Pismo - Fun in the Sand

We went to the Pismo area last weekend with my brother-in-law, Chris, and his family in order to play in the nearby dunes with my truck (they ended up renting a 4-person dunebuggy).  We stayed at an amazing house in Arroyo Grande.  Anyway, here's how the time at the Dunes went down, with photos below...

When I went to air down my tires, I realized that my tire pressure gauge only goes as low as 20psi.  Doh.  I guessed at 10... and ended up taking more air out after the sandy road to get to the dunes - at the first bathrooms.

4-hi was too fast for the most part, so I was in 4-lo at 3rd or 4th gear most of the time.

When we left those first bathrooms, we didn't really know where we were... so we immediately found ourselves in the middle of the extreme area (where Chris got his dunebuggy stuck).  I was able to cruise around the ridges with careful planning.  That was fun, but stressful.

Then we figured out how to get to the sand highway and cruised further down where it was less crowded... but I also found that the "highway" still has quite a few drop-offs.  Don't assume it's just clear sailing!  And it's so hard to tell if you're coming up on a drop-off.

By the time we got a good ways down the sand highway, we had to turn back for sake of time.

Back nearer the entrance there was a big hill.  I thought I'd give it a go to try and get up that, and then have fun coming back down.  I came pretty close to getting to the top, but not quite.  I couldn't even get up enough speed (should have shifted to 4-hi probably).  About 10-feet short, the wheels just started to dig down.  I had to reverse the whole way back down.  I didn't try again, because, as much as it probably looked to the gazillion people around that I was an idiot, it would have looked even worse if I tried again and didn't make it!

I can't believe the people who got their infinity sedan out there, or were driving their Acura MDX's around, etc.  crazy people.

It's the wild west out there - no rules, tons of vehicles everywhere.... crazy stuff!

I beat my shocks to hell... it may be time to pick up an Icon package from my buddy, Dylan.  Besides, the stocks are 11 years and 67,000 miles old now.  And I've done some heavy loads in the truck bed.  I could definitely see the advantage of having a little better travel, slightly bigger tires, and way better shocks... bouncy, bouncy!

I would definitely go back... even stock.  It would be fun to have someone drive who knows the dunes and the capability of the truck.  Then I know what I can or can't do.

 

Lance Armstrong's drugs

Is everyone taking Lance's drugs?  I think it's starting to effect their brains.

Riding to work the other day, Mr. Spandex pulls up next to me at a traffic signal.

"hey man, I saw that - it was really close - damn drivers, what a jerk"

I knew he was talking about the truck with trailer that seemed to have cut me off a block or two earlier as he made a right turn across my path.  But I realized, there was a reason it was close and not an accident - I saw it coming.  Why?  I figured it out - I was in the wrong, not the driver.  I was passing the slow moving vehicle on the right.  Don't pass a vehicle on the right and you won't get the "right hook".

How many bicyclist accidents are caused by a "right hook"?  I'm sure it's a good percentage, and I bet a good portion are due to bicyclists not following the rules of the road.  I couldn't find the statistics, but I did find this pretty good website that had this discussion, as well as some other great tips for "How not to get hit by cars".

His next unsolicited comment, "dude, you really should wear a helmet, it's the law".

Really?  I thought that was just for kids... I had to check when I got to the office.  Sure enough, helmets are only required for bicyclists under 18.
I also recall my trip to Amsterdam and Paris - lots of cyclists, none with helmets.  Google this, and you'll find all sorts of pages about anti-helmet laws.  Here's one, for example.

I came to the conclusion that if you follow the rules of the road, and ride safe, you don't need a helmet for bicycling any more than you need one for walking, driving, etc.  I don't want to crash to where I would need one.  And, I imagine, there is a small "window" of accidents where you need a helmet and where it is moot whether you have one on or not.

How does this relate to Mr. Spandex and Lance Armstrong?  Maybe he wasn't doping like Lance, but clearly he is not educated.  He may know the best carbon fiber frame to buy and what spandex colors don't clash with his bike, but he is uneducated about everyday bicycling.  How much of the rest of the public is that uneducated?  How do we educate them?  How do we alleviate the fear, so they feel comfortable biking in the neighborhood?  There is certainly a lot of good info out there, easily accessible, if you want it.  There are safe biking workshops in my community, maybe there is one in yours?

Real Estate - want to know more?

My dad published his latest e-book a couple weeks ago on Amazon.  It's based on the real estate practice textbook he wrote 20 years ago.  There is updated and condensed information in a much more accessible format.  I have personally found some of the information helpful in business practice even outside of real estate sales.

I encourage you to check it out for youself!  If you do, please leave a review and/or e-mail me about what you liked and how we can improve the next edition.  If there is a follow-up related book you would like to see, I'm sure he would be open to that suggestion too!

Real Estate Primer [Kindle Edition]

From the Amazon page description:

This book has been developed from experiences both "in the trenches" of real estate sales activities and from teaching practical techniques at community colleges, National University, and in brokerage offices. It is hoped that both the new licensee and old-hands looking for a new start will find in this text a refreshing perspective on the various topics covered.

Rather than a rehash of real estate practices, this book is intended to be a “how to” book. It describes current issues and relevant data from the viewpoint of a salesperson. It is designed to show how modern methods of communication, social networking, can be used but not without always falling back to the basics. People sign contracts, people buy homes. Without human contact and interaction, nothing can be accomplished.

The Real Estate Primer, a ‘how-to’ book rather than a textbook…
This won’t get you past the state exam, but it will get you started in your new life!

