Weekend P.W.

June 16, 2008 - Monday

Just when you think it can't get any worse... it doesn't. The sun comes out and the silver lining shows. Saturday morning Mom and I returned from our ride and Stef informed me disinterestedly that Florian had called, saying my mech had said something about parts that came in... Poor Niffitz practically got tossed in the barn and I was driving toward Zürich in the Bläuli not fifteen minutes later. The struts cost 500.- something. Too much for simple poured pieces, but less than I was expecting. From the mech, I brought the two struts straight to Kevin. He looked at them and asked where the screws were. Darn. I knew I'd forgotten something. At least one of the original screws was bent. It would be safest to replace all four. So I went back into Zürich to the mechanic's. Turns out they only had two screws left in stock. Two screws! And here I thought the wait was over. I didn't feel too disappointed; they said the screws would be in by the end of the week at the latest, but I had a feeling I'd be back on the Beastie earlier than that. I should have taken those two screws with me, but I didn't. Sunday afternoon after church Kris and Löchen came across the Albis in Florian's new Tona; I drove the Tweety Bird. Herr Derrer had been informed that we'd be over in the afternoon and the shed was open. Kris saw the smashed-up bike and commented appropriately, and then the guys got to work. I did the one thing I could do - put the new silver frame around the license plate. (It ended up being wasted time since Florian took it apart again afterwards to figure out how to mount the plate on the new back assembly. Oh well. I tried.) Kevin mounted the new handlebar ends and mirror. Florian put on the struts without locktiting the screws. We were there for about three hours from 1400 to 1700 hours. The Beastie began to take on shape again. Florian took off the back seat cover for me so I can bring that to Frau Mundwiler for repairs. In a couple minutes I'll be heading over to the mechanic's - for the umpteenth time in a week - to pick up the left foot peg, which I forgot to grab on Saturday, the two screws and a fuse box case. The Beastie should be drivable this evening. The airbox cover still needs to be done, obviously. It didn't come in this morning, so I should have it tomorrow. I'm out a month's pay for this whole learning experience, but I'm so happy at the prospect of having my Beastie back soon that it doesn't bother me as much as it should.