Halloween neighbor

One of our many crazy neighbors, in Edmonton.

The new van is getting outfitted slowly but surely.  When I got it, the back end was relitively high compared to the front.  Its pretty much loaded now and its just leveled out, so I shouldn't have to add air bags to it.  If I wasn't so desperate for a van same day I would have got the Astro van for a lot less than $1000.  It blows fuses like popcorn.  No big deal, electrical issues, but it is a big deal when its night time and I have no lights, its raining and I have no wipers.  Thats all fixed now, but sheesh.  The gas mileage is half that of the minivan. I always wanted an astro van, now I can't wait to fix the Voyager, to get my good (VW diesel) mileage. 

I made a trailer hitch, out on the street, till 4 am, welding and grinding away.  No complaints yet.  I had to get a hitch welded up so I could do a trenching job I booked before the Catastrophic Voyager failure.  I'm trying to get vinyl cut out for the new van, I feel like the name on the van is where I get all my work from, though I don't really know where it all comes from, but I keep getting more.  Flat out this week.

The new van

Sunday Morning, the Voyager gave up completely, no surprise.  I almost shelled out $6500 for a 2005 Astrovan, with shelving and all, but I was really disgusted with the white paint roller job over the previous company stickers.  I didn't feel I should have to do paint work for that kind of money.  I also had trouble getting $6500 out of the bank machine on Sunday.  That put me on the Astrovan kick again, I always wanted one.  If this guy wasn't lying to me, I really have no way of knowing, I got a way better deal anyway.  The Astro van I found, 1989, got a new engine 2 years ago, has mag wheels, blah, blah, blah.  20,000km on the engine is pretty sweet, no way of proving that though.

There are some issues with the van, broken door handle, key doesn't seem to work in the back door and stuff.  But over all it seems like it will be better than the old Voyager.  And most importantly I can get to work this morning, being Monday.

Minivans, Sheesh

Well maybe my transmission shudder was a little more than fluid.  Its finally gone bad on me.  Its about time the way I treat the thing, hauling the 6000lb trailer around and such.  That trailer is parked for winter now, unless I get brakes for it.  Its supposed to snow Monday.  Hauling the 1000lb trencher around today, on the feather lite flat deck, out of the river valley, the only hills in Edmonton.  Get a green light, and it didn't want to go.  I'm thinking thats normal, I don't really live in a reality, with hills, first hill I have hauled a trailer up in months.  I had to really step on it, and it went up the hill, but now it doesn't want to shift out of first, irritating.  Its getting that VW motor ASAP.  In the mean time, dozens of late 90's caravans for $500-1000.  It looks like I can even be picky, and hold out for white, needing a vehicle, like tomorrow.

I am getting busy, especially for not trying to be.  I want to fix this new house, build the fences, blah, blah, blah.  Phone doesn't stop ringing.  I am going to hire a call center or get Michelle on that.  I get kids looking for work all the time too, I am thinking 2 vans will be an asset, and likely in use soon.  So I have to go through the whole 2 week van construction process again now, and install:
Power locks
alarm
axillary batteries
1500 watt inverter (temporary power)
tool drawers
2000lb airbag suspension
trailer hitch
trailer light wiring
brake controller
satellite radio hard wired
GPS hard wired
excessive interior lights (off aux batteries)
locking roof ladder racks
Amber beacon strobe lights
seat covers
head ache rack
conduit compartment
electrical tape hooks
rear step/spare tire mount
the name painted, or stickers on the sides and back
an extra 6 cigarette lighter 12v plugs
Lap top suspension mount
Printer suspension mount
mobile attached filing system
combination floor safe (welded in)
Extra 2 cup holders (total 4)
business card holder
Iphone cradle/FM transmitter
Overhead console
Remote starter
interior shelving for wire and everything
Blah, blah, blah
And you ask why I don't lease a vehicle.  Don't ask again.  All that takes a long time to put in, and I consider it all as needed.  I don't think any of it "increases the value" to any mortal human, only me.

