It's motorcycle season! ; baby shower ; 'Frozen River' ; DC visit ; 'Deep Water' ; 'Monarch of the Glen'
(posted from home)
(This post covers 7 – 23 May, 2010)
--------------------------------------
Sunday, 23 May-
I spent most of the day on the Web, trying to catch up the blog and doing some family-history research. I took an out-of-the-blue phone call yesterday from a prospective distant-cousin living in Los Angeles. He's a few years older than me and is looking for information about his birth-father, a man who divorced the caller's mother in West Virginia in the Fifties. The geographical information he provided, when coupled with what I know of the geographic movements of key ancestors suggests there's a good chance we have common ancestors in the late 1700's. I also came up short trying to find any new information.
Late in the day I took a break from the computer to try again with the motorcycle windshield. I picked another position and took a short test ride. It seems better but I'll need a longer ride to be sure.
--------------------------------------
Saturday, 22 May-
The motorcycle windshield came this morning and I had to pay $15 postage due to get it (!!!!). I'm not sure yet whether the screw-up was by the manufacturer or by the post office but I wasn't about to send it back once it was in my hands. I'll have to follow-up next week to see what happened.
I wanted to install it right away but the first order of business was to get some tools. BMW uses Torx-head screws and bolts on this model and I only have two Torx bits and they're the wrong size for the job. I first had to do some research on the Web to determine all the Torx sizes I'll need for the bike and tried to find them at the local Ace Hardware. I ended up going to Sears and buying a Lisle master-set of Torx bits in order to get all the sizes.
Late in the afternoon I had the windshield installed. I took a test ride and didn't like what I found. This model is highly adjustable, though, and that test was only for one of many, many possible settings of the mounting bracket.
The problem, though, is each setting means I have to take the windscreen off, adjust the brackets, and re-mount the windscreen, a time-consuming and awkward process. I tried a few settings but didn't come up with one which cut down buffeting of my helmet by the wind-stream.
That evening we went out to dinner at Conewago Inn, then watched 'Deep Water', a very-good documentary about Donald Crowhurst, an Englishman who faked his participation in an around-the-world sailing race in the late Sixties. Well done!
--------------------------------------
Friday, 21 May-
Today I removed the driver's door lower weatherstrip on Dad's car. What a mess. The rubber is okay but the inner metal channel is badly rusted and disintegrated. Apparently road salt had laid in the channel and destroyed it. The good news is the bottom of the door itself is okay except for one small bubble in the paint. That I can fix. But the lower weatherstrip will have to be replaced somehow. I see the Buick replacement ones run close to a 90 dollars MSRP so I'm going to have to look around for something else. I also checked the other three doors and two of them should also be replaced. They aren't as bad but are noticeable.
I want to work up the mileage on the bike to get to the first oil change before I take the bike North to see Orat in a few weeks. I rode into the Buick dealer to confirm what I was seeing on the web and in fact the prices are even worse than what the Web says is MSRP. I then hit the Lowe's and Home Depot looking for a rubber u-channel I've seen on the web but neither had it. I may be stuck....
-------------------------------------
Thursday, 20 May-
Today I spent an hour or so catching up the blog and then worked on Dad's car. I noticed the weatherstrip at the bottom of the driver's door had bent out, revealing a white mounting block. Closer examination is in order but it looks like the bottom of the door is rusted out and this calls attention to it. Rats!
-------------------------------------
Wednesday, 19 May -
Today my normally-strong resistance to guilt about house-cleaning developed a crack. I picked-up and put-away in general and vacuumed the house. What can I say. It happens to the best of us once in a while.
In the afternoon Labashi took me over to Trans-Am Cycles to pick up the F650GS. She had things to do so we split up there. After I settled all the paperwork I rode back to East York and hit the Panera and Wal-mart, the former for a capp, the latter looking for some type of bright riding vest. On our travels I've seen quite a bit of construction-worker gear in the highly-visible greens, yellows, and reds but our Wal-mart had nothing at all.
I spent most of the remaining daylight hours riding the new bike.
-------------------------------------
Tuesday, 18 May-
More rain today. But I had a dentist appointment anyway and Labashi wasn't available to help pick up the bike so it didn't matter.
After the appointment I dropped in on Mom and Dad (and Labashi) at Bethany Village for a few minutes, then drove over to the local Border's to look for BMW motorcycle books, anything interesting in magazines, and to have a cappucino. I then hit Koup's motorcycle shop hoping to find a rain cover and a new riding jacket but no luck there.
