I didn't really have fun activities planned for this past Labor Day weekend. No extended motorcycle rides or long walks. It rained on and off for much of the weekend so it wasn't even a good day to go to the farmers market. I did manage a several rides around the area mostly running to the local Home Depot.
I have been procrastinating long enough on this bathroom remodel. One of the things that I wanted to replace was the shower mixing valve. I preferred one that actually had a diverter valve instead of the little button on the bath spout. Since I get a real feeling of satisfaction from sweating copper pipes, I was actually looking forward to installation. We cut out a section of the wall, shut off the water in the house and drained the water lines. Kind of a hassle when there is a full house. This 2x4 stud really does get in the way of mounting the valve and pipes.
After a bit of trial and error, I got the new valve installed and soldered everyone together. Now the moment of truth. I turned the well pump back on and checked for leaks. Tested everything and now I can turn the rest of the job over to my oldest son to finish. Jobs like this always seem to take me longer than I think it should. It seems like there is always some part or tool needed to finish the task. But then again, there's nothing wrong with more tools.
On Monday evening, the local Airhead.org chapter had its monthly meeting at the local microbrewery. Only five us us showed up and much of the discussion was about one of the members road trip to Key West via the BMWMOA rally in Sedalia, MS. His '84 airhead had a few issues along the way including having the exhaust valves starting to close up during the trip. He expects that he will be pulling the heads for a top end overhaul as I had done 1½ years ago.
Today, I think, was the first time since mid-April that I drove the truck instead of riding. I need to drive my middle son to his dental appointment in the middle of the day. Another sign of the end of the summer is no more motorcycle parking spots near our building. I'm not looking forward to winter at all this year. Last week, I sent out an email to the Google Group associated with the local BMW riders announcing the "last ride #1" scheduled for September 16th to Chena Hot Springs. It's labeled #1 as it is the first last ride of the season. In past years, there have been up to four "last rides". Summer was too short...
I have been procrastinating long enough on this bathroom remodel. One of the things that I wanted to replace was the shower mixing valve. I preferred one that actually had a diverter valve instead of the little button on the bath spout. Since I get a real feeling of satisfaction from sweating copper pipes, I was actually looking forward to installation. We cut out a section of the wall, shut off the water in the house and drained the water lines. Kind of a hassle when there is a full house. This 2x4 stud really does get in the way of mounting the valve and pipes.
On Monday evening, the local Airhead.org chapter had its monthly meeting at the local microbrewery. Only five us us showed up and much of the discussion was about one of the members road trip to Key West via the BMWMOA rally in Sedalia, MS. His '84 airhead had a few issues along the way including having the exhaust valves starting to close up during the trip. He expects that he will be pulling the heads for a top end overhaul as I had done 1½ years ago.
Today, I think, was the first time since mid-April that I drove the truck instead of riding. I need to drive my middle son to his dental appointment in the middle of the day. Another sign of the end of the summer is no more motorcycle parking spots near our building. I'm not looking forward to winter at all this year. Last week, I sent out an email to the Google Group associated with the local BMW riders announcing the "last ride #1" scheduled for September 16th to Chena Hot Springs. It's labeled #1 as it is the first last ride of the season. In past years, there have been up to four "last rides". Summer was too short...
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Richard:
ReplyDelete"LAST" is such a relative word. I also was thinking of LAST. Last Car, Last Motorcycle, the last time I have to repair the roof, My LAST is more permanent. There can be only ONE LAST in my connotation. You are able to have more than one Last Ride.
I am not looking forward to Winter either, but as compared to you, our winters are nothing
bob
Riding the Wet Coast
My Flickr // My YouTube
Sometimes it feels that LAST is the correct word around here. There are riders up here who have already had their last ride of the season and have their motorcycles and classic cars up on blocks in a warehouse somewhere. And it is still at least three weeks from the first snowfall.
DeleteMaybe you will have a long warm autumn.
ReplyDeleteThe Farmers' Almanac predicts we will be cold and snowy this winter and that's just what many of us want up here! Too many bugs and weeds after our mild winter. So I'm ready. Might have to buy a snow blower, tho. When you live north you have to buy so much stuff....
