I had a nice dinner with Tyler in Tampa last night. We talked bikes mostly, but it’s always good to just hang out with a friend, and I don’t get to see him very often. The best part was when we walked outside and he started his SS for me. Tyler’s SS isn’t the nicest SS I’ve ever seen. He pointed out the flaws to me. I could care less about the bling or flaws. What impressed me the most was when he started it and it ran smoothly, just barely ticking over at a low rpm, with the Keihin FCRs making their wonderful jingle. Good tuning Tyler. It was the first desmo I’ve heard in over 2 weeks, so it was good to enjoy it for a minute before heading out into the downtown Tampa traffic.

I slept at my brother’s house in North Tampa last night and was home a little after noon today. Since, then, I’ve been glued to the office, typing up sales receipts and processing credit cards for 2 week’s worth of orders. I took a break for a nice run, and sucked down a pizza. I just finished all the business I can stand for the day, unpacked the car, repacked it for the weekend, and am heading to bed for a few hours of shuteye…. after situps and pushups of course. I’m a lone warrior, plowing my way forward one step at a time.

Enjoy your Sat.

After looking at the schedule of activities this weekend in Montgomery for my upcoming class, I decided against the drive-all-friday-night-and-show-up-for-saturday-class routine. I’ll crash at my brother’s in North Tampa after dinner with Tyler, and head home to Pcola early tomorrow. That will give me plenty of time to unpack/repack and get ready for my classes. Can’t wait to get settled back in at the homestead and enjoy some quality time on the property.  The best part will be getting to open up the Ark and start working again. It’s a full 8 degrees cooler in Pensacola today than here in Tampa too, so I’ll be digging the cooler weather.

Enjoy your Fr.

I haven’t turned a wheel in anger since my ride to Utah in early June. That’s typical of my riding in the summer. Other than touring, I hang up the jacket until things cool off. After running 6 miles this morning, and then sweating for the 2 hours trying to cool off, I think it will awhile longer before I’ll be riding again. It’s really a shame, because I find it to be one of the best stress relievers around. I don’t think that riding around Tampa would relieve my stress, but riding in Blackwater sure does. I know it drives Mark CRAZY that I don’t ride more. I guess having all those bikes, and watching them sit most of the time is more than he can stand. As for me, I don’t view my collection as the end-all be-all of my existence. They’re just toys. Actually, I refer to them as functional artwork. Sometimes they’re more functional than other times.

I’ve had my slowest sales of the year compliments of my departure… or is it due to the stock market/economy? I’m guessing it’s due to both. If I counted on the business for food on my plate, I’d be sweating bullets. Retail stores must be really worrying about things. On the bright side, I won’t be shutting down any time soon because of cash flow problems…. I think.

I’ll be watching the debates tonight with low expectations. I know the average level of intellect of the answers will be a the 9th grade level, and neither candidate is what I’d call genuine. I think they should have a one lap standing start like the old GP days. Whoever laps Laguna Seca the fastest takes the presidency. I’m guessing the corkscrew would collect both of them.

Enjoy your Wed.

I’ll be meeting Tyler and others willing at the Grillsmith restaurant in South Tampa. It is located South of the intrsection of Henderson Blvd on Dale Mabry Blvd at 1900.

Today was a good SOCOM day. SOCOM encourages fitness, so the day started with a good workout at the gym and a nice long run. Until my boss gets back from DC, our section is in a holding pattern, so I’ve been busy reading up for the weekend.

Mike, I checked out the 02 sensor manipulator. I’ve been waiting for something like that for several years. It should be the answer to most people’s needs. I’ve already contacted the vendor to be a stocking dealer. With a 1 year warranty and a very affordable price, I think they’ll work well in my product mix. I’ll put one in the Sport 1000 and pop back in the stock ECU to see how it works…. after the Ark is complete that is.

Two weeks ago I bailed on the stock market when the dow was above 11,400. I should have done it last year, but held onto the fundamental notion that you can’t time the market and that a long run approach would eventually pay off. I’m a closet economist though and the fundamentals haven’t been adding up. I haven’t a clue where the bottom is, but I do feel that there will be a lot more disturbing news in the coming months. Until then, I’m on the sidelines watching. I’d be very surprised to see the dow again above 11,000 within the next year. Knowing when to buy back in will be the key. Those that say you should stay the course haven’t lived through anything like we’re currently experiencing, which has a lot of similiarities to the banking crisis preceding the great depression. I don’t think we’ll experience another great depression, but I think we’re in for a world of hurt. It will be interesting to see what companies are left standing when the dust settles.

I haven’t seen the lastest motorcycle sales numbers, but I’m guessing it will show a 10-15% contraction of the US Market. That’s serious stuff.

I didn’t access the internet until tonight after dodging rain drops all day in Tampa. By the time I checked the WSB results, and saw that Bayliss won the title, it was anticlimactic. I’m very proud of Ducati and Troy for winning the title. The fact that he won race 2 AFTER securing the title is a testament to his drive. He rides WFO, whether it’s the first race of the season or the last race of the season.  Given the importance of the event and the title now that he’s retiring, I’m expecting a 1200R Bayliss replica. It would be fitting. Shoot, they’d have to charge $50K for that. Perhaps a 1098s with the graphics package and sell it for $25K with a few goodies.