When I started in real estate brokerage in 1970, I was shown which desk to use, asked if I had given the secretary my name for business cards, and wished good luck – that was my training and my introduction to the business. Had I been armed with only what is in this book, my first “try” at real estate might have been much different.

Everything you need today will either be offered by your broker – where is the restroom? What forms do we use? Or, you will find it in this book.

So, move forward with my best wishes.
William Mansfield

Is tri-tip the best?

Is tri-tip the best cut of meat, or what?!  It lends itself great to a med-rare Santa Maria grill, or... if you find the right piece, it's great to smoke.  I found the latter.

This piece had great marbling - looked like it could be Prime masquerading as Choice or almost a brisket point.  Works for me at 4 or 5 bucks a pound.

I learned how to better get my temps up and for a long time on the kettle - just pile a ton of lump for indirect and let it go for 5 hours - not much fiddling.  Now I just need to figure out how to get it to stop with the crazy ton of smoke - maybe it's the particular bag of lump that I got.  Anyway, this turned out amazing.  It was just a simple rub of S&P, garlic powder, cumin, and quite a bit of coriander.

She's a Redhead

After my buddy, Kurt, mentioned he was getting a Weber kettle, I got the urge to get one myself.  Propane smokers can make good BBQ, but I was hearing that the best backyard BBQ is done using real charcoal.  Since I learned to cook on a Weber growing up, and they seem the most versatile, that seemed to be the best choice for me.

I joined the Weber Kettle Club (WKC) forum and began reading up on the kettles.  I learned that a red kettle is called a "redhead".  That's perfect, I thought, since my wife, Megan, is a redhead.  She even got excited about the prospect (which was a challenge since I'd be cluttering up the beautiful backyard with yet another grilling/cooking appliance).  Searching Craigslist was not much help - they don't seem to be available too often.  I almost pulled the trigger on a new one from Amazon, but really wanted an old-school version of what I learned to cook on.  I also quickly realized that if a decent prospect pops up on Craigslist, it is instantly  linked on the WKC and an enthusiast snaps it up.

Just my luck, an enthusiast from WKC had snagged The Perfect redhead.  Thanks Rick for saving this beauty for me, and doing an amzing job cleaning her up!  Sure, she's got some blemishes, but it adds character, right?  All I really need to do is get some new wood handles and maybe a new cast iron grate.  Still, we got her running this weekend - grilling some fish Saturday night and smoking some pork on Sunday.  How much had I forgotten about grilling with charcoal over the past 20 years of grilling with gas?  Tons.  I'm also now using lump rather than briquettes, so maybe that's quite a bit different too.

My redhead's new home with smoke and a homebrew

First time - grilled fish

And smoking some pork with the "ring of fire" method (somewhat unsuccessfully)... and I'm not even sure what cut of pork this is - it was probably too lean to smoke, but should serve well as sandwich meat for lunches.

Edit:  Here's a bite of the sliced pork for lunch on Tuesday (fabulous, BTW):

Dad's next novel - Mary Jane

Wow, my dad has now written and published a third book in the Alexander Wright Mystery Adventure series!  The latest one, The Mary Jane Mystery, might be a little controversial... as you might imagine from the title and cover.  Actually, it's quite relevant these days, and is still a typical Alex Wright adventure - I don't even think there is any actual drug use described - it's all about the business, and, of course, a murder mystery!... along with a love interest, real estate appraisal, Orange County haunts, surfing, and man's best friend - the loyal pooch.

If you're looking for a Memorial Day weekend read, I suggest downloading your copy of an Alexander Wright Mystery Adventure!  If you read them all, you might agree they keep getting better.

Here's the release from my dad:

I am pleased to announce the release of the third in the Alex Wright Mystery Series: The Mary Jane Mystery.

Alex, a real estate appraiser in Laguna Beach, California, creates a pot farm to benefit his pal, Zack Potrero, police detective for the Newport Beach Police Department. The excitement and compelling action build from there leading to a guaranteed shocking conclusion!

As a new release opportunity I am offering any of the Alex Wright Mysteries for $0.99 until 6pm, Monday, May 27^th.  Simply go to: http://www.amazon.com/William-L.-Mansfield/e/B001KD27MU/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0 and download the book(s) of your choice to your computer or other device.  HAPPY READING!

Thermal Expansion Tank

What the heck is a thermal expansion tank, and why would I ever need one?  That's certainly what I was wondering... and didn't know anyone that has one in their house.  After reading online, I figured we probably did need one.

We've got some nasty water hammer that we haven't been able to resolve.  After testing the water pressure, we realized the pressure reducing valve wasn't working (probably 1950's original), so we were getting whatever 100+ psi the City was providing us.  That could obviously cause some issues, so we added another PRV.  Dialed down to 45psi, that still didn't seem to do the trick - the water hammer remained.  We figured it was just poor pipe supports.

Finally, I wondered why, shortly after a shower (especially), the water pressure seemed SUPER strong and would lessen after just a few seconds.  It seemed to be getting worse recently, so I read some more online.  Apparently, with the working PRV, the heated water after, say, using the shower, has no where to go (heated water expands)... hence the increased pressure.  A pressure tester on the system revealed we had as much as 180 psi in our system!  Yikes!!!  I am amazed that our whole water system didn't explode... and that the pressure release valve on the hot water heater didn't appear to be working (note to self, still check that).

Anyway, I installed the thermal expansion tank and pressurized it to 50psi.  It works beautifully.  The water hammer is still there, but much reduced.  Now to install some more water hammer arrestors and hope that helps as well.  I'm just trying to avoid having to deal with all the spiders and nastiness under the house to install better pipe supports which is probably the real problem.

Here's the new thermal expansion tank, sitting happy just past the PRV.