欧州自転車レース追っかけ日記

Seeking Compaq Presario CQ56 again!

A while ago, I bought a Compaq Presario CQ56 (AMD version) from the United Kingdom. It was a used one (as these portable PCs started circulating way back in late 2010).

Everything was going well, the delivery was in progress. I was on a vacation for a week and was away from home when the delivery was supposedly completed. I did not receive it as I was away. When I came home, I thought I would see a notification slip in the mailbox to tell me where to find the package or that I would find the package in the entrance corridor area near my door. I did not find anything at all.

I contacted the delivery agent and requested a formal investigation. A few days later it came to a sad end.

The package was lost for unknown reasons. It was not my fault but theirs (the delivery agent). Luckily, ebay acted promptly and kindly let me have the refund. I am now relieved but I am NOT happy to get the refund. I really wanted to have that PC but it was lost for ever.

Now I am searching for another Compaq Presario CQ56 again.

Hours later

I found a good candidate and since the seller welcomed “make offer”, I made one late in the evening before going to bed. I woke up to find that my offer was good enough for the seller. I quickly paid what I owed. The deal is done! Now I am waiting to get it THIS TIME. I really hope nothing happens this time.

In Japanese: 続きをどうぞ [Searching for another Compaq Presario CQ56]の続きを読む

テーマ:ノートPC - ジャンル:コンピュータ

1. 2023/04/28(金) 10:09:52|
2. PCs
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The guts of Stinger battery
This is the guts of the Stinger battery or what is left after stripping and disassembling.

There are three Sub-C cells. Initially they were welded together.

There is a metal ring with two metal strips hanging. These two dangling legs were spot-welded on to the side of the third (bottom) cell.

There are three black plastic pieces. One has a raised collar and the other two are just flat rings. The flat rings are spacers between the cells. The one with a raised collar serves as the insulator between the positive and negative terminals.



As the battery pack for the Stinger seemed to be dead with no hope of resurrection, I disassembled it to take some parts for possible later use. These three cells will be deposited in the battery recycling box located at nearby supermarket.

I discarded the plastic shrink wrap.

My ebay purchase is officially lost! Gone! Perdu!

Two days passed since I sent in a piece of attestation email declaring that I have not received the package. I had a call from the delivery agent this morning that they had concluded that it had been lost. They said that they would inform the sender.

OK. It is gone! Who, do they mean by the sender? It is not the ebay seller since informing the ebay seller won't do anything meaningful at all.

I think that the last delivery agent must inform the original transport agent. What happens now? Do I have to report this matter to ebay?

The calling person spoke French and her English was not easy to understand. I could not ask her any question and expect her to explain me anything.

Now I asked ebay to step in to settle the matter. It was indicated that the item was under money back guaranty so I hope I get the money back at least. And I have to look for a similar item again. What a chore!

In Japanese: 続きをどうぞ [Lost - Perdu!]の続きを読む

テーマ:ひとりごとのようなもの - ジャンル:日記

1. 2023/04/27(木) 10:16:06|
2. Diary
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Garmin Camper 660 and BaseCamp on my MacBook Late 2009

My base for Garmin BaseCamp was my MacBook Pro Mid 2010.

There are two ports for HDDs (SSDs) or Optical drives on the mainboard. My MacBook Pro Mid 2010’s main drive port began to fail last year (2022) and I was too tired to repair it. Actually I thought that it was impossible to repair it so the only thing I could do was to swap the ports. Connecting the SSD that had the system to the second port should remedy the situation, I thought.

I did not use this ailing MacBook Pro for a while but life went on. This Spring I had some free time and enjoyed myself going to road bike race events since I quit the job that took up so much time and energy.

My Garmin Camper 660 has been a trusty buddy ever since I got it. I had not done the usual maintenance for a while before this Spring. For one thing the map on it became old. It (the older map) served the purposes if I did not do anything complicated.

Going to some cities and coming back or going to the road race spots (start / finish / feed zones) can be done easily with the old map.

On the other hand, moving around for Paris - Roubaix race, Amstel Gold Race or Liège - Bastogne - Liège required complicated driving maneuvers as hopping spots needed some time and route coordination to avoid the road blocks.

My Garmin Camper 660 came with lifetime map update so as long as it works I can update the map to the latest version on it and on the BaseCamp installed on the base PC (or Mac).

As long as I know the Garmin’s map update system was one-to-one registration type. This is not an exact description of it, of course. It (Garmin’s policy) used to be this way.

One-to-one meant that Garmin allowed one GPS device to paired to one base PC (or Mac) only. If this (already registered) PC went missing / broken / sold, one could not make another PC as this GPS device’s base anymore without asking Garmin support to help remedy the situation.

As I have been using various Garmin devices since around 2006 or so, I have been aware of this mean policy of Garmin.

So when my MacBook Pro Mid 2010 went inoperable, I assumed that I had to repair my Mac or that I had to write to the Garmin support to break the one-to-one pairing and ask them to allow me to make a new one-to-one paring with a different PC (or Mac) if I wanted to download a newer version of map update.

I once did this (writing to the support by email and submitted by surface mail to Garmin UK the police report that stated that my PC was stolen) when my notebook PC was stolen back in 2013 (I believe).

When I installed the apps, Garmin Express and Garmin BaseCamp, on my MacBook Late 2009, I became aware that a newer map update was available. I assumed that I would not be able (or eligible) to download the update.

I gave it a try, thinking that it would definitely fail. To my surprise, I could. Wow! They (Garmin) must have changed this rather unpopular policy at some point in the past. I was happy to realize this.

Now my Camper 660 and BaseCamp have newer map data and my MacBook Late 2009 has become the new base for Garmin products.


In Japanese: 続きをどうぞ [Garmin devices and their dark past policy]の続きを読む

テーマ:ひとりごとのようなもの - ジャンル:日記

1. 2023/04/26(水) 18:21:07|
2. GPS Navigation
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BrightGuy.com, I love it!

I found this site when I was searching the Net for some Streamlight parts. The items sold there looked very attractive to me for their reasonable pricing.

The plight for someone like me who live outside the U.S.A. (, where free shipping terms apply) was the seemingly exorbitant overseas shipping charges.

I contacted them pleading for a mercy (lower shipping charges) and they answered to my request. I had a quote with lowered overall shipping charges. I am now very happy.

I asked for their mercifulness because I noticed something. The shipping cart system calculates the shipping charges but putting a couple of tiny and light parts into the cart raised the charges significantly while the packing material (shredded paper, bubble wrap or others) would no doubt occupy more space and weigh more. I thought it was illogical and merciless.



Streamlight Stinger / Ultra Stinger v.s. Mag-Lite 4C

Now I have these flashlights. They all are one of those old school flashlights. They all originally came out with incandescent bulbs out of their respective assembly line.

I know for sure that my Mag-Lite 4C was manufactured between 1990 and 1991 (according to the dating guide at maglitehistory.blogspot.com).

Two of my Streamlight products were made after 1991 when the company moved the its location to Eagleville, Pennsylvania as the etched letters on the bottom cap indicate. Sadly no more details about the manufacturing date can be deciphered.

I learned that modding Mag-Lites was easier than modding Streamlight Stingers.

For example, Mag-Lite C / D flashlights accept P13.5 socket bulbs and one of those very common C / D batteries. They (P13.5 socket bulbs) are abundant on the market and ones with various LED chips are also available.

Those various adapters that convert various batteries into C / D format are also abundant on the market. One can still buy Mag-Lite compatible third party reflectors with built-in high-power LED chips easily on the market.

On the other hand, Streamlight Stinger / Ultra Stinger third party upgrade kits are not so visible on the market. Lumens Factory have them. I was tempted to opt for them but their inability to reduce / switch the power to lower Lumens to prolong the runtime discouraged me.

Packing Lithium-ion cells (18650) in Stingers seems to be not too common. I could not find any YouTube videos describing this kind of modding.

3D printing has been around for some years. People with creative minds have contributed their creation to some 3D printing data sharing sites such as Thingiverse.

I found several “18650” to “Stinger type battery” conversion adapters there.

I can download and use the data to replicate them. Only I don’t own a 3D printer of any kind.

For those who don’t own any 3D printers or those who need industrial level 3D printing (metal or other materials), there are companies (even in Luxembourg) who offer 3D printing service.

I was tempted to submit an inquiry to one of them but hesitated a moment. Do I really need them?


Thoughts on the differences of flashlights made by Mag-Lite and Streamlight

Here is my random thoughts on these newly acquired old used Streamlight Stinger and Ultra Stinger.

