I live in a newer construction residential development, thus where with out exaggerating, the kids will get bussed in. They can clean me out of a bag of 300 treats in a matter of an hour and a half. There will be a constant streaming line with little to no breaks, until the little kids are gone. Except for the little kids which we buy good treats for, we buy cheap small stuff for the bigger kids.
I'll be handing out candy till the rotten teenagers that are way too old to trick or treat are still knocking at the door. Eventually, I'll have had enough and I'll turn off the lights.
I may be a prick, but I made my kids stop trick or treating for this exact same reason when they turned thirteen.
I get annoyed when a sixteen year old knocks at my door at 10:30, no costume, no bag, and asks for a free handout. That Ain't what this was supposed to be about was it?
Do you want to know how I really feel? LOL! Just kidding. I LOVE the little ones in their costumes. It's just the big ones causing the problem here.
I was rummaging through some photos, and saw a picture of a motorcycle tank and fenders that I painted when I was at Tech school for auto body, and paint way back in 1991.
I did my very first Harley Davidson custom paint job for a guy who was going through the heavy equipment mechanics class next door to the Auto Body Shop class. He had a 1200 Sportster that he got a new tank for, and wanted a color change on tank and fenders to match "with a twist" of something not completely stock looking. This is what I gave him for I think about $300.00, which included materials.
Most of you who follow my blog regularly have already seen pictures of my bike, but for those who have not, for comparison sake, I posted a couple of pics of my most recent custom paint job which is on my bike. What a difference 17 1/2 years can make. I think if I would have stuck with this professionally I'd be better, but I would hate it, or at least my love for doing a custom paint job would be reduced to "it's a job". At least it's a decent paying hobby this way. I got no complaints.
These photos come from a few websites, including Max Schaaf's terrific 4QConditioning (which specializes in vintage Americana, bikers, and skating - Max and posse are in photo #2), plus the Picasa/Flickr pages of other riders; ie, people with real cameras (Craig Howell and 'Diamante').
I had my hands full of Sunbeam! While it's an incredibly simple motorcycle, it's not simple to ride - not only am I constantly playing with the lever throttle and timing levers, I have to keep a keen eye out for potholes (minimal suspension - probably 1.5" on those Druid forks) and braking 'opportunities' - ie the bike has no brakes to speak of...
Paul Zell brought his Indian bobber, which looks very rideable, with high ground clearance and real brakes up front. Everything the original 'bob-jobs' were... light and functional, stripped down for performance.
On the opposite end of the 'modified' spectrum, this extended-fork Harley chopper was certainly the most radical machine, along with the '13 Excelsior! The 'Black Widow' certainly cut a stylish figure...it's all about those pointed boots....enjoy the rest of the photos!
I am a believer in global warming. I used to not be one until recently watching a show on it. I went on the theory that I live in Minnesota, the land of 10,000 lakes. It did not become the land of 10,000 lakes for no reason. It is from being carved out from glaciers, and the pooling up of water was originally, and some still is glacial. They have been tracking "global warming" since the beginning of the ice age melting. Look at Glacier National Park in Montana. They have been measuring the shrinkage of glaciers for I think decades.
Anyway the fact is global warming HAS been going on for a very long time, BUT it is extremely accelerated now with our usage of fossil fuels, and believe it or not "COWS"! We'll get to the cows in a minute.
Have you ever heard the term "carbon footprint"? Global warming is not caused from the heat from our emissions, but rather from the carbon dioxide left behind after we burn it. When we burn fossil fuels, the emission that is left behind is carbon dioxide. The build up of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere only allows "some, not all" of the heat coming in to the atmosphere to leave, thus causing a gradual buildup of heat. I'm not going to go into all the details of what can and will happen if we continue on the path we are already on. That is another lesson. Google it for more info. (If you don't already know the consequences, I SERIOUSLY HOPE YOU DO GOOGLE IT.)
O.K. back to the cows. The emissions, or the carbon dioxide that comes out of cows rear ends is approximately three times the carbon dioxide created by the entire worlds burning of fossil fuels!
That's right you read it correctly. Just by requiring farmers to change the cows diets to make them less gassy, we could hugely reduce our carbon footprint. I heard on the special I watched that garlic introduced into their diet would help greatly. We can also help by reducing the amount of beef we consume, thus lowering the demand for so much cattle raising.
I often think about global warming. I wonder what will happen when and if we ever convert all of our fossil fuel burning engines into something different. Will motorcycles follow? What will they sound like. There is a mystique to the rubble of a V-twin engine under you. I would certainly miss this. Will it happen in my lifetime? Will I have to resort to putting playing cards in my spokes with a clothespin like I did as a child?
