2014 Motorcycle Cannonball Run – Part Two

 

 

Being in 3 different hotels can make the group a little fractured but everyone gathers at one hotel in the morning for the competitors to sign in.

 

It was cool and foggy again but nothing like the day before when we left in heavy fog and barely 40 degrees!  Layers are the key since we expect the sun to come out and warm us up with a forecast of 80 degrees.  I did my usual routine of leaving 5 minutes after the group, catching up to them and then stopping to check on any motorcyclist that was pulled over along the road.  If I get too far ahead I just spend more time at a gas stop visiting with people until things clear out.  

 

Dottie Mattern #43 is the only female rider who has made all of her miles so far!  She is riding her 1926 Indian Scout and is a cancer survivor (12 years) and 70 years old!  What a woman.  

 

 

 

I stopped to check on Terry Richardson #101 who had found a nice place to park his bike near a closed liquor store.  His chain guard was falling off so he had to remove his saddle bag and zip tie the guard back up.  Terry is from Kansas and rides a 1932 H-D VL.  He told me that he has 4 children and 7 grandchildren.  He was very surprised when his wife brought nearly all of them to Junction City. 

 

 

The ride across Eastern Colorado is flat but I’m enjoying seeing this great country from the back roads!  Today was the first time we’ve had to jump on an interstate for about 40 miles.  It gave me time to take some pics since i could hang in the left lane.  We’ve started to climb in elevation and some of the bikes don’t like that too much.  We’ll soon be at a lunch stop and people can check on their bikes there.  For miles we could see Pike’s Peak looming in the distance.  

 

 

Lunch was at Rocky Mountain H-D upstairs by their museum.  AMCA member Jim Wear’s son was playing a saxophone while the Son’s of Silence were parking bikes. Interesting stop!  The afternoon took us through the Garden of the Gods and then Hwy 24 through the mountains.  Then we cut through Hwy 126 to 285.  The mountain climbs were hard on these old bikes and I found Kelly Modlin and Rowdy Schneck along side the road letting their bikes cool off.

 

 

I stopped at a scenic turn out and proceeded down the mountain.  At the bottom was a sharp decreasing radius curve with a beautiful stream to the left.  I saw two bikes to the right and slowed down, they waved me in.  One of them had gone off the road and was standing there in pain but talking to me.  As we chatted it became apparent that an ambulance ride would be a good idea.  Since we had no cell service I flagged a car down and asked them to call 911 as soon as they could get a signal.  I followed the ambulance to the hospital (a 55 minute drive) and stayed until after dark, missing the evening party at David Uhl’s Studio.  It sounded fabulous but you’ll have to go get pics at www.motorcyclecannonball.com  

 

 

 

I was so happy to see my dear friend Diva Amy Skaling tonight when I got to the hotel. She brightens any room.  I had two more people to see but she helped me get my bags and made me feel like maybe I too have an entourage!  

 

Tomorrow: Golden Colorado to Grand Junction, CO via Loveland Pass (12,000 ft) YIKES! 

 

 

Today we got up before dawn for an early departure. Some of my ASM instructors, Magda and Voytek joined us for the morning ride and Diva Amy was eager and ready for the mountain passes that are in her old stomping grounds.

 

 

The elevations were expected to be challenging today as we climbed from 4700 feet to 12,000 feet going over Loveland pass. You could feel the anxiety of the riders as they had prepared their bikes for the steep climbs and changes in air fuel mixture. We only went about 4 miles this morning before the first bike was pulled over along side the road. Sweep, Dave Jones was there so we carried on. We road past David Uhl’s Gallery on the way out. I heard that I missed a spectacular party the night before!

 

 

The route out of town took us through Clear Creek Canyon, It was cool and shady as well as beautiful! We stopped to see if we could help Paul Ousey #83 who was pulled over in the Canyon. He was just not getting enough gas and was on the phone with a mechanic. Eventually he limped the bike near Highway 70 and pulled over again to check the fuel filter (screen). Unfortunately that did not help and we left him roadside since we had fallen pretty far behind. A chase vehicle runs behind the group and picks up bikes that are not running. The rider has 20 minutes to make a decision about getting on the ‘Bus of Shame’ and putting their bike on the trailer. We were so excited to see Paul come roaring in to our gas stop. YEAH!!!!!

