[Toshi]

I went on a ride tonight after getting out from short call. This is a pretty common thing I like to do to unwind. What was uncommon were the things that I saw and experienced on this loop of the North Shore:

- the harvest moon was out, hanging low above the trees
- there was some sort of parade of parishioners carrying candles marching down Post Ave in Westbury near the cemetery, complete with police blockading the road at each end
- police presence was high on the backroads, too, probably anticipating joyriding traffic
- finally, there were drainage issues…

Drainage issues, you say? Let me explain a bit: I spent the last few years living in Seattle. Yes, it rains in Seattle. However, the Washington state powers-that-be felt it wise to invest in functional storm drainage when they built their roads. Thus encountering a flooded road even after a major storm is a rarity out West.

Contrast that to here on Long Island, where it hasn't rained for a solid 36 hours if not more yet there's still standing water! What's more, some of this standing water is dangerously high. I inadvertently rode through a puddle of water probably 8-10 inches deep and 50 feet long on Post Ave heading south towards Rt 25.

How do I know it was that deep? Well, it was up to my ankles when on the pegs, and my Versys isn't a short bike, and the plume of water off of the front wheel extended all the way up the windscreen, past my faceshield, and showered even the top of my helmet! In retrospect plowing through this "puddle" wasn't the safest thing I've done, but I had no idea that it was coming up as it followed a dry section and had no signage whatsoever. Oh well, lesson learned.

Moral of the story: New York roads are sketchy. (I have rants saved up about the lack of reflective [Stimsonite] and raised non-reflective [Botts' Dots] lane markers and the poor design of merges and exits, too…)

 

[Toshi]

Some updates after having the beast for a few more months:

- Wee-Strom handguards work pretty well
- Mirrors are perpetually loose, but I found out that I haven't been tightening the correct nut! (The one to tighten is inside the base of the mirror, not the external one that mounts the thing)
- Standover height hasn't been an issue, although backing the bike up has been here and then
- Headlight works much better after reaiming but I still use the high beam whenever possible
- Having the Givi windscreen in the high position is a mixed blessing: less wind blast, yes, but unchanged noise and much more visor and glasses fogging due to the air redirected from the face to the top of the helmet

Thus I will be lowering the windscreen and tightening the correct nut tomorrow prior to going riding.



Now I leave you with a few iPhone-cam snapshots of washing the bike. Before:

Why so dirty? Remember that I ride in the rain, and also that I'd been on some ill-advised offroading

Scrubby scrubby:

All clean-like:

Incidentally, I do wish that my iPhone's camera had autofocus! All of these backfocused shots make me cringe a bit. (The iPhone 3GS does have autofocus but not my 3G or Jessica's OG model.)

 

[Toshi]

Guess which day I posted my Japan photos?

 

[Toshi]

I finally "flew" the plane this afternoon. In reality I just kind of swum it around the sky, 10% in control, 50% left to chance, and 40% due to the strength of the wind. Weather Underground claims it was only 7 mph today but it sure felt like more on the skin and in how much the plane was blown around. During gusts I couldn't even turn into the wind, and on my final, longest attempt the plane ended up sailing a solid 500+ feet downwind towards a somewhat concerned-looking dogwalker.

On the upside, nothing went horribly wrong mechanics-wise, just a slightly cracked cowl cover, a few tiny "bites" from a wingtip, and dirt here and there. The landing gear did prove to be quite useless on the not-quite-smooth grass field that I picked.

Next time I'll wait for 0 wind on the forecast, will switch off the "anti-crash technology" bit that makes it harder to set the plane down intentionally when it is flying away, and will dial in more control surface movement so that the controls will have a bit more of a fighting chance against what breeze might exist.

 

[Toshi]

50 fun, largely deserted miles logged starting at 11 PM last night:

On a related note I'm psyched to state that no one has stolen my motorcycle cover over nearly a week. This is surely a new record, and is probably aided by the cable lock that's semi-securing it in place. It's a futile effort ultimately as the thing is basically Mylar and is easily cut, but hopefully it will deter lazy, opportunistic thieves.

Current lock count on bike:

- disc lock on front disc
- 15 mm shackle thickness hardened steel chain with 16 mm shackle thickness lock
- cover secured by bungee cord as well as a cheapie cable lock

 

[DaveW]

Dude seriously..... Is that the norm???????????

Until I moved in Jan I parked my bike on the side of the road for 2 years unlocked with a rain cover over it (and stupidly occasionally with the keys still in it every now and then) with no probs.
I now have an internal access garage so I don't have to leave the bike getting coated in salt spray otherwise I'd still be doing the same.

 

[Toshi]

NYC is the big urban jungle, as I sadly found out with my stolen MP3. I see lots of disc locks out on the street. The huge-ass chain is a bit of overkill on my part but it comes with an anti-theft guarantee (for a year) that would at least pay my insurance deductible were the Versys to be snatched as well.

