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View Full Version : Uh oh, what did I do now...



DohcBikes
07-13-2014, 11:05 AM
Awwww geeez. I went and got a real JOB!

DISCLAIMER: This post is long and probably will not interest 99% of the people here.

I'm sure few here really give a shlt but I'm gonna break it down for anyone that might, or is just bored and wants to read a short story. It's gonna sound like a life story, but I assure you there are many parts I can't or dont want to remember, and I generally am lazy at telling stories AND typing, so I'll skip some stuff to focus on the bigger picture.


I started working early. At age 8, I was weeding bean fields beside my family for summer money. By ten, I had a paper route delivering to a whole town, and my dad was starting to let me work on the roofs with him. I'm a 3rd generation roofer. This should explain some things to some, i think.

When I turned 19, through tumultuous circumstances, I became a 33% partner in my dads construction company. By this time, he had branched out a bit and was also doing an HVAC contract at a manufactured home plant in Nebraska. Him, me, and another partner handled that contract and the jobsites equally for 2 years, until the other partner fell in to some old habits.I wasn't about to let my grandfathers name be ruined by a speed freak, so I told my dad we needed to cut ties with him. This was my dad's best friend from years back. He begrudgingly did what he knew was the right thing anyway, so by 22 I had half a construction company.

I grew the business. We went statewide in less than a year. By the end of 2002, my dad and I were making more money than either of us ever had. Not too many 22 year olds making up to 75K a year, especially not poor kids. I thought I was rich. It went on this way for another 9 years.One day, I was under a house in the Wardcraft facility in Minden Nebraska, and I don't know, I just snapped. It was too easy. I had figured out a way for me and my dad to work about 20 hours a week, let the crews do the rest, and we would still pull down 50-70k a year each. Too easy. All of a sudden, I realized, I dont like the monotony.

I like construction. I like to build stuff. For myself. I do not like construction customers. Especially after 2008.... The Inaguration of Entitlement. All of a sudden, everybody was entitled to the fastest, best work, for the cheapest price. Sorry, Mrs. Smith or Jones, you will have to pick ONE. No, they want it all. So guess what, the small construction market became a death match to hang on to the bottom rung of the ladder. I don't know about you, but I don't fight for the bottom level. So this only added to my dilemma. I left. I told my dad, take it, you can have it. I went to florida, still a roofer. And I took a crew. We did well down in Florida, and I'm not sure I should have left there. Another story for another time, or not.

After a short stint in Florida, I went back to Nebraska, back to the business, but in a different capacity. I went out and found contracts for our company to sub. Basically, we whored our 3rd generation name out to out of state contractors, which in turn would absolutely devour every bit of work available. It was obviously a stupid, greedy move, and I'm ashamed to have been a part of the problem at one time. I did finally wake up.

I've always LOVED, as in I AM IN LOVE with motorcycles. I started tinkering, buying, selling, and it was going well. I was also in love with a girl once. She stuck around for 8 awful years, then got smart. The bikes are still here, ha. Anyway, when this woman (yes the one that said she'd NEVER EVER go away, lol) left, I had since quietly left the construction business again, and had opened a motorcycle and ATV repair shop. She was a contractors girlfriend, not a grease monkeys girlfriend. I was lost. Crushed. I had to leave again. I went to MMI in the Valley of the Sun at 32 years of age. Thank God and all that is Holy. I'm a mechanic. I'm a damn good mechanic. I wouldnt build my best friend a shed for ten grand today(ok he owns a construction company as well but still). It does not make me happy anymore. Metal and fire makes me happy. Cars, trucks, bikes, make me happy. Shingling a roof, makes me money, but does not make me happy. Welding shlt makes me real happy.

I been tooling around phoenix for a year since I finished school, just buying and selling, building engines, doing repairs at home, and I started a small new parts distribution business. Basically I'm part of a group of buyers that can get wholesale prices on aftermarket parts to sell. I've moved twice since 2012, and that has taken its toll financially. It's not cheap to move no matter how you do it. Also, I'm not too proud to admit, I been enjoying myself here a bit too much.