On the more fun side, I played a little hooky last week to look at a cheap sand rail, for Mexico.  Everybody wants me to take a dune buggy to Mexico.  I have Michelle's approval, for the open concept kitchen, with dune buggy parking when we come back to Canada, so I simply have to get a dune buggy down there.  the hammerheads are limited in speed to 65km/h unless I really spend a lot more money on them, and they start eating drive belts when you do that.  The drive belt breaks enough as it is.  So I looked at this machine.  I will probably buy just after Halloween, when The owner gets back from work.  I pretty much had to skip out from work, to catch him before he flew off to McMurray at 3pm last week.  I am a little worried about the flywheel thing.  I remember people always wanted the 66 and 1967 beetle transmissions, cause they are the only non CV joint (old style) that fit the 12v flywheel.  So I'm just going to assume this has that year trans in it.  Comes with a "running" 1500, ready to bolt in.  There are a good half dozen around here for sale, all over $6000, this one $1000.  I'll just get it running, rip up the neighbors grass, and finish it in Mexico.

Mice!

There was a point I was looking forward to rototilling garden plots in the spring w the tractor. Just $60 a plot would prolly average a lil over $60 an hour.

Now I got the trencher, and I charge $2.50 a foot, it easily makes me $200 an hour.  But it doesn't seem like enough. The $2000 dirt chain is streaching fast.  I did get it used, but if I only get 10 $200 jobs out of it, before I have to replace the $2000 chain, well then I didn't make anything.

I upped my minimum rate to $200. So I might make $400 an hour this week with a quick half hour trench. I am going to call around and see what everyone else charges. If my rates are not too low, I will just assume I got a bit duped on the unit, and it's pretty worn out. Nothing $2000 and a bit of welding won't fix.

I am broke this month. Conditions to get our mortgage included "paying off my line of credit, and my credit cards". I sincerely said," no problem, I pay off my credit cards every month in full.". I was so sincere that he took the credit cards off the condition. That is good they did, cause I am just about $8k short this month to pay them off.

I have a lot of work this week.  It's mostly people that see my van. I park in the contractors parking at home depot, and buddy asks me to rewire his house.  Contractor building a house next door to our Edmonton house, wants me to wire the next one he has started building.

Our neighborhood is pretty entertaining. We have a prostitute that works the corner rite by our house. I don't even need to watch her, I can listen to Michelle watch her for entertainment. "that guy is driving a minivan, I bet he has a wife n kids at home"

I canceled the Andrew internet.  That was a great moment for me. "why are you cancelling our service?" "Because I hate you, my service didn't work for 6 months, you were suposed to credit my account, never did, you have been debiting my bank account for 5 years, which I never gave permision to do, dispite multiple calls to the billing department that I never get through to, and trying to charge me $80 for a service call for you to come out and fix your equipment is so BS"

That bank repo condo wiring gig I did, where I felt guilty, bidding $1200 for 6 hours work.  Well I found out today that my electrical bid, after the contractor added his 10%, still came in $3500 below the lowest bid.  People are gouging out there like crazy.

I catch 3-4 mice a week, live and dead, in my shop.  We tried keeping 2 in the hamster cage after Chester died, but they escaped at night.  We sealed up the weak points and a new mouse climbed through the 1/4" space in the bars right in front of us.  So we now have 3 mice in the fish tank.  Michelle loves them.

I did a short confusing video to show the new mice and the bucket they got stuck in.  They also get stuck in the deep fryer fat buckets, I am getting sick of filtering them out.  Trying to keep a lid on the fryer fat these days.

This is a picture from the back door of our new house, "the alley".  There is a semi truck picking up bottles from the shantytown bottle depot behind us.  I just took the fence down, because it was rotten and leaning at about 45 degrees.  Here in the picture, you have paving stones to the edge of our property line.  My trailer is backed in rite against the side fence, and just fits, with this "chicken coop"/ tool shed.  We were going to haul the shed out to Andrew, cause it is half our back yard, but it weighs a ton.  Three of us could not lift one side, so it stays, or gets destroyed.  It will be our new "urban chicken coop".  The roosters can stay in Andrew.

