We Should, With Word and Deed, Show Appreciation For Other People’s Work!
“"One dollar," he says, without smiling. Then I catch a funny quizzical look within his glance. Does he wonder if he’s overcharged? No, something else. . . . lonely, same as the waitress. Probably he thinks I’m bullshitting him. Who appreciates work like this anymore?“(Cont.Next)
Back of property, 954 Sixth Street SW, Business District, Grants Pass, OR. If you have additional information you want to suggest, please contact me.
*******************************
(Photo = 115-1501cz1.9 ...... ZMM Page = 321 ...... WayPt = 404w 0931ft)

Did The Narrator And Chris See The Flamingo Motel As They Pulled Back Onto the Main Street?

…“We’re packed and out of the motel at just about check-out time …. ” (Cont. Next) North 6th Street, Business District, Grants Pass, OR.
*************************

(Photo = 114-1494 ...... ZMM Page = 321 ..... WayPt = 398w 0985ft)

Photo 1 of 5: NEW INFORMATION: What’s Left of The Welding & Motorcycle Repair Machine Shop Of Mr. Alexander Henry (Sandy) McGregor.

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

“Down the street I find a welder’s sign and enter.
….Cleanest welding place I’ve ever seen. Great high trees and deep grass line an open space in back, giving a kind of village-smithy appearance. All the tools are hung up with care, everything tidy, but no one is home. I’ll come back later. ….

….The welder is in, an old man in his sixties or seventies, and he looks at me disdainfully—a complete reversal from the waitress. I explain about the chain guard and after a while he says, "I’m not taking it off for you. You’ll have to take it off.”
…Here The ZMM Enthusiast Should Pop To Attention When Reading The ZMM Narrator’s Words => “A Kind Of Village-Smithy Appearance.” For full discussion, please see 10th Previous Photo.

*******************************

….Mr Blue Nelson of Gold Hill, OR (Near The Town of Rogue River, OR), Emailed The Above Photo and said “I think that the "down the street" welder might have been here outside Rogue River where this motorcycle repair shop and welder remained for years. I rescued a Fintail Mercedes recently from behind the shop and the son of the owner remembers his dad doing repairs to Robert's bike. ..Have you heard this before? .
*******************************

Mr. Blue Nelson, said that Alexander Henry McGregor’s shop, is at 3100 Rogue River Road, which along this road, is about 1.2 Miles East of Grants Pass OR. --- In case you are interested, RightClick, And Ask For A Newtab, And You Browser Will Bring Up A Satellite View Of The Location. After you have studied the “scene”, you can click for a Google Street View.
*******************************

(Photo = Blue Nelson 1 ...... ZMM Page = 320 ...... WayPt = 397w 1114ft)

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.
*******************************

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. ”

*******************************

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)

Photo 3 of 5: Rear View What’s Left of The Welding, & Motorcycle Repair Machine Shop Of Mr. Sandy McGregor, Which VERY Likely, Is The Shop Where The ZMM Narrator Went To Have His Honda Cycle Chain Guard Welded.

This McGregor Welding Shop, Is A Few Miles Out Of Grants Pass, OR.
Mr Blue Nelson of Gold Hill, OR, emailed the Above /\ Photo, showing the back of Sandy McGregor’s Shop, where he rescued an abandoned car => “ …a Fintail Mercedes recently from behind the shop .. “

….… " "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. …
….When I show it to him he nods and slowly goes over and sets the regulators for his gas torch. Then he looks at the tip and selects another one. Absolutely no hurry. He picks up a steel filler rod and 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 and then have to patch them up with huge blobs of filler rod. "Aren’t you going to braze it?" I ask.
…."No," he says. Talkative fellow.
….He sparks the torch, and sets a tiny little blue flame and then, it’s hard to describe, actually dances the torch and the rod in separate little rhythms over the thin sheet metal, the whole spot a uniform luminous orange-yellow, dropping the torch and filler rod down at the exact right moment and then removing them. No holes. You can hardly see the weld. "That’s beautiful," I say ……

A Sandy McGregor Story, Emailed By Bill (Kodiak Bill), Quaccia
…“Around 1980 I wanted to repair the steel rear fender of 1956 Triumph. Dave Lorenz said, Let’s take it to Sandy. ... OK. … I unbolted the fender and started to clean it up. Stripping the paint off it I notice that it had previously been repaired with brass. … It had been brazed. … Dave took a look at that and said, Don’t take it to Sandy, he will have a fit if he saw it had been brazed. .. I found another fender and sold the brazed item at a swap meet.
Thus McGregor: Not A Fan Of Brazing Sheet-Metal!” [Of course all of this “fits” what the ZMM Narrator said about the welder’s work, & personality.

