steveb leatherworks: the blather

Got a gander at this tank panel/pouch i made 4 years ago, just the other day whilst visiting. This piece has taken a for-real beating and still looks more than pretty good. I tried a few new things when I made this unit, as it was for a friend – like the funky tail on the bottom of the pouch that “connects” the seat and panel, different for sure..and a bit odd…lol….  But I am still happy years (and many miles) down the road with the way it came out and its overall utility. Durability is not an issue. Soakings from the rain and the hose, blazing hot sun – all just added character

Freddy was coming home from a top secret rendezvous a few weeks ago, with some high ranking government official or head of state, or contractor i forget…anyway, minor detail..but, as he relates to me: “a big can of paint came off of a truck in front of him, exploded on the ground and narrowly missed him”. Now, in all fairness to Freddy,  I am not telling the story as he does, as it is lacking the drama, the the-atre, physical manifestation with the facial tics and mandibular gesticulations that are favored by victims of automotive mayhem and mishap…ya kind have to dance the story to life , know what I mean, all the body language and sound effects that accompany telling the story. Very amusing.

Well, I guess it missed him for the most part. Cost him a set of clothes and made a real mess of the bike. These pics are a few weeks after the affair and after many washings, degreasings, solvent rinses, etc.

Can’t exactly take a wire brush to aluminum cast cases that are 18 years old at this point. The cases and barells are toast aesthetically at this point anyway from all the cleaning and power washing, and now match the overall poor, upkeep this bike has enjoyed for the past 18 years. This bike is itching for total rebuild anyway, and will most probably wear this new insult like a badge till that time comes. Got to be careful. out there kids..if its not numb-nuts on cell phones trying to run you off the road, its paint cans coming off the bed of trucks.

Clearing out some stuff in the shop – A few pieces of lightly worn prototype gear… like this:

Brown belt – belt – 1.3/8 wide, seen very light use, brass hardware,
tan stitching, fully lined as usual,  measures 38 based on this diagram.

http://steveb.biz/belt-sizing.html

if it fits, make an offer. Lousy pictures sorry – they don’t do the belt justice!

This Sturgis I had the distinct pleasure to meet and spend some quality time with Bryan Schimke, sole proprietor of TPJ Customs  located, in who-the-hell-knows-where Kalifornia…looks like a goddamn prison camp from what I can see by the pics he sends me, but then again, what the hell do I know, I am a New Yorker living in New England…ha

 

 

 

So anyway, Bryan does all kinds of wondrous things with metal and motorcycles,  tank graphics being one of these special things….

ya see mr funny guy likes sending pics with his gizmo-phone , thought i’d do him the favor of sharing this build in progress

 

 

ha – last laugh is on you mr. jr. homeboy!!

 

 

<<in all seriousness, visit him at 
http://www.tpjcustoms.com/    
to get the real deal on some supa clean custom stuff>

Straight up, I dont do repairs. Shit, I dont even repair my own stuff, i just make new…it is almost always easier. I pay props to those who get involved in repairs – from a bike tech to a shoe guy – repairs are a tough way to make your money, because in large part…the time involved to do a clean and tidy job is always more than estimated….and NO ONE wants to pay the freight.

So – what to do when a customer just sends me something to fix?  Should i send it back, should i charge an arm and a leg as a penalty. What to do?  An added complication is that this customer has been back to me twice, once for a belt, the next for a wallet…sooo …..being a sucka and loyal to those that are loyal to me – I don’t say no, I don’t cry like a weenie, I dont rant & rave,  I just do.

So here is the crux of this story,  I made a new handle for Ralph’s wifes purse that had rotted off the bag simply because it was a piece of shite, lined with of all things – cardboard..ha.  This new handle will outlive the bag – guaranteed.

Not bad for a guy who doesnt do repairs, eh?  Maybe I have a future in “ladies wear”?
Could be worse things, I ‘spose.

My homeboy Freddy has a thing for convertibles, and has had a few TR6’s in the past. I think this 1972 vintage unit is number 4. This nugget came to him some years ago as a crazy pinkish purple – a stock color believe it or not. I think i have a pic of it somewhere in its original configuraiton, but believe me – it was hideous, crazy hideous as a matter of fact and in short time, it became, through the spray gun of Stevie, his bodyman a nice, staid burgundy and then, had the crap driven out if it.   You see Freddy drives his cars hard, very hard – and in a few years this car needed some pretty deep attention. it got some bandages, got driven some more, but got neglected due to a 63 Vette joining the family.

