European Delivery, 1997

I served my two year mission in Germany, and since then I have been partial to all things German. For instance, I always root for Germany in international soccer tournaments, such as the World Cup. And I am very partial to German cars, especially BMWs.

I never thought it practical to actually own a BMW, but a combination of a company stock windfall and a planned visit to Austria in November 1997 brought it about. I was in the market for a new car and test drove and researched many models. The BMW 328i was the clear winner and a 7% discount for taking delivery in Munich, Germany, was the clincher.

BMW offers a European Delivery program, where you work with a stateside BMW dealership to order a U.S. spec car for delivery in Munich. BMW provides insurance for driving in Europe, and there are a number of locations to drop the car off for shipment back to the U.S. dealer. BMW includes shipment and all other fees in the price of the car.

Here is the German license plate for the car:

We really enjoyed driving the new car in Europe, and it saved us car rental expenses. We picked up our son, Blair, from his mission in Austria and toured the country with him. It was a wonderful vacation overall.

One downside is the long wait after dropping the car off until it is delivered in the states, normally seven to eight weeks for the west coast. But along with the car come the memories of the European delivery experience.

Here is the car almost ten years later as we prepared to sell it.

And the original window sticker.

It took nearly ten years, but we decided to repeat the experience. Stay tuned for episode 2.

Lost in Budapest

When we visited Budapest last month, we parked the car at our hotel and bought all day tickets to use the public transportation. Here is a photo of "Moscow Square", a major transportation hub in Budapest. (Suzanne already commented about the Communist architecture of the building in the center in her blog: http://topomountain.blogspot.com/2010/11/one-of-these-things-is-not-like-others.html)


I enjoy not only the economy and convenience of public transportation in large cities, but the increased feeling for the people, the city, and the sites which is gained by "rubbing shoulders" with the locals and travelling as they do.

At the end of the day we made our way back from the Parliament building, across the Danube River, and to Moscow Square. We then took a side trip back to Castle Hill to view the city at night. Then back to Moscow Square and to the tram to our hotel. However, now it was dark and we couldn't recognize the correct stop. A slight panic set in as we worried about being lost at night in a foreign city with very strange sounding and spelling of street names. We studied the map and tried to make out street names, went past the stop, and got on a tram to reverse our course. Fortunately, we guessed right on our second pass and soon found ourselves safe and sound back in our room. And with another fond memory from our trip.

The Year of Flats

There are many things to recommend commuting by bicycle. One irritating thing, though, that has plagued me to an unusual extent this year is getting a flat tire, and having to change it, on the road. Like yesterday morning about half way through my 45 mile ride. And this on a brand new tube I installed the previous night (to replace a tube with a slow leak).

I can go months and months without a flat, and then have three in one week. I haven't kept track but I may have had as many as 15 flats this year. And they usually come in bunches.

The most common cause is picking up glass or some other sharp object (like a staple) that punctures through the tire into the tube. While a bike lane on a busy road is a godsend, one downside is that debris migrates to the edge of the road into the bike lane, and bikes don't have enough mass to sweep the debris further off the road. I hate it when I find myself riding through small specs of shattered glass, either from a car accident or carelessly tossed liquor bottle.

I had another rash of flats due to defective tubes near the valve stem. That was sure discouraging, with multiple flats in one week. Another time I had a couple of flats due to the rim strip not covering the spoke hole edge completely.

On one group ride I had two flats on the road and had to borrow another spare tube. Turns out I didn't find the source of the first flat so it punctured again (small piece of glass). In a pinch I could try to patch a tube on the road, but that is a pain. I carry a spare tube, tire irons, and a pump to get back on my way. Then I try to patch the tube when I get home to salvage the tube for further use.


Here is a nicely repaired tube.


May the fates keep yours and my bike tires fully inflated day after day!

Bye bye 335xi

In 2007 I purchased a BMW 335xi for European Delivery in Munich. The discount was fabulous, and the opportunity to drive it in Germany was uber fun. Here I am picking it up at the delivery center in Munich:


Three years and 23,000 miles later the lease ended and here it is being turned in.

This was the funnest and most competent car I have ever had. If I hadn't purchased a new BMW (see future post) I would have bought this one at lease end.

So now our garage went from this:


To this:

Welcome to the 2004 Toyota Corolla, previously owned by Blair and Bridget. This is one practical and economical car.

I know it is a guy thing to take pictures of and write poems about your cars (in addition to your kids), but here goes:

It's time for goodbye

to my 335xi.

After three years of fun

sorry to drop you and run.