 

 

As we headed for Loveland pass we saw a group of riders from Iron Dinosaur pulled over 2 miles before our exit. There was a State Trooper there but we were pretty sure they weren’t speeding. We found one of the riders on his knees struggling with Altitude related issues. I had forgotten that I had some compressed air (inhalant) in my bike. We waited while he used that inhalant, drank water and acclimated. He wanted to continue so we escorted the crew to Loveland Pass. Triumphant! There was nowhere to park at Loveland to get a picture so we continued on to Tennessee Pass for a picture there.

 

 

The colors of the trees, the sky, water and grass were breathtaking. The roads were twisty and challenging, but fun. Our next stop was Leadville, the highest incorporated city in the USA at 10,152 feet. The Elks Club hosted a brunch for us while the bikes were on display. A little girl was fascinated with ‘Buddy’, Cris Simmon’s bike.

 

 

Once we got down from those higher elevations we stopped at a gas station were we chatted with Mike Bell #41 from Texas. He said that he was a 73 year old riding a 91 year old cross country. Now how do you like that! It reminded me that I needed to call my Dad, Glen Roberts and wish him a happy birthday since he turned 79 today! The riders at the gas station all wished him Happy Birthday in unison and he got to visit with Diva Amy who he remembers fondly.

 

The afternoon got hot and we saw scattered showers and experienced some ‘Blow by’ with high winds. Hwy 6 wound to the north and then to the south allowing riders to stay off the interstate as much as possible.

 

 

Today was relatively uneventful from a medical standpoint but the trailers brought 12 bikes in to the Grand Junction Harley-Davidson dealership. That was the highest number since day one. Grand Junction served us a great meal catered by Famous Dave’s and then we headed back to the hotel where we’re all together tonight with the parking lot set up for wrenching.

It’s fun to run around the lot seeing what people are doing and of course there are parties all over. Thanks Team Vino for the hospitality!

Tomorrow: Springville, UT and Jeff Decker’s Studio!

Only 6 more days of this fascinating journey.

 

 

 

As the riders left the Doubletree Hotel this morning many looked tired. Some had been up most of the night fixing their motorcycles from the strain of the higher elevations. A few who had been out for a few days were back and they were excited to be back on the course. We all enjoyed being at the same hotel. We were up at 5:15 preparing for the 7:00 am start. Caffeine! Where is Bean’re? He’s got some mighty fine Vietnamese coffee!

 

As Diva and I left the hotel (5 minutes after the group left) we realized that it was much warmer in front of the hotel! We pulled over at a gas station to add more layers and ran across some of the riders, including Craig Jackman #82 from California. I had met him the 2nd day of the ride when he hit an oil slick and put his bike down. He was wearing a pair of white pants and he explained to me that he intended to see how dirty they would get on this ride. Well he is doing a marvelous job of getting them very dirty! We also ran across some of the Iron Dinosaur crew who mentioned the rain and mud they ran through the day before, yep, evidence of that escapade was all over their bikes!

 

Today’s elevations were expected to be 3900 to 7500 feet. That was pretty reasonable compared to the previous day where we got to 12,000 feet. There was no hosted lunch today so that meant we could make better time and hopefully get to Jeff Decker’s studio by 3:30 – 4:00 pm.

 

We were going to have to do quite a bit of Interstate.  Though the bikes were only doing an average 45-50 mph it helped not having to stop and start so much.  I was pleased to see that we reached mile marker 25 and I had not seen a bike along side the road.   When we got to mile marker 38, however, there was a rider pulled over.  Kelly Modlin, #24 from Kansas, was pulling his carburetor off his bike.  His bike seized up so he thought he would try another carburetor and he just happened to have a spare!  I flagged down Dave Jones who is more mechanically inclined and continued up the interstate taking pictures of riders whenever possible.