A few years later it needed a good rebuild – from stem to stern. With the help of a few able bodied and knowledgeable craftspeople and some owner-sweat equity, and another spritz by Stevie, this time a nice classic British racing green – the car came home a few weeks ago looking spiff. nice job Freddy, enjoy!,

Now a note on the TR6. If you’ve never ridden in one, I can only describe it as very low to ground, pretty loud and very loose and rattly. 50 feels like 90. It is kind of like the Shovel Head of cars in alot of ways – defiantly rough around the edges and rattly.   So, in answer to this loose-as-a-goose endemic situation with all TR6’s,  Freddy loaded this car with Dynamat with this rebuild, put new Redline tires on it, beefed the suspension, got the engine dialed in, the carbs synched, the shifter linkage tightened up and lubed and has reported back that this is the absolute best he’s ever felt a TR feel. Not bad for a 36 year old car. Ya know, I think I can name every part in the engine compartment, I dare any of us to do that with our modern cars..lol

Only because I was off duty and he’s a lifelong friend, I wont bother ripping him for this garage crime as the pic speaks for itself, I feel bad for his Fatboy trapped in the corner, on the lift, surrounded by lawn furniture, kids bikes/toys and some other detritus of suburbia. Nuff said.

Businesses like to target customer satisfaction as a metric that can be used as a marker to gauge success. They spend all kinds of money measuring from all angles, trying to break the satisfaction quotient into sniplets that allow them to cut anything that doesn’t add to this “quotient”. This is called identifying efficient spending in the biz world.

Seems to me these company’s would rather spend their time, money and attention to measure and analyze stuff rather than simply improve their product/service… because it is easier to measure, talk, conjecture and flap the gums –  than to actually “do” something meaningful for the customer.

SO?

Me? I just do, I don’t measure, I only flap my “gums” here for the most part and importantly -> I apply all my energy to doing the best work I can do for my customers.  My work isn’t cheap, so I feel the standards I must meet are even higher, because I don’t compete price-wise. The kudos I get from my customers indicates to me and my Bored of Directors (see the “team” above) that I am getting it right and that I am delivering good value (and you KNOW that value is different from Price – don’t you?)

Getting notes like these below, (got 2 in one day) indicate to me I am doing something right. Honestly, this is one of the big thrills I get from my customers – feedback. I feel blessed in that I am able to satisfy and delight my customers AND please myself at the same time. it is cool, for real.

So, If you want me to do something “right” for you.. drop me an email..please.

steveb@steveb.biz

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Mike (a 2 time customer) writes:

Wow, after receiving my Dr. Evil Fin, I could not conceive how you could top it, then the belt arrived and you certainly topped it.  The belt, your design and craftsmanship  are outstanding and beautiful.  My wife loved the belt and its workmanship as do I.  This belt will pass through the generations and it can only get better with age and miles.    Thanks again for the work of art 

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Valerie writes:

I just realized I totally forgot to write you and tell you what he thought. He said it was awesome. He had never thought a belt like that would be him because typically they look either too “country” or too “thug” but he said this one is just perfect. Thanks so much for your hard work and attention to detail. We will certainly contact you if we ever need any other leather work done. 

Sometime ago, I bought a splitter…someday i will address the Splitter, in all of its sharp bladed, bad tempered, hard to handle glory, but for now I will focus my attention on this strap cutter that i got as a freebie when i bought said Splitter.

So the strap cutter is a handy device that I use to slim down a strap that has already been cut and squared up.

You cant feed a piece of uncut leather into this unit,rather it is good for taking a 1/4 or 1/8 off an already “formatted strap”.

You want to meet a nasty little blade that would just LOVE to meet your hand? This tool  requires you be both careful and fearless in drawing the leather through it – no hesitation, one fell swoop and a firm pressure both pulling the leather through as well as down on the blade, because, the leather would rather ride up the blade than through it…path of least resistance and all that, so you need to be forceful and diligent. 

