Mid Year Storm

Saturday was a really dark day, well I meant the skies, as a storm was scheduled to hit the Metro, I dunno, by tomorrow? Haven't really watched the news lately, but I do know Bicol region is taking a pounding and is up to signal number 3. Brutus is already covered and ready anyway. Jay came over to check out some of my wirings and we'd be replacing a couple of components with the bike by next weekend. I happen to have a blast with my godchild Reese along with Corie, who patiently waited for Jay to finish doing his thing. Sorry I didn't snap any photos.

I also got word from my good friend Shad de Guzman about Grandmaster Nap suffering a stroke and is in QC General Hospital. Master Nap is the founder of YAW-YAN, a lethal Filipino martial art proven in and outside the ring. I hope he pulls through. (As of the moment, he is out of the hospital and is recuperating at home.)

The storm did hit past midnight Sunday and the wind was howling. I stayed up late through 4AM, ready for anything that might happen. Objects were slamming on the roof, the trees outside were really dancing the jig and I kept looking outside checking to see if the van was still intact as it was parked out on the street in the storm. A brownout followed that lasted for 5 hours, but it brought back childhood memories of fun times during brownouts in the middle of a storm. That afternoon greeted me with a bad case of migraine and flu which left me incapacitated till Monday morning - where the first signs of clear weather greeted us. Once again we were carried through another storm and are thankful for blessings of safety and the roof over our heads.

I hope everyone else made it safely through. Though I hear a ship sank somewhere of the coast. Once can never imagine what those people and their relatives are going through right now.

Be well everyone. Oh, and a happy thanksgiving birthday Boogie ;)

Smart Filipino Abroad

Lifted this somewhere on the net:

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A Filipino walks into a bank in New York City and asks for the loan officer. He tells the loan officer that he is going to the Philippines on business for two weeks and needs to borrow $5,000. The bank officer tells him that the bank will need some form of security for the loan, so the Filipino hands over the keys and documents of new Ferrari parked on the street in front of the bank. He produces the title and everything checks out. The loan officer agrees to accept the car as collateral for the loan.

The bank's president and its officers all enjoy a good laugh at the Filipino for using a $250,000 Ferrari as collateral against a $5,000 loan. An employee of the bank then drives the Ferrari into the bank's underground garage and parks it there.

Two weeks later, the Filipino returns, repays the $5,000 and the interest, which comes to $15.41. The loan officer says, "Sir, we are very happy to have had your business, and this transaction has worked out very nicely, but we are a little puzzled. While you were away, we checked you out and found that you are a multi millionaire. What puzzles us is, why would you bother to borrow "$5,000" ?

The Filipino replies: "Where else in New York City can I park my car for two weeks for only $15.41 and expect it to be there when I return?"

Thrill Seekers

The long stretch of road that is Macapagal is abuzz every Saturday of any week ever since time immemorial. When you pass by this area you'd come across folks between 20 to 40 age bracket patiently standing along side their souped up cars, or in groups inside the Shell station area, which by now at 2AM in the morning, is packed on all corners. Since the seals are here the sharks can't be far behind. I didn't get any shots of Manila's Finest doing their "job", but their presence is felt indeed - as many that were already parked when we arrived vanished in an instant. Such is the risk these renegades of the road take for the sake of, let's say, another car for a bet?

And More Snaps..

Snaps

It's time for another installment of snaps. One lazy but blessed Saturday afternoon before the fish came. I really have to find time to visit the metal shop to score some mats for the sissy bar. The seat springs look so cool - can you see the front fenders from here?

A Short Ride Is Everything

10:47PM - I just came from a short night ride out to Makati and back and it was an absolute dish for my achin' throttle wrist. The road down south was clear to whiz by a couple of other vehicles and trucks. Stopped by Caltex Buendia to grab some 2-piece chickens from KFC. Well, as usual I just had to find an excuse to ride at this time of night. There was no full moon so I wonder what brought about the familiar thirst for wind. As of now? It's welding, welding and more welding practice. Laying down some damn nice beads for a change. New digicam tomorrow so no more boring posts with just blahs.

Free Sitters Suck

When I got back to the parking lot and prepared to roll out, I slumped on my seat when I sat on it. Clearly there was a clean break INSIDE the seat. Whoever the fat bastard was that had the nerve to sit on my seat while it was peacefully parked in the guarded lot must have been one big-ass mutha.

Ok so what to do? Confront the guard? I don't want to implicate anyone. Better keep it to myself. I'm giving the guards the benefit of the doubt. Especially that big one. He's had a tough day already I thought, "Just sit your ass down towards the rear springs and you'll do fine." So on the ride home my mind was already grinding out some blueprints. I had to fabricate a steel support running from the front screws towards the back perpendicular to the springs. Good thing I bought some steel strips at my local shop so I can just TIG weld the darn thing. It came out exactly measured out to the seat's specs. What started out as a seemingly unfortunate event - elicited a solution to the bounce I get from the previous seat setup. The middle just after the last front screw was taking the full weight. It was just right for me, but not for the culprit. The new brace was the perfect solution. It is much more stable now.

I've had cases like that when I park in front of fast foods and eat outside a good distance from the bike - other enthusiasts buzz around it, bending over the details, twisting the throttle, squeezing the clutch, finger painting the flamed tank and rear fender and finally, violating property by sitting and feeling the stretch my apes have. Oh yeah, they bounce on the shocks too. I've never been one to make a scene. I just watch without them knowing. But this is just the kind of character these people exhibit that I despise. I mean just because the seat is exposed doesn't mean you can sit on it, freak.. I'm thinking of rigging the darn thing with a tazer shock that goes off when you make contact with the bike. Somewhere around 20,000 volts and up would be really fun.