Roadtrip One

With winter looming, the Ridearound team are starting to do some armchair planning. Early next year, we will take to the roads for the first team adventure. This is going to cover the planning!

Return to the gym

After another rest period of a few months, I returned to the gym yesterday to find that there had been a complete refurbishment. Most of the equipment was new and they are now also offering a number of classes that had not been offered at all previously.

I started with the last workout I had done and surprisingly managed without any problems. There are no signs of any aches or pains today either which is great news but might mean that I will get double tomorrow!

To ensure that I can stick to a proper routine, I have arranged to have a personal training session in which I will be given a tailored workout designed to help me achieve my goals. The goals need to be finalised but I am thinking about weight loss and toning. I am hoping that having a plan in place and the need to complete a program, there will be less chance of me drifting out of the habit of going that I build up each time.

I may try some other classes to diversify my exercise and provide some variations to the routine. As soon as my program has been developed, I’ll be in a better position to know what I need to do and how often I should be doing it. I’ll be sure to report back!

Anathem

I have had the new Neal Stephenson novel, Anathem on pre-order for some time now and I was quite looking forward to getting my hands on it. Browsing through my reader today I came across this superb video on MySpace that has been created by Brady Hall. It has been really well made and does a great job of getting the intrigue fired up a little more! Only a few weeks till the book is launched which is good news.

Le Mans update

It has been a couple of weeks since the track day at Le Mans and it is time for a quick update. As usual we had a great day and a great party afterwards. The weather was interesting as it started out with lots of rain and then ended up bright and grippy! Interestingly, whilst it was grippy, I managed to spin off the track and ding my car. The only other problem we encountered was some minor slippage from Grant’s clutch. There are some photos to check out right now- here on M3HQ we have all the M3 pictures – and if you are interested in all the other cars that went, head over to the Le Mans 2008 gallery at Encaptured.com. I can tell you that there is a lot of information coming your way such as:-

• A couple of videos that are being worked on. (Just waiting for some new software!).
• Details of the repairs being done on Shane’s M3.
• Statistics from the ‘Performance Box’ logging device.

Half way there!

After what feels like a couple of months – but is in fact 8 months – I have just passed my theory test.  This was initially booked a few weeks ago and I had nearly forgotten about it untill I had a reminder SMS from Google. Now I can honestly say that with absolutely no revision or practice since Dave and I installed the software back in January… it is possible to pass the test on car experience alone!

This time – maybe!

My big fruity plans to dive into fitness training again have been slightly diluted – back to water in fact – by my inability to actually do something. This is not to say that I go home and watch TV all evening after work. In fact, quite the opposite, I have been really busy with travel, home improvements and other commitments that fight for my attention. To be honest though, I cannot figure out why I find it so difficult to take 30 minutes and go for a run or a bike ride.

With some time off work next week, I am planning to try and get out running or cycling. This is in addition to continuing the “100 Push up challenge“. I found some great ideas and buckets of inspiration on this post at Zen Habits. It provides a lot of detail and is well worth reading. With any luck, just a few outings will help me build the activity time into my schedule. Of course, I may be busy and forget!

Brake system

The front discs on my car were badly worn. They were rusted badly and had large ridges around the outside.  To ensure that the car was as safe as possible – and that I had the latest braking point as possible on the track – I ordered new set.

Grant’s car has racing pads, Goodridge braided hoses and Dot 5.1 fluid. The performance I noticed in his car last year at Le Mans was superb; the lack of brake fade gave a lot of confidence when heading for the bends. Though I have ordered standard pads, I felt a set of Goodridge hoses and Dot 5.1 brake fluid might give me a boost. They have been fitted and the system flushed and bled with the new fluid.

So far driving on the roads, I have noticed very little difference, though it is perhaps a little smoother. I very much hope that next week at Le Mans there are no surprises. Here is a ‘fingers crossed’ for consistent braking!

Hot crisps

These crisps are supposed to be hot! I couldn’t tell! This is a test post from my iPhone!

M3 Technical Specifications

As a record for ourselves and anyone else that might be interested, we have a page detailing the E46 M3 technical specs. We will update this page as and when we receive suitable information. If you would like to add anything, leave a comment here or use the contact form!

BMW M Advert

This is an authentic BMW M division advert.