Fall Colors

I love the colors at this time of year. Here is a Nov. 2 view outside Intel in Hillsboro where I work. On a sunny day the colors can really pop. I'm sure my cell phone camera looking through a window doesn't do it full justice.

And just outside my window.


Here are photos I took Nov. 11, 2006, around the neighborhood. The colors and variety can be striking.

A Manly Lunch

For several decades, beginning in grade school, I have been a sack lunch person. I like the flexibility and economy of it. I can eat my lunch all at once, or spread it out. And whenever I want. At my desk or in my lab. Or on an errand. If I'm heads down and swamped with a task I don't have to take timeout to go to lunch. And I'm sure over the years I've saved thousands of dollars vs. buying lunch.

For the great majority of that time the anchor of the sack lunch menu has been peanut butter and jelly on wheat bread. For a while it was home made wheat bread. Now it is Oroweat outlet store wheat bread (sometimes less than a dollar a loaf). These days I add yogurt and an apple. And perhaps grapes, or carrots. Or some random leftover. I keep a large bag of vegetable chips at work to munch on. I used to keep a large tub of outlet store potato salad in the frig at work, but Suzanne convinced me that wasn't healthy.

Here is my lunch being assembled in the morning.



I used to eat Tillamook yogurt--yummm! But Suzanne convinced me this "Light and Fit" yogurt was healthier. I'm sure she is right, but does it have to come with a pink label, and advertise the fight against breast cancer? Not my idea of a manly lunch item.



In the past I reused the actual brown bag for my lunch day after day. It would get pretty worn, and I wondered what people would think of a professional going to work carrying such a bag. Today I stuff it in my waist pack for convenience with my bicycle commute to work.



I confess, I also keep a bag of trail mix (my favorite Costco/Kirkland brand) and, these days, a sack of Snickers in my drawer at work to munch on late afternoon.

Coupons

For over a year now I have had this obsession with buying Wheat Chex on sale, and applying a coupon for additional cash back. I really scored big last year, as you see in this post:
http://acraigwalker.blogspot.com/2009/11/more-frugality.html

I had a few $3 coupons remaining from last year that expired in October, so as my stash of Wheat Chex dwindled I was constantly on the lookout for a sale (especially at Winco), but it never happened. Finally, last week, I saw Chex on sale, but only other flavors, not Wheat Chex. Since my coupons were expiring I just used them to buy Corn Chex (for 98 cents net), which I like, but which don't quite have the mass to hold off my morning hunger until lunchtime.


However, there was a bonus attached. New coupons!

These aren't as lucrative as the previous $3 coupons, but they will prolong the hunt up to another year while I await a Wheat Chex sale.

Trick or Treat

I have many fond memories of past Halloweens, and of accompanying my children on their trick or treat rounds through the neighborhood. I recall a variety of weather conditions, from windy, to wet, to cold. This year was nearly perfect weather--dry, calm, and warm. At least one Halloween, we were joined by the Juhasz family visiting from Idaho.

I miss my small children at Halloween. And each year I am sad that we have fewer and fewer children come to the door to trick or treat. One reason is due to our neighborhood maturing. Last year I believe we had fewer than 10 total. This year I think we bumped up a bit, to perhaps 20 (maybe due to good weather). On the plus side, I buy lots of Snickers and then have leftovers to snack on myself for weeks afterwards.

But, we now have grandchildren to enjoy! Here is a photo of the Walkers at a trunk or treat activity. Emily is so creative with costumes.

I wanted to extract my tax on the goodies, but the parents took priority.

I have worn my trusty Arab clothing as my costume for several years now. It is a sad commentary on American-Arab relationships that many people think I'm dressed as a terrorist.

So, another Halloween is in the books. And I'll continue to enjoy my Snickers!

November "First" Post

I'm committed to posting a blog entry each day in the month of November, like last year (and like several other family members). I recommend it if any of you want to get onboard.

It seems like November 1st is a turning point in the weather and seasons in NW Oregon. In October you still get Indian Summer, with a number of nice warm and sunny days. By November you are pretty much committed to late Autumn weather and the onset of the Pacific NW winter. There will still be some nice sunny days sprinkled throughout the coming months, but overcast and damp is the norm.

We do have some brilliant colors this time of year, though. Here is a shot outside my window at work from the other day.

For comparison, see similar shots in a post from last year.
http://acraigwalker.blogspot.com/2009/12/what-difference-month-makes.html

Saturday morning, Suzanne and I went for a scenic drive near our home. Here are some pictures.

And here is looking outside our window Sunday morning.

I do like this time of year, in spite of the deteriorating weather and onset of darkness. I like the subdued atmosphere, and even the dampness and fog to an extent.

