It was nearing 10 p.m. as my son Jonathan and I, rolled under the carport of a Comfort Inn just outside Frostburg, Maryland.  We had been riding for eight and a half hours in ninety-five degree heat, and my stamina was fading.  My shoulders were stiffening and my reflexes were becoming sluggish, I knew this meant I needed a light meal and some sleep.  We were concluding the first of a three day tour of the Washington DC, and Baltimore, area.

 As we parked the bikes and removed our helmets, I noticed an elderly man who had just exited his tan Mercury Marquis, slowly shuffling his way to the lobby.  As I approached the front desk I overheard the night clerk explaining to the gentleman that there were no rooms available at this hotel, but that she had been in touch with another hotel just two exits east that did have some vacancies. 

Armed with directions for the alternative hotel, the old man and I walked across the lobby together. I held the door open for him as I bid him a good evening.   He returned the greeting and told me his name was Edgar, Edgar Garrison, from Athens, Georgia.   As we stood under the black Maryland sky, Edgar told me he was 87 years of age, and that he was on his way to Baltimore, for his great granddaughter’s wedding, “she is pharmacist you know,” he proudly proclaimed.  I nodding with approval then I shut the car door as he settled behind the steering wheel of his large sedan.  Edgar stood about five feet seven inches tall, and slightly bent over; he was of slender build, and thick white hair that was disheveled enough to give him the appearance of a slightly mad scientist.  He was articulate, and appeared to be of a gentle disposition. He reminded me of my grandfather who had passed away many years ago.

Jonathan and I fired up the bikes and jumped back on the highway heading toward the hotel and a good night’s rest.   

8:00 a.m. came much too quickly, but after a long, hot shower and some hot hotel coffee it was time to move on.  As we walked toward our bikes, I quickly surveyed the parking lot to see if I could spot the tan Marquis  belonging to my new friend Edgar, but unable able to spot the vehicle, I assumed he must have found another place to  spend the night.  We threw a leg over the motorcycles and headed eastward.  As I settled into the ride I continued to speculate if Edgar had found a place to sleep last night, perhaps I should have seen to it that he got a room. 

I spent the better part of the next hour aggravated with myself because I didn’t offer more assistance to the old man even though he didn’t seem to need it.  As we approached a steep incline on US 68 the Maryland scenery was stunning!  I rolled on the throttle and eased my way into the passing lane as we flew by the heavy laden tractor trailers, whose engines were straining to make the steep climb.  Then up in the distance I spotted a tan Mercury Marquis, I immediately identified the vehicle as Edgars, and within a minute’s time we pulled alongside of him.  He instantly recognized us and he flashed a brilliant smile revealing his finely fitted porcelains, followed by an animated wave and a tip of the hat.  That was all I needed, it seems my new found buddy was having the time of his life.   I waved a final time and rolled on the throttle, content to know Edgar would be just fine! 

I am on my way home this morning.  I have about 8 hours of open road in front of me and the weather forecast is calling for some heavy, but scattered thunderstorms along my route.  This is the second time in a few weeks that I have been on the Pennsylvania turnpike only to be greeted by severe weather.  Hope you have a great Sunday!

The fourth weekend in July is shaping up to be a motorcycle riders dream.  The weather is going to phenomenal and there are rally’s and cycling events a plenty.

I have spoken to many of my fellow riders and a high percentage of them will be touring somewhere this weekend.  Here’s a few places some of them are headed…

Wild and Wonderful Mountain Fest

Deals Gap

All Ohio Bike Fest

Do you have any specific riding plans scheduled for this weekend?  If so, let’s us know where you’re heading!  Heck, maybe we will pass each other along the way!

Horticulturist Thalussa Cruso once said, “The sense of smell can be extraordinarily evocative, bringing back pictures as sharp as photographs of scenes that had left the conscious mind.”

I could not agree more, who among us hasn’t caught the scent of someone adorning the perfume that our high school sweetheart used to wear and been instantly transported back to the night we stole our first kiss.

Next time you head out for destinations unknown; allow the smells of the open road to enhance your riding experience.

1. The salty scent of an ocean breeze.
   
2. A campfire.
   
3. Newly mown hay.
   
4. The light aroma of the whispering pines.
   
5. Freshly cut grass.
   
6. A summer shower.
   
7. Dampness of the early morning dew.
   
8. Bloated road kill.
   
9. The muskiness if freshly plowed earth.
   
10. Tractor trailer exhaust fumes.
    
11. Sunday morning breakfast cooking at the little diner.
    
12. Cigarette smoke
    
13. Sweetness of the Honey suckle
    

As I mentioned in an earlier post I recently had a starting issue with the Daytona, but I thought I had it resolved.  Apparently not!

