Yippee

New phone!

Some things never change

I don't have many new things. Never have. For the last few days I have been preparing my motorcycle for a long ride. I haven't had the thing out in a long time. In fact I have only ridden twice this year. The first time it wasnt running right, it just didnt have the power it should. (It's a 2001 Yamaha FZ1, so it should have plenty...) I thought since it sat all winter, the gas may have varnished in the carbs. So I put some fuel system cleaner through it. It ran like stink after that, so I thought it was fixed. Then it sat in the garage for another month. When I finally decided it needed some exercise, I noticed it needed new tires. I got new rubber today. Ouch. That will lighten the wallet.

When I took it out to get new tires, it was running like crap again. It was running rough and was down on power again. It seemed like it was worse at low speeds and cleared up as the revs got high. It had plenty of zoom as long as it was wound up. based on this little amount of info, I know some things it's not. Not fuel filter. Not fuel pump. Not old fuel. Not Spark or any ignition problems like advance or plugs or wires. Not air filter or air restriction. So what does that leave? I feared it was varnish on the low speed fuel jets, the very small holes that control fuel flow before the vacuum slides open and the fuel flows through the main jets. This is a problem, because it means to fix it the carbs need to come off and cleaned inside and out. Based on the lack of room for my bear claw hands and all the wires and tubes surrounding the carbs, this would not be an easy fix.

This is the problem with having "not new" stuff. It's never under warranty and any problem is up to me to 1) Find. 2) Fix.

Then there is always the real possibility that I have diagnosed the problem wrong and the "fix" I have in mind is nothing more than 4 hours of "Fixturbatution" that's a word I just made up meaning "verb. As in; working on something mechanical with the hopes it will correct a problem , but knowing the chances are minimal and you are really just doing the only thing you know how with the tools you have available because it makes you feel better. "

So, with the hour of time that the kids an ma were out of the house, I decided to fixturbate the bike and check spark plugs. My thinking was I could find the clogged carb, b/c since it has one carb for each cylinder the suspect would reveal himself by fouling or showing signs of lean mix with the plug. Well, just getting plugs out is no easy option, the gas tank has to come off and there is a combination of extensions, sockets, wrenches and adapters to snake through the mess of wires and tubes just to get them out. So im snaking out plug #3 when I saw a piece of rubber, a plug, used to cover a vacuum nipple to check carb balance. It was dry rotted and cracked. It's essentially non-essential. It serves no purpose other than to plug a hole that is used so very rarely. But there it was, just above the inlet into the engine. It's 9 years of age, showing itself under only close inspection. It's only real function is providing a leak path of air, a failure mode, and I saw it. I thought....hmmmm. Could the tiny little aging cracks in this small piece of rubber be causing all my worries? The last 4 hours of thinking, of testing the throttle response, of fixturbating on these spark plugs be fixed by sealing this Alzheimer's memory hole of rubber memory? It was worth a try. So after checking the color and gap of all the plugs (they were fine) I found a vacuum nipple plug and replaced the cracked one. I re-installed the tank and started up the bike. No change, so I put on the helmet and went for a ride.

Once out of the sub, I gave the throttle a full twist. Yeeeeeeeeeee-Owwwwww! Wheelie! Where did this power come from? Click. Second gear Wheeelie!!!! Holy shit, I'm doing 80mph and I havent even put the front wheel down yet! Time to shut this thing down before 1) getting arrested or 2) killed. Hard braking and then non-chalant coasting to the stop light to turn left. Once I get turned and straightened up, full twist of the throttle just to make sure it wasnt a fluke. Yeeeeeeeee-Owwwwww On the rear wheel and the world is coming at me pretty fast. Yep, it's fixed. OOOoops missed the turn back into the sub. I just blew by it at about 40mph over the speed limit. Ok, bike fixed. Overstimulated. Time for beer.

Why does it take so much work to keep all these out of warranty crap piles going? My car, my motorcycle, my mountain bike, my chair that I waste time watching tv in, my house, my everything. It takes, in general, 30 minutes prep or repair time for every hour of enjoyment I get out of the things I have.

