so impressed with new gateway!!!

[1_oldgoat]

Mike, yea we raced Flat track for years, did well for a while, finished 4th in the nation overall at the end of the season one year, won a few races and a few semi's. You are correct, riders are a little nuts to do what they do, tried road racing and drag racing but it was pretty expensive compared to dirt, no money in either sport really, luckily sponsors helped pay the bills or we would have never been able to race at all on a national level. Raced against some extremly talented riders and made some good friends, had alot of fun, broke some bones, lost our pro number after we started running partial schedules, couldn't get enough points running part time and lost sponsorship so had to give it up kind of a dying sport now motocross is so big. That was many years ago, still enjoy watching when we get the chance. I'll look at the schedule and see what we can work out!
Gateway is still at the dealership, will let you know what they find out whenever we get it back.
Marcus

 

[1_oldgoat]

Hey Mike, the race in Bama is superbikes, they are fun to watch to, we tried that for a couple years, built a Buell but was never really competitive compared to the metric bikes, AMA had us compete against the 600's and they were just so much lighter and faster, Buells never had a shot. The dealership that was our main sponsor Latus Motors Harley Davidson, switched to Ducati's and won Daytona a few years back, last i heard they were unning Triumphs but i haven't followed them for a while now. Alot of those riders ran flat track before stepping up to superbike class and they do well if they can get on a good team, it all comes down to money, the more you spend the faster you can go, dosn't matter what you are racing!!
Marcus

 

[GrumpyOneandTwo]

WON DAYTONA, how cool is that????? I don't know much about the bike racing classes. I had a 650 Bonneville back in the early 70's. The only racing I did was trying to stay ahead of the cops!!!!!!!!!...lol...

I bet you have some great "around the campfire" stories!!

When do they think they will have your Gateway finished?

We are leaving Sunday for a 4 night camping trip to Montgomery, AL. There is a corps of engineer park we like on the Alabama river. I have 2 VA doctor appointments on Wednesday. Then we'll leave Friday night (no camper this time) for Lakeland, FL. to dog and house sit while our son and his family go on a cruise!!!! (What's wrong with this picture?)...lol...

Mike

 

[1_oldgoat]

Mike, my old sponsor won Daytona 200, not me!! He stepped up in class and hired a really crazy rider, the incredible thing is they blew a motor on the first or second lap, can't remember why but the race was stopped for some reason and the team got a new motor stuffed into the chasis and was ready when the race staredd back up. We won some twins and singles races on dirt for them, set a track record at a couple tracks, the races at Springfield are like flat tracks daytona, really fast mile track.
The dealership i took the gateway to didn't give me a time frame on when we would get it back, i don't know if they have parts or need to order so just waiting on a call.
I use the VA as well for dr appointments, i got the wife on champva for dependents, very fortunate to be able to go to a doctor and appreciate all the VA does, just wish they could get a few good surgeons instead of students operating on me all the times i have been into the hospitals.
Have a good trip, safe travels
Marcus

 

[1_oldgoat]

Mike, forgot to mention the Triumphs, i had a few growing up, they were alot of fun to ride, i had a couple bonnevilles and tigers, once i got my first harley i never looked back! When i was a kid i could find a triumph for 2-300 bucks, alot of money for me back then but i had a bunch of em, i would ride em till they broke or i would wreck em, at one point i had 5-6 leaned up against my grandmothers garage like slices of bread, wish i had those now!!
Brought back some nice memories there!! Haven't thought about those bikes for along time, i had a ball riding those.
Marcus

 

[GrumpyOneandTwo]

Mike, my old sponsor won Daytona 200, not me!! He stepped up in class and hired a really crazy rider...lol...you mean you weren't crazy enough?????????????????????....LMAO...I also thank the Lord for the VA!!! I get all my medicine and use them for all my Dr. appt's. I have service connected disabilities from my service in VietNam.

I turned my 650 into a chopper. I'll dig out some pictures. You'll get a good laugh out of them!!!!!

Mike

 

[1_oldgoat]

Mike, sorry interweb is down at the house so haven't been able to get online, picking up the gateway today, its not done yet but we are taking off next week so need to get it ready to roll. Sounds like a parts issue holding things up.
I liked going fast but wasn't in the class of riders it takes to win on the pro superbike circuit, there are some seriously talented riders out there. I built some bikes that were competitive with the best of them just needed a better rider on em than me!
I am a disabled vet as well, and same thing here, i get my meds and see my dr at the local clinic, have to drive to salt lake for anything serious. I do appreciate all they do.
My first triumph was chopped, i thought i was a bad a** on it!! Destroyed a knee starting the darn thing, it would ratchet through free and hyper extend my leg, i had a love hate relationship with that bike. That was many years ago.
Got to roll, picking up the jt's today as well, i'll let you know if they work.
Marcus

 

[GrumpyOneandTwo]

Hey Marcus,

I was camping for a few days without internet. How terrible is that???????????????? We got home yesterday and are leaving tonight (without the camper) to go to Lakeland, FL. We are going to dog sit, house sit and pregnant Grand Daughter sit!!! We have to check on her and her husband while we are there. He is a air traffic controller at the Orlando, FL airport. We also want to hunt a nice campground where we can stay for a month or two when the Great Grand Girl is born!!!!! They live in Clermont, FL. So we hope we can find a nice spot.

