Question on why we ride

[Sailor]

Hi Camos.....3 MGA's, 1 TR4A, 1 Austin Healy 3000 MKIII

[cowpuc]

 

Hey....I worked at Turkey point back in the mid 80s. I actually worked as a laborer for Bechtel and then as an Insulator for Shook & Fletcher....I used to fly on that stretch between US1 and the powerplant. I used to fly up Cardsound road on my way up from the Keys.

(I was living in Key Largo, at about MM 96)

Brings back memories.

 

I worked at Turkey Point from Jan 11, 2010 until the end of August 2013. Both nuclear units underwent almost $2B in modifications to allow them to increase power output by about 15%. I loved the weather there. About 2 weeks of winter. I do remember riding to work in January in 40 degree temps. Loved the clear water, fishing and snorkeling! The first time I went fishing on the Captain Michael out of Robbies Marina in Islamarada they gave a few of us rods rigged for Grouper instead of bottom fishing rigs and I caught this Goliath Grouper.

 

http://www.venturerider.org/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=109008

 

,, what an AWESOME thread turtle ,,,, after reading all those awesome responses - had me with anticipation of how I was gonna try and explain my personal unhealthy over done passion for motorcycles and the riding thereof when,, right at the very end - I bump into these two lop eared fellow job site varmints.... Didnt even get to "brass in" (they will get one) on my response and bingo - I find myself "booming out" (and that one) into another hijack.. Sorry,,, cross winds are blowing,,, will be right back... Do LOVE the thread though brother!!!

 

Old beat up Boilermaker here out of Local 169 in Detroit Mi you two varmints!!! Tiggin Tube was my plight,, did a fair amount of Chill Ring slaying too but mostly Tig.. Working for Foster Wheeler - Built a HUGE coal fired up here in Port Sheldon Mi - named "Unit 3" - and she sets right on the shores of Lake Michigan - North of Nuke down at Bridgeman.. Remember that song that introed the show Beretta? "where can I goooo, where the cold winds dont blow,,, now?" - well,,, the answer to that theme was DEFINITELY NOT Unit 3!! I LOVED riggin too (actually - riggin at 300ft is wayyyyyy more "fun" then welding anything - anyday IMHO).. Anyway, hanging up side down hanging buckstays and tugger pulleys on em to drag more up in -5 temps with that crazy @Flyinfool over in Milwaukee dumping snow down the carharts was - interesting..

Interesting facts -

Tighening buttons on some cable while hanging spegatti tubing at 275 and my riggin buddy dropped a 1/2 inch drive ratchet.. I watched it in slow motion tumble toward the boiler floor 275 feet below while both of us are screaming "headache" to "Hillbilly" (a Tankee from Kentucky) below us who was send up the spegatti for us to hang.. Of course he couldnt hear us - he was standing up when the ratchet landed square across his hard hat - drove him right to his knees.. I looked at Pat - my partner - and said "we killed him".. Great big ol Hillbilly - STOOD UP - picked up his hardhat and the ratchet - looked at it - looked up at us and gave us the Middle Finger approval that he was gonna be ok and walked off to first aid.. About 1/2 hour later he was back with a new hat...

My "push" (bossman to those who never been there) gave me a day off - PAID - one winter day when he caught me staring at the height of the stack and heard me say - "I WOULD LOVE TO CLIMB THAT".. Said go for it - WOW = straight up - iron rung steps 2 feet apart - had to tie off and rest a zillion times before I made it!! Took ALL day - got down just in time to Brass Out!!

Watched a Crane go end for end into "the Pond" when a dirt wall let go..

Caught a BUNCH of "Jack Salmon" in the warm waters of Unit 2 while down there - that fish made me smile!!

Got nicknamed "Half Tube" for not waiting for a welding buddy to show up - couldnt wait no more for the Pot Head so I made the welds on my side of the wall and pulled the whole set of super heats out of alignment - didnt get fired = earned my nickname.. Long story but it all worked out..

After that job finished and just before I got married and decided I didnt wanna travel (wanted to stay home and play with my kids) - I took work on a small boiler for GM.. Good job but, get this,, NO welded tubing (anyone wondering why I keep saying "tube" instead of "pipe" - Fitters work with pipe, Boilermakers OWN the Power Plant job sites and work with "tube") = ALL rolled!! WOWZY - shoulda seen my muscles after almost 2 years of that = ROLLING TUBE IS A LOT OF BULL WORK!!

Never did the Nuke stuff - you lop eared varmints are brave.. Brother in law did LOTS of it though - matter of fact, he just recently retired from Bechtel as one of their higher up snobs ... He spent enough time at those Nukes that I always harrass him about his "glow" not being normal.. Of course,, like most old power plant workers - that abnormality probably has less to do with radiation than who he ran with but - THAT is another story..

Anyway,, just thought I'd yap while we're waiting to brass out.. Later brothers...

Half Tube

Edited April 22, 2017 by cowpuc

[BlueSky]

Hey, I worked at the DC Cook Nuke Plant mentioned during their restart around the year 2000. During the Clinton administration, he appointed a woman to head the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and she forced lots of Nukes to shut down for repairs and modifications. A lot of nuke contractors like me earned lots of money because of her.

[bongobobny]

Hi Camos.....3 MGA's, 1 TR4A, 1 Austin Healy 3000 MKIII

5 MGB's, Austin Healy MK1, and almost bought a TR2 in Texas, wish I would have. Was a member of SCCA back in the 60's...

[Sailor]

I always wanted a TR3 but never got one. It was fun to watch the guy who had one drag his cigarette along the pavement at night.