The newest thing in my house is Audrey! She's two and requires more maintenance than any gas guzzling, time sucking money pit in my garage. But when she smiles or babbles some incoherent sentence to me, and then throws open her arms for a big hug, it makes me smile wider and think deeper than any smoking, reeking, sputtering obscure mechanical garbage I brought back from the dead with my sparse toolbox. All that money for new stuff w/pedigree and re-assurance and warranty is paying for her juice box and diaper wipes. I guess that's a fair trade.

BREAKING NEWS

Connor just lost his first tooth!

Nametag

Audrey filled out her own nametag.

Rental

My rental car had 3 miles in it when I picked it up. I felt obligated to break it in for the next renter. Wide open blasts to 80 on every on ramp.

Back from GA

Back in the office.

I hate the office.

GA

I'm eating at the bar again. This is what people by themselves do. The guy at the end of the bar just ordered an amarillo sour for the blonde that walked in.

GA

Left work at the 13 hour mark. I don't know how I made it that far. I was so drowsy from the dayquil. And I had a nyquil effects from last night. I ve been struggling w head cold this week. Can't wait to get dinner chug more nyquil and get some sleep. Targeting 10 hours.

GA

They fired the plant manager here today. I knew it was going to happen it was just a matter of time. People here are skeered for their jobs. This is actually a good thing for me since I'm "from corporate" when I ask for anything people race to get it. Thinking I have some influence. Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Now can someone make more coffee?

Tales from GA

So I have been traveling for work and spending a lot of time in a small town in GA. I thought I would document some of it for amusement.

I have eaten at every restaurant in town at least twice. Waitresses recognize me. I sat at the bar next to the same guy the other night at my "Monday place". Apparently he has been outside the city limits and is kinda funny. The kid next to him was Rusty. He was curious about the strange beer being served but didn't want to chance tasting the Fat Tire and stuck with Bud light.

Landed. Got some dirty looks

Landed. Got some dirty looks when carry on had to go in sideways. Also had a coffe and muffin in hand. I took up as much space a

World Cup is unwatchable

I wanted to watch some world cup soccer. I watched for about 5 minutes before I had to turn it due to the annoying bee sound. Apparently Im not the only one. Lot's of people are complaining. ESPN can do ball tracker and swing motion for golf, ridiculous animations for football and NASCAR. Why cant they filter out this noise or at least minimize it. I don't think technology is the barrier. If I could find a way to remove this awful sound I would watch.

Summer Again

The kids are playing in the neighbors blow up pool outside. There was some recent tensions between us and the neighbors. It's straightened out now, but the only reason it's resolved is the kids just started playing together, and we had to talk to them to get it cleared up. Now the kids are having the time of their life playing with squirt guns and chasing each other around the yard.

I'm jealous. They are living fully every moment right now. When we try as parents to minimize these tragic moments of rejection or getting tagged "it" by telling them "It's no big deal" I really am the one who doesn't understand. You don't have to watch them long to be realize that.

why toys dont last.3GP

Girls pine derby has lots of pink!

pine derby!

Who is ready for spring?

We had a taste of good weather last week, and now we are all ready to be outside. These kids can't wait to be outside, and neither can I.

first beer

I brewed a batch of beer ! Its not terrible! I already have another batch going in the basement and I need the bottles so of you want a taste you have to get here quick.

They dont make em like they used to.

It's a sad day for electronics in our house. The radio in the garage quit today as I was working on pine derby cars. I have only had it since 1987. 23 years, it cost maybe 30$ They dont make em like they used to.

When i came in to watch some tv, the tv wouldnt fire up. It's a Sony from 94. They truly dont make like they used to. I unplugged, replugged, tried tried tried. It's dead.

So Ive spent the last hour on costco website. (would have been much less time if the kids would SHUT UP for 10 minutes) Audrey is helping me shop, we are listening to jazz music and she is bobbin gher head to the music. I cant live without tv for a week. Something must be done.

I crush you like grape...