 

 

It’s natural to look at the landscape in Utah and think about the Wild West. Seeing the antique bikes crossing the arid and rugged land I could imagine the dirt roads they used to have to travel and how even finding fuel many years ago could be difficult.  I took a deep breath and smelled something dry and spicy.  Sage?  Weeds?

 

We turned off of the interstate on Hwy 128 and entered the Colorado Recreational area.   Wowsa!!!!  What a beautiful area that is!!!  The red rock formations followed the river. We stopped with some of the guys for pictures and then figured we’d best get going. Suddenly we were stopped by a police officer.  They were closing the road so they could move a movie prop on a large trailer.  It was a train car with actors and actresses in it!   Warner Brothers was filming a movie!

 

 

After leaving MOAB we found ourselves on a dry and hot stretch that took us to Green River for lunch.  We waited there for a while to fall to the back of the pack again.  We had run out of water so we bought 7 more for the next leg.  Good thing since it was a really hot stretch and we gave all of them out too!

We arrived in Springville, Utah at a reasonable time with no medical incidents to report.  5 bikes were hauled in today on the trailer.  32 of the competitors are still tied in points and 16 have dropped out leaving 82 on the course.

 

 

We had a wonderful treat in Springville as we got to visit Jeff Decker’s Studio called “Hippodrome”.  It was fascinating and so kind of him to open his place up for so many people.  Jeff’s wife was busy making fruit infused water.  Jeff opened a locked room for us to see his collection of vests and jackets.  No pictures were allowed.

 

From the Decker Studio we went to the Legends Vintage Motorcycles.  They had a band, fed us the best meal so far and even gave all of us T-Shirts! Diva’s family came to join us for the evening.  It was a celebration.  Time to go edit 191 pictures that I took today, do laundry and write my blog.  We get to sleep in tomorrow with a 7:30 am start!

Tomorrow: Bonneville Salt Flats.

 

 

 

This morning came early.  I set the alarm but decided to lay down for just a few minutes.  Fortunately I awoke 45 minutes later but it meant I needed to get moving!  I did my little routine getting my clothes to the trailer and having breakfast, then went outside to see the riders off.  I chatted with the staff and then asked where everyone was.  They said “They all left already!”  Apparently the event coordinator told people to leave as early as they could, I just didn’t get the message.  Diva and I scrambled to get packed up, get gas and go.  I figured we would catch up with some of the riders on the first major hill.

 

The first 22 miles was through town with many stop lights.  We started seeing bikes along the side of the road at mile marker 8.  The air was cool. We got to a recommended gas stop at the edge of town and pulled in.  Buzz Kanter #15 was adjusting his clutch plates because they were slipping.  He was the 4th person we had seen pulled over.  Paul Ousey #83 is his riding partner and we heard a rumor that it was his birthday so we wished him happy birthday and he commented that there was no where else he’d rather be.  Well, it’s still early!

 

 

We headed out of town on Hwy 73 and then started taking some country roads.  After crossing a cattle bridge we got to Mormon Trail Road.  I will never forget it.  There were about 10 of us that were stopped for construction.  There was a weird sign that said “Road Damage Ahead”.  We waited for the flag person to give us the ‘Slow’ sign.  The road was torn up with pot holes, loose gravel, rocks and sand.  It was like dirt biking with the rear tire spinning in the sand.  The bikes bounced and shook and all of us shuddered as we made our way through the mile of construction that felt like 5 miles!  Other than some broken parts and missing screws I didn’t hear of anyone going down or having any major catastrophe’,  but it certainly was a topic of conversation at the next gas stop.

 

 

Next stop: Gas and water before the salt flats.  I bandaged a finger on Big Swede #76 and off we went.  It was about 85-90 degrees so we got lucky. The salt flats are interesting.  The salt looks like snow.  The speed limit on I-80 is 80 mph so the trucks and cars were whizzing past the bikes that were doing about 45-50 mph.  We got about 10 miles from Bonneville and saw someone pulled over.  It was birthday boy Paul Ousey #83.  His battery had died.  Diva waved down Randy Aron #13 who just happened to have a battery.  He freaked us out when he did a U-turn and went the wrong way on I-80 for a moment.  Paul was so glad to see him.

