Project: Black Widow Venom Motorcycle (Yamaha Warrior)

2005 Yamaha Mid-Night Road Star Warrior, 12,500 miles. 102 cubic inch V-twin, 1700cc engine. 200 50/17 rear tire.

Air box and filter removed from the side and underneath the gas tank.

Churchkey Velocity Big Air Kit installed to throttle bodies.  Sensor relocation plate attached for relocating coils, air temp sensors, and vacuum.

Hand shaved Air Induction System (AIS) block off plates.

Removed AIS system.

AIS block off plates installed.

Coils and sensors relocation complete.

DynoJet Power Commander III USB for fuel management and mapping.  The allows fuel control at RPM vs. throttle positioning.

Arlen Ness mirrors and Avon "air cushion" grips, add a nice look.

Italian made Givi 755N windscreen.  Keeps wind off the chest and makes long rides a little easier.

Vance & Hines Big Shot performance exhaust.

Coil and sensor relocation cleans up the front of the motor to show off the big cylinders.

Nice clean view, had to make custom fitting for the Givi to fit.

Project complete, Mid-Night Warrior performance and style.  Weather has warmed up and now it's time to let the good times roll.

While the weather is cold and wet outside, there's plenty of time to do maintenance and improvements on your ride.  This year I decided to add some HP and style to the old Road Star Mid-Night Warrior.  Mine is a 2005 model with 12,000 miles on it. 

Performance Modifications:

• Removed stock air box and side air filter.
• Installed Churchkey Velocity Big Air Kit with High Flow K&N Racing Air Filters.
• Removed stock air induction system (AIS).
• Hand carved and installed AIS block off plates.
• Installed DynoJet Power Commander III USB, fuel management system.
• Removed coil hanger and coils.
• Installed coil relocation plate, relocated vacuum lines, air temp sensors.
• New Bridgestone Extrendra 200 50/17 rear tire.
• Vance & Hines Bigshot exhaust.

Style Modifications:

• Arlen Ness tear drop mirrors.
• Avon air cushion grips.
• Givi 755N windscreen.

Summer Time Is For Baseball

Enjoying the outdoor weather at a Carolina Mudcat's baseball game in Zebulon, NC.

Von and Sarah hanging out with mini-Mudcat at 5-County Stadium.

Summer time is all about being outside, watching a baseball game, peanuts, Cracker Jacks, and watching an awesome firework show if the Mudcat's win.  Which they do occasionally.  If it's a Friday or Saturday night game and our home team wins, we are treated to one of the best and up close firework displays EVER!  The burst are so close, I've had still burning cinders fall on my arms.  You will be so close at you'll feel the rapport.

This is cheap entertainment in the summer.  Typically it's about $7/person, and $5 to park.  Granted, the concessions are not cheap, but it's a slow game, and we have time to talk, walk around, etc.  Yep we eat a lot of junk food when we're at the ball park, cotton candy, sodas, hot dogs, hamburgers, and chips.  It's a good time.

Paintball for Fun....A little Pain Never Hurt Anyone (Xtreme Kombat Warfare Center)

Sarah, Von, and I ready for a full day of paintball fun.  It does hurt, but not as bad as you think.

Von with a fully automatic SAW (squad automatic weapon) air-soft gun.  It has the weight and feel of the real thing.

Kids and adults a like have fun playing paintball.  It's fast, exciting, and fun.  It does take quite a bit of energy to run around.

Sarah got to go play paintball at Xtreme Kombat Warfare Center right outside of Durham, NC.  We got a great deal on Living Social.  The package includes gun, goggles, and 200 paint balls.  The Warfare center also offered equipment to buy or rent, and they also had facilities for players to play air-soft.  Air-soft are plastic BBs, and it's a pain tolerance game.  I think.

I just want to say that this place rocks.  We were able to play in three completely different environments.  The fist one had little barricades and barrels to hid behind, the second one was an urban combat town with rooms, houses, and towers.  The third terrain was in the woods, with some low barricades spread out.

