A Post From The Past

Been working lots out in the garage.It's cold this morning here in NY.I think it's in the 20 degree F range today.It's going to take some time to get the garage warm enough to work and while I am waiting for that to happen I figured I'd post a little something from my ride up to Nova Scotia in 2014. It was a good ride on the Moto Guzzi and I had a great time. Tomorrow is Thanksgiving here in the US. It's a good holiday with no bullshit political crap,just good food and family and friends.It's a good time to remember all that I have to be thankful for and my motorcycle trips are on the top of that very long list . So,with this in mind,here are two posts from my other blog that I wrote about traveling in Canada back in 2014.Enjoy and HAPPY THANKSGIVING ------------------------ The ride up the Cabot Trail to just before Cheticamp was wet and very difficult but once I punched thru the rain storm it became very enjoyable .After drying out and eating a good meal at this place I came across I made it to the first camp ground in the Highlands National Park a few miles past Cheticamp where I set up and settled in for the night. There was a family with 3 young children behind me . These kids were interesting . They were building all these little houses with twigs and stones they collected as I sat at the table in my site cleaning 3 sets of spark plugs. You see,my bike was running rich on the gas up in Canada. It’s actually better than the gas in the US because the high test grade that I run doesn’t have ethanol in it but my bike is jetted for the garbage gas I run at home so my plugs were getting sooted up . I had been playing with the mixture screws but didn’t get them right at this point yet so I’d change out the plugs a couple times a day to keep it running well. I had only discovered this problem the day before when I put my first tank of Canadian gas in the bike. Now I was on my third tank full and figuring out the cause of my plug fouling.This problem would be solved by the next afternoon as I continued on my way and tried different settings on my carbs.But back to the kids,they built these little houses so the fairies that come to visit them at night when they are sleeping have a place to stay if it rains . This is what they were telling me as I was cleaning my spark plugs. They were good kids and it was nice sitting there talking with them. They had only started camping and were full of questions about my gear so I got out my gas burning stove and made some coffee to show them how I cook. It was a nice hour or so and I enjoyed the company as night set in. Went for a walk around the place to check it out then settled into my tent,plugged the iPod into my head and listened to music for awhile before calling it a day. It rained pretty heavy most of that night but by morning the sky was blue and I was ready to ride on. Packed up and hit the road mid morning . I wanted to head up to Meat Cove but the rains the night before made me rethink that plan. My bike is heavy, with gear and me it is probably 800 + lbs and with these street tires on a wet dirt road it could get real hairy so I decided to stick to the pavement and skip that side trip.It’s ok, now I have an excuse to return is what crossed my mind as I blew past the turnoff.The northern part of the Cabot trail is really beautiful.I saw three moose but they were gone before I could get my camera out.

I stopped here and there to take photos.Saw some amazing scenery as I rode on down this road.Just being out in the world like this,wandering and seeing things is what it’s all about for me . These trips I take are what I thrive on ,the input that I get from them is where my creativity comes from .All the stress of everyday life evaporates out on the road and that is when you are truly free.

