not exactly sure

I'm not exactly sure what I have done but it seems to be better. The cable came loose so it is possible that was the problem with the bike coming back from the store. When I recover from that ride, I will give it a try now that I have fixed the cable. At least I hope I have.

I also tried to ride the WW bike. It did okay at first then it died and I think I flooded it. I might just go back to where I was before and put the 33 engine back on that bike. I haven't decided where I am going to put it. The test bike (old three speed) is shorter than the huffy and it is easier to get in and out of the shop. That is it's big plus.

it would be nice if it were shorter still. I think I need to look into a twenty inch girls bike and then change the front fork for the huffy one. it would make me an almost scooter sized bike. That might be interesting. I'm going to give that some thought before I finish the 33 chainsaw bike.

the 42 cc and a tension headache

I rode the 42cc to the store just now. I knew after a hundred yards that the tension was too great, but I pushed on. It almost killed me coming home. Coming home is up hill all the way and with the tension so tight it bogged the bike down. I didn't think I would ever get home alive. I am still choking for air lol.

I'm going to spend the afternoon adjusting that thing for sure.

gina's bike walter

Walter slept on the futon cushion on the floor Sunday night. On Monday he made the furniture store with same day delivery his first stop. With the cavernous little house in his mind he tried to think what furniture he should buy. He just could not picture any of the sleek looking furniture in that wide open space. The tiny kitchen was no more than a third of the back wall on the left rear of the house. It did have a very small refrigerator and stove. Both appliances were meant for an apartment of about the same size as his little house, so the balance was good.

It was a good thing because Walter know from nothing about decorating. After thirty minutes of wasting his time and that of a salesman, Walter left empty handed. He didn't know what to do next. The one thing he was sure of was that he needed a bed. He also needed a place to make a sandwich.

One of the appeals of the small house was a one car free standing garage. It had been used as a shop/storage building in the rear of the house so long that the driveway leading to it had disappeared under the lawn. Walter moved all his tools the day before so he was ready to build things. That also stayed in the back of his mind while he shopped. Walter's big problem with that was he lack any real skills. Most of what he did was wood butchery.

After his initial shopping debacleWalter was riding around aimlessly on his bike a couple of hours later when he saw the yellow metal building. The sign read Wholesale/salvaged building material for sale. In much smaller print were the words we deliver. That was enough to get Walter's attention.

Walter was surprised to find mostly old doors and window inside the warehouse. It seems that not a lot of other things were of any use to him. He didn't need anything from the bins of copper and galvanized pipe or the piles of hardwood flooring. He bought seven paneled doors from the warehouse and thirty used 2x4's. The price for it all was just over a hundred dollars. The surplus warehouse arranged delivery for the next morning.

Walter stopped on the way home for items from the hardware store. Those were more expensive than the purchases from the surplus building supply store. Walter knew there were going to be many more things he needed but he had a one track mind. That one track mind, even though deeply depressed, had helped him to survive. He could only dwell on one tragedy at a time. He probably would have been overwhelmed and killed himself if he fully grasped the size of his loss.

"Where's your bicycle," the waitress at the family style restaurant asked.

"I had an errand that required the car this afternoon. I was out buying things for my new house."

"New house wow, congratulations."

"Oh it isn't much but I like it. Its less than half the size of the house I lived in before."

"I'm sorry times are tough for everyone."

Walter almost explained that he hadn't lost the big house but he decided not to bother. She was just a waitress. "Yeah, I suppose that is true. Anyway how about a BLT with French Fries?"

"Sure, won't take but a minute."

Walter enjoyed both the food and the iced tea. Iced tea was something he loved but never made at home. It was gallons of diet coke instead.

tomorrow I ride

there will be no welding practice tomorrow. I have a self darking shield type helmet on the way. Until it gets here I will just be riding my bikes. I do plan to ride down to pick up some pain and a water bottle of some kind to make a gas tank. If I get the 33 bike frame painted I might finish the build on Saturday then test the engine over the weekend.

I'll keep you in the loop.

today's issue

had to break the day in half to take care of some family business at lunch. I did give the welder a try this morning with very mixed results. But it did better this afternoon. I'm still not consistent with it, but I expect that to come later.

I haven't ridden for two days now and I'm getting antsy. I think tomorrow I will ride since I can't try welding. My welding lens got broke. I think I dropped the shield and it broke. Oh well I want a self darkening one anyway.

gina's bike Walter

The house on Macy street had started life as a very small two bedroom, one bath house. Somewhere along the way it had been gutted. All of the interior walls had been removed. That particular renovation, though probably wonderful for the owner at the time, had wrecked the saleability of the house. It proved to be a hard sell especially in an already weak housing market. That more than anything else accounted for the low sale price. That low sale price had attracted Walter to the house in the first place.

The first thing Walter realized was that none of his furniture would fit in the house. Nothing at all was going to work in the tiny space. That was actually a good thing. It was time for a new beginning, he decided. It would be hard enough without the constant reminders of a better time. Very few things would come to the new house except his clothes and a few things he really did want to remember.

Walter arranged what would amount to an estate sale. The first thing he did was to have the Salvation Army come in and take away all the things he refused to haggle over. Walter had been warned about estate sales. He also arranged for the same people to return after the sale to pick up what was left.

After that for the next week he met and haggled with people over his lifelong accumulation of stuff. Stuff he felt he would be better off without. He did not allow anyone into the garage where he had moved things he wanted to keep. In the garage he stored the everyday dishes, pots and pans, linens, towels, and his accumulation of tools, along side boxes of his clothes. At least the ones he hadn't given to the Salvation Army. The garage also housed his five year old car and Gina's bike.

Even during the sale, he found time to ride the bike. He just put a note on the door, "I'm on an errand, I'll be right back." The errand was a ride around the neighborhood with a short stop at the nearest fast food drive thru. He and his bike had become a fixture at that drive thru.

The sale was a nightmare on the final day. It was a Saturday of course and the people made him crazy. Walter lived a couple of blocks into the "right side" of main street. People from the "other" side of main street flocked to his house to strip it. Most likely some things went to their cars without being paid for. Yes Bobbie came to help and even brought Sarah. They did help a great deal, but it was still a nightmare.

Since his bedroom suite was sold to a young couple, Walter spent Saturday night in a motel. After breakfast he returned to the more or less empty house. His day was burned by getting the last items ready for the Salvation army pickup the next day, and moving things to the house three blocks into the "other" side of town. He was still on the fringe of the good area but not quite into the high dollar district. The big house was just on the fringe of the "right side" of main street but still just on the fringe.

Walter decided he did not want to return to the motel, so he bought himself a futon mattress at a local furniture store, which happened to be open on Sunday. Walter could have had a bed delivered to the house on Macy street any time during the week of the sale, but he had a one track mind. His simple mind had probably kept him from going insane over that last year. Walter dealt with one thing at a time but he dealt with it completely then filed it away.

The plan was that on Monday the new house would occupy his mind for a few days. Walter for some reason looked forward to that, a year ago he would have been mortified by the prospect of shopping.

2 count em 2

I have two more projects before I assemble the 33 bike in it's new incarnation. probably more will pop up but I have two for now. I need to buy some spray paint and shoot it for color. Right now it is flat black and i have that on the weed whacker bike. I have a different thing in mind for this one.

Also I want to build a gas tank for it. I have a new easy to build tank in mind. I am going to build it before I paint the bike. I want it to seem to be a part of the frame. Here is a drawing of the design....

Gina's bike Walter

Quickly was an understatement. Walter didn't have a lot of money, but he did have enough for the down payment on the tiny frame house that he had seen. He also had just enough income to make the payments and live reasonably well.

"So this is it?" Walter asked the realtor.

"Yep, Walter you own the house on Macy Street."

"The way you said that, it sounds like a horror movie. You know like, Welcome to the house on Macy Street, the movie."

"Oh it's just way too small a house for a man coming from 2000 square feet. Heck Walter your garage is bigger."

"Not quite Rubin, but it is a small place."

"So what are you going to do with the big house?"

"If Bobby doesn't want it, I'll put it on the Market."

"Well I hope you will let me sell it." Walter had gotten to know Rubin pretty well in the two weeks it took to arrange the sale and the financing. It was a natural question for Rubin to ask.

"Rubin, I don't have a realtor so sure you can list it. Just give me one last chance to convince Bobby to take it."

On Sunday Bobby gave his dad the final replay. "Dad I know you mean well, but I really don't want to live in this house. It's just too much for us. Too much space and too much upkeep." He looked his dad in the eye and continued. "You gave me mom's car when I came home and I appreciate it, but the house is too much."

"Oh, I'm not going to give it to you, I was planning to sell it to you."

"I know but I just can't do it."

"Well Bobby, I am going to list it for sale. The housing market is down, so if you decide before it is sold, I'll still work something out for you, but if not it is gone."

"Do what you think is best dad, but I am sure now. I just wouldn't feel good about it."

Sarah never voiced an opinion but Walter felt pretty sure it was her decision more than his son's. It was probably the right decision for them, so Walter didn't resent her for it.

Walter had become quite taken with Sarah's so Edward. Walter was the only one who ever called him Eddie. That was what Sarah said with just a hint of disapproval. Walter didn't care as long as the disapproval didn't grow into something more. He enjoyed teasing her as well as Eddie. Eddie wasn't quite two, so he really didn't seem to be fond of anyone but his mother. Eddie was found of chocolate though.

so I did it

I tried my hand at welding this morning. It sure as heck isn't pretty but then none of my bikes are. I think I finally got enough metal on it to hold. The mount is bolted on anyway. I just wanted the weld to keep it from sliding up and down. I think I accomplished that.

