Monthly Archives: January 2011

Status: Malfunction!

Posted on 18 January, 2011 by Justin Fox


VAG-COM Diagnostic System readout on Suga’s car yesterday at Top One.

Our Volkswagen Golfs are pretty computerised. The VAG-COM Diagnostic System (VCDS) is a Microsoft Windows-based software package used for diagnostics and adjustments and yesterday at Top One I realised how freaky it all is. A laptop is plugged directly into a diagnostic port under the steering wheel and your service guy can see everything you’ve done to the car (for people who like to modify cars without the dealer knowing, that makes potential warranty claims pretty tough!).

The software had to first of all be updated to the latest version, once this was done (took seconds) the readout spotted the time we installed the larger DSG gear paddles on the steering wheel, and the time and duration the alarm went off the other day, but what was more interesting was that it came up with some small random errors, all of which were electronic ones and what caused them is a mystery. Hitting the “clear” button fixed these errors and everything was back to normal again.

It’s like doing a disk diagnostic on your PC and finding errors, not caring what caused them and just clicking “fix errors” and then getting on with it, but in this case one of the errors stopped the passenger side door from unlocking when the key fob was clicked. Pretty freaky. Speaking of PC’s…my mac mouse batteries died last week so I replaced them, then a few days later the mouse started losing bluetooth connection, super fucking frustrating as you’re working and all of a sudden your mouse freezes on the screen and there’s nothing you can do but keep violently clicking the mouse button until the mouse re-connects. It kept doing this for a few days, by the end of it I was swearing out loud and smashing the fucking mouse (mighty mouse my ass).

I did some research, seems like heaps of people are having the same problem, but like most mac issues, Apple refuse to officially acknowledge the problem. /vent.

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Weddings!

Posted on 18 January, 2011 by Justin Fox

Suga and I went for the cycle in the park the other day and noticed that they were setting up a huge marquee at the restaurant (which we’re using for our Wedding reception later this year). The restaurant fits about 180 people comfortably but we’ve got the ability to add a marquee to fit twice as many people (or use it for a dance floor etc). The restaurant doors open right up straight into the marquee which is pretty impressive.

We’ve realised we really have to try to nail numbers down in order to figure these things out and that means creating invite lists (ergh…). We’ve got the parents onto it and the numbers are looking overwhelming so some culling has got to be done…we’re hoping that’s not going to be too painful.

The ball is rolling though. Photographer is booked, reception and church too. Christina’s found a dress she really likes, her bridal party dresses are sorted as well. We’re way ahead in regards to the usual wedding planning and schedule advice we’ve read (but we’re sure time will still fly).

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Tony’s tank

Posted on 18 January, 2011 by Justin Fox


Tony’s tank is finally wet.


We’ll get onto planting once the fog clears :)

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Fishing the Hawkesbury River

Posted on 16 January, 2011 by Justin Fox


Our house boat. Not cheap but it had everything we needed, and more.


Stevey at the wheel. After a very quick rundown by the staff we were set free.


Stevey (James Bond) proudly wearing his lucky charms.


My new rod. It’s a little too big for small fish (making it less fun than a small flexy rod when catching small fish) but hey, we were here to catch monster fish (as Zi put it, big bait big fish!).


Chris was the first to catch something, this little brimmy was way to small to keep and was set free.


Willy with a small Port Jackson shark (one of a few caught and of-course set free). Such a beautiful fish (to me anyways!).


My monster catch!


We parked up next to this pimp boat in Jerusalem Bay.


Colin going for a swim.


Sunset.


As night took over the nocturnal monsters came out to play. Rays, eels, catfish… Zi was reeling all sorts of freaky shit in.


Morning fog.


Brekky time.


So how? Willy was our resident fishing expert. His tackle box was the most comprehensive I’ve ever seen and he had a billion rods too.

Spent last night on the Hawkesbury River on a house boat with the boys (plus Mei, Collin’s girl who really looked after us with all the yummy food!). The mission was to catch a 1metre long 10kg monster Jewfish (Willy says someone always does every week out on the Hawkesbury) but despite all the gear and commitment (Zi and Willy didn’t sleep the night before fishing for live bait) we failed to catch anything huge. Everyone did catch something though, that’s always a good thing.

I didn’t get sea sick (came pretty close at dinner time though as we were parked up at the mouth of the ocean overnight in search for monster fish) but I did get super dehydrated after downing way too many Asahi’s before lunch time, which brought on a nasty migrain headache which I had to sleep off. I did a LOT of sleeping on this trip, as Zi put it “Eat Sleep Fish!”.

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Paino decals

Posted on 14 January, 2011 by Justin Fox


Bit dark last night but here’s a tear shot as it hangs.

My reproduction Paino decals were in the mail and despite having to pack for tonight’s overnight fishing trip I was too excited to not get busy putting the decals on.

With some fantastic instructions from Greg (Cyclomondo on eBay), soapy water, steady hands and a keen eye I managed to get the head badge and down tube Paino decals on perfectly. So so happy with them!

Better pics in the light ASAP, but for now I’m gone fishin’!

