redkow97

Agreed. I'm sure they're just trying to prevent homeless camps from popping up, but I think it's ridiculous to pay $25/night just to set up a tent. at more resort-like places, I understand it a LITTLE more, because they're supporting infrastructure and maintenance costs, but even then, there's a separate fee for electricity and RV hookups. I'm not using $25 worth of water a day... I'm not completely opposed to a camp site, I just thought I'd try to find some place without a bunch of people. I don't mind when there are "neighbors" 200+ feet away, but in some camp sites it seems like you can hear the neighbors snoring, and they're just there to play on their boat all day. That's great, but I wanted to camp and hike, and maybe do a little fishing and swimming.

Cage. I'm bringing my daughter.

I pulled up pictures, and the primitive sites look different than the main area sites I have used before. I'll have to do a couple more backyard overnights and then a weekend at the private land MTB trail I like in Wooster. I'm not sure how a 4 yr old girl will deal with the lack of bathroom.

I think their "primitive" camping is just like the rest of teh sites, except without an electrical box. But yes, I have camped there many times. I was hoping to find something closer, and more ...desolate. I think I need to start looking at private land, and just draw up a basic contract that says I won't sue them if I hurt myself, and I'll pay damages if i burn anything more than fire wood.

Interested in tent camping locations that people like. Hiking trails a must. Fishing, mountain biking, and a swim beach are bonuses. Primitive camping is fine. I'm talking weekend trips, for now. Gotta see how my daughter does on short trips before we get into anything more elaborate. Searches for "camp sites" yields a bunch of places with RV hookups and stocked ponds. I want "real" camping. I'd prefer not to have to hike-in with gear, but I will if I have to.

I was wondering why your quad is for sale.

I keep finding them with optics that make them needlessly expensive. I can't use an optic in my basement. Also, your signature named this band. They probably don't like air rifles (or any rifles) though...

I bought a shitty co2 propelled pistol (Umarex XGB) because i wanted to enter the packaging into evidence on a case where the asshole robbing a guy shot him in the lip and stole his puppy. (Not exaggerating a word of that). The case settled, and i kept the pistol (because we never even opened the package, and it was purchased with my own money.) It has turned out to be great fun and highly convenient to shoot in my basement. A hanging piece of carpet scrap and a catch box makes the plinking practically silent, and acceptably safe. It makes me want an air rifle capable of taking small game. Squirrel and rabbit. I am reading that means 800 FPS with a .22 pellet or 1000+ with a .177 pellet. I have a SLIGHT preference for the 177, simply because i already have thousands of them for the pistol, but it’s not like they’re expensive to keep around. How much can i expect to spend on a decent air rifle, with iron sights?

I really think they just need to make everyone hyper aware of the potential to encounter a low hp bike at a high speed section of track, and additionally have the riders on low HP bikes wear a reflective vest or something. The closest i ever came to hitting someone was when the 2 riders in front of me split a guy on a 675 who was new and got on the brakes waaaaaay early (even for beginner group). i was looking at the riders ahead of me, but not beyond them. I lifted the rear wheel trying to stop, put the rear back down, and then went straight off track after i passed the guy i nearly asspacked. All my fault, but if i can eff up that badly, anyone can.

Let's play a game called "who still has the same bike since Drew left?" Not me

You've just hit upon my least favorite part of track days. Closing speeds. The thought of a 2017 R1 and a 2012 EX250 on the same track, in the same (beginner) group, makes me mildly terrified. That's a legitimate 40-50 mph speed difference on virtually any straightaway of reasonable length. That is why I sincerely believe that racing is safer in the most significant respects. 1) everyone on the track is on comparable equipment. 2) everyone starts the race at the same time, so there is no 20-minute free-for-all of entering and exiting the track 3) the fast riders take off ahead of the slow riders, and won't catch them for 4-5 laps. When they do, the pack is strung out, and they ought to be able to easily and safely pass anyone they're quick enough to lap... I don't know enough about the vintage rules to tell you how serious they are about being period-correct. I do know that most of them would probably tell you to come out and race, and unless you're winning, they're not going to protest you. And if your bike is blatantly illegal for the class, you can pull off a lap early.

It sounds like you want to check out Vintage days at Mid-Ohio. WERA also has a lot of vintage classes. Check out the vintage section on their forum. My guess is you'll find a lot of riders who appreciate your bikes, even if they're "old and slow." A vintage bike has occurred to me a few times, but I always get hung up on the costs relative to the speed... When it comes to cheap racing, you can legitimately find a $1,000 EX250 or even a beat up "vintage 7" era 600. The EX's cannot be killed (and if you do manage, there are a million of them to pull parts from) and the V7 bikes are bar-non the cheapest way to go 130 mph (and then some). It would honestly be really interesting to me for a competent rider to lap a modern 650 twin and see how his times compare to a 1993 Honda F2 or a 1995 ZX6 or something else that is older, but produces 20 more hp. That said, vintage is cool. If I made a bunch of noise on a modern 600, my neighbors would probably shake a fist at me. If I made more noise on a 1970 CB360 with spoke wheels and tasteful cosmetic mods, they'd probably give me a thumbs-up

Not knocking Kia at all. Our 2016 sorento is great. 290hp And well optioned. It’s a non-minivan. I would love to find a cheap Forte with all the options, but civics are a more proven commodity.

