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Our New Camping Companion

October 4, 2011 / frankclimbs

Well a couple weeks back we picked us up a 1976 Volkswagen Westfalia. We are pretty excited about our new toy. We have a lot of work a head of us but we are ready for it.

When we got it, it didn’t run, but with a little work and a lot of love it is now running. I did a little trouble shooting ad figured it wasn’t getting any gas. So I got under the bus and pulled off the fuel filter. I found that the filter was solid full of gas gunk and the fuel line as well. I pulled the line from the tank and fuel came draining out. I drained about 11 gallons of varnished old gas. Lucky for me, the gas gunk stopped at the filter and not through the rest of the lines, pump and engine. I did replace the lines and installed a new filter.

I also had to set the points and figure out the firing order. Also the previous owner installed a new battery cables backwards which had fried some of the electrical lines so I replaced them as well. After a little starter fluid, the engine turned over and started up. It was nice to get it up and running.

I am going to try to keep everyone updated on the progress of our Westy as we clean it up and get it up camping. I would love to hear any suggestions or stories about any of your VW buses. Keep riding.

Outdoor Retailer Summer 2011 – Open Air Demo

August 3, 2011 / frankclimbs

The first day of the OR Show is always a good time. I had a blast meeting up with old friends and making new ones. Also it is a great day to be able to get out and try some of the gear that is going to be coming out. One thing that I have wanted to try lately is Stand Up Paddle boarding. We first met up with Steve from Stand Up Paddle Company. He was super energetic and told us to give it a try. Steve’s son gave us the run down and away we went. It was a good time and not that hard. I really didn’t come dressed to get wet so I was hoping not to fall in and luckily I didn’t. The first board that we tried was pretty big. They also had a smaller board that was not as stable but a lot easier to control and navigate.

We then meet up with Kahuna Creations. They are makers of longboards for land not water. They also use a paddle-like stick to push and slow down the board. I have longboarded for a couple years now and this was a great alternative to pushing with the legs.

The last SUP board that we tried was a soft board made by the oZoBoard Company. Their boards were wide and short. By this time the wind had been picking up and the water was getting choppy. It was a different feel from riding the boards earlier on smooth water. But these boards were stable and felt great. Again I didn’t even fall in. Stand Up paddle boarding made a great showing. I didn’t know that there could be so many different makers of boards.

The show was big and there were companies everywhere. We were able to check out some of the new packs from MHM. They are going to be sweet when they hit the market.

It was a great showing for the first day. I am excited for the next few days to meet up and see all the new stuff that will be coming out. Stay tuned for more details.

Here is a video of me coming back in from paddle boarding.

Here are a few other images from today.

Others of us weren’t as lucky not to fall in.

Big Goals For 2011

January 6, 2011 / frankclimbs

So beginning this year I have been thinking of the goals that I set last year and how I either achieved them or failed at them horribly. I am happy to say that I was able to accomplish one of the biggest goals that I have wanted to do for a while and that is bike to work more. As you can see in my last few posts I was able to do that and it was great. I had a goal of 15 times and I did that and more. I am going to triple that number for the coming year and shoot for 45 times.

Another goal of mine was to go climbing a bit more. I have to say that I wasn’t able to accomplish this. I did go out, but not the 30 times I was hoping. I did however go out hiking more as that is a lot easier to do with young kids. Both my boy and girl love the outdoors, and I have carried them, held their hands and watched them grow in the outdoors this past year. A little mud has never bothered my little princess.

This year I am not putting a number on how many times I would like to get out climbing. I am going to shoot for maybe a little more lofty goal of doing a few more multi-pitch climbs this year. I have picked out one in general and I have pinned in up on the cork board in the kitchen to remind me of it daily. I will be doing a lot of indoor climbing this winter to prepare myself for this climb.

Running is also another activity that I need to do a lot more of. I remember the days of coming home from work and trading the work shoes to the runners and hitting the pavement almost everyday. I have been trying to figure out when and how I am going to workout a little more and the answer that I keep coming up with is cut out a little sleep. I probably don’t really need 8 hours anyway. I never got that much sleep when I was back in college and working two jobs.

Something that I said last year I think is still applicable this year to all of us. “I am good at coming up with excuses at why I can’t reach a certain goal or maybe why I haven’t been able to go outside as much as I would have liked (Kids, work, family, tired). But when it is all said and done, these are just that, EXCUSES.”

I hope we can all figure out a way to stop making excuses and start living our dreams. I would love to hear from all of you. What are you planning this year? What goals do you have? What excuses you might have as why you didn’t accomplish your goals last year and how you are going to achieve them this year. Please reply to this post and by doing so we can all help each other succeed.

The Clear the Air Challenge – What I Learned!

