Vorhese Tumblr

I started a Tumblr account. I put everything I've done in the last 10 years up there. I'm not quite sure how I'm going to incorporate it yet. I do plan on doing a full redesign on Vorhese.com soon, so I may link it in as my upates. Anyway, it's interesting to see all my stuff just clustered together.

Back Home

We're back from a week long stay in Arizona with Lori's family. Not too much going on, but lots of things happening soon. While I get caught up, here's a good story of my buddy buying a bike in New York. Names have been changed for my safety.



So I bought a 1978 CB750 K. Its the ugliest thing ever but runs like a demon and was in my prince range.

I spoke to guy on the phone. He lives about 50 minutes by train from Brooklyn on Long Island. We struck a time and I headed out. It was late by the time I got there which was not my intention. I did not want to look at the bike in the dark and then have to ride it home from bum fuck nowhere especially since I don't know my way around.

When I got off the train at the last stop and saw the station I knew things would be strange. The smell of urine hit me first. Then a bum asked me for a cigarette. When I told him I did not smoke his "friend" yelled out, "Don't ask the white guy!" There were tons of people of around but one was scarier than the next. Hookers with bad crack habits were lurking around. A big ass dude came up to me... asked me for money to buy some food. I had $1300 cash. I told him I was sorry but I did not have change. He then got up close to me and said, "So you're telling me you you aint gonna give me any money?" I politely said sorry and walked away hoping he wouldn't stab me in the back. The guy texts me and says he'll be there in 10 mins. I'm thinking, "Shit great, maybe I wont be here in 10 mins."

Finally I get a text that says "pulling up". I'm thinking, "How is this dude texting and riding at the same time?" I start to look around and hear the bike on the other side of the parking lot. I walk over and realize that the guy who I had talked to was in an SUV and that some other guy was riding the bike. As I approach I notice that they are both wearing MC cuts. The guy who got out of the SUV is HUGE. I literally have to look up to see his face. His body is a little shy of two of me put together. I reach out to shake his hand and introduce myself. As he pulls me in towards his chest, he says his name is "Deniro" but that people call him "Denny". The other guy doesn't say a word. Silence. I say "Hello" and shake his hand but barely get a nod. He is wearing a bandana that covers most of his face below the eyes and a German style helmet. They are from the Totally Bad Dudes MC.

I take a look at the bike and notice a small oil leak. Nothing major. I walk around and try and make light chit-chat but they are not buying it. Mind you it's night out and all the freaks from the station are buzzing. I ask if I can take it for a spin. I hand him my license and he says "No". He wants me to give him the money. I tell him that I just want to test drive it and see if all gears shift without strange noises, etc. "I promise I won't leave the parking lot." He says, "At least give me like $200 as a deposit". I again, VERY respectfully, tell him I'll just ride in the lot and won't leave his sight. I try to jokingly add that even if I wanted to I couldn't go anywhere because I have no clue where I am. In hind sight, not a good move. He doesn't really find it funny. I also tell him that he has a car so he could chase me if I took off. Again, a blank stare. I start the bike and start to move and he says really loud to the other guy, "Man, I can't believe this shit. I have never let anybody take my shit like this before." He then looks at me and says, "You better not leave my sight." I catch a glimpse of one of his patches: "Snitches are a dying breed."

I bring it back with no problem. Bike sounds good and runs good. I tell him about the oil leak and again very politely tell him that when we had talked he had said there were NO problems whatsoever with the bike. I then ask him if he would drop the price which we had already brought down from $1500 to $1200 another $200 for a total of $1000 even. He smiles for the first time and says "sure" like it's no big deal. I say "cool". I look around at the freak show going on and ask him if he wants to do the deal here. He says, "Look at me fool, who's gonna fuck with me?" I laugh a nervous laugh and say "sure". I was so nervous that I miss-counted and he corrected me. He gave me encouragement, "Don't worry. It happens, keep going." In my head I was thinking who the fuck is this guy? So the deal is done. Or so I think.

He looks at the tank which has a skull on it and tells me that it's the club's logo. I tell him that if he wants, I will paint around it and not disrespect the skull. He looks at me and says, "I'm not going to let you take the bike with that on there, fool." So he signals to his buddy who pulls out a knife and scrapes the thing off. Not much damage to the shit-rattle-can paint job. I don't say shit!

Then there is the issue of the plate. he proceeds to inform me that in NY you have to bring your own plate. I'm like," WHAT?!" I did not bring a plate. I ask if it's cool if I go without one. This is the first time his friend talks. He says "In this neighborhood you wouldn't get a block without being pulled over." It comforts me to think that there are cops around. So he tells me that he'll let me take his plate as long as I promise to send it back. And if I don't, well... He never finished the thought. I guess he thought he had my number since we had texted.

There is plenty more, but that's about all I can remember now.

Greg Graffin would be so proud

Wiring

I got a few hours of wiring in this weekend. It takes a lot longer than I was hoping for. I'm trying to do everything neat and tidy, with homemade connectors and shrink wrap. I got a good chunk done and I can start working on trimming and tidying things up. I need to make some mounts for the switches, battery, and CDI box.

Speaking of wheelies

Gnar wheelie on a Beezer

Dan whips one up... compliments of SF VINTAGE.

Inspiration Point

Continuing our weekend walks, we hit up Inspiration Point in Tilden Park, Oakland Hills. Lori needs to remember to wear socks.

