Sure wish I lived North! Or anywhere but here right now

Well 4-5 days bad last week and now 3 days this week. Rain, Snow, go away, come again (never), go back to where you belong. But at least it's in the 50-60's this week.

Did go riding Thursday, one guy, Cle, bought a newer Cruiser bike when we were out. Then 3 of us visited the brand new Academy Sports stores. About 150,000 sq. ft. If they don't have it, it's not made for sports. WOW. Now we don't have to go to LC to their Sportman's Warehouse.

Tuesday night 6 from our riding group went to a M/C safety class. Even after 43 years riding I learned a couple new things. One very important lesson was releasing a locked rear brake after it swerves way out must be continued to stay locked up, if it is released it then gets traction and will cause to bike to flip and/or roll over. I've aways released it before it got out of control, so I've never experienced it. In this respect I'm better than I thought.

Another point. I can get on a bike I've never ridden before, go only 1/2 way down Ivanhoe return and tell you everything that's good and bad about that bike. Only Howard and I can do that. Both of us rebuild bikes, so we need to be aware of any dangerous problems very soon so we don't get hurt. Mike rebuilds too and didn't noticed his BMW 1200 wanders. But so does mine.

Linda and I are still doing the dating thing. Working out very well, NOW if she could only keep her temper down! Joking Dear.... My Anger management class really helped even after I got Mad in Class!

Snow and no go

In the 4 days of the Thanksgiving holiday we've gotten 5 -6 inches of snow on Sat and Sun. Sprinkled on Thur. Gee what fun! Cabin fever in El Paso? That means we haven't gone out except for videos and groceries. Got down to 29 last night. But there is hope, Monday may hit 60!

I was going to take the transmission off the BMW until I figured out I have to lower the engine by lifting up the entire frame to get the tranny out. That's tools I don't have,,,, YET!

Trying to figure out what and how to do it.

The tree is up, NO thanks to me! We only had to eat turkey 2 days, Hurray, gave much of it to Helen, Mom and Mongolians. Next year it's road kill, something different, please!

Don't miss my Vette Yet.

Watched "The Transformers" it was better than I thought. "Knocked Up" had a lot of bad language EVEN for me.

Closed up the house fully for the winter but that the cold still gets in here. At least Linda does not complain as much as before I added $650 insulation. Last year was the coldest ever in EP since 1988 and heating the house cost us $125, (all winter), the year before was $65. But with the other person who lives here wanting it warmer than last year....

Still Working On It

On my BMW K1200LT (Luxury Touring) bike, I'm still finding things to Fix Or Improve. So far over 40 projects! The gear box at the rear wheel and the transmission have me most concerned. On the BMWLT website every day there are postings of these problems. But I have to remember only bad things are posted, rarely how reliable most bikes are.

As with any Luxury vehicle it has more farkels to go wrong. Just like the Cadillac.

I'm trying to make it more reliable. Linda and I have ridden it several times without any problem while we are on it. When we went to the Davis Mt's, 4 weeks ago at 80 MPH it ran great both ways. But at those speeds gas mileage dropped off 5-10 mpg and with 2 up, the extra weight. (Don't read anything into that!) After fixing the speedo that was 10% optimistic (now 1%) the gas mileage went way down. If I had known the speedometer was so fast when we brought it home from CA, I would have sped up. It took us 12 or 13 hours when we do it in 10.5-11 normally.

It had/has several oil leaks, none serious, but one concerns me that it could get on the clutch making us non-mobile. A few other problems like a bearing going out unexpectedly on a long trip could end up costing $1000 or more, shortening our trip, and trucking it home.

But then again I can fix most problems, have bought several extra spare parts locally for a third of the cost than from BMW.

I'm really getting more used to it's top heaviness, and Linda and I have used it in town versus the car as part of our Dating plan. With Linda, myself and stuff for a trip we could be over 1325#'s. Yes, a very small car!

I have put it on Craigslist for several weeks, got a few hits, but no buyers. If I can fix a few more things, make it more long term reliable and if Linda will go with me more often I may keep it. One nice feature is it has a intercom, the other day it did not work and it was boring when she could not speak to me as easily. We both like how much more comfortable it is over my 1100cc Suzuki's, 2 up. It is too heavy for her to drive except in an emergency, with her bad wrists, etc.

Right now it keeping me busy. But those German engineers never heard of KISS.

Not much going on

Almost done painting the outside of the house. Next I want to change out all of the door screens. They are rusty after 27 years. Then I need to paint the laundry room and lastly the garage.

Linda and I are doing the Dating Thing, were are having fun going out the eat, movies, shopping, dinner theatre, and a drink. We are getting along the best ever!!!!!!!!! NO STRESS.

