The Zen of Bike Building Pt 1

OK, it has been a while since I have posted to the blog, but it has been a very busy summer/fall. Between my second stroke, and my inlaw’s medical issues, coupled with some financial drama I have fallen down on posting. That is about to change.

Now I will warn those of you who read this and are not into motorcycles, I have a feeling that most of my posts for a while will revolve around the rebuilding of my CB550.

First, some background on the project… I have always done my own preventative maintenance on my bikes. However, I have never taken a bike apart to any real extent and put it back together. I have always wanted to build a bike. But I told my wife that I had to start with something basic, and cheap. Basic, because I am not real knowledgeable about motorcycle repair, and cheap because if I messed something up that was irreparable I had to be able to throw the whole thing away without much concern.

Tammy found a bike one day at a garage sale. It wasn’t officially for sale, mainly because the owner had forgotten it was in the back of the garage. They said, sure we would sell it, so Tammy offered such a low price that she figured they would say no. They didn’t.

What she had bought was a 1975 Honda CB550. It had a Vetter fairing and supposedly it ran when it went into the garage, in 1996. Unfortunately I didn’t get pictures before I started taking things apart. That fairing had to go!

I had been planning on turning it into a bobber. Then Tammy said she wanted to learn to ride, so I thought something more understated. But now that plan has changed as well. My oldest son, who is 20, has shown interest in riding, and talked his mother into letting him have the bike, so long as he works on getting it up and running.

Well, a 20 year old, in the modern motorcycling climate, was neither interested in a bobber, nor an understated quasi stock street bike. What he wanted was an old school café racer. And after looking at the frame, and bike design I tend to agree that this particular model will be a much better café bike than a bobber.

So, tonight we got started stripping her down. We had 2 hours before Sons of Anarchy, so to the garage we went.

Two hours later we had the back fender off, the seat off, the air box out, the battery box out, the electronics board off, the carburetors off, the front fender removed, the headlight removed, the handle bars removed, the wiring disassembled, and who knows what else.

About the only things left to remove, are the wheels, brakes, forks, and engine.

Now it is time to finalize the design. And since I am not real experienced, or even good at design, I think I will just print off a picture and copy it, then draw in the design that we want.

The only thing I can see holding us up is the unknown of costs when it comes to painting, and any problem with the engine when we get it back together (since we were not able to get it running prior to disassembly.)



Prior to full disassembly. Fairing and seat previously removed.



End of the night, this is what was left, along with a large stack of parts.

The Zen of Speaking the Truth in Love

Nine years ago a great crime was perpetrated on more than 3000 people when 3 planes were flown into 3 separate buildings. Without question the people involved in committing those crimes were of the Muslim faith.

At the time there were those, and there still are those, who wish to condemn all people of Muslim faith for the act of these few. The big issue with me, and many others is that while there were many dancing in the street and celebrating, there were almost no voices from “moderate” Muslims condemning same action as being wrong in their sight or the sight of Allah.

I am of the Christian faith. Specifically, I guess what you would call an Evangelical Protestant. It is my firm belief that when I see something evil being done I have to speak out on the issue. For as it says in James, and I paraphrase, if you know the good you aught to do, and don’t do it that in and of itself is a sin.

So today I, and I pray many others will follow, would like to say that the planned Koran burning on Sept 11 by the church in Florida is an evil act meant only to insight and insult. I do not believe either of those intentions is acceptable to a Jesus who ate with sinners and tax collectors, and sat with a Samaritan adulteress without condemning her. I believe the emotions and intentions behind the burning of the Koran are no different than the emotions and intentions of those who brought a woman caught in adultery before Jesus and wanted to see if he would agree for her to be stoned, under the law. But his response was “Let him who is without sin cast the first stone.” There have been bastardizations of Christianity that have committed some VERY evil acts, just as there are bastardizations of Islam that have committed some VERY evil acts. So, no one can cast the first stone on this matter.

