Update : 

We are organizing a service for Dad, at the Lakebay Community Church for afternoon on Saturday - November 9th.

Thank you everyone for commenting about Dad's passing, last Friday evening - September 20th
We are still in shock, even though we knew his time was getting close. Is very quiet in the house without Dad's air machine running day and night, as it has been for the last several years.
Thank you too, the kids for bringing evening meals for us, & helping with Mom's dialysis driving,
- A special big Thank You & Hug from us, - the Gilkison's at The Lazy G Ranch - to our local Key Peninsula Fire Department Emergency Response team - for your speedy assistance, and help during this very difficult time.
Dad was 90 and the folks were just short of their 30th wedding anniversary. — with Joanne Gilkison

I will be taking a few days off, then back in the shed, pretty much full time again. Thanks Again everyone, for your amazing patience during this difficult time.   Ed .

Another Craftsman Gone -

Just a quick note to all my friends, my dad - Larry Gilkison -passed away Sept 20th , Friday evening at dinner here at home - he had just turned 90 on August 29th. and just short of his 30th wedding anniversary with my step mom Joanne Gilkison . 

Of late, was working with his many hobbies right to the end - another folding pocket knife - during his good days.

In the past and in this photo of a few years ago - he did a load of ukuleles for the kids, He enjoyed building most everything, from boats, fishing rods, tying flies for fly fishing, making wood bodied writing pens, making both fixed kitchen and hunting type sheath knives, and folding pocket knives, whittling out wooden spoons, and just about every other hobby he could try &  - traveling when he was able.  

Dad has always been very keen supporter of me, and my motorcycle shop, and was the one that asked me to try and get my family - step-brothers,  nephews etc, interested in motorcycles, motorcycling, and playing with vintage motorcycles -

He has been struggling to breath for some time - COPD from too many years of cigarette smoking, and didn't stop soon enough. The last month or so, he has been needing help with everything.

My main job this last year has been helping my folks, but mainly my Dad get through day to day activities, and I have been doing my motor cycle bike stuff in the evenings. 

Since Dad's passing , when things are a bit more sorted out in a few more days, will be back in the shed full time once again.  

Enjoy life while you have it -

The Bob Strode Velocette MAC America

My long time friend -Bob Strode, from Yakima - who I had bought my little Velocette motor cycle business from 31 years ago, stopped in to get parts to start his next Velocette project bike , after we lunched at the world famous - Lulu's Homeport Cafe - which is practically at the end of our driveway, - we came back into the shed and loaded up. I then snapped a few, , 'Walk Around' photos of the Bob Strode Velocette Mac America. that he brought out to show me. -

Bob Strode called and asked if it would be alright to come over and start getting bits for a second MAC America project. I had started pulling bits from my upstairs wrecking yard / 'second handy department' the evening before, when I got his text. He had brought over his first prototype for me to see, and very nice it is. He said he had overdone it a bit, as it turned into a Bob Strode Special, and went way beyond what he had first envisioned -

Will be keeping everybody posted as to how his projects build develops -

Here are the 'walk around' photos I took of his first MAC America effort -

The Ed Gilkison / Geoff Blanthorn School of Velocette -  our friendship ukulele
for  Alfred Dahne 

Had a treat that the kids stopped by for a while on Sunday, while here I grabbed a very special ukulele I had gotten in earlier from Mim Ukes, a little Ohana SK25 ( all solid mahogany Soprano) .

Alfred Dahne -the foreign exchange student from Germany, that had been staying at my step brother Shane Hostetler and his wife Anna Hostetler's, for a school year. Alfred was in the thick of everything & 'all in' during our Velocette school, Alfred was coming over on Monday with his folks and brother , and would miss seeing the group, so I had all the kids sign a ' frendship uke' ,that I would surprise Alfred with on Monday, to help remind him of his friends here & the fun times in the shed. :)

Ed's school of Velocette- 

A couple years ago - - I had a go at having the kids over and seeing if they had any interest in putting together a Velocette. I had asked my friend Will Perry from Seattle, if I could use his bike to teach the kids how to start and ride a Velocette. as his is a 350cc Velocette Viper model. and would be easier to master the starting drill on.
- I gave it a shot, but in the end I had to stop the program, as I was taking too much time away from my work needed on customers bikes. But I must say -it was a very fun experience for me and I believe for them.
- Will the kids get a Velocette? I hope so, but their bikes will be built with my own hands, and be of my own choice of model. I have a very large stock of second hand parts, and I really enjoy the building process. But for now, I have a fair amount of customers jobs in the shop. & all my customers have been incredibly patient with me on their own projects. But they also ask how the kids are doing on their own bikes.
- I worry also about the kids riding on the road, with most have no riding experience other then up and down the drive - etc.
But I hope it will work out and I will see them on Velos, built by me here in Lakebay - Sometime in the future when someone might say " wow there sure are a lot of young riders on old bikes in the Lakebay area - - - that would be a great legacy -

Second Handy Department

When my friend Jack Hogan, from Australia, first came to visit me here in Lakebay, he said " my Ed - you've got a nice second handy department"

Here is a walk through my 'second handy department' as Jack christened it - I always called it my attic wrecking yard - I took these photos a few years ago. Need to do a tidy up these days and update the photos -

Lots happening the the shed -

Mark Sheppard had shipped up his two Velos about a year and a half ago for me to go through .

The only way I know if all is to be well with them , is to take 'em all apart, do any corrections , then carefully re-assemble.

I had used Mark's Thruxton as a backdrop for photo shoot on Monday, then the phase one -taking it all apart for inspection started.