No wienies, no wimps, no half hearted tests…ya got to just go for the gusto in this instance…

After blazing saddles all day up in the Northern reaches of our territory, I opted to continue Saturday’s hard riding theme by going to a party hosted by a motorcycle club named after a New Jersey city at their club house, located in that same city. Riding south towards NYC is something i try not to do, and i generally avoid night riding like the plague due to the large number of animals in the world, my not so good night vision and the fact that i just feel better about things on 2-wheels  when i can see all the fun stuff around me clearly… meaning… daytime is my time!

yeah, right, so much for that.  We got a party to go to and going we is! Location of this party necessitates we parade down Manhattan’s west side (saw the newly re-birthed Intrepid aircraft carrier)  and dip through a tunnel under the Hudson river..very exciting… eek…no fun…traffic, white lining, hot clutch! Got the hottest I ever felt this bike get…being a Twin-cam, this bike sure can get hot, nasty hot.  Cant say as I like that much and this confirms yet again, that North is the direction to point the compass when on 2-wheels.  We met up with the Greek, himself riding in from the nether regions of the urban sprawl and had a good dinner, eating outside…amazing  weather!

The party offered up the usual entertaining low-rent trailer park, carny sideshow environment, one should expect at any hardcore urban club party  For some reason , I  always wind up feeling like a small guy at these affairts, with all these hulking black leather wrapped brick walls around…lol…  I guess big boys are drawn to bikes.

The weather was great, a beautiful balmy fall night and it was great to see some friends and basically show face and some class by riding to what is an important NYC biker shindig. Two beers a few conversations, a peek at some scary half-naked women was enough to send me and Pupkin packing for a hey-now chilly ride home. Love that electric jacket, now if i had some “knee-cap” warmers last night, I’d a been mint!

Oh, you poor pitiful West Coasters, stuck on that strip betwixt mountains and sea…oh the shame, oh the outright crime-of-it-all…that you are missing  one of the absolutely best pre-season shows of Northeast color, I’ve seen in years. Really beautiful. I got a whole slew of drivel to accompany these photos as I took a nice ride up in you-know-what-country today, but let these stinkers sing the song for now!

Urban blah, here i  com , heading off with Pupkin on 2-wheels to a MC club party tonight – in NJ, Go hunt that in your GPS…got to bring the EZ PAss!!

 

Big Bob wanted a big wallet.

The Super Squire is the biggest wallet that I make, so we went with that. The triple 3 on the front was Bob’s request, the flame was my addition.

 I really like the way the texture over the wallet came out, lot of stamping to get that effect…funny how the simplest things are often the hardest to do and to make look right. The interior is off the hook, wild color scheme, lots of stitching….

The chain comes from a barter deal i did a ways back with a guy who did renaissance chain mail clothing.He made me a few chains in exchange for some thing or another.  Those chains were bad ass.

Had a thought as i was spending some time maintaining the points on my dividers. I know, your not surprised. If nothing else, i like to be predictable.

If like me, you use your tools alot and they get dirty and they get dull, chances are you have multiples of some of your most oft used tools. Wrenches are a favorite of mine. I like wrenches and sockets. I also like dividers.

Dividers are handy when your laying out a piece of leather for an operation: cutting, punching holes, carving beveling – anytime you need to lay an even, clear line and create an edge to work from. The round caliper on the bottom is a new and very handy addition to the cast of well used characters, allowing me to now accurately punch blind holes.

Having a few dividers allows me to speed up my setup and layout of jobs, i dont have to reset my tooling – a big time waster as any tool user will attest. My old dividers are courtesy of Robert Praadke’s kind gift to me some many years back – thanks Robert – i use these bad boys all the time, the best life any tool can possibly hope for….

Well if you’ve been keeping up with the adventures of the Shiny Penny, you’ve read my rant on the “quick release/ detachable” crapski that Harley sells us suckers who need this bit of convenience added to their already their hi-priced sleds…it aint pretty this whole detachable deal, but I’ve already covered this ground in previous self indulgent ranting….lol…. i dont lament giving up Big Blue, my 91 FL this year, but I am not sure I am down with the “new deal” of having to bring the bike in for service and for having a relationship requiring I interact with the MoCo on a regular basis…new world for me.

anyway, I need to put this story to bed for good for all of our sakes, and this photo reminds me to finish what i started a ways back…so ….during the trials and tribulations of installing the detachable tourpak hardware, Me and Dan-o tried installing the “antenna relocation” kit that HD sells us poor suckers. You want to talk about “crapski-in-a-box”? You want to talk about a weak attempt to solve a relocation challenge? You want to talk about a successfull hoovering of cash out of your wallet for nothing but a head scratchin’ “what the hell is this box of junk” mechanical session?

