Monday, March 16, 2015

Last 10 days have been mayhem / build list progress

 Well, first of we have been dealing with this - we wrecked our poor old truck, luckily we are *mostly* OK, obviously Lothar the Chevy is not going in for this level of repair, not at 300,000 miles - it may live again someday, but putting major cash into a rig with this many miles may not be a good call, and we don't know the full extent of the damage, but boy, a bunch of rust got left on the highway……..so we have been going through the process of buying Coconino Cycles a new truck, pretty cool, time consuming, and not what we wanted to do this week, but the writing has been on the wall for quite some time so we are not unprepared.

 Denise is totally fine, but I took a big hit from the seat belt, old school vehicle, no airbags or anything, so it jacked up my right shoulder pretty bad, I was really hoping to not hurt it this year, or the other one for that matter, it's a real chronic problem for us in wheelchairs, metalworkers in them even more so.
 Also, I was hoping on this trip to rest my left elbow, which has tennis elbow so bad that before the trip I could not pick up a coffee cup with my arm extended - I can paddle a boat, just not do tiny detail work with my fingers, which is, well…….pretty much what I do, right?
 Handcycle riding?
Yeah, forget that……..sure hope I can do that again…….maybe soon? Feeling really bad and crook from zero exercise.
So, I went in for some "dry needling" where they stick a nice sized needle into the joint over & over again to induce blood flow to the area. Damn, that hurts! Wow!
 But, I think it's helping, if I can just lay off work for a few days & rest it up, which is what I'm going to do, then the upcoming few days will see me sort parts & materials for the next five builds and do general office work - if you are in the next five "upcoming builds" then drop me a line if we are not already communicating, which likely we are.
Currently, with not a fully working limb, I guess I better…….get better……spring seems to have me in it's sights for injury every year, "beware the ides of March" and all that.
 As if this is not enough, a good friend of ours dropped dead just a couple days ago, when I was hurt his wife was a saint to us……….we had to go be by her side, it was just crushing.

 The cruiser for Tod L is pretty much done but for waiting on the Rohloff 14 speed internal rear hub and the SON 28 front generator hub, which require special and precise cable and wiring routing, and I need to build the wheels to do this, so just waiting on parts, and then it will go to Spectrum Powder Works for finishing, as will ALL BIKES from now on unless otherwise specified by the client - this is going to add weeks to the delivery, but it will be a huge upgrade in finishing, much of the last price up charge was to accommodate this for all, I just could not do any more re-paints………

So, that's where I'm at.
As always, I'll power through, and get bikes a-flowing.
And here is where the projects lie:
Tod L: waiting for parts, off to paint.
Shilo P: review this cruiser, if you likey then off we go, fork blades mitered, your call on brakes.
Kenton H: good to go, fork blades mitered
Russell L: fork mostly built, other parts here for frame.
Jeff A: waiting for your Type II
Then down the line for awhile: Dave R, Shabir K, Wendy N, Craig M, Michael H, Chris R, Kip M, James P, Stuart L, Nate T, Steve H, Paul E, Dana E, Jennifer J, Don B, Eric P, Perry D, Andrew K, John U, Jason R, David T, Pav, Mrs Pav, BT, Matt F, Derrill W, Tom F.
On Hold:
Bill S, John L, Stabo

Friday, March 06, 2015

Nine days in Baja, a great trip until it wasn't.

 it was somewhat auspicious starting out in snow & flooding.

 But when we got to the ocean, it was alllll good…….


 The Golfo de California has the best sunrises!

 Stunning.


 A pack of six……

 Perfect conditions - let's get out there!

 A baby sea lion, we saw him both days same spot.



 Never caught a starfish on rod & reel before.



 Much better!
Orangemouth Corvina.


 So many cool birds











 A good bass - tasty!


 Real nice trigger fish, real great table fare.



 Above, sea lion, below, nesting ospreys.


Mexican Hogfish - *really* a pissy fish, long lavender fins, but best pic I could get as it wanted to bite me real, real bad.


 Clouds over the mountains = time to leave.

 The final vestiges of dirt highway 5



 The lupines were going off, it smelled like lavender!


 WOW



 Soon to be paved, I will miss it dearly, I rode it on my bicycle many times back when it was pure hell.

 We met Mark in camp and paddled & fished with him, but his car got taken out by a rock to the oil pan.
We shall paddle again, friend!

 Quick re-fill on everything.

 And then out into the middle of nowhere - this place is so disorientating.


 Trash in nests makes me bummed.

 New home!

 Going out to see live ones!!!

 "Cloud i the sky & a hand reaching down to me"

 Out to see whales with caption Leo.

 Whales!
We didn't get to touch them this trip, but they were there in the thousands - sounding & diving seemed to be the current lessons.



 Mothers & Babies





 look at all the scars from Orca attacks!



 Really something to experience.




















 Thar she blows!
First time for these folks, they were STOKED.











 Sleepers.











 Woo-Hooo!


 Off to the land of the Boojum.





 New friends!
Now I have an architect and a lawyer in Mexico.

 Oh, no……

 And then 17 Italians show up, and Santana gets cranked to 11…….


 And they you got a party on your hands - quite the way to end a fine day!

 Trying to explain this to an Italian with two Mexicans was pretty pinche funny, you bet!

 We got up to glass on the south bay



 It's so good.


 Picked up a nice Cortez Halibut for the pan.


 You can just take your fish to the restaurant & they cook it up for you with all the trimmings for about $5 a person, and we met up with our friend Sheila Moon - cool to hang in Mex!



 Wind day







 Still fun to be had


 The light was amazing


 Shelter up.

 Osa, Luna, Sheila.


 Oh, our beautiful Chevy……..





 These clouds rocked all day


 Whoa……..



 And then, wow……….
One amazing sunset.









 Well will you look at that…….everyone running around looking up in amazement……..





 It kept up it metamorphosis until dark, just a fantastic palette.

 And then the next day we went fishing with our friend Marco.

 One excited little dog - fish on!



 Yellowtail!


 Around 20 kilo apiece

 Biggest fish I ever caught, I think - just got some new gear just for this, and it was excellent.

 Fish on, Sheila!



 Nice fish, Denise!


 And another

 Super stoked little dog!


 Guard 'em good…….



 Ha-ha…..



 Gotta clean 'em up - heavy fish, hard work.


 That's as good as it gets.


 Processing - bloody decks!


 More weather, the fishermen call this "The place where the wind is born"



 And we're off.






 Brittle brush & Cardon



 I'll miss old 5.



 Happy critter digging her Chevy





 Damn, this was SO good, so good…….Camarones Diabla.



 And then this happened, 40mi from our house.
  Fuck.
Our beautiful Chevy, we are so sad, but we are OK, I took a good hit keeping the dog from flying through the windshield and damn am I sore.


Hell of a way to end a trip - can't believe that was all in 11 days total.

Back to work tomorrow.
 - Steve.