I’m not what one would call a tree-hugger. I’ve never demonstrated against development or threw my body in front of a Hummer. However, I do believe in conservation. I have a heavy enough footprint on the landscape, so I figure it’s the least I can do. Here’s what I and DT due to promote energy and environmental efficiency.

1. No oil or solvent has ever been thrown away at the shop. Instead, I have separate containers for oil and coolant and take them to recycle centers. Likewise with old batteries.

2. My workshop and the Ark are equipped with super energy efficient ductless A/C units. The Workshop is insulated to R-10 (next year to be boosted to R-30), and the Ark is insulated to R-39 in the ceiling and walls.

3. I drive a hybrid, which gets better fuel economy than most of my Ducs.

4. I take steps to maintain the habitat on my property, and the only chemicals I use are organic lime to neutralize the acidity wrought by the damn oak trees.

5. I water the lawn with stream water instead of city water.

6. We now recycle most of our trash. This part of the country is pretty backwards in this regard, and we have to haul our paper/plastic/aluminum to a recycle point. Doing so has reduced our trash output 75%.

That’s about it, and about as far as I go. I’m not about to throw out my “pave the planet” t-shirt or eschew development or drilling in Anwar. I’m a moto-journalist, not an environmental activist. But that doesn’t mean I can’t plant a tree with the same degree of enthusiasm as working on a Ducati valvetrain, or do something to reduce what is otherwise a pretty big carbon footprint.

The woodwork in the Ark is now 100% complete now that the stairs and bannister have 2 coats of urethane. Zachary and I picked up 2500 pounds of ceremic Italian tile today, so that’s the next challenge in my life.

Yesterday was your typical July day in the Panhandle. I went for an early morning run. To do that, I put on my usual running gear, then spray deep woods off on the back of my neck, arms and around my ears. That is to keep the yellow flies at bay. Their bite marks leave welts and you often aren’t aware they’ve landed on you until they bite. God awful bugs.  They attack from behind like Liberals (That’s my political statement for the year). I worked the day half inside and half outside. Anything more than 30 seconds spent outside results in sweat pouring off my head. Last night I fed the critters in the stream behind the house. To accomplish that, I don long pants and grab one of those bug zappers in the form of a small electrified tennis racket. While feeding the turtles and fish, I swatted and zapped a dozen kamakazi gnats and yellow flies. The only thing missing from the equation was chiggers and no-seeums. I did see a few snakes wiggle by in the stream.

Two new products enter the mix next week. One is a helmet breath guard to prevent fogging and dry eyes, and the other is an inexpensive wall-mounted tasteful helmet, jacket and glove rack. Charlie’s back at work and fighting his suppliers trying to get me clutch baskets. I popped up the ad already. The baskets will be here the middle of the week. Red ano baskets now sell for $250 (up from $230) and the hard anos will be $270. While talking to Charlie, we chatted about the eventual bottoming out of the US Dollar. We don’t see an end in sight. It’s crazy. Unless the next President does something to correct the financial position of this country, we’re heading further into a black hole. We’re already so far into the hole that the only thing we can see forward or backward is blackness. I don’t like blackness, unless it’s my GC, MTS1000 or Sport Classic. Otherwise I prefer red or yellow.

It’s 0400 and time to head out into the Ark and sand some wood. I’d rather be laying some wood.   

One of the downsides of spreading myself across multiple careers is the amount of time I spend on any single one. Some people comment that they don’t know where I find the time. The truth is that I don’t excel at any career in which I endeavor. I made a decision long ago that I’d rather be a jack of all trades than a master of one. Either my attention span is short due to adult attention deficit disorder, or I just get bored easily. Whatever the reason, I tend to split up every day into snippets. One of the prices of viewing a day in this manner is that I tackle emails and communication the same way I do my careers — in snippets. I get a lot of emails. Some are product queries, some are tech questions on the message board, some are Army correspondence, some are from friends and family and some are student/university based. I try to handle each as quickly as possible, but I don’t wax philosophic. It’s commonplace for me to return a full page email with one or two sentences. It’s unfortunate, but that’s all the time or attention I seem to be able to muster.  One of the downsides of email is that it is very impersonal form of communication. Words can be misconstrued, and their intent lost in translation. Still, it is my preferred form of communication. By forcing things through email, I can protect what little semblance of personal life I maintain. I’ve seen too many people burn out by allowing others full access to their daily lives. By limiting where and when I accept interruptions, I’ve managed to juggle things fairly well. It’s kept me from burning out, and also made me look forward to each of my careers. So please don’t be offended if my emails are short and to the point, or I return a phone message with a one sentence email. I’m about as efficient as I’ll probably ever be, and writing flowery emails isn’t my idea of having fun. Speaking of fun, time to go for the morning run. It is, after all, 0500 and the sun will be up in an hour. 

