Ford announces EcoBoost option for 2010 Flex

[Nethead]

Pictures or this is bullshit.

SVT666:  Yeah, I got nothin'.  No digital camera, no knowledge of how to do it, yada yada yada...
Besides, OmiDude's gorgeous shot of that Mediterranean Blue Metallic w/Ingot Silver Clearcoat roof makes a wallflower outta our Flex.  As they say in Chorus Line:  "Tits and ass won't get you jobs unless they're yours...".  That Flex has got the T&A!  

God, I'm glad that OmiDude is a regular on the CarSPIN website--he comes up with so much good stuff.  How does he do it?  'Gotta be omiscience...'Gotta be.

[Nethead]

+1
With your (Nethead) ugly mugg in the reflection.  
I'm just sad that they're so expensive and will be for a long time. How is the space inside compared to a minivan???

AutobahnSHO:  I haven't pulled out the mechanical tape, but my impressions are that the Flex's cargo area is slightly narrower and slightly lower than the cargo area of our '03 Windstar's.  But the Flex's front passenger seat folds forward to extend the cargo area all the way to the airbags on the passenger side, and the Windstar doesn't have that ability.  Also, when the Flex has all the seats folded flat, there's a big storage area opened up in the back below the floor.

The Windstar's second and third row seats also fold flat, but they don't have as many inches between the flat seat back and the headliner as does the Flex--advantage Flex.  But, pulling some releases allows total removal of the Windstar's second and third row seats--advantage then goes to the Windstar because the floorboard-to-headliner inches available exceeds the inches available when the Flex has its seats folded flat (they actually sorta "tumble" forward to provide more clearance than just folding the seats a la Windstar).  

When I get gung-ho, I'll drag my sorry ass out to the vehicles and make a few measurements just to see how the Flex & Windstar compare as cargo volume haulers.  Height/width/length stuff.  

I haven't rummaged around in the Flex enough to see what might be involved in removing the Flex's second and third row seating completely, but I'm guessin' that'll require a ratchet & sockets--the whole idea of the Flex's foldin' & tumblin' routine is to be able to vary the passenger/cargo percentages without having to actually remove anything, I suppose...

In any case, I need to know how to remove the seats entirely for the dragstrip (then she said "I'm putting Lorena Bobbitt's number on our speed dial.").

Oh, and the Flex with the Nethead here photoshoot :  My agent says that constitutes de facto  endorsement by yours truly so a contract for upfront money, percentages, renewals, residuals, and royalties (the three "Rs" of professional-grade greed ), will need to be worked out with Ford Motor Company, Inc., CarSPIN.net, Universal Studios, Capitol Records, and Merriam-Webster Publishing, Ltd. as well as The Nethead Here marca registrada, all rights reserved.  My peep in Los Angeles will talk with your peep.

[Byteme]

I saw a FLEX the other day.
I liked it on first sight.

In all seriousness, help me understand that.  You and others really like this vehicle.  I see a Flex and I see a rather plain slab sided two box design, with little innovative styling.  It just leaves me cold.  To me it's just a big utilitarian box on wheels.  I honestly can't see what the fuss is about.  Maybe it's a generational thing but for me it's too big, too thirsty, to plain.

[Nethead]

In all seriousness, help me understand that.  You and others really like this vehicle.  I see a Flex and I see a rather plain slab sided two box design, with little innovative styling.  It just leaves me cold.  To me it's just a big utilitarian box on wheels.  I honestly can't see what the fuss is about.  Maybe it's a generational thing but for me it's too big, too thirsty, to plain.

EtypeJohn: I hear ya, Edude!  It IS utilitarian, it IS plain, it IS slab-sided, and it AIN'T got no innovative styling (Can you say "Maxi Cooper"? ).  And that's just part of its immense coolness!  Long,  low, wide--mine's monocolor paint, like the Longshoremen would use to tote a scab in concrete galoshes to the docks for an evening splash in the East River.  If it had the black chrome of the Flex Titanium, it'd be malevolent.  If it also had the EcoBoost 3.5, it'd be downright sinister!  Then she said "Hello, Lorena?  Would you mind stopping by here on your way home from the Spay & Neuter Clinic this evening?"