If I survive this attempt at welding. I think I will give the engine mount a tack here and there to cut down on the not so good vibrations. Only if this attempt at welding worked. I don't dare try a drive wheel yet.

bring on the heat

I think I'm going to give welding a shot tomorrow. I have the mask and the rods so it is just a matter of doing it. It looks like I need to be pretty careful with this old welder I bought. But we shall see what we see.

My first job is going to be to tack a rod to my next bike frame. Actually it is an old bike frame but i am redoing the engine mount. I am putting it back like it was originally. The reverse mount worked good for the full suspension bike but it is unnecessary for the regular ones. I do still have it attached to the weed whacker bike though.

My wife drove me in the car to home depot for my metal to make the frame this time. It was just too miserable to ride the bike. the wind is probably fifteen to twenty five miles an hour and cold as the dickens. I have everything I need now so tomorrow I find out how hard this really is to do.

temp success

I got the WW bike engine going with a 25cc carb. I am beginning to think there isnt a lot of difference in the carbs. It seems to rev just as well as the 31cc but it seemed to make a difference on the 33 bike. I don't know if the openings are the same size or not.

I also go the 33 bike mounted onto a frame from mounting to the bike when I get ready. It looks pretty secure this time. I used bands to connect it to the engine mount. Giant hose clamps actually but the kind that plumbers use. I'll have to keep an eye on them to keep them tight I suppose. If I knew they wouldn't need to be adjusted I would do something to hold them down.

Gina's bike Walter

Walter noticed the for sale sign on the smallest house he had ever seen. The house was on the block behind the house where he and his wife had lived when Gina was born. It was a white frame house that looked to be the size of a double garage. He made a mental note of the realtor for some reason. The house haunted him for some reason as he rode the bike home.

With his new found enthusiasm Walter cleaned the house, while a pot of home made soup boiled in the kitchen. He cleaned the house because it needed it in the worse way. If he had known what was in store for him that afternoon, he would have cleaned it for that reason.

At three in the afternoon Bobby showed up with a young woman about his own age. "Dad I want you to meet Sarah." He turned his attention to the young blonde, "Sarah this is my dad."

The introductions took place in the living room. "Hello Sarah, it's nice to meet you."

"Thank you Mr. McGuire, bobby has told me a great deal about you."

"Well don't believe a word of it. I actually have mellowed out since he was last around me."

"Oh I hope not too mellow. Bobby made you sound like a lot of fun." She smiled the smile only a young woman can pull off innocent yet mischievous.

"Ah, well that only time can tell. So come on in I have a pot of homemade soup cooking. It should be ready shortly."

"We can't stay long dad we are just on the way to look for an apartment."

"What about the place you live now Bobby?"

"It's too small for the three of us. Sarah has a daughter dad."

"Sounds to me like you are going to move in together."

"Yes dad. Sarah and I dated before I went to Iraq and now that I'm home for good, we are going to tie the knot. I came to ask if you would stand up for me."

Sarah showed off her engagement ring at that point.

"Son you know I will. I hope you have given this a lot of thought marriage is a big step. It's supposed to last forever."

"We have dad. We had a over a year to think about it. It's what I want to do."

That was the moment Walter's new plan came to be. It was kismet he decided and time to just take the plunge himself. "Well it comes at a good time. I have decided this old house is too big for me."

"Before you go on dad, I hope you aren't planning to do anything stupid."

"Like what?"

"Like try to give me this house."

"Not likely it's the only thing I have of any real value. I have the rest of my life to think about. What I plan to do is to sell it. If you want to buy it, I will make sure you can afford it, If not then it goes on the market. I have no need for a four bedroom two bath house these days."

"Well we will talk about it but I don't think the place would be right for us. Like you said it's just too big."

"That and it isn't very grand," Walter said it with a smile. "Bobby has always loved flashy things. If it shines he is hooked." Walter said the last part to Sarah.

"You know it isn't that."

Since the tone was getting out of hand, Walter said, "What I was going to offer was that if you don't want a deal on the house, then take any of the furniture you would like. Of course take anything of your mother's that Sarah would like.

Just like that the decision was made. Walter began thinking about a smaller place. He decided that he could buy a smaller cheaper place with a long term mortgage right away. Then when the house he lived in was sold, he could just pay off the new house and do the renovations he wanted done. He was sure there would be renovations.

Walter was lucky the housing bubble had burst. The new house would be dirt cheap and he could hold onto the existing house till the market improved. He could just list it and let it sit or he could rent it. He hated the idea of renting it so probably it would sit empty.

"Bobby, if you don't want to buy this house at a deal, think about renting it. There is no pressure but you know I would make you a deal."

"I'll think about it dad but don't count on it."

"Well let me know soon, I am going to make a move very quickly.

One more time for the dime

I'm going at that 33 engine again today. It is laying on the floor of my shop. I have the 31cc walbro carb from the old ryobi cleaned and on it. If it won't start this time, I'm going to buy a new carb on ebay. I have a list of walbro carbs and what features they have. I can look at what is for sale and then on the list to see if they are 11mm and what features they have. If I buy I want a built in choke but I don't care about the primer bulb. The chainsaw body has one of those. It would be better if it didn't have one as a matter of fact.

I have the carb off an old 25cc engine on the old ryobi engine on the bike now. I'm going to try to ride it today if it starts. I want to convert that bike to the 32 again but I'm going to remount it. I'm going back to the front mount. I think it is more secure. I have the welder now so I can hopefully make it more secure. Of course I don't know that lol

what the hell

That 33 bike has no consistency. Sometimes it would start and sometimes not. I tried two different carbs thinking one of them might be just too far gone to have cleaned up well. They both did fine at first then refused to continue running. I'm wondering if the compression is too low but it seems to be okay. I am going to give a rest for tonight then try again tomorrow.

MY MORNING

I got the 33 bike re-rigged as the WW bike. While I was adjusting the carb I noted that the engine had a lot of vibration. I beefed up the mount. I hope that keeps it from shaking apart.

Next time I am going to try a different kind of mount entirely. But for now I plan to ride this bike for the small amount of exercise I get with A ww as opposed to the Chainsaw that doesn't require much assist from me at all.

My welder came and it is pretty much your basic one each fire box. The only control over the weld is with the size rod I use. It does not have a lower power setting so I guess I better be careful. It is only 70 amps so it shouldn't burn up the stock I'm working. I like things simple so this should do just fine.

miserable sunday so far.

The only good note is I rode the 42cc bike and it did very well. I had to change the tension spring to finally get the tension close to right. It pulls pretty well now. Good enough for me at the moment.

I could not get the 33 bike to fire at all. I got angry and switched the WW engine to the bike instead of the 33. It wouldn't start either. What a mess. It's going to be cold tomorrow so it's probably not going to get done for a while.

The plan now that I have had a minute away from the bike, is to get one of the engines running then rebuild the bike. The welder should be here sometime this week so I will give that a shot at building the frame. But first I want a dependable engine for it. Either of those engines will have enough power for that bike. I really want it just to goof around on and get a little exercise. I think I want to build with the WW since it is where I started. I would like to have one of those around.

I don't think I'm going to find a lighter weight frame than the old three speed girlie bike that I test with. That being the case I am probably going to get the WW running and then set the bike up for it.

It was in the third week of his new found freedom from depression that Walter woke up on a Sunday morning with the desire for pancakes. Walter, since his wife passed, are cereal for breakfast every morning. He usually choked it down with strong black coffee. After Gina's death he often forgot to eat breakfast at all. It was extremely unusual for Walter to think about anything he ate. Most recently he had eaten whatever was around the house, as long as it was easy to prepare.

Walter took it one step farther that Sunday morning he decided that he wanted to have pancakes at the Griddle Cake Restaurant. The Griddle Cake was about two miles from his house. Walter decided that the trip was more than doable with the bike, it was ideal for a Sunday morning ride..

Walter dressed warmly, then he topped off the gas tank on the bike. The bike started with a roar and a cloud of white smoke as it always did. Walter started his two mile ride in something less than a roar but still under power. Since most of the land in his hometown was flat Walter was required to pedal only a couple of times.

He arrived at the Griddle House in really good shape. He was not the least bit tired, not had he raised a sweat. He was in fact on a bicycle high, as he had come to think of the feeling of well being he felt after his morning ride. He left his Walmart bike helmet on the handlebars as he went into the restaurant.

"Walter, how the hell are you," a man only slightly younger than Walter's 59 years asked.

"I'm just fine Jim how are you?"

"I'm good Walter. It's good to see you out and about. It's been too long."

"Yes it has."

"Why don't you come join me and the wife." Jim had been on his return trip from the bathroom. Probably prostrate problems Walter thought.

"Thanks Jim but I'm not quite ready to socialize yet."

"Well when you are ready, keep me and Betty in mind. She would love to see you. At least stop by the table and say hello."

"Oh alright," Walter agreed. The meeting with his friend's wife went well. She managed to say her twenty words without mentioning his wife or Gina. Since it went so well, Walter was still in a good mood when he devoured his pancakes.

Instead of going straight home Walter road through the neighborhood behind the Griddle House. I was the area where he and Gloria's first home was located. Walter decided that he would like to see what had become of the old place.

He found the house pretty much as he had seen it last. The paint was new and the yard showed signs of coming to life after the winter otherwise it was the same. There were even kid's toys in the yard. just as there would have been the day before he moved to the new place. Walter had time to notice all that as he rode by. He decided again that he loved Gina's bike. He love being able to look around a see things not just drive by them.

Gina's bike (walter)

Walter McGuire was pretty much completely withdrawn by the time his son came home from Iraq. Losing his wife to cancer and his daughter to a murderer had pretty much left him in a depression he could not shake. He should have tried the pills the doctor suggested, but he instead he wallowed in the depression.

