Good morning everyone. I thought I'd follow up last week's post with more news on my own personal riding scene. As of last week I'd only been on the bike long enough to get it home, but was hopeful for more riding later in the week. As it turned out Wednesday was a beautiful day, perfect for riding, so I took my bike into work. It was a bit cool in the morning, but it's a short ride so I was still comfortable. The ride home was perfect, and I would have stayed out longer except that I was working an earlier shift, and by the time I got home it was getting very close to 5:00 and I knew that traffic would start to get ugly.
It was actually a lot of fun just having the motorcycle at work. There are a lot of riders at work and they were quick to welcome me to the world of riding with some helpful advice. I got a lot of great tips for doing some of my own maintenance on the bike, which is great, and some clarification on some of the things the dealership told me.
Unfortunately the weather promptly turned foul again on Thursday, and held for the remainder of the week. Things are starting to look up again today though! It's a bit cool out there, so I'm debating whether I want to get out there, or just be patient and wait for tomorrow, which should be ideal. The forecast is for calling for this week to just get warmer and warmer, peaking at a staggering 25 degrees by Friday. I would also like to mention that Friday is a holiday, and Saturday is supposed to have gorgeous weather too. So if anyone is wondering where I'll be this weekend, I'm likely to be largely unreachable. Finally!
The motorcycle is still in it's "break-in period" right now. The first 1000 km are meant to just get the bike running normally. Apparently the ideal way to do this is to keep the RPMs in constant fluctuation. This is pretty easy in the city where you can just keep accelerating through the gears until you hit the next traffic light and stop again. If I get out onto longer, more open roads this weekend I'll have to be a little more conscious of varying the RPM, which is going to mean accelerating and decelerating constantly... in other words, driving like a dick. I'll have to try to keep to quiet, out-of-the-way roads while I'm doing that. Fortunately 1000 km should go by pretty quickly. After that I'll take the bike in for a bit of post-break-in maintenance and then I can begin riding normally. Who knows, if I get a really good weekend maybe I can get the bulk of that 1000 km behind me. Wish me luck everyone.
Tuesday 30 March 2010
Tuesday 23 March 2010
Travelling In Style
Well ladies and gents, I mentioned that last week that with any luck I'd be getting my motorcycle out of storage on the weekend, and I'm happy to say that it all worked out! It was starting to look at little grim as the week wore on, with the forecast shifting between the warm, sunny days I was seeing on the long-range forecast, to rainy days, to snow, and finally settling on a cold, sunny day. As I left for the shop Saturday morning there were a few flakes of snow in the air, which was worrying. However, the weather held, and I was able to get my bike. Here are some pictures, still in the parking lot at Markham Outdoor Power.
You can tell by the lighting in those shots that it was a pretty grey day. The jacket I'm wearing in the photo above is my Icon riding jacket. It's a synthetic material reinforced with armour at the elbows, forearms, and back. When I was riding I also wore my helmet (of course), and some riding gloves that I had from when I took my course. I rounded the package out with some new Alpinestars riding pants, which are a synthetic similar to the jacket, with armour at the knees, and some Puma riding boots, which are pretty cool. The boots actually have a steel plate running through the sole to keep your foot from twisting in the event of an accident.
My roommate Paul gave me a lift to the shop, and was kind enough to wait around. While I got familiarized with the bike, and did a few practice laps around the parking lot to get the kinks out. He then followed me home, keeping a blocking position behind me, and changing lanes before I did to ensure that I always had someone covering my back. It was nice to have the extra layer of security for my first ride in a real-life traffic.
The only real incident to report on my way home is that my hands FROZE! The riding gloves may look heavy, but this is largely a summer sport, and the gloves are made to be as cool and ventilated as possible. Great in the summer, not so hot in late March.
Unfortunately it never did get any warmer this weekend, and so my bike has remained in the garage since I got it home. The precipitation held off the whole weekend, so the temptation was there to ride on several occasions, but I refrained from doing so. Aside from the problems with keeping my hands warm there's the more concerning issue of tire grip at low temperatures. As I previously mentioned, this is a warm-weather sport, and they don't bother with all-season tires on motorcycles. Those tires really aren't designed to have their maximum grip in single-digit temperatures. Given that glaring safety issue I'm keeping the bike under wraps until I get more ideal riding conditions. It's been rainy the past few days, but it supposed to go sunny and warm for the rest of the week, so with luck I'll be out there again tomorrow or Thursday.
In news completely unrelated to the motorcycle, but pertaining to last week's post, I was able to get the same model of netbook that I was after without going through Tiger Direct. I actually picked it up at a small local store for about $50 less than was I paid at Tiger Direct. Win! I've been running it for the past week and so far I'm quite happy with it. I'm currently going through the recommended process of running it on battery power until it's very low, charing it fully, and repeating the process. Apparently it takes a few full charges for the battery to reach maximum capacity. The real test will come at the end of April when we head down to Fontana and I get to take my netbook on the road. That's what it's really for in the end.
