Happy New Year...(close enough...)

Hope everyone had a good holidays...and are ready for a new year, hopefully filled with cool projects. Myself, had some time off from work...got a little time to play. Some time to get better organized.

Time to reminisce, take stock, order stock, darn the stockings, check the lists....throw them out, and make new lists. Look back, look forward.....make silly promises to break. Time for new hobbies? Or just re-cycle the old ones?

insert picture of latest progress on latest project here:

The SL 350 project as it looked in the summer.

Just before dark tonight, I dragged the 350 out and washed the dust off of it to get some progress pics.

Went for some 'superbike' bend bars...lowish, but wide enough for me monkey arms...

Trying out a 'Rickmanesque' fibreglass fender...it seems to work with the shape of the stock alloy rear... 

Kinda like the look without instruments...but will probably mount some,with an idea or two stolen from Tim Bailey...

These alloy light brackets were off of my old Cafe 500 four Honda, from back in the 70's...

The new 'Hipster' exhaust mounting location...gotta keep up with the kids...

Just kidding there...This is one of those Empi stingers you've seen sticking in the air behind Baja Bugs. Bought this one at a VW performance place years ago with the idea of trying it on a bike. It has a glass-wrapped baffle. And yes, that is a squashed dixie cup supporting the rear mud gaurd....or fender...funny, I was at the BSA group on Facebook earlier today...and it was 'slam the Yank' time over my use of 'merican teminology...all in good fun.

insert pics of future projects here:

Couple of Hondas that need some work...Both 1978's. A 'plastic maggot' CX 500, and a CB 550 Four. And now that I think about it...the Ford Ranger pick up is another project...

And then there is this little Ninja Kawa dude...that's been sitting under a tarp... Yep, plenty of projects to catch up on...

what about that frame table?

ah yeah, the frame table....still on the drawing board. Want to have a look at the table the Brother's Busch of neighboring Nevada state built. There is an article in 'Ironhorse' magazine. Been looking at a lot of different designs. I'd like to get this project right the first time, so don't mind putting in some research time. There is a link to the brothers blog in the list of blogs over to the right ------------------------------------------->and down.......................................and they post at Instagram as Buschandbusch.

As long as we are plugging Instagram....that wild French DJ, OliviaBanana now goes as 'desperatebeatnik' on Instagram. This is a tie in with her line of Jewelry.
                                             



what's going on with that wee Cub?

I did get the engine taken to bits, and it sits in boxes waiting for further inspection and cleaning. At present the plan is to go ahead and build a 'pre-65' trials bike, and hopefully enter a trials or two with it. At the very least get out and have some fun with it.

Sooooo....have a good New Years, catch you in the new one....Hit the 'Publish' button:

"It's the future Conan...."

Down at my mother's house looking through old photo albums. 

1952...Long Beach California.  My parents with the brand new Henry J. I was driven home from the hospital as a newborn in this fine little ride...

Fast forward 61 years...my mother is still driving....a four cylinder, but with some of the latest technology.

Her hybrid Toyota...

The car I remember the best is a 1954 Ford Wagon similar to one of these...we had this car while my father was stationed in Japan in the fifties. I'll have to see if I can find some pics of it. My father and I took a week long vacation once back then, and drove all over Japan in that car. I remember it seeming like a behemoth compared to the Japanese cars of the era....and especially driving on the narrow roads of 1950's japan...

Maybe I'll get back here and post some more pics....

To anyone out there that reads this little blog....Have a Merry Holidays! 

No, this isn't a 1954 Ford station wagon.  Found this pic of a VW powered airplane I helped my father build in the 70's. Interesting, how the neighbor had a bug parked in their driveway. Speaking of the neighbor, he was a pilot in World War2 and flew P-47's for the navy.

I learned a lot about metal fabrication from my father during that project. Speaking of projects, I need to scan all the family photos this year. Being an Air Force photographer my father left a lot of photos behind...back into the old albums....

A visit to The Vintage Monkey

Talked my friend Jack into visiting 'The Vintage Monkey', this evening. Told him he'd get to see a Triumph 250 like the one he rode in San Francisco in the '70's. 

Shasta Smith, the best looking 'wrench' probably on either side of the mighty Mississippi...  

CB 550

Tom, probably has the coolest hair either side of the great muddy...and quite a welder and sculptor...they were both very congenial hosts, and it was great to talk bikes with them.

A very nicely done Triumph 250 (okay, a re-badged BSA...)

Shasta's  daily driver Honda 175

Nice custom touches on the 175 tank.

They have a very neat and organized shop, with a really nice retail/display area. The plan for the coming year is to develop the store side, and do some shows. Was hoping the race CB 350 that they sponsor would be there..maybe next time.

Here is a link to the web site------------->www.TheVintageMonkey.com

Let the faceplants begin...

First snow of the season, my skiing/climbing partner and I ventured into the mountains to see if it was happening....

Our destination , Loon Lake...a wilderness area below Lake Tahoe...and about an hour and 45 mins from the flat lands of Sacramento. This is the Loon Lake Chalet, built by a local power utility. Since there is a power generating dam on the lake, the road is kept plowed through the winter. The Chalet is available to rent, and also serves as a warming hut on the weekends. The lower level houses a Ranger station.

My first pair of skis, found in a trash pile when I was a young lad living in Massachusetts looked a lot like these Nordic examples nailed to the wall on the Chalet. 

Rick and I were expecting it to be cold and windy, so dressed in our 'commando black' gear...figuring it would absorb the solar energy and keep us cozy. As it turned out we should have warn white as it was such a nice sunny day.

Here's Rick, working uphill to our destination....

....which is known as 'Chipmonk Ridge'. Here I am looking sweaty and squinting into the sun....wishing I had white clothing ...

The Chipmonk Ridge...someday we are gonna climb that thing...

Yep, pretty nice day...all in all...

Welcome to Isleton...

Early morning Isleton...established 1872, next to the Striped Bass and Sturgeon filled waters of the Sacramento river. (Wonder if Samuel Clemons ever hung out here...?)

A sleepy little town that makes Mayberry look metropolitan...

I get the fishing part of this sign...?

As I walked towards the bait shop I thought I heard the ghost of Sheriff Taylor whistling his going fishing song.

Very funny Bob.....

The local Steak house...

The local Hotel...

Crawdad and brews...

Every town needs a speed shop...evidently this one didn't catch on...for rent, as well as much of the commercial space in town...

The friend I helped move out of Oakland lucked out and found a place for rent here. Out of the Ghetto of Oakland and into a place that isn't too far from civilization...

Amazingly many of the original 20's fixtures have survived in the house, and were'nt buried under multi layers of paint...

The new Morgan...

A quick post by phone of these pics I snapped in Alemeda after checking out of a motel that's been 'home' off and on for two weeks...and back on the computer to finish up the text. Quicker than transferring the pics or e-mailing them to myself like I used to. (Bit by bit the old man learns how to use his new technology...).

The Morgan three wheeler still looks pretty traditional, now with an S&S motor instead of a JAP (James A. Prestwich).

 Never did see the owner of this rig. When he showed up he had about everything but the kitchen sink bungied to the back.Guess they didn't need the rug up in the motel room...