The Pros & Cons

As the title says, but in reference to no longer being associated with the fire department in any way, shape, manner, or form. Because of slowly telling my story to people, I have come to a realization. Why did I , the fireman with the most seniority receive a summary termination for denting the front bumper of one of the department's apparatus, when that truck is still drivable? And a newer employee while still on probation had TWO INSTANCES of causing similar damage in less than a month but still has a job? Well, first of all no labor union, but I bet that's gonna change in less than a year. One word sums it up regarding me.... PAYBACK! Let me explain.

There are actually two reasons that they were pissed at me and used my fender bender as the final excuse to terminate me. First of all, I called them out at a regular meeting for illegal votes to change department by-laws. There were not enough eligible voters (I was one of only a couple of people that met the requirements at the meeting) to have a quorum and therefore vote on company matters. So what did they do? They raised a motion to suspend the rules on voter eligibility, that was seconded and then passed it WITH THE INELIGIBLE VOTERS VOTING FOR IT!!! They then moved forward and voted on the by-law change which of course passed. I and a couple of others voted no on the motion and then the by-law change. I equate these shenanigans to cops robbing a bank and then doing the investigation on themselves into the robbery. Well, I called them out on it, and questioned the whole thing at the regular meeting, and basically got shrugged shoulders. But I got it on the record and in the minutes and in the event things end up in the public, then being called into question, and finally an investigation the attorneys will have an easy time with discovery. I was going to lawyer up to fight it and make it public, but a wise person told me to sit tight and let the chips fall where they may. I have had many instances in my life where Karma came calling and dealt an actual death blow to those that deserved it. I took his advice.

The second thing was NOT supporting the monster budget increase the FD was asking for because fireman or not, I am ALWAYS a taxpayer first and foremost. The majority of career staff on small departments live out of town, and of course support the budget increase because it benefits them directly. We were "encouraged" to attend all town budget meetings wearing FD uniforms. I did not attend a single one and my absence was definitely noticed by the FD, townspeople that know me, and town officials. Tough shit! I am NOT going to pretend to support something I don't. The FD increased their long stable budget last year by about $200K. The proposal this year? An additional $500K. Like last year, not a one-time increase but a FOREVER increase. My problem wasn't with the concepts and plans, but with the residents that continually vote against all development, large and small that could pay for these big ambitions. This kind of nonsense happens in small towns all around Kommiecticut. I have said the following to many people several times "Fuck these townspeople! They do not deserve the FD we are offering and they are supporting after repeatedly voting against any development that could pay for it. They just want to rape my wallet again and again for everything!!" On the day of the referendum I had to work so I was there early, being the first in line. My ballot was the first one in the tabulator and I voted NO on all the referendum questions. Of course it passed anyway. Going forward now that I am no longer being in the FD, I will publicly rail against the budget increases and scold the townspeople for squashing all development that could pay for their wet dreams.

Now to the Pros & Cons List. I am on the 3rd week of my new job and 6th week of total civilian life. It is fucking awesome.

Pros

• My work week is Monday through Friday, 8 AM to 4:30 PM 
• I get up at a reasonable hour, get all ready for work (I make lunch the night before so I just have to pack it in my cooler in the morning) and leave for work at 7:30 AM arriving at 7:45 AM with plenty of time to get ready for the work day
• I stop work right where I am no matter what I am doing, punch out at 4:30 PM, and I'm home 15 minutes later. The next day I pick up right where I left off. 
• Overtime is at a minimum and would be scheduled. There are no "shift hold overs", mandatory call-ins on days off, and days of storm standby
• There are no "call backs" for big emergencies 
• I only have to pack lunch, not 3 meals plus snacks in a ginormous cooler
• Lunch time is ALWAYS uninterrupted because I punch out off the clock. There are no emergencies in my line of work
• I can ride my motorcycle to work on any nice day I want. I might ride it for the first time tomorrow!
• I sleep in my own bed with my wife every night
• That sleep is not disturbed by emergencies, bullshit calls, or the 1:30 AM alerts that a hospital we never go to is on some type of diversion
• The work is hard and physical, but fun and interesting and I am learning a lot.
• My boss has big plans for me to be an integral part of the operation and respects what I do and know. Of course I have demonstrated my claimed abilities 
• I have the opportunity to make so much more money faster with way less aggravation

 Cons

• That FD has been part of my life for the past 21 years and they discarded me like last week's leftovers. I am still angry, hurt, and sad over the situation. The termination was actually the 4th and final "kick in the balls" from them since early June
•  While I am getting the same hourly rate, I am not getting the overtime. That said, the person doing the FD schedule had been loading it up favoring himself. I was supposed to get 48 hours per week, but that wasn't happening. Maybe 42 hours if I was lucky? Same for others. Meanwhile, he would give himself 60-72 hours a week. That was supposed to change this month but Jimmy cracked corn and I don't care.
• My EMT license expires in 2028. I am not sure I will renew it. The same goes for keeping up my CDL which I have been assured for now I won't need for work.
• No scheduled days off mid-week. I only have my evenings and weekends free for things like home projects, range days, or Patriot Guard. 