I'm not really sure where the motorcycle industry will take me. Somewhere again, in the future im sure. My favorite thing is fabrication, retrofit, custom work. But, if you dont have the bucks to play with the big boys, its a hard row to hoe these days. Parts sales is ok, but my heart isnt in it, and frankly, ends just are not meeting anymore. Proof of this can be sought on this website, with my attitude now and then. My wallet has always been closely connected to my current state of emotion. Sad but true.

The latest move was to a lot that I have leased to own, and as some will know, I plopped a 31 foot RV on to it and that's where I'm living. The first building I have started getting materials for, is naturally for my bikes and tools. It's gonna take forever at this rate, because I have to try to make money while I'm spending all my time developing this lot. I have no place to work on bikes except the back bedroom of the RV, which currently has a three wheeler, a minibike, and all my tools and parts in it. Bit cramped. I need to expedite this process, bad.

So as I was doing what I always do in tight times, looking on craigslist for a couple projects to fix and flip, and I decided to click on the "gigs" section under the jobs heading. Just about to click out of there, I looked at one more ad that caught my eye, Welder/Mechanic Needed, so I called up the place and talked to the owner. After describing my credentials on the phone, he asked if I could make it down there yesterday. As any well raised 80's kid would, I said absolutely I can. He said great, we close in twenty minutes. Haha.

I made it in time. Turns out the position was for a Lead Mechanic with welding abilities. That's me. I showed him my MMI transcript, and as soon as his brain made sense of what he was looking at (the shiznit) he offered his handshake and asked if I could start monday. Good move boss.

It's a car dealership. They sell bikes too. Almost all their stuff is high end pre owned stuff, like m5's and jags and things. I expected that to be about all i would see. Haha nope, went out to the shop (my shop, by the way) and in the parking area sits a 300zx, a 72 chevy pickup, a 56 bel air, a TJ jeep, all the stuff I love so much, and it's all there for me to work on. Looks like I have a harley or two on my plate as well, and I also saw a ZX-6 out there. It will be a shame to have to test ride all this stuff, wont it!?

So I start Monday, it's 9-6 with an hour lunch, 9-3 on Saturday for OVERTIME BABY!! As mentioned, I get my own little shop with full internet access (and you thought you were getting rid of me mwahahaha) a nice welder, I can use a pickup whenever I want, and I get a mechanics helper named Rico! I'm the only white guy there (that I saw so far) out of about fifteen employees, which is nothing new to me. The boss Daniel said I will be welding some exhausts on Monday, but that I will have to manage myself and create a repair schedule for the cars out back. Perfect. Per. Fect.

The pay starts at a good level, he was adamant that I will get raises. I'm stoked. This will get my new lot fixed up in no time, and I will finally get to meet some people in phoenix that did not attend MMI, I need that right now too.

Thanks for reading, and thanks 3ww for providing me this space to commemorate this major turning point in my life.

Flyingw
07-13-2014, 11:47 AM
Outstanding Brother!!! You know, it always interest me to hear how the road takes people on the journey through life. I know allot of people all over the world but then there are the people who are born, live, and some have died in the same town their entire life. Its the ones who have been around the block so to speak that have had the most interesting stories to tell and their journeys have been nothing short of fascinating. Best of luck to you in your journey.

dougspcs
07-13-2014, 01:05 PM
A winding road..hope it finds you home Jim!! Keep up the standards that seem to be your making no matter what you are doing and you'll continue to be a success.

A good read!!

El Camexican
07-13-2014, 03:12 PM
Have fun!:beer

6speedthumper
07-13-2014, 06:18 PM
Best of luck!

atc007
07-13-2014, 06:30 PM
You're gonna do JUST fine :). Hopefully it all goes well!!

