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Kohlrabi....

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9/11

I was at work on 9/11/01, when I learned of the tragedy that was unfolding in real time back on the east coast. Of course, we're 3 hours behind, so the attack was complete but the towers were in the process of collapsing, and bits of news were drifting through the office. I took a sick day (I was truly feeling ill) and I went home.

I make my living in aviation, I grew up in aviation and I love everything about aviation. I could not believe anyone would take my passion and use it as a weapon, taking so many innocent victims in the process. As many of us recall, everything in the air was put on the ground, with the exception of Air Force One and necessary military aircraft. I live near a lake right next to SeaTac International Airport in Seattle, so I paddled to the middle of the lake and sat in the total silence. I was devastated, in shock. After I accepted the fact that it was all real, I went back to the house and wrote this:

Quiet Skies

I see the sky. Blue. Silent. Empty.

My joy, my heart, aviation mute

I walk in a dream as my soul cries

For the dead. For the loss.

I bury my anger in sorrow

Then I played this Crosby Stills & Nash song, over, and over, and over

Find the Cost of Freedom

Find the cost of freedom buried in the ground

Mother earth will swallow you, lay your body down

The harmonies in that tune haunted me, it seemed the lyrics were waiting for that day. I found comfort there.

Late summer in Seattle

55 degrees and rain.  Normal.

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Victory

Victory bike.  WAAAAAY overkill for my taste.  Not even sure I'd call it a motorcycle.

At work, trying VERY HARD to be a good boy. Sometimes it hurts, but only a little.

At JoAnn's with Angel. I'm SUCH a good boy, I should get a medal!

Test

Some oldies. Red one is a 48 Indian Roadmaster, $18k

Swap Meet

Mike B's Garage

A little low on gas in the Flattie. Guess I'll hafta ride the Knucklehead today. Ah, choices, it's so difficult.

I have no idea what this means but I love it. It's at a co-worker's desk, he doesn't know what it means either.

On Making Amends

I'm continually reminded the true value of making a 10th Step amends is - I can leave the event behind.  If I don't, it festers.  Make amends, be free of it.

That is not to say it's easy.  I'm the best in the world at making it YOUR FAULT.  My pride steps in and I can walk away in a huff, carry that darkness for a loooong time.  If I can say I'm sorry for my reaction, or my words or my act, and leave the rest to you, I can have freedom.  Somehow, I'm relieved of my burden. But I have to mean it, too.

My problem is in the realizing and the doing.  For so long I never realized what was going on inside.   After several years of watching myself, only recently, I've become more aware of my ability to BS myself.  Now it's time to get humble. Damn.

An Interesting Exchange

Walked into my favorite coffee shop, to find an acquaintance chatting up a couple lovely young ladies.  I don't know him well but he's at least 15 years younger than I am.  As the ladies walked away he said wistfully "They do keep us engaged, don't they? I guess with age it diminishes".  I replied "Not really. In fact it increases quite a bit because there's a certain element of hopelessness".

In Skamokawa WA. Almost the mouth of the Mighty Columbia

Herman Klaber, world king of hops around 1910. Lost on the Titanic April 15 1912.

Yard Sale Today!

Angel is having a yard sale today.  I'm doing the best I can to help but the sad truth is, I'm not a big yard sale guy AND I keep seeing stuff I want to sneak back into the house, or at least the garage, where she almost never goes.  God, grant me the serenity....

Harvey Fixed & Home Again

$960 and a new ignition harness later, Harvey is back in the nest.  They had to pull a good part of the dash to get to it.  Part of the deal, that's all.  In a few years, I'm thinking, a newer RV will have fewer problems and be more efficient.  Shhhhhh! Don't tell Harvey the RV!

Inside My Cowboy Hat

Inside my cowboy hat, I have 3 things, been there going on near 20 years. 1 - A little piece of tinfoil to keep the aliens away. 2 - A $5 bill because you never know and 3 - A ticket to the 1992 bull riding championships in Ft Worth TX because that was a VERY memorable time in my life, for many reasons. Every cowboy hat needs something like that. Oh, that hat holds many stories.

Every time I ride to work my mood is elevated a little bit. Sometimes a lot but every time.

Home Again

Home thanks to AAA.  My head is a good place, thankful for that!

Broke Down Harvey

Within minutes of bragging to myself how well Harvey was running, silence.  Lots of gas, battery great, just a quiet motor.  I LOVE AAA!  I get up to 100 miles on my RV membership.  Harvey is getting tired tho, it's been a great RV so far.

Wild dog stalking me from deep cover. I survived the encounter!

Wild dog

Deep Summer in The Great Northwest

Ya gotta love it here for something other than 90 degree days.

Finished

An incredible show

9 Guys - Two Bikes

One Rider - Two Bikes

Three High

747

Invented for the Boeing airplane

More Cossacks

Cheek to Cheek

Check it out

High Flower

Flattie reunited with the Seattle Cossacks. Mosey was called "Lightning" when it was doing that tough duty.

At The Neighbor's Place

Just hanging, waiting to pick up some stuff.

Pics From The Ride Home

We had a gorgeous day for the ride home. Got back & roasted weenies at the beach. I woke up Sunday morning to fog & cool.

At Victor's Place

At Victor's place on the Hood Canal, Hoodsport, WA

Riding with the gang

Forming a gang. Mine is a 1941, the next oldest is about a 2006

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Oldies

Ran into a couple old cars, a 38 Ford &  53 Ford.  Cool.

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Oil Update

So, I cleaned the SNOT out of the motor & frame, hoping to track the oil leak to it's source. I was convinced it was most likely from the valve covers after my valve adjustment but when you're cruising down the road at 60 the oil blows all over the motor, so finding THE leak isn't easy. I also decided not to change the oil for a little while because the dark oil is easier to see as it's wetting the engine.

IT WAS THE OIL PUMP! Just a little run and the oil was pouring past the gasket. The pump bolts on to the right side of the motor with four studs, and they had all worked loose, all four. Damn. All that concern & tightening the valve covers - all for naught. Well, maybe. Those covers may have been leaking after the adjustment, but not now because I gave them as much of a turn as I could every chance I had. The four nuts on the oil pump took at least 1/4 turn, maybe two flats, and problem solved. I've parked the bike probably 10 times since that, and only get a drop or two under it when I return. Makes me want to check the dipstick to make sure I HAVE oil in it!

An aftermarket oil pump gasket was the direct cause of an overheat last year, that will be part of a later bit. Bottom line, it was The Wizard and his crew (the Two Rons) who figured that one out. But again, more later.

More good news. After I fixed the leak I changed the oil, and found just a leetle bit of fuzz on the magnet stuck in my oil plug. Maybe enough fuzz to make a BB, if that. YAY! So, I have a tight engine that's all broken in and ready for anything. Wow. What a ride getting here. Two complete rebuilds and at least two top ends over ten years - I'll tell The Story Of The Flathead later, but it's been quite a ride.

Mosey The Flathead is in the place I've always dreamed about but never honestly thought would be reached. And we've had some great help along the way from some fine people.

Find the Pretty One

Who is the prettiest of the lot?

Homeward Bound

More from the Nikon F2. A bit of Mt Hood & Mt Rainier, with a wind turbine farm just over into Washington from Biggs Oregon. The old meets the new. I'll try to find some more decent B&W pics later, right now it's BEDTIME!