The Waiting Game

Since arriving in Creston just over a week ago I seem to have spent most of my time either waiting for deliveries of parts for The Beast, which still haven’t materialised; dashing around the various automotive supplies in the vain hope that they may have an O ring of the correct size and gauge, or sleeping! Not to mention of course, eating,  the superb, healthy, nutritious and very tasty meals that Taz conjures up from ingredients the like of which I have never seen or heard!

Had I realised that getting the parts in North America would be so problematic I would have ordered straight away from Motorworks in the UK, who I am sure would have had me back on the road long, long ago. In fact, in the early hours of tomorrow (Monday) morning I will be putting in a call to them for a reserve set of the top end gaskets and seals that I'm struggling to get, on the off chance that the ones that were guaranteed for delivery last Friday, still don’t arrive tomorrow!

Yesterday, was particularly frustrating, as having found an O ring locally that I though might just do the job, I started reassembly at about 5.45am full of hope and enthusiasm. Only to have that hope dashed a couple of hours later, when, on starting the engine easily at first touch of the button, oil immediately started to seep from the barrel / crankcase joint. So there was nothing for it but to strip it all back down. The O ring had been just that little bit to fat and had split as it had tried to fit into the crankcase. In doing so the thread on the base of one of the cylinder studs had pulled so it needed a Helicoil, which of course, wasn’t available locally. The Creston supplier had just about every size except the one 10mm 1.5 pitch item that I needed. Borrowing Taz & Joels car it was a flying 120 mile round trip up to Cranbrook and back after the local motorcycle mechanic discovered a store there with the required part. Assuming (always dangerous!) that the O ring arrives in  tomorrows post, even if it’s quite late; and the bike mechanic manages to get the Helicoil fitted, I should be on the road Tuesday for a quick blast, before loading up and heading over for a short trip around Glacier and Yellowstone National parks just to make sure all is OK before the long haul that will ultimately see me back in Halfax, Nova Scotia.

However,I must say that after a fairly tough first 4 weeks in Canada and the USA, it’s been great to just be able to chill for a bit with some good friends, namely, Taz, Joel and Jim. To laugh, to eat and to drink without having to think about moving on the next morning, or where I was going to stay the next night. But there is a limit to just how chill one can be before the itchy feet start to drive one mad! Or in my case, madder!  Right now I just can’t wait to get back on the road…

This morning Joel suggested taking a short run out up to the Kootenay Pass with me riding Taz’s bike. I think with the issues that Jim and I are having at the last minute, he wanted to make sure their bikes were running well, and they are. Although they each have close to 100,000 Km’s on their little 250cc motors, thanks to the care with which Joel has looked after them, including frequent oil changes, they run like new! So here I sit, looking at the parts of my Beast all lined up ready for reassembly, whilst typing what I hope is going to be my last update before hitting the road. Although I can’t actually post it yet as the internet, on which Taz & Joel depend for their livelihood, has crashed this afternoon. Oh, the joys of country living!