We can always hope for a long autumn. I've been hearing around here that it is supposed to be a hard winter. Maybe they are reading the same pages. Our snow blower gets very little use though you probably get a lot more snow than we do in this arid climate. What I like to see is a nice warm spring so the bugs come our early then a real hard freeze to kill them off. That usually results in a lot less bugs during the summer.
DeleteI'm so lucky that I don't have to start thinking about last rides, sometimes until late October and defintely not before Thanksgiving (I have been known to leave the turkey to fend for itself while I'm off on a beautiful fall ride.) My last ride is always to KTec where I store the bike and it is often a cold one. Here's hoping you get at least 4 last rides again.
ReplyDeleteI have usually managed to continue riding as late as the beginning of November. By then, there is enough snow on the road and it isn't getting warm enough to melt off of the pavement. One year, it didn't snow for most of the autumn and I kept on riding until the temperature was in the low teens (°F).
DeleteLabour Day is always one of getting ready for the return to work in my case and getting the daughter ready for school. On Monday I threw off the shackles of responsibility and went for a long afternoon ride with my girlfriends, it was gorgeous, but there was a definite chill in te air. I am dreading winter too, I think I may actually get a bus pass for December & January, I don't have the heart to face the rain & cold ths winter. I hear it is going to be a cold wet one for us.
ReplyDeleteThe university pays a lomp sum to the borough so that anyone affiliated to the university gets to ride for free. I can catch the bus about ½ a mile from the house so that is my plan for most of the winter. We'll see if I can actually keep to it.
Deleteew! House chores. These jobs always take longer than planned. Always! It's a sacred law or something.
ReplyDeleteYep, it's that time of year. We're still having a little summer here, but things are definitely winding down. It sounds like you got directly to winter (do not pass go, do not collect $200...) I'm tellin' ya, ya need one of them snow-fatbikes! That would add a little fun to those long winter days.
Yep, house projects seem to always take a long time. We have a reasonable fall though it seems to start in the middle of summer and by the time September 21st comes around, winter is starting.
DeleteThe fatbikes seem like it would be a lot of fun but they are still pretty pricy.
Nice job on the copper pipes. Bathroom renos are no fun. At least you have some help from your son, that is good.
ReplyDeleteWe too aren't looking forward to winter but it will be mild in comparison to what you will experience. For now I shall enjoy the sunshine and 85˚F weather while it lasts.
Hope your weather holds out and you get a few last rides again this year.
The last bathroom renovation took most of the summer as I kept running into problems until the room was down to the studs and subfloor. This one is not as ambitious. At least you can still get out on the bike once winter hits. Around this time of year, I start thinking of sidecars. This year, I've been thinking that a Ural would make more sense than simply adding a sidecar. Nut this adds a lot more cost and complexity...
DeleteDear Richard:
ReplyDeleteNo one would ever let me touch the pipers in a house, The results would be horrible. I have no mechanical aptitude. I'd have the toilet hooked up to the dishwasher.
The concept of a last ride has a very different meaning around here. While the problems with my legs have been getting progressively worse, I had to search my mind for my last ride. There is a wheelchair alongside my desk that I refuse to use, as I claw my way back to a new reality other than this one.
I have determined that my last ride is still far into the future.
What is the advantage of a mixer valve over the button on the spigot?
Fondest regards,
Jack Riepe
Twisted Roads
It's kind of satisfying to watch the melting solder get sucked into a pipe fitting as you then "know" that it'll hold water pressure.
DeleteYour description of your reality sounds like I felt when I had injured my back and could only crawl from place to place. Having the right mental attitude goes a long way and it sounds like you aren't going to let this setback defeat you.
The little button on the spigot doesn't completely shut off the flow sow it reduces the pressure that is available to the shower. An actual diverter valve completely shuts off the flow to the spout. The shower in this bathroom has been almost useless as the pressure was insufficient.
Ahem. Winter. Sorry.
ReplyDeleteYep...
DeleteI totally commend you on actually making progress on the remodel. My shower is still in the spare room. At least it isn't in the garage anymore. Hehe. Someday, as my winter has yet to arrive.
ReplyDeleteThough you are making me sad knowing that winter is nearing...