A photo narrative of today's Pie Run in Hutto for your viewing pleasure…


I wanted to be at the corner gas station by 5:15. I didn’t quite make it on time, but I was darn close! Left the house @ 5:13 and made it to the first meet-up with John by 5:20.

John: “Good morning.” Morning? It’s still dark out. You sure it’s not still last might? I need coffee. I also need to wipe the sleep from my eyes.

As we got farther away from Houston, the sun started to come up and began to burn off the early morning fog.

Chris: “If the train moves at 15 mph and has 132 cars, how long will we sit here and wait before checking for a way around?”
John: “I don’t know, but let’s go left. I like left.”

John “JasiuTLS”

Alberto “Prancing Pony” or “Stig” or something like that…

Chris: Thumbs Up!
Erin: “Aww, come on dad, you’re a dork.”

We ended up in Elgin. We weren’t planning on it, but we did.

Alberto: “What part of unpaved didn’t they understand?”
John: “I don’t mind the dirt, I just can’t take these u-turns!”

Erin: “How much farther is it?”

Instead of meeting us along the route, Randy saved the day by figuring out where we were and how to get to him.

Some of the bikes. I got to 45 and got distracted, so I didn’t get to finish counting the ones on the side of the building.

Lots of red ones. I guess they like to be near each other.

The girls hop on the hippo for a photo ops.

So of course the big girls have to get one too!

Me: “Can I ride it?”
John: “If you can start it you can ride it.”
Me: “Why do you have two ignition switches?”
John: “One’s a kill switch.”
Me: “What about this?”
John: “Well, you now have a speedometer to tell you you’re going 0 mph.”
Me: “Where’s the key?”
John: “There’s no key.”
Me: “Well then how am I supposed to start it?”

A few minutes later the thrill of watching me fumble around had worn off, and he showed me the magic button. It’s hidden, so no – it’s not my fault I couldn’t start it!

During my test ride, I made the mistake of asking John “Irondawg” to hold the camera.

This ditch is a lot deeper than it looks!

Deb “Snoopster” in front of her pie namesake.

Becca “RocketBunny” met us there and organized the ride back.

I never knew Deb could whistle that loud!
Speech by Chirs “the pieman” aka “wczimmerman”.

Spank showed up for this one. He finally got to meet Kurt “TxMedic” and his wife Rhonda (who happened to ride over here as a passenger, so maybe we’ll have an effect on her and get her on the bike more often!)

Chris: “I wanted to wear the orange today, you know, for visibility. She copied me!”
Erin: “Whatever dad. I just like this shirt.”

Last month I didn’t get pie.
I didn’t get pie this month either.
Sacrilege, I know. Banana puddin’.

We corralled as many of the remaining attendants as we could for a group shot around the Hutto Hippo. (So what was the official count, anyway?)

It was great to see so many members bringing family and friends. It was a nice atmosphere.

Becca: “Put the camera away, put on your helmet, and let’s get going already.”

Raul “houstonredrider”

Deb “Snoopster”

Jeff: “Where are we?”
Deb: “Not sure, but we’re too far out of the way.”
Becca: “This is hilarious. What’s the rush? Let’s just keep riding.”

Check out the cool new shades in Becca’s new modular helmet.

Spank: “They don’t even let me off of here to stretch!”

Saying our goodbyes and preparing to depart together for the last time today.

Artsy Strom shot.

It’s amazing that I even woke up when my phone alarm went off at 6:50 am. I had fallen asleep with the phone in my hand, so it got jumbled in the blanket and sheets overnight. When I opened my eyes, the room was still dark and quiet. Could I possibly have woken up first?

Nope. Becca was already in the shower and preparing for the 500+ miles she had in store for us today. Once she was out it was my turn, then we geared up and headed out. We filled up our Camelbaks with ice from the machine in the hallway, then headed for the free continental breakfast. The coffee was hot, but worth the burnt tongue for a little pick-me-up.

Mile Marker 330.6
Fuel: 4.210 gal / $11.78
Although we probably had half a tank of gas left, the Town & Country filling station next to the hotel was the fastest and easiest way to fill up before heading out toward some of the best roads in central Texas. Becca wasn’t looking much more awake than I was feeling.