Good ideas attract people, and Pete Young's notion to follow the 'tourist route' (marked with '49 Mile Drive' signs) with a gang of Vintage motorcycles has grown larger every year.
The total number of motorcycles was over 205 - that's a lot of funky old bikes to filter through city traffic. Pete and Kim have enlisted the help of the Yerba Buena Antique M/C for catering and directing traffic, making for an extra-smooth ride this year
The route circles the perimeter of the City via the Embarcadero, Fisherman's Wharf, Presidio, Seacliff, and Ocean Beach, then plunges into the heart via Golden Gate Park, Twin Peaks, the Mission, and finally our start/finish point, the Bayview Boat Club (emphatically NOT the 'yacht club', as Bayview is hardly the sort of place one would park an expensive boat - all the brass would be gone in a matter of hours!).
Almost all of the motorcycles were pre-'75, as requested; the only interlopers this year seemed to be Harleys, and the common excuse was 'My Shovelhead (or insert vintage H-D motor here) isn't running'. C'mon, guys, if we can keep our fragile Sunbeams and Ariels going...
I rode my '25 Sunbeam Longstroke, which is actually the longest ride yet on this machine (about 60 miles total, including the cross-town ride to get to Bayview). The lubrication remains a bit of a mystery to me, and it isn't sorted out yet, but the bike ran very well, and winds out beautifully in the gears. It surprised a fellow from LA riding a mildly tuned Lambretta Li175, who couldn't keep up with the 80-year-old hotrod.... well what do you expect! It's the Cloris Leachman of motorcycles (no, I've never seen 'Dancing with the Stars').
More Kustoms were ridden this year, with a variety of power plants; this Triumph T100 bobber caught me eye. It has brakes too!
All bikes bright and beautiful, all bikes big and small, the Vintagent did love them all... this Cushman was pretty cool.
We stopped to gather at Fort Point underneath the Golden Gate Bridge, which has a secluded parking lot and supportive Park Service staff (some of them ride, and look forward to our visit). Nobody jumped off the bridge this year, so we had plenty of time to chat.
My Sunbeam leaking slowly next to Charlie Taylor's Matchless Model X, which is a really fine machine to ride. The variety of motorcycles present was impressive.
Of course, the term 'motorcycle' was pushing it occasionally. All rectangles are squares, and all two-wheelers with engines are motorcycles, even if they're Mustangs, or scooters.
Fort Point is an impressive old lump, which can't be seen from the bridge at all, but the understructure of the Bridge adds great character to the locale, as does the fog.
And yes, although it was sunny on the East side of town, it was pretty soupy on the Ocean side, which is where I live, so I was overdressed for the sun, but quite cozy in the fog.
Fashionistas were out in force this year. Winner of the Women's Best Dressed category.
Winner of the Men's Best Dressed - is this 1948 or 2008?
It must be 2008, as Mods and Rockers rode harmoniously down Haight Street, avoiding the panhandling homeless people and drug peddlers.
This was my personal favorite machine of the day, but I'm biased as I unearthed it from a long slumber. This BSA A7 had 3000 miles on the clock, and is completely original, although Gus says the old tires finally wore out. The engine is amazingly quiet, and it runs like a clock. Even the dealer's sticker is still on the toolbox (and it's a beauty; see below)
Twin Peaks has a fantastic view of downtown SF, especially on a totally clear Autumn day. The parking lot if always full of tourists and tour buses, who thread their way gingerly through our parked machines, wary of starting an avalanche.
Another totally original machine; a Harley 45cu" civilian model, complete with 'buddy' seat. Nice.
Oldest bike of the day was this 1913 Excelsior, which is featured on some of my Pre-16 Ride posts; it's been seriously upgraded and produces twice the original horsepower. He even keeps a small bottle of NO2 for a boost!
Three little Guzzis; actually I think there were several more. Italian lightweights are becoming more popular in the SF area, due to the MotoGiro. Now that there are TWO Giro inspired rides in CA, more 175cc MVs, Benellis, Guzzis, Ducatis, etc, seem to show up at every ride.
For once, Sunbeams outnumbered Velocettes on a ride. But you'd have to count a postwar S7 with the two Vintage machines...
Thanks again to Pete especially for organizing the fine weather!
Good ideas attract people, and Pete Young's notion to follow the 'tourist route' (marked with '49 Mile Drive' signs) with a gang of Vintage motorcycles has grown larger every year. 