1. Streamlight products are way lighter than Mag-Lite flashlights. Stinger’s aluminum parts are thinner than similar Man-Lite parts.

It is said that Mag-Lites were used as a weapon (baton / club) and I agree that they were specifically made this use in mind.

The Ultra Stinger is comparable to Mag-Lite 4C in size but the former is lighter than the latter. This may make the Ultra Stinger a bad choice for an assault weapon. My Mag-Lite 4C is very swingable, indeed.

2. Stingers are more compact than Mag-Lite flashlights. The battery packs (Sub-C stacks) are thiner.

Overall, Stingers feel way lighter in hand and comfortable to hold.


Disassembly of my Stinger and Ultra Stinger

I disassembled both of them as throughly as possible but I could not do anything with the bezels. I could not separate them, plastic lens, reflector (aluminum?) and the bezel. Are they press fit and / or glued together?

I could finally turn my Ultra Stinger on. I had trouble turning it on and I did not understand why it would not turn on. The reason was simple the bulb (glass contained part) was not properly fixed to the plastic foot (the glue has deteriorated?). This made the pins not well seated in the socket.

As to the Stinger, it won’t turn on. I guess its battery is really dead. I tried to revive it by giving it a shock (jump start it by connecting to a power source with higher voltage) but no heartbeat at all.


In Japanese: 続きをどうぞ [BrightGuy.com is merciful]の続きを読む

テーマ:アウトドア - ジャンル:趣味・実用

1. 2023/04/26(水) 10:27:48|
2. Diary
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Where is my ebay purchase?

It is missing since supposedly April 21. The tracking information indicates it was delivered on this day. I don't have it with me.

I contacted the delivery agent by their contact form and made a request to settle the matter.

Later I got a series of email telling me that I have to write a piece of email to a specific email address to start the process of investigation.

To initiate the process, I have to make an "attestation (French)". Basically I have to swear that I have not received the package of this number. I have to also be aware that lying about the matter could result in bad things for me.

Now I sent the required email. I hope that this matter is settled soon. Where is it?

In Japanese: 続きをどうぞ [My missing ebay purchase]の続きを読む

テーマ:ひとりごとのようなもの - ジャンル:日記

1. 2023/04/25(火) 10:38:20|
2. Things European
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Can the hefty overseas shipping charges be lowered?

I have a complaint. I want to buy some items from BrightGuy.com as their prices seem very attractive. If their overseas shipping charges were lower, I would have done so earlier.

In reality their shipping charges are outrageous to me. If I add tiny parts like Stinger Switch Covers two or three pieces, the shipping charges go up drastically. Hey, I am talking about some tiny weeny rubber parts which are smaller than your pinky finger tip and weigh almost nothing.

The shipping charge calculator is not intelligent at all. It does not know the actual size nor the weight of the items at all.

I am not going down without a fight. So I wrote a tiny piece of email to them complaining about this illogical brutal calculator enigma. They may reply to it or ignore it. In either way, I can say that I did not go down without putting up a fight.

In Japanese: 続きをどうぞ [Some memories from April 2023]の続きを読む

テーマ:自転車ロードレース - ジャンル:スポーツ

1. 2023/04/24(月) 20:34:55|
2. Bike Races
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So-called Ardenne Classics done
Dutch people are upset when they hear this phrase. They say that the area around Cauberg (where Amstel Gold Race takes place) is Limburg and not in any way Ardenne.

There are many things that took place during this week and I want to write them down for the posterity? or for my self.

The weather was after all OK. It rained occasionally but it did during the night or evening when I did not expect to do anything special.

It rained around the time when men’s race passed the climb of la Redoute (since I was there at that time) and this was the only time I was bothered by rain.

I had fun. I saw people and connected with people by means of modern SNS* (mostly by Instagram).

*Social Networking Service

I don’t know how much I spent money-wise during this week but the memory is priceless. If I can afford all the expenses, I don’t complain at all.

The airbnb host was great. Any hosts who allow furry friends are great.

I had used airbnb before I had Hannah. Things were easier back then. I could locate hosts where I wanted to be and within the price range I had in mind.

When I travel with Hannah, I look for hosts with airbnb with much anxiety. Not too many choices! This time I could find a host in a town not too far from where I wanted to be and the price was within my budget.


Instagram
I made my account in 2019, I guess. I am not sure when but I know that I had already Mazda MX-5 and Hannah as I named my account with “mx5” and I thought I would upload photos with MX-5 and Hannah.

I had almost completely neglected it until recently. A unfortunate fortunate incident made me use my long neglected Instagram account on April 3rd one day after De Ronde van Vlaanderen (April 2nd, 2023). It worked well and since then I began to use it frequently.

It worked well when I picked up a toe warmer that some unknown rider left and I had to return it to the rightful owner.

I found the suspect (possible owner) visually who returned with only one toe warmer on to the team parking in Oudenaarde. I quickly looked up and got a glimpse of the start number on the bike. I could easily identify the name of that rider from the downloaded PDF start list.

At this point I was 85 % sure that I found the Cinderella.

Later I checked the photos I took that day and found a photo that framed the suspected rider walking just 1 meter away from the seemingly freshly fell toe warmer, un-trodden by anyone.

At this point I was 95 % sure that I confirmed the ownership of this rider.

The question was; How could I be 100 % sure that I found the Cinderella. I had to ask the rider (or riders) quickly inform the rider not to discard the other half and that I would return it to the owner.

How? Then it hit me. Would Instagram work if I tag the suspected rider? I was not sure. It did not take long (actually it took only a few moments) until Cinderella confirmed. April Tacey replied confirming my presumption. After that it was easy to tell her that she must not discard the other half and that I would bring it back to her.

Wow, my first ever useful use of Instagram happened this way.

Case Demi Vollering

I was busy painting on the climb of la Redoute starting from Thursday morning.

On Friday traditionally (two days before the actual race event - LBL) many teams come up the climb followed by the team cars) and many fans and press people alike wait on the climb to see, take photo of and shoot some footage of them.

Team SD Worx came along at some point. I was holding my paint bucket and the roller not to be in their way.

Most riders passed me and the last rider who happened to be the hottest rider at that moment, Demi Vollering saw me and shouted out, “Paint out team name!” I shouted back, “If you give me something, I will do it!” As she was passing the steepest part of la Redoute, we had enough time to chat. She then grabbed one of her bottles and offered to me. I had to run up the climb as she was slowly climbing. She then said, “I’ll put it down here” and put the bottle down on the side grass as I could not catch up to get it. I then replied, “I’ll paint your names”. She then said, “No, not my name but the team name!”. I agreed.

So even though it was by far no contest that she was sitting on the hot seat (for having won two of the three races in that week) and already very accomplished athlete, she insisted that her team mates deserved to be recognized equally.

As it later (two days later to be exact) turned out that one of her team mates, Marlen Reusser burned her ass to be in the escape to make other teams chase her down and by doing so wearing other teams. I believe other team mates also did everything to make sure that Demi Vollering would be the winner.

I also recognized her team mate Christine Majerus (Luxembourg) climbing up at the very end struggling. I have no doubt that her mission for that day was keeping the pace of the peloton high enough so that no teams would attempt attach before la Redoute.

In essence she (Demi Vollering) knew that if she was going to win, she would need her team mates. Cycling sport is a team game.

And I could not be happier for what I did and for Demi Vollering who achieved the feat and also for the team mates who sacrificed themselves.

Case Ceratizit WNT (Martusia Lach)

On Saturday (normally only amateur riders come riding because of the amateur event) Ceratizit WNT Pro Cycling team came as a team. One of the riders saw my equipment and shouted, “Paint our team name!” Then the similar conversation took place as above. She took a final sip from the bidon and handed it to me. I did not get her name but I promised to paint the team name.

Later I took photos of my three “Ceratizit WNT” and tagged them with the team’s Instagram account.

Later (after the training ride, I hope), they (whoever responsible for the team’s Instagram account) responded and Martusia Lach (or Marta Lach) personally thanked me for the effort. I had to conclude that it was her who offered me the bottle.

There are some riders who would be deemed as mood maker or sunshine person in a group who are cheerful and uplifting.

I guess Marta Lach is no doubt such a person.

Case Hannah Ludwig

It was Saturday that recognized an old friend who came to the climb of la Redoute in his camper. We have known each other since 2008 or so. We just encountered during the Tour de France on the race course in the mountains (col de Madeleine as he remembered but I don’t). He is from Germany and older than me.

