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Monday, December 08, 2008 10:28 AM

Rider Stocking Stuffers: The Best Mascara!

Warning Guys:  This post is for the girls who ride...  unless (hint, hint) you're looking for an inexpensive little stocking stuffer to add to your significant-other rider or co-rider's holiday gift pile.  In that case, I suggest you read on. 

Since my teen years, I've never worn much makeup... give me a little tinted moisturizer with sunscreen, a quick dab of mascara, and some lip color, and I'm out the door.  I've always struggled with the mascara bit... a mere two hours after application, I end up with black shadows under my eyes, even with the waterproof versions!   Lately I'd just given up, but my eyes need their mascara.  This year, I even tried eyelash extensions:  I loved waking up with a full set of ready-to-wear lashes for three months, but the salon trips for maintenance every two weeks and the expense did not fit my lifestyle.  Then I discovered L'Oreal's Double Extend Beauty Tubes Technology mascara.  Eureka!!!! I've found it!!!

This stuff works!!!  I can ride and work all day and still NO smudges.  Better yet, I can lighten my overnight luggage.  This stuff is easily removable at the end of the day with warm water... no need to pack makeup remover.  (Even when removed, the "tubes" don't smudge.) 

I recommend this stuff to all my friends, and the customer/professional reviewers agree with me.  I haven't tried  the water-proof version yet; my local retailer only carries the "red tube" version.  Normally I only buy waterproof mascara, but the regular version works just fine for me.  For more info on the tubes technology, click here and here.

The search is over, and the smudges are gone!  No more raccoon eyes!

 
Merry Christmas, Ladies!
posted by U2Farmer with 0 Comments
Saturday, November 29, 2008 8:24 PM

Harvest Reading the TA Way: What's In Your Library?

As Harvest 2008 wound down and the combine switched to picking dry-land corn, I found myself with a little more time on my hands between loads.  A gal can only listen to the radio for so long, and it is wise not to let the truckers or combine driver catch you napping... they become very resentful and cranky when they catch you taking advantage of a moment's leisure.  The trick is to appear busy at all times.  I keep a plethora of reading material handy in my lunch bag for just such occasions as this.  Usually it includes a newspaper or a magazine or two, something that can be dropped pronto the moment a truck arrives or the combine needs unloading.  This year, I decided to slip in a copy of GWTA's TA Way and the updated GWTA Bylaws. 

The TA Way is is a MUST read for GWTA chapter directors and recommended for all members of the organization.  It's a great way for new members to learn the overall scheme of things and to avoid re-inventing the wheel.  The manual is currently undergoing a revision so that it reflects the 2008 changes to the bylaws and other updates, but why wait... I had the time while the combine picked out a ditch-laden field.  It only took me 1.5 days of "mini breaks" to complete.  It's not rocket science, and reviewing the manual helps keep members, staff, and chapters all on the same road to Destination Friendship.

I also stuffed my bag with Flash Gordon M.D.'s Blood, Sweat & Gears this year.  It's one of those books that you can put down at a moment's notice and then pick up again for reading opportunities that must be kept brief.  The book is out of print and hard to find, but it caught my interest when the sequel Blood, Sweat & 2nd Gear was released and I heard the author (a rider with more than 30 years of road experience) interviewed in a Ride podcast on Blog Talk Radio.  Soon after that, I found the first book in a used bookstore -- a brand new copy, never even opened.  I learned a lot from that book and really enjoyed the author's sense of humor in dealing with the subject matter and his patients.

