So So Cal

Saturday, August 1, 2015

Helping Out A Friend

Never buy a pickup truck.

On Wednesday I was sitting in a bar in Orlando when I got a call from my brother Jimmy.
He asked if I could help him pick up a motorcycle, for two reasons, I agreed right away.
1) I've known him forever.
2) I am one beer down.

Then I start to get the add-ons to the story.

It does not run.
It has a flat rear tire.
No we can't put air air in it the valve stem is broken.
It is in the guy's driveway.
Down at the bottom of a fifty foot narrow approach.
No the truck won't fit down there.
It's in Alta Dena.

OK, I said,"I'm up for a challenge."

On Thursday, on the flight home from Orlando I kinda sorta hatched a plan that I thought might work.

I have a power winch on my bike lift, it has about 30 - 40 feet of cable.

On Friday, I got up and headed for the Depot for a 4x4 about 8 feet long.
After some sawing and drilling I mounted the winch to the 4x4.

Then with some heavy duty tie downs the 4x4 was attached to the truck.
Jimmy arrived and we headed for Alta Dena.


Here is the winch with the Rube Goldberg attachment to the truck.


Now here is my brother Jimmy with his new scoot, OK we have dragged it up the driveway but now for the tough part, get it up the ramps and onto the truck.


Mission accomplished!

Then it was just a drive back to Long Beach from Alta Dena on a Friday afternoon at 2:00 PM.



The bike is now safely deposited in Jimmy's garage.
What a fun day.

The next step is for him to get it running.

On the way up to pick up the bike, I was tempted to stop by this place for lessons.

But then I thought, Naw!


For those of you who don't know my brother Jimmy, or who thought that I was an only child, let me explain.

We are brothers, except that he was born in Texas and I was born in England, we had different fathers and different mothers, but apart from that we are brothers.
Of course his name is not Jimmy it's Rick, but we call each other Jimmah, with the Scottish pronunciation. 


Now Anne and I are preparing for the next trip!

More soon,

Norm.

Ciao Bella

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