Dry Build Done

a Few Brackets to Fab , Trim the Rear Mudgaurd , then its being Stripped and off too the Powdercoaters for Everything apart from the Petrol Tank that'll be Painted , so it's twiddle me thumbs time whilst i await the Final Stage the Build Up into a Rideable Bike 

Project Part 2 + 1

mmmmmm.........2" Stainless Bore Pipes just Tacked up yehaa

Sunday..I needed to do it..

Life in the fast lane to Slow ride..music set's the life's tempo and rhythms at times..I loaded up the cd player with some old stuff yesterday and started writing..Hollister from someone that was there in 1947 but it grew..and as Bob Seger blasted out with Roll me Away my mind was churning..I went at it for eight hours and the short story became an encompassing view of biker, biking and brotherhood covering more than half a century..A short tale became sixty pages long..as read it through this early morning I smiled and thought it may be my best...it may never be seen by others..I emailed a copy to the man who made it happen..as the Band played The Night they drove old Dixie down..

Yesterday was also the first Red and White, North and South run..my two close bro's came by early to see if I was in..Not today..I can't remember ever not going because the body wouldn't let me..I not one to share personal issues..only a handful of people have any idea what's going on..Been dealing with lymphoma and what seemed to working stopped so the last 6 weeks have been intense treatment..For someone who doesn't know much more than busting ass 14 hours a day, sleeping a few and doing it again..it been rough..some days 3 or 4 hours and I done in..finished...Well the treatment is worse than the disease and Friday they pulled the tube..

No pity parties here OK..I'm am my own worst enemy..I smoke like a train, eat mostly red meat and junk food..If I could figure out how I would have hung a IV bag of Starbucks in the truck and feed it through the shunt tube..I ride when I should rest..I work and I have been lucky in the respect that before it got out of hand we were set up pretty close to being able to run stuff online. It doesn't matter now I am head back to being me..look out..

Well it's 6am..the suns sneaking over the hill..going to be a hot one..Got the urge to ride and some how I just got hungry..Bacon and eggs..and a thanks to those who share their lives with me and offer me the opportunity to do the same here in blogland..Live to ride, ride to live..you understand..

Rat

Project Bike Update part 2 (i think)

Sunday short ride, three days later..LOL

Shit happens,,went for a coffee and ended up in the desert..Been awhile since I did the biker thing and wore the same smelly oil drenched jeans and sweaty shirt of a few days straight..feels good, stiff but good..The old shovel is struggling to make it through the summer..30,000 miles maybe wishful thinking. Got a little vibration that's turning into a shake..Oh well shit I sold the hot rod before it made me into road splat so it's time to go shopping I guess.

I had been trying to sit down with some old timers, history lesson on the life, the love and brotherhood of bikers..Old Rey was in Hollister in 1947..Angels Camp and Altimont..Gizmo has been around since dirt..been there and done that..and a couple of more who I will save for later..You might have to buy the book..

When the dirty one called and said you might wanna got out to Rosamond you wannabe pen monkey I figured it was good..well more than good, not often you have a chance to sit down with a few legends and listen to stories that you have read the time life or local news paper versions of..I never thought twice, shifted gears and turned south..

Now at first glace you start thinking on the ride down is spending a few days with these 70 and 80 years guys, their kids and grand kids what you really want to do..well I'm closer to 70 than 20, these are the people who can fill in the blanks and I'm a sucker for a good story, or a fish tale..I had meet a couple of these guys when they were in their prime and still kicking ass..Not much has changed other than a few years and the booze flows a little slower..

I enjoyed myself, I shot about 300 pictures with disposable cameras..I will post some of the rides..you will think back and smile..I need a shower and some meat with salt on it..ha..no more oatmeal damn it..sorry had to do it..Looking back was both enlightening and exciting..I have about 30 pages of notes that were stuck into an inside pocket..I can see in my mind the stories coming to life..myths will always be myths but a view from the other side of the street in long overdue..I hope I can do some of the tales as well as they were told by those who were there..Thanks for opening the door and letting me in to your world..

Rat

A Bumper in the Rear View..

