Even after everyone else has gone to bed, the city is still awash with light. Long after midnight, one can walk out on the Harvard Bridge and be surrounded by 360 degrees of lights. The Financial District is lit twenty-four hours a day. Even in Brookline - where nary a soul stirs past the stroke of twelve - many storefronts keep the lights on for security.
But even when the city is lit, the people are still asleep. By midnight, most major streets are empty of sober folks, and the Mass Pike slows to just a few cars per minute. Away from bars and frat houses, the only people I pass on my walks are dog walkers and a few couples returning late. At a time when much of the city is at its most beautiful, with the stillness and the overlap of dark and light, almost no one is there to appreciate it.
Even when that stillness is interrupted, there are still wonderful things. Take, for example, that most piercing of disturbances: an ambulance speeding down Commonwealth Avenue, sirens blaring. It is noisy and bright, the symbol of injury and sickness - the antithesis of everything beautiful about the night.
But take a closer look as it speeds down the avenue at midnight. Although there are none of the traffic jams present during the day, there are still a few cars at each stoplight. Each time the ambulance driver approaches a red light, a device on the truck turns the light to green (a so-called green wave) to speed its passage.
Now, watch and listen. On each block, the ambulance starts to brake several hundred feet before the light. But as soon as the light is green and the cars ahead form a clear path, the motor begins to roar. The driver downshifts this laughably overpowered vehicle and it shoots forward, accelerating cleanly through the traffic light.
So what, you may say, that the driver operates in this manner. How could it matter?
But watch the speed of the ambulance. Because it only brakes for a moment in the middle of the block, and because the driver accelerates as soon as the way ahead is open, the vehicle never slows below 30 miles per hour, and with a few clear blocks it may reach highway speeds.
Even if it saves just fractions of a second per block, over the two miles from Kenmore Square to Packard's Corner that might mean ten or even fifteen seconds. To one patient that means nothing, but over dozens and hundreds of emergency runs, that few seconds might save a life.
That to me is the essence of professionalism, that that ambulance driver handles their vehicle in this unorthodox but efficient manner. That they might perform this tedious brake-gas maneuver five or ten or twenty thousand times so that a stranger might survive, and they do this not out of charity but because they are doing their job to the very best of their ability. It is not a skill than can be acquired in a classroom, but only by experience and by the passing down on institutional knowledge.
It is no less a credit to the engineers who designed the vehicle, too, because they showed remarkable foresight when they put an eight-hundred horsepower motor in a truck barely larger than a large pickup - because they knew that someday, that vehicle might need to accelerate quickly, over and over again.
It is a peculiar notion to call beauty. Efficiency, yes, but a roaring motor is rarely beautiful. But I will call it beauty, because what is beauty but a system in perfect harmony?
(Originally posted at Walking Boston)
Showing posts with label Driving. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Driving. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Monday, June 6, 2011
Weekend of my Senior Year
Extended weekend, that is, as it started on Thursday, with Awards Night. I won awards for having the highest math and science awards in the senior class - made even better by learning that my sister had got both three years ago. Mandachan was up on stage several times, including receiving a band award, and three of my close friends also won scholarships.
Friday night was my very last high school band concert, and it was my best. We played three neat songs in Symphonic Band, ending with von Suppe's Light Cavalry Overture. It was by far the most difficult and demanding piece I have ever played, and it was fantastic. You can listen to it here. Then, we played 4 good songs in Jazz Band, ending with "Rock with You" - an actual rock version - in which I had a solo. Finally, everyone in marching band came out into the audience to play one final song. I dropped the octave and played the trombone part on my trumpet at purely ridiculous volume. The perfect end to four great years of band.
After the concert, we hit the road. I drove to Bridgeport, and my dad (who, it should be noted, is rather awesome) drove the rest of the way to Penn State (a 7-hour drive, on I-80, overnight) for my last ARML math competition. Not a bad drive, except for the piece of semi-truck coilspring that got caught in our undercarriage for a few miles and made us think the bumper was falling off). I was on the Connecticut B1 team, and we did great. Third place in the nation in the B division, which means we'll be getting brand-new top-of-the-line TI N-spire calculators. I was one of three on the B1 team with a 7/10 on the individual round. (8/10 qualifies you to take another test for nation ranking). For the first time, there was a CT student who took that runoff - go Kei!