 

Michael Lichter was taking a staged photo at Bonneville Speedway.  It was hot but a bit of a breeze saved everyone.  The picture took nearly an hour to stage and shoot. Everyone was ready for some shade, food and drink when they were done!

 

 

Leaving Bonneville, we crossed into Nevada.  There was a long uphill climb that took out a few riders, though some got their bikes going again!  One of them was Scott Byrd #25.  I called for a pick up and left him with some water.  Later, when he pulled in to the finish for the day I nearly jumped up and down to see hat he had gotten all of his points!  We had watched him struggle all day but he did it!  Later Scott told me that he was riding for his sister that he never knew.  She was his parents first born and died after two days.  He remembered visiting her grave and always wondered what life might have been like if he had a sister or was not the oldest child.  Her name was ‘Kimberly’ and Scott had it painted on his tank.  He rides every day in remembrance of the sister he never knew.  What a guy… Go Scott!!!!

 

 

It was 7 miles from our ending point when my friend, Thomas Hayes from Ireland blew a tire.  I gave him a bottle of water and escorted his friend from France to the hotel.  The sky was looking a bit ominous with bolt lightening and rain obviously headed our way.  The wind picked up and a dust storm preceded the rain.  The rest of the evening was beautiful.  Sunset, from California joined Diva and I as we toured the parking lot enjoying the escapades of the day with our many new friends.  Someone mentioned that the Cannonball is like a band of gypsies.  I guess it’s a little like that!

 

 

 

We awoke to dry weather and a beautiful sunrise. It was great that we were all together at the same hotel.  Many of the bikes had been revived overnight and people are happy that they were riding off the interstate today.  I greeted Hans Coertse #35 from South Africa who is in the lead with the most points and the oldest bike.  His support team was there to see him off.  At our gas stop as we left town the locals pointed out that the front page article in their newspaper was about the Cannonball Run.   Just then the Spaniard who was featured in the article (#58 Francisco Tirado) walked into the station. 

 

 

 

We didn’t get too far before we came upon the first breakdown at mile marker 9.  Two people were there wrenching their bikes on the pavement, wet from a storm that rolled through earlier.   As we got further into the canyon the temperature started to drop so people were pulling over to add layers or rain gear.  It was a bit hard to tell who needed help and who didn’t. A German rider #26 was trying to get his 1916 H-D going and another rider stopped to push start his bike.  More and more riders started to gather to help him out.  I watched the passing traffic, which was going much too fast!  Once the bike started Thomas took off and just kept going.  Robb Kraft #72  was having trouble getting his bike to kick over, then Doug Wothke #88 stopped to help so I left.  I  stopped again only a few miles later with Pat Simmons #100. 

 

 

I was surprised to find so many people at our lunch stop at the Duck Valley Indian Reservation Deli, Gas and Grocery.  Diva Amy and Sunset had run ahead and joined the riders as well.  It was fun and the deli was cute.  The sky was hazy and we found out that it was from the California Wildfires over 120 miles away.  We could smell the hint of smoke.  Must be some big fires!

 

 

 

After lunch as we started down the road I came upon #80, Shimyra Kimura who was working on his 1915 Indian Chief, I called for a pick up and then continued on my way.  I suddenly felt a rumble which I thought was the sound of a semi crossing the center line.  I was surprised and ducked as I moved to the right side of the lane.  To my surprise the rumble came from a fighter jet which promptly turned left and disappeared.  The rest of the afternoon was uneventful.  The ground was flat and dry and the temperature was warming up.

 

 

 

We made our way into Meridian to High Desert Harley-Davidson where we had a catered dinner of meat loaf, garlic mashed potatoes with parmesan and lettuce salad.  It was hot by now (88 degrees). Two of my ASM Instructors, Trish and Cindy, came to visit. 

 

 

 

Time to wrap today up with a bike wash!  As usual we perused the hotel parking lot chatting with the mechanics.  