Here is a map of states I have visited (not counting brief stops in airports, or I could add Maine and Michigan):


visited 41 states (82%)
Create your own visited map of The United States

It's possible I visited some of the other states when I was too young to remember.

And here is an international map for me:



visited 26 states (11.5%)
Create your own visited map of The World

I visited Hong Kong, which is why China lights up. A visit to Moscow, St. Petersburg, and suburbs colors in most of Asia. However, my visit to Singapore doesn't make much impact. I'm missing the entire continents of Africa, South America, Australia, and Antarctica.

Later this month I will add Hungary and United Arab Emirates.

The summer of grandkids

What a marvelously delightful summer this has been, with extended visits by our remote grandchildren.

In June Teresa and Paisley came to visit for nearly six weeks. We got to know Paisley a lot better and saw her start walking and gain many new skills just in the time she was here. She is such a pleasant baby with a very agreeable personality.



At the end of the summer we hosted Bridget and Jeremy for a fun filled two weeks, and enjoyed the company of Magdalena and Miriam. Miriam is such an introspective and intelligent girl, and Magdalena is outgoing and fearless. I think Magdalena had an oft used expression that summed up the summer very well: "So fun!"



We are fortunate to have Blair and Emily's kids in town: Brooklyn, Jonah, and Eli. Brooklyn nearly drove us to the poor house with her extensive reading this summer with our two cents per page incentive. Jonah is all boy, and Eli so polite.



All of these cousins love playing together and get along so well. And what a great blessing to us grandparents!

Mt. St. Helens Climb

(View of Mt. St. Helens from our camp)

Yesterday a group of us climbed Mt. St. Helens. This was my fourth time, the first being a glorious experience about a decade ago, with perfect weather. Each time, being exhausted at the finish, I assure myself that I won't do it again. But, time has a way of softening the hardship and bringing the exhiliration and accomplishment into the foreground.

Bridget and Jeremy are visiting and they wanted to do the climb, so we got a group of 13 together, including family and friends. We drove up the night before and camped at Climber's Bivouac. We sat around the campfire telling stories and keeping warm. Some were up and on the trail at 5:30AM, and others (including me) at 7:45.

The wind was blowing a bit at the camp, so that was a concern for the mountain. As usual, it was a pleasant start, with two miles of gentle climbing through a forest. Then we emerged at timberline and started climbing through and over a long stretch of boulder fields.

Towards the top of the boulder field we could see our destination, the crater rim.

It got very windy at this section of the climb, and it appeared iffy whether we could finish. But once we got up on the final stretch it subsided a bit.

The views at the top are amazing, with Mt. Hood, Mt. Rainier, Mt. Adams, and other volcanic peaks all over the horizons.

This is looking to the north into the crater, with Spirit Lake and Mt. Rainier.

The descent is always agonizing, and goes on forever. The footing is treacherous for much of it, due to loose sand/gravel. I actually prefer the climbing part. What a welcome sight the forest trail is emerging from the final boulder section.

Now, I have completed my last Mt. St. Helens climb. And it was another marvelous experience, especially to climb with Suzanne, Bridget, Jeremy, Emily, and others.

Altima -- R.I.P.

Sorry about all the car and travel posts lately. When Steven went away to college early this summer I took over the '94 Nissan Altima, cleaning it all up and buying new tires for it. It was looking so sharp and I was definitely feeling pride of ownership.


I composed a blog post previously about the Altima:

http://acraigwalker.blogspot.com/2009/11/driving-stick.html

Well, yesterday Steven was driving the Altima and it overheated on him. Last night I replenished all its fluids and after it cooled down I nursed it over to the auto repair shop. Today they took a look at it and the preliminary diagnosis is a blown gasket or cracked cylinder, so $1000 best case to fix it, with $1500 or so more likely.

I have been agonizing over whether to invest more in the car. It has served us so well and so economically the past 2.5 years. Emotionally I want to fix it, but rationally it doesn't make sense, as we really don't need the car anymore.

We'll take another day or two to decide, but it is almost like losing a member of the family.

Update: Indeed we decided to scrap the car. I was pleased to get $280 for it from a salvage yard. I swapped the original steel wheels and winter tires back onto it so I can sell the nicer alloy wheels and almost new tires on craigslist. Still sad to see it go.

Swagger Wagon

Our trusty Toyota Sienna minivan carted us all over Utah and did a swell job of it.



Nice having all that room in the back.

This picture actually inspired this post, as it kind of looks like a shot you might see in the product brochure. (Near the Colorado River crossing.)

And for those men who feel emasculated owning a minivan, here's a hip video about the Sienna "Swagger Wagon". You can feel proud.