As I kept moving forward I’d stop here and there taking short walks to see different views .I came to this one place where there was a short trail out on to these rocks where I decided to have some lunch.It was empty,I was the only one there so I just sat down on the rocks and had something to eat as I looked out on the north Atlantic thinking how lucky I was the day I started riding a motorcycle .I never would have thought I’d be doing stuff like this when I sat on that 55 cc Yamaha Riverside for the first time 49 years earlier but I guess it’s sort of a pre destined thing.I was always wandering all over the place on my bicycle and it was a seamless transition to a motorcycle.I was always a traveler too! When I think about it that trip I took when I was a child with my father in the Cessna 310 for a month all over the country was where I was infected with the wanderlust disease. Flying across the country as a ten year old kid. In the spring of 1959 I was in third grade .One evening after dinner my old man tells me that he is going to take me on a business trip with him.He doesn't really go into any details about it but a few weeks later he shows up at school and we go to the principals office and he gets me out of the last two weeks of school and the next day we are at some private airport getting on this twin engine plane with this other guy and his fifteen year old son named Randy.The other guy was the company test pilot.All strapped in we take off,my first time in an airplane and it was so fucking cool. Got sick after about an hour and puked.This happened for a couple days until I got used to flying and then it was all good.We flew all over the US to all these military bases and private airports where they would do business and then find a motel for the night .Usually the motel had a pool so I was real happy.We went all over the place and after a few days they started letting me and Randy take turns in the copilots seat and fly the plane.This was one of the most incredible experiences of my life .We flew over the Rockies and headed north west to Vancouver Canada where I had to stand about a hundred feet behind the plane holding this thing that was connected to the plane with a wire while they reved the engines holding the brake while they tested it. I got to do lots of cool shit like this and just took it all in . A day later we were in Seattle at Boing Field where they had to install some kind of navigational equipment in this new jet that just came out called the 707. It wasn't in service as a passenger airliner yet ,they were still testing them as cargo planes and when they finished the installation they took it up to test and brought us along ! I got to ride in the cockpit of a 707 ! it was incredible , here I am,a ten year old kid in a jet aircraft in 1959 ! I have loved to fly ever since,loved it so much that on my thirtieth birthday I jumped out of a plane but that's a whole other story. After Seattle we headed down the coast all the way to Los Angles. Then we headed back up north to San Francisco where I learned all about freedom. We arrived in the afternoon and got settled in at some fancy hotel. After getting cleaned up and dressed they took us to China Town where We ate dinner. I ordered this chicken and it was served with the feet still on it ! This freaked me out totally but I ate it and enjoyed it.During dinner our parents gave us instructions for the next two days.They told us that Randy was responsible for us and we could do whatever we wanted , go wherever we wanted,and eat whatever we wanted as long as we were back at the hotel by dinner time .I was set free at ten years old with a fifteen year old in San Francisco ! We wandered about going to all these cool places.Went to a movie and saw a picture about Machine Gun Kelly. We took a boat ride around Alcatraz and saw the guards riding around in jeeps.It was really cool.We went to the Fishermans Wharf ,rode on cable cars,you name it.We had a really good time on our own totally unsupervised by adults.We both had money in our pockets and were free.It was good. I don't think my father realized what he had done but the genie was out of the bottle and there was no putting it back. I understood independence at an early age and couldn't get enough of it . Things were good as we left San Francisco heading back up to Oregon before turning east to cross the Rockies . Flying over Crater Lake was really something.The water was so blue and seeing it from the air at low altitude was an incredible sight.For years afterwards I had a clear picture in my mind of it and when I finally returned in 2010 at age sixty one it was exactly as I remembered it.. Flying east now we stopped here and there so they could do business.One of the most memorable things was at this military base somewhere in the Mid West.We were standing on the runway and our parents were doing some kind of instructional business with this army guy when all of a sudden this fighter jet takes off about a hundred yards away with this deafening roar.It gets maybe a hundred or two feet off the ground and the guy just points it to the sky,lights the afterburner and this thing took off like a fucking rocket to Mars. A huge flame coming out the back and I'm standing there in total awe. A couple days later the trip was over. It lasted about 3 weeks and I learned all about freedom. A lesson I would never forget. I was a lucky kid to have that experience and now here I am at 65 years old riding my vintage Moto Guzzi around the Cabot Trail eating lunch on a rock sticking out into the North Atlantic thinking about what an incredible ride this life has been.

Lunch lasted all of about twenty minutes and down the road I went .As I worked my way southwest down the coast I could see dark skies ahead . It was still sunshine where I was but off in the distance I could see I’d be putting on the rain gear again. It got darker and darker until I finally pulled off the road to don the rain gear by this cool barn and take some photos.

Still pushing forward it started to rain .It was a light rain for about ten minutes then all hell broke loose.It came down in buckets as I was heading towards Baddeck. As I pulled into the gas station in Baddeck to fill up it stopped. I was pretty wet on the outside but my rain gear kept me dry and warm so it wasn’t too bad and I kept on moving. By the time I was on the causeway the sun was shining so I decided to hit the 4 lane high way and make tracks east towards the ferry to Prince Edward Island. I got to the ferry terminal about five o’clock ,had a cup of coffee,and got in line for the next boat.It was a good day of riding ,a little wet at times but good none the less I was thinking when this kid on a BMW pulls in behind me with this plastic panther strapped to the front of his bike .

