Photo - Jenn Brindley
24/7 Weather Chaser
Colorado Chaser Blogs
Verne Carlson
Michael Carlson
Dann Cianca
Sean Mullins
Ryan Shepard
John Skinner
Roger Hill
Tim Samaras
Other Chaser Blogs
Mike Umscheid
Doug Kiesling
Chris Collura
Amos Magliocco
Shane Adams
Jon Davies
Steve Miller (OK)
Jayson Prentice
Ryan McGinnis
Roger Edwards
Jeff Gammons
Ed Berry
Brian Curran
Gene Rhoden
Allan Detrich
Michael Peregrine
Jennifer Bilak
My Blog Archives
|
Tuesday, January 31, 2006
This will be the last blog of the day, I swear! I wanted to welcome Katie Burtis to the blogging world and add her blog to my friend's list over there. Katie is another one of our nerdy chasers in the Colorado Gang whom we initially dubbed our groupie when she and a few of her friends got in tow with our group on April 20 last year and followed us from Hudson, CO out to McCook, NE. You'll have to read the log to get the full story, but none-the-less, she stuck around and has now become the newest cog in the CO Gang machine. That poor girl... bet she would've thought twice about following us knowing who she got involved with. I mean between myself, Verne, and Jon V, she's in for some long rides in the Plains! :o) Welcome to the blogging world, Katie! We look forward to you blogging behind our backs! ;o) Hahahaha!
0 comments
I found the last piece of gear I want to get, a thermo-electric cooler. I've been eyeing one of these for months now and thought it would make a nice luxury on longer trips. I've priced them out and found them not to be terribly expensive, however, I wanted to stick with a namebrand for this particular item. Wal-Mart has a Rubbermaid 17-liter cooler going for under $70. It plugs into my cig lighter and would easily fit between my front seats. Overall, it fits up to 20 pop cans; hardly would I use it for only pop cans, so the extra space I could use for sandwiches, bottles, etc. Depending on how long the power cord is, I could actually run it into the back of my van where I have an extra outlet. This way, I could free up the front for other accessories, including the scanner and the phone charger. I'm probably going to buy a 3-outlet car adapter similar to this and with it hard-wired into the van. That way, I'll have four free plugs up front for those items, leaving me a spare plus the one in back.
Guess I should really be shopping for alternators and car batteries, huh! *LOL*
0 comments
My counter dropped below 60 days til my official start to the 2006 chase season on April 1. And with that, we are now within a month of the March 1 preseason kick-off where chasing plans start to become a possibility. While February offers some teasers, I rarely do more than bat an eye at them as I save my early season nibbles for the pre-season month of March and then start to make the upswing to the "balls-to-the-wall" chasing which starts in mid-May. February is a time saved for planning; making equipment lists, supply lists, etc. This is the time where I'll begin to stock up on tapes, batteries, and various other items. This is the time where I begin to take inventory, start to assemble my gear from their various places around my apartment and stick them into a single corner. I'll make sure the cameras are clean and working. I'll make sure my hand-held gear is in decent shape. I'll check to see if I need more rechargables; replacement batteries; or if I need to make any minor repairs. This is the month where all that comes into focus. When that preseason date arrives, I want to be 15 minutes away from hitting the road. When April 1 rolls in, I'll be a few minutes away.
Convention news; I still haven't registered for the chaser convention coming in a few weeks. I'll take care of that before the end of next week. Also, I am going to attend TESSA this year as planned, but as opposed to making a road trip out of the deal, I'm going to fly out and save my pennies. I'll make the hotel reservations within the next couple weeks, but will wait last second on my flight just in case I come into some extra money that allows me to drive out. With my work/class schedule as nice as it is, I would miss nothing in driving out seeing as I'll have ample time starting Thursday evening to head out. I would love to make a road trip out of it just to get the van out of town, but priorities are to save that extra cash for those early season chases. We'll see. In any case, I'll be bunking up with my buddies from Abilene and look forward to seeing them again.
Local weather isn't anything spectacular. Some rain in the forecast for later today, nothing really substantial, though. Dry conditions will continue along the Front Range for at least the next week as no real systems are expected to kick through in a favorable manner for my neck of the woods. Go 20 miles west, its a completely different story. If only some of that would make it down here. With one more full month of winter to go, I'm hoping something can happen to end what has been a windy and boring winter season.
0 comments
Monday, January 30, 2006
Go Anywhere Chase Vehicles?
I've run two vehicles into junkyards in my short career chasing; a 1990 Dodge Caravan and a 1999 Mercury Tracer. This year, I'll break in the third vehicle of my chasing ventures in a 1996 Chrysler Town & Country. Each vehicle has its advantages and disadvantages, and none of the three are "perfect" vehicles for any number of reasons. However, with the recent (and very brief) quip in Stormtrack in regards to a "go anywhere" vehicle, I thought I'd post my views seeing as I just purchased a new chasing vehicle.
To begin, all-wheel drive is definately a preferred mode of transportation for chasers. Its a luxury that none of my above mentioned rides have ever had. While the Caravan didn't see near the road time that the Tracer and its 40,000 plus miles did, I did drive it enough to understand that vehicle that big don't belong in 4-wheel drive territory. My Tracer saw plenty of road time, and many miles of it on barren, dirt roads. One thing I've learned in the years of chasing is being in the company of other chasers is just as good. Between the radio warnings and a quick pull-out if needed, FWD works just as well.
Now I'll be the first to admit my limiations in chasing because of lacking 4WD. I bailed on a chase in NE Colorado because the remainder of the chase fell after dark and was primarily nothing but dirt roads at night. While I missed the tornado many caught by about 30 minutes, I regretted nothing seeing as I had reached my personal limitations as to what I consider chasing safely. One may call me a chicken; so be it. But the "live to chase another day" takes priority. That and I've had the unpleasent experience of putting my FWD car in a rapidly flooding ditch after sliding off a muddy, hail covered road at 10:30 at night. If it weren't for another chaser coming down this same dirt road in the middle of nowhere with an SUV and tow rope, I would've been filing an insurance claim on a vehicle I owned for less than a year after spending the night out there. Guardian angels aren't something to ignore for storm chasers, but I know for a fact mine has others he watches over, and I'm not always going to get that lucky.
Another similar situation occured on May 30 of 2005 when I was turning around on a US Highway and my front wheels went off the pavement and into the mud. I had to perform a 3-point turn to change directions and I couldn't reverse out of the mud. Going forward would've dropped me into a ditch which dropped four feet down. In any case, 4WD would've easily got me out since I still had two good tires on the pavement. Again, my angel was working overtime as an Ace Towtruck passed by, saw me flashing my lights, and in the middle of the hail and rain, tied a rope to my car and yanked me the foot back onto the road where I could continue on.
So yes, a pair of reasons for 4WD, one more than the other. My point being, while 4WD would be great, a price-minded chaser like myself who can opt for a great vehicle and pay cash for it as opposed to financing a ride with 4WD may settle for saving the money. Afterall, what good is a chase ride if you can't afford to chase!