I would have led the morning route, but I all could remember was “go down to one of the lights, make a right, then go down a long while after that”. Becca wasn’t amused. She led us over to Stonehenge, which I had heard was out there but had never seen in person. It’s really just a replica of the real thing across the pond, but without the authenticity. Go figure, you can’t get the bike up close and the fence makes the bike pic kinda fugly.

The roads were empty, the sun was rising, and we had miles and miles of this ahead.

We pulled off at a small water crossing to take some pictures. It’s remarkable how little water there’s been at all of the creeks and streams we’ve passed. It’s been a while since this area’s gotten the kind of rain we get (and curse) closer to the gulf.

Leakey, TX / 10:00 am
Frio Canyon Motorcycle Shop
When we got to the intersection in Leakey, Becca didn’t immediately notice the MC Shop on the corner. I motioned her over there, and it was very quiet for a Sunday morning. Maybe it’s too hot for the typical weekend rides in the area? Oh well, more open pavement for us!

Becca’s real uneasy tip-toeing her bike on uneven pavement, so I give her lots of credit for some of the maneuvers we had to do throughout the trip.

11:26
Some water crossing near the end of FM 335
We pulled over, but this time for a “dangerously tired” break. I needed a minute to stretch, sit, and get my head in the game. I was exhausted, but it was going to be a long day and I’d need to know I could do it. I don’t think I was the only one with me head in the clouds, though - Becca thinks she saw a camel.

We head back around the loop towards Leakey, and it’s time for lunch. The Mexican place we ate at on the rally last year was closed, so we looked for anything with cars in the lot and found the Frio Canyon Lodge Restaurant. The parking situation turned out to be a little hairy, but we managed to keep the bikes on their feet this time.

The both ordered the special, roast beef, veggies, hash brown casserole, desert and a drink for only $6.99. I love these places.

There were two bikes outside when we came in, a Hyabusa and a new ZX14. It would stand to reason that there must be (at least) two riders inside. The restaurant was pretty full, but I didn’t immediately spot any helmets. We sat and ate, talked about the roads, and continued to discuss the length of the return trip. We were continuously rehashing the idea of cutting out roads as we went.

I spotted the two riders as they were heading out, so I grabbed two TWT cards from my wallet and went after them. Scott (Tourmeister) has gotten some of us in the habit of chasing down riders to let then know about the forum. When I introduced myself and handed a card over, I was told they'd gotten one of these last weekend when they met Deb and... "the other guy" in Fayetteville. Must be Erik. We got to talking, and they said they'd gotten another business card too - Four Bikers and a Monkey. I proudly declared myself to be one of the four bikers!

Wow, we're famous!

"So not to be mean, but are you the one that only made it four miles into that great road and had to be brought back down?"

Ok, make that infamous...

As we headed out of town and through more twisty bits, it was becoming clear that fuel needed to be a part of the not-so-distant plan. We ran down FM 337, but the only gas stations we saw were primitive and closed. There was an apple festival going on, but apparently everyone attending that thing must have known to fill their tanks on Saturday…

We turned around and headed for what the GPS said was the closest filling station. It was 14 miles away. We’d ridden almost 215 miles since the last refueling. I’d never toured with someone who could keep up with my fuel consumption before this, so I suddenly found myself as the ‘short tank’ on this one. Running on fumes, I did everything I could to keep the revs low. I was running in 5th gear at 40 mph, keeping it barely above lugging. We entered into a set of tight switchbacks, the sharpest we’d encountered so far. Although I’d prefer to ride low gears and power through a bit, I didn’t have the fuel to do it and instead I almost coasted through some of it. As the elevation began to level out, my oil light came on and I suddenly found myself without any go-go. Uhhh… Becca’s got to be about a half mile ahead of me by now.