Here's my cell phone shot of the Delaware River Viaduct at Delaware Water Gap. Built in 1908-10, it's the largest continuous-pour-construction concrete structure in the world at 1452 feet long and 65 tall. It was built as one of the crowning jewels of the Lackawanna Cut-off for the Delaware, Lackawanna, and Western Railroad, and it's in the beginning stages of being restored for NJ Transit passenger service.
After getting back on Sunday, I went straight to the final party/banquet for tennis. My last time hanging out with my team, and my coach. Buncha wackos, all of em, but a great team, and I will miss them.
Finally, I finished and printed out my senior critique - my last high school thesis paper, and analysis of an entire novel. My final title was "Console Cowboys, Razorgirls, and Artificial Intelligences, oh my: Elements of Transhumanism in William Gibson's Neuromancer". Doing it on Gibson's seminal cyberpunk work was far more enjoyable than reading a "classic" piece of literature.
So, that was my weekend. The end of band, tennis, and math team for my high school experience, and my last major paper completed. Bittersweet, but a wonderful weekend.
Friday night was my very last high school band concert, and it was my best. We played three neat songs in Symphonic Band, ending with von Suppe's Light Cavalry Overture. It was by far the most difficult and demanding piece I have ever played, and it was fantastic. You can listen to it here. Then, we played 4 good songs in Jazz Band, ending with "Rock with You" - an actual rock version - in which I had a solo. Finally, everyone in marching band came out into the audience to play one final song. I dropped the octave and played the trombone part on my trumpet at purely ridiculous volume. The perfect end to four great years of band.
After the concert, we hit the road. I drove to Bridgeport, and my dad (who, it should be noted, is rather awesome) drove the rest of the way to Penn State (a 7-hour drive, on I-80, overnight) for my last ARML math competition. Not a bad drive, except for the piece of semi-truck coilspring that got caught in our undercarriage for a few miles and made us think the bumper was falling off). I was on the Connecticut B1 team, and we did great. Third place in the nation in the B division, which means we'll be getting brand-new top-of-the-line TI N-spire calculators. I was one of three on the B1 team with a 7/10 on the individual round. (8/10 qualifies you to take another test for nation ranking). For the first time, there was a CT student who took that runoff - go Kei!
Here's my cell phone shot of the Delaware River Viaduct at Delaware Water Gap. Built in 1908-10, it's the largest continuous-pour-construction concrete structure in the world at 1452 feet long and 65 tall. It was built as one of the crowning jewels of the Lackawanna Cut-off for the Delaware, Lackawanna, and Western Railroad, and it's in the beginning stages of being restored for NJ Transit passenger service.
After getting back on Sunday, I went straight to the final party/banquet for tennis. My last time hanging out with my team, and my coach. Buncha wackos, all of em, but a great team, and I will miss them.
Finally, I finished and printed out my senior critique - my last high school thesis paper, and analysis of an entire novel. My final title was "Console Cowboys, Razorgirls, and Artificial Intelligences, oh my: Elements of Transhumanism in William Gibson's Neuromancer". Doing it on Gibson's seminal cyberpunk work was far more enjoyable than reading a "classic" piece of literature.
So, that was my weekend. The end of band, tennis, and math team for my high school experience, and my last major paper completed. Bittersweet, but a wonderful weekend.
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
What would Connecticut look like with Route 11?
Like this:
View Route Eleven in a larger map
I included exit ramps for exit 4 (half completed to Route 82), exit 2 (to Route 161, presumably), and to I-95. (No ramps from 11 to 395 will be made). I don't know where exit 3 will go.
View Route Eleven in a larger map
I included exit ramps for exit 4 (half completed to Route 82), exit 2 (to Route 161, presumably), and to I-95. (No ramps from 11 to 395 will be made). I don't know where exit 3 will go.
Thursday, March 24, 2011
What a Day
We got two inches of snow last night. Thick heavy snow, a bit icy.
It took me ten minutes to scrape off enough of my car to drive this morning. Nasty ice. I broke both the windshield wipers (one seriously, one minorly) trying to extricate them.
Roads were bad. Real bad; worst I've ever driven. Slushy and wet, and slippery.
