Dee Dee Rinker
- Sep 28, 2021
- 2 min read

Over

The 2021 Cannonball is a wrap. The last day was 99 miles from McAllen, Texas to South Padre Island, Texas for the grand finale. Justin, Jared and AA rode across the finish line under their own power. Jared and AA completing with a perfect score. Justin missed two days due to a magneto problem. Steve only completed 45 of the final 99 with a magneto problem as well. Looks like we need to learn to repair our own magnetos.

Steve started off the morning having to replace his spark plugs with brand new ones to get them to spark enough to get his bike to fire to get to the starting line. He knew from the night before that either his condenser or points were going out of the mag. He had already rolled it across the start line when he had to change plugs yet again. So, when I offered to go to the truck (which was only about 50 feet away) to get him another new set for his bag, he told me I couldn’t. However, at the first gas stop he was out of new plugs and being that none of the rest of the tribe had any new ones either, he was done. The boys tried to get it started but the mag was just too weak. He told them to go ahead with AA and he would get on the sweep.

Meanwhile, I was melting at the finish, waiting on them to arrive, trying to find shade under a palm tree (ha).

After the boys and AA arrived, along with everyone else, Steve crossed the finish on his bike for the grand finale (however, it was on the sweep truck)!!!! Gotta love him! ❤️

By the time they were done with displaying their bikes and then we got them loaded up, I was pretty much done in. Therefore, once we got cleaned up and headed to the final awards and dinner, my head was pounding, I was sunburnt and then the meal was Mexican, I pulled out the old fuddy duddy card and said I was going to find a burger and was in bed by 7:30. Sorry, but I’ll just watch the awards and JJ’s video later! 😉

We were up and on the road by 9:00 after saying goodbye to everyone we saw and drove until late to Lake Charles, Louisiana. Ended up at a sketchy Motel 6, but refinery repair crews had all the motels full to that point. I survived and lived to tell about it, so all is well.

Anyway, Steve and I are looking forward to Barber tomorrow before we head on home.

Thanks to our Cannonball family for another great adventure and looking forward to seeing you again on the next one. Our addiction to them binds us.

Final scores