 

So as you can see, the pros well outweigh the cons when I sit down and write them out. Since I no longer have a distinctive red pickup truck that everyone knew and could see coming from a mile away, I can drive by the firehouse and move about town anonymously in a nondescript SUV unnoticed. When I do end up some place where there are those I wish to avoid, I just stay in my vehicle until the coast is clear or drive by and return later. I also purged my phone of all FD contacts, hospital ER's, PD's, and other FD associated agencies. If anyone does try to call, my call blocking app will immediately send them to VM. Whether I call them back will depend on what kinda mood I'm in.

A New Chapter of Life Has Begun

At 06:00 on Tuesday August 25th, I was handed my walking papers and told to clean out my locker at the FD and go. The underlying reason isn't important (yes, I fucked up, but IMHO it DID NOT warrant summary termination) but I was terminated anyway because without any union representation the usual contractual steps of verbal warning, written warning, suspension, THEN termination were not in existence. But I have a feeling after my booting it won't be long before the remainder of the work force thinks "there but for the Grace of God go I" and has the IAFF in there. Then the FD corporation will get their just due in forced labor rates, shift assignments, raises, REAL benefits, and all the other stuff unions force upon companies. Fuckers will get what they deserve for sure. I have purged my phone of all FD contacts which means the call blocking app I use will send everyone that might call directly to VM. I will not step foot on any FD property for any reason. I was supposed to run a training session in October and did several maintenance items that no one had yet been cross-trained on. Not my problem. The corporation made decisions that they are going to have to live with forever. 

On the other hand; I no longer have to work 24 hour shifts, I sleep in my own bed every night, no packing 3 meals for every shift, get awakened in the middle of the night, getting my ass physically kicked on structure fires, working shitty/sloppy brush fires, or have to deal with morons and dead people. My firefighting credentials belong to me and are good for life if I were to decide to use them again. My current EMT certification is still good for over a year. My CDL was recently renewed and my DOT Medical Card is good until March. 

I had already updated my resume' and profile on Indeed.com and had been casually looking for something better. I logged right on and started filling applications for jobs that I could put my non-FD skillset to good use. On Monday August 31st I got a phone call inviting me to an interview for an application I filled out on Friday the 28th. The appointment was set up for 3PM on Tuesday September 1st. The interview lasted 2+ hours and went really well. He asked me when I would be able to start and I told him the 21st since I had a couple of scheduled obligations. They told me there was one other applicant they did want to interview that had rescheduled twice before, but I was a really strong candidate. The shop manager told me he would be in touch in a couple of days.

Apparently the other candidate blew them off a third time, because on the afternoon of Wednesday September 2nd I received a phone call from the shop manager I interviewed with giving me a verbal offer that the job was mine if I still wanted it. Of course I told him yes. He told me the HR person would be in touch with the next steps and then to get together to fill out the normal employment paperwork. The woman from HR contacted me on Thursday September 3rd by email to introduce herself and that more would be forthcoming.

On Thursday September 10th I received an email from HR with a scanned copy of my offer letter to sign and scan to send back, and a few tasks to do like filling out an online application for a criminal background check and driving record inquiry. I also sent her scanned copies of my ID and I-9 documentation. She responded back with appreciation for the fact we are ahead of the game.

Today was my face to face meeting with the woman from HR. I filled out all the standard employment paperwork; I-9, W-4, CT W-4, bank direct deposit info, receipt of the company handbook, etc. I am scheduled to start on Monday the 21st at 8AM but I will be there early as usual. Also, on nice days I will get to ride "The Beast" to and from work because all I need to carry is a small cooler with my lunch, not all the crap I needed to carry for a 24 hour duty tour. The commute is about 10 miles one way.

From this whole situation came some frank discussions with my wife about our future in reference to retirement. It comes down to this; we are not selling the house and leaving the state to retire together. SHE WILL NOT GO, PERIOD. Retirement will mean collecting full SSI and continuing to work until I call it quits. Unlike firefighting, I will be able to do this particular job for a long time. However, as she already knew and I re-stated, if something happens to her, in the middle of her funeral arrangements I will hold a giant moving sale, list the house as-is, and be out of here so fast no one in town will realize it until after I am gone and no one has seen me for a while.

 

 

I blog and shit poast on X from behind a VPN using a nom de guerre. For the obvious reasons of SafeSECS I will not divulge the new company name, location, what I will be doing, or the FD I just left. The current political climate has fully half of the people that are immature little babies, total freaks, or the mentally ill that are triggered all the way to violence and murder because they don't agree with me or my views.

Aw.... Son of a BITCH!!

"Big Red" may be dead. Who is "Big Red" you ask? My beloved 2007 Toyota Tundra SR5 Double Cab pickup truck. The top photo is from the day I brought it home from the dealer on Monday August 2, 2010. My wife named it Big Red since it was the biggest, baddest pickup truck I ever owned.

