Motorcycles Work Day

Mark arrived about 9 and we dove right into going over the Honda Trail CT110.  He wanted to check the plug, compression, timing, points, clutch and carburetor.  Just about everything was off a little but not bad.  He came to the conclusion that the motor/clutch was good.  The carburetor seems to have some problems and he knew it was a slam carb meaning it was made up of several carbs.  Hey, for $30 at Amazon we can make that problem go away and it’s now on order.

Next was to get the Harley running.  The new AGM battery arrived yesterday.  Before Mark arrived this morning, I installed it but had not turned the key.  When we (Mark) finished working on the Honda we went to the Harley.  It cranked just fine but just wouldn’t start.  Then we noticed while attempting to start it, it was pumping all the oil out of the breather tub. Checked the dipstip and no oil indicated.  Now what?  It was too hot/humid to do anything else.  Mark had no idea what caused it.  Later on I moved the Harley and put rags and kitty litter on the spill.  Plus the tires were just about flat and I pumped them up to move it.  I will get some oil and a filter and install and try again.  Has anyone experienced or know of a problem like this.  If so, let me know.  I have misplaced my Harley shop book.  I can try and figure it out with it but couldn’t find the book.  The Harely wants to come out.

Here’s Carol looking for the end of the water hose.  I think she was getting ready to take an outside shower.

Wait there’s more!  Towards evening I started working on the 1985 Harley.  I read on line about the problem.  I couldn’t believe I found a bunch of info on it.  Bottom line I did a few minor things, blah blah blah and it started.  I will take it out tomorrow for a ride around the park.  The patina on this bike is just getting great and I like it a lot.  The Honda has it also.  I learned about patina on American Pickers.

see ya…………….

What Time Is It Kids?

No it’s not Howdy Doody time.  It’s La Colonia time.  Thursday lunch at the little Mexican restaurant with Escapees Hq geeks.  It’s usually only about 5-6 of us. Why am I there? They don’t talk computer business and I can’t so everything is A OK.  I’m usually a listener.  I know that is hard to imagine.  Sometimes it’s best not to show your ignorance like Donald Trump.  Oooooops…… now I’ve done it.  I will clarify it tomorrow.  Oooooops did it again…

There were about 8 or 9 of us today at La Colonia.  I think everybody enjoyed the gathering.

Afterwards I went to the local grocery store and got their sale items.  We usually by our meat when it’s on sale.

Then it was a stop at Reilly Auto parts.  I got some spark plugs for the Honda Trail bike.  I installed a spark plug and off for a test ride.  I got it up to 40 mph and it did pretty good.  I think the fuel/air mixture needs fine tuning.  Mark is coming over tomorrow morning and we will do some fine tuning on the little Honda.

See ya……

Luckenbach Rally & Betty’s

No instructions.  Oh well. One nut at a time.  I’ve dealt with nuts before.  This is the bike carrier.  A couple of hours later…done.

Not to bad for an old fart putting it all together.  I’m too old for this kind of heavy mechanical work.

Another part to add.  The rear passenger foot pegs.  This is the kind of job this old fart should be doing instead of crawling around underneath installing 50 lb hitch receivers.

Wait I’m not done testing my old age.  Time to jack up the rear of this class C.  It was a first for me in a long time to change a tire basically.  I had to take the rear wheel off to add a valve stem extension to the inside rear dual.  The outside tire had to come off.  What a friggin job to do.  Bottom line…it’s done.

I’m 68 years old and I really realized it the last couple of days.  I’m just too old to do this kind of heavy physical work.  I’m sore like I’ve never been sore before.  Now I really feel old because I am.  The hell with that thinking young stuff.  It don’t work with heavy physical work.  Blah, blah, Blah……

Mark come over later in the day to check out my work.  He said, “Job well done.”  It didn’t help with my aches and pains but helped my ego.  He was checking out the LP lines inside the little RV.  I don’t mess with LP lines.  They are out of my safe range for me to attempt.  He’s gonna install a quick disconnect with a turn off inside the rig.  This will be so we can run our Mr Buddy for heat off the rig’s LP tank up towards Alaska.  The stock furnace just wastes too much LP for my liking.  He' ill be back Friday with the parts.

