So El Mirage is this weekend. I hope I can make it.

Here are some pics of SCTA El Mirage from a few years back:

 cool Yamaha race bike

 The old gypsy rv, super rare too! This thing sold quick.

 breakfast and some race action

the perfect pit bike

 Shots were taken when I was on my way home from Lake Elsinore. Inflating your tires (my truck tire to 40psi) will increase your mpg. My truck is little and only 55 hp but its good reliable worker. (I think I'm going to keep it and take it off of Craigslist.)

That's my "new to me" bike in the truck bed. It's a xv250, and people actually make choppers out of 'em too. It's tempting, but I'm going to keep it fairly stock. I need to find some drag pipes for it, bike is running to quiet, that's dangerous. Anyway, it gets ~83mpg!

Get around...

on a moped.

This is my 1979 Puch Maxi N. It has an old Gila kit with after market pipe. Super fun to ride and hauls for an old kitted moped. It still needs a little fine tuning, running a tiny bit rich. 

Well, there is a MB race this weekend in Apple Valley (4-13). Looking forward to running it on the track! I'm still learning how to ride and race so these events makes for good practice (A moped rally is too, but not as safe, you have to worry about cars and stuff).  

Going to be camping there too. Stay tuned for pictures of the event...

VW bus

It was about a month ago that this picture was taken. There were plenty of vans, but for some reason I only took one picture. I like its aged  look and low stance. The color is nice too.

My new daily ride

A used 24" Sun Retro cruiser. I tooks parts from another bike to make it look like this. Its all used stuff. Left over parts were given away. (Its a good feeling to let stuff go) It rides real nice too. My favorite thing on the bike bike is the $1.50 cup holder! This is all you need to get around in Long Beach.

Mopeds

An avenue of fun:

drove down to dago last weekend to drop some stuff off, hang out with friends and ride in a moped rally.
In many ways, lots more fun than a motorcycle. It's gnarly taking a 49cc-80cc mopeds to 50+ mph speeds.
Im looking forward to the next ride.

Animetal USA

Friends

I dig a lot of things mechanical and find peace on machine made by the human condition. With these tangible machines I meet awesome folks. These folks, I hope consider me as a friend too. Here's an infinite cheer to my mechanical friends.
Photo: was taken in the high desert at a friends shop. (Super cool dude) I brought my BSA up to make some adustments and in the process learned a bunch of stuff. I am now super stoked on the bike and want to take it further and make it my own. I hope to make it run great and still commute with it...there is something mysterious about riding a contraption that was designed in the 40's or 50's then chopped in the 70's...
my bike is in the foreground.

-mopeds are fun- see you at the next rally

friends

meet Jumpy. chicken  (other rabbit) and him made a tree cave. they like to hang out near my chopper. funny thing, they sometimes get all greasy from running under and around the motorcycle. they like to hang out outside... when i'm not outside, they would come inside and ask me to go outside to just hang with them. it's funny how they communicate. they would do a helacopter bunny hop when they are happy and pleased. then   hop over to me nudge and lick me to give tanks. its a trip...

PCH or Hwy 1 test run

Mooneyes show in Irwindale is tomorrow and I will be driving my truck to the show. Yesterday, after some tune up type stuff, I went on a little test run down and up the PCH. Boy, was it beautiful out! The ride was rough at first because the front end was shimmying... so I pulled over and made some adjustments and it shimmied less. Just okay enough to go 70 mph down the hwy. I passed by Don the BeachComber and took this picture for my friend Woody. Woody is a Super Duper Tiki Guy and I thought he would appreciate the picture and he did. It's been quite some time since my truck was on the road, I was busy with work and too lazy to work on it... Funny thing, it really didn't take much to get it back on the road, just change the tranny and a ghetto tune-up!?!
I should have been driving the truck a year ago, ah well. Hope the few who visits here like the picture. I'm happy with it.

Random

the gud 'ol days. don't forget to do what you like and follow your heart. or you'll end up ______.

Mid August Fun...

...is around my birthday. I started treating myself to some hot rodding, a little after high school, buying myself a gift, then the Chevelle I had and now the pick up. From small car shows to swap meet it grew into something I look forward to every year, Bonneville. This past August, I drove, by myself, to Bonneville. I was also hoping to make it to South Dakota, but my little service truck was having issues. I barely made it back home...
It was hot driving through Vegas and Baker!
The best part of Bonneville speed week (Friends and the races were awesome too) was camping in the hills near the entrance to the salt flats. It was nice to relax, take my time, and even watch the stars. A really nice change.
I met some really nice and interesting people too. There were a lot of people on the road trying to find themselves. One guy drove from the east coast to the west then to Speed week and he's going to settle in Portland, Or.
Between then and now. I've been hitting up some shows (all solo). Took some pictures and will post them up when I can.

Test/ sketch book page

Testing out a new large format scanner that I just bought today so I can get into the groove again. Anyway, here's a random sketch book page...don't know when I drew it.

The studies were drawn from photos off the Internet or some magazine. Heck might be from memory too. Not sure. I have really bad memory.

calamari

The human body is difficult to draw. Try drawing one with a soul, sheesh, I should just quit. Then there's the  female body, even harder! I respect all those who try to draw because it ain't easy.
Then there's painting and design...ugh the horror!

Vulture

I guess you can call this a study.  Nothing special. I was trying to figure stuff out. Can you tell who's awesome style I'm referencing?
 (Do I even have a style?)

little bikes: lots of fun

Sunday Afternoon Ride - Children Of Decadence - Paris from thom on Vimeo.

Riding is happiness. Go out and try it.

Daily ride

& silly racer. So much fun going slow. Been road racing this thing (practicing how to ride). Hopefully, someday, I will make this thing go 0 to 40 mph fast. The next race is at Adams in Riverside on the 16th.

wacom sketch mook pro ness hella years late....

got me an old ass tablet pc cuz I's be cintiq envy and all. Up there be my second attempt at sketch mook pro. I love my new/old to you 280 dollar tablet out dated pc. I took the money I saved from NOT buying a new cintiq and bought me a bsa chopper. fun stuff. I can digi scratch now and fuck off on my bike. life is good.

More tracing

Traced of an online image of an Elvis model...rusty, but I'm learning from tracing. Kinda of a warmup...

quick sketch

good 'ol happy times.

Hot rods & Weirdo's