A 1930’s Cabin Style Motel.
…“ …. and when we arrive I look for a motel. .. We haven’t seen a bed since Bozeman, Montana. .. We find one with color TV, heated swimming pool, a coffee maker for the next morning, soap, white towels, a shower all tiled and clean beds. .. We lie down on the clean beds and Chris just bounces on his for a while. Bouncing on beds, I remember from childhood, is a great depression reliever. .. Tomorrow, somehow, all this can be worked out, maybe. Not now. Chris goes down for a heated swim while I lie quietly on the clean bed and put everything out of mind.” (End Chapter 28.)
North 6th Street, Business District, Grants Pass, OR. My photos here show sunlight out of sync with the ZMM Narrative.
…I camped overnight East of Grants Pass (near Gold Hill, OR). Therefore, starting with /\ Above /\ Photos, my photos show the next morning.
…This is contrary the ZMM Travel Narrative, where the Narrator arrives in Grants Pass in late afternoon, in time for Chris’s bed bouncing and swim.
…Since there are many motels in town and the Narrator gives no unique clues, I show photos of several of the 1968 era motels that I encountered within several miles of the Grants Pass central business district.
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Yet Another 1930’s Cabin Style Motel.
… (Opening of Chapter 29.) “ In the process of taking stuff out of the saddlebags and cramming it back ever since Bozeman, and doing the same with the backpacks, we’ve acquired some exceptionally beat-up gear. … What a mess. In my shirt-pocket notebook I write down: "Buy tackle box for squeezed stuff" and then add "Do laundry." Then, "Buy toenail scissors, sunburn cream, ignition grease, chain guard, toilet paper." This is a lot of things to do before checkout time, so I wake up Chris and tell him to get up. We have to do the laundry.” (Cont. Next)
North 6th Street, Business District, Grants Pass, OR.
Landscape Terrain Conclusion Re the Town Name: “Grants Pass”. ..
….The fact that “Pass” was included in the Town Name, likely refers to the fact that the Rogue River affords easier East–West passage through these rather rugged mountains. And both the Interstate I-5 and The Rogue River Highway (Oregon Rt-99) being “jammed tight” into the canyon of this river, together attest that this is indeed is “A Pass”.
… This Satellite View Shows BOTH The Interstate I-5 and the major Rogue River Highway (Oregon Rt 99), Twisting WITH The Rogue River, “Through The Pass”!! … You can see the names of Grants Pass, OR at left & Medford, OR lower Right. .
More Information About The Town & Area Of Grants Pass, OR.
….The Rogue River in the U.S. state of Oregon begins at Boundary Springs on the border between Klamath and Douglas counties near the northern edge of Crater Lake National Park. The Rogue River flows generally west for 215 miles (346 km) from the Cascade Range, through the “Rogue River – Siskiyou National Forest”, and [then through] the Klamath Mountains to the Pacific Ocean at Gold Beach. Excerpt From Wikipedia. More Information Click Here.
Historical Information About The Town & Area Of Grants Pass, OR.
…In the late 1840s, settlers (mostly American) following the Applegate Trail began traveling through the area on their way to the Willamette Valley. The city [in their literature] states, that the name was selected to honor General Ulysses S. Grant's success at Vicksburg.
…The Willamette Valley is a rich farming area that is reached by traveling from Grants Pass. OR, 140 miles North to Eugene, OR, where the Valley continues all the way to Portland. OR.
… Excerpt From Wikipedia. More Information Click Here.
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A General View Of A Grants Pass, OR Shopping Area. A Typical Location For A Laundromat.
…“At the Laundromat I instruct Chris on how to operate the drier, start the washing machines and take off for the other items. .. I get everything but a chain guard. The parts man says they don’t have one and don’t expect to get one. I think about riding without the chain guard for what little time is left but that will throw crud all over and could be dangerous. Also, I don’t want to do things with that presumption. That commits me to it.” (Cont. Next)
South Business District, Grants Pass, OR. I did not notice a motorcycle repair “ parts man” place anywhere in or near this town…. The Grants Pass Directory for 1968 shows Polluck’s Marina & Cycle Shop at 70 Highway 199. I believe this address is now given as 70 Old Highway 99, which Mapquest shows as one mile North of the Rogue River on present day NE 7th Street. As stated in the next photo’s caption, the Narrator’s “down”, is down from the Polluck’s, to the welder’s shop.