This photo is from Wednesday October 20, 2010 just after having the brand new ARE Mid-Rise cap installed. I bought the cap from Killam's in East Windsor. They matched the factory paint perfectly. I took the photo on the back ramp of the firehouse.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I bought the truck from Charles Toyota in Norwich on July 31, 2010. It had 33K on the odometer and was listed for $23,506.00 as a 3-year lease turn in. It had the 4.7L V-8 engine and TRD Off Road package with factory towing. Of course as a fireman, my new truck HAD TO BE RED! But I wasn't sure what body style I wanted; Double Cab or Crew Max. It turns out Charles Toyota had one of each in Radiant Red. I returned to the dealer with my wife and had them bring both trucks up front side by side so we could go through them and decide which configuration was best. The Crew Max only comes with a 5.5' bed and a huge back seat, but a poor in cab cargo area because of the way the seat folded down (they have since made it better). The Double Cab had a 6.5' bed (they are available in 8' too) and a slightly smaller back seat, but the seat folds up completely out of the way allowing a huge cargo area behind the front bucket seats. We felt that for traveling, especially with the dogs, that would be best so they could be in the climate controlled cab with us. Funny story; I paid their full listed price and here's why. When I went to pick it up, I tried to pull a last minute negotiation and asked for $1000 off, figuring they would counter and I could save a few hundred. They told me they were selling it for what they paid at auction. I told them to produce the invoice that backs up that claim and they've got a deal. They did and the invoice read $23,501. Because I brought my own financing, they made a whopping $5 on that truck. They needed to get rid of it when they did, because it was on the lot for 4 months and they were about to start paying property taxes on it as inventory.

And travel we did! Cape Cod, Maine, and trips to Massanutten Resort area in Virginia with her parents and brother's family. I made multiple trips over the years to Emmitsburg, Maryland to the National Fire Academy and the annual Fallen Firefighter's Memorial Weekend with a few guys from the department. My last trip down there was in 2015. 

In this photo it's parked on the side of The Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia on June 23, 2014 the first time we went down there.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On our trip back there in 2015, we brought our kayaks and bicycles but never the dogs because they were not allowed in the vacation condos. The kayaks rode on top of the cap, the bicycles in a hitch receiver mounted bike rack, and all our luggage and food in the bed under the cap. A small cooler and snacks were in the back seat cargo area. Below is a photo from when I was test fitting the kayaks in the driveway using the saddle racks on the integrated Yakima roof rack system. Because they sit up so high, I bought and installed cockpit covers so if we got caught in heavy rain, the kayaks would not fill with water. Two kayaks filled with water up that high could mean a rollover disaster. It takes two people to load and unload them; one on the tailgate and the other on a 6 foot stepladder. The ladder got stowed in the bed for travel. We only used this configuration for the long trips, never for day trips around home. For that the kayaks just slide into the truck bed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In 2016 we rented a trailer for cheap from a guy on the fire department after I spent the better part of a month rehabbing it in lieu of rental money. We went all the way to Glacier National Park in western Montana and back with lots of stops in between. This photo is from when we arrived at Badlands National Park in South Dakota on August 24, 2016. The trailer weighed in at 7600 pounds, and the towing capacity of my truck was 7800 pounds. But Big Red pulled that trailer effortlessly, especially since I used non-ethanol gas whenever it was available, which was almost everywhere from Indiana west. We had all three dogs with us for the 3 week trip.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next stop was Devil's Tower in Wyoming on our way to the western entrance to Yellowstone. After being at Yellowstone for three days it was north to Glacier. We headed home three days later by way of North Dakota and then headed south to Indiana where my wife wanted to visit a wolf sanctuary. From there was one more night in Pennsylvania and then home. It was the trip of a lifetime for sure.

We have used the hell out of that truck for hauling stuff, helping friends move, towing my utility trailer, commuting, and just all around use. With the big back seat we always took the truck if we were going to carry passengers. My wife's RAV-4 and her previous 4Runner always had the back seat down and set up to transport the dogs, making it a lot of work if we were going to use it that way, and then put it back.

In 2018, Toyota put a brand new frame under Big Red. That made it worthwhile for me to remove the rusted bed and repair all the mounts two summers ago. While the bed was off, I fixed a bunch of other stuff too. The plan was to keep the truck at least 3 more years from now. But that plan has been totally derailed.

On Sunday morning May 31st, I was on my way home from the firehouse at 6:05 AM. Less than half a mile down the road, the truck lost all power and I pulled off the road. There was no check engine or other warning lights and the gauges were normal. When I tried to restart it, it would start and run perfectly for 1 1/2 seconds then shut off. I tried repeatedly with the same results. Having a small tool bag in the back seat cargo area, I disconnected the battery and shorted the battery cables together for 30 seconds to completely reset the truck. I connected everything back up and tried to start it. Same results as before. It was acting like the engine immobilizer was preventing it from starting, as if you were trying to use a cut metal key without a chip. I gave up screwing with it and called AAA to get towed the 1 1/2 miles home. They showed up within the hour and got my truck and me home. Being a Sunday all service centers/dealers were closed, and I had to be back at work Monday morning at 0600. I would ride my motorcycle to work and spend standby time burning up the phone lines to deal with it Tuesday. Luckily we were in store for a stretch of decent weather with only showers on a couple of overnights, so using the bike has been OK.

I first called the garage we normally deal with that specializes in Toyota. But since they are not a dealership, they, like myself do NOT have access to Toyota's proprietary diagnostic software and OBD cable. So it was going to have to go to the dealership. I called them and they said they could not set something up until I had the truck towed there. I replied I would see them Tuesday the 2nd.

