Steven's Home Page - ホームページ: January 2008

New Cars and Autocrossing...

How "abusive" is autocross???

I would say "not much" but, if you own a Mitsubishi or maybe even a Subi, I've heard if they find out you autox your car, your $crewed with regards to warrantee stuff...hence the taped up license plates, annonomous car makes and models (e.g., Penor X10SHN).

But for Mini owners, whose own adds in car mags advertises the fact the Mini's do VERY WELL in SCCA Autocrossing, it was a pretty close call. Luckly for Mini owner's it seems the company is doing the right thing: http://sccaforums.com/forums/1/281522/ShowThread.aspx

Labels: mycarpage, SCCA

Jan 20th SCCA - Another @$$ Whipping...

Got my @$$ handed to me royally AGAIN!!!! last Sunday...what can I say, sometimes you got it, sometimes you don't...some people like mounds with nuts, some don't...

I finally got over my problem of getting lost out on the course...just needed to really look far far ahead. But what got lost, in not getting lost, is driving the right line.

STS Results: http://www.sccahawaii.org/Solo012008.html

Aaron Lexus IS300 35.492 37.441 1 37.285 1 34.646 34.646 53 27.890 35
Gregg Mazda 6-Wagon 38.618 2 34.888 36.579 1 35.070 34.888 59 28.085 39
Steven BMW 325it 40.004 2 38.007 1 35.666 35.367 35.367 69 28.470 46
Erik Subaru RS Wagon 38.727 36.930 36.410 36.144 36.144 80 29.096 55
Ryan Lexus IS300 37.886 37.657 37.652 36.703 36.703 85 29.546 66
Alexis Toyota Corolla DNF 38.607 37.509 39.214 1 37.509 99 30.195 79

I took a bad line in 3 areas on this tricky high-speed course. The only problem was, it took me a total of 8 runs (4 official and 4 fun runs) to finally figure it out. Once deciphered, I ripped of my best time of the day at 34.296...although a "monday morning quarterback" call...I left feeling a LOT better about my driving.

Funny thing is...even though I already knew this, it's still hard to beleive how looking ahead and picking the correct line can lower your time so much!!! Oh well...this autocross thing is pretty much all driver...and hopefully I can carry over some of that fun run karma to next month. (Now does that sound familiar...)

My brother's fastest run was foiled by just clipping the last cone in the slalom, adding 2 seconds to a class winning time of 34.579. That small mistake was caught in action by this awesome shot.

Notice back tire catching air!!!

Labels: mycarpage, SCCA

650C Bikes - Ready and Loaded...

Spent about 1/2 a day today getting my bikes cleaned and ready for this season.

Finally washed and polished my Cannondale road bike for the first time since the Century Bike Ride in September. That thing was super dirty with grimy chain lube, energy drink and sunscreen spread all over the whole bike...

Finally completed shortening my left aerobar extension to the same length as the right side...what a pain to route the Cervelo hidden shifter cables. Today, I got totally lucky and just kind of fished around and got it in in less than 5 minutes!!! Last time, it took me, and my brother, and a bent paperclip, and a flashlight, and about 1 hour trying to fish that wire through...

Labels: cycling, mycyclingpage

Clean, Polish and Wax w/ Porter Cable 7336

Finished Hood - It Was A Sunny Blue Sky Every So Often Today...

Finished Hood w/ Flash

Got to use my new Porter Cable 7336 dual action polisher for the first time...as everyone says, this thing is awesome for detailing cars.

Went with an all Meguiars system - #80 Speed Glaze for cleaning and polishing, Deep Crystal Polish which is an oil-rich pure polish, and finished up with #26 a pure carnuba wax. Also used an 8006 pad for cleaning and polishing, and a 9006 pad for waxing. As you can see, even though my car is white, the finish is VERY VERY VERY shinny and super slick!!! And to think all this time I used to bust my @$$ doing this all by "hand."

Labels: everyday stuff, mycarpage

2008 Great Aloha Run..

The biggest fun run for regular folks on Oahu is the downwind and fast 8.15 mile Great Aloha Run. Scheduled for February 18th, don't know if I'll be able to fit this in with the Makaha TT on February 24th.

I used to do this run like...easily UNDER 1 hr...when it was actually a little longer than 8.15 miles!!! Based on my current running fitness...I think a time in under 1:05 would be darn good...probably more like 1:08-10 though...

GAR Website: http://www.greataloharun.com/

Labels: running, Training

2008 Hawaii Cycling Schedule

Get your chain oiled and your wheels, legs and lungs pumped up...