Now if you've never played before I highly recommend it.  It does take a lot of running.  The paint ball does not hurt, and there are rules to say "surrender" at close range.  Close range is where the paint ball can cause a bruise.  The paint ball is actually slow enough that you can see it flying towards you and sometimes you can duck it.  There are no need for sites, because you have to lob the projectiles to the target.

Typical scenario is the referee will divide the two group into teams.  Then both teams will approach and engage.  There can also be other games like capture the flag, or escort the prisoner.  All I have to say is that this gets two big thumbs up from my kids.  It was a blast.  200 paint balls each may last about two games, but additional paint balls are cheap.  Bring lunch.

What to expect and bring:  Wear long sleeves, long pants, and tennis shoes or boots.  The field could be wet and muddy. Bring a lunch, and you can spend all day there.

Schlitterbahn New Braunfel, Texas...the BEST Water Park EVER!

This is the tower that will get you up for the best water coaster EVER.  It's called the Master Blaster at the Blastenhoff section of the park.  This is the same tower for the Black Knight and the Wolfpack.

A view of Master Blaster, they say it's been voted the best water coaster in the world.  It has water jets that hit the back of the raft and your back to push you up hill.  This ride takes one full minute to reach the bottom.

The Original Schlitterbahn.  Lots of rafting rides.  The clean and cool water comes from natural springs.

My kids having a blast on the Downhill Racer at the original Schlitterbahn.

Waiting in line for the Hillside ride.  The lines looked long, but they moved fast.  This was a fun, easy, and relaxing ride.

Sarah doing surfing moves on Boogie Bahn.  There were some people that were just amazing with their trick abilities.  We were just happy to be able to ride and stay in place.


Han's Hideout.

Top of Blastenhoff.


Cooling off with some Dip'N'Dots.  Bring a cooler and set it on a picnic table, and come back later to eat.  This is a chilled place and someone stealing your stuff is low.



Schlitterbahn, New Braunsfel, Texas (The BEST!)

This summer the kids and I took a trip to Schlitterbahn in New Braunsfel, Texas.  New Braunsfel is about 20-30 minutes from San Antonio.  They say everything is bigger in Texas, well in this case I would agree.  Schlitterbahn is absolutely the biggest and best water park we had ever been to.

To say this place was huge is a massive understatement.  This was three separate water parks, and you had to take a free tram through town to get to the other sections.  There are three distinct sections, The Original Schlitterbahn, Blastenhoff, and Surfenburg.  This is the mother of all water parks.  You can stay there just like a resort.  They have rooms for rent, restaurants, shallow pool bars, lockers, and of course gift shops.

Park tickets run from $53.98 for adults, and $44.98 (3-11).  The park allows you to bring in your own cooler with food and drink, but do not allow alcohol.  You can purchase alcohol at one of the poolside bars.  Bringing in your own cooler saves a lot of money.

The Original Schlitterbahn: A lot of the rides here require an inner tube, or they will be body slides.  Most of the rides are very relaxing and easy.

Surfenburg:  This area has some good group tube rides as well as the ultra cool Boogie Bahn, which is as close to inland surfing as you're going to get in Texas.  There are also plenty of things for the younger kids, like the circular float pool with floating alligators.

Blastenhoff:  This area is for the thrill seekers.  It has the big group rides, Master Blaster, Wolfpack, and Black Knight.  The float pool here has wave action and is fast.  There is also a water play castle, park with working water cannons.

Schlitterbahn is an all day event.  The kids and I give it a huge two thumbs up.  Bring flip flops, towels, food, and drink.  Expect to have fun all day.  Expect to wait in some lines for the bigger rides.  We had to wait in line for 1 hour for the top rides, but it will be worth it. 

Advice:  Keep your cool sunglasses in the locker.  They might get knocked off and some rides won't allow them.  There is a lot of water pressure on some of the rides, so any little item in your pockets will get blown out.  The locker keys have an elastic strap to go around your ankle or wrist.  I think they might have had a safety pin to hook to your garment as well.  Use it!  They charge extra if you lose your locker key.

Buy the Schlitterbahn credit card.  This will save you the hassle of handling wet dollar bills.

