My friend Nigel has a large workshop/garage area with a lift and has all the tools required to do all his own maintenance. I needed to use his hoist to inspect the rear transmission seals and sump area. Also while it is in the air we would also do the Lube, oil & filter so I brought Mobil One synthetic oil.
He also installed my new CB Cobra radio and we were fiddling around trying to tune the antenna. I brought my SWR meter and he installed the copper strap ground plane wire. It was necessary to remove the rear tail lights to snake the wire from the rear, to the front of the car
I can't thank him enough for squeezing me into his busy timetable. We had planned for me to be there early Saturday morning, after breakfast, but by the time I arrived he had mostly completed everything so we talked about this and that for a few hours and then I left for home.
On Saturday mornings I have breakfast at a cozy restaurant in Steveston with friends, where I left my car and hitched a ride to get to Nigel's. My plan was to drive my 'Vette home and give it a wash as Sunday we had to be at a Corvette Show & Shine.
It takes more time to clean the wheels than it does to wash the car
It's not really a good idea to wash under a bright warm sun but I had no choice as I cannot access my rear carport and have to wash in front of our house, on our main street.
When I left my car in Steveston, it was parked in front of another friend's home and he knew I had to come back later to pick it up, so he suggested we have dinner together. So we did and I ended up having the Roast Lamb
Not bad for a healthy portion of food for only $9.95 + tax. It was their normal Saturday night special. He lives within walking distance of the main restaurant area on Bayview Street, so we walked along the waterfront as the sun was ebbing away
The sun seems to be setting later
as it is still bright out. It is quite pleasant with little wind as we make our way along this new boardwalk
Notice the long shadows. It will be dark soon. We finally arrive at his home and he has dessert & tea waiting. A large plate of assorted DIET cheesecake. I think I had two pieces, but I can't remember . . .
I remember that the cheesecake was really good
You really do have great freinds! Your 'vette looks beautiful.
ReplyDeleteAs does that boardwalk, truely looks like one of the most perfect places to see the sun going down.
The cheesecake just looks evil .. well done!!
Brenda:
Deletewe still don't have summer temperatures yet but Saturday night was very pleasant and it is rare not to have a breeze when near the water, but all was calm. It was nearly perfect.
the cheesecake was very good
Bob, you do have great friends, near and far. My wife thinks I'm obsessed with my Vespa. Clearly she doesn't begin to understand obsession. Your friend's garage is better equipped than most mechanics' bays. WoW! is the only way to describe that. Since our ride to Steveston, your blog comes even more alive for me. All the best, d.
ReplyDeleteDavid:
DeleteI had three friends help me on Saturday. If I had room I would have a "lift" too. Makes it much easier to do oil changes, and brake jobs.
Your whirlwind jaunt to Steveston only covered the essentials. You'll have to come back and perhaps next time we will go to Ladner, and also White Rock or Crescent Beach.
Yumm, it is good to have great friends. I am sure your friend knows that you would help him if he was in a pinch too.
ReplyDeleteI like how you managed to work in a few barefoot photos with your post. I hope you had sandals handy in case you get pulled over in bare feet. Isn't that a violation? For some reason I remember that from back in the day living up there.
That cheesecake looks delicious. What a nice surprise when you returned.
Trobairitz:
DeleteI bend over backwards for people I like and with whatever I can do, within my ability and skill level. If you need help, I will be there, you can count on me.
If I could be barefoot all the time and lived somewhere warm, like Key West or Hawai'i, I probably wouldn't even own a pair of shoes, which I only wear for work. I get scolded all the time at home to wear socks or slippers, but I am hard of hearing . . .
there are no laws against driving barefoot and I love to drive my manual transmission and you get much better control using your clutch pedal. You should try it. There use to be a girl here who drove barefoot all the time too, Manual shift. She gave me a ride once and the first thing she did was to remove her shoes.
mmmm cheesecake...
ReplyDeletethere was a time when it was a moving violation here if caught driving barefoot. my understanding it that it's since been removed from traffic regs here. and regardless, i drive barefoot all the time anyway...
Ahh Ms M:
Deletethere are no laws in any State where you are required to wear shoes. There are also no laws which require you to wear shoes in any Restaurant even though they may have posted signs which say "No Shoes, No Service".
Bob:
ReplyDeleteFriendship is a two-way street so you can be sure anyone who says he/she has great friends has them because they are, in turn, a great friend to others themselves.
As for driving barefoot,I've tried it on occasion and never quite got used to the feel of it, so shoes it is for me behind the wheel.
Canajun:
DeleteGood friends are hard to come by. Most are just people you know.
I sweat a lot in shoes, sandals would be my next choice. It all depends upon what you are used to. Less is better for me
What's the CB radio for? I had one back in the 70's but found there to be little worth listening to. On the Dalton, it's mandatory due to all of the oversize loads being hauled up. When I drove up last Fall, it was used to let you know when to pull over and when it was safe to pass...
ReplyDeleteNice looking shop. No motorcycle lift though...
Richard:
DeleteWe use them to communicate between cars when on road trips. FRS/GMRS radios don't have the range. The CB's are wired-in using 12V power. In the mountains with 25 'Vettes, sometimes we are spread out for a mile. We use GMRS radios when not in the car. Many forest service roads use UHF radios and there are frequencies usually posted, but I don't have mine anymore, but I still have a Bearcat Scanner. Remember, logging trucks have the "right of way". I have a new BT headset and I can connect a GMRS radio to it so I can communicate with Troubador/Trobairitz on our Hell's Canyon Trip. Otherwise I can listen to my GPS BT or music when I am riding solo to Baker City
Friends who help you wrench are good friends indeed
ReplyDeletedom
Redleg's Rides
Colorado Motorcycle Travel Examiner
Dom:
DeleteI could certainly look over your shoulder when you are wrenching on Valencia, if you lived closer. I'm good at taking things apart . . . When I had my MGB I changed the master cylinder and worked on the SU carbs, did tune ups, small stuff like that. When I had my Alfa Romeo I changed actually changed out the water pump but stripped the threads, being aluminum but I had it Aluminum welded and repaired. I actually took a starter motor apart to replace the contact points on the soleniod when I had my Toyota. Not having a heated or secure place to work makes it more difficult as you have to put everything away all the time, rather than just leaving it there
Yum, the cheesecake does look good. As does the dinner. Good thing I have already eaten!
ReplyDeleteKathy:
DeleteIt was neat that they separated different flavours and gathered assorted pieces to form a full cake, rather than only having one type. I had two pieces so I could try out two flavours.
Bob:
ReplyDeleteSwap your 'vette for the Triple. No need to thank me, it's what good friends do!
Have you used Mobil 1 before? The only reason I ask is that I put it in Jennie's first MX-5 for the first time when it had done about 70,000 km and pretty soon after, got an oil weep from the rear engine seal. What I hadn't realised is that its fantastic dirt-scavenging properties had most likely got rid of the carbon build-up around an already slightly worn oil seal, causing it to leak.
There.... a useless factoid for you to file away :-)
Geoff:
Deletesounds good, let me think about it . The OEM factory recommend oil for me was Mobil One as it has to meet a certain spec. My engine has tight tolerances so it needs a "thin" oil. Higher mileage engines may need a "thicker" oil. I think mine is 5-30, perhaps you need 10-30, or perhaps go 'semi-synthetic' instead. The newer Hi performance engines now use 0-30, something like that.
BTW, I love your useless factoids . . . 2014 is on the horizon
Diet cheesecake? Seriously?
ReplyDeletecpa3485/JimBo:
Deleteyou're jealous because you can't get these in Kansas. Hope your scooter starts