It's hard to explain.  It's a minivan without the dork.  It's as basic as a panel delivery of yesteryear without a bakery's logo plastered on the sides.  It's a MINI that holds thirty cheerleaders packed tightly, thirty-eight if you have a half-gallon of Mazola .  It's bitchin' in the 'hood as well as under the hood !  It's attitude with gratitude if you own one --it's penis envy if you don't...

We SYNC'd the cellphone to our Flex and now it calls people for us.  It's got four power points, a USB port, an audio input jack, and a six-CD-player so you can take all the toys with you.  It's a cool place to hang out when you ain't where you want to be!

The only negative is the pedal parking brake --WTF were they thinking ?  

[SVT666]

It is hard to explain.  It's cool, despite there being nothing cool about it.  After I drove it I became a big fan.  It drives great.  We had the predecessor (Freestyle) and we loved it, but the Explorer serves our lifestyle better.

[Byteme]

OK, I guess it is a generational thing.  Nothing wrong with your choice, but I'd never own one. I keep opting for smaller and sporty, witness the latest purchase, the Miata.  And, no, it's not a middle age crazy thing, I've always opted for smaller, sporty, fuel efficient cars, with very few exceptions like the 66 Dodge Charger and the 91 Taurus and the 01 Escape (the only truck like thing I've ever owned).  When I retire I'm thinking Factory Five roadster, not crossover.      

[Nethead]

OK, I guess it is a generational thing.  Nothing wrong with your choice, but I'd never own one. I keep opting for smaller and sporty, witness the latest purchase, the Miata.  And, no, it's not a middle age crazy thing, I've always opted for smaller, sporty, fuel efficient cars, with very few exceptions like the 66 Dodge Charger and the 91 Taurus and the 01 Escape (the only truck like thing I've ever owned).  When I retire I'm thinking Factory Five roadster, not crossover.    

EtypeJohn: The Flex attracts us because of its cargo capacity--we're selling our Windstar to our daughter and son-in-law, but we wanta keep some volume moving capacity, which we don't have a lot of in the '03 Focus ZX5, the '66 Bronco, and the '71 CB-750 Four.  We can get by well enough without the full cargo capacity of the Windstar--note that we did get a Flex with Class III towing equipment in case we ever need to exceed even the Flex's generous capacity.  When you have three  four-wheeled vehicles, you can vary the mix out in the driveway to get a broad range of vehicular experiences--and we like that. This mix likely means we'll never need to rent a vehicle to cover a capacity we don't have in one of the four.  It's a convenience thing.  Naturally, a Boss 302 Laguna Seca would be welcome in our driveway, too, but that's not in the near term plans--we got a house to build before we could go there!  

Meanwhile, we hope you get that Factory Five roadster!    

[Nethead]

There seem to be two "blank" rectangular areas in the auxilliary grille underneath the bumper.  They beg to be properly cut for the Boss 302 front brake cooling duct kits , an item that I will have to research.

[FoMoJo]

In all seriousness, help me understand that.  You and others really like this vehicle.  I see a Flex and I see a rather plain slab sided two box design, with little innovative styling.  It just leaves me cold.  To me it's just a big utilitarian box on wheels.  I honestly can't see what the fuss is about.  Maybe it's a generational thing but for me it's too big, too thirsty, to plain.

It's Bauhaus-esque.  In a way, it reminds me of the old Ford Trimotor .  Very utilitarian design with a sense of purpose.

[Nethead]

It's Bauhaus-esque.  In a way, it reminds me of the old Ford Trimotor .  Very utilitarian design with a sense of purpose.

Fo:  Good analogy, that!  And the "scallops" or whatever they're called on the doors are reminiscent of the corrugated fuselage of the Trimotors.  Now if the Flex just had an additional pair of DuraTech V6s in it's capacious fuselage, it'd be GAME ON!

BTW, HemiDude, I took some pics with a digital camera.  How do ya post 'em?

[FoMoJo]

Fo:  Good analogy, that!  And the "scallops" or whatever they're called on the doors are reminiscent of the corrugated fuselage of the Trimotors.  Now if the Flex just had an additional pair of DuraTech V6s in it's capacious fuselage, it'd be GAME ON!