So how did the trip to the dealer go? Did they get most of it done? What was up with the tank gate valves leaking? By the way, we were talking awhile back about the fan noise behind the UDC. I took the panels off in the basement and found out it must be the fan motor for the converter. I am going to have to replace my outside shower hose or the sprayer. I forgot to drain it the last freeze and it split open. But I looked to make sure none of the lines were broken and that is when I saw the converter back there. What parts did they have to order? I had to wait on the fire place replacement. They had my camper for 4 weeks.

When did you serve? What branch? How long? I did 3 years as a Marine and a Viet Nam veteran. And yes...Thank goodness for the VA!!!!!! I have a CBOC around 25 miles from me but have to go to Montgomery, Tuskegee or Birmingham for most everything else. But I do get travel pay. That helps. And I usually use the appointments in Montgomery or Birmingham as a good excuse to go camping!!!!!!

I am going to try to post two pix of my Bonneville. One was the first build and the a rebuild....after my brother wrecked the first one!!!!!

 

[1_oldgoat]

Mike, we have our interweb back finaly, the dealership got most of the repairs done, waiting on a bread box slider door and a blank for an empty spot in the service panel, other than that everything else was finished. Until its finished i won't get paperwork to see what was done for repairs. I got our gate valves to close in Oregon on the way home from Spokane, i sprayed the rods behind the pull handles with wd40 and got them to slide all the way back, our black tank handle sat a couple inchs fwd from the other two from the day we picked it up so i just assumed that was normal, anyway after i got the rods lubed up the valve closed tight, no more leaks.
I was Navy, drunken sailor!! Loved being at sea but the rest of it wasn't much to my likeing. I worked on A6 aircraft as an electronics tech so was on a carrier, the USS Kittyhawk for a couple cruises between 79-83. I got busted up in 82 and was on medical hold for quite a while before i signed a waiver to get out.
I am installing the jack stabilizers today if the wife will let me get something done other than honey dos. I'll let you know how they work. Looks like a very easy install and shouldn't take long.
Love the bike pictures, my first triumph looked very similar. Right now i am building a replica 48 panhead, that was the first HD i bought from an old farmer close to where i live now, i had to chop it to, looking back i destroyed a classic so thought i would build another one for penance!!
Hope the trip was safe for you, we head out thursday.
Marcus

 

[GrumpyOneandTwo]

Hey Marcus,
Glad to hear the dealer got your punch list taken care of. Navy, huh...my dad was Navy. He was a submariner. He did 14 years. I did some time on the USS Ogden. I was assigned to a Battalion Landing Team for my first assignment in Nam. We actually made an amphibious assault on the beach down near Chu Lai. It was like D-Day...over the sides on a rope net into the Mike boats. Got to the beach, the fronts dropped down and off we went!!!!...we were a lot luckier than WWII...no one was shooting at us!!!!!

A 48 Panhead...wow....that's cool....I always wanted a Harley but after my 650.... life got in the way!!!!

Good luck with the JT's......hopefully they won't give you too much trouble..

Mike

 

[1_oldgoat]

Mike,
Yes sir, USN, deep water sailor!! Like i said, i loved being at sea, and when i first enlisted the rules were alot more relaxed, about half way through my enlistment they changed em on me and screwed my life up! I have alot of friends who were Marines, Gary Reiter was actualy a sniper in Nam, he has written a couple books about his time in country, pretty rough reliveing for him, but i thnk it actualy helped him.
We are sitting in Umatilla, luckily we got a spot for the night, there is a walleye tournament and the place is packed, Spokane tomorrow, we broke down in Boise at a truck stop, we pulled in for fuel and the batteries in the truck were dead when i tried to start back up, i called Les Schwab and they delivered a couple.new ones to us, 2 hours later and a few hundred dollars lighter we were on the road again. Repairs are holding up fine so far, but cracked a hitch cover so need to call the dealership and have them.order a new one.
I didn't get a chance to install the JT's, to many honey dos but will once we get home.
Hope Florida is treating you well, we will be in Spokane for a few days then on to Whidby Island for a break from reality for a week. We could use it so i figured why not since we were already going to be in Wahington.
Safe travels
Marcus

 

[GrumpyOneandTwo]

Hey Marcus,

I don't know if I read any of Gary Reiters books but I'll look them up and see. I've read many of the books about snipers. Both VietNam and Iraq. Mostly Marine and Navy Seal snipers.

