chopped,stock and just plain fun: Weekend round-up

I left home around nine o'clock to meet up with the boys. I got to my first gas stop in Petaluma a little early but Johnny "Electric" was there ready to go. On our way to his friend Bob's house I noticed his shovel was smoking and then noticed the reason why that was. His rear push-rod cover was squirting oil up from the lifter block to the exhaust pipe. So over to the nearest parking lot we went. Bad o-rings were to blame (should have had corks but what ever). We got it to seal up and to Bob's we went. He was just putting his derby cover back on his Pan, new clutch plates before the ride. A little behind schedule but a phone call or two and we had it straitened out.
Lou Foo was waiting for us at a local coffee shop in Santa Rosa. We rolled in to town with out any more problems. We got a chance to hang out there, look our bikes over an check out the other guys bikes before we took off to meet up with our last member Jaffe Joe.
Riding down the River road Johnny "Electric" gives me the sign that his bike is dead so over to the side of the road we go. A couple of minuets later with his seat off we figure out he has a burnt wire. By then Bob and Lou Foo show back up, Bob had a spare wire in his too kit. wham bam and some electrical tape back on the road we go.
We got to Jaffe Joe's, man he has a great place on the Russian river. He had been having carb issues which turned into a major problem (his bike wouldn't start). He and every one including me tried to get that fucker to fire it just wouldn't. Meanwhile I fired up his arc welder and fixed a broken bracket on Johnny's bike. The beer was cold and we had nowhere to be so we stuck it out. Jaffe Joe got his bike to run and off to lunch we went. Barley and Hops in Occidental sounded good so we roared off through the hills chasing a hamburger.
If you know Occidental you know there is NO gas station, so going there on a whim with skinny tank bikes is fun but a dangerous idea. Luckily it's a town with plenty of nice people. Just as we where discussing how we where to find a couple of gallons of petrol the shop owner next door offered us some gas (ended up being enough to top all the bikes off). Like I said nice people.
Most of the boys went south after lunch (which ended around four) Jaffe Joe and I went north towards Jenner, where we parted ways. I continued on to Point Arena where I met up with Trevor and Jerry who had both just arrived at the bar. Where we carried on way into the night and the wee hours of the morning.
Sunday morning Jerry had to go north to Oregon and I headed south for home. Trevor came along for part of the ride home stopping just shy of Jenner to head back home himself. I finished the last part of my ride the way I started all by my onesies.
Timing is every thing, I would have liked to have been in Pt. Arena earlier, and have the boys make the journey up the coast with me, had less bike trouble but then the story wouldn't be the same would it. I had a great weekend, spent time with some great guys, made new friends and got to know other ones better. Maybe I'll try to do it again the same time next year and "you" could add to the story.
Jess