 

[Toshi]

Anatomy of a highside:

http://www.triumph675.net/forum/showthread.php?p=533235

 

[Toshi]

Below are two abstracts that I penned and have submitted for consideration for the 2010 RSNA meeting. RSNA is the big show, so I really hope I get something accepted. (I'm one of the minor authors on another project so have at least three shots at this for this year...)

Abstract 1/2: Achieving ALARA: A retrospective analysis of CT dose index, cumulative dose, and patient demographics used to design a decision-support system for use by clinicians and radiologists

Abstract 2/2: Applications of Apple Computer's iPad and other tablet computing devices in diagnostic radiology

I'm particularly proud of the opening lines in the iPad abstract :

Gene Roddenberry likely did not have reading rooms in mind when he created Star Trek. Nevertheless, his vision of wireless tablet-like devices displaying detailed anatomical/functional data of injured Federation crewmembers may greatly affect the future practice of radiology. We hypothesize that ongoing technological advances such as Apple Computer's iPad may even yield applications in diagnosis of and preliminary report generation on acute disease processes.

 

[Toshi]

Too many things to do on free days. I know, life is tough. In other news, I've been married for a whole year now as of today and things remain good. Go figure.

 

[Toshi]

A look at some pre-publication data on my hospital's stat head CT turnaround times. Times are from clinicians ordering the study to the radiologist (resident or attending) reporting the results to the ordering physician. April 2009 marked a revamping of stat study handling protocols. The drop in times after that point is quite visually impressive, and the difference is statistically significant (p < 0.025). The yellow line is at 45 minutes, our goal.

 

[Toshi]

I went a whole week without riding! I had to remedy this so I topped off today, an excellent day in all regards, with an equally excellent 35 mile loop just now. I could have chosen the route a bit better but overall it wasn't bad, I didn't hurt myself, and didn't get in any trouble.

 

[Toshi]

This makes me really want an ABS-equipped bike next time:

http://www.ibmwr.org/prodreview/abstests.html

The results from our non-ABS stops were shocking. Three riders rode through all 350 feet of water-soaked pavement before stopping on a dry portion of road at the other end. Even Racer and RRider, the daredevils who skidded over the sewer cover during the dry pavement tests, got off the brakes long before crossing the wet sewer cover.

The improvements in stopping distances when riders counted on ABS were almost unbelievable group averaged 120-foot shorter stops! Not one of our riders on a non-ABS motorcycle could outstop an ABS machine. None were even close! Riders that had never been on an ABS motorcycle were amazed at the amount of traction available for braking before the ABS needed to take over.

 

[Westy]

I went a whole week without riding! I had to remedy this so I topped off today, an excellent day in all regards, with an equally excellent 35 mile loop just now. I could have chosen the route a bit better but overall it wasn't bad, I didn't hurt myself, and didn't get in any trouble.

My goal this year is to put more miles in on the road than you. I'll be pedaling. Meaningless yes, but I need motivation from wherever I can get it. Have about 700 so far.

 

[DaveW]

This makes me really want an ABS-equipped bike next time:

http://www.ibmwr.org/prodreview/abstests.html

Yeah the ABS is one of the reasons I really like the BMW's.

 

[Toshi]

My goal this year is to put more miles in on the road than you. I'll be pedaling. Meaningless yes, but I need motivation from wherever I can get it. Have about 700 so far.

Nice! Sadly I must report that I have about… uh, 5 pedal-bike miles this year. Or maybe that was last year already? Once our anticipated move from a 1-bedroom to a 2-bedroom apartment comes through then I hope to pick up a xc bike and log some pedaling hours on the weekends.

 

[Toshi]

The inevitable day has come (this from a DC Segway tour--I didn't go and buy a $5000 toy, don't worry):

The rest of the pics from DC can be found here, including some of my relatives and a smattering from the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum: http://toshiclark.com/images/trips/DC - april 2010/

 

[Toshi]

I ended up logging 232 miles today, heading out to Montauk, getting stymied by an accident or other such calamity there (fire trucks and helicopters galore!), meeting up with scooter club people in East Hampton then heading back via Riverhead and the North Shore… then going on a separate 45 minute ride with Jessica once I got back!

Pics from today:

Thanks for letting me try this little scooter out! It was quite fun, actually.

Silvio hard at work.

The scene.

The waterproof iPhone mount.

 

[Toshi]

Awesome.

 

[Toshi]

Route: http://tinyurl.com/lighthouseroute . 162.5 miles.

Gallery: http://toshiclark.com/images/daily/4 lighthouses, 1 day - may 8, 2010/

Bike + lighthouses or lighthouse proxies :

 

[Toshi]

21 McLaren F1s in one place. Astounding. I'll probably be pretty well off later in life but will never make enough money to justify getting a car like an F1, let alone one a tenth of its price&#8230;

http://www.carsuk.net/mclaren-f1-you-wait-ages-for-one-and-then-21-turn-up/

 

[Toshi]

I just had to discard basically all of my Japan video footage as it all had lots of periodic jitter artifact from the non-panning IS in my 24-105/4L IS. Agh.