I'm helping Howard rebuild our 4th?Goldwing. This time from scratch again by tearing another down to the frame. He noticed my 400 was leaking oil, good thing, it was low on oil. An engine case worth mucho bucks was hit by a rock when I went to Cloudcroft on the dirt. Fixed it with JB Weld.

Got another new friend "Cle" he came up to my door after seeing me work on my bikes. We are riding Thursdays near EP. He has never ridden much outside the city limits.

Finally cooled down, in the 70's and high 40's at night, no rain or wind for several weeks. Fall is our best weather, but really can't bitch much about the rest of the year. Was too hot before to paint.

Carolyn's BP is still high, I've been calling her more, as well as Jim and Dorothy.

Picture above is Bill with San Diego Ole Town Cowboy. Taken a year ago.

Current Events

Sat. another friend & I rode our dual sport bikes 125 miles across the desert on dirt roads up to Cloudcroft. It was more fun with 2 bikes. In the middle of nowhere we came across 4 bikes like ours, one was leaking air from the front tire. I have a electric pump, their manual pump would not work, lucky for them we stopped. We got to Cloudcroft on time and 4 from our group were there on their street bikes. We had lunch together and returned via paved roads but slowly since my bike is only a 400cc. Benny told me Sam's bike would not start.

I had Sam bring it over yesterday and today it took me 5 hours to take the carbs off and clean them. It was popping badly and was hard starting. also the battery ran down too fast. Fixed both.

Painting the house for the fourth time, BORING!

When the new roof was put on the roofers cut my cables to my wind speed and direction indicators even with the roof line. 18 wires (Jerks!). Did not even ask me if I needed them. Linda & I spent 4 hours soldering and rehooking them up.

Helping Howard rebuild a fourth 80's Goldwing.

Picture is of a beautiful Mexican Pacific coastal town, (Zhanteneo? )

Not all about bikes

Linda and I have for 4 weeks been trying to go to the Tuesday events at McDonald Observatory near Fort Davis. The weather was finally not too cold, hot or windy or had some other committment. We left almost an hour later than we should, had to get a coat for Linda at her Mom's & needed gas. At almost 80 mph the entire way we made it in 2 1/2 hours. 200 miles. Was in the high 50's to 60's. Fun fast ride on the BMW. With cruise control and enough room it is a good bike. We got there just in time to get some food and for the first showing (description of the entire facility) and tour of 2 of the 3 large telescopes. They are on Central time so we had to watch our time closely all day.

We waited 1 1/2 hrs. till the next outdoor activity describing the solar system and then back into the auditorium on a demonstration of their new software on the Universe. Was so cool Linda bought it $160. Can't wait to try it and show it to Wes, Tori and the other Geeks.

The last show at 8:30, luckily 7:30 our time, they sat up several telescopes so we could see the Moon, Jupiter, a nebula, and a star cluster. Also had a 10 minute movie on powers of ten showing the Universe and then down to the smallest particle.

Well the trip home at 9:00 our time was a lot different. Was in the low 50's and very dark. I had put on 2 more driving lights re aimed the bright light and a higher wattage low beam. I had enough light but it got down into the low 40's in the mountains. The roads for the first 20 miles are very curvy and slow, not easy 2 up riding, on a bike at night. We were watching for Deer but only almost ran over several jack rabbits.

Linda's coat was not windproof so we switched about 40 miles down the road. Then I was cold too. Never got over 59 and most of the time it was in the high 40's to low 50's, at 70 mph that's a heck of a windchill. Got home a Midnight and was hyperthermic, shivering a lot.

Bike ran good but needs more wind protection. Need to take more warmer clothes next time.

But we had a great time. Took 3 hours to get home. Slept in today. All 4 shows for both of us was only $40. But with gas, food and the software spent $260!

Finished another 2 bikes

This last one was a 2 stroke, had to put in a new piston. They ran it without oil. Then just fixed up a lot of small problems. Previous bike was a 650 Suzuki cruiser, and it needed the carbs cleaned and general service.

This is getting to close to that "W" word. But there's no bosses and I can (work) play when I want. I can make a few bucks and do what I'm good at. So far everyone likes how I go beyond doing what they ask.

Been trying to ride dirt bikes to Cloudcroft for a month on Sat. You would not think the weather would effect us here but every Sat. it threatens rain or wind. On a 300# bike with only 30 hp it's no fun.

No takers on the BMW, it's fall, the second worst time of the year to sell bikes. But I do have everything fixed on it now, so if it doesn't sell I fell better about it. It's just way too top heavy, dropped it 20 miles from home and got it up by myself.

Bike above is a 79 Suzuki 1000 I rebuilt for Linda and sold (she was not using again) to get a Suzuki GSX1100's I like better. Ended up with 4, then sold 2 to buy the BMW.

Sell the BMW and get? No not a car!