Here's a Sample of What I learned from Blood, Sweat & Gears:
  • Road Rash -- Timing is everything, attention to the injury within the first 30 minutes results in a vast improvement to the outcome.  Don't wait until you get home to treat it.  He has some neat tips.
  • First Aid Kits for Motorcyclists:  What to include -- my respect for zync oxide, gauze, chicken wire, Neosporin, and Betadine is renewed.
  • Proper Removal of Dirt  or Gravel From The Eye:  Again, don't wait until you get home.  Don't wipe your eye; don't rub with your finger...  A neat trick for getting a speck out from under the eyelid.
  • Evaluating Downed Riders For Injury:  Out in the boonies?  No trained medical help?  One step at a time.
  • Carpel Tunnel Tips:  Keep your wrists straight!
  • Roast Calf:  Treating burns  and when to get professional help.
  • 'Rhoids:  Your Gold Wing will outlast your body's ability to travel long distances in a single sitting.  Get fiber!
I found so much stuff in the first book, that I can't wait to dive into the sequel.  No wonder Sound Rider magazine considers both these books MUST reads for riders.  They're easy to read, funny, informative, and worth a gander.
posted by U2Farmer with 0 Comments
Thursday, November 27, 2008 9:59 AM

Happy Thanksgiving! It's In The Bin!!!

Harvest 2008 is over, the crop is in the bin, and we are truly thankful to be done!  This year was extremely trying due to weather conditions all throughout the growing season.  Spring rains, washouts, hail, unmatured cobs, corn that wouldn't dry down, and confused combines that refused to adjust to this year's field conditions  (this does not compute!).  But we're done.  No more sleep deprivation.  Now, we can spend the day in rest and thanks... and in prayer -- that our friends will soon complete a safe harvest also.

For this year's harvest I made three changes and they really seemed to help my energy levels... I'm wondering if I should carry these changes over to my motorcycle cruising trips.  My three goals this year were:

  • no pop -- I didn't even pack it in my lunch bag
  • no big meals -- I nibbled throughout the day and added a Gnu Flavor & Fiber bar or Fiber One bar
  • stretch -- when possible I got out of the tractor & tried to get my heart pumping; fresh oxygen to clear my head
These 3 things really improved my quality of life in the field ... no afternoon sleepies, no energy crashes, and the fresh oxygen really did make a difference in circumventing "the 4 pm stupids" -- you know what I'm talking about... the late afternoon brain-fog decisions.  Also, I chugged water throughout the day (my MTM podcast guy told me once that if you're grumpy or foggy-headed, think about your water intake... you're probably dehydrated... get H20!  He's right!).  Warning -- increasing your water intake does have consequences which are especially challenging for female field workers.  Nuff said. 

During harvest, I spend 12 - 16 hours in my tractor pulling a grain cart at the mercy of the truckers and the combine driver.  During the last few years, I've started worrying about blood clots in the legs from all that sitting.  Last year, I switched to TravelSox for the field... they really helped.  The added stretch breaks kicked it up a notch; my feet and ankles didn't seem to swell as much this season.  (Yes, you can do push-ups leaning against a tractor tire... just don't get caught or fellow grain cart drivers and truckers might think you're weird.)

This year, food-wise, I also discovered four new things:  Flatouts (healthy with a great flavor, and they make it so much easier to eat a sandwich while driving a tractor!), Gnu Flavor & Fiber Bars (one bar contains 1/2 of your daily fiber requirements; great for people who must sit long periods of time, Orange Cranberry is my favorite!), Breakstone's cottage cheese and pineapple fruit combos, and Hammy's salad... Hammy loves to invent things and she put this salad together for me based on a recipe shared by another Frenchman Valley Rider.  The flavor made a great change from sandwiches, and the complex carbs kept me going all afternoon without a post-meal energy crash or afternoon munchies.  Here's her recipe:

Hammy's Salad

  • 1 package broccoli slaw
  • chopped almonds or walnuts
  • dried cranberries or Craisins
  • cooked chicken pieces or strips
  • Poppyseed Dressing

Combine the above ingredients, eyeballing quantities according to personal preference (that's Hammy's mad-scientist mentality for most of her creations -- just throw it in and forget the measuring cups).  Just don't get carried away with the dressing.

