[Bitterroot Bugler]

I remember sauntering the paddock at a Sears Point vintage motorcycle event and observing this guy who afforded the maximum-sized motorhome, max trailer, a bike for every vintage racing class and two full-time mechanics to have them warmed up so he could finish one race and grid up for the next.

That's living high.

Of course he had no friends and missed all the camaraderie' that the others enjoyed.

Live to ride. Ride to live. It is all good.

 

[Bitterroot Bugler]

With grand intentions I headed out on Doctor Z to explore the near side of the Magruder Corridor. I got less than a mile into the gravel before deciding an intelligent person would turn around rather than gamble on controlling the fishtailing DRZ400s. Besides that, my butt was sore from sitting on that log Suzuki calls a seat. I have some changes to make.

 

[Bitterroot Bugler]

This is why I only offered $1,000 for the 2002 BMW R1150RS that I used to own. Well, the electrical unknowns PLUS I knew the estate did not need the money and really was not interested in it. My buddy who bought it from me had disassembled body, fiddled with electrical and wiring. What will I get into??? I hate electrical... but I likely will come out okay on this bike.

 

[Bitterroot Bugler]

I wish mostly that the government dipshits would quit jerking our clocks around twice a year. Second on my wish list are clocks that are easy to jerk around twice a year.

 

[Bitterroot Bugler]

Perhaps you should ride from Sperryville to Luray where the corners are much safer increasing radius turns.

 

[Bitterroot Bugler]

I suspect that you do realize impossible and completely un-fun are not identical.

Not that I am recommending unpleasant riding, but I have met many who enjoy the challenge, the looks of the uninitiated and the plain contrariness of riding open vehicles in adverse conditions.

I drove my '56 Speedster topless year-round for 20 years... a very much younger 20 years.

 

[Bitterroot Bugler]

Sounds great! But today I had a chef's salad. Once in a while I guess I should eat something that's good for me.

I will order a chef salad or shrimp louie in the truck-stop-grade restaurant where our radio club holds their monthly meeting. Since my wife tends to make meals that "are good for me", when I'm out for dinner I eat messican along with one or two Negra Modelos, lots of chips and salsa. Take THAT, stomach

... and on that topic, I am scheming on little trips I can fit in between when my back stops being a pain and the roads turn icy. I think my first one is to the best Mexican restaurant within several hundred miles of here ... and only about one hour away from me on a decent curve carver.... probably will forgo the traditional beer with my messican meal.

 

[Bitterroot Bugler]

I finally took my first outing since Pike's Peak ... Colorado eastern front over Labor Day Weekend was not friendly to my novice status ... nor my injured back. Having returned to my much more coherent highway traffic zone, I was waiting for the back to feel a bit sturdier. I decided Today was The Day... took my favorite run up the hill to the Idaho border and back. So Sweet to get back in the saddle, feel the wind, lean a bunch of turns and twist the throttle some. Ah yes, that is The Good Life.

I would have included photos I took, but my camera is in the shop recovering from my back-injuring fall and my wife says, "Use the camera on your phone". I responded that I don't know how to get photos off of it, but took the pictures on that cursed device anyway. After a couple hours of she and I pounding on it, there are still no shareable photos. Did I mention that I intensely dislike cell phones???

 

[Bitterroot Bugler]

You lucky ... my nearest real track is the Utah Motorsports Complex, which is to me two moderate days of trailering car or truck down, three days lodging and two days trailering home. Far too much time and money for any sort of regular practice and joy.

Oh to have a nice motorhome, enclosed trailer and ton of disposable money... I'd be checking out all the great road courses in this country.

 

[Bitterroot Bugler]

Yeah, I definitely am thankful because I would not be interested in overnight to get to a track. 15 miles is very nice!

Had a great day and ended up hanging with the owner of this beauty...

View attachment 76388

I would love to have that in my stable ... just as it appears to be - lovingly, carefully restored by someone who knew exactly what they were doing. That is very definitely not me.

If you don't have the skills, you better have the bucks. Also not me.

 

[Bitterroot Bugler]

Today Lil Suzy fixed herself and took me about 100 miles over a mountain, to get my meds.

Today Lil Suzy fixed herself and took me about 100 miles over a mountain, to get my meds.

