(Not-So-Epic) Epic

Steveston and Crescent Beach at Sunset

2011-11-20T13:49:00.001-08:00

For a lack of anything better to do on a Saturday evening, a friend and I chased the sunset from Steveston Village out to Crescent Beach, and I wound up with a few of my favourite-ever photos in the process, not to mention having a great, albeit freezing cold, evening.

November 19, 2011, a set on Flickr.

Windy Sunset

2011-11-12T16:42:00.001-08:00

A windstorm reminiscent of a small hurricane ripped through Richmond the other day, making it sound like my house was going to collapse in on me. To escape potential death, I hopped in the car and went down to the river to see what kind of waves the wind was stirring up; the results were as follows...

Windy Sunset, a set on Flickr.

Crescent Beach Sunset

2011-10-15T20:31:00.001-07:00

Playing with a time-lapse app...

Rainy Day at the Automall (LFA Content)

2011-09-25T16:10:00.001-07:00

A wet and dreary Sunday; decided to kill some time at the Automall...

The Ford-Lincoln dealer was showcasing a Z06, while 11 GT500s sit to the side rotting away (seriously, some of them haven't moved in over a year).

A swing by the Lexus dealer then yielded a stunning LFA.

I've seen this car before, and another at the Auto Show a while back, but every time I see it I come to appreciate it even more. Everything about the LFA just oozes "attention to detail"; every crease in the carbon, every bolt, every panel; you just know that everything was intended to be the way it is, and is as such to create something that is even greater than the sum of those parts. The jaw-dropping colour doesn't hurt, either.

For a car from a company that produces some of the most sterile cars on the road, the LFA has a presence and a "soul" that is beyond anything short of a Ferrari anniversary car a la F40, F50 and Enzo, even while sitting still beyond some ropes in the middle of a showroom floor. It's like beholding an ancient samurai sword: you can sense the dedication to perfection the craftsmen imbued into every piece.

Richmond Automall, a set on Flickr.

How I spent my 9/11/11

2011-09-13T23:40:00.001-07:00

South Richmond - 9/11/11, a set on Flickr.

This anniversary of 9/11 I got out and enjoyed the beauty in the world, visiting with a heron and with a wasp (somewhat unwillingly). I need to cover my walls with some moss...

Weekend Getaway

2011-09-11T18:56:00.000-07:00

Headed out to the North Shore and back down to Steveston over the weekend of September 3rd, 2011...Here are the "memories" from those journeys.

Chicken Stir-fry

2011-08-28T20:10:00.001-07:00

Chicken Stir-fry
Originally uploaded by nickthaskater

Grilled chicken breast sauteed with mixed veggies in a bit of olive oil, Frank's Red Hot and Ann Kirsebom's Teriyaki-Sake sauce on a bed of brown rice. Delicious.

Nitobe Garden

2011-08-28T20:07:00.001-07:00

Nitobe Garden, a set on Flickr.

I visited Nitobe Garden at UBC for the first time this weekend and was amazed. That such peace and beauty can be found in the middle of such a stressful environment is nothing short of wondrous.

Maplewood Farm & Capilano Suspension Bridge

2011-08-10T22:22:00.001-07:00

Maplewood Farm & Capilano Suspension Bridge, a set on Flickr.

A day out with Annie to the farm and then the bridge, a first for me on both accounts.

The farm was cute, with some of the animals being even cuter. Kissing budgies, anyone?

Getting to the bridge and being able to skip the line thanks to Annie's tourism pass was already a good start, but the scenery was the the icing on the cake. North Vancouver rain forest at its best, at least so far as ones which are readily accessible!

A Sunday to remember~

1997 Honda Civic

2011-08-02T19:50:00.001-07:00

1997 Honda Civic, a set on Flickr.

Got a "new" car this past weekend: '97 Civic CX w/ 180,000 km and completely stock. Pure simplicity and practicality with a spot of fun on the side.

