as it turns out

My hops field has gotten out of hand. I wasn't expecting them to be ready this early but they have taken off. Melissa and I did get out there last week and string up the lines, but there were two plants where the stakes had come up so I still needed to stake and string those two.

Besides that, they were growing everywhere. I really needed to trim back all but 2-3 shoots per root. At least that is the generally accepted wisdom. That way, the plant isn't expending it's energy on a bunch of little bines but can put it forth into 2 or 3 different ones and *they* produce more that way. Last year I let them all grow to establish a good root, this year it will be all about yield. 

So anyway, I cut the extra shoots off and stripped back the first foot of leaves to help the soil aerate better. Here is what they look like right now ...

It's a crude picture but you get the idea. It's hard to believe, but just three weeks ago, they were just budding through the ground.

For reference, the ones in the middle are taller than I. The peak where the lines converge is about 14' above the ground?

There is still work to do (always with a garden, right?), but I am content with it for now. Just to the right of this picture is the lower entry/exit of the road loop around the property that will eventually be blazed. I need to get the chainsaw sharpened, but that is another "day".

So with that done, I farted around in the garage a bit, fiddling with various unfinished projects, mostly lathe stuff and I was having no success with any of it.

My bandsaw blade keeps popping off. It is basically wore out. I have tensioned it as much as I can and it still pops off. So i cannot use it to cut a log.

The Poulan chainsaw keeps popping off the circlip/e-clip that holds the drive sprocket on. It usually lasts about half a log before ejecting it. The Stihl is too dull to cut butter. So I got ALL this damn wood lying around and I cannot cut it up for lathe use. GRR!

I tried to chuck up a goblet I had been working on but got nowhere with it as the lateral forces are too much for the small amount of hold the chuck has. I need to fab up a spindle rest that will support the piece closer to where the stresses are coming from. I have found one online and have the basic idea of how to do it, just need some materials.

Meanwhile, these two set waiting such a time as I have made it up -->



I can't cut up any wood, can't work the pieces I have started ... I am really wanting to turn something so I started poking around the scrap pile. I have the base of a lighthouse lamp and am in need of a small piece for the top that will work with it. During my poking around I came across a log of that spalted birch that had a "fatal" crack in it.



I have been wanting to make an egg for Melissa for Easter. This spalted wood would be just perfect to use. The piece I'm looking at has a crack in it that will most likely be transferred into the piece.

A cracked egg? HA! I love it!

Well as it began to take it's form, apparently the crack wasn't as deep into the piece as it looked as the crack had all but disappeared. There is still a little one but it is hard to see. Yeesh, any other time you would be happy to remove that imperfection, but when you want it?   ;)

It will be interesting to see if it manifests itself more as it dries. Here is a pic of the egg ...

Heh. when done I took it inside and tossed it to Melissa and said Happy Easter to my favorite cracked egg.  ;)

I was sitting next to the firepit yesterday morning and just listenin’ to the creek runnin’ because of the rains from last night all the while listenin’ to the dogs in the neighborhood barkin’ ‘bout this and that and the birds singin’ and all the cacophony that is associated with settin’ out in the woods. While it’s not in the woods, it can be peaceful.

The sky was a beautiful blue and there were a few thin wispy white clouds. It was pastoral!

Then I saw the shadow of a bird fly over head and it happened to be a hawk. It’s wingspan was about 3’, maybe 4’. That was neat in itself, but then he circled around just above a clearing in the trees soaring in the currents with a light tip of his primary feathers to adjust direction.

It was looking for food I am sure, but it was really cool to watch him circle around above where I was. It circled probably a half dozen times.

Dammitall! Wouldn’t you know I didn’t have the camera with me? I knew if I went inside to get it the hawk would be gone and I would have just missed seeing the last of it's circling the area.

Bummer too, because with the textured backdrop of thin white wispy clouds on that blue sky, there could have been some cool shots.

the christening ...