Walter never really knew whether it was Bobby coming home safely, or if it was the bike ride that was forced upon him, but for some reason Walter felt a little better after Bobby's visit. He felt good enough that he used the weed eater gas to fill the bike's small tank and go for another ride.

On that ride Walter saw small kids look up and smile. Some shouted to him and some gave him thumbs up. Grown men even stared at him. Walter found that he loved the attention. The attention which wasn't about his loss but about his gain. He even began looking around at the small details of his neighborhood. He discovered that some of the trees had begun to bud out. Spring was in the air for sure. He also noticed that the two dogs on the corner ran along with him. Fortunately for Walter they were inside a sturdy chain link fence. Walter made a mental note to buy some dog treats to carry with him as he rode. Yes he was already making plans to ride again.

Walter rode twice a day around the neighborhood. He rode even when it was uncomfortably chilly. He found that he looked forward to seeing the changes outside. He was moving slow enough to look around, but fast enough to feel like he was flying now and then. There was one hill in the neighborhood that he couldn't quite pull under the engines power alone. For that he had to pedal, but even then it was like pedalling on a flat surface not uphill at all. He reasoned that even that was good for him. He really hadn't been getting any exercise at all. He spent most of his time cooped up in the house. All that changed just because of the little engine on the girlie bike.

After a month the weather was nicer and Walter felt much better about himself. He thought that he should go look at a motorcycle. He had always wanted one, so this might be the time, he thought.

He spent the whole day looking at motorcycles. He walked away with a seat covered in motorcycle brochures. He even test rode one of the bikes. It frankly scared the hell out of him. He also lost that connected feeling that he had with the bike. On the bike he felt part of the surrounds not just traveling through them. In the end, he decided not to buy a motorcycle.

It was a decision of which he felt sure Bobby would approve. He hadn't discussed any of it with Bobby, but he was sure Bobby would rather have him tooling around on the motorbike than on a motorcycle. Since Bobby hadn't been around for the deep funk, he didn't realize how much better his dad felt and acted. If he had noticed he would have put it down to his being home. That surely was part of it, but not all of it.

Come saturday morning

I'm going to ride the 33 bike and probably the 42 as well. Just test rides but I'm going to get them out even if it is cold. Well I am if and when the roads get dry. It seems there are showers in the forecast for the morning.

I'm really getting impatient for things to move on. I haven't gotten my welder or the clutch assembly for the 42bike yet.

I did get one of those European style string shopping bags. I bought it because it is usually easier for me to carry small things home from the store on the handlebars. Those plastic bags give me cause for concern so I bought some reinforcement.

Well time to get my butt moving.

how stupid

I put the bike back together with the propane tank, the bigger carb and the air filter from the smaller carb. so it suddenly wouldn't start.

My steps to solve the problem.

1. I thought it wasn't getting any gas. Checked the filter and the lines and the hookup.. I finally did enough to assure myself that the bike was getting gas. Tried to start it .... nothing.

2. Checked the electrical system. no problems.

3. I was just about to switch the carbs again when I removed the air filter and the bike started right up. Somehow that air filter would not work on that carb. so I am gong to need to do something about that tomorrow.

I adjusted the cable for the carb and now it seems to be doing pretty good. I might need to run the idle screw in a bit but otherwise it seems to be fine.

I started it

I got the bike to start on the first try. I redid the throttle and it is ready to go now. I need to redo the gas lines. I have five feet of gas line coming from ebay, but I think I will stop at the home depot and get two feet to rig this bike tomorrow. I want to ride it. When the welder gets here and I'm ready to use it, I plan to make a 1/2 inside diamerter pipe drive and a 1 1/4 outside diameter drive. it has a 2" drive on it now. The 2" won't quite climb the hills but I think the 1 1/4 will be a good all purpose drive. The 1/2 which is going really be about 5/8 inch will work as a hill climber. This might prove a good test for what drive wheels really do.

I bought an angle grinder last night. I think I am going to grind flat spots onto the drive wheels. That should give me some push on the tire without sanding it down.

the 33 is back like it was

I took a chance and placed the 31cc carb with the idle adjustment screw back on the 33 bike. After yesterday's cleaning of the propane tank, I thought maybe what happened was the gasoline got contaminated and thats what the bike wouldn't start. I had already changed out the carb so I just took a chance and switched it back. The bike fired right up on the first pull. So that solves that problem. Now i have to Get the smaller drive wheel on it when the welder comes and I get competent with it.

It was supposed to rain today so I didn't even give riding a thought. I would love to ride tomorrow. I will just have to wait and see what I can do.

by the way..

I cleaned the propane tank again and found more junk in it. I thought I had it clean before but I guess I didn't. I washed it with gasoline a few times, then carb cleaner, then carb cleaner and gasoline mix, then alcohol and carb cleaner, then just alcohol. now I'm letting it dry before I give it another try.

I'm also going to buy some gas line while I'm thinking about it as well.

Dans Idea

I like dan's idea of a two speed friction drive. I think I might give it a good look soon. At the moment I'm thinking I'm going to try to swap the forks from a 26" bike to a 20" I have a short bike I would like to motorize. I have motor and wheel for it, I just need to go do it. So I think I'll take a look now.

I forgot my wife complained so much that I tossed that bike frame out. I stripped everything worth having from it but I did toss it. So now I think I'll strip the front forks from the two 26" bikes I have, then toss those frames as well. 20" frames are easy to find. I'll just go to the the thrift store and pick up one.

Well the pack is restless

I need to feed the beast compare those carbs since I have a couple of clones not on bikes at the moment. I can do all my tinkering on the 33 bike and leave the 42 bike ready to use for parts runs. It's a pretty good solution for a while at least. I might look into building a tiny WW bike I have all the parts around to do it.

compare

I have put the carb from a 25cc weed whacker onto a 33cc chainsaw and it runs but it doesn't have much power. Tomorrow I need to measure the openings in the two different carbs. Just to see if there is any.

the the 42 out

I took the 42 bike out for a spin. It was about fifty degrees but I was cold. It is time to start dress specially for the ride. I did that last winter with the bike. With the china bike gone I wanted to check out the replacement. It was a tough go a place or two that hadn't been that way before. I think I have a little too much tension on the drive. Actually I think I need a smaller drive wheel for the hills around here. I have a couple but I need to get them welded up. For that I need the welder and to learn how to do it.

a day without the china girl

I am going to miss that bike even though I never rode it any more. It was sitting in my storage building just in case I needed it. Now I will no longer be able to shift things between bikes. I need to have one up and running all the time. I know its the 42 for sure that will be the stable boss.

I just sold my china kit bike

So now I'm going to be relying on the 42cc bike to get me around. I think it is up to the task. If I can get a little more beef out of the ryobi I would be happy to build just with it.

I might do some research on how they hot rod them for airplanes. It might be worth a look.

I got it done again

I finished the 33 bike. I had to make some changes because of the way the carb is but the bike is great for exercise lol. Every time I stop I have to pedal it to restart it. I rode the bike to the home improvement store for some insurance. I bought three 7" diameter plumbing pipe clamps. I strapped the engines on both my chainsaw bikes to the mount. That should be an insurance policy against them just falling off again.

Gas milage is still pretty sat on the bike. I went about five miles and used a little less than 8oz. Still under a hundred mpg

finish or die

I am going to finish that 33bike today and ride it again. I do like the bike even if the motor is making me an evil prick. I rethought the clutch thing last night as I sat here chatting with a friend or two.

It is just going to need to be lever off the tire then a cable can connect it to the pull lever. It sounds more rube goldberg that it is I hope.

I got one

after lowball bidding on three welders I got one. It is a 70 amp welder which I was told was big enough. I got it cheap enough to learn on. If I screw it up, I can always chuck it and by then I might be ready for a better one.

So now I have to ruin some metal so that I know what I'm doing.

well I fixed it ???

I got the engine back on and I'm really not happy about that bike. The engine runs okay, and the big drive wheel is okay, but the engine just doesn't seem to be secure. I wondering now about the 42 I'm going to give it a good once over tomorrow.

I also have to finish up the 33 bike. I was too tired tonight to finish up the controls on it. The engine moved and now the cables are all wrong plus I cant get the damn engine to lift. I am going to have to ass some more levers to it. I cant get enough angle with simple cable it's going to need cable and lever to change the angle.

it fell off

the 33 engine just fell off the bike this afternoon. I had been all over town and was testing a new clutch idea when it fell off. It was held on only by the throttle cable. I couldn't believe it. Now I am going to put it on more solidly than before.

I had an email about my motor bike on craigs list. I had decided to keep the china bike but if the guy wants it it's gone.

I made the decission

I decided last night to buy a welder. I have been toying with the idea for a couple of days. I decided last night that I would get one for sure. I still haven't decided for sure which one but I am a minimalist. I want the one that will do what I need but nothing more. I'm not going to be making a bullet proof bike so that would be a waste. I need to weld drive wheels and motor frames.

I know I'm not going to be building bikes for sale, but I want one anyway.

I learned a valuable lesson from my mother in law's death. She got sick and we had to spend all her money on her care before medicaid would help with her nursing home expense which was fair. We also have to give all the money from the sale of her home to the state to partially reimburse for her care. It won't cover what we owe but the debt will be wiped clean.

So my point is the idea of leaving anything for the kids is not really relevant here. My wife or I one will eat up all the money that is in our savings. I don't really need a welder but it would be a convenience and I have the money for it now so I'm going to buy it.

Who knows I might even start making yard art lol...

finally got er done

After the temperature rose a little, I started the 33 bike and the new throttle connection worked as it was supposed to.

