February 20, 2015

On February 20, 2015 I officially tied the knot :) The ceremony took place in Barranquilla with a reception in Soledad. Colombians are said to be one of the friendliest cultures and I can tell you from experience. Los Costenos know how to throw a party. Our honeymoon in Santa Marta was beautiful and incredibly hot. :)

Looking forward to an anniversary party once Alexandra gets her paperwork approved and we head to San Andres, Colombia in 2017.

The House
In 2012 during a trip to Colombia (Medellin) I had bought a house In Lloydminster Saskatchewan. It was the height of the oil boom and it seemed as if there was a wave of prosperity across the mid-west. I learned about home renovations and how to make something with my hands. I can officially say that these sort of things get easier with practice but its not a cheap lesson to learn. I bought the house that was across from a school because I felt it held the most re-sale value. Added a two bedroom suite to the basement with a separate entrance, laundry, kitchen, bathroom, etc. Cutting windows was a lot of fun!

I am now considering a sale although the market has slowed 30-40% and oil prices have fallen to historical lows. Not sure if I will sell but I thought best to have it out there. (I will reserve what my plan is until a later time as for now it is only fragmented thoughts and ideas)

Being Open to Change, Technology, and Ideas
One thing I have started doing is researching new concepts that the current generation is doing or envisioning for the future. I bought my first Bitcoin miner which was a fun experience. I discovered the Dark Web. Although, nothing seemed to interest me on what was there, still a very interesting idea. As we progress into the future it seems the more and more of what we do is questioned, followed, studied. There are forces that exist that believe in anonymity. There are currencies that are projected to become part of the worlds largest group of reserve currencies. Yet no one has control of them in a policy sense. That is the process of inflation, interest rates, and money supply that I studied so much in school have no place in crypto-currency.

Lifelong Learning
I started a Masters degree in Environmental Protection (MEP) at Royal Roads University in Victoria, British Colombia. I finish my first class November 26, 2015 and have learned that higher education isn’t force fed by any means. After finishing my bachelors degree I realized quite quickly that I actually like learning. Its an interesting feeling to realize you are smarter than you used to be.

The Job
My job has been frustrating to say the least but I am actually learning a lot by seeing the “What not to do” viewpoint. I couldn’t imagine a better experience to have after university I only wish it was the exact opposite.  Nothing could be worse than listening to the hum of florescent lights and rubber stamping 8.5x14s which is why I can’t say I’m upset about the path I took. I have definitely been around the country and seen places and things I had never imagined.

As I write this I am two weeks away from a 5 week unpaid vacation! which is technically a lay-off but a well deserved one at best. :)

More to come… Including wedding pictures!

The RX7 heads south in January for timing and bumper installation and should be ready and 99% complete for Spring 2014!

So I had the same problem a lot of the S4 guys are having… the stock 70A alternator is barely enough to keep up with the stock system never mind a car with fans, stereo, amplifiers, etc….So after doing some searching, I discovered some people on the forum have done Taurus alternator swaps… it’s a 130A alternator, and because there are so many Taurus’s, they’re pretty cheap. The swaps that I did find done here seemed too complicated, they were making crazy brackets to make the alternator fit.I made a trip down the local junkyard and picked up a mint alt out of a 96 Taurus, 3.0 OHV engine. My research tells me a 3.8 alt will also work. Looking at the alt, I found a way to mount it without having to make the brackets.

The Taurus uses a serpentine pulley, and the pulley on the stock S4 alt doesn’t fit onto the shaft of the Taurus alternator. Rather than drilling out the stock pulley, I made a trip down to a local alternator shop and picked up a brand new pulley slightly larger than stock (so I don’t over-rev the alternator) that fit perfectly on the shaft of the Taurus alt.

The Taurus alt has two ears on it, one small and one big. I had to grind a little off of the small ear to get the pulley alignment just right. When grinding it, you have to make sure you keep the surface flat, so you dont throw the pulley alignment out on the vertical plane.

I ordered a new Bosch 130 amp alternator from PartsMonkey for $207.76 Shipped.

I had the pulley replaced locally for $10 by taking in my old alternator and having them measure it up.
I ordered a Banzi Racing Alternator Bracket because It extends the length as required and also allows you to properly tension the belt.
Looking at a wiring diagram I found on rx7 club which was made for the S4 I redrew the diagram to match an S5 harness to the required plugs.

Going into the book I was seeking material that was focused on structure, finance and medium/large scale operations. I think the book should probably have been named “First time Landlords” as it was geared towards land lording more than property management or even profit maximization. In Perry’s view profit maximization comes from reducing “inefficiencies” which he indicates a large part being the time of the landlord. Of course, in a corporate structure the landlord usually isn’t the Property Manager and is therefore 90% fixed cost.

From a landlord perspective building relationships is a great asset. Having people tell you when something is wrong prior to additional damage is a great cost savings strategy. Better yet if they fix it themselves and are qualified to do so. Perry’s suggestion for reducing sales cost (or the cost of locating good tenants) was to hold an open house rather than phone interviews because questions can be answered as a group rather than multiple times by phone. Another benefit to doing so is you can compare candidates immediately and understand which ones might be better for the property.

All in all, I’d give this book 1.5/5 and not suggest it for anyone who wants to get more than a few pages of solid learning material.

I know for some of my readers Hockey might not be the ultimate sport, I’m positive for some its not even broadcast on regular cable. But where I am from there is no sport greater, nothing surpasses the tradition of Hockey Night in Canada.