Tuesday morning I called AAA to arrange a tow. They said sorry, you get one tow per disablement and I would have to pay. They would arrange it for me but could not give me a cost, it would be up to the towing service. I said thanks but no thanks, I would rather give my money to a local guy I know. I called my local guy and he said he could tow it for $207.65 He towed my truck to the dealership and I went on ahead of him on my bike. When I got there I spoke to the service advisor and told her my truck was coming and why. A few minutes later my truck arrived on the flatbed and they checked it in. There were phone calls back and forth over the last week and finally a diagnosis.... mice have chewed up my wiring harness under the fuse box in the engine bay. Good news is auto insurance covers this under Comprehensive Coverage. Yesterday I called Progressive to file a claim and secure a rental car. I get the car for up to 30 days and will hitch a ride with my wife on her way to work tomorrow morning to get it.

Today I get the bad news. The wiring harness is no longer available new from Toyota or  anywhere else used or salvaged. I thought I found one in Florida, and had a discussion with the parts manager about it. It turns out they are specific to the model and options, and the one I found in Florida was not correct for my truck and would not work, even though the website's fitment chart said it did. He also stated that any wiring harness needs to have the factory tag on it with the proper part number before they will use it. Shit! I am now staring at the possibility of Progressive totaling my truck. Time to gather up the receipts for all the work I put into it recently. 😒

My original plan was to replace my truck in about 3 more years with a 25+ year old, low mileage, Grandpa's creampuff from down south where they don't use winter salt. No emissions, cheap property taxes, cheap insurance, easy to work on myself. I would drive it into the ground like always over the period of about 10 years, then find another. It looks like I might get close to 10 grand if they total my truck, so I'm not sure what I am going to do. I really need a truck, but they are unaffordable these days. There will be no getting a good deal like I got on Big Red. That truck these days are going for $45K plus.

I Hear This A Lot

Whenever I happen to be within earshot of the family while standing a flag line with The Patriot Guard Riders. Because I do so many PGR missions, Memorial Day occurs for me on a regular basis.

  

"On behalf of The President of The United States, The [appropriate branch of service], and a grateful Nation, please accept this flag as a symbol of our appreciation for your loved one's honorable and faithful service."

 

 

The Heat Is On

The song from 1984 by Glenn Frey of The Eagles for the movie "Beverly Hills Cop" starring Eddie Murphy.

 

 

Yes.... the heaters are now working on "The Beast"!!! It took quite a bit of troubleshooting but everything was testing out fine. I did get stuck and confused at one point but an examination of the complete wiring diagram showed me why the manual was telling me to do the step it was. I made up a jumper cord to connect the contact leads for the heater relay as the instructions said and BINGO! voltage on the pins where it was supposed to be proving good grip and seat heaters. I got to the point where it was either a bad HCU (heater control unit) or main ECM (electronic control module). Knowing either could be an expensive proposition, I made sure the connector for the HCU was freshly cleaned and snapped it in place. I started the bike and turned on the heaters. Still nothing. SHIT! I could not find any documentation anywhere about what the actual signal was from the ECM that tells the HCU to provide heat. Is it ground? Is it full battery voltage? Is it less voltage and if so how much? Or is it some kind of data signal? If you read the first post of this problem, you'll recall that the system does not work above a certain intake temperature and there is no "GO" signal to the HCU to allow heat. I was apprehensive about trying to measure the signal and possibly blowing something up. So I had a thought.... I wonder if the ECM simply needs to be reset? So, I disconnected the ground wire on the battery, turned the key to on and punched the starter button to drain every bit of juice from the whole bike. I then went in the house to get a snack with the ground still off the battery. When I came back out after 15-20 minutes, I reconnected the ground and started the engine. VOILA! Within a couple of minutes the seat and grips started getting warm. I left the bike running long enough for everything to get real toasty. The next thing I needed to do was splice and solder the wire permanently for the left grip. I shut the bike down and did an inline "Western Union" style splice, soldered the wire wraps, and buttoned it all up with heat shrinkable tubing. The Western Union works better for an inline splice whereas a pigtail hangs off one side. The extra wiring was looped and ty-wrapped in place at the base of the handlebar, and a check was made to ensure the extra bit of wire did not interfere with steering. I did one more test of the heaters to make sure it was all working, and it was.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It has been cold the past couple of days so I have limited my time in the garage and today was no different. The plan is to reassemble The Beast on Saturday since I am working tomorrow. Hopefully afterwards, I can take it out for a spin and really give the rejuvenated heater system a workout. 

Progress on "The Beast"

My fear has been realized. It was the bane of my existence when I had my 35 year career in telecommunications and I.T. What is it you ask? A system that goes down, with not just one problem causing the outage, but multiple problems, making troubleshooting difficult and sometimes finally resulting in a "shotgun approach".... replacing everything replaceable and getting the system operational again. Usually an expensive proposition.

I received the replacement left heated grip for the first new one I inadvertently broke while installing it. It went on just fine and I metered it afterwards to make sure I still had continuity. 2.4 ohms... perfect! I temporarily wired it in and tested the heaters. No heat. Shit!... time to dig in and do some serious troubleshooting.