I rode off a way to drop the engine and the cable holding the engine up broke. So I went and bought a real cable not a bike cable. I spent a couple of hours making it fit. Then I test rode it.

The bike rides like a 25cc on steroids. The smooth wheel makes the engine less efficient but does very little damage to the tire it seems on first ride. I'll have to let you know later how much it does.

The bike climbed hills a 25cc wouldn't and when it needed help, it was just a little help. Bike killer hill was the worst. I had to pedal some but it was not really hard pedaling more like I would do on a flat surface than on a really steep hill.

The bike will boogie on the flat and down hill of course. I haven't been able to keep the engine going when I engage the clutch. It has to do with the carb not having an idle adjustment. I think I'm going to keep my eye out for a better carb.

I guess I could learn to rebuild the one I have but if I can get one for the same price as a rebuild kit, I'm going that direction.

gina's bike continued

"So are you going to keep the bike or give it to me," Bobby asked.

"If you really want it, you can have it," his dad said.

"No Dad, if you want it, I can build one myself. There isn't much to it."

"Well, if you can do that, I think I'll keep it. I don't know how often I will ride it, but it was Gina's and I know now that I can ride it."

I was going out to ride

when I realized my poor doggie who spends her days in a kennel needed more cedar in her house it is just over forty today at the moment. So I went out in just my shirt sleeves to add it. IT IS COLD AS A STEPMOTHER'S KISS OUT THERE.

I am going to ride both bikes today regardless. I'm just going to wait till the temperature and the sun both rise a little more. I'm wondering how much better the gasoline mileage will be with the smaller carb on the 33 bike. I might have to check it out. It was 75 with the 31cc carb from the ryobi engine.

Hey I wonder what the gas milage difference is with different diameter drive wheels. Even with different covers on them. God I wish it were summer I would begin testing that as well.

I have bid on another welder. I'll get one eventually for the price I'm willing to pay it's just a matter of time.

I lost it

I bid on a welder last night on ebay. I lost it of course since I am trying to buy one for peanuts. That is because I most likely will use it ten times and never again. I just want it so that when i need something done I don't have wait around.

Todays plan is to ride my bikes. I think I have everything fixed on them now, except I need a smaller drive wheel for the 33 bike and I might need to get a new carb for it. the one from the 25cc engine is probably holding it back some. I'm not sure that I care though. With a smaller drive wheel it might do all I need it to do.

I pedaled that bike some yesterday and it rolls pretty good. I think I might ride it under power to the bike trail then kill the power and ride it on the bike path. Then when I get tired, I can pull onto the road and drop the engine.

Now that would be cool.

I gave up

I got tired of trying to coordinate two different throttles so I found a way to hook up a throttle cable to the engine mount. I have to wait for some jb weld to set but I think it will work okay.

I think I am going to break down and buy a welder. I need something new in my life. Since i'm not chasing women any more, a weld should do for a while. Then I will have to find something else to do.

gina's bike

When Gina's brother Bobby returned from Iraq, six months later, he found her bike in his dad's garage. It was not love at first sight. He thought the bike was ugly as hell. However he was curious as to why his sister bothered with the underpowered noisy contraption.

Unsatisfied curiosity didn't sit well with Bobby. Where he had been not knowing things got you killed. It took two days for the curiosity to wear him down. When it finally got to him, he sat on the bike to figure out what each brake lever and gear shifter did. He found that he had the 7 lower gears to play with. The front shifter cable was hooked up to the throttle of the tiny engine. The left hand brake lever worked the rear brakes, but the left one lifted the engine. He was pretty sure if he didn't lift it the bike would kill the engine when it came to a stop.

If the old pull rope hadn't been tied to the handlebars he wouldn't have known how to start the bike. He wasn't a hundred percent sure how to wind it but he figured it out. The choke instructions were marked on the engine so it wasn't difficult to start. The bike had half a tank of gas, since it was a weed whacker engine he knew he would have to mix oil and gas to put in the tank. He hoped that it wouldn't be necessary to get the bike going. He had no plans to do more than ride it around the block.

The engine started fairly well. As he revved it up, he looked over at his economy class Korean car. It seemed to be laughing at him. He smiled at the thought.

Bobby had an idea that he needed to be rolling pretty good before he dropped the engine onto the front tire. When he dropped the engine and opened the throttle he was surprised that the bike shot ahead. No it wasn't blinding speed but it did step out pretty good for a bicycle.

The trip around the block turned into a trip around his dad's neighborhood. He smiled a lot at the feel of the wind on his face. He also notice things from the seat of the bike that he would never have seen from his car. He waved at several the neighbor and a few kids even shouted at him. The dog in the chain link fence a block over ran along inside the fence playfully. Bobby was surprised how much fun the ride had been.

"I see you took Gina's bike out for a spin," his dad commented on his return.

"I sure did. I am surprised how much fun that things is. Have you tried it yet?"

"No, I'm a little old for bicycles."

"Not this one, come on dad give it a try." After a couple of seconds his dad looked interested. "Do you have any 2 stroke gas mixed up."

"Sure, I got some for the Weed eater. It's in the plastic one gallon can. The two gallon can is for the lawn mower."

Bobby filled the small plastic tank, then sent his dad off to ride. He was a little worried since it had been years since his dad rode a bike. His dad seemed tentative as he pulled off.

His dad had been gone so long that Bobby was on the verge of going in search of him. Just as he planned to get the car out, his dad rode up.

I rode the 42bike

I had to exoxie the throttle so I rode it today. The road is damp now so I can't open it up completely but it seems to fun just fine. the throttle works well. I might need to change the tension a bit but otherwise it seems to do just fine. It even runs good on the damp road. It should do a lot better when the road is dry.

I need to test the 33bike next. I have a two inch wheel on it and a 25cc carb. If the carb seems to do well, I plan to switch the 2" drive wheel for a much smaller one. I have in mind a 1/2 ID pipe with JB and sand. that should give me about 3/4 OD.

How I attached the throttle cable

I ran into the problem with the throttle cable. I had to attach the sheath to the engine mount and had no way to do it so I found a bit of metal and bent it so that it was angled well enough to give me a fairly straight run from the cable. I slipped a 1/4 nut onto the cable, then ran the cable through the hole in the metal. I mixed up some five minute epoxie. I epoxied the nut to the cable and to the metal holder. I added a second nut on the other side just to give it little more strength and expoxied that as well.

I spent more money

I ordered a clutch assembly which I have to do to get the clutch nut that fits the 42bike. At least I think it fits the 42 bike. I won't really know till it gets here.

I am going to have my neighbor make me a 1/2 Id drive wheel for the 33 bike. I'm going to see if I can turn it into a hill climbing machine. It has the carb from a 25cc weed eater so I have to see how it runs with that little carb. I might go for a bigger carb if I ever see one.

It's wild

It's wild but I had to wire up the throttle (shifter) and the suicide throttle. The shifter wouldn't work the carb when the motor was lifted and I don't have an idle screw on the carm. Why I have no idea.

Anyway it is done but it is also raining at the moment. I Will give it all a try when the rain stops.

The 33 bike

The carb went out on the 33 bike. I spent the morning checking then replacing it. All I had handy was a carb from a 25cc weed eater. It is a piece of junk carb but It started the bike. The big problem is there is no way to adjust for an idle. I can make it run or I can let it die there is nothing in between. I think I need to find a way to fix that. I wish i could do what I did with the 42 bike but it isn't going to work on this one. Unless I come up with a new idea and I just might have one or two laying around. I am going to check one thing then rethink/

Night Ms Calabash where ever you are..

It worked.

I made myself a cable holder on the 42 engine and the throttle works the same now in any configuration. Not great but the same. I think I need to take some slack out of it now. I can't seem to get it wide open on the hills.

I also got the 33 bike running somewhat. I replaced the carb with one from a 25cc weekwhacker. that should be interesting when I get it rigged and try to ride it. Thank also has an 2 inch drive wheel. I'm not even sure it will run at all. I will find out tomorrow i expect.

Being away

Having some time not trying to make the throttle work let me work on some ideas to fix it. It probably will work sometime today. I'm going to hae to work on it for a bit then give it a break my back is still pretty sore.

i got a wild hair

I stripped the WW engine from the suspension bike and put the 42 chainsaw engine on it. Everything look fine except I am having trouble adjusting the throttle cable. I had that all the time with this bike. I love that the bumps don't hurt as much but I swear if that throttle doesn't work tomorrow this thing is going in the trash.

A suicide throttle would work but it's much to dangerous on this bike. This bike is too darn fast for that.

Wednesday 7am

Overnight I developed a pretty good backache. One of those old man you did too much, things. I'll take a pill give it an hour and then go back to work. I have been thinking that I might retire the 33 bike. It's performance is similar to the 42 and 41 bikes so it doesn't really bring anything different to the table. I should actually go down to one well made friction bike. I have the good china bike since no one seems to be interested in buying it. Probably the wrong time of year to sell it. Plus I should put it out on the curb. Anything can be sold from my front yard. My heart just isn't in selling it I suppose.

For sure I'm going to see if the 33bike starts today, then I am going to test it with the huge drive wheel that I have on it now. After that I may well retire it.

I also rode the 33 bike and it is miserable

I used the new propane gas tank and it clogged the carb. I am going to try to clean it out without taking it off the motor. I also broke the drive wheel and had to cut on the mount to make my spare one fit it. All in all an interesting day.

I am torn the 42 bike is really really a nice powerful bike but the 31cc WW is easier to build and work with. Very hard to decide what to do if I have to replace a bike.

