Uncle Butchy's Adventure Page

A New Fix For Adrenaline Junkies

2008-01-27T09:55:00.000-08:00

I really like the reverse trike setup, as you can probably tell from previous posts. I think that from a design standpoint they minimize the shortcomings of a three-wheeled vehicle while simplifying drivetrain adaptation. It's certainly not a new concept, Frenchman Leon Bollee built one in 1896 and they have one on display in the museum at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

I think the idea has survived this long because it makes a lot of sense for a fun vehicle. Let's face it, you wouldn't be buying one for its cargo capacity.
Well, let me introduce you to the Adrenaline, the latest offering from San Diego's TriRod Motorcycles:

And a slightly different view:

Now the list of goodies: a 120 CID V-Twin engine turning a huge 325 Pirelli tire, carbon fiber over an aluminum and steel race-tuned frame complete with Penske racing shocks. If that's not enough for hair-raising handling I don't know what to tell you.
OK, they're not cheap, the one in the pics is $55k, but you'd spend at least twice that for a comparable car, right? Besides, how many people who drive exotic cars really push them anywhere near the limit of their performance? They also make a Touring model for $35k, which is less than some SUVs out there, and the whole point is to stand out from the crowd, right?

Another New Toy For Your Wishlist

2008-01-27T04:46:00.000-08:00

I didn't buy a car until I was 21, and before that, I either walked or rode a bike everywhere. One of my current projects is a mountain bike that I'm building, so I guess old habits die hard. Well, yesterday I came across this really cool bike from Puma. Not only does it glow in the dark, but it folds as well. How cool is that? Right now it only comes in 2 colors, but it's still flippin' sweet!

Your Support is Needed

2008-01-27T04:01:00.000-08:00

Normally, I don't put political items on this blog, but this particular item may have far-reaching consequences. That and I happen to value my Rights, and not just as a gun owner.
Make your voice heard and sign this petition, then you can be part of a monumentally important decision.

Year-Round Fun!

2008-01-26T13:44:00.001-08:00

Love riding your ATV? How about that personal watercraft? Ever want to combine the two? Well, Alan Gibbs and his company, Gibbs Technology, have beat you to the punch. Have a look at their new Quadski, an ATV that can transform into a PWC in about five seconds! That's faster than James Bond's Lotus Esprit in For Your Eyes Only, and that was just a movie.
How about a 140 hp engine, a 50 mph top speed on land and water, and did I mention the transformation takes five bleepin' seconds!!

From this: to this: in five seconds!
And just think, you'll only need half the garage space...

Respect Mother Nature!!

2008-01-21T14:21:00.000-08:00

I found this article about the five most horrifying insects in the world according to Cracked.com and I must say, these are some horrifying bugs, folks! I lived in Florida for a number of years and I thought the ferocity of Fire Ants was really something, but these things make them look positively cuddly in comparison. Follow the link with caution, though, if vivid descriptions containing "bad words" offend you in any way.
Just for grins, here's a link to the Schmidt Sting Pain Index on Wikipedia.

Another New Toy For Your Wishlist

2008-01-17T17:54:00.000-08:00

Well, poking around the 'Net sure turns up some strange things, but every now & then I find something like the Ace Craft Gen H-4 personal helicopter. It has counter-rotating blades so there's no need for a tail rotor or other stabilization. It also has a 5 gallon fuel tank for an hour's flight time, will carry a 260 lb person and an estimated top speed of 120 mph! How cool is that? Ok, it's not exactly cheap at $35k, but how can you put a price tag on fun?

There might be a folding unit in the works so it will fit in a minivan, so that minivan might be cool after all, eh Pops?

More Winter Fun

2008-01-12T07:28:00.000-08:00

I'm always looking for cool things to share and I found a doozy! I saw these track units years ago for full-size pickups and thought they were awesome. They're called MATTRACKS and offer tons of different types now. Their website features several videos on many different vehicles, but I found this cool video of some crazy Subaru owner who put them on an old Subie hatchback. Perfect for the snow or anything else Nature throws at you.

