Working backwards on these tales.
Last Friday I rode out to Westport to take the ferry across to Cathlamette, Washington. From there I was planning to head to Longview, Washington and home. I started around 1o am with a side trip to see my daughter in Gresham. But when I got there I had to change plans because it was an unscheduled stop. Darn, I wanted to see that little grandson. So off I went through St Johns and up to St Helens and then Westport. I got to the ferry around 1:30 pm. The trip up to this point was uneventful other than a few crazy young girls and their poor driving skills. While waiting for the ferry another biker and his lady friend pulled up. He was on a Harley Road King and they were two up. Funny, some Harley people do all the Harley gear; their jacket, helmets, etc. We talked a bit and then borded the ferry once it arrived. Once in Cathlamette, I decided to snack a bit. I rode down this one road there which apparent few go down. I think that is where I picked up some glass. I headed off to Longview after the snack. Along the way my ride started to feel “mushy.” When I got over the Lewis and Clark bridge, I stopped in Rainier, Oregon to look at my tire. I sort of felt I could atl least make it to St Helens and then phone for help. Alas, two mile out I stopped and called for help. While waiting and all, I had several bikers pull up and stop and see if all was ok. You sure don’t get that with cars…sorry, cagers. The truck arrived and I was off to St Helens. According to the driver there was suppose to be a Harley shop that could help me. He drove up some country but we were getting furhter from town. Soon we came to the address but no sign to say this was the place. So back into town we went and up to the Honda dealership. I got there just in time to put my bike in their garage for repair the next day. Being that I was only 45 minutes from home, I called a friend to come and get me and went back Monday to get the bike.
Monday, the same friend drove me out to get my bike. We went and got some eats and played pool while waiting for it to cool a little. It was near 100 degrees that day. By 7 pm it still was hot. So we departed and I went to get gas. Upon leaving the station, I noticed that my speedometer was not working at all. I tried to see if it was a loose wire, but alas no. I rode on home being that there was nothing to do now about it. I called the dealership the next day and arranged to go out later that week to fix the problem. I scheduled Thrusday but emergences kept me in the office.
Friday I was able to get out. We don’t work Fridays at this point in order to save everyones job. I got some breakfast along the way, pulled into the dealership and got my speedometer fixed. He said he had put the cable in wrong the first time. It was nice to have it all back in order again. I went out highway 30 to Astoria. I was tempted again to cross the ferry and ride the Washington side to Astoria, but was afriad of bad luck possiblities. So I stayed on 30. Once in Astoria I headed south on 101. I made a few stops for pictures and what nots, but was getting hungry. So I set my mind to the Pelican Pub in Pacific City. I went through Tillamook and got off 101 to head along the Three Capes route. They start at Cape Mears then Cape Lookout and end with Cape Kiwanda. I bypassed Cape Mears, being that the rode is very rough. Along the way I pulled into Whelan Island just south of Cape Lookout. As I headed out I came to the stop sign. It was on a slight hill so I knew I better be sure to let the clutch out slow. Pop. It got away from me and I killed the engine, just like the old days of driving a manual cage. Being that I had my front tire turned a bit and I was on an incline, the bike started to go down to the ground.I had both hands on the bars and had slowed its motion to the ground. It never fully hit the gorund and I “manhandled” it back up. So I guess I can say I have now dropped it. They say once you have done it it won’t happen again. We shall see, being that another friend has dropped three times in the past two years. And he is an experinced rider.
August 1, 2009
mhicheil
