The More Things Change

A few weeks ago I was explaining that one of our goals was to get the next two books: Guitar Building Basics, and How to Air Condition Your Hot Rod, to the printer. Well, we are STILL trying to get those two books finished and off to the printer. I just emailed my contact at the printer, located on the other side of this ever-shrinking planet, and explained that with luck we would ship the files to her on Thursday of this week.

Our first musical instruments book, Guitar Building Basics, is finally off to the printer.

Web Site Improvements

I’m also trying to update the web site for our little sister company/imprint, ArtKulture. Steve, our web guru, did equip the site with its own shopping cart. And customers can now order books from that site without any formal registration process. All that’s necessary is to provide a name, address and current credit card number. The site itself, www.artkulture.com, looks pretty much the same on the surface, but we plan to update the home page in the next couple of weeks - if I can just get those damned books to the printer.

Our new imprint, ArtKulture, is experiencing a much improved web site.

First Ride

The temperatures in Minnesota are finally above freezing. Which means the St. Croix River is at flood stage and the old lift bridge between Stillwater, Minnesota and the shore of Wisconsin, is scheduled to be closed due to high water. If the melting snow brings too much water, it also brings warm weather and roads suited to motorcycle travel. The mornings and evenings are still pretty cool, so rides are a little on the short side, but at least there are motorcycles on the road and the sound of V-twins in the air.

I kept my own first ride pretty short. Just up the highway a few miles with a stop at the local tavern to show off the fact that I was finally riding. Of course no one was there when I stopped so I might just as well have kept riding.

Anyone who remembers the Ice Road story from a few weeks ago will appreciate this photo of the gravel road leading down to the point where the true Ice Road begins (began).

Donnie Smith Show

This weekend is the Donnie Smith show in St. Paul, another sign of spring. I talked our part time helper, Dab Shade, and our super salesman, Rick Thompson, into helping me run the Wolfgang booth all weekend. The booth is a lot of work, but it’s also a nice chance to stand there and talk with old motorcycle friends from both near and far. So if you live anywhere near St. Paul, stop by and say hi. And be sure to check out the assorted Harleys, custom bikes, choppers, and vintage motorcycles.

The Pro Class bikes are positioned in the center of the show hall, the quality of these bikes is simply off the scale.

The Donnie Smith show pretty well fills the main hall at the St. Paul River Center.