Holy Hand Grenades....

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!

Almost Recycled....

Once upon a time, a long long time ago, there was this stupid idiot that decided to rebuild the top end on his motorcycle. Almost 2 years pass and he never got to firing it up. He then moved to California and took said bike with him in hopes that it would just start right up. Idiot.

Well after removing and replacing the carburetor from the bike about seven times, fidgeting with wiring, changing tires and tubes, and messing with the dumb air filter, it finally started. Turned out that the one thing I didnt want to mess with was the valves and cams; and thats where the problem lied. One intake and exhaust valve were way out of spec, thus not enough compression to run but enough to backfire once every other trip pushing it down the local street hill. Now the bike is actually hard to kick. I cant wait to ride now.


It also runs extremely hot. Like red hot. Like Franks Red Hot.


Id like to give a shout out to Brian and Nat, ESP, and Scotts for all the help reviving the 4fitty!

I almost forgot to mention the new goodies, red atmospheric lines on the carb and a red hot start nut from zip-ty to replace that mangled plastic piece of crap.

Dare to Hair....

Its gone. All of it.

See for yourself when I get the digital pictures developed....

--------

So hair come and hair goes. Something about if the shoe fits. Instant showergram.
These are all gibberish. Pure. But the fact is I cut it all off. First time in a long time. Mullet-be-gone in a single user friendly package that vibrates the skull to a nice numbing scalp tingling feeling like youre getting a massage. Then I finished it off with a shave and a massive nap.

The pictures speak for themselves.

The feauxhawk was stage one.

I shoulda taken it a step further and gone the monk route right here, but didnt.

Some western motif that had to be eventually removed, bc I was eating it. I dont like eating moustaches.

And then a nice self-portrait displaying the "oh man the flash is on, ouch" expression common with underlings from York and supersubordinates from the lawn next to Margos, the one with the nicely trimmed hedge row, perfect for shopping cart ghost rides off the roof into. My favorite. Ready for sunburn.

The Ride to 5....

Somewhere north of the San Gabriels we went for a fairly massive dirtbike ride with great success. We had 3 Contenders:

Brian, SOB and myself. Dirty.

I didnt realize this till I saw this pic but I look like a stuffed a animal. I dont feel like one, just look it. I feel more like an out of work river guide, that needs a haircut, that may happen today, that may feel very very good. I am also avoiding doing my taxes like the plague, like I do every year.

The vista view points were very tight up on the top of the ever long ridge:

Despite the fact that the yz450 was a broken sad piece of shit that doesnt run or want to fire up at all despite the new rings, jetting, washing, flat tires, and fork seals, didnt stop us. I borrowed a xr600 for the win! making the days lineup complete. xr600, xr400, xr250.

I somehow managed to take said borrowed bike and lose the license plate. Something that I am quite good at doing, as Ive done it before. Sorry SOB. Needless to say, what little tire was left on the rear tire has been bureaucratically managed to a lesser extent by the overlords over at the ministry of hillclimbing and vertical traction, in Leeds. So yeah, its time for a new one. Although Im extremely impressed with how the 600 can hookup on anything at low speeds. I think its the high torque and low hp, but it simply wont die. Pretty choice if you ask me.




And remember to bring the beer. Very important. Very.

Amazingly Creepy....

This is so amazing but so magically disturbing. I had to post it. Awesome.

La Selva....

Im a huge fan of forests. I have also been getting in to those panoramas.

These here are some of the younger redwoods in the area. Makes you want to hug a tree.

Going Coastal....

No mail, no guns.

Some pics from the Big Sur area from a couple weeks ago.

Nacamiento road goes pretty far back into the national forest off the 1. Unfortunately when the coastal campsites are so full that people are parking on the highway you kinda have to go inland. We went from sea-level to almos 3000 ft in a single shot, in the dark, with the worst fog I have ever seen. I mean 60 switchbacks and 3 foot visibility make this road a little exhausting on the nerves. Luckily we had beer.