Luff <3

Railroad at Sunset

2011-07-23T11:35:00.001-07:00

Railroad at Sunset
Originally uploaded by nickthaskater

Richmond, BC

Test drove a 2010 Dodge Challenger R/T today...

2011-07-10T01:15:00.000-07:00

...and was completely and utterly underwhelmed. A car that looks old and has the feel (or lack thereof) to back it up, the Challenger took "old school" just a bit too far.

It's a big car, no secret there, and like the Camaro the Challenger doesn't make the best of its size so far as the occupants are concerned. I will concede that the trunk is absolutely massive, by any standards let alone a sports coupe, but the interior has the same air of claustrophobia as the Camaro, and piss-poor outward visibility in any direction to boot.

So far as that interior is concerned, about the only redeeming factor was the pistol grip shift "knob"; everything else was just plain and cheap Chrysler parts bin pieces and certainly felt nowhere near as special as the $45,000+ price tag would suggest. I suppose the seats were grippy and relatively comfortable, but that was quickly forgotten when I discovered the foot operated parking brake situated about 2 inches away from the clutch in the most awkward of positions; making use of the dead pedal position was next to impossible. When my foot was freed from beneath the parking brake pedal, it was greeted with a clutch that had what felt like two feet of travel and absolutely no feel. This was a shame, because the 6-speed TR6060 behind that clutch felt great; a proper "man's" manual to be sure. There will be no flicking of the gear shift through the gears with your finger tips here and it emphasized the awesomeness of that pistol grip.

The actual act of driving the Challenger is where it pretty much all fell apart. I could forgive the mundane sea of black plastic that surrounded me if it had put a smile on my face bombing around the city, but it was not to be. There is no drama in turning over the Hemi; no roar or burble from the exhaust, and it doesn't even begin to think about sounding like a muscle car until you open the tap to about 3,000 RPM and beyond. When you do open it up, sure the sound is there, but knowing that this is a car that is supposedly delivering some 375 horsepower and 400 lb. ft. of torque, there is nowhere near the oomph that I'd expected, and as a result, hitting the LOL pedal got old pretty quick. Insofar as handling, it drove as it looked: heavy and large. It was funny that the salesman bragged about how the Challenger was based on the old E Class chassis, because that's all I could think of every time I put it around it a corner; that it drove like a mushy sedan. Letdown doesn't begin to describe the driving experience I had.

Maybe I'm just not a "muscle car guy", though I can't imagine the cause is helped when the car weighs ~4,000 pounds and is wrapped around the bones of an old Mercedes sedan...

PS. I'm half-asleep so forgive me for not being up to Clarkson-esque standard.

The Stawamus Chief

2011-07-03T03:02:00.001-07:00

The Stawamus Chief, a set on Flickr.

Hiked up The Chief in Squamish, BC for the first time this July 3rd, 2011; it was absolutely breathtaking. A fantastic climb, topped with one of the greatest views I've seen with my own eyes to date; pretty much a perfect way to spend a Saturday afternoon.

Vancouver's own John Madden

2011-06-15T11:21:00.000-07:00

A quote from the June 15th edition of the 24H newspaper:

"Odds are pretty good that if he has another shutout the Canucks will win Game 7."
- Chris Stevenson on what Luongo needs to do to win Game 7

Genius!

Studebaker Graveyard

2011-06-11T22:06:00.001-07:00

Studebaker Graveyard, a set on Flickr.

Hidden treasures in an apartment parkade...and a creepy van.

Barricade is Canadian?

2011-05-28T20:07:00.001-07:00

Barricade, a set on Flickr.

Stumbled upon a replica of the Decepticon "Barricade" here in Richmond the other day. From what I can see it's actually quite faithful, and either way, it looks completely bad-ass. Definitely not something that one expects to find nestled in a suburb filled with Lexuses and Mercedes!