I rode the 42cc

That bike is almost the perfect friction drive bike. I would like it better on a full suspension frame. I might move the engine there or build a new one one day. I will most likely build a 42cc or larger bike if I build again.

I have absolutely no idea what I will do tomorrow. I think I might take the 42bike out for a spin. I don't know yet since I haven't quite got a handle on what it will do. I would like to have a smaller drive wheel but who knows. I have a nut ordered from ebay, it just might fit the threads on the 42cc engine. Of it does I'm going with a smaller wheel.

I am also debating how to get away from the jb and sand it is doing a number on the tires I think. Anyway good night john boy.

part two

Part two.

There was a chilly rain that day. It seemed totally appropriate for the task at hand. There were less than a dozen people standing in the rain beside the flag draped metal casket. The flag was Gina's brother's idea. He had flown in from Iraq on emergency leave. He and his father walked through the wet grass toward the black family car.

I'm glad you came Bobby, just don't seem real," Gina's father said with a choking voice.

"I know dad, but it is. You don't know how I hate to be here like this."

"Can you stay a few days to help me sort through things?"

"Sure dad," Bobby said. Bobby stood tall and straight in his green army uniform. He wore the chevrons of a Sargent. Gina had been a first lieutenant while her younger brother was an enlisted helicopter door gunner. He and Gina had little in common, but brothers and sisters often were as different as night and day.

Gina's father almost collapsed as he bent to enter the family car. Bobby supported him, but felt an equally heavy weight. Gina had been the best of the children Bobby knew that. Her loss was going to cripple his father. It was so soon after Bobby's mothers death. It isn't fair, he thought. Not fair at all that his dad had to suffer the death of both the women in his life in less than a year.

Gina's bike a continuing story written in real time

Gina's Bike

Lois raised her eyes from the table she was cleaning to look out the greasy window. Her interest had been peaked by the sounds of what could have been a weed whacker moving across the parking lot. The sound was moving too fast for the Mexican landscape crew.

What Lois saw was a figure on a most uncommon bicycle coming across the parking lot. The rider pulled the bike onto the sidewalk. The figure was dressed in long shorts and a zippered windbreaker. Since the lunch crowd had left, Lois could spare the time to watch the figure swing a leg over the bike. The bike helmet and thick plastic rimmed sunglasses, and generic dress hid the rider's features. The rider locked the bike before removing the helmet.

Lois' suspicions were confirmed when the biker removed the helmet and unzipped the windbreaker. The rider of the odd bicycle was a woman. She had moved with a grace that tipped Lois off before she revealed herself. Not only was the rider a woman she was an attractive women. If there was one thing in the world Lois appreciated, it was an attractive athletic woman. The blonde spiky hair was a bonus.

Lois moved quickly to be sure she was the one who greeted the woman at the door. "Welcome would yah like a table or a booth?" Whenever she thought enough to listen to her own voice, Lois was embarrassed. She was a pure redneck and her accent and choice of words confirmed what her body and dress hinted.

"I think I'll just sit at the counter," the stranger suggested.

Lois backed off. She got a good look at the thin graceful blonde as she moved to the counter. The view from behind was just as spectacular as the view from the front. Lois hurried around to stand in front of the woman. "So what can I get you to drink?"

"Do you have iced tea?"

"Sure sweetened or un?" the waitress asked.

"Un," The blonde replied.

After the better look Lois was finally ready to commit to a guess as to her age. The blonde was definitely thirty or so. "You want the lunch or breakfast menu?" Lois asked.

"If you are still serving breakfast, that would be nice."

"You must be new around here," Lois made the statement a question as she placed the breakfast special on the counter in front of the blond.

"Do you know everyone in town?" The blond asked it with a smile.

"Pretty much it isn't that large of a town."

"How about everybody at the prison camp, do you know them to?"

"All the staff has been in here at one time or another. Is that were you are from?" Lois asked.

"Yes, I work at the prison camp." Gina replied. She knew that it was officially the department of corrections women's work facility number 5, but it was the prison camp to everyone involved. It did have some of the architectural features of a summer camp. Long rows of cabins sleeping ten women each in cheap metal bunk beds.

The beds might have been military surplus. If not they were definitely made by the same manufacturer. Gina knew a little about military beds since she had done ten years in the U.S. Army herself. She joined the prison staff only because the state recognized her military time toward retirement. That being the case she could end her career with the state ten years and six months early. It was also the only place she could get a ten year jump in starting salary.

"So where did you get the bicycle, I have never seen anything like it?" Lois asked.

"I built it myself. Don't be surprised if you see more of them around in the future. With gas at nearly four dollars a gallon a bike that gets 200 miles to the gallon is likely to catch on." The little white lie wouldn't hurt, Gina thought.

"What would one of those cost?" Lois could have cared less about the bike, but the blond's tone had changed to friendly when she discussed her bike.

"I built that one from used parts for under fifty dollars," Gina replied.

"Wow that is impressive," the waitress replied.

"Not so much when you realize it will only go about fifteen miles an hour. The same guy who designed that bike also has plans for a much bigger one. I plan to build it next." All that was said between bites of scrambled eggs and link sausage.

"I'm Lois," the waitress informed the blond.

"Gina," She replied extending her hand.

"So how long you been a prison guard?"

"Oh I'm not a guard, I'm head of the medical department out there."

"Oh my a lady doctor," Lois said in awe.

"No not really just a nurse practitioner. I run the medical department, but the local doctor is on call for anything that I can't handle. There won't be much I assure you," Gina replied.

Since there was a natural break in the conversation Gina added, "Well I guess I need to get back. I have done enough sightseeing for one day.


Lois followed Gina to the cash register. She stood beside the hostess as she accepted the ten dollar bill from Gina. Lois could sense that her attention was embarrassing Gina but she couldn't seem to stop. Even before she knew who the bike rider was Lois had been fascinated.

Gina turned without even a goodbye and strode purposefully from the cafe. Strode was the right word, Gina seemed to move more like a man than a woman. Yes there was grace in her movements but also more economy of movement than most women seemed to exhibit.

Lois watched as she swung her log over the bike, then pushed it forward and began to pedal. Without warning a small cloud of white smoke erupted from the engine. The whine of the engine seemed out of place on the bike. Lois watched as the blond and the bike zipped from the parking lot. Both bike and rider were out of sight in seconds, leaving Lois to smile and shake her head.


The small 31cc weed whacker engine pushed the thin blonde at a dangerous speed. Well not dangerous for a car maybe but on the mountain bike converted to motor bike, 30mph was way too fast. At least it was on the small town's poorly maintained streets. The bike was more stable on the country roads but still there were spots that jarred Gina's almost perfect teeth.

Gina loved the feeling of the wind blowing against her skin. She could feel the air even through her lightweight clothes. It was a good thing the state had built a small apartment building outside the prison camp for the staff. The warden would never approve of how she dressed when not working.

That particular morning Gina wore shorts. Shorts that were long enough when she stood, but on the bike they were dangerously short. She also wore an faded blue cotton work shirt. She had at least one button too many open on the shirt, but it was hidden under the windbreaker she wore. Gina liked the way she looked. She would love to have ridden the bike with no helmet. Her spiky blond hair wouldn't have been the things dreams are made of, but it would have felt good to feel the wind in her hair.

The 15 minute car ride back to her apartment took 24 minutes on her bike. Gina hadn't have time to get comfortable in her new home so she was uneasy when she entered. The apartment was half furnished by the state but only the bare essentials. She had appliances in the small kitchen but no table or chairs. She had a western style sofa and chair with exposed wooden frames and big thick cushions but no tables or lamps. Her bedroom had a bed but no dresser or chest of drawers. The apartment was Spartan at best.

The only good thing about the apartment was that the rent came out of her salary. The deduction was less than half what it would have been for a real apartment. The downside was that the apartment was in the middle of nowhere. The prison camp was half a mile down the road. The only town of any size in the area was a two hour drive.

The small town where she had eaten breakfast could be walked through, end to end, in three minutes. She hadn't timed it but one of the guards had. The guards took a perverse pleasure in telling new employees all the bad things about the prison camp. It was remote, the pay was terrible, the hours worse than awful, and employees were always on call in case of a disturbance. Oh yes there had been a prison riot once.

Gina laughed at that one. She couldn't imagine the prisoners of the work camp rioting. After all they were minimum security female inmates.
xx

Gina had just enough time for a shower and a few minutes dedicated to checking her email and catching up on the national and international news on her computer. Her shower that day like her showers on most days was uneventful. She didn't find any new moles, no creepy crawly things, and no lumps in her small breasts,so she was good to go for another day. Since she knew that her spiky hair wilted in the steam of the shower, she washed it three times. She was a bit obsessive compulsive that way. Everything thing had to be super clean for her. It had to do with working with sick people she told anyone who asked.

After her shower she sat naked while checking her email. She had a handful that got deleted immediately. She had absolutely not need for a penis enhancement drug. She had two emails that were of interest,

One was from her brother who was somewhere in Iraq. He always tried to write cheery letters. Gina knew first hand that there was nothing cheery about Iraq. She had done two tours there before deciding that the army was not for her.


The second email she chose to read was from her former commanding officer at the army field hospital in Baghdad's green zone. Col E M Quinn wrote that things there were the same as when she left. Mostly blisters and heat exhaustion from to much basketball. The American military injured and dead had fallen dramatically. It had not always been the case. Gina had been there during the worst of it. Troops choppered in from all over Iraq to be treated for all kinds of injuries. A lot of body parts were chopped off in the bad old days.

