One sweet deal at a time

As I sit here listening to new SF Public Library music acquisitions and feeling quite proud of myself, it occurred to me that this is a time to share.
Why am I feeling so proud? Yet another repair on the truck is done and all that I have to show for it is some (actually a ton) scratches on my arms and pesky "dirt"  under my nails. Today's adventure was all about the broken headlamp and our power steering. Upon evaluating our new truck we found that the passenger side light was hanging on by the wires. This is no exageration! The mounting bolts had been damaged, the light socket was broken and the bulb hung in the light keeping it from falling backwards toward the engine. Thanks to the battery there was something solid to keep things in their places (kinda).
So, first thing I started out on the light. Just as I was making headway (the light was a pain to get out thanks to the broke-ass grill in the front) the parking lady that haunts us drives up and has no time for my story about not being there for more than the hour you are allowed. What ever- she rolled on and I got out of a ticket for the moment. An hour later (really- those things are not meant to be changed- that is why they have replaceable bulbs) I was done!
After hearing that Gretta didn't need the truck today I figured it was time to deal with the leaking high pressure return hose and housing for our power steering. If you have the money I would only recommend letting someone else do this!!! I had to buy a 24mm socket and adapter to even get going on this. Next- remove the cool front skid plate. This thing really is ready for Centre County!!! Just like the old "Canyonero" (R.I.P.). One nicety has to be the lack of corrosion. Bolts just come off when you try! After removing the battery (second time today) and the radiator overflow tank, it was time to hit the big old pressure bolts. OK, I am not built for strength in my upper body- these things barely came loose before I gave up!!! Honestly- this was the hardest I have worked in years (physically). The housing gushed out fluid and took an old mountain bike race t-shirt with it. The housing had to cup the engine and work it's way up on both sides. By housing I mean steel piping. The removal and replacement took 2 hours. 1 hour was wasted on just one end of the housing and the bolt being put back. You see, just cause you can look at a bolt don't necessarily mean you can get to it. If you can get to it, you probably won't be able to get any force to it. Long story short- I cut the hell out of my arms and twisted my wrists and fingers in ways I hadn't previously though I could just to get a single mounting bolt in place! The other side went quickly and I bled the system in no time!
Looking back- there are things worth paying for. The labor on this job is in that category. The joy of overcoming a challenge never gets old. The torn up arms- that is getting old.
I'll keep you updated with the next repair (I can't imagine there aren't more to come!)
Later.
E
PS

You can't see the scratches or the dried brake fluid...damn photographs

This one is better person as well...you can see the scratches more now...

One for the ladies....sorry fellas!!! Suck it! Sweet beard and Disco Patch!

Just for you kids back east- my arms got scratched up cause I was working on the truck in short sleeves!!!!! Nothing like non-seasonal temperatures at New Years.

Went out to find our Christmas tree...but leave it in the ground...

Since it never really gets cold here...you might say all the trees here could serve as a Christmas tree. So we celebrated Christmas under all 4? / 5? of them along the Pine Ridge Trail yesterday. Although there may not have been many trees out, there were tons of people who had the same idea as us... to spend the holiday afternoon outside with their dog and family. It was a really pleasant hike, and thankfully I was up for it finally! The past two weeks haven't been so much fun (for me or E), and having to stay inside and drive to work has not been so great either. So yesterday, getting out, was awesome! E got to wear his new digs (a new shirt and some new pants), Pep got to meet a lot of new dogs, and I got a new hole in my pants (because I am that smooth...)

I have to say... Christmas in California is a bit strange...ok a lot strange. It's weird enough that the weather rarely changes but then decorations hung everywhere and no sign of wintery weather... it all just makes things like large pots of apple cider on the stove seem so moot. Still, E and I found ways to make this holiday season our own.

Wednesday night E worked hard on making some fish chowder that we dug into on Thursday. He's only made it once before for me, and I'll give it to him... it was delicious both times!! We still have some that I'm dying to get more of this afternoon. I can see this becoming a recurring request every year.

No big plans for the new year celebrations... not yet. I'm working on E to go to Big Sur... We'll see how that turns out. In the meantime, here's some images from our hike. Now that E has a new G11... we both get to post on the blog. Double the fun!

Ready to go... all packed up in our new truck...

Pep's not so psyched with the no-window-to-roll-down backseat...but she's coping

Saw some deer on our way up to the trail... thought it was only one until we looked at the picture...Dad, Kevin, and even Shannon would be so disappointed in our sighting abilities... 

