A Little Snow ....

A little blizzard is sitting over southern Manitoba right now .... not a record amount of snow coming down but still a real deal winter storm.

From The Weather Channel ....

In the last 24 hours it looks like we got more snow than for the whole winter ........
Now you might think that after seeing the snow come down for that amount of time .... and after at the very least seeing the state of the streets .... that someone would exercise a bit of sense about going out in a freekin electric wheelchair.

Since my phone won't take pictures anymore .... I can't actually show you what I saw about a block from my house .... but .... just picture a thing with 8" wheels spinning away in the middle of the damned road ... dead center in the street ... right in the path of oncoming vehicles as well as any coming up from behind. We are talking about a street that has enough snow on it so that cars are basically staying in the ruts and taking turns on the narrower parts where other vehicles are parked.

Now ... I'm not afraid to stop my truck and get out to help someone who needs it... I've done whenever I thought I needed to in the past!

But I have to say .... Just because a guy is in a wheelchair ... does not entitle one to be a freekin idiot.

New Wheels and A Lift for The Jeep

I'm really pleased with the way this turned out.

New Ultra Sport Wheels, new Cooper all terrain tires and a 2" lift for my Jeep.


It all started back in the spring when I was cleaning the old wagon after that particularly messy winter of 08/09.

Among the things that I was concerned about was the condition of the shocks ... some steering and suspension bushings ... the wheels and the tires.

The old Rancho shocks were losing their bushings. The front suspension was getting loose.

The original 15" aluminum wheels which were part powder coated and part milled with clear coat were getting corroded from salt finding it's way into chips and scratches and were leaking air around the rim beads. The white powdery crust that formed on the aluminum is truly hideous. And finally, the tires were getting near the end of life, hardening and losing their once excellent grip in the wet and snow.

Since I had always thought the Grand Cherokee would look better with a bigger set of boots on... it seemed like the right time to look into the upgrades and began looking around for parts and such.

What I settled on after doing some web searching and talking to a few local wheel and tire guys along with one pretty decent Jeep expert :

• Ultra Rogue 16x8 aluminum wheels
• Cooper ATR 255/70R 16 tires ... a tire I have some experience with and find to be just the ticket for our Manitoba Winters.
• Also needed were a modest suspension lift ... I settled on a 2" combination from Skyjacker with spacers over the stock rear springs and new front springs, a new set of shocks to accomodate the altered movement and miscellaneous bits and pieces like new track bar mounts.

The process was a bit frustrating at first with a few hiccups along the way as I learned what to do and what not to do when undertaking a process like this.

Maybe I'll make the process of making the mods a blog subject for another day....

For now ... I'm really liking the outcome.

OMMAG

Airships - Is the Time Near for Retro-Technolgy to Take Off?

Is a sight like this in the future of Manitoba's Interlake and northern communities?



Something I have always been interested in is the idea of using refined versions of old technologies in our present day. One such concept is the use of the Lighter Than Air craft (LTA).

The basic technology employed in LTA craft has not changed since day one of the invention.
What has changed over the years is the supporting technology to make them stronger, more reliable and more adaptable for numerous uses. I think the possiblities are barely seen by most of the advocates of the LTA.

There are a number of initiatives around the world to launch variations of the LTA with the main promoters being the groups that have invested in the manufacture of the craft.

Here's one outfit that has big plans ASE

Another group that calls itself Environmental Logistics Corp. is seeking support from the community of St. Laurent MB in order to establish an operating base. Their idea seems to be that LTAs could be used to transport year round to remote communities and that the Interlake town would make a good jumping off point.

Who knows? This idea may have merit.

Although, from what I have read they are pretty vague about details of the operation and their ability to move their plans forward and from what I can see haven't been able to set up as much as a web site so far.... I'd like to see this project move.

What worries me a lot about these things is that such self styled entrepreneurs always seem to be going around with cap in hand. I understand from first hand experience what it is like to get financing and other formas of support to launch a new business BUT I find it raises cautionary flags whenever I see the first steps revolving around some public hand out. I suppose that for a community like St. Laurent there is little jeopardy in signing a commitment to approve development of land, setting land aside and even agreeing to local tax breaks for a new business to come to their area. Now we need to see just how serious the pitch men are about their business ideas.

Blair Sherwood, president of Environmental Logistics Corp., spoke to the St. Laurent Community Development Corporation Nov. 16 about the possibility of building an airship hangar in the RM this past week and had this to say about the project, from an article printed in the Interlake Spectator

"I think it went over fairly well," said Sherwood. "I'm awaiting a letter of support from the council and CDC so I can go to the next step. Once we have that, we can seriously look at different investment options for major investors. Without local written support, we'll have to look at other locations."

"The intention is to serve northern Manitoba as a substitute transportation for ice roads, which are becoming less reliable," said CDC president Tammy Terrance.

"I believe the ramifications for the area to be huge, not only in jobs, but worldwide recognition as the place where the industrial cargo airship industry took off, if you'll excuse the pun...."

"With the lake, relatively short distance to a major aerospace centre and the airspace in and around St. Laurent having few if any restrictions, it allows future development of this industry there...."

"If we get the letters of support, then we can seriously complete our fundraising,"

Good Luck I say.

BUT ... I'd be a lot more hopeful of a successful result if you could show some interest by those who would actually be paying for the service and other business groups who could make use of the LTA craft and operations to launch or enhance their own ventures.

Without such market support, at least in the form of interest shown, I see little hope for a successful enterprise. After all that is what investors really want to know.... do you know your market, how sure is it and how big is it???

It would also be reassuring to know that your plans did not hinge on flakey environmental dogma like the proposition that Ice Roads are going to be less reliable as time goes on. As was asserted by the Community Development Corp. rep for the region.

Get your ducks in a row people!

Oh yes! and get your head out of the clouds ... German Failure back at it...

OMMAG

Those Who Are Ignorant of History ............

Are more likely to buy into today's variety of miniature auto.

Actually a pretty interesting little car.

http://microcarmuseum.com/tour/bmw600.html

But with the current frenzy among those who feel the need to make meaningless gestures or simply posture about being more "Conscious and Caring" .... I wonder just how the fate of this little gadget will relate to the fate of the current generation of government made and promoted econo-boxes.




OMMAG

Armstead Snow Motor

http://vimeo.com/2638558

A 1924 video and proof of concept for a useful implement.


Armstead Snow Motors from Seeking Michigan on Vimeo.