I salvaged the top half of the 6'6" back fence, to make a 4' fence in the front yard, to keep the dogs in.  That is almost done, I painted all the boards after work the last few days, put the posts in this evening.  Michelle has been busy pulling up the "cat pee" carpet, and painting upstairs.  We are talking about making a steel fence in the back yard, Mexico style.  We will see if I can get some cheap steel somewhere.

Redwater Trails

A Map Of Redwater Dunes

Did say I  that I got the Dazon buggy locally here, for half the price of new?  We insured and registered that machine, and took it out to the Redwater sand dunes yesterday.  The dunes were great, and better than I expected for tours.  There was well marked trails, with a map in the parking lot.  I tried a different "staging area" in the sand, and got the van stuck.  I almost had to pull the van out with the dune buggy.  But some back and forth, getting a run at the soft stuff, got us out.

I went over a scale the other day, within 20lb of maximum capacity :).  I had a Hub failure on the back of the minivan anyway.  I purchased new bearings, and they told me, "Voyager, Caravan, exact same bearings, hubs ll be the same".  It was a beautiful day, with the van on blocks, I took the motorbike to the wrecker.  There are a lot more Caravans, and that was the first thing I came across, so I pulled a rear hub.  It came off with the drum and wouldn't separate without a hammer (limited tools on the bike).  So I purchased it as a drum, $20.  Got it home, put it on, fit like a glove.  went to put the wheel on, nope, caravans have a bigger bolt pattern.  Fortunately it was the same as the ol Ford Ranger, so I got the Ranger spare to fit.



Here is a picture of the new Dazon buggy on my "tent trailer" flat deck, and the van with a Ford Ranger wheel and tire on the back.

 

Other recent events:

I am almost recovered from hanging on to a telephone pole with enough strength to hurt myself.

Michelle hit a fox on the highway, totaled the front bumper of her car.

The 2 seater for single seater buggy trade has fallen through.

The new house has an MMA place across the street, I will take some classes.

ATV Swapping

Thats it, no more accepting work up poles.   I have trouble saying "no".  I want to help everybody.  I did say no to someone that wanted your standard city light changed out on a steel pole.  I simply can't carry a ladder long enough.  The minivan back door has to open, and over a 20' extension ladder hangs over the front too far and caves the roof in.  But people keep having these 30' wood telephone poles I need to get to the top of.  My eyes lit up when Shane said he had a set of spurs.  I was really excited to try them out.  Not being familiar with them, I still don't understand what was going on with the belt, I could not get it tight enough.  I nearly slid down the pole like a fire man.  Funny how it didn't really hurt, hanging on for dear life, but when I got to the ground, I was pretty soar, I feel pretty alive now though.  So I am not sure that I will be buying a set of spurs at this point.  A little practice, they would be sweet, and replace a 40' ladder, at 1/5 the cost, and weight.  I got my mishap on video, but it is really just a silhouette.  I'll post it up next time.  For today...

I am focusing my energy on buggy tours.  What kind of dreamy life would I have, to be paid to take the dune buggy out on the weekend, and paid well.  I have been in comunication with a gentleman that owns a Carter 250, for some time.  He has serious axle problems.  I feel like a jerk, not telling him where to get an axle, maximumparts.com, but we don't know that a hammerhead axle would fit for sure anyway, and he is a layman that can't weld.  He has been trying to fix it (get parts) for 2 years.  I said I would fix it for $1000, no go.  So I finally offered to trade him the 110 single seater for his broken 250 two seater.  He is very interested in that.  Here is the vid I just made for him.



Once that deal goes through, I have another trade w another dude, the new $50 110cc quad we got last weekend, for this dudes hardly used 150cc dirt bike.  What do I need another dirt bike for you ask?  What do I need a quad for?  At least the dirt bike will make a pair, with the 125cc dirt bike I got last weekend.  The quad is sort of odd man out there.

