PDX to SD shuffle

Wow it's already been 2+ weeks 

since the boys came up.

Boo!!

Like any prepared father,

I was tracking them off the plane,

as they took the long way around on the Max/trolley.

Our day and a half was filled with sightseeing,

if that means mainly hanging out at the track.

Here's a big ole coyote we spooked.

They also got to chase around thousands of geese

that flock around here.

They took some funny videos I need.

City kids...

The kids also got to watch police driver training.

These guys are taught how to spin cars around.

We wanted to do that!

Yeah that's the fun side of being a cop!

After awhile it's like yea another skid...

Woo hoo...

They experienced a rainy first day,

and a pleasantly sunny second day.

Perfect for changing oil...

Cleaning van...

and getting the trailer ready for the southbound adventure.

These guys kick a$$ - no complaints!

The day was full,

and we didn't get much rest before taking off.

There's always something on the std list.

Waking up at 5am for work,

and then leaving for a road trip at 10pm,

doesn't get ya very far,

however it gets ya out of the house.

We only made it 3-4 hours before calling it nap time,

which ended up as the perfect morning drive

through fog rain and snow covered mountains and forest,

where water and fresh air are made!

I think Jake was awake for about 10 minutes of it,

but ya seen one tree ya seen 'em all right?

After Oregon's and Shasta's ups and downs,

Jaxon took over driving duty.

He totaled at least 250 of the 1080 miles!

Not too bad with a trailer.

1080 from Portland to San Diego?

That seems excessive right?

Well 150 miles north of Sacramento,

we got stuck in a huge traffic jam,

caused by the flooding from the 100 year storm.

Great.

It took us 2 hours go 2 miles,

into a string of cars and trucks that was 17-20 miles long!

Supposedly the jam was 6-8 hours.

We ended up taking a detour,

and measured 4 miles packed behind us!

There were half a dozen cars stuck in the muddy median,

and I had been tempted to do the same until coming to the asphalted part.

Whew...

On our okey doke we found this forlorn big rig,

45 degrees tilted into the farm muck.

I thought it was a boat from the distance.

We had to remove our trailer,

turn it around,

and reattach to not get stuck.

Holey Chit!

We also saw a u-haul over half submerged.

Bummed we didn't stop to get that pic.

We ended up detouring 30 miles north,

then 30 miles east to Chico,

then south on the 99.

A good excuse to check out the area!

The river was so huge,

we'd never have made it across further south.

We got home way before the dawn light,

just in time for some family rest,

and a huge Sunday shop thrash. 

These kids are awesome.

How many times have we moved this same old chit.

Ya know once the speakers are moved,

it's the end of an era...

Why do I like the dirtiest heaviest crap.

Jeez...

The idea was to sort the keepers and the flippers,

as the Big 3 swap meet was the next weekend.

Hey Greg!

Your roadster parts are finally at the sandblasters!!

We'll see how nice or rough it'll be...

This stalled project was due for a good rust cleaning,

followed by an epoxy primer.

Our load left some goodies,

we'll have to retrieve at another time.

Thanks Jason!!

The 40 was given the boot,

we needed to stash all these goodies!

In its own bratty way,

it decided to run out of gas down the street.

Guess the ole hussie wanted some attention!

Man these pups got big!!

I had to fly back to Portland on the red eye,

as the vacation pay requires a sandwiched work week.

Since when has I become a stickler for rules and schedules!

It was surreal being back for the couple days,

and just like that I was on my way back.

More later!!

TP

Gas Monkey meets the Barrio

Wow this happened in March!

So Jason had been trying to flip 

his green '23 t bucket for months.

eBay, craigslist etc.

No bites...

Out of the blue comes an offer,

from the guys at Gas Monkey Garage!

Weeks later instead of a quick pick up,

they agreed on shooting a tv episode.

Cool!

3 months after they barraged the barrio...

We had tried to clean up the yard,

and positioned all the hot rods in a maze,

before the crew showed up.

They ate it up.

I may get lucky and have an intro part,

but ya never know with editing.

Ole Chief will get some face time though!

For a reality show,

the skit is unscripted,

and there is some on the fly repetition,

which Jason handled perfectly.

The director and crew know their formula,

and know they're not dealing with actors.

After 5+ years,

the host Richard Rawlings 

can BS for the camera,

and smoothly led Jason's dialogue.

