Thanks to your post I spent much of last evening strolling down memory lane, looking at photographs and reading narrative. It was nice spending some time with Tinsmith once again making that wonderful copper gas tank. I realized as I read that it would be a shame for this bike to not be finished to the point of being rid-able as it was first envisioned. Yes, summer is coming, Steve, and in the distance I can hear bike camp for boys who never grew up calling our names... We're both older now by a few years, but with proper stoking there is yet steam in the boiler. One more summer, Lord.
Steve has tracked down a super duper wicker chair for the front end. He found it on Craig's List up in Vancouver and I'll be on edge a bit through the day until I hear that he has made a score. It will be perfect.
Yes, there is a definite rumbling in the boiler of ambition... I can envision our making it to the big motorcycle show in Davenport Iowa to meet up with Mr. B. who by then may have finished his own tri-car project. Wouldn't that be a hoot to ride around the grounds in our tri-cars! Woo-hoo!
And the original concept of the Hiawatha being convertible is worth a follow up. In two wheel mode it will be a light motorcycle with the option of canoe sidecar. For some years that sidecar, although made for the Hiawatha, got side tracked by being mated to a Schwinn panther. Aaniimoosh The Wonder Dog rode many a happy mile in that rig, even though the bike's 98cc Predator engine was barely enough to make it up steep hills. It will go back onto the Hiawatha where it belongs and with a more powerful 2 speed engine this time.
And Curt, you are quite right that things have been on hold and for awhile there I doubted the project would ever be done. Lost faith, I did. We elders tend to let go of ambition and allow the gravity of time to pull us down into do-nothing mode, but Steve is made of sterner stuff than that and has fought back against some daunting odds. Gimp man rides again! A heart attack a few years back gave me pause to consider, but I'm mobile and there's still some fire in the belly. Anniimoosh, too, has gone gray. She's a teenager now at 13, but can't count and doesn't know she's getting old... is still a puppy at heart and ready to ride in her sidecar or strapped in with a safety belt to the wicker tri-car seat. She still has her pair of doggles. My hairy biker babe. Woof! So Curt, what is left to be done on the leaf spring fork? As I recall you were closing in for the kill. Dust it off and take a look, will you? Then let me know what kind of bribe is in order to make it happen. You worked so hard on that fork... it needs to be part of this build which in another decade or two will get passed along as a kind of legacy from friends back when who came together as old guys to make something new out of old dreams. You and Steve and Dan the Tinsmith have your fingerprints all over this bike. And the ones who came before gave inspiration. It is our bike and my hope is that a hundred years from now someone will keep air in the tires and once in awhile take it for a ride. Wouldn't that be something!
Vroom...
SB
