After a season away from the races, I've got a full slate next weekend as I travel for the GNCC race north of Charlotte next Saturday. Immediately after the race, I head to the Charlotte airport for a flight into Newark, NJ for the NEATV (New England ATV) motocross race on Sunday. We are a sponsor of the series and haven't had representation there all season.
I'm looking forward to the weekend, but travel from the West Coast to East eats up a lot of time. Flying from SoCal to NC is like a fat guy at the buffet, gobbling up all my time on Friday. I get in around 9 p.m. after leaving here at noon.
Saturday will be fun. I used to attend about four to five GNCC races a year, and this is my first one this season. We will clinch our second championship in the Women's class, which gets a lot of publicity, so it's good to be there to celebrate.
Sunday is more of a meet and greet to get to know the series promoter and several of our support racers. I'm also on the hunt for some talent to ride Orange next year, so we'll see what turns up.
After the race, I'm off to Albany, NY, 100 miles north of Walden so I can visit a Husaberg dealer early Monday morning before flying back to San Diego. It should be an action filled three days that's for sure.
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Dan's Season Ticket Seats
Hopefully I'll be able to watch the Gophers at the new TCF Bank stadium in the near future. I figure I'm holding out until they're ready for a Rose Bowl run. Next year? Two years? We'll see. Right now, 2,000 miles separates me from being there in person.
Dan's seats look pretty decent. The Gophers played a gritty game today and actually managed to keep me entertained for 3 1/2 quarters. Kudos to Brewster, I think the team is on the right track.
Dan's seats look pretty decent. The Gophers played a gritty game today and actually managed to keep me entertained for 3 1/2 quarters. Kudos to Brewster, I think the team is on the right track.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
State Fair 2009
A little photostream of the happenings of late. Again, it's a pain but you need to click show info to read the captions. I'm looking for something that's a better solution for photostreaming.
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Making It Rain
Tracy and I are doing our collective best to keep the economy rumbling forward. On Saturday, we were throwing money around making it rain in Murrieta. After running my tires for four years, I finally decided to put new meats on the Ford. Compared to the California standard of running 'em to 
the belts, my tires weren't completely useless. People literally run slicks here in SoCal. It adds up to entertainment when it finally does rain.
$975 later, my truck has new tires from American Tire, sister store of Discount Tire. Truck tires aren't cheap in SoCal, where everything involving cars is a surcharge compared to the Midwest. I went with the new Goodyear Wrangler Silent Armors. So far, I'm really pleased. Hardly no lug noise on the highway and my truck is riding and tracking smooth.
For Tracy, we brought the Jetta that will eclipse 170k this week to the dealer to check out some dummy lights. The ABS speed sensor has gone bad, her large cooling fan is no longer working and her catalytic converter is bad, causing a check engine emission light. I'll take care of the ABS sensor and large cooling fan, saving her about $300 there. The catalytic converter estimate was $1,075 from Volkswagen. They are on crack. Sure, we'll spend a grand on a 2003 car that will hit 200k in a year. Sounds like another job for me.
Autozone catalytic converter: $325. Not sure how an exhaust system job can cost $700 more than that at the dealership. Unfortunately, in California you have to pass an emissions test every 2 years. Tracy is good for another 18 months, so we won't be tackling that one anytime soon.
Speaking of that timeframe, I'd be shocked if we lasted another 18 months here. Both our J-O-Bs are becoming a major P-I-T-A. I guess that's why they call it work. But when work egregiously takes advantage of you, it's when you start looking for other work. Our values are upping here in CA, and that means it's harder to be taken advantage of. 50 hour weeks at 40 hour pay can only last so long.
On a good note, we've been very happy outside of work at the beach and spending time with friends. We have slated another trip to the San Diego Zoo with Tracy's friends from Pasadena, so that should be fun. And, while I'm out of town in October for a work trip, Tracy heads up to San Fran / Oakland to see her friend Missy who is from Minnesota / Ehlert!
the belts, my tires weren't completely useless. People literally run slicks here in SoCal. It adds up to entertainment when it finally does rain.$975 later, my truck has new tires from American Tire, sister store of Discount Tire. Truck tires aren't cheap in SoCal, where everything involving cars is a surcharge compared to the Midwest. I went with the new Goodyear Wrangler Silent Armors. So far, I'm really pleased. Hardly no lug noise on the highway and my truck is riding and tracking smooth.