BTW, HemiDude, I took some pics with a digital camera.  How do ya post 'em?

Come to think of it, the Flex might look pretty good done up in corrugated aluminium; make that polished stainless steel.

[Nethead]

Come to think of it, the Flex might look pretty good done up in corrugated aluminium; make that polished stainless steel.

Nothing looks good corrugated.  But stainless steel as an exterior sheetmetal material would at least be an improvement over standard steel--but it is difficult to weld which might mean major changes to robotic spot welders in the body/frame factories.  If you're gonna go to that expense, you might as well go with aluminum bodies/frames and get big weightsavings to boot!

[AutobahnSHO]

BTW, HemiDude, I took some pics with a digital camera.  How do ya post 'em?

You have to upload them somewheres- I use www.flickr.com
You can see my photos under my same username as here.

Then you have to paste the links on a carspin thread using (img)image_link(/img) only with square brackets instead of curved...

[Nethead]

EtypeJohn:  A decent article about the attraction of the Flex, although it probably isn't possible to fully describe it verbally:
                       
The Ford Flex at a Glance

Rating 8.8 out of 10  
by Marty Padgett, Editorial Director    Jul 8, 2010

The Basics:
The 2011 Ford Flex has angled its way into a rare phenomenon. Sales are increasing as it enters its third model year and as more SUV and wagon shoppers realize the square-jawed crossover is one of the best-riding, quickest vehicles available.

If the Flex?s collection of rectangles took you a while to warm to, you?re forgiven. It honestly doesn?t look like anything else on the showroom floor, save for a passing resemblance to a Range Rover (as well as a Maxi Cooper!). The cues are concept-car pure outside, with a rich-looking cabin standard on even the base $29,000 Flex (which is what we bought--for just under $29,000 including taxes, licensing, inspection, tags, everything). Borrowing from the MINI playbook, Ford lets you choose the roof color, mirror finishes, bigger wheels, and even a houndstooth-plaid interior. It?s as American as an old Ford Fairline, but Chanel-smart.

It?s just as pleasant to drive, a step up from the GM crossovers (Enclave, Acadia, Traverse) and even the winning Acura MDX. The Flex has a superior ride; a turbocharged V-6 engine whistles out more than 350 horsepower; and optional all-wheel drive has your back when winter?s at its worst. It?s possibly more comfortable than your living-room furniture, too, with soft but supportive front- and second-row buckets and a third-row seat that even adults will find roomy.

The Flex is among the safest vehicles you can buy?and once it?s loaded with the new Titanium package, it?s every bit as luxurious as a Lincoln MKT, which shares all its running gear. It outpaces even the Range Rover with e-gear like real-time traffic and movie times, an in-car refrigerator, and second-row footrests for your most important passengers. It may sticker at an oxygen-free $55,000, but the Flex Platinum is missing only exotica like night vision and in-car satellite TV in its quest to out-feature every family car on the road.

Styling:
9 out of 10  The 2011 Ford Flex tees up a square-jawed, all-American style straight out of a high-end catalogue. See details and best of the Web
 
Performance:
8 out of 10  The base Flex gives you a taste of handling goodness; the turbo V-6 version tosses in all that horsepower and a tight, composed feel. See details and best of the Web
 
Quality:
9 out of 10  The 2011 Ford Flex puts adult comfort ahead of best-on-paper numbers?and its attention to detail shows. See details and best of the Web
 
Safety:
10 out of 10  The IIHS and NHTSA agree: The 2011 Ford Flex is among the safest vehicles on the road. See details and best of the Web
 
Features:
10 out of 10  The 2011 Ford Flex was born to entertain?but even base versions will keep multitasking families happy. See details and best of the Web
 
We like EcoBoost turbo oomph
Foxy, boxy, clone-free body
Supremely cozy bucket seats
More features than a 12-plex theater
 
We dislike
Taller adults might get squished in third-row seat
Front headrests tilt too far forward in search of five-star safety
Top model?s in Range Rover Sport price territory  

Key Takeaway

A singular look, along with top-shelf turbo power and features, earns the 2011 Ford Flex our top score among utility vehicles.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Nethead here loved the Flex from day one, but figured the WifeDude would never come around.  Can a 427 Cobra be far behind ?