Yesterday's weather was forecast to be about 80* and mostly sunny. So I got the 1250 out for a bit. Man! that thing is so smooth it's dangerous! It never once "felt" fast, although you would look down at speedo and be like "whoa!"  


So I am in dire need of chain lube as I had used the last of what 
I had on the 600 when putting on its new chain and sprockets. I headed up to Morristown to the local shop I deal with and grabbed a can of Chain Wax, applied it and then headed over to Knoxville to grab some brews for later. From there, I would decide where to go.


With those "chores" done, it was time to go ride somewhere. I decided I would head down to Hunt's Lodge and bug Lori. The easiest and funnest way is to head down 129 (besides the  Dragon will be  all mine -- it's Monday and early in the "season") so that's what I did. Anyway 129 goes right past the airport and it is pretty common to see an airliner up close and personal as it comes in to land. It's not an international airport, but it is always busy. 


As I went by I noticed out of the corner of my eye (they would be taxiing in from behind me when headed south) I see what doesn't look to be a regular passenger liner... at all. I look over and it's one of the Blue Angels coming in, and right behind him was another. The second one passed right over me as i was in that tangent to the runway. I could see the innards of the landing gear he was that low. It was pretty cool!


Once I got to the dragon, i saw that the photographers were out so appraently it's not that dead but I still had a relatively free run of it. On a whim I turned left on NC-28 and took it all the way down to 64 (I still LOVE that stretch of 28 between 74 and 64). It's so fun I cannot resist going there if in the "area". 


I figured i could cut back west on US 64 to pick up TN-68. However, you got to really love both of those roads to incorporate them on the same ride as that hour long slog on 64 really has you questioning why you went this way.  


Upon reaching 68, I once again had the road mostly to myself. Those times I did approach slower vehicles, just one blip of the throttle and it was no longer an issue. Yeah baby! 


That 3 mile stretch just to the north of the creek as you are gaining elevation in those wide sweeping turns is just too much fun! I admit I think I may have been in violation of the speed limit in this section. ; )


When I got up to the campground, no one was there. So I left and headed across the Skyway, and then one more run up the Dragon. A couple of those turns on the Dragon had me exiting at 55 ish and another at 64 this thing is dangerous-smooth! 


I was fast, but it didn't feel it. I never touched a peg down at any point yesterday, but the speedo kept telling me I wasn't slow. 


Just before I got to the Dragon I could see the skies to the northeast were rather dark ... well, black, and there was really no way of avoiding it. Crud! with such a glowing weather forecast I didn't pack any rain gear at all. 


I could likely minimize it by slogging through it going north, or head east. If I went east I would likely get caught in it twice. So I went north.


It was about a half hour or so of steadily sprinkling. Once I got north of Maryville though it cleared out and the rest of the ride home was dry and rather uneventful as it was dark by now. I just slabbed it on home from Knoxville.


I am really impressed with how smooth this bike is. You never really feel like you're going too fast nor that you are out of control. I missed a couple entries but this bike is so forgiving you can power out or just lean it a bit more to counter any misjudgments. 


It's so smooth in fact, it got named. I now call it Cloud9 because it is just that smooth. Plus it puts that Cloud 9 grin on my face so she has been christened.   ; )

I have yet to get it over 7K RPM. I don't feel the need to. It really delivers well up to 7K and after 5K things start happening  ... FAST!! I am sure with more miles I will explore it's capabilities more. 

can't we just get along?

so I'm not sure who actually reads these blogs of mine, but I suppose I write them as much for me as anyone. I am sitting here with free reign of the TV since Dad's drunkass has already retired for the evening.

Usually, I just turn the damn thing off, unless there is a sporting event (typically college ball) on, I will turn it off or maybe switch to one of the music channels. I tend to check the movie channels we get and the box gets shut down because nothing appeals.

However, tonight "Remember the Titans" was on. I have seen it many times and it's a good flick that I do enjoy watching, so tuned in.

It's a feel good movie, but it's powerful because of all the socially driven context it addresses. It was a different time and racism was much more rampant than it is today.

