bowdenm61-blog

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To many, picking The Swamp may not seem like a hidden gem but, to the people like the UF football players there are parts of the swamp that have a truly special meaning to them.  The Swamp is located in the middle of campus and can seat about eighty-eight thousand fans.  When there is no football game going on people also use the Swamp as a method of getting in shape by running in the stadium or around it.  The people pictured in this photo is myself (in the blue jersey), Caleb Brantley (orange jersey), and Skyler Mornhinweh in the background of the photo.  This medium shot photo was taken during the blue and orange spring game.  Although the Swamp is typically only used for games by the general population the football players spend every day in the Swamp studying film, going over plays, or working out to stay in shape.

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This photo taken by my mother’s (Kindle Bowden) Iphone shows the offensive linemen preparing to take the field along with the quarterback, Skyler Mornhinweh, walking in front preparing for the huddle.  This long shot of the entire offensive line shows almost the entire group of players I spend day in and day out with.  The understanding between all five of us players helps our offense be able to operate at an effective level thanks to the understanding each one of us has with one another.  Starting from the left going right is Zachary Shinn, Matt Bowden (me), Nick Davis, Andrew Mike, and Vincent Dimenna.  

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Of all of the moments that may be had in the swamp this one is by far one of the most surreal moments and the true hidden gem at UF.  Being able to interact with the fans and talk with them is one of the most humbling experiences.  This close up shot was taken of me by my girlfriend’s (Amber Ellis) Iphone.  Although very tired after the orangle and blue spring game notice all the players seem excited to go meet with and talk to fans. This moment, meeting with the excited fans, is one that every player works towards and enjoys getting to experience.  

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This photo shows the excitement that I get from getting to meet the fans.  This is a close up photo of me and my girlfriend (Amber Ellis) along with other fans in the background after the orange and blue spring game.  Even after having woken up at 6 a.m. to prepare for the game and also after playing in half of the game you can see how happy I am to interact with the fans.  Although the adrenaline of facing off against somebody who may be bigger than you in front of thousands of fans may be exhilarating, nothing beats the happiness that I get from interacting with the loyal Gator fans.  This is why when somebody asks me what is the hidden gem of UF I will always pick the spot in the swamp where I get to interact with the fans.

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Taking care of your tires so they take care of you

Your tires are the most important part of your vehicle.  They can save you from sliding your car into something when it rains or if you have to slam your brakes to stop your car they may help you stop faster.  Everybody has heard of the old trick to check your tire tread or the grooves in the tire by putting a penny in between the tread on your tire and if you can see the whole head of Abraham Lincoln then you need new tires.  

             This is a quick and effective way however some tires actually get new tread as they wear down.  Underneath the tread that hits the road there is new tread that eventually becomes uncovered as the rubber on the tire wears off.  If the area on the tire itself looks like it is wearing away unevenly then your tires are not balanced properly.  

               Unless you own the proper equipment to balance a tire you need to take it to a tire shop that can make sure your tires are aired up evenly. The price to balance tires may cost around $50 however the price may slightly vary wherever you take the vehicle.

If your tires are not aired properly you may end up shredding one of your tires or the tread not wearing down evenly.  Notice on the inside (left) of the tire how there is no tread but the outer (right) side still has tread left.  This was due to the tire not being balanced properly resulting in tire failure.

http://www.herculestire.com/know-your-tires/tire-tech-basics/how-to-take-care-of-your-tires/#loaded

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Purchasing a New Vehicle

People typically get very nervous when it comes to purchasing a used vehicle.  You do not know the history of the vehicle, how its been used, or the state of the vehicle.  When going to purchase a used vehicle you need to look up through various sources such as the internet issues that the vehicle had when people initially bought the vehicle.  

               These issues should be viewed and you should ask the owner of the vehicle if they have had any issues with the car that have to deal with the issues others had.  After doing some research on the vehicle and issues/faults that the car had look up a car’s Carfax or accident history on the car.  You do not want to purchase a vehicle that has been totaled because that means the car has been wrecked and it would cost more to fix the vehicle then it is worth.  

                Next when you go to look at the car check the exterior and interior conditions of the car and see if there are any wear and tear issues or rust that may be visible under the car.  Lastly drive the vehicle before you purchase it.  

                You want to evaluate how well the brakes work on the car and if the vehicle makes any weird sounds when the car is accelerating or shifting.  If everything checks out with the car to this point and you as the buyer feel comfortable to purchase the car then decide how much should be offered for the vehicle.  

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You and Your Car’s Engine

                  For people who love cars they understand how to work on their engine or at least how to ensure their engine works properly.  For most car owners however they do not know how to take care of their engine.  Simple ways to look after their engine is to ensure the fluids in the car are filled.  

                  First and foremost is the oil in the car.  This ensures that the mechanics in the engine that are moving constantly such as the pistons are able to move without them getting too hot and cracking from heat and stress.  Checking the oil is very simple however all that is needed is a napkin or rag.                       The oil dipstick is located in the engine bay underneath the hood unless you own a vehicle with an engine mounted in the rear of the vehicle.  Open up the area to your engine and look for a yellow hoop that is sticking up out of the engine that says oil.  Pull this stick out of the engine clean it off with the rag then place back into the engine.  Remove the stick again from the engine and look closely at the bottom to a quarter of the way on the stick.  

                  Look to see if the oil goes up to the ok line or higher on the dipstick.  If not simply add the correct oil to the vehicle via the oil cap on the engine.  The way you can tell what type of oil is needed for the car either the cap that covers where you put the oil in will say or the owners manual will state which oil is best.

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/2012/12/how-to-check-your-car-s-engine-oil/index.htm

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You and Your Car’s Interior

One way to ensure your car stays in the best condition possible is by taking care of the area within your car.  Some simple ways are by making sure you preserve your seats and the areas of the car that are touched the most.  One way to preserve your interior is by purchasing seat covers for your car.  If it is already too late for your interior and it is extremely dirty try investing in a carpet cleaning solution that can be found at car shops such as Discount Auto Parts or stores of that nature.  They sell products that will help lift out a lot of the dirt that is deep in the carpets of your car.

Another way of cleaning your seats other than trying to simply clean the dirt on top with a wet rag is by using a steam cleaner which can be rented from a cleaning store or from an appliance store such as Home Depot or Lowe’s.  By using a steamer you are able to use water to help lift out dirt that has made its way into the pours of your vehicle.  Now that you have lifted the dirt from the pours of your car seats you need to get the dirt off of the top of your seats without pushing the dirt back into the interior of your vehicle.  To do this the best way is be using a microfiber towel which lifts water and will take up the water which contains the dirt inside of it.

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Caring for Your Car’s Exterior

A car’s exterior and paint are constantly getting scratched, scuffed, and damaged.  Thanks to the rain, pollen season, sunshine, and living here in Florida lovebug season a car’s paint is always getting faded due to these factors always working on it.  There are few ways to truly prevent the sun from fading paint however storing your car in a garage or under shade which may seem simple however will keep your paint from fading.  Another way to save your paint is by cleaning your car with soap that is actually formulated to be used on a car.  A few brands that stand out are Ammo NYC and Zymole.  Both of these protect paint by putting a small clear coat over the car and preventing the paint from getting chipped or the water taking off very minuscule parts of the paint.  

Preventing your paint from becoming faded on your vehicle may help save money from your vehicle not needing to be repainted in the future.  Some may argue that they do not care enough about their vehicle to get it repainted however without paint on the car it will start to rust which compromises the car’s body and may lead to the car literally falling apart.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UdH_7hVzkY