As we were catching up with things, we came to the topic of Hannah Ludwig and her grandfather.

It turned out that he (my comrade) knew them. Herr Ludwig and his family lived in the neighboring village (or town) just 10 kilometers from his and they had occasional conversations. A small world!

On Sunday before the race passage (as I returned from the climb of Saint-Roch, I just painted there and came back), Herr Ludwig found me and we had a chat. He and his wife were waiting for their beloved granddaughter to come. They had not known of la Redoute before but he said his granddaughter suggested that they should be there as her names were there (painted by me). At this time I had “my” Hannah in my sling bag with me.

So I rushed back to my car and painted more for them. He said he was happy and no doubt he would relate this story to his granddaughter more than “ten times”.

I have painted “Hannah” on the climb so many times (for my Hannah and other Hannahs in the peloton).

Case Kurt Asle Arvesen - Uno-X and Norwegian flags for Stine Borgli

I have known him since 2004 or so. I started following Team CSC and he was there. He is one of the few riders remaining in the sport who I can still talk to casually.

(Although I had seen his name on the PDF or the organizer’s site as director sportive) I visually spotted him riding the fist car (there are usually two cars following the race) of Uno-X. Later I waived at him and he recognized me and gave me a thumbs-up on the climb of Mur de Huy.

On Friday the team came up and we high-touched in passing.

I painted many “Kurt Asle Arvesen Uno-X” at la Redoute and a couple of them at Saint-Roch.

On Sunday after the passage of women’s race, I saw 4 Norwegians walking in front of me. I knew they were Norwegians because they had two big Norwegian flags in hands and a bunch of small flags on them. Typical Norwegians at a bicycle race event!!

I talked to them immediately. First I made sure they were from Norway. Obviously they were. Then I made a proposition. If they had some favorite riders or teams or if they wanted to have something on the road, I would do it in exchange for the small flag. We came to an agreement.

I painted

Uno-X
NORGE
FDJ SUEZ
STiNE
Stine

The photos they took were promptly sent to her (maybe they were friends or family of the rider). I hope they did not mind my very rather aggressive proposition. I hope my work was worth the price they paid for.

They told me that Stine was a rider on FDJ-SUEZ. Later I learned that her name was Stine Andersen Borgli.

I had two small flags for my indecent proposal. I really wanted the Norwegian flag.

Later I waved those hard-earned flags at my favorite Mr. Arvesen and he grinned at me with his thumb up.

Now this my prized asset will accompany me on my race watch trips along with other prized flags.

Case April Tacey and Ella Harris

Since the toe warmer saga, I have known her name, MS Ella Harris because she liked and commented on the photos I uploaded. I had urge to paint her name in a way that had stuck in my head for some time.

When I heard “Ella”, in my head a song started whirling. “Umbrella Rhianna” and its very catchy refrain part.

The first time ever I recognized this song was during the Tour de France years ago. When did this song come out? I was at the start zone of one stage in the morning waiting for the start. When I looked up at a big screen, this music video was on. The sound was mute but the video was on repeatedly. This song was really hot then.

This song has been stuck in my head since last April so I had to get it out to be relieved.

So I painted

my umbrELLA
ella, ELLA
eh, eh, eh,
Harris

I was very happy that I could get it out of my system. I tagged it with her Instagram account. Later she used it on her story. I guess she was also happy to see name on the prestigious climb of la Redoute.

No, no. I was “happier” to get it out of my head finally. Hahaha!

There was also a thing in my head. When I first learned about MS April Tacey, there was this small puzzle or joke in my head.

Why is she April not December when she was born in December? It is none of my concern, right?

Anyway, I painted

It’s
April
not
December
Tacey

I uploaded and tagged her. I knew it is a bad joke but I had to do it.


Case Tadej Pogacar and Slovenian TV crew

Thursday morning I was already at la Redoute after driving around an hour from Namur. I did not expect much. I was unhappy as the asphalt was very wet after the early morning rain.

The area was very quiet. The big tent (later to be a bar/lounge for the event) was up but that was it.

I parked my car near the stone monument of la Redoute. I was checking the area (how the last year’s PHiL old paint remained and how my other water paint not remained) when a van with three guys came to the monument site.

I recognized the “Slovenian TV” on the van and the license plate had the “SL” (Slovenia’s abbreviation in EU terms, of course) initials.

I said, “Hello” to them as I (and others) did to almost any strangers. Almost everybody there on that particular day is a cycling fan so we are no strangers. The area is just a pasture, grazing ground for cows and normally no people there except for the local farmers.

We talked and I mentioned why I was there and they were there to check out the climb for some news piece.

They seemed to be happy to meet me as they had something to report on than a deal cold stone. A brief interview and “Tadej Pogacar” painting despite the wet surface.

They had just interview the previous day and they said that he was relaxed and composed. One of the crew had ridden with Pogacar as junior riders. He is now seeing the Slovenian development team. That’s why he was included in the TV reporting crew.

Later he gave me this yellow “Tadej Pogacar” bracelet as I had said in the conversation that I would do the painting on a request from anybody but with something (drink or food) in return. This meant that I had to do more painting of Pogacar’s name.

Saint-Roch and the resident Evil

I woke up early Sunday morning and started retrieving. Packing the stuff, wrapping the tent up and paying what I owed. The sky began to clear up and the weather seemed to hold until later in the afternoon. So I decided to drive to Saint-Roch.

I got there soon enough but not too soon. Earlier when I wanted to pay, I found out that I could not use my card and I did not have enough cash on me. I had to drive to the local ATM to get some. This cost me around 30 minutes. When I got off the highway and came to the end of the ramp, I saw the road block with a police officer and then the peloton passed in front of me.

If I had not spent extra 30 minutes in Remouchamps, I could have waited for the peloton to come and prepared to take out the camera or so.

I was there early and started painting. The surface of the asphalt was beginning to dry up from the spots where sun shone through the houses.

I painted the usual stuff, names of my favorite riders, Hannah’s paws (my signature) and the rest.

I started from the top and eventually came down to the bottom. I talked to elderly man who lived there. He was very receptive. When I said the paint was water-based and won’t stay more than a couple of weeks normally, he said he did not mind at all.

After a while a man who lived near that kind elderly man came with a bag of baguettes started complaining to me. I said the paint won’t stay long but he was mad. So I decided to come back to la Redoute without waiting for the race.

I don’t want to call him a resident evil (just a bad joke) but I understand his concerns, too. If someone uses oil-based paint on the asphalt it stays long and it is really ugly. Anyway, I did not want to make any troubles.

Reclaiming what is mine and claiming one of them

I knew that some of the ebay purchase items had been delivered while I was away in Belgium. “Delivered?” in what way? “I am still here.”

I had to come back home and check the mail box to see the notice notes to see what was really going on.

I did late Sunday evening. There were two slip notes from the local post office.

On the status page of ebay, the laptop PC had been delivered and one of the flashlights had been delivered, too. The rest (one flashlight) was somehow stuck in California (the supposed hub airport of the carrier) since April 12.

I went to the post office as soon as it opened. I got two flashlights! I had thought they were one PC and one flashlight. Flashlights were OK but what happened to the PC, then?

I have not seen a package left in the corridor. Had the driver left the package to other neighbors next door?

I checked the status page on ebay site and tracked it to the local carrier’s Internet site and made an inquiry using the form telling that I had not received it as I had been away and that the package must have been left to one of the neighbors as the front door was locked. I am now waiting for the answer.

Streamlight Stinger and Ultra Stinger - ebay purchase - used

So I had expectedly and unexpectedly received these flashlights this morning. I tried to charge the batteries in vain. I knew they were almost finished (in a sense of close to the end of their life cycle) but I wanted to see if they (flashlights) would work at all.

They were set in the charger for some time but not getting warm or hot (even though the charger’s red led indicators were on).

The lights won’t turn on with these batteries and I think they are DEAD already.

For the moment I don’t have an electric tester with me so I don’t know how much volt they hold if they do at all. I guess I have to buy new batteries.

I learned that Stinger’s bezel and Ultra Stinger’s bezel are really different. I guess it may be impossible to install Stinger Classic’s LED unit into Ultra Stinger.

I will disassemble these to see the switch modules are OK or making good contact. The Switch modules in them have to be the same but I will know for sure once I get to the guts myself.

Now I have two flashlights that won’t flash.

Should I buy Stinger Classic LED upgrade kit for my Stinger? I will consider it.

