Bike de-hibernation day 2012

[Rocky]

The past few days have been wet and stormy. Early this AM it was nothing but dense fog and a dreary outlook for the day.
But the sun just broke through and the fog is lifting so it's time to service the "fleet" and get them outside and into the garage for the summer - at last!!!!!!!!!!!!
I'll be away from the keyboard for much of the day, but will catch up later.
That will hold true for the next 5-6 months. My time here will be much less than in the winter as summer is time for chores and outside work - as well as getting in some day and overnight riding of course!!!!!!!
When you own a home and a cottage property there's always something that needs doing.
This is the mainland cottage I had renovated so my wife could enjoy the lake as she is physically no longer able to get in and out of a boat.

 

[CarlS]

A lovely setting and nice deck. That spot looks beautiful.

Congrats on getting the bikes out of storage. and welcome back to riding two wheels.

 

[shanered6]

thats nice place you have there rocky , i thought the rain got heavier this afternoon ........you got your bikes out didn't you rocky !

 

[The Seeker]

Enjoy the good Months while you can before those cold and white Months come back (it's always sooner than you want, eh?).

The cottage looks so relaxing Rocky.

And, BTW......give our best to your Wife. We have never had the pleasure, but any woman that puts up with you must be a Saint!!!

 

[Ksquared]

Rocky: The cottage looks absolutely idyllic. What a lovely spot. Enjoy your time there.

 

[DaveM]

Stunning looking place for sure so get out into the sun as much as you can and enjoy

 

[Rocky]

Enjoy the good Months while you can before those cold and white Months come back (it's always sooner than you want, eh?).

The cottage looks so relaxing Rocky.

And, BTW......give our best to your Wife. We have never had the pleasure, but any woman that puts up with you must be a Saint!!!

Wadda ya mean "puts up with you"
Actually, that remark gave me a good belly laugh
Well, I succeeded in getting two bikes running and out in the garage, but the weather closed in again so I quit.
The Bonneville is sitting by the door and will emerge tomorrow, I hope.
That cottage was just a shack that was about to fall down anyway so I contacted some demo guys and the cost of the demo and hauling it away was pretty high.
I contacted a contractor and he said he could turn it into what you see now for little more than the cost of a demo.
Because of my wife's health she could no longer come to the lake because it means a boat ride to the other cottage and she can't get in and out anymore.
We decided to spend the money on a reno and save the building. It was a good decision as we are both enjoying the place now.

 

[devo]

Good one Rocky
And dont be scared if you getting your bikes out buggers up the weather for ya,
cos it seems at this time of year,every time your weather goes bad,ours gets better.
I'm looking at a beautiful day developing here,so about time to get on with it.

 

[Rocky]

Good one Rocky
And dont be scared if you getting your bikes out buggers up the weather for ya,
cos it seems at this time of year,every time your weather goes bad,ours gets better.
I'm looking at a beautiful day developing here,so about time to get on with it.

It was a nice day while it lasted, then the fog and drizzle rolled in and spoiled everything.
Anyway, the Bonneville has it's battery and is sitting by the door ready to burst out like Superman from a phone booth
That is, as soon as I put some gas in it

 

[hendo01]

nice i would give up almost 12 months of sunshine for a month there reel nice

 

[dazco]

My god !!! Thats one of the most beautiful places i can imagine staying ! Enjoy it ! I wish i could retire and live in a place like that. The great thing about places like that for me is i live in the big city and houses are so expensive that a hole in the wall in the worse part of town will cost 5 times what a gorgeous place like that costs. I could afford a place like that outright with my life savings, but then i'd have nothing to live on unless i was willing to commute 5 hours a day, cuz i don't think theres much call for professional hikers.

 

[Rocky]

Thanks dazco
Yes, it is a nice place and turned out very well. We changed the roof line to form a cover over the front deck which is why the roof line looks odd. It has a cast iron wood stove for heat, but it's not insulated and is only a summer place. I'll probably remove the window shutters and open the place up in a couple of weeks.
I pump water from the lake for washing and toilet use, but have a water cooler for drinking and cooking.
My wife is in poor physical health and walks with a cane. Now I can drive right up to the door and she can easily get from the car to the deck.

 

[The Seeker]

Rocky,

I was just kidding of course about the "putting up with you part". But I was serious about giving my regards to your Wife. I think it's great you did all that to accommodate her!

 

[CarlS]

Rocky,

I was just kidding of course about the "putting up with you part". But I was serious about giving my regards to your Wife. I think it's great you did all that to accommodate her!

+1

 

[Rocky]

Rocky,

I was just kidding of course about the "putting up with you part". But I was serious about giving my regards to your Wife. I think it's great you did all that to accommodate her!

Oh yes, of course, I knew that, and I appreciate your good wishes.
It was either renovating the old shack into something habitable or my wife could no longer come to the lake and enjoy it with the rest of the family.
I don't know how to say this without sounding boastful, but I also own a 2 hectare (five acre) island which is in the middle of the lake and only accessable by boat. It has two cabins and that's where we have been going all these years. My wife's physical health reached the point where she could no longer be climbing in and out of a boat so she was left out unless we made other arrangements.
The little blue cabin was the answer - and to think it was almost torn down at one point
It has all the comforts of home now, including a full bathroom, full kitchen, telephone and satellite TV.
We sure know how to rough it

 

[DaveM]

 

[CarlS]

I am glad you were able to provide an alternative so that your wife can still get away and "rough" it.

 

[Rocky]

This turned from a "getting bikes out" thread to a cottage thread.
Do I detect a hijacking......naaaaa.......couldn't be
Meanwhile back at the bikes......I did get the BSA out and the Honda out.
The BSA was really hard to start after sitting for nearly six months, but once it caught it was fine. That's normal for this bike. The Honda is EFI so started almost instantly.
I have to take the bikes out a door that leads to the backyard. The land slopes down from the street so I have to ride up a fairly steep grade before the land smooths out to the street, then across in front of the house on the sidewalk (illegal), and down the driveway to the garage.
We had a lot of rain this week and the ground is soaked. It was a tire-spinning ride up the grade on the Honda and then the bike wouldn't move any further. It's a narrow alleyway so I have to be careful to not hit a tree, the fence or the house. I had to make several attempts, but was finally successful. Heavy bike and lots of power; a dirt bike it ain't.
The BSA didn't have any such weight and power problems
The Bonneville is by the door ready to energe as soon as the weather clears.

 

[shanered6]

hijacking na ! your way way off the mark rocky , by the way did you know timber prices went up by 17% in the last month !

 

[devo]

Oh well
ya got a nice little job now while you wait for the weather to warm up
fill in them hooligan ruts in your property.