There are 3 races going down today, so the idiot box is going to be very busy in Casa de El Poeta today. There are 2 races from Texas, one just down the road a couple hours by bicycle in Ft. Worth, and one a long day or short 2 day ride away in Austin. Both are going to be major in championships in their respective series, the Sprint Cup race in Ft. Worth, and the F1 race in Austin. I’m rushing to get this post done so I can watch the races better (I can’t see the TV without my glasses, or the computer with my glasses), but the cat has other ideas, and is sprawled across my lap and putting his claws into my leg every time I move. The cat has just been relocated back to the end of the bed. I have removed my glasses and devoting the next block of time to completing this blog post.
We are currently in the scariest time of the year, that span between Halloween and Election day, when the future of the country hangs in the balance. I’m not going to tell you who to vote for, because there are too many races out there for me to know the stands of all the candidates, but I will give you a hint about what to look for: transportation progressives tend to be progressive in other areas as well. If you want bicycle infrastructure look for progressive/liberal stands in other things. Tea Party candidates tend to be virulently against anything that has any whiff of being good for the environment or personal health, so they are out. Even “moderate” Republicans tend to view bicycle infrastructure as “something from Agenda 21 and the UN”…
I have reached a minor impasse in the Sprint T construction plans. I need to buy the steering wheel I plan on using and something to simulate the steering column with something to stand in for the gas and brake pedals so that I can locate the steering column where it won’t interfere with the pedals or have the steering wheel hit my knees when operating the pedals. I do have the seating position pretty much worked out to get my body aligned with the theoretical centerline of the driver’s side of the car and putting the brake pedal someplace the master cylinders will fit and still allow brake pedal travel. I’m looking at a UK made brake pedal box Electric Car Cockpit Fit Pedal Box OBPESU003 for cars without clutches. The master cylinders are toward the driver allowing for easier access during maintenance, but the available master cylinders are a touch on the small side for the potential brakes I’m planning on using on the back. The GM Metric rear calipers need a 7/8” to 1″ diameter master cylinder, and the biggest one available from OBP is 0.75″. The fronts will work with the available sizes from OBP no problem. Anyway, I’m going to order the steering wheel pretty soon, also the windshield posts and steering column hanger, to work out the wheel location as I described at the start of this paragraph.
And the F1 race has started, so I’m outta here.
Oh, and this is the picture of Mrs. the Poet’s cake from her retirement party.
PSA, Opus the unkillable badass Poet
Witch on a Bicycle 