What Were We Thinking…
Posted Mon Mar 10, 2003 in
Bloggish
Yesterday dawned bright and sunny. I had decided to skip church because the Boxer Cup was scheduled to be shown live on SpeedTV.com. I also wanted to complete the 600-mile service on Bathsheba. So, I made coffee, got my notes out, and read my task list.
I pulled Wife’s car into the driveway and moved Sheba over to the other side of the garage, then gathered my tools and materials. I pulled the valve covers and plugs and noticed that the right side plug was a little sooty — probably oil bypassing the rings — not unusual for an engine that is breaking in. I loosened and re-torqued the head nuts and adjusted the valves. That completed the cold-engine part of the service so I could button up the engine.
By that time is was nearly 10:30, so I retired to the living room to watch the Boxer Cup while I worked through a cup (or three) of coffee. The race was exciting; identical bikes so that the emphasis was on rider skill and strategy. A crash caused a red flag and the race was restarted after the track was cleaned up. That was about the time I fell asleep. I awoke to watch the finish of the race (the announcer’s tone woke me). The difference in the lead bikes at the finish was 0.05 seconds.
I returned to my service and replaced the plugs with Autolite plugs instead of the OEM Bosch plugs. I fired up the engine to warm the oil for the oil change. I changed the engine and the transmission oil and renewed the oil filter. Then I restarted the engine so that it would be warm enough to synchronize the throttle bodies. That was easy enough to do so I took Bathsheba out for a short test ride. I’m still experiencing some surging so I guess I’ll have to redo the synchronization. The surging isn’t bad, but something still isn’t quite right.
I put the body panels back on to my bike but had trouble with the right-side panel. For some reason, the screw that fastens near the oil cooler wouldn’t start. I finally got it started but now see the reason why Wunderlich sells stainless steel replacements — the body panels have to come off every 6,000 miles for the throttle body synchronization. I guess I’ll add these to my wish list.
A friend had called while I was partway through my service and wanted to go out White River Lake. I admit I was ready for some outside time so we decided to go. Three couples and four kids headed for the lake.
The drive out there was pleasant; the sun shown through the moon roof of the truck and it was nice and warm inside. We chattered on the radios while we were driving. FRS radios are perfect for caravaning. We drove to our normal place, unloaded the vehicles, and set up camp. I laid in the sun, soaking up the warmth. I like the sun. However, the breeze blowing off the lake was cold. So, we moved our campsite over to the other side of the point to take advantage of the natural windbreak.
We built a fire and cooked supper. The sun was setting and the air grew cold. We huddled around the fire, thinking about supper and drawing warmth from the coals. The steaks and chicken sizzled and smoked. Corn in the husk roasted while the husk burned away. There’s just something about food cooked over an open fire. I don’t know if it was the water, the air, the beach, or the fire, or perhaps all four, but it was just good.
After supper we built up the fire and we needed its warmth. We toasted marshmallows for the kids. I toasted a couple for myself. It was the first time I’d had toasted marshmallows in years.
It was so cold though. What were we thinking, going to the lake at the beginning of March?
I'll bet you were thinking what a good time you were going to have. I enjoy camping anytime, but especially in the early spring.
I remember one April when I took my wife and young daughter to Yosemite on a lark. We loaded the tent, sleeping bags and coolers early on Saturday morning. By the afternoon we were at White Wolf Campground in upper Yosemite. I set up camp, unrolled the bags and made dinner, after which we sat around the fire before turning in.
During the night my wife rolled down the window flaps, thinking that she would be warmer. We woke to an icy winter wonderland inside the tent. Our exhaled breath had condensed and frozen on the inside walls and roof because there was no ventilation — no place for the moisture to go.
It didn't take me long to get up and get the banked coals flaming again, and soon I had a pot of hot coffee ready. Still, she wouldn't come out of her bag until I carried her coffee and oatmeal into the tent for her.
We toured Yosemite Valley the next day, but she refused to sleep in the tent again. "I don't care if you drive all night," she said, "I want to sleep in my bed tonight."
We continued to camp in the high country of California, Nevada and Oregon, but she refused to go until after June and no later than August. Some of my most memorable camps were in the dead of winter, but, I'm not considered normal by a lot of folks.
— Lonetree 10 March 2003, 16:31 #