-------------------------------------
Monday, 17 May-
After our perfect weekend I suppose some rain was due. Today's rain wasn't hard but it certainly was persistent. The motorcycle shop called and my new bike is ready but I don't want to slop it up in the rain-- at least not on it's first ride home!
I spent much of the day on the Web learning about the new bike. I have a windshield on order and today hit a couple of shops hoping to pick up a rain cover. Surprisingly, nobody has the cover I want so I'll have to turn to the web.
I also called about the windshield and learned it hasn't gone out yet a week later. They have a parts problem but did promise to ship by Thursday.
That evening we watched more 'Monarch of the Glen', season one.
--------------------------------------
Sunday, 16 May-
This morning we continued talking with our hosts for the weekend. These folks have so many things going on in their lives and have so many interests that we always have something to talk about and time just flashes by.
Late in the afternoon we headed back to PA, again in picture-perfect weather. We had eaten so well all weekend that we were happy to just have a snack for supper and watch a few episodes of 'Monarch of the Glen', a BBC series which ran from 2000-2005. It's perfect for vegging though we wish it had subtitles since it's tough for us to keep up with the heavy Scottish accents.
--------------------------------------
Saturday, 15 May-
Today we took the Metro into the National Mall. Our first stop was the National Museum of the American Indian. We had been there years ago but that day we had too many things going on and were only in the museum for an hour. Today's visit was a much more leisurely one-- over two hours. Nevertheless, Labashi only saw about half of the museum!
We then walked across the Mall to the sculpture garden for a break and watched the crowd around the fountain. We had a perfect day and it was fun to watch the little kids playing at the edges of the water.
We then split up, some to the Natural History Museum and others to the American History Museum. We only had about an hour and a half so it was a walk-through but that was enough for today.
We then walked a few blocks north to the M and S Grill, where we feasted on filet mignon.
Back at the house we watched an episode of 'Geologic Journey', a Canadian series. Sounds like it was quite the party, no? But after our long day of walking and a drink at the restaurant, we all nodded off near the end of the film.
-------------------------------------
Friday, 14 May-
We whiled away the morning packing and then left for a visit with Labashi's brother and wife in Northern Virginia. We took the back roads from our home to Restaurant Sidney in East Berlin for lunch, then took US15 South nearly all the way to our destination.
That evening we all went out to dinner at a Bonefish Grill=== yummmmm!
------------------------------------
Thursday, 13 May-
I had a slow start to the work day today after spending the entire morning on the web reading about the new motorcycle. I'm amazed at the variety of accessories for it but the prices are stunningly high. Want a little plastic cover to protect the brake reservoir? Sixy-nine Bucks!!!! Mud-flap extender? $110!!! I don't think so!
I washed Dad's Buick today and while I had the supplies out I washed Labashi's car and then the KLR. I want to sell Dad's car, the KLR, and the Miata this summer.
I had hoped to pick up the new motorcycle today but the hard-bags didn't come in yet.
That evening we watched a Pedro Almodovar film, 'The Flower of My Secret'. We can always depend on Almodovar to do something new and interesting.
-----------------------------------
Wednesday, 12 May-
After a morning on the web I took Mocha Joe in for an oil change at Walmart. They had it done very quickly and did a thorough job of the safety checks. The tech said he sees many Ford trucks and vans and mine is by far the cleanest underneath (then again maybe he says that to everyone!). They usually have oil all over the underside. He did notice that the transmission tailshaft is leaking a drip or two so I'll have to keep an eye on that. It's time for an trans oil change and checkup anyway, so perhaps I can get the tailshaft seal changed at the same time (assuming there's no other bad news about the trans).
While waiting for the van I received a call telling me the front-brake switch had come in for the KLR. I made it home from the oil change early enough to go ahead and ride the KLR down to the shop for the switch change and then the inspection. The KLR just turned over 6000 miles this week.
That evening we watched three episodes of 'The Closer', season four, disk four.
---------------------------------
Tuesday, 11 May-
Today Labashi and I worked on Dad's Buick. Labashi cleaned up the interior while I spent my time with the bug-and-tar cleaner to remove tree sap from the pines at the Michigan house.