I still got a roof vent cover, mud flaps and a CB antennae to install.  That will almost do it for the outside stuff on this little RV.

I’ve been asked by people if they could go to Betty’s RV Park when we do.  Of course.  It’s a RV park that is open to everyone.  It’s not like Carol’s brother park up in WV which is just a family campground not open to the public.  Anyhow, we will be at Betty’s 27-30 Oct.  Give her a call to reserve and come on down.

Speaking of going places.  We will be at the  Luckenback Harvest Show 21 and 22 Oct.  No big RV’s allowed.  Field camping.  It’s a family thing with small RV’s or tents/ motorcycles, outside movies, raffles, auctions, flea market for motorcycles, country music, etc.  No carry in alcohol.  They sell it though.  They have a 30 mile motorcycle run for 100 cc motorcycles that is hilarious.  Hopefully they let my 110 cc bike in.  I’m taking my 1985 Harley too.  It’s a rally for kids cancer foundation.  Attendees numbers ran about 2,500 last year and I think this is their 13th year.  Check it out at www.harvestclassic.org

See ya…..

Yes I Did

This morning we were setting eating breakfast at the Huddle House in Conroe, Tx.  It’s fast and really pretty good, especially the hash browns which I really like them there taters.

We both had doctors appointments nearby at 8 AM.  He sees us both at the same time.  Carol is doing fine with a 108 blood pressure.  Not me.  Mine was 158, about normal.  The doc checked my neck and said the ER in WV gave a wrong diagnosis.  Blah, blah, blah etc.  I did get a shot in the butt of something (I can’t spell) for being exceptionally tired in the afternoons.  We shall see.  I get one a month for 3 months and then a complete blood work up to see what’s happening.

While we were doing all this with the doc Mark brought over my Honda 110 Trail bike.  Ain’t it cute.

Hey Walmart…..Blue Light Special - 88 cents for the grill scrapers (ea) and 88 cents for the lighters (ea)….

I decided to install the front hitch receiver on the little RV.  The instructions said 30 minute installation.  Seven hours later, one burnt drill and a $20 special drill bit I did it.  The frame was really hard and thick.  The receiver weighed 75 lbs.  The directions said to loosen the front bumper nuts.  Hell, I just took the bumper off.  It was heavy too.  Removing the bumper did make the install go easier.  I could see everything.

Everything went back together and it really looks good.

To cool down I rode the little Honda around the park which was mostly gravel.  It started up on the first kick.  Yes, it’s only a kick start but a very easy one.  I had cheap sandals on.  The gravel was exciting in itself because of the small narrow tires.  The front tire is 25 years old and looked it.  The inside of the tread had dry rot BAD.  Glad they have tubes in them.   Since it was dark I could check out the light system.  Low and high beam, turn signals, brakes, etc.  Everything worked and was bright.  Nice horn – beep beep in a high irritating level.

What an active day…… I think I might need three or four days to recover.

See ya…….

Talking Alaska

We got another package from Amazon.  It was an air filter and a roof air vent cover.  Both require some work which are on my list.

Jon & Sue Glick came over in the evening.  We talked about each of our plans getting to and around in Alaska but mainly getting there.  Jon & Sue are aiming for crossing the Canadian border around mid May and going up the Marine Highway via ferry of course.  We’re on the fence of the Mrine Hwy route or the Cassiar Hwy.  We're leaning a little bit more going up the Cassiar Hwy.  We will probably cross over the Canadian border the first week in May.   We shall see how it goes….

See ya……………

Dumping “Stuff”

I straighten up the barn.  In man language that means I moved stuff around and out of the main passage way.  It’s still not the way I want it but it is workable now.

I spent some more time in the little RV.  A little more inside wipe down time.  I ran the generator for about an hour.  It was long to start but it did.  I ran the AC and turned on the frig.  Afterwards I set the AC thermostat for 90 degrees.  Everything is A OK so far.  Next month I will be taking it to Lukenback for a two day camp out and bike flea market/show there.  I hopefully will have all my toys (except Carol).  The little RV, 1985 Harley and the 1981 Honda 110 Trail bike.  Both motorcycles will have antique tags.  I got plenty of time to get everything ready.  Carol will be at a line dance rally in Conroe in the big RV while I’m at Luckenback with the little RV.

