Sunday, April 19, 2009

Bikes, 'Birds and the "May as Wells"



Phil, Angela and I went to the Harley dealership in Belmont yesterday where Angela traded in her Victory Kingpin for the Harley pictured above. Really nice ride. The Victory was nice as well but it just didn't quite fit her right. The new bike is similar to the one she rode to Laughlin last year. Come to think about it, almost exactly a year ago.

Its been quite a year. We're doing stuff I'd never dreamed that we'd do. It never occurred to me that Linda and I would be bikers. Yeah, if you can call a nearly 57 year old fat guy with no hair a biker. And if you called Linda a biker to her face she'd slap you. Regardless, I like riding. But I like having my family with me as well, so my mechanical pursuits this summer will center around the Thunderbird. Not so much to be done but some of it is rather daunting. I have a new dashboard that I want to install. Not just the dash pad, but the whole board. That means a complete teardown of the dash assembly. It's not usually the planned work that is a problem for me, it's the case of the "May as wells". I once pulled the engine out of a '63 Caddy because I wanted to change the battery cable end. Meaning I'm afraid of what I'll end up doing behind the dashboard. I'm figuring on all new vacuum hoses, but what about dash light bulbs? And taking the instruments apart for cleaning and sealing? I'm sure it will get worse as I get deeper into the project.

We just got home from church. A couple of good talks. I'm probably related to one of the speakers but we haven't figured out how yet. Mom may have some info for me.

Ok, one more little gripe and then off I go to watch "The Yellow Rolls Royce"; I'm waiting until November so that I have enough leave time to be off for a few weeks because I need some repair on my right shoulder. In the mean time, right now I'm in a bit of pain. Actually, quite a bit. I can't take any hard drugs because I'm on call. If the pager goes off and I need to go push rocks off of the highway on 89A I can't be loopy. Driving the plow truck takes all of my concentration. Especially going down the switchbacks. It's fun, but I need to be awake. Ah, and in the bottom of the canyon is a Dairy Queen!