Frisbee Golf...A Great Way To Enjoy The Day

Von misses an easy put at the Lake Wilson Frisbee Golf Course, Wilson NC.

Sarah prepares for her 2nd shot on a par 3.

Sarah throws a little too high for the basket on hole 6 at the Lake Wilson Frisbee Golf Course, Wilson NC.

Disc golf has been around for 36 years now.  It was invented by "Steady" Ed Headrick back in the day.  It is a huge college sport and its popularity is growing fast around the world with all ages.  This game is played just like regular golf, but using an inexpensive Frisbee.  Just hit the chains, "Cha Ching!" and that means you've finished the hole.

All the courses that I've played are public.  Most municipalities will have a disc golf course at one of their many parks.  There are no greens fees and a disc is relatively cheap ($6-$25).

Disc:  These Frisbees are smaller than what you would throw at the beach.  They will fly long distances.  The disc will come in different weights (grams).  There will be different edges, designs and logos on them.  Each weight and design will have a different flight characteristics.  Some people play with a huge bag of disk, but others just play with one. 

You can have two disc that are exactly the same in weight and design, but if one has nicks and cuts, it will fly differently.  On a rare occasion you might throw hard enough to hit a tree and the disc could break, so it's good to have a backup. 

Some people like to play with two disk, a putter and a driver.  The putter will not be as heavy, have rounder edges, float in flight, easier to control, and have a softer compound of plastic.

This sport is hugely popular with the college crowd.  It doesn't cost much.  You get exercise, and can bring a small cooler with your favorite beverage inside.  This game is also easy enough for young children to play.  My kids love to play a couple of holes, and it teaches them good hand eye coordination.  It is beautiful to watch a Frisbee in flight.

Course:  Some course will be relatively easy, par 3's.  Some will be difficult, but each hole will be different depending on elevation and the amount of obstructions in the way (trees).  It is good to understand your throw and you can manipulate the disc around the trees to get to the pin.

You might find some holes in a wide open field, a par 5, and this will require a very hard and accurate throw.

The hazard that I hate the most is water hazards because if it goes into the water, most of the time it means you've lost your disc.

Check and see if there are disc golf associations in your area, and if there are any matches.  I once played a match and witness the most amazing throw.  This was a par 3 hole.  You could not see the basket, and the hole curved slightly to the left.  The guy threw from the concrete tee, the Frisbee went to the right, then drifted sharply to the left.  The next thing we heard was the musical sound of "Cha Ching!"  It was a hole in one, and everyone erupted in cheers!  The guy was fist pumping the air..."Yeah baby!"

This sport is super fun, and I hope you can scrape up $6, go buy a disc, and go play a course.

"I'd like to go by throwing a Frisbee,
And throw round disc that float freely in an open field
Towards heaven, till the disc falls near the pin,
But gives me good positioning for my put.
That would be good both going and coming back.
One could do worse than be a thrower of Frisbees......."

Spanish Mackerel Fishing at Atlantic Beach, NC

Capt. Ronnie Boyd, looking for fish jumping, birds, and boats.  Keep your eyes open for signs of feeding Spanish Mackerel.


A nice cooler filling up with Spanish Mackerel.


Look at the size of this Spanish Mackerel.  Note the dark fin and the spots.

When the water warms up in the Spring and Summer.  It's time to go trolling for Spanish Mackerel.  This is a great eating fish and the creel limit is high (15 per person).  They will readily bite early in the morning and late in the evening, but can readily be caught any time of the day.

Our main tactic is to fish with four lines and troll slowly at about 800 to 1,000 rpm.  We will have two poles out, and two hand lines with planers to get the lure down to 5-10'.

The gear:

Two-hand lines directly behind the boat.  We get the 00 Clark Spoons down around 5-10 feet using a Sea Strike planer (SSP1).  You can find out more by looking them up on the proper line to use, length of line needed and how to set them.  When the fish strikes, the planer comes up and we reel the fish in by hand.  It is simple and effective.  Leave plenty of mono-filament or Fluorocarbon as a leader.  Make sure you're using a swivel.  Vanish Fluorocarbon makes the best leaders in my opinion.  Use about 25-30 feet of it.  Spanish have sharp eyes and they can see the line.