I have no idea on pricing, but the MATTRACKS website has a contact info page if you want to find out. Have fun!

How Cool Is This?

2007-12-23T10:45:00.000-08:00

I found this quite by accident earlier today, but it looks completely cool. It's called the env bike and it was designed by a company called Intelligent Energy. Apparently they're looking for manufacturers to put it into production, so anyone with the capacity to crank these babies out, get in touch and let's get these built in time for me to get one for next Xmas!

This Looks Like Tons of Fun!

2007-12-19T05:46:00.000-08:00

Let me introduce you to the cool-looking Gaus Wheel from Hungary. I might be too old to be doing big Ollies on a skateboard, but I might be tempted to take one of these for a blast in a park or a parking lot. Check out the videos on their website, they're very cool.

The low center of gravity should make it a lot more stable than a unicycle, which would make it easier to ride for most of us. I'm not sure how you go about stopping it, but I'm sure you'd figure it out before you lost too much skin. Wasn't that half the fun of riding a bike as a kid, finding your limits? I don't know if anyone is importing these into the US yet, but I'm sure you could find a way to get one if you really want it.

Our Troops

2007-12-17T09:41:00.000-08:00

OK people, our Troops overseas are serving our country, so they are essentially serving us, so whether you support the War on Terror or not, every soldier deserves our respect and appreciation. If you want to do something to show your appreciation for their service, there's something simple you can do that will mean a lot to them.
David M. Fortier of Shotgun News wrote a series of articles about the time he spent embedded with Bonecrusher Troop from the 3/7 Cavalry in Iraq. It made for some interesting reading, but the best part of the third article was a little box with info on how we can do something for the people who do so much for us. Send your gun, car or computer magazines, a local newspaper or just drop them a line of appreciation. Or if you are so inclined, they can always use gun cleaning supplies; patches, bore mops and solvent/protectant.
The address is:

Any Cavalry Trooper
C/O SFC Lugo
2nd Platoon, BTrp 3/7 Cav
Unit 5972
APO AE 09378

A New Toy For Your Wishlist

2007-12-17T09:31:00.000-08:00

While surfing the 3% of the internet not devoted to porn, I happened across this little beauty. If these are half as good as they say, I'll start saving for one today! I don't really need a new TV because our 60" HDTV is only 2 years old, but my wife won't let me hook my game consoles up to it. So by the time my game TV packs it in, I'll have the moolah for a new Hi-Def gaming TV. How awesome is that?

Something More Serious Than My Usual Posts

2007-12-08T02:49:00.000-08:00

Yeah, it's time to address something a bit more pressing. If you have a blog and vigorously exercise your freedom of speech like I do on my other blog, you need to be aware of the Bills going through Congress right now. Specifically the "Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act of 2007 (H.R. 1955), and its Senate companion, S. 1959" - the government's newest attack against its own people's rights. Linda Milazzo has written an excellent article in the Huffington Post about them. There is a similar article from the John Birch Society, as well as others I'm sure, but these are the two I've read. There is a very nicely detailed factsheet from the Center for Constitutional Rights posted on their site as well.

I will search for more information, and if I find anything relevant I'll post it ASAP.
Please, don't just read the articles, do something about it. Our representatives still work for us. Write them. It doesn't have to be much, just voice your concern, and let them know how important it is that this Bill not deteriorate our rights to free speech. This is seriously scary stuff, people, and the time has come to deal with it.

This is the letter I wrote to my reps:

Dear Senator ____________,

I am writing to voice my concern over Resolution 1959, the Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act of 2007. This is as frightening a piece of legislature as anything I've ever seen, including policy papers from Nazi Germany and the U.S.S.R. under Stalin. It sounds suspiciously similar to the sedition laws enacted by the British prior to the Revolutionary War.

This is a totally unwarranted attack on our Constitutional rights, specifically the First Amendment as I understand it. Correct me if I'm wrong, Sir, but isn't voicing a dissenting opinion the very definition of freedom of speech? I personally put a very high value on our freedoms, and those who protect them for us.

