old man going north

[viclioce]

I worked with a guy, Floyd,who was like that. If you had a truck, he had one that was better! If you had a dog who could do a trick, Floyd’s dog was smarter & could do way more tricks.

One day some of us were talking about skiing. He had never been, but it one point in the conversation, he said “I’ve never skied, but I have slid down the icy driveway wearing my boots, so I know I could get the hang of it pretty quick!”

So we decided to put some spare equipment together & take Floyd with us! We decided to outfit him and take him up on the lift straight away. We told him “Don’t tell the lift operator you’ve never skied. If you fall getting off the lift, everyone does it the first few times! We will teach you how to ski when we get off the lift at the top!”

When we arrived at the top of the lift, Floyd, of course, fell getting off. But he got himself up soon enough so as not be too much in the way. Then we talked about how to use the skis to control your way down the hill.

Our friend, Tom, made a overly exaggerated snow plow, talking about how to do it, and barely slid down the first portion of the hill, explaining as he was sliding, to where the hill flattened out & Tom stopped. Then, I turned to Floyd & said are you ready to try it, or do you want to see it again. He said “Show me again,” as I thought he would.

I told him this time I would add turning to the lesson and demonstrate it & he said “Great!” And I exaggerated the wedge again and leaned from side to side and demonstrated how to turn as well, in both directions.

I got Down next to Tom & we said “OK, it’s now or never!” Floyd started down the hill, immediately fell and tumbled down the hill badly! But, we had to give him credit. He got up, kept trying, & with a lot of work and listening, he made it down the hill on the easiest route, but falling numerous times.

At one point Tom turned to Floyd and said, “Not quote as easy as sliding down an icy driveway in your boots, huh?”

I’m sure glad he never asked me to reach him to ride a motorcycle! That could have been an expensive lesson for both of us!

We all have people in our lives who seem to be not much more than a cross to bear. Sometimes, they become friends and even lighten up a bit! Heal well Maxie, and get back to the business of enjoying life! Victor

[hodakamax]

I'm starting to see some movement and clues that the Old Man is coming back around. We did see lights and heard rattling around in the Hodaka Shed last night. He and I have the only keys now after having to change the lock after we discovered that the Raccoons also had a key. What a mess that was. It was hard to tell who's project was what. I did hide the paint ladders for the season. We'll try to address that in the Spring. I also noticed that the Old Man is not as grumpy as he was and even approaching tolerable, All for the good. That's the report.

Max

[viclioce]

Victor

[hodakamax]

Ok, I thought I'd better give a quick report on the Old Man's status after that new unobtainium knee replacement. All is going along to schedule they say. We got the walker and now the cane away from him now and he's cruising the shop planning projects and not as grumpy as he was.

A side note here. The Old Man is still giggling and not letting me forget about me crashing the inert 2 the Max bike by falling for the old shoelace trick and tipping over in the shop with my foot pinned to the footpeg by the said shoelace.

"What goes around comes around" I told him. Since he was already wounded, I didn't want him falling into a pile of parts like I did and further injuring himself. We tested the four legged cane extensively before turning him loose on that device. We finally decided that it was nearly impossible to do the shoelace crash with that device and released him to run, er, walk is the term.

Reporting,

Maxie

[Bruce Young]

Max how about a picture of the Knee, since the you got the knee and fitted it with new parts. I am sure there is a great zipper on the knee/leg you can show off to the grand kids now and when you bench race with buddy's, you can tell other reasons and stories as well. This knee thing may turn out to be a new racing story I think. Bruce Young

[taber hodaka]

Blizzard here in Montana and I am never ready for winter this early. I took really nice Nitto tires off the old rat I'm redoing. The old man was a great help with the painting. I put the painting supplies back on the old buss as it heads back to Kansas.

Clarence

Old man painting in Montana

[hodakamax]

The gray of Winter has also arrived in SE Kansas. Yesterday the Snow Geese came over in waves pointed South and a damp drizzle reminded us that Winter was approaching. You might want to keep the Old Man around for Winter after seeing that snow shoveling demo from last season and I won't need him for painting until ice-out.

Maxie

[matt glascock]

Maxie, it just occurred to me that with a bit more upward pitch at the end of that dock, you might be able to clear that pond at about 60 mph. Just spit ballin' here.

[hodakamax]

Hey Matt, Yeah, I've looked at that for years. There are steps just out of the picture on a jagged run to the house. Not a chance of even 30 MPH. The effort would be doomed but it doesn't hurt to dream I guess.

Max

[matt glascock]

On the run-up concern, I don't think there's anything that 10 minutes and a good track skid steer couldn't straighten out.

[hodakamax]

I put this important news story on Victor's post "Theft in the Neighborhood" but Z stories are usually on this post. So for Clarence and Victor here's the story where it should be. Someone in Europe reported finding an unexploded WWII bomb and the authorities were notified. When the Bomb people arrived they discovered a giant zucchini hiding in the weeds. As I said, one can't be too careful and I'm not making this one up.

