getting the car ready for winter trips

When winter comes it brings with it some dangers, The most dangerous being the cold. Wither it be going out to town or going up to the slope, chances are that you'll be venturing onto the icy roads. With some preparation a lot of issues & some dangers can be avoided. 

The first thing you need to do is put away any sports cars, motorcycles, fancy do dads, & anything that doesn't have 4 wheel drive or all wheel drive. my preferred vehicle is an a jeep or 4x4 truck. anything less is not snow worthy. 

  

now that you have a vehicle worthy of snow travel there are somethings you should carry incase of emergencies.

even if you have 4WD or AWD you still should carry with you some chains, even the best vehicles can get stuck. Even in the best circumstantial  Icy roads can still be treacherous. The little extra traction a good pair of chains can provide, could be the difference between a cold night stuck in a car; waiting for a tow truck to come or a good time on the slopes. 

You would be surprised how many batteries get drained in the cold. It is always a good idea to carry jumper cables in your car, wither it's your car or theirs stranded; it's just plain ol' common courtesy.  

In the event that you do get stranded some where & have to wait for assistance, a sleeping bag could make the wait a lot more comfortable. Usually it's a good Idea to bring, 1 per person. If you don't plan on getting your bags we, then a down bag would preferred, though if they get wet.... well it's not going to end well. If you happen to for some reason to get a bag wet on a regular basses, a synthetic would be to your liking; they dry far faster. 

In the cold you will burn a lot of calories in order for body to  make heat. It's a good Idea to carry something containing some substance such as:

a cliff bar, candy bar, or anything else you can think of. bring enough to share, you could be there a while

Carry some water with you, as you create heat to warm your body; you will get dehydrated. even though it is cold, it's important to keep well hydrated. carry enough to sustain yourself for a few hours. A nalgene or two usually does the trick.

lastly carry a first aid kit. You could get stuck hours away from help and a minor injury in the cold could cause a lot of heat loss & further harm that could be prevented with a little first aid.

Be safe out there! 

To the beginner motorcyclist

Because I will be celebrating the 1 year anniversary of my first motorcycle ride  in a couple of days, I have decided to wright about some of the things I learned first hand this year to the soon to be new riders out there. I have learned  a lot by doing a lot of research & even more dumb things. I recommend that you learn from my mistakes & take any advice anyone can give you. your life is on the line. That being said, motorcycling can be safe if are not stupid & even the most fun you ever had, if you are however daring enough to jump in the Iron horse saddle.

Things to do before you get a motorcycle

So you've decided to get a motorcycle?  Wither It be so you can save some money, impress a girl, or just having Amazing fun; motorcycling is dangerous and should preparation should be taken seriously.


the first thing you need to do before you even dare too consider buying a bike is learn how to drive stick, more importantly the motorcycle way of driving stick.
 If you do not know how to drive a Manuel motorcycle then chances are that you will be ejected from your motorcycle, which will lead to serious injury's or death. seeing how most if not all motorcycles are manual transmission, I recommend practicing a your gear box skills before you mount an Iron horse; dirt bike are a good way to start. on a lighter note the feel of manning the clutch & shifter  having all that power to yourself is invigorating. once you master the odd shifting style you will fly like never before. The shifter  works simular to that of a slot shifter from the closic cars. the bottom gear is 1st the next one up is neutral, after that 2nd; and so on....

Now that you've mastered stick, the next step is to find a secure place for it. unlike a car, these wonder machines are not meant to be left out side without cover. In the spring & summer you can leave it on a solid surface with a convince cover preferably. In the winter the preferred location is always a nice clean garage, though through recent discovery has reviled that a garage isn't always an option. there are how ever a few alternatives for a proper garage storing. one alternative is free spot in a barn, if you live out on the country; it's important you cover it to avoid "barn dust". A storage unit is an expensive alternative, that provides a little security if you plan to be away for a while... say deployment. The last resort & my favorite is to store it with you in your apartment, flat, loft, or house.
        

last but not least is to seek out gear. Gear is what keeps us alive in case of the worst & comfortable in the best. while we can't all afford the expensive super protective Kevlar suits but we can make do at least with some common items lying around. the most important is the helmet required by state law. take my advice advice & get  a full face, it's far more comfortable and safer any other type of helmet. Other the helmet all other gear can be substitute. the most common is the use of the leather jacket, as stylish as it is, that is
a horrible choice in substituion. if you want a to survive the wind, get a out doors jacket. I wear a black dimond, it helps with rain and wind. As far as pants go, jeans with a nylon thermal underwear & compression shorts. the go to for shoes is anything that is flexible, wind proof, & sturdy. common leather boots usually do the trick. Now glow  are the single most important part of your gear, without them your hands will be numb in minutes; makes sure you don't go cheap on a pair. If you can't afford the good stuff, do so. Do you what you can .       