We take possession of our new house tomorrow.  Insurance has been a real dickaround.  I have gotten 7 quotes, from $1800 to $400 for house insurance we need before we take possession.  The average price was $800, they say we are insured for $300k, contents, blah, blah, blah.  The $1800 and $400 were ironically the same broker.  I said, as I said to all the others, "look, I'm not interested in content insurance, the house isn't worth $300k, its $135k, lot value, if it burns down, I will be selling the lot and on my marry way, I don't want you to rebuild the place, but the bank wants you to pay them the mortgage money before I can do that, so insure me for $135k."  The other 5 brokers all said "it will cost $300,000 to rebuild, its illegal to under insure a place, contents are automatically included."  Except small town Andrew, "sure $400"  of that $40 is my 1 million dollar liability insurance.  I said you add a million liability on my Andrew house for $40.  Thats next on the agenda.  They want to inspect fire places, and there is boxes everywhere w moving and all.

The Dune Buggy Tour Business Plan

I have been working on the business plan, and all that goes with it.  I checked out the Redwater sand dunes, they are awesome.  I am very disappointed that I haven't found any maps of the ATV park.  My insurance company outright refused to give me insurance for "such a risky business", but I am sure someone will want to take my money to insure me.

Here is what I have so far for my business plan.:

Executive Summary

There is a possibility for an exciting and profitable new business Alberta.  M&M Outdoor Adventures will provide guided dune buggy tours, through the 5000 acre ATV park of Red Water

For slightly more than $200 customers (custies for short) can come for a 2-3 hour guided tour of the ATV park.  The advantages for them would include, not getting lost in the 5000 acres alone.  Not worrying about breakdowns.  Not needing an ATV nor a truck to haul it with, we don’t care if custies show up on bicycles.

The target market for this business would be the approximately 780,000 Edmonton residents and beyond.  Locals to Red Water most likely own ATVs and are familiar with the park.  We are targeting city folk, and foreigners that don’t have, or didn’t bring their ATVs out to Alberta.

Even fewer people have driven dune buggy “side by side” style ATVs.  We make it possible to truly experience them in a serious off road, but safe environment.  We would start off buying used buggies, for approximately $3500.  The average buggy would be paid for in its first summer of tours..

In year one, M&M Outdoor Adventures would attempt to do 50 tours with 4 buggies plus guide, a tour, grossing $50,000.  Year two we would build another truck and trailer, with another 5 ATVs, possibly quads, for another tour group.

Assuming an average purchase price of $3500,  a 50 tour season, $300 for the tour guide (me J), a 6-7 month riding season would gross $50,000.  Driver/tour guid costs $15000.  Dune buggy cost $17500.   Labor and repairs are volunteer work (by me J), and the company makes $17500, less maintanence parts, gas, insurance, helmets, water bottles, truck and trailer.

1.1 Objectives

1.     Do 50, 4 buggy tours in year one, possibly build a 4 buggy trailer, and expand that.

2.     M&M Outdoor adventures will be fully self sufficient and profitable by year 2.

3.     Possibly expand to  8 buggies, two of which are driven by tour guides, by year two.  From there add another truck and trailer, or a three ton car hauler style.

1.2 Mission

M&M Outdoor Adventures will provide exciting dune buggy tours at a very competitive price. M&M Outdoor Adventures will service its customers first. M&M Outdoor Adventures will be a profitable business which will treat its employees fairly, and provide financially for its owners.

1.3 Keys to Success

1.     Good customer service and value.

2.     Affordable tour prices.

3.     Reaching the target market.

4.     Integrity in serving our customers; resulting in repeat business.

Company Summary

M&M Outdoor Adventures will provide guided buggy tours to locals and tourists alike.  Allowing an affordable alternative to buying an expensive high maintenance dune bugy . M&M Outdoor Adventures will provide the tours for little more than the monthly payment of the expensive ATVs.  There is no current business like this I know of in ‘alberta.  The target market would be the approximately 780,000 residents of Edmonton to start with.

There are thousands of workers that come to Edmonton for a week off, looking for adventure, from Fort McMurray.  This would be just one of the other possibly thousands of potential target markets.