But money-aside for a moment, is it really a requirement for a chaser? Depends, I guess. For me, no... and why? I haven't hit the level of extreme chasing yet. As in I don't need to be 500 feet from the tornado to enjoy the experience. With this, I'm not required to take a series of dirt (turned mud) covered roads to get myself closer to the action. I can find a pull-off, arm the tripod, and enjoy the show from a relatively safe distance, yet leave myself in a position to advance as I see fit without having to worry about shoveling my way through mud to get back to a road to keep me in line with the storm. Sure, sometimes that safety leaves me miles from the best part of the show, but catching 1 tornado and getting stuck in the mud doesn't seem to overtake catching 7 tornadoes later on.
I'm not a huge risk-taker. Sure, I've dared a tornado to come on get me, but all-in-all, I'm content with playing it safe, and thus, reducing my needed for a vehicle to bail me out. Sure, there will be instances where a go everywhere vehicle would be great, but if you look at my 3 years with the Tracer, how many times did not having 4WD actually cost me.
Reliability, and yes... cost. Those are my two important factors for a ride. Comfort is a close third. I've owned fairly reliable, and inexpensive to maintain vehicles. As a college student, I'm hardly rolling in the cash, at least not enough to spend on my dream car. Trust me, my dream chase vehicle has 4WD and a million other things, but as long as it gets me out and back, I'm happy. I still have to use my own responsibility to insure that I am able to accomplish that. And while the unpredictable does occur (quite often, might I add), its still you, the driver, that will determine whether or not you and your ride live to chase another day; 4WD or FWD, either way, you're in control.
So with that, I say yes, a get everywhere vehicle is important, but when I was presented with the deal I got, I would've been a fool to turn it down. I'll just remain the same chaser I've been for the passed several years and keep my extreme tendencies to a minimum! ;o) Yes, the extra cash to shell out would be worth-while as an investment, no questions asked. But a reliable vehicle with low miles and plenty of comfort for half the price... I got lucky for a third time! Afterall, I have the best of both worlds; a good vehicle and money to chase. That's more than I could possibly ask for.
Oh yeah, I bought a tow rope... just in case! :o)
0 comments
Saturday, January 28, 2006
My chase buddy, Amos Magliocco wrote a blog entry which cracked me up a bit. He was talking about how he was keeping close tabs on today's marginal setup, having window after window open on his computer as he was checking the latest on today, knowing well that he wasn't going to chase at all. I, like him, had no intention of busting out the chase gear to chance it in Kansas today, even as I saw this morning that things were further south and east of where I would like had this been March or April. And like him, who said his gear was piled in the corner of his office, I have my gear piled in a neatly organized row along the back of my couch, awaiting next week where I'll install them. And that's not even counting my photography gear, which is scattered all over my apartment in places I can't even begin to tihnk of. I really didn't have much interest in today, but will admit to checking SPC once when I woke up and again about 15 minutes ago just to see what the news was. Beyond that, I haven't even thought of chasing today. In fact, I went and ran errands; went to Ace Hardware to buy fix-a-flat, two ropes, jumper cables, and other vehicle things... okay, so maybe I thought about chasing a little.. ;o)
0 comments
Friday, January 27, 2006
No sooner than I mention the need for a early season chase do I see a teaser in Kansas. But before I begin, I will say off the bat that I have no intention of chasing after it. If this were two months later, I'd be contemplating the trip to Southeastern Kansas as my break-in chase, but being that its January and I hardly am in a position to break in anything due to the lack of getting anything set up. Its fun to pretend, though... and if anything, nice to see green outlines in areas I could chase in as opposed to someplace in the Southeastern part of the country.
My plans are still to head up to Verne's place next weekend to get my gear installed. I am still awaiting two pieces of equipment to arrive; the Jotto desk extension rod and the newly ordered mounting plate for my HAM radio. Everything else has arrived and ready to go.
On a last note, I'd like to welcome my Uncle Tony aboard. He left a note in my guestbook this week saying he found me through a fellow worker who didn't realize I was his nephew. In any case, hopefully he'll enjoy the upcoming season as does everyone else who keeps up with me here!
0 comments
Tuesday, January 24, 2006
Just some website updates to talk about... I finally put up a page profiling The Colorado Gang; our group of chasers from Colorado who usually trek out together and are sadly becoming known among a small group of outside chasers! :o) I had planned on doing this over the break, but the accident and its following events kept me from thinking about things like this. In any case, its up and profiling most of us as a couple haven't submitted their stuff yet. I thought about expanding on it a bit to make reference to some of the other chasers I have chased with, but I'm not going to worry about that just yet. To be honest, there are quite a few I would have to tack on to that if I went that route, and I'm not sure I want to do that yet!
I'm also eyeballing another piece of gear which likely will NOT be a purchase this season unless I come into some good money between now and then and can spare a few hundred bucks for it. I'm eyeballing a Garmin Quest Mobile GPS Unit to suppliment my laptop. My thoughts on this are to give me GPS ability while note having to constantly have my laptop running. I also want the ability to hook this to a computer and pull from it my routes. This will enable me to better keep tabs on my positions during a chase and spare the work of my laptop having to be on and running for hours on end. Its something I considered last year after I saw how little I used the laptop while chasing for anything other than data collection. Running the laptop all the time was something I didn't like to do because of the constant power it required. My batteries simply do not allow for such an operation and the inverter being on interfered with my HAM operations and often lead to constant static when it would otherwise be quiet.
So its a thought I'm exploring as I've found this unit for as little as $345 on Bugdig.com brand new with warrenty. Definately a lower end model, but this is something I feel I can get away with spending less on. I've looked at the Quest 2 model and figure its got more bells and whistles than I really need. A simple routing GPS with the ability to save your trip to a computer is all I am looking for.
As I said, I'm not planning on going ahead with this purchase anytime soon as I am going to be pinching pennies for chasing as it is to get me out at all. Unless I catch a break with taxes or get some extra dinero elsewhere, this probably won't be purchased until after the season ends. I may also find something else to suit my needs for cheaper, or wait long enough to see the prices on these drop more. In nay case, I'll keep my eyes on this type of gear and see what I elect to do.
0 comments
Monday, January 23, 2006
First of all, I'd like to send out a congrats to Shane Adams as his Steelers easily defeated the Denver Donkeys to advance to Superbowl 40 to meet Seattle. And to all those Denver fans who gave me shit all week for my Redskins losing... HAHAHAHA! Welcome to the losers couch! And before you give me crap about how the Donkeys made it further than my Skins... allow me to return that shit back to you..