Essential Clues At To WHY Mr Alexander Henry (Sandy) McGregor, Is VERY, VERY, VERY, LIKELY To Be The ZMM Narrator’s Grants Pass, OR Welder.
..A) Not only was he an expert welder, but an excellent motorcycle repairman: .
..B) Able to do the really, really, tough repair & welding jobs, especially the exceedingly tricky torch & filler-rod, welding of very thin sheet metal. ATTENTION => Here it must be realized (As The Narrator recognizes) => Torch & Filler-Rod Welding, is exceedingly difficult to do. => Either 1) The sheet metal is not heated enough for the rod to melt & flow correctly, Or 2) The sheet metal is slightly over heated, and the sheet metal quickly melts, and drops out, leaving a gaping hole. It is exceedingly rare to find a welder with the skill to actually do this, let alone this very well, such that there are =>
No holes. You can hardly see the weld. "That’s beautiful," I say “
..C) Well-known to be skilled & good enough that Bill Quaccia & friend Dave Lorenz would have Sandy do the welding of their thin sheet metal cycle fender.
..D) Has a large aversion to brazing which is, lumpy-ugly and inferior weak. As Dave stated re Sandy => “He will have a fit if he saw it had been brazed.”
..E) “A Cranky Guy”, Grumpy, non-communicative personality.
..F). All this closely fits what the ZMM Narrator said => "Aren’t you going to braze it?" I ask. …."No," he says. => No holes. You can hardly see the weld. "That’s beautiful," I say “

CONCLUSION:
For all of these “Fits” to The ZMM Narrator’s description => To all occur in one small town, means => Mr Alexander Henry (Sandy) McGregor, Is VERY, VERY, VERY, LIKELY To Be The ZMM Narrator’s Grants Pass, OR Welder.
*******************************
(Photo = Blue Nelson 2 ...... ZMM Page = 320 ...... WayPt = 397w 1114ft)

Photo 4 of 5: Original Highway Sign For => The Welding, & Motorcycle Repair Machine Shop Of Mr Alexander Henry (Sandy) McGregor, Which Is VERY Likely, Is The Shop Where The ZMM Narrator Went To Have The Chain Guard Welded.


Mr Bill Quaccia, Cycling Friend of Mr Blue Nelson, emailed the above photo and said “This was the "little" sign from Sandy's shop, a larger sign that was more visible from the highway may be at this same location. … These signs were stored behind Sandy's shop after he closed the business. The story is that a Harley-riding friend named Joe asked Sandy if he could have the signs. Sandy said Ok and the signs were gone. A trip out to Joe's rural home/shop revealed this "little" sign.”

….NOTE, At Lower Left Sign Says >> “We Weld Almost Anything But … A Broken Heart!!” [Sighed] Sandy

(VIEWING HINT => Click picture TWICE to get a largest view, which due to a peculiarity of our Gallery, will be turned “Right-Side-Up”, so you can read the text. Then use Click&Drag Bars Bottom & Right to see parts off screen..)

*******************************
(Photo = Bill Quaccia 1 ...... ZMM Page = 320 ...... WayPt = 397w 1114ft)

Photo 5 of 5: Continued from previous Photo Of Sign, >> …. This Is An Original Highway Sign For => The Welding, & Motorcycle Repair Machine Shop Of Mr Alexander Henry (Sandy) McGregor, Which VERY Likely, Is The Shop Where The ZMM Narrator Went To Have The Chain Guard Welded.

….We’re packed and out of the motel at just about check-out time and are soon into the coastal redwood forest, across out of Oregon into California. The traffic is so heavy we don’t have time to look up. It’s turning cold and grey and we stop and put on sweaters and jackets. It’s still cold, somewhere in the low fifties, and we think winter thoughts.

Sign Says Upper Right >> “We Weld Almost Anything But … A Broken Heart!!” [Sighed] Sandy

Photo turned “Right-Side-Up”, so you can read the text.
Many Thanks To => Mr Bill Quaccia (Cycling Friend of Mr Blue Nelson), Emailed The Above Photo.

***************************** (Photo = Bill Quaccia 1 ...... ZMM Page = 320 ...... WayPt = 397w 1114ft)

After The ZMM Route Leaves Grants Pass, OR, It Travels On The “Redwood Highway” Through Some 40 Miles Of Oregon Lower Altitude Scenery.

…The Above Photo Shows Scenery Along US-199, 16 Miles SW Of Grants Pass, OR.

…US-199 Will Eventually Climb Up To A High Mountain Pass.