Well everyone, that's all for now. Have a good week, and I'll talk to you next Tuesday.
Tuesday 16 March 2010
Equipment Frustrations
I should have posted weeks ago about the addition of my latest piece of travel gear, but I still don't have it. With my laptop consistently failing, and having an appalling battery life, I decided to pick up a Netbook before we headed down to Fontana. I saw a really good deal on an Asus Eee PC (specifically the 1005HA-PU1X) which my research has shown to be leading the charge at that price-point. I was hoping that I'd be able to post pictures of the little guy by now, but when the computer arrived it had a damaged screen. I sent it back to be replaced a few weeks ago and haven't heard anything since. It wasn't till I was doing some banking online last night that I noticed a credit on my Visa for the full amount that I'd paid. Apparently they just refunded me my money and didn't say anything. This whole time I've been waiting for my new computer in the mail, and it was never coming. Tiger Direct has some of the best prices around, but their customer service makes them just not worth dealing with.
So here I am, I have no portable computer capable of running in excess of 20 minutes with being charged, and apparently my replacement isn't coming. I'd just order the same computer again, but I don't feel like giving Tiger Direct any more of my money, and I'm not sure where I can get one for that cheap. The big-box stores simply aren't worth discussing, and unfortunately I can't buy directly from the manufacturer in this case. My usual stalwart Canada Computers only has one of them, and it's in Brampton. Also, I've learned not to put THAT much faith in the quantity numbers they display on their website.
If anyone knows a reliable computer dealer in the GTA I'd love to hear about it. I'd still like to get that computer, and I'd rather not have to sell any organs to do so.
My other option with Canada Computers would be to pay about $30 more for the same Netbook, and get the one that comes with Windows 7. I've been hearing good things about Win7, but I'm not sure that the more modern (read "more bulky") version of Windows will be as appropriate for such a small computer. I have a lot of faith in Windows XP in that regard, and would prefer the computer bundled with it. Anyone know someone using Win7 on a Netbook who can testify to its performance?
Well, since I seem to have turned this week's post into a combination of my personal journal and a soapbox for denouncing my enemies, I might as well keep going with the trend and let you all know what else is happening. The next big event in my life will be getting my motorcycle out of storage, and if all goes well I'll be doing that on Saturday. I think I mentioned when I first bought the bike that I'd just have to give the guys at the shop a couple weeks of notice to get my bike prepared for me and I'd be good to go. The difficulty in this is that you never really know if the weather is going to be good for riding in two weeks. Well, about a week ago the long-range forecast was calling for lots of rain this past weekend (which we REALLY got!) followed by lots of sunshine, which seems to be holding true. This sun was scheduled to hold right through to this coming Sunday. That's ideal really, with the rain washing the salt and sand off the road, and the sun drying everything out. Obviously the long-range forecast can change drastically, but it's all I had to work with, so I just went for it and booked an appointment to get my bike. Now I just need this nice weather to hold until Saturday and I'll be all set. I've got the bike insured, the shop is putting the plates on it for me, and I just went in there yesterday to pick up the last remaining pieces of safety gear that I need. A lot still depends on this good weather holding steady for me, but with any luck I'll be posting pictures of my new bike next week. Wish me luck everyone, and I'll talk to you next Tuesday.
So here I am, I have no portable computer capable of running in excess of 20 minutes with being charged, and apparently my replacement isn't coming. I'd just order the same computer again, but I don't feel like giving Tiger Direct any more of my money, and I'm not sure where I can get one for that cheap. The big-box stores simply aren't worth discussing, and unfortunately I can't buy directly from the manufacturer in this case. My usual stalwart Canada Computers only has one of them, and it's in Brampton. Also, I've learned not to put THAT much faith in the quantity numbers they display on their website.
If anyone knows a reliable computer dealer in the GTA I'd love to hear about it. I'd still like to get that computer, and I'd rather not have to sell any organs to do so.
My other option with Canada Computers would be to pay about $30 more for the same Netbook, and get the one that comes with Windows 7. I've been hearing good things about Win7, but I'm not sure that the more modern (read "more bulky") version of Windows will be as appropriate for such a small computer. I have a lot of faith in Windows XP in that regard, and would prefer the computer bundled with it. Anyone know someone using Win7 on a Netbook who can testify to its performance?