Before I even begin, I know what you all are saying. "We made it further than you (Redskins) did!" Yes, yes you did! You went 1-1 in the Playoffs just like us. But I know... I know... you made it further. Before you start reminding me about how we lost to Seattle after traveling clear across the country to play the number 1 seed in their house and lose by 10 points, allow me to remind you that you were embarrassed AT HOME by the number 6 seed by 17 points (and you were favored, too, BTW). By the way, none of this matters cause like me, you lost and will be watching the Superbowl at home... JUST LIKE US. So you survived one more week cause of a bye, took the division title, and made it this far. Guess what, it means nothing. You're no different that the rest of the losing playoff teams; you made it in, but aren't in the big show. Oh yeah, would it be fair of me to also point out that three years in a row, you've made it and choked something fierce and have lost three games by a combined score of 124-51. Yeah, I know.. I know... at least we've made it three years in a row and you haven't. As I keep hearing from local media, Denver hasn't won a Superbowl since John Elway. Guess that, three years of playoff appearances... you STILL haven't made it to the Superbowl. Maybe it's time to ween Elway back onto the playing field. Cause as you all have said about me, Brunell ain't your answer. Ya know what, after Plummer commits 4 turnovers, I'd be thinking the same thing about you. Maybe that Van Pelt guy can do it? So with that, I say congrats on a solid season! Aside from beating the defending world champs and becoming the heavily favored Superbowl pick. I'd say you ended it in BEAUTIFUL fasion getting embarrassed in front of hometown fans by the 6th seed in the AFC. My thoughts... you were lucky as hell the Colts lost because I'm sure another 40 point loss would've been in the cards. But I think the loss at home was icing on the cake. In any case, pull up a seat, grab a beer, and enjoy the Superbowl! You're a loser now.. just like me! And Shane, I'm pulling for your Steelers! They're 200 miles from my Ohio hometown, so I'm rooting for my "home"team!
So with that, some chase-related stuff... was having a back-and-forth email conversation with Verne Carlson this afternoon about me heading up to his place to get my ride setup. During our back-and-forth exchange, he remarked about how a breaking-in chase would be nice. Give us a chance to get the new vehicles (he's in a new one as well) on the road and see what their limitations are. It had me thinking with the talks in ST about a possible late week setup about taking a long-shot March chase trip (no intentions to even blink at the talked-about setup which last I checked was all but gone).
My pre-season starts on March 1; mainly because that's when I begin to do those last items on my chasing checklist; car maintanance, buying up the last of my gear, etc. And with all that, prepare to sneak out just in case something does decide to taunt us in March. April then comes around and marks my official start to the season. Last April proved to be my busiest April thus far in my chasing career, and its early chase on April 10 proved to be my best tornado chase of 2005. In any case, the lack of chasing in March left myself and Verne stranded enroute to our overnight destination for the April 5 setup. Fortunately, such an issue came out in the first chase as opposed to hot on the trail of a tornatic supercell later on, but I learned the value of early season chasing.
While it does have its cost in terms of time and money, it has its perks. Especially this year for chasers like Verne and I who will be breaking in newly aquired chasing vehicles this season. It gives us a chance to check out are interior setup, see how the vehicle performs, and obviously puts our butts in our new seats for hours on end. And of course, if Nature works with us, we'll get to see how she does around the weather we chase. Its one thing to drive a vehicle out to Kansas and back; its a totally different thing to race her across dirt roads, drive in blinding wind-driven rains, and the obvious threat of big hail. I, as a chaser, would like to know those things before I make my month-long trip so I have a better idea what to expect. Right now, my biggest issue is finances, and other than around town, I have NO CLUE at all how my new ride drives on long trips, her gas mileage, anything. I can't even budget my trip all that well with what little I know. She gets about 21mpg in the city, and I'm hoping for 25mpg on the highway. Again, I don't know. I've flirted with the idea of driving her out to Limon and back just to see on open roads how she does. But again, to get what I really want, I need to chase her.
I think I'll find myself fishing after smaller catches early on, just as an excuse to get out and shake the new ride down. After I get my gear installed, I'm going to want to know how convienient it is while I'm on the road. Is the Jotto high enough? Can I easily reach the mics? Yaddi yaddi yaddi. Some of that I'll know just by being in the seat, but again, its a whole other issue when you're chasing. I'm going to want that first chase NOT really as a cure for SDS, but as a break-in period for the vehicle and its setup. Anything I find I don't like I'll be able to change out prior to the main part of the season. Including whether or not I'll be able to stay out the entire month if my gas efficiency isn't what I'd like it to be. As I told Verne, I want close to 400 miles from a tank; definately more than 300, but upwards of 400. The book on the van says its a 20 gallon tank... I have yet to fill it close to that, leaving me thinking closer to 15 gallons give or take 1 in either direction. If its a smaller tank, I'm fine. As along as I'm getting 23-25mpg, I should be fine.
So will that March chase arrive? I really don't know. I thought about using the TESSA conference as an excuse to give her a road trip at the least, but with news of the taxes I owe on the van, I'm thinking of backing out of TESSA to save that couple hundred bucks in travel expenses for my chasing, especially if I con myself into an early season chase to break everything in. Money could be very tight come May for me in terms of chasing if I am going to stay out the entire time I've set aside, otherwise I'll be picking and choosing. In any case, I'm sure like previous years, I'll see action in April and early May before my actual vacation kicks off. Its usually pretty inevitable, but I typically plan for that well as school and work obligations keep me pretty leashed as to when I'll actually venture out.
So in conclusion, expect to see me bite on a pretty marginal early-season setup mainly as an excuse to break everything in. Maybe if I'm lucky, I'll see something similar to 2004's March 27 chase day. But any convection would be worth while if I manage to satisfy myself in terms of the vehicle's performance. Anytime prior to March would be pushing things, but after March 1 passes, I'm game.
Preseason starts in just over a month... the regular season kicks off in 67 days. I will be ready to roll.
0 comments
Friday, January 20, 2006
I thought this was worth quoting from the afternoon AFD here in Denver..
THUS...PEOPLE PLANNING ON ATTENDING A CERTAIN LARGE OUTDOOR SPORTING SPECTACLE IN THE DOWNTOWN DENVER AREA SUNDAY SHOULD NOT HAVE TO BE CONCERNED WITH SNOW.
Wonder if someone is a Bronco fan! Haha! In any case, the slim snow chances have diminished with the return of the NW wind. Temps will move from the 40s back into the 50s during the middle of next week, so this recent blast of winter will soon be a memory.
Today, FINALLY went to get my temp-tags for the van and found out that I'll have to pay nearly $500 in taxes on the ride. The catch-22 to this. Add to that my plates and I'm looking at over $600 more to shell out. A big hit in my vacation plans, but I have tax season coming, so hopefully I'll be able to save myself a bit there and maintain my monthly budgeting plan. Ah, the perks of college. And people wonder why I choose to remain there longer than I have to! *LOL*
The MP3 CD deck I have in my van is great. I burned out a few CDs full of MP3s this afternoon; organized the songs in various folders and basically turned a dozen or more CDs into a few. This will be perfect for those long chase trips where I typically ignore changing CDs; now I can cycle through 100 songs at a time before changing CDs. And that can last half a day or more! That'll be nice on those long nights home!
One final note before I crahs out for the night, I was talking with a chaser friend of mine about the upcoming convention and using the program Trillian, it'll sometimes underline words and allow you to move a mouse over them to check their definition. My buddy used the term "fucking", and it was underlined, so I checked it out.
http://www.fucking.at/fucking/eOrt1.htm
I learned there's a town in Austria called Fucking (pronounced "fooking"). That's one of the sites I googled up on it. That's my rare fact for the day! Enjoy!