Now that the economy has slowed down, companies are doing everything they can to spur sales. This includes sending me weekly emails about their latest promotions. They capture my email when I make purchases. I use a dummy email address used for such orders, but I still check it for tracking #s, etc. When I get spammed, some emails have hyperlinks for me to unsubscribe from their list, but such attempts usually don’t work. If anything, the spam seems to get worse after my unsubscribe attempts. I have the last word though. Sending me spam against my wishes is a surefire way to piss me off and terminate my support for the vendor. I must be the only one offended by such spam, for if everyone else was and listened with their wallets, vendors would get the hint.  

The backer board flooring is complete in the Ark. Now it’s tile time and the completion of the building is in sight. About the time I finish it will be cool enough to ride again. I’m shooting for a late Oct or early Nov grand open… Only 1 year after my initial target date. It’s a good thing I don’t have such time overruns when working on customer bikes….. Then again……..

I got a call yesterday from a friend who got burned on an internet deal. Greg has a 748 and a 999. He grenaded the 748 (with an 853 kit) last year and has been looking for a suitable donor motor. Another friend found one on the Ducati Index for him, so he contacted the guy and closed the deal on a 748 motor with 6K on it. I was going to be the one to do the engine swap and was expecting Greg to drop off the stuff a few weeks ago. Well, it’s a deal gone bad, with the usual tale. He sent a money order to a Mr.  Kelly Baker from Rosamond/Baker California.  As soon as the money order was received Mr. Baker stopped returning phone calls. Greg called Chris from Calif Cycleworks and Chris has also been burned by the guy. To make a long story short, Greg emailed the owner of the Ducati Index to pull the ad (yes it was still an active ad ready to dupe the next guy), is out $900, and still looking for a bonafide low-miles 748 motor. I’ve been fortunate enough to never get burned by such internet deals, but that one might have hooked me too. There is a certain degree of trust you give when ordering through the internet. eBay has their rating system, but few other places provide indications of the integrity of the seller. Without a bonafide website and/or testimonials from friends/internet acquaintenances to verify the integrity of the vendor, a would-be shopper is at risk. Too bad California is so far away. I can think of better ways to have fun that to grab a few baseball bats, pile into an old beater with a few friends and visit somebody who has stolen my money.

For the past few weeks there has been a great sucking sound emanating from my wallet. First it was the expense of the driveway. It’s money well spent, but I think of things in terms of the bikes/aftermarket goodies that money can buy. Last night I stroked another check for the rain gutters I had installed on the outside of the carport, workshop and the Ark. It was a small bill compared to the expense of the concrete, but it would have purchased some nice goodies for my bikes. So, while some people will look at the look of the new DT setup and see nicer facilities, I just think of what all that money could have purchased - a brand new Desmosedici AND a Hypermotard-S.  The Ark and property will look great, but I can’t ride them…..Wahhhhhhhhhhh

Charlie and I made a decision several months ago to kill off the 1st gen clutch baskets. The decision was based on time and cost. For the past 4 years I’ve drop-shipped clutch packs from Barnett to Charlie’s shop, he’d machine them to fit the hard ano/red ano baskets, and he’d ship me the combos. The process of machining the packs is laborous and the expense/delay in getting fresh batches in was a pain. Still, the design was superior — for the few that wanted to ante up the $500 for them.

In order to simplify things we did 2 things - first, Charlie designed a Gen 2 clutch basket that is recognizable from the 1st gen basket by putting a groove along the outer face of each finger. Second, we opened up the finger gap so that the Barnett and Surflex clutch packs we sell will drop in. The result is we can now sell baskets separately from the clutch packs, and we cut prices 20% to compete with other brands. Once Charlie has stock-piled enough baskets to ship me large batches, the clutches will be readily available and very affordable - approx $250 for each basket (first batch had a intro price of $230). That means with a Barnett, the combo will only cost $400. We’ll still sell the machined clutch packs to sell those that purchased the 1st gen baskets, but no more labor-intensive products that only seemed to appeal to a small percentage of owners. Like I learned during my business Phd, just because a select few people are willing to pay for something doesn’t mean you should design a product for them. For the past 4 years I’ve sold, on average, 2 clutch combos per month to the chosen few.  With wallets tightening and the economy teetering, we think our Gen 2 baskets will be a winner. The first batch of red anos sold like hotcakes. The design is still better than most aftermarket baskets because the gap is tighter than what most drop-in basket manufacturers design. So, if you got a 1st Gen basket with machined clutch plates, feel lucky. That expensive design has gone the way of the dodo bird. Sometimes simpler is better and has more widespread appeal.