They had Eagleville etched on the bottom cap so I can safely say that they were made after 2001.

How do I disassemble the bezel? How can I make the bezel (outside), lens and reflector apart?

My Hannah

One week trip to Belgium and the Netherlands was over. I took her with me and she survived the trip.

For the first 4 nights I had a nice room found via airbnb. The room was roomy and comfortable so I could leave her there without any worries. I did not want to give her too much stress (by carrying her around during the day) so I let her stay there all day. When the house was quiet (as the host does not live there and the house is only for renters or airbnb quests), I let her out of the room to play freely in the big house.

For the subsequent 3 nights I stayed at the camping site where I stayed the previous year. I let her freely play all the time. I hope she enjoyed herself while being there.

Last year the place was a mess as some kind of construction was going on. For one thing, the ground was freshly dug up and when the ground was wet (due to the rain or morning dew), Hannah came into the tent with really dirty paws and left tons of paw prints.

This year there were much improvement I could recognize. For one thing, there was free WiFi this year.

I was happy that Hannah’s paws did not bring too much dirt inside the tent as there was more area with thick green turf.

The price was up since last year (the WiFi cost?) for the same three nights. It was still reasonable, I guess.

In Japanese: 続きをどうぞ
[A beautiful week of April]の続きを読む

1. 2023/04/24(月) 17:44:21|
2. Bike Races
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I need to have this soon

My beloved Hannah stayed in the room (airbnb) while I was out in Huy. This room was spacious and comfortable.

Taking her with me on the race day from 07:00 to 15:30 in the sling bag in the crowded place would qualify as a torture, I thought. Taking her in the sling bag for a short period of time is OK.

If she was going to go to the events like this with me for an extended period of time, I would need this kind of carrier. It has more room than a typical carrier and it has a toilet function built in. It does not come cheap but it is worth the price tag.


(image: taken from Amazon.de)

I would choose the red one for her.


(image: taken from Amazon.de)

I think this zippable cat toilet is very neat.


la Flèche Wallonne Femme

I had a small chat with a rider and her mother while we were waiting for the departure of the race. I did not come to them but they came to me in a way.

After the team presentation I moved to the start area and randomly settled by the wall (the zing coated road barriers - mobile steel fences). By the time I got there, there were no riders near me. They were starting to line up and I stayed far behind the starting line.

Eventually riders began to fill up the space and eventually some riders were in front of me over the barriers.

Directly in front of me was this girl from Uno-X Procycling Team. A woman came next to me and they (this girl and this woman) started talking to each other in German.

Wait a sec! She could be her, I thought. So I gazed at her bike frame where her name would be on the sticker. There it was “Ludwig”. She must be Hannah Ludwig, then.

I talked to them in English knowing that they would perfectly understand the language.

I made a brief introduction of me telling this small episode that last year during the Tour de France womens’ edition I met a guy who claimed to be her father (as I remembered) and at his request I painted her name on the road.

She (Ms. Ludwig) said that yes her grandfather told me about it more than ten times and she knew that there was such a man with a cat.

So that guy turned out to be her grandfather not father. “More than ten times!” So he must have been happy and I also remembered seeing him so excited and immediately calling his family members on the phone on the spot back then (July 31st, 2022).

The important point of this story is that I did not make it happen. They happened to appear directly in front of me by pure chance.

If they (Uno-X girls) come to la Redoute on Friday or Thursday on a recon ride, I will then let her know that her name is already there (actually my cat’s name).



In Japanese: 続きをどうぞ [Luke, I am your father!]の続きを読む

テーマ:自転車ロードレース - ジャンル:スポーツ

1. 2023/04/19(水) 19:57:06|
2. Bike Races in Belgium
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513013 is a prime number
I finally stumbled upon an ebay item that had a prime serial number. It was a used Streamlight Stinger. It had a worn and torn rubber switch cover but seemed in working conditions. I'd like to get it but the shipping cost discouraged me. It's still on sale at the time of this writing.

(image: ebay Streamlight Stinger)


Car wash

I use this car wash when I visit Huy, Belgium for the event of la Flèche Wallonne. This self car wash facility has 4 booths but I seem to patronize the left booth, #1 every time.

My €2 coin was not accepted by the machine and I had only one €1 coin, which bought me barely enough time to use the brush to work on the mud splash from the previous Sunday (Paris - Roubaix sector 25). I had to use the exchange machine. It gave me 5 tokens (jetons in French) for €5 bill. In all I spent €3 this morning. I still have 3 tokens left in my pocket and I will use them tomorrow to work further on the remaining dirt. I will use the rest of the token to vacuum the interior floor.

After visiting the car wash, I drove to the final climb of the Wednesday race. It was very quiet there. Some workers were working there to set up the climb for the event.

Most of the work (TV broadcasting equipment and others) will be done on Tuesday, I think. Parking cars along the climb was still OK. The sign said that the parking would not be allowed starting from Tuesday.

I stayed there from 11:00 to 13:30 and saw following riders.
1. Jayco Alula girls 4 followed by the team car
2. Lotto dstny boys 3 followed by the team car
3. Human Powered Health girl one without the team car

In Japanese: 続きをどうぞ [Monday, April 26th 2023 at Huy]の続きを読む

テーマ:自転車ロードレース - ジャンル:スポーツ

1. 2023/04/17(月) 23:30:45|
2. Bike Races in Belgium
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AGR 2023. A wet cloudy day

I left for Maastricht around 05:00 in the morning. I drove about 8 kilometers from home and was already driving on the highway when it hit me.

OMG! I forgot to put the tent in the rear boot (trunk)! I had to turn around and get it. It cost me 9 kilometers and 30 minutes.

The weather on the way was drizzly all the way and part foggy in hilly part of Wallonia (or Walloon area) in Belgium.

I arrived at Maastricht around 07:50 and parked my car near the Markt Square. When I got to the square on foot, I was a bit taken a back as I saw maybe 2 team buses (one big FDJ-Suez bus and one LifePlus motor-home) and a couple of parking stewards with a yellow flag in their hand. I thought I would see more people or more activities.

I walked around and then it hit me. Oh, yes! They moved the Team Presentation ceremony stage to the square next to it and his place is used just for parking.

I walked to the next square where the presentation would be held. There were not so many audience (spectators) there yet.

I was determined to see and hopefully talk to two people there, a Japanese rider Eri Yonamine of Human Powered Health and Fabian Cancellara of Tudor Pro Cycling Team. Later my missions were accomplished.

I thought that all the team crew might have a Tudor watch on their wrist but (I think) only riders did. The

I joined a friend of mine and watched male and female peloton leave. I drove to the men’s Feed Zone and watched them pass by. I drove back to Finish area to see the women’s peloton go up Cauberg once. This AGR is one of a few (or the only?) races that host men’s and women’s editions on the same day concurrently where women finish first.

I drove to the airbnb host’s place after the race and I am now relaxed.

I did not read the host’s message concerning the check-in method. I was supposed to locate the key box and with the combination number open it and get the key to open the door to enter. I spent not too long but a while in front of the door figuring out what to do.

Tomorrow I will wake up early and move the car out of the parking lot belonging to the school across the street. The parking is offered to the public between 18:00 to 07:00 and during school holidays. I will drive to the wall of Huy (Mur de Huy) in the morning and spend the day. I also intend to wash my car at a coin-operated self-car-wash place in Huy. I will do some shopping at Delhaize (Belgian supermarket) next to the car wash. This would be the ration for the next couple of days.

Is this conversion possible?
I have been wondering for some short time if it is possible to install #940055 on Ultra Stinger (old discontinued one with an incandescent bulb). There used to be a model called Stinger HP (ditto) and it looks just like a Stinger with the reflector of Ultra Stinger. When I saw this model (used and worn) on ebay, it struck me.

(image 1: A Stinger HP on ebay)


(image 2: Soon-to-be my Stinger)


(image 3: Conversion kit #78004)
I saw a conversion kit that makes Stinger HP (High Performance, right?) out of Stinger.

Physically speaking: The replacement switch module seems to be the same among Stinger, Stinger XT HP, Ultra Stinger and PolyStinger. This might mean that the steroids doped switch module (#940055) should fit in Ultra Stinger, too.

(image 4: Switch #75140)


(image 5: #940055)

Are the thread measurements of the reflectors (Stinger and Ultra Stinger) same? In other words, can I take the Ultra Stinger reflector out and properly thread it in on Stinger?

(image 6: Soon-to-be my Ultra Stinger)

I will know all the answers to these questions as soon as I get these two flashlights.