0 comments
Thursday, January 19, 2006
Snow starting to wind down here in Lakewood as the midnight hour sneaks in. I enjoyed my RTD bus home to find well over half a foot of freshly fallen snow on my car. Dug it out, made the short trip home, and enjoyed a quiet evening at home before making an 11pm trip outside to stick a ruler in the snow... the grand total; 8 inches. A nice, thick snow and one I'll happily stick this one into my record books. Definately was a surprise to many as it created quite the mess during the morning and evening rush hours. I, for one, am again glad I took a bus into downtown today and allowed the stress to be let out elsewhere. Quiet days on the stretch, but cooler temps will remain. Another chance of snow Saturday night into Sunday, but I don't foresee it being as big as today's! It was a nice setup; had it stuck around as long as the March 2003 blizzard, we would've seen well over two feet here in the city. Nice setup, just a bit fast, but a nice surprise none-the-less!
0 comments
Winter Storm Warnings have been posted in the areas surrounding C-470 from I-70 around to the south back to I-70 near Watkins. Snow Advisories continue over the Metro area thru this evening with accumulations tonight expected to range from 1 to 4 inches. My neck of the woods is expecting another 2 to 4, but glancing at SFC obs over the NE part of the state, we're setting up for a favored pattern over the western suburbs to see a shot of convectively driven snow, which could up the accumulations a couple inches pending how long one of those sits over the area. I have no idea what my apartment has seen today as its been snowing pretty consistantly since this morning, but I wouldn't be surprised to see upwards of 6 to 8 in spots west of Sheridan between about 20th and Jewell (in that fun little area in there).
Its so nice to see! I love bad weather, and while 60s and 70s full of sun are nice, I like a little something to get my pumped, and this does it. It actually feels like the first big snow of the year seeing as how this morning's flakes caught everyone off guard. Fortunately for me, there was RTD to keep me from having to drive on the roads this morning and will do the same coming home, even as it should be well after rush hour. In any case, I'll enjoy the ride home gazing into the white lawns remembering that we can have bad weather even when tornadoes are far from a reality! :o)
0 comments
To ammend the earlier post, NWS DEN has issued a Snow Advisory for the area which I'm sure was a result of this convective band of snow which kicked off the snow hours earlier than originally expected. Instability is actually present this morning which combined with other features has aided greatly in producing the moderate snowfall we've seen this morning. Because of this and the expected snow later today, a Snow Advisory was issued for expected accumulations of 3 to 6 inches by storm's end. If this tops the 5 inch range at my apartment, it'll take the snowstorm of the year for me! *LOL* Now, off to Probability and Statistics (or the Bat Cave)... *ZOOOM*
0 comments
Any chance you can get to poke fun at the National Weather forecasts, you do it.. for instance, the forecast I saw this morning when I awakened (same as now)..
Snow developing this afternoon...
Whew... and I thought I overslept! *LOL*
0 comments
Wednesday, January 18, 2006
The snow potential shrunk again... talks of a few inches in the Metro area for the upcoming storm. Again, nothing to get in a twist over. Worthy cause its the start of a more seasonal pattern, cooler temps and some precip. While I would prefer the 60 degrees and sunny over cold and windy, I guess I'm just happy to see that Nature isn't too far removed from the season. I do like a good snowstorm, too!
More items arrived today; the Radioshack order of my CB/WX, mini-speaker, and antenna came along with the Jotto Desk package including the new floor mount and brace kit. A few more odds and ends still on the way (including the Jotto extended rod), but the biggies are here and ready to go.
0 comments
I just ordered my text books from Amazon.com a bit ago and realized that on top of those three books, I have nearly a dozen packages making their way to my place this week. I have a couple waiting for me at the leasing office and more coming. When you add the text books, I'm going to get socked. Fedex, UPS, and USPS will know me well by week's end! Yesterday, my inverter arrived, so I've placed it in the pile of gear soon to be installed.
Snow is again in the forecast for the end of the week, and while this storm holds better potential than this previous one, I'm still not up in arms just yet. I have glanced over the models to take a quick glimpse and my hopes are that GFS verifies. It has a slower, stronger storm with it which would mean more snow for us. The Denver AFD says its cranking out nearly a foot as opposed to the NAM's 4 to 8 inches. I'm not going to jump on either's saddle yet, but its worth watching for. Can you tell I'm bored? I'll probably wait til the last second to make a call on this system as I really haven't looked at anything aside from this morning's glance, but I'm understandably skeptical. We'll see how it pans out over the next 12 to 24 hours. In the meantime, Chinook is the rule as it'll hoist temps to near 60 today. Only in Colorado! *LOL*
On a final note, one of my chasing buddies Chris Collura jumped on the blog bandwagon and created one of his own! I've added it to my friends list over there *points* and hope you drop by and see it! I've chased with Chris and company for a couple seasons now and strongly recommend his videos. He's very knowledgable and most importantly, fun to chase with! I look forward to reading more in his blog coming up.
0 comments
Tuesday, January 17, 2006
I may've found an interesting solution for mounting the HAM faceplate. I was killing some time this afternoon between classes and stumbled across a couple of custom-made mounts that work with the radio bezel in my vehicle. Bracketron makes a mount which I can order here for $31.99 shipped and install on my own directly into the radio bezel using the bolts for the radio itself. This would allow me easy access to the HAM faceplate while driving AND avoid me drilling any holes. It's a bit pricey for a piece of metal, but would do the job perfectly. On the other hand, I've also toyed with the idea of drilling into the bezel itself and mounting the rig directly to that on either side of the radio. In any case, I think I'll take out the bezel and see what my options are, but I definately want my radio mounted in that area of the vehicle for quick, easy access.
0 comments
The new semester kicked off this morning with the first class of the season; Probability and Statistics. The rest will be unvieled over the next couple days as I get started with yet another fun-filled semester. To be honest, I'm relieved and happy to be back to normal; classes and work balance out well and keep my mind occupied enough to avoid sinking into terminal bordom which tends to happen over Winter Break. On the other side of the coin, all that went on over break was enough to keep me more than busy, so the new semester seems to bring with it a calm. I welcome that break from break.
The starting of the Spring Semester also means one thing, chasing is coming soon. Hence the 'spring' semester. The countdown officially begins to the season as conferences and conventions are now within a month, and the first early spring chases can be had in the next couple months. All this points to some squirming in my seats as my eyes begin to readjust to staring at all those noodles thrown over the US from the models. And with the events which lead to the purchase of my new ride, I'm even more eager to get out. But before then, lots to do...
Much like in 2002, I'll be spending the days and weeks up til my chasevacation prepping the new vehicle. I've laid out some plans as to where I am going to house most of my gear, but won't undertake any of that for at least a couple weeks. Most of what I have ordered is on its way and I'm figuring by Sunday, it should all be here. Once I have everything in hand, I can then start to fit everything and see what can go where. At some point in the next month, I'll get to mounting and wiring the gear, and hopefully by the first of March, will be set to make my first ventures into the Plains.
I've also toyed with the idea of bailing on other conferences aside from TESSA and the Chaser Convention. I'm figuring I'm going to need about $2000 to survive a month of chasing with me missing work during that time. Since I was able to get into a vehicle without payments, I'll be good financially in terms of my monthly bills. I'm going to talk to my insurance company this week about changing my 6 month billing cycle so that it starts in March and goes through August. This will allow me to pay the back end of that cycle all at once in April and not have to worry about it again til September. Everything else I can pay ahead of time or while I'm on the road, but hopefully won't amount to much beyond a couple hundred bucks. Rent I'll leave behind in cash (or money order) so its gone before I leave. That way I can keep track of my spendings while I'm out and make any time adjustments I see fit just in case. Last season, I spent $1500 while I was out; I'm figuring on at least $500 more this time around. We'll see how that pans out.