 

[DaveW]

Bugger.
How many hours worth was that?

 

[Toshi]

It wasn't a tremendous amount, maybe 10 minutes' worth. I need to remember to turn IS off before doing panning shots&#8230;

 

[stevew]

transformer apartment you might be interested in....

 

[Djmp3]

how did this thread turn into cars, mopeds, and motorcycles? Seriously, it starts out as jumps, etc., no we are looking at a tiny apartment.

go ride

 

[Toshi]

I started this thread many years ago. Interests change. Go sit and spin on your thumb, bucko

 

[Toshi]

I am posting this from an iPad! Not mine, of course: I'm at the three story Apple Store in Boston and am playing on one of their demo units. I'm here for several reasons: the iPad is cool, of course; this Apple Store is literally across the street from the convention center; and my 15-month old iPhone 3G has horrible battery life, no doubt from being used a ton.

How bad? Try 85% depletion in just over two hours of 3G web surfing with e brightness at half and no significant Bluetooth or gps usage. Not all is lost, however, as the phone is still under extended warranty via AppleCare until December. Should Apple agree that my battery is performing at under half of expected performance then I'll be covered, gratis.

 

[jonKranked]

21 McLaren F1s in one place. Astounding. I'll probably be pretty well off later in life but will never make enough money to justify getting a car like an F1, let alone one a tenth of its price&#8230;

http://www.carsuk.net/mclaren-f1-you-wait-ages-for-one-and-then-21-turn-up/

One of my cousin's housed/garaged a McClaren for some guy for the summer last year.

 

[Toshi]

Attention: bike related content!

Dropping to flat on the Bixi bike-share bike in Montreal:

Rented tandem up in Acadia NP:

…and an arms-length action shot on the same:

Non-bike images in the next post.

 

[Toshi]

Jessica and I just got back from 10 days on the road: Montreal (visiting her extended family); Boston (conference for me); Acadia NP (because it's there and is awesome). Buncha pics up on my site of which I'll post a smattering:

http://toshiclark.com/

I climbed this. It was awesome.

Jessica achieving inner piece on the shore.

 

[Toshi]

Hello readers of this long-lived thread,

I'd like to invite the collective you (noting that many readers of this thread are nowhere near LI) to the Northwinds Symphonic Band concert on June 13. Both I and and my wife, Jessica, will be playing in it, on trumpet and clarinet, respectively. It's a free concert and will be at an interesting site in its own right, the Sagamore Hill National Historic Site in Oyster Bay.

Concert details:

Northwinds Symphonic Band -- http://northwindssymphonicband.org/
June 13, 2010 at 3 PM
FREE
Sagamore Hill National Historic Site -- directions here: http://www.nps.gov/sahi/planyourvisit/directions.htm

The concert program is themed "Broad Stripes and Bright Stars." Details are at the Northwinds site: http://northwindssymphonicband.org/

-Toshi

 

[Toshi]

I forgot to include this in the Montreal gallery: we were able to drive our car on the Montreal Formula 1 track, the same that will be used in a week or two for the Canadian Grand Prix! Here I try to stick to the proper line through the chicane in our Fit&#8230;

 

[Toshi]

I want high-viz riding pants. Icon makes high-viz waterproof riding bibs, a good start, but ideally I want high-viz mesh or plain textile for the summer as well. Any suggestions besides getting an Aerostitch onesy made up?

Icon PDX (! good name! heh) waterproof riding bibs:

Aerostitch Roadcrafter:

 

[Toshi]

It turns out that Olympia makes a cheaper alternative to the Aerostitch Roadcrafter suit that also comes in high-viz!

Olympia Phantom: http://www.webbikeworld.com/r3/olympia-moto-sports/phantom/

$450 compared to $850 for the Aerostich (apparently has no second 't'). Also made in China vs. in the USA for the 'stich, but that's a lot of money.

 

[Toshi]

Concept scooter protection:

 

[DaveW]

The folded up shot looks pretty ugly/awkward.
I just don't see it being a big seller somehow?

 

[Toshi]

Today's route, 219 miles from my door:

(Sorry about all the aliasing from my photo resizer/gallery software)

 

[Toshi]

In fixing my toshiclark.com gallery export template after restoring my computer and restarting anew with a fresh user account I discovered that there actually is an antialiasing-when-resizing option in my gallery export software&#8230; that I had left unchecked. Thus all the jaggies over these years.

Whoops. Fixed now going forward.

 

[Toshi]

On Sat 6/12 I hope to either:

A) participate in the Porsche Club o' Am's autocross school... in our Fit. On all-seasons and a stock alignment

or

B) Ride this loop, similar to one I did last year on the MP3:

Google Maps link: http://tinyurl.com/ConnecticutLoop

Probably would end up ~200 miles or so. 184 as strictly following the map as it is. The gap between Bridgeport, CT and Port Jefferson, NY is bridged by a car ferry.