------------------------------------- The ride from Fredericton down to St John would take a little over an hour but first we will go to the farmers market to have breakfast is what Stephen told me while we were having coffee at around 6:30 am.We headed down there and it was pretty cool.A big place with vendors of every kind there ,some outdoors some in these permanent buildings there.Of course,Stephen knows half the people there and was introducing me to all the vendors.We sampled different things and bought some egg sandwiches at this cafe they had there.Met a few of his political compatriots and heard all the local political gossip.It was a very cool thing for me.I really enjoyed hearing all about the inner workings of his beautiful city.After eating breakfast we went back to his house and I packed up my bike.This event was an over night thing and I would be heading from it on to Nova Scotia the next day.Before heading out we made one more trip to the farmers market to get lunch .It was totally different there now,very crowed . We had our lunch and off we went on our ride down to St John We rode along the river on some nice road .There was lots of good views to see and then we had to take a ferry to the other side. This part of Canada is really nice. They have all these ferries that are run by the local government to take you across rivers and bays . What is really great is that for the most part they are free! So here we are on the ferry crossing the river.

Now on the other side it was not much longer before we reached our destination. There were already quite a few bikes and people there when we arrived . We pulled in and Stephen introduced me to all his friends.What a great group of people ! They welcomed me and made me feel very much at home .I really enjoyed myself as I spent the afternoon talking with people and looking at all these incredible motorcycles. That's the thing,motorcycles. Bikes bring the most incredible people together .I was made to feel like I was at home here not like a guest .Motorcyclists are the best .

There were so many nice machines to look at. All makes from all over the world. Lots of British bikes ,Japanese,American,German,Italian ,it was a real feast for the eyes as I walked around talking to people and looking at all these fine bikes.I'm a lucky guy I was thinking most of that day.I mean , really,here I am out on a road trip on my 1975 Moto Guzzi and spending the weekend in another country with all these people who share that same love as I have for vintage motorcycles. That's the thing about traveling on a motorcycle ,especially a vintage motorcycle,you always meet the most incredible people.It was the same when I was out west on the "T" in 2010. Everywhere I went people came up to me and talked with me.I pulled into a cafe out in the middle of nowhere in British Columbia and just by chance a guy on a Harley pulls in.We start talking.He's a local guy .We talk for 15 minutes and his friend shows up.The three of us have a 2 hour lunch together .They are showing me all sorts of cool routes to take on the map and places to camp.It's like we are brothers . Time comes to hit the road and they won't let me pay .Only on a bike does this stuff happen. It's a special extended family that you belong to when you ride and I was home with that family here again in 2014 on the other side of Canada on a different trip to another great place. It was a very mellow afternoon.People were having fun and I was too.I got lots of tips on where to head once I got over to Nova Scotia .I listened as I heard people talking about their bikes and the various problems and fixes they had, put in my two cents too .It was a real good afternoon.

After a great afternoon of looking at bikes and talking with people it was time for dinner. Tables were set up and we had this great diner with about 50 people ! as night fell a band set up in the back of the garage area and a big fire was built .It was a beautiful evening and an incredible way to start off my trip to Nova Scotia I was thinking as I crawled into my sleeping bag. Got a good night sleep,had a great breakfast with my new found friends and mid morning I hit the road headed towards Nova Scotia.

This day was the best day of my trip this past summer.I met some of the most incredible people and saw some really beautiful machines.My only regret was that I had to leave.I felt right at home and was made to feel very welcome by the Roamers and look forward to the day when I can get up their way again and spend more time with them riding.

Getting My 1965 Yamaha YDS3 Back In Shape

Well ,after the garage clean up on Sunday I started in on my project again.I actually started doing this job back in early August but the work I got involved in up in the Adirondacks on my camp prevented me from finishing this.I'm glad I did the work up north,it's something I've been putting off for ever and it really needed top begin . This whole project started with a ride up on the T back in May.I saw just how bad the place was hurting and decided that it is a priority to fix it .But,now it's late Autumn and Thanksgiving in two days.I'm here in Long Island and working on my bikes.This bike is my oldest bike.It turned 50 this year.It was new when I started riding and it deserves to be treated well just like my camp.Here are some photos of the work I'm doing on it cleaning and polishing it,bringing it back to life after a three year lay up.