 

 

 

[page break]

 

 

The reason the Cannonball is called an endurance run is becoming more evident every day.  With only 3 days to go the grind of the past 13 days as well as the days of preparation and travel are taking their toll. The group is still focused but they are obviously tired.  Still, everyone who can ride is out before dawn today even if it is just to ride with the others, complete their personal goals or support those who are still in the competition.  The first riders (class one) left at 6:45 am including Hans Cortese #35 from South Africa who is currently in first place.

 

 

At mile marker three I saw the first rider pulled over.  As I got nearer I could see it was a rider I had helped the day before, #26, “The Frankfurter” ridden by Thomas Trapp from Germany who was in 5th place.  He said he had called for a pick up.  His magneto was kaput and he would have to take a ride on the bus of shame.  I offered to run back to camp to get parts, push his bike, ANYTHING to get him back on the road but he said it was not an option.  I felt the lump in my throat grow bigger.  So sorry!  At mile marker 16 I saw Pat Simmons #100 heading back to camp and just 2 miles later Greg McFarland, #73.  He had broken down the day before and they worked hard to get him back up and going including a new carburetor but his bike had no power.  He was discouraged and told me to go ahead.  Later I saw him putt past my gas stop purring like a kitten. YEAH!!!!

 

 

 

I don’t think anyone was prepared for the next 60 miles.   It was beautiful as we rode through the Peyette River Canyon.  The only problem was that it was freezing cold!  One person mentioned that they had a digital thermometer that registered 40 degrees.  As riders exited the canyon in Cascade, ID they gathered at a gas station to warm up.   They were using the heat lamps for the sandwiches to warm their hands. While my chin was so cold I could hardly talk I knew that I had no right to complain.  I was in awe of these hearty souls, many with no windshield or protection! They warmed up and carried on.

 

 

 

Just down the road another 30 miles was McCall, a quaint touristy town on Payette Lake.  There were many choices of little restaurants to have lunch.  I chose “My Father’s Place” and enjoyed a chicken sandwich with Scott and Sharon Jacobs, Cris Simmons and Jim Petty.  Of course we chose to sit outside in the sun where we warmed up nicely. 

 

 

 

The afternoon was just as beautiful with minimal issues.  Dave Jones was helping Vinnie Grasser #95 so I carried on and Stu Surr #110 from the United Kingdom was waiting for a pick up with his 1926 Rudge. There was no cell service so we chatted for a while about his experience on the Cannonball and how much fun he has had so far.

 

 

 

For many miles I was riding alone.  The color of the trees were changing as we continued north through Hell’s Canyon Recreational area. The smell of the dry leaves and pine trees was delightful as the sunshine continued to warm the air to nearly 80 degrees.  The riders were challenged but enjoyed a ride that took them up Whitebird summit via switchbacks.  We gathered in Grangeville at a gas stop.  The next 40 miles took us across a starkly different terrain. We wandered through wheat fields and I think I saw the largest and tallest Dirt Devil I’ve ever seen but there were many.  One person said they saw one of them cross the road.  Again, gas stations were fun as we all gathered to talk about what we had seen.

 

 

We arrived in Lewiston, our ending destination, a bit early for a change due to a time change to Pacific time where we gained an hour. Hell’s Canyon Harley-Davidson was packed with locals who were there to look at the bikes. It was fun to watch their reactions as they visited with the riders. 

 

 

Some of the excitement is returning to the ride as people realize how close we are to being done with this amazing cross country endurance run. Hans Cortese from South Africa continues to maintain 1st place with his 1924 Indian Scout. Since I run the back of the pack I have never seen him out on the course. Hans is very steady and takes minimal breaks, never stopping for lunch. I found him and wished him well this morning, asking for a picture before he is mobbed tomorrow!

 

 

 

We started out of town, climbing a sweeping hill. By mile marker 2 we had 3 people break down. Vinnie Grasser #95 and Ryan Allen #29 were able to get their bikes going again. By mile marker 15 there were two more bikes pulled over. Ryan is riding a 1929 scout and his fuel line ruptured. He used some tubing and hose clamps to  splice the area.  He mentioned that he needed to calm down so I sang a verse of the Panhead blues to him (with his permission), and off he went!