Sadly though, nearly 40 years after the time frame of the setting of this movie, we as a society, haven't really progressed much. I have lived in the deep south most of my life.

Racism is something that I am not oblivious to. I see way too much of it. I don't get it, but I am in no bubble either.

I hate racism! HATE IT! I do NOT understand how you can have preconceived notions about a person before you have met him/her just because of the fact they are different from you.

The word "individual" is just that! Each person deserves the opportunity to let you down before you determine he/she deserves disdain. Why should you judge a person because of some group they belong to you whether that group wronged YOU or not?

How shallow is that? How come nearly 150 years after the end of the "Civil War" (ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY YEARS!!) we cannot get past this hatred? It baffles and sickens me!

This isn't just a black and white thing, though. It's not just race, it's culture. Take Muslims. MOST of them are NOT Jihad lunatics. Yet, we as Americans have a mindset about Asiatic cultures -- stereotyping is a bad thing.

Some of those folks DO have hateful intentions toward us, but not the majority. One bad apple and all that ...

Prejudice knows no bounds. Why can we not break down this wall (as a species)?

It is great to see that blacks and whites can get along. When I was in college (only a decade ago) I shared an apartment with two other guys who were best friends.

One was a white guy, the other a black guy. I was tickled to see this. This has been showcased more and more over the past decade through the media, and I think it is a good thing, but it still remains in some fashion.

I suppose the landscape has changed to where it's not so much black and white as it once was, but we still have that predisposition to judge someone by their culture in a wholistic rather than individual approach. That sucks! When we can accept each PERSON as a PERSON and not part of a group we will ALL be better!

Maybe one day the human race can just get along and agree to disagree on things and it be cool. Right now, not so much.

consumed ...

that's what I am! I am about to head out on a road trip on the bike later this week.

This will be my first road trip in a few years. I sooo miss road trippin' on the bike! It's been waaayyy too long!

I am headed up to the D.C. area to visit with a very good friend for a few days. We have some work to do, but after that ... it's play time!!

On Saturday, we will head up towards Philadelphia where another friend of mine is storing a bike for me. The idea is to load it onto the trailer, hang out for a bit, then head to Philly. Or do Philly first then grab the bike. Either way, that's Saturday's to-do list.

Sunday, I will head on home on the new bike mostly on secondary roads and probably a good stretch of the Blue Ridge Parkway. Of course, if the weather sucks, I guess I will just slab it home. I will leave the KLR up there and Skip will bring it down when he comes down for the Tellico event next month.

So this is *all* I'm thinking about. I am finally going to get to log some significant miles. I get to hang out with good friends. AAAANNNDDD .. I am picking up a bike that I have wanted since it hit the showroom floor. Does it get much better?

I am not a bike slut -- well in a way, yeah, but I mean I have never really lusted after a new bike. Ever since this one was announced I have yearned to own it ... and now I do.

So all I am thinking about is this upcoming trip. I am consumed. Is it Thursday morning yet?

Feeling zen-ish!

So for a while now, I have been trying to ride with a guy who established a group once-upon-a-time called Country Roads Riding Club, but since the word "Club" has such a negative connotation in our PC world, he was coerced into changing it to Country Roads Riding Group (CRGR). Dan, who started this "club" (it's what I still call it, because I don't have to please ANYone), is an awesome dude!

I have always enjoyed his company. A real salt-of-the-Earth, pleasant guy to be around! The members or riders of the club have always been pleasant company as well. While it is not my typical pace, the ride with the CRGR has always been good times.

However, for waaaayyy too long, our schedules have not meshed to allow me to tag along on their rides. Well, today, was a different day. Or so I thought as I headed out to the bike shed this AM with my newly charged battery for the big sabre. It's not a new battery, just that I knew it was dead from the last time I tried it early February.

So I set it on charge ALL day yesterday to be sure it would be fresh in the morning. Grabbed it off the charger, took it to the bike shed, hooked it up, and attempted to fire it off. I got three full starter revolutions and it got weak. DAMMIT! I replaced this sealed gel battery a year and a half ago! GRRR!