Gotta give credit to E for these... and the following

 

 

 

and begins my images from the day...can't say i'm as prolific... but I do love playing with the G9!

 

 

 

 

 

Happy Holidays everyone from E & G & P!!

Bored and restless in NorCal

So what happens when East Coast uptight art student is released from school for 5 weeks? Hell...I  don't know

Day 1 (literally Saturday after my last class) I ran around passing out resumes to bike shops trying to get a part time job. As a note- no one has called me about work so I remain wound up with nothing to do. Damn...

Day 6 Eric (from Ohio-land) drove up to the city and we geeked on our new digital point and shoot cameras...Canon's newest offering---The Powershot G11, a camera only art school geeks could covet...mmmmm...semi-expensive semi-pro gear...mmmm
So he just picked up a bike from our boy Kheng and wanted to get a ride in, so we threw my pink cross bike in his redneck mobile and headed south to Pacifica where he and his charming wife Kim live to poke around and waste time in NorCal...
We rode around a  while, I photographed a bit, and here are some images...

 

Eric not looking the right way at the vista...art school has not treated him well...we tried

 

 This appears to be the correct way to look...isn't that way better to look at than that crappy ocean view? Thought so.

 We rode up a hill and chilled out to talk about what ever...what you are missing is all the cars that are driving behind us. Those isolated shots in the movies are all about leaving out most of the scene

Water...if you want more of an explanation than that I don't really know what to say...really

 

wave in water

Rock in water

Before wave hits...

As wave hits...

Day 8 Finishing up out holiday consumerist activities, we found a small amount of fluid beneath the vehicle, DAMN! OK- I realize this thing is going to nickle and dime us to death---but it has no rust!!! That's  the good part. The bad part? It sucks not being surprised that something is leaking out of the truck. Think about it- it's kinda like not being surprised that your house vanished. Anyway- the power steering is leaking and the part is gonna cost about 65.00. Not too bad...but that is the whole point of nickel and dime- it is a slow draining of cash that never seems to finish. And my poor Grad-school hands are getting beat to hell...I think this may be the birth of a callus...oh my!
That being said- I did take apart the window fluid assembly and resealed it with silicone. I wondered why a gallon of that stuff lasted a week. Leaks all around. Don't be shy- belly on up and take one on yourself.

Day 9 I am gonna go and do a group event in the Golden Gate Park area, put some self sealing power steering fluid in the system (so we can wait on the correct part), re install the window fluid tank, and maybe get to watch some football...
I'll miss the Steelers game but I know those of you in PA should enjoy a snowy game in Pitt.
Later
e

one more for the road...

ocean and sky...

have truck- will ride!

Irony runs freely of late...
the high point of the irony is that now that we have a vehicle I can mountain bike again. Sure, I was heading out to the Marin Headlands but that was the same is as same does each time...now I can get out to the heart of the trails and really put the hurt on the legs.
So where did I hit the first time? Right out to the origin place of it all (unless you talk to anyone who rides in Centre County and feels like that is The if not One Of the birth places of mountain biking)- Mt Tamalpais. I rode out there for weeks as I house sat for one of the teachers at the school. The climb is fairly ugly- up up up, short break, up up up up up up up up up then down down down down down- the people who laid out the trails didn't think about changing things up much.

To top things off- I got to ride over snow!!! There was ice on standing water! Almost like home minus the overwhelming amount of Penn State everything...
Anyway- this is the GPS from the ride- enjoy- I did- really!
can't wait to get back to Rothrock and take advantage of the fitness these climbs are going to yeild.
the truck is great
3 days of school left
Gretta is still working
Pepper is the best sleeper in the world
and I'm beat after the ride
happy holidays...

So, I talk about the school here in SF yet offer no real description of what the hell I'm talkin' about so here it is. The school is the building with the blue recycle bins and the red brick patio and the rest is the view...

if you know what you are looking for you can see Coit Tower on Telegraph Hill and the Bay with Alcatraz out there...

This is the first time I have used my new Canon G11 and the panorama feature...not bad for a hopped up point and shoot camera...not too shabby...besides- why would I try to write about this place when I do a much better job with my medium of choice...(photographs)

Just so you know- it is winter out here! I don't think it is going to get over 55 today...time for the down jacket

Drum roll please.....