There were at least two accidents in Ledyard this morning. One was a car that flipped over; I don't know the details. The other I saw the aftermath of - on a big wide curve in the road, there were a few emergency vehicles, and taillights. A car had gone off the road and into an eight-foot ditch. Apparently a fellow senior.
Last I heard was no one seriously hurt. Which is good. But those accidents shouldn't happen at all.
But did we get a delay in school opening? Nope.
It took me ten minutes to scrape off enough of my car to drive this morning. Nasty ice. I broke both the windshield wipers (one seriously, one minorly) trying to extricate them.
Roads were bad. Real bad; worst I've ever driven. Slushy and wet, and slippery.
There were at least two accidents in Ledyard this morning. One was a car that flipped over; I don't know the details. The other I saw the aftermath of - on a big wide curve in the road, there were a few emergency vehicles, and taillights. A car had gone off the road and into an eight-foot ditch. Apparently a fellow senior.
Last I heard was no one seriously hurt. Which is good. But those accidents shouldn't happen at all.
But did we get a delay in school opening? Nope.
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Awful Roads
This winter has been real bad for a lot of things here in Connecticut. It's decimating snowplow budgets. It's wiping out the Metro-North railcars. And, it's destroying our roads.
I use a minor state road to get to school. Over the three-mile length, there are something like 30 potholes, most of them on the eastbound side. Many are truly pot-holes - ten inches in diameter, and three deep. At one place, there are simultaneous potholes on both tire paths.
And, there's a myriad of other problems all around town. Many roads have cracks where the pavement pushes up due to frost heaves. In front of the high school, there's a large depression (since repaired) and a ten-foot, 2-inch-high crack in the road. In Ledyard Center, at the intersection of Rt. 117 and Colonel Ledyard Highway (not a highway at all; an ordinary two-lane road with speed limits as low as 25 mph), there is a pipe protruding from the pavement.
It's getting better. The large depression near the high school has been filled, and they're working on the potholes. But, to avoid damaging my car, I've still been taking an alternate route. It's 9 miles versus 5, and five minutes longer, but the other state roads in town are better, and I don't fear for my bumper.
I use a minor state road to get to school. Over the three-mile length, there are something like 30 potholes, most of them on the eastbound side. Many are truly pot-holes - ten inches in diameter, and three deep. At one place, there are simultaneous potholes on both tire paths.
And, there's a myriad of other problems all around town. Many roads have cracks where the pavement pushes up due to frost heaves. In front of the high school, there's a large depression (since repaired) and a ten-foot, 2-inch-high crack in the road. In Ledyard Center, at the intersection of Rt. 117 and Colonel Ledyard Highway (not a highway at all; an ordinary two-lane road with speed limits as low as 25 mph), there is a pipe protruding from the pavement.
It's getting better. The large depression near the high school has been filled, and they're working on the potholes. But, to avoid damaging my car, I've still been taking an alternate route. It's 9 miles versus 5, and five minutes longer, but the other state roads in town are better, and I don't fear for my bumper.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Someone Put LSD in My Cereal Today
Today has been a strange day. But, a pretty good day.
Started in Marine Science. We got absolutely perfect data on a lab... and other groups didn't. It's usually the other way around.
Then, in band, our director announced that we won't be having afterschool marching band practices in preparation for the next game. Strange.
In lunch, the teacher who runs the math team came over to me and told me that guess what, no one else on the team can go to today's meet. Soccer and drama and swimming and cross country.
Got to the meet, turns out she did manage to snag a freshman to come compete. Turns out, he's one hoopy frood. He just about matched my score and between the two of us, we got Ledyard into the middle of the pack. With three out of 5 positions on the team empty. We are good.
On the way home, realized I really didn't know my way around Norwich. The two-way street splitting into one-way streets was my first clue that it was weird. Then I come to a six-way intersection, and there's only one way to go. So I go that way for 100 feet, then stop at a red light that lasts a whole minute.. with no cross traffic. Finally found my way across the river and onto Rt. 12...
And quickly come to a stop, as police guide us slowly past a tipped-over dump truck. I... I can't even explain what happened there.
Started in Marine Science. We got absolutely perfect data on a lab... and other groups didn't. It's usually the other way around.