I start walking my bike, hoping to get some momentum out of the remaining downhill slope. I wanted to get out of these curves at least, because this was not a spot you’d want to have to pull over at. When the road flattened out and I couldn’t get much push from my toes (yeah, the bike’s still a little tall), I decided to try something I’d read online. I rocked the bike back and forth hoping to move around whatever gas might still be in the bottom of my tank, closed my eyes and made a wish as I pressed the magic red button. It started back up!

I got down off the hill as fast as I could and found RocketBunny on the side of the road ahead. I pulled past her, hoping that if the bike died again, at least she’d be behind me and see that I’m in trouble. We finally made it to the gas station, and she told me she thought I might have panicked in the curves when she didn’t see me behind her right away. When I told her what had happened, she and I both had a good laugh.

Mile Marker 556.2
Fuel: 5.499 gal / $15.39
Keep in mind, my tank holds 5.8 gallons and I filled it on the side stand. I don’t think I could have made it another mile.

Just a few of the bugs I scored along the way…

We decided to circumvent San Antonio by taking Hwy 46, but at some point I got us lost. I could have sworn I was just going down the same road, but it turned into a rural street and dead-ended. Becca saw what was going on and passed me to lead me back over to where we were supposed to be. I took the lead again… and got us lost again. Not lost really, just not where we thought we were or wanted to be. It was time to pull over and figure this out.

New Braunfels, TX / 4:45 pm
We stopped at a gas station to stretch, look at the map, and recalculate the route. We were now getting closer to the end of the trip and the planned route was not going to fit into what was left of the day. I went inside for a Starbucks Double Shot (YUM!) and more ice for my Camelbak which was again empty. Considering how much water I’d gone through, I hadn’t needed to pull over nearly as often as previous trips. It must be the heat.

As we sat around talking about the route with the map and GPS, many of the locals came to give Little Caesars their business. Something had gone wrong inside the store and a sign on the door notified customers that they were closed. This did not sit well with many people who apparently HAD to have their fix of pizza pizza or go hungry. They argued with the clerk, asked where the next closest store was, and some waited outside in the parking lot for the store to reopen. It finally did, and they all swarmed in. I guess there isn’t much to eat in this part of town…

Heading back, we stumbled on FM 535, which was a nice road that neither of us had ridden before. Becca was dancing in the saddle to Whitney Houston, while I was bopping my head along to Clapton.

A few traveling shots…

It seems RB only gets pictures of her and/or her bike stopped on the side of the road. Nobody ever takes pictures of her moving – so I felt obliged. Without trying to scare her too badly, I was able to pull up alongside her on a long straight section and snap this. Looks like a BMW ad, doesn’t it?

As we neared La Grange, we opted to head towards the gas station instead of pushing our luck. It meant skipping the dirt section on Post Oak, but it would avoid the potential for running out of fuel again.

Mile Marker 748.0
Fuel: 4.37 gal / $12.59
I looked over at the still-singing RocketBunny, and she was actually smiling! I guess she’s not tired or bored with my pace, so the weekend is working out after all.

We took a wrong turn in Cat Spring. Well, I took a wrong turn on 1094 and Becca assumed I knew where I was going. It didn’t get us lost, but we ended up on 36 just north of Sealy and had passed up a few good roads along the way. These were close enough to hit any weekend, so it was no big deal. We decided to stop at Sonic for some ice cream and picture swapping before getting on the freeway and high-tailing it home. We waited and waited for someone to answer the little red button…

When they finally did, we ordered our ice cream and were told that they were out. Yup, out of ice cream. It was the only reason we were here.

We reluctantly got back on the bikes and headed next door to McDonalds. Frozen yogurt would have to do. We each got a sweet treat and a double cheeseburger to hold us over, and we got the laptop out to laugh at ourselves in pictures as we copied them for each other.

According to her GPS, it was 43 mi from her to Becca’s house. For me? Who knows. We were both content with taking I10 to the Beltway, which is where we split off. Halfway up the ramp, we waved goodbye and parted. The “Odd Couple” had not only survived their first weekend trip, but we’d also grown closer as friends and touring companions.