Electrically speaking: the incandescent bulb that is included in #78004 has to be optimized for 3.6 V DC. This xenon bulb is not compatible with Ultra Stinger electrically but (I guess) is compatible physically (is shaped the same).

The ultimate question is this: If I buy two sets of #940055, can I make both of my flashlights (Stinger and Ultra Stinger) LED equipped flashlights?

In Japanese: 続きをどうぞ [Check-in and relaxed in Namur]の続きを読む

テーマ:自転車ロードレース - ジャンル:スポーツ

1. 2023/04/16(日) 22:44:47|
2. Bike Races in the Netherlands
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I am off

It is Saturday afternoon and early Tomorrow morning I am off to Maastricht, the Netherlands.

It is going to be a one-week trip around the area.

In Japanese: 続きをどうぞ [One week vacation in Limburg and Ardenne area]の続きを読む

テーマ:自転車ロードレース - ジャンル:スポーツ

1. 2023/04/15(土) 17:26:38|
2. Bike Races
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Streamlight Part #940055? Part II

I have been wondering why. Why can I not find any retail (online) sources that sell this Stinger LED upgrade kit (#940055) other than BrightGuy.com?

I hit no results on ebay. I hit no results via DuckDuckGo search other than the site aforementioned.

If I have to guess why (nobody has forced me to do so but for the sake of argument), I have to conclude this way.

The production of this upgrade kit has been discontinued by Streamlight already. The market stock (at retail stores) is floating around for the time being. BrightGuy.com happens to carry them in relatively large quantity and promoting them.

Am I right or wrong? I have no idea honestly.

I fear (not too much, though) that soon this kit becomes unavailable on the market and I will regret not having purchased it earlier.

I like BrightGuy.com as the prices are not high but rather reasonable. The only problem for me is that their overseas shipping charges are rather steep (maybe UPS is responsible for that but …).

The only way I feel better about paying for that substantial fees is purchasing a lot of goods at the same time and make the shipping charges small relative to the whole paying amount.


Amstel Gold Race 2023, Here I come!

The spring of 2023 has been a rather cold one so far. It happens in every two or three years. The week ahead seems to be just continuation of the previous weeks according to the weather forecast.

I will be happy if it does not rain at least. I hope it is fine every single day the next week for reasons.

First, I will be at la Redoute from Thurday morning to Saturday afternoon painting on the road. The surface of the asphalt has to be dry, otherwise I can not do anything. My water-based indoor paint can not stand wet surfaces.

Second, I will be roughing in a tent at a camp ground in the area for three nights. The nighttime lows are predicted to be around the freezing point (Zero Celsius).

I will be shopping for the provisions later Today and prepare for the weak ahead.

In Japanese: 続きをどうぞ [Streamlight Part #940055? Part II]の続きを読む

テーマ:自転車ロードレース - ジャンル:スポーツ

1. 2023/04/14(金) 10:15:43|
2. Bike Races in the Netherlands
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Liège - Bastogne - Liège

This year’s course seems to be different from that of two years ago. I remember watching the girls coming from a different direction on a different road in Houffalize. Last year I did not drive to Houffalize so I did not notice anything last year.

What should I do this year? Should I go to the Saint-Roch? This way I would totally miss the girls’ peloton. By the time the boys’ peloton passes the Saint-Roch, girls have passed the climb of la Redoute.

I am torn.

Streamlight Part #940055?

I found some pieces of information on the Internet. It was about the product launch of Streamlight Stinger Classic LED. According to that this product was launched on October 26th, 2012. The specs of it at the time of the launch was different from that of current product (2013).

As the LED technology advanced over the years, the LEDs must have been upgraded to newer and better (brighter and more energy efficient, obviously).

Specs:
October 26 2012 (at launch)
3 modes: 390 / 210 / 100 Lumens
runtime: 1h 45m / 3h 45m / 6h 45m

2013 (eleven years later)
3 modes: 500 / 260 / 130 Lumens
runtime: 2h 45m / 5h 30m / 10h

Lumens Factory’s upgrade
1 mode: 850 Lumens
runtime: 1h 30m

I also found out that there is (or was at least) a genuine Streamlight product that retrofits the latest LED into old Stingers that came out with incandescent bulbs. Strangely I did not find this upgrade product earlier. There is no hit when I search it on ebay, for example. The site that sells it does have some stocks.

Streamlight Stinger Classic Upgrade Kit 500 Lumens
https://brightguy.com/

Anyway, the price it self seems reasonable but for me the shipping charges from U.S.A. could be the problem.

I ran a shopping simulation and put three items in the cart and saw how much it would cost including the shipping charges. The shipping (UPS) costs a lot. I would use this site only if I have a lot of items to buy at the same time. This way I feel that I actually saved some money.

If the upgrade from Lumens Factory had at least 2 modes like 850 / 100 Lumens, I would definitely go for it.

In Japanese: 続きをどうぞ [Streamlight Part #940055?]の続きを読む

テーマ:ひとりごとのようなもの - ジャンル:日記

1. 2023/04/13(木) 18:51:18|
2. Diary
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Prime number factorization

While waiting for the two flashlights from U.S.A, I am researching something about them.

If the battery (inside the Stinger) refuses to be recharged, what I should do about it before buying another one or converting it so that it would accept a 18650 cell. There’s a YouTube video where a guy (I Just Fix It Myself) explains how to “wake” the seemingly dead battery up. This could be very helpful.

The seller of the Stinger wrote that it did not turn on. It could be the dead battery, the blown bulb or rusty terminals that kept it from working. I suspect that it had been left forgotten for eons because it looked very intact on the outside. This means that the battery had been sleeping uncharged for eons, too. I think I have to wake it up if it is unconscious.

I knew immediately that the serial numbers on them were not prime numbers. One was even number (so obvious) and the other had 5 in the last digit. They were not definitely not prime numbers but in which way they could be factorized?

So let’s do some math, shall we?

Stinger’s Serial Number: 1,593,844 = 2x2x7x56,923

Ultra Stinger’s Serial Number: 354,145 = 5x11x47x137

I found a relatively big prime number, 56,923 there.

A long time mystery solved!

The YouTube video above-mentioned also solved a mystery by which I was being puzzled for some time.

Stinger’s bottom cap (that seals the battery compartment) does not have that “usual” spring coil nor a metal contact point (for the battery’s negative terminal).

How does the battery work if there is no negative connection? It has been puzzling me for a while.

It turned out that the Sub-C type battery package used in Stingers has one positive terminal and two negative terminals. One negative terminal is located at the opposite end of the package but the other terminal is located at the rim surrounding the positive terminal. It is constructed like a light bulb, one terminal in the center, the other around it.

Mystery solved!

Anyway, if I wish to make a 18650 conversion battery for my Stingers, I have make a negative ring contact point around the positive contact point.

AGR, la FW and LBL 2023

I have already booked a room for four nights 16, 17, 18 and19 of April in Namur area. There are Airbnb hosts in the area (Huy - Namur) but not too many hosts welcome pets. Those who already keep some furry pets (dogs, cats or horses), I guess, tend to allow guests with pets. The house is not too close to Huy but I can live with it.

I tried to send a reservation form on the camping site’s internet site where I stayed last year. I guess nobody uses this form, nobody! Why? Because it is impossible to put the date (of arrival and departure) in this form. There is no pop up calendar where you click the dates. It is just a blank input area. You don’t know what kind of date format it takes as valid. I tried dd/mm/yyyy, dd/mm, dd.mm or others but nothing works. The form refuses to be sent and tells me that the date is not valid. It is crazy. Last year I gave up on this guessing game and just sent e-mail.

I will check out the house early Thursday morning and drive to la Redoute (Aywaille / Remouchamps) and check out the area.

There will be at least six or seven campers (vehicles) on the sides of the climb (la Redoute) already. Most of them are not first-timers there. Some of them are actual family members of the riders.

I will start doing my part, painting on the road. Mostly riders’ names but there are people who ask me to paint their names, too. I accept the task on one condition; it is not free and they have to offer me some food or drink. I shop for the materials (paint and the roller) and provide the labor and in return they provide me with some form of subsistence. Quid pro quo or tit for tat. It is a fair trade.

Of course there are exceptions to this rule. For example, sometimes journalists or photographers ask me to do the job in exchange for the media coverage service they provide.

Last year a journalist from Slovenia asked me to do the name of his country’s most successful road bike rider to date. He promised me that the photos of “Tadej Pogacar” on the asphalt would be on the paper (I forgot but some magazine or newspaper?) in Slovenia and I would be credited for the job.