… I am sorry to only offer here a “generic” photo for this ZMM passage.
…Since this is a fairly large town, with plenty of evident change since 1968, I did not attempt to locate the ZMM Laundromat. Instead, I concentrated on finding all I could about possible 1968 welders and possible 1968 welding shops.
DATE-LINE: January 25, 2021. by Henry Gurr.
….. New Information Found By Mr Blue Nelson (of Gold Hill, OR) And Mr Bill Quaccia (Town of Rogue River, OR):
Back in Feb 24, 2019 Mr Blue Nelson sent the following email to me, Henry Gurr.
HI Henry,
…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.
…[This is where] 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?
……..
…I emailed reply, saying this is entirely new information, and given the unique and excellent welder abilities of Mr Alexander Henry (Sandy) McGregor, he most certainly is the ZMM Welder at Grants Pass, OR.
The Eleventh through Thirteenth Photo NEXT, Fully Explains Why.
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These Trees At The Back Of The Property Are All That Remain of Mr. Roy S. Fixsen’s Welding Shop. “Progress” Has Eliminated Both the Shop & All the Big Trees Mentioned by the Narrator.
…This Is The Location Of The ~1968 Roy S. Fissen Welding Shop, North Of The Rogue River.
…“ 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. .. I wheel back and stop for Chris, check the laundry he’s put in the drier …. ” (Cont. Next)
Back of property, 954 Sixth Street SW, Business District, Grants Pass, OR. We may assume that “ Down the street” meant just downhill from the motorcycle repair “ parts man” place, which perhaps would be ~two blocks North of the Rogue River, perhaps on present day NE 6h Street.
…Local people seem to agree that the Welding Shop of Mr. Roy S. Fixsen’s shop is the best candidate for the Narrator’s ”ultra clean” description.
…Mr. Fixsen’s shop was literally downhill from the rest of the town, nearer to the Rogue River, at 954 (South?) Sixth Street SW.
…Contrary to most of the towns on the ZMM Route, Grants Pass has had sufficient “Progress” to seemingly erase all evidence of any “ Down the street“ welding shop.
…If you have additional information or want to suggest other places for the ZMM Grants Pass Welder’s shop, please contact me. Many thanks go to the Grants Pass Historical Society for their timely assistance.
Why Does The ZMM Narrator Say => “A Kind Of Village-Smithy Appearance?”
…Properly educated English Language persons should immediately recognize the lines of Cambridge, MA Poet, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow 1807-1882. More Information, and especially good photo of Poet, Click Here.
……
Under a spreading chestnut-tree
The village smithy stands;
The smith, a mighty man is he,
With large and sinewy hands,
And the muscles of his brawny arms
Are strong as iron bands.
……
For The Full Poem “The Village Blacksmith”, Click Here.
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A Typical Grants Pass Street Scene, Looking South, Down Hill Towards The Rogue River.
…We See The River’s Valley, And The Mountains Beyond The River’s Valley.
….“ …. and putt along through the cheerful streets looking for a restaurant. Traffic everywhere, alert, well-maintained cars, most of them. West Coast. Hazy clean sunlight of a town out of the range of the coal vendors.“(Cont. Next)
North 6th Street, Business District, Grants Pass, OR.
The Previous 3 Photos Have Discussed The Rogue River, And This River Will Be A Feature of Forthcoming Photos.
…The name apparently began with French fur trappers who called the river La Riviere aux Coquins because they regarded the natives as rogues (coquins).
Excerpt From Wikipedia. More Information Click Here.
DATE-LINE: January 25, 2021. by Henry Gurr.
….. New Information Found Since My First ZMM Route Research Trip Back in Summer 2002.
…As mentioned in the 2nd previous photo, my Grants Pass ZMM Research “concentrated on finding all I could about possible 1968 welders and possible 1968 welding shops”.
…Back then, most of the people I talked to seem to agree that the Welding Shop of Mr. Roy S. Fixsen was the best candidate for the Narrator’s ”ultra clean” description. Mr. Fixsen’s shop was literally downhill from the rest of the town. Thus my photos & discussion you’ll view, were based on Mr Fixsen & his “in town” shop location.