DohcBikes
07-13-2014, 06:48 PM
Thanks guys, it really means a lot to have the support of my only online brethren.

I do have some sad news that I was hoping to not have to add to that story today. My dog Yukon has been battling a tumor. not cancer, but a large, large tumor. After posting this story this morning (actually I wrote most of it last night and saved it) I had a vet appt. to get to. Unfortunately my best buddy did not return home with me.

Guys, I'm not a religious man. These two incidents are obviously connected. I don't ignore coincidences like this. Please understand that I have experience massive loss throughout my life, and that I do not react to death as others do. You may well see posts ovf a jovial nature by me even tonight. I'm on here now because I need to be occupied during mourning.

Yukon was the Best Dog In The Entire UNIVERSE. We ran HARD for 12 long years together, and he left it ALL out there in the field, trust me. I refuse a downward spiral in his name, so do not hesitate to keep this thread light, theres no emotion or sentiment that can offend me today. If my closer friends (or anybody for that matter) here want to pm me I welcome that, and I may not be able to get right back to you but I will.

R.I.P. Yukon Jack. I love you buddy.

197185

I know that posts like these are a downer, and that many will be offput enough to not absorb or comment to my first post in this thread. Please don't see this as a negative turn. All is well, I knew he was on the way out, and have made my peace well before today. The higher power, whatever that is, saw it fit to relieve me of my responsibility to yukon so that I could make this new job work for me. He was old, and waiting for me to come home every day was not going to be pleasant for him. It happened today for a reason.

I'm not ASKING for likes on this post, but I know Yukon would appreciate that instead of saddness. He was a Tough sumbitch. I did not carry him, he walked.

DohcBikes
07-13-2014, 07:27 PM
another revelation, just occured to me.




For the numbers people.

Today is 7-13.

For the religious, it is Sunday.

These are also, not coincidences.

atc007
07-13-2014, 08:29 PM
R.I.P Yukon.. You sound like my kinda pup.. And I'm not really a dog guy :) Love your attitude Damon. He is in a better place ,free of pain.

jays375
07-13-2014, 10:46 PM
Everybody dreams of having a job they love.I like my job.Only reason I stayed so long.When you finshing fabbing something and seeing it finished.Gives you real sense of pride.It is just getting to tough to go there and deal with the bosses.The other day was the closest I have to walking out the door.Congrats and good for you.Sorry for the loss of your faithful friend.My poor 15 year pooch is really showing her age.Arthritis is really bringing her down.Just took her last week to the vet.She was really down and out.All tests came back good.They adjusted her meds and is doing really well.I was a real mess for a few days.Just the thought of having to do what you did really put a hurting on me.The vet assured there was no reason for that yet.I really feel your pain.It was for the best.You did the right thing.Some day you will have another great dog!

jakep53
07-14-2014, 07:10 AM
congrats on the job mate!! it's good having a job you like..
.......R.I.P Yukon.......i'm sure you and Damon were a great 3-wheelin crew!!

DohcBikes
07-14-2014, 08:28 AM
Thanks so much brothers. Its 5 a.m. here, can't sleep with all this on my mind so I got up to prepare for work. Havent had a new pair of jeans for about 6 years, so Im gonna take a cool a.m. ride on the Wicked-X to go get some before work.

I consider myself very blessed to have this big new thing to fill at least some of the space Yukon has left. I didnt know yesterday when we left that the doc would give me the look, but I didn't hesitate when he did. I promised myself long ago that I wouldnt hem and haw over it, take him home, bring him back, etc.

Give your dog a big hug for me.

Jake,,,,

You are one of the few people that ever commented on any of the several pics of yukon that graced this site before he passed. You must know a good dog when you see one. Thank you.

