hour trailer repair shop based out of Amarillo. He had spoken to the owner, Jeff, and he would be right out to have a look. We were all very relieved to learn that a tow would not be necessary, but I still was unsure how a repair could be done considering the missing lug bolts.

I was soon to learn more than I ever cared to know about trailers, marine trailers, and the proper way to outfit them. It appears that this trailer was jimmy-rigged together with inappropriate parts:

3,500# axle w/a 5,000# boat
agriculture bearings rated at 2000#
low grade lights not designed for marine use

Jeff, from Hawkins Trailer & Equipment, informed me of these issues and agreed to speak to the owner to decide how he wished to proceed. When presented with the evidence, and the owner was informed of his options:

upgrade axle to a 5,000# one

upgrade bearings and hub to marine grade
install marine (waterproof) lights
replace wheels and tires to sufficient weight rating

The owner opted to not do these things and have repairs done on the cheap. After all, it was not him assuming risk while driving cross country.

I followed Jeff back to his shop to get the correct hub covers for the trailer and to settle up the bill. The costs were more than the owner expected. However, the repairs were more extensive than originally thought, and two trips were required because of the unusual configuration of the trailer.

The owner then began to argue with Jeff about the costs....at length. For the better part of 10 minutes, Jeff explained exactly why the costs were greater: new tire and wheel were required (we thought we might be able to re-use the old ones), remanufacturing of old hub so it could be used again, and the two trips to the accident site. Keep in mind that this all occurred on Christmas Eve, when every other outfit was closed The argument continued until Jeff got to a point that he handed me my phone and said, "I'm not arguing any more." I was able to talk some sense into the owner and he eventually agreed to pay. Unfortunately, the damage to my impression of him was done.

I've now decided that my adventures with this very ill equipped trailer are complete. I will help to find a suitable storage facility and deliver it there, but Amarillo is where our paths separate.

Moral: Treat the 'help' nicely, and pay a little extra to get things done properly.

Why 'Angie's List' Is A Good Idea

2011-12-19T09:19:00.000-08:00

As mentioned in a previous post, I have found myself stranded in Raleigh, NC due to a blown motor. I had found a mobile "mechanic" on Craigslist who had stated he could replace the 350 motor in my RV for a "reasonable" rate.

I agreed to have him do the work at a flat rate that would include installing a new 350 crate motor, servicing the transmission (new filter and fluids), and diagnose an electric issue I had with the rv.

Nov. 14

New motor is ordered
Front end of van is removed
Disconnection of components

Nov. 19

Motor is delivered
Old motor is removed

Nov. 21

Work begins late in the evening
Water pump, valve covers, etc. attached
Old exhaust manifold needs adjusting
Oil filter adapter broken
Parts ordered

Nov. 27

"Mechanic" MIA for Thanksgiving holiday
No progress made for days on end
Motor is finally put into engine bay
Some components are re-attached
Oil lines have leak and need replacing

Nov. 30

Oil lines fixed
Battery is dead (left on ground)
Radiator has leak (possibly damaged during removal)
Order new radiator

Dec. 1

New radiator installed
Timing adjusted
Engine starts!
Engine won't idle, something's wrong
"Mechanic" continues to adjust timing
Looks over all vacuum lines
They "seem" right

Delay after delay....

Dec. 15

"Expert" backup mechanic called in w/30 years experience
Engine starts. No idle.
Definitely a vacuum leak
I found the leak.
Carburetor installed incorrectly!
Mounting gasket in backwards!

Everything sounds and runs much better with the carburetor mounted properly. Now it's just a simple matter of putting the front end back on the van and taking care of a few miscellaneous ends.

I am confident that the "mechanic" is sufficiently embarassed by his very stupid mistake that he will make finishing the job a top priority. Of course, we know what they say about those that 'assume'.

Dec. 18

I had been told that the van will be complete today. I leave to attend a holiday party with some new found gracious friends. I return at around 4 pm to find the "mechanic" installing a monstrous stereo system in his car, complete with 3000W amplifier and huge subwoofer.

I attempt to address my frustration with him about his clear unprofessionalism and his failure to keep his promise. He immediately becomes very abusive and tells me (one again), "it'll be done tomorrow." I respond, "I've heard that 3 times before. I want to make sure that you get it done this time." It escalated immediately from there with him threatening to not complete the job if I don't leave him alone to finish his stereo.

