Usil

The complexities in your descriptions of the bikes goes beyond my expertise and I had no idea there were so many considerations. For me, I rode a bike until I was 21 and it was my main transportation. Nothing fancy like yours. I always lamented I never had a way to keep track of all those miles (it was a long time ago) but I put on a fair set of miles. - 40? I was in Kalispell, Montana once and as I exited the hotel, it was -51. I had forgotten to 'plug the car in' and you can guess it did not start. Ten feet out the door, I could feel the cold in my cheeks bad. I had never experianced anything like this low temperature. I wonder how long I would last if I did not have the right cloths? My most daring trip in the winter was to see my girlfriend for the weekend. She lived 90 miles away and all I had was a motorcycle. I left Friday afternoon at 45 degrees. Coming back it was - 15. I can not tell you what it is like going 60 miles an hour in - 15 on a motorcycle. I had prepared for the trip (I thought) by wearing two pairs of pants with newspaper between them, a navy wet suit on the torso, layers of clothing, scarves and gloves. I still froze. I counted off every mile and actually stopped once and hovered around my tail pipe to thaw my hands. I shivered for an hour after I finally returned. Ain't love grand? Oh, I did do a trip to yellowstone in the winter once. Rented snowmobiles at the park entrance. It was a spectacular day in the park and while it was cold (always below zero) it was beautiful. Do you have snow mobiles too? Usil

Welcome. Spend lots of time reading past posts. Don't rush to buy a watch. Take your time, and one will call to you. Research it, decide on a dealer and go for it. Usil

I like that watch a lot but isn't it wierd having the crown at the 9 position instead of the 3 position? Usil

Disc breaks - nice. I grew up in Illinois where the winters were bleeding cold and not much intersting going on. It was basically hibernation time while you wait for Spring. Then I moved to Utah and bought a house up against the Wasatch mountains. Lived there for 7 years and I discovered what Winter should be like. Learned to ski and went out every chance I could including night skiing, enjoyed the beauty of the show in the mountains and it was a totally different experience. I actually looked forward to Winter each year. Looks like your experiance is the latter with lots of activity and lots of fun. Makes me miss it. By the way, I am an Eagle scout (I read where you are a scout in another post) and two other people in my division (total of 3 out of 5 of us) are also Eagle scouts. I am almost 60 now but Scouting has always been one of those things that are at the top of my list of best things I ever did in my life. Still think back of all the great memories and leadership experiences at that age. Enjoy the coming Winter. (Question on the bike): The old one has shocks in front and back. The new one has just a front shock and yet it seems to be the more expensive model. Do you miss the back shock? Usil

I am not a number - I will not be stamped, filed, stapled... Usil

Bali, you will get tired of the sun and beach and pretty women and the pina coladas and the evening sunsets and the beach parties. What a bad idea you should stay with us in Paris. Usil

You need an ergonomic chair for all the time you spend in that courner. Usil

One of the first reps I saw on a web site was a Zenith and I loved it. Then all of the Zeniths disappeared. What happened to them? Any coming back? Usil

Oops, should have read the byline closer. Crazy horse. Usil

What strap is that and who makes it, cost? That is perfect for that watch. Usil

A very dressy watch. Must resist. Usil

I have bought 23 watches this year and I just found RWG in early Spring. About half of my purchases were influenced by members reviews (the other half were impulse buys). Pugwash and Neil's pictures probably influence me the most as this is what get's my mouth watering. Then the actual reviews round out the overal picture followed by The Zigmeister's experiences. I had to stop buying this year in July not because my wife said too, God bless her she just smiles when she sees me with a new watch, but because I added it all up and I told myself I needed to start practicing a little restraint. This has given me some time to plan more carefully my 2007 purchases and it will be the reviews that will guide me the most. So, those that put in the time to produce these - thanks for your contributions. My last watch of the year was to be the blue faced PAM that was popular this Summer but it got lost in the mail so have settled on replacing it with Neil's IWC GST mostly because of Pugwashes pictures and comments. I settled on the SS model as I liked the look a little better. Hope to receive it this week. The reviews and pictures make it a lot easier to make an informed selection. Please keep them coming. Usil

I appreciate The Zigmeister's posts even when he has some bad news to share. Probably the dealers cringe at these and it probably impacts sales a little but they are always fair remarks backed up by his actual experiance. Do they prevent me from buying a watch with a movement that may present problems - mostly not - in the end if I like the looks of the watch enough, I will go ahead buy it. If it stops - hey, it's a rep. So, I appreciate the comments, I listen to the issues, I note them for future reflection and then I go ahead and get what I like. Life is too short to pile too much worry on these watches as I have already gotten way more pleasure than I ever expected in this hobby. Usil

I am goiing to have to Photoshop the sound to change it from pada pada pada to pata pata pata - then maybe add a highlight - padop. Usil

Strange Bezel. Pam but not Pam. Usil

I'm glad somebody is having fun with this post. By the way, it was a rep and not a gen. I hope gens don't sound that bad. But like I said, it is kind of comforting. I keep it doped up on aspirin once a day to keep it's heart going. Don't want it to have a heart attack. Usil

If I ever want my 'buy now' brain button to click in all I need to do is see more TTK pics and I can not resist. Must resist. Usil

Good find. I remember this concert but could not go to it. I followed him through University and loved his work. Even when it started changing and got everyone [censored] off, I still liked it. My favorites are Knockin on Heavens Door and Just like a Women. Usil

Very interesting trip report. I am up for a GTG. I buy the beers. Usil

I was flying through Dubai last week and saw them all in an IWC display case. They were beautiful but I did not see the price nor did I ask. They let me try one on and I am hooked. Very nice and I guess I will risk the movement issue at some point. Usil

Just a suggestion to manage this. Create a calendar marked with the number of hours you want to work a week. You should have a good idea of how long each type of job takes so mark the time in the available slots on a first come first served basis when you take orders. When the slots are filled then move them to slots of time further out. Stop after three months to get caught up before taking new orders. Manage the time based on your needs and time you are willing to put in. By systematic about it and it should be managable. On months you want to take time off - don't fill in the slots. Everyone here will understand you do not want to work yourself to death on reps. Usil

Pugwash, Is that new? I like the look of that - clean and simple. Were you tempted by the pandas? I have been going back and forth on all the models and can not seem to lock into one in particular. Was leaning to the Black with White sub-dials but now I see this, I am not so sure. I just ordered TTK's IWC - GST SS model. Have always wanted this one and since they are no longer made thoght that I had better do it soon. Usil

There have been a few questions about the sounds coming from your watches and if it was normal or not. Here is the sound from my IWC Big Pilot Watch. It has the loudest rotor sound by far than any other watch I own. Kind of comforting. (Pugwash, how would you describe this sound?) Thrashing rotor sound Anybody else got a watch that is louder? Usil

Is this the sound you hear? Rotor Sound (Small Wave file) Usil

Ah Straps. I have spent up to 80 so far but next year I am going to buy a few quality ones for my best pieces. They look to be about 180 price range. BUT, I have no problem with my Tuscana at 60. I may talk myself out of it by then but I thought I would wait to see what watches I wear the most and then get a nice looking strap for them. Usil