Then, in band, our director announced that we won't be having afterschool marching band practices in preparation for the next game. Strange.
In lunch, the teacher who runs the math team came over to me and told me that guess what, no one else on the team can go to today's meet. Soccer and drama and swimming and cross country.
Got to the meet, turns out she did manage to snag a freshman to come compete. Turns out, he's one hoopy frood. He just about matched my score and between the two of us, we got Ledyard into the middle of the pack. With three out of 5 positions on the team empty. We are good.
On the way home, realized I really didn't know my way around Norwich. The two-way street splitting into one-way streets was my first clue that it was weird. Then I come to a six-way intersection, and there's only one way to go. So I go that way for 100 feet, then stop at a red light that lasts a whole minute.. with no cross traffic. Finally found my way across the river and onto Rt. 12...
And quickly come to a stop, as police guide us slowly past a tipped-over dump truck. I... I can't even explain what happened there.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Bad Driver Awards for Today
Honorable mention: the truck driver who stopped without warning right where the road narrows to 1.5 lanes, leaving me stopped short and forcing the car moving in the opposite direction to squeeze around me, while I could not move. A turn signal - and perhaps parking 20 feet in either direction where the road is wider - would have been real nice.
Runner-up: The lady in the zippy blue Subaru on I-395. I'm in the left lane going just over the speed limit, with heavy rain coming down, so I'm just about maintaining position in the lane. This lady zooms up behind me and gets about 5 feet on my bumper, and stays there till we're past the mass of cars in the right lane. I put on my right blinker, and she decides then is the time to zip around me.
And the winner is: the vapid moron in the blue-grey SUV, who decided to pull out short in front of me on Route 12. And not accelerate. With no headlights / tailights on. In ridiculously hard rain.
What is it about rain that brings out the bad drivers?
Runner-up: The lady in the zippy blue Subaru on I-395. I'm in the left lane going just over the speed limit, with heavy rain coming down, so I'm just about maintaining position in the lane. This lady zooms up behind me and gets about 5 feet on my bumper, and stays there till we're past the mass of cars in the right lane. I put on my right blinker, and she decides then is the time to zip around me.
And the winner is: the vapid moron in the blue-grey SUV, who decided to pull out short in front of me on Route 12. And not accelerate. With no headlights / tailights on. In ridiculously hard rain.
What is it about rain that brings out the bad drivers?
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Dear bad driver
Dear driver of the white Accord, licence plate starting with 520, who happened to be traveling north on Interstate 395 in Montville at 2:15 pm this afternoon:
I realize that you had just gotten on the freeway, only to realize that you were behind a tractor-trailer, an RV, and half a dozen other cars. I realize that your selfish ego could not stand waiting a few minutes to pass and speed on down the highway, when traffic had spread out a bit. But I cannot for my life understand why you though it would be a good idea to suddenly pull into the left lane to pass without checking your mirrors, putting your blinker on, and being prepared to speed up to match the higher speed of traffic in the left lane.
You see, after the red SUV, there was another car in the lane, about 4 seconds (400 feet) behind. Me. By the time you decided to make your move, I was only about 20 feet behind you, going 65 to your 50. Fortunately, I had noticed your oh-so-typical movements, wandering back and forth in your lane, and the moment I knew you were attempting to merge into me, I had the presence of mind to slam on my brakes - never mind the cars behind me - and hit the horn.
While you took your jolly old time, slowing to 45 before realizing you have a functional gas pedal (that will within minutes take you far beyond the speed limit), I got within a yard of your bumper before my brakes slowed me to your speed. You never even knew I was there until I hit the horn. Had I been momentarily frozen or distracted, much less doing something truly stupid like texting, you would have lazily sat there until I slammed into your rear end.
And at freeway speeds, we would have been in deep shit. At least one of us would have been pushed into the lane from whence you came, thus setting off a chain reaction that would have consumed a half a dozen vehicles that couldn't get out of the way, plus more from behind that couldn't stop. It would have been a spectacularly horrific collision. They would still be picking bodies from the mangled steel. And there would be a lot of bodies.
Don't you see, you idiot? Your inability to follow basic rules of common sense put many lives at risk, and you sat there, oblivious. I'm a new driver; I shouldn't have to be wary of adults you act like children. Think before you act next time, you goddamn fucking asshole.
