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The moderator has received many questions (OK, maybe a half doz) about this Group W Bench ....thing, in Yellow Springs, Oh, which has been the Stig's sunrise destination for many years. You fix that sentence.

So, In 1967 the Group W Bench was a bench in the Whitehall St. military induction center, NYC. A young Mr. Guthrie shared this Group W bench with various criminal offenders. Those sitting the "W" bench were in line to receive a "waiver" of military service due to various violent crimes, or in some way not meeting the moral standards of the military.

Mr. Guthrie was seated on the Group W bench after disclosing a prior arrest for littering in Stockbridge, Mass.
Guthrie was rejected from the Vietnam War draft because the army deemed him not moral enough to participate.

In short - the Group W is a place for misfits, Dangerous. Or different, as in our case - scooter riders who ride year round in the dark and the rains and mix comfortably with 'interesting' street people.

The bench is covered from the rain.


There is also a hippie shop just down the street from YALE, named the Group W. He's been there since 1968, I understand.

Stig

keep ridin'

20 yr old Chevy truck hasn't made much heat in a couple of years.
See the temp gauge after a lengthy drive!
Today - decided to send it to the shop for poss. new thermostat, coolant change...and a general "look me over."

Small , family run, shop has a stellar reputation - if a little pricey.
Not much luck with the, also pricey~!, actual Chevrolet dealer in town. So nothing to lose.
My late FIL gave me his truck....when I sold my VW and had taken to the city bus and my KYMCO for work commutes.
Wife said I'd hurt his feelings if I kept refusing it.

New Michelins & plugs, total brakes and lines, and reg. oil changes is all this thing has received for the past 2 decades.
The "engine light" ? Apparently to let me know that engine is still present. Handy!





Seriously - Pops said that the sensor that causes the eng. light had been repaired several times - then he just quit fooling with it since the truck runs fine! It has for me, too.

It'll be nice to have heat this year!
Awaiting call from the boys.....

Stig

Today my middle daughter said she is going to sell the 2006 Burgman 400, (8,000 miles?) she bartered for a while back. My grandson, her son, is going into the Army in two weeks.....hopefully for 4 yrs?
I asked if my granddaughter, 18, would be wanting to ride it. It seems she is still on her permit - pretty much refusing to drive at all!
I gave the boy some advice and told my daughter to keep the tarp on the Burg today - I dare not look at it - I'm not interested.
He asked if I would come to his basic graduation. I said, probably not - I wasn't keen on being at my own a thousand yrs ago - and, at 600 miles, I wouldn't go that far if my wife was graduating.
Tempered that with $700.
Tough love.
Stig

"....will try again tomorrow."

Major Tom

colder in the low areas - and right before sunrise. Always!
always impressed with the 9 yr old Liberty's halogen lamp!







town closes down over night for the biannual street fair tomorrow



Stig

thanks for bringing us along on your journey to Yellow Springs.

The pic of your daughter's Scion dash....I assume you regularly ride your scooter on that same road? That would make me a little nervous in the dark, fog, cold, wet, etc....

Yeah, that route is one of three ways I go.
Doing one of those pea-soup fog rides in the pitch dark would be even more interesting if I didn't know practically every 3 ft of those roads!

My kids will tell you I am Captain Slow - so unless a deer really needs to give me a hug - I've few other worries out there.
Stig

Toyota makes the Scion. (Nagasaki)
Priced dealer for new plugs while my daughter's Scion xB was in for tire warranty (she had TWO Michelins replaced free under road hazard warranty two months apart! Cut and screw in sidewall)
Price was something like $176.00
I asked does the car require a special sparkplug?!
Nope.

I bought 4 NGK's and carefully installed them in 30 mins - being careful first time.   Pd @$24 for the plugs.
Her xB is 14 yrs old. @78K miles. Looks and runs as new, inside and out. I installed Philips led DRL's yrs ago. Toyota discontinued them 2012. They are on unless lights switched on. Only complaint has always been the mediocre spyglass headlights on low beam. Brake pads and rotors one time. Batteries.  No engine work. Comfy seats - much better than my wife's newish and much bigger Equinox. Entry is absolute hell getting in that car. I avoid it all costs. The little xB has a normal human size door opening and better seats!
My daughter will tell you that I sound like I'm back in the Navy every time I  have to enter or exit that d__ned Chevy. And I was never in the Navy.

Stig