Now please don’t think I believe that we must lie down and accept defeat at the hands of an enemy bent on our annihilation. But we must never change who we are in our own defense. For if we do, we become the ones to bastardize everything we believe in. We must “take the high road,” for if we do not act righteously, even by our own standards, due to fear or otherwise, we become a greater evil than we are attempting to avoid. We become hypocrites who do not live by our own standards, but expect others to live by them.

So let me be clear. I as a Christian of Evangelical Protestant faith speak out clearly and without reservation against the burning of the Koran planned for this Sept 11th in Florida. I pray that the Reverend’s heart will be touched and he will not go through with that uncalled for act. For the simple “do unto others as you would have them do unto you,” I would not appreciate anyone burning a Holy Bible, so I will act in accordance with what I would have them do. That is not to say that they won’t, but that is not the standard. The statement is not “do unto others as you would have them do unto you, unless they do otherwise.”

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The Zen of a Clean Office

I had no idea how much my office was stressing me out. I have always been one who had stacks of stuff all around everywhere, but if I needed to find something I knew where was. Little did I know that all of those stacks of stuff, and the disorganization that it represented, was providing a significant amount of stress.

Today my office is stress-free. That is not to say that my work is stress-free, but rather that my office is not adding additional stress to that work. Thanks to a small comment on Twitter or by my former minister, Wade Hodges, I now have a G. T. D. compliant office.

For those of you unfamiliar with the GTD concept, it is a process by which you organize your thoughts, and then make rational decisions as to what those thoughts represent. The thing I like best about this process is that it involves dumping all of your thoughts out onto either paper or in some digital format that then allows your mind to be clearer, and more focused on the individual tasks that you have to accomplish.

In my work setting the way this plays out is that I always have a daunting list of things that need to be done. However, I was adding to my own stress by trying to keep track all of those things that needed to be done, and the reference material to do those things, and all of my scheduling etc. in my head. What I found was, just as they say writing a journal is therapeutic, so is the process all of looking at everything you have to do, deciding on a next step for those things, making a list of those steps, and then putting it out of your head. You refer to the list to take action, but don't need to stress over the other items, or whether you are taking the right action. The decision of whether you are taking the right action or not is a decision you have already made prior to putting the action on the list of things to do.

In addition to making those lists, rather than leaving things piled up and keeping tracking in your head to locate things, a simple filing system of A-Z allows you to put things in reference points so that you know how to get to anything you may need in a minute or less.

So today I get to add the Zen of the clean office to my Zen of a motorcycle life. For now that I have a clean desk, and the process by which to keep it that way, my head is clear.

For this clarity I sincerely wish to thank Wade, David Allen the creator of the “getting things done" method, and my secretary to put up with a lot as I was going through this process.

Retro

The Zen of Survival

You know, it is funny how after years of joking that I wasn’t going to live past 40 how it looses its comedy after my second stroke at 39.

Tuesday night I managed to survive my second stroke. For those that are unaware, on June 26th of last year (the same day that Michael Jackson died,) I suffered a stroke. At 38 years of age, needless to say it was quite a shock. The incident occurred on a very hot day when I was riding from Oklahoma City to Tulsa on my Goldwing. As I arrived in Tulsa I found that I lacked the ability to grip my brakes. As if this weren’t bad enough, the bike suddenly felt like it had a flat tire. I wasn’t sure what was occurring but was trying to believe that it was just that my hand had fallen asleep. But somewhere in the back of my mind I knew there was a possibility of stroke, because I pulled over and stuck my tongue out. After arriving home my wife recognized my symptoms and got me immediately to the hospital.

I ended up spending 2.5 days in the hospital, as my symptoms slowly abated. Afterwards my stroke was not obvious in any of my physical appearance, or performance. However, I did have some “cognitive dissonance.” There were words I just couldn’t remember, I continued to have problems using numbers, and my sort term memory was almost gone.