I’m cooking up a way to celebrate the Bayliss title, so follow the DD this week for an announcement. I can’t wait to get home next Sunday. Home sweet home….

Mark is offline this week, celebrating his a honeymoon on a cruise. I’m sure he’ll be thinking of nothing but Ducatis the whole time.

Enjoy your Mon.

I checked out of my BOQ this morning. The AF takes over the place during drill weekends, and this weekend is one such weekend. I’ll have a room again next week.

Things aren’t working right now in my present assignment at SOCOM. I’m in something called the IMA program (Individual Mobilization Augmentee). It was designed for reservists to fill holes in the active component rosters. It’s a neat idea. You head off for a few weeks at a time instead of the weekend-a-month thing, and serve with an active duty unit. The problem is Optempo. I spend months away from the unit, and when I drop in for my 2 weeks I’m of little use to them unless they have a pet project laid on ahead of time. This time, 1/2 of my section was at the Pentagon, so it was pretty boring this week, and I don’t do well when bored. Regardless of how much money the Army is paying me, if I don’t feel like I’m making a contribution, I get itchy and begin to look for a new home. So… I’m putting out the feelers for other sections at SOCOM. I hate to leave SOCOM entirely. It’s a good community, and has a lot of opportunities. I just need to find a better fit. I talked to my boss yesterday and he concurred. Unless they can coordinate with me better, they’re wasting my time. I gave them a 4 months heads up that I was coming, and coordinated several times in the interim, so it ain’t me. Put a Type A in a Type B job and that’s what happens.

My boss is back from the pentagon. He’s a hoot. Best Army boss I’ve had since getting deployed. He’s so plugged into everything, that everybody knows him. I prefer a low-key approach, and would rather fly under the radar. He sets a huge radar signature wherever he goes.

Other than the 3 weekends I’ll spend in Montgomery between now and the end of the year, my military duty this year is over. I’ll probably only do another week of duty between now and next summer. I have enough points between retirement year dates to relax a little.

Nothing else to report. I saw an S2R parked outside the SOCOM HQ yesterday and put a business card on it and my office designation here at SOCOM, but I haven’t heard anything.

Enjoy your Weekend.

Two thoughts for today. Now that the M1100 has been announced, I need to check the specs to see if it has Siemens injection like its sibling. Technoresearch is already working on a VDST that will work with the Siemens. What I want to come up with is a fix for the weak ground circuit to the ECU. I don’t know if better external grounding of the ECU would do anything, or if the problem is internal to the ECU. If it’s external, I’ll have jastek come up with a cable and design the fix. I’ve been meaning to carry their upgraded cables for some time now.

Note to self: switch back to a 15 tooth cshaft sprocket on the 1098s. I’m running out of rpm/top speed on our “straightaway”. Also, install aftermarket water pump impeller on the MV so that I can ride it this fall.

Well, Ben landed a WSB ride and I’m very happy for him. Yamaha stepped up and made a fine decision. Shame on Suzuki for letting him go. I don’t know what they were thinking, if anything. It will be nice to have an American back in WSB.

Now onto other matters. 2 weeks from today I’ll be standing on the 2nd floor of the Ark contemplating the universe. Here’s my punch list to finish the building. It isn’t for you, but rather for my own edification.

1. 2nd coat of varnish on bathroom door and install doorknob/hardware
2. seal grout
3. install towell racks
4. varnish on windowsills x 4 windows
5. install shower doors/caulk
6. rethink height of sink. I built it for 6 footers like me.
7. pick/install flooring and thresholds
8. build enclosure around water heater
9. furniture, actually if somebody was getting rid of a small condo worth of furniture, it would fit perfectly in the loft. It would have to have a motorcycle theme, of course. - A sleeper sofa, loveseat, a few chairs, a few lamps and a LCD Tv. — you know, guest quarters or a sort of comfy reading room where I can spend the 30 seconds I actually sit down every day.
10. last coat of polyurethane on balcony railing/stairway railing.  
11. The Grand Opening

I’ve got 3 weeks to accomplish the above starting 16 Oct. Other than handling business, I’ll be incognito during those weeks until the Ark is done. Nothing new about that I suppose.  

I’ll start working on a few customer bikes between Thanksgiving and Christmas, and plan on starting a new edition of my 2V book after the New Year.

Enjoy your TH.

After Mark’s pithy comments (have fun at the meet), I went back to the room to fire up the old dell mega-notebook. I paid $2500 for it 6 months ago (well, it really came compliments of a grant at the univ). Well, the motherboard decided to take a dump and she died. The good news is that it’s covered under warranty and we have a Dell tech at the university, so it will be fixed in short order when I get back. The bad news is that I WAS without a computer while here. A quick trip to the BX, and voila, a cheapo Compaq is now in my possession for use while here. I’ll need it for the weekend up in Montgomery too. Suzi needs a notebook, so I’ll configure it for her use and hand it off when I get back. It’s actually a very nice machine for $600. My spare notebook is, of course, at the University. Grrrrr…