Please do everything in your power to persuade others that supporting this resolution is utterly wrong and counter to the Constitution they (and you, Sir,) swore to defend.

I have the utmost confidence in your ability to shone the light of rationality on this corrosive issue.

Thank you for your time,

Dear Santa, Part 2

2007-12-07T16:59:00.000-08:00

Man! This is what I'm talking about! A bonafide, James Bond-in-the-real-world rocket pack!

Who hasn't wanted to blast around in one of these babies? I know, it's as much as a house, but hey, I already have a house! Besides, you could recoup the cost doing promotional stunts! Yeah, it might take 10 years, but you were going to work all that time anyway, so you may as well have fun, right?

Another Great Find

2007-12-06T06:39:00.000-08:00

In my last post, I told you about the Olive Opus series of digital audiophile player/recorders. Well I've found the perfect way to create a stand-alone system with a minimalist touch. Just add a pair of these beauties from Audioengine. That way, you can fill your home with sound instead of sound equipment.

The technical specs on them raised my eyebrows a bit, but the price almost floored me. If they're half as good in reality as they are on paper, they will blow you away. They also represent an excellent value in a field where the concept of value is subjective at best.
So if you have a pair of these little gems, please tell me how they rate, because there's always room in my entertainment center for more outstanding goodies.

And if all you want is a better pair of speakers for you computer and you don't want the full-throttle A5 series above, you can opt for the slightly tamer A2 series for about 40% less money. They aren't as powerful, because you aren't trying to fill a whole room with sound, but you still get stellar quality.

When an MP3 player Just Won't Do

2007-12-05T17:05:00.000-08:00

Among my other amazingly expensive pursuits is my love of music, and the electronic reproduction thereof. This means I am always looking at really cool electronics and when I find something new and promising I will try to post it here. I want to do this for two reasons. First, I think good music deserves to be played on good equipment, and you should buy the best equipment you can readily afford. Second, if enough people buy the things I post on here, demand for those items will rise, making them increase production, which will in turn lower their cost, hopefully to a point that I can buy one for myself. So I'm not really sharing with you, I'm just another selfish, manipulative so-and-so.

Anyway, I have Stumbled Upon this little gem from an audio electronics company named Olive. It's like a gigantic hard drive so you don't have to convert your music to MP3 files. In my somewhat-less-than humble opinion, this conversion sucks a lot of the fidelity out of music, which is fine if you're only listening to your music with tiny earphones. But on a home system, playing through high-end equipment, these shortcomings become obvious, sometimes painfully so. They will actually pre-load music on your unit when you purchase it, for a small fee of course, but it's still s really cool feature.

These units will also load your MP3 player for you, play internet radio stations, or stream music through your house wirelessly. It also looks totally cool, so it should fit seamlessly into your existing system.

A Loophole for Motorcyclists

2007-12-04T07:33:00.000-08:00

Have you ever heard or used the following statement? "I wish my wife wasn't so dead-set against me getting a motorcycle." Well, help has arrived in the form of the Campagna T-Rex. It's a really cool, totally modern trike. Actually, some call it a reverse trike, because unlike most trikes people are familiar with, the T-Rex has two wheels up front. This makes it much more stable when cornering compared to a traditional motorcycle-based trike with two rear wheels. It also means it can be much lower, because the engine and transmission are placed behind, not under the driver.

Manufactured in Quebec since 1994, they are just amazingly cool. I first saw one at a CART race at Homestead Miami Speedway back in 1996 and I've wanted one ever since. Power used to come from various motorcycle powerplants (including a V-twin from HD), but for 2007 they've upped the ante with Kawasaki's 1400cc, 187 hp beast. This gets you from 0-60 in under 4 seconds and your speed will top 160 mph, which is fast enough for almost anyone. Because it has a full tube chassis and is very light, overall performance should easily put a smile on your face.

