Emily’s Pancake House, Zion IL – halfway on the spring jaunt with the Bonnie’s. The weather was perfect, bikes ran great and the coffee and blueberry topped stack of ‘cakes were delish!
May 8, 2016
The Promised Land
May 6, 2016
Contrails
Jet lines in a blue sky. Big black Triumph Triple . “The futures so bright I gotta wear shades.”
May 5, 2016
TR25W
This small 250cc Triumph was my first wheels in the US back in ’98. It helped me easily get my motorcycle license endorsement and was a fun bike. It was called the Trophy, not to be confused by the larger twin, and was an amalgamation of the BSA Starfire built at Small Heath and some Meriden parts. Production quality was poor and apparently warranty calls drained the meager coffers of the ailing industry. The writing was on the wall and this little roadster had its back against it in the firing line.
I sold mine for the same as what I paid for it ($1,000) then went and got my green Ninja.
May 4, 2016
May the Fourth
Being unofficial Star Wars day, other than Storm Trooper and Boba Fett helmets, I happened upon this Imperial logo emblazoned ebony lid for some Triumph riders noggin.
The Dark Side
May 3, 2016
Linework by Ink
Technical Illustration- I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I love these cutaway engineering drawing from the fifties and sixties clarifying the innards and mechanical workings of the engines and machines of the day. AutoCAD can be too cold and lifeless whereas the hand drawn draughtsmanship is lively like Marvel Comics Jack Kirby ink and brush work.
May 2, 2016
Professor Einstein
E = mc2 Albert making the most of energy, mass and the speed of light in the sun of Palm Springs CA sometime in the fifties. No beach, but a pipe, deck chair and sun hat evoke his relaxed state of energy at rest…
May 1, 2016
The Little World
Don Camillo – the post WW2 Roman Catholic priest in the small fictional Italian village on the River Po. His japes and escapades with the left-wing mayor Peppone a a thing of legend written by Giovannini Guareschi who was born on this day in 1908. The pair seen scooting about in a Moto Guzzi combination in true comradeship.
This movie poster has them dealing with a biker gang who comes into town. I loved the stories growing up- simpler times after the tumult of a war.
April 30, 2016
Light the Blue Touch Paper
The Shape of Fast: kinda scruffy, in need of attention, but all there. For sale recently on EBay this forty odd year old Metisse (Mongrel) framed Triumph needs a caring home to enable this fiberglass faired fancy to fly again.
April 29, 2016
Muhammad send me a camel
Arabia in California – Riverside dealer Skip Fordyce at Indio California National Date Festival with Melanie Todd, Rachel Stegall, Gaye Jenning.
April 28, 2016
Organization
Knolling- a new verb to utilize in my life of disorder. I do it unconsciously already for some assembly tasks. It is the laying out in a squared away fashion all of the items and components of the thing to be built. Here’s a Knolled wartime Triumph TRW 500 from Burton Bike Bits.
It was coined by sculptor Tom Sachs who adopted the term from a janitor at Frank Gehry’s furniture workshop, Andrew Kronelow, who, whilst working on a range of Florence Knoll’s furniture, would lay all tools, materials and fixtures in a right-angled arrangement.
“BULLET II: ALWAYS BE KNOLLING (ABK)”
- Scan your environment for materials, tools, books, music, etc. which are not in use.
- Put away everything not in use. If you aren’t sure, leave it out.
- Group all ‘like’ objects.
- Align or square all objects to either the surface they rest on, or the studio itself.
April 27, 2016
Come up and see me, make me smile.
Perfect Couple: pillion happily hugging the pilot as they zoom along. Nice cafe’d pre-unit looks the part.
April 26, 2016
Johnny’s Ink
Inked Skin: a Brando by any other name. The Triumph Thunderbird. “What are you rebelling against?”
April 25, 2016
The Hot Line
Spring warm up here: temperatures into the 80’s. I like the tenets of riding: pleasure, economy & health. Well said that sign!
April 24, 2016
Tin Sign
Rust edged enamel signs: from the walls of a dealer to the sliding door of a workshop. Primary bright and long lasting. Plastic signage fades under brutal ultraviolet. I should look for one for my workshop space…
