Tag: wheel

Video Calls

On By Michel McDonaldIn Cell PhoneLeave a comment

I’ve seen in tv shows where people are using an iPhone and they are talking to each other and they can also see each other. Like in Knight Rider for example. I’m curious if that really is possible. Maybe someone call respond to this question.

Since Darrin has a job now we’re both going to get a cell phone plan and new cell phones. He’s been taking our only cell phone to work but it’s a pre-paid cell phone which means for $25 he gets 2 1/2 hours to talk. He’s calling me all the time and he’s calling other places and I just have a bad feeling about it. He’s going to need a cell phone plan with an unlimited calling feature, GPS and internet. I figured that we could both have them so we can call each other for free.

I’m going to need one too because as soon as I get a new bike wheel I’m going to be riding my bike again and when he calls me I’d like to be on video phone chatting so he can see what the bike path looks like. I think that would be cool.

Anyway, please, if someone can respond to let me know which cell phone has that feature. I’d like to get blackberries but iphones will be cool too. I just need to know which phone is best for video calls. Thanks

Dell DJ Battery Fixed

On By Michel McDonaldIn Products I LikeLeave a comment

My friend Alyce bought me a Creative Versa-Tool Kit as a gift which I totally didn’t expect her to do.  It has many uses such as wood burning, soldering, cutting, stamping, embossing, shaping (wax) etc.

I’ve wanted one to solder my Dell DJ battery wires because they snapped off.  I was finally able to fix it so now I can start riding my bike again on the bike path. I can start losing weight again yay.  That is if I am able to buy a new wheel soon.  Now is the perfect time to start riding again because the weather is nice.

Green Wheel

On By Michel McDonaldIn GreenLeave a comment

greenwheelOk I found this on dvice.com

Green Wheel gives any bike an electric push

I want one of these because when I go on my bike ride on the bike trail I usually go 11-18 miles and sometimes the bike trail has these hills (that they put in intentionally to give you a workout) but I’m so tired that I just can’t make it up.  This will help.

Also I think it would help me get to the bike trail with no effort on my part then get me back home from the bike trail in 1 piece.  Usually by the time I get home from my bike ride 2 hours later I can barely walk, especially if I haven’t been riding in a while so while I’m letting it take me home my legs are resting so I can actually walk to the bathroom instead of using a walker.

Back Home

On By Michel McDonaldIn Daily BlogLeave a comment

We got back home today around 5pm.  I was so glad that my cat was ok hehe.  She apparently escaped her prison cell (the kitchen) by pushing on the door hehe.  She’s never tried that before so she always stayed in the kitchen when we go out or when we lock her up all night long.  I bring her in from the patio at night so she doesn’t freeze to death and I have to lock her in the kitchen because the dog eats her poop from the litter box so she’s used to being locked up in the kitchen by now.

We had some left over Rum from the fruitcake so when we went to the store tonight we got some Egg Nog and so I had an egg nog with rum which is rare for me because I normally love egg nog by itself.  Wow I put so much rum in it and it was only like 10% of the glass lol.  I ended up having to water it down with tons of egg nog lol.

Well, I’m glad to be home now.  I’m looking forward to buying a new bike wheel so I can start riding my bike again.

Front Wheel

On By Michel McDonaldIn CyclingLeave a comment

I got my bike all fixed up and stuff and I just spun the front wheel and apparently it’s bent a bit.  I just spent $76 today and I really can’t afford to buy a new wheel.  I’m sure that I will be fine with a bent wheel until I get my next check in January.  I probably won’t be able to ride my bike for a week anyway so when I do start up again I can just ride with a bent wheel for a while.  I’d rather not ride with a bent wheel but there really isn’t that much I can do about it for right now.  All I can do is just be very safe when riding and hope nothing goes wrong lol.  Or just not ride at all until I get a new front wheel.  This is all costing more than the bike is worth lol.

Spoke Magnet

On By Michel McDonaldIn Daily BlogLeave a comment

When I came home from the E.R. today I noticed that the magnet on my front wheel spoke was gone (magnet for the cyclo-computer) and so I went to eBay to see if they had any and they had 1 for $2 plus $1.51 shipping.  Even though my bank account is running low, I have about $30 left, I took the liberty of making a $5 bid.  If I can avoid having to buy a whole new computer just for a magnet then I will.

There were other magnets on eBay for $7 – $9 but with shipping costs that would make them come out to be about $12 or $13.  The computer itself at Target is only $15.  I’m not paying close to the same price for a new computer just for a magnet.

