One year ago today: June 17, 2016, The Beverly Hillbilly look.
Five years ago today: June 17, 2012, women I still love.
Nine years ago today: June 17, 2008, Forest Wally.
Random years ago today: June 17, 2013, I diss Miss Utah.
Eat your heart out. This is the Rebel at the next stage of repair. Most noticeable is the fat new rear tire. This contributes to a smoother ride as well. The morning sky was disagreeable and sure enough I had to get out the rain gear by the time I got to Hollywood. The summer storm potential had me away by 9:30AM but that was early enough to stop in to see the old guy at the shoe store. That’s the one in the same strip mall as the old bakery, but I did not stop for coffee.
Another repair on the Rebel would annoy you, but it is necessary. The petcock, which is the factory name of the fuel tank reserve switch valve. The leak in the original is now known, so I shopped around to find the best improved replacement. It appears to be the 1998 Rebel 250 model, but therein lies the said annoyance. It has to do with the way the 450 gobbles gasoline.
On a full tank, you get exactly 56 miles at speed before the valve needs to be switched over. What, the novice driver would think, I just got on the road. Yes, but the device is doing its job. The useful range on the tank is only 91 miles, and the reserve is set for between 25 and 30, so it is working right. The proper operation of this motorcycle means stopping for roughly a half tank of gas every hour on the open road. Don’t push that envelope, or you’ll be pushing the bike.
Tortoise.
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I’m not sure what to make of this new Burger King look. This is the old place on Dixie Highway. I confess I only used to grab coffee there when the books store was next door. Because the BK coffee was better at less than half the price. I have eaten maybe ten burgers at BK in that many years.
The sky was growling again, so I opted to head for the clear skies to the east of Lake Okeechobee. That was wise, by the time I was ten miles south of the lake on 27, I hit a wall of water. And found out the wires on the Rebel can get wet. It doesn’t stall the engine, but makes it run rough, like a Belarus. It sprinkled all the way into Okeechobee town before things cleared. I don’t care for rain squalls, but when they do happen to me, it just ads to the adventure.
I had the Rebel up to 70 mph for long stretches of the journey, pulling into Lake Placid a half-hour too late for lunch. The family restaurant closes at 2:00 PM. And the only lady I know in town was not answering her phone again. I feel a touch guilty over that because I know she likes me and still wants to give me that garden shed for free. But she never answers the phone, what can I do?
“When the cop says ‘papers’,
just say ‘scissors’ and drive off.”
This drive rolled the odometer past 17,000, which is really 117,000. So the bike is gradully paying for itself, but at the expense of overdue upgrades to the batbike. Sure enough, I got all the way home to realize I had forgotten my prescriptions in the fridge. Don’t worry, since that had to happen sooner or later, I have a contingency plan already in place.
Thank you, it was a great little trip home on a route I haven’t taken in over a year. And I would say I’ve permanently changed already, in that I could not wait to get back. Not that I ever didn’t like to return, but I mean traveling held at least equal appeal but now it’s more like 50/50.
Remember the Denver Fender guitar? I brought it back with me. It’s in perfect condition, with the pickup included. Nicer than my Ibanez, and that may become important. I’ve got this sneaking suspicion the new guitar player is like all the rest: unable to learn new material in a reasonable time. Huh? Oh, you want to know what a reasonable time is? I don’t know, I can learn most bass lines in around 2-1/2 hours, but I tend to be a perfectionist. As for just straight guitar strumming, I can play most songs almost instantly. I figure a guitar player should be able to ace two to three completely new and unfamiliar tunes a week for a month before needing a break.
ADDENDUM
More on guitar. When I say guitarists are the same, I’m not making a blanket statement because I mean other than their attitude of superiority, I’m specifically refering to how they cannot learn. However, within that framework, there is a wide spectrum of motives. Some, like the new guy, just don’t pick up fast enough. Alas, can’t learn and won’t learn are identical barriers when you are putting a band together. It’s the won’t learn types that irk me.
That is so, because they have to necessarily lie to get me to waste the time. It’s the old lie, they say they are fast learners, but once you get there, they aren’t. Still, they could apply themselves. But why should they? Guitar players know other people have bad taste in music, so if they pretend to be willing to learn, the new bassist is almost certain to learn one of the guitar player’s tunes just to keep the ball rolling. There, now he’s learned one.
And before too long, why, he’s got you learning a bunch of the guitar player’s superior song list and that’s what breaking in the new bass player is all about. Getting them off their high horses. Any guitarist can tell you that.
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