Well here ya go, buy this crap in a box and good luck to you big sucka, or you can do like me and figure this conundrum out yerself.

First thing i did was return the crapski-in-a-box to the local Dealer and bought myself a donut for being so smart. It was a filled raspberry donut if you were wondering….almost went whole hog for the almond horn, but that would have sent me into glucose orbit, not a pretty sight as my friends can attest.

So Dan-o had the bright idea you see here, as he did it to his pimping RoadGlide.

Turned that focker of an Antenna upside down and zip tied (hence the .50 investment of parts) to the inner bag support strut and done deal. I kind of like the Stealth tip coming out from under der fender. Looks cool and people usually ask me…ahh…what is that? I need to figure out a wise guy response to that someday.

There…does it work you might ask?  Well in one regard it does – it got my antenna out of the way of the tourpak…but what does it do for reception?   well…in all honesty..not much, kinda sucks in a way if your a radio listener – which I am not.  Lucky for me I am an iPod listener, never even used the radio once since i got the bike, other than to see how reception was with this inverted setup…which was not very impressive, I must admit. My perspective is , having the iPOd is about a gizabazillion times better than anything ive ever had to date..so who am i to bitch if my weather band doesn’t work so good…know what i mean?

You roll the dice, ya takes yer chances…. works for me

After a marathon in the shop i needed to bust out for a quick look-see at what was happening “color wise” out in the local environs, as the weather has been decidedly changing for the cooler, the mornings darker, the light showing the blue cast that is the harbinger of fall/winter.   I’ve said it before and I will say it again here…East Coast Rules!

Now let me tell you just one the reasons why – fall foliage, the yearly changing of the colors.  I just know that I will rant on about this subject – seasons changing, fall foliage viewing, etc…, as it really is one of the very best treats the Northeast has to offer and i cant leave t alone for long, its too good – so i will just share what went on today…

A defining characteristic of Fall coming is that the sunlight seems to come at the ground at a much sharper angle.

This makes for light and dark patches in the roadway when in the country,  which bug my eyes out something fierce. one minute your in blinding sun, the next, your in dark shadow.  I’d describe this as a strobe effect – wasn’t a big fan of them in clubs, aint a big fan of ’em when finagling around the back roads at 50mph either.

Pupkin and I headed out for a quickie – decided we’d be best served by stitching a few back-back roads that we were not familiar with, together. Surprises me there is still uncharted territory in our home turf after all these years, but its true, we don’t have to look far for a new road.

Pupkin stopped by the secret HQ and  off we went – when i realized, he’s got no taillight…or brake-light…seems the special “kurayakin, laydown license plate holder with smoked lens” crapski he bought melted itself into a non-functioning POS on his rear fender..great- never good to not have a brakelight.

So whilst enjoying some”spirited” back roads twisty running on our behemoths, we came upon a tricky,

downhill into shadows,  off camber weird radius turn that had a nice layer of grass clippings/lawn deitrus, etc laying about its center parts… I am following Pupkin, sunlight is cutting thought the trees at a blinding angle – so my vision is getting screwed, he’s got no taillight…you see where this is going dontya?  Well I am here to tell the story so it didn’t turn out to to bad, but my seat has a new crease where i puckered. oy!

Lesson learned: Asshole needs to get a new taillight and shouldn’t be out without a functional one! Me? I should have given him waay more room knowing he didn’t have a taillight, and I got caught and surprised by the combo of road conditions and blinding light, with the road heading downhill into shadow.

I work with a wide range of customers, really keeps things interesting for me…and alot of fun…OTR Drivers, Dr’s, Lawyers, Bikers (in all their glorious flavors), Criminals, Oldsters, Cowboys, Soldiers, Cubicle Jockeys, Cage Drivers, Construction Workers, Line Workers, Car Mechanics…ah, “auto repair technicians, sorry…..I just never know.

Anyway, it was requested I craft this wallet for a special customer. I am not usually asked to come up with graphics that are so specifically “lifestyle”… as sometimes this iconography is not appropriate for future stages of the bearer’s life and I generally suggest we do something less overt, as this wallet is going to be around for a real long time…. Nope, not in this case.. and with the Special Customer showing proper identification..I got to work and came up with what you see here.

