A Few More Sleeps & disabling my FX45 Ride control

then another adventure starts.   For the past few weeks I had been getting my car ready for a big trip.  I thought I only needed to do the regular maintenance like; oil & filter changes, new coolant, check hoses, brake pads and tires.  But then I had a Harmonic Balancer failure, seems like a costly affair with my model of car.  While it was in the shop, the mechanic told me that I had a broken front shock.   No big deal I thought but these were special electronic valving shocks which cost over $500. a piece (times x 4 = $2,000.00 + labour)

Here's what a broken shock looks like.   I have a control on the console where you can select your ride mode from: Sport, Touring or Wimpy.  There is some sort of electronic contol within the shocks which change the firmness of the valving.

There is also some kind of solenoid which operates automatically to firm up your suspension, should you drive on different road surfaces.  It exerts more presure on those A-arms so if you are in Wimpy mode and you drive fast, it will change automatically to Sport mode.

so here are my four shocks already removed from the car.

and here are my four new ones, which my friend installed.   These are regular shocks, without the electronic valve control

    Old one

  New one

Without electronic shocks installed, the computer thinks that your shocks are defective, then it gives a ride control fault, along with another warning which in effect, cripples the car and limits your top speed.  Even though you clear the error messages, the warnings keep coming back.  In the meantime you cannot drive faster than a certain speed until you correct the fault.   As I am taking a long trip with others, I could not have a speed limited car so this had to be fixed.

There is virtually nothing that  can't be found by searching the internet.  My car has the FX45 ride control and the Corvette forum was my friend

I had a hard time trying to find the correct resistors, but eventually I snagged 4 of them, one for each wheel.   We cut the plugs from the 4 shocks and soldered the resister to each . . .

They come two in a package

Then we tried to waterproof them by wrapping in electrical tape as they are connected near each shock, under the wheelwell

Here is one connected and zap strapped to a harness

Here is another one zap strapped under the car but farther up

The resister fools the computer into thinking that your shocks are operational.   I get no more error messages and the car seems to drive much better with the new shocks.  It would seem that I had the broken shock when I bought the car.  Too bad I didn't know as I bought the extended warranty and I could have gotten a new shock years ago


With my car all fixed, and ready for the road, I took a few minutes to comtemplate

For the past 6 years the wheel on the left has seen may Western States.  Now it's time for the wheel on the right to see the Eastern side of the Continent.  I couldn't help but notice the pattern of the sun shining through our new fence

In a few days, a new adventure awaits, but this time on 4 wheels instead of only 2

My car is ready for the road and thanks to my Friend for doing most of the work

and to his hoist.   I wrote about it here

Last week we gathered at our friends and the four of us drove our cars

to the US border crossing

and drove our cars into the USA

We were on a mission and we

finally found our truck waiting for us

the driver was checking our car for pre-existing damage

and then it was time to start loading

My friend's Z06 went in before me.  Those ramps can be moved independently at both ends

and then it was my turn

I am in the lower berth

This particular truck can hold quite a few cars.   There are 3 in the first section and I think you can carry 6 in the rear trailer section

Both of my wheels are strapped to the rail and then tucked on an angle below the two cars above


There is a new C7 on top at the rear with a new Porsche Ceyenne underneath.   While we were supervising the loading

the girls were sitting on the rocks and socializing

It was finally time to say goodbye to our cars . . .   "till we meet again in Harrisburg, PA very soon"

Not many more sleeps and we will be gone.  

Cascade Designs, A Sunset & my Last Summer Ride for 2014

A couple of posts ago I mentioned that I bought a Therm-a-rest LuxuryLite Cot   ( click here )

These Cots are distributed by Cascade Designs who bought the rights to produce the LuxuryLite cots.   I often peruse the Craigslist ads and look for things that I may wish to have.   Doesn't hurt to save a bit of money and I am always refining my camping equipment to make my trip(s) more comfortable.  I try to look for high quality and "packs small" .   I like Cascade Designs.   They distribute MSR and I also have a couple of their MSR Whisperlite multifuel stoves and I am thinking of upgrading my tent to an MSR brand to be used next year on my next planned tour

I try to buy slightly used, if possible and there was a deal on this used LuxuryLite cot because one of the feet was broken

    (One of these Feet is broken)

Here is what they should look like

   The Good one is on the Left

If you go to  --->  this site    (the former LuxuryLite site)  You will see that while this is a 6 bow cot, depending upon your weight you can use less bows.  I think I could use only 4 bows as I am nearly down to that weight, but certainly I could use the cot with only 5 bows, so having one broken foot was no problem for me.  It also gives you the option to carry less bows if you are a minimalist hiker/biker

After I came home with my slightly "handicapped" cot I went on the net to see if I buy a replacement foot.   I sent an email to both companies: the original LuxuryLite and to Cascade Designs.   I was in luck as I could buy replacement parts from LuxuryLite but to my surprise . . .

