Drop of a hat 2005 - Part
5
.It’s early September and I am heading
back over the pond when I really shouldn’t be! The container of bikes only
arrived just ten days ago and I really ought to be in England preparing them for
sale. However, my flights are booked weeks in advance (due to my flight out of
the U.K. being a return flight to the U.S.) so I can either lose the flight,
re-schedule at $500 or so, or just catch the flight and turn it into a
worthwhile trip.
The devastating hurricane “Katrina” had
hit a couple of weeks back and as I landed in Michigan (after midnight) and I
was soon reminded how alert the police are here as within 10 miles of the
airport I was pulled over for an alleged crossing of the white line – the cop
was O.K. I blamed the 22 hour trip - but it was a reminder that I had been
pulled on the last four trips so I had better watch my step!
Next morning and I was shocked to see
petrol was up to almost $3.30 a gallon! (£2.00) I know it still isn’t much by
U.K. standards but it is almost double what it was 10 Months ago – Just imagine
if petrol in the U.K. jumped to £8 a gallon in 10 Months! What I found even more
ironic was that Europe had sent our petrol reserves to help out with the
“katrina” problem and consequently the prices in the U.K. rocketed – but the
price stayed high both in the U.S. and the U.K. This was not a good time to be
taking a 1,400 mile drive down south in a gas guzzeling truck!
Once I found Internet access I learned
that I had won a Café Style racer H2 off Ebay, which had been won with a sniped
bid placed before I left, the dilemma now is how on earth do I fetch it from
Minnesota, my schedule hasn’t allowed for a 1,400 mile detour.
I spend the day preparing and loading my
truck for the long drive south, whilst wandering downtown for a snack I couldn’t
resist taking a photo of this cute little racoon living in a water outlet in
downtown Traverse City.
So next day I head off down south and
called at Gary Seeleys in Battle Creek to collect MT1, another Ebay bike
collected by Dave C in California and dropped off at Garys when Dave was heading
across country from California to the races in Toronto in Canada – love it when
a plan comes together, moving this Café H2 may be a bit of a problem though.
Another shock was the various prices of
petrol and cigarettes on the way down south, petrol varied by as much as 50p a
gallon and cigarettes varied by over a quid a packet – different States have
different tax levies which makeup the difference, like England importing fags
and booze from France, shipping cigarettes from Florida to the North is not
uncommon. Cigarettes $5.50 in Mi and down to $2.50 in Florida.
2 days into my trip and I hear good
news, Cody (scrambler) has sold a bike to a guy in South Michigan who is heading
over to collect the bike and will be passing quite close to where the café H2
is, a few phone calls and the plans are coming together I offset the petrol
costs and Mike Swistak will collect the bike for me, it gets even better as I
speak to Mike and the following weekend he is heading up to Traverse City for a
weekend break! How’s that for luck!
I stop at several breakers yards along
the way and most have rusty remnants of triples but none have anything worth
talking about, this yard in Kentucky had 3 S2’s in, I bought the gauges and some
other items off them. I checked the engines and they were all locked up
L
The same yard had this H1f that had
obviously been there a VERY long time – so long in fact that there wasn’t a
single useable item on it, what is heartbreaking is the speedometer reading
3,000 miles and the original tyres yet even the pipes have rusted through now
L
I
arrived in Florida after stopping at 5 breakers yards – all had parts but
nothing to get me excited.
A couple of H2’s appeared on Ebay just
70 miles from my location in Florida – they were described as having slight rust
and a few “scratches” so what better than to take a Z1000 for a ride in the 80
degree heat to check them out? So, it’s on with the shorts and sandals, a helmet
(although that isn’t a legal requirement in Florida – unless you are riding
without insurance) and I head up to Cedar Keys to look at the H2’s. What
absolute piles of crap! The description said “Slight surface rust, Engines were
running” You decide? :
The
houses in this area are typically built on stilts as flooding is the area is
very prone to flooding . . . I just wish this H2 owner had a garage that had
been built on stilts!
Totally of
topic but I learned that schools in the U.S. often start at 7.30 – 8.30am
which if you live out in the sticks means a morning “yellow bus” collection as
early as 6.30am! Suprisingly in Florida a lot of schools have their own cop, a
real gun toting cop with a real permanent base at the school! This isn’t to say
that the schools have problems, it’s more of a community thing whereby the kids
get to know the local cop and treat him as a friend rather than an enemy –
sounds like a good idea to me!
I am staying at a small town called
Dunnellon, it’s by a swimming hole on the rainbow river, this river is pretty
unique in that it originates from underground springs, the water is a constant
year round 73 degrees temperature which coupled with crystal clear water it
makes swimming a pleasure – just watch out for the alligators though!
Saturday comes and a ride out is planned
leaving from “Triple Ed’s” house – As you may remember, Ed lent me a bike to
take my test on and I sort of remembered he was 90 miles away – however after
hitting the road at 10am for our 11am meeting I suddenly realised that he was
150 miles away so speed was of the essence! I managed to make the trip in and
hour and fifty minutes – luckily the main Interstates are a little more lenient
on speed limits and the 70mph limit on I75 can be flouted at 80 without blue
lights appearing in your mirror every time you see a cop. One new problem for me
occurred whilst riding in shorts (it was new because it is never hot enough or
safe enough in the U.K.to ride in shorts!) I found it it is a wise idea to trap
any spare leg space of the shorts between the seat and you legs – imagine a hot
day in the U.K. (I know, it’s difficult to imagine that!
J)
remember that bug infested windshield after that 70mph drive? Well, double the
bugs, increase the temperature and imagine what was getting “funnelled” down the
flapping legs of my shorts!
So, I arrived at Ed’s to see everyone
waiting for me (sorry guys!) They seem amused that I have ridden down in short
sleeved shirt, shorts and sandals! A quick chat and we head for a local feeding
hole before heading out on a run.
I also get to meet the legendary Tony
Nicosia
Half a dozen guys made the rideout, Ed
was on a GT750
Others were on Yamaha RD’s. The ride on
lasted an hour or so and I had to stop at a gas station to get sunblock for my
arms and legs it is very deceiving having that cool breeze on you while riding
for 6 hours! I have to say that whilst it was great riding in this part of
Florida the roads were B O R I N G ! Very little scenery with no hills or twisty
bits.
Once back in Dunnellon and I see that my
days ride out has covered almost 520 miles – just about the furthest I had
ridden in a day for many years!
Rick Brett (September 2005)