Mile Marker 851.2
My driveway. Nobody really looks forward to a trip ending, but my body was tired and my mind was exhausted. I didn’t have the energy to take the tailbag off the bike, so I rolled myself into the house, got out of my gear in the kitchen, then called it a night.

A BIG thank you to Becca for inviting me out there for the weekend and putting up with my silliness, pace, and lack of road and route knowledge. Also, thanks to Taryn and her family for accepting me into their home so willingly.

Can’t wait to do it all again!

The role of “she, her, Becca, RocketBunny, or RB will be portrayed by Becca W. on her BMW1200ST, and the role of “me, I, or Squeaky” will be portrayed by Rebecca N. on her VStrom1k.

Becca's version of the ride is different than my own. It's interesting to compare the way two people on the same trip focus on different events of the day and tell the story from a different angle. To see the weekend from her POV, go to rocketbunny.blogspot.com

Oh, and the monkey, a.k.a. “Spank”, will be joining us on this ride. He’s been kinda down, so he didn’t do much socializing during the trip. I don’t think he’s been feeling well – hearbroken that Sockette still hasn’t been found. He says, “Baby, if you’re out there, be strong. Let them know I’m willing to give myself willingly as a hostage to whomever has taken you. I ask only that you be returned to Texas T or any moderator on this site so that your rightful owner can have you back.”

Yet again, poor planning led to a late pre-ride night, and early morning, and a late start. All my fault. I was certain RocketBunny would be fuming. Lucky for me, she got the ‘rub-the-sleep-from-my-eyes-realize-you-overslept-and-text-your-ride-parter’ message in time to stay home and play with the pets for a little while longer. This allowed me the opportunity to take one of the top-ten fastest showers in my life, throw the bag on the bike, refuel, and get my rear in gear headed for JIB. From the moment I awoke until I was rolling down the freeway, I think about 19 minutes had elapsed. That’s gotta be a record for me.

[boring retentive disclaimer]
The odometer was reset at the corner gas station, so we’ll consider the driveway and my block to the corner a moot point. Let’s consider this Mile Marker 0.
[/boring retentive disclaimer]

I was obviously not going to have the time for the back-roads route to Brookshire, so I headed up the tollway towards I10. After finding my entrance under construction and closed for the weekend, I crawled through traffic toward the next on ramp. The cones ended about 50 feet from the traffic light, blocking the left lane. Workers were a half mile back, clearly they wouldn’t be down working on this section for hours. About three cones from the end, and with only one car in the entire left lane, I decided to move over and occupy less densely populated space by taking the left lane. As I finished getting over through the large cones and through the intersection, I heard a blip. Looking back through the mirror, I could see the blue and red flash of lights.

Mile marker 3.5 / 7:58 am
This can’t be the way a trip to the Hill Country is supposed to start.

The kind officer did not ask me to remove my helmet. He did not even get out of his truck. He pulled up next to me and I got a ‘talking to’. I must look old and slow now.

Mile Marker 26(?)
Traffic on the Katy Freeway has it’s own predictably unpredictable freak-of-nature patters and I was stopped and walking the bike in three miles of construction traffic. Every vehicle that could was exiting the freeway. Do I? Could I risk an additional traffic violation that morning just to not sit in traffic, bike overheating, when there was a perfectly good feeder road just yards away; separated from me only by tire-worn grass and dirt.

Mile Marker 29(?)
Miss the ramp to re-enter the freeway and had to get my ‘feet dirty’ again. And yet again there were worn tire tracks through the grass. Can the city engineers not see that these are places extra ramps should be, as long as they can feasibly be done safely?

Mile Marker 31.5
Brookshire, Texas / 8:23 am
A quick spin around both the Chevron and Jack In The Box reveals no RocketBunny. If she’d left the house before I sent the text message, then she’d surely check her phone if I hadn’t shown up by 8. Less than five minutes after rolling onto JIB pavement, I heard the hum of the Germans emerge from the underpass. RB and her Bimmer parked themselves next to me in the shade, and we were officially a pair. The next 36 hours (give or take) and 600-800 miles (give or take) would be The Odd Couple, TWT-Style.