She shook her head visibly to clear it of those bloody images. These days she was head of the prison clinic. Even when on her day off she was on call. It was why she carried the prison camp pager in addition to her phone. When the beeper went off she was supposed to call the prison clinic within ten minutes. Yes even if she was in bed with a lover. Gina doubted that it would be a matter of life and death but she supposed that it was possible.

Before she put on her scrubs she filled the bike with the gasoline and oil mixture. The one mile ride to the camp would take about a tablespoon of gasoline, but she had no intension of running out. The woman who sold her the bike (yes a woman had built it just not Gina) had impressed on her the warning to never run out of gasoline. She had also provided the gasoline can and the first half gallon of premix. It was that important she informed her.

With the tank filled, she washed her hands yet again. She put on her white scrubs then opened the door and pushed the bike through. Just as he had stressed that she use the right gas and oil mix, the seller had also stressed the need to start the bike and let it warm up before riding it off. Since the bike had been ridden already she ignored that warning and threw her leg over and began to pedal. By the time she reached the end of the parking lot she dropped the engine onto the tire and it roared to life within a couple of seconds.

The bike buzzed off propelling her to another day's work.



The prison camp was several acres of worthless dirt surrounded by a ten foot chain link fence with barbed wire on top. There were lights at night and guard towers at each corner. It was widely believed that the guards were either sleeping or getting laid within an hour after lights out for the inmates.

As clinic manager Gina's shift was pretty much whatever she wanted it to be. Gina liked her RN happy, so she was pretty flexible. After all she did not have an family to worry about. She did not let her employee take advantage of her though. Every favor she did had to be repaid. In the end she hoped it created respect and loyalty. The only way to know was to wait for trouble to come calling and it always did sooner or later.

The male guard waved her through the chain link gate. It probably should have been closed between entries but it more or less stayed open all day. She rode the bike to the rear of the clinic where she parked it in the clinic manager's space. She would have given the space to the nurse, if there had been a shortage but each of them had a parking space assigned.

The prison camp's clinic was small but no smaller than the emergency room in community hospitals. Gina had an office but didn't see patients there. She saw them in one of the two examining rooms. There was a Registered Nurses who ran the clinic 3 days a week. Gina was on call and also scheduled herself for 2 twelve hours shifts and to fill in for special days off. Since she was on call 24 hours a day, now and then she worked some wicked hours. She could justify the overtime for herself since she really did not plan any overtime it just happened.

Since her RN was experienced, if Emily called her to come in, Gina left home immediately. Usually it was nothing serious but still if the RN didn't feel comfortable with first aid treatments, she was instructed to call.


Gina found the RN who was older sitting behind the reception desk with a cheap romance novel in her hand. She looked up quickly to see Gina. Her reaction was to put the book down. The action was neither defiant nor fearful, she just wanted to focus on her boss.

Emily was in her mid forties. She had spent most of her life working in clinics or as office nurse in a doctor's practice. At age forty like a lot of women who were divorced she began thinking about her future. What would she do later, she for sure did not want to work forever. She decided that it was time to move on to a job with better benefits.

Why she chose the federal department of corrections, she could never answer. The pay was good but the big prisons frightened her. The prison camp was ideal. She didn't worry so much about a woman knifing her for a bottle of pain killers. Oh she had no doubt some would try in other prisons. In the prison camp everyone was well behaved or they found themselves on a bus to one of the more secure facilities. Doing one's time at the cookie camp was the best place in the country, if you had to be locked up.

The camp got it's nickname for the culinary school that it ran. Even though it was a prison, it graduated first class cooks some of whom went on to be first class chefs.

"So Emily how are things?"

"Everything is quiet boss," Emily loved to gently needle her boss.

"You know that you can call me Gina," the younger woman replied.

"Oh I like to call you boss, it keeps the boundaries in place. I get to blame everything on you." Emily said it with a quiet chuckle. Emily waited a moment then asked, "What brings you in on your day off?"

"Paperwork, I have been here a week and already I'm behind on the paper work." Gina walked by Emily then she turned to her office. The office was no more than a oversized janitor's closet. It was painted and nice enough, but it was also too small to be of any use except as a place to write reports. There was no room for an extra chair, so interviews were out of the question. I was the only room in he clinic with a real door that could be closed and locked.

From 2pm until 4pm Gina wrote reports. Most of them consisted of her two weeks of treatments but also inventory reports. It was important that she not be charged for things not on hand. It was an old military rule to do the inventory first thing. In an environment of constant turn over of personal, it was imperative to be charged for only what you actually had, not what the last person said they left behind.




Gina stretched then left the small office. "Well I'm headed home, is there anything you need before I go?"

"No, it been very quiet here today. I had a slight burn to clean up but that's all." Emily looked at the clock, then spoke again. "It's almost dinner time, why not stay and have your dinner here?"

One would expect prison food to be garbage and it probably was in most prisons. It could be even at the cookie camp in the main dining hall. In the staff dining area the food was as good as you would get in a first class restaurant. The cooking class provided the meals for the staff. Since it was minimum security and the inmates wanted to make a good impression, there had never been a poisoning. Gina smiled inside at that thought. Too many years in the military had made her a skeptic.

"What's on the menu?" she asked.

"Tonight they are doing a steak hash. It is probably from the left over meat from Sunday's steak dinner. These girls make great food even from left overs."

"Sure, why not. I'll meet you in the dining room. I need to see the AW to make sure we are doing what they want. No sense letting problems fester," Gina replied.



The Assistant Warden's office was in the administration building about fifty twenty yards away. It, like all the other buildings, was no more than concrete blocks covered with stucco. The administration building was two stories where the clinic was a single small free standing building.

The inside of the building was again like the clinic just plain walls with Spartan furnishings. The whole thing was designed to be utilitarian nothing more. The AW's office was as plain as her own. It was large enough to have a visitor's chair, which she sat in after having knocked and been granted permission to enter.

"So Gina are you getting settled in?" The AW asked it in spite of the fact that Gina had been at the camp for over a month. There was so little to do that settling in had taken about a day and a half.

"Yes everything is fine." she replied.

"So what can I do for you this afternoon?"

"I just stopped by to see if everything is in order. Is there anything that I need to change." From the blank stare Gina learned all she needed to know. No one at the camp had the least bit of interest in her clinic. Keep the inmates alive, the overtime down and all would be well.

"Why wouldn't it be? Is there something I should know?"

"Not at all," Gina responded. "I just wanted to touch base to see if there were any problems."

"Everything is fine," The AW looked down at her the papers on her desk.

Gina had obviously been dismissed. Bitch, Gina thought as she stood to leave.

Gina still had an hour to kill before the dining hall started to serve dinner. Since there was nothing she especially wanted to do, she took a tour of the camp. There was a second fence behind the administration building. Behind the second fence was the actual prison part of the camp. Both she and the duty nurse had a standing pass through the gate. The guard on the gate was a middle aged man, he glanced at her pass only because she was new, then passed her through.

The prison camp was no more than three large two story buildings. The first building was the classroom and dining hall building. The dining hall was divided into one large room and one smaller staff dining room. The kitchen was open to the main dining room. It would be easier to keep track of the workers that way.

Since the inmates were being trained for restaurant jobs, the staff dining room was run like a restaurant. Complete with inmate hostess and waitresses. The jobs rotated between inmates.

The second floor of the building held the classrooms. Some of the classrooms were kitchens and some were filled with desks. All the women enrolled in the culinary school also had to attend high school classes in the second education building.

Gina walked past the dinning hall and culinary school to the second building in line. It was the gym and general education classrooms. The camp in addition to teaching high school and some community college courses, also had apprentice programs. They were much smaller but necessary as well. Some of the women just didn't want to be chefs.

Actually Gina's motorized bicycle came from one of the shops. Several of the programs at the camp made money. The camp sold baked goods on line as well as to a wholesaler who sold and delivered them to supermarkets in the area.

The small machine shop turned out motorized bicycles. Those were sold at a local market by an off duty guard and on line as well through the prison's web site.


Gina found herself outside the shop where here buzz bomb was born. Since she had time to kill she went inside. Once inside the door she counted the number of bikes under construction. There were nine in various stages of construction. Some were being built with helper engines like hers, and others looked more like antique motorcycles.

The larger motorcycle style bikes wouldn't provide the exercise that Gina craved. She didn't want to pedal her bike all over town, but she did want to get a little exercise. The engine assist bike did that. She could ride it downhill and on the flat just like a motorcycle but inclines of any real size required that she pedal. Even that small percentage of exercise was more than she got riding in her car. Beside which it was just plain fun to go around town on the bike. People noticed her more than if she had been in a fancy sports car.

Gina saw the inmate she had intended to see sitting with a coke can in her hand. One of the big pluses to working in one of the shops was the availability of the coke machine, and the pay that made buying them possible.

"How's that hand Rita?" she asked when she was still a few feet away.

"The hand is fine how is your buzzer?"

"It runs like hell, thanks to you."

"Well if the cops stop you for that busted muffler don't roll over on me sweetie."

"Who me?" Gina smiled the conspirators smile.

"What you doin' slummin'?"

"Just waiting for the dining hall to open," Gina replied.

"Don't get too chummy with the trash hon. You just might find yourself out of a job."

"What, I can't stop to check on a patient?" Gina smiled. She had been warned that the inmates would use any excuse to cause her trouble. Sexual harassment was the latest inmate tool.

.

"Well I guess that you can check and you did. You are gonna'' have to go now or the others will think you have the hots for me." Rita had a suggestive smile as she said that words.

"I have the hots for the bike you built me. That's about as close as I'm ever gonna'' get," Gina's smile was very open and friendly. She knew how to handle people. Generally people reacted favorably to her innocent looks. Gina was far from innocent but she was a good actress. "I guess I should take your advice. I can go hang out at the gym for a few more minutes."