Yukon did not have a vet in AZ, so we had to just choose one that was close. The doc was Austrailian.Could not help but think of my aussie friend Jake on 3 Wheeler World. His accent, I don't know maybe Ive heard some science behind this, but it put me at ease the minute he started talking. Possibly because I know what its like to be far from home, and that he MUST have seen a lot of things in his life to have moved from another continent. Another 'not a coincidence' in my opinion.


Bill,,,,

Thanks Buddy. Your email meant the world to me, it really did.


This site is fuggin awesome.


Here's to great memories, and a new day. Yukon is not hurting today.

See Y'all after WORK today!!

250r kid
07-14-2014, 08:37 AM
good luck with the new job,hope it works out for ya & i'm sorry about your best buddy,dogs are the best ,there aways there went you need them.

slashfan7964
07-15-2014, 03:22 AM
Just saw this thread. Congrats on such an awesome job. Someday I'd really like to learn how to weld better.


Sorry to hear about Yukon though man. I know what its like to lose a friend. When my first Husky passed away, the puppy I had grow up with, I was absolutely devastated. I couldn't understand why he had to go. I thought it was my fault. Hang in there. These are tough times but the light is there. I know you can see this through to the end. If you need to talk, you've got my email. My ears are all yours.

czac
07-15-2014, 10:19 AM
CONGRATS! sounds like you found yourself a sweet gig. hope it works out for you and helps get you to where you want to be with YOUR shop too!

So wait, all this time you have been building that three wheeler and everything else in your motor home??? wow! and here I am complaining my garage work space is too small...

DohcBikes
07-15-2014, 11:02 AM
No craig I had a 5 bedroom house in Glendale with a huge garage and a mini shop inside the house as well until recently. I'll update this thread soon. As usual with me, it might not be what is expected...

I appreciate all the sentiments here. Life is STRANGE sometimes. I'll let you know that yesterday my best friend had both of his dogs shot and killed by a man that had his phone number and plenty of time to call in advance of the situation. We have not seen each other for two years. I have not seen anyone I know for 2 years, no exaggeration. It is rushing in, now that Yukon isn't here to keep me company.

I'm going to attempt to close this thread until things get sorted out. I don't know if we can do it or not but I think I've seen the option. If not, I will pm a mod and ask it be locked temporarily. I'm all over the place right now because of the chain of events, and I don't like to be percieved as wishy-washy, because I am the exact opposite when my mind is right. I been mentally off for a while.

After work yesterday I got the news about Zach's dogs. I called him, and several more of my best friends at home. I talked to my Dad for a while. I talked to my mom for a while, I called my Grandma. I have several that are 'getting close'. Two of my brothers spoke with me for a long while.

I realize now that I need to go to Nebraska for a while guys. All are in agreement.

ChaosRacing stays intact and functional as it will until I die. My boys back home got big shops and lots of tools, and they are now waiting for me to show them how to use them again. I better get to it.

The trip to Trikefest 2015 will be half the distance now.

This is a very good thing.



Angelo, I'm gonna pm you my new phone number and you cant text me. Anybody here that has my old number, and feels they might need the new one, pm me.

czac
07-15-2014, 11:26 AM
what he shoot the two dogs? That guy needs to be "Air Conditioned" himself it sounds like!

Good luck with all that's going on... I know the feeling about those people of yours who are "Getting close" I feel that way with some of my Peeps and its not a good feeling!

things can really suck at times... Hope all turns out well for ya!

ironchop
07-15-2014, 11:43 AM
Congrats on the job, I think.

Sorry about your best friend.

danbur55
07-15-2014, 08:17 PM
things happen for a reason!!! open your heart to it! when you look up and ask "how much do you think i can handle here" just remember who your talking to and understand there is reasoning but we have to wait for it to comprehend sorry for your tribulations but hey "been there done that" in one respect or another if it helps you any just got back from my oldest sons (33 year old) surgery to remove left kidney that was repaired 5 years ago but just failed keep looking forward and the answers will come

Louis Mielke
07-15-2014, 09:32 PM
Closed by request.