Cars For A Cause

2011-05-01T19:30:00.001-07:00

Cars For A Cause, a set on Flickr.

A local Classic Japanese car meet to support the relief efforts in Japan was held this Sunday at the Spanish Banks here in Vancouver. Apparently ~$1,200 was raised by donation and entrance fee for participants with proceeds going to the Canadian Red Cross.

There was a pretty decent turn-out, though I had hoped for more. A VW meet down the road a bit had the Japanese machines outnumbered at least 10 to 1, but nevertheless there was some nice metal on hand.

Datsuns abound, there were a few gems littered throughout. A stunning 22R-powered TA22 Celica was one of my personal highlights. It was done to a T. A metallic brown 510 coupe was another favourite, sitting on meaty semi-slick rubber, clean and correct, and a beautiful yet aggressive louvered hood.

Hopefully as the days grow warmer more classics will come out of hiding, but all in all this was a promising start to the season.

First major repair and "modification" on my car

2010-08-28T21:19:00.000-07:00

So my ignition cylinder was bunk, resulting in a trip to the wreckers to pull a "new" one, but not before stopping by the Mazda dealer to see what they wanted... I was quoted $290 for a new cylinder and $100 for labour (bahahaha...). Then I went to the wreckers, where I got the cylinder (and three keys) for $100. It's ridiculous how such a simple thing is "worth" an hour of labour at the dealer.

I forgot to take photos of the new piece, but it's a lot nicer looking if nothing else, not to mention the key turns buttery smooth now instead of seizing at a 1/4 turn... Good times.

As for the wicked-sweet mod...That's right, I've got cupholders now.

All in all an interesting Saturday.

New Shoes: Supra Vaider Low

2010-06-27T20:30:00.000-07:00

After an eternity of shoe hunting for the past week, I came upon a pair that basically smacked me upside the face while shouting, "buy us!". The end result? The Supra Vaider Low, in burgundy.

I was originally looking for something in a nice, bright green, but it seems I was a season too late on that bandwagon, with the current trend being blue high-tops, a combination I'm not a fan of in the least. So while the colour isn't what was initially intended, the overall style and comfort of these Supras more than makes up for it, and even then, I'm actually quite happy with how the burgundy looks and was surprised with the versatility in what it works with clothing-wise. There is great arch support, and it feels akin to walking on pillows, while being properly fitted around my entire foot, and a heel cup that actually keeps the heel in check.

They were an impulse buy, but one that I don't see myself regretting anytime soon. Here's hoping that the long-term durability holds true to the initial impression of high quality.

Revisiting the Past

2010-06-21T21:56:00.001-07:00

After ridding myself of the T1i, I decided to take a quick shot with my old DSC-S60, all 4.1 megapixels of it. The end result is, in my eyes, just as good as anything I took during my brief affair with the T1i, albeit lower resolution.

Had I actually put some proper effort into it as I did with my old shots, the result would have been absolutely on-par with the T1i. As if I needed more validation of my returning the Canon...

Goodbye, New Friend

2010-06-20T11:17:00.000-07:00

I hardly knew ye. After less than two-weeks of ownership, I've returned the T1i. It was fun while it lasted, but overall I was far less enthused than I thought I'd be. After some thought, I realized that at this point in life, a DSLR is just not a viable purchase. The investment required to take the hobby further and get the results necessary to justify a DSLR is just far too great for an average amateur such as myself. With the kit having an initial cost of over $800, a Class 6 or 10 SDHC card running around $100 for a 16-32GB, and then additional lenses going for $200 to God-only-knows, it seems quite clear that a point-and-shoot is the logical choice at this stage were I to buy a new camera again. The fact that the latest point-and-shoot cameras offer up features that even some of the big guys lack, such as stereo audio 720p video recording (the T1i was mono with no additional mic input), makes it all the more sensible, particularly considering the extreme portability offered by point-and-shoots over the massive DSLR + lens combo.

