Spring... she's a comin'.

Early this morning...

Yup, above ZERO and the fly's are venturing out

The thermometer is showing 4 degrees "above" zero.  Rivers are running off the high hills above us, down our pretty little valley, feeding into our little year round springs (could be why the community is named "Spring Valley") downhill to the pond, where the trout are growing up before they hit the fish ladder taking them down to Long River and the sea.

Our little all season springs

One way I can tell spring is springing... I start to drool at night, and my wrist is sore from the throttle twisting live action dreams that are beginning to kick start my year.

The little pond beginning to form before running to the sea.

Another way I can tell spring is near are the three cats.  During winter,"hibernation" is 23 hours a day!  As spring approaches they only sleep 22 or it feels like such.  They wake to demand food  at 6 am, 9 am, 3 pm, 6 pm, 9 pm and again at 3 am! By mid summer they will only be sleeping 20 hours a day.

Starting on the bottom of the driveway just 2 days ago

Looking down from the CL rd.

I took the Polaris for a ride around the yard, pretty mushy but compared to dry grass only days ago with a foot of snow the warmer weather and lots of rain, have conspired to make the valleys a trap in case I get stuck, which can easily happen. haven't used it much, like motorcycling it requires appropriate clothing and even though I only use her around my hood on the fields and trails I'm familiar with and have permission to ride on.

Keeping the second driveway clear 2 days ago

Once again my winter project Trials bikes has gotten little more than a furtive glance but no work.  How in the heck would I managed to restore the 24 or so, vintage bikes I'd collected up in Calgary?

 Besides...

The Big Bear doing it's job, and well too!

 I am happy to look forward to doing what I didn't have time for 25 years ago,  exploring the locale on two wheels.  Of course once spring hits.

For now I will continue dreaming of throttle twisting adventures...

2 days ago snow, yesterday, rain... tomorrow ??

Don't use her much, maybe next year? 

Out of da blue!

I'VE often commented on the status of "friendship." This Blog is an element of that.

Before extricated from the back yard... 

Case in point... 

My younger daughter Lisa sends Dad a text this week.  Seems someone from Alberta has called and left a message looking for me.  The name is not important in the bigger picture but this gentleman is trying to track me down.

I was pretty sure I didn't owe any money nor did I think it was a long lost relative but pretty close as it turned out.

I called the number back asking for him by name and the voice on the other end says with a slight crackle... "Yes this is D."  I identified myself and he says, 'do you remember me?'

For the life of me, the name being quite common and of course I lived in Alberta most of my life, I could not picture who I was talking to.  He replies... "A few years ago I did a restoration on a bathtub in your main privy."

Bang... of course, I remembered.

We had a pleasant conversation centered not on bathtubs but rather old Honda's one in particular.  This occurred not a few years ago but more like 10 years past.

Given that when he did this job for me, I had several motorcycles (Brenda tells me there were 36 when she met me) he casually mentioned he likes bikes especially the pre UJM Japanese bikes, and of those he had a particularly soft spot for the late 60's early 70's Honda 450.

These were bikes I was riding regularly.

A little background here.  The Honda CB 450 was rather unique in many ways and if not a market leader, certainly pointed the new Japanese brands firmly into that direction. A DOHC* torsion bar valve system and for the day, a displacement giant.  Remember that before this bike appeared on the North American scene the sought after motorcycles were rather few.  A handful of Norton's, Harley's, and of course the mid sized twins from Triumph and BSA.

Anyway, D tells me he would like to do a customized CB 450 at some time, if... and this is a BIG if... he could find one.  I listened to his story going into detail, shortened seat, low bars, custom pipes wild paint etc.

Prior to him leaving my home that afternoon and keeping in mind that I did not know this person and I only met him that one time and briefly at that, I asked him to give me a hand out back on my overgrown RV parking pad.  Of course I had an ulterior motive...

My '72 XS2 650 Yamaha (since sold) and it's 1960's older brother. (Still own.)

