Great White North - Done

Just returned from a driving trip through Canada. I'll post some pictures as soon as I get up the energy to get them off the camera. But here are the highlights:

• 2220 miles (20.7 mpg)


• 5 days driving up to Bonnyville Alberta


• 1.5 days driving back

Here's roughly the route we took.


The roads between Vancouver and Whistler were awful. (Construction in preparation for the 2010 Olympics.) And from Whistler to Lillooet was even worse but without the hope for improvement. Other than that the driving was great.

Fade to Black

Another track weekend (Friday and Saturday anyway). This is the last one for me this season, I promise.

Odd day.

Unloaded the Daytona and found it had a completely flat rear tire. Couldn't find out where it was punctured. Inflated it. It was fine. Thought about using it but it gave me the heebie-jeebies so I replaced both tires. ("New tires: $220. Replacing motorcycle plastics: $2000. Avoiding a blow-out at 130mph: priceless.")

Rode the Daytona all day. (Why not? It has new tires.) Felt good. Felt fast. I was looking forward to figuring out my laptimes. (I use the video recording for that.) Unfortunately my camera batteries were fading and I recorded about an hour of black and silence. ... Or maybe I was faster than light and sound! Yeah! That must be it!

Guess I need to add that to the list of off-season motorcycle tasks:
- Wire the camera into the motorcycle power.

TJ Regresses

Track weekend.

Saturday started well on the Daytona. Saturday ended poorly on the Ducati.

It was sort of like a baby eating ice cream: messy, loud, all-over-the-place. In some places I was too fast, in others too slow. In an attempt to get more free track I dropped down to the Beginner session where there were fewer bikes. ... At least if I ride like crap I won't stand out as much...

I decided the bike-switch was part of the problem so Sunday I stuck with the Ducati. I'm very proud of my Ducati. It's a nice toy. I like to show it off. It's usually good for some attention and compliments.

Unfortunately on Sunday the guy in the next pit over brought a Desmosedici. (For those not up on your Ducati models, imagine going to a horse race where someone brought a unicorn. A very fast unicorn.) Oh well. At least he's in the Beginner group so I'm not on the absolute top of the $-per-mph curve.

Fantasy Football Anonymous

TJ: "Hi, my name is TJ and I'm addicted to fantasy football."
Group: "Hi TJ"

Statistics + football + Sundays. How can that not be a perfect combination for a numbers geek? Last night was our draft. 12 football fans in a room with pizza and beer all trying to decide whether to draft some unknown 3rd-string rookie running-back or a kicker in the 13th round. Good fun.

My post-draft analysis says I have the strongest team. ... My post-draft analysis *always* says I have the strongest team. Yet I always end up 7-7 and get booted in the first round of the playoffs.

My current starting line-up:

• QB - Drew Brees
• RB - Ladainan Tomlinson
• RB - Earnest Graham
• WR - Andre Johnson
• WR - Chad Johnson
• PK - Mason Crosby
• DEF/ST - Chicago Bears

Remember, there are a whopping 4 prime-time games this week:

• Thursday - Redskins v Giants
• Sunday night - Bears v Colts
• Monday night - Vikings v Packers
• Monday night - Broncos v Raiders