Got one of those 4am calls yesterday..one of the bro's had did a little drinking and it turned into a little fighting and he got caught leaving on the scoot..DUI..So mamma calls raising bail and I like a handful of others head to the rescue. Damn glad I put those days behind me..but shit happens and they would have done the same for me and who knows someday I still might need them so all is fine..I had work that need to be done later and the temperature was hanging around the ride me mark so I fire up the shovel and head for downtown Fresberg with the sun coming up..

With the dirty deed done and numb nuts about to wish they left him in lock up cause I'm pretty sure his sweet loving wife only bailed him out so she could have her shot at him I rolled back to the shack..Jumped on the 99 and rolled it to about 75 in the center lane..no traffic..Then out of no where comes this Accura right dead up my ass..Now the Rat in planted in the lane and the pimply face dweeb has either the left or the right to make his exit but no he has to see how fucking close he can get..Now I can tell ya the only thing moving from where I was sitting was my blood pressure..and it was setting speed records going up..This went on for about five miles until zit boy went right and headed for the Madera Steet exit..Nothing there but gas and Mickey D's so I think I'll pull off too..if I can miss the big yellow barrels..

Now as luck has it he pulls into the parking lot and there's an empty hole right beside him..Now a couple of things going in here..the last thing I want to do is kick some young ass at 6:30 in the am when I just handed over my bail money to someone else and the second thing would be if it goes that direction it would be OK too..So I pull up tight, there is no way the kid can exit without having to work around the shovel..got him pinned and the light comes on..I shut it down and drop the lid and the goggles and start working the evil eye..many years of practice and I'm told I got a decent I'm going to rip your head off stare so I use it on Jr..Slowly reach up and unzip the leather and slide my hand inside nice and slow..Now zit boy was holding his own for a few seconds there but this move get's him a little wide eyed..I pull out a smoke and fire it up..Just a reminder I don't plan on leaving soon..Now not a word has been said, no threats and his mirror is still in place..but he is starting to squirm and I guessing the inside of that cage is shrinking fast..he's young, I would venture to guess it's mothers car and he thinking he ain't that hungry after all..He starts the car and slowly, carefully backs out..I'm thinking pimple boy will be just a little more respectful when he rolls up on one of you next time..

Well with the blood pressure dropping some where under 400 I get a craving for the 2 for 3 egg mac muffins..the best tasting one I have had in a long time..now back to the shack..

Suns breaking over the hill this morning..got a hundred places to ride to but only one or two will get accomplished..In the normal Rat fashion I won't know where I'm going until I'm there..if it all works out I'll tell you about it..FTW friends ...See ya..

Rat

Sunday, Sunrise and a ride to the past..

One of the most common question I get from those who know me other than are you F'n crazy is why I live where I do..It sucks in the winter, it sucks in the summer, spring is about fours hours long and fall might stretch into a day on a good year..We got fog, not the normal stuff we got fog..we got cold and we got heat..I grew up or should I say aged here since I refuse to grow up..it's home and it holds memories, the good, the bad and the long forgotten..Sunday as the sun broke over the majestic mountains I saddled up and took a ride into my past..

It didn't start out like that, no like most of the Rat's rides it started out with what Starbucks do I lend my support to first today..about a mile from the winner I had a change of heart..it was early and a heavy breakfast sounds good..the old hole in the wall for some biscuits and gravy..road rocks, belly busters but little did I know I was going to need them..

After stuffing down three full and some home fried taters, wiping what I could off the front of my favorite hoodie I stroll out to the shovel and fire it up..No plan, no direction and no intention I pull out of the parking lot and head for the river..it was the start of a day of memories and the sun was just finishing making it's way over the hill..The little turn out on the one lane road we could some how park twenty cars in on a summer night under the peach tree's..a place of lost youth, stolen watermelons, beer runs and fist fights..a few never forgotten days with people you knew well but have never seen since..but they still live on in the the movies of your past..

Up the road past Kellys Beach, Kelly is long gone and so is the vigor and party that once ruled the summer at the camp ground..Roll on past and just let the shovel take the lead, we know each other well it stay's to the back roads..Like me it likes back roads, back ways and back sides..well I think it does anyway..we roll out to Adams avenue. I spent part of my youth in a little farm house there, the house is still standing and so it the back patio I use to sit up on and watch the drive inn through my telescope..Roll on a few more miles and catch Anchor ave...my favorite home in my youth the shop I build the panhead in is now a small rental..I know the family that owns it, the orange tree's across the street are gone..looks like condo's will be going in..imagine..