Near the end he actually pulled a fast one,

and bought a second car on the fly,

bringing Jason's dad Mickey into the mix.

The crew was as surprised as anyone.

So yeah it was a trippy experience.

They said 6-9 months which is after September,

we'll have to find someone with cable!

TP

Europe 1990 score

Probably one of the dumbest things I've done...

going to see these guys in Europe.

I blew my load on all the tickets

and a eurorail pass,

leaving $250 for the trip.

Yeah smart!

I survived partially 

by selling peanut butter and jelly sandwiches 

to the US deadheads at the shows.

A little piece of home...

Tough to find peanut butter over there!

I'll write more about that trip in the future...

Seeing the dead play in a 2500 person audience,

was totally worth it!

At the time I couldn't afford one of these cool posters.

It would've gotten ruined anyway!

I did scrounge one of these off a wall.

When I saw this pop up on eBay,

I had to jump on it!

Score!

Typically this poster is in a higher price range!

This c-note version is funny though...

Why pay $100 for a poster printed 

a year after Jerry Garcia died,

6 years after the tour?

C'mon now,

obviously a desperate attempt at money grubbing.

So yeah thanks but no thanks!

I'll stick with the faded looking 

possible knockoff version!

Perfect for the shop wall,

next to Mike Ferguson's 185 mph El

Mirage  grille shell!

TP

shop life 8 - holey chit...

Kids finally get to their spring break.

Schools off for the week...

Woo Hoo!

Let's go finish the pavers!

"What?" Your thinking...

Didn't I read earlier your spot was done?

Uh...yeah...no...

Early this year there was a major change,

disrupting the entire shop like a hurricane.

The end would be beneficial to us all.

it was getting there that took loads of work.

The plan was to totally reorganize the shop,

anything that was heavy would need to be moved,

at least 3 times.

After making the side doors last year,

I had a center sliver,

and it was fine.

More air!

Stuff got done.

No feng shui...

The new deal chopped the shop space

by a third,

however I'd get an end spot.

Can't complain with that.

The timing of the move was perfect,

as this was during that sailboat repower in January.

Jason could go through his pile at leisure,

and I'd go in the evening and do the same.

A couple weeks later and construction finished,

moving finished.

You'd think I'd be happy.

There's always an issue with me!

Little baby crier...

The move gave me a prime spot inside,

but I'd lose the brick driveway outside,

and get stuck with a hard-packed slope.

Jason said he'd have it bricked in a week.

Yeah right!

We knew this area well,

it would be the 3rd incarnation in a year!

The ground was sloped and angled,

on top of that it was rock solid.

The dirt was a hard rubbery pad,

a shale layer of condensed and dried oil residue,

like a dirt asphalt.

Decades as an unregulated car junkyard.

The kids would bust a$$,

a couple rows in a couple hours,

while I played with metal.

Now it's February,

it's dark early.

Bonfires and the Grateful Dead cranking...

Progress was painfully slow.

During the week I was lucky 

to get a dozen down.

On the weekends we'd do a half day,

I'd get shop stuff done,

kids would pound away,

and we'd brick thrash together the last hour or two.

There hands would be blistered and raw.

Slave driver!

This section was a catastrophe.

Ok not that bad,

if you don't mind trimming this row of pavers.

We were like Mayan pyramid builders.

Get out the hammer and chisel!

Yeah wtf happened here!

The odd shaped pavers didn't like the gradual slope.

By the 3rd one I'd figured out the trick,

but this part wore me out.

To make it easier on the grading,

I should have rented a bobcat.

Instead I welded up these custom hammers.

If anyone says you can't weld stainless steel

to leaf spring steel,

using MIG wire,

don't listen to them.

These hammer/picks took some blows.

Perfect bricking tools.

They'd chip and and rake.

Holey chit...

What a dick dad!

These guys kick butt...

Yes we had a normal pick too,

it was tough to get the right angle.

Removing the shale was like picking a scab,

easier to get under it not break through it.

This last section lingered til spring break,

actually the weekend before.

Jaxon was so motivated to finish it.

Both him and Jakob really amazed me.

Even Macey helped move bricks around.

Let's say they all deserved their PS4 time!

Unbelievable...

So yeah looking back this was insane,

especially at a rented shop that may last a couple months or a couple years!

Regardless now it's time to get chit done!

And yeah we still have hundreds of bricks left...

TP