It's close to being finished now.I will be riding it on Thanksgiving day with any luck .I usually go riding after we get the bird in the oven.This year I'm going to try to ride all five of the registered bikes I have.This will be the first time they have all been up and running together in about 10 years.It's a lot of work keeping up with five antique motorcycles and also building bikes to sell to raise money to move out west and retire.It's a challenge at times but in the end it will be a very worth while undertaking.It's going to be great being able to ride out into the western landscape at will .I can't wait for that day.

In The Garage

Spent the whole day in the garage getting it clean and ready to start building motorcycles again ! Tomorrow I'm supposed to mount some new tires for my friend Juan on his BMW R80 and then I'm going to get back to work on my 1965 Yamaha YDS3.I started working on it this past summer but got sidetracked with the camp.I'd like to take it out for my Thanksgiving day ride.It's such a fun bike to ride. Right now the tank is off,the carbs are off but all cleaned and set up ,and it has to be all polished and re assembled.After that then it gets all tuned . Been getting lots of motorcycle time in these past two months.I love riding in the cool weather.Was out yesterday and two other times last week.Getting old is good.Here is my yds3 in 1969 and also in 2013

They are different motorcycles but identical right down to the dealership they were purchased at in Huntington , NY . I got real lucky when I found this bike in 1990.I sold mine for gas money to go back out west in 1971 and regretted it .It took 19 years to replace.Then I had more good luck and got a 1966 YM1 From my friend Richard Carlstrand That also came from the same dealership.This one also came with the original bill of sale signed by the guy who sold me my very first motorcycle 50 years ago.

These bikes are my favorite bikes . This 66 is all original paint and chrome. Then there is this nice 1966 blye YM1 that I restored .This is the first bike I ever restored .Got this back in the 80's when I was looking for the red one.

I build bikes. This winter I'm gonna build bikes.Building bikes is going to get me to Arizona or wherever we end up going out west.My next build is going to be a 1970 Yamaha R5.I picked this bike up back in the mid 90's back in the days before there was an internet and we had magazines like The Old Bike Journal. I used to run ads in there to buy and sell parts.Made some real good friends doing this.I'd get calls from people from all over the country and the world.I met this one guy Don who lived out in Michigan.We were always helping each other out with parts and information.One day he calls and I told him I was looking at this 70 R5 in Michigan that was advertised in OBJ .I asked if he could check it out for me if it was close to him.Well,he went on a road trip and traveled a couple hundred miles to look at this thing .He bought it for me using his own money and didn't tell me until after he did it.I sent him the money to repay him right away then he stored it for me until I could drive from NY to Michigan to retrieve this thing.That spring I drove out there,helped him get his YDS3C (Big Bear Scrambler)running and picked it up.Now here we are 20 years later and I'm finally getting to fixing this thing up.They all have stories like this.This is what I love the most about motorcycling,the incredible people I have met over the years.I can't even begin to count all of them.I go to this little Japanese motorcycle show at White Rose Motorcycle Club in PA. Been going there for 26,27 years ,I forget how long it's been so long.I have met some of the best people in my life at this place.I used to go there in my truck with a couple bikes in the back.I'd show my bikes back then.I could afford it.Gas was cheap and I could drive the truck there unlike today.Now I ride there and on my Moto Guzzi not my R5 like I used to.Again,it's about the cost of riding.The 2stroke oil I burn costs 13 dollars a qt now so I go on the 4 stroke V twin 'cause it gets 48 mpg .One day before I move west I think I'll rent a big U Haul truck and take my whole collection of Yamahas down to White Rose to show them off in one hurrah .

White Rose is a great place !Then there are the other shows and swap meets like Mid Ohio and Barber down in Birmingham, AL . I have to get to Barber,my friends all tell me it's real good.Maybe next October if I get enough motorcycles sold to be able to take a little money from the house downpayment fund I'll go.Yeah,I can ride down on the "T" But,for today it's the garage.I've got bike work to take care of.Gotta get all my little projects out of the way so I can start building bikes again .It's going to be a good winter in the garage.