Actually I did not care if I would be credited for it or not. He (Pogacar) cancelled the participation at the last moment (his wife’s or girlfriend’s family had some medical problem or something like that).

Some riders (on Thursday or Friday on their reconnaissance rides) in passing shout out, “My name is (whoever he / she is)!” to me. I would shout back to them, “I’ll do it if you give me something!”

Sometimes the deal is made between us. Last year, it was two girls from EF Education who responded and got off the bike.

I would like to make an honorable mention here. Bram Tankink (retired Dutch rider) used to come alone on his bike. Most (if not all) of them come in a group followed by the team car. Those riders who are staying at the hotel located at foot of la Redoute come sometimes without any accompaniment, of course.

He just came alone (I met him at least on two occasions = two years) on his bike. He would sit with Dutch fans who were staying there in their campers and had a snack (offered by them) and talked a while before continuing on. He is someone who is really devoted to his profession and likes being on his bike. He is someone who you would be happy to have as a friend. Of course, I also talked to him and offered my service.


Amstel Gold Race : Sunday, April 16th
I don't know yet. Where should I go? What actions do I want to watch?

la Flèche Wallonne : Wednesday, April 19th
The actual watch plan is simple. I will watch the women’s team presentation in the morning and then stay at the Mur de Huy till the end.

Liège - Bastogne - Liège : Sunday, 23th
Last year I drove to, I think, the first climb of the women’s course. It was a cloudy morning and the surface of the road was wet so I did not paint on the road.

In Japanese: 続きをどうぞ [Prime number factorization and others]の続きを読む

テーマ:自転車ロードレース - ジャンル:スポーツ

1. 2023/04/11(火) 20:52:06|
2. Bike Races in Belgium
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Stinger Classic LED?

For a brief moment I thought the Stinger that I purchased could be a product called “Stinger Classic LED” when I learned that there was such a product on Streamlight’s site.

Could it be?

I carefully compared the pictures (ebay seller’s posted photos and the product’s photos on the site above) and concluded that I bought a good old original incandescent bulb equipped Stinger. They look almost identical except for the bezels.

The one I purchased, at least what I can tell from the photos, is so impeccably preserved. I don’t think it has been in use much. That was the reason that I suspected the possibility above.

I feared that if it had been the latest complicated LED product, it could be really broken. I relied on the presumption that I could easily overcome any problems and repair it because of the very simplicity of the original incandescent bulb flashlight.

How bright is the original Stinger in Lumens? 90 or more? I can not find the specification of this bulb. The xenon-filled bulb for the Ultra Stinger is rated at 230 Lumens. It should be lower than 230 but how much?

I was also wondering if those bi-pin xenon bulbs that fit into some C/D Mag-Lite with an adapter would also fit into the Stingers. Are they (those bi-pin bulbs) different?

According to Wikipedia, Streamlight company was established in 1973. The headquaters of the company has been located:
1973 to 1977: King of Prussia, Pennsylvania
1977 to 2001: Norristown, Pennsylvania
2001 to present: Eagleville, Pennsylvania

I have seen the name in some photos on ebay that showed the bottom caps. Those old battered Stingers were made between 1977 and 2001. Not so precise help for the production date determination!

I haven’t found any dedicated sites (private blog sites) that deal with Streamlight’s product line. I wanted to find some sites like maglitehistory.blogspot.com.

In Japanese: 続きをどうぞ [Stream Stinger Classic LED??]の続きを読む

テーマ:ひとりごとのようなもの - ジャンル:日記

1. 2023/04/11(火) 07:55:00|
2. Diary
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I have a confession to make

I just recently made two instances of ebay purchase from the United States of America. They are arriving sometime in late April or early May, I guess.

What did I buy? I am a bit ashamed to tell what they are. So I have a confession to make. I bought two used Streamlight Stingers, to be specific, one Stinger (incandescent bulb) and one Ultra Stinger (ditto). They are used and not the recent models with LED bulbs.

1. The Stinger comes with an AC 120V (US wall plug) charger and a battery but the seller said (in the description) that it did not turn on. Otherwise, it looks decently clean and the anodized finish still holds the look.

2. The Ultra Stinger comes with a DC 12V (car cigarette socket) charger* and a battery and the seller said it turned on. The anodized finish has been lost on edges.

** This charger is a piggyback style charger which is made for Stingers not for Ultra Stingers.

Most unfortunately, none of the serial numbers on them are “prime” numbers.

Why do I need two Streamlight Stingers? I don’t but I just wanted them.

When they come, I will have more to say about them but for now I don’t have much to say.

The reason that the Stinger does not turn on is unknown (also to the seller). Maybe the battery has totally deteriorated or simply the incandescent bulb is blown.

Or (as one of the description photos suggests) the charging contact points on the Stinger (two screws most likely made of some stainless steel) seem to be rusted (or dirty) and they are keeping the charger from charging the battery. I don’t know at this point.

This Stinger looks curiously beautiful. I don’t know when Streamlight stopped making them (incandescent bulb Stingers) in favor for LED Stingers but it must have been a long time ago considering the fact that Streamlight started selling Ultra Stinger in 2015. This Stinger must have been kept in a drawer and forgotten for a long time (10 years?). The rechargeable battery could not have survived so long.

By any means, I will have to either swap the batteries to new ones or I have to make alternative batteries by converting some 18650 Lithium ion cells to fit inside them.

What about the ancient technology incandescent bulbs? Are you gonna do something about them? You (the readers) may be asking (I know you don’t exist) and I want to do something but only in the future.

I know currently Lumens Factory sells LED upgrades for both the Stinger and Ultra Stinger but they are kinda expensive.

In the first place as I have already confessed above, I really don’t need them for anything for the moment. This brutal fact does not get me to make a haste move to upgrade them to brighter LED bulbs.

What should I do when the indigenous incandescent bulbs eventually blow? Should I get replacement incandescent bulbs or upgrade them? I don’t know yet.

I had already done a short research on ebay to find out how to convert them into accepting 18650 cells. I will see what I can do by understanding the structure of them and measuring them once they arrive.

I always had in my mind ideas of converting them into18650 powered flashlights and was not interesting in getting the chargers. For some reasons unknown, both of the flashlights I could get came with one charger each.

Anyway, I am very excited to have them onboard soon.

Paris - Roubaix 2023 done!

This is a brief description of what I did on Sunday, April 9 2023.

I woke up in the same hotel room where I had done the same the previous day. I had a shower, …. I can continue but it will bore you to death so I stop here.

I drove to sector 25 where I had been the previous year. Only this time I wanted to try the entry section of the cobblestones.

The weather in the morning in Valenciennes was a strange one. It was going to be a sunny day, maybe chilly but a sunny day. So I guess that all the clouds were gone toward the dawn during the night. This causes so-called the radiative cooling effect. The temperature must have dropped sharply in the morning.

The previous day it was cloudy, wet but almost no winds. So all the moisture in the air stayed in the area. When the temperature dropped, the moisture in the air appeared by condensation, thus making the visibility low until around 09:30 or so.

When I left the hotel and began to roll, I could not see past 100 meters.

I arrived there smoothly and spent some time relaxingly until the publicity Caravan and eventually the race arrived.

I intended to drove to sector 15 but I missed the exit and so I continued on to Roubaix. I had enough time to use the portable toilet inside the velodrome and look around.

There were people at the entrance of the velodrome checking the incoming spectators. They were checking the contents of the bags that the spectators who wanted to come in had. They were not concerned with in any way that fake epidemic at all.

I was watching the race on my portable TV set. The reception of DVB-T in Roubaix was excellent as always.

Footnotes:
Valenciennes is located next to Denain, where girls start and close to most of the cobblestone sections. It is easy to access to those sectors. I know many or most female teams stay there. I stayed at the same hotel as I had the previous year this year. The charge is reasonable although I could have paid less if I had booked it even earlier. Because of the credit card fiasco, I booked it at the last moment.

In Japanese: 続きをどうぞ [Paris - Roubaix 2023 done!]の続きを読む

テーマ:自転車ロードレース - ジャンル:スポーツ

1. 2023/04/10(月) 16:03:08|
2. Bike Races in France
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Paris - Roubaix Femmes 2023

I am writing this in the hotel room in Valenciennes in the evening after the race.

I drove to Sector 15 (Tilloy - Sars-et-Rosieres). I was sure that I was there for the first time. I did not remember ever being there and I did not recognize the place when I got there.