OK, so Gretta is gonna let me write for a change....thanks lady! So we spent way too long out in the East Bay looking at used (and often whupped to within an inch of death) cars. Being more of a redneck son of a jet engine mechanic I couldn't help but fish around to find all the things wrong with cars in our modest budgetary constraints.

just purchased....Gretta is way too excited and I am executing one hell of a "gas face"...feel the love? Mmmmm

"I'm tired but still "Pepper!"...is this our new truck? We couldn't afford something bigger? A rear window? Slackers....i'm pepper...what ever..."

So- being out in the west (I have a feeling that the truck may have been from the desert states)...there is NO RUST on this tired old thing!!!!
Assuming this truck makes it to where ever we end up (central PA? Hmmm) I have a feeling it will be worth putting cash into...God I hope it makes it out of here!

OK...sooooo
We are burning fossil fuels again and must now return from the lofty heights of our high horse...
The truck sounds like crap and needs a new muffler...
Gretta is giddy with our new purchase...
I may get out to photograph the landscape much more often...
and if I clean the apartment and fix dinner Gretta may let me write on the blog more often...
later suckas!!!!
e

Sometimes visitors make this place feel a bit more like home

So, it may have been awhile...but on our behalf, much has been going down this side of the Rockies (would have said Mississippi...but my folks in AR would have to say the same).

But speaking of Arkansans... three of our favorites--Mom (Ann), Kevin, and Shannon--were just here for my birthday! (Dad's not big on cities. If St. Louis gets to him, we couldn't imagine what SF would do!) It was their first time in California, and thus, SF. And, I must say, showing them around proved to us that this place isn't so ugly...Well, I guess we never said it was ugly, but it's hard to see past most people to find the beauty here. Regardless, showing Mom, Kevin and Shannon around revealed to us that over the past year and half we have found some pretty sweet spots that we truly enjoy.

We took them to Chinatown of course. But, no one was game for our Pho experience! We went instead for some awesome food in Little Italy where we chowed on pasta, ravioli and lasagna. Mmmmmmmm.... We took them to see all the cool views that we've found around town, dragged them through the forests of Marin County where we escape to pretty often, out to the coast at night to see the huge winter waves. We even picked up some super yum food from a taqueria in the Mission. Kevin was schooled in what a hipster is... I think he can solidly say now that "now, this is truly a hipster..." or "that kid wants to be a hipster but looks too ____ (insert boyish or girlish here--since we all know that real hipsters defy gender)." Everyone got their "shopping on" as E would say. We were all overwhelmed by the crazy downtown mall, but Shannon found some deals at Old Navy, Kevin found some at Performance Bike, and Mom found hers in Chinatown.

Then, Sunday night, we chilled here at the house and E and I celebrated our first Thanksgiving together--so very lucky to have family with us to have turkey (E rocked his first bird...YUM), white sweet potatoes (yeah, we don't know what the hell is going on with Cali veggies most of the time--when cooked, apparently white sweet potatoes turn green...really?!?!), and corn muffins (ahhhh yes, predictable). All followed by the longest UNO game I think that any of us have EVER played... Marathon no doubt.

By Monday, we were all exhausted, and E and I were thrilled to have seen three amazing people and so thankful that they came all the way out here to see us. Spending time with the folks was an amazing refresher...

So much so that we found the courage to go ahead and make the big purchase... We bought a truck! And all 267,000+ miles are happily ours! It's a sweet truck that hasn't taken much adjusting to fit into our lives (in fact, we took advantage of it today and got out of dodge for a quick hike...yeah, we can do that now...crazy). And now, we're just one step closer to the next chapter in our lives...perhaps central Pa again?!?

Our hike in Marin:

Pep kept Shannon company the whole day... never letting Shannon forget that she was there: "hey shannon... I'm Pepper!"

All fresh at the beginning...

Gotta try out that new camera... works best in awkward positions!

Pretty nice sunlight coming through this day... Must be the low winter sun

at the base of Cataract Falls... Yay! There was water!

Snack anyone?

Photography lessons anyone?

Caspar David Friedrich anyone?

There seems to always be something new everytime we go here. These mushrooms were lovely.

Walking the ridge...lean....

(this is E's image... wanted some color for minute...I was happy to share)

e again...

and of course...again...

I made this one for Mom... Here you go, Mom!

The ocean isn't half bad some days...

And E braved the winds here to check out the sunset...

Shannon and I stuck around the car... brrrrrrrr.....