It’s cooled down to the low 80’s yesterday.  That was nice.  It’s still humid but not terrible like it was.  Later in the week it will go back to the 90’s.

We made reservations at Betty’s RV Park in Abbeville, LA for next month.  Lisa/Jim, Mark/Dortha and Mark are locked on too.  It was a puzzle trying to get all of our schedules together to find free time together but we did.

I’m unloading the big RV of some items since we will be kinda setting until the end of December.  Stuff like the BBQ and it’s accessories, LP 20 lb tank, chairs and even some canned goods came out.  Bigger the RV it seems like things get lost or forgotten about.  As I was going thru stuff I was thinking oh yea I was gonna do this or that.  Some stuff is going into the barn since I have walking room now.  Some items will go up to the free table at the park.  I’m trying not to put too many items in the little RV for now.

I got an email from Amazon.  They shipped 12 items over the weekend.  they should arrive by he end of the week.  No, we don’t have “Prime” 2 day shipping.  Just don’t see paying $90+ for it.  Most stuff gets here in 5 days or so.  I can wait.

The front hitch receiver for the little RV paperwork says it takes 30 minutes to install it.  They must assume I’m a mechanic in a modern shop with all the air tools and 25 years old.   It took me almost 30 minutes to get it out of the box and set underneath the front end.  It seems like it takes me 30 minutes to get out of bed.  We shall see.

See ya………….

Grass Cutting, Bugs, Friends & ?

We were setting at the Whistle Café this morning at 7:15 sipping on coffee.  After breakfast we went to Walmart to pick up a few things then back to the lot.  I cut the so called lawn and it took about 2 1/2 hours.  That's about 2 hours more than normal.  It was about a foot high and the mower kept getting clogged.  The clumps of grass is about how far I got before I had to stop and clean the underside of the mower.  Yes, it was wet too.

I guess this needed cutting too.

Oh well…. I was wet like I had stood in the rain and it didn’t rain.  It’s humid.  I then took a cold shower and it’s been a long time since I had one of those.  It felt so good.

Love bugs.  I think you can figure out why these TWO bugs are called Love Bugs.  They invade us each year for about a month.  They are just now gearing up and will get pretty bad especially on vehicles going down the road.  What a mess.

My garage is a little tight at the moment.

Now I’m stacking Amazon packages that I just received outside next to the little RV.  They won’t fit in the garage very easy.  I got about 20 more things coming from Amazon.

Here’s the front receiver that I will mount for the little Honda motorcycle.  The front bumper has to come off to install.  Oh what am I getting into.  I can just about take anything apart.  It’s getting it all back together is the problem.

Next thing was dinner at a local Mexican place with Lisa/Jim Koca, Mark Nemeth, Mark/Dortha Hall and us.  We had a lot of fun which is normal for this crowd.  We then went back to Jim & Lisa’s place and had even more fun.  We were trying to plan our next get together and it was kinda difficult with them all working.  We settled in on late October and the location is Abbeville, LA.

Being old farts we all left about 9 PM all tuckered out.  Thanks for the memories guys.

See ya………..

Barn Fine

At sun up I was was washing the bugs off the front of our RV.  The old saying if you want rain just wash your RV.  Well, this time the rain didn’t wait for me to finish.  This was a first.  I got the bugs off the RV and me too just in case. 

Then it was on to the little Class C.  I had the four vents opened about an inch.  Plus, I had a fan plugged in and on.  You know I still got some mold on the dash and a little on the dinette seats.  I really didn’t think I would get any.  I got some disinfectectant (sp?) wipes and 15 minutes later it was all gone.  Plus I washed the outside of the RV where it was real dirty from setting.  It started right up.