…“[We’re packed and out of the motel at just about check-out time] and are soon into the coastal redwood forest, …. ” >” (Cont .Next)

On US-199, 3 miles Southwest of Wonder, OR. The 3 house town of Wonder. OR is 13 miles SW of Grants Pass, OR, which you can zoom-in-on in Blue Link Below.
…The Narrator here leaves unmentioned ~50 miles of travel along US-199, through lower altitude rural scenery, where landscape alternates from wooded forest, to houses & scattered businesses.
…Evidently what is seen on this stretch of road, is not needed for the ZMM Travel Narrative. Why not?

REPEAT OF SATELLITE VIEW SHOWN 18 PHOTOS PREVIOUS:
…As you READ the ZMM Narrator’s (Robert Pirsig’s) Route Description Passage Above (AND “Travel Decisions” Below), You May Want To =>
..A) Consult a paper Highway Map of Oregon, (Alternatively do B) & C) below. )
..B) RIGHT CLICK AND SELECT “NEW TAB” => A Google Satellite View Will Come-Up Showing Grants Pass, OR At Left Screen Edge. The ZMM Route Town of Medford OR, The At Right.
…AFTER this View comes up => Click the Plus or Minus, so you can see the Highway Route Numbers. AND ClickDrag to see parts of View off screen edges.
..C) AND Have (off to side on your screen), the Terrane Relief Map of link below:
… This Is A Good Terrane Relief Map Of The Rogue River Watershed, that shows the ZMM Route Towns of Medford OR & Grants Pass OR.

More Information About ZMM Narrator’s (Robert Pirsig’s), Travel Decisions in Area Of Grants Pass Oregon.
…The ZMM Narrator describes their travel South from Crater Lake, along the East side of Upper Klamath Lake, then along the Southern edge of Upper Klamath Lake, and then generally West through Douglas Fir Forests.
…The Narrator & Chris eventually go through Medford, OR, and turn West onto Interstate (I-5). Here they travel ~”up-grade in a head-wind, and their cycle can barely keep up with the high speed traffic”. If you look at all this on a map, you can see that after Klamath Lake, their travel is generally West to beyond Medford, OR, and that the “up-grade” must be as I- 5 (already in the Valley of The Rogue Fiver), goes over a hump, and back down into the Rogue River Valley, then runs ~40 miles in the Valley, before turning NW, as I-5 goes by the North side of Grants Pass, OR.
…Here, the ZMM Route goes into Grants Pass, OR for overnight stay, and next morning’s shopping, laundry, & cycle chain guard welding. Then leaving Grants Pass, OR following US-199 (“The Redwood Highway”), some 50 miles to the Oregon-California Border.
*************************

(Photo = 115-1506 IMG GgEarthGdFit3miSwWonderOR ...... ZMM Page = 321 ...... WayPt = ~402 ~1680ft which is at a crest in US-199 here. )

After The ZMM Route Leaves Grants Pass, OR, It Travels Through Some 40 Miles Of Oregon Lower Altitude Scenery, And Eventually Starts Up To A High Mountain Pass.

…As The Altitude Increases, The ZMM Traveler Begins To See California Redwood Trees, Especially After “ Cross Out Of Oregon Into California.”

…“ [ and are soon into the coastal redwood forest,] across out of Oregon into California. The traffic is so heavy we don’t have time to look up. It’s turning cold and grey and we stop and put on sweaters and jackets. It’s still cold, somewhere in the low fifties, and we think winter thoughts. ” ” (Cont. Next)

On US-199, six miles SW, after California-Oregon Border, CA. The Narrator here leaves unmentioned 50 miles of travel and a tremendous range of scenery and landscape changes! Evidently not needed for the Narrative. Why not?
*******************************

(Photo = 115-1528 ...... ZMM Page = 321 ...... WayPt = 410w 1711ft)

California Inspection Station At Border Crossing From Oregon.

…“ …. [We are soon into the coastal redwood forest,] across out of Oregon into California.“ (Cont. Next)
Inspection Station, On US-199 at the California-Oregon Border.
*************************

(Photo = 115-1518 ...... ZMM Page = 321 ...... WayPt = 408W 1740ft)

After The Oregon-California Border - Really a Mountaintop Pass - We Go Through a Long Tunnel. Then We Head Down, Down, Down.

…“The traffic is so heavy we don’t have time to look up.” (Cont. Next)

Just after the Mountain Top Tunnel, 3 miles SW from the California-Oregon Border, CA
*************************

(Photo = 115-1523 ...... ZMM Page = 321 ...... WayPt = 409w 1711ft)

When the Narrator And Chris Came This Way, The Sky Was Grey and Getting Cold.

…“It’s turning cold and grey and we stop and put on sweaters and jackets. It’s still cold, somewhere in the low fifties, and we think winter thoughts. .. Lonely people back in town. … ” (cont. Next)

About one mile prior to Gasquet, CA.
*************************

(Photo = 115-1537 ..... ZMM Page = 321 ...... WayPt = 414w 0240ft)

Back In Grants Pass, OR: An Irrigation Ditch Between A Typical Town Building And A Typical Parking Lot.