Release from the hospital was a welcome relief, as I felt the need to get back to some normalcy. To get “back in the saddle,” I returned to work that Monday. In hindsight I probably should have given myself more time, but I needed the consistency of going to work. Slowly the dissonance abated as well, and I was able to recover much of what was lost as far as I could tell (with some exceptions such as short term memory, either that or I am still oblivious to what was lost.)

Following last year’s incident I have not had any continuing symptoms, that is until last night. As I slept, the stroke began…. I woke to a numb arm, and I immediately thought of the potential of a stroke. After just a few moments I knew what it was, and woke my wife. It is amazing how quickly she woke up with the statement “babe, wake up, I think I’m having another stroke.”

Now I sit in the hospital again, all symptoms seem to have abated. And while I would rather be at home, and preparing for work tomorrow, I have grown to realize the blessing of simple survival.

This visit I have promised myself that I will take my time in returning to my normal break neck speed. The saddest part of this whole thing is that I may be quite a while before I can return to riding the motorcycle. While I yearn already to get the road under my tires, I will (not try but will) take my time.

Final thought: remember that just because you are young now doesn’t mean you always will be. Seize the Day, but occasionally remember to leave some day to be seized tomorrow, it’s better for your health.


Retro

The Zen of Fiberglass and Canvas

Some may immediately recognize what I am referring to when I mention Fiberglass and Canvas. Others might recognize it better if I said Wood and Canvas. Either way, ultimately the reference is to sailing.

On July 7th I was blessed with my first experience on a sailboat. It was a J24 racing cruiser, which is exactly what we were doing with it. A couple of the people I work with have sailboats and are members of the Windycrest Sailing Club. They actually go out and race these things a couple of times a week on Keystone lake.

On the 7th I took Tammy with me, and we met co-workers John, the skipper, and Margaret who was crewing. It was a beautiful evening, but the wind was low, somewhere around 5-7mph maybe. We had a good trip out and the race went well. I even got to help crew by stowing the Spinnaker (the sail that looks like a parachute when deployed), and hauling in the Ginny (the front, of the two sails.) Tammy’s job was to not get hit with the Boom as it moved from one side of the boat to the other, which she did beautifully.

On the way in, after the race was over John looked at me and said, “you want to drive a while?” I wasn’t going to turn down the opportunity, so I was seated with the tiller in hand. John was teaching me how to know when to tack and how to steer to keep the sails in the right wind. I was doing great until we got into the cove, and John was watching and said, “OK I guess we aught to tack about here”. So I yelled to the crew, “preparing to tack,” then “tacking” and about that time….the boat stopped dead in the water.

Yes, the first time I was ever in a sailboat I managed to run it aground. I was slightly embarrassed, right up to the moment Margaret reminded me that John was still the skipper and I was just doing what crew should do…following instructions.

We did finally make it in to dock.

Yesterday I got the chance to go again. And yes, John let me back on his boat. Not only that, he let me drive again, more than once. I don’t yet know if he is brave or stupid…I’m going for brave. Yesterday however was a very different experience. John’s experienced crew of Mike and Margaret neither were able to be there, so for last nights race we had a crew of exactly two, the skipper and me.

I got the full sailboating experience crewing a J24 with just two of us. I got really good at tacking the Ginny (moving the front sail from one side of the boat to the other depending on wind direction and where we were headed. I also got experience “flying” the Ginny kinda like a Spinnaker. Since we didn’t have someone to fly the Spinnaker we had to make the most of the wind we had on downwind legs, so we went into something called the “wing and wing.”

Well, I don’t know how John will come out in the standings, but I think we did pretty well. And, buy the final leg, I was getting used to the procedures and what was next, so I was getting quicker and quicker at making the changes. However, I have to say that today I am sore from hauling the sail around and getting it “trimmed,” which really means, “fight the wind until the sail is as taught as you can get it.”

I have really enjoyed sailing, and look forward to crewing again. The best part is I have been invited to crew any time I am available.

