Thanks to the Ohio folks for their great work on the rally, particularly
Don
Calvert for his road riding selections. One section was newly paved and
it
was like a magic carpet ride. The vendors had some great items for sale.
and
Mike Waldridge pulled the bacon out of the fire for several riders with
problems. Laqueta Amanda and Jerry were next door neighbors and put up with
my hotel for Daisy and fellow riders. Jerry Carroll provided a replacement
tire for Wesley.... and several people were enthusiastically helping Hobot.
Of course, Hobot had the magic Arkie juice so it is no small wonder. Mike
Dolan and his wife shared our group and provided much mechanical help from
his arsenal of tools. Thanks, Mike and Jerry! Amanda Carroll, we are looking
to hear from you in the future in your singing career. And she has the great
looks to stand up to the bright lights.
The scenery was great and it was a treat to crest a hill on a throaty
Norton and see a tiny Amish boy with straight brimmed black hat and
buttoned up white shirt and eyeballs as big as saucers peeking out from
behind a wooden fence to see the spectacle. I had some great laughs with
Dan
Kennelly and Jerry Carroll and some fine company from the local western
Pa
Norton riders. Kurt Monroe was here and there like a kid in a candy store.
And we all were wondering if Hobot and Wesley would make it. A Canadian
rider named Serge brought an outstanding example of a nicely modified
white
75 anniversary model. A really nice machine, Serge! And he proudly rode
his
tiny son behind him. Great French Canadian accent and I noticed Serge
eagerly eyeing the details on any modified Commando. I think he wore some
chrome off mine from the staring. Bob ( Norum?), another white anniversary75
rider also made the poker run with a diminutive passenger hanging on tightly
fully geared with helmet and jacket.
Doug Macadam and Pam brought some handsome CNW bikes to display and they
rode them on the poker run.
Pam can kickstart a Commando like a pro. Lonesome Scott from Myrtle Beach
was a source of laughs and I have the pictures to prove it. He enjoyed
himself and will be talking about it for weeks. Scott you have to drive
faster than 40 mph when its raining! A full face helmet helps. And a dry
rider suit is an economical investment when away from home. If you know
someone who works for a utility company, they regularly get new ones.
Lean
on them for their discards! They are seldom worn and hardly worn out.
They
get replaced every 6 months. You end up paying the bill anyway!
Local food was great and inexpensive. Especially the Farmer Boy restaurant
in Wooster...If you are close...Try it!
And the mysterious Wesley... from the rural hill country of
Arkansas...Hobot's sidekick, came with his well seasoned Commando of which
he says... I was truly proud of her! She ran like a champion! He and Hobot
were special guests, unless of course, you were camped next door when
Hobot
was backfiring his flame launching gremlin plagued Commando. Rod Rayborn,
Bless his heart and patience, found the bad ground and got the Boyer working
as it should have. Shame... shame Hobot...a twisted and taped Boyer
Ground?? Your cookies are being withheld.
And the Black Phantom? .....
Well, she purred and she roared and she swooped over the rolling hillsides.
She ran with a full head of steam along the smooth newly paved country
roads
topping 95 and I couldn't look down to see the speedo beyond that. Boyne
Boyd's ST1100 Honda was in Hot pursuit and clearly visible in the bar
mounted mirror keeping neatly tucked to my tail.
The Phantom felt like a 1200cc once she hit 70mph. It was all business.
The
Konis floated smoothly and feather like over the changing roadbed. 95
mph
was only a heartbeat away from 70 and the power kept coming but the road
required prudence. When she roared, she wanted her way! Give me throttle
or
park me! Doug Macadam took her for a ride and gave her some glowing praise.
Don't let anyone tell you a single Mikuni is a bad idea. They will run
and
run well. Jet selection makes the difference.
I apologize for not getting around to see more folks. I had my son Jason,
L. Scott fom MB, Nick Coumos and a tiny apricot poodle sharing my rally
trip and she was having the time of her life in the great outdoors. I
set
out a plate of plain dogwood because I was out of any leftover hamburger
and
she let me see her disdain by expediently covering it up with leaves.
Friday, I was so eager to get the popup camper buttoned up in the rain
that
I left the levelling boards behind that were under one wheel, too wet
to
care if I did realize it...I didn't..When we left in the rain, I yelled
out
to Lenny Young, our WPNO pres., as we exited and Daisy took it as a hint
that she was supposed to bark out at anyone we saw, as well, and we left
in
a dog gone... good barking time.
Ed Ostack
The Green Tomato
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