The picture above is the rock house, one of the first houses in this hole..the locals don't argue about which one is first anymore cause no one cares..this has been a favorite stop of mine forever so it's first in my book..pull out and sneak around the corner wondering if that old grouchy sawed off mixed mutt is still around,,he sure is and still has some speed left in him..damn near let him get an ankle just so he would feel good about today..well not this time old man..see ya..

So a full day of wide awake dreams, sad moments and happy memories..Got home to the three legged dog with oil stains on my new jeans and a smile on my face..Life's good today and been good to me all along..sometimes we forget to remember what we have and what we have had..you take the bad with the good and if your sitting here reading this I bet your share of good far outweighs the bad..Have memory on me today..ride on..

Rat

Back to the Rat..how about that..cars and rides

Woke up Saturday morning at 3am with mad craving for bacon and potatoes..Knew right then it was going to be one of those days, been working so hard I have not had the urge or desire to ride..that is sick..but was headed in to work again..Did the bacon thing and it helped but didn't cure the hunger..Headed to the shop with my normal Starbucks stop along the way..There it is a huge sign that I drive by everyday, Car Show June 13th..damn that's today..grab my two venti cups of blood thinner and head towards the shop..

About a mile down the road it starts, the little green man in my headed starts dropping hints..Car Show!!! Car Show!!!! I ignore his green ass for a few miles but then it starts me thinking..now this little green SOB can get me in shit..and got stuff I need to be doing but..Now the chant Ride is echoing through the empty halls between my ears..

I make it to the shop..been fighting the urge to flip a "U" for half an hour now..I pop the door and look around and sure enough all the wishful thinking I could muster didn't empty the boxes or stock the shelves..damn again..better get started...about 15 minutes into it enthusiasm was gone and I knew the little green dude had won again..I'm off to the wild blue..

So I dust off the shovel and roll to the show..small town fun and lot's of cool local rides..Had to share the purple coupe..color was to die for in real life..I would drive that Barney looking breast any day...

After cruising the show the green dude conned me into a few miles in the hills..some relax time in the saddle and some wind driven smiles..it felt so good I think the shelves can wait and another day in the winds is about to hit the books..back to beeing the Rat,,Ya how about that..Thanks green dude...

Rat

Two Rat Bastards have Geranades..wanna buy some???

That right The Two Rat Bastards are selling Grenades,,Disc locks that is..we have a few dozen of these and Voss non DOT helmets in..drop me a line if your looking..Enought sales pitch I got more boxes of shit to stare at..we can get parts for ya too..Thanks all..Keep them in the winds..

Rat..

Bloody Custom Bikes arghhhhhhhhhh

Well theres been a few Delays . One of the Worst was the Licencing Authority loosing the Title to me Harley in there office somewhere sent the Original Document to them on the 8th may 09 with all the Changes 2 weeks later nothing happens so i ring em up they have no knowledge where the Title Document is in there system so they put me onto a Manager he asks for a weeks grace to see if it'll be "keyed" into there System . a Week later it ain't arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh............

So anutha phone call later as i have the Managers Direct Number i call him he then sends out anutha form to get a New title i then have to get proof that i own the Harley , so yet more phone calls later i get all the paperwork together and send it off this time addressed to the Manager 

Finally Today the Title turns up all the Changes have been done so thats one thing off the list.

Spoke to the Builder today , erm more Delays.............................

now got 8 weeks before the Bike show the Harley is entered into is supposed to be displayed .

i'm not panicking..............................yet.................................

Dink, the DooDaa Man

Meet the DooDaa man in October of 1983..About the third trip on the shrimp boat with Capt. Rudy we had rolled in the day before and unloaded our shrimp then came back the next morning to sell some lobster tail and shark, side money. Hit the fish house about 9am and unloaded our spoils, split the cash and decided to take a run to Ft.Lauderdale..and do some exploring..So I'm down in the galley packing up a road bag when I hear this high pitched, nerve rattling way to long laugh coming out of the wheel house..not once but over and over..I got to go up and see what this inhuman giggle belongs too..

