Category: Around Richmond

Of course, I leave and it snows.  While I was there, we only ever had an inch or two.  Here is a neat picture I found on flickr….

Image from james4765 via flickr

We went to the Cheesecake Factory last night for dinner (one of the other people who is going through training with us had a birthday and wanted to go there).  I had never been and was excited.  However, when we left, I was disappointed.

We started off with nachos (they were good).
Next, Cyndi and I split a burger (it was ok, but I prefer Red Robin or 5 Guys)
We finished with cheesecake (Cyndi had the original with strawberries, I had the chocolate peanut butter cookie dough.  I was disappointed and unimpressed.)

For the hype and price, I expected more.  The food was good but not enough so to justify the price while I’ve had better cheesecake made by Cyndi (at home in a premade crust never the less).  Unless someone just really wants to go, I probabaly won’t be going back.

Earlier this week, Cyndi and I went by the Science Museum of Virginia to find out when Wired to Win was playing (it’s a movie about the Tour DAY France). We found out that it only had one showing per night…at 9pm. From what Cyndi said, there was only 1 sign in the lobby that had showtimes on it (remember this…it becomes important later). I had today off work, so Cyndi and I planned to go to the showing last night. Well, we show up at the museum last night, I drop Cyndi and Lydia off, go park, then walk up.

The first thing I notice is that is appears as if there is a shindig at the museum. No problem I think…we’ll walk in, get tickets, go to the movie, then leave. We walk in only to find the lobby full of “stuff.” No signs anywhere telling anyone what is going on, no one keeping “unauthorized people” out, etc…. I walk back to the ticket desk but no one is there. No signs anywhere explaining what is going on or anything.

Needless to say, we didn’t go see Wired to Win (We went to see Spiderman 3 instead). This morning, we look up on the website and find out that movies shown after 6pm are only shown on Friday and Saturday. ARG! Why didn’t they have that posted in the lobby? Why didn’t they have some signs up last night talking about what was going on? ARG!

I had today off work so I decided to go for a little bit longer bike ride. On the way home, Krispie Kreme sounded like a nice treat. The hot light was on, so I went in. Normally, you get offered a sample when that is the case; however, today I had to ask. Well, I found out that “We don’t do samples anymore.” Those were the exact words of the [kind of grouchy] lady behind the counter.

From what I understand, Krispie Kreme has always given samples when the hot light was on. I guess this is the companies way to increase profits. But arg…how much does it really cost the company to give people a free hot glazed donut? My guess would be no more than 25 cents.

As of 3 laps ago, the 2007 RIR Nextel Cup Race is underway.  They started under a combo green/yellow flag.  I’m going to watch the race and update this post as things happen. 

As an asside, I think NASCAR cars should race in the rain.  If they can come up with rain tires for Indy Cars and F-1 cars…why not NASCAR?  Yeah, the car is heavier….so what.  I could drive 150 mph if people would blow every bit of debris off the track and make sure it was spotless.  I don’t get it.

[Update 05-05-2007  20:02:09] We just came back from a comercial to find a rain delay.  DW and the guys were also talking about rain tires.  They said they only work on a road course.  I don’t believe that.  IRL and F-1 both race ovals and run rain tires.

[Update 05-05-2007  20:04:34] I just talked to my mom at the track.  She said they called the race.  However, they haven’t announced anything on the tv.

[Update 05-05-2007 20:10:41] They haven’t said anything on the tv about calling the race.  But…it’s raining pretty hard at our place in richmond.  I checked intellicast and it looks like it is going to rain all night. 

I still say put the rain tires on, winshield wipers on the cars (or rain-x) and let everyone go at it.  I thought these guys were supposed to be top-of-the-line drivers and a cut-above your normal every day person who drives a car.  Yet NASCAR puts rules in place (can you say restrictor plates) that limits how fast they can go.  If these guys were that good, they ought to reinforce the bariers and let them try to sling those cars around the track as fast as they can.  If they wreck…well, they should have one slower.

[Update 05-05-2007  20:17:04] It just started raining HARD at our place in Richmond.  No word yet from the TV as to the oficial status of the race.

[Update 05-05-2007  20:54:40] I quit watching the race because it was raining so hard.  I just heard that NASCAR called the race until tomorrow.

I took this time to do some reading on the internet about NASCAR and rain tires.  So far, everything I have read has to deal with the following arguments:  cars are too heavy, too much power, it won’t work, they’ll have to go to slow, no one will watch, etc….  I think the NASCAR fans who say that they shouldn’t do it don’t actually believe their favorite driver is good enough to actually drive in the rain without wrecking his car. 

I got to go to the May 2007 Bush Race at RIR this year.  While in my seat, I captured several interesting things on video.  I have posted each one individually; however, I wanted to make one post with links to everything.  I thought it may be easier to access the information in the future.

Jeff Gordon’s Qualifying Laps for the May 2007 RIR Nextel Cup Race
Dale Jarrett’s Qualify Laps for the May 2007 RIR Nextel Cup Race
Getting Ready for Green at the May 2007 RIR Bush Race
Green Flag at the May 2007 RIR Bush Race
Racing Under Green at the May 2007 RIR Bush Race
Final Lap at the May 2007 RIR Bush Race
#2 Burnout After the Win at the May 2007 RIR Bush Race

[Update 2012-12-26 15:49:13] The article links were wrong.  I’ve redone them.

I was sitting in turn 4 for the May 2007 RIR Bush Race.  I captured this video of 2-3 minutes racing from my seats about midway through the race.

{aviremote}http://media.maxsons.org/RacingUnderTheLights200705RIRBushRace.avi{/aviremote} 

Here is video of Jeff Gordon’s qualifying laps for the May 2007 RIR Cup Race.  He ended up and got the pole with these runs.

{aviremote}http://media.maxsons.org/JeffGordonQualify200705RIRBushRace.avi{/aviremote} 

Here is video of Dale Jarrett’s qualifying laps for the 2007 RIR Cup Race.

{aviremote}http://media.maxsons.org/DaleJarrettQualify200705RIRBushRace.avi{/aviremote} 

Here is the field of the 2007 RIR Bush Race being led by the pace car around the track getting ready for green (We all thought this was going to get the green flag, but we were wrong).

{aviremote}http://media.maxsons.org/GettingReadyForGreen200705RIRBushRace.avi{/aviremote}