Maybe one day I can dive back into the DSLR realm, but not before I gain a lot more experience and expand my creativity. Looking through sites like Beauty In Everything, I see just how far I have to go!

First Attempt...

2010-06-07T22:40:00.000-07:00

I went out and about this evening in an attempt to get inspired and take some photos with my new camera. It was for the most part a failure, however, I do like how these two came out...

It's not quite as intimidating as initially seemed, though there are certainly many things I need to learn and discover.

New Camera

2010-06-06T01:37:00.000-07:00

I finally caved and splurged on a DSLR, a Canon T1i to be exact. Out with my 5-plus year-old Sony DSC-S60 point-and-shoot, and in with the new $800+ techno-monster.

The features of the T1i absolutely blow my mind coming from such a humble little camera, and they're backed up by an instruction manual that looks more like a Roman epic than anything. It's beyond being slightly intimidating, though here's hoping the ends justify the work it will take to get there!

Anti-war Demonstration

2010-05-30T16:12:00.000-07:00

Yesterday (May 29th) I ventured into downtown Vancouver for something to do, and in my otherwise decent, albeit rainy, walk through the downtown core, I happened upon this anti-war demonstration, speaking out against Canada's presence in Afghanistan and how Stephen Harper is a blood-sucking demon (or so I interpreted from the giant Dracula-esque effigy of him being paraded around). Now, I take no issue with people speaking their minds, however taking over an entire intersection in a dense traffic area in the middle of the day and grinding the world to a halt is not the way to go about it. While there were a few supporters gathered around, by and large the people were simply angry that such a disruption was ruining their day. Support is hard to come by when everyone is pissed-off at you.

The kicker of the whole thing is that it is far from legal to stand in the middle of the street in such a way, but with only six bike cops on the scene, there wasn't much going on in the way of clearing the intersection. I spoke to one of the officers who told me that there was nothing they could do, and that in the past they have tried to clear similar demonstrations, ending in officers getting hit and injured. He claimed that even though there were six arrests made in that particular example, every single one of them walked in a matter of hours. He made it quite clear that with such limited police presence, and so long as protesters are allowed to get away with assaulting police officers, it is simply not worth the time, money, and potential danger to engage in conflict with these people. It was quite disturbing to see officers of the law being held so powerless in a situation where they should actually be put to proper use. With that in mind, it was almost comical to listen to the ringleader spouting off about how he wouldn't let the police intimidate him...

The amount of disruption caused was quite ridiculous to say the least, with traffic backed up as far as I could see and busses having to turn around in the middle of the street.

It's a shame that people are so tolerant of such nonsense. It would have been wonderful to see the backed-up traffic to simply begin nudging further and further towards the protesters, during green lights of course, and to not let a little band of yahoos screw over the lives of everyone else.

Photomerge

2010-05-25T21:17:00.000-07:00

I have had Photoshop for ages, currently CS4, and yet for some reason or another I have never bothered going beyond simple image cleanup and correction. However, I have recently discovered the magic of the "Photomerge" automation within CS4, and it has breathed new life into my now-ancient camera. Said camera does not have the ability to shoot panoramas, but with Photomerge I am able to create flawless panoramic shots from a series of standard photos, opening up a whole new world and allowing for a fresh take on what I see through my lens.

I have so far only tried the "Auto" option, which I used to create the images contained in this post, but I can't wait to give the other selections a try. "Perspective", "Cylindrical", "Spherical", "Collage", and "Reposition", though I am favoring the Perspective and Spherical for my next attempts at the moment.

Being able to create an image which accurately replicates a humans actual "widescreen" perspective makes my brain tingle with excitement. Long live Photomerge!