For a grin-inducing video of the T-Rex being put through its paces on the show 5th Gear, follow the link to The Kneeslider, one of my favorite motorcycle websites.

An Interesting Find

2007-12-04T03:37:00.000-08:00

Man, I love tools and other useful gadgets, especially when they use a novel approach to perform a mundane task. One such tool is the Ratcheting Hex Wrench from ProTool Manufacturing. If you do your own vehicle maintenance, then you've come across Allen head bolts that were a total pain to get out with the standard "L" hex wrench. Well, for those of you who like to keep your tool box as simple as possible, this neat little tool could help a lot. Since it's the Holiday Shopping Season, this would make a great gift to an aspiring tinkerer or your favorite hobbyist. Be sure to watch the video on their site, it's very cool.

The coolest flashlights around

2007-12-02T15:13:00.000-08:00

When you absolutely, positively need the coolest gear for your adventures, it's my pleasure to show you the way. When I find something that is just above and beyond as far as coolness, utility or durability I will post it here for you.

Today's entry in the cool arena is this Lumencraft Flashlight.

They are currently the coolest and most high-tech flashlights I have seen. The build specs alone make me want one quite badly.

A Need for Real Speed

2007-12-02T07:38:00.000-08:00

Behold! The Koenigsegg CCX! A true Supercar! It's made in Sweden in very small numbers and it'll run you a fat chunk of change, over $600k! And just what do you get for your money? A stunning carbon-fiber body, 806 HP from a twin-supercharged 4.7 litre V8 ( in the CCXR, which runs on Biofuel, this jumps 25% to a staggering 1018 hp!!), a 6-speed manual of course, 0-60 in 3.2 seconds and a top speed of over 245 mph!!

How's this for ultimate bragging rights? A Koenigsegg CC owner got the world's fastest speeding ticket. He was clocked at 242 mph on a Texas highway during the 2003 Gumball 3000 rally. The story on Wikipedia is just mind-boggling.

As if that weren't enough, Koenigsegg have actually made a car called the CCGT, which is a standard CCX homologized for competition in the International Sports Car series. They actually
detuned the car to 600 hp to comply with the rules!

So if you want to live in the rarified air of the world of supercars, start saving your money, because the price of admission ain't cheap, but it's worth every penny.

Dear Santa, part 1

2007-11-24T18:41:00.000-08:00

Dear Santa, I found this really cool vehicle while Stumbling one night and was wondering if there's still time to ask for one.

I swear I've been good and I'll be good all next year too. No more road rage or anything!

10 Things Every Man Should Be Able To Do

2007-11-19T13:44:00.000-08:00

There are certain things that every Man should be able to do. I'm not saying that Modern Man should be able to build a house from scratch, shoe a horse or survive in the Wild indefinitely, but he should be able to do a wide variety of things that are minimum requirements for being "Manly."

I know there are things on this list that many Men don't do because they just don't have the time, but that's OK. Ability is what matters here, not opportunity.

The following list is made up of what I consider to be things that define a Man as such, in no particular order:

1- Drive a stick shift. I know, I know, an automatic is easier, more convenient, and blah blah blah... It doesn't mean you're not a Man if you don't drive a stick, just if you can't drive a stick. So many people my age never learned to drive in anything but a slushbox, seeing as how most people my age learned to drive in family sedans. I took my first driver's test in a little car with an automatic and failed, but when I took the test in a full-size truck with a stick, I passed easily. It also enables you to operate a motorcycle, and what could be more Manly than that?

2- Speaking of cars,Men should be able to do simple routine maintenance on them. Changing oil, spark plugs, filters and belts are still relatively easy and don't usually require any special tools or equipment. Again, I'm not saying you're less than a Man if you don't service your own vehicle, just that you should possess rudimentary knowledge of its care. This has the dual purpose of being able to save money while still using top quality parts and keeping you from getting ripped off when you bring it in for service. Plus you should be able to change out a flat tire just on general principles.