That's when I meet the DooDaa man..Me and the Rude Dog hung the handle Dink on him, no idea where it came from but we tossed it at him and it stuck..DooDaa came from the song Truck'n and he was a dedicated deadhead..Road warrior and back roads riding traveler..Smart, educated and lost all at once...Had been accepted to Cal-Poly when Viet Nam snatched away from his life and goals..did his time there and had the scars to prove it..he never talked about it and out of respect I never asked..Sometimes sitting with him you could almost feel the turmoil in his head but the smile never left his face..

So after an hour or so of talking and having my nerves grated by the laugh I attempt to bow out and get pointer toward the interstate 75 sign..Dink say's mind if I ride along..damn but sure let's roll..We fire them up and roll to Ft.Lauderdale, find a beach shack and I get to know the Dink..we lived life from an opposite approach I was hard charging, party till you drop, wake up and do it again. Dink savored life, slow and relaxed..I found I could enjoy it too if I tried..the goofy laugh sorta and grew on you and Dinks life views where fun to listen too..

We rode out the next day..down the 1 to Key Largo then back across on the 41, Alligator alley to Ft. Meyers..Had the pleasure of riding with the Dink one more time that year,,we rode to Cuba Town in Tampa and ate killer Cuban sandwiches and smoked a few cigars..After that I trip I ran into the Dink a couple of times in Texas at the docks and never again since..

A couple of weeks or so back Capt.Rudy the Rude Dog called and said guess who showed up at the door a few days ago..the Dink..he is doing good, looking good and still a gypsy a true nomad in the wind...Dink my old friend I hope someday we cross paths or you sit down and read your story..FTW Dink..just you and the wind..

Rat

Pine Tree's and FTW,,I got it.......

Doing a start up on something your about clueless about can be fun,,if your into self inflicted whips and chains that is..Meetings and paper work and then more meetings so you have some more stuff to do cause you have no idea..I did find a printer I think will work good group of people who seems to care..So to celebrate I hit the Starbucks and sat back and relaxed..Got a call..Nothing bad but got me thinking. I headed back to the home office to do some more, you got it paper work..

Mind was drifting a little more than it normally does and I keep catching glimpses of the sleds in the driveway..about three I gave up and grab a set of keys, the Tangerine I need some seat time to think things through..didn't ride over the weekend for the first time in awhile better crank it up and get some wind..

I live about forty five minute from one of the most amazing sites on the planet and I never got the time to go stand and admire it..so it becomes clear I need to go...Headed up Highway 180 toward the gates of Sequoia National forest..Now riding the Tangerine the first thing you would think is here goes on of those balls to the wall rides up the hill and maybe I was thinking that way at the start..Didn't work out that way at all..

About half way up the hill I pulled into the last good gas stop and topped off, had a water. Dunlop has grown since my last visit but so has everything..Head on up the hill and as I pass Snowline lodge at about 5000 feet above sea level I hit the pines..the smell of pines at 60 brings my senses to life..a part of bring a rider only others who ride understand..I roll to the gates of this mountain heaven and pay my ten bucks to get it..hey we can only hope it is that easy..LOL

First stop and site are the big trees, Giant Redwoods, the nations Christmas tree the General Grant..If you have never seen it or heard of it that the time to google it..one of the wonders of the world..I can still stand in awe of it,,well I did yesterday anyway..still in need of some more road time I get to thinking it's been many moons since I pulled up some sand at Hume Lake and I point the Sled that way and roll it on..

Hume was a summer norm growing up, spent many a day exploring it in my youth..small and quaint,,just big enough when your 10 or 12 to keep you in search mood..today it is one place I can say has survived the urban growth bomb,,it is still the same today as I remember it from my youth..got to do this trip more often..better get rolling back and find some road grub. Roll back out of the park and head down the hill..at the 245 sign I decide a burger at the mountain house would be a good end to a great ride..I'm relaxed for the first time in few weeks, not pushing hard but soaking it in today..

Belly full I head back the direction of the Casa..Thinking things through and searching for prospective here is what I came to realize today..The smell of fresh pines from the seat at sixty still lights up my senses and brings simple pleasure, I need to feel the coarse sand on the beach at Hume Lake more often, the Mountains house still has great burgers, the young riders that hang out there brought me a smile..They normally annoy me but today I figured that one out..They are me twenty five years ago, got the world by the balls, don't care and let it be known..good luck boys there are some hard lessons out there..I didn't figure out the things in life I have never been able too..and FTW does mean Feel The Wind..ride on friends..

Rat..