So that's the status as of now. A new semester beckons and hopefully it'll be much smoother this time around. So here's to it! And let the countdown begin!
0 comments
Sunday, January 15, 2006
Introducing ' White Lightning', the third generation of chase vehicles in Tony's career.
I picked her up in Boulder yesterday morning and gave her a good opening day. Spent today running errands, taking measurements, and prepping her for what's sure to be a nice interior overhaul. The first oder of business was to replace the CD deck that came with the van. There was nothing wrong with it, but I really wanted an MP3/CD deck, so I went to Car Toys and picked up a Panasonic MP3/CD deck and installed it. I put the old Pioneer DEH-P47DH CD Deck on eBay to rid of it. Buy-it-Now for $125 gets free shipping, FYI!
I'm thinking I'm going to mount the scanner and CB/WX in the area at the bottom of the radio console near the floor where a drop-open drawer exists. I'll pull out the drawer and mount the radios down there. Since niether will require constant attention when chasing, the out-of-the-way storage won't be a huge issue. I'll mount the scanner at the bottom and the CB/WX on top of it. The scanner I can let run in various scan modes and never really have to touch it. The CB/WX radio will primarily be used for monitoring WX channels, so once I get into an area with good reception, I'll never really touch it. The CB use will be minimum while chasing, but may come in handy here in town. In either case, it seems like a good place to put those.
I'm still fiddling with where I want to mount the HAM faceplate; I do have a couple ideas, but I'll wait on finalizing that choice til I am actually installing the gear.
My thoughts were to head to Verne's next weekend, but with the Broncos playing a Championship game at 1:00pm next Sunday, I'm going to take the money and run, driving pies during the game and probably will wait til the following weekend before doing the installation. That will allow me to accumulate all the gear I've ordered plus make any added orders for parts if I find I need them.
0 comments
No surprise to wake up today and see snow totals dropped dramatically from last night's forecast. In fact, within the last hour, they dropped most of the accumulating stuff for the Metro area and dropped the Winter Storm Watch from the Palmer Divide northward. No big surprise in all honesty, but I was disappointed as I was finally looking forward to a fun change in the weather. Ah well, such is life in Mile High. In the meantime, I'm going to spend the nice part of the day doing some work on the van before the rain/snow mix and cooler temps arrive later this afternoon.
0 comments
Saturday, January 14, 2006
First of all, allow me to put a period on the football season by congratulating Seattle on a sloppy victory which they deserved. Washington had their chances to take the game, but their offense played another crappy game, and this time, the season ended with the clock turning all zeros. But for what it's worth, it was a great season! A sweep of Dallas and a playoff run which NO ONE thought possible. More than anyone really thought possible after the 6-10 season last year. The obvious high point, week 2 against Dallas. It'll be my carry til next season! Good news lies in that I now have a few upcoming Sundays free which may send me Verne's way for help with setting up my new ride.
Speaking of new ride, I picked it up this morning and gave it a good opening day workout across town and driving pies during the Denver game. She rides great, smooth, and is fuel efficient, more so than I would've thought for a van. I'll post a few shots tomorrow in my pre-stages of setting her up. Still awaiting some gear to arrive, including an extension mount for the Jotto Desk as my current setup is too short. I'll need the longer pole to insure enough leg room for the passenger.
Tomorrow welcomes in some interesting weather. If you've been in Denver since Thanksgiving, you haven't heard "snow" mentioned in any sentence that didn't contain "mountains". All of a sudden, a system is going to drop into Southern Colorado Sunday night and send a good shot of moist, upslope flow over the Palmer Divide and Metro area to bring upwards of a foot of snow in the Front Range and blizzard-like conditions on the Plains. The entire eastern portion of the state has been placed under a Winter Storm Watch for Sunday night, but its a broad-brush issuance ranging from heavy snow to wind blown snow. I guess the details will unravel more tonight and tomorrow, but it looks as if this could be the first major snow of the 2006 year and possible the first major one for ME of the entire winter season. Condsidering today was 70 degrees and the previous weeks have been warm, I'm having a hard time getting too excited about anything yet. If anything, it's a change in the trend and something to do for a bit. I'll send my page into Winter Weather Alert Mode if warnings go up, or I feel confident for at least 6 inches of snow here in Lakewood. Stay tuned.
0 comments
Friday, January 13, 2006
My insurance claims are completed as of today. I came home to find the $1450 check from the insurance company to replace my gear. Tomorrow when the deposit clears, I'll refund my credit card, and push out the last $300 in gear for the WX/CB and other bits and pieces. I also go to pick up the van tomorrow morning and will get a chance to take measurements and figure out where the rest of my gear will go. Glancing at a forum referred to me in Stormtrack, its possible I could mount the rest of my gear in easy-to-reach places and do without the console. We'll see how that goes tomorrow.
Anywoo, off to go add another 200 game to my collection for the year! My bolwing is being paid for as a result of a bet I won with Tampa losing to my Skins! Hahahaha!
0 comments
Thursday, January 12, 2006
Its a nice cozy Thursday evening at home, relaxing to Richard Elliot and Chris Camozzi and fiddling with my new toy; first time in ages we've seen anything that resembled winter today; cold and blustery. You really don't realize how nice its been til you get one of these days in the midst of it. Actually a chance of snow towards Sunday and beyond; nothing substantial, but a reminder from Nature that it IS January.
As I mentioned, my new toy. Ham Radio Outlet (HRO) sent my radio to me today; took under 24 hours to receive, which is awesome, even considering they're store in Aurora sent it to me. But none-the-less, it was as fast as it could be. Took it out and played with the hardware aspects, tinkering with the remote hookups and checking things out. Also assembled the antenna and have it ready to mount roof-side on Saturday. It's a bit shorter than my last one, but its tuned and ready to go according to the good folks over at HRO; ready to receive both the 2m and 70cm bands. I should've pitched a few bucks to get the external speaker seeing as I am going to mount the radio elsewhere with the remote package. Thinking I'll go cheaper with that and mount the speaker someplace close to the driver seat.
I've also shopped around for consoles, but am waiting to get the van so I can take measurments and see what space I have between the seats. Once I get that settled, I'll buy/order one I see fit and set that up as I like it. I'll probably mount the speaker to that or the Jotto Desk.
So one more day before I get the new ride. I'm actually excited as hell about the new ride. Very anxious to get into her and set her up! While the first official road trip will be for the TESSA meeting, I may sneak a trip to Texas if the Skins make it to the Superbowl. Why? I have to watch that one with my Dad, so maybe a sneak peak of the ride's performance on the road. We'll see about that, though.