…And Over The Building, We See A Nice. Typical View Of The Distant Countryside.

…“[ Lonely people back in town.] I saw it in the supermarket and at the Laundromat and when we checked out from the motel.“

Photo Near South Business District, Grants Pass, OR.
*************************

(Photo = 114-1499 ...... ZMM Page = 321 ...... WayPt = 402w 1005ft)

Parked Here Among These Giant Redwoods Is Where the Narrator Probably Saw Pickup Campers.

…“ [Winter thoughts and lonely people.] These pickup campers through the redwoods, full of lonely retired people looking at trees on their way to look at the ocean.” (cont. Next)

A Pull-Off & Parking Area, Redwood Forest, Simpson Reed Grove, Jedediah Smith State Park, Twelve Miles East of Crescent City, CA. … This Redwood Grove is truly a fantastic experience!
…But despite the fact that the road goes straight through it, the Narrator does not mention it! Why?
…The Narrator does mention redwoods later on, but does not mention stopping in them, for Chris’s exploration, as he did in the Douglas Fir Forests , back in Idaho’s Lochsa River Canyon.
…Considering the Narrator’s enthusiasm for mountain climbing/hiking, even here in cold, rainy conditions, why don’t they explore here? The exercise could nicely “warm up their bones” from the constant chilling breeze of motion on a cycle.
…Clearly, both Chris and the Narrator badly need some release from developing depression and emotional (mental) impasse. Is he just “making a run” for San Francisco?
…But the Narrator’s “making a run”, just seems to cause more anguish, depression, and bad decisions
…For example, after they get to the ocean coast, they ride on, and ride on and on, in the dark, and cold rain. This happens despite the ZMM Narrator’s acknowledged fatigue and chills, and despite the clearly dangerous highways. =
…Moreover => All the stress ends up precipitating a crisis with Chris.
*************************

(Photo = 115-1539 ..... ZMM Page = 321 .... WayPt = 415w ~0100ft)

Spots of Sunlight Fall On Single Trees Standing In the Darkness Produced By The Tree’s Society Called a Forest.

…“You catch it in the first fraction of a glance from a new face—that searching look—..then it’s gone. .. We see much more of this loneliness now. ” (cont. Next)

Entrance, Redwood Forest, Simpson Reed Grove, CA. To fully appreciate the darkness and moisture of the forest, I recommend that you view this image with any lights near your computer turned off.
*************************

(Photo = 115-1541 ..... ZMM Page = 321 ..... WayPt = 415w ~0100ft)

There Is Less Loneliness Back In Montana.

[Winter thoughts and lonely people, cont.] “[It’s paradoxical … ] Back where people were so spread out in western Oregon and Idaho and Montana and the Dakotas you’d think the loneliness would have been greater, but we didn’t see it so much.” (Cont. Next)

Photo at Yellowstone National Park, MT. The /\ Above /\ Photo shows a view along the ZMM Route on the road along the North edge of Yellowstone National Park.
*************************

(Photo = 106-0700 ...... ZMM Page = 321 ...... WayPt = 167 ~6553ft)

A Lonely Path Into the Redwood Forest.

…[ A paradox: Lonely in crowded cities, but not lonely in low populated areas.] “The explanation I suppose, is that the physical distance between people has nothing to do with loneliness. It’s psychic distance, and in Montana and Idaho the physical distances are big but the psychic distances between people are small, and here it’s reversed.” (Cont. Next)
Forest path at a Roadside Pull-off, Redwood Forest, Simpson Reed Grove, CA.
*************************

(Photo = 115-1544b ...... ZMM Page = 322 ..... WayPt = 415w ~0100ft)

What Is It About Us 20th Century “Moderns” That Makes Us Want This Shown In Photo.

And Not The Qualities Sponsored By Mother Nature Herself?

… “It’s the primary America we’re in. It hit the night before last in Prineville Junction and it’s been with us ever since. There’s this primary America of freeways and jet flights and TV and movie spectaculars. And people caught up in this primary America seem to go through huge portions of their lives without much consciousness of what’s immediately around them. The media have convinced them that what’s right around them is unimportant. And that’s why they’re lonely. You see it in their faces. First the little flicker of searching, and then when they look at you, you’re just a kind of an object. You don’t count. You’re not what they’re looking for. You’re not on TV.” (cont. Next)

Photo showing scene US-t97 South of Redmond, OR.
*************************

(Photo = 113-1324c2 ...... ZMM Page = 322 ...... WayPt = 357x 3442ft)