"...Don't have to be ashamed of the car I drive
         Th' end of the line
I'm just glad to be here, happy to be alive
         Th' end of the line
It don't matter if you're by my side
         Th' end of the line
I'm satisfied..."

--The Traveling Wilburys,  End of the Line


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cwqhdRs4jyA

[AutobahnSHO]

In all seriousness, help me understand that.  You and others really like this vehicle.  I see a Flex and I see a rather plain slab sided two box design, with little innovative styling.  It just leaves me cold.  To me it's just a big utilitarian box on wheels.  I honestly can't see what the fuss is about.  Maybe it's a generational thing but for me it's too big, too thirsty, to plain.

I really don't need one or want to buy one, I just LIKE them. 
I think to me it looks like the combination in the front fascia of the first explorer and Taurus, fairly clean, unapologetic.
The white roofline strikes of minicoopers, convertibles, whatever.

The entire vehicle is way too big for a commuter but seems like the pinnacle of crossovers. It is like a Suburban-made-car.
Which in reality is just a big WAGON, and it seems to not be ashamed of it's wagon-ness. Unlike all the other curvy SUVs and crossovers that are trying to disguise the overall shape.

[FoMoJo]

I really don't need one or want to buy one, I just LIKE them. 
I think to me it looks like the combination in the front fascia of the first explorer and Taurus, fairly clean, unapologetic.
The white roofline strikes of minicoopers, convertibles, whatever.

The entire vehicle is way too big for a commuter but seems like the pinnacle of crossovers. It is like a Suburban-made-car.
Which in reality is just a big WAGON, and it seems to not be ashamed of it's wagon-ness. Unlike all the other curvy SUVs and crossovers that are trying to disguise the overall shape.

Good description.

[Nethead]

I really don't need one or want to buy one, I just LIKE them.  
I think to me it looks like the combination in the front fascia of the first explorer and Taurus, fairly clean, unapologetic.
The white roofline strikes of minicoopers, convertibles, whatever.

The entire vehicle is way too big for a commuter but seems like the pinnacle of crossovers. It is like a Suburban-made-car.
Which in reality is just a big WAGON, and it seems to not be ashamed of it's wagon-ness. Unlike all the other curvy SUVs and crossovers that are trying to disguise the overall shape.

AutobahnSHO:  I think you understand the Flex as well as--or better than--anyone outside of Ford's design & engineering staff.  Your last sentence in this posting tells it all...

Incidentally, as a fan of the EcoBoost Flex you will appreciate that the Consumer Reports (page 68) December 2010 issue rates the EcoBoost Flex as the most reliable "Large SUV" sold in the US--more reliable than any other model of Flex and more reliable than all models of the Sequoias, the Traverses, the Suburbans, the Yukons, the Expeditions, the Tahoes, the Armadas, or the Acadias.  The second-place Sequoia was rated at ~40 percent more reliable than the average "Large SUV" and the EcoBoost Flex was rated at ~70 percent more reliable than the average "Large SUV".

[AutobahnSHO]

Thanks guys-

To me what makes the Flex attractive is the wagon/not-wagon that it is.

Just like people LOVED the shape of the PT Cruiser.
Didn't matter what was underneath, it APPEARED to be like similar to a multitude of vans/trucks from yesteryear. The lines and design melded many different aspects of what cars have BEEN together in a shape that was fairly new.

... Incidentally, as a fan of the EcoBoost Flex you will appreciate that the Consumer Reports (page 68) December 2010 issue rates the EcoBoost Flex as the most reliable "Large SUV" sold in the US--

If it only wasn't so Frakkin' expensive....   :sigh:

[Nethead]

Thanks guys-

To me what makes the Flex attractive is the wagon/not-wagon that it is.

Just like people LOVED the shape of the PT Cruiser.
Didn't matter what was underneath, it APPEARED to be like similar to a multitude of vans/trucks from yesteryear. The lines and design melded many different aspects of what cars have BEEN together in a shape that was fairly new.