8-speed automatic, yes? let me know how long it lasts for you.

I've considered that as well. I believe the Honda will last longer, and it has a larger aftermarket, if I choose to buy a non-Si and modify it. Remember, I'm driving 25,000 miles or more each year and talking about buying a car with over 100k on the clock. I need to be pretty sure whatever I buy will turn 250,000 miles without bankrupting me.

The ONE place I have found a manumatic to be useful was towing my bike back from GA when I raced at the Herrin Compound. I could drop the transmission out of overdrive before bogging the engine on whatever hill I was trying to maintain 70mph up Otherwise they just react too slowly. it shifts a second AFTER you wanted it to, and I just find it maddening. I also don't like that Kia has theirs set up backward. I'm of the opinion that you should PULL the shifter to go up a gear, and push it forward to go down a gear. Our Hyundai Tucson (2.7 V6) and our Kia Sorento (3.3 V6) both orient the shift patterin in the opposite manner. I am resigned to the fact that my car will almost certainly not be a 'status symbol.' A Civic slots into a weird area where it's okay for my 17 yr old neighbor to drive one, and it's also okay for my father-in-law and one of the judges at work to drive one ...but I can't have a coffee can muffler or a boy-racer wing on mine at 34 yrs old. The 4-door Si is a nice in-between range that I had gotten wife endorsement, but also felt would satisfy my itch for something a little less boring. ...but if there's a bolt-on turbo kit for the 7th generation

I have never used a manumatic that I liked... But I would consider an auto IF the car is more legitimately fast. My desire for a manual is in part because i think it makes the car feel faster, even when it's dogshit slow. That ZX2 I referenced was still fun to row through the gears, even though it took 10 seconds to get to 60. My baseline is that I would like whatever I end up with to be as fast as my wife's V6 sorento, which scoots to 60 in about 7.5 seconds. For a car its size, it hauls ass. A civic Si would hit 60 in just under 7 seconds. I would also like whatever I end up with to get 30 mpg... Obviously when the acceleration times drop, so does the gas mileage, and that's okay, so long as the purchase price is reasonable enough. I mean, I don't plan on having a payment on this car, which is why I'm capping my price range at $10k, and looking at everything as cheap as $6k. I would drive a Honda Fit if I could find some simple bolt-ons to add some power... I don't really want a sports car - I just want a car that can get out of its own damn way merging in traffic. I'm not going to hustle my commuter around any country roads. I am going to accelerate on the highway daily. And as mentioned, I love sleepers. I would drive a minivan if it could get to 60 as quick as a '01 mustang. I don't need actual fast - i just need surprisingly fast for what it is.

V6 Accord with a manual transmission is an option I would definitely consider, but 4-doors will be an easier sell on the wife. I keep telling her that the kids are rarely in my car, and they're only getting older, and more self-sufficient. My oldest can climb into the back seat on her own, plop down in her booster seat, and buckle herself. I may have to adjust the shoulder strap and snug up the belt, but I'm not having to place her into the seat anymore. It's been difficult to find Accords with manual transmissions, period, let alone models with reasonable mileage, priced below $10k, and good interior options. With that said, I have found a couple with 4 doors, the I-4, leather, and 97k miles, but those things are unicorns... I may also really regret a manual transmission in traffic. I'm tempted to buy a shitty Escort ZX2 (my brother had one, and I found one for $1500) just to drive this winter, to see if the clutch annoys the shit out of me while commuting.

I’ve basically settled on buying an 8th gen civic with a manual transmission the next time my corolla has any major mechanical issue. The only question is whether it’s worth paying more for an Si, or if a lower trim civic with some power-adding mods would be cheaper, and make for a more surprising “sleeper.” The Si makes 197hp, so it’s not exactly fast, just fast for a civic. That’s good enough for me when it gets 31 mpg highway. But if a modded LX is more powerful and cheaper, i could deal with slightly lower mpg...

First new rider in a while who isn’t trying to get us to talk him into a GSXR 750 or something. Welcome.

How dumb of an idea is it to upgrade a civic? What kind of power do they make with basic (cheap) mods, and how badly does that effect fuel economy, if you’re staying out of boost while cursing at 70 mph?

It would theoretically increase cornering grip by having a larger contact patch, but the additional weight probably offsets most of the benefit... there MIGHT be some merit to the idea in a no-budget Moto GP type atmosphere, but for standard street bikes, my bet is that you accomplish much greater performance gain by simply reducing the weight of the bike, and more importantly, reducing the mass of the wheels themselves. Both can already be done on any existing motorcycle design just by using more expensive materials.

I did the Whiskey Island CX race and gave the bike a wash on Sunday. Trying to figure out a good winter schedule, so I can put it at least 30 miles/week. That's probably going to mean 25 miles every saturday, a short fun ride on Sunday, and a lot of time on the spin bike while it's dark outside

I think of Road America as having the longest and fastest straights, but it's impossible to speculate the entry speeds. Plus Road America's longest straight is partially up hill. (4400 ft). The 3800 ft straight is (obviously) shorter, but it's down hill. Could be faster.

I would pre-book and eliminate the mystery/worry. The resort should have a shuttle service. Ours did. The guy asked if we were Canadian, then when we said "American," he replied with, "...oh. I'm surprised they agreed to pick you up." Still not sure if he was joking.