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  • Two more days to enter the Secret Santa!

    Entries must be in by midnight on November 29th. We're kicking off the 2024 Secret Santa! Exchange gifts with other monkeys - from beer and snacks, to bike gear, to custom machined holiday decorations and tools by our more talented members, there's something for everyone.

    Click here for details and to learn how to participate.

Toshi

butthole powerwashing evangelist
Oct 23, 2001
39,844
8,815
Looks like I could upgrade to 2 gigabit service from my mere 1 gigabit service here in Denver. (Fiber to home, ONT in my basement with my own router interfacing with that.)

But my current speeds are adequate and I don’t want to have to reconfigure my router as I certainly don’t want to use their equipment as a rental. Said router does have a 2.5 Gbps port (Asus RT-AX86U), so at least that’s not the issue…

/firstworldproblem
 

Toshi

butthole powerwashing evangelist
Oct 23, 2001
39,844
8,815
question of the day:

do I get Schwalbe Marathon Winter Plus tires and deal with the clack-clacking on winter non-snow days?

or do I deal with conditions on my Schwalbe Al Grounders, noting that I do have flexibility to wfh or at least come in late most days, Denver does plow their multi-use paths, and I could always suck it up and drive in if it came to that

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(these are the tires you should get, 'squeeb!)




edit: answer of the day: ordered 'em.
 
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Pesqueeb

bicycle in airplane hangar
Feb 2, 2007
41,913
19,248
Riding the baggage carousel.
question of the day:

do I get Schwalbe Marathon Winter Plus tires and deal with the clack-clacking on winter non-snow days?

or do I deal with conditions on my Schwalbe Al Grounders, noting that I do have flexibility to wfh or at least come in late most days, Denver does plow their multi-use paths, and I could always suck it up and drive in if it came to that

View attachment 221465

(these are the tires you should get, 'squeeb!)

No 29" option makes baby Jesus sad. :(
 

Toshi

butthole powerwashing evangelist
Oct 23, 2001
39,844
8,815
this appears to be the best legit price. Carson Cycles has something advertised but not sure exactly which size.

 

Toshi

butthole powerwashing evangelist
Oct 23, 2001
39,844
8,815

500e for 0 down, $19/mo + tax. You sign over the state $7,850 credit as part of this so for CO residents only.
 

Toshi

butthole powerwashing evangelist
Oct 23, 2001
39,844
8,815
I’m committing: getting the snow tires put on the Busy Forks (instead of on the minivan). If an ID.Buzz transaction doesn’t happen by winter break I might end up having to get the minivan a cheap set of snow tires just to hobble through this ski season.
latest ID.Buzz update from my sales dude:

"We will have the first wave of units launching this November. You are still on my list, but my whole inventory on the first shipment is pre-sold. Go ahead and get snow tires, we will reach out as we go through the list when availability comes."

so I will scrounge up a used set of snow tires for ye olde PacHy as it looks like I'll be driving it most if not all of this ski season.
 

Toshi

butthole powerwashing evangelist
Oct 23, 2001
39,844
8,815
Pivot support got back to me and their recommendation is to bring the bike in and start a warranty claim. So I shall do just that… on Friday, after one last ride.

View attachment 220948
Pivot's offerings:

1) get the carbon repaired

2) good discount on a current Shuttle AM in one of two flavors:

Ride SLX/XT for $5,500
Pro X0 Transmission for $7,750


(old, busted bike would return to the mothership at Pivot to likely be crushed into carbon fragments.)
 
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Toshi

butthole powerwashing evangelist
Oct 23, 2001
39,844
8,815
I'm leaning towards the X0 Transmission setup. 750 Wh battery and newfangled no-derailleur hanger standard to last some more years into the future.
 

Toshi

butthole powerwashing evangelist
Oct 23, 2001
39,844
8,815
so I will scrounge up a used set of snow tires for ye olde PacHy as it looks like I'll be driving it most if not all of this ski season.
got some 10 mm too-wide (but proper load rating and will fit) Blizzaks for the PacHy. $300. Auto Socks will live in the back as well for use in a pinch when FWD + Blizzaks aren't sufficient, which hopefully will not be the case at any time this season.
 