3- Read a map. If you're not going to stop & ask directions (and what Man would?), you'd better be able to read a map, find your present location and plot your own course. With the advent of very accurate GPS systems, this is becoming less of an issue, but it's still a very useful skill. Learning how to refold your map is optional, though, as a matter of aesthetics.

4-Read, write and speak articulately. Nothing is more pathetic than a conversation with a supposedly grown Man who uses big words and has no grasp of their actual meaning. Non-existent words, like irregardless, or mispronunciation that adds to or ignores existing letters in a word are particularly irritating. Ask people to pronounce "voluptuous," I'll bet good money at least a third will give you "volumptuous." What does that do to their credibility? Contrary to today's MTV generation's opinion, there's nothing cooler than being intelligent and articulate.

5-Defend himself from an attack. I'm not saying every man needs to be Jet Li, but you should be able to protect yourself and any women or children in your company. Even if it's just a verbal attack, refer to #4 above. Some Police departments in America actually train their officers in "verbal Judo" so they can defuse a bad situation with words, instead of making it worse with a weapon. Learn to stop an attacker, but also use common sense, because you're just not going to thwart an armed robbery. That's horrible Hollywood BS, and it will get you and others killed.

6- A man should be able to shoot a gun. Once again, I'm not saying you should transform yourself into Dirty Harry, but familiarizing yourself with firearms will dispel a lot of the mystery and fear so many people associate with them. The Founding Fathers thought it was important enough to include it in the Constitution, right after Free Speech. If you can shoot a gun, you should be able to safely load & unload it, disassemble & clean it and safely store it in your home. If you don't care for guns, that's fine too, a man who stands by his principles is still worthy of respect, as long as your dislike is not fueled by ignorance or fear. This does not exempt you from #5 above.

7- Basic household maintenance. Beyond changing light bulbs and cutting grass (which I personally despise), you should be able to manage the next step up. Installing a ceiling fan, light fixture, or other items should be part of a Man's skill set. Learn how to do simple plumbing, electrical and carpentry jobs and you will appreciate the people who do these things for a living a lot more. It will also save you money and put more intangible value on your home.

8- Cook a meal. Hello, it's not 1955 any more! Yes, a Man should be able to cook more than microwave meals, spaghetti and omelettes. If you can cook, you demonstrate your prowess as a provider and appeal to the primitive side of a potential romantic interest. Along with a sense of humor, this is one of the primary things women will appreciate for a very long time. Besides, fast food will kill you faster than cigarettes.

9-Hook up your own electronics. A Man should be proud of his entertainment system, but wouldn't that pride be underscored by knowing you put it together and made it work? I learned by a lot of trial-and-error, but I now have a totally rocking system in my home. The more ancillary devices you have, the better, even if some of your devices are last-gen, like a cassette deck or turntable.You should also be able to put a desktop PC together and have it running in little or no time.

10- Manage your finances. If you can't balance your checkbook or if you carry a balance on credit cards, get used to being broke. Knowing how credit works will serve you well throughout your life, and I was fortunate enough to learn this before I got buried in debt. Someone told me a long time ago that "you'll never get rich working for someone else, so pay yourself first." I started doing that right away and realized how true it was fairly quickly. Don't spend money you don't have on things you don't really need. Do I need a 60" TV? No, but I paid for it with money that was set aside for just that reason, so no real sacrifice was made to buy it. Did I need it? No. Did I work out a way to get it anyway? Yes. Hell yes.

I know there are more than these items, so feel free to amend this list any way you like.