The pile of parts removed so far. It will be growing

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The service manual is open to the electrical portion and Chapter 17 - Heaters. There is a long step by step process, but with the bike partially disassembled I could test some individual components and "cheat" a bit. First thing was to check both fuses with a meter and neither one was blown open. Next is the heater system relay. The book says to replace it with a known good one. The one for the horn and turn signals is the same type. I did a double test by using the relays to try and operate both systems. Both relays operated the horn and turn signals, but would not turn the heaters on. The grip heaters are wired in series with the rear seat heater. Because the seat was out, I had access to the connector for the rear seat heater. This allowed me to meter the entire grip heater circuit which proved that the throttle grip heater was good. I then metered the rear seat heater and got the normal 2.4 ohms. I then metered the main seat heater elements and found both of them to be good. The seat heaters use thermistor circuitry to ensure the seats don't "get too hot." In the manual, there is a chart that shows thermistor resistance based on temperature. My super duper Klein True RMS multimeter has a temperature probe. It was about 10 degrees C in the garage yesterday, and the chart said the thermistor should read between 90 and 101 ohms. All 4 thermistors read a perfect 98 ohms. It's gotta be chilly when you work on this system or it will not operate.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The left grip has the Kuryakyn chrome grip cover installed to protect it

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You'll notice the dashboard and speaker grilles are out. I needed to ensure the potentiometers that control the amount of heat desired by way of controlling the voltage output from the heater control unit were connected. They are located below the LCD screen and just above and on both sides of the ignition key. Something I did not check previously. I found out the service department had that out to do the fork seals according to the service procedure. There is one multi pin connector for the pots and the switches that control the display which were all working. This also allowed me to clean dust and debris from behind the speaker grilles that blows in through the fairing.

So, the next thing I need to do is pull the lower trunk half and then the left saddlebag to access the heater control unit and the main cable connector. I will need to connect all the elements and meter right to the connector. It starts with the basics of voltage and ground, and progresses to the other elements. Hopefully it is a simple wiring issue and doesn't turn out to be the main controller unit.

 

DAMMIT!!!

While installing the new grip and following the instructions, the grip got stuck halfway on the handlebar. As I twisted it to get it to move, I heard and felt the telltale "cracking" sounds of the heater mesh breaking. I got it off and checked it with an Ohmmeter. Wide open.... and trashed! FUCK! $226 down the shitter. Prior to removing (and destroying) the old grip I put the Ohmmeter on it to verify it was open, which it was. The new one showed continuity. 

I spent some time to try and source a new one from a different vendor, but the eBay seller in Japan I bought the first one from is still the cheapest for OEM. I checked with Manchester Honda because sometimes the dealer is actually cheaper (I have run into this with Toyota). Nope. Just for the left grip they quoted me $302 plus tax. I looked into some aftermarket grips made by Show Chrome that are supposed to be plug and play with the Goldwing system, but the ones I need are out of stock everywhere. If I had gotten those I would then return the Kuryakyn ISO Grips because the Show Chrome version has ISO grips built in.

I felt like an idiot ordering the same item from the same seller, but the deed is done. I did a test with the one I broke and it seems that coating everything with Windex makes it slide on easily, and once the Windex dries no glue will be necessary. I work tomorrow and then have the following 6 days off. I'll tackle it again then. I had the last one straight from Japan in just a few days.

 Excuse me while I go outside and scream at the sky. 😮

Working On "The Beast" Today

I am finally.... FINALLY going to work on the heaters on my bike, affectionately known as "The Beast." 

My 2008 Honda GL1800 HPNA Goldwing 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

They have been out way too long making cold weather riding not as pleasant as it can be. I have ridden when it was below 20 out, wearing cold weather gear, and with the heaters on finding myself quite comfortable. Rather than troubleshoot the entire system, I took a chance on buying a new heated left grip, which is what normally goes bad. $226 on eBay for a brand new OEM unit straight from the Land of The Rising Sun. What happens is the heater mesh inside breaks from people using too much torque on that grip to get the bike on the center stand, instead of mostly using the seat handle. I believe it broke in summer of 2020 when I had my bike in for service, but I can't prove it. But it all worked prior. The exterior of my original grip looks rough and was rotated way out of position putting strain on the power cable. Unfortunately the Honda heater system is way over-engineered and when one component goes out, the whole system goes out. The troubleshooting procedure is about 8 pages in the service manual, and also requires disassembly of the trunk and left saddlebag, because that's where the heater control box is and the main wiring connector. So dumb. Anyway, I am just going to install the new heated left grip and give it a try. Part of the engineering of this nightmare has to do with the operation if it is above a certain outside temperature and the air intake reporting, toggling ON/OFF from the main ECM. So if YOU happen to be chilly and want heat, you won't get it if the system says it is too warm out. I don't recall what the cutoff is... 62F? 64F? Most heated grip and seat systems are simply heater elements with a rheostat in series connected through a fuse to the battery that you can turn on and as high as you want at will. Simple. Not this. There are also thermistors on the seat heaters so they shut off if they get "too hot." 🙄

I have these Kuryakyn ISO Grips on order from Wingstuff. They are clamshell type covers that go right over the OEM grips. My old riding buddy had them on his Goldwing and he loved them. The heat transfer is superb. I want them to protect the grip heaters from future damage. $161.99 with no sales tax (Ha Ha fuck you Kommiecticut!) and free shipping.

 

How Do They Do It?