Keeping to used Hammerheads, or new Geovanni buggies, M&M Outdoor Adventures would be profitable in its first year, even if we decided to hire tour guide drivers.

2.1 Start-up Summary

M&M Outdoor Adventures will be funded by a small loan to Michelle, Malcolm Smith, and volunteer labor by Malcolm Smith. The majority of the funding will come from past buggy and truck purchases, plus possibly loans backed by starting assets, and or the Andrew shop/house. The cost of the start-up, including inventory, legal expenses, and advertising, will total $10,000ish. We anticipate that this company will start generating immediate cash flow.

Requirements
Start-up Expenses
Legal	$500
Stationery etc.	$150
Brochures	$?
Consultants	$?
Insurance	$500
Rent	$0
Registration	$550
Expensed equipment	?
Truck	$1500
Total Start-up Expenses	?
Start-up Assets
Cash Required	$10,000
Start-up Inventory	$10,000
Other Current Assets	$60,000
Long-term Assets	?
Total Assets	?
Total Requirements	?

Start-up Funding
Start-up Expenses to Fund	?
Start-up Assets to Fund	?
Total Funding Required	?

2.2 Company Ownership

The official name of this company will be M&M Outdoor Adventures incorporated. It will be a corporation. The reason that the company will incorporate will be for tax advantages and to decrease liability.

2.3 Company Locations and Facilities

The company will be located in Andrew, AB. This location is ideal because of the need for inexpensive shop space, and storage. When M&M Outdoor Adventures is successful, which we believe that it will be, more buggies can be added to the tour, and possibly old buggies could be rented out.

Services

The main service that this company will provide will be weekend dune buggy tours. In addition to this, the company's secondary services will include such things as ATV safety classes and accessories.

3.1 Competitive Comparison

There are currently no other competitors in this market. The only competition that M&M Outdoor Adventures expects will be from high overhead ATV stores, and awkward, uncomfortable quads. It would be very difficult for anyone to offer such exciting tours at a price competitive to ours, with the large easy to handle hammerhead buggies we have.  If we find there is a weekday market we will start offering tours every sunny day.

3.2 Sales Literature

The only sales literature that M&M Outdoor Adventures will distribute will be via newspaper publications. We have no plans for a direct mailing plan, although one is possible in the future.  Also a website targeted to Edmonton, and some well searched atv key words.  Expect the website to be finished, with action pictures, by June 2011. 

Paraphernalia such as bumper stickers, fridge magnets, and Tee shirts will be printed, with a custom logo, website address and 1800 phone number, tied to Malcolm’s phone, but could easily be changed to tie to any ones phone.

3.3 Future Services

It is possible for M&M Outdoor Adventures to expand into the electric vehicle market in the future if some clapped out buggies are suited to conversion.  We believe that this will be positive for us because we already will have an established customer base who is interested in low cost or environment friendly ATV adventures.  Also the shop has plans to be self sufficient and off the grid with its own solar and wind power, the summer of 2011.

 Market Analysis Summary

We see this market as mainly made up of city folk looking for adventure.  Since the majority live 70km from the 5000 acre ATV park, its not too far to drive out for an unbeatable adventure. We also anticipate getting a small amount of customers that are tourists to Edmonton, and outlying areas.

4.2 Market Growth

We anticipate that this market will grow in two ways. First, it will grow as more people hear about us, and spread the word about what an exciting time they had at such a reasonable price. Second, it will grow with the SEO (search engine optimization) of our website.  The longer the site is up, and linked to, the more interested people find it, without even looking for it.

Strategy and Implementation Summary

The following sections will outline the Strategy and Implementation plan for M&M Out Door Adventures.

5.1 Marketing Strategy

The main marketing strategy that we will pursue will be to make potential customers aware of us via internet. We will advertise in papers as the budget allows, and advertise online with the website, Teeshirts, fridge magnets and stickers.  All customers will get an M&M Outdoor Adventures bumper sticker, with the website address and 1800 #.