Not everyone's cup of tea

2007-11-12T10:08:00.000-08:00

There's an activity that can create some ill feelings among certain parties. That activity is hunting. I know there are people who just abhor hunting and everything about it, but I think it's because they don't want to acknowledge the positive aspects of it.
Ask any Wildlife Officer and they'll tell you that an unchecked population of deer is a very bad thing. If deer overpopulate their food supply, many more will die of starvation than would be harvested during hunting season.
Anyway, I'm not here to debate the pros and cons of hunting. As adventures go, an African Safari still ranks high on many people's list. For those of us who can't take off for a month for parts unknown, there are still plenty of hunting adventures available here in the U.S.
I have a friend who goes to Wyoming every year just to spend a week hunting. A lot of guide services will take you into the deep boonies for a hunt, and many also guarantee a trophy-size of whatever you want to hunt.
If you really want to experience hunting in all its glorious frustration, there are game animals everywhere in North America, so you may be looking at less than an hour drive to get there.
There are deer that wander right through my yard, and this seems to be a very common experience around here. Anyway, since you don't want to be anywhere around homes or businesses, you need to get out into the woods. For the full experience, practice with a bow until you can hit a playing card at 30 yards and go out during bow season. Just you, your bow, arrows, and your skill. Since deer are mainly nocturnal, if you get to the woods after the sun's already up, you may as well go right back home. We used to get up around 4 A.M., depending on how far we had to go and whether or not we already had our gear packed. And the weather was rarely ideal. So if you are willing to go out into the elements and pit your skills against nature, then you are ready for a classic fall adventure.
Hunting is an activity that can be as expensive as you want it to be. I have hunted with a surplus WW1 rifle I bought for $60.00, as well as a semi-custom rifle that was worth more than I made in 2 months. There is a whole pantheon of specialty items you might want as well. I would recommend waterproof boots that keep your feet warm, and get the best you can afford, because nothing will put a damper on a hunt like coming home empty-handed and miserably cold. If you are uncomfortable and cold, it will start to affect other things as well, making you move around making unnecessary noise, paying less attention to your surroundings and more to your discomfort, and so on.
I personally don't hunt any more, I just don't have the time or inclination, and there are too many ATVs bashing around the woods (sorry, but I don't look at that as hunting in it's purest form) for my liking. Although, to be honest, since I ride a motorcycle and enjoy the backroads, I see a lot of deer moseying across the road quite often. If that sight would alarm you in a car, just think about being on a bike! So I may just start hunting again out of spite!

Winter is almost here and that means all-new fun!

2007-11-09T13:30:00.000-08:00

That means a whole new set of parameters to gauge adventure with. Certainly you can go camping in cold weather, it's a completely different experience that way. Just a bit more hardcore, and the "need" list is a bit longer, and the gear is a little different. When I was in Scouts we went on a winter camping trip every January, and we hiked through snow most times to get to our site. I can tell you one thing for sure: you better be able to build a fire!
With the advent of extreme sports, there are a few more options now than there were 25 years ago. You've got freestyle skiing, snowboarding, scary-fast snowmobiles and ATVs. When we were kids, we would go down a snow-covered hill on anything we could find: sleds, inner tubes, pieces of wood paneling. I had a friend who found a refrigerator door and rode it down one of the steepest hills within walking distance of his neighborhood, and it was amazingly fast. He almost launched into someone's house! I thought he broke his arm, but he didn't and all's well that ends well. Besides, if the possibility of stitches or broken bones doesn't loom over your fun, what's the point?

Speaking of Speed...

2007-11-07T19:41:00.000-08:00

... here's a post I wrote with my lovely and tolerant wife.

I have friends who love Nascar racing. I personally do not share their enthusiasm. I used to really enjoy watching Nascar, back when they ran real stock cars. I like high tech racing, where the cars, and the drivers are pushed to their limits. In my opinion, Nascar is the lowest tech racing out there. They don’t even use overhead camshafts, which Alfa Romeo was using before WWII. I understand the reason behind a lot of it is to keep costs from skyrocketing, but to race with what is almost 100-year-old technology, especially with the engines, is totally unappealing to me. I have always loved almost all kinds of racing, and can appreciate what goes into each type of race. When I was a kid, drivers would compete in the Daytona 500, the Indy 500, and Formula One races, and they were giants among men.

