Bootleggin'

Whew, it has been a long hiatus!  The summer has been a good one, with some weddings, bed building, and visiting Maine.

The newest foray: beer brewing!  Some of my co-workers have tried their hand at home-brewing and wanted to share the experience.  The other day a handful of us stayed late and boiled up malt, hops, and water out in the shop.  Turns out a turkey fryer kit works really well for getting lots of heat into the mixture.  In the end we were left with 5 gallons of beer which is currently fermenting down in the company kitchen.  The yeast took off really well and we foaming away yesterday morning (see below), exhaling carbon dioxide and urinating alcohol.  In a couple of weeks, we will be drinking a (hopefully!) delicious ESB.

Autocross and Grand Prix

Whew, long delay between posts! Hard to believe the last one was in April. Since then I have made it to the Montreal Grand Prix and couple autocross events. Even with a six-week break between events, my last autocross was far and away my most successful. The car is feeling very well-sorted, and I am getting comfortable with the amount of grip the new tires provide. Here is my best run: 

Well, according to the results my second-best run.  Somehow I was recorded as laying down a 1:18 run, but have no recollection of going that fast.  There is another event this weekend, hopefully karma doesn't come around and punish me for that un-earned time.

Car Porn

I finally got my car washed, clay-bar'd (okay, stretching the verb usage there), and waxed last week. Two days later, the prediction was for massive rain storms. Awesome. The Miata hasn't had a glamor shoot since just after I bought it in 2009 (sidebar: holy cow, can't believe it has been THREE years).

Sunday evening was perfect for taking some shots: good even light, nice temperature, and no crazy winds or rain.

Side View, looking out over Salem Harbor:

Back three-quarters view:

Front view, high angle:

Front view, low angle (I love the way the paint looks here!):

Seat Surgery

As the un-winter of 2012 draws on, I have begun the late stages of Miata Withdrawal, characterized by obsessive research on suspension setups, pretending one's automatic daily driver has a manual, and mild tremors. I was able to visit the car this weekend, with the plan of starting it up for a bit and charging the battery. The original plan was to bring it home, but the surprise snowstorm changed that (at least it happened BEFORE I took it out). I didn't even start it though, because it turns out I need a key to do that. I remembered the battery (stored inside to prevent it going flat), but forgot to bring a key.

I was able to accomplish one project: a seat "foamectomy" recommended by several folks on Miata.net.

Step 1: Prep
Remove the seat from the car (see link above), then grab a serrated knife, a pair of dikes, pliers, and zip ties (or hog rings, if you want to hate life)


Step 2: Remove lower hog rings
Flip the seat over and recline it forward. Fold back the seat cover, exposing the three hog rings holding the center panel in place (circled). You can pry the hog rings apart, or just cut and replace them later.


Step 3: Remove center panel hog rings
Flip the seat back over, then pull the center panel up, exposing the six hog rings holding the cover on the padding. Pry/cut them off and pull out the foam.


Step 4: Cut foam
Grab your trusty serrated knife and section the foam along its thickness. Below is what worked for me, you can shape it as you like. Some folks have removed the foam completely, I found that to be a bit too extreme. What I did helps with lumbar support, while still placing the driver deeper in the seat.


Step 5: Reinstall foam
Put the foam back into the cover. You can use hog rings, I prefer zip ties because they are easier to use and remove later (if necessary).


Step 6: Trim Zip Ties
Cinch them down tight and trim off the excess. Fold the center section down and reinstall the three rings/ties that secure the cover in place.


Step 7: Enjoy your "new" seat!
The final product is indiscernible from stock until you sit in it. With the caveat that I haven't taken a multi-hour trip in it yet, comfort is comparable to stock. The bolsters actually feel like they are holding me in the seat now.


Step 8: Partake of an adult beverage (OPTIONAL)
Beer of the moment is Smuttynose Brewing Old Brown Dog Ale. So tasty!

Riding Technique

On the subject of off-road riding, here are some videos a co-worker sent me detailing some of the skills needed. If you get past the dated styles (which for me really makes it better), the instruction is pretty good. I wish they had some sort of multi-cam approach where we can see what the rider is doing with the clutch, brakes, and throttle, but I guess the GoPro wasn't quite developed yet in 1986. On the upside, check out that first presenter's mullet. I'd give it at least an 8.5.

Part 1 (basics):


Part 2 (wheelies, powerslides, jumps, hill climbing):


Part 3 (hill climbing continued,hill descent):



Lessons learned:
1. Dirt bikes, while trickier to learn to ride, are way more maneuverable and far less likely to land on your head in an accident

2. Three-wheelers WILL kill you

3. Big Wheels are awesome

4. 80s hair might be poised to make a big comeback

I'll leave you with this, my homage to a lost era:


Yes, that's me, and yes, that picture was taken in 2012.

Four wheels good, two wheels better!

My apologies to Mr. Orwell for the blog title.

In mid-December, the toy collection grew by one to include a KTM 250 dirt bike. A couple guys at work have bikes, and after getting a tutorial from another friend (thanks Shane!), it was an easy step to get into one. I found a great deal that included safety gear and a bike with a freshly rebuilt motor. The only issues were leaking front fork seals and a gummed-up carburetor. Those were easy fixes over a couple evenings.

With the holidays and intermittent cold weather, I hadn't been able to ride the thing more than in the parking lot at work. Thanks to the crazy warm winter weather and a co-worker with a trailer (thanks, Billy!) I was able to take the bike out for about an hour at lunch. It was a great learning experience, and I finally started to feel comfortable toward the end. The 250cc two-stroke engine is pretty powerful, especially having no prior motorcycle experience. I kept it in the low revs in first, and occasionally second gear. Two-strokes aren't known for low-end torque, but this one has been tuned to be pretty docile. It refused to stall a couple times I was sure it would, so it makes a good beginners bike.

Final lap around the little track area near work:


Trail riding through the woods around the track area:

It's not THAT light

Thanks to some fancy camera work on behalf of my buddy Brent, it appears that Skip is single-handedly levitating the Miata. Turns out he is being conveniently assisted by a jackstand.

Brent and his wife Marta, and Skip and his girlfriend Ekin all came to visit this past weekend to experience the insanity that is Salem. Six people in our tiny apartment worked better than expected! Plus, we got to see the creepiest advertising sign ever (excluding those actually trying to be creepy):



All photo credit to Dr. Brent