COLD WEATHER CRAFTS & POOR NET SERVICE (NPG CABLE)

Since my journal entries depend on my internet provider, NPG Cable who also provides my cable service is very poor. For a year now I have been experiencing real internet lag and weak signal strength on my TV cable service with interruptions in the middle of something I am watching all with no improvement in spite of complaints. I have been putting off switching to satellite TV and net service through my phone company, but for the price I pay NPG Cable $85 a month, I am not getting my money's worth especially when I can get the better service for only $65 a month. I have used cable since 1982 but I think the technology is becoming degraded with the demands of high service through one broad band wire, making it unreliable. OK enough said "CAN YOU HEAR THAT NPG CABLE!!." 8^Q.  Probably not, so I will be calling to change 1st thing Monday morning. alright-y then, on to happier entries.

    With the weather here in AZ being overcast today and dipping down to 55 degrees, I decided to stay in today and do some small inside projects. Thanks to the Lord since my home is only 2 years old that does not mean re-tiling the bathroom or re-painting the walls, but rather some customizing to (you guessed it) one of my motorcycles (Suzy RM100). One thing about buying production vehicles whether they be cars or motorcycles is that we all have a need to customize it either for practical reasons or to make a vain statement. In my case always practical, the bike was first pre-tested then safety modifications were to make things safe for new riders. Now its time to bring the comfort level up on my Suzy RM100 so that good friends and family visitors can not only have a safe and un-intimidating trail bike ride, but a comfortable one as well. Now that the bike functions as the perfect beginner trail bike, all that is left are some needed comfort improvements for full size adults like myself. Because the engine is small (100cc) I have had to reduce the gear ratio which is a trial and error process. My last journal entry on this subject had me installing a smaller main drive sprocket $8, notice I said self installed, otherwise cost would have cost $158, now saved. Anyway the gearing almost perfect decided todayto also install a larger final drive sprocket as well bringing the gear ratio down further to be able to climb just about any hill in these parts for $18, saving another $150 in labor cost, pictures above. In addition I decided to re-upholster the seat with a taller and softer foam cushion and black vinyl gripper seat cover for $80, saving $200 to have an upholstery shop do the labor, and learned something new in the process. The vinyl cover called a gripper seat cover because it does not allow the rider to slip and slide on the seat even when its wet and otherwise slippery. Nothing is worse then slipping off a dirt bike over a cliff or canyon. The tall softer foam is for the baby boomer buns to settle into a comfortable long ride without butt blisters. The job required removing the old foam from the polymer seat base and gluing the new tall soft cushion in its place with adhesive glue. I used expanding construction glue because it filled the gaps and bonded the two pieces together in just 15 minutes, as I hate waiting 24 hours for glue to dry. You can see I used bungee cords to set the foam and base for gluing. Then the really hard part came which requires stretching the new upholstery cover over the foam and simultaneously staple it to the underside of the polymer base while insuring no wrinkles on the visible side of the vinyl cover. After some trial and error and allot of patience the job turned out perfect, and for a moment I considered opening my own upholstery shop, NOT!.   Tomorrow will to be sunny and dry so I will see if the ride comfort and gearing changes are where they should be, making this bike a nice specialized baby-boomer trail ride. If the improvements are as good as I expect, I will do the same to my Suzy DRZ400.
    I will now close by saying I am thankful that in spite of my shortcomings as a human being, God has been merciful to me and gracious as he has to all of us in this great country.
(Jesus said)“I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.If you had really known me, you would know who my Father is." John 14:6-7