***Background***
It had become very apparent to me shortly after contracting this individual that he had a myriad of personal problems and bad habits. He clearly drank too much, often starting with beer first thing in the morning. I was awoke on many evenings/early mornings to him being abusive and yelling at his pregnant fiancée. We had a few exchanges in which he was a bully and would not allow others to talk. Needless to say, I approached him very gingerly whenever I spoke to him.
***

I write this post today and still have not seen the completion of the job. My advice to anyone needing professional services or a mechanic is to sign up for, and review, a recommendations site like Angie's List.

Inspiration

2011-12-03T12:54:00.001-08:00

I've been on a bit of an adventure over the last two years. I've done it on the cheap, and quite honestly, on the generosity of others. (thank you) It has been a fantastic journey and I have learned many things. However, I need to find something more sustainable and an avenue for executing all of my ideas. I've tapped into some pretty cool resources that have blazed the technomadic trail before me. I'd like to think I'm original, but I'm not. However, great success comes from climbing on the shoulders of those who have succeeded before you.

So I came across a great resource this morning.

While perusing Amazon's books, I came across Computing Across America

I was inspired to buy his most recent book, Reaching Escape Velocity.

The reviews of the book lead me to believe it is well written, but also a great how-to guide for all those looking to take the path less traveled in a creative and sustainable way.

I look forward to reading it and implementing the ideas to establish a more sustainable, fulfilling lifestyle.

There is also a continuing work called the 'Nomadness Report' which highlights the progress (or regression as the case may be) of Steve's latest works.

You can get a copy here:

Disaster!

2011-11-13T07:59:00.000-08:00

After many miles of traveling cross country and towing various vehicles (and finally a boat), my little RV had finally bit the dust. Traveling east along I-40 towards Chapel Hill, I noticed a knock in the engine. I thought it was from the valves and assumed they were just out of adjustment. I continued for another mile and the noise increased. I pulled over at the nearest off-ramp to investigate.


Tow truck on the side of highway

I started the motor again to see where the noise was coming from and could hear it was in the bottom end of the motor. It was clear this was going to be a major repair.
Being that this occurred on a busy weekend just before a major holiday (Thanksgiving), there were no mechanics available to take a look.

So I looked at my favorite resource, Craigslist, for a mobile mechanic that was available. I was able to find a good Christian one. You know the type, begin and end each conversation with "have a blessed day", with a spattering of "God"s and "Jesus" references thrown in for good measure. He agreed to come out the next morning, Sunday, and have a look.

The next morning, he showed up with what I later was to learn was "the mechanic". "The mechanic" looked over the engine and asked me to start her. Click. Repeat....click. She was now completely frozen and wouldn't even turn over. In his professional opinion, the engine was seized.

We made arrangements to tow the RV and the boat that I was towing to his place where he could at least get me off the highway to someplace safe. We would evaluate the full damage and he could get me an estimate then.

It was indeed a seized motor, thanks to the complete lack of oil. It appears that the oil cooler line had developed a sudden leak and all the oil had drained out of the engine. The engine temp never went up (the first sign I look for to spot problems) because the oil had escaped so rapidly.

"The mechanic" said he could do the job for me and I may even be able to be home by Thanksgiving...

Motorcycle Custom Bike Rack

2010-09-13T10:23:00.000-07:00

I love motorcycling. I love mountain biking. If only I could find a way to combine the two...

I thought briefly of trailering a bike behind my motorcycle, but there are too many legal issues (registration, turn signal lights, etc.)....and I think a trailer behind a bike is contradictory to the spirit of the ride. So I opted to find a way of mounting my mountain bike to my motorcycle. I heard about a great business in Portland, called ReRack. Their business goal is to service the Portland biking community by re-using and re-selling old Thule and Yakima bike racks.

I approached them on Tuesday afternoon with my bike and armed with my laptop with some photos of what others had done. They initially thought of fabricating a base by welding a bar to the plate and then attaching a Yakima fork mount rack (with rail). I did not want an expensive (and unnecessary) fabrication process. I wanted to use off the shelf products and a little creativity to mount to the many mounting points already on the bike.

I found some mounts that would latch onto the handle grips for the rear
passenger. The tops of these mount swiveled, which was important since the
passenger grips are not parallel. Once the right part for mounting a round
Yakima bar were found, it was just a matter of some creative bending of the
steel mounting plates so they would securely attach to the handles.

