Summer's here...

The heat wave that started in April has continued into May. While the normal high temperatures for mid-May are barely sixty, it hit a record high of 86°F today and has been near 80 for the past week or so. Here's some photos taken in the last few days:

It's been over 100 in the sun most afternoons.

Andy's got the garden in already, while the choke cherry's a'bloomin'.

And it's just too hot for the cats.

Angst and the art of motorcycle maintenance...

With several old motorcycles in the garage awaiting various forms of repairs/rebuilds, my main feeling lately has been one of angst. According to the urban dictionary, angst is a transcendent emotion that is often confused with anxiety, but combines the anguish of life with the hopes of overcoming the seemingly impossible. Angst denotes the constant struggle that weighs the emotions of worry against hope. So now I'm starting to work on the old Moto Guzzi, worrying I won't get it done right, while still hoping for the best. To fix a leaking rear seal, you have to remove the complete engine/transmission unit by disconnecting and lifting the frame off of the engine, then separating the transmission from the engine to access the seals. So now the components are on the work bench while I try to carefully remove the main seals without damaging anything else. Then put it all back together again. Angst rules!

Here's the frame after lifting it off the engine/transmission unit:

As far as I know, Moto Guzzi is the only manufacturer that accesses the engine by removing the frame. Much easier than trying to lift the engine out of the frame.