It started out like a typical Cannonball morning, the guys rode over to the Holiday Inn Express to pick up their route maps for the day and I went to check out. When I came back out…
They were working on Justin’s rear brake linkage. They got a quick repair completed before they had to leave and will work on it more tonight.
But he didn’t need to worry too much about them as he started his day with bigger problems. At about mile 20, he ran out of gas That is correct, I said gas at only mile 20. And, since he wasn’t carrying any with him, he had to wait until Steve showed up with the gas he carries. Well, here’s where the story gets a little sticky. You see the day before was a rain delay and the day before that his magneto bit the dust, so best guess is that he was last fueled the morning of day 3. Now, at the end of day three they worked until the rain started changing his magneto with the bike on the lift. So….. when I was filling bottles with zinc, marvels, two stroke oil, packing gatorades, slim Jim’s and crackers in saddle bags (you know, the important stuff) and then making sure bikes were fueled, covered up, locked up, maps were out of map boxes….oh, and making sure tools were wiped down, put back in their specific spots and locked up…… I, may have forgotten to make sure Justin was fueled up. So, I was fired! You got it, I fired myself.
Therefore, when 4 of my grandkids showed up at Bowling Green, OH, I was free to play with them. (You see any ulterior motives here )
The cheering squad and I spent a couple hours in the hotel room while everyone else was out working on bikes . They took turns practicing their flips and somersaults on Mipa’s bed and cracked up at Mima’s one and only somersault. (I’m gonna feel that one for days)
Once they left, I wandered back outside. Repairs galore!
During yesterday’s ride Justin’s clutch basket assembly came off. The nut holding it to the transmission came off the shaft. His rear brake linkages twisted again and needed repair. He couldn’t get it into third gear, so they decided to switch out transmissions. Ziggy’s rear stand broke and needed welded together. Jared needed to polish up his fuel tanks. Tavis and I took the shin guards back off the Pride Runner so Steve could stretch his legs tomorrow and the engine could get a little more air. They serviced and fueled up. Thank heavens more troops showed up for moral support! (Ryan Allen). Then they discovered that Justin still couldn’t get it into third with the new tranny so they tore into the shifting linkages and decided to make a jockey shifter and new linkage to make that work. Finally, at 2:42 this morning we made it in to get ready for bed! What a night! As Steve went to clean his dirty, greasy, filthy hands, he thought that he had left his Matco super duty hand powder, but I came to his rescue with the bottle I had found on the “last check” at the previous motel room. He was exhausted and so glad he didn’t have to go back to the van for gojo!!!! He said, “what would I do without you!” So, I’m rehired!!!! Sometimes it pays to sleep with the boss.
After a couple hours sleep, they were up and made a new and improved shifter linkage this morning before cutting it close to pick up their.
The guys are headed to Bourbonaise, Illinois today.
Here’s Jared and Steve checking in last night with all their miles .