Gina entered the gym from the front. Most of the inmates would have entered from the rear. It had to do with logistics. It was just closer for them since their lives were lived mostly inside the complex not skirting it from the outside. It was a subtle difference but it was a huge one. The inmates lived their lives inside the three main buildings and the exercise yard behind them.

The Gym was smaller than it looked from the outside. There were no bleachers for the fans. If there were any gawkers they stood on the sidelines. The gym was laid out for basketball but could be pressed into action for most any other sport. There just wasn't any interest in volley ball or dodge ball.

Gina stood on the side to watch six very muscular women playing three on three basketball. The six women were in excellent shape. Anyone of them could have kicked her ass in a second. They likely had no interest in whipping' up on the new clinic manager. Or maybe it was the guard with her tazer and stick that protected Gina. Either way she got a few minutes to watch the women shooting, dribbling, and fouling each other most egregiously.

Every building on the campus had a fire bell. The fire bell also rang when the dining hall opened for meals. The staff dining hall opened on the same schedule as the inmates. It made sense to have extra guards around when most of the inmates were in one place. Four of the guards were blocking the doors to the dining hall. They also monitored the crowd. Should trouble break out a simple whistle blast would bring all the guards from their excellent dinner to assist.


The evening's dinner was a different style of meat loaf as well as the steak hash. The inmates cooked fancy foods for the guards now and then, but they also had to cook ordinary food as well. Some might catch on with an upscale restaurant but most would wind up working in a hash house. The meat loaf was made in small loaf pans then removed and deep fried. When it was removed from the boiling oil, the loaf had browned outside but not quite done inside. It went immediately into a microwave to finish cooking inside.

Gina knew how it was prepared because part of her job was to do a sanitation inspection of the kitchen weekly. She had only done three inspections but on one of them they were cooking meat loaf. It seemed that meat loaf was a favorite of the inmates and staff. Gina was impressed with the taste of the slice on her plate. Equally impressive were the tangy mashed potatoes. She was not so thrilled with the salad. There was nothing wrong with it, but a salad is just a salad unless it is fancied up. The salad that night wasn't.

Her desert was a piece of cheese cake. Good cheese cake isn't hard to make of course, but great cheese cake is. It was a great cheesecake

Gina left Emily in the dining hall, then walked to her bike. The bike roared to life after only a few pedals. She left through the front gate. The guard was almost, the last person to see Gina alive. The only person to see her afterward was her killer.

Emily set the wheels in motion when Gina didn't show up for her shift that next day. Emily only knew because the AW called her at home to fill in. Gina didn't answer her page or phone all morning. It was noon when Emily made the call to the police.

The local Sheriff made the initial search. It turned up nothing. There was no way to tell from her bare apartment when she had last be inside it. None of the neighbors who all worked at the camp could remember seeing her the night before. But then why would they everyone minded their own business.

The Sheriff's investigator made a lot of calls and interviewed a lot of people. Finally the story of her disappearance made it to the paper. The bike is what got the tip line started. People remembered seeing a woman on a motorized bike putting around town. It was hard to get the dates and times straight until the call came from a woman who wouldn't give her name. She had seen a bike like the one on TV but a young man was riding it.

Since the timing was right the Sheriff's deputies began their search. The bike rider wasn't hard to find. They just went to the location where the woman had seen the bike rider and he rode the bike past them.

"Hey kid," the deputy said, "where'd you get the bike?"

"I didn't steal it." He was just the right amount of defensiveness for the area.

"Nobody said you did, yet?" the deputy replied.

"I found the bike Friday morning out on the highway. Looked like somebody just threw it away."

"Right it was your lucky day huh?"

"I thought it was yeah. When it started right up I was really surprised."

"I bet. Maybe you better come with us." Suggested the older of the two deputies who hadn't spoken previously.

"But I ain't done nothing."

"Then let's go see where you found the bike."

The three of them rode to a spot about a hundred yards from a beer joint. I wasn't an especially rough one as those places go. It was more the hamburger and beer joint, than the pure beer joint. In other words there wouldn't be a dozen of men hanging around getting drunk. Just one or two, the others would be in for a beer and burger.

After the deputies called it in, the crime scene guys met them at the site. They also were told to pick up the bike from the street where it was left.

A uniformed officer drove the kid home while the two detectives went to the beer joint in search of a witness.


"Hey you." The younger of the two detective shouted over the juke box. When the middle aged man wearing a pair of jeans and an unbuttoned plaid shirt turned, he added, "Yeah you."

"What you want?" Even without the badge he would have recognized the two men as cops.

"Where you here last night?"

"Yeah I'm here most nights." He smiled at the two men beside him.

"He sure is officer." The younger of his buddies volunteered.

"You ever seen a woman on a motor bike go by?" The older detective asked.

"Woman on a motorcycle don't think so."

"Not a motorcycle, a bicycle with a motor on it."

"You mean the chick on the buzz bomb. Yeah I seen her."

"Did you see her last night."

"Twice," Open shirt replied.

"When was the last time?"

"Late not sure the time but it was late for sure."

"You mean she was riding that bike after dark?" The detective asked.

"Okay, I heard it go by. I didn't look out it was dark and I was out back in the parking lot. But you can hear that thing all the way to town. Ain't no way it was anybody else."

"It's loud huh?"

"Yeah it's real loud."

"What were you doing out back?"

"Smoking a cigarette. I like the fresh air when I smoke."

"Probably weed," the older detective said to the younger one. Open shirt didn't deny it.


So if he could be believed, Gina went home and then went out again. Since there was no sign of a struggle at her apartment the cops were still in search of a missing person. The bike turning up in a less than perfect part of town was worrisome though.

The cops got a hit on Gina's credit card Late Sunday night. The hit was in the larger town a few miles away. Someone had bought gas with it. The local cops picked up the surveillance tape and had it waiting for the two Sheriff's detectives.
The tape showed a large man pumping gas. His face was easily recognizable.

"Man that guy is stupid. I always said Michael had no sense a-tole" It was the younger of the officers.

"He ain't stupid, he just don't watch TV. Everybody who watches crime stoppers knows we get these tapes." The older detective said it with a laugh.

Michael was a small time hustler. Finding him took less than two hours.

"Hey man what you doin' hasslin' me?" He asked it once he sat in front of the detective teem.

"Oh let's see you are on tape using the credit card of a woman who has gone missing. Did you think we wouldn't check."

"I want a lawyer," Michael did at least watch a little TV after all.

The public defender was all about coping a plead. It was what PDs did. "How about he tells you what he knows and this goes away."

"No way, he tells us the truth and we drop the felony change and go with a simple misdemeanor credit card fraud. Otherwise we start laying the missing woman at his door." The PD didn't seem impressed.

"Eddie listen to me," the assistant District Attorney suggested strongly. "If he doesn't cooperate the FBI is gonna'' be all over this."

"Why? They have no jurisdiction here."

"Wrong, the woman worked at the federal prison camp. If you mess with a federal employee the FBI can just take the case, If we don't make an arrest soon, they are gonna'' take over."

"He found the card?" the PD suggested after whispering to his client.

"He might want to rethink that, Cause he better be able to prove it or we ain't buying." That was the sheriff's detective.

"He bought the card from a kid named Redbone. Redbone said he found the card down in the hood. If my client thought the card belong to a dead woman he would never have used it. He knows how things work. You don't hardly even look for a lost or stolen card."

"I know Redbone," The younger detective told the ADA.


Finding the young man named Redbone took a week. Redbone put his ass in the wind, when he saw the crime stoppers TV spot. He was a street wise kid and knew the cops would be onto him very soon.

It took a week for him to exhaust all his money and run out of couches to sleep on. At the end of a week he went back to his own hood to try to raise enough money to relocate to another state where he had extended family. The law had him within a day. Someone rolled him up for the crime stopper reward. Street hustlers had a few friends but not as many as they thought.

"All I wanted was that bike. Damn thing wasn't near as much fun as she thought," he said that to the detective when accused of harming Gina. "If she had just give up the damn bike, I wouldn't have done it. It's her fault not mine. She made me."

"So what did she make you do?" The detectives asked.

"I cut her man. She tried to fight me and I cut her."

"So where is she now?"

"Out behind her apartment. I though you would have found her by now. She is in a hole back there."

The cops shook their heads collectively. They had been searching where the bike was found. Not in the woods behind her apartment building.

"So you rode off on the bike. Why did you dump it?"

"For on thing the bike was gonna'' be hot. I knowed that, and for another on that big old hill out there, I had to work my ass off to get up it. I thought the bike would just zip me up it, but I had to pedal like hell to get up there. About half way up I got off the bike and dumped it in the woods. I called my boy Lex to come get me. This whole damn thing was just a mistake. You ain't charge me are you man?"

"Oh yeah Redbone, we are going to charge you."

According to the M.E. Gina's bleeding had all been internal. It was why there was so little blood at the apartment. They found spots with luminal while building the case, but it was such a small amount that the detectives looking for a missing person hadn't even noticed it. It was not an obvious crime scene by any means.

another first

I actually did something worthwhile with my bike today. I was going to mix up some more gas/oil when I realized I didn't have a full half gallon of gasoline. I decided that I would hook up my little orange trailer and take off for the gas station but first I decided to cut the grass to use up as much of the gas that I did have as possible.

So I cut the grass which was one good thing.

then I hooked up the trailer and off I went to the gas station. I took the 31cc WW bike. I got the ten blocks to the gas station no problem. Since it was all downhill, the test came when I started home. The bike made it with just a little pedaling which probably wouldn't have been necessary at all If I had realized the bike was running on half choke.

