I guess I'll make this a fairly upbeat addition to the list of dark entrys. Everything is happening so fast daily information would look to subltle. I am not working 80 hours a week any more so I have way to much spare time. I have yet to find a free outlet to said time, but enjoy 8-10 hours of sleep per day vs. the previous. I have picked up a new bike and will upload pictures as it progresses. I got my FZR 600 back from the guy who bought it for a lack of payment, but havn't had the time to give it any needed attention. It's bike week in Phoenix and the air is thick with two wheel activity. There is a party everyday that seems bigger than the last. This weekend there is awsome drag races at both Speedworld and Firebird. The all pontiac races held at speedworld every year by Steve Barcak. It is the passion of this individuals personal creed of true pure pontiac power that bleeds into the event. I have been to many drag races and this is easily my favorite. The atmosphere is like a family barbeque with old freinds in the mix at an abandonded yogi bera camp ground with a 50's style diner like drag strip in the back. Cars are the stars, but the people that bring this event together and see it through don't make light of the fact that is a person first event. On sunday they open the stakes to include all muscle cars. People that come far away take their Pontiacs out to battle all comers of any make or model muscle for a wild west dual, until there is one. It's like stepping back in time 20 or 30 years to see old tin scoot down the track. Also there is a number of bike shows at pretty much every venue in town. Most notably Westworld off the 101 and Frank Loyd Wright, where Willie G. Davidson himself will recieve a life time award on Saturday. That's about 2 miles from where I'm sitting, but I'll be at the AHDRA races on Sunday for sure. Seeing all Harley Davidson powered drag bikes test the clock on the sticky tarmac of Firebird raceway.(I hope they prep for this event) The fastest harleys are in town and everyone that even holds a key is gingiling it off the ignition this weekend. Last year I met Paul Yaffe of Paul Yaffe Originals when he threw one heck of shin dig at his shop. Normally, and I have been there before, the shop is completely off limits, but for one day all the doors and gates are opened. Bikes currently in the build process or currently being built during are roped off, but you can still cut to the can right through the shop all these amazing machines are built in. Mr. Yaffe was really cool even though I was dressed in racing leathers, an obvious difference than the regular customer, with my X-11 hanging off a d ring of my back pack. We talked for a few minutes about the modications he was making to his 32 tudor sedan, no one else seemed to notice the hot rod at all. When I got a good look at his bikes I could see why. Unbelievable in both conception and execution. See his web sight. I hope to learn more about air cooled v twins this weekend, but I don't think I will be changed from my original view. Bikes are for riding, pure and simple. Chrome, paint and anything to powerful to be reliable is not my fancy. Riding should not be a side note and bike ownership, does not impress me. I swung by Black Magic Motorcycles in Mesa,AZ and was blown away by both the owner and the bikes. He spent hours with me and seemed at times caught up in the mechanics and delivery of lots of reliable horsepower. What impressed me most is he didn't even flinch when I mentioned my 883 sportster, his daily driver for all the absolutly sick bikes he builds is a sporster with 200k miles on the bottom end and a wideglide conversion. He walked me back to the machine shop section of the shop and showed me the case modifications to build a 88 cubic inch sporty motor that would tople any concept of the sportster being anything but what it was originaly intended. FAST AS HELL! I enjoy the thrill of a sports bike, but the sportster can get me further, for less and that has always been my mantra. I'm cheap and I like to go fast. Hope you all have some passion this weekend.