We’re into the real heat of the summer now and the heat just drains me. Yesterday I took the Avalanche to Lowe’s and had 55 sheets of wonder-board loaded on. Each sheet probably weighs 40 pounds, so that was one heck of load. I raised the tire pressure to compensate, but the front end would go off the ground with every bump I hit. Talk about back-heavy. By the time I carried each sheet into the Ark, I was a sweaty gooball. You don’t sweat a few drops in Florida. You sweat your entire life-force out in a matter of minutes. You drink and drink and sweat. The good news is that the concrete board is ready to lay, the battery packs are charged and Richard, my father-in-law is going to help me install them.

There are some stockouts to report. UPS delays on shipments from California have hit me again, as I await shipments of basic items. Also, my supplier is out of the multi-function voltmeters until the end of the month. I’m also out of clutch baskets, swingarm eccentric spanners, and a few other items until Charlie gets back from Laguna Seca.

Suzi helped me make up 15 more fan kits last night. I’ve been selling a lot of them now that the heat is raising the temps of both riders and their bikes sitting in traffic.

Well, the racing went pretty well yesterday. Troy was awesome, and looks like he did at the start of the year. Actually, he looks more relaxed and doesn’t seem to be pushing the bike as much. I only watched the first race, but it was pretty good with a lot of lead changes. As far as MotoGP goes, I’m happy with a 2nd place. I like Laguna Seca as a spectator track, but it sucks in terms of a track for the Ducati. Yes, Casey won there last year, but tight technical tracks are much more geared towards the point-and-shoot bikes. Rossi did a masterful job of holding off Stoner, although some would argue with his rubbing-is-racing mentality. Let’s see how he does the rest of the year on more open tracks. Passing at Laguna is a PITA. I think Casey’s saving of 2nd place was awesome. Those 20 points will come in handy.  He’s 25 points behind with a bunch of races left? I think we’re glad Ducati is in this position given the start of the season troubles.

Enjoy your Mon

The M900 got the honors as the first vehicle to traverse the 120 ft of new driveway. I’ve been waiting over a year to be able to do that. It’s the little things in life that give pleasure. I spent all day building a ramp from the yard up to top of the retaining wall. The heat index hit 105 today. By noon it was so hot that I had to run for cover. I came out whenever the sun tucked behind a cloud. I’d nail a few boards, and then run for shade whenever the sun would pop back out. I hate July-Sept in Florida.

Later this afternoon I ventured to Floor City and picked out my floor tile. Tomorrow I’ll pick up 55 3×5 subfloor sheets and stack them in the Ark. I pick up my tile next Sat. We have progress folks.

Well, it’s a Ducati-fest for racing. Troy and Casey are on pole for WSB and MotoGP. Editor Dave called me from Pacific Grove. He was eating breakfast where we always do when we head to Monterey. I was depressed I’m not there, but I can’t be everywhere. 3 of the top 4 qualifiers in WSB were Ducati. I wish the same was true in MotoGP. At least Nicky is on the front row, and he doesn’t have to worry about Pedrosa, who is too banged up to ride.  

Enjoy your Sun.

This is a big weekend of racing. First, the MotoGP boys are in Monterey tackling Laguna Seca. Second, the WSB crew is at Brno in the Chech republic. SOUP has their people at Laguna, so most of the info coming out is from there. I’ve set up uTorrent to get the downloads of the qualifying sessions today. In MotoGP, this is the last race before the summer break. All the riders are re-signing for next year, so in the next few weeks we’ll know Nicky’s and Melandri’s fate. Maybe Spies will also decide on a ride. At least we know that Edwards and Rossi are set next year on Yamahas, but there will be some shuffling with the rest.

No new products to report. Charlie is off to MotoGP, so I’m starting to stock out of a few things until he gets back home and to work on the water jet. This is the first time that I’ve missed the Laguna races since 2003. It’s been a pilgrimage for me for the past decade. I was glad we did WSB in Utah this year instead. I don’t know which race we’ll go to next year. Having been at a bunch of these events, I look forward more to the ride than the actual event. The commentators usually suck, the vendor displays don’t appeal to me like they used to, and the best spot to watch racing is in your living room. There’s nothing like the sound of MotoGP bikes though, so I do miss that a bit.

Stan Riley’s 916 leaves today, and shop will be clear again. Well, as clear as it can be. All my tools/gear that were stashed in the Ark are piled in the workshop, leaving it cluttered and virtually non-usable. Until I do the swap, things will be a mess — the bikes from the showroom to the Ark and the tools and gear from the workshop to the showroom.

No riding this weekend. In fact, I’m honkering down and working on the Ark until I can move the bikes in. I’m guessing I’ll be about ready about the time the Army comes a callin’ for me again. August and September are going to suck for me, but the rest of the year should be pleasant. We’re on the downward leg of 2008. Enjoy the ride.