I realize that you had just gotten on the freeway, only to realize that you were behind a tractor-trailer, an RV, and half a dozen other cars. I realize that your selfish ego could not stand waiting a few minutes to pass and speed on down the highway, when traffic had spread out a bit. But I cannot for my life understand why you though it would be a good idea to suddenly pull into the left lane to pass without checking your mirrors, putting your blinker on, and being prepared to speed up to match the higher speed of traffic in the left lane.
You see, after the red SUV, there was another car in the lane, about 4 seconds (400 feet) behind. Me. By the time you decided to make your move, I was only about 20 feet behind you, going 65 to your 50. Fortunately, I had noticed your oh-so-typical movements, wandering back and forth in your lane, and the moment I knew you were attempting to merge into me, I had the presence of mind to slam on my brakes - never mind the cars behind me - and hit the horn.
While you took your jolly old time, slowing to 45 before realizing you have a functional gas pedal (that will within minutes take you far beyond the speed limit), I got within a yard of your bumper before my brakes slowed me to your speed. You never even knew I was there until I hit the horn. Had I been momentarily frozen or distracted, much less doing something truly stupid like texting, you would have lazily sat there until I slammed into your rear end.
And at freeway speeds, we would have been in deep shit. At least one of us would have been pushed into the lane from whence you came, thus setting off a chain reaction that would have consumed a half a dozen vehicles that couldn't get out of the way, plus more from behind that couldn't stop. It would have been a spectacularly horrific collision. They would still be picking bodies from the mangled steel. And there would be a lot of bodies.
Don't you see, you idiot? Your inability to follow basic rules of common sense put many lives at risk, and you sat there, oblivious. I'm a new driver; I shouldn't have to be wary of adults you act like children. Think before you act next time, you goddamn fucking asshole.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
LICENSE!
My driver's licence test was today.... success!
I've been practicing parking a lot lately, and we went out several times to the area around the DMV so I'd know the roads. I was still really nervous, though; my park jobs weren't very consistent, and backing in is difficult, especially for the narrow DMV spaces.
Fortunately, the instructor was very nice, and all went well. I didn't even have to go on the highway; he had me stay on surface streets. And then my park job was my best ever - dead center in the spot.
I actually got to solo today too. I went to the mall with mandachan and took the highway home. It's not as scary as I thought it would be.
I'm really glad to finally have my licence. I've got more freedom - I can go to work when I want, go places even if my folks are busy, and drive to school. Plus, now I can drive myself to my calculus course in the fall.
I've been practicing parking a lot lately, and we went out several times to the area around the DMV so I'd know the roads. I was still really nervous, though; my park jobs weren't very consistent, and backing in is difficult, especially for the narrow DMV spaces.
Fortunately, the instructor was very nice, and all went well. I didn't even have to go on the highway; he had me stay on surface streets. And then my park job was my best ever - dead center in the spot.
I actually got to solo today too. I went to the mall with mandachan and took the highway home. It's not as scary as I thought it would be.
I'm really glad to finally have my licence. I've got more freedom - I can go to work when I want, go places even if my folks are busy, and drive to school. Plus, now I can drive myself to my calculus course in the fall.
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Getting Ready for Licence Test
Now that I have an appointment for my licence test, I'm practicing specially for it. I have to pay attention to maintaining a speed just barely below the speed limit (less flexible than normal driving), stopping *exactly* on stop lines (rather than just past for better visibility), and nailing park jobs. You have to back in practically perfectly to get your licence.
To that end, I'll be using my sister's car. It's a tiny Honda Civic, versus the Odyssey van that I usually end up driving. The spots for test takers at the DMV are just 8 feet, 8 inches between the lines. The van is 7 feet wide; the car is 5' 7". That extra 17 inches makes backing in between the lines a lot easier.
To that end, I'll be using my sister's car. It's a tiny Honda Civic, versus the Odyssey van that I usually end up driving. The spots for test takers at the DMV are just 8 feet, 8 inches between the lines. The van is 7 feet wide; the car is 5' 7". That extra 17 inches makes backing in between the lines a lot easier.