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Tenpin Bowling

Posted on 13 January, 2011 by Justin Fox


Jess Lock.


Ugliest bowling shoes ever.


Norman and Amanda.


Cuz’s.


Suga.


Jess doesn’t look too happy.


Me in my bowling shirt (it comes out once a year haha).


On a break between games the girls though it would be fun to do cartwheels…pretty random!


Moody. I like this photo!


Like this one too.

Last night we hit Strike for 3 games of Tenpin Bowling with a pro (Amanda, Norman’s girl who’s a pro bowler!). Yah, she was very good but Thomas (Christina’s cousin) managed to beat her in one of the 3 games which was pretty impressive too. Suga, as usual, used the kiddies ramp for bowling for the last 2 games, and me, well I just got tanked (beer + bowling goes hand in hand!).

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Another cat, maybe?

Posted on 12 January, 2011 by Justin Fox


Little runt!

So the other day Christina asked if we could get another kitten, my instant reaction was “sure!”. Next thing I know Christina was so on the ball that we were out in whoop whoop yesterday afternoon at a breeder’s place checking out this little guy.

Totally different experience to last time. Strange guy, strange vibe. Pappa cat was 3yrs old jailed up in a glass shower and as small as Mia (I’ve seen massive Russian Blue males before and it’s what I’m after, a stud!) and Mamma blue was in a cage about 3ft wide with 2 very skinny looking babies.

Despite the breeder’s push to put a deposit down we thought we’d decline and our trip back home was spent discussing and digesting the experience. In the end we decided to give this little guy a miss, the hunt to find Mia a playmate continues! :)

Posted in Pets | 8 Comments

Colnago Master

Posted on 12 January, 2011 by Justin Fox


Gah…

A little history: When I was a little kid (before I owned a proper bicycle) I used to haunt Europa Cycles (back then they were on Clarence St. across from Clarence St. Cyclery) as my parents worked in the city and took us in every weekend.

I used to just walk in and stare at all these bicycle frames on the wall, crazy colours, clover shaped tubing and almost all of them featured little stickers with a dove on them (Columbus Tubing!).

Over the years I kept haunting Europa. I eventually bought a road bike off them when I was in high school (it had friction gears and gold plated parts!) and later I ended up working in one of their bike shops in Randwick.

I’ve always had very high regard for Colnago ever since. I suppose it’s the crème de la crème for me.

I’ve been slowly but surely getting back into bikes again thanks to my Paino and yesterday I thought I’d drop into the official Colnago web site. What I saw there was pretty upsetting. Their new bikes look like everybody else’s bikes. Really ugly. We’re talking swoopy chunky carbon fibre frames (all of which are made in Asia now) and ugly sports shoe like graphics…then I saw the Master and it sparked something. They’ve been re-releasing the same old Columbus steel Master frame for a few years now, it’s the same exact design from the 80’s (1983?), with all the glorious details (check the fancy lugs!).

I did more searching around, funny as all of a sudden I’m chatting to Jing on MSN and Googling bikes (again), and not fish tanks… and then I saw the 2011 Master in white (above). I pretty much had a mini heart attack. Love at first sight.

The idea of having a brand new old skool frame with the latest 2011 componentry excites me. Sure it’s not going to be as light or as fast as the new carbon things but this is a matter of the heart, and for me, that always wins. I dropped a few mails to see if I can get one locally at a reduced price in exchange for Bikes Move Us Forum Sponsorship, no go. It turns out there’s not much margin on these bikes. There is no stock held as they’re made by hand, in Italy (yes, very exciting!) and the wait is apparently up to 9months!

Being as broke as I am I’ll just have to chill for a bit. I’m hoping I can still get this 2011 white frame (colours change every year) next year, somehow. I might never own a Ferrari F40, this might just be the next best thing!

Posted in Bike | 7 Comments

Paino Decal Set

Posted on 11 January, 2011 by Justin Fox


New decal set.


Original decals before frame respray.


Frame after respray with all decals but the large Paino logotype on the downtube, also issing the ‘spade’ headbadge logo which also appears on the seatube.

Super happy today as I just found and bought a Paino decal set from the one and only Cyclomondo on eBay (he makes the best quality retro road bike decal reproductions out there). Yes they’re different to the original decals on my frame but it’s about as close as I’m going to get. More updates when the decals get here! :)

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Una’s

Posted on 11 January, 2011 by Justin Fox


When at Una’s you drink Der Schofferhofer!


Suga, Stevey and Zi in the mirror reflection.


Such a cool surprise that Chris rocked up. Haven’t seen him in ages as he’s been working in Vanuatu. His wife is expecting in a few weeks from now, pretty exciting times for him and there was much wedding and baby talk all night (which had Zi absolutely cringing lol).


Der Jaeger!


Being a group of drivers all of us drove in, pretty stupid as we wanted to drink more beers and catchup some more. Luckily the Green Park was just next door for a few games of pool.

I’m often craving an Una’s Chicken Jaeger Schnitzel. Sure they’ve gotten a LOT smaller over the years and they come with a LOT less sauce than they used to but they’re still the best!

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