On Sunday,May 1 2011,I met with my friend Chris to go riding.I was going about 50 miles away,York,PA to meet someone in order to buy a used Kindle e-book reader.He was on his motorcycle and I was on mine. So,we talk for a few, then start cruising Route 272 in Adamstown,PA and get on Route 222 Southbound.I'm in the lead and Chris a few car lengths behind me.
It turns out,I forgot to close my bag and my $40.00 winter gloves go flying out right before the Brownstown Exit.(I don't know why I brought them, it's warm enough i don't need them)I didn't know this at the time.Chris saw them on the road but thought they belonged to a few other guys on motorcycles who were on the shoulder and looking back,so he didn't do anything to get my attention.
It's a nice ride,not very much traffic as we transition from 222 to 30 Westbound.I'm feeling good,Chris looks comfortable as I glance in my mirror.
As we're cruising along,about a half mile from the Centreville Rd Exit,the rear of my 2003 Honda Shadow starts to wobble.it feels like I'm riding on a sponge,the handlebarsand front wheel stay straight,the back end feeling,well, spongy.I immediatly pull over on the shoulder,and it is a slanting shoulder,so it won't even lean far enough on the kickstand to park it. Chris pulls in behind me and has no idea what was going on. We look as I'm holding up the bike and see that I have a flat tire. I'm only about 20 miles from home.
We look at the tire and can not find a puncture anywhere.I have a plug kit and an air pump ( http://www.cyclepump.com/ )but it's useless if I can't see a puncture.Just the day before,April 30,I ordered a rear tire because this one is at the end of it's life,so I thought since it was a bald tire with very little tread left,it wore out. So I call home to get help.While the wife is looking for someone to come out with a pick up truck or trailer to get me, a guy on a 1999 Harley pulls up and asks if he can help.I show him the tire and explain I can't find the puncture. He says Fix-A-Flat might work, just enough to get me home and he'll run me over to an auto parts store to get a can.
So,against,my better judgement,I get on....and ride bitch for the first time since I was a kid on my Dad's 1969 Sportster......Here is a short video clip.
http://youtu.be/ZtbbhtNtE7w
It was uncomfortable not being in control(Are we ever really totally in control when riding?)
I get the can of Fix-A-Flat and we get back to where Chris is waiting with the motorcycles along route 30.I put the nozzle on and start the can as the tire fills,we find the puncture.Harley guy puts his finger over it in attempt to get it to seal.
It's not sealing.
The can is empty,he says roll up off the Centreville Rd exit and you might be able to make it to the gas station. I go ridinbg down the shoulder,fix a flat fluid spraying out of the puncture as the tire spins.
I get up off the exit,this traffic light holds a really long time.Of course the tire goes flat. So,I ride (thumpthumpthumpthumpthump) and try to make it into the parking lot of a Bob Evans restaraunt,and as soon as I make the right turn,the tire pops off the rim,throws the back end of the bike to the the right.I didn't drop it.
We push it down into the back of the lot.Nothing we can do now,
I thank the Harley guy for his help, offer him a tank of gas.As bikers usually do, he does not take it.Because bikers/riders are just that way.
So my neighbor comes out with his Suburban and very small ,rough looking trailer.We load it it on,strap it down and he takes me home.
Chris goes his way.
Now back to the gloves.The wife and I drove back out in her car looking for them.I spot one a half mile before the Brownstown Exit on Route 222 South bound in the left shoulder.We pull over and I run back and get.The other one is no where in sight.I walked back far. I was walking back,a little upset I lost these new gloves,I decide to look down the right shoulder ,so I start walking back.......and there it is in the grass! I got my gloves back!
I ordered the front tire as well on Monday and will have two brand new tires on for my Iron Butt Run attempt.So maybe this was a blessing in disguise.
Until next time,be sure to Follow me on Twitter @herostoryrory ,my Facebook page is Hero Story Productions.And subscribe to my YouTube channel for a variety of videos.