Heading up 359 and on towards Stephen F Austin State Park, I noticed Becca pass the sharp left onto a small paved country road that looked familiar. She’s the one with the GPS; I navigate by “over by that brick building across from the gas station”. I guess there’s another way to get over the river and through the woods.

Nope. No other way. We got to the entrance to the park. NO THROUGH TRAFFIC was clearly posted. Left hand straight up and circling, Becca made for the parking lot to get herself turned around. I glanced back at clear pavement and swung the Strom around in yet another obvious infraction. I took the lead as she came up behind me and I guided us with the red light at the end of my nose, faltering only once at a T-stop. What RB probably didn’t know was that almost every turn and road we passed ran through my head and quickly got either a “this looks right” or a “nah, I don’t think that’s it” from my Linkin Park-filled brain.

We arrived at this crossing just as the train began to whistle and pass. I turned the bike off, dropped the ‘stand, and grabbed the camera. I guess RB hasn’t been in Texas long enough to know that this is like a break. She kept her engine running, probably in gear, staring down the tracks. We both searched for the end of the line, but it didn’t come for a while.

Fayetteville, TX / 9:56 am
We arrived at Orsak’s in Fayetteville and found a spot to park amid the sea of bikes and trucks. It was turning into a beautiful day – sun shining, clear roads, and great riding.

Becca and I sat and talked about our combined pace, route ideas, and other such assorted nonsense. The wait for our food was longer than usual because we’d gotten there right after a large group had placed their order, but the eggs and extra crispy bacon were worth every minute of it.

After leaving, I led us towards LaGrange through the ‘typical’ route. I’ve done it lots of times, but always following other riders. Along the way, I kept doubting myself and wondering if I was getting us lost. I [i]really[/i] need to get a GPS. RB finally sensed my confusion and passed me and led through the end of 2981. Becca looked ahead at Post Oak Rd and was puzzled. The GPS told her to go straight. The unpaved roadway told her not to. He turned right, then signaled another u-turn. I pulled up next to her and let her know that only the last part of Post Oak was paved, and that she did NOT want to navigate that road on her bike. I did, though! I am used to splitting off from the street riders at this point and meeting back up at the other end, so I told her to go on and I’d be there waiting when she got there. She told me I better not drop my bike because she wasn’t coming down there to get me!

I was strolling through the park one day…
In the merry merry month of May (well, July, but the song won’t rhyme that way)…
I was taken by surprise…
By a Beemer in disguise…
In the merry merry month of July!

Mile Marker 147.8
Exxon Station: Bastrop, Texas
Fuel: 3.657 gal / $10.24
At this point we were running about an hour behind schedule. All things considered, it could be worse. We took a few of the smaller roads out of the route to try and make up for it, but it may not have made much of a difference. RocketBunny asked if I’d ever been to Kyle. “No, but I know a guy named Kyle!”

Kyle, TX
As we pulled up to a building with a large slice of pie protruding from the awning, I knew we were stopping for a slice at the Texas Pie Co. Well, make that a tin. It seems you don’t buy a slice of pie here, just a small, individual pie.

RB had Strawberry Peach and I had Dutch Apple. They were quite good, but nothing to write home about. My Camelbak was empty already, so we bought some bottled water and the store clerk got us a few cups of ice to cool it all down.

Once outside, Becca wanted to test how hot the asphalt was out here. Check out that fancy thermometer gadget that looks like a digital camera!

Just north of Canyon Lake, we came upon a sight that appealed to both of us Beccas. [url=http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/RR/rbr18.html]Rebecca Creek[/url] runs through here, and a subdivision aptly named The Springs at Rebecca Creek was born. How do two Rebeccas on a journey [i]not[/i] stop for a photo op???

To get the shot of the two of us, RB set her camera on the ground and was setting the timer when a Texas Parks & Wildlife truck pulled up and asked if we needed help. He thought she’d crashed and was lying there in need of medical attention. We laughed and told him about the Rebecca thing and he smiled and told us to have fun. “We will!”