I also spent a few hours on the web researching the F650GS. That evening we watched several episodes of 'Greensburg', the documentary about Greensburg, Kansas after the May 2007 tornado that completely destroyed the town. We visited Greensburg on our way home from our Desert Flowers trip this Spring and like seeing the series
----------------------------------
Monday, 10 May-
I mowed the lawn today and also ordered a windshield for the new motorcycle. The windshield is a Madstad Engineering kit which will provide a highly-adjustable windscreen mounted on brackets. I never did find a windshield I liked for the KLR but hopefully this one will give me something like the protection I get on my Concours.
That evening we watched 'Frozen River' with Melissa Leo. This one is interesting in that it takes place on a Mohawk reservation on the New York-Canada border. Melissa plays a mother forced to smuggle illegal immigrants into the US and she plays the part quite well.
--------------------------------
Sunday, 9 May-
On this cooler-than-normal Mother's Day we went to Mechanicsburg to visit Labashi's parents for the afternoon. Labashi made a wonderful spiced-shrimp dinner for us and we had a very nice visit.
----------------------------
Saturday, 8 May-
Today we drove to Chambersburg for a baby shower. A grand-nephew is due in less than a month. We had a nice little family get-together and met some new neighbors.
On the way home we stopped at Restaurant Sidney in East Berlin. I've had lunch there several times in the past as I'd be coming back from Cburg but Labashi has never been inside. We were too late to get a table in the dining room but didn't mind the tavern. We had several new tastes, including home-made waffle chips with Stilton cheese and veggies, a nice, smoky pulled-pork sandwich, grilled prawns and two unique drinks-- a caipirinha (a Brazilian rum-based drink) and an espresso martini for dessert. Yes!
----------------------------
Friday, 7 May -
I thought I'd run the KLR down to Don's Kawasaki for a quickie inspection today and get that out of the way. Don's has a drive-in inspection service. You drive in, tell them you want an inspection, and they do it-- all without the hassle of scheduling an appointment. If the motorcycle doesn't pass, there's no charge. If it doesn't pass of course they offer to get you the parts and schedule any service time needed. And once that work is done the inspection is completed.
This time, though, my KLR didn't pass. I was very surprised when the guy found the front brake light switch wasn't working. I had done a quick run-through at home but had missed that. I can't really see the brake light while leaning forward to squeeze the brake lever and missed it. The guy ordered one for me and will complete the inspection when it comes in.
We started another 'Due South' episode but gave up about half-way through-- it was just too far-fetched.
************* END OF POST **********
(posted from home)
(This post covers 7 – 23 May, 2010)
--------------------------------------
Sunday, 23 May-
I spent most of the day on the Web, trying to catch up the blog and doing some family-history research. I took an out-of-the-blue phone call yesterday from a prospective distant-cousin living in Los Angeles. He's a few years older than me and is looking for information about his birth-father, a man who divorced the caller's mother in West Virginia in the Fifties. The geographical information he provided, when coupled with what I know of the geographic movements of key ancestors suggests there's a good chance we have common ancestors in the late 1700's. I also came up short trying to find any new information.
Late in the day I took a break from the computer to try again with the motorcycle windshield. I picked another position and took a short test ride. It seems better but I'll need a longer ride to be sure.
--------------------------------------
Saturday, 22 May-
The motorcycle windshield came this morning and I had to pay $15 postage due to get it (!!!!). I'm not sure yet whether the screw-up was by the manufacturer or by the post office but I wasn't about to send it back once it was in my hands. I'll have to follow-up next week to see what happened.
I wanted to install it right away but the first order of business was to get some tools. BMW uses Torx-head screws and bolts on this model and I only have two Torx bits and they're the wrong size for the job. I first had to do some research on the Web to determine all the Torx sizes I'll need for the bike and tried to find them at the local Ace Hardware. I ended up going to Sears and buying a Lisle master-set of Torx bits in order to get all the sizes.
Late in the afternoon I had the windshield installed. I took a test ride and didn't like what I found. This model is highly adjustable, though, and that test was only for one of many, many possible settings of the mounting bracket.
The problem, though, is each setting means I have to take the windscreen off, adjust the brackets, and re-mount the windscreen, a time-consuming and awkward process. I tried a few settings but didn't come up with one which cut down buffeting of my helmet by the wind-stream.
That evening we went out to dinner at Conewago Inn, then watched 'Deep Water', a very-good documentary about Donald Crowhurst, an Englishman who faked his participation in an around-the-world sailing race in the late Sixties. Well done!