View attachment 76562
View attachment 76561

First photo clear; second photo was blurry ... are they before and after pictures?

TODAY I finally got Dr Zee out of my garage and rode to The Motorcycle Garage to order up "make it shorter" parts... mostly DRZ400SM. His weight is comfortable, but height is very uncomfortable. Since I have no need for great suspension travel or offroad clearance, it will have to change to suit me. It is way too nice in every other way to let this one go.

Currently I avoid the straightest route to town via 70mph Highway 93. The Old Darby Road route is gravel, packed, oiled dirt, and some 50-60mph paved roads which suit the current configuration well. However, I really do not like it at zero mph.... too dang tall. It is so much like an updated version of an old-school BSA Gold Star that I cannot resist moving it in that direction.

 

[Bitterroot Bugler]

I live in a forest. Wood burning stoves are commonsense around here. A bit of an annoyance to us is that the US Forest Service claims the right to burn the trees in forest fires, but only occasionally allows us to legally harvest them. Meanwhile, we cut trees and warm ourselves through the Montana winters with the one thing we have in abundance.

Extra bonus for me is that there is a truss plant about a mile away that delivers for free dump truck loads of their kiln-dried mill ends. Super eco-friendly, budget-friendly heat for my house and shop.

 

[Bitterroot Bugler]

I went to investigate an oil leak in the wife's Prius this weekend. It appears to be the valve cover gasket but I guarantee it'll be more than just that. Her wiper fluid reservoir is also leaking. While checking around, I noticed oil on the bottom of my Tacoma's passenger side steering rack bellow. Not sure what's up with that but it isn't coming off the engine anywhere. Then, to complete the trifecta, I looked under my oldest daughter's Element and saw a fairly large splotch of power steering fluid. Super happy fun times ahead!

The Good News is that you have multiple opportunities to employ your hard-earned mechanic skillset and glorious tool collection.

 

[Bitterroot Bugler]

If it were summer, I'd probably try to tackle all of 'em, but...

Wife and I will be taking care of the valve cover gasket and fluid container, Tacoma is going to get inspected and checked out first because if it's the steering rack, I'll be paying someone else, and daughter is going to see about fixing her own ps lines herself because she was only visiting for a couple of days.

Oh dang! Robbed of an opportunity to fondle the Snap On tool collection.
You probably owe it to them to go out in the shop with your favorite beverage and caress the tools just for old time's sake.

 

[Bitterroot Bugler]

While technically not today, I finally disassembled my *(%^$#%^ phone to get at the photos I took of my DRZ on the way to the height reduction surgery. Being a KISS kind-of guy I prefer cameras for photos and phones for telephone conversations. The do-alls fit in with Shopsmiths in my world. My actual camera is at the doctors because it was in my jacket pocket when I fell down at zero-mph... which directly relates to the upcoming surgery. More of that story here: https://www.teddunlap.net/dr-zee-heading-for-height-reduction-surgery/

It was a nice day, about as colorful as The Bitterroot gets, and with pleasant above-50 temperatures. I pulled off the side panels so The Motorcycle Garage wouldn't have to.

 

[Bitterroot Bugler]

I HATE that phone. I had my Canon in a jacket pocket for a zero-mph fall. It is in the shop.

I often steal my wife's camera as in interim solution. All I had on that ride was that cursed cell phone with built-in camera. This was a been-there photo, not a wall hanger.

 

[Bitterroot Bugler]

That should’ve been posted over on my Fall Pictures thread.

Autumn in The Bitterroot looks quite bland to me compared to the hardwood forest photos I'm seeing there... kind-of like putting an old Vespa picture on the cafe racer thread.

 

[Bitterroot Bugler]

Now you did it, Doktor.
I'm with the guys on the left.

 

[Bitterroot Bugler]

It is (plus) five outside my studio this morning - supposedly streaking up to thirty six in the afternoon. I think the wind chill would chew me up if I tried two wheel travel.

 

[Bitterroot Bugler]

I rode my Sportsman a couple of miles for a refuel and was reminded of another reason my bikes stay in the garage through winter. Dang wind chill is mean to my face. Of course I COULD wear a helmet ... but probably will just stick with cages for wintertime conditions.