So with the fall and rise of rain and rivers comes a new documentary chapter in the Parts Czeching. Over many a beers, Brian and I decided I should write more. I mean in LA with all the uberskilled peeps running around, why not. Besides, I have all the time in world. So this is the beginning of the next chapter. In between Ive been trying to learn how to spell, or type, or both.
I finally escaped from NM. Whew....
Next, my travels brought me to an interesting little youth camp deep in the redwoods just off the California coast. It was here that I managed to haphazardly met Lester (and Robin) while attempting to change the 4 gallons of oil on the Apocalypse.
You cant see it but theres a towing winch
built on the to the back of the cart!
A little background on Lester: Hes awesome, period. He used to be the camp's maintenance everything guy. Hes built the upper stories on the house he lives in now and the neighboring house. He has approx 5 antennas for his HAM radio communications, and he considers welding with a torch a form of art. He has an arc welder too. In fact he has everything. And all this everything I am trying to help load and move. And by everything I mean everything that he has been storing for the past 40 years.
I have been loading up pallets of old pipe fittings, 60 year old lumber and little blocks, and partially broken concrete tiles and snippets of wire and rusty cans of all variations of liquid toxins. Most of which are really good at removing paint or applying it. The funny part is he remembers everything's story, and if I ask (which I do) he'll tell whatever I want to know. Just like when I pulled a cardboard box off the shelf, I asked. He explained about how back when he met Robin he cut, split and sold a cord of wood with a hand saw, and used the money to buy a electric chainsaw (in the box) which he could then run off Robin's generator. Moments later he showed me the metal bands used to construct her geodesic dome. There was no tool for them so he didnt know whether he should keep em or not. So he did keep em, like the giant iron oxyacetylene pipe gun. Doesn't work anymore, but well bring it anyway.
Hes showed me his own photo album too. The time the bobcat rolled off a cliff and was caught by 3 trees. the time he rolled the 30 foot trailer on black ice and his son got mangled by the unrelease mechanism. the original pics of Robin, him and his oldest son in the 1938 Ford Flatbed. The same flatbed in the container that Ill be driving to Joe later this year.
Bobcat and Ford cab in the same photo, w00t!!
The same one that rolled off the road!
We dig into another pile of parts and chemicals aged by rust and acidic redwood duff and find dens and dead rats, liquids with undisclosed contents, and a bar that his son made so that Lester could attach a trailer to the xr250. The same bike that has been given to me for my help in the matter. Which brings us to why I might be needed here....
One day, asking about the condition of Lester's back, he responded about how he thinks it got to the injured condition it is today. Turns out he lifted 4 cast iron bathtubs and a lawn tractor to change the tire in a single day. He didnt get out of bed for 5 months after that. Now I do all the lifting of the 22 sets of tire chains. His rock collection from every camping trip ever. Random rusty pipes. Plastic mystery everything and a box who knows I dont wanna ask stuff.
A little crack in the morning?
So far through some free time and sweat equity I have inherited a camper and some motorcycles. So now I have a permanently moving home and some more bikes for Brian's garage. But theres much work to do, like pulling some antennas off the roof and tearing around in the bobcat which he gets to enjoy watching me enjoy learning how to drive. Weird that I haven't before. Piece of cake really.
We also get to enjoy air power-assisted fire waste management:
Finally I get to end the day with a beer and start a new one fresh with some eggs and coffee!
If you havent figured out where the last two weekends were staged, then youre out of luck, becasue Im still not telling, even though the baby is in the bathwater, or dont throw the proof out with the pudding. Something like that?
This episode is called "Epicness" because if the pureness of epic that it is (metaphysically). I mean, Pipestone was fun. Maybe termed "Epic" at one time. But at no time did I feel all the things I felt here. Ive been tired. Stoked. Covered in mud, and unable to feel my hands. Cant breathe. Cant stand. Back hurts. But my butt doesnt? That was the part that made no sense.
6600 ft
Under the same tree
At some point in the massive ride, I realized that my chest protector was really rubbing me the wrong way. It could have been the new morning garage workout was building my pecks, but I think it was the cool breeze. Either way Brian had to fashion me up some electrical tape pasties to protects my glass cutting gems.
We made it alive. Gnasty hill climbs and exhausting descents. I definitely feel I learned how to ride a bike that day, if not just a wee bit better.
