Tuesday, March 8, 2011

A month later

Hmmmm, what to say ...

Many of you know how I have worried about the older son and how he hasn't found a real life. He has made so many strides toward adulthood, but at 37 it seems like time to settle. And perhaps he has.

When we first drove through Woodward Oklahoma after he moved here, he pointed out a shop that he said was famous, where they build custom motorcycles, like on "American Chopper". I suggested that he apply for a job there, but he kind of avoided the topic. During the following months, we repeated the conversation, both sides.

Then in December, we went to Woodward to a meeting of the Model Train Club and I suggested we stop in at Covington Custom Motorcycles just to look. Hooray! There was conversation, then interest, then the phone came out to show pictures and wa-la! Suddenly we were being shown around the shops (body, motorcycle, and hotrod). The owner got involved and when we walked into the hotrod shop, Ryan suddenly became authority and fan. He recognized treasure cars, asked the right questions and took pictures. When we left he had an application and a grin.

Monday morning, he left with his application in hand, and has been in Woodward, working, every week day since. At first, I think it was hard for him, as he was the only one working in the hot rod shop and he didn't mix with the guys in the other shops. Eventually though, he became socialized, and began to hang out with them.

For those of you who haven't heard way too much about Ryan, he is an incredibly talented mechanic and fabricator. We call him Gepetto, because he can make anything in his workshop. Give him a piece of scrap metal and it becomes a beautiful and useful object that you would never have dreamed was possible. I consider this job a dream job for him, I hope he still does.

Daytona Beach BikeWeek happens in March. It is one of the two big deal events in the motorcycle world, with Sturgis being the other big deal. On Saturday, February 26, six of the guys (family and workers) left for Florida on their bikes, along with a semi truck full of motorcycles for sale. On Monday the owner and Ryan left in a car. They arrived in Daytona on Wednesday and began to set up. Jerry, the owner, has a timeshare house in Daytona, big enough for 12 people. I am sure having a house with kitchen and laundry makes it a lot easier to live away from home.

Bike Week started on Friday. I don't know what all they are doing, but I get glimpses. Pictures of bikes, and more pictures of bikes. Pictures of them eating at restaurants on the beach (and Ryan eating way out of his comfort zone). Calls from fun places.

Apparently he is riding one of the show bikes and it makes him nervous to be riding such an expensive bike. And he has been in a photo shoot for a magazine with one of the bikes. They said it will be published and he will get copies. Because Covington is one of the vendors, they go to vendor parties, and have lots of special privileges. I follow him on google latitude and they leave the house early and come home late. It sounds like he is getting tired.

Now, a week later, he says he is ready to come home, but Bike Week lasts until Sunday. Then they start back on Monday.

I am looking forward to stories, but I have to find someone for him to talk to in front of me, as the stories are better if he's telling them to someone else.