We Could Talk About The Weather

[kb2vxa]

CLE? Quite right, spring and autumn only give narrow windows to bikers, that's where leather comes in. Some years ago WA2V (SK) and I went fishing on opening day of trout season, the first Saturday in April. We knew we'd need an early start beginning at dawn, it took an hour taking turns kicking, spraying, and more kicking to cold start his '62 Harley Sportster semi hog. Then we left on a long cold trek to my favorite fishing hole shivering all the way and stopping at every diner for hot coffee. When we got there a fire was the first order of business! The only fish was caught by Jack, a monster sucker (of the carp family) thankfully a sluggish bottom feeder, we only had 14lb test monofilament line. Hauling it up was tough, we thought it was a large snapping turtle common there. He couldn't haul it out and we didn't bring a net, I waded in and grabbed it by the gill flaps, that sucker (sic) was HEAVY. Although good eating we released it out of respect for "a 100 year old fish", it managed to survive for a long time we just couldn't kill it. Going home the notoriously troublesome series bike started right up and it was a pleasant ride home layered clothing opened.

Just a funny short story, '60s Harleys were quite troublesome, it was just in time the Little Honda the Beach Boys made famous came along. I was in with (not in) the Pagans that drove Harleys exclusively and worked with them and a few independents who drove Motoguzzis, BMWs, and the like, better but not best, that was Honda all the way. I rode with a friend on his brother's CB-350, we had a blast riding past them working on their bikes shouting "You're fixing, we're riding! <razz>" Sometimes one would throw a wrench that missed by a mile, bikers are cool!

[N8YX]

...Some years ago WA2V (SK) and I went fishing on opening day of trout season, the first Saturday in April.
<snip>When we got there a fire was the first order of business!
<snip>The only fish was caught by Jack, a monster sucker (of the carp family) thankfully a sluggish bottom feeder.

Your April fishing experience mirrors mine; this in 1984. A bunch of us hit a nearby waterway to fish, drink beer and generally raise hell. My catch was so large it took two of us to get it clear of the water, and like you I released it afterwards. We scrounged and burned half a forest's worth of fallen wood in order to keep warm. Cold and drizzly = body heat is instantly sucked away.

I rode with a friend on his brother's CB-350

My first bike, acquired 12 months earlier. By later that year ('84) I'd put almost 18k on the thing, along with learning how to rebuild a motor due to a bad lower-end bearing. I took a lot of grief from The Motor Company crowd back then. Most don't open their yaps nowadays, as a tuned F6 Valkyrie will simply blow their Hogs into the weeds.