September, 2005

Hitting Close to Home                  
by Paula McCallum

Recently one of our member’s son was rear ended on his bike by an automobile. He was going home around 11 p.m. and was stopped at the light at Gellars. A nineteen year old woman said she did not see the light or the bike. He was thrown from the bike into the other lane of traffic but luckily since the light was red, no one was coming the other way. He is now recovering from a very sore back and will be out of work for a few months.

There’s not much a biker can do in this situation besides keeping their foot on the rear brake while stopped so that your rear lights are brighter. Or add more lights to your bike so that it’s lit up like a Christmas tree. If you’re the other person in the car, please do us a favor and put down cell phones or any other distractions and pay attention to the road.  

From the School of Hard Knocks
Lessons that experienced Bikers know ...

... never to leave their helmets upside down. They learn this valuable lesson the first time they go out to eat, come back to their bike after a rain shower to discover Moby Dick doing the back stroke in their lid.

... to stay far behind a truck in front of them which is carrying 2X4s, dirt, duct work, or other debris that may fly off. This goes for trailered boats, bike racks, surf boards and mattresses. Play it safe and back off.

... to pack chaps and a sweatshirt in their saddle bags on a hot day. Only novices have goose bumps dressed in their cute shorts and tank top when the sun goes down.

... that if the cars coming in the opposite direction have their windshield wipers on, to pull over & put on their rain gear because it’s sure as heck, raining up ahead.
... that even if a windshield and saddlebags ruin the “look” of their bikes, they are a necessity. .

.. saddlebags may be necessary but they’re not water proof. Gloves, shirts or other “stuff” will smell like your H.S. gym locker if items linger too long in your bags.

... if a car coming in the opposite direction has their left blinker on, assume that they will cut in front of the bike.

... when pulling into toll booths that the center lane is greasy and your feet can slip when stopping to pay.

... the painted street lines are slippery when wet.

 ... never to pull in to a spot head first where they can’t back out of on their own without the assistance of a valet.

... you’ll look for a 6th gear no matter what you ride!  

The Geography of Nova Scotia

1. Sociology- I got out of work late with only five minutes to strip down, whip on thermal underwear & rain gear to embark on our bike trek to S. Portland. Dreading the idea of riding for 2 hours in the rain. Bill called in mid-stride, “Do you have your rain gear on?” In near tears, I said, “I’m getting ready now”. He asked me to look out the window. “I can’t”, I whined, strapping on my overalls. He patiently told me to just look out the window. I was never so happy to see that Gladiator van with trailer & bike. YES, I had the smartest boyfriend in the whole world! We drove up dry that night and the next day to arrive in Bar Harbor to the scorn of our fellow drenched bikers. They thought us WIMPS for not braving the elements as they had. We felt bad too, not.

1. Poly Sci- While preparing to leave the hotel in Halifax, some of us stood around the bikes. When all of a sudden, Hawk fell down the hill and Bill, while sitting on his bike, looked around and says in a loud voice, "THE PRESIDENT HAS FALLEN". Hawk looked both surprised and a little embarrassed as he bounced back up to his feet as though "did anyone see that?" Anthony then announced that he was already thinking of assuming command as a Vice President should. Up the driveway walks a flower delivery man. To which, Bill asked, "Hey Hawk, are you just gonna take it from that guy?" The rest of our crew were eating breakfast and had all witnessed the entire scene from the window above. So much for the Secret Service.

1. Ornithology- Billy Pike was instructed that if you need to pull over, beep your horn or flash your lights. He was in mid-pack of 6 bikes when a Kamikaze Barn Swallow dive bombed him. The suicidal fowl must have realized its misfortune seconds before impact "Oh Sh$#!" as it crapped itself all over Billy's windshield. Billy, dazed by their collision, was seeing double. Gathering his wits, he beeped & flashed his lights to get the other's attention. Leo did remember seeing the dead bird on the road while Bruce admitted he heard the beeping, yet no one had actually seen the incident so they didn't pull over. Thankfully, there was a scenic photo op minutes later. As he pulled in, Billy's head was covered in Bird; much to everyone's amusement. He developed a nice little "egg" on his forehead. A souvenir from his fine feathered friend.

1. Physiology- Bill Ferguson's shifter had been giving him trouble prior to our departure and tightened before our trip. On the second day of our journey, it began to loosen again. Bill deposited the group he led with the rest of the gang to head to the nearest Harley dealer. An hour away, with first gear now stripped, Bill's bike hobbled into East Coast Choppers. The mechanic took the bike he was working on, off the lift, and began operating on the Road Glide. He had the part on hand, made a small incision in the inner primary cover, slipped out the broken lever and replaced it. We were good to go in two hours; able to enjoy the rest of our vacation thanks to the ingenuity and kind heartedness of a stranger.  

Excellent Trip to Sturgis                         
by MMR