Well, since I seem to have turned this week's post into a combination of my personal journal and a soapbox for denouncing my enemies, I might as well keep going with the trend and let you all know what else is happening. The next big event in my life will be getting my motorcycle out of storage, and if all goes well I'll be doing that on Saturday. I think I mentioned when I first bought the bike that I'd just have to give the guys at the shop a couple weeks of notice to get my bike prepared for me and I'd be good to go. The difficulty in this is that you never really know if the weather is going to be good for riding in two weeks. Well, about a week ago the long-range forecast was calling for lots of rain this past weekend (which we REALLY got!) followed by lots of sunshine, which seems to be holding true. This sun was scheduled to hold right through to this coming Sunday. That's ideal really, with the rain washing the salt and sand off the road, and the sun drying everything out. Obviously the long-range forecast can change drastically, but it's all I had to work with, so I just went for it and booked an appointment to get my bike. Now I just need this nice weather to hold until Saturday and I'll be all set. I've got the bike insured, the shop is putting the plates on it for me, and I just went in there yesterday to pick up the last remaining pieces of safety gear that I need. A lot still depends on this good weather holding steady for me, but with any luck I'll be posting pictures of my new bike next week. Wish me luck everyone, and I'll talk to you next Tuesday.
Tuesday 9 March 2010
My New Sword
Alright guys, I'm afraid that this next post has about as much to do with travel as it does with particle physics. I'm hijacking my blog to use more as a journal today because I'm very excited about what I got in the mail last night. I'll start with a little bit of background. This will be old news to some of you, so please bear with me.
One of the martial arts that I study is Iaido, a Japanese sword art that focuses largely on drawing the sword from it's scabbard and cutting your opponent in a single motion. In order to properly train we need something that feels very much like a real sword, and to that end we use Iaito, a sword built specifically for training in Iaido. The swords are generally made from a lighter material (often an Aluminum-Zinc alloy) and left unsharpened for safety purposes. Aside from that they feel very much like the real thing, which makes them ideal for training in something that is a subtle and precise as Iaido.
Well, a little over 2 years ago my Iaito suffered some minor damage. Not enough to make it unusable, but the sword was already getting a bit too light for me, and so I took the damage as an excuse to order a new sword. I ordered one from Japan to be custom-made to my specs, which was an exciting prospect. Unfortunately there's been a great deal of confusion in getting the sword made, resulting in a number of delays. However, after the long wait I've finally got my sword! My friend and Kenjitsu instructor Brahmjot was in Japan recently and was able to make the arrangements to finalize construction of the sword and get it shipped to me.
My sword is noticeably heavier than my old one, which is a good thing in this case. It means that I'll have to go very slowly with it at first as I get used to the added weight. The potential for injury when swinging a heavier sword than you're used to is alarming. Aside from that the balance is perfect, as expected from the master smiths who forged.
The fittings on the sword are all based on a old Samurai General, Naoe Kanetsugu (1560 - 1620) who was famous for his leadership in battles on behalf of the Uesugi daimyo. In Japan they play annual dramas on TV depicting historical events in a highly dramatized fashion. Last year's drama "Tenchijin" focused on Kanetsugu and so having your sword match his is apparently quite popular in Japan right now. His armour is still around today, in a museum somewhere in Japan. I pilfered this photo from Wikipedia:
I'll show some pictures of my sword shortly and you'll be able to see the thematic similarities, particularly regarding the large Kanji symbol that adorns Kanetsugu's helmet. That symbol translates as "Ai" in Japanese, or "Love" in English. You'll see it in a few places on the fittings of my sword.
So, without further ado, I present to you my newest Iaito.
The handle, done in a deep navy blue. I absolutely love it!
The base of the handle (Kashira) featuring the previously-mentioned "Ai" Kanji.
It's traditional to have a decorative piece underneath the handle wrap.
The metal collar that's always found between the handle and the guard.
A shot of the sword's scabbard. The scabbard is a lustrous black, and the cord that you use to tie it to your belt is in gold, which is very striking.
The metal collar that surrounds the blade just above the guard (Habaki) is interestingly patterned on this sword. Also, it's interesting to note that the groove in the blade (Hi) runs right into the Habaki, which is usually only done on live blades. A live blade, or "Shinken" (literally "True Sword") would be made of steel and meant to take an edge. My Sensei actually commented that they've done everything possible to make this look like a Shinken, and that only close inspection of the blade reveals it's true nature. I thought that was pretty awesome.
One last shot of the blade.
Okay, I think that's enough showing off for me for one day. Obviously I'm pretty excited about this. With any luck I'll have calmed down enough by next week to write about something else.
Have an excellent week everyone. See you next Tuesday.
One of the martial arts that I study is Iaido, a Japanese sword art that focuses largely on drawing the sword from it's scabbard and cutting your opponent in a single motion. In order to properly train we need something that feels very much like a real sword, and to that end we use Iaito, a sword built specifically for training in Iaido. The swords are generally made from a lighter material (often an Aluminum-Zinc alloy) and left unsharpened for safety purposes. Aside from that they feel very much like the real thing, which makes them ideal for training in something that is a subtle and precise as Iaido.