Buying a motorcycle

When your seeking to get you first motorcycle, you need to proceed with caution. A common thing when picking out a motorcycle is to go for the most powerful, sporty, & coolest looking, available; That is the biggest mistake a person can make. yes, I did that & regret it greatly. when picking out your first motorcycle you should pick out the lowest CC's (cubic inches) as possible. I recommend a 250, powerful enough to get you places, not enough to loose control.  next you need to consider how sporty you want it to be, meaning how it sits. A Kawasaki ninja & similar builds is a horrible first choice. You sit so far forward that if a you something like a rock & you inexperienced you will go flying. As far as cosmetics go... don't by something pretty. You will dump you first bike numerous times, it going to get beaten up, scared, & possibly destroyed.  while you learn to ride.

Now for the money talk

When you decide you want to ride a motorcycle, you need to realize that you will be saving for while before you can afford one. A good Price for a decent motorcycle off craigslist is about a little under 3 thousand. After you somehow managed to save some dough and you are officially in the market, you have to play the game like everyone else. Winter tends to be the best time to buy, mostly because people need the extra cash for Christmas & motorcycles are rarely driven in the winter. you might be wondering about now, "If motorcycle cost so much to buy, how can I financially justify the purchase of  vehicle I can only drive 9 months of the year"? The is simple, on average I spend 10 dollars a week on gas when I ride; That equals 480 dollars a year for 9 monthes. The rest of the year you have to use a car unfortunately, unless you happen to live in eternal summer land. 

Getting your endorsement
It used to be that you could ride around with out an endorsement with little to no problems, since then the government has passed a law that allows motorcycles to be impounded if the rider is pulled over without an endorsement & no one wants that. So finally it time to get your license, the process is a bit of a hassle. first you need to pass a written test & get your permit which get's you daytime riding privileges for 90 days. Of course with only a permit you can't take along passengers. Next it's time to get your license of some "practice". you have two choices, take the motorcycle test or take a 1 day class.

 the class has invaluable information & the teachers have knowledge gained first hand.

Driving
This picture represent everything wrong with motorcycling. When driving motorcycling you cannot be recluse or dangerous. The first thing is you have to be fit to ride and ride a motorcycle that suit your frame. When driving your mind must be like Ice & you body like fire. You must think, be ever alert, foresee, & ready to act quickly. Your life is on the line, that's what makes it so much fun!

Avoid the rain, respect the wind don't drive on gravel if you can help it, & no matter how fun it look... DO NO DRIVE IN THUNDER STORMS!
trust me, I done it

All this been said, experiment, learn, fly.



Be your own mechanic

Why pay someone else to take care of you machine & put you life in their hands. If something goes wrong out there and you manage to get to the side of the road, chances are that if someone else had been working on it; you have no idea what is going on. If you however read the manual & took care of your own machine, you would have a better idea. It's your horse, take care of it. know it inside out, every nut & bolt. Your life & better yet, Your dream is on the line. just wait until your "that guy" in a group, who brakes down.

Lastly Consider insurance
In the State of Washington you are not required to have motorcycle insurance, though there are many benefits having it. If you happen to wreck they'll cover your hog, your hide, and what ever you hit. You commonly only pay once a year & it's cheep. I pay 750$ for a Ducati.

Now get out there!

Today this blog reached 100 views!

this Is going to be the year.

Hers's how this story goes. 2 years ago I met a girl, she was the coolest thing since nirvana. she liked to snow board, I had never been snow boarding before. So to impress said female, I bought a snowboard & boots from a friend for $80. we made plans to go hit the snow 16 times, not once did it work out. for years my board has been sitting in my closet waiting for the day I could afford to go, little I know how affordable it actually is. This will be the year! 

The destination:

The cost for an adult is 40$ a day for an afternoon go on the mountain.

Now for gear:

the boots came with the board for $80. I lucked out with sizing. the jacket and the pants came from a the aid of  the thrift store in one of my previous posts. they cost  like $7 the pants and like what $12 for the jacket. the bag for the board was the big spender. it cost $20 at Big 5, on sale. that was a major risk for me and a even better find. I had to have it, it colorful. though seeing how I could have gotten one with a little digging for cheaper at a thrift, it wasn't the wisest move; it was only 1/3rd of the original price. OK  joking aside, it goes show you; you can still find deals at retail stores.  

Getting there

So I've been thinking about way to get out there into the Adventures 

first possibility is to hitch hike. 

Though to be realistic, we are all busy people, with little time on our hands. the best solution seems to drive. because a mustang isn't known for it's adventure capabilities, I've been looking up vehicles and their performances that will suit the Adventure life stile.

here is the fruits of my research:

first up is the obvious. the Subaru is poster boy of all adventure vehicles. with it's all wheel drive system and 23 miles to the gallon (highway). it is one of the most sought after vehicle in Washington state. it also unnecessarily expensive do to it's fame. though the price is worth it, these thing last forever. you can get one from a dealer and have it near 20 years or you can also get an older one used from craigslist and have it for like 5-8 for a mere fraction of the dealer price.

next the legendary chick car, the Range Rover. It appears that women of both and older prefer large vehicles  for the sake of stability and safety. though this is not true for all woman, I do not believe that anyone could have problem with this beauty. The Range Rover is a spacious AWD SUV, more then capable of caring your gear up a snowy mountain. She also get's 16 MPG.

ok, I know what you think. Stop. this I s not a chick cutesy car. this Is a secure in his sexuality man's car.
This vehicle has all the refinement of a BMW added compact frame of the mini. the machine may be small but she is so much large on the inside. big things come in small packages, and her engine is proof of that. her engineering makes her the most fuel efficient AWD drive to date.