6thElement

Schrodinger's Immigrant
Jul 29, 2008
17,300
14,787

Toshi

butthole powerwashing evangelist
Oct 23, 2001
39,844
8,815
got myself a goofy helmet

 

Toshi

butthole powerwashing evangelist
Oct 23, 2001
39,844
8,815
this appears to be the best legit price. Carson Cycles has something advertised but not sure exactly which size.

I think I’ll pop them on this weekend. Bike commuting in tomorrow and Friday but weather looks clear.

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Toshi

butthole powerwashing evangelist
Oct 23, 2001
39,844
8,815
front door is no longer black

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part of house is no longer red, too. going to take 2 or 2.5 days. they started this morning.

new roof passed inspection today, too. will get a date for reinstallation of the PV panels (and replacement of the 4 cracked by hail ones) sometime soonish--few weeks out?
 

Toshi

butthole powerwashing evangelist
Oct 23, 2001
39,844
8,815
I think these will be my next boots once my current buckle K2 Mindbender 120 boots start to get floppy. Especially if K2 moves the front pin mount from their 140 design to this 130 as well for Cast/Shift/Duke compatibility. (I don’t love the idea of dealing with another Boa and a power wrap each time I get them on.)


given the work any boot needs for my feet though I’ll hold off as long as I can!
 

Toshi

butthole powerwashing evangelist
Oct 23, 2001
39,844
8,815
so I was evaluated in hematology clinic this morning given my springtime (and continued) iron deficiency anemia and more recent unprovoked DVT. kinda nice that both actually fall under their umbrella.

anyway, the PA was very nice, was part Japanese just like me--he could have been my cousin, seriously. resulting plan:

- 1g iron IV infusion x i, which should take care of that forever, since I'm apparently not absorbing oral iron supplements that well
- full coagulation disorder panel
- maybe a CT, maybe not

rationale for the CT would be to screen for other possible malignancies (noting I had upper and lower endoscopy back in May due to this self-same anemia--no cancer then, but also no explanation for why I was anemic). he's going to check in with the attending MD he's working with later today.

from my perspective the radiation doesn't bother me. but it's their call of whether it makes clinical sense to go hunting or not.

oh, and I will be on Eliquis indefinitely given that it was unprovoked.
 

SkaredShtles

Michael Bolton
Sep 21, 2003
67,947
14,229
In a van.... down by the river
so I was evaluated in hematology clinic this morning given my springtime (and continued) iron deficiency anemia and more recent unprovoked DVT. kinda nice that both actually fall under their umbrella.

anyway, the PA was very nice, was part Japanese just like me--he could have been my cousin, seriously. resulting plan:

- 1g iron IV infusion x i, which should take care of that forever, since I'm apparently not absorbing oral iron supplements that well
- full coagulation disorder panel
- maybe a CT, maybe not

rationale for the CT would be to screen for other possible malignancies (noting I had upper and lower endoscopy back in May due to this self-same anemia--no cancer then, but also no explanation for why I was anemic). he's going to check in with the attending MD he's working with later today.

from my perspective the radiation doesn't bother me. but it's their call of whether it makes clinical sense to go hunting or not.

oh, and I will be on Eliquis indefinitely given that it was unprovoked.
bunniesweed.jpg
 

Toshi

butthole powerwashing evangelist
Oct 23, 2001
39,844
8,815
I'll have to be on a blood thinner indefinitely, since there's no clear cause otherwise for why I got a blood clot in me olde calfe

going to get a shot of iron (takes 3-4 hours so I guess I'll read a book!) intravenously since pills for that have done nothin'

and getting blood tests to see if there's any genetic reason for ye olde bloode clotte
 

Toshi

butthole powerwashing evangelist
Oct 23, 2001
39,844
8,815
house be all painted now. crew is packing up as the light dwindles. two full days!