Who are they and what do they do? Ride a motorcycle with a large stick up their ass apparently. I have lamented about this phenomena before with this post from 2021. Basically it's this; bikers that ride a certain brand of motorcycle that WILL NOT wave back if you don't ride their favorite brand of motorcycle. While it certainly isn't a majority of Harley-Davidson riders, they are THE ONLY ONES that will snub others. If it didn't happen so often or if it were with all brands of motorcycle I might think "OK, he didn't see me" and blow it off. I  can tell you that if I was in a vehicle following someone on a bike that waved at an oncoming biker and didn't get a wave in return... well I would think that oncoming biker was just a fucking jerkoff. 

But now that I am recording every minute of every ride since my close call on Tuesday September 2nd, I decided to showcase these petty fucks from today's 60 mile adventure through the "Quiet Corner." I have pulled out some snapshots of these "too cool for you `cause I ride a Harley and you don't" clowns. I also have some guys on Hogs that DID wave back. As I have said in the earlier post, Harley's aren't for me, but if you ride on 2 or 3 wheels you get my respect until you act like a fucktard.

Too cool dude #1 just a few miles from home. I hope he looked in his mirror as he went by because my wave went to a raised middle finger salute since no one else was around. I can be a petty fuck too ya know.

This guy on a Harley a couple of miles farther did wave on the down low. Same way I do it with two fingers. I turned left and continued north on RT. 198

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next up farther along north on RT. 198 a couple on a Harley. Couples normally both wave, but here he's as much a cunt as she is.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On RT. 197 headed northeast along the MA border. Guy on a sport-touring bike.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Whew... there were a lot of bikes out today. Next up a group of three riding together a couple of miles past the last one

First guy waved

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Second guy on an on road/off road enduro type bike waves

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The third guy waved too. Even on a Harley.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Soon after these guys passed by, I hit the best part of RT. 197 with lots of curves, dips, and hills through the woods. I caught up to a couple on a yellow Can-Am Spyder going a little slower than I would have been going by myself. I stayed in the left "A Lane" since a trike gets a whole lane you can't really ride in a staggered formation. You'll notice a guy go by on a Harley touring bike that gave us both the snub just as we go by the 40 MPH speed limit sign. At the intersection of RT. 197 and 169, they continued on 197 and I turned south on RT. 169. RT. 169 through Windham and New London Counties is one of the best and most scenic roads for motorcycling in eastern CT. The video is traveling through part of Woodstock.

Enjoy the video clip. My GoPro is pretty old so there is no vibration dampening. Too big to directly embed here, so it lives on YouTube.

 

After that, a couple more pictures. First up, another asshole.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And a couple of good guys. The first one I had to rewind and watch a few times but he does extend his hand in a wave on video. It's hard to make out here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And this last guy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There is a lot more footage of waves and snubs but you get the idea. Further down RT. 169 I got behind a couple of Harleys and rode in the standard staggered formation. Amazing for the next few miles, everyone waved back at us. Hmmm... wonder why? The ride down US RT. 6 heading west from Brooklyn Center through Hampton and into Chaplin at this time of year late in the afternoon has the sun at the perfect angle to light up the foliage. I was going to put the video here, but it just doesn't do the foliage colors justice. Too much work to upload and post it for little benefit other than watching me ride.

GoPro Video

From my Patriot Guard mission to Cape Cod on Tuesday September 9th. I recorded every minute of the ride out and back. I only saved a couple of videos. The first one is the ride to and over the Bourne Bridge ending at Cape Cod Harley Davidson. The second one is the PGR ride from Cape Cod Harley Davidson to the National Cemetery in Bourne, MA. 

Both videos have been cropped at either the beginning or end to only show the best parts.

 

 

The cemetery is actually part of the National Cemetery system like Arlington and is very beautiful. It is located on the unsecured portion of Joint Base Cape Cod (formerly known as Otis AFB and Camp Edwards). That place is kinda special to me for a couple of reasons. I was at Camp Edwards a couple of times on maneuvers with my Army Reserve unit in the early 1980's. My dearly departed neighbor and "Pepere'" Andy Darico that served in WWII was stationed there in 1941 at age 26 when he was already in the Army. He was home for the weekend enjoying Sunday dinner with his family on December 7th when the phone rang. It was his buddy that drove home with him, telling him they had to return to Camp Edwards immediately because there was an attack on Pearl Harbor. Andy did not see his family again for 5 years. While his obituary lists his service battling Rommel in North Africa, he then landed in his family homeland of Italy to chase the Nazi's out of there and then in Germany until the end of the war. Below is a photo of him from 4/21/2002 with the last new car he bought, his 1951 Ford Victoria. He is still missed and spoken about by those who knew him.

 

 

GoPro All Set and Tested

Tomorrow is the inaugural ride to test the camera while riding to see how steady it is and make sure I have it aimed properly. Probably go out for an hour or so. All this effort is because of my close call last Tuesday the 2nd.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have a windshield clamp mounted down low so it shouldn't get a lot of vibration, doesn't interfere with driving or controls, and is mostly out of my field of view. I did not want to use the stick on mounts and wreck the paint. It took an assortment of mounting arms and a 360 degree ball swivel to get it aimed and level. In the trunk are two spare batteries, the charger, necessary cables, and the waterproof back cover in case of foul weather. The standard back cover captures sound better, whereas the waterproof cover muffles it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The gray disk on the inside of the windshield is a GoPro tether so in the event something lets go, I don't lose my camera and mount. I also shot a test video walking though the house to make sure I can play them back on my laptop OK. Works great. I have a USB connected adapter for all different size media cards and that worked fine too. The GoPro has a 64GB micro SD card for storage.