5.1.1 Distribution Strategy

The method of distribution for this business would be to transport the buggies every nice weekend to the ATV park, via 1 ton pickup and trailer.  5 buggies, 4 on the truck, one on the trailer, until we get a bigger trailer.

5.1.2 Marketing Programs

In order for M&M Outdoor Adventures to reach its first year goals, it needs to show people how much fun the dune buggies are.  We will do this through youtube videos, also branded to our site.  People must see others on our dune buggies having a great time.

5.1.3 Pricing Strategy

We will price our products at a level that is affordable for the working class and that provides financial substinence for the company and its owners. The tours will be priced at $214, or $292 with a passenger over the age of 16, consider that an average price of $250.  We would offer some group rates when we get more buggies, at $1000 for a tour with all the buggies loaded.  Accessories would be offered above cost, but at a reasonable level, including tee shirts, hats, stickers and fridge magnets .

5.1.4 Promotion Strategy

This business will be successful only if the target market knows about M&M Outdoor Adventures how affordable Buggy tours can be. M&M Outdoor Adventures  will advertise online, at ATV stores, West Edmonton Mall,  on local bill boards and papers.  We will try some promotions such as  free buggy tour contests and free safety courses.

5.2 Sales Strategy

Since the main part of the business will come from customers ready to ride, there will not have to be much direct selling. We will use knowledgeable sales people to assist any customers who have doubts regarding driving dune buggies in dirt and sand.  The sales staff will know the benefits of the dune buggies and explain this to the potential customer. Some customers will worry about the safety and whether or not they can drive buggies with no experience. We will service this customer with safety and instructional classes before each tour.

5.2.1 Sales Forecast

We predict that there will be variation in monthly sales forecasts, but we expect to do 50 tours our first year of operation.

5.3 Milestones

In order for M&M Outdoor Adventures to be successful, we must have attainable goals for the business. When looking to the future and growing the business, we can look at these goals and milestones as an indicator of where the company has been, is going, and the path that it is taking. They can guide the future of the business. These are detailed in the Milestones section.

Milestones
Milestone	Start Date
Open Shop For Business	3/1/2011
First Tour	3/1/2011
Average month	$8333
Be debt free	9/1/2011
Totals

Management Summary

As this is a small business, there will be no real management structure except for the owners. They will run the business on a weekend basis and oversee all facets of the operation. Assisting Them could be various employees who will work the shop, and do tours on a part time basis.

6.1 Personnel Plan

There is really no plans to hire until the demand for our tours exceed our willingness to go ATVing.  When that is the case we would probably get another set of buggies, truck and trailer, maybe even shop space in Redwater.  At that point, and even to start, I think the company putting on tours can easily pay wages close to minimum wage, with some sort of profit sharing.

Drivers duty includes driving truck n trailer to redwater atv park.  Unloading ATVs, greeting customers, and taking payment. Sorting out helmets. Giving a brief safety instruction before the tour. Guiding the tour, stopping frequently to let people catch up. If any buggies fail, lock them up, give up the guides buggy n continue guiding on the pit bike off the back of the guide buggy.. Then at the end, inform custies if there is an opening next tour, they can go again for half price. If someone had a breakdown give them, or possibly everyone a free tee shirt, maybe a tour voucher, depending on how badly the tour was interupted. Then with 1 hour to the next tour, retrieve any broken buggy,clean any muddy seats, and prep for the next group. We could do up to 4 tours a day. 9am, noon, 3pm, and 6pm. In between tours, and in empty slots, buggies get fueled up, fluid checks, and washed. At the end of the day, the buggies are hauled back to Andrew, where they are washed, the seats at least, on Saturday nights. They get a good going over on Monday.

After we get more than 4 buggies in the tour, we will have another person bring up the rear. The rear guy (caboose) would carry the pit bike and have mechanical knowledge of the buggies. The caboose would give up their buggy to anyone broke down, then attempt to repair their breakdown. Or take the pit bike back to the truck, where he takes any available buggy out to tow the break down back to the truck.

Financial Plan

All of the monies necessary for the start-up of this business will come from the owners, and possibly a small loan.