Now the second element was the swing arm that grasps the bike frame at the down tube. This was pretty simple. I used a hacksaw to cut off a lip in the mounting plate. I drilled some holes for some existing mounting screws. I then inverted the mounting plate and attached it through the existing "rack" found on my Kawasaki Concours. All this work made me thirsty, and I took a little break. ;-)

It bobs a little due to the design and flexing of the swing arm, but
laterally there is no movement at all. It rides really nice and gets LOTS
of attention!

Enjoy your ride and keep the rubber side down. :-)

Motorcycle GPS

2010-06-24T11:13:00.000-07:00

I alluded to providing greater detail of how I set up GPS on my 1986 Kawasaki Concours (ZG1000). I had noticed some commentary in the COG forums where people were seeking cheaper alternatives to the $600-700 GPS units designed for motorcycle. Don't get me wrong, those expensive units are nice and will definitely get the job done, but that is an awfully steep price tag.

Here is the solution I designed:

Parts

     TomTom One touchscreen GPS
     Suction cup mount
     Glue gun (or screws)
   Power outlet from the battery
     USB charger

Steps

     1. Attach power adapter wires to the battery.
              a. Route wires from under seat along left inner fairing
              b. Tie down to prevent abrasion and shorting out
     2. Connect usb adapter in a secure area along the inner fairing.
              a. Secure with ties.
     3. Secure the GPS mount
               a. Squirt some hot glue into the suction cup base and secure to the top of the
                     instrument panel. (See photo above)
               b. For additional security, screw to plastic.
      4. Run usb cable provided with GPS to adapter in fairing.
               a. Secure the cable to avoid abrasion
5. Fasten GPS into mount and plug in USB.

Considerations

The discussion found on the COG forum also was concerned with function in wet weather. I lived up in Seattle with this arrangement and can vouch for it's capability. The full fairing and (tall) windscreen on the Concours provide ample protection. However, in the worst of conditions (which you should probably just park in), I found a simple ziploc bag placed over the GPS worked fine.

On the cheap

This solution's total cost retail would be maybe $120. However, I believe in recycling and am uber cheap, so I sourced my materials from Craigslist. My TomTom GPS only cost me $20, the mount another $6, and the wiring and adapters I had already.

Function

I found the TomTom usable even with gloves on, but just barely. It was far easier to do with the gloves off. As far as adjustments and corrections while riding down the road.....I wouldn't recommend it. After all, we have enough to worry about while on a bike anyway.

Keep the rubber side down!

A Journey Begins...

2010-06-18T08:00:00.000-07:00

After life events beyond my control, I decided the best option was to hit the road and see where it took me. I began my journey on an original Kawasaki Concours (ZG1000) that I had bought from the original owner who was a head of the Pacific Northwest COG (Concours Owner's Group) chapter.


Fast! Smooth. See gauges above.

The bike is a great design, so good, that it stayed the same for nearly 20 years. It is a 1000cc Kawasaki Ninja with a full fairing, saddlebags, and a shaft drive for an extremely comfortable and smooth ride. Did I mention? It's also fast!

One of my first trips was with an old friend from high school, Amanda Thomas. We had not been in contact for 20 years. Upon discovering our close proximity to each other (I'm in Seattle, she's in Portland), we decided to take a trip to Vancouver, BC together.

Two things brought us to Vancouver: 1) Amanda is the coordinator for adult education at OMSI, the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry in Portland.

The plan was to get some good racing in over the weekend and also to research the "science pub" program at the Vancouver's Science World. Turns out they didn't/don't have one.
(They should have Amanda @ Via Productions to create one for them.

2) Amanda is a huge fan of dragon boat racing and is on a very good team called, The Wisabi White Lightning. There were dozens of teams from all over the US and Canada. Vancouver made for a very beautiful backdrop to the races. Her team did fantastic and placed in the top 3 in the competition!

It occurred to me that I had been in the very spot 25 years earlier during the 1986 World Expo! The skyline of the city had certainly changed dramatically, but the iconic dome (which is now Science World) and the monorail from that event remain.

We made great time from Seattle to Vancouver and back, thanks to the swiftness of the bike, but also to the custom GPS mounted on the dash (see photo above and more info in a future post).

Little did I know that this journey was to pave the way for many more to come and help to define a philosophy and a lifestyle that I would continue to enjoy for a long time.