Motorcycles I have owned

Ducati 620 Multistrada
-No Picture-
1978 Yamaha XS750S
-No Picture-
73 Triumph T140V

2002 Royal Enfield Bullet

2004 Moto Guzzi 750 Breva

1976 Yamaha XS500

1967 Norton Atlas

1977 Ducati 900GTS

2005 Triumph T100

1973 Triton

1995 Kawasaki KZ1000P

2006 Suzuki SV650S

1973 Triumph TR7

1978 BMW R65

2003 Royal Enfield

1982 Suzuki GS550

1977 Kawasaki KZ1000 A1

1982 Yamaha XS400

1998 Harley 1200 Sportster

Journal

I know I have been scarce as of late. For years I have kept journals, the blogs tend to be an extension of these, sometimes I write here, sometimes I write there. I've got dozens of notebooks filled to the last page with what was going on in my life at that time, its not always interesting, but it is accurate, detailed, and complete.

A random example is here:



This is a thicker larger notebook than I am used to, I have been writing predominantly in Moleskin notebooks since before they became trendy - ie - since I was about 14 which is 12 years now. This one, which is also made in Italy was a gift from mom, I have been writing in it since Dec 09. Not perhaps as steady as I used to, but blame that on my hands hurting more.

Well this blog has fallen into some neglect because I have returned more to my journals than to here. You see its easy to write in an online blog. But THIS won't be here in 50 years. It won't. Barring a Fire or a tremendous flood, my notebooks will last forever. There are books in this room, even a couple hand written notebooks from family members, and letters, from up to and over 100 years ago.

Nothing HERE really exists, not physically. So this is a great place to ramble, but as my mind wakes back up a little bit, those thoughts end up on paper, because paper is real. Anyone who thinks this digital world will last is fooling themselves. Books will out live humanity, the internet will die with it.

25 Nov 1947 - 23 July 2007

My Father, 3 years ago, Died. These are pictures from his life.

















And Here is a letter he wrote me my senior year of high school:

Hmmmm

The hair is coming back well, its almost long enough to start slicking back again. I have the Kawasaki tank in the basement tub soaking. Later I'll dump it out and refill it with the water/cleaner mix. Then let it sit for a few hours. Then I'll drain the contents into Deedy's Yamaha tank which also needs cleaned and flush out the KZ tank.

Listening to 'Optimistic' from Radiohead's Kid A. I'm slightly worried about a good friend of mine who's going through a rough patch, but I'm sure he'll be all right.

Might con Brent into helping me carry the Norton frame out of the basement later, when he's home from Conn.

Had breakfast at the Blvd Diner this morning around 5:30AM. It was pretty good though the home fries were a bit rougher than usual, probably because they'd been in the pan all night. But the eggs and toast were excellent, and the whole meal plus a coke ran $5, which was nice, I left a good tip as always (when I can afford to).

I'm starting to feel hammered so I think I'm going to make the move back into the house.

Edit:
Just stashing this here

Norton

Long Shot.




^ I asked my friend Jon for another loan. I already owe him $550 for a sidecar, which I can pay back next month, but if say this engine cost $500 then I'd be able to pay him that back the Next time he comes home from Korea.

I have everything I need for that engine except the points to make it run, the carbs, the pipes, the engine plates, the chassis. That would in theory complete the Norton. Completely. It would land me back on a Norton Atlas.

So supposing I actually got this engine. Just supposing. Then the Norton 750 Atlas would be back on the road in its original form. Jon could have the KZ1000 back. I can fit a sidecar to the Norton. I would have my dream bike, something that I COULD ride 4 seasons without issue. 80 miles per gallon.

I'd put the XS400 BACK together and sell it back to Liam for a couple hundred bucks, or sell it to another friend who would ride it.

Anyways, yeah...


EDIT: FORGET IT... Being impulsive and stupid.

*growls*

I got a speeding ticket today. First one since just after dad died. I was going the speed everyone goes on Mill Street, which tends to be at least 10 over, and my rib cage felt like there was a pretty solid spike in it so I wasn't paying attention QUITE as much as I probably should have been, so I didn't see the cop in the shade with the radar gun. Fucker. I still think $150 is a bit steep, especially since he checked off "estimated" so I'm going to try to fight it. Might as well, can't really loose much on that one, at the very least I can delay having to pay it. I mean I've gotten tickets for less money for twice the infraction.


A mutual friend had an interesting idea for whitening my teeth, which includes vinegar. I'm going to try it. It beats whitening strips, and frankly could get places that they won't reach. I'm going for cleaning off tobacco stains more than bleaching my teeth white. Should make for an interesting experiment.

Well THAT burns.... anyways, making progress at least.

Humbug

Well, we'll start on an upswing, I bought a fountain pen, straight up black, with a nice tip, I also bought a bottle of ink. I used to use my grandfather's but it developed a leak. So yeah, here we go:


Hopefully the last pen I ever own.

This has not been a good day, but what the hell. So the next step is to get the KZ1000 running, that has to be done soon.