Enjoy.



posted by U2Farmer with 0 Comments
Tuesday, October 07, 2008 8:53 AM

The Super-Visor

This time of year always gives me fits as the days get shorter and we end up riding directly into the glare of the sun more often than not on the way to our supper runs.  RR and I have open-face Arai helmets with lightly tinted flip-up face shields.  The smokey tint helps, but it isn't designed to block a low-angled, direct hit from the sun's rays.  We needed to find a product that protected our vision but didn't interfere with the raising and lowering of our face shields.  We'd tried the removable strip products that adhere to the top edge of the face shield.  Those worked fine for RR, but the strip on my visor started losing adhesion after a couple of rides and kept dangling in front of my face about halfway into the ride -- not a good thing.

When the  Super-Visor ad appeared in the back of GWTA's Touring News, we decided to take a chance with $16.95 (plus $3 S&H) and buy the product via their web site.  U2's helmet was the guinea-pig for our test project. RR was the installation technician.  The results?  We more than got our money's worth.

The DOT-approved plastic product is vented, adjustable, available in three colors, and designed to fit all full face and open face helmets with a face shield.  With my helmet on and face shield down, we determined the installation height best suited to my line of vision and made adjustments which still allowed me access to my face-shield vents and cooling vents.  RR used the adhesive (included with purchase) to glue the visor to my face shield.   You'll want to plan ahead and do this when you don't need your helmet for a couple of days; the instructions say to allow 72 hours for the adhesive to set.  Since we weren't sure how the add-on would work in rainy or windy conditions, we delayed installation until after a weekend camping trip.

The results:  I love it!  Now, I have no problems driving directly into the sun.  I never realized how much I was squinting (even with sunglasses and a tinted shield) until I added the super-visor.  No more squinting or eye fatigue!  My eyes stay wide open (though not in this Hammy-Cam shot), my face relaxes, and I really notice a difference in the amount of heat and sun reaching my face from just that little bit of added protection right above my field of vision.  Other users have commented on how the visor vent funnels the air into the helmet cooling vents and reduces the heat, wind noise, and buffeting.  It even looks nice on the helmet. 

During the State Friendship Campout, we rode quite a bit of the way in rain.  I had no problems with venting, no fogging inside my face shield, and no water leaks.  I loved being able to keep my face shield vents open for ventilation in the rain and still maintain a dry, clear face shield and eyeglasses.  The windy ride on the way home didn't seem to bother the product, and the adhesive has held without any problems to date.  The Super-Visor passed the test.

Downsides.  The visor made it a little harder to open and close the face shield vents while on the go, but since I ride with my vents open most of the time, that issue really didn't effect me.  If I do need to close them, I can do it at the next stretch break.  The presence of the visor near the top of my line of vision took some getting used to at first, but after a week or two I no longer noticed it.  My advice?  Take the time to "fit" the super-visor to your preferred line of vision before you attach it to your face shield.  (RR installed mine without using the included lift-kit.)  The web-site says you can order more glue and tabs to move the shield to a new helmet, but I haven't tried that.

The verdict?  I'd say this is one add-on that did the job without doing a job on my pocketbook.  We'll see if RR can hold out until Christmas.



posted by U2Farmer with 2 Comments
Friday, May 16, 2008 8:59 AM

Spring Filler

What a strange spring -- weather-wise.   We finally got the corn in and now we just need a little warmer soil for the beans.  Between the  snow,  rain, hail, winds,  and cold, we've  tried to keep  planting stress to a minimum by working on several  little projects and getting ready for riding  season.  RR picked up the Aluma motorcycle trailer he'd ordered and spent several cold, wet days in the garage lining it with insulation and carpet.  Thanks for the ideas Stu!  They really "finish" the trailer.  PS:  When the company's label says proper ventilation in regards to using a spray adhesive, they mean it.  Your brain cells will thank you even if your body says it's a little chilly.

