Wagon Autocross...

STS Wagon Autocrossers...

Spent the first two Sunday's of this month autocrossing my E46 Wagon w/ new Eibach sways, rims, and RE01s. I would say the sway has been DRASICALLY reduced. But even with the reduced lean, my driving hasn't been up to par as I haven't been able to keep looking far enough ahead from the start through the end of the course. In fact, I've been lacking in my driving for about the last 3 events...

Another problem is probably not being smooth enough as both weeks, I was about 1/2 second FASTER by backing off the gas earlier - rolling through some sections, instead of hitting the brakes later...go figure???

Atleast the sways and the "free camber" I added seem to be helping as my RE01s seem to be wearing very evenly with no excessive sholder wear "knock on wood." Just gotta make sure I always drive ahead of the course so I don't end up plowing really badly like when I first started racing...

The last race was also my brother's first with his dope new rims, 7.5x18's, and Dunlop Direzza 225 Z1 tires. Tires seem very grippy as he's now only about 4/10s behind me, versus when he was on mud and snows...

I KNOW better driving for BOTH of us will (should?) take off another 1/2 second or so...need it too, as I've been coming in second place to a well driven AUTO Celica GT...by about 1/2 a second or so...

STS - Oct. 14
Cory Toyota Celica 40.231 w/ Auto and RE01
Steven BMW 325it 40.606 w/ Auto and RE01
Aaron Lexus IS300 41.927 w/ Stick and ?
Gregg Mazda 6-Wagon 42.575 w/ Auto and M&S
Erik Subaru RS Wagon 42.990 w/ Stick and MX
Malcolm Toyota Corolla 43.741 w/ Stick and M&S
Charles Chrysler Sebring 47.027
Winston Chrysler Sebring 49.586 N


STS - Oct. 21
Cory Toyota Celica 30.058 w/ Auto and RE01
Steven BMW 325it 30.560 w/ Auto and RE01
Aaron Lexus IS300 30.603 w/ Stick and ?
Gregg Mazda 6-Wagon 30.957 w/Auto and Direzza Z1
Malcolm Toyota Corolla 32.203 w/ Stick and M&S
Ryan Lexus IS300 33.462 N
Charles Chrysler Sebring 33.887
Winston Chrysler Sebring 34.840

Follow Your Road...Or You'll Never Know...

Although not a "real" Seawind video (none exists as far as I can tell), back in the day Seawind was one of my favorite groups. They performed in Hawaii many many times and sang this beautiful song that really had lots of meaning back then...it's called "Follow Your Road." From the second verse:


"Have you wondered where your road will lead you?
Maybe to a bright day of sunshine,
or a starry night in heaven.
Or it might be you're afraid to go, afraid to go,
But you've got to follow your road,
or you'll never know, never know."

My, I mean OUR, good good long-time small-kid-time Boyscout and cycling/racing buddies Mark and Liana have decided to follow a different road and are headed to San Francisco.

How do you know...if you never try??? Put all your stuff on Craigslist, quit your job, sell your car, buy a one-way ticket and don't be afraid to go...a lot of times...I feel that way too...

This past Saturday, we had a small kine get together with Mark and Liana at MAC 24/7 restaurant in Waikiki.

Because their open all day and night, it's supposedly the place to eat late at night after the disco...oh...I meant "club." Btw...MAC 24/7 is NOT located in the same hotel as Hy's Steak House...as the D-man insists till this day...

They got some seriously BIG...I mean HUGE pancakes there...Surprise!!! Can you believe anyone eating all of this??? Btw...I fixed the "red eye" on this pic, but I tried really hard and couldn't do anything on the others...

Good friends Rt to Lt: Mark, Liana, Darin, Me and Gregg - Aloha, Good Luck and Have Fun in San Francisco!!!

On one of our many many rides...Mark leading, Darin following, me in back, Gregg still sleeping - Ride Safe and Strong on the Mainland...

Liana and Darin driving the Pit Crew mobile at Haleakala in 2006 - Thanks for All the Feeds and Cheering!!!

Btw...you're in good company...couldn't fix this one either...lol...


Lucy said don't forget us and...you can always come back "home" to Hawaii... :-)

ワタシノニッポンノトモダチ。。。

During this year's century bike ride I got a chance to hang out on three nights with my good (and famous) friends from Japan, Kushima-san, his wife, and their hardcore triathlete friend Maki-san. Kushima-san and his wife are very famous throughout Japan being published 2 times in Japan's Cycle Sport magazine for their stories about riding around Oahu in 2005 and 2006: http://www3.plala.or.jp/kushima2/bike_tour.htm .

On the Thursday before the Century ride, the 3 of them rode around the Island and it was VERY HARD. 180kms, strong head winds, and 3 heavy showers made for an 11 hour torture fest. Then, on Sunday, they did the entire Century ride.....according to Kushima-san, the 160km Century was "easy" compared to riding around the Island. Talk about being in FANTASTIC shape...I guess I shouldn't be surprised as they are ALL avid triathletes! Here's the story of Kushima-san's time in Hawaii: http://www3.plala.or.jp/kushima2/hawaii2007.htm.

One night, we went over to Pho Bistro which makes the most ichiban Vietnamese food in town...but...when I went to pick them up...I was SO SURPRISED!!!!!...perhaps we should have gone to a Japanese restaurant instead???



Then to recover from the Century Bike Ride, we went over to Side Street Inn for a little Hawaiian Style Izakaya action...

