Part IV: The Illustrated "Zen & the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance". Chapters 27 thru 32.  

Photo 2 of 5: NEW INFORMATION: A View Of The Open Field Behind => The Welding, & Motorcycle Repair Machine Shop Of Mr. Sandy McGregor.

…Which From The Good Solid Information Given By Mr. Blue Nelson & Bill Quaccia, Which, Because Of The Multiple Story Lines Of Near Perfect “Fits”, Is With Near Perfect Certainly, The Welding Shop Where The ZMM Narrator Went To Have His Honda Cycle Chain Guard Welded.


…“You’ll have to take it off. I do this and show it to him, and he says, "It’s full of grease."
I find a stick out in back under the spreading chestnut tree and scrape all the grease into a trash barrel. From a distance he says, "There’s some solvent in that pan over there." I see the flat pan and get out the remaining grease with some leaves and the solvent. ……

…Here The ZMM Enthusiast Should Pop To Attention When Reading The ZMM Narrator’s Words => “ Under The Spreading Chestnut Tree.” For full discussion, please see 4th Previous Photo.
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Mr Bill Quaccia, Cycling Friend of Mr Blue Nelson, Emailed The Above Photo And Said “Here Is A Shot From Back Of The Shop looking waaay back at McGregor's house and garage. Beyond the house a quarter mile is the Rogue River.”

…. Many Thanks to Mr Quaccia for /\ Above /\ Photo. As you can see, there are lots of trees here, but none really qualify to what the ZMM Narrator called "Spreading" as in => “ … I find a stick out in back, under the spreading chestnut tree and scrape all the grease into a trash barrel.

On phone Mr Bill Quaccia said => “Sandy talked lots about the ZMM Book. He was a cranky guy, and worked on all the ‘impossible’ things, and especially all the local area cycle repairs.” … “There are Family Photo Albums, and I will scan some of these.”
…..The “Cranky Guy” fits the ZMM Narrator’s descriptions =>
.. ”he looks at me disdainfully” —
.. "I’m not taking it off for you. You’ll have to take it off."
.. "It’s full of grease."
…"There’s some solvent in that pan over there.”

Thus, as his name suggests McGregor is a FULL Scotsman!)

But To Counter The “Cranky Guy”, Sandy Clearly Had Lots Of Virtues. Mr McGregor Was =>
…1) A very good motorcycle mechanic & machine shop operator. From Mr Nelson or Mr Quaccia we heard that Sandy built Very High Speed Cycles, for record setting runs at places like the Bonneville Flats. We would like to hear more about this.
…2) Able to do these really, really, tough repair & welding jobs, especially the exceedingly tricky torch & STEEL filler-rod, welding of very thin steel sheet metal, without brazing which is lumpy-ugly and inferior weak.

…ATTENTION: Very Few, Of Even The Best Gas Torch Welders, Can Do This Exceedingly Tricky Torch & STEEL Filler-Rod, Welding Of Very Thin Steel Sheet Metal.
…And thus, among any other “fits” to the ZMM Narrative, marks Mr Sandy McGregor as the Grants Pass Welder. Especially, since the ZMM Narrator make the specific points that => “I wonder if he’s actually going to try to weld that thin metal. Sheet metal I don’t weld. I braze it with a brass rod. When I try to weld it I punch holes in it …
…For Continued Discussion That Indeed Sandy McGregor Is Indeed The Grants Pass Welder, Please See NEXT Photo.

….Eventually we hope Mr Blue Nelson and Mr Bill Quaccia, will be able to find some old photos of Mr McGregor, especially of him working in his shop, and even photos that show “Cleanest welding place I’ve ever seen.

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So Big Thanks To You, Mr Blue Nelson!! Further discussion reveals that Mr Alexander Henry (Sandy) McGregor not only was an expert welder, but an excellent motorcycle repairman: . (Also, as his name suggests he is a FULL Scotsman!)
….. Back in the Summer of 1968, when ZMM Author Mr Pirsig found that => . “The parts man says they don’t have one and don’t expect to get one.” , it is VERY likely that the motorcycle repair “ parts man,” could very well have recommended welding, saying what a great motorcycle repairman & welder was Mr McGregor, and readily given directions to the McGregor Welding & Motorcycle Shop, a mile out of Grants Pass, OR.

(Photo = Bill Quaccia 2 ...... ZMM Page = 320 ...... WayPt = 397w 1114ft)


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