2008 Hawaii Cycling Schedule (Subject to Change)

Date - Event - Sponsor
2/24/2008 - Makaha TT - Cambio
3/2/2008 - Castle - Hanauma TT - Boca
4/6/2008 - Tantalus TT - TCT
4/20/2008 - Team TT - Cambio
4/27/2008 - Metric Centruy - HBL
5/4/2008 - Big Island Stage Race - HCT
5/25/2008 - State TT - QR
6/15/2008 - Aloha State Games - Cambio
6/22/2008 - Criterium - HACC
6/29/2008 - State RR - TCT
7/13/2008 - Criterium - HACC
7/27/2008 - Boca Stage Race - Boca
8/24/2008 - Cycle to the Sun - Kalima O Maui
8/31/2008 - Dick Evans Memorial - TCT
9/7/2008 - 24 Hours in Paradise - S. Chaney
9/21/2008 - Century Ride - HBL

Website: http://f1.grp.yahoofs.com/v1/YIaVR9mFQjsJeZFqfXRsFgK-iL5q8halGrc-25udN9ogRIhEV-A5kWOQBnC3VePcqOXE5vRvcDTkR_lyMZGGS8D1rdOwvvH4hQ0KRA/2008%20Events/2008%20schedule.pdf

Labels: cycling, mycyclingpage, Training

2008 - Year of the Rat...

2008 is the Year of the Rat...and daikon???

From my friends あ and た...in Kawasaki Tokyo...

Don't know whether this picture was taken in Japan or Oregon, looks like Oregon to me. This past year, Ats and Ta, and Maki and ? must have been one of the few Nihonjin to ride Cycle Oregon. In fact, it was Ats and Ta's second or third time already.

Labels: Friends, Japan

Okinawan Sound To A Modern Beat...

Song: Nishikaji

Now this is some really super awesomely goooooooooood music!!!

I just love how よなは徹 plays that sanshin mixing in that ウチナンチュ sound and singing into a very danceable modern beat. And, you even see that short clip of all those old people dancing the kachashi to this modern style song - Awesome!!! Listening to this, I just know that this music came from where I came from...

Back back back in my dad's dad days...before I was even born...he told me nights at the Okinawan camp in Kunia would be spent with a drink and my ジジ playing the sanshin singing ウチナンチュ songs...and when I see those people dancing...it always reminds me of him...

Labels: My Kind of Music, Okinawa

Other Side Loader...

What's wrong with this picture?

Answer: ?erutcip siht htiw gnorw s'tahW

Just got Arundel's newest water bottle cage for my bike. Ordered on Sunday and received today from Wisecyclebuys.com. First time I've ordered from them and they shipped fast and their shipping cost seem pretty reasonable.

Now, I'll be able to get the front water bottle as easy as my seat tube water bottle. Just couldn't get the same color...they don't make pink yet.....

By the way, got the seat tube cage from ebay...and that guy took 3 WEEKS TO SHIP!!! So I couldn't use it on Haleakala last year...and it was the same price as Wisecyclebuys!!!

Labels: cycling, mycyclingpage

Let's Go!!!!! & Charge Yo Fone Foolio...

I've been looking, searching hi and lo for this song for a LONG time. By pure luck and persistance I found it on itunes while looking for more Lil Jon songs...

First heard it at a UH BB game as the UH Dancers dance to this song all the time...cause they never play this good stuff on the radio...and thank god too...cause they would just wear the cr@p out of this song...

Oh yeah...and people...make sure you always have your phone charged...cause you'll never know when you could miss some important calls and miss out on dinner...

Labels: everyday stuff, My Kind of Music

17th Green Sony Open - 2008

17th Green Sony Open - 2008, originally uploaded by dancedream2002.

Instead of riding today...I spent a few hours with my brother and dad on the 17th hole of the Waialae Country Club..."living the good life" in the 1st class BoH sponser's tent.

I haven't actually been to the Hawaiian Open (Sony Open) for years...maybe I gotta start getting out and golfing one of these days...

17th Green Sony Open - 2008

17th Green Sony Open - 2008, originally uploaded by dancedream2002.

From the Waialae Country Club's 17th hole. What a beautiful view.

Late Nite Runnin...

Just got back in the door at 10:20ish after about a 1 hourish run...probably the latest I've ever run in my life...

Been work'in late...and been all worked up...just waaaayyyy too busy at work...so no matter how late...had to run...BUT...I feel GOOOOOOOOOD now.......

Here's some bad a$$ music off my Ipod tonight...felt awesomely STRONG...especially when pumping this stuff...

You Don't Know - Eminem Feat 50cent, Cashis, and Lloyd Banks