Okay, I can dick around with it, or just try out the KLR  okay so I try the Kawi, and it fires right up like a good bike should.

It's not that I woke up late, as much as I ASS-u-MEd the Sabre would start up. I mean it's a gel-battery and ONLY a year and a half old. So much for assumptions (again -- ONE of these days, maybe I'll learn).

So anyway, I jump on the KLR (well not ... jump ... but you get the idea). I get to the nearest gas station and top off. Their card reader at the pump ... doesn't. *SIGH* I go in, hand over my card, go out, pump gas, back in and sign, back out on the bike. According to their clock I will be 10 minutes late to the rendezvous point. Not a big deal for anyone who knows me, but I haven't rode with Dan in waaayy too long and haven't confirmed I was going to make it.

Sooo I haul ass on the interstate to try to make up some time. Doggone it the cops are out! I saw 4 on the way to Knox-vegas! FOUR! some busy, some rolling. None were interested in me and that just broke my heart (NOT).

I got to the meeting point with 5 minutes to spare. WHEW! I had no plan "B" in place. I would've figured it out, but I wanted to see Dan, and whomever was riding along this day for that matter.

It was funny. I haven't seen this man in nearly 4 years, yet, as I pulled in, I seen that grin on his face as he said, "whatcha riding young man?" He KNEW who I was -- through the full-faced helmet and full gear! Cracked me up.

After a few introductions (there were two other bikes and three others I hadn't previously met (including his wife)). After introductions and a brief bit of conversation we were off. The riding with this group, while good, is not near as good as the company. Don't take it that the riding is bad, because I live in east Tennessee -- there aren't many BAD roads to be found! It's just that the company is that good.

here is the route I took (with and without the group) .....  

http://g.co/maps/w9q8t

So we head down US11 southbound which is a nice, enjoyably sedate ride through the countryside. Nothing less than I would expect from a Dan-led ride!  ;) I have been here before (as with most of the ride), but it is nice to see a rural side of "metro"-Knoxville. The scenery yielded green grasses and rolling hills with slight curves to keep your attention on the road, should it be absolved by surrounding scenery.

We arrived at one of the proposed destinations, a museum designated to the Swift Airplane Museum at the McMinn County Airport in TN. link here ....

http://www.swiftmuseumfoundation.org/

There are a half dozen airplanes on display and many artifacts between the hangar that is stocked with fully restored and functional  (albeit customized) Swift airplanes that date pre-war (barely) to the evolution that happened post-war.

Here are a few snapshots of some of them ....

The red one is the very first Swift built. It has a wood frame and has fabric stretched over the wood. I can imagine what a rough ride this thing must be. It is all original too.


Here are a few shots of some different cockpits. You can see the customization that has occurred. Apparently there are a ton of aftermarket goodies that can be bolted right on these planes.

During WW II these were used as fighters and after the war the military still used them as trainers. At some point Saudi Arabia purchased about 10 of these planes and eventually they were left in the desert. Some Swift enthusiast found them and made arrangements with the government to get back whatever they could salvage. This is one of those planes ....

There is the wing-mounted machine gun. The hinged lid on the left was where the bullets were loaded. Another cockpit view to the left. Slightly more involved than the civilian models were.

After learning about the Swift planes heritage, we mounted back up and headed on to lunch at a little place called Michael's in Etowah. It was lunch time so it was a bit busy, but that just gave us all more face time. As much as I love riding, sometimes it is good to just sit down and visit and we all had a great lunch. Good food with good people ... it doesn't get much better than that!

After lunch is where I consider the ride to have really started. We headed towards Reliance, TN along TN-30  which borders the windy Hiawasee River. It was a great twisty little road. It winds and wends its way across the scenic countryside. We ran a very sedate pace, but it seemed to be perfect for that road. Not that it was technically demanding, but more that it allowed you to take in more of the scenery.

