Going to the chapel...

...and they're gonna get married!!
Thaaaat's right y'all!!

Congratulations Brudder Chach and Miss Ashley!
We love you!
Looking forward to celebrating. xoxox

KAWA-SAKI!!!

Well it's been about a week and half since the moto purchase.  It has been quite a learning experience as well as just pure enjoyment.   Last Friday I got the beast to run on some starter fluid and tonight I rode it around the block two times.   It needs more work, but also this was a relief to know that this project is on the right track.  I hope Marie isn't jealous of the new love I have for the two wheel machine that I have stuffed in our tiny garage.  Working on this machine has brought back great memories of the bikes I had in North Carolina....then I really didn't know what I was doing.  I would buy a bike, a manual and just tinker until it was running.  Turning wrenches is really a passion I have that has been lost, but now found. 

Here is some progress of the KZ400.
Transfered the title to my name
Had a key made (there was no key in the sale, local locksmith picked the lock and made me a key)
New battery
Replaced fuel line, spark plug boot and plug, oil filter and oil, new fuses
New pod filters
New carb intake boots
I purchased a 1975 fuel tank (the bike came with a 1978) and Clymer repair manual.

Here are some bikes I came across on NC picture files.

1982 Suzuki GS 450

1980 Yamaha XS 400

1974 Kawasaki KZ400

1984 Honda CB 400T Hawk

These pics weren't taken of the finished products, but they were somewhere along the way.

Alex wants to ride!

Hobbies in Full Force

The garden is growing full speed ahead.  We have had a great stretch of weather lately....dry and in the low 80's.  Finally our vegetables are looking really healthy.  Last week we enjoyed our first head of romaine lettuce.  The hops are soaring into the sun.  I had to extend the pole system to allow more twine for them to grow.  I ran the twine from the T in the bar to the gutter system on to the second level of our home.  Tomatoes are just starting to turn color...snap peas and fava beans have blooms as well.  All the herbs are going gangbusters!  I am attempting to grow pumpkins...they are Atlantic Giants and so far are the size of golf balls.  The white corn is chest high.

Yesterday after work I went to our quarterly gun show.  I just finished reading American Sniper that my dad loaned me.  If you have read the book then you know that Chief Kyle's most favorite long range rifle was the 300 Winchester Magnum.  To make a long story short.  I came home last night with a Winchester Model 70  .300 Win Mag.  The stock is composite.  I will add a Harris Bipod and a nice long range sniper scope.  Stay tuned for the add ons.  This rifle is capable of shooting up to 1 mile with the right optics.  I do not plan on sniping any humans, but coyotes, wild boar, and the occasional white tail might encounter my lead at 3000 feet per second.

Call me crazy but I drug Marie to look at a vintage motorcycle last night.  I found it on Craigslist, I have been looking for something like this for a while, but everyone wants too much $$$ for their junk.  This was a deal...especially when I got the fellow to lower the price by another $100.  This morning Marie and I picked it up.

1975 Kawasaki KZ 400s.  This was the the most popular twin engine Japenese bike at one time.  This is a non-running cycle, but with a little work this could be a real head turner.  KZ400.com is a great site to visit if this interests you. 

After a couple of hours it clean up pretty good.  I have a shopping list of parts that I will try and source out on ebay.  Stay tuned.

 I had a 1974 KZ 400 in North Carolina about 6 years ago.

This picture was taken before I fixed it up.  It was a fast little bike.

The Journey of July

July is already half way over.....Time is just flying by with travels and work schedules.  Marie and I found a hidden treasure in our county last Sunday, Newaukum Lake.  I have heard stories from the old timers on how to get to the lake as well as stories of its beauty and the abundance of trout for 4 years now.  After a few questions and with the help of Google Maps we made it.  Our first attempt on July 4 was a failure do to taking the wrong vehicle and loosing daylight.  But we totally redeemed ourselves on Sunday.  We got an early start and drove the Xterra.  This lake is about 15 miles off the highway on gravel logging roads.  It felt like we where climbing at >15 degree incline.  Most of the roadway is along the sides of the mountain top.  We climbed to about 3000 feet.  The views are breath taking to say the least.

After Driving as far as possible we got out and hoofed it.  We were super exicited that we were going to reach water at any turn in the trail.  We found a fresh horse trail and took it....it was the right move.  We saw 300 year old red cedar trees.  Some were up to 8 feet in diameter.  15 minutes later we saw the bright shimmer of a snow melt fed lake.  Newaukum Lake is approximately 8 acres.  

I brought my spinning rod just in case we made it to the lake.  Well since we did, I went ahead and wet my line.  I caught a little trout on the second cast.  Pics of this arent avaiable for the nature of the picture (I was only wearing my undies wading in the water).  I ended up catching another trout (about 8 inches) a few minutes later.  Marie took a sun bath while I fished.  I came across a fairly large piece of stryrofoam and performed a Tom Sawyer.

We stayed a few hours out on this beautiful hidden treasure before returning home.  We will travel there again!  Pictures don't do it justice.  This place truely is heaven.