Roberto's Ruminations

Gutenberg Marathon

I've got a great view of the Rhine river from my room at the Hyatt in Mainz . The run along the river is very pretty and relaxing. It just so happens that today is the Gutenberg Marathon and the streets around the hotel will be closed for the majority of the day due to the race. If you are a marathon runner, this is one big party of a race and the spectators and enroute entertainment make it a pleasant 26.2 miles. Here's the web link for The Race, I think I'll be back next year to participate.

The Printed Word

As I develop today's blog entry, I have an even better appreciation for the word processing software and the incredible number of fonts available to me. I'm here in Mainz, Germany to visit with a serial entreprenuer friend of mine. During a relaxed Saturday, I happened on the Gutenberg Museum just past the main cathedral in downtown Mainz.

The museum is an enlightening place to see and appreicate the history of printing and typesetting. If you should ever find yourself in Mainz, a visit to the Gutenberg Museum  and the local famers market in the adjoining square is a fun way to spend your mid-morning in this picturesque town.

Dateline Honolulu, Hawaii

(Ukeleles strumming in the background) "...I want to go back to my little grass shack in Honolulu, Hawaii..." (well - maybe not the grass shack).

It's always nice to be back on the islands, the weather is perfect and the pace is a lot slower than the mainland. This first stop breaks up what is usually a long trip to Asia. I want to see family and friends before picking up the pace in Hong Kong.

A favorite uncle of mine just retired here and while there are lots of family members around the islands, he is one I needed to catch up with the most. So I used his new home near Pearl Harbor as a base for my few days on island, and headed into downtown Waikiki to visit with a friend and former investor in one of my previous companies.

Karl is part Portugese & Japanese and a full on Hawaii boy. His immediate and extended family have been on the island since ever since and he's been off the grid for a few years now, following the market meltdown of 2001-2002. I've known Karl since 1999 when he was with JPMorgan and then ABN-AMRO. He's been very busy building a home in downtown Honolulu as well as a really neat retirement home up toward the North Shore.

During our visit, we explored the ideas around the next "new thing" and very much resonated around the need for clean technology and how to bring them to market. I firmly believe that the growing demand for energy, especially in the large developing markets creates huge opportunities for renewable alternatives.

We shared a number of ideas around clean fuels (hydrogen, ethanol), biodegradable packaging (ala Earthshell products ), and clean generation technologies such as ocean thermal energy conversion. Karl's been doing a lot of thinking in this area during his hiatus from the finance world and we have a lot more ground to cover, but it was a great way to start my trip.

I forget how much I take for granted the infrastructure on the mainland, and it is certainly more noticable when you leave the continental US. Hawaii is more advanced than most island environments, but there is a higher occurance of rolling brown-outs and water outages. Some folks are already playing with in-home solar power generation systems, and having a substantial rain water cistern is pretty standard fare on the Big Island. I think Hawaii will be a regular stop on my future itinerary as I further explore the alternative renewalble energy sector.

Serendipitously, the National Renewable Energy Labs are located in Golden, Colorado. I've got a lot of homework to do when I get back in town.

Land Rover Defender 90 - A Bit Of History

I purchased my first Land Rover in late 1989. It was a very reliable Range Rover Classic in Colorado Silver Metallic. Over time, the stable included an Alpine White Range Rover LWB (Long Wheel Base) and an Alpine White 1994 Defender 90. I've found all my Land Rovers to be reliable and a lot of fun. They have all been driven off road in Colorado and throughout the Rocky Mountain states.

Given the extensive restoration effort on "Emma" I felt it would be worth sharing a bit of the rich history behind Land Rover, and specifically the Defender model. The company started making 4 wheel drive vehicles in 1948 beginning with the Series I to the left. The vehicle was simple to build and maintain. The Series I consisted of a steel box ladder chassis, an aluminum body, and leaf spring suspension. Production of the Series I, II, and III vehicles ran from 1948 until 1983 in varying configurations. If you want a more thorough treatment on the badge's history, check out Web Rover and make sure you cruise through the Model Photos.

Emma's story starts with the Defender model, which was introduced in 1983 and entered the US market in 1993/1994. It was the first time that the true Land Rover utilitarian vehicle was sold in the US since 1974. The Defender bears a strong resemblance to their Series ancestors and are hand built in Solihull, England.

The first Defenders to reach North America was the Defender 110. Only 500 of these vehicles were made and the link gives you a pretty good idea of their whereabouts. The 110 described the wheel base of the vehicle, and was fitted with a 3.9 liter V8 gas engine and a 5-speed manual transmission. Your color choice was white, white, or white. Though limited in colors, they sold quickly and finding one today will command a price between US$50,000-$90,000 depending on its condition.

In 1994, 1995, and 1997 Land Rover offered the Defender 90. The shorter wheel base while more  maneuverable also lacked the spacious interior of the 110. Both the 90 and 110 were underpowered and lacked that final bit of fit and finish that just would have made a world of difference in comfort. In 2007, the Defender is receiving a major set of upgrades primarily geared to fit, finish, and ammenities. It is unclear if it will make it to the United States.

Today, the Land Rover Defender plays a vital role in military applications world wide. It can be configured as a light attack vehicle or ambulance. It's narrow profile allows it passage in places where a HUMVEE would be too wide. It is a favorite of vehicle of bush country doctors and NGO teams that need tough and reliable transportation in developing nations. For many people, it is the first and only vehicle that they have ever seen.