The indescribable magnitude of a full stadium of spectators sitting on the edge of their seats while Bertuzzi scores 300 and 301… While Gagner scores and hats fly onto the ice to pay tribute to an amazing streak that included surpassing a team record. I went to the game after receiving a pair of season seats from my employer. There is no question if I would go to another, only a matter of when it will happen. The Oilers pulled off an amazing game ending with OT then an intense shoot out which provided the necessary hope in the last two weeks to keep fans thinking they might see a cup soon enough. Talks of trading away rookie players for top dollar are faintly considered as the anticipation builds for the next Great One.

Medellin, Colombia

Spending Christmas in another one of the worlds  biggest cities – 3.83 Million. (#66/100 largest cities in the world) was quite the experience. To the ill-informed going to Colombia might seem like a dangerous adventure, however in my experience it was the friendliest place I have ever been. The streets are scattered with light displays to celebrate the Christmas season and the people all made sure I was very comfortable. I had a chance to travel the metro cable cars that run along the mountainside providing a scenic view of the city’s landscape. The botanical gardens was next on my list having truly awe inspiring architectural work.  I didn’t get the opportunity to see the Biblioteca de Espana which will be on my list for my 2012 return.

Here’s some pictures from this trip.

I arrived in Panama on a Saturday very late. I walked out of the airport and ran into some Brazilian people who were looking to share a taxi. They also required my assistance locating a hotel. My Spanish skills are still a little rusty because for some reason I only charged them $10 on a $30 bill split 3 ways! In any case I arrived in Calle Uruguay to warm welcomes. I was disappointed to learn the next day that my friend Humberto who operated the cigarette stand has gone MIA. No one seems to know who he was. Perhaps Ill never see him again.

Today, (Monday) I went to the local airport on what I am now calling Diablo Frios, to buy a ticket for Puerto Obaldia in which I planned to take a boat onwards to Turbo, Colombia and a bus into Medellin. I asked for the ticket but to my surprise the lady asked what year? apparently there is a 2 year waiting list for reservations. Now, I think Ill have to purchase a ticket from Copa. Loosing the adventure of it all but still gaining the experience of Medellin.

Tonight My roommates and I went to my favorite mall for a bite with their friends. I met (Actually yesterday, but got a little more time today) a Panameanita  mucho bonita. I also had a bite of my favorite sushi in the world from Sushi Express. Although, I think it really is better in the restaurant.

Tomorrow Ill pay for my ticket and hopefully find some time to make my roommates pancakes with maple syrup! Already planning another trip. So many things I haven´t had enough time to truly enjoy. It only takes a few days to realize you really need to be here for a month or more. Good thing there is always February because I´m leaving so many stones unturned It´ll drive me crazy.

Product Specifications

• Sizes: S – L
• Avg Weight: [Small] 2 lbs 3 oz (990 g); [Medium] 2 lbs 10 oz (1190 g); [Large] 2 lbs 15 oz (1330 g)
• Volume: [Small] 2150 in3 (35 liters); [Medium] 2450 in3 (40 liters); [Large] 2750 in3 (45 liters)
• Fit Range: [Small] 15 in.-18 in. (38 cm-46 cm); [Medium] 17 in.-20 in. (43 cm-51 cm); [Large] 19 in.-22 in. (48 cm-56 cm)
• Fabric: 70 D ripstop nylon, 210 HT ripstop Cordura® nylon, 420 HT nylon
• Dimensions: [Small] 22 in. x 13 in. x 6 in. (56 x 33 x 15); [Medium] 24 in. x 13 in. x 6 in. (61 x 35 x 17); [Large] 26 in. x 13 in. x 7 in. (66 x 33 x 17)

Thoughts

As far as construction and design the Northface Skareb is built to last with a ripstop nylon shell, a comfortable x-frame 2.0 and some of the highest quality zippers I have ever seen. The small pack might be a little too small for anything useful but the medium (which I purchased) is great for the non-camping backpacker who plans to travel light. The extra five liters in the large pack would be handy for bringing back additional souvenirs but I tend to pack a rolled up duffel bag and use it as carry on on my return flight.

The x-frame 2.0 fits comfortably and works perfectly to transfer weight from your shoulders to your hips. Being that the pack is smaller (35, 40, 45) there really isn’t a lot of weight to handle. However, even though this pack doesn’t hold a whopping 50L or 60L it feels as light as a feather when its full of typical travel items. My personal memories of carrying frame-less water packs for weed spraying helps me realize the benefits to metal frame backpacks. This is not an option, it’s a requirement for any pack.

The pack holds a maximum weight of 30 pounds which is plenty if you consider the weight of a light packer’s clothes. I’ll weight my pack and let you know what I typically carry for 2 week excursions (Hostel/Hotel sleeping).

The pack seems to have a number of areas for quick access storage and clip on accessories including two large side pockets which I use for camera and passport storage. After 3 years it still looks and works like the day I purchased it. I haven’t had the experience of using the rain cover but I do hope my 2011 trip from Panama to Colombia via land/water should provide the opportunity. (I hear its a wet ride)

• Backpacker Magazine rated Skareb as the best pack of 2006.
• REI Listing

Although the Skareb pack may be difficult to find now-a-days it represents everything needed in a lightweight weekender and speaks to the type of quality that exists in the market. Ripstop nylon and a sturdy frame make this pack a great purchase that I would recommend to anyone interested in lightweight travel.