Corrosion

It still won't start.

The bike has been sitting most of the summer, and in attempt to get to the bottom of this little mystery, I pulled the front plate.

There are disadvantages to having an electrical system designed to withstand a nuclear blast. Humidity and an old rubber seal can wreak havoc on even the best Cold War engineering.

Fooling Trout

On foot, and off the black top.

The bike is still down. It is something that will press the limits of my patience. So I've bailed on the idea of getting any riding done in the immediate future and have taken to the back country—on foot.

Somewhere off the Ridge Road, a mile or so deep in hemlock, is a little trail my father showed me. It follows a small run that drops into the west branch of the Susquehanna. It smells of age and cool earth. The stream is clear and cold. The native trout are dark and wear a red stripe.

They live alone—one per pool.

I hiked here often as a child and come back when I need to escape. This is where my father taught me how to fish the small pools. To sneak up low and not cast a shadow. To set the hook on the first hit because there are no second chances.

We used worms or crickets—the natives were hard to fool. But now, as an adult, I fish the nymph. Somewhere along the line, it became less abut catching a fish and more about fooling the trout.

Charge?

I really need to get that new battery.

We've been soaked with rain this spring (one of the many reasons for me not being on the road), and my friend Todd asked me to check in on the family cabin at Pine Creek. He lives in Florida. I live an hour and a half from from the cabin. Scouting report? No problem. I love it when a reason to ride falls into your lap.

I rolled the bike out of the garage. It started on the first try. Things were looking good. I stopped at Graham's Exxon to check tire pressure and tank up. It's an old school service stations with three bays, a small office, and full service.

I switched on the bike—no go. The battery only had enough juice for one start.

We tried to jump it, but bike batteries being what they are, the terminals were too difficult to reach for the standard cable clips. I'll log this as a four block ride and try again in the morning after the battery has had a chance to charge.

Sorry Todd, you'll have to wait until tomorrow for that scouting report.