Freaky Fzx Friday - Splitting the Nucleus

We've known for a long time that stars fuse little nuclei into bigger ones.  That's where they get the energy to keep us warm.  We've had data on nuclear masses for a long time - we calculated the mass per nucleon for all the nuclei and the graph looked like this.

We knew that nuclear fusion converted mass to energy according to

Tek Tip 2sD - Furnace Fail

The family was nestled all snug in their beds
With visions of Fzx alive in their heads

When down in the basement there arose such a clatter
The sound amplified by the big radiator

Down twenty eight stairs I flew like The Flash
Preventing the house from turning to ash

Off with the switch, the silence was deep
No more big noises, BabyGirl still asleep

The furnace was installed around 1980.  Maybe before that.  It might even be older than I.

Tek Tip 2sD #7 - Salt

Most spaghetti boxes call for a bit of salt.  I was once asked if that salt raised the boiling point so I tested it.  Thermometer in hand, I brought the water to a rolling boil and started adding salt.  It took a LOT of salt to see any difference on the thermometer and by that time the water was super salty.

Snow Riding

I usually pedal in traffic.  Most of my miles are on the way to school and back.  I don't do a lot of riding just for fun any more but I enjoy it all even when it's cold and rainy.  It's just better to pedal my way through life.

Snow had fallen and it was still super cold so I decided to take an hour and my mountain bike for a rare snow ride.  There are some connected parks over in Fox Chapel that I decided to ride.  This was the starting point.

Family in Abbotsford, BC, Canada 2016

After posting Tek Tip 2sD and Freaky Fzx Friday and a seven part series of my solo time in Vancouver, my family felt left out.  So here are some pictures from our visit to Abbotsford.

From Pittsburgh to Philadelphia to Seattle.  Then by car to Abbotsford, BC, Canada.

The boys traveled well.  The girl, not so well.

Tek Tip 2sD #6 - Pressure Cookers

Instead of running your crockpot (like a crackpot) for 12 hours,

why not try a pressure cooker?

Freaky Fzx Friday - Bigger than Steel Supernova

We know that stars are element generators and that our sun will die in just a few billion years.

Bigger stars than ours - and there are lots of them - live quick violent lives and explode.

Pedal Vancouver BC Part 7 - Japadog and the Train Home

link to Pedal Vancouver BC part 6 - China Garden

The time was 14:20.  I hadn't eaten lunch and I wanted to make the 3 pm train but I still had to disassemble the bike and drop it in the bag.  Just outside the train station was a Japadog so I ordered some kind of wurst with ingredients my palate didn't recognize.  It was yummy.  I also finally remembered to drink some water.

Pedal Vancouver BC Part 6 - China Garden

link to Pedal Vancouver BC Part 5 - Greater Vancouver to Naked Beach

Following my fruitless foray to find Native Americans living on the reservation I found more paper making supplies.

And the bike kept getting dirtier.

Pedal Vancouver BC Part 5 - Greater Vancouver to Naked Beach

link to Pedal Vancouver Part 4 - Stanley Park

I had been riding for two hours and it was cold so I stopped at Starbucks to warm up, get some sustenance, and use their wifi to post some pics for the family on What'sApp.  The American cell phone doesn't work in north north America.  Then I began skirting the water's edge west toward UBC.

I was heading toward the big green to the west of the Google Earth image below.  It's labeled as an Indian Reservation.  In the city.  Interesting.

Pedal Vancouver BC Part 4 - Stanley Park

link to Pedal Vancouver BC Part 3 - Downtown North

There are separated bicycle/rollerblade and pedestrian walkways circling downtown Vancouver and Stanley Park.  Walkers get the path closer to the water.  Cyclists dismount when the paths intermingle.

The temperature started around freezing and hovered just above that point all day.  I was fine in the sun but toes and fingers got a bit numb when in the shade for more than a few minutes.  There was frost on everything.  Ice in places too.

Pedalists away from the water

Pedal Vancouver BC Part 3 - Downtown North

link to Pedal Vancouver BC Part 2 - Train Ride

The pedaling started just outside the Waterfront Train Station on the peninsula that is downtown Vancouver.

Train Station at the pin

Pedal Vancouver BC Part 2 - Train Ride

link to PART 1 - PEDAL VANCOUVER BC - THE PLAN

15 minutes from home I arrived at the train station only to have to ask for the parking lot since there were no signs.  The ticket kiosk was so complicated that they had a blue-jacketed employee there just to help us through the confusing on-screen instructions.  My American cards didn't work so I paid cash.  Then I forgot to pay for parking so I had to go back.  I ended up asking so many questions that she finally gave me a voucher for the coffee car on the train.  Nice.

free coffee for the newbie

Pedal Vancouver BC Part 1 - The Plan

We were heading to British Columbia to visit my wife's big sister and family.   Little sister was visiting too so all three would be getting together and kibitzin' all night long.  I went along for the ride.  On a bicycle.  In Vancouver.

We flew into Seattle and drove north - money saved on the flight paid for most of the rental.  My bike was in a suitcase:

It's not oversize or overweight so it went on the plane with no problem.  I brought a soft bag for the train and the ride.