Found a real old extremely genuine 60’s era patch to use as the template for the type treatment. Seems back in the day, this particular piece had a thinner, reedier type, as opposed to the fatter, more bold look we see on cuts today. It will look great with wear and tear, really show some class in time. This is a piece I hope to get to see once its broken in.

Just realized, I have a numerical theme running here with the past entry..curious indeed….need to look into that….

Spent some serious time on this beauty of a belt – some purposeful “font management”, clearly attentive deep carving of the letter forms, clean stitching with 277 thread –  and hey, who doesn’t love the red as blood tribal flames?

A special feature on most of my belts and another invention from yours truly……The removable rivets in the billet not only allow the belt to expand as the owner grows, it also adds a bit o’ bling in a place that you’d not expect to find it.

A point of difference with ALL of my belts: I bake them with a curve. You’ll notice that this belt, left to its own devices , curves naturally. Through a bit of leathercraft chicanery and digital manipulation – I get the belt to curve. as you can imagine, this insures unsurpassed comfort for the fortunate wearer. Sounds good, eh?

Maybe I will be an advertising guy in my next life, whatta ya think?

So here i was cutting a piece of leather tonight with one of my my older’n dirt headknives (one is  from 1900, the other, about 1928)  – and realized right quick, my blade was dull, flipped it over and still not so good. Not a good feeling when your bearing down on a piece of 8-10oz  thick leather, and your blade seizes up in the hide, and so this forced me to abandon my efforts and pick up my back-up blade and finish my complex curved cut…

 I show great respect to blades. Leatherworkers spend a great deal of time around sharp things and need to be very aware of whats going on – and always show good safety awareness when handling blades…simple stuff, like always keeping your hand behind the blade – whether drawing the knife towards your, or in the case of a headknife – pushing it away from you..pushing a blade seems odd, I know…you have to see it to appreciate the  proper technique to wield a head knife safely. You don’t want to do this in a place with lots of distractions.

This knife is one of the unique tools of leathercraft and using it is a skill I am proud to have gained…I dont “click” my shapes, I cut each one by hand, using a headknife – and so – my blades get a constant workout and need to be sharp…and usually they are!

A quick strop wouldn’t bring a decent razors edge back to my little tough guy, so for the first time in like a year, i had to sharpen my blade. Hmmm. I could write a book about stropping and strops, but will let you off easy this time…

Keep in mind, the normal state of a headknife is sharp, and by sharp, i mean sharper than a scalpel sharp, no fooling sharp and no slippin’ sharp…know what i mean? You do NOT want to get bit by a headknife. If you do, your going to the hospital. Capiche?

Broke out the Arkansas stones – a soft and a hard, one water, one oil – and got to sharpening my knives. Even though I favor one knife (my little one) more than the other, i still sharpen them in a set – this way they are both good to go when i reach for them. 

Swivel knives are another unique tool of leathercraft, if like me – you’re a “carver”. The swivel is a whole nother kettle of fish to use properly.

I have three Swivels, a Henley Beader blade in a monster fat Stohlman handle with brass finger rest, a ceramic blade in a hard knurled stainless handle and a Henley blade in a thin Henley handle, with a thin angled blade – this is my favorite swivel blade.

I don’t sharpen my swivel knives much either for that matter – the thin Henley, which i use 9 out of 10 times,  really only needs a stropping every use and is good to go-great knife.

So, whats my point you might ask? Well, I guess it is this…a stropping is good most of the time, but sometimes, ya just have to put steel to stone to make it all good again!

Getting the chance to produce a collection of various items for a customer at one time is a treat. It doesn’t happen very often, but when the opportunity arises, I am all over it, like water on a hot, greased skillet.

For this special customer I had the pleasure of making a Slip Sheath for a special (aren’t they all?) Buck folder, a Gunfighters Cuff with some nice doubled up stitching, a Flamed, Skulled and Lettered Belt with a monster flamed Harley buckle and a Squire Wallet flamed up the wazoo tastefully topped off with a brass chain.

Bet he had fun opening the box when he got it….

I have always liked to work on my machines, no matter what the nature of their function might be. I am no fabricator, nor a builder – I am clearly a “maintainer” – and as our America’s last great hero, Harry said in a most memorable moment.. “a man has to know his limitations” and I, for one…am ok with that –  as I have learned the folly of contradicting that insight over the years.

Painful AND expensive, it can be…ah, yes.