Sorry to hear your batteries died on you. Same thing happened to me this past January. Like you, the two batteries were over 300.00. OUCH!

I backed into my hitch cover whenever I went to pick up my trailer from the dealer. They had dropped it to low. I got out and looked and thought it was O.K. NOT...I only scratched it so I'll just live with it.

I hope your Spokane trip is a little warmer than last time!!!!...I have heard of Whidby Island but of course I've never seen it. Post some pix when you return.

Our Florida trip has really been nice. We'll head home sometime tonight. I usually drive it all the way if I'm not pulling my trailer.

Take care and have fun this time!!!!

Mike

 

[1_oldgoat]

Well we have been using KOA campgrounds in Washington this trip, Spokane Valley is nice except for the trains, railroad track are close by and trains are regular on the hour. Ellensburg is right on the Yakma river so if you fly fish its excellent but rv sites are tight. We are now in Leavenworh and while the rv site is paved they are not very level and where we were parked it was a tight squeeze to get into as well, but its quiet and sits on 37 acres so alot of spaces and cabins.
So far so good since the truck batteries died in Boise and weather has been fair to good for the most part. Next stop, Whidby Island Naval Air Station Cliffside RV park, pictures look good so we will see, i will post a few pics myself once we get there and set up.
Safe travles
Marcus, Shelli and Prettyboy Floyd

 

[1_oldgoat]

Well, looks like Whidby Island is a bust, got a call this morning and my step mother passed away so we are pulling chocks and heading home today. We will try again in May i guess.
Safe travels
Marcus Shelli and Prettyboy Floyd

 

[GrumpyOneandTwo]

Marcus....so sorry to hear that....Be Safe going home....

Mike

 

[1_oldgoat]

Leavenworth Washington KOA, this is a very nice park but getting into the site was a little tough, 2 hard right turns from the front office and 30 feet from one to the next, maybe 25 feet to get into the site after the second right, really tight, it took a little manuvering to get the fifth wheel set straight but the offdoor side was low by 6 inchs, i backed up and pulled the doorside wheels right to the edge of the pavement thinking it would be lower, ended up only helping a little, the offdoor side is still low by 4 plus inchs and my blocks won't work for making up that much of a difference so living with a offkilter rv for another day and then home, no water here yet either, they have been working on it for a while. Every KOA we have stayed at so far has had some issues with construction, water and power issues in Spokane and Ellensburg as well, guess its a little early in the season so can't complain really, we have had the parks to ourselves for the most part and its been nice enough. Hosts at all three have been great and given us discounts because of the problems so another bonus.
Heading out in the AM for home, probably take a couple days as weather over pass's could be an issue, snow is predicted here tonight and tomorrow.
Safe travels
Marcus

 

[caissiel]

Took my hitch cover of the first week. What a waste and unpractical piece.

Sent from my LG-LS720 using Tapatalk

 

[1_oldgoat]

Mike, thanks buddy, we were kind of expecting it, she was in one of the hospitals in Salt Lake but she was doing better or we would have never left, we were just finishing up mother in laws estate in Spokane and Whidby was going to be a little get away from reality for a week and then back to family at home. We can always make it back to Whidby as long as reservations are available, i will post some pics when we do make it.
Did you find any of Garys books?? I have a couple at home but can't remember the names, if you can't find em let me know and i'll get them to you. One he gave me was written by Ed Kugler, called center shot or something close, Gary served with him in '66-67, in the book his name is changed but he would be the one from Spokane. I had no idea he was a sniper until he gave me that book of Eds. He has more confirmed than Hathcock, pretty impressive skill set.
Anyway, thanks again
Safe travels
Marcus

 

[1_oldgoat]

Barb and Laurent,
Yes i was worried as much flapping the hitch cover does, didn't think it would last long, its cracked pretty good, also noticed the fender wheel covers are cracked now to so more stuff to add to the list, looks like those are screwed to the side directly, i am going to see if when they are replaced a rubber washer can be put between the fender flares and side, don't know if it will help but it can't hurt.
Safe travels
Marcus

 

[1_oldgoat]

On a side note, i must be turning into a curmudgeon, the Leavenworth KOA is filling up with familys and kids everywhere, bicycles and skateboards, noise galore, i think i would prefer the trains back in Spokane! Does anyone know if there are adult only RV parks?? Might be a great business to start up, just saying......
Marcus Shelli and Prettyboy Floyd
Heading home tomorrow morning, i think we will stay in Umatilla for the first stop, always plesant there and not many sites