WORK IT




I prefer Rockerbaby, but this will do

Shine A Light On Me

Last weekend I got the headlight bracket made and mounted. It's a v-shaped bracket coming off the disc brake line mount on the lower tree, plug welded to the headlight's bottom casing. I really need to work on welding sheet metal, luckily there is bondo. It makes me wish I had a better shop setup, particularly a lathe and mill. It's not looking like I'll get either of those any time soon, but I think I'm going to do a big garage cleaning and reorganizing soon to set up a dedicated fabrication section. We need to have a garage sale first. The light needs to bend down a little more but I had to go back to the real world and make a screaming baby happy.

I'm a lucky devil

'55 Triumph Wheel

Somehow Todd Asin from Small City Cycles got wind I needed a wheel for the '55 Tbird. We worked out a nice little barter and this showed up. It is now my goal to barter for every other piece. It's like the story of the guy that got a house after a series of trades starting with a paper clip.

Lori's First Mother's Day

Max's 2 Month Onesie

I almost forgot!




HOW YOU DOIN'?

Max is 2 Months Old!

Maxwell turned 2 months yesterday. He now weighs 14lbs 3oz (93%) and is 25" tall (99%). Big boy! He also got 2 shots, which made him a little cranky. We made him feel better by giving him some play time in the bath tub with his Swimava floaty, a nice massage afterwards, and his new favorite activity: staring at the blank ceiling in his vibrating bouncy chair.

A Weekend In Oakland

Last weekend was one of those packed and fun weekends that I don't get enough of. Cruise Night Friday, 2 different parks on Saturday, and we visited the Oakland Museum on Sunday, which is exhibiting illustration/cartoon work by Daniel Clowes (most know him from "Ghost World") which was amazing. And all with Max.

All Park Pictures
All Museum Pictures

Shoreline Park, nothing like a park hidden in a huge industrial section of Oakland by the harbors, filled with geese turds.








From there we cruised to Lake Merritt, walked around the lake and had some coffee.

Sunday, we headed to the Oakland Museum on free entry day. We'd never been there. This place is WAY COOL. They have this great exhibit which deatures the history of California. Of course there was a large representation of the 20th century.


Old fire truck


Model T, depression era style




A funky, old custom called "The Mystery Car"


And in the modern art section there was even an old Arlen Ness digger

Baby Want Baba?

Max turned 8 weeks old this week (he turns 2 months tomorrow). We gave him a bottle filled with Mommy's milk for the first time. As to not confuse him, I will always be the bottle giver. He took to it immediately, I've never seen such a baby just so completely content. We are very lucky with Max. He sleeps well, he took to breast-feeding right away, zero problems with the bottle, no colic, so on and so on. We have friends who have had the complete opposite experience, so we feel very lucky. Anyway, on the cuteness...

Hello Laura

Tom Gabel of Against Me! is transitioning to be a woman. I completely did not see this one coming. I would not have been surprised if it was Davey Havok of AFI. But Tom... shock and awe. The lyrics to "The Ocean" make so much more sense now, especially verse two at 1:30. If it makes him happy, good for him.

Going to the land of the Wild Things

So sad. A major influence on my life, my art, my imagination. Goodbye Maurice.

Pirate Boy

I almost threw this away. It has a lot of issues that bug me, but I decided to just power through it and try to finish it. As usual with my drawings, I started with a blob on the page and decided what to make from it. I was thinking about Max's first Halloween.



Added some tint values with tea. I'll add color when I can.

Oakland Cruise Night

Cruise Night was last Friday, a gorgeous evening. I spent the afternoon attaching the rest of the visor to the Desoto and waiting at the DMV to take it off non-op. While installing the visor I chipped and scratched up the paint on the roof pretty good and had to really tweak it to attach it. I don't know if the visor was supposed to have some extra stainless trim on the sides, but I'm going to have to make something to cover up my hack job. But it's on... not as low as I'd like it, but I still think it looks good. NOw to paint it. One of my baby class buddies works on old cars and paints, so I may take it to him.



So the monumental thing about Cruise Night is that Lori AND Max were coming, Max's first time.









The main concern Lori had was we didn't want to be packed in and not be able leave when Max got hungry. We got to the cruise and it was already packed. We weaseled our way into a spot. And then more people came. And more. And more. I've not seen it this packed. People were parked 4 beside each other in the street. We were completely packed in. Just like a clock Max snapped at 9 P.M. and needed food so we spent the next 35 minutes in the Desoto. Finally at around 10PM we could get out of there. I have to say we miss the days of getting drunk with no responsibilities. I also really miss cruising down with Francisco and Terry, Mopar caravan. Things just aren't the same.



'54 Chrysler with a different style visor (nicer), why couldn't I have found this one?

So many cars, so many amazing paintjobs. I could never own a car this nice. I'm not responsible enough.

And this was there. Auburn.

I know where I'm going when I visit Ohio

CHECK THIS OUT

Before there was GoPro...

I want a GoPro and some cool mounts. Maybe my wife is reading this... I do have a birthday coming up in 7 months.

Anyway, before there was GoPro...

Indeed... quite

1970's RD350 Ad

XS Mockup

A few parts taped on and a hair bit of Photoshop. I just want the Standardiest Standard UJM that ever did Standard.





It used to look like...

Strummin' to Strummer