Surf's Up

Photo From Here - Just Because

From Here

The seal above is the brainchild of the Midwest Sustainable Cities Symposium. I came across it via the Tech Shop blog that I check out occasionally. I wrote a quick blurb about the Tech Shop once before. The link under the seal will take you there. I really dig the "official" seal of the Rust Belt and what the Symposium is promoting.

PET Scooter

There was a story in this weeks local paper about these little hand crank scooters. Personal Energy Transportation is a faith-based volunteer organization. They opened up a spot that's just a hop, skip and a jump from me recently. I was thinking about stopping by just to see what was going on - no need for that now. It's cool what they are doing. If you click on the link, you'll get the details and you can make a donation if you're feeling generous.

I saw this at Hendverker. I had seen a couple of shots of his Vee Dub at his blog before but I never noticed the front axle. No struts like my Super or torsion beam set-up either. Pure old-school hot rod with the dropped axle. Looks like a chopped top as well. The current issue of the Hot VW magazine has an article about "the first chopped Beetle".  As soon as things settle down around here a little and I get some type of regular schedule, I'm planning on putting the VW back in the rotation. Probably not go wild but at least hit a lick now and again.

Surly showed me some photos he took of an old Kaw like I'm fooling with. It belongs to a guy he works with and was built by his dad back in the day. Box section swingarm a little over stock length, struts, cut down seat. SOP back in the 70's. Take it to the track or ride it to work - as long as you live close by, that is. Nice looking bike. If he's like most guys who rode those things back when, the tach hits 10 grand at least once a day. I need to order my brake calipers this week. That's what I need to do. Maybe see about making that back wheel a little wider as well. The bikes only got a 4.00 x 18 tire on it now. I think I had a 140 x 18 underneath it when I had the dragbike rear wheel on it. That works out to about 5.6 inches wide - big then, tiny now. Bigger rubber in the back would be the stuff, no "bout a doubt it". I just need to pull the rag out and get after this thing. It doesn't look like it's going to happen this year but I'm planning on riding one of my motorcycles next Spring. I'm going to have more time and the new job should support my motorcycle habit. No reason for it not to happen.