Well, a little over 2 years ago my Iaito suffered some minor damage. Not enough to make it unusable, but the sword was already getting a bit too light for me, and so I took the damage as an excuse to order a new sword. I ordered one from Japan to be custom-made to my specs, which was an exciting prospect. Unfortunately there's been a great deal of confusion in getting the sword made, resulting in a number of delays. However, after the long wait I've finally got my sword! My friend and Kenjitsu instructor Brahmjot was in Japan recently and was able to make the arrangements to finalize construction of the sword and get it shipped to me.
My sword is noticeably heavier than my old one, which is a good thing in this case. It means that I'll have to go very slowly with it at first as I get used to the added weight. The potential for injury when swinging a heavier sword than you're used to is alarming. Aside from that the balance is perfect, as expected from the master smiths who forged.
The fittings on the sword are all based on a old Samurai General, Naoe Kanetsugu (1560 - 1620) who was famous for his leadership in battles on behalf of the Uesugi daimyo. In Japan they play annual dramas on TV depicting historical events in a highly dramatized fashion. Last year's drama "Tenchijin" focused on Kanetsugu and so having your sword match his is apparently quite popular in Japan right now. His armour is still around today, in a museum somewhere in Japan. I pilfered this photo from Wikipedia:
I'll show some pictures of my sword shortly and you'll be able to see the thematic similarities, particularly regarding the large Kanji symbol that adorns Kanetsugu's helmet. That symbol translates as "Ai" in Japanese, or "Love" in English. You'll see it in a few places on the fittings of my sword.
So, without further ado, I present to you my newest Iaito.
The handle, done in a deep navy blue. I absolutely love it!
The base of the handle (Kashira) featuring the previously-mentioned "Ai" Kanji.
It's traditional to have a decorative piece underneath the handle wrap.
The metal collar that's always found between the handle and the guard.
A shot of the sword's scabbard. The scabbard is a lustrous black, and the cord that you use to tie it to your belt is in gold, which is very striking.
The metal collar that surrounds the blade just above the guard (Habaki) is interestingly patterned on this sword. Also, it's interesting to note that the groove in the blade (Hi) runs right into the Habaki, which is usually only done on live blades. A live blade, or "Shinken" (literally "True Sword") would be made of steel and meant to take an edge. My Sensei actually commented that they've done everything possible to make this look like a Shinken, and that only close inspection of the blade reveals it's true nature. I thought that was pretty awesome.
One last shot of the blade.
Okay, I think that's enough showing off for me for one day. Obviously I'm pretty excited about this. With any luck I'll have calmed down enough by next week to write about something else.
Have an excellent week everyone. See you next Tuesday.
Tuesday 2 March 2010
A Different View of Roman Architecture
Happy Tuesday everyone! Also, Happy March! I get excited about March because it starts to feel like the home-stretch. I know we can still get cold and snow in April, but it's a little more rare, and I generally consider March to be the last of the truly wintry months.
After a couple of technical blog posts I thought I'd switch up to something a little more lighthearted in nature. Graydyn provided the inspiration for today's post when he linked me to another blog by Bija Knowles, which can be found here:
You can immediately see why he thought I may be interested. An opportunity exists here to visit Italy, view incredible Roman ruins, and get my scuba diving fix all in one shot! Who could ask for more?
Essentially what we've got here is an area to the West of Napoli where old Roman towns once stood on the sea shore. Through volcanic activity that I won't go into detail on those town eventually sunk into the sea. Now a number of the buildings that made up these ancient towns can be found, intact at the bottom of the ocean. What's really great about this is that in a lot of cases the towns didn't sink very far, and can be found in around 10m (33ft) of water. There are certainly some dive sites in the more advanced 100ft realm, but it seems like there would be plenty to see even for a novice diver. Apparently some of these ruins are even shallow enough to be viewed by snorkelers, or from a glass-bottom boat.
The Napoli Diving Center has a page setup describing the sites:
Seems to me like the hardest part of that whole trip would be trying to choose which of those fantastic sites you'd want to dive at. Actually, the hardest part would be staying away from all that fantastic Italian red wine the night before a dive.
In actual fact there may be some downsides to this trip caused largely by the location. I'd been told by a co-worker that Napoli is a rough city with a big crime problem. I brushed this off as fear-mongering and a lack of sense of adventure, but the Wikitravel article on Napoli seems to partially confirm this when they state that "Naples is a gritty and in many parts impoverished city. Do walk around, but be watchful and keep your wits about yourself." I know that doesn't sound bad, but keep in mind that nobody on Wikitravel has ever said anything worse than that, so that may be considered a truly terrifying review.
So, any of you ever been to Naples? I'd really like a second (actually, make that third) opinion on this one. Or am I just going to have to brave it myself and let the rest of you know how it goes? I suppose that's my job as the blogger here.
Have a good week everyone, I'll see you next Tuesday.
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