There, next to my fence with shrubbery growing from between the spokes, stood a bike I had owned for years with similar ideas to his.  Considering I had about 2 dozen 'projects' on the go at the time including but not limited to various Yamaha's 2 stroke twins, a Victor 441, Honda Trail 90, and more... and with a potential move to the east coast in the offing, I introduced him to the bike growing from the weed's. Well, the other way round really.  His knees got wobbly, he began foaming at the corners of his mouth and his eyes became glazed over.  D looked like the starving dog that was salivating over a bone!  When asked me if I would part with the bike and what I wanted for it, I answered 'yes' and as for price... zero.  Nada. Semit.  Free... He nearly feinted. He thanked me profusely and promised to complete the project and yes... I would get a ride on the bike before I die (I hope)

A short while later if my memory serves, a book that I still own showed up at my back door.  He'd left me a hardcover book on the History of Japanese MC's, which I still have in my library.

Now keep in mind that he was there at my home in Calgary to do a reno job.  I didn't know him before and we have not kept in touch since... until this week.

So... to answer your questions... no he had not customized the Big Honda but he still had the bike and he still had plans to do so.

The phone call ended on our agreeing to keep in touch and more frequently this time round and I reminded D. that I was owed a ride.

So, getting back to the title of this blog... no matter how much distance, no matter how much time has past, no matter if you're black, white or purple... Motorcycles are like an invisible glue, and motorcycle enthusiasts are the same everywhere.

We do it because we love doing it.

Now (what the hell) Dave... get your ass in gear and customize this Honda.  Who know I may just want her back...

* Double overhead cam DOHC

PS How did Dave find me?  One of us had scribbled her number on the back of a business card, and he still had it after so many years.

After.  Game changer

Trials and tribulations... or something to that effect.

WOW... I've been riding motorcycles since I was a young lad of 13. 

That's 51 years if my math is reasonably correct.  This by itself is not unusual, many of the old guard have been in the saddle even longer.  What makes my years unique me thinks, is the variety of motorcycles I've ridden.  I've gone from the little bikes of the sixties all the way to the fully loaded purpose built touring bikes of the 80's and 90's.  In between, I've owned or have spent substantial time on virtually all types of riding in between. 

I've been involved with racing on paved tracks, ice and dirt, riding fast and riding slow.  I've traveled by bike when seeing another bike on a highway was a major event.  I first rode across Canada in 1975 the owner of w BMW 600 opposed twin, and since then I've ridden my various dual purpose bikes in Baja CA, the Mojave, the forest roads of British Columbia the Cabot Trail and dozens of other places. 

TY 175 2 Stroke 6 speed 

I've collected motorcycles, worked in the industry including my own shops, taught many new riders via the CSC courses in my past and currently own nearly 20 bikes, a snow mobile and an ATV. 

I've had scooters, old two strokes, big V twins, and a plethora of RD's, GSXR's, CBR's FZR's... singles, twins, triples, fours and even a six (1979 CBX)

When I look backward I just grin and smile while my mind reminisces of days gone by.

Sitting in my attached garage I currently have several machines waiting out the snow season but also houses two vintage trials bikes.  Over the years I've had several of these special and unusual varmints, never for hard core trialing or trail riding but just good old fashioned fun.

TL 125 SOHC 5 speed/Willy infinitely variable trans sleeps most of the day

On any given Sunday/weekend, you might find the Doc riding a Millvale back trail on my XT 225 or maybe cruising across the Island for an ice cream at Victoria by the sea on my SYM 300.  I might also fire up my TTR 125 and do some laps on my .7 km natural grass mini MX track in my front yard.  I may even be sitting on my work stool changing oil on the V Strom or XT 600.

Slim and light

The trials bikes sit patiently, waiting for my attention...

if they could talk they'd be saying; "Wonder if Frank will get around to us this year?" 

They are both 70's Japanese bikes, small in displacement but large in fun.  Of these two I have only ridden the Yamaha, the Honda was part of a trade deal and I simply have had little time to glance at it.  I only have so much time during a typical week.

I'm hoping I'll get to them before spring which by the way is less than 2 months away :)

One of these days... 

When I meet up with riders whether it be on the trail, the road or an Arizona desert... I feel I can relate to virtually all types of riders, men and women. 

Motorcycles have kept me sane when times were tough, relationships gone bad/bust, shortage of money, cloudy futures, often when I was asking myself... "where do I go from here...?"

Many times I did not have an answer but one thing I did have... was a bike to get me there, wherever there was.

Cheers f