Rory
Oh,here is a link to the VLOG of this little adventure.Watch it(and subscribe :o) )
http://youtu.be/8wY9JWW7eks?hd=1
It turns out,I forgot to close my bag and my $40.00 winter gloves go flying out right before the Brownstown Exit.(I don't know why I brought them, it's warm enough i don't need them)I didn't know this at the time.Chris saw them on the road but thought they belonged to a few other guys on motorcycles who were on the shoulder and looking back,so he didn't do anything to get my attention.
It's a nice ride,not very much traffic as we transition from 222 to 30 Westbound.I'm feeling good,Chris looks comfortable as I glance in my mirror.
As we're cruising along,about a half mile from the Centreville Rd Exit,the rear of my 2003 Honda Shadow starts to wobble.it feels like I'm riding on a sponge,the handlebarsand front wheel stay straight,the back end feeling,well, spongy.I immediatly pull over on the shoulder,and it is a slanting shoulder,so it won't even lean far enough on the kickstand to park it. Chris pulls in behind me and has no idea what was going on. We look as I'm holding up the bike and see that I have a flat tire. I'm only about 20 miles from home.
We look at the tire and can not find a puncture anywhere.I have a plug kit and an air pump ( http://www.cyclepump.com/ )but it's useless if I can't see a puncture.Just the day before,April 30,I ordered a rear tire because this one is at the end of it's life,so I thought since it was a bald tire with very little tread left,it wore out. So I call home to get help.While the wife is looking for someone to come out with a pick up truck or trailer to get me, a guy on a 1999 Harley pulls up and asks if he can help.I show him the tire and explain I can't find the puncture. He says Fix-A-Flat might work, just enough to get me home and he'll run me over to an auto parts store to get a can.
So,against,my better judgement,I get on....and ride bitch for the first time since I was a kid on my Dad's 1969 Sportster......Here is a short video clip.
http://youtu.be/ZtbbhtNtE7w
It was uncomfortable not being in control(Are we ever really totally in control when riding?)
I get the can of Fix-A-Flat and we get back to where Chris is waiting with the motorcycles along route 30.I put the nozzle on and start the can as the tire fills,we find the puncture.Harley guy puts his finger over it in attempt to get it to seal.
It's not sealing.
The can is empty,he says roll up off the Centreville Rd exit and you might be able to make it to the gas station. I go ridinbg down the shoulder,fix a flat fluid spraying out of the puncture as the tire spins.
I get up off the exit,this traffic light holds a really long time.Of course the tire goes flat. So,I ride (thumpthumpthumpthumpthump) and try to make it into the parking lot of a Bob Evans restaraunt,and as soon as I make the right turn,the tire pops off the rim,throws the back end of the bike to the the right.I didn't drop it.
We push it down into the back of the lot.Nothing we can do now,
I thank the Harley guy for his help, offer him a tank of gas.As bikers usually do, he does not take it.Because bikers/riders are just that way.
So my neighbor comes out with his Suburban and very small ,rough looking trailer.We load it it on,strap it down and he takes me home.
Chris goes his way.
Now back to the gloves.The wife and I drove back out in her car looking for them.I spot one a half mile before the Brownstown Exit on Route 222 South bound in the left shoulder.We pull over and I run back and get.The other one is no where in sight.I walked back far. I was walking back,a little upset I lost these new gloves,I decide to look down the right shoulder ,so I start walking back.......and there it is in the grass! I got my gloves back!
I ordered the front tire as well on Monday and will have two brand new tires on for my Iron Butt Run attempt.So maybe this was a blessing in disguise.
Until next time,be sure to Follow me on Twitter @herostoryrory ,my Facebook page is Hero Story Productions.And subscribe to my YouTube channel for a variety of videos.
Rory
Oh,here is a link to the VLOG of this little adventure.Watch it(and subscribe :o) )
http://youtu.be/8wY9JWW7eks?hd=1
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