I got there before 10:00 o'clock, I guess. There was a small square set up by the locals and the local tourism office. There were some tents hosting some food and drink stands at the exit of the cobble stones sector. There was also a big screen TV there.

There were already bikers riding the course. I had to wait for hours until they eventually stopped coming. The stream of bikers were supposed to dwindle before the arrival of women's race. I was going to paint some names on the cobbles stones but I could wait. I had time.

The weather was OK. The sky was covered with clouds but it was not raining. There were small paddles of water along the cobblestone paths. The ground was wet and there was no chance of dust swirling up. It was not cold or hot. In a way, it could have been the best or close to the best conditions for the race.

I met and talked a while with some local people or fans visiting there from remote places. There were these two guys (father and son who said they lived only 5 minutes away) who told me that it was this pavé section where Frank Schleck had a bad fall and had to abandon the Tour. He (the father) pointed to the house about 100 meters away and said it was there he had that fall.

Anyway, I watched the race there. I drove to Roubaix after the passage of the race.

Fantom Auchan supermarket

Before heading to the sector 15, I wanted to do some grocery shopping (some food for tomorrow). I found Auchan supermarket just in the area. It appeared on the Garmin BaseCamp map and also on the Garmin Camper 660. So I set it as the destination and drove. There was no such building at the location where my GPS navigation told me I would find it. Sometime it happens.

Toe warmer ends in Roubaix

Finally I got to her and gave the toe warmer back. I got a autographed bidon (drink bottle) from her in return. A happy ending!


In Japanese: 続きをどうぞ [Paris - Roubaix Femmes 2023 done!]の続きを読む

テーマ:自転車ロードレース - ジャンル:スポーツ

1. 2023/04/08(土) 21:49:24|
2. Bike Races in France
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Check in and relaxed

It was a 290 km drive almost entirely by free (not tolled) highway. It rained on the way not heavily but slightly. Soon after I entered France, the rain got slightly heavier and the traffic got slower. I wondered if this was part of coming home commuters car. The time was around 15:10.

My initial destination was the sector 15 (Tilloy - Sars-et-Rosieres) of women’s edition of Paris - Roubaix where I wanted to be the next day. As the traffic became a bumper-to-bumper standstill, I changed my mind and drove to the hotel.

Tomorrow I will wake up early in the morning and after enjoying a cup of coffee brewed freshly with the hot water made with my trusty Trangia cooker set. I will drive to the sector 15 and see how it is like. I will decide if I would stay or look for another place.

My request was turned down?

My request to grand me a stay at an Airbnb host was turned down, I guess. The request expired after 24 hours. I don’t know if the host specifically did not want me to stay or if they had another guest who applied earlier.

Anyway, I had to make another request to a host. This place is a bit far away from Huy but it is within acceptable drive distance. I hope this time I would be granted.

Moments after the request was sent, I received a message that my request was accepted. I now have secured a place to stay during the earlier part of the week.

In Japanese: 続きをどうぞ [Check-in and relaxed]の続きを読む

テーマ:自転車ロードレース - ジャンル:スポーツ

1. 2023/04/07(金) 23:24:43|
2. Tour de France
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Paris - Roubaix 2023 Femmes

Today, Thursday, 6th April the official site (www.letour.fr or www.pairs-roubaix-femmes.fr) has been updated so that the provisional starting list is now loaded.

The weather according to an weather app on my smartphone will be fine on both Saturday and Sunday with 0% of predicted precipitation and the daytime highs are around 13 to 15 degrees Celsius. It will be a sunny warm day for two days. I think we have less chance of unexpected accidents like skidding on the cobble stones or such. It could be dusty, though.

I am staying at a cheap hotel in Valenciennes and I know that a lot of teams (women’s) are staying in and out of Valenciennes as Denain itself is a small town with fewer hotels. Last year just a several hundred meters away up the street from my hotel Arkea Pro Procyling Team was staying the Campanile Hotel.

My plan is leaving for Denain / Valenciennes around noon since I have an important rendez-vous (appointment) that I can not miss in the morning. This will get me there around 16:00 if there are no traffic jams on the way. I will directly drive up to the sector 15 (Tilloy - Sars-et-Rosieres) and see what is going on.

I will be checking in the hotel around 20:00. I was there last year and so I know what I expect. I will be staying there for two nights with my Hannah.

Last year I brought my Trangia cooker and I could have warm meals, nothing fancy but hot soups at the end of the day or hot coffees in the morning really were rewarding.

Next stop: AGR - LFW - LBL

For this week (April 16th to 25th), I always want to take a small vacation to stay in the area so that I can really enjoy the whole enchilada. That is not just the races but also the fringe events surrounding these races.

I searched for a room to say for several days and then found a house where I stayed two years ago during these race events. Last year this house was not on the search result and I guessed that the couple had a baby and needed the extra bedroom for the baby. Well this was just my imagination and not based on anything at all.

To my surprise or joy, this perfect house appeared on the search result this time. This place allows pets (they also had a dog and a cat) and it is so close to Huy, Belgium. To add to these incredibly sweet conditions, the price is really reasonable. The host lady speaks English very well so I could not be happier if I could stay at her place.

Now that the request is sent, I just wait crossing my fingers.

Airbnb security measures?
In the procedure requesting a stay at the house that I found via Airbnb, I was asked to submit my official ID (photo copy of it) and my selfie. It was a year ago that I used Airbnb, I think.

I guess this is a measure taken for security reasons.

In Japanese: 続きをどうぞ [Sending a request and Airbnb]の続きを読む

テーマ:自転車ロードレース - ジャンル:スポーツ

1. 2023/04/06(木) 20:01:38|
2. Things European
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Signing my own work

Once I heard that the reason artists put their signature in the right down corner of the paintings was to let the museum / art gallery workers know which side should be up to hang the paintings correctly. It makes sense, doesn't it?

I am not claiming that I am an artist but signing is important. I would like to leave my signature on the road (or even on the cobble stones) alongside the painting.

My favorite icon will be a cat silhouette with a paw print. I am going to work on it so that I can paint my signature quickly.

I don’t think I have enough time to do anything significant on Friday afternoon. I have an important appointment in the morning so by the time I leave for Valenciennes (France), it will be 13:00 in the afternoon. I could be there around 16:00. I want to drive to the cobble stone sector where I would like to the next day directly. I might get a glimpse of riders checking out the course.

If the surface condition of the cobble stones is right, I might try to do some painting there.

I know most of them do the reconnaissance on Thursday especially girls who would ride on Saturday but I can be there then. If I am really lucky I might see some men training there.

In Japanese: 続きをどうぞ [Signature in the corner - in the right down corner required]の続きを読む

テーマ:自転車ロードレース - ジャンル:スポーツ

1. 2023/04/06(木) 14:36:50|
2. Bike Races
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Finally the PIN code came in mail!

This morning (Thursday, April 6th) I found a neat envelope in the physical mail box not virtual mail box of any e-mail accounts. I hurriedly opened it and found what I had been longing for the last several days.

Now I have to make actions to activate the card. To do so I either have to make a money withdrawal transaction at the local ATM or just buy something at physical shops and stores which inevitably requires this PIN code.

So I am going to buy something other than grocery. Now I am off to some location to do some shopping!



A few hours later.

Yes, it worked and now my credit card is functional. I will proceed to book a room for the Paris - Roubaix trip and do some more with this credit card.


In Japanese: 続きをどうぞ [I am off for shopping!]の続きを読む

テーマ:ひとりごとのようなもの - ジャンル:日記

1. 2023/04/06(木) 13:11:00|
2. Diary
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Interstellar 2014 by Christopher Nolan

I watched the movie. I like well-screenplayed Sci-Fi films.

Visually stunning Sci-Fi movies will cost a fortune I believe. CGI production and / or movie sets will run a staggering amount of money I imagine. Some big-budgeted movies show off amazing computer-generated scenes but sometimes turn out to be disappointingly boring like ...

Anyway, I had to watch Tenet 2020 several times to enjoy it. I first read the "Plot" of it at Wikipedia dedicated to the movie. Also I watched some YouTube videos that explained the complicated story.

I will watch Interstellar again to appreciate the movie.

Paris - Roubaix 2023 travel and watch plan

For the travel plan, I need to book a room somewhere near Denain online (like with booking.com), which requires a valid credit. I have a newly freshly issued one but it has not been activated. I am waiting a new PIN code in the mail, which is supposed to come this week. I wake up in the morning and walk to the postbox outside to see what is in the mail.