However, Starting In June 30, 2019, Mr Blue Nelson (Of Gold Hill, OR) And Mr Bill Quaccia (Town Of Rogue River, OR), Sent Me a series of Emails with Photos about the Welding & Motorcycle Repair Machine Shop of Mr Alexander Henry (Sandy) McGregor. Mr McGregor’s Shop was (is), several miles away from Grants Pass, on Rogue River Highway (Oregon Rt-99).
….As you will see in evidence provided, the excellent welder abilities of Mr Alexander Henry (Sandy) McGregor, most certainly is the ZMM Welder at Grants Pass, OR, where the ZMM Narrator Went To Have The Chain Guard Welded.
… The Nineth Through Thirteenth Photo NEXT, Fully Explains Why.
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A 1970 Type Restaurant At The North End Of The Business District Near The Freeway And The Motels.
…“At the edge of town we find a restaurant …. ” (Cont. Next).
North 6th Street, Business District, Grants Pass, OR. As mentioned in an earlier photo, my photos here show sunlight out of sync with the ZMM Narrative.
…I camped overnight East of Grants Pass (near Gold Hill, OR). Therefore, starting with /\ Above /\ Photos, my photos show the next morning, as I arrived into Grants Pass, OR.
…This is contrary the ZMM Travel Narrative, where the Narrator’s “ we find a restaurant …. ”, which is at mid-day.
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This Is My Restaurant, Which Was Nearer To the Center of Town.
…“[ …. we find a restaurant …. ]” (Cont. Next)
Business District, Grants Pass, OR.
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My Restaurant, Inside View.
…“ …. and sit and wait at a red and white tableclothed table. Chris unfolds a copy of Motorcycle News, which I bought at the cycle shop, and reads out loud who has won all the races, and an item about cross-country cycling. The waitress looks at him, a little curiously, and then at me, then at my cycle boots, then jots down our order. She goes back into the kitchen and comes out again and looks at us. I guess that she’s paying so much attention to us because we’re alone here. While we wait she puts some coins in the jukebox and when breakfast comes—waffles, syrup and sausages, ah—we have music with it. Chris and I talk about what he sees in Motorcycle News and we are talking over the noise of the record in the relaxed way people talk who have been many days on the road together and out of the corner of my eye I see that this is watched with a steady gaze. After a while Chris has to ask me some questions a second time because that gaze kind of beats on me, and it’s hard to think of what he’s saying. The record is a country western about a truck driver. . . . …. ” (Cont. Next)
Business District, Grants Pass, OR.
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The USA West Coast Is A Lonely Place.
…“ …. I finish the conversation with Chris. .. As we leave and go out and start up the cycle, there she is in the door watching us. Lonely. She probably doesn’t understand that with a look like that she isn’t going to be lonely long. I kick the starter and gun the engine too hard, frustrated by something, and as we ride for the welder again, it takes a while to snap out.” (Cont. Next)
North 6th Street, Business District, Grants Pass, OR. *************************
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The ZMM Narrator Cleans the Chain Guard Under What He Calls “The Spreading Chestnut Tree.” “
… “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." .. 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.” (Cont. Next)
Back of property, 954 Sixth Street SW, Business District, Grants Pass, OR. Local people agree that Mr. Fixsen’s personality fits the Narrator’s description. Fixsen is his name, and not word play on what he did for his life’s work!
…If you have additional information or want to suggest other places for the Grants Pass Welder’s shop, please contact me.
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Why Does The ZMM Narrator Say => “ Under The Spreading Chestnut Tree?”
…Properly educated English Language persons should immediately recognize the lines of Cambridge, MA Poet, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow 1807-1882. More Information, and especially good photo of Poet, Click Here.
……
Under a spreading chestnut-tree
The village smithy stands;
The smith, a mighty man is he,
With large and sinewy hands,
And the muscles of his brawny arms
Are strong as iron bands.
……
For The Full Poem “The Village Blacksmith”, Click Here.
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Welding With A Gas Torch.
…“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.” (Cont. Next) North 6th Street, Business District, Grants Pass, OR. Ms Jan Aijian has granted permission for ZMMquality.org to display this photo here. I hope she will soon send more photos which, like this one, that illustrates the welder striking his torch (sparks but no flame), the welder working, and the welder’s gas cylinders, etc as described in these ZMM passages.
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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)
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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. *************************
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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.
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….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? .
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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..)
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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.
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