What surprises me is the number of people who watch Formula One and still enjoy Nascar. But hardly any Nascar fans will even consider watching Formula One. They say it’s boring because there isn’t enough passing. Here is a small list that I’ve compiled to do a side-by-side comparison of the two series. This is not meant as a slam against Nascar. If you love Nascar, I can appreciate the fact that you like racing. Maybe this list will fire up your curiosity and you will tune into a Formula One race and decide for yourself.

Nascar	Formula One
Rolling start	Standing start
Lots of passing on every lap.	Passing requires setup and execution, could take several laps.
Ford, GM, Dodge and Toyota (only American makes were permitted to race until 2004)	Ferrari, Mercedes, BMW, Renault, Toyota, Honda and Privateers: Williams, Red Bull, Scuderia Torro Rosso, Super Aguri and Force India
2 road courses and 34 ovals	Up to 19 races per season: all world class road courses
5.8 liter V8 produces 750-800 hp and revs to 8,000 rpm	2.4 liter V8 produces 750-800 hp and revs are restricted to 19,000 rpm
Car must weigh 3,400 lbs (1542 kg)	Car and driver must weigh at least 600kg (1323 lbs)
43 cars start the race	A maximum of 24 cars can start the race (12 two-car teams)
Single car qualifying- each car has 2 laps to try to qualify as high as possible on the starting grid.	3 ten-minute qualifying sessions. Slowest 6 cars are regulated to last 6 available positions. All cars must make a qualifying run in every session until eliminated.
Races are postponed or canceled due to rain	Race rain or shine. The only time a race will be postponed is if the medical helicopter cannot fly.
Tracks are all in the United States with most in the South	For 2008, there are 18 races in 17 countries (2 races in Spain)
Very few technological advances: carburetors, push rods, cast iron engine block, 2 valves per cylinder, etc. Cars can be reused for multiple seasons.	Super high tech: every team hires the best engineers they can find in multiple fields, including the aerospace field. The cars are advanced and updated from race to race. Cars are designed from the ground up every year.
Banked corners to help the cars steer	Cars experience up to 4 g’s under acceleration, up to 5 g’s under braking and through turns
All cars are required to match the same silhouette template	Teams are given design restrictions but other than that, they are free to run any design within the rules
30-35 seconds is considered a good pit stop (4 tires & fuel)	7-8 seconds is considered a good pit stop (4 tires & fuel)
Point system is unnecessarily complex	Top 8 finishers receive points for both driver and constructor
Intentional contact is tolerated, expected and sometimes encouraged	Intentional contact is prohibited- driver could be disqualified, driver and team could be penalized.
Average audience per race is about 30 million in 150 countries	Audience estimated at anywhere from 200-500 million per race in over 200 countries
Minimal downforce on cars to enhance drafting and passing	Aerodynamics produce enough downforce at 100 mph to hold the car to the road if the road turned upside down
Drivers race for money and points	Drivers race for points only
Top drivers can make over $7 million a year	Top drivers’ salaries can exceed $20 million a year
You can see the whole track if your seat is high enough up, at some of the tracks	Track layout limits most spectators’ view of the entire course

Defining Adventure

2007-11-07T18:31:00.001-08:00

How does one define adventure? For a lot of people, it means many different things, mostly involving some pulse-quickening activity. Running, cycling, white-water rafting or kayaking, skydiving, you get the picture.
Speed is my kick, I guess. I have always loved to go fast. I personally enjoy my motorcycle immensely, especially on the two-lane twisties in northern West Virginia and southern Pennsylvania. As a rule, I don't normally ride on the freeway, to me it kind of defeats the purpose of riding a bike, but there are enough idiots and apparently suicidal deer out there to qualify it as an adventure.
I also used to go hiking and camping a lot when I was younger, and I can't recommend the Boy Scouts enough for kids who are that age. I also rode a ten-speed everywhere when I was in high school, and like almost everything else I've owned with wheels on it, I had to see how fast I could go on it. I think I got it up to 30-35 mph pedaling downhill on my street. I can't tell you how many cars I almost hit (there were at least 4 side streets and I always ran the stop sign right by my house) but it was definitely a rush.