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Custom Controller (Six Connections)

I’ve built a lot of USB controllers… sometimes they are for museums, or tradeshow companies, or just individuals. Most of the time what I build looks like a finished product, but that’s not always the case. Sometimes what is needed is just part of a larger system, and maybe the rest of the system isn’t built yet, or someone else is providing it.

This controller allows the client to connect their own pushbuttons, six of them, which they’ve installed into a cabinet. When pressed, each button will send a unique character to a computer via USB.

The client will have a cabinet with buttons, wires soldered in place, hanging down, ready to be attached to this controller. I don’t always love these snap connectors but when things need to move fast, they work. I think this project needed to completed in just a few days, so rather than spec out other connectors, or use screw terminals, these connectors work just fine. I tend to keep a box of them around just in case. (You may remember this one from back in 2022.)

A few more things… the bottom shows two holes, one has a status LED, and the other is a reset hole in case new firmware needs to be installed. (There is a button that can be pressed with a paper clip to put the device into USB drive mode to accept a HEX file with new firmware.) There are four mounting holes for attaching the device with screws inside a cabinet if needed.

I usually like these types of projects. They are not difficult, and give me a little challenge, and I try to make improvements each time one comes along.

If you need some sort of custom controller, let me know!

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Cuisinart Indoor Pizza Oven (Mini-Review)

Cuisinart Indoor Pizza Oven

First, I work at a great place, with an awesome boss. I came into work a few months ago and he said “Hey, people were asking about getting a pizza oven for the office…” and I was like “Hell Yeah!” and then I had some comments and eventually I offered to make some recommendations.

And now you’re like “Hey man, you don’t even own a pizza oven!” and you’re right… I do not! I use my home oven. Whatever, man. Someone reminded me I offered to do a mini-review so that’s what you’re reading.

We got the Cuisinart Indoor Pizza Oven at work. It was listed at $284.99 USD.

Cuisinart Indoor Pizza Oven

First of all, it’s small. That’s okay. It can bake a pizza quickly. It goes up to 700° F so that’s a quick bake for a Neapolitan style pizza. My home oven goes to 550° F so baking takes about 5 or 6 minutes with a 1/4″ steel. This oven has a stone. I will say that sliding things on and off of the stone doesn’t seem as nice as the steel…

I tend to bake my pizzas on parchment paper, which works fine at 550° but will probably burn quite a bit at 700°. I did try a 600° bake and definitely got some burned parchment, so I typically just set it around 550°/575° when I use it. Just because that is what I’m used to. If this was the pizza oven I had at home I’d work on baking at the full 700°.

Cuisinart Indoor Pizza Oven

You also get a (foldable!) pizza peel, which is metal (mine at home is wood) and a pan that fits perfectly inside the oven, which is good, because it’s an odd size and they maximize the space with the pan. (I have not used the pan yet.)

One more thing. The oven is loud. It uses fan when running, either to distribute heat, or keep something(?) cool inside while heating. It also uses the fans to cool it down, so when you are done using it you need to leave it plugged in until it cools properly. Maybe it cools the electronics so they don’t cook. I don’t know. It’s noisy, just be aware of that.

Work Pizza

Okay, so how are the pizzas? Great! The one thing I need to get used to is to rotate the pizza 180 degrees! I often forget this because I don’t need to do it at home in my normal oven. The back is definitely hotter than the front, so rotate halfway through. I probably baked the one pictured above at 550° for 5 or 6 minutes. Ideally I’d do 3 minutes, then rotate and do another 3 minutes. (If I remember!)

Would I get one for home? I would not, but only because I don’t have room for more specialized appliances, and my home oven pizza game is solid. If you don’t have a home oven that can go to 550° F it might be worth it, but a pizza steel is cheap and a great way to get started making better pizzas. Okay, that’s it. Mini-review over.

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An eBike for Fitness

an eBike

an eBike

I’m going to say something that may be controversial…

An ebike might be better for fitness than an acoustic bike.

We already know that ebikes allow people to ride more. Folks on ebikes tend put in more time riding, and cover more miles, than they would if they were riding acoustic bikes or not riding at all. And we know that they can be assistive devices for people with bad knees, or other health issues. There are a number of online support groups for ebike riders over 50, over 60, etc. I read posts from people in their 70s who are now biking again. This is all good stuff.

So yeah, more people on bikes, riding, being outdoors, that’s all good for physical fitness, and mental health, if we want to get into it.

