The Poet Creek Express - Foamie Hybrid

[KCStudly]

Thanks, Shar. Will do.

[Corwin C]

You are not going to want to take that beautiful, finished teardrop on some of those rocky roads, though. ...Are you?

I just want to add, when I first got my custom Harley, one of the first things I did was to go on Pappy's Run. When we got to the cemetery where Pappy is buried the road turned to sand and gravel. I was more concerned for the custom paint on my bike than I was for the respect that I had for the man that was instrumental in organizing a resurgence of our freedom to choose here in CT; so I didn't go into the cemetery and join in the ceremony that we were riding to commemorate. I caught some flake for that, and in retrospect, I have regretted it ever since.

Yes helmets save lives, but there is a greater issue of personal responsibility. And you all know where I stand on the gun control issue. This is like that.

To truly honor my father, I will build it the best that I can, and I will take it "out there" thru the rocks and the sand and the bramble.

Thank you Sharon for asking the question that allowed me to express myself.

Communicate. Let people know what you are feeling. Don't be ashamed to express yourself. There is no way that people will know what you are thinking or how you feel if you don't say what you feel.

Sounds a little mushy, but I can assure you that I am a manly man. It takes the courage of a man to admit this.

(Watching the drags right now... if Shirley Muldowney was reading this right now she would scoff at "the love fest" going on at the top end. )

My grandfather had a 1917 Indian motorcycle that was his pride and joy. Being all original, it is quite valuable and we all knew it and treated it with the same love that Grandpa did. It was second only to his family and all of us had the privilege of riding in the side car on many occasions including those all important malt shoppe runs. He was deep into the Harley's and other classic machines and many friends would stop by with their own treasures to show off to him. He would laugh when they would bring something by in a covered trailer, pull it out long enough to see it in the sunshine then tuck it back away. "If it's too fancy to use it for what it was intended, you got it wrong." was something that I remember him telling me. Ice cream and fingerprints wash off. Taking PCE on a rocky dirt road is what it was built for ... with some care it will easily emerge unscathed.

And now, a little treasure of mine ... ah, the memories. Even though this video was taken by someone else, I remember so many experiences just like this so well, the sounds, the breeze, the smells, and Grandpa looking down at me with a youthful smile.

[KCStudly]

Thanks for sharing!

[Wolffarmer]

Cool video. Never thought I would see a Stieb on a 1917 Indian.

Randy

[KCStudly]

I've been away on a nice little vacation trip up to Cape Ann. Had a great time, good food, saw some whales, and just generally relaxed.

I posted some links and photos over in the "Trips" forum here.

I'll get straight back to the build on Wednesday!

[tony.latham]

KC:

At least on the Darby end of the Magruder Road.

We're supposed to man (er "staff") the Salmon Mountain Lookout out there starting the 26th for a couple of days and I'm not sure if it's going to happen now.

You can see the pics here:

https://www.facebook.com/DiscoverTheBitterroot

I'm sure the storm turned around a lotta Magruder roadies that were coming in from Elk City. To get that far and half to turn back and do the roughest part twice... ouch!

Tony

[KCStudly]

.
Tony, Thanks for the update and link to the FB page. I'm not sure I had seen that site before as I don't normally do FB.

To summarize for those that choose not to follow the link, there were thunderstorms with heavy rain in an area of the Magruder Road near the Idaho/Montana border (an area that had forest fires last year and presumably reduced ground vegetation). The road was blocked by various landslides over a 2 mile section; boulders, trees and earth.

Zowie. That gives me a bit of pause, and yet, the thought of getting stuck out there for a few extra days, or being late getting back to work due to having to go the long way around does have a certain appeal.

Do you mean that you have volunteered to man one of the fire lookout stations? ...but just for a few days? Wow, wouldn't that be cool! Okay, lets see, you have to go to a beautiful place with an outstanding view and, yes, your responsibility is to stare at it. Sounds nice to me. How long do the lookouts normally stay on station for a stretch?

I feel like I should apologize for my inactivity on the build this week. I did go out there on Wednesday, but mostly just spent time catching up with Karl. I did stop and pick up another quart of poly, but it was rainy and very humid, so I used that as an excuse not to apply the last (hopefully) coat on the ceiling.

When we came home from Cape Ann, the TV (tellie) in our bedroom was flat lined (maybe hit by lightening?), so we went and picked out a new one. Can't get the "smart" thing to see the cable feed yet. I mean, the thing has self diagnostics, an on board owner's manual, and wi-fi connectivity; all I had to do was mount the set top base, plug the power supply in, connect the coax and turn it on, and the dumb thing does not show an option for using the cable/antenna connection. <end rant> I gave up for tonight, but I'm sure I will get it figured out eventually.