Once a year I make the trek out to Cape Cod with the MA Patriot Guard to perform a funeral flag line at the National Cemetery in Bourne, and that will be later this week. The GoPro will be used all the way out and all the way back. We meet at Cape Cod Harley Davidson which is a short ride to the cemetery. It takes me the better part of two hours to get to the Bourne Bridge but on a weekday traffic is non-existent. I head to Providence and jump on I-195 east through Fall River and New Bedford to I-495/RT. 25 to RT. 28. There are no graveside services, they all take place in chapels and are strictly scheduled so there is no dilly-dallying around a grave. The deceased are interred after the family leaves.

I don't plan on saving videos of all my rides. But if something bad happens I will have video. If there are items of interest I may edit them out into a smaller video or save some still pictures.

Two Good Scares This Week

Scare #1; Fire alarm at my house

I worked a 24 hour shift from the morning of Sunday the 31st until the morning of Monday the 1st, Labor Day. At 03:30 AM Monday as I was sleeping at the firehouse my phone buzzed. Then buzzed again. Then again. Then it started vibrating non-stop which meant I was getting a phone call. It was my alarm monitoring company telling me there was an active fire alarm at my house, and is everything all right? I told them I was not at home and I have no idea what the problem may be and to dispatch us immediately. Here's what really scared me... the buzzes were alerts from alarm system app; first reporting the alarm, then reporting a power failure. When an actual fire occurs the electrical system is damaged so my immediate thought was "Holy shit! There is a real emergency!!" I yelled to wake up my partner to get ready to go to my house. As I got dressed I called my wife and she answered saying she did not see anything and did not know why the alarm was going off. I told her we were on the way. We were dressed and had half our gear on before the tones dropped to respond. We respond with what's called "One and One" meaning one guy in each engine. We rolled out to my house lights and siren. My partner was in front of me and went up the driveway first and I pulled up behind him. The garage door was up so I grabbed my portable radio and the TIC (thermal imaging camera) from my engine and went inside. My wife was in the kitchen in her jammies with all four dogs with the alarm still sounding. I punched in the master code to clear the system and stop the siren.

There was no fire, just a faulty detector on the first floor. I have all my sensors tagged in the system with their physical location but the monitoring company said they did not have a specific sensor location. When I mentioned to my wife about the power failure, she told me she tried unplugging the base unit to silence it. Unfortunately, it has built in battery backup good for at least 48 hours so all she ended up doing was scaring the bejeezus out of me. 

I am not happy with the alarm equipment company. The smoke detectors have reached the end of their 10 year life this year, but have been rendered obsolete before they could be replaced. Like back in 2018! I found this out talking to customer service who told me I would have to upgrade my ENTIRE system at my expense to the tune of about $2000 to keep what I have. None of the sensors are compatible. THAT is not happening. So, I will eliminate the smoke detectors and the system will be a burglar/break-in alarm only since those sensors will work forever. I have the hard-wired smoke detectors that came with the house, which were all replaced in 2021 and still have 3 years of life left. They all have battery backup and are connected together so if one goes off they all go off.

 

Scare #2; Almost bought it on "The Beast"

Tuesday was a gorgeous sunny day with temps in the high 70's. I decided to go for a loop cruise late in the afternoon just before 3 PM. My security camera showed me pulling away from the house at 2:51 PM. I planned on heading north and east on the back roads of Windham County so I took a right out of my driveway. 

The speed limit on my road is 35 MPH and that's about how fast I was going until I locked `em up about 300 yards or so up the road from the end of my driveway.

I say locked `em up, but in actuality my bike has ABS which brings it to a quick stop without going into a skid and possibly laying it down. A jackass that lives a couple of miles from me drives like a raving lunatic on my road all the time. I had to jump out of his way at my mailbox when he went screaming by at 60 several months ago. I got his license plate while he was parked at the local convenience store so that if I observed him driving like a nut again I could report him. But in this incident I didn't know it was him because he wasn't driving his normal blue Chevy Avalanche.

He was driving an older kind of beat maroon Chevy pickup with a roof rack. He came around the curve at a high rate of speed and overshot the curve putting him on a direct head on path to me. It happened very fast and I had nowhere to go but to sit stopped and brace for impact. At the last second he swerved and missed me, and then threw it in reverse to come back to where I sat so "I could yell at him" he said. That's when I saw who it was and I laid into that motherfucker without removing my helmet. I told him what a fucking asshole he was, that he drives like a fucking lunatic, that I know he drives the blue pickup and little white Nissan van, and where he lives. I told him he will be getting a visit from the state police, threw my bike in gear and took off. He continued on his way. I went up to his house to get his house number, but of course, an asshole like that doesn't bother having a visible house number. It was at that point I realized I was so shaken by the incident I needed to go home and park my bike. I actually had the shakes. I have other means at my disposal to get the guy's name and proper address, which I did and then called the state police routine number, not 911. I told the desk trooper what happened and he said they would send a trooper to my house to talk to me. The state trooper came by just before 4:30. Another young 'un younger than my own daughter. I explained the whole situation including the incident at my mailbox. He took me by surprise by asking if I thought he was targeting me. I told him definitely not. While I was at my mailbox he came speeding around a blind corner and probably didn't even see me. And on my bike I had on a full face helmet so he had no clue who I was. I was asked if I had dashcam video and I said I didn't. The state trooper left and said he may or may not get back to me, but there will definitely be a record of this situation in case there are any future incidents. I assume his next stop was to visit that jackass.