Botchers Gap. This is where we met Moriah's least friendly park ranger. He sucked. She want to kill him. Even though the road was gated here and campsite was a little less than awesome, the morning sun and view wasnt to be missed.

Glad we brought the kayaks....all for nothing. No problem though, the surf was HUGE and scary.

Right Here....

....is where a new post is supposed to be. Its not. And thats how it is.

Making It in California....

Im not sure what Im making or what Im supposed to be making, but I know a couple things. I dont think the new wheel bearing is going, bc after the steering damper broke off and spilled all of its oil in the parking lot, it drives significantly better. I also know that kayaking is awesome, and at the root of my anti-skiing days. The San Lorenzo River is super fun with a nice IV near the end that Moose dubbed as making her feel very "smug" as we both ran it as 10 other people watched and portaged. I missed the Pliney the Younger release at the Russian River Brewery, which was sad, but after reading about it was ok, because the lines were out the door and many many more people showed up than what was expected and were turned away without beer as it ran out, very very early.
Life in camp with Moriah is fun and dirty, and there shall be pics following soon. In theory.

Moving....

Packing for a permanent move is a bitch. I think Im gonna just shower, get dressed and go. With the dirtbike of course.

Water....

Comic of the Day....

I just found this guys website. Hilarious!

Odds and Ends....

While I was out mapping I saw this interesting thing....

Whether you believe it or not, thats an inflatable dam. Going ALL the way across the river. A kayakers nightmare.

Big Move....

With the action in the sights, I prepare. First is the Nissan....if you want it say so, otherwise day by day Im taking it apart, listing parts on ebay, and at the end of the month whatevers left goes to the recycler. Stuff like, radiator, engine, tranny, wheels, seats....all of which is in good condition minus the leaky tranny.


Also ready to go is the KZ550, Justins Virago in the background there can go too. I have a pile of stuff that my mom is keeping for god knows what, mainly assorted dining sets from around the world (after she realized a couple years ago that entertaining is too hard). I have some more clothes Ive been keeping from gradeschool and highschool. Some misc whitewater gear. Hopefully in the end I can get back some of what was raped from me by the mechanic in salida...asshat.

Jetty Jacks....

They are ugly. Once put in for erosion control, now being taken out for safety hazard. Im mapping em.


Heres what something like that looks like:

Left Unspoken....

From the Vault....

A long long time ago, Kim and Keith decided to trade pants. That belt is from my 2nd year in college.


Just so you know, Kim is Garretts sister. I have an amazing ass.

Steam Powered....

Since I got back from Tennessee, which was most amazing btw, Ive been piling up the projects and knocking them down before I run out of any kind of motivation and before I move to California, which, again, is another matter completely (six commas, one sentence). Allow me:

Ordered some glass doors for the fireplace, and installed them.


Put a new starter in the Apocalypse.


Wiring that inverter in is always a treat, s'been mounted for over 6 months now.


Regluing the rearview mirror to the windsheild, fell off in Nov.


Testing a new jacket for Outside, havent taken it off yet, slept in it once already.


Installing new shocks all'round, and painted them too. A total bitch in the front, ugh.


Warrantying most of my gear and sending it back.


Pretending I didnt cut off access permissions to ALL my files on the server. Im special like that. If you know how to fix that please do tell.

Lappy Mount....

How to build a car laptop mount in a few easy steps:

1. Find wood in yard.
2. Sand it.


3. Drill strap hole, sand some more.
4. Varnish a couple of times.


5. Wire in inverter for constant battery power.
6. Strap on armrest, use it.


I personally like the wood grained mouse pad, ftw! This thing is way more stout that I thought it would be, by a long shot. And the dog, I like her too.

You might be wondering why I do this? Well Im doing some major river surveying in Abq and will be spending 2 weeks ground truthing some imagery. This way I can map objects of interest real time while driving the access roads.

Quiz....

Can you name these feet?