Mastodon
Scott Bradford: Off on a Tangent

Vehicles

Updated

I have always liked vehicles . . . I lived on my bicycles as a child, and have lived in my cars ever since. They get me where I’m going and often serve as a sort of “home away from home.

Primary Automobiles

The Mazda

The current “daily driver” is a fun Mazda sedan in white, which brings us ‘up to date’ on modern safety and connectivity features without sacrificing driving feel or style. It’s practical and fun all at the same time. So far, it’s a versatile and reliable member of the extended family.

The Big Mini

Countryman Side
Mini Countryman S All4

Our aging second car is the moderately versatile (but very fun to drive) Mini Countryman. It’s a good car and, unlike most of the rest of the Mini product line, it has all-wheel drive and enough space for four human beings.

Secondary & Classic Automobiles

Honcho 2

Jeep J-10 “Honcho”

I own a restored classic Jeep J-10 pickup. It needs a bit of work at the moment, but I hope it’ll soon be cruising the highways, back-roads, and trails of Virginia.

Bicycles

2008 Trek 7100

Trek 7100
Trek 7100

This ‘hybrid’ is designed for road and paved trail but is more upright and comfortable than a traditional road bike. At a glance it looks basically like a mountain bike, but it has narrower/smoother road-style 700c tires and a more road-oriented geometry.

  • Model: 2008 Trek 7100 Hybrid
  • Frame: Alpha White Aluminum, 17.5″
  • Color: Blue and Silver
  • Tires: Bontrager Select Invert 700x35c
  • Drivetrain:
    • SRAM 3.0 Comp 7 speed Shifters
    • Shimano C102 front dérailleur
    • SRAM ESP 3.0 rear dérailleur
    • SR Suntour NEX-208 48/38/28 crank
    • Sun Race 13-34 cassette
  • Assembly: Spokes, Etc. in Ashburn, Virginia

2007 Schwinn Mesa

Schwinn Mesa
Schwinn Mesa

My Trek hybrid has served me very, very well, but it’s not designed for unpaved trails like the C&O Canal trail, Cross County Trail, or other unpaved paths in the D.C. metropolitan area. I decided, so I would have access to those trails, to pick up a decent, inexpensive mountain bike as a secondary bike for rougher riding.

  • Model: 2007 Schwinn Mesa
  • Frame: Schwinn Aluminum, Medium
  • Color: Navy Blue
  • Tires: Kenda Klaw XT, 26″ x 2.1″
  • Drivetrain:
    • SRAM SX-4 Dual Trigger control shifters
    • SRAM 3.0 front dérailleur
    • SRAM SX-4 rear dérailleur
    • TruVativ X-Flow 42/32/22T crank
    • Shimano CS-HG30, 11/32T, 8-speed cassette
  • Assembly: Performance Bicycle in Fairfax, Virginia

History

Primary Automobiles

  • The Runabout
  • The Civic
    • 2006 Honda Civic EX in white (photo)
    • Purchased new in 2006; sold in 2012
    • Daily driver: 2006-2008; family/secondary: 2008-2012
  • The Cirrus
    • 1998 Chrysler Cirrus LXi in red (photo)
    • Purchased used in 2003; sold in 2007
    • Daily driver: 2003-2006; family/secondary: 2006-2007
  • The Black Sable
  • The Blue Sable
  • The Honcho
    • 1978 Jeep Pickup J-10 ‘Honcho’ in black & gold (photo)
    • Gift from uncle in 1998; transferred to parents in 1999

Secondary & Classic Automobiles

Scott Bradford is a writer and technologist who has been putting his opinions online since 1995. He believes in three inviolable human rights: life, liberty, and property. He is a Catholic Christian who worships the trinitarian God described in the Nicene Creed. Scott is a husband, nerd, pet lover, and AMC/Jeep enthusiast with a B.S. degree in public administration from George Mason University.