If it only wasn't so Frakkin' expensive....   :sigh:

AutobahnSHO:  Yep, Ford's onto something really hot and they're going to use it to cut down that debt load.  Once that's behind them, let's see if they can handle success as well as they've handled adversity.  Being FLEXible is the key !

[Nethead]

The Tyrannosaurus Flex after one month:  The rectilinear styling of the interior oozes class from every pore--no sweeping arcs or artificially inseminated vinyl wood grain appliques or similar shit to try to wow the trendsetting weenies.  All business, as is the exterior.
 
Hauls stuff effortlessly, too--the SonDude got another promotion, which requires another move, which put the Flex into its alter ego as a utility vehicle.  The second and third row were folded flat to haul a mattress and a solid wood bedframe along with the usual cardboard boxes of household trivia and the essentials of toilet paper and Playboys.  It wasn't necessary to fold flat the front passenger seat since everything fit without doing so.  More serious moving will commence later this month, and the hitch has already been dusted off for some U-Haul action.  I am seriously lookin' forward to that! 

Flexes aren't that common, but within five minutes on Monday I saw three Flexes the color of mine (but minus trailer hitches, I might add ), one of which had some commercial lettering on the rear side windows so that one's a workhorse for some tradesman, no doubt.  Mine's better .

[Nethead]

Gooooo, Flex!  There are now two other 2010 Flexes parking in our deck and one 2011 Flex--I have founded a movement!  The 2011 is a color named something like "Triple Titanium White" or "Triple White Metallic" or something like that ( )--it looks like the guy is driving his refrigerator...w00t

From www.autoblog.com:

[Source: Strategic Vision]
The 2010 Total Value Awards
For immediate release - Tuesday, January 25, 2011

San Diego ? Now in its fourteenth year as the industry's most comprehensive "value study," Strategic Vision announces the Total Value Index? (TVI) leaders of 2010 with results that indicate value leadership is evolving. Behind Total Value corporate leader Volkswagen of America, Ford Motor Corporation now ranks ahead of American Honda Motor for the first time in the study's history. Also stunning is the 2011 Hyundai Sonata's highest Total Value score in the history of the study-and that is in all of the segments, luxury included.

"Typically we do not include 'early-next-calendar-year' launch models in our current calendar year studies, but in the case of the 2011 Hyundai Sonata, its performance was so outstanding we created a new "Special Total Value Award" just to recognize a truly superior Value accomplishment," says Strategic Vision Founder and Chairman Darrel Edwards, Ph.D.

According to Strategic Vision President Alexander Edwards, "When the data came back on the 2011 Hyundai Sonata, it was so impressive it prompted us to re-examine it several times to be certain." "The findings were solid with particular superiority among owners ranking Value for Money, Technical Innovation, Standard Equipment, Fuel Economy and a great Warranty all wrapped in vehicle with eye catching styling," continues Edwards. Hyundai had two other segment leaders with Genesis (Near Luxury Car) and Tucson (Small SUV).

Despite Hyundai's targeted and rising success, Volkswagen of America (with Audi) leads all corporations with seven models being segment leaders as well as the most of any Luxury brand with Audi A8, TT Coupe, A5 and Q7. Strategic Vision's Vice President Christopher Chaney noted: "Ford Motor Corporation's ranking ahead of American Honda Motor is quite an accomplishment, especially considering that just eight years ago they ranked last among all corporations. Ford Fusion ranked first among the popular mid-size cars, and Ford also had class leaders with Lincoln MKT, Flex , F150 and F250/350." Chaney continued, "It's certainly not that other manufacturers have completely fallen, it's that the bar is being raised with the buyer ultimately winning."

Honda, Nissan, GM, Chrysler and Toyota corporations are all producing valued products, but they must all take notice and respond to where the consumers want to go. Manufacturers must increasingly be more open and honest with themselves. This is a difficult economy. Times are hard and people are working harder than ever. Increasingly, shoppers will define value as more than the listed residual or resale value numbers, and include "What am I getting now that I have spent tens of thousands of my hard earned dollars?" It's an interesting challenge for product planners and marketers, but the payoff can be more sales and loyalty.

