Hobbies

R/C

I've always had a strong interest in radio controled models and toys. I've got a few Zip Zaps, but the tires seem to keep disintegrating, on me. I've also got a first generation Xmod, that's been modified to turn tighter. With two dogs around, it doesn't get run much. Especially since Bogie will just attack it.

My first RC toy, when I was a kid, was a Radio M48 tank. I've never outgrown that love of tracked vehicles. My two favorite RCs that I own, are a Kyosho Blizzard EV that's been modified to use a 1/10 scale truck body, and model M60A2 that I've converted over to radio control. They have their own pages.

Truck

Tank

Computers

I was a computer hobbyist for a few years. Being the household "IT guy" has broken me of it. I do need to build myself a system, though. I'm still using the same computer I had when I started the comic. I've upgraded it about as much as I can. All the standard have changed, so about the only thing I could carry over would be my optical drives.

Model Railroading

In recent years, my interest in model trains has re-emerged. Lack of space and funds (mostly space) has kept my layout small. The sceniced area is only about four and a half feet wide, and a foot deep. It's an N scale switching (shunting) layout based on the O scale Pioneer Valley RR project layout from the September through December 1994 Model Railroader magazines. I've extended staging tracks off of each end, and I'm going with different industries. I'm plaing it in my own fictional Hobb Creek Valley region. It's far from finished, but maybe one day, I'll get a page dedicated to it, put up.

For those who don't know about switching type layouts (called shunting layouts, by the British, who are masters of this type of model railroading) it's a simple small affair, that represents a single location with several sidings for picking up or setting out cars. There's no option for continuous running. I learned at an early age that trains running laps is a great cure for insomnia. No offense to those who like that type of layout, but if I want to watch something run laps, I'll fire up my slot cars.

Slot Cars

This is a childhood interest, that's been rekindled. I have a small tight HO scale track, that will eventually be fully sceniced. It's got a nice combination of corners, and one straight that runs the legth of the track. It's not quite long enough for most cars to really stretch their legs, though. I run old style pancake motor cars, because they're not as fast, or as glued to the track as modern in line style cars. They look great, powersliding through the corners. It's a pitty, they don't play well with that 3" hairpin I bought. For now, the hairpin, is made of made of 6" radius curves.

When finished, the Hobb Creek Raceway will be set in the same fictional part of Ohio of as my train layout. It's been progressing slowly, because nearly all the time I spend on it, it used running my blue Javelin around it. My tendency to drift from one hobby to the next, doesn't help.