"Oh my God! Oh my God! it's a Porsche!? Is this guy crazy!? I'll never able to afford this?!"
you might have thought to your self. though I am a little crazy, I'm not at unrealistic. Though you may never be able to afford a new Porsche, you'd be surprised to find that you can get an pre-90's Porsche 911 for a reasonable price, if you are willing to dig enough. The Porsche 911 is in it self legendary, sporty, and all around babe magnet. what about adventuring? well... she's got AWD, 23 MPG (highway), horse power out the yin' yang', and she's been known for snow handling. you wont fit a lot of gear in her, she's built for a 2 people; dispite the back seats. you can trough 2 packs in incredibly small back seats, a few loose articals in the trunk (perhaps a pick nick basket?), and your partner in the passenger seat. I don't see a need for much else, unless you going skying.

Last but not least is the Audi Quattro TT. this beauti is AWD, stylish, & relatively inexpensive. This modern  wonder is like they European mustang. like the mustang she is considered "the poor man's sports car".  Like the mustang, even though she is inexpensive she is ever a admirable as any BMW and handles like a dream. As a young person who is on a tight budget, I can see a major draw to this glorious machine. She is sporty with 6-speed transmission and the ladies do like stick. Despite her charms, she is no weakling I have seen kyacks racks mounted on this beauty.

All this said, these are just my findings. Do your own research  & decide for yourself. 

Gear of the day!

Gear of the day

Today was my first session of training for tough mudder, which is a obstetrical coarse/ marathon in the spring. On my run I tried out my 140 dollar 'Vribrum minimus' running shoes, that I found at a thrift store for 3 dollars. These are literally the best pair of running shoes I have ever used. they are light, It feels like you are running barefoot with a slight bit of protection for you toes, and my running speed felt like it had doubled. I highly recommend getting yourself a pair.  

Hiking mt. Erie course 215-228 up to shugarloaf view point

One of my greatest joys in life is going into the back country on the off seasons. No tourists, hipsters, or crowds, just you and the solitude. Even "suffering" through the rain is worth it.

(sorry about the bad hair... it had been a long day full of hay bailing. A man's got to support his lifestyle somehow.)

this little derp is my fried catlin Brown of wish photogrophy. She is one of my oldest friends. today she volunteered or rather volun-told herself as my photogropher for the day.  

now for the trail review:
     the environment was simply stunning, the ground is still solid, and the temperature is just right for hiking. To be honest this is more of a beginners hike, which is perfect for a lot of people. it's navigation is easy, you don't have to be in super shape to make it to the top, and shugarloaf view is amazing. There is however a few spots with some pretty intimating slopes for someone who's not used to hiking. I would not recommend trying to push a potential lover up those parts, even if the view is worth it. go slow and take your time, leave early if you have to. There's no rush, enjoy the scenery.

Cheep gear!! Save so much money!

        One of the best places to look for gear when your first starting out on your adventure life is in fact the thrift store. Ok, this might be a little out there but stick with me. let's face it when it all comes down to the nitty-gritty, we young people don't have a lot of money to spend at outdoors super store like REI and other like it. So what do we do? we let those who have said money buy the gear we want, hardly use it, donate, and we buy it. Simple, yes? On average thrift stores don't know what there looking at as a marmut hard shell comes through their hands, causing them to sell it for next to nothing. If you know what to look for, are willing to dig, hunt, and risk a few bucks and hours on a potential items then you might have your self a nice arsenal to your disposal after a few trips. 

       If how ever you find and an Item and think to yourself "I shouldn't buy this quite yet, I should wait until I get paid tomorrow", It will not be there tomorrow. You've just lost your find to what I call the 'Vultures', People who tend to watch others shop to see if they find and thing good and put it down. most of the time these people do not know or are unwilling to dig like us. They would rather let us do the research, digging, and hunting, instead of getting their hand dirty.

    That being said here are some items I found:

A Patagonia Large jacket with fleece on the is side.

(I did not buy this, too big)

A women's 'wilderness experience' Jacket size small.

(For a lady friend)

5$

A size medium 'seventy seven' snow board jacket.

7$ worth 100$

'snow gear' pant size small

10$

Vibram Minimus

3$ worth 130$

'lands end'

10$ worth 40$

(yeah, i know not too good of a find.)

'High-Tec' boots

5$ worth 140$

'Jagged edge mountain gear' shirt 

free :D

pololarXposure

3$ worth 80$

ORC PCU soft shell 

$7.50 can't be baught anywhere else unless your military and it's issued to you

(iraq here I come!)

(now my masterpiece!)

vasaque boots

4$ worth 200$!

     Good luck out there, happy hunting.