Thanks for the reminder, Frito-Lay! I almost forgot which side faces up

In all seriousness, does anyone know what that mark is actually for?

On a related note, I managed to finish this bag of chips at exactly the same time as I did the jar of salsa without even trying.  Last year, I remember trying so hard to finish a bottle of shampoo and a bottle of conditioner at the same time.  As fate would have it, I was less than one centimeter - a couple days - away from completing the impossible when I accidentally left them in the dorm shower stall.  They were nowhere to be found by the time I realized my mistake.  I guess some things are never meant to happen (HOLD ON, I AIN'T DONE WITH YOU YET).

The Most Perfect Vehicle I Have Ever Driven

The title says it all.  Earlier this week, I rented a U-haul to go pick up my new Raleigh and some other bikes to flip.  My weapon of choice was a 2014 Ford F-150 with a single cab, 8-foot box, and a 5-liter V8.

Despite my love for them, I had never driven a pickup truck before and was extra cautious about letting the rear end swing out since it had snowed the previous night.  Soon, my confidence increased.  It was so much easier to control than the Chevy Volt I'd driven at work a couple times.  I have no better way to say why than to make a list.  Keep in mind that these are my opinions and nobody is paying me to write these things.

A little late aren't we, December?

As if anyone needed proof, I don't take it easy on my Raleigh Sports.  I mean, I take care of it and I want it to live a long life (heck, it's already 56 years old) but I use it for what it was made for.  A few weeks ago, during finals week, I found that the old pre-architecture studio had resurfaced its drawing tables so they had a pile of vinyl that was about to go in the trash.  I rolled it all up and brought it home to use as work mats for my bikes.  That whole roll weighed about 25 pounds, not including the textbooks in the basket.  The old Raleigh handled it just fine, although the "ladies'" step-through frame flexed and sprang noticeably side-to-side just as it does when I come home with a heavy load of groceries.  That's the major reason why I chose a "men's" frame Superbe as my third bike.

Gilbert

Three months ago, I wrote about what I thought would be my ideal commuter bike.  I am excited to say that the project is now underway!

Gilbert is a Raleigh Superbe built in Canada in 1979.  Precisely, the hub was made in July and the frame in October, as the serial number states.  The original Dynohub is also still there and probably in working condition.  

Camera Light

My first digital camera, which was eight years old at the time, met its demise two years ago.  The strap got caught on my hand while I was handing it to someone and it fell face first on the ground while powered on, smashing the lens in.

I also had this bike headlight that my dad bought years ago and somehow, something stopped working after I used it twice.  The outer shell was also very cheap and falling apart.

Tearing It All Apart: Varsity Restoration Day 1

With final exams coming to an end on Wednesday night, I was finally able to start working on my friend's '76 Schwinn Varsity yesterday.  I did not hesitate one second to blow the entire thing apart.

Photo from when I first got it

It Might Be Done, Part 2: '79 Ross Gran Tour

A little over a week ago, I finished adding the components to my road bike and took it for a ride.  Everything worked very nicely for what it was.  I knew that even though the bike was now fully functional, it was not done yet.  I still had to work out the issue with the winter tires.  

So, days after the ride, or maybe even the morning after, I saw that the rear summer tire was about to let go in multiple places.  Alrighty, then ...