But I’m here to talk about how I use an ebike for fitness…

When I started riding again in 2024 I rode my acoustic bike, and I enjoyed it, and I was doing it for fitness. Now I ride an ebike (I try to ride to work as much as I can) and if you think I just crank the power up or hit the throttle, you’re wrong.

I actually removed the throttle from my bike. I didn’t really use it. I know some people really like it to start from a dead stop (especially older people, from what I’ve read) but my technique when coming to a stop is to drop to first gear and put the pedal assist to “Turbo” (or level 3 assist, the highest setting). This lets me get started from a dead stop, but gives me a boost in Turbo mode, and once I am across the busy street I drop down to “Eco” (or level 1) pedal assist… or turn off the assist.

Yes, I turn off the assist. If it’s flat ground, or downhill, I don’t need any help if I am already moving.

That said, my bike is heavy. I am heavy. I am carrying a lot of stuff. The bike is slow. In the stock configuration my bike is 67 pounds. I have panniers and carry a u-lock, tools, usually my backpack for work, and a few other bits and bobs that might add another 10 to 20 pounds. I am now pedaling a bike that weighs over 75 pounds. (And I am not a lightweight person!)

My bike has something called Ride Tune, which allows me to dial in the assist for the three levels (Eco, Sport, and Turbo). I’ve dialed down Eco so that it gives some assist, but it just about equals out to what it would be like pedaling my old Trek, which is less than half the weight of my ebike.

So now I’ve got my ebike set with minimal assist in the lowest mode so the experience is similar to a non-ebike. This is perfect.

I’ve still got Sport mode, which I’ve also dialed down, and Turbo mode, which is just under the default settings because I commute to work on shitty roads alongside cars and I want that to last as short of time as possible.

Between the heavy bike, the gears, and the pedal-assist there are a number of changes you can make while riding to create more of a workout, or to make things easier when your legs are screaming. On today’s ride I was in Eco for most of it, turned off the motor a few times and let me tell you, it kicked my ass. I got to work tired and sweaty… and that’s okay.

Also, I am still pretty out of shape because I didn’t ride for 6 months while my spine was not working properly.

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Riverwest 24 (First Time!)

Pete

Pete

Hey Friends, I did it! I rode along with the Riverwest24. I managed to arrive right around 7pm on Friday and just followed all the bikes until I seemed to be at the back of the line, I think near Pierce & Clarke. Once all the people were moving I just started following.

The first lap was rough, as it was slow slow slow like under 3mph slow at some points. Things cleared up as time went on. I rode about 14 miles in total before calling it a night. My knee was starting to bother me a bit as well.

I did not see a single person I knew. I really expected to, but with so many people it’s just a huge crowd. Even the two people I tried to meet up with never materialized. Still, I knew friends were all around.

That said… what an amazing community event! So damn proud of Milwaukee (specifically Riverwest, and the organizers and volunteers) for putting this thing on.

Note: I wrote this between Friday night and Saturday morning, so it only covers the first few hours of the RW24. I did return Saturday for more riding but I’ll have to put that into another post.

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Oak Leaf Familia Bike Ride

I did a group ride with the Oak Leaf Familia on July 11th, 2026. I think I found out about the group via milwaukeebikerides.com. (It’s also listed on the Bike Fed site.)

Oak Leaf Familia is a “Latinx and Immigrant Cycling Club” but it is described as “all-inclusive” and I want to be an ally but never want to invade a space I might not be welcome in…

Friends, I was welcome. With smiling faces and handshakes. (Thanks Sergio!) We all gathered to ride bikes, and as I’ve learned, that brings people together.

I also met Franky, another first-timer, and their friend Lexi who hadn’t been on a bike in years but used a Bublr Bike (for free thanks to OLF!) to join the fun. I got to talk to a few other folks along the ride as well. This might be the first group ride where I just showed up on my own not knowing anyone. I’m happy to say that by the end I had met some new people.

And this was definitely a family ride. There were kids, and at one point a 7-year old took the lead and I’m telling you, she was pedaling fast. Kid-Power!

You can check out Oak Leaf Familia on Instagram, and also see this great Radio Milwaukee article from 2024: Oak Leaf Familia seeks to grow Milwaukee’s cycling community

Also, I ended up biking from home (Enderis Park) to where 76th street meets the OLF, then down to the Urban Ecology Center, then did the ride out to HWY 100, and headed back, but left the group when we got back to 76th street. It was a great day for a ride though!