First Day of Summer, North Bend

I've mentioned that we had an unseasonably warm and sunny winter, but spring has been the opposite, with cold and rain the norm. This trend continues into summer - here are some pictures from my walk today in town:

As you can see, no summer weather today, with the fog and clouds hanging low on the flanks of Mt. Si:



Just up the street, the local movie theater is showing free movies during the summer and is in the World Cup spirit:

These local residents immediately got out of their plastic igloo as I walked by:



One of the local landmarks, North Bend Community Church, was built in 1897 and still has services for the faithful:

While originally residential, parts of North Bend have now converted to a commercial/residential mix, such as this building (being occupied by a professional services company, possibly a design firm):

And right across the street, you might be able to tell that this is the main office of a high-end home builder:

The main street of downtown North Bend has been undergoing a revitalization - Boxley's is a fantastic restaurant that offers nightly jazz, and is a great supporter of the community. My daughter's Jazz Choir has sung here a couple of times:

I think the goats are OK with this first day of summer:

Look What Followed Me Home

I am now the proud owner of a bike that's been on my wish list for some time - a 1987 Honda Super Magna.

She has just under 7500 miles, and is in real nice condition for a 23 year old bike. I worked with a local restorer to get this bike - he has done the mechanical work necessary to get her up and running so it's now in great mechanical condition. She needs a bit of prettying up, but looks great as is. Everything is there, and stock.

I love the 80's power cruisers, such as the Magnas, VMax and Eliminator, and the Super Magna is special since this particular design was only made for two years - 1987 and 1988.

Here are some specifications on this bike:

In 1987, the US model's 700 cc engine produced 80 bhp (60 kW) @ 9500 rpm, with torque being 46 ft lbs (62 N·m) @ 7500 rpm

Wet weight: 529lbs
Engine: dohc 4-valve 90-degree V-four

Displacement: 700cc

Transmission: 6-speed

Seat height: 27.8 in.

Final Drive: Shaft

Cooling: Liquid

Brakes: Single Disc-Front, Drum-Back

1982 Honda C70 Passport Restoration

My son and I have started restoring my Honda Passport. Maybe "restoration" is giving us too much credit - we'll see when this long process is complete whether the bike qualifies as a restoration.

Our plan is to take the bike down to its frame, and either have it powdercoated or painted professionally, or we will do the painting. The wheels are pretty rusted, so we will have to determine whether they can be salvaged or replaced. We will replace other parts as necessary, and try to clean/refurbish those parts that we can. Luckily for us, while the Passport is no longer sold in the US, it is still sold in the rest of the world so parts are available from Honda, on Ebay or via other online sources.

Since my son and I have no experience in restoring a motorcycle, this will be an interesting project for both of us. We will certainly learn alot along the way.

We will also learn more about each other - will I turn into Paul Sr. of America Chopper, and throw tools around when deadlines aren't met? I will keep you posted on our progress.