[rbig1]

well i was riding to clear my head of stress. didnt matter where i was and dont remember areas to much. but i can ride the areas again and see new stuff. i seem to pick up speed anymore and have to slow myself down so the ride lasts longer. But dont ride anywhere near what i did. which by the way was not alot. anything over 300 miles a day is to far for my body to take. havent moved the bike since I got home from vacation.

[camos]

Hi Camos.....3 MGA's, 1 TR4A, 1 Austin Healy 3000 MKIII

Nice collection. Always had the hots for an MG TD or a Morgan but never followed up on it. A friend had the TR4A, it creaked, don't know if that was a general issue or not. Liked my TR3 better. Also had the hots for the Healy 3000 MkIII but never got one of them either. After the Triumph I got an MGB, very civilized vehicle, very comfortable and dependable although a bit on the boring side. The first Miata's were designed after it. Later on got a 66 XKE coupe...awesome... Most beautiful car in the world. Total pain in the butt to keep tuned. The 3 SU's could not manage the trip from sea level to the interior without a little massaging.

 

After that it was trucks to haul my fishing junk around until I got out of it and then tried a 95 Mustang which eventually lost out to the Venture. The stang is gone now and only have 2 MkII Ventures and a Virago 1100 SE.

[Freebird]

The only two British cars I've ever owned were a pair of Triumph Spitfires. Not sure but I think they were '76 and '77 models. Had them both at the same time. They were fun but like many British cars, the electrical switches were troublesome. Otherwise, I enjoyed them for the short time that I owned them. Both had problems when I bought them. My plans were to get them both running well and then sell one and keep one. I had a red one and a white one. I got them both ready and decided to keep the white one. A young lady came over and wanted to buy the red one but had trouble coming up with the money and somebody else beat her to it. She came back and was so disappointed and I let her talk me into selling her the white one. So, they were both gone and that was the end of my experience with British cars. I had a neighbor who was a doctor and he had a TR6 in his garage that he had bought new and driven during med school. It was mint and he never drove it any longer. Kept saying that he might sell it to me but never did. Would have liked to have it.

[bongobobny]

Don, how in the world did you ever fit into a Spitfire??? I had somewhat of a hard time fitting, and you're taller!! Of course, they did have a little more room than an MG Midget which I could not fit into at all! Went out with a girl who had one, we didn't stay together long, maybe because of the car...

 

I did fit into a bug eye Sprite with no real problems!

[Freebird]

Heck Bob, I don't even remember. I don't remember it being too awful cramped though.

[Yammer Dan]

RIDE?? Whats that???

[snyper316]

Well in my younger days and I am not really that old, I loved the freedom I had, to see how fast I could go. The rush of when something wasn't quite right and making it to the bottom of the holler still on 2 wheels. Knowing the minute I got out of sight I could open her up and pop her in 3rd, Man what a rush. I loved that little mini Bike it was a blast to ride especially for a 7 yr old. Then at 10 got to move up to 3 wheels, don't know the cc but it was faster then my mini bike. Most of the time I would ride it on 2 wheels it was funny just doing circles on 2 wheels.. till mom got scared because of all the deaths on 3 wheelers. I still rode it till Dad came back early and found the engine warm..... he swears it was cause of rust in the tank till this day. But it was running just fine before hand.. got stuck back on bicycles and would ride them for miles. Does it count for Iron but on a 10 speed for 50 miles straight? Eventually was stuck on four wheels for a bit but got the oportunity to get a 50cc scooter and got the itch. wasnt satisfied with 50mph and 10 up hills. So got a 150cc and wow made it all the way to 70mph, wasn't satisfied wanted more and bigger and something I could take a fishing pole or something with me, didn't like the look of Goldwings, thought the Kawasaki was just kind of well funny looking. Then there it was on craigslist, Sleek looking, had saddle bags and luggage, Call about it was informed they all came off with a key. peaked my interest even more. He would pull it out of hibernation, I was ready to give that 1500 for her but was gonna try to haggle. No need I got there he had her fired up warming up, told me that he would sell her for 1350 because of the right fork seal leaking. Took her for a spin on his yard I couldn't get the money out of my pocket, No litterally I couldn't I almost dropped her trying to get off so I could pull the cash out of my pocket because I forgot about the trusty ol kickstand. After that spin around the yard and it felt like I just came across his yard in lincoln town car.. she was smooth. It was instant love for her, I have sunk a pretty penny in her but I don't care she is well worth it. Its not even about that there is something else, I think its just the ability to be able to go slow and smell the country air. look at the scenery and not worry about wondering into the wrong lane.... and when I want to just Goto WOT at the drop of a hat and be gone.. If I so want. I don't think I would get this on any other bike. Tried the Rebel but it was just too cramped to me. The other was a Road star Didn't care for it much. I guess because I had already been spoiled by the 83 Venture... I guess why I ride is just the pure Freedom, the ability to ride How I feel like I want to ride on a paticular day, and it is trully a way to clear my head. It is also very hard to smoke a cigarette while riding a bike... almost 2 months now. Feeling better each day and notice I am no longer winded by stuff I used to get winded by, I have went up and down the stairs at my house 6 times within 10 minutes, when before I would be winded just by the first landing on them. So that is definatly a plus. And now I have found out I can do most of the work on the bike myself all thanks to you guys in here. I know Cowpuc when you opened my eyes a few months ago. I decided I watched to many people close to me wither away because of tobacco I didn't want my kids to see me wither away. I want to be there for my grandkids, and not hacking up a lung to get out of a chair...