From there we hit TN-315. I hadn't ever been on that before. One of the riders had split off here and the pace seemed to pick up a bit and that suited me fine. I need to make a point to hit that again. That was fun. 

When we got to Tellico Plains, I split off from the remaining two bikes and intended to visit Mrs. Lori if she happened to be at Hunt's Campground and Lodge. If she wasn't I was going to hit the Cherahola Skyway (LOVE that road), then the Dragon, Foothills Parkway, Little River Road, then 321 back into Newport. Not a bad route -- AT ALL!

Unfortunately, Lori wasn't there and Jack is working third shift, so I didn't stop by their house to visit as I didn't wish to interfere with his sleep. So that means on with the rest of the ride -- what a bummer eh?  ;)

Since I had the KLR I was hoping to scout some trails that may be along the Skyway, but each time I saw one it was gated off. Hopefully they aren't closed for good, just for winter. 

You can't give us off-roaders enough rope, we may hang our fool selves, I guess. Big brother sure is watching out for us! Yeesh!

I tried to enjoy the Skyway, but that poor little single cylinder was near red line at 85 mph and I didn't want to blow up the bike so took a calmer approach to the Skyway than I ever have. 

Then, I shot up through Santeelah Road over to 129. I stopped to try and capture a shot of the Santeelah dam in full discharge but this was all I could muster. Not the best of pics, but oh well. 

Then it was onto 129. I have done the Dragon many, many times. It is a fun road when not crowded. I have hit it quite a few times when it isn't. 

Even then, I usually come across someone that slows me down, at least briefly. Today, NO one was on it. 

The first few turns I was unable to find the torque range and finally figured it was going to be "work" to go fast through this. By work I mean I wouldn't be able to leave it in a single gear and run but constantly switch back and forth between first and second. If I didn't it would lug out of some of the turns sounding like a Singer sewing machine.

However, it wasn't as laborious as I had expected. I got into a groove with that bike shifting when I should, braking when I should, not braking when I shouldn't. ALL these things that i HAVEN'T been doing lately were clicking all of a sudden.

I have gone through the Dragon *faster* before but not sure I ever had as much fun as when I was on that KLR. WOW! That was a hoot! there's an old saying about how much fun it is making a slow bike go fast ... it's true I tell ya!

And I needed that. I have been so full of self-doubt because I haven't been able to attack corners like I used to for a long time. Tim Schwab told me a couple months ago it sounded to him as if I didn't have confidence in that big Sabre. I think he is onto something! That is where the doubting began and aside from one run on that bike I never have felt comfortable attacking the turns. Not sure why, the old Magna never affected me like this. 

Meh! whatever! THIS was what I needed. It was quite therapeutic for me. I now know I haven't lost or forgotten how to ride. I just lost some confidence, until today! Yay me!  ;)

Hit the Foothills next and a guy on a Harley had pulled out in front of me just before I got there. That was fine I was happy with where I was and ready to just cool my heels and cruise along behind him. However, he acted like it was a race or something.

I noticed him pushing a bit and in one right hander, I saw his eyes in his mirror watching *me* instead of the road. His bike then drifted a bit to the left and that big ass rear tire of his hit the yellow paint and the bike wiggled a bit. 

It scared him, but he collected it, and then shook his head at his own stupidity. After that, this idiot starts forcibly wiggling the bike. My guess was that he must've thought he had a flat and was trying to see if he could get it to lose traction again.

He had a helmet strapped onto his sissy bar and each time he would wiggle around that thing would move. It was quite unnerving. Finally I had enough and blew past him. I didn't want to hit this idiot's helmet when it come off. I pointed to my helmet and then to the seat behind me as I passed him, but he didn't seem to get it. Oh well, not my problem. Things in the rear view mirror get progressively smaller.   ; )

A few more spirited turns landed me on US 321. From there I was going to take Little River Road (TN-73). I have done this one many times as well, but always get caught up in a slow moving traffic jam as it is always seems to be crowded. 

