This is a cut from the Pet Sounds album by the Beach Boys. I had an eight track of this I used to play in my '62 Chevy back in the day. The album was much different than the normal Beach Boys sound of Surf music. It didn't receive much critical acclaim when it came out but later on it was hailed as one of the greatest albums of all times. I don't know if I'd go that far, but supposedly it was the precursor to the psychedelic stuff, and I was a big fan of that.
Exhibit A: all 11 minutes of it.
And you can't forget Vanilla Fudge. One look at the album cover and your "soul will be psychedelicized" as well.
Great times growing up back then. With a war going on and riots in the streets, it might not have been the best of times for a lot of people, but looking back, my life was A-OK. I sure as shit wouldn't want to do it over again. Since my world view was pretty limited at that age, I didn't have much of a grasp or concern for things that didn't directly concern me. Mostly my main concerns were motorcycles, cars and girls - pretty much in that order. Fifty-some years later, one girl and family, motorcycles, cars and general pissing around with making things and traveling. And since the covid panic has burned itself down to coals, Cuzzin Ricky and I are in the planning stages of a train trip - praise the Lord and pass the ammunition! The clock's winding down. We're both already in the 4th quarter. Time to get back in the game.
I'm doing a 5K this morning. Not trying to be competitive. Mostly just keeping my running buddy company while she does a 10K. There's another 5K coming up in a couple of weeks as a fundraiser. No timing on this one at all. However, since it's in her back yard and for a good cause, if she wants to do it, I'm in. Maybe actually train for the Thanksgiving 5K I normally do. That might be it for my race-walking career after that. Just walk for the exercise value and the enjoyment of meeting up with the regular tribe on our Sunday walks and hikes. Maybe devote some more energy to my cycling next year and try to find something else to maintain my physical and mental health. These last few years have really "harshed my mellow", as the old hippies used to say. Maybe all I really need to get my groove back on is get to a couple of open wheel races - smell the alcohol, get beaned with a few dirt clods and eat a pork tenderloin sandwich. I had my chance yesterday when Cuzzin Ricky called me. He was heading to a midget race at a local track but I was in the middle of a repair job on a window, and I was going to have to get up early this morning, so I took a pass.
I finished the tube on #3 cylinder yesterday. Next up, fab up the turnouts on the two remaining cylinders, punch some holes in the collector and tack the flange on the end. After that, lots of welding. I bought a kit of magnetic holders after I retired from the high school since I didn't have access to a third hand like I used to. However, it would be nice if one of the items was a piece of angle with magnets sunk down in it. It would make aligning tubes together much easier, at least on the straight sections.
In addition to working on the header, I dug out the hammered dulcimer I made years ago. It was missing one of the bridge blocks, but not any longer. I need to find the manual I used to construct the dulcimer. It's got tuning info and sheet music for a couple of easy tunes. I made the thing for my wife but that didn't go anywhere. I'm thinking maybe fooling around with it this winter.
In the meantime, in between time, work on the jitney, and get some work done around the shack and enjoy the weather. We're heading into the best time of the year. Need to enjoy while I can.
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