Mmmm. Breakfast. Texas style. Make-your-own tortillas. Evidently Paul’s specialty.

Paul also happens to specialize in motorcycle repair and troubleshooting. Not professionally (for pay), because he says that will take all the fun out of it, but he’s written monthly tech articles for the BMW Owner’s Group magazine, “ON”, for 15 years now (not for pay). He’s well known (almost as well as Voni 🙂 ) in the motorcycle world as a good soul, a rider with some serious miles, and come serious technical knowledge. And today was my lucky day–he was going to help me rewire my GPS to the battery (Edward did a hasty wiring job for me in a NY City alley, with no tools, but I wanted it directly wired to the battery so it wouldn’t shut off every time I turned the bike off).

We went out to the workshop

And enter the wizard

Wizard’s wonderful assistant

While Paul was working on the wiring, I set to repacking to see if there was anything I could cull from my luggage.

The tools (a full 37 liter Trax box worth!!!)

The list:
cable & padlock
siphon
tire pressure gauge
WD40
Blue locktite
JB weld
Socket set
Cable lock for locking jacket to bike
front and rear tire tubes
spare clutch cable
Spare clutch and brake levers
spare shifter lever
5 oil filters + gaskets
2 spare spark plugs
extra front and rear brake pads
misc. nuts & bolts
misc. electrical connectors
duct tape
electrical tape
Spanish for travelers diccionary
Lonely Planet Central America tour book
extra rubber tape
spare fuses
spare parts for the Trax boxes
winter gloves
2 extra 10 l dry bags for packing wets / dirties
2 extra tie straps
1 ratchet tie down for tire changes
Sleeping bag
Hennessey hammock
emergency blanket
bug spray

I culled the emergency blanket since there was already one in the first aid kit Ares Cycles (www.arescycles.com) donated to me.

What else could I get rid of?

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After Paul rewired my GPS, I also asked hit to take a look at the mount. Yesterday it came loose from the RAM mount, and turned out the bulb that sticks out of the back came off. Was it because I’d forgotten and left the GPS on the bike in Del Rio, (TX) when I went in for a pottie break and someone tried to yank it off the bike? Or was it because the locktite I’d puit on it at Dr. Rock’s in NY City had eaten th rough the plastic? I think someone tried to steal it, Paul thought it was the locktite. In any event, it had to be fixed.

So Paul found a way to do that, too.

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During the GPS finagling, Paul asked how I would get to the battery should the bike not start. I didn’t realize it was a shetorical question, and soon he was back in the workshop, fabricating a lead directly to the battery terminal, so should I need to get a jump start, I now have a direct lead to the battery and do not have to remove the seat, then remove the battery brace.

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Then I asked about installing my fuel filter.

Voila’! The wizard strikes again.

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Last, he took a look at my (rather clever if I do say so myself) mount for the fuel bottle Joel gave me (unfortunately my idea of the mount probably would not have lasted very long).

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And while Paul did the more technical items for me, I manages to tape a laminated copy of my bike’s registration into the Trax top box.

done! Now I feel “complete” about the bike prep and ready to ride tomorrow.

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Perfect timing! The Sunday lunch guests just arrived, and it was time to chow-down! (Sorry no food pics)

But I DID take this picture for Edward, to prove that I am not the only one that collects rocks…the after-lunch activity was to go and collect them.

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Just as the lunch guests rolled out, in rolls 3 BMW riders.

Grand-Central-BMW-Station.

They stayed for the evening and we all told stories about riding and life on the road.