I am going to aquire some help from Verne who I dubbed as Luigi yesterday. I'll probably head up to this place on a Sunday in the next couple weeks to get his assistance in setting up the gear. Still in the mail, the inverter and Jotto Desk mounts. Still waiting to be ordered, the CB/WX radio and center console. Once those are clear, I'm all set. I imagine the CB/WX radio will be a purchase after the insurance is finalized. I'll be a bit tight after I write away $2725 on top of the $4000 I wrote last week. Such is life... good news, after Saturday, my payments end! :o)
0 comments
Wednesday, January 11, 2006
Came home to a couple of surprises today; the financial aid check arrived along with the check to cover the stolen radio. I deposited both and will be ready to get the check for the van on Saturday. Next week, I'll send my credit card the money for the radio I purchased today and be back on track in anticipation of the last insurance check.
I ordered a few more pieces of gear, including a 750 watt inverter on ebay and some jotto desk accessories (mounting brace and new mounting plate). I'm going to add the extra stability to the desk and will figure out how I want to arrange it once I get everything. I'm also going to add a radio organizer like this one from Galls, but I want to wait to get the vehicle so I can see how far below me the gear will be. Its a pretty cheap setup, but oughta work fine for what I'm doing with it. I've looked at some other, more expenseive options, but I'm not sure its really worth anymore than this for the gear. Again, I'll check things out once I get the vehicle.
On a humerous note, I created a silly image for a thread in Stormtrack which has us putting other chasers into a cartoon and making a scene. I threw this together over my shortened lunch break this afternoon as my contribution. Verne is Luigi, I'm Mario.
0 comments
I went ahead and ordered the new HAM radio this afternoon and put in on my credit card. I figure within the next 25 days (before my CC cycle ends), I'll be able to pay that all back in full when everything else finalizes.
I splurged a bit; upgrading my choice to the Yaesu FT-8800R; HRO was having a special on the radio for $364.95 ($10 off) and it came with the free remote kit for the radio. I also put out about some good cash for the antenna for that as well, all told spending about $465 for the set. Once those arrive, I'll change over my insurance policy to cover all the gear, including the antenna.
I elected to go with the upgrade cause of the remote kit which came free with it, seeing as I was going to end up purchasing one of those anyway, it would only cost me an extra $50 to get the radio anyway. Now I'll be able to mount the radio itself someplace hidden and run the wires to the faceplate up front and have an easier time mounting the rig. I also put down some good cash to get a real antenna which oughta make many of the people I chase with very happy now!
That jotto mount is next on the list, which won't be nearly as much as this purchase. Beyond that, I'm probably going to tack on another $100 for other pieces of equipment and stash the remainder of the cash away for the season. I still want a dedicated WX radio for the car, and may elect to go with a cheaper CB with WX radio to suffice this for me. I would like to keep the HAM radio specifically for HAM stuff.
Still crossing my fingers that the financial aid check arrives today or tomorrow. Hopefully, the forwarding doesn't add any time to my shipment and it arrives by tomorrow so I can get that in and prepare to get the new ride on Saturday. Pending when the HAM arrives, I may be making plans to start installation in the next couple weeks.
0 comments
Tuesday, January 10, 2006
The campus financial aid department informed me that my check should be forwarded to my new address, which means I should get it at some point this week as planned. I also faxed over the list of gear damaged in my accident to the insurance company. Hopefully that'll be processed before week's end and I can wrap up all the insurance part of this. Speaking of insurance, I got an estimate on my new vehicle and WITH the accident on my record for full coverage, I can still expect to pay about $100/month, so all I'm seeing is a rate increase of about $25/month from the Tracer. The old age helped as well as the timing of rate drops with the company helped keep rates down. They told me the rate increase will be reflected on my policy come May when my next cycle kicks in, so in the meantime, I'll enjoy cheap insurance on the new ride starting this weekend.
Warm weather returned again today after a brief laspe of winter yesterday; temps only in the 40s which is cold by Mile High standards with the string of 50, 60, and 70 degree days since the holidays. Temps will continue to hold strong in the 50s or higher throught the coming days, including Sunday where I'll be playing in the new vehicle. No real end is in site as things will remain at or above normal. Snow chances are small to nill with our only hope being on Thursday where the high temp will remain in the 30s. We'll see how that turns out!
Lunchtime now! Ciao!
0 comments
Monday, January 09, 2006
A change in conference plans... glancing at the 2006 Severe Storms and Doppler Radar conference in Des Moines, it fits well with my Spring Break as I'll be out of school that entire week. I'm deciding on whether to attend this conference in place of the Norman, OK conference easlier in the month to accomodate the schedule. Right now, my only sure things are the Chaser Convention next month and TESSA on March 11. Going to Des Moines also gives me a week between trips as I'll be driving to Dallas for TESSA and would likely do the same to Des Moines. If I were to go to OKC, I'd fly Frontier. Decisions decisions!
0 comments
This is just a "get it out of my head and onto paper" list of things I need to get in the next couple months...
HAM radio New antennas for scanner, HAM, WX radio (CB) Jotto desk floor mount Power inverter Mounting kits for radios Video camera dash mount
My financial aid check was mailed to the wrong address, so I'm going to have to wait til the end of the week before I see that. I knew all this was going too perfect! *LOL*
0 comments
Sunday, January 08, 2006
Its weird starting over again; brings back memories of my first years where I was looking for cars, equipment, and everything else a chaser could need/want. My first order of business now that the vehicle is settled is to begin to replace my gear. I'm hoping to get my information to my insurance company tomorrow so that they can get working on the second half of my accident claim. With that check, I'll begin to replace my gear.
My first piece on the list in a new HAM radio. I'm pretty well set on Yaesu as my choice for the radio. I'd like to keep my purchase below $300 which should equal out as the value from the old radio which was stolen after the accident. I'm eyeing the FT-7800R model for various reasons, including its detachable faceplate. I like to keep my raido simple and easy to use. The similarities between this and my previous model are such that I would have to do little to aquaint myself with the new rig. Obviously some of the features will differ, but the similarities will make the transaction an easy one.
It does have a few features my older rig didn't have, including the use of the 70cm band. Its a dual band mobile, so it'll broaden my frequencies a bit. I'm sure I'll find I'll use it more locally in general chit-chat rather than chasing itself, but it'll give me some motivation to turn it on beyond the realms of chasing.
I'm probably going to purchase it through Ham Radio Outlet as I can get it about $15 cheaper. Also, they have a local outlet here in Denver which will save on shipping. I put up a request in Stormtrack to get suggestions as to where to make my purchase. More times than not, the rigs I've looked at can be found cheaper with HRO. When the time comes, I'll head out to Aurora to grab it.
I've also considered the idea of purchasing a cheap CB radio with WX capabilities. While my portable WX radio is nice, something in the vehicle I can dedicate to WX would be even better. I found a lot that I used my old HAM to check the WX frequencies, a pain in the ass when I was using it to chat as well. I figure $50 will get me a CB with WX radio and I could leave it set to WX channels. It also enables me to communicate to those few people I chase with who don't have HAMs. While I'll rarely use it for that, it'll be something fun on long trips, too!
That's really all I've been shopping for at the present. I need to replace the floor mount for my Jotto Desk, but I'll wait til after I officially aquire the new ride. By then, I'll be able to spend an afternoon making notes as to where I want various items to go. Once I figure out where the radios will go, I can then make a better guess as to where I want the Jotto Desk to be mounted. Obviously I'll have more selection with this that I did with my Tracer, so that'll make it easier. Add to that; removing the front seat is no longer a needed thing. Chase partners rejoice!