August 5, 2010 / frankclimbs

It has taken me a few day to write this post. I was planning on writing it the evening of the 31st but I was getting ready for the Outdoor Retailer Show which is going on this week. My final results might not have been as impressive as others but here they are:

Trips saved – 106
Miles Saved – 589
Emissions Reduced – 989 lbs.
Energy Saved – 27 Gal.
Money Saved – $331

I was surprised at how easy this was to achieve. As I said on Day 1, I love my car. But by changing a few things I was able to get to work and back without using a car. I was hoping to go the whole month without ever driving to work in my car. I fell short of that goal on day 31. I was sick all night and should have just stayed home from work, but went anyway. I wasn’t able to wake up early enough or have the energy to bike to work. So I drove. But I have made up for it now.

I thought when I started this challenge that I would do it for a month and then get back in my car and drive to work. I was surprised at how much I really started to enjoy the time it takes to commute. It is nice to be able to ride the bike and get some excerise. Also if I choose not to ride the bike, I have time to get on the computer and get some work done that I wouldn’t have an opportunity to do.

I have come to realize that by having a bus/trax monthly pass actually give me a little more flexibility. I would have said the complete opposite before I started this challenge. The past couple of days, I have been gong to the Salt Palace for the Outdoor Retailer Show and I have commuted everyday there. Usually I drive and have to find a place to park then pay for it. Now I hop on the bus and trax and I am dropped off a few feet away from the show. I am not saying that commuting is always more convenient, but it does provide more options.

Now that the challenge is over, I am planning on registering my car sometime this month. I will start to driving occasionally to work I’m sure. But this challenge has really changed the way that I am going to be getting around town. It has shown me that will a little planning and determination, it is not that hard to reduce my emissions.

If you weren’t able to or just didn’t get around to trying this challenge. I would like to challenge you to try it this month. Not for the whole month, but for a few days. I think that you will find out that it isn’t all that bad and the extra time spent can be used for different activities that you would be doing at home anyway. I would love to hear about others successes or stories about the challenge. Please comment and let others know how it went.

Clear the Air Challenge – Day 26 – Rain

July 27, 2010 / frankclimbs

As I said in the previous post, I have now added biking into my commuting arsenal. I have decided tip number 1 for biking to work. Watch the weather reports. I was not ready for the rain today. It was a hot day and the rain felt good, but my electronics were not looking forward to getting soaked. I luckily found a plastic bag to wrap my phone in, then wrapped it in my change of clothes. I only made the mile long mad dash to Trax where I was able to hide out from the rain. I rode Trax and the bus home to try and dry out a little. My back and butt were sopping wet, but I made it home.

So from now on I am going to pay a little better attention to the weather. Not that I will not ride to work when it is raining, I will just come better prepared to handle it.

Any tips on what gear to have handy for most situations that one might encounter when commuting on a bike? I would like to put together a bag or trunk bag of stuff that is useful.

Clear the Air Challenge – Day 23 – I Finally Rode the Bike!

July 24, 2010 / frankclimbs

So I finally did it. I have been talking about riding my bike to work all month but have not got my lazy butt to do it. I decided today was the day. I asked my boss if it would be okay if I was a little late to work because I was going to give biking a shot, he said no problem. He has been supportive the whole time as I have been figuring out how to commute doing the challenge.

Before I rode my bike I did do a little research. I wanted to know which roads were bike friendly. I didn’t want to hop on my bike and worry about being hit by a car. The Salt Lake County Bicycle Advisory Committee has published a brochure that has a map of the city and preferred roads for cyclists. You can pick up a free copy at local bike shops or libraries but you can also download it from their site here. Check it out there are some great tips and information in there.

Another reason I have been dragging my feet to ride my bike to work, is because I wanted to find a bike that I could use just as a commuting bike. I was lucky enough to find one at the Deseret Industries (a local thrift store) for a reasonable price. The bike pictured above is the bike I found. I had to put new tires on it and clean it up a little but other than that is works pretty well. I am going to have to get it a tune up, but at the price I paid I am sure I can afford that.

So this morning I woke up and loaded up a change of clothes and a drink and off I went. I have to fess up. I didn’t ride my bike the whole 16 miles to work. I biked 8 miles to Trax then rode Trax for 7 then finished on the bike. but it worked out great. I was able to cut 15 minutes off my commute. Biking to the train station only took me 5 minutes longer than when I ride the bus. I am sure as I continue to ride, I will be able to shave off another 5 to 10 minutes of that time as well. Also the last mile to work that I usually walk is a lot faster on the bike.

Going into today I was apprehensive about riding because I didn’t want it to take longer and be all sweaty for work. But after doing it once, I am excited. In the long run this will save me time and money. I wasn’t able to try the commute home because my wife picked me up but I am sure that this will speed up my commute home by 30 minutes.

My wife and I have been riding to the store, library, or anywhere else that is reasonably close for a couple years now. We love it and it is a great way to reduce our footprint. Our kids love it as well. We load them up in the trailer and off we go. I will now start riding to work a little more often. If you have ever wanted to give biking a shot, my advice, just do it. Start small, bike to the store or to a friends house. After you master that keep adding mile and eventually you will be there.

If you have suggestion or tips, please comment. I would love to hear about other’s experiences on the bike. Until next time, keep riding!

Open Air Life