All of a sudden I know what Christopher Cross was talking about when he sang,

“Sailing… takes me a way…”

Finding Your Zen

Is it true statement that everyone must find their own Zen. The interesting part is that everyone travels a different path to reach their own Zen. For some it doesn't take much, a simple quiet brook, for others it takes a larger life experience. I of course am of the latter group.

It's hard to believe that it has been one year. And no I'm not referring to the death of Michael Jackson. As tragic as that may seem to some, for me it is just a marker in time. One year ago last Friday, I suffered a stroke. One thing about the stroke is, I can remember exactly when it occurred. I was listening to the radio and had heard the rumors and reports that Michael Jackson may be dead. However, it was at the exact moment, KRMG of Tulsa, Oklahoma, announced officially that Michael Jackson was dead, that I began and suffering stroke symptoms.

Since that time, I have been forced to find my Zen, among other life changes, in order to maintain my presence on this earth.

For anyone has followed this blog, not that there has been much blogging going on in the last couple of months, you are aware of some of my ups and downs during this year's adjustment. I would like to report that there have been many more ups than downs, however, I'm not sure that is actually the case. I can say that the ups are much more enjoyable than they were prior to a year ago. And the downs, they usually don't seem quite so bad, considering the alternative.

So if you find yourself reading this, having not yet found your personal Zen I encourage you to go look for it. Keep searching, you may find the search for Zen in and of itself may be what brings you your own personal Zen.

The Zen of Silver Wings (not the bike but the air variety)

This week I will get to indulge in another activity I enjoy doing, flying. Now, this will be a commercial flight, so the enjoyment of the air time is significantly affected by the activities associated with flying commercially. Specifically, security and over booked flights.

The wife and I are flying off to Denver this weekend. Not for a vacation, per se, but we will get some beautiful mountain time in during this trip. See, because of what I do for a living, practicing law for the homeless, I have been afforded an opportunity to work with some wonderful people in the Denver area who minister to homeless youth. The organization is Dry Bones Denver (www.drybonesdenver.org). I sit on the board, and we have board meetings four times a year.

A word about Dry Bones Denver…. This organization is made up of people who have a heart for the homeless youth in the Denver area. They are focused on creating relationships with those youths, and through that relationship showing them Christ. The thing I fell in love with, in this organization, is that there is no “seeking and saving the lost” focus in their work. That is Christ’s job. The people of Dry Bones are truly fishers of men, in that they go out and spend time in the water’s of these youth’s lives, and bring them into their lives. In so doing they exemplify Christ in their actions. A.k.a. “By this shall all men know that you are my disciples, that you love one another as I have loved you.” They meet the needs of the youths with friendship, and a shoulder to cry on, and someone to trust, and in so doing they bring these kids before Christ, who does the changing and knocking.

So, when I was offered the opportunity to put my experience and support behind these folks I jumped at the opportunity.

One of the side benefits of working with this group, is that I get an excuse to make several trips out to beautiful Colorado. Last fall I made that trip on my Goldwing, an experience I will not soon forget, and hope to repeat parts of soon. This winter I missed a meeting due to snow fall in Tulsa. Yes, you read right, I was headed to Colorado, home of the snow capped peaks, and it was a snowfall in Tulsa that kept me grounded.

This trip, hopefully, will go off without such hitches. The wife and I are going together this time, which she has never had the opportunity to do before. I had been looking at the weather and noticed that there was a significant chance of rain in Denver this weekend. Mentioning that to another board member I was reminded that this trip is the annual “retreat” board meeting, where all the board members bring their families and we go off to a mountain cabin or two for the weekend, rather than staying in Denver. Well, forgetting the effects of elevation, I had not registered that if it was raining in Denver then up around Winter Park where we are headed it will be snowing. And, I was just about to pack down my winter clothes, since spring is arriving in Tulsa.

Whether snow or not, I look forward to some time in the mountains, in front of a fire place, or around a campfire, with the one I love, and others whom I respect in the utmost. Here’s to safe flights for all flying in for the weekend, and to a productive board meeting.


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