Sunday morning I finished a few chores then jumped on the Daytona to run her through her paces.  She fired up immediately and all systems were a go.  I was stopped at a traffic light about about a mile from the house when she began to sputter and cough,  seems the problem had resurfaced.  I made a right hand turn at the light and started back toward the house when she quit in dead stride.  Being in the middle of traffic on a dead motorcycle your first thought had better be safety!  I coasted to safety and pulled over in a drugstore parking lot.

After ten minutes of  fiddling with cables, wires, and plugs, I was unable to get the bike started again and since I was only a 10 minute walk from my house I decided to push her.

The Triumph’s dry weight is 496 pounds and with the afternoon temperatures nearing ninety degrees, it felt twice that heavy.  I finally got the bike back to the stable, shut the door, and went inside to shower and drink a beer!  Looks like this saga continues…

Remember the first time you saw the ocean or experienced the vastness of the Grand Canyon?  I feel that way every time I ride!

Most men slumbered as I rode through the night, heading no place certain.

My sole companion was a full harvest moon, lighting my path with an eerie reddening glow.

While cutting through the ebony veil of night, cool midnight dew misted my visor.

As the miles rolled farther behind me, and the rhythm of the engine kept time, my mind was released like a thoroughbred out of the gate.   It ran past memories of days once lived, and the faces of childhood friends long since forgotten.  I reflected on dreams yet birthed and plans incomplete. Of strangers l will encounter and spaces I’ve still to explore.

 At times the thoughts of past mistakes hit my soul like a hot desert wind buffets ones face.

I reflected on my sons, and how quickly they have grown, I wondered what these uncertain times holds in store for them.

I sang songs of worship to the Almighty, and recited prayers of thanksgiving in the cathedral of the starless sky, and was reminded once again of the many blessings which fill my days. 

Most men slumbered as I rode through the night, heading no place certain.

I have scoured the names of the nearly 900 Harley Davidson dealerships in the United States and have selected twelve dealerships I think have the coolest names.  Here’s my list….

1.  Powder Keg H.D.

2.  Big Swamp H.D.

3.  Pig Tail  H.D.

4.  Devil Mountain H.D.

5.  Stormy Hill H.D.

6.  Killer Creek H.D.

7.  Rawhide H.D.

8.  Big Moose H.D.

9.  Battlefield H.D.

10.  Deadwood H.D.

11.  Wild West H. D.

12.  Horny Toad H.D.

What dealerships would you add to the list?

My son Jonathan walked into the front yard where I was cutting grass and from the expression on his face I knew something was wrong.  As I cut the last strip of turf and turned the mower off he told me he had just started the Triumph Daytona motorcycle when it began to make an awful noise from the front of the bike.  He immediately turned it off and came to get me.  I am a fairly positive fellow, but I will have to admit thoughts of a blown motor were running through my mind as Jonathan shared more of the details.

I followed him back to the garage and asked him to start the bike as I got on my knees to see if I could diagnose the problem. Sure enough, an awful clatter was coming from somewhere, but because of all the shrouding, I was unable to determine where the racket was coming from. This would have to wait till I had more time.

I cleared my schedule on Friday evening, and headed for the garage to further investigate what was going on with the bike.  I grabbed a beer, turned on some hard hitting Manilow tunes, and began the exploration.  The first step was to remove the right side covering, which gave me a slightly better view of the exhaust and two of the spark plugs.  I immediately noticed that one of the spark plug wire caps was not seated properly.  After several attempts to press it tight, I realized something else was going on and I needed more access which meant I would have to remove the left side cover, and the fuel tank. 

With the cover off and the fuel tank removed, I had an unobstructed view of the problem child spark plug.  As I peered into the cylinder I saw the trouble; the spark plug had backed itself out of the hole.  It was completely unscrewed!   A close inspection of the threads revealed they were not stripped or gouged in any way; evidently a combination of an improper installation, and vibration, had caused this ordeal.   I reinstalled the plug, returned the fuel tank to its proper position, and connected the battery, I hit the start button and she purred like a kitten.  I cannot tell you how ecstatic I was that this turned out to be such a small ordeal.