Featured Surprised Myself Last Night...

I decided to wait until after dark to take.the old.America.over and put. fuel in it. It's been real hot here on the Mohave Desert, some 80 miles.N.E. of Los Angeles. A blast down to get fuel and a long loop home before settling down in front of the TV sounded fun. Cranked er' up about 8:15 as it was starting to get dusk. I wanted a chance to ride it at night to make sure all the lights were working normal and such. Filled up and headed back the 1 1/2 miles home, it was pitch dark now. The one traffic light I have to negotiate is a four lane with a left turn arrow. As I approach all lights are green and wide open. Knowing the left turn (the short but fun way home will be red by the time I get to it, I opt for the straight thru and crank it in 3rd gear. The light suddenly goes yellow///red. With a car on my right I decide to shut it down. Old fingers automatically go into modulation mode, pumping the front brake handle keeping her from locking up. Foot down on the rear brake at the same time lifts and locks it up again and the rear dances a bit. Pavement it still hot and oily where the cars sit at the light. I come to rest right at the crosswalk, the driver of the car stopping a half second or so later staring at me. As I sit at the light waiting for it to go green again, I cannot help but pat myself on the back. You still got it, even after 73 years of life. ...J.D.

 

Been riding since the days of cable/drum brakes. I don't ride far anymore but use the bikes for my local.errands. I occasionally go for.a.romp up in the local mountains with a couple of old guys I know. I have 3 Hinckley s . Do most of my own work on them. I added heat in my garage this year so I can work on them through the winter here. Only.thing that keeps an old "gearhead" like me alive. Hell ! I'm too old to work ! Thank God for two good pensions and Social Security ! ...J.D.

 

Thanks for.the positive thoughts Spacefrog. I don't ride as much as I should anymore. Sometimes I think."I should not.be out here anymore". Then I pull off a really great move in a.jamb like I did the other night. A full on panic stop on hot oily pavement builds the confidence. ...JD.

 

You have a point. I rode a lot of that stuff over the years. These days I opt for machinery that I can rely on to get a good ride in and still not be so modern that it is boring. I have 3 early Hinckley carburetted bikes. A nice mix of old and new. I'm not in to the bikes with computer aided everything. What challenge is that ? ...J.D.