My motorcycles are favorite victims of mechanical chicanery, for a variety of reasons – primary one for me being, I get the feeling i have earned the thrill of being under “my own” power as I am rolling down the road. I know I am not under steam generated by my own efforts, but I get that feelin’, if you know what i mean.

Definetly appeals to the testosterone side of things when you can state in all truthfulness, “so I tore the top end off, re-ringed, quick hone and here I am 1000mi. later in the middle of squirrel country, far from home, confident the job is done right”.  That, in my book is cool, the hallmark of a rider, and of someone i could find common ground with, no matter what the circumstance, and talk to for a while…  shared points of pride, when you can hold your own.

6800mi into owning the Shiny Penny, I need a clutch adjustment, in a pretty major way. The original adjustment was too “out” to begin with and now that all the wingnoodlers are bedded in, it needs some attention. I have known this for some time, but just cant seem to find the time or desire to deal with it.. except of course when i am trying to work my way through the urban blah and i feel i “got no clutch mon”…THEN I wished I had been more motivated. I used to love this stuff, dig right in and get it all sussed quickly..these days, i want to ride, not to finagle -I have so little time. In response stuff sits and I put it off, one glaring case in point is my FXR, which has sat under a sheet all season, on the lift…waiting for some attention… ugh

Because of some weak link in my DNA string, I just cant seem to bring myself to drop the bike at the dealer for a simple clutch adjustment – it is such as easy task, although the warranty spies will send me to hell for cracking a bolt free – so I thought – now is a good time to rip the seal off the brand new manual and parts book I had delivered when i got the bike. Hmm, lots of electronical stuff here..scary …eeek…ahh, get to the specific part for clutch adjustment and refreshingly, the drill is same as familar models. Thankfully not has changed much in this regard, still a pretty simple and clear process.

OK – now I just need to find a few minutes…soon..

Terry asked for a “triple black” belt: black background, black graphics and black thread. I gently suggested to Terry that he consider some contrast worked into the belt, to make it pop a bit and because, in my humble opinion, a black belt tends to just look like a black strip around your waist… and it absorbs the detail of the graphics, in this case flames, that he wanted…

Terry responded: You are probably right about the colored flames but I think I,m to old to have a belt that stands out with red tan  or yellow. So if you can make me one with black belt and black flames and black stitching ,I think we can do business 

Who am I to argue with that?  So, in the end, Terry got a black belt, just what he wanted, Works for me and it works for Terry – win/win.

Got an email from Ralph, a repeat customer…

its that time again and i need another product made…. a belt most likely a straight one, black with yellow flames and “EL LOBO” on the back

 
“”Yep, I sure can do that for ya Ralph” – and so this is exactly what Ralph asked for, and subsequently this is what Ralph got…Once it was in hand 6 weeks later, Ralph responded thusly in his usual effusive manner:

great job on the belt….thanks

of note…I’ve been using a new heel buckle with my last few belts and I am liking the look alot.  Has that added buit o’ fancy pants class and is comfy with a nice curve and appear well made. I got a few in both nickel and solid brass. I suspect they are made in China, because as you know – all the best stuff comes from China these days…ugh…    ;-(

Anyway…Thanks for the business Ralph, appreciate it

Being a skateboarder, or “skater” was one of the defining characteristics of my teenage years growing up East Coast… Citizens find it hard to believe, but there are alot of similarities between bikers and skaters when it comes down it,  to those in the know…know its true and the thrill of rolling is just one of those shared DNA strands between the groups.

In NYC in the 60’s and 70’s being a skater made you odd man out…a little weird, a little out there….few people skateboarded, as it was a “west coast” thing at the time… remember, this is the Cali Dogtown era, the era of Tony Alva and SoCal  pool riding and we NYC kids…all we could do is stay alert for opportunities to try and sample some of this type of challenge and terrain…

Pools? ….ha, find me a built in pool in Queens – and a dry one at that!!  the few families that did have a pool, had those flimsy above ground deals….. not so good for rocking the clay wheels we had at the time…when they came out RoadRider polyurethane wheels opened up a whole new world of speed and safety due to their traction and smooth rolling…

So in answer to the lack of decent terrain available and the fact we were always getting in trouble when on the city streets and sidewalks, we skated under highway overpasses primarily and also on bike paths… and my Mom was our 8mmw/ tripod  videographer.

