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September 26, 2023

RMNP - Governmental Cluster Fuck

So today, I tried (unsuccessfully) to ride through RMNP.
My route looked something like this.
I rode up Peak-to-Peak Highway 119 to Nederland, then continued north on Highway 72 to Highway 7 to Estes Park.

And after I'd ridden approximately 100 miles, I made it to the east entrance to RMNP at roughly 3:00 p.m. My understanding was that, if you get there after 2:00 p.m., you don't have to do their "Timed Entry" pass, whatever the fvck that is. But the woman in the booth indicated that I still needed some sort of pass, which is hard to grasp. Like...let's make this a little bit more confusing, why don't we? So, I turned around and left without going into the park. Rode home, stopping in Idaho Springs for dinner at Carl's Jr.

So, I rode roughly 200 miles today, and was denied access to the park. Now, only a governmental bureaucracy would create a cluster fuck this bad. But I figured I'd at least try to figure out WTF is going on. Like, how do they expect this to work?

Continue reading "RMNP - Governmental Cluster Fuck"

Posted by Rob Kiser on September 26, 2023 at 10:01 PM : Comments (0) | Permalink

September 23, 2023

2004 BMW X3 Project - 9/23/23

Trying to get the 2004 BMW X3 Power Steering working. Looks like tackled this problem last year:

http://www.peeniewallie.com/2022/10/2004-bmw-x3-1.html

How To Check Your Power Steering Fluid Level On Your BMW

This is the type of Power Steering Fluid you should use.

This video says to Use ATF Only on the power steering reservoir cap.


OK. I filled up the power steering reservoir with transmission fluid, and it doesn't seem to have helped. I also filled up the radiator with antifreeze. But I'm thinking we need to get the car towed at this point.

Continue reading "2004 BMW X3 Project - 9/23/23"

Posted by Rob Kiser on September 23, 2023 at 3:26 PM : Comments (0) | Permalink

September 21, 2023

Fourth of July Trailhead

Today, I went for a little motorcycle ride and it went something like this.

Went up Highway 119 and just before I got to Nederland, I turned off towards Eldora. Then, instead of going up to the ski area, I went through the remnants of the old town of Eldora, and then kept riding up to the 4th of July Trailhead. This is approximately 5 miles one way down a dirt road, but it was scenic, with lots of leaves changing on the Aspens. Then, turned around, and came back to Highway 119, then up north of Nederland and I took the turn off near Glacier Lake for the Switzerland Trail. I went down it a little bit, but it was washed out in a lot of places and fairly rough, so I turned around and then came back down Hwy 119. Went and ate at Carl's Jr in Idaho Springs. Then fed the chipmunks at the Phoenix Mine. Still no Ground Squirrels, so I'm guessing that they have gone into hibernation already?

Posted by Rob Kiser on September 21, 2023 at 9:26 PM : Comments (0) | Permalink

2002 Honda VT1100C2 Shadow Sabre

So, I'm trying to get a 2002 Honda VT1100C2 Shadow Sabre running that hasn't run in a few years.

Checked the oil, and it didn't register on the oil dipstick. So, I checked and it looks like the oil it takes is 10W-40. Robert indicated that he probably still had some stashed on a shelf in the barn. And sure enough, I found some 10W-40 that he had stashed on a shelf in the barn. So, I poured in a quart of oil, and now the dipstick shows that the oil is full. So, the engine has oil in it now.

First, I put the battery charger on the battery. Right now, it's set to charge 3 amps for 2 hours. Earlier, I was running the battery charger at a higher amperage, and I did get it to turn over a few times. But I dialed it back to 3 amps for 2 hours (max hours). Figured, no rush. Don't want to melt down the battery. Just run it at a trickle charge for a couple of hours and see how that does.

Now that it has oil in it, and shows as full on the oil dip stick, I figure I'll just trickle-charge the battery and see if we can't get it to turn over tomorrow. If it won't start then, I figure we might need to replace the gas, as it's sat there for a few years.

9:00 p.m. 9/21/2023 Going to go check on the progress of the battery charger. Currently set to charge at 3 amps for two hours. Looks like the 3 amps isn't doing much. So, I stepped it up to the next highest setting (20 amps) for 2 hours at 9:10 p.m. on 9/21/2023.

My thought is that if we can get the battery charged up, and get it to start turning over, then we replace the gas, and my guess is it should start running at that point.

9:30 p.m. 9/21/2023. It looks like Walmart carries the oil filter for this bike.

10:00 p.m. 9/21/2023. I reset the timer to 2 hours at 20 amps.

11:00 p.m. 9/21/2023. I reset the timer to 2 hours at 20 amps.

11:15 p.m. 9/21/2023. It looks like Walmart also carries the battery for this bike.

1:00 a.m. 9/22/2023. I reset the timer to 2 hours at 20 amps.


Friday 9/22/2023

So, today we got Robert's 2002 Honda VT1100C2 Shadow Sabre motorcycle running. We went to B&B Cycles in Evergreen and purchased an oil filter and a new battery. Filled the gas tank with fresh gas. Put in the new oil filter. Poured 10W-40 oil into the crank case. Put in the new battery. And voila. We got the bike running. Woohoo!


Posted by Rob Kiser on September 21, 2023 at 8:29 PM : Comments (0) | Permalink

September 13, 2023

Missouri Gulch, Gamble Gulch, Nederland, Eldora

So today, I took Colorado State Highway 119 up to Missouri Gulch Road (Gilpin County Road 15) which turns into Gamble Gulch Road and then merges back into Hwy 119 just south of Rollinsville. Then continued north on Hwy 119 up to Nederland. Took a photo my bike with the Panama Canal Steam Shovel, then rode up to Eldora Mountain Ski Resort. Closed for the season, of course. Then came back south on Colorado State Highway 119 to Black Hawk, then to Central City, and back on the Central City Expressway. Always racing to get home in time to get the cats put up before dark. At some point on my journey today, I passed a moose that was standing on the edge of the road. I've hit a deer before. I've seen lots of elk. Not sure I've ever come this close to a moose before. Those things are big. :P

It's definitely getting cooler. I'm wearing more and more layers, as the temperature drops on my rides. I think the coldest it got today was bout 60F while I was out riding.

Always racing home to get the cats put away before it gets dark. Got home, did a loop around the house, and then found Pearl in the front yard.

My ride looked something like this.

Posted by Rob Kiser on September 13, 2023 at 8:38 PM : Comments (0) | Permalink