--------------------------------------
Friday, 21 May-
Today I removed the driver's door lower weatherstrip on Dad's car. What a mess. The rubber is okay but the inner metal channel is badly rusted and disintegrated. Apparently road salt had laid in the channel and destroyed it. The good news is the bottom of the door itself is okay except for one small bubble in the paint. That I can fix. But the lower weatherstrip will have to be replaced somehow. I see the Buick replacement ones run close to a 90 dollars MSRP so I'm going to have to look around for something else. I also checked the other three doors and two of them should also be replaced. They aren't as bad but are noticeable.
I want to work up the mileage on the bike to get to the first oil change before I take the bike North to see Orat in a few weeks. I rode into the Buick dealer to confirm what I was seeing on the web and in fact the prices are even worse than what the Web says is MSRP. I then hit the Lowe's and Home Depot looking for a rubber u-channel I've seen on the web but neither had it. I may be stuck....
-------------------------------------
Thursday, 20 May-
Today I spent an hour or so catching up the blog and then worked on Dad's car. I noticed the weatherstrip at the bottom of the driver's door had bent out, revealing a white mounting block. Closer examination is in order but it looks like the bottom of the door is rusted out and this calls attention to it. Rats!
-------------------------------------
Wednesday, 19 May -
Today my normally-strong resistance to guilt about house-cleaning developed a crack. I picked-up and put-away in general and vacuumed the house. What can I say. It happens to the best of us once in a while.
In the afternoon Labashi took me over to Trans-Am Cycles to pick up the F650GS. She had things to do so we split up there. After I settled all the paperwork I rode back to East York and hit the Panera and Wal-mart, the former for a capp, the latter looking for some type of bright riding vest. On our travels I've seen quite a bit of construction-worker gear in the highly-visible greens, yellows, and reds but our Wal-mart had nothing at all.
I spent most of the remaining daylight hours riding the new bike.
-------------------------------------
Tuesday, 18 May-
More rain today. But I had a dentist appointment anyway and Labashi wasn't available to help pick up the bike so it didn't matter.
After the appointment I dropped in on Mom and Dad (and Labashi) at Bethany Village for a few minutes, then drove over to the local Border's to look for BMW motorcycle books, anything interesting in magazines, and to have a cappucino. I then hit Koup's motorcycle shop hoping to find a rain cover and a new riding jacket but no luck there.
-------------------------------------
Monday, 17 May-
After our perfect weekend I suppose some rain was due. Today's rain wasn't hard but it certainly was persistent. The motorcycle shop called and my new bike is ready but I don't want to slop it up in the rain-- at least not on it's first ride home!
I spent much of the day on the Web learning about the new bike. I have a windshield on order and today hit a couple of shops hoping to pick up a rain cover. Surprisingly, nobody has the cover I want so I'll have to turn to the web.
I also called about the windshield and learned it hasn't gone out yet a week later. They have a parts problem but did promise to ship by Thursday.
That evening we watched more 'Monarch of the Glen', season one.
--------------------------------------
Sunday, 16 May-
This morning we continued talking with our hosts for the weekend. These folks have so many things going on in their lives and have so many interests that we always have something to talk about and time just flashes by.
Late in the afternoon we headed back to PA, again in picture-perfect weather. We had eaten so well all weekend that we were happy to just have a snack for supper and watch a few episodes of 'Monarch of the Glen', a BBC series which ran from 2000-2005. It's perfect for vegging though we wish it had subtitles since it's tough for us to keep up with the heavy Scottish accents.
--------------------------------------
Saturday, 15 May-
Today we took the Metro into the National Mall. Our first stop was the National Museum of the American Indian. We had been there years ago but that day we had too many things going on and were only in the museum for an hour. Today's visit was a much more leisurely one-- over two hours. Nevertheless, Labashi only saw about half of the museum!
We then walked across the Mall to the sculpture garden for a break and watched the crowd around the fountain. We had a perfect day and it was fun to watch the little kids playing at the edges of the water.
We then split up, some to the Natural History Museum and others to the American History Museum. We only had about an hour and a half so it was a walk-through but that was enough for today.
We then walked a few blocks north to the M and S Grill, where we feasted on filet mignon.
Back at the house we watched an episode of 'Geologic Journey', a Canadian series. Sounds like it was quite the party, no? But after our long day of walking and a drink at the restaurant, we all nodded off near the end of the film.
-------------------------------------
Friday, 14 May-
We whiled away the morning packing and then left for a visit with Labashi's brother and wife in Northern Virginia. We took the back roads from our home to Restaurant Sidney in East Berlin for lunch, then took US15 South nearly all the way to our destination.