Maxie

[taber hodaka]

Max on your way to Hodaka days this year bring the truck sell your good stuff and swing back by me for the Super Rat. I have more body tools than soldering irons and it is time to let them go. I also am weakening on keeping the new 125cc Minarelli Indian engine, time to sell and focus on Hodaka. We will all be glad to see you!, planting the seed and hoping to see them grow. ---------------------Clarence

[hodakamax]

Grrr. Kansas deer season and for the first time in 50 years the Old man is not doing his traditional and ritual hunt. A couple of things are happening. First a knee replacement near opening day in October. Archery season lasts about three months and he thought he might try later in the season. We took his old frayed bow away from him a couple of years ago as it appeared failure was eminent (just like his knee) and replaced it with a hot crossbow. As everyone gets older this bow gets harder to pull and with this new contraption he can arm it as he leaves the house. He did go down the hill the other day to check the favorite stand and came back complaining that the tree must have grown because the steps were further apart. Yet another feeble excuse.

The Old Man did mention that he's glad he didn't have to get in that tree this morning at 9 degrees F. Pluses and minuses he said. I think the deer have all this figured out as they wander around the house almost every day as to taunt him. The gun people get to hunt for about ten days and that's happening now. His permit that he hasn't bought yet allows any weapon, gun or archery to be used during that period. I mentioned that he could legally shoot one out the window with a gun while near the stove. After all these years I must admit the Old Man has developed some ethics and stated that would be unfair after years of archery hunting. The game should be fair he said. Agreed. He should be in the woods with his bow of sorts.

I'm starting to see a pattern of excuses here. The knee? Maybe. Cold and rainy? A fair excuse. Tree steps getting further apart? Preposterous. Window shot with gun? We all have our ethics. Compassion? All possible. Meanwhile he's glued to the window watching all this action. Looks like no venison this year. Maybe next year he says.

Maxie

[hodakamax]

Wow, Clarence and Max have been heckling each other on Old Man Going North since May 7, 2016 and I see it's had 19,090 views. I always try to keep it on a current page so this is how to get it there. It all started when Clarence saw a picture of me and asked who the Old Man was. Lotsa tales and whoppers have passed through this post. That Clarence is a hoot but not to be believed. Ok, back to the current page. I think it's Clarence's turn. He did start it you know.

Maxie AKA The Old Man

PS--Part of the Raccoon stories were kinda true but for the most part should be filed under "Fake news".

[taber hodaka]

In Arizona we call it flake news. We have flakes in Montana but we call them snow flakes. A few folks may not know the old man is actually two people. However it would be really nice if Max could make it to Hodaka Days this year, is there a chance? The old dealers should have a rondavue "I'll use Jack for spell check". About a inch of snow here, a open winter so far. Max have you ever heard Sissel sing Auld Lang Syne, she is a favorite on my cultural side. ------Clarence

[hodakamax]

Well, we didn't want The Old Man left out during the holiday season and we had him over for Christmas morning. Man, he knocked em' dead on the gift exchange, check out all this cool stuff! A new tie, a Bob Ross coloring book, golf spheres or whatever they are, even a zucchini Spiralizer! He was happy as a clam! Better to give than receive especially on that haul.

Just doing the right thing!

Merry Christmas to the Gang and especially Clarence for making all this happen.

Max, Eweleen and The Old Man.

[Bullfrog]

Oooooooweeeeee. White, spherical pellet gun targets, one of the nifty- est ties ever, and a zuchini spiralizer (which greatly improves the speed of decomposition when the zucchini is placed where it belongs . . . on the compost pile
! ) Merry Christmas to old men, regardless of their direction of travel!
Ed

[taber hodaka]

Now I know what the snail said when he rode on the turtles back. OOO000ooooooWWwweeeeeeeeeee. But what is in the bottle with the sweater. When we started the old man Ed said he was going to hide in the bushes and watch. I do think the old man is slowing but packing more wisdom. Merry Christmas all ------------ I like harmony but not grits. ----- Clarence

[Bullfrog]

Don'tchajustluv auto-spell check? I'm wondering, do most folks like harmony more than hominy or grits?

[hodakamax]

The Old Man really liked the Bob Ross coloring book. For those unfamiliar with Bob Ross painting on PBS programming and his really big hair, you kinda missed out, well a little bit. Corny but educational. Little did I know that this was The Old Man's favorite program in the day. I've already found the perfect birthday Chia pet gift for him. Don't tell! Check it out! He does like growing things.

Maxie

[matt glascock]

He kinda looks like a happy little tree, Maxie.

[hodakamax]

Indeed!

[hodakamax]

I did see The Old Man tapping on the ice with a stick this morning. I told him that I never ice skate below zero but he could have at it. The skates are in the Hodaka shed. Below zero happens in Kansas but not too often and it did happen last night but it's back to one degree as we speak. Even the shop requires long-johns. I might just work on my model airplane that I started when it was too hot to go outside last Summer. Gotta keep me out of mischief the wife says and it ain't gonna happen outside for sure.

I think The Old Man should wait one more day so I don't have rescue him again like the last time it got cold. It's way too cold to be foolin' around outside today. I'd at least better go locate the rope in case.

Maxie

[JackM]

Nice pond! Any fish in there, Max? If ice skating is too hazardous, especially with your new knee, maybe you could do a little ice fishing. That cold weather you have right now is heading my direction (sunny but only 10 degrees here right now). Supposed to get below zero here in the next few days. One bright spot though...the days are getting longer. Cheers,
JackM

[taber hodaka]

I am just trying dragging. Clarence