Lots to do, I'm afraid. I'm trying to budget myself so I avoid killing my finanaces before this upcoming season. Fortunately the purchasing of the van will enable me to avoid the dreaded car payment, but I end up losing my financial aid check in the process, which was where most of my chase funds were going to come from. I'll have to rely on my tax return and a few weekly extra hours at work to ensure I am able to keep at least $1500 tucked away for the season. I'm sure I'll be fine!
0 comments
Saturday, January 07, 2006
I wanted to write a little something today on my Washington Redskins who evened the score against Tampa Bay to advance to the second round of the playoffs to take on the Seattle Seahawks. My Dad and I enjoyed several phone calls back and forth up til the final one after the game ending interception sent the Skins one step closer to the big game. Have you ever seen two defenses that good square off at each other? Wow! The number 1 defense in Tampa verses our excellent squad led by newly extended assistant coach, Mr. Gregg Williams. Neither offense really amounted to much, but there's no doubt the Tampa offense dominated the statistics! But 10 points won't win games, and no matter how well Chris Simms performed, it wasn't enough to break through our depleted secondary or our run defense. We stuffed them when it counted and now can take the next step to Seattle where we'll be put to the test against the league's best runner and my 2006 fantasy stud, Shaun Alexander.
Sean Taylor nabbed a gameball with his second TD fumble return in as many weeks, but I'll turn right around and smack him in the face with it for the incident which got him kicked out of the game. Now if I weren't a Skins fan, I would be screaming for him to be suspended for the remainder of the playoffs; no one deserves to be spit on regardless of what trash talk they were dishing out. But because I am a Skins fan and recognize what his presence on the field does for us, I can't help but be relieved that his absence on the field today didn't end our playoff run, nor did it cost him any future playing time beyond what the coaches may do with him. We need him, but his act today of spitting in the face of Pittman was uncalled for. Sean, pull your head out of your ass and remember what you're suppose to be doing. You kill people everytime you lay into them! Save your agression for that! They make the highlight reel and keep us fans happy! Don't be an ass! While I hope you get fined something fierce, I hope even more you're pounding Seahawks' receivers into the turf next Saturday.
Well, my prediction earlier this week on this game came out. We forced turnovers, and it ultimately proved to be the only way we put up points. Portis and Betts churned hard yards which didn't amount to much, and Brunell found himself on the short end of the stats stick, but a win's a win, and a sloppy one at that. In any case, we move on. The lowest offensive production in post-season history isn't an encouraging record to hold at all, but before everyone starts going on about how bad the offense was. Keep in mind that we went up against the number 1 defense and they again showed why they're number 1! But it was OUR defense that came up big in this one. Our offense will turn it up, there's no doubt. With weapons like Santana Moss, Chris Cooley, and Clinto Portis, you know its there. It'll surface, and they'll do it against Seattle next Saturday in a game which promises a bit more action than today.
On a side note, an observation about pro-sports forums. I am part of several Washington Redskins forums on the net. I'm not an active poster in most, but I tune in from time-to-time to see what fans are saying. Every week, we get some idiot from the opposing team come on and start blasting the Skins. Now since I don't intrude on others' turf, I don't see what Skins fans do on other forums (and I KNOW for a fact its done), but I can't help but laugh. For instance this week in a MySpace Skins group, some knuckleheaded Tampa Bay fans came on and went on and on about Alstott's "questionable" 2-point conversion which beat us in the first meeting earlier in the season. They came on reminding us how we lost and tried to prepare us for the beating Chris Simms was going to deliver; the ass-whooping C. Williams and Joey Galloway were going to deliver. Obviously none of the above took place and as well as Simms played, the result means the same; pack your bags and go home. Obviously that particular person stayed well away from the forum when the clock turned all zeros, and I'm sure Skins fans from the forum tracked him and his buddies down to give them a few choice words. But my point, why? Now I trash talk among friends; ask my good chase pal Amos Magliocco or Roger Edwards. But I can't say I'm as moronic or retarded as some of the people I see out there. I mean seriously, I show respect to other fans, even those who are fans of those guys who play in a stadium so cheap, they can't finish the roof (but who have the best cheerleaders). And I've personally met many of those people in random places such as trains, buses, stores, etc. We've talked about passed games, lived up our high moments, and discussed upcoming things for the respective teams. But never would I confront those people like many I see online. Sure, its the internet, your hidden behind a Cat5 cable and a flatscreen panel, but I still think its the same. Tampa Bay played a helluva game, and it showed. But our defense simply made the plays when it counted. There's nothing more to it. We didn't deliver an ass-kicking, but we won the game. And you know what, I'm counting my lucky stars we came out on the right end of that, cause it could've easily gone either way (see highlight of a perfect TD pass which hit the ground). Yes, I have Tampa fans who I'll brag to, smirk at, or happily take their money next time I see them, but I'm going to do it with class; a handshake and acknowledgement of one of the better defensive games I've ever seen. Hell, I might even go as far as to forgive the Alstott 2-point plunge! LOL In any case, I'm a fan, a damn true and loyal fan, one that has stood by his Skins every year since he can remember, and I'm not about to taint that by going off the deep-end as some of these people do. I love football, obsess over it, but half the fun is the interaction I have with friends and total strangers. I'm not out to say fuck you all, I'm out to say damn good game and I expect the same in return. Okay okay, so if we beat you 49 to 7, I may give you a lot of shit, but its in good fun. Or, if you were a Cowboy fan in week 2, I gave you a lot of shit, but along with that a pat on the back for giving me one of the greatest games (or endings) I've had in my quarter-century here.
To sum it up, show respect. We enjoy our sports, and it ruins it when there are people out there who trash talk to the point of disrespect. I enjoy my trash-talking, but in the end, you'll always get a pat on the back or handshake. So with that, I salute Tampa Bay for their efforts, but it was our day today. 3 and 0 to the big show; now we're a third of the way there!
HAIL!
0 comments
I put the $4000 down on the minivan this morning and plan to pick it up next weekend in Monument. I gave it a test run up and down I-25; good get-up-and-go, handles well, shifts smooth, and has a good record of maintanance in its 57,000 mile life. Included with all the maintanance papers was the original window sticker from the car back in 1996. Some of the replaced items include the belts, brakes, and fuel filter. I took the paperwork from this with me so I could enter it into my spreadsheet to get an idea of anything I would need to do. Glancing over it, it looks as if most of it can wait til March in my annual maintanance party where I'll probably do some simple things considering items such as a trannie flush were done within the last 15000 miles.
With a vacuum and some Armor-all, the interior will look good as new. I'm planning on removing the third row bench seat and one of the two "captain's chairs" in the second row, so its definately going to be as roomy as I need it. The console on the ceiling has a trip odometer, gas mileage stats, and a timer. Some funky gimiks I'll come to enjoy. Cruise control which is something I haven't enjoyed in a vehicle prior to this will be very nice to have on longer trips. Controls built into steering wheel, power everything, and leather. Yes leather; my initial thoughts of the seats were extremely cushy. Seat covers may find their way in later, but I'll play that by year.