I'll snag some pictures in the daylight, tomorrow or the weekend. very blue now. very blue indeed.
 

Toshi

butthole powerwashing evangelist
Oct 23, 2001
39,844
8,815
maybe it'll happen yet

and maybe when I'm ready to lease the Busy Forks replacement the IRA will have been disbanded, thereby making this make sense? :D

hmm

aptera.PNG
 

Toshi

butthole powerwashing evangelist
Oct 23, 2001
39,844
8,815
Roof: check. Class 4 shingles.
Paint: check. House now 100% less red
Fence and shed staining: pending, maybe today?
PV reinstall: 12/6

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Toshi

butthole powerwashing evangelist
Oct 23, 2001
39,844
8,815
IMG_5966.jpeg
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finally back in the hot tub after the multiple days of house work

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Blizzaks on the PacHy. 12 mm higher ride height now, just like an SUV but only with way more interior room

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flag mounted. Wife managed to drop the impact driver off the top of the ladder on her head while I was back in the house grabbing a drill for pilot holes. She’s fine. Two of the three depicted cats, chilling on the cozy blanket as they do
 

Toshi

butthole powerwashing evangelist
Oct 23, 2001
39,844
8,815
IMG_6001.jpeg

First concert of DYAO season for my eldest

IMG_5990.jpeg

finger puppets for all (Mariko’s is a black cat, hidden against her hoodie on her right hand)
 
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Toshi

butthole powerwashing evangelist
Oct 23, 2001
39,844
8,815
Helio + Jetson sent out an email blast with a web form to get a quote on a whole house ducted heat pump setup. (Now may be the time to do such things given the IRA has limited shelf life. Note that I already maxed out the heat pump credit for this year, though, although what actually constitutes "used as a residence" by the IRS is not entirely clear to me and this was for the mountain house...)

anyway, the correspondence:

jetson 1.PNG


jetson 2.PNG


and the IRS verbiage:

Q1. What type of residence qualifies for these credits? For example, are the credits available for improvements made to a second home or to a home rented by the taxpayer? (added December 22, 2022)

A1. The credits are available only for certain improvements made to second homes, and the credits are never available when the improvements are made to homes not used as a residence by the taxpayer. For example, landlords can never use these credits for improvements made to any homes they rent out but do not use as a residence themselves. However, if a taxpayer is renting a home as their principal residence and makes eligible improvements, a tax credit may be available to such tenant.

  • For the Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit, the following requirements apply:
    • exterior doors, windows and skylights, insulation materials or systems, and air sealing materials or systems: the home must be located in the United States and must be owned and used by the taxpayer as the taxpayer's principal residence [1];
    • central air conditioners; natural gas, propane, or oil water heaters; natural gas, propane or oil furnaces or hot water boilers; electric or natural gas heat pumps; electric or natural gas heat pump water heaters; biomass stoves or biomass boilers; and improvements to panelboards, sub-panelboards, branch circuits, or feeders: the home must be located in the United States and used as a residence by the taxpayer (includes renters); and
    • home energy audits: the home must be located in the United States and owned or used by the taxpayer as the taxpayer's principal residence (includes renters).
 

Toshi

butthole powerwashing evangelist
Oct 23, 2001
39,844
8,815
I responded to the targeted ads on Facebook and ordered me a 6 pack of Gravity Grabbers to wall mount the skis here at the Denver house. the kinda houseplant cup shaped things that interface with the toe pieces on ski bindings are unsatisfactory ultimately.
 

Toshi

butthole powerwashing evangelist
Oct 23, 2001
39,844
8,815
Stellantis STLA Frame media, via Motor Trend. Third shot is of the ICE variant: note the driveshaft and live rear axle vs the straight frame rails and rear axle motor with IRS on the BEV/REEV variants.

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Toshi

butthole powerwashing evangelist
Oct 23, 2001
39,844
8,815
perhaps a year was too long an interval to leave these filters unchanged

6 mo next time around

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