 

 

The weather was beautiful with mostly blue skies and a cool but tolerable temperature.  It was warming up fast! I had heard that there was not much to look at, but I disagree the terrain was beautiful!  A tumbleweed rolled in front of me and I thought that it looked like something you would not want to get hung up in your bike.  At mile marker 96 I found Ryan again but this time he suspected his problem was his oil pump.  He decided it was time to take a ride and luckily Kelly Modlin had decided to drive the course with his converted ambulance support vehicle on the route.  He picked Ryan up.  At mile marker #96 I found Stu Surr #110 pulled over with his 1926 Rudge.  He said he was just cooling the bike off.  I saw him pouring water on the pipes as I left.

 

 

 

I pulled into a gas station in Pasco for gas and lunch.  Immediately I had a couple of people run up to me.  Apparently one of the participants, Buzz,  had been stung by a bee or had a rock hit him in the mouth.  The left side of his lip and face were swollen.  I could see a dot where he was likely stung. He said he was not having any trouble breathing so I had him take a Zyrtec and continue placing ice on the area.  It did not take long at all and the swelling was coming down.  We waited another 20 minutes and I took off.  Once I got 10-15 miles away I pulled over and watched for Buzz to come by and make sure he was OK.  Later I found him roadside were he was having a problem shifting his bike.  Only 20 miles from the end today.  What a day!

 

 

Our afternoon took us through the vineyards and apple orchards with Mount Rainier in the background.  It smelled so good! We were taken on quite the adventure, even doubling back.  The course marshals were there at one point making sure all riders were accounted for.  I pulled over to take a picture of some of the riders who were riding topless, LOL.  I understand they had been with Michael Lichter (photographer) who took pictures of them swimming in the snake river.

 

 

 

We had a dinner and motorcycles were on display this evening at Owen’s Cycle.  My friend, Todd Strobl was there waiting for me when I got in an hour late. They were all out of meat and drinks so I headed back to the hotel and got a meal.  The parking lot was busy tonight as riders prepared for tomorrow, our last day.  The weather was beautiful and everyone was out walking around or sitting around their motorcycles.  The Olsen baby came along for the entire trip.  He is only 4 months old (or is it 5 months now) but he loves motorcycles.  It was so cute to see how this family (Grandpa Carl and Daddy Matt are in the Cannonball) revolves around motorcycles. Mom Brittany is a racer.

 

 

Watch tomorrow as I post from the road as the event comes to a close. 

 

An amazing journey for so many!

 

 

 

Today the atmosphere was noticeably different as the riders went from exhaustion and anxiety to excitement and anticipation. We are almost done!!!! Nearly 4000 grueling miles on motorcycles that were not meant to travel this far, or exceed 50 mph. We have endured every kind of weather short of snow, road conditions that varied from 4 lane highways to torn up road construction. Fire Ants, Bee Stings, Allergic Reactions, Smashed Fingers and toes, Dehydration, Road Rash, Blisters and more were my daily pleasure to try to address so we could move on to the next day’s challenge. Now, suddenly we are at our last day. Our last night of parking lot surfing was done and tonight we will celebrate at a banquet in Tacoma at the beautiful and artistic Murano Hotel. People happily went about their business checking in one last time. The group of spectators grew to assist with the send off, cheering and clapping as the riders went out one more time. This time the send off was done by name. Go Dottie! Good luck Hans! God Speed Ron! Go for it John! See you at the end Ziggy!!!