after reading my polite email request, Cascade Designs customer service rep said they would mail me replacement parts and I received their envelope the other day.  This just reinforces what a good company they are and will make me coming back to buy more of their products

and what a surprise when I opened their envelope.   Instead of only sending one foot,  I received  three.  Now I have a complete cot for a bargain price

The other day, DOM posted some sunset photos   (here1).    I am far away for a good setting and unless you want to see telephone poles, roofs or wires and trees, I stay close to home when it gets dark.  There are not many photogenic places here in the middle of the city

I am not allowed to ride onto our beaches and the sun was just around the corner behind the trees, so this is nearly a sunset

Then on Saturday night we went to our friend's for a BBQ down in Steveston and after dinner, but before dessert all of us decided to take a short walk on the boardwalk

The warm glow of the setting sun shone on these old pier remnants and I thought that it made a good pattern.

The sun still has a little way to go, so we continued to walk but then we turned around to head back towards our waiting dessert which was homemade raspberry pie with ice cream (sorry no photos, wasn't quick enough)

They had an event here so the walkway was lined with decorations.  It was hard to look directly into the setting sun

It was a very nice summer evening here on the banks of the Fraser River

Last Friday I rode my bike to work.  It had been too hot to ride and I don't enjoy having to sweat inside my gear so I had been taking the car and enjoying the cool air conditioning.  I also enjoy wearing shorts and sandals so this was the first time I had ridden since I escorted Ed out of town a few weeks ago

After work I headed down to the White Spot for hamburgers, with the others in our club

The first thing I do is to strip out of my riding gear

These are members of our BC Corvette Club but some of us didn't bring our cars today

But there are some Corvettes parked to the left of us

a

Here is part of my dinner.   A legendary burger with ceasar salad insted of fries, coleslaw and for dessert a blueberry pie.   Sorry, I was hungry so those are my bite marks, I had no willpower

This night was also the last time I would be riding my bike this summer

On Sunday I decided to prep it for the end of the season.  When I renewed my insurance in the Spring I had it expire mid August, so in a few days I will have no more insurance on my Vstrom

I dug out my bottle of fuel stabilizer

and put enough in my tank to treat 23 liters.   I do not intend to ride it anymore this summer.   This is probably one of my shortest riding years in recent history.   I have not ridden anywhere this year.  Not even one weekend away.  I did plan to go to Vancouver Island but things came up and I never went.   Other than just a few times to work and to Saturday morning breakfasts I have done no pleasure rides,  except for one Saturday up to Squamish to meet with Scooterchick and Scootard, and that was back in April  (click here) .  My how time flies . . .

Those whom have riding partners are lucky.  I find it hard to go to the same places and ride the same roads all the time.  For the past few weeks I have been on a mission to get my car repaired and maintained and often it meant taking the car as I need to buy parts or leave my car somewhere.

Here's an HDR taken from inside my bike cave

My Vstrom outside under the carport, and my trusty Beemer R1200R which was parked last October, 2013 and will remain parked until next Spring 2015.

In the meantime I decide to just sit in my chair, contemplate and generally enjoy another peaceful and relaxing summer day

Floating community: False Creek, Granville Island, Vancouver BC

Last weekend we had lunch at a waterside restaurant on Granville Island, with our good friends

If you ever come to Vancouver, you may wish to stay here at the Granville Island Hotel.  There are water views on 3 sides

I love to have my eggs, but for $17. I decided instead to have the salmon burger with fries and salad.  After lunch we decided to walk on the boardwalk towards the Market

It doesn't get better than this in Vancouver.  Lots of water activities today from Dragon boat practice to dozens of water craft

Here we are in the middle of a bustling city .   Between the downtown area and the communites south of False Creek.  In the background is Fairview Slopes which is on a hillside with good views of the city skyline

There are dozens of expensive yachts tied up on the docks

Then you come across a floating commuity

How nice it would be to live here, on the water where you are close to everything but also feeling so far away . . .   Those are the former Expo lands in the background

Some of these homes are very large.  No grass to cut and you have to park your car in the parking lot behind me.   Reserved spaces of course, as the market can get very busy in tourist season

The advantage is that you are also able to park your boat or yacht right beside your home for a quick get-a-way

Or you may have a flock of kyaks instead

Water side living at its finest

Farther along we come to the Emily Carr School of Art

Where I can show you a different perspective of the Granville Street Bridge.   I am generally on the other side of the bridge shooting Eastward.   Lots of boats out crusing the waterways on a nice warm summer's day

The girls wanted to do some window shopping but as they waited it made for a nice photo opp

As this Island is adminstered by the Federal Government, we have bilingual signs down here

On most days you will see First Nations totem pole carvers in action, but not on a Sunday

This weekend is a long 3 day weekend for us being  BC Day.   We decided to go out for dinner tonight

but contrary to the wording on the sign, it was Sunday and they weren't open