Geax Tattoo MTB Tire Review

2010-05-24T21:26:00.000-07:00

Having ridden the stock Kenda Kinetics that came equipped on my Norco Rival for over a year, I figured it was time to move on and try something new. Commuting on the Kinetics, while perfectly doable, was far more work than I felt should be necessary as a result of their soft compound and large, deep knobbies. This is hardly a knock against the Kinetics, as they perform exceptionally well in any off-road condition, as well as in the wet, but with more and more of my riding being done on hard-pack dirt or on paved surfaces, I decided I needed a smoother, more urban-minded tire. Enter: Geax Tattoo.

After searching through various reviews of park/urban tires, I finally settled on the Tattoo. Their combination of smooth tread, low rolling-resistance, above-average ability to take abuse and their relatively low price, ticked most of the boxes I was looking for.

Going on just over a month of riding the Tattoo, I have no real niggles to write about. The tire performs as-advertised, and any weakness is not due to any flaws but rather the design of the tire itself, meaning said weaknesses are not unexpected. I had read prior to purchasing that the Tattoo was especially weak on loose and wet surfaces, and for the most part this holds quite true. However, after having been caught in the rain on a couple of occasions, I can safely say that providing one doesn't ride like a lunatic, they will get you home without any trouble. That said, the remarks about loose surfaces are most certainly true. Don't even think about trying to tackle any kind of deep sand or gravel with these tires, they won't go anywhere.

On the positive end, I have been incredibly happy with the Tattoo's on-road performance. The difference in rolling resisitance between they and my previous Kendas is beyond night-and-day, and I only run my Tattoos at around 60 PSI (their maximum recommended pressure is 65 PSI, though I have heard of some being run beyond 90 PSI). Cornering grip on paved surfaces is equally impressive, though it is quite easy to lock the rear under braking if the load is removed even slightly. I have yet to suffer any pinch-flats, even after numerous runs down/over stairs and drops, though I do keep my pressures up quite religiously in fear of risking getting one. The good news continues on with hard-packed terrain such as dirt parks, where the Tattoo rewards clean lines and landings with confidence and comfort. Even with a missed landing resulting in evasive action, the Tattoo hangs on to the ground, a trait I owe to the wrap-around tread design that goes from lip-to-lip.

On the whole, I remain happy with my purchase, and would definitely buy another set if need be. As an added bonus, they look simply fantastic.

Tire Specs:

26" x 2.3"
Sticky Soft Compound
950g
$77.60 CAD (set of 2 from Cap's Krusty's in Richmond, BC)

2010 Vancouver International Auto Show

2010-05-24T00:14:00.001-07:00

Originally uploaded by nickthaskater

The sights of the show as seen through my camera's lens, here.

1959 Messerschmitt in Action

2009-07-11T17:25:00.000-07:00

1959 Messerschmitt

2009-07-11T17:08:00.000-07:00

I stopped by a show & shine out in Marpole today as it was coming to an end, and was greeted by this 1959 Messerschmitt bubble car. Up till this point I had only seen the likes of these 3-wheeled oddities in episodes of My Classic Car or in random internet happenings, so finally getting up close and personal with one was quite a memorable experience. It's almost hard to believe that something like this is capable of moving along at 60mph, though I'm not sure how long you would want to stay at that speed given that the only vehicles that would be able to see you are motorcycles!

More photos here.

Morris 8 w/ supercharged V6

2009-07-10T01:22:00.000-07:00

After taking a few shots of this car (seen here), I managed to catch it on video briefly as it was leaving. Definitely a sound to match the looks.

Weekly Summer Meet @ Garden City

2009-07-09T22:23:00.000-07:00

Every Thrusday evening throughout the summer, the local car clubs and regular Joes bring out their various vintage metal to Blundell Centre out on Garden City here in Richmond. Check out Flickr for the full set.

Lost and Forgotten

2009-06-11T18:42:00.000-07:00

I spotted this poor Renault Le Car sitting out back of a bodyshop. Sad really, considering it's one of the most unique cars in the area. I don't even want to begin to imagine what it would be like to de-cake all of the crap off of the thing...Hopefully someone saves it, one day~