Our Hobbies

sl4ck3r_sl said:

Gaming is my cheap go-to hobby. I only buy one or two games a year, but play the absolute hell out of them with my brothers online. $50-100 a year on games for days worth of entertainment isn't bad. In the past year I've turned going to the gym into a hobby and amateurish origami in my spare time.

I'd love to start doing astrophotography, but the gear is incredibly expensive and could easily blow through $10k.

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I used to be big into astrophotography. I started way back using 35mm slide film. You can start for less than $10k but if you really go all out you'll spend more than that in misc. stuff by the time you get a new scope, guide scope, a new laptop, an observatory, software, a new camera, a new mount, etc...you get the idea. I personally know two different people who have $50k in just their mount nd primary scope.

Not sure if these count as "hobbies" but I ski and mountain bike.

As far as actual hobbies, I brew my own beer. What is your zombie apocalypse skill?

I play a lot of badminton and recently got a little more involved in my club and became the captain of one of our interclub teams. Who knew making sure three guys and two girls are at the right time at right place twelve times a year would be so stressful! We are doing well at the moment and the team is mostly composed of young players so its pretty fascinating to see them get better by the minute and rewarding to help them along the way.

Other than that, the usual media consumption.

Went by one of my storage units today. This is my beater plane and it only has a 80" wingpsan (the one in the front). Stuka in the back is 72". My larger planes are in my trailer and I'll try for a pic soon. For reference the Extra (the red one) is about 78" prop to rudder.

Magic the gathering
Skateboarding
Playing pool

I've been building a small smoker in my backyard recently too.

opiate82_sl said:

What is your zombie apocalypse skill?

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Cardio, lots of cardio.

No that's a cheap ARF one. I have a 100" wingspan scratch built one that does release a bomb in my other storage unit. I used to have a siren on it but it broke and I can't find another.

In Europe they are really serious about giant scale radio control. In the US if you want to fly at an AMA field (and that's who you get your insurance thru) you are limited to 55 pounds unless you get a waiver specifc to that airframe. In Europe and especially France they have meets where a LOT of the planes are 50-75% of full size. The largest engine I use is a 150cc twin gasoline engine. Lots of guys in the big scale world use a up to 600cc radials which is larger than some motorcycle engines.

Also the AMA and all modelers in the US are fighting a losing battle with the FAA which in the past has had no jurisdiction over radio control airplanes except in controlled airspace. In fact I fly at a county airport two days a week off the active runway with no issues. However homeland security and the FAA is really cracking down now because of the drone issue and autonomous flying. It's even worse for the turbine guys (yes R/C jets with real turbines).

86% Pitts biplane flown in UK The largest I have seen in the US is a 75% Staudacher and he flies it on his own property with on waiver. In Europe they really go nuts size wise.

It's 86% of the size, but what percentage of the weight? Seeing the plane in the video take off on a very short distance it seems the power/weight ratio is dramatically greater than with real planes.

Szlia_sl said:

It's 86% of the size, but what percentage of the weight? Seeing the plane in the video take off on a very short distance it seems the power/weight ratio is dramatically greater than with real planes.

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Power to weight is off the scale. My 42% planes are able to hover 1" off the ground vertically and go straight up and accelerate.

Skip to the 2 minute mark. Just because they will do it doesn't mean you have to fly them like that. I can do that with my planes but I fly most of them in a more scale like manner.

Rectal photography. Would you like to see my portfolio.

I play Badminton. I'm trying to get into rock climbing, but the seriously high number of papers I have to grade does not make me want to go out and sweat on a wall while someone belays.

Slaythe_sl said:

Music. The band might as well be a second job (that doesn't actually lead to any money) and it's pretty unhealthy but not something I can sustain forever. Having fun with it while I can.

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Why is it unhealthy?

I curl. Living in Oklahoma, we are pretty limited on facilities where you can curl. Our club is growing, but near close enough to build a dedicated facility. I've gotten pretty decent in our league and win most of my games I play. Last year I got to start going to some competitive events outside the state and had a great time. This year I'll "skip" some competitive teams and hopefully pick up my first event title.

Gotta be tough curling with a scoop shovel and a cow patty.

Seriously though, where the hell do you practice?

Aevian_sl said:

I curl. Living in Oklahoma, we are pretty limited on facilities where you can curl. Our club is growing, but near close enough to build a dedicated facility. I've gotten pretty decent in our league and win most of my games I play. Last year I got to start going to some competitive events outside the state and had a great time. This year I'll "skip" some competitive teams and hopefully pick up my first event title.

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How did you get started in curling? It's such an unusual and rare sport. It's not like most sports where you gradually ease into it through little league, high school, and then college.