For Tracy, we brought the Jetta that will eclipse 170k this week to the dealer to check out some dummy lights. The ABS speed sensor has gone bad, her large cooling fan is no longer working and her catalytic converter is bad, causing a check engine emission light. I'll take care of the ABS sensor and large cooling fan, saving her about $300 there. The catalytic converter estimate was $1,075 from Volkswagen. They are on crack. Sure, we'll spend a grand on a 2003 car that will hit 200k in a year. Sounds like another job for me.
Autozone catalytic converter: $325. Not sure how an exhaust system job can cost $700 more than that at the dealership. Unfortunately, in California you have to pass an emissions test every 2 years. Tracy is good for another 18 months, so we won't be tackling that one anytime soon.
Speaking of that timeframe, I'd be shocked if we lasted another 18 months here. Both our J-O-Bs are becoming a major P-I-T-A. I guess that's why they call it work. But when work egregiously takes advantage of you, it's when you start looking for other work. Our values are upping here in CA, and that means it's harder to be taken advantage of. 50 hour weeks at 40 hour pay can only last so long.
On a good note, we've been very happy outside of work at the beach and spending time with friends. We have slated another trip to the San Diego Zoo with Tracy's friends from Pasadena, so that should be fun. And, while I'm out of town in October for a work trip, Tracy heads up to San Fran / Oakland to see her friend Missy who is from Minnesota / Ehlert!
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Week of Traveling
After a relatively calm travel schedule for KTM standards, I'm packing for a week in the midwest. I fly out of San Diego at 6:30 a.m. on Saturday, which is a tad early for me but it will be worth it. I get in to Indianapolis at 3:15 p.m. just in time to see the AMA flat track race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway at 7 p.m. with co-workers.
On Sunday, the biggest motorcycle race of the year goes down in that of the Moto GP. All of the world's fastest super bike racers are in attendance. I'll be helping out at our demo ride truck with customers between races. Nobody misses the main event. I'm pretty sure my bro-in-law Kevin would love to see the Moto GP. Maybe next year!
The fun of the weekend quickly subsides on Monday and Tuesday as our annual KTM dealer meeting gets underway, which is a ton of work for our staff. This year the work will be a little easier because we are working with my old co-workers of Ehlert, who are putting on a professional business seminar for all of our dealers via their magazine Powersports Business. It will be great to catch up with old friends and hopefully learn a little bit more about the dealer business side for two days.
Wednesday is the highlight for our dealers and staff as we get to ride Red Bud in Buchanan, Mich. This is one of the best motocross facilities in the country, and is also where we held our ATV press event last year. Some of you may remember me leaving Friday night from South Bend and huffing it to Milwaukee for Brad and Kristi's wedding. Only to return Sunday morning hungover ... scratch that, really hungover.
Thursday I'm off to Minneapolis hitching a ride with our RSM who is from Fargo. Maybe I'll hit up the dentist while I'm in town, my teeth are looking like a carney in training. No Tracy this trip unfortunately. This will be the longest we have been apart since she moved to CA. With that in mind, I decided to book a Saturday night flight back to SoCal instead of hanging around through the extended Labor Day weekend.
My only plans while I'm in town ... fantasy football draft and hopefully a trip to the State Fair. Anybody in for the Fair?
On Sunday, the biggest motorcycle race of the year goes down in that of the Moto GP. All of the world's fastest super bike racers are in attendance. I'll be helping out at our demo ride truck with customers between races. Nobody misses the main event. I'm pretty sure my bro-in-law Kevin would love to see the Moto GP. Maybe next year!
The fun of the weekend quickly subsides on Monday and Tuesday as our annual KTM dealer meeting gets underway, which is a ton of work for our staff. This year the work will be a little easier because we are working with my old co-workers of Ehlert, who are putting on a professional business seminar for all of our dealers via their magazine Powersports Business. It will be great to catch up with old friends and hopefully learn a little bit more about the dealer business side for two days.
Wednesday is the highlight for our dealers and staff as we get to ride Red Bud in Buchanan, Mich. This is one of the best motocross facilities in the country, and is also where we held our ATV press event last year. Some of you may remember me leaving Friday night from South Bend and huffing it to Milwaukee for Brad and Kristi's wedding. Only to return Sunday morning hungover ... scratch that, really hungover.
Thursday I'm off to Minneapolis hitching a ride with our RSM who is from Fargo. Maybe I'll hit up the dentist while I'm in town, my teeth are looking like a carney in training. No Tracy this trip unfortunately. This will be the longest we have been apart since she moved to CA. With that in mind, I decided to book a Saturday night flight back to SoCal instead of hanging around through the extended Labor Day weekend.
My only plans while I'm in town ... fantasy football draft and hopefully a trip to the State Fair. Anybody in for the Fair?
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