If I can ever figure out how to digitize all the VHS tapes that i had made from the Super 8 film she shot for us…lol..i will be a happy guy..So as city skaters, we lived for speed…it was a rare commodity we all pined for…and i remember taking a few “heart in my mouth” figure 11 runs on what we affectionately called “Suicide Hill”..wearing nothing but leather gardening gloves, i pinched from my Mom.   Amazing me and my skating partner Dave Brozen survived those runs, and we made lots of them. I wonder about Dave….anyway….

 

Just like the progression of transportation, communications, computing technology and medicine – skateboarding has also benefitted from “technological enhancements” over the years- in terms of bearing design, wheel composites, board materials, etc. These improvements also extend to protective gear so you dont wind up looking like ground meat once your flesh meets the pavement, -this is a daily reality for skaters…getting hurt is easy to do.

even now you have some guys, who prefer old school/traditional long boards, who wear minimal protection and go for the gusto. I invite you to check these two characters out…they’ve got big ones… accompany them for the ride and I dare you not to be smiling when your done!

click this number link below to see some bold and brash downhill longboarding…talk about “suicide hill”…..

1654340   <<<TO SEE THE VIDEO<< CLICK HERE

I like to visit. I especially like visiting when I am on 2 wheels because the reception is always better when you get to your destination on a bike, and as we all know – riding is waaay better than driving in a cage, no matter how nice the cage may be.

I like going places, seeing things, meeting new folks, hearing new stories and basically absorbing the last few scraps of what is left of “real” Americana. What do I mean by “real” Americana?  Ha – I could write a book about what I feel is the decaying and diluted  core of our country and culture – but I will not write that book here…..  it’s too damn close to election time to get all a rantin’.

Anyway, this country is alot of fun if you get outside the urban blah and into squirrel country and mix it up with the locals. I’ve learned that if you shutty-uppy and use your listening muscle, you can learn alot about folks and the places they live in and are proud of. Nuttin’ better than listening to a proud local tell you of the happenin’s and events of the locale to bring it to life and make a lasting impression.

Luckily for me, I’ve got a posse of people I consider friends scattered about the land. And them’s is the one’s I like to visit most. Whenever i get on the bike for a blast, my compass nearly always takes me North. Rarely do i head South. North is where the wide-open spaces are, where the trees are, where the squirrels are and where there is less traffic and a better type of road. I also have some friends who live in the North, and i like to abuse their hospitality. South? how does the spectre of passing through New Jersey, unbearable traffic, crazier drivers, bad roads, high population density and no eye candy sound….well thats what is served if you head South from my place.  Me? If I only have quick weekend to roll up and back…I head Norte…

So much for a quick setup! Brevity isn’t a strong suit with me, as if you didn’t know.

Anyway – this past weekend afforded me a “visiting” bonanza. First up on the dance card was a party that was being hosted for the 10th year by my friend Ken and his wife Kathy. Ken & I are members of an elite group that goes by the moniker  “Assholes”. Long story there, that I will not bore you with here. So anyway, Ken and Cathy (his wife) host this hoedown up in the nether regions of Northern Vermont.This shindig gives me an opportunity to see a few other friends as well as Ken and so it is a “must” attend. The first time we held this party was 10yrs ago and so this year was an anniversary of sorts. 10 years?? man o man, where does the time go?

 

Anyway – Kens  party was good: fine food, beverages, musci playlist, people, good weather – and a good destination, far enough away from home (400mi+/-) so I felt like i really got some mileage in. Ahh, the ride…hmmm..let me share that with you. The weather is changing as we are all aware (except SoCal folks who lack seasons, poor bastards) so when i got up 0-dark-30 on Saturday AM  – it was 40 degrees outside. Brisk, very brisk.

So in response – I put on my thermals, chaps and electric jacket. Man, I love that electric jacket, got it in May as a Bday gift from Cat and it saved my butt in Nova Scotia – and it did it again on this trip. Some might say I am a puss, I am soft, I am a wienie – but let me tell you friends: when you have 400mi to travel and its 40 degress outside and your looking at a solid 6hrs on the bike with an 80mph wind chill – you say ” weinie be damned”, let  me  be comfortable an warm (and by virtue of that-safe). I was geared up and and hit the road, made killer time on a bluebird skies morning. Wore my standard NYC go to warfare outfit, doubled up leathers, jockey helmet and bandanna. Stylin’!!  The chaps, as gay as they might be, work great when its cold as shite and besides, i got them free when i was working at American Iron, so keep yer hatin’ to yourself, ok?  ha!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The ride was pretty uneventful, except for the hoover’ing of cash from my wallet every time I stopped for fuel. The one notable and equally regrettable event was the running down of the dumbest and most unlucky grouse that ever had the misfortune to step in front of a bike.  This dumb bird walks onto a busy highway and STOPS – right in front of me.