That evening we all went out to dinner at a Bonefish Grill=== yummmmm!
------------------------------------
Thursday, 13 May-
I had a slow start to the work day today after spending the entire morning on the web reading about the new motorcycle. I'm amazed at the variety of accessories for it but the prices are stunningly high. Want a little plastic cover to protect the brake reservoir? Sixy-nine Bucks!!!! Mud-flap extender? $110!!! I don't think so!
I washed Dad's Buick today and while I had the supplies out I washed Labashi's car and then the KLR. I want to sell Dad's car, the KLR, and the Miata this summer.
I had hoped to pick up the new motorcycle today but the hard-bags didn't come in yet.
That evening we watched a Pedro Almodovar film, 'The Flower of My Secret'. We can always depend on Almodovar to do something new and interesting.
-----------------------------------
Wednesday, 12 May-
After a morning on the web I took Mocha Joe in for an oil change at Walmart. They had it done very quickly and did a thorough job of the safety checks. The tech said he sees many Ford trucks and vans and mine is by far the cleanest underneath (then again maybe he says that to everyone!). They usually have oil all over the underside. He did notice that the transmission tailshaft is leaking a drip or two so I'll have to keep an eye on that. It's time for an trans oil change and checkup anyway, so perhaps I can get the tailshaft seal changed at the same time (assuming there's no other bad news about the trans).
While waiting for the van I received a call telling me the front-brake switch had come in for the KLR. I made it home from the oil change early enough to go ahead and ride the KLR down to the shop for the switch change and then the inspection. The KLR just turned over 6000 miles this week.
That evening we watched three episodes of 'The Closer', season four, disk four.
---------------------------------
Tuesday, 11 May-
Today Labashi and I worked on Dad's Buick. Labashi cleaned up the interior while I spent my time with the bug-and-tar cleaner to remove tree sap from the pines at the Michigan house.
I also spent a few hours on the web researching the F650GS. That evening we watched several episodes of 'Greensburg', the documentary about Greensburg, Kansas after the May 2007 tornado that completely destroyed the town. We visited Greensburg on our way home from our Desert Flowers trip this Spring and like seeing the series
----------------------------------
Monday, 10 May-
I mowed the lawn today and also ordered a windshield for the new motorcycle. The windshield is a Madstad Engineering kit which will provide a highly-adjustable windscreen mounted on brackets. I never did find a windshield I liked for the KLR but hopefully this one will give me something like the protection I get on my Concours.
That evening we watched 'Frozen River' with Melissa Leo. This one is interesting in that it takes place on a Mohawk reservation on the New York-Canada border. Melissa plays a mother forced to smuggle illegal immigrants into the US and she plays the part quite well.
--------------------------------
Sunday, 9 May-
On this cooler-than-normal Mother's Day we went to Mechanicsburg to visit Labashi's parents for the afternoon. Labashi made a wonderful spiced-shrimp dinner for us and we had a very nice visit.
----------------------------
Saturday, 8 May-
Today we drove to Chambersburg for a baby shower. A grand-nephew is due in less than a month. We had a nice little family get-together and met some new neighbors.
On the way home we stopped at Restaurant Sidney in East Berlin. I've had lunch there several times in the past as I'd be coming back from Cburg but Labashi has never been inside. We were too late to get a table in the dining room but didn't mind the tavern. We had several new tastes, including home-made waffle chips with Stilton cheese and veggies, a nice, smoky pulled-pork sandwich, grilled prawns and two unique drinks-- a caipirinha (a Brazilian rum-based drink) and an espresso martini for dessert. Yes!
----------------------------
Friday, 7 May -
I thought I'd run the KLR down to Don's Kawasaki for a quickie inspection today and get that out of the way. Don's has a drive-in inspection service. You drive in, tell them you want an inspection, and they do it-- all without the hassle of scheduling an appointment. If the motorcycle doesn't pass, there's no charge. If it doesn't pass of course they offer to get you the parts and schedule any service time needed. And once that work is done the inspection is completed.
This time, though, my KLR didn't pass. I was very surprised when the guy found the front brake light switch wasn't working. I had done a quick run-through at home but had missed that. I can't really see the brake light while leaning forward to squeeze the brake lever and missed it. The guy ordered one for me and will complete the inspection when it comes in.
We started another 'Due South' episode but gave up about half-way through-- it was just too far-fetched.
************* END OF POST **********
posted by Bezabor&Labashi | 19:23
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