We present Total Value findings as a way of summarizing a very comprehensive collection of over 442 data points on over one hundred thousand new car buyers annually. The crux of this study is that as more parity exists among the long term "value" economic expectations (Fuel Economy, Reliability, Durability, Economical to Own and Resale Value), the more consumers will focus on short term economic factors, or "what will you provide for me today!"

The following are the number one ranked vehicles in Total Value in their segments, as rated by new vehicle buyers:

Segment Winner(s) TVI Score

Small Car
Honda Civic Hybrid 814

Honda Civic Coupe 812

Small Multi-Function
Volkswagen Golf 790

Mid-Size Car
Ford Fusion 802

Mid-Size Multi-Function
Subaru Outback 760

Large Car
Volkswagen CC 806

Near-Luxury Car
Hyundai Genesis 852

Luxury Multi-Function
Lincoln MKT 815

Luxury Car
Audi A8 821

Specialty Coupe
MINI Cooper Hatchback 817

Premium Coupe
Audi TT Coupe 816

Mid Specialty
Honda Accord Coupe 781

Convertible
Saturn Sky 817
Volkswagen New Beetle Convertible 814

Premium Convertible/Roadster
Audi A5 Cabriolet 820

Minivan
Volkswagen Routan 748
Honda Odyssey 746

Entry Utility
Hyundai Tucson 800

Mid-Size Crossover Utility
Ford Flex 786

Mid-Size Traditional Utility
Toyota 4Runner 762

Large Utility
GMC Yukon 747

Near-Luxury Utility
Mercedes-Benz GLK v

Luxury Utility
Audi Q7 798

Standard Pickup
Honda Ridgeline 732

Full-Size Pickup
Dodge Ram 1500 767
Ford F-150 766

Heavy Duty Pickup
Ford F-250/350 698

The Total Value Index? was calculated from 111,212 buyers who bought models during September 2009 to June 2010. Strategic Vision has presented Total Value Awards? annually since 1995. The calculation of Total Value begins with clear statements that owners make about value (e.g. expected reliability, expected fuel economy, price paid, expected resale value, innovation, etc.). Total Value then incorporates the importance of the variables that make up the ownership experience, and it is here that Strategic Vision finds "True Value" - the worth of the attribute weighed against the costs.

[Nethead]

We helped the SonDude move in the Flex to his new residence a coupla weeks ago, towing a tandem-axle enclosed rental trailer some 150ish--160ish miles through the Pennsylvania hill country.  Pleasant trip--no rain, but overcast and not really cold by Pennsy standards.  No icing to report, so the ABS did not have to prove its manhood.

Do Amish chicks shave their legs?  You can't tell due to their long dresses from yard sales of B-movie Western costumes at the big studios.  I hope they do, or some fine fantasies will be rendered null and void

The empty trailer caused some discernible porpoising, but that ended once the trailer got loaded to its weight limit and beyond.  'Musta been the frontal area of the trailer pushin' against the atmosphere at the root of this.  Some stuff was carried inside the Flex, too.  Reverse was funny--the closeness of the trailer behind the Flex set off the backing up alarm instantly when the lever was shifted to "R" and it continued alarming until shifted out of reverse.  There's no doubt a setting to fix that if you wanna bother to look it up and do the diddle.  The big discs took the load in stride, although all braking was done with caution as this was the Flex's maiden tow job.  Mileage dropped to ~15 MPG with the full trailer, but the coolant temperature remained serene.

How many Amish chicks could fit in a trailer, anyway?  Naked and shaven, I mean...

 

[Mustangfan2003]

BTW I saw 2 amish guys in Burger King down here one time, I thought that was kinda odd considering the nearest village is about an hour away in Tennessee.   

[Nethead]

Mustang2003:  I think Amish chicks outnumber Amish dudes by what seems like 15-to-1.  Or maybe the chicks get to go places and be seen, whereas the dudes are back on the farm from the pre-dawn 'til the dark of night choppin' up cords of quaint and stackin' it beside the barn for the Winter

But the burning issue is still whether Amish chicks shave their legs.  I'll see what googling "bare naked Amish chicks" comes up with....

[Nethead]

As posted elsewhere:

Gentlemen, pardon my absence recently, currently, and likely in the future.  The Nethead here has been on a performance enhancing buildup of his own--on the Nethead here hisself.