Anyway I got it home no problem. I rode the WW bike off an on today and found a couple of problems that I had missed previously. I am always impressed with that little engine. It is lightweight and yet it is powerful. All in all a good little helper engine.

Blue monday.

Wife has a doctor's appointment so I'm going along to drive us home. Then I;m going to ride a bike.

tires tires and more tires

I have tried about every tire you can think of except the tire within a tire mentioned on the forum. All the ones so far leave a lot to be desired. Since adding the sand to the bikes I have gone through a bunch of tires. Mostly old ones to be sure but I couple of new ones as well. I think when these wear down, I;m going to settle for the pitted roller. Unless of course these wear a long time.

The reason I mention this is I just finished changing the tire on the 33 bike. I have to admit one thing, I am getting quite good at doing that.

its still sunday

I found that the 33 bike needs a new rear tire. I had put a used knobby on it last week. It wore down to the fabric already. The tire might have been dry rotted so I'm not judging the bike on it. But I do have a new tire with a general purpose thread. I'm going to install it tomorrow.

I put the bikes away for the evening. I feel the Family stuff coming on.

sunday 10:30

Well the 33 bike is re-rigged. It runs well and is quite controllable. I got the throttle done but it wasn't nearly as easy as I expected, still it was just time consuming.

I'm going to take a shower and dress warmer than ride again. It's family day so I'll have to play nice for a while this afternoon. I might get a chance to write a little more on the story I have started. If not, I'll just ride the bike and take a nap.

7:30 sunday morning

My energy reserve is still very low. My plan for today is to run one cable for the throttle on the 33 bike then just ride them for fun. I rode the WW yesterday with the new suicide throttle, So today if the bike starts okay, I will run the 33 bike. That is after I run the new throttle cable and make the throttle lever which is a minor juob at best.

After that I might work a little on the Bonus story or just take a nap.

Right now I need to go feed the pack. Well my two dog pack.

later saturday night

I am just exhausted. I am going to rewire the throttle tomorrow. It needs to be able to be adjusted with the bike in the air. I'm going to put the suicide throttle in with a long throw so that I can use it either way. At least I hope it works that way.

good night john boy...

Ps Shoes I hope it doesn't rain on you and I hope you get your bike finished. Do you want to share the blog lol. I'll give you the sign in and you can just post with me. We seem to be the only ones who regularly work on friction bikes. And of a while I expect you to be all ga ga over the chopper.

Saturday night

I'm officially exhausted. I remounted the 33 bike but I couldn't test it. I did get the propane gas tank finished. The fuel filter came so I put it all together. I got the engine started but the kill switch wouldn't work after I got that redone. The engine wouldn't start at all. I expect it is flooded. If it won't start tomorrow, I'll have to take a serious look at it.

I have not redone the throttle. I think I might take an hour tomorrow to rig a suicide throttle. The bikes are hard to start with no working throttle control when the engine is locked up off the wheel. Oh well I'll see how it starts tomorrow before I decide.

I am too tired tonight to fool with it.

So it's saturday first day

First day of the combined journal.

I rode the WW bike with the new suicide throttle. I am getting a little more comfortable with it. I had to make some tightening adjustments but it seemed to help a lot. The throttle will stay where I put it now. I think it is safe to remove the old half brake lever throttle now. It isn't hooked to anything but I figured I'd leave it in place till I was sure that the suicide throttle was doable and it is.

I am debating now if I want to re-rig the 33 bike. I am thinking it could use a rear harp mount just so I'd know how feasible they are for heavier engines. Plus I am not thrilled with the suicide clutch on the bike. I think I would like it to be like the one on the WW bike.

I'm going to go down now and take the shots of the WW bike with the new riggings. Here you go new shots of the WW bike frame.

Time to clean house and move

I decided I have one too many journals going at once. I have decided that the forum thread that was really a journal should be moved here to where I really do have a journal.

So from now on ridin' DIY will be here on this blog. There is usually a little information and a lot of bullshit.

So tomorrow the weather is supposed to cooperate and I'll be riding the bikes tomorrow. I want to try out the new throttle on the WW bike. I also want to do a complete walk around with the camera after I determine the throttle will work. So that's the saturday plan. I had thought that I might do a reinstall of the chainsaw motors but I'm not sure I will bother. Might be best to let sleeping bikes lay.

I rode the bike

I rode the bike with the suicide clutch and the on the tube throttle. The Shakedown wasn't all that bad or all that good. I came home and redid the lever. I made it longer so it would be easier to find without looking. I also changed it so that it wouldn't move when the clutch was moved I hope. I won't know that till I give it a second ride tomorrow. But it sure does start easier now that I can get a full throttle even when the engine is raised.

the engine ran like crap though so I'm not sure what is going on. I had the muffler fall off and then I fell with the bike almost coming down on me. I was walking it up my driveway and fell over my own feet.

It rained off and on all day

I have no idea how my painful joint missed it but it rained off and on all day. I did get some things done in the shop but it was busy work after I changed the throttle on the WW bike, I want to ride it but it won't be dry enough till tomorrow.

6am what the hell

I woke up and couldn't go back to sleep. My hands actually work this morning so it is going to be dry day I think. Now I know how my mom always knew when it was going to rain.

Since I have a fuel filter coming for the new gas tank I am trying to decide what I want to do next. I think I'm going to put it on the 33 bike. I want to put the home made throttle lever on one of the bikes to test it. I think I am going to start with it on the WW bike. That bike is hard to start and I think it is the lack of throttle control. I think that will be my morning project.

It should be a good enough day to test ride it as well.

dreary thursday

Well if it isn't raining the roads are damp. Not much of a day to ride a bike, but I might venture out after lunch, if the roads are clear. I am awaiting my inline fuel filter before I put on the new gas tank on the 33 bike. I think I will ride the weed whacker if I go out at all.

I rode the 42 bike

I rode the 42cc bike to home depot today. I bought a propane torch tank of propane. I brought it home and promptly got frost bite. I pushed the valve in to release the propane so that I could use the empty tank for a gas tank. The cloud of white gas that sprang forth from the beast was well below freezing. I got it on my fingers. It took me a while to figure out that I needed to put the nail in a pair of vise grips so that my hand was out of the stream.

I drilled it out and put in some lines and use jb weld to add a bigger top on it. I ordered an inline fuel filter on ebay. When it comes I will switch that tank for the small one on the 33 bike. The propane tank holds a quart, the weed whacker tank on the 33 bike now holds a pint.

The 42 bike is a pleasure to ride now. I have the engine on a very heavy framed bike. The bike takes the pot holes better than the sissy 33 bike. It is still much lighter than the china bike so it is easier to start when beginning on an uphill pedal.

It was all in all a pretty good day.

I ran my bike mpg test today. The results were disappointing but not unexpected. The best bike/engine combination was the 31cc weed whacker and full suspension bike. It got almost 90 miles per gallon on my test course which is almost all hills with very few straight aways.

The 33cc chainsaw was second with almost 75 miles per gallon. It is over all my favorite bike I believe.

bringing up the rear is the 42cc chainsaw bike. It has a bigger drive wheel and is build for speed not hill climbing so not to surprising that it got the worst gas milage it is a bigger engine and should plus the track is not ideal for that bike. It came in at a whopping 64mpg.

even the worst bike does three times what my wife small car will do on the same track. Of course her car is warmer in the winter but not nearly as cool to ride.

a miserable day agaIN

I rode the 33 bike to the lawn mower shop. I bought the nut it didn't fit of course. I also picked up another inline cutoff for the china bike and 4 feet of gas line for the weed DIY bikes.

The 33bike ran pretty awful. I spent all day finding out that it was running low on gas causing the problem I think. I did a lot to the bike in the process most of which was needed anyway.

I am going to start a fuel economy test tomorrow. Each bike five miles and calculate the mpg for each. I expect to have some surprises.

I done it all

I have ridden all my bikes today. I have to admit each has it's own good and bad points. The 33 bike is the easiest to start even though it has the wrong carb on it.

The 42 with the large roller will rock on flat ground but isn't much on hills.

The 31 never wants to start, but when it runs it does just fine. It feels a little light weight but it would be the cheapest to build.

I think if I had to choose just one friction drive to keep it, would be the 33 bike with the engine mounted on the 31cc's frame. Of course the 42cc might be okay with the smaller drive wheel. Which I am going to try to arrange this week. I think I have an echo part number that will give me a 10mm left hand thread. If I do I might be able to con my neighbor into welding it up for me.

Sunday morning coming down

I havent ridden the china bike in a month at least. I'm going to take it out for a spin today, If it runs okay, I'm going to ride it to the lake. There are some wicked hills on the way out there and it's about six miles.

When I get back, I'm going to pull out the 42cc bike and make the same trip. I should get a pretty good idea how they compare. Then I need to shorten the spring on the 31cc bike.

It's also family day, so I will have to play nice today. Oh well three hours a week with the step brat and her family is doable. Any more and I might balk.

saturday bloody saturday

I began the day by riding the 33 chainsaw bike. I found out that I was right removing the hand clutch allowed for more tension and the bike just hums along. It has better pickup than the 42cc but lacks the top end speed. It also doesn't seem as beefy.

I had to rewire the kill switch. Seems some of the wire got into the fan blades. But now the 33 bike is a good ride. Suicide clutch and all. The big 42bike also has a suicide clutch. The only bike I have with a hand clutch is the china bike.

I put gas in the reinstalled tank on the 31 bike and it leaked of course. I just stuffed some jb weld into and hope it seals. If not I have a different tank I can shove on it.

I'm using 5minute jb weld I plan to let it cure an hour at least. I want to ride the 31bike because it is on that full suspension frame. It should be interesting.