Mark showed up a little later.  He brought me a DryMistat for a cigar humidor.  Well, that was nice but I don’t have a humidor for my cigars.  So Carol gave me one of her Rubbermaid containers to hold my 20 or so cigars.  I now have a humidor.  Thanks Mark.  I gave Mark a cedar lined cigar carrier that Carol got up in Maryland. 

Mark fixed my email on my computer.  He basically set up my profile again what ever that means.  He also knew that my 1 year old Harley battery went belly up.  He ordered an AGM battery for it for me.  It’s part of a power back up system for computers.  It met all the requirements to fit/run the Harley.  No it did not cost a small fortune. How about $35 for an AGM and it will work great.  I love it.

Then Mark and I went over to his place to check out the Honda Trail 110 pictured above.  I agreed to buy it several months ago (Craig’s List) before the guy rebuilt/restored it.  It’s a 1981 with 2,200 miles and had been in a barn since 1989.  It needed a motor top end and other stuff when the guy got it.  Mark went up to Dallas and picked it up when the guy finished it.  Mark knew about these Honda Trail bikes since he had one at one time.  He checked it all out and thus brought it back to Livingston while we were up in WV.   Everything works on it and it’s original.  I love it.  Mark rode it around.  Then I rode it around.  Then I got on the back and Mark rode us around.  It did fine.  It’s not for the Interstate but for small back roads it will be fine.  It will be outstanding for our Alaska trip next year.

I got mail.  Big boxes.  Not done with this saga yet but it can wait until tomorrow.

Damn it’s humid here and the love bugs are coming out.  More about them at a later time.

See ya…..

We’re Back Again

After a 490 mile day we are back in Livingston, TX today, Thursday.  We spent Wednesday night at a Passport America park in Marion, LA that we stayed at before.  I think that’s right.  I filled up with diesel here in Livingston at $1.93 a gallon.  That’s good but back in Feb this year diesel was $1.77 at the same station.

Our neighbors, Jon, Sue, Wayne & plus 2 new ones all greeted us when we pulled into the lot.  That was nice.  We parked around back of the mobile.  The class C is in the RV port (under cover) for now.  When I wash and wax it we will trade places.  We have FHU (50 amp) where we are parked on our lot and our sat dish got tuned in, lucky….because of the tall trees next to the rig.

Our lot here in Livingston was over grown with grass/weeds.  In the mobile everything was fine.  We left the fans on and the thermostat set at 85 degrees.  In the barn the Harley battery was dead when the charger was removed.  The class C batteries were all fine but had some mold inside and a little bit outside.  It started right up.  It was plugged in during our absence and I had a small fan running with the vents opened one inch.  It needs a good wash down and a good hand wax. 

Oh yea, it’s hot.  Getting here the temp actually hit 100 degrees but was only..get that “only” in the 90’s with the humidity being high it felt very hot here in Livingston!

We did 1,350 miles in 3 days.  It really tuckered us out.  Maybe because we’ve done this same trip 4 times since May.  Maybe so or maybe old age, or hot/humid.  Too hot to boone dock so we pick our campgrounds before we leave each time.  We still don’t make reservations on a trip like this.

We got a few short trips (under 300 mi)  in the class C planned while were here until the end of December.  Carol has a Line Dance rally she wants to go to.  I got a motorcycle rally in Lukenbach that I would like to go to.  Plus theirs Betty’s RV Park, the River Walk and some others maybe too.

See ya……….

Baileyton, TN

We are in Baileyton, TN.  Why you might ask?  It’s because it’s about 400 miles from where we were yesterday and there’s a Passport America (PA) here.  For $20 we got FHU, 50 amp, pull thru…. why not stay.  Plus it’s 90 some degrees.  A little to hot for boone docking it.  Tomorrow we will go about 475 miles to another PA called Benchmark.  We’ve stayed there once before and it’s just OK for an overnighter.

It’s been a lot of fun staying in WV but it had to end and we need to return to Texas to take care of “stuff.”  We should arrive back in Livingston early Thursday evening.  I’ve already ordered “stuff” from Amazon for the little RV and some of it will be ready for pick up Friday.

We do have a good internet here.  That’s real nice.  Fuel prices are great……  That’s it for now.

See ya……………