It's a shame too, because that is a fun little road. Today, though Lady Luck was with me. Not only did I get an uninhibted run of the Dragon, but also had a mostly traffic-free go at Little River Road. Sweet! More 1st and 2nd gear shifting, heart-pumping fun ensued.

I got home with a little over 300 blissful miles logged, 11 hours of daylit seat time, a new-found love for that little KLR, and a renewed sense of confidence. It was great to see Dan again, and meet his lovely wife, Janet, as well as Lynn and Keith -- the other two riders. 

I couldn't have asked for a more perfect day. I finished it off a great day with a few Kashmir IPAs. 

It was an epic day because a little later in the evening I found that I won the auction I had been bidding on. The Sabre's replacement ...

an 07 Suzuki Bandit 1250 w/ ABS. I have wanted one of these since they come out. I am not much for new bikes, but these appealed to me when they were first released. Now, well soon, there will be one in my garage. I could not script a better day (well maybe if some of those trails would have been open) but it was a zen day outside of that.

sometimes it turns out that way

I have been able to spend a lot more time in the garage lately. After building the bar, I had room to work on the Bandit that has been parked in the garage and has been worked on at various points throughout the winter. Most of the work done so far was basically cleaning up the carburetors.

That didn't take but a day and a half or so, but when I went to re-install them I hit a wall. I had been totally fighting trying to get the throttle cables installed. Earlier last week a buddy showed up and he is a better wrench than I, and I asked him if he wouldn't mind seeing if he could slip the cables into place.

He fiddled with it for less than a minute and then snaked the carbs up *through* the frame. All along I been trying to put them in with the carbs IN the bike rather than ON it. Within 5 minutes he had the cables on. I have been working at this for many HOURS by now ... literally ... and got nowhere.

FIVE MINUTES ... VOILA! It was unbelievable. I was glad they were now in place, but disheartened that it NEVER occurred to me to bring the carbs up on top of the bike where it would be easier to work on.

Anyway, so I finally got back into bike mode and got the carbs on and the vacuum lines routed properly (it had been so long I had forgotten where they all went. I actually had to consult with a friend of mine who owns the same bike to verify where two hoses went). Filled the tank with some fuel and tried to get her running.

After about 10 minutes of trying, it fired up. It runs rough, but I was floating on a cloud. It's been at least 3 years since I last heard it run. Exhaust can had vibrated loose, so it was LOUD. However, it was waaayy too hot to mess with at the time.

So I got back out there the other night and was going to re-secure the can. Nope! the pipe itself has rusted in half and where it is I don't believe a weld will hold it as it is right at the joint of the can and pipe.

Oh well. So I turned my attention to a tap handle I had turned a while back and just needed to drill the hole for the threaded insert and apply a finish to it.

Well I managed to botch that. I made the hole a bit too big for the insert. DAMMIT!

I started scrounging through some bins of odds and ends looking for a "spacer" so that I may still use it for a tap handle. Luckily, a spare spark plug boot was just about the right diameter to take up the gap. I glued it in place,  slathered some glue on the insert and put it in the boot. It is not centered right, but it does work.

After that I picked up a scrap piece of black walnut I had lying around. It is very green wood as it has only been cut for about a week now. The guy who brings us firewood told me that he had just cut down a black walnut tree that he had no use for and knowing that I like to turn, asked if I wanted any of it. I figured he meant a few sticks, but no, I netted a whole truckload of it.

Sweet! Black walnut is such beautiful wood. I have been itching to turn something out of it.

I had tried to turn a goblet out of it the other night, but it has already started cracking. So back to the scrap piece (which was an end of the goblet that cracked on me). I chucked it into the lathe and began roughing the piece. This is what I wound up with ...



I never turned a mushroom before and I think the dark color of the black walnut is a perfect candidate for my first one.

I know it hasn't finished drying ... by any stretch, but figured I would go ahead and sand it down and slap a finish on it. If it cracks, it would have anyway, so why not?