Then another night we went over to a "true" Japanese restaurant that is NOT in Waikiki. Here we are walking over to Imanas Tei...

Of course, we had to wait for 20 minutes or so...


With lots of "real" Nihonjin in the house, you know it has to be really good...sanma, sake, jyagaimo, beer, salad, yakitori, etc. etc...some of the best authentic Japanese food in town. Lucky I had Kushima-san and company with me, else I would have never known how to eat (or even order) "Jyagaimo"...I remember NOT knowing how to eat it when I went to Kyoto...

We satisfied a little "sweet tooth" at Bubbies ice cream shope...

A fun time was had by all...aloha till we meet again...じゃまた

Links to my other 2007 HBL Century Bike Ride Posts: http://serikaku.blogspot.com/search/label/2007%20HBL%20Century%20Bike%20Ride

2007 Century Bike Ride Pics...

Some cut and paste pics from the HBL Century Bike Ride...real pics at: http://www.hw.jalux.com/hcr/index.html

Rolling into the finish...

Climbing Makapuu...

Coming in on Kal Highway...

Good friends from Japan - Rt. to Lft. - Kushima-san, wife and Sado Island 1/2 Ironman finisher Maki-san.

Now Running and Only Little Jogging...

Finally got some good running legs back as I did about 7kms today and a little over 5kms on Tuesday. And, I actually ran...sometimes, even pretty realatively "fast" when the good music on my Ipod comes on.

My Kind of Music: Today, the "good" music was one of the best most awesome grooving songs from the pure disco era. What an awesome song to really blast off on!!!

Although not really the best Youtube video around, it's the only one that wasn't a retro remake. Gotta love the origianl sound of a young Evelyn "Champagne" King.



Here's a better version...although a retro one...

Back to the Old School...

I knew this MIGHT happen...



After riding around a couple of times with my new Polar CS400 HR monitor, I've decided just can it and go "Old School" again. I even rode the Centrury Bike Ride with only my good old Cateye wireless...didn't miss the heartrate a bit.

I just couldn't take the feel of the heart rate strap...and the monitor was just too complicated...I mean...even the Powertap was easier to use...

So, I guess it's back to keeping all of my milage and hours on a spreadsheet again.

Assagio...Self Portrait...

Went for a little family celebration yesterday...it was a good day...

Eibach Rear Sway Bar...

Eibach Rear Sway Bar vs. Stock Sway Bar.

In place after the Rubics Cube install.

Front bar installed.

Hopefully...with front and rear...good for 1/2 to 3/4 seconds??? We'll see this coming Sunday...

Today I bummed around again and didn't ride this whole weekend! But, I did take about 3-1/2 long and sweaty hours today installing my rear sway bar. It was an extra extra hard Rubicks Cube to get the old bar out and the new one in. And, it took extra long cause I didn't mark the endlinks and took the whole bar out again cause one side didn't "look" right. It would have been way faster if I dropped the muffler...

Hopefully, the front and rear sways will help put down a squarer grippier foot print...greatly speed up the turn settle in time...and say good bye to this much rocking and rolling...

Eibach Front Sway Bar...

1/2 second or 1/4 second faster...that is the question...

Spent all Saturday bumming around so I decided to install my new Eibach 27mm front swaybar on my e46 bimmer wagon AT NITE...

The hardest part was deciding how to jack up the car and I ended up surfing the web for 1/2 a day deciding how best to do it. Finally decided on using the "central jacking point" and it seemed to work good with no apparent crushing of any parts under the car - unlike how some newer year bimmers which don't seem to have the jacking point???

Once the car was jacked, the rest of the install went really easy...

For me, I can't really tell any difference while street driving...seeing how you can only go like 4/10ths or so.....probably right where the stock sways work perfectly fine...

Maybe tomorrow I'll get the rear one on...

In the End...Today's Always a Good Day...

4 for 4

2007 HBL Century Bike Ride...

Stepped out of bed much earlier than my usual weekend wake up time (7:30am) for the 2007 edition of the Honolulu Century Bike ride which happened to start at 6:30ish am. Got the wheels rolling solo from Triangle Park at about 9:00am and took two short cuts: one over a very windy Hanauma Bay, and the other bypassing the Waimanalo back roads. Got out to the 50 mile (45 mile?) turn around a little before 12 noon in about 2:40ish ride time.

Like being in Japan...

Not seeing any musubis being provided for all the 4,000 Nihonjin in the goodies tent, I crossed the street over to 7-11 for some supplies. Witnessing the last spam musubis disappearing before my eyes, I cut into the pay-line to grab the LAST one...upon hearing a Nihonhin say, "aawwww." Being the good island host that I am, I insisted "please please" that he take the last one. Luckly for me, there was one last "new item" hotdog musubi hiding on the side.....

Ate my half of my hotdog musubi here on the stone wall...note the 650c wheeled steel frame...and mine...

Me chilling out in what little shade there was at the finish. Caught one flat on the way back in Kailua...which was really handy cause it let me rest my upset stomach...eat the rest of my musubi...and get in about 160 arm curls using my dependable Ti mini-pump...

After the flat, I suddenly felt really good and rode really solid all the way back to the finish. Kicking back, on my back, to the best view in the house after 151km in 5hr 23min ride time...

My friends from Japan, Kushima-san and wife at the finish. With the weather conditions, there were a ton of flats - Kushima-san had 3 flats!!! Maki had 1 flat!!!