It is Wednesday afternoon, April 5th (as of writing this). I hope it comes Tomorrow.

As for the watch plan, I have vague blueprints in my mind.


In Japanese: 続きをどうぞ [Interstellar 2014 by Christopher Nolan and Paris -Roubaix 2023]の続きを読む

テーマ:自転車ロードレース - ジャンル:スポーツ

1. 2023/04/05(水) 22:05:01|
2. Bike Races in France
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Cinderella confirms!

I thought I might as well post something on my Instagram account as I had not done so for a long time (eon). So I posted that photo I took on my smartphone showing a freshly dropped Spatz toe warmer and Ms April Tacey on the climb of Koppenberg and tag it with her name.

I did it around 13:00 and I got almost instant reply from her self confirming that it was her who left the footwear. So I promised her that I would get it back to her next we encountered.

Paris - Roubaix 2023 planning

I am now busy with the planning, where to watch the race and others.

I was at Hornaing a Wandignies (this year it is designated as sector 17) on Saturday when the women's race was on last year. I might be there or might be at 15. I will see. After this I will most likely drive directly to Roubaix.

On Sunday last year, I was at the sector Vertrain a Saint-Martin-sur-Ecaillon. I may be there again this year or I might try to reach other places. In the end I will drive to Roubaix to see the finish.

Luckily and very conveniently in Roubaix one can catch the DVB-T (digital video broadcast terrestrial) signals very well. I always had a portable TV with me and enjoy watching the race as it develops.

In Japanese: 続きをどうぞ [Paris - Roubaix 2024 planning and others]の続きを読む

テーマ:自転車ロードレース - ジャンル:スポーツ

1. 2023/04/04(火) 17:15:40|
2. Bike Races in France
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Why Cinderella and why do I claim that I found her?

I left for Oudenaarde, Belgium a bit past 05:00 (O five hundred). With an easy break somewhere in Belgium, I arrived at the Markt square around 09:00.

I looked around (the Markt square and the finish area) and found the area just as it was before that fake epidemic. Things were normal.

The team parking (women's teams) was located at a fairy large parking lot behind the famous Oudenaarde cycling museum. I spent some time there looking at the bikes and equipment.

I left for Wolvenberg around 12:30 when the team presentation ceremony was well underway. I thought I had never been to this climb Wolvenberg. That why I wanted to try this time. I knew from the race information material that it was short and did not contain any cobble stones but it was steep at some point.

I got there in 10 minutes or so. I found myself at the steepest point. When I got there, there were not so many people. In the end people came and the climb was crowded. The men's peloton came and the crowd was excited.

I did not wait for women's peloton and moved to Koppenberg. There were people there already but more and more people showed up. Most of them left after the passage of men's peloton. I stayed there. There was a big screen on top of the climb and we could watch the TV broadcast. So I decided that I would stay until the passage of women's peloton.

Only two female riders (Marlen Reusser / 5 and Silvia Persico / 146) rode up Koppenberg and the rest of the peloton came up on foot, even the eventual winner Lotte Kapecky. It was a magnificent view.

Anyway, when the peloton left I noticed something on the cobble in front of me. It was a piece of "Spatz Neotoez Neoprene Toe Warmers by SpatzWear (www.spatzwear.com)" Of course, I did not know the details at that time I only knew it was a piece of toe warmer. The cobble section was not accessible for us, only those with badges (accredited press, team staff, course stewards and those police officers) could walk on the section. So I had to ask a photographer to pick it up and toss it to me.

Just minutes before the women's passage the men's race saw a winner. I watched Tadej Pogacar cross the line on that big screen.

Anyway, with this mysterious piece of footwear, I returned to my car and drove to Oudenaarde. I had one thing in my mind. I had to find the owner of this footwear. Yes, I was hunting for Cinderella!

I watched the race on a screen facing the street for the public at the museum. After it, I hurried to the team parking to see the return of my Cinderella. I was watching their toes! I knew some one was riding with only one toe warmer.

I soon found a suspect. I found a rider from LifePlus Wahoo wore that specific toe warmers. And soon I found a rider who was missing a toe warmer. It was a rider with the race number 174. Who was it?

It was April Tacey from the UK. This much I found out from the participants list that I had on my phone.

On my way home while having a short break at a parking on the highway, I checked the photos that I took on Koppenberg. One of the photos showed a toe warmer freshly left off on the cobble and April Tacey pushing the bike on foot just a meter away. It is not possible to see both of her toes. The one (toe) visible has a toe warmer on it. I have to assume that the toe hidden behind the bike had no toe warmer on it.

After I came home, I checked her profile on the Internet and found that she was born on 12th of October not April.

This is the story.

In Japanese: 続きをどうぞ [I found a Cinderella?]の続きを読む

テーマ:自転車ロードレース - ジャンル:スポーツ

1. 2023/04/02(日) 23:40:03|
2. Bike Races in Belgium
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Flanders Tours 2023

I will try to go and watch the race at Eikenberg and Koppenberg.

Premature combustion of gas burners

One of the fringe (peripheral) hobbies that I incidentally acquired is camping. My raison d'etre, if I may say so, is the cycling sport. Specifically, the professional road bicycle race.

The one who is most responsible for it (my infatuations with this sport) is none other than Tyler Hamilton (at that time riding for Team CSC, 2003).

Anyway, I started traveling in many European countries (France, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, Italy and others), I learned that it would make a sense picking up some camping equipment to save time and money.

When equipped with decent camping gear, overnighting is easy as I don't have to reserve hotel rooms.

I needed tents (as a bedroom or bathroom), a sleeping bag and cooking gear. These are the bare minimum and are the essential gear.

I have collected over the years some cooking gear.

The one I used the most must be Trangia 25 set that I bought around 2006. The "bigger" cooking set of the two (25 and 27).
Compact (stackable) and light weight
Easy to use and to wash

At first I used the alcohol burner. I switched to a "compatible" gas burner around 2009 (I bought two sets). The burner head showed the sign of deterioration so I swapped the burner head from the spare gas burner.

I bought additional parts or accessories to make it even more useful.

Jetboil
1. first generation Zip
2. (ditto) 1.5 L pan
3. Helios set
4. Helios Guide (the bigger one)

I bought the Jetboil Zip around 2007? The original burner head got deteriorated soon. It burned down to ashes. The reason for this demise was, as titled above, the premature combustion. I have to improvise to repair the head. I used some kitchen wear (some cheese file and stainless mesh).

This term, premature combustion, is not a technical one nor correct one. It is just a term that I coined myself.

It happens when the butane gas burns inside the burner head heating the holed metal. This metal gets heated up resulting the oxidization of the metal (stainless steel). First the thin mesh material gets burned away and the thick holed metal sheet gets darker and brittle as if wood gets charcoal.

The easy remedy for this is to choke the air flow into the gas burner at the foot. There are holes in the pipe at the foot of the burner. You can stick some object to choke them. This way (lack of oxygen) the butane does not easily burn inside the burner but only on the upper surface of the holed metal where the combustion is supposed to happen.

Those holes in the pipe are supposed to regulate the butane and oxygen mixture rate to a optimal rate. Design of those holes is not a science but an approximation only. The user has to make it correct.

This (the need of user's own modulation), however, seems to be found nowhere in the user's manual.

In Japanese: 続きをどうぞ

[Premature combustion of gas burners and the Flanders Tour]の続きを読む

テーマ:アウトドア - ジャンル:趣味・実用

1. 2023/04/01(土) 16:51:35|
2. Bike Races in Belgium
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De Ronde van Vlaanderen 2023

The biggest concern surrounding the race situation was the weather. Now (one day before the race, Saturday) the weather forecast says that it will be rainy Sunday, April 2nd after all. The Monday after it will be a sunny day. Why not Sunday?

I will do some small shopping for Tomorrow (some drink and food) and then go to bed early to rest. I will wake up early in the morning and just drive to Oudenaarde.

The saga continues

My bad!

I seem to have blocked (in a way) my new not-even-activated credit card by using a wrong PIN code three times in a row. I am an idiot!

I asked my bank to help me get out of this mess. A new PIN code is now issued and will be here by surface mail in a week or so. I just have to wait patiently for it.

My bad!

In Japaense: 続きをどうぞ [The credit card saga continues]の続きを読む

テーマ:自転車ロードレース - ジャンル:スポーツ

1. 2023/04/01(土) 12:31:58|
2. Bike Races in Belgium
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