Boerne, TX (pronounced Bernie)
We decided that since we were now only a few miles from our first destination, a graduation party for a childhood friend of Becca’s, that we’d freshen up and change our clothes in an attempt to look somewhat presentable when we arrived. Taryn and Becca hadn’t seen each other since eighth grade, so it’s really a second first impression and we didn’t want to mess it up.

We took turns changing in the gas station bathroom while the other stayed outside and watched the bikes and gear. We got lots of strange looks from the locals, but we really don’t care what others think of us – we think we’re pretty weird already! Becca managed to spill her water all over the front of her shirt. Would it dry before we got to the house? Not likely. Well now, isn’t it a nice coincidence that I always over pack and had not one, not two, but [i]three[/i] extra shirts for her to choose from!

“So this glove goes on my right hand, no wait, my other right hand…”

Only two or three u-turns later, we arrived at Taryn’s house. Two acres, and deer that come to visit in the backyard.

Everyone that we were introduced to did a double-take when we did the name thing. It was pretty hilarious at times. The atmosphere was very relaxed, and even though I hadn’t known who anyone was when we arrived, I think I blended in pretty well. The small children were adorable and fun to watch. Kids that just act like kids. It’s a beautiful thing, the innocence of toddlers.

Three of the graduate’s family and friends had their guitars with them. They played from an accumulation of seventies music; Neil Diamond, the Everly Brothers, and other assorted classics.

And they weren’t mild old gents like they might appear. This is the Texas-Sized Margarita Machine!

It’s made with a ½ hp garbage disposal. It sucks the ice and margarita mix down and around through the PVC tubing and back into the mix.

The spigot simply lets some out during the cycle. Being the tinkering kind that I am, I was amazed at the ingenuity that was involved here. If only I liked Margaritas, maybe I’d make one of my own? This one had a bit of a ‘power continuity’ issue, but with some coaxing it yielded many smiles.

This is Titus. He’s Tori’s dog, although I never got to meet Tori (Taryn’s brother). He had a work thing and was going to be back later that evening.

Alas, we didn’t want to be heading into the Hill Country without the light of day. We were geared back up and said our goodbyes, then we were headed into the setting sun. Wait, this is a familiar feeling – trying to race the sun to my destination so I could avoid the dreaded “change the visor” stop.

So… As we got back towards town the Shell station got it’s second of three appearances for the weekend.

8:40 pm
Visors now clear and cleaned, we focused our attention on getting to I10 before all of the fading light was gone. Not a mile or two farther down the road, the GPS turned over to sunset mode for Becca. At least we’re accurate!

As we exited for Kerrville (which Becca likes to call ‘Care-ville’ for some reason) I started to recognize landmarks and hotels. In the distance, the familiar glow of the neon YO began to appear from the darkness. It has been the preferred hotel for TWT/BMT tours and rallies. Definitely worth it for a weekend away.

But we didn’t stay there. We just needed beds and a shower, not a pool, hot tub, or bar. The EconoLodge was home for us. Not bad at all, reasonable priced, and next door to a convenience store that would provide food and drink for the evening. As we pulled in, we turned toward the portico. Becca stopped and disconnected herself from her bike. I somehow decided to grab a handful of front brake as I came to a stop, the bike still slightly turned to the right.

So as you can image, the bike started over and got heavy very quickly. As it slipped farther down my throttle hand started to slip and revved the engine. It wasn’t going to stay up, and at this rate I’m libel to get my foot stuck underneath it. I stepped out to the side and laid the bike on the ground as softly as possible.

At some point Becca turned around and discovered my bike on its side and me standing over it laughing. She hurried off her bike and back to me, and we got the bike upright. I almost forgot to put the sidestand down. (I suppose I failed my real-life test from the drop-n-learn…)

After looking down at the bike, Becca looked back at me and declared, “that’s it?”

Yup. Not a scratch. Have I mentioned how much I love my bike?

The guy at the desk said it was Ok for us to leave the bikes in front of the office, which is within clear sight of the front desk. Although I have never had issues out here, there’s nothing wrong with accepting the offer he extended. We hauled our baggage through the lobby and down to the room and then went next door for some snacks.