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Finally getting on top of driving
After procrastinating for waaay too long, I'm actually on track to get my licence soon. I've now completed 2 of the 4 state-mandated 2-hour instruction periods, and a third is scheduled for next Tuesday.
Even better, my licence test is scheduled for the 30th! Now I just have to figure out pulling into parking spots backwards.
Of course, mandachan already beat me to it. But she's just that good.
Even better, my licence test is scheduled for the 30th! Now I just have to figure out pulling into parking spots backwards.
Of course, mandachan already beat me to it. But she's just that good.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Skiing
I got to go skiing today at Stratton Mountain in Vermont. It was only my second time skiing at a large resort, and it was great. It was a bit crowded a few times, and the snow was a bit choppy, but I got 18 runs in.
I went down a double black diamond trail for the first time, and amazingly did not kill myself in doing so. In fact, despite snow that contained both thick powder and icy spots, I did not fall even once. There were a handful of times where I hit an icy patch and went too fast on a steep trail, and twice I felt fully out of control, but I was always able to recover.
Ironicially, we only went on Stratton's best lift - the gondola - once. It's enclosed, warm, and fast, but the lines are long, and we preferred to stay on the harder trails near the peak. So, after the initial ascent, we skiied down two-thirds of the way to the fast 6-person chairlift, rode it to the top, and repeated.
My dad commented that it was like two different mountains on the same day. There was nearly constant cloud cover over the peak, with fog and high winds. The trees were covered in snow, and the trails were steep and icy. Nearer the bottom, the skies were clear, the winds calm, and the trails flatter and with more powder.
I drove from the Vermont border to Stratton, and from Hartford to home.
I went down a double black diamond trail for the first time, and amazingly did not kill myself in doing so. In fact, despite snow that contained both thick powder and icy spots, I did not fall even once. There were a handful of times where I hit an icy patch and went too fast on a steep trail, and twice I felt fully out of control, but I was always able to recover.
Ironicially, we only went on Stratton's best lift - the gondola - once. It's enclosed, warm, and fast, but the lines are long, and we preferred to stay on the harder trails near the peak. So, after the initial ascent, we skiied down two-thirds of the way to the fast 6-person chairlift, rode it to the top, and repeated.
My dad commented that it was like two different mountains on the same day. There was nearly constant cloud cover over the peak, with fog and high winds. The trees were covered in snow, and the trails were steep and icy. Nearer the bottom, the skies were clear, the winds calm, and the trails flatter and with more powder.
I drove from the Vermont border to Stratton, and from Hartford to home.
Saturday, August 8, 2009
My coming week
It's gonna be pretty busy, but fun stuff mostly.
Non-rocketry:
Non-rocketry:
- Driving
- Take my last 3 state-mandated classes
- Get back into driving after not driving for over a week in Kauai
- Work on freeway driving
- Working. Mostly fun and hey, it's money to support my hobbies and eventually pay for stuff like college, a car, gas, etc. Ya know, the important stuff.
- Listen to music:
- Neon Bible by the Arcade Fire
- The Wall, Pink Floyd
- Who's Next, The Who
- Unpack
- Print out directions to Pine Island
- Decide on my line-up
- Run sims for the estimated altitude for all the rockets
- Print out (on cardstock) and fill out flight cards Prep all my rockets
- chutes, wadding, motor retention, and making sure the motors fit
- Prep motors
- Assemble the E18-4T reload for the Nantucket Sound
- Bring the 29/180 hardware for my cert flight
- Make sure I have igniters for every motor, plus spares
- Prepare my range box(es)
- Buy a new tackle box for my MPR / HPR stuff
- MASKING TAPE, clothespins, tools, CA for minor field repairs
- Bring money for:
- A G80 for the Machnum Force, an H128 load for the Nike-Apache, and maybe another motor or two
- Lunch and dinner
- Any motor hardware (29/40-120 maybe) or kits I decide to buy
- Make sure all the motors fit - the Mozzie in particular has a lot of grimy residue in the mount from the ejection charges form BP motors.
- Pack the car
- A bean bag to rest the long and odd-shaped Nike-Apache, with its transition, pointy nose, and antennae on.
- Sufficient padding for other rockets. The Machnum Force can withstand pretty much anything, but stuff like the Nantucket Sound and Deltie Thunder are a bit fragile.