The other 'life' issue that I have been procrastinating about is a little plumbing repair job that I have been putting off; so a couple of nights this week I went home to deal with that, but copped out and decided to put it off. Seems like each time I take a vacation it takes me about a week to ease back into things.

[tony.latham]

"Do you mean that you have volunteered to man one of the fire lookout stations? ...but just for a few days? Wow, wouldn't that be cool! Okay, lets see, you have to go to a beautiful place with an outstanding view and, yes, you responsibility is to stare at it. Sounds nice to me. How long do the lookouts normally stay on station for a stretch?"

The Salmon Mountain Lookout (about a mile and a half south off of the Magruder Corridor Road) is staffed for the USFS throughout the fire season by a group of trained volunteers. It's been manned that way for at least twenty years. Our "tour" this year is just two days –and I'm fine with that. It's about a three hour hike from the road to the lookout with food and gear. (and of course the water source is a spring below the lookout)

It is an amazing place since I find that I can't quit staring at the veiw. You can see over a hundred miles and at night, not a light bulb. Not one.

I hope they get that road cleared...

Tony

[KCStudly]

Yup. Sounds like they are working on it already, or at least have authorized the funds and crews to do so.

And yup, beautiful location. Good luck to you. I'm hoping that you get to take a turn, and if you do, be sure to take some good pictures!

[KCStudly]

Okay, plumbing job done, new tellie figured out, and back in the shop today. The second coat of poly was pretty damn good. There were a couple of small bumps (I assume these were dried chunks of poly from the plastic pot I was reusing) and the grain of the wood wasn’t quite filled in yet (those little pin holes everywhere), so I decided to go for another coat.

I wasn’t sure that I was going to need a whole ‘nuther gallon of poly, and the ‘high build’ stuff wasn’t available in the quart size (at least not at the big orange). The dude there said it was the same stuff with a different label, but I didn’t buy that for a second. Turns out that it is much thinner and seems to take more product to cover. I underestimated how much to pour into the pot twice.

Anyway, these pics may seem a little redundant, but progress is progress!

After blocking the whole thing out with 220 grit on the small hand block, and wiping the loose dust off with a shop paper towel, I tried something a little different. I folded up the paper towel and wrapped it between the block and sandpaper to make a soft backing; then went over the whole panel again. This helped get the edges where the tape was and the lower areas between the highs, without resorting to putting any finger grooves or waves in anything.


Wiped it all down again, then again with a fresh towel damped with mineral spirits, then brushed on what I hope will be the final coat of poly. Here it is still wet.


I suppose I need to start masking off the cabin in prep for glue, but I decided to avoid stirring up dust and called it a short day.

Like I said, easing back into things.

[KCStudly]

Yesterday I had to inspect the front end on the Jeep and do a tire rotation. Death Wobble temporarily averted; cupped left front tire with a leaking shock absorber. After 165k miles the original unit bearings, ball joints and steering gear all check out nice and tight. Then I was dirty and sweaty, and it was hot and humid.

Tonight I peeled the masking tape off of the ceiling panel.


I looked at the finish and decided that it was at least as good as the rest of the cabin work. The gloss finish is hard to live up to. There’s a pretty significant run in the front cabinet area, and there are still thousands of little pin prick like points; at first I thought they were just pores in the wood that hadn’t been filled, but now I am thinking that they might be mineral spirit ‘pops’. I’m not sure about the standard (non-high build) poly. But then again this is looking very closely with a critical eye. The big picture is good overall. In fact I gave another tour tonight; Kelly, a friend of Chris and Karl. She was very impressed and commented how the inside of the cabin seemed like a vintage wooden boat. Excellent! That is exactly the vibe I have been going for!

The lighting had gone away a bit, but here is the requisite QC test.


Next I started masking the cabin in prep for gluing the ceiling on to the box.


I repurposed the chipboard that I had used to make the pattern for the gun locker vinyl and made temporary side covers for the side walls in the front cabinet.


Then I started to mask the riblets. Note the cupped lower edge of the tape, so that it will redirect any wanna be drips. I will also lay a piece of the rosin paper down on the shelf to catch any drips.


Inching forward, step by step.

[KCStudly]

p.s. If there ever is a "next time" it will be a painted interior, all one color, done after the fact, slobbered on.

[aggie79]

KC,
Your interior finish is gorgeous!
Tom

[KCStudly]

Thanks Tom! That means a lot to hear you say that.

[bonnie]

It won't be long now. That is so pretty.