I think I'll find myself very happy with the purchase and imagine I'll come close to putting half of the 57,000 miles on it within the first 6 months. For $6750 cash, I get to avoid the dreaded car payment and feel I'll get my money's worth. Without the interest from the payments, I'll be in my least expensive vehicle yet. Insurance will be cheaper cause its older and plates for the van may actually be cheaper than the Tracer. And if I can bend the front plate back into good shape, its highly likely you'll see WX NERD roaming the plains come May!
The fun begins soon with the installation of gear and transforming her into the next chase ride! Stay tuned for that!
0 comments
Friday, January 06, 2006
Heading out in the morning to check out a vehicle; checking out a 1996 Chrysler Town and Country minivan for $6750. The van has 57,000 miles on it and by the sound of the ad looks really good. I'm anxious to see it! Good price for a vehicle that new even as its 10 years old. Will give it a run and see how she suits. Its a higher end model; leather, digital compass, some goodies. Will be anxious to check it out. Will let you know what I decide, but for a chase vehicle, sounds like a helluva bargin!
To help with the financing, I got a nice little bonus today from The Weather Channel who sent me out on my earliest assignment to document the string of spring-like weather we've been having since the holidays. Today we neared the 70 degree mark and tomorrow we'll come even closer. A boring pattern to say the least, but puts a few bucks in the pocket! Here are the stills...
See more stills from TWC airings.
0 comments
Thursday, January 05, 2006
The first of my two claims was concluded today with a surprising number for the vehicle. My insurance company bought out my new engine, the reflective decals, and bought out the power inverter and jotto mount and after my deductable gave me $3422.59 for the car, well over $1400 more than I thought I was going to see from the car itself! So very happy news there! I'm heading down this afternoon to hand over the title and get my check, as well as gather up the remainder of my gear (antennas and the HAM radio).
0 comments
Wednesday, January 04, 2006
The quest for my next vehicle is officially underway. With my credit finally in good shape and a sizeable down payment, I should be able to get into just about anything I want. I'm weighing out two choices; Dodge Minivans or Subaru Wagons. I have looked around and priced a few, taken a look at the basics, and have looked at my passed experience with the Caravans (my old 1990 Caravan). While my research hasn't stemmed far beyond that, I have come up with some pros and cons. I haven't looked at mechanical issues for models of both beyond 2000, so aside from the Subaru's issues with head gaskets in their 2.5 liter engines, I don't know much beyond that.
DODGE CARAVAN
Pros:
Substantially more inexpensive compared to Subarus of equivilent mileage
Fold-and-Go storage on later models
More storage space
Cheaper to maintain
Cheaper to insure
SUBARU OUTBACK
Pros:
Drives and handles more like a car
Better gas mileage
Decent space
Smaller in overall size
Would likely last longer
All-wheel drive
I'm hoping to shell out about $6000 down on whichever I elect to go with. I'm honestly leaning towards the Caravans for saving a few bucks as I am sure my insurance is going to SKYROCKET after my accident gets officialized.
I know this goes against my earlier plans to purchase two cars, but I'm thinking I can go in after the summer ends and purchase a POS around then. With chase season approaching, if I do get into a vehicle by then, I'd be driving it over the summer anyway. I can then keep my eyes open for something cheap to use as my everyday car and allow my choice of chase vehicle get rest and little driving around then.
In the meantime, still awaiting word on the insurance. They're sending me paperwork to go on with the equipment claims, so that'll be next in line. The joys! :o)
0 comments
Monday, January 02, 2006
With that leap from Sean Taylor at the end of his 39 yard fumble recovery return, the Skins put up the nail-in-coffin points for the Eagles and dove into the post-season for the first time since 1999 where they lost on the road to the same team which they'll face on Saturday, a team who pulled an iffy win earlier in the year thanks to a call which the replay leaves some question to. In any case, we're off to Tampa Bay to take on the Bucs on Wildcard weekend after a 10-6 season! Icing on the cake was our win knocking the Cowboys out of the playoffs! What a great regular season its been; two great wins against our rivals and slamming the playoff door shut on them!
Here's my analysis on the teams they could play on their way to Super Bowl XL.
Tampa Bay; in the shootout earlier this season, we fell to them 35-36 thanks two a 2-point conversion play towards the end of the game. While the conversion was reviewed and stood, the replay leaves some doubt as to whether or not he really got in. That's water under the bridge now. I think the Skins are primed for a road upset, and have showed they can keep pace with Tampa. With focus being on getting Portis the ball and maintaining a solid running game, it should keep Tampa Bay from the field a bit more. If the defense can force some turnovers as they have in their last five games, we should be able to defeat the Bucs on the road to advance to the next round.
Chicago; we beat the Bears in the first game of the seaosn in a snoozer of a game. Both teams have greatly improved since then, including the Bears whose defense is insane. I think the offense lacks where it needs, and I think with the Redskins defense, we should be able to keep them from scoring high. Agian, a strong running game will open up weapons like Santana Moss and Chris Cooley and we should find ourselves getting a few opportunities for big plays. I think with that combination, we should be able to take down the Bears.
Carolina; They've played some great football, but I think they're stay in the playoffs will be short as they travel to New York to take on the Giants. If they manage to win that game, off to Seattle they go. In any case, I'm not sure the Skins will face them at all during this post season as I cannot imagine Carolina beating both New York and Seattle on the road.
New York; Agian, the only way the Skins meet them is in the NFC Championship game. And while I think the Giants will win round 1 at home, I don't think they're good enough to take on Seattle. They've played some good football, but I still think Seattle will giev them some grief. But, I do think the Giants are good enough to give them a shot at Seattle, but til I see it, I'm not going to hold my breath.
Seattle; Seattle is an excellent all-around team headed off by my 2005 fantasy stud, Mr. Alexander. We took Seattle to overtime and defeated them in week 3, but as stated above, both teams have come full circle since then. I think Seattle will be THE opponent for anyone in the NFC, so if the Skins are to get beaten, I think it'll have to be Seattle that does it in the NFC Championship. Our defense needs to come up huge against them to stop Alexander and to keep Hasselback and his receivers from making huge plays. Again, a strong focus on the running game will allow our offense the chance at big plays, and in the end, it'll have to be our defense that keeps Seattle from taking the NFC Championship.
I have concerns about the post-season as we've come off a five game winning streak and have played some very emotional football in those weeks. While I think Gibbs and his team are ready for a post-season run, you can't help but be concerned about how much gas is left in the tank. I mean, our secondary is horrifingly depleted with the re-injury of Springs, and even though we kept the Eagles to 3 points in the second half, you can't help but be concerned against teams like Tampa Bay and Seattle. Brunell was efficient again, but it was Portis carrying the team on his shoulders. I think if we stick to the plans we've laid out and followed over the passed five weeks, even a struggling day can still be a winning one. The motto at the end of the regular season; "5 and 0 or we don't go". Now, it's 3 and 0 to get to the big show on February 5th. My fantasy, Washington and Denver, now wouldn't that be fun. My reality, Washington and New England.
HAIL!
0 comments
|