We've also used field breakdown times to catch up on our reading.  I always stash a magazine in my lunch tote to browse while waiting for parts or technical assistance.  The June issue of Motorcycle Cruiser had quite a few good articles.  Here are some things that caught my eye:

  • The "Can-Do" Kid:  a wheel-chair lymphoma patient who operates his bike from a sidecar.
  • Top 10 Motorcycle Museums
  • Buyer's Guide to Leather Jackets with a Women's Apparel Section
  • Care and Feeding of Leathers
  • 2-Up Touring  Safety Tips for Riders and Co-Riders
  • How to Inspect a Used Bike with Checklist
  • Night Riding Tips (Includes How Current Bike Styling Trends Can Affect Safety and What You Can Do About It)
That last article mentioned the difficulties aging caged drivers have when approaching an on-coming motorcycle, eye problems of riders, and how bike manufacturer's styling may result in improperly aimed headlamps in addition to the usual good safety suggestions.  Worth Reading.

My filler?  All winter I've been wondering how I can keep two of my favorite hobbies out of conflict -- riding and gardening.  We want to put some miles on the bikes this summer but still want fresh tomatoes and home-grown vegies.  Solution? -- We converted our garden according to Mel Bartholomew's square-foot gardening method.  Supposedly, it requires less work, less water,  and less up-keep.   We also started a worm farm to create our own ultra-rich compost.  The ideal "pets" for bikers -- feed 'em some scraps and shredded newspapers and junk mail and you can leave them on their own for up to three weeks.  Cross your fingers that this will solve my dilemma!  Thanks RR for your patience and your help!   I owe you  some CFS.

posted by U2Farmer with 2 Comments
Saturday, April 12, 2008 5:56 PM

Who Plastic-Wrapped My Trike???

Recently, RR and I rode our trikes to McCook for the day.  We had contacted a local company called Creative Lines about  applying 3M Scotchgard Paint Protection Film to both our GL1800's.   (See the 1-minute film about the product.)  In the past, I always cringed when we met oncoming semis on the road; the gravel that large vehicles stir up at highway speed can pelt the trikes' rear fenders and chips away the paint.  Now, I can relax a little; this "rock guard / stone shield / paint protector" stuff is amazing, no matter what you call it!!

Watching Nate apply the product was like watching a craftsman or artist at work.  He made it look so easy, but this was definitely not a do-it-yourself project for our household -- patience and technique are the key to this job!

Rumor has it that Avery is close to releasing a new version of their own film product that creates a really high gloss and has a 5-year warranty as well.  When we bought our new trike, Hannigan Motorsports offered a kit that 3M had created for their conversions, so we went that direction based on what we knew at the time.  Wow, once applied, the film really made the trike  shine!!  Nate also added a few custom-cut pieces to areas we felt needed protection but weren't included in the Hannigan kit.  I requested a piece for the top of the whale tale.  I love the look of the whale tail but that large flat surface tends to get mis-used as a temporary shelf when loading and unloading the trike's trunks -- especially when your hands are full and your young co-rider needs assistance leathering up.  That keeps the area at risk for scratches.  So, we plastic-wrapped it!

If we'd been familiar with Creative Lines' capabilities before we bought the pre-cut kit, we probably would skipped the kit and let Nate custom cut all the pieces.  He can take digital pictures of a vehicle and plug them into a special software which calculates the size and shape of each piece he needs to cut.  I'd love to see that!  Every so often, the company takes the shop on the road to different area dealerships and installs the film on various vehicles.  Not a bad business move for someone interested in cars, racing, detailing, graphic design, and making a living close to home and family!

The key to this whole process is getting the film added to the bike/trike while the vehicle is new or as scratch-free and chip-free as possible.  (Let your installer know if you've waxed your vehicle with anything but a breathable wax before purchasing the product.)  Before installation, Nate looked over my 2-year-old GL1800 for any chips serious enough to interfere with the product's adhesion.  If the chip is deep enough, the product might work loose or leave room for a future air bubble.  Quite a few of the trike dealerships are now offering the option to install the product as part of the conversion.  We would have done this with our 2008 GL1800, but the trike's paint needed time to fully cure before applying the product...  Rather than delay the delivery date, we brought the 3M kit home with us and found a local graphic artist to install it.   Enjoy the pictures.  It's time to ride!
posted by U2Farmer with 0 Comments