The two fishing rods will have ball bearing trolling sinkers on them to get the lure down.  Again use 25-30 ft of Vanish as a leader with swivels.  Get the lines out there.

Technique: 

When you get your lines out, make sure that they're far enough away from the boat.  Try using a gold spoon, silver spoon, green with flecks, or pink with flecks.  Take note of which ones you're catching fish on and the switch to that particular spoon color to catch more fish.  The fish might be very color sensitive.  This is the key to getting more fish in the cooler.

You want a GREAT Tip:  Spanish are not that heavy and are very toothy.  I throw them straight into the cooler with the line and lure.  Pull the line until the fish's head is sticking out, press the cooler lid on his head to get it to open its mouth.  Take the lure out, then release the cooler lid and the fish will be off the hook.

Throw the hook back into the water and catch more fish.  This is a great tip, and you will never have to get slime on your hands ever again.  We've gone out with four people and caught 30-60 fish in a day.  It's relaxing just bouncing around the boat, watching the lines. 

You don't have to be that far from shore to catch Spanish, and we're fishing in about 17' of water, and sometimes just a couple of hundred yards from the beach.  There is a high potential for "Combat Fishing" (hooking up with more than one fish at a time) because Spanish feed and travel in schools.

We look for fish jumping, seagulls, and other boats when we go out.  The Spanish will chase the bait fish to the surface and allow the birds to dive and feed as well.  When we do get fish, we slow down...make a large turn and troll through the area again.

Sometime we will stop the boat and throw Gotcha plugs into the bait balls and catch them on light-medium tackle, spinning rod & reels.  This is my favorite way to catch Spanish because I love fighting the fish on a rod and reel.

Additional Note:  If the fishing is slow or nothing is biting....you should pop open your favorite beverage or a beer.  It's almost a guarantee that if you pause long enough to refresh yourself with a cool drink....a fish will strike and you will need to get to work.  Well, this is the kind of work I don't mind.

Cooking:  The best way I like to eat Spanish Mac's are fillet and fried in House Autry Seafood Breader (medium spicy).  Nothing taste or smells like summer, like the smell of fish bubbling and frying in hot oil.  Happy holidays and good luck with your fishing adventures.

Indoor Skydiving at Paraclete SkyVentures in Raeford, NC

My kids with their certificates that they can indoor skydive.

Very excited and ready to go into the wind tunnel.

Von screamed like a little girl.

Sarah doing the flying squirrel.  All smiles.

We got an awesome deal on LivingSocial or Groupons for indoor skydiving at Paraclete SkyVentures in Raeford, NC.  This was absolutely one of the scariest things and most fun thing I'd ever done.  You get a class on how to fly your body.  They will provide a flight suit, goggles, and helmet.  You will get to fly for two minutes, which doesn't sound like a long time, but it is when you are flying.

The instructor will be in the wind tunnel with you the whole time.  This is an all age activity.  I saw 4-year-old kids as well as senior citizens flying and having an awesome time.

What To Bring:  A no fear attitude and some tennis shoes.  They have lockers and as you can see from the photos, they have bleachers for spectators.

What To Expect:  Keep you mouth closed!  Tie your shoes on tight.  The heavier you are the higher the wind speed required to fly you.  You will see a large digital readout of the wind speed and your time in flight.

I can't show you in the photo, but the wind tunnel is very, very high.  There is a wire mesh as a floor.  On your 2nd minute the instructor will ask you if you want to go high.  If you say yes, it will be the best ride of your life.  The test cell operator will bounce you up and down and you will literally be flying 20-40 feet in the air and then free fall drop, and then bounce back up high again.  It was scary, but fun at the same time.

You might get a chance to see some of the professionals practicing their maneuvers together.  It is like a flying ballet.  It is beautiful to watch.

This one is not for the faint of heart.  The kids and I give it a huge two thumbs up in the fun factor.  Check them out.  http://www.paracletexp.com/


Family fun with indoor skydiving.  Skydiving without the danger of jumping out of a perfectly good airplane.