Because of this incident, I pulled my old GoPro Hero 3+ camera out of storage and will use it from now on as a dashcam on every ride. My wife ordered me 3 new batteries with charger, a windshield clamp, and a ball swivel mount off Amazon so I can put the GoPro protected behind the windshield without obstructing my view or interfering with the controls. People ask me how I can do something as "dangerous" as ride a motorcycle? I remind them what I do for a living, and that just going in to work each day could be my last. I tell them I thoroughly enjoy riding motorcycles, and WILL NOT deny myself such pleasure because of "what if?" I live my life.

Wednesday afternoon I ventured out again.... kinda like the "get back on the horse" ride. I did the 35 mile loop ride I attempted Tuesday. On the way back I stopped at the firehouse to speak with the Deputy Chief who was out front putting in some mums. I parked my bike near his SUV on the front ramp. As I was talking to him, that jackass drove by, saw my bike, stopped and turned around in the parking lot to drive by again. He didn't see me at first because I was behind the SUV, but I looked right at him and he knows he was seen. He doesn't yet know where I live or that I am on the FD, but he will definitely find out if he fucks around.

Patriot Guard Mission - By The Numbers

I did a Patriot Guard mission today at the CT Veterans Cemetery in Middletown. The weather was spectacular... bright sun, cool temperatures, and a light breeze. I rode down on "The Beast" and most of the others rode bikes as well except for a couple of much older guys. I composed this blog post in my head while standing the flag line as the family and mourners arrived.

12 CT Patriot Guard Riders stood in honor of the deceased, US Navy Chaplain Rev. Charles Clark who served in Vietnam.

1 of those twelve was the 12 year old granddaughter of a PGR member that performed her first mission. She did well and received her customary PGR "Mission Accomplished" pin when you do your first one. You can get them for milestones 10-20-30-40-50, etc. The "Mission Accomplished" pin is the only one I wear on my leather vest.

2 US Naval Officers in brilliant dress whites rendered honors with the folding of the flag.

5' x 9' Is the standard size of a casket flag, which is never meant to be flown, only draped over a casket.

13 The number of folds required to put the flag into the triangle for presentation. The flag is folded from the striped end towards the stars. The presented flag when folded is all blue with white stars. Each one of the folds has a meaning which can be found here.

3 The number of riflemen in today's rifle salute detail 

3 The number of volleys fired

24 The number of notes in a standard blowing of Taps. Double that when there are two buglers and one follows the other in a haunting echo from a distance away out of sight.

9 was the number of fired shells from the rifle volleys.

3 was the number of shells recovered and placed in a small velvet bag for presentation to the same family member that receives the flag, AFTER the flag is presented. 

ONE -- the number of military personnel that makes the flag presentation to the spouse, eldest child, or surviving relative of the deceased. I received my father's folded flag since my mother predeceased him and I am the oldest. Sometimes I am within earshot. I could not hear the naval officer today, but this is what he said:

"On behalf of The President of The United States, The United States Navy, and a grateful Nation, please accept this flag as a symbol of our appreciation for your loved one's honorable and faithful service."

 

After the service, I mounted up and headed homeward. The weather called for possible showers early this afternoon so I did not want to get caught in one. I wanted to stop at BJ's in Manchester for gas and I could grab lunch at Baja Fresh Grill in the same shopping center. This also took me right near wifey's work place, so I stopped in to see if she would meet me there for lunch. Alas, she had a noon time class she was leading so I went solo. I made it home dry and sure enough while at home a heavy shower lasting a full two minutes came by. Later this afternoon I will do some yard work.

New Gig?

I am looking into a new job as a production line mechanic for a regional food manufacturer about 30 miles from home. First shift Monday thru Friday 7 AM to 3 PM starting pay will be about a $12 per hour raise. This kind of work is right up my alley. Electrical, mechanical, electronics, PLC's, preventative maintenance, and my manager would be a buddy of mine. He actually told me about the job. Probably going in Tuesday to fill out an application. He will be informing them tomorrow that he has a possible candidate for the opening and to find out the process to apply. He got his job offered while doing some contracting work there.

The FD is not going to be pleased if this pans out. As a taxpayer in the town I work in, it is in my best interest to give and honor the 2 weeks notice so they can get coverage, but it will still be a shit show. I will leave on a good note as best I can (even though I would love to stuff it up their asses and tell them why I am REALLY leaving). I will remain with the department as a volunteer, and may take myself off the line as an interior fire fighter and just be driver/pump operator.

I saw myself as a short timer in the FD, shorter if an injury (or worse) were to take me out. This line of work may take me past my normal retirement date if I like it enough, and the chance of serious injury is way less. I will be able to squirrel away much more in retirement savings when SSI kicks in. Other benefits are sleeping in my own bed every night, getting to commute on "The Beast" in good weather, and having staggered hours from my wife making the care of our animals no longer a point of concern.