As I eyed the Starbucks in the case, I wondered if caffeine was such a good idea at this hour, considering the early morning and long day ahead. I asked Becca, now an aisle over, how late we were staying up tonight. A funny guy grabbing a case of beer from the fridge called back, “All night long!”

Well now…

We overloaded with sugar and carbs with a splash of caffeine.

This provided enough energy to offload and review pics from our journey and discuss the plan for tomorrow. As it turns out, there really wouldn’t be a set plan. We’d do our best to be out of the room by 8, then wander through miles of smiles on the ‘three sisters’ and the ‘tail of the dragon’ before returning home around dark.

We were asleep by 11. Must be another record for me.

Exhaustion doesn't even explain what I feel today. I can barely lift my feet to walk. My brain is tired.

It was an AWESOME weekend though, so it's all worth it. I'll heal (and probably be stronger in the long run) and I think I sweated off a few pounds out there in the heat.

Riding with Becca, I realized how few places I've been on my bike. I got this link for a map that shows where I've been (so far) on two wheels.



create your own visited states map
or check out these Google Hacks.


I hope to have more states completed before too long, but we'll have to see how things go with time, money, and my health.

I'm excited about riding in the Hill Country with Becca this weekend, but I'm also a little nervous. It's been more than a year since I was out there, and almost two years since I've ridden through the Three Sisters (335, 336, 337). It was so long ago, I was still on my SV at the time!

I know that it's all mental.
I know that I just have to relax.
I know that I can do it, and I need to repeat that over and over.
I know that I'll have a good time!

When I get home from work tonight I have things to do to prepare for the trip, and I also need to get a full night of sleep if I'm going to be able to ride all day in the heat. I have to run over to Karen's, then Gavin's, then home to pack my clothes and gear. I should have done all this already, but you know me...

Gavin's bike hates me. It must. There's no other explanation for the amount of time and trouble this bike has taken to paint.

If it's not my fault, it's the temperature, or the color, or the sanding, or my gun spattering, or paint spilling... Yesterday I even got my socks stuck to my feet because I put my socks on after painting and apparently there was overspray on my feet!

So the first coat of clear is complete, sanding and all. It looks great, and I am confident the finish will be smooth as glass. Just two (or three) more coats... with sanding in between... and the pinstripe... and polishing...

Yeah, this is taking forever. Quality work usually does.

The painting is coming along well, although not without incident. I get excited about things going well, then I mess up something else.

-I've spilled enough paint on myself and the floor to fill a bucket.
-My exhaust fan stopped working for no reason.
-I ran out of masking tape at 3am.

The design that Gavin and I came up with (and finally agreed on) is much simpler than I'd originally excpected, ans a lot more surface area is covered with silver than I thought he wanted. The design is simple, but elegant. Nothing too flashy, nothing too boring. The mix of copper and silver are very complementary.

There is very little shading, and it's subtle. I didn't want anything too flashy, since Gavin had no idea what my plans were for shading the silver at all.

There are a few minor spots that had an adhesion problem that I'll need to correct, but otherwise I'll be clear-coating the project this weekend. LOTS of sanding involved, but that's what ensures a smooth, glass-like finish. It's worth it!

I was told I don't write enough on here, so I'll start rambling every now and then just to amuse my friends and keep people up to date on what I've been doing.

Right now I'm in the process of painting Gavin's motorcycle. It took forever to just get started. First there was cleanup, then repair work, then sanding, then more repair and more sanding. It seems the previous owner had completely rashed the side of the bike and had spray painted it to camoflage the damage.

Once it was ready, there was the issue of choosing a color. Gavin knew what he wanted, it was just a matter of finding paint to recreate what was in his head. Samples were ordered, test patches were sprayed, and we were on our way!

Now that I'm actually spraying paint, I feel like I'm making real progress. All the prep work was monotonous, but it really has worked out well - you can't see ANY signs of damage.



Pay no attention to the brightness of the orange. It's just a base color, and will be toned down to a deep copper onec I'm done. Can you believe this section was rashed and pushed in a half inch at the bolt hole?!?!