Should have done this in the first place

Well, Annie is now equipped with Kuryakyn forward controls, which I should have bought from the get-go instead of screwing around with that bargain-basement crap.  Still decent on the price, but much better quality.

 

It was also time for the 5K service, so while I was changing the fluids, I took the opportunity to replace the chrome primary cover with a wrinkle black one($150 on eBay.  Good deal).

I just didn't like the black inner primary coupled with a chrome outer.  Go all chrome or all black, but not half-and-half.  (I feel the same way about chromed Softail swingarms.)  For that reason, I also replaced the raw aluminum clamp that rests on a black riser...

...and the aluminum levers protruding from black control perches.

(Yes, my garage is a mess.  First World Problems.)

It may seem like a contradiction to leave the chrome access plate and derby cover, but it's not.  Those are accent pieces, not one half of a unit.  Once I get around to installing a belt primary, I'll probably do something interesting with those bits, but one thing at a time.

'Tis the season

I'm not arachnophobic.  I generally leave most spiders alone, outside of Black Widows, Brown Recluses and Wolf Spiders.  I don't really have an issue with tarantulas--in fact, I kind of like the creepy little hairballs.


However, when one crawls up out of the defroster and starts running around on my dashboard at 70mph, I don't like 'em that much.  Yes, a bit of a freakout occurred, I pulled over and commenced swatting at him, and he lost a leg before disappearing down the vents again.  Hopefully he left the premises, or at least died quickly.  It was only an adolescent, and I kind of feel bad, but you scare the humans at your own peril, dude.


Funny how this has never happened to me before, and now, right around Halloween?  Try and tell me I didn't just get punked by God.  :)

Playing with fire

So I got a birthday present from my wife...something I've wanted for years.

 

Yep, it's a welder.  It won't build a battleship or anything, but it's pretty good for anything I'd need to do.  Once I got everything set up, I decided to take a couple of lengths of scrap rebar and an old washer and make my first project.

 

It now hangs on my garage wall.  Thank You, Lord, for all the blessings You've bestowed upon me.  Please help me never to take them for granted.

Remember these names.

Andrew Ashcraft

Anthony Rose

Christopher MacKenzie

Clayton Whitted

Dustin DeFord

Garret Zuppiger

Grant McKee

Jesse Steed

Joe Thurston

John Percin Jr.

Kevin Woyjeck

Eric Marsh

Robert Caldwell

Scott Norris

Sean Misner

Travis Carter

Travis Turbyfill

Wade Parker

William "Billy" Warneke

These are the 19 men who died fighting the Yarnell Fire.  Every one of them died a hero's death.

Take a moment to remember and pray for those who stride boldly into hell on behalf of the rest of us.

May the Lord bless and keep your souls, gentlemen, and may He watch over your families and friends in this their time of grief.

Thank you, Lord.

Today, while driving to work, I saw a delivery van on the shoulder.  A mile later, I saw the driver heading toward the nearest gas station...three miles away.

In a T-shirt.

In eight-degree weather.

Of course I pulled over.  I got him to the station for some diesel, made sure he had things in hand, and just made it to work on time.

Thank you, God, for giving me the opportunity to serve You.

Merry Christmas to all!

If there's one thing I'm certain of, it's that God has a sense of humor(although, sometimes, man doesn't quite get the joke).  So, in that context...

(From Ty Templeton's Art Land)