So I tried swerving around him – but didnt do so good.       Mr. Grouse met the very tip of my front wheels axle – and exploded in a cloud of feathers and gore. Freaked me out, killed Mr. Grouse and left blood & guts all over the Shiny Penny. Dont get me wrong, I love animals, have a soft spot for strays an abused (by humans) animals  – and so got no thrill whatsoever from this unfortunate meeting of animal and machine. Actually, i felt pretty bad about it and still do. I pulled over to survey the damage a mile or two down the road, no damage to me or the bike, but it did leave my bike a bit bloodied and left Mr. Grouse ready for his next karmic reincarnation…as a highway officer who has a thing for bikers, no doubt. Justice served warm.

So, I pulled into Ken’s a quick few hours later and commenced to liberate a few tasty beverages from the cooler and a few meat pucks from the Q. All good. Seeing my friends was great. We told lies and shared stories all afternoon.

Being the greedy sort of visitor – I doubled up on this trip. I made arrangements with my friend Jason (of Iron Thread fame) to meet at the party and subsequently ride back to his new house a few clicks south to spend some time with his family. Well, Jason showed up – had a frosty libation, ate a dead thing off the grill and we headed back to his new crib. Wow, what a great house he scored on. A ton of acreage, killer views, a pretty new house and a garage to die for. Jason done good and I was pleased as punch to see him score such a great crib. His kids and wife look to be settling in and so I suspect Jason will be in this place for a good long time.

Spent the night at Jason’s, got up early the next day, knocked down a cup or three of Joe – hit the road at 9am , rode like the wind and made it back home by 2pm- 5 hours total, with stops – a new record. 800 miles for the weekend.

Making time when rolling alone is easy.

Got home, showered and then went to another event – dinner at my sisters house along with my nephews JV Soccer team!

Yeeha, I love when weekends present the opportunity to visit and are action packed!

Needing a ride every so often – I am always on the lookout for a good spot to use as a destination, a reason to get on the bike and a place, that once i get to it…inspires a bit of reflection. I wont get on the bike unless I am going at least 50mi, so that easily pushes me beyond the urban blah… squirrel country for sure.

Used to be, the “Bah” would be a popular destination – but that doesn’t work so well for me..and for many people i know, it would appear, from taking score over the years. Eating is a traditional reason to hook up with the local bunch and focuses the herd – Lunch is an ok destination – but breakfast is better, the early morning hours are always best for enjoying the ride and that’s usually more important to me than getting another hours sleep…but few are motivated to get moving when its early, the bed is comfy and the air cool.

By virtue, the pack gets smaller and the like minded individuals cluster, like squirrels around a nut. Family responsibilities factor in mightily to this sad attendance, but we’ve all been there, you just have to suck it up and do what you have to do…and smile damnit!… just hope your not in a classless cage heading to some baby shower/work affair/birthday/christening/communion/bar mitzvah/etc… watching others fly by on their 2-wheelers having fun…that hurts!

So in response to this sad situation, more and moreso, i find myself going out alone, and my idea of a spot is changing more to accommodate my own personal needs. Qualities that make a good spot when i am on the solo local recon excursion, include: quiet, privacy-off the road a bit preferably, a good view of some natural flora, easy on/off the main road, no dead end spots-always have to have a way in, and a way out, lightly traveled is preferable, no mud baths, no crossing body’s of water higher than my axles and keeping both wheels ground-bound.

Huckleberry is one of those special places, you pass ’em all the time and you have no clue, unless you’d been there for some reason before…..tucked one turn off a main country road, you descend through the trees into a wide open body of water on both sides of the road…beautiful..my amateur video does not do it justice….and riding the bagger with one hand is a challenge on this road – its tight, so forgive me.

huck <<< video link check it out!!

The ride out of Huckleberry, if one chooses not to backtrack the way out and is feeling extra saucy, is one clenched-cheeks, hairpin-having, 8-mph, sand in the corners backwoods road that is barely paved – but absolutely gorgeous. Always fun to take the salty city folk on that road when they start talking about how they like a challenge…  arrgh arrgh!!