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...

My little laptop lives again...

Now I just have to learn how to use it again. 34 updates later..(It's been sitting for a few months waiting for a new power supply)...and everything has changed. Finally figured out which hoops I had to jump, and which rumps I had to kiss...

Not much going on lately on the motorbike front...did get the "powerful' engine back into the SL 350 project, and have mocked it up a little further to what it's next incarnation might be...will probably add a picture here...when I have it.

Sitting around having a 'Big breakfast' at the local McD's...latching on to the 'free wifi'. Listening to the interesting combined hubbub of retired Chinese businessmen and sidewalk philosophers spouting political and religious pontifications and bloviation...chitter chatter...hyperbole...bringing to mind an Adrien Belew tune...

Been gone all week helping friends move out of a live/work studio space in the lovely town of Oakland California. Been a real struggle...eviction/limited access/f'ed landlords/hostile neighbors kinda thing....and it's not over. Probably headed down later this eve to wrap things up over the week end.....maybe we can get another pizza from the place down the street from the 'Angel's' clubhouse...

No deposit...no return...

Who are these guys???

They say they come from Sacramento...and they are on the way to Berzerkley...to have..

some fun...on their mopeds.

  

They are the 'Lost Boys'.

Look out Bay area...here they come....

Nice looking custom build with the Lifan motor.

Veteran's day....

Where did the year go?   Or should I say years...18 years have come and gone since my father succumbed to agent orange related cancer. So...here's remembering him and so many others...this day.

Sargent's stripes...an old Army Air Corp patch that was on one of his old B4 bags.

The match book I picked up at a flea market is from Mather Air Force base, where he retired from.  And remembering my Uncle who survived D-Day and is still here and driving!!

Have a good one everyone.

It's a roller again...

And about time...the weather is turning rapidly and it's starting to get cold here.Snowed in Yosemite and to the East of here. Just a couple quick pics.

A lot easier to move with wheels on them.

I still plan on using a CB 750 tank. I'm thinking of trying to replicate the look of this two tone tank from an early CL 350 .