 

I’ve gotten really good at U-Turns on this trip and this morning was no exception. Just like a flock of geese we all zipped around looking for the route out of town and then suddenly we were all going the right direction. It wasn’t long, mile marker #5 that I found the first breakdown. #73, Greg McFarland from Texas was working on his 1926 H-D J which had a broken chain. He was working feverishly to get the chain back on and had the master link but no ‘keeper’ to clip the link into place. We discussed what could be done as he loosened his chain to connect the link. I offered to help but he made a funny comment about not wanting to get my hands dirty. I reached down and took the tension off the chain so he could connect it back up. BINGO! Just then Joe Sparrow stopped by on his Gold Wing. If anyone could help Greg it was Joe! I wished them well and took off to catch up to the rest of the group. I never worried about being too far behind. Typically I would catch up at the next big hill. I tried to pass a few bikes to get ahead, knowing I would stop again and fall to the back. At mile marker 12 I found #94 -Rich Rau and his 1936 Harley R from Oregon. I had met Rich before on our way into Cape Giradeau, MO when his battery died and a young man stopped to help. Today he was making an adjustment so I continued on but later, at mile marker 75 or so I passed him as he chugged and popped giving it all he had to make it to the top of the mountain. His bike sounded like it was on it’s last leg and I prayed that I would see him at the finish.

 

 

We got to the top and I gasped as we came around the mountain to reveal Mount Rainier and it’s snow covered top that looked so close we could almost touch it! We stopped to get quick pictures then continued on since all bikes needed to be in by 1pm today. We had one more gas stop and I lolli-gagged until every last person left the station. I was going to miss these times when we would stop and discuss the last leg of our journeys. I took a picture of #82, Craig who was working on the dirty white pants thing (see previous posts). Everyone had left but one rider remained in the parking lot. #9 – John Stanley from Oregon who reminded me of my friend Roger Deffner although John had so many pins on his vest it looked like chain mail and would probably work like chain mail too! He told me he was going to need to find someone with a 9/16th wrench so he could loosen his clutch plates to get through all of the stop and start of town. He said normally you don’t want your clutch to slip but he needed to allow it some slip so it would not overheat. Of course I cheerfully offered my wrench and let him know I would get it from him later at the finish.

 

 

There was a crowd at Destination Harley Davidson in Fife, WA, just 2 miles from the finish line. They provided a nice lunch and the Seattle Cossack Motorcycle Drill Team was there to greet us. The bikes staged for their departure, Class One at 1:55, Class Two at 2:00 and Class Three at 2:05. I took off early to go to the LeMay Museum and take pictures as they came in. As I started over a long bridge I saw #3 – Buck Carson from Texas pushing his bike with a Texas Flag on the back and a Cowboy Hat on. I continued over the bridge and then made my way back. Did I see this right? Is he really going to push his bike for 2 miles? Yes, there he was, still alone. I did a U-Turn and parked my bike on the other side of the bridge making my way to the top so I could take pictures. I walked behind him for a moment, honored to share this moment then exclaimed “Buck Carson you are my hero!”

 

 

It was time to get to the museum so I got back to my bike and continued on. A beautiful museum it is with a huge grassy field and an inflatable red arch set up as the finish line. Here they come! Hundreds of people clapped and cheered as the riders entered, class by class. behind them all, after most people had left the finish line was Buck Carson, now joined by Ryan Allen #29 pushing their bikes up the long steep hill. I was thrilled to see that other riders had joined them to push them up the hill to the finish line. It spoke volumes to me about the camaraderie and spirit of teamwork that embodied our entire group. I was really going to miss these guys.

 

 

The festivities at the LeMay: press, pictures, interviews and the performance by the Cossacks was entertaining and fitting. Champagne was poured over riders heads and into their mouths while other’s rejoined their families who had flown in to be there at the end. My friend, Meg McDonough found me and we shared some sweet moments before I got a call that my bike was needed. Team American Iron had offered me a lift home in their motorhome since they were going right through Illinois. Their plan was to leave right after the banquet. I’m in!

 

 

The evening gathering at the beautiful art deco Murano Hotel was noisy and the slide show put together by Michael Lichter got everyone roaring with laughter, cheering, clapping and commenting. We celebrated many of the successes of the past 17 days including the person who won first place overall, Hans Cortese #35 from South Africa. Hans who had ridden a 1924 Indian Scout gave an entertaining speech. When the crowd was dismissed many sat in disbelief. Is it really over? Do we have to wait for two years to do this again? Where will the next Cannonball go (route)? Will they still be pre-1937? Hmmmm……I wonder if I can get an old bike before that time so I can get to know it and join the riders next time.