Heading to the Oyster Run

Well Hell...since I just got my 1st paycheck onlya few days before I had wanted to head out to make the Oyster Run in Anacortes, Washington...I figured, fuck it.  I'm gonna go, but knowing how boring the route up I-5 is...and knowing the roads in Western Washington well enough..I decided to head up north to Olympia, and then follow US 101 as it curved through the countryside, and along the miles of Hood Canal.  I"ll swing over to the town of Port Townsend, and catch the ferry to Whidbey Island.  From there, I'll putt to the state park at Deception Pass, and then on sunday morning jet the last 15 miles or so along the seaside road into downtown Anacortes.

I already reserved the campsite, and a couple friends are probably gonna roll with me.  Since this is the biggest run in the whole Pacific NW, I am hoping to get some sweet pics; meet some old friends, and make a few new ones.  I figure with the 25-30,000 bikes that show up every year, I ought to have some good pics, and some stories to tell of the trip and the day.

If you're up in the area this weekend, swing by, and maybe we can have an eyeball chat, or share the road for a spell.  Either way, it looks like it ought to be something to remember.

Catch ya on the road sometime...

A Question

I have a question that is driving me a bit buggy.  There seems to be an intermittent oil leak from my tranny.  As near as I can tell, it is from the vent tube.  But here is the thing; I can ride the hell out of her, and stop for an hour or so, and just have a small quarter sized spot (if any) on the ground, if I leave it for a day or two ( or if the weather has a sudden change)  I can go out and overnight there is about 4 to 6 ounces of 90wt on the ground.
About the only thing that I can figure is there is a pressure change, or build up over time as the outside temps rise and fall and the clouds roll in or out.  So when the pressure gets too great it forces a bunch of oil out of the tranny. 

So here is my question, does that make any sense?????????????

I cant think of any other reason why it would puke out 90 wt gear oil after NOT being ridden for a couple days.  I dont have that much hair left to pull it out over this.  So any ideas, I would greatly appreciate...cause I'm not coming up with anything else that makes sense.


See ya on the road...

A Ride To Windy Ridge

Headed out for a ride up to Windy Ridge overlooking Spirit Lake and Mt St Helens yesterday.  It is one of the best roads around here for a bike...although at places the pavement is kind of shitty since it is closed by snow 1/2 the year or more.

I am always a bit leery or coming back down from Windy Ridge because in a lot of places there is no shoulder.  Just a several hundred foot drop down into the valley...and it always seemed to be at a place where the pavement was all fuckered up.

See ya on the road sometime.

Up And Running

After a frustrating couple weeks of trying to get too much different shit done at once, I finally got Gypsy up and running.  It seems that the mainshaft oil seal the shop sold me was the wrong one, and when we finally got all the other hassles out of the way when fixing the tranny I didnt notice that it didnt have a tight seal around the bushing.  Put it back in the back, and had almost everything together and buttoned up.  Then a partner put the 80 go 90 into the tranny, and it started flowing right out past the seal.  So it was a case of running it back to Brando's place the next friday and installing the right seal.  Everything is back together, and all I really need to do is adjust the clutch a bit better.  BUT there is one new little problem...It seems that once in a while now, Gypsy spits a couple of ounces of gear oil out of the blow by line in the tranny cover....not always, and at times I havent even ridden her when it does it....so still trying to figure that one out.  I went out the day after I took her for a ride, and no leak..the next day there was about 3-4 ounces on the ground under her.  So for now I carry an extra jug of 80 go 90 in the saddlebags.

Now on the job front, I now have TWO jobs...one that only pays $9 an hour and is kind of sporadic hourwise, and the other is 25 hours a week at almost $12 per hour.  I prefer the $12 driving job to the $9 security guard job anywya, so that one takes precedence...until something better comes along. 

I'll keep ya all posted, and I am working on a vid to post here next time of some of the roads to ride around here in the Pacific Northwet (no, I didn't make a typo...up until the beginning of July, thats what this pace has been this year.  lol)

Catch ya on the road sometime.

And so it goes

With a little tool building help from Brando at his place in Castle Rock, we got the gear set out of the tranny.  Thats when we found out the mainshaft 5th gear had a tooth broken in it, and a crack was developing.  No sign of the broken piece of spring except for some metal filings.  After looking around his garage and tearing into 2 other trannies we found a 5th gear to replace my broken one (I owe you big Brando) and put it all back together again.
I got the tranny home, and on sunday went to put it into the bike.  Thats when the Heli-coil threads around the drain plug decided to come out.  Talk about frustrating the shit out of me!  I tried a couple options with other plugs that just didnt do any good, so I had to order a new Heli-coil kit today.  The local auto parts didnt carry THAT particular one (go figure  lol).  If that doesnt work, I will probably need to order a new case.  Which means shit will be down for a while, because I just cant afford that at the moment.
So I am hoping to have the bike up and running by the end of the weekend.  (knock on wood)
As for some of the other things going on...
On saturday, during the Loggers Jubilee here in Morton, papers were taped on the front door saying I am offically in default on the mortgage.  I can clear it all up if I pay them almost $8,000 within 30 days.  Well, that ain't gona happen.  So in about a month, the house will go up for sale.
I just got word this morning, a hearing date has been set for my appeal on the unemployment issue.  Whether or not I was fired or quit.  The date is January 6, 2012.  Talk about the wheels of justice moving slowly...I best be back to work long before then.
Anyway, just going to keep on plugging away.  Sooner or later somethings gonna hook up.  Hopefully I wont keel over from shock when it does.  lol

Catch ya out on the road sometime...

looks like I'll be wrenching on friday...

then working at the yard sale during the Morton Loggers Jubilee on saturday...hopefully will have the bike up in a few days...I am taking this as a sign that things are looking up...

I also had a job interview yesterday, so keeping my fingers crossed.


See ya on the road sometime...

Tranny Issues

After going over the manuals, and talking to a few different wrenches I know, it seems I do need to pull the gearset out to make room to remove the sifter arm that the shift pawl is connected to.  That way I can replace the two springs I am having issues with.  So I am going to have to pull the drive pulley, and yes I need to remove the top tranny cover...(it is only on there to keep dust and bugs out) that way I can slip the shifter arm into the tranny without hitting the gears on the countershaft. 
I am just hoping I dont need to buy any bearings or bushings that I cant afford to get her back up and running.  Between working on Gypsy, looking for work, and trying to appeal my unemployment denial in Superior Court, I have been busier than a one legged ass kicker.  I am hoping to get something together before I lose the house completely...I just got notice last week I am in default on the mortgage.  So I wouldnt doubt if bankruptcy inst in the future.

See Ya on the road...