Anyways, my motivation to type just died, so I'm done.

Blah

Not too much going on today, or rather yesterday, as it goes, so it goes, thats pretty much all there is. I'm feeling pretty beat up today, more than yesterday. It gets old. It gets really fucking old. I should go to sleep, that would be the best use of my time right now. I might.

Life (mostly)

Well I just got back from Will's house, that was a good time. We went for a long walk down the railroad tracks, hung out at an Air Force Base (outside the fence), and watched some movie with subtitles that was both really good and quite odd. Hanging out was supposed to be Tuesday, but he txted me around 6pm asking if a change would work, and I was game, so that was a fucking excellent night, he is one of my favorite people.

I have also come to an idea about a roadtrip next summer, Will if he has time is game, and I'm pretty sure Liam will be game. It pretty much revolves around getting to Colorado somehow to stay in this caboose out in the wild that is $35 a night. I think it could be a real adventure - though its worth remembering that almost any road trip is an adventure.

I'm watching The Sentinal and just noticed that one of the actors is played by a guy who was one of my favorite cast members in Homicide: Life on the Street. He played Meldrick, and I think you can agree if you watch this clip, that he is (and has been for a long time) one hell of an actor:



I'm only watching this because I didn't feel like sleep yet, and this is an "On Demand" free movie.


I have been informed by some older folks on forums that I may need different yokes for the Atlas if I want to mount a sidecar to it, which incidentally, I do. I could mount it to the KZ, but I think the Yam engine will be much more appropriate for winter use. Doug from Sidestryder who used to hang out with and ride with Steve McQueen and Bud Ekins (as well as others) sent me a good packet of information on how exactly to mount my sidecar to the featherbed frame.

So all in all, a good day.

And with that, I am done.

Pills

3 Times a day. What they are specifically doesn't matter, but Drowsy is the big side effect for each. The big yellow ones are 300mg each. I take 4 of those 3 times a day. The second little blue one is new, and that multicolored pill is new.

Why show you this? Why not?

I hate pills. HATE. But we discover things are necessary to move.

Anyways, I'm done.

Bliss

Bliss is laying outside in a folding lawn chair, feeling almost my age, smoking one of my favorite pipes, in a good temp, listening to old live Pearl Jam. This is what the world is all about.

Mom left for Ohio yesterday? I think it was yesterday, I'm not really sure to be honest.

I really am going to miss this house. It wasn't, isn't my style, I prefer old New England homes, you know, wood structures that are inherently simple in design, but still manage to look good. A nice vertical two family, and old triple decker, a nice 1920s single family. This house is none of those things, this house was built by a millionaire in the 20s. It is elegance personified, which is glorious, but I don't belong here hahaha. Dad loved it though, and that is what really matters. But now that he's gone, its time to move on. Besides there is something funny about laying in the courtyard and seeing Rudy, my 3 colored 86 Olds with its padlocked shut hood in the driveway. Its almost like a private joke.

I had my first shower in four months just a few minutes ago. Now I can see you more clean people beginning to curl up in absolute horror, but showers hurt and baths do not. So I take baths. But if you only take a handful of showers a year, then a shower becomes a magnificent thing. Its easy to forget those things we take for granted until we give them up.

I just looked over at my neighbors house, and watched a bird fly in through an old dryer vent and can now see it sitting inside the window. Part of me wants to go knock on the door and tell them they have a bird in their house, but the rest of me doesn't particularly care. Besides they yelled at me a few days ago for playing my records in the garage at 11am, so you know? Karma. Feel kind of bad for the bird though.

A friend of mine commented on my ability to take joy out of even the simplest parts of life the other day, and to turn almost anything into an adventure, and I took a real sense of peace from that, because he's right, I do do that. I can sit out here and watch the world move by, watch the birds fly around and land on the iron gates and just smile and admire them.

There's a lot that needs done over the next week or so. There is some house work that I really should do, and I want to build a motorcycle or two. Don't know where I will find the energy, but hey, we do what we can.

I suppose one of the first places to start would be to really clean out the garage again. I don't know how, but that room can really get away from me sometimes. Once thats done I can begin to shift more things from the basement out there, I need to bring out the Norton chassis, and also some bicycles.

I also have to wash off these outside walls, the walls around the courtyard. Anyways, I'm going to smoke one more bowl, then go sit in the house and doze until I decide to find some dinner.

Damn.

OK, never made it to Truro, instead my chest locked up and.... I drove off 495 into the grass at about 60mph. Car held up well, didn't hit anything, alignment seems alright. Well, more later it seems.

Truro Tomorrow.

So tomorrow I am going to drive my 1986 Olds from Worcester to Truro (the Cape) in 90+ degree heat with no air conditioning, over 2 hours in each direction... why? To hang out with my married Aunts, their daughter, and grandson. It should actually be quite a good time, except for the sheer heat of getting there, and probably the heat of getting back.

Haven't been on much recently, but I'll get back to long rambles about nothing in particular soon.