Naked Bike

Man this 848 is beautiful to look at even without the plastics. I found a guy making fiberglass track plastics, and another guy who paints them. So I tore off all the stock fenders and mounted the replacement unfinished fiberglass ones. This required some drilling but mostly not too big a deal. Then dismounted all the replacement plastics and drove them out to the painter's shop this afternoon. I hadn't taken the fuel tank off myself before - it's both comforting and unnerving to have the bike this apart. It's confidence bolstering to get to know your bike and how the parts are attached and how hoses are routed and electrical system wiring is harnessed - it's also a little unsettling to know I'm now responsible to attach things as they need to be for race readiness. Parts flying off at high speed is a scary endeavor. True mostly this is cosmetic, but the importance of proper fastening is the same. Anyway I'm turning this 848 black - hope to have pics up by end of week with the new black look. The frame will still be red but all the fairings will be professionally primed, painted, buffed and clear coated.

I hope the neighbors don't kill me for the mess I make in the garage! Man, I gotta get one of them house things with the dedicated garage I can turn into a bike workshop...

American River Rafting Trip

Great rafting trip last weekend on the American River. Two day event, drove out to Lotus California on Friday - camped out overnight and hit the river 8a Saturday morning. So hot at times it felt like we were drifting downriver into a hair dryer. Still though, the water was icy cold and shocking when it splashed into the raft or (electively... usually) we jumped into the river. At one point we did manage to tip the raft and dump all 7 members of our raft into the water - but I'm pretty sure that was entirely by design on the part of our rafting guide.

This is the second trip a group of friends has made out to raft the American River. We did the South and more aggressive Middle forks, perhaps next year we'll get a bigger group like 20 or 30 people out there - or possibly get a smaller group of more serious rafters out for a more intense run.

Sadly the California forest fires of late prohibited any bonfire at night, but we did have fun anyway around a camp lantern Saturday night. A couple friends played guitar and a couple brought iPod's and speakers to play.

Just near the town of Lotus where we camped there is a tiny tiny town (literally one gas station and like three stores) called "Cool" California. SO great the general store there sells trucker hats that have "Cool, California" emblazoned across the front. Definitely have to get one of those hats next time I'm in "Cool" (which ironically is often 90 or more degrees in the summertime).

Sweet Hog

I'm not sure yet is this is an investment project, a practical transportation agenda, or simply yet another chapter of exploration in my seemingly unquenchable thirst for toys... but I bought another scooter the other day. When I sold my Chineese scooter a few months ago I knew it would be a temporary step away from scooters and my next one would be an Italian scooter... I just wasn't planning on getting another so soon but this was too good a deal to pass on.

I went with a friend to check out a scooter she was considering buying, and the seller also had this Piaggio for sale. I tried to talk my friend into getting this one instead for another $300 but she wouldn't hear it. It's got a salvage title and needed some minor fixing. A little TLC, some new breaks, a few hours at the DMV (not to mimimize this - the DMV is quite an ordeal) and I think this thing is ready to tear up the streets of San Francisco for the next while. I'm going to try to keep both wheels on the ground and treat it well, but I do promise some pics of me in full riding gear trying to drag knee at the Monster Park parking lot.