Fork Fix.

Got some help from Z.

Finally got the chrome fork seal holder covers off...

Here is what is left.

I am not sure which is newer or better or whatever.

2 with brass bushing<>2 with steel?

 I had read that it was hard to find the right cb160 fork seals...

I ordered what I could get and of course they were the smaller OD easier to find kind.

No matter,  just modify the metal shell of the old one to fit......

Time to turn.

 Not perfect but it should work.

 Be safe out there.

New Year's Part 1

Family

Moyou

Snowmobile

Hot tub

Can't wait for the next snowy weekend.

The left side of the underbody guard got ripped off in the ice.
Trimmed and re-secured.

Bolt action.

Retired?

Got it running!

Smile.

Hair.

All aboard! 

Grandparent time.

Hot tubbin'.

＊A new year＊A new beginning＊

2012:

 A year of growing and a year of letting go.

A year of becoming a better person but losing a big part of myself.

2013: 

The first year of the rest of my life.

Be the change you wish to see in the world.

Be happy and healthy by yourself or you can never be completely happy with anyone else.

Learn from the past but cut the chain and watch the anchor sink to the depths.

Less judgement, more empathy.

Grounded, centered, finding the future.

This is my new year's card.

Somehow not complete.

I am thankful for my family and friends.

I wouldn't have survived this year without you.

Roots.

Hope for the future.

 Growing strong.

New life.

Near to my heart.

Building up.

Best of times.

Love lost.

Road trips.

Heavy hitters.

Persistence. 

 

Leap of faith.

Clockwork

When the mail came today the mailman's movements seemed slightly different.  

 I heard a faint *beep-beep* and knew instantly I had a package......

Every year for over a decade I have been getting packages from Tokyo around new years.

Thank you Yuto!

  I am lucky to have had him as a student and met him and his family when I was 21 living in Japan.

  Thank you soo much and アケオメ！ 

The package

The contents

Mojibakeru 6?!?

Sick sticker!

Japanese version of a Christmas card

Look closely

Yuto, Masako! 有り難うございます！

Every year Yuto and Masako hook up toys, sweets, and articles from newspapers that I am interested in.  More than anything else all year long, I look forward to these packages.  Around the first of the year I usually get something amazing.......this year is no exception.  

I know when I see the word "toy" on the customs form I am in for a good surprise.

モジバケる４が出た！

I have been collecting these for a few years now.  These are kanji for animals and insects that transform into what they mean.  今回は豹、鹿、猪、鳳、蜂、鰐バケる！

One of the things I miss most about Japan are the traditional sweets.  Even though they are still candy, I think most are healthier than what we have here and rarely have milk or egg ingredients....

There are also two brochures in this picture for stores in Japan that sell...for lack of a better word "washcloths" in traditional Japanese patterns.  I love this kind of traditional Japanese design!

-->www.eirakuya.jp

It takes a while to load and there are English cues in the menu...check it out the designs are beautiful.

Masako sent me this article.  It looks like it is from a newspaper.....if you know anything about vintage Honda's then you will recognize the poster on the top left of the page.  I am excited to read this!  

Last but not least the new years card.  I feel like these are always picked with my likes in mind...  

The 12 animals and kanji they are a part of represent the 12 animals of the Japanese/Chinese Zodiac.

これもモジバケるみたいだな〜

This year is of course the year of the Dragon.  

My seniors this year are pretty excited about it!