Coping with advancing years

[Bullfrog]

Consider this post a bit of an attempt to aid other Hodaka riders who may be coping with some of the same issues bugging me. Things like going out to the garage to work on some detail on the bike . . . and not remembering which detail I was planning to work on. Or worse yet, getting to the bike to measure something with the calipers which I had just gone to retrieve from the basement workbench . . . and discovering that I had indeed gone to the basement . . . but I forgot to pick up the dang calipers! Read on for my latest goof - and a decision which MAY reduce such goofs. (I hope!)

On Monday morning following the end of the Hodaka Days celebration, a group of five riders gathered to sweep the Bad Rock Trail to gather trail markers, "spare" parts and any litter we might see. After unloading the bike from my van, I decided to check the transmission oil level. It was a mite low, so I placed the dipstick back in the hole and started to the van to get some oil. My subconscious actually told me, "You should screw the dipstick back in before you walk away from the bike." and I ignored the voice in my head. I'm sure you have an idea where this is going . . . It took several minutes to determine there was no transmission oil in the van, and someone asked me a question . . . and "poof" the task at hand was GONE. I then completed attaching a milk crate to the luggage rack, helmeted and gloved up, and rode away . . . with the dipstick just sitting there in the hole.

Several miles later, when I reached down to fold out the kick start lever . . . "Hey! Why is there oil all over my boot and the side of the bike?"



I can tell you that several feet of Motion-Pro marking tape rolled up and folded over will make a passably useful plug!

AND, I've taken a vow to start listening to the inner voice. Really!
Ed

[hodakamax]

It gets worse!

Old Maxie

[Bill2001]

Look on the positive side. At least we have advanced years to cope with.

And then we go a-riding. And wrenching. And riding...

[viclioce]

One of the things I have had to force myself to do is put all my tools away after EACH use. And I still don't always succeed at this! Otherwise I end up looking for a tool and not finding it, until I'm looking for something else later. And sometimes, I'll be doing something different and come across something I had been looking for earlier and have to tell myself "put it away or where you can find it or you'll forget where you saw it and not have it again when needed!" It's kind of like stopping in the middle of the stairs and not remembering if you're going up or down!!! Victor

[matt glascock]

Not to worry Captain. Generations of riders have stuffed many manners of things into the oil fill hole in a pinch. Its like a badge of station. My favorite station is KFMW. Just a pinch between the cheek and gums, you know. They play a lot of deep cuts and album oriented stuff. In the movie, the original Apollo astronauts endure the trials of early...early...er...what were we talking about?

[viclioce]

Sometimes....when I forget what I'm talking about....I forget what I'm talking about....and then I can't remember.

Anyway, sometimes.....??????? And that's me in the orange....what were we talking about? Victor