- Repair the Rokit
- Repair my broken Estes Porta-Pad with a dap of epoxy clay
- sand my launch rods to remove corrosion, then spray on some thin clear-coat to protect them
- Make a MMX rocket from my pen from NARCON
- Work on my plans for a new larger payload rocket
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Driving 4
I'm getting a lot better. I can comfortably drive anywhere here except on the freeway, and even that's getting better. I can drive a lot better on narrower roads and keep my speed much better.
I've also been taking the requisite 30 hours of classroom instruction, which I think is a crock. We basically watch instruction videos from the 80s (with bad disco music) from which i've learned nothing. This is probably because I've been driving much more than most of the other students in the class, though. Like rocketry, tennis or anything else, I maintain knowledge can only be truly atained by being out in the field and putting the practice, well, into practice.
I've also been taking the requisite 30 hours of classroom instruction, which I think is a crock. We basically watch instruction videos from the 80s (with bad disco music) from which i've learned nothing. This is probably because I've been driving much more than most of the other students in the class, though. Like rocketry, tennis or anything else, I maintain knowledge can only be truly atained by being out in the field and putting the practice, well, into practice.
Monday, June 15, 2009
Driving #3
Making lots more progress.
Over the last couple of days I've gotten to drive around my neighborhood more, and in the one where my job is. That neighborhood has a confusing layout, narrow streets with lots of bushes, dark tree-covered areas, and tight turns and dead ends. There are lots of blind turns, weird intersections, and people walking dogs and riding wheeled contraptions. It's fun but tricky.
Then today, I was allowed to drive home. This involved driving over 3 miles on the main road plus a mile in two different nieghborhoods. I hit 50 for the first time, but I stayed in control and legal and it was awesome!
Over the last couple of days I've gotten to drive around my neighborhood more, and in the one where my job is. That neighborhood has a confusing layout, narrow streets with lots of bushes, dark tree-covered areas, and tight turns and dead ends. There are lots of blind turns, weird intersections, and people walking dogs and riding wheeled contraptions. It's fun but tricky.
Then today, I was allowed to drive home. This involved driving over 3 miles on the main road plus a mile in two different nieghborhoods. I hit 50 for the first time, but I stayed in control and legal and it was awesome!
Friday, June 12, 2009
Driving #2
It's been a while since my last driving post, and I've actually gotten somewhat better. Today I drove 8.5 miles around my neighborhood and an adjacient one in about 45 mins. I even got to go out on a main road, and even on that short strech I hit 35mph (11mps). I've gotten far better on turns and gradual accelerations and such. I hope to be able to drive to work within a week or two.
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Got my Permit!
I got my learner's permit yesterday. I spent 20 minutes in line, 2 minutes filling out forms, 3 HOURS waiting for a test, then 5 minutes taking the vision and knowledge tests, which I passed easily, then 10 waiting for them to print my permit. 4 hours for under 10 minutes of actual work. If you live in eastern CT, then do not go to the Norwich DMV. The Old Saybrook DMV has a much better reputation.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Driving #1
Now that I'm 16, I've decided to actually learn how to drive so I can get my driver's licence as soon as I can. I am rather afraid of driving, simply due to the idea of controlling a 2-ton vehicle at high speeds.
I'll make this an occasional series revolving around when I hit milestones in my driving.
I got behind the wheel for the frist and second times on Sunday. I drove around the local elementary and middle school lots, practicing parking, turning, smooth acceleration and deceleration, and so on. I was allowed up to 20 mph [scarily high kinetic energy: 80,000J] once, but otherwise I stayed below 10 mph. I did pretty well, but 3-point turns and backing into spots are still not strong points.
I'm planning to get my permit on Friday so I can legall practice more and go out onto main roads.
I'll make this an occasional series revolving around when I hit milestones in my driving.
I got behind the wheel for the frist and second times on Sunday. I drove around the local elementary and middle school lots, practicing parking, turning, smooth acceleration and deceleration, and so on. I was allowed up to 20 mph [scarily high kinetic energy: 80,000J] once, but otherwise I stayed below 10 mph. I did pretty well, but 3-point turns and backing into spots are still not strong points.
I'm planning to get my permit on Friday so I can legall practice more and go out onto main roads.
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