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It took some doing and some dying, but I finally got ye flask! Woot!

steve :: Apr.25.2006 :: Uncategorized :: 12 Comments »

I bought Yakima mounts and a bike rack for my car tonight. I decided to stick with the factory rack rather than putting towers and new crossbars on. This was cheaper and looks cleaner as well.

The only downside is that all of the bike racks that the factory rack is compatible with are two wheel racks rather than fork mount. This means that although i don’t have to take the front wheel off the bike when I mount it, the handle bars are way up high when the bike is attached. It seems pretty secure with a bike up there, though, just tall.

The other potential problem is that my bike has a huge frame and the front wheel is actually a long damn ways from the down tube. This means that when the bike is locked in place only a tiny bit of the front wheel is within the arm that goes around the down tube. The frame formed by this arm is supposed to also keep the front wheel from turning.

I think it’ll be OK, and that’s what I get for buying a massive bicycle (25″ frame) rather than something a little more reasonable. Later this year I hope to get my hands on a road bike, and I hope that it fits the rack just fine.

I’m still sort of entertaining the idea that when winter comes I’ll manage to get a couple people who want to go skiing/snowboarding to take a week or so and head to Colorado with me, and I can get a ski mount for the rack and use that.

I’m a dork.

steve :: Apr.18.2006 :: Uncategorized :: 4 Comments »

I just bought an easel off of ebay. Now I need trays, a safelight, and something to seal the doors of the bathroom. And a timer.

steve :: Apr.18.2006 :: Little Things :: 4 Comments »

I’m going to start with qualifying that yes, I know this is not really about Kansas City, but it’s close I don’t really want to create a “Johnson County and Surrounding Areas” category. You’ll just have to deal with it.

Tonight I took a suggestion from Courtney and drove down Metcalf until I couldn’t stand it any more. I think I got to like 330th street or something like that before I gave up and took Highway 69 back to Overland Park. It was kind of weird for me, because in a lot of ways it was like driving down a state highway or county road in Iowa, except that there was always something there. Houses or businesses or whatever.

I like that the Kansas City street numbering just keeps going, even that far south. I wonder when it stops. I have a feeling that my drive would be quite a bit longer if I really wanted to find out.

Speaking of Courtney, I haven’t really thanked her for what she did for me last weekend. I’m not sure I really know how to properly thank her, actually. What she did was huge. Almost a thousand miles on the road in two days just to help me out.

Courtney, let me take you out to dinner or something. I just don’t feel that paying for your gas was enough.

steve :: Apr.11.2006 :: Kansas City :: 30 Comments »

Minneapolis was fun, if fast. Less than 24 hours up there. I bought the Subaru Outback, and it is quite pretty. Also seems to have no trouble hauling six people around. Of course Ben, Sam, and Jory are all pretty small.

It is a lot smoother on the highway than the Taurus. It is quieter, has better cruise control, a better stereo, and is more comfortable as well. The high beams are also super mega bright.

In three years it will be paid for, too. I’ll feel better, then. I’m still not that good at debt.

steve :: Apr.10.2006 :: Uncategorized :: 8 Comments »

Leaving early tomorrow to get a car and see Ben and hopefully Jory. And Sam I guess. Courtney is being extra super awesome and going there with me, in her car, so that I can do this. I have a very large check in my bag right now and I’m getting another large check tomorrow morning in Ames, and then it is off to Bloomington. Go Bloomington.

steve :: Apr.07.2006 :: Uncategorized :: 16 Comments »

I hope Sufjan Stevens does an album about Iowa before he gives up on the whole states project.

steve :: Apr.05.2006 :: Little Things :: 6 Comments »

The Taurus is on its last legs so I’m getting a new car. New to me anyways. I found a 2000 Subaru Outback on cars.com last Saturday. It is at a Saturn dealer in Minneapolis, and Ben did me a huge favor and checked it out for me. I’m a little sad that he got to drive the car before I could but that’s OK.

I applied for a loan with the company credit union yesterday, and it was approved today. I’m doing payroll deduction so my car payments will come directly out of my paycheck before I even see it. I like that idea because then I can just pretend I get paid less, and I also won’t have to worry about late or missed payments. As long as I keep my job, anyways. Heh.

Details:
2000 Subaru Outback
Light Green
Approx. 91,000 miles
Power everything
Heated seats (omg?)
4 wheel DISC BRAKES
Antilock brakes
All wheel drive (duh)
Air conditioning (rumor is it even works, unlike my Taurus)

I’m sure there is more.

The trick is going to be getting to MPLS. I have a couple options which I am going to explore tomorrow and Thursday. I want to be at the dealership at a decent time on Saturday so I can give the car a good look over in person before I close the deal. There probably won’t be anything big that would make me back out but I will check the car over anyways. In all likelihood I’ll be rolling home on Sunday in a car that is just a little bit nicer than the one I’ve been rolling around in for five years (is it five? I think it’s five).

steve :: Apr.04.2006 :: Uncategorized :: 4 Comments »