If I lose the bid on this then I’m just gonna keep checking eBay to see if someone else has it cheap.  If not then when I go to target for the gloves I might as well just buy a new computer.

Bike Maintenance

On By Michel McDonaldIn CyclingLeave a comment

Yesterday when I came home from riding my bike I tightened the gears on the handlebars and fixed that but decided today was the day I was going to do maintenance on my bike.  I wanted to get some degreaser and cleaner for the gears on the back wheel and the chain and scrub it all to clean it then put some new grease on it but I need Darrin to take me to the bike store.  I don’t want to ride it there because it’s kinda far and I don’t want to have to have bottles of cleaner and grease in bags hanging on my handlebars.  Yeah I know I could use a backpack but that’s ok.  I’d rather be driven there.  I’d also like to walk through the store looking around and not worry that my bike is getting stolen.

What I did do today was I took the back wheel off because it has been wobbling and I know it’s not supposed to do that.  Before I figured out how to fix it I noticed that the ball bearings were getting close to falling out.  That’s not good.  I knew that I am lucky that I finally got around to fixing it because if it got any looser that I’d be in trouble.  I got it tightened but too tight so I had to loosen it hehe.

All fixed but not lubed up so hopefully soon I can get the cleaner and grease and get that done.

Cyclo-Computer

On By Michel McDonaldIn CyclingLeave a comment

Well I bought a Cyclo-computer today at Target with 20 functions.  Some of the functions are Odometer, speedometer, how many calories I’m burning, how much fat I’m burning, timer and many more.  The way it works is I put a magnet on one of the spokes on the front wheel and I attach a sensor to the fork then the wire goes up to the computer.  The computer is also removable so nobody will steal it when I go to the store.

I also bought a new lock while we were there.  It’s a much better lock and it came with a bracket that attaches to the frame.  This new lock has a key so I don’t have to worry about a combination and the spare key is in a drawer just in case I lose my first key.  If I lose both keys then I will probably lose my bike forever because this is the type of lock that you cannot open easily.

Dell DJ Tweak

On By Michel McDonaldIn MusicLeave a comment

As I’ve stated in my previous blogs, when I got my Dell DJ Battery it wouldn’t fit inside the case but it still plugs in and works fine.  The only thing is, I have to stick it to the back of the DJ with a rubber band and the bottom isn’t on so I must have it in a neoprene camera case.  I would’ve prefered if the DJ was in a case that has a clear plastic front like they make for iPods and iPhones that have elastic to put around your arm.  This way I’d be able to change the song.  I would just have to cut a hole for the scroll wheel that’s all.  But this is fine.

I have a remote so I can pause, play, go to the previous song and the next, raise and lower volume and turn the radio on.  If I want to change whats playing I have to take the DJ out of the camera case.  Which is no problem.  I have 5 cd’s queued up all the time and they are all newish and what I want to listen to while riding my bike.

Well, here are the pictures that I just took of the DJ with the battery on the outside laying next to its case.  To see the full size of these pictures just click them.

Dell DJ Battery On Hold

On By Michel McDonaldIn Gadgets, MusicLeave a comment

Well, since I bought the pump and frame bag for my bike I now have to wait on the battery for my Dell DJ.  In order to ride my bike I need stuff for it.  If my tire blows I can’t pump it up without the tools in a bag on my bike frame so the Dell DJ is a moot point because the whole reason I wanted to get a new battery was so I could enjoy music while riding the bike, if I can’t ride the bike then no reason for music.

There are a few other things I need as well like a new headlight and backlight preferably the kind that attach to the back wheel that turns on while you are riding the bike.  What can I say, I hate buying batteries.

I also need a bike shirt that absorbs the sweat and makes me cooler while I ride.  Cotton is so bad for riding a bike because it sticks to your skin.  It doesn’t absorb the sweat and then dry while you are riding.  Ok, don’t worry, I won’t subject anybody to bike shorts.  Believe me, it ain’t gonna happen.

I do need a helmet too though.  I know it’s the law for teenagers but it’s only common sense for an adult to wear one.  I tried buying one at this thrift store one time and Darrin laughed at me and it was a very nice one so if he laughs at me then it makes me not want to wear it which is a very dangerous way of thinking because if I got into an accident I’d DIE!

Hopefully when I get all that I need to ride then I will be able to get a battery for my Dell DJ.  I just can’t ride without music.  It’s so boring without it.  I do have a solar charger that plugs into the Dell DJ so that’s not a problem, the solar charger works as a battery.  But still, I’d rather have a proper battery.