I've been a regular at a school of medicine fitness center for going on three years, 3-5 evenings/week unless I ain't in lovely Beaver County.  I've upped the level of tune, having added a personal trainer (at company expense for the first twelve weeks, no less!)--she's as tough as she is hot and she is mucho hot.  Thank God I had already been hitting the iron for 2.5 years before this opportunity fell into my lap via a company lottery for three dozen employees out of the hundreds seeking the chance to get serious physical training on the company expense account.  

To meet the requirements of the program, extensive off-the-job work-outs are mandatory--gym privileges are part of the package but the WifeDude and I already have all that in our home equipment and at the school of medicine fitness center (however, the gym privileges have added an Olympics-sized swimming pool).

I needed to add some work-outs to be on top of this--I led our team to victory in Team Challenge 1, but I ain't sittin' on my laurels!  Just fifty feet or so outside our operations center here is a 134-step 5-story stairwell--well-lit, with windows, potted plants, and prints of paintings in frames (and the stairs themselves are all vinyl-coated for traction, of all damned things!).  The Nethead here ain't known as Luke Stairwalker for nothin', as I had been doin' an eleven-story stairwell three times in thirteen minutes taking two steps at a stride on all three circuits for over two years.  Now, I do the 134-step stairwell for my entire sixty-minute lunchtime--and can complete 24 times up and 24 times down in under 58 minutes.  Currently, it takes me sixty minutes and eight seconds to complete 25 full circuits, but I'm improving weekly.  24 full circuits is 3,216 steps up and 3,216 steps down, and 25 full circuits adds another 134 up and another 134 down.

Fitness done well takes time, and it has impacted my CarSPIN participation dramatically.  I am not dead--I just smell that way.  I'll check by as time permits, but time ain't permittin' very much.  I expect that to continue, so carry on!  Roger Wilco, Over and Out...

[Nethead]

As posted elsewhere:

Gentlemen, pardon my absence recently, currently, and likely in the future.  The Nethead here has been on a performance enhancing buildup of his own--on the Nethead here hisself.

I've been a regular at a school of medicine fitness center for going on three years, 3-5 evenings/week unless I ain't in lovely Beaver County.  I've upped the level of tune, having added a personal trainer (at company expense for the first twelve weeks, no less!)--she's as tough as she is hot and she is mucho hot.  Thank God I had already been hitting the iron for 2.5 years before this opportunity fell into my lap via a company lottery for three dozen employees out of the hundreds seeking the chance to get serious physical training on the company expense account.  

To meet the requirements of the program, extensive off-the-job work-outs are mandatory--gym privileges are part of the package but the WifeDude and I already have all that in our home equipment and at the school of medicine fitness center (however, the gym privileges have added an Olympics-sized swimming pool).

I needed to add some work-outs to be on top of this--I led our team to victory in Team Challenge 1, but I ain't sittin' on my laurels!  Just fifty feet or so outside our operations center here is a 134-step 5-story stairwell--well-lit, with windows, potted plants, and prints of paintings in frames (and the stairs themselves are all vinyl-coated for traction, of all damned things!).  The Nethead here ain't known as Luke Stairwalker for nothin', as I had been doin' an eleven-story stairwell three times in thirteen minutes taking two steps at a stride on all three circuits for over two years.  Now, I do the 134-step stairwell for my entire sixty-minute lunchtime--and can complete 24 times up and 24 times down in under 58 minutes.  Currently, it takes me sixty minutes and eight seconds to complete 25 full circuits, but I'm improving weekly.  24 full circuits is 3,216 steps up and 3,216 steps down, and 25 full circuits adds another 134 up and another 134 down.

Fitness done well takes time, and it has impacted my CarSPIN participation dramatically.  I am not dead--I just smell that way.  I'll check by as time permits, but time ain't permittin' very much.  I expect that to continue, so carry on!  Roger Wilco, Over and Out...

On Wednesday I broke the 25-full-circuits-barrier bigtime--doin' 25 ups-&-downs in 57 minutes, 40 seconds (fade in with the "Rocky" theme song here ).  3,350 steps up plus 3,350 steps back down . Do not try this at home--I am a professional...